30 Synonyms for Meeting

30 Synonyms for Meeting 30 Synonyms for â€Å"Meeting† 30 Synonyms for â€Å"Meeting† By Mark Nichol Humans, being social animals, have many reasons for meeting and many words to describe doing so in various degrees of formality and format. Here are thirty ways to label a meeting, depending on the particulars. 1. Assembly: a meeting for entertainment, legislation, or worship 2. Caucus: a meeting, often in a political context, to select candidates or policy 3. Clinic: a problem-solving meeting or one at which participants acquire knowledge or skills 4. Colloquium: a meeting at which experts, usually in an academic setting, give presentations on one or more topics and engage in a question-and-answer period 5. Colloquy: a serious, important meeting (also, a synonym for conversation and dialogue) 6. Conclave: a private or secret meeting, especially that of Roman Catholic cardinals convened to select a new pope, or any gathering of an organization 7. Confab: a chat, discussion, or meeting (informal usage) 8. Conference: a meeting for discussing issues or topics of interest to all participants, usually including keynote speeches and a wide variety of sessions on specific subjects 9. Congress: a meeting or session, especially of delegates to discuss and act on an issue or topic 10. Convention: a meeting to bring together representatives of a trade, profession, or interest group, or to assemble representatives of a political party to select candidates and policy 11. Convocation: a meeting of attendees called together, of a college or university’s members, or of clergy (and perhaps laypeople) 12. Council: a meeting to discuss or advise on one or more issues 13. Demonstration: an informal mass meeting, usually held outdoors on public property, to protest about or bring attention to a topic or issue 14. Forum: a meeting that involves a discussion among experts or between them and audience members 15. Gathering: a meeting (informal usage) 16. Get-together: an informal meeting 17. Huddle: a meeting (informal usage) 18. Panel: a meeting at which participants discuss a topic or issue in front of an audience 19. Palaver: a meeting, especially one between disparate parties 20. Parley: a meeting to resolve conflict or negotiate with an enemy 21. Powwow: a meeting or a social event, or a meeting to celebrate Native American culture 22. Rally: a mass meeting to inspire enthusiasm and/or action 23. Round-robin: a small meeting to discuss or decide on a topic or issue 24. Roundtable: see round-robin 25. Seminar: a meeting for disseminating and discussing information 26. Session: a meeting or series of meetings, or a portion of an extended meeting or one of various simultaneous meetings as part of a larger event 27. Summit: a meeting of high-level leaders 28. Symposium: a formal meeting at which several specialists deliver short addresses on a topic or on related topics 29. Synod: a meeting of clergy 30. Workshop: an educational meeting or program Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:The Royal Order of Adjectives 25 Russian Words Used in English (and 25 More That Should Be)10 Humorous, Derisive, or Slang Synonyms for â€Å"Leader† or â€Å"Official†

The eNotes Blog The Best Book I Read LastYear

The Best Book I Read LastYear Looking for a good read to begin 2014 right? We have some recommendations for you!  Heres a list of staff members favorite picks from a year of reading. We hope it inspires you when creating your list for 2014. Clearly the editors, interns, marketing staff and others behind are a mixed bunch, with high-brow, chick lit, and even photography manuals between us. Check out our reads and let us know whats on your list in a comment below. Gone Girl This huge bestseller was probably on many readers lists for 2013, with its spellbinding plot and really, pretty horrifying characters. It had me compulsively turning its pages, making Gillian Flynns dark thriller easily a one-weekend-read. Warning: dont pick it up without a bit of time on your hands; you wont want to put it down without solving the mystery of Amy Dunnes disappearance. Infinite Jest One of co-founders selected a throwback for his 2013 pick: David Foster Wallaces 1996 novel  Infinite Jest. The book is set in a futuristic society of North America and has inspired some polarizing opinions from readers for its complex plot, but it has to be admired for its influence over the past two decades of fiction. If youre looking for a challenging, important read, look no further. The Age of Miracles The Age of Miracles is the captivating imagining of what would happen to our world should Earth gradually cease to spin. The ensuing apocalypse is a slow and torturous one, wreaking havoc on both the natural world and the formerly normal teenage life of its main character. If youre looking for YA fiction with truly poetic prose, this is your read. Speedliters Handbook: Learning to Craft Light with Canon Speedlites So, our managing editor is a bit of a photography nut. If you are too we suggest you pick up the Speedliters Handbook. Itll teach you all kinds of things about Canon Speedlites. The rest of us have no idea what those are, but hey, look at the cover shot! Thats good, right? Art as Therapy Into philosophy? Weve got a high-brow selection for you with Alain de Botton and John Armstrongs  Art as Therapy. The philosopher and art historian duo explore the purpose of art and specifically of masterpieces, suggesting that they can be useful, relevant, and above all else therapeutic for their viewers. Finally, walk into a museum and get the art! Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy And onto the lists most controversial choice: Helen Fieldings latest installment of Bridget Jones Diary. I know, I know, Darcys dead (sacrilege!) but I challenge you not to smile at Bridgets encounters with Twitter, toyboys, head lice and heartache. Just dont be a buzzkill and compare it to Bridgets debut. On its own the novel is really v.g. The Sense of an Ending editorial intern Tylers choice for his best 2013 read is Julian Barnes 2011 novel The Sense of an Ending. Sitting at only 150 pages, the Man Booker prize-winning novel is a quick but important read. It centers on the life of Tony Webster, who recounts his youth and tries to make sense once and for all of the suicide of his schoolboy friend Adrian. The title of the book is pulled from a literary theory book that concerns making sense of the ways we try to make sense of our lives. Vivian Maier Street Photographer Vivian Maier was one of the talented few in street photography who captured all facets of humanity in her expertly shot portraits: the humorous, beautiful, and often heartbreaking scenes of city life following WWII.  But until just a few years ago, nobody had seen any of her work. The full-time nanny had no formal training in photography, and though she passionately, compulsively shot photographs into the 90s, she never shared them with anyone. This 2011 collection of more than 100 of her best prints is a fascinating read for any photography admirer. The Kitchen Counter Cooking School Another of our editorial interns, Katie, recommends this unique spin on a cooking book: Flinns book was really interesting because  it demonstrated just how transformative learning to cook can be. She takes on a group of women and visits their homes and takes inventory of their kitchens, interviewing them about why they would like to cook. Then she does a series of classes with all of them and once they finish, she does a follow up visit a few months later to see how the experience had changed them.  Really interesting and inspiring, plus lots of good recipes! The Cairo Codex Again from Katie, Lamberts book is very provocative. Its reminiscent of Dan Browns books, but her protagonist is a female anthropologist who discovers an ancient codex that seems to have been written by a member of the Holy Family. Ive always been fascinated by Egypt and its culture, and thats where the book is set. The book really keeps you on your toes.  Im excited because its the first in a trilogy. So, whats up on the list for 2014? For me its the enticing  The Light Between Oceans  and Eleanor Cattons Booker prize-winning The Luminaries  (to start). What will you be reading this year? Happy New Year from the gang at

