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With the rise of China’s hardware industry over the past 10 years, China National Hardware Association has named 34 nurture and industrial base. From the traditional tools for hardware, construction hardware, daily hardware, to the new gas-fired appliances, range hood, the whole kitchen, shower room, metal industrial base is now over in Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Fujian, Shandong, Hebei, Henan and other provinces area.

Industry experts LAW 100-hui, the establishment of metal industrial base, the development of China’s hardware industry, a major undertaking, hardware industry, booming base, in order to raise the overall level of China’s hardware industry for local economic growth has made outstanding contributions.

As a result of the impact of the international financial crisis, overseas demand and a significant reduction in orders, hardware industry is facing severe challenges, the industrial base has also been hit. In the China National Hardware Association and the local government guidance, support, the various curtain hardware industrial base of independent innovation, restructuring, changes could be the big screen. New competitive dynamic and growth potential is the industry concentration.

Shunde: independent innovation, develop the market the brand

Shunde District, Foshan City, Guangdong Province, known as “China Gas Appliance Capital,” said. Over the years, Shunde District, pay attention to improve the public service platform for enterprise development to provide multi-directional support, promote healthy and stable development of the industry.

By the end of April 2008, in Shunde district government’s lead organization, the “Gas Appliance Shunde Chamber of Commerce” was established, the District Government’s annual funding to support the operation of the Chamber of Commerce. 10000 Chamber of Commerce has developed and, MACRO (000,533, stock bar), co-sheng, Evergreen and other gas appliance business, including more than 50 members, including Shunde, Zhongshan and so the vast majority of well-known gas appliance manufacturers, the relevant supporting spare parts production enterprises, as well as supporting industries such as gas supplier. In 2007, the Guangdong Provincial Science and Technology Department, Tongji University, District Government and the Guangdong 10000 and groups jointly formed the first domestic “energy saving environmentally friendly gas with R & D center.”

Guangzhou Macao Gas Appliance Co., Ltd. set up a “gas appliance, Guangdong Province, engineering and technology research and development centers” set up in cooperation with the Central South University, China’s first “China’s Research Center kitchen.” To guide the gas appliance industry, public technical innovation platform, Shunde Gas Appliances Chamber of Commerce in 2009 and South China Institute of commitment appliances Science and Technology Department, Guangdong Province, Guangdong Province, the project —-” civilian gas appliance product technology road map. ”

The project from the Guangdong Provincial gas appliance industry, product development plan starting in promoting the industry of new products, new materials, new technology, application and popularization of the new design has played a positive role.

Shunde enterprises attach importance to promoting independent innovation, and vigorously promote the production of gas companies at all levels with the construction of technical centers to accelerate technological innovation and the transformation of research results. Shunde District, the total expenditure in the district each year shall be allocated 3% of setting up a technology innovation fund, and the establishment of Chinese Academy of Engineering academician, Shunde consultation center for gas appliances and accessories manufacturers to finance scientific and technological development, technical support, Shunde District in 2009 to 10000 and technological progress, the project matching funds to support more than 1.3 million yuan.

In the “2006 China top ten innovative models of Gas Appliance” Award, “10000 and”, “MACRO”, “beautiful” and other 13 enterprises of the new product honor, Shunde District, businesses accounted for 50% of the share a strong impetus to China’s gas industry with technical innovation. In the “2006 Guangdong Provincial key new product projects”, the product gas with a total of eight projects selected, of which Shunde enterprises accounted for 7.

To encourage “Chinese gas appliances capital” regional brand-building, in 2008 Shunde district government allocated 300,000 yuan to guide the industry a one-time focus on brand-building industry. Brand-building through the regional industry to form a gas appliance industry, the size of aggregate strengths. Shunde Gas Appliance trade associations are also active after the establishment of “China Gas Appliance City” brand-building activities.

Especially in the expansion of domestic and foreign markets, the Chamber of Commerce launched the “China Gas Appliance City” the overall image of the exhibition activities. In 2008, the Chamber of Commerce Planning launched the “Shunde gas appliance”, “Shunde – China Gas Appliance City” as a whole LOGO image, held in Shanghai, “2008 China Hardware Show” first introduced.

In order to better promote the gas appliance industry, Shunde District Government and the China National Hardware Association, frequent interaction, and jointly promote development of the industry. Actively promote the standardization of work, in March 2009 by the China National Hardware Association’s “condensing gas water heater / furnace industry standard validation will” be held in Shunde, Shunde District of gas contributed significantly to the standardization work with industries and enterprises.

In April 2009, in order to help enterprises implement “appliances to the countryside” policy, by the China National Hardware Association to invite relevant experts, for the local gas water heater “appliances to the countryside” successful enterprises in the circulation problems that exist in face to face consultation to answer, welcomed by the majority of successful businesses.

To help companies cope with the international financial crisis, the China National Hardware Association in a wide range of information collected on the basis of domestic and international markets, issued “China’s Kitchen & Bath Industry Development Report,” China’s gas appliance product development direction and the latest information on the domestic market was a detailed study of the Shunde District, a gas marketing industry has played a guiding role.

In the Association’s guidance and support, Shunde enterprises to expand domestic demand and the “home appliances to the countryside” as an opportunity, have to adjust business strategy to expand the proportion of domestic sales, and actively participate in the national “home appliances to the countryside” products bid. At present, the national countryside product “gas water heater,” 22 successful enterprises in Shunde enterprises account for 7 to fully reflect the gas water heater products in the country’s industrial advantages. The first quarter of this year, with output of 1.66 billion Shunde gas, an increase of 56.8%.

Zhongshan Xiaolan: Hardware Industry Cluster Development

Metal products industry Xiaolan Town, Zhongshan City, Guangdong Province, the traditional industries, as early as in 1986, Xiaolan Town, has been hailed as China’s “city of the south lock.” After more than 20 years of development, Xiaolan metal products industry has been formed locks, gas appliance as a leader, on the upstream and downstream products and all kinds of accessories category range of 10 categories of hardware industries. In 2008, Xiaolan Town Hardware Plastic industry revenue of 150 billion yuan, accounting for 39.4% of the town industrial sales.

In 2002, the China National Hardware Association, Xiaolan Town, named the “China National Hardware industry base.” Given this title after the Xiaolan actively promote the accumulation of metal products industry, the development and optimization and upgrading, product constantly upgrading, value added continued to rise, the domestic market share continues to increase.

At present, the “solid edge”, “Hua-feng” two locks brand’s market share for many years the industry for top; “St. Paul,” was awarded “China’s first brand nail clippers industry”; Vantage Gas Appliance Company for 13 consecutive years of sales in the domestic same industry ranked first; Evergreen’s gas valve manufacturing standards have been set industry standards.

Led by the town government, Xiaolan Town, set up a joint development of hardware industry cluster and the establishment of a joint conference system for the development of industrial clusters. At present, the metals industry, Xiaolan Town, dominated by the lock hardware industries expanded to include the lock, gas appliance class, caster classes, hinge type, metal die-casting class, spray plating, mold class, classes, and other hardware bathroom products product category, as well as hardware accessories category of 10 Class relatively complete industrial chain of hardware to become the leading industry Xiaolan industrial economy.

In recent years, Xiaolan efforts to increase policy guidance to encourage enterprises to develop independent innovation, promoting industrial transformation and upgrading hardware. Fiscal year the town come up with 6 million yuan of special funds to carry out technical transformation reward innovation, and create the name excellence, and established the provincial, city, town, three technical innovation awards support system.

At the same time, set up a “Zhongshan City Xiaolan metal products industry technology center,” to as a leader, to form the provincial, city, town, three Enterprise Technology Innovation Center, Enterprise Engineering Center as the main carrier of technological innovation system, through the Technology Center improve the metal industry, core competitiveness. The past three years, the establishment of provincial and municipal levels Xiaolan cumulative enterprise technology centers and engineering centers to 73, access to award 10.7 million yuan, has set up a township enterprise technology centers 106.

Establish and perfect a variety of science and technology intermediary service organizations, in order to promote industrial upgrading provides a services platform. Xiaolan Town, set up a “Productivity Promotion Center”, the Center established nine years ago, has been incubating technology service entity 33. In 2008, the Center of Science and Technology won the “National Model Productivity Promotion Center,” found that only one township to become the National Productivity Center.

Xiaolan Town, according to industry clusters common technology, key technology requirements, product design company formed Hanyang, Hanyang Precision Mold Co., Ltd., with the S & P Precision Machinery Co., Ltd., matching company for hardware companies to provide deep-processing services. According to statistics, Han-Shin modern design and manufacturing service center every year more than 200 business services, designing new products 80, for the enterprise added industrial output value 150 million yuan, the new taxes more than 1000 million yuan.

At the same time, the establishment of “innovation and development of SME credit guarantee Xiaolan Town, Co., Ltd.”, with the town eight commercial banks to cooperate, in order to have the market prospects and development conditions of the financing difficulties of SMEs to solve the problem. The end of 2008, the security company’s total amount of guarantee for up to 24 billion yuan, sales income directly to pull more than 110 billion yuan.

In addition, the town set up a hardware industry, Technology Center, South China University of Xiaolan Industrial Technology Research Institute and other institutions, enterprises and research institutions to promote cooperation in production and research.

In the first half, Zhongshan Vantage Gas Appliance Co., Ltd. in the formation of the national “gas with combustion simulation laboratory”, the again with the Huazhong University of Science and Technology and build a branch from coal combustion- National Laboratory, a joint gas – Lab. Xiaolan has also set up a Chamber of Commerce, comprising industry associations, including locks, hardware, plastics trade associations and industry, including seven branches, two service companies, a document service window, Chamber of Commerce members up to 468.

So far, Xiaolan Town, have been developed, including mortise locks, exterior door locks, ball locks 3 locks industry standards. Xiaolan also set up a vocational skills upgrading, and made efforts to carry out hardware skills training. According to statistics, in 2008 added the training of skilled workers hardware 1539 views.

Zhejiang Yuhuan: Management Innovation for sustainable development

In July 2003 and July 2005, Yuhuan County, Zhejiang Province, has been China National Hardware Association awarded the “China Valve City” and “faucet production base in China” title. Over the years, Yuhuan County, adhere to the “government-led, business subjects, the association involved in the principle of” multi-linkage, strengthen and promote the bases, and gradually realized the plumbing valve products from price competition to the value of competition, and competition to its own brand products in general, competition changes in the effective promotion of the cluster industries, innovation, and restructuring and upgrading.

As of the end of 2008, plumbing valves up to 2792 the number of enterprises, self-export volume reached 1.365 billion U.S. dollars. Although in 2008 from international financial crisis, but still achieve the output value of 17.1 billion, self-exports 1.278 billion U.S. dollars, becoming the second largest pillar industry in Yuhuan County.

Yuhuan County, adhere to the principles of sustainable development, making full use of the rich resources of beach reclamation, planning and construction of the actual usable area 4.72 million mu of the coastal industrial zone, breaking the development site, “bottleneck.” County finance since 2003, an annual growth rate of 23.4% into advanced manufacturing bases, special finance total investment capital of 2 million yuan, and guide enterprises to establish an internal driving force for innovation and development mechanisms.

