Police Thesis Free Essays

CHAPTER 1 Introduction A. Background of the Study In the early years man had a difficult to accomplish their task in short period of time. Their works was never accurate and efficient since people had to do their jobs or responsibilities, manually. We will write a custom essay sample on Police Thesis or any similar topic only for you Order Now Hence, man has continuously looked for a better ways of doing things, for each invention and new development man had to extend their capabilities for making jobs easier and faster so as save time and effort. Man’s curiosity brought for the way of automation. Automation can be defined as a technology concerned with performing a process by means of programmed commands combined with automatic feedback control to ensure proper execution of the instructions. The development of this technology has become an increasingly dependent on the use of computers and computer related technologies. Advanced systems represent a level of capability and performance that surpass in many ways the abilities of human to accomplish the same activities. Manual procedures in performing transactions create problems which results to delay in the generation of reports, consume a lot of time in recording information and retrieving of files. One organization which uses manual record system and encountered those problems is the office of Philippine National Police (PNP) Roxas Zamboanga del Norte. The PNP Roxas, Zamboanga del Norte composing different registered of crime and incident from the different barangay of Roxas Zamboanga del Norte. PNP in cooperation of Local Government Unit (LGU) shall developed and implement programs on preventing crime and incident. The Local Government Unit (LGU) should provide the needs of the PNP Roxas Zamboanga del Norte. According to the PNP staff, recording and retrieving information of the incident and crimes happened and generating of report consume a lot of time since those transactions are done manually. This is the main reason why the researcher wants to conduct a study in the said office. The researcher wants to help their office by developing system software, making their transactions faster and easier to handle. B. Theoretical Framework. This study is anchored on Roger Clarke’s (1999) Diffusion of Innovation Theory. His theory describes the pattern of adoption, explains the mechanisms by which they occur, and assists in predicting whether a new invention will be successful. In its early stages, DOI theory was limited to expert in one specific field, examining and evaluating the diffusion of a process which relevant to their specialization. For example, medical sociologist would look a new technology occurring in health care and record the general rates of adoption, at the same time education researcher would study the spread of new teaching methodologist and its inevitable diffusion throughout the school system. Other theory is Everett Roger’s (1995) Diffusion of Innovation Theory. She defines innovation as an idea, practice, or object that is perceived as new by an individual or other unit of adoption. In matters little, so far as human behavior is concerned, whether or not an idea is â€Å"objectively† new as measured by the lapse of time since its first use or discovery. The perceived newness of the idea seems new to the individual, it is innovation. This definition broadly takes on innovation to include not only products such as technological innovation but also ideas and processes that stimulate the development of human potential and organizational processes. Aside from that, Roger also stated in the year 2003 that Diffusion of Innovation theory is the process by which an innovation is communicated through certain channels over time among the members of a social System. † In other words, the study of the diffusion of innovation is the study of how, why, and at what rate new ideas and technology spread through cultures. The Office of PNP, Roxas, Zamboanga del Norte one of the offices that use a manual system in making Spot Report. Their Spot Report procedures are done through the recording the information into the log book. By adopting the theory the researchers had enhanced the Spot Report of the said office and made known as Automated Crime and Incidents Record Keeping System. C. Conceptual Framework This figure below is the conceptual framework of the study which is represented by these three frames. The first frame refers to the system currently used by the office of the PNP Roxas Station which is Manual Record System. Through the used by the Manual Record System problems occur such as time consuming and delay in the recording and retrieving of information and generation of reports which can be seen in the second frame. Frame two (2) is the reason why the Automated Record System, Frame three (3) will be the focus of the researcher’s study in order to help the PNP in the processing of their transactions easier and faster. ManualRecordSystem| | Time consuming and delayed in the recording and retrieving of information and generation of reports| | Automated Crime and Incidents Record KeepingSystem| Figure 1. Conceptual Framework of the study This figure shows the conceptual framework of the study indicating the present system used at the PNP in processing their transactions. The problems they have encountered and the proposed system that that will help the PNP solve the problems they have encountered. D. Statement of the problem This study aims to design an Automated Record System at the Office of PNP Roxas Zamboanga del Norte. This study will seek to answer the following 1. What are the problems encountered in the Manual Record System at the Office of the PNP Roxas? 2. What system can be made to eliminate those problems? E. Objectives of the Study This study will be conducted in order to: 1. Identify the problems encountered in the PNP Roxas. 2. Develop a system that could eliminate those problems. F. Scope and Limitation This study was conducted at the Office of the PNP, Roxas Zamboanga del Norte. The study was focused on the spot report, encoding incidences, crimes and generating reports. This study was conducted during the second semester of the SY 2011-2012. G. Significance of the Study The researcher conducted a study on Automated Record System at the Office of the PNP, Roxas Zamboanga del Norte. This study will aim to help the personnel responsible in the crimes and incident records and in the generation of reports to reduce time am effort in recording and retrieving of files. Through this Automated Record System, time consumed in recording information of the crimes, incidence and delays in the generation of reports encountered by the personnel will be reduced if not totally eliminated. For the researcher, this study will enhance their knowledge regarding system development For the future researchers, this study will serve as their reference in conducting system study. H. Operational Definition of Terms Activities or Programs. This refers to the different activities of the PNP like monthly assembly, police drill, etc. Admin. The one who is in charge and provides the recruitment information. Alert Team. The One who is responsible on responding incidents. Finance. The one that responsible on financing matters. Intelligence Division. The one who is responsible on secret record movement and illegal activities of the community. Investigator. The one who is responsible on investigative matters. Operation. The one who is responsible on operational function PCR. â€Å"Police Community Relation† the one who is responsible of the relationship of the community and police. Radio Operator. The one who is responsible in transmitting and receiving information. Spot Report. A report regarding to a happened incidents or crimes. Warrant amp; Subpoena Server. Te one who is responsible on issuing warrant and subpoena. Chapter 2 Review of Related Literature As we continue to barrel through the information age, it is hard to imagine conducting business without computers. Each day, millions of people working in offices and homes around the world depend on computer technology to do their jobs efficiently and economically. To truly understand the computer’s history involves a daunting journey through mathematics, physics, and electrical engineering; through binary code, Boolean logic, real time, magnetic core memories, floating-point numeral notation, transistors, semiconductors, integrated circuits, and much, mush more. Luckily, most office workers do not need to understand this complex history to use computers and the dizzying array of software programs they execute. When computers were first developed nearly fifty years ago, the people who programmed them considered the task quite maddening. Fortunately, learning to use a personal computer today is often as simple as spending a few hours reading an instruction manual or following a hands-on tutorial. In recent years, computer technology has been incorporated into a wide range of costumers and industrial product. Computers are routinely used into word processing, email, video games, and other application that require repetitive tasks that can be automated. The offices and government institutions mentioned below are among the thousand of offices where application for membership are automated. One example is the Department of Social Welfare and Development. They are currently using the e-Donation Management System through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Globe X-Change Inc. (GXI) and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Computer Center (NCC). The DSWD e-Donation Management System aims to provide the donor community a more convenient and cost-effective option of giving cash donation through the use of technology, such as short messaging services [SMS] or text message, as well as via online or internet. Likewise, it is a costume-designed turnkey solution that delivers, managers, and reconciles contribution and donations via text online transactions, working on a banking industry-standard ICT security environment, and a stable and scalable database system. This system takes the nature of an electronic payment system which is efficient and transparent, as well as fully received trough donation. Another is Tricare records-processing system. The TED system helps civilian providers get paid promptly for the services they provide to Tricare beneficiaries outside of military treatment facilities. Records are processed for provider payments in less than 24 hours in most cases. The ease and speed of the TED system gives providers an incentive to participate in Tricare. Increased participation in Tricare networks provides beneficiaries better access to health care. By verifying and analyzing the information in each records, the TED system allows providers payments to occur promptly and helps prevent payment of duplicate, fraudulent or erroneous claims. The information in the TED system provides data for developing health care treads and budgets projection. TED system staff members have processed more than $140 billion of purchased services for Tricare beneficiaries worldwide since 2004. The Government Services Insurance System also uses the ECard System in which using your eCard plus, you can check your GSIS records, renew your active status (for Pensioners), and even apply for GSIS loans, when you go to any G-W@PS kiosk installed in all GSIS offices and other major government offices all over the country and manage your eCard Plus ATM account or pay bill online. Also the electronic medical record (EMR) is a computerized medical record created in an organization that delivers care, such as a hospital and doctor’s surgery. Electronic medical records tend to be part of a local stand-alone health information system that allows storage, retrieval and modification of records. Aside from that the Records management, or RM, is the practice of maintaining the records of an organization from the time they are created up to their eventual disposal. This may include classifying, storing, securing, and destruction (or in some cases, archival preservation) of records. A record can be either a tangible object or digital information: for example, birth certificate, medical x-rays, office documents, databases, application data, and e-mail. Records management is primarily concerned with the evidence of an organization’s activities, and is usually applied according to the value of the records rather than their physical formal. Haryana Government is also using a system known as Haryana Land Record Information System. This system is a based software system used by the Haryana government for the computerization of land records in its tehsils. It was developed by NIC Haryana state Unit. Chapter 3 Methodology A. Settings of Study One of the first section citizens read in the local newspaper is the police spot report which contains information on crimes and incident that could affect them directly. The kind of information provided, however, largely depends on the publication. Local newspapers typically review these records, called spot and reports and print the crimes and incidents happen. Many police departments maintained a handwritten daily spot report. A police report is a record of crimes and incident and committed in a certain area during a certain period of time. Police agencies are required to keep a record of daily activities that can be inspected by the public. So as a police investigator, a factual, precise, accurate information must be posted in the police spot record and its depends upon the agency what type of information they want publish. Police spot report in certain cases, note a suspect’s name, age and address. A name of the victim or complaining party might also be included, but police might avoid providing additional of information if discretion is warranted. Where the crime occurred(at a residence, a business or elsewhere) should be noted as well. Likewise, if a vehicle was damaged or an item was stolen, those things might also be noted. This are the information to be stored in the system to make it easy to find the crimes in the previous recorded incidents. The purpose of a police spot report is to provide an accurate written account of a police officer’s observations during the investigation of a criminal incident. A police spot report can only be written by the officer(s) involved in the investigation of an incident. Each officer who makes a report must swear to its accuracy by signing it. The purpose of making a police spot report into database is to make the investigator easy to find or locate the file that being input in the previous record. PNP Head The figure below shows the organizational structure of the Office of the PNP. ADMIN Operation Radio Operator Intelligence Division Warrant/Subpoena Server PCR SALAAM Alert Team Investigator Finance Figure 2 Organizational Chart The organizational chart of the Office of the Philippine National police Roxas Zamboanga del Norte. This figure shows the hierarchy supervision at the Office of the Philippine