Thursday, March 29, 2012
DANISH'S BLOG: People Work Hard for Money, But They Will Die for ...
DANISH'S BLOG: People Work Hard for Money, But They Will Die for ...: Most people will work hard for money if properly motivated. Though it may help, more money is not the key to making your employees more ...
People Work Hard for Money, But They Will Die for a Cause
Most people will work hard for money if properly motivated.
Though it may help, more money is not the key to making your employees more
passionate.
Most people will work hard for money if properly motivated. Though it may help,
more money is not the key to making your employees more passionate. It is a myth
to think that you do not need passion if only you have good staff and pay them
well. It helps to have good people and to pay them well. However, passion needs
to be embedded in a cause that the people can buy into. This will spur the
employees on as they can grasp something out of this cause. It is not just about
money. People simply would not follow someone for long if he is not chasing
after a big and worthwhile dream. Thus companies need to provide a deeper
meaning or purpose to life for their employees to unleash their fullest
potential. If the employees find a meaningful cause for what they are doing,
many will be passionate and some will die for that cause. People through the
ages have demonstrated this intrinsic desire to die for one's beliefs whether
they are religious, political or social. In the same vein, good organisations
are those that are great at rallying people around a lofty cause. And the
magnitude of this cause can even turn into a crusade. The Indian born founder of
Hotmail Inc, Sabeer Bhatia could only offer a cause to the people who join him
in starting up Hotmail. He could not afford to offer them any salary. Many of
his people continued to join him because of their faith in his project and the
potential of the Internet. They had no goals for immediate monetary
gratifications. Today, as a result of the huge success of Hotmail, the people
who stuck with Sabeer have struck it rich. Sabeer Bhatia was able to turn the
cause into a crusade with cult-like fanaticism. He was able to command the full
dedication of his followers. If what people do on the job is placed in the
context of a good cause such as improving the quality of life, contributing to
the betterment of mankind etc, the impact can be dramatic. Barnevik, the former
chairman of ABB Brown Boveri, says that he is motivated by a desire to create a
better world by generating employment thereby making the world more livable with
clean energy and transportation. For Branson, too, social concerns are an
important concept of his corporate philosophy. On many occasions, he has put his
money where his mouth is. For example, Virgin produced low-priced Mates condoms
in response to the AIDS crisis. He also bid for the national lottery franchise
in the UK with the promise to donate all the profits to charity. The CEO of BP,
David Simon has said that environmental protection is a significant corporate
cultural value: "We have an action plan in which 50,000 BP employees
participate. Our employees have hopes for the world and for their children." Some environmentalists concede that BP is at the forefront
of multinational organisations taking global
warming seriously. Anita Roddick, the founder of The Body Shop has also
built a successful business that respects nature, animals, people and employees.
When your staff firmly believe in the company's cause, they will go beyond the
call of duty.
Monday, March 19, 2012
DANISH'S BLOG: Alcohol : Why are we addicted to it?
DANISH'S BLOG: Alcohol : Why are we addicted to it?: Alcoholism is one of the serious addiction problems that we are facing today. Data state that alcoholism affect some 14 million people in th...
Alcohol : Why are we addicted to it?
Alcoholism is one of the serious addiction problems that we are facing today. Data state that alcoholism affect some 14 million people in the United States alone, costing US$ 184 billion a year. (Newton &Messing, 2006) Why are some of us addicted to alcohol and why is alcohol a part of our society? Alcohol plays a big role as a mediating agent among social interactions today. The amount, frequency and subsequent magnitude of impact on the individuals vary as the reasons for drinking varies. In this blog, I will focus on the addictive potential, withdrawal symptoms of alcohol as well as the current therapeutic targets.
