Thursday, October 31, 2019

Nature of the Opportunity Confronting Case Study

Nature of the Opportunity Confronting - Case Study Example Large companies were interested in using the technology of E Ink in their operations as an initiative for technological development. The large area display market is considered as a building- block opportunity to them. As the products are right in line with the path to create electronic paper, it will build market driven mentality and attract customer loyalty. Flat panel displays also provided them to acquire huge scope in the market. As they had planned for publishing thus it was a wonderful opportunity to grow in the market of the US where large number of people invested in newspapers and electronic books. Thus, the company had enough opportunities to survive and increase competitive advantage over other existing competitors in the market. 2.0 Three-Stage Approach to Achieve Long Term Goal   The three stage approach of E Ink was to achieve their long term goals namely large area display, battery powered flat panel displays and radio paper. The company had planned to enter into a large area display market by focusing on single product for a single market along with single niche. It was technologically much advanced than other existing large area display technologies. ... It possessed ample benefits over Liquid Crystal Display because it performs extremely well on low temperature due to its broad range of temperature. In addition, it is light in weight, readable in sunlight, holds image without using of power drain and possesses broad viewing angle. For more improvement of technology, scientists combine E Ink with transistor backplane as it would be possible to change the high resolution images through the application of charge to the ink. Publishing radio paper was the final goal of E Ink as larger number of newspaper was sold in the US. This industry was considered as a matured business for E Ink. Their plan was to offer a single newspaper to the customers in which content were fully updated and the customers could be aware of all the news in a short period of time. In case of publishing of book, E Ink developed a single paper book for the customers which would be possible to update by means of wireless network through customized content. These are the approaches through which the company can achieve their goals in future. 3.0 How Much Money Should The Company Raise? From Whom? On What Terms? E Ink required certain amount of funds for improving their business. The improvement in large area displays of E Ink required $10 to $20 million. For flat panel displays, the company required extra $30 to $50 million. E Ink needed nearly $50 million to $100 million to properly maintain the publishing business. It was observed that the company needed $20 million in order to maintain progress over the subsequent five fiscal quarters from Newstime Publishing. The investor was attracted by E Ink and thus decided to finance them. Out of $15.8 million in bank the

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Write a critical analysis of an 'Elegy for my Father' by Annie Finch Essay

Write a critical analysis of an 'Elegy for my Father' by Annie Finch - Essay Example Right from beginning her work brought recognition to how she has brought music to meter without diverging from the truthfulness of her emotions which she wants to express. This musicality in her words later shows through when she wrote libretti for operas and lieder for contemporary composers. Her work shows not only the relationship between nature and human but also the themes evolving from her religious inclinations. Calenders has works woven around the cycles in a Celtic or wiccan calendar and whether the themes are based in myth or in real life relations they broadly cover the cycles in a women’s life. The works like ‘Elegy for my Father’ show not only Finch’s poetic prowess but also how a personal moment became the inspiration. ‘Calenders’ is one of Finch’s major poetry books which includes her works from 1990s as well as some poems from 1980s and one from 1970. The poems are written around the theme of Celtic or Wiccan calendar which reflects not only the seasons though titles like Spring Equinox, Summer Solstice, Winter Solstice, Lammas, Imbolc but they also bring the cyclical nature of time and specially a woman’s life to the reader. Many poems varying in style and ideas are written around themes which are more feminist like a woman’s cycles, her relationship with parents, her grievances, her pregnancies and her loves but in other poems which are not around mythical, like ‘Elegy for my Father’, Finch is inspired by some moment in her life. Calenders not only has a detailed account of how and when the poems were completed but it is also accompanied by a guide which is a complete work of poetics in itself. Finch listed when each poem was eventually completed and how the book evolved. The ‘Elegy for my Father’ is written in dactylic tetrameter and is unrhymed. Finch is not someone who is limited by meter. It comes as no surprise when we see variations of dactylic meter in

Sunday, October 27, 2019

DNA Transformation in Bacteria

DNA Transformation in Bacteria 1.0 Introduction and Objectives The ability of bacteria to incorporate DNA from external sources is the primary reason for their survival and proliferation. Bacteria can take DNA from their surroundings or from other bacterial cells by cell wall-transfer. While an interesting phenomenon to examine for scientists, practically it is of great concern for the human race and a source of constant challenge for the Pharmaceutical Industry. The ability of bacteria to modify their genetic information has given rise to problems such as antibiotic resistance wherein bacteria become resistant to medications that were once effective in eliminating them. In this experiment, we examine the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria. Circular DNA called plasmids are introduced in bacteria whose cells have been modified to promote uptake of plasmid DNA. This plasmid DNA will give rise to antibiotic resistance in the bacteria, which can be observed by allowing the bacteria to proliferate in an environment containing the antibi otic. Modification of genetic information in bacteria may be a source of concern, but that ability in the hands of humans has always been coveted. Genetic engineering is an increasingly popular research area given the breakthroughs made in recent years and the potential for commercial application. Various applications require large quantities of specific DNA sequences and this is where the bacterial ability to uptake DNA and reproduce it is beneficial. Introducing plasmids containing desired sequences into bacteria, allowing bacteria to reproduce and then isolating the required DNA is a common method used to obtain large quantities of particular DNA sequences. This aspect is also explored in this experiment. 1.1 Objectives The objectives of this experiment are to: a) Observe and examine the phenomenon of DNA Transformation. b) Observe the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria through the process of gene transformation. c) Inculcate proper Sterile Technique for laboratory procedures involving bacterial strains. 2.0 Principles This section explores the underlying concept behind the experiment. Genetic Transformation is a process of horizontal gene transfer whereby DNA from the environment is taken up by a host cell. In this experiment bacterial cells are transformed. Escherichia Coli bacteria, which are generally non pathogenic are used in this experiment. The plasmids which constitute the external DNA contain a gene that makes the cell ampicillin resistant. Ampicillin is a bacteriostatic and will normally prevent the reproduction of E. Coli bacteria. This provides us with an easy way to test if gene transformation has occurred and to what extent by means of calculating the transformation efficiency. The introduction of genetic material within the bacterial cell is done by the process of electroporation. Electroporation involves applying an electrical voltage across the bacterial cells containing the plasmids. The ionic concentration of the DNA is kept low to prevent arcing. When the voltage is applied, holes open up in the walls of the bacteria. The plasmids can then enter the bacterial cells through these holes. Application of the voltage is done for a very short period of time. As soon as electric current stops flowing, the holes in the cell wall begin to close. A nutrient rich medium is then added to the bacterial cells, some of which will have transformed, to aid cell recovery. Incubation is then carried out, after which the cell suspension is diluted further and applied to agar plates containing the antibiotic. The cells are left to incubate for up to 24 hours and then the number of colonies determined. Calculating the transformation efficiency gives us a method to determine the extent to which the transformation occurred. 3.0 Methods and Materials 3.1 Materials The equipment and materials required for this experiment are outlined in this section. Equipment Required: A shaking incubator operating at 37ÃÅ'Ã…  C A non-shaking incubator An electroporator Materials Required: Cells treated for competency 2 agar plates with ampicillin with a concentration of 100 Â µg/ml pUC-19 plasmids 0.1 cm cuvettes Ice in an ice-box Deionised ultrapure water S.O.C. medium at room temperature 2 tubes with snap caps with a volume of 15 ml 3.2 Sterile Technique Sterile Technique is a must when handling pathogenic strains of bacteria. In this experiment, nonpathogenic bacterial strains are employed. However, using sterile technique is still good experimental procedure and promotes safety. Using sterile technique prevents errors in experimental results by preventing contamination from the surroundings. It also prevents contamination of the surrounding environment by the bacterial strain. Steps employed to prevent contamination included: Carrying out the experiment in an uncluttered area. Utilizing a fume hood to perform all procedures involving the bacteria. Washing hands both before as well as after the experiment Disposing off all bacterial waste in the appropriate container for bio-hazardous materials. 3.3 Procedure 3.3.1 Preparation for Electroporation The 0.1 cm cuvettes were cooled on ice. The electroporator was prepared based on prescribed settings. In order to bring the S.O.C. medium to room temperature, it was removed from the ice box. The cells and plasmids were allowed to thaw in the ice-box. Plates were heated at 37ÃÅ'Ã…  C to prepare for the incubation process. 3.3.2 Procedures I Â µl of pUC19 control DNA and 1 Â µl of ultrapure water were added to 2 separate microcentrifuge tubes with the aid of a pipette. The tube was then placed in the ice-box. 25 Â µl of competent cells were added to each of the microcentrifuge tubes. The contents of the tubes were gently mixed. Care was taken to avoid usage of the pipette for mixing. The tubes were then returned to the ice-box for 1 minute. The contents of each microcentrifuge tube were transferred to a cuvette using a pipette. It was ensured that the cells made contact with the cuvette walls and that no air-bubbles were present. This step was done rapidly to prevent heating up of the cells. The cuvettes were then electroporated. 250 Â µl of S.O.C. medium was added to the cells immediately after electroporation. Each of the two suspensions was transferred to a 15 ml tube. The shaking incubator was then set to 225rpm and used to incubate the cells for an hour to allow expression of the acquired antibiotic resistance. 10 Â µl of the transformed sample was then added to 90 Â µl of S.O.C. medium. The plates containing the ampicillin were then used. 20 Â µl of each of the two diluted samples from step 7 was added to a plate. Even spreading of the sample on the agar medium was ensured. Using the non-shaking incubator, the plates were incubated at 37 ÃÅ'Ã…  C for a day and the results recorded. 4.0 Results and Discussion 4.1 Results Answers to Questions (1) Schematic of observations of the agar plates: Figure 1: Results as Indicated by the Agar Plates (2) Count the colonies and calculate the transformation efficiency. Number of colonies observed = 13 Figure 2: Calculation of Transformation Efficiency Using the formula shown in figure 2, Transformation efficiency = 1.78 1010 transformants/Â µg plasmid DNA 4.2 Discussion Answers to Questions (1) Define the vocabulary used in this experiment: transformation, electroporation, host, plasmid, and competent. -Transformation Transformation is a process of horizontal gene transfer whereby DNA present in the environment of a cell is taken up by the cell. In this experiment the transformation involves the uptake of a plasmid containing a marker that results in ampicillin resistance by E. Coli bacteria through electroporation. -Electroporation Electroporation involves subjecting cells to an electric voltage to create holes in the cell wall. External material can then enter the cell through these holes. Natural processes then cause the hole to close and return the cell to its original state. -Host An organism that harbours a parasite is called a host. -Plasmid A plasmid is circular extra-chromosomal DNA. -Competent A competent cell is one which can internalise DNA present in its external environment. Competence can either be natural or artificial. (2) State why E. coli is used in many genetic engineering experiments. The popularity of Escherichia Coli for genetic experiments is due to various reasons. Firstly, most E. Coli strains are non-pathogenic and pose no harm to humans. Safety is a significant factor in the laboratory and E. Coli use is generally safe. Secondly, E. Coli grow easily and can be duplicated through metagenics. Thirdly, their genetic make-up is relatively simple and can be manipulated with ease. Fourthly they have been extensively studied and a lot is known about them. This makes it easier for researchers and they therefore prefer to use E. Coli for genetic engineering experiments. (3) Explain why competent cells, ampicillin, and S.O.C. medium were used for the transformation. Competent cells are necessary as transformation involves taking external genetic material into the cell. If cells are not competent this cannot happen and the experiment cannot be carried out successfully. Ampicillin is an antibiotic. Specifically, it is a bacteriostatic for E. Coli. It helps distinguish between bacteria that have taken up the plasmid and those that have not. This is because the plasmid contains a marker that causes ampicillin resistance. E. Coli cells do not naturally contain the genetic sequence that causes ampicillin resistance. Thus, ampicillin selection is possible to distinguish between transformed cells and untransformed cells. S.O.C. medium contains the nutrients required to help cells stabilise after electroporation. Electroporation introduces holes into the cell wall of the cell and therefore causes destabilisation of the cell. S.O.C medium contains yeast extract and other nutrient sources that help the cell recover. Once the cell has recovered and if the plasmid has entered the cell during electroporation, the cell will multiply and give rise to a colony during the incubation period. (4) Explain the purpose of the controls in this experiment. The control in this experiment constitutes bacteria without the plasmid that inculcates antibiotic resistance. Without this extra piece of genetic information to enable the bacteria to mount defences against the attack of the antibiotic, ampicillin is this case, the bacterial cells will be unable to multiply in a medium that contains the antibiotic. The cells that were treated such that they could incorporate the plasmid DNA into their genetic make-up will be able to multiply in a medium where ampicillin is present as long as there are enough nutrients available for growth. Thus, the control helps us show that the DNA plasmid was indeed taken up and incorporated into their genetic make-up by the bacteria. The only way for E. coli to have survived with ampicillin present is if they had taken up the plasmid and transmitted it to all generations when they reproduced after uptake of the plasmid. Hence, the control serves to confirm uptake of the plasmid as well as its transmission to fol lowing generations by comparing it to cells in the control that did not have the extra DNA. (5) Explain how the colony growth relates to gene transformation. A colony of bacteria stems from the binary fission of one single bacterial cell. When bacteria reproduce vertical genetic transfer occurs whereby the offspring has the exact copy of the genetic material of the parent. In this experiment, bacteria are introduced into a medium containing the antibiotic ampicillin. E. Coli bacteria with their original genetic make-up will be unable to reproduce due to the presence of the antibiotic as they do not have the means necessary to resist antibiotic attack. This is what is expected in the control sample as ampicillin is a bacteriostatic.. The positive sample on the other hand has bacteria which have undergone horizontal gene transfer by transformation. The plasmid DNA that was used for the transformation process contains genetic code that results in E.Coli developing ampicillin resistance. Thus, bacteria that can incorporate this plasmid and pass it on to their offspring by vertical gene transfer can grow in the environment. This is how colony growth relates to gene transformation. (6) Describe how ionic strength of DNA solution affects electroporation. The ionic strength of DNA solution comes into play due to the electroporation stage where holes are created in the bacterial cell wall to allow uptake of the plasmid by transmission of an electric voltage. For this step, the ionic strength of the solution must be low. If the ionic strength is high, arcing will occur. Arcing is visible during the experiment by sparks and a sound like a micro-scale thunderclap. It can cause cell death as well as equipment damage. Thus, for the experiment to be carried out successfully and to safeguard the apparatus, the DNA solution must be of low ionic strength. (7) If your transformation efficiency is lower than 1 109 cfu/ÃŽ ¼g, conjecture and explain potential reasons for the low efficiency. The transformation efficiency is greater than the benchmark stated above. This corresponds to good transformation efficiency and indicates a successful transformation process. However, the close clustering of the colonies makes it possible that some of the colonies are satellite colonies rather than transformed colonies. The experiment could be repeated with a higher concentration of ampicillin to obtain more reliable results. (8) Discuss current and potential applications of gene transformation techniques in biotechnology. Gene transformation techniques play a crucial role in biotechnology. This is because gene transformation provides a method to produce copies of desired DNA sequences. This is especially useful in the pharmaceutical industry to develop medications that are target specific. Also, this could potentially lead the way to genetic engineering, where defects to the genetic code could be repaired and desired traits inserted through addition of the corresponding DNA sequences. Gene replacement therapy could prove to be the cure for nearly all diseases that take human lives contemporarily. In the future gene transformation could be used to engineer human beings and other animals and plants according to desired specifications. Genetic transformation is also used in the development of pest-resistant crops, which could potentially increase the productivity of the land. This could be key to feed the ever-growing population as the quantity of agricultural land decreases. Understanding the evolution of drug resistance could help us devise ways of preventing drug resistance as well as developing drugs that can overcome resistance. In this arena gene transformation plays an important role horizontal genetic transfer is a natural process in bacteria. 4.3 Sources of Error and Suggestions for Improvement There are a few sources of error that could result in incorrect conclusion being drawn from experimental results. (i) The number of colonies seen need not correspond to the bacteria that transformed. This could be due to the growth of satellite colonies. Large bacterial colonies will secrete beta lactamase, which is what causes ampicillin resistance. Thus, the area around the colony will contain this secretion and be ampicillin-free. A satellite colony could grow in this area from untransformed cells. To avoid this problem, the incubation period should strictly be restricted to 24 hours. Satellite colonies emerge after a delay. By ensuring that results arr recorded promptly, the interference in results brought about by satellite colonies can be minimised. Another method is to use a higher concentration of ampicillin. More time will be required to create a antibiotic-free zone around a colony if the concentration of antibiotic is high. (ii) Identifying the number of colonies can be difficult, especially if the size of the colony is miniscule. This could result in an incorrect calculation of transformation efficiency. In order to increase accuracy of results, a different selection marker can be used. Some selection markers have properties that can be distinguished by shining UV light and other such techniques which result in a high contrast. Using these markers may result in higher reliability of results. (iii) Distinguishing between colonies can be difficult if they grow close to one another and appear to be one large colony. Also, closer colonies would also result in a higher chance of there being satellite colonies. To minimise this problem, crowding on the plate must be minimised. For that, a higher concentration of ampicillin could be used, carbenicillin selection could be used instead of ampicillin selection (although expensive) or the nutrient dilution could be adjusted such that it discourages very rapid proliferation. 5.0 Conclusions The objectives of this experiment were to explore the phenomenon of gene transformation and the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria as well as to inculcate the practice of sterile technique for handling bacteria. Gene transformation was observed with the development of ampicillin resistance in transformed Escherichia Coli bacteria. The bacteria not exposed to the plasmids containing the genes for antibiotic resistance did not grow in an environment containing the antibiotic while the transformed bacteria formed colonies in the same environment. A calculation of transformation efficiency returned a value of 1.78 1010 transformants/Â µg of plasmid DNA, which is greater than the threshold of 109, indicative of a successful experiment. However, the possibility of some of the 13 colonies of bacteria being satellite colonies as opposed to transformed colonies reduces the reliability of the results. Methods to increase reliability of results were therefore suggested. References 1. Port, Tami. (2008, June 14). Bacteria Horizontal Gene Transfer. suite101.com. Retrieved 3rd April, 2010 from http://bacteriology.suite101.com/article.cfm/bacteria_horizontal_gene_transfer 2. Metzenberg, Stan. (2002). Bacterial Plasmids. California State University Northridge Department of Biology. Retrieved 4th April, 2010 from http://escience.ws/b572/L2/L2.htm

