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Relational Databases Essays - Database Theory, Data Management

Social Databases Social databases have for some time been related with enormous undertakings, yet of late theyve been finding their way t...

Monday, September 30, 2019

Low Pressure Atmospheric Systems

Low pressure atmospheric systems are also known as depressions or cyclones and they form in mid- and high-latitudes. They are formed by the mixing of cold and warm air, the warm air is lighter, so it rises above the denser, cold air and forms a centre of low pressure. High pressure atmospheric systems are also known as anticyclones and have very different characteristics to depressions. Anticyclones are large masses of subsiding air, which produces high pressure at the surface.There are a variety of difference between anticyclones and depressions, including the weather conditions, the length of time they last and the impact they have upon diverse countries and areas. Low pressure atmospheric systems can cause hazards because of severe weather such as blizzards and heavy snowfall, as well as high winds and heavy rainfall. This can have harsh impacts among individuals, being a lead cause of hypothermia, and frostbite, especially those vulnerable, such as the elderly. Also, these depres sions can cause crops to be destroyed, and a high mortality rate throughout the spring lambing season.Extreme cold spells can have a massive negative effect on a global scale, but also in a specific country or region. High pressure atmospheric systems affect the globe, especially the southern hemisphere, as it is nearly always continuous, although in places such as Australia and South Africa, this is broken throughout their summer. With anticyclones, there are few winds, so maps usually have circular spaced out isobars. Also, these atmospheric systems block depressions, which mean that their impacts are usually long-term, because they are constant. Weather associated with anticyclones differentiates depending on the time of year.In summer, anticyclones produce long periods of dry, hot, sunny weather, which can then cause heat waves and drought. However, in winter the cloudless nights mean that temperatures drop, and does not recover the next day because of weak sunshine and lingerin g fog. The impacts of anticyclones and depressions vary, as does the period they remain and the effect they have. The North American blizzard of 2003 lasted for five days throughout February and occurred on the East Coast of the USA and Canada. It was a record-breaking blizzard, which caused 27 deaths and over $14 million worth of damage.The cities in America were bought to a standstill, as there was a range of 38-76cm of snow covering the ground. The cause for such an unusually extreme blizzard was the fact that the conditions were favourable, with moisture from the Atlantic Ocean enhancing precipitation and a high pressure system over Canada, allowing cold air to be brought down coastal areas. This meant that the precipitation was mainly snow, hence the record-breaking statistics. The effects this storm had were mainly short-term, but the roof of the historic Railroad Museum collapsed and 27 people lost their lives.Additionally, transport infrastructure was brought to a halt, and three major airports were also closed. So, the impacts of depressions are mainly short-term, although the destruction can be horrendous, whereas, anticyclones usually cause long-term impacts on a country such as the Drought in Britain and Europe in 2003. This drought effected many locations, but the main focus was on the UK, France and Portugal. Not all impacts are negative, as the heat wave did boost the tourist industry in most countries and sales for summer items such as barbeques and sun cream increased, but this positive outlook is short-lived.In the UK, an estimated 200 people lost their lives due to poor air quality, and this figure was 10% higher than the average. Furthermore, transport was disrupted because of roads melting at such high temperatures, and the London Underground was 37Â °, which is over the legal limit to transport animals. Finally, in the UK the cost of people taking days off work to enjoy the hot weather was between ?7. 5million and ?10million per day. In France, the death toll was as high as 30,000 and harvests were down by 30 to 50% on 2002.Additionally, the nuclear power plants could not produce the soaring demands for energy, which was used for refrigerators and air conditioning, because there was less water available for cooling. Portugal declared a State of Emergency after the worst forest fires in 30 years. Approximately 35,000 hectares of forest, farmland and scrub was burned, and 1300 people died. 80 families were forced to abandon their homes, and arsonists begun deliberately causing fires, to gain compensation. The impacts of anticyclones on all of these countries had a massive effect, and it lasted over a month, with the hottest temperatures for up to 500 years.This demonstrates the long and short term impacts that anticyclones have on regions, countries and on a global scale. Location does have a result on the impact of low and high atmospheric pressure systems because they can be underdeveloped or have a lot of technolo gy that can be damaged or ruined. MEDC’s usually lose fewer lives than LEDC’s, no matter if it is a depression or a cyclone. Also, the evidence seems to suggest that depressions have a shorter impact on an area than anticyclones, but this is not necessarily true.Long-term secondary hazards can be a large issue after a depression, as the damage from flooding or heavy snow can be excessive and highly damaging. I conclude, low pressure atmospheric systems do usually have shorter-term impacts on a location, rather than high pressure atmospheric systems, but the secondary hazards can be a long-term issue for both of these hazards. Furthermore, the impact they have, may be different, depending on location, because a LEDC will be severely affected by both of these hazards, and will most likely have long-term consequences.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Food Network: A Culture and its Food Formed Through Media

Food Network: A Culture and its Food Formed Through Media Since 1993, Food Network has been creating hungry viewers throughout the county, and even other parts of the world. Some countries have their own food network. For example Food Network: Canada and Food Network: Asia. The basic cable and satellite television channel has taken regular episodic programs about food and cooking to a whole new level in the media. It airs specials on various kinds of delicious, rare, and even bizarre ‘eats' that civilization has to offer.The Genre theory allows us to ategorize this type of programing as food television. There is basically no violence associated with the programs aired so the range in audience is boundless. The target audience can be any person, young or older, who enjoys cooking. For people who like eating and even a curious audience who wonders what other cultures eat. With a large range in audience The Food Network could form our culture to what kind of food people eat. This is known as Cultural Norms Theory.The channel even displays compelling competitions were chefs face off against each other in hopes to aspire to ulinary fame, and eliminate rival opponents. The network is an ideal presentation of the reinforcement theory; that reinforces the attitudes, beliefs and values of the media consumer. The audience is drawn to competition, were the winner is awarded and the loser goes home. Especially in American culture where the audience not only loves food, but also the approach of a rival matchup with a prize or a dream come true. The competition events adds to the entertainment substance of the Network.These food competitions also prompts the mystification/demystification theory, where he media has the power turn a normal person into a big star. After Just a few achievements the network will overexpose a skilled chef like Bobby Flay, Racheal Ray, Guy Fieri or Gordon Ramsey into a national figure overnight with multiple shows. As the theory states it can also do the exact opposite toa known figure. Below is a picture of celebrity chef, Paula Deen, in tears on NBC's ‘Today Show, after being publically disgraces for using the N word.Celebrity chef Paula Deen breaks into tears on NBC News' ‘Today show on June 26, alking about the controversy that damaged her $17-million-a-year food empire. – http://www. nydailynews. com. Oprah Winfrey on Paula Deen's N-word scandal The Characters ot the network nave become icons in the world ot culinary a image is recognized, and consumers identify with them so much that they are used in advertisements and promotions. Adding to the characters personal synergism. Guy Fieri won the second season of Food Networks, The Next Food Networks Star. Below is a picture of Guy Fieri in an advertisement for TGI Fridays.In the list of numerous programs the network has created over the years it still exhibits the ‘how to' cooking shows were the consumer can learn recipes, and how to prepare healthy meals. With so many programs introduced in one network, even if food is an element in every program, a mass amount of content seems to also exercise the Uses and Gratifications Theory; that we the consumers all use the media for different reasons and purposes. The function and purpose (information/ persuasion/entertainment) of Food Network could be different for every media consumer.There is information on recipes and ways to cook. There is persuasion on what is healthy to eat as well what kind of food to eat, based on what stars have chosen in contests and advertisements. There is much more entertainment in the new competitions, and reality T. V. based programing. This Analysis of the Food Network channel has taught me a lot about mass communication and the effect a simple genre can have on a mass amount of media consumers. Even if it's Just the simple content of food and no violent or sexual behavior the effectiveness can still be significantly structured.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

