Current Issues in Nursing Essay Example

Current Issues in Nursing Essay Example Current Issues in Nursing Essay Current Issues in Nursing Essay Ph. D. and Ann L. Curley, Ph. D. , R. N. The challenges of operating 24/7, focusing on scheduling, training, and staffing. Despite projections that nursing is one of the top ten growth jobs for the next 15 years, our health care system is on the verge of an overwhelming nurse shortage and health care crisis. Adding to the problem is the fact that hospitals and many other health care facilities are extended hours operations that face unique challenges unknown to the 9-5 world. Hazards for nurses discussed in the book: * Health care shows the second highest turnover rate of all â€Å"extended hours† industries * Nursing is one of the ten industries with the highest levels of occupational injury or illness requiring days away from work. * The most prevalent injuries in nursing are musculoskeletal disorders and needlestick injuries. In 89% of needlesticks, the needle was contaminated. * Work related fatigue prompted nearly 20% of nurses to cite â€Å"having an accident while commuting back home† as one of the top three jobs related health and safety risks. * Nurses show high instances of sleep disorders severely affecting productivity. * High failure and short staffing severely affect quality of patient care. ?Problems With Nursing Informatics By: Heidi Cardenas Informatics is the process of advancing in a discipline with a combination of data, information and knowledge. Nursing informatics encompasses the devices, machines, resources, and methods of utilizing information, computers, and nursing science in nursing. Its a recognized specialty for registered nurses, but does present challenges that academics and medical practitioners are working to improve or eliminate. Significance * In 2007, the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Nursing Informatics Awareness Task Force estimated that 50 percent of a nurses time is spent on documentation. Because of explosive strides in information technology and the huge body of medical knowledge amassed, controlling medical errors and health care costs are paramount in the health care professions, including nursing. According to RN Journal, handwriting on a piece of paper has been largely replaced by reports from medical devices at the point of care, and nurses have to master electronic documentation. Function * Nursing documentation is complex and situation-dependent. With different technology and medical charting methods in use, consistent education and training on documentation is difficult to achieve, especially electronically. Considerations * There is no single device that generates a comprehensive patient record, stores it and makes it accessible to care providers in different locations. Bar codes on medicines, computerized physician order-entry, automated scheduling systems for nurse administrators, nursing student preparation for IT tools and HIPAA concerns are just a few of the problems in nursing informatics. Potential * Mobile devices, communication technologies, efficient applications, and enhanced workflow and documentation will be the norm going forward and in the future. Ideally, every nurse would learn a universal IT platform for all patient care, but that is an almost unobtainable goal with the rapid advances in research, medicine and information technology. One thing is certainnursing and information technology are integrally intertwined and will remain so in the future. ? Occupational Health and Safety Issues Among Nurses in the Philippines By: A. B. de Castro, PhD, MSN/MPH, RN, Suzanne L. Cabrera, MN, RN, Gilbert C. Gee, PhD, Kaori Fushijiro, PhD and Eularito A. Tagalog, RN, COHN Abstract * Nursing is a hazardous occupation in the United States, but little is known about workplace health and safety issues facing the nursing work force in the Philippines. In this article, work-related problems among a sample of nurses in the Philippines are described. Cross-sectional data were collected through a self-administered survey during the Philippine Nurses Association 2007 convention. Measures included four categories: work-related demographics, occupational injury/illness, reporting behavior, and safety concerns. Approximately 40% of nurses had experienced at least one injury or illness in the past year, and 80% had experienced back pain. Most who had an injury did not report it. The top ranking concerns were stress and overwork. Filipino nurses encounter considerable health and safety concerns that are similar to those encountered by nurses in other countries. Future research should examine the work organization factors that contribute to these concerns and strengthen policies to promote health and safety. ?The National Nursing Crisis: 7 Strategic Solutions By: Jaime Z. Galvez Tan M. D. , M. P. H. Introduction At the rate we are losing monthly our highly skilled nurses to the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland and the Netherlands, and with the Philippine government, via the Department of Health raising its hands in helplessness, offering no strategic solutions in sight, expect a worsening of the health crisis already plaguing our country. It is not only the nurses the country is losing, our medical doctors are now enrolling in nursing schools offering an abbreviated course for doctors to become nurses. ? Ethical Dilemmas in Nursing By: Jenifer Wilson-Barnett Abstract. Nurses are increasingly realizing that they can offer relevant information and participate in decision-making involving ethical issues. However, inter-professional communications are frequently inadequate, and do not permit exchange of opinions. The consequences are often frustrating and upsetting for nurses whose care is affected by others