Law - Employment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Law - Employment - Essay Example This large segment of the workforce (sometimes referred to as 'atypical' or 'economically dependent workers') includes agency workers, casuals and freelancers. The issue is especially significant from the industrial relations point of view since economically dependent workers do not generally benefit from the protections granted to employees both by law and collective bargaining, including provisions on health and safety, information and consultation, working time, vocational training and social protection. In addition, they do not have the benefit of trade union representation. The real question from the standpoint of atypical workers appears to be; do they have, in effect, an implied contract of employment The contract of employment is accepted to be the basis of any actual employment relationship in the UK. Hence, it effectively becomes the principles of contract law that define every aspect of employment law. The courts, however, have consistently viewed the employment relationship as essentially different from most contracted relationships. This is essentially due to the fact that there is normally a distinct inequality in the actual bargaining power in such a relationship.1 Nearly one third of all individuals in the UK have working arrangements that are prone to difficulties when establishing employment status according to legal tests. These workers commonly fall between definitions of 'employee' and 'self employed' but are generally classified for legal purposes as 'self-employed'. According to Greene2, in the UK context they are most commonly termed (although not official classifications) as: 'dependent self-employed': workers who are classified as self' employed but who are often reliant on one employer 'false or bogus self-employed': an individual who objectively speaking is an employee but who, for reasons connected to the evasion of regulatory legislation is described as self-employed by themselves and/or by their employer 'borderline self-employed': an individual whose legal status (employee or self-employed) is unclear.3 The category of workers affected by this situation is broad, ranging from low paid manual workers to high-paid information technology staff, journalists and creative professionals. A worker defined as 'self employed' is usually barred from employment protection law, although they do pay lower rates of income tax and can claim back certain expenses against tax. Studies indicate that the majority of such workers in the UK are in Establish Employee Status 4 traditional job sectors (rather than high-paying creative and IT sectors). Their work is often characterised by less employment protection.4 Often these ambiguous training opportunities, increased risk of accidents, uninsured losses, longer hours and less working arrangements are compatible with those considered 'non standard', including casual, zero hours, home, agency, portfolio and freelance

Fish Linked to Lower Risk of Depression Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Fish Linked to Lower Risk of Depression - Essay Example This link was not present in studies conducted outside of Europe. To explain this, the writer quotes the study author Fang Li of Qingdao University in China who points out that this could be caused by the low number of participants in the study. This statement casts a serious doubt on the credibility of these studies. Scientific studies are perceived to be more accurate if they have a large amount of participants under study. The author of the article also points out the observational nature of the studies. It is noted that the studies did not discriminate on the types of fish consumed. Moreover, the studies could not draw a conclusion on the cause-and-effect relationship between fish consumption and the risk of depression. The amount of fish intake under study is not quantified; a lot of fish could mean different things to different people. To their credit, the researchers admit that more research must be undertaken in order to clearly understand the link between fish consumption an d depression.It is common for articles on health issues to carry a strong prejudice arising from the author’s personal opinion. Fortunately, the author of this article has ensured that they convey information as it is, despite the glaring loopholes in the actual studies and has made no attempt in persuading the reader in accepting any particular health ideations from the study. The author also makes it known that the study was published in a reputable journal; The Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

Per Clausewitz’s On War Essay Example for Free

Per Clausewitz’s On War Essay Per Clausewitz’s On War focal points on how victory can be achieved, reader see a keen interest in how to disarm the enemy using reciprocal and proportionate â€Å"efforts to his powers or resistance. † This implies that to win a war you might use all means, strength, and resources within your power to deliver the best strategy possible. Using â€Å"calculation of probabilities† victory can achieved by fully knowing what is at stake and how to attack at the right time. Being aware of the political agenda and reasoning behind a war allows for more awareness of political and military alliances in order to achieve victory in war. In addition, by understanding that there are tactics and strategy which must be used in war a victory can be acquired (website, Handel). To Clausewitz this means that â€Å"preparations for War† and the â€Å"War itself† must be seen as distinct entities. By preparing for the War you are acquiring all needed provisions and equipment, and comprehending the enemy and terrain in which the battles might be fought (Clausewitz Book 6). Sun too indicates that preparation for War is strongly required, and that without it practicality of strategy is lost. This would include any tactics to be used, calculations which can done, deriving rules or â€Å"even systems for the conduct of war†, and understanding that knowledge can be â€Å"converted into real power†. Clausewitz considers that â€Å"war is science when mere knowing; art, when doing. † This law of action must include strategy. This in turn â€Å"links together the series of acts which are to lead to the final decision† or finality of victory. Because these strategic elements are key to achieving victory, this author insists that the â€Å"use of engagements†¦. be classified into: moral, physical, mathematical, geographical, and statistical† aspects. This elements manifest within the process and act of War, and encompass the idea that strategic assembly of forces enables victory. Clausewitz indicates that the use of battle leads to the destruction of the enemy’s military, and that a great results is achieved by battle (KLINGER 79-89).