What are the most important stratgic of quality mangent Research Paper

What are the most important stratgic of quality mangent - Research Paper Example Applying some tools of Total Quality Management is the secret of that successful. The most important strategies of Total Quality Management that should be established in the successful companies are quality circle, quality improvement team, quality of human resources, and employing the six sigma as one of the strategies. First understanding and employing quality circle drive companies to success. The order of quality circle that will be following is starting from main management of the company through employees, product or service, and customer which ending in the company by getting higher income. First of all, employees are vital part of the companies since they are the people who are working to provide the service or production of the product. Only if the company has good employees, will it success. That is the reason of the hiring employee into the quality circle which will be the way of driving organization to success. According to Berry (1991), Managing the Total Quality Transformation, by the quality circle the employees should be wishful to share within the higher planning of Total Quality Management since their effort will be spent on, also staff will be more productively. That shows staff will be working with high quality in their work environment, if they participated in their department p lan because they will spend their energy and time on it. Secondly, customer satisfaction is the only logical method to maintain the high level of progress and success in companies. If the company won the customer satisfaction which could be achieved by the quality circle, that will be reflected on the increase in production and in their income. Which means itll have the opportunity to achieve a high percentage of sales and to widening the scope of the customer. According to Nocero (2002), in his article â€Å"Seal of Approval† customer could control cost of products or services by their satisfaction. Therefore, the

Friday, September 27, 2019

Diverse Abilities - Asperger's syndrome Research Paper

Diverse Abilities - Asperger's syndrome - Research Paper Example Moreover, it views inclusion as an avenue for advocating equality among learners with varied backgrounds. Hence, educators must possess the necessary knowledge and skills in teaching children with AS. There is also a need for collaboration with specialists, professionals, other teachers, administrators, and parents. There is a need for preparedness since there are several challenges to be considered. Fortunately, there are techniques and suggestions that can aid the teacher in creating an inclusive atmosphere. Report Introduction Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) was first explained in 1944. Hans Asperger was an Austrian pediatrician. However, AS was better known in the 1990s when researchers like Uta Frith, Lorna Wing, and Tony Attwood brought it to international interest. In 1994, it became standardized as a diagnosis. It is categorized under Pervasive Developmental Disorders in the DSM- IV. However, there are still doubts regarding its difference from high functioning autism or HFA (Holliday, 1999). â€Å"Asperger’s syndrome is a developmental disorder resulting in impairment in social interaction, communication skills and restrictive interests. The disorder can also include motor clumsiness and problems with handwriting and being hypersensitive to specific auditory and tactile experiences. There can also be problems with organizational and time management skills and explaining thoughts and ideas using speech† (Attwood, 1998, p.15). This syndrome may manifest in a child’s certain developmental stage. There is usually a decline of improvement before age 22. An individual with AS has delays in his socialization and communication skills. In particular, a 7-year-old child with AS faces various challenges such as: hypersensitivity in simple acts like shaking hands, difficulty in making friends, having some problems in school work like writing, arithmetic, as well as staying in the proper line, and carrying a conversation with someone. Many indi viduals could also be misdiagnosed or go undiagnosed since the symptoms are closely related to other kinds of disorders. According to Goble (1995), most students with AS are in regular setting classrooms and continue with their education with no professional help. Bauer (1996) also states that many are mistaken to have ADHD since a number of their characteristics are quite similar (Carrington & Graham, 1999). For example, both of these disorders have symptoms like difficulty in relating with others, delay in motor skills, and tantrums. Asperger’s has been known as â€Å"high functioning autism.† It is one of the disorders of the autism spectrum (Allen & Johnson, 2011). It has particular characteristics which may or may not manifest in all individuals. Since AS affects the nervous system, there could be challenges across the different dimensions. This business card of an individual with AS will let anyone know the essential information about the syndrome: â€Å"I have Asperger’s Syndrome, a neurobiological disorder that sometimes makes it difficult for me to speak and act calmly and rationally. If I have given you this card, it probably means I think I am acting in a way that might be disturbing to you. In short, Asperger’s Syndrome can make it difficult for me to: speak slowly, refrain from interrupting, and control my hand movements and my blinking. It also makes it hard for me to follow your thoughts so that

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Rhetorical analysis for a TV commercial Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Rhetorical analysis for a TV commercial - Essay Example But for somebody who did not live in America and did not experience the fear of terror when the country was attacked, one can only empathize and be sensitive to what they went through. This is important to mention in this rhetorical analysis because this is the context of which the information advertisement was made. Ethos is the use of credibility and/or authority in making the message effective of an advertisement, speech or anything that a person would like to convey. Ethos removes the barrier of resistance and doubt among the audience of a message because they believe the person or institution who is giving the message. In the advertisement or information campaign, it is the US government who is giving the information through the Department of Homeland Security. The US government being credible among its citizen, it follows then that the commercial of Department of Homeland Security will be credible among the audience. The use of authority by mentioning the institution who provide the advertisement is also added by the way the clip was made. It is consistent with how law enforcements warns the people or guide them on what to do during a situation. It only asked to report anything suspicious because not all suspicious things are and thus made the clip very credible. Logos is the use of reason or logic to support the claim. This can be done either by making a good point or mentioning studies or statistics to support a message that would make it credible. In the clip, the logos or logic of the advertisement has to be read between the lines and one has to understand the bigger context of the video was made. It was made with the understanding that if one will not report what they see, then the government will not have an idea of the threats that are happening and that, terrorism might again attack them. It was not explained verbally why people has to report suspicious behavior but the people who will see the clip will

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

The Updated Financial Development And Structure Database Research Paper

The Updated Financial Development And Structure Database - Research Paper Example The change of the technical platform resulted in back and forth arguments that put the marketplace into uncertainty (Fletcher, 2011). 11 In the month of October 2009, LSE indicated that they were planning to acquire a different trading platform called Turquoise Trading. The targeted trading facility enjoyed a stronger technical system, which was already renowned in the financial marketplace (Fletcher, 2011). Turquoise trading was operated on a stronger technological platform than the LSE. In the same period, LSE faced a technical challenge in the data management system, which led to a one-hour outage (Collett, 2004). Although one hour is such a short period, for investors in the financial markets it means lifetime. LSE also faced another challenge when a server software malfunction stopped trading activities in the same year. 11 The celebration that globalization and technological advancement have expanded the financial markets has received criticism because they have also presented the diverse crisis to the industry (Esqueda, Assef, and Mollick, 2012). Critics argue that much as they have enhanced efficiency, liquidity, and integrity they have been responsible for some unexplained disruptions in the marketplace. First, advancements in technology and globalization may lead to corruption of information through loss or theft. Secondly, whether intentional or intentional, the failure of technical frameworks and unchecked global interactions in the financial markets can present major setbacks. Given the evidence provided, it is clear that advancement in technology and subsequent globalization may have detrimental effects on the financial markets. 12 A strong financial environment promotes economic growth in any state. The financial market also plays a critical role in the economic environment since it enables major firms to obtain funds for facilitating investments.

