Friday, November 29, 2019

Me Too movement Essays - Feminism, Human Sexuality, Human Behavior

Me Too Movement: An End to Sexual Harassment and Assault Morgan Baker California Baptist University Author Note This paper is being submitted to Prof. Marilyn D. Moore in partial fulfillment of the course Intro to Sociology, SOC 213, on April 23, 2018. There are different cultures around the world that have an array of beliefs on the types of behaviors that are ethical and unethical. If there is no law against action, it is legal, no matter how many deem it unethical. This is because ethics are solely based on personal belief systems which immensely differ from person to person. Actual or attempted rape or sexual assault, unwanted pressure for sexual favors, sexual looks or gestures, or any material of sexual nature. This is just some unethical behavior which has lead people to stand up against sexual harassment. Sexual harassment does not just occur in a work setting, it can happen anywhere. Effects of sexual harassment can vary depending on the individuality of the recipient and the severity and duration of the harassment. This type of harassment can lead to temporary or prolonged states of stress or depression depending on the recipient's psychological abilities to cope with this type of behavior. There are many cases of sexual harassment that take place because some individuals are unaware that they are displaying unacceptable behavior. Those who continue to sexually harass an individual often perceive the situation as something they can "get away with" and do not count on the victim acting. Many harassers are also not familiar with the rules, regulations, and laws regarding unwanted sexual attention, which aim to protect the rights of victims. To date, many work environments, higher learning institutions, and even a few states are cracking down on the issue of sexual harassment by implementing mandatory policies There are several ways to overcome sexual harassment. First is Educate yourself.Do some research on the law of discrimination and harassment: what it is, how it is proven in court, and what your responsibilities. AS a victim, it can be difficult to admit to a sexual assault incident. Remaining silent and choosing not to act will cause an immense about of emotional pain. person who Tarana burke the founder of MeToo explains that "When it comes to you, your safety comes first." The "Me Too" movement is a protest sexual harassment and assault. #Metoo has become a trending Hashtag on social media since October 2017. This movement wishes to convey the widespread occurrence of sexual assault and harassment, especially in the work place. This Movement followed soon after the sexual misconduct allegations against Harvey Weinstein. Harvey Weinstein is a former American film producer. However, there are allegations concerning sexual harassment and assault against a great number of women in the film industry from Weinstein. This one hashtag has given a sense of courage to these women and they are choosing to stand tall. Activist Tarana Burke is the woman behind the MeToo hashtag. She is the woman responsible for starting the movement back in 2006, which encourages women to demonstrate solidarity with each other, specifically dealing with sexual assault and harassment. The Hashtag resurfaced when Actor Alyssa Milano used it in support of a dear friend Rose McGowan's allegations of sexual harassment against Harvey Weinstein. Burke along with other supporters wore black at the Golden Globes to protest sexual harassment in Hollywood. Burke was asked about the popularity of the movement and she answered, saying that "It's deeply humbling. This is something that I started out of necessity and something that I thought that my community needed, and it has grown over the years, but I never could envision it growing like this" (Borge 2018). She then explains that this movement "is more powerful because we're seeinga collaboration between these two worlds that people don't usually put together" (Borge,2018) . Burke is overwhelmed with the amount of support this movement has created and is even more excited to see the changes that come along. The underlaying purpose of this movement is to not associate shame with sexual harassment but a renewed attitude. As women come forward with stories of sexual assault and harassment, advocates are realizing that the "me too" movement can be an opportunity

