Gmos

Shayna Powell GMO: Helpful or Harmful? The battle about genetically modified food is intensifying more and more each day as to whether it is doing more harm than good to the health of the environment and the general population. While there is some potential for a successful GMO world, there are far too many risks and safety factors involved. The factors include the unknown consequences of eating GMOs, the effect of genetic engineering on the environment and genetic diversity, and the massive amounts of herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides required in GMOs.These products are unsafe, unnatural, and have the potential to cause irreversible damage in the future. Others who disagree might argue that GMOs increase food supply, tolerance of harsh environmental conditions on crops, and pest and disease resistance. While these arguments may have some validity, the idea that these products can be very unsafe and damaging cannot be excused because of these pros. First, genetic engineering can reduce genetic diversity. Plants with reduced genetic diversity cannot handle drought, fungus, or pests as well as natural plants can.GMOs strengthen homogeneity and increase the vulnerability of crops to environmental changes. There is also a concern for the spread of altered genes to weeds and other wild relatives creating â€Å"super-weeds† that will be resistant to herbicides found in GMOs. This in turn would defeat the purpose of genetically engineering crops. In the end, the GM process will be more costly to farmers and agriculture itself. In addition, GMOs require massive amounts of herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides.According to Mark Anslow, Ecologist Editor, â€Å"no genetically modifies crop has yet eliminated the need for chemical fertilizers in order to achieve expected yields. † (Anslow, 464) Also, these chemicals are poisonous and should never be eaten. Why then would companies such as Syngenta and Monsanto find it safe for humans to ingest such pois on? Finally, the consequences of eating GM products are widely unknown. Experts say that 60 to 70 percent of processed foods have ingredients that have been genetically modified. That means that most breakfast cereals, snack foods, some baby foods, sodas and oils are being consumed without known risks.In addition, food items that contain GMOs are not labeled in America. According to Jeffrey Smith â€Å"altered nutrients and toxins can result in developmental problems. † (Smith, 471) This has resulted in the nutritional studies on young and developing animals. However humans are very different from animals and could have far different reactions than those shown form tests done on animals. In order to prevent future disasters, long-term studies of biotech foods should be conducted to determine long-term effects. In conclusion, too many risk factors exist for GMOs to be overlooked as a harmless biological advancement.Studies should be done overtime to reveal what effects genetic ally engineered food can have on the environment and the consumers in the future. While trying to make a â€Å"quick-fix† in the shortcoming of nature, responsible actions should be taken to ensure the safety and well-being of those partaking in the GMO movement. Works Cited Anslow, Mark. â€Å"Ten Reasons Why GM Won't Feed the World. † Good Reasons with Contemporary Arguments Smith, Jeffrey. â€Å"Another Reason for Schools to Ban Genetically Modified Foods† Good Reasons with Contemporary Arguments

Daubert V. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals

Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals Brandon Pond New England Institute of Technology Case Studies in Criminal Forensics CJ 372. 57 Professor Michael Pezzullo October 24, 2012 Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals The 1993 Supreme Court case of Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, like many high-profile court cases, set a precedent for future court causes of a similar background. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals was a pharmaceutical company based out of Kansas City, Missouri which was founded in 1950.Originally named â€Å"Marion Laboratories† after its founder Ewing Marion Kauffman, Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals specifically developed pharmaceuticals that had yet to be marketed by other pharmaceutical companies after being discovered and researched. As a result, Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals are credited for producing several high-quality and extremely popular drugs even in modern day, including the Nicorette anti-smoking gum and Cepacol mouthwash.However, in an attempt to recei ve credit for popular and effective pharmaceutical production over other companies, Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals earned a reputation of producing drugs without sufficient research of potential side-effects. As a result, Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals were I involved in an extremely high-profile U. S. Supreme Court case, titled â€Å"Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals. This 1993 court case put pressure on the pharmaceutical company to close their doors and sell the company just three years later in 1996. Jason Daubert and Eric Schuller were both born in San Diego, California with visible physical defects.At birth, Daubert was missing three fingers on his right hand and was missing a bone in the lower part of his right arm. Schuller was born without a left hand and a leg which was shorter than the other. In 1993, Daubert and Schuller, along with their parents, elected to sue Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of the drug Bendectin, an anti-nausea medication both the boysâ €™ mothers were prescribed and consumed during their pregnancies. Bendectin had been already removed from the market in 1983 after numerous claims that the medication ad caused birth defects in children. Despite the claims that the drug had caused birth defects in a number of children, scientific research behind Bendectin showed no evidence that the drug is question produced birth defects in fetuses. The case was taken to a California state court, where it was ultimately moved to a Federal Court following a successful motion of diversity, ultimately meaning if a party in a case is established in a state differing from the state where the trial is being heard, the trial can be upgraded to a federal court.At the federal court trial, Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals presented an expert witness, Dr. Lamm, who provided his opinion tht Bendectin has no proven components that are consistent with causing birth defects in humans. Following the expert witness presentation, Merrell Dow Pharmace uticals filed a motion for summary judgment, stating that following their presentation of a certified expert witness that stated Bendectin does not have components which produce birth defects, there was no longer a necessity for continuation of the trial.Schuller and Daubert, however, submitted a total of eight expert witnesses of their own possessing various accreditation and credentials, stating that Bendectin indeed had the potential of causing birth defects in humans. The eight expert witnesses expressed their opinions based upon a scientific study regarding in-vitro and in-vivo techniques during animal studies. During the time in which the case was heard in 1993, in-vitro and in-vivo animal testing was not recognized as a legitimate methodology that had not yet been established as common practice within the scientific community.As a result, the expert witnesses presented by Schuller and Daubert were deemed inadmissible in court, and Merrell Dow Pharmaceutical’s motion fo r summary judgment was approved at the district court level. Daubert then appealed their case to the appellate court at the 9th circuit court of appeals, re-introducing their expert witnesses’ opinion that Bendectin indeed can cause birth defects, backing their opinions with in-vitro and in-vivo research. The 9th circuit court determined that the district court had correctly approved Merrell Dow Pharmaceutical’s motion for summary judgement, using the 1923 U. S.Supreme Court Case Frye v. United States as their basis for their decision. Frye v. Unites States dealt with the inadmissibility of a blood-pressure lie-detection method into court proceedings because it had not yet become â€Å"generally accepted† as a reliable scientific practice. In addition, the 9th circuit stated that it was the court’s opinion that the evidence in which Daubert and Schuller were presenting was designated for litigation, and without their presentation of expert witnesses, Daub ert and Schuller had no sufficient evidence to prove that the Bendectin drug indeed can cause birth defects in humans.The 9th circuit court upheld the U. S. district court’s decision, but filed a motion of certiorari to the U. S. Supreme Court, anticipating the higher court to review their decision on the case, a motion the U. S. Supreme Court ultimately agreed to hear. At the U. S. Supreme Court, the court determined that â€Å"general acceptance† is not a justified precondition of the admission of scientific evidence into court. According to the Federal Rules of Evidence, there is no requirement that specifically stated that scientific evidence has to have a â€Å"general acceptance† in order to be admissible into court.In particular, Rule 702 of the Federal Rules of Evidence states that the judge during the trial has the discretion to determine whether or not an expert witnesses’ testimony is based upon a â€Å"reliable foundation† and is  "relevant to the task at hand†. The Supreme Court also determined that any evidence with â€Å"scientifically valid principles† will be sufficient to fulfill the two aforementioned requirements. Ultimately, the U. S. Supreme Court overturned the decision of the 9th circuit court of appeals, and eliminated Frye v.United States from judicial review practices during determination of evidence admissibility. After having the case reintroduced into the lower court, the lower court again sided with Merrell Row Pharmaceuticals, determining that there was no sufficient evidence that the use of in-vitro and in-vivo research methods fulfilled the task-relevancy and reliable foundation requirements. Despite the ruling, the Rule 702 of the Federal Rules of Evidence, currently known as the Daubert Test, has fully replaced the Frye Test in all evidence admissibility review cases.Overall, the Daubert v. Merrell Row Pharmaceuticals case has played an overwhelmingly significant role in m odern day Criminal Justice and the way court proceedings are carried out. This case is responsible for single-handedly changing the landscape in which evidence is analyzed for admissibility. Prior to this case, evidence admissibility was based around a U. S. Supreme Court case that was decided way back in 1923, 70 years prior to the Daubert case. The Frye Test had simply lost its base in modern day Criminal Justice, and the Daubert Test rovides justices within a court setting to have the overall determination of whether evidence fulfills two simple requirements. As more and more cases are presented into criminal courts, and more technological advances are produced, statutes, laws, and precedents need to change to accommodate for the new technology. In this instance, the Frye Test surrounded a blood-pressure style lie-detection test, technology that was so advanced and profound that it hadn’t even been considered an accepted scientific practice.In modern day, there are even mo re advanced forms of lie-detection software that individuals involved in the Frye v. United States case could not even imagine. There is no question that there needs to be some sort of decisive test to determine what types of evidence should be admitted into court proceedings, and what types of evidence should be excluded. Not all evidence can be included, because there would be no way of determining the credibility of the evidence being introduced into court.It would simply not be fair to a defendant at trial to be incriminated using evidence that isn’t proven to be sufficient, and would not otherwise pass some sort of evidence admissibility test. By using the Daubdert admissibility test, however, it provides judges leading a trial proceeding to have the overall determination of whether or not evidence fulfills the Daubert Test. The Daubert Test states that evidence must both have â€Å"scientifically valid principles† and must be â€Å"relevant to the task at handâ € .This may sound like a productive test for all evidence. I agree that the Daubert Test is indeed a good test, though only to some degree. One of the justices that heard the Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals case at the U. S. Supreme Court level admitted that while he understood his ability to have the overall determination of all evidence admissibility in the case, the magnitude of scientific advancements involved in the case was certainly out of his expertise, as well as the other justices within the U. S. Supreme Court.I do not feel it is right to put evidence admissibility into the hands of justices whom have a expertise in legal practices and the judicial system, rather than bimolecular engineering, pharmaceuticals, or any other scientific field. However, with that said, I do feel that the Daubert Test is certainly a step in the right direction. I firmly believe that the Daubert Test will uphold until another case similar to the Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals c ase will force new improvements into the standards of evidence admissibility. Works Cited Angier, Natalie. Two Pre-decision Articles on the Daubert Case (rules forscientific evidence). † Free Legal Information & Forms | The ‘Lectric Law Library. The New York Times, 2 Jan. 1993. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. ;http://www. lectlaw. com/files/lit03. htm;. Annas, George. â€Å"Legal Issues in Medicine. † Scientific Evidence in the Courtroom — The Death of the Frye Rule. Version 330. Georgetown University, 7 Apr. 1994. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. . BRODY, JANE E.. â€Å"SHADOW OF DOUBT WIPES OUT BENDECTIN – NYTimes. com. The New York Times – Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. The New York Times, 19 June 1983. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. . â€Å"Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, 509 U. S. 579 (1993).. † LII | LII / Legal Information Institute. N. p. , n. d. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. . Mahle, Stephen. â€Å"An Introduction to Daubert v. Merrell Dow. † DaubertEx pert. com. N. p. , n. d. Web. 24 Oct. 2012. .