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Malnourishment Research Project Overview Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Malnourishment Research Project Overview - Essay Example Political and social factors are attributed in the growing concern about overnutrition It is a misconception that first world countries or economically-progressive countries are capable of having luxurious ways of living and as a result this leads to the citizens having poor diets and exercise deficiency. America is considered as the fast-food nation. The reasons are very much obvious. Statistics show that every twenty four hours, there is at least one American out of four who eats fast food. Their main reason is that fast food eating is very convenient and a cheap option. (Levinstein, 2003) The overnutrition rates in the second and third world countries are almost at the same levels as the rates of the developed countries. Economic stability has nothing to do with the prevalence of o overnutrition. The second and third world countries show the presence of malnourished citizens but they also have cases of obesity or overnutrition. Changes in the rates of overnutrition in different countries can be due to several factors. This may be due to societal changes such as greater food consumption and genetic adaptations that impact metabolism. Therefore, lifestyle and technological changes have adverse effects with the nutrition of the people. In the book entitled Competitive Advantage by Jaynie Smith, she stated that there is an increasing need for people to eat healthy food. Since fast-foods are their usual first option for getting access to ready food, the fast foods have to think of new ways and strategies to offer healthy food options that will not prevent any potential or existing customer from buying food from them due to lack of healthy foods available. (Fjellstrom, 2004) Fastfood chains and restaurants do not only have the responsibility to address marketing needs for they also have the obligation to address their moral responsibility to their customers by helping them live healthy lives with the

Monday, September 23, 2019

Legalization of Marijuana in the USA Research Paper

Legalization of Marijuana in the USA - Research Paper Example Firstly, it is the drug’s therapeutic effect and a range of implications that make it so valuable. Using cannabis for medical purposes is nothing new. Indeed, the first written references of its medical usage date back more than five thousand years ago. THC in marijuana helps to relieve pain, reduce nausea and promote appetite. In 2010, the Congressional Research Service report indicated that marijuana has positive effects on patients with chronic diseases. In Michigan, for instance, cannabis is used in the treatment of glaucoma and hepatitis C, while in Rhode Island physicians prescribe it for patients with HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis, and cancer. Medical marijuana is highly applicable to relieving various disease-related disorders such as muscle spasticity, nausea, anxiety, and chronic pain. Moreover, marijuana is not as addictive as one might believe. In fact, only 9% of marijuana users become addicted, compared to 15% alcohol drinkers and 32% smokers (Welsh). Secondly, ke eping marijuana illegal is expensive. It is hard to believe, but current marijuana policies cost taxpayers as much as 42 billion dollars per year (Hardy). For instance, Utah laws state that possession of an ounce of cannabis and less can lead to six months in jail. The laws also enforce taxpayers to cover expenses for every individual who is imprisoned for the use, possession, or distribution of marijuana. As it has been estimated in a Harvard study, nearly 7 billion dollars are spent annually on catching marijuana offenders (Miron). On the contrary, if cannabis were legalized and taxed like other commercial goods, the federal government would receive huge amounts of money that then could be used for other important social needs. Overall, the tax revenues drawn from marijuana would exceed 8 billion dollars annually if taxed like alcohol or tobacco (Fairchild). Furthermore, legalization of marijuana would boost the emergence of a highly lucrative industry and create job opportunities .

Sunday, September 22, 2019

The Language of Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

The Language of Leadership - Essay Example There are five appropriate methods of ensuring that the organization’s workforce harmoniously undertakes the tasks in accordance to the set rules and regulations, and in the absence of coercion. Modern leaders should serve as the center nerve of distributing favorable prepositions to the entire organization. Through the sharing of objectives, leaders set an equated and united organizations as the subjects realize their equated importance and choose to work in teamwork (Kadalie, 2006). Therefore, leaders may apply the collaboration and sharing techniques to ensure teamwork and united performances of tasks in a friendly environment. These variables shall eventually serve to ensure that all performances interrelate directly to the leader’s vision of the organization (Schmid, 2009). Other factors that leaders may use in ensuring that leaders may use to recognize talents of the others include democratic, and dispersed approaches whereby the subjects are able to express their feelings and propose the various methods that they feel as appropriate in undertaking specific tasks. Lastly, leaders may use the dispersion techniques to stimulate integration and the realization of talents amongst his subjects in the organization (Halpern, & Lubar, 2003). Mainly, a leader serves as integral in stimulating performances to excellence and ensuring that all their

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Need for collaborative projects in business courses Essay Example for Free

