Wednesday, October 30, 2019

E-commerce and M-commerce Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

E-commerce and M-commerce - Essay Example If E-commerce and M-commerce matters for development, it is not because the are the fancier or more convenient ways of doing shopping: but they allows allow enterprises to operate efficiently with their trading partners including their production sites, vendors and point of sales. For an Internet user to become an e-commerce customer, a much higher frequency of access is necessary in order to acquire the familiarity with the e-business transactions and payment systems. This is more required for the B2B traders, where the order of magnitude of their exposure to Internet etiquette must be more than a normal user. Contradicting the above general assumption, a survey conducted by IDC in 2002 there is a gap found between the Internet users and e-commerce revenue in the developing and developed countries. This shows that the usage of Internet does not directly imply the e-business attitude. Where as, the M-Commerce does not necessarily require more adequacy of such involvement with the mobile devise or operating the m-commerce applications. The reason behind this could be attributed to the low involvement and less choice of options for the customer to choose between while buying something through mobile phone. In other terms, mobile commerce involves a quick decision for buying, by simply replying to the message alert for the sale offer or saying yes to the chosen option. The prevalence of E-commerce has led people to research and form the strategically options to push the sales through Internet in the recent years. Some researches stated that lower per capita incomes, low credit card usage, lack of relevant Products and service to buy in near places, and lack of logistics and fulfillments are the factors influencing the buying behaviors of the users on E-commerce. Though these should be the same factors influencing the buying behavior of the M-Commerce also, rather than clear evidence of that, one could perceive some thing else alarming that the above for the influence of M-Commerce buying patterns. E-commerce trading is more seen between B2B or Business to Government types of transactions than Business to Consumer. This adoption could be linked with their capacity to integrate themselves into regional and global supply chains. At the enterprise level, this requires being able to meet technological and organizational challenges. At the country level, the digital and the physical layers of the national economies have to be connected in congruence. Thus E-commerce opens more trading between different foreign countries. Where as M-commerce, due to the localized service operators, has the limitation of global restriction with the service options limited within the geographical regions. Beyond technological limitations, the logistics and Policy regulations are also the other factors for this shortage. May be the still future of M-commerce could resolve such type of hindrances in a very short future depending on the nature of service expansions. While looking at the scenario of operations, E-commerce offers a more popular way of shopping than the other, through PC, laptops and palm tops. The purchasers of the Internet

Monday, October 28, 2019

A Horrid Memory Essay Example for Free

A Horrid Memory Essay My sweaty palms ran through-out the thin strands of my hair as I tried to comfort myself for just a single moment. I felt scared, almost terrified as the screams of my nightmare echoed in my ears and made my head throb. Almost never did I have such vivid dreams, and when I did, I never remembered them the next day. Nevertheless, I dont think that Ill ever be able to make amends with my darkest memories and reliving situations that scarred my childhood and eventually my life, can never be forgotten. All I can do is go back and ask what this version of myself could have done to avoid or even confront the situations and events. Around me, there were four chairs, each one with a primary colors: blue, red, green and yellow, around the circular, light wooden table, and of course, I was in one of them. In front of me, was my mother, who had a slim and petite figure, dark brown hair, as well as matching brown eyes and tanned skin; she was feeding the birthday girl, who was a 1 year toddler. Next to me was my six year old sister, and she had pale skin with orange colored freckles, almond shaped eyes and chestnut hair. On the right side of the table, was my stepfather, who was visibly, a few drinks from drunk, and you could notice it by the scent coming out of his mouth and his blood shot eyes. He was also pale, freckles everywhere and bold eyes that made little statement thanks to his glasses. I was about thirteen years old, and I can still recall the smell of a hot and cheesy plate of macaroni, and each bite that I took of it was better than the one before. But I was so focused in my delicious food, that I hadnt realized the silence that crept over the entire table. Feeling like there was an absence of a healthy family conversation, I tried to create a conversation â€Å"So.. What did you guys do today? † I said, feeling my eyes were full of excitement and content, food always had that effect on me. Four pairs of eyes were staring at me, and I began to drop my fork as I saw my stepfather placing a knife against his five-o-clock shadow. Everyone in the table stared at him, and I immediately started to feel uncomfortable. â€Å"Is it true what Isabel told me? † His voice was cold, dark and had a sense of hidden humor, it felt like a horror movie. Our eyes then shifted towards Isabel, my little sister, and she looked like she had just fallen into a hole and had no idea how to get out of it. â€Å"She told me that you guys didnt love me, you guys didnt want me. † He spoke once again with the same tone, and at first, I thought he was joking, so I laughed but then I was rewarded with a deadly glare, which let me know that he wasnt joking. The air around the room got thin, and I could feel the walls trying to suffocate me. My mom, knowing he was drunk, had an annoyed expression planted on her face. â€Å"No, we never said that, now finish up your plate. I think its time for you to go to bed. † She usually had pretty low tolerance with drunk people, and her husband was no exception. I think that the only one that wasnt in tension, was my 1 year old sister, Dianelle because she couldnt understand dialogue, what we were saying. He shoved the plate from the edge of the table, and soon after, I heard it smash against the ground. After being well aware about what was going to happen next, I took Dianelle into my arms and let my mother handle the situation before I said anything that would make him angrier. Nelson, my stepfather, got up from his chair and went to the kitchen cabinets to get something and when he turned around, he had a jalapeno mixed with DonQ spice in his hand. â€Å"You know what happens when you lie to me? You get jalapeno in your mouth. † He must have been mentally sick, because he was actually laughing. As a result of the emitted screams, yells and pleading for him to stop, the police came and took him away, right after he took out the butcher knife. In those three months that he wasnt around, it had probably been the most peaceful moments that my mother and my sisters spent together, we were even closer. The house was calm, the flowers smelled better and I didnt feel in danger or threatened while he was gone. But he eventually came back, and my mom accepted him, with the excuse of a face that he always made, opening his eyes widely and puckering his lips, trying to make a puppy dog face and he always got everyone to laugh. Ive learned that no matter how much you love someone, theyre never worth hurting the rest of the people around you, that love you.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Aggressive Driving Can Lead To Road Rage Essay -- essays research pape

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It starts with just a moment of tailgating, or maybe the guy in front of you cut you off or wouldn’t let you into the fast lane. In some cases it appears that incidents of road rage are caused by simple misunderstandings between drivers. A driver may make a momentary error of judgment but the perception of another driver is that he or she is driving aggressively. Then suddenly it turns into World War III on the highway. It matters little what causes it; a bad day at the office, a love affair going bad, credit cards maxed to the credit limit. All it takes is a sudden movement of someone else’s wheels, and within seconds a normally mild mannered motorist is consumed with a red-eyed, mouth-foaming surge of anger that grabs more of us every day. Road Rage, something that has always simmered on the back burner of motoring America, is now going off like fireworks.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Motorists who have snapped and committed incredible violence are mostly men and women with no known histories of crime, violence, or alcohol and drug abuse. They are the people typically described by neighbors â€Å"the nicest woman or man† or â€Å"a wonderful mother or father.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Father, mother, son, daughter, they all have their own ways of getting mad. Some slam on the brakes, jump out of their cars, open the trunks and grab anything that they get their hands on. Others use baseball bats, knives, mace, pepper spray, fists, or some simply pull out a pistol and start firing away. Why are these drivers turning their anger and frustrations into road rage and what solutions can we propose to stop this road rage?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Some say that one of the main causes of aggressive driving which usually leads to road rage is highway congestion. The road construction on the major interstates adds to   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   lane closures and distractions to motorists. A motorist is driving the speed limit and then immediately has to slam on their brakes because another motorist sees the lane closures and decides to cut in front of them. This type of driving makes motorists mad because they know tha... ...sp;  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  We can attack and reduce the dangers of aggressive driving. Each of us should take a look at our own driving habits and those of our friends and loved ones. The government can help with road improvements and law enforcement, but solving this problem will require people to change their behavior. Working together, we can make our roads safer and prevent deaths and injuries. Works Cited Bowles, Scott and Overberg, Paul. â€Å"Aggressive driving: A road well-traveled.† USA   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  TODAY 12 July 1999. USA TODAY on America Online. America Online. 27 September 2000. Ledford, Joey. â€Å"Women taking their rage to the road.† Post-Dispatch 19 Sept. 2000.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Post-Dispatch on America Online. America Online. 21 Sept. 2000. Leiser, Ken. â€Å"ROAD RAGE: COMMUTER COMBAT IN AMERICA.† Post-Dispatch   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  19 June 2000. Post-Dispatch on America Online. America Online. 19 September 2000.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Knowledge and Attitudes of A Healthy Lifestyle :: components of a healthy lifestyle

The components of a healthy lifestyle include many things. A few examples of these components are eating right, exercising regularly, and keeping your mind calm and content. Eating right means staying on a healthy diet. This does not mean that you cannot eat sweets or fatty foods, it just means that you should constantly keep in mind how a certain food will affect your body. One wants to always remain in control, do not gorge yourself and then skip a few meals to make up for it. Always keep things in proportion, such as maybe eating a light healthy breakfast and lunch and then allowing yourself a slightly heavier food for dinner or for snack. Remember, this does not mean that you must become a health-food nut it is simply a reminder that you should exercise some control over your food intake. Exercising regularly is another very important component to a healthy lifestyle. You should exercise a minimum of 3 days a week for a minimum of about 20 min. This does not mean that you have to impose a strict regiment of exercise into your daily schedule. An easy way to attain a nice amount of physical activity would be to begin going for power-walks or jogs with your pet or your neighborhood friends. It is also very good to stretch before you begin any kind of strenuous physical activity. Not only does it result in you being able to do more than you would without the stretching, it also enables you to gain more out of your workouts. One could also take up a sport such as tennis, soccer, volleyball, basketball, swim, or track. All of these and a multitude of others would greatly help you along on your path to a healthy lifestyle. If you are unsure of how to initiate yourself into one of these sports you could join a team at your local community center or simply organize a group of friends and play at your neighborhood park. Remember: Just because it is a sport does not mean that you have to be on an official team to be allowed to play it. These sports help you maintain a healthy lifestyle because when many people are playing them they are having fun, and thus do not think of it as actually â€Å"working out†. Sports also increases the amusement of exercising because you usually do them with a group of friends, which makes you not concentrate entirely on the exertion your body is going through.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Childhood Vaccinations: The Reality Behind the Debate

