Breast Cancer and Palliative Care Issues

Breast Cancer and Palliative Care Issues Hina Mirza The purpose of this writing is to highlight issues of the patient in palliative consideration, which a patient faced throughout the disease process and at terminal stage of illness. Moreover, it will drag one’s attention towards some strategies to deal patient with advance cancer. A 54 year old female with known case of ductal cell carcinoma of left breast, came to the hospital with the complaint of oozing and pain in fungating wound large in size present at the primary site of tumor. When I encountered the patient, she was very drowsy and unable to talk due to mouth ulcers that have been developed a week ago. Upon taking history from the patient’s attendants, they verbalize that the patient got breast cancer for 1.5 years and since then she was on homeopathic treatment. Moreover, the patient initially didn’t inform anyone about her disease, not even to her husband. Later, when symptoms got exacerbate she disclosed her problem to the family members. Consequently, she was taken to a cancer hospital, where a doctor recommended her for a biopsy. Thus, the results revealed breast carcinoma. Even after, she didn’t consult to the doctor and continued her homeopathic medication. While taking care of the patient, I got an opportunity to approach her about the reasons behind postponement in the diagnosis and the variables that make her condition decline. One of the reasons she gave in regards to not counseling a specialist or not having a legitimate treatment was monetary instability, an alternate reason was absence of awareness with respect to tumor treatment and misconceptions identified with its side effects. Besides, after a time of 1 year when her condition got crumble and a tumor in her breast uncovered as fungating wound, a relative took her again to the cancer hospital, from that point she was referred to the Baitul Sukoon for palliative consideration. The patient verbalizes torment because of mouth ulcers and as indicated by speciali sts her tumor has been metastasized to different parts of the body including liver and brain. Moreover, the patient likewise expressed that she will give priority to the treatment other than surgery on the grounds that she is afraid about losing her breast and it will alter her body image. In addition to it, the patient’s attendant stated that her nutrition pattern has been also effected which causes weakness. The patient was prepared and very much aware of her condition. For a week she has been on laxatives and as indicated by the specialist she had developed encephalopathy. Following 2 weeks of hospitalization; she died because of deteriorated condition. Breast cancer is a serious health issue among women throughout the world. According to a consultant at Shaukat Khanam Memorial Cancer Hospital, in Pakistan it is estimated that 1 in 9 women develops breast cancer once at any stage of their life. Cancer affects a person not only physically, but also cause spiritual, sexual, and psychological distress. When considering a physical domain of the patient in palliative care, she was suffering from pain and mouth ulcers which as a result altered her communication pattern. On the other hand, she was very drowsy, her dietary intake has also decreased and the patient has not passed stools for 2 days. Looking forward to the above mentioned symptoms firstly, mouth sore is among common indications in cancer patient in light of the fact that when patients are in critical condition, they lack oral hygiene as a result becomes more prone to infection. In addition to it, infections in cancer patients remain a major complication due to effects of malig nancy i.e. neutropenia. These patients require prompt antibiotics (Bodey, 2004). As the patient mentioned in the above scenario was getting augmentation. As indicated by literature, oral cavity plays a vital role in communication and dietary pattern and in cancer patient alterations in the oral cavity is common because of the certainty of diminished in preventive consideration (Eilers Million, 2011). Secondly, impaired oral cavity results in decreased intake of food that is critical at this stage of cancer. Decline in nutrition is considered normal at the terminal stage of life as a result malnutrition, cachexia is commonly found in patient with palliative care (Capra, ferguson, Ried, 2001). Thirdly, the patient was showing symptoms of encephalopathy. As literature evidenced that as an outcome of some metabolic disturbance, encephalopathy is a common clinical syndrome in cancer patients (Lore, Anne, Patrick, Simon, 2012). Relating it to the above scenario, the patient has been be d ridden for 2 months, not passing stool and she has been on laxative since 2 weeks. The purpose of giving laxative was to prevent hyper ammonia in the body which can cause encephalopathy. According to Willson, Nott, Broadbridge, Price (2013) hepatic encephalopathy as a result of liver infiltration is common among metastatic malignancy. Analyzing the psycho-social factors that becomes hindrance to care and approach to treatment as part palliative care were fear related to losing her breast, unawareness of the patient and her family members about disease and treatment options linked with socio-cultural barriers, financial issues, and preference towards alternative drugs i.e. homeopathic treatment. According to a research it was found that patients with breast cancer who consulted a doctor had