Primary nursing and quality assurance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Primary nursing and quality assurance - Essay Example â€Å"Do† referred to the act of executing the test trial on a small scale. Studying the results of the procedure and the reasons for it going wrong was the next step. The â€Å"act† implied that change could be accepted for future implementation or if it was not favorable, it could be abandoned. The repeated processes of this PDSA cycle were bound to lead to evolution of evidence-based practice. Demming first introduced the PDSA cycle in 1988. In essence the objective of a change could guide us in the planning of a small-scale trial. Appropriate questions and predictions needed to be derived for answering the relevant questions of ‘who’ or ‘what’ or ‘where’ or ‘when’, following the implementation of the plan. In â€Å"do† the plan was carried out and data were collected. The analysis also came under the â€Å"do† phase. â€Å"Study† included the analysis and interpretation of the data obtained (Me lnyk and Fineout-Overholt, 2010). A summary of the new information clarified the findings. Under â€Å"act†, the nurse decided which of her concepts were acceptable for bringing about a favorable change and also planned her next cycle for further information for future change. Clinical research was essential to keep checking on predictions and hypotheses as they could go wrong at any time. Reality had to be faced: we could have been mistaken. Placing the facts inferred for others to judge is part of the game. Patients for dialysis in the outpatient department were usually too tired or ill to participate in any active trial. They were end-stage renal disease patients who required dialysis. The dialysis procedure was of utmost importance for maintaining the life of these patients (Doss et al, 2009). The patients could be having multiple comorbidities which needed individual attention to produce a successful outcome. Quality assurance in nursing was possible only with repeated r esearches but in an outpatient dialysis center, the question arose as to whether it was possible to do so. Clinical research was an arduous task in the outpatient dialysis clinic where the staff was already busy and focusing on terminal patients (Doss, 2009). Research procedures were too sensitive to time protocols and the rigidity could produce problems in the dialysis setting. There was a strong doubt as to whether the staff would understand the importance of ongoing research and trials. The chances of them not accepting that research as a component of end-stage renal disease were high. â€Å"Would the data collection be expected in time?† was the question many of the staff had. The biggest worry was whether the care to the patients would be interfered with. The terminology of research was also most unfamiliar to the staff. The extra work could produce a challenging environment with a huge tight schedule (Doss, 2009). The strengths and limitations of the quality assurance p rocess of primary nursing The quality of care provided by nurses was done by evaluating the process standards (Stanhope and Lancaster, 2006). Different agencies employed specific techniques for appraisal of nursing care. The peer review committee and client satisfaction survey constituted two primary approaches. Direct observation could provide some information on the nursing care. In the outpatient dialysis clinic it would not be possible for questionnaires, interviews or written audits as the patients were terminal and could not appreciate other interferences. However

Population Change In Province Of Canada Essay Example for Free

Population Change In Province Of Canada Essay Introduction As per the Canada’s Performance Report 2006 – life expectancy in Canada reached to 79.9 years as compared to 77.8 years in 1991.  Ã‚   A woman born in 2003 can expect longevity up to 82.4 years whereas a man’s life expectancy would be 77.4 years. Statistics Canada, The Daily, December 21, 2005 states that women are expected to live 5 years longer than men.   At present, Canadians describe health as â€Å"excellent†, â€Å"very good† which has increased in the recent years of 2003 and 2005. Canadians who are at age 12 and older,   state that good health is being enjoyed which has risen from 59. 6 per cent (2003) to 65.5 per cent   (2005).   The overall health percentage in Canadians stating as â€Å"good† declined from 29.7 percent (2003) to   27.5 percent (2005). Canadians who rate health as â€Å"fair† or â€Å"poor† also declined from 10.6 percent (2003) to 6.9 percent (2005). This segment of population mostly belongs to lower level of income, improper schedules of exercise,   poor education and old age. (Canada Statistics, 2006) .   According to Canadian Institute of Health Information, Canada spent $142.0 billion on health care in 2005, an increase of $12.0 from the year 2004, an average spending of $4,411 per person. Infant mortality   has dropped in the previous decade from 6.4 deaths per 1,000 births (1991) to 5.3 / 1000 births (2003) . Crime percentage in murder, homicide, and robbery in Canada declined to 5.0 percent (2005) and police report 1.2 million property crimes in 2005.   Youth crime between the age 12-17 has decreased by 6.0 percent in the year 2005 while homicides are on the rise in Ontario and Alberta. The   population of Canada by province as on April 1, 2007 Sno Province Abbr. Population % of national population Alberta AB 3,473,984 10.5 British Columbia BC 4,380,256 13.2 Manitoba MB 1,186,679 3.6 New Brunswick NB 749,782 2.3 Newfoundland and Labrador NL 506,275 1.5 Northwest Territories NT 42,637 0.1 Nova Scatia NS 934,147 2.8 Nunavut NU 31,113 0.1 Ontario ON 12,803,861 38.8 Prince Edward Island PE 138,627 0.4 Quebec QC 7,700,807 23.4 Saskatchewan SK 996,869 3.0 Yukon YT 30,989 0.1 As recorded by Canada’s National Statistical Agency in population statistics: 1991-1996  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Total No.of births  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   :  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1,936,000  Ã‚  Ã‚   No.of deaths: 1,024,000 1996-2001  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Total No.of births  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   :  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1,705,000  Ã‚  Ã‚   No.of deaths: 1,089,000 Total no.of births by province from the period 2002-2007 Province 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 Canada 330,523 337,762 339,270 345,355 352,848 Newfoundland and Labrador 4,596 4,598 4,543 4,443 4,326 Prince Edward Island 1,374 1,403 1,371 1,343 1,348 Nova Scotia 8,635 8,713 8,575 8,499 8,382 New Brunswick 7,104 7,072 6,874 6,840 6,728 Quebec 72,273 74,364 75,422 78,471 83,150 Ontario 129,256 132,874 132,796 133,961 134,141 Manitoba 13,765 13,981 14,031 14,136 14,166 Saskatchewan 11,794 12,121 11,915 11,925 11,918 Alberta 39,450 40,635 41,345 42,875 44,661 British Columbia 40,534 40,205 40,631 41,135 42,306 Yukon Territory 322 374 340 319 311 Northwest Territories 658 697 705 699 678 Nunavut 762 725 722 709 733 Total no.of deaths by province from the period 2002-2007 Province 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 Canada 223,905 228,829 229,372 230,687 237,931 Newfoundland and Labrador 4,276 4,254 4,357 4,453 4,549 Prince Edward Island 1,217 1,225 1,236 1,260 1,282 Nova Scotia 7,944 8,269 8,329 8,491 8,654 New Brunswick 6,181 6,373 6,319 6,453 6,589 Quebec 54,896 56,411 56,041 53,350 55,950 Ontario 83,410 84,155 84,495 87,181 89,737 Manitoba 9,852 9,894 9,989 10,130 10,272 Saskatchewan 8,880 9,130 8,900 8,975 9,079 Alberta 18,098 18,775 19,004 19,757 20,581 British Columbia 28,694 29,863 30,254 30,174 30,761 Yukon Territory 145 158 169 177 182 Northwest Territories 183 188 155 159 163 Nunavut 129 134 124 127 132 Conclusion A close observation on birth and death rate in Canada if noticed, reveals a fact that birth rate is on the rise whereas death rate is on the declining side, which is a first hand information that Canada is concentrating on health sector of its population, in the first instance and secondly the causes for still reducing the death rate can be controlled by effective measures of police control in crime and also in opening rehabilitation centers for youth and children for getting therapy treatment from undertaking anti-social elements such as theft, robbery, murder or homicide.   Canada being an attractive destination for immigration, the future population is expected to be on the rise as there was a tremendous potential for employment growth in the year 2005. References    Canada’s performance Report 2006 – Annex 3 – Indicators and Additional Information Accessed 14 November, 2007    http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/report/govrev/06/ann301-PR_e.asp?printable=True       Canada’s National statistical Agency,   Population growth and components (1851-2001) Accessed 14 November, 2007 http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/demo03.htm       Canada’s National Statistical Agency Accessed 14 November, 2007 http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/demo02.htm    Canada’s National Statistical Agency, Birth and birth rate by province and territory http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/demo04a.htm    Canada’s National Statistical Agency, Death and death rate by province and territory    http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/cst01/demo07a.htm    List of Canadian provinces and territories by population    Accessed 14 November, 2007    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Canadian_provinces_and_territories_by_population    Population estimates and projections    Accessed 14 November, 2007 http://www40.statcan.ca/l01/ind01/l3_3867_3433.htm?hili_demo02

