Harm People Research Articles

Synthesis of biodiesel from waste cooking oil using immobilized lipase in fixed bed reactor

Waste cooking oil (WCO) is the residue from the kitchen, restaurants, food factories and even human and animal waste which not only harm people’s health but also causes environmental pollution. The production of biodiesel from waste cooking oil to partially substitute petroleum diesel is one of the measures for solving the twin problems of environment pollution and energy shortage. In this project, synthesis of biodiesel was catalyzed by immobilized Candida lipase in a three-step fixed bed reactor. The reaction solution was a mixture of WCO, water, methanol and solvent (hexane). The main product was biodiesel consisted of fatty acid methyl ester (FAME), of which methyl oleate was the main component. Effects of lipase, solvent, water, and temperature and flow of the reaction mixture on the synthesis of biodiesel were analyzed. The results indicate that a 91.08% of FAME can be achieved in the end product under optimum conditions. Most of the chemical and physical characters of the biodiesel were superior to the standards for 0 #diesel (GB/T 19147) and biodiesel (DIN V51606 and ASTM D-6751).

Evidence-Based Practice and Social Work: An Illustration of the Steps Involved

The current focus of the health care system involves a commitment to the process of considering evidence when making decisions (Donald, 2002). The principles of an emerging paradigm referred to as evidence-based (EBP) are ideally suited to fulfill this commitment. Evidence-based is the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of clients (Gibbs & Gambrill, 2002, p. 452). Theoretically, EBP works by converting information from thousands of studies into risk estimates and thereby provides a framework for addressing questions asking is the chance certain things harm or benefit people, according to a fair and scientifically rigorous process (Donald). EBP offers social work practitioners and administrators a philosophy of that is compatible with obligations described in the profession's code of ethics and educational accreditation policies and standards (for example, informed consent, to draw on practice--and policy-related research findings) (Gambrill, 2003). Unfortunately, however, Gambrill noted that the philosophy and technology of EBP described in health care are typically not described in the social work literature. If social workers do not take the time to comprehend the systemic, client-oriented vision of EBP, then we risk losing critical opportunities to decrease gaps between professional, ethical obligations and accreditation standards and what is done in everyday practice (Gambrill, p. 18). Thus, in an era in which social workers must defend their domain from encroaching disciplines, adding the role of evidence-based practitioner to the plethora of other social work roles is fundamental. Using the vaccine safety dilemma as an example, we present the five steps involved in EBP and demonstrate their utility to social work practice. EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE Step 1: Converting Client Needs into Answerable Questions The first step of EBP involves converting client information needs into answerable questions (Sackett, Richardson, Rosenberg, & Haynes, 1997; Sackett, Straus, Richardson, Rosenberg, & Haynes, 2000). Questions that lend themselves to searching for the best evidence must be specific enough to generate an answer in an electronic search, by designating the patient population or problem, identifying the intervention or area of interest, identifying a comparison intervention or status if applicable, and designating measurable outcomes (Gibbs, 2003; Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2002). Features of a well-built question include the client type or problem, the intervention or what you (the social worker) might do, an alternate course of action, and what you (the social worker) would like to accomplish (Gibbs). Example Social workers working in a health care domain are confronted with an array of client concerns and needs. One example of a client concern stems from the current health care debate about the safety of childhood vaccines. An increase in the number of vaccinations that children receive has yielded an increase in adverse events following vaccinations and thereby an increase in parental concern about the safety of vaccines (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2002; Gellin, Maibach, & Marcuse, 2000). Using this as an example, the client type is children, the problem is adverse reactions to vaccines, the intervention is vaccines, an alternate course of action is no vaccines, and what you (the social worker) would like to establish is the probability of vaccine adverse reactions based on data from empirical studies. Incorporating these features to form an answerable question would result in the following: If a child receives a mandatory childhood vaccine, what is the probability of the child's developing an adverse reaction to the vaccine? Step 2: Locating the Best External Evidence to Answer the Question The second step of EBP involves searching for, with maximum efficiency, the best evidence with which to answer the question. …

Bioethics and biotechnology

Biotechnology is at the intersection of science and ethics. Technological developments are shaped by an ethical vision, which in turn is shaped by available technology. Much in biotechnology can be celebrated for how it benefits humanity. But technology can have a darker side. Biotechnology can produce unanticipated consequences that cause harm or dehumanise people. The ethical implications of proposed developments must be carefully examined. The ethical assessment of new technologies, including biotechnology, requires a different approach to ethics. Changes are necessary because new technology can have a more profound impact on the world; because of limitations with a rights-based approach to ethics; because of the importance and difficulty of predicting consequences; and because biotechnology now manipulates humans themselves. The ethical questions raised by biotechnology are of a very different nature. Given the potential to profoundly change the future course of humanity, such questions require careful consideration. Rather than focussing on rights and freedoms, wisdom is needed to articulate our responsibilities towards nature and others, including future generations. The power and potential of biotechnology demands caution to ensure ethical progress.