Friday, October 25, 2019

Free Essays - Characterization in A Farewell to Arms :: Farewell Arms Essays

Characterization in a Passage from A Farewell to Arms       Anger was washed away in the river along with any obligation. Although that ceased when the carabiniere put his hands on my collar. I would like to have had the uniform off although I did not care much about the outward forms. I had taken off the stars, but that was for convenience. It was no point of honor. I was not against them. I was through. I wished them all the luck. There were the good ones, and the brave ones, and the calm ones and the sensible ones, and they deserved it. But it was not my show anymore and I wished this bloody train would get to Mestre and I would eat and stop thinking. I would have to stop. (Hemingway 232)    This previous is an excellent example of how one passage in the book can relate many of the feelings demonstrated throughout the entire novel. The events and feelings of this passage determine the outcome. A few examples of symbolism are clearly presented and those symbols can also help the reader gain a better understanding of the character's situation. The passage also illustrates how the character has evolved and developed since the beginning of the story. The passage is also a big event because it is the first major pivotal point that occurs throughout the novel. By closely analyzing this passage we can form many predictions that Hemingway was foreshadowing, and relating to the end, with use of symbols and development of character.    The two symbols best noticeable in the passage are the river and the stars on Frederic's uniform. The river as in many stories represents a change or baptismal. In this case, the river was representing the removal of Frederic from the war front. On one side of the river he's still an ambulance driver for the Italian army during World War I; on the other side, however, he is a civilian in the middle of a war that is now foreign to him. The stars also serve as a symbol but represent the same thing the river does. When he removes them he is simply calling it quits and removing himself from the war.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