Development of Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI

Development of Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI Ioannis Tolios â€Å"Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI† Introduction One of the most significant non-invasive imaging modalities applied both in research and clinical diagnostics cis Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Its widespread use is partially based on its characteristic to visualize tissues with high resolutions in 3D and its ability to provide anatomical, functional and metabolic tissue information in vivo (Strijkers, Mulder, van Tilborg, Nicolay, 2007). In an MR image, the basic contrast mostly derives from regional differences in the intrinsic T1, T2 relaxation times, except for local water content differences. T1 and T2 relaxation times can be selected independently to have a commanding influence on image contrast. Nevertheless, a sensitive and accurate diagnosis cannot always be feasible, due to the fact that the intrinsic water, T1 and T2 contrast values are modified and become very often limited by tissue pathology. Consequently, the need for enhanced image contrast led to the growing use of intravenously injected MRI contrast agents, wh ose use although violates partially the non-invasive character of MRI brought about significant benefits. Combining MRI and contrast agents (CA) increases the possibilities to image inflamed tissues in pathologies, such as arthritis, atherosclerotic plaques, and tumor angiogenesis (Strijkers, Mulder, van Tilborg, Nicolay, 2007). Definition of DCE-MRI A technique which combines MRI and contrast agents is Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI). According to Gordon et al. (Gordon, et al., 2014), â€Å"DCE-MRI analyzes the temporal enhancement pattern of a tissue following the introduction of a paramagnetic contrast agent into the vascular system. This is accomplished by the acquisition of baseline images without contrast enhancement, succeeded by a set of images acquired over time (usually over a few minutes) during and after the arrival of the contrast agent in the tissue of interest†. A time intensity curve (TIC) for the tissue is generated by the acquired signal, as it can be seen in Figure 1. In a TIC, the response of the tissue is represented in enhancement values to the arrival of the contrast agent. Specific physiological properties that are in association with the microvascular blood flow, including tissue volume fractions, vessel permeability, and vessel surface area product, can be extracted by analyzing a TIC (Gordon, et al., 2014). Figure 1: An example of a time intensity curve obtained from a tumor metastasis (Bonekamp Macura, 2008). All variations of DCE-MRI studies are relied on a rather plain fundamental principle: the MR signal intensity of a tissue is modified, when a paramagnetic particle (contrast agent) penetrates and spreads over through the tissue, based on its local concentration (Gordon, et al., 2014). MR images of a chosen region of interest (ROI) are obtained in time intervals of few seconds before, during, and after the intravenous injection of a contrast agent. Each obtained image represents one time point, and each and every pixel in a set of images produces its own intensity curve. After the injection of the CA, the signal intensity varies at every time point (is related to the concentration of the CA in the tissue) based on tissue parameters, including vascularization, vessels’ permeability and surface area product, and in this way parametric maps of particular microvascular biomarkers can be extracted. Furthermore, by using suitable mathematical models absolute values of the aforementioned parameters can be estimated. These parameters usually reflect a compartmental pharmacokinetics model demonstrated by CAs, which are allocated between the intravascular and extravascular spaces as it can be seen in Figure 2 (Gordon, et al., 2014). Figure 2: Toft’s compartmental model for calculating DCE-MRI quantitative pharmakokinetic parameters (Verma, et al., 2012). DCE-MRI techniques Currently, two DCE-MRI techniques are defined based on its registration and the origin of the extracted signal. As MRI is highly sensitive to small concentrations of paramagnetic materials passing through a tissue, there are two different physical-chemical properties (Gordon, et al., 2014). Relaxation effect T1, T2 tissue relaxation times are reduced when a diffusible contrast agent is used. Positively enhanced T1-weighted images are generated, when this effect is used and the studies evaluating this effect are characterized asDynamic Contrast Enhanced(DCE)-MRI,T1-W DCE. Susceptibility effect When a paramagnetic contrast agent is located in the intravascular space of a tissue and its magnetic susceptibility is much higher than that of the surrounding tissue water, local magnetic inhomogeneities between the intra and extravascular space emerge, which generate negative enhanced T2 or T2* weighted images during the passage of the CA through the capillaries. Studies depending on this phenomenon are characterized asDynamic Susceptibility Contrast(DSC)-MRI or T2*-W DCE. Image Acquisition Gordon et al. (Gordon, et al., 2014) state that the method of quantification to be applied depends on the number of the measurements, which are required in order to obtain the data; thus, the measurements include: I. Creating a map of pre-contrast native T1 values, which is necessary in order to calculate the CA concentrations. II. Acquiring heavily T1-weighted images, prior and following the Contrast Agent introduction. In this case, high temporal resolution is needed in order to have the ability to further characterize the kinetics of the contrast agent’s entry and exit of the tissue. Typically, 3D image sets are acquired sequentially for 5–10 minutes every few seconds. The ideal for the acquisitions would be to be obtained approximately every 5 seconds, in order to allow the detection of early enhancement. With longer acquisitions (for instance, > 15 seconds), it becomes harder to detect early enhancement. III. Acquisition of the arterial input function (AIF), in order to estimate the CA concentration in the blood plasma of a feeding artery as a function of time. Acquiring the AIF is necessary for almost all quantitative analysis methods and is up to now technically the most difficult part in the data acquisition process. Contrast agents The most regularly used group of contrast agents in DCE-MRI is the low molecular paramagnetic gadolinium (Gd) chelates (Gribbestad, Gjesdal, Nilsen, Lundgren, Hjelstuen, Jackson, 2005). Principally, in Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI, any low molecular weight CAs can be used. (Tofts). The use of contrast agents with high molecular weights leads to lower permeability and lower Ktrans values, since these agents remain in the intravascular space. Using macromolecular CAs the measurement of regional blood volume acquiring scans of low temporal resolution is feasible (Gribbestad, Gjesdal, Nilsen, Lundgren, Hjelstuen, Jackson, 2005). Molecular agent with high molecular weight might be more appropriate for tumor angiogenesis and thus offer better response evaluation to therapy (Turkbey, Thomasson, Pang, Bernardo, Choyke, 2010). Analysis Methods Gordon et al. (Gordon, et al., 2014) state that â€Å"the arrival of CA and thus the enhancement pattern of the tissue depend on a wide variety of factors including vascularity, capillary permeability, perfused capillary surface area, volume and composition of extracellular fluid, renal clearance and perfusion. The analysis of DCE data can provide valuable information concerning the vascular status and perfusion†. Data analysis can be performed using either: qualitative, semi-quantitative, and quantitative approach (Verma, et al., 2012). Qualitative This kind of analysis can range from visual inspection of the images for fast and extreme enhancement of lesions, to the plotting of kinetic curves of signal intensity against time (Gupta, Kauffman, Polascik, Taneja, Rosenkrantz, 2013). The qualitative analysis of DCE-MRI depends on the assumption of rapid and intense enhancement and wash-out as indicator of the existence of a tumor. The tumor vessels are generally leakier and more readily enhanced after the injection of the CA than the ordinary vessels. An early rapid high enhancement after injection is expected followed by a relatively rapid decline compared with a slower and continuously increasing signal for normal tissues during the first few minutes after contrast injection. However, the possibility for an overlap between the natural and the malignant tissues, limit the capabilities of this DCE-MRI approach. Finally, the qualitative approach is regarded as a subjective approach and therefore difficult to standardi ze among institutions, constituting multicenter trials less reliable (Verma, et al., 2012). Semi-quantitative – The semi-quantitative approach also depends on the same assumption as the qualitative approach. On the other hand, in the semi-quantitative analysis various curve parameters are integrated (Verma, et al., 2012). It must be mentioned that depending on the application area, different perfusion parameters are relevant. Nevertheless, some parameters are of general interest for almost all applications. These parameters are acquired to characterize the shape of the TIC, including the time of first arrival of the CA, peak enhancement ( PE the maximum value normalized if the baseline is subtracted), time to peak (TTP the timepoint where peak enhancement takes place), integral (the area between the baseline and the curve, indicating with PE if blood supply is reduced in a ROI), mean transit time (MTT – the timepoint where the integral is bisected), slope (the curve’s steepness during wash-in phase, downslope (the descending curve’s steepness i n wash-out phase ) and wash-in and wash-out curve shapes (Figure 1, Figure 3A). (Preim et al., 2009). Three common dynamic curve types exist in the literature after the initial CA uptake: type 1, persistent increase; type 2, plateau; and type 3, wash-out after initial slope, as it can be seen in Figure 3B and Figure 1. Even though the semi-quantitative approach is used widely in the evaluation of DCE-MRI, significant restrictions arise dealing with the factors contributing to the MR signal intensity (e.g. generalization across acquisition protocols, sequences), which have an effect on the curve metrics (Verma, et al., 2012). Figure 3: A) A typical TIC curve (Preim et al., 2009). B) Differentiation of three patterns of washout phase: type 1 (blue), progressive; type 2 (green), plateau ; type 3 (red), wash-out (Verma, et al., 2012). Factors like the injection rate and the temporal resolution can easily alter the shape of a wash-in/washout curve, creating difficulties in comparison and quantitation. High inter-patient variability is also a factor that can make the definition of threshold values more complex for every parameter that could standardize semi-quantitative approach. However, this approach is relatively simple which makes it even more appealing (Verma, et al., 2012). Quantitative The quantitative approach depends on modeling the concentration change of the CA by integrating pharmacokinetic modeling techniques (Gordon, et al., 2014). Several pharmacokinetic models were proposed, such as by Tofts (Tofts), Brix et al. (Brix et al., 1991). Most of them depend on estimating the exchange rate between extracellular space and blood plasma using some transfer rate constants, like Ktrans(forward volume transfer constant) andkep(reverse reflux rate constant between extracellular space and plasma). â€Å"The transfer constant,Ktrans, is equal to the permeability surface area product per unit volume of tissue.Moreover, Ktransdetermines the flux from the intravascular space to the extracellular space; it may principally represent the vascular permeability in a permeability-limited situation (high flow in relation to permeability), or it may represent the blood flow into the tissue in a flow-limited situation (high permeability in relation to flow). Theveis t he extracellular extravascular volume fraction, andkep=Ktrans/ veexpresses the rate constant, describing the efflux of contrast media from the extracellular space back to plasma. Thevpis the fraction of plasma per unit volume of tissue†, according to Verma et al. (Verma, et al., 2012). In quantitative DCE-MRI analysis, a four compartment model is used for â€Å"tissue†: plasma, extracellular space, intracellular space, and renal excretory pathway (Figure 2). This pharmacokinetic model is applied to the CA concentration changes in the artery (AIF) supplying the tissue of interest, and the CA concentration of the tissue. It must also be noted that due to the fact that pharmacokinetic models require concentration values, signal intensity must be converted to T1 values, because MRI signal intensity is not linear with the CA concentration (Verma, et al., 2012). Clinical Applications of DCE-MRI DCE-MRI has been used for the detection and characterization of tumors in the clinical setting. It also makes the monitoring of tumor treatment and the response to conventional chemotherapy and angiogenic therapies feasible by acting as biomarker (Figure 4). Early tumor detection and treatment affects significantly the survival of patients. DCE-MRI is applied increasingly in a wider range of patients with different kind of cancer, including breast, head and prostate cancer. The method’s quantification ability of characteristics of the lesion microvasculature has stimulated the scientists to use the technique for â€Å"in-vivo staging† of tumors. According to early studies in the field, an evident relationship was demonstrated between large and rapid increases in malignant behavior and signal enhancement in tumors located in prostate, breast, and head. Additionally, important overlapping of contrast enhancement patterns has been noticed between malignant and benign tumor s. Growing accuracy and specificity in the recognition of microvascular characterization parameters is expected to further ameliorate lesion characterization (Gribbestad, Gjesdal, Nilsen, Lundgren, Hjelstuen, Jackson, 2005). More specifically regarding prostate cancer detection and localization, DCE-MRI contributes to prostate MRI, succeeding higher specificity and sensitivity than T2-weighted MR imaging, and sextant u ltrasound guided biopsy, methods being used widely for the pre-treatment work up and screening of prostate cancer respectively (Choi, Kim, Kim, 2007; Bonekamp Macura, 2008). It has been proven that the multi-parametric approach has improved significantly the accuracy of prostate MRI and has a great future. In a cancerous tissue, the number of vessels and their permeability are increased in comparison with normal tissues. Moreover, the interstitial space is greater. These factors cause significant increase of contrast enhancement parameters, such as MTT, blood flow, interstitial volume. The aforementioned observations are applicable in prostate cancer, too. As it can be seen in Figure 3B, the red curve could represent a prostate cancer with faster and steeper enhancement and faster wash-out than in normal tissues. Figure 4 a-c (Turkbey, Thomasson, Pang, Bernardo, Choyke, 2010): a) A patient with prostate cancer. The arrow indicates a low signal intensity focus on axial T2W MR image B) Increased enhancement shown by the lesion on axial T1W DCE-MR image C) fusion of color-coded Ktrans Conclusion The determination of functional microvascular parameters by using DCE-MRI might be instrumental in evaluating many vascular diseases. The potential of the technique to assess the severity of illnesses, to non-invasively and in parallel measure multiple relevant parameters, to study the pathophysiology of diseases, seems to be extremely promising. Even though, the method is known for over 20 years it is still considered immature. This has mainly to do with the significant variations in data analysis and acquisition protocols from study to study. Furthermore, the analysis of the pharmacokinetic parameters is a complex task and computationally expensive, due to the existence of plethora of analysis algorithms (Gordon, et al., 2014). DCE-MRI is restricted in organs with physiologic motion, including lungs and liver, and may not be applicable in some specific group of patients, especially those with renal failure and claustrophobia (Turkbey, Thomasson, Pang, Bernardo, Choyke, 2010). However, although the extraction of quantitative pharmacokinetic parameters is more difficult, compartmental model based methods are more robust than the semi-quantitative approaches, and offer deeper understanding of physiology. Finally, they are not potentially based on the scanning technique, the type of scanner, and individual patient variations ( Gordon, et al., 2014).

