Antiperspirants and Breast Cancer Old Myth Sees New Life...

Once again, the story is floating around Facebook that the using antiperspirants cause breast cancer. The claim states that cancer causing chemicals in the products enter the body through tiny nicks in the skin, thereby infecting the lymph nodes surrounding the breast tissue. The latest says to wash the underarm with soap and water before going to bed. According to the Facebook post, deodorants are fine; however, using antiperspirants is what increases the potential for breast cancer. It claims that most breast cancers start in the upper quadrants of the breast in the lymph nodes nearest to the armpit, because thats where toxins from the antiperspirants congregate. The Facebook floater also suggests that the reason women are more†¦show more content†¦Most shampoos, body lotions, and cosmetics contain some form of paraben. Not all studies agree about the effect parabens have on the human body, but the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Health Canada have ruled them safe at current exposure levels. Since not everyone finds a ruling by a government agency comforting, many paraben-free products are now available, including deodorants. They may just have to be kept in the refrigerator. Aluminum Aluminum is the active antiperspirant is antiperspirants, which, combined with deodorant, keeps one smelling fresh and clean. The question stems from whether aluminum is absorbed into the body, and does this absorption lead to cancer. Again, nothing definitive from the scientific front, but the concerns have largely been dismissed based on the reasoning that a persons body cannot absorb enough aluminum from antiperspirants to constitute a health risk. However, aluminum build up on clothing has been shown to create those lovely yellow pit stains, especially when it reacts to some laundry detergents. Using aluminum free deodorants and antiperspirants can alleviate this problem, but their actual effectiveness combating a persons perspirant becomes debatable. How well an aluminum-free product works depends on an individuals body chemistry. Does shaving put women at risk? Another point of contention says that mens underarm hair limits the exposure, since most of

Requirements of a business in International Trade - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1347 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Business Essay Type Argumentative essay Did you like this example? An exchange rate is a rate at which one currency trades for another on the foreign exchange market. Rates of exchange are determined by demand and supply in the foreign exchange market. There are two extreme possibilities in exchange rate Fixed exchange rate. Floating exchange rate. 2.1 Fixed Exchange Rate Fixed Exchange Rate is a rate of exchange between currencies which is set by the governments rather than allowed to change freely with market forces. In order to keep currencies trading at the fixed levels, government economy authorities actively enter the currency market to buy and sell according to variations in supply and demand. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Requirements of a business in International Trade" essay for you Create order 2.2 Floating Exchange Rate The rate between two currencies that is allowed to fluctuate with the market forces of supply and demand. Floating exchange rates is uncertain as to the future rate at which currencies will exchange, because no one can predict rate in floating exchange rate. The uncertainty is due to increased popularity of forward, futures, and option contracts on foreign currencies. Floating exchange rate is also known as flexible exchange rate. 3. Example of Fixed Exchange Rate Lets have some clear idea of Fixed Exchange Rate by studying following example From the above figure we can say that initially the market of Australian dollar is stable, at 0.96 the supply of dollar is exactly equal to the demand of dollars. There is not need of government intervention to maintain the exchange rate. Assuming the demand of Australian beef is decreasing due to some reason and U.S citizen switch to other country for beef. In this situation Australian product shifts the U.S demand curve for the Australian dollar to the left. U.S demand fewer Australian dollars at ever exchange cost (Cost of an Australian dollar) as it is purchasing less from Australia than it did before. If there were no restriction on trade and assuming the price of Australian dollar were set in such a free market, the shift in the demand curve would lead to a fall in the price of Australian dollar, just the way the price of wheat would fall if there was an excess supply of wheat. U.S and Australia n government have committed themselves to maintain the rate at 0.96. To do so either U.S government or Australian government or both must buy up the excess supply of Australian dollars to keep its price from falling. In short, this works when government promises to act as the supplier or demander of last resort. It will ensure that the amount of foreign exchange demanded by the private sector will equal the supply at the fixed price. 