policies. ? Unemployment * The Professional Regulation Commission estimates the number of jobless Filipino nurses to hit 298,000 this year, to include the 68,000 who took the local licensure exam in December. ? RN Heals Department Order No. 2012-0184 (DO 2012-0184). * The Order speaks of the following interesting points: * RNheals nurses are not ‘employed’ but rather are intended for learning and development. Nurses under the program are not regular employees but pre-service trainees. They are given stipend/allowances not salaries. * RNheals 4 tour of duty will be from January to December 2013. Nurses will be assigned in DOH Hospitals (Hospital Setting) or Rural Health Units (Community Setting). Stipend/allowance for RN Heals 2013 is still 8,000 per month with PhilHealth and GSIS Insurance. * Nurses are to be awarded with Certificate of Completion after satisfactorily completing the RNheals program. * RN Heals 4 Recruitment and selection period will be from October 29, 2012 to November 2012. * Application forms shall be submitted directly to CHDs for community setting and DOH Hospitals for hospital setting. * ONLY NURSES WITH PRC LICENSE are eligible to apply. * Nurses who have previously engaged in RNHeals are not qualified to re-enter the project. * In case of absences, a fixed amount of Php 363. 00 per day shall be deducted. * Stipend shall be given on or before every 10th and 25th day of the month. * Eight training hours per day shall be completed by the nurse.

How to Get Rid of Clichés in Your Writing

How to Get Rid of Clichà ©s in Your Writing It was a dark and stormy night. The unsuspecting college student racked her brain while the seconds ticked by. She felt like the world was falling down all around her. In less than six hours, her narrative essay was due for her Composition 123 class. She had ideas, but she wanted to write something fresh as daisies – a story that would get under her readers’ skins. She looked at what she’d written so far and realized that it was more clichà ©d than American apple pie. If this scene reminds you of your own struggles with writing, you are in severe need of an anti-clichà © remedy. Fortunately, clichà ©d writing doesn’t necessarily have to be the death of your essay. You can learn how to identify clichà ©s in your writing and eliminate them by following a few simple steps. Time to Identify: What is a Clichà ©? The word clichà © dates back to 1825, where it was used to describe a sound made when a printer’s press went over a typeset block called a â€Å"stereotype.† The stereotype made it possible to reuse the same words over and over again to save time in the printing process. Like in the original usage of the word, clichà ©s save people time and effort by using images, wording, and ideas that have been used many times over. Unfortunately, they also come across as boring, vapid, and as an attempt to word-count pad your essay. Some of the most rampant clichà ©s in essay writing are: The dictionary defines ________ as†¦. This essay will discuss†¦ From the beginning of time†¦ All in all†¦ My experiences broadened my horizons†¦ It hit me like a ton of bricks†¦ In this day and age†¦ You probably have heard or read these many times throughout your life. Perhaps you’ve actually written them once or twice. Don’t worry. Identifying clichà ©s in your own writing is the first step towards turning your boring essays into engaging writing. Review, Replace, Rewrite By replacing worn out phrases with ones that are uniquely yours, your writing will be more fun to read and your teachers will see you as a more mature writer. Just keep in mind the Three Rs of eliminating clichà ©s: Review, Replace, and Rewrite. If you follow these steps for every essay you write, your writing will always have that personal flair that can never be copied. For example, review the opening paragraph one more time. It was a dark and stormy night. The unsuspecting college student racked her brain while the seconds ticked by. She felt like the world was falling down all around her. In less than six hours, her narrative essay was due for her Composition 123 class. She had ideas, but she wanted to write something fresh as daisies – a story that would get under her readers’ skins. She looked at what she’d written so far and realized that it was more clichà ©d than American apple pie. Are there any phrases that stick out to as being clichà ©d? Replace the rehashed language and ideas with creative metaphors and clear nouns and verbs. Then, rewrite this paragraph so that it sounds more original – more uniquely â€Å"you.† It was another stressful Sunday night cram session. Cheri felt sweat underneath her watch as ts incessant tick-tick-tick buried her deeper in despair. In less than six hours, her narrative essay was due for her Composition 123 class. She had ideas, but she wanted to write something exotic and explosive – a story that would grip her readers’ minds and whisper her words long after they put it down. A Word of Warning: Write Clear and Hard The rewritten paragraph is more interesting to read, and sounds more mature. Because all the overused ideas were replaced, the paragraph is vibrant and evocative. Still, make sure that your writing doesn’t go too far in its attempt to be original. Using a thesaurus to come up with â€Å"fancy† words often reads like just that. In addition, abstract metaphors and similes can confuse readers and bog your writing down. The best advice? Hemingway said, â€Å"Write clear and hard about what hurts.† When writing your essays, be clear in your language and use images that are unique to your experience. That way, your essays don’t have to be quite so painfully boring to read. With a little creative flair and an arsenal of new ideas, you’ll be able to conquer even the driest college essay prompt in your own unique style.

