Friday, December 27, 2019

Fall Into A Life Of Crime - 946 Words

In my life I have met or had the honor of knowing three people who have followed down the path of criminality. Now these three people were people that I grew up with in my neighborhood or neighborhoods I use to hang out in. Furthermore, some of these people had some form of talent that could have landed them in either the NBA or NFL but due to their life of crime and other issues it placed them in prison. Although, all of the three did not have these talent they still could have found ways be a good citizen. Nevertheless, neither one of the three I will discuss had to fall into a life of crime but after learning about the different theories I now see why they may have done it. Now with â€Å"Person A† he was a young male who had some of the best basketball skills anyone would want to have but he was not a very smart person when it came to school. Nevertheless, after studying all of these theories, I have found that â€Å"Person A† was one that would fit into the psychological theory. Although, he was very talent at playing basketball and football, he came from a household where he had an older brother and sister as well as a brother younger than him and was raised by a single mother. Therefore, there was not a lot in the house for him and he struggled in school. Rather than getting help and using his talent to better himself and his family he turned to a life of crime. Furthermore, as we were growing up he had no kind of respect for his elders and would curse and be totallyShow MoreRelatedThere Is No One Common Definition For Organized Crime,1214 Words   |  5 PagesThere is no one common definition for organized crime, after extensive rese arch criminologists seem to describe organized crime as, a criminal conspiracy of several persons motivated for economic enrichment. On the other hand, the FBI defines organized crime as, any group having some formalized structure and whose primary objective is to obtain through illegal activities.† Organized crime branches out into various criminal activities, such as cybercrime, money laundering, counterfeiting, illicitRead More Book Review Freakonomics Essay1524 Words   |  7 Pagesnightly news or a daily paper could be forgiven for having been scared out of his skin... The culprit was crime. It had been rising relentlessly - a graph plotting the crime rate in any American city over recent decades looked like a ski slope in profile... Death by gunfire, intentional and otherwise, had become commonplace, So too had carjacking and crack dealing, robbery, and rape. Violent crime was a gruesome and constant companion... The culprit was the so-called superpredator. For a time, heRead MoreCrime in our society836 Words   |  4 PagesThe task of fighting crime is becoming more complex, and therefore more challenging. Criminals are becoming more organised and sophisticated, operating with little regard for national boundaries. What is Crime? Crime has so many faces, and is perpetrated by people at so many different levels of our society that you may ask yourself what exactly it is. The answer is simple; crime is any activity in conflict with a just law - laws made to protect the citizens of this country and enforced by ourRead MoreTeen Delinquency : Is It A Conscious Choice? Teens And Crime?1165 Words   |  5 PagesAbstract What motivates teens to be delinquent? Is it a conscious choice? Teens and crime seem to be an unpredictable and ongoing problem. Teen crime rates rise and fall, but what is the cause of the increases and decreases in the rates? Experts are constantly doing studies and experiments to find patterns that hopefully explain it. If teen delinquency can be explained, then maybe it can be reduced through programs and other resources aimed at helping troubled teens and youth. Even withRead MoreThe Public Enemy Genre Analysis1219 Words   |  5 Pagesthe conflict with the American dream, the rise and fall of the protagonist Tom Powers, as well as the visual storytelling employed to support the narrative. Within gangster films like The Public Enemy resides a conflict between the american dream and the method of obtaining that dream within a civilized society. The Public Enemy follows a gangster, Tom Powers (James Cagney), who obtains the dream, the wealth, and the status through his crimes. Tom Powers has broken into the alcohol business onlyRead MoreThe Issue Of Human Trafficking875 Words   |  4 PagesUnfortunately, this notion is not true at all and domestic trafficking is an ongoing issue that needs to be addressed within our own borders. In addition to this disturbing crime occurring in our country, it is apparent that female immigrants are the most at risk of being victims of this crime. A better understanding of why this crime occurs would be beneficial in all aspects of the law and would aid in preventing domestic trafficking from reoccurring and in helping those more at risk to become saferRead MoreCja 374 Week 2 Crime Causation and Diversion Essay1019 Words   |  5 Pag esCrime Causation and Diversion Juveniles committing crimes, being arrested and going to jails and prisons, is a sad fact that has hit every city, in every state in the United States of America. It is not a hard thing to comprehend, turn on the TV and watch the news. Every night there is surely to be a report about a crime committed by one of America’s youth. Many people question the reason for such high numbers of juveniles committing crimes; others turn a blind eye and refuse to acknowledge theRead MoreThe Crime Of Hate Crimes1607 Words   |  7 PagesHate crimes are very common in today’s society, they can range from various ethnicities and orientations as well as the severity of the crime committed. A hate crime is defined as â€Å"the violence of intolerance and bigotry, intended to hurt and intimidate someone because of their race, ethnicity, national origin, religious, sexual orientation, or disability. The purveyors of hate use explosives, arson, weapons, vandalism, physical violence, and ve rbal threats of violence to instill fear in their victimsRead MoreThe Psychological Theories Of Criminal Behavior883 Words   |  4 Pagescontrolling anger and containing violence, which causes them to lash out. The results of these episodes are murder, rape, robbery, assault, and battery. Many more crimes can come about from such behavior, especially when the criminal falls into a negative cycle. Their behavior spirals out of their control, as they try to solve each of their crimes by committing another, to try and right the situation. Incomplete psychological development is a focus of these theories. The conscience of the criminals isRead MoreCmgt 4421468 Words   |  6 PagesRisk Assessment Introduction Sioux Falls, SD is one of McBride’s locations. McBride Financial Services utilizes sensitive equipment and toxic chemicals during its manufacturing process. These high end and dangerous items place the location at risk. Some of the threats include: use of toxic chemicals, public transportation, crime, and acts of terrorism. It is McBride’s responsibility to mitigate these threats. Use of Toxic Chemicals McBride Financial Services must

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Overpopulation and Over- Consumption in India Essay

Currently, the population of India is at a formidable amount of 1.27 billion and estimated to have 1.6 billion people by 2050. What will happen if countries like India keep growing? This issue is known as overpopulation. Overpopulation has become a very prevalent topic in the last ten years and if not controlled, it could affect all countries on earth. Although overpopulation appears to be an insuppressible issue, there are some different ideas and methods that have been used to help this problem. There are a plethora of factors that contribute to the exponential growth in the population in the last fifty years. The primary reason of this growth is the result of better living standards over the years. The advancement of technology has†¦show more content†¦This list is boundless and the main root of these problems is overpopulation. Many countries around the world have used different ideas and methods to help reduce their population growth. For example, in 1978, Deng Xiaoping , the Chairman of China at the time, recognized that with an annual growth rate of 2.5 percent, China’s population of 975 million would double in 28 years. So Deng introduced a highly successful, but controversial, one-child-per-family policy. Currently, China’s population is 1.349 billion people, which is several hundred million less than the population trajectory in 1978, and has an annual growth rate of .46 percent. China’s one-child-per-family-policy has been remarkably successful in reducing birth rates, but has had some controversial social effects. Another country suffering from overpopulation is India. In fact, India is projected to be the most populous country in the world by 2050. How is a country, which already has more than a quarter of its population living in abject poverty, feed, house, educate, and employ all those being added each year? Although the Indian government has decided to let each state approach the problem of overpopulation in its own way, there are two general sides that states in India have towards this issue. One side believes the best way to reduce the number of children born is poverty eradication and progress for women. A state in India that representsShow MoreRelatedEffects Of Overpopulation923 Words   |  4 PagesWith the fast-paced and growing world that we live in today, we are overpopulating, over consuming and a significant amount of our resources are being used up. Malthusian focuses on bringing importance to the issue of overpopulation and how it strains many aspects of our lives such as the environment, and economy. Therefore, Thomas Robert Malthus’ theory of overpopulation is a prime example of the dangers overpopulation can have on our planet if there are no measures taken to ensure that there will beRead MoreCompetition for Increasingly Scarce Resources in the 21st Century1214 Words   |  5 PagesCompetition for Increasingly Scarce Resources in the 21st Century Introduction During the 1960s, dire Malthusian warnings about the impact of overpopulation, consumption and resource depletion caused only a ripple of concern in the international community as the Green Revolution and modern birth control methods and practices appeared to provide a viable solution to these problems. Unfortunately, even though innovations in agricultural practices have increased yields even further than during theRead MoreOverpopulation : A Common Misconception1396 Words   |  6 Pagespaper is to discuss the fact that, overpopulation is not the primary cause of our modern day predicaments, but is merely a tributary to the actual source. Environmental, economic, agricultural and political factors are some of the main incipient issues, which have thus been ignored, and have resulted in the myth called overpopulation. The negative repercussions of these aspects will be examined, along with a comprehensive study into future populace. Agriculture