Communication and professional relationships with children Essay

Understand the principles of developing positive relationships with children, young people and adults 1.1 Explain why effective communication is important in developing positive relationships with children, young people and adults Working with children requires you to build relationships with them, but also in ways that are professional. The quality of the relationship that you have with children, young people and adults has a huge effect on the way in which you can then work with them and encourage learning and behaviour. Positive relations with children and young people are important because when children and young people feel more comfortable in the relationships they have with you they can then separate themselves more from anxieties or trust that you will support them with these in order for them to learn more effectively and met their targets. They will also feel more confident in participating in school, learning activities and learn to become more independent physically and emotionally. 1.2 Explain the principles of relationship building with children, young people and adults The main principles of relationship building with children, young people and adults is to gain their confidence within you as well as them feeling more comfortable in your company. If children, young people and adults feel more comfortable with your company then they are likely to communicate more openly and effectively. In order to building positive relationships with all you need to consider the following key points: You are demonstrating effective clear communication ? Understanding and consideration ? Retain the information that they have disclosed to you ? Listening skills ? Maintain humour remaining professional at all times ? Respect 1.3 Explain how different social, professional and cultural contexts may affect relationships and the way people communicate. When you are looking at your relationship with your different client (age) groups you need to consider the following areas, the context that you speak and in which you work with individuals. You may need to adapt the way you communicate with one individual to others. I think that sometimes you do this without thinking at work and within my role I complete this automatically with the children I work with as well as my immediate colleagues. I can evidence this in the use of language that I would speak to a child to an adult. There would be a more formal language to colleagues / adults then there would to children and the vocabulary used may also be more in depth and less simplified. Within my organisation there is a certain set format of which we deliver communication and this is also set out in communicating outside of face to face contact such as telephone, emails and correspondence. There also needs to be a view to the way we communication to individuals that may have a different cultural. In communicating with all people there needs to be train of thought all the time considering how we are being portrayed and to make sure that a polite manner is delivered as well as comfortable and open body language, in all this considered then this would enable you to have effective relationships with all and in turn strength your working relationships with all and help deliver the role that you are required to complete more effectively. Understand how to communicate with children, young people and adults Understand the principles of developing positive relationships with children, young people and adults 2.1 Explain the skills needed to communicate with children and young people You will demonstrate through your working role a number of skills in order to communicate effectively with the children and young people you work with and more often enough you will complete these without realising. It is good practice to reflect back on your skills and make sure you are communicating correctly. When communicating with children, young people and adults you should always give them opportunities to speak. Some children, young people and adults may have confidence issues so it is important to work on this with the individual and make sure that you are showing them you value their views. Visual eye contact and actively listening is a good way of communicating and making the child, young person feel valued and you are interested in what they are saying. In completing this form of communicating with the individual this may help towards the growth of their confidence in communicating. Body language is also important in communicating and making yourself open can make you more approachable for children, young people and adults to want to speak to you or ask you for help. For example if you are sitting next to a child or young person rather than standing over them this can be more approachable as standing over them can be seen as intimidating. Reacting to what the individual is telling you even with a simple nod of the head can be enough for them to know you are listening and interested. Commenting on what they are saying or asking questions will again open more dialogue with the child, young person and adult. Children and young people will respond to how you communicate to them and they will learn from you, so you need to be aware of this as they will use these tools themselves hopefully in the situations they are in away from your support. 2.2 Explain how to adapt communication with children and young people for: a) the age of the child or young people Children of all different ages will need you to adapt your language accordingly for them to gain full understanding. For example younger children may need more reassurance so in order to make them feel less worried and more secure, you may use a lower tone in your voice or open body language. Physical contact is not to be encouraged as this would not be appropriate although in some situations this cannot be avoided, but you should always be mindful of your position in a teaching assistant role. An older child would possibly not require this much level of support so your communication may be more straight forward and to a high level of vocabulary. b) the context of the communication More often than enough you will be dealing with children in all manners of situations so you need to be mindful of this and adapt your verbal communication accordingly. If you are working in a class environment then you need to make sure that the child or young person is well supported, you are clear in your instruction of work task and less distraction the better so focus is maintained so you would need to discourage this from occurring. In situations I find myself in sometimes the sensory level of a classroom can be very high and the child I am supporting and cannot focus and work so I would remove them from the class situation and work with them back in the facility which is a quieter environment. Another form of communicating with a child or young person may be more social situation that may occur in break or lunch periods that you are supervising, but in these situations again you need to be mindful of how much information you share in your context. Children, young people and adults do like to get to know you as well as you them so you may find that they ask a personal question in communicating. These can be answers to a certain degree or humour is also a good strategy to use in this situation as again you need to be mindful of your role. Rather than shutting the conversation down you may want to change the discussion topic to something they like or may be doing in the holidays or after school. Another important factor is for you to never give out your personal contact details to a child or young person as you need to always follow the college / organisations procedures especially with regards to the Safeguarding policy. c) communication differences You should ensure care and sensitivity is taken with children and young people and time is taking especially in communicating with those that may have learning disabilities such as a stammer. When working with these children it is important not to finish off their sentences or insert wording as this may knock their confidence. Although you may think you are helping this could be seen as pressure and then may have a negative reaction of which the child may not wish to communicate anymore. Should a child or young person you find yourself working with have hearing impairment then it would be good practice to speak to them face to face so that they can see you and lip read if required. Sign language can also be used learnt from specialist training and for those who do not speak English as their first language you could be assisted with a translator. 2.3 Explain the main difference between communicating with adults and communicating with children and young people There are many similarities in communicating with adults and communicating with children and young people such as tone, context, body language, respect and listening. There will be a difference in what is discussed and you need to always be mindful or your position within your school and the relationship you have with these individuals. Should you be discussing work issues these may be confidential so you would need to follow these guidelines. However well you get on with anyone you work with or support as Teaching Assistant you will always need to remain professional. It is important to remember when working with children that you are setting an example so however you communicate with them they will take this on board and may use themselves. Physical contact with anyone you work with should not be encouraged and although this may not be avoided at times you should not offer this as a form of reassurance at any time. 2.4 Explain how to adapt communication to meet different communication needs of adults It is important that we are aware of needs of adults and particularly those that may have communication difficulties themselves. You may need to adapt the methods you use and again you may do this without realising, but you should always make sure that you reflect on these skills and if you need to support an adult in understanding ask them what is the best way to do so. Our school often sends out emails and written communication and if this was non readable for some careers, guardians then you could offer to speak to them regarding this information face to face or over the telephone. If for any reason there is a complex situation to communicate to an adult then again support should be given and perhaps another member of staff could be present to help set out the format of the discussion. When I had to communicate to parents at a student termly review I had to make sure that the appropriate professional language was used. I set out what I was going to say and made sure I used clear. I researched the information such as data regarding the childs grade that I had to feedback and made sure this was accurate to the parent. At the end of the meeting I confirmed everything I had said in a summary form and also asked the parent if they understood what we had discussed and asked them for feedback directly to myself. The feedback given was positive and I feel I met my goal. I did explain to them that if they were not happy with anything that had been discussed or my performance then they were welcome to speak to my line manager. It is important to give alternative in communicating and feedback as sometimes people may not feel they can address this with you direct so other pathways need to be put in place to show good practice. 2.5 Explain how to manage disagreements with children, young people and adults. I have found that when I have been in a situation where I have to disagree with the child, young person or adult the best way to manage this is to always remain calm and clear. The situation should be managed carefully and sensitively as well as recorded for future reference. If there is a problem raised then it is best to try and deal with this as sensitively as you can, but as quick as possible as the longer a problem can go on then this can escalate and cause more upset. In managing disagreements you always need to consider the following in order I believe to resolve them. Good communication as poor can lead to further misunderstanding, opposing expectations, difference values and opinions, external influences and lack of confidence so sometimes in this case children my result to physical actions in disagreement as they cannot verbalise what they want to say. A good format to use when dealing with disagreement could be put in place by your department which may consist of the following: ? Be approachable and demonstrate open body language ? Use appropriate language and speak clearly ? Listen to all ? Be sympathetic and supportive ? Do not interrupt or anticipate what the others may say ? Record detail should this be needed in the future Understand legislation, policies and procedures for confidentiality and sharing information, including data protection 3.1 Summarise the main points of legislation and procedures covering confidentiality, data protection and the disclosure of information. Within my role I have to make sure that I understand and follow the policies and procedures in place relating to confidentiality and data protection. This is very important considering I work with children and young adults. I have completed a number of training courses in order to gain further understanding of these policies and to meet the requirements set out within my job description. These being: Every Child Matters, Data Protection Act 1998, Safe Guarding and Health, Safety and Welfare. Within my previous role confidentiality and data protection again was very important so I believe I have a high understanding of this area. I use passwords on my computer to protect information as well as having a passwords to log into my account so others cannot access my data. Paper based files and records are locked away in the main office that my line manager allows us authorised access to should we require this. I am aware that out of date confidential paper-based records need to be shredded so these are not read or misplaced and seen by others as the records are sensitive to the individual. We are also asked to follow procedures relating to contacting children’s parents directly and again any contact would be authorised only by our line manager or head of the school. I also know and understand when and how to share information and what is accessible within my role and that which I am not allowed to be aware of as this is not my level of responsibility. In sharing information with others and if you are not sure you should always ask for permission whether this be relating to verbal information or photographs of children or adults permission is always required due to the legislation. 3.2 Explain the importance of reassuring children, young people and adults of the confidentiality of shared information and the limits of this. As mentioned above you may be sometimes in a position where you need to reassure others about the fact that information is confidential and you cannot share detail without consent or the parent or other professional. However if there was any risk to a child, young person or adult that would put them at harm then this can be placed on the school to disclose information in supporting the case. There also may be cases where details of the child, young person or adults records may need to be shared for example medical conditions, but again the school would follow a restricted policy in order to complete this so again reassure would be addressed to the individual that only those working with this person would have access to this information. Confidentiality is very important as this will enable positive working relationships and professionalism. 3.3 Justify the kinds of situations when confidentiality protocols must be breached If you find yourself in a situation where a child, young person or adult tells you something in secret it is important to make them aware that in your position you cannot keep a secret so would need to confidentially tell another member of staff, preferably your line manager. This is particularly the case in the importance of suspected child abuse where you must disclose the information you have been told as the young person could be at harm or risk if you did not breach this trust. You can of course reassure the individual that you have to tell another member of staff in order to support them due to the seriousness of the situation. I was sadly in a positive such as this and I advised the individual I could listen to what they were telling me, but I would have to tell my line manager in order to support further due to the seriousness of the situation of what they had told me. I also explained to them as I think it is important to be honest as they are being with you that as a Teaching Assistant my role is to support them but I cannot withhold details as again this will not help them and they need support. I also had to make a record of these written so that these could be recalled at a later stage. Written detail at the time is highly important as going back to what you have said or been told at a later stage and recalling this only by memory is not as effective as important detail could be missed again putting the child at risk. The situation was dealt with and steps where put in place and I was asked not to disclose information to other colleague as this may of affected the above of which I understood fully.

