Tuesday, August 6, 2019

Functional Areas of Business Management Essay Example for Free

Functional Areas of Business Management Essay Abstract A summary of the sales and marketing functional areas of an organization’s structure as an examination of the overall role and responsibility of the managers of each area. The sales manager’s primary goal is the development, implementation and evaluation of the strategic goals they desire to achieve with the sale organization to be able to meet the company’s overall goals. The marketing manager is responsible for indentifying of the market space with respect to the client, client’s needs and the ability of the product to meet the customer’s needs. Marketing managers are also critical for conducting and evaluating the results of a SWOT analysis for the company. This information is vital to the development of corporate goals of the organization. Functional Areas of Business Management There are a number of functional groups that make up an organization’s structure. Each of these business areas or internal organizations within the company provides a vital function or role to the overall success of the business. Some of these functional groups include; finance, human resources, marketing, operations, sales, customer service, research and development to list a few standard functional business groups. The two functional areas of business that will be reviewed and explored with respect to the manger’s roles and associated responsibilities are the sales and marketing functional areas or organizations of a company. There is a strong correlation to these functions within a business organization. Many organizations may separate these two functional groups and others may closely integrate these to ensure the overall goals are achieved through the cross functional interaction of these resources. â€Å"Sales management can be most easily defined as planning, implementing, and controlling personal contact programs designed to achieve the sales and fit objectives of the firm† (Gale, 2006,). As a sales manager the responsibility is instilled upon this person to be the leader of the sale team. As the leader you are responsible for the strategic planning and the overall process of setting the desired goals of the sales organization and it is a vital function of the sales manager. â€Å"Goal setting is usually based on a companys overall sales objectives or targets† (Gale, 2007). These goals may be cascaded down from senior management in a large organization or be developed through the overall profit and growth that the company is trying to achieve. As the manager of the sales organization it will be important to examine the past history of the products you are selling as an initial assessment of the previous success. Once you have reviewed the revenue results you can compare these to the state of the economy and determine if these results were typical of the results that other competitor companies achieved in a similar market under these conditions. Also the manager will have to examine the resources that are available and determine if these resources are similar to that of the resulting period being evaluated. â€Å"The ability of the sales manager to set goals is strongly related to the desires to change past performance—by lifting all sales, high-margin sales, creating sales for new products, etc† (Gale, 2007). Implementing the strategic plans are the next key functions of the sales manager. Depending upon the overall size of the company, size of the territory to cover and the market to cover the sales department may be subdivided into regions. These regions would then have regional managers responsible for each region all working to achieve the overall sales goals and objectives developed within the organization. In developing the plans for implementing, the sales manager may have to answer questions such as â€Å"how should a sales force be structured? How large a sales force is needed† (Gale, 2006) etc. The sales manager will create strategies to be able to achieve the goals. The plans developed for implementation may also include such things as if training is required and if so then what training is required. They will also be concern with determining if there are requirements for new budgets or increases to old budgets to be able to implement the strategic plans and successfully execute the strategy. Marketing is the second functional area to be examined as a manager in the organizational structure. The overall function of the marketing department and the leaders of this organization can be viewed as the research group for determining the business needs of the client and indentifying the market place. (Moorman and Rust, 1999) â€Å"Define the marketing managers as the liaison between the customer and the product†. The marketing manager plays a vital role in understanding the client, understanding the marketing place the client represents and how the product best fits the overall needs of this market place. Once the marketing manager and the through the marketing team has identified the market space and the need for the product in it, they will then focus on creating a plan that best allows the company to successfully introduce or continue to succeed in selling the product in the identified market. The marketing manager will be responsible to set goals that will create a path for the identified product into the identified market and clients. The marketing manager will utilize the SWOT analysis to create the data that supports the need of a customer to buy and use a desired product. In the SWOT process the marketing manager will also typically identify if there is a market for a new product that the company may have interest in developing. This feedback will be relayed to the research and development organization to identify the economical impact of such a new design. This cost to develop the desired product will be evaluated against the potential revenue that can generate. With this information the company will typically decide if the investment will be made to develop the new product or if simply an old product can be modified to achieve the desired results to the client. Once a new product is developed or a current product is improved the marketing organization will determine the most beneficial way to introduce these changes to the desired client base. This method can vary from printed material in magazines, internet, client handouts or simply by the sale organization when directly dealing with the existing and new clients when they interact with them. There is significant correlation between the sale department and the marketing department in many industries today. Often it will be observed that the two roles of sales and marketing can be combined to a product marketing manager with sole responsibilities to a single product or product line. When the two functions are combined the manager will be responsible for the growth and success of the product. This manager will also be required to conduct the market research and develop the most successful path to market for the product. Whether the sales and marketing managers are reviewed individually or as a combined role they both play vital roles in the overall developing, implementing and evaluating of the companies goals. References Moorman, C., and Rust, R.T.(1999). â€Å"The role of marketing†, Journal of Marketing, Vol. 63, pp. 180-197 (special Issue) Sales Management. Encyclopedia of Management. Ed. Marilyn M. Helms. 5th ed. Detroit: Gale, 2006. 778-782. â€Å"Sales Management. Encyclopedia of Small Business. 3rd ed. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 2007. 993-996

