Wednesday, October 9, 2019
The Question of Who Gets Stop-searched by the Police has Dominated Essay
The Question of Who Gets Stop-searched by the Police has Dominated Debate - Essay Example Within these ââ¬Ësensitiveââ¬â¢ zones, the senior police officials were given the power to search any individual even without grounds for reasonable suspicion and seize materials allegedly used for terrorism, whether or not there are any actual grounds for believing that the materials were actually present, or used for terror acts. The law enforcement agencies are also under no obligations to justify their search action and the Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) are vested with this special power, when there is a uniformed police officer accompanying them. The stop and search powers were supported by House of Lords in R (Gillan) v Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis in 2006.1 Due to high instances of racial profiling in the process of stop and search, UK police have faced widespread criticisms for their methods used, with rising concerns amongst human rights activists and political circles on ââ¬Å"racial profilingâ⬠leading to demands and proposal to restrai n UK police from conducting the stop or search with racial bias. Various levels of scholarly, policy and legal, analyses have been conducted, with focus on stop and search and its application and distribution across varying social groups (different ethnic, religious and racial minorities).2 In the studies related to stop and search, the leading question that has taken the limelight is who gets searched, but the more important questions that have been often been neglected concern how people get stop-searched, and whether stop-search does more harm than good. This article will explore the impacts of stop and search and the methods used, and study to see whether it is a more important aspect in this entire issue, than focusing only on who is stopped and searched. Discussion The power to Stop and search The power to stop and search in section 44 under UK Terrorism Act 2000 allows any uniformed police officer to stop any individual (a pedestrian) or a vehicle located within the ââ¬Ëse nsitive zones.ââ¬â¢ Section 44 has resulted due to various extensions to UK Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989 made applicable through the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 and the UK Prevention of Terrorism Act 1996. UK parliament implemented the measures were implemented by the UK parliament as responses to the bombings in London by the Irish Republican Army in 1992, 1993 and 1996 (in Docklands). The UK government contended that the newly established powers provided a chance to repress the terror acts and protect the citizens. The Section 44 of the UK Terrorism Act 2000 now states: 1. An authorisation under this subsection authorises any constable in uniform to stop a vehicle in an area or at a place specified in the authorisation and to search ââ¬â (a) The vehicle; (b) The driver of the vehicle; (c) A passenger in the vehicle; (d) anything in or on the vehicle or carried by the driver or a passenger. 2. An authorisation under this subsection a uthorises any constable in uniform to stop a pedestrian in an area or at a place specified in the authorisation and to search ââ¬â (a) the pedestrian; (b) anything carried by him. 3. An authorisation under subsection (1) or (2) may be given only if the person giving it considers it expedient for the prevention of acts of terrorism. 4. An
Tuesday, October 8, 2019
Reflect and evaluate Apple's marketing principles & practices Essay
Reflect and evaluate Apple's marketing principles & practices - Essay Example The other marketing strategies and tactics ââ¬â use of a brand name, consumer research, product innovation, advertising and promotion, service support ââ¬â these are all helpful, but not in and of themselves. Ultimately, they only count in advancing corporate performance in so far as they deliver quality to meet the customersââ¬â¢ needs. More recently, marketing thrusts have tended towards what I would call the splashy and spectacular, or what others would call high-profile marketing. These can be found particularly in the advertising for sports events or concerts where a large amount of sales have to be transacted within a short period of time. There is a lot to be said, however, about word-of-mouth advertising, which is essentially low-key but very effective in the social media environment. The strongest testimony would indeed come from family, friends and close acquaintances whom we know and trust, particularly if we see them patronising the same products and services. Appleââ¬â¢s marketing principles When we researched on Appleââ¬â¢s marketing, the emphasis of most researches was focused on Appleââ¬â¢s innovation, its market savvy, and the vision of its former CEO, the late Steve Jobs. There is a problem with this, however, because the vision, market savvy, and ideas for innovation appear to be incidentals ââ¬â things we get right only with a wing and a prayer, even in the best circumstances. Moreover, ever since the death of Steve Jobs, the constancy of these three back-bone factors has become uncertain for Apple because Jobs was the main wellspring from which they emanated. Unfortunately, Apple operated largely in a manner that was too closely identi-fied with Jobs personally. ... Unfortunately, Apple operated largely in a manner