Wednesday, March 4, 2020

3 Uncommon Ways To Get Team Buy In Every Time

3 Uncommon Ways To Get Team Buy In Every Time You probably already know a few of the tips and tricks to getting team buy in to new ideas, processes, or change. When it comes to influencing your peers, though, it can be a delicate dance. Because you lack positional authority, you cant pull the, Well, thats the way were going to do it, card. (Not that you ever would 😉) But these three off-beat tactics Im sharing will work for you. Today. Well lay some groundwork first. But if you wanna jump ahead, be my guest. Each strategy will work for peer or team buy in. Table of Contents: The Problem: Why We Resist Change? The Solution: What Does Leading Change Look Like? Step 1: Take the Marketing Cholesterol Test Step 2: Start With the Problem Step 3: Script the Critical Actions Required3 Uncommon Ways To Get Team Buy In Every Time via @ Did Isaac Newton Already Figure Out Why We Resist Change? Neurologically, were hard wired to maintain things as they are via our ingrained habits. Were comfortable in the rut of status quo. And any threat to it is perceived as discomfort - which humans avoid tooth and nail. Said psychologist Ralph Ryback: Inertia, or a tendency to do nothing or to remain unchanged, is at the headwinds of any change that we make in our lives. Wildly enough, Isaac Newtons principle of inertia applies to our psychology as well as the world around us. One of the best places to validate this is in the world of software - in both simple and complex ways. Remember when Spotify changed its hue of green a few years ago? Millions of us were used to their funky green. It wasn’t beautiful, but it was normal. Then, they warmed up the color in favor of the vibrant lime green. Thousands of users whined at the ugly new color scheme. I’ll admit, I didn’t like it at first either. Oh yeah†¦ then there’s the Snapchat UI updates that just about broke the internet. People hated the updates so much, there were riots in the streets! Okay, not quite that bad. But, the backlash was so intense, 1,257,640 users signed a petition on Change.org to get the old UI back. On a societal scale, people are change averse. We often have negative initial reactions to both functional and visual changes. This means â€Å"different† is often perceived as â€Å"bad.† The perception that different = bad often blocks positive organizational change. Learn how toThis isn’t simply a mob-mentality issue, either. It’s a human phenomenon at scales both large and small. As Mark Twain famously quipped: Im in favor of progress; its change I dont like. What Does Leading Change Look Like For Marketers? In user experience design, this is known as change aversion: Change aversion is the negative short-term reaction to changes in a product or service. This happens in the non-digital world, as well. And is a force we marketers have to battle when leading change (especially within our own companies). Now, lets learn how to go out with the old and in with the new. One of the most important changes marketers should make is killing makeshift marketing. Makeshift marketing has become the normal way marketers do things today. Its the pain of using one tool for social media scheduling Another tool for analytics A spreadsheet for tracking Endless email threads for collaboration and communication A task management tool (or multiple ones if everyone on your team uses something different) We get caught in a mess of using tons of different productivity tools that end up strangling our output rather than boosting it. Another force at work is that complicated tool stacks are actually celebrated with awards. To bring it a little closer to home, lets ask a question. You’re executing marketing today How’s that going? Staying organized is really hard. You’re missing deadlines, your team is disgruntled, your boss is wondering what’s happening, and stakeholders like your sales reps are constantly asking where their projects they requested three months ago are at. You can’t blame them. If you worked with another team, you’d expect things to roll forward smoothly, too, right? The thing is†¦ if you don’t change anything, you’ll keep experiencing these same side effects of â€Å"good enough-ism.† And that means†¦ You’ll continue to be frustrated†¦ You’ll continue making your peer managers frustrated†¦ You’ll burn yourself out with the trivial minutia of consistently missing deadlines Overcoming Change Aversion In Your Team However, everyone is used to the way things are. So, if youre going to overcome the forces allied against you as a leader, youve gotta be armed with the right strategies. So lets tackle three off-beat ways to overcome change aversion. Obliterate the status quo. And become a more influential leader while youre at it. #1. Take The Marketing Cholesterol Test To Get Team Buy In To start, you might need to prove that change is actually required right now. When you create urgency, at least people can agree that, We need to do something. One ingenious assessment for your organizations need to change appeared in the Harvard Business Review, and is called the Corporate Cholesterol Test. You can check out the original test in the article Change For Changes Sake. But heres an adaptation for us marketers to use. The tests purpose is to assess how well your teams (or team members) are working together. Thus Measuring how high your collaborative cholesterol is 😠· How high is your marketing cholesterol? Find out what that means and learn the answer viaTo do this, you can use Google Forms  to create a survey. Each of your peer managers should get the questionnaire to fill out. The test starts the buy-in process by helping your peer managers see for themselves if change is needed. Youll create three sections. Each with three yes or no answers. How well do we communicate? How well do we work together? How are our collective results? Pro Tip: To get honest answers, you can nix requiring first and last name. And simply make answers anonymous! Section One: How well do we communicate? In section one, youll ask these three yes or no questions: Do our teams interact only with people in their own group? This questions identifies the presence of silos.A silo mentality occurs when several departments or groups within an organization do not want to share information or knowledge with other individuals in the same organization.Basically its a problem of key info staying stuck in one group rather than shared with others it could help. Are there breakdowns in communication caused by silos? If there are silos, this will be a big fat yes 😕This is a great opportunity to understand it as a source of frustration. And you can position your change as a cure. Has fluid collaboration between our teams decreased over the past 6 months? This is an easy way to gauge how well your teams have worked together. If this is a Yes, its another sign that the winds of change should be blowing! How can marketers know theyre influencing positive organizational change? Find out via @Section Two: How well do we work together? In section two, youll ask these three yes or no questions: Are any people on your team uncomfortable with change? Now, admittedly, this question is a double-edged sword âš”ï ¸ After all, change is uncomfortable for pretty much everyone. But, as Sujan Patel writes, this is crucial to success.The crux of this question is to bring to mind the proverbial roadblocks to changeThe people on their team whose automatic answer is, No. Do we have processes, workflows, and tools that align with one another? I know this is buried in the middle of the survey But its my favorite question.This digs into the heart of a central problem for marketers today. We call it makeshift marketingand think of it as the temporary, sub-optimal solution for getting your marketing sh*t together. This is not #fakenews.I cant tell you how many marketers Ive met whose solution for â€Å"keeping their sanity† involves spreadsheets organizing spreadsheets.Who’ve decided endless meetings to â€Å"get on the same page† is par for the course.Who’ve succumbed to â€Å"on the fly† project management because that’s just the nature of the job?!And who’ve settled for a cobbled mess of one-trick tools becausewell†¦?Thats just how marketing works 😠¢In fact, this is one of the biggest problems solves (you can snag a free 1-on-1 demo to learn how it can help you do this!).Teams pay a HUGE productivity tax for misaligned processes, workflows, and tools.If this is a yes, its a red flag 🚠© Do your teams resist collaborative projects with other teams? Heres a newsflashIf people on your peer managers team resist collaboration, its prolly not because theyre bad people. Or employees.Did you know that 85% of most workers time is spent in email, meetings, and being on the phone?So maybe they resist working with other teams because they have so freaking much to do and not enough time!^^^ Sound familiar to you?If this is the case, its time to get efficient and make better use of peoples time.After all, who would resist: Here, would you like less stress while getting your time back and feeling more valued?If youre leading the right change, this can be exactly what youre giving them.What if collaboration could be a source of excitement and growth rather than a drain? Section Three: How are our collective results? In section three, youll ask these three yes or no questions: Has your team hit 80% or more of its KPI goals in the past 3 months? Simply put, if teams arent hitting their goals for more than 3 months in a row - somethings gotta change.This is a chance to highlight how your suggested change can help everyones tide rise. Have your teams collaborative projects proven positive ROI? This is an interesting one. Because some of your peer managers might say, What collaborative projects?Again, this could stem from silo issues Or signal a breakdown in teams working together.For instance, nearly every modern marketing teams should be working with developers (who are often outside their team) regularly.Next, if they have worked with other teamsWell, has it worked?Are there more dollars, email signups, or whatever else they were looking for because of the joint venture? Does anyone on your team (including you!) experience significant stress or anxiety when executing a new project? I absolutely love this question.While there is always *some* amount of stress kicking off a new project - it shouldnt be consistently significant.Scientifically, we know significant stress reduces productivity. It also promotes negative behaviors like procrastination. So if new projects give your team a panic attack, something major is broken.Now is the time to fix it. How To Score Your Marketing Cholesterol Test (In GIFs) Alright, heres the final reveal Score your test responses as follows: 0–2 yes answers Youre good and probably rock at getting your peers to buy in. 3–7 yes answers Right now is the perfect time for change! Saddle up and get it done. 8–9 yes answers Panic. It was time to change yesterday but today is good too. You got this  Ã°Å¸ ¤Ëœ #2. Start With The Problem To Get Team Buy In Next,  to overcome change aversion with your peer managers, start with the problem you’re trying to solve and the benefits your solution offers to them. Yes I’m encouraging you to market change to marketers. #inception Software has more to teach us, here. Intercom recently revamped the design of their products inbox - a place their customers spend a lot of time in. The new interface looks like Evernote and Intercom had a baby And its one cute baby. They got ahead of change aversion by focusing on problem their change was geared at solving. Often, change is resisted with statements like this: We dont need to change for changes sake! If you begin with the problem, though, you sidestep this as an issue altogether. When theres a genuine problem to be solved, you arent changing for changes sake. Your changing for growths sake. Huge difference. Trying to influence positive change within your marketing department? Start with the problem first. Start With The Problem First, specifically outline the problem you want to solve and the harm its causing. Outline the problem as specifically as you can: Right now, were using six different tools to manage our marketing. Because of the constant shuffle, details are getting lost, were dropping balls, and not hitting deadlines. Outline Your Solution Propose your solution, address the cost of switching, and focus on the benefits: If we consolidate our tools, these problems will evaporate. We each lead talented, competent teams. So its a simple thing to give them a better way to do their jobs. Yes, this will mean adapting our workflows to a fresh way of doing things. And it will mean a new way of collaboration among our teams. But the gain in productivity and organization will pay dividends in results, reduce stress, and improve communication. When you focus on the problem, your proposed change isnt the focal point. Admittedly, Im assuming the change you want to lead is truly an issue. If it is, you can position any resistance to be against the benefits your solution offers. This keeps the conversation focused on, How do we solve this  real problem. #3. Script The New Actions The Change Requires To Get Team Buy In A third way to  get your peer managers to buy in comes from Chip and Dan Heaths fantastic book,  Switch: How To Change Things When Change Is Hard. Its a way to get ultra-specific about what needs to happen next. The catchphrase analysis paralysis turns out to be a real thing. It even happens to LeBron James. When people are presented with too many options, we get stuck. When people are presented with too many options, we get stuck.Analysis Paralysis Is A Real Thing In the book  Switch, the authors share how this same phenomenon happens to doctors. A medical doctor and a psychologist devised a test to see how well the average doc make choices. The test involved two similar groups asked to make a decision on the same case. The only difference was that Group A made a choice between two options. While Group B had three. Check out the scenario The patient in the test was an older gentleman with hip trouble. Group A had to decide between a hip-replacement surgery and a simple medication that hadnt yet been tried. Almost 50% of the doctors from Group A chose the non-surgical path. Group B had a similar choice. Only instead of one non-surgical option, there were two. Thats it. That was the only variable. These doctors had to decide on surgery, medication 1, or medication 2 Logically, two non-surgical options seem even better than one, right? Well, only 28% of Group B docs opted for the non-surgical option. ^^^ This is analysis paralysis at work.

