Should the primary objective of management be to increase the wealth Essay - 1

Should the primary objective of management be to increase the wealth of shareholders and owners - Essay Example The objective of management is characterized by four concepts namely goal, scope, definiteness and direction. Managers view objectives as the business values that should be achieved. Therefore, the scope of these values must be well defined, in addition to inclusion of extra goals. Management objectives can be classified as primary, secondary, personal or social. The following paper is a critical debate on the question: Should the primary objective of management be to increase the wealth of shareholders and owners? Focus will be laid on the general objectives of management and the way in which they should be prioritized for maximum benefits. Customer Satisfaction Customer satisfaction is a principle performance estimate in business management (Decker and Learning, 2001). The primary objective of any business management should be focused upon customer satisfaction. This will provide the avenues required for profits that generate wealth of shareholders and owners. The management’s primary objectives should be related to customer satisfaction through the provision of saleable goods and services in the market. These goods should be reliable, have standard quality, competitive, reasonably priced, technologically produced and insufficient in quantity. The secondary objectives are those strategies that assist in achievement of primary objectives. Personal objectives purposes to benefit individuals in a business organization e.g. increasing the wealth of owners and shareholders. Social objectives maximizes the social gain of the community from an organization e.g. the social responsibilities of the organization to the community. Customer satisfaction includes interaction with customers in an ethical environment. Most traditional business strategists view maximization of the shareholder and owner wealth as the fiduciary obligation of business managers (Shaw, 2009: 572). This view is related to the fact that most shareholders invest in the company on the understanding that the management will steer the company on the strategy of generating profits for them. The view was also presented in an era where most capitalist were obligated to manage their own business enterprises. The recent emergence of joint stock companies meant that the managerial control of corporations has technically been divorced from ownership. However, business theorists have failed to establish a mechanism that can harmonize the interests of managers and shareholders to prevent the former from enriching themselves at the expense of the latter. This is has been proven by the recent behavioural trends whereby the managers awards themselves lux urious pay and remuneration packages without any benefits to the shareholders. Managing Efficiency Efficiency is the guiding principle for any successful business. There is no business that has ever risen to top of the industry through slow, outdated and clunky management practices. In the current business environment, the management that only focuses on compliance to stockholder expectations while ignoring inefficiency does not succeed (Morris, Schindehutte and Allen, 2005: 726-735). The imperative issues that should be recognized include cost

What do you think the most serious problem in the world Why Essay

What do you think the most serious problem in the world Why - Essay Example Knowing the broader implications of ideas allows one to move beyond the superficial nature (and seemingly discreteness) of our modern problems. With this foundation, it seems the most serious problem afflicting the world today is nihilism, which is the idea that values do not and cannot exist. Nihilism can take form in philosophy, but it is more recognizable in actions. Incidentally, there are a number of examples of nihilism applied to action that correlate to what the BBC found were the most serious problems. A recent example was the 2011 London riots, in which youth rioters destroyed and looted urban streets. As one commentator notes, â€Å"Nihilism, or the conviction that life on Earth is totally pointless, saps the young of their energy, their ambition, and their will to strive, struggle and triumph† (Dean). In this case, people commit violence not to achieve something, but for violence for violence’s sake. On a larger scale, in his book Ominous Parallels, philosopher Leonard Peikoff indicates that Nazi Germany arose out a culture of nihilism, which fanned the flames of extreme poverty, military aggression, and genocide. Anders Behring Breivik, perpetrator of the Oslo terrorist attack, committed his crime in the attempt to destroy as much value as possible (Nowicki). In fact, this is a consistent theme across time and space, among humankind’s most grievous catastrophes and crimes: the desire to destroy and the results of that attitude. BBC World Service. "Poverty most serious world problem, says global poll." 17 January 2010. BBC World Service. 16 September 2011

