An Introduction to Hydrophonics and Controlled Environment...

Introduction to Hydroponics and Controlled Environment Agriculture by Patricia A. Rorabaugh, Ph.D. University of Arizona Controlled Environment Agriculture Center 1951 E. Roger Road Tucson, AZ 85719 Revised December, 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: Controlled Environment Agriculture and Hydroponics: Past, Present and Future The Plant How to grow greenhouse crops Plant Protection: Insects and Diseases Basic Principals of Hydroponics Transplant Production Pollination, Fertilization and Bee Management Fruit Harvesting, Grading and Storage Plant Nutrition and Nutritional Disorders Fertigation Systems and Nutrient Solutions Greenhouse Site Selection Greenhouse Structures Greenhouse Control Systems Greenhouse Energy and Resource†¦show more content†¦*~300 A.D. Rome – Roses were forced to flower early by the addition of warm water into the irrigation ditches twice a day. This would warm the roots and stimulate growth. 1-1 THEREFORE, up to ~300 A.D., the ancients had perfected protected agriculture (terraced growing areas, mulches and compost heating), greenhouses, hot air and hot water heating systems and had experimented with plant nutrition, water culture and more. THEN: The Great Library in Alexandria Egypt was burned. Rome fell. Enter the Dark Ages! What was learned before was forgotten†¦ When people forget their â€Å"history† they are doomed or, in this case, required to repeat it! 1300’s 1400’s 1500’s – European Renaissance: revival of art, literature learning. DEVELOPMENT OF PROTECTED AGRICULTURE AND GREENHOUSES: People want to â€Å"grow out of season† (i.e., have tomatoes in Winter) or grow plants where they don’t normally grow (i.e., lettuce, a cold weather crop, in Tucson in the Summer!). Therefore, move the plant from the natural environment to an artificial one†¦ using protected agriculture and/or greenhouses. Modify or control the temperature, relative humidity, CO2, light, etc., to provide optimum conditions to grow any crop any time anywhere! What discoveries had to be made in order to develop the modern greenhouse? *1385 – The French built â€Å"glass pavilions† oriented toward the south to grow flowers (though mainly for the wealthy to

Essay on The Failure of the War on Drugs - 1025 Words

In the early 1980s, policymakers and law enforcement officials stepped up efforts to combat the trafficking and use of illicit drugs. This was the popular â€Å"war on drugs,† hailed by conservatives and liberals alike as a means to restore order and hope to communities and families plagued by anti-social or self-destructive pathologies. By reducing illicit drug use, many claimed, the drug war would significantly reduce the rate of serious nondrug crimes - robbery, assault, rape, homicide and the like. Has the drug war succeeded in doing so? In Illicit Drugs and Crime, Bruce L. Benson and David W. Rasmussen (Professors of Economics, Florida State University, and Research Fellows, the Independent Institute), reply with a resounding no. Not†¦show more content†¦Certainly many violent and property criminals use drugs. But only a small percentage of drug users commit violent or property crimes. Drug offenders are far more likely to recidivate for a drug offense than for a violent offense or property crime. Is drug use to blame for the crimes drug users do commit? Benson and Rasmussen suggest that the reverse is closer to the mark: Many criminals who use drugs did not begin to do so until after they began committing nondrug crimes. A Bureau of Justice Statistics survey of prison inmates found that about half of the inmates who had used a major drug, and about 60 percent of those who used a major drug regularly, did not do so until after their first arrest for a nondrug crime. â€Å"Similarly,† Benson and Rasmussen note, â€Å"more than half of local jail inmates who reported they were regular drug users in the survey . . . said that their first arrest for a crime occurred an average of two years before their drug use. Once an individual has decided to turn to crime as a source of income, he or she may discover that drugs are more easily obtained within the criminal subculture and perhaps that the risks posed by the criminal justice system are not as great as initially anticipated. Furthermore, criminal activity generates income with which to buy goods that previously were not affordable, including drugs. Thus, crime leads to drug use, not vice versa.† Because relatively few illicit drug offenders commitShow MoreRelatedThe Failure of the War on Drugs Essay1529 Words   |  7 PagesThe War on Drugs in the United States has a profound influence on both the incarceration rates and activities of the criminal justice system. Many politicians and advocates of the policy claim that the War on Drugs is a necessary element to deter criminal behavior and reduce the crime rate. However, studies show that drug deterrent policies on possession and use have been inadequate and unsuccessful (Cole Gertz, 2013). Studies also show that the War on Drugs has not attained its objectives becauseRead More War on Drugs is a Dismal Failure Essay2868 Words   |  12 Pagesthe House recently approved a bill that included $1.7 billion to combat the drug cartels of Columbia with additional military aid.   In doing so, they perpetuated what could be one of the United States most misguided policies of recent history. At least some Republicans can give themselves a pat on the back for attempting to remove the Columbian aid from the $13 billion foreign aid bill.   Unfortunately, todays drug war is largely a Reagan-era Republican creation, so intoxicating that even theRead MoreThe War On Drugs Has Been A Well Intentioned Failure Essay1689 Words   |  7 PagesThe war on drugs has been a well-intentioned failure. The world’s desire was to keep people away from dangerous substances and to eliminate the violent practices of the drug producers and distributors. Instead of the war on drugs achieving its objectives of eliminating violent crime and reducing a number of people were taking drugs, the war has mainly just resulted in a dramatic increase prison population with little effect on the supply side of this illegal industry. Statistics collected by theRead MoreEssay about Success and Failure in the US-Mexico War on Drugs2866 Words   |  12 Pages Illegal narcotic drugs represen t a $60 billion market in the U.S., and this year alone the State and Federal governments will each spend roughly $20 billion in attempting to stifle this market. The amount of money involved in the drug trade, substantially inflated due to prohibition, makes both systemic corruption and violence inevitable. The illegal drug trade is a sophisticated international network, and while no nation’s involvement is limited to one economic function, one relationshipRead MoreAmerica s War On Drugs1539 Words   |  7 Pages On June 17th, 1971, President Richard Nixon declared drug abuse to be â€Å"America’s Public Enemy #1† in a press conference in which he called for an â€Å"all out offensive† against this enemy, an initiative that would later be known as America’s War on Drugs. By giving this speech, thus starting â€Å"The War on Drugs,† President Nixon created what would eventually become one of the most catastrophic failures in United State s political history. Analysis of the historical events surrounding Nixon’s declarationRead MoreHow Successful Is The War On Drugs? Essay1001 Words   |  5 PagesThe war on drugs has maintained an accumulation of prohibitions on illegal drugs and mandatory minimum sentencing strategies for drug offenders. Incarceration rates have also increased due to the increase of laws against illegal drugs. In Eugene Jarecki’s film, The House I Live In, Jarecki states that the penalties for crack users were harsher than penalties for regular cocaine users. This suggests that penalties are more of a double standard theory. The â€Å"War on Drugs† is more of a failure that placesRead MoreThe Flawed Drug Policy of America1691 Words   |  7 PagesAmericas Flawed Drug Policy Introduction: As a major policy issue in the United States, the War on Drugs has been one of the most monumental failures on modern record. At a cost of billions of taxpayer dollars, thousands of lives lost and many thousands of others ruined by untreated addiction or incarceration, Americas policy orientation concerning drug laws is due for reconsideration. Indeed, the very philosophical orientation of the War on Drugs and of the current drug policy in the UnitedRead MoreThe War On Drugs And Drugs1486 Words   |  6 PagesThe War on Drugs Despite an estimated $1 trillion spent by the United States on the â€Å"War on Drugs†, statistics from the US Department of Justice (2010) has confirmed that the usage of drugs has not changed over the past 10 years. Approximately $350 billion is spent per year on the â€Å"war on drugs†, only $7 billion is spent on prevention programs by the federal government. The war on drugs is more heavily focused on how to control crime, instead of how to prevent it. Not only is the war on drugs costlyRead MoreThe War on Drugs Essay1507 Words   |  7 PagesDespite an estimated $1 trillion spent by the United States on the â€Å"War on Drugs†, statistics from the US Department of Justice (2010) has confirmed that the usage of drugs has not changed over the past 10 years. Approximately $350 billion is spent per year on the â€Å"war on drugs†, only $7 billion is spent on prevention programs by the federal government. The war on drugs is more heavily focused on how t o fight crime, instead of how to prevent it. Crime prevention methods may not be immediate, butRead MoreThe House I Live By Eugene Jarecki989 Words   |  4 Pagesa 1971 press conference, which the press immediately designates the â€Å"war on drugs†. The House I Live In is a superb film detailing Eugene Jarecki’s journey on an in-depth and all-encompassing view of the war on drugs, and the immense destruction left in its wake. It is necessary to gain a better understanding of how the war on drugs is significant to a 40-year class based destruction, failure of existing drug policies and drug elimination, and the ways fear plays a starring role in the genesis of