Childhood Vaccinations Brandi DeLuca Bryant & Stratton College ENGL 101 Alexis Vaughan December 17, 2012 Childhood Vaccinations Child vaccinations have become a huge debate with new expectant parents as well as parents who already have children. Should children be vaccinated? A great majority of pediatricians believe that yes, children should be vaccinated. However, there are many groups that disagree with vaccines because they believe vaccines are doing more harm than good. If that is the case, should we vaccinate our children?The choice to vaccinate our children is a choice every parent must make; there are many risks and side affects with every vaccine, but along with those risks comes the piece of mind knowing that our children are protected against a deadly disease. When a child is vaccinated, the child is administered with a vaccine that is specially made to protect them from a particular disease. The vaccine is created by using a small piece of a microbe that is dead or very w eak (Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, 2012, para. 1). By using a very small amount, it eliminates the chance of the patient getting sick.When the injection is administered, the small piece of microbe is introduced into the body’s bloodstream and into the immune system. When the two meet, the immune system creates an antibody that kills the microbe. Once that particular antibody is present within the body, it will always be on defense and ready to fight if that same microbe returns (Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, 2012, para. 1). The first vaccine in the world’s history to be created was the smallpox vaccine in the 1790s by a man named Edward Jenner (Stern & Markel, 2005, para, 1). Jenner was a country doctor who lived in Berkeley, England.This is where Jenner administered the world’s first vaccination in 1796 (Stern & Markel, 2005, para, 6). The vaccination was created by taking pus from a cowpox lesion on a milkmaid’s hand. This vaccination was than teste d on an eight-year-old named James Phipps. The child was unaffected by the vaccine and showed no signs or symptoms of smallpox. Jenner conducted twelve additional experiments all proving that vaccinations helped protect humans against infections. It took over eighteen years after Jenner created the smallpox vaccine for scientists to create new vaccines.In the 1830s after an initial generation had been vaccinated, the United States and Europe saw a decline in smallpox (Stern & Markel, 2005, para, 23). Even with the success of the new vaccination, there were people known as antivaccinationists who believed vaccines were an invasion to their privacy and bodily integrity. This is where it began, the debate over vaccinations. During the hospital stay after delivering a baby, the mother will be asked if she would like her child to receive his or her first dose of the hepatitis B vaccination. Many new mothers without hesitation will agree to this vaccine.It is being recommended by a medica l professional, why would a parent question them? Yet, many parents do considering that one-third out of the four million babies born in the United States are not vaccinated by the age of two (Aesoph, n. d. , para. 1). Vaccinations are given to children of all ages to prevent or help fight certain possibly illnesses. All childhood vaccinations are given in a series of two or more doses. Depending on the child’s age, the dose and vaccine will vary. Most children should have completed the recommended vaccine schedule by the time they are six years old.The vaccination schedule was designed to build a baby’s immune system from birth and develop as the child gets older. The first vaccination a newborn will receive is the hepatitis B vaccine, which they will typically get prior to leaving the maternity unit. The hepatitis B vaccine is given in three or four different injections over a six-month period (Department of Health and Human Services, n. d. , para. 2). The vaccine pr otects against hepatitis B, which is a contagious liver disease (Department of Health and Human Services, n. d. , para. 1). The hepatitis B vaccine is considered extremely safe and effective.By the age of six years-old a child could have received as many as ten vaccinations (Department of Health and Human Services, n. d. , para. 1). These vaccines and the dose amount required are: two to three doses of Rotavirus (RV), four doses of Pneumococcal (PCV), three doses of Inactivated Poliovirus (IPV or Polio), four doses of Diphtheria, Tetanus, acellular Pertussis (DTaP), three to four doses of Haemophilus Influenzea (Hib), one dose of Measels, Mumps and Rubella (MMR), two doses of Hepatitis A (HepA), one dose of Meningococcal (MCV4), and one dose of Chickenpox (Varicella) (Department of Health and Human Services, n. . , para. 1). Once a child is older than six months, it is recommended that the child receive the influenza shot as well. Not immunizing children makes them vulnerable to con tract a disease that is almost one hundred percent preventable such as rotavirus. The rotavirus vaccine protects children from gastroenteritis, which is inflammation of the stomach and intestines. When a child contracts the rotavirus disease their symptoms include watery diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain and in some cases, vomiting (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2011, para. ). â€Å"Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe diarrhea in infants and young children worldwide† (CDC, 2011, para. 1). Around the world, rotavirus is responsible for over half a million deaths a year for children under the age of five (CDC, 2011, para. ). I understand that in third world counrties vaccinations are not always available, but that is over five hundred thousand children who have lost their lives to a disease that a vaccination was created to prevent this exact same problem. People known as anti-vaccinationists say that vaccines do more harm than good.How can that possible be said when over five hundred thousand lives could have been saved had they been vaccinated with the rotavirus vaccine? Association of American of Physicians & Surgeons said: Measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, and the whole panoply of childhood diseases are a far less serious threat than having a large fraction (say 10%) of a generation afflicted with learning disability and/or uncontrollable aggressive behavior because of an impassioned crusade for universal vaccination†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.Public policy regarding vaccines is fundamentally flawed. It is permeated by conflicts of interest. It is based on poor scientific methodology (including studies that are too small, too short, and too limited in populations represented), which is, moreover, insulated from independent criticism. The evidence is far too poor to warrant overriding the independent judgments of patients, parents, and attending physicians, even if this were ethically or legally acceptable. (Vaccination Liberation, 2011, para. ) A doctor by the name of Richard Moskowitz was a pediatrician who after ten years of immunizing children could no longer bring himself to immunize children, even if the parents requested the vaccine (Vaccination Risk Awareness Network, 2012, para. 1). Richard Moskowitz wrote an article that was published in a journal in March of 1983. In the article that he wrote, he believed that by ridding the world of microbial species it would disrupt the balance of nature in ways no one would ever imagine.He also believed that vaccines were being created simply for the fact that the equipment is there to produce those vaccines and to show that we can manipulate the evolutionary process (Vaccination Risk Awareness Network, 2012, para. 2). When a vaccine is introduced to the body, foreign proteins or possibly live viruses are released into the bloodstream. Moskowitz believed by just that fact alone, the public is entitled to solid proof that vaccinations are safe and fully effective.If chi ldren are going to be injected with live viruses in hopes that it will someday protect them from that very same disease, proof that these vaccines pose no harm to the children needs to be presented in a very strong way. Richard Moskowitz said: Most people can readily accept the fact that at times certain laws are necessary for the public good that some of us strongly disagree with, but the issue in this case involves the wholesale introduction of foreign proteins or even live viruses into the bloodstream of entire populations. For that reason alone, the public is surely entitled to convincing proof, eyond any reasonable doubt, that artificial immunization is in fact a safe and effective procedure in no way injurious to health, and that the threat of the corresponding natural disease remains sufficiently clear and urgent to warrant vaccinating everyone, even against their will if necessary. (Vaccination Risk Awareness Network, 2012, para. 2) The choice to vaccinate a child is complet ely up to the parents. When making the decision there are two sides of the argument to look at. The parent must know all of the pros and cons to both sides of the argument before being able to make an educated decision.What the parent should know is that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates all vaccines currently in the market to make sure they are safe and effective. Prior to the vaccine being FDA approved, there are many tests that the vaccine must go through before being accepted. The FDA’s Center for Biological Evaluation and Research (CBER) is the department that is responsible for monitoring all vaccines in the United States (U. S. Food and Drug Administration [FDA], 2009, para. 1). The vaccines go through three clinical trials, all of which include human studies (FDA, 2009, para. 3).Once the vaccine has been accepted, the FDA will work side by side with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (FDA, 2009, para. 1). The FDA does this by monitoring s ide effects that a patient or parent may report to their pediatrician after a vaccination has been administered. From my personal experience as a mother to children who have been vaccinated, the most common side effect from a vaccine is a high fever that typically goes away approximately twenty-four hours after the initial injection. The FDA reports that since the beginning of vaccines, many infectious diseases have been eliminated or are now rare (FDA, 2012, para. ). Take rubella for example. In 1964 to 1965 before the rubella vaccine was considered a routine vaccine in the United States, there was an epidemic of rubella (FDA, 2012, para. 2). An estimated 20,000 newborn babies were born with congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) along with the 2,100 that died shortly after birth and 11,250 miscarriages (FDA, 2012, para. 10). CRS is an infection that a fetus can contract during the first trimester while inside the womb of an infected mother (Boston Children’s Hospital, 2011, para . 2).Babies born with CRS can develop heart defects, mental retardation and deafness (FDA, 2012, para. 12). The FDA reported that â€Å"Of the 20,000 infants born with CRS, 11,600 were deaf, 3,580 were blind, and 1,800 were mentally retarded. † (FDA, 2012, para. 10). In 2010, only six cases of CRS were reported (FDA, 2012, para. 10). If the rubella vaccine was for some reason stopped, rubella would return resulting in pregnant women becoming infected and babies would possibly be born with CRS (FDA, 2012, para, 10). Deciding whether or not to have a child vaccinated is completely up to the parent.There are no federal laws that require parents to have their children vaccinated. However, all fifty states require children to have certain vaccinations if the parent wants them to attend a public school. These vaccinations must be completed prior to the child being accepted to the school. Some may see this as the government controlling the vaccination policy and forcing parents to v accinate their children against their own will. Most parents choose to send their children to school to obtain an education because they believe it is a beneficial choice for their children’s future.If a parent wants this, they must vaccinate the child or they simply are not allowed to attend school. Think about how many children attend a public school on a daily basis and all of the germs that are spread and the viruses that are passed from one child to another. Now think about if those children were not vaccinated and the amount of illnesses that a parent would have to worry about. It would no longer be a simple cold or a case of the flu; it could be rubella, hepatitis B, or even polio.By children being required to have certain vaccinations prior to attending school, can people really say that it is the government forcing us to immunize our children or are they really looking out for the best interest of the children? Of all the many debates surrounding childhood vaccines, autism is the one that most people associate with vaccinations. Autism, which is official called autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a developmental disability caused by a neurological disorder that affects the way an autistic child sees and interacts with the world around them (â€Å"What Is Autism? , 2005, para. 1). The controversy started in 1998 when a study conducted by Andrew Wakefield was published in a British journal called The Lancet (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2012, para. 2). In his studies, he stated that the expected amount of children diagnosed with autism in California should have been around one hundred five to two hundred sixty-three cases, according to the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Diseases (Wakefield, 1999, para. 4). The actual amount of children diagnosed was one thousand six hundred eight-five cases (Wakefield, 1999, para. 4).Wakefield backed his accusations with proof of examinations from twelve children, all of which had regressive autism (Katz, 20 11, para. 4). All twelve children were developing within normal range until symptoms of autistic behavior appeared shortly after receiving their first dose of the MMR vaccine. He claims that there is a link that the MMR vaccine is the possible cause of autism. In the study he conducted there were two test vaccine groups. One group received the MMR vaccine and the other group received any measles-containing vaccine (Wakefield, 1999, para. ). The study group that received the MMR vaccine was reported by the parents to have temporal clustering (Wakefield, 1999, para. 3). This led Wakefield to the conclusion that the MMR vaccine was the possible cause of autism. After the article was published there was a huge decline in children being immunized. Parents believed that the study was accurate and refused to have their children vaccinated resulting in multiple cases of the measles to appear in emergency rooms around America.Once word got around about the article, parents started to associa te their child’s autistic behavior with the MMR vaccine. The first MMR vaccine is administered around twelve to fifteen months; the signs of autistic behavior typically appear around fifteen to eighteen months of age (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2012, para. 2). This is what led many parents to filing lawsuits claiming the MMR vaccine caused their child to develop autism. Almost all suits at the time were thrown out due to lack of evidence.During an investigation into Wakefield’s accusation of the MMR vaccine being the root cause of autism, researchers tried to replicate Wakefield’s findings but were unable to come up with the same results. An investigation led by a journalist named Brian Deer who worked for British Medical Journal found that five of the twelve children in Wakefield’s study had shown signs of autism prior to even receiving the MMR vaccination (Katz, 2011, para. 5). Once this information was known, more information came out making it lo ok as if the Wakefield study was fraudulent in effort to make money.The investigation by Deer reported that Wakefield’s autism theory was released after Wakefield had been hired by a law firm who was preparing to file a suit against vaccine makers. The British Medical Journal reported that Wakefield was paid approximately five thousand dollars to publish a fraudulent study (Katz, 2011, para. 7). Wakefield has since denied all accusations and still stands by his study that the MMR vaccine is directly related to children being diagnosed with autism.Although the Wakefield study has been recanted by almost every magazine or journal that published the article, there are still parents who stand behind Wakefield saying that his study was accurate and believe that the MMR vaccine is the main cause for their child being autistic. Autism affects one out of every eighty-eight children in the United States and is four out of five times more common in boys than in girls (Autism Speaks Inc . , 2012, para. 1). In recent years, children being diagnosed with autism has went from ten percent up to seventeen percent (Autism Speaks Inc. 2012, para. 5). There is no clear explanation as to why more children are being diagnosed other than research has improved and there is now more awareness surrounding autism. Some could speculate that the world population continues to raise everyday meaning there are more children being vaccinated. With more children being vaccinated, more children are being diagnosed with autism. On the other hand, it could be just a coincidence and the nationwide awareness surrounding autism has made parents and pediatricians more likely to take suspicion to autistic like behavior and symptoms.Regardless the reason for more children being diagnosed, autism is a serious disorder that affects many children and even adults that struggle on the daily basis to cope with symptoms of autism. After many hours of research on childhood vaccinations and the possible effects that they may have on our children, I am going to carefully monitor the research being done on vaccines. In a world where diseases and illnesses surround us, it is very important to me to know that my children are protected from these possibly deadly diseases. In all of my research that I id, I never came across any real concrete evidence that any childhood vaccination that is currently on the market is directly related to any serious health concerns. Yes, after receiving a vaccination a child may experience a slight fever or may seem more sleepy than normal; however, I believe these symptoms are nothing compared to what could be if the child was never vaccinated. Prior to a child receiving a vaccination, the vaccine must undergo many hours of research and clinical studies to ensure that it is safe and poses no medical health concern.The government does not have any federal laws mandating that a child be vaccinated; they do, however, strongly suggest that all children receiv e the proper vaccines in the suggested time frame in the vaccine schedule created by the CDC to ensure that the vaccine is fully effective in protecting children from any serious illnesses. Every parent has the right to choose whether or not to have their child vaccinated; prior to making this decision it is very important to go over the pros and cons to ensure that they are making an educational decision in their children’s future. References Aesoph, L.M. (n. d. ). Shoot ‘em up on the debate over childhood immunization. Retrieved from http://www. healthy. net/scr/article. aspx? Id=380 Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre. (2012). What is vaccination?. Retrieved from http://microbemagic. ucc. ie/inside_guts/defence_vaccination. html American Academy of Pediatrics. (2012, October 29). MMR vaccine & autism. Retrieved from http://www2. aap. org/immunization/families/mmr. html Autism Speaks Inc. (2012). What is autism? What is autism spectrum disorder? Retrieved from http://www. autismspeaks. org/what-autism Boston Children’s Hospital. (2011).Congenital rubella syndrome. Retrieved from http://www. childrenshospital. org/az/Site605/mainpageS605P0. html Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011, April 22). Rotavirus. Retrieved from http://www. cdc. gov/rotavirus/index. html Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012, November 20). What would happen if we stopped vaccinations?. Vaccines and immunizations. Retrieved from http://www. cdc. gov/vaccines/vac-gen/whatifstop. htm Department of Health and Human Services (n. d. ). Hepatitis b. Retrieved from http://www. vaccines. gov/diseases/hepatitis_b/index. html# Katz, N. (2011, January 6).Andrew Wakefield: Autism vaccine fraud or conspiracy victim? Retrieved from http://www. cbsnews. com/8301-504763_162-20027552-10391704. html Moskowitz, R. (2012). The case against immunization. Retrieved from http://vran. org/about-vaccines/general-issues/doctors-speak/the-case-against-immunizatons/ Stern, A . M. , & Markel, H. (2005, May). The history of vaccines and immunization: Familiar patterns, new challenges. 24(3), 611-621. doi: 10. 1377/hlthaff. 24. 3. 611. U. S. Food and Drug Administration. (2009, June 18). Vaccine product approval process. Vaccines, Blood and Biologics. Retrieved from http://www. fda. gov/biologics loodvaccines/developmentapprovalprocess/biologicslicenseapplicationsblaprocess/ucm133096. htm U. S. Food and Drug Administration. (2009, December 30). How does FDA assess the safety of vaccines?. Retrieved from http://www. fda. gov/AboutFDA/ Transparency/Basics/ucm194586. htm Vaccination Liberation. (2011, July 22). Lots of great vaccination quotes!. Retrieved from http://www. vaclib. org/basic/quotes. htm Wakefield, A. (1999, September 11). MMR vaccine and autism. The Lancet (354)9182, 949-950. doi: 10. 1016/S0140-6736(05)75696-8 What is autism?. (2005). Retrieved from http://www. autism-pdd. net/what-is-autism. html