Through strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions restructuring, asset stripping and other property re-model, a mechanism to promote innovation in enterprises. Yuhuan County, has also attached great importance to entrepreneurs in the ranks, through the organizing president of Zhejiang University, MBA Business Administration, training classes, held business management training and other forms of knowledge to enhance the quality of enterprise management personnel.

Since the second half of 2008, the international market demand for the rapid decline of the export-oriented industry, Yuhuan County, plumbing valve caused a serious impact. Yuhuan County, as the difficulties faced by the fundamental changes in approach to development opportunities, through a series of measures, plumbing valve industry, the phenomenon appears stabilized warmer.

Yuhuan County, firmly grasp innovation and continuous improvement through the plumbing valve industrial development planning, and guide enterprises to re-examine market positioning, product positioning, focusing on the development of intelligent plumbing valve products, industrial high-pressure valves, high-precision pipe fittings and other products category, promote products and corporate restructuring and upgrading.

Yuhuan County, efforts to nurture and develop hi-tech enterprises, plumbing valve industry five enterprises of the national and provincial high-tech enterprise certification. To encourage powerful enterprises to seize the present “the most liberal policies, financing, lowest cost,” the favorable opportunity, increase the technological transformation and equipment renewal efforts, in particular the introduction of advanced equipment do the work. At the same time to encourage businesses to “Bitter inner strength” and vigorously promote lean manufacturing, promoting reengineering.

Yuhuan County, do everything possible to expand the market, do a good job domestic market development, to promote trade within the two-wheeled drive. County invested 5 million yuan, and organize enterprises established in Beijing and Shandong Linyi China (Yuhuan) plumbing valves City, to “Yuhuan made” overall regional brands, a unified marketing platform to help enterprises to further expand the domestic market. At present, the Beijing platform, has been in operation, Shandong Linyi platform is actively preparing for. Meanwhile, the Yuhuan county government also has 400 million yuan special funds and organize enterprises to participate in Shanghai International Exhibition bathroom more than 10 exhibitions.

By the China Building Decoration Association, to convene a national demonstration project of building decoration industry, science and technology in recognition of the occasion of the General Assembly the convening of Yuhuan (Suzhou) Valves Plumbing Industry Promotion and products on-site exhibitions, helping enterprises to expand their domestic market. And the consolidation of the international market, in-depth development of Europe and the United States, the Middle East and other traditional markets, efforts to open up Latin America, Africa and other emerging markets.

Yuhuan County, go all out to ensure growth, protect the people’s livelihood, maintaining stability and focus on preventing and resolving financial risks, and strengthen the monitoring of economic operation, strengthen early warning system to guard against the risk of industry as a whole.

Deepening bank-enterprise cooperation system of communication, organization 100 loan officer to the countryside into the enterprise services; to encourage financial institutions to innovative financial products, pilot small-scale enterprise loans, the development of equity collateral, credit insurance, increase the intensity of credit to SMEs; invested 50 million yuan guarantee the establishment of small and medium enterprises companies, to provide security services to crack enterprise “financing difficulties” problem. Burdens businesses to seriously implement the policy to remove administrative fees, lower corporate social insurance and the proportion of basic old-age insurance premium paid.

Yuhuan County, has embarked on industrial investment projects, promoting the “Hundred Days tackling” activities, the establishment of project leadership responsibility system, service tracking system and promote the “consultation” system, improve the rate of the project started. Team leaders take the lead in the county, the county 600 leading cadres of township departments into the enterprise, the next workshop, to guide enterprises to use live, with good, make full use of the variety of policies to help enterprises solve the outstanding problems that hinder their development and enhance the intensity of investment.

Shandong Linyi: the advantages of building hardware products

Hedong District, Linyi City, Shandong Province, metal manufacturing and processing industry is the area’s traditional industry, sixties and seventies of last century on the production of scissors, hammers and other hardware tools known throughout the country, known as the hometown of hardware in the world. In recent years, Hedong based advantages, high positioning, strong operation, adhere to the metal manufacturing and processing industry as the region to focus on fostering competitive industries, effort to build “China’s Hardware Industry Trade Town.”

Metal manufacturing and processing industry is the characteristic Hedong industries and pillar industries. Since its establishment, Hedong District, based on their own advantages, attaches great importance to the development of hardware manufacturing and processing industries. In 2007, District, district government has issued a series of preferential policies formulated to promote the metal manufacturing and processing industries to flourish.

Three years, metal manufacturing and processing industries for more than 25% annual increase, the proportion of total industry reached 15.66 percent, to truly become a pillar industry Hedong unique. First half of 2009, the whole hardware industry, above-scale enterprises realized sales income of 2.386 billion yuan, profit and tax of 76.16 million yuan; the region the right to record export more than 50 hardware companies, including 34 enterprises export performance, export 68.39 million U.S. dollars .

Vigorously implement the technology-driven strategy, guide enterprises to take the road of winning by quality, is east of the river area to create “Chinese Hardware Industry Trade City” key. In recent years, enterprises have continuously introduced advanced product testing facilities and a high level of testing personnel, the establishment of technical development centers of enterprises and products to enhance market competitiveness. Linyi Lux Limited, and Shanxi, Shandong University of Technology, Polytechnic University jointly developed by the roll-forging grinding art processing technology, energy saving 30%, 40% cost savings to reduce the labor force more than 50%, which greatly promoted the company’s rapid growth.

Advance through pilot, demonstration drive, a large number of company has a modern enterprise management and technical personnel, advanced manufacturing and processing equipment and complete product testing equipment. From the production and management superiority into industrial innovation advantage and achieve the transformation of scientific and technological achievements to promote the hardware industry scale, the grade and embarked on a road of sustainable development.

Strengthening the information network platform construction, help businesses to develop the trade space, east of the river area to speed up build “China’s Hardware Industry Industry & Trade City” a powerful breakthrough. In recent years, District, District Government has been actively relying on Dongli Hardware Electrical Logistics City in order to improve the logistics and distribution, financial services, e-commerce, full four functions of management as the core, integrated business flow, logistics, information flow, capital flow, to enhance information network platform construction, promotion of traditional trading patterns change, with traditional market leader in information technology, to minimize the cost of doing business, achieving a successful online trading and virtual trading.

Since 2005, east of the river area and Federation of Industry in Shandong Province Chamber of Commerce and other mechanical and electrical hardware units successfully held the 4 th China Linyi Hardware & Electrical Fair, more than 3,500 exhibitors, more than 30000 buyers turnover of 60 billion yuan.

Hedong district in the hardware companies take the initiative to actively guide the adjustment of product structure, production of niche products in the same time, seize the expanding domestic demand, and ensure the growth opportunities, timely adjustment and improve the hardware industry to promote the development of preferential policies, in the capital, taxation, land and so on the priority list. The establishment of hardware trade associations, use of the existing scale and a certain strength of the export production base, and guide enterprises and foreign sales of leading enterprises in powerful alliances to form trade group to strengthen the hardware industry, the management and coordination of services exports.

In 2009, Hedong District, the District Government to set up the logistics plate construction business headquarters out to organize the implementation of the “second step” development strategy. Fudan University, commissioned the preparation of the hardware market, Hedong long-term planning. At present, the market is stepping up to carry out preparatory work for the relocation of transformation is scheduled for completion next year. Through the transform and elevate the introduction of modern commercial logistics concepts and business trend of marketing and expand the market scale, improve market influence and driving force to promote the traditional market networks and the rapid increase of modern philosophy, and strive to make hardware market into an integrated set of transactions, information services, Expo show in one national distribution center for hardware products.

Hebei Anping: Seven platforms help the headquarters base construction

The face of international financial crisis, Anping County, Hebei, changes could be positive and strong screen industry cluster, so that strong contrarian screen industry. January to November of this year, screen industry production value of 12.0 billion, an increase of 17%.

Anping County is home to the seat of the screen industry cluster, since last year by the international financial crisis, industry experienced a severe challenge. Anping County, the county government profound analysis of the crisis exposed a lower level of industrial development, positioning is not accurate enough, far from being perfect platform to build a structural issue, the headquarters base mesh to create an international strategic objectives, and develop the implementation of “Anping Wire Mesh Industry Development revitalization plan, “screen industry cluster in 2011 to achieve comprehensive competitive strength,” leading, world-class “level.

Anping County Wire Mesh development strategy is to build the headquarters base, foster key industries and develop high-end products. According to Hui LUO 100 understanding, Anping County to determine the industrial agglomeration area, information, trade, logistics, training, research and development, testing seven platform to platform construction for industrial development. By creating seven platforms, gradually Anping wire mesh into the headquarters base in the world.

To completely change the screen industry “Village lighting a fire, every household smoke,” the layout of the situation, prompting enterprises to focus on parks, the park to the towns and cities. Anping County to strengthen the industrial platform (Park) construction efforts to plan the building of a total area of 12.8 square kilometers, an area of 6 square kilometers off the screen industry gathering area. Through the industrial development zones to accelerate the concentration of production factors.

Anping county economy relying on the country’s first pilot counties the advantages of information technology to promote information technology industry, the integration of docking with the mesh to strengthen the information gathering and dissemination mesh. To improve their marketing Pavilion “Screen Big World” features, increase efforts to promote the Expo to the screen, a sound trading platform construction. Integration of existing logistics resources, investment 1.141 billion yuan of building an international wire supply chain logistics base, the promotion of logistics platform construction.

Through the establishment of an international training center screen, integrated training resources to promote the training platform, and continuously improve the quality of practitioners. In R & D platform for building, financing through a variety of ways to set up screen R & D fund to provide financial support for research projects and risk compensation. At the same time, actively participate in the formulation of national standard wire mesh products such as measures to promote R & D platform for building and strengthening the same industry at home and abroad the right to speak. In the test platform construction, in accordance with the ability to reach the domestic advanced level testing requirements, and strive to existing provincial quality inspection center to reach the national level in 2011.

Anping County silk screen identified 20 major support enterprises as the backbone of the government enterprises, 80 for the relevant departments focus on affiliated enterprises. Give prominence to the six ability to cultivate leading enterprises: First, to improve to avoid risks. The trend of economic development to guide enterprises to flexibly using a variety of ways and means to minimize the risk of business operations; the second is to improve the resource integration capability.

To guide enterprises to seek strategic partners to enable enterprises to significantly enhance the overall competitive ability; 3 is to guide the development capacity of enterprises to improve their misplaced. The main direction of a clear, centralized resources to expand the high-end, high quality production capacity. Striving for national standards, and gradually form a clear difference can not copy the core technology and intellectual property rights; 4 is to guide the enterprises to improve the ability of radiation driving, and to lead, to play a lead role in industrial upgrading; 5 is to improve the capacity of enterprises to fulfill their social responsibilities.

And striving to fulfill their social responsibility model, with its good image to promote enterprise development; 6 is to improve the ability of enterprises to seize opportunities. To actively guide companies planning for the future to develop a scientific strategic objectives.