Points About a Crafting Business Free Essays

1. Why does crafting strategy have a strongly entrepreneurial character? Courtney (2) notes that in a rapidly changing environment, this year’s indicators are not a good measure of what will happen in the future. Instead, there is a need to develop foresight. We will write a custom essay sample on Points About a Crafting Business or any similar topic only for you Order Now This involved looking to the future and spotting potential opportunities and potential threats before they are actually present. This is entrepreneurial in the sense that it involves looking to the future and seeing things before they are actually present. Crafting strategy also involves a new approach to business where the focus is on managing and risk and choosing the best kind of action, while there remains a level of certainty. These aspects of crafting strategy have a strong entrepreneurial character. Finally, crafting strategy requires vision and creativity. It differs from traditional management strategies because there are no certainties. Organizations cannot simply accept the environment as it is and aim to preserve the status quo. Organizations have to accept continual change, expect continual problems and challenges, and be innovative and creative in addressing these challenges. This need for innovation and creativity also has a strong entrepreneurial character. 2. What managerial purpose does the establishment of long-term objectives have? Long-term objectives are necessary to ensure that the organization is aware of what it wants to achieve. They focus the organization on its goals and provide a means of defining the desired outcome. Long-term objectives are also important because they are used to measure current and possible actions against. For example, the decision of whether or not to take a certain action can be based on whether or not it will help the organization achieve its goals. One of the other important points regarding long-term objectives is that they define the desired end-point, but do not define how that end-point is achieved. This means that the organization knows where it is going, but has the flexibility to adapt to the environment to determine how to get there. In this way, long-term objectives are important because they are a fixed point that guides the organizations toward its goals. 3. Competitive markets are economic battlefields. True or False. Explain. Competitive markets are economic battlefields. Thompson and Strickland note that in competitive markets, organizations constantly compete against each other in an attempt to gain advantages. One reason this is considered a battlefield is simply due to the competing. Another reason this is considered a battlefield is that organizations are competing to win the same thing, namely the consumer dollar. The third reason this is considered a battlefield is that a win by one organization means a loss for another. That is, for every consumer dollar that an organization wins, that is one less dollar going to a competitor. The next consideration is why it is considered an economic battlefield. The basic answer could be that organizations are competing to gain money, but there is more to it than this. It is also an economic battlefield because organizations win by improving economically. For example, if a manufacturing organization can find a way to produce a product for less money, they can pass this saving onto the consumer, and gain more consumers by having a lower price. Even if the price remains the same, organizations can benefit another way by producing the product for less, because they can invest that money into improving the product. The improved product then becomes the method by which they win the consumer dollar. Another important point is that winning economically often has future benefits. An organization that is winning the battle to win consumers will have more profits and these can be used to improve processes or products to provide even more future gains. Gains are also often made because their volume of trade increases. For manufacturers, they gain via economies of scale, where the more products that are made, the lower the cost becomes per product. The volume of trade can also give organizations more ability to negotiate with suppliers, partners, and retailers. The end result is that an organization winning the economic battle will often gain benefits that will allow it to improve economically even more. Returning to the battlefield idea, this can be considered as one army losing soldiers and become weaker, while the other army gains them and becomes even stronger. As the balance swings, the stronger side continues to increase in strength, forcing the weaker side out. How to cite Points About a Crafting Business, Essay examples