Structural violence and clinical medicine.

Structural violence refers to the social structures that put people in harm's way. Farmer and colleagues describe the impact of social violence upon people living with HIV in the US and Rwanda.

Histological changes of liver glycogen storage in mice (Mus musculus) caused by high-protein diets.

High Protein diets (HP) have been popular for people who want to lose weight since the 1960s. Even though these diets do not harm healthy people in the short term, there is insufficient data to support their safe use and efficiency over a long period. Because of the fact that the proteins in these diets are mainly from animal sources, it induces a higher intake of total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol. It is proven that high protein diets cause both physical and pathological abnormalities in the body. However, there exist very few studies about the effects of high protein nutrition on liver glycogen storage. For this study 40 Swiss albino mice consisting of two groups were used. The first group was fed with 25% High Protein; the other was fed with standard meal. The two groups were fed with respect to their diets for 30 days. At the end of 15th, 20th, 25th and 30th days 5 from each group were killed with cervical dislocation. The livers were removed after perfusion then fixated. The routine paraffin pursuit was applied before cutting into 5 micrometer sections and staining with H-E, PAS and silver. There were major differences in weight loss between the first and the fifteenth days. Glycogen storage was significantly reduced in HP (15) stained with PAS. Hydropic degeneration and regenerative activity was observed in H-E and silver stained HP group. As a result for the high protein diet group, weight loss at the 15th day and a significant decrement in glycogen storage at the 30th day was observed.

A well placed trust?: Public perceptions of the governance of DNA databases

Biobanks that are run on an opt-in basis depend on people having the motivation to give and to trust in those who control their samples. Yet in the UK trust in the healthcare system has been in decline and there have been a number of health-related scandals that have received widespread media and public attention. Given this background, and the previous public consultations on UK Biobank, the paper explores the way people express their trust and mistrust in the area of medical and genetic information through discussions in six focus groups held in different areas of Britain. The themes that emerged in the discussion were the special character of genetic data; the ease with which information spreads; the public/private divide in genetic research; the potential of genetic information to harm people; choice, consent and lack of control; and the difficulty of establishing trustworthy governing arrangements. The expert agenda of policy-makers and medical ethics does not address the broader concerns expressed by participants. It seems that public consultation and the language of openness and transparency may not be sufficient to establish trust in the governance of genetic databases. Donors will be asked to give freely without any return but the participants’ perception of those using the samples is that they are motivated by success and profit rather than healthcare priorities. In this context altruism seems naive and even dangerous. In order to place their trust well people need evidence of a relationship with obligations and expectations on both sides.

Battlefields of Class Conflict: Ludlow Then and Now

In April 1914, a tent colony of striking coal miners at Ludlow, Colorado was the setting of the most notorious example of open class warfare in American History. This paper explores some dimensions of the conflict as revealed by archaeological investigations at the Ludlow Massacre Memorial. We consider the tactical strategies used by Labor and Capital to gain advantage in the conflict, as well as the survival strategies employed by ordinary people in harm's way. We also address recent vandalism at the Memorial which suggests that, ninety years later, the Ludlow ground remains a contested landscape.

The stigma of mental illness: Explanatory models and methods for change

For people with mental illness, diminished quality of life and loss of personal goals does not result solely from the symptoms, distress, and disabilities caused by their psychiatric disorder. Quality of life and personal goals are also hindered by people who embrace the stigma that accompanies mental illness and mental health care. This paper reviews evidence of the impact of mental illness stigma and strategies for seeking to ease its impact. To achieve these goals, we (a) describe the ways in which stigma harm people with mental illness, (b) summarize models that explain the development and maintenance of these stigmatizing effects, and (c) review strategies that have been shown to decrease the impact of stigma. Concerns about stigma are on the political agendas of many mental health advocacy groups. It has recently also become the focus of extensive research. Our goal in this paper is to balance the practical concerns raised by mental health advocates against data that support or contradicts specific assertions.

