Monday, November 25, 2019

10 Powerful Habits for Career Success

10 Powerful Habits for Career Success Every day, we’re inundated with information about how to become our best selves†¦and too often there’s a price tag attached. Take this seminar! Buy this energy drink! Wear this power outfit! There’s seemingly no end to the number of things we can buy and use to make ourselves wealthier or more successful. Now, I don’t want to say those products are all bunk (and for the low, low price of $299.95, you can take my seminar on why all other success-promising products are terrible), but†¦they’re kinda bunk. You actually already have a lot of the tools you need to become more successful and productive. Or at least you can pick them up and develop them, with no additional cost to you and yours. The changes to make your day more effective and productive start with you, like any good changes. Basically, some of the habits that can make you more successful are already within your grasp†¦you just need to figure out how to work them in throughout your day.1. Morning Habits2. Workday Habits3. Anytime HabitsMorning HabitsBecoming a morning person can have great benefits for your health and motivation overall. If you’re already a morning person, you probably just have to make a couple of tweaks to your routine here and there to maximize the benefits. If you’re not a morning person, well, now’s as good a time as any to start becoming one!1. Get up earlier.I hear that groan from some of you, and I sympathize- I too am a snooze button enthusiast. But adjusting your wake-up routine by just 30 minutes  (or ideally, an hour) will make it feel like there really are more hours in the day. It has the benefit of easing you into the day without feeling rushed, and allows for more time to do things like #2 and #3 (spoiler alert). â€Å"I’m gonna wake up earlier every day† is easier said than done, so here are some ways you can actually get to the â€Å"doing† phase:Stop hitting the â€Å"snooze † button. The snooze button almost always leads to overestimating how much time you have before you really need to get up and go.Find an alarm clock you can’t ignore. Like one that runs away from you. Or an app that nudges you awake at the optimal time in your sleep phase. It can be as simple as a phone or radio alarm set to music you dislike, so that you have an incentive to get up and shut it off†¦and while you’re up, you might as well start moving, no?2. Eat a good breakfast.Your parents and Saturday morning cartoons were right on this one†¦a healthy, balanced breakfast primes your brain and your body for a busy day.3. Work out in the morning.If you don’t have time for a trip to the gym, you can do other things, like lengthening Fido’s morning walk, or taking a few extra minutes to do yoga. Think of it as an extra jolt to get your body in motion so it stays in motion for the day.Workday HabitsThese are especially crucial at work, but yo u may find yourself applying them to other daily habits and routines as well.4. Stop procrastinating.You can do this later, but will you? Admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery, and in this case that means acknowledging that this task will be put off until tomorrow, and then probably Friday, and then after that who knows. Even if no one’s watching or especially cares about this task getting done, you do. It’s important to set and keep your own deadlines.5. Don’t get caught in a downtime vortex.We all need breaks sometimes- that’s non-negotiable for anyone who wants to maintain sanity, or give their eyes a break from staring at screens incessantly. Managing those breaks more efficiently will help tune up your day.For example, if that personal email check slides into a peek at your fantasy baseball team, then a Twitter conversation with your college roommate, and then maybe a bathroom break, it can be tough to get back on task. Charley M endoza at Keepinspiring.me recommends a 15-minute trick to keep a two-minute break from sliding into a 30-minute break in productivity: â€Å"Next time you don’t feel like working, keep calm and use the Force. And by that, I mean, force yourself to work for just 15 minutes then see what happens. Usually, those 15 minutes will be enough to give you some momentum.†It can help to have mini agendas for your breaks†¦for example, have two or three specific social media breaks during the day where you peek at Facebook doings quickly, then go back to your main task at hand. The next break can be the check of your baseball team, to see if you really should play that center fielder, then go back to the task at hand. Free-form breaks can get dangerous to all things productive, so it’s good to have a quick in-and-out plan so that you can get back to work before inertia sets in.6. Stay informed.This goes for the world in general (maybe work in some news breaks alongside the social media ones), but especially on matters that directly affect you, your company, or your industry. It can be as simple as following a few influential people in your field on social media, and doing a quick daily check to see what they’re discussing.Also, read more in general. Current events, magazines, novels about teenage werewolves in love, biographies of famous First Ladies†¦the subject matter and format don’t matter as much as cultivating a habit of daily reading. Superman entrepreneur Elon Musk is rumored to have read four hours a day when he was younger, but that seems a bit excessive for most people with busy lives. If you have a train or bus commute, that’s a way to work in a few minutes of reading. It can also be a nightly ritual, just 15 minutes before you go to bed. It’s all about finding a few minutes to decompress and read about something outside of your own perspective.7. Find a way to decompress when stress is high.If you sta rt from a place where you feel frazzled and stressed out, your day is not likely to improve from there. However, stress will almost always come into play in your work life at some point, no matter what you do. So how can you reconcile those? Work on compartmentalizing, and developing small ways to alleviate that stress at work. Meditation is a good way to stop everything from swirling around your head or your desk for a moment. And in fact, it turns out that the workplace may be one of the best places to meditate, because it has the potential for immediate benefits. Here are three basic meditations to get you started, and help you get back to a less stressed spot where you feel more ready to tackle the rest of the day.Anytime HabitsEven when you’re not technically working, keep working on  yourself. The benefits will seep into all parts of your life: personal and professional.8. Keep moving.A sedentary day can be one of the biggest energy sucks around, especially if you go from desk chair to couch. Throughout your day, try to get up and take a short walk in between tasks, or try some office yoga to get your body in the game. At home, get up and do something small (a chore, a trip upstairs, playing with your pet iguana) in between episodes during a Netflix binge. Again, as with the morning exercise, it’s not what you do so much as that you’re moving and keeping your mind and body alert.9. Prioritize your health.Making conscious choices about what you eat, and how/when you exercise is a great start, but this also means doing a lot of basic maintenance: like regular check ups, using stress relief methods when you need them, and actually taking sick days when you really just need a day to heal up and watch some daytime TV while you sniffle. Trying to plow through discomfort, pain, or illness is going to knock you off your game, and taking the time and effort to make sure you’re present and healthy is a big contributor to everyday succ ess.10. Say yes more often.Maybe not to everything that comes along, but when you find yourself about to say â€Å"no† to doing something (taking on a new task, trying something different), ask yourself why that is. If saying yes wouldn’t hurt you or cause hardship, and could very well lead to you experiencing and enjoying something different, then be bold and change your answer. [via Giphy]These are all pretty manageable, no? And there’s no need to be a hero and introduce all of them at once. Find the ones that work well with your routines, and start there. Small steps, small wins = big results as you get more comfortable making changes to your routine.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Research Methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Research Methods - Essay Example Management must be able to lead the employees through new techniques, which are based on the current market situations. The management must use different leadership traits so that the employees are easily able to adopt different strategies, which can help in the performance of the business. Finding an innovative idea for every problem can be a difficult task for all the management but it is essential for them to implement such ideas in the operational activities so that the production level of the employees increases which directly increases the profitability of the organization. From several studies it is observed that the role of leadership can create many changes in an organization and increase the efficiency of its employees. The importance of innovative management leads to innovative ideas. Different leadership styles help to implement the innovative ideas in the organizations and can enhance the performance of the employees. At the time of economic crisis, good leadership qualities are important to increase the performance of the organization (Cristina, 2013). There are mainly four types of leadership styles that could be observed in different organizations. The choice of leadership style depends upon the nature of business or objectives of the organization. The suitability of leadership style, therefore, varies in different industries. The aim of the proposed study is to compare different leadership styles and their traits and their impact on employees’ performance. It would be an interesting study to compare different leadership styles on employee performance in different organizations as it will allow the users of the report to identify and understand traits of different leadership styles and their role in motivating and committing employees to perform better. A comprehensive study would be possible by taking case studies of four different organizations that support two types of leadership including Transactional and

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

What Is Humes Theory Regarding Causation How Does It Show The Limits Essay

What Is Humes Theory Regarding Causation How Does It Show The Limits Of Human Understanding - Essay Example They try to knock at the levels of spirituality, but due to their egoistic approach of trying to know the necessary connection, they get stuck up. They are unable to transcend the mind level, and enter the realm of bliss, where there are no differences. It is the conflict-free zone. For every mind-level argument there is a counter argument. By such arguments the solution is impossibility. Whether the philosophers like Hume agree or not, theory regarding Causation cannot be solved by applying secular methods of proofs. Human understanding, power of discriminations has limitations. â€Å"The Philosopher David Hume is famous for making us realize that until we know the Necessary Connection / cause of things then all human knowledge is uncertain, merely a habit of thinking based upon repeated observation (induction), and which depends upon the future being like the past.† This is an example of getting stuck at the mind-level. By mind-level thinking, the functioning and limitations of the mind cannot be understood. The power that is above the mind can only understand and control the mind. For example, the Major in the army takes orders from Colonel, the higher authority. Further, look at the wavering mind and how David Hume tries to grope in the dark, hankering to see the light. â€Å"I must confess that a man is guilty of unpardonable arrogance who concludes, because an argument has escaped his own investigation, that therefore it does not really exist. I must also confess that, though all the learned, for several ages, should have employed themselves in fruitless search upon any subject, it may still, perhaps, be rash to conclude positively that the subject must, therefore, pass all human comprehension.† Good confession by Hume, but what next? â€Å"Every action has an equal and opposite reaction,† this is the third of Sir Isaac Newton’s Laws of physics. Application of this law is not only confined to the space flights science, but to the entire universe. The intensity and magnitude, with which an act is performed, will necessarily have an equivalent effect in the opposite direction. It means that the intensity of your action i s directly related to the intensity of its effect being experienced by you. No act goes unnoticed or unaccounted. A human being must strive to get and experience the knowledge of both the outer physical and inner psycho-spiritual world. Hume must know that there is something beyond the sensory experiences, known as metaphysical experience or the supra-sensory experience. The lower knowledge of the empirical world is kindergarten stuff as compared to the supra-sensory experiences. Hume asserts as stated in paragraph one above, â€Å"until we know the Necessary Connection / cause of things then all human knowledge is uncertain.† What is the remedy then and is there a procedure to know the â€Å"connection and the cause†? The different approaches to everything, physical, social, religious, cultural, scientific, even all the cosmic occurrences seem to be following just â€Å"One Cause.† The one who realizes the truth about that â€Å"One Cause† does not give much relevance to the mundane occurrences of daily life to conclude that â€Å"future being like the past,† as articulated by Hume. Intellectual philosophers (like Hume) remain unaware of the Cause of grand unification of everything because they are experiencing only on the physical level, which is just the part of the Cause. The Cause cannot be known by physical instruments and experiments. One has to dive within to know it. One cannot watch every part of the macrocosm but can look inside the microcosm to know the Cause which is reflected inside. The journey from