The Economics of Running a Genomics Company

Genset IPO Prof. Nahata FIN 9774 1. What are the economics of running a genomics company? What is the role of large pharmaceuticals in genomics? How competitive is the genomics industry? Running a genomics company is extremely capital intensive. Research and development, patenting, and developing marketable products cost a lot of money. The associated dangers of working with patents are also at issue here. Genset must be able to defend its patent in court against patent trolls, which can layer additional costs upon the capital intensive primary business activities of the firm. At this point in time, the patent situation surrounding mapped genes is also tentative. The US courts have yet to rule on the patent status of genes, making the market for patented genes suspect. The other difficulty of the genomics industry is turning research into revenue. It takes a very long time to turn a patented gene into a medical product, which has to pass through several rounds of scrutiny before entering the market. Even if Genset is able to find a major gene, they might not see returns for several years. Large pharmaceutical companies are integral to the genomics industry. Genset researches genes that are related to a wide variety of diseases. However, many mapped genes will not be linked to any underlying genetic disorder. The genes that are linked to treatable disorders must be researched to discover chemical compounds that interact with genes to treat the underlying disorder. While Genset has the intellectual capability to research the genes, they are not capable of developing drugs to interact with the genes they have mapped. Through licensing agreements, genomics companies could decrease the risk and amount of time before they could report positive earnings. The licensing agreements generated revenue immediately by selling some or all of the rights to future applications of specific genes. Thus the genomics companies did not have to wait for the future applications to mature before they could realize positive earnings. The industry is also extremely competitive. There are 114 biotechnology companies in France, with an additional 1,050 in the United States. Several genomic companies have already passed through their IPOs with mixed success. Competition is fierce to discover every human gene. It is a race to see who finds and catalogues all the human genes by the end of the millennium. By early 1996, there was an intense race to map all genes and genomics companies were getting closer to finishing the task every day. There is also heavy competition between the genomic companies and pharmaceutical companies. 2. What is happening at other genomics companies? What is Genset's competitive position in the genomics industry? Many genomics companies have passed through IPOs and private funding rounds. At 250 employees, Genset is larger than all the other comparable companies provided in the case. Many other companies are operating in the sequencing business, developing libraries of sequenced genes. Beyond private companies, many research universities, government-sponsored facilities, and research institutions are also sequencing genes. While progress has not been lightening fast, it is worth noting that there is a finite supply of genes in the human genome. The amount of genes that are functional from Genset’s perspective is unknown. While competition to discover every gene was fierce, Genset was engaged in the systematic and comprehensive analysis of the genetic map of the humans to identify and patent genes and regulatory regions related to selected common diseases. Genset was a unique firm because it was both creating a library of genes and researching the genetic causes of diseases. They intended to discover drugs to treat these diseases and enter into strategic partnerships with pharmaceutical companies to develop and market these drugs. Genset not only researches genes, but it also is the world’s largest creator of synthetic DNA. Bradys believes that this line of business is extremely important to Genset’s future. Part of the desired $70 million will be devoted to tripling the output of synthetic DNA by updating its sequencing machines and increasing its workforce. Part of the money was needed to finance more equipment purchases and further research for its DNA mapping and sequencing operations to beat its competition. The industry is expanding quickly, with many small, nascent firms popping up, searching for private funding. The landscape is expanding quickly, with each firm trying to find ways to monetize their findings as quickly as possible. 3. What are the key success factors in genomics? What are the risk factors? What is the nature of cash flows in genomics? To be successful in genomics, a firm must have capital to acquire the necessary equipment and personnel to quickly map and patent genes. Given the finite amount of genes available to map, the genomics industry is truly deadlocked in a race to sequence the human genome. While raising the necessary capital is difficult, the more difficult aspect of the genomics industry is finding ways to monetize their research. Genset is fortunate to be the world leader in synthetic DNA. While their research may take years to pay off, their synthetic DNA operation gives them a reliable revenue stream. Genset is unique within the genomics industry in that respect and another: they are not just sequencing genes; they are also researching the genetic causes of diseases. This additional research makes their genetic patents and research more valuable to pharmaceutical companies that will be assured that they are pursuing worthwhile genes. To achieve profitability, Genset needed to successfully discover genes related to particular diseases, find partners to develop the products, conduct clinical trials, get regulatory approvals, and successfully manufacture and market such products. But the risk with this plan was that, Genset was based in France and patented its discoveries in France and the Euro zone countries. They were also unsure if the discovered gene fragments or genes (without known functions) could be patented. This was a BIG risk, in that any other firm could discover the gene’s function and patent it. Also since they did not have any patents in America, where they were considering raising money put a big question on the viability of the plan. There was also the possibility that the patents, mainly on which the firm’s value was based on, were broad enough to give the firm a competitive advantage besides any patent could be challenged, invalidated or circumvented by others. . Are Genset's cash flow projections reasonable? How much cash does the company need and when? To achieve profitability, Genset needed to successfully discover the genes associated with particular diseases and find appropriate strategic partners to develop products, conduct clinical trials and obtain regulatory approvals. Genset entered into a three-year strategic alliance with Syntehlabo SA which fo cused on discovering genes associated with prostate cancer. They were also under discussions with an affiliate of Johnson & Johnson to target schizophrenia. Their financial projections showed that in the future the company expected its revenues to come primarily from these types of contract revenues. The company has also filed three patent applications in France relating to its gene sequencing techniques. They are projecting their revenues based on successfully discovering these genes. Genset is looking to acquire approximately $70 million to finance more equipment purchases and further research. The company needed $30 million for capital expenditures including expansion of its TGS high throughput sequencing facility, the construction of a new mapping facility and polymorphism scanning lab. Another $40 million would fund ongoing research and development expenses. The funds were needed almost immediately. Without this technology and research, Genset would fall behind with no chance to recover. Raising this capital would be Genset’s largest financing project and would augment the $54. 2 million of funding raised through private equity (70. 4%), bank loans (13. 5%), government bonds (7. %) and other loans (8. 9%). We believe that Genset’s cash flow projections could be overstated since a major part of their cash flow source is contract revenues which would have to be made with Pharmaceutical firms. The case mentions that currently all the patents that Genset has are registered and protected in Europe. Most pharmaceutical firms on the other hand are based in North A merica with it being the largest market and unless all the patents that Genset are are registered and protected in North America, we believe they would not be in a position to achieve those cash flows. Hence we have discounted these cash flows by 40% initially. Also we believe that post an IPO and strategic investors from North America, Genset will develop the capability and expertise to pursue these patents listed in N. A and achieve the growth that they expect now. Thus we have a terminal growth rate of 5% factored in our model. However we have factored in the capital expenditure schedule that the firm has planned on the onset and that has been factored in the model since these expenses are essential in the pursuit of the firm’s future projections. 5. What is the current state of the financial markets? Are they conducive for an initial public offering by Genset? Would a private placement be a better alternative? The current state of the financial markets is healthy. Recent IPOs by other genomics firms have fared very well, despite the inherent risk in the business. Gene research is seen as the future of science, just as physics was the driving science of the early twentieth century. Given the success of recent offerings (with Human Genome Sciences and Myriad Genetics being the most successful), Genset is correct o investigate the possibility of a public offering. US capital is flowing into genomics at a steady clip, making it an appealing source of funding. The conditions associated with private funding make it less appealing to Genset. Genset is also unlikely to be able to raise their capital requirements through private funding alone. They have already received $54. 2 million in private funding, with 59. 3% of their shares owned by private investors. Private investment in biotechnology is at an all-time high, but funds are restricted from putting more than 10% of their total capital into any one business. This may require that Genset form deals with multiple funds, further dividing their remaining equity. Also there is a possibility that post these deals, while Genset would further dilute their equity there could be a situation where they could again be short of funds and raising funds in the future via this route could/could not be difficult. However once you access the public markets there is always the option of accessing the markets continuously for multiple capital raising activities. Thus going public sounds much more attractive. Also in the future, given the right strategic partner and if making continued contract revenue agreements becomes difficult they could also enter into a partnership or joint venture. Given that the firm would then have stock that is listed on the bourses makes this much more easier and hence going public is an extremely attractive choice. 6. Should Brandys take such extreme measures to issue stock in both France and the US? Why is he doing it? What additional costs and requirements are raised in doing so? Bradys is understandably weary about issuing stock in both France and the US. The offering would cost Genset twice as much, losing roughly 20% of their raised capital to fees and services. Before the offering, Genset would need to review their financials and prepare their past statements to comply with both US and French law. They would also need to secure accountants, lawyers, and underwriters in both France and the US, which will cost the firm a hefty price. Bradys is pursuing this option to expose the firm to as many possible sources of funding as possible. The US capital market is deeper than that of France. However, since the firm is French, it is able to draw some of the most talented French scientists to its firm. The US genomics market is deeper, making the pursuit of human capital more difficult. Bradys understands that if he were to only make an offering in France, he would be incapable of raising their required funds. Bradys needs the US market not just for capital. He also needs the US pharmaceutical industry and patent protection. By having American capital, Genset can more effectively lobby the US government for the patent protection they need to make their mapped genes intellectual properties. It is also worth noting that Genset has plenty of cash reserves and is not as badly in need for capital as Bradys believes. While the US has yet to weigh in on patent protection for genes, the increased amount of commerce on the side of genomics indicates that the courts will most likely uphold the rights of companies to patent their library of genes alongside their patented processed. 7. Why is Genset going public now? Does it make sense? Genset is going public now because they need $70 million in capital to advance their research and to not fall behind other genomics companies. There are some positive points to going public now. Tapping into the US market makes sense because of the higher amount of venture capital expenditures over their native France. If Genset does not find a way to raise this capital, they will most likely fall out of competition among their direct competition. The drawbacks to going public are many. No other similar genomics business has raised $70 million in their IPO. The highest previous offering was by Human Genome Sciences, which raised $66. 7 million. However, Human Genome Sciences did not face the challenges of Genset. Most offerings lose 10% of their raised capital to offering related services. Genset could conceivably lose 20% of their offering value, as they must prepare for offerings in both France and the US. A dual offering would require accountants, lawyers, and services for two different markets in two different languages. If Genset were to achieve their desired level of $70 million, they would need to raise roughly $87. 5 million in capital, before related costs are tabulated. It makes sense that Genset go forward with an IPO at this time, although it is not without its dangers. If their IPO fails, the firm would be tainted and they would be hard pressed to raise capital elsewhere. They could instead seek more private capital, which would not preclude an IPO in the future. Even if another round of private capital falls short of the $70 million mark, they could receive bridge funds that would carry them to another round of funding through venture capital or an IPO. However, given the amount of firms entering the market, Genset could easily hurt their value by waiting. The markets could grow weary of genomics companies and fail to pony up capital to even the best companies. Genset should strike while the iron is hot, not wait until the market has cooled down. Genset must firmly trust their advantage of having the most talented French scientists in the US market. The flood of US-based genomics firm has diluted the talent pool of American scientists. Genset has a strong advantage in this respect. Coupled with their superiority in synthetic DNA and competitive edge in DNA sequencing, Genset is certain to be a much sought after stock. 8. What valuation would you put on Genset's stock? Be sure to support your valuation with specific analysis. You could try to be creative here! We estimate Genset’s stock to be priced at $10. 57 per share. We are using a beta of 1. 6 which is based on the weighted market capital of all comparable companies. The reasoning behind this is that the majority of the listed firms are in the US and hence it is difficult to find closely comparable firms. We also use the P/E based valuations since the value of the firm will also depend on how the comparable firms have performed in the market post IPO. The terminal growth rate is 5% which is reasonable since we haven’t accepted the revenue streams given to us by the firm. We have reduced them to 60% of the firm’s estimates since the numbers look highly optimistic and could be difficult to achieve given the fact that the firms' patents are registered only in Europe and could not be easily marketable in the US where most development and pharmaceutical firms are based. The revenues depend on agreements with pharmaceutical firms and if these agreements are subjective then the associated revenues will also be subjective. The core valuation itself comes from a variety of inputs that we considered. While we also did comparable company valuations, we agreed upon considering using the adjusted present values method which realizes a share price closest to that using a range of share prices obtained using the multiples method. We used a range of discount rates and P/E values associated with them, from the range of comparable firms given to us. We believe this gives us a range of valuations and taking out the High-Low values, we use the median Net Present Value of the firm and the associated stock price derived from it thus ending with a share price of $10. 57 and a NPV of $44. 796mn. We believe this is fair onservative valuation and reflective of the risk as well as the potential associated with the firm. This reflects a good middle ground for the investors to get in on a company with great potential as well as for the firm to capitalize on its unique position in the biomedical space. Adjusted Present Value Approach Inputs Tax Rate Unlevered Cost of Capital Cost of Debt Growth Rate (Product Sales – 2001 – 2003) Terminal Growth rate Other Income/Loss Depriciation (Straight Line) CAPEX (every year) All Value in Thousands 40% Asset Beta (comps) Risk Free Rate Market Risk Premium Terminal growth rate 1. 7 6. 05 7. 09 13. 62% 16. 2% 15. 00% 5. 00% 0 20% 3% $10,000. 0 DEBT 20,000 Adjusted Present Value (APV) (A) NPV of Unlevered Investment Date Revenues Expense Other Income/Loss Depreciation and Amortization EBIT EBIT(1-T) Add: Depreciation Gross Cash Flow Less: Capex Less: Change in WC Free Cash Flow Terminal Value PV Factor PV of Future Cash Flows (at time 0) NPV of Unlevered Investment (B) PV of Interest Tax Shields Date Debt (D) Interest Expense Tax Shield Terminal Value of Tax Shield PV Factor PV of Tax Shields (at time 0) NPV of Tax shield Infinite Horizon 1996 1 $12,700. $23,300. 0 $0. 0 $15,662. 6 $26,262. 6 $15,757. 6 $15,662. 6 $95. 0 $20,000. 0 $0. 0 $20,095. 0 1997 2 $21,300. 0 $26,800. 0 $0. 0 $17,662. 6 $23,162. 6 $13,897. 6 $17,662. 6 $ 3,765. 0 $10,000. 0 $0. 0 $6,235. 0 1998 3 $44,600. 0 $31,500. 0 $0. 0 $19,662. 6 $6,562. 6 $3,937. 6 $19,662. 6 $15,725. 0 $10,000. 0 $0. 0 $5,725. 0 1999 4 $68,600. 0 $36,700. 0 $0. 0 $21,662. 6 $10,237. 4 $6,142. 4 $21,662. 6 $27,805. 0 $10,000. 0 $0. 0 $17,805. 0 2000 5 $129,200. 0 $46,500. 0 $0. 0 $10,000. 0 $72,700. 0 $43,620. 0 $10,000. 0 $53,620. 0 $10,000. 0 $0. 0 $43,620. 0 2001 2002 2003 6 $148,580. $53,475. 0 $0. 0 $12,000. 0 $83,105. 0 $49,863. 0 $12,000. 0 $61,863. 0 $10,000. 0 $0. 0 $51,863. 0 7 $170,867. 0 $61,496. 3 $0. 0 $10,000. 0 $99,370. 8 $59,622. 5 $10,000. 0 $69,622. 5 $10,000. 0 $0. 0 $59,622. 5 8 $196,497. 1 $70,720. 7 $0. 0 $10,000. 0 $115,776. 4 $69,465. 8 $10,000. 0 $79,465. 8 $10,000. 0 $0. 0 $69,465. 8 $673,852. 8 0. 3601 $267,668. 6 $71,549. 8 0. 8801 $17,686. 4 $331,280. 9 0. 7747 $4,829. 9 0. 6818 $3,903. 3 0. 6001 $10,684. 5 0. 5282 $23,038. 3 0. 4649 $24,108. 7 0. 4091 $24,393. 8 1 $12,163. 2 $1,965. 0 $786. 0 2 $33,437. 2 $5,401. 9 $2,160. 7 3 $4 2,913. $6,932. 8 $2,773. 1 4 $41,347. 9 $6,679. 9 $2,671. 9 5 $27,550. 7 $4,450. 9 $1,780. 4 6 $20,000. 0 $3,231. 1 $1,292. 4 7 $20,000. 0 $3,231. 1 $1,292. 4 8 $20,000. 0 $3,231. 1 $1,292. 4 $8,000. 0 0. 860916465 0. 74117716 0. 63809162 0. 54934358 0. 47293893 0. 407160916 0. 350531536 $676. 68 $1,601. 50 $1,769. 49 $1,467. 82 $842. 00 $526. 22 $453. 04 0. 301778371 $2,804. 25 $10,141. 00 NPV of Project $341,421. 92 total debt market cap genome therapeutics 1. 4 131. 4 human genome sciences 6 697. 4 incyte pharmaceuticals 0. 1 244. 8 millenium pharmaceuticals. 2 7 myriad genetics 0. 307 sequana therapeutics 4. 1 189. 9 cash 0. 01065449 0. 008603384 0. 000408497 0. 002931596 0. 021590311 9 107. 5 41 17. 8 72. 5 41. 3 EV (calc) 123. 8 595. 9 203. 9 -10. 6 235. 4 152. 7 revenue 11. 2 9. 6 11. 1 22. 9 3. 6 12. 4 revenue multiple (calc) EBITDA 11. 05357143 0. 6 62. 07291667 -31. 1 18. 36936937 -10. 1 -0. 462882096 65. 38888889 -5. 2 12. 31451613 -6. 1 28. 12273006 0. 053571 -3. 23958 - 0. 90991 0 -1. 44444 -0. 49194 EBITDA multiple (calc) 206. 3333333 -19. 1607717 -20. 18811881 -45. 26923077 -25. 03278689 19. 33648503 MEAN MEDIAN HIGH LOW 28. 12 15. 34 65. 39 -0. 46 19. 4 -20. 19 206. 33 -45. 27 Base Case Total Revenue Total Expense Depreciation Taxable Income Taxes After Tax Depreciation Capital Expenditures FCF Terminal Value FCF Post Terminal Value PV – 1996 5. 84 2173. 6575 0. 6771654 1996 12700 23300 15662. 6 -26262. 6 0 -26262. 6 15662. 6 20000 -30600 -30600 $313,353. 57 1997 21300 26800 17662. 6 -23162. 6 0 -23162. 6 17662. 6 10000 -15500 -15500 1998 44600 31500 19662. 6 -6562. 6 0 -6562. 6 1999 68600 36700 21662. 6 10237. 4 3378. 342 6859. 058 2000 129200 46500 10000 72700 23991 48709 0. 596237 0. 30626 depreciation capex Depreciation 1992 1991 0. 19413 0. 016384 0. 017899 0. 107211 0. 053256 0. 080234 includes patent purchase+investing activities 1 2 3 4 5 6 20 32 19. 2 11. 52 11. 52 5. 76 19662. 6 21662. 6 10000 10000 3100 18521. 658 10000 10000 4 8709 593323. 1 3100 18521. 658 642032. 1 51144. 45 Conservative 1996 Total Revenue Total Expense Depreciation Taxable Income Taxes After Tax Depreciation Capital Expenditures FCF Terminal Value FCF Post Terminal Value (B) PV of Interest Tax Shields Date Debt (D) Interest Expense Tax Shield NPV of Tax Shields FCF including tax shield Total Net income NPV of Plan $44,796. 5 7620 23300 15662. 6 -31342. 6 0 -31342. 6 15662. 6 20000 -35680 -35680 1997 12780 26800 17662. 6 -31682. 6 0 -31682. 6 17662. 6 10000 -24020 -24020 1998 26760 31500 19662. 6 -24402. 6 0 -24402. 6 19662. 6 10000 -14740 -14740 1999 41160 36700 21662. 6 -17202. 6 0 -17202. 6 21662. 6 10000 -5540 2000 77520 46500 10000 21020 6936. 6 14083. 4 depreciation capex Depreciation 1992 1991 0. 019413 0. 016384 0. 017899 0. 107211 0. 053256 0. 080234 includes patent purchase+investing activities 1 2 3 4 5 6 20 32 19. 2 11. 52 11. 52 5. 76 10000 10000 14083. 171549. 5 -5540 185632. 9 14787. 57 1 $12,163. 2 $1,970. 4 $788. 2 $10, 143. 89 ($34,892) 2 3 $33,437. 2 $42,913. 2 $5,416. 8 $6,951. 9 $2,166. 7 $2,780. 8 4 5 $41,347. 9 $27,550. 7 $6,698. 4 $4,463. 2 $2,679. 3 $9,785. 3 20000 $3,240. 0 $1,296. 0 $8,000. 000 $16,084 ($21,853) ($11,959) ($2,861) $23,869 PV – 1996 Shares Outstanding Share Price $34,652. 16 4,574 $7. 58 Present Value $28,139. 37 $118,630. 13 $7,862. 21 $68,507. 03 Rate 0. 2 0. 2 0. 3 0. 3 PE 11 25 11 25 Share Price $6. 15 $25. 94 high $1. 72 low $14. 98 10. 57 median