Activity-Based Costing: a Case Study on a Taiwanese Essay

The aim of this paper is to analyze the operational costs of a hot spring inn in the Yang-Ming-Shan area of Taiwan. The activity-based costing method was used to compute lodging, hot spring use and meal serving costs per customer. This paper overcomes all the obstacles to implementing full-scale ABC-based accounting to this hot spring country inn. In this case, products, defined as hot spring use, lodging and meal serving are used as the cost objects. We define five activity centers: the cleaning activity center, the customer service center, the cooking and foodservice center, the reception service center and the management center. Finally, we use the ABC method to calculate the costs of hot spring use, lodging and meal serving as NT$ 31.64, NT$ 306.21 and NT$ 67.28 per customer respectively in the busy winter seasons. The paper also compares the ABC method with the traditional costing method and concludes that the ABC method is practical and appropriate for such a hot spring country inn and yields more accurate information for cost management and pricing decisions. Key Words: Activity-Based costing, Country Inn, Hot Spring, Cost Analysis 1. Introduction Researchers in management accounting have traditionally been, above all, interested in the accounting systems of large manufacturing companies. Most accounting researchers interested in service production have conducted their research in non-profit seeking, public-sector organizations (Pellinen 2003, p. 217). Outside the non-profit sector, the number of studies on the management accounting practices of service organizations (profit seeking) have remained very limited (Brignall et al., 1991; Sharma, 2002). More unfortunately, non-traditional lodging, (i.e. the B&B industry), is totally lacking in management accounting research, in contrast with the traditional lodging industry, which is quite well-researched. The aim of this paper is to illustrate how activity-based costing (ABC) can be applied to a hot spring country inn in order to obtain information on activities and products for decision making purposes. ABC is a cost-accounting method that allocates resource costs to products using a two stage procedure on the basis of activity consumption by drivers. It’s a method which can overcome many of the limitations of traditional cost systems which can distort product cost because they allocate the overhead costs to products mainly by direct labor hours (or volume-related measures). This is particularly prone to result in distortions in cases where there is a large overhead ratio or a high degree of product diversity. The country inn style of non-traditional lodging, especially suitable for ABC application, has various products such as lodging, hot spring use and dining which belong to different market segments. The indirect costs of this inn constitute an important proportion of the total costs (53.46%). In such a typical situation, the valuing of products of this inn may be distorted by a traditional accounting system. This article portrays an attempt to apply the ABC model to a hot spring country inn where the managers normally use a traditional accounting method to acquire product cost information. Our case study is presented in the hope of contributing to management accounting research in the non-traditional accommodations area. In addition to the introduction, there are four main sections in this paper. The subsequent section reviews previous research in management accounting for the lodging industry. The third section presents the ABC model. The fourth section illustrates the implementation of ABC in a specific case. The fifth section compares results of the ABC method and the traditional method. Some conclusions are presented in section six. 2. Literature review Poorani and Smith (1995, p. 58, 63) observe: â€Å"The hotel and the B&B industry have very different financial aspects arising from contrasting ownership motives. In the hotel industry the emphasis is on maximizing profitability whereas the B&B industry has been traditionally characterized by innkeepers who embarked on inn-keeping as a second career to satisfy lifestyle goals. But the current economic environment has blurred that distinction. Hoteliers are trying to be more sensitive to customers’ needs and create an environment for personalized service. Meanwhile, many entrepreneurs are entering the B&B segment with strictly financial motives†. Their investigations attribute financial characteristics to the B&B industry and find that innkeepers in USA with midsize and larger operations not only were highly successful in reaching their career goals but also achieved their economic objectives as measured by return on investment and equity. However, notwithstanding the importance of financial aspects, the studies in cost structure of the B&B industry anywhere in the world were rare. One reason is the inn’s private-ownership arrangements; others are the fragmented industry structure and the lack of systematic cost and revenue data. Unlike the situation in the B&B industry, there have been a large number of studies in the hotel industry. In the management accounting side of the tourism industry, research has been conducted both in tourism management research and in accounting research. Studies have been carried out in passenger transportation (Dent, 1991; Rouse et al., 2002), restaurants (Ahrens and Chapman, 2002), and hotels (Downie, 1997; Edgar, 1998; Noone and Griffin, 1999; Mia and Patiar, 2001; Pellinen, 2003). Downie (1997, p310) emphases the importance of considering how accounting information can be analyzed to support marketing decisions more effectively. Noone and Griffin (1999, p111-128) designed a customer profitability analysis (CPA) integrating activity-based costing (ABC) and customer segments in order to find profit yield in a hotel. Mia and Patiar, (2001, p111) interviewed only 35 managers and indicated that general managers and department managers took equal account of the management accounting system, but general managers were more content with the accounting system and valued financial information more than department managers. Pellinen (2003, p217) studied the pricing decisions in six tourism enterprises (including a hotel) and suggested the enterprises observed all took their prices from the leading company. Thus, the importance of cost accounting is limited with reference to pricing decisions from the managerial viewpoint. Obviously, most of the studies have focused on hotels. As Harris and Brown (1998, p161) pointed out, hotels, which typically comprise food, beverage and lodging, can be used to illustrate that the context of the hospitality product can provide a complete range of characteristics in a single arena. Actually, the B&B industry also has all those characteristics. But this segment, specifically nontraditional lodging (including B&B inns, country inns, small hotels, condominiums, and vacation homes), has remained an enigma to industry analysts and researchers. Lanier et al. (2000, p91) think this is in part because the analysts and researchers willfully overlook it in favor of the traditional lodging industry, pleading lack of data (Statistics dealing with properties of fewer than 20 rooms are usually estimated or based on small samples. Since most country inns do not reach the 20-room threshold, statistics for these properties have not been collected regularly, unlike other industry segments). This is so prevalent in studying management accounting in the accommodation industry and that there is a huge lag for researchers to make up for. Summarizing the above, previous studies on accounting and product costing, pricing of hotels propose that : (1) the knowledge in accounting is essential in hotel management, (2) the connection between accounting information and marketing is important, and (3) activity-based costing, cost-volume-profit analysis, yield management, and segment profit analysis were among the most relevant management accounting methods, (4) the lack of management accounting research in non-traditional lodging industry needs to be made up. 3. Activity-based costing Cooper and Kaplan (1988) have developed what they believe is a better alternative to the traditional cost calculation model. They argue that as products differ in the complex process of manufacture, they consume activities in different proportions. The activity-based costing method (ABC) promoted by Cooper and Kaplan provides a more accurate measure of cost because it traces indirect costs more closely with regard to the different types of activities consumed. Armed with knowledge of what activities are consumed by each product and the resource cost of each activity, one can budget costs for a diversity of products. However, the traditional accounting method usually assigns overhead costs of products by using volume-related allocation bases such as labor hours, direct labor costs, direct material costs, machine hours, etc. This will not critically distort the product costs as the overheads are just a small portion of the production process. But in situation where there is a large diversity of products, or where there is a high level of automation, as Brimson (1991, p. 179) pointed out, the overheads’ distortion will be significant. In our case, for example, high-volume products (hot spring use) may consume more direct labor hours than low-volume products (meal serving), but do not necessarily consume more purchasing activity costs. The ABC model applied to the case of this hot spring country inn is depicted in figure 1. The ABC systems focus on the accurate cost assignment of overheads to products. In the cost assignment view, the assignment of costs through ABC occurs in two stages: cost objects (i.e., products or services) consume activities, activities consume resource costs. In practice, this means that resource costs are assigned to various activity centers by using resource drivers in the first stage. An activity center is composed of a group of related activities, usually defined by function or process. The group of resource drivers is the factor chosen to estimate the consumption of resources by the activities in the activity centers. Every type of resource assigned to an activity center becomes a cost element in an activity cost pool. And, in the second stage, each activity cost is distributed to cost objects by using Figure 1 ABC Model in a Hot Spring Country Inn a suitable activity driver to measure the consumption of activities by products or services (Turney, 1992). Then, the total cost can be calculated by adding the various activities costs to a specific product or service. And the total cost divided by the quantity of the product can acquire the unit cost of product. In our case, the inn provides three products, lodging, hot spring use and meal serving. We define five activity centers, namely the cleaning center, the customer service center, the reception center, the cooking and foodservice center and the management center. Each activity center is composed of related activities, clustered by their function. As Harris and Brown (1998, p161-162) indicated, a hotel operation can be used as an example of hospitality products, in the same way the elements of a hot spring country inn of the B&B industry also can be used to illustrate non traditional accommodation products. For instance, the provision of rooms constitutes a nearly ‘pure service’ product incorporating a large proportion of service elements. It can be defined as the rental of a certain amount of space for a specified period of time and is thus an intangible good containing a high level of service provision. The provision of hot spring use also represents a service product: it includes hot spring rental and service activities. Furthermore, the meal serving provision, comprised of purchasing, distribution and conversion of food into meals, again constitutes a service product. The main advantage of ABC lies in that it provides a more accurate and real cost computation, especially in situations in which product diversity is important and in which the indirect costs, not directly traceable to the products, represent an important proportion of the total costs. In addition, ABC also allows a deeper level analysis of product costs by explaining the relationship between products and activities. The improved accuracy of perception of the cost structure of products and the continuous process improvements in the various departments of an enterprise provide the substance of activity-based management (i.e. using ABC to improve a business). Studies of the implementation of ABC exist in various fields, e.g. of universities (Cropper and Cook, 2000), a hotel (Noone and Griffin, 1999), library service (Ellis-Newman and Robinson, 1998), distribution logistics (Pirttilà ¤ and Hautaniemi, 1995; Themido et al. 2000), (all of which belong to the service sector); of a manufacturing company (Spedding and Sun, 1999), an assembly line (Gunasekaran and Singh, 1999), (which belong to the manufacturing sector); of a wholesale fish market (Lee and Kao, 2001), (agricultural sector); and of a radiotherapy unit (Lievens et al., 2003), (medical sector). All of them agree that ABC is a useful accounting model and able to obtain more accurate information about the cost structure as long as implementing managers choose the right drivers and define activities well. However, it is generally accepted that there is no universally appropriate accounting system suitable to all organizations in all circumstances (Emmanuel et al., 1990). But as Harris and Brown (1998, p162) point out, management accounting needs to be carried out in the context of the hospitality product in order to supply the necessary information for decision-makers if researchers expect to make a significant contribution to the industry.

