How to Clean the Harman Pf100 Furnace

How to Clean the Harman PF100 Furnace Here are step-by-step instructions for cleaning your Harman PF100 Pellet Furnace. These instructions are to be used in conjunction with the owner’s manual that came with your furnace. If you have any questions about the procedure please don’t hesitate to call your local authorized dealer. In order to maintain top efficiency it is important to clean and vacuum the inside of the furnace 3 or 4 times per burn season. The furnace is designed to be very easy to clean and it should take about an hour to complete. A thorough cleaning is required at the end of each heating season.Keep in mind that cleaning both your insert and venting system is essential. It boosts heat output and keeps the furnace running at maximum efficiency. Many Harman dealers offer annual cleaning services for their customers. Please read through this entire guide before beginning. TOOLS YOU WILL NEED: Dust Mask & Safety Goggles Shop vacuum w/fine dust (HEPA) filter S tandard socket set or nut driver set Tooth brush 3† to 4† paintbrush Small putty knife Hearth glass cleaner Paper towels Rubber gloves (soot really gets into pores) Drop cloth Flashlight or drop light 4 in. lexible brush (for venting pipe) Burn pot scraper (included w/furnace) TIPS BEFORE YOU START: Be sure the furnace is completely out and cool (and unplugged from electrical power! ). The furnace must be completely out before cleaning. Every part must be cool to the touch, including the pellets that are left in the burn pot. Live pellets are a fire hazard – especially if they get sucked into a vacuum cleaner. Every year there are stories of house vacuums catching fire by inadvertently sucking up hot ashes. Worse still this can be the source of a house fire!Hot ashes should be stored in a metal container with a tight fitting lid. When the ashes are completely out they can be used as a soil conditioner for your lawn or garden. Wear a dust mask! This is important! D on’t be foolhardy when it comes to protecting your lungs. Wear a mask and protective goggles. Professional chimney sweeps wear both while performing cleaning tasks. STEP #1: PREPARE THE WORK AREA Start by placing a drop cloth on the floor in front of your furnace. Alternatively you can use newspaper. Keep your tools on the drop cloth so you can wrap them in it and take them outside for cleaning when you are done.STEP #2: CLEAN THE EXTERIOR OF THE BURN POT Open the side access door (Fig. 1) and begin by removing loose soot deposits from within the burn pot. Remove the flame guide and vacuum the ash from the burn pot and above the burn pot (Fig. 2). Fig. 2 Fig. 1 Fig. 3 Clean the burn pot using the scraper provided (Fig. 3). Use the flat end of the scraper to remove the carbon from the burn pot. Alternatively use a hammer and a straight tip screw driver to tap the deposits loose. STEP #3: CLEAN THE INTERIOR OF THE BURN POT You’ll now need to clean ash from inside the bur n pot.Remove the clean out plate under the burn pot by loosening the two wing nuts holding the plate in place (Fig. 4). You many need to use pliers to loosen the wing nuts initially. Vacuum all ash from the burn pot’s interior (Fig. 5). Fig. 6 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 Use your finger to brush out any ash that can’t be reached with the nozzle of the vacuum (Fig. 6). After cleaning, be sure the plate is fully closed before hand tightening the wing nuts. (Note: Do not tighten the wing nuts with pliers. ) STEP #4: REMOVE THE UPPER BAFFLE PLATE Remove the upper baffle plate from the firebox on the wall opposite the burn-pot.To accomplish this, lift the cover plate up about 1/2† and it can be removed for cleaning (Fig. 7). Use the pointed end of the scraper and a brush to clean the heat exchanger behind the cover, let the ashes fall into the ash pan. Clean the remainder of the inside of the burn chamber using the scraper, putty knife, brush and vacuum. Fig. 7 Second Baffle Plate: After all the scraping and brushing of ashes is complete you can remove and empty the ash pan. There is a second baffle plate located below the upper baffle plate that becomes accessible when the ash pan is removed.Tip the top of the cover forward and lift up and out of the furnace. Do a final clean-up of the baffle and vacuuming of the inside of the firebox area and the ash pan (ashes noted by lower right arrow on Fig. 7). Replace the baffle plates being sure they are securely latched into position. Also, be sure the flame guide is replaced on the burn pot. Replace the ash pan, close and latch the firebox door and outside cover door. STEP #5: REMOVE THE COMBUSTION MOTOR First, remove the combustion blower cover. The combustion blower housing is held in place with two flip latches (Fig. ). Next, remove the combustion motor by first loosening the three thumb screws (Fig. 9). You can then twist the motor assembly counter-clockwise to remove it. NOTE: The motor wires do not need to be disconnected. Fig. 8 Fig. 9 STEP #6: CLEAN THE COMBUSTION MOTOR & SURROUNDING AREA When the combustion blower is removed, the inside of the combustion blower area (Fig. 10) needs to be brushed and vacuumed. Next, the fins of the combustion blower (Fig. 11) will need detailed cleaning as they will accumulate sooty dust.Although the combustion fan is shown removed in this view for clarity (Fig. 12), you do not need to disconnect the wiring of the motor for this step. The fins of the blower need to be carefully cleaned with a toothbrush. Be extra careful not to bend the fins on the combustion blower as this may cause an imbalance or interference with the inside of the blower housing when it is reassembled. Fig. 10 Fig. 11 Fig. 12 STEP #7: CLEAN THE AUGER DRIVE BOX The next step is to clean the inside of the pellet feed mechanism and a general cleanup â€Å"under the hood† of the furnace.Start by removing the large sheet-metal cover under the pellet hopper (Fig. 13). There are f our screws holding this cover in place; two are located as seen in the image in fig. 13. The other two screws are on the other side of the furnace. You need only to loosen the screws a few turns and slide the cover off. Fig. 13 Under the cover you will find the feeder assembly; you will need to remove the wing nut in the center of the housing cover (Fig. 14) and remove the cover. After removing the cover, clean out the inside of the housing (Fig. 15) with a small brush and a vacuum.Replace the auger assembly cover and wing nut and then the outer sheet metal cover. Tighten the sheet metal cover screws snuggly and you are done cleaning the â€Å"engine housing†. Fig. 14 Fig. 15 STEP #8: CLEAN OR REPLACE THE AIR FILTER You will need to clean or replace the air filter on the filter box (Fig. 16). Follow the air filter manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning or replacement. Filters are widely available at hardware stores and home centers. Fig. 16 STEP #9: SWEEP THE ENTIRE FLUE SYSTEM It is very important that the entire flue system is inspected and cleaned once per year.In order to clean the flue system you will need to sweep it from its exit point using rods and an appropriately sized brush. You may need to take apart sections of pipe in order to do this. Note: Professional installers often design the venting system so that certain joints can be taken apart. These joints will often have either aluminum tape or silicone caulking on the outside. Use a knife to scrape off the silicone caulking on the joints you plan to take apart. If your pellet stove is installed into an existing chimney you will need to clean the chimney as well as the pellet pipe.To do this you will need the appropriate sized chimney brush and rods. (i. e. a six inch diameter chimney will need a 6† diameter brush) Once the flue system has been cleaned, reconnect and recaulk the pellet vent. High temperature RTV silicone caulking will work for this. Note: it is very important t hat each joint of the pipe within the home be airtight. Even small pinhole leaks can leak smoke! If you have any questions regarding any aspect of these cleaning instructions, please refer back to your Owner’s Manual or contact your authorized Harman dealer.