Procrassss Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Procrassss - Essay Example Another procrastination problem I might face is meeting the deadline for this semester. Looking at the past, I have had to postpone critical deadlines. The other problem I have is socializing a lot in school which makes me push forward my revision time, mostly during lunch breaks and in the evenings (Learning Empowerment & Achieving Potential, 2010). Learning, empowerment, and achieving stipulated goals may help to overcome procrastination problems as discussed. The first thing is to reduce over-socializing at school since it minimizes accomplishment of tasks. Secondly, is to prepare myself to be productive and industrious. Further, it may motivate me to wake up early in the morning so that I can revise. Finally, always do what is right at the right time, and I will be able to accomplish my goal (Learning Empowerment & Achieving Potential, 2010). In conclusion, Procrastination is the thief of time. Since we are not victims of circumstances, anyone can overcome it. By learning from the above problems and solutions of procrastination, it is upon me to do, what is necessary at the right time (Learning Empowerment & Achieving Potential,

Gospel Parables Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Gospel Parables - Research Paper Example There are several links in this particular webpage titled â€Å"The Gospel Parables† and access to all links is convenient. However, the website has a very old outlook and people might fight it very unappealing and outdated. Navigation process of the website is clear to the users and the links are highlighted efficiently to get quick access. All the windows open smoothly and the description of each link is given appropriately.. However the website doest not include any images or pictures and is all about written parables and information related to Jesus’ teachings. There are several parables included in the website, so as to give a wide variety of information to the readers. When a reader views the parables, it definitely gives them a realistic experience of hearing the teaching from Jesus Christ himself. The aim of the website is to alert the common men and non -believers who are ignorant about the divine law of God. The parables are here explained briefly, but the int roduction of Jesus Christ is not given, if it had been present , the writing would have been much beneficial to the readers. It is also visible here that, introductions to the parables are not done in an appropriate manner .If each parable is not introduced properly , the value of the subject get deducted. As the compilation of the writing originated from a Bishop, the credibility of the website soar, and visitors can get more intrigued in reading the parables. Moreover, the message being directly from Jesus, religious and spiritual people would not think twice about reading the information. However, the English language is used in a very simple form, so that lay men and children can understand it without much difficulty. The meaning of parable and its aim for creation is briefly understood by the author of the website. Here around 25 parables are put forward by the author, and all are explained moderately to make the understanding less complicated for the reader. At times, it can b e noted that explanation is too much in biblical terms which can confuse the non believers and readers of first time. The website is very informative but it looks too pale and simple to keep the interest of reader. In current times people look in for more multimedia and special effects in the website, and this website is too normal and unattractive. Moreover the writing has not used any catchy phrases or sentences to touch the reader emotionally or spiritually. It is highly important that an author relates the article more to the social interaction of the people in a society .The aim of this spiritual article is to induce a spiritual advancement in people and bring about changes in their immediate life. Hence a religious article should be spiritually enforcing and has to be very carefully compiled in order to impart knowledge and to sustain the interest of people engaged in web browsing or web hunting. In this writing ,some parables get initiated abruptly and is obviously less struc tured. A writing should always have a proper introduction ,other wise the reader is left to confusion and ambiguity as to the purpose of the writing. It is seen that some parables does not give a wholesome message to people. Just quoting a verse from bible does not make a literature religious or spiritual, but there should be a worthy substance to the whole writing . A consistent writing only can keep