Over the decades there have been numerousRead MoreAnalyzing The Issues Of World Overpopulation1413 Words   |  6 PagesAnalyzing the issues of world overpopulation The current population on Earth is around 7 billion people, statistics show that by 2050 the world will reach to about 8 – 11 billion people. If we look back on the progression of the world and its increase in population you will currently find that the world population is growing rapidly, this leads to the fearful effect of overpopulation. Overpopulation is the number of the existing human population that exceeds the capacity of the Earth. ProgressivelyRead MoreIs Human Immortality Beneficial?1774 Words   |  8 Pagesâ€Å"Sustainable† Growth Advances in technology have really boomed over the last couple of decades. Not too long ago it was impossible to do many of our daily tasks taken for granted today. Tasks such as checking cell phones to browse Facebook, text friends, or even just play games to kill time. We are in the middle of a technological revolution. Aside from the concrete technological advancements, what about the biotechnological side? Well it is to no surprise medicine has been greatly improving, whichRead MoreThe Overpopulation Of The World s Population1656 Words   |  7 Pagesneither sharp jump nor sharp plummet is expected. If one opens the demographic map, one will see that Asia accounts for half the world s population! The largest in terms of population countries are India and China, which together have 3 billion people. Despite many people believe the overpopulation to be an issue, this problem is considered to be fake just as well as global worming which is claimed to be a natural process. Konstant in Marsov claims The current Voloshyn 3 population ofRead MoreGlobal Population And Climate Change1536 Words   |  7 Pageswas not suitable to sustain so many immigrants at one time. Thus, camp was responsible for generating refuse, toxins leaching into the earth from poor sanitation systems amongst other environmental hazards. Furthermore, I learned about how overpopulation has had a significant impact on highly populated regions, such as cities like New York. As of July 2015, New York’s population was 8,550,405 people (â€Å"Current and Projected Populations†). Each year, both undocumented and documented immigrants migrateRead MoreEffects Of Population Growth On The Environment1258 Words   |  6 Pages Effects of Population Growth Name of Student Institution affiliation Abstract This paper discusses the topic of humanity population growth. It provides the reader with real and credible information about the current state of overpopulation, its tendencies and projections into the future. More and more problems occur every year and their cause lies in the mankind itself. Since the resources are starting to end, flora and fauna suffer and wars for territories become even fiercer –Read MoreThe Troubling Future of Our Nation642 Words   |  3 Pagesis the overpopulation that the U.S seems to be heading towards. With the freedom and laws that protect its people today, and the hopes and dreams of the golden tan glossed by the Californian sun, the U.S has been one of the biggest eye-candy for vacationers and those in search for a new place to start over. This can stir up problems in all direction. A bigger population comes with a higher demand. If you haven’t noticed, hundreds of houses and recreations are being built all over the countryRead MoreEffects Of Population Growth Of India947 Words   |  4 Pagespoint in its life? Population growth happens to all of us, but how much is too much? India is in this questionable stage right now. How many people is too much for this country to handle? Every country goes through 4 stages of population and they go through growth, stability and decline. India is in a growing state right now and this will continue until it stabilizes itself. One might look at the povern state India is in right now and see that it is the cause if its population problem but others see

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Child Beauty Pageants free essay sample

Some people think that beauty pageants are good for children but I personally do not think children should participate in beauty pageants because they create a pathway to eating disorders, low self-esteem, and can be more easily targeted by predators. Parents think that they are doing them well but in reality, the child competing is being deprived from a normal childhood and the parents are only harming them. The children are being taught that their body and attractiveness will determine how pretty they are and that sexuality at a young age is a good quality. Beauty pageants focus a lot on appearance and on how you present yourself. I believe that everyone is beautiful and I strongly believe that beauty comes within and not from the outside. However, children who grow up in the pageant industry, start to learn that a big part of the competition has to do with your physical attraction. We will write a custom essay sample on Child Beauty Pageants or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Now, there are little girls wearing fake eyelashes with cakey faces because excessive makeup will make you look â€Å"prettier†. However, why change the concept when beauty pageants did not require any makeup when they first started. What happens when the child is older and gets acne or needs braces. Since the perception of perfection and beauty has already been painted to them, they no longer think of themselves as beautiful. What happens when they gain a little weight and get points deducted for not complimenting the outfit they are modeling? They start thinking that they need to fix something about themselves and some girls will take those measures to the extreme. All of a sudden we have young girls searching the web on how to quickly lose weight and what appears on the screen is disturbing. Surgery; but wait, there is not enough money and their parents probably would not allow it. Anorexia/Bulimia (eating disorders that rapidly cause someone to lose weight by starvation or purging); well that’s easy because no one will ever find out. Now we have these girls browsing on how to become these things. Next thing you know, we have a group of fifteen teenage girls in a rehab facility having a difficult time of accepting themselves for who they are. Some of the pieces they wear for the runway are provocative and are an open invitation to pedophiles. It’s important for everyone to know that people with a disturbed mentality as such will possess anything they admire by any means. For example, JonBenet Ramsey was a beauty queen who won her first beauty pageant at the age of four. In the month of December, at age 6, her mother found a note in the kitchen at approximately 5:00 AM stating that JonBenet was being held at ransom for $118,000. Police made a couple of mistakes by not closing down the premises as a crime scene and allowing friends and family to walk in and out. When the father was asked to walk the house for anything unusual, he searched the basement and there the beauty queen was found murdered. She had a skull fracture and had been sexually molested and strangled with a cord. Her cause of death was asphyxia by strangulation. Although the case is still cold, investigators believe that her publicity made her an easy target for any assassin (Oates 1999). JonBenet was such a darling! She was an American beauty queen with blue eyes, porcelain skin, and blonde hair. Every child is beautiful in these pageants but unfortunately, these beauties are exposed in the media as well as their parents information and residence stay. Law enforcement has put a huge emphasize on the security of teenagers walking alone and with the information that they share on social networking. If this pressure of care is being put on older teenagers, then isn’t it our job to put a greater emphasize with the care of our children due to the fact that they are more vulnerable and have little chance of escaping a full grown adult? It doesn’t take a lot for a killer to commit a murder as we can see with the case of JonBenet. She was not only killed in her own home but there were no traces as to who could have done it. There was no force of entry and obviously, no way of the parents hearing their little girl. Why put children at risk for the simplicity of fame and money? Are parents that selfish that all they think about is living their childhood again through their children. Little girls do not like to have their hair pulled and they don’t like to be sitting in a chair for hours putting on makeup. So much of their appearance is judged that even the skin tone matters. Ten year olds are getting spray tanned and are going through a long process when all they should be doing is going to school, making friends, starting a little bit of trouble, and enjoying their childhood. When is there time to do all that when you are so focused on memorizing a script and getting your hair done? My real curiosity is how a beauty pageant judges beauty when the girls are all made up? The message is clear that the judges need to see makeup and thinness in order for a child to be considered for the beauty queen title. Some children participate in pageants at such a young age that it is all they know. They like to make their mothers proud so making the choice that they don’t want to participate feels like a disappointment. Pageant mothers are harshly criticized because of the way that they behave with their children during competitions. Sometimes the parents don’t listen to what the child is asking for and is focusing on only the win. They get so wrapped up in the winning that it’s embarrassing for them to not go home with a prize. They’ll even pay a little extra just to have a better chance at winning (Nauert 17). No mother should ever be embarrassed of their child and it is even worse when the mother gets upset at their daughter for making an understanding mistake. There are no valid excuses for the mothers when the child is throwing a tantrum but isn’t that behavior normal for children of all ages? Just because they are dressing and looking like sixteen year olds does not mean that they actually have the same mentality as one. Children beauty pageants range from the ages of sixth months to 16 years old. Since an infant does not have the ability to walk nor stand by herself, the mother comes out on stage with the baby in her arms. You would think that they would not permit an infant to wear makeup or tan the skin but they do. They will offer the service but it is ultimately up to the parents to make the choice (Seaman 18). However, if your baby is competing in a pageant and you want her to win what are you going to do? You have to make her to the same level as the other infants if you want her to have a chance at winning so there you go dolling her up. Why are we making these children grow up way too soon? The sexuality they bring into these pageants come a little too early for them. Lets’ not define beauty for these girls in our eyes. They should have the opportunity to mold themselves to whoever they want to be in their own style at their own time. Works Cited Nauert, Nick. â€Å"Child Beauty Pageants May be More About Parents. † Psychcentral. n. p. Grohol John M. , 28 Apr. 2013. Web. 29 Oct. 2012. Oates, Joyce Carol. The Mystery of JonBenet Ramsey. The New York Review of Books, 46. 11 (1999): 31-36. Schultz, Kristen. â€Å"Beauty Pageants Draw Children and Criticism. † New York Times. New York Times, 26 Feb. 2011. Web. 8 Mar. 2013. Seaman, Donna. Little Beauties. The Booklist, 101. 21 (2005): 1896.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Survey of Food Allergies in the UAE

