Ovarian Cancer Essays - Gynaecological Cancer, RTT, Tumor Markers

Ovarian Cancer Of all gynecologic malignancies, ovarian cancer continues to have the highest mortality and is the most difficult to diagnose. In the United States female population, ovarian cancer ranks fifth in absolute mortality among cancer related deaths (13,000/yr). In most reported cases, ovarian cancer, when first diagnosed is in stages III or IV in about 60 to 70% of patients which further complicates treatment of the disease (Barber, 3). Early detection in ovarian cancer is hampered by the lack of appropriate tumor markers and clinically, most patients fail to develop significant symptoms until they reach advanced stage disease. The characteristics of ovarian cancer have been studied in primary tumors and in established ovarian tumor cell lines which provide a reproducible source of tumor material. Among the major clinical problems of ovarian cancer, malignant progression, rapid emergence of drug resistance, and associated cross-resistance remain unresolved. Ovarian cancer has a high frequency of metastasis yet generally remains localized within the peritoneal cavity. Tumor development has been associated with aberrant, dysfunctional expression and/or mutation of various genes. This can include oncogene overexpression, amplification or mutation, aberrant tumor suppressor expression or mutation. Also, subversion of host antitumor immune responses may play a role in the pathogenesis of cancer (Sharp, 77). Ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma was first described by Peham in 1899 as "hypernephroma of the ovary" because of its resemblance to renal cell carcinoma. By 1939, Schiller noted a histologic similarity to mesonephric tubules and classified these tumors as "mesonephromas." In 1944, Saphir and Lackner described two cases of "hypernephroid carcinoma of the ovary" and proposed "clear cell" adenocarcinoma as an alternative term. Clear cell tumors of the ovary are now generally considered to be of mullerian and in the genital tract of mullerian origin. A number of examples of clear cell adenocarcinoma have been reported to arise from the epithelium of an endometriotic cyst (Yoonessi, 289). Occasionally, a renal cell carcinoma metastasizes to the ovary and may be confused with a primary clear cell adenocarcinoma. Ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma (OCCA) has been recognized as a distinct histologic entity in the World Health Organization (WHO) classification of ovarian tumors since 1973 and is the most lethal ovarian neoplasm with an overall five year survival of only 34% (Kennedy, 342). Clear cell adenocarcinoma, like most ovarian cancers, originates from the ovarian epithelium which is a single layer of cells found on the surface of the ovary. Patients with ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma are typically above the age of 30 with a median of 54 which is similar to that of ovarian epithelial cancer in general. OCCA represents approximately 6% of ovarian cancers and bilateral ovarian involvement occurs in less that 50% of patients even in advanced cases. The association of OCCA and endometriosis is well documented (De La Cuesta, 243). This was confirmed by Kennedy et al who encountered histologic or intraoperative evidence of endometriosis in 45% of their study patients. Transformation from endometriosis to clear cell adenocarcinoma has been previously demonstrated in sporadic cases but was not observed by Kennedy et al. Hypercalcemia occurs in a significant percentage of patients with OCCA. Patients with advanced disease are more typically affected than patients with nonmetastatic disease. Patients with OCCA are also more likely to have Stage I disease than are patients with ovarian epithelial cancer in general (Kennedy, 348). Histologic grade has been useful as an initial prognostic determinant in some studies of epithelial cancers of the ovary. The grading of ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma has been problematic and is complicated by the multiplicity of histologic patterns found in the same tumor. Similar problems have been found in attempted grading of clear cell adenocarcinoma of the endometrium (Disaia, 176). Despite these problems, tumor grading has been attempted but has failed to demonstrate prognostic significance. However, collected data suggest that low mitotic activity and a predominance of clear cells may be favorable histologic features (Piver, 136). Risk factors for OCCA and ovarian cancer in general are much less clear than for other genital tumors with general agreement on two risk factors: nulliparity and family history. There is a higher frequency of carcinoma in unmarried women and in married women with low parity. Gonadal dysgenesis in children is associated with a higher risk of developing ovarian cancer while oral contraceptives are associated with a decreased risk. Genetic and candidate host genes may be altered in susceptible families. Among those currently under investigation is

QA How and Why Should I Keep Track of Time on the SAT or ACT