Food Chain, Food Web and Ecological Pyramid

GAYATRI VIDYA PARISHAD COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING (AUTONOMOUS) MADHUARAWADA, VISAKHAPATNAM – 530048 ASSIGNMENT SUBMITTED TO: S. V. RAMANA ————————————————- DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH NAME OF THE STUDENT: VAMSI KRISHNA G ROLL NUMBER:12131A0533 TITLE OF THE ASSIGNMENT: TECHNOLOGY ON EDUCATION ————————————————- DATE OF SUBMISSION: 15-04-2013 INTRODUCTION: The impact of technology on education is immense.In olden days students used to get confined to libraries for any information on the topics given to them but now a days the technology has been improved , students carry portable devices with them such as laptops, mobiles etc. they are also provided with Ebooks which are much more advanced than the textbooks. KEY POINTS: 1. As the technology have been increased producti vity tools such as databases, spreadsheets, graphic programs etc allow students to independently organize, analyze, interpret, develop, their own work 2.Projectors are playing a major role in an students life as teachers have adopted e learning techniques due to which students are understanding the concepts easily. It has lessen the burden of a teacher 3. Technology have been increased so well that the application of scientific calculators have lessen the burden of the engineering students. 4. students can set up language lessons with a native speaker who lives in another country and attend the lessons via videoconferencing 5.With a simple assignment and access to technology, researching and also producing a product that would communicate, students are able to do deep learning on a concept that wasn’t even addressed in their textbook, and allow other people to view it and learn from it. 6. E-books is an electronic device which consists of a lot of information more than a text book. Hence e-book has replaced the textbook . 7. 3D learning has become a reality especially for medical , architech , biology students as it increases their understanding and are able to grasp the concept very easily. . Now a days students are not restricted to libraries and classrooms as they are equipped with portable learning devices such as laptops, pendrives, smartphones etc. 9. In olden days students used to refer a number of books by going to library but now students can get any information on any topic on web for example Wikipedia. 10. Assistive technology can help students who have mental retardation along with students who are low performers, at-risk students or have any learning disability. 11.There are a number of websites such as expert tutorials, mock testes, online testes which increase the confidence of the students facing any type of exams. 12. Presently, classroom learning is increasingly dependent on the integration of technology thus enhancing learning. The cur rent technology uses email systems, data processing and laptop audio/videos webinars. 13. youtube is a great example for homegrown ingenuity as it has many different venues such as entertainment, learning and even commercialization of products. 14.The improvement in technology has been a great help to students in many fields for instance, in the field of fashion technology , one can use different colour patterns , 3D designing etc. so that they can have immediate evaluation. 15. The textbooks have also become very attractive with fine quality and much more advanced than the olden day’s textbooks, which help the students to update the information accurately. 16. In olden days students used to write the information from different textbooks which was a time taking process but now a days students can get any type of information printed instead of writing. 7. Students can incoperate pictures,matter with the help of scanner in their presentation. 18. Open air class room techniques have been implemented so that students engage in hands on learning related to nature topics. 19. Virtual reality technology is an important tool for the monitoring anomalies in structures and to assist decisions based on visual analysis of alternative solutions. It is mostly used in civil engineering. 20. The technology has made it possible for the distance education students to persue degree with good universities.CONCLUSION: Hence increase in technology has brought a great change in education. Students are getting more confident and are able to face the world with no fear. Computers assist in education by providing a wide range of resources, and by tailoring instruction to the individual student, which can seldom be done in the normal classroom. VAMSI KRISHNA G 15-04-2013 SIGNATURE (WITH DATE)