Chromium and Selenium Concentration in Cancer

Chromium and Selenium Concentration in Cancer The ratio between chromium and selenium concentration among various age groups of cancer group has also been studied and it shown in table 5.48, and it has been observed that all groups of cancer patients present somewhat similar ratio of chromium and selenium concentration in their blood. Moreover, the concentration balance of chromium and selenium has conspicuously been disturbed as it illustrated in table 5.49. For instance, the breast cancer mortalities in various countries were studied and ascertained a direct correlation with the estimated dietary intake of zinc, chromium and cadmium and inversely proportional to the concentration of selenium (238). The summary of stage wise distribution for chromium and selenium has been illustrated in Table 5.50 and it observed that all four stages of cancer patients present a sort of consistency in chromium and selenium proportion in the blood of cancer patients as shown in Table 5.51. In view of this fact, it may be elucidated that the demarcation among various stages of cancer is arbitrary division and this periphery does not present any association of stages with the distribution-ratio of chromium and selenium in the blood of cancer patients. However, the reduction of 0.064 Â µg ml-1 of selenium concentration in the blood of cancer patients corresponds to more than 52 % decrease as compared to the selenium level in the blood of control group. These variations in concentration may be the result of the disease of cancer however the type of cancer does not influence the levels of selenium in the blood of cancer patients. However, the significant decrease in selenium concentration in whole blood and plasma has been observed in another study where the tannery workers were exposed to chromium compounds and have shown a considerably lower selenium concentration in their blood and they excreted lower amount of selenium in their urine as compared to the worker those were not exposed to the chromium. It may confirm the point of view that chromium and selenium have some kind of interaction and biological selenides are formed with chromium and in due course of time they accumulate in some organs. It was also demonstrated that the tannery workers who were exposed to air with high concentrations of chromium compounds at their workplace exhibited significantly higher erythrocyte and plasma GSH-Px activity than workers of other departments (239). Therefore, higher level of selenium stipulates the main function of selenium is to induce and maintain the enzyme glutathione peroxidase, which prevents cellular damage by catabolizing organic peroxides (240) The enzyme, SeGSH-Px, catalyzes the oxidation-reduction reaction between reduced glutathione and peroxide. Therefore, the pathological lesions lured with selenium deficiency are considered to be caused by peroxidative damage that is the product of depressed SeGSH-Px activity (241-242). However, once chromium absorbed and retained in biological tissue chromium compounds occur as chromium (III). Glutathione and cysteine seem to be the most important cofactors for the intracellular reduction of chromium (VI) (243). The absorption of metal in the human body is a complex process and depends on various factors including dietary components. About 40% of ingested metal is absorbed in the small intestine (244). Furthermore, a variety of neurodegnerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Creutzfeldt-Jakob, and neuronal damage caused by stroke and ischemia may be associated with pathological disruption of metal trafficking (245-247). Chromium is potentially toxic and carcinogenic at higher doses. All chromates that exhibit oxidation state (VI) can aggressively enter the cell through channels that are specified for the transfer of isoelectric and isostructural anions, such as SO4-2 and PO4-2. However, the insoluble chromates are engrossed by cells through phagocytosis. As soon as the chromates get inside the cell they are competent enough to generate free radicals immediately. Yet, in the presence of cellular reductants the chromium inside the cell can cause a broad series of DNA lesions such as DNA- protein crosslink, Cr-DNA adducts, DNA-DNA cross links, and oxidative damages. The glutathione quickly reacts with chromium (VI) and forms a complex and generate chromium (V) and chromium (III) through slow reduction of chromium (VI) inside the cell. The chromium (V) and chromium (III) species exhibit the tendency to alter the DNA conformation. The reduction of chromium (VI) can be commenced through GSH, or in the pre sence of other reducing agents. The chromium (V) and chromium (III) can react with H2O2 through Fenton reaction and produce hydroxyl radical (OH) that has the potential to damage DNA. There are evidents that interacellular reduction of chromium (VI) results in extensive formation of Cr-DNA adducts, among which chromium (III) – mediated DNA cross-link of glutathione, cysteine, histidine and ascorbate represent an important group of DNA modifications. Therefore, Cr- DNA adducts are responsible for both the mutagenicity and genotoxicity of chromium. The chromium (VI) is considered as carcinogen for lungs cancer for human (248). Numerous epidemiological studies have been performed for more than 100 years on workers exposed to chromium in order to determine its level of carcinogenicity. Altogether, these studies indicate that exposed individuals have approximately 2- 80 fold increased relative risk of developing lungs cancer (226). On the other hand, an inverse association between serum selenium level and cancer risk is biologically possible. The results of the study indicated that the treatment with selenium improved GPx levels. GPx detoxifies H2O2by reducing it to water. It also protects cytosolic organelles from oxidative damage by preventing lipid peroxidation. Selenium could reduce oxidative stress through antioxidant selenoproteins such as glutathione peroxidase, selenoprotein P, and thioredoxin reductase. (249-250). There are numerous promising possibilities