Criticize the article Francis Fukuyama "The end of History" Essay

Criticize the article Francis Fukuyama "The end of History" - Essay Example Prior to the release of his article, Francis Fukuyama was an unknown state department official but after the posting of his journal titled â€Å"The End of History?† he was regularly mentioned and attracted various responses. His interpretations were heavily borrowed and adapted from G.M.F. Hegel, a German philosopher. Hegel was of the idea that history had reached its end in the year 1806 after Napoleon defeated the Prussian Monarchy. It is along these lines that Fukuyama identifies the main hurdles to liberal democracy, and they are Fascism and communism. Fukuyama states that these two ideologies have ended with fascism facing its end after the defeat of Italy, Germany and Japan in the Second World War. On the other hand, communism met its end after the recent economic and political concessions in China and the Soviet Union (Herwitz, 2005). After all the ideologies, Fukuyama affirms that Western liberal democracy is the outright winner. The only remaining adversaries are religious fundamentalism and some aspects of nationalism. Fukuyama stated that history was full of struggles meant to realize the freedom idea that is etched on our consciousness. His thoughts must have been heavily influenced by the end of the Cold War, and this led him to assert that it marked the end of history. The end of the Cold War was an apparent triumph of capitalist and liberal ideologies of western nations. The events of the Cold War had shown a clear win by the United States and her allies. He used this to conclude that it was the universalization of Western liberal ideologies and also marked the end of humankind’s ideological evolution (Herwitz, 2005). By the time when this article appeared in the National Interest, people could not disagree with Fukuyama. The Soviet Union was about to disintegrate, and so was the Berlin Wall. Everything that was happening at that time suggested that it was only liberal capitalist democracies that