Biodel Inc

BUAD 490 3/14/13 Team Written Case Analysis (Concise) Biodel, Inc. BIODEL INC. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Biodel’s use of biotechnology expertise in the three prime areas of Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, and Immunodiagnostics has led their company into some great opportunities. Biodel created a synthetic serum to replace fetal calf serum and horse serum, and provide a more consistently available product for scientific researchers. Biodel’s Molecular Biology division used DNA technology to gain 60% of the market share of growth factors and stock the largest collection of commercially available synthetic nucleotides, which was 50% of their sales.Biodel’s research and development in Immunodiagnostics led to the invention of DEMA, a non-radioactive method for measuring a wide array of biologically important substance. The intelligence and vision of Dr. Oscar Feldman drove Biodel to a position of leadership in the biotechnology industry. Dr. Feldman has applied innovations in Cell Biology, Molecular Biology and Immunodiagnostics to increase market share for Biodel’s products. Dr. Feldman’s scientific friends and academic contacts offered Biodel high-quality technological advice and links to scientific community, and led to sophisticated research and development advances.Now the company is at a crossroad with decisions and direction necessary. In addition to strategic planning, the company would benefit from a modest re-structuring to streamline operations and prepare for unexpected events. Their future investments should be in areas where patent protection is likely, and in directions and projects that exploit their native expertise in molecular biology and genetic engineering. These technologies seem likely to transform health care in the next two decades.Having survived the threat of bankruptcy, Biodel now has a more balanced contract research portfolio and is poised to develop an even greater impact in the future. CURRENT SITUATION Bi odel's projected revenues for 1980 consist of $1 million in contract research, and around $1. 5 million in research products. The contract research revenue was split 70% from industrial research, and 30% government research. This research included work in Biodel's three main fields (molecular biology, cell biology, and immunology) as well as cancer chemotherapy and enzymology.These contracts are secured by Dr. Feldman through his relationships with other scientists. The revenue from research products also comes from the three main fields of Biodel. Nucleotides from the molecular biology area account for 50% of revenues, cell growth factors from the cell biology field account for 40%, and immunodiagnostics products account for the other 10%. Research product sales have been growing 35% over the last few years, even with limited marketing efforts. However, Biodel is being outcompeted in the immunodiagnostics market and further growth is not being pursued.Biodel has a very small staff, with the company split up into five different sections: the comptroller, advertising and sales, and then an experienced scientist manages each main field of the company. The scientists who manage their fields are all in charge of research and development, production, and even have some marketing responsibility. Dr. Feldman does not employ a marketing manager or a research director, instead filling both roles by himself. Feldman's style of management is very informal, preferring to walk around and talk to his employees rather than have them do unnecessary paperwork.The company itself is run more like an academic facility than a business, with the atmosphere more leaning towards challenging each other and making technological advances. In addition, employee turnover is very low so most of the staff is very experienced with the work that the company is doing. The staff is led by Dr. Feldman, who represents the main reason for low employee turnover. Biodel employees describe him as a u nique and enthusiastic man, and the reason why the company is so successful. Marketing had been a very inconsistent department, with Dr. Feldman usually assuming all of the major marketing responsibilities.But when Dr. Feldman decided that he needed to market his company more aggressively he hired Mr. Steve Kaplan who had been a marketing manager at a large pharmaceutical company. However, Mr. Kaplan and Dr. Feldman soon disagreed on who should direct Biodel's marketing strategy. Kaplan proceeded to spend a large amount of money on marketing, including hiring additional salespeople and other staff. These changes resulted in a 65% increase in sales, but marketing costs increased by 500%, which resulted in profits dropping from $95,000 in 1978 to $17,000 in 1979. As a result, Dr. Feldman is reconsidering Mr.Kaplan's direction in the marketing department. OPPORTUNITIES First, Biodel had under development a synthetic serum that would be used to satisfy growth requirements in cells. This would be an innovative product that could be a substitute for natural fetal calf serum and horse serum. However, a major problem with the fetal serum is the unstable fluctuation in cost. The cost is determined by the supply of the serum and the supply is determined by the number of calves that are slaughtered. The synthetic serum could offer a steady rate. The market is projected at $50 to $80 million.Biodel would have a competitive advantage over the competition and could attain 20% of the market share if they pursue this project. A big problem with this project is the uncertainty that Biodel will be able to receive a patent. That provides a major risk in this investment. Second, another project is available that is extremely intriguing to us. Biodel has the opportunity to produce a new product called DEMA. DEMA is a testing technology based on enzyme membranes rather than radioactivity. This product could be used to test for pregnancy, syphilis, hepatitis, cancer, toxins in food and carcinogens in the environment.DEMA is a healthier, safer, faster and cheaper way of testing than the radioactive method. There are no hazards or side effects to DEMA and it can provide the same results as radioactive tests. The problem with this project is the financial aspect. It is more expensive than the synthetic serum. Investments could total in the millions and the R costs could range from $1 to $3 million. However, this project has drawn the attention of major drug companies who are willing to participate in a joint venture with Biodel, which would help with the costs of the investment. Third, Biodel has been thinking about joining the genetic engineering field.The company has basic but not wide experience if this field but they have been a major supplier of molecular biology products. At the moment, there are four major competitors in the market; Cetus, Genentech, Genex and Biogen. The basic purpose of this field is to engineer a cell to produce a specific biological pr oduct. Competitors use the bacterium E. coli as their host cell, for the most part. Biodel has the opportunity to enter the market with a new strategy that involves the use of yeast as the host cell instead of E. coli. He and three other scientists believe that yeast would be a better host cell than E. coli.Yeast has a biochemical machinery that can allow the growth of medically relevant glycoproteins such as Interferon and Urokinase. These glycoproteins are used to inhibit the multiplication of cancerous cells and to disrupt blood clots. The investment costs for this project would be high, including salaries that Biodel would pay for Dr. Ballantine and three other highly successful scientists to work for them. However, the return on such an investment could be immense. RECOMMENDATIONS 1. The Biodel Board of Directors should hold annual or semi-annual Board meetings to review company progress. Dr. Feldman should delegate more.The Board should be expanded by 1 or 2 people to achieve greater diversity and breadth of expertise. Succession planning should be considered in case Dr. Feldman died, or a division head left. 2. Mr. Kaplan’s marketing group should be streamlined and asked to focus on a marketing strategy for DEMA. The marketing group can probably be reduced to lower costs while maintaining the increase in research product sales. Challenge Kaplan to analyze the marketing group to understand the most valuable parts versus parts that are expendable. 3. Among the growth opportunities to pursue, the synthetic growth factor option does not seem likely to succeed.Although it is the least expensive investment, there is uncertainty that the patent protection can be obtained. Furthermore, researchers accustomed to fetal bovine serum may be unlikely to abandon a tried and true method. In contrast, the DEMA technology is a unique opportunity for Biodel. It eliminates the risks and hazards associated with radioactivity, which researchers would appreciate. Ther e is a high likelihood of patent protection. Based on the information in the case, the company needs a better understanding of how to bring this product to market.This could be a great project for Kaplan’s smaller marketing group. 4. Pursue Genetic Engineering, with the advice and guidance of the four academic experts. This is an important initiative and Biodel’s connections with the prize-winning scientists are important. They should be paid per diems and offered stock options. One of the four also should be invited to join the Biodel Board of Directors. APPENDIX A SWOT Analysis S- Strengths Biotechnology special expertise by the 1970’s in – (three prime areas of focus/ other fields) 1.Cell biology – culture technology paid off 60% share growth factor market 40% offspring sales 2. Molecular biology – DNA paid off 60% share growth factor market – stocked largest commercially available synthetic nucleotides (50% of sales) 3. Immunodiag nostics biology a. Sub categories – Cancer chemotherapy – Enzymology Offered high-quality technological advice, numerous links to scientific community, highly sophisticated research and development service Feldman was able to secure contracts with his personal relationships with scientists in the government and industry Low employee turnoverW – Weaknesses Molecular biology – — researchers used numerous substitutes Immunodiagnostics biology large firms aggressively entered and has not expanded since 10% of sales of research products -1980 – profitability varied on depending on intensity of product research and development By the 1980’s 60% of company’s revenue was from commercializing research Reliant on government contracts when they started making cut backs – 85% contracts are government – forcing Biodel into 1st layoff (damaging to long-term otential) 55 employees scientists and technicians — no marketing manager or research director hired (Feldman filled both positions with widespread contacts and scientific expertise) Staff meetings rare and no regular reports required from subordinates Poor Marketing – Products sold by mail Depends on word of mouth – trade shows, advertising, direct mail, ad phone solicitation — customer service â€Å"almost laughable† O – OpportunitiesGoal to manufacture and market biochemical products developed through their own research Cell Biology – synthetic serums to satisfy growth requirements in cell lines of tissue culture – replacing natural fetal calf serum (most widely used, horse serum was 2nd most widely used). Market of 50 million domestically and 80 million worldwide growing at 15%– no systematic analysis of serum market done Immunodiagnostics- opportunity to enter the market – new test technology based on enzyme membranes rather than radioactivity – new product DEMA – s impler, faster, and less expensive.Market in excess of $100 million and has potential to be over $1 billion. High possibility for a patent and a joint venture with a major drug company. Genetic engineering – exciting advantages/high return on investments Supplier of molecular biology products – nucleotides and synthetic genes sold – supported by genetic engineers – some cases biodel was soul supplier T – Threats Relying on government contracts lead them to the threat of bankruptcy Biodel’s spending strategies APPENDIX B Biodel Inc BUAD 490 3/14/13 Team Written Case Analysis (Concise) Biodel, Inc. BIODEL INC. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Biodel’s use of biotechnology expertise in the three prime areas of Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, and Immunodiagnostics has led their company into some great opportunities. Biodel created a synthetic serum to replace fetal calf serum and horse serum, and provide a more consistently available product for scientific researchers. Biodel’s Molecular Biology division used DNA technology to gain 60% of the market share of growth factors and stock the largest collection of commercially available synthetic nucleotides, which was 50% of their sales.Biodel’s research and development in Immunodiagnostics led to the invention of DEMA, a non-radioactive method for measuring a wide array of biologically important substance. The intelligence and vision of Dr. Oscar Feldman drove Biodel to a position of leadership in the biotechnology industry. Dr. Feldman has applied innovations in Cell Biology, Molecular Biology and Immunodiagnostics to increase market share for Biodel’s products. Dr. Feldman’s scientific friends and academic contacts offered Biodel high-quality technological advice and links to scientific community, and led to sophisticated research and development advances.Now the company is at a crossroad with decisions and direction necessary. In addition to strategic planning, the company would benefit from a modest re-structuring to streamline operations and prepare for unexpected events. Their future investments should be in areas where patent protection is likely, and in directions and projects that exploit their native expertise in molecular biology and genetic engineering. These technologies seem likely to transform health care in the next two decades.Having survived the threat of bankruptcy, Biodel now has a more balanced contract research portfolio and is poised to develop an even greater impact in the future. CURRENT SITUATION Bi odel's projected revenues for 1980 consist of $1 million in contract research, and around $1. 5 million in research products. The contract research revenue was split 70% from industrial research, and 30% government research. This research included work in Biodel's three main fields (molecular biology, cell biology, and immunology) as well as cancer chemotherapy and enzymology.These contracts are secured by Dr. Feldman through his relationships with other scientists. The revenue from research products also comes from the three main fields of Biodel. Nucleotides from the molecular biology area account for 50% of revenues, cell growth factors from the cell biology field account for 40%, and immunodiagnostics products account for the other 10%. Research product sales have been growing 35% over the last few years, even with limited marketing efforts. However, Biodel is being outcompeted in the immunodiagnostics market and further growth is not being pursued.Biodel has a very small staff, with the company split up into five different sections: the comptroller, advertising and sales, and then an experienced scientist manages each main field of the company. The scientists who manage their fields are all in charge of research and development, production, and even have some marketing responsibility. Dr. Feldman does not employ a marketing manager or a research director, instead filling both roles by himself. Feldman's style of management is very informal, preferring to walk around and talk to his employees rather than have them do unnecessary paperwork.The company itself is run more like an academic facility than a business, with the atmosphere more leaning towards challenging each other and making technological advances. In addition, employee turnover is very low so most of the staff is very experienced with the work that the company is doing. The staff is led by Dr. Feldman, who represents the main reason for low employee turnover. Biodel employees describe him as a u nique and enthusiastic man, and the reason why the company is so successful. Marketing had been a very inconsistent department, with Dr. Feldman usually assuming all of the major marketing responsibilities.But when Dr. Feldman decided that he needed to market his company more aggressively he hired Mr. Steve Kaplan who had been a marketing manager at a large pharmaceutical company. However, Mr. Kaplan and Dr. Feldman soon disagreed on who should direct Biodel's marketing strategy. Kaplan proceeded to spend a large amount of money on marketing, including hiring additional salespeople and other staff. These changes resulted in a 65% increase in sales, but marketing costs increased by 500%, which resulted in profits dropping from $95,000 in 1978 to $17,000 in 1979. As a result, Dr. Feldman is reconsidering Mr.Kaplan's direction in the marketing department. OPPORTUNITIES First, Biodel had under development a synthetic serum that would be used to satisfy growth requirements in cells. This would be an innovative product that could be a substitute for natural fetal calf serum and horse serum. However, a major problem with the fetal serum is the unstable fluctuation in cost. The cost is determined by the supply of the serum and the supply is determined by the number of calves that are slaughtered. The synthetic serum could offer a steady rate. The market is projected at $50 to $80 million.Biodel would have a competitive advantage over the competition and could attain 20% of the market share if they pursue this project. A big problem with this project is the uncertainty that Biodel will be able to receive a patent. That provides a major risk in this investment. Second, another project is available that is extremely intriguing to us. Biodel has the opportunity to produce a new product called DEMA. DEMA is a testing technology based on enzyme membranes rather than radioactivity. This product could be used to test for pregnancy, syphilis, hepatitis, cancer, toxins in food and carcinogens in the environment.DEMA is a healthier, safer, faster and cheaper way of testing than the radioactive method. There are no hazards or side effects to DEMA and it can provide the same results as radioactive tests. The problem with this project is the financial aspect. It is more expensive than the synthetic serum. Investments could total in the millions and the R costs could range from $1 to $3 million. However, this project has drawn the attention of major drug companies who are willing to participate in a joint venture with Biodel, which would help with the costs of the investment. Third, Biodel has been thinking about joining the genetic engineering field.The company has basic but not wide experience if this field but they have been a major supplier of molecular biology products. At the moment, there are four major competitors in the market; Cetus, Genentech, Genex and Biogen. The basic purpose of this field is to engineer a cell to produce a specific biological pr oduct. Competitors use the bacterium E. coli as their host cell, for the most part. Biodel has the opportunity to enter the market with a new strategy that involves the use of yeast as the host cell instead of E. coli. He and three other scientists believe that yeast would be a better host cell than E. coli.Yeast has a biochemical machinery that can allow the growth of medically relevant glycoproteins such as Interferon and Urokinase. These glycoproteins are used to inhibit the multiplication of cancerous cells and to disrupt blood clots. The investment costs for this project would be high, including salaries that Biodel would pay for Dr. Ballantine and three other highly successful scientists to work for them. However, the return on such an investment could be immense. RECOMMENDATIONS 1. The Biodel Board of Directors should hold annual or semi-annual Board meetings to review company progress. Dr. Feldman should delegate more.The Board should be expanded by 1 or 2 people to achieve greater diversity and breadth of expertise. Succession planning should be considered in case Dr. Feldman died, or a division head left. 2. Mr. Kaplan’s marketing group should be streamlined and asked to focus on a marketing strategy for DEMA. The marketing group can probably be reduced to lower costs while maintaining the increase in research product sales. Challenge Kaplan to analyze the marketing group to understand the most valuable parts versus parts that are expendable. 3. Among the growth opportunities to pursue, the synthetic growth factor option does not seem likely to succeed.Although it is the least expensive investment, there is uncertainty that the patent protection can be obtained. Furthermore, researchers accustomed to fetal bovine serum may be unlikely to abandon a tried and true method. In contrast, the DEMA technology is a unique opportunity for Biodel. It eliminates the risks and hazards associated with radioactivity, which researchers would appreciate. Ther e is a high likelihood of patent protection. Based on the information in the case, the company needs a better understanding of how to bring this product to market.This could be a great project for Kaplan’s smaller marketing group. 4. Pursue Genetic Engineering, with the advice and guidance of the four academic experts. This is an important initiative and Biodel’s connections with the prize-winning scientists are important. They should be paid per diems and offered stock options. One of the four also should be invited to join the Biodel Board of Directors. APPENDIX A SWOT Analysis S- Strengths Biotechnology special expertise by the 1970’s in – (three prime areas of focus/ other fields) 1.Cell biology – culture technology paid off 60% share growth factor market 40% offspring sales 2. Molecular biology – DNA paid off 60% share growth factor market – stocked largest commercially available synthetic nucleotides (50% of sales) 3. Immunodiag nostics biology a. Sub categories – Cancer chemotherapy – Enzymology Offered high-quality technological advice, numerous links to scientific community, highly sophisticated research and development service Feldman was able to secure contracts with his personal relationships with scientists in the government and industry Low employee turnoverW – Weaknesses Molecular biology – — researchers used numerous substitutes Immunodiagnostics biology large firms aggressively entered and has not expanded since 10% of sales of research products -1980 – profitability varied on depending on intensity of product research and development By the 1980’s 60% of company’s revenue was from commercializing research Reliant on government contracts when they started making cut backs – 85% contracts are government – forcing Biodel into 1st layoff (damaging to long-term otential) 55 employees scientists and technicians — no marketing manager or research director hired (Feldman filled both positions with widespread contacts and scientific expertise) Staff meetings rare and no regular reports required from subordinates Poor Marketing – Products sold by mail Depends on word of mouth – trade shows, advertising, direct mail, ad phone solicitation — customer service â€Å"almost laughable† O – OpportunitiesGoal to manufacture and market biochemical products developed through their own research Cell Biology – synthetic serums to satisfy growth requirements in cell lines of tissue culture – replacing natural fetal calf serum (most widely used, horse serum was 2nd most widely used). Market of 50 million domestically and 80 million worldwide growing at 15%– no systematic analysis of serum market done Immunodiagnostics- opportunity to enter the market – new test technology based on enzyme membranes rather than radioactivity – new product DEMA – s impler, faster, and less expensive.Market in excess of $100 million and has potential to be over $1 billion. High possibility for a patent and a joint venture with a major drug company. Genetic engineering – exciting advantages/high return on investments Supplier of molecular biology products – nucleotides and synthetic genes sold – supported by genetic engineers – some cases biodel was soul supplier T – Threats Relying on government contracts lead them to the threat of bankruptcy Biodel’s spending strategies APPENDIX B

