Management Efficiency Ratios: Burger King vs. McDonalds

This paper seeks to compare Burger King (BK) with its competitor McDonald (MCD) in the restaurant industry, using their financial statements as basis in terms of profitability and management efficiency ratios for the latest fiscal year. This will also discuss the concept of operating cost, evaluate the annual and year-end results of the two companies, and interpret BK as takeover target compared with its competitors. Burger King’s profitability is obviously lower than MCD.Based on net profit margin for year 2008, BK had 7. 3% as compared with MCD’s 18. 3% for the same year. The same behavior may be observed in terms of pre-tax margin, where BK had 11% as against that of MCD at 26. 2 % for the same year. It is only in terms of gross margins that BK has exceeded that of MCD but the net margin and pre-tax margin are better ways to measure profitability as expenses need to be deducted further.For purposes of comparing the net profit margin and pre-tax margin of the two comp anies against the industry average, BK is worse but MCD is definitely better. The Return of Asset (ROA) of BK is 7. 1% for the 2008 and is lower than that of MCD, which reflected ROA of 14. 9% for the same year. The results of these ratios further confirmed earlier observation in net profit margin. The same better profitability is further observed in terms of Return of Equity (ROE) where BK showed 22. 2% for 2008, which is still lower than MCD’s 30.1% for 2008. While ROA measures how efficient management a company is in terms of assets employed in business, ROE measures how much management is compensating resources invested by stockholders, the results would still reinforce earlier finding that BK, is less profitable and less efficient than MCD. The less profitability and efficiency of BK as against MCD is also further proven in terms of the former’s lower receivable turnover of 18. 67 for 2008 as against 23. 7 for MCD and 46. 8 for industry average.Inventory turnover for BK is not possible because of its absence of inventory for 2008 while that of MCD, the figure is over 100 times for 2008, which is even higher than industry average. Even if no comparison could be made in terms of inventory turnover, there is sufficient evidence to show better profitability and efficiency for MCD as against BK. To discuss the concept of operating cost for operating a business, the same must be minimized in order to maximize profits since costs or expenses must be deducted from revenues in order to derive profit.The lower the cost, the higher would be the profit assuming revenues are the same. To evaluate the annual and year-end results of the two companies and interpret BK as takeover target compared with its competitors, there is need to look at profitability and management efficiency of the two companies. As found out, BK was less profitable and less efficient than MCD. However, a company wishing to take over another company does not necessarily follow that it can also take over a better competitor of the target for many reasons.What must be controlling on the part of the company making the takeover is the expected profit of the takeover, both over the short and the longer-term, and which should be higher than the cost of capital or operating cost in order to justify the takeover. It can be concluded that BK may be less profitable and less efficient than its competitor MCD may, but if the profitability of BK could improve the profitability and efficiency of both the acquired and the acquired company combined together after the takeover, there is still justification to continue the takeover of BK.References:MSN (2009a) Financial Ratios of Burger King, {www document} URL http://moneycentral. msn. com/investor/invsub/results/compare. asp? Symbol=US%3aBKC, Accessed April 17, 2009.MSN (2009b) Financial Ratios of McDonalds, {www document} URL http://moneycentral. msn. com/investor/invsub/results/compare. asp? Symbol=MCD, Accessed April 17, 200 9.

Nazca Lines

Earth scientists have been preoccupied with demystifying the secret behind the Nazca lines discovered in South Americas earth in the 1920’s. These precisely straight lines, still unfaded by over 3,000 years of rains, floods, winds, and dust appear to be impossible for any mortal to create. More than that, how they were drawn and why they were drawn is a challenge for the most intelligent minds to come up with any clues. The Nazca lines are as mysterious as the earth’s pyramids. The lines are forms of humans, birds, monkeys, and many other animals.From the information provided, all images drawn into the earth are some form of animals, or humans. Images can only be made out from an aerial view from the sky, such as an airplane or helicopter. These earth drawings are far to large to identify from the ground. â€Å"From ground level, earth drawings or geoglyphs as they are called, seem like a confused mass of lines. It’s only when viewed from the air, that one sees how the lines and figures convey a sense of purpose, of organization† (Stouse, 2007).Since the discovery of these lines, there has been studies and studies of these Nazca lines, intriguing people to find out more. http://www. timstouse. com/EarthHistory/nazcalines. htm Lines, Lines, Lines Without technology, even rulers and other measuring devices did not exist at this time, how can these drawings be so accurate and precise? Not only are they so accurately and precise, they are habitually accurate and perfectly straight over thousands of miles, cover several hundred feet of Peru. The lines are complicated, interweaving in and out one another, but consistently perfect.To the Incas, pottery was always a big part of their art. Their pottery contained intricate details engrained in the carvings. Scientists studying this always seem to mention their pottery art. Apparently, some significant connection has been related. One of the factors they are studying is the dry land these draw ings were sketched. Still they cannot figure out how it was done. http://www. timstouse. com/EarthHistory/nazcalines. htm No one has the right information required to unsolve the mystery. Scientists are extremely intelligent, which is a mystique in itself.They still do not have the right information to discover the hidden secrets behind the Nazca lines. Peruvians lifestyles or education from the time they were born would have to be studied. Maybe through their traditions while learning survival they acquired the ability to draw perfect lines and measurements. A twenty five year old does not wake up one day with the ability to draw so precisely. Drawing precise lines are a result of years accumulated by daily living habits beginning at a very young age.Since the images are so large, a group of people had to be involved in etching one drawing. The drawings had to be broken down into segments. Each person was assigned a section of the drawing. Another intriguing mystery about the earth ’s sketches, is these sketches are here to stay. They are not faded away, washed away, and are not desolved. If the sketches have been here for 3,000 years, they are going to be here 3,000 more. Even tombstones built of solid material to survive the earths conditions, corrode and break down after so many years.How are these drawings surviving? Once again, no one today has the right information to figure it out. The Peruvians must have had a way to draw all moisture out of the earth, to seal it off completely preventing anything to seep into the grains before they started the drawings. Water is natures most damaging resource. Water will put out and destroy fire. The sea has enormous strength and power. Almost nothing can stand up to damaging water hazards. Ancient Peruvians knew much more about the earth than what is known today. http://www.timstouse. com/EarthHistory/nazcalines. htm Reasons why the Peruvians were so motivated to create such drawings is another unsolved myster y. Their religion may provide clues to why they would take enormous amounts of time to do there drawings. Peruvians believed in sun gods and sun goddesses. Nothing is absolute certainty why they drew these sketches. One explanation, was to honor or please the gods, or the sun. Because the sketches can only be identified by an aerial view, these drawings probably were to send messages to something in the air.Studying the artists who are influenced by Peru’s culture can provide some leads to figure out how these drawings were etched into the ground. Some of the best artists have came from Peru. The artists influenced by Peru specialized in detailed measurements. (Wilepedia). An Inca artists, Joaquin Torres-Garcia, derive much of his art from Inca and Nazca Pottery. â€Å"Torres-Garcia’s style is based on grid patterns derived from the aesthetics of the golden section, a geometric proportion and surrealism†(encyclopedia article, http://encarta. msn. com/encyclopedi a_762507279/Joaquin_Torres-Garcia. html). Golden section is using straight lines and exact measurements. If art work inspired by Incas have a history of placing importance on such mathematical precision, then that has to be connected to their earth drawings. Geometrical figures, lines are somehow embedded into their culture. Conclusion: The Nazca lines today remain a mystery. They will probably remain a mystery forever. Sure enough, as soon as one scientists discovers something, another finds evidence that disproves it.But that is the process of learning or studying. Even when a theory is proven false, it reveals information. The Nazca lines can only be viewed from an Ariel view. And they did worship sun gods. These drawings probably had a very sacred meaning in honor of the sun. Notes: No author, no date Joaquin Torres-Garcia http://encarta. msn. com/encyclopedia_762507279/Joaquin_Torres-Garcia. html No Author, no date; Discovery Channel http://exn. ca/mysticplaces/Nazcalines. asp Stouse, Tim 2003, modified 2007 Nazca lines http://www. timstouse. com/EarthHistory/nazcalines. htm

Dead Man Walking: How the Death Penalty is totally Biased

My position on the death penalty is that it is completely unfair and an unjust system. Throughout the whole novel we learn how the death penalty was strictly enforced more in the south than in any other part of the nation. The worst part of this was that it was most rigorously used against people who killed â€Å"white† people. The death penalty was a system that was racial and also socioeconomic biased, making it totally unfair and one-sided. In a state that had the highest misery stats in the nation, it was pretty expensive to afford a well-prepared lawyer. By not having a well-prepared lawyer you had to rely on public defenders which usually had many clients to defend that made it impossible to interview inmates before trials, much less do time-consuming investigations that capital cases required; thus the reason why ninety-nine percent of death-row inmates were poor. The government had basically created two types of separate, unjust legal systems: one for the rich, in which everything was put into consideration, every opinion was heard, and where you could buy your freedom; and one for the rich, in which hasty guilty pleas and brief hearings are the rule and appeals are the exceptions. Read this â€Å"The Secrets of Haiti’s Living Dead† Racism was a very big part of this penal system. As both Prejean and Farmer pointed out in the novel, the death penalty biased people who committed murders against white people and that in the south nine times out of ten when the death penalty is sought it’s because the victim is â€Å"white†. Around seventy-five percent of death-row inmates were there for killing â€Å"whites†. Even the Supreme Court acknowledged, in McCleskey vs. Kemp (1987), that there exists racial bias in capital sentencing and that killers of â€Å"whites† are more likely to receive the death penalty than killers of â€Å"blacks†. These are the type of things that made this system prejudice towards â€Å"blacks†, not only that but it also demoralized their life. Throughout the novel Prejean strives to do the opposite of what society is doing to these men, which is humanize them. The humanization of both Willie and Sonnier actually made my stance against the death penalty a lot stronger. It just shows that not everyone is perfect and no matter how big or small everyone will have flaws. I do agree with punishment but it doesn’t give the government the right to choose whether you live or die.