QA How and Why Should I Keep Track of Time on the SAT or ACT SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you want to do well on the SAT or ACT, keeping track of time and how many questions you have left is extremely important. Sections are 35-60 minutes long on the ACT and 25-65 minutes long on the SAT. One of the leading reasons students perform poorly on either test is that they run out of time. And one of the leading reasons students run out of time is not because they're not aware of how much time is left. We'll go over the best way to keep track of time on the SAT/ACT in this article, including what timekeeping devices are and are not permitted on test day. Q: How Does Knowing How Much Time Is Left Help Me? Answer: It lets you plan out which questions to answer first. For each SAT/ACT section, most people agree that it's strategically best to start with the questions that are easy for you. You can then go back and answer the harder ones in an order that depends on how much time is left. If you have three hard questions and 15 minutes left, it probably doesn’t matter what order you do them in. On the other hand, if you only have five minutes left to do three hard questions, you should try to do the easiest-looking one first. But you can’t even make that choice if you have to rely on having a good view of the big clock on the wall or on the proctor's desk. Q: What Can I Bring to Time the Exam Sections? Answer: Not much. Unfortunately, neither test is very accommodating when it comes to timing devices. Both the SAT and the ACT have the following strict rules about what you can bring to the test. Rule 1: You Can't Bring a Cellphone This is for real. You are technically not even allowed to have a cellphone with you in the room, and you're certainly not allowed to look at your phone during the test or during the breaks in between sections. In practice, if you do take your cellphone with you to the testing center, you must make sure it is completely turned off. If you want to be really safe and know how to take the battery out of your phone, do it. Silent mode just isn't safe enough for the SAT or ACT. We say this because cellphones, even on Silent or Airplane mode, can beep or vibrate loudly for various reasons, from a national weather alarm alert to a software update that restarts the phone. And if your phone goes off, the test is over for you. Your test booklet will be confiscated and disqualified from being scored. More pertinently, even if you bring a cellphone with you to the testing center (which, again, is technically not allowed), you definitely, definitely can not use your cellphone, even just as a timer. Rule 2: You Can’t Bring Separate Timers The College Board explicitly lists "separate timers of any type" as something that cannot be brought in. This means no stopwatches, no kitchen timers, and no hourglasses. An hourglass is not an acceptable timekeeping device for the SAT or ACT. Rule 3: You Can't Bring Anything That Beeps If you use a beeping watch in a way that doesn't beep, it should be fine for the SAT/ACT. However, are you sure you won’t accidentally hit a button that makes it beep? Sure enough to bet your entire SAT or ACT score on it? The only way to guarantee your test won't get disqualified is to play it safe and just bring a watch that cannot make a beep. Q: What’s the Best Plan for Keeping Track of Time on the SAT/ACT? Answer: Use an analog (non-digital) watch that can’t beep but that you can easily reset. You can get a cheap non-digital watch for less than $15 on Amazon. If you’re not great at reading clocks, you can get an easy-to-read one that has the minutes marked on a ring around the watch face. Once you have your analog watch, practice using it as a timer with either of these two strategies. Strategy 1: Set Your Watch to Noon Right when each section starts, set your watch to 12:00 (so that the minute and hour hand are both on the 12). The minutes past 12:00 tell you how many minutes passed since the section started. It's an easier way to check how much time has passed than doing the mental math of, "So we started at 10:48, and it's 11:04 now, which means...16 minutes have passed? Probably?" The main problem with this method is that you still have to do some mental time math. For instance: "The 25-minute SAT Math No-Calculator section started at 12 pm and now it’s 12:07pm. How many minutes do I have left?" The answer is 18 minutes, but the time it took you to do the math in your head is lost time you could've been spending on the test. Save your math for the Math section and use this next trick. Strategy 2: Use Your Watch to Count Down to Noon An alternative to setting your watch exactly to noon is to set your watch to a section's length before the hour. For instance, if the section is 25 minutes long, set your watch to 35 minutes past the hour (which is 25 minutes until the next hour). The watch’s countdown to the end of the hour will also be a countdown to the end of the section. Here's a handy table with the times you should set your watch to at the beginning of each section: Section Length (minutes) Set your watch to... What sections are this length? 25 11:35 SAT Math (No Calc) 35 11:25 SAT Writing and Language, ACT Reading, ACT Science 40 11:20 ACT Essay (optional) 45 11:15 ACT English 50 11:10 SAT Essay (optional) 55 11:05 SAT Math (Calculator) 60 11:00* ACT Math 65 10:55* SAT Reading *To keep the countdown to noon consistent across all sections, it's better to use 11 and 10:55 here, but you could theoretically use a different time if you wanted. Setting your watch to count down to noon is helpful because: You effectively have a timer, giving you an edge. It's completely within policy, since you are allowed a non-beeping watch. It's better than doing time math. Of course, if you use this method, don't forget to reset the watch at the beginning of each section. And when the test is over and you’re out of the test room, set the watch back to the real time. What’s Next? Take advantage of your new knowledge of how to keep track of time by reading our tips on saving yourself time during the SAT. Still worried you'll run out of time? We have more great tips on how to avoid running out of time on SAT/ACT Reading and SAT/ACT Math. How long exactly are the SAT and ACT, anyway? Find out with our guides to how long (with breaks) the SAT and ACT are.