that was too closely identified with Jobs personally. In the course of my own readings, however, I am convinced that Apple has an element pervasive in its organisational culture that has developed into the winning market principle for its industry. This is simplicity, minimalism, and the quality of being understated (Vertygo, 2013). While also originally a Jobs attribute, this quality of being low-key and essentialist has, I believe, established a persistent trend in the way the company operates in a manner that defines it and its products. It is the concept upon which Appleââ¬â¢s brand image has been inextricably linked; its powerful digital and mobile devices such as the iPad, the iPod, the Mac, and the iPhone, which have been Appleââ¬â¢s greatest marketing successes, attracted the interest and commitment of the public because they were easy to operate (e.g., the absence of keys, knobs or switches) but delivered the desired qu ality of service in a manner compatible with our contemporary lifestyles (Van Dijk & Schipper, 2007). As for existing rivalry, Apple has redefined the market and reaped first option advantages with its revolutionary operating systems and its touch system technology. Through innovative products and technology, customersââ¬â¢ bargaining power is reduced for lack of competing alternatives or substitutes. How I assess Apple has done Taking a comprehensive look at Appleââ¬â¢s operations and it stated vision and principles, I believe that Apple has done more than apply them in the conventional way: the company has redefined what quality, innovation, and user friendliness means in the arena of digital communication devices. For all its
Monday, October 7, 2019
Project management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words - 1
Project management - Assignment Example I would define the scope of this project by aligning all the products of the project, their features and requirements that is the totality to the entire project work. This involves a proper structure and framework of the breakdown of the products or task involves in the projects along with the description of each task and steps involved in it (Fleming & Koppelman, 2000). In order to determine the scope of this project, I would first consider the objectives of the project, the goals of the project, the phases and sub phase involved in it, the tasks, resources, time, budget and scheduling of the project. The critical path of a project helps in planning, organizing and managing the entire project. It steps down each important step involved in the project. This listing helps in determining what need to be done before and what is required to be done later. The cost, time and resources required to perform these activities are attached in the critical path. If Penny Black would formulated the critical path she would have got a clear picture reflecting the entire journey of the project along with critical points. She would be able to get the idea which task needed to be done before and comes after the initial task. For instance if she would work on the size of the pumps and compressors earlier she would not end up with the wrong orders (Schwalbe, 2013). With the help of Gantt chart, Penny would be able to allocate the project activities in accordance with the time. The Gantt chart also helps her in keeping the track of projectââ¬â¢s progress along with the running of costs. Gantt chart are flexible management tool, hence for any changes that occurred during the project she would be able to maintain a proper flow of the tasks and the progress. This tool is very beneficial for the planning process and once utilize properly it reduces the chance of errors (Pich et al., 2002). With that there are some specific techniques that
Sunday, October 6, 2019
Personal Perspectives of Death and Dying Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1
Personal Perspectives of Death and Dying - Essay Example She has even ready to celebrate his death and sold the exclusive rights of capturing her final moments to some media. ââ¬Å"Death begins when the heart stops beating. Deprived of oxygen, a cascade of cellular death commences, beginning with brain cells and ending with skin cells. Death is a process rather than an event. Specifying the moment of death usually involves deciding on a point from which there can be no return.â⬠(What is Death?) Most of the children may not think much about death since childhood is filled with many other activities. The confusing things about death life may not influence them much during that stage. But the religious learning centers such as Sunday school and church related activities may sometimes force them to think in terms of death also. Moreover they may get lot of information about life and death through the literatures they might have read during their childhood. The parents may not talk much about death since the children may ask confusing questions regarding the death which may not be easy for them to answer. But it is necessary for the parents to talk about death if the child asks anything about it to know his interpretations about death. If his interpretations are misleading, then the parents must try to clear his confusions about death. The thought about death was an irritating thing for me even from my childhood. After grown up, I often tried to analyze the meaning of life personally. The science topics which I learned during my studies were not convincing enough to clear my doubts about life and death. I tried to compare the scientific knowledge about death with my religionââ¬â¢s interpretation of death. Though scientifically not proved, I confirmed that religious beliefs cannot be written off. Science often gives us information about material things. Though science was successful in providing us much knowledge about the non material things energy and forces which exists on