Monday, November 25, 2019

Scholarship Essay Format

Scholarship Essay Format Scholarship Essay Format Scholarship Essay Format Writing Secrets One thing about a good college education is that you have to pay through your nose for it. This is why scholarship essays are a very good option if you are running short of funds and need to apply for a scholarship. There are millions of dollars that are paid out every year to students who have written brilliant scholarship essays to back up the excellence of their past academic as well as extra curricular achievements. Now you can be one of them. A good scholarship essay needs to be written in the right scholarship essay formatalong with a workable scholarship strategy to get you the scholarship that you so badly need and are dreaming of. Scholarship Strategy Do your homework to find out all the scholarship options that are open to you Ensure that you strictly follow all the directions that have been given on the scholarship essay format Apply for as many scholarships as you can-that way while most get rejected there is a chance that at least one scholarship essay from amongst a couple turns out a winner. Lastly an important part of your scholarship strategy is to always ensure that you have edited and proof-checked your essay after getting constructive feedback from your professor or teachers. Remember that you dont want to lose out on a good opportunity due to a careless spelling error or grammatical mistake Scholarship Essay Format Ideas Stick to the word limit: if you have been asked to write 200 words or less on- why you like the specific course that you are applying for then you definitely do not want to drag it on to two pages,(as this will only get you in to the bad books of the scholarship committee.) Read sample essays of winning scholarship essays: this will give you a good idea of the kind of scholarship essay format that works and what does not. Use standard format: if no directions are specified. A standard scholarship essay formatconsists of three to five paragraphs. Start with an interesting introductory paragraph that spells out your thesis statement, follow this with supporting paragraphs that elaborate on a point each and conclude your essay in the final paragraph. This is an ideal standard scholarship essay formatto follow:http://.com/blog/scholarship-application-essay-writing Related posts: Narrative Essay Expository Essay Argumentative Essay Persuasive Research Paper Argumentative Research Paper Topics

Friday, November 22, 2019

The Russian Revolution, 2nd ed., by Sheila Fitzpatrick Essay

The Russian Revolution, 2nd ed., by Sheila Fitzpatrick - Essay Example To prove this statement, firs of all, I need to define the term revolution. Secondly, I need to trace and compare the features of Stalin’s and Lenin’s dictatorships in economic policy, social policy and party policy. So, the first task to be done is to understand how Sheila Fitzpatrick defined the revolution. According to her, revolution â€Å"is coterminous with the period of upheaval and instability between the fall of an old regime and the firm consolidation of a new one† (3). Russian Revolution began with the February 1917 and ended with the Great Purges in 1938. Author distinguished five stages of the revolution: the February and October Revolutions in 1917, Civil War, the interlude of NEP, Stalin’s â€Å"revolution form above† and the Great Purges (4). Each of these stages had its own features and was continuation of the previous one. So, the Russian Revolution lasted about 20 years that had not only changed the regime but also formed the new one. Lenin was a great organizer, ideologist and the inspirer for many Bolsheviks. Bolsheviks seized power during the October revolution only thanks to the Lenin’s strategy. Stalin was the one who deeply consolidated the new regime in the USSR with Lenin’s ideas and radically changed economy, society and party. Russia’s economy in the interwar period went through many extreme things like War Communism, NEP and Five Year Plans (with Collectivization and Industrialization). Each of them had its own aims. The main aim of the War Communism (1918-21) was to save the power, to feed soldiers and workers – it was â€Å"radical policy as answer to desperate situation† (79). But the nationalization of large-scale and small-scale industry, pressure on peasants and merchants, high level of internal resistance, instability at the front – all these forced Lenin and Bolsheviks to calm down the situation and introduce NEP. According to the author, NEP †Å"purpose was to restore the shattered economy and to calm the fears of the non-proletariat population† (96). Bolsheviks needed to consolidate the victories of the revolution. Lenin didn’t want to stop the reforms and the process of building the communism. But, his illness disturbed him and after 1921 he wasn’t actually the one who had real influence in the state. I think NEP was some kind of strategy â€Å"step back - two forward†. And, indeed, less than a decade later, Stalin abandoned most of the NEP policies and initiated a new phase of revolutionary change with the First Five Year Plan (1929-32) Industrialization drive and the Collectivization of peasant agriculture (116). He believed that this was a true Leninist course. War Communism and First Five Year Plan had the same aims: to make communism closer. Both Lenin and Stalin wanted to industrialize the state, because, according to Marx, communism was possible only in developed industrialized countrie s. But Bolsheviks didn’t have enough administrative power in the beginning of 1920s to start Industrialization. In the end of 1920s they had power and plan. The First Five Year Plan was planned to industrialize the USSR by building giant new construction projects (f.e. - Magnitogorsk) focused on iron and steel. But industrialization needed money that could be taken from peasants. That’s why Stalin began Collectivization. Collectivization was undoubtedly a real â€Å"revolution from above†

