Brand Loyalty

Brand Loyalty One of the most desirable traits that marketers would like to see in the consumers they are positioning their product towards is loyalty to their brand. Brand loyalty can be defined as â€Å"the extent of the faithfulness of consumers to a particular brand, expressed through their repeat purchases, irrespective of the marketing pressure generated by the competing brands. (Business Dictionary, 2012) An expression of brand loyalty from consumers can help companies to experience significant growth not only through repeat purchases, but also word-of-mouth: brand-loyal consumers who talk among their peers about their purchasing behaviour may talk positively about the brand they like, which allows these consumers to try these recommended brands – which they might not have tried otherwise – thus expanding a business’ market and increasing its profits.Since brand loyalty can play a significant role in a business’ performance, it is important that ma rketers understand the different factors that lead to consumers showing brand loyalty. One of the main contributing factors to brand loyalty is satisfaction. According to Ha, Janda and Park’s (2009), satisfaction can be achieved through a â€Å"rich employee-related customer orientation†. In addition, the perceived quality of the product on offer was found to have a positive effect on South Korean consumers’ satisfaction and brand loyalty.The need for a high level of customer orientation is further discussed and confirmed by Lee, Knight and Kim (2008), who commented that a consumer-oriented approach was crucial in market strategies to appeal to Korean consumers. In addition, the authors gave the example of Wal-Mart’s entry into the Korean market to demonstrate the need for foreign companies to adapt their strategies in order to successfully appeal and cater to Korean consumers. Yoon and Kim (2000) provide two more contributing factors to building brand lo yalty among consumers.Going on the fact that repurchasing is a part of the definition of brand loyalty, the authors suggest that a firm needs to either improve the overall impression that its firm or brand gives its consumers; otherwise, the firm must provide an incentive for repurchasing (e. g. coupons or special offers and discounts) – both of these factors, when implemented together, will provide the best chances of increasing consumers’ loyalty towards the firm or brand.The authors go on to discuss one of the important findings of their research which shows why consumers choose not to be loyal to a brand and thus switch to another. They argue that firms need to minimise or remove the factors they found that lead to what is described as â€Å"negative expectation disconfirmation†, which are listed here: avoid raising consumers’ expectations beyond the level at which the firm can consistently deliver; focus on what the customer wants and expects rather than the firm’s production constraints; respect price sensitivity, as some people feel their loyalty is exploited as prices increase.If a firm were to implement these changes in order to seek an attitude of customer orientation and improve their corporate image, how would they go about it? One of the ways this is being done nowadays more than ever is through the use of social media. Kabani (2012), CEO of The Marketing Zen Group, posted an article with the following tips for making loyal customers through the creation of social media content: interact; be helpful; make your fans the stars; offer perks; be transparent.Taking the example of the whiskey brand, Johnnie Walker, it can be seen how these tips work for an established brand to retain customers and make them loyal to the brand. Johnnie Walker, a brand which boasts international success based on a long history of creating quality whiskey blends (John Walker & Sons, 2012), has set up Johnnie Walker Facebook pages for all the major markets it caters to. Looking at the Johnnie Walker Singapore Facebook page, it can be seen that all the tips recommended by Kabani are implemented in some way.The page administrators create posts every one or two days for people who have â€Å"liked† the page to look at, share with friends and comment on. These posts are not just about Johnnie Walker whiskey products, but also sporting events (Johnnie Walker is a sponsor of the McLaren-Mercedes team in the Formula 1) and interesting facts relating to distinguished people or events. Helpful posts, such as exclusive recipes for preparing seasonal cocktails with Johnnie Walker products, are shared on this page.Johnnie Walker makes its fans the stars through competitions to win a place at the Circuit Lounge, which is the party held during the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix, where Johnnie Walker selects people from its list of people who have â€Å"liked† the page, to receive guest passes for the exclusive party. The names of the winners are then posted on the page. At other times, content shared by fans will be shared and re-posted by the page administrators. Besides the exclusive party invitations, Johnnie Walker posts sneak previews of new limited edition product releases or information on upcoming events related to the brand.Finally, whenever fans have questions about products or events and are awaiting responses, the page administrators promptly reply to inform them of the situation (e. g. why a letter has yet to be received). This method of interacting with consumers can be deemed successful for building brand loyalty as so many fans have posted comments about how much they love the brand and enjoy it for the special occasions in their lives (Johnnie Walker Singapore, 2012). Recommendations for Marketing ManagersIn relation to brand loyalty, a firm wishing to enter the South Korean market must keep in mind the necessity of creating a brand image that is consistent with how they wish t o be perceived, the level of service the firm can deliver consistently, and being truly customer-oriented. When South Korean consumers are satisfied with a product provided through customer-oriented service, then these consumers are more likely to show loyalty towards a brand, leading to repeat purchases, which benefits firms through increased market share and profits.Establishing brand loyalty among consumers is feasible through the creation of interesting, informative, helpful and customer-oriented social media content. A successful portrayal of the brand’s values through frequent interaction with consumers is essential to getting consumers not only to learn more about the brand, but sharing this knowledge with their peers, which leads to increased and repeated purchases. This also contributes to an increase in a firm’s market share and profits.The important thing to recognise is that building brand loyalty gives firms a competitive advantage: brand image is somethin g that is unique to