Need for collaborative projects in business courses Essay Group projects are integral to the business curriculum and can be useful in developing students skills and abilities as managers. However, faculty encounter several problems with group projects, including assessing students efforts, aiding good communication and coordination among members, and making sure the project is a truly collaborative effort. Technology may aid in addressing these problems; electronic discussion boards and chat rooms, for example, can help faculty and students enhance collaboration and increase the accountability of group members. Keywords: Discussion boards, chat rooms, collaborative learning, student projects INCREASED GLOBAL COMPETITION and other changes in the business environment over the last several years have led organizations to restructure themselves. One aspect of that restructuring is a shifting of responsibility and decision making downward and a movement toward self-directed work teams (Cohen, 1993). To prepare students to thrive in this environment, we obviously need to teach them effective teamwork and communication skills. This article describes two tools that can help accomplish this task, the electronic discussion board and the chat room. These can foster interdependence in group projects and deeper, active learning. First, we discuss the need for and benefits of collaborative projects, the problems of group work, and the role of technology in such projects. We then provide recommendations for incorporating these electronic tools in business communication classes. Need for Collaborative Projects in Business Courses. As many researchers have noted, the structural shift towards teams occurring in many organizations should be reflected in the classroom (Bobbitt, Inks, Kemp, Mayo, 2000). Using groups in class thus prepares students to work collaboratively in the business environment while promoting collaborative learning in the classroom itself. The first benefit of group work in the classroom is that it teaches students how to work collaboratively in the business environment. Business organizations repeatedly indicate that the increased use of teams in the real world has increased students need for exposure and experience with teams (Buckenmyer, 2000). Companies that use teams creatively spend many hours and dollars training individuals to work in teams and training managers to manage teams. Through working in groups, students can enhance their abilities in setting goals, delegating work, and dealing with conflict (Colbeck, Campbell, Bjorklund, 2000). They can also improve their communication, leadership, problem solving, and technical skills. All of these skills are highly rated by recruiters and employers and will help graduates meet the demands and rigors of the workplace (McNally, 1994). The second benefit of group work is that these projects promote collaborative learning. University educators have embraced cooperative learning methods as ways to engage students and to foster cooperation (Ravenscroft, 1997). Researchers have found that the values of Generation X are highly individualistic, visually-oriented, and aligned with information technology, not with the sharing of information (Buckenmyer, 2000). Thus, group course projects, with proper guidance, can help these students learn to deal effectively with others. Group work learning can be an excellent way of encouraging the development of higher cognitive skills in students (Thorley Gregory, 1994) and can be effective even for relatively quiet group members. When groups work well, students consistently fare better in class, on tests, and in attitudes towards the instructor and each other (Jones Brickner, 1996). The quality of learning is improved by peer support, with students gaining experience in communication, negotiation, organization, and task management. Cooperative methods have been recognized as effective ways to motivate students to become actively involved in learning. The collaborative group project creates a forum that allows students to take an active approach towards their own education. The security of working within a group provides an excellent entree into the progression to independent and autonomous learning (Maguire Edmondson, 2001). Problems with Group Projects The many benefits of collaborative projects, however, are often offset by problems. First, a common problem is the failure of the group to work together effectively. Students may exert an individual effort but are unable to coordinate their efforts effectively with their group members to achieve any kind of synergistic benefits (Tullar, Kaiser, Balthazard, 1998). Group members need to be contributing their ideas, questioning and learning from each other, and building on the efforts of the other members. For collaborative learning to occur, students must coordinate the diverse skills and abilities of their group members to address a complex task (Tullar et al. , 1998). A second problem is that often group members simply divide a project so that each individual writes a portion. Then, just before the project is due, the students bring in their disks and combine files without coordinating their efforts or talents effectively. Third, group work often leads to unequal contributions of members, resulting in hitchhikers and workhorses (Cottell Millis, 1993). These hitchhikers, also called free riders and social loafers, can cause problems in the workflow of the group, as they do not do their fair share. Members of the group have difficulty addressing the free-rider problem and documenting the problem and their efforts to solve it (Gremler, Hoffman, Keaveney, Wright, 2000). The issue becomes one students word against anothers as the teacher tries to determine fair individual grades. Finally, group projects are often assigned without the allocation of class time for groups to develop cooperative skills or to become cohesive (Michaelsen, 1992). There is limited time in class to discuss both the needed topics and the mechanics of group management. In many cases, groups meet on evenings and weekends when faculty members are not available for assistance. Additionally, many group members are geographically and temporally dispersed, which makes organizing face-to-face group meetings difficult. The Role of Technology in Enhancing Collaborative Learning Active and cooperative learning approaches will be counterproductive unless they are thoughtfully implemented and well supported. Communication tools like discussion boards and chat rooms can be effective in inter-team collaboration as well as in faculty-student communication. These tools can help ease the problems discussed in the previous section. By solving these problems with technology, faculty can address three learning goals: empowering students, improving their communication skills, and developing their ability to work collaboratively. Finally, these technological communication tools offer teaching opportunities by allowing faculty to be more accessible to students and to track students efforts better. Addressing Group Project Problems Internet-based tools can be a tremendous help in coordinating team efforts, particularly when the team is geographically (whether by a few miles or a few thousand miles) or temporally dispersed (Kaiser, Tullar, McKowen, 2000). With technology, groups can meet either synchronously, using chat rooms, or asynchronously, using threaded discussion boards, in which group members contribute to the group discussion at times convenient to their schedules over a defined time period. These tools enable everyone in the group to talk at the same time or at their convenience by typing their comments into the forum that instantly distributes their comments. Additionally, strong personalities have greater difficulty dominating the group as everyone has equal access to the floor. Students may feel more comfortable presenting ideas this way than in a face-to-face meeting, and the quality and professionalism of their ideas may be higher, knowing that their participation is being monitored. The discussion forum also gives all students ample time for reflection so students responses are often more thoughtful than those in face-to-face situations. Studies have illustrated this level of increased and more evenly distributed participation from students in computer-supported groups (Tullar et al. , 1998). Addressing Learning Goals Projects provide opportunities for experiential learning, that is, students apply what they have learned to real-world situations and thus develop decision-making skills. But in doing so, projects often produce anxiety as students struggle to determine what answer the instructor wants. However, with these projects, whether it be a case, a report of a business issue, or a business plan, faculty are typically not searching for one right answer, but rather are concerned with the process that students use in solving problems. Teaching students to ask the right questions is thought to be more important than giving students the right answers. In the real world, there is neither one right answer nor is there a sage on a stage that can direct students to the right answer. Students need to learn how to find and to support the answers for themselves. The use of electronic discussion boards and chat rooms can aid student learning in the struggle through the project process. Thus, three learning goals can be addressed through the use of electronic discussion boards and chat rooms with experiential group projects: (1) empowering students to become active participants in their learning, (2) increasing students communication skills in describing and solving problems, and (3) enhancing students abilities to collaborate and work with others in developing their own resources in solving problems. To achieve these goals, education must involve interactivity among instructors, students, and the materials, and electronic discussion boards and chat rooms can enrich that interactivity. Providing Additional Teaching Opportunities Another advantage of these tools is the opportunity for faculty to participate in the discussions and e-mails. Faculty can use these tools to demonstrate concern for students and to provide additional accessibility and feedback. In fact, the transactional distance encourages faculty to maintain a facilitative role rather than an authoritative role (Moore, 1993). Finally, these tools make it easier for faculty and students to keep track of what everyone has said as there is a written record (Kaiser et al. , 2000). Students have the opportunity to reorganize and reshape their understanding of course content. The Web-based tools allow thoughts to be captured for future examination, elaboration, and extension. The end result is usually more robust and thoughtful discussions. In fact, threaded discussions can extend the time that both instructors and students invest in the course (Bruce Hwang, 2001). Recommendations for Using These Tools Many universities are starting to use various computer course tools or platforms to promote online learning. These platforms, such as BlackBoard or WebCT, can be used to design either Web-based or Web-assisted courses. For several years, we have used discussion groups and chat rooms in Web-based classes but have also found that communication can be enhanced in traditional classes through use of these tools. Since more business organizations are using electronic tools, such as Lotus Notes, to facilitate group meetings, using them in the classroom helps students further prepare for their careers. However, the wise faculty member will be advised that these tools should be used judiciously. Therefore, based on our experience, the following suggestions are made to faculty who are considering the use of Web-based tools. Discussion Boards Instructors and students can compose and post messages electronically on electronic discussion boards. Both public and private discussion forums can be implemented. With many computing platforms, such as WebCT, faculty can set up public forums to start threaded discussions for the class to which the students can respond electronically. Students can use these public forums to post questions to which the entire class can respond, such as for help in finding information for the project. A project normally seems easier when the instructor is discussing it in class and few questions arise. However, students questions occasionally occur after class or on weekends. The discussion board allows the opportunity for students to post problems asynchronously and to receive input from the class. The burden is no longer on the instructor to solve every problem as it occurs but is on the students to work with each other as well as with the instructor in solving