pets 911 :: essays research papers

Facts: Pets 911 knows that every community has pets in need. We offer a free network of animal rescue organizations and services across the country. Pets 911 is becoming an answer for not only the public, but also the pet animal welfare group community on how we in this country can all take part in saving those 5 million animals every year. Pet adoptions, animal shelters, help to find lost dogs and services to find lost cats - Pets 911 for all your pet adoption information - Thousands of homeless dogs, abandoned cats and other animals available for adoption. Have you lost or found a pet? Animal Charity information is one of the fine things we offer at Pets911.com. We also provide information on cat charity events, pet charity promotions, and dog charity walks. The Pets911 fights for animal welfare in the UK and throughout the world – campaigning on a variety of issues. Every year more than 4,000 dogs are used in experiments in the UK. In most cases they are used in the development and safety testing of new pharmaceuticals (medicines and vaccines), for both humans and dogs. Humans have a special relationship with dogs and a responsibility to safeguard their welfare in every situation. The PETS911 is committed to campaigning for humane alternatives and challenging the need for the use of dogs in research and testing. However, while dogs continue to be used in research we believe every possible effort must be made to reduce the numbers used and prevent suffering throughout their short lives. Our particular concerns are : †¢ the distress, pain and suffering caused by procedures, e.g. the chemicals can make the dogs sick and surgery can cause pain. †¢ the unsuitable conditions in which the dogs live, e.g. lack of space, stimulation, and socialization with other dogs and people. †¢ the loss of life – the dogs are eventually killed either to alleviate suffering, or for post-mortem analysis of their tissues and organs. What is the PETS911 doing? †¢ Challenging dog use: The PETS911 believes there is nowhere near enough commitment to challenging the need to use dogs or to developing alternative approaches to safety testing. We work with other organizations such as the Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments (FRAME) and support the work of the European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM) to encourage the development and use of alternatives. †¢ Reducing the number of dogs used in pharmaceutical safety testing: More dogs are used in pharmaceutical safety testing than for any other purpose, so it is essential to find ways of replacing dogs and reducing their use. pets 911 :: essays research papers Facts: Pets 911 knows that every community has pets in need. We offer a free network of animal rescue organizations and services across the country. Pets 911 is becoming an answer for not only the public, but also the pet animal welfare group community on how we in this country can all take part in saving those 5 million animals every year. Pet adoptions, animal shelters, help to find lost dogs and services to find lost cats - Pets 911 for all your pet adoption information - Thousands of homeless dogs, abandoned cats and other animals available for adoption. Have you lost or found a pet? Animal Charity information is one of the fine things we offer at Pets911.com. We also provide information on cat charity events, pet charity promotions, and dog charity walks. The Pets911 fights for animal welfare in the UK and throughout the world – campaigning on a variety of issues. Every year more than 4,000 dogs are used in experiments in the UK. In most cases they are used in the development and safety testing of new pharmaceuticals (medicines and vaccines), for both humans and dogs. Humans have a special relationship with dogs and a responsibility to safeguard their welfare in every situation. The PETS911 is committed to campaigning for humane alternatives and challenging the need for the use of dogs in research and testing. However, while dogs continue to be used in research we believe every possible effort must be made to reduce the numbers used and prevent suffering throughout their short lives. Our particular concerns are : †¢ the distress, pain and suffering caused by procedures, e.g. the chemicals can make the dogs sick and surgery can cause pain. †¢ the unsuitable conditions in which the dogs live, e.g. lack of space, stimulation, and socialization with other dogs and people. †¢ the loss of life – the dogs are eventually killed either to alleviate suffering, or for post-mortem analysis of their tissues and organs. What is the PETS911 doing? †¢ Challenging dog use: The PETS911 believes there is nowhere near enough commitment to challenging the need to use dogs or to developing alternative approaches to safety testing. We work with other organizations such as the Fund for the Replacement of Animals in Medical Experiments (FRAME) and support the work of the European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM) to encourage the development and use of alternatives. †¢ Reducing the number of dogs used in pharmaceutical safety testing: More dogs are used in pharmaceutical safety testing than for any other purpose, so it is essential to find ways of replacing dogs and reducing their use.