each firm, and as such, it can prove to make the difference when a consumer needs to make a purchasing decision between two brands of a similar product. When the brand image of the firm entering the South Korean market shows a strong sense of customer-orientation and consistent delivery of expectations, its chances of succeeding in the market will be higher than those firms who fail to recognise how important customer-orientation is to South Korean consumers.Bibliography Business Dictionary, 2012. What is brand loyalty? Business Dictionary, published 2012, < http://www. businessdictionary. com/definition/brand-loyalty. html> Ha, H. Y. , Janda, S. , Park, S. K. , 2009. Role of satisfaction in an integrative model of brand loyalty: Evidence from China and South Korea, International Marketing Review, Vol. 26, no. 2, pp. 198-220 John Walker & Sons, 2012. Our Labels. Johnnie Walker, published 2012, Johnnie Walker Singapore, 2012. Johnnie Walker Singapore, Facebook, up dated 11 October 2012,Kabani, S. , 2012. How to build brand loyalty through social media, The Business Journals, published 24 August 2012, Lee, M. Y. , Knight, D. , Kim, Y. K. , 2008. Brand analysis of a US global brand in comparison with domestic brands in Mexico, Korea, and Japan, Journal of Product & Brand Management, Vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 163-174 Yoon, S. J. , Kim, J. H. , 2000. An empirical validation of a loyalty model based on expectation disconfirmation, Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 17, no. 2, pp. 120-136 Brand Loyalty Brand Loyalty One of the most desirable traits that marketers would like to see in the consumers they are positioning their product towards is loyalty to their brand. Brand loyalty can be defined as â€Å"the extent of the faithfulness of consumers to a particular brand, expressed through their repeat purchases, irrespective of the marketing pressure generated by the competing brands. (Business Dictionary, 2012) An expression of brand loyalty from consumers can help companies to experience significant growth not only through repeat purchases, but also word-of-mouth: brand-loyal consumers who talk among their peers about their purchasing behaviour may talk positively about the brand they like, which allows these consumers to try these recommended brands – which they might not have tried otherwise – thus expanding a business’ market and increasing its profits.Since brand loyalty can play a significant role in a business’ performance, it is important that ma rketers understand the different factors that lead to consumers showing brand loyalty. One of the main contributing factors to brand loyalty is satisfaction. According to Ha, Janda and Park’s (2009), satisfaction can be achieved through a â€Å"rich employee-related customer orientation†. In addition, the perceived quality of the product on offer was found to have a positive effect on South Korean consumers’ satisfaction and brand loyalty.The need for a high level of customer orientation is further discussed and confirmed by Lee, Knight and Kim (2008), who commented that a consumer-oriented approach was crucial in market strategies to appeal to Korean consumers. In addition, the authors gave the example of Wal-Mart’s entry into the Korean market to demonstrate the need for foreign companies to adapt their strategies in order to successfully appeal and cater to Korean consumers. Yoon and Kim (2000) provide two more contributing factors to building brand lo yalty among consumers.Going on the fact that repurchasing is a part of the definition of brand loyalty, the authors suggest that a firm needs to either improve the overall impression that its firm or brand gives its consumers; otherwise, the firm must provide an incentive for repurchasing (e. g. coupons or special offers and discounts) – both of these factors, when implemented together, will provide the best chances of increasing consumers’ loyalty towards the firm or brand.The authors go on to discuss one of the important findings of their research which shows why consumers choose not to be loyal to a brand and thus switch to another. They argue that firms need to minimise or remove the factors they found that lead to what is described as â€Å"negative expectation disconfirmation†, which are listed here: avoid raising consumers’ expectations beyond the level at which the firm can consistently deliver; focus on what the customer wants and expects rather than the firm’s production constraints; respect price sensitivity, as some people feel their loyalty is exploited as prices increase.If a firm were to implement these changes in order to seek an attitude of customer orientation and improve their corporate image, how would they go about it? One of the ways this is being done nowadays more than ever is through the use of social media. Kabani (2012), CEO of The Marketing Zen Group, posted an article with the following tips for making loyal customers through the creation of social media content: interact; be helpful; make your fans the stars; offer perks; be transparent.Taking the example of the whiskey brand, Johnnie Walker, it can be seen how these tips work for an established brand to retain customers and make them loyal to the brand. Johnnie Walker, a brand which boasts international success based on a long history of creating quality whiskey blends (John Walker & Sons, 2012), has set up Johnnie Walker Facebook pages for all the major markets it caters to. Looking at the Johnnie Walker Singapore Facebook page, it can be seen that all the tips recommended by Kabani are implemented in some way.The page administrators create posts every one or two days for people who have â€Å"liked† the page to look at, share with friends and comment on. These posts are not just about Johnnie Walker whiskey products, but also sporting events (Johnnie Walker is a sponsor of the McLaren-Mercedes team in the Formula 1) and interesting facts relating to distinguished people or events. Helpful posts, such as exclusive recipes for preparing seasonal cocktails with Johnnie Walker products, are shared on this page.Johnnie Walker makes its fans the stars through competitions to win a place at the Circuit Lounge, which is the party held during the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix, where Johnnie Walker selects people from its list of people who have â€Å"liked† the page, to receive guest passes for the exclusive party. The names of the winners are then posted on the page. At other times, content shared by fans will be shared and re-posted by the page administrators. Besides the exclusive party invitations, Johnnie Walker posts sneak previews of new limited edition product releases or information on upcoming events related to the brand.Finally, whenever fans have questions about products or events and are awaiting responses, the page administrators promptly reply