Production of Hydrophobic Bioplastics using Silicon Dioxide

Production of Hydrophobic Bioplastics using Silicon Dioxide ABSTRACT Silicon dioxide (SiO2), also known as silica, is a chemical compound that comes in different forms and has a variety of uses. One form is silica gel, which is used as a desiccant in shoe boxes and bags to prevent rupturing, and to prevent molds in food products. Silica is the main material in our project because it has water-repelling properties and our group planned to create hydrophobic bioplastics with these properties. The purpose of this study is to benefit people in many ways. One way is the protection for electronic gadgets from water. Another method is to speed up the cleaning of food containers. With the hydrophobic properties of our plastic, water has less contact with it making washing containers easier. To test our plastics we produced for hydrophobic properties (or wetability), we used a testing method known as the drop contact method. Twelve pieces of 2cm x 2cm plastic samples were prepared – with 3 pieces per concentration. A graduated dropper was used to drop 1mL of water on each plastic sample over a dish. The amount of water on the dish shows how much water each plastic sample repels. Our results show that as the concentration of the silicon dioxide increases, the water repelled decreases.  ­Ã‚ ­Ã‚ ­ Background of the Study: SiO2 is a substance used to produce modern plastics. The group came up with an idea of making use of the said substance to produce hydrophobic plastics which could be a big help in latest technology and practical activities in our daily lives. Through this, we could also expand the capability of the silicon dioxide which may be used also in different ways. Research Hypothesis: If silicon dioxide is added as a material in the production of plastics, then a more hydrophobic plastic will be produced. Objectives of the Study General Objective: This study was conducted to test the effectiveness of silicon dioxide in producing hydrophobic plastics. Specific Objectives: Produce an inexpensive and durable hydrophobic bioplastic material. Test the hydrophobicity of the bioplastic produced using the drop contact testing method. Significance of the Study The researchers chose the topic because of the advantages that could be given to us people not only in our homes but on other fields of industries by the product. Plastics are widely used all over the world; it is the main reason why the researchers would like to introduce new technology in the form of hydrophobic plastics. If the project would be successful, hydrophobic plastics would be a big help in cleaning surfaces of plastics. For instances, dusts on plastics could be easily washed away by pouring water into the surface of the plastic. Hydrophobic plastics could also be alternative casings to our gadgets and appliances. It could protect our modern technologies from water penetration. It would also bring advantages in storing food products in the refrigerator like meats and fishes. The product will also be a good container for soaps, toothbrushes, plates and other household materials. Scope and Limitations The research shall only focus in the ability of plastic to repel water. Other characteristics of a plastic shall be maintained. In the production of the plastic, silicon dioxide will be the only addition to the regular raw materials of the process. Review of Related Literature Repellant Plastics GE accomplished this by modifying a material that’s a mainstay of its plastics business. And they took their inspiration from the leaves of the lotus plant, which is naturally super hydrophobic; microscopic inspection of lotus leaves reveals their nanocrystalline wax structure. The lotus leaf surface has cells 5-10 micrometers wide, on top of which are tiny wax crystals that are tens of nanometers wide. On a lotus leaf, water beads look almost like perfect spheres. GE set out to mimic this pattern on the surface of its polycarbonate material, essentially by â€Å"roughening† the surface in a specific way. Tao Deng, materials scientist at GE, is tight-lipped about the process, but says it was done with a â€Å"chemical treatment of the surface.†GE succeeded with its prototype last summer, but only began discussing the advance in recent weeks. One of the significant downsides is that the process leaves the plastic opaque, not transparent. That means it would not work for plastic windows or clear food containers. But a clear version is not far off. â€Å"That’s coming,† Deng says. Even getting the opaque versions into real products will take some time. GE estimates it will be at least five years before commercialization, once the manufacturing issues are resolved. Five years isn’t that much time, though – about how long it takes for all the ketchup to drip out of today’s plastic bottles. Hydrophobic Glasses BalcoNano stated that there are two categories of what is known in the market as â€Å"self-cleaning† glass. These two categories are: glass coated or applied with hydrophilic layer that uses photo catalytic decomposition, and glass coated or applied with a hydrophobic protective coating. The microscopically rough surface of glass is what makes it hard to clean. Dirt, bacteria and other particles can get deep into the glasses that it cannot be removed with any cleaning material. To solve this problem, we can make the surface of the glass very water repelling or hydrophobic. Applying a hydrophobic coating to the glass gives it a sort of shield. Dirt particles are picked up by water droplets due to the surface created by the hydrophobic coating. This form of glass works in a similar way to Teflon works on a frying pan. It produces a non-stick surface and water will run off of this surface quickly and not streak. The coating or applications of this type are silica based and create a nano-scale film that covers the microscopic valleys and peaks on the surface of glass. This type of self-clean coating prevents the contamination, dirt and grime from clinging onto the glass or fixing to the surface. There are advantages and disadvantages of hydrophobic coated glass. An advantage is that everything that gets put on the glass can be easily removed with water. Dirt, graffiti, and paint can get washed off with just a splash or two. A disadvantage is that coatings may differ from manufacturer to manufacturer, and that application is not easy. Factory applied coatings, depending on the exact product, have a life span of 3 to 10 years in external conditions. Cost wise the hydrophobic coatings and applications are usually about half the cost of the hydrophilic type glasses. Many industries and manufacturers commonly use silica powders alone or in combination with other ingredients. The mineral has moisture absorbing and thickening properties. These characteristics make silica useful in construction materials, cosmetics, and