The Four Forces of Evolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Four Forces of Evolution - Essay Example In evolution, the population has a greater significance because it refers to the change in the characteristics of a population over many generations and not the individual change during their lifetimes (Fogiel 908). As stated earlier, an individual cannot evolve but a population can as allelic frequencies (genetic make up and the expression of the developmental potential) of a given population can change over time. This is called microevolution which accounts for the diversity of life on earth. But when do we become aware of evolution and how do we began to understand its concept? The molecular basis of evolution started with the discovery of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecules in 1953. Through biological reproduction, each living organisms inherit a combination of genes from biological parents and creates a unique new individual (Haviland, Prins, Walrath, and McBride 27). Aside from this biological reproduction, creation theories from different religions around the world also expl ains the diversity of life. ... Mutation is the random alteration of genetic material that produces new variation (Haviland, Prins, Walrath, and McBride 40). With random mutations or variation, population can change over time in accordance with the changes that occurred in the environment because the creation of a new allele may create a modified protein for a new biological task. In humans, for instance, the only possible evolutionary mutations occurred in sex cells when mistakes occur during copying and cell division. Thus, this is in contrary with the layman’s conception of mutation and evolution as mutations and evolutions arise continuously in all species. Mutations have positive and negative effects but most of it are neutral in nature. Some of the negative effects are the results of the presence of mutant genes, a gene abnormality that leads to certain hereditary disorders like muscular dystrophy, hemophilia, Parkinson’s disease, etc. While cellular mutations directly involve genetic factors, e nvironmental factors may also play a vital role in the occurrence of mutation. Antibiotics, dyes, chemicals used in the preservation of food, and radiation are just a few examples. Research also suggests that the amount of stress a human can endure increases the mutation traits needed for adaptation (Haviland, Prins, Walrath, and McBride 40). Meanwhile, genetic drift refers to the evolutionary force of chance fluctuations of allele frequencies in the gene pool of a population (Haviland, Prins, Walrath, and McBride 41). In short, this refers to the changes at the population level because of â€Å"chance events† such as disasters that can kill a greater number of population. A perfect example of genetic drift is the founder effects – a case that

Japan -earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear crisis in international Essay

Japan -earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear crisis in international business perspective - Essay Example The influence of the earthquake and the tsunami in the nuclear strategies of countries worldwide is examined in this paper. Reference is also made to the effects of the event on the global market. Appropriate theories are used for explaining the relationship between the earthquake in Japan and the nuclear crisis that followed. 2. Background of earthquake It could be argued that Japan should be best prepared to face such events. Two Swiss experts have been asked to evaluate the potentials of predicting the above earthquake: In accordance with Domenico Giardini, there were major chances to predict the specific earthquake. It is noted that earthquakes of 8.5 are considered as possible in the greater region; also, a few days before the above earthquake, tremors of 7.7 were reported in the region, but they were not given the adequate attention (Kuenzi & Beti 2011).

Student Workbook Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Student Workbook - Coursework Example If we conceive of health being a physical thing, we might miss some emotional and mental aspects We might have moral views which influence the way we see patients, for example thinking that alcohol, drugs, and inactivity are morally wrong. Question 3. You could add the following tips Eat only organic food, and wash everything very carefully. Don’t take up any dangerous jobs like mining or building and construction work. Don’t use mobile telephones for more than a few minutes at a time. Keep away from areas prone to natural disasters (tsunamis, hurricanes, volcanoes). Question 4. Starting at the centre of the diagram and working outwards the following influences have impacted on my own health and wellbeing: My family has been the single most important influence on my life, and without their love and support I would not be the person I am today, looking to start a nursing career. I have always been physically active, and my experience at school was very good. I used to lo ve P.E. As I get older it becomes more difficult to stay active but at least in my childhood this was a very positive experience. I have experienced quite a moderate amount of variety and ability to spend money and enjoy the usual things like shopping and holidays. This has helped me to maintain good relationships with loyal friends. I find that living in the city is sometimes stressful, and the atmosphere when moving around can be quite polluted. I can feel the adverse effects on my lungs, especially in summer. I enjoy the internet, and keeping in touch with friends who have moved to different places. This is good for my mental health, and ensures I always have someone to talk to, even if they are far away. I think the UK is a good country to live in, because it has a moderate climate and good health and welfare systems. I can access doctors and dentists anytime, and this is something I never take for granted, especially when compared with some other countries in the world. Questio n 5. This question is answered in connection with a patient, Mrs X, who is 74 years old and suffering from unstable angina along with early stages of dementia. The points are once again taken from the inside of the diagram outwards. Mrs X is a widow, and the absence of her husband is a source of pain for her. It may contribute to her listlessness, because she misses him even though he died several years ago. She has one son, but he does not visit much, and this too is difficult. Mrs X is inactive most of the time because she has pain on exertion at unpredictable times, and this makes her scared of doing too much. She also spends frequent spells in hospital because of her angina. This makes her life unpredictable, and she is prone to confusion and depression. There is a good support system in the church that Mrs X attends. This offers her social and spiritual activities, although she is increasingly not well enough to take them up. Living in a flat which is several stories off the gr ound makes it difficult for Mrs X to get out and about. I suspect also that heating might be too expensive for her, because she seems to be hospitalized more in winter than in summer. I do not think Mrs X gets enough fresh air. Her lack of mobility and her fear of muggers and sudden illness stop her from enjoying walks or outings. One of the problems of Mrs X is that she feels excluded from a lot of modern society, and often talks about the past. The modern world is too complex for her, and she is

The pharmacist Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The pharmacist - Essay Example Through my father, I realized that I want to go down that same path, and be a beacon of goodness to others through a caring career in serving the community. I have always thought that as a pharmacist, I have the unique opportunity in dealing with people of all kinds, with many different afflictions or needs. I think that a pharmacist plays a key role not only in bringing the customer the proper medication, but also in providing good service, and in small ways trying to give cheer and good will to them. It would be such a joy to see a customer return and seeing the improvements in their health. Second, my academic and other career experiences have further prompted me to seek a career in pharmacy. I have always had a love for science, especially in chemistry. As I have mentioned earlier, I am a Registered Nurse and through my work, I have seen how certain medications work with certain afflictions and with different people, and that I find fascinating. It is very interesting to know that each human body is unique, and react differently to a variety of medication. Some times I see practically miracles being performed through the proper medicine, other times are more challenging.

Marketing Audit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Marketing Audit - Essay Example McDonald’s Australia is a constituent of the APMEA group. This group accounts for almost 18% of the total revenue generated by the firm and within this group China, Japan and Australia accounts for the maximum amount of revenue. According to the McDonald’s Australia Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability Report 2012, there were around 808 McDonald’s restaurants spread all over Australia as at 31 December 2009 (McDonalds Australia, 2010). McDonald’s Australia Limited operates its franchisee business in Australia and more than 70% of its restaurants are locally owned (McDonalds Australia, 2012). The head office of McDonalds Australia is located at Thornleigh, New South Wales and its four regional offices are located at Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane. Marketing Audit Objectives The primary objective of the marketing audit of McDonald’s Australia that has been discussed in this report is to increase the sales of the company in Australia so a s to generate increased profit for the company. The marketing audit has been undertaken to identify the various avenues through which the company can have a 7% annual growth in sales revenue generated in Australia by the end of the year 2013. Based on this primary objective other related marketing objectives of McDonald’s Australia to achieve its target would be to open up new restaurants in different parts of the country, increase brand awareness amongst Australian people to help increasing the customer base of the company, promotion of its products, and creating competitive advantage in the fast food retail industry by strengthening its core competencies and catering to the specific needs and requirements of people based on their specific tastes and preferences. Thus the marketing audit report presented in this study would help the company to identify key performance indicators that can be helpful in formulating the marketing strategies of the company in an effective and ef ficient manner. Marketing Audit Scope The marketing audit of McDonald's Australia would be performed using secondary data from various authenticated sources. The marketing audit would mainly cover five broad aspects as discussed below: Situational Analysis: The situational analysis of McDonalds includes its SWOT analysis. The marketing audit report would try to analyse all the strengths and opportunities of the company which could be utilised to achieve its marketing objectives. Moreover the identified weaknesses and threats of the company would also be helpful to suggest ways of converting them into company’s strengths and opportunities. Internal audit: This would include the analysis of the internal environment of the company covering some key areas like human resources, research and development, financial budget and marketing strategies followed by the company. Environmental audit: The environmental audit of McDonald’s would be based on mainly the PESTEL analysis th at would help to have a better understanding of the Australian market

The impact of mobile computing on the enterprise Essay

The impact of mobile computing on the enterprise - Essay Example It was a one-to-one relationship if seen from the constructive perspective. Negative points were summed up in the losses incurred on the company’s part whereby these message boards and the like didn’t help the business from any fiscal outlook. Many big companies like Microsoft, WebEx, Intraspect and the like have been facing barriers as concerns with the interaction between the employees who are spread in different locations. These companies were in the need to put up such a system, which could eliminate excessive and undue business travels and easily provide for interaction and more so straightforward communication between the people. Thus, collaboration software was devised and put forthwith and has been going on for a number of years ever since. The collaboration software like Usenet services and others accounted for targeted markets in the field of manufacturing, supply-chain management and product development, not to forget sales and marketing. These types of softw are do not usually work in every kind of workplace and within every other system. Actually, its one thing fitting these into the old system and another to make people change the way they work in the business world of today and interact and communicate with everyone concerned. These services are providing the most benefits in the real-time online dealings of the business and this is one factor, which takes lead over all others, at least in the business corporations. Mobile media is also known as the Portable media which in essence gives a description regarding the 21st century ideology encompassing the viewing of different forms of media, known more popularly as the multimedia on a device which is considered easily portable from place to place at any convenient location dependent on the mercy of the user of mobile media. This mobile media consists of either a mobile phone, a personal