to inform them of the situation (e. g. why a letter has yet to be received). This method of interacting with consumers can be deemed successful for building brand loyalty as so many fans have posted comments about how much they love the brand and enjoy it for the special occasions in their lives (Johnnie Walker Singapore, 2012). Recommendations for Marketing ManagersIn relation to brand loyalty, a firm wishing to enter the South Korean market must keep in mind the necessity of creating a brand image that is consistent with how they wish t o be perceived, the level of service the firm can deliver consistently, and being truly customer-oriented. When South Korean consumers are satisfied with a product provided through customer-oriented service, then these consumers are more likely to show loyalty towards a brand, leading to repeat purchases, which benefits firms through increased market share and profits.Establishing brand loyalty among consumers is feasible through the creation of interesting, informative, helpful and customer-oriented social media content. A successful portrayal of the brand’s values through frequent interaction with consumers is essential to getting consumers not only to learn more about the brand, but sharing this knowledge with their peers, which leads to increased and repeated purchases. This also contributes to an increase in a firm’s market share and profits.The important thing to recognise is that building brand loyalty gives firms a competitive advantage: brand image is somethin g that is unique to each firm, and as such, it can prove to make the difference when a consumer needs to make a purchasing decision between two brands of a similar product. When the brand image of the firm entering the South Korean market shows a strong sense of customer-orientation and consistent delivery of expectations, its chances of succeeding in the market will be higher than those firms who fail to recognise how important customer-orientation is to South Korean consumers.Bibliography Business Dictionary, 2012. What is brand loyalty? Business Dictionary, published 2012, < http://www. businessdictionary. com/definition/brand-loyalty. html> Ha, H. Y. , Janda, S. , Park, S. K. , 2009. Role of satisfaction in an integrative model of brand loyalty: Evidence from China and South Korea, International Marketing Review, Vol. 26, no. 2, pp. 198-220 John Walker & Sons, 2012. Our Labels. Johnnie Walker, published 2012, Johnnie Walker Singapore, 2012. Johnnie Walker Singapore, Facebook, up dated 11 October 2012,Kabani, S. , 2012. How to build brand loyalty through social media, The Business Journals, published 24 August 2012, Lee, M. Y. , Knight, D. , Kim, Y. K. , 2008. Brand analysis of a US global brand in comparison with domestic brands in Mexico, Korea, and Japan, Journal of Product & Brand Management, Vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 163-174 Yoon, S. J. , Kim, J. H. , 2000. An empirical validation of a loyalty model based on expectation disconfirmation, Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 17, no. 2, pp. 120-136

Blood Test

How to Quickly and Easily Understand Your Blood Tests Without A Medical Degree The Simplified Patient Reference Guide By Ronald J. Grisanti D. C. Limits of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty The author, Ronald Grisanti and publisher, Busatti Corporation have made their best effort to produce a high quality, informative and helpful book. The author and Publisher make no representation or warranties with respect to the accuracy, applicability, fitness or completeness of the contents of this program. They accept no liability of any kind for any losses or damages caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly, from using the information contained in this book. This book is not intended for use as a source of any legal or medical advice. The Publisher wants to stress that the information contained herein may be subject to varying international, federal, state and/or local laws or regulations. The purchaser or reader of this publication assumes responsibility for the use of these materials and information. All information is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should seek prompt medical care for any specific health issues and consult your physician before starting a new fitness regimen. How to Quickly and Easily Understand Your Blood Tests Without A Medical Degree Copyright  © 2004 Busatti Corporation All right reserved worldwide Busatti Corporation and Ronald Grisanti own all right, title, and interest in this publication. No part of this book may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form, in whole or in part, or by any means, mechanical or electronic, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, or transmitted by email, without permission in writing from the Publisher. 2 About the Author Dr. Ronald Grisanti is a practicing chiropractic physician since 1981. In addition to earning his doctorate in chiropractic medicine, Dr. Grisanti is a Board Certified Chiropractic Orthopedist and Board Certified Sports Physician. He is presently completing his Master’s Degree in Nutrition from the University of Bridgeport. In addition, Dr. Grisanti has had extensive training in Functional Diagnostic Medicine and frequently consults with patients suffering with difficult to diagnose health problems like fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, diabetes, hypertension, depression, anxiety, acid reflux and other challenging health conditions. His admirable success record has earned him the title, â€Å"Your Medical Detective. † Dr. Grisanti has discovered that many health problems can be successful treated once the underlying cause has been found. He is known for his tenacity and strong will to find the root cause of a patient’s health problem. In 2001, with his ever-growing love for research, Dr. Grisanti launched his weekly medical report titled, â€Å"The Grisanti Report† and has written over 400 articles on a host of medical conditions. His weekly reports have gained worldwide attention and are now read in over 40 countries around the world. His list of subscribers has grown into the thousands. Just recently, Dr. Grisanti launched his exclusive membership site called YourMedicalDetective. com. Dr. Grisanti invites you to take a tour of his new site. Go to www. YourMedicalDetective. com 3 This site gives you exclusive, in-depth information and tools to help you and your doctor track down the real cause of your health challenges and solve them. Dr. Grisanti would like to thank you for purchasing his digital book titled â€Å"How to Quickly and Easily Understand Your Blood Tests Without A Medical Degree. † I believe you will benefit from a book that finally makes sense out of your blood chemistry results. Take care and enjoy the book. 4 Table of Contents Glucose Sodium