The Use of Mixl1 in Ex Vivo and Chimeric Organ Regeneration

The Use of Mixl1 in Ex Vivo and Chimeric Organ Regeneration Anokhi Kashiparekh   TA: Goheun Kim Regenerative medicine is a field in biology that uses the underlying cell properties of differentiated growth to create entire tissues and organs from that cell. Regeneration in its true form, applies human pluripotent stem cell (hPSCs) differentiation, to make new organs like the natural regeneration of the human liver or that of the zebrafish heart (Mostoway et al, 2013). A very useful area for such a technique is the organ donation and replacement discipline. One of the greatest challenges for organ replacement is the shortage of organs donated for the cause. This is where the field of regenerative medicine can come in use. If the cells of the person in need of the organs can differentiate in a way that fills up the niche left by the diseased or missing organ, there could be a remarkable decrease in the need for organ transplantation and organ rejection. However, the development of the human organs is a gradual process and may take longer than the time the patient has to survive. A tactic to increase the speediness and the efficiency of organ regeneration is to manipulate certain genes to promote either ex vivo differentiation or differentiation in a chimeric host with a faster developmental time than humans. Specific genes can be engineered to perform specific functions, like prompting apoptosis using the Bcl-2 gene or assessing mesodermal markers using Wnt3 (Wu et al, 2016). Inducing Mixl1, the endoderm and mesoderm formation transcription factor, can play an important role in generating organs from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Mixl1 plays an important role in chimeric and ex vivo regeneration models; although further research is required on the viability of these models. The Mixl1 transcription factor binds to the Mix gene and is a part of the hox gene family that codes for homeodomain proteins. The most important function of the Mixl1 is the regulation of cell fate and differentiation during the developmental stages of an organisms life. It regulates the formation of the endodermal and mesodermal layers and consequently can be used to manipulate hPSCs towards a particular lineage of growth. This principal property of the Mixl1 gene, as well its interactions with other genes, has been the focus of genetic regenerative medicine, in order to understand the role and consequent use of said genes. Various experiments have tried to incorporate the Mixl1 system in stem cell growth but two of the most widely known models are the ex vivo regeneration model and the chimeric model. Both of these models rely on the property of Mixl1 to guide iPSCs towards either endodermal or mesodermal fate. The basic difference between these models is the environment in which these cells are allowed to differentiate. The ex vivo model allows cell differentiation and growth outside an organism, generally in a laboratory. It is a widely preferred model due to the fact that cells from an organism can be extracted, cultured in a lab and placed back in the same organism. Each step in the experiment can be tracked and monitored and all the cells are cultured in a sterile environment. Thus, the cells placed back inside the animal are safe from potential bacteria or viruses. However, this also means that the organs generated from this may not be compatible with the surrounding tissue when introduced in an organisms body, due to the lack of interaction with other cells. Ex vivo culture of cells and ultimate organ regeneration is a step towards solving the problem of limited availability of desired cells. This ex vivo model of organ regeneration makes use of different substrates to recreate a natural differentiating environment for the cultured cells. However most times it is hard to push the hPSCs towards a particular lineage of growth, i.e. mesodermal or endodermal. The Mixl1 gene with its property to establish cell fate, is useful in resolving this. The forced expression of Mixl1 in hPSCs, in the right environment, with particular substrates and specific protein mediums, can promote ex vivo cell differentiation. Ex vivo culture, with connection to the Mixl1 gene is efficient due to the control over time of forced expression of the Mixl1 gene as well as external monitoring of the growth. Liu et al (2011)3 established this by using Là °Ã‚ Ã‚ Ã‚ °5ÃŽÂ ²1 and Là °Ã‚ Ã‚ Ã‚ °6ÃŽÂ ²1 protein ligands to promote Mixl1 induced hPSCs, in a BMP4 medium. The procedure included purifying polypeptides, culturing the hPSCs and allowing them to differentiate. The results showed that the differentiation of cells peaked on the third (to) fourth day of culture when both the LÃŽÂ ±5ÃŽÂ ²1 and Là °Ã‚ Ã‚ Ã‚ °6ÃŽÂ ²1 protein ligands were used. This gradual growth was tracked using immunofluorescence and analyzed by flow cytometry. The results of this experiment encompass both the usefulness as well as the disadvantages of an ex vivo regeneration of organs using Mixl1. The biggest challenge encountered in an ex vivo organ regeneration model is the limited number of substrates that the hPSCs can use and differentiate into a mesodermal lineage. In various cases, Mixl1 is induced unsuccessfully. This is due to the high substance substrate specificity of the iPSCs that do not survive long enough for Mixl1 to express and differentiate. Another case seen in Liu et al was the very minute expression of Mixl1 when cultured with various other individual ligands, showing that this procedure also requires the correct combination of substrates. Various agencies have also raised ethical concerns over culturing animal cells in labs. The obtaining of cells, external media and substrates from animal bodies is cited as animal abuse (cruelty). To minimize the use of animal products, a more specific area of the ex vivo model has been developed, called the xeno-free culture. Typically, all components required for a xeno-free culture come from the same organism while taking care that it is completely free of animal or human elements, like bovine blood for culturing media, etc. As a replacement to these essential components, researchers are trying to synthesize new protein ligands that can function in a similar pattern4. To reiterate, genetic manipulation of the ex vivo model has the potential to save lives but requires a deeper study in the areas of limited substrate compatibility and availability. In contrast to the ex vivo model, the chimeric model revolves around cell differentiation inside a living body. Chimeras are organisms made up of a combination of two or more zygotes and thus this model introduces extraction from and cell differentiation in two different individuals. Generation of embryonic chimeras is of both practical and conceptual importance as it provides a method to assess the developmental