Introduction Nearly each one of us eats to live and there is no doubt that most of us enjoy eating. However, recent studies have established that nearly 1 in 20 young children below the age of 5 years and almost 1 in 25 adults are allergic to at least one type of food. There have also been studies indicating that food allergy, and especially allergy to peanuts, is on the increase.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Survey of Food Allergies in the UAE specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to a 2010 report by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), this has led a large number of people to create more awareness on food allergy, thus making it a topic of rising public concern. Indeed, when a person in a family is allergic to any food, the whole family is involved. In such a situation, the family lives in constant anxiety that a loved one may consume a food that could result into a serious allergic reaction, which is commonly known as anaphylaxis (NIAD, 2010). The purpose of this research paper is to create a survey about food allergies in the UAE with the aim of establishing the seriousness of the situation within the region. The paper will also seek to examine the economic impact of food allergies and investigate whether the UAE region offers allergic consumers alternative products for their needs. Statement of the Problem In UAE, a federal public health law is on the making and government agencies hope that it will prevent people from losing their lives from food allergies. Although the law is supposed to reduce the number of fatalities resulting from food allergies, it will definitely not diminish all death cases in the region. The change in food-packaging laws is a welcome move for thousands of UAE residents who suffer from one or multiple food allergies. In UAE, there are already laws in place that demand warning labels about possible food allergens. T he labeling guidelines formulated four years ago require all possible allergens to be clearly indicated on the food packaging. Despite these legislations, many foods still do not contain the required cautions and this has led to numerous hospitalizations over the past several years. The passing of new legislations will be a welcome move to majority of allergic patients who want to buy allergen free products but face numerous challenges due to the current lax food labeling laws. The blame for this does not entirely lie on food producers since most UAE residents do not know what the food regulation entails (World Health Organization, 2002). Since there is very little information on the issue of food allergy in the UAE, this paper undertakes to review the matter with a view of making conclusions that will be beneficial to both patients and various stakeholders in this field.Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first pap er with 15% OFF Learn More Significance of the Study Generally, one is at a greater risk of developing an allergy if the family they come from has a history of food allergy. The reason that makes food allergies a very significant subject in UAE is that the allergies might not necessarily be food related but may even be other allergic diseases such as asthma or eczema or atopic dermatitis. If one’s both parents have allergies, then the risk of being allergic is higher than that of someone whose only one parent is allergic. An allergic reaction to food usually occurs a few minutes to several hours or even days after contact with the culprit allergen. This is because the process of intake and absorption of food and the placement of mast cells both affect the timing and position of the reaction (DeWaal, Robert, 2005). All these factors make the subject of food allergy an important one to all of us. Limitations of the Study This research paper relies mostly on secondary data, which include electronic media and online libraries. These sources are subject to manipulation and stereotyping in order to suit the personal interests of the researcher and therefore may substantially impair objectivity and integrity of the report. The study is also limited in that there is very little information regarding the issue of food allergy in UAE that is in circulation and the little that is available does not incorporate all the aspects of the problem (DeWaal, Robert, 2005). This will undoubtedly leave many loopholes in the research and it is hoped that these loopholes will form the basis for future research in this field. Brief Overview of Food Allergies In order to effectively investigate the issue of food allergies, it is prudent to first get a general overview of this term. According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (2010), food allergy is an unusual response to a food generated by the immune system. The response might be slight or in scarce cases, it can be linked with the acute and life-threatening reaction known in medical terms as anaphylaxis. For this reason, it is crucial for people to work closely with healthcare professionals to know what foods can trigger an allergic reaction to their body. Right from the onset of this research paper, it is important to highlight that food allergy should not be confused with food intolerance (NIAID, 2005). According to experts, a food allergy occurs when the immune system reacts to a harmless food as though it were a threat. When a person is at first exposed to the food, no reaction is witnessed. However, it is believed that this exposure leads the body to respond the next time. When the person is exposed to the food again, an allergic reaction can be witnessed. In most cases, the first exposure to food occurs when you eat it.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Survey of Food Allergies in the UAE specifically for you for only $16 .05 $11/page Learn More However, there are occasions when this happens without ones knowledge. An example of this is in the case of peanut allergy. In most cases, a person who experiences anaphylaxis on the first documented contact with peanut may have previously used a skin care product that had peanut as one of its ingredients or might even have inhaled peanut dust at a social place or at home (NIAID, 2005). When one is initially exposed to a food allergen, the body’s immune system acts as though the food was harmful and transmits definite IgE antibodies to counter that allergen. These antibodies revolve through the blood and fasten to mast cells and basophils. Initially, mast cells are located in all tissues of the body, and mainly in body parts that are prone to allergic reactions. Some of these parts include the nose, esophagus, lungs, skin and the gastrointestinal tract. On the other hand, basophilis are located in the blood and in tissues that have becom e inflamed because of an allergic reaction. The next time that one is exposed to an identical food allergen, it fastens to the mast cells and basophilis. The fastening triggers the cells to discharge massive quantities of chemicals such as histamine. Depending on the placement of the tissue where the chemical discharge takes place, one experiences various forms of food allergy. These symptoms can range from mild to acute. When the allergic reaction is acute, it leads to a potentially life threatening reaction called anaphylaxis (NIAID, 2005). Food Allergy in the UAE Food allergy is indeed a complex disease. The reason for this is that both polygenic genes as well as environmental factors can trigger it. It is sad to note that this is one of the least studied topics despite the fact that it has been identified as an important problem within UAE. Just like any other type of allergies, food allergies have too been on the rise. In America, 3.5 to 4% are considered to have food allergy a nd 4 to 6% of children population around the globe are believed to be affected (NIAID, 2005). The prevalence and causes of food allergy in UAE is still unclear. Individual studies show-varied data. However, if the trends elsewhere in the world are anything to go by, then the situation warrants immediate attention (NIAID, 2005). In one of the privately funded research, (The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), 2011) a meta-analysis was carried out to establish the prevalence of food allergy in UAE. The foods reviewed were cow’s milk, eggs, peanut, fish, shellfish and wheat. The prevalence rate of self-reported food was ranging from 3% to 35% for any kind of food and was very high once evaluated against objective measures.Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Fascinatingly, there was a noted heterogeneous association between studies irrespective of assessment or the food item reviewed. Whether this mirrors actual differences or is a problem of varied study designs cannot be established. In another study conducted in 2005 (DeWaal, Robert) where 12,000 newborns were recruited, a rather interesting finding was established. During the study, all the children who developed atopic dermatitis or signs orchestrated by food allergy were summoned for homogeneous clinical evaluations. This included the diagnostic gold standard and the double-blind placebo-controlled food challenge tests. During the food allergy test, it was established that eggs, cow’s milk, peanut and wheat were the most frequent food allergens in UAE (DeWaal, Robert, 2005). Patterns of Food Allergy outside UAE In order to effectively examine how the allergy issue affects consumers in UAE, it is important to briefly look at patterns of food allergy outside the region. The re is no doubt that food allergy is a widespread problem affecting children and adults in developed countries. Although there is limited data on this issue, the little that is available shows that the prevalence and models of food allergies are slightly different from that of UAE. In one such study carried out by Wong (2011) from the Department of Paediatrics and School of Public Health in Hong Kong, clinic based studies in Japan showed that the common allergens were milk, eggs, wheat, peanuts, soybeans, sesame and buckwheat. In China, it was established that the common allergens were shellfish, fish, and peach while the pattern of allergy in Russia was similar to that in UAE. Although there is no probable explanation for this, it might be due to dietary differences and similarities in the countries where the studies were carried out. This might also be due to factors associated with the protection against food allergies in these areas (Wong, 2011). As discussed elsewhere in this pa per, food allergy is an important social health problem