Review of Victorian Public and Wellbeing Plan- myassignmenthelp

Question: Write about theReview of Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Plan. Answer: Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Plan (VPHWP) (2015-2019) is one of the path-breaking plans that is framed in order to promote health and well-being among the population residing in Australia. The following assignment will focus on the review of this health plan in doing this; the assignment will first provide an overview of the VPHWP. The assignment will then give detail of the main priority area highlighted in the plan followed by the two prone risk group of population. The following at-risk group and three determinants of health will be then critically analyzed towards the end of the assignment. Outline plan and determinants of health The main outline of Victorian Public Health And Wellbeing Plan (VPHWP) (20152019) is to make Victoria free of the avoidable burden of injury and disease so that all the residents of Victoria are enjoy optimal attainable standards of health, wellbeing along with active participation at every stage of their life (VPHWP, 2015). VPHWP is the second public health and wellbeing plan that aims to establish new standards for the population residing in Victoria. This plan is consistent with the vision and objective of Public Health and Wellbeing Act of 2008 that aims towards improving health and social outcomes in Victoria via reducing inequalities (VPHWP, 2015). The principal aim of the plan is to understand the concept of health and wellbeing of the population residing in Victoria. The plan also aims to provide strategic directions towards the overall improvement of the quality of life at every stage and thereby promoting health (VPHWP, 2015). The main achievement of these aims is to reduce inequalities in health and well-being in Australia via proper identification of the social determinants of health (VPHWP, 2015). The main risk group discussed in this plan is the aboriginals and non-aboriginal Victorians. According to Bleichet al. (2012), the main target of health inequalities in Australia, Victoria is the aboriginals, mainly the Torres Strait Islanders. These inequalities in the health outcome can be defined by the social determinants of health (VPHWP, 2015). According to Braveman and Gottlieb (2014), the main social determinants of health include economic stability, physical environment and neighbourhood, education, food, social and community context and health care system. Priority Area and Risk Groups One of the main priority area highlighted in the VPHWP (2015) include tobacco free lining. It is a priority because nearly 12% of the adult Victorian population smokes on a daily basis (Department of Health Australia 2014). This smoking affects the disadvantaged groups of population disproportionately because smoking rate is higher among the aboriginal people. This high rate of smoking among the aboriginal people is one of the leading causes behind their high level of psychological distress and ill-birth rates (smoking among the pregnant women) (Consultative Council on Obstetric and Paediatric Mortality and Morbidity 2014; . Moreover the incidence of tobacco smoking is also increasing the risk of cardiovascular disorder among Victorian population (Collins Lapsley, 2011). The actions outlined to address these issues by VPHWP (2015) include reduction in the rate of smoking via providing support at the community level (hospitals and community level services) along with special smoking cessation program for the groups who has high disproportionally high smoking rates, particularly the Aboriginals. Two Main risk groups identified are the aboriginal people (adults) and adolescents. According to the Australian Department of Health (2013), 12% of the young population who are 16 years old and 16% of the young population who are 17 years old and are residing in Victorian smoke cigarette. As a consequence of this they suffer from psychological distress, lower level of education. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015), 41% of Aboriginal people daily smokes cigarette. As a consequence of this they are more prone towards developing cardiovascular anomalies other psychological complication (Collins Lapsley, 2011). This increase in the disease prevalence increases the cost to health care along with decrease in the annually productivity and increase in mortality (Collins Lasley). All these effects cumulate into financial burden and thereby increasing health inequalities. This risk group will be targeted via legislative and non-legislative approaches towards tobacco refor ms like smoking cessation support that will help to reduce the proportion of people in Victoria who smoke tobacco (VPHWP, 2015). Three relevant determinants of health The social determinants of health that is responsible for the high level of smoking among the aboriginal or indigenous population on Victoria is lack of economic stability. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) (2015), lack of economic stability creates psychological distress. AIHW (2015) has further opined that indigenous people who are suffering from high or very high level of psychological distress are likely to smoke cigarettes. At least 30% of the indigenous people smokes cigarettes as evaluated the 2012-2013 survey of AIHW. Moreover, they also undertook a comparative study which revealed that 16% of the indigenous people who are employed smokes cigarette in comparison to 24% of unemployed people and 33% of the labour force people. This sharp difference in the percentage clearly represents that the lack of economic stability is an important social factor behind the increasing the risk of tobacco smoking among the indigenous people of Victoria. The biological determinant of health that is responsible for the high level of smoking among the aboriginal or indigenous people in Victoria is poor health. According to VPHWP (2015), poor health is an amplifier towards increase in the rate of smoking among the disadvantaged people residing in Victoria (aboriginal and Torres Strait islanders). According to the reports published by the Australian Human Rights Commission (2017), the present health condition among the Australians Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders is extremely poor in comparison to the rest of the Australian population. The factors highlighted by Australian Human Rights Commission (2017) for this poor health backup among the Australian Aboriginals include lack of safe drinking water, lack of effective sewage system, rubbish collection and healthy housing. According to Steptoe, Deaton and Stone (2015), poor health affects the capacity of a person to work and this in turn negatively affects the health and well-being of the person and thereby affects the financial income and lack of social contact. This lack of income and social contact increases a sense of depression, anxiety and a social isolation. These negative feelings together cumulatively increase the urge of smoking. According to Leventhal and Zvolensky (2015), smoking provides a pseudo effect of decrease in depression but the actual scenario of different as smoking actually increases the level of mental health complications and thus creating health inequality. According to Steptoe, Deaton and Stone (2015), poor health thus not only cause physical pain and suffering to the individual but also increases the level of mental pain and pressure creating a huge barrier in optimal social and economic participation and health equality. The environmental determinant of health that is responsible for the high level of smoking among the aboriginal or indigenous people in Victoria is residing in remote areas. According to the data published by AIHW (2015), indigenous people who reside in remote areas are more likely to smoke cigarettes (50%) in comparison to the population, which resides in non-remote areas (39%). AIHW (2015) however, is of the opinion that the rate of tobacco smoking among the indigenous adults have decline during the year of 2012-2014 (this is a significant decrease of 8%) but still then the rate is astonishingly high in comparison to the population residing in non-remote areas. AIHW also highlighted the reason responsible for this high disparity in percentage. According to their report, indigenous people who reside in remote areas are treated unfairly by the health care professionals and thus they avoid seeking help in the domain of substance abuse or indulge in the intoxication of tobacco smoking. Moreover, tack of support from the healthcare professionals in the remote areas has lead to decrease in awareness in the domain of smoking related ill-effects and thereby further increasing the disparity among the remote and non-remote areas. Thus from the above discussion it can be concluded that one of the main priority areas that has been highlighted by VPHWP (2015) is tobacco free living. The two main population group that is the principle target for this priority area is adult population and adolescents. Of them, the main prioritized group should be the aboriginal adults. The social, biological and environmental determinants that increase their susceptibility of this group of population from getting affected with the health threats of tobacco smoking include economic instability, poor health and living in remote areas respectively. References Australian Bureau of Statistics (2015), Customised report: Australian Health Survey: nutrition first results - foods and nutrients, 201112, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Canberra Australian Human Rights Commission (2017). Social determinants and the health of Indigenous peoples in Australia a human rights based approach. Access date: 10th April. Retrieved from: https://www.humanrights.gov.au/news/speeches/social-determinants-and-health-indigenous-peoples-australia-human-rights-based Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) (2015)., The health and welfare of Australias Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples: 2015. Access date: 10th April. Retrieved from: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/indigenous-health-welfare/indigenous-health-welfare-2015/contents/determinants-of-health-key-points Bleich, S. N., Jarlenski, M. P., Bell, C. N., LaVeist, T. A. (2012). Health inequalities: trends, progress, and policy.Annual review of public health,33, 7-40. Braveman, P., Gottlieb, L. (2014). The social determinants of health: it's time to consider the causes of the causes.Public health reports,129(1_suppl2), 19-31. Collins D, Lapsley H (2011), The social costs of smoking in Victoria in 2008/09 and the social benefits of public policy measures to reduce smoking prevalence, Quit Victoria and the VicHealth Centre for Tobacco Control and Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne. Consultative Council on Obstetric and Paediatric Mortality and Morbidity (2014). Consultative Council on Obstetric and Paediatric Mortality and Morbidity. Access date: 10th April. Retrieved from: https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/hospitals-and-health-services/quality-safety-service/consultative-councils/council-obstetric-paediatric-mortality Department of Health (2014), Victorian Population Health Survey 201112, survey findings, State Government of Victoria, Melbourne. Access date: 10th April. Retrieved from: https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/public-health/population-health-systems/health-status-of-victorians/survey-data-and-reports/victorian-population-health-survey/victorian-population-health-survey-2011-12 Leventhal, A. M., Zvolensky, M. J. (2015). Anxiety, depression, and cigarette smoking: A transdiagnostic vulnerability framework to understanding emotionsmoking comorbidity.Psychological bulletin,141(1), 176. Steptoe, A., Deaton, A., Stone, A. A. (2015). Subjective wellbeing, health, and ageing.The Lancet,385(9968), 640-648. Victoria State Government. (2015). Victorian public health and wellbeing plan (20152019). Access date: 10th April. Retrieved from: https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/about/health-strategies/public-health-wellbeing-plan