problems. This is a tremendous lesson for students to learn to deal with problem solving in the real world. When an employer gives an employee a project or task to do, he/she expects the employee to do it on his/her own and not ask for assistance from the employer every step of the way. Students have to learn to be problem solvers on their own, and the use of electronic discussion boards helps develop that skill. The professors role is to help get the conversation started. For example, the instructor can post a question on the public project discussion board asking at which sites people are having success finding information for the project. The students can then respond. Those students who respond in a useful manner will be rewarded, such as with a participation grade. Those students or groups who do not respond can be asked on the discussion board for their input. When students see the progress other students are making, they may be spurred to work harder. Additionally, the faculty need to check the discussion board frequently to see if any misinformation is being spread, to ensure netiquette is being practiced, and to restart the conversation as needed. Finally, faculty can take questions that the students ask individually and request that the students post them on the discussion board. In that way the instructor only has to respond once, and similar inquiries can then be referred to that response. This will eve ntually build a culture in the class where the instructor is not seen as the sole source for information, and the students learn to work with each other in solving problems. Additionally, instructors can create private forums to be used to divide students into groups for class exercises or for the use of asynchronous coordination of group projects in which group members cannot all meet at the same time. The instructor can visit these public and private forums to track group progress, to encourage students to help each other to solve problems, and to provide assistance as needed after the students have tried first on their own. In the private group forums, the students are encouraged to use the board to organize group meetings, to post their research findings, and to post drafts of their work for their group members to see and make comments. The professor can encourage individual group members to post their contributions to the paper to the private forum for the other members to see and post suggestions. This would increase group collaboration in a manner that can be documented. After the group has collaborated on a draft of the project, the instructor can offer suggestions. Finally, instructors should consider requiring the groups to post progress reports on their efforts periodically during the term. These progress reports describe what the group has accomplished, what the groups plans are, if there are any problems, and if there are, how they are being addressed. The instructor should provide guidelines as to what the groups should have accomplished by the progress report dates so the students can determine if they are on track. While these reports could be submitted on paper, doing it through the discussion board makes it easier for group members to be aware of what has been submitted. Chat Rooms. With chat rooms, students can meet electronically at the same time no matter where they are, as long as they have Internet access. Each group can have its own chat room, with the instructor joining in from home or office in one of several ways. The group can meet first and then have a designated time when the instructor logs in to answer questions. The instructor can leave when the questions are answered or give the group time to discuss among themselves and then check back later. For project work, it is important that instructors periodically meet with student groups to answer questions, address problems, and provide guidance. The chat room may be a useful tool in meeting with students out of class. The students can meet with the instructor for a practice chat to get the students comfortable with the technology. The instructor can request that the groups meet with him/her several times during the term to discuss their progress. These meetings can be either in the office during office hours or during designated chat office hours, such as on Sunday nights when the instructor is at home. With traditional classes, groups should have the option to meet in person with the professor, particularly early on in the project. For those students who cannot come during office hours, the chat room provides an excellent way to interact, although instructors may want to set clear boundaries or specific hours for when they are willing to meet in the chat room. When the instructor is meeting with groups via chat, patience is needed. It can be confusing when everyone is typing in questions. While the instructor prepares an answer to one question, several more students questions can appear. The instructor needs to make it clear that he/she will discuss questions in the order in which they appear. On the other hand, there may be times when the chat room is silent while the students are preparing their questions. The instructor may want to prompt to see if there are any other questions but should give the students some time if needed. Finally, no one should log off until everyone has finished. Someone may be in the middle of preparing something to post and the silence is seen as the end of the session, or someone may have left the room for a minute and has come back to find an empty chat room. Therefore, a practice chat session may be helpful with these issues. Grading Student Use of Discussion Boards and Chat Rooms Grading student responses in both the discussion forum and chat room can present challenges. Many times there may be a group grade for a project that is then adjusted for the individual students grade base on his/her contribution to the groups project. Additionally, students may be individually graded for their participation in the course. Some students will initially shy away from using the discussion board, as they would prefer to do things the way they always have and do not want to learn a new technology. Other students, particularly those who are too shy to speak up in class, may welcome this new opportunity. It is up to the instructor to provide the incentive to become involved. While a positive attitude may help the instructor in encouraging students, making posts part of their grade, such as a portion of their participation grade, probably ensures the best results. Instructor can grade the posting on several issues: clarity of thought/grammer, quality of comments/critical thinking, and usefulness/participation in responding to other posts. In evaluating the group projects to determine individual grades, instructors often have students submit group evaluations. The information on these evaluations can be substantiated or compared to what has occurred on the groups private discussion forum and what has been documented in the progress posts. If a group member is not contribution, it is the responsibility of the group to communicate this the instructor and to attempt to deal with the problem before the final project is submitted. The use of the discussion board and chat room can be a tremendous help in tracking a groups activities. This puts more responsibility on the students to document and address the issues before it is too late. It also aids instructors in making fairer assessments of individual efforts. To better manage the communication tools, instructors should set up clear guidelines for grading, such as describing how many new posts and response posts are required per week, as well as how often the students are expected to check the discussion board. For example, the professor may want each group to submit a bi-weekly progress report on its project. The instructor may also want to review netiquette as well as set limits as to how many posts students can make on public forums to avoid overwhelming the discussion board. The instructor needs to stress that it is the quality of the posts and not the quantity that counts and provide students with feedback to encourage its proper use. Finally, the instructor can also utilize student management tools that are included in the computing platforms like WebCT to determine when and how many posts the students are making. Additionally, search commands can be used to find all the posts one student has made in order to track an individual students progress. Conclusion Teamwork and group meetings are entrenched elements of an increasingly global environment. As a result, business faculty must prepare their students, as future managers, to collaborate with groups effectively. Electronic meeting tools, such as discussion boards and chat rooms, can play a key role in that training. These tools can enhance and empower student learning and collaboration as well as increase communication and problem solving skills. By collaborating more effectively in school, students will be better prepared to collaborate effectively in the workplace (Kaiser et al. , 2000). These tools also offer additional teaching benefits. They are very useful in documenting student effort and accountability for fair contribution. They also provide a means for faculty to be conveniently accessible and to provide feedback outside of class time. Additionally, electronic tools help students learn to develop their own resources. These tools then can be a tremendous aid for faculty to address group project problems, to help their students achieve learning goals, and to provide additional teaching opportunities to interact with their students. Thus, by using electronic discussion boards and chat rooms, such as with group projects, faculty can effectively enhance their students collaborative learning. References Bobbitt, L. M. , Inks, S. A. , Kemp, K. J. , Mayo, D. T. (2000). Integrating marketing courses to enhance team-based experiential learning. Journal of Marketing Education, 22(1), 15-24. Bruce, S. M. , Hwang, T. T. (2001). Web-based teacher preparation in visual impairment: Course development, teaching, learning and quality assurance. Journal of Visual Impairment Blindness, 95(10), 609-622. Buckenmyer, J. A. (2000). Using teams for class activities: Making course/classroom teams work. Journal of Education for Business, 76(2), 98-107. Cohen, G. (1993). New approaches to teams and teamwork. In J. R. Galbraith E. E. Lawler, III (Eds. ). Organizing for the future (pp. 194-226). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Colbeck, C. L. , Campbell, S. E. , Bjorklund, S. A. (2000, January/February). Grouping in the dark: What college students learn from group projects. The Journal of Higher Education, 71(1), 60-83. Cottell, P. G. Millis, B. (1993, Spring). Cooperative learning structures in the instruction of accounting. Issues in Accounting Education, 8, 40-59. Gremler, D. D. , Hoffman, K. D. , Keaveney, S. M. , Wright, L. K. (2000). Experiential learning exercises in services marketing courses. Journal of Marketing Education, 22(1), 35-44. Jones, J. D. , Brickner, D. (1996). Implementation of cooperative learning in a large-enrollment basic mechanics class. ASEE Annual Conference Proceedings [CD-Rom]. Kaiser, P. R. , Tuller, W. L, McKowen, D. (2000). Student team projects by Internet. Business Communication Quarterly, 63(4), 75-82. Maguire, S. , Edmondson, S. (2001). Student evaluation and assessment of group projects. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 25(2), 209-217. McNally, J. (1994). Working in groups and teams. In L. Thorley R. Gregory (Eds. ). Using group-based learning in higher education (pp. 113-120). London: Kogan Page. Michaelsen, L. K. (1992). Team learning: A comprehensive approach for harnessing the power of small groups in higher education. To Improve the Academy, 11, 107-122. Moore, M. (1993). Theory of transactional distance. In D. Keegan (Ed. ). Theoretical principles of distance education (pp. 22-38). New York: Rutledge. Ravenscroft, S. P. (1997). In support of cooperative learning. Issues in Accounting Education, 12(1), 187-190. Reeves, T. (1996). Relevant readings. Technology in teacher education: From electronic tutor to cognitive tool. Action in Teacher Education, 27(4), 74-78. Thorley, L. , Gregory, R. (Eds. ) (1994). Using Group-based Learning in Higher Education. London: Kogan Page. Tullar, W. L. , Kaiser, P. R. , Balthazard, P. A. (1998). Group work and electronic meeting systems: From boardroom to classroom. Business Communication Quarterly, 61(4), 53-65. Address correspondence to Jacqueline K. Eastman, Department of Marketing/Economics, College of Business Administration, Valdosta State University, Valdosta GA 31698 (e-mail: [emailprotected] edu).