that affects close to 5% of children and almost 4% of adults and this might be rising in prevalence (DeWaal, Robert, 2005). Despite the threat of acute allergic reactions and even death, there is no known treatment for food allergy in either UAE or elsewhere in the world. As it is, the disease can only be handled by avoiding possible allergens or treatment of symptoms. The identification and management of food allergy may differ from one clinical practice setting to another. As pointed out earlier, patients and medical practitioners frequently confuse non-allergic food reactions, such as food intolerance with food allergies. It is therefore important for UAE to come up with guidelines to establish the difference between food allergy and food intolerance. However, what is most important for UAE is to be prepared to deal with the economic challenges brought about by food allergies (NIAID, 2010). Economic Impact of Allergy Preven tion in UAE The subject of food allergy cannot be effectively tackled without looking at the economic perspective of it. Since the paper has already established that there is no known medication for food allergy, then it is only right if we examine the economic impact of allergy prevention in the UAE (Drummond et al, 1997). There is no denying that the economic impact of allergy prevention is a very broad and complex matter, depending on the perspective of policy makers. In trying to examine the economic issues of this matter, it is then only right to examine what sort of economic questions might be important. Although there might be varied definitions for economics, one thing that is agreeable across the board is that economics is about resources and happiness in society. Economics concerns itself with how all the available productive resources are used to enhance happiness. Perhaps the reason why Thomas Carlyle termed economics as the ‘dismal science’ is that there ca n never be sufficient resources to completely satisfy each need and want. One has to make choices. The best choices obviously result into economic gains for everyone, but majority of choices necessarily result in losers as well as winners. The big question then is to determine how this gets resolved (Drummond et al, 1997). Money and Markets One way how this can get resolved is through valuation of goods and services for exchange using cash. Generally, there is a consensus among societies when it comes to the issue of right values through market price systems. Economics is commonly reflected upon as the examination of money and markets, but it is often beyond this. The reason for this is that markets fail to deliver optimal social welfare in many ways (Drummond et al, 1997). Markets and Market Failure There is no doubt to any economist that free organization and distribution of wealth and power in production can give rise to monopoly. According to Drummond et al (1997), consumers and producers do not necessarily have ideal information on goods and services, nor about their wants. This is especially true in health and health care. On top of this, many services unlike goods are not exchanged in the marketplace and can be underestimated or fail to be valued at all in market transactions. One example of an undervalued resource is the parent’s care of their little ones. Finally, a number of goods are not marketable to individuals, but are refereed to as ‘public goods’, such as clean air or hygiene in public schools. In UAE and other societies, these needs are met through socially organized systems. Viewpoints, Domains and Economic Questions Different economic queries are crucial at different stages and for different groups. Solutions favoring one side might not favor all. An example of this is a situation where individuals and families are concerned with upholding their own health and comfort, thus creating an interest on particular costs of livi ng with or preventing allergy. In UAE where the state is the main provider of healthcare, the costs of the services utilized by allergic people may not be recognized as costs to them. In comparison, when health-care givers consider costs and benefits, they do not necessarily consider the consequences of illnesses or medication of ailments on household earnings, and this is not taken in within the direct responsibility of health care administrators (Drummond et al, 1997). The reason why it is prudent to look at the economic impact of allergies in UAE is partly because firms that produce goods and services in the region are affected in diverse ways by food allergy. Apart from the healthcare industry, there are foods and other producers of products which may activate allergy or which may aid sufferers in some way. Companies may get concerned through their own corporate social responsibility or through directives with tracking social purposes for maintenance of the health of the populat ion, but in the end they have to live up to their purpose, which is to make profits. In UAE, the government has taken a broader viewpoint and has actively been involved in balancing the conflict between interests in the political economy. The methods of economists advising the public-sector policy have advanced to take a communal viewpoint (Drummond et al, 1997). Methods Used by Economists In the field of health economies in the UAE, cost-of-illness analysis (COI) is commonly used as an expressive tool. This takes a wide ‘top-down’ approach, which examines crude sector level estimates of impact or a much more pronounced ‘bottom up approach’, which studies a defined group of the populace with prospective data collection and/or analysis of routinely gathered information. However, it is important to be conscious that COI does not give answers to economic allocation decisions, where diverse strategies for dealing with problems are being weighed against each oth er (Drummond et al, 1997). Economic evaluation compares the stresses of alternative policies, comparing costs of inputs and values of outcomes. The methods used to achieve this include the cost-benefit analysis (CBA), cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) and the cost-utility analysis (CUA). These analytic approaches in health economies progressively incorporate techniques of decision analysis and modeling gotten from Operational Research and other administration methods. Option evaluation or investment appraisals are utilized for industry and public sector planning. Cost of Allergy in the UAE There have been various estimates of the costs of allergy in the UAE. One source, (Table 1) gives estimates of direct costs showing three forms of allergy, but fails to include the estimate for food allergy. Asthma counts for the largest communal cost of all. Table 1. Direct costs to society of allergy in UAE Asthma 4.6bn Contact dermatitis 2.3bn Allergic rhinitis 1.3bn Food allergies [] Source: (Drummond et al, 1997). The authors of the report admit the shortage of adequate data on any of the allergies at this level. Even in areas where there is availability of data, the methodology of cost of illness research is not well described or scientifically authenticated and it is usually seen and utilized as a technique for persuading those in power to take notice of this scourge. In order to gain more confidence on these figures, it is important to create methods that are replicable and useful. It is sad to note that there is no cost estimate of food allergies, which is the most prevalent form of allergy in UAE. Socio-Economic Costs of Food Allergy in the UAE From what has already been discussed, the team who prepared the UAE Allergy Report (Drummond et al, 1997) had not found enough to attempt an estimate of UAE impact on food allergy. There have also been attempts by other parties (O’Connell, 2003) to search for further review on the subject. This has include d looking at the Web of Science Journals using search terms shown in Figure 1. As expected, this search did not establish specific studies or costs on economics of food allergy in UAE, but rather came up with several papers highlighting how this subject might be researched. From this review, it is then right to assume that costs might fall to one or more of the below economic sectors. Individual or family, health sector, industry and public sector. Society incorporates all of these sectors. It is obvious that this is not just a simple case of adding up since what might be a cost to one sector might actually be a benefit to another i.e. family costs of medications over the counter are an advantage to the pharmaceutical industry. †¢ Web of Science 2002 †¢ allerg* AND (cost OR econ) AND food* †¢ No specific primary research on costs of food allergy †¢ Discussions of possible costs in several papers Figure 1. Literature Review for Economics of Food Allergy. Sou rce O’Connell, 2003. Possible Costs of Food Allergy in the UAE There is no doubt that there are associated costs when it comes to the issue of food allergy. These costs can be sustained directly in the form of managing allergy, or they can be an indefinable effect of the allergy that is not easy to measure but one that affects people’s decisions (see Table 2). costs of food allergy Individual or household Health sector Industry Public Sector Society Direct Costs Out-of pocket expenses Hospital Primary care Loss (or gain) of sales revenue Outreach and social care All Indirect Costs Informal care Loss of education or income Public-health campaigns Costs of regulation Lost work from sick employees Regulation All Intangible costs Quality of life Public Opinion Table 2. Possible costs of food allergy. Source: Drummond et al, 1997. Many families in UAE have direct out of pocket costs, indirect costs of loss of labor time, or indefinable costs of effects on qu ality of life. Consequently, the health sector experiences direct and indirect costs, such as the express costs of providing hospital primary care and the public health crusades may be an indirect effect (or cost). Both industry and other public-sector agencies in UAE will experience the effects of food allergy. Communal costs and benefits are the product of all of these various factors. In economic policy decisions, the effects of public opinion in UAE are as important as the benefits to concerned individuals in the final decision, especially where taxpayers’ money is utilized for services. From what has just been discussed, a few issues come out clearly about the cost of food allergy. One of this is that health-care costs may be small for some people and high for others. Additionally, it can also be noted that effective self-management may result in lower health care and indefinable costs. It has also been proved beyond doubt that productivity in the workplace as well as ed ucation can be affected not only by absence, but also by controlled movement and effectiveness at work. Lastly, it has also emerged out that the existing quality of life measures might not be susceptible to definite outcomes of food allergy (Drummond et al, 1997). Despite these clear observations, it is important to note that there is no clear evidence to back these findings. Research Agenda on Economics of