Saturday, August 31, 2019

Behavior Leadership Theory

What really makes a good leader? Psychologist and managers tried to answer this question. â€Å"Chronologically, the first answer to what makes a good leader was that leaders are not made, they are born† (Fairholm, 1991). This was the first theory of Leadership, the Great Men Theory. Many other theories were divided by Fairholm and these are the following: theories based on who the leader is, wherein this group focuses on the leader‘s characteristic; theories based on what the leader does, wherein the behavior theory belong to this group.It is focused on studying leaders’ behavior so that it can be reproduced by followers; and the theories based on the Environment of the Leadership. Leadership is a difficult topic to study because leadership is a â€Å"fuzzy† concept. For decades, social scientists and practitioners have been struggling to come up with the ultimate definition of leadership, to explain its mechanisms, and to draw the line between leadership and management. They have produced a number of definitions and theories.Long time ago, determinants of leadership has been identified by behavioral theorists, so that people could be trained to be leaders. Since the best styles of leadership can be learned, training programs have been developed to change managers' leadership behaviors. During the World War II, the leaders of the academy left the Isle of Traits and set sale for the Isle of Behaviors by the 1940s. They suspected that the X and Y Theory of Leadership of Myers or Briggs, was some kind of fraud. The military wanted to know if leaders could be trained, and if so, what behaviors made them most effective.The Academy of Leader Professors wanting to get tenure, fame in time of world crisis, and fortune decided that some new theory of leadership must be found or all their jobs would be as extinct as dinosaurs. Working with the Army and with universities, two biggest â€Å"Page#2† bureaucracies in the world, it was mostl y about transactional behavior, being autocratic or democratic to increase the transaction rate or quality. The game of life in organizations was never to be transformed and their quest was to find universal leader behavior styles that correlate with effectiveness and are optimal transactions in all situations.Squire Fleishman and Sir Katz set off for the Isle of Behavior in separate ships as they are desperate to establish a behavioral settlement, but found out that Scribe Lewin had already established a behavioral settlement and an Iowa University since 1938. On the Isle of Behaviors, leader (transactional) behaviors became observable and their study turned objective and measurable. Different Universities wanted to make its mark and study what do leaders do by using some statistical methods, then the Ohio State and Michigan University competed for the education of the peasants.Fleishman became King of Ohio State and Katz was made King of Michigan University. Lewin was already King at Iowa. Each mustered their armies and prepared to battle for leader behavior territory. Sir Mintzberg, knighted by the Canadians, resettled in the Isle of Behavior and decided to go and look to see if leaders did any planning, organizing, controlling, or leading. He actually observed and recorded the progress what transactions that leaders do. The world was shocked to discover, that leaders had a hectic, frantic, and fragmented transaction life, and did little of the behaviors thought to take place.Some leaders were only figureheads, but he did confirm Sir Merton's view, but noting all the roles that leaders do. While the Isle of Behavior was oversupplied with two-factor studies of behavior and observations of roles here and everywhere, that great explored, Prince Yukl decided that process was more important than some list of universal behaviors. And by 2001, Prince â€Å"Page#3† Howell and Knight Costley joined the search for process. They still liked to isolate and measu re behaviors, but wanted to do this in the study of processes. They made great maps of the world of leadership, charting each territory.Leaders were reduced from traits or greatness to just psychoalgebraic behavioral equations, to styles or just transactions. But alas most of the Leader Behavior Academy had already set sail for the Isle of Situation. It seemed obvious that Traits and Behaviors to be effective depended upon the Situation. If there were universal behaviors, they are not optimal in all situations. Therefore a great expedition set forth to the Isle of Situation in the 1960s, with new waves of migration each decade since. This is where the arts of transformation were rekindled. The behavior of Leadership has two main theories, transaction and transformation.This is what we call the â€Å"X† dimension of behavior leadership theory. It is the X dimension that focuses on the Behavioral School of leadership. The X dimension runs from Transactional to transformational leadership, as studied by Burns (1978) and Bass (1985). This is a classic dualism in leadership studies. Burns looked at modal thinking (the means over ends reasoning) in the early stages of development and held that the leaders are transactional in their behaviors. Transactional leadership requires a shrewd eye for opportunity, a good hand at bargaining, persuading, reciprocating (Burns, 1978:169).A transformational leader, on the other hand, recognizes and exploits an existing need or demand of a potential follower and looks for potential motives in followers, seeks to satisfy higher needs, and engages the full person of the follower. Eventually transformational leaders were thought to engage in behaviors that â€Å"Page#4† changed the game, even changed the world. Douglas McGregor described Theory X and Y in his book, The Human Side of Enterprise, that X and Y theory each represent different ways in which leaders view employees.Theory X managers believe that employees are motivated mainly by money, are lazy, uncooperative, and have poor work habits. Theory Y managers believe that subordinates work hard, are cooperative, and have positive attitudes. Theory X is the traditional view of direction and control by managers. The average human being has an inherent dislike of work and will avoid if he or she can. Because of this human characteristic of dislike of work, most people must be controlled, directed, and threatened with punishment to get them to put forth adequate effort toward the achievement of organizational objectives.The average human being prefers to be directed, wishes to avoid responsibility, has relatively little ambition, wants security above all. This theory leads naturally to an emphasis on the tactics of control – to procedures and techniques for telling people what to do, for determining whether they are doing it, and for administering rewards and punishment. Theory X explains the consequences of a particular managerial strateg y. Because its assumptions are so unnecessarily limiting, it prevents managers from seeing the possibilities inherent in other managerial strategies.As long as the assumptions of Theory X influence managerial strategy, organizations will fail to discover, let alone utilize, the potentialities of the average human being. Theory Y is the view that individual and organizational goals can be integrated. The expenditures of physical and mental effort in work are as natural as play or rest. â€Å"Page#5† External control and the threat of punishment are not the only means for bringing out effort toward organizational objectives. Commitment to objectives is a function of the rewards associated with their achievement.The average human being learns, under proper conditions, not only to accept but also to seek responsibility. The capacity to exercise a relatively high degree of imagination, ingenuity, and creativity in the solution of organizational problems in widely, not narrowly, di stributed in the population. Under the condition of modern industrial life, the intellectual potentialities of the average human being are only partially utilized. Theory Y's purpose is to encourage integration, to create a situation in which an employee can achieve his or her own goals best by directing his or her efforts toward the objectives of the organization.It is a deliberate attempt to link improvement in managerial competence with the satisfaction of higher-level ego and self-actualization needs. Theory Y leads to a preoccupation with the nature of relationships, with the creation of an environment which will encourage commitment to organizational objectives and which will provide opportunities for the maximum exercise of initiative, ingenuity, and self-direction in achieving them. Note that with Theory Y assumptions, management's role is to develop the potential in employees and help them to release that potential towards common goals.Theory X is the view that traditional management has taken towards the workforce. Many organizations are now taking the enlightened view of theory Y. A boss can be viewed as taking the theory X approach, while a leader takes the theory Y approach. Notice that Maslow, Herzberg, and McGreagor's theories all tie together: Herzberg's theory is a micro version of Maslow's theory (concentrated in the work place). McGreagor's Theory X is based on workers â€Å"Page#6† caught in the lower levels (1 to 3) of Maslow's theory, while his Theory Y is for workers who have gone above level 3.McGreagor's Theory X is based on workers caught in Herberg's Hygiene Dissatisfiers, while Theory Y is based on workers who are in the Motivators or Satisfiers section. Whatever theory applied by any organization , the greatest chance of being successful is when all of the employees work toward achieving its goals. Since leadership involves the exercise of influence by one person over others, the quality of leadership is a critical determina nt of organizational success. Thus, leaders study leadership in order to influence the actions of his followers toward the achievement of the goals of the organization.Leadership studies can be classified as trait, behavioral, contingency, and transformational. Earliest theories assumed that the primary source of leadership effectiveness lay in the personal traits of the leaders themselves. Yet, traits alone cannot explain leadership effectiveness. Thus, later research focused on what the leader actually did when dealing with employees. These behavioral theories of leadership sought to explain the relationship between what the leader did and how the employees reacted, both emotionally and behaviorally. Yet, behavior can't always account for leadership in different situations.Thus, contingency theories of leadership studied leadership style in different environments. Transactional leaders, such as those identified in contingency theories, clarify role and task requirements for employ ees. Yet, contingency can't account for the inspiration and innovation that leaders need to compete in today's global marketplace. Newer transformational leadership studies have shown that leaders, who are charismatic and visionary, can inspire followers to transcend their own self-interest for â€Å"Page#7† the good of the organization.