Thomas Jeffersons two terms in office Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Thomas Jeffersons two terms in office - Essay Example Thomas Jefferson’s two terms in office Washington had constraint the operations of the judiciary to deliver justice to all Americans by allowing it to be overly influenced by federalists. Jefferson succeeded in eliminating federal influences in the judiciary by making the Supreme Court independence. The independence of the judiciary was a critical aspect in America’s rise to a justly state. His intention to repeal the 1801 Judiciary Act, remove judges untrustworthy judges from office, and eliminate district courts from the judicial structure were motivated by his intention to see an efficient and effective judicial system that functions within the budgeted expenditures (Bailey, 2001). He also ensured that the executives operate within the constitutional frameworks and are non-partisan in their actions as this was critical to America’s growth. Additionally, Jefferson was committed to strengthening the nation’s economy through elimination of debt and superfluous taxes that were deemed offensive and unreasonably burdened struggling Americans. He saw a ballooning national debt as a cesspool of bigoted patronage (Denson, 2001). Unlike Washington, Jefferson believed that the nation could build foreign credit without carrying a huge national debt. However, I believe that his misdoing came in during the Louisiana Purchase when he candidly violated his powers and borrowed gold from England only to reimburse with treasury bonds which particularly increased the state’s external debt as it is equaled to debt.

TEXTBOOK-Brinkley, American History, Connecting with the Past, Volume Essay

TEXTBOOK-Brinkley, American History, Connecting with the Past, Volume II, McGraw Hill chapters 16-19 - Essay Example Furthermore, a wonderful platform was provided for entrepreneurs to showcase their talent at the onset of this revolution. Steam power was introduced with the help of which railways came into being; water wheels were made use of in the manufacturing industry; the textile industry made use of the spinning jenny as well as various other equipments that brought about a revolutionary change in American society. These effects were not only confined to America but also spread through parts of Europe as well as North America, making America to be one of the fastest growing economies at the time. A number of powerful and wealthy industrialists came into being and were known as Robber Barons who sold their products at prices that were very questionable; this process included buying out the competition, paying the employees and workers very low wages, hiking up the prices while maintaining a monopoly in order to amass wealth. This practice was followed under the concept of laissez faire which has been discussed further during the scope of this paper however it was due to such a monopoly that the government in the country had to interfere in order to keep in check the welfare of the poorer sections of society from being exploited by these barons. â€Å"Laissez-faire† is a French word-combination that literally means ‘let them do’ and may be interpreted in the economic sense as ‘let them do as they will’ or ‘leave them to do as they please.’ The phrase was brought into question when M. Le Gendre, who led a group of French businessmen, was asked about the welfare of merchants in France and how they could contribute to the commercial structure of the country. Established in the 18th century, the concept of laissez-faire was used in order to oppose any government intervention in business affairs. In America private owners have had a bigger say in matters relating to trade and commerce. E.A.J Johnson wrote the following in his 1973 study on the economic principles established at the foundation of the United States: â€Å"The general view, discernible in contemporaneous literature, was that the responsibility of government should involve enough surveillance over the enterprise system to ensure the social usefulness of all economic activity. It is quite proper, said Bordley, for individuals to â€Å"choose for themselves† how they will apply their labor and their intelligence in production. But it does not follow from this that â€Å"legislators and men of influence† are freed from all responsibility for giving direction to the course of national economic development. They must, for instance, discountenance the production of unnecessary commodities of luxury when common sense indicates the need for food and other essentials. Lawmakers can fulfill their functions properly only when they â€Å"become benefactors to the public†; in new countries they must safeguard agriculture and commerce, e ncourage immigration, and promote manufactures.† (Johnson, E.A.J) One of the main aspects of the industrial revolution in America was the development of railways and railroads because this led to the formation of the backbone of the American economy to a great extent. It assisted in balancing out transport of essential commodities to destinations near and far in order to maintain the supply of

