Thursday, August 27, 2020

TPN Hypokalemia Essay Example For Students

TPN Hypokalemia Essay Alys Latimer, Layla Mohamed, and Sandra Zhengwhat IS tpn?Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN):Infusion of intravenous sustenance (full scale and smaller scale nutrients)Those with contraindications to oral dietary approachSpecialized blends of amino acids, dextrose, lipid emulsions, electrolytes, nutrients and mineralsInfused halfway into interior jugular or subclavian veinsINDICATIONS: torpid, insufficient GI work, completebowel rest, and pediatric disordersADVERSE COMPLICATIONS: diseases, post-operation wound entanglements, safe trade off, liquid/electrolyte irregularity, GI dying, and so forth. (Arya et al., 2013)What is hypokalemia?Hypokalemia:Normal Findings: 3.5 5.0 mEq/LCritical Values: 2.5 mEq/LPotassium (K+), significant piece of protein amalgamation and support of ordinary oncotic pressure and cell electrical neutrality(Pagana Pagana, 2013)Signs and Symptoms of HypokalemiaTypically not present until Potassium levels are under 3.0 mEq/LSigns and side effects of hypokalemia are commonly identified with cardiovascular, skeletal, and smooth muscle weaknessCARDIOVASCULAR: straightened T-wave and unmistakable U-wave, ST section despondency, conduction variations from the norm, dysrhythmias, exacerbating hypertension, unexpected deathKIDNEY: polyuria, hypokalemic nephropathy, expanded danger of nephrolithiasis, and chloride-consumption metabolic alkalosisCNS/NEUROMUSCULOSKELETAL: weariness, discomfort, hyporeflexia, shortcoming, cramps, loss of motion, myalgia, and rhabdomyolysisGI TRACT: Constipation, heaving, delayed gastric exhausting, incapacitated ileus, anorexia, decl ining hepatic encephalopathyGU TRACT: hypotonic bladderPULMONARY: respiratory acidosis, respiratory disappointment ENDOCRINE: insulin obstruction and impedance in insulin release(Asmar et al., 2012; Elgart, 2004; Pagana, 2013)How to treat hypokalemia?Treatment Options:GOAL: distinguishing conclusive reason for hypokalemia, forestall the advancement of perilous outcomes, and right any potassium shortage which maintaining a strategic distance from hyperkalemiaMILD MODERATE HYPOKALEMIA (3.0 3.5 MEQ/L):Treat fundamental issue if possibleTreat with 60 80 mEq/d of KCl by means of PO in partitioned portions Reassess serum potassium fixation after substitution treatment and modify accordinglySEVERE HYPOKALEMIA ( 3.0 MEQ/L):Preferred: 40 mEq/d of KCl through PO q3-4h TIDReassess serum potassium focus after substitution treatment and change accordinglyIf important: 10 20 mEq/h of KCl by means of IV (in setting of heart arrhythmias, later or progressing cadiac ischemia, and digitalis toxicityC ontinuous cardiovascular checking is compulsory Reassess serum potassium fixation q2-4h (guarantee that serum potassium focus is 3.5 mEq/L)(Asmar et al., 2012)Thank you References:Asmar, A., Mohandas, R., Wingo, C.S. (2012). A physiologic-based way to deal with the treatment of apatient with hypokalemia. American Journal of Kidney Diseases: The Official Journal of the NationalKidney Foundation, 60(3), 492 497. doi: 10.1053/j.ajkd.2012.01.031Arya, I. N., Shah, B., Arya, S., Dronavalli, S., Karthikenyan, N. (2013). A survey of writing on modernparenteral sustenance. Global Journal of Medical Science and Public Health, 2(4), 801 806.doi: 10.5455/jimsph.2013.030920131Elgart, H. N. (2004). Evaluation of liquids and electrolytes. AACN Clinical Issues, 15(4). 607-621.Retrieved from: https://learn.humber.ca/bbcswebdav/pid-4534008-dt-content-rid24071933_1/courses/1528.201750/Assessment%20of%20Fluids%20and.pdfPagana, K. D., Pagana, T. J. (2013). Mosbys Canadian manual of symptomatic and resea rch facility tests (FirstCanadian ed.). Toronto, ON: Elsevier Canada

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Intro to Film Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Introduction to Film - Essay Example The story is composed and coordinated by Joss Whedon who carried the film into reality with the help of the creation originator James Chinlund and the workmanship chiefs like Benjamin Edelberg, Jann K. Engel, Gregory Hooper, Billy Hunter, Richard Johnson and Randy Moore. The trailers of the film (movieclip.com) show the primary characters of the story in real life, portraying their properties. For example, the Ironman portrays himself as playboy, extremely rich person and virtuoso. One could perceive how sure he is about himself with the manner in which he talks and strolls so watchers cold nearly despise his character. He additionally says he isn't a cooperative person, incapable to work with others, when he and different individuals from the group were required their central goal. Nonetheless, as some other saint, the Ironman has a weakness and that is, having the heart to take the necessary steps for him to be a section in sparing the world. Likewise, his case to being a very rich person isn't simply a question of talking however reality of it is appeared through his way of life and the contraptions utilized for his defensive layer. Watchers really want to be flabbergasted at how Ironman’s suit is stripped and kept by machines as he strolls in his home. His home is loaded with exceptionally cutting edge innovation like touch-screen, slender, straightforward and smooth PCs. His phone is one that isn't yet found in the market today. This makes the film very cutting edge since it shows devices that might be created later on. As opposed to the character of Ironman, Captain America is the modest and calm sort of fellow. His ensemble makes watchers effectively distinguish him in light of the star and shades of the American banner utilized in his clothing. Thor depicts a warrior. His garments shows he isn't of this world however from some place where they are not as present day as the people on earth. Hawkeye is the human legend with a remarkable expertise i n arrow based weaponry. His straightforwardness makes each watcher effectively associate with him. The main female individual from the group, the Black Widow, is an excellent youthful Russian covert operative who is talented and clever. She bears the delicate side of any lady and depicts it well in her character as the one sent to persuade the Incredible Hulk to join the group in recovering the ground-breaking tesseract from the foe, Loki. At the point when the researcher asked her what she would do on the off chance that he disapproved of her, the lady addressed that she will convince him. Not at all like the different legends, she doesn't have superpowers yet she is blessed with outstanding aptitudes that make her fundamental in the group. She is a warrior, an image of fortitude who won't disapprove of any war. Her physical assembled isn't just stylishly helpful in her job however it additionally shows how fitting her job is. Lighting impacts are generally utilized in the film par ticularly that it is an activity sci-fi that depicts exceptionally trend setting innovations. For example, the suit of Ironman makes him ready to fly and show up instantly. This requires the utilization of lights from the suit to show how quick he voyages. Without the light, he would not be perceived from a remote place not until he gets close to the camera for an unmistakable view. Nonetheless, with a flash of light that expands as it gets closer, the Ironman is introduced in a progressively practical way that makes watchers awed. Another job of lighting found in the film is; it pulls in the viewer’

