Cesar Guarin First Filipino Ultra-Marathoner Essay Example for Free

Cesar Guarin First Filipino Ultra-Marathoner Essay Will you gamble your own welfare for the sake of others? Cesar Guarin, a 56-year-old entrepreneur and the first Filipino, first Asian and fourth person in history to run around the world proved that with a strong determination and with a purpose to help, anyone can bring their dream into reality. Guarin is known as the â€Å"Father of the Philippines Ultramarathon†. He joined Global Run which considered as one-of-a-kind marathon and the toughest run ever that began 1983 and will end in 2016. He already finished the first four legs of his Global Run wherein he run 11,583 kilometers from 1983 to 2009. After his last run in US-Canada (2009), he will again venture in another run, 2,053 kms. in the Australia marathon, the fifth leg of his Global Run. After completing the Australia leg, he will run across- Middle East (2012), England-Norway (2012), Finlan-Moscow (2013), Egypt-Israel-Jordan (2013), Japan-Korea (2014), India-Myanmar (2014) and Thailan-Singapore (2014) to complete the marathon. Despite of different hindrances like injuries, Guarin continuously run and this time it’s for a mission. He started a fund raising projects called â€Å"Batang Pangarap† and â€Å"Global Run, Alay sa Pilipino† to help poverty alleviation in the Philippines, to reduce the number of children on the street by encouraging them to venture into sports, to campaign the tourism of the Philippines and to show his appreciation to the Filipino community abroad for helping the country (Philippines). Guarin as an Ultramarathoner showed to the world that Filipino is a one-of-a-kind race.

The Introduction To Medical Tourism Tourism Essay

The Introduction To Medical Tourism Tourism Essay A patient going to a different country for either urgent or elective medical procedures is called medical tourism. Medical tourism is a term that has risen from the rapid growth of an industry, where people from all around the world are traveling to other countries to obtain medical, dental, and surgical care, while at the same time touring, vacationing, and fully experiencing the attractions of the countries that they are visiting. Medical tourism is next booming sector in India as information technology. Patients going to a different country for either urgent or elective medical procedures are fast becoming a worldwide, multibillion-dollar industry. The reasons patients travel for treatment vary. Many medical tourists from the United States are seeking treatment at a quarter or sometimes even a 10th of the cost at home. From Canada, it is often people who are frustrated by long waiting times. From Great Britain, the patient cant wait for treatment by the National Health Service but also cant afford to see a physician in private practice. For others, becoming a medical tourist is a chance to combine a tropical vacation with elective or plastic surgery. And more patients are coming from poorer countries such as Bangladesh where treatment may not be available. Medical tourism is actually thousands of years old. In ancient Greece, pilgrims and patients came from all over the Mediterranean to the sanctuary of the healing god, Asklepios, at Epidaurus. In Roman Britain, patients took the waters at a shrine at Bath, a practice that continued for 2,000 years. From the 18th century wealthy Europeans travelled to spas from Germany to the Nile. In the 21st century, relatively low-cost jet travel has taken the industry beyond the wealthy and desperate. Countries that actively promote medical tourism include Cuba, Costa Rica, Hungary, India, Israel, Jordan, Lithuania, Malaysia and Thailand. Belgium, Poland and Singapore are now entering the field. South Africa specializes in medical safaris-visit the country for a safari, with a stopover for plastic surgery, a nose job and a chance to see lions and elephants. Health tourism is another name or synonym for medical tourism. However it is sometimes used in the context of wellness, where people are looking to make healthy lifestyle choices such as eating better, practicing yoga or undergoing spa treatments. Medical Travel is another name or synonym for medical tourism. Medical Wellness and Spas Medical Spas and Wellness is sometimes called Health Tourism. Medical Wellness and Medical Spas have become an accepted industry within healthcare. Peoples wellness in general has been seen as a way to heal the body naturally. Many hospitals around the world have started to integrate medical wellness. Sometimes these medical wellness and spa treatments are called complementary or alternative treatments. The mayo clinic recommends for certain people the following forms of medical wellness for cancer patients, Acupuncture, Aromatherapy, Biofeedback, Exercise, Hypnosis, Massage Therapy, Music Therapy, Relaxation, Tai Chi, and Yoga. Medical Packages The health care sector in India has witnessed an enormous growth in infrastructure in the private and voluntary sector. The private sector which was very modest in the early stages has now become a flourishing industry equipped with the most modern state-of-the-art technology at its disposal. It is estimated that 75-80% of health care services and investments in India are now provided by the private sector. An added plus had been that India has one of the largest pharmaceutical industries in the world. It is self sufficient in drug production and exports drugs to more than 180 countries. Bone Marrow Transplant Brain Surgery Cancer Procedures (Oncology) Cardiac Care Cosmetic Surgery Dialysis and Kidney Transplant Drug Rehabilitation Gynecology Obstetrics Health Checkups Internal/Digestive Procedures Joint Replacement Surgery Nuclear Medicine Neurosurgery Trauma Surgery Preventive Health Care Refractive Surgery Osteoporosis Spine Related Urology Vascular surgery 1.2 Medical Tourism in Karnataka Situated in the southern part of India, the state of Karnataka spreads over the Deccan Plateau. At 300 BC., it had formed the southern tip of the Mauryan Empire. Its boundaries enlarged or receded swaying to the drum beats of history today it accounts for a sixteenth area of India has a population of about 45 million. Its language is Kannada its people are known as kannadigas. The three distinct regions are a narrow coastal area along Arabian Sea; high hills, the Western Ghats; sprawling plains towards the east. Karnataka popularly known for Carnatic Music through out the World has given much more to the World than Carnatic Music, a unique form of Classical Music patronized by many across the continents. Karnataka with all its richness in culture and traditional grandeur is also one of the fastest growing states in terms of industries and facilities. Karnataka is also known as the Capital of Agarbathi (Incense Sticks), Arecanut, Silk, Coffee and Sandal Wood. All this is apart fro m the fact that it