Response paper to a recent article related to international business Essay

Response paper to a recent article related to international business - Essay Example He was later found dead; an article in the â€Å"Street Wall† describes his death as slow assassination. This is just one among the many adverse challenges that some investors who choose to invest in foreign countries face. In some nations, international businesses, whose home country is America or any other nation that the people in that country have stereotype ideas about often face challenges convincing the law enforcement officers that they are running their business legally according to the laws of that country. Other times it is not necessarily the stereotype ideas, but crude competition strategies by the businesses they met in the area. Some are hit with false acquisitions of corruption, mismanagement and evading taxes. In response to the article investors ought to be extremely selective of the nation they choose to expand their business internationally (Browder 2011). Investors who have had adverse experiences should have the opportunity to air their experiences so as to help other who are looking forward to investing in these foreign investor hostile nations. Many of investors from UK and USA who have had the opportunity to run businesses in Russia, apparently have recorded high levels of un-satisfaction running businesses there. Approximately 21% of them feel that the lack of transparency in Russian business laws and sophisticated hierarchies and legal procedures make it possible for the law enforcement officers to harass them (Meyer, Mudambi & Narula 2011). Russians also tend to rate highly in corruption and some local business owners who feel that these foreigners are a threat liaise with the law enforcement officer to accuse foreign investors falsely of fraud. Of all the complaints these investors raise, the least worrying factors to them are Russian Central Bank Policy, with only 9% complaining about it and corporate culture in Russia, which only about 11% of the investors feel it is a bother. The Russian government, however, insists that i t is doing all it can to improve investor conditions in the country (Hill 2011). Russia is the world second largest oil producer in the world. This is the main economic activity. The government’s plans to diversify to other economic activities are usually challenged since this would lead to the end of the authoritarian governance. This another source of the many challenges foreign investors have to deal with when doing business in Russia. Many complain that the legal and government system, in the country is too bureaucratic, which makes it inefficient to handle the issues these foreign investors face daily. Many complain that for a legal process to go through it takes a long time. For example, the investor in this case had already been deported by the time it was discovered that the allegations against them were a conspiracy plan to get him out of business (Sauvant, Maschek & McAllister 2010). Despite having all these issues the government of Russia seems to be taking steps t owards improving investment environment in the country. The government is encouraging foreign investors to invest in the country with the aim of diversifying and increasing its economic activities. Several earnest foreign investors have set up businesses in the country and have managed to make success stories in the land despite all the

Neural Networks Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Neural Networks - Movie Review Example able to check their payload; the load capacity they can contain in any operation and there be able to know the maximum load beyond which it fails or develop dramatic loss in accuracy. In the story, it is very clear that through neural networks robots can be controlled remotely through gestures and be directed to perform some tasks depending their interpretation of those gestures or symbols shown. Neural networks have been used for robot control over long time now and have evolved to high levels of control that are intricate. Firstly, a robot can be learn through the neural networks; this is achieved a neural network brain for the robot. An example of a good robot learning task is navigational tasks that may include learning to detect objects or obstacles like a wall and to move about a space in a defined path. Through the learning, the robots can develop maps in their ‘brains’ for the environment they are in after being taught. This includes recognizing as well as being able to predict behaviors and upcoming obstacles on their paths through voice recognition and may be light detecting sensors within them. Critical decision-making can be inculcated in robots by neural networks where it is supposed to weigh the negative and positive effects of its actions depending the outcomes of the action it is about to take. This shows the analytical characteristics involved and measurement of the levels of effects caused by the activities undertaken by the robots. For example, given more than one task to perform which have different slack times to be finished on their due dates, the robot will determine the best option by choosing the task with the least slack times to be performed first. Another area where the neural networks have been used is in the control of the robots movements in the joints as it performs it tasks. It can offer a continuous movement or a discontinuous movement that is stepped. Depending on the pace of the tasks it is expected to perform the robot is