Risk of Schizophrenia Essay Example for Free

Risk of Schizophrenia Essay Over the last few decades Schizophrenia has become embedded in mainstream vernacular as any behavior or emotional response that is out of touch with reality. However even with its popularity heightened through movies and headline news stories, schizophrenia is still one of the most enigmatic and least understood disorders of the brain. With current research focused on the role of neurobiology and functioning on a cellular level, investigative analysis has merited new innovations towards its source, however a single organic cause for the disorder still eludes scientists. Although the foundation of the affliction is still unknown, its effects are well documented and over the next few pages will show the changes in the brain as the disease develops, and how those alterations impact the rest of the body and alter various other functions throughout the viscera. The term Schizophrenia was first coined in 1911 by Swiss psychiatrist Dr. Eugen Bleuler and translates from the original Greek as schizo (split) and phrene (mind), making a literal translation of split-mind, in reference to the disjointed thinking of those with the disease (Johnstone, 1994). Although the term was first used in the early twentieth century, according to scholars a ‘madness’ was described in The Ebers Papyrus, a collection of ancient Egyptian medical papers dating back to 1550 BC, which accurately depicts some of schizophrenia’s symptoms (Johnstone, 1994). With its possible documentation over three millennia ago and its symptoms documented in a myriad of medical journals throughout history, the disorder itself is very rare. Those who are at the highest risk of manifestation are offspring whose parents are both schizophrenic, although even at this rate the risk of manifestation is about forty-six percent. Globally however its prevalence is about 0.9 percent or fifty-eight million people worldwide (Hollandsworth, 1990). According to James G. Hollandworth of the University of Southern Mississippi, schizophrenia is primarily characterized by a disintegration of reality perception, consciousness, and thought process which results in a debilitated proficiency in social and professional faculties (Hollandworth, 1990). While schizophrenia can most arguably be classified as a predominantly genetic affliction, there are others factors which can contribute to its development even without a genetic predisposition. These elements include birth defects such as hypoxia and low birth rate, neuroanatomical anomalies, viral infections, along with low IQ and cerebral  atrophy (Hollandsworth, 1990). While these components in themselves are not sufficient enough to cause the disorder, they result in an increased risk for developing the disease. One theory for the cause of schizophrenia that has been studied with great validity is the dopamine hypothesis. This theory postulates that schizophrenia is caused by an overabundance of the dopamine-dependent areas of the brain causing an imbalance that affects the entire system (Hollandsworth, 1990). For this reason many of today’s schizophrenia treatment drugs inhibit dopamine receptor activity in an attempt to return it to its natural equilibrium. Although even with advances in modern science and new drugs being developed every day, the illness is still only treatable and its symptoms still emerge even with proper medication. Even with its origin unknown, scientists have discovered several chromosomes which when damaged or mutated, greatly increase the risk of developing schizophrenia. The chromosomes in particular that act as catalysts are chromosome numbers twenty-two, six, and eleven (Klar, 2004). Chromosome six contains several genes that are linked with immune response which has given rise to the belief that schizophrenia has some association with weakened disease fighting agents. While damage to this chromosome may be linked to the source of the ailment, it may only be the jump starter that kicks off the path to developing the illness. For as scientists know, a lacking immune response caused by chromosome damage can theoretically leave the body vulnerable to infection, which are facilitators that can bring about the emergence of the disorder (Hollandsworth, 1990). Chromosome twenty-two on the other hand is linked with the dopamine hypothesis as this area houses enzymes that aid in transporting neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters, mainly catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and proline dehydrogenase (PRODH) are essential for the breakdown of dopamine. Any disruptions in this particular area can trigger an overabundance or shortage of dopamine, potentially resulting in developing positive or negative schizophrenia symptoms (Chakravarti, 2002). Lastly, chromosome eleven has been associated with schizophrenia on the grounds of genetic translocation, or a chromosome abnormality caused by faulty rearrangements of various strands of DNA. These faults can occur in any number of genes, however during this process it occurs at times pivotal to cell division, making it easy for genes to be incorrectly rearranged (Klar, 2004). When this happens  it can potentially inhibit the development of lateralization of brain function and act as a precursor not only schizophrenia, but other forms of mental illness as well as cognitive impairments (Klar, 2004). Once the subject has developed schizophrenia it affects the brain in very specific ways. When the disorder itself first begins to emerge its early symptoms manifest themselves in a period called The Prodormal Phase (Neale ump; Oltmanns, 1980). During this phase, which occurs anywhere from six to thirty months before the disease truly emerges, the person may experience social withdrawal, dysphoria, and irritability. As the disorder progresses the symptoms may become more intense, and newer or ‘positive’ symptoms may begin to surface. These positive symptoms can include visual and auditory hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thought processes. In severe cases of thought process deterioration or cognitive slippage, a person can develop schizophasia or ‘word salad’ where a person’s speech is completely incoherent with no understandable thought or message. Following the positive symptoms of the illness, ‘negative’ symptoms can appear as well. These symptoms are aspects of the person’s personality that have been negated by the disease. They are most commonly expressed by the person’s flat or expressionless demeanor, apathy, very little displayed emotion, and continued peculiar behavior (Hollandsworth, 1990). After schizophrenia has completely manifested itself, the patient is usually classified into one of four types. These types are paranoid, disorganized, catatonic, and undifferentiated. Those in the paranoid group display an obsession over their delusions or ha ve hallucinations specifically related to a certain subject or idea, and are usually the most functional of all schizophrenics (Johnstone, 1994). Disorganized types are typically ones who display little emotion and act in a disjointed and inarticulate manner, while catatonic schizophrenics are merely ones who appear in torpor and display lethargic indolence. The undifferentiated type however is hybrid of the three previous types and is a miscellaneous combination of all their symptoms combined (Johnstone, 1994). While the outward symptoms may be relatively easy to recognize, inside the brain is a totally different matter. Schizophrenia can cause structural changes in the brain even though a specific cause for these changes is still unknown. These changes in brain structure are illustrated by larger ventricles, a thicker corpus collosum, a decrease in dendrite  spines in the frontal lobe, disordered hippocampal pyramidal cells, and a shrinkage of the cerebellar vermis, which is mainly responsible for perception. In some studies malformed neuronal migration has been observed which can lead to disjointed thoughts as well as an overall shrinkage of the hippocampus and amygdala (Johnstone, 1994). Due to these changes, a person suffering from the disorder can have reduced functioning in the frontal lobe which can affect their logic and critical thinking skills as well as their ability to successfully plan ahead. This reduced functioning is displayed in the Wisconsin card sorting test, which is administered to measure possible brain damage and assess the functioning of the frontal lobe. Schizophrenics who participate in the test show an inability to successfully transfer their attention to the rules of the exam once they begin. Functional imaging has also shown a lack of activity in the right hemisphere of the frontal lobe during their partaking, which does not increase as the task is administered. It is also shown that in a study by a Dr. Nagy in 1963, that of 260 cases of schizophrenia, roughly fifty-eight percent of the group had some form of cerebral atrophy (Johnstone, 1994). On a cellular level schizophrenia symptoms are thought to be caused by an overabundance of neurotransmitters released between neurons. These neurotransmitters, mainly dopamine and serotonin, in excess can cause hallucinations and delusions which are referred to as ‘positive’ symptoms. Too little of these neurotransmitters however can result in lack of emotion and motivation which mirror the ‘negative’ symptoms of the disorder. Another type of cell affected by schizophrenia is the pyramidal cell in the prefrontal cortex, or the forehead area of the brain. These cells, which are a type of neuron that serve primarily as excitation units in the prefrontal cortex, are shown to have a decrease in basilar dendrite numbers. These basilar dendrites arise from the base of the pyramidal cell’s soma, and with a decrease in their numbers it can indicate a shortened synaptic surface area resulting in possible fallacious thought processing (Broadbelt, Byne, ump; Jon es, 2002). Pyramidal cells in the hippocampus are also known to be affected by the disorder can and cause many of the cells in that area to be thrown into disarray, causing cognitive malfunctions. The treatment of this disorder can vary greatly depending on the person; however dopamine inhibiting antipsychotics are a very popular remedy. Although prevalent, these  medications are not perfect and many scientists claim there is still no concrete connection that schizophrenia is exclusively a result of faulty dopaminergic transmissions (Neale ump; Oltmanns, 1980). It has also been noted that many of the dopamine inhibiting drugs serve only to combat the positive symptoms and leave many of the negative symptoms such as emotional absence unaffected. Another treatment that is still widely used, but much less common is electroconvulsive therapy or shock therapy. This treatment is still very controversial but there has been success in treating schizophrenia symptoms completely, although many patients relapse within six months. Studies have also indicated that although this treatment can be effective there are risks of permanent brain damage. According to Dr. Peter Breggin (2008), a psychiatrist at the State University of New York, shock therapy in animal testing showed statistically significant brain structural abnormalities when compared to animals without it. His study showed the electrical shocks caused changes in the nerve cell walls causing gliosis, or a profound increase in the number of astrocytes in impaired areas of the central nervous system (Breggin, 2008). In conclusion, schizophrenia is unique disorder that affects the brain in many ways, yet manifests itself differently from person to person. As there is no tangible rubric for how the disorder will impact the person, it can be a difficult illness to treat. Its effects on the brain, from enlarged ventricles to a decline in dendrite spines, shows the major impact the illness can have on living a normal life. Although the disorder afflicts just over fifty-eight million people worldwide it is still devastating to those who are affected and while the medical community makes leaps and bounds in understanding the disease, a cure is still far from the horizon. With psychology grant money from universities being invested predominantly in neuropsychology, perhaps sometime in the near future scientists will be able to fully understand this illness and find a successful and permanent cure for it.

