Drugs Affecting the Central Nervous System (CNS)

Drugs Affecting the Central Nervous System (CNS) Drugs acting in CNS were among the first to be discovered by primitive humans and are still the most widely used group of pharmacologic agents. In addition to their use in therapy, many drugs acting on the CNS are used without prescription to increase ones sense of well being. The mechanism by which various drugs act in the CNS have not been clearly understood. In last three decades, however, dramatic advances have been made in the methodology of CNS pharmacology. It is now possible to study the action of a drug on individual cells and even single ion channels with synapses. The information obtained from such studies is on the basis for several major developments in studies of the CNS. These are the classification of CNS acting drugs. In addition to many medical uses, drugs acting on the cns are using worldwide i.e. alcohol, nicotine, caffeine with various degrees of societal controls due to production of addiction or dysfunctional behaviours. We know that CNS acting agents mainly exert their effects by modulation of synaptic transmission of information between neurons. These actions alter the electrical exciteability of nerve cells by changing the movement of chemical ions across  nerve and neuron cell membrane. In general, these drugs ct on a receptor to directly or indirectly open or close ion channels in the cell membrane and thus make the nerve cell more exciteable with regard to its ability to send information. ION CHANNELS: The membrane of nerve cells contain two types of channels defined on the basis of the mechanism controlling their gating: voltage-gated and ligand-gated channels.Voltage gated channels see Table-1 are respond to changes in the membrane potential of the cell.In nerve cells, these channels are concentrated on the initial segment and the axon and are responsible for the fast action potential,which transmitthe signal from cell body to nerve terminal. There are many types of voltage-sensitive calcium and potassium channels on the cell body, dendrites and initial segment, which act on a much slower time scale and modulate the rate at which the neuron discharge. CHANNEL TYPE MODE OF TOXIN ACTION:  Tetrodotoxin VOLTAGE-GATED:  Blocks channel from outside MODE OF TOXIN ACTION:  Betrachotoxin VOLTAGE-GATED:  Slows inactivation MODE OF TOXIN ACTION:  Apamin VOLTAGE-GATED:  Blocks small Ca-activated K-channels MODE OF TOXIN ACTION:  Agatoxin VOLTAGE-GATED:  Blocks p-type channels MODE OF TOXIN ACTION:  Omega-conotoxin VOLTAGE-GATED:  Blocks n-type channels MODE OF TOXIN ACTION:  Charybdotoxin VOLTAGE-GATED:  Blocks big Ca-activated K-channels IDENTIFICATION OF CENTRAL NEUROTRANSMITTER: Because drug selectivity is based on the fact that different pathways use different transmitters, a primary goal of neuropharmacologists is to identify the transmitter in CNS pathways. Establishing that a chemical substance is a transmitter has been far more difficult for central synapses than for peripheral synapses. The following criteria have been established for transmitter identification: LOCALIZATION: Approaches prove that a suspected transmitter resides in the presynaptic terminal of the pathway uder study include biochemical analysis of regional concentrations of suspected transmitters and immunocutochemical techniques for enzymes and peptides. RELEASE: To determine whether the substance is released from a particular region, local collection of the extracellular fluid can sometimes be accomplished. In addition, slices of brain tissue can be electically or chemically stimulated in vitro and the released substances measured. To determine whether release is relevant to synaptic transmission, it is important to establish that the release is calcium-dependent. SYNAPTIC MIMICRY: Finally, application of the suspected substance should produce a response that mimics the action of the transmitter released by nerve stimulation. Furthermore, application of the selective antagonist should block the response. The excitatory neurotransmitter released from these cells is in most instances. The information is typically phasic and bursts of action potential. Microionophoresis, which permits highly localized drug administration, has been a valuable technique in assessing the action of suspected transmitter. Because of the complexity of the CNS, specific pharmacologic antagonism of a synaptic response provides a particular powerful technique for transmitter identification. DRUG CONCENTRATION AND INTESITY OF ITS EFFECTS: Intensity of pharmacological effect is given as, Intensity of effect= DRUGS ACTING UPON CNS: CAFFEINE: Caffeine and the chemically related xanthenes, theophylline and theobromine Decreases in the order given in their stimulatory action.They are over-the-counter drugs, used to block adenosine receptor as an antagonist. AMPHETAMINE: The stimulation caused by excessive release of norepinephrine from storage sites in the peripheral nervous system. It is not known whether the same action occurs in the CNS. Two other theories regarding for their action are that they are degraded slower than epinephrine or that they could act on serotonin receptor sites. NARCOTICS: Narcotic agents are potent and effective for the relief of severe pain. Analgesics are selective cns drug to reduce pain.Long term administration produces tolerance, pstchic and physical dependence. CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DEPRESSANTS AND STIMULANTS: CNS DEPRESSANTS: CNS depressants slows down normal brain functions. In higher doses, some CNS depressants can become general anesthetics. Tranquilizers and sedatives are example of CNS depressants. CNS depressants are based on two groups such as: CNS STIMULANTS: Stimulants increase alertness, attention and energy which are accompanied by increases in blood pressure rate and respiration. Stimulants were used to treat asthma and other respiratory problems, obesity, neurological disorder and a variety of other ailments. As their potential for abuse and addiction became apparent to wane. Now, stimulants are prescribed for treating only a few health conditions, include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and depression that has not responded to other treatment. It is also used for short-term treatment of obesity and for patients of asthma. INTODUCTION TO SEDATIVE-HYPNOTIC: Interms of drugs, sedative refers to a substance that moderates the activity and excitement while inducing a calming effect, while hypnotic effect refers to a substance that causes drowsiness and facilitates the onset and maintenance of natural sleep. The term anxiolytic is sometimes applied to a sedative-hypnotic; however, be aware that many drugs especially the selective serotonin secretion reuptake inhibitors are useful as a chronic anxiolytic dug demonstrated by their efficacy in certain psychiatric disordres like generalized anxiety disorder. THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF SEDATIVE-HYPNOTICS: SEDATION: All drugs in this class produce sedation,, with relief of anxiety. Benzodiazepenes also exert anterograde amnesic effects (i.e the inhability to remember events occuring during the drug action ) at sedative doses. The amnesic action is a primary reason some benzodiazepenes ( i.e., midozam ) are commonly used for short duration invasive procedures. They donot provide pain relief however, and must be used in conjunction with analgesics. HYPNOSIS: Sedative-hypnotics promote sleep onset and increase the duration of sleep. All of the sedative-hypnotics will induce sleep if given in high enough dose. Rapid eye movement ( REM ) sleep stages are usually decreased at high doses. REM rebound can be detected following termination of sedative-hypnotics. ANESTHESIA: At high doses, sedative- hypnotic produce a loss of consciousness with amnesia at high level and a suppression of reflexes. Anesthsia can be produced by most barbiturates and some benzodiazepene, which is generally used frequently as a induction agent for general anesthesia. Only three, diazepam, midazolam and lorazepam are formulated I.V. ANTI-CONVULSANT AGENT: Most barbiturates and some benzodiazepene suppress seizures activity at high dose. However, often this occur along with marked sedation. Selective have anti-convulsant activity and can decrease the spread of epileptiform activity without CNS depression. Some are administered intravenously to treat status epilacticus. MUSCLE RELAXATION: Most sedative-hypnotics causes muscle relaxation at high doses. Diazepam is effective at sedative doses and is useful for treating specific spasticity state including cerebral palsy. TOLERANCE AND DEPENDENCE: TOLERANCE: Decreased responsiveness to a drug following repeated exposure commonly occurs with the continuous use of sedative-hypnotics. The mechanism of action of sedative-hypnotics are not well known. DEPENDENCE: Psychologicaaly dependence usually occurs wit h most of the sedative-hypnotics with leads to the compulsive use of these agents to reduce anxiety. Physical dependence is the development of withdrawal syndrome occurs when the drugs are discontinued. Withdrawal syndrome includes, tremors, hyper reflexia, and seizures. These symptoms occur most commonly with shorter acting drugs. EFECTS ON CNS WITH INCREASING DOSAGE: Calmness or drowsiness (sedation) Sleep (pharmacological hypnosis) Unconsciousness Coma Surgical anesthesia Fatal respiratory/ cardiac depression INTRODUCTION TO ANALGESICS: An analgesic also known as a painkiller is any member of the group of drugs used to relieve pain. Analgesic drugs act in various ways on the peripheral and central nervous system they include paracetamol and acetylaminophetol also known in the us as acetaaminophen, the NSAIDs such as the acetyl salicylic acid and opiods drugs such as morphine and opium. They are distinct from anesthesia who reversibly eliminate sensation. In choosing analgesics, the severity and response to the medication determines the pain ladder is originally developed in cancer-related pain is widely applied to find suitable drugs in a step wise manner. The choice is also determined by the type of pain, for neuropathic pain, traditional analgesics are less effective and there is often benefit from classes of drugs that are normally not considred analgesics such as tricyclic anti-depressants and anti-convulsants. WHAT IS PAIN ? Pain is physiological process that can be classified interms of its intensity ( mold, moderate, severe) its duration (acute, convulascent, chronic) its mechaism ( neurologic, nociceptive, physiologic) and its clinical context ( post surgical, malignancy) pain detection or nocicepter requires activation of specialized transducers called nociceptor, see Table-2, which are activating following thermal, mechanical or chemical tissue injury and initiate different transmission of action potential to the dorsal horn of spinal cord. Category:  Physiological Cause:  Brief exposure to a noxious stimulus Symptoms:  Rapid, yet brief pain perception Example:  Touching a pin or hot object Category:  Nociceptive Cause:  Somatic or visceral tissue injury with medication impacting on intact nervous system Symptoms:  Moderate to severe pain, described as crushing, stabbing, usually worsen after the first 24 hours Example:  Surgical pain, traumatic pain, sickel cell crisis Category:  Neuropathic Cause:  Damage of dysfunctional of peripheral nerves or CNS Symptoms:  Severe lancinating, burning or electrical shock like pain Example:  Neuropathy, chronic regional pain syndrome, postherpetic neuralgia Category:  Mixed Cause:  Combined somatic and nervous tissue injury Symptoms:  Combination