Hindustani classical music Essay Example for Free

Hindustani classical music Essay The tradition was born out of a cultural synthesis of several musical traditions: the Vedic chant tradition, dating back to more than three thousand years ago,the ancient Persian tradition of Musiqi-e assil, and various folk traditions prevalent in the region. It is traditional for performers who have reached a distinguished level of achievement to be awarded titles of respect; Hindus are usually referred to as pandit and Muslims as ustad. An aspect of Hindustani music going back to Sufi times is the tradition of religious neutrality: Muslim ustads may sing compositions in praise of Hindu deities, and vice versa. Around the 12th century, Hindustani classical music diverged from what eventually came to be identified as Carnatic classical music. The central notion in both these systems is that of a melodic mode or raga, sung to a rhythmic cycle or tala. The tradition dates back to the ancient Samaveda, (sÄ ma meaning ritual chant), which deals with the norms for chanting of srutis or hymns such as the Rig Veda. These principles were refined in the musical treatises Natya Shastra, by Bharata (2nd–3rd century CE), and Dattilam (probably 3rd–4th century CE). In medieval times, the melodic systems were fused with ideas from Persian music, particularly through the influence of Sufi composers like Amir Khusro, and later in the Moghul courts. Noted composers such as Tansen flourished, along with religious groups like the Vaishnavites. After the 16th century, the singing styles diversified into different gharanas patronized in different princely courts. Around 1900, Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande consolidated the musical structures of Hindustani classical music, called ragas, into a number of thaats. Indian classical music has seven basic notes with five interspersed half-notes, resulting in a 12-note scale. Unlike the 12-note scale in Western music, the base frequency of the scale is not fixed, and intertonal gaps (temperament) may also vary; however, with the gradual replacement of the sarangi by the harmonium, an equal tempered scale is increasingly used. The performance is set to a melodic pattern called a raga characterized in part by specific ascent (aroha) and descent (avaroha) sequences, which may not be identical. Other characteristics include king (vadi) and queen (samavadi) notes and characteristic phrases (pakad). In addition each raga has its natural register (ambit) and portamento (meend) rules. Performances are usually marked by considerable improvisation within these norms. History Music was first formalized in India in connection with preserving the sruti texts, primarily the four vedas, which are seen as apaurasheya (meaning not created by man). Not only was the text important, but also the manner in which they had been enunciated by the immortals. Prosody and chanting were thus of great importance, and were enshrined in the two vedangas (bodies of knowledge) called shiksha (pronunciation, chants) and chhandas (prosody); these remained a key part of the brahmanic educational system till modern times. The formal aspects of the chant are delineated in the Samaveda, with certain aspects, e.g. the relation of chanting to meditation, elaborated in the Chandogya Upanishad (ca. 8th century BC). Priests involved in these ritual chants were called samans and a number of ancient musical instruments such as the conch (shankh), lute (veena), flute (bansuri), trumpets and horns were associated with this and later practices of ritual singing. Sanskritic tradition The Samaveda outlined the ritual chants for singing the verses of the Rigveda, particularly for offerings of Soma. It proposed a tonal structure consisting of seven notes, which were named, in descending order, krusht, pratham, dwitiya, tritiya, chaturth, mandra and atiswÄ r. These refer to the notes of a flute, which was the only fixed-frequency instrument. This is why the second note is called pratham (meaning first, i.e., produced when only the first hole is closed). Music is dealt with extensively in the Valmiki Ramayana. Narada is an accomplished musician, as is Ravana; Saraswati with her veena is the goddess of music. Gandharvas are presented as spirits who are musical masters, and the gandharva style looks to music primarily for pleasure, accompanied by the soma rasa. In the Vishnudharmottara Purana, the Naga king Ashvatara asks to know the svaras from Saraswati. The most important text on music in the ancient canon is Bharatas Natya Shastra, composed around the 3rd century CE. The Natya Shastra deals with the different modes of music, dance, and drama, and also the emotional responses (rasa) they are expected to evoke. The scale is described in terms of 22 micro-tones, which can be combined in clusters of four, three, or two to form an octave. While the term raga is articulated in the Natya Shastra (where its meaning is more literal, meaning colour or mood), it finds a clearer expression in what is called jati in the Dattilam, a text composed shortly after or around the same time as Natya Shastra. The Dattilam is focused on gandharva music and discusses scales (swara), defining a tonal framework called grama in terms of 22 micro-tonal intervals (sruti[3]) comprising one octave. It also discusses various arrangements of the notes (murchhana), the permutations and combinations of note-sequences (tanas), and alankara or elaboration. Dattilam categorizes melodic structure into 18 groups called jati, which are the fundamental melodic structures similar to the r aga. The names of the jatis reflect regional origins, for example andhri and oudichya. Music also finds mention in a number of texts from the Gupta period; Kalidasa mentions several kinds of veena (Parivadini, Vipanchi), as well as percussion instruments (mridang), the flute (vamshi) and conch (shankha). Music also finds mention in Buddhist and Jain texts from the earliest periods of the Christian era. Naradas Sangita Makarandha treatise, from about 1100 CE, is the earliest text where rules