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Legionaires Disease Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Legionaires Disease - Research Paper Example The laboratory tests of the patients suffering from legionnaire’s disease reveal liver dysfunction, renal dysfunction and electrolyte imbalance. Chest X-ray shows consolidation of portion of lungs. Ataxia, confusion and memory loss are also common signs of legionnaire’s disease. (Levinson 2008) Legionnaire’s disease is caused by a bacteria Legionella pneumophila. Legionella pneumophila is a gram negative, aerobic bacterium which is primarily a human attacking bacterium. Pontiac fever is also caused by legionella pneumophila in which no pneumonic symptoms are seen. Legionella pneumophila are found in aquatic bodies. Legionella pneumophila bacteria grows at temperatures between 25 ?C to 45 ?C. Legionella pneumophila takes two to ten days to cause legionnaires disease after attacking a person. Legionella pneumophila can also cause the inflammation of pericardium, haemodialysis fistula and infections of the skin. A Legionella pneumophila bacterium is usually transmit ted by inhaling aerosol or drinking water containing legionella pneumophila bacteria. Aerosol is a liquid droplet or solid particle which floats in gaseous medium. Water is evaporated in the form of small droplets which are unable to be seen by naked eye. If the water contains bacteria legionella pneumophila then the evaporated droplet will also contain the bacteria and if someone inhales the droplets then the person will get infected. When a person inhales the aerosol containing legionella pneumophila, the bacteria move towards the lungs but the cilia prevent their entry to the lungs. Smoking causes the injury to the cilia and makes this possible for the bacteria to enter the lungs. In patients who smoke it is easier for the bacteria to reach the lungs and attack the respiratory cells. The bacteria enter the cells in response to which the neutrophils and macrophages migrate towards the bacteria to destroy them. The macrophages engulf the bacteria but cannot destroy them and the bac teria start replication within the macrophages. The bacteria replicate in a quantity which makes the macrophage burst and the bacteria come out of the macrophage and attack a new macrophage. Legionella pneumophila does all this with the help of secretions. The legionella secrete different types of secretions. The chief secretions of legionella pneumophila are type IV secretion system and type II secretion system. Type IV secretion system is called icm (intracellular multiplication) or dot (defective organelle trafficking) which are required for intracellular growth of legionella in macrophages. It is for this reason that legionella pneumophila is also known as intracellular pathogen. Dot/icm secretion is the most important secretion of the legionella pneumophila which is necessary for legionella bacteria pathogenicity. Dot/icm secretion systems have different substrates like Ralf, LidA, LepA and LepB. The localization of ARF on phagosomes which contain legionella pneumophila require s the Ralf. LidA is required for the multiplication of bacteria within the macrophages; LepA and LepB cause the release of the legionella pneumophila from the macrophages after intracellular multiplication. The sources where the water contains legionella pneumophila bacteria are cooling towers, evaporative coolers, whirlpool spas, ice making machinery