Histidine Synthesis: An Overview of Research

Histidine Synthesis: An Overview of Research Histidine Synthesis Kathryn McCallister The study of the biosynthetic pathway leading to synthesis of the amino acid histidine in prokaryotes and lower eukaryotes was begun more than 40 years ago and has resulted in the unraveling of many fundamental mechanisms of biology (1). With this it can be assumed that much of the pathway is known or is in the process of becoming known. What is to be discussed is the pathway itself, which has been studied extensively in E. coli and S. typhimurium. While many may not understand why this pathway is important in the body it should not be understated that this is a very important pathway. Histidine is an essential amino acid. Histidine metabolism has been extensively researched and many articles have been published about the numerous effects of having deficient or excessive histidine in the blood. This paper will go over the flow of the pathway in detail from the beginning to the end result, Histidine. Histidine is something that is very important in the human body and this will be rev ealed later in the paper. Now the portion of the pathway to be discussed is the portion in which Histidine is made into Carnosine. Now in order to discuss this portion of the pathway we must first find out how we make Histidine in the first place. This pathway also occurs in prokaryotes which are the main organism in which this pathway has been studied. The disease that we will be focusing on is Carnosinemia. This disease is caused by a deficient amount of histidine in the body. Lastly we will discuss the prevalence of this disease in society and how this could potentially affect the population in the future. The histidine system is an important system in the body. It has also helped with other theories. The histidine system was of the utmost importance in the definition and refinement of the operon theory (1). In order to understand this theory you first must understand what an operon is. An operon contains a group of genes that code for enzymes involved in a metabolic pathway (2). This is very important in the processes of the organism. The operon helps the cell conserve energy. The operon theory was first proposed by the French microbiologist Franà §ois Jacob and Jacques Monod in the early 1960s (2). While this seems irrelevant in fact, it has been calculated that 41 ATP molecules are sacrificed for each histidine molecule made (1). With that kind of energy needed it’s no wonder that the majority of Histidine comes from diet. Histidine is a costly amino acid to produce, so in order for the body to maintain itself it has to be able to take Histidine from the food in which we eat . If enough of this amino acid is not taken in then it could potentially cause problems. Histidine is one of the most important substances in the body only because it can be converted into other things one of which is really important in the body, haemoglobin. Furthermore, it is involved in various metabolic reactions and hence ensures indirectly the oxygen supply to all the organs and tissues (3). Without oxygen the body would eventually begin to shut down. In particular, in the well-known yeast S. cerevisiae, the seven genes responsible for the biosynthesis of histidine are located on six different chromosomes (1). Now this is very different than in Archaebacteria. The his genes in archaebacterial are less well known than in eubacteria; only three his genes have been recognized in just four species, three of them belonging to the genus Methanococcus and one to Halobacterium (1). This is interesting since there are seven genes. The demonstration that hisI and hisE is, in fact, a single gene (now hisI) brought the genes to eight and the steps to 10 (1). Quickly covering these steps is no easy task, but below is an attempt to do so. The first reaction in histidine biosynthesis is the condensation of ATP and 5-phophoribosyl 1-pyrophosphate (PRPP) to form N’-5’-phosphoribosyl-ATP (PRATP) (1). This key reaction is involved in feedback inhibition. The second step in histidine biosynthesis is the condensation of PRATP into PRAMP. From PRAMP the synthesis produces BBMII. The fourth step of the pathway is an internal redox reaction, also known as Amadori rearrangement, involving the isomerization of the aminoaldose 5’-ProFAR to the aminoketose N’-[(5’-phosphoribulosyl)-formimino]-5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-ribonucleotide (5’-PRFAR or BBMIII) (1). This is then synthesized into imidazole-glycerol-phosphate, also known as IGP. AICAR, which is produced in the reaction catalyzed by the IGP synthase, is recycled into the de novo purine biosynthetic pathway (1). From there it is dehydrated and the resulting enol is ketonized nonenzymatically to imidazole-acetol-phosphate (IAP) (1). The seventh step of this pathway is a reversible one in which IAP is involved. The reaction leads to the production of ÃŽ ±-ketoglutarate and L-histidinol-phosphate (HOL-P) (1). From there it loses the phosphate and becomes L-histidinol (HOL). HOL is oxidized and becomes L-histidinal, which is an unstable portion