Friday, August 30, 2019

iTUnes Essay

Abstract Since April 2003, iTunes Music Store has permitted the consumer to purchase music and digital books over the Internet with success. By 2005 their shares increase significantly as a result of their tremendous success. Their product became a platform for the digital music business to explode into the industry it is today. This also made digital music affordable to the consumer who may have gone to illegal downloads in the past which in turn ensured that the music industry was getting paid for their product as well. The $0.99 cents per song download provided $0.70 cents to be paid to the record companies and the remainder ($0.29 cents) was Apple profit. By August 2005, some of the larger record companies felt that their product was underpriced and requested that flexible prizes were instituted. However, this was not a shared opinion by all, the fear was that the market might not be stable enough to survive a price increase when illegal downloading was widespread. A price increase would encourage this type of activity to continue and no one would be making money. Due to its power, Apple kept the same prices, however by January 2008, Amazon.com entered the market place with a similar product without all of the restrictions that were placed on music in the iTunes Store. Questions 1)Provide an argument for why a variable pricing policy might increase the sales revenue from Apple’s Music Store (compared to the flat pricing policy). Life is complicated, but Apple Computer ‘s iTunes store is pretty simple: Download a song and pay $0.99 cents. In 2009, Apple announced that for the first time would allow beginning implementing variable pricing on the iTunes Music Store. Instead of a absolute $0.99 cent price point, record labels would now have the option to charge $1.29 for more popular songs and $0.69 for less popular tracks. It was not too long before almost every top song on iTunes jumped from $0.99 to $1.29. While most tracks that saw an increase in price suffered a small drop in sales, the $0.30 price difference more than made up for that fact, worked to increase overall revenues. Apples position during the time to increase the price of popular songs was global. Many of Apple’s products such as the iPod and laptops were sold all over the wo rld. The iTunes Music Store was highly successful, and has already  accomplished large user numbers. The change in price did not suggest a complete renovation in the way people downloaded and listened to their music. Also, Digital downloading of music is just one of the many markets that Apple has recruited into. Under a new pricing plan songs would cost depending on how desirable they are considered and having Apple such a market power, the new pricing strategy was another successful for the company. 2)Discuss other potential pricing policies that might increase the revenue from Music Store sales. With the increase in the demand for online-based music, Apple is likely to increase its prices to gain more from its products. The company cannot however enforce high prices on the consumers because the sale of online music is still in a changing stage. Apple could consider other pricing schemes like a bundle pricing where they combine popular and unpopular music or getting the latest popular music across genres. This could expand customer base to different genres and increase the sales of unpopular songs. The bundling strategy will help in increasing profits by extracting additional consumer surplus. They also could offer an entire group of songs, as a group, for a single price. The company could resort to sale of large music files such as MP3s, JPEG and MP4 and other music formats for various consumer needs (Brickley, Smith, & Zimmerman, 2009). 3)What are the risks and potential costs of implementing more sophisticated pricing schemes for the downloaded music? Sophisticated pricing tools are potentially available to provide a contrast to the uniform pricing model that used to implement iTunes. This sophisticated alternative tools may include song-specific pricing, pure bundling, mixed bundling, two-part tariffs among others that could be use to raise revenue. If firms have market power they can raise their prices without losing all customers to competitors. Firms have as ultimate objective to choose the pricing policy that boosts the value of the firm. Managers are trying all the time to devise a pricing policy that captures as much gain as possible catching costumer surplus as company profit. For managers and companies in general, only incremental prices matter in pricing decisions. As this case show, iTunes has certain power on their loyal costumers and confronting the risk of some decreases on sales, iTunes took the risk when they increase their  song’s prices and at the end, the most loyal costumers remained whit the company. The potential costs were evident when iTunes suffered at the first moments a fall in sales. Was very worrying that people were still able to download free music from other sites. Nevertheless, iTunes survived, and the company was still betting on iPods sales at the same time. 4)Is Apple’s pricing objective to maximize the revenue it receives from the sales of the downloaded music? Is this the objective of the major record companies? Explain. (Hint: review the revenue/product data from Apple ’s 10-K) Apple as all companies is interested in maximize its revenues, but it not its objective reach it trough the downloaded music pricing strategies which is the objective of the record companies. Apple is a successful company that has a lot of attractive products that convert all the costumers in loyal fans of Apple. The Company is confronted by aggressive competition in all areas of its business; the markets for the Company’s products and services are highly competitive. The Company’s competitors who sell mobile devices and personal computers based on other operating systems have aggressively cut prices and lowered their product margins to gain or maintain market share. However, Apple is focused on expanding its market opportunities related to personal computers and mobile communication and media devices. The Company believes it offers superior innovation and integration of the entire solution including the hardware (iPhone and iPod), software (iTunes), on line services (iCloud), and distribution of digital content and applications (iTunes Store). The Company’s ability to compete successfully depends heavily upon its ability to ensure a continual and timely flow of competitive products, services and technologies to the marketplace. The Company continues to develop new technologies to enhance existing products and to expand the range of its product offerings through research and development. On the other hand record companies are just interested in gaining the greatest among of money from each company that distribute the music on which they have rights, they matter is to collet the most possible from every song downloaded. 5)Do you think that Apple’s ability to control the pricing of downloaded music is likely to change in the future? Explain. My personal opinion is that Apple has a huge recognition all around the world. Apple has been able to achieve its position with prodigious skills in the market. Nowadays, as we all know, Apple has the most loyal costumers in  the world. Every single time that Apple launches a new product the most loyal costumers excited sleep for nights on the doors of the stores to be the first ones buying the new products that always offer the most cutting-edge advances in techn ology. I would say that Apple’s ability to control its prices related to downloaded music would not change too much in the next future. In deed, Apple has increasingly assumed the control of technological development in the industry. The Company is committed to bringing the best user experience to its customers through its innovative hardware, software and services. Apple is pioneered providing its customers new products and solutions with superior ease-of-use, seamless integration, and innovative design, every time getting closer to the wishes of consumers. As part of its strategy, the Company continues to expand its platform for the discovery and delivery of third-party digital content and applications through the iTunes Store allowing customers to discover and download applications and books through either a Mac or Windows-based computer. The Company’s strategy also includes expanding its distribution network to effectively reach more customers and provide them with a high-quality sales and post-sales support experience. As a customer of Apple is very difficult to see that for the near future the company may lose its ability to control the prices of their products. When people become a fan of Apple never more would pay a similar price for another technology more than Apple offers. That is the reality today.

Aids India

Matter of Life or Death India is the seventh largest Country in the world, home to one billion people and vast ethnic diversity. It has been making great leaps with education, industrialization and technology. Literacy rates are continuously going up along with life expectancy. India has been making continuous progress in many aspects for a country that has been relatively poor and extremely poverty-stricken. India is also one of the world’s largest democracies meaning that citizens have a great deal of political freedom.The average Indian citizen lives in a rural area and consumes 30 times less resources than an American citizen consumes. Although India is making many improvements, there are certain issues that continue to creep around and into the lives of Indian people and will continue to do so for a very long time. HIV/AIDS is one of these issues, an issue that has been taking millions of lives and affecting the lifestyles of many Indian people. HIV/AIDS is one of the mos t concerning problems for India; it continues to manifest regardless of the many efforts made by the Indian government.HIV/AIDS is not just a problem that India must deal with; it has affected nearly every region in the world but every country and population responds to epidemics with a different approach and one must consider all the different aspects. In India, many unique factors have been linked with the growth, prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS. The causes for the emergence of HIV/AIDS in India are still unclear however; some believe that foreign visitors that had sexual contact with the sex workers in India are to blame. Many believe this because initial cases were found in sex worker and truck drivers.HIV/AIDS emerged into India later than most other countries and the first cases were reported in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Studies also indicate that heterosexual sex was the method in which most initial cases occurred through. It was first identified in the early 80’s in s ex workers from Tamil Nadu. The infection rates of the disease peaked in the early 90’s and it had made its way into low – risk individuals across the whole country in just ten years. (Avert, 2011) The most recent estimates state that there are currently 2. million individuals living with HIV in India and of that, 39% are females and 3. 5% are children. Considering age as a factor, the highest infection rates occur in people aged 30-34 in India. HIV rates for the nation have been decreasing according to recent studies (NACO, 2007) and the area of southern India which was impacted the most by this epidemic has shown a decrease in infection rates (Kumar R. , Jha P. et al. , 2006). Seventy percent of infections are reported in six states: Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Manipur, Nagaland and Karnataka.Currently the state of Andhra Pradesh holds the highest prevalence rate (1%) out of the 28 states and out of the high-risk groups in this Andhra Pradesh; the highes t rate is among MSM (17%) (Avert, 2011). In recent years the rate of injection drug users has been increasing in many states and has given HIV an opportunity to spread. One of these states are Punjab in the northeast of India where a third of the population is addicted to drugs and has become one of the world’s leading areas in drug trafficking and usage (Glut, 2011). In the Punjab’s capital city Amritsar, the prevalence rate among IDU’s is as high as 30%.In many states of India drug use has become another concerning phenomenon that is helping with the spread of HIV/AIDS. Although the nation’s prevalence rates of HIV have decreased, it does not mean that the situation is getting better. This disease will continue to claim millions of lives because India does not have the equipment or resources needed in most areas; along with that the taboos, and stigma in India will negatively affect the treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS. The way that Indians think ab out HIV/AIDS plays a major role in treatment and prevention efforts.There are many parts of the world where one with HIV/AIDS is able to go to a doctor, friend or family member to get support. In India, this is not the case for the most part. It is a country with a strict social hierarchy and most Indian people still believe in arranged marriages. The people of India stigmatize HIV/AIDS, which often leads to discrimination, denial, humiliation and rejection from family/community and medical staff. HIV/AIDS is not just any disease in India, since it is linked to controversial behaviours HIV/AIDS comes with a lot more baggage than for instance cancer does.HIV/AIDS is extremely under reported due to the many psychological hardships one must face in order to get the help that they need. Currently 50% of people with HIV are aware of their status; people that seek treatment often face traumatizing experiences with the medical staff. The government of India supports voluntary testing howev er, a very high percentage of cases have been reported in which the patient had been tested against their will, which in return would dictate the quality of medical care they would receive.In many cases, individuals have been denied medical services because of their status and people that are HIV+ and belong to a high-risk group face double the discrimination and stigma because they are a part of a controversial group. There is a direct correlation with Indian culture and the identification of HIV/AIDS in India. In order to successfully educate and treat the Indian population we must take into account the very sensitive cultural values of Indian people and customize action plans accordingly. Sex in India is highly discouraged amongst non-married couples and the topic is hushed.Indians greatly value marriage and hold the lowest divorce rate in world (Divorce Mag, 2011). Woman are seen as disgraceful, worthless and disgusting if they engage in sex with a partner before marriage and in most cases are disowned or face harsh consequences for their actions from family members and other social groups. For Indian people it is ideal to have and maintain one sexual partner although woman in India face double standards while men are able to participate in sexual intercourse with multiple partners there for the HIV status of women is highly dependent on the behaviour of their partner(s)/spouse.The taboo of talking about sex publically and sex in general is the main reason for the hardships faced by educators, organizations and other public figures who try to make efforts with the awareness of HIV/AIDS. India is a place where a bar can possibly be shut down if any public display of affection is shown. There can be many explanations for the way Indian people think about sex that date back to the history of the first civilizations and religious texts that may have influenced and shaped the ideology of Indian people today.This is a way of thinking that has existed in India fo r thousands of year and will continue to do so for a very long time. Education and communication is extremely difficult in a place where the population is not willing to listen, Indian people tend to ignore and underestimate HIV/AIDS because they are unwilling to talk about it. Most Indian people are unaware of the facts that in return cause them to link it to unacceptable behaviours creating stigma, discrimination and denial due to lack of knowledge.People are hesitant to expose their HIV status and discuss issues with people. HIV/AIDS has claimed many lives in India, more so then many other parts of the world. The world fact book estimated 170 000 deaths in the year 2009 (ranked third highest in the world). Causality rates of HIV/AIDS related deaths have been decreasing in recent years. Many efforts have been made to prevent the spread of the disease by the government and other organizations yet India ranks as one of the top countries on HIV/AIDS hit list.The people of India have a hard time explaining and discussing the impact that HIV/AIDS has left on their country. People often are surprised and thrown off when they are presented with actual statistics, they see the disease as someone else’s problem with the attitude that it is a disease that infects the â€Å"scum of society† but once they are presented with the statistics they are immediately appalled. Indian youth is continuously encouraged to ignore such topics and refrain from talking about sex by their families.Another interesting issue is the misleading statistics that the government of India presents which understates the real statistics, Indian people lose trust in the government and don’t know which statistics to believe (Drynan, 2001). Indian people that live in poor areas with very low income believe that the spread of infection is mainly because a family member has to migrate to another location for a long period of time to find work and make an income to support his/her family. Since the majority of the population in India is poor, this is the leading explanation that most families will have.Indian people that are HIV + believe that the spread of the disease is linked to the decision of keeping HIV statuses a secret. Some sex workers admit that they do not expose their status to clients in fear of losing their job. Indian people are aware that health care systems need to improve in order to stop HIV/AIDS from spreading. There also a large portion of people who believe in fate and that if someone is infected with HIV/AIDS it is in their fate to die that way. â€Å"In the past I never thought that I would contract such a big disease, or neither would my husband.I had that much faith in him because we wouldn’t do such things. Now I don’t talk to my husband, I don’t know his whereabouts. God gave me this disease, what God metes out, Only God can judge. I have a daughter who is HIV + as well. I feel bad that my child has it but wha t can one do. I have a lot of problems at work, my co-workers tease me and shun me. They do not come near me† Anita who is HIV+ explained her thoughts about her status (Lets Break Through, 2006). Since the creation of antiretroviral therapy (ART/ARV) many lives have been extended and maybe even saved.In India these drugs are becoming more available and the price of these drugs is declining as time goes by how ever not everyone has access to these drugs. Many areas of India where these drugs are needed are poor areas where Doctors refuse to practise due to lack of income available. Many villages do not have access to someone who can administrate these drugs. The main factor is money, these drugs are expensive and many families simply cannot afford them. Recently the government has been focusing on distributing free antiretroviral drugs but it is impossible to reach everyone in need with the available funds.India is also actively manufacturing generic low-cost ARV’s. Out of all the people that need treatment only ? are receiving it (Avert, 2011) and many are not adhering due to high costs of drugs/testing, poor counselling, inadequate understanding and intolerance to drugs. Treatment centres are located in every state where HIV/AIDS is prevalent, screening is voluntary (ideally) and counselling is provided. The types of screening available are: Western blot test, ELISA, viral load test, CD4 count and blood biochemistry.Luckily India has a strong pharmaceutical industry and is taking advantage of it by reaching out to its patients. Another issue is drug resistant people; in Mumbai 18% of newly diagnosed people were resistant to at least one drug (World Bank, 2011) so second-line therapy is required. Another concerning problem is that therapy in India is unstructured. Although these drugs are becoming more available in India, those in need are often denied access by the health care providers. The poor are ignored and usually do not have the funds or t he resources to obtain the drugs. HIV/AIDS Treatment and Prevention in India, 2011) Some other popular alternative traditional therapy in India includes Chinese medicine, Homeopathy, acupuncture and siddha medicine (Life Positive, 2011).The impact that HIV/AIDS will have on India in the future may be devastating if the current trends do not change. Treatment needs to be made more available, Health care providers need to be trained adequately and the general population needs to be educated. Many organizations and government have helped with the control of this epidemic such as promoting condom use are making improvements. Condoms are now used among many sex workers who ecite the policy of â€Å"no condom, no sex† to their customers and this is important because as of today condoms are the single most convenient and effective way of preventing the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases. There is no doubt that India is putting resources towards organizations that will pro vide services for the Indian population but this alone is not enough, Indian people themselves will need to accept and face this issue in order to make progress. Since India has a large portion of High-risk groups, there is always going to be danger and opportunity for HIV/AIDS to spread.The rates vary from state to state but World Banks estimates that by 2033 mortality by infectious diseases will increase and of that, AIDS will represent 22% of total deaths. India has economic, cultural and other demographic factors that hamper prevention efforts. Discrimination, denial and stigma will continue to cause damaged relationships, torn families, physical isolation, desertion, economic implications, lower quality of life and death. This disease will continue to control the lives of people that are infected.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