Monday, November 18, 2019

Consultancy project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Consultancy project - Essay Example PESTEL generally refers to Political, Economic, Social and Technological analysis. In this case, the political aspect entails the degree in which the state intervene the economy of the industry(Doole 2012, 46).In most cases, the political factors entail the labor laws, political stability, tax policy, tariffs, trade restrictions and environmental laws. In the Spanish catering business, these factors play a key role in influencing and controlling the business. Being a food industry or business, the political aspect in this case will be based on the business health regulations that relate to the preparation of food. There would be a close-scrutiny by the state on the aspect of how clean the food is (Doole 2012, 48).The Spanish government plays a key role in influencing the health aspect in the catering industry. Alternatively, other factors such as labor laws and tax rates also affect the Spanish catering business. Economic factors in the Spanish catering business include the exchange rates, interest rates and the economic growth. These factors are of great benefit in this industry. This is because the catering industry depends on people’s disposable income in order to spend in the industry (Doole 2012, 54).Alternatively, the economic growth, inflation rate and the interests’ rates determines how the catering industry makes its decisions and operates. Some of the economic factors, which affect other businesses including capital costs and market inflation, will also influence the Spanish catering business (Doole 2012, 60). Social factors of the Spanish catering business will play a key role on the business. In most cases, the social factors include the health consciousness and the cultural aspects, emphasis on safety, age distribution and the population growth. In this case, the trends in the social factors would to affect the business demands for the catering services. It will also affect how the catering

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Working with Allied Health Professionals