Research Methodology Chapter: Communication Research

Research Methodology Chapter: Communication Research One communication-related aspect of the engagement debate concerns the fundamental nature of engagement and whether it can be considered an attitude, a psychological or motivational state, or a personality trait. The nature of engagement is a significant issue for corporate communicators since they are well-placed to influence workplace attitudes and stimulate employee motivation. Kahn (1990) presents engagement as a three-component construct influenced by three psychological states. Robinson et al. (2004) define the concept as a positive attitude. Conversely, Saks (2006) argues that engagement is not an attitude but a psychological state, while others (Sparrow and Balain, 2010) believe that engagement is an attitude. Macey and Schneider (2008a) regard engagement as a complex network encompassing trait, state, and behavioural constructs. Kahn (2010) contrasts his conception of dynamic engagement with steady-state (trait) views of motivation. Kahn describes engagement as both delicate and fragile, and quite resilient. So, Kahns view of engagement exhibits a mixture of attitudinal-type states together with more fixed steady-state predisposition traits. This complex state and trait view of engagement is useful for communicators since it highlights a need for employee communication to understand and serve internal stakeholders core (trait) communication needs, as well as surface (state and attitude) communication needs. Moreover, internal communication represents one of the organisational conditions that facilitate engagement. Pugh and Dietz (2008) consider leadership as a precursor of organisation engagement and organisational effectiveness as a consequence. The communication abilities of leadership teams are recognised as important in driving engagement (Wiley et al., 2010). Communication has been identified also as an underlying factor associated with employee engagement (Kahn, 1992). Likewise, MacLeod and Clarke (2009) highlight communication as a critical factor for enhancing performance through employee engagement. They argue that good quality internal communication enhances engagement as they emphasise that employees need clear communication from senior management to understand how their own roles fit with the organisation vision. Unsurprisingly, they cite poor communication as a barrier to engagement and a cause of disengagement. However, contributions from the professionals on communication disciplines are surprisingly meager given that internal communication is an organisational level interventio n which can positively impact employee engagement. Internal communication in any organisation has been stated to have a correlation with employee feeling of self-satisfaction and their productivity (Clampitt and Downs, 1992). High communication effectiveness is linked to better financial performance and organizational stability (Internal communication effectiveness enhances bottom-line results, journal of organizational excellence, Summer 2006, pp 71-71) Van Riel (1998, pp. 8-27) gives an overview of the elements of corporate communication as all the communication within an organisation, such as managerial communication, organisational communication, and marketing communication. This informs the employees willingness to meet the strategic mission, vision, and objectives of the organisation which creates a competitive advantage of the organisation. Research Design This section will discuss the research framework proposed for use in this study. This methodological framework is influenced by the research onion model develop by Saunders (2012) pp 128 which include general information regarding the research design and strategy, method of data collection, measurement of variable and data analysis as well as evaluate the credibility and validity of the study. There would be an examination of merits and demerits of the chosen methods use in this study, a consideration of ethical issues, as a result, the limitations. Research Design Available literature considers basically five different approaches ranging from experimental, case study, longitudinal, cross-sectional to comparative design (Bryman and Bell, 2011; Saunders et al, 2009). In view of the aim of this research, there will be a combination of approaches also known as a mixed method in the investigation of the research theme (Saunders et al, 2009). Also, a set of quantifiable data will be collected to help establish the relationship between two or more variables (Bryman and Bell, 2011). Research Strategy The strategy to be adopted for this research will be quantitative in nature, this is because will be formulation and testing of hypotheses which are tentative suppositions or proposed explanations made based on limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation which on the face of empirical evidence could hold true or false and as such be graduated to be theory or otherwise. According to Saunders et al, (2009) quantitative research is a strategy that lay emphasis on quantification in data collection and analysis that provides solid scientific fact of knowledge on the basis of positivism. Furthermore, Bryman and Bell, (2011) suggested that the application of a quantitative research strategy has the latent for statistical generalization as against qualitative research employed in many social and natural sciences academic disciplines which are more descriptive. This method of approach, therefore, is more useful to achieve the set aims and objectives of this research stated herein. Data Collection There will be the use of both primary and secondary data collection sources to collect appropriate and relevant data that will enable credible, complete and valid conclusions in accordance with the aims and objectives of the research. Primary data will include the conduct of interview of some members of the management team of the case study organisation and a questionnaire of other concerned employees. The use of these two methods is hoped to balance some of the limitations inherent in each. In addition, this research will use the content analysis approach which is a strategy for the review and analysis of relevant secondary documents from Abellio. Data Analysis All data collected for the purpose of this research will be careful analysis and tested against the theories with the aid of IBM SPSS statistical program. IBM SPSS Statistics is an integrated software product that addresses the entire analytical process, from planning to data collection to analysis, reporting, and deployment (Gaskin, J, 2012). It provides a range of statistical procedures suitable for many problems, including crosstabs, linear regression, Monte Carlo simulation, geospatial analytics, and the ability to extend built-in capabilities with Python, R, or Java code (IBM.com). I have opted for IBM SPSS statistical program for its effectiveness in data analysis and presentation quality of custom tables to help users and analysts to interpret data which could then be tested against the theoretical statements that could, in turn, lead to further generalisation statements (Bryman and Bell, 2011). Limitations of Study The following limitations are anticipated: 1. Data collected is based on interviews and questionnaires administered and as such respondents may not give the actual situation for fear that management of reprisal action against them 2. The data collected by the observation technique may be very limited. 