Friday, October 4, 2019
Canadian Politics - Senate Reform in Canada Essay
Canadian Politics - Senate Reform in Canada - Essay Example Senate reforms are also looked at from a positive outlook based on the comprehension of their connection with democracy and the legitimate establishment of representative institutions that are linked with democratic processes such as electing Senators rather than relying on an appointment procedure upon the discretion of the prime minister. The essay also aims to shed light upon the effectiveness of Senate reforms by analyzing whether a direct electorate process is applicable in the Canadian political structure and what alternatives can be explored to enhance the legitimacy of the Canadian Senate by using the reforms applied by the Australian Senate as a primary model, so that the Canadian Senate reforms can be categorized as legitimate, democratic and most of all applicable to the nation of Canada. The essay follows an assessment on the prospects of senate reform in Canada to conclude both the negative and positive aspects of its implications and impact to conclude whether Senate reforms would prove to be favorable for the Canadian democracy. Carbert suggested that the possibility of senate reform has always been such that its implications on minorities do not often come under discussion. Understanding the effects of a senate reform whether negative or positive becomes even more important when acknowledging the fact that women constitute of a significant percentage in the Senate compared to any other legislative body in Canada. The Senate Appointment Consultations Act postulates that the Prime Minister no longer holds the authority to appoint Senators rather a voting process should be put into place which allows a democratic placement of Senators (Carbert 1). The proposed elements of the Bill C-20 stand on four crucial tenets which are of a preferential voting system, funding for campaigning, a board of nominations and regional magnitude. A scrutiny of these components of the bill suggest that women in the proposed situation could be at a
Element Definition ACT in the Play Essay Example for Free
Element Definition ACT in the Play Essay Resolution: Background information is presented,à main characters are introduced, and the conflict is established The conflicts and challenges encountered by the characters. How they respond keeps the story moving forward. The turning point in the conflict. Tension builds until the main character must make a decision or take action that determines the direction of the story. The events that occur after the main character makes the key decision in the story The resolution is where all the questions are answered and loose ends are tied, providing a clear ending Act 1. Macbethââ¬â¢s encounter with the weird sisters. Act 2. The murder of King Duncan Act 3. The appearance of Banquoââ¬â¢s ghost at Macbethââ¬â¢s coronation celebration. Act 4. Macbeth loses control. Act 5. Macbeth gets killed Plot Analysis As you read the scenes in this lesson, take notes on important events in the story. Provide the line or lines from the play that relate to the event. Stop and think for a moment about why that event is important for the story and add your thoughts in the space provided. Event Text Support Why is it important to the story? The murder of King Duncan The appearance of Banquoââ¬â¢s ghost 1.â⬠Unless the deed go with it: from this moment the very firstlings of my heart shall be the firstlings of my hand.â⬠ââ¬Å"I have suppd full with horrors; direness, familiar to my slaughtrous thoughts, cannot once start me.â⬠This event is important to the story because this is the turning point for Macbethââ¬â¢s behavior. He was once regretful of the murder and it took him awhile to recover from his emotion but once he started being told he was invincible he conscious left and he became ruthless This event is important to the story because this is when everyone close to Macbeth realizes that heââ¬â¢s paranoid and having problems dealing with the bad things he caused. Reflection Choose one of the events you added to your graphic organizer and think about why it is an important piece of the plot. Focus on the purpose it serves in the story. Consider how the story would change if that event was altered. Form your ideas into a reflection paragraph of at least five sentences. Make sure to include supporting evidence from the play in your reflection. I think the murder of King Duncan is an important piece of the plot because that is the event that changed Macbethââ¬â¢s life for the better and the worse. Macbethââ¬â¢s wife committed suicide because she couldnââ¬â¢t deal with the malice she caused. After Duncanââ¬â¢s murder, Macbeth became king and started becoming cold-hearted, killing people that was close to him before he became king and not thinking twice and the malice decisions. If King Duncan wasnââ¬â¢t murdered, Macbeth would still be the innocent kind man that he once was and his wife would still be alive.