Experience of Self-monitoring of Blood Glucose in Pregnancy

Experience of Self-monitoring of Blood Glucose in Pregnancy Lived Experience of Self-monitoring of Blood Glucose among Pregnant Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Abstract Key words:Self-monitoring of blood glucose, gestational diabetes mellitus INTRODUCTION Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is defined as impaired glucose tolerance first identified during pregnancy. It is diagnosed using a 75g or 100 g oral glucose tolerance test according to clinical practice guidelines. The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus among pregnant women is increasing worldwide because of unhealthy eating and lack of exercise. Prepregnancy overweight and gestational weight gain are the strongest predictors of GDM (Savona-Venturaet al.,2013). Previous studies showed that 5.0-12.9% of pregnant women have GDM (Cho, 2013). Pregnant women who have gestational diabetes mellitus are more likely to develop adverse pregnancy and child birth outcomes. Common maternalhealth complications are hypertensivedisorder (3.0-50.0%), preterm labour (2.0-14%), spontaneous abortion (3.5-25.3%), polyhydramnios (5.0-28.0%, and postpartum hemorrhage (6.0-10.5%). Neonatal complications include macrosomic infant (12.0-17.0%), congenital malformations (6.5-20.0%), shoulder dystocia (9.5-23.3%), birth injury (4.5-13.3%), respiratory distress syndrome (1.5-21.4%), hypoglycemia (20.0-68.5%), hyperbiliruninemia (5.3-48.3%), and admission in neonatal care unit (15.0-20.6%) (Wang, 2013).These maternal and neonatal sequalae develop due to prolonged hyperglycemia. High levels of blood glucose can damage endothelial cells causing hypertensive disorder and its complications. Infants of pregnant women with GDM are also exposed to high maternal blood glucose levels (Webb, 2013). It is suggested that controlling blood glucose within the recommended range (70-120 mg/dl) will decrease these complications. GDM in pregnant women can be treated by medical nutrition therapy, insulin injection, and self-monitoring of blood glucose (American Diabetes Association, 2013). Testing of capillary blood for glucose levels is recommended as a diabetes self-management strategy.Pregnant women with GDM need to be advised and taught to collect blood sample from their fingertip and use a glucometer to measure blood glucose levels. Little is known about their perception and lived experience of self-monitoring of blood glucose. Understanding their perception and meaning regarding diabetes management will be useful to promote self-care, improve glycaemic control, and decrease maternal and neonatal health complications. METHODS Objectives of the study The objectives of this study were to describe perceptions and meaning of lived experience in self-monitoring of blood glucose and utilization of blood glucose levels for glycaemic control among pregnant women who have gestational diabetes mellitus. Research design This descriptive phenomenological study was designed to gain more understanding about lived experienced of pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus in self-monitoring of blood glucose. Specific qualitative research methods used in this study included bracketing the researcher perspectives, analyzing, intuiting, and describing perception and meaning of participants’ lived experience (Creswell, 2013; Touhyet al., 2013). Study setting This study was conducted in the antenatal care units, diabetes clinics, and obstetric wards of two government hospitals in southern Thailand which are the referral centers providing advanced management of pregnancy complicated with GDM. Ethical consideration The research project and data collection procedures were approved by Institutional Review Boards and ethics committees of the Faculty of Nursing and Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, and selected hospitals in southern Thailand. Participants Potential participants were approached and asked for participation by staff nurses. Informed consent was obtained by the researcher teams. Thirty pregnant women diagnosed with GDM during 24-30 week gestation were recruited for the study. Data collection Data were collected using in-depth interviews following semi-structured interview guides. Digital audio recording was used. The participants were asked to be interviewed at the antenatal clinic, diabetes clinic, or obstetric ward. Two interviews were conducted. Each interview took 30-45 minutes. Data were collected until saturation. Interview data were transcribed to prepare for coding and analyzing. Data analysis Qualitative data were analyzed followingColaizzi’s method and included seven steps: 1) Reading and re-reading descriptions, 2) extracting significant statements, 3) formulating the meaning of lived experiences in various contexts, 4) categorizing the meaning into clusters of themes, 5) describing the phenomenon being studied, 6) validating the finding with participants, and 7) incorporating informants’ view in the findings (Creswell, 2013). FINDINGS The mean age of participants was 32.5 (22-39 years). Seventeen women were Buddhists and thirteen women were Muslims. Their educational levels were high school (6/30), vocational level (14/30), and bachelor degree (10/30). Most of them were multiparous (22/30) and were employed (18/30). Eight women had previous GDM and experience of self-monitoring of blood glucose. The findings showed three emerged themes regarding perception and meaning of self-monitoring of blood glucose among pregnant women with GDM: being worried about diabetes, trying to control it, and having patience for their child. Being worried about diabetes comprised two dimensions: wondering about the impact of diabetes on the child, and concern about maternal health. After being informed that they had GDM, having high levels of blood glucose, they first thought abouthow diabetes would affect their pregnancy, particularly the effect on their child. They believed that their infant would be harmed or malformed, or have diabetes. The participants’ perceptions regarding GDM impact on child health were as follows. Another dimension of being afraid of diabetes was concern over maternal health. Pregnant women having GDM were also concerned about complications during pregnancy such as abortion, preterm labour, and having diabetes after childbirth. They shared their understanding as these words. The second theme was â€Å"trying to control it†. They gave two dimensions of trying to control diabetes that included: 1) learning to test blood glucose, and 2) being aware of what to eat. Learning to test blood glucose. After being diagnosed with GDM, diabetes nurse educators advised them about how to collect blood from the finger and use the glucometer to test blood glucose levels. Pregnant women needed to learn these new skills of self-monitoring of blood sugar. They shared their experiences as follows. Being aware of what to eat. Pregnant women with GDM paid more attention to take some healthy foods as recommended by doctors, nurses and dietitians. They learned to choose food type, portion size, and appropriate time to have breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks between meals. They provided additional data as follows. The third theme was â€Å"having patience for their child†. Pregnant women with GDM expressed the meaning of their experiences of self-monitoring of blood glucose in two dimensions: 1) overcoming food desires, and tolerating the fingerprick pain. The first meaning of having patience for the child was â€Å"overcoming food desires†. The women shared their experience of how they faced controlling their blood glucose. They had a struggle related to hunger due to cutting down on some favorite foods such as sweetened drinks, desserts and fruits. Sometimes they could not tolerate their food desire, they then decided to eat what they wanted. This response supports the idea. The second dimension of having patience for their child was â€Å"tolerating the fingerprick pain†. After being diagnosed with GDM, they were advised to test their blood glucose by pricking the fingertip to collect capillary blood to measure blood glucose levels with a glucometer for 8 to 12 weeks. They experienced mild intensity of pain that they had to cope with in order to achieve good glycaemic control. The women shared their tolerance with fingertip pain as follows. DISCUSSION After being diagnosed with GDM, pregnant Thai women were worried about the impact of diabetes on their child and their own health. They were afraid that their child might have diabetes or other health problems, or even die. A previous study also found that women with GDM experienced fear about the wellbeing of their babies and themselves (Stankiewiczet al., 2014). For maternal health, most of them were worried about becoming diabetic later in life. The research evidence revealed that women who had a history of GDM were at risk to develop prediabetes, diabetes, or metabolic syndrome. Among women with GDM, 5-14% were subsequently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus during the postpartum period and 7-29% had impaired glucose tolerance (Bihanet al., 2014). Pregnant women with GDM needed to learn to measure their blood glucose levels by self-monitoring technique. They expressed their experience as â€Å"learning to test blood glucose† because it was a new activity with which they had no skill and were not familiar. After being advised by diabetes nurse educators, they could collect a blood sample from the fingertip and test it with the glucometer. This result was supported the finding that women who have GDM can manage to control their blood glucose after they cope with emotional strain (Huiet al., 2014; Stankiewiczet al., 2014). In addition, the women had learned to control their blood glucose by â€Å"being aware of what to eat†. After receiving knowledge about diabetes medical nutrition therapy from a dietitian and nurse educator, they shared their understanding of prior dietary pattern that needed to be changed, such as reducing the consumption of sweetened drink and desserts, or fruit with high glycemic index. They had learned about the kind of foods for diabetes and portion sizes. They perceived that awareness of dietary behaviors was necessary to control their blood glucose levels. A previous study also reported that pregnant women with GDM changed their health behavior after being informed of their health problems andthe way to improve their health (Bandyopadhyayet al., 2011; Hjelmet al., 2012). Lastly, pregnant women with GDM shared their experiences that they were â€Å"patient for their child†. They had to overcome their food desires and cope with pain from fingertip pricking during blood testing. Normally, they had their favorite foods such as Thai fruits and desserts. After becoming pregnant with GDM, they had to adapt their food habits in order to achieve good glycemic control. Sometimes, they would like to eat something that they wanted but they were concerned about its impact on their child. Eventually, they decided not to eat that food or took only a small amount. However, some women could not resign their food desire and chose to take food to eat it for their satisfaction. After they fulfilled their need, they tried to practise as recommended. This was her voice â€Å"In the afternoon, I felt thirsty. I tried to drink some water but it did not satisfy me. I continued to seek some sweetened drink that I like. I could not stop my desire, then I decided to tak e it. After that my blood sugar was as high as 215 mg/dl. I have learned what food raises my blood sugar. So I tried to face my feeling and overcome it for my child wellbeing and my health too.† Another experience of having patience for the child was â€Å"tolerating fingerprick pain†. Pregnant women with GDM were advised to self-monitor their blood glucose 2 to 3 times a day, before or after meals, for 8 to 12 weeks until they gave birth. They had to cope with mild intensity of pain. They expressed their responses that they could do it in order to prevent health problems of their child and themselves. This supports the finding that perception that GDM affects behaviors related to maternal and child health and influences the adoption of a healthy lifestyle (Poth Carolan, 2013). Limitations of the study Lived experienced of self-monitoring of blood glucose in this study was obtained from the perspectives among pregnant women with gestational diabetes. It might not fit with the meaning and perception of individuals who have experience the management of type 1 or type 2 diabetes over a longer time. Conclusions Pregnant women being diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus had lived experienced characterized by two main themes: being afraid of the effect of high blood glucose on their own healthand the impacts on their child, and trying to control blood sugar by being aware of what to eat, overcoming the food desires, responding to satiety, and tolerating to skin pricking. Understanding of the women’s perception is useful to promote diabetes self-management.