3. The case study organisation has a large number of employees consequently, only one hundred of the affected will be sampled through the rank and file. 4. Equally important is the problem of time as the research will only be conducted within given three-month period. Frankenstein | Analysis Frankenstein | Analysis Frankenstein was a man whose ambition led to a disaster; and his actions led to evil. These are outcomes for which he is solely responsible. Is Frankenstein an innocent? In my opinion, he was not an innocent. The meaning of innocent is to free from evil or guilt. The word Frankenstein is defined in the Encarta dictionary as a creator of something that causes ruin or dest ruction, or brings about a personal downfall, this shows that his name was quite well suited. A common quotation is that One is innocent until proved guilty, If this quotation is applied to Victor Frankenstein, he would be innocent, however my argument is that he was not innocent, it was his fault his family suffered, he brought on his own destruction and was responsible for creating a human, which was morally and contextually incorrect; He would be innocent for allowing the murders of William, Justine, Elizabeth and Clerval to take place. It may be true that Frankenstein did not physically murder, however, he is the main cause, and the reason they died. Frankenstein never admitted to his families what he had done; he never took responsibility for his actions. The so called monster murdered for companionship, not to seek revenge from his victims, but to seek revenge from Frankenstein. The circumstances forced Frankensteins monster to do so, Victor was the instigator of these circumstances. My first thought was to discover what I knew of the murderer and cause instant pursuit to be made. But I paused when I reflected on the story I had to tell, this shows that Victor had the knowledge that he was the reason William was dead. He said my first thought, showing the clearness of his knowledge and that this thought had been lingering in his mind, he knew what he was doing. Frankenstein didnt need to know about the murderer, because he indirectly was the murderer, through the circumstances he created for the monster, as I mentioned briefly before. Which is why he paused half way through his thought and realised he was exactly who the murderer was, even though he blamed the creature. Frankensteins reason for creating the creature was his interest in his studies, which led him to the idea of bettering mankind. Victor thought he was doing a service to humanity by creating a new human. A new species would bless me as its creator and source; many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to me. I might in process of time (although I now found it impossible) renew life where death had apparently devoted the body to corruption. This quote shows his ego behind these plans. He wanted to conquer death, something the average human could not do. He wanted this creature to revere him highly by as he was supposedly beautiful and perfect creature. According to him, it may have been acceptable to play the role of god; maybe his being a scientist is why he didnt think of what was morally correct, and he didnt think of how the society would react to his actions. However, having said that, he didnt admit his doings to his family, perhaps he knew they wouldnt accept it, or the deaths in the family could have a higher weightage in terms of being more important than letting his parents know the truth. If they did know the truth, they wouldnt be happy with him creating the creature. The quote does show that right from the start, Victor had an idea of how he would somewhat be stepping into the shoes of a godlike figure, he outlines the fact that he would be superior, and he would have the power to renew the dead. This proves that he had no innocence, or naivety in terms of knowing precisely what he was doing and what it would lead to. I, the miserable and the abandoned, am an abortion, to be spurned at, and kicked, and trampled on. Is what the creature says after being shunned, on the basis of aesthetics. This shows his faults, and how he was wrong to shun the creature. He may have shunned it because he already conquered death, so in his view, he may have already obtained the status of god, or a superior power, something no one had achieved. He didnt think about anything past the ugliness of the creature, or his personal benefits. His selfishness is what ultimately destroyed him and others as well. The creature he created is more like a project to Frankenstein, his aim is to conquer death, and once he has done so, the project is over. Not once does he consider the fact that he has simply given birth to a new human being, with feelings and emotion, a live creature who has to be taught the ways of life as if it is a baby. Frankensteins abandonment of the creature is another factor that proves him guilty, and not an innocent, as shown in the quote I previously mentioned, with the creatures emotions towards being shunned. Its his own fault that the creature comes back saying I may die; but first you, my tyrant and tormentor, shall curse the sun that gazes on your misery. Beware; for I am fearless, and therefore powerful. The creature was deprived of the companionship, which he could only get from his creator. The creature figures that the only way he can get some attention, is by threatening his creator. This could be compared to a situation with a child and a parent. Frankenstein is somewhat the parent of his creature. His job is to nurture him, but because of his own ego, he runs away. If it were a parent and a child, the child would be defenceless because it hasnt even developed physically, however the creature is an example where he is an uneducated child, with a higher physical strength. Frankensteins creature thinks through intuition, as any child who hasnt learnt anything would do. He doesnt know whats right and wrong, so he doesnt know its wrong to threaten; he doesnt know its wrong to kill. Blaming him is like blaming a child for breaking a valuable, such as a vase. You cant blame the child because their knowledge hasnt developed, they havent yet learnt. However in the childs case, after making such a mistake, the child would be taught not to do so again, creating a basis of how it is wrong, this does not take place for the creature. It could be argued that the creature shou ld know through Victors fear, but does a child learn anything when it senses fear? No, it anything, it will only learn to keep intimidating. Frankensteins faults of his creation, or you could say his faults in parenting, were completely his responsibility. Frankensteins creature is described as having dark black hair, yellow skin, black lips and eyes sunk into his sockets (Shelly 56). Its quite ironic that Frankenstein feared his own creation, he is the one who hand-picked the features his so called perfect man would have. For him to say breathless horror and disgust filled my heart(56), towards a creation of his own, just shows his tendency towards aesthetics, and how backward he is in terms of being accepting, yet how forward he is in terms of doing something new. He is responsible for the way the creature turned out. This once more, proves his irresponsibility, and his view to the creation as a project. His attitude towards the creature is why he was incapable of acting the right way. He wasnt serious enough, or perhaps he wasnt ready to face negative consequences, seeing as he was a perfectionist. The background Frankenstein created in terms of nurture is what caused his creature to murder. Victor admitted to creating the monster, but he denied that he drove the monster to commit murder. He wouldnt admit to anyone; not himself, not his family, that he was the one who allowed the murders to take place. He allowed Clerval, his wife Elizabeth, his brother William and Justines death to take place because he didnt take the blame for his actions. If he had admitted to his actions earlier, less deaths would have been caused, if he had been responsible, and given the creature what it needed, he would not be guilty of four murders. In the end, Frankenstein was at loss of everything close to him, he blamed the monster, but it was his fault. He had a faint idea that it was his fault, although no one could possibly be able to admit to murdering the people close to them. The only way he could be innocent, is for not literally taking a knife and stabbing his relatives. However the pain he got from his