that may be presented as an account for the observed variations for selenium in whole blood levels associated with malignant disease, as compared to healthy and control group (251). It includes chemotherapeutic-induce necrosis, which could release selenium from tissues into the circulation, preferential sequestration by tumor cells (252-253) and alteration of properties of proteins, especially enzymes, at elevated concentration of selenium in tissues (254-255). Furthermore, the possibility of depression in activities of specific enzymes with loss of vital enzyme activity, and impaired tissue function resulting from a selenium-deficient state (256). The depletion of selenium in the blood of cancer patients may suggest its reciprocal accumulation in the malignant tissues in view of the studies (257-261) who have reported higher concentration of selenium in the cancerous and neighboring tissues cells. Availability of excessive selenium in the cancerous cells may be expected to facilitate the synthesis of selenoproteins e.g. Trx, TrxR etc. which are known to provide protection to the tissue cells against the oxidative stress, carcinogens, and help to reduce cancerous cell growth. The results of recent studies (262-264) regarding the diversified multiple functions of selenoproteins has generated tremendous interest in the understanding and elucidation of mechanisms that triggers the role of these proteins from anti-apoptosis in the normal cells to pro-apoptosis in malignant cells. There are numerous studies (265-267), who have proposed different mechanisms to explain the inhibiting effect of selenium on malignant neoplasm; for examp le modulation of cellular division rate, decrease in formation of carcinogenic metabolites or cellular protection by an antioxidant system. It is generally believed that due to the anti oxidative characteristics of selenoproteins, these proteins can protect the cells and DNA from oxidative damage; in addition, these proteins can react with carcinogens directly to save cells and DNA from their lethal actions. It has been suggested (263), that nitrative inactivation of Trx plays a proapoptotic role if the reactive nitrogen species are increased; and antinitrating treatment may have therapeutic value in those diseases, such as myocardial ischemia/ reperfusion, in which pathological apoptosis is increased. The situation is reversed in malignant tissue cells where apoptosis is beneficial for the inhibition of the cell growth. Therefore, in view of the aforementioned studies, it is possible that the pathological conditions in which production of nitrogen species is increased that may favo r the inactivation of Trx and therefore enhance the apoptotic role of this selenoprotein. A kinetic study of the reaction of NO and O2 in aqueous solutions, based on pH indicator, has been performed by using stopped-flow spectrometry. The results of these studies have shown that at physiological concentrations of O2 and NO, the auto- oxidation of NO does not limit its diffusion from the site of production in endothelial cells to a spatially removed target molecule such as guanylate cyclase in myocytes and platelets. A Trx interacting protein Txnip has been reported (31), which inhibit the antiapoptotic activity of Trx where as NO suppresses the expression of Trxnip and enhances the Trx activity, therefore perhaps the oxidative character of Trx in malignant cells as reported in the above mentioned studies may well be interpreted as the inhibition of its antioxidant activity. In different studies (267-268) it has been suggested on the basis of their results that selenite induces apopt osis by producing superoxide ions which activate p53, a well known protein involved in carcinogenesis, which in turn support apoptosis. A key role has been assigned (269), to Trx-2, located in mitochondria, in interaction with electron transport chain, determining tumor necrosis ROS generation, NF- kB activation and apoptosis. Intestines are the main sits where selenium absorption is measured at maximum. In liver selenium joins many other amino acids and generate selenocysteine and selenoproteins. Selenoproteins consist of active form of selenium and are transferred to all over the body. Kidney and liver, however, have higher concentration of selenoproteins. It is reported that a small quantity of selenoproteins are also exist in blood and serum. Furthermore, being a part of selenoproteins the selenium is an essential part of glutathione peroxidae as well that is the reason selenium is believed to be an antioxidant (36). Glutathione plays a role of a protector in the body of an organism and ensnare the balance of free radicals, peroxides and preserves the redox status of the cell (270). In addition, glutathione perxidase provides defense mechanism against free radicals that may cause destruction of cell membrane. The free radicals are generated when hydrogen peroxide produced in the mitochondria of the cell during the regular metabolism. The stress is a foremost cause of excessive production of hydrogen peroxide that sequentially create a disproportion in free radicals inside the cells. Chemical structure of cell membrane comes under the attack of free radicals and gives away their loosely bounded electrons to the free radicals. Consequently, a chemical structure of cell membrane turns into a reactive entity and begins to instigate an electron from adjacent structure and this chain reaction serves to damage the cell membrane causing the cell to die. Proactive role as a safeguard of glutathione peroxidase quickly transform hydrogen peroxide into water a way before it could generate harmful reactive species called free radicals. Another study highlights defense mechanism of vitamin E in which glutathione peroxidase and vitamin E follow a similar pathway in order to discontinue the chain reaction by engaging the free radicals within the cell membrane. Therefore, it is an effective combination of selenium and vitamin E that can control the production of free radicals and prevent the damage of cell membranes as well as DNA and other cellular structures (270).