Sunday, February 16, 2020

Role of domestic concerns in us withdrawal from vietnam Essay

Role of domestic concerns in us withdrawal from vietnam - Essay Example After analyzing these questions, we can finally land on our ultimate target that was to investigate the extent to which the domestic concerns played their part in the withdrawal of the United States of America. As rightly quoted by Jose Padilla, war is not really something at the sole discretion of the president, rather it is the public power that should ultimately shape the foreign policy of a nation, or more precisely, the fate and destiny of the nation. This thought truly reflects in the US Vietnam war. This war proved that it's the public, the common man of the nation, who will decide the foreign policy of the nation. The history recorded that the people protesting on the roads of New York or the colleges of Ohio forced the think tanks at Pentagon and Whitehouse to change their policy and finally withdraw from the tiresome and simply lost battle of Vietnam, that proved to be the graveyard for the human and the monetary resources of American nation. Almost all the historians do agree to the fact that domestic concerns forced the US Think Tank to finally decide to withdraw from the battle at Vietnam. However, the perception of the extent to which the internal factors played their role in that historical decision is different for different historians. Furthermore, the recorded evidences also tell that the ratio of favour for the war also differed from time to time, even during the war period and age group to age group as well. 2 The Vietnam War, which lasted in 1975 is also known as Indochina war, the American war in Vietnam and the Vietnam Conflict. Why did the United States of America tried to involve in the Vietnam If looked from a narrow perspective, it seems that this was just a conflict between the communist and the non-communist factions of the Vietnamese nation. However, when we take into account the entire global scenario at that time, especially that of post-world war and cold war, we tend to realize that it was not an ordinary civil war, rather a contest between the two opposing super powers of the time, both the powers claiming to be the super power but propagating entirely different ideologies of economics, religion and state governance. Thus it was a war between the communism and the socialism, the United States of America, along with its capitalist allies and the South Vietnam on one side and the Soviet Union, its allies, the People's Republic of China, and North Vietnam on the other. Thus, withdrawing from war does not only mean the inability to handle some civil war, had it been the case, United States of America would have left the battle far earlier than it did, but this withdra wal would probably have been seen by the United States of America's policy makers as the surrender to the communist alliance. This may well be attributed to the reluctance of the United States' think tank to withdraw at an earlier stage. What approach for the involvement was there in the mind of the military and political leadership of the United States of America Since this was not too long that the Second World War had ended, those American and other nations, who had witnessed the disastrous effects of war were still alive. Any war in any part of the world is thus supposed to get a furious reaction of the public. Specially when it comes to the war in United States of