The Effects Of Advertising On Teens Essays - Marketing,

The Effects Of Advertising On Teens The effects of 2 People see advertisements all around the globe that attempt to lure consumers to buy products. Advertisements are placed in newspapers, magazines, schools, and on billboards everywhere. According to marketing consultants Stan Rapp and Tom Collins, on a typical day, an average American sees over 5,000 advertisements a day (Gay, 1992). Many questions arise about these advertisements, such as Is advertising deceptive? Does it create or perpetuate stereotypes? Does it create conformity? Does it create insecurity in order to sell goods? Does it cause people to buy things that they really dont need?(Alexander & Hanson, 1993, p. 240). Advertisers use specific methods to target teen consumers, but these methods are not always successful or ethical. Advertising is giving the general public information about new goods and trying to increase overall sales, which increases the efficiency of the nations economy. It is supposed to be a significant way of getting the point across about a product and create motivation for people to buy. Advertising alone, however, does not get customers. It simply catches consumers attention, gets them to walk up to a shelf, and make an impulsive purchase. However, getting the customer back requires a more creative marketing approach. There are several ways to research consumers behaviors, likes, and dislikes. The most popular method is tests and surveys, both before and after a product is introduced. Telephone surveys are very common, but they take several thousand calls to get a substantial number of responses to work with. Along with those, written questionnaires and samples, either handed out in stores or sent by mail, are effective tests to see if consumers like a product or not. The reactions to the samples, results of questionnaires, and number of participants are all recorded as The effects of 3 a part of the researching process to come up with effective ads. All of this data collected also has other purposes, such as information on warranties and which groups to target for certain products. Companies also check whether the ads are being productive by means of comparing the money made and number of sales during periods of advertising to those during a time of no advertising. Some companies even allow average consumers to preview a commercial to get a response. As a result, companies learn what consumers want before wasting money on useless ads. A well-known advertising strategy is making consumers feel insecure and creating fears that can be overcome by buying. Advertising reveals the latest fashions and the new popular novelties on the market. It exhibits perfect individuals wearing the new styles and looking good. Consumers observe this perfection and envy it. Therefore, they go out and buy in hopes of reaching perfection. Furthermore, being an accepted member of society has become very important to most individuals. For instance, the presence of body odor on individuals makes them an outcast in society. Advertisers use this knowledge to their advantage by developing ads that show a person using deodorant and being recognized as popular. Fear also works into the whole advertising process. Due to the fear by consumers that they will not fit in, they pay close attention to the new ads for the new looks, which gives advertisers more drive to make their ads portray the ideal person. Advertisers also insure that ads are simply informational, but many disagree and believe that they are definitely persuasive. According to Douglas Kellner, a professor of philosophy, as early as the 1920s, advertising critics argue that ads began to persuade Americans, due to the new invention of the assembly lines and the concept of corporations, that buying material The effects of 4 goods was the thing to do. They tried convincing people that spending hard-earned dollars on items that could be hand-made was the new accepted behavior that would enhance their lives (Alexander s work enjoying an ice-cold beer to relax him. They also argue that ads give people the impression that products can give them talent. Take athletics, for example. Nike

