An investigation on the development of car safety and the importance of airbags Essay

Chemistry experiment to simulate the inflation of an airbag in case of a car crash Aim Our aim is to create a chemical reaction to demonstrate the rapid inflation used in automobiles. The inflation of an airbag is a very fast reaction, and the typical reactants used are a mixture of Calcium carbonate (CaCO3), Potassium nitrate (KNO3) and Silicon dioxide. When a car crash occurs a sensor in the car’s airbag triggers the reaction that will save the drivers life if the speed at which he is moving is greater than 16-24 km/h-1. The nitrogen has to be produces more quickly than the driver hitting the steering wheel. The entire reaction is completed in less than 1/25 of 1 sec, because of the danger of this reaction, to demonstrate in a similar way the reaction that takes place in an airbag we have chosen to inflate a balloon using the gas obtained by the reaction of a metal acid to produce sodium carbonate. Equation Ca(s) + 2HCl(aq) = Ca(aq) + (g) + O(l) Materials -Conical Flask -Cork with delivery tube -heat mats -spatula -chemicals (baking soda) – goggles (safety glasses) Procedure à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Gather all apparatus needed for the entire experiment à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Set up all apparatus à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Pour CaCo3 into the conical flask à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Add the HCl to the solution already in the conical flask à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Cover the flask with a cork delivery tube which will then allow to blow up the balloon à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Observe the reaction Conclusion Our experiment was successful in proving the function of an airbag of a car. Our experiment aimed to demonstrate the safety of the passengers of an automobile, through the use of an airbag. For our chemistry experiment we chose to adapt the airbag inflation to our IB program syllabus, hence by doing an experiment similar to the one we had already successfully completed during the school year. was the element produced that mainly inflated the balloon, the reaction took place almost immediately. Hence, we have experimented the chemical reaction of a metal acid that produced Sodium Carbonate and inflated a balloon, the reaction was similar to the inflation of an airbag, proving the same chemistry principles. Research Question: How airbags managed to improve automobile safety. Introduction: The development of airbags began with the idea for a system that would save automobile drivers and passengers in a car accident, whether they were wearing their seat belts or not. Nowadays, airbags are compulsory in new cars and are designed to act as a supplementary safety device in addition to a seat belt. Airbags were invented in 1953. The automobile industry started in the late 1950’s to research airbags and soon discovered that there were many difficulties in the development of an airbag. Crash tests showed that for an airbag to be useful as a protective device, the bag must deploy and inflate within 40 milliseconds. The system must also be able to detect the difference between a severe crash and a minor fender-bender. These technological difficulties slowed the airbag creation process of 30 years, and in fact, it was in the mid 1980s that airbags started to be installed in all cars produced. In recent years, increased reports in the media concerning deaths or serious injuries due to airbag deployment have led to a national discussion about the usefulness and â€Å"safety† of airbags. Questions are being raised as to whether airbags should be mandatory, and whether their safety can be improved. However, as Graph 1 and 2 demonstrate, airbags have saved lives and have lowered the number of severe injuries. Graph 1 This bar graph shows that there is a significantly higher reduction in moderate to serious head injuries for people using airbags and seat belts together than for people using only seat belts. Graph 2 Deaths among drivers using both airbags and seat belts are 26% lower than among drivers using seat belts alone. An airbag must be able to deploy in a matter of milliseconds from the initial collision impact. It must also be prevented from deploying when there is no collision. Hence, the first component of the airbag system is a sensor that can detect head-on collisions and immediately trigger the airbag’s deployment. One of the simplest designs employed for the crash sensor is a steel ball that slides inside a smooth bore. The ball is held in place by a permanent magnet or by a stiff spring, which inhibit the ball’s motion when the car drives over bumps or potholes. However, when the car decelerates very quickly, as in a head-on crash, the ball suddenly moves forward and turns on an electrical circuit, initiating the process of inflating the airbag. Once the electrical circuit has been turned on by the sensor, a pellet of sodium azide (NaN3) is ignited. A rapid reaction occurs, generating nitrogen gas (N2). This gas fills a nylon or polyamide bag at a velocity of 150 to 250 miles per hour. This process, from the initial impact of the crash to full inflation of the airbags, takes only about 40 milliseconds (Movie 1). Ideally, the body of the driver (or passenger) should not hit the airbag while it is still inflating. In order for the airbag to cushion the head and torso with air for maximum protection, the airbag must begin to deflate as the body hits it. Otherwise, the high internal pressure of the airbag would create a surface as hard as stone, a device that wouldn’t result useful to the passenger or driver. Evaluation: The kinetic theory of gases assumes that gases are ideal, thus that there are no interactions between molecules, and the size of the molecules is small compared to the free space between the molecules, but molecules are as a physical body that moves continually through space in random directions. In a microscopic view, the pressure exerted on the walls of the container is the result of molecules colliding with the walls, and hence exerting force on the walls (Graph 3). When many molecules hit the wall, a large force is distributed over the surface of the wall, which gives pressure. An important fact derived from the kinetic theory of gases shows that the average kinetic energy of the gas molecules depends only on the temperature. Since average kinetic energy is related to the average speed of the molecules (EK = mu2 / 2, where m=mass and u is the average speed), the temperature of a gas sample must be related to the average speed at which the molecules are moving. Thus, we can view temperature as a measure of the random motion of the particles, defined by the molecular speeds. This implies that there must be a range (distribution) of speeds for the system. In fact, there is a typical distribution of molecular speeds for molecules of a given molecular weight at a given temperature, known as the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution (Graph 3). This distribution was first predicted using the kinetic theory of gases, and was then verified experimentally using a time-of-flight spectrometer. As shown by the Maxwell-Boltzmann distributions in Graph 3, there are very few molecules traveling at very low or at very high speeds. The maximum of the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution shows the intermediate speed at which the largest number of molecules are traveling. As the temperature increases, the number of molecules that are traveling at high speeds increases, and the speeds become more evenly distributed in the curves. Graph 3 The Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution can be shown graphically as the plot of the number of molecules traveling at a given speed versus the speed. As the temperature increases, this curve broadens and extends to higher speeds. As seen in Graph 3, there is a unique distribution curve for each temperature. Temperature is defined by a system of gaseous molecules only when their speed distribution is a Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution. Any other type of speed distribution rapidly becomes a Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution by collisions of molecules, which transfer energy. Once this distribution is achieved, the system is said to be at thermal equilibrium, and hence has a temperature. When a body hits the steering wheel directly, the force of this impact is distributed over a small area of the body, resulting in injuries to this area. The area that hits the steering wheel is shown in red. When a body is restrained by an airbag, the force of the impact is distributed over a much larger area of the body, resulting in less severe injuries. The area that hits the airbag is shown in orange. Conclusion:The law of inertia, is demonstrated in a car collision and it is Newton’s first law which states that: objects moving at a constant velocity continue at the same velocity unless an external force acts upon them. When a car stops suddenly, as in a car incident, a body inside the car continues moving forward at the same velocity as the car was moving prior to the collision, because its inertial tendency is to continue moving at constant velocity. However, the body does not continue moving at the same velocity for long, but rather comes to a stop when it hits some object in the car, such as the steering wheel or dashboard. Thus, there is a force exerted on the body to change its velocity. Injuries from car accidents result when this force is very large. Airbags protect you by applying a restraining force to the body that is smaller than the force the body would experience if it hit the dashboard or steering wheel suddenly, and by spreading this force over a larger area. For simplicity, in the discussion below, we will consider only the case of a driver hitting the steering wheel. If there is a restraining device as an airbag, the force of impact decreases, hence, the airbag reduces the rate of deceleration. Therefore, the force on the body is smaller and fewer injuries result. When an airbag restrains the body, the body exerts an equal and opposite force on the airbag. Unlike the immovable steering wheel, the airbag is deflated slowly. This deflation can occur because of the presence of vents in the bag. The force exerted by the body pushes the gas through the vents and thus deflates the bag. Because the gas can only leave at a certain rate, the bag deflates slowly. Additionally, airbags help reduce injuries by spreading the force over a larger area. If the body crashes directly into the steering wheel, all the force from the steering wheel will be applied to a localized area on the body that is the size of the steering wheel, from which a serious injury can form. However, when the body hits an airbag, which is larger than a steering wheel, all the force from the airbag on the body will be spread over a larger area of the body. Therefore, the force on any particular point on the body is smaller. Hence, less serious injuries will occur, this will also help to save the driver’s and passenger’s life. This is how a simple chemical equation avoids the deaths of millions. Physic’s Experiment Investigating safety on cars Introduction As cars became increasingly powerful and fast, rate of incidents increased exponentially and, usually more violent. This meant, over the years, a constant research and development of new security measures, and even nowadays more and more new systems are introduced every day. This development gave birth to what we now consider to be the basic requirements of any safe car, such as seat belts, air bags and crumple zones. Crumple zones The structures that in cars are commonly known as crumple zones are areas placed on the front and usually on the rear of a vehicle that are designed to absorb energy during impact in a predictable and controlled way. In the late 1950s, the general population still believed that the stronger the structure of a car, the safer that car would be during an incident. Actually, however, this kind of construction criteria proved to be fatal to most passengers. This is because during a collision all the energy of the impact went directly to the vehicle and onto the passengers. In 1967, the Mercedes Heckflosse was the first mass production car in the world to feature â€Å"crumple zones† and a safety cage. In order to fit appropriate crumple zones, the truck was made almost 50% bigger. Nowadays car featuring crumple zones and rigid cabs are standard safety requirements in almost every car made throughout the world. The fact that a car that crushes more easily protects its passengers more than a car that does not crush at all, may seem strange, but, in fact, the reason for this seem obvious when considering the physics behind it. Newton’s first law