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Maltese Falcon essays

Maltese Falcon essays Brigid O'Shaughnessy and Lady Lou are both dynamic characters with intriguing personalities. As seen in their respective roles in The Maltese Falcon and She Done Him Wrong, both possess the ability to tantalize the men around them. Throughout both works, one can observe the tactics these women utilize in an attempt to reach their goals. However, despite their manipulations, the battle of the sexes ends favoring the men who do not make themselves susceptible to the ploys of Brigid and Lou. Because the final result shows the women being outsmarted by the men, both narratives illustrate the limitations of women. In examining the reasons why Sam Spade was capable of not being totally hypnotized by the tactics of Brigid O'Shaughnessy, it is important to note the differences between their motivations. When Spade recounts the story of Flitcraft to Brigid, he indirectly makes evident those aspects of his life and career that he values most. Although Flitcraft had a very successful life and was secure in his finances and relations, he disappeared from all that is familiar to him only to start again. Spade ends his story by telling Brigid that by having such an orderly life, Flitcraft had "got out of step, and not into step, with life" (Hammett 64). Spade enjoyed telling this story because it indirectly illustrated his own personal outlook on life. Like Flitcraft, Spade felt that a fulfilling life would require more than financial security and a steady job. The fact that Flitcraft left his wife without much trepidation parallels Spade's own detachment to a woman. He did not show sympathy fo r the family of Flitcraft, nor did he express any remorse for the actions Flitcraft took. Brigid O'Shaughnessy, on the other hand, has her sights set on one thing only the black falcon. In making a comparison between the goals of these two characters, one can see how narrow Brigid's motivations are compared to those of Sam Spade. While she is...

Monday, October 21, 2019

11 and New York City firefighters post hoc unit support and control climates A context theory of the consequences of involvement in traumatic work