competence of cells. The cells of the different individuals on the same embryo can be tracked and genes can be manipulated to create a chimeric organism that can act as a vessel for organ generation. Blastocyst complementation and target organ complementation are two important techniques in chimeric organ regeneration. While blastocyst complementation uses iPSCs transferred to an embryo of another species, generally a porcine embryo, target organ complementation is focused on the regeneration of specific organs of the body. Due to the unconventionality, the adherence to soci al and ethical limitations is of great importance and requires more research to be conducted. Experiments combining this regenerative model and the forced expression of the Mixl1 gene have been successful in producing organs in different hosts. By trying to reconcile the idea of targeted generation of organs derived by using the patients own PSCs as seen in the case of the mice, Kobayashi et al (2016) makes use of blastocyst complementation to create pancreatogenesisor nephrogenesis-disabled mice. Blastocyst complementation is a technique that makes use of induced human pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) transferred to an embryo of another species; thus, following cell growth in another body. This study used Pdx1-LacZ heterozygous mice as the chimeric hosts and injected humanized pancreatic cells in the blastocyst. This complementation was followed by the forced induction and expression of the Mixl1 gene using the pRosa26-tTA-Mixl1 vector. The data was analyzed by Western blotting and flow cytometry. The immediate result showed chimeric cells throughout the bodies of the mice. The mice were then introduced to a cell medium without Doxycycline (Dox). Immunofluorescence confirmed the distribution of cells being confined to just the guts, showing that specific target organ regeneration is possible with suitable environmental conditions and resources for the culturing cells. The forced expression of the MIxl1 gene represses mesodermal fate determination and promotes endodermal fate determination, thus helping to induce the formation of target specific organs, including the pancreas or the liver, in the disabled mice. In order to test for the amount of time Mixl1 takes to express, these mice were injected with Dox at various time intervals and the results were examined using EpCAM, an endodermal genetic marker. The cell growth apex was noted on the 4t h day of Dox administration. This leads to the belief that time is an important factor in understanding cell growth in chimeric organisms. To understand the regulation of Mixl1 based on biological functions, it was allowed to express under the influence of Oct3/4, a genetic marker seen to express in early development. The absence and presence of Dox in the host chimera was compared to establish that its absence would achieve specific target organ regeneration as compared to cell growth throughout the body. The data implied that Mixl1 presence was necessary until the epiblast stage. This gives way to the inference that the time taken for Mixl1 to express can be reduced, thus giving way to a quicker technique of organ regeneration. This model, although promising, is questionable due to the ethical controversies like the formation of human neural cells or germ cells in the host animal. This is a cause for concern due to the fact that the idea of a human brain trapped inside a mute animal is disturbing. Proper manipulation of cell differentiating genes like Mixl1 is essential to keep hPSCs from turning into cells that could humanize the host animal. While understanding and experimenting on techniques that help in human advancement, there has to be a larger focus on the social and ethical concerns of utilizing them. In conclusion, although it is limited by growing ethical concerns, genetic manipulation in chimera may help save lives with the advancement in understanding cell repair and regeneration. Thus, the idea of organ regeneration using chimerism should be looked into by science but in a way that can appeal to social principles. Another problem associated with this model of regeneration is the low success rate of differentiation in non- rodent animals2. Majority chimera experiments include rodent species as the main focus, due to both the size and relatively easy manipulation of the rodents. Although recent experiments have shown (that) porcine hosts act as good carriers for human pancreatic growth6, there is a lot of research to establish pigs as conventional hPSC hosts in order to continue chimeric research to generate bigger organs like the human heart or the human lungs. While comparing the advantages and the disadvantages of both these techniques of organ regeneration, the role and function of Mixl1 itself cannot be overlooked. Mixl1 has been shown to express within 4 days of being induced. More research may lead to a quicker expression time. Mixl1 has also helped to achieve a target specific organ regeneration by promoting mesodermal differentiation as required. The use of Mixl1 is enormous in the field of regenerative biology and can be used in other projects as well as models of regeneration. In conclusion, both ex vivo regeneration and chimeric regeneration have flaws but it is possible to refine them for better and more specific results. While the usefulness of Mixl1 cannot be denied, better models of regeneration must be established to achieve maximum efficiency for its expression. References: Mostowy, S., Boucontet, L., Moya, M. J. M., Sirianni, A., Boudinot, P., Hollinshead, M., Colucci-Guyon, E. (2013). The zebrafish as a new model for the in vivo study of Shigella flexneri interaction with phagocytes and bacterial autophagy. PLoS Pathogens, 9(9) Wu, J., Greely, H. T., Jaenisch, R., Nakauchi, H., Rossant, J., Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte. (2016). Stem cells and interspecies chimaeras. Nature, 540(7631), 51-59. Yang, L., Wang, X., Kaufman, D., Shen W. (2011) A synthetic substrate to support early mesodermal differentiation of human embryonic stem cells. Biomaterials. 2011 Nov;32(32):8058-66. Karnieli O., Friedner O., Allickson J., Zhang N., Jung S., Fiorentini D., Abraham E., Eaker S., Yong T., Chan A., Griffiths S., When A., Oh S.A consensus introduction to serum replacements and serum-free media for cellular therapies. Cytotherapy , Volume 19 , Issue 2 , 155 169. Kobayashi, T., Kato-Itoh, M., Nakauchi, H. (2015). Targeted organ generation using Mixl1-inducible mouse pluripotent stem cells in blastocyst complementation. Stem Cells and Development, 24(2), 182. Matsunari, H., Nagashima, H., Watanabe, M., Umeyama, K., Nakano, K., Nagaya, M., . . . Nakauchi, H. (2013). Blastocyst complementation generates exogenic pancreas in vivo in apancreatic cloned pigs. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 110(12), 4557-4562.