Amimal Farm :: essays research papers

ANIMAL FARM Political satire is not an uncommon literary genre. George Orwell is known for having written two of the most famous political satires in English literature. In Animal Farm, Orwell satirizes the show trials, the propaganda, and the cult of personality of Stalinist Russia. First, there are the show trials. For example, the book states, â€Å"In the following days, the dogs become his (Napoleon’s) bodyguard and killing machine.† Napoleon orders the dogs to kill the farm animals because they don’t believe that Snowball is the cause of all bad. Once again, one of the seven commandments, â€Å"no animal shall kill another,† is changed to fit Napoleon’s way of doing things. Squealer, with his quick and smooth talk is always right there to explain for Napoleon’s actions. In addition, when the hens fail to â€Å"meet the egg productions,† the pigs become violent and slaughter them. The slaughter of animals continues when a sheep dies after it confesses to having urinated in the drinking pool. As more animals come and confess their wrong doings, the pigs kill them, so it becomes necessary to alter the sixth commandment in order to show that they are faithful followers of the set commandments. The new commandment now says, â€Å"No animal shall kill any other animal without cause.† Second, there is the propaganda. For instance, Squealer uses propaganda more then any other animal on the farm, and he prospers from it. He becomes Napoleon’s second hand man by making everyone believe they remember wrongly about the commandments by asking, â€Å"Are you certain that this is not something that you have dreamed, comrades? Have you any record of such a resolution? Is it written down anywhere?† and makes sure everyone always believes Napoleon is a good leader. Furthermore, when Boxer is taken away in the knacker truck, Squealer tells all the animals that â€Å"the truck has been bought by the hospital, but they haven’t painted the old name out.† Squealer also brainwashes many of the animals into believing that they do not like apples and milk, which they were given to eat, while he, Napoleon, and other pigs are stealing food for themselves. Many things happen to Napoleon and the pigs because of propaganda. Finally, there is the cult of personality. For example, Minimus expresses his feelings for Napoleon by writing a poem which, runs as the following: Friend of fatherless! Fountain of happiness! Lord of the swill-bucket! Oh, how my soul is on