some foods. Silica is one of the most common minerals on the planet. It is a component of sand and quartz along with other minerals. Manufacturers obtain natural silica by mining and grind the substance into granules or fine powders. Some companies make synthetic silica, but both types commonly start with silica sand. Both natural and synthetic silica powders are frequently found in non-food products. Microscopic diatoms, which are hard-shelled skeletal remains of single celled plants, also contain silicon dioxide. These remains exist in salt and fresh water beds. These types of silica are frequently referred to as amorphous silica. They are frequently ground into granules or a fine powder, sometimes called silica flour. Diatomaceous earth silica may be used in food or non-food products. Quartz powders or glass powders are silica sand heated to extreme temperatures and melted. Artisans and manufacturers mold and shape the molten material. When cooled, the substance becomes glass. Paints, plastics, polyvinyl chloride glue, and corrosive resistant coatings all contain silica powders. In some of these products, the silica acts as a thickening or hardening agent. Some cleansers and detergents contain silica powders. The granulated mineral scrubs surfaces by means of mechanical abrasion. Silica detergents might be used for washing clothes, dishes, or be found in general powdered cleaners. Abrasive action is also desired in some toothpastes, which contain diatomaceous earth silica as one of the ingredients. When used in hand cleaners, the abrasive nature of silica may cause rashes or other skin irritations. Silica cosmetics contain the silky translucent powder to absorb skin oils. The mineral is thought to be hypoallergenic and some believe the substance reduces the visibility of facial lines and wrinkles. Consumers may purchase silica powders and add the substance to lawns or soil to increase moisture retention. Some believe the powdered form also deters or eliminates insect pests, though inhaling the product may lead to serious lung inflammation or possibly cancer. Food and pharmaceutical industries commonly use silica powders for the mineral’s ability to absorb up to 50% of its weight in moisture. Food grade, or the diatomaceous earth form of silica powders, is commonly used as an anti-caking agent in coffee creamers, powdered foods, and seasonings. The self-contained gel packs frequently found in medications and over-the-counter supplement bottles usually contain some form of silica. Bioplastics Bioplastic isnotmade from petroleum, which is a non-renewable resource. Bioplastics come fromsustainable renewable resources. Corn regrows in a year. They arenon- toxic:no harmful toxins will leak into the food compostable. Best case scenario it ends in a commercial compost facility where it composts, and is used to feed the soil and grow more plants. Biodegradable Bioplastic takes longer to biodegrade in home composts, where conditions are uncontrolled and are rarely optimal. If it does end up in a landfill it will biodegrade if it is exposed to bacteria, moisture and heat. There are different biodegradable plastics available, each with their own properties: PLA is made from fermented corn starch, and is a great alternative to conventional petroleum based plastic in many applications. PLA is transparent and heat sensitive to 40 C. It’s used on its own, or as a thin sheet over bagasse or cardboard to act as a moisture or grease barrier. It is used to make our  bags, bowls,  cupsand  lids. CPLA is a combination of PLA, chalk and other biodegradable additives and can withstand temperatures of up to 95 °C without deforming. It is usually opaque in colour and is used for making our disposable  cutlery  and  coffee cup lids. Definition of Terms For this research study, one must know and understand the following terms: Plastics are one of class of organic compounds made from hydrocarbons, proteins, cellulose, or resins that can be molded, extruded, cast, or otherwise fabricated into various shapes. In this study, we use bioplastics which are just plastics developed from cornstarch. Hydrophobicity is a characteristic of a material to repel water. Drop contact is a testing method to determine the hydrophobicity of the material. It is done by dropping a constant amount of water on a sample material over a dish. The amount of water on the dish shows how much water the sample repels. METHODOLOGY Procedure Preparation of materials The researchers prepared the various raw materials that make up the bioplastic: powdered silica, starch, vinegar, glycerin and water. Three different 7 cm x 7cm x 1 cm containers were also prepared and were labeled A, B and C. The materials and then placed in different containers, grouped as: ‘A’ for 0% concentration, ‘B’ for 1% concentration, ‘C’ for 2% concentration, and ‘D’ for 3% concentration.[Sir Jay1]  ­Ã‚ ­Production of the Plastic The materials mentioned above are mixed then heated until the mixture boils and creates a clear substance. After heating, the mixture is placed on a flat surface depending on the desired thickness. The mixture was set aside to dry until it produced a durable plastic. For the constant group; the researchers mixed 48g of cornstarch, 314ml of water, 8ml of vinegar, and another 8ml of glycerin. Thus 330 ml of mixture is produced which is divided into three making it 110 ml for each plastic sample. For 1% concentration; 3.3 ml of the 330 ml mixture is removed and replaced with 6.3g of powdered SiO2. The 330 ml with 1% concentration is also divided into three making it 110 ml of 1% concentration for each plastic sample. For 2% concentration; 6.6 ml of the 330 ml mixture is removed and replaced with 12.6g of powdered SiO2. The 330 ml with 2% concentration is also divided into three making it 110 ml of 1% concentration for each plastic sample. For 3% concentration; 9.9 ml of the 330 ml mixture is removed and replaced with 18.9g of powdered SiO2. The 330 ml with 3% concentration is also divided into three making it 110 ml of 1% concentration for each plastic sample. Testing and Data Gathering The produced plastic is tested on its hydrophobic properties by comparing the amount of water repelled by each of the concentrations (using the drop contact testing method). The dimensions of the sample material for each concentration that we used are 2 cm by 2 cm. The statistical test we have selected for this study is one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s multiple comparisons test. Analysis If the silica-concentrated group shows a noteworthy distinction to the control, we can conclude that SiO2 is effective in making hydrophobic plastic. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION TABLE 1 Amount of water repelled by the produced bioplastics with different silica concentrations Reflected in Table 1 the evidence showing variability in the amount of water repelled by the plastics produced using different concentrations of silica. The minimum mean (0.63 mL) is in the control and the maximum (0.78 mL) is shared 2% and 3% concentration. FIGURE 1 Line graph showing the correlation between the values of the amount of water repelled Then, the researchers tested the data obtained using one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s multiple comparisons test to see if there is a significant difference among the control and independent variables. According to the results of the test, there is a very significant difference (0.0002) on 0% vs 1% and extremely significant differences on 0% vs 2% and 0% vs 3%. However, the 1%, 2% and 3% concentrations show no significant differences when compared with each other. Furthermore, there is positive correlation (0.9012). CONCLUSION The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of silicon dioxide (SiO2) powder to the production of hydrophobic bioplastics. According to the results of our experiment, adding silicon dioxide to the contents of a bioplastic evidently makes it more hydrophobic. However, varying the concentration does not affect the hydrophobicity of the plastic. RECOMMENDATION The research group recommends adding more variations to the concentrations to give a better comparison of the experiment. Adding more trials to each concentration is also recommended to make the results more accurate. Also, using Tapioca starch is a great alternative for making the bioplastic. Remember to make the right calculations for the concentrations. Maintain the same shape, area, and weight for all trials of the plastic so that the comparison is accurate.  ­ BIBLIOGRAPHY BalcoNanoâ„ ¢. (n.d.). Hydrophobic Glasses. Retrieved from BalcoNano: http://www.balconano.com/HydrophobicGlass.aspx Craig Freudenrich, P. (n.d.). How Plastics Work. Retrieved from Howstuffworks: http://science.howstuffworks.com/plastic5.htm Hall, M. J., Barwick, S. (2013, April 10). What Are the Different Uses of Silica Powders? Retrieved from wiseGEEK: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-different-uses-of-silica-powders.htm Mempro Materials. (n.d.). Silicon Dioxide Nanofiber Materials. Retrieved from Mempro: http://mempro.com/products/ceramic-nanofiber-materials/silicon-dioxide-nanofiber-material/ Rice University News Release. (2010, September 1). Silicon oxide circuits break barrier. Retrieved from Understanding Nano: http://www.understandingnano.com/silicon-oxide-nanowire-memory.html Talbot, D. (2006, February 23). Super-Repellent Plastic. Retrieved from MIT Technology Review: http://www.technologyreview.com/news/405378/super-repellent-plastic/ http://www.greenhome.co.za/raw-materials/plant-starch/ APPENDICES Appendix A Total Cost of the Project Total project cost: à ¢Ã‚ ±Ã‚ £ 863.00 APPENDIX B Ordinary One-Way ANOVA (at ÃŽ ± = 0.05) APPENDIX C Tukey’s Multiple Comparisons (at ÃŽ ± = 0.05)  ­ 1 [Sir Jay1]revise

Philosophy Essay on Self Essay

I certify that this literature review is my own work and contains no material which has been accepted for the award of any degree or diploma in any institute, college or university. Moreover, to the best of my knowledge and belief, it contains no material previously published or written by another person, except where due reference is made in the text of the dissertation. Name Signed _________________________________________________ Date ___________________________________________________ The most fundamental of the questions man asks himself in his lifetime are, â€Å"what/who am I ? â€Å"and â€Å"what is my purpose? † The curiosity over this issue of ‘the self’ has spanned human thought for millennia rooting from societal notion that â€Å"life cannot be just bricks and cement†. Due to the inherent nature of these fundamental curiosities mankind has struggled from ancient times to uncover these mysteries. In the western-context, this brief essay will try to explore the dimensions of the â€Å"essence of self† ranging from medieval to the modern conception of self. It will review the theories of self starting with Aristotelian science and Christian doctrines and their eventual marriage by St. Thomas Acquinas’ moral theory. In effect, it then explores critical viewpoints and traces the development of Scientific Rationalization. Progressively, it debates Rene Descartes’ rationalist views shaping his dualistic conception of the self. Furthermore, it poses the contrasting empiricist views of John Locke where he places self-consciousness and memory as the variables to comprehend self. In addition, it contests David Hume’s proclamation of the self as fiction (Robinson, H. , 2012). The theories of self and identity gradually developed over a historical timeline resulting in modern thought on the subject. In this regard, it is important to understand its development initiation from religious conception in the west. Curiosity on these issues can be traced back to accounts of Aristotle, where he is of the view that everything in nature has a purpose and everything can be rationalized based on its intent and the purpose it served (Greetham, B. 2006, p. 213). This is referred to as the ‘teleological’ view, which contributed to the formation of medieval world view formed by Christian dogma and the Catholic church (Cavalier, G. ,1989). This Christian conception viewed the world as being God’s creation and expression of his will which was cosmologically meaningful and structured. The purpose of things under this theology is God given and is a part of the ‘grand plan’ (Stanford encyclopedia of philosophy). This categorises the medieval belief of self, where humans have a certain place and purpose and the self is understood in terms of the role it plays in the grand plan of things. The medieval Christian conception of self was greatly inspired by the work of 13th century theologian St. Thomas Acquinas. In his opus he bridged the gap between faith and reason by linking Christian dogma and Aristotelian thought (O’Callaghan, R. , 2010). In essence, he lived in a crucial juncture of western culture when the Latin translation of Aristotelian corpus was made available which in effect reignited the debate on relating faith and reason. His theories borrowed from Aristotle and Christian dogma and ethics which were consistently reaffirmed by the church over the centuries (auquinas from stanford). The aforementioned medieval religious conception of self forms the basis Acquinas’ ethical premise on how we ought to act (Greetham, B., 2006). Right and wrong actions based on their compliance with human nature and its place â€Å"God-given natural order†, categorized as natural or unnatural. Hence, the self bounded and confined to serving a purpose. However, this religious world-view came under intense criticism with the advent of scientific advancement and rationality in the 16th and 17th