Pathophysiology Underlying Pernicious Anaemia Biology Essay

Pathophysiology Underlying Pernicious Anaemia Biology Essay The following essay explores the pathophysiology underlying pernicious anaemia, with reference to primary sources. In order to fully understand the pathophysiology of pernicious anaemia, normal physiology is also discussed. With this in mind, contemporary treatments and management strategies that are currently in place are then critically appraised using the latest literature. Pernicious anaemia, typically seen in the over 60s, is the most common type of megalobastic anaemia and is usually attributed to the end stage of type A chronic atrophic (autoimmune) gastritis, which in turn leads to Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) deficiency (Toh et al., 1997). Autoimmune gastritis and pernicious anemia are common autoimmune diseases with respective prevalences of 2 and 0.15-1% in the general population (De block et al, 2008). It only manifests once all cobalamin stores (from the liver) have been depleted. Fundamentally, pernicious anaemia results from a lack of intrinsic factor (IF), which is a glycoprotein required for the absorption in the gastrointestinal tract of dietary sources of cobalamin (Toh and Alderuccio, 2004). Pernicious anaemia presents with a vast spectrum of signs and symptoms, including glossitis, generalised weakness, parasthesia, weight loss, infections, nausea, confusion and an unsteady gait. On a long term basis, patients are predisposed to gastric cancer. Haematologically, erythrocytes are normochromic and megalobastic (mean corpuscular volume is increased above 80-95fl in adults (Hoffbrand and Proven, 1997)). The condition is more common in females and is also thought to be more common in people with blood group A. In addition, those with a family history of pernicious anaemia are at an increased risk, along with people suffering from other autoimmune diseases such as Addisons disease (Hoffbrand and Proven, 1997). A more thorough understanding into the pathophysiology of the disease will enable contemporary treatment and management of the disease to be critically appraised. Martens et al., (2002) explain that under normal circumstances, cobalamin is vital for nuclear maturation and DNA synthesis in erythrocytes by means of catalysing the action of methionine synthase and R-methylmalonyl-CoA mutase. Vitamin B12 cannot be synthesised by the body therefore dietary intake is essential. It is stored in the liver (2-5mg), and recommended daily amounts are 2-5ÃŽÂ ¼g (Malouf and Areosa, 2003). The pathway for absorption of dietary cobalamin is vital in maintaining hepatic stores. According to Berne et al. (2004), it takes four hours for cobalamin to appear in the blood following ingestion and peak plasma levels occur 6-8 hours after a meal. Andres et al., (2004) describe the metabolic pathway of cobalamin following ingestion. In short, cobalamin ingested in the diet is bound to animal protein which is released upon contact with pepsin and hydrochloric acid. Meanwhile, parietal and salivary cells release R-Protein which binds to the free cobalamin. Intrinsic factor is also released by parietal cells but this has a weaker affinity to cobalamin than R-Protein. The release of intrinsic factor by parietal cells is mediated by histamine, acetylcholine and gastrin which are physiological agonists of hydrochloric acid secretion (Berne et al., 2004). Pancreatic enzymes degrade both biliary and dietary cobalamin-R protein complexes. This releases free cobalamin, allowing it to bind with intrinsic factor. In the brush border of the ileum the intrinsic factor cobalamin complex attaches to mucosal cell receptors (cubilin) (Andres et al., 2004). Free intrinsic factor does not compete for binding, whilst free cobalamin is not recognis ed by cubilin (Berne et al., 2004). This highlights the importance of intrinsic factor. The cobalamin binds to transport proteins (transcobalamin I, II and III). Attached to the transcobalamin, the cobalamin is then transported systemically via the portal system. Absorption into the ileal cells occurs by means of receptor mediated endocytosis of the transcobalamin-cobalamin complex. The cobalamin is then separated from the transport protein and converted into one of two coenzymes, methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin. It should also be noted that passive diffusion of cobalamin occurs at a rate of 1.2% of that absorbed, across the small bowel (Nyholm et al., 2003). Once metabolised it then acts as a cofactor and coenzyme for DNA synthesis, methione synthesis from homocysteine and conversion of propionyl into succinyl coenzyme A from methylmalonate (Andres et al., 2004). As discussed above, cobalamin is essential for DNA synthesis. Inhibition of DNA synthesis in red blood cells results in the formation of fragile megaloblastic erythrocytes. In addition to this, symptoms involving the nervous system, such as parasthesia occur as a result of demyelination of neurones (Malouf and Areosa, 2003). In order to analyse treatments in place, the pathophysiology of pernicious anaemia will now be discussed. Much of the evidence surrounding pernicious anaemia connects it to autoimmune chronic gastritis. Later symtoms such as parasthesia are directly as a result of cobalamin deficiency. The lack of intrinsic factor required for the absorption of cobalamin is as a result of loss of parietal cells and antibodies towards both intrinsic factor and the parietal cells (Toh et al., 1997). In order to further understand the development of pernicious anaemia, the early stages of atrophic gastritis must first be understood. Alderuccio and Toh (2000) explain that in its early stages, atrophic gastritis begins with infiltration of the gastric submucosa with inflammatory cells. Over time, this extends into the lamina propria, which ultimately leads to the destruction of parietal and zymogenic cells. These are then replaced by mucus containing cells. Bergman et al., (2003) state that autoimmune gastritis, which underlies pernicious anaemia occurs due to autoantibodies to gastric parietal cells. Specifically, the H+/K+ ATPase part of parietal cells, which is responsible for the secretion of hydrogen by parietal cells, which are recognised by CD4+ T cells. Subsequently, achlorhydria, low serum levels of pepsinogen I and increased gastrin levels also results. In patients with pernicious anaemia, these autoantibodies, along with autoantibodies towards intrinsic factor can usually be detected in patient serum and gastric fluid, with levels being directly proportional to the concentration of parietal cells (Toh and Alderuccio, 2004). Toh and Alderuccio (2004) also explain that two types of intrinsic factor autoantibodies have been identified. Type I bind to the cobalamin binding site of the intrinsic factor, whilst type II bind to a remote site. Berne et al., (2004) state that these autoantibodies act by preventing the binding of cobal amin to the intrinsic factor. Toh and Alderuccio (2004) suggest that parietal cell antibodies are a marker of autoimmune gastritis, whilst intrinsic factor antibodies are actually a marked feature of pernicious anaemia. This is because the presence of only the antibodies to the H+/K+ ATPase of the parietal cell suggests that the gastric lesion is likely to remain at its preliminary stages. In contrast, when intrinsic factor antibodies are present the gastric atrophy is at its end stage, which is associated with pernicious anaemia. In patients with pernicious anaemia, 90% have intrinsic factor autoantibodies. However, as the parietal cell mass reduces, the number of antibodies reduces as a result of the loss of antigenic drive. Therefore the presence of parietal cell antibodies alone are not diagnostic of the progression to pernicious anaemia. Toh and Alderuccio (2004) also explain that as a result of limited research in the field over the past 30 years combined with a 20-30 year developmental timescale of pernici ous anaemia, it is currently unknown whether or not all patients positive for parietal cell antibodies will develop pernicious anaemia. Therefore, more research is required to confirm the developmental process of the antibodies. Genetic factors play a significant role in the development of chronic gastritis and therefore subsequently pernicious anaemia, demonstrated by the presence of autoantibodies and clustering of the disease within families and amongst those with underlying autoimmune diseases. Gorden et al., (2004) state that a lack of intrinsic factor secretion can be attributed to the destruction of parietal cells as a result of adult onset gastric atrophy, or it may be congenital. They claim that the congenital deficiency is thought to be autosomal recessive. Lahner and Annibale (2009) also suggest genetic susceptibility as a result of human leucocyte antigen- DR genotypes. In addition, they also provide a crucial link between pernicious anaemia and the development of intestinal type gastric adenocarcinoma and gastric carcinoid type I. De Block et al., (2008) suggest that in patients with type one diabetes the risk of autoimmune gastritis, in turn leading to pernicious anaemia is increased by three to five times. With this in mind, they suggest that this provides a strong rationale for the implementation of a screening programme with early diagnosis and periodic examination via gastroscopy. Toh and Gleeson (1997) also acknowledge that pernicious anaemia is associated with autoimmune conditions, especially those affecting the endocrine system such as autoimmune thyroiditis, type one diabetes and Addisons disease. However, they also recognise that chronic gastritis can also develop secondary to alcoholism, hot tea and smoking. In addition, partial or total gastrectomy causes intrinsic factor deficiency due to the loss of parietal cells. Helicobacter Pylori infection has been identified as a potential causative factor in the development of cobalamin deficiency (Kaptan et al, 2000). This is consistent with Hersko et al., (2006) who question previous claims that pernicious anaemia is a disease of the elderly. They agree that the autoimmune cascade is triggered by Helicobacter Pylori infection, occurring decades prior to the presentation of cobalamin deficiency. Toh and Alderuccio (2004) also state that Helicobacter Pylori is likely to induce autoreactive T cells, cause epitope spreading and bystander activation, although they do recognise that its involvement remains controversial. This should therefore be considered in the development of novel treatments, focusing on the screening and eradication of Helicobacter Pylori infection. Current recommendations for patients with autoimmune gastritis include testing and treatment (Toh and Alderuccio, 2004). Berne et al., (2004) discuss pernicious anaemia in childhood, which whilst is rare, should not be disregarded since this also challenges the idea of pernicious anaemia being exclusively a disease of the elderly. They claim that there are three forms in childhood which are autoimmune, congenital intrinsic factor deficiency (with normal pepsin and hydrochloric acid) and congenital Vitamin B12 malabsorption syndrome, where there are reduced ileal intrinsic factor cobalamin receptors. Ardill et al., (1998) proposed that in addition to intrinsic factor and parietal cells, there may also be an autoantibody to gastrin. They state that autoantibodies arise when there is a break down in immunological tolerance. In pernicious anaemia, gastrin levels are normally, but not always elevated due to achlorhydria at the end stage of autoimmune gastritis. This leads to failure of the negative feedback mechanism. However the recognition of potential gastrin autoantibodies may obscure plasma gastrin levels, giving lower results than would be the case without the presence of the autoantibodies. This suggests another potential line of treatment where more research is required to determine how effective it may be. Having discussed the pathophysiology of pernicious anaemia, current treatment and management of the disease will now be appraised. As discussed, cobalamin is essential for DNA synthesis. Pernicious anaemia is as a result of a lack of intrinsic factor leading to an inability to absorb cobalamin from the diet. With this in mind, current treatment in the UK involves regular intramuscular injections (monthly to three monthly), which bypass the gastrointestinal system, therefore avoiding any requirement for intrinsic factor (Nyholm et al., 2003). There is currently no long term cure of the disease with more focus on management as opposed to cure (Oh and Brown, 2003). Vidal et al., (2004) studied the effectiveness of oral versus intramuscular injections of Vitamin B12 in the knowledge that regular injections cost the health service time and money. Contrary to the UK, Canada and Sweden already use oral supplementation at doses high enough for passive absorption to take effect. Vidal et al., (2004) state that the passive diffusion of cobalamin across the ileum, without the requirement for intrinsic factor, accounts for 1.2% of the total absorbed. Therefore they propose through their own research, that a dose of 2000ÃŽÂ ¼g of oral vitamin B12 daily, reduced to 1000ÃŽÂ ¼g daily, then weekly, then monthly, is likely to be as successful as intramuscular injections at replacing hepatic stores and reversing short term haematological and neurological effects. Andres et al., (2008) state that in order to manage pernicious anaemia, 1000ÃŽÂ ¼g per day of oral cyanocobalamin is required. With a total storage in the liver of 2-5mg, and 1.2% of absorpti on occurring passively, hepatic stores should be replenished at this dose. Nyholm et al., (2003) also found oral to be equally effective whilst reducing costs of nurse visits and enabling patients to have the choice. They studied 89 patients over 18 months and found no haematological differences to intramuscular administration. Walraven et al., (2001) also agree and found that there would be substantial savings if guidelines were implemented on a national level to change the standard practice to oral versus intramuscular. More recently, Butler et al., (2006) carried out a systematic review comparing oral and intramuscular administration in Vitamin B12 deficient patients. Once again, they agreed with the above evidence. Lederle (1991) initially proposed oral supplementation as medicines best kept secret. Therefore, 19 years on, further research is still required for medics to use oral tablets preferentially with appropriate guidelines in place, or indeed to rule this out as an option. In order to ensure that patients are receiving the best possible treatment, effective tests must be performed to enable accurate diagnosis. Oh and Brown (2003) discuss the use of the measurement of methylmalonic acid and homocysteine levels which are raised in even the early stages of pernicious anaemia. The traditionally used Schilling Test is less sensitive and works by measuring urinary excretion of Vitamin B12, therefore estimating its absorption. Testing for Helicobacter Pylori would also dramatically improve outcomes by means of eradication of the infection (Alderuccio and Toh, 2004). Alderuccio and Toh (2004) also concluded that more research is required into the field of autoantibodies specific to pernicious anaemia. Further research would enable novel treatments to be considered. In addition, genetic testing may prove useful, since there is a confirmed link within families. Also, it has been suggested that regular screening should occur for those with other autoimmune condit ions (De Block et al., 2008). It should be questioned that with so much evidence to suggest that pernicious anaemia is directly associated with autoimmune gastritis, why is there not more screening in place to prevent its effects taking place. In addition, clear associations have been made within families and in individuals with other autoimmune diseases. In terms of the prevention of the autoimmune process, no cures have been found. However, more research should be implemented into the replacement of intrinsic factor. This would perhaps be an option since according to Berne et al., (2004) free intrinsic factor does not compete for binding at the mucosal cell receptors of the ileum. In addition, the eradication and treatment of Helicobacter Pylori should be addressed. In the meantime, the vast research that suggests that oral therapy may be just as effective as parenteral with large enough doses to take advantage of the passive diffusion of cobalamin across the small bowel. However, it is extremely important not to disregard the potential long term effects of pernicious anaemia, such as the predisposition to gastric carcinoma. This highlights the need to treat each patient on an individual basis, taking effective measures to monitor for changes. Word Count: 2533.

Classification Essay - Exercise Partners -- Classification Essays

Classification of Exercise Partners Every woman's magazine I've ever read gives its readers advice on exercising, and one of the most common tips I've seen is to find a partner to exercise with. In my experience, however, having an exercise partner is not a good idea. I have encountered five types of exercise partners, and I have concluded that it is definitely best to exercise alone. The Drill Sergeant My ex-boyfriend represents the Drill Sergeant. He is one of those people whose motto is "No pain, no gain." Of course, he assumes that everyone else follows this decree as well. He will try to push you to the limit every time you exercise with him, and can become nasty if you give up before he thinks you should. I refused to exercise with him after a few bad jogging experiences. I had expected that we would start slowly and only go for a short run. What a mistake! I was faltering after only a mile or so, and my ex took it personally that I wanted to stop. He started yelling things like "What are you? A quitter?" and, "You can't give up already!" I believe he was trying to inspire me, but his remarks had the reverse effect. I gave up immediately. The Drill Sergeant feels he must whip you into shape. He probably would, if you could stand being around him for that long. The Coach The Coach is closely related to the Drill Sergeant but has a gentler approach. The Coach feels you need guidance to perform to your potential. My former roommate was the coach. She would cheer me on with phrases like, "You can do it!" and, "Just a little further!" Had I actually been on some sort of sports team with her as my coach, the comments would have been perfectly acceptable. They were meant to be words of encouragement, but they only ... ...e and didn't want to get out of bed early. On day four her ankle was bothering her. On day five she was coming down with a cold. By day six, I had given up on my sister and was striking out on my own once again. It is possible to exercise with Lazy Bones if you catch her at the right time. If and when you figure out what this time is, please let me know. I have yet to piece that puzzle together. Most people do not enjoy exercising. Why make it any less enjoyable by exercising with someone who will ultimately annoy you? All people are different, and with that comes different levels of physical fitness. It is nearly impossible to be on the exact level that someone else is at any given moment. When you are alone, you can set a pace comfortable for you. There are no outside pressures to worry about and no others to depend on. I have concluded it's the only way to go.