Food Allergy in UAE In order to realize the full economic impact of food allergy in the UAE region and provide clear evaluation interventions to cope better with the problem, there is need for better knowledge about the nature and costs associated with food allergy. Currently, there are numerous interventions, which change the way food allergy can be managed in UAE. Some of these include diagnosis and testing, health and food education and sponsorship, food labeling, self-management instruction and support, food preparation methods both at industrial level and at home and immunot herapy. All of these methods carry a certain cost in at least one economic sector, and may or may not be efficient. Economic evaluation of various approaches could help in setting priorities in order. Since good interpretation of economic data in food allergy is reliant on good clinical and epidemiological investigation evidence on classification and acuteness of illnesses, utilization of healthcare services, effectiveness of treatments, and standard of life information, interdisciplinary partnership is important for both cost of illness research and economic evaluation. Since food allergy also involves producers of food, the effects on the industry of approaches for mitigating food allergy are an integral part of social costs. Public policy often incorporates trade-off between best solutions for customers and producers in the short and long term (Wong, 2011). One aspiration of economic analysis is to enlighten this discussion. However, there is a great deal of work ahead to make th is a reliable venture in UAE. Inequalities in the Economic and Social Cost of Food Allergy in UAE As discussed earlier, the economic and social impact of food allergy affects many sectors of the society. There are associated costs to individuals, their careers and their households, most likely for the whole of their lives. In the healthcare sector, resources are needed for prognosis, support and education. The entire food chain in the UAE is affected through fluctuated costs, food regulations and ethical obligations. The employment sector is also affected in terms of reduced productivity. Currently, there is no specific information or a clear methodology for establishing the economic and social impact of food allergy to individuals and the society. It is even harder to quantify the costs associated with quality of life factors such as health, quality of living, family and acquaintances and general well-being. While it is hard to establish some of these facts, it is probable to illus trate the social and economic impact of food allergy from the viewpoint of the individual and their families and caregivers through and assessment of the issues constantly brought to the attention of patient support groups in UAE. Although these might not be quantifiable, they are nevertheless very real (Drummond et al, 1997). These impacts can be eased by ensuring that individuals and households receive the services they require and through heightened appreciation, responsiveness and education. How to Manage Food Allergy in UAE Restaurants The stress of bringing up a child with food allergies in UAE affects each family differently, depending, in large part, on how the doctor initially hands the news and the family’s coping method. Based on how the information is presented, the family can leave the hospital scared and uncertain whether they will be capable of averting the next reaction, or concerned but confident that they can keep their child secure. Most doctors in UAE educ ate their patients on how they can lead secure lifestyles without taking any precaution. Despite the provision of this information, families still have a reason to get worried especially when it comes to the issue of eating food that is prepared outside the home (FAAN, 2011). A rising number of consumers with food allergies in the UAE encounter a myriad of challenges when eating food from restaurants, cafeterias and fast food outlets, and when selecting food that is not industry packaged. The trends in eating habits have also changed in the recent past. Unlike in the past, most families in UAE prepare less food at home from ingredients something that has robbed the young generation of key skills on preparation and knowledge of food. At the same time, the rate of traveling has increased, and people now enjoy a variety of foods, which come from various parts of the world served by our neighborhood food businesses (WHO, 2002). Those patrons who need to shun certain food products to gua rd their health encounter a range of practical challenges, starting with the need to establish the ingredients contained in the dishes. After this, the patron has to investigate whether the food establishment has managed to prepare that particular dish without running the risk of contamination from the culprit allergen, at times in trace amounts. Evidence from lethal reactions to foods and that reported by patient group members indicate that the most critical factor in effective avoidance is access to the ACCURATE information on what is contained in the food (NIAID, 2010). Most lethal reactions involve consumption of dishes containing the cause allergen. In some cases, the allergic party might not have been evading the particular allergen, or may be through lack of accurate analysis or protection advice, but even those with precise diagnoses and well-honored averting skills have been caught in the mix. Some of the practical barriers include failing to retain the correct information, bad information-sharing between preparation and service staff, contradictory recipes, and menu statements from other languages/ cultures, which are not understood by staff/customers. Other barriers might be cross- infectivity in preparation or service, including shared utensils on self-service buffets, customers being nervous about enquiring for information in the presence of their colleagues, and now wanting to make a commotion (O’Connell, 2003). In one research carried out in UAE (DeWaal, Robert, 2005), food businesses were asked different aspects, by questionnaire and interview, on how they handled a food allergic guest. In this survey, 95% of the respondents indicated that they would offer a safe meal, but only a dismaying 26% indicated that they had any sort of food allergen training. Like many UAE households, 5.5% believed that the heat would destroy the allergen and 46% had faith that a small amount of allergen would cause no significant harm. Close to 50% of the res pondents believed a buffet would be allergen free if it was kept in clean condition while 21% indicated that doing away with the allergen (like nut topping) would ensure that the meal was safe. In this survey, an impressive 85% recognized the possible allergens prevalent in the UAE but then only 18% had an action plan to offer allergy free meals. Like so many citizens in the UAE, none of the respondents knew what to do in case of an allergic emergency. What was interesting is that a whopping 78% believed that regulation on food safety and food hygiene did not cover food allergens (DeWaal, Robert, 2005). From the results of this study, it is encouraging to note that restaurant and catering industries in UAE are ready to offer allergy safe meals to their allergic consumers but they have to be warned in advance. The apparent lack of basic knowledge on food allergy and allergens indicates the necessity for more education and training. Food allergic patrons need to present themselves, b ut still need to take extra caution. A solution to this could be the proposal for a new UAE regulation on the provision of food information to end users, as this will mark a big step onward in protecting the food allergic individual (DeWaal, Robert, 2005). Food Safety Having established that staying away from possible allergens is critical in protecting the health of people with food allergies makes the issue of food safety an important topic in UAE and indeed elsewhere in the world. According to the World Health Organization, food borne diseases are prevalent in all parts of the world and the toll in terms of human life and suffering is enormous. Contaminated food is estimated to be the cause of 1.5 billion cases of diarrhea in children each year, translating into more than three million early deaths (WHO, 2002). These deaths and sicknesses are distributed in both the developed and developing nations. In America, it is estimated that food borne diseases contribute to nearly 76 mil lion illnesses annually among the country’s 290 million inhabitants, as well as 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 fatalities. In the Middle East, statistics show that approximately one million children under the age of five years die each year from diarrhea diseases after consuming contaminated food. Although there is no sufficient data to identify and track food borne allergies, the statistics are believed to be overwhelming (WHO, 2002). Food Safety in UAE â€Å" Food safety is progressively viewed as an important health issue in the whole of the Eastern Mediterranean Region. In collaboration with the WHO, most countries in that region have undertaken extensive reviews of their food safety system and some have modernized their national legislation on the issue. Despite efforts to update food safety laws, there is limited information available to fully appraise the food safety problems and issues. Although United Arab Emirates has adopted the use of customized software for food inspection to monitor and control the safety of food – whether domestically produced or imported, more still needs to be done in order to curb the problem of food allergy (Wong, 2011). According to the World Health Organization (2002), allergies are generally perceived as mild and self-limiting illnesses, and comprise a reality of every day life in UAE. Medications, if administered at all are procured over the counter and most allergy episodes go unreported. Some diseases like diarrhea are usually viewed as strictly waterborne other than an allergy-triggered disease. In most cases, medical attention is sought too late, and often in asphyxia cases. This shows that improvements are undoubtedly needed in the detection and prognosis of allergens. Despite the difficulty of obtaining accurate allergy surveillance data, it appears that there is a reduction of allergen-induced cases in UAE and other Gulf countries. This is likely due to increased food monitoring and improved co nsumer information. Policies and Plans of Action in UAE In the UAE region, land suitable for growing food is scarce. Meeting food needs and guaranteeing food security largely depend on food imports. For this reason, putting in place a system to control their safety and quality are imperative for public health. What is most interesting to note in this mix is that the food imports that the UAE rely on has been found to be unsafe for human consumption. Beginning January to June 2001, close to 27% of food exports from Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria to the United States were discarded by America’s Food and Drug Administration for failing to