Saturday, August 31, 2019

Michael Pintard

Michael C. Pintard distinctively writes his poems in an interpretive style. His style affects his readers by allowing them to contemplate on the true reason and meaning of the words, phrases and or expressions used in his poems. An example of his interpretive style is seen in one of his poems titled ? Steel Boot Action Whup?! , where as he uses his poetry skills and diction to generate phrases and made up vocabulary to emphasize his point on the matter. The tone detected in the poem ?Steel Boot Action Whup?! is an irated tone because the overview of the poem is that Michael Pintard is in an unhappy mood and wants to take physical action against whomever he sees a problem with. For example in lines 6 through 10 it is determined that he want to seek revenge on rapists who caused harm to others by kicking them in both of their heads. The action of kicking someone is repeated throughout the poem also to emphasize the title of the poem that relates to a steel boot that is a type of footwe ar.The irated tone of the poem creates a tense mood for the readers because Michael Pintard bluntly expresses his idea of taking physical actions against people or type of people mentioned in the poem. The way the sentences are structured in the poem also gives us an idea that Michael Pintard likes to emphasize his trains of thought, that can be seen in lines 4,5,39 and 40 where he detaches words such as ? senseless? and? into?. Overall, the message of the poem, seeking revenge is well received because of the choice of style and tone Mr. Pintard wrote the poem in and expressed his ideas.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Ap World History Compare and Contrast

During the post-classical time period, both the Umayyad and Mongol empires rose to the height of their power through many similarities and differences. For example, both dynasties expanded by militaristic advances, but a single man was responsible for the rise of the Mongols and they also supported all faiths unlike the Umayyad. The Mongol founder, Genghis Khan, conquered surrounding nomadic tribes and brought them under his rule through extensive military conquest.Over the entire rise of the Mongols, they gained Asia, Russia, the Middle East and parts of Europe all as territories. In fact, the land Genghis had obtained was so vast that it had to be broken up into to four kingdoms upon his death. To conquer new lands, the Mongols were experts on horseback and were known for their cruel and barbaric torturing rituals, such as â€Å"drawn and quartered. † Similarly, the Umayyad prevailed against people groups from Saudi Arabia all the way West to Morocco in Northern Africa.Unlik e later Islamic dynasties, the Umayyad were mostly concentrated on power and the conquering of land by their brutal military tactics. With their capital at the central location of Damascus, in Syria, they were able to govern and expand their large Islamic kingdom effectively. Overall, both the Mongol and Umayyad empires expanded through military conquest during their rise to power. The Umayyad dynasty was formed from a clan of prominent Meccan merchants in Arabia.From their established reputations and connections throughout the region, they were able to rise to power and stabilize the Islamic community. Unlike the Umayyad, the Mongols rose to power from one man, Temujin, who is better known as Genghis Khan. At the age of twelve he was orphaned and began to form alliances with other boys his age. Then, over time he had his own army that began to conquer nomadic tribes. Little by little, he began to capture what would soon be his entire Mongolian empire. Not only were the Mongols crea ted by a single man, but they were also accepting of all faiths.Ap World History Units 1-3 Study GuideThey did not persecute any specific religion; in fact they often adopted the native religions of the land because the Mongols had no strong religious influence. This allowed an easier rode to power because the conquered people felt less pressure to revolt on the Mongols. The Umayyad did the exact opposite in their empire since they were the rulers of the dar-al-Islam, or the house of Islam. They had substantial religious ties and favored Islamic people. Many times Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians and Buddhists were taxed heavily; this was called jizya.Also, people of different religions could not access wealth and positions of authority in the empire, which created an overall resentment of the Umayyads and a resistance to their rule. The Mongol and the Umayyad empires both had influential effects during the years of 500 to 1000 A. D and rose to power through many similarities and diff erences in their strategies. Overall both empires depended heavily on their military to expand territory, but they differed in the way they treated the conquered people. Both of these played a role in how each came to power, and also the total effect they left on the world.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Pro's Google Medical Records Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Pro's Google Medical Records - Essay Example Medical information has long been stored by doctors, hospitals, clinics and housewives. Doctors, hospitals and clinics have always used the medical charting system, keeping notes in thick files. Medical information was misread, misplaced, faded, and suffered a variety of accidents. Information was shared over telephones and FAX machines, or more often not shared at all. Bits and pieces would perhaps find their ways to a summer camp director, a human resource department, an insurance representative or some other storage destination, where it would become buried and inaccessible to the person whose body was the subject. Each member of the medical team responsible for the health of a given patient, stored only a limited set of medical information and there was little to no coordination of care (Gassee, 2010). To further complicate the patient’s fractured health picture, given the notoriously illegible handwriting of overly-busy doctors, what information there was in storage was o ften inaccurately interpreted. Without access, a patient could not take responsibility to correct inaccurate information. Inaccuracies became compounded. Google’s medical records storage system digitizes all the information and stores it in a central location, online. All members of the medical team, and patient-designated others, have easy access to accurate information, along with the patient (Seidman, 2011). Accuracy is enhanced by patient access to clearly organized records which, like credit card information or educational transcript information, can be corrected when errors are pointed out. Security, a critical issue, is well-assured with Google. Under the old charting system, the patient could not keep track of who had what personal medical information. There was no way to take information access away from those who had access. Google increases medical information security by linking access invitation, always generated by the patient, to specific e-dresses, keeping acc ess power and access-revocation power under patient control (Gassee, 2010). The patient can always see who has viewed personal medical information. Shared records are read-only (Kincaid, 2009). Probably the most important policy implemented by Google, with regard to use of their EMR, is that they will not share any information with anybody, without specific user permission to do so (Google Health, 2011). This policy clearly puts the patient, and not Google or â€Å"Big Brother†, in charge. Without this policy being in place and assured, those forecasting science fiction nightmares about lack of privacy and loss of self-determination, would have a point. Google is a technological giant. Such a massive undertaking as this EMR represents, requires human expertise and impressive computer capability. Google has more success in scalability than most other organizations. They have more than 2.5 million servers indexing and storing data daily, so they are experienced with this sort o f thing (Gassee, 2010). Furthermore, Google has joined forces with a consortium, to develop a software platform that automatically uploads medical information from home healthcare devices (Kirkpatrick 2009). They have associated with partner hospitals, pharmacies, etc., to link information, for the convenience of doctors and patients alike (Google Health, 2011). Google’

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Starbucks Case Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Starbucks Case Analysis - Essay Example Numerous companies have sensed the competitive demands of Starbuck’s differentiated strategy. According to some economic analysts, Starbucks has influenced the world market and they have made to coffee what McDonald’s have made to fast food. In such circumstances, it is probable that even Starbucks is not generating profit but through rapidly obtaining market share it is in a status to hang around for competitors to experience financial problems resulting in the beginning of consolidation. Profit is starting to decline because of the weakening in sales. Customer satisfaction has declined which is manifested in the sudden drop of customer visits. Its stock price has plummeted. There was a sudden downward change in customer experience. These issues, and others, are troubling Howard Schultz as he attends to the various needs and demands of the company. On January 30, 2008, in a press junket with Wall Street reviewers, Howard proclaimed his commitment to initiate a revolutionary change through â€Å"reigniting the emotional attachment with our people and our customers† and â€Å"sharpening our competitive advantages of†¦ passion, curiosity, community, commitment and authenticity† (Business Wire, 2008, para 1). Several of the reasons for the sudden impact of negative trends to Starbucks are accountable to its customer service. One, there always appears to be a long stand in line at Starbucks; consequently, the crew members appear haggard and stressed out. Second, their coffee became weak and distasteful; their cappuccino tasted like water with milk. Third, the ambiance of their shops and the attractiveness of their brand name lose their customer appeal. And lastly, employee turnover increased in an unprecedented manner. In order to analyze comprehensively the current Starbucks economic status, it is important to have relevant data or information on various components of strategic customer-driven approach. Internal

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

MRSA Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

MRSA - Research Paper Example It is bothersome for immunocompromised patients. MRSA gains entry into the body through these lesions on the skin and can spread to other organs too. Once it gains entry into the internal organs the condition may worsen and symptoms like, fever, chills, reduction in blood pressure, pain in joints could be witnessed, further, headaches, shortness of breath may result. Under grave conditions rashes appear all through the body and a medical emergency occurs. The condition may lead to endocarditis, necrotizing fasciitis, sepsis, osteomyelitis all these conditions may turn out to be fatal. Tracing the history, it was discovered in 1961 in UK. Later, in 1981, it come into notice in USA amongst the drug abusers or those who were taking medications through intravenous routes. It is because of its terrifying nature it is also referred as â€Å"super bug† in medical science. With time the bacterium has gained resistance over different antibiotics and thus has emerged as ferocious disease causing organism. Records state that the number of cases are enhancing at a rapid pace. According to published reports by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 127,000 cases were reported in 1999 while in 2005 the number augmented to 278,000, moreover the death toll also enhanced from 11,000 to 17,000. Further it was estimated that 94,360 deaths were due to MRSA infection, of these 18,650 were due to hospitalizations in the year 2005 (Klein, 2007). The statistics suggests that MRSA is responsible for greater number of deaths per year in USA as compared to the deaths caused by AIDS (Stein, 2007). Based on the studies, MRSA has been categorized as Community Acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) or Healthcare Associated MRSA (HA-MRSA). 1. MRSA is a painful condition; individuals with compromised immune system may get affected at a rapid pace as compared to those with enhanced immunity. It is observed that consumption of junk food or food items poor in