Reasoning and Communication Essay -- Communication

REASONING AND COMMUNICATION The word reasoning comes from the sense of the mind which is closely related to critical thinking. Reasoning can be expressed as the way of making a decision or deciding if a proposed claim is true, partly true, totally untrue or false. Reasoning is an important aspect of our daily life for survival, in educational institutions and in our professions. Reasoning is essential for progression from kindergarten school level to a graduate school level. The definition and meaning are much debated by many educators, but having in these few meanings, It is described as "the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication as a guide to belief and action. More recently, critical thinking has been described as the process of purposeful, self-regulatory judgment, which uses reasoned consideration of evidence, context, conceptualizations, methods, and criteria. Reasoning is attached to analytic philosophy and pragmatist constructivism dated back to more than 2,000 years ago, then in the Buddha’s lectures and in the Greek Socratic tradition. Reasoning is used to determine so many issues, it sets goals, to determine assumptions, and dig out buried values, to check out and determine evidence, and to assess conclusions. Reasoning helps formulate a solution and also create a desk to critical and complex problems, finding the solution within the mind, what the next action to take, analyzing and synchronizing the best and most quality methods of approach. Reasoning and Critical thinking are related terms. Richard Paul in 1995 articula... ...M., Mericle J., Frush K., Meliones J. (2008). Using Six Sigma Methodology to Improve Handoff Communication in High Risk Patients. In: Advances in Patient Safety: New Directions and Alternative Approaches. Vol. 3. Performance and Tools. AHRQ Publication No. 08-0034-3. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; August 2008. Ruggerio, V.R., "Neglected Issues in the Field of Critical Thinking" in Fasko, D. Critical Thinking and Reasoning: Current Research, Theory, and Practice (2003). ISBN 978-1-57273-460-9 Schramm, W. (1954). How communication works. In W. Schramm (Ed.), The process and effects of communication (pp. 3-26). Urbana, Illinois: University of Illinois Press. "So We Need Something Else for Reason to Mean", International Journal of Philosophical Studies 8: 3, 271 — 295. The Origins of the Modern Mind p. 173 see also A Mind So Rare p. 140-1