Sunday, February 2, 2020

Plea-bargaining Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Plea-bargaining - Essay Example The advantage of this system is that there is no need for a trial, a right that the defendant waives losing the chance for acquittal. However, the defendant â€Å"escapes† with a lesser charge than would have been the case had trial been done. The state saves on the cost of conducting a trial (Grossman & Katz, 1983). For the system to be operational, there are issues that are pre-negotiated including the reduction of charges, recommendations regarding the sentence itself or the guarantee that the prosecution would not oppose a request for probation. The process of plea-bargaining after the crime is committed and the accused person is arrested. The accused pleads guilty in exchange of an agreed sentence recommended by the judge. There are three types of pleas bargains. These are charge bargaining, count bargaining and sentence bargaining. The first type of bargain is where the defendant agrees to plead to a charge that is lesser than the one he is charged with. The second is wh ere the defendant will have the number of charges that he faces reduced in number and the third is where the defendant simply pleads guilty with prior knowledge of what the sentence will be. The process of plea bargaining is a private matter where only the accused, the defendant counsel, the prosecutor and in some cases the judge may be in attendance. The offer of plea bargain is used to locate stolen goods, to help arrest other culprits or to know the location of a kidnapped victim or a killed individual. A plea bargain does not undermine the system of law. Although the facts indicate that the practice usually leads to reduced sentences to guilty parties without the process of trial, there are benefits that aid in offsetting the negative sentiments expressed in relation to the practice. There are many advantages to plea bargaining as there are disadvantages. Considering the success rates of plea bargaining compared to that of trials, the practice inadvertently aids in the reduction of criminals on the streets as well as guarantee speedy dispensation of justice (Goldstein, 1997). In exchange, the prosecution gets information that might be valuable to the conviction of more serious crimes or may get information that might be the missing link towards the conclusion of a case in a court or an investigation. There are instances where plea bargaining has been considered as lacking. The prisoner?s dilemma scenario plays out during plea bargains (Schulhofer, 1992). Consider two people who have been accused. The prosecution will attempt to unearth the facts of the case by offering a plea bargain to one party so that he can testify against the other party. Regardless of whether both parties are guilty or not, the person who confesses will give false information incriminating even those who may not be guilty in an attempt to get himself out of the larger sentence. Another scenario is when the defendant cannot raise bail. Such a defendant will plead guilty to the charges leveled against him regardless of whether he is guilty or not. Such a person considers the length of time that trials usually take and chooses to plead to a plea bargain that might present a lesser time than that which he would have faced awaiting trial. Some critics argue that plea bargaining does not always result in saving on costs (Kipnis, 1979). They consider that a prosecutor who has a remote chance of getting a conviction may enter a plea bargain with the aim of getting reduced time for the defendant. If such a defendant accepts the deal, he will increase the cost to the state as he will be catered for in a jail. On the contrary, if the trial had dragged on until the end, the defendant would have been acquitted and that would have carried no extra cost to the state. There are