4. Fixing the Exchange Rate Considering an example of an organization i.e. The Bank of Latvia The Bank of Latvia has chosen the fixed exchange rate policy for the implementation of monetary policy. Under this strategy, the Bank of Latvias intermediate target is the external stability of the national currency, i.e. the peg of the lats to the euro (at the rate 1EUR = 0.702804 LVL). The normal fluctuation margin around the fixed peg rate is +/- 1%. The Bank of Latvia performs interventions when the exchange rate of the lats exceeds the normal fluctuation margin of +/- 1%. Lats has been pegged to the euro from January 1, 2005. The Bank of Latvia ensures the external stability of the lats under free capital movement and unlimited convertibility of the national currency. Latvia has also established one of the most liberal foreign exchange and capital movement regimes in the world. Both foreign currency and lats can freely enter and leave the country, accounts can be opened in lats and foreign currency without any restriction and lets can be easily purchased and sold freely in exchange for the foreign currency. By this policy foreign investors can earn their profit in any currency without any restriction. 5. Why was the fixed exchange rate strategy chosen? A fixed exchange rate strategy is appropriate for the Latvian economy for other reason as well which are not related to the prospective participation in the EMU, therefore Latvia has maintained the above strategy. Firstly, a fixed exchange rate policy is appropriate for the small countries with an open economy, where foreign trade plays a very important role. In such countries , single major transaction may cause considerable short term exchange rate fluctuation, increasing foreign expenditure and risk. Secondly, in Latvias monetary transmission mechanism, the exchange rate channel affects consumer price dynamic considerably. That can be largely attributed to quite a high imports component both in Latvias consumption, as well as manufacturing. Having implemented the fixed exchange rate policy for the several years, it is evident that it was the right choice and this policy is still appropriate for the Latvian economy. 6. Advantages Disadvantages of Fixed Exchange Rate 6.1 Advantages of Fixed Exchange Rate. Any changes in the exchange rate can affect the market values of assets that are denominated in foreign currencies. This can increase the financial risks that a nations residents face, thereby forcing them to incur costs to avoid these risks. The possibility that variations in the market value of assets can take place due to changes in the value of a nations currency is the foreign exchange risk that residents of a country face because their nations currency value can vary. In above case if any company in Latvia had many loans denominated in Euro but earned nearly all their in Lats from sales within Latvia, a decline in the Euro value of the Lats would mean that Latvian companies would have to allocate a larger portion of their earning to make same Euro loan payments as before. Thus a fall in the Lats value would increase the operation costs of these companies, thereby reducing their profitability and +raising the likelihood of eventual bankruptcy. Therefore limiting foreign exc hange risk is a classic decision for adopting a fixed exchange rate. For example a company in Latvia that has significant U.S dollar earnings from sales in any of the US city but quite large loans from UK investors could arrange to converts its dollars earnings into pound through special types of foreign exchange contracts. The Latvian companies could likewise avoid holding of Lats and thus protect itself against variation in the Lats Value. Reduce risk in International Trade: As the rate of the exchange will be fixed so there wont be any risk in International trade, companies dont have to face high fluctuation of exchange rate. Government:-Fixed Exchange helps governments to keep the rate of inflation approximately to world levels provided there are not trade restrictions. Thus a fixed exchange rate prevents governments pursuing irresponsible macroeconomic policies. 6.2 Disadvantages of Fixed Exchange Rate. Large holdings of foreign exchange reserves required: Just to keep exchange rate stable countries require lots of cash or gold in their hand so that at the time of fluctuation in rate they can stable their rate. In this case government of that country have to hold different currencies in large proportion. Loss of freedom in your internal policy: The needs of the exchange rate can dominate policy and this may not be best for the economy at that point. Interest rates and other policies may be set for the value of the exchange rate rather than the more important macro objectives of inflation and unemployment. Huge pressure on under developed countries: There will be huge pressure to under developed countries by developed and developing countries to devaluate their rate at the time of inflation. Like wise unemployment problem rises in underdeveloped countries. Over Valuing: With fix exchange rates and an overvalued currency, the monetary authorities will be suffering a los s of reserves. It is this that causes balance of payments crises for governments operation under fixed exchange rate regimes. 7. Conclusion Under different circumstances, one can conclude that some nations like Latvia adopt fixed exchange rate regime for business in international trading while some nations allow the exchange rates to float. By adopting fix exchange rate the bank of Latvia is capable to maintain a stable lats exchange rate even in case of any external disorders.