centuries. Scientific thinking developed under the likes of Descartes and Locke and was reasoned based on the accomplishments of Galileo and Newton(Zalta, E. , 2011). They disregarded the place of divine-will in their conception of self, basing it on mere experience, empirical evidence and mathematical formulations. This shift of conception is termed ‘demythologization’, where everything works without a purpose and results from mechanical interaction of particles regulated by universal laws which can be mathematically formulated (Greetham, B. , 2006). Consequently, began the search of the self by looking within for purpose and meaning. The modern view of self is articulated in the works of 17th century philosopher Rene Descartes. He pioneered the dualistic understanding of the human being, which is made up of the â€Å"mental substance (mind) and the physical substance (body)† (Warburton, N. , 1992). Here, the body has physical properties like having weight and using space, whereas the mind is a non-material substance, responsible for thought and experience and hence is the abode of consciousness. In his view, the self is a spiritual â€Å"subject of experience† which is fundamentally different from the body and nature, where the body inessential and the mind can exist independently. His radical scepticism led to the formation of the â€Å"Illusion argument†, where the bodily senses are deemed unreliable and thus the existence of the external world and body is uncertain. The only thing one can be certain of is that ‘I exist’. This is categorized under his famous proclamation -â€Å"Cogito ergo sum†, meaning â€Å"I think, therefore I am† (Cavalier, G. , 1989). In essence, â€Å"the self is essentially mental† and the search for purpose and meaning should be searched within ourselves instead of classifying it under totality of nature. In his endeavours, Descartes used the â€Å"rationalist approach† to knowledge, which solely relies on logic and scepticism . In contrast, his contemporary, English philosopher John Locke relies on the â€Å"empiricist approach†, where knowledge is acquired by the means of watchfulness and experience. His theology of self underlines the role of reason, consciousness and self-consciousness. As for Locke, he sees self-consciousness as a inseparable element in the conduct of any conscious action, like thinking and observing. The perception of the world by the senses, awareness of personal identity, actions performed and its retention (memory) over time is what constitutes self-consciousness (Robinson, H. , 2012). Personal identity here is quintessentially the self, in which memory is decisive variable as the consciousness of past actions is critical to being the same person; and selfhood is reliant on the consciousness and not the body. For instance, if a person has memories from a past life as Salvador Dali, then he is the same person in the current life with a different body. These arguments however appear ambiguous upon correlation with Descartes’ accounts. However, Locke’s accounts differ where cites that it is not necessary that thinking, observation etc. to be the products of a non-material substance and leaves a prospect open that they could be of material origin. The self, Locke argues, is resultant from â€Å"continuity of consciousness† and not a ‘substance’ as proposed by Descartes (Greetham, B. , 2006). Then again, there is a fallacy in these arguments; if the self is continuity of consciousness and memory retention then without the memory of past actions accountability for the actions is cannot be held (Cavalier, g., 1989). For instance, it could be hypothesized in Locke’s view, that a person who committed murder as a child, who grew up to become a doctor and then as an old man he cannot remember his crime as a child, hence in effect, he cannot be held responsible for the murder. Eighteenth century philosopher David Hume continued in the empirical approach, maintaining that authentic knowledge is solely acquired on the basis of direct experience (Robinson H. , 2012). He borrows from Locke, however, he reaches drastic conception where he conceives the self as fiction. Thereafter, he entirely disregards the â€Å"substance view of the mind†. He bases his conception strictly on experience or ‘perception’ and maintains that the existential claim for the inner substance should be discoverable by experience (Greetham, B. , 2006). Through his experience, Hume, found no such substance but instead only a variety of perceptions where there is no identity or self binding them. Academics refer to this view as the â€Å"bundle theory of substance†, where different perceptions are in eternal flux (Robinson H. , 2012). However, Hume fails to identify a unifying  factor and puts forth a vague understanding of the mind just being a bundle of perceptions. Consequently, the Cartesian theory of self gained an upper hand as it offers the unifying substance of mind in the conception of the self (Greetham, B. , 2006). The aforementioned theories of self significantly influence the post-modern conception of the self, as the subject has a tendency to develop over time (Cahoone, L. , 2003). These western theories have borrowed from Eastern conceptions of self, which indicates ancient interaction between the west and the east. (Cavalier, G. , 1989). In the contemporary world, the twentieth century has been the fore-bringer of brisk industrialization in the western world, begetting fast-paced consumer societies, where the people have little or no time for personal fulfilment (Cahoone, L. 2003). This along with advent of cultural pluralism, scientific rationalization and secularization of notions of religion has led to burgeoning interest in the conception of self (Olsen and Timothy, 2006, p. 139). On a personal basis, the theories of self explored here provided a clearer picture on the gradual development of understanding of self with a historical context and an insight into how these theories have shaped post-modern notions on the same (Collinson, P. et al, 2000). Descartes’ accounts and his emphasis on the soul substance worked as a bride between my eastern thought origin and modern western conception on the subject. However, Locke’s and Hume’s empirical approach and their emphasis on discovering self through experience is also profound to my conception of self. Their conclusions however appeared radical and absurd especially in the case of Hume where proclaims the self as being fictional. References: Cahoone, L. (2003). From Modernism to Postmodernism: An Anthology. Carlton: Blackwell. Cavalier, G. &. (1989). Ethics in the History of Western Philosophy. New York: St. Martin’s Press. Collinson, P. &. (2000). Fifty Eastern Tihnkers. London: Routledge. Greetham, B. (2006). Philosophy. Norwich: Palgrave Macmillan. Jamal, T. a. (2009). The Sage Handbook of Tourism Studies. London: Sage. O’Callaghan, R. et al. (2010, December 21). Saint Thomas Aquinas. Retrieved May 1, 2012, from http://plato. stanford. edu/: Olsen, D. H. and Timothy, D. J. (2006). Tourism, Religion and Spiritual Journeys. Oxford: Routledge. Robinson, H. (2012, Demember 21). Dualism. Retrieved May 1, 2012, from http://plato. stanford. edu/: Warburton, N. (1992). Philosophy. Abingdon: Routledge. Zalta, E. (2011, September 21). Aquinas’ Moral, Political, and Legal Philosophy. Retrieved May 1, 2011, from www. http://plato. stanford. edu/: .