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buy custom Healthcare in America essay The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) which was signed into law by President Obama on March 23, 2010 is an effort to solve Americas biggest domestic issue. The issues of cost, the large number of uninsured, and quality of care are the catalysts leading America toward universal healthcare. First, while insurance companies are recording superfluous profits, insurance premiums are averaging 10% to 20% of families budgets (Abelson 3). In addition to having to pay large premiums, high deductibles have risen sharply. In 2010, 10% of people covered by their employer had a deductible of at least $2000.00 (Abelson 1). These high deductibles discourage people from receiving routine medical care because they are paying out of pocket until their deductible is reached. This practice has a reverse effect with people putting off care until they absolutely need to, which results in higher costs. An estimated 18,000 people in the U.S die each year prematurely because of not having affordable healthcare (Toner 5). A byproduct of this age of large premiums and deductibles is deceptive marketing practices by insurance companies leading people to believe they are covered while the small print excludes them from coverage, selling people essentially fake insurance. The small print jargon can be so confusing even hospital representatives can be fooled. In one case, Lawrence Yardin had a policy, which seemed to indicate $150,000 a year in hospital care. After looking at his policy, St. Davids, where he went for two separate heart procedures, estimated his portion of his bill to be a few thousand dollars. He and the hospital were surprised to learn his coverage was mostly for room and board. The policy coverage for other hospital services was capped at $10,000, which excluded him from nearly all-routine care including medicine (Abelson 1). Mr. Yardin ended up with a hospital bill of over $200,000, forcing him into bankruptcy. This is one example of people being pushed into personal bankruptcy by medical problems who actually had insurance when they got sick, which is now estimated be 75% of people filing for bankruptcy. The excessive cost of healthcare in America has also created a new industry called medical tourism. This is the practice of going to such countries as Thailand, India, Singapore, and Costa Rica to receive elective medical treatments. With heart valve replacement costing as much as $160,000 in Boston, the same procedure can be as little as $8,000 in India. A hip replacement costing $43,000 in New York can be done for $12,000 in Thailand (Shilan 1). In 2008, Hannaford supermarkets added an international option for hip replacement surgery where the cost is $10,000 to $15,000, compared to more than $40,000 in the U.S. An employee would pay $2,000 to $3,000 out of pocket for the procedure stateside. If the employee goes to Singapore, he or she has no out of pocket expenses and the company pays up to $10,000 for airfare and lodging fo the patient and a companion (Shilan 2). Healthcare costs forcing Americans to foreign countries for procedures, going into bankruptcy, and foregoing preventive care have put America on the course for universal care. Second, although the perception in America is that our healthcare is the best in the world, the U.S. ranks only 37 th in healthcare performance among 191 members of the World Health Organization (Davidson, p. 3). A dismal statistic considering America spends more on healthcare per capita than any other country in the world. Quality healthcare means doing the right thing at the right time in the right way for the right person and having the best results possible (Docteur 1). A recent study finds 81% of Americans have concerns that quality of care will diminish if the U.S. adopts universal healthcare. Americans have come to assume they have the best healthcare in the world, maybe out of ignorance. The United States is not among top performers in terms of life expectancy, and rank among the lower third of developed countries in life expectancy at birth (Docteur 3). In addition, in a recent study among 19 countries, the United States had the highest rate of death from conditions that co uld have been prevented or treated successfully. The Canadians, who have had a universal health care system for years also seem to be receiving better quality of care. From 10 studies that included statistical adjustment and enrolled broad populations, five favored Canada, two favored the United States, and three showed mixed results (Docteur 7). When looking at these studies it is clear that the United States is not the best provider of health care in the world, offering another reason for the push toward universal care. Moreover, according to (Patel Rushefsky182) and the findings of a research carried out by RAND HEALTH on the quality of heath care in America, it was established that on overall, adults receive nearly half of the recommended health care. In addition, the findings further postulates that the quality of care across metropolis was similar. It also points out that the quality of care varied across conditions, as well as across communities in respect for the same condition, for instance, cares for diabetes varied from 39% in Little Rock to 59% in Miami. However, the care for cardiac problems was also inconsistent with 52% in Orange County and Indiana to 70% in Syracuse. The findings further revealed that no single community had the worst or the best health care in relation to chronic conditions, and that all socio-demographic groups were at risk for poor health care since race, financial status, as well as gender makes a negligible difference as far as receiving recommended health care i s concerned. This measures the extent in which the quality of health care in America vary, and as such, the need for a universal care will help improve the situation. Finally, the other factor pushhing America toward universal care is number of uninsured in America. The Census Bureau reports the number of Americans now at an all-time high of 49.9 million, an increase of 900,000 from 2009 (Pecquet 1). Since 2001, the number of Americans with employer-provided insurance has declined from 179.9 million to 169.2 million, partly from employers no longer offering coverage, but also from employees who could no longer afford the premiums (Kunerth 1). In 2010, in regard to the adult population 16.4% are un-insured, 11.2 % are get insurance from means such as buying their own insurance coverage, 25.3% get health coverage through government plan, and 45.8% getting employer-based coverage. However, this percentage has been on a decline, hence increasing the number of uninsured. With the economy not doing well many families have had to make the decision between health insurance and food on the table. Those without insurance have been classified as either invol untary uninsured or voluntary uninsured. The involuntary uninsured comprises of school dropouts, young, low-Income, immigrants, unemployed, as well as those who are single and have no children. These demographics indicate the variation in health coverage. The number of uninsured in America has been tolling, and research indicates that 1 in 5 adults below the age of 65 and approximately 1 in 10 children are without insurance. As such, individuals without insurance are exposed to more health risks compared to those insured. The gap that exist between those insured and those without insurance in terms of effective health care access and health care needs have resulted in needless suffering, illness and even death. In addition, the levels of uninsured in America in 2010 still remains high with 38.9% of Hispanic Americans continuing to be uninsured, whereas 3 out 0f 10 low-income Americans staying without insurance. On the other hand, 28% of youths below the age of 26 are still without insurance. The high number of uninsured mea ns that, those uninsured will be potentially vulnerable, and again it will add to the collective cost of healthcare that Americans pay. A Center for Disease Control (CDC) report points out the falling economy as one of the contributor to the soaring number of the uninsured. Many people during the economic downturn loss their job, this implies that they also loss the accompanying insurance coverage. The report findings indicates that out of the 68,000 Americans surveyed, more than two-thirds are considered to be in good health, but the number is far much below what it was a decade ago. As such, the need for a healthcare reform is indispensable. Based on the documented studies, the healthcare system of America is on a crisis. Therefore, necessary action must be taken, and as such, the appropriate action should be through a healthcare reform where all the American citizens will be eligible to health insurance coverage. This will help in reducing the variations that are prevalent in health care needs and access. Buy custom Healthcare in America essay

Evolution of Laboratory Quality Management Systems Assignment

Evolution of Laboratory Quality Management Systems - Assignment Example The origin of Quality Management Systems (QMS) as coordinated activities aimed at directing and controlling an organization about quality can be traced back to 1920s. During this period, Walter Shewhart developed a statistical process control (SPC) as a method of controlling quality in the manufacturing process. With time, quality has become an issue for only not the manufacturing sector, but also to the service delivery players such as laboratories. The concept of quality has gone numerous transformations with the input of different people like Edwards Deming who developed Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) and Phillip Crosby with his Quality by Requirement. The theoretical constructs of QMS included the Continuous Quality Improvement, the Six Sigma, and the Lean methods. In the 1980s, many laboratories adopted the laboratory information systems (LIS) with the necessary QC Softwares. Quality Control (QC) formed the basis of the first models of ensuring quality in these facilities. It depended on the statistical information and trend analysis of the of the QC results of the instrument used for the testing process. In addition, the performance measurement of the test method was critical to this course. Since QC depended only on the results, it could not meet the objective of quality management of detecting errors that may occur and preventing them from reoccurring rather than guaranteeing an error-free laboratory. As a result, the second model of quality management that involves the systems and processes was introduced. QA as a quality measurement system identifies the key components of the testing process as well as the established laboratory systems. These first two models formed the basis upon which other quality management systems such as cost qual ity management and total quality management were developed.