Thursday, October 3, 2019
Nosocomial Infections: Literature Review
Nosocomial Infections: Literature Review Nosocomial infections are infections that are a result of treatment in a hospital or a healthcare unit. These infections are identified at least forty-eight to seventy-two hours following admission, so infections incubating, but not clinically apparent, at admission are excluded. It may also be within 30 days after discharge. With recent changes in health care delivery, the concept of nosocomial infections has sometimes been expanded to include other health care associated infections (Weinstein, 1991). These infections are also called hospital-acquired infection. Studies in the passed have reported that during hospitalization, at lest five percent of patients become infected. Similarly, a study carried out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States estimates that roughly 1.7 million hospital-associated infections, from all types of bacteria combined, cause or contribute to 99,000 deaths each year. In Europe the deaths estimated are 25000 each year. However , the case is more seen in the category of Gram-negative infections, which accounts for an estimated two thirds of the total cases reported. Nosocomial infections are commonly transmitted as a result of negligence of hygiene by some hospital personnel. Medical officials move from one patient to another. Thus in a situation where they do not maintain high hygiene standards, the officials themselves serve as means for spreading dangerous pathogens. Moreover, bodys natural protective barriers of the patients are bypassed by some medical procedures such as surgeries and injections. Hence with such hygienic negligence in our hospitals and other healthcare units, nosocomial infections become the order of the day and my cause severe cases of pneumonia and infections of the urinary tract, bloodstream or other parts of the body. Causes of nosocomial infections Nosocomial infections are caused by various factors. Some of the common ones include improper hygiene. Patients can get infections of diseases such methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), respiratory illnesses and pneumonia from hospital staff and their visitors (Webster, 1998). Also doctors and nurses who do not practice basic hygienic measures such as washing hands before attending to patients may spread MRSA among them. Other infections are due to injections. There are cases where some hospital staffs do not give injections properly. Infections like HIV and hepatitis B can be as a result of contaminated blood due to sharing syringes and needles between patients when injecting medication into their intravenous lines. Nosocomial infections may also be as a result of torn or improperly bandaged incisions during surgeries. These incisions get contaminated with bacteria from the skin or the surrounding environment. Similarly, bacteria can be introduced into the patients bod y by contaminated surgical equipment. Also breathing machines such as ventilators can spread infections like pneumonia among patients using them. Staffs that do not use the proper infection control measures tend to contaminate these machines with germs. There are also cases where people on breathing machines are unable to cough and expel germs from their lungs. This can be another cause. In addition, urinary track infections can be due to faulty removal of urine from patients who are not able to use the toilet. In most cases catheters are the common cause for such cases. These catheters cause these infections when they become contaminated with bacteria by medical staff during insertion or are not properly maintained while in use (Webster, 1998). Another cause of nosocomial infections is the organ transplant. Illnesses such hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV and syphilis can be spread through bone and tissue grafts that may result from blood transfusions, skin and organ transplants. Howev er such cases have become less common today due to factors such as improved technology. Many protective measures have been put in place to cut on these risks. Prevention of nosocomial infections Several measures can be put in place to prevent the spread of nosocomial infections. The most important measure to reduce the risk of transmitting skin microorganisms from one patient to another is hand washing. Medical staff washing hands as thoroughly and promptly as possible after attending to one patient where they may have come into contact with body fluids, excretions and blood, or equipment with these fluids, is a very important measure of nosocomial infection control. Even though it appears as a simple process, it is mostly overlooked or done incorrectly (Hiramatsu, Aritaka, Hanaki, Kawasaki, Hosoda Hori, 1997). As a result practitioners and visitors should be continuously reminded on the advantages of proper washing of hands. This can be achieved through use of signals on responsible hand washing. In addition to hand washing, gloves are very important since they prevent gross contamination of the hands when touching blood, body fluids, secretions, excretions, and mucous mem branes. They offer a protective barrier, in cases of exposure to blood borne