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

There are people all over the United States who are required to share their personal information with physicians and other medical professionals. Fortunately the health care environment guarantees patient confidentiality for all of their sensitive and health-related information. There are several acts that the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have developed in order to ensure all patients are given the proper medical confidentially that they deserve. One specific act is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).This act required HHS to develop regulations that would protect the privacy and security of certain health information. In the end two separate rules were published: Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information and The Security Standards for the Protection of Electronic Protected Health Information. HIPAA is an important aspect of health care especially-when it comes to the safety of all patients (Andrews, 2010). Due to the strict privacy and security acts of this program, the consequences are extremely severe.One of the more important rules of HIPAA is the privacy rule, which â€Å"establishes national standards to protect individuals’ medical records and other personal health information† (Summary of The HIPAA Privacy Rule 2003). This aspect also applies to several health plans, health care clearinghouses, and other health care providers that perform electronic health care transactions. Due to the privacy rule, without proper patient authorization there are serious limits and safeguards that prevent anyone from sharing a patient’s medical information.Another crucial part of this rule is the fact that patients have the legal right to review and examine their health records, as well the authority to request any corrections they see necessary to repair. This becomes important when a patient finds incorrect information on their file that any of the medica l staff failed to recognize such as birthdate or a blood type. Having a patient review their file is a common way that mistakes are corrected. In order to protect and enforce the privacy of patient medical records, there are several comprehensive programs that are required through clinical information systems.There are three main clinical systems that were created to protect a patient’s privacy of their medical records. The first system-called patient care systems-â€Å"stores information about a patient’s medical history, diagnoses, and treatment plans† (Glandon & Smaltz, 2008). The organizations that choose to provide this care are also responsible for making sure that each patient’s medical information is available only to those who are authorized to view it. Another clinical system is called Public health information systems.These systems are in charge of supporting disease prevention and surveillance programs. Protecting public health is not a simple task; it requires knowing how to properly add and store health-related information about each individual. Without this system, any sort of leakage of sensitive information could lead to discrimination in employment or insurance eligibility. The final clinical information system, which is referred to as the medical research information system, is responsible for studying patterns of certain diseases in specific populations by using patient records.This act of studying common patterns is a way to prevent the reoccurrence of any fatal diseases and protect the health of others. Due to the fact that most of a patients’ data is accessible to many investigators, it is important that information security measures are taken to provide the necessary privacy. In order to establish this aspect of HIPAA, it is important for health care companies to appoint the responsibilities of enforcing the guidelines of HIPAA to the proper unit of the health care department. Some companies rely on co mpliance or specific privacy offices to ensure these obligations (Glandon & Smaltz, 2008).The fear of having no privacy can lead to individuals avoiding treatments or clinical tests because they feel their medical records are not protected properly. This fear puts the health of others in danger and can lead to bigger and more dangerous issues in the future. The other important aspect of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act is the security rule, which â€Å"focuses on administrative, technical and physical safeguards specifically as they relate to electronic protected health information† (Yale University, 2013).With such critical information being stored electronically the security rule is also responsible for protecting the system against any sort of failure, including external tragic events that could take place randomly such as a fire or a power outage. These crucial files are usually copied to a removable disk to ensure that all files will not be lost. T his type of information can be stored in computer hard drives, memory cards, any kind of removable digital memory media or all transmission media that can be used to exchange information such as the internet (HIPAA, 2013).Preventing unauthorized viewing of electronic protected health information (ePHI) can become difficult due to the variety of ways information is stored. Overall the major goal of the Security rule is allow the development of new technologies that will help to improve the quality of care as well as protect all the sensitive health information that is shared and documented (Summary of The HIPAA Security Rule 2003). There are several measures that must be taken in order to secure all the different types of medical information.A proper security policy should include the three following elements: physical security, technical controls over access, and management policies (Glandon & Smaltz, 2008). These elements should be known by all staff and enforced by management. Whe n it comes to the proper amount of physical security there is no such thing as having too little or too much. The most common forms of physical security include hardware and data file security. Hardware securities defend computers from unauthorized access or viruses entering private files (Das, Kant, & Zhang, 2012).These are usually the first step of security that is taken in order to enforce the security portion of HIPAA throughout the medical records. Another element that helps