Monday, November 18, 2019

PC Discussion Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

PC Discussion Questions - Assignment Example Violence has been key in fueling death and its consequences. However, most films edit the clips to remove ‘real life’ violence.  Despite the fascination of the public about death there are graphic consequences because of regulatory policies of communication entities that seek to protect the rights of the viewer. The movies abide by a rating system that warns prospective audience members of the content. The death content is both expressed in the reality and fiction. For example, in news coverage there are limited images displayed and often records the consequences and aftermath of the event. Critics hold that in both fictional and reality content media exaggeration exists. It is evident that audiences especially young generations have a fascination about death and dying. Fiction does not really help the audience to understand the ‘dynamics ‘of death as people fail to register the right emotions or concern towards loss of life. Such audiences perceive real death situations as common due to the influence of fiction content. In conclusion, death and dying are complex topics that undergo thorough screening before airing to factor in the audience interests, community standards and policies regulating a certain region. Palliative care is medical care provided by physicians, nurses and social workers; this kind of health care focuses on alleviating the suffering of patients. It is specialized care for people with serious illnesses such as cancer, chronic illness, kidney failure, and cardiac disease. It improves quality of life for the patient and can be seen in various categories which are; 2. Communication and coordination: Good communication is required to ensure that requirements of the patient are fully met. It also offers emotional support as it addresses the social, psychological emotional and spiritual needs a patient may have. Good and bad practices have been observed when it comes to palliative care. Communication is

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Handling, Storage and Disposal of Samples