Mountains, rivers, other features Essay

Mountains in Belgium are: Baraque de Fraiture,Baraque Michel,Botrange. There are many rivers in Belgium such as: The Lys (Leie) in the cities of Bruges and Ghent, The Escaut River (Schelde) in Tournai, Bossuit and Ghent . The Meuse (Maas) and Sambre in the south let you visit Namur also Liege and the Willebroek-Charleroi Canals (The Belgian Tourist Office (BTO) in the US). In northwest of Belgium, there are the coastal lowland, a continuation of the continental shelf lying under the shallow waters of the North Sea. The shore is lined with low sand dunes. Fringing them is a narrow belt of polders, land reclaimed from peat bogs and shallow lakes (Encyclopedia Britannica Online, 2007). Economy How do most earn a living The Britannica Student Encyclopedia (2007) mentioned that: Daily commuting between homes on the farm and jobs in the city is a common practice in Belgium. Many industrial workers are part-time farmers who have strong family ties in the country. A large number of Belgian workers, called frontaliers, travel each day to jobs in France. This shows that Belgian works in both cities and country. Natural resources. Belgium produces many natural products, such as: coal, natural gas, construction materials, silica sand, carbonates (The Belgian Tourist Office (BTO) in the US). Main agricultural products Sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk (The Belgian Tourist Office (BTO) in the US). Manufactured Goods engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, transportation equipment, scientific instruments, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum(The Belgian Tourist Office (BTO) in the US). Exports Belgium import raw materials and export a large volume of manufactures. Exported products like: machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products, foodstuffs . Belgium has many Exports partners like Germany 19. 9%, France 17. 2%, Netherlands 11. 8%, UK 8. 6%, US 6. 5% and Italy 5. 2%(The Belgian Tourist Office (BTO) in the US). Currency & Exchange rate The currency for Belgium is Euro, the value of the euro in the range of 1. 20 to 1. 40 US$ (Steinbicker, 2006, p. 155). People and Daily Life Race and Religion The Belgian Population is (10,364,388 ). In Fleming 58%, in Walloon 31%and the rest 11% . Religions in Belgium vary from Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25% (The Belgian Tourist Office (BTO) in the US). City Housing Accommodations vary from usual modern Apartment like in Flanders & Wallonia, to farms and castles just like in Brugge , Ferrieres, Liege and Huy (The Belgian Tourist Office (BTO) in the US). Clothing With simple words The Britannica Student Encyclopedia (2006) says about the Belgian people: Belgians, especially those in the cities, wear modern Western-style clothes. Men who work in offices are expected to wear suit jackets to work. It is generally acceptable for women to wear slacks to work. The ethnic costumes of the Flemings and Walloons are seldom worn today. On some farms women still wear the traditional dark-colored clothing and white aprons, and men wear the old-fashioned. Holidays Other than the regular Public holidays like: New year’s day, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday, Labor day(May 1 st),Ascension Day(6th Thursday after Easter),whitsum,whit Monday(7th Monday after Easter), National day(July 21st),assumption(august15th),All Saint’s day(Nov 1 st),Armistice day(Nov 11th) and Christmas day (Steinbicker, 2006, p. 154); there are many crazy festivals held in Belgium like: Ommegang Festival – Brussels Every year in July, the lavish Ommegang procession commemorates the tribute paid to Emperor Charles V and his VIP guests. Richly-colored costumes, horses, embroidered banners, flag throwing and stilt jousting (The Belgian Tourist Office (BTO) in the US). (See Figure 3). Figure 3. Carnival de Binche – Binche For 3 days in February the town of Binche is transported back to the 16th century for this festival. Highlighted by music parades and fireworks, the climax of this event is when the Gilles appear on the Grand Place and throw oranges to the spectators (The Belgian Tourist Office (BTO) in the US). Procession of Holy Blood – Bruges This annual event takes place in May and is divided into 4 parts: Old Testament, New Testament, Historical Section, and veneration of the Holy Blood. Since the 12th century the numerous brotherhoods and associations of the city of Bruges venerate and pay homage to the Holy-Blood (The Belgian Tourist Office (BTO) in the US). Stavelot (Mid-lent Carnival) – Stavelot This event takes place in March and is highlighted by the Blanc Moussi, which means ‘clad in white. ’ Beginning on Sunday, the Blancs Moussis wander the streets of the town putting up their irreverent posters. In the afternoon they step out from the cortege while staying on their floats and shower the crowds with confetti while flogging them with pork bladders (The Belgian Tourist Office (BTO) in the US). Zinneke Parade – Brussels It’s also known as Big Z-Day. It is a street opera of music, choreography, costumes and floats (The Belgian Tourist Office (BTO) in the US). Ghent Festival – Ghent It is held every year in July. People sing, dance, eat and drink, get together and watch theater. (The Belgian Tourist Office (BTO) in the US).