creature was his own fault. Innocence lies in having no sense of guilt for any action of yours, this, Victor did clearly not have. The creature couldnt stop himself from destroying Victor, because Victor couldnt stop himself from creating the creature. The creature was an innocent; it only reacted to the actions of society. Victor was guilty in every way. Arrhythmogenic Right Venticular Dysplasia | Case Report Arrhythmogenic Right Venticular Dysplasia | Case Report Arrhythmogenic Right Venticular Dysplasia – A Rare case report from tribal zone of Central India Dr. Prakash Khunte, Dr. P. Beck, Dr. K. Yadav ABSTRACT Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD) is under diagnosed cardiomyopathy which commonly presents in young adults with ventricular tachycardia or sudden death. It is characterized pathologically by progressive fibrofatty replacement of the myocardium, primarily of the right ventricular free wall. Clinically, it presents with life-threatening malignant ventricular arrhythmias which may lead to sudden death, most often in young people and athletes. ARVD/C is difficult to diagnose, although standardized diagnostic criteria have been proposed, based on the presence of major and minor criteria encompassing electrocardiographic, arrhythmic, morphofunctional, histopathologic, and genetic factors. Case report A 30 year male patient named Heeralal Diwakar R/o Baloda Bazar (C.G.) was admitted in department of Medicine, Intensive cardiac Coronary Unit at Pt. J. N. M. Medical College Dr .B.R.A.M. Hospital Raipur with the complain of palpitation ,dizziness, dyspnoea on exertion and left sided chest pain, cough with expectorant distension of abdomen since 8 days.patient having severe palpitation and dizziness in recent hours. Patients having similar complain and admitted two time in hospital in last two year and patient had episode of PSVT and had given DC shock and patient on aspirin,amidaron,metoprolol. There is no family history of sudden cardiac death and any heart disease. Patient was former by occupation and having addiction to tobacco and occasionally alcoholic. On admission patient on general examination pulse -100/min regular.blood pressure was 100/70 mmhg, height -161 cm,weight 58 kg,BMI- 22.39,Iteric ,no cyanosis, oedema were present .on systemic examination bilateral crepitatition present in infrascapular area ,apex beat present on 5 th intercosta space on midclavicular lines,s1 soft.s2 present,s3,s4 absent .No thrill ,murmur,parasternal heave were present. On investigation E.C.G. ST segment elevation seen in lead II,III,aVf, ST segment depression in lead I,Avl,Twave inversion in v1-v6, epsilon wave in V1-v3. Troponin card test was positive and patient diagnosed as acute inferior wall Myocardial Infraction with congestive cardiac failure. Other investigation were random blood sugar was 120 mg/dl, urea 90 mg/dl, creatinine 2 mg/dl,s.billirubin 3.7 mg/dl , direct billirubin 2.3 mg/dl,S.G.O.T S.G.P.T were high,alkaline phosphatase 12877 mg/dl ,sodium 130 mg/dl, potassium 4.9 mg/dl.s. protein 7 g/dl,serum albumin 4 gm/dl,s. cholesterol 114 mg/dl, triglyceride 64 mg/dl,LDL 84 MG/DL,VLDL 13 mg/dl,HDL-17 mg/dl. TLC count were 34000/cumm,Hb 14.5 gm/dl, platelet 222000 /cumm X ray chest cardiomegaly was present. On echocardiography Right ventricle dilated ,RV wall thickness 4 mm. Right Atrium dilated, severe non hypertensive TR , Right ventricle thinned out ,normal LV systolic function suggestive of Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia. Patient was advised to continue amiodarone ,aspirin ramipril and has been asymptomatic ever since. DISCUSSION The name arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia(ARVD) was coined for the first time in 1978 by Frankand Fontaine. Arrythmogenic right ventricular (RV) cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is a cardiomyopathy characterized pathologically by fibrofatty replacement primarily of the RV and clinically by life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias in apparently healthy young people. The prevalence of the disease has been estimated at 1 in 5,000 individuals, although this estimate will likely increase as awareness of the condition increases among physicians. Arrythmogenic RV cardiomyopathy is recognized as a cause of sudden death during athletic activity because of its association with ventricular arrhythmias that are provoked by exercise-induced catecholamine discharge. Diagnosis may be difficult because many of the electrocardiographic abnormalities mimic patterns seen in normal children, and the disease often involves only patchy areas of the RV. he prevalence of ARVC in the general population is approximately 1 in 5,000 , but the disease is not widely recognized because of the difficulty in making the diagnosis . A familial predilection of the disease has been recognized since 1982 when Marcus et al. described 24 cases of ARVC, two in the same family. Subsequently, several groups have reported familial ARVC, and families with two or more affected individuals have been recognized in Asian, Japanese, Northern European, African and North American populations . Genectics The disease is typically inherited as an autosomal dominant trait with variable penetrance and incomplete expression. The genes responsible for ARVC have not been identified, but seven loci have been mapped to chromosomes 14 (14q23 to q24 and 14q12 to q22), 1 (1q42 to q43), 2 (2q32.1 to q32.2), 3 (3p23) and 10 (10p12 to p14) . The genetic products of these sites have not been easily identified because of incomplete penetrance and expression, age-related expression and difficulties with accurate diagnosis of the disease. Recently, plakoglobin has been identified as the first gene responsible for autosomal recessive ARVC . The gene was identified in Naxos disease where greater than 90% cosegregation of ARVC with cutaneous manifestations, woolly hair and keratodermia, facilitated case identification. Plakoglobin participates in forming cell-to-cell junctions. It is postulated that inadequate cell adherence damages the cardiac cell membranes leading to cell death and fibrofatty replaceme nt. The cardiac ryanodine receptor gene (RyR2) has also recently been implicated in ARVC and offers potential insight into the association of adrenergically mediated ventricular arrhythmias with this disease. The ryanodine receptor induces calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum into the cytosol . The cardiac ryanodine receptor has also been identified as being responsible for catecholamine-induced ventricular tachycardia . Its skeletal muscle counterpart has been implicated in malignant hyperthermia and central core disease , a congenital myopathy, but the mechanisms by which mutations in the cardiac ryanodine receptor might mediate fibrofatty myocardial changes are not clear and will likely be the focus of future studies. Despite these advances, genetic analysis for ARVD is not clinically available and is restricted to research laboratories. Histopathology Characteristically, the RV in ARVC is replaced with a fibrofatty tissue. Morphologic alterations of ARVC usually begin in the subepicardium or mediomural layers of the RV and progress to the endocardium with fibrofatty replacement of myocytes and thinning of the wall. The regions of RV most frequently involved are the RV inflow area, the apex and the infundibulum. These three areas form â€Å"the triangle of dysplasia† . However, small amounts of fat are present in the epicardial layer and within the RV myocardium in normal subjects. Etiology In addition to a genetic cause of ARVC, disontogenetic, degenerative, infectious or inflammatory ( apoptotic and myocyte transdifferentiation theories have been proposed either as the cause of or as environmental factors facilitating gene expression. The disontogenetic theory is largely historical but suggests that ARVC is a milder form of â€Å"parchment RV† or Uhl’s anomaly a congenital hypoplasia of the RV myocardium, which presents in infancy as congestive