Financial crime, terror and subversion ‐ the control of risk in a destabilised world economy

Emphasises the global nature of the challenges posed by terrorism, economic crime and subversion; because of this, national law enforcement needs to be aided by regional and international agreements. Mentions the UK’s Crime (International Cooperation) Bill, which will make it easier to investigate and prosecute cross‐border criminal activity. Rejects the notion that economic crime is somehow less harmful than other crime because it does not harm people; this is not true because economic crime finances terrorism. Reports that white‐collar criminals often receive unduly lenient sentences, which the author, who is Her Majesty’s Attorney General, has the power to refer for review to the Court of Appeal. Outlines other measures that the UK is adopting to fight economic crime.

Correspondence

At heart, competence is about safe and effective performance. When that performance has the potential to benefit or seriously harm people, practitioners' competence is of vital concern. As Thomas et al highlight (vol 10(7), 2003, p.321), competent performance rests on a blend of generic and specific attributes and skills that are developed through sustained practice. The knowledge developed in practice contributes to therapists' ability to make reliable clinical judgments in a timely manner. At issue, is more than having scientific, medical and practice knowledge. There is the greater complexity of being fluent in the knowledge so that it can be applied intuitively, to achieve the independent, fast and flexible tasks of problem identification, treatment planning and evaluation of the patient's responses that are required.

What can be done to make sure that counselling does not harm people?

This paper presents an overview of the research on abuse within counselling and psychotherapy. The concept of ‘wounded healers’ is explored alongside a range of actions that can be taken against abuse. The paper concludes with a discusssion about the integration of research into practice.

A guide to managing corporate crises

Explains what an organization needs to do before, during and after a crisis, and also what skills and expertise are required. Defines a crisis as an event that can destroy or affect an entire organization, pointing out it can threaten the existence of products or operating divisions, harm people's health or welfare, and the environment, severely damage the organization's financial position and devastate its reputation. Lists eight steps to use with regard to crises. Concludes organizations are crisis prone but some forethought could put them on the road to becoming ‘crisis prepared’.

Ideology and Independent Living: Will Conservatism Harm People with Disabilities?

The prospect of a conservative revolution has raised the anxiety of the predominantly liberal disability leadership. Whether the diverse disability community shares the policy objectives of the leadership, and its concern over the conservative agenda, is not clear. This article considers four major branches of the conservative movement—fiscal conservatism, the federalist movement, social and religious conservatism, and libertarianism—and their compatibility with the independent living movement, a social movement supported by most people with disabilities. It concludes that the two social movements have several consistent tenets, such as individual responsibility, personal and economic freedom, and self-reliance. Conversely, liberal policies, which tend to encourage dependency, appear in direct conflict with the independent living philosophy. The Americans with Disabilities Act is examined as a disability policy that is largely consistent with conservative principles. The article concludes that, to achieve their policy goals, people with disabilities should seek representation on both sides of the political aisle and should develop proposals that will be acceptable to conservatives and moderates as well as liberals.

Does folic acid harm people with vitamin B<sub>12</sub> deficiency?

Oral folic acid given before and during pregnancy can prevent about 75% of fetal neural tube defects. Even in large dose (20 mg daily) folic acid has never been shown to harm normal people, but it has acquired a bad reputation in pernicious anaemia. Before 1930, if untreated patients survived the anaemia, they succumbed to peripheral neuritis, subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord, and death. The speed of this progression was extremely variable. From 1947 onwards, there were many reports of rapid neurological deterioration during administration of folic acid as sole therapy to people with pernicious anaemia. However, a review of clinical studies published before the introduction of liver and vitamin B12 therapy shows that neurological deterioration was often quite as rapid and severe in untreated patients. Oral folic acid can usually correct or prevent the anaemia of pernicious anaemia. Thus it could mask the underlying disease, and allow the development or progression of neurological deterioration, if diagnosis depended on the presence of anaemic symptoms. This possibility can readily be overcome by adequate education of doctors, so that a macrocytic anaemia is not regarded as a necessary accompanying sign of the neurological disorder. The hypothetical and avoidable side-effects of food fortification with folic acid have to be balanced against the certain benefit of preventing neural tube defects in unplanned pregnancies, and also against the probability that adults may be spared the neuropsychiatric and other ill-effects which result from inadequate dietary folic acid.