fear of mastectomies. Firstly, the reason behind fear was lack of awareness about treatment option available for breast cancer such as procedures that are less invasive like lumpectomies. Due to the fact, women avoid availing proper check up and maintained non-compliance to the cancer therapy (Memon et al., 2013). Secondly, among socio-cultural barriers, lack of information related to disease due to low education reported by women. This ultimately delays the approach to health care, even with prominent signs and symptoms of a di sease such as nodule, edema and erythema. One of the reasons behind avoidance is social myths, society including friends and family gives different meaning to these symptoms, which minimize its seriousness. Moreover, cultural barriers have strong impact on getting awareness related to breast cancer. According to Banning, Hassan, Faisal, Hafeez (2010) many Asian women do not perform self breast examination because of a taboo related to touching own body parts, feeling embarrassment to discuss intimate body parts and to consult a male physician. According to literature myths around the pathology of breast cancer causes late diagnosis and hindrance to care (Goncalves et al., 2014). Thirdly, cancer treatment is considered financially devastating burden to the family because they have to pay for the treatment by themselves (Daher, 2012). Therefore, initiating treatment becomes psychologically distressing for the patient and for the family. Relating it to the scenario, the patient didnâ €™t disclose her problem to the family member due to myths and unawareness related to disease. Lastly, in my opinion the main factor that contributes to delay in diagnosis and worse the patient’s condition was preferences for homeopathic medicine and this again could be linked with lack of awareness related to the availability of treatment options. According to a research it’s commonly reported that individual with cancer seek alternative medicine due to misconception associated with treatment options (Daher, 2012). Moreover, unconventional methods, including traditional herbal medicine and healers over doctors for cancer treatment also reported in a study of women associated with delay seeking medical advice (Memon et al., 2013). Numerous factors contribute towards, delay and obstruction in treatment of breast malignancy. In terms of prioritize the variables that add to delay in diagnosis were unawareness related to the options available for treatment, socio-cultural hindrances, choosing alternative medicine, and financial issues. On individual level health professionals must respect autonomy of the patient and inclination of treatment. It is ones obligation to explain potential harm of such alternative treatment. Besides, when health care prrovider experience patients with breast tumor, they should explain its risk factors and preventive measures to the patient and their family members for precautionary purpose. On hospital level, staff should be well trained to deal cross culturally and care for the patient with interdisciplinary aspects and according to patients needs. These can include care according to patient’s comfortability level, counseling patient’s family regarding disease and helping them to select suitable and appropriate treatment options. Moreover, the Government should organize an awareness program to educate the patient with respect to primary prevention, which includes awareness related to self breast examination, treatment options that are less invasive as a secondary prevention and tertiary prevention that should include the concept of palliative care, and information about the institution that provide palliative and hospice care. On the other hand, female health care professionals should be given first priority to be trained to deal with culturally sensitive issues. Together, these contributions can help to eradicate issues related to breast cancer and will support patients suffering from it. References Banning,M., Hassan,M., Faisal,S., Hafeez,H. (2010). Cultural interrelationships and the lived experience of Pakistani breast cancer patients.European Journal of Oncology Nursing. doi:10.1016/j.ejon.2010.05.001 B-Articles. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.shaukatkhanum.org.pk/news-a-events/events/228.html BODEY,G. (1986). Infection in cancer patients: A continuing association.American Journal of Medicine. doi:10.1016/0002-9343(86)90510-3 Capra,S., Ferguson,M., Ried,K. (2001). Cancer: impact of nutrition intervention outcome—nutrition issues for patients.Nutrition. doi:10.1016/S0899-9007(01)00632-3 Daher,M. (2012). Cultural beliefs and values in cancer patients.Annals of Oncology. doi:10.1093/annonc/mds091 Eilers,J., Million,R. (2011). Clinical Update: Prevention and Management of Oral Mucositis in Patients with Cancer.Seminars in Oncology Nursing. doi:10.1016/j.soncn.2011.08.001 Gonà §alves,L.C., Travassos,G.L., Almeida,A.M., Guimarà £es,A.N., Gois,C.F. (2014). Barriers in health care to breast cancer: perception of women*. Retrieved from DOI: 10.1590/S0080-623420140000300002 Kingsley,C. (2010).Cultural and Socioeconomic Factors Affecting Cancer Screening, Early Detection and Care in the Latino Population. Lore,L., Anne,S., Patrick,S., Simon,V.B. (2012). Neoplasm Related Encephalopathies. InMiscellanea on Encephalopathies A Second Look(pp.91-120). INTECH Open Access Publisher. Memon,Z.A., Shaikh,A.N., Rizwan,S., Sardar,M.B. (2013). Reasons for Patient’s Delay in Diagnosis of Breast Carcinoma in Pakistan. Retrieved from DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7314/APJCP.2013.14.12.7409 Willson,K.J., Nott,L.M., Broadbridge,V.T., Price,T. (2013). Hepatic Encephalopathy Associated With Cancer or Anticancer Therapy.Gastrointest Cancer Research,6(1), 11-16. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3597933/