Potassium Magnesium Chloride Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) Creatinine BUN/Creatinine Ratio Uric Acid Phosphorus Calcium Albumin Calcium Albumin Ratio Globulin A/G Ratio Alkaline Phosphorus SGOT/AST and SGPT/ALT GGT LDH Total Protein Iron Ferritin Triglycerides Cholesterol LDL Cholesterol HDL Cholesterol Cholesterol/HDL Ratio CO2 White Blood Cell Count Neutrophils Monocytes Lymphocytes Eosinophils Basophils Red Blood Cells Hemoglobin Hematocrit Platelets Reticulocyte Count MCV MCH T3 T4 T7 T3 Update TSH Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) 5 Comprehensive Blood Test Guide Don't you just hate when you get your blood test back and you have absolutely no idea what all those numbers mean on a standard chemistry profile? Well now you can use this book to help you understand your test a bit better. GLUCOSE Glucose: This is the chief source of energy for all living organisms. A level greater than 105 in someone who has fasted for 12 hours suggests a diabetic tendency. If this level is elevated even in a non-fasting setting one must be concerned that there is a risk for developing diabetes. This is an incredibly powerful test and can predict diabetes ten years or more before one develops the strict definition of diabetes which is levels greater than 120. Common Causes of Glucose Increase: Diabetes, poor carbohydrate utilization, syndrome X Less Common Causes of Glucose Increase: Cerebral lesions, uremia, pregnancy, intracranial pressure, cushing's disease, hyperthyroidism, chronic nephritis, infections, first 24 hours after a severe burn, pancreatitis, cerebral lesions, uremia, early hyperpituitarism Common Causes of Glucose Decrease: Fasting Hypoglycemia Clinical Note: LDH will frequently be decreased or in the low normal with Fasting Hypoglycemia, however, LDH will almost ALWAYS be decreased with Reactive Hypoglycemia Less Common Causes of Glucose Decrease: liver damage, pancreatic adenoma, addison's disease (adrenal insufficiency), starvation, late hypopituitarism Carcinoma of islet tissue Clinical Adult Range: 70-115 mg/dL Optimal Adult Range: 85-100 mg/dL Red Flag Range 250 mg/dL Clinical Notes: Order Glycohemoglobin (HGB A1C) with serum glucose values above 160 and to monitor diabetics under therapy Nutrition Tip: Thiamine Defi ciency has been linked to increase in glucose levels 6 SODIUM Sodium: This element plays an important role in salt and water balance in your body. A low level in the blood can be caused by too much water intake, heart failure, or kidney failure. A low level can also be caused by loss of sodium in diarrhea, fluid or vomiting. A high level can be caused by too much intake of salt or by not enough intake of water. Clinical Adult Range: 135-145 Optimal Adult Range: 140-144 Red Flag Range 155 mmol/L Common Causes of Sodium Increase: Nephritis (kidney problems), dehydration, hypercorticoadrenalism (increased adrenal function) Clinical Notes: Water Softeners have been linked to cause an increase in sodium Common Causes of Sodium Decrease: Reduced kidney filtration, diarrhea, Addison’s disease, adrenal hypo-function POTASSIUM Potassium: This element is found primarily inside the cells of the body. Low levels in the blood may indicate severe diarrhea, alcoholism, or excessive use of water pills. Low potassium levels can cause muscle weakness and heart problems. Clinical Adult Range: 3. 5-5. 0 Optimal Adult Range: 4. 0-4. 6 Red Flag Range 6. mmol/L Common Causes of Potassium Increase: Adrenal hypo-function, cortisol resistance, acidosis, ongoing tissue destruction Common Causes of Potassium Decrease: Diarrhea, diuretic use, kidney problems, adrenal hyperfunction Less Common Causes of Potassium Decrease: Anemia, overdosage of testosterone, hereditary periodic paralysis, hypertension Nutrition Tip: Excessive licorice consumption has been linked to lower potassium levels 7 MAGNESIUM Magnesium: This important element is found in the arteries, heart, bone, muscles, nerves, teeth. Clinical Adult Range: 1. 7-2. 4 Optimal Adult Range: 2. 2-2. 6 Red Flag Range 1. 6 mg/dL Common Causes of Creatinine Increase: Kidney Problems, Gout Clinical Note: If Creatinine is 1. or higher in a male over the age of 40, Prostate Hypertrophy MUST be ruled out Less Common Causes of Creatinine Increase: Renal Hypertension, uncontrolled diabetes, congestive heart failure, urinary tract infection, dehydration Clinical Note: Suspect early nephritis ( kidney disease) if creatinine is between 2-4 mg/dL. Suspect severe nephritis is creatinine is between 4-35 mg/dL Common Causes of Creatinine Decrease: Amyotonia congenita BUN/CREATININE RATIO BUN/Creatinine Ratio: increased values may indicate catabolic st ates, dehydration, circulatory failure leading to fall in renal blood flow, congestive heart failure, acute and chronic renal (kidney) failure, urinary tract obstruction, prostatic enlargement, high protein diet. Decreased values may indicate overhydration, low protein/high carbohydrate diet, pregnancy Clinical Adult Range: 6-10 Optimal Adult Range: 10-16 Red Flag Range 30 Common Causes of BUN/Creatinine Ratio Increase: Kidney problems Less Common Causes of BUN/Creatinine Ratio Increase: Catabolic states, prostatic hypertrophy, high protein diet, dehydration, shock Common Causes of BUN/Creatinine Ratio Decrease: Low protein/high carbohydrate diet, pregnancy 10 URIC ACID Uric Acid: Uric acid is the end product purine metabolism. High levels are seen in gout, infections, high protein diets, and kidney disease. Low levels generally indicate protein and molybdenum (trace mineral) deficiency, liver damage or an overly acid kidney. Clinical Female Range: 2. 4-6. 0 mg/dL Clinical Male Range: 3. 4-7. 0 mg/dL Optimal Female Range: 3. 0-5. 5 mg/dL Optimal Male Adult Range: 3. 5-5. 9 mg/dL Red Flag Range 9. mg/dL Common Causes of Uric Acid Increase: Gout, kidney problems, arteriosclerosis, arthritis Les s Common Causes of Uric Acid Increase: Metallic poisoning (mercury, lead), intestinal obstruction, leukemia, polycythemia, malignant tumors, drug diuretics Common Causes of Uric Acid Decrease: Chronic B-12 or folate anemia, pregnancy Less Common Causes of Uric Acid Increase: Salicylate and atrophine therapy Nutrition Tip: If the uric acid is low with a normal MCV and MCH, a molybdenum deficiency may be present PHOSPHORUS Phosphorus: Phosphorus is closely associated with calcium in bone development. Therefore most of the phosphate in the body is found in the bones. But the phosphorus level in the blood is very important for muscle and nerve function. Very low levels of phosphorus in the blood can be associated with starvation or malnutrition and this can lead to muscle weakness. High levels in the blood are usually associated with kidney disease. However the blood must be drawn carefully as improper handling may falsely increase the reading. Clinical Adult Range: 2. 5-4. 