National Police (PNP). B. Research Design and Procedure of the Study Request letter was sent to the Office of the Philippine National Police (PNP) asking permission to conduct a study in their office. It was followed with the distribution of questionnaire and the conduct of an interview. The researchers in return were provided useful tools such as the organizational structure and different forms like Spot Report form and the master list of the Crimes and Incidents. The researcher have also browsed the internet to gather some related literatures as their basis for the study. The preparation of the manuscript for the system proposal followed. Upon approval, the researcher started to design an Automated Crimes and Incident Record System. Figure 3 on the next page shows the Gantt chart that reflects he work plan in developing a system. Cost and benefits analysis was made to determine the affordability and worthiness of the system. Gantt chart (Work Plan Schedule) Planned starting date – September 2011 |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Number of Months|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Activities|   | Sept|   |   | Oct|   |   | Nov|   |   | Dec|   |   | Jan|   |   | Feb|   |   | March|   | Apr|   | 1. Conducting aninterview|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | 2. Planning|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | 3. Problem|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Definition|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | 4. System analysis|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | 5. Presentation|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | of the |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | proposal|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   | Planned completion date – April 2012 Figure 3 (Gantt chart) This chart shows the work plan schedule in developing the system. Different activities were listed in order to determine the coverage of the certain activity. This chart also shows when the activities begin and end. C. Data Gathering Procedures The first procedure done by the researchers was conducting an interview to some of the staff of (PNP) for them to know how the PNP Officer processes the Record of Crime and Incidents and what are the problems encountered with regards to the transaction mentioned. When the reserchers found out that the office transactions are done manually, they sent a letter of request to the PNP officer. When the permission was granted, they conducted a formal interview to the PNP Officer , at the same time the questionnaire were given in order to gather more information Another way in which the researchers collected data was browsing the internet and reading some books. The researchers then prepared the proposal for presentation. D. Research Instruments Interview. A tool that was used to gather additional information on how the PNP Officer processed the Crime and Incidents Records. Questionnaires. A tool that was used to collect valuable information from the PNP Officer regarding the flow of processing the Records of Crime and Incidents. Observation. A tool that was also used to gather information by observing on how the Crime and Incidents Records is being done at the Office of the PNP. Journal. A tool that was used to record all observation and investigations done by the researchers so that they will be guided in the preparation and the final presentation of the proposal. Modeling tool. A tool that was used to describe the internal and external behavior of the system. It was composed of two models which is the essential and behavioral model. The environmental model describe the external behavior of the system. E. Data Analysis Data gathered from the research interview was carefully analyzed and interpreted through the cost and benefit analysis. Costs and Benefits estimates and totals at the equivalent money value of the benefits and cost of this system to establish whether this system is worthwhile and affordable to use. The purpose of the cost analysis is to calculate all the anticipated cost associated with the system. It concerns not only the cost of building the system, but also the cost of installing, operating and maintaining the system as well as the auxiliary cost, while the benefits analysis has two kinds. One is the tactical benefits that are often associated in reductions in clerical or PNP personnel and the other one is the strategic benefits which are an opportunity to save few clerical people as the ability to let the organization do things what would be possible with the current system. F. Cost and Benefit Analysis The purpose of the cost analysis is to calculate all the anticipated cost associated with the system. It concerns not only the cost of building the system, but also the cost of installing, operating and maintaining the system as well as the auxiliary cost, while the benefit analysis has two kinds. One is the tactical benefits that are often associated in reductions in clerical or PNP personnel and the other one is the strategic benefits which are an opportunity to save few clerical people as the ability to let the organization do things what would be possible with the current system. System Development Cost Visual Basic 6. 0Php 9,250. 00 Consultant Fee Php 9,025. 00 TotalPhp 18,275. 00 Present System Annual Operating Cost Office SuppliesPhp 15,465. 00 ElectricityPhp 2,564. 00 Hardware MaintenancePhp 2,000,00 TotalPhp 20,029. 00 Proposed System Annual Operating Cost SuppliesPhp 7,560. 00 ElectricityPhp 3,600. 40 Hardware MaintenancePhp 2,100. 00 Total Php 13,260. 40 Annual Operating Cost:Php 13,260. 40 Present Annual Operating Cost A. Supplies 1. Ink (6 tubes/yr @ 1,130/tube)Php 6,780. 00 2. Ribbon Cartridge (5 boxes/yr @ 145. 00/box)Php725. 00 3. Bond Paper (5 rims (US long)/yr @240. 00/rimPhp 1,200. 00 (5 rims(US short)/yr @ 235. 00/rimPhp 1,175. 00 4. Stapler (1 pc/yr @ 145. 00/pcPhp 145. 00 5. Stapler Wire (30 boxes/yr @ 50. 00/box)Php 1,500. 00 6. Folder (30 pcs/yr @ 8. 00/pc)Php 240. 00 7. Fastener (15 boxes/yr @ 150. 00/boxPhp 2,250. 00 8. Puncher (1 pcs/yr @ 220. 00/pcPhp 220. 00 9. Ballpen (30 pcs/yr @ 8. 00/pc)Php 240. 00 10. Liquid Erasure 1 bot. /yr @38. 00/pcPhp 38. 00 Total: Php 14,513. 00 Electricity (Annual Consumption) No. of CPU 1 No. of Monitor 1 No. of Printer 1 Monitor Type Monochrome Working Days 200 General Charge 3. 95 Hours Used/Days 6 System Unit Power Consumption/Day (6 hrs/ day * 400 watt) 2,400 watt/day HP Printer power Consumption/day (6 hrs/day * 90 watt) 540 w att/ day Monitor Power Consumption/ day (6 hrs / day * 30 watt) 180 watt / day Watt used for by device per day 2,400+540+180=3,120 watts Watt used for all device / yr (3,210 * 200) 624,000 watts / yr Kilowatt used / yr (624,000 watts / 1000) 624 kilowatts / yr Watt / yr = (watt / day) * (working days / yr) =3,120 * 200 =624,000 Amount Due = (kilowatt / yr) * Generation Charge =624 *3. 95 Php 2,464. 80 Proposed System Annual Operating Cost B. Supplies 11. Ink (3 tubes/yr @ 1,130/tube)Php 3,390. 00 12. Ribbon Cartridge (2 boxes/yr @ 145. 00/box)Php 290. 00 13. Bond Paper (4 rims (US long)/yr @230. 00/rimPhp 920. 0 (4 rims(US short)/yr @ 225. 00/rimPhp 900. 00 14. Stapler (1 pc/yr @ 145. 00/pcPhp 145. 00 15. Stapler Wire (20 boxes/yr @ 50. 00/box)Php 1,000. 00 16. Folder (22 pcs/yr @ 8. 00/pc)Php 176. 00 17. Fastener (12 boxes/yr @ 150. 00/boxPhp 1,800. 00 18. Puncher (1 pcs/yr @ 220. 00/pcPhp 220. 00 19. Ballpen (18 pcs/yr @ 8. 00/pc)Php 144. 00 20. Liquid Erasure (1 bot. /yr @38. 00/pcPhp 38. 00 Total: Php 9,023. 00 Electricity (Annual Consumption) No. of CPU 1 No. of Monitor 1 No. of Printer 1 Monitor Type Monochrome Working Days 200 General Charge 3. 95 Hours Used/Days 8 System Unit Power Consumption/Day (8 hrs/ day * 400 watt) 3,200 watt/day HP Printer power Consumption/day (8 hrs /day * 90 watt) 720 watt/ day Monitor Power Consumption/ day (8 hrs / day * 30 watt) 240 watt / day Watt used for by device per day 3,200+720+240=4,160 watts Watt used for all device / yr (4,160 * 200) 832,000 watts / yr Kilowatt used / yr (832,000 watts / 1000) 832 kilowatts / yr Watt / yr = (watt / day) * (working days / yr) 4,160 * 200 =832,000 Amount Due = (kilowatt / yr) * Generation Charge =832 *3. 95 Php 3,286. 40 Annual Benefit Present System Annual Operating Cost = Php 14,513. 00 Less Proposed Annual Operating Cost = Php 9,023 Annual Savings: Php 5,490. 00 Table of Annual Net Benefit Year| Annual saving| (1+i)n| Present value| Cumulative Value| 1| 5,490. 00 | 1. 024| 5621. 76| 5621. 76| 2| 5,490. 00 | 1. 049| 5759. 01| 11518. 02| 3| 5,490. 00 | 1. 74| 5896. 26| 17688. 78| 4| 5,490. 00 | 1. 100| 6039. 00| 24156. 00| 5| 5,490. 00 | 1. 126| 6181. 74| 30908. 07| This Table shows the table of annual net benefit. Project in percentage from 1-5 the cash flow. This table shows that Present value are computed by getting the product of annual saving and (1+i)n while the cumulative value is computed by getting the sum of the present value of that particular year and the cumulative value of the previous year. Where I = interest rate n = no. of years 3% = interest rate Payback Period 2+ Proposed System Annual Operating Cost- Cumulative Value in 3 Years Present Value in 3 Years The Cost and Benefits Analysis given above will help the Finance officer to decide whether to implement a computerized Land Patent Form System. It shows that the total annual operating cost of the present system is Php 14,513. 00; the researcher’s analysis reveals that the proposed system is lower operating cost, lower supplies expenses, less physical space needed, fewer operators required, faster turnaround time, greater accuracy, more comprehensive reports and improves mor ale-financial benefits school pegs at Php 5,490. 0 annually. Base on the cost-benefits estimates, the office would see a return on each investment in 2 years and seven months. In this case, it is very clear that the expected benefits of the proposed system do exceed the expected cost. G. Hardware and Software Hardware and software requirements are very essential in the automation of the system and they are the component in the system analysis. In choosing hardware factors to be considered include the following ability, affordability, speed and robustness of the hardware to save time and energy. H. Hardware and Software Configuration Hardware Configuration Computer: Personal Computer with Pentium (R) or higher processor Memory: 512MB of Random Access Memory or Higher Display: 32bit (1024 x 768 pixels) Monitor: video Graphics Accelerator (VGA) or Higher : Resolution monitor (Super VGA recommended) Hard Dick Requirements: At least 700MB of free space Video Display Adapter: 64MB (Any branded video card) Key board Features: Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft PS/2 keyboard Mouse: Microsoft mouse compatible pointing device Power Supply: AVR (Automatic Voltage Regulator) 500watts amp; 220volts outlet UPS (Uninterrupted power Supply) 300watts amp; 220volts outlet Printer: EPSON LQ300+2 (dot matrix printer) : MP1600Le (photocopier/printer/scanner) Software Configuration Operating System: Microsoft windows 2009 Dark edition, Windows 98, Windows XP, SP2, SP3, Windows 2000 Application Software: MS Office Programming Language: Visual Basic I. Essential Model The essential model is a modeling tool shows what the system must do in order to satisfy the user’s requirements on how the system is implemented. It consist of two major components namely the environmental model and behavioral model. I. 1. Environmental model The environmental model is modeling tool that defines the boundary and the interaction between the system and the environment. It consists of the statement of the purpose event list and context diagram. I. 1. 1 Statement of Purpose The Manual Crime amp; Incidents Record System of the PNP Roxas Zamboanga del Norte is use to record update and edits information about Crime and Incidents such as Car crash, Robbery etc. and surveying of records. It is also used to generate reports such as Spot Report. I. 1. 2. Event List The event list is a narrative list of all activities that occur in the environment to which the system responses. It has seven events namely: 1. PNP Head request Spot Report 2. Responder Submitted Spot Report 3. Provincial Police Office Request Report 4. Provincial Police Requires Report 5. Regional Police Office request Report 6. PNP Roxas submits the spot report Responder PNP Head Spot Report Spot Report Manual Crime and Incidents Record Keeping System Note Spot Report Master list of crimes and incidents Master list of crimes and incidents Master list of crimes and incidents Master list of crimes and incidents Provincial Office Regional Office Figure 4. The Context Diagram that shows the Automated Crime and incident’s Record Keeping System. The figure shows the different external entities in which the system responses. The Responder, PNP head, Provincial Police Office, Regional Police Office are the persons involve in the processing of the Crimes and Incidents record system or information and in generation of reports. Legend: Terminal – the external entities of the individual or group of people. Flows – the connection between processes. Process – it represent various individual functions that system carries out. Data Store – store the collection of data. Responder Spot Report Spot Report Spot Report File Spot Report Process Request Figure 5. Event List 1: PNP Head Request Spot Report This figure shows that when the PNP Head requires a report, the Spot Report File and Master List of Crimes and Incidents File were retrieved to print the Spot Report and Master List of Crimes and Incidents Legend: Terminal – the external entities of the individual or group of people. Flows – the connection between processes. Process – it represent various individual functions that system carries out. Data Store – store the collection of data. Responder Process of the Spot Report Note Spot Report Master list of crimes and incidents Figure 6. Event List 2: PNP Head Request Spot Report This figure shows that when the PNP Head requires a report, the Spot Report File and Master List of Crimes and Incidents File were retrieved to print the Spot Report and Master List of Crimes and Incidents Terminal – the external entities of the individual or group of people. Legend: Flows – the connection between processes. Process – it represent various individual functions that system carries out. Data Store – store the collection of data. Provincial Police Headquarters Master list of crimes and incidents Master list of crimes and incidents Master list of crimes and incidents Spot Report File Process Request Figure 7. Event List 3: Provincial Police Headquarter request Master List This figure shows that when an PNP Head submit’s the Spot Report and Master List file to the Provincial Police Office. Legend: Terminal – the external entities of the individual or group of people. Flows – the connection between processes. Process – it represent various individual functions that system carries out. Data Store – store the collection of data. Process Request Spot Report PNP Head PNP Head submit’s the Spot Report Provincial Police Office Figure 8. Event List 4: PNP Head submit’s Spot Report This figure shows that when an PNP Head submit’s the Master List file to the Provincial Police Office. Legend: Terminal – the external entities of the individual or group of people. Process – it represent various individual functions that system carries out. Flows – the connection between processes. Data Store – store the collection of data. Master list of crimes and incidents Regional Police Headquarters Master list of crimes and incidents Spot Report File Master list of crimes and incidents Process Request Figure 9. Event List 5: Regional Police Headquarter request Master List This figure shows that when the Regional Police Office requires a report, the Spot Report File and Master List of Crimes and Incidents File were retrieved to print the Spot Report and Master List of Crimes and Incidents Legend: Terminal – the external entities of the individual or group of people. Process – it represent various individual functions that system carries out. Flows – the connection between processes. Data Store – store the collection of data. Process Request PNP Head Spot Report PNP Head submit’s the Spot Report Regional Police Office Figure 10. Event List 6: PNP Head submit’s Spot Report This figure shows that when an PNP Head submit’s the Master List file to the Regional Police Office. Legend: Terminal – the external entities of the individual or group of people. Flows – the connection between processes. Process – it represent various individual functions that system carries out. Data Store – store the collection of data. 1. 