Cults and the law: A discussion of the legality of alleged cult activities

AbstractRecent news reports show that there is, yet again, increasing concern regarding cults and satanic cults. Among the concerns raised is the fear that cults may be engaging in illegal activity, including abducting and sacrificing humans. A survey was conducted in the United States and Canada to assess the attitudes of people regarding cults and satanic cults, and to identify those activities in which people believe cults engage. It is suggested that all religions began as “cults” and a brief review of the law concerning the free exercise of religion demonstrates that several religious groups have been treated with suspect, and have even been referred to as cults (e.g. Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons). Results from the survey are used to consider the extent to which the activities in which cults are thought to engage are legal. It is concluded that many of the activities in which cults are believed to engage are really mere beliefs that are protected by the first amendment. For those activities that are illegal, it is suggested that current laws are adequate to protect society from whatever harm people believe cults pose.

The Case for Environmental Moderation (Or Why People Who Live in Recycled Bottles Shouldn't Throw Stones)

am an environmentalist. turn off the water while brush my teeth, and only buy beer in returnable bottles. started a paper-recycling system in my department at the university. And, as soon as can afford it, I'm going to trade my roomy, comfortable station wagon for a car that gets conscience-soothing gas mileage. Perhaps, though, I'm not an environmentalist at all. Perhaps I'm just overly conscientious. use my turn signals when no one is around to notice. always flush in public toilets, and contribute a dime every time get coffee from the departmental pot (well, almost every time). Maybe it's even worse than just being conscientious-I may be attracted to environmental arguments because am an unreasoning idealist. I've been a Chicago Cubs fan for thirty years (next year they will win the pennant). believe most people would not deliberately harm other people or destroy others' property, and my confidence in the American way remains high despite an awareness of public life that began when John Kennedy was assassinated. Considering why act the way do has convinced me that am not much of an environmentalist at all. By profession am a professor in a natural resources discipline, and have been conditioned to restrain my actions and thoughts based on an ecological overview. Nevertheless. other criteria affect my actions, and the environment, like money, isn't everything. am no more of an environmentalist than am a husband, or a sports fan, financier, and Christian; at times am mostly one of these, at all times am a bit of each. Extending my conception of personal action to society has greatly pacified my fears about the environmental crisis. The question of who is or isn't an environmentalist has become irrelevant, and the illusion of bitter rivals battling to either destroy or preserve nature has evaporated like the steam from a power-plant cooling tower. A friend once told me that where the environment was concerned, one could either be part of the problem or part of the solution. Nonsense. No one is totally devoted to preserving the environment. To paraphrase Descartes, I am, therefore pollute. The alternative to polluting the environment is to stop living; and then, as every Agatha Christie fan knows, someone still must dispose of the corpse. In practice, we all compromise environmental quality for the benefit of other desires-for wealth and convenience usually, but for other reasons as well, including the relief of human misery. Consider the paper recycling program in my department. The idea was endorsed enthusiastically: collection boxes in all offices, weekly transfer to largercontainers, and monthly trips to the recycling plant 40 miles away. The system worked fine for several months (except for a few professors who couldn't distinguish a collection box from a trash can and so used one or the other for everything). The students running the program, however, began to feel their own constraints. As research projects, exams, and graduation approached, collections became sporadic and eventually nonexistent. The price of paper fell, the price of gasoline rose, the containers were declared a fire hazard, and the recycling program died. The example is insignificant, but the principle is universal. Within each of us there is a desire for environmental quality-Aldo Leopold (1966) called it a land ethic-but the strength of that desire varies from individual to individual, from time to time, and from circumstance to circumstance. When focused on any single issue, the wide range in the intensity of that ethic is the cause of most environmental antagonism. believe, however, that if we accept this natural diversity of opinions, both the environmental movement and the environment will benefit.

LABELING AND OPPRESSION: WITCHCRAFT IN MEDIEVAL EUROPE

The attempt here is to understand the social conditions and processes through which witches were labeled, hunted and persecuted in Europe during the Middle Ages. An historical analysis, utilizing anthropological accounts, Church doctrines and handbooks from the Inquisition, as well as testimonies, notes and sentences from witch trials, identifies the Church as labeler and the witch as rule-breaker. Throughout Church proclamations and convicting testimonies, there run three strands of indictment against witches: they did not worship the Christian God; they used magical powers to help or harm people; and they threatened or harmed men sexually. It is shown how these witches, many of whom were peasant healers, represented threats to the entrenchment of the Church, the legitimation of medicine as an honorable profession, and the perpetuation of patriarchal authority. It is submitted that the witch-image was created by the Christian Church, with support from secular rulers and professional medical practitioners, to eradicate persistent pagan religions and lay healing practices, including midwifery. This image of woman as evil incarnate, and the accompanying sex oppression, has persisted through the centuries. Modern-day implications of the witch-image are discussed in light of the current women's culture movement.