Gang Theory Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Gang Theory - Coursework Example There exist the notion of alternatives in than one may reverse his decision on grounds that those alternative methods are either unavailable or their rewards are lower than expected. With the full knowledge of the consequences may opt in taking a risk. The size of a gang may limit the probability of an individual being caught and increase the chances of benefits in that if a gang member is caught the remaining members may still reap from their actions. Farrall and Bowling (1999) attributes this to the failure of human beings to leave up to their decisions as circumstances changes over a given period. Gang crimes operate mostly on assumption that their number creates a vulnerability effect to their victims in that they use their number to intimidate and organize their actions. The vulnerability aspect encourages the gangs to operate with less worry of the likeliness of being caught (Gottschalk, 2013). Those caught in crime gangs and then released due to either completing their jail term of lack of evidence may tend to ignore the risk involved in crime (Farrall & Bowling, 1999). The fear of uncertainty is what deters a person from committing crime and once experiences the consequences involved in crime some prefer to engage in crime life. Routine based crimes are what have attributed to the continuous growth of the gang-based crimes. The social rationality is also, what determines an individual’s choice in joining a gang group. The existing social inequality from, the judicial service and the unfairness by the community in terms of revenue allocation may prompt individuals with similar grievances to from gangs and recruit a sizeable number. The social aspect at this point runs paramount to the risk assessment effect of the rational choice theory. Once a group is formed under same circumstances, they tend to bond from a long

Nursing research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Nursing research - Essay Example In line with this, the objectives of the study were to investigate whether staffing predicted nursing teamwork and determine the relationship between the levels of staffing and the subscales teamwork. Hence, the study focused on two research questions that were based on the research objectives. The first question asked, â€Å"Does the level of staffing predict nursing teamwork?† Conversely, the second question asked, â€Å"Does the level of staffing predict subscales of teamwork† (Kalisch & Lee, 2011, p.83). Based on the research study, the hypothesis was that in instances when the unit level case mix index (CMI) and the size of the healthcare facility were controlled, the levels of staffing had an effect on the levels of teamwork. In addition, the researchers also hypothesized that the size of the hospital affected teamwork exhibited by the staff members (Kalisch & Lee, 2011). Independent variable An independent variable in a research study is the factor that causes ch ange or an effect on another variable, which in most cases is change on the dependent variable in the research study (Polit & Beck, 2004). In this research study, staffing is the independent variable in the study since the levels of staffing in an organization affected the outcome in terms of teamwork. In this case, it is evident from the research findings that hospitals with high staffing levels experienced high levels of teamwork. On the other hand, since big hospitals have high staffing levels, they experienced high levels of teamwork. Dependent variable The dependent variable in a research study is the variable that may be changed or influenced by the independent variable (Polit & Beck, 2004). In line with this, the dependent variable of the research study by Kalisch and Lee (2011) is the level of teamwork in a hospital, which is a result of the staffing levels in the hospital. Research variables In a research study, research variables are concepts in a study, and these are conc epts that vary as the name suggests (Polit & Beck, 2004). One concept, or research variable in this study, is the skills mix among nurses, which affect the level of teamwork in nurses and vary from one hospital to another hospital. On the other hand, the size of the hospital is another research variable since all hospitals are not equal in size. In fact, this research study identifies the importance of the size of the hospitals remaining controlled. Research attributes and demographic variables Research attributes and demographic variables are the characteristics of the subjects in the study (Polit & Beck, 2004). In this regard, the research attributes and the demographic variables in this study are the age and professional qualifications of the research subjects. In this case, the age of the nurses is essential in evaluating their skills mix, which influences the teamwork of the nurses in a hospital. On the other hand, it is essential to point out that the professional qualificatio ns of the nurses play a crucial role in the skills of the nurses. In this case, the professional qualifications of nurses classify the nurses in the study as those who possessed a degree or a higher qualification, and those who did not hold a degree. In effect, these qualifications provide nurses with skills that contribute to trust among nurses, team orientation, and team leadership with these factors affecting the levels of teamwor

Social Science(What is patriarchy How might it operate within the Essay

Social Science(What is patriarchy How might it operate within the contemporary family - Essay Example Interestingly, power has as many different meanings as there are theoretical perspectives. Ferguson (2006) presented two main theorists in the power debate, namely Max Weber and Michel Foucault. Each of the two is in direct opposition to the other. Weber believed that ‘power is hierarchical, that there are individuals in control and others who take instructions from those in their ‘line of command’ (Fergusson and Hughes, 2006, pp.26). Obedience is not automatic, only where authority is perceived as legitimate authority would one be willing to comply with the commands. Weber termed his concept of power as bureaucratic power where there is a central source of authority which others would comply to providing that the one in authority functions without prejudice. Notably no special knowledge or skill is required all that is needed is the ‘institutional position’ (pp.31). Allen (2004) notes that the ‘legitimate basis of patriarchal authority is notably different to Weber’s bureaucratic authority. Weber, himself, presented two distinct differences in patriarchal domination and bureaucratic domination. Firstly, Weber notes that ‘where bureaucratic domination is based on an official’s commitment to a sense of impersonal duty, the former relies upon the personal authority of the male head of the household.’ The male head of the family possesses authority based on ‘natural and enduring’ personal relations (pp.31). Thus, the second difference is that ‘patriarchal authority is rooted in traditi on passed down from one generation to the next and bolstered by filial bonds. The obedience of the wife and children to the male head is said to derive from dutiful conduct rather than from a set of rules established on an abstract, rational basis’ (pp.31). Foucault, on the other hand, viewed power as ‘never in any one person’s hands.’ Power is seen not as ‘any obvious willed manner, but something within our psyche which