Horrors of War

|Explain how R. C Sherriff conveys the horrors of war to the audience of â€Å"Journey’s End† | | | |English | | | |2/28/2010 | | | |Chloe Archer | Explain how R. C Sheriff conveys the horrors of war to the audience of â€Å"Journey’s End† Journey’s End† is a play written by R. C Sheriff, who had fought during the First World War. This enabled him to bring his experiences into the play which adds to the realism of the French trenches in 1918. First premiered in the year 1928 (10 years after the end of WW1), the audience would have been sensitive to the play because there was a real possibility that they’d lost friends and family in the war. The entire action of â€Å"Journey’s End† does not leave the dugout where the men are based; which allows the audience an insight of how life was for British companies during WW1 and how they coped with war. Although Sheriff did not intend his play to be focused on the horrors of war, his depiction of a realistic setting and characters convey this. We are given information about the war and the men’s way of life by the setting. ‘Through the doorway can be seen the misty grey parapet of a trench and a narrow strip of starlit sky. ’ This shows that the dugout was claustrophobic and frightening since they were so close to no man’s land where so many lives were lost like Raleigh’s. During Raleigh’s death scene, R. C Sheriff uses the stage directions to metaphorically describe Raleigh’s gradual death. The solitary candle burns with a steady flame†¦.. The shock stabs out the candle flame. ’ The stage directions help to describe what is happening outside of the dugout such as ‘The shelling had risen to a great fury’. The writer has personified the shelling for the effect that war has a life of its own which cannot be contr olled by the men, ‘stretcher-bearers’ can be heard by the audience off stage, this shows that people are being injured by the ‘fury’ of the shelling. Hardy and Osborne’s handover lists facts to explain to the audience what happened previously when ‘a dug-out got blown up and came down in the men’s tea. They were frightfully annoyed. ’ R. C Sheriff has used dark humour to show how the men cope with the war. Also Hardy gives important information on the artillery â€Å"We’ve got a Lewis gun just here-â€Å". To deter away from the uncontrollable war the men would talk about the things that could be altered or controlled; for instance Trotter enjoys controlling what they eat ‘Keep ‘em and use ‘em for dumplings next time we ‘ave boiled beef. ’ This helps the men feel secure knowing that there are some things that are controllable and that they have a future albeit only in the short term. A few of the characters are deeply affected by the war; one of them being Hibbert who attempts to use ‘neuralgia’ as an excuse to be discharged from the frontline. This is deemed cowardice by the rest of the soldiers ‘Better die of the pain than be shot for deserting. ’ This is said by Stanhope when Hibbert tries to leave before the German attack. This quote also shows how cowardice was dealt with during the First World War and why it drove other men to cope with war in different ways. For example, Stanhope, turns to drink (alcohol) and soldiers are heard saying that he ’gets a reputation out here for drinking’. This quote shows that most of the men know Stanhope drinks and accept it even though he is a commanding officer. As an audience we are told that he didn’t drink before he joined the war. This is shown by the conversation Osborne has with Raleigh, in which he says Stanhope ‘caught some chaps in a study with a bottle of whisky. Lord! The roof nearly blew off. ’ This quote shows the irony of the situation because when Raleigh knew Stanhope he used to confiscate alcohol off of students but now he has found comfort in drinking it. However Raleigh himself realised the horror of war when Osborne was killed post raid, ‘How can I sit down and eat that-when-when†¦. -when Osborne’s†¦ ’ this quote shows that Raleigh does not know how to cope with Osborne’s death. As Stanhope hasn’t mentioned Osborne after the raid Raleigh thinks that he doesn’t care but he has ‘to forget’ so that he can bear to carry on fighting in the futile war. One of Journey’s End’s main themes is the futility of war; we are shown the uselessness of it when the raid-men returned 7 fewer than when they left. Including Osborne, the fallen men had sacrificed their lives for important information from a German officer which they never got as the German was only ‘a bare headed German boy†¦. ’ who told them what they already knew. So the raid was wasted as the only new information they discovered was that a German soldier carries a pocket knife as well as other ‘oddments’. Stanhope emphasizes this when he ‘speaks in a dead voice’ after the general celebrated ‘how awfully nice- if the brigadier’s pleased. ’ These quotes also indicate that the soldier’s actions are at the general’s whim. The audience saw the war transform Raleigh from a strong eager boy, who was clearly inexperienced as he was unsure of how to address other officers ‘Good evening (he notices Osborne’s grey hair and adds:)sir. ’ Another example of his inexperience is when he states ‘how frightfully quiet it is†¦.. i thought there would be an awful row here’ this shows that he has no concept of the reality of war. However, as time moves on and the play progresses we see Raleigh develops in maturity. We see this when Raleigh and Osborne are having their last drink before the raid; ‘I wonder what the Boche are doing over there now?†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. I don’t know. D’you like Coffee†¦? ’ the author shows here that Raleigh is keen to know as much as possible about the raid whilst Osborne is trying to put it off for as long as possible as he is worried about the ‘millions of bullets’. We, as an audience, see Raleigh become deeply affected by the war, succeeding the raid, (when he had left Osborne dead, in no man’s land). His appearance is more rugged and dismal in comparison to his previous shining uniform this could be a reflection of his emotions as well as just war worn; this would be seen as a landmark in Raleigh’s life in the trenches. The audience is taken through Raleigh’s experience of war and his relationship with his fellow men and officers. He became a steadfast part of the story with which the audience could relate and he formed a connection between the characters and action taking place. It is therefore a loss when he dies that is felt by everyone absorbed in the play. His and the play’s final scene portrays a young man alone in a dark place, with a solitary candle burning for company but is extinguished in a raid that collapses the men’s shelter and snuffs out his life just like the candle. The men’s way of life in the trenches was isolated and boring, which left them to find ways of entertaining themselves: from the opening conversation between Hardy and Osborne we are told one of the ways that they amused themselves, ‘Ever had earwig races?†¦ We’ve had ‘em every evening. ’ Mason is seen as a main source of humour and light relief for the men a good example of this is when he has an ‘unpleasant surprise’ which is a tin of apricot chunks labelled pineapple chunks. This light humour helps the men to cope with the dire way of life; this is in contrast to the dark humour. The men have to live with ‘about two million’ rats which they have to shoot otherwise they ‘gnaw at your boots’ rats also carried many lice and fleas which then infected the men so personal hygiene was hard to maintain. Stanhope talks about imagination ‘He doesn’t see into the earth beyond – the worms wandering about round the stones and roots of trees’. This quote was about Trotter and his lack of imagination which ‘sharpens the mind’ the quote also adds to the claustrophobic living conditions knowing that they are at the same level as worms in the earth. The men also told stories to keep themselves occupied whether from war life or home life, ‘I spent all the time in the garden making a rockery. In the evenings I used to sit and smoke and read – and my wife used to knit socks and play the piano a bit. ’ This was said by Osborne who is known to be the ‘family man’. We are given several images of war throughout the play, Osborne the family man who passed his belongings onto Stanhope to give to his wife before the raid with the possibility that he mightn’t return. This shows his love for his family giving them his personal belongings as a reminder of him and his compassion. Raleigh is seen as stereotypical, eager to fight for his country, recruit. ‘full of guts’ which was one of the reasons why he was selected for the raid. Also he idolised Captain Stanhope from his school memories and was eager to meet him again. The audience are prepared for tragedy at the end of the play because a main character had already died, who was likeable so it showed that no matter how popular the character was he could still be killed. Also when R. C. Sheriff personified the stage directions to give the shelling a life of it’s own from ‘the lighter â€Å"crush† f the smaller shells, there comes the deep resounding â€Å"boom† of Minenwerfer. ’ The noise created from the booms and crushes would also create tension. In conclusion I believe that R. C. Sheriff best shows the horrors of war through the character Raleigh because i feel that he represents war because war starts with an innocence and as the play progresses it is slowly lost this his character could also be representitive of the human race starting with innocence and as the play pshows the affect war can have on a person and the gradual burden of it. The stage directions are a main factor as well because you can not see further than the dug-out, which isolates you away from the ‘front-line’ and the stage directions show war itself with the crashing and booming of bombs and bullets; they also tell the story and help set the scene. I personally feel that war is useless