similar to those of current Hindustani classical music can be found. Narada actually names and classifies the system in its earlier form before the Persian influences introduced changes in the system. Jayadevas Gita Govinda from the 12th century was perhaps the earliest musical composition sung in the classical tradition called Ashtapadi music. In the 13th century, Sharngadeva composed the Sangita Ratnakara, which has names such as the turushka todi (Turkish todi), revealing an influx of ideas from Islamic culture. This text is the last to be mentioned by both the Carnatic and the Hindustani traditions and is often thought to date the divergence between the two. Medieval period: Persian influence The advent of Islamic rule under the Delhi Sultanate and later the Mughal Empire over northern India caused considerable cultural interchange. Increasingly, musicians received patronage in the courts of the new rulers, who in their turn, started taking increasing interest in local music forms. While the initial generations may have been rooted in cultural traditions outside India, they gradually adopted many aspects from their kingdoms which retained the traditional Hindu culture. This helped spur the fusion of Hindu and Muslim ideas to bring forth new forms of musical synthesis like qawwali and khyal. The most influential musician of the Delhi Sultanate period was Amir Khusrau (1253–1325), sometimes called the father of modern Hindustani classical music.[4] A composer in Persian, Turkish, Arabic, as well as Braj Bhasha, he is credited with systematizing many aspects of Hindustani music, and also introducing several ragas such as Yaman Kalyan, Zeelaf and Sarpada. He created the qawwali genre, which fuses Persian melody and beat on a dhrupad like structure. A number of instruments (such as the sitar and tabla) were also introduced in his time. Amir Khusrau is sometimes credited with the origins of the khyal form, but the record of his compositions do not appear to support this. The compositions by the court musician Sadarang in the court of Muhammad Shah bear a closer affinity to the modern khyal. They suggest that while khyal already existed in some form, Sadarang may have been the father of modern khyal. Much of the musical forms innovated by these pioneers merged with the Hindu tradition, composed in the popular language of the people (as opposed to Sanskrit) in the work of composers like Kabir or Nanak. This can be seen as part of a larger Bhakti tradition, (strongly related to the Vaishnavite movement) which remained influential across several centuries; notable figures include Jayadeva (11th century), Vidyapati (fl. 1375 CE), Chandidas ( 14th–15th century), and Meerabai (1555–1603 CE). As the Mughal Empire came into closer contact with Hindus, especially under Jalal ud-Din Akbar, music and dance also flourished. In particular, the musician Tansen introduced a number of innovations, including ragas and particular compositions. Legend has it that upon his rendition of a night-time raga in the morning, the entire city fell under a hush and clouds gathered in the sky, and that he could light fires by singing the raga Deepak, which is supposed to be composed of notes in high octaves. At the royal house of Gwalior, Raja Mansingh Tomar (1486–1516 CE) also participated in the shift from Sanskrit to the local idiom (Hindi) as the language for classical songs. He himself penned several volumes of compositions on religious and secular themes, and was also responsible for the major compilation, the Mankutuhal (Book of Curiosity), which outlined the major forms of music prevalent at the time. In particular, the musical form known as dhrupad saw considerable development in his court and remained a strong point of the Gwalior gharana for many centuries. After the dissolution of the Mughal empire, the patronage of music continued in smaller princely kingdoms like Lucknow, Patiala, and Banaras, giving rise to the diversity of styles that is today known as gharanas. Many musician families obtained large grants of land which made them self sufficient, at least for a few generations (e.g. the Sham Chaurasia gharana). Meanwhile the Bhakti and Sufi traditions continued to develop and interact with the different gharanas and groups. Modern era Until the late 19th century, Hindustani classical music was imparted on a one-on-one basis through the guru-shishya (mentor-protà ©gà ©) tradition. This system had many benefits, but also several drawbacks; in many cases, the shishya had to spend most of his time serving his guru with a hope that the guru might teach him a cheez (piece or nuance) or two. In addition, the system forced the music to be limited to a small subsection of the Indian community. To a large extent it was limited to the palaces and dance halls. It was shunned by the intellectuals, avoided by the educated middle class, and in general looked down upon as a frivolous practice.[5] Then a fortunate turn of events started the renaissance of Hindustani classical music. First, as the power of the maharajahs and nawabs declined in early 20th century, so did their patronage. With the expulsion of Wajid Ali Shah to Calcutta after 1857, the Lucknavi musical tradition came to influence the music of renaissance in Bengal, giving rise to the tradition of Ragpradhan gan around the turn of the century. Also, at the turn of the century, two great stars emerged on the horizon: Vishnu Digambar Paluskar and Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande. Independent of each other, they spread Hindustani classical music to the masses in general, and the Marathi middle class in particular. These two gentlemen brought classical music to the masses by organizing music conferences, starting schools, teaching music in class-rooms, and devising a standardized grading and testing system, and by standardizing the notation system.