Mauritius as a Tourist Destination

Mauritius as a Tourist Destination This part of the theoretical discussion gives an overview of Mauritius as a tourist destination. A general introduction to the cultural and geographical background with a description of tourism characteristics, attractions, as well as seasonal aspects is presented. 2.7.1 Mauritius Mauritius is independent since 1968 and has been a republic since 1992.The population of Mauritius is 1.3 million, shared out in 1860 km2. While the official language is English mainly and French, Creole, a French derived dialect, is spoken by the majority of the population and is considered as the national language. Mauritius multicultural ethnicity made that other ancestral language such as Hindi, Tamil, Chinese, Urdu or Bhojpuri are also spoken. The capital, Port Louis, has population of 150000 citizens. Other important cities are Quatre Bornes (82 000 citizens), Rose Hill (91 500 citizens) and Curepipe (84 000 citizens). The country has a diversified economy. Historically a sugar cane producer, Mauritius has taken the opportunity to develop itself in three sectors that are, sugar cane, textile and tourism. Tourism is a major industry representing 72% of the total GNP. Mauritius has made himself a luxurious destination for tourist. Mauritius is a tropical island located in the Indian Ocean and is part of the Mascarene Island. Considered to be the twin sister of Reunion Island, it is situated at the east of Madagascar. Mauritius is encircled by a broken ring of mountain ranges, varying in height from 300 meters to 800 meters above sea level. The land rises from coastal plains to a central plateau where it reaches a height of 670 meters, the highest peak is in the southwest, Piton de la Petite Rivià ¨re Noire at 828 meters (2,717 ft).(Gov, 2012) The climate has two clear seasons of 6 month each; winter and summer. In summer time the temperature can rise occasionally to almost 30-35 degrees. On the other hand, it is not rare to have over 10-15 degrees during the winter time. Irregular rains caused by rapid changes in the weather characterize the Mauritius climate. 2.7.2 Tourism in Mauritius In the past years Mauritius has been the fastest developing country in the African region measured by economic growth, inflation and increase in employment. Among the other industries: financial, agriculture and textile, tourism is a pillar in the Mauritian economy. In 2011 tourism gross receipt was 42 845 million in a year constituting 7% of the Gross Domestic Product of the island (ICCA). Mauritius has earned a reputation for excellent service in the tourism industry. In the past ten years Mauritius has become one of the most luxurious destinations in the world and has been award several times for its beautiful beaches, blue lagoons and its five stars resorts. The tourism sector employs directly over 27 000 persons while total employment (direct, indirect and induced) stands at around 100 000 or 20% of total employment. Over 98 % of the direct employment is held by Mauritians whereas posts in selected scarcity areas are filled by expatriates. The sector also contributes to nearly 10 % in the GDP of the sector and is a significant contributor of FDI in the country. (AHRIM) Mauritian governmental strategy in the sector is clear: The National Tourism Policy emphasizes low impact, high spending tourism. Selective, up-market, quality tourism is favored, and although such tourism is not the only type, it constitutes the major segment of our tourists who stay in high class hotels. (MTLEC, 2011) In parallel with the operation of these luxury hotels, a whole array of services has gradually evolved so as to offer the visitors a tourism product which is in line with the high expectations attributed to the Mauritius brand; Marinas, Spas, Golf courses, adventure and nature activities, shopping malls and restaurants have been set up. Tour-operators in presently in activity (Tourism Authority, 2010), offering a whole range of excursions and activities. A constantly evolving list of water-sports activities, ranging from traditional motorized sports, big-game fishing and deep-sea diving, to more elaborated products such as under-sea walk and sub-marine tours are also available to visitors. The state of Mauritius has a yearly budget which is allocated to the Ministry of Tourism, Leisure and External Communication, the financial resources allocated to tourism related programs and promotions are increasing each year. Government investment in the tourism industry was 448 millions in 2010 and it is predicted to by around 490 millions in 2012. These investments concern policy making, regulations, controls, branding and sustainable tourism. The biggest proportion goes to the promotion of the Island. Government of Mauritius alongside with MTPA would invest in 2012 a total of 400 million rupees in the promotion of the island and its activities. (http://tourism.gov.mu) Mauritius has performed well in developing a distinctive form of relatively high-end tourism. Growth in tourist arrivals has outpaced that of many of our competitors. Currently, the aim is to continue that growth with a visitors target of two million tourists a year by 2015. To achieve the set target, the number of hotels and room capacity has evolved considerably over the years to cater for the ever-increasing tourist arrivals. 2.7.3 Regulatory Bodies The Mauritian Tourism sector is under the supervision of the Ministry of Tourism and Leisure. Promotion of the island as a destination is under the responsibility of Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA). MTPA conduct advertisement, participate in fairs, and organize fairs, activities inland and outside the island. The Tourism Authority (TA) is responsible for licensing, regulating and supervising the activities of tourist enterprises, pleasure crafts, skippers and canvassers. The Association des Hà ´teliers ET Restaurateurs de là ®le Maurice (AHRIM) is a non-profitable organization set up in 1973 to represent and promote the interests of hotels and restaurants in Mauritius.