Quality Issues In System Development :: essays research papers fc

Quality Issues In System Development The period between the 1970's and 1980's was a time of great advancement in computer hardware technology which took an industry still in it's infancy, to a level of much sophistication and which ultimately revelutionised the information storage and processing needs of every other industry and that of the entire world. However, it was also during this period when the shortcomings of implementing such technology became apparent. A significant number of development projects failed which resulted with disastrous consequences, not only of an economic nature, but social aswell. Seemingly, although hardware technolgy was readily available and ever improving, what was inhibiting the industry was in the methods of implementing large systems. Consequently, all kinds of limited approaches materialized that avoided the costs and risks inherent in big-systems developments.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Times have changed, and with it our understanding and experience as how best to develop large systems. Today's large systems yield greater benefits for less cost than those of previous decades. Large systems provide better, more timely information, the ability to integrate and correlate internal and external information, the ability to integrate and facilitate streamlined business processes. Unfortunately, not every system that information workers develop are well implemented; this means that the computer system which was originally intended to make a company more efficient, productive and cost-effective, is in the end doing the exact opposite - namely, wasting time, money and valuable manpower. So even with all the lessons learned from the 70's and 80's, our vastly superior methodologies and knowledge of the 90's is still proving to be fallible, as suggested in the following examples. System Development Failures   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In Britain, 1993, an incident occurred which forced the London Ambulance Service to abandon its emergency system after it performed disastrously on delivery, causing delays in answering calls. An independent inquiry ordered by British government agencies found that the ambulance service had accepted a suspiciously low bid from a small and inexperienced supplier. The inquiry report, released in February 1993, determined that the system was far too small to cope with the data load. For an emergency service, the system error would not only cause the loss of money, but more essentially, fail to dispatch ambulances correctly and promptly upon the arising of critical situations. Thus, the implications of such a failure are apparently obvious, both socially and economically. Since the failures, the ambulance service has reverted to a paper- based system that will remain in place for the foreseeable future.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another failure was the collapse of the Taurus trading system of the London Stock Exchange. Taurus would have replaced the shuffling of six sorts of