Status Of Languages In Mauritius English Language Essay

Status Of Languages In Mauritius English Language Essay The study of this dissertation is based on the use of modern technology in the teaching and learning process at secondary level education. Being a language teacher (French language), I have focused my study on language classes being conducted in a technology-based environment, also known as a Language Laboratory. This dissertation will seek to evaluate the use and the effectiveness of a language laboratory to teach second languages such as English and French languages in Mauritian secondary schools. It is a comparative study between the St. Andrews School, situated at Rose-Hill, which is equipped with a language lab and the Vacoas SSS (Girls) which represents the classical classroom method of teaching languages. 1.1 BACKGROUND: STATUS OF LANGUAGES IN MAURITIUS In the official website of the Government of Mauritius, the status of languages in Mauritius is described as follows: English is the official language. French is extensively used and Creole is widely spoken. Asian languages also form part of the linguistic mosaic. (Government portal of Mauritius 2012) However, when unfolding the above-mentioned description of the linguistic situation in Mauritius, we will see that it is not that simple, due to its complex history of immigration and colonization. 1.1.1 COLONIAL HISTORY OF MAURITIUS The colonial history of Mauritius is the root cause of our multiethnic and multilingual society. It all started with the Arab and then Portugese sailors who are believed to have visited our island in the early XVIth century. Between 1590 and 1710, the Dutch colonized the island and their main activity was the exportation of ebony wood. For this purpose, they brought several Malagasy slaves in Mauritius. However they have not made major developments apart from the introduction of sugar cane, domestic animals and deer. In 1715, Mauritius became a french colony and it has been extensively developped especially when Mahà © de Labourdonnais governed the country as from 1735. Many slaves were imported mostly from Africa and Madagascar and a few Indians came from Coromanddel and Malabar Coast. Other French governors continued the development of the island until 1810 when the British took over. However, they decided to preserve the laws, customs, language, religion and property, that is, the civil and judicial administration of the island as it was during the French reign. During the English colony, sugar production increased to become a major foreign income earner, thus leading to economic progress which called for the expansion and development of means of communication and appropriate infrastructure. All these development necessitated the importation of more slaves from Africa and Madagascar. However in 1835 the abolition of slavery brought major changes in the island on the socio-economic and demographic fields. A large number of indentured laborer from different parts in India were coming to Mauritius to work in the sugar cane fields and later a small number of Chinese traders joined them in the island. In 1907 the immigration ceased, however many Indians had already settled permanently in the island and as a matter of fact they formed the majority of the population. The gathering of a mosaic of people from India, China, Africa and Europe lead to a process of hybridization and intercultural frictions and dialogues. In 1959, voting took place for the first time on the basis of universal adult suffrage and the number of electors rose to 208,684. In 1968 Mauritius gained its independence. (Government protal of Mauritius 2012) 1.1.2 ACTUAL LINGUISTIC SITUATION OF MAURITIUS Today the population of Mauritius is more than 1.2 million people, which consists of 68% Indo-Mauritians (Hindus and Muslims), 27% Creole (Af ro-Mauritians and mixed population), 3% Sino-Mauritians and 2% Franco-Mauritians (CIA, 2008). Rajah-Carrim (2005) has identified eleven main languages actually used in Mauritius and she further classified them into three categories: colonial languages (English and French) and language of everyday communication (Creole), and ancestral languages (Indian and Chinese languages) which are used on limited occasions. Mahadeo (2004) explains the linguistic situation of Mauritius in these terms : Given the number of languages (at least 12) used by different ethnic groups in an island with a population which now exceeds 1.2 million people and an area of 720 square miles, Mauritius presents an extreme case of individual multilingualism According to Chiba (2006), Mauritius is the most linguistically fashionable place on the planet. Mauritian swap languages depending on the circumstances, in the same way as others change clothes. He further illustrated his point of view with the following example: Over the course of a day a typical Mauritian might use English to write a school essay, Kreol Morisien to chat with friends, French to read a novel and Bhojpuri to spend a quiet evening with the family. Chiba (2006) then classified the use of the major languages as follows: Home: Kreol and Bhojpuri