Working with Allied Health Professionals This work is a reflective piece based on my experience of working within a multi-professional group setting. I will be using the model by Gibbs model (1988) to aid my reflection and present my account. Although I will be contemplating how the group performed as a whole, ultimately I aim to guide my own learning, thus aiding my preparation for future similar situations. Task Description Once strategically placed within an inter-professional group of students, we were asked to work as a team to develop an IPL strategy for the pre-registration training of Allied Health Professionals. Our efforts were to be centred on creating a twenty minute presentation based on our idea to our AHP peers. This was carried out over a week, with our presentation was expected to be given on Friday afternoon. Our Implementation of the Task and Personal Thoughts We first assembled and became acquainted with each other on Monday morning. Initial introductions and group communication were aided by a simple but effective exercise to assist preliminary group collaboration. This activity was fun, and valuable in helping us begin to establish the group relationship, and personally extinguished any uncomfortable feelings which I may usually have in a situation like this. I also felt confident that this particular group of individuals worked well together and at this point I had no concerns about the task ahead. Subsequently, we were given our main task. Although I felt that there were some very valid and intelligent thoughts brought forward during our brainstorming, I began to worry that there were perhaps too many which differed somewhat, and that as a group we were not using our time efficiently. In addition, people could not agree on the simplest practicalities, which I felt was unhelpful. The group met again on Wednesday morning, with each individual bringing their contribution of research to share. We discussed a possible structure to the presentation, although as the meeting went on it became clear that there were unquestionably some conflicting views on what our approach should be. At this point, I began to feel doubtful that the group was capable of decision-making, and started to feel anxious about our assignment. In addition, I felt that one particular member of the group seemed to feel strongly about their own outlook on the task, and that perhaps they were slightly negative regarding other ideas, unhelpful for the overall morale of the group. The following day we met in a skills lab to take some photographs for our presentation, which was successful. This was followed by a short discussion, where some of the members of the group voiced their concerns that they had lost track of how the group would present. It was then disclosed that one particular idea had been developed outside of the meetings and that there was no need to be concerned, which made me feel excluded from the decision-making. As a result, I resolved to prevent my thoughts becoming too negative by concentrating on my particular research and presentation role, accepting the decision made. On the day of the presentation, we met up beforehand and rehearsed using our amalgamated slides. I was pleasantly surprised about how the whole thing flowed, and felt relieved. The group as a whole also seemed reassured. Evaluation Individual Performance I believe that I tried my upmost to show commitment to the group and its task, and to give support when necessary. This is reflected in the peer evaluations that I received after the task was over. At the same time, I also tried to keep the group focused and remind them of time constraints. Nonetheless, I have come to realise that I was anxious and distrustful that the group would not be able to finish the work that had been set. Because of my unease of the groups relatively slow progression, I think that I subliminally withdrew from the group in that I was only confident in my own individual component of the work, deciding to stop being concerned with the overall work. One of the manners of conflict identified by John Hunt (1987) is unhelpful flight behaviour (psychological, physical or symbolic withdrawal), which blocks and inhibits group work. In my opinion this describes the negative way in which I acted, which on reflection was likely detrimental to group effectiveness. Group Performance I think our final presentation artefact was successful, reflected by the unexpectedly positive feedback which we received. I found this surprising, because of the amount of conflict and lack of decision-making that went on during the process. Charles Handy (1993) is of the opinion that although groups collaboratively produce fewer ideas than individual brainstorming, the quality of the ideas is superior in that they are more thought through and better evaluated. Even though our proposal is not what I would have gone for individually, I have come to realise that collaborative ideas are of sound quality and should not be distrusted. Despite our conflict, I realise that with regards to ethical concerns all of us were extremely understanding of certain members individual needs. For example, instances where it was necessary to consider child care issues whilst deciding meeting times were all taken into account, with everyone being very considerate and accepting. I appreciate that acting fairly and in a reasonable way to each other is critical, as agreed by the first of the four ethical principles drawn up by Beauchamp and Childress (1995): Respect for autonomy. However, in my opinion it is important to recognise that group effectiveness seemed to break down as the week went on. Aspects contributing to this included conflicting ideas, poor decision-making and lack of time for healthy group development. I firmly believe that the latter was especially damaging to our group communication. The groups decision-making was so meagre that individual members of the group had no choice but to take initiative and make decisions without the entire groups permission. Although I felt that this represented group decision-making failure, in hindsight it probably saved us from ultimate failure of the task. Analysis and Reflection of my own and my groups performance Within this section are a few key elements that I regard as being important aspects of this experience to learn from: Team-working In my opinion, there were some very good aspects within our team-working, taking into account our ultimate success. Spears (1992) describes the METHODS model, which uses an acronym for its seven concepts. I have thought about this with regards to my group experience, and feel that the team worked well in carrying out individual research, then coming together to educate each other to provide the necessary sustenance to produce the presentation. In addition, I think the team came up with exciting although challenging ideas that took the theme a creative step further, when a more demure approach would have been acceptable. Hence in my opinion, we achieved the Dream element of the model, taking the time to be imaginative. However, I think more effective team-working would have been possible if we had set clear goals to be met in our meetings, which would have avoided anxiousness and confusion. In addition, I think we would have benefitted from some outside feedback to improve our working and reduce conflicts. Furthermore, although many creative ideas were put forward, some were unfortunately met by some negative attitude damaging to the innovative environment. On reflection, I think that our group would have undoubtedly benefitted by planning our work using the METHODS model. In particular, I will definitely strongly advise my future groups to use goal-setting to encourage improvement, to gain feedback throughout and to optimise team success by encouraging innovation rather than cynicism. Decision-making I think that the groups decision-making was poor due to a combination of the large number of ideas, avoidance of conflict, and lack of planning and organisation. Although in my opinion lots of ideas can only be positive, group meetings lacking structure and orientation meant that this large amount of suggestions made things confusing, hence positive decisions were impossible to achieve. As observed by C. Handy (1999 p.173), the decision-making procedure could be by authority, majority, consensus, minority or no response. During our group work, the only decisions made were negative, via a minority or no response process. I think that this is because we failed to decide upon an appointed decision-making method