Handling, Storage and Disposal of Samples Expectations of a Health Care Professional In the histology laboratory all specimens arrive fixed in 10% buffered formalin. In the laboratory, the specimen and the request form are labeled with the same lab number. The specimens are left in the same order the lab number is given and processed. Safety gloves and an apron are worn when processing the specimen. Unfixed specimens received in a plane container are fixed in 10% formalin which is commercially prepared and left for one day to process. This is done if the specimen requires fixation. Certain specimens are an exception to this rule. Lymph nodes are wrapped in gauze when lymphoma is suspected, skin sections for Immunofluorescence due to Pemphigus vulgaris are suspended in saline solution, and frozen sections are not fixed since fresh tissue is sectioned for microscopic examination. Whether the result has been reported or not determines which samples are disposed and stored if the result has been reported or not: After the samples are processed the pieces of the sample that were not inserted in the cassette are placed back inside the respective container. The fixed specimen in the container is refrigerated until the result is reported (figure1). 3 weeks after reporting the result a disposal list is created and the specimens to be disposed are packed inside boxes, labeled and then sent for incineration. Samples such as fetus are kept for burial. Empty containers are left for a week and a half as a quality control and for human errors. In many cases the label on the container shows the type of specimen so the empty containers are left in case verification of type of specimen is required. Blocks and slides are stored permanently inside a storage room. All blocks and slides are carefully and methodically filed so they are available for records or for future reference. As years pass blocks remain unchanged but stains on the slide tend to fade so there is sample deterioration. After cutting, the blocks are placed in numerical order according to the year and placed inside boxes. The first and the last number of the blocks in each box are written on the boxes. All sides and top box are labeled and sealed with tape. Slides are filed in numerical order after the report is issued. Slides are placed in a slide box and the lab number of the first and last slide are written on the box. Effective self-management of time and workload The opening hours for the histology are from 6.00 am till 5.00 pm. The lab is open from Monday till Sunday and time shifts are available so the laboratory remains more open and more service is given to the public. The laboratory does not open during night shift because results in the histology laboratory are not considered urgent. Results must first be seen by the pathologist so no immediate results are required so processing is done during the day. Samples that are considered urgent In histology, specimens are not considered urgent because they have to be viewed by the pathologist results are issued. Frozen sections are considered urgent since the sample must be quickly processed so an intra-operative decision can be taken by the surgeon. Samples can also be considered urgent when a pathologist needs the results in a quick time, due to surgery scheduled on that day or the following day. Career-Long Self Directed Learning What is CPD? CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development, an ongoing free training programme in histopathology including histology and cytology (Institute of biomedical Science, 2011). It is defined as â€Å"The systematic maintenance, improvement and broadening of knowledge and skills, and the development of personal qualities, necessary for the execution of professional and technical duties throughout the practitioner’s working life† (The Chartered Institution of Highways Transportation, 2011). This means that CPD allows the employer to improve and to widen knowledge, quality, competence and skills in his/her profession. What constitutes CPD activity? A CPD is constituted by meetings, short courses, conferences or workshops that are created to inform other members of stuff or even the public. Organization and participation are essential for a successful CPD. It must be transparent, accountable and visible (Fox Fox, 2004, p.182). CPD can be done: To present one’s own research report With the aid of websites, journals, posters, books and other printed media To show something encountered during work, that can be of interest to rest of the workers To make and encourage new procedures and changes Introduce a new course that will be of interesting to the public or workers How does the CPD scheme benefit Pathology employers? A CPD scheme enables the biomedical scientist to develop the necessary knowledge, attitudes, personal effectiveness and skills for his/her professional practice. The employer must identify his/her and their employer’s learning needs. In order to improve patient care the employer must be up to date on facts, new concepts and most importantly on opinion and consensus (The Royal College of Pathologists, 2010). The employer can record activity and document all learning achieved (Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, 2010). All this is done not for only the present but also for future progression (Institute of biomedical Science, 2011). What are the benefits to a biomedical scientist (the employee) participating in the CPD scheme? Keep up to date with current rapid and expanding knowledge (The Royal College of Pathologists, 2010). Increases job satisfaction, productivity and quality of working life (Chen, Chang Yeh, 2006) Acquire new skills for safe and effective practice. This builds up confidence in the employee (Institute of biomedical Science, 2011). Promote professional ideas and new initiatives, increasing job satisfaction (Institute of biomedical Science, 2011). Documentation of all that is learned from the scheme is encouraged (The Royal College of Pathologists, 2010). Benefit from quality control measures (Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, 2010). Encourage reflective practice (Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, 2010). Reduce risk of clinical isolation (The Royal College of Pathologists, 2010). Prepare for new roles example managerial. Employers value employees that undergo continuous CPD since such employees show learning agility (Chen et al., 2006; Royal College of Pathologists, 2010). Maintain a reputation of the biomedical possession and public assurance (The Royal College of Pathologists, 2010). Where is the information relating to CPD displayed in Pathology? When a CPD meeting is going to be held all biomedical scientists are informed through an email. The email is sent to the principle to make sure that all the histology staff knows about the meeting. Vertical Audit Site of origin The trucut samples were taken from the right breast upper outer quadrant (Figure 2) Sample Taking and Description of sample The trucut biopsy is taken after a mammography showed a suspicious result. To diagnose, a trucut biopsy was performed. A trucut (core) biopsy is mostly done to sample tissues from a solid mass or calcium deposits, increasing sensitivity (Youk, Kim, Kim, Lee Oh, 2007). Very small masses or masses that are too deep are sampled using a guiding imaging technique. No scars are left after sampling. It has the advantage of being highly sensitive and specific (Sadler et al., 1994). The biopsy was performed at Mater Dei’s surgical operating theater (SOP) (in the Breast Clinic). The patient was given local anesthetic and left for a few minutes. A 16mm gauge core needle (figure 3) was then used to obtain the tissue samples. The tissues sampled contain tissues from the mass and normal healthy tissues from the breast. The sections sampled contain also provide more diagnostic information than mammography and fine needle aspiration. The samples are larger than FNA therefore results are more accurate (Kasraeian, Allison, Ahlmann, Fedenko Menendez, 2010). The clinician or nurse localised the mass and its boundaries and the mass was then immobilised. The needle was inserted through the skin into the lump and the tissue section was taken. To increase the chances of diagnosis 6 trucut specimens were taken. Their length varied from 9mm to 14 mm. The needle was then detached. The trucut specimens were then introduced into a container contain 10% buffered formalin. The container and the request form where received in the histology laboratory the following day. Specimen reception/numbering A courier brought the trucut specimen for histology processing into the histology laboratory. In the laboratory, the request form which comes together with the specimen was left for a day where registration and processing began. The following day, the receptionist used the HOE system to input data so they can be available only in the laboratory. The ID number of the patient was inputted followed by location the specimen was sampled example BOFFA, the name of the medical lab scientist, and the name of the pathologist/consultant. If available, the macro examination results were also included. A label containing the lab number, the letter on the cassette, the last two digits of the year, and the patient’ name and surname was prepared and printed. The label was prepared to label the slide after staining (in this case only one label was required). Specimen Registration The sample and its respective request form were both labeled with a barcode containing a specific laboratory number. The barcode was stuck on the top of the request form and at the back of the container (without covering any patient’s details). The laboratory number was also written with the aid of marker on top of the tap of the container. The request form was stamped at the top and at the bottom with the date in which it was received in the laboratory. The trucut specimen and the other histological specimens were left one after the other, according to the laboratory number. Specimen processing proceeded in this order. Specimen Processing 1. Cut-Up The trucut specimen was first processed in the laboratory at the cut-up laboratory. The name and surname of the patient and the lab number on the request form and on the specimen container were checked. The trucut biopsies in 10% buffered formalin were taken out from the container, using forceps, on the working bench. A macroscopic examination was performed on the 6 trucut biopsies obtained. Their length ranged in length from 9mm to 14mm. They were all embedded in one printed cassette labeled A1. Blue foam was also placed and the cassette was covered with a medal lid. It was then was placed in eosin with the other specimens. The trucut biopsies were then ready for further laboratory processing. After all specimens were cut, a histopathology worksheet was filled in. This included the case number of the patient, the number of tissues taken (6) , the tissue type (breast trucut), the number of blocks (A1), any comments such as left to fix (not applicable), the name of the pathologist who will examine the slides, and the name of the medical laboratory scientist (in this case who performed the cut up). 2. Tissue Processing (Impregnation) The biopsies were processed in an automated processing machine. This was performed in a closed system for trucut specimens using program A. It is important that the specimen is not larger than 3mm since it will not fit and cannot be cut afterwards. The closed system has 14 baths and it provides pressure, waving, bubbling and rotation to the tissues so the reagent can penetrate better. This is performed overnight, therefore the processor is programmed. When time for embedding is prolonged, the fixation time is prolonged to compensate. The tissues were first fixed in 10% buffered formalin so that the fixation was continued They were then dehydrated in 2 baths of 70% alcohol, in 1 bath 95% alcohol and then in 2 baths of absolute alcohol. The dehydrated sections were then moved into the chloroform and xylene. This step was done for clearing. Chloroform is a carcinogen and it affects the nervous system. The tissues were automatically moved in wax for tissue impregnation. This caused the tissues to harden. A temperature of less than 60oC was necessary because a higher temperature would have affected elasticity of the wax. Fumes go in a waste bottle and charcoal filter is present to filter leak. The tissues were now ready for embedding. 3. Embedding During embedding, the formalin fixed processed tissues are surrounded by wax so a solid paraffin block is obtained. This will enable the medical lab scientist to obtain thin sections from the block so that they can be stained and later viewed by the pathologist. The procedure involved was as follows: The cassette was taken from the processor to the warm compartment of the histocentre. The histocentre is an embedding center that facilitates paraffin embedding. It is equipped with a dispenser, specimen handling tank, warmed embedding moulds, warmed forceps wells and warm plate for orientation of the specimen in the melted paraffin. After checking the wax tank was properly filled, the cold plate and light were switched on. The cold plate helps in transferring of the melted paraffin. The tissue cassette was opened and the number on the labeled cassettes was checked with that on the worksheet entry. A suitable mould compartment corresponding to the size of the tissues in the cassette was chosen. The mould was filled with paraffin wax The tissue was placed at the bottom of the mould, correctly orientated. Incorrect orientation ruins the first section taken The trucuts were placed centrally aligned across long axis of the mould, and not placed at random. Adequate border of embedding medium must surround all sides of the tissue to give maximum cutting support. The mould placed in its cassette was placed on a cold plate and allowed to solidify. The block was scraped along a para trimmer to trim excess wax on surface. Tissues embedded must be perfectly flat to ensure that a complete section will be obtained. 4. Microtomy After the block was trimmed, thin sections were now cut using a microtome. The block was first trimmed to expose the area to be sectioned. A sharp non-rusted blade was used not to cause damage to the tissue by scoring. The microtome was cleaned from staples and sutures that remained to avoid damage of the blade. Microtomy was then started. The tightly screwed blade was checked and adjusted in the correct position. The micrometer gauge was set at a thickness of 18-22 µm. The block was placed inside the block holder of the microtome and secured. The block holder was in parallel to the edge of the blade so a straight ribbon of sections was obtained. The block holder was moved using the couae trimming device until the wax block was almost touching the edge of the blade. The fine trimming rotator device was when the block touched the edge of the blade and trimming of the block was started. Excess wax from the surface of the block was removed until the surface of the tissue was exposed. Debris due to coarse cutting was removed using a Camel hairbrush. The block was then placed on ice to cool giving the tissue and the wax similar consistency. Water absorbed by the tissue, slightly swelling it, so cutting is easier later on. If this does not occur sections tend to crease. The block was reattached to the microtome, leaving the left-hand rotator device. The micrometer gauge was then set at 3 µm. A series of sections forming a ribbon were cut and the first one was not used since it is usually thicker than 3 µm. 4 layers were taken. This means that the after the first section was achieved, the next few layers were ignored and then a second section was taken. The same was done for the third and fourth. This is done so that the pathologist can study many layers from the site taken so that diagnosis is more accurate. The appropriate ribbon section (for all the four sections obtained) was gently transferred into a water bath using forceps. The water bath is set a few degrees below the melting point of the wax. The sections were floated onto a glass slide containing 20% alcohol. The ribbon section was then released on the surface of a water bath (at a temperature less than that of melting point of wax i.e. 60oC. The sections were collected on an APES-coated glass slide. They were placed on near the other. Coated APES facilitates adhesion of the sections onto the glass slide. 