Government and schools: English Business: French and Kreol Literature, newspapers and television: French Casual speech: Kreol However Chiba (2006) pointed out that this table is only an overview since French is also often present in government and English is not completely absent in the media. In his Ethnologue: Languages of the world, Lewis (2009) has enumerated the main languages spoken in Mauritius with their respective number of users: English: 3,000 speakers (1993), French: 37,000 speakers, Morisyen: 800,000 speakers (2005), Bhojpuri: 336,000 speakers (2001), Urdu: 64,000 speakers (1993), Hakka Chinese: 35,000 speakers (1990), Tamil: 31,000 speakers (2001), Eastern Panjabi: speakers (1990), Marathi: 11,800 speakers (1990), Telugu: 10,700 speakers (1990) and Gujarati: 3,340 speakers (1990). The main colonial languages used in Mauritius are English, which is the official language and French which is considered as the second and semi-official language and which is widely used in the media and for oral communication. However other languages such as Spanish, Italian and German are also used especially in the sector of education and tourism. The lingua franca of Mauritius is the Kreol Morisyen which is considered by the majority of Mauritians, as their mother tongue. Moreover, this language as acts as a language of unity and many works are being presently carried out to standardise its orthographe and its grammar. The Kreol Morisyen is now present in the education system of Mauritius, at primary level where the students are given the choice to opt for this language or an oriental language. A quite large number of ancestral languages are also present in Mauritius such as Bhojpuri, Hindi, Gujerati, Kutchi, Mandarin, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu and Arabic, but their use are limited to cultural instances. However the Bhojpuri language can be considered as another lingua franca of Mauritius since quite a large number of Mauritians still use it for oral communication. 1.2 AIM The aim of this study is to find out whether the language lab can be considered as a solution to the various language issues faced by Mauritian students, by evaluating its impact in the teaching and learning process of languages at secondary level of education. 1.3 OBJECTIVES The set objectives of this study are to evaluate: 1. The level of improvement, if any, in the language competencies of the students with the language laboratory 2. The students level of comfort and ease in a language lab, a modern class setting and with modern learning tools. 3. The students level of motivation, interest and response in language laboratory classes. 4. The Teachers response, the classroom management and the classroom atmosphere in a language lab. 5. A comparison between language classes in a language lab and language classes in a traditional language class. 1.4 PROBLEM STATEMENT Mauritians are considered bilingual; we can communicate in both English and French languages. Even if Mauritians use the Creole language to communicate orally, English is the official language in Mauritius and French is considered as a semi-official language in Mauritius. Both these languages are taught in primary schools as compulsory subjects alongside the Mauritian Kreol and some oriental languages which are optional subjects. In secondary schools, English and French languages are core compulsory subjects from the Form I till the School certificate classes and they are taught as second languages and not foreign languages. Thus we can say that all Mauritian students study English and French languages since the age of 5 or 6 yrs old, but still at the end of the secondary education, few of us can have a proper conversation or can write a letter without grammatical errors in these languages. A precise analysis of the statistics, published by Mauritius Examination Syndicate MES on the pass rate of Mauritian students, clearly shows that the level of Mauritian students in English and French is low. Even though the percentage pass is high, quality-wise the results are not good. (MES, 2011) There are various factors which can explain this problem and the main reasons are: the lack of motivation of the students in language classes, the lack of exposure to the languages, contact with other languages, the decline of the reading culture, the language subjects being considered as less important subjects and the exam oriented syllabus among others. This research will thus propose an alternative way of conducting language classes, namely using the language laboratory. It will try to measure its effectiveness, efficiency and relevance and whether it can be considered as a solution to the above mentioned problem. 1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS According to the objectives of the study, the research questions have been formulated as follows: 1. What are the language issues in the teaching and learning process of second languages in Mauritius? 2. What are the roles of modern technology in language classes and to what extent can technology be a remedy to these issues? 3. What is a language laboratory and what is its impact in a secondary school? 4. What is the students and teachers response in a language laboratory which is a modern class setting with modern teaching and learning tools? 5. To what extent can the students compare this modern language class with their traditional language classes? 6. Have the teachers and the students noticed an improvement in their language competencies with the language laboratories? If yes, which specific domain(s) of their language competencies have been improved? (E.g. grammar, pronunciation, vocabularies, reading, writing, spelling, fluencyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦)