An Explanation of Spring and Fall

An Explication of Spring and Fall: To a Young Child Hopkins starts his poem, Spring and Fall: To a Young Child, with a question to a young girl, perhaps his granddaughter: â€Å"Margaret, are you grieving[? ]† (line 1). This quotation suggests that Margaret is watching the leaves fall from the trees in the fall and is sad to see the leaves go. Margaret is a young child, and in being young, she would have no knowledge of the seasons and why the leaves are falling. â€Å"Over Goldengrove unleaving? (line 2), Goldengrove may be metaphorical for her childhood and her lack of knowledge in life and death, because Goldengrove sounds very playful and beautiful like a garden or playground. †Leaves, [like the things of man]/ With [her] fresh thoughts care for, can you? † (line 3 and line 4), once again Hopkins uses questioning his poem, asking the young girl how she could care about such unimportant things as leaves. With line three of his poem, Hopkins also implies that Ma rgaret is showing characteristics of man by caring about the leaves. He continues that idea in: â€Å"Ah! s the heart grows older/†(line 5). Hopkins is trying to tell Margaret that as she grows older into womanhood, her heart will as well. â€Å"It will come to such sights colder. † (line 6), this idea is even further continued in line six, where Hopkins tells Margaret that leaves falling from a tree is only the beginning of her sadness, because as she gets older, she will see worse things than that. â€Å"Nor spare a sigh/[Though worlds of] wanwood leafmeal lie†(line 8) Hopkins tells Margaret that as she grows older and sees how bad things are she will not dare to cry at the sight of fallen leaves ever again.But, Hopkins assures her that she will indeed still cry, â€Å"Now no matter, child, the name† (line 10). Hopkins then tells the child that she won’t know or be able to verbalize why she feels so sad: â€Å"Nor mouth had, no nor mind, express ed† (line 11). Hopkins continues with â€Å"It is the blight man was born for,† (line 13) meaning that everyone is born to do one thing, and that is die. As Hopkins’s poem comes to an end, the last line reads, â€Å"It is Margaret you mourn for. † (line 14). This says that Margaret will mourn her whole life away, grieving about her own unavoidable demise, and that she will never even realize that is why she is sad.

Evidence and practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Evidence and practice - Essay Example quently utilized to define facts based medicine, but can also encompass other specialties, for instance, facts based nursing, pharmacy as well as dentistry (Scally and Donaldson, p.9, 2008). This process also incorporates the attributes, state, requirements, standards as well as preferences of those who might be impacted (Spring and Hitchcock, p. 23, 2009). This is usually attained in a way that is attuned with the environmental, as well as the institutional context. The evidence is usually from research upshots derived from the methodical compilation of facts via observation and experiment as well as the formulation of queries and hypothesis testing (Buysse and Wesley, 2007). It is an extremely crucial process which involves intricate and careful decision making which is not only grounded on the accessible resources but also on the ailing individual’s attributes, conditions, and preferences (Rubin and Parrish, p. 25, 2007). EBP realizes that care differs from one individual t o another, and it is also dynamic and encompasses uncertainties and possibilities. In addition, EBP also involves the establishment of individualized procedures of best practices to guide the advancement of any professional duty at hand (Mercer, p.12, 2007). EBP has attained momentum in the nursing field. For instance, research upshots, understanding from fundamental science, clinical understanding as well as expert judgement represent evidence (Mercer and Pignotti, p. 5, 2007). Nonetheless, practices grounded on research upshots are probable to result in the preferred patient upshots across varied settings, as well as geographic locations. The drive for EBP is mainly from the payer and healthcare system pressures for expenditure containment, enormous accessibility of information and escalating client savvy with regard to treatment, as well as care alternatives (Melynk, p.9, 2008). EBP demands alterations in education of scholars and emphasizes on practice crucial research. Additionally,

Pre-colombian history 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pre-colombian history 2 - Essay Example n removed to honor various Gods, humans might have their blood spilled in order to represent the need for rain, or even simply as a means of satisfying their dietary needs in the form of ritualistic cannibalism. Dancing and chanting, as well as a sacrificial priest, were common elements of the ritual sacrifice. In most instances, the ritual sacrifice was performed so as to induce awe-inspiring religious experiences (Marcus & Flannery, 2004). Pequots were Native Americans living in the Northeastern United States (rumored to be what is now Connecticut) during the middle ages (approx. 1500-1700). Not a great deal is known about the specific beliefs held by the Pequot nation, however they were virtually eliminated by early-American settlers (Pilgrims) and other various international colonists. The Pequots appear to have had a strong influence in the socio-political affairs of the Northeastern region during the time of the early settlers, however they were perceived to be a significant threat to the stability of the settlers’ beliefs and lifestyles, thus the majority of them were massacred in the Pequot War which raged from 1636-1638. It seems that the Pequot were made the scapegoat for several instances in which early-American settlers were killed by unknown circumstances, perhaps as a justification for their removal from the colonial settlements. This represents an instance of disease which is contagious to those who are not native residents of a foreign territory (Jackson, 2003). A series of plagues caused a significant drop in the number of Native Americans in the early colonial regions (East Coast Region) in the United States which was caused by the passing of disease from the settlers to the native populations. For instance, a Dutch settler would have certain immunities to diseases which existed in European nations, however upon the Dutch arrival to the Americas, the Native or Aboriginal population had no previous exposure to these diseases historically, thus

Teacher and Student Mindsets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Teacher and Student Mindsets - Essay Example since I had more knowledge about the African people and their culture since my parents and I had made several trips to Africa thus I was more phased about this topic and found it more interesting to share my knowledge with the rest of the students. However, I also encountered my negative experience a certain time when we were learning some mathematical concepts. It was quite disheartening since the rest of the class had some prior knowledge concerning the topic, and I was the only one who was struggling to comprehend but in vain. It was a discouraging moment since I felt inferior before my classmates for having little knowledge of the concepts that we were being taught since I would not comprehend them with ease (Cash, 2011). Given the experiences that I have undergone in life in pursuit of education I will be keen to create an enabling environment that will encourage students to learn freely without fear or ridicule. This will be implemented through the establishment of a free system of learning whereby no students is discouraged or made to feel inferior to the rest. All students will be motivated to participate in the learning process freely irrespective of the weaknesses that some will possess. This will encourage a spirit where everyone is appreciated and the input of every student counts whether it is relevant or not just to encourage the weak students to feel path of the group and to prevent them from feeling inferior. Some students may tend to feel more intellectually superior that the rest and develop a tendency of bullying the rest knowledge wise. I will initiate a system that enhances equality among the students which will be aimed at levelling the ground for each and every student to ensure no one feels intimidated by the rest in terms of the level of knowledge or the skills they possess (Ricci,

History and the law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

History and the law - Essay Example In America, the history of exceptional began right after the World War II. A group of parents came together to organize advocacy groups. American Association of Mental Deficiency was the first special education group that the advocacy groups started. The organization held its initial convention in 1947. In 1950, the Civil Rights Movement fueled the formation of several parent organizations. The parent organization included the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the United Cerebral Palsy Association, and J.F Kennedy’s Panel on mental Retardation (Kempe, 2002). The year 1960 saw the increasing of special education facilities. Children with special needs could access many schools at the local and state levels. The history of special education evokes a feeling that there exists a need for the education of children with special needs. Everyone is equal and deserves equal opportunities. The introduction of the special schools help students and the entire community realize the rights and needs of the special children (Chapman, 2012). IDEA act refers to a law which ensures that children with disabilities receive services in the entire nation. IDEA law governs how the public agencies and state provide special education, early intervention, and related services provide services to 6.5 million toddlers, infants, youth, and children with disabilities. Toddlers and infants with disabilities, age 2, and their families receive IDEA intervention services. This intervention services are under Part C of the IDEA (Chapman, 2012). The children and youth of ages between 2 and 21 receive IDEA intervention services, which are under Part B of the IDEA. There are six principles under IDEA. The zero reject, protection in evaluation, free public education, restrictive environment, parent participation and procedural safeguards. The requirements of the principle of zero reject helps in locating, identifying, and providing services

The source Code for the implementation of Python Coursework

The source Code for the implementation of Python - Coursework Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that for each of the data files, the program performed multiple query execution. There were 7 questions, each with a separate SQL command to be executed in the program. The outcome is that the output is also displayed as a continuous block at the end of each source code. Essentially, because the questions applied to all the datasets, all the sections of the source code remained the same except the name of the table, which varied in all the source codes, from table2, to table3 then to table4. With this, the results were obtained differently. The second area of modification involved introduction of advanced methods in the management of the data files. This involved the introduction of GUI interactive platform to replace the command line. For example, the user is prompted by the system to enter the file name as shown in the paper. The program worked as per the requirement. This is confirmed by the screenshots captured during the execution of the program. The screenshots contain accurate values for the answers to the 7 questions in each stage. In that regard, the program is not only running, but also it is answering all the 7 questions in various ways. The program was executed in python 2.7.6. The challenge faced in its development process was to eliminate numerous errors. Various syntax and runtime errors were faced in the preparation of the program. The second challenge was the integration between python program and SQLite program. In this project, I have been able to develop the program to perform the analysis of the data in the CSV data files. The future of this program focuses on the ways of increasing the use of graphical tools and objects to further simplify the entire process. The level of success in this project can be given an overall rating of 77%. Once the transformation is done and the system becomes a full GUI application, then the rating can be increased beyond the current 77%.