Anping County to support and guide enterprises to adopt advanced equipment and developed a number of driving ability, with high technological content and market prospects were good-quality products. Identified the right industry, driving the three categories focus on cultivating a strong product. First of all, do a good job of large welded net, high-grade Crimped Wire Mesh, construction and other production equipment, net absorption of innovation, and the localization of production, and scale capacity.

Increase the development of new stainless steel wire mesh weaving machine speed, high-density stainless steel wire mesh as soon as possible the upgrading of production equipment, and further consolidate the traditional position of superior products industry. Second, the target contrast dense grain network, sinter net, abrasive network, profiled steel nets high-end products, developed to replace imported products that enable high-end products in the field of wire mesh Anping place.

The organization of powerful enterprises in joint research, and strive to replace imported as soon as possible. Third, do a good job and high-end high-grade filter mesh fastener-related products, two major categories of projects. Organize the transfer of enterprises to seize the good opportunity echelon structure, increase investment and expand production scale, filter and market share.

United States has many Allied Health Schools to its credit. Students from different parts of the world are often attracted to these Schools. Both West and East Coasts in US are rich in many high graded Allied Health Schools. There are many Allied Health Schools in Alabama, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

In Alabama, there are many top colleges such as Fortis College, Strayer University, South University, Remington College and Virginia College. Most of these colleges offer various Diploma Programs in Medical Office Management and Administration, Pharmacy Technician and Technology and Surgical Technician and Technology.

The Top Allied Health Care Schools in Delaware are Dawn Training Center, Harris School of Business and Strayer University’s Campus. They offer many diploma programs in Medical Billing, Coding and Transcription and Multi Skill Health Technology.

In Georgia, the top schools include Sanford Brown Institute in Atlanta, Advanced Career Training Institute in Morrow, Medix College in Atlanta, Brown Mackie College in Atlanta and Everest Institute in Decatur, Bauder College in Atlanta, Laurus Technical Institute, Keller Graduate School of Management under Devry University has campuses in Atlanta, Gwinnett, Stockbridge and Decatur. Argosy University also has a campus in Atlanta. These schools offer MBA Degree and Diploma Programs in Dentistry, Cardiovascular Technology etc.

Top Kentucky Health Schools include Draughons Junior College in Bowling Green, Spencerian College in Lexington Daymar College, Thomas College in Crestview Hills, Beckfield College, National College of Business and Technology in Louisville, South Western College and Indiana Wesleyan University’s College at Louisville. Maryland has many such Top Colleges like Medix College, Kaplan College in Hagerstown, TESST College of Technology and Sanz School etc. The reputed colleges in Massachusetts include Health Training Center in Milford, Worcester and Lynn, Mildred Elley in Pittsfield, Porter and Chester Institute in Westborough, Braintree and Chicopee, Bay state College in Boston, Lincoln and Technical Institute, Salter College, The Salter School and Branford Hall Career Institute.

The State of Michigan too has many Top Allied Health Care Schools like ‘New Horizons’ which has campuses at Troy, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Flint, East Lansing Livonia, Dorsey School in Southgate, Roseville and Madison Heights. Mississippi has many top colleges like Antonelli College in Jackson, Hattiesburg, Belhaven College, Blue Cliff College and Virginia College. The State of New York has College like Berkeley College in midtown Manhattan, Hunter Business School, TCI College of Technology, Anthem Institute in New York City, Bramson ORT College, Branford Hall Career Institute in Bohemia and Albany, Bryant and Stratton College, Plaza College in Jackson Heights, Ridley-Lowell Business and Technical Institute in Binghampton and Poughkeepsie, Suburban Technical School in Hempstead and Anthem Institute. New York University SCPS is another top Allied Health School in New York. North Carolina’s top Schools include Miller-Motte Technical College in Raleigh, Wilmington and Greenville, South College in Ashville, Medical Careers Institute in Concord, Greensboro and Brookstone College which has so many campuses through out North Carolina.

The Top Health Schools in Ohio are many such as Bohecker College, Miami-Jacobs Career College,  Ohio Business College, RETS College, National College of business and Technology, Beckfield College, Harrison College, Ohio Valley College of Technology and Tech Skills which has campuses in Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus and Cleveland Institute of Dental – Medical Assistants, Inc.

Keystone Technical Institute, McCann School of Business and Technology and Allied Medical and Technical Institute in Pennsylvania, National College of Business and Technology in Virginia are other Top Allied Health Care Schools in East Coast.

History of formula

Early infant foods

Throughout history, mothers who could not (or chose not to) breastfeed their babies either employed the use of a wet nurse or, less frequently, prepared food for their babies, a process known as “dry nursing.” Baby food composition varied according to region and economic status. In Europe and America during the early 19th century, the prevalence of wet nursing began to decrease, while the practice of feeding babies mixtures based on animal milk rose in popularity.

Poster advertisement for Nestle’s Milk by Thophile Alexandre Steinlen, 1895

This trend was driven by cultural changes as well as increased sanitation measures, and it continued throughout the 19th and much of the 20th century, with a notable increase after Elijah Pratt invented and patented the India-rubber nipple in 1845. As early as 1846, scientists and nutritionists noted an increase in medical problems and infant mortality was associated with dry nursing. In an attempt to improve the quality of manufactured baby foods, in 1867, Justus von Liebig developed the world’s first commercial infant formula, Liebig’s Soluble Food for Babies. The success of this product quickly gave rise to competitors such as Mellin’s Infant Food, Ridge’s Food for Infants and Nestle’s Milk.

Raw milk formulas

As physicians became increasingly concerned about the quality of such foods, medical recommendations such as Thomas Morgan Rotch’s “percentage method” (published in 1890) began to be distributed, and gained widespread popularity by 1907. These complex formulas recommended that parents mix cow’s milk, water, cream, and sugar or honey in specific ratios to achieve the nutritional balance believed to approximate human milk reformulated in such a way as to accommodate the believed digestive capability of the infant.

At the dawn of the 20th century in the United States, most infants were breastfed, although many received some formula feeding as well. Home-made “percentage method” formulas were more commonly used than commercial formulas in both Europe and the United States. They were less expensive and were widely believed to be healthier. However, formula-fed babies exhibited more diet-associated medical problems, such as scurvy, rickets and bacterial infections than breastfed babies. By 1920, the incidence of scurvy and rickets in formula-fed babies had greatly decreased through the addition of orange juice and cod liver oil to home-made formulas. Bacterial infections associated with formula remained a problem more prevalent in the United States than in Europe, where milk was usually boiled prior to use in formulas.

Evaporated milk formulas

In the 1920s and 1930s, evaporated milk began to be widely commercially available at low prices, and several clinical studies suggested that babies fed evaporated milk formula thrive as well as breastfed babies (these findings are not supported by modern research.) These studies, accompanied by the affordable price of evaporated milk and the availability of the home icebox initiated a tremendous rise in the use of evaporated milk formulas. By the late 1930s, the use of evaporated milk formulas in the United States surpassed all commercial formulas, and by 1950 over half of all babies in the United States were reared on such formulas.

Commercial formulas

In parallel with the enormous shift (in industrialized nations) away from breastfeeding to home-made formulas, nutrition scientists continued to analyze human milk and attempt to make infant formulas that more closely matched its composition. Maltose and dextrins were believed nutritionally important, and in 1912, the Mead Johnson Company released a milk additive called Dextri-Maltose. This formula was made available to mothers only by physicians. In 1919, milkfats were replaced with a blend of animal and vegetable fats as part of the continued drive to closer simulate human milk. This formula was called SMA for “simulated milk adapted.”

In the late 1920s, Alfred Bosworth released Similac (for “similar to lactation”), and Mead Johnson released Sobee. Several other formulas were released over the next few decades, but commercial formulas did not begin to seriously compete with evaporated milk formulas until the 1950s. The reformulation and concentration of Similac in 1951, and the introduction (by Mead Johnson) of Enfamil in 1959 were accompanied by marketing campaigns that provided inexpensive formula to hospitals and pediatricians. By the early 1960s, commercial formulas were more commonly used than evaporated milk formulas, which all but vanished in the 1970s. By the early 1970s, over 75% of babies in the United States were fed on formulas, almost entirely commercially produced.

When birth rates in industrial nations tapered off during the 1960s, infant formula companies heightened marketing campaigns in non-industrialized countries. Unfortunately, poor sanitation led to steeply increased mortality rates among infants fed formula prepared with contaminated (drinking) water. Organized protests, the most famous of which was the Nestl boycott of 1977, called for an end to unethical marketing. This boycott is ongoing, as the current coordinators maintain that Nestl engages in marketing practices which violate the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes.

Store brand (generic) infant formulas

Store brand infant formula was first introduced in the United States in 1997 by PBM Products. All infant formula brands in the United States are required to adhere to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines.

The Mayo Clinic said, s with most consumer products, brand-name infant formulas cost more than generic brands. But that doesn’t mean that brand-name [Similac, Nestle, Enfamil] formulas are better. Although manufacturers may vary somewhat in their formula recipes, the FDA requires that all formulas contain the same nutrient density.21]

Private label infant formulas have allowed the leading food and drug retailers to provide formula to customers that is labeled under the store brands of companies such as Wal-Mart, Target, Kroger, Loblaws, and Walgreens.

Follow-on and toddler formulas

In the 1980s and 1990s, formula was introduced for older children, up to the age of 2 years, under such terms as “follow-on formula” and “toddler formula”. This was done partly because the market for infant formula (strictly speaking, up to age 6 months, when infants typically exclusively breastfeed) was saturated in developed countries, as discussed in industry, below, and in conjunction with regulations on infant formula advertising. Critics have argued that follow-on and toddler formulas were introduced partly to circumvent these regulations advertising for similarly packaged and branded follow-on formula is often interpreted as advertising for infant formula targeted at under 6 month-olds.

An early example of follow-on formula was introduced by Wyeth in the Philippines in 1987, following the introduction in this country of regulations on infant formula advertising, which regulations did not address follow-on formula, which did not exist at the time of their drafting.

Usage since 1970s

Since the early 1970s, industrial countries have witnessed a dramatic resurgence in breastfeeding among children from newborn to 6 months of age. However, this upswing in breastfeeding has been accompanied by a deferment in the average age of introduction of other foods (such as cow’s milk), resulting in increased use of both breastfeeding and infant formula between the ages of 312 months.

Leading health organizations (e.g. US CDC, WHO, US HHS) are attempting to increase the prevalence of breastfeeding through public awareness campaigns. The goals of these programs vary by organization, with recommended breastfeeding ages ranging between birth and 24 months. Additionally, regulatory initiatives also encourage breastfeeding. For example, the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes requires infant formula companies to preface their product information with statements that breastfeeding is the best way of feeding babies and that a substitute should only be used after consultation with health professionals.