has been the culture center for hundreds of years and its testimony stands spread across the state pulling millions of tourists from all parts of the world to Karnataka. Karnataka was known as Karunadu (elevated land) in ancient times. It is also believed that the name Karnataka has come from Kari-nadu meaning the land of black soil say the scholars some others hold that Karunadu also means beautiful country; either way the land is celebrated as beautiful throughout its ancient literature. The western strip across the Arabian sea is humid warm in summer, water-soaked in monsoon, profuse with coconut grooves paddy fields criss-crossed by strips of silvery streams sparkling stretches of sand. The hilly uplands of Malanad, One of the wettest regions of the world, where the bamboo flourishes wild areca, teak, rosewood matti are grown. It is also the home of the stately gaur langur. In its southern reaches frequent kheddas are held to capture roaming groups of e lephants. Also the swift deer the deadly tiger, roam animatedly in the forests. The east of the ghats is strikingly bare. This elevated stretch is supposed to be the oldest land on the earth where ancient rocks of earth are seen jutting in out odd shapes. Rivers like Cauvrey, Sharavathi Ghataprabha pass through upgraded valleys resulting in water-falls occasional rapids. 1.2.1 The Capital par excellence The capital par excellence Bangalore today has become an Industrial Metropolis. It is also called Indias science city. Sophisticated industries in the public sector employ thousands and thousands of workers. It is also called the Electronics city because most of the countrys basic electronic industries are based here. It is the fastest growing city in Asia. Aircraft building, telecommunication, aeronautics, machine manufacture, etc., have taken giant strides here. Bangalore was known for its salubrious climate, which however is now being debated because of the accelerated progress of modern industry. It is also called an air-conditioned city and a pensioners paradise. Karnataka is beautiful not only in the eyes of her sons and daughters. She captivates any one who sets eyes on her. It was the great Mauryan Emperor Chandragupta who traversed all the way from Magadha to distant Sravanabelagola to lay his remains in this land before entering the Kingdom of God. The course of Karnatakas history and culture takes us back to pre-historic times. The earliest find of the Stone Age period in India was a hand axe at Lingasugur in Raichur district. The Ashokas rock edicts found in the state indicates that major parts of Northern Karnataka were under the Mauryas. Chandragupta Maurya, the great Indian emperor abdicated the throne and embraced Jainism at Sravanabelagola. Adding new dimensions to the cultural and spiritual ethos of the land, many great dynasties left their imprint upon the aesthetic development of Karnatakas art forms. Prominent among them were the Chalukyas, the Hoysalas and the mighty Vijayanagara Empire. The Chalukyans built some of the very early Hindu temples in India. Aihole turned up as an experimental base for the dynamic creations of architects. The Hoysalas who ruled from the 11th to the 13th century chiseled their way into the pages of glory by building more than 150 temples each one is a masterpiece in its own way. The amazing dexterity and fluidi ty of expressions at Somnathpur, Halebid and Belur open themselves to the wide-eyed wonder in ones eyes. Vijayanagara, the greatest of all medieval Hindu empires and one of the greatest the world over, fostered the development of intellectual pursuits and fine arts. The eye of the pupil has never seen a place like it and the ear of intelligence has never been informed that there existed anything to equal it in the world is what Abdur Razaaq the Persian ambassador had to say about Krishnadevarayas time. The Vijayanagara Empire with its capital at Hampi fell a victim to the marauding army of the Deccan Sultan in 1565 A.D. As a consequence of this, Bijapur became the most important city of the region. This city is a land of monuments and perhaps no other city except Delhi has as many monuments as Bijapur. The Bahmani Shahis and the Adilshahis of Bijapur have played a notable part in the history of Karnataka by their contribution to the field of art and architecture and also by their propagation of Islam in the state. Hyder Ali and his valiant son Tipu Sultan are notable figures in the history of the land. They expanded the Mysore kingdom on an unprecedented scale and by their resistance against the British, became personages of world fame. Tipu was a great scholar and lover of literature. His artistic pursuits were also many and he made rich gifts to the Hindu temples. Tipu Sultan Tiger of Karnataka was killed in 1799 A.D., and the Mysore throne was handed over to the Wodeyars. The wh ole of Karnataka came under the control of the British in the beginning of the 19th century. The new state was named as new Mysore and the Maharaja of Mysore was appointed Governor by Independent India. This unified state was renamed as Karnataka on November 1, 1973. 1.2.2 Karnataka on global medical map Karnataka and especially Bangalore is now an acknowledged global medical destination. This is because of referral quality health services supported by qualified and experienced medical professionals, reputed medical research institutions, well connected for travel, conducive climate and cost of treatment being just one tenth that of global hospitals. Between 2005 end and 2006 August, the state has also witnessed a funding of 445 crore from leading corporate hospitals as a part of the brownfield and green field projects. These include a Rs. 200 crore from the Manipal Health Systems, Rs. 140 crore from Wockhardt Group of Hospitals, Rs. 100 crore from One World Hospital and Healing Centre promoted by Maureen Berlin and Rs. 5 crore by HealthCare Global Enterprises Limited (HCG), a leader in oncology care in the private sector in India. Bangalore has been acknowledged as the city with the highest number of multi speciality medical centres which have successfully treated a large number of international patients. These hospitals have proved the clinical competence and clinical delivery systems, In the last 18 months, there has been a major growth in the healthcare sector in the state. From new hospitals to expansions and partnerships, the healthcare sector is on an upward swing both at the government and private levels, stated the health minister. Under the state governments medical tourism project, six ISO 9000 certified district hospitals strategically located at tourist spots in Mandya, Hubli, Chitradurga, Kolar, Belgaum and the Vani Vilas Hospital in Bangalore are now ready to administer treatment during tourist emergencies. One of the main reasons why patients from the west come here is the long waiting period for a surgery in their