Monday, August 26, 2019

Donna Karan SWOTT Business Analysis Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Donna Karan SWOTT Business Analysis - Case Study Example The brand has stores located in over 123 cities all over America, and is employing over 2000 people. Effective branding and marketing strategies has helped it expand internationally and it is now a well-known international brand with stores in countries like China, Canada, and Dubai. There are over 20 stores in China, 2 in Canada, and 4 in Dubai and today, Donna Karan International is worth millions. The availability of an online store has further increased the market share of the company. Furthermore, the brand got an increased footing with Donna Karan being labeled as an nnovative and world-class fashion designer, whose clothes are worn by many famous personalities. She has also won numerous awards during her career. Karan won the Coty American Fashion Critics’ Award in 1977 and once again in 1982; The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) named her Menswear Designer of the Year 1992 and Women’s wear Designer of the Year 1990 and 1996. She was also presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the CFDA in 2004. Weaknesses: 1. The breakthrough in the international market is not as widespread as other brands; 2. Controversy over the use of fur; 3. Fake imitations affecting brand sales. Compared to other brands such as Chanel etc., DKNY has quite little market share internationally. It still needs more expansion and advertising strategies to compete with other, more popular brands in places like Asia. For this, they might have to cater to the type of audience in these places and design products accordingly. The sales of the brand were also adversely affected by the controversy surrounding the brand over the... The availability of an online store has further increased the market share of the company. Furthermore, the brand got an increased footing with Donna Karan being labeled as an nnovative and world-class fashion designer, whose clothes are worn by many famous personalities. She has also won numerous awards during her career. Karan won the Coty American Fashion Critics’ Award in 1977 and once again in 1982; The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) named her Menswear Designer of the Year 1992 and Women’s wear Designer of the Year 1990 and 1996. She was also presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the CFDA in 2004.Weaknesses:1.  The breakthrough in the international market is not as widespread as other brands;2.  Controversy over the use of fur;3.  Fake imitations affecting brand sales.Compared to other brands such as Chanel etc., DKNY has quite little market share internationally. It still needs more expansion and advertising strategies to compete w ith other, more popular brands in places like Asia. For this, they might have to cater to the type of audience in these places and design products accordingly.   The sales of the brand were also adversely affected by the controversy surrounding the brand over the use of fur. PETA, the animal rights group, started a campaign in 2008 against Donna Karan for the use of fur in her products. This obviously presented the brand in a bad light. Moreover, with luxury brands like DKNY, there always tend to be fake imitations which sell at much lower prices.

Sunday, August 25, 2019

LEUKEMIA Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

LEUKEMIA - Research Paper Example Leukemia, being a blood disorder, affects all systems of the body especially the respiratory, renal and digestive system. As a result of the less white blood cell count, the immune system deteriorates leaving the lungs, the kidney and the digestive tract less resistant to infectious diseases. On the other hand, the decrease of functional red blood cell results to decrease oxygen transport which leads to breathing problems, less effective body waste delivery and filtering in the kidneys and a protracted decrease in appetite due to bleeding in gums. Inflammation, damage and cancerous tumors in the lungs and kidneys have also been attributed to accumulation of leukemic cells. Leukemia is a disorder not yet well understood but the prevailing thought is that the production of abnormal cells in the bone marrow is due to mutations in DNA. Researchers believes that the risk for Leukemia is higher when the patient have one or a combination of the following: Leukemia detection can be definitive only through a routine blood test as there have been cases where chronic leukemia has been found with no prior physical indications. Nonetheless, individuals with leukemia usually suffer from the following: Patient presentation - Always feeling weak or tired, easy bruising and bleeding (dark skin patches or tiny red spots on skin), swollen lymph nodes especially in the neck, fever and night sweats and bone or joint pains. Cytogenetics- involves checking abnormalities in cell chromosomes to determine abnormality. For example, Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) is due to the Philadelphia chromosome, an abnormality in the cell’s chromosomes. Chemotherapy – is a drugs-based approach normally administered by vein or by mouth. Those with leukemia in their cerebrospinal fluid receive intrathecal chemotherapy which involves administering drugs in their spinal canal.

Saturday, August 24, 2019

The play Lucky Spot Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The play Lucky Spot - Thesis Example It is obvious from the beginning of the play that the prospect of success for a dance hall in a poor, Southern town during the Depression, over the Christmas holidays, when people spend time with family, is unlikely. But it's Hooker's pipe dream that keeps him alive when he says, "Hey, look, it's Christmas Eve. People are so lonely out there you can smell it rotting on 'em. Here at The Lucky Spot we'll be selling hot music, fine dancing, and sweet solace of kind hearted women." The stakes are raised even higher when Whitt Carmichael, a wealthy, well-dressed man in his thirties, comes to town and informs Hooker that the property he won from his relative has a lien on it and unless he pays him three hundred and fifty dollars for it by January 1st, the property belongs to him. The prospect for success narrows even further when Lacey Rollins, 30ish with fading good looks, one of the Taxi Dancers Hooker hired to work at The Lucky Spot, emerges from the living quarters to inform the others that the rest of the dancers have fled on account of the news that Hooker's estranged wife, Sue Jack Tiller Hooker, has been released from prison early and is headed back there. Sue Jack's reputation precedes her having served time for throwing a woman over a second floor balcony when she found her in bed with her husband.

Performance and Service Excellence in the Service Industry Case Study - 2

Performance and Service Excellence in the Service Industry - Case Study Example The Overnight Service delivers all packages by 8.00 AM to about 5000 zip code areas. Its Priority Overnight service delivers by 10.30 AM on the next business day in most US cities and by noon in other cities and regions. The standard overnight delivery delivers packages by 3 PM in most cities or by 4.30 PM in other areas. The air charter service accepts all commodities that will fit in an aircraft and provides the plane and the crew while the customer chooses the time, route and terms of service (FedEx para8). FedEx maintains a profitable commitment to excellence by applying the eleven management principles underlying its success. It makes customer satisfaction the central focus of business as this is good for business. The flat management structure minimizes a distance between leaders and front line workers while empowering employees and expanding their responsibilities. FedEx has been very committed to reasonable job security by cross-training employees for more flexibility allowing for a redistribution of work during low periods and hiring of part-time workers during peak workloads, thus eliminating the need for layoffs during off-peak times (FedEx para8). The human resources department designs thoughtful and creative compensation schemes, supple duty hours and permanent part-time work. Benefits are structured to accommodate personal preferences. FedEx has a policy of promotion from within, and problem resolution is given ultimate importance with the CEO sometimes intervening to resolve grievances. Open communication is enhanced through an internal broadcasting company, FXTV that reports and discusses all company news (Goldsack para 12). Even though everyone has their own responsibilities, the fences are low so that employees can help each other in case somebody is stuck. This is where cross-training comes in handy. The focus is customer satisfaction.

Friday, August 23, 2019

Falling in Love Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Falling in Love - Essay Example I was looking at the most beautiful crescent blue eyes with long fringed eyelashes. My whole world had come tumbling down with dazzling stars! ‘Are you okay?’ He had enquired in a deep husky concern that had sent a shiver of excitement down my spine. I was dumbstruck and could only nod. I could feel my world going round and round. I was staring and then a little coughing woke me up from my stance. The guy was smiling and offered his hand. I took his hand and stood up. I could not look into his eyes for I was still very embarrassed at being caught staring in such a public place! He was gently pushed me towards the perfume section and before I could protest, he had bought two bottles of the Chanel 5, one having the smell fragrance as the one which was smashed into thousand pieces and the other one which I had wanted but could not afford. He then took me for a cup of coffee and I can still remember how the hours had flown. It was mutual love at first sight. Falling in love is total magic because it completely changes you and makes you feel at the top of the world. You find the things to rejoice in the most weirdest of situations and cry at the drop of a hat. It seems as if the nature rejoices in your happiness and lets you discover things about you that you were never aware of. Indeed, I did not know that I could become a book lover but then I had not met the love of my life! It is funny but I had become a highly cheerful and optimist person from the shy individual who would always be looking at the gloomiest aspect of things. I wonder if other people also discover whole new world of good things when they fall in love. My love had also become my soul mate. He told me much later that he had also experienced the same magical moments and had loved my silence with the same passion as he had loved my voice which he found to be very soothing. He was quite stressed

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Structure of Collagen Proteins