South China Sea and the factors and effects of establishing a Research Paper

South China Sea and the factors and effects of establishing a multi-national joint force command - Research Paper Example Joint forces ought to achieve operational effectiveness. The United States Code provides doctrines that specify the hierarchy of obtaining joint forces’ effectiveness.2 Bearing in mind that most countries the challenges that have been mentioned, every nation regards stability of its economy as a vital aspect because it determines the country’s economic influence and survival in the current global economy that is characterized by stiff competition. Stability of a country’s stability is determined by macroeconomic factors such as its Gross National Product (GNP) and Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Precisely, a country’s stability is directly related to the country’s aggregate GDP. Therefore, it is vital that countries maintain their stability, through stabilization of their economies at all times. On the other hand, it should be noted that a country’s national and economic stability faces various external and emerging factors such as terrorism, inflation, political influences, and even the emergence of a multinational joint force structure. Most of these factors tend to have a negative impact on the country’s economy, therefore, leading to economic and social instability causing a decline in growth and development. As a result, such instabilities may lead to poverty and unemployment, which may emerge as serious national issues. In addition, such issues may lead to further degeneration of the country’s economy, leading to possible events of emigration and poor living standards. Multinational partnerships or alliances are defined as an agreed upon partnership between two or more countries that have shared principles, a common view of threats, and a commitment to greater global security3.The partnerships reached, should aid in ensuring that there are mutual benefits that are derived from such coalitions directly aiding in the stability of a nation. Different nations have collaborated with each other in the

Do administration times of anti-retro viral therapies affect their Essay

Do administration times of anti-retro viral therapies affect their efficacy - Essay Example Although none of the studies I found, as stated, were specifically designed to test my hypothesis. The majority the studies, in reading, the test found evidence or results that lead to the theory that timing of drug therapy is vital in the treatment of AIDS. Specific studies in this area would, in my estimation, greatly advance what we know about AIDS, best practice methods for treatment, and the possibility for halting its progression. I am a nursing working with AIDS patients. In the daily course of my duties I have seen numerous patients whose treatment plans vary greatly from one individual to another. Often the drug therapy methodologies and prescription frequency are contrary to commonly accepted practices and sometimes conflict with pharmaceutical recommendations. As a nurse, my primary goal is to enhance the level of treatment AIDS patients receive and to ensure treatment methods are in the best interest of maintaining the client’s health and quality of life. The conflicting treatment methods began to raise questions for me. I began to ask whether the initial implementation of drug therapy had a direct impact on the patient’s longevity and quality of life. There were varying opinions amongst healthcare givers on the best time to begin treatment. Although this is sometimes determined by the time diagnosis of the disease with respect to the progress of the virus, often times, even with early dia gnosis, the decision to begin administering of anti-retro drugs was not uniform. Dr. Jens Lundgren, a physician at the Copenhagen HIV Programme and Dr. Andrew N. Phillips, a professor of epidemiology reported in a British Journal of Medicine article that had examined the indirect relationship discovered regarding the assessment of the efficacy of anti-HIV drugs. Through analyzing data from various trials they were examining the effectiveness of various drug treatments. However, at the conclusion of their research they

Cognitive Psychology response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cognitive Psychology response - Essay Example The memory can also be triggered at anytime. Recovered memories are memories, which have been perceived to be irretrievable for a certain amount of time. False memories are when a person has recollection of a memory that never occurred. Research supports repressed memories, except there is debate whether this only occurs in trauma cases. There have also been cases in hypnotherapy where false memories have been implanted into a person’s memory, however there is no scientific evidence to support this. 2)Explain in detail the Atkinson-Shiffrin model of memory. It is sometimes referred to as the multimode of memory. It consists of sensory memory, short term memory, and long term memory. Sensory memory can only be held for a few seconds. If processed, it moves to short term memory where it lasts for approximately one minute and through rehearsal can be converted to long term memory which lasts indefinitely. 3)Define the term "reasoning" and explain the two basic forms of reasoning, giving examples for each. Reasoning is by process of thinking, an idea can form from another idea. Cognitive- instrumental reasoning involves the basis of the scientific method in that through observation, we are able to reason correlations and form hypotheses. Moral-practical reasoning is where you take into account the moral implications of making a decision based on faith, values system, culture, etc. 4)Describe the effect of learning to speak two languages on the process of language development.   Include any age-related differences that are discussed in the text.  Ã‚   Chomsky called this the language acquisition device in that at younger ages, children are much more cognitively developing than older children. They are constantly assimilating everything from their environment and integrating it into their memory. The idea behind the syntax and grammar of language requires multiple cognitive patterns and memory storage. Thus, children that are learning multiple languages ar e forming new connections and using more parts of their brain, which can allow them to succeed in other areas. 5)What would be the pros and cons to the idea of administering intelligence tests to all students? The pros to giving intelligence tests to students are that it allows schools to see how they are teaching and whether the teaching is effective. It also allows for standardization, meaning that students are put into classes which allow them to learn on a level of development that they are at. The cons to intelligence tests is that it locks students into an idea of what level of intelligence they are at. This can have serious consequences not only at the academic level, but also with self-esteem and interpersonal relations. 6)Based on memory research describe and give examples of at least four of the memory concepts a person could utilize to become a better student.   Repetition- the least effective, but multiple rehersal can help assimilation. Categorization- otherwise done with chunking, it allows students to store multiple pieces of information together Association- by making assocations with the knowledge and memory, it increases the ability to retrieve the information (most effective) Elaboration- by elaborating more on the topic, you learn more about the topic and

Future of Fashion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Future of Fashion - Essay Example The essay "Future of Fashion" concerns the fashion's future. The visual physical contact will determine to a large extent whether the costumer will like the product or not. The place therefore is very essential because it is where the actual sale occurs. The place of the retailing activity – the Store – has its evolution: from the retailer’s house, to a small stall without a roof on a busy street; to a structure with a roof in an open plaza or space, to a big store in a big building, to a shop inside a building with other smaller shops, and to a group of many big stores all housed under a large structure or venue. A store’s size may be small, medium or big. It may only have a table where the goods are placed for sale or it may have many merchandising elements like shelves, racks, booths, kiosks, counters, cashiers, aisles, promotional materials and sales people. The shop may be a simple room or an architectural building with interior design to make it attr active for customers to come inside the store. The store therefore performs many functions other than just the place of sale; it also serves as a promotional, advertising and marketing tool. It must attract people to come inside, look at the products and make a purchase. It must give customers a good feeling and pleasant experience for them to visit again and buy. With the hectic changes and very fast-paced improvement of technology however, the significance and effectiveness of the store is slowly being threatened to the point. where it may be relegated to performing a minor or useless role. That single technology challenging the role of the store as the forefront of the retailing business is the Computer-Internet tandem. With changes in technology come also changes in the psychological and mental attitudes of people. Human beings when exposed to the capabilities of gadgets and instruments become attracted to the benefits and amenities that technology brings and they soon begin to have a lifestyle revolving around such technology. These modern tools have brought them up close to and face to face with goods and services through the internet without having to enter a store. According to Campus Market Research, 91% of US college students are online everyday and 74% prefer to buy textbooks online (Sanchez 6). Products can be seen before the monitor of a computer with colors approximating their real value; the specifications of the product may be downloaded and known; and prices from different stores may be viewed and compared. The products can be ordered and paid with credit cards through the internet itself or executed with the support of electronic peripherals like a telephone, cell-phone or fax machine. Lastly, the buyer has the luxury and comfort of having the bought items delivered to his or her doorstep without ever having to step inside a single store! One may be led to think that the Internet may cause the complete obliteration or obsolescence of the stor e. As mentioned earlier, Traditional or Conventional Retailing is done through the Store (store-retailing). It is a real place where real goods are physically located. It is a place where consumers can go to look at the goods they need and possibly buy if they want them. They can see, smell and touch the actual product; they can make real time appreciation and evaluation of the product