country. Hence healthcare in Karnataka is on an expansion mode, stated Vishal Bali, vice president, Wockhardt and president, Confederation of Indian Industry (Healthcare). The state attracts foreign tourists in large numbers right through the year and many of the medical facilities can provide treatment on par with international standards. The team of qualified doctors, paramedics and extremely low treatment costs open up a huge business potential arising out of the difference in the cost of treatment. The ISO processes has helped in putting in place standardized protocols for functioning in a ll the departments of the hospitals in terms of processes and work instructions which are drawn from handling patients from reception to discharge. This has allowed the state to offer medical tourism services, stated Bali. Foreign tourists can cash in on the treatment cost factor which is one tenth lesser than in other countries stated Premachand Sagar, vice chairman and CEO, Sagar Hospital. Bangalore is also known for its leading medical facilities in all disease segments which include cardiac, nephrology, oncology, mental health, neuro care, orthopedics, ophthalmology, general medicine. Hospitals here get patients from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the Middle East and several African countries. Patients come here even from the UK and the US, informed Dr. Nagendra Swamy, Manipal Hospital. The hospitals identified for the medical tourism project are A.J Hospital and Research Centre, Bhagwan Mahaveer Jain Hospital, Hosmat Hospital , Mallige Medical Centre, Mallya Hospital, Manipal, Sagar Apollo, St.. Johns Medical College Hospital, Bangalore Institute of Oncology, Bangalore Kidney Foundation, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Rajan Speech and Healing Centre and Shekar Nethrayalaya. Besides, the International Holistic Health Centre (IIHC), headed by Dr. Issac Mathai. IIHC where its health and medical centre referred to as Soukya a recognised exclus ive world class therapeutic facility which adopts the concept of holistic healing combining all systems of medicine and therapies is also a recognised centre by the Union government. Soukya-India is a full-fledged health and medical facility at Whitefield near Bangalore which is thronged by patients from 42 countries. More hospitals, better services and corporate management have all created more jobs in the healthcare sector in Karnataka not just for doctors, nurses and technicians, but managers, administrators and IT-enabled services as well, stated government sources. For 2006-07, MHS will invest around Rs. 200 crore for setting up new hospitals and acquisitions. In Bangalore, a 300-bed facility will come up in 2009 neat the new international airport at Devanahalli in Yelahanka. This will be a one-of-a-kind Quardinary Care Centre focussing on multiple organ transplant among other specialities. We need to deploy a combination of concepts in healthcare management like mergers, acqui sitions and new investments which is an approach to survive in a high-risk business besides chalk strategies to keep ahead. In terms of bed strength, MHS is the highest in the country with a capacity of 5,000, informed R Basil CEO, Manipal Hospital. Wockhardt Hospitals Group has commissioned its state-of-the-art second hospital in Bangalore which is on the Bannerghatta Road. The multi specialty 400-bed facility with cardiac care, brain spine, bone joint and womens health is expected to touch Rs. 140 crore investment once it is completed. The facility will have the highest intensive care unit of 75 beds. For paediatric cardiology it will become the National Referral Centre with a neonatal ICU of 15-bed. Between the two hospitals in Bangalore, the Group will have 520-bed offering. It will have the latest equipment from medical technology majors like Medtronic, GE Healthcare, Philips and Siemens and with the best medical professionals. A 200 bed One World Hospital and Healing Centre promoted by Maureen Berlin at an investment of over Rs. 100 crore on a 10 acre area within the premises of the leading 1,200 bed missionary medical centre, St. Johns National Academy of Sciences campus. Is expected to be commissioned in late 2007. Thi s is a multi super specialty hospital with eight operation theatres, 44 intensive care unit beds. The treatment and therapy is based on the blended medicine concept proven and tried by Dr. Earl Bakken co-founded Medtronic, Inc. and inventor of the first transistorized cardiac pacemaker and founder, the North Hawaiian Hospital in the Big Islands, Hawaii. Hence the hospital will integrate modern medical practices along with yoga, Pranic healing and Reiki besides aqua-therapy proved by the western healthcare specialists HealthCare Global Enterprises Limited (HCG), a leader in oncology care in the private sector in India, has raised Rs. 5 crore in equity from IDFC Private Equity Fund II, a fund managed by IDFC Private Equity. The funds are to develop a nationwide network dedicated to oncology. Under the first phase of the project which entails an investment of Rs. 1.5 crore , 13 new cancer treatment centres at various locations and expansions to Bangalore Institute of Oncology will be m ade. Besides, PET-CT centre and GMP radiopharmaceutical unit and Central reference laboratory and clinical trials management centre will be set-up, stated Dr. Ajai Kumar, Chairman and Promoter of HCG Enterprises. 1.2.3 Dual Purpose Tourism According to an official from the Karnataka Tourism Department, healthcare in Bangalore came into the limelight when Noor Fatima from Pakistan came to Narayana Hrudayalaya in July 2003, and was operated on by Dr Devi Shetty. After that, there was no looking back for the city. Her surgery was a landmark because not only did it help in thawing the hostility between the two neighbouring countries, but also drastically reversed the table in the medical scenario of the city for the better. Hospitals and corporate establishments in the city have realised the potential of this niche market and have accordingly channelised their needs and facilities. Travel agents and hotels are structuring their packages and holiday schemes in accordance with the inflow of foreign patients coming into the city. Corporate bigwigs like Apollo have collaborated with travel agents to come up with SitaCare in a bid to attract more tourists to the city. Its not just the Indians and the NRIs from the neighbouring countries who are streaming into India for medical treatment. Apart from NRIs, foreign patients mainly come in from the Gulf, Europe (mainly UK) surprisingly from South East Asia and the US. They come to Bangalore with a dual strategy in mind to get their medical treatment at one-third the cost and to explore Bangalore. A spokesperson from Thomas Cook India informs, International patients mainly go to Coorg, Mysore, Hampi, Ketur, Belgaum and Bagalkot. In the long run, they add to the foreign exchange of the country. The idea is to kill two birds with one stone. 