[6] Vishnu Digambar Paluskar emerged as a talented musician and organizer despite having been blinded at age 12. His books on music, as well as the Gandharva Mahavidyalaya music school that he opened in Lahore in 1901, helped foster a movement away from the closed gharana system. Paluskars contemporary (and occasional rival) Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande recognized the many rifts that had appeared in the structure of Indian classical music. He undertook extensive research visits to a large number of gharanas, Hindustani as well as Carnatic, collecting and comparing compositions. Between 1909 and 1932, he produced the monumental four-volume work Hindustani Sangeetha Padhathi,[7] which suggested a transcription for Indian music, and described the many tradi tions in this notation. Finally,mit consolidated the many musical forms of Hindustani classical music into a number of thaats (modes), subsequent to the Melakarta system that reorganized Carnatic tradition in the 17th century. The ragas as they exist today were consolidated in this landmark work, although there are some inconsistencies and ambiguities in Bhatkandes system. In modern times, the government-run All India Radio, Bangladesh Betar and Radio Pakistan helped to bring the artists to public attention, countering the loss of the patronage system. The first star was Gauhar Jan, whose career was born out of Fred Gaisbergs first recordings of Indian music in 1902. With the advance of films and other public media, musicians started to make their living through public performances. As India was exposed to Western music, some Western melodies started merging with classical forms, especially in popular music. A number of Gurukuls, such as that of Alauddin Khan at Maihar, flourished. In more modern times, corporate support has also been forthcoming, as at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy. Meanwhile, Hindustani classical music has become popular across the world through the influence of artists such as Ravi Shankar and Ali Akbar Khan. Principles of Hindustani music The rhythmic organization is based on rhythmic patterns called tala. The melodic foundations are called ragas. One possible classification of ragas is into melodic modes or parent scales, known as thaats, under which most ragas can be classified based on the notes they use. Thaats may consist of up to seven scale degrees, or swara. Hindustani musicians name these pitches using a system called Sargam, the equivalent of the Western movable do solfege: Sa (Shadaj) = Do Re (Rishab) = Re Ga (Gandhar) = Mi Ma (Madhyam) = Fa Pa (Pancham) = So Dha (Dhaivat) = La Ni (Nishad) = Ti Sa (Shadaj) = Do Both systems repeat at the octave. The difference between sargam and solfege is that re, ga, ma, dha, and ni can refer to either Natural (shuddha) or altered Flat (komal) or Sharp (tivra) versions of their respective scale degrees. As with movable do solfege, the notes are heard relative to an arbitrary tonic that varies from performance to performance, rather than to fixed frequencies, as on a xylophone. The fine intonational differences between different instances of the same swara are called srutis. The three primary registers of Indian classical music are mandra (lower), madhya (middle) and taar (upper). Since the octave location is not fixed, it is also possible to use provenances in mid-register (such as mandra-madhya or madhya-taar) for certain ragas. A typical rendition of Hindustani raga involves two stages: Alap: a rhythmically free improvisation on the rules for the raga in order to give life to the raga and flesh out its characteristics. The alap is followed by a long slow-tempo improvisation in vocal music, or by the jod and jhala in instrumental music. Bandish or Gat: a fixed, melodic composition set in a specific raga, performed with rhythmic accompaniment by a tabla or pakhavaj. There are different ways of systematizing the parts of a composition. For example: Sthaayi: The initial, rondo phrase or line of a fixed, melodic composition. Antara: The first body phrase or line of a fixed, melodic composition. Sanchaari: The third body phrase or line of a fixed, melodic composition, seen more typically in dhrupad bandishes Aabhog: The fourth and concluding body phrase or line of a fixed, melodic composition, seen more typically in Dhrupad bandishes. There are three variations of bandish, regarding tempo: Vilambit bandish: A slow and steady melodic composition, usually in largo to adagio speeds. Madhyalaya bandish: A medium tempo melodic competition, usually set in andante to allegretto speeds. Drut bandish: A fast tempo melodic composition, usually set to allegretto speed or faster. Hindustani classical music is primarily vocal-centric, insofar as the musical forms were designed primarily for vocal performance, and many instruments were designed and evaluated as to how well they emulate the human voice. Types of compositions The major vocal forms or styles associated with Hindustani classical music are dhrupad, khyal, and tarana. Other forms include dhamar, trivat, chaiti, kajari, tappa, tap-khyal, ashtapadis, thumri, dadra, ghazal and bhajan; these are folk or semi-classical or light classical styles, as they often do not adhere to the rigorous rules of classical music. Dhrupad Main article: Dhrupad Dhrupad is an old style of singing, traditionally performed by male singers. It is performed with a tambura and a pakhawaj as instrumental accompaniments. The lyrics, some of which were written in Sanskrit centuries ago, are presently often sung in brajbhasha, a medieval form of North and East Indian languages that was spoken in Eastern India. The rudra veena, an ancient string instrument, is used in instrumental music in dhrupad. Dhrupad music is primarily devotional in theme and content. It contains recitals in praise of particular deities. Dhrupad compositions begin with a relatively long and acyclic alap, where the syllables of the following mantra is recited: Om Anant tam Taran Tarini Twam Hari Om Narayan, Anant Hari Om Narayan. The alap gradually unfolds into more rhythmic jod and jhala sections. These sections are followed by a rendition of bandish, with the pakhawaj as an accompaniment. The great Indian musician Tansen sang in the dhrupad style. A lighter form of dhrupad, called