Project management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 10

Project management - Essay Example The aim of this report is to develop a project management plan for Biz Group based on the project problem statement identified above. Project is defined as â€Å"a unique, finite set of multiple activities intended to accomplish a specific goal† (Tayntor, 2010:3). Practically every project is comprised of key milestones which represent a simple life cycle. Project life cycle is characterized by the Project Management Institute’s PMBOK as a process containing the following key levels: Project StartïÆ'  Initiating Processes ïÆ'   Planning Processes ïÆ'   Executing Processes ïÆ'   Closing Processes ïÆ'   Project End (Kendrick 2010:58). Project management plan is based on three key pillars (scope, time, and money), forming thus a triangle of three objectives. However, in order to start any project it is necessary to receive authorization of the project. Project Authorization is a general process of verifying a proposed project for initiation and further development, which aims to confirm feasibility and cost-effectiveness of the project (Taskmanagementguide.com, 2014). The Charter of the Project is recognized to be the single most important document in a project, as it establishes the project and summarizes the key information related to the project (Tayntor, 2010). The project â€Å"Documentum† was initiated by the Biz Group management with the purpose to implement a standardized process for monitoring, updating and publishing unstructured and paper based content used in various department manuals by providing an automated system. Below is provided a brief summary of the Project â€Å"Documentum† Project Objective: to automate the Manuals and Training material, approval process with the help of workflows and finally publish it to all relevant applications, documents and people thorough electronic means CEO of Biz Group: The CEO of Biz Group

Implementation of STEM Education Programs in Schools Article

Implementation of STEM Education Programs in Schools - Article Example Implementation in this context means an amalgamation of concepts from the three disciplines. In the article, the authors are of the thought that it would be tasking to effectively implement teaching and learning of these concepts without incorporating the contribution of languages, arts as well as the social sciences (Satchwell and Loepp, 2002). The process curriculum has seen an effectual implementation of the STEM subjects in schools. The successful implementation as the authors argue, involved the contribution of the project team, and the design panel who were involved in revising the curriculum so as to incorporate the needs of all learners (Satchwell and Loepp, 2002). Information from all stakeholders was collected, all in an attempt to ensure quality implementation of the STEM program. Through the process, the learners in Middle schools have been indicated to not only explore the ideas in the concerned disciplines but also apply the ideas in various contexts (Satchwell and Loepp, 2002). This is a clear elucidation of the fact that implementation of the STEM curriculum in schools has been successful. However, it is significant to draw attention to the verity that the authors clearly emphasize that the implementation process has been faced with a myriad of challenges. Among the challenges involve the teachers’ need to learn novel content in the present setting (Satchwell and Loepp, 2002). Some teachers have also had a negative attitude towards implementing the STEM curriculum; thus, hindering successful implementation. Authentic tests have also been a major impediment as the students’ progress was not consistent throughout the learning process (Satchwell and Loepp, 2002). Nonetheless, the authors appreciate the fact that classroom management has played an immense role in ensuring that STEM disciplines are implemented (Satchwell and Loepp, 2002). Schools that managed to design tests that

Executing, Controlling, and Closing Projects Essay

Executing, Controlling, and Closing Projects - Essay Example QMS through Quality planning, Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC) and inspection directs and controls all OMS processes to achieve continual quality improvement of products/services supplied by an organization. services which effects quality conformance of products/services provided by the organization. Under such cases, outsourced processes/products/services are recorded in Quality management plan to ensure control on the outsourced agencies to achieve required quality. Management must be committed for quality improvement. Management should ensure customer's focus is given top priority by clearly documenting responsibility, authority and communication channels at all levels of the organization. Customer related process like customer requirements, customer communications, purchasing process, verification and validation of purchased product, service provision, identification and traceability of product/ service, preservation of products, control of monitoring, test/ measuring devices, procedures for analyzing and improvement, control of non-conformities related to product/service should be laid down; customer satisfaction should be given top most priority by analysis of data and implementat ion of corrective actions, preventive actions must be planned for continual improvement. 9.0 As TopLiance Corporation decided to implement on-line sales program, the corporation must ensure and uninterrup

Services Of A CPA Essay Example for Free

Services Of A CPA Essay Apart from regular functions like auditing the accounts of a company, tax planning, investment planning, a Certified Public Accountant is having multifarious role in these ever-changing corporate climate and this essay reveals some of the new roles assigned to them. CPA’s advising role to Non Profit Organization: CPA can advise the non profit organisations to obtain tax exempt status. CPA’s playing in their role as Non Profit organization’s volunteers, employees, directors, advisors and auditors can provide help to improve NPO governance and transparency. CPAs should consider to ensure that an organization is not in danger of engaging in inurnment or an excess benefit transaction. CAP should advise the NPO’s to shun always from political and lobbying activities so as to retain their exemption status. A CPA can assist NPO’s in establishing strong oversight, governance policies and procedures, accountability and fiscal responsibilities as a director, independent accountant, and employee, volunteer. CPA’s as advisors in Changing Valuation Field: The business valuation field has undergone a remarkable change. The Uniform Standards of Professional appraisal Practice (USPAP) standardized the performance and reporting of the business valuations .The following court rulings Kumbo Tire Company v. Carmichael and Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals have had major ramifications on the field of USPAP. Daubert and Kumbo and the IRS’ regulations on sufficient disclosure on gifts have all poignantly enhanced what had been inconsistent and unreliable valuation practices. Hence CPA having skill, knowledge, experience, education, and training in business valuations can advice in this regard .A CPA runs the hazard of having testimony disqualified, or having a gift of stock pulled back into a decedent’s estate at fair market value years beyond the statute of limitations., if he errs in his valuation technique. CPA’s function in turnarounds: CPA have the experience and training to discover the financial deterioration of a company and factors signifying an incipient financial crisis and they have also talents to serve in keys roles in subsequent corporate turnarounds. The method is characterized by three stages: stabilization, crisis and rebuilding. A CPA can evaluate the financial implications of intermediate, alternate and long-term turnaround plans, supervise controls to achieve proper resource allocation, construct systems, and report turnaround strategy and they are vital in its successful implementation because they are accountable for performing diagnostic reviews and operational audits, preparing documentation and developing systems for internal control and financial reporting. REFERENCES: Claudia L.Kelly, Susan Anderson, (2006), The CPA’s Role in Governance, Accountability and Transparency, The CPA Journal Online, August 2006 Issue. Quintero, Ronald G (1989), The CPA’s role in turnarounds. The CPA Journal online, September, 1989 issue.