heart failure (CHF) . The degenerative theory suggests that ARVC is a consequence of myocyte death due to an inherited metabolic or ultrastructural defect. A possible defect has been mapped to chromosome l4q23 to q24 . This area encodes for the alpha actinin gene, which shares structural homology with the amino terminal domain of dystrophin. This finding supports the concept of a genetically determined atrophy similar to that in patients with Duchenne’s or Becker’s muscular dystrophy. Some have suggested that ARVC should be considered as a â€Å"myocardial dystrophy† Furthermore, skeletal muscle involvement has been reported in a Swedish family with ARVC, and the defect has been tentatively localized to chromosome 10q22.3 The infectious or inflammatory theory maintains that the disease results from previous myocarditis. Inflammatory infiltrates are common in histologic specimens from patients with ARVC ECG The ECG in patients with ARVD/C usuallyshows sinus rhythm, QRS duration 110 ms in lead V1, a terminal deà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ection within or at the end of the QRS complex (called epsilon wave) in leads V1–V3 (30% of patients), and inversion of T waves in the right precordial leads (50%–70% of patients). Complete right bundle branch block is found in approximately 15% of patients and incomplete right bundle branch block in 18% of patients with ARVD/C. In the presence of right bundle branch block pattern, selective prolongation of the QRS duration in leads V1–V3 compared with lead V6 (25 ms, parietal block) is an important hallmark of ARVD/C. . Additional ECG markers have been reported, such as the ratio of QRS duration in leads V1V2V3 vs V4V5V6 >1.2 and a prolonged S wave upstroke in V1–V3 >55 ms in the absence of right bundle branch block. Arrhythmia Left bundle branch block type VT on ECG, Holter monitoring, or during exercise testing Extrasystoles of more than 200 over a 24-h period. Echocardiography mild to Severe dilatation and reduction of right ventricular ejection fraction with no (or only mild) left ventricular impairment Localised right ventricular aneurysms (akinetic or dyskinetic areas with diastolic bulging) Severe segmental dilatation of the right ventricle. Radioisotope techniques Radionuclide angiography, by showing abnormal right ventricular function with left ventricular involvement, is usefulfor predicting subsequent cardiac death in ARVD/C.Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy allows noninvasive assessment of right ventricular damage in patients with arrhythmias due to ARVD/C This technique may distinguish patients with ARVD/C from those with idiopathic right ventricular outà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ow tract tachycardias Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging This modality allows visualization of the right ventricle, not only anatomically and morphologically but also in functional and à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ow dynamic terms. Functional ab normalities consist of right ventricular aneurysms, regional thinning, right ventricular dilation, failure of systolic thickening, and impaired global and diastolic right ventricularfunction. Clinical presentation The clinical presentation varies widely because ARVD/C includes a spectrum of different conditions rather than a single identity. Different pathologic processes may manifest a diversity of symptoms, such as fatigue, atypical chest pain, syncope, or acute coronary syndrome .ARVD/C is a disease that may have a temporal progression, and the disease may present differently according to the time of presentation There may be (1) a symptomatic form with transient or sustained ventricular tachycardia of left bundle branch block configuration, although right bundle branch block configuration also can be observed; (2) an asymptomatic form consisting of ventricular ectopic beats (1,000/24 hours); (3) right ventricular failure with or without arrhyth mias; and (4) a masked form in which sudden death, usuallyduring exercise, is the first clinical presentation. Overall, judging the accurate position of the patient on the time scale of the spectrum is difficult, and some patients may remain stable for several decades. Diagnosis A definite diagnosis of ARVD/C is based on histologic demonstration of transmural fibrofatty replacement of right ventricular myocardium at either autopsy or surgery. In 1994, McKenna et al established the criteria for diagnosing ARVD/C in a Task Force report on ARVD/C Criteria for Diagnosis of ARVD/C 1. Family history Major Familial disease confirmed at necropsy or surgery. Minor Family history of premature sudden death (,35 years of age) due to  suspected ARVD/C. Family history (clinical diagnosis based on present criteria). 2. ECG depolarization/conduction abnormalities Major Epsilon waves or localized prolongation (.110 ms) of QRS complex in  right precordial leads (V1–V3). Minor Late potentials on signal-averaged ECG. 3. ECG repolarization abnormalities Minor Inverted T waves in right precordial leads (V2 and V3) in people. 12  years of age and in absence of right bundle branch block. 4. Arrhythmias Minor Sustained or nonsustained left bundle branch block–type ventricular  tachycardia documented on ECG or Holter monitoring or during  exercise testing. Frequent ventricular extrasystoles (.1000/24 h on Holter monitoring). 5. Global or regional dysfunction and structural alterations* Major Severe dilatation and reduction of RV ejection fraction with no or mild  LV involvement. Localized RV aneurysms (akinetic or dyskinetic areas with diastolic  bulgings). Severe segmental dilatation of RV.   Minor Mild global RV dilatation or ejection fraction reduction with normal LV. Mild segmental dilatation of RV. Regional RV hypokinesia. 6. Tissue characteristics of walls Major Fibrofatty replacement of myocardium on endomyocardial biopsy. *Detected by echocardiography, angiography, magnetic resonance imaging,  or radionuclide scintigraphy. Modified from McKenna et al. Therapy Because clinical findings that predict long-term outcomeof patients with ARVD/C are incompletely known, no precise guidelines exist to select patients who should be treated with b-blockers, antiarrhythmic drugs, or a Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. r. Management of patients with ARVD/C is individualized, and strategies are based on local experience of the different centers. References Siddiq I. Khalil), Amjad Kamal, Shakeel Ahmad Department of Medicine and Cardiology, Almana General Hospital, PO Box 10366,Jubail 31961, Saudi Arabia. Eur J Echocardiography (2004) 5, 394e398. Carol Gemayel, MD*; Antonio Pelliccia, MD† ; Paul D Thompson, MD J Am Coll Cardiol. 2001;38(7):1773-1781.doi:10.1016/S0735-1097(01)01654-0. Cristina Basso, Domenico Corrado, Frank I Marcus, Andrea Nava, Gaetano Thiene Lancet 2009; 373: 1289–1300 University of Padua Medical School, Padua, Italy. Philippine Kià ¨s, MD, Marianne Bootsma, MD, PhD, Jeroen Bax, MD, PhD,  Martin J. Schalij, MD, PhD, Ernst E. van der Wall, MD, PhD Heart Rhythm, Vol 3, No 2, February 2006,Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands. Domenico Corrado, Guy Fontaine, Frank I. Marcus, William J. McKenna, Andrea Nava, Gaetano Thiene and Thomas Wichter, Circulation. 2000;101:e101-e106, doi: 10.1161/01.CIR.101.11.e101 Frank R, Fontaine G. Electrocardiologie de quatre cas de dysplasia ventriculaire droite arythmogene. Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss 1978;71:963–972. Rampazzo A, Nova A, Malacrida S, Beffagua G, Bauce B, Rossi V, et al. Mutation in human desmoplakin domain binding to plakoglobin causes a dominant form of arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia. Am J Hum Genet 2002;71(5):1200e6 Bauce B, Rampazzo A, Basso C, Bagattin A, Daliento L, Tiso N, et al. Screening of ryanodine receptor type 2 mutations in families with effort induced polymorphic ventricular rhythmias and sudden death: early diagnosis of asymptomatic carrier. JACC 2002;40(2):341e9.