dhamar, is sung primarily during the festival of Holi. Dhrupad was the main form of northern Indian classical music until two centuries ago, when it gave way to the somewhat less austere khyal, a more free-form style of singing. Since losing its main patrons among the royalty in Indian princely states, dhrupad risked becoming extinct in the first half of the twentieth century. However, the efforts by a few proponents from the Dagar family have led to its revival and eventual popularization in India and in the West. Some of the best known vocalists who sing in the Dhrupad style are the members of the Dagar lineage, including the senior Dagar brothers, Nasir Moinuddin and Nasir Aminuddin Dagar; the junior Dagar brothers, Nasir Zahiruddin and Nasir Faiyazuddin Dagar; and Wasifuddin, Fariduddin, and Sayeeduddin Dagar. Other leading exponents include the Gundecha Brothers, who have received training from some of the Dagars. Leading vocalists outside the Dagar lineage include the Mallik family of Darbhanga tradition of musicians; some of the leading exponents of this tradition were Ram Chatur Mallick, Siyaram Tiwari, and Vidur Mallick. A section of dhrupad singers of Delhi Gharana from Mughal emperor Shah Jahan’s court migrated to Bettiah under the patronage of the Bettiah Raj, giving rise to the Bettiah Gharana.[8] Bishnupur Gharana, based in West Bengal, is a key school that has been propagating this style of singing since Mughal times. Khyal Main article: Khyal Khyal is a Hindustani form of vocal music, adopted from medieval Persian music and based on Dhrupad. Khyal, literally meaning thought or imagination in Hindustani, is unusual as it is based on improvising and expressing emotion. A Khyal is a two- to eight-line lyric set to a melody. The lyric is of an emotional account possibly from poetic observation.[clarification needed] Khyals are also popular for depicting the emotions between two lovers, situations of ethological significance in Hinduism and Islam, or other situations evoking intense feelings. Th importance of the Khyals content is for the singer to depict, through music in the set raga, the emotional significance of the Khyal. The singer improvises and finds inspiration within the raga to depict the Khyal. The origination of Khyal is controversial, although it is accepted that this style was based on Dhrupad and influenced by Persian music. Many argue that Amir Khusrau created the style in the late 16th century. This form was popularized by Mughal Emperor Mohammad Shah, through his court musicians. Some well-known composers of this period were Sadarang, Adarang, and Manrang. [edit]Tarana Main article: Tarana Another vocal form, taranas are medium- to fast-paced songs that are used to convey a mood of elation and are usually performed towards the end of a concert. They consist of a few lines of poetry with soft syllables or bols set to a tune. The singer uses these few lines as a basis for fast improvisation. The tillana of Carnatic music is based on the tarana, although the former is primarily associated with dance. Tappa Main article: Tappa Tappa is a form of Indian semi-classical vocal music whose specialty is its rolling pace based on fast, subtle, knotty construction. It originated from the folk songs of the camel riders of Punjab and was developed as a form of classical music by Mian Ghulam Nabi Shori or Shori Mian, a court singer for Asaf-Ud-Dowlah, the Nawab of Awadh. Nidhubabur Tappa, or tappas sung by Nidhu Babu were very popular in 18th and 19th-century Bengal. Among the living performers of this style are Laxmanrao Pandit, Shamma Khurana, Manvalkar, Girija Devi, Ishwarchandra Karkare, and Jayant Khot. Thumri Main article: Thumri Thumri is a semi-classical vocal form said to have begun in Uttar Pradesh with the court of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, (r. 1847–1856). There are three types of thumri: poorab ang, Lucknavi and Punjabi thumri. The lyrics are typically in a proto-Hindi language called Brij Bhasha and are usually romantic. Some recent performers of this genre are Abdul Karim Khan, the brothers Barkat Ali Khan and Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Begum Akhtar, Girija Devi, Beauty Sharma Barua, Nazakat-Salamat Ali Khan, Prabha Atre, Siddheshwari Devi, and Shobha Gurtu. Ghazal Main article: Ghazal Ghazal is an originally Persian form of poetry. In the Indian sub-continent, Ghazal became the most common form of poetry in the Urdu language and was popularized by classical poets like Mir Taqi Mir, Ghalib, Daagh, Zauq and Sauda amongst the North Indian literary elite. Vocal music set to this mode of poetry is popular with multiple variations across Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asia, Turkey, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Ghazal exists in multiple variations, including semi-classical, folk and pop forms. Instrumental music The Royal Musicians of Hindustan circa 1910: Ali Khan, Inayat Khan, Musheraff Khan and Maheboob Khan Although Hindustani music clearly is focused on the vocal performance, instrumental forms have existed since ancient times. In fact, in recent decades, especially outside South Asia, instrumental Hindustani music is more popular than vocal music, partly due to a somewhat different style and faster tempo, and partly because of a language barrier for the lyrics in vocal music. A number of musical instruments are associated with Hindustani classical music. The veena, a string instrument, was traditionally regarded as the most important, but few play it today and it has largely been superseded by its cousins the sitar and the sarod, both of which owe their origin to Persian influences. Other plucked or struck string instruments include the surbahar, sursringar, santoor, and various versions of the slide guitar. Among bowed instruments, the sarangi, esraj and violin are popular. The bansuri, shehnai and harmonium are important wind instruments. In the percussion ensemble, the tabla and the pakhavaj are the most popular. Various other instruments have also been used in varying degrees.