1.2.4 Bangalore as a destination From being a global outsourcing centre, Bangalore has now become a health giver to the world. Medical tourism as a phenomenon is only eight to ten years old in the city. Compared to metros like Mumbai and Chennai, Bangalore was a late starter in the race. However, considering the entrepreneurial spirit of the city, it has caught up. Today, the city aims to become the numero uno in attracting foreign patients from all across the world. So the question is, why Bangalore? How has it managed to emerge as the hot seat for healthcare both for domestic and for offshore patients? Experts point out myriad reasons. Dr Kishore Murthy, CEO, Hosmat Hospital explains, Bangalore is a well-known brand in the world. It is a knowledge city, has the top hospitals and also offers pleasant weather for patients coming here for treatment. Vishal Bali, CEO, Wockhardt Hospitals echoes, Bangalore has a tremendous impact in the world. Today, people abroad associate India with Bangalore. There is a lot of new h ealth infrastructure. Courtesy the IT industry it is known as the knowledge hub and the hospitals here are internationally acclaimed. According to a spokesperson from Manipal Hospital, The weather of Bangalore is perhaps the biggest factor for foreign patients coming into the city. It suits almost all patients. Patients say that unlike other cities, they are extremely comfortable with the weather here. Vittal Murthy, Secretary, Kannada Culture Information and Tourism throws light on another aspect. Bangalore has always been the hub for healthcare since the British era. Now, it has become the centre of attraction primarily because of the large number of top hospitals in the city and the innumerable medical institutes and colleges. Hence, the number of medical experts and professionals are also increasing by the day. Another source from Karnataka Government Tourism points out, Most of the hospitals in Bangalore have capitalised on the growth of the floating population and the growth o f the income bracket. Additionally, holistic health centres in the city also offer alternate systems of therapy like yoga, Art of Living courses and Ayurvedic therapies. Moreover, most experts from the industry acknowledge the fact that the cost of surgeries like cardiac surgeries, cancer treatment or an orthopaedic surgery is one-third the cost charged in developed countries like the US or the UK. There is also a close nexus between technology and the healthcare sector in Bangalore. There have been cases in our hospital where a patient had not been diagnosed of a particular disease abroad but when they came here their disease was detected, adds the same spokesperson from Manipal. Online appointments with doctors and specialists have made treatment easier and the waiting period for patients has considerably reduced. This in turn has led to an inflow of foreign patients into the city, informs HOSMATs Dr Murthy. The concept of telemedicine is being used on a large scale by hospitals s uch as Manipal and Narayana Hrudayalaya. Resumes of doctors are displayed online so that international patients can choose their doctors. 1.2.5 International Collaboration Internationally-acclaimed doctors and specialists choose to venture out in this city-this is yet another feather in the cap for the city, which till date was only associated with IT. This is not all. Hospitals are having tie ups with internationally acclaimed medical brands. Bali adds, Perhaps the plus point for Wockhardt is its association with Harvard Medical International (HMI), which has a reputation across the world for the quality services rendered to its patients. This in turn has led to more foreign patients coming into our hospital. International patients are very discerning. Before venturing out for treatment to another country, they see to it that they are well informed and not kept in the dark. At the end of the day, patients are always on the look out for quality services, and that is exactly what hospitals in Bangalore are aiming to achieve-to strike the perfect equilibrium between quality and quantity. 1.2.6 Different Strokes for Different Folks Different hospitals adopt different strategies to attract overseas patients. Sagar Apollo Hospital, for instance, has systematically planned its strategies. We have standardized almost all protocols in terms of smoother licensing with international system of integrated health-oriented value additions, holistic health solutions as well as conceptual health-oriented options. For instance, we have started with a system of cashless payment with providers and working on a new concept healthcare focusing not only on the highest international standard healthcare but also on integrated health and hospitality snergy where the services are not just promoted as a package. It is rather positioned as an effort to highlight Bangalore as just not a medical hub but as a place which in technology travellers in taking their healthcare beyond boundaries at their personal standards. Hospitals in Bangalore are now providing the services usually provided by a five-star hotel. Accommodation in hotels, whic h is usually a herculean task for foreign patients, is provided both for the relatives as well as the patients. HOSMAT Hospital even has a building within its campus to accommodate relatives of patients. Airport drops and pick-ups for patients and relatives are all rendered by the hospitality division of the hospital. Most of the hospitals have come up with a travel desk to cater to foreign patients and their relatives. Manipal Hospital, for instance, has an International Patient Care Centre. Additionally, a lot of emphasis is laid on the infrastructure of their hospital. Manipal, for example, has specially designed delux rooms, with posh dà ©cor and offers myriad facilities like pantry service and a wireless Internet connection. HOSMAT Hospital is coming up with two floors in its premises dedicated to international patients. These two floors alone have around 80-100 beds. This is indicative of the growing realisation about promoting medical tourism in the city. 1.2.7 Government Does Its Bit Apparently the Karnataka Government is taking a slew of initiatives in promoting medical tourism in the state. An expert says, Not just the Karnataka Government, but State Governments all across the country are realising the potential and the benefits that can come about through medical tourism. Most experts from the industry have acknowledged the fact that the State Government is supportive and enthusiastic in promoting medical tourism in the city in particular and the State as a whole Commissioner, Department of Tourism, Karnataka, states, We have regular annual meets wherein we talk with the medical industry on a one-to-one basis. We do have