The letter R

Monica Silva Radiant R Every word in the English language derives from 26 seemingly simple letters. Each letter has gone through a unique transition in order to end up how it is today. Some letters have been erased, while some added, and others Just transformed. The complex Journey of the written language can somewhat be seen through the transition of R. The letter R is one of the letters that has been around since the very beginning of writing. R is a unique letter in its pronunciation, history and its place in cultural artifacts as well as math and sciences.While looking at the English alphabet, one would come across the eighteenth letter of the alphabet; R. R can be classified as an ancestor for written language today. While most letters have been around for a very long time, R is one that has residency and that has not had a very large change throughout history. R is a letter that has appeared in some of the oldest writings found. These include inscriptions from the Semitic cultu re. In these writings, R was represented by something that looked like a â€Å"human head in profile† (David Sacks 283) (figure 1).They called this ymbol resh, which translates to ‘head' in the Semitic language. This letter also appears in the Phoenician alphabet. At this time it still represented the word ‘head' but its shape had changed. The illustration turned from a human head profile to something that looked a lot like a modern day backwards P (fgure 2). This illustration could still be classified as a human head, Just with more defined, longer neck. As the Greeks studied the Phoenician alphabet, they took great influence on their letters and took a large part of it as basis for their own alphabet.As for the letter R, they did not hange it much from what it had originally been. They decided to only modify its name so that it would fit better into the sound of their language, thus it became rho. This had â€Å"no special meaning in Greek aside from the letter † (Sacks 285). In early Greek writing, rho could be either turned to the left or the right. It was not until about 500 B. C. that the Greeks decided to permanently have rho facing towards the right, thus making the visual practically the same as the Phoenician alphabet.They made this change because the Greek reading permanently changed from left to right. The tail that is on the R today did not appear until in was formed in ancient Rome. The tail was at first a very short line, but then developed into a complete stroke all the way to the baseline. The lowercase version of r is unique in the fact that it is the only letter that has an uppercase closed section, while its lowercase version does not. This was due to the style of handwriting in the early Middle Ages. Instead of drawing the entire loop and tail, they only drew the top of the curved line (fgure 3).They did this in order to save time and pen strokes while writing. This shortcut has been carried along all the way up to modern day writing. The letter R has a variety of different sounds depending on what word you are saying, what language you are speaking, or even what part of the country you are from due to different accents. The eight different rhetoric consonants are alveolar trill, alveolar approximant, alveolar tlap, voiced retrotlex tricative, retrotlex approximant, retroflex flap, uvular trill, and voiced uvular fricative (Wikipedia).One sound heard in English is the alveolar trill; it is described as a rolling R. Leading air ver articulator so that it can vibrate makes this sound. This sound deals with the tip of the tongue and while making this sound the vocal cords will vibrate. Another rhetoric consonant found in the English language is alveolar approximant. Narrowing the vocal tract where it articulates creates this sound and it also deals with the tip of the tongue and the vocal cords vibrate while making it as well. Another consonant found in English is retroflex approximant.Like alve olar approximant, narrowing the vocal tract at articulation creates this sound. This sound deals with the tip of the ongue as it is turned up and vocal cords will vibrate while creating this sound. The last rhetoric consonant found in English is retroflex flap. This sound is created with one contraction of the muscle, making the tongue thrown against the bottom of the mouth. Like retroflex approximant, the tongue is curled up when making this sound and the vocal cords will vibrate as well. Each of these explained sounds are oral consonants meaning that air can escape from the mouth only.They are also all central consonants meaning that the sound is produced by instructing airstream on he center of the tongue instead of to the sides of the mouth. (Wikipedia). Recordings of all eight rhetoric consonants can be found on the reference page. While making some simple R sounds you could find that if you lift up your tongue, you will then be making the sound of the letter L. This would be b ecause of the fact that R and L are phonetically sisters and they are called liquids. The term liquid consonants mean that these two letters behave in a similar way.These two letters are going to have â€Å"an effect on a vowel sound that precedes them in a word† (Sacks 280). This effect is that of drawing out the vowel's pronunciation and thus making it stronger. Some examples that Sacks gives are the words ‘pole' and ‘poke'. Saying these words aloud, one can hear how the ‘e' in ‘pole' is more prominent than the ‘e' in ‘poke'. This is unique in the fact that the only other letter that makes this effect in the English alphabet is obviously L. Phonetic writing is not the only place you will land eyes on the letter R, it has an importance in science as well as mathematics.In the sciences, the gas constant is represented by the uppercase R. The reason R was chosen to represent the gas constant is unknown but there are three ideas as to why thi s may be. The first idea is simply that it was random. The second idea is that it could possibly stand for ratio. Scientists thought this could be because of the fact that this value of R was found by calculating the constancy of the ratio over pressure and time. The third idea for this representation is that it was named after Henri Victor Regnault. Regnault was the French chemist who calculated the early value of the constant densen 2).In mathematics, the letter R represents the set of all real numbers. R was chosen because Rn refers to the Cartesian product of n copies of R. Another reason is it thought to represent all real numbers is because of the fact that the word real starts with an r (O'Connor 1). Just like R plays a role in mathematics and science, it can be caught playing a role in cultural artifacts as well. The letter R is also known as the dogs letter'. There are many people who have made a connection between the sound of r and a dog. In 1529 Geotry Tory compared the r growling sound to dogs when they are angry and about to bite each other.During the mid first century, a poet named Persius referred to R as ‘dog letter' as well. Also in the Spanish language it is called canina littera, which may be of even greater importance because in Spanish language rolled r's is a major part of their pronunciation. Another person who referred to R as the dogs letter was Ben Jonson in his book English Grammar (Sacks 280). This reference can be found in the famous Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare in Act 2, scene 4. In this part of the play, Juliet's nurse calls the letter R, the dogs name' referring to Romeo as a dog.

Case Study: Murder by Two Colleges Students Essay

As an intellectual game, two male college students, ages 18 and 19, attempt to commit the â€Å"perfect crime† by kidnapping a young boy and demanding ransom from his parents. They receive the ransom money but kill the boy anyway. Later, they are caught, tried and convicted of murder and kidnapping with intent to do bodily harm. Their defense attorney, a brilliant lawyer, successfully argues against the death penalty and both men are sent to prison for life. After about five years, one of the men is killed in a fight, but the other completes his college education while still in prison and teaches other convicts English. He also volunteers for medical experiments, allowing himself to be injected with malaria germs in order to test new drugs. A model prisoner, he causes no trouble throughout his entire prison term. After about 30 years, he is paroled, whereupon he goes to a different country and continues to teach English. Two years later he dies of natural causes. Should this man have been subjected to capital punishment? Why or why not Theories that will be applied: 1. Divine Command Theory 2. Virtue Ethics 3. Utilitarianism Capital punishment has been and will always be a widely debated topic. The biggest question that surrounds capital punishment would be is it morally right or is it morally wrong? There are many arguments for and against capital punishment. Is a capital punishment really a deterent as some would say? I will apply and test three theories to the case mentioned above to see if capital punishment is the most appropriate solution or not. First I will examine the divine command theory and see how it applies to the case mentioned above. In all fairness I must say that in the case mentioned above the divine command theory is strongly contradicting itself. How is that possible? Well let us start by saying that the divine command theory uses Gods commandments to measure whether something is morally right or wrong. How is that contradicting? Speaking in the case of most major religions God asks us to punish those who commit intentional murder by death. At the same time God asks us to be forgiving. Even with this major contradiction we can safely say that the divine command theory would revoke the capital  punishment in the case mentioned above. Such a controversial conclusion can be easily proved. We can also safely say that forgiveness outweighs punishment in the eyes of God. We all know that God is the most forgiving and the most merciful. How do we know that? Lets take any human being as an example. There is no doubt that there is no human being in the world without sin. If God really preferred to punish us rather than forgive us for every sin we make then life would be a little different. Instead God waits for us and gives us a chance to repent so he can forgive us. Therefore in the case above it is clear for us all to see that the individual mentioned in the case above has committed to repentance and most importantly he is not the same man who entered the first time into prison. In conclusion the divine command theory would demand us to forgive the man and give him a chance after all that time he served in prison Now we come to the theory of virtue ethics. Without any argument or hesitation we can say that virtue ethics rejects capital punishment in all of its forms. Virtue ethics instead demands for a moderate solution. It considers capital punishment to be cruel and counter productive. Virtue ethics works towards making someone a better person and reinstate in them true and honorable virtues. How are you going to that if someone is dead? Some might say that there is a long time before a death sentence is carried out and there is enough time for that person to change and try to be a better person. Well that is definitely not the case here. That is similar to saying to a student we are going to let you in to college but when you are done we are not going to give you a college degree. You are telling him that he can work hard but he cannot harvest his fruit. No Matter how good we may try to make it sound it is extremely unreasonable to expect someone who is sentenced to death to commit to change without giving them some sort of hope. On the other hand when there is a little hope, a little light at the end of the tunnel, then we can say that we have done our part in the eyes of the virtue ethicist. Last but not least we come to utilitarianism. First we must understand utilitarian’s argue for the best possible outcome or the solution that would promote the greatest happiness and least suffering. In the scenario above utilitarian’s would also reject the death sentence. We can simply start off by asking how do two deaths or three deaths create more happiness? It is just unreasonable. There are other ways of punishment one can use for the crime committed above other than  capital punishment that are greater promoters than the death sentence would ever b e. To promote the greatest happiness in the scenario above is to give the inmate a chance to reform and repent and have a good influence or impact on society. In the balance that will always outweigh capital punishment. In my opinion, capital punishment is the best possible outcome for the scenario mentioned above. First let me start by saying that the punishment should fit the crime. The person mentioned above committed the most extreme crime known to man and therefore deserves a punishment equal in magnitude. Second I will without hesitation state that everyone fears death. Being so the case then capital punishment would be the best deterrent and preventative of crime man can employ. Then I will go on to mention that by committing intentional murder one has stepped outside the line that divides us from animals, there for no longer deserves to live among us. Then let us examine the case of the life sentence. It is very evident that one who is sentenced to life in prison has nothing to loose and is more likely to commit more crimes even inside prison. Summarizing all this up I stand by position as being a advocate for capital punishment in the case mentioned above and any other there is to come.