(http://www.mauritiustourism.org/) 2.7.4 Attractions of Mauritius Mauritius since its early stage in the industry have attracted tourist with it perfect blue lagoons, the sandy beaches, and eternal sun. The three S are the island main pull factors. Almost all the tour operators deliver almost the same services and products according to the MTPA lists, the customers travel to Mauritius are for the attractions or other purposes: (MTPA, 2011) The core product of Mauritius is the 3 s being Seas Sun and Sand For the wedding and honeymoon. For the tours to the small islands surrounding Mauritius which can be an adventure or a beautiful memory of their holidays. For the water sports and other activities. For the cultural tourism: historical monuments (Apravasi Ghat, Le Morne, Citadelle-Fort Adelaide, Port Louis Market and so on) and museums which contain the historical part of Mauritius when it was first found For the spa and the relaxation moments. For the events of different festivals in Mauritius: Thaipoosum Cavadee Marche sur le Feu done by the Tamil communities; Festival of Printemps by the Chinese communities; Maha Shivratree Holi Divali by Hindu communities and so on. For the multiracial food as the cultures are transferred to the food. Offer also the IRS Villas which can be rented or bought by the customers who do not wish to live in the hotels which are all almost enclave, thus these villas will give them more liberty and get contact with local people of Mauritius. For the natural and manmade scenery: Vanille Crocodile Park, Casela Bird ParkSSR Botanical Garden are manmade attractions; Sept Cascades, Black River Gorges, or Chamarel are natural sightseeing 2.7.5 Marketing of Mauritius as a destination 2.7.5.1 Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authorities Mauritius being recognized around the world to be a tourism destination which offers a wonderful range of services including the quality made the acquaintance of the island. It is being promoted mainly by a group of tour operators which are registered at the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA); the official Promotion and Marketing Organization which is being managed by a Board of Directors (Private sector) and acts under the assistance of the Ministry of Tourism and Leisure (Public sector). It has branches in nine countries across the world. European country (France, England, Italy, Spain and Switzerland) were the island main target during the last two decades. After the euro crisis MTPA aims the Asian market to sustain the industry. It is present in Russia, India and China. The Asian market is the upcoming leader of outbound tourism (UNWTO, (2012)). MTPA main marketing tools are Internet, Brochures, Road Shows, Tourist Guides, Conference and presentations. According to the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority official website, it has some objectives that it must take into consideration: (Source:http://www.tourism-mauritius.mu/mtpa/) To promote Mauritius as a tourism destination abroad through: Conducting advertisement campaigns and participating in tourism fairs. Organizing, in collaboration with the local tourism industry, promotional campaigns and activities in Mauritius and abroad. To provide information to tourists on facilities, infrastructures and services available to them in Mauritius. To initiate such actions as may be necessary to promote cooperation with other tourism agencies. To conduct research into market trends and market opportunities and disseminate such information and other relevant statistical data on Mauritius. 2.7.5.2 MTPA Strategies Mauritius has developed a tourism industry of worldwide recognition. The image of high class delivery of tourism services and products is stick to the island since the last two decades. (Source:http://www.gov.mu/portal/goc/menv/files/nar2010/Chapter%208_Tourism%20Resources.pdf) It is targeting two million tourists by 2015 and it is interesting to know how it is going to be done. Below are the following strategies proposed by MTPA: (Tourism Resource, (2010)) Positioning Mauritius as a cruising destination and during the first quarter of 2009, cruise passenger arrivals grew by 83%. Marketing the country as Maurice sans passport to attract French tourists to Mauritius up till 30 June 2010. The Tourism Sector Strategy Plan (2009-2015) has been prepared recommending ways and means of achieving an environmentally sound, socially acceptable and economically viable tourism development. The Mauritius Brand Strategy has been launched in October 2009 to strengthen and enhance the image of the Mauritius destination and to ensure greater visibility of the Mauritian brand worldwide. The objective of this branding exercise is to attract investors for the business opportunities in Mauritius, visitors for its hospitality industry and buyers for its export goods. Professional assistance has been given to Small and Medium Enterprises under the Empowerment Program to improve the quality of their products so that they can act as reliable suppliers for the tourism industry. Measure will be taken to protect the environment (pollution control, sound environmental management, protection of natural resources, landscaping, etc.) Promotion of Sustainable Tourism Promoters of new hotel projects are encouraged to use renewable energy and adopt eco-friendly practices and use, as far as practicable, energy saving devices. Eco-friendly outboard engines for crafts at sea are now being used to protect the marine environment. Low-rise and low density hotel development is encouraged to avoid the disfigurement of the coastal landscapes. Hotel projects are monitored to ensure that they conform to the applicable Planning Policy Guidance (PPG) and the activities of tourist enterprises are regulated and monitored to promote sustainable tourism development. Permanent mooring buoys have been installed at dive sites to protect the coral from damage caused by anchors. Measures have been taken to ensure a safer and more secure environment for tourists. All guest houses, tourist residences and hotels must be equipped with burglar alarm systems, and CCTV surveillance cameras. A Tourism Safety Panel has been set up to register security companies which meet the Ministrys established criteria. A Tourism Fund has been set up, which finances the provision of social