plans to form a council of the medical community, but it is in a nascent stage as of now. The Karnataka government right now is working in a meticulous manner. They first conduct research to study key players in the field, which include not just the top hospitals but travel agents and consulates in the city. Their performance over the year is reviewed and simultaneously suggestions are taken. Consulates and travel agents have their networks abroad. So, it is easier for us to have international conferences and contacts, adds Tourism commissioner. Vittal Murthy also gives an interesting bit of information. After the advent of the IT industry in Bangalore, the IT park was opened up. On similar lines, with the advent of the healthcare industry here, we are contemplating opening up a health park. However, the endeavour is still in its ideation stage and will take some time before it takes shape. The Government also holds health tourism expos. A recent one was held at Bahrain. Such meets are a platform for the Government to meet international experts from the medical fraternity and brief them about the competence of Indian healthcare industry. Its not just the State Government which is putting in a lot of interest. The Central Government, realising the potential of this sector, has come up with a national agenda and is holding tourism trade fairs at regular intervals around the year. This has given new impetus to medical tourism. Naik diplomatically adds, We are open to anything that will promote medical tourism. Ultimately, it is the doctors and experts from the medical fraternity who are responsible for the boom of medical tourism in the city. This remark is indeed a testimony to the positive nexus of private healthcare with the government. 1.2.8 Travel Reaps the Fruits It is not just the hospitals which are grabbing the limelight. Travel agents and hotels are cashing in on the situation and are coming up with schemes and packages to attract foreign patients to the city. They are gradually realising that immense benefits can be reaped. The Leela Palaces and Resorts, Bangalore, which purely caters to the corporate class, have now decided to spread its wings according to the change in times and trends. The five-star hotel group has decided to tie up with Manipal Hospital. Nitienaa Arif, Head- PR and Communications, Leela Palaces, Bangalore mentions, We are a business hotel, but understanding the need for medical tourism in the city, we have tied up with Manipal. Everything is in the processing stage. This is not all. The five-star hotel has also joined hands with Globe Health Tours. Air Travel Enterprises (ATE) also offers a whole lot of packages to foreign patients. EM Najeeb, Chairman and Managing Director, ATE, points out, We offer packages for car diac surgery, plastic surgery, dental surgery, Ayurveda and orthopaedic surgeries. In addition to this, ATE has a meticulous plan chalked out. We first identify patients who want medical treatment in this part of the country. We then recommend them to hospitals. Their arrival, departure and accommodation are all handled by us. An important point to remember is that the role of travel agents and hotels is only in its elementary stage. Purnima Castelino-Dabreo, Public Relations Executive, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, Bangalore, states, Medical tourism is in a nascent stage, but we are looking at cultivating it as a potential segment. The opening of the international airport in the city has attracted the attention of not just the tourists but even players in the hotel industry. Altogether, there are 39 projects coming up in the city. This, in the long run can eradicate problems of accommodation in the city. It will take some time before these agents become one of the major forces in promoting healthcare in Bangalore. Vigilance and patience are the keywords-perhaps the means to achieve that end. 1.2.9 Hurdles to Overcome The grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence. But the fact remains that for any upcoming trend, the journey is not smooth sailing. There are always two sides to any story. As of now, the major obstacle that might hamper the growth of this promising trend is the unsystematic infrastructure of the city. Due to increase in the floating population, the roads are congested and traffic snarls have become the order of the day. Hene, commuting in the city has become a major problem. Paucity of hotel accommodation within the city for patients and relatives also poses an obstacle for international patients coming to the city. Despite an increase in service flats and a boom in the real estate business, there is no change in the problem. International flights have commenced in Bangalore, but there is connectivity only to a few countries. Bali points out, The first impression is lasting in the mind of a person visiting Bangalore for the first time. International patients in parti cular get dismayed at the appalling conditions of Bangalores infrastructure in contrast to the plush dà ©cor of the hospitals. Daniel gives another interesting aspect, In case of medical evacuationswhere patients have to be airlifted, at least eight seats have to be reserved. Most of the time, this is not possible. Moreover, a lot of money is required to transport the doctor, the attendants the patients and their relatives. 1.2.10 Possible Solutions Government officials have chalked out a solution to this problem. In another one to one and a half years, the international airport in Bangalore will have connectivity with almost all the major countries across the globe, predicts Murthy. He further adds, We are also coming up with a Metro Rail Project and five townships in the city to ease congestion. There are plans to launch air ambulances and helipads to facilitate easy transport of patients from other countries. And as far as the problem of accommodation is concerned, most hospitals are coming up with accommodation within their premises for patients as well as t

Experiences with Mini Implants Among Paediatric Patients

