Cystic Fibrosis Newborn Screening

Cystic Fibrosis Newborn Screening Cystic fibrosis is a common autosomal recessive genetic disorder1. This means that to have cystic fibrosis, a person must have inherited a defective gene from each of his or her parents2. This gene is located on chromosome seven2. Absence or mutation in this particular gene results in worse performance or absence of the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator2. This is most commonly found in Europe, North America, and Australia1. This gene manages anion transport and mucociliary clearance in the airways1. With the failure of this function, the results are mucus retention and chronic infection in the lungs1. Nowadays, modern technology provides aid for patients with their diseases and gives them a longer and more active life. Newborn screening for cystic fibrosis is a modern technological advance which is designed to detect early signs of cystic fibrosis. Several methods under the name of the Newborn Screening are used to detect whether a newborn has cystic fibrosis or not1. These methods include immunoreactive trypsinogen (IRT) testing combined with DNA mutation analysis and the sweat chloride test1. IRT stands for Immunoreactive Trypsinogen Test. The procedure of this test is a chemical reaction. Trypsinogen is made from the pancreas, and it normally transmits to the intestines where it is activated to a form of an enzyme called trypsin. In a patient who has cystic fibrosis, the thick mucus covers the pancreatic ducts1. Therefore, trypsinogen wont reach the intestines, and the amount of trypsinogen goes up. This test runs with a blood sample, and if the results come out with a normal level of trypsinogen, then this test is reliable, but if there is a high level of trypsinogen, then more tests need to be run to find out whether the patient has cystic fibrosis or not. A sweat chloride test is the amount of chloride in patients sweat. In a patient that has Cystic Fibrosis, the sweat chloride test will result in significantly higher levels of chloride in sweat than a person that does not have cystic fibrosis due to the restricted movement of chloride. The gene mutation test is a DNA sequencing test to locate a defective gene in the chromosome. There are many different types of mutations that can cause a deficiency in the production of the CFTR protein. More than 2000 CFTR variants have been discovered1. About 15% of the identified gene variants are not associated with CF1. CFTR mutations can be classified into six classes according to their effects on protein function1. Classification is helpful because it relates to the molecular and cellular processes in gene translation and protein processing and has some useful clinical relations1. Class I, II, and III mutations are associated with no residual CFTR function and patients with these mutations on average have a severe phenotype, whereas individuals with class IV, V, and VI mutations have some residual function of CFTR protein and have a mild lung phenotype and pancreatic deficiency1. Today, different laboratories use a wide variety of panels depending on the patients need, like t he twenty-three panel or panel of seventy. The following is an example of a molecular CF test. Lab Corporation of America published a procedure for a Cystic Fibrosis molecular diagnostic3; The coding sequence of CFTR is amplified by polymerase chain reaction and each PCR product (amplicon) then sequenced bi-directionally, using Sanger sequencing methodology. CFTR Chr7(q31,2) Nucleotide Change Amino Acid Change Consequencing Zygosity Relation to Cystic Fibrosis c.1327G>T p.Asp443Tyr missense mutation homozygous recessive, associated 1. Prof J Stuart Elbom, Cystic Fibrosis, Lancet, 19-25 November 2016, Volume 388, Issue 10059, page 2519-2531 2. The Clinical and Functional Translation of CFTR(CFTR2) at Copyright 2011 US CF Foundation, John Hopkins University The Hospital for Sick Children; available at https://cftr2.org. 3. Corporation of America Published Documents   2014   available @ http://oneworld.labcorp.com/Billing/TestMaster/Resource Center/Sample Reports/C-4/Cystic Fibrosis (CF) CFTR 252763.pdf

Comparative Analysis of Shall I compare thee to a summers day? and The