Structure of Collagen Proteins Collagen forms the majority of the protein that is found in mammalian organisms and constitutes 30% of the total protein mass of a human. By being used as a gibbet, collagen is utilized by body cells towards the molding of their surroundings. This eventually creates an atmosphere favorable for normal cell function as well as the development of the tissues. Apart from providing mechanical support, collagen have several ligands which improve the performance of factor receptors and integrins that can control cellular procedures such as cell union, cell migration commonly known as chemotaxis, remodeling of tissues, as well as the healing of wounds. Collagen comprises of between 25 and 35 percent of the total protein tissue present in a mammals body. The hair, connective tissues as well major connective tissues are made up of collagen. Collagen is structured into fibrous strands, precise to their role (Lamberg 226). Collagen is broken down into several sub-units known as tropocollagen. A Tropocollagen has a form of a triple helix attached to a hydrogen bond to form a polypeptide chain. A sample Collagen is predominantly made up of amino acids. It has high levels of proline and glycine alongside hydroxylysine and hydroxyproline. Vitamin C is essential during the building up process of collagens, although it is not a direct constituent of the amino acid chain. Currently, there are 29 known collagen types of fiber. The most prevalent in the body are the type 1, 2, 3 and 4. The type one collagen is present in all soft tissues inclusive of the internal organs, the bones and tendons as well as the skin. On the other hand, Type 2 collagen is found in the cartilage of the body structures while type 3 is common in reticular membranes and tissues. Additionally, Type 4 collagen is only found in the membranes of the cell basement. If the formation of collagen happens inside the cell, then the process is known as vivo formation. In this process, three peptide chains appear in the ribosomes all along the rough endoplasmic reticulum. On the contrary, if the collagen is formed outside the cell, then the method of formation is known as vitro formation. According to this process, Collagen is produced in a laboratory through manual procedures. One collagen is made up of a chain of five small tropocollagen molecules. The protein strand is made up of the ami no acid base. The staggered arrangement of Tropocollagen molecules permits them to adhere to adjoining strands and thus providing the fibers with additional strength (Murrieta 16). By designation, a collagen molecule is made up three ÃŽÂ ± chains also known as polypeptide chains and contains on the least, one domain having a repeating Gly-X-Y sequence in all of the essential chains (Myllyharju and Kivirikko 26). At present, all vertebrates are made up of at least 27 collagen types each having 42 distinct ÃŽÂ ± chain. A number of collagens make up homotrimers having three ÃŽÂ ± chains whereas others have two or even three distinct ÃŽÂ ± chains. The X and Y locations can contain any amino acid apart from glycine. Characteristically, proline is only available in the X spot with 4-hydroxyproline in the Y position. Whereas 4-hydroxyprolines are necessary for the solidity of the triple helix, glycines are essential for filling the three chains into a coiled-coil configuration. This formation is exemplified as a left-handed helix that is wound about a regular axis to form a triple helix with a one-dimensional right-handed superhelical pitch, producing the ultimate arrangement of a rope-like rod. Collagen Types With the aim of avoiding confusion, collagens are given roman numerals in the order that they have discovered. Whilst referring to the composition of a collagen, each of the three ÃŽÂ ± chains is initially quantified for chain number (1, 2, or 3) and thereafter the type of the collagen is identified. For instance, ÃŽÂ ±2 (I) refers to the second ÃŽÂ ± chain is type I whereas ÃŽÂ ±1 (II) refers to the first ÃŽÂ ± chain is type II collagen. Collagen division into families is made essentially by the apparatus and organization of matrix gathering. The following are the nine collagen families along with their respective types. fibril-forming (I, II, III, V, XI, XXIV and XXVII), fibril-associated collagens with interrupted triple helices (FACITs) positioned on the exterior of fibrils (IX, XII, XIV, XVI, XIX, XX, XXI, XXII and XXVI), hexagonal form (VIII and X), basement membrane forming (IV), beaded filaments (VI), affixing fibrils for basement membranes (VII), transmembrane domains (XIII, XVII, XXIII and XXV), and the family of type XV and XVIII collagens (Kivirriko 123). Definite collagens are articulated in a tissue definite approach, as depicted in types II, IX and XI that are set up almost entirely in cartilage, although type XVII is just found in skin hemidesmosomes. In addition, some collagen forms are ordinary in the majority of extracellular matrices, as in the case of type I. Furthermore, collagen fibrils that frequently comprise more than one kind of collagen. Such a type I collagen may also possesses smaller amounts of types III, V and XII. Additional heterogeneity in the super family may be as a result of unusual splicing of the records of several genes as well as the use of option promoters in a number of genes. Through the huge figure of structurally distinct members of the super family involves being caught up in numerous biological functions (Kadler 124). Collagen assembly Most of the collagens have a similar formulation procedure thats characteristically linked with type I. By starting inside the cell, three peptide chains are produced in ribosomes all along the Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum (RER). The chains formed are then referred to as preprocollagens and each one of them possess registration peptides on the end as well as a signal peptide. Upon completion, these peptide chains are then sent into the lumen of the RER somewhere they are slashed into their procollagen shapes. Whilst in the RER, the chains progress to undertake a chain of efficient changes. Initially, the lysine as well as proline amino acids are hydroxylated, a procedure that depends on ascorbic acid. Subsequently, precise hydroxylated amino acids are glycosylated, permitting the three chains to relate into a triple helical formation. Lastly, the procollagen is transported to the Golgi apparatus for packaging as well as secretion in a process known as exocytosis. The moment the collagen is outside the cell, it is again reordered into a functional matrix. listing peptides are sliced via procollagen peptidase, to form tropocollagen, which can which has the potential to aggregate itself and form collagen fibers. In the case of non-fibular collagen, the N- and C-propeptides remain in the cell where they assist in directing super molecular assembly. Following the formation of fiber, inter-chain cross-linking of collagen take place between lysine and hydroxylysine residues subsequent to deamination from lysyl oxidase (Kivirriko 123). Molecular Structure A collagen molecule also known as tropocollagen is a sub-unit of bigger collagen collection as in the case of fibrils. The molecule has a diameter of around 1.5nm and is 300nm long. It is made up of three polypeptide strand, each having left-handed helix conformation. In addition, the three left-handed helices are twisted collectively to form a right handed super helix, a joint quaternary structure alleviated by several hydrogen bonds. The association of type I collagen with possible fibrillar collagens to form a branded triple helix is referred to as microfibril. Every microfibril is interdigitated with its adjoining microfibrils to an extent that may propose that they are independently unbalanced even though within collagen fibrils they are so well structured to be crystalline. Since glycine is the least amino acid having no side chain, it has a unique responsibility in fibrous structural proteins. In the formation of collagen, Gly is essential at all third position since the assemblage of the triple helix holds this residue at the inner (axis) of the helix, wherever there is no gap for a larger side group than glycines sole hydrogen atom. For similar basis, the rings of the Pro and Hyp should point outward. The function of the two amino acids is to help stabilize the triple helix. Fibrillar Structure The tropocollagen subunits impulsively assemble itself with recurrently spread out ends, into even bigger arrays in the extracellular vacant places of tissues. In the case of fibrillar collagens, the molecules are spread out from each other by 67nm. Each and every D-period has 4 and fraction molecules of collagen. This is due to the fact that if you divide 300 by 67 doesnt yield a large integer. Therefore in each D-period duplicated of the microfibril, there exists a part having five molecules in a cross-section known as overlap. On the other hand, the part consisting of four molecules is known as the Gap. The triple-helices may also be prearranged in a hexagonal or quasi-hexagonal arrangement in section, both the overlap region and the Gap. Equally the gap and overlap regions (Xie 549). There exists a covalent is cross connections in the triple helices, as well as an amount of covalent cross connections involving tropocollagen helices outlining a well structured collection like fibrils. Bigger fibrillar bunches are produced with the support of numerous diverse categories of proteins as well as diverse collagen brands, proteoglycans and glycoprotein to shape the diverse kinds of fully-grown tissues from alternating blends of the similar major players. The insolubility of collagens has been a barrier to the research carried out on monomeric until it was discovered that tropocollagen from immature animals could be removed since by then, is it not yet completely cross connected. Nonetheless, progress in microscopy systems microscopy of electron (EM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) and the diffraction of X-ray have facilitated those doing research to acquire gradually more comprehensive figures of collagen configuration in situ. This afterward progress is predominantly significant to improved perception of the system in which collagen configuration influences communication in both intracellular and cell-matrix stages, and how tissues are build in development and restoration, and altered in growth and infection. For instance by means of AFM -based nanoindentation, researchers have been able to show that a particular fibril of collagen is a varied substance alongside its axial course with extensively diverse automatic functions in its fissure and partly covered areas, connecting with its diverse molecular associations in these two areas. The fibrils of collagen are partially crystalline collections of molecules made of collagen. Collagen fibers (filaments) are bunches of fibrils. Fibrils/ collections of collagen are prearranged in diverse arrangements and attentiveness in a variety of tissues to offer unstable tissue elements. In fillets, complete triple helices of collagen are positioned in a parallel, reeled display. Forty nm spaces involving the endings of the tropocollagen subdivisions-roughly equivalent to the breach section- almost certainly act as nucleation position for the deposition of long, hard, fine crystals of the mineral component, which is (approximately) hydroxyapatite, Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2 with some phosphate. It is in this way that certain kinds of cartilage turn into bone. Type I collagen gives bone its tensile strength. Prolyl 4-Hydroxylase (P4H) As formerly stated, hydroxylation of the Y-position proline residues is a critical modification for generating stable triple helical collagen. This modification is carried out in the lumen of the RER by the enzyme prolyl 4-hydroxylase (Tandon 199). The vertebrate forms of these P4Hs are ÃŽÂ ±2 ÃŽÂ ²2 tetramers in which the ÃŽÂ ² subunit is identical to the protein disulfide isomerase PDI (Myllyharju, 2003). Various isoforms of the catalytic a subunit have been found in organisms of varying size and complexity; from humans to Drosophila. Another family of P4Hs in the cytoplasm has been uncovered and has been linked to the regulation of the hypoxia-inducible transcription factor HIF. Cytoplasmic P4Hs have no PDI subunit, require different sequences flanking the prolines that are hydroxylated, and have markedly higher Km values (Kivirikko and Myllyharju 199). No overall amino acid sequence homology is detected between the collagen and the cytoplasmic HIF P4Hs, with the exception of critical catalytic residues. HIF is continuously synthesized and under normoxic conditions a critical proline residue in a -Leu-X-X-Leu-Ala-Prosequence is hydroxylated by the cytoplasmic P4Hs, not by collagen P4Hs. The resulting 4-hydroxyproline residue is essential for HIFÃŽÂ ± binding to the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) E3 ubiquitin ligase complex for subsequent proteasomal degradation. However, under hypoxic conditions hydroxylation ceases, allowing HIFÃŽÂ ± to escape degradation and instead forms a stable dimer with HIFÃŽÂ ² (Jaakkol a, 2001). Once formed, the dimer is translocated into the nucleus and becomes bound to the HIF-responsive elements in a number of hypoxia-inducible genes, such as those for erythropoietin, vascular endothelial growth factor, glycolytic enzymes and even for the ÃŽÂ ±(I) subunit of human type I collagen (Takahashi 200). Illinois Institute of Technology biologist Joseph Orgel used the high-energy X-rays produced by the APS to examine the structure of collagen, a protein that composes more than a quarter of all protein in the human body and forms the principal component of skin, teeth, ligaments, the heart, blood vessels, bones and cartilage. In these tissues, collagen molecules pack themselves into overlapping bundles called fibrils. These fibrils, which each contain billions of atoms, entwine themselves into collagen fibres that are visible to the naked eye (Xuyang 2760). Scientists have known the basic molecular structure of collagen since the 1950s, when several different international groups of scientists discovered that it had a triple-stranded helical structure. However, researches had never before had the ability to study the structure of an entire fibril in the same way that they could study an individual collagen molecule, according to Orgel. Orgel and his team performed diffraction studies on intact collagen fibrils inside the tendons of rat tails in order to understand just how the protein functioned within unbroken tissue. We tried to draw a highly accurate map of the molecular structure of tissues, Orgel said. By doing so, we hope to transform a very basic understanding that we have of the molecular structure of tissue into a much more tangible form. Since the scientists kept the tendon tissue intact, they could see how the collagen molecule binds to collagenases, a class of enzymes which when working properly help to regulate the normal growth and development of animals but when malfunctioning can lead to the metastasis of cancerous tumors or rheumatoid arthritis. The visualization of this interaction could help drug developers to create an inhibitor to prevent the pathological action of the enzyme, Orgel said. Previous studies of the structure of collagen had looked only at crystals of small fragments of the protein, so scientists had little idea of how it looked within intact tissue. Its impossible to get the information that we did by removing tiny chunks of the tissue, Orgel said. We couldnt obtain this data by single-crystal crystallography. This research was made possible only because of the BioCAT beam line provided by the APS. Applications Collagen has been extensively used in beauty surgical procedures, hemostats, mechanism coatings, recovery fluids, formulation recipients, tablets, cartilage rebuilding, medicine release, in addition to skin substitutes for patients with burns. However, both medical and cosmetic use is declining because most commercially available collagens are derived from bovine or porcine tissues. Mainly enriched in type I collagen, these preparations also contain small amounts of type III as well as other collagens that are difficult and expensive to remove from the desired material. Moreover, there is a high rate of allergic reactions from animal-derived collagens, causing prolonged redness. Using collagen derived from cows also poses the risk of transmitting prion diseases such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). The scientific community also uses collagen in its studying its role in tissue development and disease. Extracting sufficient quantities of nontraditional or less prominent colla gens is a costly and difficult task (Kadler 196). A processed form of collagen commonly used is gelatin. Derived from denatured collagen, gelatin is composed of a mixture of collagen chains of different length, structure, and composition. This distribution depends on what type(s) of collagens are extracted, the extraction method, as well as the pH and ionic strength of the solution used for processing. Because gelatin is a heterogeneous composition, especially in size and isoelectric point, the resulting products will inevitably have variable gelling and physical properties. This variability presents a significant challenge for medical applications where stability, safety, and control are necessary (Crissman 192). Cheaply produced recombinant collagens and gelatins have the potential to alleviate many of the issues associated with animal derived versions. Given the large number of aforementioned applications there is also a large market in this area. Scalable technology is needed to make microbial expression of recombinant collagens a viable alternative to tissue extraction. Using microbes to engineer collagen allows for greater control over collagen synthesis and organization, which in turn increases the quality, consistency, and safety of collagen production. It would also provide an easy platform for introducing altered primary sequences into recombinant collagens. Such genetic control over collagen structure is crucial in studying the impact of specific mutations on collagen structural hierarchical assembly and associated functions and also would allow for the creation of designer collagen-mimetic materials. Recombinant expression would also allow for the extraction of sufficient quantities of native collagen forms that are present at low levels which are otherwise mainly characterized at cDNA and genomic levels. This would allow for structural and functional analysis of these rarer collagens (Baneyx 114). Biomaterials applications for collagens in hemostats, as skin substitutes, in cartilage reconstruction, and for drug delivery can benefit from the improved purity of cloned sources of collagen. Purity in this case would include both reducing other extracellular matrix components that may be carried through the purification process leading to potential inflammatory responses, or bioburdens with potential impact on human heath, particularly neurological disorders due to prion concerns. Recombinant human collagen seems to avoid immune reactions previously described and is therefore more biocompatible. Recombinantly derived collagen was shown to have superior mechanical strength and haemostatic activity compared to animal derived collagen when formed into a matrix. They can be altered to include bioactive peptide sequences as well as to be collagenase resistant. Recombinant gelatins can be tailored to alter their gelling temperature by controlling their hydroxyproline content. Moreover, they have been shown to be less allergenic. As they are widely used in the food and drug industry, recombinantly derived gelatins can be made animal-free and thus open for consumption by vegetarians (Baez 252).