Low MicroRNA-21 Expression in HPV-Induced Carcinogenesis

Low MicroRNA-21 Expression in HPV-Induced Carcinogenesis Low microRNA-21 expression in the development of a favorable microenvironment for HPV-induced carcinogenesis Introduction Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are the most common sexually transmitted agents. High risk types of Human Papillomavirus, as HPV16, are the causative agents of virtually all cases of cervical cancer and a significant proportion of other anogenital cancers, as well as some head and neck cancers [1-3]. The K14-HPV16 transgenic mice model is specially used to study the HPV-associated squamous cells cancers. In this model, the expression of early region genes (E2-E8) of HPV-16 is driven by the keratin 14 promoter/enhancer [4]. The K14-HPV16 transgenic mice develop epidermal hyperplastic lesions that progress to dysplastic lesions and ultimately to invasive cancer. The expression of HPV oncogenes E6 and E7 induces epithelial carcinogenesis through well-defined premalignant stages before de novo carcinoma development [5]. The basal cells are mitotically active and thus may develop further mutations in response to a proliferative stimulus, and the expression of K14 has been shown to persist in well-differentiated squamous carcinomas [6]. This model of multistep epithelial neoplasia will facilitate the study of both the epigenetic and the genetic factors that regulate neoplastic progression and coordinate malignant conversion. MicroRNAs (miRNA) are small, noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression by base pairing with mRNAs, leading to the inhibition of mRNA translation or its degradation. In normal cells, miRNAs control numerous processes including proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis [7]. Furthermore, these molecules are described as key regulators in many diseases including, neurological disorders, cardiovascular diseases, viral infections and cancer. Some miRNAs are lost during tumorigenesis whereas other miRNAs are upregulated. Previous data indicates that miRNAs are important to distinguish subtypes of cancers, where the histological diagnosis is complex and difficult. Furthermore, it also may be a useful tool to diagnose cancers of unknown origin and to study cancer predisposition [8]. MicroRNA-21 (miR-21) has been implicated in various aspects of carcinogenesis. In most solid tumors, miR-21 is overexpressed and thus influences cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis [9-11]. However, the interplay between miRNAs, human papillomavirus (HPV) genes and how these interactions contribute to HPV-associated cancers remain elusive and not well understood. The tumor microenvironment associated to miRNAs plays an increasingly appreciated role in cancer (ref whiteside) however, the microenvironment prior to tumorigenesis can influence the carcinogenesis process. In this study we investigated the expression profile of microRNA-21 in K14-HPV16 transgenic mice, using ear and chest skin samples. Thus, we evaluate the importance of the microenvironment associated with the miR-21 expression and predisposition to HPV-induced carcinogenesis. Material and methods Transgenic mice K14-HPV16 mice on a FVB/N background were generously donated by Drs. Jeffrey Arbeit and Douglas Hanahan, from the University of California, through the USA National Cancer Institute Mouse Repository. Generation of K14-HPV mice has been previously reported [12]. After one week quarantine, the animals were kept as breeder pairs in accordance with National (Portaria 1005/92 dated October the 23rd) and European (EU Directive 2010/63/EU) legislation, under controlled conditions of temperature (23 ±2 ºC), light-dark cycle (12h light/12h dark) and relative humidity (50 ±10%), using hardwood bedding. A standard diet (Global Diet 2014, Harlan, Barcelona) and water were provided ad libitum. Health checks were performed daily. Genotyping of HPV-E6 and E2 (referencias genotipagem Hugo?) 15 offspring females from consecutive litters were genotyped at weaning, using tail tip samples. To genotyping were used tail tips of mice of the strain FVB, wild-type or hemizygous. Tissue lysis was performed using MAGNAPure DNA Tissue Lysis Buffer and Proteinase K for 17 h at 65  °C. Nucleic acids were extracted by the High Pure Viral Nucleic Acid Kit following the manufacturers instructions. To test the efficacy of the method of DNA extraction was investigated the presence of mouse-ÃŽ ²-globin gene. The presence of integrated HPV was assessed by amplification of HPV-E6 and HPV-E2 genes by polymerase chain reaction methodology (PCR) in-house. The resulting genotypes were confirmed to the respective phenotypes. After genotype determination, all animals were sacrificed at 22 to 26 weeks-old and completely necropsied. Ear and chest skin samples were collected into TRIzol (Invitrogen) for miRNA analysis and matched samples were collected into 10% neutral buffered formalin for histological processing. For these procedures, 13 skin samples (ear and chest) of 8 hemizygous females (+ / -) were collected. As control were used 14 skin samples of 7 wild-type females (- / -). Histology Skin samples were fixated in 10% neutral buffered formalin for 48 hours, routinely processed and paraffin-embedded. Histological sections (2 µm-thick) were obtained and stained with haematoxylin and eosin (HE) for examination on light microscopy. Samples and their lesions were classified as normal skin, epidermal hyperplasia and epidermal in situ carcinoma by two independent, blind researchers (CL and RGC). miRNA expression analysis To study miRNA-21 expression, the skin samples were macerated with the TRIzol reagent (Invitrogen) for RNA preservation. The extraction of total RNA was performed using aHigh Pure RNA Isolation Kit(Roche Applied Science), according to manufacturer’s instructions. RNA quality was assessed by measuring the absorbance at 260 nm and its purity was evaluated by the ratio of absorbance at 260/280 nm. cDNA synthesis The conversion of miRNA to cDNA was performed using TaqMan ® MicroRNA Reverse Transcription Kit ( PN 4366596 , Applied Biosystems ®, Foster CA, USA ), using sequence-specific stem-loop primers from each miRNA (miR-21 and snoRNA-202). The amplification conditions were as follows: 30 min at 15 °C, 52 min at 42 ºC and finally 10 min at 85 °C. miRNA-21 relative quantification We used qPCR technique to measure the relative expression of miR-21 (StepOne Real-time PCR Systems; final volume: 20 uL, with1Ãâ€" TaqMan ® Universal Master Mix II Applied Biosystems, Foster City, California USA; 1x MicroRNA Assay (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, California USA) and 2 uL cDNA. As endogenous control, we used snoRNA-202. Statistical Analysis Data analysis was performed by the computer software IBM ®SPSS  ®Statistics for Windows (Version 20.0). The 2ΔΔCt method, along with Student’s t-test was used in order to evaluate any statistical differences in the normalized expression of the miR-21. To analyze the normalized relative expression (-ΔCt) of the different groups, we considered the results corresponding to 99% representation of the population ( ±2).      Results Genotyping and histological analysis We observed the presence of integrated HPV DNA (E6 and E2 ORF) in 53% of mice. All cases with HPV-E6 expression also presented HPV-E2 expression. All mice with integrated HPV DNA demonstrated, phenotypically, various degrees of persistent epidermal and squamous mucosal hyperplasia, characteristic lesions associated to HPV infection, previously described in Arbeit et al. study [12]. After histologic evaluation we observed that, in all cases with integrated HPV DNA, the ear tissues presented epidermal in situ carcinomas while the chest tissues showed epidermal hyperplasia. In wild-type mice we observed normal histology. MiRNA-21 expression profile in tissue of transgenic versus wild-type mice To investigate a possible direct influence of HPV16 on the miR-21 expression profile, we analyzed the relative expression between the all tissues (ear and chest) of transgenic mice and the tissues of the control group. We did not found statistical difference in expression levels between both groups (p=0,615). When we compare the miRNA-21 expression in ear and chest samples, singly, we also did not found statistical difference in expression levels between transgenic and wild type mice (Fig.2). MiRNA-21 expression profile in normal tissue To study the miR-21 normal expression profile in tissues, we quantified the expression of miR-21 in the ear and chest skin samples of the control group. We observed that the ear tissues have lower expression levels when compared to chest tissue (p = 0.036) (Fig.3 a)). Mir-21 expression profile in tissues of transgenic mice To compare the relation between miR-21 expression and lesion type, we analyzed the histology of ear and chest samples from transgenic mice and we quantified the expression of miR-21 in the same. We detected that lower expression levels of miR-21 are associated with cancerous lesions as in situ carcinomas (ear) compared with hyperplastic lesions (chest) (p=0,043) (Fig.3 b)). Discussion Recent studies have associated miR-21 to the pathogenesis of various diseases, including cancer. (ref) MiR-21 overexpression is observed in the majority of carcinomas and hematological malignancies. However, understanding of the potential role of miRNA-21 in previous microenvironment to the development of HPV-associated lesions remains elusive. In cervical cancer, it is accepted that HPV infection is the most important factor for transition from normal cervical epithelium to cervical pre-neoplastic intraepithelial neoplasia and subsequently to invasive cervical cancer. However, the influence of others factors including the microenvironment are poorly investigated. Microenvironment associated to miR-21 may be key factor to the predisposition of cancer. We studied that the expression of miR-21 in normal tissues could be important in development of HPV-associated tumors. Our results demonstrate that, in transgenic mice, all ear tissues presented epidermal in situ carcinomas and chest tissues showed epidermal hyperplasia. Thus, we hypothesize that these interesting facts could be related to different miR-21 profile expression of both tissues. Our results indicate that there is no statistically significant difference between the miR-21 expression in HPV-positive samples and controls, concluding therefore that the presence of HPV does not directly influence the expression of this microRNA. This result is consistent with the hypothesis that differences in the miR-21 expression existing in the normal tissue microenvironment are an important determinant of the HPV-induced carcinogenesis process. Several studies have expanded the concept that inflammation is a critical component of tumour progression. Many cancers arise from sites of infection, chronic irritation and inflammation [13]. Thomas X. Lu et al., identified an IL-12/IFN-g–dependent pathway as the most prominent upregulated pathway in the lungs of OVAchallenged miR-21-/- mice compared with wild-type littermate controls, providing substantial evidence that this is the major pathway dysregulated in the miR-21–deficient mice [14]. As IL-12 is a major cytokine that regulates Th1 versus Th2 decisions primarily by inducing T cells to produce the Th1 cytokine IFN-ÃŽ ³ [15], may be related to inflammation responsible for tumor progression. These facts that relate the miR-21 downregulation with increased inflammation may explain our findings that tissues with lower miR-21 expression are more likely to develop a carcinogenic pathway. Pten has been verified as a miR-21 target in pancreatic cancer, hepatocellular cancer and squamous cell carcinoma [16, 17]. (†¦) References 1.Walboomers, J.M., et al., Human papillomavirus is a necessary cause of invasive cervical cancer worldwide. J Pathol, 1999. 189(1): p. 12-9. 2.Watson, M., et al., Using population-based cancer registry data to assess the burden of human papillomavirus-associated cancers in the United States: overview of methods. Cancer, 2008. 113(10 Suppl): p. 2841-54. 3.Major, T., et al., The characteristics of human papillomavirus DNA in head and neck cancers and papillomas. J Clin Pathol, 2005. 58(1): p. 51-5. 4.Coussens, L.M., D. Hanahan, and J.M. Arbeit, Genetic predisposition and parameters of malignant progression in K14-HPV16 transgenic mice. Am J Pathol, 1996. 149(6): p. 1899-917. 5.Masset, A., et al., Unimpeded skin carcinogenesis in K14-HPV16 transgenic mice deficient for plasminogen activator inhibitor. Int J Cancer, 2011. 128(2): p. 283-93. 6.Stoler, A., et al., Use of monospecific antisera and cRNA probes to localize the major changes in keratin expression during normal and abnormal epidermal differentiation. J Cell Biol, 1988. 107(2): p. 427-46. 7.Chen, C.Z., MicroRNAs as oncogenes and tumor suppressors. N Engl J Med, 2005. 353(17): p. 1768-71. 8.Paranjape, T., F.J. Slack, and J.B. Weidhaas, MicroRNAs: tools for cancer diagnostics. Gut, 2009. 58(11): p. 1546-54. 9.Chan, J.A., A.M. Krichevsky, and K.S. Kosik, MicroRNA-21 is an antiapoptotic factor in human glioblastoma cells. Cancer Res, 2005. 65(14): p. 6029-33. 10.Iyevleva, A.G., et al., High level of miR-21, miR-10b, and miR-31 expression in bilateral vs. unilateral breast carcinomas. Breast Cancer Res Treat, 2012. 131(3): p. 1049-59. 11.Kulda, V., et al., Relevance of miR-21 and miR-143 expression in tissue samples of colorectal carcinoma and its liver metastases. Cancer Genet Cytogenet, 2010. 200(2): p. 154-60. 12.Arbeit, J.M., et al., Progressive squamous epithelial neoplasia in K14-human papillomavirus type 16 transgenic mice. J Virol, 1994. 68(7): p. 4358-68. 13.Coussens, L.M. and Z. Werb, Inflammation and cancer. Nature, 2002. 420(6917): p. 860-7. 14.Lu, T.X., et al., MicroRNA-21 limits in vivo immune response-mediated activation of the IL-12/IFN-gamma pathway, Th1 polarization, and the severity of delayed-type hypersensitivity. J Immunol, 2011. 187(6): p. 3362-73. 15.Gately, M.K., et al., The interleukin-12/interleukin-12-receptor system: role in normal and pathologic immune responses. Annu Rev Immunol, 1998. 16: p. 495-521. 16.Darido, C., et al., Targeting of the tumor suppressor GRHL3 by a miR-21-dependent proto-oncogenic network results in PTEN loss and tumorigenesis. Cancer Cell, 2011. 20(5): p. 635-48. 17.Meng, F., et al., MicroRNA-21 regulates expression of the PTEN tumor suppressor gene in human hepatocellular cancer. Gastroenterology, 2007. 133(2): p. 647-58. Fig. 1 Mice genotyping. The presence of integrated HPV was assessed by amplification of HPV-E2 (b) and HPV-E6 (c) genes by polymerase chain reaction methodology (PCR) in-house. Mouse-ÃŽ ²-globin gene was used as endogenous control (a). Fig. 2 Normalized relative expression of miR-21 in transgenic mice (HPV+) and wild-type mice (HPV-), in ear (a) and chest tissue (b). 1