of the pathway. From there it proceeds to histidine by way of a transferase, or in other words it moves the intermediate to another site on the chain. Nevertheless, the two initial substrates of histidine biosynthesis, PRPP and ATP, play a key role in intermediate and energetic metabolism and link this pathway to the biosynthesis of purines, pyrimidines, pyridine nucleotide, folates, and tryptophan (1). Klem and Davisson found that the protein encoded by the hisF gene has an ammoni-dependent activity that is responsible for the conversion of PRFAR to AICAR and IFP, while the product of the hisH gene had no detectable catalytic properties. However, in combination, the two proteins were able to carry out the reaction in the presence of glutamine as a nitrogen donor without releasing any free metabolic intermediate (1). Final identification was generally achieved from DNA and protein sequence comparison with the E. coli counterparts, assuming, as it is widely accepted, the the biosynthetic pathway is fundamentally the same in all organisms (1). This later may be associated with dietary factors, since it is known that histidinuria may be present after a heavy protein meal especially in children; it is also increased during pregnancy and at the beginning of the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle (9). This is interesting to note because this study was done in 1962 ns was based on a urine analysis of the mentally defective population of Northern Ireland. This study proposed that there were approximately 4,000 people under the care of the Northern Ireland Hospitals Authority during this study. In the 2,081 urines examined there were two cases of very severe generalized aminoaciduria and 36 cases of moderate severity; these latter are of ‘central cluster’ pattern involving glycine, serine, alanine, glutamine and/or glutamic acid, histidine, threonine and sometimes taurine (9). While these numbers may seem insignificant when you take that throughout the whole population who may not know that they have a deficiency, t he numbers translate to 1.8% of the population. It is appreciated that many of the above amino-acidurias may have a metabolic basis quite unrelated to mental retardation, and it is hoped to study these cases in detail (9). This is later confirmed by further testing. The portion of the pathway that will be discussed is from Histidine to Carnosine. This may seem unrelated but Carnosinemia is caused by a lack of Histidine because it is partially made up of Histidine. Without Histidine there can be no Carnosine made. One of the genes that have recently been linked to diabetic nephropathy is Carnosine dipeptidase-1 (6). This is just one of the problems that carnosinemia could potentially cause in the human body. In humans, circulating Carnosine is readily degraded by the highly active serum carnosinase enzyme, which is secreted from the liver into the plasma (6). Without Carnosine this enzyme isn’t able to function properly. Carnosinase is a true dipeptidase and this was discovered in an experiment that was published in 1985. Human tissue carnosinase (EC 3.4.13.3) had optimum activity at pH 9.5 and was a cysteine peptidase, being activated by dithiothreitol and inhibited by p-hydroxymercuribenzoate (7). While pH may be manipulated in a lab, ou r body adjusts our pH everyday on a cellular level in order to work at maximum capacity at all times. Carnosine could hold the potential to protect type 2 diabetics from some of the complications associated with nerve damage. From these genetic data in human patients, it was hypothesized that L-Carnosine serum levels are associated with the risk for late complications of diabetic disease and that L-Carnosine acts as a protective factor (6). This is interesting to note since most symptoms associated with low amino acid levels involve some sort of nerve problem. The researchers hypothesized that L-Carnosine may be a protective factor when it comes to diabetic patients and their potential nerve problems associated with type 2 diabetes. In the results they found that mice that were supplemented with L-Carnosine had later onset diabetes and was much milder than anticipated. Their conclusion was that hCN1-dependent susceptibility to diabetic nephropathy may at least in part be mediated by altered glucose metabolism in type 2 diabetic patients (6). It has been found that Carnosine not only protects against type 2 diabetes but also with LDL and high cholesterol. In an experiment published in 2007 it was found that Carnosine was able to lower LDL without the dangerous accumulation of cholesterol that many drugs on the market cause. The key finding of the current study is that Carnosine and its constituents are effective at equimolar concentrations to the modifying agent, out data suggests that Carnosine and its constituents may serve as effective scavengers of carbonyl compounds and inhibitors of protein glycation in vivo, and as potential therapeutic agents to inhibit diabetes-induced atherosclerosis. (5). That is why Carnosine is so important in the human body. Now managing this disease isn’t as simple as just ingesting more histidine