Friday, September 20, 2019

Lung Cancer: Symptoms, Treatment and Literature

Lung Cancer: Symptoms, Treatment and Literature Introduction According to Cancer research UK lung cancer is a rapid and uncontrol proliferation of cells that may start in trachea, bronchioles or pulmonary tissue (Cancerresearchuk.org, 2017). It is broadly classified into Non-Small Cellular lung cancer (NSCLC) type and small cellular lung cancer (SCLC). Additionally, NSCLC is further subdivided into the squamous cell, adenocarcinoma, large cell carcinoma and undifferentiated NSCLC (Travis et al., 2015). Clinically both types are presented with similar symptoms (prolong cough, thoracically lymph node enlargement), and typical X-ray image (shadows with define outline). However, a specialized distinction can be done with the help of biopsy and genotypic analysis (Hoffman, Mauer and Vokes, 2000). Current literature analysis will focus on epidemiological features, clinical features, and available treatment options, as well as highlight gaps in the lung cancer understanding. According to Cancer Research UKs statistical data, lung cancer accounts for 13% of all causes in the UK. In addition, 22% of all cancer death is attributed to lung cancer, with 23% of all male cancers and 21% female. Additional examination shows that SCLC accounts for 12% of all lung cancers and NSCLC for 87%, with adenocarcinoma as a most common type (Cancer Research UK, 2017). Major cause of lung cancer is the tobacco consumption. The US statistics supports this notion, indicating that 90% of all lung cancer death in men and 80% of cases in women are caused by tobacco consumption (Szklo, 2001). Apart from environmental factors, there are individual genetic and epigenetic traits, which will alter lung cancer susceptibility. For example, according to meta-analysis data, having causes of lung cancer in family attributes to 1.7 fold increase in cancer development, with an additional increase if two or more relatives were affected (Lissowska et al., 2010). Studies identified DNA methylation markers, in cell cycle regulatory and repair genes. Specifically, significant changes in methylation patterns occurred in   BNC1, MSX1, CCNA1,p16, LOX genes in comparison to non-malignant cells (Licchesi et al., 2008). There are multiple classifications which allow identifying a lung cancer stage. However, the current essay will focus on two mainstream classifications by American Joint Community of Cancer (AJCC) (Goldstraw and Crowley, 2006) and Veterans Administration Lung Study Group (VALSG) (Zelen, 1973) which are based on clinical and pathological examination. SCLC According to International Association of Lung cancer, the TNM classification is recommended for classification of patients with SCLC. Current 7h edition of the AJCC manual identifies three major criterias: T (TX-T4) local cancer spread; N (NX-N3) metastatic involvement of lymph nodes; M (M0-M1)- presence or absence of metastasis (classification check online). With grouping, SCLC causes into four stages (Table 1)( (Egner, 2010). However, TNM classification is not widely used in clinical practice, in comparison to VALSG classification (Zelen, 1973. Which divides SCLC into limited stage (encapsulated) and extensive stage ( local spread of tumor).   Adaptation of the TNF was supported by a study involved 8000 patients worldwide, which pointed out limitations of VALSG. (Shepherd et al., 2007). Allowing to conclude that stratification of patients based on tumor encapsulation only does not accurately represent the patients prognostic outcomes. Overall, SCLC has a poor prognosis with su rvival rates up to 4 months without treatment (Foster et al., 2009). A major prognostic factor per TNM is the local disease spread, with metastasis as a critical factor for stage rectification. Thus, median survival for treated patients with Stage I-III disease progression is around 15-20 month with around 20% chance for 2 years survival. On the other hand, Stage IV of the disease is attributed to 8-13-month survival and only 5% survival up to 2 years (Lally et al., 2007). NSCLC Staging of NSCLC is fully regulated by the AJCC classification and divided into four stages. It has similar principles of TNM division mentioned above, with some prognostic adaptations (Egner, 2010). Specifically, variations within tumor size (T), are associated with decreased survival rates, for instance, primary tumor with diameter 2cm (53%), 3 cm (47%), 5cm (43%), more than 7cm (26%) (Rami-Porta et al., 2007). Lymphatic nodule involvement is a debatable topic due to a large degree of variability in classifications, but TNM staging attributes to worsening of the disease outcome (Rusch et al., 2009). Lastly, metastatic involvement is considered as the Stage 4 of the disease with average 8-month survival rate (Postmus et al., 2007). However, in addition to AJCC classification, it is important to take into account patient related factors such as gender, comorbidity, and age; environmental factors like nutrition and quality of treatment (Gospodarowicz and OSullivan, 2003). Last stateme nts are not strictly limited to NSCLC as similar variables may cause changes in SCLC patients. Treatment for SCLC Standard of care for the extensive stage of the disease during the SCLC will be chemotherapy treatment. Usually, first line treatment will include six cycles of etoposide with cisplatin or carboplatin. Meta-analysis data on this topic is controversial, with no specific recommendations given by the authors about any of the benefits of the treatment (Galetta et al., 2000; Mascaux et al., 2000). A possible explanation was based on the toxicity of cisplatin or inconsistency in patient number in the control arm of the trials (Amarasena et al., 2015). In addition, second set of meta-analysis data, six drug trials with 1476 patients in total, identified irinotecan and platinum as a viable combination for treatment of Stage IV of the SCLC (Jiang et al., 2010). Indicating the lesser amount of off-target effects ( less anemia, thrombocytopenia), and increase in overall survival rates. Thus, patients who are falling into the first line treatment regimen should result in overall response rate mo re than 20 %, and maintain therapy-related mortality as low as 5%. Knowing the limits of chemotherapy, the second line of drugs for SCLC is in development. Possible target therapies include: inhibitors of cell proliferative signaling pathways ( c-Kit, Src, EGFR, m-TOR etc.); angiogenesis ( VEGFR, VEGF); promoters of apoptosis ( Bcl-2, HDAC); immunotherapy and vaccines (CD56, p53); multidrug resistance (P-glycoprotein, MDR-1). It is important to indicate that most of the second line treatments are at the stage of development and majority of them does not show significant results.   For instance, Imatinib did not show any significant response from patients in phase II trial as single drug moderate dose (600 mg daily) or high dose (400mgx2 day) therapy (Johnson et al., 2003) Similar apoptosis regulators with specific Bcl-2 regulates, like Oblimersen, did not show significant results in a clinical trial against a placebo group, despite promising data in the pre-clinical validation (Rudin et al., 2008). Better outcomes can be seen in angiogenesis studies with bevacizumab, monoclonal antibody for VEGF-A receptor, maintenance therapy, phase II clinical trials, with combination with chemotherapy, showed 80% response rate, with 58 % chance of two years progressive free survival (Patton et al., 2006). Treatment for the NSCLC Despite the mainstream therapy with platinum compounds as first line drugs, and signaling pathway, immunotherapy drugs as a second line therapy. Additional surgical intervention can be applied on initial stages of cancer. The main surgical procedure which is implemented in cancer treatment is the lung resection under the video-assisted thoracoscopic access (VATS lung resection). However, results are controversial with the improvement of 5 years survival outcome in 21 studies on one hand, and 1.6-time increase in post-surgical complications in 13 000 patients in the US (Gopaldas et al., 2010). Nonetheless, chemotherapy is the standard of care for stages III and IV. Multiple landmark trials have shaped the treatment plan for the first choice. Starting with the JMDB trial which included administration of pemetrexed with cisplatin or gemcitabine with cisplatin, with overall response rate(ORR) of 30.6% and 28.2% in order (Scagliotti et al., 2009). In addition, both combinations have similar 10.3-month survival rate. Second, ECOG 4599, for nonsquamous carcinomas with the administration of carboplatin/paclitaxel with bevacizumab and carboplatin/paclitaxel alone (Sandler et al., 2006). Study indicate ORR of 15% and 35 % for double combination vs single, with 12.3 months and 10.3-month survival, in the same order. Lastly, the study of IPASS compared carboplatin/paclitaxel against gefitinib with ORR 32% vs 43% in order (Mok et al., 2009). With progression-free survival index of 5.8 and 5.7 months for combination and single therapy. The addition of drugs altering signalling pathways was a promising approach. However, like SCLC trial, most of the NSCLC were not significant. With the exception of angiogenesis inhibition by bevacizumab, listed for first line therapy above, a monoclonal antibody for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Evidence of a large randomized trial supports the significant improvement in ORR (Wheatley-Price and Shepherd, 2008) Second line therapy for the NSCLC includes docetaxel, pemetrexed (nonsquamous cancers), and tyrosine kinase pathway inhibitors