Reasons to use infant formula

There are few medical reasons to use infant formula “The vast majority of mothers can and should breastfeed, just as the vast majority of infants can and should be breastfed,” and “Only under exceptional circumstances can a mother’s milk be considered unsuitable for her infant.” Alternatives to breast-feeding include:

expressed breast milk from an infant own mother,

breast milk from a healthy wet nurse,

breast milk from a human-milk bank,

as well as infant formula. Among these, the WHO states that “the choice of the best alternative … depends on individual circumstances.”

Reasons to not breastfeed or it is not possible to breastfeed include:

The mother’s health: The mother is infected with HIV or tuberculosis. She is malnourished or has had certain kinds of breast surgery. She is taking any kind of drug that could harm the baby, or drinks unsafe levels of alcohol. The mother is extremely ill.

The baby is unable to breastfeed: The child has a birth defect or inborn error of metabolism such as galactosemia that makes breastfeeding difficult or impossible.

a couple is practicing natural family plan: Breastfeeding acts as a natural contraception for the first 6 months after birth.
Absence of the mother: The child is adopted, orphaned, or in the sole custody of a man. The mother is separated from her child by being in prison or a mental hospital. The mother has left the child in the care of another person for an extended period of time, such as while traveling or working abroad. The mother has abandoned the child.

Financial pressures: Maternity leave is unpaid, insufficient, or lacking. The mother’s employment interferes with breastfeeding.

Societal structure: Breastfeeding is difficult or forbidden at the mother’s job, school, place of worship or while commuting.

Social discomfort: The mother may feel uncomfortable breastfeeding around other people.

Personal beliefs: The mother may choose to not breastfeed for varied personal reasons for instance, she may feel that breasts are too sexual for a baby.

Lack of training: The mother is not trained sufficiently to breastfeed without pain and to produce enough milk.

Dietary concerns: The contents of breastmilk are influenced by the dietary habits of the mother. If the mother consumes a food that contains an allergen breastfeeding may, for a brief period after consumption, provoke an allergic reaction in the infant.

Reasons to supplement by alternatives, in addition to breastfeeding, include:

Social structure or discomfort: The mother may be able to breastfeed at some hours, but not at others, for reasons cited above.

Lactation insufficiency: The mother is unable to produce sufficient milk, which affects around 2 to 5% of women.

Reasons to use infant formula specifically, as opposed to the alternatives of expressed milk, wet nurses, and milk banks, include:

Lack of education: The mother, her doctor, or family may believes that her breast milk is of low quality or in low supply, or that breastfeeding will decrease her energy, health, or attractiveness, and be unaware of other alternatives. Nursing by a relative or paid wet-nurse may be believed to be unhygienic.

Social pressures: Family members, such as mother’s husband or boyfriend, or friends or other members of society may encourage the use of infant formula.

Personal beliefs: The mother may choose to use formula for varied personal beliefs.

Lack of alternatives:

Lack of refrigeration: Expressed breast milk requires refrigeration if not immediately consumed, and sanitary preparation conditions this latter requirement is shared with infant formula.

Lack of wet nurses: Wet nursing is illegal and stigmatized in some countries, and may not be available. It may also be socially unsupported or expensive, and safe use of wet nurses requires health screening of the nurses.

Lack of milk banks: Human-milk banks may not be available; relatively few exist, and they require screening and refrigeration.

Nutritional content

Infant formula is nutritionally inferior to breast milk, and superior to other substitutes such as animal milk. Besides breast milk, infant formula is the only other milk product which the medical community considers nutritionally acceptable for infants under the age of one year note that solid food is nutritionally acceptable in addition to breast milk or formula during weaning.

Although cow’s milk is the basis of almost all infant formula, plain cow’s milk is unsuited for infants because of its high protein and electrolyte (salt) content which may put a strain on an infant’s immature kidneys, and untreated cow’s milk is not recommended before the age of 12 months. The infant intestine is not properly equipped to digest non-human milk and this may often result in diarrhea, intestinal bleeding and malnutrition[citation needed]. To reduce the negative effect on the infants digestive system, cows milk used for formula undergoes processing in order to be made into infant formula. This includes steps in order to make protein more easily digestible and alter the whey-to-casein protein balance to a ratio closer to human milk, the addition of several essential ingredients (often called “fortification”, see below), the partial or total replacement of dairy fat with fats of vegetable or marine origin, etc.

Most of the world’s supply of infant formula is produced in the United States[citation needed]. The nutrient content of infant formula for sale in the United States is regulated by the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) based on recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Nutrition. The following must be included in all formulas produced in the U.S.:

Protein

Fat

Linoleic acid

Vitamins: A, C, D, E, K, thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), B6, B12

Niacin

Folic acid

Pantothenic acid

Calcium

Metals: magnesium, iron, zinc, manganese, copper

Phosphorus

Iodine

Sodium chloride

Potassium chloride

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are an important source of energy for growing infants as it accounts for 35 to 42% of their daily energy intake. In most cow’s based formulas, lactose is the main source of carbohydrates present. But lactose is not present in cow’s milk-based lactose-free formulas nor specialized non-milk protein formulas or hydrolyzed protein formulas for infants with milk protein sensitivity. Lactose is also not present in soy-based formulas. Therefore, those formulas without lactose will use other sources of carbohydrates like sucrose and glucose, natural and modified starches, monosacchardies and indigestible carbohydrates. Lactose is not only a good course of energy, it also aids in the absorption of various minerals like magnesium, calcium, zinc and iron.

Nucleotides

Nucleotides are compounds found naturally in human breast milk. They are involved in many different critical metabolic processes in the body like energy metabolism and enzymatic reactions. Also, as the building blocks of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) they are essential for normal body functions. Compared to human breast milk, cow’s milk has lower levels of nucleotides like uridine, inosine, and cytidine. Therefore, several companies that produce infant formula have added nucleotides to their infant formulas.

Other Ingredients

Emulsifiers and stabilizers

Emulsifiers and stabilizers are raw materials that are added to prevent the separation of the oil and water-soluble component in the infant formula. Some commonly used emulsifiers include mono, di-glycerides, and gums.

Diluent

The ingredient helps create the liquid bulkiness in infant formula. Skim milk is commonly used as the primary diluent in milk-based formulation. In contrast, purified water is the most commonly used diluent in milk-free formulations.

In addition, formulas not made with cow’s milk must include biotin, choline, and inositol.

Hypoallergenic formulas reduce the likelihood of certain medical complications in babies with specific health problems. Baby formula can be synthesized from raw amino acids. This kind of formula is sometimes referred to as elemental infant formula or as medical food because of its specialized nature. While quite expensive, such formula is hypoallergenic and is sometimes used for babies with severe allergies to cow’s milk and soy. Some commercial brands are Neocate and Peptamen. Being purely synthetic monomeric amino acids, it is also quite foul-tasting to adults, and it is not uncommon for infants to reject elemental formulas after having been established on a sweeter tasting, non-elemental formula.

Variations

Infant formula is available in powder, liquid concentrate and ready-to-feed forms.

Recently the market has been segmented by age into:

infant formula, up to 6 months,

follow-on formula, from 6 months to 12 months,

toddler formula, from 12 months on.

These categories and formulations may overlap, and there is substantial consumer confusion about these categories.

These all provide inferior nutrition to breast milk, nor are they recommended by health authorities as a supplement to breast milk[citation needed] recommendations are to breastfeed exclusively for 6 months, then to continue to breast feed to 12 or 24 months (depending on authority), supplementing with solid food and eventually weaning. Cow’s milk should not be introduced before 12 months follow-on formula is superior to cow’s milk for 6 to 12 month olds, but inferior to breast milk.

These were introduced and developed partly to address the saturation of the infant formula market (up to 6 months) in developed countries, as discussed in industry, below, and partly due to regulations on infant formula, which often did not cover milk substitutes for children older than 6 months; an early example is Wyeth’s introduction of follow-on formula in the Philippines in 1987, following introduction of regulations on infant formula marketing. They have also result in confusing advertising in the United Kingdom infant formula advertising is illegal, but follow-on formula advertising is legal, and the similar packaging and market results in follow-on advertisements frequently being interpreted as adverts for formula.

Preparation

Infant formula should be prepared by the caregiver or parent in small batches and fed to the infant, usually with either a cup, as recommended by the WHO, or a baby bottle.

It is very important to measure powders or concentrates accurately to achieve the intended final product, otherwise the child will be malnourished. It is advisable that all equipment that comes into contact with the infant formula be cleaned and sterilized before each use. Proper refrigeration is essential for any infant formula which is prepared in advance.

In developing countries, formula is frequently prepared improperly, resulting in high infant mortality due to malnutrition and diseases such as diarrhea and pneumonia. This is due to lack of clean water, lack of sterile conditions, lack of refrigeration, illiteracy (so written instructions cannot be followed), poverty (diluting formula so that it lasts longer), and lack of education of mothers by formula distributors. These problems and resulting disease and death are a key factor in opposition to the marketing and distribution of infant formula in developing countries by numerous NGOs these groups do not consider infant formula appropriate technology for developing countries.

Controversy and science

The use and marketing of infant formula has come under scrutiny; as discussed at breastfeeding, breast milk is considered the “ideal food” for babies, and the “ideal addition” to other foods, and exclusive breast feeding for the first 6 months of a baby’s life is advocated by health authorities and accordingly by infant formula manufactures.

Use

Despite the recommendation that babies be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life, the overwhelming majority of American babies are not exclusively breastfed for this period in 2005 under 12% of babies were breastfed exclusively for the first 6 months, with over 60% of babies of 2 months of age being fed formula, and approximately one in four breastfed infant having infant formula feeding within two days of birth.

Ethnicity

According to a research conducted in Vancouver, Canada, 1998, at birth, 82.9 % of mothers breastfeed their babies, but this number differs between Caucasians(91.6%) and Non-Caucasians(56.8%).

Nutritional value

The WHO considers infant formula that is safely prepared and formulated in accord with the Codex Alimentarius a nutritionally adequate and safe complementary food.

Toxins

Infant formula contains significantly higher levels of manganese than breast milk 80 times as much in soy-derived, and 30 times as much in animal milk-derived. This level of manganese and its presence in infant formula has been implicated in learning disabilities such as ADHD.

Health effects

Use of infant formula is cited in numerous health risks. Studies have found infants in developed countries who consume formula are at increased risk for acute otitis media, non-specific gastroenteritis, severe lower respiratory tract infections, atopic dermatitis, asthma, obesity, type 1 and 2 diabetes, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), eczema, necrotizing enterocolitis and autism when compared to infants who are breastfed.

Although some early studies have found an association between infant formula and lower cognitive development, other studies have found no correlation. However recently more questions have arisen. It has been discovered that iron supplementation in baby formula is linked to lowered I.Q. and other neurodevelopmental delays.

Melamine contamination

Main article: 2008 Chinese milk scandal

On November 25, 2008, an Associated Press article entitled, “FDA finds traces of melamine in US infant formula,” explains infant formula made by the main three firms has tested positive for melamine contamination. These three main firms are responsible for 90% of infant formula in the US, “Abbott Laboratories, Nestle and Mead Johnson.”