Friday, August 21, 2020

How To create Ad slot Gadget Container in Blogger Layout

How To create Ad slot Gadget Container in Blogger Layout You might have heard about AdSense friendly or ad friendly Blogger Template. The main feature of these kinds of template is that you can place advertisement on various places within your Blogger template. However there are many good AdSense or advertise friendly template available over the net but all ad friendly template is not good for SEO. Conversely all SEO templates are not good for Advertising. A Blog can sustain if income flow increase or remain stable. In exchange of hard brain storm a Blogger wants some incentives like income from advertisement. So for boosting up your income you have to optimize your template for displaying advertisement. But I would say to make your Blogger template as ad agency or wrap up every inch by ad banner. This is creating negative impact on your Blog visitors mind. So we will place advertisement on those places where readers think that those are a part of your Blog Posts. The best place for displaying ad banner is below Blog header and above Blog footer. And these two places often remain unutilized by Webmaster. But they can increase their advertisement revenue by 30% with small effort. Rather displaying multiple advertisement focus on ad placement area. After visiting a website where your eyes get stuck first? Obviously you will see below header section. Because you will see all posts headline and snippets there. So we will create a ad slot below Blogger headline where Blog visitors will see advertisement easily while read content headline. And secondly ad slot we will create above footer section where Blog readers use page navigation and see advertisement. Please go though below weight placement tutorial and try it in your Blog. Step 1Log in to your Blogger Account and Go to yourBlogger Dashboard Step 2Click on-Template-Edit HTML- Step 3Now Find the]]/b:skin By Pressing Ctrl+F (Windows) or CMD+F (Mac) Step 4Now Copy below code and Paste itAbove /Before]]/b:skin /*Ad Slot widget by http://www.bloggerspice.com */ .banner, .banner2 {margin:0 auto;text-align:center;overflow:hidden;} .banner .widget,.banner2 .widget {width:970px;max-width:100%;margin:0 auto;background:transparent;text-align:center;overflow:hidden;} .banner img, .banner iframe,.banner2 img, .banner2 iframe{display:block;margin:0 auto;text-align:center;} /*Ad Slot widget Layout Design by http://www.bloggerspice.com */ #layout #banner,#layout #banner2 {background-color:#444;padding:20px 0!important;margin-bottom:20px;} #layout #banner .widget,#layout #banner2 .widget{width:80%;margin:5px auto!important;overflow:hidden;float:none} #layout #banner .add_widget,#layout #banner2 .add_widget{width:80%;margin:5px auto!important;overflow:hidden;float:none} Customization For Displaying responsive ad with different width please alter width:970px; with different number. I have use 970px because this is the large leatherboard size of Google AdSense ad banner. For controlling widget container width in Blogger Layout please alter the width:80%; with different figure. If you choose width:70%; then weight container width will reduce. Step 5Now again locatediv id='main-wrapper' this code means your Blog Post container and sidebar remain inside main-wrapper. In case your template it maybe identify by div id='post-wrapper' or div id='content-wrapper', whatever the code just focus that code is wrapping up your Blog post container and sidebar. Step 6Now Copy below code and Paste itAbove /Before div id='main-wrapper' b:section class='banner section' id='banner' maxwidgets='1' showaddelement='yes'/ After placing the above code you have created ad weight container slot below Blog header. Step 7After that we will create another advertisement slot above Blog Footer section. So locate code like below- footer id='footer-wrapper' itemscope='' itemtype='http://schema.org/WPFooter' or div id='footer-wrapper' Step 8And Copy below code and Paste itAbove /Before div id='main-wrapper' b:section class='banner2 section' id='banner2' maxwidgets='1' showaddelement='yes'/ div class='clear'/ After placing the above code you have created a ad weight container slot above Blog Footer. Step 9Finally exit from there by clicking on Save template button. Now check your Blogger templates Layout and see 2 ad slots has created. And here you can place any ad banner or you will able to use Responsive AdSense code. So simply by using add a Gadget option place your ad banner. I hope this will help to place your advertisement wisely. And now your template become Advertisement friendly. Happy Blogging!!!

Monday, May 25, 2020

Tobacco and the Origins and Domestication of Nicotiana

Tobacco (Nicotiana rustica and N. tabacum) is a plant that was and is used as a psychoactive substance, a narcotic, a painkiller, and a pesticide and, as a result, it is and was used in the ancient past in a wide variety of rituals and ceremonies. Four species were recognized by Linnaeus in 1753, all originating from the Americas, and all from the nightshade family (Solanaceae). Today, scholars recognize over 70 different species, with N. tabacum the most economically important; almost all of them originated in South America, with one endemic to Australia and another to Africa. Domestication History A group of recent biogeographical studies reports that modern tobacco ( N. tabacum) originated in the highland Andes, probably Bolivia or northern Argentina, and was likely a result of the hybridization of two older species, N. sylvestris and a member of the section Tomentosae, perhaps N. tomentosiformis Goodspeed. Long before the Spanish colonization, tobacco had been distributed well outside its origins, throughout South America, into Mesoamerica and reaching the Eastern Woodlands of North America no later than ~300 BC. Although some debate within the scholarly community exists suggesting that some varieties may have originated in Central America or Southern Mexico, the most widely accepted theory is that N. tabacum originated where the historical ranges of its two progenitor species intersected. The earliest dated tobacco seeds found to date are from early Formative levels at Chiripa in the Lake Titicaca region of Bolivia. Tobacco seeds were recovered from Early Chiripa contexts (1500-1000 BC), although not in sufficient quantities or contexts to prove tobacco  use with shamanistic practices. Tushingham and colleagues have traced a continuous record of smoking tobacco in pipes in western North America from at least 860 AD, and at the time of European colonial contact, tobacco was the most widely exploited intoxicant in the Americas. Curanderos and Tobacco Tobacco is believed to be one of the first plants used in the New World to initiate ecstasy trances. Taken in large amounts, tobacco induces hallucinations, and, perhaps not surprisingly, tobacco use is associated with pipe ceremonialism and bird imagery throughout the Americas. Physical changes associated with extreme doses of tobacco use include a lowered heart rate, which in some cases has been known to render the user into a catatonic state. Tobacco is consumed in a number of ways, including chewing, licking, eating, sniffing, and enemas, although smoking is the most effective and common form of consumption. Among the ancient Maya and extending down to today, tobacco was a sacred, supernaturally powerful plant, considered a primordial medicine or botanical helper and associated with Maya deities of the earth and sky. A classic 17 year-long study by ethnoarchaeologist Kevin Goark (2010) looked at the use of the plant among the Tzeltal-Tzotzil Maya communities in highland Chiapas, recording processing methods, physiological effects, and magico-protective uses. Ethnographic Studies A series of ethnographic interviews (Jauregui et al 2011) was conducted between 2003-2008 with curanderos (healers) in east central Peru, who reported using tobacco in various ways. Tobacco is one of over fifty plants with psychotropic effects used in the region that are considered plants that teach, including coca, datura, and ayahuasca. Plants that teach are also sometimes referred to as plants with a mother, because they are believed to have an associated guiding spirit or mother who teaches the secrets of traditional medicine. Like the other plants that teach, tobacco is one of the cornerstones of learning and practicing the art of the shaman, and according to the curanderos consulted by Jauregui et al. it is considered one of the most powerful and oldest of plants. Shamanistic training in Peru involves a period of fasting, isolation, and celibacy, during which period one ingests one or more of the teaching plants on a daily basis. Tobacco in the form of a potent type of Nicotiana rustica is always present in their traditional medical practices, and it is used for purification, to cleanse the body of negative energies. Sources Groark KP. 2010. The Angel in the Gourd: Ritual, Therapeutic, and Protective Uses of Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) Among the Tzeltal and Tzotzil Maya of Chiapas, Mexico. Journal of Ethnobiology 30(1):5-30.Jauregui X, Clavo ZM, Jovel EM, and Pardo-de-Santayana M. 2011. â€Å"Plantas con madre†: Plants that teach and guide in the shamanic initiation process in the East-Central Peruvian Amazon. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 134(3):739-752.Khan MQ, and Narayan RKJ. 2007. Phylogenetic diversity and relationships among species of genus Nicotiana using RAPDs analysis. African Journal of Biotechnology 6(2):148-162.Leng X, Xiao B, Wang S, Gui Y, Wang Y, Lu X, Xie J, Li Y, and Fan L. 2010. Identification of NBS-Type Resistance Gene Homologs in Tobacco Genome. Plant Molecular Biology Reporter 28(1):152-161.Lewis R, and Nicholson J. 2007. Aspects of the evolution of Nicotiana tabacum L. and the status of the United States Nicotiana Germplasm Collection. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution  54(4):727-740.Mandondo A, German L, Utila H, and Nthenda UM. 2014. Assessing Societal Benefits and Trade-Offs of Tobacco in the Miombo Woodlands of Malawi. Human Ecology 42(1):1-19.Moon HS, Nifong JM, Nicholson JS, Heineman A, Lion K, Hoeven Rvd, Hayes AJ, Lewis RS, and USDA A. 2009. Microsatellite-based Analysis of Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) Genetic Resources. Crop Science 49(6):2149-2159.Roulette CJ, Hagen E, and Hewlett BS. 2016. A biocultural investigation of gender differences in tobacco use in an egalitarian hunter-gatherer population. Human Nature 27(2):105-129.Tushingham S, Ardura D, Eerkens JW, Palazoglu M, Shahbaz S, and Fiehn O. 2013. Hunter-gatherer tobacco smoking: earliest evidence from the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America. Journal of Archaeological Science 40(2):1397-1407.Tushingham S, and Eerkens JW. 2016. Hunter-Gatherer Tobacco Smoking in Ancient North America: Current Chemical Evidence and a Framework for Future Studies. In: Anne Bollwerk E, and Tush ingham S, editors. Perspectives on the Archaeology of Pipes, Tobacco and other Smoke Plants in the Ancient Americas. Cham: Springer International Publishing. p 211-230.Zagorevski DV, and Loughmiller-Newman JA. 2012. The detection of nicotine in a Late Mayan period flask by gas chromatography and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry methods. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry 26(4):403-411.