Comparative Analysis of "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" by William Shakespeare and The Flea by John Donne 'Shall I compare thee' by Shakespeare focuses on romantic love, whereas Donne's poem, 'The Flea' is all about seduction and sexual love. The situations in the two poems are very different. In 'Shall I compare thee', the poet is shown as a lover who is addressing his lady. His tone is gentle and romantic. He starts with a rhetorical question to which he must answer and therefore he does not put demand upon the lady. The poem gives the impression that it is set perhaps in his room, where he is composing his poem. One thing is for sure and that is that the woman he is addressing is not with him, because all the way through the poem, there is no response from her. Shakespeare wants to emphasize her beauty. In 'The Flea' the poet is directly appealing to the woman or his mistress. They seem to be in bed together with a flea, but no sex seems to have taken place. If it had, then the situation would be very different. The poet has seduced her as far as the bedroom and at this point, it seems as though he is going to try a new strategy. The woman does not appear to be very keen and is resisting his advances. Compared with Donne's poem, in 'Shall I compare thee' the poet is simply flattering the woman and wants her to like him. It is also one-sided, unlike in 'The Flea' where the woman gives her views as well. 'Shall I compare thee' is similar to 'First Love' by John Clare in this way. In 'First Love', only the poet's views are shown and therefore it is also one-sided. In 'The Flea' the poet's aim is to have sex with ... ..., and tetrameters, which are eight syllable lines. Donne uses an obvious three-part argument, or syllogism, where he uses the flea to structure it. Shakespeare uses a sonnet, which was a traditional way of writing about romantic love. Donne's poem is more intellectual in which he uses persuasive and rhetorical devices. The comparison's Shakespeare uses are passionate and interesting, but Donne's poem is more enjoyable to read since it uses wit and a clever structure to make it entertaining. The farfetched idea of using a flea to persuade a woman for sex is very unusual and makes the poem more enjoyable. Shakespeare's poem is more typical of a love poem, since the language he uses is more affectionate, but I have found Donne's more appealing to read because the wittiness and content of the poem is so unexpected. Comparative Analysis of Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? and The Comparative Analysis of "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" by William Shakespeare and The Flea by John Donne 'Shall I compare thee' by Shakespeare focuses on romantic love, whereas Donne's poem, 'The Flea' is all about seduction and sexual love. The situations in the two poems are very different. In 'Shall I compare thee', the poet is shown as a lover who is addressing his lady. His tone is gentle and romantic. He starts with a rhetorical question to which he must answer and therefore he does not put demand upon the lady. The poem gives the impression that it is set perhaps in his room, where he is composing his poem. One thing is for sure and that is that the woman he is addressing is not with him, because all the way through the poem, there is no response from her. Shakespeare wants to emphasize her beauty. In 'The Flea' the poet is directly appealing to the woman or his mistress. They seem to be in bed together with a flea, but no sex seems to have taken place. If it had, then the situation would be very different. The poet has seduced her as far as the bedroom and at this point, it seems as though he is going to try a new strategy. The woman does not appear to be very keen and is resisting his advances. Compared with Donne's poem, in 'Shall I compare thee' the poet is simply flattering the woman and wants her to like him. It is also one-sided, unlike in 'The Flea' where the woman gives her views as well. 'Shall I compare thee' is similar to 'First Love' by John Clare in this way. In 'First Love', only the poet's views are shown and therefore it is also one-sided. In 'The Flea' the poet's aim is to have sex with ... ..., and tetrameters, which are eight syllable lines. Donne uses an obvious three-part argument, or syllogism, where he uses the flea to structure it. Shakespeare uses a sonnet, which was a traditional way of writing about romantic love. Donne's poem is more intellectual in which he uses persuasive and rhetorical devices. The comparison's Shakespeare uses are passionate and interesting, but Donne's poem is more enjoyable to read since it uses wit and a clever structure to make it entertaining. The farfetched idea of using a flea to persuade a woman for sex is very unusual and makes the poem more enjoyable. Shakespeare's poem is more typical of a love poem, since the language he uses is more affectionate, but I have found Donne's more appealing to read because the wittiness and content of the poem is so unexpected.