Skoda: Business Strategy Analysis

Skoda: Business Strategy Analysis Skoda Company and its business 1.1 Introduction to Skoda Company The two cyclists, who were known as Vaclav Laurin and Vaclav Klement, are considered as the founders of Skoda Company. The two cyclists were used to design and produce their own bicycles and eventually it was established as Skoda. In 1925, Skoda was established in Czechoslovakia and gradually, it was expanded towards Eastern Europe by producing cars, farm ploughs, and aero planes other than bicycles. Skoda has to cope with hard times in company history such as war, economic problems and also the changes in the political environment. While the Skoda is grown up internationally, there was a requirement of a strong foreign partner. By, 1990 Volkswagen AG had dominated by joining Skoda. Volkswagen AG is known as the leading car manufacturer in Europe by manufacturing variety of branded products such as Volkswagen, Skoda, and Audi (Skoda Auto, 2011). The remarkable thing is the Skoda UK is selling Skoda cars through its independent network of certified dealers. 1.2 Business as a transformation process In common, there is an input and output can be clearly identified in a business. Input may consist of working force, entrepreneurship, capital and land. Output may be goods and services. Therefore, the process of transformation is common for all the organizations and most of the time, output can be considered as a combination of goods and services (Oxford University Press 2007). For an example considering the hospitality as a business foods and beverage can be the goods they serve and the lodging may be the service they offer. The critical thing is to be produce outputs which may worth higher than the inputs. In financial terms, it is known as the profit in relation to the organizations which are expecting profits. But, in the case of non profit oriented organizations such as schools and hospitals other indicators are used to measure the progress. Transformation may differ from business wise. The critical thing is to implementing innovative methodologies of value addition for the pro ducts and services while cost cutting (Oxford University Press 2007). Value addition can be done by manufacturing outputs that the customers are ready to pay money more than usual price. Since the brand name may be incorporated with customers lifestyle and preferences, effective branding result in improved sales. For an example, plain pair of shoe can be marketed to a higher price by branding it with brands like Nike or Addidas. Chapter 2 Organizational audit and the business environment 2.1 Organizational Audit Organizational audit is critical for a business to meet the following objectives. To analyze the businesss organizational framework, procedures and flow chart. To investigate the contest between the job descriptions, responsibilities and the flow chart of the business.    To emphasize the unsatisfactory aspects of the current structure of the business. To define development paths for improvement of the business. To satisfy these objectives organizational audit is being done by analysis of existing data, summary reporting, individual interviewing processes and analysis of raw data gathered through the surveys. Organizational audit is crucial for a business to cope with the business environment. 2.2 Business environment It is believed that business transformation process may not occur in a vacuum. Firms are driven in particular frameworks and subjected by the business environment. Business environment can be divided in to two. Micro Macro Micro environment consist of individuals or organizations which the business deal with a regular basis. It may include customers, employees, distributors and suppliers which are known as the stakeholders. That all components may have the direct involvement of the business activities and it can be affected by the actions of the business. Therefore, it can be concluded that micro environment play a vital role in the success and the behavior of a business. The macro environment may consist of factors which are lying outside of the direct control of the business. It includes economy, policies of the government and also the social changes. Since these macro factors can primarily change the environment of a business one individual business can rarely do much on its own to shape them. Theoretically, the macro environment can be analyzed by using PESTEL analysis. (Scott, 1982) Chapter 3 The PESTEL analysis for Skoda Company PESTEL Analysis PEST analysis is the methodology of analyzing the macro environment in most of the countries. But, the expanded PEST model which is known as PESTEL is commonly used in UK (CIPD, 2009). PESTEL is stand for Political, Economical, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal analysis. It describes the outline of macro environment in relation to the business environment. Referring to the political factors, it consists of policies implemented by the government such as the involvement in the economy. It also includes what kind of goods and services to be produced and the priorities in relation to the business support. The political decisions may play a vital role for some businesses which are related to education health and also in the infra structure facilities. Considering the Skoda Company, the changes in laws and regulations such as accounting standards, taxation requirements and environmental laws and legal power of the foreign states may affect on their business especially in the international trade. Therefore, it is critical to monitor the governments policies and regulations in a continuous manner. (Lynch, 1999) Economic factors may include economic growth, interest rates, exchange rates as well as the inflation rate. Those are the factors that may have the potential to make effects on operations and decisions. Referring to Skoda, interest rate may affect its  cost of capital. Therefore, it determines the extent of the growth of the business and expansion. Exchange rates may affect the costs of exporting goods and the supply and price of imported goods. Social  factors include cultural aspects, health perception, population growth rate, age distribution, career attitudes and emphasis on safety. Changes in social factors influence in the product demand and operation. For example, aging process may generate smaller and less-willing workforce .This may lead to increasing the labour cost. Therefore, referring Skoda to cope with these trends there should be various management strategies to be adopted. For an example, it should be more concerned on age limit of the workers when recruiting new workers. The factors such as rate of technological changes, automation and the technical inducements altogether considered as technological factors. Those factors may influence with the outsourcing decisions, market entry barriers and efficient production level of a company. When considering the Skoda, it is producing branded motor cars. Therefore, technology should be their main focus. Because, it creates opportunities for new products and product improvement in relation to the marketing. As the technology advances, new products may launch. (Scott, 1982) Ecological and environmental aspects such as weather, climate, and climate changes can be considered as environmental factors. Those factors may especially influences industries such as tourism, farming, and insurance. Furthermore, growing awareness of the potential impacts of climate change is affecting how companies operate and the products they offer, both creating new markets and diminishing or demolishing existing ones. Discrimination law,  consumer law,  antitrust law,  employment law, and  health and safety law can be considered as the component of the legal factor. These factors can influence with the operation process, cost of production and the demand for the products. Legal aspect mainly focuses on the effect of the national and world legislation. The Skoda Company receives all the rights applicable in the nature of their business and every inventions and product developments are always going into the patented process. I.e. Audi, Skoda. The PESTEL factors are combined with external micro-environmental factors and internal drivers in relation to the business. Furthermore, it can be explained as opportunities and threats in a  SWOT analysis. Chapter 4 The SWOT analysis for Skoda Company SWOT Analysis SWOT is stand for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Strengths can be described as internal components of a business that lead to its growth. Weaknesses can be identified as the attributes that will make disturbances business or make the business susceptible. The external conditions that could lead to future growth are known as the opportunities in SWOT. Threats are described as the external elements which could make negative effects on a business. (Lynch, 1999) To recognize its strengths, Skoda gathered information through researches from both customers and also from the reliable independent surveys. For an example, annual JD Power customer satisfaction survey had questioned the vehicle owners about their feelings on their vehicle for last six months by using questionnaire for about 20,000 owners. According to the results Skoda dominated in the top five car manufacturers for last 13 years (JD Power 2010). Not only that, in 2007, Top Gears survey revealed that among the 56,000 viewers Skoda dominated as the number one car manufacturer (Top Gear 2007). According to those results, Skoda found that the company excelled at satisfying its customers when focusing the owner experience rather than on sales alone. Almost all of Skodas customers would recommend Skoda branded vehicle to others, means that Skoda had a distinctive strength. As a result, Skoda manufactured cars that their customers could enjoy, rather than simply maximizing the sales. The refore, Skoda branded themselves as a quality product that satisfies its customers. Skodas analysis showed that in order to grow the business required to address issues about how the small company fit into the highly competitive market. An out-dated perception of the Skoda brand, related to the companys Eastern European origins, contributed to the business small size. By 1999, Volkswagen AG ownership had changed this negative attitude about Skoda. But, in 2006 brand Health Check revealed that the weak and neutral image in mid market range is still existing when compare to the Ford, Peugeot and Renault like brands (UK Branding 2006). Though, Skoda still deficient of a strong appeal, it is realized that the company needed to reduce the defensive campaigns exemplifying what the brand was not and begin new campaigns illustrating what Skoda had to offer. The change was simple and Skoda knew that its owners were satisfied with their cars. Skoda had realized that its rivals marketing approaches are mainly focused on the product itself. But in contrast, Skoda tends to focus its attention on emphasizing the owners experience with their cars and the customers satisfaction with Skoda vehicles. This SWOT analysis may lead Skoda to distinguish its product from its competitors. Considering the UK market, there are 50 different car makers selling around 200 vehicle models. To survive in this large and competitive market, Skoda needed to ensure that its message would not be lost or drowned out within the crowded environment. As a result, Skoda had manufactured seven different cars such as city car, luxurious car, and family car addressing different market segments with subsequent levels of pricing. Chapter 5 The planning for a business and implementation a new strategy 5.1 Strategic planning, Tactical planning and Operational planning Depending on the PESTEL and SWOT analysis, the business plan for the business should be created by the management of the business. Planning process can be identified as three phases such as strategic planning, tactical planning and operational planning. Strategic Planning can be considered as a long term planning attempted by senior management of a business. I.e. the executives. It involves making decisions which will work toward reaching an organizations mission and vision statements. Tactical planning it the mid term planning. It may range from months up to about two years. This involves middle management those who plan strategies to achieve a businesss strategic goals. In contrast, operational planning is routine planning handled by front line managers. They may report to middle management and enact the leg work of the strategies developed by middle management to achieve strategic goals. 5.2 Implementation of the new strategy Novel business strategies are designed to improve the overall utility of a business, its employees and increase profitability of the business. But change may be troublemaking and can be costly within its own context as employees deal with new procedures, information technology, products or an organizational matrix. To reduce the cost, disturbances and negative effects of implementing new strategies, it should implement a strategy for implementation. Essentially, a well planned and accomplished implementation plan may lead to reduce confrontation to the changes. The process of implementing a new strategy can be identified as six major steps (Kaplan and Norton 2010). Split the new strategy into smaller portions. Aware the employees about the map of change Create and post a scorecard for the new implementation, helping as a cheerleader to employees throughout the process that success is reasonable step wise. Acquiring the feedback regarding the new strategy at each stage by employee surveys. Request customer satisfaction. Doing the correct adjustments in the new strategy, time scale and goals based on feedback and customer satisfaction. 