of symptoms, soft tissue pain and radicular pain Example:  Low back pain, back surgery pain Analgesics are a class of drugs used to relief pain. The pain relief by analgesics occurs either by blocking pain signals or by interfering with the brain interpretation of the signalwithout producing anesthesia or loss of consciousness. There are basically two kinds of analgesics: KINDS OF ANALGESICS: It should be noted that some reference include aspirin and other non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in the class of analgesics because they have some analgesic properties. Aspirin and NSAIDs primarily have an anti-inflammatory affect, as opposed to being solely analgesic. NON-NARCOTIC ANALGESICS: Acetaminophen is the most commonly used over-the-counter, non-narcotic analgesic. Acetaminophen is a popular pain reliver because it is both effective for mild and moderate relief of pain and relatively inexpensive. It must be emphasized though that the safety of acetoaminophen is tied to proper use of the drug (use according to specific prescribed instructions). If acetoaminophen is not used according to the directions on the label, serious side effects and possible fatal consequences can occur. For example, taking more than 4000 mg/day or using it long term can increase the risk of liver damage. The risk of liver damage also increased by ingesting alcohol. Many people donot realize that acetoaminophen is found in more than 600 OTC. It can be found in combination with other active ingredients in many cold, sinus and cough medications. The commulative effect of acetaminophen must be considered if you are taking multiple drugs which contain acetaminophen. NARCOTIC ANALGESICS: There are two types of narcotic analgesics: The opiates (found in alkaloid, opium) The opioids (derivatives of opiates) Opiods are any medication which binds to opioid receptors in the CNS or gastrointestinal tract. There are four broad classes of opioids: Endogenous oopioids peptides (produced in the body: endorphins, dynorphins, enkephalins) Opium alkaloids (morphine, codeine, theibaine) Semi-synthetic opiods ( heroin, oxycodone, hydrocodone, dihydrocodeine, hydromorphone, oxymorphone) Fully synthetic opioids (pethidine, methadone, fentanyl, propoxyphene, buprenorphine) Opioids are used in medicine as strong analgesics, for relief of severe or chronic pain. There is no upper limit for the dosage of opioids used to achieve pain relief, but the dose must be increased gradually to allow for the development of tolerance to adverse effects ( for eg. Respiratory depression). According to emedicine: some people with intense pain get such high doses would be fatal if taken by someone who was not suffering from pain. PHARMACOLOGY OF SYSTEMIC ANALGESICS: Systemic administration of analgesic drugs is still the most widely used method for providing pain relief in acute painful situations. Opioids may be selected on the basis of their physicochemical characteristics and their diffusion index to the brain. But in clinical practice, their very steep concentration-analgesic effect relationship remains a critical aspect of opioid therapy. Thus, small fluctuations in plasma concentrations of opioids may lead to profound fluctuations in analgesic effect when their plasma and effect-site concentrations are near the minimum effective analgesic concentration (MEAC). Combining drugs acting on different mechanisms of nociceptive modulation offers benefits from additive/synergistic effects and will decrease the incidence of their adverse effects. Evidence-based reviews showed that effective pain relief using non-opioid analgesics relied on paracetamol supplemented with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The role of COX-2 selective inhi bitors (CSIs) in acute pain relief still requires further evaluation. NSAIDs, CSIs and paracetamol share the property of morphine sparing in situations of severe (post-operative) pain. CSIs may be beneficial in patients in whom post-operative bleeding is a major surgical risk as the effects of NSAIDs on coagulation may last for days. Finally, low-dose ketamine infusions remain a worthwhile addition to opioid therapy. Analgesic concentrations of ketamine are 1/5th to 1/10th the anaesthetic concentration and exert significant inhibition on N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor activation. There have been debates over the additine potential of opioids vs. the benefits of their analgesic properties for treating non-malignant chronic pain such as chronic arthritis. Some experts believe opioiods can be taken for years without addiction or toxic side effects. The enhanced quality of life which opioids may provide the patient must considered. Common SIDE EFFECTS and ADVERSE REACTION: Nausea Vomiting Drowsiness Dry mouth Miosis (contraction of pupil) Urinary retention Constipation or fecal impaction Orthostatic hypotension Less common SIDE EFFECTS and ADVERSE REACTION: Confusion Hallucinaation Hives Itch Bradycardia Hypothermia Raised intracranial pressure Tachycardia Flushing Muscle rigidity Most severe SIDE EFFECTS and ADVERSE REACTION: Respiratory depression Fatal overdose INTRODUCTION TO ANTI-SEIZURES: After stroke, epilepsy is the second common disorder of CNS affecting about 1% of the population worldwide. Most (80%+) cases can be well controlled with anti-seizures drugs. However, that leaves many characterized by periods of abnormal firing of CNS neurons and can be caused by many neurological conditions (i.e. tumors, injury, infection). In some cases, there is also agenetic predisposition to epilepsy. Anti-seizures medication were originally designed to help people who have epilepsy, but the nerve-calming quality of some of these drugs can also help quiet the burning, stabbing or shooting pain often caused by nerve damage. Nerve damage (neuropathy) can be caused by many factors, including: DIABETES: High blood sugar levels, common in diabetes, can damage the nerves throughout the body, but the first symptomatically is numbnessand pain in the hands and feet. SHINGLES: Anyone who has had chicken pox is at risk of shingles a rash of blisters that can be painful or itchy. A condition called postherpetic neuralgia occurs if shingles pain persists after the rash disappears. Because the risk of shingles increases with age, evryone everyone everyone age 60 or older should receive the zoster vaccine which can help prevent this painful condition. CHEMOTHERAPY: Some chemotherapy drugs can damage nerves causing pain and numbness that typically begins in the tip of toes and fingers. HERNIATED DISK: Nerve damage can occur if a herniated in your spine squeezes a nerve passing through your vertebrae too tightly. INHERITED NEUROPATHIES: Some neuropathies are passed on genetically and affects different nerves, depending upon the type of disorder. The most common hereditary neuropathy is Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease which affects motor and sensory nerves. MECHANISMS OF ANTI-SEIZURE DRUGS: Exact mechanism of anti-seizues drugs are not well understood but tese medications appear to interfere with the over react transmission of pain signals sent from damaged nerves. Some anti-seizures work particularly well for certain conditions. Carbamazepine is prescribed for trigeminal neurolgia, a condition that causes facial painn appears as electrical shocks. It is important note that FDA has issued a warning that all anti-seizures associated with a slight increased risk of suicidal thoughts or actions. Talk to your doctor if you are experiencing feeling of depression or suicidal thoughts. GABAPENTIN: Used with other epilepsy drugs to treat partial and some generalized seizures. Few lasting side effects. During the first week of treatment, a person may experience tiredness and dizziness. PHENYTOIN: Controls partial seizures and generalized tonic-clonic seizure. Also can be given by intravenously in the hospital to rapid control active seizures. Side effects include dizziness, fatigue, acne, slurred speech, rash, and increase hair. Over the long term the drug can cause bone thinning. VALPROIC ACID: Used to treat partial, absence and generalized tonic-clonic seizures. Common side effects include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, tremor, hair loss, reduced attention, depression in adults, irritability in children, a decrease in thinking speed. Over the long term, the drug can cause bone thinning, swelling of the ankles, liver damage, decreased platelets. INTRODUCTION TO ANTI-PSYCHOTICS: A person who is psychic out of touch with the reality. People with psychosis may hear voices or have strange and illogical ideas for eg, thinking that others can hear their thought or are trying to harm them or they are president o f us or some famous person. They may get excited or angry with no apparent reason, or spend lots of time by themselves or in bed, sleeping during the day and awake at night. The person may neglect appearance, not bathing or changing clothes, hard to talk to- barely talking or saying things that make non-sense. They often are initially unaware that their condition is an illness. These kinds of behavior are symptoms of a psychotic illness such as schizophrenia. Anti-psychotic drugs reduces these symptoms. These medications cannot cure the disease but they can take away many of the symptoms or make them mild. In some cases, they can shorten the course of episode of illness well. There are number of anti-psychotic medications available. These medications affect the neurotransmitter that allow communication between nerve cells. One such neurotransmitter, dopamine, is thought to be relevant to schizophrenia symptoms. All thes e medications have some effect for schizophrenia. The main differences are in their potency that is the dosage prescribed to produce therapeutic effect. Some people may think that thehigher doses of medication prescribed the more serious the illness but this is not always true. The 1990s saw the development of several new drugs for schizophrenia called atypical antipsychotics because they have fewer side effects than the older drugs, today they are often called and used as afirst line of treatment. The first atypical antipsychotic drug was introduces in 1990. In clinical trials, these medications were found to be more effective than conventional or typical Antipsychotic drugs in individuals with treatment-resistant schizophrenia, that is not responded to other drugs and the risk of tardive dyskinesia ( a movement disorder was lower). However because of the potential side effects of serious blood disorder -agranulocytosis, white blood cells loss that fight infection. Patient who are on clozapine must have a blood test on every 1 or 2 weeks. The inconvenience and cost of blood tests and the medication itself have made maintenance for adults for many people. Several other atypical antipsychotics have been developed since clozapine was introduced. INDICATIONS OF ANTI-PSYCHOTIC DRUGS: Common conditions with which antipsychotics might be used include schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and delusional disorder. Antipsychotics might also be used to counter psychosis associated with a wide range of other diagnoses, such as psychotic depression. However, not all symptoms require heavy medication and hallucinations and delusions should only be treated if they distress the patient or produce dangerous behaviors. For non-psychotic disorders: In addition, antipsychotics are increasingly used to treat non-psychotic disorders. For example, they are sometimes used off-label to manage aspects of Tourette syndrome or autism spectrum disorders. They have multiple off-label