Authors Start local with your book promotion

Authors Start local with your book promotion "Start Local With Your Books" - An Interview With Hattie Edmonds â€Å"Start local†. This is more than simple sound advice, it’s almost sort of a philosophy. While we were previously writing on the Reedsy blog about how internet was obliterating territorial rights and boundaries, these obviously still exist to a certain extent. â€Å"Starting local† simply is a matter of acknowledging this fact.The ability to meet people face to face or sit down for a coffee with them means your discussion will be longer remembered. The mere fact of sharing a location with someone creates a common interest, or even empathy.Author publishing has been made possible by Amazon, a company that created a way for authors to (almost) directly have access to millions of readers across the world, at almost no cost. Kobo has also insisted on this vein, offering their Kobo Writing Life authors distribution in over 150 countries. As Joanna Penn sometimes puts it: â€Å"the world is our market†.However, the step between â€Å"having access to millio ns of readers† and â€Å"actually reaching them† is an enormous one. One that can be shortened a lot, though, if those readers are close to you. Literally. This is the whole meaning behind â€Å"starting local†.Today, we’re interviewing Hattie Edmonds, a West London author, who managed to invite her mayor to her first book launch, and have Waterstones throw her a second one. She knows all about making the local approach work for discoverability.An easy one to finish: what has been the most rewarding moment in this whole adventure?Probably the call from the manager at Waterstones, who rang me six days after I had pressed the book into her hand, saying that she loved it and that Waterstones would like to give me a whole window display as well as a second launch. I was nearly sick with excitement!Thank you for your time, Hattie!What do you  personally  think about the â€Å"local approach†? Has it worked for you, or do you prefer concentrating on d iscoverability channels with a broader target market? Do lets us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Marriage and Aging essays

Marriage and Aging essays A big aspect in keeping a marriage successful is how much communication occurs between the two people involved. For a healthy relationship there is a need for quite a bit of communication. Communication, as stated in class, is one of the key elements to a successful marriage. There has to be some open discussions and trust in the relationship to make it anywhere. If you can not talk to your partner you will not be able to solve problems in a healthy manner. You have to be able to tell your partner things to help you learn and mature with them. You have to learn how to compromise and help each other out. Communication has to be part of your relationship in some way. You cannot go through your life not talking to your partner about important issues that you should be able to talk to them about. Another important issue discussed in class was homosexuals and marriage. Homosexual marriage is an important issue because it deals with a relatively large minority of the United States. This issue is important today with respect to many different ideas. There are so many ideas of morals, family values, and those of equality, constitutionality, and right to privacy. The aspect with the most relevance is constantly left up to debate. Homosexuals are 'gay' due to a combination of factors. These factors are environment and society-the outside influences- and genetics. Hence, homosexuals do not decide their own sexuality, nor do heterosexuals. Therefore, homosexuals should have the same rights as heterosexuals, one of these rights being marriage. This is why it is of great importance to public policy whether or not homosexuality is predetermined. I am not homosexual and I am not writing this to defend homosexuals. I just believe that the whole issue is unfair towards homosexuals. Marriage goes beyond the benefits, however. The institution of marriage is a very respected one, and holds much senti ...

Analysis Of A Big Two Hearted River English Literature Essay

Analysis Of A Big Two Hearted River English Literature Essay A Big Two Hearted River has been seen typically as a short story in which Nick camps out and goes fishing in a very gloomy aspect. There are many interpretations that Hemingway’s short story could be understood as. As the story proceeds, readers get the sense of a distressing mood while Nick travels through a deserted town and eventually finds his campsite. Hemingway uses imagery with the environment he describes and theme in the way he expresses freedom and happiness throughout the story in order to emphasize the idea of being rejuvenated and living content after Nick’s troubled past with war and loss of friends. The image Hemingway gives when the narrator describes a burned down town is a way of describing Nick’s past being gone and giving him a chance to learn from his experiences and start over. Nick then recalls a friend called Hopkins and drinks coffee, Hopkins’s way in remembrance merely to stay content. â€Å"The coffee according to Hopkins. The coffee was bitter. Nick laughed.† (Perkins 1206). Every move Nick makes is in relation to certain guidelines a person would do to stay happy, like remembering happy times and reenact them. Also, coffee is a drink most people drink to start off the day right by not being in an angry mood. Nick wasn’t used to drinking coffee often because he couldn’t remember which way to make it, but as soon as he remembers how Hopkins made it, Nick does not hesitate in getting the coffee ready. All through the story, Hemingway describes the setting well and illustrates every move that Nick makes in detail giving the reader an excellent way to create the image in mind. â€Å"Nick tucked two big chips of pine under the grill. The fire flared up. He had forgotten to get water for the coffee. Out of the pack he got a folding canvas bucket and walked down the hill, across the edge of the meadow, to the stream. The other bank was in the white mist.† (Perkins 1205) Nick has been bothered by the war, which created inner feelings that he is trying to solve.†He watched them holding themselves with their noses into the current, many trout in deep, fast moving water, slightly distorted as he watched far down through the glassy convex surface of the pool, its surface pushing and swelling smooth against the resistance of the log-driven piles of the bridge.† (Perkins 1201) Hemingway used the trout in the river to represent the inner peace that Nick is trying to gain. Nick sees the trout as they are pushing and swelling against the current giving him a sort of optimism that if trout can keep moving on with their life despite of the odds, then he should be able to forget the past and live free. The theme of freedom comes up in the story with Nick as he proceeds with his experienced ways of traveling, camping, and fishing. â€Å"Its direction tends to lead to a revelation of â€Å"truth,† generally in the form of self-discovery or self-realization. †(Rovit) The story goes on without any troubles that prevent him from eating or continuing with his path making it easier for him to feel the freedom he could live with. Memories are the only obstructions that would make his life close to perfection, but like any other human being he distracts his mind keeping himself busy at times and rests whenever he needs to.

Ea, E., Itzhaki, M., Ehezrenfeld, M., & Fitzpatrick, J. (2012) Assignment

Ea, E., Itzhaki, M., Ehezrenfeld, M., & Fitzpatrick, J. (2012). Acculturation among immigrant nurses in Israel and the United S - Assignment Example Who participated or contributed data? The study involved the participation of 50 FSU nurses who are undergoing the process of completing an 18-months educational program at a training school in Israel to become professional registered nurses (RNs), and currently serving as practical nurses. All the participants have an experience in working with the FSU as well as old age homes. A Short Acculturation Scale for Filipino Americans (ASASFA) and demographic questionnaires were administered to 141 Filipino RNs. What methods were used to collect data? Acculturation was conducted through the use of A Short Acculturation Scale for Filipino Americans. A t-test was then conducted to identify the variability in acculturation between the two groups. Data was collected by use of questionnaires which were administered to the 50 FSU nurses. Convenience sampling technique was used in the recruitment of the Filipino RNs attending a national convention organized by Philippines Nurses Association of Am erican. ASASFA was used to determine acculturation among Filipino RNs. The translated version was used to assess the FSU nurses. Was an intervention tested? No intervention was tested. What were the main findings? All FSU nurses were female with 68 per cent of them being married, 18% not married and the rest divorced. The age range of the participants was from 25 to 49 years with a mean of 34 years. The average length of residence in Israel was found to be 9.6 years. 66% of the participants reported average income, 32% reported low income while 2% reported high income. The purchasing power parity of the FSU nurses was found to be reasonable. An analysis of the Filipino RNs showed that 86.5% were female and 68.8% married. They had a group mean age of 45 years, 92.9% have a baccalaureate degree in nursing and an annual income of more than $60 000. Their average length of USA residency is 18 years. The acculturation mean for all FSU nurses was 2.15 out of 5 with a standard deviation of 0.39. The Filipino RNs group acculturation mean was found out to be 3 with a standard deviation of 0.39. The t-test confirmed the presence of a significant difference in acculturation between the two groups i.e. 11.30. The results indicate that the acculturation level of the Filipino RNs leaned towards the host culture. However, the FSU nurses portrayed an acculturation that is close to their original culture than the Israel culture. A high acculturation mean between the Filipino RNs indicates that they were comfortable with the use of the host’s language in all aspects of interactions. They were also comfortable with interacting with the members of the host culture. Credibility Is the study published in a source that required peer review? Yes X No ___Not sure ___ The publishing of the study in an article that requires peer review portrays the standard and credible nature of the results. Was the design used appropriate to the research questions? Yes X No ___Not sure ___ The descriptive design and convenience sampling was appropriate for answering the research questions. The researchers were interested in exploring acculturation differences between immigrant nurses in Israel and the United States of America. Did the data obtained and the analysis conducted answers the research ques