comply with the U.S. safety regulations (WHO, 2002). What is even more disheartening is that these foods were found to have high level of microbiological contamination and food additives while close to 58% of the foods were rejected for labeling problems. What makes this significant to UAE is that she gets most of her food through direct impo rts from these countries within the region (O’Connell, 2003). Although UAE has food control systems in place, those systems are largely unable to cope with new challenges. In UAE, the set legislation is largely inflexible, the standards are obviously not consistent with global and even domestic needs, and training in efficient food handling is lacking as observed elsewhere in this paper (NIAID, 2010). In most cases, food inspection models are old-fashioned and the supervisors do not possess adequate knowledge of modern risk-based approaches to food control. Additionally, the laboratories that have been set up do not possess the required scientific and technical expertise, financial resources, and equipments. Due to lack of government’s commitment to the matter, these laboratories have a difficulty in procuring reagents and reference materials and lack a globally recognized certification. There has also been a lot of resistance to change from local administrators who do not necessarily support this initiative. There is also the issue of underreporting something that further compromises the quality of the food products. For this reason, the frequency of food borne allergens is not used to help define national food safety strategies, and chemical and microbiological contaminants are not accorded the priority that they deserve (WHO, 2002). Under the UAE law, food companies are required to provide safe foods. As a result, food companies have the mandate to find out whether their products create any risk for allergic people. This particular law has specific labeling requirements for those products that contain possible allergens so that the consumers buying packaged labeled food should never be in doubt on its constituents. For example, labels need to point out that casein is derived from milk and that peanut oil might not be labeled as simply vegetable oil. However, the labeling law does not cover unintentional presence of allergens in food. Regardles s of this, food manufacturers have the obligation of ensuring that there is no risk of unintentional presence of allergenic food in their products. This helps them to decide if it is significant to warn allergic people of the possible risk. An example of this may be adding simple warnings such as a simple phrase stating, â€Å"May contain traces of nuts† (FAAN, 2011). Although the law has been in effect for a long time now, it is still hard to access how big a risk a food product might pose for an allergic person, since researchers are yet to come into harmony on the level of food required to cause an allergic reaction. Recent research has shown that there exist lower perimeters of intake below which food allergens will cause only mild or even no visible symptoms and that these symptoms range from one allergic individual to the other and even within the same person at different occasions. The amount that may prompt an allergic reaction observable by second parties ranges from a tenth of a milligram in rare cases, up to grams and sometimes tens of grams, with extensive dissimilarities between individuals as well as between allergic substances. In UAE, there is adequate scientific data for cow’s milk, eggs and peanuts to permit statistical analyses to forecast doses of those foods safe to consume for the majority of allergic people. However, scientists in the UAE region and regulatory authorities have only in the recent past begun to deliberate on how to make statistical evaluations of the data (Dewaal, Robert, 2005). Potential Allergenicity of Biotechnology Products Regulatory guidelines for establishing the safety of new food crops developed using biotechnology in UAE were published in the dying years of the last century before the inception of Genetically Modified (GM) products. Many GM crops are now widely accepted as 77% of global soybean and 26% of maize produce is from GM selections (FAAN, 2011). The early safety assessment seems to be func tional since there are no major cases of harm from these products. The greatest potential risk of food allergy would be gene transference encoding an allergen or protein adequately identical to an allergen being introduced to a different food crop so that unforeseen reactions might happen upon eating. The risk of GMOs containing possible allergens is minimal since UAE like many other nations requires a thorough assessment of these foods before they are allowed into the country. The GMO Panel of the United Arab Emirates first evaluates data originating from the studies carried out by the applicant. The panel then publishes a scientific opinion, which includes a conclusion on the food safety of the product in review. With these stringent rules in place, the GMO products in the UAE market might be the only food product that might be deemed free from possible allergens but even then, there is no enough research to proof this point (O’Connell, 2003). In the case of cow’s mi lk allergy prevention, the available data is not also complete since no study has so far been published that meets all the criteria recommended by the World Health Organization. Nevertheless, the studies carried out to date point to a greater effectiveness of extensive hydrolyzed protein formulae over partially hydrolyzed formulae, although the latter might offer nutritional advantages and reduced costs. There is no doubt that further efforts are required in the classification of the commercially available milk formulae used for the management and avoidance of cow’s milk allergy. In the absence of well-documented researches proving the prophylactic value of partially hydrolyzed formulae, children at high risk of allergy should be fed with a prophylactic hypoallergenic diet centered on extensive hydrolyzed formulae. However, even these have been found to be deficient in terms of quality for the brands sold in UAE. This means that cow’s milk allergic patients from UAE wi ll have to stay away from milk products until that time when a safe alternative product can be procured (O’Connell, 2003). Functional Food Market in UAE Functional foods are defined as foods that provide health benefits on top of their basic nutritional value. These extra health benefits constitute the basis for producer’s health claims on foods. Legislation demands that health claims should be centered on and authenticated by publicly accepted scientific evidence. For allergic people in UAE, numerous products that offer an alternative to foods that are known possible allergens are available in the market. One of these products is the hypoallergenic formulae, which is used in the treatment and prevention of cow’s milk allergy. In UAE, there are a large number of commercially available milk formulae products clearly labeled as ‘hypoallergenic’. However, only a fraction of these conforms to the standards highlighted in the guidelines of subcommittee o n Nutrition and Allergic Diseases of the World Health Organization. As far as the treatment and prevention of cow’s milk allergy is concerned, the broad hydrolyzed protein formulae and amino-acid concentrated formulae are the only two products that meet the recommended standards for hypoallergenicity, which is defined as nonexistence of reactions in 90% allergic patients with 95% confidence. Even in these cases, there is a greater variability on the wide-ranging hydrolyzed brands in the UAE market, and for some of them, the clinical information in support of the claim of hypoallergenicity is conspicuously absent. On top of this, other products referred to as ‘partially hydrolyzed formulae’ have in the past been promoted as suitable for cow’s milk allergic people but in the end turned out to be ineffective. This products have actually been accused of being responsible for several anaphylactic reaction in numerous cases reported in various parts of UAE. This data lie beneath the fact that it is compulsory to define the products put on the UAE markets as hypoallergenic formula for treatment of cow’s milk allergy (O’Connell, 2003). The Way Forward Despite rising efforts to prevent food allergies in children, IgE arbitrated food allergies are on the rise in UAE. The World Health Organization recommends that during the opening six months of life, infants be exclusively breastfed, and that weaning onto solids and other milk formulae should only commence after the lapse of that period. Definite avoidance of foods such as hen eggs and peanut in atopic infants is believed to prevent the possible allergic reaction to these products. While there is data proposing that exclusive breastfeeding and the utilization of extensively hydrolyzed formulae may prevent the progress of eczema, there is still inadequate evidence to prove that such dietary interventions prevent the progression of IgE-triggered food allergy. The double exposure to allergen hypothesis posits that tolerance to antigens happens in the neonate through high dose oral exposure and that allergic sensitization happens through low dose cutaneous contact. In one study carried out in a prospective birth cohort, it was shown that low dose exposure to peanut in the type of arachis oil applied to exposed skin on young children was linked with heightened risk of peanut allergy by the time the child turned five years. Recent studies have also showed that young children who are exposed to allergens in the first six months of their life through the oral route have a high tolerance for such allergens than children who did not have such an exposure. However, such studies are subject to reviews and have the possibility of causing opposite reactions. What this means for UAE residents is that they will have to wait for a little while longer before they know the truth regarding this issue (Wong, 2011). In the meantime, UAE parents have the responsibility of ensurin g that their children are not exposed to any possible allergens until that time when the truth on the matter will be established. Conclusion Food allergy is a complex disease. This is because it is not only influenced by polygenic genes but also by environmental factors. Despite the complex nature of the disease, it has been one of the least studied research topics even though it has been recognized as an important problem within UAE. Currently there is no known cure for food allergies. One can only evade the symptoms of food allergy by not being exposed to the allergenic substance. After someone with the help of a healthcare professional has identified the food that he/she is allergic to, one must remove those foods from their diet. In order to avoid coming into contact with such foods, there is need to always read the list of ingredients on the sticker of each prepared dish that one is considering eating. It is also important to note that majority of the food allergens such as pea nut, egg, and milk, are present in prepared foods that one would not directly link with those foods. Since 2007, UAE food manufacturers have been obligated by the law to label the ingredients of packaged foods. On top of this, the law mandates that food manufacturers must use simple language to reveal whether their products contain or have traces of any of the eight known allergenic foods-egg, milk, peanut, tree nuts, soy, wheat, shellfish and fish. Easy measures of hygiene can remove most allergens from the environment of a person with a food allergy problem. For example, a simple act of washing the hands with soap and water will do away with peanut allergens, and a good number of household cleaners will eradicate allergens from surfaces. Despite the efforts adopted by food allergic people to keep away from possible allergens, they will from time to time be forced to deal with unintentional exposure. Given the enormity of the matter, the UAE government must come up with stringent r egulations to cushion the public from unintentional exposure to possible allergens. There is also need for the public to be educated on allergy management since majority of them do not know what to do incase of a food allergy attack. Effective education will also help the public to know what is stipulated in the law regarding the issue of food allergies in UAE. References DeWaal, S., Robert, N. (2005). Global and Local: Food Safety around the World. Washington: Center for Science in the Public Interest. Drummond, M., O’Brien, B., Stoddart, G., (1997). Methods for Economic Evaluation in Health Care. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Food Allergy Anaphylaxis Network. (2011). Parents of Children with Food Allergies Survey. PDF File. Retrieved from http://www.galaxyfoods.com/ National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. (2010). Food Allergy: An Overview. U.S Department of Health and Human Services. PDF File. Retrieved from https://www.niaid.nih.gov/ O’Connell. ( 2003). Pediatric Allergy: A Brief Review of Risk Factors Associate with Developing Allergic Diseases in Childhood. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 90 (3), 53-58. World Health Organization. (2002). Health situation in the South East Asia Region 1998-2000. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/ Wong, G. (2011). Patterns of Food Allergy outside Europe. Clinical and Translational Allergy, 56 (1), 42-48. This research paper on Survey of Food Allergies in the UAE was written and submitted by user Aaden Z. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

The international evolution free essay sample

Introduction Since the phenomenon of globalization, companies that decided to broaden their horizons have to face multiple challenges and their management functions need some adaptations. While going abroad, companies may become concerned with the subject of corruption that makes the business with foreign countries even more complicated. Even if there is a willingness to fight and reduce the corruption across the world, companies must be aware that this subject exists and must take it into account while dealing with foreign companies, their efforts to understand and adapt to local corruption influencing their success of failure. Analyse the causes of corruption. Why has corruption been greater in countries with extensive government regulation? Will a shift to free markets inevitably reduce corruption? Many authors tried to understand the subject of corruption and its causes. Among them, the government weaknesses or shortcoming may lead to higher corruption since companies are not afraid of being apprehended (David Conklin, 2009). We will write a custom essay sample on The international evolution or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Besides, government officials with low wages and low educational levels will be more likely to accept illegal payments to survive but also because they do not realize the consequences for the nation’s economic development (David Conklin, 2009). Other reasons are given by the author like the widespread poverty, the possession of major reserves of natural resources, as being likely to influence positively the corruption. On top of that, the current literature identified a linear relationship between corruption and government regulations (Naved Ahmad, 2002) and it seems that higher degree of government regulations leads to higher levels of corruption. This is easily understandable. The more the companies need the intervention of the government to run a business (licenses and permits, control over procurement, contracts, public investments, tax incentive, credits), the more companies will be tent to â€Å"bypass the complex system of government approvals† in order to get quick endorsement in their favour. As an example, a study carried out by Licetti and Madani (2010) showed that there exists a positive relationship between corruption and the number of days needed to  start a business and to import (see Appendix1). The above analyse names the different causes of corruption that can appear in each country, separately. But with the phenomenon of globalization and the shift to free markets, companies have to deal more and more with foreign countries and the affirmation that corruption will be reduced need to be nuanced. There are a series of elements that speak in favour of that affirmation: first, with the shift to free markets and the increasing competition, companies have the possibility to search for multiple providers, to choose for the best and to switch for another one. Secondly, if they want to attract business, countries have to present clean business environment. And thirdly, it seems that firms cannot afford the costs which corruption adds to the operating expenses in a competitive environment (Carolyn Warner, 2007). However, the reduction of the corruption is limited by a series of elements that increases the utility of bribery as a business tool: the fierce competition companies must face, the international organizations having limited or no enforcement power, the legal jurisdictions largely still being national†¦(Carolyn Warner, 2007). Where would you draw the line between acceptable gifts and unacceptable bribes? Does this line differ among countries? Design an anti-corruption code you could give to your employees. Dealing with different countries, with different cultural is challenging for a company going abroad and with the subject of corruption, it is sometimes difficult to draw a line between what is acceptable and what is not. In some countries, like China, gifting is a part of doing business (in the cultural norm of â€Å"guanxi†, for example) while in others this would be seen as bribery. In order to draw that line companies should look at three different aspects. First, the international laws about gifts and bribes must be carefully analysed. Second, companies should gather information in regard to what is permitted by the local culture. Last but not least, companies must look carefully at their CSR strategy in order to see which kind of gifts there are ready to accept in order to be in line with their core values. After analysing those three aspects, companies will be able to draw a line between gifts and bribes, using an ethical relativism or an ethical absolutism (Bricoe, Schuler and Tarique, 2012). This list must be integrated to a gift policy (anti-corruption code; see Appendix 2) that must to be well communicated, accepted and used by all members of the company. In top of  that, the company should put in place controls system in order to check if the anti-corruption code is respected. The role of the international human resources management function is therefore crucial. The IHRM function needs to understand the different cultures the company is dealing with, to tolerate the cultural diversity while avoiding moral recklessness. This will ask the managers to conduct deep researches about the cultural differences and to train people concerning the anti-corruption code. Are donations to politicians and political parties a form of corruption? Should donations be prohibited? Donations to politicians and political parties appears in more advanced nations and tend to be almost invisible as they have taken a permanent place in the election process. Donations can be considered as a form of corruption if, by giving large sums of money to politicians, people think that they are going to get some kind of return for it. Corruption in politics appears also when politicians try to buy votes instead of winning them. Corruption in politics can have severe consequences. According Transparency International, â€Å"it can lead politicians in office to steer away from good government. Their decisions can benefit those who fund them. The public interest comes second†. Besides, when decision makers accept gifts, they give the appearance of being of the take and consequently they cannot be trusted anymore. According to me, donations in politics do not have to be totally prohibited but rather more regulated by a campaign finance reform as in the United States. By this way, the government can have more control over who can donate to campaigns and can regulate how much they are permitted to donate. Can Law and international agreements change corruption where these are embedded in culture and societal norms and political actions? The case highlighted the cultural differences in terms of corruption across countries. Some practices are so embedded in societal norms that it is difficult to eliminate them. But it seems that highly corrupted countries like Bangladesh or Burkina Faso recognise that corruption is a major constraint in their business. I don’t really believe that more law or international agreements will change anything, but I really believe that there need a real change in officials’ mentality in order to change the situation. People need to realize that fighting corruption will have a positive impact on their nation’s economic development. Conclusion In these two pages, we first saw that corruption emerges from many causes and that countries with high regulations will be more likely to face corruption than countries with low regulations since companies need the government approvals to run a business and that the shift to free market can help to face corruption. Second, we saw that the line between acceptable gift and illegible bribes is difficult to draw. Thirdly, we saw that donations to politicians were, in certain circumstances a form of corruption and therefore needed to be regulated. Finally, a change in mentality is necessary in order to fight corruption in some countries. Appendixes Appendix 1: Corruption and the ease of starting a business and importing (2008)1 Appendix 2: Example of Anti-Corruption code 1. The enterprise shall prohibit bribery in any form. 2. Gifts, entertainment and hospitality are acceptable if they are reasonable (ex. invitations to some events, social gatherings) and if they are related to our business. 3. Facilitations payments are not allowed. 4. If you have any doubt about the quality of the gift you received, ask you direct manager or the ethical officer. 5. Each gift must be monitored by the ethical officer and entered in the gift register. 6. Employees must not use their official positions to obtain private gifts or benefits from themselves. 7. Supplier selection will never be based on receipt of a gift, hospitality of payment. 8. Each employee has the right and the duty to denounce each situation of corruption with a guarantee of confidentiality. 9. Any violation of this policy will be regarded as a serious matter and you will be sanctioned and punishment for violating the law may result of imprisonment or probation. 10. Contributions to communities projects or charities need the authorization of the ethical officer