Saturday, January 25, 2020

Additive Manufacturing of Medical Implants: A Review

Additive Manufacturing of Medical Implants: A Review E. Gordon Wayne State University College of Engineering Abstract Additive manufacturing has numerous applications and is gaining interest in the biomedical field. The quality of additively manufactured parts is constantly improving, which contributes to their increased use for medical implants in patients. This paper reviews the literature on surgical additive manufacturing applications used on patients, with a focus on the customization of 3D printed implants and the ability to incorporate scaffolds on the implant surface. Scholarly literature databases were used to find general information on the focus topics, as well as case studies of surgical applications of additive manufacturing implants in rodents and humans. The advantages of additive manufacturing medical implants include improved medical outcome, cost effectiveness, and reduced surgery time, as well as customization and incorporated scaffold. Overall, the most effective type of additive manufacturing for the medical implant application is electron beam melting using Ti-6Al-4V because it can produce a high quality, high purity biocompatible implant that has the required mechanical properties. Keywords: Additive Manufacturing, Customized implants, Scaffold, 3D Printing, Ti-6Al-4V Introduction In recent years, additive manufacturing technologies have improved significantly, thus expanding the fields and applications for which they can be used. These 3D printing technologies create physical models from digital models without the need for tool and die and process planning. Additive manufacturing can fabricate prototypes of complex shapes in a variety of materials such as metals, polymers, and nylon. Metal components, in particular, can be used for practical applications such as medical implants: devices manufactured to replace or support a biological structure. The biocompatibility of these metallic devices must be considered, creating rigorous requirements for the material selection and final material properties of the structure. Studies have shown that additive manufacturing successfully produces implants with biocompatible materials that meet the structural requirements [1-6]. 3D printing medical implants can provide many benefits such as the customization and personalization of the implants, cost-effectiveness, increased productivity, and the ability to incorporate scaffold. Using custom made implants, fixtures and surgical tools can help decrease surgery time and patient recovery time, while increasing the likelihood of a successful surgery [7]. Another benefit is the cost efficiency of 3D printing medial implants. Traditional manufacturing methods are cheaper for large quantities, but are more expensive for personalized designs and small production runs [8, 9]. 3D printing is especially cost effective for small-sized implants like spinal or dental implants. 3D printing is also faster than traditional manufacturing if a custom implant needs to be made; traditional methods require milling, forging, and a long delivery time while 3D printing may only take about a day [1]. Another notable benefit of additive manufacturing is the ability to share data files of designs. Files saved as an .STL can be downloaded and printed anywhere in the world. The National Institutes of Health established a 3D Print Exchange to promote open-source sharing of 3D print files for medical models [7]. The most significant benefits for the biomedical industry, however, are the ability to manufacture biocompatible materials, customize implants, and incorporate a porous scaffold surface. Types of Additive Manufacturing The additive manufacturing approach uses computer software to slice a complex 3D model into layers of 2D cross-sections with a minute thickness. The layers are then printed layer by layer depending on the particular method chosen for the application. There are dozens of types of additive manufacturing systems on the market, some of the most common being stereolithography (SLA), direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), selective laser sintering (SLS), selective laser melting (SLM), 3D printing (3DP), and electron beam melting (EBM). These systems are classified according to the form of the raw material, which can be powder, liquid, or solid form [8]. The two types of additive manufacturing that are most commonly used for medical implants are SLS and EBM. Figure 1: Process chain for SLM and EBM. The pre-processing before manufacturing includes 3D modeling, file preparation, and slicing of the 3D model into layers. Post-processing may include heat treatment and polishing of fabricated parts [10]. Selective Laser Sintering An SLS printer uses a powder form of material for printing objects. A laser fuses a single layer of powder by drawing the shape of the object according to the first 2D cross-section of the 3D model. Immediately, the build platform is lowered by the defined layer thickness and another layer of powder is rolled across [10]. The process repeats, fusing each layer one at a time to form the object. SLS can be used with metal, ceramic, and plastic powders. The precision of the laser and the diameter of the powder determines the degree of detail of the final object, so it is possible to create detailed structures with an SLS printer [11]. Figure 2: Schematic of SLS system. The key components of SLM include the laser system (a fiber laser, F-theta and galvanometer used to control the laser beam movement) and the mechanical system (movable build platform and powder roller) [10]. Electron Beam Melting An EBM printer uses a powder form of material for printing objects, similar to SLS. However, while SLS uses a laser to fuse each layer of the powder, EBM uses an electron beam. This energy is delivered through an electric circuit between a tungsten filament inside of the electron gun and the build platform [10]. An electric current heats the filament to emit a beam of electrons [1]. Electric energy is transformed to heat energy which melts the powder on the build platform. The process continues similarly to SLS, where powder is spread across the platform in a thin layer, the cross-section of the object is melted, and then the build platform lowers by the layer thickness. A key element of EBM is that the build chamber is kept under vacuum, which allows the object to be maintain great detail (70-100ÃŽÂ ¼m) [1]. Figure 3: Schematic of EBM system. The key components of EBM include an electron beam system (electron gun assembly, electron beam focusing lens and deflection coils used to control the electron beam) and the mechanical system (movable powder rake and fixed powder cassettes) [10]. Materials of Medical Implants The most common metals used for surgical implants are stainless steel 316L (ASTM F138), Cobalt based alloys (ASTM F75 and ASTM F799) and titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V (ASTM F67 and F136) [12, 13]. However, these metals have disadvantages such as the potential release of toxic ions and particles due to corrosion that cause inflammation and allergic reactions, affecting biocompatibility [14]. Also, the materials that have an elastic modulus that is not similar to natural bone stimulate new bone growth poorly [12]. Despite this, the low Youngs modulus, high strength, and nonlinear elasticity of titanium-based alloys make it the least harmful choice [3]. The most commonly used titanium alloy is Ti-6Al-4V (Ti64) because it also has a better resistance to corrosion compared to stainless steels and cobalt-based alloys [15]. Additive manufacturing has also been done using Tantalum. Tantalum is biocompatible, hard, ductile, and chemically resistant, but it is expensive and difficult to machine [6] . Titanium based alloys are superior, thus Ti-6Al-V4 is the best material for additive manufacturing medical implants. Material Youngs modulus (GPa) Ultimate tensile strength (MPa) Yield strength (MPa) Elongation (%) TiTa 75.77  ± 4.04 924.64  ± 9.06 882.77  ± 19.60 11.72  ± 1.13 Ti6Al4V 131.51  ± 16.40 1165.69  ± 107.25 1055.59  ± 63.63 6.10  ± 2.57 cpTi 111.59  ± 2.65 703.05  ± 16.22 619.57  ± 20.25 5.19  ± 0.32 Table 1: Tensile properties of SLS produced TiTa, Ti6Al4V and commercially pure titanium samples (n = 5) [16]. Customized Implants Additive manufacturing allows for the design and fabrication of customized prosthetic implants that are created to meet the specific needs of a patient, such as the size, shape, and mechanical properties of the implant. Additive Manufacturing reduces design time as well as manufacturing time because the implant pattern is computer generated with CT and MRI scans, thus removing the need for a physical model [8]. The ability to produce custom implants quickly solves a common problem with orthopedics where standard implants do not always fit the needs of certain patients. Previously, surgeons had to manually modify implants to make them fit the patient [7]. These techniques can be used by professionals in a variety of specialties such as neurosurgery, orthopedics, craniofacial and plastic surgery, oncology, and implant dentistry [8]. One example of an application in which a customized implant is required is craniofacial reconstruction. Craniofacial abnormalities are a diverse group of congenital defects that affect a