states that a body will remain at rest or continue travelling at uniform motion (constant velocity) unless a force is acted on it. Therefore, in a situation in which a car is impacting with a wall, if a vehicle is travelling at 70 km/h, the passengers inside are doing the same, and when the vehicle collides with the wall and comes to a sudden stop, the passengers’ bodies will continue going in the same direction at the same speed, 70 km/h. As stated in the law, these bodies will keep on moving forward until they themselves collide with a part of the car or with another passenger. Even when the human body comes to rest in this kind of incident, its internal organs slam against each other and against bones. This will, of course cause, injuries to the passengers and sometimes even death. Newton’s second law of motion states that: The law conveys that as the time taken by the car to arrive to complete rest increases, the force transferred to the car and, therefore its passengers, will be decreased. On the other hand, if the amount of time to reach complete halt is decreased, the force experienced will be greater. Crumple zones are specifically designed in order to crush, absorbing part of the force of the collision. The force of the collision is given out during the impact in the form of heat, sound and in from of mechanical work done on the crumple zone. The front (and rear) part of the car acts as a cushion and it is able to increase the time taken to reach complete halt and, hopefully, save the passengers’ lives. However crumple zones only work provided there is no intrusion on external elements, like the engine, in the rigid cage. This concept can be easily explained thought a simply example. Take for instance two object, the first is a solid steel block, while the second is an aluminium can. When the solid steel block (or car with no crumple zones) impacts with the wall, the wall does not move and, instead, exerts an equal magnitude and opposite direction force on the block. This causes the block to bounce off the wall in an elastic manner, conserving almost all its initial kinetic energy (EK) and, therefore, experiencing a large force. On the other hand when considering the aluminium can, the situation is different. When an aluminium can (or a car with crumple zones) impacts with a wall, it does not conserve all of its initial kinetic energy (EK). This is because, instead of just bouncing off, some of the kinetic energy is transformed into mechanical work, heat and sound , during the squashing of the crumple zones. The result is a smaller force acted on the can. The action of crumple zones increases the time of collision and lessens the amount of force experienced by the aluminium can. Specific materials As seen in the previous section, the material with which different parts of the vehicle are built are of primary importance. Depending on how we want specific parts of the car to behave, specific material must be chosen. For instance, crumple zones are expected to crush easily, while the inner rigid cage is supposed to withstand higher forces without braking. Based on this information we can determine that the best material to build a crumple zone is an easily bendable metal like aluminium, instead for the rigid cage, a much harder alloy like steel. Alloys are partial or complete solid solutions of one or more elements (metallic or/and non-metallic) in a metallic lattice. Alloys usually present different properties from those of the elements composing them. Alloying one metal with one or more metals or non-metals often improves the properties of the starting elements. For instance, when considering steel we can see how this alloy is stronger than its primary element, iron (Fe). Even though physical properties, such as density, reactivity, electrical and thermal conductivity, of the alloy does not differ inn great amount from those of its constituent elements, engineering properties such as tensile strength and shear strength can differ considerably. The tensile strength of a material is the maximum amount of tensile stress (measured in Newton) that it can tolerate before it tears to parts. The shear strength, instead, is the ability of the material to resist shear stress. The increase in both tensile strength and shear strength are usually due to the sizes of the atoms in the alloy. Larger atoms in the alloy apply a compressional stress on neighbouring atoms, and smaller atoms apply a tensional stress on their neighbours. This particular composition of alloys helps to resist deformation when a strong force is applied on it. Even when the amounts of each element in an alloy are altered slightly, this presents huge differences in physical engineering properties and behaviour. For instance, very small amounts of carbon (C) (between 0.2% and 2.1%) are added to iron (Fe) and act as hardening agents preventing dislocation of the iron atoms. From the image on the left it is possible to see how the atoms of carbon (A) place in between the atoms of iron (B), preventing the sliding of the layers of iron atoms. However, in case the amount of carbon was excessive, this would have the opposite effect, causing the iron to be brittle and break easily. Some alloys are made by melting and mixing two or more metallic elements. The first alloy ever discovered was bronze, it was made of copper and tin, and was discovered during the prehistoric period known as the bronze age. It was originally used to make tools and weapons, but later it has been used for ornaments, bells, statues, and bearings. Video of crash tests Investigating the effectiveness on crumple zones during a frontal collision SUV Mass of the trolley/kg Distance from the wall /m Time taken/s Distance travelled after collision/m Detailed history of the airbag production Invented at the start of the 1950s, it only came to wide use during the 1960s. Air bag-equipped cars have demonstrated, both in controlled tests and everyday use, their effectiveness and reliability (in frontal collisions, deaths for drivers, were lowered by 28 percent in vehicles featuring air bags). In order to answer to the increased of safety concerns of the consumers, the federal government has forced all car manufacturers to upgrade the safety features installed on their cars. The Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations require that all cars sold in the US, being produced starting from year 1990, had to feature a passive restraint system. Passive restraint systems are security systems that require no activation by the driver and usually are identified to be automatic seat belts and air bags. For air bags, until year 1994 the regulations only require a driver’s air bag and must include passive protection on the passenger’s side (seatbelts). Later, in 1991, a new law required both driver and passenger air bags in all cars by year 1998 and in light trucks and vans by year 1999. Air bags are inflatable cushions designed to protect car passengers from serious or even fatal injury in case of a collision. The air bag is part of a system, also known as an air cushion restraint system (ACRS) or an air bag supplemental restraint system (SRS) (they are called supplemental because the air bag is designed to supplement the protection of seat belts). When detecting a collision, the air bags inflate instantly to provide the passenger with a big gas-filled cushion. A typical air bag system consists of an air bag module (containing an inflator or gas generator and an air bag), crash sensors, a diagnostic monitoring unit, a steering wheel connecting coil, and an indicator lamp. These components are all interconnected by a wiring harness and powered by the vehicle’s battery. Air bag sensors are specifically designed to prevent the air bag from inflating when the car travels over a bump or in case of a minor collision. In a frontal impact equivalent to hitting a solid barrier at a speed of 14.5 Km/h, the sensors located in the front of the car detect the sudden deceleration and send an electrical signal activating an initiator. The initiator is similar to a light bulb and contains a thin wire that heats up, breaking through the propellant chamber. This sudden penetration causes the solid chemical propellant, usually sodium azide, sealed up inside the inflator to undergo a very quick chemical reaction. This controlled reaction produces harmless blasts of the nitrogen gas that inflates the air bag. The resulting nitrogen gas fills the nylon bag in less than one-twenty-fifth (1/25) of a second, opening its plastic cover on the stirring wheel and inflating in front of the passenger before this hits the stirring wheel. As the occupant hits the inflated bag, the nitrogen gas is pushed out through some openings at the back of the bag. The bag remains fully inflated for no longer than one-tenth (1/10) of a second and is almost completely deflated by three-tenths (3/10) of a second after the impact with the passenger. Talcum powder or corn starch is used to line the inside of the air bag and is released from the air bag as it is opened causing the characteristic white cloud. Components of an airbag An air bag is formed by three main parts: the nylon bag, the inflator, and the propellant. The bag is made from a woven nylon fabric and can differ in shape and size depending on the specific vehicle safety requirements. Talcum powder or corn starch is used when handling the air bag, since either of the two substances prevents the woven nylon fabric from sticking together and makes assembling process easier. The inflator body is made from either stamped stainless steel or cast aluminium. Inside the inflator body there is a filter assembly formed by a stainless steel wire mesh with ceramic material held in between. When the inflator body is assembled in the factory, the filter assembly is wrapped by a metal foil to maintain the filter sealed preventing propellant contamination. The propellant, typically sodium azide ,in the form of black pellets, is combined with an oxidizer and is usually located inside the inflator body between the filter assembly and the initiator. Evaluation While analysing how I dealt with the Group Four Project, I noticed some facts that I could have improved, hence improvements that could be done in how my Group Four has worked. The members of my Group Four Project were: Jacopo Mauro, Daniel Gardin, Maria Airchinsky, Edoardo Nalon and Laure Rasscheart. I noticed that when we started to work at the project, we weren’t working as a team, as we still didn’t know what we really had to do, as time passed we got to know each other better and gained more confidence, thus, we started to work more as a team and we managed to assign tasks inside within the group, for example: Edoardo had to contact some car stores and to gather information about the crumple zones and the materials used in the car production, Jacopo and Daniel were the ones who worked on the physics experiment, since they are the two members of the group who have taken the physics course, while Laure, Maria and I did the chemistry experiment, since we had the idea of the inflation of a balloon as a representation of an airbag. The project could have been done in a more efficient way; we lost a lot of time to actually start with various ideas, set the experiments, and start working as a group, although it is possible to recognize the fact that our problems in getting organized were also due the fact that the members of the group never had study periods at the same time. Probably, something that could have really helped our report was to have a â€Å"leader† perhaps not the smartest, but the one who could have made sure that everyone who was actually proceeding with their tasks, and not wait for the last minute to do so. Perhaps he/she could have given the others some deadlines, and set up meetings to see how everyone was doing. Another thing that we could have improved in our Group 4 Project was that we didn’t have many meetings, we had also the summer to work on it, and we didn’t really do much, so we waited for September when we came back from vacations to start again to worry about finishing the project. Moreover, every member of the group was at a different level in chemistry and math, for example: Jacopo and Daniel are very good at chemistry and physics, in fact they chose the scientific course, while Laure, Edoardo, Maria and I don’t even take physics and aren’t objectively very good in chemistry. However, what emerged from our difficulties was a complex and elaborated project, a research on an important thematic such as safety in the streets, focusing on car accidents. Our project could be expanded on an international scale by suggesting other schools to perform the same research as we did, hence rising internationally the awareness in students on how chemistry and physics are important on a daily basis, how these subjects are at the base of our most important healthy issues.