secure private files is technical safeguards. Theses safeguards include ideas that are as simple as having a password that only authorized individuals are aware of or even creating a specific encryption that only the employees of a health care company are able to translate. Creating audit logs is great way to view who is logged into specific patients’ information and when they did so. This enables any supervisor to have superior knowledge of who accesses what information.The final element that a secu rity policy should provide is the enforcement of all management policies. These could include having written company security polices that are available for employees to review at any time. Making sure that all employees are aware of all security polices is important in order to ensure the safety of all medical records. These policies can be addressed in employee training, which is another important part of any management position. Employee training is where all questions should be answered and all policies should be understood.Employees also need to be informed of the disciplinary actions that will follow if any sort of the management policy is broken or disobeyed. There are always repercussions when it comes to breaking the rules; HIPAA has several consequences due to the disobedience of the people. There is a general penalty â€Å"for failure to comply with requirements and standards† (Penalties Under HIPAA, 2013). This is the more common penalty that occurs; it requires t he person who violated the rules to pay one hundred dollars for each violation and may not exceed $25,000 throughout a one year time frame.The other offense that includes any â€Å"wrongful disclosure of individual identifiable health information† (Penalties Under HIPAA, 2013) has a more in-depth punishment rate. This includes situations where an individual shares another individual’s health information to an unofficial person. Also, the obtainment of another individual’s medical information when it is not needed or asked for any specific medical reason is also included in this offense. The first penalty that is sentenced in this situation is that the violator will not be fined more than $50,000 and/or imprisoned up to one year.If the offense is committed under false pretenses the violator will not be fined any more than $100,000 and/or imprisoned for up to five years. The biggest penalty occurs if the offense is committed with the intention of selling an indivi dual’s medical record for certain advantages. In this case the violator will be fined no more than $250,000 and/or imprisoned for no more than ten years. Because the information protected under HIPAA laws is invaluable and incredibly sensitive, legislators made sure to implement punishments that will hopefully deter potential wrong doers from breaking the law.Unfortunately, the severe consequences that the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act endorses, does not intimidate everyone. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act is still the most effective act and it helps to protect the privacy of individually identifiable health information, as well as secure the electronic protected health information. When the proper elements to both the privacy and security rules are followed, the more successful HIPAA will be.

Critical Essay on Selected Works of Edgar Allan Poe

INTRODUCTION Edgar Allan Poe is one of the best prominent writers whose work are continually appreciated by all generations in time immemorial, with often obsessive and gothic themes in Edgar Allan Poe’s work, they have had a hug e significant influence in the literature of America. In this paper I have selected some of his works and explained the impressive features of each in relation to their plots and design. This explains a clear reason for one to love his literature works. I have chosen carefully the works that illuminate Poe’s prolific and short carrier among them prefaces, reviews and correspondence by Poe as well as pieces of themes dealing with transcendentalism and alternative romanticism, sensation fiction, sciences of mind and the south of slavery. This paper therefore takes plot of these selected works as the aspect and point of the mind and the south and the slavery. This paper takes plot of these selected works as the aspect of point of concentration throughout the d ocument to explain the impressive bits of the general works. MAIN DISCUSSION The first work is the Masque of the Red Death, a short story that mainly focuses on a dauntless and happy prince Prospero, who attempts to escape a harmful plague-the Red Death, a disease where the victim becomes totally convulsive and sweats blood instead of water and kills within half an hour, by hiding in his castellated abbey. With him in the Abbey’s masquerade ball are a thousand wealthy nobles who have come to seek refuge. The masquerade ball is decorated with many different colors. In the middle of their noisy lively enjoyment, an unexplained figure enters the abbey and makes goes through each of the room. Prospero decides to confront this stranger and falls dead on the floor. Gothic fiction takes the centre stage in the story and is often seen as an allegory about how death is inevitable. There are many interpretations about the red death, as well as trials to know the truth about the red death plague Poe uses a lot of conventions mainly the traditional gothic fiction and the setting of a castle. The seven single toned rooms represent the human mind and showing the difference in personalities. Imagery of blood and time shows corporeality. The red death represents the attributes of human life including mortality. This shows that the entire story is allegorical and shows how it’s of no use to escape or shut down death. However some critics try to shun down the ideology of allegories and instead concentrate on Poe’s acceptance distaste for didacticism in writing. In the story Poe does not exclusively show any sign of morals. Blood and the red color emphasized the throughout the story is a symbol for both life and death they are highly emphasized by the masked figure-that was never stated to be the red death but a symbol of the red death- making it first appearance in the eastern side of the abbey’s rooms and is colored blue a color that is well defined to represe nt birth. The walled abbey was supposed to be a protective location, to keep the illness away. The structure is oppressive and maze like design. The story amazes me because prince Prospero the one that was in fear of the plague is the same person who goes to confront it when it enters the room. The prince is also aware that the disease is viral and contagious but still goes to the act of inviting the nobles from different places gives them a masquerade ball not knowing that they might have contracted the disease. The second work of Allan Poe where I found interest was the murders in the rue morgue (1841), a character in Paris by the name Auguste Dupin is the man who tries to solve mysterious cold blood murder of two women. There are various witnesses who heard a suspect though they don’t agree on what language was spoken. Dupin finds a hair on the murder scene that does not seem to be that of human. Poe uses a model of a super brilliant detective and the personal friend serves as the narrator. The final findings are also revealed before the thinking that leads up to it. There is murder of Madame L’Espanaye and her daughter in a fictional street-Rue Morgue. The mother’s throat is cut nearly to separate with her body and her daughter strangled and stuffed in a chimney. The two era murdered on the fourth floor of inaccessible room locked from inside, neighbors give contradictory statements claiming to hear the murderer speak a language not familiar with them.   