buy custom Crimes against Persons essay

buy custom Crimes against Persons essay Wright (2009) defines homicide as the killing of a person by another, whether unintentionally or premeditatedly. This can also include reckless, justifiable, or negligent homicide. Each of these types differs one from another, but they share common elements that describe them in the legal system. The basic elements of homicide include intent, causation, and act (Reid, 2009). Intent refers to a purpose or a reason for committing a homicide. It exists when an individual deliberates and thinks over the criminal offense before committing it. Therefore, there must be a deliberation of the reason for committing homicide. Causation refers to the element of homicide that denotes the events that result in the victim's death (Reid, 2009). It is necessary to prove that the accused persons actions were directly responsible for the homicide. The Criminal Justice System must determine causation before charging the defendant with homicide. Act refers to the physical action of killing another person (Reid, 2009). It is necessary to prove what the defendant physically did to cause the homicide. Ken willfully transmitted HIV to Barbie, which is a criminal act. He should undergo conviction of a homicide offence because Barbie died of HIV-related infections. Ken will still undergo conviction of lethally infecting his partners even when Barbie does not die. Lori committed voluntary euthanasia by killing her ailing father, Vincent. Reid (2009) defines voluntary euthanasia as the practice of intentionally killing an individual in order to relieve suffering and pain. Vincent asked her daughter to end his life because of constant pain he was experiencing due to terminal cancer. Lori did not have another option but to shoot her father and end his life. In most countries any form of euthanasia, including voluntary euthanasia, is illegal. Therefore, most people consider euthanasia to be a criminal offense (Reid, 2009). Intent, causation, and act can explain euthanasia as a criminal offense. The intent of committing euthanasia was to meet Vincents need of relieving the suffering and pain that he was experiencing. The causation in this scenario of Lori killing her father includes Vincents requests to relieve suffering and pain. Shooting is the physical action that resulted in Vincents death his daughter executed upon request to end his life. The re is a likelihood of Lori to undergo the conviction of first-degree murder as the most serious crime she committed. First-degree murder refers to deliberated and premeditated killing of a person. Because the incident took place in the hospital, the police assumed that the murder could not be second degree or third degree murder. It is possible to convict Lori of euthanasia as less serious criminal offense. She can convince the police that her father requested to die in order to do away with suffering and pain. Larry apparently committed kidnap and rape by forcibly having sex with his girlfriend and locking her for 24 hours. Kidnapping refers to the act of holding a person unlawfully and un-consensually for a certain purpose, such as committing sexual intercourse. Rape refers to the act of forcing a person to have sexual intercourse with him or her, especially by a use of violence or threat against him or her. Elements of raping include intent, causation, and act. The intent of Larry to have sex with his girlfriend was to satisfy his sexual desire. Causation in this scenario is Lorrys threads not to let his girlfriend go. The physical action includes committing forced sexual intercourse. Therefore, the girlfriend allowed Larry to have sex with her unwillingly. Elements of raping include act and intent. Act in the scenario of kidnapping is locking his girlfriend in his neighbors vacant room for 24 hours when she tried to leave. The intent was to keep the girlfriend from leaving. Buy custom Crimes against Persons essay

Chapter 12 Essays

Chapter 12 Essays Chapter 12 Essay Chapter 12 Essay Chapter 12 13 1. A sales manager collected the following data on salespersons’ annual sales and years of experience. Years of Annual Sales Salesperson Experience ($1000s) 1 1 80 2 3 97 3 4 92 4 4 102 5 6 103 6 8 111 7 10 119 8 10 123 9 11 117 10 13 136 a. Develop a scatter diagram for these data with years of experience as the independent variable. b. Develop an estimated regression equation that can be used to predict annual sales given the years of experience. c. Use the estimated regression equation to predict annual sales for a salesperson with nine years of experience. 2. Dianes Beauty Salon is currently hiring beauticians at its new location in a popular mall. Diane wants to know what commission percentage to pay the beauticians based on experience. A survey of 12 licensed beauticians was taken with the following results. Commission Years of Commission Years of Percentage (y) Experience (x) Percentage (y) Experience (x) 24 2 25 4 18 1 44 12 30 5 33 8 41 10 24 3 35 8 20 1 35 7 40 10 a. Find the least squares line equation. b. What percentage of the variation in commission percentage is explained by the variation in years of experience? . Interpret the coefficient value for years of experience in the least squares equation. d. Estimate the commission percentage for a beautician with 6 years of experience. 3. Jensen Tire Auto is in the process of deciding whether to purchase a maintenance con- tract for its new computer wheel alignment and balancing machine. Managers feel that maintenance expense should be related to usage, and they collected the follo wing information on weekly usage (hours) and annual maintenance expense (in hundreds of dollars). Want to get a price estimate for your Essay? Deadline Paper type Essay (Any Type) Admission Essay Annotated Bibliography Argumentative Essay Article Review Book/Movie Review Business Plan Case Study Coursework Creative Writing Critical Thinking Presentation or Speech Research Paper Research Proposal Term Paper Thesis Other Article (Any Type) Content (Any Type) Q&A Capstone Project Dissertation Lab Report Scholarship Essay Math Problem Statistic Project Research Summary Assignment Dissertation chapter Speech Dissertation chapter: Abstract Dissertation chapter: Introduction Dissertation chapter: Hypothesis Dissertation chapter: Literature Review Dissertation chapter: Methodology Dissertation chapter: Analysis/Results Dissertation chapter: Discussion Dissertation chapter: Conclusion Dissertation Proposal Thesis Statement Thesis Proposal Application Essay Pages 550 words(double spaced) 126 writers online Check Price A limited time offer! Get custom paper sample written according to your requirements urgent 3h delivery guaranteed Order now Chapter 12 Paper Hydrologists the scientists who study Earth’s waters, evapotranspiration A little less than two-thirds of the rain that falls on land evaporates back to the atmosphere from land surfaces and plant leaves The water balance coefficient is a general index of the availability of water in a particular region. It is calculated by subtracting potential evaporation from rainfall. In arid regions, water balance coefficientsare negative. In the world’s deserts, for example, they vary between –200 and –300 cm (–79 and –118 in.).In the humid rain forests of the world, water balance coefficients are positive and can exceed 400 cm (158 in.). In general, forests grow where water balance coefficients are positive; savannas, grasslands, and deserts are found in regions where coefficients are negative. A watershed is the area of land from which rainfall drains into a river or lake. Watersheds are also called drainage basins. Open watersheds are drained by rivers that eventually make their way to the sea. Closed watersheds are inland basins that do not drain to the sea. nonconsumptive uses Activities that use water and then return it to streams or aquifers are said to be this. Such as, hydroelectric power and wastewater in septic systems consumptive uses In other activities, such as irrigation and industrial cooling, a considerable amount of water evaporates into the atmosphere. These activities are said to be this because much of the water is not returned to streams or aquifers. water table the underground depth where rock and sediment are completely saturated with water. recharge zone is an area where water flows directly between the soil surface and the water table. unconfined Aquifers located beneath recharge zones are said to be this confined In other aquifers, groundwater is trapped between layers of comparatively impermeable rock or sediment; such aquifers are said to be this discharge zones Groundwater flows to the surface in these. In places where a confined aquifer meets the soil surface, water may flow out freely in a seep or spring. an artesian well Sometimes a well is drilled into a confined aquifer where the groundwater is under great pressure from the weight of the water above it. The pressure causes the water to rise above the confining layer, without the need for pumping. Such a well is called this. hydrophytes Some species of plants have adaptations that allow them to grow in these anaerobic soils; these plants are called these. Marshes are periodically or continuously flooded wetlands that are dominated by herbaceous plants, including grasses, rushes, reeds, and cattails. Swamps are dominated by shrubs or trees and fed by flowing water. Forested swamps are found in the broad floodplains of many of the world’s major rivers. Bogs The primary source of water in bogs is rainfall. Bogs are wetlands with peat deposits that support a variety of evergreen trees and shrubs. Fens are wetlands that are fed primarily by groundwater. They have peaty soils that typically support a variety of grasses and grasslike rushes, as well as occasional patches of woody vegetation. Florida Everglades Irrigation efficiency is the percentage of the water applied to fields that is actually used by crop plants.Agricultural scientists estimate that average irrigation efficiency of cropland is less than 40%. desalination The process of removing salts and other chemicals from seawater is called this. distillation boiling water and condensing the steam, reverse osmosis filtering water through a selective membrane