Dopamine is the major neurotransmitter in the brain that induces feelings of reward and reinforcement. Alcohol increases the neural firing of dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental region of the brain. This activation in turn causes increases increase release of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens, a region in the brain that is rich in dopaminergic neurons. Along this signal transduction cascade, this dopamine activates a particular type of neurons called DARPP-32 which increases the level of glutamatergic NMDA receptors which counteracts the inhibition of receptor function by alcohol of the neurons. Hence, DARPP-32 neurons are important in facilitating rewarding feelings of alcohol. Alcohol also induces addictive effects through the mesolimbic pathway which involves amygdala, a brain region that regulates emotions, in the brain which is involved in dopamine-induced pleasurable feelings. Alcohol induces increase release of opioids (e.g. beta endorphins) in the brain and these opioids inhibit the inhibition of dopamine neurons by GABA (gamma-amino-butyric-acid) which is a major inhibitory system of neural actions in the brain. Hence, alcohol induces addiction similar to that of nicotine and opioid drugs.
The most challenging aspect of treating alcohol and drug addiction is the relapsing course of these disorders. Although substitution therapies for nicotine and opioid dependence have proven to be relatively effective, there is a need for new pharmacotherapies designed to decrease the frequency and severity of relapse. NMDA receptor antagonists are one of the targets for treatment of alcohol addiction since blocking the action of the NMDA receptor can block the increase dopamine release and dopamine-related feelings of reward. MK-801 is one of the widely used NMDA receptor antagonists in treatment of alcoholism.
According to the article ‘Treatment of Alcohol Withdrawal’ by Myrick.et.al, withdrawal symptoms of alcohol include headache, tremor, sweating, agitation, anxiety and irritability, nausea and vomiting, heightened sensitivity to light and sound, disorientation, difficulty concentrating, and, in more serious cases, transient hallucinations.. Patients with alcohol withdrawal should be subject to a physical examination, with particular emphasis on detecting conditions such as irregular heartbeat (i.e., arrhythmia), inadequate heart function (i.e., congestive heart failure), liver disease (e.g., alcoholic hepatitis), pancreatic disease (i.e., alcoholic pancreatitis), infectious diseases (e.g., tuberculosis), bleeding within the digestive system, and nervous system impairment. Vital signs (e.g., heartbeat and blood pressure) should be stabilized and disturbances of water and nutritional balances corrected.
Dopamine is the major neurotransmitter in the brain that induces feelings of reward and reinforcement. Alcohol increases the neural firing of dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental region of the brain. This activation in turn causes increases increase release of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens, a region in the brain that is rich in dopaminergic neurons. Along this signal transduction cascade, this dopamine activates a particular type of neurons called DARPP-32 which increases the level of glutamatergic NMDA receptors which counteracts the inhibition of receptor function by alcohol of the neurons. Hence, DARPP-32 neurons are important in facilitating rewarding feelings of alcohol. Alcohol also induces addictive effects through the mesolimbic pathway which involves amygdala, a brain region that regulates emotions, in the brain which is involved in dopamine-induced pleasurable feelings. Alcohol induces increase release of opioids (e.g. beta endorphins) in the brain and these opioids inhibit the inhibition of dopamine neurons by GABA (gamma-amino-butyric-acid) which is a major inhibitory system of neural actions in the brain. Hence, alcohol induces addiction similar to that of nicotine and opioid drugs.
The most challenging aspect of treating alcohol and drug addiction is the relapsing course of these disorders. Although substitution therapies for nicotine and opioid dependence have proven to be relatively effective, there is a need for new pharmacotherapies designed to decrease the frequency and severity of relapse. NMDA receptor antagonists are one of the targets for treatment of alcohol addiction since blocking the action of the NMDA receptor can block the increase dopamine release and dopamine-related feelings of reward. MK-801 is one of the widely used NMDA receptor antagonists in treatment of alcoholism.