large number of people and can be acquired at birth or due to injuries or tumors [8]. Standard cranial implants rarely fit a patient precisely because skulls have irregular shapes [7]. The custom implant can be created by using a CT scan to create a 3D virtual model of the patients skull. Then the model can be used with CAD software to design an implant that would perfectly fit the patient [8]. Using custom implants has shown to improve the morphology for large and complex-shaped cranial abnormalities, and some researchers have observed a greater improvement in neurological functions than after similar surgeries using traditionally manufactured implants [17, 18]. Figure 4: Skull model and customized implant for craniofacial reconstruction surgery [8]. Scaffold Additive manufacturing medical implants allows the porosity of the surface to be designed, controlled, and interconnected, which provides better bone growth into implants, thus decreasing the chances of the body rejecting the implant. Additionally, the rough surface quality of 3D printed implants enhances bone-implant fixation [1]. Without scaffold, there is a risk of bone weakening and bone loss around the implant, which is a consequence of stress shielding due to high stiffness of materials [19]. The probability of this problem occurring is lessened when bone can grow into a porous surface of the implant [19]. Cellular lattice structures are classified by stochastic and non-stochastic geometries. The pores in stochastic structures have random variations in size and shape, while the pores in non-stochastic structures have repeating patterns of particular shapes and sizes [10]. The main challenge in additively manufacturing scaffolds is the difficulty to remove the loose powder from within the pores, but an advantage is that additive manufacturing technology allows for the manufacturing of different types of scaffolds if a design requires it; different regions of the implant could have different porosities [1, 10]. The procedure used to achieve the porous areas with traditional manufacturing methods includes coating a smooth surface with other materials such as plasma-sprayed titanium or a titanium wire mesh; however, combining different metals increases the risk of the body rejecting the implant. Additive manufacturing allows the smooth and porous surfaces to be fabricated with the same material, thus decreasing that risk. A variety of additive manufacturing techniques can be used to create the lattice structure, but scaffold can be fabricated by SLS or EBM without the need for support structures, thus making it the most effective method [5]. Figure 5: Acetabular cup with designedFigure 6: (a) Porous femoral stem on the building porous surface [10].platform, (b) post-processed femoral stem [5]. Conclusion There are many advantages to using additive manufacturing to fabricate surgical implants. These benefits include improved medical outcome, cost effectiveness, reduced surgery time, as well as customization and scaffold. Overall, the most effective type of additive manufacturing for the medical implant application is Electron Beam Melting because it can produce a high quality, high purity biocompatible implant that has the required mechanical properties. The recommended metal to use for most implants is the titanium-based alloy Ti-6Al-4V because of its low Youngs modulus, high strength, nonlinear elasticity, and corrosion resistance. Overall, additive manufacturing is an excellent production method for medical implants because it allows surgeons to customize implants and scaffold to the specific needs of the patient. References 1.Petrovic, V., et al., Additive manufacturing solutions for improved medical implants. 2012: INTECH Open Access Publisher. 2.Ahn, Y.K., et al., Mechanical and microstructural characteristics of commercial purity titanium implants fabricated by electron-beam additive manufacturing. Materials Letters, 2017. 187: p. 64-67. 3.Yan, L.M., et al., Improved mechanical properties of the new Ti-15Ta-xZr alloys fabricated by selective laser melting for biomedical application. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 2016. 688: p. 156-162. 4.Caldarise, S., Hip joint prostheses and methods for manufacturing the same. 1996, Google Patents. 5.Simoneau, C., et al., Development of a porous metallic femoral stem: Design, manufacturing, simulation and mechanical testing. Materials Design, 2017. 114: p. 546-556. 6.Wauthle, R., et al., Additively manufactured porous tantalum implants. Acta Biomaterialia, 2015. 14: p. 217-225. 7.Ventola, C.L., Medical Applications for 3D Printing: Current and Projected Uses. Pharmacy and Therapeutics, 2014. 39(10): p. 704-711. 8.Jardini, A.L., et al., Cranial reconstruction: 3D biomodel and custom-built implant created using additive manufacturing. Journal of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, 2014. 42(8): p. 1877-1884. 9.DUrso, P.S., et al., Custom cranioplasty using stereolithography and acrylic. British Journal of Plastic Surgery, 2000. 53(3): p. 200-204. 10.Sing, S.L., et al., Laser and electronà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ beam powderà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ bed additive manufacturing of metallic implants: A review on processes, materials and designs. Journal of Orthopaedic Research, 2016. 34(3): p. 369-385. 11.Hoy, M.B., 3D printing: making things at the library. Med Ref Serv Q, 2013. 32(1): p. 94-9. 12.Kokubo, T., et al., Bioactive metals: preparation and properties. J Mater Sci Mater Med, 2004. 15(2): p. 99-107. 13.Staiger, M.P., et al., Magnesium and its alloys as orthopedic biomaterials: A review. Biomaterials, 2006. 27(9): p. 1728-1734. 14.Polo-Corrales, L., M. Latorre-Esteves, and J.E. Ramirez-Vick, Scaffold Design for Bone Regeneration. Journal of nanoscience and nanotechnology, 2014. 14(1): p. 15-56. 15.Dinda, G.P., L. Song, and J. Mazumder, Fabrication of Ti-6Al-4V Scaffolds by Direct Metal Deposition. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions a-Physical Metallurgy and Materials Science, 2008. 39A(12): p. 2914-2922. 16.Sing, S.L., W.Y. Yeong, and F.E. Wiria, Selective laser melting of titanium alloy with 50 wt% tantalum: Microstructure and mechanical properties. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 2016. 660: p. 461-470. 17.Rotaru, H., et al., Cranioplasty With Custom-Made Implants: Analyzing the Cases of 10 Patients. Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 2012. 70(2): p. e169-e176. 18.Agner, C., M. Dujovny, and M. Gaviria, Neurocognitive Assessment Before and after Cranioplasty. Acta Neurochirurgica, 2002. 144(10): p. 1033-1040. 19.Shah, F.A., et al., Long-term osseointegration of 3D printed CoCr constructs with an interconnected open-pore architecture prepared by electron beam melting. Acta Biomaterialia, 2016. 36: p. 296-309. Bacillus Thuringiensis: Distribution and Habitat Bacillus Thuringiensis: Distribution and Habitat LITERATURE REVIEW For several decades since its discovery, formulations of Bacillus thuringiensis (B. t.) have been seen as the ideal means of controlling Lepidoteran pests in agriculture because of the many attributes that differentiate this microbial insecticide from the synthetic chemical formulations. No toxicity to mammals, environmental friendliness, apparent immunity to the pesticide resistance phenomenon (no longer true), good integration with other pest control methods and the possibility of being mass produced at farm level at low cost, all made B. thuringiensis the much-needed tool for IPM programmes in developing countries. Research of almost 85 years reveals that Bacillus spp., especially B. thuringiensis and Bacillus sphaericus are the most potent biopesticides (Boucias Pendland, 1998). B. thuringiensis is a species of bacteria that has insecticidal properties that affects a specific range of insect orders. There are at least 34 subspecies of  B. thuringiensis (also called serotypes o r varieties) and possibly over 800 strain isolates (Swadener, 1994). B. thuringiensis accounts for about 5-8% of Bacillus spp. population in the environment (Hastowo et al., 1992). Till date more than 130 species of lepidopteran, dipteran and coleopteran insects are found to be controlled by  B. thuringiensis (Dean, 1984). Historical Background of B. thuringiensis B. thuringiensis are interesting and important bacteria used in the biological control of insect pest which form toxic crystal proteins at the time of sporulation. Perhaps the most well known and widely used biopesticide comes from B. thuringiensis, a bacterium that produces insecticidal proteins during its sporulation. This common soil bacterium, most abundantly found in grain dust from soil and other grain storage facilities, was discovered first in Japan in 1901 by Ishawata and then in 1911 in Germany by Berliner (Baum et al., 1999). It was subsequently found that thousands of strains of B. thuringiensis exist (Lereclus, 1993). The bacterium was isolated from diseased larvae of Anagasta kuehniella, and this finding led to the establishment of B. thuringiensis as microbial insecticide. The first record of its application to control insects was in Hungary at the end of 1920, and in Yugoslavia at the beginning of 1930s, it was applied to control the European corn borer (Lords, 2005). Sporine which was the first commercial product of B. thuringiensis was available