DEsigning a Psychology experiment , 1000 word maximum report Essay

DEsigning a Psychology experiment , 1000 word maximum report consisting of an hypothesis and a method section - Essay Example 3. METHODOLOGY This project requires cause and effect hypothesis testing and therefore the design chosen is an experimental design (Srinagesh, 2006), with a quantitative research methodology. 3.1 Participants (Sample) The sample for this research will consist of two groups of college students. The sample will be drawn from among college students. The sample will consist of 40 college students in all. Twenty of these will be those whose parents have been divorced while twenty will be those whose parents are both alive and living together. In order to control the variable of gender, each group of participants will be composed of ten males and ten females. The students will be approached along with a briefing letter about the experiment and they will be asked to sign an informed consent form if they are willing to participate in the research. 3.2 Variables The independent variable in this study will be the divorced or not divorced status of the participants’ parents while the dep endent variable will be the scores obtained on the questionnaire titled: ‘Student readiness Inventory’ (ACT, 2011). 3.3 Research Design and Method This experiment involves hypothesis testing and is based on quantitative methods. ... oups, one will consist of children whose parents have been divorced and the other will consist of children whose parents are living together, therefore, an independent groups design fits the aim of the study. This design will also remove the threats to validity due to order effects (Brian, 2002). This methodology was chosen because the nature of the study is experimental rather than exploratory. Hypothesis was devised after some quick review of literature and theory. It is expected that the null hypothesis will be rejected. 3.4 Research tool/ Instrument After reviewing a considerable number of studies that attempted to focus the effects of divorce on academic achievement, it was decided that questionnaire be used as research tool (Anderson & Taylor, 2008). The ‘Student readiness Inventory’ was selected to be used as a research tool. Student Readiness Inventory is a questionnaire that was developed by a non-profit organization called ‘ACT’, in order to identi fy the at-risk students in the field of academics. The rationale for selecting this inventory is twofold: first, if Grade Point Average would have been used to gauge academic success, it would not have taken into account the psychosocial factors that affect academic performance in children of divorced couples. Secondly, the Student readiness inventory was preferred over Grade point average because different individuals’ parents got divorced in different years. Tracking down the Grade Point Average of the students in the year following the divorce would have been a challenging task. Therefore, it was decided to run the Student readiness inventory, which is a short inventory and is very easy to score. 3.5 Data Analysis Descriptive statistics will be used to analyze the data. According to Kazmier (2004),

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Compare and comtrast Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Compare and comtrast - Essay Example Having taken into account all of the given influences, it becomes apparent that either of the compared sides can offer a great number of benefits as well as not a lesser amount of drawbacks. The city and the village are closely comparable in what pertains to human interaction but are clearly distinct when choice and diversity are considered. It is difficult to make a single universal statement about the city life since living in the urban area can be both beneficial and disadvantageous depending on which aspects one evaluates. However, what is certainly true about urban living is that it guarantees a wider diversity and greater choice in almost everything. Residents of urban zones have much more options to choose from in every aspect of their day-to-day lives. For example, living in a city one enjoys the access to the best universities, the largest shopping malls, and the most exclusive culinary refinements. Additionally, city dwellers have the scope to be culturally and socially involved as far as metropolitan areas attract most of the major artistic, educational, and entertaining events. Subsequently, they are more likely to interact with representatives of other social classes, ethnic and religious groups, and people with different political views, music tastes, and literature preferences. Overall, citizens receive a chance to be more culturally enlightened. There is also a greater potential for education, wider employment opportunities, and better access to healthcare in the cities. Thinking of the optimal educational institution for their child, parents can select from a list of alternatives that include a number of public and private schools. When looking for a job, individuals move to towns, where most of the businesses and organizations are concentrated. Apart from that, a vast range of healthcare facilities is within the reach of urban residents. In

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

The Work-Family Interface Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 12

The Work-Family Interface - Essay Example He lived in the rural areas and therefore followed his parents who were farmers too. He married at the age of seventy and began working on his father’s farm before he obtained his own. He would later inherit his father’s farm at the age of twenty-seven a feature that led to the expansion of his business. My grandfather explains that he knew he would inherit his father’s property some day and did not, therefore, struggle to develop a business empire of his own. However, once he took over the management of the business he ensured it grew by diversifying the crops and animals in the farm (Sweet 32). He employed more farmers and even built some small-scale processing plants to ensure that his product had the best quality in the region. He had numerous friends and a large family of six children my father being his last-born. He ensured his children received education thereby enabling them to diversify their career aspirations. I was born nearly seventy years later and in a different setting. I live with my parents in New York where I study and have all my friends. This implies that my life and experiences are different from those of my grandfather. The features of our societies differ thereby influencing our aspirations. I enjoy technology and business. I spend most of my time experimenting and studying new technologies especially information technologies. I enjoy computer programing and has therefore created numerous programs including games and database management programs. Besides technology, I love soccer. I have numerous friends with whom we meet often to watch soccer besides engaging in other part-time activities. I aspire to study and advance my interests in information technology. Furthermore, I aspire to set up a business that deals in the manufacture and sale of computer accessories and programs. Technology is a fundamental aspect of society. The internet among other  other information and communication technologies has revolutionized the world thereby succeeding in creating a global village. This implies that contemporary commercial organizations have reliable ways of expanding their reach in the market and therefore higher prospects of becoming profitable.  