Monday, August 5, 2019

Reasons For Prison Population Increase

Reasons For Prison Population Increase Prisons all over the world are experiencing an increase in population each day. This can be blamed on the increasing rate of crime especially non violent crimes. The recent advancement in technology has led to increased crimes especially since criminals do not need to leave their houses to commit a crime. The internet has become a widely used utility for cyber crimes that just require an internet connection, as well as hacking skills. Such criminals are encouraged to commit such crimes by the fact that they do not need to hurt anybody, or murder anybody to steal. Drug offenders comprise of the biggest percent of the prison population especially in the US. According to DAmico (2013), the US houses the biggest population in its prisons compared to other nations. The growth in the population over the last 40 years can be attributed to the war on drugs. Drug prohibition leads to an increase in violent crimes through the formation of cartels and gangs. The impact of high population growth in prisons presents a rising incarceration budget in all countries. This paper will discuss the causes of population increase in prisons and outline measures that can be taken to incarceration. Increases in expected time served Increase in the time that offenders serve in prison is one of the major causes of population increase in prisons all over the world. Changes in the time served by drug offenders contribute to about of the total increase. Authorities have revised the prison terms to include longer time as an effort to deter other people from committing the crime (Carrabine, 2004, p.23). The loss of freedom, in addition to monetary fines that are imposed on offenders serve to discourage prisoners from committing the crime again. One of the ways of making this method effective is to increase the term for a specified crime. Such an increase has resulted into longer stays for prisoners thus leading to an increase in the population. High conviction rates Conviction rate refers to the number of convictions that a government or prosecutor makes compared to total number of cases that are filed. In a majority of nations, an arrest is usually followed by a court proceeding against the person arrested. Arrestees are aligned in court in order to determine whether or not the person should be convicted. The conviction rate thus represents the frequency of arrests that lead to conviction in relation to the total arrests during a specific time. Conviction rates vary from one country to another or from one judicial system to the other. Some countries publish different conviction rates for drug offenses, kidnapping, traffic offenses and cyber crimes among others. Over time, conviction rates have increased in most nations. Increase in conviction rates occurs as a result of an increase in budgetary allocations to judicial systems. Sufficient budget allows for an increase in staff resulting in an increase in the number of cases presented to court for sentencing. This increases the number of successful convictions. As a result, the population of prisons increases. High conviction rate accounts for about a quarter of the total increase. Higher rates of sentencing contribute to an increase in prison population. Sentencing rate refers to the rate at which arrested persons are sentenced by a court compared to the number aligned before the court. In most judicial systems, the proportion of offenders who received court imposed sentences has increased. The increase pertains to most offenses such as fraudulent property offenders, drug offenders and non regulatory property offenders. Increase in law enforcement An aggregate increase in law enforcement activities has also contributed to the expansion of prison populations. Enforcements trends vary across the various types of offenses, and the duration. Authorities all over the world have stepped up their enforcement activities in order to enforce law and order. This factor contributes to about 5 percent of the total increase. In countries such as the US, the heightened immigration authority has contributed heavily to the increase. Weapon offenses such as possession of a firearm illegally have also led to higher number of inmates. This is as a result of a higher investigation rate, as well as federal arrests. High recidivism rate Recidivism refers to the act of a person repeating a behavior that is undesirable or illegal after efforts to train the person on how to extinguish such a behavior, or after the person has experienced negative consequences as a result of that behavior. In criminology, the term refers to the re arresting of offenders after committing the same crime that got them in prison. Criminal recidivism is related to psychopathy. The psychopathy refers to an uninhibited gratification mostly common in criminals, aggressive or sexual impulses, as well as the inability to learn from ones past mistakes. Studies have shown that individuals suffering from this disorder gain gratification from antisocial behaviors and often lack remorse for such actions. Recidivism rate thus refers to the rate at which offenders who have gone through the prison correction system are arrested again for the same offense. The most common cases of recidivism involve cases related to drunk driving, drug offenses and cyber crimes among others (Haugen and Musser, 2009, p.120). Increasing rates of recidivism has contributed to the increase in prison populations. Violating or unsuccessfully completing community supervision One way of correcting offender is by imposing community service correction method. This method involves offenders reporting to a given community service task for a specified period of time. This method is intended to keep the offenders occupied, as well as deter them from committing the crime again. This method is lenient compared to prison sentences since the offender is not denied the freedom of movement. The offender can either serve a specified time in prison before serving the community, or serve the entire term serving the community depending on the age of the offender and the offense. However, serving community does not guarantee ones freedom since the offender is expected to attend to the duties at the specified time without failure. In order to ensure that offenders perform the duties as directed, each offender is assigned a supervisor who ensures that the community service is done as directed. Any violations are reported to the court, and the consequences go as far as imprisonment. An increase in the rate of violations regarding to community service mainly results in imprisonment (McShane, 2008, p.86). This in turn results to an increase in the population of inmates. Harsher penalties for certain types of offenses In a bid to decrease the rate of certain offenses, judicial systems have opted to impose harsher sentences on offenders. Such crimes include drug offenses, immigration offenses and homicide among others. Offenders committing such crimes stay longer in prison as a measure to deter them from committing the same crime in future, as well as discourage others from committing the same crime. The longer stay in prison means that at any one time, the number of inmates will always be high. The war on drugs has been intensified in most countries around the world. The police have received higher budgetary allocations in order to curd drug offenses among others. They have also increased their investigations on such issues, as well as the number of suspects arrested for the same. The judicial system has contributed to the war by imposing harsher sentences on offenders. Convicted inmates serving a greater portion of their sentences in prison Reforms in the criminal justice system have also contributed in a significant rise in the number of prisoners. This especially refers to the reforms that have resulted in prisoners serving a bigger portion of their sentence term in prison. Under such reforms, the offender spends more time in prison as a measure to deter them from committing the same offense again in the future. The time spent on community service is relatively small. As much as this has led to efficient correction systems, it has resulted in population increase leading to overcrowding in prisons. Poor planning and inaccurate population projections Inaccurate projection of inmates population has resulted in poor planning that has seen population in prisons increase. Lack of proper planning has resulted in overcrowding in prisons, one of the major impacts of population increase. Poor planning has also provided inaccurate data on community correction options. Policy makers have failed to make effective policies on community correction so as to distribute the number of offenders in both systems depending on the offense. This has caused a big proportion of offenders spending their entire term in prison, whereas they could be corrected by use of community correction methods. Measures to reduce incarceration Incarceration refers to the detention of an offender in prison as a punishment for a crime committed. Different judicial systems have different laws that govern the process of incarceration. Incarceration serves four significant purposes. First, it isolates criminals in order to deter them from committing more crimes. Secondly, it serves as a punishment for committing the offense. Thirdly, incarceration serves to deter other people or criminals from committing the same offense. Lastly, it rehabilitates the criminals into productive members of the society. Increase in incarceration impacts directly on population in prisons, which on the other hand has a direct effect on congestion. Reduce laws governing nonviolent crimes According to Treadwell (2006) the current treatment of non violent crimes has greatly increased incarceration in most countries. In some states such as California, the penalty for both minor and non violent offenses ranges from 5 years to life imprisonment (Clear and Cole, 1990). The result is a big percent of prisoners are minor offenders who can use community correction measures. These laws are extremely strict on minor offenders and lead to increasing number of inmates. The best way to handle such crimes is to devise effective community correction methods that do not involve imprisonment. Employment policies Studies have shown that more than half of the prison population consists of people earning below a dollar. Most countries especially the developing countries are characterized by high rates of unemployment. This in turn leads to increased crime as a way of sustaining oneself. Studies have shown that about 70 percent of offenders admit that they were unemployed at the time of the arrest (Guess and Farnham, 2000, p.117). The contribution of high rates of unemployment can be addressed through effective policies on employment. The policies should aim at creating jobs for all citizens in a country, as well as providing incentives for self employment opportunities. This will reduce the rate of unemployment buy providing jobs to would be offenders. This in turn will reduce incarceration. Eliminate profit making prison companies In some nations, US for instance, the criminal justice systems use the services of privately managed prisons, in addition to the government managed prisons. Such companies rely on high incarceration rates for higher profits. The demand of such private facilities is caused by among others, high crime rate, relaxation of law enforcement efforts. All these factors are beyond the control of the private prison facilities. Reducing the demand of these facilities can reduce the rate of incarceration (Petrella, 2013). This can be achieved through a change of sentencing patterns to reduce the number of prison inmates through alternative correction methods. Prison education programs Research has shown that effective prison education programs can reduce the rate of recidivism. In the previous section, recidivism has been identified as a cause of population increase in prisons. An effective education program can reduce the rate at which offenders are re arrested for the same crime. Such an educational program equips inmates with skills that can be applied after they are released from prison (Jacobson, 2005, p.76). This will be effective in reducing recidivism in prisons, and thus reduce incarceration. Conclusion Most countries have been experiencing an increase in the population of inmates mostly due to the nature of their criminal justice systems, increase in conviction rates, an increase in recidivism and increase in law enforcement activities. This has resulted in overcrowding and a strain of facilities and budgetary allocations for the prison departments. Curbing the increasing incarceration can reduce the population burden in many prisons. This can be achieved by implementing effective prison education programs, reducing sentence for minor offenders and enforcing effective employment policies in order to increase employment opportunities.