2 Behavioral Model This model is primary concern on the internal behavior of the system to interest with the environment. This model includes Data Flow diagram, Process specifications and Data dictionary. The behavioral model includes the following: 1. 2. 1 Data flow diagram (DFD) –are used to describe how the system transforms information. They define how information processed and stored and identify how the information flows through the processes. 1. 2. 2 Data dictionary – specify relationship between each of said user application. Program and said sets of data stored in said database associated with each of said user application programs. 1. 2. 3 Process Specifications – a step by step flow of transaction on each process. Top Level Data Flow Diagram 1. Process Submission of Spot Report 2. Process Request Spot Report File Spot Report Spot Report Master list of crimes and incidents Spot Report File Spot Report Master list of crimes and incidents Figure 11. This figure shows entire flow of the data through the system. It implies how the transaction is processed and described how the different process involved. Data Store – store the collection of data. Flows – the connection between processes. Process – it represent various individual functions that system carries out. Terminal – the external entities of the individual or group of people. Legend: 1. Process Submission of Spot Report Spot Report Spot Report File Spot Report Figure 12 Process Submission of Spot Report This figure shows that during the process of Submission of Spot Report. Legend: Terminal – the external entities of the individual or group of people. Flows – the connection between processes. Process – it represent various individual functions that system carries out. Data Store – store the collection of data. Spot Report Master list of crimes and incidents 2. Process Request Master list of crimes and incidents Spot Report Spot Report File Figure 13 Process Request This figure shows that during the Process of Request and Release of Spot Report and Master List File of Crime and Incidents. Legend: Terminal – the external entities of the individual or group of people. Data Store – store the collection of data. Process – it represent various individual functions that system carries out. Flows – the connection between processes. J. 2. Data Dictionary Alphanumeric=* either number or letter or combination of both* Address=*address of the person where involve in an incidents or crime Character=*a letter, number and special character*s Contact No. =*Contact No. of Person Involve =@{numeric} Date =*(mm/dd/yy)* =@{numeric} Name =Name of person =@{character} Numeric =*a number (0-9)* Request information =*an information of a particular crime or incidents* =@{alphanumeric} Record =*It refers to all the information of the requested item which is being inputted by Responder* =@{alphanumeric} Record File =*refers to the file in which all the record information about the Crime and Incidents is stored. This file is also used during retrieval of information* @{alphanumeric} Spot Report =*refers to the file in which all the record information about the Crimes and Incidents is stored. This file is also used during retrieval of information* =@{alphanumeric} ={Full name}+{age}+{address}+{sex}+{time}+{date}+{place}+{evidence}+{Materials}+{summary of the incidents} J. 3 Process Specification Process 1: Submission of Spot Report Begin Open Spot Report File If Close Close Spot Report File End If End Process 2: Process Request Begin Open Spot Report File If Close Close Spot Report File End If End How to cite Police Thesis, Papers

A Study on the Influence of “No Approved Therapeutic Claims” in Dietary Supplements on the Buying Behavior of the Customers of Mercury Drug Branches in Dasmarinas, Cavite Essay Example For Students

A Study on the Influence of â€Å"No Approved Therapeutic Claims† in Dietary Supplements on the Buying Behavior of the Customers of Mercury Drug Branches in Dasmarinas, Cavite Essay A Study on the Influence of â€Å"No Approved Therapeutic Claims† in Dietary Supplements on the Buying Behavior of the Customers of Mercury Drug Branches in Dasmarinas, Cavite An Undergraduate Thesis Presented to The Faculty of the COMMUNICATION ARTS DEPARTMENT COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY-DASMARINAS Dasmarinas, Cavite In Partial Fulfilment Of the Requirements for the Degree Bachelor of Arts in Communication Cervantes, April E. Vergara, Anna Lou C. Vidamo, Margielyn L. April 2010 APPROVAL SHEET This undergraduate thesis entitled: Influence of â€Å"No Approved Therapeutic Claims† in Dietary Supplements on the Buying Behavior of the Customers of Mercury Drug Branches in Dasmarinas, Cavite by Cervantes, April E. , Vergara, Anna Lou C. , Vidamo, Margielyn L. in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Communication, has been examined and is recommended for acceptance and approval for oral defense. Roel S. Ramirez, APR MIAN RAYRAY Professor Adviser THESIS REVIEW PANEL Approved by the Committee on oral examination with a grade of __________. ARTIN UMALI NORNELYN L. CACHUELA MemberMember Roel S. Ramirez, APR Member Accepted and approved in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Communication. Rosanni Recreo – Sarile Chair, Communication Arts Department Emmanuel F. Calairo, PhD Dean, College of Liberal Arts Abstract De La Salle University- Dasmarinas Dasmarinas, Cavite Title: Influence of â€Å"No Approved Therapeutic Claims† in Dietary Supplements on the Buying Behavior of the Customers of Mercury Drug Branches in Dasmarinas, Cavite. Authors: Cervantes, April E. , Vergara, Anna Lou C. , Vidamo, Margielyn L. Degree: AB Communication Date started: February 11, 2010 Objectives of the Study Statement of the Problem General Problem Statement: To determine the influence of â€Å"No Approved Therapeutic Claims† in dietary supplements on the buying behavior of the customers of Mercury Drug branches in Dasmarinas, Cavite. Specific Problem Statements: 1. What is the level of awareness of the customers of Mercury Drug branches in Dasmarinas, Cavite to â€Å"No Approved Therapeutic Claims†? 2. How well do the customers of Mercury Drug branches in Dasmarinas, Cavite understand the â€Å"No Approved Therapeutic Claims†? . How does â€Å"No Approved Therapeutic Claims† affect the buying decision of the customers of Mercury Drug branches in Dasmarinas, Cavite in terms of their: 3. a Buying with conviction, 3. b Buying with hesitation, 3. c Postponement in buying, and 3. d Not buying at all? 4. How frequent do the customers of Mercury Drug branches in Dasmarinas, Cavite buy d ietary supplements? Scope and Coverage This study focused on the influence of â€Å"No Approved Therapeutic Claims† in dietary supplements on the buying behavior of the customers of Mercury Drug branches in Dasmarinas, Cavite. The respondents of the study were restricted to the customers of Mercury Drug branches located only in Dasmarinas, Cavite. It did not include other consumers buying from other pharmacies or drug stores situated in Dasmarinas, Cavite. The study only focused on dietary supplements and not on the other types of supplements in the market. It concentrated only on the buying behavior of the customers of Mercury Drug branches in Dasmarinas, Cavite. It did not concern the other types of behavior and the effect of dietary supplements to the respondents’ health. The study centred only on the packaging of dietary supplements that has the disclaimer â€Å"No Approved Therapeutic Claims†. Methodology The researchers used descriptive research to obtain information related to the study. It used survey questionnaire as an instrument to get information needed in the study. The researchers conducted and distributed surveys questionnaires using 100 Statistical Boundary as a sampling technique to the customers of different Mercury Drug Branches in Dasmarinas, Cavite_34 respondents in Robinson’s Pala-Pala Branch, 33 respondents in Dasmarinas Aguinaldo Highway Branch, and 33 respondents Paliparan, Dasmarinas Branch. The researchers used the Percentage Distribution formula to determine the data of the survey: The formula for the computation of percentage distribution is The second formula helped in determining the mean of the data. That is the weighted mean. With the aid of a statistician, the researchers got the results of the survey of the study. From the results, the proponents based the conclusion of the study. Major Findings Based on the result of the survey, it shows that most of the respondents are aware of â€Å"No Approved Therapeutic Claims†. They understand its meaning and it also affects their decision of buying dietary supplements. Therefore, they agree that they are hesitant to buy dietary supplements. Their opinion is neutral when asked about their determination to buy dietary supplements. They agreed that â€Å"No Approved Therapeutic Claims† has an effect to their buying decision. For the topic, frequency of buying dietary supplements, most of the respondents answered that they do not buy dietary supplements followed by they buy it once a month. Conclusion: 1. No Approved Therapeutic Claims† has an influence on the buying behavior because most of the customers are aware of the disclaimer and they understand its meaning. 2. They also agreed that it affects their buying decision. It was found out that the customers’ conviction to buy is only on neutral. They agreed that they are hesitant to buy dietary supplements with the disclaimer. They also agreed that they postpone buying dietary supplements and a great percentage agreed that they do not buy at all after seeing the disclaimer. 3. Moreover, most of the customers do not buy dietary supplements. Recommendations: 1. This study should be used as a source of information for Advertising and Marketing students because of the data presented are related to the course. 2. Future researchers can include different media tools as they are usually used in advertising and it is also important to have the profile of the respondents to know its relation to the influence of the disclaimer â€Å"No Approved Therapeutic Claims†. 3. Advertising agencies must have strategies to convince the customers to buy the products since, disclaimer influences the buying behavior of the customers. List of Figures: . Figure 1. The conceptual Paradigm of the Study 2. Table 1. The awareness of â€Å"No Approved Therapeutic Claims† indicated on the dietary supplements 3. Table 2. The level of awareness of the customers of Mercury Drug branches in Dasmarinas, Cavite to â€Å"No Approved Therapeutic Claims† 4. Table 3. The level of understanding to â€Å"No Approved Therapeutic Claims† as perceived by the customers 5. Table 4. The level of decision of buying dietary Supplements 6. Table 5. The level of conviction of the customers in buying dietary supplements with â€Å"No Approved Therapeutic Claims† 7. Table 6. The level of hesitation to buy dietary supplements with â€Å"No Approved Therapeutic Claims†. 8. Table 7. The level of postponement in buying dietary supplements with â€Å"No Approved Therapeutic Claims†. 9. Table 8. The level of people not buying at all buying dietary supplements with â€Å"No Approved Therapeutic Claims†. 