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Equity and social justice in the teaching and learning of mathematics

Equity and social justice in the teaching and learning of mathematics Equity and Social Justice in the teaching and learning of Mathematics Equity and Social justice are important issues in Mathematics teaching. This essay explores the relevance of how Mathematics Education may be a necessary factor in determining the social justice of a childs upbringing, and consider how equity can be used to ensure an education that is fair in its opportunities for all children to achieve progression in their learning. Social Justice in Mathematics Education Watson has confidence that all children are capable of learning ‘significant Mathematics given appropriate teaching. She believes that there is a ‘moral imperative that children are educated well in Mathematics in order to ‘realise the full potential of the human mind and that there is empowerment when a child realises that they can enjoy learning Mathematics.It is a matter of ‘social justice to teach Mathematics to all children as their achievement in the subject is judged throughout their life and can participate in determing future prospects. Grades achieved in Mathematics can affect future studies and career paths. For example, to enter university, usually a minimum of grade C GCSE Maths is required, and this requirement varies depending on the course. In Mathematics, setting is used to group pupils according to their ability and students are entered in for an exam tier depending on what set they are placed in, which determines the maximum grade they can achieve. Usually in secondary schools, the sets are formed in year 7 or in year 9 after SATs and these sets rarely change and so even if individuals make progress over the years before sitting the GCSE paper in year 11, it does not make a difference as the maximum grade that they can achieve will not reflect their capability. Only a maximum of grade D can be attained in the lower sets.(Day, p. 165) As a result, children in these sets will not be able to go to university, may not get into a particular course or will have to take their GCSE Mathematics again at a later stage, rendering their first grade D useless. This seems unfair for the lower setted students, whose full potential may not have been realised and who surely deserve the chance to achieve a higher grade if they are abl e to progress over the year. Every Child Matters A UK government initiative programme called ‘Every Child Matters has the aim of helping ‘every child, whatever their background or circumstances, to have the support they need to be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution, and achieve economic well-being.The idea behind this scheme is that all institutions that affect a childs life work together to create a stable and supportive environment for their development educationally and socially. The education institutions aim to help a child achieve mathematical learning but also try to develop mathematical learning and thinking on a wider level, supporting all areas of life.(website 2) The question to be asked is if setting in mathematics classes really contributes towards that aim or, more likely, hinders it? Setting by ability Mathematics teaching is in two forms; mixed ability teaching, where all students learn together, or setted classes, where students are split into groups in terms of ability level. Higher sets are taught more advanced Mathematical concepts, topics and skills as they are thought to have the potential and basic knowledge to understand it. The lower sets are taught more basic Mathematics and at a slower pace to allow them enough time and practice to learn and understand and so their learning and depth of Mathematics is restricted. Students are entered for a GCSE Mathematics exam paper appropriate to their level, depending on what set they are in. However, lower sets can only achieve grades D-G which are not usually accepted as being high enough to enable the student to study further and may prevent them from studying a particular course. In this way, the GCSE examination itself is split into tiers, with only the higher sets being allowed to attain ‘good passes of grades A*-C.(Archer, Hutchings and Ross, 2003, p. 139) There are many questions concerning the fairness of such an arrangement. As students in lower sets would not have covered the content that would be examined in the higher tier, it is not appropriate to enter them for the higher or intermediate tier. Therefore, as a result of mathematics setting, ‘those in lower sets are less likely to be entered for higher tiers, consequently harming their future study and job opportunities. Also, some children have an advanced grasp of Mathematics due to an advantaged background, parents help or private tuition. This could mean that setting is unfair as it is biased towards early developing children or those who have been given extra help outside of the classroom. My experience In secondary school, even after attaining Level 7 in year 9 SATs, I was put in set 2 as set 1 was full. This meant that I was entered for the GCSE Mathematics intermediate tier which only allowed me to gain a maximum of grade B. After scoring over 95% in two of the module exams and discussions between my parents and teacher, I was allowed to move into set 1 as my achievement was higher than those who were already in set 1 so it was unfair to restrict me from sitting the higher paper and having the chance of getting an A. As the higher set moves at a faster pace as it has a bigger syllabus to cover, I had to spend 3 months catching up on work that I had missed. In the end, I ended up with an A* in GCSE Mathematics and studied a degree in Maths. This proves that higher achievement is possible, if given the opportunity. Advantages of setting by ability The ex-Prime Minister, Tony Blair, agreed with setting children by ability. He states: ‘The modernisation of the comprehensive principle requires that all pupils are encouraged to progress as far and as fast as they are able and that ‘Grouping children by ability can be an important way of making that happen. The main advantage of separate ability grouping is that all students get the chance to learn at a pace suitable for them and they are not distracted from students of a different ability level with different educational needs. With setting, students are only given the work that they are capable of completing otherwise it could harm the childs confidence and self-esteem levels, resulting in dissatisfaction and frustration for both pupils and teachers, class disruption and lower attendance levels. Alternatively, people argue that mixed ability groups are more productive for all students. Evidence from research suggests, ‘all pupils gained socially from working in wide ability groups because, ‘such groupings allowed pupils from a wide variety of backgrounds, as well as abilities, to work together, strengthening social cohesion. Disadvantages of setting by ability There is a big question of authority about who can decide on appropriate setting in the first place, and how? In schools, the setting system is supposed to be purely based on ability level. However, in reality, streaming could be decided upon for other reasons. For example, two areas of prejudice encountered can be social class and ethnic dimensions.Bartlett, Burton and Peim point out that often ‘lower class pupils were deemed to have a lower intellectual ability than middle class peers purely due to unrelated social issues such as accent or parents jobs.Sukhnandan and Lee (1998) comment on the fact that lower-ability sets consist of a high number children from low social-class backgrounds, ethnic minorities, boys and children born in the summer, who are at a younger age for their school year. (website 1) Harlens study (1997) suggested that ‘teachers with substantial experience of teaching mixed ability groups frequently used whole class methods inappropriate to mixed ability groupings and that teachers retained largely fixed views of ability and intelligence.(Capel and Leask, 2005, p. 155) A clear disadvantage of setting is that children can be stuck in one set for years and are then branded as holding a set ability for the rest of their education. (Ollerton, 2002, p. 264) Setting prevents children from mixing with other ability levels in the classroom environment, giving them an unrealistic expectation of future life and general working environments. The problem of self-esteem is an issue for the lower setted pupils, who feel dejected that they are perceived as having weaker ability. Self-esteem is also an issue for higher setted pupils, who can be ‘developmentally damaged in a different way by their high set ‘over inflating their self-esteem. Sukhnandan and Lee believe that setting in this way causes ‘social divisions. (website 1) Self-esteem is essentially important for children in learning Mathematics. If a child has lowered self-esteem they could convince themselves that they are not bright enough to understand and so underachieve due to their negative attitude. Equally, high self-esteem in Mathematics can make a child overly-relaxed and over confident causing them to slack. Research has shown that setting pupils has ‘a direct impact on the pupils perceived mathematical competenceand children can be affected psychologically about what they can or cannot do and learn. A student who is setted is ‘branded and this branding can affect the students perception of themselves and others peoples perceptions and judgement of them. Gender Issues Boaler points out that setting children by ability can cause anxiety about exam performance among the more able pupils and underperformance, in particular, from girls. (Boaler, 1997) Boaler suggests this underperformance is due to crumbling under the pressure which affects girls more than boys because girls have ‘a tendency to lack confidence.Ollerton supports this idea that setting by ability ‘creates the conditions for under-achievement, a view also believed by Boaler and William (2001). Another issue of children being streamed based on their achievements and not on their potential means that ‘underperforming, very able pupils and pupils who are hardworking and perform well on tests can easily be placed in the same achievement group.Indeed, an able pupil who is underachieving would be placed in a lower set than their ability should demand, whereas a lower ability pupil who has the ability for performing well under pressure in exams could be placed in a higher set than their natural ability would normally allow. In a similar way, behaviour could also cause unfairness in setting as boys often mess around in the classroom but perform well in exams. They could be placed in a lower set due to their bad behaviour and lack of attention, but their ability in Maths could be worthy of a higher set. Research shows, for boys in particular, that ‘the set they were in reflected their behaviour more than their ability.Girls tend to do better in communicative tasks and enjoy writing more than boys who ‘often dont enjoy â€Å"writing up† courseworkand research conducted has shown that girls tend to do better in coursework compared to exams whereas boys do not do well in coursework but perform well in exams. Modularisation in Mixed Ability Teaching The main concern in a mixed ability class is for the teacher to decide what to teach and how to teach to a wide spread of abilities, which is still a concern in a setted class. Sukhnandan and Lee (1998) comment that a modular approach would benefit a mixed ability class. They suggest that schools should try to teach pupils in relation to their individual needs rather than streaming by general ability, with equity in teaching more easily achieved ‘through greater modularisation of the curriculum, an increased emphasis on independent learning and improved library and information technology resources. It seems that ‘what goes on in the classroom and ‘the teaching strategies used, is likely to have more impact on achievement than how pupils are grouped A teachers goal is to encourage progression of learning Mathematics in the classroom for all students. In order to achieve this, Ollerton suggests that this modular approach to teaching Mathematics creates the feeling of having a fresh start to every section of learning, therefore, helping self-esteem as everyone can ‘embark upon a journey to learn, say trigonometry. This progressive idea challenges the view of the hierarchical structure of mathematical learning, (Ollerton, 2002, p. 266) where everyone can start at the same level. Differentiating Teaching Content Tomlinson comments on the importance of differentiating the content of a Mathematics lesson in a mixed ability classroom. She points out that this includes adapting ‘what we teach and modifying ‘how we give students access to what we want them to learn.Giving different ability level students different tasks appropriate to their ability is differentiating what they are learning. Tomlinson explains that giving students, of higher ability, time to read part of a text on their own while taking time to go through the text with the lower ability pupils separately differentiates their access to learning as they are learning the same thing in different ways, appropriate to their ability level. (Tomlinson, 1995, p. 72) It appears that Mathematics would benefit from an approach that considers differentiation in what is taught rather than how it is taught. Some Mathematical concepts would be too difficult for some children to understand, so the teacher must differentiate between the content suitable for the weaker students from stronger students. For example, ‘trigonometry is only introduced to students in higher groups (Boaler, p. 7)   Equal Rights and Equity in Mathematics Education In the context of teaching, the issue of equity is often confused with equality. According to Zevenbergen, ‘equity refers to the unequal treatment of students in order to produce more equal outcomes. This contrasts equality which means ‘the equal treatment of students with the potential of unequal outcomes . For example, students who have disadvantaged backgrounds could be offered extra help to catch up with their advantaged peers in order to hopefully achieve ‘parity in the outcome for all students. The alternative method of equality would mean that all students are given equal treatment and the same opportunities to succeed. However, some students would take more advantage of the opportunities and the results may be more unequal than with an equity programme. Equity programmes are ‘designed to be more proactive and seek to redress differences in prior experiences , whereas equality programmes are more conservative in their approach and acknowledge that some students will achieve more than others. If children are taught in a way that meets their individual needs then justice in education, a prime aim of Every Child Matters, can be achieved. English as a Foreign Language Language competency is an issue for students who speak English as a second language, causing them to underachieve in Mathematics. In order to read text books and understand verbal instructions, students must work within the language of instruction. Educational progress is enhanced depending on whether a students first language is that of their instruction or not.   (Zevenbergen, 2001, p. 15) Mathematics has many words particular to the subject, for example, ‘integral, differentiate, matrix, volume and mass. This can be confusing for non-native English students, as they have to learn new meanings in the context of Mathematics.   (Zevenbergen, 2001, p. 16) The same word can be interpreted in different ways by non-native English students, causing misunderstandings which affects learning. Teachers may find that this lack of language background can make a Maths class very difficult to teach. For example, the words ‘times normally is related to the time on a clock, not to multiplication; the words ‘hole and ‘whole sound the same but have different meanings, in maths meaning a whole number. (Gates, p. 44) Students with language issues may work more slowly or misunderstand questions and hence, be setted at a lower level in Maths, which is clearly unfair. Special Educational Needs (SEN) Children with special educational needs require different teaching methods. Learning disabilities which need to be considered in the maths classroom include dyscalculia, where the child cannot grasp the meaning of number, poor numeracy skills, problems such as Aspergers syndrome and autism, or physical disabilities and sensory impairments. (Cowan, 2006, p. 202-203) For these students, the teacher needs to be aware of using simple and precise instructive language, a clear method of presentation, modified content of difficulty and work structured with reduced quantity. (Cowan, 2006, p. 203) How Equity can mean Social Justice for all Learners It is clear that ‘the tiering of mathematics papers is likely to have an important impact on student development and pupils often ‘make more progress if taught in a higher set rather than a lower set . This means that in mathematics teaching, the same topic should be addressed in a mixed class and tasks can be organised according to needs level. The National Numeracy Strategy (NNS) advises planning a lesson using three stages: pre-active phase, where necessary prior knowledge is identified and presentation planned; interactive phase, where teaching takes place and tasks are worked through, including a plenary at the end summarising the lesson and the evaluative phase, where the teacher reflects on the lesson and on learning successes or difficulties. (Cowan, 2006, p. 59) By following a structured lesson plan, ‘using a range of tasks comprising different levels of difficulty but addressing the same topic or theme within the one class, (Cowan, 2006, p. 212), equity can be achieved for all students of different ability level. In this way social justice is maintained for all students in mathematics teaching and learning. Conclusion The governments Every Child Matters initiative supports the view that equal rights for all children means equal opportunities for all children. It seems that in order to achieve this kind of social justice, every child needs to be given the chance to take an examination paper that allows them to achieve an A grade. In doing this, each child will have an opportunity to go on to further study should their ability and interests allow. Setting by ability not only makes this difficult, but actually increases problems in the classroom, such as damaged self-esteem and under-achievement and can even encourage some prejudice regarding race and class. Setted classes are not necessarily easier for teachers to teach either, as they will still need to differentiate content for different class members. It therefore seems that a strong lesson structure incorporating modularisation and appropriate differentiation in teaching content will provide a more effective environment in which equity can be us ed to maintain social justice in the teaching of Mathematics to children in a mixed ability classroom.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Best Practice Merchandising :: GCSE Business Marketing Coursework