or Carnosine. There is no known cure for carnosinemia. They are still trying to figure out what causes carnosinemia. The signs and symptoms of carnosinemia are: aminoaciduria, cognitive impairment, developmental regress, EEG abnormality, seizures, autosomal recessive inheritance, carnosinuria, generalized myoclonic seizures, and intellectual disability (12). Most of the symptoms as stated have to do with the brain and its functions, and this is very similar to a number of other diseases that have to do with amino acid deficiency. Unfortunately as stated there is no known cure or management for this disease. Unfortunately only about 30 cases have been reported to date so not a lot of people even know that this disease exists. So far, all genetically determined diseases due to primarily to an enzyme deficiency are inherited by recessive or sex-linked mechanisms and this rule is holding so well that there is little reason to search for such a cause in conditions showing dominant inheritance (4). Carnosinemia is an autosomal recessive disorder, meaning that both parents have to be carriers in order for the child to be effected. The commonest approach has been to provide a diet deprived of an offending constituent, the greatest experience having been obtained with the treatment by this means of phenylketonuria and galactosaemia (4). When researched no known treatment could be neither found, nor any experimental treatments for this disease. Not enough people suffer from this disease to make experimentation worthwhile for scientists. Dietary restriction is by no means the only approach to therapy and in disorders of many essential amino-acids may not even be feasible (4). Such is the case for carnosinemia and h istidine deficiency. In conclusion, the study of histidine has spanned more than 40 years and is still very much ongoing. The two main study specimens that have been used to study the Histidine pathway are E. coli and S. typhimurium. The pathway is comprised of 10 steps in which it starts at ATP and ends with Histidine. From there is can be transformed into a number of different compounds including Histamine and Haemoglobin. There are seven genes that make up the Histidine pathway and they are located on six different chromosomes in eukaryotes. Histidine intake is mostly dietary because it is so costly for the body to make it. Which is why Histidinuria is found especially in children and pregnant women. They also found the Histidine deficiency can cause many developmental delays, and was found in a some of the mentally challenged people tested in Northern Ireland. Histidine makes up Carnosine in the human body which is very important for those with diabetes. It has been found that Carnosine may have a pr otective factor for those with type 2 diabetes. It may prevent those with type 2 diabetes from developing a severe case of nephropathy. It was also found to help lower LDL without causing cholesterol buildup like some of the drugs on the market today. This is why Carnosine is so important in the human body. Carnosinemia is a very serious disease and there is no known cure or treatment for it. The symptoms of Carnosinemia range from cognitive impairment to seizures. Unfortunately this disease can’t be fixed with diet, and there are no known medications or treatments for this disease. Carnosinemia is a very serious disease caused by a deficiency of Histidine. References Alifano, P.; Fani, R; Lià ², P.; Lazcano, A.; Bazzicalupo, M.; Carlomagno, M. S.; Bruni, C.B. Histidine Biosynthetic Pathway and Genes: Structure, Regulation, and Evolution. Am. Soc. For Microbiology. 1996, Vol. 60, 44-69. Encyclopedia Britannica. Operon. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/429974/operon (accessed Nov 25, 2014). Amino Acid Studies. L-histidine. http://aminoacidstudies.org/l-histidine/ (accessed Nov 25, 2014). Raine, D. N. Management of Inherited Metabolic Disease. British Medical Journal. 1972, Vol.2, 329-336. Rashid, I.; van Reyk, D. M.; Davies, M. J. Carnosine and its constituents inhibit gylcation of low-density lipoproteins that promotes foam cell formation in vitro. Federation of European Biochemical Societies. 2007, 1067-1070. Sauerhofer, S.; Yuan, G.; Braun, G. S.; Deinzer, M.; Neumaier, M.; Gretz, N.; Floege, J.; Kriz, W.; van der Woude, F.; Moeller, M. J. L-Carnosine, a Substrate of Carnosinase-1, Influences Glucose Metabolism. Diabetes. 2007, Vol. 56, 2425-2432 Lenner, J. F.; Pepper, S. C.; Kucera-Orallo, C. M.; George, R. P. Characterization of human tissue carnosinase. Biochem. J. 1985, 653-660. Everaert, I.; Taes, Y.; De Heer, E.; Baelde, H.; Zutinic, A.; Yard, B.; Sauerhofer, S.; Vanhee, L.; Delanghe, J.; Aldini, G.; Derave, W. Low plasma carnosinase activity promotes carnosinemia after Carnosine ingestion in humans. American Physiological Society. 2012, F1537-F1544. Carson, N. A. J.; Neill, D. W. Metabolic Abnormalities Detected in a Survey of Mentally Backward Individuals in Northern Ireland. Archives of Disease in Childhood. 1962, 505-513. Kanehisa Laboratories. Histidine metabolism-Reference pathway. http://www.genome.jp/kegg-bin/show_pathway?org_name=mapmapno=00340mapscale=show_description=hide (accessed Nov 25, 2014). University of Bristol. Histamine in the body. http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/motm/histamine/jm/body.htm (accessed Nov 25, 2014). National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. Carnosinemia. http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/gard/6001/carnosinemia/resources/9 (accessed Nov 30, 2014). Orpha. Prevalence of rare disease: Bibliographic data. Orphanet Series [online] 2014, 8 http://www.orpha.net/orphacom/cahiers/docs/GB/Prevalence_of_rare_diseases_by_alphabetical_list.pdf