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Common Redundancies in the English Language

Common Redundancies in the English Language One way to cut the clutter in our writing is to eliminate repetitious expressions. Because we so often see and hear redundancies (such as free gifts and foreign imports), they can be easy to overlook. Therefore, when editing our work, we should be on the lookout for needless repetition and be ready to eliminate expressions that add nothing to whats been said. Now does this mean that repetition must be avoided at all costs, or that good writers never repeat themselves? Certainly not. Careful repetition of key words and sentence structures can help establish clear connections in our writing. In effective rhetorical strategies of repetition, we consider how writers may rely on repetition to emphasize or clarify a central idea. Our concern here is with eliminating needless repetition - redundant expressions that make writing longer, not better. Following are some of the common redundancies in English. In specific contexts, some of these phrases may serve a purpose. More often, however, the phrases weigh down our writing with unnecessary words. We can eliminate the needless repetition in each case by omitting the word or phrase in parentheses. A (absolutely) essential(absolutely) necessary(actual) factsadvance (forward)(advance) planning(advance) preview(advance) reservations(advance) warningadd (an additional)add (up)(added) bonus(affirmative) yes(aid and) abet(all-time) recordalternative (choice)A.M. (in the morning)(and) etc.(anonymous) stranger(annual) anniversary(armed) gunman(artificial) prosthesisascend (up)ask (the question)assemble (together)attach (together)ATM (machine)autobiography (of his or her own life) B bald(-headed)balsa (wood)(basic) fundamentals(basic) necessitiesbest (ever)biography (of hisor herlife)blend (together)(boat) marinabouquet (of flowers)brief (in duration)(brief) moment(brief) summary(burning) embers C cacophony (of sound)cameo (appearance)cancel (out)(careful) scrutinycash (money)cease (and desist)circle (around)circulate (around)classify (into groups)(close) proximity(closed) fistcollaborate (together)combine (together)commute (back and forth)compete (with each other)(completely) annihilate(completely) destroyed(completely) eliminate(completely) engulfed(completely) filled(completely) surround(component) partsconfer (together)connect (together)connect (up)confused (state)consensus (of opinion)(constantly) maintainedcooperate (together)could (possibly)crisis (situation)curative (process)(current) incumbent(current) trend D depreciate (in value)descend (down)(desirable) benefits(different) kindsdisappear (from sight)drop (down)during (the course of)dwindle (down) E each (and every)earlier (in time)eliminate (altogether)emergency (situation)(empty) holeempty (out)(empty) spaceenclosed (herein)(end) resultenter (in)(entirely) eliminateequal (to one another)eradicate (completely)estimated at (about)evolve (over time)(exact) same(exposed) openingextradite (back) F (face) maskfall (down)(favorable) approval(fellow) classmates(fellow) colleaguefew (in number)filled (to capacity)(final) conclusion(final) end(final) outcome(final) ultimatum(first and) foremost(first) conceivedfirst (of all)fly (through the air)follow (after)(foreign) imports(former) graduate(former) veteran(free) gift(from) whence(frozen) ice(frozen) tundrafull (to capacity)(full) satisfactionfuse (together)(future) plans(future) recurrence G gather (together)(general) publicGOP (party)GRE (exam)green [or blue or whatever] (in color)grow (in size) H had done (previously)(harmful) injuries(head) honchoheat (up)HIV (virus)hoist (up)(hollow) tubehurry (up) I (illustrated) drawingincredible (to believe)indicted (on a charge)input (into)integrate (together)integrate (with each other)interdependent (on each other)introduced (a new)introduced (for the first time)(ir)regardlessISBN (number) J join (together)(joint) collaboration K kneel (down)(knowledgeable) experts L lag (behind)later (time)LCD (display)lift (up)(little) baby(live) studio audience(live) witness(local) residentslook (ahead) to the futurelook back (in retrospect) M made (out) of(major) breakthrough(major) featmanually (by hand)may (possibly)meet (together)meet (with each other)(mental) telepathymerge (together)might (possibly)minestrone (soup)mix (together)modern ______ (of today)(mutual) cooperation(mutually) interdependentmutual respect (for each other)(number-one) leader in ________ N nape (of her neck)(native) habitat(natural) instinctnever (before)(new) beginning(new) construction(new) innovation(new) invention(new) recruitnone (at all)nostalgia (for the past)(now) pending O off (of)(old) adage(old) cliche(old) custom(old) proverb(open) trenchopen (up)(oral) conversation(originally) createdoutput (out of)(outside) in the yardoutside (of)(over) exaggerateover (with)(overused) cliche P (pair of) twinspalm (of the hand)(passing) fad(past) experience(past) history(past) memories(past) recordspenetrate (into)period (of time)(personal) friend(personal) opinionpick (and choose)PIN (number)pizza (pie)plan (ahead)plan (in advance)(Please) RSVPplunge (down)(polar) opposites(positive) identificationpostpone (until later)pouring (down) rain(pre)board (as an airplane)(pre)heat(pre)record(private) industry(present) incumbentpresent (time)previously listed (above)proceed (ahead)(proposed) planprotest (against)pursue (after) R raise (up)RAM (memory)reason is (because)reason (why)recur (again)re-elect (for another term)refer (back)reflect (back)(regular) routinerepeat (again)reply (back)retreat (back)revert (back)rise (up)round (in shape) S (safe) haven(safe) sanctuarysame (exact)(sand) dunescrutinize (in detail)self-______ (yourself)separated (apart from each other)(serious) dangershare (together)(sharp) pointshiny (in appearance)shut (down)(single) unitskipped (over)slow (speed)small (size)(small) specksoft (in texture) [or (to the touch)]sole (of the foot)spell out (in detail)spliced (together)start (off) or (out)(still) persists(still) remains(sudden) impulse(sum) totalsurrounded (on all sides) T tall (in height)tall (in stature)(temper) tantrumten (in number)three a.m. (in the morning)(three-way) love triangletime (period)(tiny) bit(total) destruction(true) facts(truly) sinceretuna (fish)(twelve) noon or midnight(two equal) halves U (ultimate) goalundergraduate (student)(underground) subway(unexpected) emergency(unexpected) surprise(unintentional) mistake(universal) panacea(unnamed) anonymousUPC (code)(usual) custom V vacillate (back and forth)(veiled) ambush(very) pregnant(very) uniquevisible (to the eye) W (wall) muralwarn (in advance)weather (conditions)weather (situation)whether (or not)(white) snowwrite (down)

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Introduction to Microeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Introduction to Microeconomics - Essay Example pply in positively related to price because at a higher price producers can earn more profit by supplying more output.(Ian Hobday, p 100,105) In a market price is determined at the level at which demand equate supply as illustrated in figure 3. This discipline also offers explanation of factors that determine demand and supply. The factors that determine and influence demand are many. Demand is determined by changes in incomes of consumers, changes in tastes and fashion, changes in income tax, changes in population, changes in price of related goods, advertising and others. All of these factors bring shifts in demand curve and change equilibrium price and output. â€Å"British Gas reported 98 percent increase its six months operating profits of 2010 as compared to the same period during previous year â€Å"The profits reached to ?585m due to unusual cold winter which boosted the demand of  gas prices  by 8 percent.†( Aubin Lawrence, 2010) Price of related goods affects de mand has been witnessed, â€Å"With oil constantly trading above $100, consumers -- particularly those looking to buy cars -- are vying for alternatives that aren't too heavy on their wallets†(Debarati Bose,2011) Supply is determined by changes in costs of production, technical progress, changes in weather/disasters and others. All of these cause supply curve to shift and change equilibrium price and quantity.(Dan Moynihan and Brian Titley , p158-165) see figure 4 .On many occasions shortages are observed due to climatic changes and so forth. â€Å"European wheat stocks are expected to hit a 30-year low as dry weather could cut yields of some major European producers up to 20 percent†( Cat Contiguglia, 2011).See figure 4. Microeconomics analysis tells firms whether of raise prices or to decrease them. This...This paper demonstrates the main concepts of the Microeconomics. There is also 4 figures in the essay which graphically illustrates these concepts Microeconomics can be defined as a study of market behavior at micro level such as behavior of households and firms. It focuses on interactions between individual buyers and sellers and the factors that influence their decisions. In its broadest sense study of microeconomics deals with the efficient allocation of limited recourses that are available to fulfill unlimited wants of the society. This concepts is known as the basic economic problem which occurs due to scarcity. Due to scarcity individuals have to make a choice. This applies the principle of â€Å"opportunity cost† which is the cost of next best alternative forgone. Goods and services are produced by bringing together the four factors of production namely, land, labor, capital and enterprise. Production Possibility curve demonstrates principles of opportunity cost and full-employment Microeconomics explains price determination in goods and services markets and analyses the behavior of firms and consumers. This discipline also offers explanation of factors that determine demand and supply. Demand is determined by changes in incomes of consumers, changes in tastes and fashion, changes in income tax, changes in population, changes in price of related goods, advertising and others. Supply is determined by changes in costs of production, technical progress, changes in weather/disasters and others. with the help of microeconomics societies can predict behavior of firms and consumers and respond to possible changes in the markets. Causes and correlations can be identified with the help of theories that the disciple offers.