Catholic Reformation Outline!

Bipin Pant AP Euro Thesis Statement While the ultimate objective of the Catholic Reformation was to recognize and spread Catholicism. Some aims, methods, and degree of success of the catholic reformation in the 16th century were activities of the Jesuits, the revival of papacy and the Council of Trent. Activities of the Jesuits Established highly disciplined schools The Jesuits took over in catholic universities and by 1600 they were the most famous educators in Europe Propagation of the catholic faith among non-Christians Francis Xavier spread ideas and influenced other countries like JapanThe revival of papacy Pope Paul III (1534-1549) was the turning point to the revival of papacy Appointed a reform commission to study the condition of the Jesuits and summoned the council of Trent A Colloquy was held at Regensburg to settle religious tension peacefully Cardinal Caraffa was chosen pope as Paul IV (1555-1559) Council of Trent Problems such as outbreak in plagues, war between France and Spain, and changing of popes occurred The ladder group wan and only the church could interpret Scripture Both faith and good works worked for salvation he catholic church entered a new phase of its history Conclusion In conclusion, the catholic reformation's main goal was to proceed with Catholicism and some of the aims, methods, and degree of success of the catholic reformation were the activities of the Jesuits, the revival of papacy and the creation of the council of Trent. All these events led up to the new world that we live in and some of these events enhanced our education and our knowledge for the world and its view of life. What comes next? Motives of expanding land and â€Å"The new world†.

Shane as a Hero

â€Å"He was the man who rode into our little valley out of the heart of the great glowing West and when his work was done rode back whence he had come and he was Shane. † He was a murderer, that’s what he thought. Thus, he left. But the community found another definition for his mysterious departure. He was now known and remembered as a hero of the West. In the novel written by Jack Schaefer, there are several actions and attitudes that develop the prime example to the important characters in the book, and depict them as either a hero or a villain.Through his accomplishments and failures, Shane, the character of whom the book speaks, is represented as a hero. Shane embodies the essence of a hero on the first day he arrives to that small valley, with his luxurious worn-out coat, matching pants, and a black hat; clothes that no homesteader that resided there and Bob, the main character and also the narrator, have seen before. Shane demonstrates humility, a trait that man y heroes, either they’re super or not, possess; Shane is also down-to-earth and humble, and is aware of the fact that one does not have the right to take another man's life, and when one does so, that marks him for life.Above all the qualities that Shane has, the one that seems the most hero-attributed is his selfless acts of protecting someone else; in this case the homesteaders and their homes. Shane expresses the qualities of a hero, both physically and mentally, that is, he is both strong and loyal. Shane has many traits that illustrate that of a hero; such as how he portrays himself, his ability to be humble, and his need to protect others. Heroes aren’t considered as such just because of their strength, but also because of their aptitudes and intellectual capacities.Shane is admired for his good judgment when solving problems. He doesn’t give up when he attacks Chris and Morgan as well as the stump in the farm which are obstacles in his apparently smooth t rail. Shane audaciously defeats Wilson to defend Joe and the other homesteaders, thus demonstrating he is a hero by fighting with the gunman to support Joe for his right to his land. Shane only challenges the rival because he unconsciously protects others from danger.The whole idea of Shane facing Wilson was to prevent Starrett’s family from handing their farm over to Fletcher, as well as ending that nightmare within the other homesteaders’ homes. He alone decided to face and vanquish ‘evil’, as he shoots down both Wilson and Fletcher. After this occurrence, however, he feels the need of disappearing into thin air, as if he’s implying that his work is done. After the incident in the bar, â€Å"The folks in town and the kids at school like to talk about him. † Shane had become a legend amongst the residents of the Valley.

Systems and Operations Management - Critical Evaluation of the Assignment

Systems and Operations Management - Critical Evaluation of the Competitive Factors - Assignment Example hough, e-business is one of the most hyped topics and business strategies in the corporate sector few industries are still operating in a brick and mortar model. Automobile industry is one of them and despite of covering a vast segment of the international market place, they are operating in the bricks and mortar model only. Hesterberg (2008) stated that because of the nature of the products involved in the automobile industry, the bricks and mortar model is the most suitable process for the automobile industry. However, the concept of remote operations and selling creates an opportunity for the automobile industries to develop a clicks and mortar model in the business process of the firm. The following segments of the study will focus on implementing a clicks and mortar model for an automobile company based on the United Kingdom and analyse the process of transition from bricks and mortar to clicks and mortar. Lotus Cars is a segment of Group Lotus Plc which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of DRB-HICOM based in the United Kingdom. Lotus is known for their highly appreciated products in motor sports (Lotus Cars, 2014). They have provided winning cars such as Espirit, Elise, Elan, etc. The historical significance of the company is also boosted by the fact that the manufacturing process of the cars is situated in Norfolk which was an airfield during World War II (Lotus Cars, 2014). The entire Lotus groups have been segmented into three groups namely, Lotus Cars, Lotus Engineering and Lotus Motorsport (Lotus Cars, 2014). Colin Dare and Colin Chapman founded the company in 1952. The company believes in developing a separate passage to success and creates its own trend rather than following (Lotus Cars, 2014). Throughout all these years of growth and development, Lotus has always tried to create new products with extensive use of technology; however their main intention has always been to keep their vehicles light. According to Hesterberg (2008), lightness in the

APPLE PAY AT WALGREENS Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

APPLE PAY AT WALGREENS - Research Paper Example The Walgreen Company, the largest drug retailer in the United Stated is one among many companies which has implemented the latest payment solution in the world and the results are clear. Costanza (2015) notes that there has been an increase in sales for Walgreen. While this cannot be single handedly attributed to Apple pay, customer convenience and the ease of payment has greatly improved since its introduction. Apple pay which is backed by the world’s most valuable technology was able to be rolled out at Walgreen Company with minimal cost and disruptions. As noted in the interview with company executive voyles, the ease of payment, security and speedy check-out has proved to be a major hit with customers. Apple pay is enabled by NFC and EMV technology and backed up by the three main card providers Visa, MasterCard and American Express. While highly successful so far, there have been challenges. For example two main retailers Walmart and BestBuy have rejected this payment system in favor of their own. Reisinger (2014) also notes that there are other challenges such as a dead battery, losing your mobile phone as well as platforms which are not supported. Overall Apple pay has a positive impact on sales and customer experience at the Walgreen Company. While challenges and competition heat up mobile payments will in the future remain at the heart of today’s tech savvy

Niketown as an Experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6750 words

Niketown as an Experience - Essay Example As part of this swing toward making everything an aspect of the brand, companies were beginning to recognize the power of the building to promote the brand itself. One of the companies to key into this idea early was The Body Shop, which expanded by as many as 50 stores per year beginning in 1988, even during the years of the recession. â€Å"Most baffling of all to Wall Street, it pulled off the expansion without spending a dime on advertising. Who needed billboards and magazine ads when retail outlets were three-dimensional advertisements for an ethical and ecological approach to cosmetics? The Body Shop was all brand.†2 Another company to quickly realize the potential of focusing completely on developing the idea of brand was Nike. Despite the potential for long-term payoffs, there has often been difficulty in getting business executives typically focused on the current ‘bottom line’ to understand the significant assets architecture and design can be in developing the corporate brand, which, in turn, works to establish the company’s ultimate success. â€Å"While statistical analysis and econometric techniques have been used to evaluate the trade-offs between alternatives, features and prices for products, there has not been a tool to inform the design process of architecture, environmental graphic design and the built environment. However, the ‘fixed assets’ of built environments, especially those of retail and consumer service sectors, are integrally linked to brand identity and equity.†3 The executives at Nike, though, did their homework and revolutionized the architecture/design/brand connection to such an extent that it becomes difficult to draw the line between reta il outlet, entertainment venue and museum.   

Open Source Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Open Source - Essay Example e accounts and financial records of such businesses, with the aim of determining how well the organizations are run, and how accurate the financial records of the business are prepared and stored. In an accounting and auditing environment, there is a variety of software that requires to be applied. While some of those software are tailor-made specifically for the accounting purposes, others are general purpose software, which can also be applied by other computer users, to undertake various activities that are not related to accounting. The basic software that must be applied in an accounting and auditing environment are the Windows XP operating system and the Microsoft office suit (Amushie, 12). These software provides the basis for which the computer is operated, and the basis for which records are made and kept, for the operating system and the Microsoft office suit, respectively. It is through the Windows XP operating system that an interface is created in the computer, through which the user of the computer can navigate variously. On the other hand, the Microsoft office suit comprises of various applications such as the Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Acces s, which are programs that are used to prepare and store records, while also being applied to undertake various arithmetic functions, especially for the Microsoft Excel (Grauer and Maryann, 33). Both the Microsoft Office suit and the Windows XP are found in different versions of software. There are some versions of both Microsoft Office suit that are proprietary and others that are open source. Similarly, Windows XP operating system has some of its versions that are proprietary and others which are open source. While the Windows XP Service Pack 3 is a proprietary software, the Windows XP ReactOSÂ ® is a version of the windows XP operating system that is open source (Gross, 9). Similarly, Microsoft office suite has Microsoft Office 2007 as a proprietary software, and another version called the

Human Male and Female Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Human Male and Female - Essay Example The pill or oral contraceptives are also common and effective if used the right way. These pills contain different combinations of synthetic estrogens and progestins to interfere with ovulation. They are effective if taken once a day and preferably at the same time each day, though they do not reduce risks of STDs. They can be ineffective for those who smoke, more than 35 years old, have histories of blood clots, high blood pressure or certain types of cancer such as liver, breast, or endometrial cancers (Ireland 518). Injectable birth control is another method. It involves the injection of a particular progestin, Depo-Provera (depo-medroxyprogesterone acetate) given to the arm or buttocks once in three months. One disadvantage is that it can temporarily lead to a loss of bone density especially if used by adolescents. Discontinuation of this method can stop the bone loss. Certain foods and diets are essential if a patient chooses this method, especially those rich in calcium and vitamin. It does not prevent STDs (Ireland 518). Implantable rods are the size of a matchstick surgically inserted in the upper arm of a woman. It releases progestin and can work for a period of five years. It does not reduce in any way the risks of STDs, and if the date lapses, it may take a while before a woman becomes pregnant (Ireland 519). Emergency contraceptive pills are hormonal pills taken as a single dosage or taking two doses twelve hours apart. These are commonly used after unprotected sexual intercourse.