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Alcohol And The Central Nervous System - 1252 Words

Alcohol, like many other drugs, is dose dependent, readily absorbed, and widely distributed. As a result, alcohol affects many organ systems of the body, including the central nervous system (CNS). Alcohol is easily absorbed, is soluble across all biological membranes, and does not bind to any plasma proteins. There is no place in our bodies where alcohol cannot reach. Alcohol absorption occurs between 80-90 minutes, and is affected by whether or not someone has eaten, as this will affect the speed at which the alcohol enters the blood stream. Alcohol is metabolized similarly to food. Approximately 85% of ingested alcohol is metabolized by the liver, 5-10% is metabolized in the stomach, and approximately 5% is excreted, unchanged, through sweat and the lungs. Men metabolize alcohol faster than women. This is due to the fact that women have 50% less enzymes in the stomach that metabolize alcohol than men, and the fact that women have more body fat than men. The blood supply t o fat is much less than that found in muscles. Therefore, alcohol does not get metabolized as quickly in individuals with a higher fat content. When alcohol is metabolized, acetaldehyde, a poisonous byproduct, is formed. Alcohol dehydrogenase breaks down alcohol into acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde dehydrogenase further breaks down the poisonous acetaldehyde into acetic acid. Some ethnicities, such as some Asian groups, have less active acetaldehyde dehydrogenase leading to a buildup ofShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Alcohol On The Body s Central Nervous System2023 Words   |  9 PagesAlcohol is a liquid substance which people drink to have a good time and loosen up. It is a sedative-hypnotic drug that slows down the workings of the body’s central nervous system. Most alcohol is poisonous, however the body can tolerate ethyl alcohol, which is the same stuff that goes in hand sanitizer. Ethyl alcohol on it’s own isn’t much of a drink, that is why it’s mix ed with other things to make it into beer, wine or spirits. To make these drinks the main ingredients are mixed with water, airRead MoreA Short Note On Alcohol, Tobacco, Marijuana, And Opioids1175 Words   |  5 Pagescommonly used substances as described from the course textbook are alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and opioids. Alcohol is a translucent liquid in appearance and has a bitter acquired taste which suppresses brain activity. The intake of alcohol effects the cerebral cortex by ceasing the inhibition of user and develops a relaxed and more social characteristic in the way the user interacts with others. As a depressant, the use of alcohol with its relaxing effect causes impairment in cognition and abilityRead MoreEffects Of Alcohol On The Nervous System1280 Words   |  6 Pagescommonly called alcohol, drinking alcohol, or simply alcohol is the principal type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, produced by the fermentation of sugars by yeasts. It’s focus on the effect of taking alcohol, especially on teenagers. When teenagers meeting with their friends or having party, maybe because of other people, maybe because of Instant Gratification or because of Misinformation, they may have some alcohol without adults in order to be more excited or ‘cool’. Having alcohol has negativeRead MoreThe Effects of Alcohol on Pilots During Flight Essay1148 Words   |  5 PagesAlcohol is something that has been part of human nature for thousands of years. It has been used by means of medical, social, religious, and cultural settings (Information about Alcohol, n.d.). Alcohol is going to be a product that will be a part of our lives for many years to come, definitely past our lifetime. A problem that we see today is the use of drinking and driving. This is one of life’s more dangerous and stupid activities, but people still decide to do it. People like to push theirRead MoreAlcohol And The Impact On Menta L Health961 Words   |  4 PagesALCOHOL AND THE IMPACT ON MENTA l HEALTH. Alcohol is a legal depressant drug that reduces the function or activity of specific part of the body or brain (www.aquarius.org.uk/alcohol). By having an effects on the central nervous system whereby behavioural control centres decreased inhibitions. Also memory loss and later depression of the nervous system, like tranquilisers. Alcohol absorption and it effect to the liver is metabolised every hour of feeling intoxication reduces the function or activityRead MoreEssay about Narcotics549 Words   |  3 Pages Narcotics: Narcotics decrease the sensitivity to the sensory stimuli because it has a depressant effect on the central nervous system. Opium, morphine, codeine, heroin, meperidine, and methadone are types of narcotics. Natural and synthetic opiates are considered medically valuable because they are effective pain relievers. A reduction of physical activity and drowsiness are the effects of opiates. Once consuming opiate you might feel such uncomfortable feelings as nausea, vomiting and itching.Read MoreFetal Alcohol Syndrome ( Fas )1404 Words   |  6 Pagesdisorders is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). According to Feldman (2009), Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is a disorder that is induced by pregnant women who have consumed alcohol during the duration of their pregnancy, possibly resulting in mental deformity and delayed the growth of the child. Some characteristics of FAS include growth deficiency and central nervous system dysfunction (Mattson, 2006). Although the child may not be diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, if the child was exposed to alcohol during pregnancyRead MoreEssay on The Dangerous Effects of Alcohol1597 Words   |  7 PagesAlcohol is a very serious and dangerous drug, although it is not treated this way anymore. College students have taken drinking to a new level in which, for many, is very scary. Alcohol is much more dangerous than many would think. Kids see a night of drinking as a great way to have fun and party but do no t see the consequences. Getting drunk and even blacking out can lead to many problems. When alcohol is consumed in unhealthy amounts, it can lead to not only short-term effects, but long-termRead MoreEssay about Psychoactive Drugs and Their Effect on Consciousness989 Words   |  4 Pagesdopamine system useless. This will give the user little to no pleasure, which is often followed by an increased amount used in order to chase that high (NIDA). Another common form of psychoactive drugs is depressants, in which many people also have participated in using, particularly in college. The most known of the depressants is alcohol, and many people in college chose to experiment with it. Depressants are substances which slow down the normal function of the central nervous system. Some ofRead MoreMaturational Perspective of Motor Development1162 Words   |  5 Pagescharacteristics and tendencies that influence development. The maturational perspective of motor development focuses on nature influences. The maturational perspective explains functions of maturational processes, particularly through the central nervous system, which control or dictate motor development (Payne Isaacs, 2012). Motor development is an internal process driven by a biological or genetic time clock that can be affected by the environment but does not determine one’s biologically determined