10. Table 9. The number of times the respondents buy a box of dietary supplements 11. Table 10. The Summary on the influence of â€Å"No Approved Therapeutic Claims† in dietary supplements on the buying behavior of the customers of Mercury Drug branches in Dasmarinas, Cavite Acknowledgement This thesis would not be possible without the help of these people who had been a major part of our college life: First of all, we would like to thank God Almighty for guiding us, protecting us, and providing us the strength to finish this study. If not for His loving presence, we would have never completed this study and may have, in the process, damaged our friendship. To our families: the Cervantes, Vergara, and Vidamo family, we thank them for being the people who never stood their backs against us and continued to push us and inspire us to do the right things. They may be different people but one thing is common with them and that is their patience towards us. We thank them most especially for the love they give us everyday of our lives. To the Communication Arts department and to our professors and mentors who served as our second family, we thank you for your encouragement. To our friends especially our Com 42 family who never failed to cheer us up and have been part of our support system together with our families, we appreciate the love and the laughter. TABLE OF CONTENTS TITLE PAGE1 APPROVAL SHEET 2 ABSTRACT 3-8 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 9 TABLE OF CONTENTS 10-11 Chapter I. Background of the Study Introduction12-17 Statement of the Problem 17- 18 Theoretical/Conceptual Framework 19-25 Hypothesis 26 Scope and Delimitation 26-27 Significance of the Study 27-29 Definition of Terms 29-31 Chapter II. Review of Related Literature Conceptual Literature 32-48 Research Literature49 Synthesis50-51 Chapter III. Methodology Research Design 52-53 Research Locale 53 Sample and Sampling Technique used 53-54 Instrumentation 54-56 Statistical Analysis 56-58 Chapter IV. Results and Discussion Specific Question No. 1 59-63 Specific Question No. 2 64-65 Specific Question No. 3 66-73 Specific Question No. 4 73-77 Chapter V. Summary, Conclusion, Recommendation Summary 78-79 Findings 80 Conclusion 80-84 Recommendation 84-85 References 86-89 Appendices 90-95 Curriculum Vitae Chapter 1 THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND This chapter delves on the introduction of this study including the statement of the problem, the rationale, the hypothesis, and the framework used by the researchers. It also includes the study’s scope and limitation, the definition of terms and the significance of the study to different people. Introduction Advertising nowadays is a basic part of the people’s day to day lives. The public see and hear advertisements every day, from the moment they wake up in the morning and read the latest stories in the newspaper up to the time when they get back from work and watch the late news. It never fails to be included on anything man reads, watches, and listens to. It is a very powerful tool that companies from all over world lavishly use in order to introduce their products or services in the market and then eventually sell them. Advertising is a massive world of its own. It requires creativity in all its aspects in order to catch the attention of the public (at first), and then persuade these people to come and try their offered products and services. It is a tried and tested medium that allows a product to be a part of the lives of the potential market and permits a service to be a handy assistance that can be used as a functional necessity or a relaxing luxury. It is a paid form of service that reaches out to the masses and intends to persuade them into buying whatever they are offering. It uses the tri-media which is the use of television, radio, and print. Advertisers buy the airtime to put in their commercials which is played in between television shows and radio programs. On the other hand, print space is what people call to that area in the newspaper, magazines or journals used for print ads. An advertisement is a way that companies use to show the people the benefits that they can acquire from using their products. Most of the time, it is divided into health, beauty/ vanity (which also includes hygiene), food, and other different service products. People use whatever merchandise present in the market that promises the most number of benefits in comparison to other products. Beauty ads guarantee people a better and improved part of their body like a healthier and whiter skin in 7 days, a straighter and smoother hair, and even smaller eye bags in just a few day’s use. Food ads nonetheless focus on enticing the public with mouth-watering delights that people can experience from different restaurants or fast food chains. Health advertisements, on the other hand are about medicines, supplements, and any kind of pharmaceutical drugs intended to cure or improve a person’s wellbeing. It is, by any means, one of the most important aspects man should give prior attention to. Health is a vital part of the great experience of living. The truth of this has been known from early times. Every age has made new discoveries about health, thereby providing man with new weapons to fight diseases. Today, steady progress is being made in the field of education, nutrition, medicine, and surgery as well as public health. Attempts are being made to give everyone a fair chance to lead a healthier and fuller life (Nisha, Maimun, 2006). People from all walks of life make conscious efforts to take good care of their health as it defines the kind and the quality of life that one can have. The correct protection and attention to one’s health also determines the length of a person’s life span. The Filipinos are known to be health conscious individuals who devote a lot of their time attending to their health. The Filipinos ingenuity regarding their physical condition confirms their attitude and perspective about health which can be traced back to the native Filipinos wherein they make use of different herbal and organic plants abundant in the environment to cure their sicknesses and ailments. However, health nowadays is mixed up with man’s conscious efforts to beautify oneself which results to a conflict on what to better prioritize. With this issue of man’s obsession to stay fit and slim and become healthy at the same time, different means have been utilized to help maintain a desired figure and protect man’s health. And one of these ways which is present in the market today is the use of supplements. Supplements are slowly becoming a trend to Filipinos. These are used to help alleviate health problems and support one’s healthy wellbeing. Supplements are known to be additional intake that is meant to make up for any deficiency that is present in a person’s body. Some of the examples of supplements are food supplements, herbal supplements, and dietary supplements. In the Philippines and in the United States, food, herbal, and dietary supplements are regulated as foods. This statement means that they are only additional intakes that do not meet the same standards that drugs and over-the-counter medications can provide. Dietary supplements, in particular, are called as nutritional supplements or neutraceuticals. This type of supplements contains vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, and/or other ingredients intended to supplement the diet. This has been very in demand in the market since it not only helps a person regulate his/her weight and â€Å"diet† but at the same time acts as a healthy option that is made up of herbal ingredients that assure the people of its safety. In the United States in 1990, all dietary supplements were tightly regulated by the FDA and only included essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and proteins. It was also in the 1990’s when the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act expanded the category to include herbs or similar nutritional substances. In 1994, a law was passed that drastically changed the dietary supplement marketplace. That law is the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) that expanded the category of dietary supplements to further include substances such as: Ginseng, fish oils, enzymes, glandular products such as hormones and steroids, and mixtures of these. According to the US Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994, a dietary supplement is a product that contains substances like vitamins, minerals, foods, botanicals, amino acids and is intended to supplement the usual intake of these substances. Dietary supplements are found in pill, tablet, capsule, powder or liquid form and are meant to be taken by mouth. Some of the examples of these dietary supplements that are present in the Philippines are Fitrum, Slenda, Xenical and mor e. In the Philippines, however, dietary supplements as required by the law HB03544 must claim a â€Å"No (Approved) Therapeutic Claim†. This House Bill is an act regulating the use of â€Å"No (Approved) Therapeutic Claim† on supplemental medicines and other related preparations thereby mandating proper package labelling and establishing a standard of protection and promoting the welfare of consumers and for other purposes. In the US, â€Å"No approved therapeutic claims† would generally mean that a supplement has not yet been determined by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) to be as safe and effective as advertised. It could also mean that no studies and long-term research have yet been done to determine the efficacy of the pill, or herb in actually treating anything. This phrase usually serves as a disclaimer of sorts. This is the reason why the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA) was passed by US Congress which ensures consumers rights to access safe and effective dietary supplements. BFAD is the Philippine agency that oversees the safety of foods (including dietary supplements), medicines, medical devices and cosmetics. Last March 2008, BFAD issued a public advisory stating that supplements have no medical benefits except as additional nutrients which simply means= â€Å"HINDI NAKAGAGAMOT†. There are now 21,310 food products registered with BFAD including food supplements and neutraceuticals wherein 32 are herbal meds and over 12,500 pharmaceuticals are registered. This overflowing number of supplements including dietary supplements is available in different pharmacies and drug stores around the Philippines and the biggest one would be Mercury Drug. Because of the engaging benefits presented in the advertisements and also in the packaging of these dietary supplements amidst some disclaimers, people could not help but purchase them. The effectiveness of advertisements is clearly affecting a persons buying behavior. The buying behavior is defined as the acts and processes people go thru in buying and using a certain product. The buying behavior is an important aspect that helps customers to decide whether or not s/he will purchase a product. The buying behavior of a customer is susceptible to different stimulus that may influence and affect one’s decision. The label â€Å"No approved therapeutic claim† is an example of a stimulus that can influence a person’s buying behavior. Statement of the Problem General Problem Statement: To determine the influence of â€Å"No Approved Therapeutic Claims† in dietary supplements on the buying behavior of the customers of Mercury Drug branches in Dasmarinas, Cavite. Specific Problem Statements: 5. What is the level of awareness of the customers of Mercury Drug branches in Dasmarinas, Cavite to â€Å"No Approved Therapeutic Claims†? 6. How well do the customers of Mercury Drug branches in Dasmarinas, Cavite understand the â€Å"No Approved Therapeutic Claims†? 7. How does â€Å"No Approved Therapeutic Claims† affect the buying decision of the customers of Mercury Drug branches in Dasmarinas, Cavite in terms of: 3. a Buying with Conviction, 3. b Buying with Hesitation, 3. c Postponement in Buying, and 3. d Not buying at all? 8. How frequent do the customers of Mercury Drug branches in Dasmarinas, Cavite buy dietary supplements? Framework of the Study Theoretical Framework Herzberg’s theory Frederick Herzberg developed a â€Å"two factor theory† of motivation, which distinguishes between dissatisfiers (factors that cause dissatisfaction) and satisfiers (factors that cause satisfaction). This theory of motivation has two implications. First, sellers should do their best to prevent dissatisfiers from affecting the buyer. These dissatisfiers might be a poor training manual or a poor service policy. Second, the manufacturer should carefully identify the major satisfiers or motivators of purchase and be sure to supply them. This study, which focuses on the Influence of the disclaimer No Approved Therapeutic Claims to the buying behavior of the customers, uses the same basic factors and philosophy which is implied to Herzbergs Theory of Motivation. If these terms are to be used in the study, the disclaimer No Approved Therapeutic Claims would be classified as a dissatisfier because the â€Å"real definition of No Approved Therapeutic Claims† is a supplement that has not yet been determined to be as safe as advertised and that no studio and long term research have yet been done to determine the efficacy of the pill or herb in actually treating anything. According to Herzberg, a person’s buying choices are further influenced by five major psychological factors- motivation, perception, attribution, learning, and beliefs and attitudes. . Motivation. A person has many needs at a given day. Some needs are biogenic. They arise from physiological state of tension such as hunger, thirst, discomfort. Other needs are psychogenic. They arise from psychological states of tension such as the need for recognition, esteem, or belonging. There are three best known theories of human motivation- Freud’s theory of Motivation, Maslow’s Theory of Motivation, and Herzberg’s Theory of Motivation. There is a drive that people feel in something like he needs. WWII - Prisoners of War EssayThese, in turn, influence their buying behavior. People do not have to interpret and react to every object in a fresh way. Types of buying behavior Consumer decision making varies with the type of buying decision. The types of buying behavior are as follows: A. Complex Buying Behavior. Consumers go through a complex buying behavior when they are highly involved in a purchase and aware of significant differences existing among brands. Consumers are highly involved in a purchase when it is expensive, bought infrequently, risky, and highly self-expressive. Typically, consumers do not know much about the product category and have much to learn. B. Dissonance- reducing Buying Behavior. Sometimes the consumer is highly involved in a purchase but sees little difference in the brands. The buyer may respond primarily to a good price or the convenience of purchasing at the time or place. C. Habitual Buying behavior. Many products are bought under conditions of low consumer involvement and the absence of significant brand differences. Consumer behavior does not pass through the normal belief/ attitude/behavior sequence. Consumers do not search extensively for information about the brands, evaluate their characteristics, and make a weighty decision on which one to buy. Instead, they are passive recipients of information as they watch television or see print ads. Ad repetition creates brand familiarity rather than brand conviction. Consumers do not really form an attitude toward a brand but select it simply because it is familiar. So, the buying process is: brand beliefs formed by a passive learning, followed by purchase behavior, which may or may not be followed by an evaluation. D. Variety Seeking Buying Behavior. Some buying situations are characterized by low consumer involvement but significant brand differences. Consumers are often observed to do a lot of brand switching. Brand switching occurs for the sake of variety rather than dissatisfaction. â€Å"No approved therapeutic claims† In a special report of Paul M. Icamina entitled â€Å"Some Supplements Don’t Cure, They Actually Harm Patients† published in http://www. manilatimes. net last November 16, 2008, BFAD issued a public advisory that food supplements have no medical benefits except as additional nutrients last March 2008. The advisory warned that the use or ingestion of dietary supplements in lieu of regular medication is not right and may result in complications or side effects. The intake of supplements is compared to just like eating ordinary vegetables and drinking fruit juices, except that these are in capsules, tablets, syrups, powder forms, concentrates and so on. Sa madaling salita, ANG MGA ITO AY HINDI NAKAGAGAMOT ,† the advisory said. The all-capital-letter emphasis is that of BFAD. Ben Rosario in his article Local Labeling of Food Supplements Proposed, said that â€Å"No Approved Therapeutic Claims† imprinted on all boxes, labels, containers, and bottles as advisories of food supplements should be replaced by the Tagalog phrase â€Å"Wala pang pinatutunayang bisa† and other major