Ownership in Foreign Direct Investment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ownership in Foreign Direct Investment - Essay Example Some of these reasons are clearly envisioned in the case study on Genting International and includes the fact that transnational ownership give owners of companies the right and opportunity of benefiting from labor and investment laws that apply to both national companies and international companies. In the case of Genting International, because the company was based in Singapore, it had every right to participate in the bid if the bid had been opened to Singaporean companies alone. At the same time, the company was in position to undertake a foreign market entry as an international company. The reason that has made this situation possible in most cases is that the different owners who come from different countries have always registered parts of the company in their respective countries (Savior, 2009). When a bid for international companies arise therefore, it is the owner with registration in a different country who participants in the bid so as to create a foreign market entry. Ad vantages of the present Foreign Market Entry For Genting International and Las Vegas Sands who have own the two places available in the bid, there are several advantages that they are going to reap as foreign companies who have made investments in Singapore. The first of such benefits has to do with the fact that these companies are fortunate to be coming from an industry that could be described as relatively new in Singapore because of the ban on the operations of casinos that had been on the hospitality industry for a long time. Indeed, now that these companies are coming in with such a vast amount of investment, they are going to great a pioneering brand that would forever become a legacy in the casino industry in that country. If well monitored, this is going to be a major competitive advantage for future entrants into that sector of the economy. The reason for this assertion is that by the time new companies come in, these two companies might have had their names settling well with customers. They might have also created a very formidable organizational culture would be too familiar with their customer for the customers to change them. Without any doubt, tax moratorium that the two companies have ten years to benefit from because they are foreign companies is not something that can be overlooked as an important merit at all. In a recent research, it was discovered that 12% of companies that were liquidated in the United Kingdom from the year 1992 to 2002 suffered that fate because of their inability to grow beyond 2% a year (Gardener, 2007). Further investigations proofed that whereas these companies could not record 2% of growth over their total revenues, they were paying over 7% of taxes over their total revenues. In congruence, it could be said that these companies collapsed because of huge tax demands. This is certainly a situation that for the next ten years, the winning bidders are going to be exempted from. Clearly, the amounts of money that should have gone into the payment of taxes for all these ten years can be channeled to other sectors of growth, expansion and development. If for nothing at all, the companies can be investing these amounts in long term financial investment policies so that when they start paying taxes, they would not suffer any shocks in terms of decline of revenue. Challenges associated with the present Foreign Market Entry Genting International and

Intellectual and social development of infants Essay Example for Free

Intellectual and social development of infants Essay Nature can influence a child’s intellectual development, by genetic inheritance, the child could have inherited Down syndrome, which could cause a later development with the children’s speech and language, Down syndrome can also affect the muscles for them to become weak. They can also develop behaviour issues, such as autism, stubbornness, tantrums, compulsive and obsessive disorders. Children with Down syndrome can also develop a brain disorder which can affect the memory, judgement and function in later life. Another genetic disorder that can affect a child’s intellectual development is Angelman syndrome. If a child has inherited Angelman syndrome this will affect the child’s nervous system. The characteristic that are affect by this condition can include, intellectual disability for example learning difficulties, looking after themselves and communicating. These genetic inheritances can affect the child’s learning skills and also the social skills for the child. Nurture can affect the child’s intellectual development, when the child is in school, the teacher might not be teaching the child the best way. This will affect the child’s learning skills. Another affect that nurture has on intellectual development would be the environment, if a child is brought up in crime, then there is a possibility that the child will grow up to commit crime. Another affect would be if the child parents do not spend time with the child after school, to help complete their homework then they can fall behind in lessons. Nature can affect a child’s social development, if the child has inherited Autism. People with Autism find it hard to build relationships with people. This will make it hard from them to communicate in school, with other children. Autistic people also have difficulty with their speech and language. They also prefer to be alone which can also affect the child’s social development. Nurture can affect the child’s social development, by the child brought up in an abuse family the child will have to look outside the family for stability and affection. The environment can affect social development. If the child interacts with people doing crime, the child will also be lead into crime in the future. An example of nurture which can affect the social development would be a boy 12-13 years who was found running around with wolves in France. When the child was brought back into society, he could not talk or walk and he never developed as a normal human being, this shows that if a child needs to be taught socially to develop in the right way. Physical and emotional development of adolescents Nature can affect adults physical development, Nurture can affect an adults physical development, by environmental influences such as; exposure to toxins, illnesses and being raised in poor living conditions can also affect physical development. Head injuries, infections, lead poisoning are few of the many environmental reasons for affected physical development. Another affect for physical development would be if an adult has been in a car accident, amputation may be needed; this will lead to the adult not being able to walk. Old age can also affect physical development, as the adult is getting older their muscles, bones and internal organs are becoming weaker. When they reach old age their muscles and bones, will become stiffer, this will affect their walking. Nature can affect adults emotional development, with the hormones in the adult body, the hormones can affect emotional development. For example people born with high levels of testosterone can become more courageous and aggressive, where as someone with extreme levels of estrogen will lead to sensitivity and emotion. Nurture can affect an adult’s emotional development, if a family or friend has passed away, this can affect the adults emotional development. Another affect for emotional development would be marriage and divorce,