uses as an augmentation agent (i.e. in addition to another medication), for example in treatment-resistant depression essive, anti-impulsive, anti-suicidal and hypnotic (sleep) medications. Antipsychotics have also been increasingly used off-label in cases of dementia in older people, and for various disorders and difficulties in children and teenagers. A survey of children with pervasive developmental disorder found that 16.5% were taking an antipsychotic drug, most commonly to alleviate mood and behavioral disturbances characterized by irritability, aggression, and agitation. Recently, risperidone was approved by the US FDA for the treatment of irritability in children and adolescents with autism. Antipsychotics are sometimes used as part of compulsory treatment via inpatient (hospital) commitment or outpatient commitment. This may involve various methods to persuade a person to take the medication, or actual physical force. Administration may rely on an injectable form of the drug rather than tablets. The injection may be of a long-lasting type known as a depot injection, usually applied at the top of the buttocks. Those that are available in injectable form are haloperidol, olanzapine, and ziprasidone while those available as depot are haloperidol, flupenthixol, clopenthixol, and risperidone. Antipsychotics are among the biggest selling and most profitable of all drugs, generating $22 billion in global sales in 2008. By 2003 in the US, an estimated 3.21 million patients received antipsychotics, worth an estimated $2.82 billion. Over 2/3 of prescriptions were for the newer more expensive atypicals, each costing on average $164 compared to $40 for the older types. By 2008, sales in the US reached $14.6 billion, the biggest selling drugs in the US by therapeutic class. The number of prescriptions for children and adolescents doubled to 4.4 million between 2003 and 2006, in part because of increases in diagnoses of bipolar disorder. Due to the chronic nature of the treated disorders, antipsychotic medications, once started, are seldom discontinued, and the aim of the treatment is often to gradually reduce dosage to a minimum safe maintenance dose that is enough to control the symptoms. Only when the side-effects have become too severe and/or a patient have been symptom-free for a long periods of discontinuation carefully attempted. MULTIPLE MEDICATIONS: Antipsychotic medications can produce unwanted effects when taken with other medications therefore, doctor should be told about all the medications being taken including over -the-counter medications and vitamin, mineral, and herbal supplements and the extent of alcohol use. Some antipsychotic interfere with anti-hypertensive drugs (taking for high blood pressure), anticonvulsants (taken for epilepsy) and medicine used for parkinsons disease. Other anti-psychotic add to the effect of a alcohol and other CNS depressants such as anti-histamines, barbiturates, anti-depressants, some sleeping and pain medications and narcotics. OTHER EFFECTS: Long term treatment of schizophrenia with one of the older, or, conventional antipsychotics may cause to develop tardiye dyskinesia. Tardiye dyskinesia is a condition characterized by involuntary movements, most often around the mouth. It may range from mild to severe. In some people, it cannot be reversed, while others recoverd partially or completely. Tardiye dyskinesia is sometimes in people with schizophrenia who have never been treated with an antipsychotic medications is called spontaneous dyskinesia however, it is most often seen after long term treatment with older antipsychotic medications. The risk has been reduced with newer atypical medications. There is a higher incidence in women, and the risk increases with the age. The possible risks of long-term treatment with with an anti-psychotic medications must be weighed against the benefit in each case. The risk of TD is 5% per year with older medications. It is less with newer medications. PSYCHOTIC DISORDER CAUSES: Functional causes of psychosis include the following: Drug abuse amphetamines, cocaine, marijuana, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcoholismalcohol among others. Brain damage Schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder, schizoaffective disorder, brief psychotic disorder Bipolar disorder (manic depression) Severe clinical depression Severe psychosocial stress Sleep deprivation. Some traumatic events. DOSAGES AND SIDE EFFECTS: Some medications are very potent and prescribed in low doses, others are not as potent and higher doses are prescribed. Most side effects of antipsychotic drugs are mild. Many common ones lessens or disappear after the first week of treatment. these includes drowsiness, rapid heart beat and dizziness when posture changes. Some people may gain weight while taking medications and need to pay extra attention to diet or exercise to control their weight. All anti-psychotic drugs tend to block D2- receptors in the dopamine pathways of the brain. This means that dopamine released in these pathways has less effect. Excess release of dopamine in the mesolimbic pathway has been linked to psychotic experiences. It is the blockade of dopamine receptors in the pathway that is thought to control psychotic experience. Typical antipsychotic are not particularly selective and also block dopamine receptors in the mesolimbic pathway, tuberoinfundibular pathway and the nigrostriatal pathway. Blocking D2- receptor s in these pathway is thought to produce some of the unwanted effects which typical antipsychotics produce. LITHIUM, MOOD STABILIZING DRUGS, AND OTHER TREATMENT FOR BIPOLAR DISORDER: Bipolar disorder once known as manic-depressive illness, was conceived of as a psychotic disorder distinct from schizophrenia at the end of the 19th century. Before that both of these disorders were considered part of a continuum. It is ironic that the weight of the evidence today is that there is profound overlap in these disorders. This is not to say that there are no pathophysiology important difference or that some drugs treatment are differentially effective in these disorders. According to DSM, they are separate disease entities while research continues to define the dimensions of these illnesses and their genetic and other biological markers. TYPES OF BIPOLAR DISORDER There are several types of bipolar disorder. Each type is identified by the pattern of episodes of mania and depression. The treatment that is best for you may differ depending on the type of bipolar disorder you have. Your doctor will look carefully to determine where your symptoms fit. Bipolar I Disorder (mania and depression) Bipolar I disorder is the classic form of the illness, as well as the most severe type of bipolar disorder. It is characterized by at least one manic episode or mixed episode. The vast majority o

Baker College Corporate Services Essay

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was one of America’s greatest Leaders. His accomplishments are discussed in this paper in a biographical manner, as well as other Authors opinions about them, including my humble self’s. This paper gives an example of a forward looking, charismatic leader. The whole population of this great country is benefitting from his accomplishments, and will continue to do so for generations, with only slight adjustments for technology and culture. Franklin Delano Roosevelt An Example to Remember When somebody asks to pick a favorite leader, a number of the great ones pop into mind, like Christopher Columbus, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Douglas McArthur, Franklin Delano Roosevelt among others. It is a tough choice. They were all great. Franklin Delano Roosevelt had so many great accomplishments during his life time; the only way to list and discuss them would be in the biographical manner the Author chose. The reason the author chose to write about Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the similarity of today’s economy that he faced at the time of his first term in the office as well as our current president elect’s choice to use some of his strategies to correct the present state of our economy. Faced with World War II, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR), guided America through one of its greatest domestic crisis, His presidency, which spanned twelve years, was unparalleled, not only in length but in scope. FDR took office with the country mired in a horrible and debilitating economic depression which not only sapped its material wealth and spiritual strength, but cast a cloud over its future, not unlike what we are facing today. â€Å"Roosevelt’s combination of confidence, optimism, and political savvy, all of which came together in the experimental economic and social programs of the â€Å"New Deal† helped bring about the beginnings of a national recovery (Baliles, 2005, p. 1). † FDR also committed the United States to the defeat of Germany, Japan, and Italy, and led the nation and its allies to the brink of victory. This triumph dramatically altered America’s relationship with the world, putting the United States into a position of international power, as well as political and moral leadership. By virtue of its newfound political and economic power, the United States would play a leading role in shaping the remainder of the twentieth century. Inside the United States Franklin Roosevelt stirred a domestic political revolution on several fronts. † FDR and the Democratic Party built a power base which carried the party to electoral and ideological, dominance until the late 1960s (Baliles, 2005, p. 1) â€Å". FDR’s policies, especially those comprising the New Deal, helped redefine and strengthen both the country as well as the American presidency, expanding its political, administrative, and constitutional powers of the office (Baliles, 2005). FDR was born in Hyde Park, New York, in 1882, to James and Sara Roosevelt. His parents were well off, if not wealthy by New York High society standards. While growing up, they were able to provide a succession of nannies, and at age 14 send him to a prestigious boarding school in Massachusetts. He went on to Harvard College, where he spent most of his time at the college paper, where he declared himself a Democrat. While at Harvard, he grew close to his cousin Theodor Roosevelt, who was moving up the political ladder in the Democratic Party, and began courting his distant cousin, Elanor Roosevelt. Although FDR started attending law school at Columbia at this time, he had little interest and dropped out after one year. Elanor and FDR were married in New York City in 1905. He had six children: Anna Elanor, born 1906; James, born 1907; Franklin Jr. , born 1909 and died the same year in November; Elliott, born 1910; Franklin Jr. , born 1914 and John Aspinwall, born 1916 (Coker, 2005). In 1910 FDR ran and got elected to the New York Senate and was re-elected in 1912. One year later he began his tenure as assistant secretary of the Navy under the Wilson administration at the age of 31, helping to prepare the country for entry into the world war. He moved his family to Washington for this reason. WWI lasted from April1917 until November 1918. â€Å"On more than one occasion, he was subject to ribbing by those around him as being a â€Å"little boy†. Nevertheless, in characteristic Roosevelt fashion, he was undaunted by his lack of experience and plunged into the job with enthusiasm and confidence (Coker, 2005, pg. 28). † As a matter of fact, he did such a great job, that in 1920 the Democratic Party named him the vice-presidential candidate on James Cox’s ticket. They lost the election in November