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

St. Augustine s Life - 1060 Words

Augustine was potentially a grand source of advice and philosophy for the time of this literature’s release. However, the philosophies are now outdated. In, Confessions of St. Augustine, women are advised to subjugate themselves, knowingly to their husbands. Men are masters, women are servants, and if a man’s anger becomes so overwhelming he becomes physically expressive, the woman has done something wrong and should feel ashamed. There are, of course, numerous things wring with these positions. In modern times, the philosophies need an equality adjustment that allows for men and women to take responsibility for their actions, and be servant to nobody. Essentially, Augustine takes a stance wherein women knowingly enter into a bonded servitude with a male, understanding once they hear their marriage vows, they are to pledge devoted honor and respect to this person, no matter what. They are a wife, but also a servant. Augustine becomes quite severe with the stance, statin g, For all intended purposes, the instructions here encourage women not to resist a violent husband, and even to expect one as a part of her duties as a wife. An angry husband is simply another part of a woman’s work. Augustine further advises wives to be mindful of anger, and to cater to it, shaming wives who bear the marks of their husbands’ violence. These marks, according to Augustine, mean they did not take the marital vows, or their bonded servitude seriously and the woman is failing as wife, as wellShow MoreRelatedSt. Augustine s Life1594 Words   |  7 PagesSt. Augustine was born in Taagaste, Roman North Africa on November 13, 354 AD and was given the name Aurelius by his parents Patricius and Monica Augustine. At the time of his birth, his father was still a pagan, but his mother eventually converted him to Christianity (Chadwick 6). Aurelius was raised receiving a Christian education and from a very young age, he had a great respect for the religion. He le arned to make the Sign of the Cross and certain ideas about the faith he kept very dear to hisRead MoreSt. Augustine s Life1283 Words   |  6 Pagesrenowned stories of conversion is the one of Saint Augustine. Saint Augustine of Hippo by his own omission started his life in a circle of lust, pride, and vanity. He says in his book Confessions, â€Å"here proud, there superstitious, everywhere vain.† Saint Augustine’s life is a story of a man born on religion, drawn towards sin, and reclaimed by the light in time to become one of the most influential men of Western Christianity. Saint Augustine was born forty-five miles south of the MediterraneanRead MoreSt. Augustine s Life And Life734 Words   |  3 PagesAugustine was born November 13, A.D. 354, in Tagaste; and died seventy-six years later in Hippo Regius. Augustine was raise up in a family with both parents his father (Patricius) who was a nonbeliever until later in life and Augustine mother (Monica) a child of God. His mother taught Augustine at a young age about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Augustine like any other young teenager did not like school but at the same time had a desire to be liked by his teacher’s, but had some bad behavioralRead MoreMajor Risk Factors For Many Residents Living At St. Augustine1337 Words   |  6 Pagesa major risk factor to many residents living in St. Augustine. In their undeveloped state, floodplains play an important role in flooding. Natural floodplains reduce wind and wave impacts and their vegetation stabilizes soils (â€Å"Flood hazard†, n.d.) . Floodplains can be recharged in areas of groundwater and reduce the frequency and duration of low flows of surface water (â€Å"Flood hazard†, n.d.). Some local natural floodplains in St. Augustine and St. Johns County are the Guana River State Park andRead MoreSt Augustine Confessions Analysis1516 Words   |  7 PagesIn St. Augustine’s Confessions, the tension between knowledge of God and the habitual life, and by extension the struggle between continence and incontinence, are central to St. Augustine’s evolution as a faithful servant of God. These tensions are evident in several episodes of weeping throughout the text, as the true reason for his weeping stems from a disruption in the habitual life or from his inability to change his habits. St. Augustine’s weeping as a youth over the death of Dido, his weepingRead MoreComparing St. Augustines Confessions And Confucius1065 Words   |  5 Pagesand Wednesday 7-8:15am 8 November 2017 History Term Paper Both St. Augustine’s Confessions and Confucius’s Analects are influential teachings that have a vast influence on people around the world in the ancient time and currently. Both doctrines discuss ethical values of society back during the time they were written and leads us to find some similarities between the two. There are substantial distinctions between Confucius and St. Augustine’s experiences and beliefs since they are living in differentRead MoreElizabeth City State University And Saint Augustine s University1047 Words   |  5 PagesState University. Saint Augustine’s University was founded in 1867 and is a private university. Saint Augustine’s University it is a church affiliated historically black college. Saint Augustine’s Campus is 110 acres and is located in Raleigh. Saint Augustine has a college chapel that is a county historic site. Both schools offer a variety of programs. Elizabeth City State University and Saint Augustine’s are both accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)Read MoreProposed Seven Philosophers On The Existence Of God And Their Development Of These Ideas1413 Words   |  6 Pageschoice topic. The seven philosophers are as follows: (1) Socrates, (2) Plato, (3) Aristotle, (4) Francis Bacon, (5) St. Augustine, (6) Thomas Aquinas, and (7) Rene DesCartes. The specific three I want to focus on being; St. Augustine, Thomas Aquinas and Rene Descartes. Lastly, I will proceed to relate their ideas on the existence of God and their development of these ideas. St. Augustine s epistemology is rationalization. In his argument for the existence of God, he is referring to varying degrees ofRead MoreSaint Augustine Essays719 Words   |  3 PagesSaint Augustine Saint Augustine, b. Nov. 13, 354, d. Aug. 28, 430, was one of the foremost philosopher-theologians of early Christianity and, while serving (396-430) as bishop of Hippo Regius, the leading figure in the church of North Africa. He had a profound influence on the subsequent development of Western thought and culture and, more than any other person, shaped the themes and defined the problems that have characterized the Western tradition of Christian Theology. Among his many writingsRead MoreA Critical Engagement Essay : Good Kid M.a.a.d City1075 Words   |  5 PagesCritical Engagement Essay #2: good kid m.A.A.d city, Confessions When asked to find something that relates to St. Augustine’s book, Confessions, people may think of his mother, Saint Monica. Maybe people look back on the book and they think of his sex addiction or perhaps his friend’s addiction to the gladiatorial games. The last thing people think when asked to find something that relates to St. Augustine’s book, Confessions is Kendrick Lamar. Comparing Kendrick Lamar’s album, good kid m.A.A.d city

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Tourette Syndrome Symptoms, Causes, and Genetics Essay Example For Students

Tourette Syndrome: Symptoms, Causes, and Genetics Essay Usually, the first symptoms of Tourette Syndrome are facial tics, commonly eye blinking. Other facial tics include nose twitching and grimaces. The next tic to appear will usually be some other minor motor tic such as foot stomping, head jerking, neck stretching, or body twisting and bending. Affected individuals may also have a vocal tic such as clearing their throat, coughing, grunting, sniffing, yelping, barking, or shouting. Few Tourette Syndrome patients also experience coperlalia-the uttering of inappropriate or obscene words or phrases. They also may repeat words they hear others saying (echolalia). Some individuals touch people or repeat actions in an obsessive manner. Very rarely, patients demonstrate self-harming behavior such as head banging, and lip or cheek biting; only patients with severe TS exhibit such behaviors. Tics are random, changing in severity, number, frequency, type, and location. Oftentimes, symptoms will subside for weeks or even months at a time and later reappear. Tourette syndrome is a neurological disorder in which too much or too little dopamine is produced in the brain. Too much dopamine causes hyperactivity. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter used in the substantia nigra and striatum which are important for movement. Other systems which can be effected by dopamine send axons from the midbrain to the forebrain, including the cerebral cortex. Recent research has shown that TS may also be an abnormality in the genes affecting the brains metabolism of neurotransmitters in general. Tourette Syndrome is a highly penetrant, sex influenced autosomal dominant trait that can cause different symptoms in different family members. If the offspring that carries the TS gene is male, his risk of developing symptoms is three to four times higher. In few cases, TS is sporadic and the cause is unknown. The exact chromosome or gene that causes TS is unknown, but we know it follows Mendelian inheritance and ratios. Through segregation analysis it has been found that TS was a intermediate mode of inheritance; meaning that the heterozygotes penetrance were not as severe as TS homozygotes. Finding the protein that causes TS may be one of the key ways in identifying the genome that codes for the enzyme causing TS. Bibliography 1.http://content. nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/315/16/993 2.http://www.ninds.nih.gov/health_and_medical/pubs/tourette_syndrome. htm#symptoms 3.http://www.alumni.ca/laued3e/inheritance.html .