9/11 and New York City firefighters post hoc unit support and control climates A context theory of the consequences of involvement in traumatic work Introduction The research article under consideration for analysis is by Bacharach and Bamberger (2007) titled â€Å"9/11 and New York City firefighters post hoc unit support and control climates: A context theory of the consequences of involvement in traumatic work-related events.† The focus of this paper is on scales’ validity, measurements, anonymity, ambiguity and response sets. The paper will also characterize the DASS survey items and will analyze the sampling used to evaluate the sample strengths and weaknesses and offer recommendations.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on 9/11 and New York City firefighters post hoc unit support and control climates: A context theory of the consequences of involvement in traumatic work-related events by Bacharach and Bamberger specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Scales Analysis The dependent variables depression, anxiety and stress were based on the DASS scale for meas uring stress and psychological attributes. The scales ranged from 0 to 3 where 0 implied â€Å"did not apply to me at all,† 1 was interpreted as â€Å"applied to some degree or some of the time; 2 implied â€Å"applied to a considerable degree or a good part of the time,† while 3 implied â€Å"applied to the participant very much or most of the time† (Bacharach Bamberger, 2007, p. 851). The independent variables of intensity of critical incident involvement were based on a measurement scale of 0 or 1 for affirmative to the 15 modes of involvement while for the four involving self injury a scale of 2 to 5 was used where 2 represented a minor injury with no requirement of treatment and 5 representing severe injury requiring medical attention and being placed on light duty or leave. The range for post traumatic distress was based on Weiss Marmar (1997) Impact of Event Scale Revised (IES-R) which entailed a scale of 0 to 4 where 0 implied â€Å"not at all,† 1 meant â€Å"a little bit,† 2 implied â€Å"moderately,† 3 for â€Å"quite a bit† and 4 represented â€Å"frequently† (p. 56). The current unit control climate was measured on an input scale of 1 to 7 with 1 representing â€Å"little or no input† and 7 implying â€Å"a great deal of input† (Bacharach Bamberger, 2007, p. 853). The current supervisory support climate was to gauge the frequency of support within a scale of 1 representing not at all, to 4 representing very often. The social desirability bias was controlled and measured using the Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding (BIDR) scale. Other critical incidents involvements were controlled and assessed using the measurement scale used for critical incident involvement with inclusion of the scale indicating the number of times a participant was involved in a critical incident ranging from 0 (implying zero or no times) to 7 (implying seven or even more times). Face Validity and Measurement analysis The measurement of psychological states such as depression, anxiety and stress has proven to be reliable especially with the use of the DASS 21 scale. The use of the scale to measure depression, anxiety, and stress is face valid (Miller, Cardinal Glick, 1997). The critical incident involvement measure used to test the involvement in a critical incident using the 15 modes scale on the affirmative basis is valid.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The Impact of Event Scale-Revised used to measure the post traumatic distress is limited in validity due to the bias in the scales described as â€Å"a little bit†, â€Å"moderately† and â€Å"quite a bit.† The measure for current unit control climate used to test the level of input of the work is valid although it is limited by the use of survey method with the close correlation of the scale from 2 to 6 levels. The measurement of supervisory climate to test for the frequency of support is valid with the responses clearly outlined. The use of Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding scale to assess and control for social desirability bias is valid although the scale dates back more than ten years from the research year (Johns, 2006). Anonymity Analysis The current unit control climate requires the input level of the participants in six major decision areas of their employer company while the current supervisory support climate requires information on the frequency of the support of the company to the participants. On a personal level, I would not answer them truthfully since any negative response would create a bad image for the company and may affect my employment with the company. Ambiguity and Response Sets Analysis The current unit control climate measurement scale of the input level of the participants to the six major decisions of the company is ambigu ous because input level is dependent on the organizational structure while the six decisions may not be of high significance for some companies. The four modes scale for measuring the critical incident involvement in terms of the level of physical injury is also ambiguous since only physical injury is relied on while emotional, psychological and other injuries are not assessed. The current unit control climate that makes use of input scale items is open to multiple responses due to the differences in the companies, current position of the participant of the participant in the company, expectations of the participant on how much they are supposed to be involved and the image this item poses for the company.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on 9/11 and New York City firefighters post hoc unit support and control climates: A context theory of the consequences of involvement in traumatic work-related events by Bacharach and Bamberger specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The current supervisory control climate is also open to several interpretations of support from one participant to another since the interpretation of support may be in terms of counseling services, monetary benefits, leaves and so on with the frequency subject to influences of the expectations of the participants and company policy (Johns, 2006). Classification of DASS Survey Items DASS 21 Statements Depression Anxiety Stress I found it hard to wind down X I was aware of dryness of my mouth X I couldnt seem to experience any positive feeling at all X I experienced breathing difficulty (e.g., excessively rapid breathing, breathlessness in the absence of physical exertion) X I found it difficult to work up the initiative to do things X I tended to over-react to situations X I experienced trembling (e.g., in the hands) X I felt that I was using a lot of nervous energy X I was worried about situations in w hich I might panic and make a fool of myself X I felt that I had nothing to look forward to X I found myself getting agitated X I found it difficult to relax X I felt down-hearted and blue X I was intolerant of anything that kept me from getting on with what I was doing X I felt I was close to panic X I was unable to become enthusiastic about anything X I felt I wasnt worth much as a person X I felt that I was rather touchy X I was aware of the action of my heart in the absence of physical exertion (e.g., sense of heart rate increase, heart missing a beat) X I felt scared without any good reason X I felt that life was meaningless X Sampling analysis The sample used in the analysis included those participants who specified the company they worked for as well as their gender narrowing down the sample to include those 101 companies that had at least five respondents. The final sample was of n= 1,110 with age ranging between 21 and 60 years and a mean age of 33 years. The sample was not conclusive based on gender differences, while the issue of company specification limited the scope (Johns, 2006). The researchers used probabilistic sampling techniques namely random sampling and stratified random sampling which ensured the generalizability of the findings to similar companies. Conclusion The research article under consideration provides relevant scales for the variables under consideration but is faced with the limitations of response ambiguity due to the length of duration between the occurrence of the critical incident and the research which also limits the validity. Anonymity of the respondents was limited while the sample though limited to fit the research relevance does not conclusively cover gender aspects. Reference List Bacharach, S., Bamberger, P. (2007). 9/11 and New York City firefighters post hoc unit support and control climates: A context theory of the consequences of involvement in traumatic work -related events. The Academy of Management Journal, 50(4), 849-868. Johns, G. (2006). The essential impact of context on organizational behavior. Academy of Management Review, 31, 396–408. Miller, C., Cardinal, B., Glick, H. (1997). Retrospective reports in organizational research: A reexamination of recent evidence. Academy of Management Journal, 40, 189–204.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Weiss, D., Marmar, C. (1997). The Impact of Event Scale-Revised. New York: Guildford.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Decir Conjugation With Sample Sentences

Decir Conjugation With Sample Sentences The conjugation of decir, an everyday verb thats usually the equivalent of to say or to tell, is highly irregular, not following a readily predictable pattern. The only verbs that are conjugated in the pattern of decir are those derived from it, which include bendecir, contradecir, desdecir, interdecir, maldecir, and predecir. Fast Facts: Decir Conjugation Like most common verbs, decir is highly irregular, breaking the usual pattern in nearly all tenses other than the imperfect indicative.When stressed, the de- of the first syllable changes to di-, and in many cases the c of the stem changes to g or j.A handful of common verbs based on decir follow its conjugation pattern. Irregular forms are shown below in boldface. Translations are given as a guide and in real life vary with context. Infinitive of Decir decir (to say) Gerund of Decir diciendeo (saying) Participle of Decir dicho (said) Present Indicative of Decir digo, tà º dices, usted/à ©l/ella dice, nosotros/as decimos, vosotros/as decà ­s, ustedes/ellos/ellas dicen (I say, you say, he says, etc.) Preterite of Decir yo dije, tà ºÃ‚  dijiste, usted/à ©l/ella dijo, nosotros/as dijimos, vosotros/as dijisteis, ustedes/ellos/ellas dijeron (I said, you said, she said, etc.) Imperfect Indicative of Decir yo decà ­a, tà º decà ­as, usted/à ©l/ella decà ­a, nosotros/as decà ­amos, vosotros/as decà ­ais, ustedes/ellos/ellas decà ­an (I used to say, you used to say, he used to say, etc.) Future Indicative of Decir yo dirà ©, tà º dirs, usted/à ©l/ella dir, nosotros/as diremos, vosotros/as dirà ©is, ustedes/ellos/ellas dirn (I will say, you will say, he will say, etc.) Conditional of Decir yo dirà ­a, tà º dirà ­as, usted/à ©l/ella dirà ­a, nosotros/as dirà ­amos, vosotros/as dirà ­ais, ustedes/ellos/ellas dirà ­an (I would say, you would say, she would say, etc.) Present Subjunctive of Decir que yo diga, que tà º digas, que usted/à ©l/ella diga, que nosotros/as digamos, que vosotros/as digis, que ustedes/ellos/ellas digan (that I say, that you say, that she say, etc.) Imperfect Subjunctive of Decir que yo dijera (dijese), que tà º dijeras (dijeses), que usted/à ©l/ella dijera (dijese), que nosotros/as dijà ©ramos (dijà ©semos), que vosotros/as dijerais (dijeseis), que ustedes/ellos/ellas dijeran (dijesen) (that I said, that you said, that he said, etc.) Imperative of Decir di tà º, no digas tà º, diga usted, digamos nosotros/as, decid vosotros/as, no digis vosotros/as, digan ustedes (say, dont say, say, lets say, etc.) Compound Tenses of Decir Key Takeaways Like most common verbs, decir is highly irregular, breaking the usual pattern in nearly all tenses other than the imperfect indicative. When stressed, the de- of the first syllable changes to di-, and in many cases the c of the stem changes to g or j. A handful of common verbs based on decir follow its conjugation pattern.The perfect tenses are made by using the appropriate form of haber and the past participle, dicho. The progressive tenses use estar with the gerund, diciendo. Sample Sentences Showing Conjugation of Decir and Related Verbs No queremos decir que tenemos toda la verdad. (We dont want to say we have all the truth. Infinitive.) Os lo he dicho muchas veces. (I have told you it many times. Present perfect.) No entiendo lo que me estn diciendo. (I dont understand what theyre telling me. Present progressive.) Todos estaban diciendo que mi carrera habà ­a terminado. (Everybody was saying that my career was over. Imperfect progressive.) No obstante, predigo que en el futuro cercano vamos a ver muchos cambios en la industria. (Nevertheless, I predict that in the near future we will see many changes in the industry. Present indicative.) Una premisa de la ciencia ficcià ³n es si no contradice las leyes fà ­sicas, entonces es posible. (One premise of science fiction is if it doesnt contradict the laws of physics, then it is possible. Present indicative.)  ¿Le dijiste que todo era mentira? (Did you tell him it was all a lie? Preterite.) Mi doctora me dijo que tengo diabetes. (My doctor told me I have diabetes. Preterite.) Unos meses antes de mi nacimiento, mi madre predijo que yo serà ­a muy rica. (A few months before my birth, my mother predicted I would be very rich. Preterite) Creà ­a que me contradecà ­a por su manera de vivir. (I used to believe she was contradicting me by her lifestyle. Imperfect.) Te dirn lo que quieras escuchar. (Theyll tell you what you want to hear. Future.) Si era en su casa, yo decirà ­a que soy alà ©rgica para un ingrediente de la comida y no puedo comerla. (If I were at his home, I would say that Im allergic to an ingredient in the food and that I cant eat it. Conditional.) En el mundo en el cual vivimos, es inevitable que alguien nos maldiga. (In the world we live in, it is inevitable that someone will criticize us. Present subjunctive.) Niega que dijera que Cataluà ±a debe ser reconocida como nacià ³n. (She denies saying that Catalonia should be recognized as a country. Imperfect subjunctive.) Dice que es tu turno.  (Say its your turn. Imperative.)