Pulmonary Hypertension And Physical Therapy Health And Social Care Essay

Pulmonary Hypertension And Physical Therapy Health And Social Care Essay The aim of this study is to clarify physical therapys role in rehabilitating pulmonary hypertension (PH) patients, by explaining PH with regard to its history, etiology, prevalence, anatomy of pulmonary arteries, definition, subgroups, patophysiology, its causes, how it is diagnosed, and its signs and symptoms. History  Ã‚   Pulmonary Hypertension was first discovered in 1981 by Dr. Ernst Von (4), but it was already getting attention in 1970s in Europe (3), and in the 1990s PH arise again in the United States along with the release of weight loss drugs (3). The natural history of  primary pulmonary hypertension  was evaluated in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) registry from 1981-1987. Of the 194 patients included in the study, 63% were female and 37% were male. The mean age was 36 years, with no ethnic differences. The median survival after diagnosis was 2.5 years (2). Etiology Pulmonary hypertension can be a result of many conditions and drugs. These include: left heart failure (diastolic dysfunction), parenchymal lung disease with hypoxia, sleep apnea, connective tissue disorders, and pulmonary embolism (1). In addition using appetite suppressants such as fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine may be associated with an increased risk of P.H.; also cocaine or amphetamine ingestion may be another contributing factor (2). Prevalence One study has shown that the frequency of PH in adults is predicted to increase, based on the high proportion of pulmonary hypertensionrelated deaths and hospitalizations has occurred among adults aged >65 years, especially if the patient was diagnosed with chronic heart failure (6). Another study has indicated that PH is still rare, with a prevalence of 30-50 cases per million (7); the rate of primary pulmonary hypertension  is approximately 2 cases per million individuals in the general population; while secondary pulmonary arterial hypertension  is dependent on its etiology (2). Most of cases of primary PH are sporadic, but 10% of them are familial (2). According to the World Health Organization, idiopathic PAH is rare and has a prevalence of 6 per million in France. PAH that is associated with other conditions has prevalence of 15 per million (15); idiopathic PAH accounts for at least of 40% of cases, and associated PAH for most of the remaining cases. IPAH is twice as common in women as in men, with a mean age of diagnosis of 36 years (7). This prevalence is higher in specific risk groups: 0.5%, in HIV infected-patient, 0.5%, in patients with  sickle cell disease, and up to 16% in patients with systemic sclerosis (7). Pulmonary hypertension Pulmonary arteries It is critical to know the anatomy of the pulmonary arteries (PA), so the patho-physiology can be understood; the pulmonary arterys function is to carry venous blood from the right ventricle of the heart to the lungs (9). It is one of the terminal branches of pulmonary trunk, and it is divided into the right PA and left PA (8). The RPA is longer than the LPA. The LPA pierces the  pericardium and enters the hilum of the left lung, but the RPA passes transversely across the midline in the upper chest and passes below the  aortic arch  to enter the hilum of the right lung(8). Definition PH is defined as high blood pressure in the lungs arteries and the right side of the heart (10), which can damage the lungs irreversibly, and cause failure of right ventricle(8). In normal individuals, the pressure in the pulmonary arteries is lower than the pressure in the systemic circulation, and if it has increased abnormally, it is considered as PH, which is due to constricted or stiffening of the pulmonary arteries (11). PH groups A patient, who has pulmonary artery pressure which is higher than 25 mm Hg at rest, and more than 30 mm Hg during activity, is considered to have PH (12). The world health organization has divided PH in to five groups (12). The five group classification is a new system, because PH used to be classified into primary PH and secondary PH (12). This new system is based on the underlying cause of PH (12). The first group of PH is pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH); it is divided into three subtypes: familial PH, idiopathic PH, and associated PH (1). Familial PAH is inherited and a person has it in his/her genes from parents (12). Idiopathic PAH has no known cause (12). The last subtype is the associated PAH, which is caused by different conditions, such as congenital heart disease, HIV infection, diet medications, drugs, toxins, portal hypertension, thyroid disorders, and connective tissue disorders (1, 12). The second group is PH with left heart disease (1, 11, 12). The problems that affect the left side of the heart are valvular heart disorders (mitral valve disease), and atrial or ventricular heart disorders (chronic high blood pressure) (11, 12). The third group is PH associated with lung disorders, hypoxemia, or both. These lung conditions can be alveolar hypoventilation disorders, COPD, chronic exposure to high altitude, developmental abnormalities, interstitial lung disease, or sleep-disordered breathing. The fourth group is pulmonary hypertension which is due to chronic thrombotic or embolic disorders, and it includes nonthrombotic pulmonary embolism (tumors, parasites, and foreign materials), thromboembolic obstruction of distal or proximal pulmonary arteries, and sickle cell anemia (1, 12). The fifth and last group of PH is the miscellaneous type (due to vario us other diseases or conditions), such as compression of pulmonary vessels by adenopathy, fibrosing mediastinitis, lymphangiomatosis, pulmonary langerhans cell granulomatosis (histiocytosis), sarcoidosis, or tumors (1, 12). Pathophysiology of PH As mentioned previously, PH occurs when the systolic and mean pressures in the pulmonary arteries exceed 30- 20 mm Hg, respectively (2). At some point, it hypertrophizes smooth muscles, remodels vascular walls and vasoconstricts vessels (1); this vasoconstriction is a result of increased activity of thromboxane and endothlin-1, which are considered as vasoconstrictors, and decreased activity of prostacycylin and nitric oxide as vasodilators (1). These changes and the imbalance in the production of endothelial-derived vasoactive-mediators are both vital for the causation of PH (13). The PH physiologic mechanism is either an increased pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) or increased pulmonary venous pressure (PVP) (1). The damage of the pulmonary vascular bed or vasocnstriction due to hypoxia can lead to increased PVR, but vascular obstruction can cause PVP to increase, and increased PVP will further injure the endothelium (1), and that will develop dysfunction of the pulmonary vascula r endothelium, which may worsen PH (13), because injury on the endothelium will activate coagulation at its intimal surface (1). Causes PH is the result of variety of factors and conditions, although in the case of idiopathic PH, the causes are not known (1, 12). Lung and heart disorders are the most common cause of PH(1). Examples are emphysema, failure of left heart ventricle, recurrent pulmonary embolism (1,12), scleredoma,(12), mitral valve disease, (13), pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, sarcoidosis, Langerhans cell granulomatosis (histiocytosis), neurologic diseases involving the respiratory muscles (1), chronic low blood oxygen levels with  sleep apnea. Left-sided heart failure as a cause of PH will not happen unless one of the heart valves does not work properly, the left ventricle is stressed by high blood pressure, or a heart attack or some other disorder involving the heart diminishes the ability of heart muscle to pump (1). Pulmonary and lung arteries linings undergo change at cellular level, and these changes affect artery functions, leading to lung diseases and pulmonary artery changes which includ e tightening of arteries walls, or these walls get stiffened at birth or from outgrowth of cells, or blood clots in the arteries; all these will make it harder for the heart to pump blood through the arteries in to the lungs (13). Other causes of PH include dermatomyositis, systemiclupuserythematosus,  sarcoidosis,  human immuno-deficiency virus  (HIV),  advanced  liver disease, Sickle cell anemia (12, 13), use of anti-obesity drugs; cocaine  and  methamphetaminescan (1,12, 13), obesity with reduced ability to breathe (pickwickian syndrome) , extensive loss of lung tissue from surgery or trauma(1). Also PH can be genically inherited through parents (12, 13). Diagnosing PH In a patient suspected of having PH, diagnosis is confirmed with a family history, a physical examination, and diagnostic tests, and procedures (11). The physical examination is done by auscultation, inspection of swelling in the legs and ankles (11), examination of the jugular vein in the neck for engorgement, examination of the abdomen, legs, and ankles for fluid retention, and nail beds for cyanosis (13). Diagnostic tests include electrocardiogram (ECG), chest radiography, echocardiography, testing for connective tissue disorders and other conditions, ventilation perfusion scan, pulmonary function testing, and assessment of functional status, right heart catheterization (13), pulmonary angiogram, blood test, and over night oximetry (13, 11). If the ECG indicates abnormality, it suggests right heart failure (12), and may indicate right ventricular hypertrophy and strain (13), or presence of PAH. Abnormalities include right axis deviation, right ventricular hypertrophy and strain pa tterns, and right atrial enlargement (13). Chest radiography indicates any enlargement in the right heart ventricle or pulmonary arteries (11, 13), and it is mostly found with idiopathic PAH patients; however asymptomatic PAH has normal radiographic findings (13). The testing of connective tissue disorders is by serologic testing, and to test the presence of conditions such as scleroderma, CREST syndrome mixed connective tissue disorder, and systemic lupus erythematosus (13). Ventilation perfusion scan is another diagnostic tool to detect blood clots in pulmonary arteries (11, 12) and it is used to diagnose and differentiate between thrombo-embolic PH and idiopathic PH (11, 13), with sensitivity of 90% to 100%, and specificity of 94% to 100% (13). Pulmonary function testing is used to diagnose chronic obstructive disease (COPD), which can be a cause of PH (11, 12); it is also used exclude airway and parenchymal lung diseases, which can contribute to the development of pulmonary hype rtension, but these findings are not specific (13). The functional status of PH patient should be assessed with a 6-minute walk test and cardiopulmonary exercise test (12, 13); the 6-minute walk test determines exercise tolerance level and blood oxygen saturation level during exercise (16). A cardiopulmonary exercise test measures heart and lung functions during exercise on a bicycle or treadmill (12). The gold standard to confirm the diagnosis of P.H. is right heart catheterization (11); it is useful in assessing the severity of pulmonary hypertension (13). It is done by inserting a catheter into the femoral nerve or into the subclavian nerve. The catheter is connected to a device that can monitor and measure blood pressure in the right side of the heart and pulmonary arteries (11). Right-heart catheterization can also determine mean pulmonary artery pressure, mean right atrial pressure, and cardiac index; another use of it is excluding other etiologies of pulmonary hypertension, s uch asintracardiac shunting and left-sided heart disease (13). The response of certain medications, such as acute vasodilators, can be assessed during right heart catheterization (11, 13). Other additional tests used in diagnosing PH are various types of blood testing. These are complete metabolic panel (CMP) to examine liver and kidney function, autoantibody blood tests, such as ANA, ESR, and others to screens for collagen vascular diseases, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) screening, HIV test, arterial blood gases (ABG), complete blood count (CBC) to test for infection, elevated hemoglobin, and anemia, and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) (16). To detect sleep apnea nocturnal oximetry or overnight oximetry may be used; it is common to have low oxygen level during sleep with P.H. patient (12, 13, 16). Signs and symptoms In the early stage, PH is asymptomatic or have no specific signs or symptoms (11, 14). These symptoms and signs include cough, fatigue (11) dizziness, fainting and a bluish cast on lips and skin (14), shortness of breath, tiredness, chest pain, a racing heartbeat, feeling lightheaded, swelling in legs and ankles (12). These can be indications for any other disease. As a consequence of non-specificity, diagnosis will be delayed; and the mean time from symptom onset to diagnosis is about two years (13). The symptoms of PH are manifestations of impaired oxygen transport and reduced cardiac output, and the most frequent symptom is dyspnea, which occurs in 60% of patients (13). As symptoms