of that year. Roosevelt’s most significant responsibility in the Navy Department had to do with labor negotiations with defense contractors. His primary goal in this area was to encourage positive relations between workers, industry leaders, and the military. In this capacity he gained appreciation for labor issues and learned how to handle sometimes rocky labor disputes (Coker, 2005). â€Å"FDR proved to have the exceptional ability to juggle various administrative and political responsibilities. Part of the reason he was able to do so many things simultaneously was that he insisted on bringing the indispensable Louis Howe to Washington with him to serve as his personal secretary. Howe seemed to be everywhere at once, assisting Roosevelt in all matters-scheduling appointments, helping with clerical work, and even helping Roosevelt keep an eye on, and a hand in, New York politics. † (Coker, 2005, pg. 31) In1921 FDR contracted polio, an incurable disease that left his legs paralyzed. By investing a considerable part of his fortune in renovating a spa in Warm Springs, Georgia, whose curative waters, together with strenuous physical therapy and the support of his wife, children and close confidantes, was he able to regain some use of his legs. By 1928 with the relentless help of his wife, Howe and a new personal secretary, Marguerite (Missy) LeHand, FDR was apparently sufficiently recovered to resume his political ambitions to run and win the governorship of New York. The very next year FDR had to cope with the stock market crash in October. The stock market was pretty volatile in the 1920s. With no regulation, Americans and investors bought stock on credit. By the second half of 1929 the economy slowed because of rising unemployment and high interest rates. When everybody started selling stock and found no buyers, the market nosedived. October 24th (Black Thursday†) and October 29th († Black Tuesday†) were two days that marked the beginning of the depression, although not the only cause. At the same time, farmers were taking advantage of new technologies, which caused overproduction. The Stock market crash, along with overseas competition, and urban areas lacking the income to buy agricultural products, caused those prices to crash also. Because of the prosperity in the 1920 over 80% of Americans held no savings at all and the rich stopped buying. Because of all these factors, 5000 banks collapsed, one in four farms went into foreclosure and 100,000 jobs vanished each week. By 1932 one quarter of this country’s people in were unemployed (Baliles, 2005). FDR implemented a number of innovative relief and recovery initiatives: unemployment insurance, pensions for the elderly, limits on work hours, and massive public works projects. These programs labeled him as a liberal reformer and won him reelection as governor in 1930. It is important to note that FDR as Governor surrounded himself with best minds that worked with him in the State Senate, as well as some members of Al Smiths former gubernatorial administration, to solve his States’ problems. At the same time he had Louise Howe, as his chief campaign strategist and the head of the state Democratic Party, James Farley laying the ground work for a presidential campaign (Coker, 2005). In the grip of the great depression, the Democrats turned to FDR in the election season of 1932 to run for President. He was a popular and successful governor for two terms, with a recognizable last name, that could challenge President Hoover. He won the presidency in a landslide, promising the American People a â€Å"New Deal†. Voters extended FDR approval to both houses of congress, giving the democrats overwhelming majority, which would prove vital in FDR’s first year in office. In his inaugural address, FDR promised the distraught Americans hope by telling them that they had â€Å"nothing to fear but fear itself (Baliles, 2005). † True to his character, FDR surrounded himself with a group of advisers nicknamed â€Å"the brain trust†. This brain trust included former progressives, liberal-minded professors and bright young lawyers. One of the traits FDR is consistent on is the ability to recognize when expert help is needed, and then surrounding himself with it (Dubrin, 2004). â€Å"An array of emergency measures proposed by FDR, and passed by Congress reflected three basic goals: industrial recovery through business-government cooperation and pump-priming federal spending; agricultural recovery through crop reduction; and short-term emergency relief distributed through state and local agencies when possible, but directly by the federal government if necessary. † ( Boyer, P. et. al. (2008). pg. 734) â€Å"Between March and June 1933, a period labeled â€Å"Hundred Days,† Congress enacted more than a dozen key measures ( Boyer, P. et. al. (2008). pg. 736). † These measures were all directed to solve every aspect of the depression, including regulating the stock market. Because so many people had been unemployed for some time, the help did not come fast enough. By 1934 the unity spirit of the hundred days was fading, industry was chafing under increasing National Recovery Administration (NRA) regulations. Even Nature seemed to work against recovery efforts. Between 1930 and 1939 the drought in the Oklahoma panhandle region turned much of the Great Plains in the Midwest into a dust bowl. Depression persisted, despite all efforts. FDR put great store in talking to the people, and he used radio to talk to them. He would talk regularly and informally on shows called â€Å"fireside chats† about results and plans to help the nation and alleviate people’s fears (Boyer, P. et. al. (2008). At this point in his research the author remembered the first four chapters of required reading for the class. It is without exaggeration, when saying, that it is hard to single out any one part of these chapters to describe FDR. They simply seem written about him. From the definition of leadership to the nine leadership roles in chapter one, the personality traits, motives and cognitive factors of effective leadership in chapter two, to initiating structure and consideration and attitude and behaviors of a leader in chapter four. FDR had it all. If it has been noticed the Author left out chapter three, because this chapter dealt with Charisma and transformational leadership. It would not be fair to pick any part of this chapter in the authors opinion FDR was the embodiment of this chapter (Dubrin, 2004). While he was loved by the people, the new deal was criticized from all directions. Some saying that the New Deal was going to far, others saying it was not going far enough. FDR seemed to relish the attacks of his critics, saying that the New Deal protected the average American, not the rich. In 1935 FDR fought back the criticism with a series of legislation that eclipsed the first hundred days termed the â€Å"Second New Deal†. He also lost support from the business community because of his support for the Wagner Act and Social Security. Both were the more memorable of FDR’s accomplishments, the former allowed labor unions to organize and bargain collectively, the latter set up programs designed to provide for the needs of the aged, the poor, and the unemployed, but excluding farmers, domestic workers, and the self employed (Baliles, 2005). Because of his popularity with the American people, FDR wins the election of 1936 against Republican Alf Landon by a major majority. What this proved, was that the Democratic Party was the major party in the states. At his inauguration he promised the people to continue to fight for the nation’s underprivileged. FDR put together a group of voters from different regions of the country. This diverse group became the core of the Democratic Party. It came to be called the â€Å"New Deal Coalition† or â€Å"Roosevelt coalition† and included members from different labor, racial, religious and ethnic groups, along with academics and intellectuals (Coker, 2005). FDR is first to realize he can not do it all himself, and has the presents and humility to put together a group that can give him, information, ideas and feedback from every segment of the population he is trying to help (Dubrin, 2004). FDR’s second term in office started with doing something about the resistance he has been encountering to his New Deal. The Supreme Court was on top of his lists of concern. They had overturned some agricultural and industrial New Deal reforms earlier and Roosevelt was concerned for future programs. He found it unbelievable that this body could overrule not only the presidency, but the Congress as well. He blamed it on the lack of vision of several older judges and was determined to do something about it. If they refused to retire or to die, he would find a more systematic way to protect his policies from them. He consulted legal experts and advisers within the organization and came up with the idea to expand the number of judges on the Supreme Court. In 1937 FDR proposed legislation stating that because the age of some of the judges, and in the interest of efficiency, adding an additional new and younger justice for every one of the sitting ones over the age of 75. Most of his opposition called FDR a dictator, but having such a majority in both houses of congress, the bill would have probably passed. Perhaps that was the reason later that year, that the Supreme Court upheld some state and federal legislation. By the time the bill reached the Senate, all the steam went out of the argument and did not pass. The possibility of the event coming to pass however, had such an impact on the Supreme Court that they have not invalidated any legislation concerning regulating business or expanding social rights for the remainder of the century. Having won his point with the court, he was finding the whole federal bureaucracy moving to slow for his tastes, started to bypass established procedures, creating emergency agencies to carry out policies. In 1937 Roosevelt had a plan for reorganizing his cabinet. It called him to receive 6 full time executive assistants, for a single administrator to head the Civil Service Commission, for him and his staff to assume all responsibility in budget planning, and for every executive agency to be under the control of a cabinet department. Although he did get some of these things passed by Congress in 1939, his opposition was able to paint him as imperious and power-hungry (Baliles, 2005). The Author can empathize with FDR on the point of the Judges, mainly because of a similar difficulty in his work environment, involving very high sonority workers that could retire and make room for younger people to work in this difficult economy. He would have told him that he is also of the opinion that any political appointment should not be for life. Frustrated by red tape of bureaucracy FDR shows a segment of entrepreneurial leadership (Dubrin, 2004). To top all this controversy, FDR also tried to eliminate some of the conservatives within his own party by supporting their more liberal opponents in the 1938 primary. This attempt was later labeled â€Å"The great Purge† and failed. Of the 10 Democrats targeted, only one lost. All these were reasons the party suffered significant setbacks, as the Republicans reclaimed 81 seats in the House of Representatives and 8 in the Senate in the 1938 midterm elections. In the midst of these setbacks, international events were becoming more important and harder to ignore. During the internal struggle of the depression the administration had adopted a position of isolation and neutrality toward the rest of the world claiming the United States was dragged into WWI by trade