Saturday, October 19, 2019

What is the message of the film House of Sand by Essay

What is the message of the film House of Sand by - Essay Example Upon arriving at the place, Aurea, who is pregnant, urges Vasco to leave the place since they would not have a good environment of raising their child, but Vasco opposes her strongly. This highlights the theme of male domination whereby the producer is showing the viewer that women had no say in family matters in that setting. Unfortunately, Vasco succumbs to an accident which leaves Aurea as the head of the family. Aurea decides to leave the area but her attempts to abandon this isolated and uncivilized area are rebuffed since there are no transport channels. The only link to the outside world is a salesman who is called Chico, but he also dies leaving Aurea with no options. Asa result of this, she is forced to stay in the desert and accept her fate. She is forced to raise her child, Maria in these conditions. Time elapses into years and decades. A lot happens in this time; Aurea’s mother is killed by a sandstorm and she begins interacting with the surrounding community. The message here is that despite hardships in life, resilience, industry and hard work is necessary for ensuring one’s survival. Aurea epitomizes hard work and character which enables her to raise Maria in the hard conditions. Besides, she never gives up on her daughter going to the normal world, which illustrates her virtu es of hope and belief. She has been used to highlight problems and challenges that women face in family settings, and how they should go about in fighting these challenges. Aurea is, therefore, a model of women empowerment in society. Therefore, the tale is about survival in the difficult desert conditions, and how this survival has enabled various characters develop. Therefore, the message the author is giving here is that despite hardships that people may face in life, it is possible to transform this situation into an

Friday, October 18, 2019

Reflective journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Reflective journal - Essay Example When joining Construction and engineering, the majority of students come with varying opinions regarding the course but what matters at the end is how each is able to transform the ideas into realistic arguments that can revolutionize the world. Reflective writing in this course equips one with an opportunity to evaluate not only the concepts learned but also on the intensity of intellectual growth and come up with sources of supplementary information. Engineering is course that actively engages the students and challenges them to be imaginative, and have numerous outlooks. Engineering is among the greatest powers of civilization. This journal focuses on the reflecting on aspects of construction and engineering. Course Content and Relevance Competency Element Claimed Introduction to Engineering The first topic â€Å"Introduction to Engineering† was on the basic concepts relating to engineering. Engineering cuts across several subjects and is therefore a mixture of art, science , math, social work. Concepts such as definition of Engineering, its significance, a historic background, achievement that have been made in the field of engineering, disasters in the field, and other basic but fundamental aspects of engineering are covered. The definition to engineering varies, the traditional one focuses on harnessing of forces of nature to enhance human lives (Moaveni& Sharma, 2011). Engineering has passed through several generations with several modifications and refinements evolving at every stage. The strong foundation Engineering has lies in the impressive way in which technological concepts were preserved, developed, and passed from generation to the next. The splendor of it all is that the contributions made by engineers stand out to be seen and celebrated or at times condemned by the world. Accomplishments of the early engineers include construction of the admired Egyptian pyramids, irrigation schemes in Mesopotamia, building of the Great Wall of China as well as a number of structures in the Roman empires. Throughout history, Engineering has played a major role in entirely all fields by providing, operating, supervising and maintaining both infrastructure and technological progressions (Moaveni& Sharma, 2011). Activities of engineers include construction of wastewater treatment and sewerage systems, manufacture and running of factories, power plants as well as the machineries used, building weapons, computers, robots, refining of resources such as metal as well as in the telecommunication. These are just a few of the activities carried out or maintained by engineers, however, the list is extensive as they are in almost every field. Engineering is a broad subject, and can be categorized into civil, environmental, chemical, aeronautical, biomedical, aeronautical, and electronic and software engineering. The field of engineering is ever growing and areas such as mining and mechatronic engineering are categorized on their own, or incorp orated in other categories. Breathtaking breakthroughs such as the launching of space rocket, unraveling of universe anonymity, designing and construction of structure never foreseen instills a sense of delight and yearning in a student aspiring to be an engineer. Professional engineer works in a society characterized by complex ethical and environmental issues, which cannot be overlooked even when adopting a

Should All Tobacco Products Be Banned Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Should All Tobacco Products Be Banned - Essay Example Tobacco industries are one of the largest sectors that raise the tax revenues. Banning it would, therefore, result in losing all these millions of dollars that tobacco industries provide. The tax returns from tobacco are also generated from its numerous advertisements and exportation and therefore the country will lose a lot of its income. Â  Thousands of citizens are addicted to tobacco and banning it will, therefore, have its own repercussions from the citizens who will not have been mentally and physically prepared to stop its use. With the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products being high in some parts of the country, banning this product will, therefore, mean a massive loss of jobs for those working in the tobacco industry’s directly or indirectly and even loss of livelihood for the tobacco farmers. The government, therefore, must be prepared for the increase in unemployment as a result of this ban and also an increase in mentally incapacitated individuals who have been forced to stop tobacco intake whereas they had not been sufficiently prepared. Â  Having presented those arguments, it is time for the reality to be examined. Taxation loss is definitely going to dent the economy. On the other hand, however, the dent might not be as large as the opponents might want to indicate. This is because a ban on tobacco will reduce the negative health effects that accompany tobacco use as stipulated in the introduction sector. The government will, therefore, be saving on the health costs and this will almost balance the reduction in tax revenue. Â  Banning tobacco does not mean that the government will not come up with other industries which can accommodate those who were depending on tobacco for their livelihood. A campaign to ban tobacco and introduce other stimulants that are not necessarily harmful to the people like what happens in rehabilitation centers for those addicted to nicotine should be enforced.

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Hannebachite- a rare and important Sulphite Term Paper

Hannebachite- a rare and important Sulphite - Term Paper Example In fact Hannebachite among the two most important naturally occurring sulfites, the other being Orschallite (Ca3(SO3)2(SO4).12H2O). Hannebachite, Orschallite, scotlandite (PbSO3) and gravegliaite are rare sulphite minerals that come under the class of Sulphites. The name â€Å"hannebachite† has been derived from the place it was first discovered in i.e.at Hannerbacherly, near Hannebach, West Germany. Sulfite groups have the generalized formula Am[SO3]pZq ·xH2O and AmBn[SO3]pZq ·xH2O, where A and B both are cations and Z represent anion. The most commonly occurring cations groups binding includes Na+, K+, Cu2+, Mg2+, Al3+, Ca2+, Pb2+, and Ba2+. The molecular arrangement of sulphite is such that the sulfur molecule is at the apex of the pyramid thereby making sulfites really unstable. This is the reason why sulphite minerals are rarely found in nature. Hannebachite is an important component of fixated scrubber sludge. The structure of Hannebachite has several applications an d forms the basis of further investigation since the applications of the mineral are yet to be determined and hence immense scope of research lies in this area. Introduction Hannebachite received its IMA status in 1983 following which the first ever publication on it was produced by G.Hentschel, E.Tillmanns and W. Hofmeister in 1985; however, the first person to detect the presence of this mineral was P.Orschall who was also the discoverer of Orschallite mineral. He found these minerals in a place named Hannerbacherly in West Germany. In nature Hannebachite is mostly found along with another sulfite mineral called Orschallite. Other minerals found in the porous cavities of quaternary melilite nepheline leucitite are clinopyroxene, apatite and phillipsite COMPOSITION The mineral –hannebachite, gained importance owing to commercial research on sulfite rich scrubber materials. Studies have shown that sulfite rich scrubber material extracted from power plants were rich in Hanneba chite crystallites (Malhotra,2010). In nature Hannebachite is found as sharp, almost clear crystalline structure. The composition of the mineral is SO2 49.60%,CaO 43.42%, H2O 6.98% which corresponds to its molecular formula (Anthony et al,2000).Sulfites in nature are highly unstable owing to the pyramidal structure where the sulfur is seen at the apex while the oxygen sits on the other corners of the arrangement; thereby these unstable products change into sulfates. However, CaSO4.0.5H2O can substitute into the CaSO3.0.5H2O structure up to a mole fraction of at least 0.12 (Jones et al., 1977). Structure of Hannebachite It is already known that the chemical composition of the mineral includes carbon, hydrogen sulfur and oxygen. The molecular weight is about 258.30gm. Hannebachite is orthorhombic. Its space group is Pbna (2m/2m/2m). Extensive studies have been done to determine the exact structure of the mineral. Powder diffraction was conducted to calculate the single crystal profile (figure 3). The optical class of the mineral was seen to be biaxial. It was recorded that a= 6.46A, b= 7.765A and c=10.650A which means that in the orthorhombic crystal system of hannebachite alpha=90 °, beta= 90 ° and gamma=90 °. The J-mol structure gives a clear interpretation of this structure (Figure:3). Spectroscopic studies conducted brought forward a clear idea of the bonding between the atoms present (Figure 1). The structure of hannebachite mineral was studied through Raman Spectroscopy by Frost and Keefe. The sample for hannebachite was supplied by Mineralogical Research Company who sourced in from the Hannebacher Ley volcano in Germany. The bands are observed at

Is global warming a genuine threat to the planet earth Essay

Is global warming a genuine threat to the planet earth - Essay Example Further the rise of global warming phenomenon also led to the rise of climatic heat and humidity spreading many diseases which claimed a large number of lives in regions like Chicago. The incidence of global warming also affected the geographical and topographical formations by causing rivers like Mississippi to completely dry up. (Stein, 2001, p.5). The incidence of global warming to a huge extent is rendering huge impact to the pattern of life forms on the earth and thus has become a considerable threat to the planet. Thesis The incidence of global warming is becoming a gradual menace by the annihilation of several species of flora and fauna from the earth’s surface. Effects rendered by global warming generally encompass larger areas of the planet whether filled or not filled with biological species. The intensity of the effect of global warming in annihilating larger forms of biological species is still contested for lack of proper research activities in this direction. Hig h concentrations of carbon dioxide, a potential contributor to the greenhouse effect, in the atmosphere is observed to be the major factors for large number of species to evaporate out of the earth’s surface. Estimates made show that around 43 percent of the total biomass possessed by the earth in major tropical regions go extinct on account of the effect of global warming. ... (Malcolm, Liu, Neilson, Hansen & Hannah, 2006, p.539, 544). The incidence of global warming cause rapid changes to the climatic parameters of different regions and thus can be taken as a significant contributor of the extinction of many biodiversity species from the earth’s surface. The cause of the extinction of different life forms on the planet earth has been hugely attributed to the changes in climatic patterns. Estimates made show that incidence of high amount of climatic changes contribute to around 35 percent to the extinction of different life forms. Large amount of human activities like deforestation and other industrial and commercial activities are the potential contributors behind intensifying the effect of global warming. (Thomas, Cameron, Green, Bakkenes, Beaumont, Collingham, Erasmus, Siqueira, Grainger, Hannah, Hughes, Huntley, Jarrsveld, Midgley, Miles, Huerta, Peterson, Philips & Williams, 2004, p.145). Thus it is found that the occurrence of global warming i s one of the major contributors behind the gradual extinction of many recorded and unrecorded life forms from the face of the planet. The deforestation of trees and other industrial effects are emitting large amounts of carbon dioxide gases in the atmosphere causing warming up of the climate. Rising climatic temperatures amount to the event of global warming causing the event of extinction of life forms. Anti-Thesis The above discussion hints that a large part of the flora and fauna of the planet has earned extinction owing to the harmful effects of global warming. However such a statement fails to gain much strength for a number of factors have been researched which are not related to the