in 1938 in France (Waiser, 1986) for the control of flour moth (Jacobs, 1951). Unfortunately, the product was used only for a very short time, due to World War II (Nester et al., 2002). Formation of transgenic plant was also observed. The first reports of insertion of genes encoding for B. thuringiensis delta-endotoxins into plants came in 1987 and the first transgenic plants to express B. thuringiensis toxins were tobacco and tomato plants (van Frankenhuyzen, 1993). In 1957 pacific yeast products commercialized the first strain on B. thuringiensis, named as Thuricide due to the increasing concern of biopesticide over the use of chemical insecticides. B. thuringiensis is a gram-positive spore-forming bacterium that produces crystalline proteins called deltaendotoxins during its stationary phase of growth (Schnepf et al., 1998). The crystal is released to the environment after analysis of the cell wall at the end of sporulation, and it can account for 20 to 30% of the dry weight of the sporulated cells (Schnepf et al., 1998) Distribution Habitat of B. thuringiensis This bacterium is distributed worldwide (Martin Travers, 1989). The soil has been described as its main habitat; however it has also been isolated from foliage, water, storage grains, and dead insects, etc (Iriarte Caballero, 2001). Isolation of strains from dead insects has been the main source for commercially used varieties, which include kurstaki, isolated from A. kuehniella; israelensis, isolated from mosquitoes, and tenebrionis, isolated from Tenebrio monitor larvae (Ninfa Rosas, 2009; Iriarte Caballero, 2001).. The spores of B. thuringiensis persist in soil, and vegetative growth occurs when nutrients are available (DeLucca et al., 1981; Akiba, 1986; Ohba Aizawa, 1986; Travers et al., 1987; Martin Travers, 1989). DeLucca et al., (1981) found that B. thuringiensis represented between 0.5% and 0.005% of all Bacillus species isolated from soil samples in the USA. Martin Travers (1989) recovered B. thuringiensis from soils globally. Meadows (1993) isolated B. thuringiensis from 785 of 1115 soil samples, and the percentage of samples that contained  B. thuringiensis ranged from 56% in New Zealand to 94% in samples from Asia and central and southern Africa. Ohba Aizawa (1986) isolated B. thuringiensis from 136 out of 189 soil samples in Japan. There are several theories on the ecological niche filled by B. thuringiensis. Unlike most insect pathogenic microbes, B. thuringiensis generally recycle poorly and rarely cause natural epizootics in insects, leading to speculation that B. thuringiensis is essentially a soil micro-organism that possesses incidental insecticidal activity (Martin Travers 1989). Evidence to support this view is that B. thuringiensis are commonly reported in the environment independent of insects and there is a lack of association between occurrence and insect activity (van Frankenhuyzen 1993). Meadows (1993) suggested four possible explanations for the presence of B. thuringiensis in soil: 1) rarely grows in soil but is deposited there by insects; 2) may be infective to soil-dwelling insects (as yet undiscovered); 3) may grow in soil when nutrients are available; and 4) an affinity with B. cereus. B. thuringiensis has been found extensively in the phylloplane. Numerous  B. thuringiensis subspecies have been recovered from coniferous trees, deciduous trees and vegetables, as well as from other herbs (Smith Couche, 1991; Damgaard et al., 1997). B. thuringiensis deposited on the upper side of leaves (exposed to the sun) may remain effective for only 1-2 days, but B. thuringiensis on the underside of leaves (i.e. protected from the sun) may remain active for 7-10 days (Swadner, 1994). B. thuringiensis kurstaki has been recovered from rivers and public water distribution systems after an aerial application of Thuricide 16B (Ohana, 1987). Crystal Composition and Morphology The existence of parasporal inclusions in B. thuringiensis was first noted in 1915 (Berliner, 1915), but their protein composition was not delineated until the 1950s (Angus, 1954). Hannay (1953) detected the crystalline fine structure that is a property of most of the parasporal inclusions. B. thuringiensis subspecies can synthesize more than one inclusion, which may contain different ICPs (Hannay, 1953). Depending on their ICP composition, the crystals have various forms (bipyramidal, cuboidal, flat rhomboid, or a composite with two or more crystal types) (Bulla et al., 1977; Hà ¶fte Whiteley, 1989). A partial correlation between crystal morphology, ICP composition, and bioactivity against target insects has been established (Bulla et al., 1977; Hà ¶fte Whiteley, 1989; Lynch Baumann, 1985). Classification of B. thuringiensis subspecies The classification of B. thuringiensis subspecies based on the serological analysis of the flagella (H) antigens was introduced in the early 1960s (de Barjac Bonnefoi, 1962). This classification by serotype has been supplemented by morphological and biochemical criteria (de Barjac, 1981). Until 1977, only 13 B. thuringiensis subspecies had been described, and at that time all subspecies were toxic to Lepidopteran larvae only. The discovery of other subspecies toxic to Diptera (Goldberg Margalit, 1977) and Coleoptera (Krieg et al., 1983) enlarged the host range and markedly increased the number of subspecies. Up to the end of 1998, over 67 subspecies based on flagellar H-serovars had been identified. Genetics of ICP In the early 1980s, it was established that most genes coding for the ICPs reside on large transmissible plasmids, of which most are readily exchanged between strains by conjugation (Gonzà ¡lez Carlton, 1980; Gonzà ¡lez et al., 1981). Since these initial studies, numerous ICP genes have been cloned, sequenced and used to construct  B. thuringiensis strains with novel insecticidal spectra (Hà ¶fte Whiteley, 1989). The currently known crystal (cry) gene types encode ICPs that are specific to either Lepidoptera (cryI), Diptera and Lepidoptera (cryII), Coleoptera (cryIII), Diptera (cryIV), or Coleoptera and Lepidoptera (cryV) (Hà ¶fte Whiteley, 1989). All ICPs described to date attack the insect gut upon ingestion. To date, each of the proteolytically activated ICP molecules with insecticidal activity has a variable C-terminal domain, which is responsible for receptrecognition (host susceptibility), and a conserved  N-terminal domain, which induces pore formation (toxicity) (Li et al., 1991). Most naturally occurring B. thuringiensis strains contain ICPs active against a single order of insects. However, conjugative transfer between B. thuringiensis strains or related species can occur, resulting in new strains with various plasmid contents (Gonzà ¡lez Carlton, 1980). Thus the mobility of the cry genes and the exchange of plasmids may explain the diverse and complex activity spectra observed in B. thuringiensis (Gonzà ¡lez Carlton, 1980; Gonzà ¡lez et al., 1981; Gonzà ¡lez et al., 1982; Reddy et al., 1987; Jarrett Stephenson, 1990). New B. thuringiensis strains have been developed by conjugation that is toxic to two insect orders. Nutritional status of B. thuringiensis Since sporulation and germination in bacilli are dependent on the nutritional status of the organism (Hardwick Foster, 1952), a study of the nutritional requirement of  B. thuringiensis var. thuringiensis is important for delineating the control mechanisms which regulate spore and parasporal crystal formation. Certain amino acids support growth, sporulation and crystal formation of B. thuringiensis var. thuringiensis, while others inhibit the growth (Singer et al., 1966; Singer Rogoff, 1968; Bulla et al., 1975; Nickerson Bulla, 1975; Rajalakshmi Shethna, 1977). A lower concentration of cystine (Nickerson Bulla, 1975) or cysteine (Rajalakshmi Shethna, 1977) promotes growth, sporulation and crystal formation in Î’. thuringiensis, while at a higher concentration of cys/cysSH, only the vegetative growth was observed, (Rajalakshmi Shethna, 1977). Classification of B. thuringiensis The classification of B. thuringiensis subspecies based on the serological analysis of the flagella (H) antigens was introduced in the early 1960s (de Barjac Bonnefoi, 1962). This classification by serotype has been supplemented by morphological and biochemical criteria (de Barjac, 1981). Many strains of B. thuringiensis have been isolated and classified within more than 20 different varieties by serological techniques. On the basis of their potency for insect these varieties have been grouped into five pathotypes: Lepidopteran-Specific (e.g. B. thuringiensis .var Kurstaki) Dipteran-Specific (e.g. B. thuringiensis . var israelensis) Coleopteran-Specific (e.g. B. thuringiensis .var. tenebrionis) Those active against Lepidoptera and Dipter(e.g. B. thuringiensis . var. aizawai) Those with no toxicity recorded in insects (e.g. B. thuringiensis . var. Dakota) Mode of Action The ICP structure and function have been reviewed in detail by Schnepf et al., (1998). Binding of the ICP to putative receptors is a major determinant of ICP specificity and the formation of pores in the midgut epithelial cells is a major mechanism of toxicity (Van Frankenhuyzen, 1993). After ingestion of B. thuringiensis by insect the crystal is dissolved in the insects alkaline gut. Then the digestive enzymes that are present in insects body break down the crystal structure and activate