entanglements with European factions. The Japanese invaded the Chinese Mainland in 1937 and the fact this happened with very little resistance, FDR considered responding, concerned Japan might be encouraged to continue to press forward threatening crucial United States locations in the Philippines. Although FDR wanted to respond to the threat, he relented to his opposition. He sufficed to publicly â€Å"quarantined† Japan, mainly to express U. S. opposition to the invasion. He did ask and receive funding for increased naval development in the pacific under the guise of creating more jobs (Baliles, 2005). FDR shows his democratic leadership side as he cedes to the wishes of the population and the political majority and refrains from taking any direct and hostile action toward Japan. He probably realizes that the internal problems need the most focus as Japan has not physically attacked the U. S. Although, like the entrepreneurial and situational leader that he is, he sees an opportunity to use the goals of economic recovery and job creation to build up the country’s defenses. The Author would most likely have suggested using this creative plan to enforce the navy in the Atlantic as well (Dubrin, 2004). In Europe, Germany lead by Hitler was also invading neighboring countries under the guise of reuniting Germanic people under one nation. As long as his actions suited his declaration, France and England were content to stay out of the action. Russia under Stalin, seeing the lack of opposition, made a nonaggression pact with Hitler, and started seizing territory in Eastern Europe, while Hitler invaded Poland. These actions in 1939 shocked the world, with France and England declaring the start of World War II (Coker, 2005). Throughout this aggression in Europe, FDR was hamstrung because of the neutrality acts congress passed between 1935 and 1939. Being as staunch supporter of England and France, he did manage to relax them in 1939, accomplishing two goals, boosting our economy with our allies able to buy arms and munitions from us, as well as supporting them. In a speech to Congress he voiced his opposition to the neutrality laws and his regret of signing them. Explaining that none of our ships would enter hostile waters, the allies buying from us would transport the munitions. He also refrained from using military language, afraid of loosing hard won political support, needed in the upcoming election. At this time decisions war vying for supremacy in FDR between the future of the nation and his political career (Baliles, 2005). It is admirable and probably due to his inner circle of family and friend, that FDR has the presents of mind to divide his concentration between the troubles in Europe, trouble in the country and making sure he wins the election. FDR seems to see himself as a servant leader (Dubrin, 2004). Although expressing concern once that the Democratic Party was becoming to dependent on him, he was confidante he would win the nomination and be a favorite in the election. After a period of indecision, that left the party hanging, FDR announced his full support for the ticket. He did win the nomination and promptly announced his intention to replace the vice president, conservative John Nance Garner with Henry Wallace, a progressive who had been a major player in the administration. This caused a major disagreement within the party as nobody wanted a change. FDR got his way by a narrow margin, simply because he threatened to drop out of the race and resign from the white house immediately (Baliles, 2005). FDR seems to let his position go to his head somewhat as his actions describe a section of chapter 4 entitled the dark side of charismatic leadership. It describes that the end justifies the means (Dubrin, 2004). The race was the most challenging so far for FDR. The republicans, taking advantage of the strife in the Republican Party, tried labeling FDR as unstable and warmonger. In return FDR was warning the public of the threat the republicans would dismantle the New Deal and destroy the progress it had made. FDR would win the presidency for a third term with a narrower margin than the last two. Without the concern of the an election FDR proposed a bill to congress, which he promoted through a â€Å"Fireside chat† as well as a speech in congress, stressing that while the country was a peaceful one, with no intention of entering the war, the country had a good neighbor responsibility to help defeat Hitler through the production of goods and weaponry and a â€Å"Lend-Lease† program, under which the Allies could borrow military hardware to return after use. A bill was passed in congress in early1941 that greatly increased our help to Great Britain. As Hitler was fighting by now against England and Russia, having broken the nonaggression pack, FDR was able to increase the U. S. naval presence in the Atlantic on the threat that Hitler was out of control without breaking the neutrality act. This action caused our ships to come under fire, resulting in the sinking of several. In September of 1941, while mourning the death of his mother, FDR gave our navy orders to fire at will. Emboldened by its alliance with Germany, Japan attacked the U. S. at Pearl Harbor hoping to invade and secure the natural resources, denied them after their alliance with Germany, which they were importing from the U. S. before. On December 8, 1941, FDR delivered his famous â€Å"A ate which will live in infamy† speech, to congress asking for a declaration of war and getting it that same afternoon (Coker, 2005). â€Å"Despite Roosevelts lifelong interest in diplomacy, he never held illusions that he would formulate strategy in case of war. He did, however, expect to stay in close contact with his officers and surround himself with an able advisory team (Coker, 2005, Pg. 134)†. He also took similar steps to reorient the country for war production, creating the War Production Board to oversee mobilization soon joined by an Office of War Mobilization. FDR’s New Deal experience helped him create a cooperative venture between government and private industry to meet defense needs (Coker, 2005). During mobilization FDR brought about significant changes for the betterment of unemployed and minorities. Farmers streamed into cities, finding jobs, women were urged to work at jobs previously occupied by men and everybody was urged to join a union. Unions saw the peek of membership during these years. If the New Deal was slow in turning the economy around, although creating enormous deficit, the Second World War kick started the economy into high gear. Although reluctant and concerned about violating civil liberties, FDR, as was his policy in most military matters, listened to his military advisors and issued Executive Order 9066, which forced over 100,000 Japanese-Americans into internment camps, for security reasons. (Coker, 2005) Controversial and widely criticized later, this action was done out of fear of espionage. At that time, however not the Civil Liberties Union, nor the public objected to this action. If War was not one of FDR’s strong points, organizing, creating smooth transitions using programs such as â€Å"maintenance for membership† and â€Å"no strike-pledge† was. He used fireside chats to explain to the public the need for such policies, applying to patriotism. While researching FDR’s accomplishments during WWII, the author was amazed by his power of persuasion and organization during this time of mass confusion in this country. Had he lived in this time frame, the Author would have liked FDR to tell him how he kept it all straight (Dubrin, 2004). The outlook did not look promising for the allies in the first months of 1942, but things turned against Germany and Japan when the U. S. won victories in the pacific theater in 1943 and â€Å"D-Day† operation was a great success in France in 1944. On the home front, FDR had to concentrate internally again for several reasons. First the Republicans, having won major advancements in the election of 1942 in Congress, were making it almost impossible to pass legislation to fund the war, which mainly consisted of significant tax hikes. The Labor unions were also threatening to strike over this issue. Mainly the public was fed up with funding the war and having to do without. In 1944, FDR made it known to his party that he was willing to run for a forth term. The party acknowledged that he would be their best chance for victory, however, nominated Senator Harry Truman as Vice President. Although a sick man, run down from his years in office, his energetic campaigning and his medical condition, FDR downplayed the situation and convinced the public they should not change leaders in mid-war. He won the presidency against republican New York governor Thomas Dewey by 54% of the popular vote (Baliles, 2005). FDR’s stamina and drive at this point in his life is a little disturbing from the authors point of view. Highly regarded as a great leader, it is surprising he does not recognize his deficiencies and recommends the party choose a different candidate. But then, if his wife, doctor and friends could not persuade him to retire, the author doubts highly that his own powers of persuasion could have influenced FDR to turn the country over to somebody else, and concentrate on his health and family. FDR’s health deteriorated rapidly after the election. He would not live to see the end of WWII. Convalescing in Warm Spring, Georgia on April, 12, 1945; he collapsed and died of cerebral hemorrhage. His body was transported from Georgia to Washington D. C. and from there to Hyde Park, N. Y. for burial. Hundreds of thousands of people came to pay their respects during this final journey, attesting to the fact that he was considered the hero and savior of the 20th century (Boyer, P. et. al. (2008). Congress did limit the terms of a president to two terms shortly after FDR’s death. Actually, the Republican Party started legislation on this subject four years earlier, at the time of the last election. They did not pursue it on the grounds of seeming petty during the election. Over the decades the subject â€Å"FDR†, private life, political life and all his accomplishments, good or bad, would be studied by economists, politicians, and academics as well as students like us. One such example is a Policy Review interview of several students asked to compare the Contract with America which the 1995, 104th Congress and House Speaker Newt Gingrich promised to deliver in less than 100 days with FDR’s New Deal. The Author would like to show Quotes to prove several points. Sally C. Pipes, President of Pacific Research Institute for Public Policy â€Å"Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and the new Republican House Leadership deserve thanks and congratulations for the successful completion of the Contract with America. What a revolutionary series of events has taken place! With the Contract, a promise to the American people was made; in a little less than the promised hundred days, the promise was kept. Of what other Congress in this Century can that be said? † (Pitney, 1995) Mike Siegel, Former president of the National Association of Radio Talk Show Hosts. â€Å"The Contract with America committed the House Republicans to raising and voting on each of the Contract Items. This was accomplished and should be considered a major shift from politics as usual (Pitney, 1995). † Deroy Murdock, President of Loud & Clear Communication. â€Å"Assuming the Senate and President Clinton cooperate, the enactment of most Contract items, per se, will not influence American politics as profoundly as did FDR in his First Hundred Days. However, the paradigm shift