5.3 Conclusion With the concentrated study of the PESTLE, the Skoda Company will continue to emerge and develop if they manage to find solutions in different challenges that the entire organization might face in the future. Since the external environment is extremely complex and dynamic it is important to conducting the PESTEL in a regular basis. Practically, it may not possible to identify almost all the significant changes in the business environment. But, still they may able to find some of those critical changes through their assumptions and that will lead them to take the correct decision in the future. At present the PESTEL structure is further expanded as STEEPLE and STEEPLED by considering the ethical and demographic factors. Therefore, it may be important to stick to this latest model, because in some businesses those factors considered to be critical. To improve its performance, it may be needed to conduct a brand positioning examination by obtaining market research data from both interna l and external audits, allowing Skoda to conduct a SWOT analysis.   Skodas SWOT analysis may facilitate the company to reveal that customer satisfaction by purchasing their products. Not only that, it also reveals that the brand was no longer seen as a poor, outdated car, the company was able to operate within a position in the market, and that a change in public perception was very important to Skodas ability to expand within a highly competitive market. SWOT analysis makes the raw information which may gathered from a survey in to an order therefore, it may support managers to investigate both internally and externally. Therefore, it may also highlight the key internal weaknesses of a business, and also the strengths what the management should be alert on their business. Depending on the SWOT and PESTEL analysis, it is required to implement a new business strategy. The critical thing is to implement that new business strategy without disrupting the business. Romeo and Juliet | Summary and Analysis Romeo and Juliet | Summary and Analysis The classic story line of star-crossed lovers has been replicated time and time again, but possibly the most renowned version is William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet No matter what version is consulted, whether it be the original script or the movie rendition directed by Baz Luhrmann, this familiar plot of the age-old play ultimately ends in the tragic death of the romantic couple. However, no calamity to this magnitude merely comes about coincidentally. Rather, Romeos character is to blame for his and Juliets untimely death. Literary critic, Douglas Cole writes, â€Å"The sorry spectacle that Romeo, the romantic lover, makes of himselfpoints directly forward to the catastrophe†(108). In his play Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare leads the star-crossed lovers to their ultimate demise through the development of Romeos character traits. His strong emotions and rash impulsiveness result in Romeo and his beloved Juliets tragic death. Consentingly, Romeo must not assume full responsibility of his and Juliets deplorable collapse. However minor a role they may have assumed, other characters such as Juliet herself, Friar Lawrence, and the Nurse played their part in the journey to the final, cataclysmic outcome of the play. Nonetheless, Romeo plays a large role in bringing about his unfortunate downfall. Romeos excessively strong emotions such as rage, despair, and love are contributing factors to his ultimate demise. To begin with, Romeos frequent display of rage and anger throughout the play promotes his untimely death. A clear instance of this severe fury is when, at the end of the play, Romeo takes his anger of Juliets apparent death out on Paris and kills him. This scene takes place long enough after Romeo and Juliet are well on their way to their impending doom so as not to have a direct impact on the outcome. However, it clearly illustrates a detrimental mistake resulting from Romeos excessive anger. Furthermore, even though Romeo fully intended to commit suicide, he could not control his extreme rage at his entire predicament and felt the need to take his feelings out on Paris. A literary critic aptly explains, â€Å"In such conditions men were naturally more excitable and more subject to sudden panic and prevailing moods,†(Granville-Barker and Harrison 165). In this t ime of great stress, Romeo was more prone to behaving in an excessively fervent manor. To illustrate this, Shakespeare did not grant Romeo complete control of his emotions and instilled in him a superfluous amount of anger. Next, Romeos limitless rage is evident in one of the major climaxes of the theater piece. In Act 3, Scene 1, Romeo enters a confrontation with Tybalt, Juliets cousin. Romeo, with Juliet in mind, does everything he can to avoid a fight. Even so, when Mercutio is killed at Tybalts hand, Romeo cannot control his anger and murders Tybalt in an attempt to avenge Mercutios death. With this, it is extremely evident that â€Å"Romeo is weakened by his superfluous amount of emotion. This excess of rage resulted in his killing Tybalt†(Nardo 122). This murderous act directly leads to Romeo and Juliets tragic ending. Upon committing the crime, Romeo receives a sentence of banishment from Verona. Had Romeo refrained from killing Tybalt, and therefore never been exiled from Verona, Juliet may not have found it necessary to drink the potion that would render her dead. Without Juliets false death the romantic couple would not have encountered the disastrous situation that they would soon be f acing. Additionally, Romeos grief for his seemingly dead Juliet causes him to take actions that contribute to his demise. This is evident in the last scene of the play when Romeo commits suicide after seeing Juliet lying as though in death. One Shakespearean critic proclaims, â€Å"When Romeo perceives Juliet to be dead, the grand romantic lovers emotional state deteriorates to the point of suicide†(Cole 108). Romeo was completely and uncontrollably overcome by anguish and mourning. Without his surplus of uncontrolled emotion, he would not have immediately digressed to suicide. This would have given him the time to discover that Juliet was in fact, not dead. In short, the couple would ultimately survive. Furthermore, immediately after receiving the news of Juliets supposed death, Romeo is already overwhelmed by his grief and he instantly speaks his suicidal thoughts: Well, Juliet, I will lie with thee tonight. Lets see for means. O mischief, thou art swift To enter in the thoughts of desperate men! (Rom. 5.1.36-38) With this, Romeo is already plotting ways to take his own life. Had Romeo kept control of his emotions and investigated the matter for himself, he would have discovered soon enough that Juliet was not dead after all. He may even have come in contact with Friar Lawrence who would have been able to dispel the entire plight. Clearly, â€Å"This catastrophe is hastened by Romeo himself who, when he hears the false report of Juliets death, revealsa despair that turns instantly to thoughts of suicideand he perishes miserably†(Cole 108). Obviously Romeos utter grief for the apparent death of his beloved contributes to the unfortunate outcome at the end of the play. Also, Romeos deep and passionate love for Juliet is instrumental to his downfall. Over the entire duration of Romeos relationship with Juliet, he is obviously completely infatuated with her. One instance that shows Romeos undying love for Juliet is when he kills Tybalt. Romeo murders Tybalt while his thoughts are elsewhere, specifically on Juliet. His passion for her is all consuming (McLeish 215). If Romeo were able to set aside his deep passion for Juliet for a small amount of time, he would not have murdered Tybalt and, therefore, he would never have entered into the horrific situation that would lead to his downfall. In addition, perhaps the scene that best demonstrates this undying love is Romeos final act: his suicide. Upon hearing the false rumor that Juliet is dead, Romeo decides to take his own life. Shakespeare clearly reveals Romeos reasoning behind this decision: â€Å"Heres to my love! †¦ Thus I die with a kiss†(Rom.5.3.129-131). With this, Romeo undoubtedly admits that he cannot live without his love and thus is ending his life out of passion for Juliet. It is also evident that Romeo completely loves Juliet even after she is seemingly dead at his feet (Goddard 289). The adoration that Romeo quite obviously feels toward Juliet is so exceptionally intense that he cannot control his emotions enough to think clearly. If Romeo would not have let his love become so alarmingly out of control, he may never have decided on the horrific action that was his self-murder. At the very least, he would have been able to think lucidly and postpone this unnatural self-destruction long enough to be present and, more importantly, alive, when Juliet would awake. This would have inevitably thwarted the romantic couples tragic death. Harold Clarke Goddard concurs, â€Å"in the case of Romeo, love puts him out of loveâ€Å"(16). In other words, Romeos suicide is a result of his endearment towards Juliet, and ending his life negates any possibility of findin g love with her. Shakespeare ingrains in Romeo a passion for Juliet so intense that it eradicates the possibility of love for the romantic couple, and ultimately brings about their tragic end. Finally, the impulsivity of Romeos actions plays a large role in the catastrophic ending. Throughout the entire story, Romeo is constantly carrying out actions that he has clearly yet to think through. Friar Lawrence even provides foreshadowing to the fact that this rashness will prove to bring about dire results when he says â€Å"they stumble that run fast†(Rom.2.3.94). This metaphorically states the rather simple fact that acting impulsively before considering the consequences can only result in complications. One example of Romeos impetuousness is when he makes a quick decision to seek out Juliet in her garden even though it is extremely dangerous. This rash decision could have been disastrous, but because Romeo was fortunate and was not discovered by Juliets father this particular instance left him relatively unscathed. It is noted that William Shakespeare particularly †emphasizes Romeos own impulsiveness†(Nardo 61). This action, though, just marks the beginni ng of a succession of hasty decisions. For example, Romeo decides that he wants to marry Juliet when he has known her for so short a time. Because Romeo decided to wed Juliet so hastily, the duo was met with problems stemming from the suddenness of their becoming a couple. Perhaps if the two had not rushed into what they considered to be their future so quickly, they would have avoided the ensuing issues. Instead, â€Å"Romeo insists upon the marriage, with an untimely haste†(Nardo 122). This ultimately leads to the rapid advancement of the tragic death. Simply because none of their plans were thought through, they were merely acted upon, Romeo and Juliets relationship was doomed to fail. The long chain of hasty mistakes by Romeo does not, by any means, end with his hasty marriage. Rather, Tybalts murder can also be described as rash and impulsive. Although Romeo does seem to consider the consequences of harming his enemy, as soon as Mercutio is killed, he does not so much as pause before he attacks Tybalt. This impulse that Romeo indulges himself in causes a great flood of events leading directly to his demise, which could have all been avoided had he taken the time to think about what he was doing. Indeed, â€Å"[Romeos] whole love affair betrays a cast of mind that isimpatient of cold reason, and this very quality helps to induce the tragic ending†(Nardo 122). Shakespeare urges Romeo to his demise by denying him the use of forethought that would allow him to make rational decisions. This small but significant character trait would have unquestionably been enough to prevent the romantic couple from advancing toward their deaths. Possibly the most consequential act of impulsive behavior on Romeo s part is in the last act of the play. To begin with, Romeo buys poison to kill himself immediately after hearing of Juliets supposed death. He wishes only to end his life at her side and refuses to investigate Juliets â€Å"death†(Nardo 61). Romeo could not take the necessary time to be sure that the rumor of Juliets death was true. Instead he acted on his very first impulse, which was to commit suicide. This resulted in the awful ending that was the romantic couples death, distinctively showing that â€Å"Romeros [tragic flaw] is his impulsive rashness†(Hammersmith 246). Additionally, Romeo did not waste any time in committing the heinous act of suicide after entering the Capulet tomb. Should he have paused for even a brief moment to contemplate what he was about to do, he would have lived long enough to see Juliet awaken from her death-like sleep. Unfortunately, he continued his trend of rash behavior and cut his life short, which in turn would cause Juliet to do the same. Surely, then, Romeos distinct character traits play an important role in his tragic ending. Uncontrolled emotions including rage, grief, and love, as well as a tendency to act on impulses are major contributing factors to this cataclysmic demise. Although Romeo could not have been alone in the creation of this catastrophic ending, he very clearly played the largest role in bringing about his downfall. The romantic lovers did everything in their power to make their love work. In the end, though, Romeo and Juliet could just not survive the harsh realities of their lives and Romeos flawed character traits.