Limon Dance Company :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Limon Dance Company is the nation’s oldest modern-dance company. Jose Limon established Limon in 1946. In the beginning the company only survived by word of mouth but eventually grew to be one of the Nations best and well-known Modern Dance Company’s. The Limon Dance Company survived with many of its original dance’s intact, these dances preserve the legacy of mid-century choreographers and showed the Company’s talent. The three pieces that the Limon Company performed were Champion, The Winged, and The Moor’s Pavane.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first piece performed was Sophie Maslow’s Champion. (First performed in 1948.) Champion was based on a short story by Ring Lander, and showed how violent the fighter life was in the ring and at home. The dance was done in rounds. The first round the boxer beat up his mother, the second round he beat up his girlfriend. This story was told through strong masculine movements by the male dances. At one point the male dancers were in a gym working out. Each dancer imitated different methods of training. Push-ups, sit-ups, sparring, and punching drills were all used in setting the scene of that part of the dance. Dancers used straight strong, but gracefully movements to convey the meaning of what was happening on stage. Limon did a good job of choreographing the fight scenes in Champion. All the fight scenes had energy and really made it look like they were in a boxing match. The Champion seemed to show an overall theme of violence in the piece.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Winged was the next piece in the program performed by the Limon Company. This piece was different from all the rest it seemed to turn the dancers into birds or some sort of animals and was difficult in my view to understand. Many of the dances used fast repetitive hand motions to simulate flying and seemed to move across the stage in sharp flowing motions like that of birds. The Moor’s Pavane was apiece based loosely on William Shakespeare’s Othello. Using 16th century music by Henry Purcell, and costumes that resembled period clothing Pavane looked like a dance that would be performed in a king’s court.

Victorian Clothing :: European Europe History

Victorian Clothing Through out history people have been influenced by many things in society, art, music, and role models are all some of examples. One of the biggest things that makes us who we are and that we can use to tell other people what we are all about is clothing. Lawyers and doctors don't wear jeans and t-shirts. Instead they may sport a coat or shirt and tie. You don't see many garbage men wearing suits and tuxes. It was the same way through history as it is today. Clothing is, many times, very much over looked. Clothing in the dark ages where tainted with black and gray colors. Very plain and blunt styles were used, as different to the Enlightenment era where colors were first used and showed up in some clothing. During the time when Queen Victoria was ruling, France and British were very elegant yet plain in the same sense. Women wore dresses with dull colors yet were big and bulky. One of the most popular eras for clothing, even today, is the Victorian style. Victorian style is a combination of both light and dark colors that are put onto expensive fabrics and usually given an elaborate design. The main contrast between Victorian clothing and Queen's style was the amount of skin showing on the women's dresses and clothing. The Queen did not permit any skin being shown save the face and neck. Women were expected to ware gloves and dresses or aprons that went down past their feet or ankles. The men wore a button plain button down shirt. Most men would wear a dark vest with two or three buttons on it and button one or two. On the bottom they would ware black or gray pants. This was one of the first times it became rather popular to ware a hat outside. The hats were usually light colors, maybe a tan or light blue color. The women wore dresses and even long skirts or dresses of different colors and styles. The milk maid style is very popular. The women would sometimes were dresses with aprons over them. The aprons were not like the ones we have today. Instead they are very intricate with designs and come in many colors. The colors were usually soft and casual yet when put with the very beautiful designs they were quite a sight. The women, like men sometimes wore hats or, in some cases, bonnets.

Dell Case Study Essay -- Business and Management Studies

Dell Case study. In this report we are going to analyse the business environment of the computer industry in the form of a PESTE which stands for Political, Economical, Social-Cultural, Technological and Environmental. We feel that it is important to analyse the environment of a business as it will help the business to identify the Opportunities and Threats surrounding it. Using the case study of Dell we have identified the following opportunities and threats of the computer industry. Political There are a number of political issues, that large organisations such as Dell must consider when expanding or operating in different countries. Obviously government in the western world have different ideals to the countries in other regions. Rules and regulations in different countries would reflect their different ideals; so in order for companies to be successful, they must have a good understanding about how different governments operate. As stated in the case, patents and trademarks are prevalent in the computer industry, so it is important for organisations to develop good relations with different governments. Other elements that must be considered include: Currency exchange rates, taxation and employment law, labour conditions and political stabilities. Organisations should also understand different governments’ attitudes towards monopolies and competition. Economical Opportunities: 1) The computer industry is predicted to continue to grow in volume over the years. It is expected to grow between 15-20% over the next 3-5 years. This is influenced by the development of the internet and the global expansion opportunities. 2) The foreign markets like Asia and china were previously not accessible due to their political and economical environment. However the situation has changed eliminating barriers thus is now readily accessible; this is a big opportunity for the computer industry to grow in these regions. Threats: 1) Economical changes around the world can affect the computer industry. The biggest threat to the industry is the instability of the world market, for example Dell opened a new manufacturing facility in Brazil and the changes in the South American economical conditions could thus affect the company. 2) The currency fluctuation in different regions can affec... ...mation Ltd (2003) â€Å"European IT chiefs plan more investment in 2004 (analysts' views)† Computer Weekly, 9th of September - Ziff Davis Media Inc (2003) â€Å"HP Promotes PC Recycling† eWeek, 6th of February - Reed Business Information Ltd (2003) â€Å"Suppliers introduce price incentives to get users to invest in the latest PC hardware† Computer Weekly, 14th October - Simon Quicke (2003) â€Å"Suppliers' views; Top supply executives predict market upturn† Computer Weekly, 9th September, Reed Business Information Ltd - Adam Lashinsky (2000) â€Å"The Wired Investor: Once the drivers of the great bull market, PC makers have seen their stocks battered and bruised. The question is: Do they still deserve a place in your portfolio† Fortune, 18th December - Ben Elgin (2003) â€Å"Hitting the Delete on Compaq† Business Week, 14th of April, The McGraw-Hill Companies - Ziff Davis Media Inc (2003) â€Å"Dell Entering Consumer Electronics Market† eWeek, 25th of September - Andrew Park; Faith Keenan; Cliff Edwards (2002) â€Å"Whose Lunch will Dell Eat Next? Now, it's moving into printers, storage, and handhelds† Business Week, 12th of August, The McGraw-Hill Companies

EDocs Study Questions Essay

This case concerns the negotiation of a venture capital investment between Charles River Ventures (CRV) and the founders of eDocs. eDocs (Kevin Laracey) and CRV (Jonathan Guerster) must decide what terms they would like to negotiate. Negotiation roles are given in an accompanying spreadsheet. Please review the study questions (page 2) and the poll questions (pages 3 and 4) – I will use these questions as a basis for class discussion. The point of the poll questions is to force people to think specifically about trading off deal terms for price, and to see how these tradeoffs vary across teams. Statistics from the poll results will be discussed in class. In your case memo, please include a term sheet signed by one member of each team. Please make sure that the term sheets from both sides of the transaction match. It is not necessary to reproduce the entire term sheet for the case; instead, you can sign an â€Å"amended term sheet† that includes only the provisions that have changed from the original; please also include any amendments to the terms discussed in Guerster’s letter to Laracey (page 22 of the case). If the teams could not reach an agreement, please say this explicitly in your case memo. The memos should include all the answers to the â€Å"poll questions† for your team (pages 3 and 4) and some logical support for these answers. These poll questions are effectively the starred (*) questions for this memo. You are also free to answer/discuss any of the study questions (see page 2) or any other issues that were important in your negotiation. Grades on these memos will depend on the logical coherence of your negotiating strategy and answers to the poll questions (as described in the memo) and may depend on the relative success of your negotiation (judged vs. other teams). It is possible to negotiate against intransigent counterparties, come to no agreement, and yet explain this well and write an excellent case memo. Please restrict your memos to be no more than five pages (not including the term sheet). A well-written memo of three pages beats a rambling five-page memo any day. There are two sets of poll questions: one set for the eDocs team and one set for the CRV team. I apologize for stating the obvious, but here it goes: eDocs teams should answer only the eDocs poll and CRV teams should answer  only the CRV poll. eDocs A startup e-commerce company is looking for its first-round of venture capital. A prominent VC is interested, and the parties must bargain over terms and price. 1) Is eDocs a good fit for CRV? If you were CRV, is this the kind of company you want to invest in? 2) Is CRV a good fit for eDocs? If you were eDocs, is this the kind of VC you want as an early-stage investor? 3) What are the most contentious terms for negotiation? 4) (*) How did your team decide on the relative value of these terms? 5) With the experience of this negotiation behind you, how would you have handled it differently? Poll Questions: eDocs NOTE: There is not just one â€Å"correct† answer for any of these questions, so don’t go crazy trying to figure it out. Also, for Questions 2 and 3, we do not expect any specific quantitative analysis. There are, however, good reasons why you might care more or less about the issues raised in all of the questions: please discuss these reasons in your memo and use them to guide your answers. One thing that is true: all of your answers to these questions should have X greater than or equal to $1. If you want to give an answer less than $1, then you are misunderstanding the question. 1) You have made a counteroffer to CRV that eliminates the participation described in the â€Å"liquidation† section of the term sheet. That is, you have offered that CRV pay $1 per share for regular convertible preferred stock with no participation feature. They counter with an offer of $X per share while keeping the participation option. What is the lowest value of X for which you would be willing to let them keep participation? 2) You have made a counteroffer to CRV that accelerates the vesting as described in the â€Å"Founders Stock, Options & Vesting† section of the term sheet. That is, you have offered the same terms as the original spreadsheet, except that founder’s shares vest immediately. CRV counters with an offer of $X per  share while keeping the same vesting schedule. What is the lowest value of X for which you would be willing to let them keep the original schedule? 3) You have made a counteroffer to CRV that adds Kris Canekeratne to the Board of Directors. CRV, concerned that the board would be too large, counters with an offer of $X per share while keeping the same board composition as in the original term sheet. What is the lowest value of X for which you would be willing to let them keep the original board composition? 4) Guerster’s letter to Laracey (page 22 of case) includes a condition under which CRV will receive extra warrants if they finance the entire round. You have made a counteroffer that removes this provision. CRV counters with an offer of $X per share while keeping the extra warrant condition. What is the lowest value of X for which you would be willing to let them keep this condition? Poll Questions: CRV NOTE: There is not just one â€Å"correct† answer for any of these questions, so don’t go crazy trying to figure it out. Also, for Questions 2 and 3, we do not expect any specific quantitative analysis. There are, however, good reasons why you might care more or less about the issues raised in all of the questions: please discuss these reasons in your memo and use them to guide your answers. One thing that is true: all of your answers to these questions should have X greater than or equal to $1. If you want to give an answer less than $1, then you are misunderstanding the question. 1) eDocs has made a counteroffer to you that eliminated the participation described in the â€Å"liquidation† section of the term sheet. That is, they have offered that you pay $1 per share for regular convertible preferred stock with no participation feature. You are preparing to counter with an offer of $X per share while keeping the participation option. What is the highest value of X you would be willing to offer in order keep the participation? 2) eDocs has made a counteroffer to you that accelerates the vesting as described in the â€Å"Founders Stock, Options & Vesting† section of the term  sheet. That is, they have offered the same terms as the original spreadsheet, except that founder’s shares vest immediately. You are preparing to counter with an offer of $X per share while keeping the same vesting schedule. What is the highest value of X you would be willing to offer in order to keep the original vesting schedule? 3) eDocs has made a counteroffer to CRV that adds Kris Canekeratne to the Board of Directors. You are concerned that the board would be too large and are preparing to counter with an offer of $X per share while keeping the same board composition as in the original term sheet. What is the highest value of X you would be willing to offer in order to keep the board composition as described in the term sheet? 4) Guerster’s letter to Laracey (page 22 of case) includes a condition under which CRV will receive extra warrants if they finance the entire round. eDocs has made a counteroffer that removes this provision. You are preparing to counter with an offer of $X per share while keeping the extra warrant condition. What is the highest value of X you would be willing to offer in order to keep this condition?