Price-Elastic Products Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Price-Elastic Products - Essay Example The key is whether revenue is greater than costs. (Investopedia, 2003) I would select price elastic products mainly to increase market share and increase the sales of the product. As the price of a product rises, consumers will usually demand a lower quantity of that good, perhaps by consuming less, substituting other goods, and so on. Conversely, as the price of a good falls, consumers will usually demand a greater quantity of that good, by consuming more, dropping substitutes, and so forth. Consider the example of cell phone market. It is one of the best examples of price elastic products. We can see lots and lots of new cell phone models flooding the markets from different makers. There is no possibility of increasing the price of cell phone due to high competition. On the other hand, more advanced cell phone models with significantly advanced features come at a very low cost. In fact, the cost of the cell phones is a constant decreasing curve. A slight increase in the cell phone leads to a great decline in the market demand. Consider a price-inelastic product (e.g. Petrol). When the price is raised from P2 to P1, the amount of change in demand (Q2-Q1) is very small compared to price rise (P1-P2). This is the case of monopoly. Now, consider a price-elastic product (e.g.). The competition for market share is very high in this case.

Contribution of Shakespeare to Modern Literature Essay

Contribution of Shakespeare to Modern Literature - Essay Example Shakespeare's main arena included one where he affected people through his intellectual, yet seemingly ordinary and therefore, easily accessible message. Shakespeare managed to imbibe a sense of physical action into the rather static state of affairs in the thearetical scene upon his arrival. Also, he was phenomenal as far as creating symbolic instead of purely realistic plots were concerned. In this context, writers of modern day literature have avidly followed his lead by experimenting with real life scenarios to twist and turn them to trasmit a meassge. The striking characteristic of Shakespeare's work lies in its ability to simply transport a person to unknown lands and their unusual elements. Even when writing of the violence Literature ridden times of England or the discriminatory attitude that prevailed among many at that time, he tells a story of dreams and hope. Invariably, writers today follow this basic format in modern literature where there is always a struggle with hope complementing it and finally - the hero takes the cake. Shakespeare actually introduced the world and thereby inducted the modern literary scene, into the traditional rough it out till the end mode of writing. (Harold, 2003) The best part about Shakespeare's plays is that the characters are studies in cultural and societal nuances. Try Shylock from The Merchant of Venice. This money lending Jew fit the typified framework which was associated with the cunning community at that time and Shylock with his dialogues and choice of words became a huge hit merely because he was just like them and yet different in the way he had been portrayed in lieu of the situations that surrounded him as a father. These kinds of characterisations have come to signify the blueprint for all... This paper stresses that it is difficult for most scholars of his work to decide whether his sonnets have more punch or his plays have more of his sense of unparalleled imagination. As far as his style of writing is concerned, his nuances and detailing have been a benchmark for many a writer. On a more personal note, William Shakespeare’s life reflects the story of a boy from a provincial town who made it to the top without any money or connections to support his talent or dreams. Besides influencing the theaterical scene in more ways than one, Shakespeare has been creadited with the creation of the most splendid plays the world has ever seen. He had the power to revolutionalise theatre and he actually achieved that aim with the creation of the most admired plays in Western Literature. This report makesa conclusion that most modern writers have been found to draw inspiration from Shakespeare’s work which promoted them to demonstrate deeper understanding of elements like art and music in one’s everyday. With Shakespeare’s entertaining yet informative and rather realistic style, most writers of modern literature have found to understand areas like art and music which they have imbibed in their work, to reflect the struggles and issues of the time and other general problem areas like cultural suppression, violence and political power.

Suitable media(a song, poem, cartoon, etc.) that can be used to Essay

Suitable media(a song, poem, cartoon, etc.) that can be used to illustrate a concept - Essay Example These are organizational behaviors that are undesirable but they depict how employees would behave if they are demotivated and lost faith leadership about their leadership by thinking (which later influenced their actions) that their organization represents all that is â€Å"soulless and wrong!". The most obvious negative element present in Initech was the alienation of employees. The first kind of alienation was the inability of the Peter Gibbons, Michael Bolton, Samir Nagheenanajar and Milton Waddams to appreciate the fruits of their labor because they cannot concretely connect how their jobs contribute to the software they are creating that made that Peter to stare at his computer all day. They despised their work and this alienates them from it which their rebellious and antagonistic behaviors showed. As a result of the alienation from work, Peter et al felt alienated from themselves because they feel that their jobs are sucking the life out of them with Peter Gibbons remarking â€Å"We weren't meant to spend it this way. Human beings were not meant to sit in little cubicles staring at computer screens all day†. ... Workers fall into place of what they do by the rational legal authority vested to its bosses which in the movie Office Space case was Bill Lumbergh whom the protagonist workers hated because he represent all that is â€Å"soulless and wrong†. It is important to stress that despite Peter, Milton, Michael and Samir loathe of Bill, Bill still continue to lord over them as Vice President because the structure of the organization provided him the legal authority to be the boss no matter how hated he was. This set up is what Weber called to be the iron cage of bureaucracy that employees are still in the organization even if it is spent in Gibbons terms â€Å"filling out useless forms...and listening to eight different bosses drone on about mission statements† because they needed the job. In plain language, the job may suck but they have to be there to make a living because there are bills and mortgages to pay. There may be no prison bars but certainly, the formal offices whic h Weber described as the place they do their specialized skills and reason to be in the organization also felt like a prison cell. Thus, the person in the organization is diminished and turned into a soulless or alienated bureaucrat because he or she still has to be there no matter how despicable the job and organization is. The movie of course is an exaggeration just like any other narrative to underscore certain points of which the moviemakers intend to impart to its audience which in this case organizational behavior of discontented and unhappy employees. One of these exaggerations is the penchant of their boss Bill to write memos reflective of Weber’s nature of organization to abide by formal written communications which in this case,