What Are The Effects Of Acid Rain?

What Are The Effects Of Acid Rain? Part I What is Acid Rain? Acid rain is a general term that refers to the deposition of acidic materials from the atmosphere on the surface of the earth. Therefore it is more appropriately called acid deposition. There are two types of acid deposition, wet deposition and dry deposition. Wet deposition, or acid precipitation, refers to acidic rain, snow, hail or sleet. It occurs when pollutants such as Sulphur and Nitrogen oxides (SOx, NOx) are present in the atmosphere and react with water vapor to form acidic solutions such as Sulphurous Acid (H2SO3), Sulphuric Acid (H2SO4), Nitrous Acid (HNO2) and Nitric Acid (HNO3) that fall to Earths surface as precipitation. Dry deposition refers to the deposition of particles and gases of Sulphur and Nitrogen oxides (SOx, NOx) on Earths surface. These particles and gases become acids when they react with water on the surface of the Earth. Natural precipitation has a pH of about 5.6. It is slightly acidic due to dissolved Carbon dioxide (CO2). I n comparison, acid deposition usually has a pH of about 4.3 5.0. As stated above, acid deposition is caused by pollutants in the atmosphere. The majority of these pollutants are released in to the atmosphere by the burning of fossil fuels. Fuels such as coal and oil contain Sulphur and when they are burned they elease it. When Sulphur is released into the atmosphere by combustion it reacts accordingly: S + O2 Æ’Â   SO2 Sulphur released by the burning of fuels such as oil and coal reacts with Oxygen in the air to yield Sulphur dioxide. 2SO2 + O2 2SO3 Sulphur dioxide reacts with the Oxygen in the air to yield Sulphur trioxide SO2 + H2O Æ’Â   H2SO3 SO3 + H2O Æ’Â   H2SO4 Sulphur dioxide and Sulphur trioxide react with water, either in the atmosphere or on the surface of the Earth, to yield Sulphurous Acid and Sulphuric Acid Combustion of fuels in cars releases another pollutant, Nitrogen gas. Once Nitrogen gas is released in to the atmosphere by combustion it reacts accordingly: N2 + O2 Æ’Â   2NO N2 + 2O2 Æ’Â   2NO2 Nitrogen gas reacts with Oxygen in the air to yield Nitric oxide and Nitrogen dioxide 2NO + O2 2NO2 Nitric oxide reacts with oxygen in the air to yield Nitrogen dioxide 2NO2 + H2O Æ’Â   HNO2 + HNO3 Nitrogen dioxide reacts with water, either in the atmosphere or on the surface of the Earth, to yield Nitrous Acid and Nitric Acid. Small amounts of these pollutants are also released into the atmosphere naturally. Decomposing vegetation releases gases that contribute to pollutants in the atmosphere. Lightning produces Nitric oxide (NO) and volcanic eruptions release Sulphur dioxide (SO2). Some atmospheric chemists such as Dr. Ronald Prinn believe that acid rain has been around for millions of years. Dr. Prinn believes that acid rain could be responsible for the extinction of dinosaurs. However, the first known observation of acid rain did not take place until the 19th century, around the time of the Industrial Revolution. It was Robert Angus Smith, an English scientist, who came up with the term acid rain in 1872 when he observed that acidic precipitation was damaging plants. Acid rain was not considered a major environmental concern until the 1970s when scientists observed the effects of acid rain on ecosystems. When it was made clear that acid rain has negative impacts on ecosystems and that it is not only a regional issue but rather an international one, governments began to get involved. In 1991, Canada and the United States signed the Canada-US Air Quality Agreement and committed to reduce SOx and NOx emissions. Part II How does Acid Rain affect our Society? Acid rain has an extremely negative impact on our society. The most devastating consequence of acid rain is the affect that it has on terrestial as well as aquatic ecosystems. In terrestrial ecosystems, acid rain destroys plants. Acid rain causes toxic metals such as aluminum, copper, lead, manganese and zinc to leach out of rocks and soils. Additionally, nutrients present in topsoil leach down to the subsoil. Plant growth is significantly decreased in soils lacking nutrients and rich in poisonous alumnium. The other toxic metals released by acidic soil kill earthworms and nitrogen-fixing bacteria, both of which are essential to plant growth. Acid rain can also wears away the protective coating of leaves. These consequences also have an effect on the agriculture industry. Many crops cannot grow in soils that are lacking nutrients and contain aluminum. Furthermore, acid rain destroys many food crops such as radishes, tomatoes and apples. The effects of acid rain extends to aquatic eco systems. The toxic substances that are leached out of rocks and soil can be washed in to lakes and rivers. Fish are easily poisoned by these toxic substances. The acidic environment that acid rain creates in lakes and rivers is also harmful to fish and other aquatic organisms. The acidity kills many organisms that are usually at the bottom of a complex aquatic food chain. The food chain then collapses and the populations of many organisms significantly decrease. Acid rain also interrupts fish reproduction as it can destroy fish eggs. There are many more negative effects of acid rain. Fresh water supply can be contaminated by the acidity as well as by the metals that are leached from rocks and soil due to acid rain. Acid rain can also corrode water transportation pipes, allowing metal to enter the water supply. Another consequence of acid rain is the effect that it has on a cityscape. Acid rain can significantly damage metal and stone structures. Finally, acid rain can have an affect on human health. Contaminated water can cause health concerns. The SOx and NOx in dry deposition can cause numerous respiratory diseases such as asthma, emphysema and bronchitis. Furthermore, Nitrogen oxides (NOx) can react with volatile organic compounds in the air near the surface of the Earth to yield Ozone, which can be very detrimental to the respiratory system. Part III What should we do about Acid Rain? There are two methods that can be taken when approaching the issue of acid rain. We can either ignore the issue or we can do something about it and attempt to control the problem. Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages. If we ignore acid rain, nothing will be done to control or stop it and we will continue to suffer from its consequences. The advantage of this method is that no resources have to be expended. Governments, industries and citizens do not have to invest any money in to attempting to solve the problem. Governments do not have to invest in new energy sources. Industries can go on using current techniques without having to invest in new strategies in order to assist in solving the problem. Citizens can also go on without trying to conserve resources in order to attempt to stop acid rain. However, the disadvantage of this method is that acid rain will remain a threat to terrestrial ecosystems, aquatic ecosystems, the agriculture industry, cityscapes, fresh wate r supplies and human health. If acid rain continues the effects could be devastating. The second method is to do something about the problem and attempt to control acid rain. In order to do so pollutant emissions must be reduced, alternative sources of energy must be found and used, resources must be conserved, polices must be put in place in order to protect air quality and lakes and rivers must be neutralized. The advantage to this method is that it has the potential to control or even stop acid rain. By doing so we can save many terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, increase yield of crops, prevent damage to cityscapes, keep supplies of fresh water clean and eliminate any risk of human health being put at risk due to acid rain. However, the disadvantage to this method is that it is very expensive. It also requires governments, industries and citizens to take action. To reduce pollutant emissions, companies have to invest in new cleaner technology. Such technology includes Sulphur s crubbers in factories and catalytic converters in cars. These technologies are expensive and require a large investment from industries. Furthermore, if policies are put in place in order to maintain air quality, many companies will have to invest in new technology in order to meet these new regulations. In order to find and use new energy sources industries as well as governments will have to invest a large amount of money into research and implementation. Additionally, neutralizing lakes and rivers that have been damaged by acid rain with limestone will also require the government to spend a large amount of money. All of these costs will eventually be passed down to the consumer as well as the citizen. In order to control acid rain we must also conserve our natural resources. This will be very hard for a society that is driven by exploitation. Revenues of many companies might go down if consumers begin to conserve. Revenues also may go down if companies begin consider the environm ent before they consider profit. After examining the advantages and disadvantages of ignoring the situation and controlling the situation, I think that we must control it. It would be wrong to ignore acid rain and the advantages of controlling it really outweigh its disadvantages. Controlling and trying to eliminate acid rain will be expensive and require governments, industries and citizens to take action but it is the right thing to do. We must save our ecosystems, our crops, our cities, our water and our health from the detrimental effects of acid rain. Ebola Virus: History, Causes and Effects Ebola Virus: History, Causes and Effects K.G Shayani Upulika Ebola Virus Outbreak: The deadline and incurable Hemorrhagic fever. Contents (Jump to) 1.1 Introduction to Ebola virus 1.2 History of Ebola virus. 1.3 Characteristics of Ebola virus 1.4 Symptoms of Ebola virus 1.5 Diagnosis methods of Ebola virus. 1.6 Treatments for Ebola virus 1.7 Conclusion. References: 1.1 Introduction to Ebola virus Identification of natural reservoir for Ebola virus was not possible by researchers for decades but recently a scientist named Leroy presented most acceptable evidence that three species of fruit bats called Hypsignathus monstrosus, Epomops franqueti and Myonycteris torquata are wildlife reservoirs for Ebola virus (Biek et al, 2006). Ebola virus is associated with acute fatal hemorrhagic symptoms for human and non-human primates when they get escaped from their wildlife reservoir hosts, Ebola virus is consider as a filo virus and one of the most lethal viruses known the five species of Ebola virus have been identified as Ivory Coast Ebola virus, Sudan Ebola virus, Zaire virus, Reston Ebola virus Ebola and Bundibugyo Ebola virus (Yuan et al, 2012). In the present situation of Ebola virus has a 90% death rate and the main site of first immerging is the region of Guinea’s southeastern forest region and this spilled throughout the entire Africa and some regions of the world (Bausc h and Schwarz, 2014). 1.2 History of Ebola virus. Ebola virus was first identified in 1976 in Congo of central Africa, It initially named as Zaire as it first found in town of Yambuku and after Yambuku outbreak the virus was vanished, but Ebola reappeared again in 1989 (Draper, 2002).The biomedical scientists first discovered the family of virus filoviridea when Marburg virus first appeared in 1967 and at that time commercial laboratory workers with sever and unusual disease symptoms were admitted to hospital in Marburg, Germany (peters and Ledue, 1999). After the discovery of Ebola it has re-appeared cyclically; most of the Ebola outbreaks are restricted to rural regions in central Africa and have never participated more than 500 cases, first Ebola case were noticed in February in wild areas of south Guinea and it has grown so strongly and spread so rapidly in terms of affected people and earthly spread those are Guinea, large parts of Liberia and Sierra, Lennon are disease ridden (Klenk, 2014). The virus has persisted in Africa and many fatal outbreaks in human and non-human primates have been reported and the History of Ebola virus is still unclear when doing researches Ebola virus strains with complete glycoprotein genes, including Zaire, sudan.reston, Tai forest, and bundibugya were analyzed (Li and Chen, 2013). After finding the way of coming the Ebola virus to south Africa scientists have found that the virus have always been there in the region but people just never noticed, therefor it has recently introduced then the first report and phylogenetic investigations on the Guinea outbreak proposed that the Ebola virus found in Guinea is a noticeable strain from that observed in central Africa, Therefore Ebola virus is not a newcomer to the region, it has been circulating for some time in Guinea,and have become a sudden threat to human beings (Schwarz, and Bausch, 2014). Figure 1.1 Map of the three countries involved in the 2013-2014 outbreak of Ebola virus as of June 20 2014(Schwarz and Bausch, 2014). 1.3 Characteristics of Ebola virus The family filoviridae with order Mononegavirales contains two generas, as Marburg virus and Ebola virus (EBOV) (Kuhn et al., 2012). Ebola virus is again divided in to many species such as Zaire Ebola virus (ZEBOV) Sudan Ebola virus, Ta forest Ebola virus and Reston Ebola virus (REBOV) (Kuhn et al., 2012). VP40 is the major Ebola virus matrix protein and it plays a major role in virus assembly and budding. This virus have a diameter averagely 57 .58 nm and it differ slightly for VP40+VP35 at 63.64nm, VP40+VP35+NP at 66.75nm (Johnson, Bell and Harty, 2006).Ebola virus particle is uniform with uniform diameter of 80 nm but Ebola virus particles are greatly varying from their morphology including long up to about 14  µm, sometimes these particles are branched filaments or shorter filaments shaped like ‘6’, ‘u’ or a circle and the size of this viral genome considered as 19 kb (Cencciarelii et al, 2014). However this fever referred as a group of illness that ca used by viruses belongs to diverse range of families which includes Lassa fever, rift valley fever and so on and It may lead to overall vascular damage and usually accompanied by hemorrhage (Ratanshi et al, 2014). Filo virus outbreaks are specific because these viruses can intersperse by years or even decades without showing any disease activity and last new species of Ebola virus was found 14 years before in Ivory Coast (Towner et al., 2008). Ebola virus is characterized by secondary transmission and high case fatality and also by filamentous enveloped particles however treating Ebola virus was a challenged situation after infection because these virus consists recombinant human activated protein C(rhAPC) ,recombinant nematode anticoagulant protein c2 (rNCPc2), small interfering RNA(si RNA) ( Qui et al, 2014). 