Advertising business aspects :: Free Essay Writer

Advertising business aspects Advertising business aspects? Not in this world. How can advertising be ethical when we live in a society that says sex sells? The less you have on the better the ad is. Then we also live in a time that still portrays most minorities in stereotypical roles. Most minorities are still seen as second-class citizens in some advertisements. I think until advertisements depict women and minorities in a better way, advertising will never be ethical. Women are seen as insurance to an advertiser to sell their product. Many advertisements that are targeted to men use partial or complete female nudity, sexual suggestiveness, and innuendo (Sex stereotyping in advertising 103). In other words these ads imply that the female in the advertisement is the man reward for him buying the product. For example there is a corona (beer) commercial out now. The first thing you see in the commercial is two women walking on a beach in tiny bikinis. Then after that you see a couple holding hands finally the corona bottle appears. Women are not only used for men advertising, female models that are half naked are used to sell women products also. Victoria Secrets commercials and ads would fall under this category. Although the product is clearly for women, according to Berger the advertiser is still trying to draw a male audience. Advertisers believe that men and women prefer to see female bodies in advertisement. Public Service Announcement is usually thought of as informative. Public service announcements are ad that tries to bring awareness about certain issues such as cigarettes. But there are some public service announcements that can send mixed messages out to the public. In one public service announcement there is an ad with this tall, thin and attractive women. In the poster she is smoking a cigarette, but she also have one of her hand on her butt and the other right under her breast. Then under the picture in bold letters it states, â€Å"AN UGLY BUTT CAN RUIN A GREAT BODY.† The word butt could mean to different things in this sentence. So what was meant to be a health issue has just changed to a health or sex issue. The cigarette looks as if it is adding to her sexual appeal instead of demeaning it. Now the message that cigarettes are harmful to body has gotten lost. Advertising cannot be ethical when we are not sure about the message of a cigarette public service announcement.

Public Awareness of Diabetes

Public Awareness of Diabetes Lynn A. Bailey HCA/240 August 21, 2011 Dr. Monica Reed, PhD, MPH Diabetes is a disease that affects millions of people every year, and in most cases, this is a disease that is preventable. Increasing public awareness regarding risk factors and how this debilitating disease can be controlled and prevented may reduce the number of cases diagnosed each year. Throughout the years, scientists have developed a variety of treatment options and medications that are available for individuals diagnosed with diabetes. Future treatments for diabetes may include an artificial pancreas and stem cell therapy (Yoffee, 2009). Along with community support through awareness programs and advances in technology and treatment options, this disease is controllable and in some cases, may even be prevented. Diabetes and who it Affects Most Diabetes mellitus (DM), more commonly known as diabetes, is the result of insufficient insulin production or the body’s inability to respond to insulin (Forth & Jude, 2011). Diabetes is a disease that affects how the body uses blood glucose, or blood sugar. Blood glucose is vital to health because it is an essential source of energy for cells of the muscles and other tissues as well as the brain’s fuel (Mayo Clinic, 2011). Individuals that suffer from diabetes have difficulty regulating and maintaining healthy blood glucose levels. If an individual is diagnosed with diabetes, no matter type, he or she has too much glucose. Some genetic factors do play a role in an individual’s risk for developing diabetes along with other factors such as race, but lifestyle is to blame for most diagnosed cases of diabetes (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2011). Anyone who is 45 years or older should consider testing for diabetes, especially if he or she is overweight or has a family history of this disease. Race may also play a role in the development of this disease. Individuals who are African American, American Indian, Asian American, Pacific Islander, or Hispanic American/Latino should also consider prescreening (CDC, 2011). Another group of people that are more susceptible to DM2 are lower income groups, especially women (Lega, Ross, Zhong, & Dasgupta, 2011). Diabetes affects the whole body including the most important hormonal system, the endocrine system. The Body System Affected by Diabetes and its Causes The endocrine system is a group of organs or glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream, which can affect the entire body. Glands of the endocrine system include the hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, pancreas, adrenal, testes, and the ovaries. The glands of the endocrine system release hormones into the bloodstream. The pancreas is the organ of the endocrine system, and when it is not functioning properly, the result is diabetes. Diabetes occurs when the pancreas malfunctions. One of the pancreas’s functions is to control the glucose level in the blood (Mulvihill, Zelman, Holdaway, Tompary, & Raymond, 2006). The pancreas secretes two hormones known as glucagon and insulin, which raise and lower glucose levels in the blood (Mulvihill et al. 2006). When insulin is secreted, blood glucose levels rise, and when glucagon is released, blood glucose levels decrease. If an individual is diagnosed with diabetes, his or her pancreas is not secreting enough insulin or target cells are not responding to the insulin that is being secreted (Mulvihill et al. , 2006). This malfunction of the pancreas results in either Type One (DM1) or Type Two (DM2) diabetes. DM1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas fails to produce insulin, and DM2 diabetes occurs when the pancreatic islets fail to secrete enough insulin or when target cells ignore the insulin (American Diabetes Association, 2011). The most common cause of diabetes is obesity, but other risk factors are involved