Sunday, August 4, 2019

A Presentation Of George Orwell And His Protest Novels :: essays research papers

Eric Arthur Blair was born on June 5, 1903, in Bengal, India. His father was not a wealthy man. He supported his family only on the salary of a civil servant. When his writing career began, his penname became George Orwell. Orwell received his formal education from Eton Academy during a period ranging from 1917 to 1921. After completion of Eton, Orwell did not continue his education; instead he joined forces with the Indian Imperial Police in Burma. He served with the police until he began teaching. He was a high-ranking officer during his years on the police force. His life was poverty stricken until the mid-1930’s. He was considered to be a â€Å"combination of middle class intellectual and working class reformer† (Stewart). Orwell chose to live among tramps in England and the working class in Paris. His experience in England and Paris was the basis for his first book Down and Out in Paris in London, first published in 1933. For many years, Orwell worked as a teacher . A Clergyman’s Daughter was based on his experience as a teacher (Borman 5-6). Considered a novelist and a social critic, Orwell’s fame began in 1945 with the publication of his first protest novel, Animal Farm (Stewart).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Animal Farm is just one of Orwell’s protest novels, but disputably the best protest novel of all time. The novel is allegedly based on the Russian Revolution. Animal Farm is an allegory of the political strife in twentieth-century Europe (Brown 72). According to Orwell his inspiration for Animal Farm came from a little boy, perhaps ten years old driving a huge cart-horse along a narrow path, whipping it whenever it tried to turn. It struck me that if only such animals became aware of their strength we should have no power over them, and that men exploit animals in much the same way as the rich exploit the proletariat. (Williams 339) During the Russian Revolution, leaders such as Russia’s Joseph Stalin negotiated with England but made plans secretly with other leaders and nations. In Animal Farm various animals personify or represent political leaders and factions of the Russian Revolution. In the novel Old Major represents Karl Marx, a German economist of the Russian Revolution. Joseph Stalin is portrayed, in the novel, by Napoleon. Stalin was known for negotiating with England but also leading acts of corruption with other countries. In Animal Farm Napoleon negotiates with Mr.

Saturday, August 3, 2019

Little Jake :: essays paper

Little Jake It all started when little Jake was one month old. He quickly learned that boisterous wails would cause his grandmother, Betsy, to rush to his crib. He was well on his way to becoming a little dictator. Betsy, being a kind-hearted and compassionate woman, felt sorry for the boy because he had no father or mother to speak of. Betsy would perform on command every time the child uttered a whimper. Her doctor suggested that she let the boy cry. He further explained that, in time, the child would get the hint that no one would be coming at his every whim. Jake's rein of terror would have ended if his grandmother had taken her doctor's advice, but she ignored the suggestion. The effect was predictable: soon, Betsy was suffering from exhaustion. Is it any surprise that, by the time Jake reached his first birthday, his first word was "no"? "Jake, please don't throw your toys," his grandmother would plead sweetly. "No!" was Jake's reply as he hurled a hard plastic ball at Granny. "Eat your cereal," his Granny would say. With a sweep of his little hand, Jake knocked the cereal bowl to the floor while he bellowed another "No!". "All right, Jake," Granny replied, "If you don't like the cereal, I'll fix you something else." Filled with hope, she mistakenly thought the boy would outgrow this behavior. By the time he was five years old, Jake did not hesitate to throw very public tantrums. He once sprawled out on the department store floor, kicking and screaming because he had been denied a toy he wanted. Embarrassed by his behavior, Betsy quickly placed the toy in the shopping cart and proceeded through the checkout line. When they arrived at home, Betsy informed Jake that his behavior had been inappropriate. "We don't act like that in public," she explained. I am certain that the boy was thinking, "Why not? It works." When Jake was ten, Granny warned him that if he did not do his homework he would not be allowed to go camping with his friends the following month. Jake promised to do his homework, but a phone call from the school confirmed that he had not turned in a single homework assignment during the