Best Practice Merchandising Introduction Retailing is around us everywhere. Whenever you buy something, it is usually from a retail outlet. Everywhere that you go, there is a retail outlet begging you to buy a new car or a jumper or a can of baked beans for only 39c. The world is also full of huge shopping centres and malls packed with retail outlets trying to make you purchase from their particular store. The competition in the retail industry is tremendous and these outlets all have to use certain techniques to try and make you buy from them. What are these techniques? Why do some retail outlets go bust and others flourish into multi-national organizations positioned all around the world? It all has to do with their retail strategy; which includes: - Retail branding and positioning within the market - Their merchandise range - Their product selection and pricing - Their in-store layout - How well their stores are merchandised Customer base Customers are the people that make retail outlets money. Marketing campaigns are directed at the customers in the hope that they can be enticed into the stores so that they will spend money. New customers and current customers are given offers everyday of the week. However studies have shown that current customers generate more revenue than new customers. Existing customers tend to purchase more than new customers and studies show that costs to retain customers are 80% lower than costs to generate new customers. There are also many benefits associated with existing customers. An increase in existing customer satisfaction leads to: - Increased positive word of mouth - Less reason to offer costly loss-leaders to generate traffic - Existing customers usually spend more than new customers - The profits earned from each individual customer grow the longer they remain loyal to the firm. (McLaughlin et al 1998) Retail Brand The retail brand is one thing that customers will always look at. What makes up the retail brand? Everything in the store that makes that particular store different from every other store makes up the retail brand. The lighting, the atmosphere, the music, the colour and the layout all go into making up the brand. The perception that a customer has of the stores image is the retail brand. In today’s competitive market where many retailers have a similar product range, the retail brand can be the key to customers.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

The Tomorrow City by Monica Hughes :: Hughes Tomorrow City

The Tomorrow City by Monica Hughes The plot of this book centres around two adolescents, David and Caro and an evil supercomputer which aspires to control the futuristic city of Thompsonville.   Dr. Henderson, Caro's Father creates the "perfect" computer designed to solve all of the problems of Thompsonville by gaining almost complete power of the city.   The computer then begins to make rash decisions of it's own. It decides that humans are incapable of making decisions of there own and soon devises a method of controlling the minds of everyone in the city.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Only two young people, Caro and David, are not manipulated by the computer.   They band together and work out a strategy to disable the computer.   The two make a daring infiltration of the building that the computer is located and after a traumatic episode in which Caro is blinded, the computer is destroyed and the city is returned to it's previous state.   The theme of the book is to show that technology is not a perfect solution to the many problems faced by man.   By using a product of technology, the computer, and showing how it was supposed to be a perfect solution to the city's problems, yet it made a grave error in calculations, the author is saying that many problems faced by man cannot be solved by the use of technology.   Technology played a negative role in this book.   The computer, the major aspect of technology used in this book, used its capabilities to immorally rule the citizens and the city of Thompsonville.   The computer transmitted hypnotic signals through peoples T.V. sets and would use them to carry out it's will to ultimately control the city.   It then discarded anything or anyone who were useless to it's purpose including the elderly and the sick. One of the major arguments that the author uses to emphasize the theme is the significant malfunctioning of the computer.   It was designed to be flawless and solve the numerous problems of the city.   But, the computer's rationing is shown throughout the book to be poor.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The methods in which it goes about solving the city's problems

My Daughters Seizures :: Health Medical Seizures Illnesses Essays

My Daughter's Seizures GENERALIZED TONIC-CLONIC - (also called Grand Mal) Sudden cry, fall, rigidity, followed by muscle jerks, shallow breathing or temporarily suspended breathing, bluish skin, possible loss of bladder or bowel control, usually lasts a couple of minutes. Normal breathing then starts again. There may be some confusion and/or fatigue, followed by return to full consciousness. Comments: Protect head from injury. Turn on side to keep airway clear. Don't restrain ABSENCE - (also called Petit Mal) A blank stare, beginning and ending abruptly, lasting only a few seconds, most common in children. May be chewing movement of the mouth. Child is unaware of what's going on during the seizure but quickly returns to full awareness once it has stopped. May result in learning difficulties if not recognized and treated. Comments: No first aid necessary Daydreaming Lack of attention SIMPLE PARTIAL Jerking may begin in one area of body, arm, leg or face. Can't be stopped but patient stays awake. Jerking may proceed from one area of the body to another, and sometimes spreads to become a convulsive seizure. Partial sensory seizure may not be obvious to an onlooker. Patient experiences a distorted environment. May see or hear things that aren't there, may feel unexplained fear, sadness, anger or joy. May have nausea, experience odd smells, and have a generally "funny" feeling in the stomach. Comments: Acting out bizarre behavior Hysteria COMPLEX PARTIAL - (also called Psychomotor or Temporal Lobe) Usually starts with blank stare, followed by chewing followed by random activity. Person appears unaware of surroundings. May seem dazed and mumble. Unresponsive. Actions clumsy, not directed. May pick at clothing, pick up objects, try to take clothes off. May run, appear afraid. May struggle. Once pattern established same set of actions usually occur with each seizure. Lasts a few minutes, but post-seizure confusion can last substantially longer. No memory of what happened during seizure period. Comments: Drunkenness Guide gently away from obvious hazards Don't shout Don't restrain ATONIC SEIZURES - (also called Drop Attacks) A child or adult suddenly collapses and falls, after ten seconds to a minute recovers, regains consciousness and can stand and walk again. Comments: Clumsiness Normal childhood "stages" In a child, lack of good walking skills MYOCLONIC SEIZURES Sudden brief, massive muscle jerks that may involve the whole body or parts of the body. May cause person to spill what they were holding or fall off a chair. Comments: Clumsiness Poor coordination INFANTILE SPASMS These are clusters of quick, sudden movement that start between three months and two years. If a child is sitting up, the head will fall forward, and the arms will flex forward.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Hindrance to Effective Communication Essay

New technology such as smart phones should be a great asset and a powerful aid to helping us work more efficiently. We can respond to urgent emails on the go, refer to useful websites and look up quick facts. However, these gadgets, as well helping us, can also prove to be a hindrance providing information overload and constant interruptions. We receive so many emails and are exposed to so much information that it can be hard to distil what is actually important and what isn’t. We fill our brains with clutter and lose the ability to focus on our priorities and spend our time responding to trivial emails. We think we are multi-tasking but actually we are becoming less productive. We read each email but don’t always process the information we need. As a result, we risk irritating the sender by asking them to remind us what they said or to send the email again. More worryingly, we allow ourselves to be distracted from more important tasks by the seeming urgency of each email that comes in. This information overload doesn’t only impact the way we process information ourselves but can also have a negative impact on the way others perceive us. It is all too easy to give the impression that you are not listening to the other person. It can be quite obvious even on the telephone that you are distracted by your inbox rather than giving the speaker your full attention. In a face-to-face meeting, of course, it is only too apparent when the person you are talking to is distracted by their smart phone rather than focusing on the content of the meeting. In the past several years, texting and instant messaging have become phenomena that few of us have been able to escape. Though most popular with the younger generations, it is becoming increasingly common to see people of all ages absorbed in silent conversations on their cell phones. The availability of constant, instant communication makes many people feel connected to their friends in ways they never were before. But do these printed messages and instant responses help or hinder us socially? The instant messaging fad brought abbreviations such as â€Å"LOL† (Laugh Out Loud) and â€Å"BRB† (Be Right Back) into our language as commonly accepted â€Å"words.† The younger generations chatted happily in this new â€Å"language† while everyone else struggled to understand what â€Å"BTW† (By the Way) and â€Å"IDK† (I Don’t Know) meant. This phenomenon spread over into texting as children as young as five received the latest models of cell phones to communicate with their friends and family. Though everyone with a cell phone is clearly well-connected to other people, the question remains whether engaging in such constant, abbreviated communication is a help or a hindrance in personal relationship skills. Over the past decade there has been a dramatic difference in the attitudes and communication styles of the younger generations, but how much of this change has been compounded by the lack of face to face communication advocated by the texting craze? There is no way to tell for certain whether texting and instant messaging have actually caused the breakdown of one-on-one, face-to-face communication with people, but I believe it has not helped. Instead of using cell phones as a mere communication tool, many young people view them as a necessity they could not possibly live without. We have all seen people glued to their phones, their fingers flying over the keys as they stand in line at the store, or are walk down the mall, and even frighteningly enough, while they are driving. In one case, a pair of girls walking together in the mall admitted that they were texting each other! I have even been engaged in a conversation with someone when they whipped out their phone to send a text message to someone else! Is this the kind of society we are encouraging by allowing young people to be so dependent on their phones? A society where face to face communication all but ceases to exist in place of disembodied text messages, even when the person you are talking to is standing beside you? It may be true that the people sending and receiving those text messages are communicating with each other, but what does it say to the people who are actually physically around them? What happened to the days when you could walk through the store and complete strangers would smile and greet you as you passed? Have the basic societal manners of years gone by disappeared for good? Using cell phones to talk or text is not a bad thing in itself. However, it is my opinion that certain rules of etiquette should be applied when using them in order to maintain a respectful relationship with everyone you are in contact with. Being glued to your cell phone puts off a very distinct signal that you are unavailable and unapproachable to everyone around you. If you text a friend while talking to someone else you are telling the person in front of you that the friend is more important than they are. Bad grammar and spelling are also compounded by electronic communication. Constantly using abbreviations and fragments in instant communication ingrains these bad habits into a person. English teachers have always struggled to encourage correct spelling and grammar in their students. Now, with texting and instant messaging becoming so prevalent, their jobs are that much harder. And it is not just in the classroom where spelling and grammar have fallen by the wayside. Businesses who are interested in maintaining a high level of professionalism are often hard-pressed to find applicants who can spell, speak, and write properly. So, what can we do to help those people who are addicted to their phones remember that there is more to life than texting and instant messaging? I believe that parents should try to encourage their teenagers to talk on the phone for long conversations, rather than texting back and forth 500 times. Doing so will help teens develop real conversation skills which are not possible in the lingo of texting. Also, everyone should be encouraged to give their full attention to the person they are talking to. If you are engaged in a conversation with someone who starts texting some0one else, kindly ask them to finish talking with you first. If they refuse, simply walk away. I have used this method myself very effectively. Usually, if the person cares about you at all, they will realize how rude their behavior is. So, is texting and instant messaging a help or a hindrance? I believe it is both. Texting and instant messaging can be wonderful forms of communication when implemented correctly, but they can also be abused and have adverse effects. People of all ages need to realize that moderation is the key when using alternate forms of communication. By understanding when these forms are appropriate and when they are not, people can gain valuable communication skills, be more likely to absorb correct spelling and grammar principles, be more productive in the business world and appear far more approachable to the world in general. Since society as a whole is becoming increasingly dependent on the instant communication provided by cell phones, I believe that we must all do what we can to engage in respectful behavior ourselves and encourage it in others. Excellent communication, proper grammar and spelling do not have to be things of ages past. With a little effort and encouragement we can all help ensure that these important values of yesteryears are around for future generations. Texting is the preferred method of communication for young people. According to an article by Mike Flacy, DigitalTrends, â€Å"One in ten young adults between the ages of 18 to 24 report that they send or receive at least 200 text messages per day (approximately 6,000 messages per month). The next age group, 25-34 year olds, typically average about 42 texts per day and this trend continues to decrease down to about 5 texts a day for the 65 and older group.† 200 text messages per day? Do they have time to do anything else in life? Will these young adults get carpal tunnel syndrome of the thumbs? Do you prefer to text rather than talk? According to the survey, â€Å"Most people are too occupied and busy in today’s world that they hardly get enough time to have an elaborated conversation on phone, and hence prefer to communicate via text.† I can see the attraction to texting, however I do like to hear a person’s voice. The emotions and flavor of the conversation can be misunderstood more easily through texting. After all, you can’t hear the sighs and laughter while texting. Yes, you can text little acronyms like â€Å"LOL† and put little smiley faces in your text, but sarcasm and irony are lost in texting. I do like to get little morning text messages from my friends far away, and it is how I communicate with my son most of the time. But I would have to say, my preferred method of communication is voice or Skype. With texting taking over, hands-free devices are even more important. Many of the Smartphones have the capability of translating voice into text to send text messages without typing. A good quality Bluetooth headset with noise canceling makes this process much better. Do you have a Bluetooth mobile headset? I have a Droid X, which is a bit cumbersome to hold up to your ear to talk. I love having my Bluetooth headset to use, especially for multitasking around the house while talking on the phone. And of course with more and more states requiring hands-free devices while driving, a good headset is essential. Do you have one? What’s your favorite? Meanwhile, don’t get into any thumb wrestling contest with anyone under 30 years of age. You KNOW their thumbs are agile and strong from texting a bazillion words per minute.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Leadership Determines a Country