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Income and Disposable Income Essay

Income will mean cash income before taxes, and will include government transfer payments such as unemployment insurance benefits, family allowance payments, pensions, welfare assistance, etc. Disposable income specifically focuses on the amount of income available for private consumption and spending. Disposable income takes into consideration the reality that â€Å"take-home pay† is heavily influenced by not only gross income, but also by factors such as government transfer levels, taxation levels, and inflation. Disposable Income is defined in two ways: * Income after federal and provincial income taxes * Income after taxes, employment insurance and Canada Pension Plan Discretionary Income is Disposable Income after deductions for basic necessities such as food, clothing, shelter, transportation, healthcare, personal care, etc. Life-Cycle State – people change the goods and services they buy over their lifetimes. Buying is also shaped by the stage of the family life cycle-the stages through which families might pass as they mature over time. Marketers often define their target markets in terms of life-cycle stage and develop appropriate products and marketing plans. Described in the following graph, on average, real disposable income has grown at a very slow rate of 0.05% from 1980 to 1998. This varies from 0.32% for a family of 2 parents with children, 0.14% for economic families of 2 persons or more, 0.09% for elderly families to 0.31% for lone parent families. These figures have improved over the last 3 years. In 2000, real disposable income per capita grew 2.7%, its strongest growth rate in over a decade. The above chart shows the percentage change in inflation-adjusted incomes of families with children for the lowest 5th of families to those in the top 5th of family incomes from the late 1970s to 1997. It can be seen that for the lowest 5th of families real incomes fell 21% during past 2 decades, while incomes for the highest 5th increased 30%. That’s quite a swing. Further, the chart shows for the middle 5th of family incomes their current inflation-adjusted income is about 3% less than 2 decades ago. That’s pure and simple. No wonder family saving fell while household debt ratios soared. Look again at this chart. The top family earners increased income 30% above inflation in those 2 decades. But, if recognize that 30% real income growth over 2 decades is but 1.16% average per year compounded above inflation, its not that great, especially compared to all average family incomes increasing at an annual rate of 3-4% above inflation prior to 1970, most with one wage-earner per family. In other words, this chart suggested that the top family earners since the 1970s made out worse than did all average family incomes prior to 1970. Of course the poorest 5th saw their real family income drop 21% past 21 years or about 1.12% per year below inflation rates. This shows how dramatic long-term implications can be, just 2% per year separating top and lower earners – and how much poorer is total family income performance now compared to before. The marketers can use these statistics to estimate the future trend of people buying behavior. In order to develop new technologies or sell strategies, these statistics would help marketer to decide what they have to change to gain more profits.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Addiction of A Legend essays

Addiction of A Legend essays Being famous and living the glamour life isnt always what it seems to be. On camera actors look happy, but deep down inside they are starving to live and be a regular people. Actors cant be normal people because the public imposes its own preconceived notions of how entertainers should be. In the late 1930s, through present day, movie actors, particularly women, and popular singers, were forced to have the ideal look of the time period. Show business is a very competitive career to be involved in. If actors are not what the public demands of them, they can be replaced quickly. Due to the pressures and demands of the movie industry in the 1930s-1960s, many actresses, such as Judy Garland, were forced to be the stereotypical thin girl in order to keep doing what she loved, acting. The burden to be perfect that was put on Judy Garland, which slowly led her down a path of drugs, and gradually led to her downfall. Frances Gumm was born to a family of vaudeville performers in Grand Rapids, Minnesota on June 10,1922. She was brought into the world of acting at an early age. Her first ever performance was on December 26, 1924. She sang Jingle Bells during her parents Christmas show at their Grand Rapids Theater. (Teachout, 50) She joined the The Gumm Sisters Kiddie Act, at age three with her two older sisters. The three continued to appear at theaters and social functions around the Grand Rapids area until their move to Lancaster, California. When they moved, Judys father bought a local theater, and immediately enrolled his daughters in dancing and acting lessons at schools in Los Angeles. Their mother was their manager, and booked many events for the girls where they began to develop a fan population. The Gumm sisters appeared in a few small works such as, The Starlet Revue (in 1929), A Holiday in Storyland, The Wedding of Jack and Jill, and Bubbles. When the sisters traveled with their ...