Hackers week 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Hackers week 3 - Essay Example Hacking can described as the subculture of people who are focused on exploiting the computer networks vulnerabilities for illegal motives (Schiller, 2010). Hacking can be unethical or ethical depending on the motivation. Ethical hacking is legal and is conducted when repairing the networks or testing the security level (Schiller, 2010). Sometimes the actions of the hacker may be illegal but socially acceptable. For instance, hacking in to a corrupt government website may be socially acceptable since the hacker is able to disseminate information on unacceptable government dealings to the public. However, the hacker has no permission to access the website hence unauthorized to intrude in to the confidentiality of the information which again makes his or her actions illegal. Hacking activities may be legal when authorized by the owner of the system like incase of debugging and repairing a network or when the owner intents to know the security level of the system. Unauthorized hacking without any malicious motive is socially unacceptable and illegal (Schiller, 2010). Hacker subculture can be defined as the community of people focused on exploiting computer and networks security (Schiller, 2010). Commitment of the hacker is important since it defines the main goal and motive of hacking and whether the actions are legal or illegal. The commitment may be unauthorized and illegal like the Black hat hacker malicious activities. Commitment may also to debug or repair security problems which is legal or may be morally ambiguous and intentional like the gray hat hacker activities (Schiller, 2010). However, hackers have different commitments and motivations according to their motive. All hackers exploit systems vulnerabilities and network loopholes but are classified according to the shade of hat which they â€Å"wear† in their hacking operations (Schiller, 2010). Black hat hackers’ motivations are illegal and their commitment to hacking is usually high. They

LCA REPORT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

LCA REPORT - Essay Example (UNEP 2001-2003). Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a tool for the systematic evaluation of the environmental aspects of a product or service system through all stages of its life cycle. The assessment provides an adequate instrument for environmental decision support. In this paper we will use the life cycle of a kettle as our reference. The study of a kettle has used a flexible life cycle assessment (LCA) and cost model. The model has been used to assess and compare the environmental impacts and associated economic costs. Based on the standards made by the International Standards Organization, the LCA consists of four phases: The goal and scope definition, inventory analysis, impact assessment and interpretation. The phases of LCA is an interactive process, in which subsequent interactions can achieve increasing levels of detail or lead to changes in the first phase prompted by the results of the last phase. The life cycle assessment has proven to be a valuable tool to document and analyze environmental considerations of product and service systems that need to be part of decision making toward sustainability. Goal and Scope definition: the product or services to be assessed are defined a functional basis for comparison is chosen and the required level of detail is defined. The steps in identifying the goal and scope includes the defining of the purpose of the LCA study, ending with the definition of the functional unit, which is the quantitative reference for the study. Defining the scope of the study includes the drawing up of a flowchart of the unit processes that constitute the product system under study, taking into account a first estimation of their inputs from and outputs to the environment ( the elementary flows or burdens to the environment). Defining the data required, which includes a specification of the data required both for the inventory analysis and for the subsequent impact assessment phase. The Inventory analysis - the energy carriers and raw materials used, the emissions to atmosphere, water and soil, and different types of land use are quantified for each process, then combined in the process flow chart and related to the functional basis. In this phase the following steps must be taken: Data collection which includes the specification of all input and output flows of the processes of the product system, both product flows (i.e flows to other unit processes) and elementary flows (from and to the environment). Normalization to the functional unit, which means that all data collected are quantitatively related to one quantitative output of the product system under study, most typically 1 kg of the material is chosen, but often other units like car or 1 km of mobility are preferred. Allocation which means the distribution of the emissions and resource extractions of a given process over the different functions such a process. Data evaluation, which involves a quality assessment of the data by performing sensitivity analyses. The result of the Inventory Analysis, consisting of the elementary flows related to the functional unit, is called the Life Cycle Inventory Table. Impact assessment, in this phase the effects of the resource use and emissions generated are group and quantified into a limited number of impact categories which there maybe weighted for importance. This aim to make