Cellular pathology: importance of dyes in identifying normal and abnormal histological features of tissues

Introduction In the study of tissues, histological staining is important in order to study cellular structures, intracellular and extracellular substances at the microscopic level (Stevens and Lowe, 1997). Staining is an auxiliary technique used in microscopy to enhance contrast in images obtained and to highlight structures. Stains may be used to define and examine bulk tissues, cell populations or organelles within individual cells; histological features useful for biological research and/or diagnosis in medicine (Bancroft and Cook, 1994). The importance of dyes in identifying normal and abnormal histological features of tissues is herein discussed. Medical and biological research is underpinned by knowledge of the normal structure and function of cells and tissues as well as the organs and structures they make up (histology) Understanding disease in the context of structure-function relationships (histopathology) enables differentiation between normal tissues and abnormal tissues in a particul ar disease state (Cook, 2008). The differentiation of these enabled by the identification and understanding of the divergence of normal and abnormal histology is highly beneficial in disease diagnostics and therapeutics (Bancroft and Gamble, 2008). Such essential study disciplines are based on a thorough understanding and ability to recognise basic tissue types which combine to form the different organs of the body. Understanding normal structure of tissues is essential to the identification of altered structure (Lakhani, et al., 1998). With knowledge of normal histology, one can see the types, location and scope of cells involved in disease, whether their intrinsic morphology is impacted indicating cellular dysfunction, and whether higher order tissue structure is impaired which indicates organ dysfunction (Stevens and Lowe, 2000).Histopathology, on the other hand, encompasses the means to verify accurate models of particular diseases based on understanding the visual picture of mo lecular mechanisms differentiated from normal (Kiernan, 1999). In the normal healthy state, cells and other elements of tissue are arranged in regular recognisable patterns. Tissues usually have particular defining characteristics such as surface structure and shapes and formations of constituent cells which are used in their identification and assessment of function (Stevens and Lowe, 1997). Changes in these patterns can be induced by a wide range of chemical and physical influences such as microbial infection and cell malignancy in cancer are reflected by structural alterations at the microscopic level (Lakhani, et al., 1998). Many diseases such as Cancer are also characterised by typical structural and chemical abnormalities which vary the normal pattern of tissues (Lakhani et al., 1998). This is the basis of microscopic examination of specimens. Examination of various specimen and differentiation of structures is challenged as tissue sections or smears obtained from biopsies or aspirations appear dull and less detailed when viewed in light microscopy. This is because the fixed materials in the preparation have a similar refractive index and have a similar grey colour which makes it difficult to identify the structure of the tissues (Kiernan, 1999). It is essential to stain the cells/tissues to enable better visualisation of the different structures in contrasting colours (Bancroft and Cook, 1994). Staining is most commonly carried out through the use of histological dyes which are coloured organic compounds obtained from natural sources or from synthetic production that selectively bind to or concentrate in various cell and tissue structures (Kiernan, 1999). Dyes contain auxochromes which are chemical components that enable attachment to tissue such as the ionisable –OH group, and chromophores which are substances added to absorb visible light responsible for the colour observed. Colour arises when an attached chromophore molecule absorbs certain wa velengths of visible light (Bancroft and Gamble, 2008). Most modern dyes such as the Haematoxylin and Eosin stains commonly used are synthesised from simpler organic molecules, usually benzene or one of its derivatives (Kiernan, 1999). Stains are generally aimed as special probes, which possess variable specificity depending on the unique ionization or chemical reaction with tissue structures and components (Stevens and Lowe, 1997). Staining does not result in a random colouring of the tissue specimens, but rather exploits the differences in the chemical structure of the tissue. This is shown by colour variation depending on which dye is bound. Colours acquired reflect the nature of the tissues and their properties and proffers an advantage in the revelation of specific parts or areas (Cook, 2008). This enables detailed visualisation of structures including cell structures such as the cytoplasm, nucleus and organelles, as well as extra-cellular components. Additionally, under certai n conditions such as glycogen storage diseases, staining (in this case using the Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) to detect carbohydrates) can reveal molecular compounds and differences associated with pathological conditions (Lakhani, et al., 1998). Enhanced capacity for visualisation and identification of structures is the primary advantage for the use of dyes in staining of tissue specimen. Tissue staining therefore plays a critical role in tissue-based diagnosis and research allowing the visualization of tissue morphology and histological features, and in distinguishing normal and abnormal histological features (Cook, 2008; Stevens and Lowe, 1997; Kiernan, 1999). These observations are sufficient to allow analysis of tissue health and diagnosis of disease. Histological dyes commonly used for staining in light microscopy include the Haematoxylin and Eosin stain (H&E), Van Giessen, Masson’s Trichrome, and Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS), among others. The H&E stain is the most commonl y used stain for light microscopy in histology and histopathology. It is routinely used as it provides a very detailed view of the tissue achieved by staining cell structures staining the nuclei a dark blue or purple, and the cytoplasm and connective tissue in shades of pink (Cook, 2008). Staining using these and other dyes forms a critical part of the diagnostic picture given the sufficient contrast obtained for the display of tissue morphology (Stevens and Lowe, 1997). In conclusion, staining is an essential process in histology and histopathology with its primary advantage being the enhancement of contrast between different components of the tissue specimen, particularly as seen in light microscopy. The overall objective of histology is to acquire knowledge of normal tissues and organs, which is essential to understanding the altered structure and function of diseased cells, tissues and organs. There is no doubt that the use of dyes to allow for differentiation between normal and abnormal tissues is fundamental to our understanding of this. References Bancroft, J., and Gamble, M., (2008). Theory and practice of histological techniques. PA, USA: Elsevier Bancroft, D. and Cook C., (1994). Manual of Histological Techniques and their Diagnostic Application. PA, USA: Churchill Livingstone – Elsevier. Cook, D., (2008) Cellular Pathology. 2nd Edition, Chatham: Scion Publishing Ltd. Kiernan, A., (1999). Histological and Histochemical Methods. Theory and Practice (3rd Ed). Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Lakhani, R., Dilly, A., and Finalyson, J., (1998) Basic Pathology: An Introduction to the Mechanisms of Disease (2nd Ed). London: Arnold. Stevens, A., and Lowe, J., (1997). Human Histology. (2nd Ed) Edinburgh: Mosby. Stevens, A., and Lowe, J., (2000). Pathology 2nd Ed Mosby: Edinburgh.