erlotinib and gefitinib. In detail, the trial of JMEL examines pemetrexsed and docetaxel, with 9.1% and 8.8% ORR in order, and median survival of both drugs of 8.1 months (Scagliotti et al., 2009). Next drug trial, INTEREST, compared gefitinib and docetaxel , with ORR of 9.1% and 7.6% respectively, and median survival 8.3 and 7.9 month for each drug, same order (Kim et al., 2008). Lastly, clinical trial of BR.21 compared Erlotinib with the placebo group, with ORR of 9% and 6.7-month survival for the TKI (Shepherd et al., 2005). The addition of TKI was verified with a large cohort of patients in the randomized trial, with the exceptional activity of the gefitinib in EGFR mutations (Douillard et al., 2010). Overall NSCLC treatment options are oriented on chemotherapeutic approach with platinum compounds with the addition of EGFR specific TKIs. Gaps in general lung cancer There several potential areas of improvement in current treatment and patient management strategies. Critical gaps in the lung cancer can be seen in delayed patient referrals, administration of first line treatment, undertreatment of old age patients, under-utilisation of palliative care, lack of psychosocial support for patients. The current essay will address first two topics in greater details. One of the major gaps in the lung cancer field is the delay in the patients referral to the specialized help. (Yurdakul et al., 2015) According to UK guidelines people with possible symptoms of lung cancer should be referred to the specialists not later than 2 weeks after first GP visit (Nice.org.uk, 2017). Unfortunately, that is not always the cause and some patients will not see the specialist at all during the disease progression. For instance, it is estimated that 11% of lung patients in Australia will not be able to reach specialized care due to the socioeconomic background or old age (Vinod et al., 2010). Additional studies identified more factors contributing to patients late referral, like 23% of UK lung cancer patients will be diagnosed only in the emergency department even though they have had multiple visits to GP and presented typical pulmonary symptoms (Barrett and Hamilton, 2008). Next area of improvement is the underutilization of potential curative (surgical,chemotherapy) treatments in lung cancer (Blinman et al., 2010). For instance, Netherland study group identified that more patients receive surgical treatment in the active teaching and high-class hospitals than distant (Wouters et al., 2010). On the other hand, Australian group has identified no difference in curative surgical operations between rural and central areas (Jiwa et al., 2010). Raising the question of countries treatment protocols and the need for standardization on the multi-national scale. In continuation, international guidelines for successful chemotherapy utilization are 73% for NSCLC and 93% for SCLC where each patient received at least one course of treatment (Jacob et al., 2010). However, combined data (NSCLC+SCLC) from the UK has dramatic differences , such as 21% for South East England and 20% for South East Scotland, so as the USA with 45% and Australia 30% (Jacob et al., 2010). Differences in numbers are attributed to variation in clinical judgments by a doctor, patient preferences and hospital preferences (Blinman et al., 2010). Thus, it is possible to assume that some patients do not receive any treatment. Statistical studies support this statement indicating that 19% of USA, 33% of Australian, 37% Scotland and 50% of Ireland patients does not get any treatment for lung cancer, even though some cases had a potential curative outcome. Lastly, from the perspective of novel medicinal treatment for pulmonary, it is vital to indicate difficulties associated with potential laboratory and clinical results. The general trend is observed with an adaptation of drugs from CML, breast cancer and colorectal cancers to the needs of lung cancer. However, most of the clinical trial are terminated due to the high toxicity of the drugs (Rudin et al., 2008) or absence of ORR (Johnson et al., 2003). Thus, based on available treatment options further development of monoclonal antibodies or glycoengineering of human-like antibodies seems a promising direction (Patton et al., 2006). In addition, implementation of EGFR related TKIs, erlotinib and gefitinib, seems a good research avenue, with a focus on mutational aspects in EGFR signaling pathway (Douillard et al., 2010; Shepherd et al., 2005). Case Analysis: Freedom of Speech Law Case Analysis: Freedom of Speech Law Case Analysis Research Project: Discuss in detail the basis of any challenges to Section. B and evaluate the Big Bad Bruces fans chances for success. Introduction Freedom of speech, association, political freedom and freedom of public places is common in most states and as such, many cases regarding these freedoms is common. According to the first amendment in the US Bill of Rights, the people have the right to assemble and to free speech. The Supreme Court has therefore provided a list of public places and spaces that expressive activities of right to speech and right to assembly can take place(Henry, 2009). Enthusiastic fans of Big Bad Bruce are planning a gathering at the Baltimore airport to welcome the rock star home and to show support for his candidacy. The Department of transportation in Maryland state owns and controls the Baltimore airportdenies this group of fans permission to gather citing Section B ofairports regulations that make it unlawful for any gathering that exceeds 30 people at any given time at the airport unless for travelling purposes.This paper discusses in details the basis of all challenges to Section B citing laws r egarding public gatherings in airports in Baltimore, Maryland and the United States. This paper also explores the success chances of Big Bad Bruces fans regarding their permission to hold their welcome-home gathering for the rock star. This paper begins with a case brief that gives a condensed and concise summary of the airport opinion and the legal rule of law that applies to the case. The paper then provides the case background including discussions of previously decided related cases using the actual court opinions of other legal cases and laws. The next section analyses the current and future implications of the case this section will discuss how the case is likely to affect current and future events and business laws using court opinions of other legal cases and publications. Also included in this case analysis research project is my personal opinion of the case. This will be based on legal rationale, principles, resources and other cases. The final section of this research paper will be the summary/conclusion of this case based on legal principles and facts. This paper examines how the Section B can be challenged based on the Federal laws and if the rock star’s fans have chances for success in the laws uit. Case brief This case analysis research paper is about Big Bad Bruce and his fans. The rock star is returning home to announce his running for a political office and 200 enthusiastic fans of Big Bad Bruce are planning a gathering at the Baltimore airport to welcome the rock star home and to show support for his candidacy. The enthusiastic fans of Big Bad Brucewere denied permission to gather at the Baltimore airport to welcome the rock star home and express their support for his candidacy. The gathering would involve 200 fans as well as a speech on political views by Bid Bad Bruce to the fans that will take 15 minutes. The Baltimore airport denied them permission for the gathering citing Section B of the airport regulations that technicallymake it unlawful for more than 30 people to gather anywhere in the airport unless they are gathering for travel related issues. According to the airport authorities, such a prohibition is intended to make the airport free of congestion and ensure that activiti es go uninterrupted (Maryland State Archives 2013). Following this decision, the fans are challenging Section B and want to gather at the airport in support of the rock star and welcome him home. The issues that arise in this case include whether Section B follows the First Amendment clause on regulations of the freedoms of speech, which includes political freedoms and freedom of association. Another issue that arises is whether Section B violates the First amendment. Case background Section B of Baltimore airport regulations prohibits any form of gathering of more than 30 people at the airport unless the gathering is travel related. In this case, several issues arise if the lawsuit goes to court. According to the first amendment of the US constitution, all fans that are US citizens have the freedom to speech including freedom of association and political freedoms. This means that the US government as well as the state governments should and must adhere to this first amendment. However, the said governments may and can dictate time, place and other restrictions on the protected speech through the 14th amendment of the constitution. The welcome gathering and political speech that the fans of Big Bad Bruce want to hold is of this nature. Saying so, the Department of Transportation in the stateregulates a public forum with reasonable time, space and other restrictions leaving an open end for communication regarding important government interests. Section B is however neutral as it is not specific to speech and so the rock star fans have the chance to challenge it as an overboard rule that allows no room for their speech related activity. Section B prohibits gathering outside