advance, patients complain of dyspnea, exercise intolerance, fatigue, chest pain, and angina (13, 11). Most PH patients get right ventricular hypertrophy, followed by dilation and right ventricular heart failure (1). The symptoms of right heart failure include peripheral edema, abdominal distension, dec reased appetite, early satiety, profound dyspnea, exercises intolerance (13). Other signs include systolic ejection murmur across the pulmonary valve, increased jugular venous pressure, tricuspid regurgitation, hepatomegaly and ascites, and peripheral edema (13). Other physical signs are cyanosis (point of presence of right to left shunting), decreased cardiac output, impairment in intrapulmonary gas transfer, and pulmonary congestion and left sided heart disease, while decreased breath sounds and wheezing are suggestive of fibrosis and pulmonary parenchymal disease (13). Treatment The medical treatment program starts with the avoidance of activities that may exacerbate condition (1), and it is generally includes taking medications, making lifestyle and dietary changes, and maybe having surgery (16). Medications are also used, depending on the type and severity of PH (16). PAH is treated by oral Ca channel blockers (verapamil), endothelin-receptor antagonist (bosentan-ambrisentan- sildenafil  ), ,  digoxin,  diuretics, and oral  anticoagulants (1, 4). The other PH types  involve management of the underlying disorder. Patients with pulmonary hypertension from left-sided heart disease may need surgery for valvular disease. Patients with lung disorders and hypoxia benefit from supplemental O2 as well as treatment of the primary disorder.Patients with severe pulmonary hypertension secondary to chronic thromboembolic disease should be considered for pulmonary thromboendarterectomy. Under cardiopulmonary bypass, organized endothelialized thrombus is dissected along the pulmonary trunk in a procedure more complex than acute surgical embolectomy (1). Vasoactive substances in general are used in treating different groups of PH. This category of medications includes prostaglandins, endothelin receptor antagonists, phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors, and activators of soluble guanylate cyclase (4). The surgical solution can be one of these options, either atrial septostomy, lung transplantation, or pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (4, 16). PT role The PT role in PH is more rehabilitative in nature more than therapeutic, and it has different programs customized to each patient, and depends on the clinic or hospital approach. Pulmonary rehabilitation, according to Salt lake regional medical centre, is an outpatient program which will help the patients to learn lung self care, and easier breathing (19). In this centre, complete diagnostic testing is provided, and it includes ECG, chest x-ray, echocardiogram, pulmonary function tests, 6-minute walk tests, nuclear lung scan, CT scanning of the chest, right heart catheterization (19). In the North West therapy centre, assessment is done at the beginning by a team, including respiratory therapist, physical therapist, and  social worker. The respiratory therapist focuses on breathing mechanics, education, aerobic conditioning and endurance for improved efficiency, pacing, and medication mechanics. The physical therapist helps in strengthening exercise, balance training, walking mech anics, postural education, energy conservation, assigning a home exercise program to maintain strength and coordination gains, looking for orthopedic complications to therapy, and makes appropriate adjustment to plans of treatment. The last member of the team is the social worker who is considered as a resource center for services in community. These services include helping in smoking cessation, supporting for adjustment, grief, depression, and socialization disorders, weight management, nutrition support, and cognitive behavioral therapy (20). Pulmonary rehabilitation (21) Since physical therapy provides rehabilitation role, the PH patient should go through a pulmonary rehabilitation program, which is an individually designed intervention program, including exercise  and education that helps patients manage the symptoms of their condition and improve their level of daily functioning and well-being (3). This program will be discussed from different aspects its purpose, basic components, precaution, process, patient preparation, and expected results. The goals The purpose of this program is to help increase the fitness level of the patient and independent functioning, reduce dyspnea, slow down or prevent the development of disease, and improve quality of life. Pulmonary rehabilitation and cardiac rehabilitation walk complement each other because the main purpose of cardiac rehabilitation is to reverse the de-conditioning and psychosocial enhancements of pulmonary disability. Components Pulmonary rehabilitation has basic treatment components and they are breathing exercise, coughing, percussion, postural drainage, and vibration. Breathing exercise helps in removing secretions, relaxation, and to increase thoracic cage mobility. This exercise is done by teaching the patient to produce a full inspiration followed by a controlled expiration, while placing a hand at the end of rib cage and under the chest for sensory feedback. Coughing is also for secretion removal but from larger airways and it is done through steps. The patient should inhale, close the glottis, contract the expiratory muscle, then open the glottis. Both breathing exercise and coughing are done when the patient restore the ability to breath normally. Percussion is usually used with postural drainage and both are used to mobilize secretions retained in lungs. Percussion is a rhythmic clapping of cupped hands over bare skin or thin material covering area of lung involvement, performed during inspiration and expiration. Postural drainage is a technique that involves gravity by positioning the patient to have the involved lung segment be the uppermost, which will assist in mobilizing the secretions. Another therapeutic technique is vibration, which is intermittent chest wall compression over area of lung involvement, performed during expiration only, and used along with postural drainage. The later three techniques are used when coughing or suctioning, breathing exercises, and patient mobilization are not adequate to clear retained secretions. Precautions and contraindications As with any other treatment precautions and contraindications should be taken in consideration in case of PH patients during their rehabilitation program. A patient should get full medical examination before setting the program. In some cases when a patient has a medical issue, it may interfere with the treatment and limit the exercises. In this case, the program should be modified. Conditions that may contraindicate participation in pulmonary rehabilitation include acute respiratory  infection,  ischemic cardiac disease, congestive  heart failure,  serious  liver  dysfunction, disabling stroke, severe psychiatric or cognitive disorders, severe pulmonary hypertension,  and metastatic  cancer. Rehabilitation process Pulmonary rehabilitation is a punitive, expansive program of education, exercise, and behavior alteration, individually designed for patients with lung diseases. The rehabilitation program is designed to help patients learn more about their condition and how to concert its symptoms, as well as to take active steps, such as smoking cessation, oxygen use, and exercise. This program aims to improve the patients level of physical functioning, stop the advancement of the disease as much as possible, and learn how to better live with the condition. Improved physical functioning, reduction in the symptoms of the disease, and ability to fulfill activities of daily living (ADLs) more easily and independently can add to improved quality of life. Rehabilitation program A typical program takes a few weeks to a few months, and takes to three hours per session for a few days each week. During these sessions the patient should learn to manage the program independently, as home program. Patients participating in rehabilitation could be inpatients or outpatients. A daily program should consist of two main components, and they are exercise and education. The purpose of the exercise is to maintain or improve muscle strength, endurance and overall fitness. In order to prescribe an exercise, blood pressure, heart  rate, oxygen saturation, and dyspnea levels should be evaluated, also exercise has to be monitored by physical therapists, respiratory nurses, or other qualified health care providers. A regular exercise program can upgrade overall fitness and energy, and make fulfillment of ADLs easier. The exercise program includes periods of warm-up and cool-down period, and aerobic activity. The warm-up and cool-down periods may include stretching and light strength or resistance training. Exercises involving upper and lower extremities are important for general fitness and for improvement in function during different activities. Some of the muscle groups used in arm and upper torso positioning serve respiratory functions, and thus upper limb exercises can also have a profitable effect on ventilation. The aerobic exercise component is composed of activities such as walking or using a stationary bicycle, treadmill, or other equipment. Exercise is controlled by physical therapists, respiratory nurses, or other qualified health care member. Ventilatory training may also be involved in the exercise program for certain patients. This therapy involves controlled breathing exercises,  chest physical therapy  techniques such as postural drainage, chest percussion, directed cough, and vibration, and training of the inspiratory muscles. The educational component of the rehabilitation program consists of classes, manuals, and counseling or training sessions that cover different subjects, procedures, and issues, which concern patients with PH or any other chronic pulmonary disease. Education is provided by a brand of professionals, including respiratory nurses, respiratory therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, social workers, and dieticians. A psychologist or other mental health professional may provide counseling and direction to address mark depression, anxiety, and social isolation, which are related to symptoms of pulmonary disease. Some of the educational subjects covered include anatomy and physiology related to pulmonary function and disease, exercise theory,  nutrition,  techniques for using oxygen and inhalers, and ways to conserve energy. Education related to proper nutrition and weight control can be helpful, because patients may be undernourished and have muscle wasting of the respi ratory muscles, which can make breathing more difficult. If anemia is present, it can decrease oxygen-carrying capacity. Electrolyte imbalances affect cardiopulmonary performance, so these and other deficits should be treated in order to enhance functioning. If patients are overweight, the extra weight increases oxygen and energy consumption and may increase fatigue. Patients who have not yet ceased smoking should be strongly encouraged to do so. Patient preparation After being referred and examined by a physician, a medical history of the patient should be taken by the rehabilitation team, and some tests must be done prior to the rehabilitation program. These tests are pulmonary function tests (PFTs), chest X-rays, arterial  blood  gas (ABG) analysis, pulse oximetry, and sputum examination. PFTs are performed with a spirometer to measure lung performance and indicate the presence and extent of lung disease. A chest X-ray can show emphysema and other lung disease, including  lung cancer,  for which there is increased risk among smokers with pulmonary disease. Pulse oximetry helps determine when supplemental oxygen is required and measures oxygen in the blood. Exercise tests may be used to prescribe the length and intensity of the exercise. Expected complications Risk of complications such as muscle injury or cardiac reactions is always come up with exercise, but will be eliminated by careful exercise prescription and monitoring. Disease-related complications that should be monitored include  fever,  unusual or extreme shortness of breath, irregular pulse, unanticipated weight changes, gastric complaints, or any other change that is unusual for the patient. Conclusion Pulmonary hypertension is indicated when pulmonary artery pressure is higher than 25 mm Hg at rest, and more than 30 mm Hg during activity. PH is due to constricted or stiffening of the pulmonary arteries. PH is classified in to five groups, based on the underlying cause. PH is asymptomatic or has no specific signs or symptoms, but later, the patient may complain of dyspnea, exercise intolerance, fatigue, chest pain, and angina. PH treatment protocol consists of making lifestyle and dietary changes, medications, rehabilitation program, and maybe having surgery. Physical therapy plays an important role in rehabilitating PH patients. PT aims to help increase the fitness level of the patient and independent functioning, through exercise programs and education.