Monday, October 21, 2019

The Brain of an athlete essays

The Brain of an athlete essays What is the brain? How does the athletes brain develop and achieve with precision the complex connections and interactions needed to perform? How does the brain adapt itself to such demands? From the cell to the performance, what have researchers discovered? How does belief, self-talk act as performance enhancement in the intrecate brain chemistry? As a young athlete, I daily live this complex workout of my brain with my body. This is why I want to share what I have learned and discovered about it. The brain and the nervous system are the most important and complex parts of the human body. We cannot live without them. Their job is to regulate the internal bodily functions and coordinate the responses to the outside world. The brain makes us think. It is also a little journal that keeps memories and makes us experience emotions like fear, laughter and so on. The nervous system contains nerve cells, or neurons (about 100 billion neurons), that coordinate the action that a person makes. The nervous system also does involuntary functions such as regulation of breathing and heart rate. All cells pass information form one part of the human body to another. The brain has two hemispheres, the left and the right. For most of us, our ego resides in the left hemisphere of the brain, which controls the right side of the body and the right hand. The side of the brain uses a sequential way of thinking. It controls reading, writing, and arithmetic forms of intellect. It thinks in yes/no, on/off like digital computer. The left hemisphere tends to divide everything into two categories, black and white, good and evil, but nothing between. The right hemisphere is oriented to spatial, artistic kinds of intelligence. The intricate coordination of many areas of the brain plays a key role in the balance and muscle coordination. Harmony in movement comes from the lesser brain for its cortex and ...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Adjudication, the legal process of resolving a dispute

The formal giving or pronouncing of a judgment or decree in a court proceeding; also the judgment or decision was given. The entry of a decree by a court in respect to the parties in a case. It implies a hearing by a court, after notice, of legal evidence on the factual issue(s) involved. The equivalent of a determination. It indicates that the claims of all the parties thereto have been considered and set at rest.Three types of disputes are resolved through adjudication: disputes between private parties, such as individuals or corporations; disputes between private parties and public officials; and disputes between public officials or public bodies. The requirements of full adjudication include notice to all interested parties (all parties with a legal interest in, or legal right affected by, the dispute) and an opportunity for all parties to present evidence and arguments. The adjudicative process is governed by formal rules of evidence and procedure. Its objective is to reach a reasonable settlement of the controversy at hand. A decision is rendered by an impartial, passive fact finder, usually a judge, jury, or administrative tribunal. The adjudication of a controversy involves the performance of several tasks. The trier must establish the facts in controversy, and define and interpret the applicable law, or, if no relevant law exists, fashion a new law to apply to the situation. Complex evidentiary rules limit the presentation of proofs, and the Anglo-American tradition of Stare Decisis, or following precedents, controls the outcome. However, the process of applying established rules of law is neither simple nor automatic. Judges have considerable latitude in interpreting the statutes or case law upon which they base their decisions.A hearing in which the parties are given an opportunity to present their evidence and arguments is essential to an adjudication. The Anglo-American law presumes that the parties to the dispute are in the best position to know the facts of their particular situations and develop their own proofs. If the hearing is before a court, formal rules of procedure and evidence govern; a hearing before an Administrative Agency is generally less structured.Following the hearing, the decision maker is expected to deliver a reasoned opinion. This opinion is the basis for review if the decision is appealed to a higher tribunal (a court of appeals). It also helps ensure that decisions are not reached arbitrarily. Finally, a well-reasoned opinion forces the judge to carefully think through his or her decision in order to be able to explain the process followed in reaching it. Adjudication of a controversy generally ensures a fair and equitable outcome. Because courts are governed by evidentiary and procedural rules, as well as by stare decisis, the adjudicative process assures litigants of some degree of efficiency, uniformity, and predictability of result.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Using adsorbing process to capture CO2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Using adsorbing process to capture CO2 - Essay Example International and domestic policies and legislation require industrial plants with significant CO2 emissions to install carbon capture and storage technologies to immobilize carbon dioxide from the input and output/flue gases (International Atomic Energy Agency, 2008). Carbon dioxide can be captured before and after the combustion of the fossil fuels. The first step is to separate CO2 from the other gases in the mixture (called flue gases) using several techniques (Figure 1). The basis of the techniques is to trap or immobilize carbon dioxide on special surfaces or by dissolution in special solvents. The immobilized CO2 is then concentrated and/or contained, followed by transport through pipelines to storage facilities, mostly deep geologic formations (Metz, Davidson, de Coninck, Loos, & Meyer, 2007). In fossil fuel plants, the most common technique used is the absorption of carbon dioxide using chemical and physical means. Other methods are adsorption on solid surfaces, use of low temperatures (cryogenics), membranes and microbial systems. Adsorption is gaining users as new innovations become available. In industrial plants, adsorption is commonly used to remove impurities from gas mixture streams as in hydrogen-rich gases resulting from gasification and steam reforming during ammonia synthesis (John Mathey Catalysts, 2010). In the adsorption process, the gas mixture is introduced or passed through a bed of solids that selectively adsorbs CO2, allowing the other gases to just pass through. When the adsorbent bed is fully saturated with CO2, the feed gas is redirected to a clean adsorption bed, while the loaded bed is regenerated to remove the CO2. This is the basic adsorption process. After the adsorbing process, the adsorbed compounds should undergo desorption, or the process of removing the compounds from the adsorbing surface. The process of desorption should also regenerate the adsorbent material. For regeneration of the

Friday, October 18, 2019

Life Insurance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Life Insurance - Essay Example The amount that one receives upon the event of death is pre-fixed as it is the sum assured of the life insurance policy. To get the benefit of the life insurance scheme, the policy holder (generally the assured) has to pay certain sum to the insuring company, known as premium. Traditionally, the life insurance policies used to be of two main types namely term policy and endowment policy but now at the face of the increased competition, leading insurers have come up with more customised policies (like retirement pans, children education plans, investment plans, etc) to benefit the insured. While deciding the amount of sum assured, a person should keep several factors in mind. Firstly, he should calculate the amount that would be required by his heirs or the family to maintain the same standard of living that they presently have. Also, the payment of premium of life insurance helps in savings of one’s tax. But again, the sum assured and the sum of premium also depend on the age of the insured, place where they live among other factors. If the person (assuming he is the primary bread-earner) is around 35 years of age, a sum assured of US $ 100,000 would suffice the need. The husband can take such policy which can even act as his retirement planning. But again, the amount of sum assured would depend on the income that the person earns. The policy upon the lady of the family can bear the sum assured of at least US $ 75,000 (assuming her age to be above 30 and below 35). The child if aged around 8-10 can also have a policy. The policy of the child should be basicall y for the educational purposes and in addition of covering the life, the policy should get matured in such time, which would cater to the expenses of higher education for the child. It can also be in the range of US $ 100,000. It can be assessed from the above

Retailing and Wholesaling - Marketing assignment Essay

Retailing and Wholesaling - Marketing assignment - Essay Example A wholesaler is a crucial part of the distribution channel for many products particularly consumer goods and business supplies. Wholesaling intermediaries may be classified on the basis of ownership; some are owned by manufacturers, some are owned by retailers, and others are independently owned. In some instances, some wholesalers sell directly to the consumers especially when the consumer wants to buy a certain product or products in bulk. Wholesalers frequently resale both new and used goods to retailers and other wholesalers and may at times act as a broker in buying or selling products to such people. In most cases, wholesalers physically assemble products, break the bulk products acquired from manufacturers, sort and grade them, and finally repackage them in smaller quantities to be redistributed to retailers. They are involved in the transportation of goods from the place of manufacture to their warehouses from where they can be redistributed to retailers. Since the wholesaler is closer to the manufacturer, they are often responsible for giving out more information to their customers (retailers) about the products which they are selling them. Furthermore, if a product is found to be faulty, then the retailer will take that product back to the wholesaler either for it to be fixed or for it to be replaced. Since most retailers cannot afford to buy directly from the manufacturer in bulk, the wholesaler takes this responsibility and bears the risk of buying in bulk for redistribution in smaller quantities. Cant, M (3) says that a retailer may be seen as a business that focuses its marketing efforts on the final consumers with the intention of selling goods and services to them and this means that any business that sells a product or service to a final consumer, whether it is to a consumer in a shop, by mail, over the phone, door to door, or by means of a vending machine is

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Effects of Discrimination and Reverse Discrimination in United States Research Paper

Effects of Discrimination and Reverse Discrimination in United States Politics - Research Paper Example During a recent address to Congress, a Republican Representative Joe Wilson (South Carolina) shouted â€Å"you lie!† at the President when he said that undocumented workers would not receive free healthcare as part of the Administration’s healthcare overhaul. This sort of behavior is unheard of during a Presidential address to Congress and the ramifications for this Representative should have been scathing. Oddly enough, they were not. CNN reports that within 24 hours, Joe Wilson had received more than $200,000 in political donations. Seeking to address the incredible amount of disrespect Barack Obama, the first African-American President of the United States, has to face now, as well as had to face while campaigning in the primaries, former President Jimmy Carter labeled the almost daily assault on President Obama as â€Å"racist†. Is racism alive and well in US politics? If so, what are the effects of discrimination and reverse discrimination on politics in thi s country? Seeking to address these questions and many more, the following will explore discrimination in politics in this country. We now turn to a thorough yet concise overview of what is meant by discrimination and reverse discrimination (CNN, 2009; BBC, 2009). Discrimination in politics is unfortunately much more prevalent than most people think. This form of discrimination means that certain groups of individuals face barriers, both hidden and overt, to their active participation and inclusion in the political theatre. Insidious yet pervasive, discrimination affects all types of people but is particularly harmful to certain group of individuals. Accordingly, people of color, women and people with disabilities face a variety of impediments to their full participation in society. With respect to employment discrimination, affirmative action has been implemented in the United States to

ROLE AND CHALLENGES OF ERP(ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING) IN SUPPLY Dissertation

ROLE AND CHALLENGES OF ERP(ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING) IN SUPPLY CHAIN SECTOR IN FMCG(FAST MOVING CONSUMER GOODS) INDUSTRY IN - Dissertation Example The performance of the supply chain provides an edge to the company over its competitors. It can be well understood that when a country has such massive establishment of FMCG industry, then supply chain would be surely playing an important role in this sector. Keeping in mind the significance of supply chain in FMCG sector in India and the increasing use of technology in the retail and FMCG sector, this study aims to thoroughly analyze the significance and challenges of implementing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) in the supply chain of the FMCG sector of Lucknow, India. The issues which the supply chain companies face due to incorrect ERP implementation or inadequate training would also be discussed. Further, instances of breakdown of the supply chain services in the FMCG sector due to ERP problems would also be discussed. Secondary research was conducted and the literature available on the subject was studied to discuss the significance of ERP in the supply chain. The role of IT integrated supply chain in companies like ITC, HUL, Dabur, and Nestle have identified. It was found that ERP integration has streamlined the information flow and has assisted in smooth flow of goods and services. The respondents considered to conduct the study confirmed the fact that all the four FMCG companies have excellent IT integrated framework and they are quite satisfied with its performance. Table of Contents Abstract 2 CHAPTER I – INTRODUCTION 8 1.1 FMCG Industry in India 8 1.2 India Competitiveness and Comparison with the World Markets 9 1.3 SWOT Analysis of the FMCG Industry in India 11 1.4 Supply Chain in FMCG Sector 13 1.5 ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) in Supply Chain 14 1.6 Outline of the Study 15 1.7 Research Objectives 16 1.8 Problem Statement 17 1.9 Research Question 17 CHAPTER II – LITERATURE REVIEW 17 2.1 Supply Chain Sector in India 17 2.2 Role of Supply Chain in the FMCG Sector of India 21 2.3 Usage of Technology in the Supply Chain Segment 2 4 2.4 Penetration of Technology in the FMCG Sector of India 27 2.5 Significance of EPR in Supply Chain Management 31 2.6 Implementation of ERP for Supply Chain Management in FMCG Sector 34 2.7 Challenges in the Implementation and Usage of ERP 37 2.9 ERP in Few Major FMCG Companies in Lucknow, India 39 2.9.1 Indian Tobacco Company (ITC) 40 2.9.2 Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) 42 2.9.3 NESTLE India 45 2.9.4 DABUR India Ltd. 47 CHAPTER III – RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 49 3.1 Introduction 49 3.2 Justification for Methodology 50 3.2.1 Qualitative Methodology 51 3.2.2 Case Study Research 52 3.2 Data Collection Instrument 53 3.2.1 Construct Validity 53 3.2.2 Internal Validity 54 3.2.3 External Validity 54 3.2.4 Reliability 55 3.3 Questionnaire Survey 55 3.4 Sources of Data 56 3.5 Administration of Procedure 57 3.6 Ethical Considerations 57 CHAPTER IV –FINDINGS AND DATA ANALYSIS 58 4.1Findings 58 CHAPTER V – CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 71 5.1 Conclusion 71 IT integrated s upply chain is the most significant component of the firm’s infrastructure. The FMCG companies in India are utilizing the boom and development of technology in the country to the fullest. India is a vast country with increasing population. Though it is considered to be a marketer’s paradise, but on the other hand managing physical logistics system is really troublesome because of various barriers. In order to avoid these barriers FMCG companies ha