pathogens. Similarly there is emphasis on surface sanitation. In health care environments, this is a critical component of breaking the cycle of infections. In cases concerning influenza, gastro enteritis and MRSA modern methods such as NAV-CO2 have been effective. Alcohol has been shown to be ineffective in endospore-forming bacteria such as Clostridium difficile and thus hydrogen peroxide is appropriate in this case. In addition, use of hydrogen peroxide vapor reduces infection rates and risks of acquisition. Some causes of infections are agent and host factors that are hard to control. In such cases isolation precautions can be designed to prevent transmission in common routes in health centers. For example a patient suffering from an air borne disease can be put in a separate room so as to control the spread of the disease. Another prevention measure is putting on protective clothing. An apron reduces t he risk of infection as it covers most parts of the body. However with all this said, strategically implementing QA/QC measures in health care sectors and evidence-based management are the most effective technique of controlling nosocomial infections. For example, in cases of diseases such as ventilator-associated pneumonia and hospital-acquired pneumonia, the management of the health center should pay more emphasis on the control and monitoring of the quality of the hospitals indoor air (Hiramatsu, Aritaka, Hanaki, Kawasaki, Hosoda, Hori, 1997). A Review of the Literature Robert A Weinstein (Cook County Hospital Rush Medical College, Chicago, Illinois, USA) In his research paper Robert Weinstein begins by a comparison of the cases of nosocomial infections now and in the past. Even though he agrees that there has been a reduction in number of cases, he goes a head to state that the numbers of death are still high. According to him, a study carried out in the United States estimated that in 1995, nosocomial infections cost $4.5 billion and contributed to more than 88,000 deaths (one death in every six minutes). I concur with these findings. Poor hygiene standards in most health centers have contributed to these high figures. There have been cases of medical practitioners who overlook basic hygienic measures such as a proper hand washing when attending to patients. There are cases where some medical services like injections are not administered in a proper manner. This is due to unqualified medical expertise especially in small health care centers. I think the researchs large numbers of deaths from nosocomial infections is due to such fact ors. I also agree with Weinstein that there is an approximately one third reduction in rate of infections in hospitals with the four basic infection control components (one infection control practitioner for every 250 beds, an effective hospital epidemiologist, ongoing control efforts and an active surveillance mechanism). As a result I think these infections can be controlled to a higher percentage if all hospitals and health centers could employ these basic components. Robert A Weinstein also states that there has been an increase in viral infections. Most nosocomial infections in Semmelweiss era were due to group A streptococci. In 1990 to 1996, 34% of nosocomial infections were due to the three most common gram-positive pathogens-S. aureus, enterococci and coagulase-negative staphylococci while the four most common gram-negative pathogens-Escherichia coli, P. aeruginosa, Enterobacter spp., and Klebsiella pneumoniae, accounted for 32%. With this trend I agree with Weinstein report. There has also been an increase in the blood transmitted infections hence increase in the cases of herpes viruses HIV-infections. On the other hand Weinsteins reveals that there is a higher rate of infection among the intensive care unit (ICU) patients. This is evident in our hospitals today. I think the increasingly aggressive medical and therapeutic interventions, including modern medical advancements like organ transplantations, implanted foreign bodies and xenotransplantations, have created a cohort of particularly vulnerable persons (Fridkin, Welbel Weinstein, 1997). In most cases, patients affected by nosocomial infections are those immunocompromised by underlying diseases, age or medical/surgical treatments. More cases of bloodstream infections coagulase-negative staphylococci occur in the ICU because it is in these areas that patients with invasive vascular catheters and monitoring devices could come into contact with these bloodstream infections. Due to these factors, I concur with Weinsteins research findings that infection rates in adult and pediatric ICUs are approximately three times higher than e lsewhere in hospitals. In conclusion, Robert A Weinsteins research paper portrays a comprehensive research. It addresses changes in the medical fraternity that have affected nosocomial infections in one way or another. It also shows the significant impact of advancement in technology in medical and health care in relation to nosocomial infections. Jessica Lietz Jessica Lietz presents her research on nosocomial infections putting more emphasis on the causes and prevention measures of the infections. She introduces her research stating that there are higher