A man named Adolphe Le Bon has been imprisoned without evidence pointing at his guilt. This makes Dupin intrigued that he volunteer to give â€Å"G† a policeman his services. Because the neighbors claim not to have heard any sensible conversation on the murder house, Dupin concludes that the hearing was no human voice and the hair he found was not human. He therefore goes to advertise in the newspaper if any one has lost an ourang otang. The call is answered by a sailor and dupin goes to ask him questions about the murder incident. The sailor answers that the animal had escaped from captivity with the sailor’s shaving razor and entered an apartment’s window in Rue Morgue. The ourang otang attempted to shave the Madame by imitating its master’s daily routine, the deed incited fury and unfortunately it strangled the madame’s daughter to death, fearing its master’s whip, the animal fled after an attempt to hide the daughter’s body on a chimney. The sailor got aware of the brutal murder, panicked and ran away. The impressive bit of this work is the way the ourang otang wanted to shave the Madame and by use of force if the Madame refuses to comply. The other thing is that the sailor is aware of the death caused by his creature and yet he remains foolish by turning up to collect his ourang otang. What one can learn about the story is that: a person shouldn’t be judged without material evidence in the case Adolphe. When also we decide to help it should not be for the purpose of financial gain but by the act of true spirit of integrity The third work of Edgar Allan Poe which I selected was The Oval Portrait. This is a story that revolves around a portrait in Chateau. The story begins the narrator; who is left in a mansion and is seeking refuge. He admires the art work decorations in the room and goes through a book that criticizes the paintings. He goes on to find a painting which shocks him due to its extreme realism and spends like an hour with it, he looks at it in a silent awe till he cannot look at it any further. He seeks consultation from the book for further explanation. The picture was painted by an artist depicting his young bride, the artist paid attention too much to the painting till he forgot to pay attention   to the woman he was painting, after finishing the painting and turning to his wife, he discovers that she had died but her spirit is transformed into the life like painting. Confusion between relationship and artwork takes the centre stage where art and its addiction are depicted as ultimate killers with the sole responsibility of killing the young bride. Morals and lessons learned is that the relationship between art and life is considered as rivalry. What impresses me so much with the story is the most poetic heading the beauty of the woman kills her. Art reveals an artist’s guilt, he feeds on it but it can also kill the life he modeled in the art. I also selected Poe’s work of the Tell-Tale Heart (1843). This is a story of un-named narrator who is certain that he is sane but murders an old man with some secret power kind of â€Å"vulture eye†. He carefully plans for the murder and after doing it he hides the body under the the floorboards. It’s not certain the kind of relationship the murderer and the old man had but the old man is considered a father figure, and the narrator seems to work for the old man as a servant. The lack of clearness and poor details about the main characters has a sharp contrast to the certain plot details thus leading to the murder. The narrator is said to suffer from a disease that causes over-acuteness of senses. The old man posses a pale blue eye that appears likes that one of a vulture which stresses the narrator and makes him to plan for the murder. The blue eye can be seen as parental surveillance and the tough principles that guardians always have on their children, this is what the narrator hates most. The narrator really loves the old man and his actions but he only hates the blue eye. He has been on the plot to kill the old man for seven nights but everyday when he goes to the old man’s room, he finds the vulture eye always closed making it impossible to kill him. The eighth day he finds the old man awake and doesn’t draw back and kills him then concealing the body under the floorboard. The old man’s yells during the attack made the neighbors to report the matter to the police. The narrator goes on courageously to invite the three officers to look around for any evidences since he was very confident. He puts the chairs just on the spot where the old man’s body was concealed and goes on to tell the officers that the old man is out of the country. A faint noise that grows louder is heard by the narrator as if it’s the old man’s heartbeat coming from under the floorboards, after constant and steady sounds of t he heartbeat, the narrator confesses of killing the old man and tells the officers to open up the floorboard to remove the body. Impression created by the story Though the story is somehow not clear but we understand that evil will never go unpunished and evil haunts as seen by the narrator explaining how the murder haunted him day and night. Terror makes the narrator to admit his guilt in the process of explaining his sanity. Some of the things to prove that the narrator was insane is that after making sure that the old man is dead, how possible could he have heartbeats again? In another Allan Poe’s work, Premature Burial, The narrator tries to explain his experience of regular attacks with a single disorder called catalepsy-a condition where the patient occasionally fall in death –like trance. The falling into death-like trance leads to the fear of being buried alive. The narrator mentions a group of people who have suffered the same disorder and have been buried alive. The narrator’s condition makes him to slip into the trance state of unconsciousness. He had the phobia of falling into that state when he is away from home since the disorder has grown