Monday, August 26, 2019

E-Business. Classification, Development And Implications Of E-Business Essay

E-Business. Classification, Development And Implications Of E-Business On Modern Organizations - Essay Example The global information infrastructure served as the foundation for new methods of personal interaction, communication, transaction and this has tremendously changed the way people did business. From the mid 1990s, global networking platform grew rapidly until 2000 and has started showing major signs of success stories of many multinational companies by 2003 (Schneider, 2011, p. 4). Within just few years after the mid 1990s, the internet-based business has become a larger part of the total economy. Electronic Business, generally termed as E-business, is one of the most important aspects to emerge from the internet. E-business is more than another way to sustain and improve the traditional business practices. Most of the researchers highlighted the revolutionary aspects of e-business adoption and its positive impacts on human life whereas some others suggested that e-business is a kind of disruptive innovation as it radically changes the traditional way of carrying out business. E-marketing, E-banking, E-learning, E-government etc are other major breakthrough developed with the use of internet technology. This paper provides detailed answers to the questions what is E-business and how does it matter to an organization. Based on relevant literatures, this paper examines the theoretical perspectives of e-business and describes its general impacts to a business organization. This paper will focus on the field of e-marketing and examines how e-marketing is influencing today’ s business and marketing arenas. E-business The terms E-commerce and E-business are often used interchangeably, but they are distinct concepts. E-commerce is a term used to describe the process of transacting business over the internet, but E-business involves the fundamental reengineering of the business model in to the internet-based networked enterprise. More specifically, ecommerce is narrower in the sense that it refers only to the buying and selling of goods or services by using internet technology, whereas E-business accounts for all business activities, including both internal and external, that are conducted online. E-business describes the information system and application using the internet to support and carry out business processes. As Bartels (2000) noted, to be very specific about the difference, E-business includes E-commerce, but also covers organization’s internal activities such as manufacturing, inventory management, financing, human resource management, knowledge management etc. With E-business, companies can link its internal and external activities very effectively to work more closely with different stakeholders such as suppliers, partners, and customers etc to satisfy customers’ needs. Grefen (2010) strongly argued that primarily three criteria are to be met to call a combination of business activities and information technology e-business. These three criteria are: 1- The business activities must be core activities. The activities must be directly related to the reason of the existence of the business. 2- The use of information techn

Sunday, August 25, 2019

The relationship between advanced technology and Green supply chain Research Paper

The relationship between advanced technology and Green supply chain - Research Paper Example Source: LMI, 2005 In short, it integrates supply chain management with environmental management to achieve positive, sustainable results. This rooted to the acknowledgment on the role of manufacturing and other business processes on their disproportionate environmental impact with the understanding that operations are improved and savings are accrued in the process. Savings may not always mean cut in direct operational costs but environmental in nature through less reliance on raw or new materials that directly impacts on the environment. Objectives and Research Questions In the adoption of green supply chain techniques, many corporations or business entities have resorted to either age-old environmental practices or emerging technologies that facilitate green practices. It is therefore the aim of this paper to Provide the history and background in the development of green supply change Explain the significance of greening the supply chain Point our issues relating to the flow of pro ducts and services within the green supply chain context Explain how green supply chain management as a practice has been changed over time. These will be achieved by answering the research questions: 1. What is the importance of the history of green supply chain? 2. How green supply chain management as a practice has changed over time? 3. What is significance of greening the supply chain? 4. What are the issues relating to the flow of products and services within a Green Supply Chain context? Relevance of the Study The continuing depletion of natural resources, growing population, consumption, and lifestyle demands, negative changes in the environment and many other major problems have alarmed policy-makers, businesses, and even individuals in the last several decades. Current conditions of many of the world’s population and projections of the future are seen as very bleak so that it has become imperative to adopt short and long-term measures to address these issues. Thus, t he birth of eco-related movements such as the green supply chain in the business process. The importance of exploring background and history of the green supply chain lies on the possibilities of fast-tracking ways to improve production and design of consumption products. This study hopes to contribute in that segment. Background Extensive efforts are forwarded by nations and international organizations not only to their governments but also to the business and private sector to step up and address environmental problems. Climate change global warming, environmental degradation, and insurmountable economic and social problems directly linked with the abuse and neglect of the environment have been hounding humanity for several decades now so that the need to integrate acceptable business practices were proposed in order to reduce or decrease negative impacts. These are strengthened by governmental regulatory mandates as well as organisational requirements for acceptable continuance o f business operations in a given community or industry. It has been found that day-to-day practices from population growth to consumption are all connected to the continuing environmental changes which resulted to depletion of natural resources that may soon unable to support the population, increased carbon dioxide releases by each individual that leads to trapping of heat, increased temperatures elsewhere, water shortages, among others as reported by World Bank. Specifically, there are more than 2 billion people without access to clean water and sanitation, or roughly 40%

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Reading Experience as an Undergraduate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Reading Experience as an Undergraduate - Essay Example From this discussion it is clear that the reporter  had a very good experience with some of the reading styles such as scanning in which I could look quickly through my textbooks and other reading materials to get relevant materials for his work. The reporter also learned how to skim which enabled him to read academic materials quickly to get the main points before deciding on what to write on. The author also had a chance to understand the best way of conducting a detailed reading to extract relevant information accurately as Schmeck, asserts. This style helped him to understand the main ideas in the academic literature and use them in enhancing my study and learning skills. In-depth reading is important and essential to enable one understand the concepts of and arguments in the texts.  This study highlights that the author also understood the best reading processes for one to acquire relevant information and extract important facts without straining. The reading process needs c ontinuous practice, development, and refinement to ensure a thorough understanding of the contents. He found it quite challenging to follow the reading process, as it required a lot of time and effort to ensure that everything was fully understood. He faced various successes and failures as he struggled with my academics, but the reporter was determined to fulfill his dreams. He  managed to be one of the best students in the college and continued to perform excellently in different academic courses.  

Friday, August 23, 2019

Disadvantages of herbal remedies Speech or Presentation

Disadvantages of herbal remedies - Speech or Presentation Example The government does not support any institutions as such that help prepare these herbal remedies so there is no quality control and the user may end up buying a low quality treatment. Also, herbal remedies do not work in serious illnesses and injuries. Herbs cannot replace surgeries, laboratory tests, and operations. Sometimes, herbal treatment negatively interacts with the formal medicines like anti-depressants and thus may hinder with their effect. Since, herbal remedies do not come with an instruction manual or package insert, so this becomes very likely that the user will overdose the remedy. Also, some herbs get poisonous when they are harvested in wild, or some part of the plant gets venomous, so when these are extracted into a remedy, the user will also catch that poison. In short, the use of herbal remedies depends mainly on the user himself because he should know what kind of herb he is using, what he is using it for, and for how long he has to use it.

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Compensation Benefits Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Compensation Benefits - Essay Example I am the new Director of benefits for Lansing-Smith Corporation. I am recommending a compensation program that will hopefully retain our employees and offer those benefits that are better then other companies. It is my liability as compensation and benefit expert to conduct market pay studies, these studies decide what jobs that our company ought to pay, what benefits and incentives are suitable. I start with a clearly define job description; insure comparable market information, base pay, salary compensation, salary trend and total compensation. Then I will study salary survey data, make a few phone calls to external sources and send out complete questionnaires to companies and agencies to collect data relating to these job descriptions. The explanation will have title of job, department, who the employee reports to, a job summary and the synopsis of the necessary functions of the job. I then will accumulate my findings on a salary analysis form. "Position title, base pay, benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, stock options, retirement benefits and additional incentives. (Appendix A & B) This will make it easy to contrast and examine information in various salary categories". With well defined job explanation and great tools to assist organize the information I can accomplish a market pay study to help our company stay spirited. The job assessment is a tool used to assess the worth of each job in our organization and in the market. With a winning job evaluation system I can make our organization's pay system evenhanded, understandable, lawfully defensible, approachable, and outwardly competitive. "I will use the job evaluations to: * Clarify job metaphors so that employees comprehend the expectations of their roles and the association of their roles to other jobs inside the organization. * Attract desirable job candidates. * Retain high-potential employees. The market assessment job will compare compensation for our organization's jobs to the marketplace rate for comparable jobs. This method necessitates precise market-pricing surveys. Market pay is the compensation paid for an exact job, including information regarding bonuses and benefits that is resolute by a continual analysis of the aggressive job market. Market pay data is a fraction of our organization's overall policy to determine evenhanded compensation. Otherwise, we may not remain spirited"(http://www.worldatwork.org). In raising a market pay study I will gain a list of companies that have positions related to our company's positions, and then I would converse job descriptions and pay ranges for every position. I will then have the market pay information needed to found and communicate employee compensation. "In reality, collecting data that precisely reflects the market rates for jobs in our organization is additional hard. Because your organization's most excellent similar jobs are likely to be those of our main competitors. As I conduct the market pay study, I keep in mind that I should use market pay data as part of the overall strategy not as the sole strategy to determine equitable compensation within our organization. Our organization's compensation values and compulsion to fair, evenhanded, and unbiased pay practices should also play a role, in addition to conducting marketplace pay studies"