regional dialects with the same meaning. In house Resolution No. 169, Pampanga Rep. Aurelio D. Gonzales Jr. insisted that the English phrase of the food advisories written on food supplement boxes is not easily understood by consumers who believe that such products have healing effects for certain sicknesses. Gonzales noted that enterprising manufacturers have launched well-funded advertising campaigns to hoodwink consumers about the medical efficacy of their products. He said that although the Bureau of Food and Drugs has been implementing a law making the medical advisories mandatory in all food supplement containers, many consumers are fooled about the efficacy of the products due to the testimonies aired by endorsers that usually include doctors. The English warning may â€Å"be difficult to understand for many Filipinos†. In order for these warnings and advisories to be more meaningful, there may be a need to translate them into the vernacular or in several regional languages so that more people will understand them†, said Gonzales. Additional advice from Gonzales is that Food supplements sold in my district should have this inscription â€Å"Ala pang patunayang bisa. † A similar legislative measure has been proposed by Iloilo Rep. Ferjenel Biron who sought a ban on the advertising of food supplements. Biron, a doctor, lamented that despite the fact that curative value of many herbal and chemical food supplements have not yet been proven, many physicians have joined advertising campaigns to endorse them. (Rosario, Ben, PDI: Local Labeling of Food Supplements Proposed) Another article, â€Å"Herbal Medicines Hindi pang masa? †, of Edwin P. Santiago states â€Å"Lalong naging masidhi ang kanyang pagnanais na malaman pa ang mga misteryong bumabalot sa mga produktong ito ng mapuna ko na ang mga gamut na ipinagbibili ay rehistrado sa Bureau of Food and Drugs bilang mga food supplement at hindi bilang gamot. Totoo nga na ang karamihan ay naglalagay ng mga babala sa label o kahon, katulad ng â€Å"No approved therapeutic claims†, ngunit kapag binasa mo ang mga literature na nakapaloob sa mga sisidlan ay katakut-takot na claims sa pagpapagaling ang mga nakasulat dito. Mayroon pang nagpapagaling ng kanser, nakapagpapatubo ng buhok, nakagagamot sa insomnia, high-blood pressure at iba pa. At ng aking suriin ang mga literature ay napuna ko na mas malamang ang temang panghihikayat sa paggamit kaysa impormasyon ng drug adverse reaction, incompatibility sa ibang gamot, o mga naaprubahang indikasyon sa sakit ang nakasulat dito. Ang mga literature ay nagsisilbing marketing phamplets ng mga gamot na ipinagbibili na kung minsan ay naghihikayat sa isang namimili na maniwala at magkaroon ng false hope sa mga produktong nabanggit. Sa aking pananaw ay masama ang dulot ng false hope sa may mga sakit na kailangang gamutin ng mga rehistradong gamot na mayroong mga clinical traits at bioavailability studies. Sa aking pagsusuri ay aking napag-alaman na binibigyang pahintulot na ipagbili sa taong-bayan ang mga herbal products bilang â€Å"food supplement† sa dahilang wala pang documented na pag-aaral na isinumite sa BFAD upang patunayan na ang mga ito ay nakagagaling ng sakit. No approved therapeutic claims† Requirements BFAD—a Department of Health agency—specifies, subject to space, the font size (14 points) and type (Arial) and all capital and bold letters for the â€Å"No Approved Therapeutic Claims† label. The only nutrition claims permitted relate to energy, protein, carbohydrate, fat, fiber, sodium, vitamins and minerals. Health claims must be based on current scientific substantiation. Any health claim must be acceptable to health authorities and the claimed benefit should come from the consumption of a â€Å"reasonable quantity† of the food cited in the article of Paul M. Icamina published in http://www. manilatimes. net last November 16, 2008. According to the article of Michael Tan in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the only requirement BFAD has is that â€Å"no therapeutic claims† is made by distributors, but this rule is observed more in the breach. Often enough, the products are sold without any medicinal claims; sometimes they’ll even have a sticker saying â€Å"No Therapeutic Claims,† but promotional materials will often name all kinds of sicknesses for which the supplement is supposedly effective. Sometimes, too, the promotional literature will contain all kinds of testimonies, and so-called scientific explanations for the products’ â€Å"effectiveness. † Dietary Supplements According to the article of Vanessa Doctor from http://ezinearticles. com, the use of herbal and dietary supplements poses major health risks and these risks are largely due to the varying nature of herbal preparations, as well as the lack of consumer protection generally given to prescription drugs by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) because herbal and dietary supplements are not officially classified as drugs. Herbal medicines and dietary supplements are generally processed plant ingredients, solvent extracts, or essential oils of plants. All plants, including herbs, naturally synthesize a lot of complex chemical compounds as part of their metabolic activities. Many of these extracts are not directly related to the plants energy production but are toxins synthesized by the plant in order to ward off other plants, herbivores, and plant parasites. Based from the article of Paul M. Icamina published in http://www. manilatimes. et last November 16, 2008, thousands of applications are filed every year and approval takes from three to six months. The PSD is currently processing applications filed from January to February. It is relatively cheap—P3,000 initial fee for two years, renewable at P200 each year. The process is strict. The product, for example, must be in the international Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) list. Among many other requirements, it should conform to the Recommend ed Energy and Nutrient Intake (RENI) dosage per day. More than the RENI standards, the product is considered a drug and must undergo separate processes for pharmaceuticals or medicines. For products used for more than 30 days, toxicity tests of 90 days are required; products to be used for more than 30 days are tested on rodents and mice for at least nine months. Evidence of safety is based on documented prolonged and apparently uneventful use of the traditional herbal product. Even then, it is not allowed for use in pregnant, lactating mothers and children below 18 years and should be labeled as such. Based on the article written by Rone Reyes, M. D. , an increasing number of Filipinos are taking vitamins, minerals, herbs, or other supplements. A few like folic acid and saw palmetto, for example are beneficial. Some such as soy isoflavones, ginseng, and garlic-may or may not be. And others-especially ephedra, usnic acid, and kava- are dangerous. Found on his research that in 2003, Mary Palmer, MD, an emergency room physician and toxicologist, along with her colleagues, published an article in Lancet which analyzed nearly 500 calls about bad reactions to supplements that had been phoned to 11 poison control centers in the US in 1998. When Palmer started the study, some of the supplements were found to include heart attacks, liver failure, bleeding, seizures and death. In the US, more than 20,000 complaints about the weight-loss products containing ephedra, including scores of deaths, have been registered during the past decade. Supplements are regulated much more than loosely than drugs that it’s impossible to know how much harm they cause. Drugs can be sold only if companies have enough evidence to convince the FDA and panels of independent experts that they are safe and effective and that their benefits justify their risks. In contrast, â€Å"The dietary supplement market is the Wild West,† says Henry Waxman, a California congressman and longtime champion of measures to protect consumer’s health. According to Tina Aboitiz Juan, in her column, Well and Good, â€Å"Supplements containing caffeine or ephedrine are not only substances that can destroy your health. Herbal concoctions may be â€Å"natural† but they are not always safe. The United States Food and Drug Administration reports a number of deaths and near-deaths associated with the use of â€Å"slimming† teas. These are not the safe herbal teas like ginger, chamomile or mint. These are the teas sold specifically for â€Å"slimming†. They usually contain herbal laxatives, diuretics and stimulants. Long term use of these teas can lead to dehydration and diarrhea which, in turn, can cause life-threatening potassium depletion. Since proper heart function is partly dependent on correct electrolyte balance, a severe deficiency of potassium can trigger a heart attack even in a healthy young adult. BFAD Regulation In the article of Paul M. Icamina entitled â€Å"Some supplements don’t cure, they actually harm patients† published in http://www. manilatimes. et last November 16, 2008, the first step to protect the consumer is a cease-and-desist order that stops the distribution of a product that falsely claims therapeutic effects. Then the manufacturer or distributor is required to explain why no administrative sanction should be made by BFAD’s Legal Information and Compliance Division. The fine is anywhere from a few hundred pesos up to P5,000 depending on the violation. A promo without a BFAD permit is fined P200. For an unregistered drug, the fine is P5,000 up to P10,000 per product. Advertising Law According to Pagunsan (2004), the Sec. 26 (Disclaimer) of the book Law and Advertising states that the labeling or packaging is generally an act attributable to the manufacturer, alone or aided by an advertising company. As a rule, therefore, only manufacturers shall be charged with the violation. All others who have a hand directly or indirectly in preparing, however, be included in the illegal act. The requirement is intended to give the consumer as much information about the product, over and above the enticing advertisements on television or radio. House Bill In connection with the researcher’s study, people have their own decision whether to buy or not to buy the product. The researchers applied the buying decision subtopics: conviction, hesitation, or no effect. An act of regulating the use of â€Å"No Approved Therapeutic Claims† on supplemental medicines and other related preparation thereby mandates proper package labelling and establishes standard of protection and promotion for welfare of consumers and for some purposes (www. Congres. gov. ph). This Hose Bill was proposed by Benjamin D Asilo, the 1st District representative from Manila. Mercury Drug An article written by Mariano Que, the founder of Mercury Drug, said that Mercury Drug Corporation today has grown beyond our expectation. It all began in February 1945 when most of the businesses were destroyed. After the liberation of our country from the Japanese by the Americans, Bambang Street, Sta. Cruz, Manila became the center of much activity a place where many came to buy and sell merchandise. Encouraged by the crowd and the energy of entrepreneurism, I started Mercury Drug by selling medicines from a pushcart. From the pushcart to the opening of the first small drugstore in Bambang on March 1, 1945, Mercury Drug has grown into a network of over 700 company-owned and franchised stores all over the country. This is in fulfillment of the company’s vision of bringing safe and affordable health-enhancing and life-saving medicines closer to the people of the Philippines. Looking forward, Mercury Drug dreams to more opportunities of fulfilling business relationship with the public, by renewing its collective commitment of serving its customers whose trust and patronage has allowed Mercury Drug to continue its corporate existence. MERCURY DRUG†¦. SERVING OUR CUSTOMERS BETTER from its humble beginnings, Mercury Drug has gone beyond expectations. Shortly after the liberation of Manila from Japanese occupation, Mariano Que, realizing the need of the people for medicines, bought with his hard earned savings of P100 a bottle of 1000 tablets of Sulfathiazole and sold it â€Å"patingi-tingi† for P1. 00 per tablet in the sidewalks of Bambang, Manila. From pushcart – peddling and with his previous working experience in a drugstore before the war, he eventually opened his first small drugstore in Bambang Street. Mercury Drug has today grown into a vast network of over 700 company-owned and franchised stores nationwide. Mercury Drug believes that it owes its success to the millions of customers who have trusted and patronized the drugstore chain all throughout these years. Its feat could also not have been possible without its pool of professional and dedicated staff numbering close to 9,000 today. As a way of giving back to the people, Mercury Drug vows to bring quality, safe and affordable health-enhancing and life-saving medicines closer to the public. In the first place, it is what the name Mercury Drug stands for. In Roman mythology, Mercury is known as the god of commerce and manual skill. Being the messenger of gods, Mercury needed a winged feet for his swift flights. Mercury Drug remains committed to its name as seen on its corporate philosophy of total and speedy customer service: â€Å"To serve you, to have what you want, when you want it. † Aside from bringing its chain of stores closer to the homes of the people, Mercury Drug has constantly endeavoured to reach the hearts of the customers. To achieve this, Mercury Drug has taken pride in the introduction of many firsts in the drug retailing business all in an effort to satisfy, please and further serve the people. Research Literature The study made by Baring (2002) entitled â€Å"Effects of the Radio Program â€Å"Knowledge Power† on the Health Consciousness of Selected Individuals in Camella Homes, San Nicolas, Bacoor, Cavite†, found out that health consciousness seems to have become a fad; more people are getting aware of their health needs, for certain sectors to have designed programs to suit individual needs in promoting good health. Based on the Review of Related Literature of Digno Sabillo (2005) in the thesis â€Å"A study of Johnson Johnson’s JPE† Digno and Sabillo found out that consumers’ buying behaviors are influenced by forces that can be separated into three groups. Psychological influences encompass the complex emotions, motivations, attitudes and other internal forces that lead people to make decisions. These psychological factors are themselves influenced from the outside by the remaining group of forces. Social and Interpersonal influences cover a wide variety of external pressures, including families, friends, ethnic groups and co-workers. Situational influences stem from the circumstances surrounding a purchase such as the time of the year or the reason for making a particular purchase. Naturally, financial resources-both cash and available credits-affect purchase behavior to a large extent as well. Psychological influences include age, income, and