The Inefficiency of Airline Security Essay -- TSA, terrorism, 9/11, ra

Everyone who has gotten out of bed in the morning has been exposed to risks. Whether it be risks from the factors around them, from themselves, or from people around them, they have faced some kind of risk. Comparatively, risks presented by situations around them and by themselves are considerably controllable. The risks delivered by people around them, however, are the ones that tend to be the most formidable. When people have a determination to be destructive, they often select targets which will stir up the most attention. Attributable to the criteria terrorists search for, airlines are a common target for terrorist activities. One of the most memorable terrorist attacks revealed sizable gaps in the safety of airlines. Although airline security has been significantly improved since the events of 9/11, the safety measures have gone overboard in the wrong areas, focusing on airport safety rather than airline safety, and need to be ameliorated to add efficiency back to aviation secu rity as a whole. Airport pat downs are at the point where they are intrusive and uncomfortable to many airline passengers and need to be done away with. Transportation Security Officer (TSO), William Touzani notes, â€Å"A lot of passengers are offended when going through airports because they feel violated and degraded† (Touzani) The uproar of the public regarding such feelings of â€Å"violation† has not gone unnoticed. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents throw their arms up and counter the cries, revealing that the bottom line is that those â€Å"degrading† search methods are what is required from them. In the words of an anonymous former Newark Airport TSA screener, â€Å"Every time you read about a TSA horror story, it’s usually about a screener do... ...ty, and the Problem of Rationality." Public Administration Review 1540-6210 62 (2002): 33-43. 17 Dec. 2002. Web. 1 Sept. 2013. Hawley, Kip, and Nathan Means. Permanent Emergency: Inside the TSA and the Fight for the Future of American Security. New York: Palgrave Macmillian, 2011. Print. Post Staff Report. "Former Newark Airport TSA Screener Says the Job Does Little to Keep Fliers safe." New York Post. NYP Holdings, Inc., 10 Mar. 2013. Web. 08 Sept. 2013. Seidenstat, Paul, and Francis X. Splane. Protecting Airline Passengers in the Age of Terrorism. N.p.: Greenwood Group, n.d. Google Books. Google. Web. 27 Aug. 2013. Smith, Patrick. "A Pilot’s View of Airport Security." Theworld.org. PRI's The World, 17 Nov. 2010. Web. 2 Sept. 2013. Touzani, William. Screeners and Virgins: I'm Muslim, My Husband Is TSA. N.p.: n.p., 2011. Scribd. 3 Nov. 2011. Web. 13 Nov. 2013.

Jeremy – Pearl Jam

â€Å"Jeremy† is based on two different true stories. The song takes its main inspiration from a newspaper article about a 15-year-old boy named Jeremy Wade Delle, born February 10, 1975, from Richardson, Texas who shot himself in front of his English class at Richardson High School on the morning of January 8, 1991 at about 9:45 am. In a 2009 interview, Vedder said that he felt â€Å"the need to take that small article and make something of it—to give that action, to give it reaction, to give it more importance. † Delle was described by schoolmates as â€Å"real quiet† and known for â€Å"acting sad. After coming in to class late that morning, Delle was told to get an admittance slip from the school office. He left the classroom, and returned with a . 357 Magnum revolver. Delle walked to the front of the classroom, announced â€Å"Miss, I got what I really went for†, put the barrel of the firearm in his mouth, and pulled the trigger before his tea cher or classmates could react. A girl named Lisa Moore knew Jeremy from the in-school suspension program: â€Å"He and I would pass notes back and forth and he would talk about life and stuff,† she said. He signed all of his notes, ‘Write back. ‘ But on Monday he wrote, ‘Later days. ‘ I didn't know what to make of it. But I never thought this would happen. † When asked about the song, Vedder explained: It came from a small paragraph in a paper which means you kill yourself and you make a big old sacrifice and try to get your revenge. That all you're gonna end up with is a paragraph in a newspaper. Sixty-three degrees and cloudy in a suburban neighborhood. That's the beginning of the video and that's the same thing is that in the end, it does nothing †¦ nothing changes. The world goes on and you're gone. The best revenge is to live on and prove yourself. Be stronger than those people. And then you can come back. The other story that the song is based on involved a student that Vedder knew from his junior high school in San Diego, California. He elaborated further in a 1991 interview: I actually knew somebody in junior high school, in San Diego, California, that did the same thing, just about, didn't take his life but ended up shooting up an oceanography room. I remember being in the halls and hearing it and I had actually had altercations with this kid in the past. I was kind of a rebellious fifth-grader and I think we got in fights and stuff. So it's a bit about this kid named Jeremy and it's also a bit about a kid named Brian that I knew and I don't know†¦ the song, I think it says a lot. I think it goes somewhere†¦ and a lot of people interpret it different ways and it's just been recently that I've been talking about the true meaning behind it and I hope no one's offended and believe me, I think of Jeremy when I sing it.