as well. Risk Factors Some common risk factors for DM1 include genetics from both parents, environmental factors such as cold climates, viruses, race, and early dietary factors such as low vitamin D or exposure to cow’s milk (Mayo Clinic, 2011). Risk factors for DM2 consist of obesity, high or low birth weight, rapid weight gain in childhood, sedentary lifestyle, fetal exposure to gestational diabetes, family history, and race (Schub & Caple, 2010). Some of these risk factors may be controlled, whereas others cannot e controlled. Risk factors that are controllable include dietary needs and lifestyle choices. Obesity is the number one cause of DM2 among children and adolescents, and is commonly describes as body mass index, or BMI, which is a measurement of body fat that is based on height and weight (Schub & Caple, 2010). Obesity is a risk factor that is modifiable and may decrease an individualà ¢â‚¬â„¢s risk for developing DM2, and it may either prevent or reduce the onset. Obesity is a risk factor of DM1 as well. Although it may not prevent DM1, healthy lifestyle choices may help manage this type of diabetes as well. Other factors that cannot be controlled include genetics, fetal exposure to gestational diabetes, low birth rate, some environmental factors, and race. In today’s world, advances in medicine and technology have increased the availability of treatment options for patients diagnosed with diabetes compared to the past. Evolution of Treatment Options Over past several years, the list of medications used to treat diabetes has increased creating more options for patients and healthcare providers (Davis, 2011). In the past, insulin was the only treatment available for diabetes, and medications were limited. Metformin is an oral drug that has been used for many years as a treatment for DM2, but it is not always effective because of side effects such as gas, bloating, and diarrhea (Davis, 2011). With new advances in technology, this drug is now available in an extended-release formula, which reduces its side effects and makes is much more tolerable for many patients, and it is also available in a generic version, which is much less expensive for numerous individuals suffering from DM2 (Davis, 2011). Advances in treatment options have also led to the availability of drugs such as Byetta, Januvia, Onglyza, Tradjenta, and Symlin (CDC, 2011). Januvia, Onglyza, and Tradjenta are drugs that work with natural enzymes and the body’s own insulin to control blood glucose, Symlin is a synthetic hormone that helps lower blood glucose after meals, and Byetta is an injectable drug that assaults high blood sugar and diminishes one’s appetite (Davis, 2010). Diagnosis and treatments depend on which type of diabetes and individual may have. A healthcare professional will conduct different types of medical tests and procedures to determine the proper diagnosis. Current Treatment Methods When a patient suspects that he or she may have diabetes, the first thing they should do is see their doctor. The physician can perform tests and procedures that will determine whether or not he or she has diabetes, and if so, which type they have. These tests may include a fasting blood glucose level test, random (non-fasting) blood glucose level test, oral glucose tolerance test, hemoglobin A1c test, or a ketone test, which is used to diagnose DM1 (Right Health, 2010). A fasting blood glucose level test is a test that indicates a patient’s blood glucose level after a period of eight hours of fasting. At the doctor’s office, a medical professional will take a sample of blood from the vein in the inner bend of the elbow. The fasting blood glucose level should be below 99mg/dl, which is considered normal. Results that indicate levels of 100 to 125 are indications of pre-diabetes and 126 or higher indicate diabetes (CDC, 2011). Another test is random blood glucose level. Random blood glucose level test is a blood glucose test conducted on a patient that has not been fasting. Normal levels in and average adult are 70 to 130 mg/dl (CDC, 2011). If an individual’s test results reflect a level of 130 to 200, this may be an indication of pre-diabetes, and a patient with a level above 200 is considered a diabetic (CDC, 2011). A glucose tolerance test may also be used to diagnose diabetes. A glucose tolerance test is in which the patient, who has been fasting for about 10 hours, drinks a solution of glucose. After the patient drinks the solution, his or her blood and urine is sample are taken and analyzed over a period of three hours (Mulvihill, et al. , 2006). The urine test shows the presence or absence of glucose in the urine, or ketones (Mulvihill, et al. 2006). The A1c test is a test used for diabetics as well. An A1c is a test which indicates blood sugar levels over a period of three months (Medicine Net, 2011). This is a test that benefits the patient and the physician by giving an indication of how well a medication may be working. Normal range is 4-5. 9%, a level of 8% or more is an indication of poorly controlle d diabetes (Medicine Net, 2009). With advancing technology and medicine, the future holds more treatment options. Future Treatment Options Advancement in technology is making new treatment options available for many diabetic patients. Research has indicated new treatments such as an artificial pancreas and pancreatic cell transplantation (Yoffee, 2009). Medtronic, a medical device company, is combining glucose monitoring systems with insulin pumps to recreate the delivery system of insulin in the body (Yoffee, 2009). Scientists are also working on transferring pancreatic cells from pigs into humans (Yoffee, 2009). Even though advances in technology are allowing scientists and other professionals to invent new and exciting treatments for diabetes, prevention is the best defense against this disease. Evaluation of an Existing Educational Program One educational program that has made great strides to combat the growing threat of diabetes among children and adolescents is the Adolescent Health and Youth Development (AHYD) Unit of the Georgia Division of Public Health. They have helped fund 30 Teen Center Programs in 28 counties in the state of Georgia (Georgia Division of Public Health, 2011). One of these programs is the Diabetes Prevention and Control Program (DPCP), which was established to reduce the burden of diabetes on the communities