According to the article ‘Treatment of Alcohol Withdrawal’ by Myrick.et.al, withdrawal symptoms of alcohol include headache, tremor, sweating, agitation, anxiety and irritability, nausea and vomiting, heightened sensitivity to light and sound, disorientation, difficulty concentrating, and, in more serious cases, transient hallucinations.. Patients with alcohol withdrawal should be subject to a physical examination, with particular emphasis on detecting conditions such as irregular heartbeat (i.e., arrhythmia), inadequate heart function (i.e., congestive heart failure), liver disease (e.g., alcoholic hepatitis), pancreatic disease (i.e., alcoholic pancreatitis), infectious diseases (e.g., tuberculosis), bleeding within the digestive system, and nervous system impairment. Vital signs (e.g., heartbeat and blood pressure) should be stabilized and disturbances of water and nutritional balances corrected.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
DANISH'S BLOG: Alcohol and Liver Disease
DANISH'S BLOG: Alcohol and Liver Disease: Drinking too much alcohol can lead to three types of liver conditions - fatty liver, hepatitis, and cirrhosis. For all types of liver dise...
Alcohol and Liver Disease
Drinking too much alcohol can lead to three types of liver conditions - fatty liver, hepatitis, and cirrhosis.
For all types of liver disease caused by alcohol, the main treatment is to stop drinking alcohol completely.
Liver: Three Types of Alcohol Induced Damage
Fatty Liver: Fat deposits in the liver. To some extent, fat deposits will happen in almost all heavy drinkers. It can also happen in non-alcoholics after just one incidence of drinking.
When you drink alcohol, it is absorbed into the bloodstream from the stomach and intestines. All blood from the stomach and intestines first goes through the liver before circulating around the whole body. So, the highest concentration of alcohol is in the blood flowing through the liver.
Liver cells contain enzymes (chemicals) which process (metabolise) alcohol. The enzymes break down alcohol into other chemicals which in turn are then broken down into water and carbon dioxide. These are then passed out in the urine and from the lungs. The liver cells can process only a certain amount of alcohol per hour. So, if you drink alcohol faster than your liver can deal with it, the level of alcohol in your bloodstream rises.
However, drinking over the recommended limits (detailed below) can be harmful. If you drink heavily you have an increased risk of developing:
For all types of liver disease caused by alcohol, the main treatment is to stop drinking alcohol completely.
Liver: Three Types of Alcohol Induced Damage
Three conditions of the liver are often associated with alcohol abuse. Liver disease in alcoholics usually progresses through the three conditions chronologically starting with fatty liver and proceeding to alcoholic hepatitis which can eventually lead to cirrhosis
Fatty Liver: Fat deposits in the liver. To some extent, fat deposits will happen in almost all heavy drinkers. It can also happen in non-alcoholics after just one incidence of drinking.
Symptoms: People with fatty liver may have no symptoms and have just an abnormal enlargement of the liver that is smooth and non-tender with minimal or no functional changes. However, alcoholics may have
When you drink alcohol, it is absorbed into the bloodstream from the stomach and intestines. All blood from the stomach and intestines first goes through the liver before circulating around the whole body. So, the highest concentration of alcohol is in the blood flowing through the liver.Liver cells contain enzymes (chemicals) which process (metabolise) alcohol. The enzymes break down alcohol into other chemicals which in turn are then broken down into water and carbon dioxide. These are then passed out in the urine and from the lungs. The liver cells can process only a certain amount of alcohol per hour. So, if you drink alcohol faster than your liver can deal with it, the level of alcohol in your bloodstream rises.
What are the problems of drinking too much alcohol?
Your liver and body can usually cope with drinking a small amount of alcohol. Indeed, drinking a small amount of alcohol (1-2 units per day) may help to prevent heart disease and stroke.However, drinking over the recommended limits (detailed below) can be harmful. If you drink heavily you have an increased risk of developing:
- Serious liver problems (alcoholic liver disease).
- Some stomach disorders.
- Pancreatitis (severe inflammation of the pancreas).
- Mental health problems, including depression and anxiety.
- Sexual difficulties such as impotence.
- Muscle and heart muscle disease.
- High blood pressure.
- Damage to nervous tissue.
- Accidents - drinking alcohol is associated with a much increased risk of accidents. In particular, injury and death from fire and car crashes. About 1 in 7 road deaths are caused by drinking alcohol.
- Some cancers (mouth, gullet, liver, colon and breast).
- Obesity (alcohol has many calories).
- Damage to an unborn baby in pregnant women.
- Alcohol dependence (addiction
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
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