Friday, April 10, 2020

Virtual Reality Technology And Society Essays - Virtual Reality

Virtual Reality Technology and Society A Report on VIRTUAL REALITY TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIETY Prepared for Social Issues in Technology DeVry, Phoenix by Joe Rykowski Kip Yeackley July 24, 1994 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .iii INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 WHAT IS VIRTUAL REALITY? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Definitions and Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Inspiration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 THE TECHNOLOGY BEHIND VIRTUAL REALITY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Video Display Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Audio Output Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Tactile Response Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Interactive Input Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Computers and Software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 THE HISTORY OF VIRTUAL REALITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Virtual Reality in the Past . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Virtual Reality in the Present. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Virtual Reality in the Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 THE SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF VIRTUAL REALITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 New Rules of Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Adverse Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 CONCLUSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 REFERENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 ABSTRACT This paper addresses entertainment's use of technology, specifically the medium of virtual reality. The focus is to define virtual reality, examine it's components, survey the field, and consider it's impact upon society. Among the definitions included are those from the artist Myron Krueger, the scholar Howard Rheingold, and the novelist William Gibson. The technological components used in virtual reality systems include the following: video display, audio input, tactile response, interactive input, and the computer hardware and software. Although a complete compilation of all the devices involved in this arena are beyond the scope of the paper, a discussion of the general areas of equipment, along with several examples of items and companies involved in the field will be given. Our survey of the virtual reality field will encompass views of past, present and future forms of

Monday, March 9, 2020

buy custom Transformations in the USA essay

buy custom Transformations in the USA essay For a long time, the issue of gender discrimination, class and race have been rampant in the United States. As indicated in the book Ragged Dick, written by Haratio Alger, the immigrants, majority of whom were from Africa, Europe and Asia communities were categorized by the dominant white race as minorities. The main aim of this paper is to compare the issues that are covered by Alger with other sources, both primary and secondary, with the basic aim of understanding life in the U.S. during as well as after the Civil War. Alger offers three distinct theories that help the reader understand the inequality that existed in the United States. This includes cultural deficiency, bias theory, and structural theory. The cultural deficiencies define the minority groups as inferior and having inappropriate ways of thinking, reasoning, and acting. It is notable that transformation that occurred in the U.S. resulted to industrialization and growth in commerce, although there were no any profound changes that took place until urbanization. For instance, Ragged Dick was involved into a shoe shining business that he highly considered his professional business, a factor that indicates the hard life faced by many immigrants, especially those from Canada, Latin America, Japan, Europe, and China. Most of the population in the inner cities was represented by immigrant, majority of who were living in deplorable conditions simply known as immigrant ghettos. Tales were also told in local languages, thus maintaining a close connection between the immigrants with the communities that they left in their home countries. There was the second-generation of immigrants, who demanded for equal rights, especially in the work places, a factor that significantly reduced discrimination in many places. Due to urbanization and industrialization, the immigrants were faced with various disturbing issues, such as frequency of great fires, diseases, plague, and overcrowding of the working class neighborhoods. Violence was also rampant leading to the establishment of larger and more professional police force. As explained by Alger, there were class divisions, which influenced growing interests in leisure. In conclusion one can see that, immigration resulted to overcrowding, corruption, among other vices, which have affected the U.S. society up to date. Transformations in the USA Alger discusses the issues of race, class, and gender in his book Ragged Dick. In the history of the United States, race, class and gender discrimination have been rampant during the past centuries. The migrants who were mainly the minority groups were categorized by the dominant white race representatives as minorities. This explains the transformations that have occurred in the history of the USA; thus, it is important to compare the issues covered by Alger and other primary and secondary sources in order to understand life in the United States during and after the Civil War. Alger brings up the issues of race, class, gender in his art and life. He provides readers with different ways to understand gender, racial, and class discrimination against then African immigrants in the US. There are many ways of understanding these inequalities because many people have different views on these topics. The USA is a state of many immigrants, groups, as well as cultures in its populations, and has experienced various problems considering the dominant minority relationships that have made the society increasingly diverse. Alger provides an understanding of the three important popular theories including cultural deficiency, bias theory, and structural theory. In this essay, I will explain the similarities of the issues covered by Alger in the Ragged Dick and various materials that describe different theories on class, racial, and gender discrimination. Cultural deficiencies have been used to define the minority groups as inferior and having inappropriate ways of thinking, reasoning, and acting. By this, I refer to the immigrants who are the minority in the US. These minority groups feel and act as if they are discriminated against. The ideas of discrimination are imparted to the younger generation because the minority group teaches these ideas to their children through their actions and words. In the 19th century, society typically associated race with ethnic identity and skin color as well as national identity. During the 19th century, the emergence of different races in the US made Italians to be seen as a different race then the Irish, for example; however, both were different from the Germans and the English. In Ragged Dick, Frank Whitneys father tells Dick to Remember that your future position depends mainly upon yourself, and that it will be high or low as you choose to make it1.Yet, the path to economic security and social mobility in the United States in the 19th century was seldom simple as seen from these statements and provided in the writings of Alger. Transformations that occurred in the United States of America occurred in several ways and led to industrialization and growth of commerce. However, there were no profound changes until the urbanization. US started as an agrarian economy, but advanced into an urban nation in the late 19th century. During the Civil War, the urban population increased at a high rate. Death and infant mortality rates grew in number while fertility rate decreased. However, urbanization was accelerated by immigration. During the 19th century, American citizens moved from areas with declining agricultural productivity to the cities of the East and Midwest. Most migrants were of African origin and were escaping poverty, conflicts, debt, and discrimination that they faced in the rural south. Discrimination was evident in the work places, particularly in the factories, since the black-skinned were only qualified to do unskilled labor as cooks or domestic servants. For example, Ragged Dick was involved into a shoe shining business that he considered his professional business2. Many African Americans were involved in hard labor as well as unskilled labor. The immigrants were also staying in absolute poverty, as explained by Ragged Dick that General Washington provided his pants and coats to him because he did not have any of his own. This also contributed to gender inequality in the work places because most of the unskilled labor was work undertaken by women. Foreign immigrants who migrated in large numbers influenced urban population; for instance, some of the immigrants were from Canada, Latin America, China, and Japan. The greatest number of new comers arrived from Europe. In the earlier years, some of the immigrants from Europe brought wealth with them. The ones who appeared later lacked capital to buy land and headed west. In addition, before the Civil War, Irish immigrants settled in the industrial areas where most of them got absorbed into unskilled labor3 Most of the population in the inner cities was represented by immigrants. This led to racism due to the diversity of the populace. Thus, by 1890, no single race dominated in the US. Most immigrants were rural people greatly affected by culture shock. Some of them managed to recover from culture shock by forming close-knit ethnic groupings within the inner cities and the neighborhood, commonly referred to as immigrant ghettos. These ethnic grouping offered new comers vital information from newspapers and theatres in native languages. There were also tales told in their local languages. This led to the emergence of community organizations where the immigrants maintained close ties with their native nations. They maintained close connections with the communities that they left in their home countries; some even returned within a very short term. On the other hand, other immigrants even assisted their communities to migrate to the US. Thus, the cultural cohesiveness helped to ease the pa in of separation from the immigrants native countries. This enabled them to adapt to the American economic life. The migrations that transformed the American society formed part of great global movement that influenced the entire world4. The major impact was provided by population growth and industrialization. The ethnic neighborhoods and the immigrant groups reinforced the cultural values that were well suited to economic development. However, discrimination by the whites made it difficult for some immigrants to advance. Among those affected are immigrants who had valuable skills as well as capital5. The immigrants who occupied the inner cities came to dominate due to assimilation and exclusion. Most of these occupants were young people who shared the experience of living in the inner cities. Hence, most of the immigrants with foreign-born ethnic ties were involved in a competition against the desire for assimilation. Second-geeneration immigrants decided to come with new ways of socialization; for instance, women demanded for their rights as a way of preventing forced marriages or gender discrimination in the workplace. The natives also influenced assimilation by requiring English to be included in the curriculum in public schools, and employers demanded that workers use English at the workplace. Church leaders were usually native born Americans or more assimilated immigrants who encouraged the new comers to adopt American lifestyle. Other reforms were made to conform to the norms of the new country. Consequently, many immigrants maintained their ethnic cultures and led to the creation of distinctive communities. There were restrictions that led to the screening of immigrants through standards like literacy tests; however, these restrictions kept away only a small number of aliens because the immigrants provided cheap and plentiful labor to the rapidly growing economy that accelerated the industrial development of the US5. Class system was very rampant because wealthy citizens were the principal force behind the creation of great art museum and other social and recreation facilities such as parks. As the material and social aspirations of the wealthy grew, they required the public life and demanded the city to provide them with amenities that would match their expectations. Due to urbanization and industrialization, the immigrants were faced with various disturbing facts including the frequency of great fires, diseases, plague, and overcrowding of the working class neighborhoods. The immigrants were exposed to improper disposal of human and industrial waste, air pollution. Above all, urban po verty, crime, and violence accelerated with little success due to the involvement of middle-class people who believed that a lot of assistance would contribute to dependency. They grew particularly alarmed over the increasing number of children in the inner cities that attracted a lot of attention among the reformers. However, the attention never lasted for long. Poverty and overcrowding led into crime and violence. The native-born Americans believed that immigrants committed crimes because of the violence proclivities among their populations. This led to the creation of larger and more professional police force. The immigrants could only seek protection from the political machine that owed its existence to the power vacuum that the growth of the cities created for the political voting power. Class divisions influenced the growing interest in leisure where members of the middle class spent a lot of time. Leisure life bridged the differences of class, race, and gender. For instance, saloons and certain sporting events were male activities6. According to Alger, Ragged Dick, like other immigrants, could socialize in gambling houses that were overcrowded by young boys who misused their hard earnings. At these meetings, the juveniles would take refreshments at two cents a glass. Shopping and attending the tearooms were associated with women. This is in contrast to the cafeteria attended by the immigrants. Alger explains that the tearoom that Ragged Dick attended was a small apartment with a few plain tables without tablecloths; the class of clients who attended it was not very familiar. The meals provided were substandard. On the other hand, popular forms of entertainment developed in the cities whereby many ethnic communities maintained their own style. The Media opened few entertainments to the black performers due to racial discrimination. In addition, performers of both races tailored their acts to prevailing white prejudices in a manner that ridiculed the blac ks. Discrimination was also prevalent in the schooling system. Even though compulsory school attendance laws existed, the rural school lagged behind the urban schools. In the South, most immigrants had no access to the public schools, but for the whites opportunities for schooling expanded drastically. In addition, during the post-Civil War era, there were important educational opportunities open for women, they were less for men and denied to black women7. In conclusion, immigration led to the development of cities characterized by corruption, filth, overcrowding, and diseases. The city governments were dominated by political machines and ruled by party bosses that were the major source of inefficiencies as well as corruption. These cities brought together races, ethnic groups, and class systems. Hence, the immigrants were greatly affected by racial, class and gender discrimination8. Buy custom Transformations in the USA essay