during the early stages of group development. In my opinion, the role that I played within my group experience affected the decision-making negatively, in that I was so concerned the task would not be completed, I avoided conflict and went along with the strongest voice in the group. Looking back, my thinking was to try to aid progression, as I thought that further conflict would slow things down further. Works by Hall (1971) includes advice for good decision-making, for example the recommendation that group members should avoid changing their minds merely to avoid conflict, and to actively seek out differences of opinion. This is something I will take with me and implement in future situations. From this reflection, I have learnt that forward planning is key. For example, an authoritative leader should be appointed from the beginning, as should a method of decision-making. In addition, meetings should be planned and well structured, with goals set to be met by the end of each one. Diversity and Difference Current theory by Cox (1993) states that although diversity in groups often leads to disagreements, it also means more productivity than with a group which is more homogenous, including a higher level of creativity and innovation. In my group experience, there was some definite heterogeneity within group members characteristics, including different personalities, attitudes, and in turn influence and group integration. I think that this was the cause of the conflict that occurred, although as I have already mentioned, the group did collaboratively produce a vast range of ideas and importantly was successful in its end goal. I believe that although conflict would have been absent had there been less diversity, so would have the quantity and quality of imaginative ideas. To reflect upon my group role, I will use Holm and Stevensons prompt questions (1994): What was my role in this situation and was I comfortable? Belbin (1981) noted that if any of the eight team roles is absent or inadequate, the overall team will be off-balance. Prior to meeting my group, I carried out a Belbins Team Roles Questionnaire, finding that typically I am an Implementer and Teamworker. In retrospect, whilst I was part of this particular group, I believe that I took on a different role. Although I remained an Implementer, in my opinion I acted more as a Completer-finisher than a Teamworker, considering my anxiousness that the group was inefficient and that the task may not get done on time. I believe my role changed to facilitate the groups progression and even out an imbalance. This change did cause me to feel slightly uncomfortable, mainly due to the unease associated with it. How did others act? Were the actions appropriate? Looking back, I think that in particular there were too many team workers. The group regarded the conflict and tension that had occurred as negative, and people were keen to avoid this as much as possible. Although our actions were appropriate given our situation and the task at hand, things may have been implemented in a more effective and planned way. From this reflection, I have come to realise that some diversity (although associated with disagreement) is positive, and ultimately necessary for good productivity. Additionally, although each team role is associated with some negative aspects, all are crucial for good team-working. I will bear all this in mind in future, and will no longer shy away from some healthy conflict. Management of power and conflict When the group met after each individuals research, there was some tension and disagreement over the groups priorities, and the method by which the task should be carried out. As conflict continued pressure mounted, not helped by time constraints of the room booking. The Tuckman stages of group development (1965) describe part of the Storming stage as the group beginning to settle disagreements and setting priorities, however this was unachievable due to lack of time available. As a result of this situation a clear leader surfaced, providing much needed structure and clarity. She listened to everything that all had to say, somehow having the ability to create an innovative environment whilst simultaneously bringing some degree of organisation into the proceedings, precisely what the group was actively looking for. She also had huge confidence in the group as a whole, emitting positivity and confidence, vital to the needs of the team at the time. Although the storming stage was not entirely complete, the norming stage commenced because of this newly-found structure. Even so, as I have described disagreements were not all entirely resolved. This resulted in tension and some continuing conflict being present within the group throughout the rest of our time together. This was unfortunate, as one particular member of the group began to interpret some of the discussion as being a personal attack, thus becoming defensive. However, I am pleased to say that on the day of the presentation we managed to set aside all hostility and presented our work proudly together and as a team. From this analysis element, I have come to realise that time should be made for healthy group development to allow time for conflict resolution. Clinical Reasoning One of the CAIPE principles of effective Interprofessional Education (2002) is to respect the contribution of each professional within the patient care pathway. As a group, I think we demonstrated this, as there was much amicability in considering each others needs, responsibilities and alternative responsibilities in order to reason meeting times and the amount and type of individual work each person took on. It was reassuring to realise that this is possible within interprofessionals. One of the thoughts behind interprofessional learning is that it enables professionals to learn with, from and about each other to improve collaboration and the quality of care. In terms of my own personal experience of the group work I think I have certainly significantly enhanced my knowledge of other healthcare professionals alongside the undertaking of the task. This module has allowed me to further appreciate the value of the IPL activities that are in place as part of our learning, for example the observation of MDT meetings. I appreciate that my learning would benefit from developing my clinical reasoning skill set further, and I have identified this as an essential area for my professional development. Conclusion The conclusion is a fundamental part of the Gibbs model of reflection, prompting reflection on what else I could have done. To aid this, I shall continue to refer to a selection of Holm and Stevensons reflection questions: How could I have improved the situation? By easing my anxiety in having more trust in my peers and in the group as a whole, my personal experience would have been much more positive. In addition, forward planning, for example the setting of goals and early decisions as to how the group will work would have been beneficial. Do I feel as if I have learnt anything new about myself? I have become aware that I am able to be flexible according to the needs of my group in the role that is required of me. I see this as a positive concept, as during my time as a healthcare practitioner, I will come across a diverse range of situations, where malleability will be key. Has it changed my way of thinking in any way? I have come to realise that individuals are diverse in their characteristics, attitudes and beliefs, and appreciate that this diversity is very positive within a group setting. I have also come to realise that a degree of conflict is good for productivity and creativity (although time must be allocated for any conflict to be resolved). Action Plan Attend a successful team worker course to work on my group skills. Find ways of relieving anxiety, by perhaps attending a course on this. Strongly suggest use of the METHODS model during future group scenarios to aid effective team-working. Strongly propose to decide on a decision-making procedure early on in a future group situation. Actively make time for healthy group development. Ask for relevant and professional feedback to be given to the group throughout. Try out different reflection models for different experiences to help me determine which are most useful for my own personal learning and to aid me in becoming a successful reflective practitioner. Participate in as many IPL activities as possible to develop my clinical reasoning skills.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Osteomyelitis Essay -- Health, Diseases