Investigation Into Waste Management on Construction Sites

American Journal of Applied Sciences 2 (5): 980-984, 2005 ISSN 1546-9239 Â © Science Publications, 2005 Investigation into Waste Management on Construction Sites in South Western Nigeria 1, 2 O. O. Akinkurolere and 3S. O. Franklin 1 Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria 2 China University of Geosciences, 430074, Yujia Shan, Wuhan Hubei Province, People’s Republic of China 3 Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Ibadan, NigeriaAbstract: This study aims to report investigation into the problem of waste management on construction sites in South Western Nigeria and to unveil inherent dangers material wastage poses to the construction Industry. In the construction industries, materials are very vital in building sites, but not all the materials delivered are used for the purposes for which they have been ordered and the subsequent disappearance of these materials constitutes part of the waste.The primary research instruments used was the questionnaire which contained varied questions on material wastage and management. The investigation revealed that material wastage brings about additional cost to the construction project as well as a reduction in the profit of the contractor, considering the cost of storing and transporting construction waste along with the loss of revenue from not reclaiming waste. Also, most waste that occurs at construction sites is due to poor management and lack of awareness of effective waste management.The study finally recommends that recycling and reusing of construction waste is a viable option in construction waste management and that material wastage can be reduced by giving incentives to the workers for better handling of materials and by having trained personals to supervise the works. Key words: Construction Waste, Waste Recycling, Waste Reusing INTRODUCTION inadequacies of the materials such that at the end not all the materials procured an d delivered to sites are used for the purposes for which they are ordered. This excessive loss in materials is what is called Waste[4].Material wastage is any extra cost over and above the materials used, plus their handling as contained in the estimated price for the job[5,6]. Building Research Establishment[7] divides material wastage into four distinct categories namely design waste, taking off and ordering waste, supply waste and finally, contract waste. This study will help to determine. Effective waste management is of growing significance for the construction industry. Adding the cost of storing and transporting construction waste, along with the loss of revenue from not reclaiming waste materials, it makes financial sense for onstruction companies take action to minimize waste. The use of recycled aggregate derived from concrete rubble in the production of ready mixed concrete was demonstrated in the example of an office building, erected in Darmstadt, Germany[1]. Generally, the economic interest in re-using or recycling building materials is governed by three factors listed below[2, 3]: * * * * * * * The availability and thus the cost of natural or new building materials. The availability of disposal space, the tipping charges and the taxes for dumping. The transportation cost. The inherent dangers material waste poses to the onstruction industry. Ways of minimizing waste on construction sites. Ways of keeping proper site records for accountability purposes. Finally, recommendations were made on effective waste management on construction sites. The significance of the Research: In the past, most especially in some parts of Nigeria, practices to reduce, reuse or recycle waste did not achieve widespread implementation for a number of reasons. Firstly, people were not aware of benefits of minimizing waste, nor had any experience of reusing recycled or reclaimed materials. In addition some even believed that the cost f reusing or recycling these wastes wa s prohibitive. Materials, as one of the resources employed by the construction industry, pass through a number of processes before they are finally incorporated in the construction. These processes bring about the 980 American J. Applied Sci. , 2 (5): 980-984, 2005 This research is meant to reveal various losses arising from material wastage and to propose measures that will enhance the judicious use of clients' money coupled with an overall effect on cost savings on a construction project, as well as lead to increase profit and time saving on the construction period.It will also serve as a form of enlightenment to the general populace particularly those in the construction industry. Table 1: Percentage Cost of Materials to the Cost of the Project Options Number of response % Response Below 20% 2 3 20-30% 2 3 31-40% 4 6 41-50% 16 22 Above 50% 47 66 METERIALS AND METHODS Table 2: Methods for Keeping Store Records Methods No. of occurrence % Response Using trusted people 2 3 Stock bal ance sheet 3 4 Storage in computer 3 4 Bin card system 7 10 Daily stock taking 7 10 Log book 9 13 Stock card system 15 21 No response 25 35 This research relies on primary data, which was btained using questionnaires having both closed and open-ended (un coded) questions; containing varied questions on material wastage and management. It was directed at the respondents relevant to the study including engineers, architects, quantity surveyors, builders and contractors to identify the various sources of waste encountered on construction sites and how these wastes can be minimized and managed. The data obtained were analyzed using tables and statistical indices. The scope of this research is limited to firms in Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Ekiti and Ondo States. Lagos is considered to be the nerve of commercial activities inNigeria and so the relative volume of construction work there is very high. Other states were chosen to complement that of Lagos. Furthermore, a sizeable number of all firms c hosen to constitute the sample for this research were undertaken one form of construction or the other in different states of the country, therefore information gathered can be broadly applied to the entire nation. Table 3: Sources of Waste on Building Sites Sources of waste Response % Response Wrong use 6 8 Mismanagement of materials 8 11 Demolition waste 10 14 Conversion waste 14 20 Pilfering and theft 15 21 Negligence 16 23 Fixing 7 24 Wrong specification 21 30 Intra – site transit 22 31 Transport and delivery to site 27 38 Site storage 29 40 RESULTS Inventory Tools: This aspect shows the importance of materials in building projects and also highlights the need for their effective management and control. Table 1 shows the percentage cost of materials to the total cost of the project. The table shows that 66% of the respondents quoted that the percentage cost of materials to the cost of the project is above 50%, closely followed by 22% who believed that the percentage cost of materials to the cost of the project is between 41and 50%.Also, it can be observed from Table 2 that a sizeable number of firms did not respond to the method used for keeping store records, while 21% indicated that use of a stock card system is the best, 10% believed that the bin card system is the best. Furthermore 10% believed in the use of daily stocktaking, 13% expressed confidence in the use of the log book. On responses on the sources of waste, 40% of the firms agreed that the major source of waste was due to the adoption of a storage system; this was closely followed by 38% of the firms who agreed that the major source of waste was due to transport and delivery to site.Other sources were also given and the results are presented in Table 3. Other sources of waste pointed out by the respondent but not shown in Table 3 include residual wastes, overestimation of quantities required and the use of unskilled laborers. As for the incentives for good handling and minimum waste, 41 % of the firms agreed that there were incentives for good handling and minimum waste while 59% suggested that there were no incentives. The incentives identified by the firms are listed in Table 4. Also, Table 5 presented methods of minimizing waste on sites. Other methods of minimizing wastes on sites roposed by some firms are given in Table 6. Material Utilization: The section presents the methods used by firms to minimize waste on sites, sources of wastes and incentives for good handling and minimum waste. It also considered various means of reusing and recycling wastes on construction sites. Materials Stock Control and Storage: This section gives an analysis of the data collected on material stock control and storage before its movement to the site for utilization. 981 American J. Applied Sci. , 2 (5): 980-984, 2005 Table 8: Origin of Materials Supplied to Site Table 4: Incentives Identified by 41% of the FirmsIncentives for good handling and minimum waste * Commendation of hard working and careful workers in kind and in cash * Supervision and effective monitoring are experts. * Giving bonus to workers. * Regular payment of worker's salary as time due and provision of medical care for workers in case of accident * Increasing salary when deemed fit. * Promoting good handlers. * Using the right specifications. * Approving more overtime hours. * Good design, detailing and erection practice all lead to waste minimization, these should be rewarded periodically in cash or kind. * Avoid overloading trucks. Options ResponseDirect purchase from Suppliers 50 From the company’s central store 17 The company usually contracts it out 28 Others – Table 9: Responsibility for Damaged Materials in Transit Option Response % Response The Supplier 53 75 The Client 8 11 (a) and (b) 10 14 Table 10: Usage of Plants on Construction Sites Option Response % Response Wheelbarrow 68 96 Dumper 30 42 Forklift 12 17 Cranes 25 35 Hoist 15 21 Conveyors 8 11 Table 5: Methods of Minimizing Waste on Sites Options Response Locating a store very close to the Working area. 29 Sending workers on formal training. 4 Supervision by engineers or Trained personnel. 40Good site accounting. 39 % Response 41 6 Material Purchase and Delivery: On the origin of materials supplied to site, 70% of the respondents obtained their materials direct from the suppliers, while 39% usually contracted the supply out. Others (24%) purchase before use and store it central store. The results are presented in Table 8. Concerning the time of placing an order of materials prior to use, responses showed that 32% of the firms placed their orders less than two weeks before they were required, 27% placed theirs between three and four weeks while the remaining 41% usually placed immediately stock becomes less.Meanwhile, on responsibility for damaged materials in transit, the majority of the firms claimed that the suppliers were liable; they held the opinion that the materials were still in pos session of the suppliers as long as they had not arrived on site. However, a minority of firms, about 11% had a different opinion as indicated in Table 9. 56 55 Table 6: Summary of Methods of Minimizing Wastes on Sites Method of minimizing waste identified by respondents * Monitoring the supply of materials and goods to prevent damages. * Close supervision and monitoring by experts. * Provision of both day and night security. Effective planning before the commencement of any project. * Materials should be supplied to specifications and detailed drawings should be followed to the letter. * Conversion of wasted materials to other use. * Introducing incentives to make workers happy * Ensuring adequate storage facility for construction materials on site. Table 7: Materials Storage System Option Response Centralized system 36 Decentralized system 17 Mixed system 18 % Response 70 24 39 – Materials Handling: On the usage of plants on construction sites, Table 10 showed that 42% of t he firms utilized dumpers, 17% employed forklift among other options.Other equipment indicated by the respondents included concrete mixers, loaders, excavators, head pains, shovels, diggers, vibrators and tipper lorries. Meanwhile, the question on whether fragile materials should be given special attention and handling or not, 59% of the respondents opined that special attention and handling was paid to these materials, while 18% of the firms surveyed indicated that no such care was essential. The remaining 23% of the firm surveyed did not give any response, some of the methods (suggested by the respondents) of storing and handling fragile materials are listed in Table 11. % Response 51 24 25On material storage system, Table 7 shows that 51% of the firms used a centralized system of storage, while 25% used a mixed procedure, that is, the combination of the centralized and decentralized systems. On methods used in material stocktaking, most firms used a periodic stock checking proced ure, about 85%, while the remaining 15% used perpetual inventory that is, continuous stock checking. 982 American J. Applied Sci. , 2 (5): 980-984, 2005 * Table 11: Suggested Methods of Storing and Handling Fragile Materials Methods * Fragile materials should be stored separately * Supervision and handling of materials should be done by experts Materials should be stacked on pallets, with little or no access * Fragile materials should be packed amongst saw dust * Stack such materials between shock absorbing materials * Careful offloading during delivery * Materials should be stored in special packs during transporting to prevent damage. * Materials should be stored away from point of heavy traffic, passer-by’s and workers. * Adhere to the manufacturer’s instructions. * Allow only single handling. * Store in central store and carry directly to the site when needed. * * * * Cost of materials when compared to the total cost of the project may well be over 50%, hence ateri als should be judiciously utilized and handled. Manual labor is more extensively employed in most of the construction firms surveyed than the use of mechanized labor. The major sources of waste that was revealed was due to improper site storage, although a high proportion of firm surveyed also believed that the transportation and delivery of materials to the site were important considerations as well. Giving incentives to workers for good handling of materials greatly minimizes waste on construction sites as well as trying to make the workers have a sense of belonging in the firm. The most effective way of minimizing waste on ites is to have experts to supervise the work. From the above conclusion, the following are recommended: * DISCUSSION If materials handling and control are to mean anything, high control needs to be exercised between the parties involved. Mechanization of the movement of materials on the construction sites offer advantages in both cost and time saving, but from the present study, manual labor is far more extensively used in comparison to plants. Usage of manual labor for materials handling increases the level of waste that occur on sites and this can be readily observed at construction sites from the way materials litter such areas.If was observed from the study that some construction companies do not give special attention to the handling of their fragile materials, whereas in developed countries such items are treated with care because they are liable to damage quite easily[6]. The supervision of fragile materials is to be done by experts and only single handling should be allowed. More so, some of the firms studied are not in the habit of giving incentives for good handling and minimum waste of materials, this ought not be in if incentives are given to the workers, they will feel more responsible for the materials and they will take extra are in handling such items. Finally, from the research, it is obvious that nearly all construction firms in Nigeria are yet to start recycling or reusing waste materials on site. Giving contractors the option of reusing or recycling waste will determine the economic feasibility of such operations. * * * * Construction waste recycling and reusing is a viable option in construction waste management and from further studies or research, laboratory experiments can be performed on some construction wastes like broken aggregates or demolished concrete to establish the feasibility of this option[8]. It would be worthwhile extending the nvestigation to other building materials like timber, iron-mangery, broken glass, sanitary wares and similar items. The use of computers should be adapted for storing records on construction sites and for construction planning. There should be awareness programs for all construction companies on construction waste management through reuse and recycling. Also formal education should be given to storekeepers and the foremen on effective materials handling and systems. The federal government should come up with a policy on construction waste management which may include introduction of heavy tipping charges n construction wastes (particularly those that can be reused or recycled) and taxes for dumping or disposing wastes carelessly. This research is focused on the construction industry in terms of waste utilization and management. However, the methodology adopted here could similarly be extended to other fields in the context of engineering. REFERENCES 1. CONCLUSION From the analysis of the results the following conclusions were reached: 983 Grubl, P. and A. A. Nealen, 1998. Construction of an office building made from recycled demolition material. Contribution to International Symposium Sustainable Construction: Use of RecycledConcrete Aggregate. University of Dundee, Concrete Technology Unit, London. American J. Applied Sci. , 2 (5): 980-984, 2005 2. 3. 4. 5. Illingworth, J. R. and K. Thain, 1988. Handling of materials on site. CIRI A Special Publication No. 57 Service Paper No. 92, London. Watts, J. W. , 1980. The supervision of construction. 1st Edn. , Batsford Academic and Education Limited, Fitzhardinge street, London, pp: 37. Tiffin, P. J. R. , 1997. The organization of building sites. Seminar Paper Presented at Birmingham Centre Hotel, New Street, Birmingham, England, pp: 2. Hansen, T. C. , 1992. Recycling of demolished oncrete and masonry. First edition E and FN Spon Publishers, 316 Pages, London. 6. 7. 8. 984 Illingworth, J. R. and K. Thain, 1988. Materials management- is it worth it? CIRIA Special Publication No. 58, London. Sheeduzzafar and A. Khan, 1984. Recycled concrete- a source of new aggregate. Cement, Concrete and Aggregates (ASTM), USA, 6: 17-27. Grubl, P. , 1997. Die Erstellung von Bauwerken unter Verwendung von industriell gefertigtem Beton mit rezykliertem Zuschlag (Creation of Buildings with Industrially made Concrete Containing Recycled Aggregate). 18. Darmstadter Massivbau. Seminar, Vol: 18.