Claudia Ramirez Parrow Ap Euro P. 4 16 March 2013 Claudia Ramirez Parrow Ap Euro P. 4 16 March 2013 A country needs leadership in order to be successful and to keep peace in order. Some leaders take different routes in which they think would be the most successful for their country. However, one must keep in mind that a state will be affected by the leaders choices and actions. It has been stated that, â€Å" Leadership determines the fate of a country. † Spain has dealt with the outcomes of Phillip II leadership tactics.Phillip II inherited Spain, the Low Countries from his father Charles V. Phillips leadership determine the fate of Spain with being his orders he sent out to his people. He wanted to wipe out Protestantism and this led to his sister’s introduction to inquisition. Making the country more heavily taxed, a country with always be effected by their leaders decisions whether it be positive or negative. a countries people will live and participate in social ac tivity in a way that has been accustomed by its leader.The Spanish generals could not halt the fighting when Phillip sent twenty thousand Spanish troops under the duke of Alva to pacify the Low Countries. â€Å"pacification† meant the ruthless extermination of religious and political dissidents. After burying his fourth wife, he began to build a stronger devotion to religion for political help. He was completely inflexible, making the lives of his people harder. He differed little from the protestant reformers. He ruled the first global empire, making his focus and attention on maintaining that empire instead of the people in his country.In seventeenth century Spain, memory of the loss of the Spanish armada contributed to a spirit of defeatism. The political religious situation in central Europe deteriorated. Phillips authority affected the fate of Spain, by his main focuses and war like decisions. With being under his rule, Spain reached its height of power and influence, di recting explorations all around the world and settling the colonization of territories in all the known continents.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Managing Knowledge and Learning Essay