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Hannebachite- a rare and important Sulphite Term Paper

Hannebachite- a rare and important Sulphite - Term Paper Example In fact Hannebachite among the two most important naturally occurring sulfites, the other being Orschallite (Ca3(SO3)2(SO4).12H2O). Hannebachite, Orschallite, scotlandite (PbSO3) and gravegliaite are rare sulphite minerals that come under the class of Sulphites. The name â€Å"hannebachite† has been derived from the place it was first discovered in i.e.at Hannerbacherly, near Hannebach, West Germany. Sulfite groups have the generalized formula Am[SO3]pZq ·xH2O and AmBn[SO3]pZq ·xH2O, where A and B both are cations and Z represent anion. The most commonly occurring cations groups binding includes Na+, K+, Cu2+, Mg2+, Al3+, Ca2+, Pb2+, and Ba2+. The molecular arrangement of sulphite is such that the sulfur molecule is at the apex of the pyramid thereby making sulfites really unstable. This is the reason why sulphite minerals are rarely found in nature. Hannebachite is an important component of fixated scrubber sludge. The structure of Hannebachite has several applications an d forms the basis of further investigation since the applications of the mineral are yet to be determined and hence immense scope of research lies in this area. Introduction Hannebachite received its IMA status in 1983 following which the first ever publication on it was produced by G.Hentschel, E.Tillmanns and W. Hofmeister in 1985; however, the first person to detect the presence of this mineral was P.Orschall who was also the discoverer of Orschallite mineral. He found these minerals in a place named Hannerbacherly in West Germany. In nature Hannebachite is mostly found along with another sulfite mineral called Orschallite. Other minerals found in the porous cavities of quaternary melilite nepheline leucitite are clinopyroxene, apatite and phillipsite COMPOSITION The mineral –hannebachite, gained importance owing to commercial research on sulfite rich scrubber materials. Studies have shown that sulfite rich scrubber material extracted from power plants were rich in Hanneba chite crystallites (Malhotra,2010). In nature Hannebachite is found as sharp, almost clear crystalline structure. The composition of the mineral is SO2 49.60%,CaO 43.42%, H2O 6.98% which corresponds to its molecular formula (Anthony et al,2000).Sulfites in nature are highly unstable owing to the pyramidal structure where the sulfur is seen at the apex while the oxygen sits on the other corners of the arrangement; thereby these unstable products change into sulfates. However, CaSO4.0.5H2O can substitute into the CaSO3.0.5H2O structure up to a mole fraction of at least 0.12 (Jones et al., 1977). Structure of Hannebachite It is already known that the chemical composition of the mineral includes carbon, hydrogen sulfur and oxygen. The molecular weight is about 258.30gm. Hannebachite is orthorhombic. Its space group is Pbna (2m/2m/2m). Extensive studies have been done to determine the exact structure of the mineral. Powder diffraction was conducted to calculate the single crystal profile (figure 3). The optical class of the mineral was seen to be biaxial. It was recorded that a= 6.46A, b= 7.765A and c=10.650A which means that in the orthorhombic crystal system of hannebachite alpha=90 °, beta= 90 ° and gamma=90 °. The J-mol structure gives a clear interpretation of this structure (Figure:3). Spectroscopic studies conducted brought forward a clear idea of the bonding between the atoms present (Figure 1). The structure of hannebachite mineral was studied through Raman Spectroscopy by Frost and Keefe. The sample for hannebachite was supplied by Mineralogical Research Company who sourced in from the Hannebacher Ley volcano in Germany. The bands are observed at

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Information system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Information system - Essay Example (BBC 2008) Technology implies something scientific in a broader definition of the word. But for the commercial and industrial world, technology means information technology – an all embracing term that cover all aspects of information systems, technological or not, within a business. The initial funding of 300 million euros for the European Institute of Technology in Budapest is a testament to such fact and the institution prioritizes IT project along with renewable energy. (BBC) The BBC report highlighted that in pooling the expertise of universities, research bodies and businesses, the institute will play a prominent role in the European Union’s strategy of promoting jobs, growth and competitiveness. Because of what it does, technology is crucial to business. There are two main reasons: First, without effective use of technology, an organization cannot sustain any competitive position and, secondly, technology-driven innovation becomes the only viable route to long term growth. In integrating information technology, for instance, to the overall business strategy, the ability to lower cost and make profits are enhanced. It plays a vital role in corporate success because it enhances business strategies by making their execution faster, more efficient and effective, and more responsive to customer needs and market conditions. Just as the BBC report cited in this paper highlighted for us, technology is no longer solely an opportunity for companies; it has become a requirement and standard in order for them to

The History of Ethnicity and Educational Attainment Essay Example for Free

The History of Ethnicity and Educational Attainment Essay In 1945 the UK needed rapid rebuilding, both structurally and in population re-growth. After the Second World War the UKs population was virtually non-existent, with most males having died in the war, which meant that there were not enough people around to rebuild the country. This resulted in an economic boom with more jobs than people in the country at the time, and at the same time the UK was still managing her Empire in India and the Caribbean. By the 1950s there was a rapid increase in the technological industry, yet the UK was rapidly falling behind Europe technologically and was desperate to increase their technological market. The UK soon realised that they could not afford and Empire and the rapid technological development needed to rival the market of the rest of Europe, so the decision was made to create the Immigration Policy. Afro-Caribbean immigrants were the first coloured people to arrive in the UK and were lured there by the promise of housing, employment and education, but what they found when they arrived in the UK was discrimination in housing, schooling and employment, especially in the types of jobs the immigrants were permitted to fulfil, i. e. they could work only in jobs such as bus drivers and underground attendants; only the lower status (IV class) non-skilled, manual jobs. Again, in the 1970s, the Consumer revolution leads to the introduction of new food and fashion types and the South African immigration, the UK accepted all the Indian, Pakistani and Ugandan immigrants as cheap labour forces, for as long as the economic boom continues. But in the 1980s an economic recession began meaning that unemployment increases due to the lack of goods being sold abroad. The economic recession affected everybody in the UK, but especially the immigrant groups, as they were the first employees to be laid off. This was because the immigrants were hired by industries as periphery workers; these workers are the ones to be drafted in during economic boom periods but are then laid off when a company slump occurs. There was also discrimination in the education of ethnic minority children. Education policy went through three distinct phases, assimilation, multiculturalism, and anti-racist. Assimilation, during 1945 to the early 1970s, was the educational policy that meant everyone entering the UK must be made British; the curriculum taught only white versions of history, European geography only centring on the British empire, British religions and cultures taught in RE and second language students were sent to special needs units to learn English. The next policy to be put into affect during the late 1970s until the mid-1980s was Multiculturalism, or the acknowledging of others, this policy made an effort to include other ethnicities by having special days and events to celebrate other cultures on a 1-day basis and made a step towards breaking down cultural barriers. This policy was often referred to as a steel band, sari and samara education only as it gave a 1-day insight into other cultures but then went back to teaching about Britain and white history, customs, etc. The last and current policy is that of Anti-Racist education with the aim to attack inequality and racism, reflect everybody equally, and to eradicate Euro centrism the idea that Europe is at the heart of everything that happens in the world. The curriculum has also changed to reflect world history, geography, languages, religions and cultures. Statistics to show attainment of 5 or more A*-C grades by ethnic origin between 1989-2000, released by the UK Government Department of Education and Skills give a clear picture of the educational attainment of White, Black, Asian (all), Asian (Indian), Asian (Pakistani), Asian (Bangladeshi), Asian (other including Chinese), and any other ethnic groups. The trend between 1994 and 2000, however, shows that almost all ethnic groups have steadily increased their attainment of A*-C grades. The Asian category, however, differs greatly within itself with the different minorities scoring very different results with the different Asian groups holding both the highest and lowest achievers of 5 A*-C grades. We can see this in the statistics released by the Government, these show that Asian (other including Chinese) are the highest achievers of 5 A*-C grades between 1992 (when the data became available) and 2000 with 72 grade achievers in 2000 whilst Asian (Pakistani), Asian (Bangladeshi) and Black groups are the lowest achievers throughout with only 29/30 grade achievers in the year 2000. Showing that the initial views that ethnic minorities are intellectually inferior to whites is completely unsubstantiated and are, in many cases, more likely to achieve the 5 A*-C grades than the whites themselves are.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Folic Acid Biotechnological Production and Applications