amenities to locals in areas where tourism projects are being implemented; protection and rehabilitation of scenic landscapes, lagoons, rivers and islets; and control and eradication of pests and other nuisances. Measures are taken to protect our local culture: The Festival International Kreol is organized on a yearly basis with emphasis on the value and beauty of the Creole culture, language, cuisine, art, music and dance. Organization of Regatta competitions have also been undertaken in traditional fishing villages 2.7.5.3 Mauritius Actual inbound Tourism Market According to the government statistics, Tourist arrival in 2011 reached 964 642 bringing a gross receipt of 42 845 million rupees. www.gov.mu-portal-goc-cso-ei948-tourism.pdf.png Graph 2: Comparison of Tourist Arrival by Month in 2010 and 2011 (Source: Mauritius Government, 2011) Graph 2 compares the number of tourists arrival in Mauritius in the period of 2010 and 2011. Mauritius receives it maximum number of tourists during the month of December (around 110000 Tourists) and it minimum during the month of June (approximately 52000 Tourists). In January, February, April, June July, August, October and November, the island had succeeded in increasing it number of tourists arrivals. In 2011 during the peak seasons (December mainly), tourists arrivals had decrease compare to 2010. Graph 2 illustrates the seasonality faced by Mauritius Tourism Industry (peak season and low season). Mauritius receives the highest number of tourists in December, January and July. During low season in 2011, such as in February, April, June and August, it is obvious on the graph 2 that Mauritius has managed to increase its number of arrival. The motive being this is the successful marketing strategies adopted by the MTPA to attract the Asian market in substitution of the European mar ket. Compare to 2010, Tourists arrivals had increase of three percent. It is very slow progress but positive one. www.gov.mu-portal-goc-cso-ei948-tourism.pdf 2.png Graph 3: Tourist arrivals by country of residence, 2010 and 2011(Source: Mauritius Government, (2011)) Graph 3 compares the number of tourists arrivals by country of residence in 2010 and 2011. Since two decades, European countries such as France, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and Switzerland, are Mauritius main tourism customers. Since the euro crisis, MTPA started targeting the Asian tourism market such as India, Republic of China and Russia to sustain its tourism economy. The marketing of Mauritius as a destination for tourist in this zone is still at it early stages, resulting in the disparity shown in graph 3 between European arrival and Asian arrival. France, with more than 300 000 in both year 2010 and 2011, take the biggest proportion in the number of tourist visiting Mauritius. Despite having the highest growth rate (more than 100 pour cent) Republic of China recorded the lowest number of arrival in the island. South African and Reunion tourism markets are the island main targets in the African zone. If this graph is compared to the MTPAs presence around the world, the relat ionship between visibility in the target country and tourist arrival is clear. MTPA promote Mauritius in France, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and Switzerland, thus resulting in a high number of tourists arrivals. Recently based in Asian zone MTPA marketing to attract Chinese, Indian and Russian tourists is as said above at it very early stage. 2.8 Conclusion In this chapter the theoretical discussion is presented to create the framework for this study. The first section concentrated on definitions of the tourism product and how it is linked to customers perceived value and this is followed by a discussion of the concept of destination. These definitions were selected in order to explain the compound nature of the tourism product and destination and how these underpin one another. The second part focused on consumer behaviour in tourism and presented the decision-making model of Schmoll. This part showed that tourism behaviour is a very complex issue with many internal and external factors influencing it. Due to these reasons some limitations were put in place to bring focus to this part of the theoretical discussion. Travel motivation and tourists expectations were discussed more thoroughly. The third part of the theoretical discussion provided a comprehensive description of the development of Chinese outbound travel. This was done to provide the reader with a general picture of the Chinese outbound market and the special features it has today; mainly that traveling abroad is still strictly government controlled. The purpose of the last part was to give wide-ranging information about Mauritius, focusing on tourism and the attractions of the island. The chapter was concluded by introducing the marketing of Mauritius as a destination. CHAPTER 4 FINDINGS 4.1 Introduction This chapter presents the main findings of the interviews. The findings and factors underpinning them are discussed in relation to theories and information presented in chapter 2. The main findings have been categorized into six groups to build structure for this part of the study. The chapter begins by providing some background information regarding the typical Chinese trip to Mauritius and the basic profile of a Chinese tourist. That is followed by an analysis of the findings regarding Chinese travelers in Mauritius. 4.2 Background Information First, this chapter presents some information regarding a typical trip to Mauritius and a profile of a Chinese tourist coming to Mauritius to create context for the findings. The following information is based on the researchers interviews with tour operators. The duration of the typical trip to Mauritius is normally seven days and focuses on the costal areas. Most of the travelers use tour operators. The tours are all- inclusive including transportation, accommodation, meals and activities. According to the tour operators, Chinese tourists visiting Mauritius can be categorized into two groups. The first group comprises business people of whom the major part is men and women can be seen sometimes working as e.g. interpreters. These people are traveling on business purposes with their colleagues and they are invited to Mauritius by a local company or government that is also paying for the costs. The second group is made up of tourists traveling on leisure purposes, as part of a larger Chinese tourist group and paying for the trip themselves. These are mainly honeymooners, retired people and small family groups that have sufficient time and money for traveling. Travel Company is normally spouse, friends or other relatives. In this research n o distinction was made between business and leisure travelers. 