that has accompanied the Contract likely will parallel the new thinking that FDR inspired 62 years ago. † (Pitney, 1995) Mona Charen, Nationally syndicated columnist. â€Å"The First Hundred Days of the Republican majority were like a laser show—full of color and sound, but so fast and furious that it was difficult for voters to single out the benefits of tort reform, welfare reform, or regulatory reform. † (Pitney, 1995) Jeff Jacoby, Nationally syndicated columnist for the Boston Globe. â€Å"So, no, in terms of legislation completed, Gingrich’s First Hundred Days don’t compare with FDR’s. So thoroughly did Gingrich and his army upend that piece of conventional wisdom, that by the end of a hundred days, Bill Clinton was reduced to insisting he still mattered. â€Å"The President,† he sniffled in a mid-April press conference, â€Å"is relevant here. † (Pitney, 1995) William A. Rusher, Former publisher of National Review. â€Å"The First Hundred Days of the new House Republican Leaders will deserve that well-worn adjective â€Å"historic† even if relatively few of the measures listed in their Contract with America ever become law in the form they recognize (Pitney, 1995). † Burton W. Folsom Jr. , Senior Fellow in Economic Education at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy in Midland, Michigan. â€Å"The House Republican Leadership did most of what it said it would do in the Contract with America. The Republican Contract was a conscious, thoughtful, and usually coherent plan that went from campaign document to legislative writ. The New Deal was improvisational and contradictory right from the start. † (Pitney, 1995) John J Pitney, JR. Associate professor of government at Claremont McKenna College. â€Å"The House GOP’s First Hundred Day compared badly with FDR’s. Although all the items in the Contract With America reached the House floor, only two of them became law before the hundredth day. By contrast, FDR signed bushels of bills during the Hundred Days of 1933. Crisis is the great lubricant of the legislative process, and the economic calamities of FDR’s early days briefly suspended Capitol Hill’s normal Friction. Government has become tangled in its own red tape. † (Pitney, 1995) The Author would like to point out, that there is hardly mention of the president of this time and then only to point out that he was left out of the loop. Apparently the House Speaker and the Republican majority in Congress decided they could upstage a Democratic President with a style of government by one of its own party example. As shown, none of the interviewees have lied, but it was entertaining to read just how much of the story a particular party adherent brings to light to prove his point of view. Clearly, the more is known of the story, the worse the scenario of the Contract With America sounds. We have just had a historical presidential election. If FDR started with having blacks, women and other minorities in high office, this country as a whole just elected a black man into the White house. In 1995 Congress took up FDR’s ideology but tried to upend the hierarchy. Since then the Country’s problems have just gotten worse. Again the cry has started and the president has taken up the challenge and stated publicly that he would use some of FDR’s strategies. Immediately the media, economists and scholars exploded with the similarities of the state of the country then and now, advice and warnings to the administration. We are closer to the FDR era state of the economy, the sharp rise in unemployment, the near collapse of the banking industry and the essential pessimism of the population. FDR’s overall message is less caution and more boldness. The congress will also have a democratic majority next year and one of the most liberal caucuses ever, which should facilitate cooperation by past experience. Together with the lubricant of crisis stated earlier should help (Schlesinger, 2009). Two other similarities are contributed to Barack Obama. He unusually charismatic person and is a great speaker, which should help him guide the general public through this crisis. He has surrounded himself with an experienced staff, headed by â€Å"101st Senator† Rouse. To get his agenda passed, he just needs to convince Congress to take some political risks (Drum, 2008). There is hardly any advice this Author can offer that has not already been offered by persons more qualified other than hope. Hope that lessons have been learned from history and similar situations. God knows this country has had most imaginable, and the

Bilingualism and Biculturalism

Bilingualism and biculturalism are intertwined terms that have influenced the social model of modern society. As everyday passes by, the world keeps getting smaller and we continue conforming to the cultural norms of the global society. While bilingualism helps us to keep our native language intact, biculturalism reminds of our true roots. In a world with diminishing cultural boundary lines, bilingualism and biculturalism are critical factors that help preserve one’s cultural identity. Bilingualism Bilingualism is basically the ability to comprehend and effectively communicate in two languages.However, various experts have their own definition of bilingualism with certain nuances. For instance, a bilingual is one who is recognized as a native speaker by natives of both languages, according to a French linguist named Thiery (Chan 2). In recent times, the ability to construct and express complete, meaningful sentences is considered adequate for one to achieve bilingualism. B. Wa ys to measure bilingualism Bilingualism can be measured by evaluating the level of mastery of listening, speaking, reading and writing skills in both languages.Most bilinguals have superior command over one language compared to the other, as it is not very common for an individual to have equal mastery of both languages. Likewise, some bilinguals can understand a language better than they speak it; they are commonly referred to as receiving bilinguals. It is generally accepted among the linguist community that knowing a minimum of five thousand words in a language is necessary to carry out effective communication. C. Types of bilingualismVarious types of bilingualism have been found to exist as linguists continue to study the reasons and methods governing the existence of bilingualism. Sometimes, learning a second language might lead to the deterioration of ones native language. This negative impact over a person’s native language is called as subtractive bilingualism. Howeve r, if second language proficiency is achieved without causing any negative impact one’s mother tongue, then it is known as additive bilingualism. When an individual’s communication skills improve in general from the mastery of a second language, it is known as ascendant bilingualism.In countries where people speaking a certain language are frowned upon, there is a tendency to conceal one’s native language owing to the fear of being stigmatized. This phenomenon is known as covert bilingualism. On the other hand, some nations in the world have two official languages, as a result of having people from different cultural backgrounds speaking two different languages. Although not all people in the country speak or understand both the languages, such a country is known to exhibit societal bilingualism.Bilingualism can be classified into infant bilingualism and artificial bilingualism, based on the nature of acquiring bilingualism. Infant bilingualism is a native way o f acquiring both languages simultaneously, right from a very early age when a child begins to talk. This way of acquiring bilingualism would most probably result in one attaining almost equal proficiency in both languages. This is possible when both languages are natural part of the child’s environment. This usually happens when each parent is a native speaker of one language or if the parents are proficient in both languages.This way, the child finds both languages natural since he/she is exposed to it since birth. Artificial bilingualism is a phenomenon according to which parents consciously try to pass on a language that is not either of their mother tongues, to the children. This could be a result of societal or cultural pressure to speak the language like a native speaker. Artificial bilingualism can have a negative impact if the parents try to force a language that they are not proficient at it, since this could lead the children to form an improper language model.D. Bi culturalism Biculturalism enables an individual to possess native-like knowledge of two cultures present in his/her country. Hence, a bicultural person would have the ability to relate to members of both cultures as well as act according to the demands of both cultures. True biculturalism is said to have been achieved if a person inherently feels like a part of both cultures. E. Biculturalism in society Biculturalism usually exists in a country where two different cultures or cultural identities are allowed to freely flourish within the society.It is characterized by widespread occupation of people belonging to two diverse cultures. However, true biculturalism cannot exist in a country where one culture is suppressed or discriminated. Bicultural countries have official policies to protect the interest of both cultures. It also facilitates equitable status and rights to people belonging to both cultures without any prejudice. These countries also celebrate festivals pertaining to bot h cultures to preserve integrity of both cultures and foster the spirit of togetherness. E. 1 Biculturalism in CanadaCanada follows a policy of official bilingualism as its gives equal status to both English and French in its parliament and courts. This was done to preserve the cultural identity of French communities in Canada, as support for the French language in Canada had weakened and English had become the preferred language in business and politics, by the end of the nineteenth century. As the years passed by, Francophone communities outside of Quebec begun to realize the extinction of their culture was inevitable, unless French-based education was made a top priority.Certain political forces in Quebec had also wanted a separate state during the 1960s. Franco-Albertans living in Quebec called for bilingualism and biculturalism to ensure that Canada stayed united. This led to the proclamation of the Official Languages Act of 1969 announcing Canada as a bilingual nation (Alberta ’s Francophone Heritage 3). Today, Franco-Albertans are entitled to exclusive French-only education according to rights guaranteed by Bilingualism and Biculturalism Commission, while French is also now used in government offices and hospitals in Alberta.All these developments with respect to biculturalism have kept Canada together as one nation and led to the revival of the French culture. E. 2 Biculturalism in Australia Australia was originally inhabited only by several indigenous tribes, until the Europeans settlers started to immigrate there. These relatively new settlers started to control the ethnicity of the immigrants settling down to ensure that Australia had a cultural identity of a British Colony. Until 1973, the governments empowered by the Immigration Restriction Act followed the White Australia policy to keep a check on non-European immigration.The racial injustice perpetrated by the White Australia policy official came to end by passing of the Racial Discriminat ion Act in 1975. Australia started to rigorously follow a bicultural policy similar to Canada, opening its doors to several thousands of immigrants from all over the world. The extent of Australia’s multicultural