Friday, August 2, 2019

African Psychology :: essays research papers

Black Consciousness has been defined as an attitude of the mind and a way of life. Therefore, the purpose of teaching Black Consciousness was to conquer feelings of black inferiority and replace it with a new solid social identity which encouraged black pride and independence from white oppression. Africans should reject the myths from which Apartheid was conceived, where blacks were depicted as inferior, savage, simple and having a primitive culture which needed to be modernized. Rather blacks should believe in their true identity of being survivors with the utmost human dignity. Black people needed to become aware of their collective power both economically and politically. People of African descent must create their own value system, where they were self-defined not defined by white superiors. Therefore Black Consciousness’ main belief was, that racial domination had become internalized, thus causing low self-esteem, which in turn allowed room for political disunity and encouraged a dependence on white leadership. The philosophy of Black Consciousness was to break this set of attitudes and form a new belief in black self-reliance and dignity. It was only when this was achieved could black the man truly be liberated both physically and mentally. The Black Consciousness philosophy was an agenda for ideological realignment and political revitalization, which could rebuild and recondition the mind of the oppressed. This ideology brought a new sophistication and insight into the analysis of African psychology. An important psychological shift advocated by the Black Conscious Movement was the redefinition of blackness. No longer would Africans accept the negative label of ‘non-white’, they refused to be regarded as non-persons but demanded to be called positively as black. This definition of ‘black’ was not race or class exclusive rather it sought to incorporate all people who were discriminated against and denied access to white privileges under the oppressive apartheid regime. The definition of blackness is actually somewhat complex, the path to understanding it leads to certain directions. First off, that being black was a mental attitude, not just a matter of skin pigmentation. Secondly, by merely acknowledging that one is black already sets oneself along the road of emancipation. Another strong belief of the African Psychologists, of the was his rejection of Euro-American methods of measuring the intelligence and behavior of Black People. Psychologists believe that blacks needed to be self-reliant. They needed to do things for themselves, by themselves, instead of relying on the Euro-American or Western psychologists as the standards or absolutes. African Psychology :: essays research papers Black Consciousness has been defined as an attitude of the mind and a way of life. Therefore, the purpose of teaching Black Consciousness was to conquer feelings of black inferiority and replace it with a new solid social identity which encouraged black pride and independence from white oppression. Africans should reject the myths from which Apartheid was conceived, where blacks were depicted as inferior, savage, simple and having a primitive culture which needed to be modernized. Rather blacks should believe in their true identity of being survivors with the utmost human dignity. Black people needed to become aware of their collective power both economically and politically. People of African descent must create their own value system, where they were self-defined not defined by white superiors. Therefore Black Consciousness’ main belief was, that racial domination had become internalized, thus causing low self-esteem, which in turn allowed room for political disunity and encouraged a dependence on white leadership. The philosophy of Black Consciousness was to break this set of attitudes and form a new belief in black self-reliance and dignity. It was only when this was achieved could black the man truly be liberated both physically and mentally. The Black Consciousness philosophy was an agenda for ideological realignment and political revitalization, which could rebuild and recondition the mind of the oppressed. This ideology brought a new sophistication and insight into the analysis of African psychology. An important psychological shift advocated by the Black Conscious Movement was the redefinition of blackness. No longer would Africans accept the negative label of ‘non-white’, they refused to be regarded as non-persons but demanded to be called positively as black. This definition of ‘black’ was not race or class exclusive rather it sought to incorporate all people who were discriminated against and denied access to white privileges under the oppressive apartheid regime. The definition of blackness is actually somewhat complex, the path to understanding it leads to certain directions. First off, that being black was a mental attitude, not just a matter of skin pigmentation. Secondly, by merely acknowledging that one is black already sets oneself along the road of emancipation. Another strong belief of the African Psychologists, of the was his rejection of Euro-American methods of measuring the intelligence and behavior of Black People. Psychologists believe that blacks needed to be self-reliant. They needed to do things for themselves, by themselves, instead of relying on the Euro-American or Western psychologists as the standards or absolutes.

Thursday, August 1, 2019

Reading for Pleasure Can Be Better Develped in Imagination and Language Sklls Than Watching Tv

Today, I will talk about an ancient city of China—Langzhong. My purpose in giving this presentation is to show you detailed geographic features of Langzhong, and recommend this famous place to you for travelling, so this presentation will have two parts, that is geography and tourism. Different from big modern cities, ancient cities can offer tourists an incredible variety of special sights and activities. This city is often referred to as a famous historical town. It’s one of the best preserved ancient towns in China. Langzhong city is a 2300-year-old city located in Nanchong, Sichuan Province.It is located in the north-east of the Sichuan basin and the middle reach of the Jialing River. The city is known as the wonderland of Sichuan. In terms of the geography of Langzhong, it is best to imagine the area as a main center surrounded by countless mountains and rivers with the northern part is higher than the southern part. Langzhong has plenty of natural resources such a s water resources, mineral resources and open space. Langzhong’s numerous rivers also ensure that our whole country has a major source of hydroelectric power. The government is also reclaiming these open spaces to improve agriculture.What’s more, Langzhong is rich in oil, gas, and gold. When people refer to Langzhong, they always talk about its long history. It was given the title of the best preserved ancient city around the world by the United Nations. As a travelling destination, Langzhong has something to offer almost every visitor. The first place that gives me a deep impression is Huaguang Tower. Huaguang Tower is also named Southern Tower or Zhenjiang Tower. It was first built in the Tang Dynasty, but it suffered several fires and was rebuilt repeatedly by past dynasties.The existing tower was renovated in the sixth year of the Tongzhi period of the Qing Dynasty. The base of the tower is 5 meters high and the total height is 25. 5 meters. With a three-layered ro of, the tower seems tall and straight as well as elegant and delicate. It has unique architectural features of the Tang Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty, winning the reputation of â€Å" the number one tower of Langyuan Garden†. In addition, few Langzhong sites are as impressive as the pavilion of Prince Teng, you can climb the pavilion to see the whole scenery of Langzhong City.The famous Chinese poet DuFu wrote an essay to praise this tower’s elegance and uniqueness highly–â€Å"The mountain is cloud-kissing, and people ascend it to enjoy a distant view. † If you want to know a lot about Chinese history and you are interested in the Han Dynasty, you can’t miss the chance to visit the Temple of Zhangfei. This temple has a history of 1700 years. It is well-known for its striking architecture, beautiful calligraphy, exhibition, and long history. Langzhong city is also famous for its examination hall.This hall was a special place for the imperial competi tive examination, which selected the most talented people and sent them to the emperor. Langzhong was called the town of number one scholars because it had so many geniuses who made great contribution to the entire world. What’s more, my favorites are the ancient streets and ancient houses. The preservation of the ancient city is a precious legacy for our whole world. Historians can learn a lot from this city. As for me, when I walked into the city, I simply wanted to spend a whole day strolling along the streets with my best friends.You can also take a boat to enjoy the scenery of Langzhong city along the Jialing River. This city is more peaceful than Lijing ancient city. Another thing the city has to offer is its excellent food. You can have a barbecue at night and drink specially-made plum wine or a beverage made of vinegar, both of which are delicious. The chafing dish has local features that are totally different from what I have ever eaten. That’s why I really wa nt to recommend it to you. There are some Langzhong’s tourist attractions, now, I want to talk about my trip to Langzhong. On that trip, I travelled with five friends.It was the first time that we took a trip without parents. We had to arrange everything in advance, but to be honest, it was hard to depend on ourselves completely. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed the trip and had great fun with my friends. We could visit any place we are interested in without a touring party. I think you can imagine how free we felt. In fact, I was not very close with two of those guys. Although we were classmates in middle school, we lost contact with each other after we graduated. After those five days, we had already become close friends and talked all the time.Yes, this trip was an valuable experience for me. Because of it, I understand it is difficult but important to be independent, I find it is so good to have such kind friends and I have fallen in love with this ancient city. It was just a five day long trip, but it becomes an precious part of my life. I know I will cherish it forever. That’s my speech. I hope everyone has learned something about Langzhong ancient city from it. If you want to experience the atmosphere of ancient China with your best friends, Langzhong is the place to do it! Thank you for your time.