Office Ergonomics Free Essays

Office Ergonomics Contents 1. Introduction 2. Office Computer Workstations 3. We will write a custom essay sample on Office Ergonomics or any similar topic only for you Order Now Computer Workstation Evaluation Checklist 4. Appendix A 1. Introduction Ergonomics is the process of designing the work environment to fit the worker, rather than fitting the worker to the work environment. The goal of this ergonomic program is to minimize accidents and illnesses due to chronic physical and psychological stresses, while maximizing productivity and efficiency. Cumulative trauma disorders (CTD) or repetitive motion strain injuries are musculoskeletal disorders that result from repeated exposure to physical stressors. Stressors affect tendons, ligaments, nerves, muscles and bones. Physical stressors in the office environment are caused by sustained awkward postures, repetitive motions, using excessive force or compression. 2. Office Computer Workstations The workforce population varies greatly in physical size and stature. The idea of the average size person is obsolete. Adjusting office furniture and office equipment help employees make changes in the office to ensure proper posture is maintained throughout the day. There is no single â€Å"correct† posture or arrangement of components that will fit everyone. However, there are basic design goals to consider when setting up a computer workstation or performing computer-related tasks. Consider your workstation as you read through this guide and see if you can identify areas for improvement in posture, component placement, or work environment. This guide provides suggestions to minimize or eliminate identified problems, and allows you to create your own â€Å"custom-fit† computer workstation. Good Working Positions: To understand the best way to set up a computer workstation, it is helpful to understand the concept of neutral body positioning. This is a comfortable working posture in which your joints are naturally aligned. Working with the body in a neutral position reduces stress and strain on the muscles, tendons, and skeletal system and reduces your risk of developing a musculoskeletal disorder (MSD). The following are important considerations when attempting to maintain neutral body postures while working at the computer workstation: †¢ Hands, wrists, and forearms are straight, in-line and roughly parallel to the floor. †¢ Head is level, or bent slightly forward, forward facing, and balanced. †¢ Shoulders are relaxed and upper arms hang normally at the side of the body. †¢ Elbows stay in close to the body and are bent between 90 and 120 degrees. †¢ Feet are fully supported by floor or footrest. †¢ Back is fully supported with appropriate lumbar support when sitting vertical or leaning back. Thighs and hips are supported by a well-padded seat and generally parallel to the floor. †¢ Knees are about the same height as the hips with the feet slightly forward. Regardless of how good your working posture is, working in the same posture or sitting still for prolonged periods is not healthy. You should change your working position frequently throughout the day in the following ways: †¢ Stretch your fingers, hands, arms, and torso. †¢ Stand up and walk around for a few minutes periodically. How to cite Office Ergonomics, Papers

Green Engineering Solutions in Construction

Question: Discuss about theGreen Engineering Solutions in Construction. Answer: Introduction With the massive rise in the pollution level of the whole world, scientists have been involved in several research activities in order to find solutions for minimizing the pollution and increase the sustainability of the world ecosystem (Hoffer 2015). The stream of engineering that deals with the design and construction of eco-friendly materials and structures that benefit the ecosystem on a whole is called green engineering. Nowadays, green engineering solutions are applied in the construction industry in order to design and construct buildings with the help of eco-friendly materials. In this assignment, a literature review has been conducted in order to analyze the applicability of green engineering solutions in the construction industry. Literature Review Zuo and Zhao (2014) have conducted their researchers on the basics of green engineering and its applicability in the construction industry. They have stated in their works that the construction industry plays a very important role in the growth and sustenance of population in a country. Moreover, the construction industry provides residential buildings, office and commerce buildings, roadways, bridges and others. These buildings are extremely important for the growth of population. However, there are a lot of harmful effects of these buildings on the ecosystem. During the construction stage, there are the problems of water and material wastage, noise, dust and others (Kibert 2016). Moreover, these buildings are mainly constructed by filling up regional water bodies. Owing to this, the pond ecosystem has been destroyed in many parts of the world. Again, after the constructions are over, the buildings continue to impact the environment by contributing to the rise in the greenhouse gase s, wastage of water, dust and others. The authors have emphasized on application of green engineering in order to solve these problems as much as possible. Figure 1: Energy Savings from LEED Certified Buildings (Source: Zuo and Zhao 2014, pp. 274) They have suggested adoption of certain tools and principles that would enable the construction industry to build eco-friendly green buildings. Some of the most popular green building tools are as follows: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED, United States) BRE Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM, United Kingdom) Green Building Council of Australia Green Star (GBCA, Australia) Green Mark Scheme (Singapore) DGNB (Germany) Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Efficiency (CASBEE, Japan) Pearl Rating System for Estidama (Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council), Hong Kong Building Environmental Assessment Method (HK BEAM), and Green Building Index (Malaysia) Figure 2: Conventional v/s Green Building (Total Cost and Cost Per Unit Floor Area) (Source: Zuo and Zhao 2014, pp. 275) Green engineering promotes the use of construction materials that are derived or prepared from natural materials. This is because, regular buildings are constructed with materials that are made up of silicon and the oxides of silicon. Although the silicon oxides provide strength and rigidity to the building, they are major air and water pollutants (Eichholtz, Kok and Quigley 2013). Too much silicon oxide in the air causes dust allergy in the land organisms including human and in the water causes choking and other hazards to the water organisms. On the other hand, green materials do not have such effects and can easily disposed of as well. Again, according to Zuo and Zhao (2014), green buildings provide thermal comfort, cleaner environment, lesser noise, low emission of greenhouse gases, conservation of energy and other important benefits that are needed to increase sustainability of the environment. Wang, Toppinen and Juslin (2014) based their works on the construction of the green buildings and their benefits in order to analyze the applicability of green engineering in the construction industry. They mainly based their research of tools and techniques that are needed to construct green buildings. They have described about the following factors that provide positive argument for the benefits of green buildings against regular buildings. Energy Conservation The authors have said that one of the most important benefits of green building is the conservation of energy. In green buildings, natural air ventilation and underground heat conservation techniques are used for entry and exit of heat and air as per the requirements (Alias et al. 2015). This saves the power cost for air conditioning devices, ventilation fans and others. Hence, a lot of electrical energy is saved. Figure 3: Benefits of Green Buildings (Source: Wang, Toppinen and Juslin 2014, pp. 352) CO2 Control In regular building, due to the respiration of the tenants, a huge amount of the CO2 gas is emitted into the environment. Green engineering promotes the use of green trees and plants around the buildings. These plants absorb the CO2 gas and emit O2 gas in the environment. Green Construction Material The authors have conducted their research on some wooden houses that have been built recently in the UK. They have reported that wooden buildings are much more cheaper and environment-friendly than regular brick and mortar buildings. Although some may argue that wooden buildings are not strong enough and obsolete, wooden buildings have their benefits for the sustainability of the environment as well (Huang et al. 2015). Recently, researchers have found certain techniques to build wooden houses along with some other materials that provide strength and sustainability to the building. One of these techniques is wood-steel hybrid. With the development of this particular hybrid, many construction companies have been eager to build green buildings owing to the cheaper construction and easily available materials (Ye et al. 2015). Moreover, throughout the world, initiatives have been taken in order to promote the green buildings in order to reduce the world pollu tion level and protect different ecosystems that help in maintaining sustainability of the environment. Conclusion Owing to the increasing pollution in the world, the ecosystems are getting destroyed and the sustainability of the environment is getting reduced. Green engineering solutions are trying to promote the green techniques that do not harm the environment and help to preserve the ecosystems. Initially, green engineering mainly dealt with design of eco-friendly materials that do not harm the environment. Now, after the research results suggested the benefits of green buildings, the green engineering solutions find significant applicability in the construction industry. However, there are certain limitations of the green construction. Most of the research activities have been conducted on the green engineering firms and sector where the main technical claims are mostly theoretical as well as biased. Hence, the applicability of green engineering solutions in construction industry is still under research it is expected that the applicability will truly be possible in the near future. References Alias, A., Mohamed, M., Yusoff, H., Amini, M.H.M., Aziz, M.A. and Rizman, Z.I., 2015. The enhancement of heat transfer of wood (Neobalanocarpus Heimii, Shorea Sp, Instia Palembanica Miq) of bio-composite materi als for green building in Malaysia.ARPN Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences,10(1), pp.357-369. Eichholtz, P., Kok, N. and Quigley, J.M., 2013. The economics of green building.Review of Economics and Statistics,95(1), pp.50-63. Hoffer, E.R., 2015, July. Green building policy and real estate development: A causal mapping study derived from qualitative data. InProceedings of the 33rd International Conference of the System Dynamics Society, Cambridge, MA, USA(pp. 19-23). Huang, K.T., Huang, W.P., Lin, T.P. and Hwang, R.L., 2015. Implementation of green building specification credits for better thermal conditions in naturally ventilated school buildings.Building and Environment,86, pp.141-150. Kibert, C.J., 2016.Sustainable construction: green building design and delivery. John Wiley Sons. Wang, L., Toppinen, A. and Juslin, H., 2014. Use of wood in green building: a study of expert perspectives from the UK.Journal of cleaner production,65, pp.350-361. Ye, L., Cheng, Z., Wang, Q., Lin, H., Lin, C. and Liu, B., 2015. Developments of green building standards in China.Renewable Energy,73, pp.115-122. Zuo, J. and Zhao, Z.Y., 2014. Green building researchcurrent status and future agenda: A review.Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews,30, pp.271-281.