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Interracial Marriage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Interracial Marriage - Essay Example As such, religiously, some groups approve of interracial marriages, where they concern themselves with acceptance and their conception of divinity and spiritual leaders. In reference to this issue of religion, certain groups encourage interracial marriages as they are viewed as propagation of the world’s population, which can be found in the bible (Christian Answers, n.d.). Other religions, however, are against these marriages as they are viewed to be in contradiction of the pure religious bred of believers or of a spiritual group. This is because the group is fully dedicated to purity and restricts its members to people of a certain color only, thus seeing excommunicating people who breach their regulations. In relation to the overall benefits and disadvantages of interracial marriages, a lot can be said, or even deduced, where these two aspects of interracial marriages cover a large scope. Following the merits, interracial marriages see personal growth in both parties involved and even their close associates, as it offers a unique environment. In this environment, one gets to comprehend the challenges that a spouse faces in an attempt to fit into a new culture, and due to racial differences (Landry, 2009). This is in relation to feeling left out, which allows spouses to develop a new level of racial empathy and acceptance, as well as identity for difficult situations. Consequently, spouses also learn the concept of dispelling stereotypes against the other race as one gets to know the spouse. This can be seen in cases where there are misconceptions about other races, and these can easily be eradicated by interracial marriages as they give room for interaction. This also means that inter racial marriages create a crucial opportunity to end social segregation as all parties and their misconception of one another can be dispelled, and acceptance

ROLE AND CHALLENGES OF ERP(ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING) IN SUPPLY Dissertation

ROLE AND CHALLENGES OF ERP(ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING) IN SUPPLY CHAIN SECTOR IN FMCG(FAST MOVING CONSUMER GOODS) INDUSTRY IN - Dissertation Example The performance of the supply chain provides an edge to the company over its competitors. It can be well understood that when a country has such massive establishment of FMCG industry, then supply chain would be surely playing an important role in this sector. Keeping in mind the significance of supply chain in FMCG sector in India and the increasing use of technology in the retail and FMCG sector, this study aims to thoroughly analyze the significance and challenges of implementing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) in the supply chain of the FMCG sector of Lucknow, India. The issues which the supply chain companies face due to incorrect ERP implementation or inadequate training would also be discussed. Further, instances of breakdown of the supply chain services in the FMCG sector due to ERP problems would also be discussed. Secondary research was conducted and the literature available on the subject was studied to discuss the significance of ERP in the supply chain. The role of IT integrated supply chain in companies like ITC, HUL, Dabur, and Nestle have identified. It was found that ERP integration has streamlined the information flow and has assisted in smooth flow of goods and services. The respondents considered to conduct the study confirmed the fact that all the four FMCG companies have excellent IT integrated framework and they are quite satisfied with its performance. Table of Contents Abstract 2 CHAPTER I – INTRODUCTION 8 1.1 FMCG Industry in India 8 1.2 India Competitiveness and Comparison with the World Markets 9 1.3 SWOT Analysis of the FMCG Industry in India 11 1.4 Supply Chain in FMCG Sector 13 1.5 ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) in Supply Chain 14 1.6 Outline of the Study 15 1.7 Research Objectives 16 1.8 Problem Statement 17 1.9 Research Question 17 CHAPTER II – LITERATURE REVIEW 17 2.1 Supply Chain Sector in India 17 2.2 Role of Supply Chain in the FMCG Sector of India 21 2.3 Usage of Technology in the Supply Chain Segment 2 4 2.4 Penetration of Technology in the FMCG Sector of India 27 2.5 Significance of EPR in Supply Chain Management 31 2.6 Implementation of ERP for Supply Chain Management in FMCG Sector 34 2.7 Challenges in the Implementation and Usage of ERP 37 2.9 ERP in Few Major FMCG Companies in Lucknow, India 39 2.9.1 Indian Tobacco Company (ITC) 40 2.9.2 Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) 42 2.9.3 NESTLE India 45 2.9.4 DABUR India Ltd. 47 CHAPTER III – RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 49 3.1 Introduction 49 3.2 Justification for Methodology 50 3.2.1 Qualitative Methodology 51 3.2.2 Case Study Research 52 3.2 Data Collection Instrument 53 3.2.1 Construct Validity 53 3.2.2 Internal Validity 54 3.2.3 External Validity 54 3.2.4 Reliability 55 3.3 Questionnaire Survey 55 3.4 Sources of Data 56 3.5 Administration of Procedure 57 3.6 Ethical Considerations 57 CHAPTER IV –FINDINGS AND DATA ANALYSIS 58 4.1Findings 58 CHAPTER V – CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 71 5.1 Conclusion 71 IT integrated s upply chain is the most significant component of the firm’s infrastructure. The FMCG companies in India are utilizing the boom and development of technology in the country to the fullest. India is a vast country with increasing population. Though it is considered to be a marketer’s paradise, but on the other hand managing physical logistics system is really troublesome because of various barriers. In order to avoid these barriers FMCG companies ha

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Use of water from underground Essay Example for Free

Use of water from underground Essay Water from underground sources has been exploited for many years to be used in homes, for livestock as well as irrigation. As Howsam (2007) clearly explains, though, the exact way of how water occur underground may not be well understood by the people using the water, successful abstraction methods has been used to abstract water from various sources and under varying conditions. However, there is need to treat and assess the quality of the ground water before using the water. Generally, the method of treatment will highly depend on the source and the properties of abstracted water. Consequently, for water abstracted from upland reservoir in an area of a sheep farming area which is known to be soft and to have unacceptable taste and colour with a pH of 5. 5, its treatment strategies will differ from that from a network of pumped wells delivering anaerobic groundwater from a chalk aquifer. This paper thus aims at comparing and contrasting the various treatment strategies that could be used. Quality tests recommended Turbidity measure: Turbidity of water involves measuring the amount of light that could pass through water; this will indicate how â€Å"cloudy† that sample of water is. Turbidity results from particles that are suspended in water being assessed and it is a crucial control measure of how water disinfection has performed. Water turbidity measurement occurs at two varied points; at the treatment plant and at the consumer taps. Chemical quality water assessment The regulations set by the water Quality of 2000 outlines all the minimum tests that are needed for each chemical as well as physical parameter. The parameters that are measured include but are not limited to: colour, odour, taste, ammonium level, aluminium level, iron, manganese, sodium among other chemical properties. An critical aspect in quality assurance of water when using chemical in water treatment is make sure that the used chemicals are those that are specified and does not harm consumers or change the properties of water. Treating water form upland reservoir Tastes and odours In water from the ground like from sheep reservoir, the taste and the odors come from the hydrogen sulphide and other organic substances together with dissolved minerals such as manganese, iron, zinc and copper. Even though these substances are usually not dangerous in amounts normally found in the many of the groundwater, the presence of these substances could result in consumers refusing such water. Thus, such water has to be treated. Adjustment of PH Adjusting the pH is very important in water treatment especially that those meant for drinking. The removal of coagulation, corrosion and controlling softening all are aspects that assist in adjustment of pH. Stabilizers Waters from the reservoir that is considered to be soft could be hardened slightly through use of cation resin exchange. To improve the level of â€Å"softness† in the water, calcium magnesium is added to the water to give the water the right texture Adsorption This is a treatment strategy that involves physical process that happens when liquids are suspended or dissolved in a matter so that the particles in that water could be adsorbed in an adsorbent medium. In most cases carbon filters are used as adsorbent medium Pumped wells delivering anaerobic groundwater from a chalk aquifer Ultraviolet treatment This water treatment method uses ultraviolet light in order to disinfect water. That is to decrease the amount of bacterial that is found in the water. Removal of algae The bad taste could be due to toxic or because of odorous algal blooms that could be present in the reservoirs. In many cases, copper sulphate. However, before using chemical treatment, the possible impacts on water reservoir biota (Faust and Aly, 1998). The build-up of chemicals used in water treatment such as copper could have a negative impact on the downstream treatment. More so, the quality of water treated has to taken into consideration. Coagulation and flocculation The main application of coagulant as well as flocculant chemicals is removing the suspended and also the colloidal solids like clays. In particular, coagulate are significant in treating surface waters. The elimination of the solids is attained through aggregating small suspended substances into big flocs. The coagulant as well as the flocculant chemicals at the same time is able to eliminate various organic substances, color and other micro-organisms like bacteria, algae and viruses. The amount and strength of the formed floc is able to be controlled and managed according to the treatment method used. Sedimentation or filtration could be used to remove the floc. Disinfection Generally, disinfection of water is used alone or as the last step in treatment of water subsequent to either clarification or filtration. In many cases, disinfection is mainly applied to prevent bacterial, viruses or any other protozoa that could get into the distribution system. Generally, chemicals that are used to disinfect drinking water are strong oxidants like chlorine, ozone as well as hydrogen peroxide. However, the effectiveness of disinfection mostly depends on the sources of water that is being treated. In addition, the effectiveness of disinfection also could be affected by the turbidity of the water, pH and the organic substances. The objective of water treatment processes applied before disinfection ought to result in water that has the lowest level of turbidity and organic substances. Too much particulate substances in water could result in protection of micro-organisms against the disinfection chemicals. Conclusion However, as Howsam (2007) states, all chemicals that are used in water treatment whether in chalk or reservoir, ought to be assessed for possible contaminants and restrictions ought to be known. Generally the main aspect of carrying out water treatment is to ensure that the quality of the water is right and does not adversely impact the consumers. Water treatment chemicals are mainly used in treating water to essentially reduce or remove the cases of waterborne disease, public heath issues, and also to improve the taste and quality of that water. However, as American Water Works Association (1997) notes any chemical that is used in treatment of water has to be effective, to produce the desired wishes, should not present any public health worry and ought not to result in any chemical or contaminants that exceed drinking water stipulated values. Reference: AWWA (American Water Works Association) (1997): and ASCE (American Association of Civil Engineers): Water Treatment Plant Design, 3rd edition. McGraw-Hill Professional, USA Faust, S and Aly O (1998): Chemistry of Water Treatment, 2nd edition. Ann Arbor Press, Michigan Howsam, P (2007): Bio fouling in Wells and Aquifers: Water and Environment Journal Volume 2 Issue 2, Pages 209 215 (Available online). Letterman R (2002) 🙠 Ed). Water Quality and Treatment: A Handbook of Community Water Supplies, American Water Works Association, 5th edition. McGraw-Hill Professional, New York