Industrialization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Industrialization - Essay Example They could not meet all their needs. The standards of living remained low, especially the areas of residents that were mere shelters. The workers remained at work for long hours and were exposed to workplace injuries since they were not provided with protective clothing. Accidents could occur and many of them succumbed to injuries. There was no compensation for injuries in the workplace. However, a worker could sue the employer, an action that many avoided since the chances of winning such law suits were slim. The workers usually took with them their children to work, and child labor was pronounced in the turn of the 20th century. Due to the law wages, they would combine their earnings with that of their children for them to meet their family needs. Even with the long hours of work that used to be as many as 53 hours per week, there was no assurance that the workers could remain in employment for many days. There was no continuity of employment throughout the year and therefore they could move from one industry to the other. The industrial revolution largely affected the average American worker’s leisure time especially as most of the time was spent try to meet high output. They had little control of their time as the employers are the ones who controlled the number of hours to be worked per day. This largely affected the work-life balance of the workers as they could not have enough time for their families. In general, the industrial revolution in the turn of the 20th century had a negative impact on the lives of the average American workers. Many changes were involved in moving from an agricultural to an industrial economy. Many of the people were farmers, which was the major economic activity. The major change that occurred was to transform the population from farming activities to workers in the upcoming industries. This was accomplished by mechanizing agriculture and

Quantitative research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Quantitative research - Essay Example Infant Mortality Rate: It is defined as the number of infant deaths in a given year divided by the number of live births in the same year. Normally, it is expressed per 1,000 live births. Or stated otherwise it is an estimate of the number of infant deaths for every 1,000 live births. Infants are children defined as less than one year of age. How does infant mortality rate affect birth rate? About 25,000 infants die each year. The loss of an infant remains a traumatizing reality for many families and takes a serious toll on the health and well-being of the affected families. It also significantly affects demographic structure of a given country. The risk of a child dying before completing the first year of age was highest in the WHO African region (63 per 1000 live births), about six times higher than that in the WHO European region (10 per 1000 live births). 63 deaths per 1000 live births in 1990 to 35 deaths per 1000 live births in 2012. Annual infant deaths have declined from 8.9 million in 1990 to 4.8 million in 2012. What leads to infant mortality rate? Infant mortality rate is significant in that, it is used as an indicator to measure the health and well-being of a nation. This is because the factors affecting the health of the entire populations can also impact adversely on the mortality rate of infants. The keys causes of infant mortality include; 1 Â   Born too small and so prematurely- this are babies born before the completion of the entire gestation period. It’s obvious that such babies are mainten aid in the baby incubators until they achieve the required age. However, it sometimes unfortunate that such babies don’t make it, due to circumstances that above the control of the responsible medics. Victims of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) - this is a gracious syndrome that causes abrupt and un-anticipated death of new born babies. At times, such deaths lack medical justification and explanations as to why they

Clincal nutrition Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Clincal nutrition - Literature review Example rsial topic in that there are multiple different recommendations in existence regarding the use of diets with low Glycemic index (GI) in its treatment. In the light of the ensuing controversy, the need for more research into the study is evident; thus this literature review. In this review, different sources are analyzed with regards to the authors’examinations on the effects of dietary (glycemic factors) in the treatment of diabetes mellitus.Majority of the reviewed studies indicate that indeed, the glycemic index is a major consideration in diabetes mellitus management. Diabetes mellitus refers to a collection of metabolic disorders that are associated with defects in insulin action, insulin secretion, or both. They are characterized by the presence of high blood sugar levels over a long span period. The effect of insulin defect arises when the pancreas cannot produce sufficient insulin, or if cells in the body fail to respond to the produced insulin. When this happens, three types of diabetes are imminent; type 1 diabetes due to insufficient secretion of insulin, type 2 diabetes due to cell resistance to insulin, and gestational diabetes which is experienced when expectant mothers develop high levels of blood glucose. If the disorders go unnoticed, they develop into complications such as nonketotic hyperosmolar coma or diabetic ketoacidiosis in the short term. Long term complications such as kidney failure, cardiovascular disease, eye damage, stroke, or foot ulcers may develop if the disorders are not treated in time. Brand-Miller, Hayne, Petocz, and Colagiuri (2003, p. 2261) conducted studies aimed at answering the query whether low glycemic index diets significantly improved glycemic control in diabetes patients as compared to high glycemic index diets. There were 203 type 1 and 153 type 2 diabetes patients. The evaluation was to be done depending on the levels of fructosamine and HbA1c levels before and after the tests for a period of 12 weeks. The low-GI

The impact of anti-abortion laws on women in North America Essay

The impact of anti-abortion laws on women in North America - Essay Example No society, religion, government or group has the right to push any woman into motherhood, unless one voluntarily and willingly intends to do so (Trib 14). Denying a woman the right to have an abortion is akin to pressurizing a woman into accepting a submissive and subservient role in the society. In such a scenario, the dominant ideologies and influences resort to exploiting pregnancy and motherhood as a tool to accord women a second class status (Trib 16). In case of the women, access to legal and safe abortion facilities is recognition of one’s fundamental right to have a control over one’s body. No individual or society has the right to control what happens to the body of an individual or what an individual chooses to do to one’s body to assure personal well being (Trib 17). In North American and especially in Canada and the US, the struggle against anti-abortion laws has been long and unrelenting, accompanied by both favorable and adverse impacts on the wome n in North America. Canada- Abortion Laws In the year 1869, the Canadian legislature passed strict anti-abortion laws (Tatalovich 23). ... The women who most suffered were the ones from small towns or rural areas (Tatalovich 29). In the year 1988, in a ruling famously known as the â€Å"Morgentaler decision†, the Supreme Court of Canada, repealed the harsh and draconian anti-abortion laws and declared them to be null and void (Tatalovich 53). The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that such anti-abortion laws amounted to an inequitable treatment towards women and interfered with the rights extended to them under Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Tatalovich 56). The Court observed that abortion constituted a Charter right of women, guaranteed under the right to life, right to liberty and the right to freedom of conscience (Tatalovich 56). The Canadian government tried to pass strict anti- abortion laws in 1990, but was forestalled by massive public protests and media outrage (Tatalovich 58). So, today Canada is the only country with no anti-abortion laws. The Canadian Experience In a post 1869 scenario, t he strict Canadian anti-abortion laws directly translated into untold and multifarious emotional and medical turmoil for women. Women having no access to safe and legal abortion resorted to unsafe and bothersome options. Not to say, a great proportion of the women having no option of a safe and legal abortion, willy-nilly reconciled with a forced and undesired motherhood (Faur 312). Things stood to be worse for those who owing to a lack of legal and safe abortion facilities, resorted to risky and unsafe abortion procedures, resulting in sever medical complications and many a times in death (Faur 314). Unsafe and botched abortions performed by quacks were the only option left to many, and this option was mostly loaded with severe

Quantitative research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Quantitative research - Essay Example Infant Mortality Rate: It is defined as the number of infant deaths in a given year divided by the number of live births in the same year. Normally, it is expressed per 1,000 live births. Or stated otherwise it is an estimate of the number of infant deaths for every 1,000 live births. Infants are children defined as less than one year of age. How does infant mortality rate affect birth rate? About 25,000 infants die each year. The loss of an infant remains a traumatizing reality for many families and takes a serious toll on the health and well-being of the affected families. It also significantly affects demographic structure of a given country. The risk of a child dying before completing the first year of age was highest in the WHO African region (63 per 1000 live births), about six times higher than that in the WHO European region (10 per 1000 live births). 63 deaths per 1000 live births in 1990 to 35 deaths per 1000 live births in 2012. Annual infant deaths have declined from 8.9 million in 1990 to 4.8 million in 2012. What leads to infant mortality rate? Infant mortality rate is significant in that, it is used as an indicator to measure the health and well-being of a nation. This is because the factors affecting the health of the entire populations can also impact adversely on the mortality rate of infants. The keys causes of infant mortality include; 1 Â   Born too small and so prematurely- this are babies born before the completion of the entire gestation period. It’s obvious that such babies are mainten aid in the baby incubators until they achieve the required age. However, it sometimes unfortunate that such babies don’t make it, due to circumstances that above the control of the responsible medics. Victims of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) - this is a gracious syndrome that causes abrupt and un-anticipated death of new born babies. At times, such deaths lack medical justification and explanations as to why they

The impact of anti-abortion laws on women in North America Essay

The impact of anti-abortion laws on women in North America - Essay Example No society, religion, government or group has the right to push any woman into motherhood, unless one voluntarily and willingly intends to do so (Trib 14). Denying a woman the right to have an abortion is akin to pressurizing a woman into accepting a submissive and subservient role in the society. In such a scenario, the dominant ideologies and influences resort to exploiting pregnancy and motherhood as a tool to accord women a second class status (Trib 16). In case of the women, access to legal and safe abortion facilities is recognition of one’s fundamental right to have a control over one’s body. No individual or society has the right to control what happens to the body of an individual or what an individual chooses to do to one’s body to assure personal well being (Trib 17). In North American and especially in Canada and the US, the struggle against anti-abortion laws has been long and unrelenting, accompanied by both favorable and adverse impacts on the wome n in North America. Canada- Abortion Laws In the year 1869, the Canadian legislature passed strict anti-abortion laws (Tatalovich 23). ... The women who most suffered were the ones from small towns or rural areas (Tatalovich 29). In the year 1988, in a ruling famously known as the â€Å"Morgentaler decision†, the Supreme Court of Canada, repealed the harsh and draconian anti-abortion laws and declared them to be null and void (Tatalovich 53). The Supreme Court of Canada ruled that such anti-abortion laws amounted to an inequitable treatment towards women and interfered with the rights extended to them under Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Tatalovich 56). The Court observed that abortion constituted a Charter right of women, guaranteed under the right to life, right to liberty and the right to freedom of conscience (Tatalovich 56). The Canadian government tried to pass strict anti- abortion laws in 1990, but was forestalled by massive public protests and media outrage (Tatalovich 58). So, today Canada is the only country with no anti-abortion laws. The Canadian Experience In a post 1869 scenario, t he strict Canadian anti-abortion laws directly translated into untold and multifarious emotional and medical turmoil for women. Women having no access to safe and legal abortion resorted to unsafe and bothersome options. Not to say, a great proportion of the women having no option of a safe and legal abortion, willy-nilly reconciled with a forced and undesired motherhood (Faur 312). Things stood to be worse for those who owing to a lack of legal and safe abortion facilities, resorted to risky and unsafe abortion procedures, resulting in sever medical complications and many a times in death (Faur 314). Unsafe and botched abortions performed by quacks were the only option left to many, and this option was mostly loaded with severe