4.3 Main Findings and Discussion This section presents the main findings of the interviews with the six operators. The interviews were made up of a total of 14 questions. Main findings are now presented according to the objectives set for the study. 4.3.1 Travel Motivation the Pull Factors The first objective of the study concerned travel motivation. This study was limited Mauritians pull factors. What attracts Chinese travelers to Mauritius? The following pull factors were identified from the interviewee. Firstly, all mentioned that Chinese tourists do not come to Mauritius for the purpose of only traveling to Mauritius. Look at the world Chinese conference this week, there will be around 500 people travelling from china and Asian zone. Why will they come, certainly not for Mauritius itself but for a special purpose (Interviewee 2). Same precision were noticed by another tour: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ And on the other hand, Mauritius is creating an image while hosting Chinese Weddings TV Show in Tamassa Resort. (Interviewee 4) According to the operators, the base for traveling to Mauritius is accessibility, namely the connections with Air Mauritius to Hong Kong. Air Mauritius ensures an eight hour flight to Hong Kong two times a week. The other part of china is also connected to Mauritius via transit from Hong Kong ,Singapore or even Madagascar, but not much traveler actually use that option (Interviewee 1). This finding can be reflected back to the theoretical discussion where different theories emphasize the importance of good accessibility for success of any destination. In addition another pull factor is our clean nature, sea and sand, our beautiful hotels, and Mauritian paradise image, were mentioned to be reasons for visiting the island. They come mainly on half board, at 8 oclock they are out of the resort. Most of them use tours facilities to visit Mauritius (Interviewee 6). They seek for adventure; they came here to escape from their day to day routine in a stressful and urban environment. They seek for something different and now they have disposable income to get it. Mauritius is seen as a natural paradise and this is a great opportunity for the tourism industry. 4.3.2 Expectations The second objective of this research is to understand Chinese tourists expectations of Mauritius as a travel destination. The Tours operators revealed that when arriving in Mauritius Chinese tourists do not have any or they have very few expectations regarding the destination. Some of the tours put it in words: I think they do not have that many expectations but they expect that there is so much to see like in Maldives or Singapore (Interviewee 1). Chinese do not know about Mauritius when they come. They do not know what Mauritius is exactly (Interviewee 2) This can be due to two reasons; first that there might not have been sufficient information available before taking the trip, the promotion of Mauritius is only at it very beginning stage in China. The second possible reason is that travelers might not have had an interest to search for information in advance. It was also mentioned by the tours that many Chinese visiting Mauritius are having their first trip abroad. Also this result underlies the importance of tour operators as source of information, and in creating image and expectations for customers buying the trip. On the other hand, it has been perceived by the tour operators that Chinese tourists know Mauritius is a paradise island. Chinese tourists have also heard about tropical aspects, our 3 S that are sea, sun and sand. These are the things that create for Chinese people their image of the island. As the other tour operator continues: When they come to Mauritius they have excursions, discoveries, and shopping in their mind. So, if they come to Mauritius and they do not get thoseà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦they feel disappointed (Interviewee 4). One of the tours linked the expectations with shopping. Buying gifts is very important for Chinese people and gifts are always given to relatives, friends and colleagues when returning home from a long journey. They would like to buy something typical from Mauritius to their friends, (Interviewee 3). According to tour operators Mauritius should concentrate on knowing its new customers then provide the service. Meeting the customer expectation is the very basic definition of service and we should stick to that first (Interviewee 1) Image and brand are important for Chinese and they are willing to purchase even very expensive gifts when the product has image strong enough, not even the quality is importance then. 4.3.3 Services in Mauritius Destination has been defined as the focus of facilities and services designed to meet the needs of the tourist (Cooper et al., 1998). A range of services is offered for tourists in a destination. The third objective of the study was to discover how services offered in Mauritius meet Chinese tourists needs. Questions were limited to accommodation, transportation, catering and activities. 4.3.3.1 Accommodation When asked about the accommodation for Chinese tourists, the tours revealed the following aspects. Even if the price was the considered to be quite high compared to prices in China, it was said that Chinese tourists love Mauritian luxurious 5 Stars. Especially the cleanliness of hotel rooms pleased Chinese travelers. A couples of reasons for dissatisfaction were also mentioned which arose from the differences of service standards in China and in Mauritius. Five out of six tours mentioned that the lack of a kettle in hotel rooms is source of dissatisfaction for Chinese tourists because Chinese regularly drink hot water or tea. Only a few hotels in Mauritius have this service available. Also toothbrush is a standard in hotel rooms in China. These two issues were mentioned to be a source of dissatisfaction by Chinese travelers, though both of these could be solved with little cost and effort. Chinese are very satisfied with hotel services but dissatisfaction with these services was ment ioned when guides or interpreter are not available as it is hard to communicate with hotel staff. Almost all hotel employees can manage French and English, some even speak German or Italian, but mandarin is not even on the training list. (Interviewee 6) It would be important to meet or exceed customers expectations because it usually creates a positive attitude towards a hotels service quality. Room quality standards should