4 slides were obtained (a slide for each layer taken). The number of the block was written on the glass slide using a diamond pen and placed on a slide rack. It was dried in an oven at about 60oC for 10 minute. 5. Staining Together with the other blocks from the other specimens the slides were dried and now ready for staining. The routine gold standard stain in histology is Haematoxylin and Eosin stain. This was done in an automated staining machine which followed the regressive method. This allowed overstaining of the tissues and removal excess dye by differentiation. The staining procedure was programmed as followed: The slides were left in the heating station so that all water is removed. The slides were dewaxed in a xylene for 4 minutes. This removed the surrounding wax from the tissues. They were then placed in xylene alcohol for 15 seconds. This started the gradual hydration process and prepared the tissues to be stained by haematoxylin dissolved in an aqueous solvent. The hydration process is followed by 2 baths of absolute alcohol (15 seconds each). The slides were then passed into four baths: 95% alcohol, 70% alcohol, 50% alcohol, and 30% alcohol (15 seconds each). They were then passed for 15 seconds in distilled water since haematoxylin stain is water based. The slides were then passed for 10 minutes in haematoxylin stain. The time inside the haematoxylin bath varies according to the properties of the stain. The prolonged use of the stain increases the time the slides pass in the bath. The slides were rinsed in two baths of distilled water, the first bath for 30 seconds and the second bath for 10 seconds. Differentiation then occurred in acid alcohol for 1 second. This allowed the nucleus to retain the stain and to decrease the pH (acidic) so colour changes to light purple. The slides were rinsed in distilled water for 15 seconds. Bluing occurred in tap water for 5 minutes. This raised the pH so sections became light blue. The slides were then passed into a bath containing distilled water for 15 seconds. The slides were passed in absolute alcohol for 15 minutes for dehydration and because this favours alcoholic eosin staining since it is alcohol based. Counterstaining was performed in a bath containing alcoholic eosin for 3.15 minutes. The time in alcoholic eosin varies according to the properties of the stain. The prolonged use of the stain increases the time the slides pass in the bath. Prolonging time allows the cytoplasm to take up the pink eosin stain. The slides were then dehydrated in four baths of acid alcohol, 15 seconds each. The slides were cleared in xylene alcohol for 15 seconds followed in 2 baths of xylene for 5 minutes each. This helps during mounting since DPX mountant is xylene based. The slides were left in the heating station so that all water is removed. The slides were taken out from the rack and mounted with DPX mountant. Quality Control: Two slides are stained with H E stain using the automated machine in the morning before starting routine staining. Errors in staining such as weak stains and contamination (example of eosin) can be detected so they can be solved. The 4 slides of the patient were therefore well stained since the machine passed QC on that day. Results: Nucleus: Blue Cytoplasm and other eosinophilic structures: Pale pink After processing, the number on the slides was checked with that of the cassette and the block. The slides were then labelled with their respective label. The cassette was placed on top of the slide to see if all the stained sections present on the block were sectioned. All the stained sections agreed with those on the block. Role of the Biomedical Scientist The role of the biomedical scientist is to perform all the above procedures. The medical lab scientists are divided into different sections throughout the histology laboratory: in the cut-up room and in the embedding and staining section of the laboratory (excluding immunohistochemistry laboratory). In addition, the biomedical scientist must also fill several worksheets. The initials of the biomedical lab scientists performing the cutup, macro-examination, LID and embedding are written in the histopathology worksheet. The MLS must monitor any changes example in reagents. Any injuries or misshapen occurring in the laboratory must be recorded. Pathologist Role/Result Reporting After staining, the pathologist viewed the slides under the microscope and performed a microscopic examination. The observed results were noted. The microscopic examination results were sent to the secretary who typed the result in the results form. The pathologist then read the results form for any errors and once the result was verified the pathologist authorised the result. Result Entering and Authorisation After the pathologist viewed the slides under the microscope he took the fully written request form to the secretary. The secretary separated the forms into different piles, according to the pathologist. The form was typed in a result form and printed as a result sheet. The written and the print result form were separated into 2 different racks. The report sheet was taken to the respective consultant/pathologist who reviewed the printed result sheet for any mistakes. This includes patient details, clinical details, and examination results. Once the pathologist verified the data written, he used the software to authorise the result. Once the pathologist authorised the result, this was available in the LIS of the cytology and histology laboratories. The CMI system allowed the results to be available to the wards. The result sheet was taken to the secretary where the result form was piled with other results forms according to the pathologist/consultant. Copies were made and sent to ward and patient. Result Issuing (Describe the results form) The results form contains the details of the patient, including the name and surname, address, date of birth, sex and the hospital number. The name of the clinician and the site from where trucut biopsy was taken (SOP) are included. The date the specimen was taken and the date and time it was received are also included. The lab number associated to the specimen is important to be included because besides identifying the patient it can be used for future reference. If the slides or block containing the sections are required they are labelled (including lab number) and stored and easily retrievable. The specimen type and site from where the biopsy was taken, the macroscopic examination and the microscopic examination are all included. The included, in this case â€Å"Benign breast parenchyma of the right breast†. The pathologist and the date and time the result was reported and authorised (by pathologist) and the date and time the result form was printed are also included. Benign Breast Parenchyma: The breast parenchyma forms part of the normal breast tissue. It was reported as benign during microscopy because of few scattered (not clustered) lobules seen in breast sections. Since no atypical features were observed, no special stains or immunohistochemistry staining (example ER or Her-2 stains) were required. It is ideal the patient undergoes regular breast screening. Sample Collection and Specialist Preparation The containers to process routine surgical specimens vary from small to large received in 10% buffered formalin. Very large containers are rare. The container used depends on the size of the specimens. Small specimens such as polyps, prostate scrapings, appendix, trucuts, and trephines are received in small containers containing 10% buffered formalin. Some specimens such as fetus vary in size such as fetus and colon so they received in larger specimens (medium when compared to small containers). Large specimens such as lung, breast, and colon are received in large containers containing 10% buffered formalin. Large specimens require more than one day to be cut. First the specimen is opened and left for an additional day or more for further fixation. The following are types of specimen the laboratory receives that require specialist preparation techniques and the actions taken: Trephine and Bone specimens: – Decalcification with EDTA or formic acid. EDTA is used example for bone marrow trephine and formic acid is used example on bone sternum for one day Figure 4 showing a femur bone undergoing decalcification in EDTA. Infective specimen example with HIV – Over fixation in formalin to kill infective cells* Lymph node –The time of fixation depends on the thickness of the specimen. More time the more the fixative is allowed to penetrate the lymph node.* It is left for two or three days depending on the thickness of the specimen. Over fixation will destroy the surface antigens causing artifacts and a false negative result during immunohistochemistry. Sural nerve: Sent from operation inside a gauze soaked with saline. The request from and case summary are required. The cut up laboratory gives the lab number and send the specimen to the immunohistochemistry laboratory. The tubular sural nerve is wet, and the two ends of the nerve are cut. One end is sent to a pathologist to get an idea of diagnosis and the centre part of the nerve and the other cut end are sent abroad. Muscle: This is received in saline and a lab number is given in the cut up laboratory and then sent to immunohistochemistry laboratory. It is frozen at -70oC and cut by a cryostat at -20oC. The thin sections are then stained with a series of special stains example Oil Red O and with immunohistochemistry stains example myosin. APES coated glass slides are used to prevent the tissue section from sliding off. Imprints: Example lymph node: A slide is pressed on the lymph node and the imprint is sent abroad. The lymph node is then worked normally in formalin. Imprints are used for genetic studies. Liver with no tumour: A series of special stains are performed: PAS – useful if there is a high glycogen content upon staining Reticulin Stain – useful in liver cirrhosis and liver fibrosis Masson’s Trichome Stain – Useful in liver fibrosis Iron Stain – useful for haemosiderosis, haemochromatosis Title: Frozen Sections Aim Performing a macroscopic examination by the pathologist Cut up of the specimen Obtaining sections at -17oC using a micrometer, inside a cryostat Staining the section/s by haematoxylin and eosin stain Performing microscopic examination of the stained section/s by the pathologist Introduction A frozen section is a specific type of biopsy performed during surgery so that a rapid diagnosis of the tissue extracted is made (Brender, Burke Glass, 2011). The tissue can be sectioned and stained in the laboratory for microscopic examination by the pathologist. The surgeon is given flexible intra-operative decision making according to the result given by the pathologist after the rapid processing (KarcioÄÅ ¸lu, 2005, p.121). Principle A surgery is booked and a biopsy is taken and sent to the laboratory. As soon as the fresh specimen arrives in the histology laboratory the pathologist and the selected biomedical scientists start processing the specimen. The pathologist performs a macroscopic examination on the specimen and the observed features are written down by the pathologist. The MLS then start cutting thin sections according to the specimen, using a microtome inside a cryostat at -17oC. The sections are then quickly stained with haematoxylin and eosin stain. In contrary to routine H E, the sections are not passed through xylene and dehydrated down to water. This is because the frozen sections are not embedded in paraffin wax prior staining. Since the stain is very fast there differentiation with acid alcohol is also not performed. After mounting the pathologist checks if the stained slide is satisfactory and after performs a microscopic examination. This lets the surgeon decide what to do next. Materials and Equipment required Cryostat, OCT medium, cryospray, Glass slides, cover slips, disposable pipettes, Procedure 1. Macro-examination The pathologist opens the container/s containing the specimen/s. A macro examination is performed on the specimen/s and the pathologist starts a description so that the medical lab scientist writes on the request form. The description includes the size dimension (length x width x height) in centimeters, the shape of the specimen and if it is soft or hard. The consultant suspects carcinoma and sampling is them performed. 2. Cutting the specimen The consultant cuts piece of the specimen that covers the whole area of the specimen. It is important the most suspicious is included in the segmented section so that the consultant can find and detect the tumour during microscopy. If required, multiple sections can be taken to make a diagnosis. The size cut depends on the size of the sample and tumour. More than one pieces of the specimen can be cut example: two sections from a liver (due to liver transplantation), and from a lymph node attached to the liver. 3. Cryostat The cut specimen/s is/are placed, with the aid of tweezers, in the center of a cryostat object disk containing OCT medium. The cryostat object disk with the tissue is placed on the cryobar (holder) inside the -17oC set cryostat. The tissue is left to settle so it gets cold and this is enhanced by using a cryospray. When the tissue solidifies it is placed onto an object disk holder. The machine is set at 5 µ on the control panel and the block is moved towards the edge of the blade. After making sure it is properly clamped trimming is started. The rotator on the right of the cryostat is turned. The section begins to curl as the block comes in contact with the blade. The section is held down slowly and gently with tweezers and cut until the surface of the tissue is visible. The cryostat is now quickly set at 30 µ (this is the thickness used for most of the specimens in histology). A good section is detached and taken onto a glass slide placed opposite of the block. As the tissue comes in contact with the glass slide it sticks onto it since it melts and adheres to it. The glass slide is immediately in the staining station found adjacent to the cryostat. Haematoxylin and eosin staining is performed. 