Breeder’s Own Pet Foods, Inc. Essay

Breeder’s Own Pet Foods, Inc. sees a growth opportunity in the retail dog food market for its nutritionally balanced, high quality dog food brand Breeder’s Mix, which has been traditionally sold to the show dog kennel market. The dog food consists of 85% fresh meat and 15% high quality fortified cereal with no additives or preservatives (Kerin and Peterson, 2013). One of the challenges for Breeder’s Own is breaking into an already saturated market. However, based on recent interest from dog food owners in organic, all natural, preservative free dog foods, Breeder’s Own can capitalize on this market share with their product, Breeder’s Mix. Initially, Breeder’s Mix would be marketed in the Boston, Massachusetts’s area since this area is representative of national averages for pet ownership and expenditures for pet products. Breeder Mix would be distributed to supermarkets since 36% of all dog foods sales come from supermarkets (Kerin and Peterson, 2013). Problem IdentificationTraditionally, dog food is produced as dry, canned, or treats. Breeder’s Mix is a nutritionally balanced frozen dog food. Since the food must be located in the frozen section of supermarkets, one marketing strategy will be to educate dog owners to shop for dog food in a non-traditional location. A second challenge will be to convince the target audience that Breeder’s Mix is a better and healthier product for their pet than the traditional dry or canned food. Since Breeder’s Own Pet Foods is a relative unknown name in the retail dog food market, it does not have brand equity, meaning it is not recognizable or well known for having superior quality. Lack of brand equity presents an additional challenge of convincing a target audience to purchase a new product. Currently, the competition consists of five major companies who dominate the market and account for 75% of all dog foods sales. There are over 350 dog food brands in the United States p roduced by about 50 different manufacturers (Kerin and Peterson, 2013). With such a saturated market, Breeder’s Own will need to have an aggressive advertising campaign in order to establish brand recognition. Root Problem ComponentsThe primary root problem component is establishing brand recognition. Breeder’s own will need to accomplish this  through creating an identity the public can identify with, pricing strategies, and making the public aware of Breeder’s Mix high quality ingredients. Once a company had established positive brand equity, it becomes easier to introduce a new product since consumers will associate that product with a successful brand. Breeder’s Own needs to evaluate who their target audience is. The majority of consumers do not associate dog food with frozen food. Furthermore, frozen dog food may not appeal to the average consumer due to the preparation and thawing requirements. Another root problem component would be convincing the supermarkets to give up valuable freezer space to showcase Breeder’s Mix.SWOT MatrixStrengths: †¢ Nutritionally balanced, high quality dog food †¢ Consists of fresh meat 85% and high quality fortified cereal 15% – no additives or preservatives †¢ Breeder’s Mix has been used by show dogs in kennel market and has been recommended by dog show owners for years. †¢ Improvement in dog’s coat †¢ Uncooked to retain nutrition and frozen to maintain freshness. | Opportunities: †¢ Opportunity to be the first to tap into frozen dog food market. Would be the only dog food located in the freezer section, so if you can educate consumers to shop for dog food in the frozen food section, Breeder’s Own would have a competitive advantage. †¢ Opportunity to educate consumers on health benefits for pets by eating nutritionally balanced food. †¢ Opportunity to capitalize on grow ing popularity of premium, higher quality, higher priced dog food. †¢ Opportunity to lay groundwork for national rollout of Breeder’s Mix. |Weaknesses: †¢ Lack of availability in all stores †¢ Lack of appeal to consumers due to thawing time / freezer space (convenience) †¢ Lack of appeal to supermarkets due freezer location †¢ Lack of brand equity in retail market †¢ Premium price | Threats: †¢ Store Location – Consumer must be educated to find product in different area of store †¢ Saturated market – sales top 14 million in 2011. Dog food is also heavily advertised, so the challenge is to entice the consumer to buy Breeder’s Mix. †¢ Competition – 5 major brand name dog food companies dominate market with 75% of US dog food sales †¢ Challenge to get supermarkets to give up valuable freezer space for dog food |Evaluation of AlternativesBreeder’s Own Pet Foods product development strategy should be evaluated. Currently only 1 out of 10 dog owners regularly buy f rozen or refrigerated dog food and  ¾ of those surveyed expressed no interest in  purchasing frozen dog food (Kerin and Peterson, 2013). This indicates that there is a limited market for dog owners who would be interested in a product such as Breeder’s Mix. Research does suggest however that frozen dog food dollar volume is increasing annually indicating there is a strong opportunity for Breeder’s Own to be the first to tap into the frozen dog food market in the Boston area. Breeder’s Own Dog Foods needs a strong marketing campaign to convince consumers their brand is superior to traditional dry or canned dog foods. In order to attract customers, Breeder’s Own should emphasize the hallmark characteristics of its brand such as superior all natural quality ingredients and the ability to produce a luxurious fur coat on the pet. By emphasizing the superior quality, Breeder’s Own will be able to capitalize on the guilt concept of â€Å"shouldn’t your dog eat as well as you do†. Since consumers do not typically associate dog food with frozen food, consumers will need to be ed ucated to shop for dog food in a different location in the store. This will be a key component in the advertising strategy for both print and electronic media. Offering various coupon promotions would be a way to direct consumers to the freezer isle in order to get a discounted product. The lack of competition in the freezer section may also draw attention to the product.RecommendationBreeder’s Own should implement the higher advertising expenditure plan devised by Marketing Momentum Unlimited utilizing both print and television mediums with a few adjustments. Average advertising expenditures in the dog food