Saturday, February 22, 2020

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

Markting - Essay Example This mode of shopping is also convenient to the customer as it saves time as compared to shopping in a supermarket. The process is excellent as I was able to do the shopping at the comfort of my home and the delivery was on time. In terms of cognitive/affective dimension am willing to forfeit shelve shopping for online shopping. Online shopping is more informative to the customer than shelve shopping. Supervalu is one of the leading grocery retailers in the US with more than 2000 retail outlets around the country. Having a wide retail outlet in the US Supervalu provides its customers and the citizens’ at large proximity to groceries in the country. The store offers several discounts to its customers including save a lot plan where the customer can save up to 40% on groceries. This has led to an increase of its customer base over the years. An elaborate customer care process at Supervalu will help in improving the shopping experience of its customers and help in attracting more customers. Customer relations are very vital to any business. I believe improved customer care and proper information to the customers will help in attracting and retaining of customers. A business unit should always aim at maximum customer satisfaction at all time. This will ensure customer loyalty now and in the future. (Assael

Thursday, February 6, 2020

Compare and contrast between the philosophical thoughts of Booker T Essay

Compare and contrast between the philosophical thoughts of Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. Dubois - Essay Example He sympathized with the black community to accept discrimination until such time they had material wealth to sustain their struggle. Moreover, Washington argued that the problem of black people could only be solved through hard work that lead to economic prosperity (Booker T. Washington vs. W.E.B DuBois). Furthermore, Washington believed in education of the black people. He understood that education was an important tool in harnessing craftsmanship, farming skills, and enterprise. He believed that if people were educated they would easily cultivated the virtues of patience and thrift. Washington argued that these values would help black people win over the respect to the whites and make them integrated in the society. Du Bois was a political philosopher and an intellectual who lived from 1868 to 1963. He disputed Washington ideas and argued that they would aggravate discrimination of the black people rather than deliver them from servitude. Instead of perseverance Du Bois pursued political agitation and civil movement agenda. He helped form the NAACP. Moreover, Du Bois argued that social change can only be brought about by the influence of black college and university students. Du Bois referred to student as’ the Talented Tenth’ (Karenga 368). Washington and Du Bois agreed on the role of education, but they differed on how it would help the black community. For Washington, education was all good for everyone. However, Du Bois argued that education would only help a small group of the talented youth. Therefore, educated secured the plight of students only (Karenga 369). This called for civil rights movement to secure the rights of other black people from the white’s supremacy. Washington was more compromising while he requested the whites to offers the black people jobs and education and in return give up the demand for social equality. On the other hand, Du Bois was a militant who overturned the philosophy of Washington to a halt and made it

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Time and Landscape Essay Example for Free