Thomas Hart Benton Essay Example for Free

Thomas Hart Benton Essay Described by former U.S. President Harry Truman as the best painter in America, Thomas Hart Benton led a new art movement in the country in an era when modernism and abstract art were in vogue. Benton, the scion of a famous political family in Neosho, Missouri, is one of the widely recognized popular artists in the United States1.   Despite his diminutive five-feet three stature and fiery temper, Benton was a man of enormous talents for he was not just a painter; he was also a writer and a musician, and a man well versed in the issues of his time. Being the son of a lawyer and congressman, and the grandnephew of a senator, Bentons father wanted him to get involved in law or politics.   But young Benton showed early on remarkable skills in art, which his mother encouraged and supported.   Despite oppositions from his father, Benton pursued his artistic inclinations.   At a young age, he worked as a cartoonist for Joplin (Missouri) American in 1906. After that, he was sent to a military school by his father, but was later allowed to leave and study at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1907.   After two years, he left for further studies in the Academie Julien in Paris, where he met fellow North American artists like Stanton Macdonald-Wright, whose leaning towards synchromism influenced Bentons art.   While in Paris, works of Michelangelo and El Greco created lasting impact on Benton2. In Selden Rodmans Fighter and Artist article, he described Bentons life in Paris as the unhappiest in the artists career.   He didnt have an audience for his work and somehow lost the knack for making art a performance.   His mother came to Paris and brought Benton home with her, a move that proved fortunate for back in America, the artist found his art again. _____________ Mark M. Johnson, On the Road with Thomas Hart Benton: Images of a Changing America (1999): 17. Ibid, 19. Upon his return, Benton went to New York and continued painting.   He experimented and studied the arts of the old masters as well as various modern styles.   Before finding his niche in the world of art, Benton was generally considered a modernist who dabbled in modern approaches like Cezannism the use of repetitive, sensitive and exploratory brushstrokes, and Constructivism the use of industrial, angular approach with geometric abstraction3.   Among the modernist movements, he was particularly drawn towards synchromism, a painting technique that treats colors the same way a composer arranges notes in music with advancing and reducing hues.  Ã‚   This was in part through the influence of the modernist American painter, Macdonald-Wright, who Benton met in Paris and became his life-long friend. In 1919, he was employed as a draftsman for two years in the United States Navy, a move that significantly changed his style. During his navy stint, Bentons drawings and sketches were focused on realistic depictions of the work and life in shipyards4.   In his realist drawings, Benton found his medium, which he pursued with vigor throughout his life.   The Navy Art Collection has twenty-five of Thomas Hart Bentons works. After the Navy, Benton held a teaching post at New Yorks Chelsea Neighborhood Association, where he met his wife Rita Piacenza, an Italian immigrant who believed in his genius and remained with him until he died5. Bentons career shifted focus in 1924 when he went home to Missouri to reconcile with his dying father.   As a result of the talks he had with his father and other family friends, Bentons heart was filled with a desire to recapture the world he knew as a child. _____________ Greta Berman, Thomas Hart Benton. Art Journal 1990: 199 Barbara Herberholz, Thomas Hart Bentons home and studio, Arts Activities 2000: 40 Ibid, 40. 3 Regionalism Once he found the right medium for his art, Thomas Hart Benton embarked on a naturalistic and representational style of painting a school of art known today as Regionalism, a movement where the artist depicts what is around him, the things he knew and saw.   From then on, Benton branded himself an anti-modernist. As a Regionalist, Bentons subjects were often rural scenes from the Midwest whose themes were of self-preservation and hard work.   This change occurred at some point in Bentons life, but to pinpoint exactly when it happened is difficult. Benton enlarged the scope of his Regionalist art to include the working class.   The small farmer held the artists sympathy and was often portrayed in small-town scenes that speak of beauty coupled with melancholy and desperation.   According to Mark Johnson, the artist said in his autobiography that he looked on the United States as a group comprised of geographic and cultural regions with distinctive characteristics (20). Benton was unique in trying to record history through his works.   Like a historian, he wanted to capture and preserve the distinct traits of regional life in the country before technological advancements and modernization will lay claim on the America of his youth.   Benton was a visual witness at a time when the United States was transitioning from being an agricultural country to one that embraces industrialization. Bentons paintings were often done realistically in a down-to-earth style so that the ordinary people could understand their meanings; contrary to abstract art that requires in-depth analysis and interpretation.  Ã‚   He preferred for his works to be hanged in saloons for the common people to see and admire them (Johnson 20). 4 Rise to Fame Although Thomas Hart Benton became well known for his drawings, sketches, and easel paintings, it was in a different mode of expression that he attained fame and notoriety.   It was in his murals of tremendous proportions that Benton was catapulted to greatness, gaining him admirers and critics. How Benton became engrossed with murals of monumental scale can be attributed to a number of factors.   Bentons early life experiences included viewing of huge murals at federal government buildings in Washington D.C., where he spent a large part of his childhood. At some basic level, this seems to be the earliest foundation for his art6.   It could also be said that as a son of a political family, Benton had it in him to want to attract attention, a theory that is relatively weak.   When he studied art in Paris, he was once more struck by the magnificence of the works created by Michelangelo and El Greco through their tremendous size.   Through sheer size of an artwork, Benton discovered that viewers could be dazzled. Marianne Berardi discussed in an essay circumstantial and personal reasons that could have led Benson to pursue mural painting as a life long career.   One of these reasons was Bentons having read the illustrated copy of the History of the United States by J.A. Spencer, where he got the inspiration and the idea to express history through a modern language of form. But according to Berardi, the most likely reason for the artists decision to take up mural painting was the death of his father.   Benton alluded to this event in an autobiography he wrote in the years to come.   Colonel M.E. Benton became estranged from his eldest son over the latters choice of a career.   For more than a decade, they had very little communication.   Benton made peace with his ill and dying father in 1924.   Berardi cited Bentons 1938 memoir to support this. _____________ Mark M. Johnson, On the Road with Thomas Hart Benton: Images of a Changing America (1999): 19. 5 In his memoir, Benton described how the reminiscing talks he heard from his fathers friends gave him the desire to know more of the America he knew as a child and had forgotten as a result of his wanderings in the quest to gain more knowledge and experiences in life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To make up for lost time, Benton traveled around the country to make sketches of things he saw and knew.   He visited places where he traveled with his father as a child.   Bentons sketches during these travels became his raw material for his murals. Bentons name became part of mainstream art by 1932 when he was asked to do a five-part series, the Arts of Life in America7 a depiction through murals of life in Indiana that were contributed to the 1933 Century of Progress Exhibition in Chicago, Illinois.   Benton wasnt paid for this work.   He only got reimbursement for his supplies.   Despite not getting paid for his labor, Benton benefited in different ways.   The murals caught the interests of people all around America due to Bentons representation of his subject using unflattering light.   Also, among his subjects was the controversial Ku Klux Klan in its finery. The murals occupied four huge wall panels and four around the ceiling8.   While the murals were about music, games, dance, and sports, they were also about regional diversity, unemployment, crime, and politics.   The murals were unveiled at the height of the Great Depression, giving them high social relevance.   In the treatment of his subjects, Benton showed informed understanding of his time.   This is not surprising given Bentons views and opinions regarding society and politics in America during that period. _____________ Greta Berman, Thomas Hart Benton. Art Journal 1990: 200 Matthew Baigell with Allen Kaufman, The Missouri Murals: Another Look at Benton, Art Journal 1977: 314-315. 6 His controversial murals cinched Bentons fame.   In fact, because of his work, he found himself in the 1934 cover page of Time magazine, first time that an artist was given such an honor.   From then on, Benton became the leading figure in the Regionalist Movement in American art. In a span of five years, from 1930 to 1935, Benton created four enormous mural paintings, usually using the egg tempera technique that produces smooth and matte surfaces. Bentons murals during this period were: America Today, commissioned in 1930 for the New School of Social Research; The Arts of Life in America, his most controversial murals for The Whitney Studio Club Mural, which was shown to the public in 1932; A Social History of Indiana, made for the State of Indianas pavilion at the 1933 Chicago Worlds Fair, and A Social History of Missouri, created between 1935 and 1936 for the House Lounge in the Missouri State Capitol Building, Jefferson City. Teaching Career The mural commission in 1935 for the House Lounge in the Missouri State, plus an art teaching position in the state decided Benton to leave the New York art scene, where heated artistic debacles abound9.  Ã‚   Thomas Hart Benton left New York, his residence for more than twenty years to take up a teaching position at the Kansas City Art Institute in Kansas City, Missouri.   This move was probably made to reconnect with the world of his childhood, where he left many years ago.   This also gave Benton more chances of seeing rural America, which was then giving way to modernization. _____________ Thomas Hart Benton Home and Studio State Historic Site, 27 May 27 2005, 20 Nov. 2007 http://www.mostateparks.com/benton/teachguide.htm 7 Bentons teaching career at the Art Institute ended when he was fired for making disparaging remarks about the influence of homosexuals in Kansas Citys art industry.   Despite the setback, Benton remained popular until the late 1940s when Abstract Expressionism became the new fashion and eclipsed Regionalism. After his teaching career ended, Benton gave mural painting his full attention.   He created murals in public buildings like the Missouri State Capitol and the Harry S. Truman presidential library in 1960.   The work he did for the former president became the foundation of a friendship that lasted throughout their lives. On Jan. 19, 1975, Benton was working on the mural The Sources of County music when he passed away due to a heart attack.   The great Regionalist artist died with a brush in hand at the age of 85.   His last painting hangs in Nashville, Tennessee unsigned. Paintings Bentons paintings generally display swirling bands of color, which speaks of synchromism, a technique adopted from the artists friend Macdonald-Wright, where hues of colors are parallel to the notes in harmonies.   The artists favorite paint and paint technique is egg tempera. _____________ Selden Rodman, Fighter and Artist, National Review 1989: 44-47 8 For his paintings, Bentons subjects are usually bold with strongly marked movements.   The colors or tone contrasts are often intense.   Bentons subjects are often disproportionate, making them look like caricatures.   Despite the elongation of shapes in some instances, I still see that the overall effect still looked harmonious and balanced.   The artist often uses shades of blue and yellow to create space.   Yellow sometimes gave the paintings a weathered look, and could sometimes encourage a viewer to engage in melancholia, just like the painting below. The Ballad of the Jealous Lover of Lone Green Valley, 1934, Oil Tempera Bentons painting called Persephone attracted a great deal of criticism particularly from women.   The figure probably offended some critics and many women because of the pubic hair that Benton painted for the first time.   This painting, done in 1939, marked Bentons break from his usual satiric and cartoon-like style.   The use of color is vibrant and expressive, while womanhood was depicted in a goddess-like manner. Murals Bentons murals were usually modeled using clay as a preparatory tool.   He initially overcame the difficulty of organizing a large number of figures in a linear space using vignettes.   To separate one panel from another, he used actual moldings to create boundaries for the scenes. But this technique proved cumbersome.   Benton developed a more organized visual ordering without the use of molding.   According to Berardi, Benton combined scenes by themes and utilized vertical posts to allow the eye some rest when moving across the canvas, a formal technique that Benton described fully in his Mechanics of Form Organization article.   Bentons murals that employed this solution include: American Historical Epic, The Arts of Life in America, and The Social History of Missouri. 10   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Just like in his paintings, Bentons subjects in his murals are also bold with strongly marked movements.   The colors are also strong.   In his murals, the overall composition dominates the objects to create a sense of space.   The sharp images and the caricature-like quality create memory recall even when viewed only once. Bentons works inspire only love and hate and no in-betweens.   For my part, I love Bentons work not only for the artists skill but also for their significance and historical value.   His works were not just figments of his imaginations, but were the result of extensive research and travels. Works Cited Baigell, Matthew, with Kaufman, Allen. The Missouri Murals: Another Look at Benton, Art Journal (1977): 314-315. Berardi, Marianne. Thomas Hart Benton. Traditional Fine Arts Organization, Inc. (2000). 20 Nov. 2007 http://www.tfaoi.com/aa/2aa/2aa573.htm Berman, Greta Berman. Thomas Hart Benton. Art Journal (1990): 199-201 Herberholz, Barbara. Thomas Hart Bentons home and studio. Arts Activities (2000): 40-49. Johnson, Mark M. On the Road with Thomas Hart Benton: Images of a Changing America. 1999: 17-50. Rodman, Selden. Fighter and Artist. National Review (1989): 44-47 Thomas Hart Benton Home and Studio State Historic Site, 27 May 27 2005, 20 Nov. 2007 http://www.mostateparks.com/benton/teachguide.htm