industry is 2% of sales (Kerin and Peterson, 2013). In order for Breeder’s Own to gain brand equity, it may initially need to spend more in advertising dollars to increase awareness of their unique product. Target Market – The suggested target audience for Breeder’s Mix should be adjusted to affluent families, singles, and married couples between the age of 21-54. Due to the view that pets are members of the family, the target audience should be aimed primarily towards people who treat their dogs as they would one of their children. The target audience would also be those who spend a significant amount of money on their pets annually and believe the health and welfare of their dog is of highest importance and therefore is willing to spend more to get the best for their pet. Price Point – Breeder’s Mix should be priced competitively compared to other premium brands. Therefore, it is recommended that Breeder’s Own  charge a premium price for their product to reflect the high quality of the product that the consumer is purchasing. Typically, more affluent families who view their pets as part of the family will be willing to spend more to ensure their pet receives the best. However, the price point may be too high for the average consumer who buys dog food at the grocery store. Distribution – The one advantage to distributing Breeder’s Mix to grocery stores would be lack of competition for a frozen dog food product. The downside would be the lack of convenience and appeal to the average dog food consumer. The food takes time to prepare due to thawing time and it takes up valuable household freezer space. With the majority of dog owners preferring dry dog food, price and convenience may trump superior quality ingredients. Therefore, instead of distributing Breeder’s Mix to supermarkets, the distribution should be adjust ed to cater to pet specialty stores, pet superstores such as PetSmart and Petco, and veterinarian offices. The distribution could even be expanded to whole food stores who promote healthy lifestyles. The test market should also be expanded beyond Boston to other select cities in order to prepare for a national roll-out of Breeder’s Mix. Advertising – Advertising will be a key component to the successful introduction of Breeder’s Mix. Breeder’s Own should focus on the benefits of the Breeder’s Mix Dog Food in comparison to other brands. It is also critical that the advertisements clearly show that Breeder’s Mix is found in the freezer section. Initial strategies should include focusing on product and brand identification. The media plan should include advertising in local newspapers and magazines such as Dog Fancy along with coupon promotions. The television ads should be adjusted to reach the target audience. Rather than advertising during late night timeslots such as during the Late Show with David Letterman, television advertisements should run during family programming, evening news, and channels such as HGTV and Animal Planet to reach the target audience. Online advertising is also a vital medium for Breeder’s Own to consider. Internet campaigns have the potential to reach a wider market than television since many people change the channel during a commercial. The Internet and social media is a major source for people to get information.Conclusion By marketing to people who consider dogs as part of the family, Breeder’s Own can be successful in the retail dog food market.   More and more consumers are investing extensive time and money into their pets. Breeder’s Mix offers pet owners the healthy benefits they desire for their dogs as well as noticed improvement in the dog’s coat. With the right marketing mix of newspapers, magazines, online advertising, and television, Breeder’s Own should be able to reach their target audience. They have a unique product in Breeder’s Mix to offer to the discerning dog owner who wants the best for their pet. References Kerin, R. A., Peterson, R. A. (2013). Strategic marketing problems cases and comments (13th ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall

The Root Causes of the American Revolution

The American Revolution began in 1775 as an open conflict between the United Thirteen Colonies  and Great Britain. Many factors played a role in the colonists desires to fight for their independence. Not only did these issues lead to war, but they also shaped the foundation of the United States of America. The Cause of the American Revolution No single  event caused the revolution. It was, instead, a series of events that led to the war. Essentially, it began as a disagreement over the way Great Britain governed the colonies and the way the colonies thought they should be treated. Americans felt they deserved all the rights of Englishmen. The British, on the other hand, thought that the colonies were created to be used in ways that best suited the Crown and Parliament. This conflict is embodied in one of the rallying cries of the ​American Revolution: No Taxation Without Representation. Americas Independent Way of Thinking In order to understand what led to the rebellion, its important to look at the mindset of the founding fathers. It should also be noted that this mindset was not that of the majority of colonists: Only about one-third of the colonists supported the rebellion. One-third of the population supported Great Britain, and the other third were neutral. The 18th century is known historically as the age of Enlightenment. It was a period when thinkers, philosophers, statesman, and artists began to question the politics of government, the role of the church, and other fundamental and ethical questions of society as a whole. The period was also known as the Age of Reason, and many colonists followed this new way of thinking. A number of the revolutionary leaders had studied major writings of the Enlightenment, including those of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and the Baron de Montesquieu. From these thinkers, the founders gleaned such new political concepts as the social contract, limited government, the consent of the governed, and the  separation of powers. Lockes writings, in particular, struck a chord. His books helped to raise questions about the rights of the governed and the overreach of the British government. They spurred the republican ideology that stood up in opposition to those viewed as tyrants. Men such as Benjamin Franklin and John Adams were also influenced by the teachings of