worse over time. The condition forces the narrator to build a tomb and he tells his relatives and friends not to burry him permanently. The tomb has equipment that allows him to signal others incase he wakes up from his â€Å"death†. The story reaches the climax when the narrator awakens in the paramount of total darkness in a confined area. He notices that his precautions were not put into practice and starts to cry out. He is only to be removed in berth of a boat and not grave. He is shocked with his obsession towards death. I was particularly impressed by the story as the truth can be terrifying more than fiction especially if there is evidence that what has been said has always happened I also selected The Gold-Bug as Poe’s work, the setting of this short story is in Sullivan’s island, South Carolina, the main character is William Legrand a man who claims to be bitten by a gold- colored bug, Legrand’s servant fears that he might have been going insane and goes further to inform his friends who agrees to pay visit to Legrand. Legrand drags the two into epics after deciphering to them a secret message that leads to a buried treasure. The narrator is not certain that what Legrand says is true because the guy has lost his treasure and might be going insane. After confusion Legrand confusing the narrator about his own drawing, the narrator returns home only when a month later Jupiter comes back to ask the narrator if they can go back to his master. They go on expedition along with the gold-bug. In the wilderness of Sullivan’s island they come across a tree that Legrand climbs with him towing the gold-bug. On the tree he finds a skull which he drops to Legrand through one of the eye socket. He acknowledges the spot to dig. There they find the treasure buried by Captain Kidd. The treasure is worth a million and half dollars. Legrand then elaborates how he knew the treasure’s location based on the simple substitution cipher using numerical frequencies. The gold-bug is a cipher that uses substitution methods The impressive bit of this work was brought out in the aspect that there should be a devised method of secret writing that can only be understood by the few. This helps in storing safely of the secret information about a phenomenon with high value. It also entails holding a secret until a solution is given to know how many are patient enough and are willing to work towards a getting that solution. In Another Work, The black cat (1843), Edgar still goes on to use the first person narrative and there is no clear definition of the narrator. The narrator elaborates that he and his wife loved animals and had many pets. One of the pets was one black cat called Pluto which the narrator is fond of and likewise happens to the cat. The mutual relationship lasted for several years till the narrator became alcoholic. The height of the story come in when the narrator comes home drunk and believes that the cat is avoiding him, when he tries to take a grasp suddenly of the cat, the animal bites him in the rage of fear, and the narrator goes on to seize it and gouges its eyes out by using the pen knife from his pocket. After the incident the cat flees on seeing his master making the narrator to start regretting about his cruelty, the trend continue for a long period of time until the narrator became irritated due to the spirit of perverseness. He goes out to the garden and hangs the cut from a tree where the cat meets its death, the very night the narrator’s house catches fire forcing them to flee only to come back the following morning to find imprint on the remaining wall the figure of a gigantic cat hanging from a rope. The narrator becomes terrified but comes to understand the reasons as to why the image was there. He begins to miss Pluto, the coincidental part of the story is that the narrator find a similar cat to Pluto without one eye, he takes it home but after a short while begins to hate it. One day the narrator and the wife decided to visit a cellar, the new cat got under his master’s feet nearly challenging him down the stairs. Fury ran over the narrator as he grabbed an axe throwing it at the cat with the intention to kill it, accidentally the axe stopped at his wife and   killed her, he goes on to conceal her body with bricks. The police came for investigation and were blinded by the brick wall thus making the narrator to go free, the cat a lso went missing. When the police came again for further investigations, the narrator was completely confident that they were going to find nothing only for the alarmed police to find the wife’s corpse. The black cat became the horror of the narrator. I was impressed by the fact that all that goes around will come back especially the evil one will always come back sooner and in a bad way, I also get impressed by the Edgar through the inspiration he brings out about anger. Anger at all the time should be control to avoid detrimental actions and some things that make us regret. At the end, I thought of selecting one of the Poe’s poems to see what could be impressive in them and I picked on The Raven (1845). This is a poem that talks about Raven’s unexplainable visit to an upset lover, who is slowly becoming mad. The lover who is a student is complaining for the loss of his love Lenore. The narrator sits reading a book†forgotten lore† as a way of relieving him from the pain of lost love. he gets amused by raven’s disposition, he ask the bird its name and the raven a responds ‘nevermore’ the narrator then gets shocked that the bird can talk though only the same word. He calls the bird a friend and then soon recalls that the bird will just fly out like the other friends have done before. The bird responds again, never more a word from the bird’s unhappy master. Though he tries to not to talk with the bird, the only thing that comes into the narrator’s mind is the lost love and he asks the bird if at a ll they will re-unit with Lenore in heaven. Most of the impressions that I found in this work unraveled when Poe tries to explain to us that in the times of sorrow, our soul is trapped perverse conflict, between to remember or to forget. Losing our love is a remorseful and a never ending remembrance. CONCLUSION Edgar Poe uses first person narrative in his work of writing so as to keep the reader in suspense to see if he will undisclose the narrator. The act of symbolism is also used in most of his stories as he tries to elaborate the relevancy of his story to the real life situations. Therefore, I find a lot of things to admire in Allan Poe’s works. A lot of impressive things are very evident in most of his works, hence the reason I am amazed by his works as a writer. References Asselineau, R. (2009). Edgar Allan Poe. New York: Minnesota Press. Quinn, H. (1998). Edgar Allan Poe Critical Biography. New York: JHU Press. Sova, D. (2007). Edgar Allan Poe. New York: Infobase.