Friday, January 24, 2020

Factors Affecting Research Culture at Universities in Pakistan Essay

Abstract— Research is an integral part of the higher education. Teachers and students spend weeks to find a good topic related to the field of study, data collection and analysis and finally in writing papers. Conducting research and writing papers creates a healthy activity amongst faculty and students which results in knowledge creation and emergence of research culture. Faculty at universities could be divided into two broad categories of teachers and researcher. These categories are good in their preferred field only. The challenges faced by the faculty related to research vary between private and public sectors too. However, this research shows that the leadership, curriculum, people, external environment and research experience are important factors for a research culture at universities. Keywords— research, university, higher education, leadership, faculty and inter-personal collaboration I. INTRODUCTION Research could be described as the first step in knowledge creation, which starts with search, passes through the steps of learning, teaching and ends at knowledge creation. Academia has an important role in the dissemination of knowledge to the wider society through direct and indirect interaction. A product of an individual, group or society of intelligent beings is known as culture, showing that culture is learnt through research. Therefore, the research culture can be defined as the act of knowledge creation, sharing and translated into action [1]. The term research culture is a combination of two words research and culture. The word research means â€Å"a careful or diligent search† or â€Å"the process of collecting information about a particular subject†. On the other hand the word culture could be explained as â€Å"the act ... ...ding for such activities are respected for their work as well as the funding that they attract [9]. Universities have two basic purposes of existence - teaching and research – both of which are public trust, therefore, the universities have to prove worthy of it. Universities in the developing countries are not allowed to perform independently. Furthermore universities lack resources if the government support is withdrawn. Therefore, they need to find necessary resources to be able to survive. This can be done by becoming innovative and accessible to as many as possible [11]; [12]; [13]. While studying the research culture in Caribbean universities, [14], it was mentioned that the research culture is one of the pre-requisites for a country to be able to find solutions to their problems rather than importing and adapting the knowledge created in other countries.

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Health Care Utilization Nursing Home Administration

University of Phoenix April 14, 2014 As an Administrator of our local nursing home it has come to my attention that we have been bought out by a national group. With this change being made there will unfortunately be displacement of some of our residents. This paper will describe both the advantages and disadvantages of using different types of media for communication. It will also describe the effects of HAIFA on these types of communication.As the administrator I would be what some call the collaborator during this conflict/situation. As the collaborator I will try to meet the needs of both parties, see the conflict as a neutral, listen to the needs, and view all that are involved as equals during the changes (Cheeseboard, O'Connor, & Iris, , 2010) . I will team up with communication specialist during this time to help our clients reduce their uncertainties, bridge boundaries, provide social support and also help build skills. Another part of my plan will be to work with the media. It is important to understand that as a part of our mission in this organization we need to keep people informed about any and all changes that could occur. It is also important to know and understand that both health care and media organizations will benefit if they can learn to work together (Cheeseboard, O'Connor, & Iris, 2010). Being visible in the media is not only good for business but also it will boost the morale of the people both within the organization and the individuals who use the organization. When dealing with the media there are both advantages and disadvantages.When it comes to the advantages the electronic form of communication is top priority. For instance electronic communication benefits individuals across the world unlike traditional immunization that is mostly based around small communities. Electronic and social media communication brings information via television, conversations, graphics, charts and even interactive software (Palmyra, 2012). Another advant age is that conversations can be visual as well as textual. This can help with communication between individuals who might be hearing impaired or even from a different cultural background.Now we all know where there are advantages there will also be disadvantages. When we talk about disadvantages the main issue is security and privacy of the individuals involved. When it comes to electronic or social media communication we have to be careful that our computers don't become hacked or even contract viruses. Also with the volume of data being so large and transmission of this data being so fast there becomes a barrier of difficulty with absorbing, processing, and even understanding of the data.This also causes a problem of providing the proper and necessary feedback (Palmyra, 2012). Another disadvantage is that there could be a possibility of the information that is being processed to become lost. Now that we have talked about the advantages and disadvantages of hose types of communica tion we can now focus on HAIFA and how it pertains to all of this. HAIFA is the Health Insurance Accountability Act and is used to help protect patients by giving those rights over the use of any and/or all of their medical information (Longer, 2006).This Act also provides patients with certain limitations on who can have access to their information. In my situation many of the patients that have to be relocated have not approved the release of their information. Because of this there will be some hurtles, but according to HAIFA there can be some PHI protected health information) that can be disclosed (Longer, 2006). Some examples are information for treatment. Information for payment of treatment, and information for performance of health care operations.This can include but is not limited to general administration, financial and some legal aspects required operating a health care institution. This is the disclosure that I would use in this situation to help in the relocation proce ss of the individuals who will no longer be with us here. In conclusion as the administrator it is my duty to abide by HAIFA and only disclose information that is necessary to maintain the facility. It is also my duty to insure that everything runs smoothly through the transition and that everyone is happy in the long run.

Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Jerusalem Crickets, Family Stenopelmatidae

Seeing a Jerusalem cricket for the first time can be an unsettling experience, even to those who arent prone to entomophobia. They look somewhat like giant, muscular ants with humanoid heads and dark, beady eyes. Although Jerusalem crickets (family Stenopelmatidae) are indeed quite large, theyre generally harmless. We know relatively little about their life history, and many species remain unnamed and undescribed. What Jerusalem Crickets Look Like Did you ever play the board game Cootie as a child? Imagine turning over a rock, and finding a Cootie come to life, staring up at you with a menacing expression! Thats how people often discover their first Jerusalem cricket, so its no surprise that these insects have earned many nicknames, none of them particularly endearing. In the 19th century, people used the expression Jerusalem! as an expletive, and thats believed to be the origin of the common name. People also believed (incorrectly) that these odd insects with human faces were highly venomous and potentially lethal, so they were given nicknames rife with superstition and fear: skull insects, bone neck beetles, old bald-headed man, face of a child, and child of the Earth (Nià ±o de la Tierra in Spanish-speaking cultures). In California, theyre most often called potato bugs, for their habit of nibbling on potato plants. In entomology circles, theyre also called sand crickets or stone crickets. Jerusalem crickets range in length from a respectable 2 cm to an impressive 7.5 cm (about 3 inches) and can weigh as much as 13 g. Most of these flightless crickets are brown or tan in color but have a striped abdomen with alternating bands of black and light brown. Theyre quite plump, with robust abdomens and large, round heads. Jerusalem crickets lack venom glands, but they do have powerful jaws and can inflict a painful bite if mishandled. Some species in Central America and Mexico can jump to flee from danger. When they reach sexual maturity (adulthood), males can be differentiated by females by the presence of a pair of black hooks at the tip of the abdomen, between the cerci. On an adult female, youll find the ovipositor, which is darker on the underside and located below the cerci. How Jerusalem Crickets Are Classified Kingdom – AnimaliaPhylum – ArthropodaClass – InsectaOrder – OrthopteraFamily - Stenopelmatidae What Jerusalem Crickets Eat Jerusalem crickets feed on organic matter in the soil, both living and dead. Some may scavenge, while others are thought to hunt other arthropods. Jerusalem crickets also practice cannibalism on occasion, particularly when confined together in captivity. Females will often eat their male partners after consummating the relationship (much like the sexual cannibalism of female praying mantids, which is better known). The Life Cycle of  Jerusalem Crickets   Like all of the Orthoptera, Jerusalem crickets undergo incomplete or simple metamorphosis. The mated female oviposits eggs a few inches deep in the soil. Young nymphs usually appear in the fall, less often in the spring. After molting, the nymph eats the cast skin to recycle its precious minerals. Jerusalem crickets require perhaps a dozen molts, and almost two full years to reach adulthood. In some species or climates, they may need up to three years to complete the life cycle. Special Behaviors of  Jerusalem Crickets   Jerusalem crickets will wave their spiny hind legs in the air to repel any perceived threats. Their concern is not without merit, because most predators cant resist such a fat, easy-to-catch insect. They are an important source of nutrition for bats, skunks, foxes, coyotes, and other animals. Should a predator manage to yank its leg loose, the Jerusalem cricket nymph can regenerate the missing limb over successive molts. During courtship, both male and female Jerusalem crickets drum their abdomens to call receptive mates. The sound travels through the soil and can be heard via special auditory organs on the crickets legs. Where Jerusalem Crickets  Live In the U.S., Jerusalem crickets inhabit western states, especially those along the Pacific Coast. Members of the family Stenopelmatidae are also well established in Mexico and Central America and are sometimes found as far north as British Columbia. They seem to prefer habitats with damp, sandy soils, but can be found from coastal dunes to cloud forests. Some species are restricted to such limited dune systems that they may warrant special protection, lest their habitat be adversely impacted by human activities. Sources: Jerusalem Crickets (Orthoptera, Stenopelmatidae), by David B. Weissman, Amy G. Vandergast, and Norihimo Ueshima. From Encyclopedia of Entomology, edited by John L. Capinera.Borror and DeLongs Introduction to the Study of Insects, 7th edition, by Charles A. Triplehorn and Norman F. Johnson.BACKYARD MONSTERS? NOPE, JERUSALEM CRICKETS!, by Arthur V. Evans, Whats Bugging You?. Accessed March 4, 2013.Family Stenopelmatidae - Jerusalem Crickets, Bugguide.net. Accessed March 4, 2013.Jerusalem Crickets, California Academy of Sciences. Accessed March 4, 2013.Jerusalem Cricket, San Diego Museum of Natural History. Accessed March 4, 2013.