Experiences with Mini Implants Among Paediatric Patients EXPERIENCE OF PEDIATRIC PATIENTS WITH MINI IMPLANTS UNDER GOING ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT ABSTRACT Objectives: Mini-implants are gaining achievement in orthodontics procedures as they provide maximum anchorage. The study is planned to evaluate different experiences with mini implants among pediatric patients. Methods: This study was done among 86 patients with a mean age of 14Â ±23 years. All the participants were interviewed with the help of a questionnaire containing information as experience during treatment with mini implants, acceptance rate of mini implants, complications faced during procedure and satisfactory results with the treatment. Visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to record pain parameters. The data was analyzed by SPSS 16.0 software. Nonparametric test was applied to obtain the median of VAS scores. Results: Most of the patients face problems with mini implants during mastication of food (28.2%) and speech (23.6%). It also leads to poor oral hygiene in 16.4% of the subjects. The highest VAS scores were traced from the period of one to twenty hour i.e. (33.7 to 40.2). It was observed that most of the subjects get adopted to the mini implants in 5 to 10 days. Conclusions: It is safe and sound to use mini-implants as an orthodontic anchorage device among patients undergoing orthodontic treatment. Mini implants are unquestionably accessory tools for treatment of orthodontists and ought to be utilized in selected cases demanding greatest anchorage. Keywords: Mini-implants, Orthodontics, Pediatric patients. INTRODUCTION Orthodontic procedure is recommended for aesthetics and proper functioning of teeth. Patients look for orthodontic treatment mainly for aesthetic motives but orthodontists normally advise orthodontic treatment to patients for function purposes.1 Orthodontic treatment takes a longer duration in alignment of dentition that leads to dissatisfaction among the patients. So, numbers of techniques have been introduced to assist in the reduction of duration of the treatment.2 Temporary anchorage devices and surgical corticotomies have been discovered for lesser-duration treatment. Reducing the period of treatment with effective techniques, increases the acceptability among patients to accept the orthodontic procedure. 3-4 The usage of temporary anchorage devices (TADs) also recognized as mini-implants can accelerate the treatment in a number of cases.5 Temporary anchorage device or mini implants momentarily fixed to bone for the principle of providing orthodontic anchorage by supporting the teeth, which is subsequently removed after use.6 Mini implants produce skeletal anchorage and have been successfully proven in the treatment of cases with varying degrees of complications, if their placement is correctly positioned. Additional concern is to maintain oral hygiene around the TAD by the patient.7-8 Currently, mini-implants have gained significant status as they provide greatest anchorage in conditions involving orthodontic movements that require maximum control.9 Considering the insertion sites, mini-implants can be fixed in the cortical region of the alveolar bone of mandibular molar; in the median or paramedian sagittal area of the maxillary hard palate; and in the zygomatic bone for orthodontic corrections.10 Height and anatomic structures of the bone determine the length, shape and thickness of mini implants.11 Despite the scientifically advancement in mini-implant use, still there are some limitations of surgical risk with some patients that leads to unwillingness in accepting these devices.12 The present study is done to determine different experiences with mini implants among pediatric patients. METHODOLOGY This epidemiological study was done among patients undergoing orthodontic treatment in the Department of Pedodontics from April to December 2014 in Karad Institute of Dental Sciences. Prior to collection of data, ethical approval was obtained from the Institute and informed consent was taken from all the participants or their guardians. All the willing participants in whom mini implants were fixed were included in the survey and participants with cleft lip and palate and with medical problems were excluded. A pre-tested survey was done among a 10 subjects in order to make sure the level of validity. In this survey, all the participants or their guardians were interviewed with the help of a questionnaire containing information as experience during treatment with mini implants, acceptance rate of mini implants, tolerance, complications faced during procedure and satisfactory results with the treatment. Every subject was asked to complete a questionnaire with eight sections from 1 to 8 according to severity of discomfort with visual analogue scale (VAS). Discomfort level was noted at different intervals of time. The data was analyzed by SPSS 16.0 software. Nonparametric test was applied to obtain the median of VAS scores. RESULTS The total study sample was 86 whom mini implant was fixed with orthodontic appliances. The participants were categorized as boys (41) girls (45) with a mean age of 14Â ±23 years. After fixing the mini implant, most of the patients showed satisfactory results with time (86.4%). In the present study, the most disagreeable feeling experienced was due to the pressure of mini implants on teeth surface (42.6%) followed by the time of insertion when the implant is placed in the bone (36.5%). Few subjects feel unpleasantness at the time of removal of implant (20.9%) as shown in Graph 1. Graph 2 showed that most of the patients face problems with mini implants during mastication of food (28.2%) and speech (23.6%). It also leads to poor oral hygiene in 16.4% of the subjects. It causes injuries in 10.6% of the participants. Less number of participants showed its relation to poor aesthetics (6.5%). The highest VAS scores were traced from the period of one hour to twenty hour i.e. (33.7 to 40.2). After this time the scores declined as 15.7 after one week, 8.2 after two week and 2.3 after one month (Graph 3). After the placement of mini-implant, the immediate effect noticed by the patients is the pressure on tooth surface (31.3%) followed by pressure on mini implants (26.5%). Some felt discomfort in the jaw bone (18.7%) and hard palate (14.6%) as mentioned in Graph 4. It was observed that most of the subjects get adopted to the mini implants in 5 to 10 days i.e. 37.4%, followed by 29.6% in 10 to 15 days. Less than twenty percent get used to within five days. Few participants showed normal response with implants after 15 days as showd in Graph 5. DISCUSSION Anchorage is the resistance to unwanted movement of tooth. The increased use of temporary anchorage devices (mini implants) has developed to decrease the risks of patient compliance in the wish of providing supplementary outcomes.13 They also provide increased flexibility in supporting the tooth movements with conventional appliance mechanics.14 The level of pain after placement of mini implant was seen maximum from one to twenty hours and the peak declined after one week. The result of the present study was similar with study done by Kuroda et al., 2007. This drop in pain level could be brought by the restraint of supporting soft tissues.15 Regarding the most disagreeable experience with mini implants felt by patients was pressure of implant followed by its placement. However Bustamante et al showed that numbness from the anesthetic was mentioned by 20%, pressure from mini implant fixation by 40% and too lengthy procedure was mentioned by 10% of patients. The fact behind the pressure of mini implant is perfectly understandable as it was a new procedure and