Time and Landscape Essay A landscape where we live in can influence who we really are as we grow up with it and it allows us to understanding more about ourselves with our constant interaction with the landscape. However it is possible that we are not able to connect with the landscape, because of our incompatibility with it, hence it has no impact or influences upon us. Sometimes we adapt ourselves to a landscape and we learn from it, but due to unforeseeable circumstances, we change to a different environment and we have to evolve our mentality in order to be able to comprehend a new landscape. Through time, we can have a better understanding about ourselves as we bond with the landscape and we tend to eliminate any ambiguity that exists between ourselves and the landscape. A landscape where we grow up in provides us sentimental values and it is these values that provide us with thoughts to reflect on during tough times, due to the significance of the landscape. What we are able to learn and decipher from a certain landscape is different to others because no two man would ever see a same vision from a same angle and any attempt to share thoughts would create an undercurrent of hostility towards each other. It is these landscapes that can provide us memories that are so deep that we are not willing to let go of it and we hold on to it to death. This notion is explored through Rachel Perkins’ film One Night The Moon through the physical dominance of sky and the mountain ranges, where we learn about the landscape and also the mental struggle of its inhabitants. In One Night The Moon , the story explores a theme of loss, whereby the loving child Emily Ryan. It is also possible that we live in a landscape for a long period of time and we start to fight against it. People often abide their traditions as they learnt it from their ancestors which have passed in down from centuries ago. These traditions are contained within a landscape which influences them to have those traditions. The constant evolving of the world have forced a certain groups or individuals to alter their traditions, but they are still who they really are in the sense that their sense of belonging deeper down heir hearts are the same. Aboriginals in Australia may have had their land invaded by white settlers, but they still live in their own little communities. Although they have lost some of their cultures, but the memory of it is still within them because it was their interactions with the Australian landscape in the past that influenced them deeply, thus engraving those memories in their hearts. They may have physically lost the battle trying to keep the landscape they own, but they will never lose the mental battle because memories and imagination allows individuals to convert things that are completely different to something in which they understand. This is similar in One Night The Moon because even though Albert worked for the police he will never be able to forget his landscape from the past because it is in his blood. Xxxxxfinish this paragraph. Our actions portrays who we are, but ultimately it is the landscape in which we live that influences who we are and subsequently transforms us to project our true emotions. Landscapes not only influences us , but it also helps to create memories. However sometimes we do disagree with a particular landscape and we try to repel from it, but what we are unaware of is the firm recollection that they provide to us in our hearts and it makes forgetting a certain landscape something hard to do.

Monday, January 20, 2020

Drought and Global Climate Change :: Environment, Climate Change

Drought is a multi-causal and complex environmental issue, and can have serious socioeconomic consequences. Recently, IPCC (the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) in Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) concluded that South Asia and the Middle East would experience sever, prolonged droughts as a result of global climate changes, explicitly the increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere (IPCC, 2007). Drought is a weather-related natural disaster whose effect is aggravated by human activities. Sometime drought affects large regions and even several countries for a long period of time. Drought has a serious impact on food productivity of a land, and even on the life expectancy of inhabitants. The aftermath of drought involves in socioeconomic, ecological issues (WGA, 1996) (Jeyaseelan, 2005; Pongracza et al., 1996). Iran encompassing drylands has been periodically jeopardized by drought events, which have devastatingly affected society and environment (Shamsipour et al., 2008). Therefore, the study of drought needs several sources of datasets. In other words, the design of a planning project for a region for sustainable development, the acquisition of updated data is critical, particularly for countries with arid to semi-arid climates. The recent innovations in remote sensing methods have brought new solutions to study of environmental problems in geosciences. In the assessment of natural hazards like drought, remote sensing provides rapid, instant spatial data about the natural phenomena; they are useful in decision-makings as well as weather forecasts (Sunyurp et al., 2004). The monitoring of drought via remote sensing depends on the factors that cause drought (Jeyaseelan, 2005). Drought indicators and variables, obtained through remotely sensed data, can carry some uncertainties, which is induces by the sensitivity of factors, or their dependency to weather and environment conditions. Additionally, some non-standard algorithms might lead to wrong estimation of drought intensity. More effective methods for increase accuracy of assessment and analysis of remotely sensed data are applying models which can combine in data layers. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are used to combine the layers of data in the modeling of drought. Recently, space technologies, such RS and GIS, and the numerical modeling techniques have been developed as powerful tools for the ecological assessment of environment (Krivtsov, 2004; MacMillan et al., 2004; Store and Jokimà ¤ki, 2003). Utilizing these technologies not only supply a platform to support multi-level and hierarchically integrated analysis on resource and environment, but also integrate the obtained information in a comparative theoretical ecosystem analysis. Meanwhile, Plummer (2000) argued that perspectives of combining ecological models and remotely sensed data would focus on the estimation of accuracy, the issues of spatial and temporal scale, and long-term comprehensive datasets.