4. Haematoxylin and Eosin Staining The glass slide with tissue section is f Handling, Storage and Disposal of Samples Handling, Storage and Disposal of Samples Expectations of a Health Care Professional In the histology laboratory all specimens arrive fixed in 10% buffered formalin. In the laboratory, the specimen and the request form are labeled with the same lab number. The specimens are left in the same order the lab number is given and processed. Safety gloves and an apron are worn when processing the specimen. Unfixed specimens received in a plane container are fixed in 10% formalin which is commercially prepared and left for one day to process. This is done if the specimen requires fixation. Certain specimens are an exception to this rule. Lymph nodes are wrapped in gauze when lymphoma is suspected, skin sections for Immunofluorescence due to Pemphigus vulgaris are suspended in saline solution, and frozen sections are not fixed since fresh tissue is sectioned for microscopic examination. Whether the result has been reported or not determines which samples are disposed and stored if the result has been reported or not: After the samples are processed the pieces of the sample that were not inserted in the cassette are placed back inside the respective container. The fixed specimen in the container is refrigerated until the result is reported (figure1). 3 weeks after reporting the result a disposal list is created and the specimens to be disposed are packed inside boxes, labeled and then sent for incineration. Samples such as fetus are kept for burial. Empty containers are left for a week and a half as a quality control and for human errors. In many cases the label on the container shows the type of specimen so the empty containers are left in case verification of type of specimen is required. Blocks and slides are stored permanently inside a storage room. All blocks and slides are carefully and methodically filed so they are available for records or for future reference. As years pass blocks remain unchanged but stains on the slide tend to fade so there is sample deterioration. After cutting, the blocks are placed in numerical order according to the year and placed inside boxes. The first and the last number of the blocks in each box are written on the boxes. All sides and top box are labeled and sealed with tape. Slides are filed in numerical order after the report is issued. Slides are placed in a slide box and the lab number of the first and last slide are written on the box. Effective self-management of time and workload The opening hours for the histology are from 6.00 am till 5.00 pm. The lab is open from Monday till Sunday and time shifts are available so the laboratory remains more open and more service is given to the public. The laboratory does not open during night shift because results in the histology laboratory are not considered urgent. Results must first be seen by the pathologist so no immediate results are required so processing is done during the day. Samples that are considered urgent In histology, specimens are not considered urgent because they have to be viewed by the pathologist results are issued. Frozen sections are considered urgent since the sample must be quickly processed so an intra-operative decision can be taken by the surgeon. Samples can also be considered urgent when a pathologist needs the results in a quick time, due to surgery scheduled on that day or the following day. Career-Long Self Directed Learning What is CPD? CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development, an ongoing free training programme in histopathology including histology and cytology (Institute of biomedical Science, 2011). It is defined as â€Å"The systematic maintenance, improvement and broadening of knowledge and skills, and the development of personal qualities, necessary for the execution of professional and technical duties throughout the practitioner’s working life† (The Chartered Institution of Highways Transportation, 2011). This means that CPD allows the employer to improve and to widen knowledge, quality, competence and skills in his/her profession. What constitutes CPD activity? A CPD is constituted by meetings, short courses, conferences or workshops that are created to inform other members of stuff or even the public. Organization and participation are essential for a successful CPD. It must be transparent, accountable and visible (Fox Fox, 2004, p.182). CPD can be done: To present one’s own research report With the aid of websites, journals, posters, books and other printed media To show something encountered during work, that can be of interest to rest of the workers To make and encourage new procedures and changes Introduce a new course that will be of interesting to the public or workers How does the CPD scheme benefit Pathology employers? A CPD scheme enables the biomedical scientist to develop the necessary knowledge, attitudes, personal effectiveness and skills for his/her professional practice. The employer must identify his/her and their employer’s learning needs. In order to improve patient care the employer must be up to date on facts, new concepts and most importantly on opinion and consensus (The Royal College of Pathologists, 2010). The employer can record activity and document all learning achieved (Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, 2010). All this is done not for only the present but also for future progression (Institute of biomedical Science, 2011). What are the benefits to a biomedical scientist (the employee) participating in the CPD scheme? Keep up to date with current rapid and expanding knowledge (The Royal College of Pathologists, 2010). Increases job satisfaction, productivity and quality of working life (Chen, Chang Yeh, 2006) Acquire new skills for safe and effective practice. This builds up confidence in the employee (Institute of biomedical Science, 2011). Promote professional ideas and new initiatives, increasing job satisfaction (Institute of biomedical Science, 2011). Documentation of all that is learned from the scheme is encouraged (The Royal College of Pathologists, 2010). Benefit from quality control measures (Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, 2010). Encourage reflective practice (Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, 2010). Reduce risk of clinical isolation (The Royal College of Pathologists, 2010). Prepare for new roles example managerial. Employers value employees that undergo continuous CPD since such employees show learning agility (Chen et al., 2006; Royal College of Pathologists, 2010). Maintain a reputation of the biomedical possession and public assurance (The Royal College of Pathologists, 2010). Where is the information relating to CPD displayed in Pathology? When a CPD meeting is going to be held all biomedical scientists are informed through an email. The email is sent to the principle to make sure that all the histology staff knows about the meeting. Vertical Audit Site of origin The trucut samples were taken from the right breast upper outer quadrant (Figure 2) Sample Taking and Description of sample The trucut biopsy is taken after a mammography showed a suspicious result. To diagnose, a trucut biopsy was performed. A trucut (core) biopsy is mostly done to sample tissues from a solid mass or calcium deposits, increasing sensitivity (Youk, Kim, Kim, Lee Oh, 2007). Very small masses or masses that are too deep are sampled using a guiding imaging technique. No scars are left after sampling. It has the advantage of being highly sensitive and specific (Sadler et al., 1994). The biopsy was performed at Mater Dei’s surgical operating theater (SOP) (in the Breast Clinic). The patient was given local anesthetic and left for a few minutes. A 16mm gauge core needle (figure 3) was then used to obtain the tissue samples. The tissues sampled contain tissues from the mass and normal healthy tissues from the breast. The sections sampled contain also provide more diagnostic information than mammography and fine needle aspiration. The samples are larger than FNA therefore results are more accurate (Kasraeian, Allison, Ahlmann, Fedenko Menendez, 2010). The clinician or nurse localised the mass and its boundaries and the mass was then immobilised. The needle was inserted through the skin into the lump and the tissue section was taken. To increase the chances of diagnosis 6 trucut specimens were taken. Their length varied from 9mm to 14 mm. The needle was then detached. The trucut specimens were then introduced into a container contain 10% buffered formalin. The container and the request form where received in the histology laboratory the following day. Specimen reception/numbering A courier brought the trucut specimen for histology processing into the histology laboratory. In the laboratory, the request form which comes together with the specimen was left for a day where registration and processing began. The following day, the receptionist used the HOE system to input data so they can be available only in the laboratory. The ID number of the patient was inputted followed by location the specimen was sampled example BOFFA, the name of the medical lab scientist, and the name of the pathologist/consultant. If available, the macro examination results were also included. A label containing the lab number, the letter on the cassette, the last two digits of the year, and the patient’ name and surname was prepared and printed. The label was prepared to label the slide after staining (in this case only one label was required). Specimen Registration The sample and its respective request form were both labeled with a barcode containing a specific laboratory number. The barcode was stuck on the top of the request form and at the back of the container (without covering any patient’s details). The laboratory number was also written with the aid of marker on top of the tap of the container. The request form was stamped at the top and at the bottom with the date in which it was received in the laboratory. The trucut specimen and the other histological specimens were left one after the other, according to the laboratory number. Specimen processing proceeded in this order. Specimen Processing 1. Cut-Up The trucut specimen was first processed in the laboratory at the cut-up laboratory. The name and surname of the patient and the lab number on the request form and on the specimen container were checked. The trucut biopsies in 10% buffered formalin were taken out from the container, using forceps, on the working bench. A macroscopic examination was performed on the 6 trucut biopsies obtained. Their length ranged in length from 9mm to 14mm. They were all embedded in one printed cassette labeled A1. Blue foam was also placed and the cassette was covered with a medal lid. It was then was placed in eosin with the other specimens. The trucut biopsies were then ready for further laboratory processing. After all specimens were cut, a histopathology worksheet was filled in. This included the case number of the patient, the number of tissues taken (6) , the tissue type (breast trucut), the number of blocks (A1), any comments such as left to fix (not applicable), the name of the pathologist who will examine the slides, and the name of the medical laboratory scientist (in this case who performed the cut up). 2. Tissue Processing (Impregnation) The biopsies were processed in an automated processing machine. This was performed in a closed system for trucut specimens using program A. It is important that the specimen is not larger than 3mm since it will not fit and cannot be cut afterwards. The closed system has 14 baths and it provides pressure, waving, bubbling and rotation to the tissues so the reagent can penetrate better. This is performed overnight, therefore the processor is programmed. When time for embedding is prolonged, the fixation time is prolonged to compensate. The tissues were first fixed in 10% buffered formalin so that the fixation was continued They were then dehydrated in 2 baths of 70% alcohol, in 1 bath 95% alcohol and then in 2 baths of absolute alcohol. The dehydrated sections were then moved into the chloroform and xylene. This step was done for clearing. Chloroform is a carcinogen and it affects the nervous system. The tissues were automatically moved in wax for tissue impregnation. This caused the tissues to harden. A temperature of less than 60oC was necessary because a higher temperature would have affected elasticity of the wax. Fumes go in a waste bottle and charcoal filter is present to filter leak. The tissues were now ready for embedding. 3. Embedding During embedding, the formalin fixed processed tissues are surrounded by wax so a solid paraffin block is obtained. This will enable the medical lab scientist to obtain thin sections from the block so that they can be stained and later viewed by the pathologist. The procedure involved was as follows: The cassette was taken from the processor to the warm compartment of the histocentre. The histocentre is an embedding center that facilitates paraffin embedding. It is equipped with a dispenser, specimen handling tank, warmed embedding moulds, warmed forceps wells and warm plate for orientation of the specimen in the melted paraffin. After checking the wax tank was properly filled, the cold plate and light were switched on. The cold plate helps in transferring of the melted paraffin. The tissue cassette was opened and the number on the labeled cassettes was checked with that on the worksheet entry. A suitable mould compartment corresponding to the size of the tissues in the cassette was chosen. The mould was filled with paraffin wax The tissue was placed at the bottom of the mould, correctly orientated. Incorrect orientation ruins the first section taken The trucuts were placed centrally aligned across long axis of the mould, and not placed at random. Adequate border of embedding medium must surround all sides of the tissue to give maximum cutting support. The mould placed in its cassette was placed on a cold plate and allowed to solidify. The block was scraped along a para trimmer to trim excess wax on surface. Tissues embedded must be perfectly flat to ensure that a complete section will be obtained. 4. Microtomy After the block was trimmed, thin sections were now cut using a microtome. The block was first trimmed to expose the area to be sectioned. A sharp non-rusted blade was used not to cause damage to the tissue by scoring. The microtome was cleaned from staples and sutures that remained to avoid damage of the blade. Microtomy was then started. The tightly screwed blade was checked and adjusted in the correct position. The micrometer gauge was set at a thickness of 18-22 µm. The block was placed inside the block holder of the microtome and secured. The block holder was in parallel to the edge of the blade so a straight ribbon of sections was obtained. The block holder was moved using the couae trimming device until the wax block was almost touching the edge of the blade. The fine trimming rotator device was when the block touched the edge of the blade and trimming of the block was started. Excess wax from the surface of the block was removed until the surface of the tissue was exposed. Debris due to coarse cutting was removed using a Camel hairbrush. The block was then placed on ice to cool giving the tissue and the wax similar consistency. Water absorbed by the tissue, slightly swelling it, so cutting is easier later on. If this does not occur sections tend to crease. The block was reattached to the microtome, leaving the left-hand rotator device. The micrometer gauge was then set at 3 µm. A series of sections forming a ribbon were cut and the first one was not used since it is usually thicker than 3 µm. 4 layers were taken. This means that the after the first section was achieved, the next few layers were ignored and then a second section was taken. The same was done for the third and fourth. This is done so that the pathologist can study many layers from the site taken so that diagnosis is more accurate. The appropriate ribbon section (for all the four sections obtained) was gently transferred into a water bath using forceps. The water bath is set a few degrees below the melting point of the wax. The sections were floated onto a glass slide containing 20% alcohol. The ribbon section was then released on the surface of a water bath (at a temperature less than that of melting point of wax i.e. 60oC. The sections were collected on an APES-coated glass slide. They were placed on near the other. Coated APES facilitates adhesion of the sections onto the glass slide. 