policy can be better understood from a 2005 Department of Immigration statistic which reports that forty percent of the contributing workforce in Australia had at least one parent born outside of Australia, while twenty-five percent of them were not originally born in Australia (Wikiepedia 9).Australian values of ‘mateship’ centered on equality, loyalty and friendship, have enshrined in its biculturalism policy and given equal rights to all Australian citizens irrespective of their ethnicity. Multiculturalism was initially perceived as the acceptance of people coming from different cultural backgrounds as members of Australian society. However, the significance of biculturalism has now deepened and empowered immigrants in Australia to express their cultu ral identity, thereby enabling them to experience both Australian culture as well as their native culture. E.3 Biculturalism in the United States America, in spite of being one of most culturally diverse nations in the world and built on values of equality, does not officially have a federal multiculturalism policy. That being said, America does practices biculturalism on a social level as immigrants from various countries are freely allowed to practice their religion and exhibit their cultural identity. The Hart-Cellar Act of 1965 nullified quotas based on one’s national origin. Since then, more twenty twenty-eight million people immigrants have legally been accepted by the United States of America.Bilingualism is also prevalent is certain Southern states that are heavily populated with Spanish-speaking immigrants. F. The relationship of bilingualism to biculturalism Bilingualism and biculturalism are concepts that are very closely tied together. Bilingualism not only helps one to connect and effectively communicate with the society around him/her, but also enables a person to maintain command over his/her native language. Since language is the key to stay in touch with one’s ethic or national culture, bilingualism helps foster biculturalism as well.F. 1. Origin of bilingualism in bicultural societies Canada was one of the pioneers of the New World to officially adopt the policy of bilingualism. In 1867, British North America Act was passed to legalize to conversing in English as well as French in Canadian Parliament as well as Courts of Law, thereby paving the way for a bicultural state. As the world’s political climate began to change during the beginning of the twentieth century, the idea of cultural pluralism started to gain momentum.Biculturalism began in western world and paved the way for biculturalism to be adopted as a political policy in many other parts of the world. F. 2. Bilingual education Bilingual education is a method of teaching all subjects to students through a country’s primary language as well as the student’s native language. There are several types of approaches and programs available to carry out bilingual education. Transitional programs teach all subjects in the students’ native language and English is taught as a separate subject until bilingual students can study along with other native students in normal classrooms.Dual Language programs consist of an equal combination of students who are native English speakers as well students who have another common native language. These methods enable all students in the class to be bilingual and understand subject matter in both languages. Late-exit program is yet another method that is quite similar to transitional programs, but it also teaches all the subjects in English again to reinforce the subject content and achieve effective bilingualism. It is hard to generalize and develop a common plan to educate bilingual students. For instance, in the US, young immigrants are either more educated or less educated native-born American students since immigrants from Asian countries are relatively well-educated compared to their South American counterparts, as a result of to social and economic differences. Language maintenance and Language shift Language maintenance is an effort to preserve the linguistic ability of child in his/her native language, while not compromising on learning the popular secondary language at school. It is can result from a passion for one’s culture or a necessity to communicate with elder members in the family.Career prospects due to international acclaim or the availability of media services such as television programs or books in one’s native could also cause language maintenance. The avoidance of one’s native language is known as language shift. For instance, bilingual children may stop using their mother tongue owing to a higher degree of English exposure in sc hool. Other factors that influence language shift are fear of one’s native language negatively influencing their English language skills or learning abilities.Lack of parental encouragement to maintain one’s native language can also lead to language shift. G. Transference Transference occurs when a person’s native language negatively influences the way he/she uses another language or vice-versa. This influence can occur in the form of distinctive oral expressions i. e. accent or odd sentence compositions. It is classified into lexical, phonological, semantic, prosodic, tonemic, syntactic and pragmatic transferences.CONCLUSIONThe concepts of bilingualism and biculturalism are two critical aspects that have held together societies comprising of several cultures, languages, races and ethnic backgrounds. Since transference or the deviation from the norms of a language could lead to language shift, proper bilingual education has to be provided to ensure that one is c omfortable using both languages. Bilingualism, the preservation of one’s native language accompanied by command over a country’s primary language, is necessary to achieve biculturalism in a society as well retaining one’s true cultural identity.References A Research Guide for Students. (1998-2006). Retrieved March 20, 2008. http://www. aresearchguide. com/1steps. html Bilingualism and Biculturalism. Retrieved March 20, 2008, from Alberta’s Francophone Heritage. http://www. edukits. ca/francophone/en/secondary/infomatics_text_bilingualism. html Chan, K. (1998). Bilingualism and Biculturalism. Retrieved March 20, 2008, from Academia. http://www. geocities. com/goktimus/bilingualism. html Multiculturalism. Retrieved March 20, 2008, from Wikipedia, a free encyclopedia. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Multiculturalism

Logistics Providers Review

Logistics Providers Review Logistics and operation managements Logistics is a term referring to the systematic management of stream of merchandise from the production stage until the consumption stage to meet the necessities of the clients or corporations. Logistics, therefore, involves the incorporation of information, transportation, supply, material management, and packaging and security. It also refers to a canal of supply chain that adds to the good the worth of time and place utilities (Fernie, 2004). Food Supply chain management Chain management refers to the approaches used by companies to integrate warehouses, manufacturers, stores, and manufacturers efficiently and effectively, in order to ensure food get manufactured and distributed in accordance with the demands of the clients. This will also ensure they get to the right locations, at the right time, at the right quantities hence reducing inconveniences. In the end, this minimizes costs, while satisfying the needs of the people. Supply chain management is also known as logistic networks because it involves unprocessed materials, work in progress stocks, finished goods, industrialized centers, distribution centers, and retail outlets. The current supply chain system at local restaurants is paramount and should be effective for the restaurants to meet the needs of the clients during Olympic Games. The supply chain systems for the restaurants should be proactive. This will help them in meeting the immense needs of the customers. The logistic and operation processes are designed to meet all the needs of the customers, suppliers, and distributors. The advantage of this logistic system is that it is flexible and therefore it meets the dynamic business environment. This has in the past enabled the organization to respond to rapidly to changes in the business environment because of its flexibility in offering supply chain solutions. The system has to be able to take advantage of new opportunities swiftly, when they arises. This is critical for optimizing inventory and handling all the costs responding to rapid changes in demand of the company’s products (Fernie, 2004). The supply chain system for these local restaurants is going to be been able to provide visibility and accuracy in food supply. This will ensure that the products are delivered as promised from the suppliers, warehouses, and to the customers. The consistent external and internal measurements will be used to measure performance and to eliminate wastes. The visibility solution allows the person to have the latest information and data on the supply chain performance. Integration is essential for the supply chain across all the multiple elements because distribution and warehousing services are well coordinated. The supply chain system for the restaurants will ensure business move faster because of proper organization and planning. The different central suppliers are reliable and, therefore, the company will be assured of regular supplies from the food producers and manufacturers, immediately. The ten distributors, who are both local and international, will be selected to ensure that the products reach the market at the right time and therefore avoid shortage of products in the market and hence maintaining the quality (Mangan, 2008). Advantages of supply chain management to the restaurants Restaurants will gain a lot from our logistic (supply chain management) services. First, supply chain management is essential for the success of this company because it will ensure all customers in the target get the products. Implementation of the supply chain will enhance faster response to changes in demand and supply. This is promoted by the improved visibility, due to adaptive supply chain networks. This will further be more responsive since the company capitalizes on the new opportunities. This process is necessitated by the quick sense and response to changes. Supply chain management will increase customer satisfaction. This is because it will provide common information and framework that will support collaboration and communication among all the stakeholders (Mangan, 2008). Supply chain management will enable the company to adapt and meet the customer demands at all times. Concerning this, all stakeholders will be served without fear or favor at all levels. Communication and coordination will be improved. Therefore, all the staff and any other interested parties will get what they want at the right time. Communication and coordination will improve delivery and transportation of goods to the right destinations at the right time. This will reduce shortages, since there are well-planned systems between the company and suppliers. This in turn will enhance consistency. Communication and coordination will improve the relationship among the stakeholders such as storekeepers, transporters, manufacturers, and distributors (Fernie, 2004). When the supply chain is implemented, compliance with all the regulatory requirements within and without the organization will be enhanced. It will be easy to monitor and track all areas in the business operations such as health and safety of all the stakeholders. Supply chain