Asthma and current treatment available in Australia Essay Example

Asthma and current treatment available in Australia Essay Example Asthma and current treatment available in Australia Paper Asthma and current treatment available in Australia Paper Essay Topic: Current Abstract Asthma has a high prevalence in Australia but education and appropriate medications are availed to manage this condition and improve health outcomes.   The purpose of this report is to discuss and avail the current available treatment methods for Asthma in Australia. The report examines the prevalence of Asthma in the 1980s and 1990s when the disease became highly prevalent in Australia, and compares it to the prevalence, treatment and management practices today, through a critical review of literatures. The research strategy used is a case study which highlights asthma management practices of a healthy 30 year old male (patient X). Data is collected from a variety of scholarly literatures that discuss asthma management and current treatment available in Australia.   This dissertation provides a critical look on whether the General Practitioners (GPs) and asthma patients are applying effective treatment and management practices for control of asthma and whether these practices improve the health out come.   After analysis of the available treatments, the report recommends an appropriate treatment for patient X who was diagnosed with adult onset asthma and was under treatment using Ventolin inhaler prn but the patient later shifts to Ventolin puffer where he puffs thrice, four times a day on a regular basis. Despite availability of effective medication and management practices, healthy patients who otherwise face persistent asthma attacks, risk using inappropriate management practices for asthma and therefore under manages the condition which later leads to poor health outcomes. Introduction Asthma is a respiratory illness characterized by chronic inflammation of the airways that affects people of all ages and sexes (1). Asthma patients experience difficulty in breathing due to airflow obstruction. Chest tightness, bronchospasm and wheezing sound are some of the uncomfortable symptoms in asthma sufferers (2) and causes absenteeism in work places and schools. Asthma is one of the major public health burdens in Australia (1) affecting about 2 million Australians and about 1.2 percent of the national’s health budget targets asthma control. Although asthma is life threatening, it is not the leading cause of death. Asthma prevalence in Australia is high as compared to most countries and the increase was notably high in the 1980s and 1990s. Currently, the prevalence seems to reduce among the children and remains stable with the rest of the population but it is believed that better management practices would further improve health outcomes and reduce hospital admissions (1,5). Public health campaigns are carried out in Australia with the purpose of creating awareness and increasing effective management of asthma for better health outcomes. Literature review and argument   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Asthma is incurable but can be well managed for better health outcomes with appropriate medication and lifestyle. Asthma management has be come a national priority and many studies have been carried out to determine the effectiveness of Asthma management for better health outcomes. A lot of studies have been carried out in Australia concerning Asthma and its management and findings published in scholarly journals. Research strategies used include telephone surveys where patients are conducted or filling of questionnaires on management practices. A process to improve the integration of health care for asthma patients in primary care and rural settings is required (4). This is because higher asthmatic exacerbation risks occur in people with little knowledge about asthma management, or lack regular GP attendance. Asthma medication falls into two categories; the beta 2 agonists that provide quick relief from asthmatic symptoms, for instance Ve ntolin puffs; and Glucorcorticoids/inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and Long Term Beta Agonists (LABA) that are medication for long term use (5). The therapy for asthma can be preventive, reliever or symptom controller (9). Preventive therapy where the corticosteroids fall is regarded as a first line therapy for asthma that is moderate to persistent in both children and adults (9).   Several studies indicate that the available strategies to manage asthma are enhanced but Australia continues to face high morbidity rates caused by asthma (1, 4, 5,). This is attributed to factors like inadequate self-management education and inappropriately used optimal therapies among other factors. Low ICS dosage administration is crucial in determining health outcomes, and sometimes a combination therapy of ICS and LABA achieves better outcome in mild to severe asthma (5). However, another study reveals that long term use of ICS risky and leads to poor health outcomes (7). The high prevalence rate of Asthma in Australia is suspected to come from adherence to beta 2 agonists and low or no usage of prescribed ICS (8). Frequent use of short term inhalers like Ventolin can lead to risky side effects as well as non responsiveness in the longer run. Moreover excessive use of beta 2 agonists is an indication of deteriorating control of asthma. A visit to the GP is required to reassess the therapy plan, and usually, it is an indication that the patient needs to be put under ICS therapy. Chlorofluoro-carbon (CFCs) inhalers have been phased out as treatment for Asthma in Australia and replaced with hydrofluoroalkane (HFA) propellant and other asthma inhalers which are CFC-free (1).Ventolin is an example of HFA. CFCs have been associated to ozone layer destruction.   HFA perform as effectively as CFC but without the ozone layer damaging effect.   Asthma management is a task for both the GPs and patients as there are both incidences of under prescribing and under usage of medication (6 ). A survey (6) reveals that one in five asthma patients neither visits a regular GP nor sees an asthma specialist.   Regular visits are required of asthma patients whether with mild or severe asthmatic attacks because medication has to be regulated depending on surrounding factors (7, 10). Questionnaire and telephone surveys were used to collect data from patients under asthmatic treatment (8). Findings reveal that significant use of ICS on patients with current attacks, similar to patient X, has better outcomes. Asthma is manageable and treatable due to medication, management strategies and education which improve with time. Improved medication and management practices will lead to a reduction in mortality and morbidity rates of asthma (1, 2, 10). Discussion Currently, asthmatic prevalence stabilization is attributed to the increase use of ICS as compared to the earlier decades of 1980s and 1990s when the population preferred the short term beta2 agonists and hence increased morbidity rates (3). However, there still needs to be education on proper therapy education. Patients with mild asthmatic attacks or those with adult onset attacks tend to overlook the importance of adhering to prescribed medication or frequent GP visits for regular checkups (8). Beta2 agonists are known to provide faster relief but are for short term use, and their overuse should be avoided. ICS and LABA are proved to provide better health outcomes and their consistent use should be encouraged. Regular visits to GPs and Asthma specialists need to be carried out disease assessment and therapy evaluation. Conclusion and Recommendations Asthma management can be effectively achieved if both the patients and healthcare providers are well educated and willing to corporate on the use of current therapy. Corticosteroids and Long Term Beta Agonists are available drugs that have high efficacy for asthma treatment as seen from several studies. Ventolin and other beta 2 agonists for quick relief should only be used as combinational therapy with either ICS (a preventive thrapy) or LABA (a symptom controller).. Adherence to quick relief medication should be discouraged through the ongoing asthma campaigns and education because they risk the life of the patient afterwards (3). I recommend corticosteroid inhaler (ICS) therapy for patient X, and even though he can puff Ventolin for short term symptomatic relief, ICS should be the underlying therapy.   ICS is one of the current treatments for Asthma prevention, available in Australia today. ICS does not provide immediate relief on the symptoms but it works on the airway linings to heal the inflammation, and is known to have less adverse effects as compared to symptom relievers like beta 2 agonists. I chose this treatment for patient X because his situation is current and his asthma falls between moderate and persistent. Patient X has just been diagnosed with asthma at 30 years. This is an indication that the asthma is not hereditary but could have been caused from environmental factors. If he begins ICS therapy early enough chances are that his condition can be reversed or will become less severe. Other than using ICS patient X needs to work closely with his GP and verify allergens that trigger his conditio n, then determine ways to avoid them. Proper dosage of ICS and appropriate usage as well as leading a risk free life style will enable patient X to have a better health outcome. References 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Kandane R, Matheson M, Simpson J, et al.   Medication use between asymptomatic and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   symptomatic asthma patients. Asian Pacific society of Respirology. 2008; 13(2) 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Jenkins C. Expert view. Health Insite: An Austarlian Government initiative.Available at  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   healthinsite.gov.au/expert/Asthma___Expert_View 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Marks GB, Abramson MJ, Jenkins CR, Kenny P et al. Asthma management and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   outcomes in Australia: A nationwide telephone interview survey. Respirology, 2007; 12: 212-219. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Laurence M, Beilby J, Campbell S, et al. Processes for improving the integration of care   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   across the primary and acute care settings in rural South Australia: Asthma as a ca se   Ã‚  Ã‚   study. Blackwell Publishing Limited: Australian Journal of Rural Health. 2004; 12; 264-268. 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Jenkins C. Clinical perspectives: An update on asthma management. Internal Medicine   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Journal.2003; 33: 365-371 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sawyer SM and Fardy JH.   Bridging the gap between doctors’ and patients’ expectations   Ã‚   of asthma management. Journal of   Asthma, 2003; 40(2): 131-138 7.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Lancsar EJ, Hall JP, King M. et al. Using discrete choice experiments to investigate subject preferences for preventive asthma medication. Respirology. 2007;12: 127-136 8.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Reid D, Azbramson M, Raven J and Walters H. Management and treatment perceptions   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   among young adults with asthma in Melbourne: The Australian experience from the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   European community respiratory health survey.   Ã‚  Respirology, 2000; 5: 281-387. 9.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Comino E and Henry R. Changing approaches to asthma management in Australia:    Effects on Asthma morbidity. Therapy in Practice, 2001; 61(9): 1289-1300 10.   Simonella L, Marks G, Sanderson K, and Andrews G. Cost effectiveness of current and optimal treatment for adult asthma.   Internal Medicine Journal, 2006; 36:244-250