of Georgia. This program provides communication to increase awareness, improve quality of care, increase screening, and reduce costs (Georgia Division of Public Health, 2011). This program has made some impact on communities, but there is still a lot of work that needs to be done. The DPCP was recognized by the CDC for achievement in A1c screening and improving the well-being of people affected by diabetes. Scholarships have been awarded to 374 medical professionals that help them pay for the Certified Diabetes Educators (CDE) exam. These are great accomplishments, but it is not enough. More needs to be done to reach out to the communities that are hardest hit by this disease. In addition to the A1c screening, a lifestyle initiative should be added. Adding a lifestyle initiative that would include local restaurants and other businesses to come out into their communities and get involved. Six annual picnics that included A1c screening, lunch, activities, and educational materials would be beneficial for many communities throughout Georgia. Local businesses could ban together and donated good to raffle off, which would draw families and community members to the event. The event could be held at a different area parks around the state. The hardest hit areas would be the first on the list. People need to be educated about the risks, causes, and prevention of diabetes, and our communities must come together in order to combat the onset of diabetes in our children and adolescents. An Effective way of Spreading the News No program will be successful without the proper advertising or spokesperson. In today’s world children and adolescents are drawn to Sponge Bob. If he were the spokesperson for healthy eating and exercise, children would react with enthusiasm and excitement. His picture on fliers that promote a healthy lifestyle could be mailed to surrounding area residents alerting them of the upcoming events. Children could come to the event and get their picture taken with Sponge Bob. Sponge Bob could lead a relay race for children and adolescents. An ad in the local newspaper would benefit the event as well. A website could be created for this event with links to Facebook and Twitter. With the help of Sponge Bob and the community, education on the benefits of a healthy lifestyle would reach a greater number of people, and help promote the prevention of diabetes. Conclusion Diabetes is a disease that affects millions of people. In some cases, this disease can be prevented by teaching and promoting healthy lifestyle choices. Over the years, many treatment options have changed, and with increasing advances in technology and medicine, there will be more changes in the future. The key to the prevention and treatment of many cases of diabetes is to provide sufficient public awareness. References American Diabetes Association. (2011). Type I. Retrieved from http://www. diabetes. org/diabetes-basics/type-1/. American Diabetes Association. (2011). Type 2. Retrieved from http://www. diabetes. org/diabetes-basics/type-2/. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011). National diabetes fact sheet. Retrieved from http://www. cdc. gov/diabetes/. Davis, J. L. (2011). New Type 2 Diabetes Treatment Options. Retrieved from http://www. webMD. com/diabetes/. Forth, R. , & Jude, E. (2011). Diabetes: complications, prevention and treatment. British Journal of Healthcare Management, 17(1), 30-35. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Georgia Division of Public Health. (2011). Adolescent Health and Youth Development (AHYD). Retrieved from http://health. state. a. us/programs/adolescent/. Lega, I. , Ross, N. , Zhong, L. , & Dasgupta, K. (2011). Gestational Diabetes Histoy May Signal Deprivation in Women with Type 2 Diabetes. Journal of Women’t Health (15409996), 20(4), 625-629. doi:10. 1089/jwh. 2010. 2273. Mayo Clinic. (2011). Diabetes. Retrieved from http://www. mayclinic. com/health/diabetes/DS01121/. Medicine Net. (2011). Hemoglobin A1c Test. Re trieved from http://www. medicinenet. com/hemoglobin-a1c-test/articl. htm. Mulvihill, M. L. , Zelman, M. , Holdaway, P. , Tompary, E. , & Raymond, J. (2006). Human Diseases: A systemic approach. (6th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Right Health. (2010). Diabetes. Retrieved from http://www. righthealth. com/diabetes/. Schub, T. , & Caple, C. (2010). Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2: Prevention in Children and Adolescents. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Yoffee, L. (2009). The Future of Diabetes Treatment. Retrieved from http://www. EverydayHealth. com/. Zhang, X. , Luo, H. , Gregg, E. , Mukhtar, Q. , Rivera, M. , Barker, L. , & Albright, A. (2010). Obesity prevention and diabetes screening at local health departments. American Journal of Public Health, 100(8), 1434-1441. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Investing Online Essay - 758 Words

Investing Online Personal Investing with Computer Technology Introduction Computer technology has revolutionized the way people can invest their money. Online trading has become the newest fad for people trying to get more bang for their buck. Virtually anyone with access to the Internet can set up an online brokerage account. With just a click of the mouse people can buy and sell stocks. This advanced computer technology for personal investing has its pros and cons. It has made it much easier for the average person to take care of his/her finances in an inexpensive manner. It has alos made it easier for people to become addicted to trading, which can become an expensive habit. Trading Stocks Inexpensively Online†¦show more content†¦It can also compare a stock symbol with the SP 500 Index and the NASDAQ Composite Index to give an investor an insight how a stock is doing in comparison with the industry average. These tools are very valuable for an investor to be successful in their analysis of companies, industries, and the economy. Just five years ago, not one person invested over the Internet. But now, by one acount, more than 7million Americans trade online, making up to 25 percent of all trades by individual investors (Fritzlen, 2000). With this trend, more and more people will be using the Internet to do most of their investing. Addiction to Online Trading The growth of online trading has generated a new breed of addicts: the average day trader. The