International Business Climate Essay Example for Free

International Business Climate Essay 1.0 Introduction Business climate refers to the economic environment in general which depicts how businesses and business activities are supported by the government as well as the lending institutions. Business climate is also a reflection of the attitude of the labor unions toward inflation rates, taxation rates, employers and other issues which affect business activities   in a given region or country. Switzerland ranks the most attractive country in terms of having the most conducive international business climate which has attracted tremendous investments and highly skilled labor from all over the globe. The country enjoys a safe and stable working environment and most small and medium enterprises are located in the Greater Geneva Berne area (GGBa) which has an excellent international business track record (ggba-switzerland.ch, n.d). Switzerland experienced one of the weakest economies in the Western Europe in the 1990s during which the annual GDP growth averaged 0% between the years 1991 and 1997. A gradual economic growth was witnessed in the beginning of late 1997 and it reached a peak in 2000 with a GDP of 3%. Between 2001 and 2003, the economic growth slowed down but began to grow at 2.5% per annum since the year 2004 until the latest global economic crises which have had a great impact on its economic growth (state.gov, 2010). Being at the heart of Europe, Switzerland is a hub for the crucial communication systems which are indispensable in the industrial Europe. Therefore, the expansive modern and reliable infrastructure encompassing the country facilitates an extremely high number of international and local business activities. The good international business climate of the country has been influenced by several factors which entails economic, cultural, legal, and political issues. It is therefore the obj ective of this paper to discuss these issues with reference to Switzerland as a country. 2.0 Economic Climate Trade is the backbone of Switzerland’s prospering economy which has made its per capita income be among the highest globally. International climate highly favors the export markets upon which the country depends for generating enormous income while at the same time facilitating the imports of raw materials which are essential for the expansion of the range of goods and services available in the economy. Economic climate is also made better by the liberal trade and investment policies which has attracted many investors in addition to the well defined commercial law and well developed legal system. Switzerland is a member of several international economic organizations including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Trade Organization (WTO), Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and The World Bank (state.gov, 2010). Important sectors of the economy include tourism, engineering, banking and insurance which have a heavy influence in the economic policies of the country. The existing trading companies enjoy unique expertise from Far East, Africa, Middle East and Eastern Europe. The highly developed tourism industry gives the country’s market the   opportunity to trade in services and equipment related to tourism. The export industry provides the economy with about half of the country’s corporate earnings with the largest trading partner being the European Union. The trade and economic barriers between Switzerland and the EU are minimal hence facilitating more business activities. The U.S   is a major export destination of products from Switzerland and also a major source of imports of raw materials for the country. U.S is the second-largest importer of Swiss goods after Germany and also is the largest foreign investor in Switzerland (state.gov, 2010). 3.0 Legal Climate The business regulatory system in Switzerland is highly transparent and regulations affecting the activities of both local and international investors are applied with no discrimination. Previously, cartels were common in the economy whereby companies in various industrial and service sectors through industrial and trade associations organized themselves into vertical and horizontal cartels. The new law governing the formation of cartels ensures that such cartels do no harm to the society and the economy. The adoption of this law which includes the authority to stop anti-competitive behavior without prior warning has facilitated an extra GDP growth of 0.5-0.8% per annum following the reduction of harmful cartels (Dimireva, 2010). The legal system governing international and local business activities has propagated an efficient capital markets and   portfolio investment. One of the largest markets for foreign borrowers is the Swiss franc dominated foreign bond market and generally there are no restrictions on the sale or purchase of   foreign equities and currencies. Forward transactions between Swiss nationals and foreigners can be carried out at the prevailing market rates. The liberal market of Switzerland is protected from being misused as a platform for criminal activity and money laundering by regulations which serve to adjust particular aspects of portfolio investment. A good example is the signing of OECD Anti-Bribery Convention in 1997 which started operating in 2000 (Dimireva, 2010). The effective legal and policy framework of Switzerland has excelled in combating corruption which if unchecked can adversely impact the international business climate. Following implementatation of laws deterring corruption, for instance the U.S firms which have invested in Switzerland have not issued any complaints about cases of corruption. There are highl y effective investigative and enforcement mechanisms which deals with any domestic corruption and this has attracted more international investors who have developed confidence in the Swiss economy. 4.0 Political Climate The Swiss political system is highly stable and effective since both the county and state government bodies possess high levels opf control. The system has been structured in such a way that all the rural and urban areas of the country have access to government officials for requests or essential information. A referendum which requires a popular one million signatures is enough to give people the power to demand certain changes concerning business practice, the established law or the environment. One of the main contributors to the country’s political stability is the stability existing within different institutions.The Swiss National Bank for instance is a highly steadfast finanacial institution which has strengthened and stabilised the Swiss Franc. Political stability is further stabilised by the fact that Switzerland   is a representative democracy in which the major governing body is the Federal Council made up of seven persons. The government is considered to be trustw orthy and honest by the populace (mkeever.com, n.d). 5.0 Cultural Climate International business climate in Switzerland is greatly influenced by the etiquette and cultural expectations in the Swiss professional environment. In order to develop productive working relationships and successful business strategies, it is a preriquisite to understand and respect the various aspects of Swiss culture. The country offers Communicaid’s Doing Business cultural awareness courses to enhance the creation of fruitful business relationships between foreign business professionals and the Swiss clients partners and colleagues (Guliyev, 2007). Such courses are essential in ensuring competitive advantage which offers foreign business people with the ideal opportunity to comfortably do business in the country. In addition, there are a wide range of cultural and leisure activioties which has further facilitated the progress of the country in doing intyernational business. The ideal cultural climate has prompted a large number of   sports lovers, business travellers an d nature enthusiasist to visit the country all year round which has elevated international business relations a notch higher. 6.0 Conclusion The creation of an enabling international business climate is a collective task of various institutions and aspects of the society. These aspects must comprehensively address cultural, political, economic, and legal situations of the particular country which is willing to create a conducive business environment. Switzerland is a good example of a country in the heart of Europe which has embarked in creating such an environment which consequently has attracted huge investments. The creation of   an excellent international business climate may not be as challenging as sustaining it and therefore firm political, legal, cultural and economic strategies are indispensable in achieving it.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Microwave Motion Detector