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Women in Mathematics, Science & Engineering Essay

Women in Mathematics, Science & Engineering - Essay Example Lewis (2011) documents 10 women who have made contributions to the field of mathematics for as early as 355 AD. These women include Hypatia of Alexandria (370 – 415 AD), a Greek philosopher, astronomer, mathematician, Elena Cornaro Piscopia (1646-1684) an Italian mathematician, theologian and Composer, Maria Agnesi (1718-1799) an Italian claimed to be the first woman university of mathematics. Others include,Sophie Germain (1776-1830) a French mathematician, Mary Fairfax Somerville (1780-1872) a Scottish and British mathematician also known as "Queen of Nineteenth Century Science," Ada Lovelace (1815-1852) a whose the Ada computer language after, Charlotte Angas Scott(1848-1931) an English, American mathematician and educator, Sofia Kovalevskaya (1850-1891) a Russian mathematician, Alicia Stott (1860-1940) an English mathematician and Amalie Emmy Noether (1882-1935) a German, Jewish, American mathematician (Etzkowitz, Kemelgor and Uzzi 45-100). Notably there are a number of wo men who have participated and made considerable contridutions in the field of sciences as early as the medieval age. Trotula di Ruggiero was the chair at the Medical School of Salerno in the 11th century. She has been credited in influential texts in obstetrics and gynecology (Leigh 65-80). Dorotea Bucca was also the chair of philosophy and medicine at the University of Bologna from 1390. Other women physicians from Italy included Abella, Jacobina Felicie, Alessandra Giliani, Rebecca de Guarna, Margarita, Mercuriade, Constance Calenda, and Calrice di Durisio among others. The participation and contribution of these Italian women physician was attributed to the liberal approach of the Italian Universities. Other notable achievements by women in science and physics in the nineteenth century include Florence Nightingale credited in pioneering nursing as a discipline; she was also a pioneer in public health and a statistician. Elizabeth Garrett Anderson was the first British woman with medical 1865. In America it was Elizabeth Blackwell. Astronomical photography was also pioneered by Annie Scott Dill Maunder. In the 20th century women notables in science include Marie Curie a Nobel price winner in Physics in 1903 (physics), and chemistry in 1911. In 1939, Lise Meitner credited for pioneering nuclear fission. Margaret Fountaine has made significant contributions in botany and entomology (Leigh 65-80). An analysis of female Nobel Prize laureates’ shows out of the fourty one women who have won the prestigious award between 1901 and 2010, sixteen of them have been in the field physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine (Ruth 100-150). Despite the above success stories there are several challenges that have inhibited women from pursuing Sciences and Mathematics. They include stereotypes, cultural practices, social prejudices, preferences and tastes, family orientation, the church etc. For instance St Thomas Aquinas was of the view that women were incapable of ho lding positions of authority, some cultures discourage women from participation in fields and activities regarded to as manly, some prejudices that a female is a weaker sex thus cannot comprehend technical aspects of science, there are workplace discrimination based on gender etc. (Ruth 100-150). 2.0 Challenges, issues and opportunities The issues of underrepresentation by women in sciences start early. In the US, girls account for athird of the students opting for physics at the high-school level. Those who secure placement in computer

Environmental Health Historical Prespective Research Paper

Environmental Health Historical Prespective - Research Paper Example Chemicals are the most critical factors that policy makers need to address because consumers may not control their intake. The lack of control results from the fact that consumers are hardly aware of the chemicals they consume from commercially produced products. Consumption of high levels of chemicals may cause diseases such as breast cancer, which have not found a cure since the evolution of mankind. Rachel Carson, an environmentalist was the first woman to create awareness of the negative effects of environmental factors such as chemicals. Rachel was concerned with the relationship between health and environment because she was a victim of breast cancer that is caused by consumption of chemicals (Carson, 2012). Environmental pollution that results from spraying of insecticides, and pesticide is one of the major factors that produces negative effects on health. This is proven by the study conducted by Silent Spring to find out the effects of pollution on health. The study found out that when human beings inhale air that contains chemicals, they are likely to contract cancerous diseases such as prostate and breast cancer. The institution compared the spread of breast cancer among women of Cape Cod, an area that grows cranberries with other regions in Massachusetts. The regions were chosen because growers of cranberries in Cape Cod often spray their farms to prevent pests from destroying their crops; while the rest of Massachusetts does not practice farming, hence consumers in these regions inhale uncontaminated air (Carson, 2012). The research found out that the rate of spread of breast cancer in Cape Cod is fifteen percent higher than that of other regions. The breast cancer results from estrogen compounds that lead to the growth of tumors in the human body. Human beings do not have the capability to control consumption of chemicals in the environment thus, the government should take measures to control air pollution because this reduces the negative conseque nces of the act (Van Holle, Deforche, Van Cauwegan, Goubert, Maes, Van, & De Bourdeaudhuji, 2012). The chemical products that affect the health of human beings may also be found in consumer products such as food and cosmetics (Schakowsky, & Markey, 2013). The products are made of various components, and some of them may disrupt the hormonal balance of the human body leading to cancer. Satura is an example of a cosmetic product that was developed in 1956, and it contains an estrogen compounds that causes breast cancer. Tobacco is another product that harms anyone who comes into contact with the smoke together with the direct consumer. The smoke from this product leads to discomfort on persons who inhale it, and it causes lung cancer. Consumers may prevent the negative consequences of these products by avoiding their intake; however, some manufacturers do not disclose all the chemical composition of their products (Harlid, Butt, Ivarsson, Eyfjord, Lenner, Manjer, & Carlson, 2012). Thi s means that the government should intervene through policies that ban the sale of chemicals that are harmful to the human body. The reduction of consumption of chemical products leads to improvement in the health of a nation’s population (Geoffrey, & Cockerham, 2010). This phenomenon has been proven by a research conducted by the United States center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The institution conducted several researches

Politic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Politic - Essay Example With globalization, the roles of the states are affected economically, technologically, socially, and politically as they govern their people. Due to such political arrangements, similar jurisdictions have emerged that are influencing political and economic decisions of the independent states. A pattern is thus emerging whereby states are making political progression and regression together, causing states to become developmental (Lake, 2006). The roles of states have changed in the face of globalization since some of them have high independence on others due to their economic power and influence on international decisions. United States is one of the countries in the world who is known to exercise authority over other states by influencing the manner in which they make decisions (Lake, 2006). Since the World War II, most of the western states like Britain and France started working closely with the United States leading to a more dependent scenario. Currently, most countries in Europe formed the European Union that facilitated their dependence on each other in decision-making purposes. The European Union is also known to work closely with the united states thus further fostering high dependence between the states thus in turn erodes their sovereignty. Britain together with other European countries now highly looks at the United States as an authoritative power to lean on. United States acts as the global power that other states depended on due to their increased capacity, will, and international acceptance to provide leadership. Due to globalization, many decisions of sovereign states are based on judgments of their allies, friends, and even enemies (Elmawazin, Sherif & Manga, 2013). In technological perspective, globalization has allowed barriers between states to be broken through technological globalization. The states role has changed due to the formation of an