rates of infections in public hospitals as compared to private health centers. I concur with her findings on the basis of the difference in management in the two setups. Private centers tend to be managed in a better manner than public centers. This is because private hospitals are business oriented and the management is always doing all it can to better the institution so as to cope with the high market competition. As a result of this emphasis on good management, medical staff tends to adhere to rules and regulations. Hence the hygiene standards of these institutions are always high. Similarly there is close supervision of staff, another factor that advantages private hospitals over public ones. For the public medical institutions, the case is not the same. In most centers hygiene is not to standard. This may be due to several reasons. There is no close supervision of staff and same take this advantage of lack of a questioning authority to bypass basic hygiene measures. Similarly, public setups are prone to the effects of political differences between the staffs. Cases of corruption tend to take root in such centers and as a result, unqualified medical personnel find themselves in these institutions. In her take on the causes of nosocomial infections, she states lack of adequate public education on the infections as a key factor in their spread. I think the point holds water since there are same cases of transmission of these infections due to ignorance. For instance one may visit a patient suffering from an air borne disease and contact the disease without knowing. Similarly patients may share personal items such as towels, not knowing that they are subjecting themselves to harmful infections. I think enlightening the public in general on the dangers of these infections and the basic control measures like maintaining a high personal hygiene can go a greater mile in trying to control these infections. It is therefore important to create a society that empresses these basic measures. This can be achieved through airing nosocomial infection related articles in the media, organized open air lessons in villages and also be taught in learning institutions. Jessica Lietz on the other hand, argues out that just as hand washing is important as a measure of control; more emphasis should also be put on wearing of gloves. She states that gloves can also be used in the same context as hand washing as long as one glove is used on only one patient. I seem to disagree with this since there are challenges that come with it. Even though gloves offer a protective barrier, there are cases where these gloves tear. Moreover in instances where the gloves are not properly worn both the expertise and the patient may be a risk of infections. I strongly believe that a high standard of hygiene is the most appropriate way of fighting infections. As such, a basic, prompt and thorough hand wash is always the better option due its advantages. However, this does not rule out the use of gloves as they are equally important. In conclusion, this research article gives a general view of nosocomial infections. It does not reflect a deep research into the subject. Jessica gives more emphasis on general arguments. There are some issues concerning these infections that have not been covered or have been covered shallowly. Jessica does not explain in length how nosocomial infections have been affected by technology. Advancement in technology has revolutionalized the medical fraternity and has come with its own advantages and disadvantage. Therefore one can not make a general decision from this article as it is shallow and needs further research. National Center for Infectious Diseases This is an article on the research carried out on the nosocomial infections by the National Center for Infectious Diseases in the United States. It points out young children, the elderly and persons with compromised immune systems as people who are more prone to these infections. Long hospital stays, failure of healthcare workers to wash hands, use of indwelling catheters and overuse of antibiotics have also been highlighted to cause some cases of the infection (Fridkin, Welbel, Weinstein, 1997). Moreover the research acknowledges the effects of the diversification of technology on the spread and control of the infections highlighting organ transplant, catheters, xenotransplantations among others, as examples. Invasive procedures expose patient to the possibility of infection. The research highlights the percentages below. Causes of Urinary Tract Infections in Hospital Patients: Escherichia coli: 40% Proteus mirabilis: 11% Other Gram-negative bacteria: 25% Coagulase-negative staphylococci: 3% Other Gram-positive bacteria: 16% Candida albicans: 5% Causes of Urinary Tract Infections that are Community-acquired: Escherichia coli: 80% Coagulase-negative staphylococci: 7% Proteus mirabilis: 6% Other Gram-negative bacteria: 4% Other Gram-positive bacteria: 3% This is a comprehensive research that has covered nosocomial infections at length. It discusses key components of the infections giving considerations to both past and today world. Moreover, it compares the rate of the infections both in the urban and rural setting. Hence it is