management has its own guiding rules and principles that guide the company’s stakeholders on what to do. In case one deviates from the regulatory requirements, it will be easy to trace and take corrective action if need be. Implementation of supply chain management will lead to improved cash flows. This will consequently, promote financial stability of the company. Information transparency and accountability will lead to a shorter period of cash-to-cash cycle times in the company. Further, it will reduce inventory levels and increase stock turnover across the network. This will in turn lead to a lower overall cost and increased profit margins of the company. This will in turn lead to lower operational expenses because of a timely planning for transportation, manufacturing, warehousing, and procurement of the company (Mangan, 2008). Implementation of a supply chain management by the company will ensure better products, orders, and execution tracks that will lead to improvement in performance, lower costs, and high quality. Profit margins can be improved through better communication and coordination with all business partners and stakeholders. Greater synchronization with business priorities will be attained. This means that, tight connection with trading partners and stakeholders will ensure the supply chain management is aligned to all business priorities and strategies. It will also lead to improved organizational performance and goal achievements in the organization. Supply chain management is necessary because every stakeholder knows what he or she needs to do within a certain period. Role assignment will be easily based on one’s competency and skills; hence, professionals will be in control of their work (Fernie, 2004). Recommendation for a strategy for the company on external suppliers For the company to maintain a healthy relationship with external suppliers, the company should have reliable suppliers who will deliver the products at the required time and the needed quantities and quality. Suppliers will motivate customers because their demand can be met. The current number of suppliers of 12 should be increased to at least 20 and the number of local distributors added. Further, each supply should be more than 45 retailers for it to ensure consistency and reliability. The suppliers should be paid regularly so that they can be motivated to supply to the company the required raw materials without delay or failure. The warehouse should be large enough to accommodate the large stocks from the suppliers. This will reduce congestion; avoid poor record keeping, and loss of some of the supplies. Suppliers are vital; hence, failure to cooperate with them may lead to the failure of the company (Fernie, 2004). Recommendation strategy for the company on external distributors The Company should ensure the external distributors deliver the products to the expected destination within the stipulated period. The external distributors should be monitored in order to avoid delays of products to the target customers and all market segments. The number of distributors should be increased from 10 to twenty (20) so that customers can get the goods all the time without shortages. The company should ensure external distributors are provided with guiding rules and principles on where to pick the products and the destination to deliver them. Analysis of the consequences of the recommendations The strategy used by the company for the external suppliers is noteworthy because it will affect the company’s distributors and consumers. Failure of suppliers to meet what they are expected to supply by the company will create more problems to the stakeholders. This means the products will delay in reaching the market and customers will not be satisfied. The distributors will lack what to carry to customers and the warehouse will serve no role. The strategy that the company should use for the external distributors will affect the customers and the company. This is because failure of the external distributors to deliver goods to the customers will affect the image and reputation of the company negatively. However, if the distributors deliver the products to customers as expected, it will enhance the reliability and company’s stability. This, in the end leads to customer retention and improved profits (Mangan, 2008). Managing Information (Supply Chain Management) Supply chain management systems are important in the coordination of planning, production, and logistics with suppliers. The management of information is utilized in planning by construction of a chain-planning matrix, which is used to monitor the business activities. The supply chain tasks realized from the matrix are interrelated through material and information. The main objective of the connection is to integrate and coordinate the planning tasks. The flow of information can either be vertical or horizontal flow. The latter involves the customer orders, sales forecasts, internal orders among others while the former involves the coordination of subordinates’ plans in the information of the total quantities allocated to departments or processes (Fernie, 2004). In the production, the supply chain management is vital in having the right information, which will allow optimal production of goods or services. In situations of poor or total failure of proper supply chain management, there are experiences of deficits of production or over production, which are likely to lead the business to a loss. Supply chain management therefore is important in observance of optimality. The use of supply chain management in logistic with supplier is to ensure that they deliver to the business only what is necessary and which is to meet production demand. In situation where more is supplied, it will require storage; which is an additional production cost. Logistics involves the physical distribution, which is an important tool in supply chain management. Supply chain management by definition is the whole practice of networking from the sourcing, procurement, production, and logistics management, which brings the result of the required product or service. Supply chain management is a sub element of information management, which involves coordination and collaboration with the suppliers, third parties services providers, intermediaries, as well as customers. On the other hand, supply chain is a combination of organizations, which are directly connected by one, or upstream or downstream movement of products, services, finances, and information from the sources until it gets to the customer. A basic supply chain has six elements, which include the production. In this context, production is the realization of what and how many products to make. A decision is also made on what to produce at which plant and whether to produce or even to outsource from outside suppliers. This strategy should also ensure that capacity and quality of goods produced meet customer satisfaction. Supply is the other component of supply chain. It encompasses facilities that the company can be able to produce with efficiency and economy ensuring quality of the products. The organization should ensure that it outsource the products which it cannot produce economically. The other component is the inventory component. It involves the strategy to ensure that production is optimal and there are no deficit of stocks experienced or otherwise an over production. It ensures that market demands are met and there is always enough stock in the store (Fernie, 2004). The location is another component of supply chain. It involves the location of a plant or a warehouse in a position that is convenient for timely delivery and avoidance of long transportation, which is costly. Location decisions should put in consideration the tax and tariffs implications and ensure that the organization enjoys the benefits. The other component is transportation. In line with the inventory, transportation mode used by the organization should be fast and reliable. Transport cost covers almost 30% of the production cost and use of the wrong transportation mode will affect the business (Mangan, 2008). Information component is another critical factor in supply chain. The information should be processed and linked to other stakeholders who are utilizing the information ensuring that it is timely for effectiveness. It is still through the sharing of information that innovations are done. The supply chain management helps to reduce the bullwhip effects. Bullwhip effects in supply chain management refer to the tendency where the consumers or user of materials buys more than they require in the immediate future. With the supply chain management, the bullwhip effect is eliminated using the planning matrix constructed to regulate the production process. Supply chain management ensures that only the optimum purchases are made. It provides value for business because it ensures that losses are eliminated as well as any unnecessary expenditure. Through the location and transportation components on supply chain, the value of the business is obtained through efficiency (Fernie, 2004). Supply chain planning system is a computerized program through which the processes of an organization are handled according to the intention to realize the organizations capability in making accurate forecasts regarding their future demands. On the other hand, supply chain execution system refers to the programs made to process the tasks that have been formulated to arrive at the necessary production levels. Both the supply chain planning system and the supply chain systems are technological applications, which assist the organization in monitoring the production process for efficiency. They both work together where the planning system works as a framework while the execution system does the operations within the framework. The supply chain management has however been faced by many challenges. One of the challenges is the people or the training and development. This involves skill development and recruiting as well as retention practices. The other problem is how to manage and operate global sourcing offices. With the increased worldwide business operations, managing supply chain becomes a challenge especially through internet due to the very nature of practice. The other challenge involves the cross function and collaboration. The combination of the engineering and quality management reflecting the nature of procurement, with other functions like sales and marketing in requirement management seems to bring conflicting interests. This entire problem can be solved by use of technology where internet can be applied for proper communication of information to all stakeholders worldwide. Again, the use of software, which is specifically designed to support supply chain management, can be a solution (Fernie, 2004). A push-based model of supply chain management is one that is driven by forces, which affect the organization. The push factors make the business to comply with certain impetus for its success failure to which the forces can push the business out of existence. A pull based supply chain model on the other hand, is one that is driven by attractions in certain areas. When an organization spots an opportunity, it makes a model to fit the opportunity. In the contemporary world, most organizations are opportunity oriented and therefore they prefer the pull based models (Mangan, 2008). Reference Fernie, J., 2004. Logistics and retail management: insights into current practice and trends from leading experts. London: Kogan Page Publishers. Mangan, J., 2008. Global logistics and supply chain management. New York: John Wiley and Sons.