Folic Acid Biotechnological Production and Applications NUR SHAHIRAH BINTI BAHARUDIN Summary Folic acid (synthetic form) which also known as folate (naturally occurring form) is a member of the water soluble B complex vitamin. Folic acid is man-made. It can be found in many beans, grains, fortified breakfast cereals, pasta, and green vegetables. Folic acid plays big part in building DNA and aids the body to make new new cells, especially red blood cells. Folic acid hold general properties of water-soluble vitamin which are enter the bloodstream properties immediately after being consumed through excretion in urine. Other than that, unlike fat-soluble vitamin, they are easily destroyed in heat or by air pressure. These folic acid are absorbed into blood via portal vein to the liver. Vitamin B9 including folic acid and folate is important for several bodily functions which are used for synthesizing and repairing DNA, RNA and , assisting rapid cell division and growth to produce healthy red blood cells. It is important for pregnant women to have enough folic acid to prevent major birth defects of her babys brain or spine and enhances brain health. The memory is said to be improved through folic acid consumption. The human body does not synthesize folic acid, therefore to make sure we have adequate amounts ,we should take it everyday. To reduce the number of neural tube defects there are many countries are adopted the policy of fortification of folic acid. When fortification is introduced , many people are exposed to an increased intake of folic acid .With this, neural tube defects can be prevented. For animals, diet that consists can influence DNA and histone. This leads to phenotypic changes in next generation. While for humans, the increased intake leads to elev ated blood concentrations and of unmetabolized folic acid. This related to decreased natural killer cell cytotoxicity, and reduce the response to antifolate drugs used against cancer, malaria, and cancer. Keywords : Folic acid, water-soluble vitamin,fat-soluble vitamin, methylation,antifolate 1 INTRODUCTION History of Folic acid Through a research made by Indian scientist, there is connection between the macrocytic anaemia and deficiency in the diet. However, what kind of deficiency was not determined. The name of â€Å"folic acid was suggested which coming from the Latin word for the leaf â€Å"foium†,due to a factor suspected of having vitamin-like properties in animals that was isolated from spinach. In 1945, the importance of folic acid to treat a type of amenia during pregnancy can be seen through a demonstration. In 1962 , Dr. Victor Herbert conducted experiment on himself in order to show a shortage of folic acid caused a type of anemia.The experiment is successful. It was Dr. Herbert’s findings that set the criteria for the diagnosis of folate deficiency and the folic acid adult requirement. Figure 1.1 Chemical Structure of Folic Acid 2 FOLIC ACID BIOLOGICAL ROLES 2.1 DNA and Cell Division For the production DNA and RNA synthesis and maintaining new cells, folate is required. And it is also required in preventing changes to DNA, and, thus, for preventing cancer. More specifically it helps in the manufacture of nucleic acids like Thymine. A folate coenzyme is required for the synthesis of methionine, and methionine is required for the synthesis of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM). SAM is a methyl group (one-carbon unit) donor used in many biological methylation reactions, including the methylation of a number of sites within DNA and RNA. 2.2 Biochemistry of DNA base and amino acid production In the form of a series of tetrahydrofolate (THF) compounds, folate derivatives are substrates in a number of single-carbon-transfer reactions, and also are involved in the synthesis of dTMP (2†²-deoxythymidine-5†²-phosphate) from dUMP (2†²-deoxyuridine-5†²-phosphate). It is a substrate for an important reaction that involves vitamin B12 and it is necessary for the synthesis of DNA and required for all dividing cells. 2.3 Conversion to biologically active derivatives All the biological functions of folic acid are performed by tetrahydrofolate and other derivatives. Their biological availability to the body depends upon dihydrofolate reductase action in the liver. This action is unusually slow in humans. Due to this low activity, it has been suggested this limits the conversion of folic acid into its biologically active forms when folic acid is consumed at levels higher than the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (1 mg/d for adults) 3 FOLIC ACID USES AND EFFECTIVENESS Kidney disease About 90% of people with serious kidney disease have high levels of homocysteine. High levels of homocysteine have been linked to heart disease and stroke.By taking folic acid,it may lower homocysteine levels in people with serious kidney disease. However,through a research, folic acid supplementation are found fail to reduce the risk of heart disease-related events. Colon Cancer Folic acid play big role of protection for patients with the inflammatory bowel condition ulcerative colitis are particularly at risk for colon cancer. In a subsequent study, researchers examined the effects of folate on a laboratory model of colorectal cancer development in mice. They discovered that animals consuming a folate-deficient diet developed intestinal masses, while those mice on a control diet consuming adequate amounts of folate remained free of tumors. The conclusion is that folate deficiency increased DNA damage by decreasing the expression of two genes involved in DNA repair. This study is consistent with the majority of epidemiological studies in humans, which demonstrate a clear link between colorectal cancer development and inadequate folate consumption. 4 Folic Acid : The most essential nutrient for Pregnancy Folic acid is well-known as the most essential nutrient for pregnancy. There are many studies have shown that women can reduce the risk that their baby will be born with a serious neural tube defect ( incomplete development of the brain and spinal cord) up to 70% for women who get 400 micrograms (0.4 milligrams) daily prior to conception and during early pregnancy. The most common neural tube defects are spina bifida, an incomplete closure of the spinal cord and spinal column anencephaly, severe underdevelopment of the brain encephalocele, when brain tissue protrudes out to the skin from an abnormal opening in the skull. Its so important for all women of childbearing age to get enough folic acid , not just those who are planning to become pregnant, because all of these defects occur during the first 28 days of pregnancy usually before a woman even knows shes pregnant. Through a survey, only 50% of pregnancies are planned, so any woman who could become pregnant should make sure shes getting enough folic acid. Folic acid has no use biochemically in the body until it is converted into these other forms of folate such as: Tetrahydrofolate (THF) 5-formyltetrahydrofolate (Folinic acid) 5-10-methylenetetrahydrofolate 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (Methylfolate 5 FOOD SOURCES OF FOLATE Folic acid is a form of folate. Since folate is water-soluble B vitamin, it is found naturally in foods. This vitamin cannot be synthesized in our body. Folate is important for everyone especially it helps make red blood cells. If you do not have enough folate, you can get a type of anaemia. If you have anaemia you may feel tired, weak and unable to concentrate. Folate also very important for infants, children and women who are pregnant. It helps to prevent some birth defects. Women who could become pregnant, are pregnant or breastfeeding need more folate. They should take a daily folic acid supplement of 400 mcg (0.4 mg).In addition to poor dietary intake of deficient intake of other B vitamins can contribute to folate deficiency. These vitamins include B1, B2, and B3 which are all involved in folate recycling. Poor protein intake can cause deficiency of folate binding protein which is needed for optimal absorption of folate from the intestine, and can also be related to an insuffic ient supply of glycine and serine, the amino acids that directly participate in metabolic recycling of folate. Excessive intake of alcohol, smoking, and heavy coffee drinking can also contribute to folate deficiency. How much folate should everyone aim? Nutrient Interactions How do other nutrients interact with folate ? Vitamins B1, B2, and B3 must be present in adequate amounts to enable folic acid to can hide a vitamin B12 deficiency, by masking blood-related symptoms. A Food Rating System is created in order to better help to identify foods that feature a high concentration of nutrients for the calories they contain, we created This system allows us to highlight the foods that are especially rich in particular nutrients. The following chart shows the Worlds Healthiest Foods that are either an excellent, very good, or good source of folate. Next to each food name, we may find the serving size we used to calculate the food’s nutrient composition Table 1.2 Use the following to determine the intake of folate 6 FOLIC ACID DEFICIENCY Shortage of folic acid can cause severe health problems in offspring, including anaemia, cardiovascular and liver diseases. A study out today revealed that the metabolism of folic acid not only impacts the immediate offspring but can also have detrimental health effects on the next several generations due to a mutation in a gene necessary. The new research, which also focus on the molecular mechanism of folic acid. The damaging effects of folic acid deficiency on development are quite renowned. This is demonstrated t by the researchers, from the Universities of Cambridge and Calgary. They used mice in this experiment as they metabolize folic acid very similarly to humans, because folic acid deficiency or mutations in the same genes required to break down folic acid in humans result in similar developmental abnormalities and diseases in mice. This enables the researchers to analyze the effects of how the molecular mechanism of folic acid deficiency impacted development that causing health problems. Other than that, inadequate in either B12 or folate can lead to macrocytic anaemia, a disease which red blood cell are larger than normal. It characterized by the production of fewer but larger red blood cells, thus a reduce ability to carry oxygen. Those affected may be weak, light-headed, and short of breath due to anemia. A deficiency in B12 can also result in varying degrees of neuropathy or nerve damage .The symptoms of lack of B12 can cause itchy and numbness in the persons hands and feet. In severe cases, mental changes that range from confusion and irritability to dementia may appear. For proper foetal development, pregnant women need sufficient amounts of folate.Increased amounts of folate required because of the added stress of rapidly growing cells (the foetus), If a woman has a folate deficiency during pregnancy, it will be quicken during gestation and may lead to premature birth and neural tube birth defects, such as spina bifida, in the child. The number of neural tube defect cases decreased by 36% in the U.S. since focusing on folate supplements during pregnancy. Restless leg syndrome during pregnancy is another neurologic symptom associated with decreased folate.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Lack of Forgiveness in Lucille Cliftons poem Forgiving My Father

The title of Lucille Clifton's poem, "forgiving my father", seems to be in sharp opposition with the poem itself. There seems to be no forgiveness, yet the title claims that it is there. The entire poem focuses on the debt of the author's father. "it is Friday." she says, "we have come to the paying of the bills." (1-2). But perhaps it doesn't necessarily mean that it is literally Friday, perhaps she just means it is the end, and maybe the debt isn't one of money, but of love. Clifton is using a monetary debt to symbolize a debt of love and affection. She uses this symbolism to show that by the end of the poem, she has forgiven her father, but it is not forgiveness as we would normally think of it. The poem begins by talking about how it is payday, but the father, as a ghost, is asking for more time to pay. How can a ghost pay anything? Even if he could get the extension, he would never be able to pay anything because he is dead. So why does she say it is payday? Perhaps the answer lies in lines 7 and 8 when she says, "my mother's hand opens in her early grave and I hold it out ...