4 slides were obtained (a slide for each layer taken). The number of the block was written on the glass slide using a diamond pen and placed on a slide rack. It was dried in an oven at about 60oC for 10 minute. 5. Staining Together with the other blocks from the other specimens the slides were dried and now ready for staining. The routine gold standard stain in histology is Haematoxylin and Eosin stain. This was done in an automated staining machine which followed the regressive method. This allowed overstaining of the tissues and removal excess dye by differentiation. The staining procedure was programmed as followed: The slides were left in the heating station so that all water is removed. The slides were dewaxed in a xylene for 4 minutes. This removed the surrounding wax from the tissues. They were then placed in xylene alcohol for 15 seconds. This started the gradual hydration process and prepared the tissues to be stained by haematoxylin dissolved in an aqueous solvent. The hydration process is followed by 2 baths of absolute alcohol (15 seconds each). The slides were then passed into four baths: 95% alcohol, 70% alcohol, 50% alcohol, and 30% alcohol (15 seconds each). They were then passed for 15 seconds in distilled water since haematoxylin stain is water based. The slides were then passed for 10 minutes in haematoxylin stain. The time inside the haematoxylin bath varies according to the properties of the stain. The prolonged use of the stain increases the time the slides pass in the bath. The slides were rinsed in two baths of distilled water, the first bath for 30 seconds and the second bath for 10 seconds. Differentiation then occurred in acid alcohol for 1 second. This allowed the nucleus to retain the stain and to decrease the pH (acidic) so colour changes to light purple. The slides were rinsed in distilled water for 15 seconds. Bluing occurred in tap water for 5 minutes. This raised the pH so sections became light blue. The slides were then passed into a bath containing distilled water for 15 seconds. The slides were passed in absolute alcohol for 15 minutes for dehydration and because this favours alcoholic eosin staining since it is alcohol based. Counterstaining was performed in a bath containing alcoholic eosin for 3.15 minutes. The time in alcoholic eosin varies according to the properties of the stain. The prolonged use of the stain increases the time the slides pass in the bath. Prolonging time allows the cytoplasm to take up the pink eosin stain. The slides were then dehydrated in four baths of acid alcohol, 15 seconds each. The slides were cleared in xylene alcohol for 15 seconds followed in 2 baths of xylene for 5 minutes each. This helps during mounting since DPX mountant is xylene based. The slides were left in the heating station so that all water is removed. The slides were taken out from the rack and mounted with DPX mountant. Quality Control: Two slides are stained with H E stain using the automated machine in the morning before starting routine staining. Errors in staining such as weak stains and contamination (example of eosin) can be detected so they can be solved. The 4 slides of the patient were therefore well stained since the machine passed QC on that day. Results: Nucleus: Blue Cytoplasm and other eosinophilic structures: Pale pink After processing, the number on the slides was checked with that of the cassette and the block. The slides were then labelled with their respective label. The cassette was placed on top of the slide to see if all the stained sections present on the block were sectioned. All the stained sections agreed with those on the block. Role of the Biomedical Scientist The role of the biomedical scientist is to perform all the above procedures. The medical lab scientists are divided into different sections throughout the histology laboratory: in the cut-up room and in the embedding and staining section of the laboratory (excluding immunohistochemistry laboratory). In addition, the biomedical scientist must also fill several worksheets. The initials of the biomedical lab scientists performing the cutup, macro-examination, LID and embedding are written in the histopathology worksheet. The MLS must monitor any changes example in reagents. Any injuries or misshapen occurring in the laboratory must be recorded. Pathologist Role/Result Reporting After staining, the pathologist viewed the slides under the microscope and performed a microscopic examination. The observed results were noted. The microscopic examination results were sent to the secretary who typed the result in the results form. The pathologist then read the results form for any errors and once the result was verified the pathologist authorised the result. Result Entering and Authorisation After the pathologist viewed the slides under the microscope he took the fully written request form to the secretary. The secretary separated the forms into different piles, according to the pathologist. The form was typed in a result form and printed as a result sheet. The written and the print result form were separated into 2 different racks. The report sheet was taken to the respective consultant/pathologist who reviewed the printed result sheet for any mistakes. This includes patient details, clinical details, and examination results. Once the pathologist verified the data written, he used the software to authorise the result. Once the pathologist authorised the result, this was available in the LIS of the cytology and histology laboratories. The CMI system allowed the results to be available to the wards. The result sheet was taken to the secretary where the result form was piled with other results forms according to the pathologist/consultant. Copies were made and sent to ward and patient. Result Issuing (Describe the results form) The results form contains the details of the patient, including the name and surname, address, date of birth, sex and the hospital number. The name of the clinician and the site from where trucut biopsy was taken (SOP) are included. The date the specimen was taken and the date and time it was received are also included. The lab number associated to the specimen is important to be included because besides identifying the patient it can be used for future reference. If the slides or block containing the sections are required they are labelled (including lab number) and stored and easily retrievable. The specimen type and site from where the biopsy was taken, the macroscopic examination and the microscopic examination are all included. The included, in this case â€Å"Benign breast parenchyma of the right breast†. The pathologist and the date and time the result was reported and authorised (by pathologist) and the date and time the result form was printed are also included. Benign Breast Parenchyma: The breast parenchyma forms part of the normal breast tissue. It was reported as benign during microscopy because of few scattered (not clustered) lobules seen in breast sections. Since no atypical features were observed, no special stains or immunohistochemistry staining (example ER or Her-2 stains) were required. It is ideal the patient undergoes regular breast screening. Sample Collection and Specialist Preparation The containers to process routine surgical specimens vary from small to large received in 10% buffered formalin. Very large containers are rare. The container used depends on the size of the specimens. Small specimens such as polyps, prostate scrapings, appendix, trucuts, and trephines are received in small containers containing 10% buffered formalin. Some specimens such as fetus vary in size such as fetus and colon so they received in larger specimens (medium when compared to small containers). Large specimens such as lung, breast, and colon are received in large containers containing 10% buffered formalin. Large specimens require more than one day to be cut. First the specimen is opened and left for an additional day or more for further fixation. The following are types of specimen the laboratory receives that require specialist preparation techniques and the actions taken: Trephine and Bone specimens: – Decalcification with EDTA or formic acid. EDTA is used example for bone marrow trephine and formic acid is used example on bone sternum for one day Figure 4 showing a femur bone undergoing decalcification in EDTA. Infective specimen example with HIV – Over fixation in formalin to kill infective cells* Lymph node –The time of fixation depends on the thickness of the specimen. More time the more the fixative is allowed to penetrate the lymph node.* It is left for two or three days depending on the thickness of the specimen. Over fixation will destroy the surface antigens causing artifacts and a false negative result during immunohistochemistry. Sural nerve: Sent from operation inside a gauze soaked with saline. The request from and case summary are required. The cut up laboratory gives the lab number and send the specimen to the immunohistochemistry laboratory. The tubular sural nerve is wet, and the two ends of the nerve are cut. One end is sent to a pathologist to get an idea of diagnosis and the centre part of the nerve and the other cut end are sent abroad. Muscle: This is received in saline and a lab number is given in the cut up laboratory and then sent to immunohistochemistry laboratory. It is frozen at -70oC and cut by a cryostat at -20oC. The thin sections are then stained with a series of special stains example Oil Red O and with immunohistochemistry stains example myosin. APES coated glass slides are used to prevent the tissue section from sliding off. Imprints: Example lymph node: A slide is pressed on the lymph node and the imprint is sent abroad. The lymph node is then worked normally in formalin. Imprints are used for genetic studies. Liver with no tumour: A series of special stains are performed: PAS – useful if there is a high glycogen content upon staining Reticulin Stain – useful in liver cirrhosis and liver fibrosis Masson’s Trichome Stain – Useful in liver fibrosis Iron Stain – useful for haemosiderosis, haemochromatosis Title: Frozen Sections Aim Performing a macroscopic examination by the pathologist Cut up of the specimen Obtaining sections at -17oC using a micrometer, inside a cryostat Staining the section/s by haematoxylin and eosin stain Performing microscopic examination of the stained section/s by the pathologist Introduction A frozen section is a specific type of biopsy performed during surgery so that a rapid diagnosis of the tissue extracted is made (Brender, Burke Glass, 2011). The tissue can be sectioned and stained in the laboratory for microscopic examination by the pathologist. The surgeon is given flexible intra-operative decision making according to the result given by the pathologist after the rapid processing (KarcioÄÅ ¸lu, 2005, p.121). Principle A surgery is booked and a biopsy is taken and sent to the laboratory. As soon as the fresh specimen arrives in the histology laboratory the pathologist and the selected biomedical scientists start processing the specimen. The pathologist performs a macroscopic examination on the specimen and the observed features are written down by the pathologist. The MLS then start cutting thin sections according to the specimen, using a microtome inside a cryostat at -17oC. The sections are then quickly stained with haematoxylin and eosin stain. In contrary to routine H E, the sections are not passed through xylene and dehydrated down to water. This is because the frozen sections are not embedded in paraffin wax prior staining. Since the stain is very fast there differentiation with acid alcohol is also not performed. After mounting the pathologist checks if the stained slide is satisfactory and after performs a microscopic examination. This lets the surgeon decide what to do next. Materials and Equipment required Cryostat, OCT medium, cryospray, Glass slides, cover slips, disposable pipettes, Procedure 1. Macro-examination The pathologist opens the container/s containing the specimen/s. A macro examination is performed on the specimen/s and the pathologist starts a description so that the medical lab scientist writes on the request form. The description includes the size dimension (length x width x height) in centimeters, the shape of the specimen and if it is soft or hard. The consultant suspects carcinoma and sampling is them performed. 2. Cutting the specimen The consultant cuts piece of the specimen that covers the whole area of the specimen. It is important the most suspicious is included in the segmented section so that the consultant can find and detect the tumour during microscopy. If required, multiple sections can be taken to make a diagnosis. The size cut depends on the size of the sample and tumour. More than one pieces of the specimen can be cut example: two sections from a liver (due to liver transplantation), and from a lymph node attached to the liver. 3. Cryostat The cut specimen/s is/are placed, with the aid of tweezers, in the center of a cryostat object disk containing OCT medium. The cryostat object disk with the tissue is placed on the cryobar (holder) inside the -17oC set cryostat. The tissue is left to settle so it gets cold and this is enhanced by using a cryospray. When the tissue solidifies it is placed onto an object disk holder. The machine is set at 5 µ on the control panel and the block is moved towards the edge of the blade. After making sure it is properly clamped trimming is started. The rotator on the right of the cryostat is turned. The section begins to curl as the block comes in contact with the blade. The section is held down slowly and gently with tweezers and cut until the surface of the tissue is visible. The cryostat is now quickly set at 30 µ (this is the thickness used for most of the specimens in histology). A good section is detached and taken onto a glass slide placed opposite of the block. As the tissue comes in contact with the glass slide it sticks onto it since it melts and adheres to it. The glass slide is immediately in the staining station found adjacent to the cryostat. Haematoxylin and eosin staining is performed. 4. Haematoxylin and Eosin Staining The glass slide with tissue section is f