Monday, October 14, 2019

Critical Reading Of James Joyce Ulysses English Literature Essay

Critical Reading Of James Joyce Ulysses English Literature Essay James Joyces Ulysses, is generally regarded as a modernist novel. At the time when Joyce was: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦writing Ulysses he had set himself the task of writing a book from eighteen different points of view and in as many styles  [1]  . Historically, modernism is frequently linked with the rise of industrialization. The basic conflict was that modern life was different than the life of the past. Peoples lives had become increasingly complex at the time, and they were forced to play a number of different societal roles, the result was that life came to be fragmented and disjointed. In the modern world, language was being stressed upon as people tried to identify with one another. This essay will determine the modernistic ideas that James Joyces Ulysses presents, and the relation of it with Homers Odyssey. The essay will focus on the literary devices Joyce uses in his writing, and the effect of them on the readers and characters within the stories. In Ulysses, Leopold Bloom corresponds to Odysseus, however it is not easy to just read the story as a re make of the Odyssey as Leopold Bloom also corresponds to Leopold Bloom. Ulysses is in fact a particularly realistic novel, and Joyce makes sure he does not let the storyline be forced upon by allegory. Joyce turns a normal day in a mans life into a heroic tale by opening and analyzing his inner thoughts in depth. He attempts to bring in the motion of the story beginning with the sphere of conflict, and swiftly moving to the sphere of the mentality. There are many differences than similarities in the two stories of Ulysses and The Odyssey. While Odysseus goes from place to place, Joyce goes from style to style  [2]  . In many ways, Telemachus is simply a less formed version of Odysseus. He is shown to be a tad misogynist, while Odysseus is in many ways more womanly. He possesses several traits which only Homers female characters share, and he identifies with women in a way that no one else can, mainly with Penelope. In the Odyssey, Telemachus, the son of the hero Odysseus, grows up in a world of greed and disregard; he is one of the most significant characters throughout the whole story. During Telemachus journey to search for the news of his father, he is shown going through the development of growing up as an adult. From the start of the text he is conveyed as a simple silhouette of his father, however towards the end he is shown to become more like his father in terms of compassion and initiative. Although he comes into his adolescence at the beginning of the book, growing up without a father still makes Telmachus to some extent wretched without initiative. Telemachus was evidently younger than Odysseus, and he had less patience. Odysseus however, being older, had a more knowledgeable outlook to most things therefore he knew he had time. Telemachus is the first to attack without a thought, whereas Odysseus thought hard through his attack, and was better at protecting himself. There are many similarities and differences between both characters. Ulysses is a book in which countless characters are brought out and developed through a number of disparate ways. The most momentous development that occurs in the story is the development of Telemachus. Joyce illustrates his character as an incredibly complex person, and continues to develop his personality from beginning to end int he story.  At the start of the text he is shown to be a mere shadow of his father whereas towards the end he is considered just as audacious as his father use to be. Many factors influence Telemachus as he grows into a man, his name signifies far from battle,  this name in many ways can be seen and revealed to be ironic in the book as T elemachus ends by taking part in two battles. Not having any fatherly figure in his life as a child persistently affects Telemachus character in the book.   He develops into an apprehensive, withdrawn and weak individual who is to the uppermost scale spoiled by his one and only mother.   A number of literary techniques are evidently used in Telemachus. It is shown to be a journey of manhood, which through the use of a various number of literal devices transmits the significance of a respective society. The story is a narrative poem which presents us the readers with a traditional journey that the character undergoes. Joyce uses the method of using the flashback technique in order to portray readers when there is a change in the setting or when there is a change in the time frame. This technique is widely used by authors in modern day society to illustrate a surprising yet easier to understand storyline. The imperative change on the chain of events that takes place in the text adds to the complexity of the story. When this method is used it gives us the readers the power of time travel, allowing us to view events out of their given time structure. Flashbacks in many ways can help to make the story more interesting and help draw the reader in. They are normally used to give us the readers a better view and understanding of the overall story. Important information about the protagonists and elements of the story are revealed to the reader through the use of flashbacks. Homer makes use of this device in The Odyssey when King Nestor repeats the story of the Trojan War. This flashback in particular allows readers to grasp and identify with the character of Odysseus. This method is also used to tell the story of Odysseuss adventures as he fought his way home through a various number obstacles. The structure of the story is a narrative poem; it presents the storyline in a style which proves to be very flexible. This type of literary constitution allows for a difficult or even a straight forward poem to be either long or short. Narrative poems are normally passed down to the next generation by the continuous retelling of stories. Children in todays society grow up hearing different stories as a tradition; they then pass those stories down to their own children. Joyce presents his, stylistic diversityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦towards the truthful depiction of reality  [3]  . The Odyssey on the other hand, is a story in structure of a classical journey, the male protagonist in the story is shown to be on a mission suffering from encounters with supernatural beings, consisting of monsters and gods. Repetition is also a technique which is used in Ulysses to emphasize the descriptions, dialogues, and verbal communications in the story. The fact that repetition is used allows the story to be much easier told. By only having one narrative in the story really cuts down on the amount of things that need to be remembered by the readers. It also provides itself as a benchmark style that helps the narrator act it out, or even improvise on the spot. The use of repetition helps add to the exhilarating effect of the story. Repeating certain things over and over again allows readers to be familiar with the repetition and what is going on. When this repetition is presented, our minds as the readers begin to wander leaving our thoughts and imaginations open for submission. The Odyssey is a text that makes use of similar passages; however the main repetition Homer uses is in the portrayals of the images presented in the text. For example, Pallas Athena is continuously referred to in relation t o her eyes. She is usually referred to as the beautiful eyed goddess. In this case reiteration is used in order to highlight a specific point that Homer tries to put across about her character. The Odyssey makes use of brutal imagery to convey the theme of reprisal. This staggering imagery in reality catches the readers interest and is a great means of expression for the theme of revenge. In conclusion Joyce uses different characters in order to bring out a more modernist meaning and feel to his story. It is clear to identify the differences and similarities both Ulysses and The Odyssey possess, Joyce tries to convey a new adaptation by altering and modifying his characters, whereas Homers Odyssey exists only in the past. Joyce evidently brings out a more modernistic experience and surrounding to the text in order to relate it to the modern world, this therefore allows readers to relate to it and allows it exist in a more contemporary world. The literary devices Joyce chooses to use create enigmatic and realistic settings to his story, he specifically uses for example techniques such as flashbacks, and repetition in order to bring across a captivating setting by leaving an attractive impression on the readers. Word: 1646

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Team Work Scenarios Essay -- Ethics Team Working Together Essays

Team Work Scenarios Learning Team Each team should respond in paragraph form to the questions that follow the scenarios presented below. Any disagreements or complications that occur within the team regarding the correct response should be noted in the Learning Team Reflection Worksheet for the week. SCENARIOS Duty-based (Deontological): 1. Donna was wrong for setting rules for the team without any input from Michael. He is not going to follow the rules if there was no buy-in on the rules. Donna and Michael should renegotiate the rules together and come up with a set of rules with which both are comfortable. If that doesn?t work, try to get another team member (or a member from another team) to mediate between the two. 2. Stephanie should not lie for her teammates. If ... Team Work Scenarios Essay -- Ethics Team Working Together Essays Team Work Scenarios Learning Team Each team should respond in paragraph form to the questions that follow the scenarios presented below. Any disagreements or complications that occur within the team regarding the correct response should be noted in the Learning Team Reflection Worksheet for the week. SCENARIOS Duty-based (Deontological): 1. Donna was wrong for setting rules for the team without any input from Michael. He is not going to follow the rules if there was no buy-in on the rules. Donna and Michael should renegotiate the rules together and come up with a set of rules with which both are comfortable. If that doesn?t work, try to get another team member (or a member from another team) to mediate between the two. 2. Stephanie should not lie for her teammates. If ...

Saturday, October 12, 2019

The Neurosurgeon :: Biology Science Medical Essays

The Neurosurgeon The temporal lobe comprises all the tissue that lies below the Sylvian fissure and anterior to the occipital and parietal cortex. The temporal regions can be divided on the lateral surface into those that are auditory (Brodmann’s area) and those that form the ventral visual stream on the lateral temporal lobe. The visual regions are referred to as either inferotemporal cortex or by von Bonin and Bailey’s designation, TE. The sulci of the temporal lobe contains most of the cortex. The superior temporal sulcus (STS) which separates the superior and middle temporal gyri can be divided into many sub regions. It receives input from auditory, visual, and somatic regions as well as the frontal and parietal regions and the paralimbic cortex. The medial temporal region includes the hippocampus (and surrounding cortex) and the fusiform gyrus. The posterior end of the temporal lobe is referred to as the parahippocampal cortex and includes areas known as TH and TF. The fusiform gyrus and interior temporal gyrus are part of the lateral temporal cortex. The uncus refers to the anterior extension of the hippocampus. The hippocampus, as well as the amygdala, are buried deep within the temporal lobe. The temporal lobes have many internal connections which project to the sensory systems, to the parietal and frontal regions, to the limbic system, and to the basal ganglia. The neocortex of the left and right lobes is connected to the archicortex. Studies have demonstrated four projection pathways of information in the temporal lobe which each form separate functions. First, auditory and visual information processes from the primary regions ending in the temporal pole form the ventral stream of visual processing. Its function is thought to be stimulus recognition. Second, auditory, visual, and somatic project into the superior temporal sulcus whose function is stimulus categorization. Third, auditory and visual information is projected to the medial temporal regions including the hippocampus (called the preforant pathway) and the amygdale. This pathway is crucial to long term memory. Fourth auditory and visual information goes to the area of the frontal lobe which is necessary for various aspects of movement, control, short term memory, and affect. The Neurosurgeon :: Biology Science Medical Essays The Neurosurgeon The temporal lobe comprises all the tissue that lies below the Sylvian fissure and anterior to the occipital and parietal cortex. The temporal regions can be divided on the lateral surface into those that are auditory (Brodmann’s area) and those that form the ventral visual stream on the lateral temporal lobe. The visual regions are referred to as either inferotemporal cortex or by von Bonin and Bailey’s designation, TE. The sulci of the temporal lobe contains most of the cortex. The superior temporal sulcus (STS) which separates the superior and middle temporal gyri can be divided into many sub regions. It receives input from auditory, visual, and somatic regions as well as the frontal and parietal regions and the paralimbic cortex. The medial temporal region includes the hippocampus (and surrounding cortex) and the fusiform gyrus. The posterior end of the temporal lobe is referred to as the parahippocampal cortex and includes areas known as TH and TF. The fusiform gyrus and interior temporal gyrus are part of the lateral temporal cortex. The uncus refers to the anterior extension of the hippocampus. The hippocampus, as well as the amygdala, are buried deep within the temporal lobe. The temporal lobes have many internal connections which project to the sensory systems, to the parietal and frontal regions, to the limbic system, and to the basal ganglia. The neocortex of the left and right lobes is connected to the archicortex. Studies have demonstrated four projection pathways of information in the temporal lobe which each form separate functions. First, auditory and visual information processes from the primary regions ending in the temporal pole form the ventral stream of visual processing. Its function is thought to be stimulus recognition. Second, auditory, visual, and somatic project into the superior temporal sulcus whose function is stimulus categorization. Third, auditory and visual information is projected to the medial temporal regions including the hippocampus (called the preforant pathway) and the amygdale. This pathway is crucial to long term memory. Fourth auditory and visual information goes to the area of the frontal lobe which is necessary for various aspects of movement, control, short term memory, and affect.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Critical Incident – Preconceived Ideas