The MSDS for Melamine (CAS NO 108-78-1; C3-H6-N6) records the acute oral toxicity (LD50) at 3161 mg/kg (3161 ppm) for a rat. The highest levels previously reported in China reached approximately 2500 ppm. The article mentioned above indicated that the US testing found 10,000 times less than the China levels or 0.25 ppm.

Health Canada conducted a separate test and also detected traces of melamine in infant formula available in Canada. The melamine levels were well below Health Canada’s safety limits, although some public health advocates are critical of the industry and regulators for allowing any residues of a potentially dangerous substance in food for infants.

Health officials have been on alert for the chemical since the discovery this year of a massive case of melamine poisoning in China, where milk was deliberately adulterated with the chemical, leading to illnesses in more than 50,000 children, including cases of acute kidney failure. In China, large quantities of melamine were deliberately added to watered-down milk to give it the appearance of having adequate protein levels.

Other controversies

In 1985 Syntex was ordered to pay $27 million for the death of two infants who were given the Syntex baby formula, called Neo-mull-soy, when they were infants. In 1978, Syntex had eliminated salt from the formula.

Risks decreased

Some risks are cited as being decreased when using alternatives to breastfeeding by the mother generally, or by using formula specifically.

Decreased by alternative to breastfeeding by the mother

Infectious diseases transmitted from the breastfeeder

The main risk posed by the mother’s milk specifically is the transmission of infectious diseases such as HIV. In some cases these can be mitigated by using heat-treated milk and nursing for a briefer time (6 months, rather than 1824 months), and can be avoid by using an uninfected woman’s milk, as via a wet-nurse or milk bank, or by using formula, or treated animal milk.

HIV infection

Breastfeeding by an HIV-infected mother poses a 520% chance of transmitting HIV to the baby, assuming
CMV infection, with potentially dangerous consequences in pre-term babies

HTLV-1 infection

HTLV-2 infection

Tuberculosis in the context of tuberculosis mastitis

Herpes simplex when lesions are present on the breasts

Chickenpox in the newborn, when the disease manifested in the mother within a few days of birth

Risks decreased by formula-feeding specifically

Some risks are present in all breast milk, and are only mitigated by the use of infant formula.

Environmental contaminants

Exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)

Exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls

Malnutrition

While in general breast milk is the “ideal food” for babies, in certain circumstances or respects infants may be at risk for malnutrition.

Iron deficiency

Vitamin deficiencies

Particularly vitamin D in babies at high latitudes who lack sun exposure

Inadequate nutrition during transition to solid foods

Balancing risks

Weighing the risks, health authorities generally on balance judge breastfeeding the healthiest, least risky option, as follows:

In cases where the mother has an infectious diseases such as HIV, exclusive breastfeeding is suggested until alternatives that satisfy the AFASS (Acceptable Feasible Affordable Sustainable and Safe) principles are available; such alternatives include breast milk from other women, infant formula, and treated animal milk. In developing countries, risks from other sources of infant mortality such as diarrhea, particularly due to unclean water and lack of sterile conditions both prerequisites to the safe use of formula often outweigh risks from breastfeeding.

The risks from pollution are not seen to outweigh the benefits of breastfeeding, and “adverse effects on learning and behavior are strongly associated with fetal exposure to persistent pollutants, not with breast milk exposure”.

The WHO finds that neurological benefits of breast milk remain, regardless of the dioxin exposure from milk, and other researchers conclude that the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh the danger posed by these toxins.

Industry

This section requires expansion.

Manufacturers

The US infant formula industry is highly concentrated: it is an oligopoly with 3 companies accounting for 99% of the market in 2000:

Mead Johnson: 52%, owned by Bristol-Myers Squibb, makes Enfamil, Pregestimil, Nutramigen, and Nutramigen AA

Abbott Laboratories: 35%, Ross division makes Similac, Isomil, Alimentum, and EleCare

Nestl: 12%, the largest producer of formula in the world, makes Good Start; owns Gerber Products Company

Other infant formula manufacturers include:

Danone recently acquired Royal Numico, Dumex, Milupa

Earth’s Best owned by Hain Celestial

Natures One – privately held Ohio based company producing mostly organic formula for toddlers

Nutricia – maker of Neocate

Wyeth Nutrition: Market leader in the Philippines

S-26 Gold, Promil Gold, Progress Gold, S-26, Promil, Promil Kid, Bonna, Bonamil, Bonakid 1+, Bonakid 3+, Nursoy, Parent’s Choice/Bright Beginnings

Market size

This section requires expansion.

Infant formula is the largest segment of the baby food market, with the fraction given as between 40% and 70%.

The global infant formula market is estimated at $7.9 billion. North America and Western Europe are 33% of the market and saturated, while Asia is 53% of the market. South East Asia is a particularly large fraction of the world market relative to its population.

Government subsidies

United States

In the United States, infant formula is heavily subsidized by the government: at least one third of the US market is supported by the government, with over half of infant formula in the US provided through WIC WIC is the US food aid program, not a medical program, which is Medicaid. Breastfeeding rates are substantially lower for WIC recipients; this is partly attributed to formula being free of charge to WIC mothers, and partly to WIC recipients being poor and uneducated, hence less likely to breastfeed. Further, some promotional materials use the WIC trademark, in violation of federal policy. Infant formula costs are a significant fraction of WIC costs: 21% post-rebate, and 46% pre-rebate. Formula manufacturers are granted a WIC monopoly in individual states only one brand of formula will be eligible for WIC.

WIC also pays for milk banks.

Marketing

This section requires expansion.

Marketing of infant formula and the regulation thereof varies between countries.

The International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes is a statement of principles regarding infant formula marketing, including strict restrictions on advertising. Its implementation depends on the laws of different countries and the behavior of infant formula manufacturers the code has no power itself. Legislation and corporate behavior vary significantly between countries: in some countries the code is implemented in law and followed by formula manufacturers, while in others it is not.

Practices that are banned in the code include most advertising, claiming health benefits for formula, and giving free samples to women able to breastfeed this latter practice is particularly criticized because it can interfere with lactation, creating dependence on formula.

Free samples of infant formula have been provided to hospitals since the 1930s, which practice has been criticized continuously since then; further, infant formula is the only product routinely provided free of charge to hospitals.

United States

In the United States, infant formula is heavily marketed both in advertising to mothers and doctors and via free samples in violation of the principles in the code, which has not been adopted or implemented by manufacturers in the US for US marketing.

In surveys, over 70% of large hospitals dispense infant formula to all infants, which is opposed by the AAP and in violation of the code.

The American Academy of Pediatrics opposes marketing of infant formula directly to the public.

The Gerber Products Company began marketing Gerber Baby Formula directly to the public in October 1989, while the Carnation Company began marketing Good Start infant formula directly to the public in January 1991.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, infant formula advertising has been illegal since 1995, but advertising for follow-on formula is legal, which has been cited as a loophole allowing advertising of similarly-packaged formula, and is confusing to mothers.

By country

This section requires expansion.

Philippines

Infant formula is a major product in the Philippines it is one of the top three consumer commodities, and among the most imported products.

Infant formula marketing has been regulated since the 1987 Executive Order 51 or “Milk Code”. This regulated but did not ban practices such as advertising and providing free samples. Shortly after it was enacted, Wyeth introduced follow-on formula, which was not in the purview of the Milk Code, follow-on formula not having existed at the time of the writing of the Milk Code.

In 2006, the Department of Health banned the advertising of infant formula and the practice of providing free samples, regardless of intended age group (in regulation RIRR), which regulation was challenged by the infant formula industry in the Supreme Court. Initially the challenge was dismissed, but this decision was immediately reversed, following a letter by American business leader Thomas Donahue, then President and CEO of the United States Chamber of Commerce, resulting in the regulation being suspended and advertising continuing.
In the Philippines annual sales amount to some US$469 million annually. US$88 million is spent on advertising the product.

Canada

Vitamin D deficiency is a health concern in Canada. Infant formulas marketed in Canada are fortified with Vitamin D. Health Canada recommends that breastfed infants also receive extra vitamin D in the form of a supplement. With the exception of vitamin D, vitamin and mineral supplementation of breastfed term infants in the first 6 months is not recommended unless a mother is a vegan. Infant formulas marketed in Canada have not been tested for the presence of phthalates, a chemical used in the production of plastics, though concerns have been raised by Great Britain. Unlike other countries (e.g. New Zealand, UK) who have banned the general use of soy-based infant formula, it is still allowed in Canada. It is estimated that 20% of infants in Canada are fed soy beased infant formula and thus exposed to levels of phytoestrogen up to 22000 times higher than those normally found in breast milk, which gives the potential to damage a baby’s thyroid.

Infant Formula Processing

History of Infant Formula Development

Dates

Events

1867

Formula contains wheat flour, cow milk, malt flour, and potassium bicarbonate
1915

Powder form of infant formula was introduced. Formula contained cow milk, lactose, oleo oils, and vegetable oils
1929

Soy formula was introduced
1935

Protein was introduced into the infant formula. Protein was added because it was believed that cow-milk protein content was lower than human-milk protein content. 3.34.0 g/100 kcal of proteins were added.

1959

Iron fortification was introduced because a large amount of iron (~80%) will be used to expand the red blood cell mass in a growing infant. Infants with birth weights between 1500 and 2500g require 2 mg/kg of iron per day. Infants with weights of less than 1500g require 4 mg/kg per day.

1962

Whey : Casein ratio was made similar to human milk because producers were aware that human milk contain a higher content of whey protein and cow milk contain a higher content of casein.

1984

Taurine fortification introduced because new born infants lack the enzymes needed to convert and form taurine.

Late 1990

Nucleotide fortification was introduced into infant formula because nucleotide can act as growth factors and may enhance the immune system in infant body.

Early 2000

Polyunsaturated fatty-acid fortification was introduced. Polyunsaturated fatty-acids, such as Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and Arachidonic acid (ARA), were added because those fatty-acids play an important role in infant brain development.

Current general procedure for infant formula processing

The manufacturing process may differ for different types of formula made; therefore the following is the general procedure for liquid-milk based formulas:

Mixing ingredients

Primary ingredients are blended in large stainless steel tanks and skim milk is added and adjusted to 60C.Then, fats, oils and emulsifiers are added next. Additional heating and mixing may be required to get proper consistency. Next, minerals, vitamins, stabilizing gums are added at various points depending on their sensitivity to heat. This batch is temporarily stored and then transported by pipelines to pasteurization equipment when mixing is complete.

Pasteurization

This is a process that protects against spoilage by eliminating bacteria, yeasts and molds. It involves quickly heating and then cooling of the product under controlled conditions which micro-organisms cannot survive. The batch is held at around 85-94C for approximately 30 seconds which is necessary to adequately reduce micro-organisms and prepare the formula for filling.

Homogenization

This is a process which increases emulsion uniformity and stability by reducing size of fat and oil particles in the formula. It is done with a variety of mixing equipment that applies shear to the product and this mixing breaks fat and oil particles into very small droplets.