Investigation Of Kinetic And Kinematic Parameters Physical Education Essay

Investigation Of Kinetic And Kinematic Parameters Physical Education Essay This study reviewing the biomechanical effects of the orthosis on human gait pattern and a specific type of ankle foot orthosis (AFO) with rocker bottom was used for the pilot study. Walking gait cycle background theory and related terms definition is explained as the introduction. A complete review on AFO functionality and efficacy on gait correction via laboratory testing is done. The review is mainly expressed from biomechanics approach with the use of kinematics and kinetic knowledge. From the reviewed process, it is no doubt to clarify that AFO enable to prevent and correct pathological gait for better improvement. Motion analysis technique using camera based system to conduct laboratory experiment on human gait is studied too. A sequence of procedures is design for further study, which consist of subject acquirement, rocker AFO fabrication, customization, laboratory experiment testing using Vicon motion analysis system, data collection and analyse. Besides, pilot studys results are included in result and discussion. A healthy woman was used as the subject in the pilot study who undergo 2 types of walking, which are walked barefoot and with AFO condition. As conclusion, the review provides evidence that the influence of AFO in altering human walking gait is significant and further study is necessary to be proceeded for better describe AFO functionality. Acknowledgement The first thank goes to Prof. Dr. Ir. Wan Abu Bakar Wan Abas, my supervisor for this graduation project. His willingness and patient in teaching and guide me either to accomplish the tasks or when I facing problems during the time, were indeed appreciated. My grateful thank goes to Dr Noor Azuan Abu Osman with his enthusiasm of sharing valuable knowledge and all kind of challenges gave by him, were definitely brought me chances to work as an professional biomedical engineer. I express much gratitude to Miss Arezoo Eshraghi too, for her guidance and assistance brought to the smoothness of my thesis study. Nevertheless, I would like to thank for all the hard work done by my faculty, especially to the Coordinator for the Graduation Project, Dr.Belinda Murphy, assistant for the project Miss Khairunnisa Hasikin and all the stuff of Biomedical Engineering Department. Table of Contents List of Figures List of Tables List of Symbols and Abbreviations AFO Ankle Foot Orthosis IC Initial contact LR Loading Response MST Mid Stance TST Terminal Stance TO Toe Off ISW Initial Swing MSW Mid Swing TSW Terminal Swing DF Dorsiflexion PF Plantarflexion KF Knee Flexion KE Knee Extension HF Hip Flexion HE Hip Extension PTB Patellar Tendon Bearing ToA Types of AFO CGC Control Group Condition Introduction Human locomotion defined as movement from one place to another and a numbers of ways could be done to achieve it, walking, use of a bicycle, wheelchair are examples of locomotion (Smidt, 1990). In this study, walking gait is the targeted locomotion. Walking is a cyclic movement interlaced between left and right foot with at least one foot being contact with the ground at all times in a certain periodic pattern (Ounpuu, 1995). A systemic analysis and parameter is required to evaluate walking gait effectively and biomechanics knowledge has been introduced to solve for this. It is a brand new term developed around the year of 1970s which integrating engineering mechanics knowledge into biological system. Biomechanics is actually applied in gait analysis by the ancient scientists few centuries ago (Martin, 1999). Biomechanics study on the gait analysis has been started since the year of 1680 by Aristotle on the gait of animals and in the year of 1890, Christian Wilhelm Braune an anatomist and Otto Fischer were started investigating human gait from biomechanics aspects (Martin, 1999). Scientists enthusiasm toward human gait analysis never shelved, it continue evolutes until today. At present, biomechanics investigation in gait analysis is able to provide profusion information for clinical practitioner to assess patient locomotion effectively. For instances, a pathology gait pattern by patient can be visualized by measuring biomechanical parameters, step length, length, joint angles, forces and etcetera. To evaluate how well the treatment improves patient ambulatory level, biomechanics knowledge applied too. Main interest of this study is not only focus on human walking gait, but also to investigate the manner orthotics alters its users gait pattern from biomechanics aspect. Orthosis is a medical appliance major used in orthopedics field for the purpose to support, alter, and align injured body segments involve in body movement (Edelstein Bruckner, 2001). In this study, the ankle foot orthosis (AFO) with additional rocker sole is chose as the orthosis in this study. Figure 1.1(a) shown a solid AFO and (b) rocker bottom. Figure 1. Solid AFO Rocker AFO is a kind of treatment apply to diabetic patient who has plantar foot ulceration risk and with ankle joint mobility difficulty. From statistical analysis from University Malaya Medical Centre Diabetic Foot Clinics, plantar foot wound treatments on diabetic patient possess the highest number of among other kind of treatment and also footwear is the highest treatment modality among others in 2008 and 2009. This statement has support and encourages the necessity to carry out this study as number of diabetic patient is increase gradually every year. AFO is worn on lower extremity and around foot to support and correct ankle position. Patient having diabetes, experienced bones segment fracture, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, tendon dysfunction and limb disorder patient who ankle failed to support their body weight while walking are commonly suggested by orthotist to use an AFO to improve gait routine and to minimise further injury risk (Edelstein Bruckner, 2001). Besides that, rocker sole is a creature use to reduce pressure on the forefoot and use to transmit pressure from high pressure to low pressure area meanwhile off loading the pressure exerted to risky area (Albright Woodhull-Smith, 2009). To be relative to orthosis definition, an AFO with rocker sole should not bring more burdens to patient in increase energy demand or cause any long term side effects. Consequently, investigating AFO biomechanical performance in aiding and influencing wearer locomotion therefore becomes an important study. Three dimensional (3D) gait analysis systems are laboratory equipment involve the use of reflective markers that placed on subjects interest body segments as the landmarks (Davis, Deluca, Ounpuu, 2000). It has been use widely in clinical gait analysis services and research. The video camera based system employ 2 to 7 infrared cameras allocated on the measurement volume to record subject motion or markers trajectories in precise as shown in Figure 1.2 (a) (b). The entire system applies stereophotogrammetric techniques to produce each markers 3D coordinates from the two dimensional (2D) images capture by each of the camera (Davis, et al., 2000). This 3D system digitized subject movement in real time into frames depending on sampling rate set. The frame to frame analysis provides better motion visualization and subsequently from the 3D images generated it makes the possibility to compute a more complete description towards the dynamic gait in terms of biomechanical parameters. Kinemat ic, kinetic, and temporal parameters or some other dynamic gait variables are able to be obtained from this system. During the entire study, Vicon Nexus 1.4 motion analysis system is employ to record and examine subjects walking gait pattern. Kinematic and kinetic parameters are extracting to further illustrate rocker AFO effects on its user gait pattern. Figure 1.2(c) presented a monkey hooping frame image capture using 3D motion analysis systems. http://rehablab.creighton.edu/share/sharedfiles/UserFiles/image/Camera1.jpghttp://www.med.nyu.edu/rehabengineering/images/vicon8cameras.jpg (b) (c) Figure 1. (a) Infrared Camera (b) Overview of Motion Analysis Laboratory (c) Frame Images Capture from Infrared Camera 1.1 Theory Walking gait Normal one complete gait cycle consists of stance phase and swing phase in a proportion of 60% and 40%, respectively. A normal adult will spent approximately 60% of total gait duration for heel strike to toe off (stance phase) and 40% for initial swing to terminal swing (swing phase). Stance phase is the event when foot touch on ground and body passes over the top of it whereas swing phase is when the same foot moves forwards in the air. Figure 1. Stance and Swing Phase Propotion. Stance phase is defined from initial contact, loading response, mid stance and terminal stance (toe off). Swing phase is defined from the instance toe off, initial swing, mid swing and terminal swing (Ounpuu, 1995). Figure 1.4 illustrates the phases of the gait cycle shown with the corresponding position for sagittal plane motion. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/picrender.fcgi?book=physmedrehabpart=A8414blobname=ch6f6-2.jpg Figure 1. Gait cycle phases (Carson, M.D. 1995) Stance phase Initial contact(IC) (0% of the gait cycle), it occur when foot contact to ground. Loading response (LR) (0-10% of the gait cycle), during this stage, shock absorption occurred with stability remain and body more forwarded. This is the first double support happened. Mid stance (MST) (10%-30% of the gait cycle), the first single leg support instance, purpose of this phase is to advance body over the stance phase limb while stability is maintained. Terminal stance (TST) (30%-50% of gait cycle), or sometimes called toe off(TF) single support ended when the sound limb contact with floor and in this phase, body still being advanced through the stance foot through the forward fall of the trunk. Toe off (TO) (60% of the gait cycle), when foots toes are about to leave floor. Swing Phase Initial Swing (ISW) (60%-73% of the gait cycle), second single support phase and begins when the foot leaves the ground until it passes opposite the stance limb. Mid swing (MSW) (73%-87%), continue advance the swing limb while providing clearance of stance foot. Terminal swing (TSW) (87%-100%), swing leg already in preparation for the next stance phase. In order for a person to walk normally, the locomotor system must fulfill four requirements. Firstly, stability of foot is essential to ensure each foot capable to withstand body weight with no collapsing. Secondly, during single leg support in stance phase, balance shall sustain for that particular period. Thirdly, swinging leg must be able to move in a sequence reaching the position where it can take over the supporting leg. Lastly, locomotor system must provided substantial power to induce limb movements and to advance the body (Whittle, 1993). Pathological gait produce abnormal walking patterns when it fails to obey any of the four requirements stated above. It can be indentified obviously by visual or using appropriate clinical gait analysis method. This abnormal gait maybe performed unintended by the subject due to the weakness, spasticity or deformity occurred onto them. Besides, sometimes the abnormal gait is also consequences of the compensatory motion by some other problem. Any abnormal gait should be corrected using an orthotics or braces in order to minimize overload harms on muscles, joints and bones. Kinematic and kinetics of human gait The terms kinematic and kinetics are branches of biomechanics, which are commonly employed in gait assessment. Kinematic describing a body movement without considering its causes for example forces and torque. Camera is a example of kinematic equipment which only used to observe limbs movement without but without providing information of force involved (Whittle, 1993). Meanwhile, kinetic is more in explaining the body motion with it causes like mass and forces exert onto the system. Moment, force, mass, and acceleration are the examples which usually utilize the kinetic of the systems. Example of kinematic equipment in gait analysis is force plate, which measure force exerted by foot but without the position and angle of the leg segment (Whittle, 1993). Kinematic of human gait: Angle Pelvis, hip, knee and ankle angle are the common kinematic parameters used in gait analysis. Each anatomical angle can be observed from sagittal, coronal and transverse plane. During normal gait, most of the motion occurred in sagittal plane meanwhile coronal and transverse plane have greater motion in pathological gait(Ounpuu, 1995). Table 1.1 is a summary on the each segment movement with respect to gait cycles phases. Table 1. Summary of the Major components of gait with respect to the phase of the gait cycle. Phase Joint Movement Ankle Knee IC Neutral Position Fully KE LR PF KF MST DF KE TST DF KE TF PF KF ISW Peak PF then DF rapidly KF rapidly to peak MSW Peak DF Start with peak KF and KE rapidly TSW PF KE PlantarFlexion(PF), DorsiFlexion(DF), Knee Flexion(KF), Knee Extension(KE), Hip Flexion(HF) and Hip Extension (HE) Kinetics of human gait: Ground reaction forces When a person is walking, forces will apply toward ground on each step taken. According to Newtons Third Law, a force will generate that is equal magnitude but in the opposite direction to the force applied by the foot, and it is called ground reaction forces. The vertical component of ground reaction forces is raise from heel strike and shot 112% of body weight during 25% of gait. At the mean time, the opposite leg propels the centre of gravity upward and thus vertical force descends to around 80% of body weight. At the instance of heel off, centre of gravity start to move downward therefore vertical forces raise again to around 115% of body weight at almost 80% of stance phase. Vertical forces descend greatly right after the peak vertical forces as the foot is propel to swing phase. Figure 1.5 shown the overview of vertical forces exert on the stance leg. Figure 1. Ground reaction forces Literature Review Types of AFO AFO is categorized into many types depending on its functionality, design approach and usages. AFOs are generally classified into five main branches: rigid AFOs, hinged AFOs, Patellar Tendon Bearing (PTB) AFOs, posterior leaf spring AFOs and ground reaction AFOs. Each AFOs functionality will be discussed in detail later. Table 2. Summary on Types of AFO and description (Edelstein Bruckner, 2001) Types of AFO Features Solid AFOSolid ankle-foot orthosis (AFO), Plastazote-lined (Photo courtesy of Hersco Orthotic Labs.) Trimmed anterior to malleoli surrounds ankle. Restrict ankle motion without allows any plantarflexion. During loading response, maintain a rigid foot and ankle alignment