How to Actually Use Your ACT Math Formulas

How to Actually Use Your ACT Math Formulas SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips About 33% of the ACT math section requires you to know and use at least one math formula. This means that remembering your formulas and understanding how to utilize them is of paramount importance. We’ve put together all the ACT formulas you’ll need to know (prioritized in the order from greatest to least that you’ll see them on the test) as well as how to best use them for test-day. What Formulas Will You Need on the ACT? You will NOT be given any formulas on the ACT, so all of your formula knowledge will have to come from your own head. You will need to know and use a wide range of formulas, including algebraic, geometric, and trigonometric formulas, all of which are laid out in our guide to the 31 formulas you MUST know for the ACT. You’ll notice that we have prioritized them according to â€Å"need to know† and â€Å"good to know.† This is due to the fact that many ACT questions can be solved long-hand or via more common formulas, rather than forcing you to memorize the more obscure formulas. For instance, you can solve your sequence questions by either using the formula or by calculating your values long-hand. Though solving the question long-hand will take longer, it is still entirely possible to solve each and every ACT sequence question without the use of a formula. Thus we have classified sequence formulas as â€Å"good to know,† not â€Å"necessary to know.† If you feel rusty on any formula or math topic on the list, check out one of our individual math topic guides to see how the formula works (and even why it works), as well as how to recognize when to use it. We’ll also show you the alternatives to using formulas for many questions, including distance questions, sequence questions, and many more. There are many different "right" paths to solve questions in the ACT math section. How to Use Your Formulas Effectively So now that you know what your formulas are, how do you best go about using them? Let’s take a look. 1. Prioritize memorizing your most crucial formulas You will have to memorize every formula you’ll use on the ACT, but it’s best to go about this in a systematic and logical way. Spend most of your time and energy memorizing and practicing the most important (common) formulas and less time on the ones that show up rarely, if at all. Some formulas come up over and over again, while others show up sparingly at best. If you are pressed for time, nervous about memorizing so many formulas, or simply trying to map out your plan of attack, memorize your formulas in the order that they appear most often on the test. Of your â€Å"necessary† formulas, they appear on the test from greatest prevalence to least in roughly this order: Law: the sum of the interior degrees of a triangle is 180 Area of a triangle Law: the sum of the degrees of a straight line is 180 Area of a rectangle (or other quadrilateral) Pythagorean Theorem Finding slope of a given line (rise/run) Finding slope of line connecting two points Finding percentages Law: the number of degrees of arc in a circle is 360 Area of a circle Circumference of a circle Finding averages Sine, cosine, tangent (SOH, CAH, TOA) Area of a circle’s arc Circumference of a circle’s arc Finding probabilities Finding combinations Finding the midpoint of a line Volume of rectangular solid Volume of cylinder Area of a trapezoid Equation of a circle Rearranging logarithms Cosecant, Secant, Cotangent Of the â€Å"good to know† or â€Å"shortcut† formulas, you will need them roughly in this order: Special right triangle properties, 30-60-90 Special right triangle properties, 45-45-90 Arithmetic sequences Geometric sequences Distance formula $sin^2ÃŽËœ + cos^2ÃŽËœ = 1$ ${sinÃŽËœ}/{cosÃŽËœ} = tanÃŽËœ$ 2. Choose NOW which (if any) of your â€Å"good to know† formulas you want to memorize Remembering a formula incorrectly is worse than not remembering the formula at all, so make sure you know your limits when it comes to memorization. For some people, memorizing and using formulas is the easiest way to go. For others, the fewer formulas the better (even if it means taking another step or two to solve a math problem). There is no right answer in terms of how many formulas you memorize, only what is most comfortable for you personally. And when it comes to memorizing your formulas, different people do better with different memory techniques. If you're a visual learner, make yourself a set of formula flash cards. If you're a kinesthetic (movement) learner, practice drawing and/or writing them out on a separate piece of paper. And if you're an auditory learner, get a parent or a friend to help you drill your formulas aloud. Once you feel you've got your formulas down, practice using them on actual problems to help you both remember them and learn how to use a particular formula for a particular problem. (We'll give you the opportunity to practice using your formulas on real ACT math questions in the next section.) 3. Practice ACT math questions at home without looking up your formulas The only way you’re going to be able to remember your formulas for crunch time (and know which formulas to actually use for the individual problem) is to practice on real ACT math questions without the safety net. Once you feel that you’ve got your formulas nailed down tight, practice solving ACT math problems without looking up your formulas. We have a list of all the free ACT math practice you can find online (coming soon!) and you will be able to use any and all of these problems to not only test your formula knowledge, but also your math topic knowledge. Once you’ve gone through your practice problems without the benefit of being able to look up your formulas, you will be able to pinpoint your formula strengths and weaknesses. Did you repeatedly forget the Pythagorean Theorem? How about your trigonometry formulas? It’s better to understand where to shift your focus now than being blindsided on the day of the test. Divide your time between rote memorization and practice problems without the use of formulas, and you’ll be able to solidify the knowledge in your head most effectively. 4. When you reach the math section, immediately write down your formulas If you’re anxious about forgetting your formulas halfway through the test, or if you simply like the idea of a fallback option, it’s always a good idea to write down your formulas at the very beginning of your math test. Once you have them written down, you can concentrate on solving your problems without fear of remembering your formulas wrong or forgetting them entirely. So once you open up your math section, write down all your memorized math formulas and take a deep breath. Now you can move on and use them as a reference for the rest of your math section. 5. Don’t freak out if you forget a formula Most of all, don’t panic if you forget a formula (or three)! Most every ACT problem can be solved in a multitude of ways, including by means of plugging in answersor plugging in your own numbers. And if worst comes to worse, and you cannot solve a problem without a formula, you will still likely be able to eliminate at least one or two answer options. Rememberyou are not penalized for guessing on the ACT, so always take your chances. And if you can narrow down your options, even better! Let's look at an example of how to narrow down your answer choices if you forget a formula. For a question like this, you do not have to understand how trapezoids work or remember any triangle formulas in order to eliminate at least three answer choices. We are being asked to find the distance between our two parallel sides, so draw a straight, perpendicular line between them. This makes a right triangle. Again, without knowing your formulas, you can just take a stab in the dark and estimate how long the side is. Rememberall figures on the ACT are to scale unless noted otherwise, and this line looks about the same length (maybe more, maybe less) as 5 foot leg we are given. Without knowing any more information, we can eliminate answer choices D and E. Now maybe you stop here and pick between answer choices A, B, and C. This would give you a 33% chance of guessing the right answer, which isn't too bad at all. But if we go further, you may remember that the side opposite the right angle is the longest side of the triangle, which means that the distance between our parallel lines must be less than 5. We can therefore eliminate answer choice C as well. So we had a 1 in 3 chance of getting the right answer without any formula knowledge at all and now we have a 1 in 2 chance just by knowing a little bit about how right triangles work. And even now, we can make an educated (rather than a random) guess between our two remaining answer choices. Again, all figures on the ACT are to scale unless noted otherwise and, at a glance, the distance between our parallel bases looks to be longer than the third leg of the triangle. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't, but we have a 50% chance and answer choice B looks to be the best bet between the two. Without using formulas, we can reach a conclusion that the answer is probably B. [Note: just so you know, B is totally the right answer. Go you!] Now it's time to put your formula knowledge to work! ACT Math Practice Using Formulas Now that you’ve seen how to best use your ACT formulas, let’s look at a few real ACT math questions that are formula-necessary. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Answers: D, F, J, J, B Answer Explanations: 1. Because the dog can run on the leash 9 feet in any direction, this means that 9 feet is the radius of the circle in which the dog can run. Now we are asked to find the area of this circle. If we remember our circle formulas, we know that we find the area by using the formula: $a =Ï€r^2$ $a =Ï€9^2$ $a = 81Ï€$ $Ï€$ is approximately 3.14 (which we are given), so: $81(3.14)$ $254.34$ The closest answer to this value is answer D, 254. Our final answer is D, 254. 2. If we remember our trig formulas, we know our mnemonic SOH, CAH, TOA. The tangent of an angle is thus the opposite/adjacent. In this case, we are looking for the tangent of angle B. The adjacent side is the side that touches the angle that is NOT the hypotenuse. In this case, the adjacent side for angle B is 2, which means it is our denominator. This means we can eliminate answer choices H, J, and K. If we use the Pythagorean Theorem, we can find our missing side measure. $a^2 + b^2 = c^2$ $a^2 + 2^2 = 5^2$ $a^2 + 4 = 25$ $a^2 = 21$ $a =√21$ Our opposite side will be $√21$ and we have already established that our adjacent side is 2. Our final answer is F, $√21/2$ 3. We can solve this problem in one of two waysby using the more common triangle formulas, or by using a more obscure one. If we use the common triangle formulas, we know that the interior angles of a triangle will always add up to 180 degrees. This means we can find the missing angle measure by subtracting all of our known angles from 180. $180 - 72 - 57 = 51$ Now, we also know that every straight line is 180 degrees as well. We can therefore find the exterior angles by subtracting each of our given angles from 180. $y = 180 - 72$ $y = 108$ $x = 180 - 57$ $x = 123$ $z = 180 - 51$ $z = 129$ Now we can find the sum of $y$, $x,$ and $z$. $108 + 123 + 129 = 360$ Our final answer is J, 360. Alternatively, we can use our more obscure triangle, which is that every exterior angle is the sum of the two opposite interior angles. For instance, $z = 72 + 57$ $z = 129$ From here, we can solve the problem the same way we did above. $x = 72 + 51$ $x = 123$ $y = 51 + 57$ $y = 108$ $x + y + z = 129 + 123 + 108$ $= 360$ Either way, our final answer is J, 360. 4. If we remember our slope formulas, we know that the equation of a line is: $y = mx + b$ $m$ represents the slope of the line, and the bigger the $m$, the larger the slope. In our first given equation, $a$ stands in place of our $m$ and our slope. In our second equation, $c$ stands in place of $m$ and our slope. So if the slope of our first equation is larger than the slope of our second equation, then $a$ must be larger than $c$. Our final answer is J, $a c$. 5. Now our shape in the middle is a square, which means all of the sides are equal. The two sides of the square that make up part of the perimeter are $8 + 8 = 16$. Now we just need to find the part of the perimeter made up by the two half circles. If we put them together, we can one full circle circumference. We know that the circumference of a circle is: $c = Ï€d$ The dimeter of our circle is 8, so our full circumference will be $8Ï€$ Now let's put our two values together: $16 + 8Ï€$ Our final answer is B, $16 + 8 Ï€$ Whoo! You did it! Image: Sean MacEntee/Flickr The Take-Aways Knowing (and knowing how to utilize) your formulas is one of the foundational elements of doing well on the ACT math section, but it is still only one part. Though formulas are used in some capacity or another on approximately 33% of ACT math test, that still leaves 66% of your questions that do NOT require formulas at all. So do take care to understand (and memorize!) your most important formulas, but don’t think that's all you need to do to succeed on the ACT math section. You still must understand the ins and outs of all of the ACT math topicsthat you will see on the ACT, so don't neglect the rest of your ACT math study. A balanced study plan, a knowledge of your formulas, and a more-than-passing familiarity with all your ACT math topics will help get your math score to where you want it to be. What’s Next? Want to brush up on a particular ACT math topic? Check out our individual math topic guides for all your ACT math needs. Running out of time on the ACT math section? We'll show you how to beat the clock and maximize your score before time runs out. Been procrastinating on your ACT math study? Our guide will help you balance out your study time and beat back the urge to procrastinate. Aiming for a perfect score? Check out our guide to getting a 36 on the ACT math section, written by a perfect-scorer. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Math lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands ofpractice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Individual Reflective Report Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Individual Reflective Report - Assignment Example Almost everyone who leaves their homelands to pursue studies or work abroad experiences some amount of cultural shock. For the Chinese, this cultural shock amounts to an alarming extent since the culture of the west is entirely different from that of China and the Chinese people. Not only is the language entirely different, so is the style of living and customs. Most people who leave for America, UK, Australia or other western countries have to learn the English language as it the major medium of communication in almost all of these countries. For that purpose, there are many English language centers in China that cater to these people. These centers however provide little besides English language training to these students. Due to that, even when they are considerably proficient in the English language, Chinese people still suffer difficulties once they actually arrive at their destinations. A reason for this difficulty is that they are un-initiated with the ways of the western world. This business plan proposes to offer these prospective students and businessmen a way to become oriented with the culture and ways of the West so that they face less difficulty in settling in once they arrive at the country of their choosing. The English Language centers currently offering their services in the major cities of china mainly focus on offering comprehensive English language teaching. Although it is imperative that the Chinese people who are leaving for abroad learn how to communicate in English, it still does not diminish the lack of understanding that these people possess about the social and cultural workings of the west and how this lack of understanding effects their performance. The Le Yan English centre will be filling in the gap in this educational sector and the whole plan is based upon the concept of providing the customers with the added advantage of acclimatization with the western