Economics and monopoly introduction Essay

Characteristics: Single seller: One firm produces all the output of a particular product No close substitutes: Product is unique and if consumers want to buy it they must buy from the monopolist. Price maker: Since the monopolist is the sole supplier of the product, it can change the price by changing output. The firm faces a downward sloping demand curve, so increasing output lowers the price, decreasing output increases the price. The firm will set a price that maximizes its profits. Blocked entry: Entry to the market is totally blocked, meaning the firm has no immediate competitors. Barriers to entry may be economies of scale, legal, technological or another type. Nonprice competition: Since it has no competitors a monopolist cannot compete on price. Therefore, to attract new consumers the firm must engage in non-price competition such as advertising and public relations campaigns to promote its product’s attributes. Examples of Monopolies? www. welkerswikinomics. com 3 Unit 2. 3. 3 Pure Monopoly Monopoly Demand as seen by a Monopolist. Three assumptions: 1) Entry is totally blocked 2) The monopolist is unregulated by any government so can charge whatever price it wants. 3) The firm is a single price seller. It sells all units of output at the same price. †¢ A monopolist faces a downward sloping Demand curve. The firm D curve is the market D curve! †¢ A monopolist can sell additional output only by lowering its price (due to the law of demand). †¢ A monopolist must lower the price of all of its output, not just the marginal units, since it is a single-price seller. †¢ As a result, as output increases, the firm’s marginal revenue falls faster than the price. www. welkerswikinomics. com 4 Unit 2. 3. 3 Pure Monopoly Monopoly Demand as seen by a Monopolist Demand and Marginal Revenue Q 0 1 P1 2 3 4 5 P2 6 7 8 9 P3 10 P 172 162 152 142 132 122 112 102 92 82 72 TR=PxQ) 0 162 304 426 528 610 672 714 736 738 720 Demand and MR for a Monopolist P MR=? TR/? Q P1 P2 P3 D=AR=P Q1 Q2 Q3 Q MR Based on the above graph, over which range of output would a monopolist NEVER produce? Why? What information is needed to determine the profit maximizing level of output for this monopolist? www. welkerswikinomics. com 5 Unit 2. 3. 3 Pure Monopoly Monopoly Demand as seen by a Monopolist Elasticity and the monopoly Demand curve: †¢ Identify the elastic range of the demand curve. †¢ Identify the inelastic range of the demand curve. P Demand and MR PED>1 P1 PED=1 Question: Why won’t a monopolist ever produce at a level of output where it is in the inelastic range of its demand curve?