5 Optimal Adult Range: 3. 2-3. 9 Red Flag Range 5. 0 mg/dL Common Causes of Phosphorus Increase: Parathyroid dysfunction, kidney dysfunction, excessive phosphoric acid in soft drinks. Important Fact: Children will have an increase in Phosphorus due to normal bone growth. In addition, people with fractures will usually reveal an increase. Less Common Causes of Phosphorus Increase: Bone tumors, edema, ovarian hyper-function, diabetes, excess intake of vitamin D Common Causes of Phosphorus Decrease: Parathyroid Hyper-function, osteomalacia, rickets 11 Less Common Causes of Phosphorus Decrease: Diabetes, liver dysfunction, protein malnutrition, neurofibromatosis, myxedema Nutrition Tip: Phosphorus is frequently decreased with diets high in refined sugars Clinical Note: Suspect Vitamin D deficiency with low levels of calcium, phosphorus and increased levels of alkaline phosphorus Clinical Note: Phosphorus is a general indicator of digestive function. Consider hypochlorhydria when phosphorus is below 3. 0 and total serum globulin is greater than 3. 0 or less than 2. 4 CALCIUM Calcium: Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body. It is involved in bone metabolism, protein absorption, fat transfer, muscular contraction, transmission of nerve impulses, blood clotting, and heart function. It is highly sensitive to elements such as magnesium, iron, and phosphorous as well as hormonal activity, vitamin D levels, CO2 levels and many drugs. Diet, or even the presence of calcium in the diet has a lot to do with â€Å"calcium balance† – how much calcium you take in and how much you lose from your body. Clinical Adult Range: 8. 5-10. 8 Optimal Adult Range: 9. 7-10. 1 Red Flag Range 12. 0 mg/dL Common Causes of Calcium Increase: Hyperparathyroidism Less Common Causes of Calcium Increase: Tumor of the thyroid, hypervitaminosis (excess Vitamin D), multiple myeloma, neurfibromatosis, osteoporosis, ovarian hypo-function, adrenal hypo-function Clinical Note: Serum protein influences calcium levels. Calcium goes up with increased protein and goes down with decreased protein Common Causes of Calcium Decrease: Hypoparathyroidism, pregnancy, hypochlorhydria, kidney dysfunction Less Common Causes of Calcium Decrease: Vitamin D deficiency, diarrhea, celiac disease, protein malnutrition, chemical/heavy metal toxicity, HPA-axis dysfunction Clinical Fact: Poor intestinal fat absorption may be suspected with low levels of calcium, bilirubin and phosphorus Nutrition Note: Pancreatic enzyme deficiency may be suspected with low levels of calcium, triglycerides and increased levels of LDH 12 Clinical Note: Circadin rhythm abnormality should be a primary consideration with calcium levels either above or below normal ALBUMIN Albumin: The most abundant protein in the blood, it is made in the liver and is an antioxidant that protects your tissues from free radicals. It binds waste products, toxins and dangerous drugs that might damage the body. Is also is a major buffer in the body and plays a role in controlling the precise amount of water in our tissues. It serves to transport vitamins, minerals and hormones. Lower levels are seen in poor diets, diarrhea, fever, infections, liver disease, kidney disease, third-degree burns, edemas or hypocalcemia. Clinical Adult Range: 3. 0-5. 5 Optimal Adult Range: 4. 0-4. 4 Red Flag Range 90U/L Common Causes of GGT Increase: Biliary obstruction, alcoholism, cholangitis/cholecystitis (bile duct and gall bladder inflammation) Clinical Note: If GGT is greater than 150 U/L with a serum bilirubin of over 2. 8 mg/dL, strongly suspect biliary obstruction. Seek immediate medical attention Clinical Note: If GGT values are five times igher than the clinical range suspect pancreatitis Less Common Causes of GGT Increase: Brucellosis, hepatitis, mononucleosis, bacterial and viral infection, malignancy, congestive heart failure biliary. Nutrition Note: Low levels of GGT may indicate a B-6 deficiency. Additional Clinical Notes: Food allergy/sensitivity is a very common finding with biliary dysfunction LDH Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH): LDH is an enzyme found in all tissues in the body. A high level in the blood can result from a number of different diseases such as hepatitis, anemia etc. Also, slightly elevated levels in the blood are common and usually do not indicate disease. The most common sources of LDH are the heart, liver, muscles, and red blood cells. Clinical Adult Range: 60-225U/L Optimal Adult Range: 140-200U/L Red Flag Range ;250U/L Common Causes of LDH Increase: Liver/biliary dysfunction, pulmonary embolism, myocardial infarction, tissue inflammation, tissue destruction, malignancy anywhere in the body, several types of anemias Clinical Note: LDH will frequently increase with low thyroid function Clinical Note: LDH is frequently increased with birth control usage 16 Nutrition Note: Decrease LDH may indicate reactive hypoglycemia. (Check glucose) TOTAL PROTEIN Total Protein: This is a measure of the total amount of protein in your blood. Total protein is the combination of albumin and total globulin and is affected by the albumin and total globulin. A low or high total protein does not indicate a specific disease, but it does indicate that some additional tests may be required to determine if there is a problem. Clinical Adult Range: 6. 0-8. 5g/dL Optimal Adult Range: 7. 1-7. 6g/dL Red Flag Range 8. g/dL Common Causes of Prote in Increase: Dehydration, â€Å"early† carcinoma, multiple myeloma (should be correlated with serum protein electrophoresis) Less Common Causes of Protein Increase: malignancy, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis Common Causes of Protein Decrease: Protein malnutrition, digestive inflammation (colitis, gastritis) Less Common Causes of Protein Decrease: hypothyroidism, leukemia, adrenal hyper-function, congestive heart failure Nutrition Note: If protein and calcium are found to be on the low side of the optimal range suspect poor protein absorption. Additional Nutrition Notes: Decreased protein, cholesterol and SGPT may indicate fatty liver congestion IRON Iron: The body must have iron to make hemoglobin and to help transfer oxygen to the muscle. If the body is low in iron, all body cells, particularly muscles in adults and brain cells in children, do not function up to par. If this test is low you should consider getting a Ferritin test, especially if you are a female who still has menstrual cycles. Clinical Adult Range: 40-150ug/ml Optimal Adult Range: 50-100ug/ml Red Flag Range 200ug/ml Common Causes of Iron Increase: Hemochromomatosis, liver dysfunction, iron therapy, pernicious and hemolytic anemia Less Common Causes of Iron Increase: cooking with iron utensils 17 Common Causes of Iron Decrease: Pathologic bleeding (especially in geriatric population), iron deficiency anemia Less Common Causes of Protein Decrease: chronic infections, kidney and liver problems Nutrition Note: Increased iron with decreased hemocrit (HCT) suggests intrinsic factor deficiency Clinical Notes: An iron evaluation is not complete without ordering Ferritin (see below) FERRITIN Ferritin: This test is considered the â€Å"gold standard† in documenting iron deficiency anemia. Low levels below 25 indicate a need for iron. High levels may an inflammatory disorder, infections, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic kidney disease Clinical Male Adult Range: 33-236ng/mL Clinical Female Adult Range (before menopause): 11-122ng/mL Clinical Female Adult Range (after menopause): 12-263ng/mL Optimal Male Adult Range: 20-200ng/mL Optimal Female Adult Range (before menopause): 10-110ng/mL Optimal Female Adult Range(after menopause): 20-200ng/mL Red Flag Range 500ng/mL Common Causes of Ferritin Increase: Iron overload, hemochromatosis Less Common Causes of Ferritin Increase: inflammation, liver disease, rheumatoid arthritis Common Causes of Ferritin Decrease: Iron deficiency nemia Less Common Causes of Ferritin Decrease: Free radical pathology Clinical Notes: Serum ferritin greater than 1000 suspect hemochromatosis Clinical Notes: Iron overload and/or hemochromatosis are silent and can result in cirrhosis of the liver, bacterial infections, dementia, arteriosclerosis, diabetes and stroke Nutrition Note: Doctors specializing in chelation have found a correlation with increased iron and arteriosclerosis. TRIGLYCERIDES Triglycerides: These are fats used as fuel by the body, and as an energy source for metabolism. Increased levels are almost always a sign of too much carbohydrate intake and hyperlipidism. Decreased levels are seen in hyperthyroidism, malnutrition and malabsorption. 18 Clinical Adult Range: 50-150mg/dL Optimal Adult Range: 70-110mg/dL Red Flag Range 350mg/dL Common Causes of Triglycerides Increase: Hyperlipidism, diabetes, alcoholism Less Common Causes of Triglycerides Increase: Hypothyroidism, early stages of fatty liver Common Causes of Triglycerides Decrease: chemical/heavy metal overload, liver dysfunction, hyper thyroid function Clinical Notes: Resistive exercise training has been found to be effective in lowering elevated triglycerides CHOLESTEROL Cholesterol: Group of fats vital to cell membranes, nerve fibers and bile salts, and a necessary precursor for the sex hormones. High levels indicate diet high in carbohydrates/sugars. Low levels indicate low fat diet, malabsorption, anemia, liver disorders, carbohydrate sensitivity. Cholesterol values below 140 are considered one of the four OMINOUS signs. Clinical Adult Range: 120-200mg/dL Optimal Adult Range: 150-180mg/dL Red Flag Range 400mg/dL Common Causes of Cholesterol Increase: Early stages of diabetes, fatty liver, arteriosclerosis, hypothyroidism Less Common Causes of Cholesterol Increase: biliary obstruction, multiple sclerosis, pregnancy Common Causes of Cholesterol Decrease: Liver dysfunction, chemical/heavy metal overload, hyperthyroidism, viral hepatitis, free radical pathology Nutrition Note: Increased cholesterol levels have been found to be lowered y the amino acid methionine Clinical Notes: Cholesterol level below 130 is considered an Ominous sign Clinical Notes: If cholesterol is above 220 with a SGPT below 10 suspect liver congestion/fatty liver LDL CHOLESTEROL LDL Cholesterol: LDL is the cholesterol rich remnants of the lipid transport vehicl e VLDL (very-low density lipoproteins) there have been many studies to correlate the association between high levels of LDL and arterial arteriosclerosis. 19 Clinical Adult Range: 50mg/dL Clinical Adult Female Range: ;55mg/dL Optimal Adult Male Range: ;55mg/dL Optimal Adult Male Range: ;60mg/dL Red Flag Range 3. 0) may indicate intestinal parasites LYMPHOCYTES Lymphocytes: elevated in acute and chronic infections. Decreased in viral infection and immune deficiency Clinical Adult Range: 20-40 percent of total WBC Optimal Adult Range: 25-40 percent of total WBC Red Flag Range 55 percent of total WBC 22 Common Causes of Lymphocytes Increase: Chronic viral or bacterial infection, Childhood diseases (measles, mumps, chicken-pox, rubella, etc. ), HIV, Hepatitis Less Common Causes of Lymphocytes Increase: Chemical/heavy metal toxicity Common Causes of Lymphocytes Decrease: Active infections Clinical Notes: Suspect a viral infections when the lymphocytes increase to a point that either equal or exceeds the neutrophil level EOSINOPHILS Eosinophils: Elevated in allergic conditions, skin diseases, parasitic diseases Clinical Adult Range: 0-7 percent of total WBC Optimal Adult Range: 0-3 percent of total WBC Red Flag Range 55 percent of total WBC Common Causes of Eosinophils Increase: Allergic condition (asthma), food sensitivities, parasitic infection Less Common Causes of Eosinophils Increase: Chemical/heavy metal toxicity, Hodgkin’s disease, ovarian and bone tumors BASOPHILS Basophils: Elevated in Infections Clinical Adult Range: 0-2 percent of total WBC Optimal Adult Range: 0-1 percent of total WBC Red Flag Range 2. 0% Common Causes of Reticulocyte Count Increase: Internal bleeding Common Causes of Reticulocyte Count Decrease: Vitamin b-12, B-6 and folic acid anemia MCV Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) The MCV indicates the volume occupied by the average red blood cell Clinical Adult Range: 81. 0-99. 0cu. microns Optimal Adult Range: 82. 0-89. 9cu. microns Red Flag Range 95. 0cu. microns Common Causes of MCV Count Increase: Vitamin B-12/Folic Acid Anemia Common Causes of MCV Count Decrease: Iron anemia, internal bleeding Clinical Notes: If the MCV is ;89. 9 and the MCH is ;31. 9, suspect Vitamin B-12 or folic anemia. This should be confirmed with a serum or urinary methylmalonic (vitamin B-12) and a serum or urinary homocysteine (folic acid and vitamin B-6) Clinical Notes: If iron, ferritin are normal and MCV, MCH, Hemoglobin and Hematocrit are all decreased, suspect a toxic metal body burden MCH Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH) The MCV indicates the volume occupied by the average red blood cell Clinical Adult Range: 26. 0-33. 0micro-micro grams Optimal Adult Range: 27. 0-31. 9micro-micro grams Red Flag Range 34. 0micro-micro grams Common Causes of MCV Count Increase: Vitamin B-12/Folic Acid Anemia Common Causes of MCV Count Decrease: Iron anemia, internal bleeding 26 Clinical Notes: If the MCV is ;89. 9 and the MCH is ;31. 9, suspect Vitamin B-12 or folic anemia. This should be confirmed with a serum or urinary methylmalonic (vitamin B-12) and a serum or urinary homocysteine (folic acid and vitamin B-6) Clinical Notes: If iron, ferritin are normal and MCV, MCH, Hemoglobin and Hematocrit are all decreased, suspect a toxic metal body burden T3 T3 (Tri-Iodothyronine): T-3 is a thyroid hormone produced mainly from the peripheral conversion of thyroxine (T-4) Clinical Adult Range: 22-33% Optimal Adult Range: 26-30% Common Causes of T3 Increase: Hyperthyroidism Common Causes of T3 Decrease: Hypothyroidism T4 T-4 (Tetra-Iodothyronine): T-4 is the major hormone secreted by the thyroid gland. Clinical Adult Range: 4. 