Microwave Motion Detector CHAPTER NO: 1 MICROWAVE MOTION DETECTOR (MMD) 1.1 INTRODUCTION: â€Å"The Microwave Motion Detector (MMD) is a true microwave Doppler transmitter and receiver, solves difficult detection problems easily with the microwave motion detector, senses any moving body be it a person, animal, car, bicycle or extra-terrestrial.† 1.2 WHY MICROWAVE MOTION DETECTOR: Understanding basic home security best practices could mean the difference between keeping your home safe and becoming the victim of a break-in. Start protecting your home better by exploring our Home Security Basics section which provides a good foundation of knowledge on everything from security cameras to outdoor lighting options that help prevent break-ins before they happen. I the light of above detail we have a requirement of autonomous microwave motion detector to prevent our assets from terrorism and any other type damage or robbery. 1.3 PROJECT GOAL: The major goal of this project is to design an autonomous Motion Detection setup, that will be able to sense the motion of any moving object (person, car bicycle or extra-terrestrial) in the designated area or designated range. In our project we have used different type of small size electronics (Diodes, Transistors, FETs, Resistor, Capacitors and Operational Amplifiers) to complete the setup and to make a smart and precise design of MMD. 1.4 PRINCIPLE OF MICROWAVE MOTION DETECTOR: The system emits microwave energy that completely fills its area of detection, much like ultrasonic sensors. A Gunn diode emits energy in the x-range, similar in effect to Doppler frequency shifts. Any disturbance caused by movement within the field of detection may activate the alarm system/Buzzer. Despite fears held by many, these sensors do not adversely affect humans and pacemakers. 1.5 SPECIFICTION: Ø True microwave Doppler shift operation Ø Unaffected by heat, light, sound, humidity or temperature Ø A real microwave transmitter/receiver runs at 1 GHz Ø Runs on 9 to 15 volts DC ideal for car burglar alarms 1.6 REQUIREMENTS: Ø DC Voltage, (+9V to +15V). Ø Oscilloscope DC 2 to 200MHz to monitor the transmitted signal of oscillator and observe waveform of different stages of Microwave Motion Detector. Ø BNC plug to BNC plug cable 75 Ohms, 1 Meter 1.7 APPLICATIONS OF MMD: The chief applications for MMD have been given bellow. Ø Detection of unauthorized entry in our home, Offices and other restricted buildings. Ø Detection of moving object which triggers a Camera to record subsequent events or to operate a Buzzer/Alarm, LED, Laser Diode etc. Ø This relatively inexpensive and the MMD can easily be used in a variety of science projects, robots and other useful devices. 1.8 BREIF HISTORY OF MOTION DETECTION: Motion can be detected by measuring change in speed or vector of an objector objects in field of view. This can be achieved either by mechanical devices that physically, interact with the field or by electronic devices that quantify and measures changes in the given environment. 1.9 PREVIOUS METHODS OF MOTION DETECTION: Different methods of motion detection were used in past. These are given bellow. Some methods have been obsolete. Some methods are still in used. 1.9.1 MECHANICAL DEVICES: A tripwire is a simple form of motion detector. When an object steps into the tripwire s sensory field (i.e, trips the wire), then a simple sound device might alert to the user. 1.9.2 ELECTRONIC DEVICES: The principal methods by which motion can be electronically identified are optical detection an acoustical detection. Infrared light or laser technologies may be used for optical detection. Microwaves are one of the best tools for motion detection. CHAPTER NO: 2 DOPPLER THEORY AND RADIATION PATTERN 2.1 DOPPLER THEORY: The operation of the MMD is based on a physical theory known as the Doppler Effect. In its simplest form the Doppler theory states that as sound, light or even radio waves are reflected back by a moving object, the frequency of these waves will be different from the frequency when the object is stationary. As the object moves away the frequency will decrease and if the object moves toward you, the frequency will increase. This effect is demonstrated very visibly (or should we say audibly) by a train whistle passing you. This change in frequency is due to the waves being either stretched or compressed as they leave the moving object. Compressing the waves closer will have the effect of increasing the perceived frequency while stretching the waves will cause the frequency to appear lower. This is obviously not the place for an in depth discussion of Doppler theory Just be aware that it is the basis for the operation of the MMD. In fact, with an oscilloscope you can actually see this fr equency change at U1 pin 10. Another phenomenon associated with waves is called the Doppler Effect. Imagine standing near a train track, and a train approaches you with its whistle blowing. The pitch of sound waves is associated with the frequency of the wave: the higher the pitch, the higher the frequency. Thus, as the train approaches the frequency of the sound wave you hear is higher, and as it recedes the frequency is lower. This can be pictured by the following diagram. In this : 2.1 the circles represent, as viewed from above, the crests of adjacent waves. Thus, if you are standing to the right, with the wave source moving towards you, more waves reach you per second, which means that the frequency you hear is higher. Conversely, if you stand to the left, with the wave source moving away from you, fewer waves reach you per second and the frequency you hear is lower. 2.2 TYPICAL RADIATION PATTERN. The microwave motion detector circuit radiates the microwave frequency from an omni directional antenna so the radiation pattern for the electromagnetic waves is given as under. 2.3 RADIATION SAFETY Microwave radiation from the module is well below established safety standards for general public environment, like ANSI C95.1-1991 of USA and NRPB-G11 of United Kingdom. 2.4 HANDLING: The module is an electrostatic sensitive device (ESD). Precautions shall be observed for handling and assembly. Use the circuit module in an electromagnetic interference free environment to avoid errors in detection. 2.5 FUNCTIONAL IMPROVEMENT: The module can be improved to calculate the speed of the moving object. This can also be used to find the direction of the moving object; some additional circuitry is required for these functions. CHAPTER NO: 3 HARDWARE DESIGN OF MICROWAVE MOTION DETECTOR In this section it has been tried to cover hardware related topics of MMD. That is given below separately. 3.1 MMD BLOCK DIAGRAM: The block diagram of the MMD has been shown in the following The detail of block diagram has been shown in the following section. 3.2 BLOCK DIAGRAM BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The MMD consists of eight (08) major blocks. Ø Power supply unit Ø Oscillator Ø Transceiver Ø Mixer Ø Buffer amplifier Ø Band pass amplifier Ø Output Drive Amplifier Ø Signal indicator/ Interfacing circuitry 3.2.1 Power Supply Unit: This unit provides required supply voltages for several circuit stages. Source required for the operation of this circuit is from +9v to +15v dc. It is responsible of biasing for all stages of the system. We can use dc battery or built in power supply for this system. This property of the system made it portable device for motion detection. 3.2.2 Oscillator: This section of the circuit produces the frequency approximately 1Ghz.Crystal oscillator is used to generate the required frequency. choice of this oscillator is due to its compact size , low cast and availability of the this component in the market. 3.2.3 Transceiver: The microwave RF energy that is developed by the oscillator is radiated in an omni-directional pattern from the antenna. Then the redirected waves are also received by the same antenna. 3.2.4 Mixer: Received frequency is mixed with the transmitted frequency. 3.2.5 Buffer Amplifier: Frequency generated by the mixer is amplified and buffered in this section of the circuit. 3.2.6 Band Pass Amplifier: Frequency filtered by the mixer is amplified and buffered in this section of the circuit. The band of frequencies passed from the stage is between 10Hz to 40Hz. 3.2.7 Output Drive Amplifier: This amplifier drives the output stage. 3.2.8 Signal Indicator/Interfacing circuits: The detected motion is indicated in the form of an LED glow or it can be interfaced with an interfacing signal that could be some alarm system, camera etc. 3.3 MMD CIRCUIT DIAGRAM: The circuit diagram has been generated in Protell / P-CAD. 3.4 PARTS LISTS: 3.4.1 CAPACITORS LIST: S.# DESCRIPTION DESIGNATOR QTY 1 0.01 uF Disk capacitor (marked .01 or 103 or 10nf) C3, C8, C15, C18 04 2 0.1 uF disk capacitor (marked .1 or 104) C11, C12, C20 03 3 2.0 pF. or 2.2 pf. disk capacitor C6, C7 02 4 22 pF. disk capacitor C5 01 5 1.0 uF electrolytic capacitor C16, C17 02 6 10.0 uF electrolytic capacitor C1, C2, C9, C10, C13, C14 06 7 220 uF electrolytic capacitor C4 01 8 1000 uF electrolytic capacitor C19 01 3.4.2 RESISTORS LIST: S.# DESCRIPTION DESIGNATOR QTY 1 220 Ohm (red-red brown) R2 01 2 470 Ohm (yellow-violet-brown) R1, R15 02 3 1K Ohm (brown-black-red) R6, R7, R11, R20 04 4 4.7K Ohm (yellow-violet-red) R12 01 5 10K Ohm (brown-black-orange) R4, R14, R16, R19, R21 05 6 47K Ohm (yellow-violet-orange) R3 01 7 100K Ohm (brown-black-yellow) R5, R17, R18 03 8 470K Ohm (yellow-violet-yellow) R13 01 9 1 Mega Ohm (brown-black-green) R9, R10 02 10 10K potentiometer R8 01 3.4.3 SEMICONDUCTORS LIST: S.# DESCRIPTION DESIGNATOR QTY 1 Diode 1SS99 (clear glass body with black and blue bands) D1 01 2 Diode 1N4148 (glass body with single black band) D2 01 3 LED D3 01 4 2N3904 NPN transistor Q1, Q2 02 5 2SC2498 or 2570 NPN UHF transistor Q3 01 6 BS170 FET transistor Q8 01 7 LM-324 op-amp U1 01 3.4.4 HARDWARE AND MISCELLANEOUS LIST: S.# DESCRIPTION DESIGNATOR QTY 1 MMD Printed Circuit Board 01 2 Connector 6 Pin J-1 01 3 Connector 2 Pin J-2 01 3.5 MMD PARTS LAYOUT COMPOMENT STUFFING GUIDE DIAGRAM: 3.6 CONSTRUCTION OF THE MMD CIRCUIT: The following steps have been taken for the construction of the MMD main circuit in the light of the PCB layout given in the previous : 3.3 1. 2. 3. 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.6.1 Check off each step as understood and completed. Examine the parts layout diagram for parts location on the PC board. In all steps, â€Å"install† means to carefully insert the part into the correct hole, solder the leads to the PC board and trim away the excess lead wire. 3.6.2 Use good soldering techniques let your soldering iron tip heat each connection wire enough so that the wire itself and PC board circuit trace BOTH become hot enough to melt the applied solder. The solder should flow smoothly around the lead wire and PC board trace. 3.6.3 Orient the circuit board as shown in parts layout diagram. 3.6.4 Install the LED, with the longer lead towards potentiometer R8. Leave the leads about 3/4† long if you are using the MMD case. 3.6.5 Install sensitivity control R8, 10K potentiometer. R8 acts as a â€Å"volume† control, adjusting the level of Doppler shift signal being applied to amplifier and switching portions of the MMD. 3.6.6 Install J1, 6 pin connector. 3.6.7 Install C1, 10uF electrolytic capacitor. Electrolytic capacitors are polarized and must be installed correctly. Usually PC layouts will show where the + lead should go while the capacitor itself will usually indicate the lead. In any case, be sure you observe correct polarity. 3.6.8 Install Q2, 2N3904. Orient the flat side of the transistors as shown on parts layout diagram. Q2 has an interesting function, being connected as a zener diode! The reversed biased base-emitter junction on a silicon transistor behaves as a low power zener diode with a breakdown voltage in the 6 to 8 volt range. 3.6.9 Install Q1, 2N3904 Orient the flat side as shown. Q1 acts as a power supply filter and regulator for the op-amp IC chip, U1. 3.6.10 Install R1, 470 Ohm (yellow-violet-brown). 3.6.11 Install Q8, BS170 and orient the flat side as shown.Q8 is a power transistor. 3.6.12 MOSFET that controls the external load you connect to your MD3. 3.6.13 MOSFET is used since, as the load is turned on and off, a regular bipolar transistor will cause the MD3 to â€Å"see† itself. This is due to the diode switching action in a bipolar transistors base-emitter junction. 10. Install C20, .1uF capacitor (marked .1 or 104). 2.3 Power supply (General Purpose) Circuit Operation. In the above : 3.4 a preview of the main PCB have been shown. In this preview the portable battery has also been shown. 3.7 POWER SUPPLY CIRCUIT: The supply is provided by using a transformer with output 20v+20V, 2A leading to a distributed power supply circuit (for general purpose supply) that provides outputs +15V,-15v, +12V, +9V connected to 50Hz, 220 VAC supply mains. The power supply circuit consists of bridge rectifier that provides +20v and -20v with 2A ratings. 3.7.1 BLOCK DIAGRAM OF POWER SUPPLY CIRCUIT: The block diagram of the power supply unit has been shown in the following : 3.7.2 SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM OF POWER SUPPLY CIRCUIT: In the following a circuit diagram of general purpose power supply has been shown in the : 3.6. The circuit diagram has been designed in the Protel Software. 3.7.3 POWER SUPPLY ASSEMBLED PCB: The preview of the assembled power supply unit has been shown in the : 3.7. 