Osteomyelitis: Osteomyelitis is a common bone infection caused by bacteria or in some cases, fungus [1]. Osteomyelitis generally occurs by infection of bacteria in several different ways, including via the bloodstream, from neighboring areas of infection, or due to non-sterile joint replacements and internal fixations such as fractures [2]. In 90% of cases, an S. aereus bacterium is the microbial culprit responsible for osteomyelitis [3]. In the cases of open would fractures, osteomyelitis can interfere with normal bone healing and regeneration [4]. Symptoms of osteomyelitis include bone pain, fever, malaise, swelling, redness, chills, excessive sweating, and joint pains [5]. It is reported that in 20% of the cases, the infection is hematogenous, or spread by the blood [6]. The incidence of spinal osteomyelitis was reported to be 1 in 450,000 in 2001 [7]. The incidence of vertebral osteomyelitis is reported to be 24 cases per 1,000,000 and the incidence in children is approximately 1 in 5,00 0 [8]. Approximately 10-15% of people with vertebral osteomyelitis develop spinal-cord compression and approximately 30% of patients with long bone osteomyelitis develop deep vein thrombosis (DVT) [9]. Mortality rates are generally low unless sepsis occurs [10]. The overall incidence of osteomyelitis was found to be higher in developing countries compared to developed nations [11]. Current Clinical Standard of Care: The current gold standard treatment for osteomyelitis is gentamycin or vancomycin impregnated poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) beads [12]. These beads are surgically implanted at the site of bacterial infection, and the antibiotic will diffuse from these beads [12]. Both vancomycin and gentamycin inhibit bacterial g... ..., the in vivo studies show that the effectiveness of the delivery system in terms of bacterial growth inhibition is comparable to the clinical standard of care, the PMMA beads. Further studies would include determining the compressive strengths of the PUR scaffolds to decide where they could be placed in a load-bearing setting, systemic toxicity studies to ensure that neither the vancomycin nor PUR is present in toxically high concentrations in the serum after implantation, and a prolonged study to show that the PUR scaffold is in fact biodegradable, thereby by-passing the second surgical step which is required for the PMMA beads. Li et al [21] also did not do any studies comparing the PUR-LTI and PUR-HDIt scaffolds under the same experimental conditions. These studies would also be critical to determine which scaffold formulation should be pursued long-term.