History of business Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

History of business - Assignment Example orkers in most cases remained unmotivated; he also noted that most of the workers who were coerced to perform repetitive tasks usually worked at a slow rate; he called this behavior ‘soldering’. Taylor argued that all tasks that an employee was assigned could be organized in such a way that the productivity of the worker would increase and that his scientific theory of management was more effective than the usual ‘initiative and incentive’ method, which was based on increasing productivity by placing responsibility on the worker to figure how to do it. In order to establish the best possible way to carry out a job, Taylor carried out some experiments, which he labeled time studies or as time and motion studies. In these studies, he used a stopwatch to time a worker’s motions in order to determine the most effective way to carry out a job based on the way that took the least time. He was an American businessman who founded the standard oil firm that led in America’s oil industry. He contributed a lot to the oil and petroleum industry. He operated the oil firm until 1870 when he retired. He was a Scottish American businessman who contributed a lot the growth and expansion of the steel industry in the U.S during the 19th century. In addition, he was a renowned philanthropist in that he utilized his wealth to help

Analyzing the equilibrium of second Language Acquisition Essay

Analyzing the equilibrium of second Language Acquisition - Essay Example (Brown, 2000) Noam Chomsky believes that "Language has been the totality of utterances that can be made in a speech community." (Chomsky, 1986) In this context, he believes that grammar occupies a very important part of this learning. He stated famously in his book Knowledge of Language: its nature, origins, and use, "It is the most elementary part of logic. It is the beginning of the analysis of the thinking process. The principles and rules of grammar are the means by which the forms of language are made to correspond to the universal forms of thought." (Chomsky, 1986) Thus, it is obvious that to learn a language it is important to learn grammar and this grammar is a learning process under a proper system at school. In another incident, he notes in his book Aspects of the Theory of Syntax that LAD or Language Acquisition Device is an important brain mechanism, though hypothetical, element of learning language. He shows that a human being easily masters language's syntactic structure, as the basic guidelines of syntax are fundamentally same among all languages. (Brown, 2000) He stated that a child could easily master the rules and structure of a language once the input is systematic under proper supervision. This mechanism of LAD refers to multiple levels of dimensions on the aspect of basic variance of language and exposure to the language to employ as second language or foreign language. With the help of this LAD mechanism Chomsky shows that the basic aspects of most languages are universal or there are many common features despite variable cultures and languages. This assumption is Universal Grammar. (Ortiz, 2003) It should be noted that to establish this assumption Chomsky uses number of mechanisms and devices such as pronoun usage, noun phrase use, parasitic gap, poverty of stimulus, projection principle, lexical category, null subject languages, binding theory, c-command and the intervention of INFL in the mode of language acquisition. He incorporates in his study the elements of r-expression, Plato's problem, X-bar theory, phrase structure rules, anaphor, I-language, D-structure and event takes on the reference of Robinson Crusoe and Man Friday experience. (Young, 2005) In general, Language is an important effective communication, which is very important in everyday life. To be comfortable with the communication skills, one need to familiar with the English language, as it is the international means of communication. In whatever area we work, English language or the second language learning is important for developing efficiency in speech. However, Brown stated, "Learning a second language is a long and complex undertaking. Your whole person is affected as you struggle to reach beyond the confines of your first language." (Brown, 2000) The common perception about learning language is that it is better suited for children and it is better for the learner to be younger than being old. In accordance to the Critical Period Hypothesis, an adult is unable to acquire a new language but extensive researches by Lamb or Kar disagree with this result. However, they agree to the fact stated by the Critical Period Hypothesis that language acquired during the first few years of the human mind is most effective. Steven Pinker who mentions in his text The Language Instinct that "acquisition of a normal language is guaranteed for children up to the age of six, is

E-Goverment Network Infrastructure for the State of Kuwait Term Paper

E-Goverment Network Infrastructure for the State of Kuwait - Term Paper Example Anonymous Computer Technologies is a Kuwait based company dealing with software development and maintenance, network design and deployment, hardware troubleshooting and a diverse range of outsourcing services. Its mission is to target high end business franchises in order to fulfill their computer solution requirements. Its vision is to become a leading IT solution company in Kuwait, a future point of reference and to trade on the Kuwait Stock Exchange. The company has a general objective of satisfying its customer's needs and separate objectives for the Kuwait project that include to design, develop and deploy a network infrastructure for Kuwait, to link every government ministry, department and legal body throughout the country via the network system and to facilitate adequate data exchange between the various government segments . The company has potential to grow given the promise in the multimillion dollar growing IT market in Kuwait. It has an upper hand to its competitors give n its work portfolio and a professional team to boot. In addition to this, the company is sufficiently marketed through advertisements in the internet, print media, various promotions through event sponsorship and pamphlets. Anonymous Computer Technologies has its main operations based on the services and products it offers of software development, networking and sales of computer accessories. To conduct these operations efficiently, the company utilizes various financial reports that include project Start-up Funding Reports, financial Indicators report and projected cash flow. The company hosts an assortment of products and services that are implemented by a professional team made up of 38 members and comprising of the Chief Executive Officer, his assistant, the Chief Information Officer, developers, database administrators, the company secretary, the financial controller, networkers, sales personnel and a marketing team of three. Introduction The business world has revolutionized from the physical market to the intangible internet market that is widely referred to as ecommerce. Ecommerce, an idea originating from Information Technology and the internet have ensured that the global market has been minimized to a click away and also ensured that business is conducted in a systematic manner. Kuwait is an Arab country that has not lagged behind in this wave of new age business conduct. Most Kuwait businesses are run by ecommerce and statistics gathered have proven beyond doubt that Kuwait is fast turning towards a near 100% to ecommerce. In 2008, it was reported that 72% of ecommerce users transacted credit card payments through ecommerce modes. In the same year, 15.5% of all cell phone users in the country with a cell phone penetration of over 80% used ecommerce. However, one significant aspect in the country is dragging the whole revolution: a traditional Kuwait government network structure (Business Monitor International, 13). Kuwait citizens including worker s within the government ministries, departments and other statutory bodies have had to suffer from an unreliable governmental network structure that denies them adequately

Portrait of Madame Augustine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Portrait of Madame Augustine - Essay Example Other elements of the canvas, like the background, are elaborately treated with details of flowers and creepers on the wall but such details in the subject seem to be absent altogether. The shapes of other objects are not maintained (this can be inferred especially from the shape of the chair and the junction of wall and floor) and if one compares it with other technically correct paintings, like the ones of the renaissance, it can be found that this painting is technically less disciplined. Van Gogh has given equal importance to foreground, background, subject and all the elements of the canvas as opposite to other portraits in which the subject is the highlighted element of the painting and most elaborately done. Having a hint of expressionism, the painting uses color and vibrant swirling brush strokes to convey the feelings and state of mind of the artist. This also emphasizes the artist's personal response to the subject and like a work of expressionism the painting stresses the expression of the artist's personal interpretation of the subject and his reactions for the same. It seems the physical proportions of the subject have been ... bjective feeling takingplace within the mind of the artist and modified by his individual bias for the use of colors which can be interpret in many different ways. With the use of colors like ocher yellow on the face of the subject and the red carpet on the floor in combination with dark blue walls in the background, Van Gogh attempts to present an emotional experience in its most compelling form (this is also emphasized with the disproportionate size of the head and the eyes looking downwards). On account the things discussed above, one assumes that Van Gogh is not really concerned with reality as it appears to be but with the inner nature and with the emotions aroused by the subject. It seems that he sought to capture emotions and subjective interpretations of that specific time when the painting was made and therefore it was not important for him to reproduce an aesthetically pleasing impression of the subject. He has focused on capturing vivid emotional reactions through vivid colors, bold forms, and spontaneous methods of dripping and flinging powerful colors in combination with dynamic compositions. This use of paint by Van Gogh is very much different as compared to the one used by other artists. Previously his palette consisted of somber colors but later taking references from the French artists he introduced the use of bright colors like red, green and blue and thus built a wider palette that comprised of more vibrant colors. The thick application of paint, distinctive brushstrokes and the use of unnatural or arbitrary color in the portrait were more inclined to emphasize the emotions and were further imitated by other expressionist artists. The impressionist style which was popularized by the artists like Claude Monet was directed towards transferring the