the terminals and this makes the law unduly overboard as it restricts any form of gathering above 30 people anywhere in the airport. Some parts of the airport might be considered public forums but airports are generally held as not to be public forums even though they are property of the public. A similar case would be that of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISCON) v. Lee. In this case, the New York and New Jersey port authorities had put in place a regulation prohibiting solicitation of funds and distribution of literature at air port terminals. The ISCON alleged violation of the first amendment by the regulation(Stone, 1987). On this basis, all public gatherings in the airport can be banned by the concerned authority, which is the Department of Transportation in Maryland, of which it can prohibit the use of the ground for any speech related activity. This will happen if the Section B’s purpose is to ease congestion and promote smooth running of airport activities. There is no provision that enables a person to determine what conduct or activity is precisely prohibited. In this situation, the regulation is overboard as it forbids more conduct than what is considered necessary to achieve the main purpose of the regulation. A similar case would be that of Hague vs. CIO whereby a city official was allowed by an ordinance to decide whether an organization seeking to hold a gathering in public places in the city could do so. In this case, if the city official decided that the meeting would be a risk disturbance, then the request would have been rejected. The law in contention was also vague and overboard (Stone, 1987). Analysis of Current Implications of Case This case is challenging Section B in order to obtain access to the airport for the welcome-home gathering. It is also challenging the use of Section B as a means of contradicting the first amendment that guarantees freedom of speech including freedom of association and political freedom. The State of Marylands Department of Transportation denied the groups of fans permission to have a public gathering at the airport. If the court upholds this decision, it is going to affect current issues and business laws in different ways. First of all, the first amendment prohibits the US government and the states government from forbidding assembly and speech by imposing putting restraints. In The Hague v. CIO case, the Supreme Court upheld the freedom to assemble by siding with the CIO with its intended activity of peaceably distributing literature and organizing labor meetings .The Supreme Court therefore ruled in the CIO favor showing that the city ordinance violated the First Amendment. The government may limit speech or assembly only when the speech or assembly has a compelling interest like presenting a potential harm to the general public(Van William, 2003). Section B tends to violate this law as it prohibits public gathering of the rock star fans as well as his intended public speech. A regulation that limits space, time and manner of assembly or speech may be allowed in some instances mostly in security instances. In the case of Big Bad Bruce’s fans, Section B clearly violated the First Amendment act by prohibiting public gathering anywhere in the airport. Even though airports are not considered public spaces, they are still spaces that the public own. Since the purpose of this law is mainly to decongest the airport and enable smooth running of activities and operations, the fans had the right to assemble as long as they did not cause congestion or interfere with smooth operations of the airport(Van William, 2003). Analysis of Future Implications of Case Since its adoption, the First amendment with its fundamental freedoms of speech, religion, press, assembly and petition have been intensely debated. The US courts have interpreted these freedoms in various landmark cases hence setting the standards for these freedoms. The cases involving ISCON v. Lee, Hague v. CIO and now Big Bad Bruce’s Fans v. Baltimore Airport involve state and public office regulations that violate the First Amendment. However, airports are not considered public spaces even though the public owns and uses the airports. This case involving Big Bad Bruce raises a question on what public organizations the First Amendment applies. According to the US constitution, the First Amendment applies to all government levels including public offices and spaces. Even though courts cases have managed to limit the freedoms to assembly and speech in some instances, the First Amendment protects the citizens. Until another amendment or clause is added by the congress, the freedoms of speech and right to peaceably assemble still stand and the state will and shall protect these freedoms. The government may still limit assembly or speech based on the purpose or content of which standard it is difficult to meet. The public should note that the First Amendment does not specifically require the US and states governments to respond to petitions by citizens on the violation of the First Amendment (Emerson, 1963). Personal Opinion of Case It is clear that the First Amendment guarantees all US citizens the freedom of speech, association and political freedom. The first challenge on Section B would therefore be based on that the law is broad and vague. There is no provision that enables a person to determine what conduct or activity is precisely prohibited. In this situation, the regulation is overboard as it forbids more conduct than what is considered necessary to achieve the main purpose of the regulation. The purpose of â€Å"avoiding congestion at the airport† and â€Å"ensuring smooth airport operations† can therefore,be achieved with less restrictive means of enforcing a regulation(Garvey Schauer, 1996). The amendment also imposes restrictions regarding time, space or other manner of restrictions on the freedom of speech and requires that the right to association or assemble is done in a peaceful manner. The restrictions will however depend on whether the restriction restricts assembly or speech in a public or non-public forum. If the airport is a public space because the public owns and uses the place, then the government can have a restriction for the interest of the government and only if it allows alternative open cannel for communication. In this case, Section B is quite ambiguous and vague and so it is not clear if the purpose is to protect the interest of the government, which is a neutral content. In addition, it appears to restrict all forms of gatherings of more than 30 people unless the gathering is travel related. If the court rules that the restriction serves a neutral purpose, it should then specify if it is to promote an interest of the government. As it is stated in t he regulation, Section B seems to be putting up restrictions more than it is necessary to enable smooth operations of the airport; the neutral purpose is unlikely to be found. If the court also finds Section B to be tailored for the interest of the government, the court should also state whether an alternative open line of communication was provided for. Section B states that there should be no form of gathering â€Å"anywhere† in the airport including concourse, gates, parking lots and grassy knolls so it does not seem to promote a significant interest. Section B should therefore not be held as a valid regulation for a public office since it does not show any narrowly tailored interest and leaves no open channel for alternative communication(Henry, 2009). Summary/Conclusion of Case In conclusion, the First Amendment protects the freedoms of association and assembly in the US including Maryland State that houses Baltimore airport. The 200 fans of Big Bad Bruce that are planning to gather for the welcome home gathering and the intended speech of 15 minutes by Big Bad Bruce on political views are protected by this amendment. However, the amendment applies to all levels of government and public spaces. The amendment also provides for a regulation clause limiting the time, space and other restrictions on the speech and association freedoms. However, the regulation should serve a neutral content like government interest and should allow an open channel for communication. Several issues arise in the case that require jurisdiction of the court. As seen in other cases of this nature, the court and the Supreme Court can deliberate on petitions by the public regarding violations of the First amendment. The court will have to make a ruling based on whether the First Amendm ent is violated, if the regulation serves a narrowed interest and/or if Section B regulation leaves an alternative channel for communication. This case analysis research paperdiscusses how the Section B rule can be challenged based on the law and the chances for success if the rock star’s fans file a lawsuit. References Emerson, T. (1963). Toward a General Theory of the First Amendment.  YaleLaw Journal, Vol.  72, no. 5.pp 877-956 Garvey, J. Schauer, F. (1996). The First Amendment: A Reader. St.Paul,  Minn: West Pub.  Co. Henry, C. (2009). Freedom of Speech and Press: Exceptions to the First Amendment.  Legislative  Attorney. Congressional Research Service. Maryland State Archives (2013). Department Of Transportation. Maryland. Stone, G. (1987). The Burger Court and the Political Process: Whose First Amendment?  Harvard  Journal of Law Public Policy, Vol. 10 Van, A. William, W. (2003). Reconciling What the First Amendment Forbids with What The  Copyright Clause Permits: A Summary Explanation and Review. Law and Contemporary Law Problems, Vol 66, No. 225