Essay --

Introduction Children of the 21st century are facing brand new health challenges. We are witnessing epidemic levels of new childhood disorders within the most recent generation of U.S. children. These children are also experiencing a higher percentage of familiar diseases and disorders, such as obesity, diabetes, cancer, asthma, attention-deficit diagnoses, intestinal problems, and even mental disorders, than any other generation of the past. There is certainly a health crisis in America, one that can make or break the very foundation of our health as a nation of capable citizens. As our country prepares to launch the Affordable Care Act, with the government entering into managing part of the health care industry, the time is now to take matters into our own hands to ensure the well-being of our families. America’s kids are in a full-blown crisis; they are under attack, losing out on their quality of life before they can even enter adulthood. The U.S. infant mortality rate has worsened significantly. In 2009, the mortality rate ranking dropped from 28th in the world to 41st in the world. More of our children are dying during the first four weeks of life than ever before. At 4.3 neonatal deaths per 1,000 live births, the U.S. now shares the 41st spot with Croatia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. There is a huge rise in the number of children affected with these conditions: ADD/ADHD, autism, asthma, digestive problems, and anxiety and general â€Å"mood disorders.† A report released in 2012 revealed that one in every 54 boys in the U.S. has been diagnosed with autism, and the number of children with autism is expected to double every five years. A health epidemic is no longer on the horizon; clear evidence reveals that it is here... ... quickly, and his coloring is healthy, not pallid and grey. He thinks more clearly and sleeps more deeply. He is no longer malnourished. He is relaxed, and he smiles a lot. Had no one corrected the core problem, the allergy to wheat, the boy would’ve been facing a lifetime of discomfort and crippled health. A proper diet is critically important for the body’s rapid growth that occurs throughout each year of childhood, when a person is developing the intricate systems that must last them for a lifetime. You can easily establish a solid base of well-being for your child, knowing that this gift will last them for a lifetime. Even during such challenging and busy times, the solution for optimum wellness is within your reach, you just need to know where to start. It’s time to build them up! You’ve got the power and the ability to change the world, one child at a time.

Primary School Capers :: essays research papers

It seems so long ago now, since the mischievous days of mid-primary school. Since the days I never did homework, and was ever so surreptitious to avoid getting caught – well trying to anyway. And the days when my little ploys of â€Å"forgetting† to have done homework, were discovered in the most humiliating of ways. There was on specific day this happened, I can vividly remember. It was grade 3, half way through primary school, a time I never contemplated high school or my future, a time when the concept of homework was a joke. Like the facetious Hyena, I was in hysterical laughter at peoples’ earnestness toward school. But life is not without karma, as I now understand the importance of homework and schooling. Today school is about â€Å"ENTER† scores and getting â€Å"A+†. Back then it was about staying away from the â€Å"Goodie, Goodies†, who would always have the homework completed for question time the next day. â€Å"Goodie, Goodies† to us little â€Å"blokes†, were usually girls in the class, or a boy we considered to be a girl – a â€Å"pussy†. Why is it that the majority of human beings have a lackadaisical approach to school? All those cliched comments like â€Å"I hate homework† or â€Å"school sucks big time man†, reinforce a wide spread inclination to not do homework. Is that what it is, or is it all about image and ego to us â€Å"blokes† – earnestly trying to avoid the dreaded label: â€Å"Goodie, Goodie†. It is therefore not half-obvious why schools such as Camberwell Grammar experience horrific cases of school bullying. Occupied with maintaining our â€Å"tough† image, we â€Å"little tackers† never took heed to these important issues. Nor did we take heed to doing homework. During grade 3, our Math homework became accustomed to rotting away at the depths of our school bags, along with the mould ridden sandwiches and three-year-old bananas. One day â€Å"judge dread† (the teacher), was going through the homework question by question†¦ â€Å"Math books open at least nights homework† in what sounded like a vultures screech. I opened at some pretend page and stayed low key, whilst the teacher mercilessly pointed her finger around the room. It was terrifying as she always seemed to sense an â€Å"evader† in the room – her eyes a radar, and her finger a laser, ready to embarrass her victim at any moment. All the â€Å"Goodie, Goodies† held their fingers in the air back at the teacher, which seemed like some tribal link between teacher and â€Å"Goodie, Goodie† – it was the â€Å"Kripendorfs Tribe† of St.