an article that tries to solve nosocomial infection dilemma. Toni Rizzo Toni Rizzo presents his research on the common types of infections in our hospital. He highlights respiratory procedures, intravenous (IV) procedures, surgery and wound and urinary bladder catheterization as the common types of infections. He states that most hospital-acquired UTIs happen after urinary catheterization. A healthy urinary bladder does not have bacteria or microorganisms (it is sterile). A catheter picks up bacteria that may be in or around the urethra and take them up into the bladder hence infecting it. This is a standard research as it touches on almost key issues in the subject matter. I agree with the findings. Fungus infections from Candida are prone to affect patients who are taking antibiotics or that have a poorly functioning immune system. Hence bacteria from the intestinal track are the most types of UTIs. Similarly respiratory procedures done in our hospitals today are the common causes of bacteria getting into the throat. Pneumonia thus becomes another common type of hospital-acquired infections. Once the throat is colonized, it is easy for a patient to inhale the microorganisms into the lungs. Moreover, patients who are unable to cough or gag very well are most likely to inhale colonized bacteria and microorganisms into their lungs. In general Toni Rizzo tries to address affects in medicine today. Infections due to modern advancements like organ transplant among others have been effectively discussed. Thus this is a comprehensive research. Emmanuelle Girou and Francois Stephan (Case-control Study of ICU Patients) This is an article on a study done in the ICU patients. Generally ICU patients are at a high risk of acquiring nosocomial infections and in same cases some die from these infections. There is a need for therapy whether infections in the ICU occur or not. The objectives of the study was to define the interrelationships between underlying disease, severity of illness, therapeutic activity and nosocomial infections in ICU patients, and their influence on these patients out come. The study was conducted in a 10-bed medical ICU. Initial severity of illness was matched, with daily monitoring of severity of illness and therapeutic activity scores, and with analysis of the contribution of nosocomial infections to patients outcomes. The study ran for one year and data carefully taken. Result Global incidence rate of 14.6 infections per 100 admissions was estimated as forty one out of the 281 studied patients developed at least one nosocomial infection. During their ICU stay, the 41 case-patients developed 98 nosocomial infections (2.4 episodes per patient): 15 pneumonias, 35 bacteremias, 33 urinary-tract infections, 12 central-venous-catheter-related infections, two sinusitides, and one surgical wound infection. Of the 35 episodes of bacteremia, only four were primary; the other 31 complicated the following nosocomial infections: 14 urinary tract infections, eight catheter-related infections, eight instances of pneumonia, and one surgical-site infected. The characteristics of patients in both groups were compared through use of the Mann-Whitney nonparametric test for continuous variables and the chi-square test for categorical variables. Wilcoxons test was used to compare two continuous variables within one group. To identify risk factors independently associated with no socomial infection, variables found to be significantly different between cases and controls in the univariate analysis were entered into a forward stepwise logistic-regression model (Statistica 4.5; Statsoft, Inc., Tulsa, OK). When patients developed multiple nosocomial infections during their hospitalization, only the first episode was used in the risk factor analysis. A value of p This is a very detailed and comprehensive case study. It clearly explains why the rate of infection is high in the ICU. This high rate is attributed to various factors. The immune system of most patients in the ICU is always low. Similarly these patients are subjected to taking more antibiotics. Long hospital stays is also another factor. Also it is in the ICU that most medical procedures like organ transplant, catheter, xenotransplantations among others, take place. The research also accounts for the effects of technology and other factors that affect these infections. It accounts for the findings given reasons based on concrete facts. As result, its a dependable research that can be used to study nosocomial infections especially in the ICU. In conclusion, all the articles above points out improved hygiene especially hand washing and immunization have resulted to the overall advances in control of infectious diseases. Negligence of hygiene is also portrayed as a major challenge to the efforts of control of nosocomial infections. I think for us to significantly control the infections, we must join forces and work together with medical personnel on implementation of existing infection control technologies. We should empress positive changes towards the control of nosocomial infection and observe high standards of hygiene so that we do not rely solely on technologic advances.
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