3.8 ALTERNATE PORTABLE POWER SUPPLY: An alternate supply can be used instead of a self made supply we can use a +9 Volt Battery to power up the circuit. In this circuit battery is used for simplicity. In the remote area or the area where AC power source is not available we are required to used this portable battery for a short period of time because the life of this battery is to short for proper working of MMD for a long period. CHAPTER NO: 4 ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS AND USER MANUAL 4 4.1 ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE MMD: After the stuFfing of PCB test the Microwave motion detector PCB on your workbench for the verification of the design and reliability of components used in the stuFfing of PCB. If the testing is assured to be perfect now it is the time to assemble the PCB of microwave motion detector in a casing. There are three parts of the Assembly of the microwave motion detector. Ø Composites Box Ø Power Supply PCB Ø Microwave Motion Detector PCB Ø Power ON/OFF switch Ø Motion indicator LED (Green LED) This box is made of fiber (Composites material). 4.2.1 POWER SUPPLY PCB: In the following : 4.2 assembled Power supply unit has been shown. 4.2.2 MOTION DETECTOR PCB: In the following : 4.2 assembled Main MMD PCB has been shown. Assemble the box in the following steps. Ø Mount the power supply PCB on the bottom of the box Ø Mount the Microwave Motion Detector PCB in the box Ø Mount the power switch on the box Ø Mount the indicator LED on the box at the last. Ø Final assembly is shown inn the . In the following : 4.3 assembled MMD system has been shown. The MMD has been shown in the working conditions in a room, means it is sensing the movement of a moving body and giving its response of motion sensing by glowing up the LED. 4.3 INSTRUCTION MANUAL: A switch is placed in the path of DC power so that the power can be saved in the time when the device is not in use. Turn off the switch after using the device and turn it on before using this device. The green light will glow automatically for approximately 5 seconds soon after turning on the device. This indication is not for a moving object but this light glows as a function of turning on the device. The Microwave motion detector is operated in the case where a moving object is needed to sense. In our design the circuit antenna is arranged in the position that it can sense a motion within the range of 2 meters approximately. When an object is moved within this range the motion is sensed by the design and a green light blinks on the panel of the box. This is an indication for the moving object. It can sense another motion approximately 10 seconds after the first motion is sensed. For better sensitivity this device may be used in the electromagnetic interference free environment so that the waves cannot interfere in the produced frequency of the device. Also it must be operated in the vibration free environment so that its antenna must be in static condition if it is in the vibration itself it will sense the motion when nothing is in moving condition, it is due the motion of its own antenna that the frequency is transmitted and received itself by the moving antenna and the green li ght on the panel keeps on glowing that is an operator fault and can be rectified by placing the device on a balanced plane surface. A special care for the Microwave Motion detector is that operate the circuit in the box and never use the PCB alone because this PCB needs special care for the electrostatic charge. An external supply port may be given in the box so that a regulated DC power can also be applied externally to the device. For external power be careful about the polarity of the given DC power. CHAPTER NO: 5 OPERATION OF MICROWAVE MOTION DETECTOR 5.1 WORKING PRINCPAL OF MICROWAVE MOVEMENT DETECTOR: Microwave generating and receiving module generates and transmits a microwave signal which is reflected by a moving target and received back by the module. The module comprises a disc-form Shottky diode or Gunn diode acting as both oscillator and mixer and forming part of micro strip circuitry and signal processing circuitry which processes the reflected signal to extract relevant target information. The signal processing circuitry can be physically displaced from the module and connected to it by a coaxial line. By operating the diode in the diplex mode the requisite target information can be provided for with a compact construction. A microwave movement detector comprising a microwave generating and receiving module for use in generating and transmitting a microwave signal to be intercepted and reflected by a moving target and for receiving the reflected microwave signal from said target, wherein the microwave generating and receiving module comprises micro strip circuitry in combination with a diode acting as both an oscillator and a mixer, said detector further comprising modulating means for modulating the generated microwave signal so that quantitive information as to target range, velocity and direction can be obtained, whereby the detector operates in accordance with a diplex configuration, wherein said detector includes a transmitter for transmitting the modulated generated microwave signal, and wherein the modulating means repetitively switches the transmitter of the microwave generating and receiving module between two frequencies to provide a signal having two spectral lines separated by gaps between t he frequencies. This invention relates to a microwave movement detector particularly although not exclusively for use as an intruder alarm. An object of the present invention is to provide a microwave movement detector which is sensitive and reliable in operation yet which can be constructed in a simple and inexpensive manner with a conveniently small and compact format. 5.2 GENERAL STUDY RELATED TO THE MMD: According to one aspect of the invention therefore a microwave movement detector comprises a microwave generating and receiving module for use in generating a transmitted microwave signal to be intercepted by a moving target and for receiving a reflected microwave signal from such target, in which the module comprises microstrip circuitry in combination with a Shottky diode arranged to act both as an oscillator and also as a mixer. With this arrangement, great operational sensitivity and reliability can be achieved and yet the module can be constructed in a simple and inexpensive manner as a conveniently small and compact device. In one embodiment the module may be in the form of a thin disc having a thickness of, say 0.5 cm, and a diameter which may be as small as about 3 cm. The said module may be connected to signal processing circuitry responsive to the relationship between the transmitted and reflected signals, for example so as to produce an output whenever target movement is detected, or only so as to produce an output when one or more parameters of such movement (range, velocity, direction) are of a predetermined nature or changes in a predetermined manner. Most conveniently, said signal processing circuitry may be provided in the form of a signal processing module separate from the aforesaid generating and receiving module, and, in accordance with one embodiment, the two modules may be up to 100 m away from each other and interconnected by a simple coaxial or twin cable. The signal processing module may be powered by mains supply, or a 12 V d.c. battery or otherwise as appropriate, and such module may also act to supply operating power to the generating and receiving module. The output produced by the signal processing module may be utilized for alarm purposes to actuate a separate remote warning bell or siren or buzzer or the like. Alternatively, if desired, the movement detector of the invention may incorporate an alarm module connected to the said signal processing module and arranged to produce modulated warning tone when actuated by said output. Such alarm module may incorporate a stand-by rechargeable battery. As mentioned above, the detector of the invention may operate in the manner of a simple Doppler detector sensitive only to movement, but preferably the transmitted microwave signal is modulated so that quantitative information as to range, velocity and direction can be obtained, the detector thereby operating in accordance with a diplex configuration. With such diplex configuration, advantageously the requisite information can be obtained with a particularly simple construction. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the diplex, configuration is such that the transmitter is repetitively switched between two frequencies say 3 MHZ apart at X-band to give two discrete spectral lines separated by 3 MHZ . The magnitude of such frequency difference may be decreased with increase in the maximum range to be measured (beyond say 25 m). The reflected signal from a moving target results, after mixing in the Shottky diode, in a reflected signal which is a composite of two Doppler signals sampled sequentially at the modulation rate (say 10 kH Z ). The relative phase of these Doppler signals provides range and velocity sense information, whilst the Doppler beat frequency is proportional to the target velocity relative to the detector. The switching of the transmitter between the two frequencies may be achieved by square-wave modulation of the Shottky diode bias current. With such square-wave modulation particularly simple video circuitry may be used, however sinusoidal modulation may alternatively be used and this allows improved range resolution without reducing the maximum unambiguous range. With regard to the Shottky diode, this may be a conventional barrier injection transit time device formed from a p + np + construction. Alternatively, a specially fabricated ion-implanted device or an `electron` type Shottky diode may be utilized. While the utilization of a Shottky diode constitutes an essential feature of the first aspect of the present invention, it has been found that the utilization of a Gunn diode (i.e. a transfer electron diode) may be advantageous in the context of the present invention in the case where microstrip circuitry of diplex configuration (as described above) is also utilized. Thus, and in accordance with a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a microwave movement detector comprising a microwave generating and receiving module for use in generating a transmitted microwave signal to be intercepted by a moving target and for receiving a reflected microwave signal from such target, in which the said module comprises microstrip circuitry in combination with a Gunn diode arranged to act both as an oscillator and as a mixer, said circuitry being of diplex configuration. Whilst it is anticipated that the present invention will find particular application in the context of an intruder alarm such as a burglar alarm, it is to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to this field of application and the detector of the invention may be utilized for detecting movement of persons or vehicles or any other suitable targets in any suitable environment for any suitable purpose. When utilized as an intruder alarm the said generating and receiving module, due to its possible small size, can be easily and conveniently concealed. Also multiple such modules may be utilized together to enable a large area to be protected. By virtue of the range gate facility, false alarms can be minimized. In the case where the invention is applied to the monitoring of vehicles, a standard Doppler format may be used. Selective monitoring can be achieved by virtue of the direction sense of the detector, and the range gate facility is useful in distinguishing vehicles in a cluttered environment. In the case where the invention is applied to the counting of persons entering or leaving an enclosure, due to the direction sense of the detector it is possible to distinguish between persons entering and leaving. Due to the use of the Shottky diode in diplex mode in microstrip circuitry, and having regard to the fact that the diode acts both as oscillator and mixer, a particularly simple, inexpensive and compact construction results. It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above embodiment which are described by way of example only. 5.3 THE MMD HOW OUR DESIGN WORKS: 3.2.1 All the RF magic is accomplished with Q3 and D1. Q3 is a free running microwave oscillator operating at a frequency of approximately 1.0 GHz. The frequency is determined by the length of the etched strip line and the lead lengths (inductance) of the associated oscillator components. 3.2.2 The microwave RF energy that is developed by the oscillator is radiated in an omni-directional pattern from the antenna. This radiated energy will fill the surrounding area with radio waves. These waves will be reflected back toward the antenna. 3.2.3 Heres where the Doppler Effect comes in. If within that area there is an object that is moving, the waves that are reflected will either be higher in frequency if the object is moving closer or lower if moving away. The MD3 doesnt really care which direction; it is only looking for a frequency difference. 3.2.4 The radiated signal and the redirected signal are mixed at diode D1. The difference in the two frequencies provides the input to U1: C pin 10. This frequency (the difference) is in the range of 10 Hz to 40 Hz. U1: C is the amplifier that feeds the sensitivity potentiometer R8. 3.2.5 Transistors Q1 and Q2 function as a very precise voltage regulator providing the proper bias to the amplifiers. 3.2.6 U1: D functions as a band pass filter and amplifier. Buffer amplifier U1: A provides the drive to output transistor Q4. CHAPTER: 6 INTERFACING TECHNIQUES If we want to extend this project at higher level we are required to interface the MMD circuit output with the extended circuitry with the help of following circuit diagrams. (THESE TECHENQUES HAS NOT BEEN USED IN OUR PROJECT) 6.1 INTERFACING CIRCUITS: The MD-3 output transistor provides a pulse when motion is sensed. Here a probably asked question is, â€Å"How do I make it do something?† We can interface this circuit with many other circuits; a few examples are given below. 6.1.1 Interfacing with the relay can drive another circuit; it may be a light, a camera, an alarm system etc. 6.1.2 The microwave motion detector circuit can be interfaced with a transistor (PNP or NPN).This transistor act as a relay it can also drive some other circuits; it could be a light or any security system or an automatic door opening system. 7.1 CONCLUSION