Strongman by Tony Curtis and Mid-term break by Seamus Heaney :: English Literature

Strongman by Tony Curtis and Mid-term break by Seamus Heaney deal with the subject death of a family member. Compare both poems showing how the poets introduce their subjects. Which poem did you prefer and why? One of the poets, Tony Curtis, is Welsh, whilst, Seamus Heaney is Irish. Seamus Heaney has grown up on a farm in Northern Ireland with his brothers and his parents. The whole family has taken on the family business of farming, while Seamus Heaney received an education. Both poets are still alive today. These two poems describe the deaths of a family member. The "Mid-term break" is the tragic death of Heaney's four-year-old brother and the poem progresses over twenty-four hours. "Strongman" is describing the author's strong, caring father who dies naturally in "his final hour". While the "Mid-Term Break" had an awkward and devastating mood the "Strongman" has a more positive outlook on the family member's death as it looks back into the younger, happier times. There are a few other comparisons that can be made, whilst the "Mid-Term Break" is a death that shocked people, the "Strongman" was a peaceful and easy to accept death. In this essay I intend to look at the differences and similarities in the poems. The first poem I intend to discuss is "Mid-Term Break" by Seamus Heaney. The title "Mid-Term Break" suggests the poem is about children as we associate a mid-term break with school holidays. Other first impressions given in this poem relate to poor health or death. We relate to this due to the use of nouns such as "sick bay" and adverbs describing school bells as "knelling". This could also be reflecting the emotions of the child in the sick bay; at this point we are not sure. The structure is interesting, because at first glance we see that it has a regular pattern to it, which are three lines to each stanza. This possibly implies that the events that take place in the poem are predictable. However, the final line is a stanza on it's own, drawing you to it and creating a large impact on the audience. In the second stanza an awkward atmosphere and tone is introduced. The poet meets his "father crying"; this is one of the factors that make this stanza awkward. Men in the days when this poem was written (1966) were stereotypically thought of as strong people emotionally and physically, therefore, for the young poet to see his father crying on the porch would have made him feel uneasy. Furthermore, the dash at the end if each line causes the lines to flow as one sentence, this is

Measurements of physical characteristics Essay

Measurements of physical characteristics are used widely in everyday human life, whether in household or industrial processes, in service or in scientific researches. Some of the main categories of regularly measured parameters are weight, length, area, volume, temperature, density, concentration, voltage, amperage and power. Measurement units historically differed from nation to nation, but over time there is a straight tendency for unification of units. Metric system is recognized as universal in ever-growing number of countries and this allows to minimize differences and errors in international scientific, trade and other types of communications. In metric system, meter, its multiples and fractionals are used for the measurements of length, square meter and its derivates are for measurements of area, cubic meter – for measurements of volume. For measuring temperature there are Celsius or Fahrenheit degrees used, for measuring density – kilogram per cubic meter. Voltage in international metric system is measured in volts, amperage – in amperes, and watts are used for measuring power. To perform measurements one needs to have appropriate instruments. These instruments should have accuracy grade acceptable for the type and purpose of measurements that will be performed. When measurement of length is performed, the only kind of instruments needed is tape-measure or straight scale, if size of measured object is relatively small. If distance that has to be measured is large, and surface between starting and finishing points is not smooth, more sophisticated instruments will be needed to perform required measurements. Measurements of area and volume will sometimes require certain calculations in addition to direct measurements. If measurement of an area of regular shape is performed, it is enough to measure length of the sides of that area and then apply relatively simple formulas for calculation of that area. But if the area measured has irregular shape with edges of bizarre form, calculations will be far more complex and may require solution of integral equations to determine approximate size of an area in question. When it is necessary to measure volume of a liquid, volumetric glassware is enough. But when the volume of a body with complex form shall be calculated, procedure of measurement may become much more complicated. If the body with unknown volume is available for direct measurement, it may be submerged into the water or any other liquid and volume of displaced liquid that is equal to the volume of that body, could be measured. But if that body is not available for direct measurement and is given in form of a scheme with known parameters measured or set beforehand, then rather complicated calculations may be required to estimate the volume of a said body. Density of a liquid may be measured using special instrument called densitometer, which is based on displacement of a certain amount of liquid by the weight of the instrument. The higher density of examined liquid, the smaller will be volume of liquid displaced. For estimation of the density of gases or solid bodies another methods shall be applied, because displacement-based densitometry cannot be applied to non-liquid substances. Measurements of mass and volume are usually performed, and density then is calculated using the simple formula of mass divided by volume. Temperature can be measured using thermometers of different types – liquid-filled, electric, etc. Electric parameters like amperage, voltage and power, could be measured