Aphrodisiac Activity of Vigna Mungo Seeds

Aphrodisiac Activity of Vigna Mungo Seeds Pharmacological Evalution of The Potential Aphrodisiac Activity of Methanolic and Chloroform Extracts of Vigna mungo Seeds in Male Albino Rats Ravindra Babu Sajja, Eknath Royal P, Suneetha B, Sunanda S ABSTRACT The present study was conducted to investigate the aphrodisiac activity of methanolic and chloroform extracts of seeds of Vigna mungo (MEVM and CEVM) in male albino rats. The aphrodisiac activity of MEVM and CEVM wasevaluated by observing sexual behavioral parameters including Mount frequency (MF), Mount latency (ML), Ejaculatory latency (EL), Intromission latency (IL), Intromission frequency (IF), Ejaculation frequency (EF) and Post ejaculatory interval (PEI) and biochemical parameter like serum testosterone concentration in male rats. Both extracts were administered orally at doses of 200mg/kg and 400 mg/kg, showed a significant increase (P Vigna mungo. Keywords: Vigna mungo, Aphrodisiac, Flavonoids, Testosterone, Sexual behavior INTRODUCTION Male infertility is a world-wide medical and social problem. In Homo sapiens, reproduction is initiated by the mating of a male with a female in sexual intercourse which facilitates the coming together of sperm and egg for the purpose of fertilization1. For there to be a normal sexual intercourse and sexual fulfillment in males, the male sexual organs (the copulatory organ, the penis) and factors relating to erection must function normally. Inability to perform this function effectively is a major problem facing the reproductive process. This is known as sexual dysfunction2.This condition which is of various types can be managed by the use of aphrodisiacs. An aphrodisiac can therefore be described as any substance that enhances sex drive or sexual pleasure. Aphrodisiac can also be viewed as any food, drug, scent or device that can arouse or increase sexual drive or libido3. Sexual dysfunction in men refers to repeated inability to achieve normal sexual intercourse. It can also be viewed as disorders that interfere with a full sexual response cycle. These disorders make it difficult for a person to enjoy or to have sexual intercourse. While sexual dysfunction rarely threatens physical health, it can take a heavy psychological toll, bringing on depression, anxiety, and debilitating feelings of inadequacy. Unfortunately, it is a problem often neglected by the health care team who strive more with the technical and more medically manageable aspects of the patient’s illness4.Sexual dysfunction is more prevalent in males than in females, It has been discovered that men between 17 and 96 years old could suffer sexual dysfunction as a result of psychological or physical health problems5. Male sexual dysfunction (MSD) could be caused by various factors. These include: psychological disorders (anxiety, strained relationship, depression, stress and guilt), androgen deficiencies (testosterone deficiency), chronic medical conditions (diabetes, hypertension, vascular insufficiency (atherosclerosis, venous leakage), neurological disorders (Parkinson’s disease, stroke, cerebral trauma, Alzheimer’s spinal cord or nerve injury), drugs (side effects) (anti-hypertensive’s, central agents, psychiatric medications, antiulcer, antidepressants, and anti-androgens), life style (chronic alcohol abuse, cigarette smoking), aging (decrease in hormonal level with age) and systemic diseases (cardiac, hepatic, renal pulmonary, cancer, metabolic, post-organ transplant)2,6,7. Vigna mungo most commonly known as Black gram or urad is an erect, fast-growing annual, herbaceous legume grows in many parts of India. It is extensively cultivated all over the India. The seeds are emollient, astringent, thermogenic, diuretic, aphrodisiac, nutritious, galactogauge, appetizer, laxative, styptic and nervine tonic. They are useful in treating scabies, leucoderma, gonorrhea, pains, epistaxis, piles, asthma, heart trouble, dyspepsia, anorexia, constipation, haemorrhoids, hepatopathy, neuropathy, schizophrenia, hysteria, nervous debility, partial paralysis, facial paralysis and weakness of memory. Seeds are believed as spermatopoetic, and used for treating erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation8-11. In this regard, we undertook the present study on Vigna mungo which has been in use by the traditional healers. So far there is no systemic pharmacological study were carried out to investigate the aphrodisiac activity of vigna mungo seeds in male rats. Hence, the present study was aimed to demonstrate the aphrodisiac activity of different extracts of vigna mungo seeds. MATERIALS AND METHODS Collection of Plant material The dried seeds of Vigna mungo plant were procured from the local market of Hyderabad in telangana state. The seeds were authenticated by Dr. S. Madhav chetty, Associate Professor, Department of Botany, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupathi, Andhra Pradesh, India. Procurement and Rearing of Experimental animals Healthy wistar Albino rats of both the sex (200-300 g) were procured from Albino Research Center, hyderabad. They were randomly housed in standard polypropylene cages and maintained under environmentally controlled room provided with a 12:12 h light/dark cycle approximately 25 ºC for 10days before the start of experiment12,13. They were fed with commercially available pellet diet obtained from Amruth foods, Pranav Agro Industries, Sangli, India and water was allowed ad libitum.The rats were acclimatized to laboratory conditions minimum one week prior to the experimentation. The study was performed as per the protocols and recommendation of the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee (Reg No:1662/PO/a/CPCSEA,2013) of Malla Reddy Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Secunderabad. Preparation of plant Extract The dried seeds of Vigna mungo was powdered and subjected to soxhlet extraction with methanol, later the dried mark was subjected to soxhlet extraction with chloroform. Both extracts were concentrated by vacuum distillation and subjected to phytochemical screening. Experimental design Healthy and sexually experienced male albino rats (200– 300 g) that were showing brisk sexual activity were selected for the study. They were divided into 6 groups of 6 animals each and kept singly in separate cages during the experiment. Group 1 represented the control group, which received 10 ml/kg of distilled water orally. Group 2 served as standard and was given suspension of sildenafil citrate orally at the dose of 5 mg/kg, 1 h prior to the commencement of the experiment. Groups 3–6 received suspension of the methanolic and chloroform extracts of Vigna mungo seed orally at the doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg, respectively, daily for 21 days at 18:00 h. Since the male animals should not be tested in unfamiliar circumstances the animals were brought to the laboratory and exposed to dim light at the stipulated time of testing daily for 6 days before the experiment. The female animals were artificially brought into oestrus phase (as the female rats allow mating only during the estrus phase). They were administered suspension of ethinyl oestradiol orally at the dose of 100 ÃŽ ¼g/animal 48 h prior to the pairing plus progesterone injected subcutaneously, at the dose of 1 mg/animal 6 h before the experiment. The receptivity of the female animals was confirmed before the test by exposing them to male animals, other than the control, experimental and standard animals. The most receptive females were selected for the study. The experiment was carried out on the 21st day after commencement of the treatment of the male animals. The experiment was conducted at 20:00 h in the same laboratory and under the light of same intensity. The receptive f emale animals were introduced into the glass cages (40x50x40cm) of male animals with 1 female to 1 male ratio. The observation for sexual behaviour was immediately commenced and continued for first 2 mating series. The test was terminated if the male failed to evince sexual interest. If the female did not show receptivity she was replaced by another artificially warmed female. The following sexual behavioral parameters were recorded on audio video-cassette (Sony Handycam) as soon as they appeared14-17 Mount latency: Time duration (in seconds) from the introduction of the female into the cage till the first mount by the male. Intromission latency: Time duration (in seconds) from the introduction of the female into the cage till the first intromission by the male (vaginal penetration). Ejaculation latency: Time duration (in seconds) from the first intromission till ejaculation. Mount frequency:defined as the number of mounts without intromission from the time of introduction of the female until ejaculation. Intromission frequency: Total number of intromission preceding ejaculation. Ejaculation frequency: The number of times there was expulsion semen by males after vaginal penetration –characterized by rhythmic contraction of the posterior abdomen. Post-ejaculatory interval- is the time interval between ejaculation and the first intromission of the following series Determination of Serum Cholesterol and Testosterone: After recording of the sexual behavioral parameters, blood samples were collected from retro orbital plexus, centrifuged and serum was separated, samples stored at-200C which was used for the testosterone level estimation by using ELISA kit. Serum cholesterol concentrations may be determined by the Chod-PAP method18,19. Briefly, 0.02cm3 of the sample (serum) is mixed with 2.00cm3 of working reagent and the absorbance of the resulting mixture read after 5min at 546nm wavelength. The blank and standard are composed in a similar way except that they are replaced with 0.02cm3 each of distilled water and standard solution respectively. The biochemical estimations were done using respective kits. Statistical analysis The data obtained from this study were expressed as mean  ± SEM, (n=6). Statistical analysis was done by one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Dunnett’s test. P RESULTS The preliminary phytochemical screening of both the extracts revealed the presence of active constituents which includes alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, phenols and steroids (table-1). The oral administration of two doses (200mg/kg, 400mg/kg) of methanolic and chloroform extracts of Vigna mungo seed resulted remarkable increase in sexual activity of the male rats. The results of the sexual behavior test shows that the extracts of vigna mungo seed (methanol and chloroform) at the dose of 200mg/kg and 400 mg/kg, significantly increased (pvigna muno seed. Table-1: Preliminary phytochemical screening of MEVM and CEVM of Vigna mungo seed + indicates the presence ++ indicates better response Table 2: Effect of Methanolic and Chloroform seed extracts of Vigna mungo on sexual behavior of male rats. Values are expressed as mean  ± S.E.M. (n=6). a= P b = P ML=Mount latency; IL= Intromission latency; EL= Ejaculatory latency; MF= Mount frequency; IF= Intromission frequency; EF= Ejaculatory frequency; PEI= Post ejaculatory interval; MEVM= Methanolic extract of Vigna mungo, CEVM=Chloroform extract of Vigna mungo. Table 3: Effect of Methanolic and Chloroform seed extracts of Vigna mungo on testosterone concentration in male rats Values are expressed as mean  ± S.E.M.(n=6). a= P b = P DISCUSSION Male impotence or erectile dysfunction (ED) is a significant problem that may contribute to infertility. The incidence of erectile dysfunction, probably due to aging populations and other risk factor such as the presence of chronic illnesses (e.g. heart disease, hypertension and diabetes mellitus), smoking, stress, alcohol, drug abuse and sedentary lifestyles. A number of synthetic drugs are available for treating the infertility problems but because of their unwanted side effects folk remedies are gaining importance. Hence, the present study was carried out to investigate the aphrodisiac effects of methanolic and chloroform extracts of Vigna mungo seedin male rats. The preliminary phytochemical screening study of both the extracts revealed the presence of active constituents which includes alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, phenols, and steroids. It has been reported that steroids and saponin constituents found in the many plants possess fertility potentiating properties, and useful in the treatment of impotence20. The saponins may therefore boost the level of testosterone in the body as well as trigger libido enhancing effect observed in this study21. The presence of flavonoids in the Vigna mungoextract which has been implicated to have a role in altering androgen levels may also be responsible for the enhanced male sexual behaviour in this study22. The alkaloids can also cause facilitation of sexual behaviour and has effect on sexual behaviour23. The improvement in sexual function demonstrated in the current study might be due to the presence of such compounds in Vigna mungoseed extracts. In the present study the sexual behavioral parameters were evaluated to estimate the potency of the Vigna mungo extract. In male rats mount latency and intromission latency are considered as indicators of the sexual motivation, where as intromission and ejaculation are considered as behavioural indication of sexual performance and facilitation24. There was a significant decrease in the latency for mount and intromission by the administration of various doses of seed extract of vigna mungo indicating an enhancing sexual motivation. The methanol and chloroform extracts have shown pronounced effect on sexual behavior by significant increase in mounting frequency (MF), intromission frequency (IF) as compared to control. Mounting frequency (MF) and intromission frequency (IF) are considered the indices of both libido and potency. Increase in these frequencies by the administration of the seed extracts might be due to increase in the concentration of several anterior pituitary hormones and serum testosterone, which in turn stimulated dopamine receptor synthesis and sexual behavior 25. Such increase in testosterone concentration should normally reflect a corresponding increase in libido 26.Hence, from these results the aphrodisiac effect of the plant extract may be due to the presence of alkaloids, saponins and flavonoids through a multitude of central and peripheral mechanisms. In the present study there is a significant increase serum cholesterol concentration which may imply stimulation in the steroid genesis, that leads to increased testosterone concentration27. Such increase in testosterone concentration should normally reflect a corresponding increase in libido26 . The present finding shows that the methanolic and chloroform seed extracts of vigna mungo produces a striking enhancement of over- all sexual performance of male rats. Our findings also showed that the aphrodisiac effect of vigna mungo seeds extract, investigated in male rats at 400 mg/kg, which significantly reduced ML, IL, EL and PEI with increased MF, IF and EF. CONCLUSION On the basis of our results the present study revealed that the methanolic and chloroform extracts of seeds of Vigna mungo showed the aphrodisiac activity and it is dose dependent in male rats. From this we conclude that the Vigna mungo seed extract may prove to be an effective and safe alternative remedy in sexual disorders. . 1