Sunday, January 12, 2020

Dell Essay

4. Is Dell’s strategy working? What is your assessment of the financial performance that Dell’s strategy has delivered during fiscal years 2000-2008? Use the financial ratios presented in the Appendix of the text (pages 240-241) as a basis for doing your calculations and drawing conclusions about Dell’s performance. Selected Financial Statement Data for Dell Inc., Fiscal Years 2000 – 2008 (in million, except per share data) | February 1, 2008| February 2, 2007| February 3, 2006| January 28, 2005| January 30, 2004| February 1, 2002| January 28, 2000| Results of Operations| | | | | | | | Net Revenue| 61,133| 57,420| 55,788| 49,121| 41,327| 31,168| 25,265| Cost of Revenue| 49,462| 47,904| 45,897| 40,103| 33,764| 25,661| 20,047| Gross Margin| 11,671| 9,516| 9,891| 9,018| 7,563| 5,507| 5,218| Gross Profit Margin| 19.1%| 16.6%| 17.7%| 18.4%| 18.3%| 17.7%| 20.7%| Operating Expenses| | | | | | | | + Selling, general and administrative| 7,538| 5,948| 5,051| 4,352| 3,604| 2,784| 2,387| + Research, development and engineering| 693| 498| 458| 460| 434| 452| 374| + Special charges| -| -| -| -| -| 482| 194| Total operating expenses| 8,231| 6,446| 5,509| 4,812| 4,038| 3,718| 2,955| Total operating expenses as a % of net revenues| 13.5%| 11.2%| 9.9%| 9.8%| 9.8%| 10.4%| 10.9%| Operating Income| 3,440| 3,070| 4,382| 4,206| 3,525| 1,789| 2,263| Operating profit margin| 5.6%| 5.3%| 7.9%| 8.6%| 8.5%| 5.7%| 9.0%| Investment and other income (loss), net| 387| 275| 226| 197| 186| (58)| 188| Income before income taxes extraordinary loss, and cumulative effect of change in accounting principle| 3,827| 3,345| 4,608| 4,403| 3,711| 1,731| 2,451| Provision for income taxes| 880| 762| 1,006| 1,385| 1,086| 485| 785| Net Income| 2,947| 2,583| 3,602| 3,018| 2,625| 1,246| 1,666| Net profit margin| 4.8%| 4.5%| 6.5%| 6.1%| 6.4%| 4.0%| 6.6%| Earnings per common share: Basic| 1.33| 1.15| 1.50| 1.20|  1.02| 0.48| 0.66| Diluted| 1.31| 1.14| 1.47| 1.18| 1.01| 0.46| 0.61| Weighted average shares outstanding: Basic| 2,223| 2,255| 2,403| 2,509| 2,565| 2,602| 2,536| Diluted| 2,247| 2,271| 2,449| 2,568| 2,619| 2,726| 2,728| | | | | | | | | Cash Flow and Balance Sheet Data| | | | | | | | Net cash provided by operating activities| 3,949| 3,969| 4,751| 5,821| 3,670| 3,797| 3,926| Cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments| 7,972| 10,298| 9,070| 9,807| 11,922| 8,287| 6,853| Total assets| 27,561| 25,635| 23,252| 23,215| 19,311| 13,535| 11,560| Long-term debt| 362| 569| 625| 505| 505| 520| 508| Total stockholders’ equity| 3,735| 4,328| 4,047| 6,485| 6,280| 4,694| 5,308| Profitability Ratios | January 28, 2000| February 1, 2002| January 30, 2004| January 28, 2005| February 3, 2006| February 2, 2007| February 1, 2008| Gross Profit Margin| 20.7%| 17.7%| 18.3%| 18.4%| 17.7%| 16.6%| 19.1%| Operating Profit Margin| 9.0%| 5.7%| 8.5%| 8.6%| 7.9%| 5.3%| 5.6%| Net Profit Margin| 6.6%| 4.0%| 6.4%| 6.1%| 6.5%| 4.5%| 4.8%| The chart shows the Profitability Ratios of Dell from 2000 to 2008. In general, from 2000 to 2008, the profit of Dell was quite stable. As we can see, Dell’s strategy is still working and makes a lot of money for Dell every year. However, there was no remarkable increase. The net profit margin has been about 5% during Fiscal Years 2000 – 2008. | January 28, 2000| February 1, 2002| January 30, 2004| January 28, 2005| February 3, 2006| February 2, 2007| February 1, 2008| Return on total assets (ROA)| 14.4%| 9.2%| 13.6%| 13.0%| 15.5%| 10.1%| 10.7%| Return on Stockholder’s Equity (ROE)| 31.4%| 26.5%| 41.8%| 46.5%|  89.0%| 59.7%| 78.9%| Return on invested capital (ROI)| 28.6%| 23.9%| 38.7%| 43.2%| 77.1%| 52.7%| 71.9%| The chart indicates ROA, ROE and ROI of Dell from 2000 to 2008. From 2000 to 2008, ROA has been stable because Dell built a lot of manufactory. However, ROE and ROI had very impressive increase since 2000. In 2006, ROE reached the peak 89% and ROI reached the peak 77.1%. It proved that Dell has used the monetary capital invested in its operations and the returns to those investments very effectively. | January 28, 2000| February 1, 2002| January 30, 2004| January 28, 2005| February 3, 2006| February 2, 2007| February 1, 2008| Long term debt to capital ratio| 0.09| 0.10| 0.07| 0.07| 0.13| 0.12| 0.09| Long term debt to equity ratio| 0.10| 0.11| 0.08| 0.08| 0.15| 0.13| 0.10| The chart shows 2 leverage ratios of Dell: Long-term debt to capital ratio and long term debt to equity ratio. These ratios are quite important because they measure creditworthiness and balance sheet strength. As we can see, all the ratios were very low, under 0.2 which had very good effect to the creditworthiness and balance sheet strength. Besides that, they could also help Dell to borrow additional funds if needed. In conclusion: Through the analysis, we can say that Dell’s strategy is still effective. It helps Dell to earn a lot of money every year. However, although Dell has gained profit during Fiscal Years 2000 – 2008, there was no remarkable increase in profit and it seemed to be stable. Dell’s strategy has been very successful when it helped the company to control the cost very well and run the company very smoothly. 5. What does a SWOT analysis reveal about the attractiveness of Dell’s situation in 2008? Dell SWOT analysis Strengths: * World’s largest PC maker. * One of the best known brands in the world. * First PC maker to offer next-day, on-site product service. * Direct to customer business model. Uses latest technology. * Dell has remarkably low operating cost relative to revenue because it cuts out the retailer and supplies directly to the customers. * Dell’s Direct Model approach enables the company to offer direct relationships with customers such as corporate and institutional customers. * Dell’s direct customer allows it to provide top-notch customer service before and after the sale. * Each Dell system is built to order to meet each customer’s specifications. Reliability, Service and Support. * Dell boasts a very efficient procurement, manufacturing and distribution process allowing it to offer customers powerful systems at competitive prices. * Dell is able to introduce the latest relevant technology compared to companies using the indirect distribution channels. * Dell is not a manufacturer; Components are made by the suppliers and Dell assembles the computers using relatively cheap labor. The finished goods are then dropped off with the customer by courier. Dell has total command of the supply chain. * Dell turns over inventory for an average of every six days, keeping inventory costs low. * Dell is enhancing and broadening the fundamental competitive advantages of the direct model by increasingly applying the efficiencies of the Internet to its entire business. Weakness: * A huge range of products and components from many suppliers from various countries. * Computer maker and not the computer manufacturer, making DELL unable to switch supply. * Dell lacked solid dealer / retailer relationships. * No propriety technology * Not attracting the college student segment of the market. Dell’s sales revenue from educational institutions such as colleges only accounts for a merely 5% of the total. * Dell’s focus on the corporate and government institutional customers somehow affected its ability to form relationships  with educational institutions. * For home users, Dell’s direct method and customization approach posed problems. For one, customers cannot go to retailers because Dell does not use distribution channels. * Customers just can’t buy Dell as simply as other brands because each product is custom-built according to their specifications and this might take days to finish. Opportunities: * Diversification strategy by introducing many new products to its range. * Personal computers are becoming a necessity now more than ever. Customers are getting more and more educated about computers. Second-time buyers would most likely avail of Dell’s custom-built computers because as their knowledge grows, so do their need to experiment or use some additional computer features. * The internet also provides Dell with greater opportunities since all they have to do now is to visit Dell’s website to place their order or to get information. * Since Dell does not have retail stores, the online stores would surely make up for its absence. It is also more convenient for customers to shop online than to actually drive and do purchase at a physical store. Threats: * Competitive rivalry that exists in the PC market globally. * New entrants to the market pose potential threats. * The threat to become outmoded is a pulsating reality in a computer business. * Price difference among brands is getting smaller. * Dell’s Direct Model attracts customers because it saves cost. Since other companies are able to offer computers at low costs, this could threaten Dell’s price-conscious growing customer base. * With almost identical prices, price difference is no longer an issue for a customer. They might choose other brands instead of waiting for Dell’s customized computers. * The growth rate of the computer industry is also slowing down. Today, Dell has the biggest share of the market. If the demand slows down, the competition will become stiffer in the process. Dell has to work doubly hard to differentiate itself from its substitutes to be able to continue holding a significant market share. => Technological advancement is a double-edge sword. It is an opportunity but at the same time a threat. Low-cost leadership strategy is no longer an issue to computer companies therefore it is important for Dell to stand out from the rest. 6. Which company is competitively stronger—Dell or Hewlett-Packard? Use the weighted competitive strength assessment methodology shown in Table 4.2 of Chapter 4 to support your answer.

Saturday, January 4, 2020

Adrienne Rich A Literary Pioneer For American Women...

Adrienne Rich was a literary pioneer for American women during the contemporary era. Rich’s career spanned 60 years and she is most famous for her inspirational poetry that advocated for women. As an author, wife, mother, and Jew, Rich’s work encompassed the many prejudices that women face. Wendy Martin wrote, â€Å"Her work explores the experience of women who reject patriarchal definitions of femininity† (Martin 550). Adrienne Rich’s feminist upbringing inspired her poem â€Å"Snapshots of a Daughter-In-Law,† which explored identity, sexuality, and politics to prove that women do not have to satisfy social customs to be worthy of love during the contemporary literary era that took place in the 1960s. Adrienne Rich was born in Baltimore, Maryland on May 16, 1929. Rich’s father, Arnold Rice Rich, was a pathologist. Her mother, Helen Elizabeth Rice was a concert pianist and composer. Arnold Rich is credited for encouraging Adrienne Rich to explore and pursue her career as a professional author. At a young age, Adrienne Rich often read the works of Victorian authors: Tennyenson, Keats, Arnold, Blake, Rossetti, Swinburne, Carlyle, and Pater (Martin 552). Adrienne Rich graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Radcliffe College in 1951. Soon after, Adrienne Rich published A Change of World, a collection that was chosen for the Yale Younger Poets series. From 1952 to 1953, Rich spent time in Europe and England on a Guggenheim fellowship. Adrienne married Harvard economist, Alfred H. Conrad, in 1953.