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Dengue Fever: Symptoms, Treatment and Prevention

Dengue Fever: Symptoms, Treatment and Prevention Dengue fever Dengue fever is a disease that is triggered by a virus (DENV) and there are different serotypes related viruses (DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, DENV-4) (Byron et al., 2009; Whitehorn et al., 2011). However they have 60-80% homology The virus belongs to the flaviviridae family genus and the flavivirus which is an aborvirus that is arthropod borne (Roach, 2002; Byron et al., 2009). Severity of dengue fever can progress to Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever (DHF) or Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS) (Byron et al., 2009). It is an icosahedral virus that has an enveloped single stranded, positive sense genome (Byron et al., 2009; Whitethorn et al., 2011).      Figure 1. Dengue virus evoluntary tree (Hesse, 2007) Transmission of Dengue virus The virus is transmitted through a biological vector to human bloodstream from mosquito bites. The arthropod vector is Aedes mosquito mainly Aedes aegypti that is common in tropic or subtropics regions (Byron et al., 2009).  Aedes albopictu is another mosquito vector. The mosquito that has acquired the virus can transmit it to uninfected human for the rest of its life (). Human being are the reservoir for the virus, mosquito bite an infected human to obtain the virus which it will transmit to another human being who will now become a carrier () Another reservoir is monkey in the DENV virus sylvatic cycle. The virus is found in the mosquitoes salivary gland and can also be transmitted from adult mosquito to its egg making it preserving the virus from season to season (Rolland, 1995) Figure 1. Transmission cycles of dengue virus (Byron et al., 2009) Symptoms and Clinical features of dengue fever Infection by DENV maybe asymptomatic or show a wide range of clinical symptoms (Byron et al., 2009). Symptom are more severe in children below 15 years than in adults (Byron et al., 2009; Carlos et al., 2005). Dengue fever initiate with a high fever whereby the body temperature increases up to (104-105) Fahrenheit within 4-5 day from infection (Guzman et al., 2002). After 2-5 days of fever a red rash might appear followed by a second severe rash again that looks like measles accompanied by increase skin sensitivity and discomfort (Harris et al., 2000). Other symptoms are fatigue, muscle ache, joint ache, vomiting, Nausea, swollen lymph nodes, headache especially on the area behind the eyes, nasal stiffness, sore throat, coughing, retro-orbital pain, arthralgia, myalgia and gastrointestinal pain ( Byron et al., 2009; Guilarde et al., 2008). Leukopenia is common while thrombocytopenia is occasional, likely in patients with haemorrhagic signs like petechiae, gingival bleeding and epista xis (Guilarde et al., 2008; Kittigul et al., 2008) Pathogenesis of the Dengue virus (DENV) Lack of animal models results to lack of knowledge of the actual pathogenesis of the virus but it anticipated it is multifactorial (Bryon, 2009).Dengue fever virus have four serotypes (homology of surface antigen) which make it hard for the immune system to combat and this is the basis of it virulence(Ross, 2010; Limon et al., 2005). Host genetics and background, viral genetics and host immune status determines the pathogenesis and how the immune system reacts (Sierra et al., 2007; Quinlivan, 2007; Tanaka and Mizokami, 2007; Byron et al., 2009). Once the virus access the body system through the skin epidermis Langerhans and keratinocytes cells are initially infected. However the immune system responds by producing antibodies that stick structural protein while inactivating the virus and hindering macrophage infection by the virus. At this point primary infection occurs which is the dengue fever. However antibody adherence does not inactivate the virus, viral replication occurs by att aching to the cell surface entry inside the cell cytoplasm and translation of viral proteins (Rothman, 2010; Byron et al., 2009). Subsequently the virus enters the blood stream and results ( primary viremia) where it will attach various tissue macrophages in various organs likely macrophages within the spleen (Bracken, 2005; Byron et al., 2009). As the virus replication expands to macrophages, monocytes, liver cells, bone marrow, the viral load of DENV increases (Chang et al., 2002; Burke and Kliks, 2006). Viral replication efficiency determines the viral load which can be measure in blood to determine the severity of the infection (Hesse, 2000; Halstead, 2003; Green and Rothman, 2006; Byron, 2009). Infected cells die through apoptosis and to some extend by necrosis (Byron et al., 2009; Chakravarti et al., 2006). Necrosis causes release of toxins which triggers coagulation and fibrinolytic systems. Based on bone marrow stromal severity of infection, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and IL-18 leve ls hemopiosis is inhibited reducing blood thrombogenicity (Byron et al., 2009; Chao et al., 2009). Viral load and viral tropism will increase resulting to severe thrombocytopenia and platelet dysfunction which cause capillary fragility, easy bruising and also gastrointestinal mucosal bleeding which are features of DHF while the infection triggers development of specific antibody and cellular immune response against DENV (Nachman, 2008; Chang et al., 2002). Ig antibodies bind to the virus during secondary infection thereby eliciting the infection by increasing the viral load (Nachman, 2008; Byron et al., 2009) If another different serotype invades the body, the immune system combats it the same way as it did previously due to minor difference present within various serotypes (Bryon, 2009; Huerre et al., 2001). Moreso, the dengue viruses have M proteins that assist in apoptosis of their target cell. Furthermore upon macrophage invasion, DENV, it triggers the pro-inflammatory cytokines release as well as other mediators by antigen presenting cells, cross reactive T-cells of low and high avidity, HLA and endothelial cells of the immune system which compromise abnormal homeostasis and tissue permeability (Byron et al., 2009; Carlos et al., 2005). This slows down virus elimination and can cause a more severe secondary infection, such as DHF or DSS (Byron et al., 2009). Figure 2 Proposed pathogenicity of dengue virus (Byron et al., 2009). Diagnosis of dengue fever Dengue fever is diagnosed based on the clinical symptoms. Test and examination to identify the DENV can be done through antibody titre of the DENV (Jesse et al., 2004; Hesse, 2007). Another method is by doing a white blood cell count which is very low in infected patient (Jesse et al., 2004; Hesse, 2007; Ross 2010).Blood test to detect DENV via serology and ELISA to identify IGM antibodies (Hesse, 2007; Byron et al., 2009; Whitehorn et al., 2011). Carrying out a liver function test (ALT and AST) which is elevated in infected individuals (Byron et al., 2009). Further laboratory tests like polymerase chain reaction can be done for the virus types, specifically RT-PCR which identify viral RNA in patient samples (blood,liver,CFS) and can be modified to quantitative RT-PRC or using a Taqman probe when dealing with small quantities Of RNA (Hesse, 2007; Ross, 2010). Immunohistochemistry using antidengue monoclonal antibodies to identify viral RNA (Jesse et al., 2004) Prevention Can be done by shielding away from the Aedes mosquitoe and also reducing the mosquito population by covering the body through clothing to reduce chances of mosquito bites. Mosquitoe nets can be used (Argawal et al., 1998; Byron et al., 2009). Moreso travelling in times or to areas where mosquitoes are absent (An et al., 2004).Usage of mosquitoe repellents is also essential. In high risk areas, hose opening should be closed (windows, doors etc.) (Byron et al., 2004). Eliminating water stagnant by covering them as well as putting insecticides can kill the mosquitoe (Argawal et al., 1998; Byron et al., 2009). Moreso still water collecting containers like drums, flowerpots buckets should be eliminated (Byron et al., 2009) furthermore the World Health Organisation have made efforts to enforce correct disposal of these items via chemical methods and environmental management (World Health Organisation Media Centre, 2002; Argawal et al., 1998; Byron et al., 2009). Improving community dengue virus vector control programs and moreso monitoring and surveillance should be done in order to determine the control measures effectiveness (World Health Organisation Media Centre, 2002) Currently there is no vaccine against the dengue fever virus but there is ongoing research to develop vaccine against the virus (Byron et al., 2009). One promising vaccine been worked on is a live attenuated virus vaccine named West Nile virus, which is measles based virus to eradicate dengue (World Health Organisation Media Centre, 2002). This vaccine have been used in Thailand although there is no evidence that it can combat all four serotypes of dengue in order to avoid complications of dengue fever (DHF and DSS) (Argawal et al., 1998; Byron et al., 2009; World Health Organisation Media Centre, 2002). Treatment Treatment for dengue virus is not specific, to care for symptoms like dehydration, the patient must rest and consume copious amount of fluids, intravenous electrolytes is given to compensate the dehydration (Jesse et al., 2004; Hesse, 2007). For high fever, joint pain and headache antipyretic drugs like Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and codeine should be administered (Jesse et al., 2004; Hesse, 2007; Byron et al., 2009). Moreso drugs such as corticosteroids or carbazochrome sodium sulfonate are administered in order to inhibit the increase capillary permeability as well as stopping plasma leakage (Byron et al., 2009). Asprin and non-steroidal should be administered under doctor supervision for anti- inflammatory purposes (Byron et al., 2009). Treatment can reduce the mortality rate from 20% to 1% (Jesse et al., 2004; Hesse, 2007; Byron et al., 2009). Epidemiology Dengue fever has re-emerged since 20 years ago accompanied by an expansion in geographic distribution thereby increasing the epidemic, moreso with the upcome of hyperendemicity (Debarati and Schimmer, 2005). An estimation by the World Health Organisation of about 2.5 billion people are affected by the dengue virus each year. World Health Organisation estimated, that yearly there are 50-100 million cases per year with more than 500 000 cases of hospital admission with 15,00 deaths (World Health Organisation, 2002; Debarati and Schimmer, 2005 ). Dengue fever endemic has increase from 9 countries in 1970 to 100 countries currently (Debarati and Schimmer, 2005; World Health Organisation, 2002 ). The first dengue fever epidemics occurred in 1779-1780 in continents like Africa, Asia and South America (). Recently in 1998, there was a pandemic in United States resulting to less than 1% fatality rate. The mortality rate ranges from 1-10 % (Debarati and Schimmer, 2005; Byron et al., 2009). In creasing expansion of the disease all over the world is due to increase in population as well as lack of vector control programs (Gubler et al., 2004; Hesse, 2000). However due to control and preventive measures the number of cases is increasing from travellers who are carrying the virus from high risk areas such as sub-tropical and tropical region (Byron et al., 2009). Figure 3. Global epidemiology of Dengue virus (LaRive, 2008). Global cases and outbreaks of dengue fever In Venezuela, 2007 there was an outbreak of 80,000 dengue fever cases in which 6,000 persisted to DHF. In the same year above 890,000 cases were reported in America of which 26,000 persisted to DHF the route of transmission being endemic and from travellers ( Byron et al., 2009; World Health Organisation Media Centre, 2002). Most recent outbreak occurred in 2005 in Brownsville Texas with 25 reported cases and 16 DHF (Whitethorn et al., 2011) The virus was also transmitted to neighbouring state Tamaulipas where there was 1251 case reported in which 223 had DHF (Bebarati and Schimmer, 2005; Whitehorn et al., 2011).