Writing Your Graduate School Admissions Essay

Writing Your Graduate School Admissions Essay It should come as no surprise that most applicants do not enjoy drafting their graduate admissions essay. Writing a statement that tells a graduate admissions committee all about you and can potentially make or break your application is stressful. Take a different perspective, however, and you will find that your admissions essay is not as daunting as it seems. What is its Purpose? Your graduate school application provides the admissions committee with a great deal of information about you that cannot be found elsewhere in your graduate application. The other parts of your graduate school application tell the admissions committee about your grades (i.e., transcript), your academic promise (i.e., GRE scores), and what your professors think of you (i.e., recommendation letters). Despite all of this information, the admissions committee does not learn much about you as an individual. What are your goals? 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You likely will not (and should not) use all of the information that you gather. Evaluate all of the information you gather and determine your priorities. Most of us have many interests, for example. Decide which are most important to you. As you consider your essay, plan to discuss the information that supports your goals and what is most important to you. Take Notes on the Graduate Program Writing an effective graduate admissions essay requires knowing your audience. Consider the graduate program at hand. What specific training does it offer? What is its philosophy? How well do your interests and goals match the program? Discuss the ways in which your background and competencies overlap with the graduate programs requirements and training opportunities. If youre applying to a doctoral program, take a close look at the faculty. What are their research interests? Which labs are most productive? Pay attention to whether faculty take on students or appear to have openings in their labs. Peruse the department page, faculty pages, and lab pages. Remember That an Admissions Essay is Simply an Essay By this time in your academic career, you have likely written a great many essays for class assignments and exams. Your admissions essay is similar to any other essay you have written. It has an introduction, body, and conclusion. Your admissions essay presents an argument, just as any other essay does. Granted, the argument concerns your capacities for graduate study and the outcome can determine the fate of your application. Regardless, an essay is an essay. Beginning is the Hardest Part of Writing I believe this holds true for all types of writing, but especially for drafting graduate admissions essays. Many writers stare at a blank screen and wonder how to begin. If you search for the perfect opening and delay writing until you find just the right angle, phrasing, or metaphor you may never write your graduate admissions essay. Writers block is common among applicants writing admissions essays. The best way to avoid writers block is to write something, anything. The trick to beginning your essay is to not start at the beginning. Write the parts that feel natural, such as how your experiences have driven your career choices. You will heavily edit whatever you write so dont worry about how you phrase your ideas. Simply get the ideas out. It is easier to edit than write so your goal as you begin your admissions essay is to simply write as much as you can. Edit, Proof, and Seek Feedback Once you have a rough draft of your admissions essay, keep in mind that it is a rough draft. Your task is to craft the argument, support your points, and construct an introduction and conclusion that guides readers. Perhaps the best piece of advice I can offer on writing your admissions essay is to solicit feedback from many sources, especially faculty. You may feel that you have made a good case and that your writing is clear, but if a reader cannot follow it, your writing isnt clear. As you write your final draft, check for common errors. Perfect your essay as best you can and once its submitted congratulate yourself for completing one of the most challenging tasks entailed in applying to graduate school.​

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