Understandings of Genesis and Exodus

Understandings of Genesis and Exodus Judaism and Christianity are the two most known monotheistic religions. Both call sinners to worship the One True God and share a major part of the same sacred writings. Among these writings is the Torah, which also comprises the first five books of the Christian Old Testament. Although the narratives are the same, the perspective of each religion varies. The intent of this short paper is to present some differences and similarities between Jewish and Christian understandings of Genesis and Exodus. First, the difference between the Jewish and Christian understandings of Genesis lies in the recipient of its message. According to the Jewish mind, the nation of Israel is always the direct object of the Genesis message. This Israel-focused mentality is so strong that Professors Bruce D. Chilton and Jacob Neusner reports that From [Rabbinic Judaism] perspective, the entire narrative of Scripture from Genesis through Kings shows how Israel recapitulates the story of Adam and Eve, but it is a pattern with a difference: Adam and Eve lost paradise, never to return, but Israel after its exile returned to the Land and, with the Torah for guidance, would endure there.[1] Traditionally, Genesis is viewed as a historical account that narrates the origin, early tribal history, and Gods election of the nation. According to the Jewish Encyclopedia, the primary focus of Genesis is to show that the people of Israel are descended in a direct line from Adam, the first man created by God, through legitimate marriages in conformity with Israelitish moral ideals, i.e., monandric marriages.[2] However, history is not the only Jewish understanding of Genesis. Although no formal system of doctrines is explicitly given in the text of Genesis, Jews understand the religious teaching contained in the stories. The prevalent teachings include the existence of One True God who created the heavens and the earth, humanity as the crown of Gods creation, and the Patriarchs. Somewhat in line with the Israel-focused view, Christianity holds that Genesis does narrate these mentioned historical and election topics. Nevertheless, the Christian understanding centeredness is not onl y the early history of Israel, but the Person of Jesus Christ. Therefore, it is most commonly that the Christian understanding of Genesis looks for Christology rather than a national history. According to this understanding, Genesis accounts how humanity has sinned against God and how God, beginning through the election of Israel, is redeeming mankind to Himself through Jesus Christ. As a result, the details of the narrations in Genesis are seen in their full meaning in the light of the Cross. Exemplar details are the seed of the woman spoken in Genesis 3:15, the blessing promise to all families of the earth through Abram in Genesis 12:3, and the prophecy concerning Judah in Genesis 49:10. All these promises and prophecies find their fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Likewise, Jewish and Christian understandings of the book of Exodus vary in its message application. For the nation of Israel, the book of Exodus presents the most fundamental laws, customs, ethics, and worship descriptions. To the Jewish nation, the application of and obedience to these laws is literal. For instance, they are to put to death certain lawbreakers, obey the Sabbath regulations, and build the tabernacle according to the divine instructions. This literal mentality is not strict to the Jews journeying toward the Promised Land. It has been infused in the Pharisees mind of Jesus time and as far as todays orthodox Jews. In contrast to this literal understanding, Christians do not hold to the literal application of all laws and customs. Although the Christian understanding of Exodus involves the deliverance of Israel and the giving of the law, the application of other laws and customs (besides the Ten Commandments and basic moral ethics) are not strictly observed. In lieu, Ch ristians apply the principle behind these other laws. Similarly in the understanding of the book of Genesis, Christology takes Christian mentality beyond the events described in the book of Exodus. For instance, the Passover celebration, the deliverance from Egypt, the sprinkled blood for the Covenant, and the Feast of Harvest find their fulfillment in Jesus Christ finished work. Albeit the differences discussed above, Jewish and Christian understandings of Genesis and Exodus do share similarities. Both perspectives believe that these two first books communicate real occurrences, are inspired by God, are important to religious history, and edify their faith. The divergences between Judaism and Christianity does not nullify Christianitys root in Judaism. Thus, Christians share with Judaism its understanding on the importance of the Patriarchs, Israels national election, and giving of the law, even though Christians do not view these as an end in themselves but as pointers to the Messiah. They also share doctrines found in the book of Exodus concerning sin, the necessity for atonement, and the reality that Gods love and holiness are inseparable. As briefly discussed before, both Judaism and Christianity understand the general necessity and privilege of obeying and living in accordance to Gods holy decrees given in Exodus. Jesus Christs fulfillment of the Law di d not nullify it; rather, it gives Spirit-born believers a new spirit and heart which enable them to live godly. As seen in this paper, there are some differences and similarities between Jewish and Christian understandings of Genesis and Exodus. Their differences arise in the centrality of their understanding. Whereas Judaism understands Genesis and Exodus with an Israel-focused mentality, Christianitys tendency is to view the same books through Christological lenses. Nonetheless, the two religions do share similar understanding about the importance of Israels history, election, and some doctrines presented throughout Genesis and Exodus. May Christians wisely use these similar understandings of the book of Genesis and Exodus to point Gods beloved Israel to Jesus Christ! Bruce D. Chilton and Jacob Neusner, Classical Christianity and Rabbinic Judaism: Comparing Theologies (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2004), 43. Emil G. Hirsch and Benno Jacob, The Book of Genesis, JewishEncyclopedia.com, http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=137letter=Gsearch=Genesis#443.

Aquaporin-1 Essay -- Biology Aquaporin

Background Most modern biology textbooks will tell you that low-molecular-weight molecules like CO2, NH3 (ammonia), and urea cross cell membranes by simple diffusion. Some scientists postulate, however, that specific pores mediate this transport. A recent study conducted to further this hypothesis examines expression of the water channel aquaporin-1 (AQP-1) and its enhancing affect on CO2 permeation into cells. Why would scientists challenge the traditional simple diffusion theory? Two strong points of evidence led to this experiment: First, many cell membranes have a very low permeability to small molecules: The outer membranes of some gastric glands allow very little CO2 to enter the cell, while most frog egg cells have membranes that act as virtual barriers to the harsh materials present in their environment. If the simple diffusion theory is correct, diffusion of small molecules into cells should be an unregulated process. If diffusion is an unregulated process, how could some cells have a lower permeability to small molecules than others? Second, scientists have already found membrane proteins that facilitate the entrance of water and urea: While the UT2 protein enables transport of urea past the cell membrane, an entire class of membrane proteins called the aquaporins enable the permeation of water into cells. If small molecules enter the cell by diffusion, why would the cell have extra mechanisms to facilitate their entry? Any Questions? Q) What's this diffusion thing you keep talking about? A) Particles randomly flow from areas of high concentration (a lot of particles) to areas of low concentration (not many particles) until they are evenly dispersed. If you've ever put a normal cell in a c... ...ially exciting opportunity to manipulate gas transport rates lies in cancer research, where inhibiting the transcription of AQP-1 could be the key to killing cancer cells . Cancer cells release more CO2 than most other cells, so stopping these cell's abilty to extrude the gas to their environment would result in cell death. This example is one of many uses for the manipulation of gas transport, however, and the opportunities are endless. The idea that gas transport is actively mediated by the cell is a huge paradigm shift from the traditional belief that transportation is uncontrolled. Further studies (Cooper and Boron, Am. J. Physiol. In press) have proven the conclusion drawn from this experiment, and the search for pores that mediate transport of specific gasses has already begun. The diffusion dogma has been destroyed, and the textbooks will be re-written.

Generation Ecstasy :: essays research papers

For my book report I read Generation Ecstasy. There was so much information in the book about the rave scene and "ecstasy", I didn't know where to begin. It's been ten years since the English seized on Detroit techno, Chicago house, and New York garage as the seeds of what's generally agreed-over there, at least-to be the most significant music since punk, and they're celebrating with a slew of historical studies. Simon Reynolds attempts to bridge the gap with "Generation Ecstasy," an exhaustive compendium of almost every rave-associated sound and idea, both half-baked and momentous, that traces the digital Diaspora back and forth across Europe and America. Using the multiple perspectives of music critic, enthusiastic participant, and sociological outsider to trace the development of dance music's "rhythmic phsycadelic," Reynolds, finds two predominant, contrasting strains: the search for gnosis, or spiritual revelation, and the desire to get completely out of it at the weekend. Setting these timeless traits in the context of the up-to-the-minute technology that made rave emblematic of its era-the fragmentary, fast-forward aesthetic, the flexible production and distribution network, the avoidance of personality and narrative in favor of sensation-he comes up with a portrait of hi-tech millennium that resonates well beyond its subculture confines. There are those who might find a book to analyze music that often aims for the effect of a sledgehammer to the head a mite pretentious. Yet the radicalism of dance music lies precisely in its "meaninglessness," which, paradoxically, requires intellectualization in order to get at its significance. This problem is particularly acute for Reynolds, who wants to both valorize everything about techno that makes it resistant to rock-crit "literary" analysis, and also explain exactly why it really did mean something, man. His central tool for resolving this contradiction is the idea of the "drug-tech interface": the reciprocal relationship between Ecstasy (and other less central intoxicants) and machine music that resulted in a feedback loop between sounds geared to enhance the rush, and rushes that inspired producers to take sound into new spaces. The drug-tech interface gives "Generation Ecstasy" a narrative backbone that applies again and again, ac ross continents and cultures from Texas, where Ecstasy culture first reared its head in the mid-'80s, to Scotland, Holland, and Germany. The story starts with the initial, utopic discovery of Ecstasy and its boundary-lowering qualities, and ends, with varying degrees of speed, with the descent into polydrug abuse and depression.