0-12. 0mcg/dL Optimal Adult Range: 7. 0-8. 5mcg/dL Common Causes of T4 Increase: Hyperthyroidism Common Causes of T3 Decrease: Hypothyroidism, anterior pituitary hypofunction T7 T7 (FTI-Free Thyroxine Index) FTI is an estimate, calculated from T-4 and T-3 uptake. Clinical Adult Range: 4. 0-12. 0mcg/dL Optimal Adult Range: 7. 0-8. 5mcg/dL Common Causes of T7 Increase: See T-3 uptake Common Causes of T3 Decrease: See T-3 uptake T-3 UPTAKE T-3 Uptake T-3 uptake measures the unsaturated binding sites on the thyroid bindng proteins 27 Clinical Adult Range: 22-36% Optimal Adult Range: 27-37% Red Flag Range 39 percent of uptake Common Causes of T-3 Uptake Increase: Thyroid hyperfunction Less Common Causes of T-3 Uptake Increase: Kidney dysfunction, salicylates toxicity and protein malnutrition Common Causes of T3 Decrease: Thyroid hypo-function TSH TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone): is used to confirm or rule out suspected hypothyroidism when T3, T4, T7 are essentially normal and clinical signs suggest hypothyroidism Clinical Adult Range: 0. 4-4. 4mlU/L Optimal Adult Range: 2. 0-4. 0mlU/L Red Flag Range 10. 0mlU/L Common Causes of TSH Increase: Thyroid hypofunction Less Common Causes of TSH Increase: liver dysfunction Common Causes of TSH Decrease: Thyroid hyper-function, anterior hypofunction Clinical Notes: The axillary temperature (underarm) will frequently be

IP Addresses Classes and Special Essay

Use IP Address Space In a computer network internet protocol is used for communication, to each device such as printers and computers a numerical label called an IP (Internet Protocol) Address is assigned. There are two functions of an IP Address a host or network interface identification, and also provides a location addressing. The basic elements of a network are the IP Address and Subnet Mask. There is also switching and routing which after you connect devices to switches and routers, data packets can be moved across the network. The Internet Protocol Version 4 (known as IPv4) is a protocol highly used even today, this IP Address consist of a 32-bit number in decimal or binary in four parts. In 1995 Internet Protocol Version 6 (known as IPv6) was created due to a high growth of the Internet, and the reduction of available IP addresses. IPv6 consist of a 128-bit number for addresses, in 1998 IPv6 was standardized as RFC 2460 and since the mid-2000’s has been used. Stored in text files and displayed as a readable notation IP Addresses are started as binary numbers, before their put out in readable form for individuals. Subnet short for Sub-network was not present in 1969 the classes of A – E did not exist yet. There were only 254 distinct networks with each network having a max of 16,777,214 IP addresses, because the first 8 bits for network part are standard reserved. Network Classes were developed in 1981. 16,777,214 IP addresses can be placed in 24 bits for host address, with this on the horizon developers found that they had to partition IP addresses. This partition had to be done in a way so we can have different sizes of a network. Different sizes of network bits eventually created different classes of networks, known today as Class A, Class B, and Class C. This solved the issue with the classes, but with little information given we still needed to identify what is the network class. In octets Class A (network bit 8 host bit 24) always between 0-127, Class B (network bit 16 host bit 16) between 128-191, Class C (network bit 24 host bit 8) between 192-224, Class D (network and host bit not defined) between 225-239, and Class E (network and host bit not defined) between 240-255. References: Decinteral.in.com Understanding IP Address and Subnet Mask Microsoft Tech.Net Wikipedia.com

Cantonese opera Essay Example for Free

Cantonese opera Essay Most foreign people know what Bejing opera is, but Chinese national Opera has a long history and 275 species of Chinese operas have been saved, there are a wide range of operas were not extended yet, Cantonese opera is very popular in the south of China, many Chinese people prefer Cantonese opera to Beijing Opera. The biggest difference between Beijing Opera and Cantonese Opera is language, the Beijing Opera use Mandarin, the Cantonese Opera use Cantonese. Cantonese opera is local opera in Han Dynasty is formerly known as drama or Guangdong opera from the Southern Opera. Cantonese opera began to appear in Guangdong, Guangxi from AD 1522 to 1566 (Ming Dynasty Jiajing) included singing, read, hit musicians ,soundtrack, stage costumes, The abstract body performing arts. Each Cantonese opera role has its own unique costumes dress. The initial performance’ language is Zhongyuan phonological, also called matshed Mandarin. At the end of the Qing Dynasty, the intellectuals changed the opera language to Guangzhou language in order to facilitate their revolution, also aimed to make Cantonese understand easier. Cantonese opera ranked into national intangible cultural heritage on May 20, 2006. The UNESCO add Cantonese opera in the human intangible cultural heritage list on September 30, 2009. Cantonese opera originated in the Chinese folk songs which called Qi folk songs, the earliest folk songs can be traced back to the â€Å"Book of Songs† from pre-Qin Dynasty, but this is the common origin of all Chinese opera, such as Beijing opera, Cantonese opera, class opera, Shanghai opera, Shaoxing opera, and Huangmei opera. The stage art style is impressionistic. The scenery is simple, the play provides situational by virtual performance program, or write captions on board like â€Å"riverside†, â€Å"alpine† instead of stage background. Performances who in the city called â€Å"GD-HK† learned drama, opera and movies to improved their performance and made theme reflect contemporary life. Later, people Change falsetto into true voice in Cantonese opera. The men sing like relatively stable, low; women sing like very delicate and mellow. As some Cantonese opera are very favorite in new media, these famous Cantonese opera has recomposed in movies, TV series, dramas, and music. For example, â€Å"Princess Chang Ping† Purple Hairpin â€Å"† Peony Pavilion â€Å",† Gemini worship the Moon, â€Å"† The Reincarnation of Hongmei mind â€Å"† Butterfly and Red Pear â€Å"Hanada Baxi Xiangluo Otsuka â€Å"Red Cherry broken heart† â€Å"A Dry White Begonia Red,† â€Å"A Dream of Red Mansions† the Sanxiao marriage â€Å"† White Rabbit â€Å"Guizhi complain† Dou E Yuan â€Å"(also known as† June Feishuang â€Å"or† June Snow â€Å"), also included the first national intangible cultural heritage â€Å"Butterfly Lovers†. Cantonese opera. (2017, Jan 10).