Speaker’s notes Essay Example for Free

Speaker’s notes Essay Slide 1 Information on the slide: As the first slide it should be in front of the audience while I present myself and my project. The slide is a comparison between students and wards. It is meant to kick start the attention of the audience, implying the students as future wards. The picture is taken from www.lao.ca.gov. What to address: After a brief introduction is made I make a short presentation on the picture, mentioning that both students and wards carry a gun for the same reasons, to feel safe. Slide 2 All presentations should have a clearly stated question or problem that they address. In our case we examine the questions: Is Juvenile Crime Rates Increasing? Is Juvenile Murder Rates Increasing? How do the Violent Crime Rates of Ohio relate to the whole country? It is time to mention the increasing rumor that juvenile violence is increasing throughout the US. In fact many researchers say that the statistics show that the juvenile crime rate is in fact decreasing in the US. (Snyder, Finnegan, Sickmund (1999)). We then turn our eyes to concentrate on Ohio, to see how the juvenile Crime Rate is developing there. Slide 3 This slide is the first in a series of statistical graphs. To compare the murder rate we include the number of juvenile murders in Ohio from 1995-2004. Juvenile Ohio murder graph: This Graph describes the Murders performed by juveniles under 18 over a decade. We can see that the number of murders have decreased during the last few years, it was especially low during the year of 1999. However, at the end of the graph we can see the Murder Rate starting to rise again during the most recent years. Data collected from: Federal Bureau of Investigation. Supplementary Homicide Reports 1980-2004 [machine-readable data files] In this diagram we see that the numbers of juvenile murder offenders are decreasing over the past decade, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the percentages of juvenile murder offenders are decreasing in comparison to adult murder offenders. To investigate this we need to look at the adult murder offenders and take out a percentage for the juvenile case. Slide 4 Here we investigate the number of adult murder offenders, a number that seems to be fairly stable. As a result of this we can see that the juvenile share of the Ohio murders have in fact decreased over the past decade. If looked at from a shorter perspective, we see that it has gone up a little the last few years, possibly indicating that it may continue to go up in the future. Data collected from: Federal Bureau of Investigation. Supplementary Homicide Reports 1980-2004 [machine-readable data files] Slide 5 For the rest of the country we see basically the same pattern. Data collected from: Federal Bureau of Investigation. Supplementary Homicide Reports 1980-2004 [machine-readable data files] Slide 6 If we compare the juvenile murder rates in Ohio to the rest of the country, we see that Ohio is slightly higher than the entire US murder rate. We can also notice that the juvenile murder rate is increasing more rapidly for Ohio. This means that the need to improve the situation is bigger in Ohio than in the country in general. Data collected from: Federal Bureau of Investigation. Supplementary Homicide Reports 1980-2004 [machine-readable data files] Slide 7 While violent crimes are a problem in the state of Ohio it is also a problem for each of the individual counties. It has been said that it is almost impossible to predict juvenile crime rates (Snyder, Finnegan, Sickmund (1999)) and in this picture (Snyder, Finnegan, Sickmund (1999), chapter5) we can see the crime rates in each county. Slide 8 What about crimes like Robbery, Rape and Car Theft? Slide 9 Since it has been impossible to locate statistics for all of Ohio as a state due to lack of data, we are forced to make a comparison on the counties. The counties with the highest population rate are Franklin Cuyahoga Hamilton Lucas Summit However, it is only possible to locate statistical data from Franklin, Lucas and Summit. These graphs include the crime rates of motor vehicle theft, aggravated assault, forcible rape, and robbery. The values are all in percentage, compared to the entire crime rate. When looking at these graphs it is clear that the general trend of violent juvenile crime arrests are decreasing or being fairly steady in all areas, with the exception of motor vehicle theft in Lucas that is increasing. This leads us to the conclusion that the rate of juvenile crimes are not increasing in Ohio, but in fact decreasing. Slide 10 Conclusion During the beginning of the 90’s the Juvenile Crime Rate was very high. Since 1996 it has decreased again, and even if we see a small upwards tendency, there is not enough statistical data to support the belief that the Rate will go up again. However, the crime rate is very high, and Ohio is above the rest of the country. Ohio’s Juvenile Crime Rate is also increasing more rapidly then the rest of the country, which calls for immediate action before we reach the high levels of aggressive crime that we saw in the 90’s.