Happy-haus Food Corporation Essay

Happy-haus Food Corporation is the mother franchisor of happy-haus Donuts. The company was established in 2005 by seasoned individuals in the donut industry. The company’s aim is to create quality donut products at affordable prices. Happy-haus Food Corporation is the mother franchisor of happy-haus Donuts. The company was established in 2005 by seasoned individuals in the donut industry. The company’s aim is to create quality donut products at affordable prices. This was realized with the birth of happy-haus Donuts, a franchising business, giving not only quality products at affordable price but also formulating a superb business opportunity to Filipino families. The company believes that luscious mouth watering donuts should be available to all Filipino families and not just to those who can afford expensively priced donuts. At happy-haus Donuts, total quality is assured through ingredients and equipments sourced both from the United States and locally following stric t quality control standards. Company Vision The company’s vision is to be the number one donut retail company in the Philippines and expand into nearby countries like China and Taiwan. The company’s principle is to provide high quality products at affordable prices. The company aims to provide this service to the Filipino people and eventually to other countries as well. In order to achieve this vision, the company continues to increase its production volume and invest in product development to provide quality and affordable donuts to Filipino families. The company ensures this attainment of this vision by: †¢ Continually seeking strategic locations to open outlets through franchising. †¢ Drive sales growth through a focused operations strategy. †¢ Prioritize innovation in product development and sourcing of alternative sources of raw materials. Company Mission The company’s mission reflects the ultimate reason for our existence. One of them is to provide a superb business opportunity to Filipino entrepreneurs. Another is to provide high quality affordable donuts to the Filipino market. And lastly, the company is dedicated to consistent improvements. Core Values Our company is committed to: †¢ Excellence †¢ Service †¢ Professionalism †¢ Social Responsibility

Attitude Towards Women Essay

Richard is portrayed in many different styles through-out the play; from charming and cheeky to manipulative and arrogant.  He obviously has a clear set judgement on women, which to the audience is perhaps more apparent than to the characters in the play. He has a down cast view on them, and thinks the same of who continue to be intrigued by them, therefore mimics them. We can see this in Richards opening speech of the play.  In Richards opening speech he is addressing the audience directly, which was good on Shakespeare’s behalf, as it then gives the audience the feel that they are involved from the very beginning. In his opening speech, Richard states †Ã¢â‚¬ ¦To strut before a wanton-ambling nymph,†, referring to men trying to impress women. It shows he see’s women as flirtatious, loose, easy even. It shows Richard had not yet any respect for women, why we do not quite know; but it sounds as if he feels they are game playing and men who fall for the game’s he frowns upon. Perhaps there is a reason for Richards dis-interest. In his opening speech he also tells the audience about his deformities. It is possible that maybe Richard puts up a barrier to women to avoid rejection, getting hurt, as he feels they won’t love him due to his deformities. He perhaps feels he is at a disadvantage to other men, which is why he shames them, perhaps it is even jealousy. We know of his down glance on men who fall for women, and of his self pity, as earlier in his speech he claims †He capers nimbly in a ladys chamber, To the lascivious pleasing of a lute. But I that am not shaped for sportive tricks nor made to court an amorous looking glass,†. In this, he mimics men who allow their attention to be swayed by women. He believes men should concentrate more on what they are fighting for (in battle), rather than paying attention to vain women. Another speech that highlights Richards’s attitude to women  Is the one at the start of Act 2 Scene 1, the speech he makes before he goes to speak to Anne.  In this speech, he shows confidence. He knows he is able to manipulate Anne and feels proud of what he knows he can accomplish. This is shown when he predicts the outcome from saying †For then I’ll marry Warwick’s youngest daughter .. What though I killed her husband and her father? † He in a way makes it out to be a joke. As he can see how ridiculous the outcome he predicted may seem, for why would Anne want to marry Richard after what he has done to her family. Richard knows this and is proud to know he has this power of manipulation. He also shows his confidence in manipulation when saying † The readiest way to make wench amends † , meaning for himself rather than her, this shows a type of irony. Richard tells the audience how he wants to be in power; and he feels this power in knowing he can influence other people’s decisions and actions, in order to help himself. He wants to be seen as Anne’s father figure as well as her husband, as it is known how fathers in traditional life guide their daughters decisions, which is exactly what Richard would like to do to Anne, This is a perfect example to show how crude, snide and bitter Richard is, seeing as he killed both her husband and her father. The audience can see Richard wants to use Anne but what for exactly we are unsure. This of course is good as it leaves the audience with a sense of mystery and suspense. There are many reasons why Shakespeare has made Richard into such a character. Perhaps Richard is portrayed like this to the audience because he feels that women are to blame for his  deformities, which he had from birth and obviously have quite an effect in him. Perhaps he feels as he was born with them, from his mother (who is of course female), all women are capable of affecting men in such a way. And Richard of course believes  They have no right to, especially as then he feels he (or men in general) have no sense of power in such an event. Therefore Richard ‘punishes’ them through what he may see as his gift of manipulation. I think the way in which Shakespeare has portrayed Richard to the audience in this play is very clever. As it leaves the play with a constant air of suspense. Of course I do not agree with how Richards view and attitude towards women is portrayed, I find it appalling, but I do believe it gives the play an extra feeling of suspense as it does truly entice the audience. What really stands out as good to me is how Richards’s speeches are shared in confidence with the audience. It allows him to show more emotions and therefore the audience know that whatever act he may put on to others, his true colours are dark, and he is really a very snide and bitter person. This also shows what a brilliant play act Richard is portrayed as. His private speeches give the audience a feel as if they where actually involved in the play. Like they’ve been let in on a secret, just not all of it, so they need to wait through the play to discover what Richards’s true plans are.

Job Roles and Working Arrangements At Richer Sounds Essay

Levels of Hierarchy: are the layers of authority within an organisation. Spans of control: A span of control is the number of workers directly supervised by a more senior employee. Whereas an organisation chart shows how employees fit into the business, a job description gives details about what is expected of the individual employee. Job applicants normally receive a job description when they apply for a position with a business. A job description usually consists of: 1) The title of the job (e.g. sales manager). 2) The tasks to be completed as part of the job (e.g. having to write monthly sales reports, in the case of a sales manager). 3) The responsibilities of the job (e.g. a sales manager might be responsible for managing a team of sales representatives). 4) Information on working conditions linked to the job, such as rates of pay, hours to be worked and holidays. 5) A description of how the job fits into the organisational structure. UK businesses have employed increasing number of part-time and temporary employees. They have also used self-employed workers, who hire out their skills to firms but are their own bosses. At the same time, businesses have made use of more flexible contracts of employment, in some cases with annualised hours (hours worked in a year) included instead of hours per week. High proportions of these types of employees in businesses are called flexible workforces. In recent years, a number of trends have emerged in the UK’s workforce, including: More temporary workers: The number of workers on temporary contracts has risen since the early 1980’s although in the last few years it has levelled out. In 2000, nearly two million workers were on temporary contracts. Use of annualised hours: Many businesses face an uneven pattern of work over the year. For example, farms are very busy in the summer months harvesting crops, but are quiet in the winter. Without annualised hours, farmers might pay overtime in the summer and not have enough work to keep employees busy during the winter months. More part-time working: The number of employees within the UK who work part-time has increased each year. By 200, more than one-quarter of all employees – nearly seven million people – were part-time workers. Self-Employment: The number of self-employed has fallen recently, but 2.5 million people still work for themselves. Hiring consultants: Many businesses have replaced full-time employees with consultants, who work for a business for a short time. Consultants are usually very highly skilled, for example IT experts. Use of contractors: Many businesses employ other firms to carry out particular duties. The exact arrangements are set out in a contract between the businesses involved. It is common, for example, to hire contract staff for cleaning, rather than use permanent full-time employees. Managers: Managers play a vital role in businesses; 1) They have responsibility for an aspect of the business’s work under the guidance from the director. For example, a manager might take responsibility for employee training, under guidance from the director of human resources. 2) Managers plan activities, look after teams of employees, manage finances and attempt to meet targets set by the directors of the business. 3) Managers’ jobs are normally secure, as they usually have permanent full-time contracts. Managers often have a professional qualification in an area such as accountancy or marketing. They need to be good communicators, able to use IT, use time effectively and control finances. Managers’ pay varies according to the seniority of the position, but it can be over à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½100,000 a year. Other benefits that are common are company cars and private health insurance. Supervisors: In some businesses supervisors are also called team leaders. Supervisors provide a link between operatives and managers. They; 1) Monitor work of junior employees. 2) Ensure that production and quality targets set by managers are met whenever possible. 3) Advise managers of problems or difficulties in the work of the business. In some businesses supervisors have been given responsibility for some of the roles previously carried out by managers. For instance, they may recruit new employees or lead training sessions. The pay of supervisors depends on how much authority they have, but they are normally paid more than operatives. Operatives: The most junior employees in the business are the operatives. In a factory, they would work on the production line; in a shop they would be the sales assistants. Their role in a business is as follows; 1) They are normally only responsible for their own work. 2) They usually carry out routine tasks, though some employers do provide more varied and interesting work. 3) They often have little job security. Many are employed on temporary contracts, and when the contract runs out they may find themselves unemployed. Others find they are no longer needed because their jobs have been replaced by machinery. 4) In a minority of businesses, they are allowed to take decisions such as stopping the production line to remove poor-quality products. Many operatives are relatively unskilled. Sales assistants may have some training and qualifications in customer service, but some factory workers on production lines have no qualifications. Because of this, pay rates for operatives are normally low.| Support Staff: The support staff provides Specialist skills in businesses. They may offer expertise in the areas of security or information technology or provide secretarial skills. Support staff can operate at various levels in the organisation; 1) They offer advice and assistance in their specialist areas to employees. Thus, IT staff may recommend new software or hardware, provide training and sort out computer problems. 2) Some support staff are managers looking after teams of people are in charge on finances; others carry out routine tasks. 3) Senior support staff take important decisions, such as spending on computer systems. There are two working arrangements at Richer sounds, one is for permanent and temporary colleagues and the other is for full-time and part-time colleagues. Information on these working arrangements follow; Working arrangements for permanent and temporary colleagues: The vast majority of their colleagues are employed permanently. They are all issued with a written contract of employment. At Christmas Richer S0unds employ greeters in their stores to greet and assist customers at busy times. Their greeters are temporary colleagues who work for a short time and their work ends after the sale period. Many are students at college or university who work for them during their Christmas holidays. Richer Sounds do not issue written contracts to temporary colleagues, neither do we keep personnel records for them. However, they do receive a mini-welcome pack, which explains how Richer Sounds operates. Working arrangements for full-time and part-time colleagues: Most of thei colleagues work full time, although their hours may vary. A normal working week for store colleagues is 42.5 hours although in some of their stores which are open from 12 noon – 7 pm, colleagues may work fewer hours. Departmental support colleagues work 40 hours a week. Richer Sounds don’t use the term ‘part-time’. Colleagues who don’t work the full number of hours are called career key timers. They have access to all the same training opportunities and benefits as the full-time colleagues.