Standardization

Standardization is used to ensure that the key parameters like pH, fat concentration and vitamins and mineral content are correct. If insufficient levels of these are found, the batch is reworked to achieve appropriate levels. After this step, the batch is ready to be packaged.

Packaging

Packaging depends on manufacturer and type of equipment used but in general liquid formula filled into metal cans w/ lids crimped into place.

Heat Treatment/Sterilization

Finally, infant formulas are heat treated to maintain the bacteriologic quality of the product. This can be done traditionally by either retort sterilization or high-temperature short-time (HTST) treatment. Recently Ultrahigh-temperature treated formula has become more commonly used. If powdered formula is made, then an additional spray drying would be required after this. Retort sterilization is a traditional retort sterilization method that uses 10-15mins treatment at 118C. Ultrahigh-temperature (UHT) is a method that uses a brief (23 seconds) treatment at 142C. Because of the short time used, there is little protein denaturation but still ensures sterility of the final product.

Recent and future potential new ingredients

Probiotics

Recently, probiotics have become a new ingredient in many of our foods and studies have been completed regarding the use of probiotics in infant formula Several randomized controlled trials completed recently have shown limited and short term clinical benefits for the use of probiotics in infants diet The safety of probiotics in general and in infants, especially preterm infants, has been investigated in a limited number of controlled trials. The findings this far suggests that probiotics are generally safe. Therefore, the study suggested that more scientific research is necessary before a conclusion can be made about probiotic supplementation in infant formula since the research is still quite preliminary.

Prebiotics

Prebiotics are nondigestable carbohydrates that promote the growth of probiotic bacteria in the gut. Human milk contains a variety of oligosaccharides that are believed to be an important factor in the pattern of microflora colonization of breastfed infants. Because of variety, variability, complexity and polymorphism of the oligosaccharide composition and structure, it is currently not feasible to reproduce the oligosaccharide components of human milk in a strictly structural fashion.

The European Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition Committee on Nutrition found evidence to support short term effects of ingesting prebiotics on stool microflora of infants with increased in the number of bifidobacteria. Babies can be at risk of dehydration with the induction of softer stools, if they have the kidney immaturity and/or a poor ability to concentrate urine. A reduction of pathogens has been associated with the consumption of prebiotics. However, there was no evidence to support major clinical or long-term benefits. Therefore, there is little evidence in favor of beneficial effects of prebiotics in dietary products.

Lysozyme and Lactoferrin

Lysozyme is an enzyme that is responsible for protecting the body by damaging bacterial cell walls. Lactoferrin is a globular, multifunctional protein that has antimicrobial activity. Comparing with human milk, cow milk has a signifactly lower levels of lysozyme and lactoferrin; therefore, the industry has an increasing interest in adding them into infant formulas.

See also

Child development

Baby food

Baby bottle

Breastfeeding

Breast milk

References

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^ http://www.journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/ysiny/article/PIIS1084275696800170/abstract

^ http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=10935&page=41

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^ a b Spaulding, Mary; Penny Welch (1994). Nurturing Yesterday’s Child: A Portrayal of the Drake Collection of Paediatric History. B C Decker Inc. ISBN 0-920474-91-8. http://www.amazon.com/Nurturing-Yesterdays-Child-Mary-Spaulding/dp/0920474918. 

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^ Levenstein, Harvey (June 1983). “”Best for Babies” or “Preventable Infanticide”? The Controversy over Artificial Feeding of Infants in America, 1880-1920″. Journal of American History 70 (1): 7594. doi:10.2307/1890522. http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0021-8723(198306)70:1<75:”FBO”I>2.0.CO;2-F&origin=historycoop. Retrieved 2006-09-16. 

^ a b Friedenwald, Julius; John Ruhrah (1910). Diet in Health and Disease. New York: W.B. Saunders Co.. http://hearth.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=hearth;idno=4388698. 

^ Marriott, William McKim; Schoenthal, L. (1929). “An experimental study of the use of unsweetened evaporated milk for the preparation of infant feeding formulas”. Archives of Pediatrics 46: 135148. 

^ Solomon, Stephen (1981). “The Controversy Over Infant Formula”. The New York Times: pp. 8. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D06E2D61738F935A35751C1A967948260&sec=health&spon=&pagewanted=5. Retrieved 2008-08-11. 

^ Mayo Clinic, November 2007

^ a b c d [The Philippine Milk Code: A timeline http://www.pcij.org/blog/?p=1789]

^ “Promotion & Support of Breastfeeding and Obesity Prevention”. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. May 22, 2007. http://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/promotion/index.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-24. 

^ United States Department of Health and Human Services (June 4, 2006). “Public Service Campaign to Promote Breastfeeding Awareness Launched”. Press release. http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2004pres/20040604.html. Retrieved 2008-05-22. 

^ “Promoting proper feeding for infants and young children”. World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/infantfeeding/en/index.html. Retrieved 2008-05-24. 

^ a b c “Breastfeeding Frequently Asked Questions”. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. May 22, 2007. http://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/faq/index.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-24. 

^ International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes. World Health Organization. 1981. ISBN 9789241541602. http://www.who.int/bookorders/anglais/detart1.jsp?sesslan=1&codlan=1&codcol=15&codcch=94. 

^ Emphasis added.

^ a b c “When should a mother avoid breastfeeding?”. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2006-08-26. http://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/disease/contraindicators.htm. Retrieved 2007-02-25. 

^ http://www.womens-health.co.uk/breast.asp

^
^ “Breast-feeding and Guilt: Interview with a Mayo Clinic Specialist”

^ Guardian Unlimited: Not your mother’s milk

^ a b c d e f g h i Blachford, Ed. Cengage, G. aby Formula, eNotes.com, November 03, 2009

^ a b Schmidl, M.K., Labuza, T.P. (2000).”Infant formula and Medical Foods. In Essential of Functional Foods”. Aspen Publishers. p. 137-164. Google Book Search. Retrieved on November 7, 2009.

^ GEA Processing Engineering Inc.”Production of Powdered Baby Food”, 1992

^ a b c Legal loophole allows banned formula advertising to mothers

^ Discussed in detail at Nestl boycott and references thereof.

^ Nestl FAQ Should all mothers be encouraged to breastfeed exclusively for the first 6 months?

^ Infant Feeding Practices Study II > Results

^ Breastfeeding Among U.S. Children Born 19992005, CDC National Immunization Survey

^ Williams, PL; Innis, SM; Vogel, AM;, (1998), Breastfeeding and weaning practices in Vancouver http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8870300

^ a b Environmental Working Group Mother’s Milk Mother’s Milk: Sidebar: Breast Milk Is Still Best

^ Collipp PJ. Manganese in infant formula and learning disability. Ann Nutr Metab 27:488-494. 1983.

^ Van Scoy, H. Soy-based formulas may be linked to ADHD: elevated levels of manganese the suspected culprit. Health Scout News Reporter. October 8, 2002.

^ a b Breastfeeding and Maternal and Infant Health Outcomes in Developed Countries. Tufts-New England Medical Center Evidence-Based Practice Center. April 2007. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?rid=hstat1b.chapter.106732. Retrieved 2008-05-22. 

^ Riordan JM (1997). “The cost of not breastfeeding: a commentary”. J Hum Lact 13 (2): 937. doi:10.1177/089033449701300202. PMID 9233193. 

^ Sadauskaite-Kuehne V, Ludvigsson J, Padaiga Z, Jasinskiene E, Samuelsson U (2004). “Longer breastfeeding is an independent protective factor against development of type 1 diabetes mellitus in childhood”. Diabetes Metab. Res. Rev. 20 (2): 1507. doi:10.1002/dmrr.425. PMID 15037991. 

^ Pratt HF (1984). “Breastfeeding and eczema”. Early Hum. Dev. 9 (3): 28390. doi:10.1016/0378-3782(84)90039-2. PMID 6734490. 

^ McCann JC, Ames BN (2005). “Is docosahexaenoic acid, an n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid, required for development of normal brain function? An overview of evidence from cognitive and behavioral tests in humans and animals”. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 82 (2): 28195. PMID 16087970. 

^ Kerr, Martha; Dsire Lie (2008). “Neurodevelopmental Delays Associated With Iron-Fortified Formula for Healthy Infants”. Medscape Psychiatry and Mental Health. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/574363. Retrieved 2008-08-04. 

^ (dead link)

^ FDA Finds Traces Of Melamine In US Infant Formula, by Martha Mendoza and Justin Pritchard, November 25, 2008, Huffington Post

^ a b (The Globe and Mail Article), registration required

^ “$27 Million for 2 Victims”. Chicago Tribune. March 1, 1985. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/25099431.html?dids=25099431:25099431&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Mar+01,+1985&author=Charles+Mount&pub=Chicago+Tribune+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=$27+MILLION+FOR+2+VICTIMS+OF+BABY+FORMULA&pqatl=google. Retrieved 2009-04-23. “were given the baby formula, called Neo-mull-soy, when they were infants … In 1978, Syntex eliminated salt from the formula, a move that Hayes said caused …” 

^ a b Infant Feeding Options in the Context of HIV

^ a b c Lawrence RM, Lawrence RA (2004). “Breast milk and infection”. Clin Perinatol 31 (3): 50128. doi:10.1016/j.clp.2004.03.019. PMID 15325535. http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S009551080400020X. 

^ a b c d e Lamounier JA, Moulin ZS, Xavier CC (2004). “[Recommendations for breastfeeding during maternal infections"] (in Portuguese). J Pediatr (Rio J) 80 (5 Suppl): S1818. PMID 15583769. http://www.jped.com.br/conteudo/04-80-S181/ing.asp. 

^ WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, UNAIDS. HIV transmission through breastfeeding: A review of available evidence. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2004.

^ Schleiss MR (2006). “Acquisition of human cytomegalovirus infection in infants via breast milk: natural immunization or cause for concern?”. Rev. Med. Virol. 16 (2): 7382. doi:10.1002/rmv.484. PMID 16287195. 

^ Przyrembel H, Heinrich-Hirsch B, Vieth B (2000). “Exposition to and health effects of residues in human milk.”. Adv. Exp. Med. Biol. 478: 30725. doi:10.1007/0-306-46830-1_27. PMID 11065082. 

^ Mamiro PS, Kolsteren P, Roberfroid D, Tatala S, Opsomer AS, Van Camp JH (2005). “Feeding practices and factors contributing to wasting, stunting, and iron-deficiency anaemia among 3-23-month old children in Kilosa district, rural Tanzania.”. J Health Popul Nutr 23 (3): 22230. PMID 16262018. 