B300 TMA06 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

B300 TMA06 - Essay Example Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which compose the bulk of the population of the Persian Gulf states, have a rapidly growing export base, as evidenced by a 12 percent increase in exports between 1990 and 1994. The region's international airports--Tehran International, Dubai, Jeddah, and Riyadh International--experienced more than a 50 percent increase in international air passengers between 1988 and 1994. The number of weekly international flights at Tehran International, Dubai International Airport, and Riyadh International increased by 6.3 percent from 1983 to 1993 (Withiam, 1994). In addition, the number of international markets served by Tehran, Dubai, and Riyadh has increased from twenty-two to 102 destinations in more than fifty-seven countries around the world (Journal of Commerce, 1994). Between 1983 and 1993, the region accounted for a 2.1 percent global market share in air passengers, and for 2.3 percent of the world's revenue passenger-kilometers in 1991, In 1992 the port of Sharja in the UAE handled 37,400 ton-equivalent units (TEU), a 146 percent increase over 1991, and about fifty-five thousand TEU in 1993. There is an increased inflow of international investment in this region. The region's major international strengths include oil and natural gas, major international airports, ports along the Persian Gulf, high disposable income per household, an educated labor force, a growing high technology industrial base, and world-class financial centers. In addition, the region is home to many international and regional organizations. In the aftermath of the Arab-Israeli peace accord, people feel more confident about the stability of the region.The region has many weaknesses. These weaknesses include a lack of positive image, a serious need for surface transportation improvements, a lack of efficient and speedy bureaucracies, a perceived high cost of doing business, inadequacies in the workforce, and the absence of a single entity to promote the region internationally. The Persian Gulf region has neither the competitive international reputation nor the economic-development focus of other compe ting regions. As such, it is not a priority location choice for American and Western European investors. The region possesses the basic assets and intellectual talents to compete with any region on the globe. However, it must operate, harmonize, and engage its combined resources to move forward in a deliberate effort to improve its international competitiveness ( Porter, 1986). The Middle East must have a regional business policy which will be crafted by a regional international business council. This business council will be made up of public and private sector representatives. The business council needs to make a long-term commitment to increase the Middle East region's international competitiveness and to develop an integrated strategy for marketing it more effectively. In order to reduce uncertainty and provide greater economic stability, the Gulf countries must unite and develop a business policy that will diversify their economies. For this business policy to work, they need to focus on foreign investment and technology, subsequently enhancing the countries' ability to attract, absorb, and become globally competitive. There are three pending urgent actions that the Gulf countries need to undertake. One, develop a spirit of public and private partnership. Two, improve the region's internat

It isnt worth the trouble evaluating training; Go ahead and assign me Assignment

It isnt worth the trouble evaluating training; Go ahead and assign me to a control group - Assignment Example They are not enthusiastic about their job. This lack of motivation is demonstrated through negative reaction after the training. The employees show pessimism. This indicates unsettled issues. Some employees attend the training but fail to learn for the simple reason that they did not understand the skills, principals and the facts the trainer wanted them to, (DeSimone & Werner 2008). The behavior of the employees reveals that they never had any intention to change in the first place, (McLean & 2010). All this culminates to poor results even after heavy investments in training programs. This happens when organizations ignore vital aspects about the employees’ welfare. Most of these aspects cannot be addressed in training sessions. In some organizations, the leadership receives an extremely high salary while the ordinary workers receive extremely small salaries, (McLean & 2010). This difference causes an immense deal of the inequality, which kills motivation among workers. My or ganization evaluates training through a results oriented model. Improved results reveal that training was well received and understood. This includes improved turnovers and timely achievements of the targets, (DeSimone & Werner 2008). The use of structured control and experimental groups is a model for evaluating the impact of training, (McLean & 2010). It is in order to train some workers and leave others without training. The group that receives training is referred to as the experimental group while the group that goes without training is called a control group, (DeSimone & Werner 2008). The composition of these groups is quite random and, therefore similar. Then the relevant indicators of success are taken from both groups before and after the training, (McLean & 2010). If the experimental group performs better them the training was successful. The assumption here is that if the training is considered successful, the organizations can in future a