Hinged AFOhttp://www.appliedbiomechanics.com/Home/Home/Hinged_AFO.gif Add mechanical joint around ankle to permit motion. Degrees of motion are determined by the joint design. Allow dorsiflexion and plantar flexion without restriction. PTB AFOhttp://www.capstoneorthopedic.com/Orthoservicespages/afo/afo_clip_image018.png Cast until patella area as to transfer weight from plantar foot to patella tendon Responsible for off loading effect. Posterior Leaf Spring AFOhttp://www.neuromuscular-orthotics.com.au/images/PLS%20AFO.jpg Trimmed posterior to malleoli, allow plastic to recoil Function as a spring during swing phase off loaded, allow plantar flexion. Ankle motion is permitted by deformation and recoil of the plastic strip. Gait analysis method Reliability of the result obtained from motion analysis is mainly relay on the markers placement (Ferrari, et al., 2008; A. Leardini Benedetti, 1999). Therefore, marker positioning is depending strongly to the objective of the research or study. The inconsistency of marker placement is generally a crucial factor contribute to the data variation because each marker represent different body landmark respectively too. A full body marker set is often applying to investigate whole body posture and gait. A total of 60 markers with 22 on each leg, 5 on pelvis and 11 on trunk are consider as a complete marker set. It has been applied to evaluate treatment gait pattern correction or diseases caused pathological gait for example cerebral palsy and diabetic patient (Radtka, Skinner, Elise Johanson, 2005; Sawacha, et al., 2009). Only lower limb markers set were use more often in gait motion analysis (Abel Juhl, 1998; Fatone, Gard, Malas, 2009; Alberto Leardini, et al., 2007; Yokoyama Sashik a, 2005). There also few study make their focus on gait assessment on AFO user which only applied reflective marker on lower limb as anatomic landmarks for the whole experiment (Abel Juhl, 1998; Fatone, et al., 2009). When come across with gait analysis, researchers putting more interest on the lower limbs kinetic and kinematic parameters rather than upper limb because the locomotion trajectories occurred mainly in leg segments. In analyzing treatment effect for a particular illness or disease, control group or control variable present to serve a better comparison to the tested result. While evaluating the relation of orthosis treatment and gait assessment caused by it, subject under barefoot condition sometimes appeared as the control variable (Abel Juhl, 1998; Lam, Leong, Li, Hu, Lu, 2005; Romkes Brunner, 2002). However, in some cases, barefoot control does not provide a comparable opportunity and it is not practical as in real life subjects usually walk with foot wear. Besides, as of experimental approach, it has shown that subjects walking with footwear is more relative to evaluate AFO efficacy with contrast to barefoot ((Radtka, et al., 2005)Churchill et al., 2003; Radtka et al., 2005). Two reviewed articles obtained result with subject walking while wore footwear alone (Bleyenheuft Hanson, 2010; Fatone, et al., 2009). There is one of the article used able bodied subject with footwear alone to acqui re control variables (Fatone et al., 2009). Either way of choosing control group is proportion to the research behavior and objectives. Therefore, appropriate consideration should be taken while designing a research methodology. Gait analysis parameters In general, AFO is use as prevention of foot deformity, limit joint movement, position and provide stability. The effect of AFO in serving all these functionality is been studied via various method from simple to more sophisticated gait analysis technique. Majority of the reviewed papers adopted video-camera based system to collect and record data. (Abel Juhl, 1998; Fatone, et al., 2009; Lam, et al., 2005; Radtka, et al., 2005; Romkes Brunner, 2002; Yokoyama Sashika, 2005). Kinematic and temperal parameters are the two common results obtained from ambulation analysis. Temperal parameter Cadance Cadence, defined as number of steps taken in a given period and its unit is steps over minute. In gait analysis, cadence becomes a popular parameter to evaluate AFO efficacy. Researches which have examined subjects gait with dynamic AFO and without dynamic AFO proved that cadence is one variable altered by the manipulation on AFO (Lam, et al., 2004; Romkes et al., 2001; Bleyenheuft et al., 2007). Lam and Romkes studies have shown a decrease of cadence while subject walked with dynamic AFO compare to walk with barefoot. However, in Bleyenheuft study, changes of cadence value are less significant compare to others. In hinged AFO, two papers reported a increase on cadence compare to barefoot ( Romkes et al., 2001; Tyson et al., 1998) and one shown decrease effect (Radtka et al., 2004). Four reviewed papers tested subjects walked with solid AFO reported decrease of cadence compare to without solid AFO (Abel et al., 1998; Radtka et al., 2004; Lam et al., 2004; Bleyenheuft et al., 2007). C adence in a new design AFO which use oil damper resistance to restrict ankle movement also reported a decrease phenomenon on subjects walking gait with against barefoot trials. Dynamic AFO reported to have higher cadence compare to solid AFO in Lam, 2004 and Bleyenheuft, 2007 studies. Meanwhile, between hinged AFO and dynamic AFO, hinged types AFO having higher cadence value ( Romkes et al., 2001). By reviewing this, an instance conclusion can be making that hinged AFO provide a high cadence. Resultant cadence variation is likely due to the design of types of the AFO. Manipulate ankle movement degree certainly influence entire locomotion trajectories, consequently cadence are involved. Velocity Velocity is a resultant product of stride length time cadence. Any changes of these two variables may vary walking velocity. Solid AFO, dynamic AFO, and hinged AFO were all result higher velocities and stride length compare to the condition without AFO on tested walking trials (Abel et al., 1998; Lam et al., 2004; Radtka et al., 2004; Bleyenheuft et al., 2007; Romkes et al., 2001; Fatone et al., 2009). However, a less significant increase observed while analyzes hinged AFO and solid AFO toward barefoot condition in Fatone, 2009 and Lam, 2004 researches, respectively. From these two cases, a common observation found between them is the insignificant of stride lengths alterations. Kinematic of Gait Analysis DF at IC (Stance Phase) Currently, AFO are design to restrict exceed ankle PF, simultaneously improve pre-positioning of the foot during IC f gait cycle. However, DF ability of AFO is strictly relying on the design and trimming pattern of particular AFO (Yokoyama et al., 2005). All types of AFO being study in this section have shown reasonable increase of DF angle compare to barefoot or without AFO condition (Abel et al., 1998; Lam et al., 2004; Radtka et al., 2004; Bleyenheuft et al., 2007; Romkes et al., 2001; Fatone et al., 2009; Yokoyama et al., 2005). This outcome is consistent with the basic functionality and characteristic of AFOs. For hinged and dynamic types, both allows free ankle DF during stance and meanwhile limit PF (Romkes et al., 2001). From review, subjects wore dynamic AFO have noticeable better DF than solid AFO and barefoot (Lam et al., 2004; Bleyenheuft et al, 2007). KF during IC (Stance phase) Knee fully extends just before heel contact and this is named as stance phase flexion. Patient walked with dynamic AFO showed significant increased in KF during initial stance compare to barefoot and there was less significant compared to solid type AFO (Lam et al., 2004; Bleyenheuft et al., 2007). Nevertheless, a slightly decreased on KF during initial contact is observed too. Both dynamic and hinged AFO shown little attenuate of KF angle compare to barefoot in Romkes, 2001 studies. In Radtka, 2005 research, the abnormal KF during barefoot walking remained although subject walk with hinged and solid AFO and this is consistent with Rethlefsen, 1999 findings. PF during TST (stance Phase) At the instance stance foot leave ground and preparing for swinging, plantar foot is flex as to push off body forwarded. Hinged AFO have impressed decreasing of PF during terminal stance if compare to walked with barefoot ( Radtka et al., 2005; Romkes et al., 2001). In Romkes, 2001 study, it revealed that hinged AFO has better push off effect compare to dynamic AFO according to their flexing ability. Besides that, in Radtka 2005s study, researchers concluded hinged AFO has better rocker effect as to proceed swing phase compared to solid AFO. DF during MSW (Swing Phase) DF is necessary to prevent foot drop as to provide toe clearance for patient to have better gait performance. In all the reviewed papers, DF were all increased during MSW (Abel et al., 1998; Lam et al., 2004; Radtka et al., 2004; Bleyenheuft et al., 2007; Romkes et al., 2001; Fatone et al., 2009; Yokoyama et al., 2005). Table 2. Summary on Variables Comparison of Types of AFO (ToA) with respect to Control Group Condition (CGC) Author, Year ToA CGC Variables comparison on ToA with respect to CGC Cadence Velocity DF at IC KF at IC PF at TST Abel et al., 1998 Fixed AFO Barefoot Decrease Increase Increase Increase Blenyenheuft et al., 2007 Dynamic AFO Shoe only Not significant Increase Increase Increase prefabricated AFO Shoe only Decrease Increase Increase Decrease Fatone et al., 2009 Hinged AFO Shoe only Not significant Not significant Increase Increase Lam et al., 2004 Solid AFO Barefoot Decrease Not significant Increase Increase Decrease Dynamic AFO Barefoot Decrease Increase Increase Increase Decrease Radtka et al., 2004 Solid AFO Barefoot Decrease Increase Increase Decrease Hinged AFO Barefoot Decrease Increase Increase Not significant Decrease Romkes et al., 2001 Dynamic AFO Barefoot Decrease Increase Increase Decrease Decrease Hinged AFO Barefoot Increase Increase Increase Decrease Decrease Tyson, 1998 Hinged AFO Barefoot Increase Increase Increase Yokoyama et al., 2005 Oil damper resistance AFO Shoe only Increase Increase Increase Increase Decrease Kinetic of human gait: Ground reaction forces and Peak pressure High peak plantar pressure (PPP) on foot is significant in contributing ulceration and callus formation on diabetic patient (Caselli, 2002; Veyes, Murray, Buoulton, 1992). If PPP occurred on the same area for a repeated period it might associated with callus or skin break down on that particular area (Boulton AJ, 1993). Incidence of skin breakdown in the forefoot chance is higher compare to in rear foot (Mueller, Zou, Lott, 2005). It has been prove in few studies that metatarsal head is the most frequent areas having skin injury problem rather than at heel in diabetic patient (Caselli, 2002; Sinacore, 1996). By using rocker sole in diabetic subjects, reviewed papers shown a significant PPP reduction over the high pressure area especially over forefoot and rear foot area (Albright Woodhull-Smith, 2009; Brown Wertsch, 2004; Schaff Cavanagh, 1990). Rocker sole is designed in a way that to redistribute plantar pressure from a conventional pressure distribution to a newly designed pressure map(Brown Wertsch, 2004). Aims and Objectives Examine orthosis efficacy in walking gait is the foremost objective in this study. AFO is prescribing enable to make better alignment of foot on patient with pathological gait. A rocker bottom is claimed to serve better plantar pressure distribution and as treatment to avoid further foot deformity. Basic approach in this study is to investigate the effectiveness of rocker AFO in prevent and utilize better ambulation pattern on diabetic patient from abnormal walking mechanism. Joint mobility caused by rocker AFO believed serve a better gait pattern and harmless to the connected leg segment. Rocker effect on the AFO is tending to reduce ground reaction forces to AFO user foot. Biomechanics and engineering knowledge is applied for better description. To test this hypothesis the following key objectives were undertaken: To study and enhance better gait mechanism knowledge from engineering and medical approach. To quantify and compare joint mobility with and without rocker AFO using lower limb component motion range analysis. To observe the relationship between the rocker bottom to kinetic changing on patient gait. Methodology Introduction Method to conduct this study is structured into few stages from recruiting subjects to conclude the study objectives. In order to keep align with this study objectives, each procedure taken has to be design carefully to reduce the possibility of data confusion and the occurrence of technical errors. Mostly, methodology to investigate orthosis efficacy usually being categorized into subject acquirement, subject assessment, AFO fabrication, AFO customize process, gait analysis laboratory testing, data acquisition and data analyzing ( Fatone et al., 2009). Subject acquirement In this study, AFO with rocker bottom is fixed to be the interest orthosis to investigate for the entire process. From literature, an AFO rocker sole mostly applied for the purpose of offloading on diabetic patient, thus the targeted subject is diabetic patient who possess potential to occur ulceration at plantar foot (Zimmy et al., 2004; Albright et al., 2009). 5 patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy are recruiting as the subjects. Subject should be free from any other physical abnormality, surgery or injury on the lower limb extremities. To be prior to their participation, informed concern was acquired from all the subjects. Equipment: AFO Fabrication Only unilateral study will be carry out which means rocker AFO will be only fabricate for either leg depends on the foot condition. Each participant will be customizing a rocker AFO which is unique with their ulceration area and foot sizes. Participants are evaluated barefoot and going through anthropometrical measurement on the affected leg by the orthotists. The AFO are custom molded by polypropylene and with a suggested 4.8 mm thick (Lam eta al., 2005). Neutral position of the AFO will be 90Â ° at foot shank ankle. Foot length of the AFO will extended distally under the toes end and trimmed along the mediolateral border of the foot. Upper part of the AFO will trimmed on posterior until about 2.5cm below fibula. Rocker sole apex has to be position according to subject pressure distribution. Usually subject affected areas are location with metatarsal and forefoot area. A consistent rocker sole design is purposed with the apex fall behind of the fifth metatarsal with an angle of 15à ‚ °. Figure 3.1 shown the rocker AFO suggested: Figure 3. Rocker AFO After rocker AFO finishing, subject request to test the fitness of the AFO. If the custom made rocker AFO raises any comfort ability issue, adjustment being done to fix it. Gait analysis laboratory testi