^ Healthy Milk, Healthy Baby Chemical Pollution and Mother’s Milk Chemicals: Dioxins and Furans

^ a b Rogan, W.J., et al. Should the Presence of Carcinogens in Breast Milk Discourage Breast Feeding?, Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology 1991; 13: p. 228-240. cited in NRDC

^ Brouwer, A., et al. Report of the WHO Working Group on the Assessment of Health Risks for Human Infants from Exposure to PCDDs, PCDFs and PCBs, Chemosphere 1998; 37(9-12): p. 1627-1643. cited in NDRC

^ a b c d e f Sharing the Economic Burden: Who Pays for WIC Infant Formula?, USDA

^ a b c d Ingredients for the World Infant Formula Market, UBIC consulting

^ a b Google Answers: Infant Formula Sales/Market/Statistics

^ a b c A Growing Boost for Baby Formula, by Markos Kaminis, BusinessWeek, January 11, 2005

^ a b Breastfeeding: Some Strategies Used to Market Infant Formula May Discourage Breastfeeding; State Contracts Should Better Protect against Misuse of WIC Name, GAO

^ Indiana Mother’s Milk Bank to Open Third Location

^ Banking on Breastmilk

^ Counseling the nursing mother, By Judith Lauwers, Anna Swisher, p. 597

^ a b c Periodic Survey of Fellows: Survey shows most AAP members support formula advertising policy, AAP

^ Statutory Instrument 1995 No. 77: The Infant Formula and Follow-on Formula Regulations 1995

^ a b Milk wars in the Philippines: Breastmilk versus Infant Formula, and links thereof

^ Letter by Thomas Donahue

^ Breast or bottle: The final showdown

^ Cher S Jimenez, “Spilled corporate milk in the Philippines”, Asia Times Online, 25 July 2007, retr 22Dec 2008

^ a b http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/pubs/infant-nourrisson/nut_infant_nourrisson_term_3-eng.php

^ Canadian Health Coalition(1999), Health Canada exposing babies to serious risks, http://www.healthcoalition.ca/soy-babies.html

^ a b c d e f g h i j Institute of Medicine (U.S.) (2004). Defining Safety for Infants. In nfant Formula: Evaluating the Safety of New Ingredients,The National Academic Press. p. 22-42., Retrieved on November 15, 2009.

^ American Academy of Pediatrics. Committee on Nutrition. (1999). Iron fortification of infant formulas. Pediatrics, 104(1), 119-123.

^ Heird, W.C. (2004). Taurine in neonatal nutrition – revisited. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed, 89, 473-474.}}

^ a b c Lonnerdal, B. and Hernell, O. (1998). Effects of feeding ultrahigh-temperature (UHT)-treated infant formula with different protein concentrations or powdered formula, as compared with breast-feeding, on plasma amino acids, hematology, and trace element status. Am. J. Clin. Nutr., 68, 350-6.

^ a b c d e f Carvalho, R.S., Michail, S., Ashai-Khan, F., Mezoff, A.G. (2008). An Update on Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition: A Review of Some Recent Advances. Curr Probl Pediatr Adolesc Health Care, 204-228.

^ a b c International Assosication of Infant Food Manufacturers,rebiotics in Infant Nutrition, November 09, 2009

External links

Isadora B. Stehlin. “Infant Formula: Second Best but Good Enough”. Archived from the original on 2007-12-26. http://web.archive.org/web/20071226072202/http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/596_baby.html. 

Baby Formula Feed

FDA 101: Infant Formula

“Breast-feeding and Guilt: Interview with a Mayo Clinic Specialist”

Infant and Toddler Nutrition

Breastfeeding VS Formula Feeding

Categories: Infant feeding | Milk | Dairy products | Soy products | Bristol-Myers Squibb | Breast milkHidden categories: Articles to be merged from November 2009 | All articles to be merged | Articles needing more viewpoints | All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements from February 2010 | Articles with unsourced statements from June 2009 | Articles to be expanded from June 2009 | All articles to be expanded

South Eastern Community College Offers Associate Degrees and Sports Scholarships

South Eastern Community College is located in North Carolina in United States serving around 24.8% of all Columbus Country residents, 21.6% of curriculum students from out-of County but only 1% from out of state. Recognition has been earned by the college basically for its associate degrees and sports scholarships.

Campus Features

A public community college located in Whiteville, North Carolina, the college was chartered on February 6 th 1964. With a campus spreading across 100 acres of urban land the college has a big physical campus. In addition it has a very strong web presence as it facilitates various distance learning modes offering online education facilities for students. Accessible educational, social and cultural opportunities that would help improve the lives of the students and use of multiple and alternate methods of instructional deliveries it provides for them continuing educational units, certificates, diplomas, and associate degrees. College does not offer nay campus housing.

Programs Offered

Two years associate degree, and one year diplomas including the online degrees are offered by the college in multiple educational streams that includes fine arts, applied science, general education, and many more. A unique offer is the intercollegiate athletic program that allows students to participate in two games; the women’s fast pitched softball, and the men’s baseball. All the degrees are up to the associate degrees. However the college offers more program than most other colleges of its size. Common field of study in the college are the conservation, resource management, and construction trades. Offering associate degrees and certificates in over 62 different programs, the college has earned good reputation in the academic circles.

Admission

Admission to South Eastern Community College is open and all qualified applicants are admitted through the open admission process. Also the number of faculties per student is much more in comparison to many other colleges of similar sizes.

Financial Aids

Usual federal grants, state grants, scholarships offered by institutions, and student loans are available the details of which can be found on the financial aid page of the college website.

Distance Learning

One of the unique features of the college is the provisions for distant learning with as many as 76 Internet related courses. In addition there are 5 two way video courses and 52 web enhanced courses for the students.

Continuing Education and Economic Developments

Different workforce development classes are organized for the students. New and expanding focused Industrial Training Program is the unique contribution of the university. Some of the latest programs are nursing, broadcasting and production technology, fine arts, agricultural biotechnology, American Sign Language interpreter, Medical office systems, auto repair, and customized classes for potential correctional personnel.

The members of the South American trade bloc Mercosur ended their recent assembly with the promise to cooperate more closely in improving their international trade relations, creating more employment opportunities, and resolving poverty. Among the 10 leaders present during the event, five represented the members of Mercosur while the others like Cuban Leader Fidel Castro and Bolivian President Evo Morales attended the meeting as a gesture of support. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez acknowledged his nation’s official entry into the South American international trade group. Moreover, Mr. Chavez has called for the other members to resolve social problems. During the summit, thousands of activists flocked the University of Cordoba in Argentina in order to listen to Mr. Chavez’s speech. The Venezuelan leader was quoted saying that capitalism was perverse. He further stated that the wealthy were always looked after while the poor were neglected.

According to reporters, the pledges made during the assembly such as boosting international trade and creating more jobs were already typical to such gatherings. However, what was new this year was the fact that the leaders and the demonstrators out on the streets had almost the same vision and sentiment.

Venezuela officially entered Mercosur during the summit. Mr. Chavez stated that the South American trade bloc, which has been weakened by internal problems, was stepping into a new stage. Moreover, the Venezuelan leader called for the organization to remain steadfast in opposing the free market policies promoted by the United States. According to him, such campaigns have undermined the economic influence of the South American continent. Mr. Chavez also called for the other members to do more on resolving poverty and creating more jobs for the people. According to him, the trade bloc should learn from the social programs implemented by Fidel Castro in Cuba. Mr. Chavez said that the South American region has all the resources it needs in order to rise as a world power particularly in International Trade.

Mr. Castro, who attended the assembly for the first time in 3 years commented that the economic integration promoted by Mercosur faces the opposition of many critics. It must be noted that the assembly was primarily aimed at establishing and fortifying economic ties and international trade across Latin America. But the members of Mercosur did not tackle trade issues with the European Union, as well as other nations like Pakistan.

Argentinean President Nestor Kircher stated that both Mexico and Bolivia should be acepted into the South American trade bloc, which, according to him, should be instrumental to social and economic development. Needless to say, some people are concerned that Mercosur is at risk of losing its focus on free and international trade and is becoming more fixed in boosting political influence in the region. Michael Shifter, an analyst at Inter-American Dialogue commented that Mercosur seemed to stray from its goal of promoting free trade. Instead, it is gradually turning into an effort to form an alternative allience to thwart the international trade and free trade standards promoted by the United States.

A two year college located in Charleston , South Carolina , in United States , Trident Technical College serves Charleston , Dorchester and Berkeley in South Carolina . It is the part of South Carolina Technical College System.
Campus
Every semester around 12,000 students working for college transfer with associate degrees and technical associate degrees, diplomas and certificate come out of the college. Main campus of the college is located at 7000 Rivers Avenue , North Charleston , SC 29406 and the Palmer campus is located at 66 Columbus St. Charleston , SC 29403 . Other campuses are Berkeley Campus and St. Paul Parish Site Campus.
Programs Offered
Programs offered by TTC includes Aeronautical Studies, business technology, community family as well as child studies, visual arts, culinary arts, film media, hospitality, tourism, law, nursing, science, mathematics, and allied science. Popular degrees and majors offered include physical science, security and protective service, public administration, personal and culinary services, visual and performing arts, communication and journalism, business, management, and marketing etc. In addition, the college offers extensive health study programs.
Brief History
With the merger of Berkeley Charleston-Dorchester Technical Education Center with the Palmer College , the Trident Technical College was born in 1973. Berkeley center started with two buildings in 1964 and was expanded into the Trident College in 1973. Berkeley campus in 1982 and Palmer campus in 1986 were added. 147 acres of land was purchased during 1993-94 near downtown Charleston and complex for economic development was set up in 2005. St. Paul ‘s Parish site campus was set up in 2008.
Unique Features
Accelerated program, cross registration, double major, distance learning, dual enrollment for high school students, independent study, internship, and ESL are some of the unique options offered by the college.
Admission
Open admission policy is followed by the college. Transfer students are not ignored. However both SAT and ACT scores are important.
Student Support
Trident Technical College provides extensive disability supports along with remedial instructions, study skill assistance and tutoring and counseling in various aspects. Counseling includes adult student services, alcohol and drugs abuse, career and academic counseling and employment service. For details one can visit the college directory at the state university website.
Financial Aids
Trident Technical College offers federal, state, local, and institutional grants, scholarships, and student loans. Aids are applied using the FAFSA form. Financial assistance is readily available for students in the college, the details of which can be viewed at the state university website.

The United States continues to lag behind other major industrialized nations in the percentage of the population with a college degree, according to a recent series of studies released by the Making Opportunity Affordable project.

Although currently ranked tenth among industrialized countries in the percentage of 25–34-year-olds already holding an associate’s degree or higher, the U.S. ranks near the bottom in the percentage of entering students that are completing their degree program. In fact, the U.S. now stands as one of the only countries where older adults are more educated than younger adults.

A 16-Million College Degree Gap

At current college graduation rates, by 2025, the U.S. will be 16 million college degrees short of the 64 million it would need to match leading nations Canada, Japan, and South Korea at 55 percent of adults with a college degree. To make up the gap, the U.S. would need to produce an additional 781,000 college graduates a year — a 37-percent increase over current levels.

Only eight states are currently on track to reach the level of educational attainment needed by 2025 to compete with the best performing nations and meet workforce demands.

College Affordability an Issue

The studies contend that college affordability has created an accessibility issue, as more lower- and middle-class families struggle to deal with rising college costs. Fewer low-income students are enrolling in college, and a large percentage of college students are graduating with record levels of debt.