Managing Knowledge and Learning at NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Summary National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was established by Congress on October 1, 1958, in order for the United States to keep up with the technological advancements achieved from former Soviet Union’s successful launch of the Sputnik (1957). The Apollo Era-Mission had risen from the support of John F. Kennedy’s goal, which was â€Å"landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to Earth. † Prioritization at NASA evolved into the center’s motto of â€Å"Faster, Better, Cheaper† (FBC), which was mandated in the Goldin Era beginning in 1992. NASA shifted priorities from: 1) performance, 2) schedule and 3) cost to 1) increase mission performance, 2) cut cost and 3) work force reduction. However, this reform was not as successful as planned. From 1992 and 2000, six of 16 FBC missions failed. To address concern of the impact of failed missions and impending retirements of many of the most experienced NASA employees, Congress enforced that the agency search for the solution to Knowledge Management (KM) and promoting learning initiatives at NASA-JPL. NASA’s KM tools were mainly IT systems of Internet-based databases and portals for ease of lessons. The NASA KM crisis was attributed to the organization’s inability to document experiences of failures and successes of missions or projects; ultimately incapable of capturing the â€Å"experiential knowledge† from expert engineers and scientists. In addition, this lack in KM was due to â€Å"privatizing knowledge† and promoting creativity, that stemmed from NASA’s culture where competition among centers for projects and funding was the norm. Several KM Initiatives were developed including project libraries for document and data management, developing standards, establishing databases to find experts, ask technical questions, and to capture history and legacy reviews. 1) What were the pros and cons of the â€Å"Faster, Better, Cheaper† model? How might outcomes (both positive and negative) of projects executed with this model impact NASA’s stakeholders, i. e. Congress and the general public? The â€Å"Faster, Better, and Cheaper (FBC)† objectives were to cut cost and maximize mission performance. There were several advantages of the FBC reform. FBC allowed compressed development and launch schedules that lead to an increase in the number of missions. Mission time could be reduced from decades to a few years. The number of NASA projects increased from four to 40 under the FBC model. An increase in mission projects was thought to lead to additional discoveries so that NASA could gain further wisdom and space knowledge. FBC missions were changed from one big project to multiple smaller projects. Dividing the program into smaller projects helped to minimize the pressure and stress on the team if a mission failed. Furthermore, one mission failure did not consequently lead to the failure of the entire program. FBC practice allowed senior managers more freedom to implement FBC the way they found fit which promoted creativity and autonomy among senior managers. FBC also reduced the cost of each mission and NASA’s overall budget. For example, the Mars program budget was reduced from one billion dollars to $260 million. There are numerous disadvantages of the FBC reform. Applying the FBC model could lead to more mission failures. During the FBC era, there were 6 failed missions out of 16 FBC missions. Cost and schedule constraints, insufficient risk assessment, planning, and testing, underestimation of complexity and technology maturity, inattention of quality and safety, inadequate review processes, engineering, under-trained staff, poor team communication, and design errors all attributed to NASA’s mission failures. Projects conducted â€Å"faster† does not allow for adequate documentation, time for redlining the project, and recording lessons learned from one mission to the next. This could result in repeated mistakes that could be avoided by future missions. Missions carried out faster do not allow time for mentorship and sharing of knowledge. Also, the term â€Å"better† was not properly defined and was open to interpretation, which may negatively impact maintaining standard procedures and processes. The results of the FBC vision could impact NASA’s stakeholders in several ways. The increase in smaller successful missions would alleviate the risk of one large failure, although any failures will have a negative impact on stakeholders. Congress could be discouraged to provide support and funding for major space programs if they fail but might be more likely to fund smaller missions. The public could either lose or gain confidence, support, and belief in the space program depending on the magnitude of success or failure. FBC mission are less expensive which would decrease NASA’s budget and help satisfy both Congress and the general public by reducing the need for extra taxation by Congress and collection of taxes from the general public. 2) Why was the Mars Pathfinder project so successful? Explain how Anthony Spears management style impacted future missions. Project management was the key to success of the Mars Pathfinder project. It began as an experiment to test the validity of the FBC reform mandated in 1992 when Daniel Goldin was assigned as the new administrator of NASA. A clear and specific plan for the Pathfinder mission was laid out in the beginning and followed through until the end. Analogous to the success of Cisco’s ERP implementation, Anthony Spears, an excellent manager and thought leader with years of experience at NASA, gained the support of top management and the JPL institution (Spears, 1999). Spears developed a unique balance of an advisory committee of experts to support and guide the difficult project, while he recruited talented, yet naive, energetic youngster’s to do what some more experienced people thought impossible. As Spears writes in his lessons learned report it was â€Å"†¦a blend of bright, ambitious youth and scarred old timers, each challenged and empowered, all working each issue together†¦ † (1999). Together, they created a team that bonded and worked together successfully. Spears’ goal was not only the success of the Pathfinder project, but of the FBC program success, unlike the vision of future project managers. The success of Pathfinder did not translate well in future FBC missions. Risk management and testing were important to the Mars Pathfinder success. While the Mars Pathfinder team worked together successfully, the younger players went on to think they were great project managers themselves, but still hadn’t learned enough to manage their next missions successfully. In future FBC projects, some reasons for failure were poor team communication, inadequate or under-trained staff or insufficient testing in 70% of missions and insufficient risk assessment and planning on 86% of missions (exhibit 4). 3) One of the major issues in this case is the retirements of experts. Why is this a problem for NASA? Would it be less of a problem in a different type of organization? Suggest immediate steps that NASA could take to mitigate the problem. Explain your choices. By 2006 half of NASA’s workforce was eligible for retirement which could lead to a major loss of knowledge, especially tacit information, diminishing the collective wisdom of the organization. A senior manager at NASA states, â€Å"we have no formal process for transferring knowledge† from thought leaders to new managers and IT systems had not yet been sufficient in transferring â€Å"experiential knowledge† to the younger generation. Unfortunately, this would be true in many organizations unless they had sufficient knowledge management systems in place and a culture where sharing knowledge was valued and encouraged. In order to mitigate the problem of losing their knowledge base, NASA not only needs to continue to implement their KM strategy, but truly change the culture. Experienced project leaders and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), such as design engineers, should openly share their knowledge and not just when asked for it. I support several of the planned KM initiatives such as the capture of information by improving documentation, development of an enterprise web-based portal, and the Knowledge Sharing Initiative (KSI) aimed at changing the companies’ culture. In addition to these activities, an exit strategy could be developed for retiring employees where they must follow standard procedures for employing case-based reasoning in an online database employing a searchable classification system. Additional knowledge could be disseminated by those eligible through training sessions. A reward system should be coupled to these exit requirements and could be increased if the employee decides to be available in the Expert Connections directory of SME’s that could be contacted for support after they leave. New positions might need to be created for dedicated knowledge managers such as Chief knowledge officers. It’s also possible that NASA could obtain some replacement of lost experts by collaborating with space programs in other countries. Collecting the information from experts must be coupled with management support of a corporate wide schema to store the data, methods of dissemination, and apply the information to ultimately make better decisions on projects that involve risking people’s lives. 4) Jean Holm had two options she could choose from: 1) upgrade the IT systems or, 2) change the culture. Which would you choose and why? Is there a third option? Explain your answer. In order for Holm’s to truly have a successful knowledge management system in place, implementation of a hybrid system should be in place; enforcing both upgrade to IT systems occurring simultaneously with changing the private culture into a shared one. Integration of both, changing the culture and IT upgrades will be a lengthy process so it would be critical to first strategically plan for cultivating and managing formal processes for knowledge transfers. Implementing formal processes such as required protocols, reports, standard operating procedures (SOPs) and work instructions for each mission or project should be enforced from every high-level management as it might help with the KM transfer crisis. Once every item has been completed by the high-level management it would be placed into the appropriate IT systems database in conjunction with the integration of the required knowledge management video synopsis from experienced engineers and scientist who exit the centers. Curriculums would be in place with learning modules with specific need encapsulating these protocols, reports, SOPs, work instructions and video synopsis would then be posted on the intranet, ready for the potential novice engineers and scientists entering the NASA work force; making the system more enriched and meaningful. 5) President Obama is implementing changes to NASA’s charter, which will create new ways of funding/executing projects than NASA is used to. Do a little online research. Do you agree or disagree in this change of direction? Explain. Caution; this is not to be addressed as a political issue) The Obama administration’s new NASA charter includes a couple of key parts: A) In February 2010, the Obama administration canceled the Constellation Program, which was started by former President George W. Bush’s administration in 2004. This program aimed to put US astronauts back on the moon by 2020, for the first time since the final Apollo mission. B) In April 2010, Obama proposed increasing NASA’s overall budget by about $6 billion over five years and shifting NASA’s aim for manned space program to Mars (from the moon). By the mid 2030s, â€Å"I believe we can send humans to orbit Mars and return them safely to Earth. And landing on Mars will follow,† he said. C) He also challenged the commercial space industry to take up the routine tasks that NASA would abandon – such as ferrying astronauts to and from the space station. I do not agree with him on the part A and Part B of the new charter. The Constellation Program is already 5 year old, and has spent $9. 1 billion. It has already made significant progress and will help America maintaining its space leadership position over Russia and China. On the other hand, I think that it will set a foundation for manned space mission to Mars. Obama’s vision of manned mission to Mars by mid-2030 does not seem realistic to me as he has not talked about its technology feasibility. However, I do agree with his plan’s Part C. I think that it will significantly reduce the cost for transporting people and cargo to and from low-Earth orbit, and might induce the rise of a true space economy.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

The Life of Alfred Binet

On July 8, 1857, Alfred Binet was born in Nice, France. He took a different tack than most psychologists of his day: he was interested in the workings of the normal mind rather than the pathology of mental illness. He wanted to find a way to measure the ability to think and reason, apart from education in any particular field (PBS, 1998). Over time, Binet became one of the most prominent psychologists in French history. After receiving his formal education in Nice and Paris, Binet became a lawyer. However, this profession did not please him. He became fascinated with the work of French neurologist Jean Martin Charcot, who was studying hypnosis. In 1878, he abandoned his law career and devoted himself to medical and scientific studies at the Salpà ªtriere Hospital in Paris, where Charcot was working. In 1884, Alfred married Laure Balbiani. Her father, E.G. Balbiani, was an embryologist at the College de France. Alfred was given the opportunity to work in his lab where his interest changed from comparative psychology to natural science. Research for his doctorate focused on the behavior, physiology, histology and anatomy of insects (Wolfe, 1973). While working in Dr. Balbiani†s lab, Binet wrote Animal Magnetism. Binet†s next area of interest was in the field of child psychology. He developed and tried a wide range of tests and puzzles on his own daughters Madeleine and Alice. It was through this study of his daughters that he began to discover the importance of attention span on the development of adult intelligence. It was at this point that he came to realize that individual differences had to be systematically explored before one could determine laws which would apply to all people (Pollack, 1995). Binet went on to became director of the Laboratory of Physiological Psychology at the Sorbonne in Paris. While at the Sorbonne, he founded the first French journal devoted to psychology, L†Annee Psychologique. Binet used the journal to publish the results of his research studies. The journal is still in circulation. In 1900, Binet and Ferdinand Buisson established, La Societe Libre Pour L†Etude Psychologique de L†Enfant (The Free Society for the Psychological Study of Children), a Paris laboratory for child study and experimental teaching. It was later renamed La Societe Alfred Binet et Thedore Simon. The laboratory†s concerns dealt with practical problems in the school setting. Parisian school authorities asked Binet to develop a method to identify children who were unable to learn at a normal rate. He went on to develop a method that could measure the intelligence of every child as dull, bright, or normal (Newland, 1998). Binet determined that complex problems, especially those involving abstract thinking, were best for separating the bright and dull students. Since problem-solving ability grows rapidly during childhood, Binet decided to make an age scale of intelligence. He chose tasks for each age level that could be performed by most youngsters of that age but that could not be done by the majority of children a year younger. In 1905, Binet and Theodore Simon published a scale of intelligence for children from 3 to 13. Binet hoped his test would be used to improve children†s education, but he also feared it would be used to label children and limit their opportunities (Myers, 1981). Since 1905, several adaptations and revisions of the Binet-Simon scales have been published all around the world. On October 18, 1911, while revising intelligence scales, he died. Despite his great achievements, he was never fully appreciated, especially by the French. His work was diverse, showing interest in the person as a whole. While Binet never provided any firm theories, his work was often the precursor of more detailed and profound research.

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Steve Jobs As Visionary Leader Of 21st Century Essay

Steve Jobs As Visionary Leader Of 21st Century - Essay Example He dropped out of college after one semester and attended lectures at Hewlett-Packard. As compared to other entrepreneurs, they would often try to get an MBA degree in the hope that this would be the key to having the great business. Even then, Jobs deviated from the traditional path because apparently, he is the pragmatic person. In fact, his main purpose then to in getting a job at Atari as a computer technician was to save money for a spiritual trip to India and returned with a shave head later( Andrews, 2009. ) Moreover, a potential entrepreneur would also try working in a company so as to accumulate work experience that can give him a background of the industry. Job’s concern was not anything like that at all. His first break came as a challenge when he was tasked ( along with Wozniak) to design a motherboard that had less computer chips. They did succeed and that was start of partnership between Wozniak and Jobs. Steve Jobs was very innovative that he did not even underwent usual business training for setting up an enterprise. According to business.gov, one of the steps an entrepreneur must accomplish in setting up a business is getting business assistance and training. This would mean having an assessment to check if one ready in setting up a business. . Apparently, Jobs missed this part since he was and always would be in good company with Wozniak. Most of the time they used intuition in launching a new product. This was not of course by chance but by hard work in the area of Research and Development. Job’s concepts were well ahead of his time and he surprised the market most of the time. Innovation was Steve Job’s legacy to the industry. Business Guru Peter Drucker himself is a supporter of innovation. In fact he asserted that the â€Å" entrepreneur always searches for change, responds to it and exploits it as an opportunity†