Threats to Quality Web Designs Network System (QWD)

Threats to Quality Web Designs Network System (QWD) Executive Summary The main purpose of this report is to existent the potential security threats that aspects Quality Web Designs network system (QWD). QWD specializes in website and web content design for dissimilar types of business and any type of security threat can significantly disturb its business operations. It is significant to uncover any potential vulnerabilities, assess potential threats, and the potentials of the threat happening. It is also vital to calculate what might happen to the business process and competitive edge of the company if the threat occurs. Two security vulnerabilities in both QWD security policies and software are deliberated in the report. Finally, we discuss the impact the security modifications have on the business process. Company Overview Quality Web Design (QWD) is an institute that focusses in the Web site and Web content design for all different types of businesses. QWDs assignment is to deliver best quality Web design that will increase consumer income to QWDs customer Web sites. QWDs database comprises over 250,000 branded images and graphical designs that will improve most Web sites demand to a goal demographic. QWD is able to offer its clients the capability to offer their audience a customized interface. Indifference lot of consistent services were delivered by Quality web Design Company to their customers in such a way that there wont be any security problems in the organization anymore. There were several limitations to every company and Quality web Design can overcome them. QWD superiorities itself in having their own web designers that use ritual scripts and applications. This sets the company apart from other competition. The company operates Microsoft Visual Studio Team Foundation Service server to promise constant development of the site from start to end. The company also has its own payroll, marketing, and accounting departments which are significant to the business operations. Security Vulnerabilities Security Policy Vulnerability QWDs security policy does not discourse the topic of employees using company equipment such as the IPhones, Windows cell phones, and laptops for personal use. This should be lectured in an Acceptable Use Policy. By the company not making a policy, only for the company use only they are making the equipment, it grasses the company vulnerable to open occurrences. It is not impracticable to contemplate that employees do use company delivered equipment for personal use. Employees usage the devices to send and receive private emails through non-related company sites such as Gmail, Hotmail, and Yahoo. They use the company devices to surf the web, shop for items, play games, download applications, get on social networks such as Myspace, Facebook, and Twitter, watch videos, and even listen to music. According to one site on employee internet use, employees spend about one-third of their time on the Internet for personal reasons. (Employee Internet Use) This means that out of a regular 40 hou r work week, employees are spending 13.33 hours doing personal Internet usage. This also relates to employees who offer their mobile numbers for personal use on the Internet. Sometimes sites need registration and things such as contact phone numbers must be included, Unfortunately, for some employees, the only number they have to use is the company issued mobile phone. It means that the employee is given that the company mobile phone as their point of contact number. This type of vulnerability delivers the prospect of pressures beside the company by not having a policy in place. The threat that can arise is if an employee downloads a virus, malware, or Trojan to their mobile phone, laptop, and even desktop. This is especially so for the remote devices because when these are connected to the Exchange server, it can infect the corporate network. If an employee is using their desktop to surf the Internet for private usage and they open an email sent by a contact that has a virus attached, it can infect the network. Another example is if an employee registers for something personal online, such as sweepstakes, this can be a problem. If a hacker gets a hold of the information, the hacker could send a text message that has instructions to download something that contains a virus. If an employee is under the guess that they have won something that they know they signed up for, many will not hesitate to download the link. Since devices such as mobile phones and laptops are used more often off site by employees, providing them more time to use for their personal use, it makes the risk highly likely. If statistics suggest that employees are on the Internet one-third of the time for private use at work, it would seem to be a lot higher when employees are at home or not at work. This means they are checking emails more often and downloading content which could be infected. They could even let family members and friends use their devices to access the Internet. Employee Internet Use editorial also conditions that over $85 billion is vanished each year by companies because employees are using company time to access the Internet for personal use. If anything the employee has downloaded and allowed to infect the company network, it is safe to say that number goes up. If infections are passed onto the network, it could halt business processes. In order to fix the problem, it would cause the company time and money. The company also has to try and assess how much and what type of damage was caused by the attack. It could also keep employees from accessing necessary applications, emails, and work on time sensitive projects. Software Vulnerability Agreeing to Microsoft Visual Studio (2008), the Team Foundations Server (TFS) is a software implement that offers project administration abilities, recording, work stalking, and source control. Team foundations server also holds a data warehouse where all data from testing implements, source control, and item tracking are stored. QWD customs TFS in its business routes as a warehouse of custom applications, procedural written scripts, and web site templates. The TFS warehouse contains a database code source, an application server, and a web server. QWDs TFS server is placed at their corporate office, though it can also be opened distantly by Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) tunnel connecting the corporate office to the database server. TFS has a cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability that may give an unofficial remote attacker admission to an application (Cisco, n.d.). XSS is in the list of the top 10 web application vulnerabilities and signifies 26 percent of assaults from a review done by the Open Web Application Security Project (Nithya, Pandian, Malarvizhi, 2015). The vulnerability is a result of not sufficient confirmation on user-supplied input in constraints referred to the exaggerated application. A remote attacker who has not been authenticated may use the vulnerability to convince a QWD user to follow a malicious link that leads to a malicious site and use deceptive instructions to convince the user to click the link. If the remote attacker is successful, they can execute cross-site scripting attacks and can motive severe security damages such as cookie hold up and account hijacking (Shar Tan, 2012). The vulnerability will result in insignificances to assignment serious business procedure since the attacker can increase access to QWDs intranet, Microsoft Share Point, the web server, and cookie-based validation. The assailant can delete or alter QWD website patterns and custom written scripts that are deposited on the server. In addition, QWDs competitive advantage will be exaggerated by the damage of integrity, loss of key customers and associates. Reserved data can be sold to competitors making QWD suffer losses and bear the cost of repair. Summary In any organization, the corporation must take into explanation any security matters that can offend the company, employees, and its customers. QWD must take into account the vulnerabilities related to its technological procedure and how it can mark the business. It is main to look at the software and security policy vulnerabilities and how to defend the company from any probable pressures and threats. It is supposed that by addressing the satisfactory use policy of company equipment for private use and the wireless access points of company laptops, this can aid in keeping the company network more secure. References Clancy, Heather. (2011). Mobile device security strategies. Retrieved on March 21, 2012, from http://searchnetworkingchannel.techtarget.com/feature/Mobile-device-security-strategies Defending Cell Phones and PDAs Against Attack (2006 August 9). Retrieved on March 21, 2012, from http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/tips/ST06-007.html Elliott, Christopher. (2011) Retrieved on April 10, 2012, from http://www.microsoft.com/business/en-us/resources/technology/broadband-mobility/6-wireless-threats-to-your-business.aspx?fbid=Hsna4GJxWrg Employee Internet Use. Retrieved on March 29, 2012, from http://www.connections-usa.com/employee-internet-usage.html Evil Twin. Retrieved on April 4, 2012, from http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/definition/evil-twin Hotspot Usage to Reach 120 Billion Connects by 2015, Says In-Stat (2011 August 29). Retrieved on March 29, 2012, from http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/8/prweb8751194.htm MiFiÂÂ ® 4082 Intelligent Mobile Hotspot. Retrieved from http://www.novatelwireless.com/index.php?option=com_contentview=articleid=276:mifir-4082-intelligent-mobile-hotspotcatid=19:mifiItemid=12 Mobile Broadband Cards. Retrieved on April 10, 2012, from http://www.todayswirelessworld.com/mobile-broadband-cards/ Mobile Broadband Cards