unknown for the patients. It had been suggested by the orthodontist with the aim of facilitating the orthodontic treatment. Even after consenting to the procedure, patients felt some psychological discomfort, even though no pain had been said.16 When the experience of mini implants was observed, mastication and speaking problems were commonly seen in the participants. But Bustamante et al showed that oral hygiene difficulties were mentioned by 40%, mastication difficulties by 10%, psychological pain by 10%. In spite of the huge contribution of these mini implants, they pose complexities related to surgical procedures, and discomfort level to the patients. Notwithstanding these barriers, patients should be inform in advance that surgical procedures are simple are performed under local anesthetic. In addition, procedure efficiency is improved and time is shortened.17 The study showed that most of the patients adapted to these mini implants 5 to 15 days, as the pain subsides with time and structures supporting implant get stabilized with implant. The time required to adapting to mini implants, ranged from 5 to 15 days. Bustamante et al in their study mentioned that patients required around ten days to get used to implants. Sixty percent were entirely adapted by third day after surgery, whereas others required a longer duration of time.16 CONCLUSIONS The study showed that most of the participants were satisfied with mini implants as it accelerates the treatment. Mostly discomfort level was noted by the pressure of mini implant. Later on it also leads to chewing, speaking and hygiene problems. The peak level of pain was from one hour to one day and most of the subjects get used to the implants within 20 days. Mini implants are unquestionably accessory tools for treatment of orthodontists and ought to be utilized in selected cases demanding greatest anchorage. 1

Lasers :: essays research papers

L A S E R S   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Did you know that some laser beams are small enough and powerful enough to drill two hundred holes on a spot as tiny as the head of a pin?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first major advancement in laser development came in 1954. This was the year that Charles H. Townes, an American physicist, created a device that amplified microwaves. This device was actually called a maser at first, which was short for Microwave Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation Masers. It produced microwaves of just one frequency. Then the laser was developed from the maser.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Several people have been accredited for the development of the laser’s basic design. These people are as follows: American Arthur L. Shcawlow, the Russians Alexander M. Prokhorov and Nikolai G. Basov, and the American Gordon Gould. But the first laser was constructed in 1960 by American physicist T.H. Maiman and it is still one of the most powerful lasers available. This laser used a ruby rod for its active medium, which is its way of producing light. Ali Javan then created the first gas laser later in 1960. Three separate teams of American scientists operated the first semiconductor laser in 1962. Then in 1966, the American physicist Peter Sorokin built the first dye laser.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To begin with, I will explain the definition of a laser: It is a device that produces a very narrow powerful beam of light. A laser light is a narrow beam of light, in which all the waves are traveling exactly at the same length and moving together as one. A laser light is made up of only one wavelength and it is a single pure color, while a normal light has many different wavelengths or colors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The most common laser has three parts to it. They are energy source, an active medium, and optical cavity. An energy source can be anything that can give energy to the active medium through a process called “pumping.'; Lasers often use electricity; usually a device called a flash lamp, as the energy source. An active medium is any material that can be used to create a laser light. The optical cavity is the structure that encloses the active medium. Most cavities have mirrors on both ends, one that fully reflects light and another that partially reflects light. The laser beam actually exits through the mirror that is partially reflecting.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The central process of the laser is called stimulated emission.

Polymerase Chain Reaction Lab :: essays research papers

Title: Polymerase Chain Reaction Simulation Propose: The propose of this lab was to understand how by running a gel electrophoresis on a batch of DNA we are able to see how many approximately cycles it has gone through. Methods: Casting the Agarose Gel In this experiment .8% solution was used. By using a 250ml flask the buffer solution was prepared. Using the equation to make enough solution for the entire lab class the equation had to be multiplied by four. The contents of this equation were added to the 250ml flask and swirled to evenly distribute it contents. Then a mark was placed on the outside of the flask to indicate the level of the solution before heating. The flask opening had perafilm placed over it so that there was little to no evaporation. The solution was then placed in the microwave and heated. The solution was then heated for one min and swirled for evenly dissolved Agarose. The Agarose was then cooled, so that it was not to hot and the plate would crack. Some water was added to the solution because of there was some evaporation during heating. Once the gel had cooled, it was poured into the plate between the rubber dams. The plate was filled about half way up the comb arms. These d ams are placed in the plate to prevent leaking. Then the gel was added and allowed to completely soiditify, which takes around 20mins. Preparing the Gel for Electrophoresis once the rubber dams have been removed (carefully), the comb was then removed. Then the buffer was made. The buffer was made by using the equation, but also multiplying it by four, for the three lab groups. Then the chambers around the gel plate is filled with the buffer, just enough buffer to cover the gel plate in a very small amount. Then the dyes were loaded to there correct wells. Once the gels were added (carefully) the lid was placed on the plate and system was turned on. The system ran for about 10mins. (Hint the system is running when there are bubbles occurring in the buffer solution. Once the gel had been run the exactly gel had been removed from the buffer, placed on tin foil and moisten with a small amount of buffer solution. Then the gel had a DNA Instastain sheet placed on top of it. The sheet was placed on the gel firmly and a beackr and gel casting tray were placed on top of the gel.