B. thuringiensiss insecticidal component, called the delta-endotoxin (Swadner, 1994). The delta-endotoxin binds to the cells lining the midgut membrane and creates pores in the membrane, upsetting the guts ion balance. The insect soon stops feeding and starves to death (Gill et al., 1992). Target Organisms In the past decades, B. thuringiensis Cry toxins were classified according to the target pest they attacked (Hofte Whiteley, 1998); however, due to the dual toxic activity exhibited by some cry genes and the inconsistencies in the original classification proposed by Hà ¶fte and Whiteley(1998), Crickmore et al., (1998) proposed a revision of the nomenclature for insecticidal crystal proteins, based on the ability of a crystal protein to exhibit some experimentally verifiable toxic effect in a target organism (Crickmore et al., 1998; Hà ¶fte Whiteley, 1998). The diversity of B. thuringiensis is demonstrated in the almost 70 serotypes and the 92 subspecies described to date (Galan-Wong et al., 2006). It is well known that many insects are susceptible to the toxic activity of  B. thuringiensis; among them, lepidopterans have been exceptionally well studied, and many toxins have shown activity against them (Jarret Stephens., 1990; Sefinejad et al., 2008). Order Lepidoptera encompasses the majority of susceptible species belonging to agriculturally important families such as Cossidae, Gelechiidae, Lymantriidae, Noctuidae, Pieridae, Pyralidae, Thaumetopoetidae, Tortricidae, and Yponomeutidae (Iriarte Caballero, 2001). General patterns of use: Commercial applications of B. thuringiensis have been directed mainly against lepidopteran pests of agricultural and forest crops; however, in recent years strains active against coleopteran pests have also been marketed (Tomlin, 1997). Strains of B. thuringiensis kurstaki active against dipteran vectors of parasitic disease organisms have been used in public health programmes (Tomlin, 1997). Applications in agriculture and forestry Commercial use of B. thuringiensis on agricultural and forest crops dates back nearly  30 years, when it became available in France (Van Frankenhuyzen, 1993). Use of  B. thuringiensis has increased greatly in recent years and the number of companies with a commercial interest in B. thuringiensis products has increased from four in 1980 to at least 18 (Van Frankenhuyzen, 1993). Several commercial B. thuringiensis products with B. thuringiensis aizawai, B. thuringiensis kuehniella or B. thuringiensis tenebrionise have been applied to crops using conventional spraying technology. Various formulations have been used on major crops such as cotton, maize, soybeans, potatoes, tomatoes, various crop trees and stored grains. Formulations have ranged from ultralow-volume oil to high-volume, wettable powder and aqueous suspensions (Tomlin, 1997). In the main, naturally occurring B. thuringiensis strains have been used, but transgenic microorganisms expressing B. thuringiensis toxins have been developed by conjugation and by genetic manipulation, and in some cases, these have reached the commercial market (Carlton et al., 1990). These modified organisms have been developed in order to increase host range, prolong field activity or improve delivery of toxins to target organisms. For example, the coleopteran-active cryIIIA gene has been transferred to a lepidopteran-active B. thuringiensis kuehniella (Carlton et al., 1 990). A plasmid bearing an ICP gene has been transferred from B. thuringiensis to a non-pathogenic leaf-colonizing isolate of Pseudomonas fluorescens; fixation of the transgenic cells produces ICP contained within a membrane which prolongs persistence (Gelernter, 1990). Applications in vector control B. thuringiensis Kurstaki has been used to control both mosquitos and blackflies in large-scale programmes (Lacey et al., 1982; Chilcott et al., 1983; Car, 1984; Car de Moor, 1984; Cibulsky Fusco, 1987; Becker Margalit, 1993; Bernhard Utz, 1993). For example, in Germany 23 tonnes of B. thuringiensis Kurstaki wettable powder and 19 000 litres of liquid concentrate were used to control mosquitos (Anopheles and Culex species) between 1981 and 1991 in the Upper Rhine Valley (Becker Margalit, 1993). In China, approximately 10 tonnes of B. thuringiensis Kurstaki have been used in recent years to control the malarial vector, Anopheles sinensis. Resistance of Insect Populations A number of insect populations of several different species with different levels of resistance to B. thuringiensis have been obtained by laboratory selection experiments during the last 15 years (Schnepf et al., 1998). The species include Plodia interpunctella, Cadra cautella, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, Chrysomela scripta, Tricholplusia ni, Spodoptera littoralis, Spodoptera exigua, Heliothis virescens, Ostrinia nubilalis and Culex quinquefasciatus (Schnepf et al., 1998). The Indian meal moth, a pest of grain storage areas, was the first insect to develop resistance to B. thuringiensis. Kurstaki (Swadner, 1994). Resistance progresses more quickly in laboratory experiments than under field conditions due to higher selection pressure in the laboratory (Tabashnik, 1991). No indications of insect resistance to B .thuringiensis were observed in the field, until the development of resistance was ob-served in the diamondback moth in crops where B. thuringiensis had been used repeatedly. Since then, resistance has been observed in the laboratory in the tobacco budworm, the Colorado potato beetle and other insect species (McGaughey, 1992) B. thuringiensiss Ecological Impacts Some of the most serious concerns about widespread use of B. thuringiensis as a pest control technique come from the effects it can have on animals other than the pest targeted for control. All B. thuringiensis products can kill organisms other than their intended targets. In turn, the animals that depend on these organisms for food are also impacted (Swadner, 1994). Effect on Beneficial insects: Many insects are not pests, and any pest management technique needs to be especially concerned about those that are called beneficials, the insects that feed or prey on pest species (Swadner, 1994). B. thuringiensis has impacts on a number of beneficial species. For example, studies of a wasp that is a parasite of the meal moth (Plodia interpunctella) found that treatment with B. thuringiensis reduced the number of eggs produced by the parasitic wasp, and the percentage of those eggs that hatched (Salama, 1993). Production and hatchability of eggs of a predatory bug were also decreased (Salama, 1991). Other insects: Many insects that do not have as directly beneficial importance to agriculture are important in the function and structure of ecosystems. A variety of studies have shown that B. thuringiensis applications can disturb insect communities (Swadner, 1994). Research following large-scale B. thuringiensis applications to kill gypsy moth larvae in Lane County, Oregon, found that the number of oak-feeding caterpillar species was reduced for three years following spraying, and the number of caterpillars was reduced for two years (Miller, 1990). Birds: Because many birds feed on the caterpillars and other insects affected by B. thuringiensis applications, it is not surprising that impacts of B. thuringiensis spraying on birds have been documented (Swadner, 1994). In New Hampshire, when B. thuringiensis-treatment reduced caterpillar abundance, black-throated blue warblers made fewer nesting attempts and also brought fewer caterpillars to their nestlings (Rodenhouse, 1992). Effects on Humans Eight human volunteers ingested 1 gram of a B. thuringiensis kuehniella formulation  (3 ÃÆ'- 109 spores/g of powder) daily for 5 days. Of the eight volunteers, five also inhaled 100 mg of the B. thuringiensis kuehniella powder daily for five days. Comprehensive medical examinations immediately before, after, and 4 to 5 weeks later failed to demonstrate any adverse health effects, and all the blood chemistry and urinalysis tests were negative (Fisher Rosner, 1959). Pivovarov et al., (1977) reported that ingestion of foods contaminated with  B. thuringiensis gastroenteitis at concentrations of 105 to 109 cells/g caused nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and tenesmus, colic-like pains in the abdomen, and fever in three of the four volunteers studied. The toxicity of the B. thuringiensis gastroenteritis strain may have been due to beta-exotoxin (Ray, 1990). In a purified form, some of the proteins produced by B. thuringiensis are acutely toxic to mammals. However, in their natural form, acute toxicity of commonly-used  B. thuringiensis varieties is limited to caterpillars, mosquito larvae, and beetle larvae (Swadner, 1994). Special Concerns about B. thuringiensis Toxicity The earliest tests done regarding B. thuringiensiss toxicity were conducted using B. thuringiensis var. thuringiensis, a B. thuringiensis strain known to contain a second toxin called beta-exotoxin (Swadner, 1994). The beta-exotoxin is toxic to vertebrates, with an LD 50 (median lethal dose; the dose that kills 50 percent of a population of test animals) of 13-18 milligrams per kilogram of body weight (mg/kg) in mice when injected into the abdomen. An oral dose of 200 mg/kg per day killed mice after eight days (swadner, 1994) Beta-exotoxin also causes genetic damage to human blood cells (Meretoja, 1977).