Sam Elzebak: Review of Resume and Cover Letter

Dear Customer: Regarding your kindly submitted resume and cover letter, I suggest the following adjustments and empowerments: Selection of a strong single font of 10 pt to 12 pt size for both resume and cover letter; supplementing this with varying sizes within the 10-to-12 pt for headings and body, bolding, and bullets for the various sections. Formatting the resume to make maximum best use of white area and dark print for eye-catching contrast. Add a very strong, empowering Objective that targets the sort of career position(s) that you want. Add an Executive Summary and a specific Qualifications section and use strong skills statements and strong verbs. Add specific numbers for accomplishments, including estimated dollars saved or increased in sales, percentages of time or other items saved, number of new products or processes designed, etc. Add a Certifications section to include any licenses or certificates you possess for your work, or which could be useful to it. Possibly add an Awards and Recognition section to highlight your accomplishments. Add a Special Skills section to include computer programs and software known, various equipment, any foreign languages (reading, writing, or fluent), and/or other skills that others candidates applying for these types of jobs you target may not have and which can make you a standout job candidate. Formatting the cover letter into a letterhead document. Using bullet points and more powerful specific language in the cover letter as a sharp, eye-catching display of your potential worth to new employers. Thank you for the opportunity to review your resume and cover letter. Best regards.