The rules if youre not religious. Discuss Essay Example for Free

The rules if youre not religious. Discuss Essay In this democratic age we vote in those people (or party) who we want to rule our country and in turn create our laws. However this is a very old system, which some could argue takes its basis from the 10 Commandments from the Old Testament. If this is the case, in a growing atheistic state, why should you follow the rules if you are not religious, for which the 10 Commandments were designed for? In London, it is illegal to flag down a taxi if you have the plague. This law has an obvious provenance; during the Black Death, in order to prevent the spread of the disease. However nowadays, this previously appropriate law is out of date and obsolete. How can something created thousands of years ago still be relevant to modern life? A more secular set of laws would be more appropriate and representative to govern the people. The 10 Commandments are very inflexible; they don’t take into account the situation and are inexorable. For instance, there are some cases when you should lie i. e. for the greater good. However in this narrow and oppressive set of laws, this is never allowed, which is against our autonomy. The 10 Commandments do not mention any form of punishment, for religious people they wouldn’t need any deterrence, just the idea of serving God and going to Heaven. So in effect, the actual punishment for each of these crimes has been created by man, and therefore a crime which God thought was insignificant, could hold a serious punishment. There is also the need for a system to decide and enforce this system. This set of laws is designed for those who are religious, but with people who hold different views, they are going to disagree with them. You also need lots of laws to avoid loop-holes as these laws are very general. However, in spite of a large proportion of people are not religious, they will still hold similar ideals to those who are; good and bad, right and wrong. The Ten Commandments are a universal set of rules which show indisputable and clear criteria for right and wrong. Aside from laws, they cover morality as well: â€Å"Honour your father and your mother† and â€Å"You shall not covet you neighbour’s hut†. These views should be inherent in everybody as they lead to a good upbringing and moral understanding. We need rules as it is unrealistic to expect people to do the right thing. For example, to try and prevent speeding, speed cameras were introduced. But now people speed as they used to, but slow down just to pass the camera. Our system of laws has changed and diversified over many years. This means that even if these original Commandments were used to base new laws on, they will have changed and been tweaked over the years. Also any inherently good person (even if they’re not religious) would want to have religious ideals as they lead to a good and fulfilling life. In conclusion, it is necessary to follow the rules even if you’re not religious, for nowadays they are not as heavily based on religion, but still hold good, moral and relevant views.

Learning Strategies and Information-Processing Development Essay Example for Free

Learning Strategies and Information-Processing Development Essay Learning can be simply defined as the process that leads to relatively permanent change in behavior or potential change in a person’s behavior. Learning makes one change the way they perceive the environment, react to stimuli and interact. Cognitive psychology is a very important branch of modern psychology. The main focus of this approach is the memory-how information is stored and retrieved. Several theories have been developed with regard to this subject such as the stage theory (Atkinson Shriffin, 1968). The stage theory model is widely accepted since it proposes that information is processed and stored in three sequential stages i.e. â€Å"the sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory† (Atkinson Shriffin, 1968, p. 90). In addition to this model other accepted theories include levels-of-processing theory proposed by Craik and Lockhart (1972), the parallel-distributed processing model and the connectionistic model. This paper examines how attention, memory, recognition and knowledge are related to various learning strategies. In addition, the paper discusses how visual-perceptual, motor and language relate to information processing development. Information processing development As stated in the introduction above, cognitive psychology forms an integral part of the discipline of psychology. The most widely used theory is the stage theory whose focus is on how information is stored in memory. Information is processed in three stages and this is done in a serial and scholastic manner. Another important theory is the â€Å"levels-of-processing† theory whose proposition is that the learner utilizes different levels of explanation as he or she processes in formation. A major advantage of the information-processing strategies is in their explicitness and accuracy in diving complex cognitive functions into distinct elements that can be easily studied. However, when it comes to analyzing cognition into its distinct parts; information processing fails to re-unite them into a general, comprehensive construct. In addition, most information processing tools such as computer models have lost touch with real-life learning experiences (Berk, 2009). Information processing approach towards cognition seeks to explain how the learner (children and adults) operate on the different types of information. Most scholars view the mind as a complex system (a type of computer) through which information flows and is manipulated. General models such as the store model by Atkinson and Shiffrin assume that information is stored in three parts of the brain for processing: â€Å"the sensory register, short-term memory, and long-term memory† (Berk, 2010, para.1). Craik and Lockhart (1972) level-of-processing model assumes that information is transferred from working memory to the long-term memory depending on the level processing. There exist several other information processing developmental models such as the Case’s theory which is a reinterpretation of Piaget’s theory of information processing model. Case views cognitive development as the increase in information processing capacity as a result of brain development which can be linked to more efficient learning strategies. Connectionism on the other hand explains information processing development as a result of learning strategies such as computer-simulated strategies which enhance; inter-connectivity of processing units that are well stratified just like the neurological structure of the brain. Siegler’s using his model of learning strategy choice argues that, learners always generate a number of strategies for problem solving, the more the experience, the more strategies are selected or discarded (Kail Cavanaugh, 2008). Attention is a critical factor when it comes to human thinking, it dictates the information that will be considered when undertaking a task. Attention is greatly enhanced during early and middle stages of childhood. Thus, improved attention makes one to be more adaptable, selective and organized. Enhanced cognitive reticence and efficacy of attentional learning strategies are pertinent to the fine-tuning of selective attention. The fine tuning of attentional learning strategies takes place in four stages: â€Å"production deficiency, control deficiency, utilization deficiency, and effective strategy use† (para.2). Whenever there is a problem with attention students would develop learning disorders. The argument here is that, when a student is learning a new concept, their attention needs to be focused on the new concept.   If they fail to fully pay their attention, it means that they will have a serious problem with the learning of the new information (Kail Cavanaugh, 2008). Memory strategies are said to improve with age, as children continue to develop various methods such as, organization, and elaboration. This increases the likelihood of storing information in working memory and its consequential transfer to the long-term knowledge bank. Thus, over childhood stages and even in adolescence, students’ recall steadily improves as knowledge is continually amassed and its organization is improved effectively. Childrens metacognitive abilities usually change from passivity to activity. A more productive view of mental functioning increases with the increase in awareness of information processing strategies, cognitive aptitudes, and task variables. Self-regulation cognitively develops gradually during childhood and adolescence stages. Recently, scholars of information-processing have focused their attention towards academic learning of children (Berk, 2009). Visual-perceptual, motor and language relation to information processing development A visual-perceptual skill is simply the brain’s ability to process information as seen.   Previously, most scholars had assumed that a deficiency in visual-perceptual skills was directly linked to the malfunctioning of the eye.   That is having a poor physical vision or poor muscle control in the eye. However, the presence or absence of physical vision has nothing to do with visual perceptual. Instead, visual perceptual refers to the ability of the brain the receiving of visual information, its interpretation, organization, storage, and transmission Thus, if a student’s brain is not properly storing information, recall will definitely be poor. This directly affects the student’s ability to concentrate and read since he or she has a slow recall of words. The slowing down of recall can also have a negative impact on their mathematical abilities let alone their fluency in speech and reading (Smith 2004). Language and phonological processing abilities are affected by the student’s ability to store, process, and retrieve information.   Usually language and phonological problems are rooted to reading disorders.   Many students with reading disorders have difficulty storing, processing, and retrieving information.   A normal student’s left brain hemisphere becomes dominant when they are carrying out tasks involving language processing (Berk 2009). A student’s motor skills are also an important factor when discussing about learning strategies.   Children will learn from their interaction with the environment; this ability is affected hindered by a child’s motor or verbal skills, a child will learn better when their motor skills are well developed.   This can be observed in a math class.   A conventional practice in the learning of fractions is the use of multiplication.   A student with a problem with their motor skills will have a problem with the use of manipulatives.   Thus they will definitely have it rough when it comes to the learning of fractions (Berk, 2010). Conclusion This paper argues that there exist several other information processing developmental models such as the Case’s theory which is a reinterpretation of Piaget’s theory of information processing model. Case views cognitive development as the increase in information processing capacity as a result of brain development which can be linked to more efficient learning strategies. The most widely used theory is the stage theory whose focus is on how information is stored in memory. Learning strategies such as memory strategies are pertinent to the process of information development. Information processing approach towards cognition explains how the learner operates on various kinds of information. The mind is a complex system (a type of computer) through which information flows and is manipulated. Deficits in information processing skills have negative impacts on a student’s ability to learn effectively. This is attributed to the reason that all learning is relatively cumulative.  Thus, problems in learning should be detected early in enough and solved otherwise; they would get worse with advancement of age.