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

The First World War (WWI) :: World War 1 I One

World War I was definitely a greater contributor to the course if European civilization than the French revolution. WWI dissolved empires and shaped a generation of men, Where as the French Revolution primarily affected France and didn’t even abolish the monarchy. WWI brought things like the Treaty of Versailles in 1919, this dissolved Germany as a power, but also brought forth mass retaliation in the form of Nazi movement. Because of this Czechoslovakia emerges as independent. WWI also started the League of Nations, which was brought out internationalized thinking. And in reference to the dissolved empires I’m speaking of primarily the Ottoman, German, and Austro-Hungarian monarchy. Where in Germany we saw the fall of Wilhelm II.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During the war there was footage of the battle of Somme released by the British government, which altered the way, we viewed war at that time. This brought forth the end to the â€Å"gentlemen’s war† and brought forth trench warfare and gassing. This also coined the term shell-shocked as 7 million men were permanently wounded and had things such as deafness, blindness, stutters, and hallucinations. Junger wrote, â€Å"a battle such as the world had never seen.† He called it a scientific war, and pointed out the machine-made destruction. He wrote, â€Å"Chivalry took a final farewell†. John Reed in the 10 days of war wrote about the Russian revolution where they revolted against â€Å"strong and rich nation dividing.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Where as the French Revolution affected mostly themselves and it really didn’t even do what it started out to do, end the Monarchy and the Old regime. Sieyes wanted a citizenship based on usefulness not birth. Plus at the end of the revolution we see the restoration of the monarchy and the old regime.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Home School or School House Essay

What do George Washington and the Hanson brothers have in common? Do you give up? Well, the answer is that both of them were educated in their homes. Queen Elizabeth, Thomas Edison, and Theodore Roosevelt were also educated at home. According to the Home Education Research Institute, 1. 5 million students are staying home for class today. This number is five times more than ten years ago (Kantrow and Wingert 66). This trend leads to many questions. Does home school education work? Do students receive a proper education? How does a home school student’s education compare to that of public school student? Does home schooling isolate a child socially? These questions are concerns of parents, educators, and politicians alike. The future of America rests on the academic and social education of our youth, and home school education should be considered as an effective alternative to public school education. In the past, parents mainly chose to educate their children at home because of religious preference. These parents viewed the public school system as a source of negative influence on children. Violence, sex, drugs, and peer pressure were influences these parents sought to avoid. However, today parents have other reasons for home school education, which primarily all point to a lackluster public school system. Other reasons include a desire to build a strong family closeness, safety, and a handful of parents chose home school for their children because of special needs such as disabilities or special talents. However, no matter how good the reasons, the home school education system must prove to be an acceptable alternative to public schools. There are many advantages to giving a student a home school education. First, parents can make direct decisions concerning what their children are taught. According to the Home School Statistics and Reports in 1997, written by founder and President Dr. Brian D. Ray, seventy-one percent of the parents who educate their children hand pick the curriculum from a variety of books, videos, and educational manuals. Another twenty-three percent order entire cirriculum packages (Ray 14). With the technology of today, parents have an unlimited source for information via the Internet, which can be easily integrated in home school education. The study also shows the education level of the parent supervising and administering the curriculum has little or no effect on the  quality of education received by a student. Home-educated students whose parents did not have college degrees scored equally high on tests compared to students whose parents had college degrees(Ray 56). In addition to students’ own parents teaching them, groups are formed among home school families. These groups allow students to be taught a variety of subjects by different parents that have a better understanding of subjects such as algebra, chemistry, and biology. These groups also take field trips, participate in sports, and do volunteer projects together. Another advantage of home schooling is the quality of education received by the student. How do home school students compare with public school students? This is a very important question to answer, but the answer can never be a concrete one. However all of the research I did shows that students educated in their homes have an equal or higher level of academic skills compared to the public school students. In the 1997 and 1998 ACT test scores, home school students averaged a score of 23; meanwhile the public school students averaged a score of 21(Farris 8). Also, on nationally standardized achievement exams home students again outscored public school students by at least thirty percentile points(Ray 7). While these numbers can’t truly reflect the comparison, an equal percentage of students from both groups seek college education(Ray 9). The government on all levels faces problems concerning the public school system. Funding for schools tops the problem list; local school boards and city governments are continuously fighting for tax proposals, meanwhile students in the schools suffer because of poor facilities and low salaries for teachers. The cost for taxpayers to send one student to a public school for one year is approximately $5325, while a home school student costs a parent $546 per year (Ray 11). Could an increase in home schools cut taxes? Could the money allotted for education now be used more effectively if there were fewer students? Maybe or maybe not, but if fewer students were in public schools, the chances of giving the public school student a better educational environment would increase. Many people who oppose home school programs claim interactions with other children at school are vital to their education. However, this argument usually does not work because parents who home school do not want to release their children into the negative influences that infect the public school system. After an interview with Beverly Decateau, a mother who taught her children at home for over seven years; I found that home school students participate in equally as many or more activities than public school students do. Her children and many others she knew of were active in church groups, Four-H groups, sports teams, and dance squads. All of these activities can be considered social interactions. I don’t believe the public school system has a responsibility to socialize students; that job belongs to parents. In a public school system, some students can be pinpointed and teased, and these images can damage children for life. Despite the several advantages of the home school system, many people still oppose home schooling. Home school students may not miss interactions with other students, but they will miss the experience. Certain experiences at school are considered an important part of the American way of life. Public school students will never forget experiencing homeroom parties, pep rallies, and finding classes on the first day of high school. Can a home school student’s experience compare? Probably not, but to what importance these experiences play in the education and socialization skills of a student depends on each individual student. Home school education can cause problems among children and parents. Children who have parents constantly looking over their shoulders may have difficulty breaking away from home to attend college or enter the workplace. Children might also have trouble respecting their own parent as an educator, and this lack of respect may have a negative effect on the student’s education. In order for home school education to work, the parents must be willing to sacrifice time and patience above and beyond the average parents. The parents must also be willing to give up their own careers for the future of their children. Furthermore, not all children can be successful home school students. The children must be able to make friends in informal settings, and see home school education as a way of exploring different avenues of learning. Not everyone can educate their children at home, but the more students who can receive a solid education at home would improve the education given to students at public schools. Fewer students would lead to smaller classrooms where higher paid teachers could give more attention to public school students. Funds and taxes could be used more effectively because there would be fewer students to accommodate. In the future we should support home school programs and public school education to interact with each other for the benefit of all students. Regardless of where the education of America’s youth takes place, it is vital that parents have a major role in the education of their children in order to build strong families and a strong America. WORKS CITED Decateau, Beverly. Personal interview. 2 NOV 1998. Farris, Micheal. â€Å"Home Schooling Today. † The Washington Times 27 OCT 1998: E8. Kantrowitz, Barbara, and Pat Wingert. â€Å"Learning At Home: Does It Pass The Test? † Newsweek 5 OCT. 1998: 64-70. Ray, Brian D. â€Å"Home School Statistics and Reports† Home School Legal Defense HomePage. Dec 1997 http://www. hsdla. org//.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Quick Facts About the Element Uranium