Saturday, October 12, 2019

The role of fire ecology in plant succession Essay -- essays research

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Succession is defined as a directional change in community composition and structure over time (Gurevitch et al, 2002). Succession is either primary or secondary. In primary succession plants grow and colonize earth for the first time. In secondary succession plants inhabit and colonize earth that was once inhabited by plants life. A wildfire is one example of secondary succession. When a disturbance in the environment occurs, such as a wildfire, either part or all of the community is destroyed. The aftermath of the wildfire leaves a barren landscape open to new growth, vegetation, and re-colonization of plant species (Gurevitch et al, 2002). Various studies have been undertaken and completed regarding the restoration and recovery of plant communities following wildfires. These studies include aspects of species richness during colonization to niche development.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Mediterranean plant Banksia and Hakea have the ability to build post-fire communities rather successfully due to seed storage. Almost all of the species studied stored their seeds in dense woody fruit. In order for seed dispersal to occur leading to germination and sprouting, the fruit must be dense woody structure of the fruit must be dried. The drying of the fruit causes cracking allowing for the seeds to disperse and germinate. The addition of occasional fires to these communities allow for the drying of the fruit quicker than in its natural state (L... The role of fire ecology in plant succession Essay -- essays research   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Succession is defined as a directional change in community composition and structure over time (Gurevitch et al, 2002). Succession is either primary or secondary. In primary succession plants grow and colonize earth for the first time. In secondary succession plants inhabit and colonize earth that was once inhabited by plants life. A wildfire is one example of secondary succession. When a disturbance in the environment occurs, such as a wildfire, either part or all of the community is destroyed. The aftermath of the wildfire leaves a barren landscape open to new growth, vegetation, and re-colonization of plant species (Gurevitch et al, 2002). Various studies have been undertaken and completed regarding the restoration and recovery of plant communities following wildfires. These studies include aspects of species richness during colonization to niche development.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Mediterranean plant Banksia and Hakea have the ability to build post-fire communities rather successfully due to seed storage. Almost all of the species studied stored their seeds in dense woody fruit. In order for seed dispersal to occur leading to germination and sprouting, the fruit must be dense woody structure of the fruit must be dried. The drying of the fruit causes cracking allowing for the seeds to disperse and germinate. The addition of occasional fires to these communities allow for the drying of the fruit quicker than in its natural state (L...

Friday, October 11, 2019

Angiomax Case Study

The healthcare industry is extremely different than any other industry in the business world. This, along with the benefits and pricing issues, make this case, on Angiomax, an interesting one to analyze. In determining pricing, positioning, and target markets, it is important to not only understand the product but also look at competition and the chain of users, or the buyers, decision makers, and users, as all are very different in this case, as opposed to many industries when all three of these roles may be portrayed by the same individual(s). Before pricing can be looked at, it is important to determine who the product should be targeted towards. There were a number of studies done by Biogen (the company that created Angiomax) of angioplasty patients which showed that the obvious target should be very high risk patients (patients who had previously had heart attacks within two weeks) due to the significant improvement those patients experienced upon taking doses of Angioplasty as opposed to Heparin, the standard medication which was much less expensive but not as effective. Angioplasty did not show as much significant improvement over Heparin for those lower risk patients. The pricing structure should be based on Angiomax’s value propositions. For the end user, or those high risk patients, Angiomax gives the benefits of (1) more predictable results than Heparin, (2) much lower risk of death, and (3) less prevalent complications and thus less time in the hospital than Heparin patients. However, clearly, the buyer or the hospitals, have more power than end users in the decision making. The value proposition for the lead users, or buyers, is as follows: (1) more predictable results than those of Heparin, (2) Fewer costs of addition complications that are standard with Heparin, (3) Fewer complications from Angiomax leads to better reputation of doctors and hospital, and (4) fewer complications leads to more open beds which means more patients can be served (and more money made). Based on these value propositions, Angiomax should clearly be priced at a premium. It is difficult to price this drug because of its high R&D costs, long development cycle, short period of patent protection, and low FDA approval rate. Furthermore, in order for Angiomax to be successful it must steal market share from the current drug on the market- Heparin, which is priced at $2 per dose versus Angiomax’s $40 per dose. However, Angiomax must educate the buyers and doctors on the enormous value that will be derived from using Angiomax over its competitor. Some rough numbers can be shown to these doctors or managers to show that the cost of complications for Heparin users if $110,252,800 versus Angiomax users at $40,185,600 resulting in savings of $70,067200, which, upon dividing by the 700 major health centers results in $100,096 savings per year. Based on this and a breakeven analysis, in which you analyze the cost of complications + number of patients in the centers and the cost of Heparin, it can be determine that at the price of $835. 4, hospitals can breakeven. Therefore, the price cap is $835. 0, but I think that Angiomax should be priced much lower, at about $400 in order to much more efficiently gain market share since the patent protection is relatively low. Furthermore, the drug can be charged at a premium due to the lack of price sensitivity from price sharing (due to patients with health insurance not having to pay the full price. ) For the future, MDCO may need to change its business model up. Due to the high R&D costs an d the short patent protection in this industry, as well as the â€Å"blockbuster† drugs, it is important that the organization consistently is innovative in the future. Because Angiomax has fewer than ten years left with its patent protection, MDCO must be developing new drugs based on the same value proposition but for other markets. Using data and information from clinical trials, as was done with Angiomax, MDCO should determine which markets will benefit significantly from lowering complications, and therefore can be charged at a premium. In terms of Angiomax, MDCO should look into low cost production processes for the drug, as well as attempting to foster a more successful version of the drug for other segments, such as low risk patients.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Missing Children

INTRODUCTION Over the years our country, Malaysia has been bombarded with abundance of missing children/ children abduction cases. A statistic released by police of Malaysia, stated that a total of 3223 children below 18 went missing between 2008 and April last year (2012). Of this figure, only about 1000 cases were solved. From the statistic, it’s clearly shown that, over 3223 cases reported 2223 cases still unsolved. The questions are, how does it happen? Who should be blamed? What the impact of this scenario? And what are the best ways to prevent children from missing?Thus, in this essay, the priority will be given to the causes, the effects and some suggestions to overcome missing children cases. THE CAUSES OF MISSING CHILDREN Figure 1 : The Causes Of Missing Children Family Problems This is the prominent causes of the missing children cases happened not just in Malaysia but also around the globe. Many people agree with it as basically, parents play an important role on ho w to nurture the family, to treat the children and to solve any problems happen to the members of the family.Family problems can be included in term of financial problem, misunderstanding among family members and lack of intention and in search of freedom. When a certain family is having some financial problems, it will slightly affect the children because children actually are still young to know any problems related to the financial status of their family. So, parents should aware about this problem, never reveal or expose any financial problem to your children. Apart from that, children need intention from their family.They are still young and at these ages (below 18) they really need the intention from their family or parents negligence. If they do not get the full intention from the family, they might be in influenced in much bad behaviour like vandalism, gangsterism and they might tend to run away from home. Hence, ever Picture 1 : parents have to play an important role in rai sing up the children. Peer Influence When the children do not get the full intention from their parents, they tend to share their problems with their friends. They share most everything with their friends from school issues to their feelings.Sometimes the missing of children happens because of love matter. At these ages they are easily falling in love with somebody. This is because those children feel that their lover can give them freedom and better life. Picture 2 : peers have the ability to influence the children to be good or bad Job Opportunities Lastly, the cause that leads to children missing is the job opportunities. It usually happens to the children that don’t like to go for education at school. They think that education is just wasting their time, so they quit their school and start working.However, parents usually prohibit them from working because this is not a time for them to find money and work. Then, when the children don’t be given the opportunity to work, they decide to run away from home and work. THE EFFECTS OF MISSING CHILDREN Penalising Errant Parents People argue that we need to blame the parents first because of the missing children cases. It is because; they are the ones who close to their children more than anyone else. It is therefore, not surprising that more and more voice are being raised in favour of penalising errant parents.According to the law, these errant parents will be penalised under Section 33 of the Child Act 2001 that result them to be liable to a fine not exceeding RM 5000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or both. Section 33 of the Child Act 2001| Provides that any person who, being a parent, guardian or person with temporary care of a child, leave that child 😠 * Without making reasonable provision for the supervision and care of the child;| * For a period which is unreasonable having regard to all the circumstances; or | * Under conditions which are unreasonable having regard t o all the circumstances. Commits an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding RM 5000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or both. | Figure 2 : Section 33 of the Child Act 2001 The Missing Children Life And Safety Are Not Guaranteed. In some cases, not all missing children reported that they are running away from home. It is because they might be missing due to the kidnap. Those children who are kidnaped by the criminals might live in a dangerous and awful life. Some of them are kidnaped to be slaves of criminals; helping the criminals to find money just like what is happening in our countries.These children are forced to become beggars and ask donation from the public. In some other cases, we may find out that those children are forced to become prostitutes. This happens mostly in Middle Eastern Countries. The world we live in is no stranger to one of the biggest reasons many of our children disappear without a trace. Many children are abduc ted and sold for body parts throughout the United States, Central America, South America and Europe. The Internet has become one of the greatest sources of business and the organized underground business is one of the most successful businesses anywhere in the world.Can you imagine having the need of life and searching the Internet and finding a broker who can find you the organ of your choice? Here in the U. S. A. , in Mexico, El Salvador, Costa Rica, anywhere in Central, North and South America, anywhere for a price you can pay for and get the organ of your choice. If you don't believe it, search the net right here right now in Orange County, New York or anyplace in the world. Many missing children are abducted and sold for these body parts. This is a multi-million dollar a year business. Be careful when your child is talking to a friendly little girl in a chat room.The Internet is worldwide and sometimes deceptive. The chat room your child uses could be somewhere in Mexico or New York, India, The Middle east or Korea. Your child could be talking to anyone, anywhere with the touch of a button, so close. SUGGESTIONS TO PREVENT CHILDREN FROM GOING MISSING. * Do not leave children unsupervised in public places. Children especially in early ages between 4 to 9 years old cannot handle themselves very well. They need someone to rely on. So, never leave your children unsupervised especially in public places because they don’t know what to do and to whom they should rely on. Teach children to be suspicious of strangers and not be lured by them. It is a good technique that every parent should implement to their children, teach your children to be suspicious of strangers and not to be lured by them. We cannot simply believe in strangers that we meet. Maybe they are bad people that intend to kidnap your children. * Teach children how to respond in dangerous situations. Next, parents should teach their children to respond in dangerous situation. So, when it comes to any dangerous situations they will be able to react and find the solution. * Make sure children keep a note with emergency contact numbers.Furthermore, good parents are them who always make sure that their children memorize and keep a note with emergency contact number especially the official contact number of police. So, when it comes to the dangerous situation, your children will be able to call for help. * Society should be alert to, and help, children seen to be wandering around alone. Here, the highlight will be the society. We should never rely on parents only. Society also has to play their role in preventing children from going missing. When we see any children wandering around alone, we need to take action by helping them to find their home.CONCLUSION All in all, we can conclude that missing children is not a case that we should not pay attention. This issue has been discussed around the year for years and still happen in many countries. We need to aware that children a re the asset of the country, they are precious and we need keep them safe from any harm. Ultimately, each of us including parents, teachers and society has to play an important role to curb children missing. We need to cooperate together to find solutions of this issue. Together we can create a better life and place for our children.