A Walk Through Reality With Stephen Crane Essay -- Biography Biographi

A Walk Through Reality With Stephen Crane      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Seeking and expressing the bare truth is often more difficult than writing stories of fiction.   This truth can be harsher to the reader than works of fiction;   it can make an author's desire to reveal the essence of society through characters the reader relates to risky and unpopular.   Stephen Crane wrote of ordinary people who face difficult circumstances that his readers could relate to (Seaman 148).   Crane sought to debunk the ideas that were inherent in nineteenth-century literature,   which depicted life in a more favorable, but often unrealistic, light.   In Crane's works, Dorothy Nyren Curley says, "There are no false steps, no excesses," (255).   Crane's impoverished background helped him understand the cruelty of life.   Crane's childhood was marred by tragedy.   He was the youngest of fourteen children, but the four children born before Crane died within a year of their birth.   When Crane was seven, his father died; when he was twelve, his sister ,who had nurtured his budding literary interest, died as well, and two years later an older brother was crushed to death by two freight cars.   These misfortunes shaped Crane's insight into human nature; his works emphasized ordinary people facing the evils of war and poverty and other obstacles Crane saw and endured himself. Despite his sister's death, Crane clung onto his literary interest, and at the age of twenty one, he wrote Maggie: A Girl of the Streets.   It is a story of a young woman, Maggie Johnson, who "blossom(s) in a mud puddle" (Maggie 16).   Maggie grows up in the tenements of Manhattan, enduring abusive and alcoholic parents and the filth of povert y.   With no education or money, Maggie takes a job in a cuff ... ...5/3/99). Crane, Stephen. Maggie: Girl of the Streets. New York: Bantam, 1984. _____. Red Badge of Courage.   New York: Bantam, 1983. _____. The Open Boat. New York: Bantam, 1984. Curley, Dorothy Nyren. American Writers A Collection Of Literary Biographies, New York: Ungar, 1960. McClurg, Alexander.   "Red Badge of Courage Critical Reception: Early Reviews" www.xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/CRANE/ . (5/7/99). Seaman, David.   "Stephen Crane."   www.extext.lib.virginia.edu/conditions.html (5/7/99). Ungar, Leonard. Modern American Literature, New York: Scribner's, 1974. Vanouse, Donald. "Stephen Crane (1871-1900)." www.etext.lib.virginia.edu/conditions.html. (5/7/99). Wyatt, Edith.   "Stephen Crane." The New Republic, v.4 no.45, 1915. Rpt. On electronic version "Stephen Crane". www.etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/br (5/7/99).