1.4 Symptoms of Ebola virus Ebola virus is an invasive pathogen that can cause a highly lethal hemorrhagic fever in both human and non-human beings this virus runs its course within 14 to 21 days and the infection initially present with non-specific symptoms like fever, myalgia and malaise as infection proceeds patients starts to show large bleeding and coagulation deformities including gastrointestinal bleeding, rash and a wide varieties of hematological irregularities (Sullivan, Yang and Nabel, 2014).The initial symptoms of Ebola virus are non-specific, including fever, rash and vomiting, The most generally experienced symptoms were non-bloody diarrhea (81%) and asthenia (77%) and Seven patient reported were observed with hemorrhagic symptoms, and out of seven six of patient died(Roddy et al, 2012).The incubation period after exposure to virus is typically 8 to 10 days but it can be as short as 2 days and extended to 21 days and the net death rate is high as 90%.Most people with Ebola die within 2 weeks of di sease onset (Turner, 2014). 1.5 Diagnosis methods of Ebola virus. Numbers of newer technologies were applied for the diagnosis of Ebola virus infection some of them are antigen detection assay, utilized extensively in the Reston outbreak and its investigation, these methods allowed a fast and unique recognition of Ebola virus in the blood of severly ill individuals even in rural areas also nonspecific detection of antibodies by the unintended fluorescent antibody test in humans during Reston investigation led to the adaptation of the enzyme (Kaslow, Stanberry and Due, 2014). Ebola virus disease can proved with various lab tests depending on the on the stage of the disease, within a few days of infection immunosobent assay, antigen detection tests, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay, and virus location by cell culture is used (Plotkin, Oreanstein an Offit, 2008). after the patient get back to normal immunoglobulin M and Immunoglobulin G can be found, after death immunohistochemistry, PCR and isolation of the virus can be done the exact diagnosis can be done by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and ELISA antigen testing furthermore clarifications on viral replication inside cells can be done through measurements of IgM antibodies ( Plotkin, Oreanstein an Offit, 2008). Diagnosis of Ebola comes in to play when symptoms and signs of fever, illness, petechial rash and disseminated bleeding are observed and most of the accurate diagnosis is done by using a polymerase chain reaction detection assay and can be confirmed by detection of viral replication in Vero cells (Plotkin, Orenstein and Offit, 2008). Ebola is mainly diagnosed from the symptoms and blood test here mainly looks for the presence of antibodies in the virus at earlier days detecting a infected patient was not easy and once recognized the patient must be isolated and relevant authorities should notified (Horobin, 2008). 1.6 Treatments for Ebola virus No effective treatments for Ebola virus at this time. Anti-viral medications currently available have no effect on Ebola virus. Care for patients with Ebola virus infection consists maintaining fluid and electrolyte equilibrium via oral or I.V. hydration, supporting oxygenation and BP, Adjustments of coagulation and treating comorbidities such as a concurrent bacterial infection (Turner, 2014). However without recommended vaccines or treatments Ebola virus management has been limited and barrier methods and prevention methods also become limited but a combination of monoclonal antibodies (ZMapp), optimized from two previous antibody cocktails, is able to rescue 100% of rhesus macaques when treatments is only initiated up to 5 days, High fever, abnormalities in blood count and vireamia were some evidences in animals before ZMapp invention after that advanced disease as indicated by increased liver enzymes, mucosal hemorrhage and generalized petechial could be reversed leading to a ful l recovery (Qiu et al, 2014). There are no licensed vaccines currently available against Ebola virus but many applicable vaccine platforms have been tested for their efficiency against the virus and this treatment includes exposed or lipid encapsulated DNA, particles like virus arrangements, Vesicular stomatitis virus, strain Indiana, Human parainfluenza virus 3 (HPIV-3) , vaccinia, Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) and replication-deficient human adenovirus serotype 5 (AdHu5) vectors(Richardson et al, 2011). Due to the absence of specific therapies, filo virus ward clinicians give infected patients with the supportive care regime consist of oral medication, oral fluid rehydration, nutritional additives and physiological aid (Roddy et al, 2012). 1.7 Conclusion. Ebola virus is considered as one of the most lethal virus found so far and it has extremely high mortality rate therefore according to the doctors and experts point of view anyone who has stayed in areas where Ebola outbreak have recently been reported should have knowledge about the symptoms of infection and seek medical advices at the first sign of illness. Many reasons are there for this highly lethal disease to be spread largely, the most important reason is hospitals lack medical equipment such as surgical gloves, masks and hypodermic syringes to inject medicines to patients and clean water and also the lack of high standard medical laboratories for the medical tests to done on the virus is also a major issue. The spread of knowledge about the Ebola virus is expected to solve another big part of the problem therefore prevention of a worldwide outbreak lies within the education of the virus, how Ebola victims can properly treated and by performing suitable action to isolate the v irus before it has spread and maintaining hygienic conditions as much as possible.   References: Biek, R., Walsh, P. D., Leroy, E.M. and Real, L. A. (2006) ‘Recent common ancestry of Ebola virus found in a bat reservoir’, Plos pathogens, 2(10) pp. 1-3. [Online] DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.0020090 (Accessed: 20 October 2014). Bausch, D. G. and Schwarz, L. (2014) ‘Outbreak of Ebola virus in Guinea: where ecology meets Economy’, PLOS Neglected tropical diseases, 8(7) pp. 1-5. [Online] DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003056 (Accessed: 20 October 2014). Cenciarelii, O., Pietropaoli, S., Frusteri, L., Malizia, A., Carestia, M., Amico, F. D., Sassolini,A., Giovanii, D. D., Tamburrini, A., Palombi, L.,Bellecci, C. and Gaudi, P. (2014) ‘Biological Emergency Management: The Case of Ebola 2014 and the air transportation involvement’, Microbial and Biochemical Technology, 6(5) pp. 1-7. [Online] DOI: 10.4172/1948-5948.1000152 (Accessed: 22 October 2014). Draper, A. S. (2002)’ Epidemics, deadly disease throughout the history Ebola’ .Google Books [Online]. Available at: http://books.google.lk/books?id=FohdK6o-8WICpg=PA1focus=viewportdq=history+of+ebolaoutput=html_text. (Accessed: 20 October 2014). Horobin, W. (2008) Diseases and Disorders. Google books [Online]. Available at: http://books.google.lk/books?id=-HRJOElZch8Cpg=PA303dq=diagnosis+of+ebolahl=ensa=Xei=FB4-VNrvJ5fpoASNrIGwAgved=0CEwQ6AEwCQ#v=onepageq=diagnosis of ebolaf=false. (Accessed: 25 October 2014). Johnson, R. F., Bell, P and Harty, R. N. (2006) ‘Effect of Ebola virus proteins GP,NP and VP35 on VP40 VLP morphology’, Springer, 9(11) pp.1-20.[Online] DOI: 10.1186/1743-422X-3-31 (Accessed: 22 October 2014). Khun, J.H., Becker, S., Ebihara, H., Geisbert, T. W. and Jahrling, P. B.(2012) ‘Virus taxonomy ninth report of the international committee on taxonomy of virus’, filoviridae , 8(8) pp. 665-671.[Online] .Available at: www.plospathogens.org (Accessed:28 September 2014). Klenk, H. D., (2014) ’Lessons to be learned from the Ebola virus outbreak in west Africa’, Emerging Microbes and Infections. 11(3) pp. 1-1. [Online]. DOI: 10.1038/emi.2014.68 (Accessed: 20 October 2014). Kaslow, R. A., Stanberry, L. R. and Due, J. W. L.(2014) Viral infection of human. Google books [Online]. Available at: http://books.google.lk/books?id=sxakBAAAQBAJpg=PA344dq=diagnosis+of+ebolahl=ensa=Xei=PRM9VPCVLpeMuASM6YKoDgved=0CDYQ6AEwAw#v=onepageq=diagnosis of ebolaf=false. (Accessed: 25 October 2014). Li, Y. H, and Chen, S. P.,(2013) ‘ Evolutionary history of Ebola virus’, Epidemiology and infection, 142(6). pp.1-3. [Online]. DOI: 10.1017/SO950268813002215 (Accessed: 20 October 2014). Peters, C. J. and Ledue, J. W. (1999) ‘An introduction to Ebola: the virus and the disease’, Ebola: The Virus and the Disease, 179(1) pp. 1-8. [Online] DOI: 10.1086/514322 (Accessed :20 October 2014). Plotkin, S. A., Orenstein, W. A. and Offit, P. A. (2008) Vaccines. Google Books [Online]. Available at: http://books.google.lk/books?id=hoigDQ6vdDQCpg=PA1061dq=diagnosis+of+ebolahl=ensa=Xei=PRM9VPCVLpeMuASM6YKoDgved=0CDEQ6AEwAg#v=onepageq=diagnosis of ebolaf=false. (Accessed: 25 October 2014). Qiu, X., Wong, G., Audet, J., Bello, A., Fernando, L., Alimonti, J. B., Bovendo, H. F., Wei, H., Aviles, J., Hiatt, E., Jhonson, A., Morton, J., Swope, K., Bohorova, O., Goodman, C., Kim, D., Pauly, M. H., Velasco, J., Pettitt, J., Olinger, G. G., Whaley, K., Xu, B., Strong, J. E., Zeitlin, L. and Kobinger, G. P.,(2014) ‘Reversion of advanced Ebola virus disease in nonhuman primates with ZMapp’, Nature, 1 (0), pp. 1-15.[Online] DOI: 10.1038/nature13777 (Accessed: 23 October 2014). Qiu, X., Wong, G., Audet, J., Bello, A., Fernando, L., Alimonti, B., Bovendo, H. F., Wei, H., Aviles, J., Hiatt, E., Johnson, A., Morton, J., Swope, K., Bohorov, O., Bohorova, N., Goodman, C., Kim, D., Pauly, M. H., Velasco, J., Pettitt, J., Olinger, G. G.,Whaley, K., Xu, B., Strong, J. E and Zeitlin, L. (2014) ‘Reversion of advanced Ebola virus disease in nonhuman primates with ZMapp’, Nature, 11 (7) pp. 1-4. [Online] DOI: 10.1038/nature13777 (Accessed: 26 October 2014). Ratanshi, R. S., Elbireer, A., Mayanja, F., Coutinho, A., Merry, C. (2014) ‘Ebola outbreak response; experience and development of screening tools for viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) in HIV center of excellence near to VHF epicenters’, VHF screening during an Ebola outbreak in large Ugandan HIV clinic, 9 (7), pp. 1-8.[Online] Available at: www.plosone.org. (Accessed: 22 October 2014). Roddy, P., Howard, N., Kerkhove, M. D. V., Lutwama, J., Wamala, J., Yoti, Z., Colebunders, R., Palma, P. P., Sterk, E., Jeffs, B., Herp, M. V., Borchert, M. (2012) ‘Clinical Manifestations and Case Management of Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever Caused by a Newly Identified Virus Strain, Bundibugyo, Uganda, 2007–2008’, Ebola Clinical Manifestations and Case Management, 7 (12) pp. 1-12. [Online] Available at: www.plosone.org (Accessed: 24 October 2014). Richardson, J. S., Wong, G., Pillet, S., Schindle, S., Ennis, J., Turner, J., Strong, J. E., and Kobinger, G. P. (2011) ‘Evaluation of Different Strategies for Post-Exposure Treatment of Ebola Virus Infection in Rodents’, Journal of Bioterrorism and Biodefense, 11 (7) pp. 1-1. [Online] DOI: 10.4172/2157-2526.S1-007 (Accessed: 26 October 2014). Roddy, P., Howard, N., Kerkhove, M. D. V., Lutwama, J., Wamala, J., Yoti, Z., Colebunders, R., Palma, P. P., Sterk, E., Jefffs, B., Herp, M. V and Bochert, M. (2012) ‘Clinical Manifestations and Case Management of Ebola Haemorrhagic Fever Caused by a Newly Identified Virus Strain, Bundibugyo, Uganda, 2007–2008’, Ebola Clinical Manifestations and Case Management, 7(12) pp. 1-12. [Online] Available at: www.plosone.org (Accessed: 26 October 2014). Schwarz, L. and Bausch, D. G., (2014) ‘Outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Guinea:where ecology meets economy’, PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 8(7) pp.1-5.[Online] Available at: www.plosntds.org. (Accessed: 20 October 2014). Sullivan, N., Young, Z. Y. and Nabel, G. J. (2014) ‘Ebola virus pathogenesis: Implications for vaccines and therapies’, Journal of virology, 88 (21) pp. 1-4. [Online] DOI: 10.1128/JVI.18.9733-9737.2003 (Accessed: 24 October 2014). Turner, C. (2014) ‘Ebola virus disease: An emerging threat’, Nursing, 44 (9) pp. 1-1. [Online] DOI: 10.1097/01.NURSE.0000453010.02525.ca (Accessed: 24 October 2014). Towner, J. S., Sealy, T. S., Khristova, M. L., Albarino, C. G., Reeder, S. A., Quan, P.L., Lipkin, W. L., Downing, R., Tappero, J. W., Okware, S., Lutwama, J., Bakamutumaho, B., Kaiwa, J., Comer, J. A., Rollin, P. E., Ksiazek, T. G., Nichol, S.T. (2008) ‘Newly discovered Ebola virus associated with hemorrhagic fever outbreak in uganda’, New species of Ebola virus in Uganda,4 (11), pp. 1-6. [Online] Available at: www.plospathogens.org (Accessed: 23 October 2014). Turner, C. (2014) ‘Ebola virus disease: An emerging threat’, Nursing, 44 (9) pp. 1-1. [Online] DOI: 10.1097/01.NURSE.0000453010.02525.ca (Accessed: 25 October 2014). Turner, C. (2014) ‘Ebola virus disease: An emerging threat’, Nursing, 44 (9) pp. 1-1. [Online] DOI: 10.1097/01.NURSE.0000453010.02525.ca (Accessed: 26 October 2014). Yuan, J., Zhang, Y., Li, J., Zhang, Y., Wang, L. F. and Shi, Z. (2012) ‘Serological evidence of Ebola virus infection in bats, China’, Virology Journal, 9(236) pp. 1-5. [Online] DOI: 10.1186/1743-422x-9-236 (Accessed: 20 October 2014). 1