The Construction Material Concrete Construction Essay

The Construction Material Concrete Construction Essay The process of curing concrete, handling it in different climatic conditions and the various diseases that can arise in concrete structures are the key points of this paper. The word concrete is derived from a latin word concretuswhich means compact or condensed. Concrete is a thick composite artificial stone like material which is made by mixing cement (generally Portland cement) and various other aggregates, such as sand, pebbles, gravel, shale, etc., with water and allowing the mixture to harden by hydration. Since the ancient times it had been used in constructing structures and today also it is used more than any other man made construction material in the world. COMPOSITION Depending upon the reqirement of the structure,the proportions of the main ingredients discussed below are varied to avail different types of concrete. By doing so the finished product can be tailored to its application with varying strength, density, or chemical and thermal resistance properties. CEMENT Portland cement is a basic ingredient of concrete. It consists of a mixture of oxides of calcium, silicon and aluminium. Portland cement and similar materials are made by heating limestone (a source of calcium) with clay, and grinding this product (called clinker) with a source of sulfate (most commonly gypsum). WATER When water is added in a cementitious material, cement paste is formed through the process of hydration. The cement paste glues the aggregate together, fills voids within it, and allows it to flow more smoothly. Water should be added in the mix very carefully as less water in the cement paste will yield a stronger, more durable concrete; more water will give an free-flowing concrete with a higher slump. Impure water used to make concrete can cause problems when setting or in causing premature failure of the structure. In the process of hydration many different reactions occur at the same time. As the reactions proceed, the products of the cement hydration process gradually bond together the individual sand and gravel particles, and other components of the concrete, to form a solid compact mass. AGGREGATES The presence of aggregate greatly increases the robustness of concrete above that of cement.Following are the different items which could be used as aggregates: Sand, natural gravel and crushed stone Recycled aggregates (from construction, demolition and excavation waste) and manufactured aggregates like air-cooled blast furnace slag and bottom ash Decorative stones such as quartzite, small river stones or crushed glass are sometimes added to the surface of concrete for a decorative exposed aggregate finish. CURING OF CONCRETE The term curing concrete signifies the process of stopping freshly poured concrete from drying out too quickly. Unless the concrete mass is not cured, or if it is left out to dry out on its own, it will not develop the full bond between all of its ingredients. In order to form a water cement paste, water is added in Portland cement after which chemical reactions take place in the mixture turns the paste into a bonding agent. This reaction is known as hydration and it produces a stone-like compact substancethe hardened cement paste. Both the rate and degree of hydration, and the resulting strength of the final concrete, depend on the curing process that follows placing and consolidating the plastic concrete. As long as the mixture contains water and the temperature conditions are favorable, the process of Hydration continues ,though at a decreasing rate . The strength of concrete is dependent on crystal growth within the concrete matrix through the process of hydration If water is not adequate, the crystals cannot grow, due to which the concrete is unable to attain the desired strength. The presence of water through proper curing of the concrete facilitates the crystal growth that encloses the gravel and sand mix, causing interweaving with each other. .The time-span of the process of Curing begins from the time of consolidation and ends at the point where the concrete reaches its design strength. The period can vary from a few days to a month or longer. For most structural use, the curing period for cast-in-place concrete is usually 3 days to 2 weeks. During this period, the concrete mass should be kept moist and as near 73F as practical. Bridge decks and other slabs exposed to weather and chemical attack usually require longer curing periods. The time span of the curing period also depends on the factors such as type of cement used mix proportions required strength size and shape of the concrete mass weather conditions and temperature future exposure conditions SIGNIFICANCE OF CURING A proper and effective curing process helps in improving various properties of concrete such as freeze and thaw resistance strength watertightness wear resistance volume stability. Serviceability and apperance The compressive strength of concrete that has been properly cured is 75 to 95 per cent more than the concrete that has not been cured. Figure 1 illustrates this by comparing the compressive strength of concrete(at 180 days) for which the surface has been either kept moist for the entire duration of 180 days or is kept moist for various periods of time and allowed to dry out or is allowed to dry out from the time it was first made.It is quite clearly depicted that the compressive strength of the concrete is highest when it is fully cured for the entire period of 180 days. Fig 1:Moist curing effect on compressive strength of concrete source:www.tpub.com The permeability and absorptivity of concrete mix depends upon the porosity of the mix ie whether the pores and capillaries are discrete or interconnected. The porosity of the mix is reduced overtime through proper and effective curing of concrete thereby increasing the durability of concrete. Also, proper curing of concrete mix will reduce crazing, dusting and scaling of the slab thereby ensuring better serviceability and appearance. STAGES IN CURING PROCESS After the concrete mix have been placed, it is imperative to keep it moist and maintain specified concrete temperatures.The process of curing starts immediately after the placement of concrete and it goes through two stages : Initial curing stage: time of placement to initial set. This stage would include all the deliberate action taken between placement and final finishing of concrete. Approximate conditions during the initial curing period should be forecast prior to construction. Under this stage,the rate of strength gain of the concrete is minimal. The various aspects to be dealt with construction initial curing period as shown in diagram below are : verifying evaporation conditions: concrete temperatures, wind velocity, air temperature, and relative humidity are required to be taken into account during placement. These elements are used to make nomograph to calculate the evaporation rate and to determine whether critical drying rates exist. Using the concrete placing temperature, the time of initial setting can be estimated. The time of initial setting is the optimal time for application of final curing. Major items requiring attention during construction-initial curing period. Source : www.fhwa.dot.govt Onsite adjustments for Excessive drying: In order to reduce evaporation rates of bleed water the following two adjustments could be made- reducing concrete placing temperatures- Cooling aggregate stockpiles, cooling mixing water, or using ice for mixing water are very effective ways of reducing concrete temperatures. use of evaporation reducers. Evaporation reducers are water emulsions of film-forming compounds. The film-forming compound is the active ingredient that slows down evaporation of water. There is also a benefit from the water fraction of the evaporation reducers, in that it compensates to a small degree for losses of mixing water to evaporation.Evaporation reducers may need to be applied several times, depending on the conditions. Concrete that are liable to quick drying is required to be covered with wet gunny bag or wet hessian cloth properly squeezed, so that the water does not drip and at the same time, does not allow the concrete to dry. This condition should be maintained for 24 hours or at least till the final setting time of cement at which duration the concrete will have assumed the final volume. The Final curing stage: The final curing period is defined as the time interval between application of curing procedures and the end of deliberate curing. Final curing methods fall into four categories: Water curing : Water curing can be done in various ways like immersion,ponding, spraying or fogging and wet covering.This is by far the best method of curing as it satisfies all the requirements of curing, namely, promotion of hydration, elimination of shrinkage and absorption of the heat of hydration. Curing a house slab by flooding. Source: http://www.builderbill-diy-help.com/curing-concrete.html The precast concrete items are normally immersed in curing tanks for a certain duration. Pavement slabs, roof slab etc. are covered under water by making small ponds. Vertical retaining wall or plastered surfaces or concrete columns etc. are cured by spraying water. In some cases, wet coverings such as wet gunny bags, hessian cloth, jute matting, straw etc., are wrapped to vertical surface for keeping the concrete wet. For horizontal surfaces saw dust, earth or sand are used as wet covering to keep the concrete in wet condition for a longer time so that the concrete is not unduly dried to prevent hydration. The diagram below summarises the major criteria for using water-added curing methods. Major features of curing with added water. Membrane curing : this curing method is mostly used when there is less availability of water in the region where curing is done. Under this method, concrete could be covered with membrane which will effectively seal off the evaporation of water from concrete. A continuous seal over the concrete surface is maintained by means of a firm impervious film to prevent moisture in concrete from escaping by evaporation. Some of the materials, which can be used for this purpose, are bituminous compounds, polyethylene PLASTIC SHEETING source:www.builderbill-diy-help.com or polyester film, waterproof paper, rubber compounds etc. When waterproofing paper or polyethylene film are used as membrane, care must be taken to see that these are not punctured anywhere and also see whether adequate lapping is given at the junction and this lap is effectively sealed. Application of heat : When concrete is subjected to higher temperature it accelerates the hydration process resulting in faster development of strength. Concrete cannot be subjected to dry heat to accelerate the hydration process as the presence of moisture is also an essential requisite. Therefore, subjecting the concrete to higher temperature and maintaining the required wetness can be achieved by subjecting the concrete to steam curing. The exposure of concrete to higher temperature can be done by Steam curing at ordinary pressure, Steam curing at high pressure ,Curing by Infra-red radiation ,Electrical curing. Traditional steam curing of concrete pipes (www.construction-int.com) Miscellaneous : Calcium chloride is used either as a surface coating or as an admixture. It has been used satisfactorily as a curing medium. Both these methods are based on the fact that calcium chloride being a salt shows affinity for moisture. The salt not only absorbs moisture from atmosphere but also retains it at the surface. This moisture held at the surface prevents the mixing water from evaporation and thereby keeps the concrete wet for a long time to promote hydration. Formwork prevents escaping of moisture from the concrete, particularly, in the case of beams and columns. Keeping the form work intact and sealing the joint with wax or any other sealing compound prevents the evaporation of moisture from the concrete. This procedure of promoting hydration can be considered as one of the miscellaneous methods of curing. At the end of the curing process majority of cement gets hydrated.There is slow rate of compressive strength gain of around 50-100 psi/hours and little exothermic heat generation. In the entire process of curing if one of the curing procedures is used initially, it may be replaced by one of the other procedures after the concrete is 1 day old, provided that the concrete surface is not permitted to become dry at any time. After the termination of the curing process the adequacy of a curing program could be verified.Although strength is the primary variable around which curing specifications are based several other approaches can also be used like Surface Water Absorption: the amount of water a dry concrete specimen absorbs in the first minute or so after contact with liquid water is directly related to the quality of the curing of the near-surface zone of the concrete. This method has direct applicability to verifying curing. The method is reasonably applied to cores, which can be dried to a constant low moisture content before testing. Rebound Hammer: The rebound hammer method basically measures the modulus of elasticity of the nearsurface concrete. This may actually recommend the method for use in evaluating the curing of concrete pavements, where near-surface effects are considered most important. The test method is suitable for in-place measurements. Laboratory work has shown that rebound numbers of uncured concrete exposed to modestly severe drying are reduced by about 50 percent at 7 days relative to well-cured concrete. Strength of Cores: The strength of concrete is strongly affected by inadequate curing, and, in theory, could be detected by measuring strength of cores. the effects of poor curing are only strongly apparent in the properties of the top 50 mm of concrete, and sometimes even less. Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity: The ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) method is an indirect measure of the modulus of elasticity of concrete. The modulus of elasticity of concrete tends to increase with increasing hydration (or quality of curing) of the cement paste fraction of the concrete. UPV testing can be set up in a number of configurations, each of which tends to focus on slightly different features of the concrete. A simple pulse velocity taken through a piece of concrete, which is the traditional way of using UPV to investigate concrete properties, gives information on the average quality of the concrete. Abrasion Resistance: The degree of curing has been shown in numerous research publications to be strongly reflected in the abrasion resistance of the cement-paste fraction of concrete. This truth is easily verified qualitatively using an electrically powered wire brush and observing the ease with which the near-surface mortar can be removed from a small spot of concrete. Poorly cured concrete is easily abraded away, while well-cured concrete is quite difficult to abrade away with such equipment. DISEASES OF CONCRETE Deterioration of concrete buildings is becoming a cause of concern now a days. Often the structures located along open water, lakes, rivers and oceans are extremely vulnerable to attack from the harsh environment i.e. salt, moisture, humidity, carbon dioxide, etc. cracks, spalls and rust stains are some of the visual symptoms of the deterioration of concrete. CRACK Crack is the most common diseases of concrete structures and it occurs as a result of material discontinuity. Thermal and shrinkage cracks can be associated with high cement content and high strength concrete. Usually cracks occur in the concrete structures due to various reasons such as excess water in the mix ,rapid drying of the concrete, improper strength concrete poured on the job, lack of control joints, if Concrete is poured on frozen ground, alkali-silica reactionetc. In order to prevent cracks in concrete structures, following preventive measures could be taken: Estimate in advance the quantity of water to be mixed to get the required concrete mix. Adding too much water in the mix is one of the main causes of cracked concrete Do not pour concrete on the frozen ground .A compacted subgrade could be used to pour concrete upon to prevent cracking Cut control joints into the concrete so that the slab will be able to shrink and expand with temperature changes. Control joints should be cut the same depth of the slab and spaced a maximum of three times the thickness of the concrete. The slab must retain enough moisture so that the drying and shrinking happens as slowly as possible in the days and weeks after pouring. Curing helps the concrete to retain moisture in the concrete so that it can continue to gain strength to resist cracking. CRACKS ON CONCRETE SURFACE Source:www.homebuildinginformation.com FROST When the concrete is critically saturated i.e. approximately 91% of its pores are filled with water then deterioration of concrete from freeze thaw actions may occur. When water freezes to ice it occupies 9% more volume than that of water.In case there is no space in concrete for this expanded volume , a kind of distress is caused which will result in loss of concrete surface. A surface active agent should be added to the concrete mixture in order to prevent frost in a concrete structure. This creates a large number of closely spaced, small air bubbles in the hardened concrete which would act as expansion chambers to relieve the pressure build-up. It is to be noted that concrete with high water content and high water to cement ratio is less frost resistant than concrete with lower water content. ABRASION AND CAVITATION Hydraulic Concrete structures are affected by Abrasion-erosion due to the action of debris rolling and grinding against surface. The sources of the debris include construction trash left in a structure, riprap brought back into a basin by eddy currents because of poor hydraulic design or asymmetrical discharge, and riprap or other debris thrown into a basin by the public. Mechanical abrasion is usually characterized by long shallow grooves in the concrete surface and spalling along monolith joints. general abrasion and cavitation erosion results in coarse aggregate exposed concrete surface, concrete uneven surface, resulting in holes. In order to prevent the structure to suffer from abrasion the concrete should include the maximum amount of the hardest coarse aggregate that is available and the lowest practical w/c. In addition to this,high-range water-reducing admixtures (HRWRA) and condensed silica fume have been used to develop high compressive strength concrete 97 MPa (14,000 psi) , at this strength the concrete mix assumes a greater role in resisting abrasion-erosion damage. Also vacuum-treated concrete, polymer concrete, polymer-impregnated concrete, and polymer portland cement concrete could also be used to increase the abrasion resistance. In existing structures, balanced flows should be maintained into basins by using all gates to avoid discharge conditions where eddy action is prevalent. ABRASION source:www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca CARBONATION Carbonation is a chemical reaction between atmospheric carbon dioxide and hydrated cement compounds which causes a reduction in the alkalinity of the concrete. The permeability and moisture content of the concrete directly affects the rate of carbonation . Pop-corn like calcite crystals present in carbonated paste. source:www.concrete-experts.com In the process of carbonation the calcium bearing phases present in the concrete mass are attacked by carbon dioxide of the air and converted to calcium carbonate.In this process the alkalinity of the concrete is lowered from an initial pH of around 13.5 to around 8.5 over some years. One method of testing a structure for carbonation is to drill a fresh hole in the surface and then treat the cut surface with phenolphthalein indicator solution. This solution will turn [pink] when in contact with alkaline concrete, making it possible to see the depth of carbonation. In order to combat the process of carbonation aquron products from Allcrete industries could be used which helps in the following ways seals out moisture to a depth of 100mm or more reduces oxygen permeability by a pore-blocking process brings up the alkalinity of the concrete purging and binding chlorides in the colloidal silicate hydrogel formed in the pores and capillaries of the concrete It is to be noted that when Concrete is treated within 24 hours of casting ,it will be protected for life against carbonation problems and aged concrete, once treated, will become immune to further deterioration. CORROSION Corrosion of steel reinforcement in concrete structures is well known to be Concrete Cancer, which happens to be a significant area of concern in the area of infrastructure and building across the world. Corrosive species can enter the concrete mix if the ingredients of the concrete mix such as water, aggregates, additives are contaminated.When such corrosive species reacts with the chemical compounds under the porous nature of concrete,the problem of corrosion occurs. Corrosion damage to the reinforcing steel results in the build-up of voluminous corrosion products, generating internal stresses and subsequent cracking and spalling of the concrete as shown schematically in the diagram below: Figure 2source:www.corrosion-club.com source:www.zoranthepainter.com Corrosion mechanism Concrete Cancer The most frightening thing is that the corrosion can be going on under the surface and will not be noticed until the concrete starts visibly disintegrating. The outcome of such corrosion is that concrete reduces its strength and also the steel re-enforcing within the concrete can rust and the pressure this creates can cause the concrete to crack and crumble. Buildings in coastal areas are especially at risk. The preventive measures to avoid such kind of concrete cancer are listed below: Epoxy coating: The concrete structures that are exposed to deicing salt may benifit from use of epoxy-coated, hot dip galvanised or stainless steel rebar. Epoxy coated rebar can easily be identified by the light green colour of its epoxy coating. Applying Sealants: After the process of curing, penetrating sealants must be applied. Sealants include paint, plastic foams, films and aluminum foil, felts or fabric mats sealed with tar, and layers of bentonite clay, sometimes used to seal roadbeds. corrosion inhibitors: calcium nitrite can also be added to the water mix before pouring concrete. Generally, 12 wt. % of calcium nitrate with respect to cement weight is needed to prevent corrosion of the rebars. Extreme weather conditions such as high ambient and concrete temperature, low relative humidity or a mere 40 F or less average daily air temperature for more than 3 consecutive days, tend to impair the quality of freshly mixed or hardened concrete thereby giving detrimental results. Therefore, it becomes imperative to handle concrete with caution both in extreme hot and cold weather. EFFECTS OF HOT WEATHER AND PROPER HANDLING On the compressive strength: When the temperature of concrete is high cement hydrates at a much faster rate, it sucks up water and grows crystals around the aggregate particles but dont have time to grow strong . Although, the early strength will be higher but 28-day strength suffers. If the concrete is about 18 hotter than normal (for example, 88 instead of 70), the ultimate compressive strength of the mix will be about 10% lower. On the colors of integrally colored concrete: under hot weather conditions , slump decreases rapidly as the cement sets up and and more mixing water is needed. In integrally colored concrete,this can lead to variations in water content which can result in significant differences in concrete color between adjacent pours. Surface drying: high concrete temperature and hot dry wind across the concrete can cause more drying and surface shrinkage. Thermal differentials: sometimes the hot weather condition makes one part of the concrete mass warmer than another part. If this differential is greater than about 20F then concrete gets cracks. Difficulty in maintaining air content can be a problem in warm concrete. Mixing is more likely to drive air out of the concrete making the level difficult to control. Dealing with hot weather concreting Plastic shrinkage is a particular problem in hot weather concreting. As a general rule, each 10o F increase in ambient temperature reduces slump about 1. A switch from ASTM C494 Type A to Type D water reducing and set retarding mix may be part of an effective plan for hot-weather concreting. Aggregates forms a major part in a concrete mix so its temperature has the greatest effect on concrete temperature. Shading of aggregate piles is ideal, although not always possible. Using cool water is another way to get cool concrete. Ready mix producers in hot climates use chilled water or ice to lower the concrete temperature. Retarding admixtures can also contribute towards controlling concrete in warm weather. When the concrete is hot, the setting time is very quick .At that time Retarder can be added at the plant or on the job site . Retarders delays the setting time but they also give the concrete more time to dry out, so curing is critical. Retarders come as straight retarders or as water-reducing and retarding admixtures. Mid-range water reducers can increase the air content of the concrete. For concrete that is to be stamped, consider using step retardationadding retarder to the mix after half of the batch or after one-third and two-thirds have been placed. For textured concrete one of the strongest things to do in hot weather is step retardation. In order to avoid slump loss superplasticizer (high-range water reducer) could be used. These admixtures can increase slump without affecting the concretes final strength or appearance. Before placing the concrete on a subgrade wet down everything, subgrade and forms, with cool water so moisture isnt absorbed from the concrete, which can lead to cracking. In order to prevent the evaporation of surface water use a monomolecular film or evaporation retarder as soon as the concrete is down and bull floated. These materials evaporate after a couple of hours. Monomolecular film will prevent plastic shrinkage cracking and surface crusting. In hot and dry weather curing needs to start as soon as finishing operations are completed. A white pigmented curing compound could be used with plain gray concretein order reflect sunshine. Also the white curing blanket could be used for the same purpose. A white pigmented curing compound on plain gray concrete white curing blankets keep the concrete cooler by reflecting can help reflect some heat from the sun the sun In a hot climate, stain the concrete in the coolest part of the day as staining concrete relies on a chemical reaction that happens faster in hot weather.If concrete is stained in 95 to 100 weather ,it can ruin the entire job. Staining is best done early in the day when the concrete is cooler For an overlay installation it is advisable that the concrete surface temperature should be between 50 and 80.Installing an overlay during the hottest part of the day amidst direct sunlight could adversely affect the quality of the result. EFFECTS OF COLD WEATHER AND PROPER HANDLING During cold weather until the concrete gains compressive strength of 500psi , it is under threat of either getting freezed up which in turn could break up the matrix or the concrete mix sets at a very slow pace. Below 40F the hydration reaction basically stops and the concrete doesnt gain any further strength. when the ground is cold, the concrete in contact with it will be cold and will set more slowly. This can lead to the problem of crusting, with the top part of the concrete set and the bottom still soft. During the process of shifting the concrete mix from the ready mix plant to the job site there will be some heat loss. While placing concrete in cold it is advisable to remove all snow and ice from that area. Also any standing water should also be removed that could get mixed into the concrete. In case of a frozen land, it is advisable to thaw it using hydronic heat pipes and blankets (such as those from Ground Heaters), or electric blankets (check out Power Blanket). It is also suggested to Warm up anything that will come in contact with the concrete, including forms and any embedments, to at least 32F. Covering everything with tarps the day before the pour, will keep it dry and warm enough.also blankets could be used for the same purpose as well. Place triple layers of insulating blankets at corners and edges that could freeze. Wrap any protruding rebars. Make sure the blankets wont blow off during the night. Ground heaters Inc Portland cement association While placing decorative concrete in cold weather it is suggested to use a dial pocket thermometer or an infrared thermometer to test the concrete temperature as it is needed to be kept above 50F for the concrete to keep gaining strength. Also on exterior concrete, customers should be reminded to keep deicing chemicals off the surface during the first winter. Deicers can lead to spalling of newer concrete. During the process of finishing concrete in cold weather, it is advisable to let all the bleed water to evaporate first otherwise water-cement ratio would increase surface of concrete would get weak. Bleed water is basically the concrete particles settling (like mud in a stirred up pond) and squeezing out all the extra water. Vacuums can also be used for this purpose. It should also be noted that sealing concrete in cold weather conditions is very risky. Power blanket Layfield Group In order to keep the slab warm hydronic heating pipes or electric heating blankets could be used. These are laid on top of the slab and insulated. Also, in case it is too cold to even place the concrete, then the only option left is to enclose the work and heat the air. In case of an enclosure,it is required to consider the potential problem of carbonation. With unvented heaters (salamanders), or even with gas-powered equipment, the carbon dioxide levels can increase. This carbon reacts with the concrete, creating a chalky carbonated layer at the surface which is unacceptable. To fix this problem use heaters that exhaust to the outside of an enclosure or building and just blow in warm air. Maintain the concrete temperature above 40 degree