other demographic factors. It also covers the different psychological factor such as needs and motives, attitude and lifestyle. Synthesis The Conceptual Literature provides a comprehensive explanation of the variables used in the study. It guarantees that the variables are not overlooked. The first literature for the buying behavior which is from the book Marketing Management helped the researchers to have more focus, direction and clarity regarding the buying behavior. It also includes more details about buying behavior like the types of the major influences affecting the buying behavior; these were important to know because they were be used for the survey and in answering the general problem statement. The articles about â€Å"No Approved Therapeutic Claims† helped the researchers in explaining the real meaning of the disclaimer â€Å"No Approved Therapeutic Claims†. It also gives significance of conducting the study because it supports that there are people who do not understand the meaning of the disclaimer. Confusion for the buyers can also be apprehended from the articles because of the said disclaimer. These all strengthened the need to conduct the study. The researchers also included the dietary supplements in the Conceptual Literature. Because of this, the readers will be familiar on the previous studies done that are related to this study. The meaning of dietary supplements and other additional perspectives is also discussed to have more knowledge and awareness of dietary supplements and its effect to humans. BFAD Regulation, Advertising Laws and House Bill are conferred to support consideration and the need to display the â€Å"No Approved Therapeutic Claims† on dietary supplements. The article from the website of Mercury Drug supports the reason why the researchers chose Mercury Drug where they can get the respondents for the survey. Mercury Drug has expanded into 700 company opened stores all over the country. This means that the business is still growing and improving over the years and will always be a part of Filipinos’ preference of a leading drugstore. The study under the Research Literature discusses how important health is to people which is another element that holds up the need to conduct the study. The study made by Digno Sabillo gave added perspectives on the buying ehavior which is an important variable of this study because that’s what the re

Marine Pollution Essay Example

Marine Pollution Paper In the late 1 sass and early 1 sass, there were several controversies about dumping radioactive waste off the coasts of the United States by companies licensed by the Atomic Energy Commission, into the Irish Sea from the British processing facility at Windscreen, and into the Mediterranean Sea by the French Commissariat lingerie Atomize. After the Mediterranean Sea controversy, for example, Jacques Coaster became a worldwide figure in the campaign to stop marine pollution. Marine pollution made further international headlines after the 1967 crash of the oil tanker Torero Canyon, and after the 1 969 Santa Barbara oil spill off the coast of California. Marine pollution was a major area of discussion during the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, held in Stockholm. That year also away the signing of the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, sometimes called the London Convention. The London Convention did not ban marine pollution, but it established black and gray lists for substances to be banned (black) or regulated by national authorities (gray). Cyanide and high-level radioactive waste, for example, were put on the black list. The London Convention applied only to waste dumped from ships, and thus did nothing to regulate Waste discharged as liquids from pipelines. Chapter 2: Statement of the Problem a) General Statement of the Problem Over 80% of marine pollution comes from land-based activities. We will write a custom essay sample on Marine Pollution specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Marine Pollution specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Marine Pollution specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer From plastic bags to pesticides most of the waste we produce on land eventually reaches the oceans, either through deliberate dumping or from run-off through drains and rivers. B) Specific Statement of the Problem * Direct discharge Pollutants enter rivers and the sea directly from urban sewerage and industrial waste discharges, sometimes in the form of hazardous and toxic wastes. Inland mining for copper, gold. Etc. , is another source of marine pollution. Most of the pollution is simply soil, which ends up in rivers flowing to the sea. However, some minerals discharged in the course of the mining can cause problems, such as copper, a common industrial pollutant, which can interfere with the life history and development of coral polyps. Mining has a poor environmental track record. For example, according to the united States Environmental Protection Agency, mining has contaminated portions of the headwaters of over 40% of watersheds in the western continental US. Much of this pollution finishes up in the sea. Land runoff Surface runoff from farming as well as urban runoff and runoff from the construction of roads, buildings, ports, channels, and harbors, can carry oil and particles laden with carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and minerals. This nutrient-rich water can cause fleshy algae and phytoplankton to thrive in coastal areas; known as algal blooms, which have the potential to create hypochondriacs by using all available oxygen. Polluted runoff from roads and highways can be a significant source of water pollution in coastal areas. About 75 percent of the toxic chemicals that flow into Upset Sound are carried postmaster that runs off paved roads and driveways, rooftops, yards and other developed land. * Ship pollution Ships can pollute waterways and oceans in many ways. Oil spills can have devastating effects. While being toxic to marine life, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (Pass), found in crude oil, are very difficult to clean up, and last for years in the sediment and marine environment. Discharge of cargo residues from bulk carriers can pollute ports, waterways and oceans. In many instances vessels intentionally discharge illegal wastes despite foreign and domestic regulation prohibiting such actions. It has been estimated that container ships lose over 10,000 containers at sea each year (usually during storms). Ships also create noise pollution that disturbs natural lilied, and water from ballast tanks can spread harmful algae and authoritative species. Ballast water taken up at sea and released in port is a major source of unwanted exotic marine life. The invasive freshwater zebra mussels, native to the Black, Caspian and Capo Seas, Were probably transported to the Great Lakes via ballast water from a transoceanic vessel. Mines believes that one of the worst cases of a single invasive species causing harm to an ecosystem can be attributed to a seemingly harmless jellyfish. Nepotisms eyelid, a species of comb jellyfish that spread so it now inhabits estuaries in many parts of the world. It was first introduced in 1 982, and thought to have been transported to the Black Sea in a ships ballast water. The population of the jellyfish shot up exponentially and, by 1988, it was wreaking havoc upon the local fishing industry. Tenancy catch fell from 204,000 tons in 1 984 to 200 tons in 1993; sprat from 24,600 tons in 1 984 to 12,000 tons in 1 993; horse mackerel from 4,000 tons in 1 984 to zero in Now that the jellyfish have exhausted the zooplankton, including fish larvae, their numbers have fallen dramatically, yet they continue to maintain a stranglehold on the ecosystem. Invasive species can take over once occupied areas, facilitate the spread of new diseases, introduce new genetic material, alter underwater seascapes and jeopardize the ability of native species to obtain food. Invasive species are responsible for about $138 billion annually in lost revenue and management costs in the US alone. * Deep Sea Mining Deep sea mining is a relatively new mineral retrieval process that takes place on the ocean floor. Ocean mining sites are usually around large areas of politically nodules or active and extraterritoriality vents at about 1 ,400 3,700 meters below the oceans surface. The vents create sulfide deposits, which contain precious metals such as silver, gold, copper, manganese, cobalt, and zinc. The deposits are mined using either hydraulic pumps or bucket systems that take ore to the surface to be processed. As with all mining operations, deep sea mining raises questions about environmental damages to the surrounding areas Because deep sea mining is a relatively new field, the complete consequences of full scale mining operations are unknown. However, experts are certain that removal of parts of the sea floor will result in disturbances to the benthic are, increased toxicity of the water column and sediment plumes from tailings. Removing parts of the sea floor disturbs the habitat of benthic organisms, possibly, depending on the type of mining and location, causing permanent disturbances. Aside from direct impact of mining the area, leakage, spills and corrosion would alter the mining areas chemical makeup. Among the impacts of deep sea mining, sediment plumes could have the greatest impact. Plumes are caused when the tailings from mining (usually fine particles) are dumped back into the ocean, creating a cloud of particles floating in the water. Two types of plumes occur: near bottom plumes and surface plumes. Near bottom plumes occur when the tailings are pumped back down to the mining site. The floating particles increase the turbidity, or cloudiness, Of the water, clogging filter-feeding apparatuses used by benthic organisms. Surface plumes cause a more serious problem. Depending on the size of the particles and water currents the plumes could spread over vast areas. The plumes could impact zooplankton and light penetration, in turn affecting the food web of the area. * Oil Oil spills cause huge damage to the marine environment but in fact are responsible for only around of he oil entering the seas each year. According to a study by the US National Research Council, 36% comes down drains and rivers as waste and runoff from cities and industry. Fertilizers Fertilizer runoff from farms and lawns is a huge problem for coastal areas. The extra nutrients cause transportation flourishing of algal blooms that deplete the waters dissolved oxygen and suffocate other marine life. Transportation has created enormous dead zones in several parts of the world, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Baltic Sea. * Seas of Garbage Solid garbage also makes its way to the ocean. Plastic gas, balloons, glass bottles, shoe s, packaging material if not disposed of correctly, almost Everett inning we throw away can reach the sea. Plastic garbage, which decomposes very slowly, is often mistaken for food by marine animals. High concentrations of plastic material, particularly plastic bags, have been found blocking the breathing passages and stomachs of many marine species, including whales, dolphins, seals, puffins, and turtles. Plastic six-pack rings for drink bottles can also choke marine animals. This garbage can also come back to shore, where it pollutes beaches and other coastal habitats. Sewage disposal In many parts of the world, sewage flows untreated, or under-treated, into the ocean. For example, 80% of urban sewage discharged into the Mediterranean Sea is untreated. This sewage can also lead to transportation. In addition, it can cause human disease and lead to beach closures. * Toxic chemicals Almost every marine organism, from the tiniest plankton to whales and polar bears, is contaminated with man-made chemicals, such as pesticides and chemicals used in common consumer products. Some of these chemicals enter the sea through deliberate dumping. For centuries, the oceans have been a convenient dumping ground or waste generated on land. This continued until the 1 sass, with dumping at sea the accepted practice for disposal of nearly everything, including toxic material such as pesticides, chemical weapons, and radioactive waste. Dumping of the most toxic materials was banned by the London Dumping Convention in 1 972, and an amended treaty in 1996 (the London Convention) further restricted what could be dumped at sea. However, there are still the problems of already-dumped toxic material, and even the disposal of permitted substances at sea can be a substantial environmental hazard. Chemicals also enter the sea from land-based activities. Chemicals can escape into water, soil, and air during their manufacture, use, or disposal, as well as from accidental leaks or fires in products containing these chemicals. Once in the environment, they can travel for long distances in air and water, including People once assumed that the ocean was so large that all ocean currents. Laotians would be diluted and dispersed to safe levels. But in reality, they have not disappeared and some toxic man-made chemicals have even become more concentrated as they have entered the food chain. Tiny animals at the bottom of the food chain, such as plankton in the oceans, absorb the chemicals as they feed. Because they do not break down easily, the chemicals accumulate in these organisms, becoming much more concentrated in th eir bodies than in the surrounding water or soil. These organisms are eaten by small animals, and the concentration rises again. These animals are in turn eaten by larger animals, which can travel large distances with their even further increased chemical load. Animals higher up the food chain, such as seals, can have contamination levels millions of times higher than the water in which they live. And polar bears, which feed on seals, can have contamination levels up to 3 billion times higher than their people become contaminated either directly from household environment. Products or by eating contaminated seafood and animal fats. Evidence is mounting that a number of man-made chemicals can cause serious health problems including cancer, damage to the immune system, behavioral problems, and reduced fertility. Definition of Terms Transportation Excessive richness Of nutrients in a lake or other body Of water, frequently due to runoff from the land, which causes a dense growth f plant life and death of animal life from lack of oxygen Plankton The small and microscopic organisms drifting or floating in the sea or fresh water, consisting chiefly of diatoms, protozoans, small crustaceans, and the eggs and larval stages of larger animals. Many animals are adapted to feed on plankton, esp.. By filtering the water. Marine pollution occurs when harmful, or potentially harmful, effects result from the entry into the ocean of chemicals, particles, industrial, agricultural and residential waste, noise, or the spread of invasive organisms.