Game Theory †Descriptive, Normative or Prescriptive Essay

Going through life we often are surprised by the different ways how people think, make decisions and interact. We believe that most of us are rational human beans (to some extent) and, therefore, our decisions should be grounded in analysis of the situation, our experience and intuition. Therefore, the human mind can be seen as an incredibly complicated machine that runs series of theoretical simulations of possible situations (often subconsciously) to find the most optimal course of action, taking into consideration the possible strategies of others. When the decisions are important to us and the reasoning process is conscious, we engage in strategic thinking. It has always been tempting to develop a theory that would actually explain and predict the human interaction based on strategic thinking, therefore making the strategic decision making more effective to both parties and without risk to going into â€Å"worst case scenario†. Therefore ideally game theory should cover the questions how the decisions should be made in order to maximize the gains, what reasoning does it imply, how to make the best choice of strategy and what will the pay-offs be for both parties. What questions does game theory actually answer – this is how the topic of this essay might be rephrased. In this essay the discussion will be focused on the question whether game theory is a descriptive, normative or prescriptive theory. First, a brief explanation of different types of theories should be given as well as the definition of game theory and the development in this academic field of study as well as the practical applications. Then the standpoint of the author will be defined and supporting as well as contradicting arguments based on various academic articles will be presented and discussed. The last part of the essay will sum up the discussed ideas and draw the final conclusions and remarks. To start with the necessary in-depth understanding of the essay topic, the distinction between normative, descriptive and prescriptive theories should be clarified. As it is known, normative theory deals with how things should be – what ought to be in context of the specific field of study. Descriptive theories are concerned with explaining the way things happen (people behave) in real ife, moreover the prescriptive theories aim to suggest how things should happen (or how people should react) and this could be just on theoretical level or also connected with the real life (therefore not only giving prescriptions on how to act but also the predictions on the future situations). Joseph B. Kadane and Patrick D. Larkey in their paper „The Confusion of Is and Ought in Game Theoretic Contexts† from 1983 reflects on the essay topic and distinguishes between different types of normative and positive theories: Among positive theories, we distinguish three types. Descriptive theories are concerned with empirical phenomena, but stop with a description. Explanatory theories go further by addressing â€Å"why questions. † Finally, predictive theories discuss what behavior will be. We also distinguish between two types of normative theory, both concerned with what behavior should be. Speculative statements are nonoperational usually consisting of a goal or criterion (e. g. , maximize utility or profit) with no precise instructions on how one might accomplish the goal or apply the criterion. Prescriptions are operational in that they give both a goal (or criterion) and feasible procedures (an algorithm) for accomplishing it. From this quotation it can be clearly seen what theory distinctions in game theory context are made. The essay author will adopt this view and within normative theories take into consideration both speculative and prescriptive types of theories, within descriptive theories include both descriptive and explanatory types and within prescriptive theories look at predictive and prescriptive (for real life situations) types. After clarifying the different types of theories in connection with game theory, the short description of game theory and development of modern game theory will be given. In the Oxford English dictionary the definition of game theory is as follows the branch of mathematics concerned with the analysis of strategies for dealing with competitive situations where the outcome of a participant’s choice of action depends critically on the actions of other participants. Game theory has been applied to contexts in war, business, and biology. From the definition we see the important factors are the mathematical analysis, different strategic options with different outcomes (pay-offs) and the interdependence of the players. Therefore it indeed looks like the so desired theory described in the introduction of the essay, however, what does it actually deliver, that is the main focus of this essay. Modern game theory has been developing now for more than 50 years since the book Theory of Games and Economic Behavior by John von Neumann and Oskar Morgenstern was published in 1944. However, it must be noted that some important efforts in explaining the strategic choices – strategic decision making has been done also before, for example by Zermelo. Konong, Kalmar and Borel. Game theory has evolved considerably since the publication of von Neuman and Morgenstern’s book and what is interesting the theory has developed far beyond its initial mathematical boundaries. This is due in a large part to contributions in the 1950s from John Nash (1950, 1951). However, it was in the 1970s that game theory as a way of analysing strategic situations began to be applied in all sorts of diverse areas including economics, politics, international relations, business and biology (Chermichael, 2005). By having established the understanding about the subject of the essay, the arguments can now be presented. The author believes that the game theory at the stage of evolution it is now in is a descriptive and prescriptive theory concerning strategic decision making, however with some limitations. Argument 1: Strategic decision making implies / do not imply rational thinking The first contra argument discussed will be about the assumption of game theory that the players are rational. It can be argued that this indeed does not reflect real life as people often make irrational choices and therefore game theory is not describing the real world nor giving prescriptions on how to act in real situations but is indeed a normative theory. What needs to be emphasized here is that the essay author argues that game theory is a prescriptive theory when dealing with strategic decision making. Strategic decision making involves long term commitments from an organization and therefore it will be carefully analyzed and discussed before the final decision, in order to be sure that the chosen course of action will deliver the highest possible results. Following this thought it can be concluded that the players will act rationally, as they are aware of the huge impact of the decision and have certain decision making skills (which can be assumed as they are high in the organizational hierarchy that they are the ones making strategic decisions). Argument 2: Game theory does / does not describe predict the real world situations Strong critique regarding the interpretation of game theory is expressed by Rubinstein (1991): There exists a widespread myth in game theory, that it is possible to achieve a miraculous prediction regarding the outcome of interaction among human beings using only data on the order of events, combined with a description of the players’ preferences over the feasible outcomes of the situation. [.. ]The mystical and vague word â€Å"rationality† is used to fuel our hopes of achieving this goal. I fail to see any possibility of this being accomplished. Overall, game theory accomplishes only two tasks: It builds models based on intuition and uses deductive arguments based on mathematical knowledge. As we see from this quotation, Rubinstein is critical regarding the game theory having any descriptive or prescriptive characteristics. However, he states that what is missing for it to be a descriptive (and following that prescriptive theory), is the data describing the process of reasoning adopted by the players when they analyze a game. Since this article more than 10 both scientific and empirical articles have been written directly dealing with the problems mentioned in this article therefore the interpretation has evolved as well as the game theory itself. Moreover, game theory has been used throughout the years by companies and has been proven to be a useful tool for strategists. Camerer in his article â€Å"Does strategy research need game theory? (1991) comes to a conclusion that a common criticism that game-theoretic models assume too much rationality is often wrong because first, some games require little rationality to compute equilibria; and second, players may reach an equilibrium by communicating, adapting or evolving to it rather than by calculating it. Indeed, the author agrees that the interpretation of the games needs careful attention, however, the theory can be used as a descriptive theory for strategic decisions and by studying it strategists can come to a better decisions therefore evolving in a prescriptive theory. Another extra point enhancing the previously stated is the evolution of game theory now including cooperation, asymmetric information and other factors which are present in real life situations. Hutton (1996) describes game theory as an intellectual framework for examining what various parties to a decision should do given their possession of inadequate information and different objectives. Here we see that in later works game theory is seen as a more sophisticated theory dealing with various situations not only basic theoretic models. The paper of Kadane and Larkey from 1983 states two suggestions in order to clear the â€Å"is and ought† confusion. First, a Bayesian perspective should be adopted, second, more attention should be given to the model validation. The Bayesian view of games clarifies the proper, respective roles of prescriptive and predictive theory. Taking the Bayesian norm as prescriptively compelling for my play leads me to want the best description I can find of my partner/opponent’s play. Thus both prescription and description have important roles to play in the Bayesian view of games. Therefore, we see that through Bayesian approach the descriptive and prescriptive characteristics of game theory are enhanced. From authors research for relevant literature concerning the question what type of theory is game theory, it can be seen that most papers concerning these questions are around 1980`s and the beginning of 1990`s. Later papers on game theory, however, are more concerned of empirical applications of game theory as well as in depth analysis of the theory. The empirical work in such fields as auctions, M&A, price strategy, marketing strategy etc. as been applying successfully the principles of game theory, therefore strengthening the statement that Game theory is indeed now a descriptive and prescriptive type of theory. Argument 3: Game theorist work has been internationally recognized as applicable to real life and practically useful to make better strategies and strategic decisions Another strong argument supporting the statement of the author is the work of rec ent Nobel Prize winners in economics, in 2007 and in 2012 the winners are game theorists Leonid Hurwicz, Eric Maskin, Roger Myerson and Lloyd Shapley, Alvin Roth respectively. (Nobel Prizes in economics also was awarded to game theorists in 1994, 1995 and 2005). Leonid Hurwicz, Eric Maskin and Roger Myerson won the 2007 Nobel Prize for their work in mechanism design theory, a branch of game theory that extends the application of game theory to how different types of rules, or institutions, align individual incentives with overall social goals. Their work on allocation mechanisms has had a significant impact on the design of uctions, social welfare systems and many organizations. As the theory can be applied successfully to real fields of business and real organizations, it can be concluded that game theory must be a prescriptive and therefore also descriptive theory. Moreover, the Nobel Prize in 2012 to Shapley and Lloyd was awarded for the theory of stable allocations and the practice of market design – the creation of the link from theory to practice. BBC article (15. 10. 012) regarding the winners of 2012 Nobel Prize in economics by Stephanie Flanders, the BBC Economics Editor, states The work of Lloyd Shapley and Alvin Roth reminds us that economics can be both deeply mathematical and abstract, and deeply practical – not to say hugely useful to public and private organizations all over the world. [.. ] In the past 50 years, game theorists – and micro-economics in general – have genuinely made the world a better place. Either they have helped to solve practical real-world problems or, where there is no solution, they have helped us to understand the issues more clearly. So once again we see that game theory when applied correctly can help to solve real life problems and therefore is a prescriptive and descriptive theory. Working on the essay the author read through many articles on game theory including the classic papers of Nash (1950,1951) where the theory is explained in detail but applications explained are indeed rather simple and not that applicable to complex real world situations, however, very useful for simple situations. Looking at the research papers written in late 1990`s and 2000`s, the empirical applications can be seen more clear and grounded in real life. The critique on game theory expressed by researchers in early 1990`s have been taken into consideration therefore helping the game theory to evolve ad become descriptive and prescriptive theory that can be applied to many fields. Moreover, practitioners are indeed using game theory, for example highly successful consultancy company McKinsey is using game theory to help managers make better decisions and foresee the different possible risks of different courses of action (Hagen Lindstadt and Jurgen Muller, 2009). The author believes that the game theory has evolved from being more a normative theory to normative prescriptive theory, then by applying these rules to real world descriptive theory has been developed, and now in hand of a masterful strategist game theory is indeed a predictive and prescriptive theory helping to make better strategic decisions.

Global Warming : causes, effects and remedies Essay

Global warming is the greatest challenge facing our planet. It is, in fact, the increase in the temperature of the earth’s neon- surface air. It is one of the most current and widely discussed factors. It has far-reaching impact on biodiversity and climatic conditions of the planet. Several current trends clearly demonstrate that global warming is directly impacting on rising sea levels, the melting of ice caps and significant worldwide climate changes. In short, global warming represents a fundamental threat to all living things on earth. Global average temperature rose significantly during the past century. The prevailing scientific view is that most of the temperature increases since mid-20th century has been caused by increases in atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations produced by human activity. Most scientists agree that planet’s temperature has risen 0.5 degree Celsius since 1900 and will continue to increase at an increasing rate. As a result, the world is getting warmer. The year 1990 was the hottest year in the last century. Together with 1991, the years of 1983, 1987, 1988 and 1989 have been measured to be the warmest six years in the last hundred years. The year 1991 was the second warmest year of the past century. The consequences of the rise in temperature is being felt all over the globe the findings of scientific research done in this field reveal that the temperature of the earth is likely to rise from 1.4 °C to 5.8 °C within a period of 100 years. Unfortunately, the imbalance which we have created between our life and earth is already showing the signs disasters in the form of flood, cyclones, landslides, tsunami, drought, etc. If the imbalance continues to rise, one day this will pose a question mark on the existence of this planet. Carbon dioxide (C02) which is an important constituent of environment is causing a warming effect on the earth’s surface. It increases the evaporation of water into the atmosphere. Since water vapour itself is a greenhouse gas, this causes still more warming. The warming causes more water vapour to be evaporated. The C02 level is expected to rise in future due to ongoing burning of fossil fuels and landuse change. The rate of rise will depend largely on uncertain economic, sociological, technological and natural developments. Other gases such as methane, CFCs, nitrous oxide, tropospheric ozone are also responsible for global warming. Increases in all these gases are due to explosive population growth, increased industrial expansion, technological advancement, deforestation and growing urbanisation, etc. Trees play a significant role in the global carbon cycle. They are the largest land-based mechanism for removing carbon dioxide from the air. Deforestation is checking these positive processes. It is the second principle cause of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Deforestation is responsible for 25 per cent of all carbon emissions entering the atmosphere, by the burning and cutting of 34 million acres of trees each year. Everyday over 5500 acres of rainforest are destroyed. As a consequence of massive loss of forests, global CO, levels rise approximately 0.4 per cent each year, the levels not experienced on this planet for millions of years. As we know the forests are the great absorbers of CO,,. There is a close relation between global warming and population growth. Today the large population on earth is using the technologies which are destructive for the earth. Approximately, 80 per cent of atmospheric C02 increases are due to man’s use of fossil fuels either in the form of coal, gas or oil. A large portion of carbon emission is attributed to the burning of gasoline in internal-combustion engine of vehicles. Vehicles with poor gas mileage contribute the most to global warming. Besides, the sulphur group gas is the most harmful for this. Its contribution is 30 per cent in global warming. This gas is also emitted from the burning of fossil fuels. Increase in global temperatures will cause rise in sea level. It will lead to melting of glaciers, changes in rainfall patterns, increased intensity and frequency of extreme weather. As per the latest survey report the rate of melting of glaciers has seen sharp increase in recent times. Even those glaciers are affected from global warming which have been considered permanent. The shrinking of glaciers is going to pose a major problem of drinking water. The sea levels as a result of melting of glaciers have risen from 0.35 mm to 0.4 mm. Scientists have warned in their reports that most of the glaciers will disappear within a period of 15 to 25 years. It will create problems of drinking water and food grains in most of the North American countries. India is not unaffected from it. The Himalayan glaciers have shrunk about 30 per cent after 1970. The rise in sea levels is a major cause of concern. A large number of cities located in coastal areas will submerge in the sea. Besides, many island countries will ultimately â€Å"lose their existence and will be washed away from the surface of the earth. The damage of rising sea levels is diverse. Buildings and roads close to the water could be flooded and they could suffer damage from hurricanes and tropical storms. Experts believe that global warming could increase the intensity of hurricanes by over 50 per cent. In addition, as the sea rises, beach erosion takes place, particularly on steep banks. Wetlands are lost as the level rises. Rise in atmospheric temperature will lead to the outbreak of air ¬borne and water-borne diseases. It would also contribute to the rise in death caused by heat. The problem of drought would be frequent. Consequently, malnutrition and starvation will pose serious challenge before humanity. Global warming is a great threat to the flora and fauna of the earth. A large number of species of them may become extinct. The expanse of desert would increase. Low rainfall and rising temperature could add to the intensity and frequency of dusty storm. This in turn will immensely affect the quality of agricultural land, ultimately causing adverse effect on agricultural produce. It would have far-reaching socio-economic impact. In Indian context, the impact of global warming is a matter of grave concern. As is well known, India is mainly an agricultural country and agriculture here is gamble of the monsoon, e.g. largely depending on rainfall. Though it is to affect the whole country, the worst likely impact would be on central and northern India which is high-yielding parts of the country. These are the regions which produce the largest agricultural yield. The rise in atmospheric temperature and fall in rain would naturally result in decline in crop production. Moreover, it would have great effect on biodiversity as well. The growing concerns over global temperatures have led to the nations, states, corporations and individuals to draw out a plan of action to avert the situation. As a result the world’s primary international agreement on combating global warming was reached in Kyoto in 1997 which came to be known as Kyoto Protocol. However, ten years have passed; the situation does not appear to be very changed. It seems that the member countries are not very serious about its devastating effects. In addition, forestation can be of great help in this regard. Planting more trees and reducing timber cuts worldwide will help restore the imbalance. Secondly, we must follow on environmental policy of ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’, i.e. promoting the reuse of anything. Thirdly, the use of fuel-efficient vehicles should be promoted as these vehicles have lower emissions of harmful gases. Fourthly, every individual should be aware of the importance of the protecting environment. Besides, eco- friendly technologies must be promoted, and must be substituted with the technologies which cause great emission of global warming gases. Public awareness campaign can be of great help in this regard because unless each and every individual is aware only governments’ effect cannot bring desired difference.