According to the Trends in College Pricing 2006 report by the College Board, tuition and fees at four-year public universities have risen 24 percent over the past five years, and 32 percent over the last 10, even when adjusted for inflation.

Today, the average student borrower at a public college or university owes $17,250 in student loans; 10 years ago, the average borrower attending a public institution graduated owing only $8,000 in student loans, after adjusting for inflation.

The studies propose that in order to expand the percentage of its adult population with college degrees, the U.S. will need increase college accessibility for low-income students, as well as for other groups that have been generally underserved in higher education.

Finding Free Money for College That Doesn’t Have to Be Repaid

With the College Cost Reduction Act of 2007 that went into effect on October 1, Congress, as part of an effort to boost college affordability, raised Pell Grant award limits. To be considered for a federal Pell Grant, students simply need to submit their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year. Qualifying students will be awarded a Pell Grant as part of their financial aid package.

Millions of other private, institutional, and local scholarships are also available to students each year, both with and without regard to income. Students can often use scholarships to reduce their need for student loans.

Online scholarship databases at NextStudent.com can help students in their scholarship search. This Scholarship Search Engine, for instance, lists over 5.9 million individually awarded scholarships worth over $16 billion, and is completely free for students to use.

Affordable College Borrowing With Low-Cost Parent and Student Loans

With student loan debt on the rise, Congress also acted on student loan interest rates in the College Cost Reduction Act, cutting interest rates in half on need-based subsidized federal student loans over the next five years.

However, even if students don’t demonstrate enough financial need on their FAFSA to qualify for subsidized student loans or a Pell Grant, they may still be able to obtain low-cost, low-interest federal college loans.

Unsubsidized Stafford student loans are available to both undergraduate and graduate students without a credit check or demonstration of financial need. As long as they’re enrolled at least half time, students may defer payments on their Stafford student loans until six months after graduation.

Low-interest, credit-based federal college loans are also available to qualifying parents of undergraduates to help them cover up to 100% of their child’s cost of attendance.

Private Student Loans Available Year-Round

Even after grants, scholarships, and college loans, some students may have education-related costs that exceed their available federal financial aid. For these students, non–need-based private student loans may provide the additional financial assistance they need.

However, since federal student loans generally offer more attractive terms than private student loans, students and their parents should always look into their federal financing options first.

Learn more about Private Student Loans.

An H-1B temporary worker is a foreign national who is coming temporarily to the U.S. to perform a specialty occupation.  A specialty occupation is defined as “an occupation that requires (A) theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge, and (B) attainment of a bachelor’s or higher degree in the specific specialty as a minimum for entry into the occupation in the United States.” [INA214(i); 8USC 1184(i)]

For example accountants, architects, teachers (primary and secondary, excluding nursery school teachers), university professors, certain types of nurses, attorneys, physicians, designers, and engineers will all qualify as H-1B workers. The only way to make a determination whether a particular worker will qualify is through advice from an experienced immigration attorney.

The H-1B visa remains one of most versatile nonimmigrant employment visas utilized by U.S. businesses to hire foreign workers.  Here is a list of issues to keep in mind when filing an H-1B petition.

Limitation on Duration of Stay and Full-Time/Part-Time Employment

An employer may request initial employment a maximum of 3 years.  The H-1B can be extended.  Generally, the maximum amount of time that an individual can hold H-1B visa status is 6 years. However, exceptions do exist that allow an H-1B extension beyond the initial 6 years. An employer may petition for a foreign worker for either full-time or part-time employment.

Prevailing Wage

The prevailing wage element requires employers to demonstrate that the wage offered will not discriminate against US workers by offering wages that are lower than the actual wage paid similar workers. Generally prevailing wage requirement is met by offering wages as determined submitting a Prevailing Wage Request to the State Workforce or demonstrating that a union contract is in force. The H-1B laws require employers to pay the higher of the actual wage or the prevailing wage.

The Labor Condition Application (LCA)

The LCA is an application by the employer to the Department of Labor attesting to certain conditions of the position offered.  These conditions are:

·         That the higher of actual or prevailing wage will be paid;

·         That the employee is eligible for the same benefits as other similarly employed US workers;

·         That the employee is not being employed because US workers are out on strike or lockout;

·         That the employment of the foreign worker will not adversely affect the working conditions of other workers; and

·         That proper notification was given to U.S. employees or the union representative if the position is union position university’s intent to hire an H-1B non-immigrant.

The LCA must be made available for Department of Labor (DOL) and for public inspection.  The LCA may be obtained online at www.lca.doleta.gov.

Spouse or Children of an H-1B

Spouses and children of an H-1B are eligible for H-4 visas. An H-4 is either a spouse or unmarried children under 21 years old.  H-4 holders cannot work in the U.S. but are eligible to attend school either part time or full-time.  To prove the relationship to the H-1B an H-4 candidate will need to present a marriage certificate if a spouse and a birth certificate if a child. 

Ok, when do I file?

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) will accept H-1B petitions for fiscal year 2010 on April 1, 2009 for jobs starting on October 1, 2009.  It is important to file April 1, 2009 since H-1B visas are capped at 65,000 per year and the last two years the cap was met within one week.  As such, early document preparation is essential to making timely filed H-1B petitions.

I’m Ready to File … Where?

A petition is filed with either California Service Center or Vermont Service Center depending on where the temporary employment will be The California Service Center is appropriate for employment in the following states: Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, or Wyoming.

A petition is filed with the Vermont Service Center if the temporary work will be performed in: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, U.S. Virgin Islands, or West Virginia.

When the temporary employment will be in different states, the state where your company is located will determine the Service Center for submission of the petition.  For example, if the beneficiary will work in Arizona and Texas, and your company is located in California, file your H-1B petition with the California Service Center.

Sounds Great … How Much is this Going to Set me Back?

As of the time this article is published, an employer must pay for the H-1B Form I-129 filing fee ($320), H-1B Training Fee of either $750 or $1500 depending on the size of your company, and a Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee ($500). All employers must pay these fees unless an employer qualifies for exemption from the H-1B Training Fee.

If a company currently employs 1-25 full-time equivalent employees, the H-1B Training Fee is $750.  Companies who employ more than 25 full-time equivalent employees will need to pay $1500.  The employer must pay the H-1B Training Fee upon the initial hire and the first H-1B extension of the same employee.  The H-1B Training Fee is not required for second or subsequent petitions for H-1B extension.  The Fraud Prevention and Detection fee needs to be paid when the employer initially hires the employee even if he or she is currently working as an H-1B with another employer. 

A simple way to remember this is that every employer needs to pay for the H-1B Training Fee twice for each H-1B employee and the H-1B Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee needs to be paid once for each H-1B employee. Fees are subject to change so it is important to make sure of the proper fees before filing.

Filing Procedure

Documents are filed with the USCIS service center having jurisdiction over the petitioner (see filing locations above).  The petitioner must send Form I-129, I-129 supplement forms, an approved Labor Condition Application, support document about the petitioner’s business, and documents showing the qualifications of the candidate.  If there are dependent/s then the form I-539 need to be filed along with proof of relationship to the H-1B, i.e. marriage certificate or birth certificate or both.  Only one I-539 is required to be filed as children are listed on the application.  The Form I-539 filing fee is $300. 

Sports have a universal appeal.  Whether you play football with feet or hands, there are crazed fans who eat, sleep and breathe the sport.  Sports minded online marketers can cash in during the season for their favorite sports.

To score big in this market, you need winning plays and excellent timing. In the United States, football season captures a huge fan base from the college teams and bowl games to the pro teams culminating in the massive appeal of the Super Bowl.

In Europe and South America, soccer matches and the World Cup have similar appeal. Months before the “big game,” you have almost seven months to market sports memorabilia, fan gear and snacks for game watching.

Speaking of watching, those die-hard sports fans want the latest electronics. You can market reviews of new plasma TVs, DLPs and projectors. You can also sell information products that explain how to install your own wall mounted TV or satellite system.

Then get an affiliate connection with a cable system, satellite service or electronics company to make money off products you review or recommend. But that’s not all – make a list of other major sports events that attract huge attention such as the World Series (baseball), Wimbledon (tennis), Master’s and British Open (golf), NASCAR (racing) and Grand Prix (formula one racing), Boston Marathon (running), Ironman (tri-athlete) and Tour de France (bicycling) just to name a few.

Each of these major events is preceded by qualifying events, which extend the online marketing opportunities for months before the major event. For each sport, use drill down niche research to find specific marketing options, products and affiliate markets.

Then there’s the world wide interest grabber – the Olympics. As soon as the next Olympic site and marketing theme is announced by the host city, you swing into action with online marketing offers.

You can easily get the jump on host city marketing by a year or more if you work fast. Be careful with logos and trademarks for the Olympics and other major sports events, but you can work around that or connect with authorized affiliate products.

After the flag goes down, the trophy is awarded and medals earned, be ready to flaunt the winners to the fans and console the losing fans.  Have some products with the winners’ names ready to launch within minutes of learning the outcome.

If you have Super Bowl winning theme products, you need a set for each team and a set of “maybe next year” for both teams. Don’t wait a day or two to get these ready or you’ll miss the first wave of buying while fans are riding high or crying loud.

A private university located in Kansas City in Missouri , Avila University is sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. Originally an exclusive institute meant for women it was converted to co-education institute on attaining the university status in 1963 and featuring in the university directory of Missouri and United States .

Campus Features

Only few minutes from the interstate highway network and multiple attractions of Kansas City , the campus covers 50 acres of land in suburban South Kansas . Three residence halls, field house for games of basketball and volleyball, sports complex for baseball, softball, and soccer, library, theater, chapel, as well as classroom facilities for more than 1800 students feature the campus complex. Easily accessible from I-435, it is close to Missouri-Mississippi borders. Over 40 special student life related programs are offered in the campus. Student housing facilities are provided in Carondelet hall, and Jeanne Collins Thompson Hall.

Brief History

Saint Teresa College , the predecessor of the university, was founded in 1916 and it became a four year college in 1941. North Central Association of Colleges and Schools awarded it accreditation in 1946. It shifted to new location in Kansas City in 1963. Built at 119 Street and Wornall Road and bordering the historic Santa Fe Trail , it created unique intersection of pioneers. Saint Teresa was renamed as Avila the same year and the hitherto women institute got converted into a coeducation university in 1969.

Programs Offered

Avila University offers bachelor’s degree in 36 majors and master’s degree in counseling psychology, art therapy, business administration, organizational development and education. Catholic university that is sponsored by Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, it provides value based learning in liberal arts, as well as professional undergraduate and graduate courses. One of the unique features of the university is that it offers minors in most of the major programs available.

Admission

Admission is available for eligible students both online and through mail and direct contact. Details can be seen on the Admission and requirement pages of the university website.

Financial Aids

Apart from the traditional Federal, State, and institutional Grants, it is one of the universities that offer a number of scholarships for eligible students. In addition there are counseling loans and other loans that the students can take the benefit of. Equal access and recognition of excellence are the two main criteria for determination of eligibility. Details of the financial aids and loan facilities can be found by logging on to the Financial Aid page on the university website.