A Deeper Understanding of the Stressors of Psoriasis Professor Ramos Blog

A Deeper Understanding of the Stressors of Psoriasis Society dictates of how beauty should be defined when it comes to how proportionate the person’s facial features are as it fits the golden ratio, and more importantly, how flawless a persons skin has as visibly seen by the eyes of the beholder. Nevertheless, the skin is the first line of defense when it comes to protecting the body from external harsh environment. Skin problems and illnesses are frequently noticeable and visible to others that even a physician can generally diagnose what a person has by looking at the abnormal skin level. The social stigma customarily correlated with different types of skin conditions is hard for people to cope with their skin issues and diseases, as well as negative reaction they receive from others. Moreover, many people suffer from variety of skin problems whether it is hereditary, autoimmune, infectious, environmental, or of unknown cause. Thus, it is the goal of this paper to look into a deeper understanding of one of the prevalent skin d iseases, such as psoriasis, though untreatable, yet can be prevented as long as the underlying causes are known intracellularly and externally. Fig. 1. Healthy skin and skin with psoriasis. â€Å"Growth and Shedding of Keratinocytes in Psoriasis.†Psoriasis Plaque, PubMed Health, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMHT0030407/ Normally, the skin regenerates itself about once a month, or approximately every twenty-eight days (Pagano 18) or 4 weeks as shown in Fig. 1 in a healthy skin (Growth and Shedding of Keratinocytes in Psoriasis). However, in psoriasis, the process speeded up; the skin attempts to renew itself every three or four days instead of the twenty-eight days. The surface area becomes red, inflamed, extremely sensitive, visibly raised, and scaly (19). The word psoriasis is from the Greek word psora, which means â€Å"itch† (Raychaudhuri et al. 61). Psoriasis is a long term, immune-mediated inflammatory disease (IMID , a disease that lacks definitive etiology) that occurs from the hyperproliferation of skin cells, thus thickening the layer of skin, which causes erythema or redness, scaly silvery plaques, itching, and bleeding. It is genetically inherited from a mother or father who has the disease. Psoriasis is not an unusual disorder; a prevalence of 2%-4%, with a peak incidence between 15 and 25 years age and without sex predilection, has been reported (45). Fig. 2. Common affected areas in psoriasis. â€Å"Main Features of Psoriasis.†Psoriasis E-Chart.HC-HealthComm, loc. 63, hc-healthcomm.com The manifestation of psoriasis can be triggered by many factors. It can be triggered by external and internal environmental factors in genetically susceptible individuals. These factors include infections, drugs such as allergic drug reaction, antimalarial drugs, lithium, beta blockers, interferon alpha, withdrawal of systemic corticosteroids, local trauma (Koebner’s phenomenon), and emotional stress, as these correlates with the onset or flares of psoriatic lesions (Weinberg 11). These lesions are distributed symmetrically and frequently occur on the elbows, knees, lower back, and scalp. These plaques can be intensely pruritic and bleed when manipulated, referred to as Auspitz sign (12). Thus, emotional stress, drugs, and infections can trigger clinical signs and symptoms experienced by psoriatics such as itching, bleeding, and lesion at the more prominent body sites such as the knees, elbows, back, and scalp as shown in fig. 2. Fig. 3. Pathophysiology of psoriasis at a cellular level. â€Å"Evolution of Psoriasis and Immune Factors.† Psoriasis E-Chart.HC-HealthComm, loc. 51, hc-healthcomm.com In many diseases that most people suffer, it seemed psychological distress plays a huge role in the exacerbation of the disease. Doctors and many people believe psychological ‘stress’ to be a major triggering factor in many skin diseases, specifically psoriasis (Shuster 614). The correlation between skin and mind may be a result of the skin’s role as biological structure of transmitting information, and perhaps also the social response to the infectious nature of skin disease in the recent past; consequently a disorder of the skin may have a very severe effect on the mind (615). He infer this is the basis of the erroneous belief that mind is a significant etiological aspect in skin disease. Moreover, he believes that there is a strong proof that both mind and ‘stress’ transform certain skin circulatory and immune responses but in a direction which might be anticipated to improve psoriasis (615). Therefore, based on the belief by many expertise in the field of medicine, psychological stress can worsen psoriasis. There are many cases have been reported that stress can exacerbate psoriasis. Scientific research reports roughly 40% of cases in the beginning or worsening of psoriasis, psychosocial stress has been reported to play an important role (Gupta et al. 166). A few studies have been published that about 80% of patients with psoriasis are stress reactors. Many psychosocial intercessions have been reported to be a vital addition in the typical therapeutic management of psoriasis (166). Based on the study of 127 patients with plaque psoriasis who got admitted to Dermatology inpatient unit, the psychosocial stress measures such as major life events, psychological or personality factors, social support, and minor daily stressful events or hassles were used to evaluate the severity of the disease of psoriatic patients (168). Based on the result of the dermatologic measures that were done, it revealed that the high stress reactors (i.e. stress exacerbates psoriasis) had extensive psoriasis on he ad (face and scalp), neck, upper extremities, and genital area which are classified as â€Å"emotionally charged† because psoriasis in these anatomical parts are more likely to induce emotional reactions in the patients †¦ In retroactive study, the high stress reactors also reported a larger number of flare-ups of their psoriasis during the 6 months prior to admission (170). In this study, the psychocutaneous traits have identified the high stress reactors from the low stress reactors (i.e. less significant link of stress and psoriasis). The high stress reactors had more disfiguring psoriasis because it affected many regions of their body. Aside from what Gupta and his colleagues had mentioned above, another scientific study suggests that stress can cause psoriasis. Based on Al’Abadie et al research on the effects of stressful life events on the beginning and progress of psoriasis, their studies showed that psoriasis patients’ disease is affected by stressful events differing from 40 to 80% based on whether it is an acute or chronic stress, and based on patients self reports or responses based on standardized check-lists (199). They also added that stress can affect the immune system directly through neuroendocrine changes or indirectly through poor healthy habits in regards to diet and sleep, or by taking drugs such as alcohol and therefore lowering their immune system (199). They found that chronic stress of everyday struggles can worsen psoriasis (200). The results of the study supports that the experience of stress may take a significant part in the onset and exacerbation of psoriasis. Many credible researchers continue to emphasize stress as one of the causes of the progression of psoriasis. In the study performed by Griffiths and Richards, they stated that psoriasis suggested as a psychosomatic disorder wherein stress or psychological distress is a cause in expressing the disease. Also, in their article, â€Å"Psychological influences in Psoriasis,† emotional stress was mentioned as the most convincing precipitating factor in psoriasis (338). The result of their study reported over 60% of a sample of psoriasis patients who attended a specialty clinic were convinced that stress was the main reason to the cause of their psoriasis, and this was not related to the clinical severity of their condition as measured by the Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) (338). In addition, they also examined the Psoriasis Life Stress Inventory (PLSI) which is another way in rating everyday life struggles or recurring substandard stress associated with having to live with pso riasis. They were able to identify that the two main factors to stress in psoriasis were â€Å"engaging in anticipatory and avoidance coping behavior, and belief of being evaluated on the basis of their skin† (qtd 339). Furthermore, they deduce that if psoriasis patients engage themselves in anticipatory and avoidance coping behavior which is not related to their skin condition, then it might be hypothesized that â€Å"thoughts related to stigmatization and rejection may be influencing such behavior† (qtd 339). In other terms, psoriasis patients are expecting horrible situation when they are not aware that this will actually happen. One good example would be a psoriasis patient will not take her children to a public water park for fear of being asked to leave the premise due to the fact that they have psoriasis even though this might never have occurred to them in the past. They tried to avoid this kind of situation because they feel being stigmatized because of the cl inical condition of their skin. Therefore, emotional or psychological stress of daily struggles with psoriasis manifests the progression of the disease. Fig. 4. Commonly affected areas of psoriasis and types of treatment. Armstrong, April W. â€Å"Psoriasis is a Common Condition Where the Skin Gets Red and Scaly; Psoriasis can Cause Itching, Discomfort, and Sometimes pain.† JAMA Dermatology, vol. 153, no. 9, Sep. 2017, p. 956. There are different types of treatment for psoriasis (see fig. 4). It can be topical medication, phototherapy, biological agents, oral medication, and diet. Though psoriasis can be stress related, having psoriasis self-help groups and group therapy that help the psoriatic patients to deal with the daily stresses related with their disease should be part of the whole therapeutic programs (Gupta et al. 172). The dermatologist should tailor the treatment plan based on patient individual needs since everybody has different and unique biochemical makeup. Though there is no cure for psoriasis, all the possible treatment mentioned above can possibly prevent the onset and exacerbation of the disease. Topical medications are used to treat the symptoms of psoriasis. Salicylic acid, corticosteroids and vitamin D analogues are few of the topical agents used to alleviate the symptoms of psoriasis. Raychaudhuri states that due to increased water loss and increased formation of keratinocytes in the skin, the skin becomes dry and itchy (246). Salicylic acid emollients are applied on the psoriatic skin to moisten the epidermal layer and prevent it from pruritus or itching (246). On the other hand, inflammation of the skin is another symptoms experienced by psoriatic patients. Since psoriasis can be an autoimmune disease, the keratinocytes in psoriasis are not well regulated causing an inflammatory response. Vitamin D has many important roles in immunity and the absorption of calcium according to Fett (163). Vitamin D supplement added in diet of psoriasis patients has a moderate or greater improvement in psoriasis in at least 50 percent of patients in five separate studies that have been r eported (164). Some psoriatic patients who take higher doses of vitamin D supplements completely resolved their disease (164). Vitamin D analogues are used to strengthen the immune system, and it binds to intracellular vitamin D receptors to regulate the genes responsible in the proliferation of keratinocytes and keratin (Raychaudhuri 249-50). The same effect as vitamin D ointment happens when corticosteroid is used to treat inflammation in psoriasis. Corticosteroid, a steroid hormone, is produced in the adrenal cortex regulates inflammatory response. It attaches to glucocorticoid receptor in the cell and regulates the gene responsible in inflammation (248). Therefore, the symptoms of psoriasis such as itching and inflammation can be treated with salicylic acid, vitamin D compounds, and corticosteroid topical agents. Another treatment used to relieve the symptom of psoriasis is by the use of phototherapy. Ultraviolet (UV) light therapy is used as a phototherapy to slow the growth of the affected skin cells in psoriasis (Raychaudhuri 170). Since psoriasis is a T cell mediated disease, the abnormal functioning T lymphocytes attacks the skin cells causing an inflammatory response by increasing the keratinocyte proliferation and keratinization (Dolgin 1219). Thus, with phototherapy, it slows down the process of the T lymphocytes in attacking the keratinocytes. Aside from the topical agents and phototherapy, diet also plays a vital role in the treatment of psoriasis. It is very essential to maintain the proper pH balance in the chemistry of psoriasis patients. Diet assists in the maintenance of a proper acid-base homeostasis of the chemical activity in the body according to Pagano (71). He suggests that psoriatic patients should be on the basic (alkaline) side than the acidic side as nature demands. The body chemistry that is leaning more towards the alkaline is more resistant to all kinds of disease (71). Furthermore, he recommends eating alkaline-forming foods such as raw carrot, celery, beets, parsley, romaine, lettuce, and spinach juice extracts, and avoids acid-forming foods such as strawberries, citrus fruits, citrus juices, and avocados (73-75). He mentions that a person’s blood should be always on the slight alkaline side (pH 7.3-7.5) to maintain the ideal health and immunity (71). Therefore, psoriatic patients should be awar e of their diet to maintain alkalinity in the blood and body chemistry to have a better resistance to disease and strengthen their immunity. Psoriasis is a very serious disease when it comes to the personal well being of a person who suffers from it. Knowing the possible stressors of psoriasis can help psoriatic patient treat its symptoms before its onset and exacerbation. Though the exact cause of psoriasis is unknown, bacterial or viral infections, toxic drugs, and psychosocial distress are few possible stressors of psoriasis. These stressors can cause the skin cell to behave erratically causing itchiness and inflammation of the skin. Many clinical studies have suggested that psychosocial stress can cause the exacerbation of psoriasis. Furthermore, a good mental attitude towards the disease is important to look at because they need a strong support group as they live their life daily with all the struggles they experience with the disease. In addition, different types of treatments such as topical agents (salicylic acid, vitamin D compounds, and corticosteroids), phototherapy (ultraviolet light), and diet are used to tr eat itching, inflammation, and other symptoms of psoriasis. Diet plays a very important role in alleviating the symptoms of psoriasis as long as the body chemical atmosphere is within the alkaline side for it aids a person from being resistant to diseases and increase its immunity. A deeper understanding of the stressors of psoriasis can help many people to win their battle with psoriasis. Al’ Abadie, M. S. et al. â€Å"The Relationship Between Stress and the Onset and Exacerbation of Psoriasis and Other Skin Conditions.