either directly using specific measuring devices, or indirectly by measuring related parameters and later calculating values of parameters required. For a list of physical parameters there are specific units in the system of measurements. Some of the examples were given above. For another example, unit for measuring force is newton, and unit for pressure is pascal. Certain parameters can be formulated indirectly through other units. Speed, for example, is defined as unit of distance passed per unit of time, and acceleration – as rate of change of speed per unit of time. Consequently, force that influences a body, may be calculated through known mass of the body, its beginning speed and rate of change of its speed under the influence of the force studied. Unfortunately, measurements can never provide us with absolute values of parameter we are interested in. Due to imperfection of both human perception, instruments for measurements and because of influence of unstable environmental conditions upon the instrument, body that is subjected to measurements and the person performing measurements, some imprecision will always be present. Additionally, when performing measurements, observer sometimes has to use estimated data because more or less precious values can not be obtained under current conditions. Or maybe high precision values of a given parameter are not important for the current task. Either way, estimation of measured data sometimes takes place, as well as certain ever-present

Islamic Commodity Market Essay

1.0. Introduction The operations in the general business environment are very dynamic by nature. There is no doubt that the financial markets as well as the commodity markets need to structure their business operations, so as to meet the changing business environment demands as well as the expectations (United States. Congress. Senate. 2004). The main challenge for the main market players is to consistently be at pace with the business environment developments, so as to have in place effective as well as timely establishments of operation standards and regulations. A number of international initiatives have focused on the state of operations of the commodity market in the Islamic market. This has been done so as to establish standards as well as benchmarks, which are set to strengthen the world commodity market. The research study intends to contribute to the need for establishing a regulator commodity market, especially in the Saudi Arabia financial market (The Economist 2006). The Islamic commodity market is one of the major aspects in the world commodity market, which has achieved tremendous growth in the recent past. This is to the extent of being a substantial component within the global commodity market, and has thus gained a lot of interest as the crucial component of the world financial market (Europa Publications Staff, 2002). The increasing demands as well as awareness for establishing investment portfolios to be in line with the shariah principles at the global market, have acted as stimulators towards establishing the Islamic commodity market as the world’s most attractive industry. This is an indicator of the growth of the wealth base as well as the potential of the investors, who could either be Muslim or non Muslim, to find ways and invest in commodities which meet their needs and expectations (El-Gamal, 2006). Research questions The research questions to be answered in this research study provide a basis, for establishing the importance of establishing a form of regulator commodity market in the financial market of Saudi Arabia. The aspect which is being focused on in this research study is the reasons as to why a regulator form of commodity market should be established, especially in Saudi Arabia. The research questions will therefore act as a guide to activities of the research study (Henry and Wilson, 2004). Core research question The main aim of the research study is to assess the need for establishing a regulator form of commodity market in the land of Saudi Arabia, and the effects on the business transactions which take place in the Islamic market (Henry and Wilson, 2004). The other research questions that need to be covered in this research study include: 1. What are some of the factors which influence the conduction of business transactions in the Islamic market? 2. What are the likely effects of establishing a regulator form of commodity market in the .land of Saudi Arabia? 3. Who are the major players in the Islamic market and what role do they play in the business transactions? 4. To what extent are the major players likely to influence the operations of the Islamic commodity market? 5. What potential effects does regulation of the Islamic commodity market have on the Islamic finance and the general business transactions? Research objectives The main intention of this research study is to establish, the importance of establishing a regulator in the Islamic commodity market especially in the suggested location Saudi Arabia. The importance of the regulator is assessed in terms of the effects to the Islamic financial market, as well as the general business transactions. The research study is intended at providing a sound bases upon which conclusive research findings can be made, as to the need for regulating the commodities market. Both the secondary and primary data will be analysed to assess the current state of operations of the Islamic commodities market, and the need for a regulator. Therefore, data will highlight the importance of establishing the current state of operations in the Islamic commodity market, and finally, for the research study to meet its intended research objectives (Taylor & Francis Group and Dean, 2004). 