average day trader looks at the stock market in the same manner as they would a casino. With the stock market, many believe they have a higher probability of winning than in a Las Vegas casino. By winning, I am referring to generating a return from their investment. The stock market seems to be in a more controlled environment than a casino. But if the investor does not actually know what he/she is investing in, the stock market can become a gambling table. The fact is, stock market gamblers stand to lose far more money than casino gamblers, say Devin ONeil, deputy director of New Jerseys Council on Compulsive Gambling. DayShow MoreRelatedBest Stock Investment Strategies By Billy Williams Essay924 Words   |  4 PagesDecades ago, Benjamin Graham, wrote his book, Security Analysis, based on his experience with seeking out companies that were considered bargain stocks based on his analysis of a company s intrinsic value which later became known as value investing. Value investing is predicated on finding companies that have a strong competitive advantage within their marketplace and a greater asset value than their current capitalization of their company. By taking total account of the outstanding shares of a companyRead MoreCapital Market Analysis: a Dicussion on Efficient Market Hypothesis3408 Words   |  14 Pagesyou and the  ¡Ã‚ ®candy ¡Ã‚ ¯. ( Haugan, 134) B) Chan and Lakonishok (2004) basically discuss about two investing strategies, value investing and growth investing, rather than directly get into the contention of Efficient Market Hypothesis. However, some of Chan and Lakonishok ¡Ã‚ ¯s conclusions pose challenge towards market efficiency. Firstly, as a cross-sectional predictable pattern, value investing strategy provides possibility that could generate superior returns with some index, such as BV/MV (bookRead MoreFinance2742 Words   |  11 PagesRSM330 Assignment 2 – Group Work Due: March 20, 2015 in class online Question 1: Fundamental Analysis (Total 20 Marks) a) i. These two companies are both in the Auto Parts and Equipment industry. ii. The auto industry sells discretionary goods, which consumers can afford to purchase more of in a booming economy. Therefore these companies stocks are cyclical since their price can be affected by ups and downs in the economy. b) |Magma Read MoreInvestment Portfolio Management6559 Words   |  27 Pagescapital, our combined score would be 201. If we were the 60th cheapest out of 2,000 companies and we were the 60th best return on capital, we’d get a combined score of 120. It is simple value investing. It’s a systematic, very quantitative and disciplined way of effectively being a value investor. Value investing works over long periods of time but doesn’t necessarily work in any particular month or year. And that’s what’s going on here. The Magic Formula seeks to identify â€Å"good† businesses sellingRead MoreAmazon : Synopsis Of The Case1223 Words   |  5 PagesSynopsis of the Case Amazon was founded by Jeff Bezos, in July of 1994. In 1997, Amazon went public and was listed on the NASDAQ market. After the company went public, it grew from an online bookstore to the world’s largest online retailer. Amazon increased sales and expanded its products and services through acquisitions, alliances, new partnerships, and exclusive vendor agreements. Amazon’s main goal was to achieve long-term growth and profitability. To attain their goal, Amazon focused on increasingRead MoreIndustry Prospects And Attractiveness : Amazon Prime Service Gaining Subscribers1636 Words   |  7 PagesPrime customers willing to buy is almost twice as much as the regular customers. Prime subscribers will continue to grow as Amazon is investing heavily in streaming content to draw in more subscribers. Today trend has to be the Amazon PrimeNow. Retailers always have an online focus in order to maximize profit with the advantages of mobile technologies. Big online retailers like Amazon on the other hand are seeing the advantages of local pickup. The evolving shopping format same-day delivery, 1-hourRead MoreAmazon Inc. An American International Electronic Commerce Company1299 Words   |  6 Pageselectronic commerce company that started off as an online book store under the old name of cadabra.com. Under the direction of Jeff Bezos, who incorporated the company in 1994, Amazon quickly expanded their scopes by selling various other items, besides just books, in order to create its now famous brand name. Today, Amazon sells â€Å"everything from A to Z,† hence the brand name, and has taken control of the online shopping market as the world’s leading online retailer in the world (Fabrice Guillaume’s e-PortfolioRead MoreThe Growth Of Electronic Commerce970 Words   |  4 Pagesform of business. John B. Horrigan writes, â€Å"Two-thirds (66%) of online Americans say they have purchased a product online, such as a book, toy, music, or clothing.† Many people have moved on with online shopping for some good reasons that comes with it. One of the reason is it being convenient. E-commerce provides option of home delivery which saves effort of actually going to the store and move around to make a choice. Buying online means to just seat on your couch and make a selection without evenRead MoreIke Strategic And Marketing Planning Essay1003 Words   |  5 PagesIKEA Opens More Click-and-Collect Stores as Customers Move Online An article, written by Saabira Chaudhuri, presents Ikea’s most recent plans to expand their market. The information, released in this article, illustrates both strategic and marketing planning, evident in Ikea’s latest venture. As Michael Levens explains, in our text, â€Å"strategic planning identifies the overall direction of a business†, while â€Å"marketing planning includes those activities devoted to accomplishing marketing objectives†Read MoreThe Internet And Its Impact On The World Of Commerce1249 Words   |  5 Pagestechnicians to teach them how to use the scroll bar and other simple functions. Once enough people knew how to use the internet, the idea of selling products online came into fruition. Many people believed they could make a large sum of money quickly by starting a business online. Before this time the internet was too complicated to use for most people. Online shopping and retail have revolutionized shopping and has promoted eco nomic growth, made it easier to buy and sell, and has created a new type of danger