As a Child

Our whole lives, we have been taught to be ambitious and competitive. Getting accepted into a prestigious university and employment in a high-paying job is essential in life, and is the way to be happy. So far, this is what I have tried to follow for the past 10 years, but is that really how one should live their life? Constantly picking faults, looking at the next best thing, earning the most money, does money really buy happiness? The summer of 2009, I flew to Delhi, India with my mother to visit my uncles, aunts and my grandfather as they were in shock because one of my aunts had died. A week after we arrived, we headed for a week-long trip to see the rest of Delhi, with our family. As a child, I always thought of India as a developing nation and I envisioned broken streets and bathrooms everywhere. But as I walked into the hotel, I realized that this place was really professional, much like Toronto is, with clean roads, no bathroom stalls on the streets. The only issue I had was with the mosquitoes; they would visit us every night and became a nuisance! The next few days were similarly surprising and fun. The way they made every day an adventure. In the evenings, after dinner, everyone would start up the karaoke machine and sing along in Hindi to it. They would stand together, holding hands and swaying to the music, and before I knew it, all my worries were gone. The days seemed to fly by quickly. The last night of our trip, we all ate dinner around a big, round table. They all talked about their lives and the hardships they faced. I had known the basics about their past careers as my mother had told me on the way here, but what my grandfather told me, shocked me. He was nowhere near as well-off as I had expected. He explained how many relationships were torn apart because of disputes, divorce and even death. Yet even as my grandfather told me of all his hardships, he smiled like a pug with a face with countless wrinkles, encouraging me to strive for my goals and to value my youth. I couldn't smile back. How could these people still laugh and sing as I had seen them do for the past few days when their lives were so imperfect? I couldn't even begin to imagine what it would feel like to go through all that pain; the idea was simply beyond me. â€Å"It is inevitable that life deals you hardships and obstacles†, he explained. â€Å"Sometimes they are big and it may seem im possible to overcome them, but you always have to try.† He pointed to his wallet with a picture of my cousin as an example. â€Å"There is no way to bring her back†, he told me. I thought about myself, and how I used to cry over a bad haircut. I remembered the time when I was in grade 7; I had failed a math test, and thought it was the end of the world. The smallest, most meaningless things used to ruin my day. As I looked around the table at all the smiling faces of my uncles and aunts, I began to realize that what grades you get or what university you go to, is all completely irrelevant. Money, popularity, and all our obsessions for things are so meaningless! Nothing in the world could make me happy if I was constantly looking at the next best thing and continuously picking faults. Yet my grandfather had possessed no material wealth, didn't go to the greatest university, wasn't the smartest student, but seemed like the happiest person on earth. The rest of my trip in India passed by in a blur. Before I knew it, I was sitting in an airplane, watching Delhi fall below me, and for some reason, as I thought of my family and all their joy and passion for life, I was reminded of a quote I had heard somewhere. â€Å"Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.† That was when I realized that there would always be problems in our lives, but beside them are also all the good things; they are simply overshadowed. It is just up to us to find them.

Could or should psychology be called a science? Essay

The advantages of calling psychology a science are huge. It allows us to state that it contains objective facts, correct our mistakes and build on previous discoveries. However many refute giving psychology the tile of ‘a science’ believing that humans are far too complex in their processes to be explained in generalised terms. The key assumptions of ‘science’ are; Invariance, in science a set of laws don’t change, Determinism, meaning that everything can be explained using these laws and that there is a reason for everything and finally Operationalism, trusting in an objective and accurate set of measured variables. Many psychologists believe that these key principals conflict with those of human cognitions; which are often complex and seem to fail to follow any set rules of nature. People inevitably change over time; this fact challenges the principal of ‘Invariance’ from the scientific point of view. However there is a difference in changes found on behaviour and those found in ‘laws’. For example trends of music have changed with time and culture, but the underlying psychological cognitions behind those changes haven’t been altered; group pressure still remains. Science asserts that one set of rules can apply for everyone; determinism. However a psychologist would state that its very founding principals of the ‘psyche’ means that people follow many different sets of rules and cannot be forced into one category due to differing levels of cognitions. This might be challenged be saying that science chooses to follow a set of rules that are as simple as they can be, but that psychology might have to have a more complex set of rules in order to appreciate human differences. An analogy used to support this is that, â€Å"In spelling ‘I’ before ‘E’ doesn’t always work, but the more complex rule of ‘I’ before ‘E’ except after ‘C’ does. † Finally the challenge to the idea of ‘operationalism’ comes form the fact that many psychologists believe that you can’t observe and measure thoughts and feelings directly, as they are internal. However science might say that you can infer the thoughts and feelings of a person from their external behaviour. Many psychologists would state that ‘psychologies inability to predict human behaviour could be taken as proof that psychology isn’t a science because science works on the principals that if you observe something enough times you will be able to understand it and predict what will happen in the future. ‘ Science however, began like psychology; without all the answers and indeed even modern medical science cannot predict all the answers e. g. Modern medicinal science doesn’t know how to cure cancer because they don’t know how it will react to different drugs. We would demand a far more complex analysis from a psychologist than we would from other scientists. We might ask a psychologist what a human will do, this question could be considered as broad as asking a physicist what will happen to a specific drop of water in the ocean. There are a great deal of variables influencing human behaviour, therefore making it unrealistic to expect that people’s behaviour could be predicted from observing just one or two variables, similarly in physics; the behaviour of particles can’t be predicted due to the fact that not all of the determinants of the particles behaviour can be observed at once. Psychology cannot be discounted as a science just due to the fact that we don’t know the cause of something. As a psychologist you should appreciate the fact that humans have an inability to know everything and just because we don’t know the cause it doesn’t mean that it isn’t there. If psychology were a science there would be some key issues that would need sorting before people accepted its status. The knowledge gained through psychological research might be mis-used. Given to those in political or economic power psychological research could mean that humans have an inability to defend themselves against certain ideas that were being forced upon them. If psychology became a science then humans would have to be tested upon to gain more accurate results and to create complex laws about them. These experiments might be unethical, for example we have seen the research that Milgram did, however even though it was controversial the participants agreed that they were unharmed and that they were glad to have participated. There would also be strict ethical guidelines should humans be tested on. Many psychologists believe that the reason psychology shouldn’t be a science is due to the mysterious and uncertain nature of it. The fact that we don’t understand ‘love’ might make it seem more magical and exciting, something that appeals to human nature. The advantages to understanding something like love would mean that we could prevent areas such as divorce, break up and heartbreak, causing a less painful world for humans. The complexity of areas of psychology, such as love and hate, means that inevitably the mystery and human mis-understanding surrounding such phenomena would be unlikely to be removed.