2.0 Literature review Islamic commodity market The establishment of a distinct Islamic commodity market, whereby a number of investments as well as financing activities are established in accordance to the requirements of the Shariah principles, can be described as the outcome of the continued growth of the Islamic financial sector. There have been demands to address the issues of liquidity of the Islamic banks like Altauaruq and Almurabha among others, as well as the takaful operators in the various Islamic countries. There have also been efforts to establish a regulatory framework for the Islamic commodity market, and make clear the Shariah principles on the commodities which should are allowed to be involved in the business transactions at the commodity market (Davis and Azizian, 2006). In general, the Shariah principles that govern the conduction of business transactions at the commodities market states that the non legal transactions are those activities, which involves the use of interest and the commodities that have a certain level of uncertainties attached to them. Gambling is also prohibited as well as food and drinks among many other immoral activities (International Monetary Fund, 2006). Regulatory framework In the commodities market, an effective legal and supervisory as well as a regulatory framework establishes the essential ground for the operations of a modern commodity market. For the dynamic market like the Islamic commodity market, it is crucial that a conducive form of regulatory framework be established. This is to appropriately control the activities of the Islamic commodity market. A number of participants are allowed to address, any of the influences which affect the effective business operations of the market, as well as the innovations or even hinder the participation in the Islamic commodities market (Henry and Wilson, 2004). Considering the levels and number of business activities being carried out at this market, an analysis is being made to determine the need for having a regulator in place within this conventional market. The first hypothesis which can be established in this research study is whether, the establishment of the Islamic commodity market will make any positive influence on the levels of Islamic finance, as the other regulatory frameworks have managed to influence the other Islamic finance markets (Fadzli, 2003). To that extent, the second hypothesis is to assess the extent to which, the regulator of the Islamic commodity market will not make any improvements. Considering that the operations at the Islamic commodities market involve both legal and non legal business transactions, the third hypothesis is made in relation to whether the establishment of the regulator will cut down the levels of occurrence of the illegal business transactions. The fourth hypothesis in that respect is that, th e establishment of the regulator will not cut down the level of the illegal business transactions at the Islamic commodity market. By justifying the above mentioned hypotheses, the research study will have established the importance of having a regulator in the Islamic commodity market, and in this case the proposed regulator is Saudi Arabia (Al-Rifai, 2003). 3.0 Research design and methodology To establish the need for having a regulator Islamic commodity market, especially in the land of Saudi Arabia, the research sample for this research study will be administered with questionnaires. The targeted respondents are the to the top management officers of the major commodity markets and financial institutions in the Islamic commodity market. The sample population shall be 50 companies in the Islamic commodity market. The sample population has been chosen so as to avoid the feasibility problems, associated with the research studies. Qualitative as well as quantitative data will be collected. Quantitative data shall be collected from the primary sources, which shall be analysed by the use of statistical techniques, compiled and presented using tools like graphs and charts among other techniques. Qualitative data shall be collected by the use of open ended questions in the questionnaires, which will be subjective in nature as they will represent the personal opinions of the targ eted respondents. The qualitative data will support the quantitative data, in areas where the quantitative data will be having deviations from the factors under consideration (Al-Rifai, 2003). The survey questionnaires shall be administered, considering the fact that they are easy and simple to use on the part of the researcher and the respondents. The research objectives and questions shall all be encompassed in the information in the research questionnaires. The qualitative approach will involve the answering of questions which relate to the nature of operations of the commodity market markets, with the intention of establishing the need for having a regulator in the commodity market. Thus the survey study has the potential of highlighting the operations of the commodity market, and the mechanisms involved which demands for regulatory measures to be carried out (Henry and Wilson, 2004). Resources In order to meet the identified research questions and objectives, the researcher will use the relevant literature resources. These sources will include books, Journals and the other relevant publications in the areas of Islamic commodity market and regulations. The knowledge as well as the research information which will be encompassed and assessed for validity of the research findings, will include resources from online libraries like EBSCO, Amazon, Blackwell publications, the emerald journals and the other sources like Questia (Henry and Wilson, 2004). Access to the study population One of the challenges that the researcher anticipates to encounter in carrying out the research study is the accessing the targeted respondents. So as to meet this challenge, the below strategies have been devised, so as to have access to the respondents to obtain the crucial information for the research study. The researcher will obtain permission letters, which will be approved by the research department at the university. This letters will then be supplied to the top management officers seeking for permission to include them in the research study, and to use their companies as a sample of the research population. In addition to that, the researcher will assure the respondents that the information obtained from the research study shall be used for academic purposes only, and not for any other purposes unless permission is sought from them (Al-Rifai, 2003).