Quick Facts About the Element Uranium You probably know uranium is an element and that its radioactive. Here are some other uranium facts for you. You can find detailed information about uranium by visiting the uranium facts page. 11 Uranium Facts Pure uranium is a silvery-white metal.The atomic number of uranium is 92, meaning uranium atoms have 92 protons and usually 92 electrons. The isotope of uranium depends on how many neutrons it has.Because uranium is radioactive and always decaying, radium is always found with uranium ores.Uranium is slightly paramagnetic.Uranium is named after the planet Uranus.Uranium is used to fuel nuclear power plants and in high-density penetrating ammunition. A single kilogram of uranium-235 theoretically could produce ~80 terajoules of energy, which is equivalent to the energy that could be produced by 3000 tons of coal.Natural uranium ore has been known to fission spontaneously. The Oklo Fossil Reactors of Gabon, West Africa, contain 15 ancient inactive natural nuclear fission reactors. The natural ore fissioned back at a prehistoric time when 3% of the natural uranium existed as uranium-235, which was a high enough percentage to support a sustained nuclear fission chain reaction.The density of uranium is about 70% higher than lead, but less than that of gold or tungsten, even though uranium has the second-highest atomic weight of the naturally occurring elements (second to plutonium-244). Uranium usually has a valence of either 4 or 6.Health effects of uranium typically are not related to the elements radioactivity, since the alpha particles emitted by uranium cannot even penetrate the skin. Rather, the health impact is related to the toxicity of uranium and its compounds. Ingestion of hexavalent uranium compounds can cause birth defects and immune system damage.Finely divided uranium powder is pyrophoric, meaning it will ignite spontaneously at room temperature.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

The Fundamentals of Leadership in the Workplace Essay Example

The Fundamentals of Leadership in the Workplace Essay Example The Fundamentals of Leadership in the Workplace Essay The Fundamentals of Leadership in the Workplace Essay Essay Topic: Nashville The Fundamentals of Leadership in the Workplace For centuries there have been leaders and people have debated what makes a great leader. Leadership goes back to the time of the ancient Greeks. During the 1500’s, there was an Italian statesman Niccolo Machiavelli, who wrote The Prince, which he described methods for leaders to use in acquiring power (Leadership 2003). This all led to the recent activity dating to the early 1900’s and what has been developed and used in today’s society. There are many theories of what a leader should possess and the fact that leaders throughout history have been men who were looked up to as leaders and well respected. This paper discusses the history of leadership, diversity between men and women in leadership and some laws and thoughts of what makes a successful leader well-qualified. Leadership has played an important role throughout history. Whatever we do or wherever we go, there are leaders providing leadership in our lives. History has provided us with some very important leaders who played roles and has defined the term â€Å"leader†. Different types of leaders and different approaches to leadership exist. These approaches view leadership through different perspectives. Leadership is also the process of influencing others towards obtaining and reaching goals. A leadership style refers to the leaders who carry out the roles and responsibilities of the leadership process. There are conferences, motivational speakers as well as mentors of all types that teach leadership all over the world. Just look around and I bet you can think of a handful of leaders just off the top of your head that are people you look up to. We look up to leaders and respect leaders. It also feels good to be a leader and to help others as well. In the article entitled â€Å"Leadership† it talks about the historical background of leadership throughout history; The author points out that leadership has been traced back to the time of the ancient Greeks and even back to an Italian named Niccolo’ Machiavelli, in which he wrote a book called â€Å"The Prince†. In this book Machiavelli states that leaders during that time used acquiring power. The ideas and theories of leadership have been uncovered and introduced to us from thousands of years ago. It is important to learn from the past to make the future more promising. We use the information that was gathered from the past and add to it to make better decisions. To be a better leader one can learn from mentors that have became leaders before. In the article the author states that the theories can be â€Å"divided â€Å"in to two categories. In one of the categories the reasons are based on traits and behaviors, and the second reasons are based from particular situations. An example of the trait and behavior theory is that leaders were not born they were made, and that leaders were â€Å"chosen by God or the Gods. The article states that this theory was viewed by many and some believed that they would never become leaders. For thousands of years leadership has been researched and studied and many questions have been answered and some have not. It has been said that leaders have the ability to imagine new ways to achieve goals and relay them to others (2003). Another issue t hat has been important in leadership is diversity. Most people’s view of a leader throughout history has been that leaders are male rather than female. Why is that? Investigators have found that female leaders tend to involve followers more in the decision making process. Statistics show that male leaders are often chosen over female. Leadership is also viewed differently from one culture to another (2003). Since there are many theories, one could argue that women are better leaders in the workplace. You make the decision. In reality most leaders are male, generally speaking. But, there are some important statistics when it comes to men and women in the workplace as leaders. Here are some statistics to take into consideration: Women are slightly more likely than men to say they are very confident in their ability to keep pace (61% vs. 57%); only 56% of women were very interested in continuing with their careers, vs. 69% of the men; fewer than half of the online professional’s surveyed feel that women receive equal pay for equal work in the industry: 55% of men, vs. 29% of women (Woods 2001). The article entitled Leadership as a Boss in the Workplace gives ideas and tips that may come in to use in the workplace. The author Charles Williams makes good points throughout this article. For example, you have to love what you do in order to teach and guide others and you also must believe in your people and your company to be successful (Williams 2007). I believe that this is true in all aspects of leadership. Unless, you know what you are doing, it is hard to give people something they can take with them and apply later. He states that â€Å"if you have those who are not working as a team then it hurts everyone including the company. † It is important to apply leadership in the workplace and with it you can all join together to get the job done together as a team. When you are working with a group it is all about teamwork (pg 1). John C. Maxwell, the author of the book titled The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership he defines leadership as the ability to obtain followers. It is the ability to influence others to follow you because without followers who are you leading? A common misunderstanding is leading and managing is one in the same. The difference between leading and managing is that managing is focused on maintaining processes and leading is influencing people into a new direction (Maxwell 2002). Having a title does not have value when it comes to being a leader. Leadership is all about respect and discipline. All that a title can do is bide time. A true leader defines oneself opposed to the title defining them. Maxwell’s twenty one laws that he touches on in this book are definitely encouraging as a reader. One of my favorite laws is the law of influence where he talks about how you cannot be a good leader if you are not a good influence. Influence is all about having followers, which goes back to the theory that one cannot be a good leader without followers (2002). Another good one is the law of solid ground. This law is about trust and if trust is broken then you will not be a successful leader. So, if you are not trustworthy then nobody will follow you. Leadership in the workplace can be defined in many different ways, but the most important term in my opinion about a leader is respect. Throughout history, the most memorable leaders are the ones that were well respected or fell from grace. Of course, most leaders would not want to be remembered from falling from grace, but this has occurred and happens in our lives today. The point is that leaders are looked up to and define a standard set forth by companies, organizations, laws and countries. Without leaders, we would be all followers and only destruction would come of it. Clearly, we can imagine in our lives what it would be like if we did not have someone to answer to. Leaders are needed to delegate and motivate responsibility and are considered well respected among their peers. A leader that is not respected is not a very good leader. Nobody will respect an untrustworthy person. Therefore, a leader who is untrustworthy will not have any followers. Just as Maxwell states, what is a leader without any followers. Bibliography Beverly Woods. (2001-0620). Towards Equality in the High Tech Workplace. http://lowendmac. com/woods/01/0620. html Charles Williams. (2007-0125). Leadership As A Boss In The Workplace. John C. Maxwell (2002). The 21 Irrefutable Laws Of Leadership. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, Inc â€Å"Leadership. †Current Issues: Macmillan Social Science Library. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2003 Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. University of Phoenix. 24 Aug. 2007

Monday, November 4, 2019

The Ethics Of Software Piracy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Ethics Of Software Piracy - Research Paper Example Introduction Software piracy is a process of the illegal replication of applications and software. Additionally, the software piracy is known as pessimistically influencing the users by raising prices as well as minimizing finances for exploration and advancements of upcoming inventions of software. At the present, software piracy has become a well known term and is getting augmented attention of software development firms. In view of the fact that majority of software is utilized with exclusive rights as well as created by other corporations can be used with some limitations (such as duration of software use, license period). In this scenario, software development businesses are implementing severe restrictions along with copyright rules and regulations against such types of the prohibited actions. However, all these measures are not enough. There is a dire need for more enhanced actions and methods for restricting such types of activities (Online Ethics Center for Engineering; BizO ffice). This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of software piracy as an unethical issue in IT field. This paper also outlines the typical reasons that people use to justify their piracy activities. Software Piracy The illegal duplication of computer software is known is software piracy. Though majority of computer users at present know that unauthorized utilization and replication of software is unlawful and unethical, but many of them demonstrate a general disrespect for the significance of considering software as precious intellectual possessions. In this regard, national copyright rules as well as regulations are used to secure the computer software. These rules define that users are not authorized to create a copy of particular software for some other cause than as an archival support without authorization of the copyright owner (archive support means data or information developed through those software such as docs files are developed by MS Word but we can make as many co pies of docs files and store them). On the other hand, the illegal replica of computer software can also be recognized as theft. In this regard, in 1990, the PC software business faced a loss of $2.4 billion in the US only as well as more than $10 billion globally, from some comprehensive approximations by the Software Publishers Association. In fact, computer software piracy is not same as copying other media that is recorded, like that compact disks as well as videotapes, for the reason that there is no deprivation in the value of the copy produced. Additionally, the computer business is the only business that allows the customer to become a developer’s assistant. In this scenario, customer plays an important role in the development of that software. A software application copied again and again will work accurately similar to the genuine. However, the actual software which took years to be built can be duplicated or copied in a fraction of seconds. Though software is costl y to build up, however some low cost Personal Computer can be employed to produce an inexpensive copy of the software (BizOffice; Kayne; Safe-Net). Therefore software piracy is considered as a most serious unethical issue and requires extensive attentions along with public awareness for protection of the intellectual property. Types of Software Piracy There are different types of