be maintained based on customers expectations. (Interviewee 2) 4.3.3.2 Transportation Tours answers about transportation services indicate that coach services meet Chinese travelers needs. Chinese tourists consider the drivers to be trustworthy and professional, and special mention was given to the time concept tours excursions drivers are very punctual. Most of them book tours buses, and few of them would rent cars. Chinese Tourists speak very few English and no French at all, we are the only one who provide them a mandarin speaking guide (Interviewee 2). Chinese travelers do not yet use public transport very often. The island public buses are so far from the standards of China and the whole system itself is a mess. It is almost impossible for a Chinese traveler to enjoy an excursion journey with the local transport. Also, people had complained about the air transport. It is difficult for a Chinese tourist to come to Mauritius, as the only direct flight is from Hong Kong. We receive tourist from Shanghai, Guangzhou or Beijing. Guides had perceived them to be a very nice experience for Chinese travelers due to the beautiful environment Mauritius provides. No major complaints were notice about the tour buses itself and the activities provided. 4.3.3.3 Catering Chinese travelers prefer Chinese food wherever they travel. Lunch is always in a Chinese restaurant. Tours explained that reasons for this are that western food is too different for Chinese tourists; this does not suit Chinese people. They are not even eager to try. It is simple you want to get Chinese customers, you need to give them Chinese food, they dont want to try something else. (Interviewee 6) Whatever the price is the want to eat only food they are use to. They are pleased by Mauritian Resorts efforts, trying to give them Chinese breakfast and dinner. With typical Chinese trip in Mauritius breakfast and dinner are usually in the hotel, but lunch is always in a Chinese restaurant. If the trip is longer, for example 10 days (which is very rare) Chinese tourists might want to taste western food only once. The opinions about European and Mauritian food are divided. However, it was surprisingly mentioned that Chinese tourists do like the western type breakfasts at hotels even if western food was not preferred otherwise. However some negative comments came up with groups are not that pleased with the Chinese restaurants, because Chinese food in Mauritius does not have its typical taste. (Interviewee 3) The quality of the restorations is said to be very good in Mauritian resorts. 4.3.3.4 Activities According to tours, sightseeing around the island (normally 2-3 hours) and shopping are always included in the programs. Sometimes groups visit Black river gorges or Chamarel Colour Park or Grand basin spiritual temple and SSR Botanical Garden. It was expressed by one of the tours: Sightseeing is too short and visiting gorges and SSR Botanical Garden is quite boring as it is reasonable small compared to other country (Interviewee 1). There are no interesting or famous architecture (e.g. compared to Singapore or Thailand) in Mauritius. There is not much to see complain a Chinese Tourist to one tour. Chinese tourists would like to see nature or try as much as activity as they can. A European would go on average on three excursions for ten days of stay, whereas a Chinese would go to seven through the same period. (Interviewee 3) Shopping is always included in the tours, and groups prefer to do that with a guide as well. Even if Chinese love shopping, this seems to be a disappointment for them in Mauritius. They are eager to buy luxurious product like Hugo Boss, Chanel, Rolex, and so on (Interviewee 5), the problem is that 75 percents of the product they would buy in Mauritius come from china, so why would they buy it here (Interviewee 1). They would rather by traditional souvenir of the island and model boats. Price is not an issue for them; they are here to spend money. Chinese do buy a lot, e.g. perfumes, fashion, watches from Switzerland and without caring for the high prices. What they want is quality and brands; they are not here to buy made in China (Interviewee 5) Tours mention that Chinese tourists do not enjoy free time on their own. Reasons for this were mentioned that there are no communication possibilities as only few travelers know English and due to their cultural background. Chinese tourists also enjoy casinos and live shows. Lack of interesting nightlife in Mauritius was also found to be negative. Two of the tours mentioned that travelers are very happy if they are kept busy during their all length of stay. A Chinese traveler, even if he has his plane at two in the afternoon, at 7 am he is going out on excursion. A Chinese tourist, even if he landed at 7a.m and arrives to his hotel at 9 am, at 10 am he is out for an excursion. This is Chinese Tourists. (Interviewee 1) They are usually happy of the Mauritius experience. 4.3.4 Significance of Traditional Mauritian Attractions This part will discuss significance of traditional Mauritian attractions for Chinese tourists. That is Sea; Sand and Sun. These attractions are normally promoted by MTPA and attached to the image of Mauritius. What is the significance of these attractions to Chinese travelers according to the interviewee? The Chinese Tourists are not again the three S, Mauritius is promoted the same way as in European Country, in China. However once in the island, the three S are definitely not their main interest

Pedagogical Grammar Essay -- Education, Language Instructors

Introduction Pedagogical grammar is a rather new concept that has been applied by a number of language instructors to impart new language knowledge to students (Nordquist 2011, p. 1). The teaching methodology has its own structures in the sense that it is divided into two aspects: the first talks about the grammatical composition of language while the second talks about the articulation of language rules (of the new language). In comprehensively analyzing how the teaching methodology works, it is important to understand that when grammatical arrangement of words is to be done, the most appropriate arrangement of the words should be considered before the exercise. This approach is observed in the above sequence because pedagogical grammar has a definite, coherent and heuristic set of rules (Chalker 1994). These features should enable students to easily learn the second language through the development of an axiomatic system between L1 and L2 languages (Allwright 2009). Pedagogical grammar is however very unique in its purposes (especially regarding grammatical composition) because f...