Friday, January 17, 2020

Discrimination towards Asians Essay

The expansion of America was a realization within the political and financial elite that there is a need for America to create markets in foreign countries for the American goods. By the turn of the 1890s there was a lot of surplus in goods that we need to penetrate overseas markets to address under consumption and economic crisis. The United States was under the premise that the countries with the largest navies and military force would eventually inherit the earth (Zinn, 1942). Before the election of President William McKinley he said that the American people needs overseas market for the surplus products since the American soil and factories are producing more than what the American people needed. This surplus should be of the advantage of the country since it will bring commercial supremacy. This supremacy led to the expansionist view in politics and even in the naval forces. President Roosevelt created propaganda for expansion in the 1890s together with other political elites who share his expansionist standpoint. Roosevelt was perhaps the greatest expansionist of his time. He was up to penetrate Hawaii, Philippines and China. In 1898, 10% of American goods were sold in the foreign markets which amounted to billions of dollars. By the year 1895, the foreign investment of American Capitalists has reached billions of dollars especially in the steel industry. This further fanned the need for the American capitalists to create overseas markets and this made engaging in war an option. As in the case of Philippines, the conflict between the Spanish conquerors and the Filipino rebels paved way for the intervention of America in the guise of â€Å"generosity†. In 1899, the American government under the presidency of William McKinley sent troops to the Philippines to aide the Filipinos in fighting their war against the Spaniards. Mckinley states four reasons on why he decided to colonize the Philippines. The first was he can’t give the Philippines back to the Spaniards. Second is that he can’t give the Philippines to the French. Third is that he thinks that the Philippines is â€Å"unfit† to govern for themselves and the forth is that he has no choice but to â€Å"adopt† the Filipinos and â€Å"civilize† them (Zinn, 1942). By the term â€Å"civilized† and â€Å"unfit† he was under the notion that Filipinos are savages, uneducated, and unscrupulous. This only shows that even the president of a democratic country thinks lowly of a race that has endured 300 years of oppression and was courageous enough to ouster a government as strong as Spain. The country was under the Spanish rule for more than 300 hundred years and the Filipinos were craving for freedom. The Filipinos under the leadership of Emilio Aguinaldo were gaining much power at that time and some historians say that the Filipino people could have won the war without the American intervention. Since the Americans came on cue, just as the war was supposed to end, America took all the credit and branded themselves as heroes and liberator of the country. This scenario is similar to what the United States did to Cuba. When the Cuban rebels sought help from the United States, they sent American troops instead of financial resources (Zinn, 1942). When the Spanish colonizers where defeated, the US did not recognize the efforts of the rebels and took over Cuba. Before the US freed Cuba, they made sure that Platt amendment will be added to the constitution giving the US rights to intervene with the Cuban government. Some US bases where also retained and the Cuban market was remained opened to American exports. In the case of the Philippines, US intervention came in together with education, clothing, healthcare and other basic necessities that were deprived by the Spaniards. Since the Spaniards aimed to suppress education among Filipinos and keep them dependent to their regime, the â€Å"Education for everyone scheme† of the United States was a hit for most of the Filipinos. However the struggle continued for those who seek real independence (Grey, 2003). The expansionist point of view of Americans towards the Philippines was regarded as acts of robbery and oppression by a black soldier designated in the Philippines. It was a bloody war as news articles and journals of soldiers revealed that they shot Filipinos like â€Å"rabbits† including the women and children who were helpless (Zinn, 1942). Discrimination in the political system was also evident since only the Americans hold office and Filipinos where kept at the lower offices of the political structure. Similar to the faith of those non-whites, the Filipino people where discriminated even in today’s society. Due to economic reasons a great percentage of Filipinos are now working abroad as domestic workers. Blue collar jobs such as domestic helpers, construction workers, waiters and etc are the most common employment for Filipinos residing in the United States (Manalansan, 2003). Because of this, stereotypes where based upon the assumption that Filipinos are uneducated and are capable of doing only menial jobs. In fact, in a British dictionary the meaning of the word Filipina is â€Å"domestic helper†. This may be attributed to the fact that 90% of Filipinos working abroad are females. However, we fail to see is that a large percentage of these Filipino workers have a college degree and are in fact educated. Sociology dictates that since Filipinos have been subjected to three colonizers (Spanish, Americans and Japanese) they are by nature patient, enduring and industrious. Thus, doing menial jobs are sacrifices they are willing to make just to alleviate their families current economic status (Manalansan, 2003). Today, the Philippines is the worlds major exporter of manpower especially in health care. Filipino nurses and care givers pride themselves as pioneers in their craft and the country even hails them as the present day heroes. However, when they set foot on the foreign soil, that pride turns to discrimination. Though they are well capable and well trained in nursing, skin color often hinders them from being treated the same way as that of the white nurses. A quote from the TV show Desperate Housewives uttered by Teri Hatcher says: â€Å"Okay, before we go any further, can I check those diplomas because I just wanna make sure that they’re not from some med school in the Philippines. This only supports the fact that Filipinos are still caught under the stereotype that they are incapable and are discriminated upon (Salanga, 2007). In comparison to the African-Americans, Filipinos experience greater amount of discrimination due to the fact that they are smaller, second is the portrayal of the Philippines as a country of terrorists, third is that they are uneducated and forth is that most of them don’t speak good English. But unknown to most Americans is that there is a thriving business of call centers in the Philippines which started in 2000. When we dial customer service and ask for help for a certain product, we might be seeking advice from Filipinos that we discriminate against. The thing is we don’t even notice that they are Filipinos by the way they speak. They are proficient in English and are able to address of plights properly, hence, the notion that Filipinos are dumb serves as an irony. In call centers, we ask for help from Filipinos and not the other way around. At present the Call center industry in the Philippines captures 20% of the world market share in call centers and the Philippine government aims to get 50% of share by the year 2008 (Ortigas Online, 2007). Filipinos today face what sociologists call double jeopardy. Because Filipinos are discriminated, they have difficulty of finding good jobs. It is estimated that a majority of Filipinos in the United States today are still holding blue collar jobs though some of them have white collar jobs. Some have even made it big time in the United States just like the lead singer of the Pussy Cat Dolls who is a Filipino-American (Ezugwu, 2007). Though some have made it up in the economic ladder, Filipinos still comprise the majority in service sectors jobs in the United States. Their poverty reinforces their minority status. Thus, the so-called â€Å"ladder of discrimination† as what sociologists call is also reinforced. Filipinos have the difficulty of upgrading their status by economic means because of these stereotypes. Thus, white Americans always associate Filipinos with poverty, terrorism, violence and ignorance. This then hinders them from alleviating their status and making their chances at getting high paying jobs a lot slimmer as compared to the whites. However, when I check the web and type â€Å"Philippines† in the search box it is amazing how it differs from what the media is projecting. As a country the Philippines has wonderful places and beautiful culture. They are deeply rooted to their religion and values which make them generally warm and happy individuals (Tope, L. & Nonan-Mercado, 2007). Their history with the Spaniards taught Filipinos how to be industrious and enduring as they were colonized by Spain for 300 years. These characteristics of Filipinos show in their approach to their work here in the United States. I think the fact that they are willing to occupy menial jobs that most Americans would shun is a manifestation that they are hardworking people. Perhaps it is this realization that led to further acceptance to the Filipino culture and the Filipino people. In the United States there are Filipino communities in every state (The Filipino, 2007) and a lot of Americans prefer to have Filipino wives saying that Filipinos make a loving wife and mother. The country also has a strong president as of pres time and aims to renew the image of the Philippines as a country filled with communists. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo wasfeatured in the Times Magazine for the second time and was hailed as one of the most powerful women in Asia (Spaeth, 2001). Since she is very stern in her fight against terrorism the Philippines and the Filipinos are beginning to portray a wonderful picture in our minds. In addition to that, society has become more lenient as to the case of racism. Many citizens are now aware that skin color or race does not limit a person’s ability to do his job properly. Filipinos, much like the other minority groups should be given the chance to grow and show their abilities. The growing popularity of snit racism and equality has made some impact on the way Filipinos are treated, however it is not yet evident in most cases. Reference http://www.commondreams.org/scriptfiles/views03/1117-11.htm

Thursday, January 9, 2020

Impact of Science on Society - 38427 Words

THE IMPACT OF SCIENCE ON SOCIETY James Burke Jules Bergman Isaac Asimov NASA SP-482 THE IMPACT OF SCIENCE ON SOCIETY James Burke Jules Bergman Isaac Asimov Prepared by Langley Research Center Scientific and Technical Information Branch 1985 National Aeronautics and Space Administration Washington, DC Library of Congress Cataloging in PublicationData Burke, James, 1936The impact of science on society. (NASA SP ; 482) Series of lectures given at a public lecture series sponsored by NASA and the College of William and Mary in 1983. 1 . Science-Social aspects-Addresses, essays, lectures. I. Bergman, Jules. 11. Asimov, Isaac, 1920. 111. United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. IV.College of William and Mary. V.†¦show more content†¦In many cases, it has been the awareness that change was even happening at all, the understanding that the solid base from which prediction was being made might be about as solid as quicksand. Even the most apparently immutable system or structure may be experiencing change even as you look at it. By change I mean, of course, not just change in the sense of bigger and better models and new ways of doing the same things you were doing before, but qualitative change in the structure and behavior of the society in which you live. I mean new philosophies as well as new gadgets. Ià ¢â‚¬â„¢m not saying that the appreciation of change is easy; far from it, particularly today. As one of your more respectable social forecasters said recently, â€Å"If you understand something today, that means it must by definition already be obsolete.† Our general relationship with the present accelerating rate of change reminds me of the postcard from the patient on holiday to his psychiatrist at home: â€Å"Having a wonderful time. 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Wednesday, January 1, 2020

How The Escalation Of Student s Debt Has Impacted...

According to statistical data released by the Institute for College Access and Success, nearly two-thirds of the total number of students graduating from American institutions of higher learning is leaving school with some level of debt (Dwyer, Mccloud, Hodson, 2012). As revealed by the data projections, learners who are average borrows are graduating with a debt of an upwards of $ 26,000 in debt. With the total count of the debt crossing the $ 1.3 trillion mark, the issue is alarming and needs swift action before it worsens. While the average American believes that a degree is a pathway to a successful life in America, the burden of debt combined with the lessening educational and financial returns are frustrating American graduates,†¦show more content†¦This surge of tuition prices has left most prospective American students at risk of failing to secure a chance in one of the institutions of higher education. However, in the attempts of providing solutions, the government introduced educational loans that were repayable after completion of their respective course. This was where the challenge began since most of the students who received such loans faced challenges of repaying the loans they were given by the government. There arose the burden of debt since the loans students were given very expensive because institutions were charging high prices in the first place. In result, after students complete their course in this institution, the amount they have to repay for their loans becomes much to bear. The root of the debt burden problem lies with the institutions themselves, which are expensive to afford. However, institutions of higher learning might not be the only ones to blame since in most cases they respond to prevailing financial demands related to the provision of the educational programs they offer. For instance, due to increase in the cost of electricity and food, a university or a college may be forced to charge more to account for the additional expenses the institutions have to have for electricity. Similarly, due the rapidly changing economic times, the cost of running institutions over time certainly increased and newly admitted students had to pay for the