Motivation, Stress, and Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Motivation, Stress, and Communication - Essay Example The goal-setting theory is applicable in the process of motivating my performance. In fact, this theory was established by Edwin Locke in the 1960s and deals with the formulation of goals and objectives (Lunenburg, 2001). On the other hand, the theory explains particular challenges, objectives and a feedback system that are applicable in supporting the improvement of performance. In this case, I will apply goals as guidance to determine efforts needed to achieve these objectives. Moreover, these objectives will increase my motivation to work, thus leading to increased productivity. However, there is the need for clarification of various issues that can be regarded as complex objectives and motivating factors in order to reduce chances of formulating vague or basic goals. Nevertheless, I will focus on setting realistic and challenging objectives, which can promote a feeling of pride and triumph after these objectives have been met. Therefore, challenging goals are a crucial reward, and there is a passion associated with achieving them. Despite this, there will be the need for appropriate feedback, which will guide my behaviors and contribute to increased performance. Seeking clarification, regulation of difficulties and attaining reputation are the purposes of feedback, and these will motivate me to work in a way that facilitates job satisfaction. Moreover, this offers a basis for evaluation in order to determine the extent to which objectives have been achieved and those that are yet to be achieved. ... On the other hand, the theory explains particular challenges, objectives and a feedback system that are applicable in supporting improvement of performance. In this case, I will apply goals as guidance to determine efforts needed to achieve these objectives. Moreover, these objectives will increase my motivation to work, thus leading to increased productivity. However, there is the need for clarification of various issues that can be regarded as complex objectives and motivating factors in order to reduce chances of formulating vague or basic goals. Therefore, the clarification in objectives contributes to an increased performance, and these goals are coupled with deadlines for completion in order to avoid delays and misunderstanding. Nevertheless, I will focus on setting realistic and challenging objectives, which can promote a feeling of pride and triumph after these objectives have been met. Therefore, challenging goals are a crucial reward, and there is a passion associated with achieving them. Despite this, there will be the need for appropriate feedback, which will guide my behaviors and contribute to increased performance. Seeking clarification, regulation of difficulties and attaining reputation are the purposes of feedback, and these will motivate me to work in a way that facilitates job satisfaction. Moreover, this offers a basis for evaluation in order to determine the extent to which objectives have been achieved and those that are yet to be achieved. I will also focus on reinforcing performance by facilitating sustenance of desired behaviors. In this case, there is the need for borrowing ideas from the reinforcement theory of motivation that was

Fire investigation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Fire investigation - Essay Example Basic research indicates that preventing ignition fire control process and the separation of individuals from the harmful effects of fire by means of distance, time or shielding forms the three basic directions to ensure life safety, (CUNNY, 2009). Time as a factor in fire situation leads to the building up of smoke and heat thereby creating a hazardous environment and its effect may not be concretely predicted owing to multiple environmental and human variables, (Coleman, 1997). Three sets of conditions define time related effects on a fire situation inclusive of; toxic conditions, elevated environmental temperatures and current or pre-existing psycho-physiological attributes of the premises occupants. It is also imperative to note that the time interval between fire discovery and preventive action by the occupants is critical to the resulting effects. Evacuation of occupants and/or Fire extinguishment and confinement forms are fundamental actions that follow fire detection, (Coleman, 1997). The cause and outcome of a fire is greatly impacted by individual characteristics of those involved as people tend to react differently to similar emergency situations. People’s reaction during fires is affected by individual actions and therefore individual threat perception. Age forms a fundamental individual characteristic that adequately affect reaction to individual conditions as for example, the elderly or very young individuals may be less able to cope with the effects of fire, (CUNNY, 2009). Therefore, comparative to their counterparts of middle ages who are of normal physique, the fatality rate of these two age groups remains grater during fires, (USFA, 2009). Respiratory capacity of individuals may also affect the rate of fatalities in cases of fire hazards. Since majority of fires result into smoke inhalation, individuals with poor respiratory capacity may be unable to

Presentaion on the country Syria Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Presentaion on the country Syria - Essay Example It is currently the liturgical language of many Syrian Christian denominations. However, most educated Syrians also speak French and English. The indigenous Christian Western-Aramaic speakers as well as Assyrians make up roughly 400,000 people. Most of them speak the Western Neo-Aramaic language. As for the deaf community, the sign language is used. Traditionally, men wear long gowns and women wear a long robe that only leaves their feet and hands exposed (Antoun 89). These dresses show little of the human skins something which is considered respectable. Music: Syria is one of the earliest centers of Christian hymnody and continues to be the liturgical music of various Syrian Christians. Damascus is among the Arab world centers for artistic innovation, particularly in the field of classical Arab music. Prominent musicians such as Asmahan, Lena Chamamyan, and Farid al-Atrash all come from Damascus (Salamandra 104). Aleppo city is known for its muwashshah; a form of Andalous poetry (Antoun 45). The muwashshah was popularized by stars like Sabah Fakri. It comprises of 5 stanzas that alternate in refrain with a running rhyme. Dance: As cited by Salamandra (103), the Syrian traditional art is manifested in dances like the Dabkeh, al-Samah, and sword dance. The Dabkeh is the national dance of Syria. It involves both line dancing and circle dance. It is commonly performed at weddings and other festivities. The lines usually form from right to left. The Dabkeh and al Samah are also peformed in child’s birth and marriage ceremonies. Food: Core element in parties, weddings, and other festivities. The main dish is the Syrian cuisine. It is rich and varied in its ingredients. It comprises of Kibbeh, fattoish, tabbouleh, hummus, labneh, shanklish, sujuk, baklava, and pastrirma. Manoushi bread is the number one snack food all around Syria. Tea is the ever-present drink and is usually taken with the Manoushi bread in

Compare between SAP system and Microsoft Dynamics system in ( Bill of Research Paper

Compare between SAP system and Microsoft Dynamics system in ( Bill of material) - Research Paper Example Others include NAV, SL, and AX. Dynamics NAV is designed in a way to suite mid-size companies. It is an ERP that incorporates both basic PM and accounting functions that are offered by other types like SL. Dynamics SL is best suited for managing projects and other accounting roles across many divisions in a firm. It was made to target construction management firms, distributors and any other contractor. Dynamics GP which will be our focus of discussion in this analysis is used mainly in the Americas, UK and Ireland, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand. It was one of the first accounting packages released in the USA and was meant to run on Windows 32 bit machines. It was designed to be used in financial management, supply chain management, human resource management, project management and manufacturing. Dynamics AX was designed for global corporations and modern manufacturing firms. It offers all the functionalities of GP and also provides advanced business reporting and intell igence. SAP Business One This is an ERP that is used by all type of businesses i.e. small, medium and even in large companies. It is applied in business functions ranging from customer relationship management, purchasing and supplies, financial management and business analytics. It also provides comprehensive business intelligence and reporting. In 2011, SAP introduced a solution that was meant to consolidate business and enable intercompany integration. This was to enable multinationals to manage transactions and activities across multiple databases. The functions of the SAP ERP system can be broadly categorized into four broad modules i.e. Financial, Human Capital Management, Operations and Corporate Services. In financial management, it supports for multiples currencies, bank reconciliation and budgeting. In human capital management, it is applied in functions of managing the payroll, recruitment, human resources, learning and development and analysis of work functions. In operat ions, it provides functions like purchasing, manufacturing and research and development. In corporate services, it helps in asset management in areas ranging from real estate, travel management and project management. The business area chosen for comparison in this paper is supply chain management functions with respects to each ERP package. Supply Chain Management When we discuss about supply chain management, the discussion is based on two main core ideas; Every product that reaches the customers will represent a collective effort of many corporate organizations and this firms will be collectively referred collectively as a supply chain Unfortunately most businesses have only focused what happens within their premises in as much supply chains have existed for a long time. Therefore few business have understood the entire chain of activities that leads to the ultimate delivery of the final products to the customer Therefore supply chain management can be referred to the management of all the supply chain activities in order to improve