the Puritans and Presbyterians. These teachings included such new radical ideas as the principle that all men are created equal and the belief that a king has no divine rights. Together, these innovative ways of thinking led many in this era to consider it their duty to rebel against laws they viewed as unjust. The Freedoms and Restrictions of Location The geography of the colonies also contributed to the revolution. Their distance from Great Britain naturally created a sense of independence that was hard to overcome. Those willing to colonize the new world generally had a strong independent streak with a profound desire for new opportunities and more freedom. The Proclamation of 1763 played its own role. After the French and Indian War, King George III issued the royal decree that prevented further colonization west of the Appalachian Mountains. The intent was to normalize relations with the Native Americans, many of whom fought with the French. A number of settlers had purchased land in the now forbidden area or had received land grants. The crowns proclamation was largely ignored as settlers moved anyway and the Proclamation Line eventually moved after much lobbying. Despite this concession, the affair left another stain on the relationship between the colonies and Britain. The Control of Government The existence of colonial legislatures meant that the colonies were in many ways independent of the crown. The legislatures were allowed to levy taxes, muster troops, and pass laws. Over time, these powers became rights in the eyes of many colonists. The British government had different ideas and attempted to curtail the powers of these newly elected bodies. There were numerous measures designed to ensure the colonial legislatures did not achieve autonomy, although many had nothing to do with the larger British Empire. In the minds of colonists, they were a matter of local concern. From these small, rebellious legislative bodies that represented the colonists, the future leaders of the United States were born. The Economic Troubles Even though the British believed in mercantilism, Prime Minister Robert Walpole espoused a view of salutary neglect. This system was in place from 1607 through 1763, during which the British were lax on enforcement of external trade relations. Walpole believed this enhanced freedom would stimulate commerce. The French and Indian War led to considerable economic trouble for the British government. Its cost was significant, and the British were determined to make up for the lack of funds. They levied new taxes on the colonists and increased trade regulations. These actions were not well received by the colonists. New taxes were enforced, including the Sugar Act and the Currency Act, both in 1764. The Sugar Act increased already considerable taxes on molasses and restricted certain export goods to Britain alone. The Currency Act prohibited the printing of money in the colonies, making businesses rely more on the crippled British economy.   Feeling underrepresented, overtaxed, and unable to engage in free trade, the colonists rallied to the slogan, No Taxation Without Representation. This discontent became very apparent in 1773 with the events that later became known as the Boston Tea Party. The Corruption and Control The British governments presence became increasingly more visible in the years leading to the revolution. British officials and soldiers were given more control over the colonists and this led to widespread corruption. Among the most glaring of these issues were the Writs of Assistance. These were general search warrants that gave British soldiers the right to search and seize any property they deemed to be smuggled or illegal goods. Designed to assist the British in enforcing trade laws, these documents allowed British soldiers to enter, search, and seize warehouses, private homes, and ships whenever necessary. However, many abused this power. In 1761, Boston lawyer James Otis fought for the constitutional rights of the colonists in this matter but lost. The defeat only inflamed the level of defiance and ultimately led to the Fourth Amendment in the U.S. Constitution. The Third Amendment was also inspired by the overreach of the British government. Forcing colonists to house British soldiers in their homes infuriated the population. It was inconvenient and costly to the colonists, and many also found it a traumatic experience after events like the  Boston Massacre in 1770. The Criminal Justice System Trade and commerce were overly controlled, the British Army made its presence known, and the local colonial government was limited by a power far across the Atlantic Ocean. If these affronts to the colonists dignity were not enough to ignite the fires of rebellion, American colonists also had to endure a corrupt justice system. Political protests became a regular occurrence as these realities set in. In 1769, Alexander McDougall was imprisoned for libel when his work To the Betrayed Inhabitants of the City and Colony of New York was published. His imprisonment and the Boston Massacre were just two infamous examples of the measures the British took to crack down on protesters.   After six British soldiers were acquitted and two dishonorably discharged for the Boston Massacre—ironically enough, they were defended by John Adams—the British government changed the rules. From then on, officers accused of any offense in the colonies would be sent to England for trial. This meant that fewer witnesses would be on hand to give their accounts of events and it led to even fewer convictions. To make matters even worse, jury trials were replaced with verdicts and punishments handed down directly by colonial judges. Over time, the colonial authorities lost power over this as well because the judges were known to be chosen, paid, and supervised by the British government. The right to a fair trial by a jury of their peers was no longer possible for many colonists. Grievances That Led to Revolution and the Constitution All of these grievances that colonists had with the British government led to the events of the American Revolution. And many of these grievances directly affected what the founding fathers wrote into the U.S. Constitution. These constitutional rights and principles reflect the hopes of the framers that the new American government would not subject their citizens to the same loss of freedoms that the colonists had experienced under Britains rule.