High School and Exemption Forms

I am in the process of distributing Exemption Forms to students today. I wanted to go over a few things with you so that we are all on the same page. Exemptions were put into place to encourage and reward good attendance and behavior. This is not a privilege entitled to every student simply because they are enrolled in our school†¦ It is a REWARD. Please pass this on to your students. The rules are very simple†¦. If you have been in SIS, DEEP or if you have been suspended this semester, then you can't be exempt. The average that a student must have in your class in order to be exempt is based on he number of absences that he or she has in your class. A. If a student has 0-1 excused absence in your class, their semester average must be an 80 or above B. If a student has 2 excused absences in your class, their semester average must be an 85 or above C.If a student has 3 excused absences in your class, their semester average ,must be a 90 or above If a student has an unexcused absence in your class, they may not be exempt from your test. Notes for unexcused absences will not be accepted at this point. It is the students' responsibility to turn in notes within 5 days of returning to school after they eave been absent. Please do not give the student the attendance information that you see in your grade book as this includes extracurricular absences in the total number and those do not count.

Free Printable Science Worksheets and Coloring Pages

Science is usually a high-interest topic for kids. Children love to know how and why things work, and science is part of everything, from animals and earthquakes to the human body. Take advantage of your students fascination with science-themed topics by incorporating fun printables and hands-on learning activities into your science studies.   General Science Its never too early to begin teaching children to document their scientific lab findings. Teach them to make a hypothesis (an educated guess) about what they think the result of the experiment will be and why. Then, show them how to document the results with science report forms.   Learn about the men and women behind todays science by using free worksheets, such as  Albert Einstein printables,  where students can learn about one of the most famous scientists of all time. Spend some time exploring the tools of a scientists trade, such as the  parts of a microscope. Study general science principles—that people use every day, often without even realizing it—such as how  magnets  work,  the basics of Newtons laws of motion, and the workings of  simple machines. Earth and Space Science Earth, space, planets, and the stars are fascinating to students of all ages. The study of life on this planet—and in the universe—is a topic worth delving into with your students. Students can soar into the heavens with astronomy and space exploration printables. Study the  weather  and natural disasters such as  earthquakes  or  volcanoes. Discuss the types of scientists who study those fields such as meteorologists, seismologists, volcanologists, and geologists. Spend time outdoors creating your own rock collection and indoors learning about them with  rocks printables. Animal and Insects Kids love learning about the creatures they can find in their own backyard. Spring is a great time to study the birds  and  the bees.  Learn about the  lepidopterists—scientists who study moths and butterflies—and entomologists, who study insects. Schedule a field trip to a beekeeper or visit a butterfly garden.  Visit a zoo and learn about mammals, such as  elephants  (pachyderms), and  reptiles,  such as alligators and crocodiles. If your young students are fascinated by reptiles, print a reptiles coloring book for them You may have a future paleontologist in your class or homeschool. If so, visit a museum of natural history so that she can learn about dinosaurs. Then, capitalize on that interest with a set of free  dinosaur printables. While youre studying animals and insects, discuss how the seasons—spring,  summer,  fall, and winter—affect them and their habitats. Oceanography Oceanography is the study of the oceans and the creatures that live there. Many  of the animals who call the ocean home are very unusual looking. Help students learn about the mammals and fish that inhabit the oceans, including dolphins, whales, sharks, and seahorses, as well as: CrabsJellyfishManateesOctopusesSea TurtlesStarfish Then, dig deeper by exploring more facts about dolphins, seahorses, and even lobsters. Updated by Kris Bales