No names are used in this writing to maintain patient confidentiality and conform to the data protection act 1998Critical incidents originated in the United States, Colonel John C Flannagan was a psychologist who worked closely with the Air Force and their procedures for reporting evidence concerning effective or ineffective behaviour within different situations (Ghaye 2006:64-65). Tripp (1993: 24-25) claims that â€Å"critical incidents appear to be ‘typical’ rather than critical at first sight, but are rendered critical through analysis†.Critical incidents can be either positive or negative; They â€Å"are usually experiences that make you consider the events that have happened to try to give them some sort of meaning† (Hannigan, 2001). Using a critical incident as a way of reflecting helps individuals identify practice that has been helpful or unhelpful in a situation. The value of a critical incident can differ from person to person; it is usually a per sonal experience with meaning to an individual, however critical incidents can be useful for a range of people for example, students, lecturers, service users and the general public.They give an insight into the feelings of the person writing and are often relatable to others. In appendix 1 I have described my critical incident. Following this I will explain the importance of a critical incident and the effect on practice, in particular how it has influenced my practice as a student nurse. This experience has greatly influenced my training in a number of ways. As a student nurse I believe it is hard to avoid having a preconceived judgement of a patient.After receiving a brief description of the patient’s diagnosis from my mentor, I believed this patient would possibly be frail and sedentary, laid in bed with a poor quality of life. However what I was greeted with was the total opposite. This is affected by the patient’s own judgement of her illness, often receiving a p rognosis such as this prompts a dramatic change in the patient’s lifestyle. It can be argued that this is the hardest part in ‘accepting’ a diagnosis is the need to change. ‘In accessing readiness to change, we need to look at the individual’s state’ (Broome 1998:31).If a particular patient is not ready to adapt their lifestyle it can become difficult for them to come to terms with their diagnosis. Patients unable to come to terms with their diagnosis or patients finding their illness difficult after a period of time are likely to suffer from depression or anxiety (Reid, et al 2011). However upon visiting this patient it was clear to me that this patient was able to accept her diagnosis and had readily accepted the challenge to adapt her lifestyle. To me this seemed like a phenomenal act for her to achieve in such a short space of time following the diagnosis.Communication is a key aspect of any type of care, in particular terminal care as the patient in question is likely to feel scared and anxious about their prognosis. There are a number of different reasons for this;â€Å"Including diagnosis and treatment of their disease, long-term physiological alterations, fears of relapse and death, dependence on caregivers, survivor guilt and negative effects on families†. (Groenwald et al 1992: 580)Communication should be an equal conversation that allows both the nurse and patient to include what they need to say.For a nurse it is important to listen to a patient as developing a therapeutic relationship will often make the patient feel more open to discussion about their feelings and concerns. The therapeutic relationship facilitates the ability for a patient to achieve their desired state of maximum health (Brooker, and Waugh, 2007:236; Kozier, et al 2012:95-97) Patients should be able to â€Å"freely express their beliefs, values and concerns in a non-judgemental and supportive way† (Barker 2010:31).A therapeut ic relationship is essential in developing trust between a patient and nurse and is fundamental for care with service users such as my patient. A therapeutic relationship can be described as â€Å"one that allows for the meeting of nursing needs to the mutual satisfaction of a nurse and patient† (McQueen 2000:9). This should reduce anxiety and may allow the patient to feel more comfortable in addressing any concerns surrounding the prognosis. This incident has made me think about the barriers to communication and the effects they can have on other staff members, patients and their families. Understanding the potential problems allows us to better understand how something might be able to work more efficiently† (Ellis 2011:88). There are a number of barriers to communication for example; physical barriers such as a door being closed, perceptual barriers for example going into a conversation thinking that the person isn’t going to understand or be interested in wha t you are going to say. Emotions can also be barriers to communication as well as cultural, gender, interpersonal and intellectual (Kozier et al 2012:46).I believe my patient may have had emotional barriers to communication with the nurse and myself. She had already accepted her diagnosis and her decision not to converse with us about her condition may indicate that it was difficult for her to discuss it with others, despite being comfortable with it herself. The fact that the patient was comfortable with her illness made me think about the definition of health. My patient had said she felt healthy and therefore to her, despite having an illness, she didn’t consider herself as ‘unhealthy’.The World Health Organisation (WHO) describes the definition of health as â€Å"a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity† (WHO 1948; Kozier et al 2012:6) although this is the most commonly used definitio n for health, seeing this patient led me to review its significance. The patient I saw clearly didn’t view this definition to be the same as her meaning of health. Health differs for every individual, my patient felt well and therefore in her opinion she was healthy.It is understandable that she didn’t want to be continually reminded of her cancer, it was enough that her independence had been reduced due to the fact the nurses were coming into her home in the first place. My mentor and I decided to respect the patients wishes and allow her to come to us when she felt she would like to talk rather than forcing her to speak to us, we arranged to keep nurse interaction with this patient to a minimum so she could retain some ‘normality’ in her life. â€Å"Patients are made aware that they have the right to choose, accept or decline treatment and these decisions are respected and supported. (NICE Guidelines 2012) It was at this point I began to understand the value of concordance. McKinnon (2011:69) states â€Å"a partnership of equals on which care plan is negotiated†, concordance enables patients to not only make decisions about their care, but to work in parallel with the health care professionals towards a mutually agreed outcome. It could have been easy for my mentor to disregard the patient’s wishes and focus solely on her wound care and expect her to simply comply as the nurses are considered to be the experts, however her feelings were recognised and her autonomy wishes were responded to.My mentor displayed an excellent example of holistic care according to Linsley (2011:273), who states that nurses have to be aware of the social, environmental and psychological aspects of health and not just physical signs and symptoms of an illness. Before meeting this patient, I didn’t realise how daunting the experience of health care professionals can be, I had always wrongly presumed people would be happy to receive car e to make them feel better, however in this instance it has proved to me that not everyone has this view.It has enabled me to think about my role as a student nurse and it has made me reflect on so many different aspects of good nursing care, from communication and concordance to holistic care. Before my interaction with this patient, I didn’t understand just how important it was for patients to have their say. I couldn’t help but wonder if I had been the registered nurse in that situation, would I have been task orientated and wanted to get the job done rather than taking into consideration the patients wishes? As a first year student I am aware of my limitations and understand that I have a lot to learn.I thought about how I would feel if I was in the patient’s situation and of course I’d want to be involved in the decisions made concerning my care. The experience with this patient has enabled me to develop as a student nurse, and will inform my practic e throughout the whole of my career. Seeing first hand such a good example of concordance and holistic care from my mentor has given me a great platform to base my learning experiences on. References Barker, J (2010) Evidence-Based Practice for Nurses. London: Sage Publications Ltd. Berman, A. Erb, G. Harvey, S. Kozier, B.Morgan-Samuel, H. and Snyder, S (2012) Fundamentals of Nursing: Concepts, process and practice. Harlow: Pearson. Broome, A. (1998) Managing Change. Hampshire: Macmillan Press Ltd. Ellis, P. (2010) Evidence-based practice In Nursing. Exeter: Learning Matters Ltd. Ghaye, T. and Lillyman, S. (2006). Learning journals and Critical Incidents. 2nd ed. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan. Groenwald, S. Goodman, M. Hansen Frogge, M. and Henke Yarbro, C (eds. ) (1992) Comprehensive Cancer Nursing Review. Sudbury: Jones and Bartlet publishers Inc. Linsley, P. Kane, R. and Owen, S. eds) Nursing for Public Health: Promotion, Principles, and Practice, Oxford: University Press. McKinn on, J. (2011) ‘The nurse-patient relationship' in Linsley, P. Kane, R. and Owen, S. (eds) Nursing for Public Health: Promotion, Principles, and Practice, Oxford: University Press, pp. 64-74. McQueen A. (2000). Nurse-patient relationship and partnership in hospital care. Journal of Clinical Nursing. 9 (5): 723-731. Reid, A. Ercolano, E. Schwartz, P. and McCorkle, R (2011) ‘The Management of Anxiety and Knowledge of Serum CA-125 After an Ovarian Cancer Diagnosis. ‘Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing’ 15 (6), [online], Available from: http://web. ebscohost. com. proxy. library. lincoln. ac. uk/ehost/detail? sid=7e50352a-778c-4db4-be37-388bb618120d%40sessionmgr114&vid=1&hid=103&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=c8h&AN=2011371794 [Accessed: 26th February 2013]. Tripp, D. (1993) Critical Incidents in Teaching, Developing Professional Judgement. Routledge: London. NICE Guidelines (2012) Supporting patient choice [online] National Health Service online. Availab le from http://www. nice. org. k/guidance/qualitystandards/patientexperience/SupportingPatientChoice. jsp [accessed 3rd February 2013]. Nursing Times (2004) Reflective thinking: turning a critical incident into a topic for research [online] London, Nursing Times online. Available from: http://www. nursingtimes. net/reflective-thinking-turning-a-critical-incident-into-a-topic-for-research/200145. article [Accessed 3rd february 2013]. World Health Organisation (1948) World Health Organisation Definition of Health [online] New York, World Health Organisation Online. Available from: http://www. ho. int/about/definition/en/print. html [Accessed 1st March 2013]. Bibliography Barker, J (2010) Evidence-Based Practice for Nurses. London. Sage Publications Ltd. Barrat, D, Wilson B, and Woollands, A (2012) Care planning A guide for nurses. Second edition. Harlow. Pearson Education Ltd. Benner, P. (1984) From Novice to Expert, Excellence and Power in Clinical Nursing Practice. Menlo Park Addiso n Wesley. Berman, A. Erb, G. Harvey, S. Kozier, B. Morgan-Samuel, H. and Snyder, S (2012) Fundamentals of Nursing: Concepts, process and practice. Harlow: Pearson.Brooker, C. and Waugh, A. (eds. ) (2007) Nursing Practice: Fundamentals of Holistic Care. Philadelphia: Elsevier. Broome, A. (1998) Managing Change. Hampshire: Macmillan Press Ltd. Ellis, P. (2010) Evidence-based practice In Nursing. Exeter: Learning Matters Ltd. Ghaye, T and Lillyman, S. (2006). Learning journals and Critical Incidents. 2nd ed. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan. Groenwald, S. Goodman, M. Hansen Frogge, M. and Henke Yarbro, C (eds. ) (1992) Comprehensive Cancer Nursing Review. Sudbury: Jones and Bartlet publishers Inc. McQueen A. (2000).Nurse-patient relationship and partnership in hospital care. Journal of Clinical Nursing. 9 (5): 723-731. Tripp, D. (1993) Critical Incidents in Teaching, Developing Professional Judgement. Routledge London. (Appendix 1) During placement I have managed to gain experience with t erminal cancer patients. When you go into a patient’s house, I feel you can’t help but have a preconceived idea of the type of patient you are about to meet. I was surprised when visiting one patient, as I was told before I entered the home that the patient had terminal epithelial ovarian cancer. This type of ovarian cancer arises from a malignant transformation of the ovarian surface epithelium, how this transformation occurs is unknown. † (Groenwald et al, 1992: 466-467) When I met this patient I was unsure of what I would discover. I expected a woman that was going to appear physically ‘ill’ and I imagined her to be like all the other patients I had seen with terminal cancer. To my surprise we found her sitting in her conservatory reading the newspaper looking well, she was dressed appropriately and had her hair and makeup done.The patient seemed genuinely happy and didn’t meet any of the previous preconceptions I had when I was originally told about her. We were there to change a fluid bag from the patient’s abdomen and support the patient if she had any concerns about her illness. This is the only thing the nurses do for this patient, her partner, with some help from the Macmillan emergency care team complete the rest of her care. This patient had a persistent disease that couldn’t be controlled. She had previously been treated with chemotherapy to try and eliminate the cancer however this had been unsuccessful.The patient had then decided along with the healthcare professionals, to withdraw treatment and only accept pain relief and support. â€Å"The staging of ovarian cancer is based on surgical evaluation and forms the basis of subsequent therapy†. (Groenwald et al, 1992: 466-467) The district nurse has only just become involved in her care, currently she is 5 months into her diagnosis. When the nurse and I tried to speak to the patient about her illness and how she was feeling, she seemed re luctant to talk about it. The patient decided she felt well in herself and didn’t want to be reminded of her illness, she went on to explain that she had already