† British Journal of Dermatology, no. 130, 1994, pp. 199-200. The article discusses the relationship between stress and beginning and progression of psoriasis. Dr. Mohammed Sami Al’ Abadie has worked in Dermatology since 1989, obtaining his PhD in Dermatology from Sheffield University, DSBD Diploma in Dermatology from University of Wales, working as a consultant Dermatologist since 1997. He is also a senior lecturer and visiting professor of medical students from Birmingham University, and has published numerous specialist papers in peer review journals in Dermatology. The article is important to utilize in the research paper due to one possible cause of psoriasis is stress. Armstrong, April W. â€Å"Psoriasis is a Common Condition Where the Skin Gets Red and Scaly; Psoriasis can Cause Itching, Discomfort, and Sometimes pain.† JAMA Dermatology, vol. 153, no. 9, Sep. 2017, p. 956. The article talks about common symptoms experienced by psoriatic patients. Dr. April W. Armstrong is an Associate Dean of Clinical Research at Keck School of Medicine at USC. She also serves as Director of Clinical Research for the Southern California Clinical and Translational Research Institute. In the Department of Dermatology at USC, she serves as Vice Chair, Director of Clinical Trials and Outcomes Research, and Director of the Psoriasis Program. The article is very useful in knowing the symptoms of psoriasis. â€Å"Evolution of Psoriasis and Immune Factors.† Psoriasis E-Chart.HC-HealthComm, loc. 51, hc-healthcomm.com The article accounts for the pathophysiology of psoriasis and anatomical areas affected by psoriasis. The information provided by this article can be helpful in knowing what really is going on at the cellular level in psoriasis. Fett, Rebecca. Healing Arthritis and Psoriasis by Restoring the Microbiome: The Keystone Approach. Franklin Fox Publishing, 2018, pp. 163-164. The author helps us understand the root causes of the autoimmune diseases, for instance, the psoriasis. She affirms, based on scientific research, that the balance of bacteria in an individual’s microbiome can have a huge impact on inflammation throughout the body. She also reveals the importance of a low-starch and microbiome-restoring diets for people who are suffering psoriasis. The author is a science writer with a degree in molecular biotechnology and biochemistry from the University of Sydney. She previously spent ten years as a biotechnology patent litigation attorney in New York, where she specialized in analyzing the scientific and clinical evidence for immune-targeting biologic medicines. I will use this source to support my research paper regarding the connection or roll of diets in psoriasis. Griffiths, C. E., and Richards, H. L. â€Å"Psychological Influences in Psoriasis.† Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, no. 26, 2001, pp. 338-339. The article explains how patients with psoriasis experience psychosocial activities like high anxiety level, depression, worry and avoidance of social activities. It also suggests that one of the main sources of stress experienced by patients with the said skin condition is due to apprehension of how others will react to their disease, which leads to avoidance behavior and extreme worrying. C. E. M. Griffiths OBE (Order of the British Empire) is Foundation Professor of Dermatology at the University of Manchester, Director of the Manchester Centre for Dermatology Research and Head of the Dermatology Theme of the National Institute for Health Research Manchester Biomedical Research Centre. He is also an Honorary Consultant Dermatologist at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust. On the other hand, H. L. Richards of Mercy University Hospital, Cork is also a researcher with an expertise in Positive Psychology, Health Psychology, and Clinical Psychology. I will use this source to get more inf ormation between the relationship of psoriasis and stress. â€Å"Growth and Shedding of Keratinocytes in Psoriasis.†Psoriasis Plaque, PubMed Health, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMHT0030407/ Gupta, Madhulika A. et al. â€Å"A Psychocutaneous Profile of Psoriasis Patients Who Are Stress Reactors: A Study of 127 Patients.† General Hospital Psychiatry, vol. 11, no. 3, May 1989, pp. 166-173. PubMed, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0163-8343(89)90036-4. Gupta and his colleagues have identified some psychocutaneous distinctiveness that clinically differentiates psoriatirc who report that stress aggravates their disease (high stress reactors) from the psoriatics who do not report a considerable relationship between stress and their psoriasis (low stress reactors). The high stress reactors have more distorting illness as result of severe psoriatic flare ups in â€Å"emotionally charged† body parts. Madhulika Gupta is a scientist and affiliated at Division of Maternal, Fetal Newborn Health, Children’s Health Research Institute, and assistant Professor in the Department of Paediatrics and Biochemistry in the Schulich School of Medicine Dentistry in Western University. She is a very credible author that I can utilize in my research as it relates to the stressor of psychosocial influence to the exacerbation of psoriasis. â€Å"Main Features of Psoriasis.†Psoriasis E-Chart.HC-HealthComm, loc. 63, hc- healthcomm.com Pagano, John O. A., D.C. Healing Psoriasis: The Natural Alternative. John Wiley Sons, 2009, pp. 18-19, 71, 73-75. Dr. John Pagano defines in his book what is psoriasis and its etiology. He discusses the importance of diet and mental attitude in overcoming psoriasis. He also reveals how acid-forming diet, stress and any negative emotions such as hatred, anger, fear and the likes can aggravate the psoriatic condition. The author is a chiropractic physician in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, for forty eight years. His motivation to conduct research on and study psoriasis is due to His first encounter with his psoriasis patients while doing his internship at a hospital in Denver has motivated him to conduct research on psoriasis to alleviate the suffering of the people with the said disease. He wants to prove that psoriasis and other skin problems or diseases can be controlled and healed naturally. I strongly believe that the author is a reliable source and his book will be able to help me on my research paper to validate some claims and answer questions regarding the causes of psoriasis, and how it c an be treated. Raychaudhuri, Siba P. et al. Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis: Pathophysiology, Therapeutic Intervention, and Complementary Medicine. Taylor Francis Group, 2018, pp. 37, 61, 170, 246, 248-250. The authors present information on pathophysiology, disease epidemiology, and genetics of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. They cover the current treatments for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, which includes topical preparations, light therapy, and the idea of total care. In addition, they discuss the numerous nutriceutical supplements and functional foods available for psoriasis and its accompanying inflammatory conditions. Siba P. Raychudhuri, MD, FACP, FACR, is the chief of the Rheumatology Division at the VA Medical Center in Sacramento, California, and a senior faculty in the Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology at the University of California, Davis. Smriti K. Raychaudhuri, MD, is a professor of medicine and medical microbiology at California Northstate University College of Medicine. She is also the director of the Cellular and Clinical Immunology Research Laboratory at the Sacramento VA Medical Center, California. Lastly, Debasis Bagchi, PhD, MACN, C NS, MAIChE, is the chief scientific officer at Cepham Research Center, Piscataway, New Jersey; a professor in the Department of Phamacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Texas. I will use this source to explain the pathophysiology of the disease process of psoriasis. Shuster, Sam. â€Å"Stress and Psoriasis.† British Journal of Dermvatology. vol. 100, no. 5, 1979. pp. 614-615. The article discusses the relationship of stress and psoriasis. Dr. Sam Shuster is a British dermatology educator, consultant, and researcher. He is an honorary consultant at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital since 2009. Consultant on various pharmacological and chemical industries worldwide, television and radio programs on medical and general topics. The article provides information about how stress affects psoriasis. Weinberg, Jeffrey M. Treatment of Psoriasis. Birkhauser, 2008, p. 11. The book expounds the pathopysiology of psoriasis and the triggering factors of it. The author describes, as well, the different types of psoriasis like erythrodermic psoriasis, pustular psoriasis, inverse psoriasis, nail psoriasis, oral psoriasis, and psoriatic arthritis. He also discusses the different ways to treat psoriasis- oral therapy, topical therapy, UV and laser therapy. Furthermore, he points out some medications that can trigger psoriasis. The author is a Dermatology specialist in Forest Hill, New York. He attended and graduated from University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in 1993. This book will be helpful to fully understand the disease process and treatments

The Lute Player and Le Mezzetin Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

The Lute Player and Le Mezzetin - Essay Example The essay "The Lute Player and Le Mezzetin" compares two paintings, â€Å"The Lute Player† and â€Å"Le Mezzetin†. Caravaggio painted The Lute Player for the Cardinal Francesco Maria Del Monte as part of family collection for the Del Monte estate. The madrigal text visible to the spectator is written in Franco-Flemish language, which must have been influenced by the preference of the patron. For a time, many experts were confounded about the authenticity of this painting after several copies surfaced. It was found that there were three Lute Player paintings, the one that came from the Del Monte Collection, the Hermitage and Badminton House versions. These painting all depicted a boy playing a lute as he sings a madrigal, a Baroque song, about love. Some details differ according to versions. For instance, the last two versions have flowers and fruits in them and the text in the madrigals are visible. The number of authentic copies is attributed to Caravaggio’s sty le of copying his own work, polishing or simply copying a replica. Often this results in better executed imagery in latter copies as the paintings have new elements added. The historical background of Le Mezzetin, on the other hand, is quite simple and brief. It was just one of Watteau’s paintings commissioned by his friend and patron, Jean de Jullienne. Hence, the painting or any artistic intentions and motivations must have been confined or intended for this fact. As some historical account revealed, Jullienne was an important part of Watteau’s life.

Call Center Report- from a cultural perspective (includes Essay

Call Center Report- from a cultural perspective (includes communication) - Essay Example The organization acquired necessary property for the call centre and a number of key management employees having British citizenship will supervise the call centre. A UK based company extended the business into the finance and insurance sector with a banking and finance division which was incorporated with around 50,000 customer accounts in mid 2000s. Overtime it became costlier to provide services to the customers; hence to achieve financial savings – in 2011, a decision was taken as part of the five-year strategic plan to open an inbound call centre outside the UK; afterward Manila, Philippine was chosen. The aim of this call centre is to achieve financial savings as well as the benefits of outsourcing while providing satisfactory services to the customers of the company. This report is being prepared to achieve the following objectives: Manila is one of the most energetic and diverse cities of Asia. This city is an extensive mass of humanity, acutely reflecting long heritage of cultures and classes. Straddling the Pasing River’s delta, the Philippines’ capital is actually a group of cities fused into one. There are plenty of highlights in each sub city within Manila. Almost all sorts of life-style facilities and entertainments are available in this city, a number of world’s biggest shopping-malls are in Manila. Depending on the interest of the people vibrant nightlives attract the tourist to Manila (Margaret W. Sullivan, â€Å"The Philippines: Pacific Crossroads†). In the Philippines call centres were started with the services of email responses and relevant managing services. These centres have the capabilities managing and maintaining all types of customer care, customer relations including technical support, travel services, education, financial services, business to business support, business to customer