Dorthy Orem Self Decfict Nursing Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Dorthy Orem Self Decfict Nursing Theory - Essay Example As such, the nursing profession is meant to intervene by simply facilitating self care where necessary through education or supportive means to help subjects learn about self care. The theory emphasizes the essence of the patients’ or groups’ participation in facilitating their care. It facilitates healthcare provision through education, direct action, guidance, support and provision of the appropriate environment for engaging in self care. In spite of the proven efficiency of the theory in aspects such as addressing the root cause of health problems, the theory faces challenges that arise from non-compliance to educational values delivered due to complacency and negligence. This review of the theory not only reviews the overall aspects of the theory, but also the probable application, efficiency, challenges and improvements necessary. Introduction Nursing theories are derivatives of conceptual frameworks with principles and doctrines that define the underlying basis of nursing practice. Unlike the name suggests, they are not purely opinionated and theoretical, but rather supported by actual knowledge that has proven their applicability through time. The theoretical aspect originates from the fact that they were theoretically formulated, but in actual sense they have been proven as being effective through their application as functional elements of nursing practice. The concepts of nursing theories define and characterize the nursing practice. In a nutshell, nursing denotes a human interaction developed to foster health by working within the boundaries of the patient and his environment (Dennis, 2008). According to Orem, the practice is both therapeutic and supportive. The supportive aspect is meant to enhance wholeness in the event of a patient’s experience of failing health by facilitating care that the patient cannot achieve through personal efforts. There are numerous theories that support and define the practice of nursing, but this pa per particularly highlights Dorothea Orem’s â€Å"Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory,† which is a middle range theory that makes up the three theories under her grand theory. Dorothea Orem’s grand theory was developed during her working experience which included serving as a nurse practitioner, educator, administrator and consultant. It is during her engagement with the development of the education field of nursing that she formulated the theory as part of her dissertation works at the masters’ level (Currentnursing.com, 2012). Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory The self-care deficit theory is mainly based on the principle of encouraging patients to be independent in the facilitation of their own care. It is the central focal point in Orem’s grand theory. The theory defines when nursing intervention is deemed necessary (Dennis, 2008). It also describes how patients and groups of people in need of healthcare can get helped by nursing inter ventions. The application of the theory often comes to play when the involved subject/s are unable to facilitate self-care. The inability to administer personal care when in need of healthcare is what gives the theory the deficit denotation. As such, the theory is used in identifying cases with deficit of care, where the subjects in question are unable to sufficiently undertake steps that guarantee them good health. According to the theory, nursing serves

Experience of descrimination Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Experience of descrimination - Essay Example Despite moving across the Atlantic Ocean, my religion is part of who I am. I will not change my faith just to please other people. When I was living in Saudi Arabia, I was part of the majority religion. Because of this, I never felt like other people looking down on me or treated me any different. When I moved to the United States, I stood out from the majority of the population firstly because of my ethnicity, but also because of my religion. Overall, I felt that the majority of the American people were welcoming to me. However, I occasionally got some glares from Americans who felt threatening by my presence in their country. I could not single out any ethnicity in particular because there was a wide range of people with different colors of skin that were hostile towards me. One of the standout memories of being discriminated against occurred not long after I arrived on American soil. In fact, it is one of the earliest memories of my life in America. One day, when I was still young , I became very sick. My parents were so worried about my health that they decided to take me to the local hospital. By this stage, we had already arrived to America. As such, my parents’ language ability was still a little suspect. They tried to use hand signals and gestures to get their point across. We arrived to the hospital at the peak time of traffic—somewhere around 4 to 5 p.m.

Letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 14

Letter - Essay Example They therefore helped me, in as much as my revision paper did, to brainstorm and develop a better understanding on how to purse my topic. When writing about a topic of interest, the use of emotion and audience awareness are important, whether you support or oppose the topic. Marijuana, for instance, is a common issue in the United States as Americans use it daily, and its rate of consumption has been rapidly increasing over the past decade. The use of emotion helps a writer to express feelings and attitude towards the topic, and give the reader a good idea of the writer’s opinion. Audience awareness is also important because it identifies potential avenues for effectively reaching the target group and establishes ground for appropriate application of communication skills for capturing the audience. I have developed a variety of strengths, despite a number of weaknesses, as an academic writer. My developed strengths include adherence to ethics of writing and application of correct grammar. I am also good in brainstorming, and effectively revising my work. Developing discussion topics, however, is my weakness as it takes me a while to bring in my thoughts to write a paper. This is because I find it difficult to consolidate my thoughts into a solid topic. I have however learnt a lot this semester and staying on one topic motivated me to work hard in order to complete my