Tupac :: essays research papers

Shakur and Wallace are known as two of the greatest rap artists of all time. Both of these men were murdered in the past 6 years. After the death of Shakur, there was a lot of controversy about who had killed him and if he was really dead or not. He was killed in 1996 so the talk had stopped for many years until last month. Before I get into the new findings, I’ll give you some background information. Wallace and Shakur were once good friends and then became enemies. Both men would rap mean, nasty stuff about each other and Shakur even claimed to have slept with Wallace’s wife, Faith Evans. Wallace was an East coast rapper and best friends with Sean "P. Diddy" Combs. They were both affiliated with Bad Boy Entertainment, which had close ties to the Crips gang. Tupac came to be associated with the West Coast rappers and Death Row Records. Death Row was owned by Marion "Suge" Knight, a former NFL player and a guy who was always up to no good. Suge Knight and Tupac were both members of the â€Å"Bloods† gang. This gang happened to be archrivals of the Crips. One night in Las Vegas in 1996, Tupac was in town for a Mike Tyson fight. After the fight, he and his friends beat up a Crip by the name of Orlando Anderson in a hotel lobby. Anderson had recently taken part in assault up one of Tupac's bodyguards. After the beating Anderson and his Crip friends quickly planned to get revenge on Shakur. This is where everything began to get interesting. In a new report from the L.A. Times, it says that the Notorious BIG himself was in Las Vegas at the time and was most involved in Tupac's death. The report also says that the murder weapon was supplied Christopher Wallace who agreed to pay the Crips $1 million to kill Shakur. In the article it says, "he didn't just want Shakur dead. He wanted the satisfaction of knowing the fatal bullet came from his gun." This gun was a .40-caliber Glock pistol that Biggie reportedly handed over to the Crips in a Vegas hotel room. The day after the article ran, Wallace’s family said that he was not even in Las Vegas at the time. Another report also said that a friend claims that he and Biggie were in Teaneck, N.

Essay --

Unemployment literally means a state of unpaid period. An unemployed is available for job, but his status is of no wage. On the contrary an employed man builds a status in the society. If a person does not acquire a job, his credibility and capability is questioned. Ego plays its role in this situation. The male ego is pinched when an unemployed is questioned in the society. INDUTRIAL AND LABOUR RELTIONS REVIEW,VOL 42, NO 3 APRIL 1989 According to US Bureau of Labour Statistics, before 1991 that is prior to the period of liberalization, the unemployment level of females around the year 1986 was estimated to be 6.6%. This study of unemployment rate was on the basis of gender. An unemployment trend has been explained though the National Sample Survey, 68th Round in which it illustrates that rural female’s unemployment rate has declined rapidly after 2004-05(7.0%) to 6.2% in 2011-12. Study on urban female unemployment rate it was 9.4% in 1999-2000 but declined drastically by 2011-12 and was estimated to be at 8.0%. The study shows the rise in woman workers seeking work both in rural and urban areas. Due to the female workers stepping into the work market, the unemployment rate has marginally declined meaning many found jobs. Case of unemployment alone is not the issue creating the masculinity crisis. Low waged workers also have an impact. This is due to the reason of men v/s men comparison in a particular society. Men of same age group when placed in different jobs face a clash of wage followed by silent hatred. Employment illustrates independence, respect and status in the society one lives in. Especially when highly educated men are unable to fix into a job, it is a matter of their personality crushing. The man of the socie... ... masculinities, this has created a level of tension among men in Haryana. According to 1991 Census 36.24% of the in the category of 15-44 years of age in Haryana was categorized under unmarried. In districts like Rohtak the percentage unmarried male was 44%. The reason cited was the polygamy, widower remarriage, and still existent custom of bride price among the lower strata. For the reasons cited, female sex ratio plays a major role. Aggression leads to worsening of relations between a man and woman or between two men. In the state, the situation of hypergamous marriages is model , where there are brides at the top. This has led to in a situation where employed male is in favourable position in context to get married while on the other hand the unemployed are not in such a position. With respect to marriage, the employed men are apt option than the unemployed.