Use of Landmarks in Skull of Dog (Canis familiaris) for Article

Use of Landmarks in Skull of Dog (Canis familiaris) for Neuronavigation - Article Example The technique is quite common with human patients undergoing intricate neurosurgery but this paper investigates how it may be utilised in canid ones, specifically dogs (Canis familiaris). Image-guided neuronavigation functions on the basis of stereotaxy. The brain is conceived as a geometric entity that can be trisected by three spatial planes orthogonal to each other. These planes are the horizontal, frontal and sagittal ones based on the Cartesian co-ordinate system (Ganslandt, O., et al, 2002). Precise surgical guidance is available by referencing objects within this three-dimensional system in the brain with three-dimensional images aligned along parallel co-ordinate axes displayed on the console of a computer-workstation providing the surgeon with point-to-point imagery of the actual locations in the brain. This allows maximum accuracy of operation (Ganslandt, O., et al, 2002). This spatial accuracy afforded by functional imaging systems such as, primarily, magnetoencephalography (MEG), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET), when incorporated within the neuronavigation process, allows precise surgery near eloquent are as of the brain with minimum morbidity (Ganslandt, O., et al, 2002).... Attempts to apply congruency in both morphological and behavioural characteristics of the domestic dog (Canis familiaris) immediately runs in several problems because there are innumerable breeds all over the world and the variety is so diverse that it is bewildering. Nevertheless, it is generally agreed that the domestic breed diverged from gray wolves (Canis lupus) 3,25,000 to 1 million years ago. The domestic dog is a very close relative of the wild gray wolf with only about 0.2% divergence in mitochrondrial DNA sequence (Jordana, J., et al, 1999). It is also acknowledged that the gray wolf is a breed that is found both in the New World and the Old and dogs probably originated from the Old World breed and crossed over with humans to the New World to form the special breeds found there today (Olori, J., 2005). This is even though the fond belief of dog-breeders in the New World is that their breeds are exclusively diverged from gray wolves there. At least, the early dog breeds in t he New World were so while more recent breeds may have been bred down from the northern gray wolves that are large-bodied (Jordana, J., et al, 1999). There is also evidence to suggest that there are four distinct lineages that descended independently from gray wolves. Each lineage is called a clade (Olori, J., 2005). The comparative study conducted on 25 different breeds from different parts of the world on the morphological, though Canis familiaris is probably the most morphologically diverse species on earth, and behavioural traits of the domestic dog revealed that morphological data was more congruent than behavioural ones (Jordana, J., et al, 1999). In the context of the purpose of the paper it was found that the cranial profile varied from medium to large to small dogs in

Managing Change in Healthcare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Managing Change in Healthcare - Essay Example Some of the most favored approaches that have been preferred are cycle-time reduction, process engineering, and total quality management (TQM), with which companies have tried to flatten the organizational structure [3]. However, structural change programs on its own are likely to fail as they do not account for the human element, which actually forms the structure. Change management must work towards removing fear, cynicism, and defensiveness from the minds of the people. In the healthcare sector of US, the practice of midwifery was almost eliminated by concerted effort of university educated physicians [11]. The changes in perceptions about the profession of midwifery and its reinstatement into the healthcare industry, started in 1939, with the Frontier Nursing Service and has since then passed through various changes and reconstruction [11]. To enhance the performance of an organization it is important to improve the performance of the individuals and groups that comprise that organization. When organizations set new goals, they must also take care to see that the employees are made aware of these new goals well in advance or better still the company can set the new goals after consulting the employees. The employees must be backed by timely and adequate infrastructure to attain the goals; proper feedbacks and timely interventions must be integrated into the system. The Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA) was formed in 1982 and the struggle and persistent effort of the initial women of the midwifery profession has enabled it to get a legitimate status in 33 states of the country [11]. Managing Change - The Impact of Relevant Theory on the Change Process Aims Technological development has ushered in changes across organizations and our personal world. In the midst of these changes to better and sophisticated machines, it is important to remember that people form the basis of organizations. Technology makes structured and repetitive work easy while people use their intelligence to think, create, and solve. The major change today is the transformation of the work force from an information worker to an information user or what can be better described as a knowledge worker. Peter Drucker in his 'The New Society of Organization' has said, that the world economy is transforming to a knowledge society, where knowledge is the primary resource for the economy and for the individuals. In such an economy, according to Drucker, the competitive advantage comes not from the research and development of technology but from the skill and expertise of the knowledge workers, who form the organization [2]. The legitimacy of midwifery as a practice was established by the vision and persistence of the traditional midwifery experts, who encouraged self regulation in the next generation. Their efforts paid off and by the 1980's the standards of practice and certification began to be established in one state after another. The Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA) was formed in 1982, to help the movement gain support and legitimacy [11]. Issues Affecting Change and Personal Behavior Healthcare organizations are different from other organizations, as they involve something beyond business. According to