Incomplete research project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Incomplete research project - Essay Example The visitors in turn will be happy to pay a reasonable amount in return for the services. That’s how the hospitality industry functions. With the emergence of big hotel chains hospitality came into being as an industry in itself. This study is an effort to analyse how The Goodwood Park Hotel has been able to take advantage of the globalisation and increasing economic activities. In the earlier times, travel to far off places used to take months to years, and it required grit and determination on the part of the adventurers to explore the other part of the world, and if they could live longer enough to go back to their native land, they would narrate the wonderful place that they could see, which in turn would encourage others around to go and see those places. Till the time Wright brothers presented the world with a flying machine, most of such travels used to take place with the help of ships, on foot, on camelback or on horseback. During those times people used to undertake travel as a part of trade and business and the business partner used to take care of the visitors. But gradually, the task of business partner was made easier by the hospitality industry, and such visits started gaining enough momentum after the aeroplanes were pressed into service. The hotel industry prospered with the increasing economic exchanges and cooperation in trades and servic es. Hospitality and tourism literally means carrying out the business activity by taking good care of our guests, with the help of facilities like comfortable stay, quality services, hygienic meals, better communication, transportation etc. Hospitality is all pervasive and has become central to the billion dollar industry and an upsurge in global economic activities. This study is being carried out with an aim of taking a realistic look at how the hospitality

Ideas in management - ANZ Banking Corporation case study Assignment

Ideas in management - ANZ Banking Corporation case study - Assignment Example The business strategy of ANZ is based on three different pillars namely, balancing the growth in the domestic and international front, building super regional capabilities and focusing on customer to gain competitive advantage. The purpose of this paper is to focus on issues of corporate governance and ethics of ANZ bank. The idea is to explore the sustainable ethical and corporate governance practices of banking industry in general and compare them to the practices that have been adopted by ANZ. The issue of corporate governance has become an integral part of governing the success of banks. The importance of banks in the economy is fundamental as banks play the role of allocating resources effectively and propels expansion of almost every sector of the economy. Following healthy corporate governance practices, is important for retaining the trust of the investors and conducting business for banks. The paper first provides a picture of the current corporate governance practices adopted by ANZ and then critically evaluates the same in the light of abuse of ethical issues by the banking sector. ANZ have committed itself to the continuous development of corporate governance practices by embracing a system of continuous disclosure to its key stakeholders. The corporate governance of ANZ is based on adopting the best practices in the banking industry that has been accepted internationally, to be the first mover in case of adopting ethical practices and take a proactive role in formulating best practices of corporate governance. The wide scale of geographic operations of ANZ makes it necessary for it to follow corporate governance standards of multiple nations like Australia, New Zealand and Asian countries (ANZ Bank, 2013). In order to ensure that the business follows ethical business practices, the ANZ board of directors follows a detailed ethics policy framework that covers fraud policy, anti-bribery and anti-corruption policy, policies against employee harassment,

Conceptual framework in accounting are useless. Critically evaluate Essay

Conceptual framework in accounting are useless. Critically evaluate - Essay Example In this view, Tinker was in support that accounting is not through which a language to communicate (W Schweiker (1992) Accounting theories are structures that unify a basic logic or a system of reasoning. It is through this reasoning that purely speculative and interpreting decisions that accounting users this are the key stakeholders such as the shareholders use to reach their key decisions making and further analysis is done. The accounting concepts are neither laws no rules they are opinions that have been discussed and agreed to be followed. Their origin dates back to 1971 a certification of SSAP2 which included the going concern concept, the Prudence concept, Accruals and the consistency concept. The going concern concept views a business as a continuous project with no end and it is the value of the business to break it down into bits to be easy in accounting. The first assumption is the economic entity assumption this operates under the banner that the economic activities between the business and the owner is different this does not refer to the final adjustment of many activities as owners t ry to use this principle to their advantage This has been used by managers by hiding a lot of cash in different countries and avoid some checks and balances in their countries (G Morgan (1982). The enticement of tax haven have made it easier for financial users to be denied the chance and They have been able to do this due to the difference in some of principles though the guidance should be based on generally accepted principle. The other assumption of accounting is the going concern which shows out this assumption provides the owner with the assumption that if the business books are reported that the business will continue for the rest of the time and works only to give a picture of a business which has no end. The monetary unit

Incomplete research project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Incomplete research project - Essay Example The visitors in turn will be happy to pay a reasonable amount in return for the services. That’s how the hospitality industry functions. With the emergence of big hotel chains hospitality came into being as an industry in itself. This study is an effort to analyse how The Goodwood Park Hotel has been able to take advantage of the globalisation and increasing economic activities. In the earlier times, travel to far off places used to take months to years, and it required grit and determination on the part of the adventurers to explore the other part of the world, and if they could live longer enough to go back to their native land, they would narrate the wonderful place that they could see, which in turn would encourage others around to go and see those places. Till the time Wright brothers presented the world with a flying machine, most of such travels used to take place with the help of ships, on foot, on camelback or on horseback. During those times people used to undertake travel as a part of trade and business and the business partner used to take care of the visitors. But gradually, the task of business partner was made easier by the hospitality industry, and such visits started gaining enough momentum after the aeroplanes were pressed into service. The hotel industry prospered with the increasing economic exchanges and cooperation in trades and servic es. Hospitality and tourism literally means carrying out the business activity by taking good care of our guests, with the help of facilities like comfortable stay, quality services, hygienic meals, better communication, transportation etc. Hospitality is all pervasive and has become central to the billion dollar industry and an upsurge in global economic activities. This study is being carried out with an aim of taking a realistic look at how the hospitality

Conceptual framework in accounting are useless. Critically evaluate Essay

Conceptual framework in accounting are useless. Critically evaluate - Essay Example In this view, Tinker was in support that accounting is not through which a language to communicate (W Schweiker (1992) Accounting theories are structures that unify a basic logic or a system of reasoning. It is through this reasoning that purely speculative and interpreting decisions that accounting users this are the key stakeholders such as the shareholders use to reach their key decisions making and further analysis is done. The accounting concepts are neither laws no rules they are opinions that have been discussed and agreed to be followed. Their origin dates back to 1971 a certification of SSAP2 which included the going concern concept, the Prudence concept, Accruals and the consistency concept. The going concern concept views a business as a continuous project with no end and it is the value of the business to break it down into bits to be easy in accounting. The first assumption is the economic entity assumption this operates under the banner that the economic activities between the business and the owner is different this does not refer to the final adjustment of many activities as owners t ry to use this principle to their advantage This has been used by managers by hiding a lot of cash in different countries and avoid some checks and balances in their countries (G Morgan (1982). The enticement of tax haven have made it easier for financial users to be denied the chance and They have been able to do this due to the difference in some of principles though the guidance should be based on generally accepted principle. The other assumption of accounting is the going concern which shows out this assumption provides the owner with the assumption that if the business books are reported that the business will continue for the rest of the time and works only to give a picture of a business which has no end. The monetary unit

Non-cash expenditure Essay Example for Free

Non-cash expenditure Essay CASE 1 The effectiveness of the conceptual framework for the Financial Accounting Standards Board is high. Unfortunately, its effect to outsiders is limited. As already stated, the conceptual framework will aid in the setting of accounting standards. However, only internal persons of the Financial Accounting Standards Board are involved in the standard setting process. Therefore such yardstick will only beneficial to them, because outsiders like accountants will have to abide with the standard issues. Indeed it is a normal trend that standards issued are adjusted in the future due to industrial factors that they omitted to consider or did not tackle properly. An argument in favor of the conceptual framework with respect to outsiders is that it enhanced the credibility of financial statements through the issue of objectives and concepts in such framework (Foster M. J. et al 2001, p 2). CASE 2 a) The cash basis of accounting is based on the premise that a transaction is recorded once cash inflow or cash outflows arises on cash and cash equivalents (Randall H 1999, p 247). On the contrary the accrual basis of accounting is based on the concept that revenue and expenditure are recorded once incurred and not when the cash receipt or payment arises (Randall H. 1999, p 191). For example, if license of a motor vehicle of $1,200 is paid in the beginning of November and the financial year-end is 31st December. Under the cash basis $1,200 is deducted. However, under the accruals basis only expenditure of $200 is recorded representing the expense incurred in November and December. b) The bank should always lend money in good faith. That is the money ought to be lend to persons who are financially capable to repay it in a given time frame. We should bear in mind that the money lent by the bank is coming from the depositors’ funds, which have in turn trusted the bank with their money. A fundamental principle of the code of ethical conduct of professionals states that the decisions taken by such parties should deter from providing harm to other parties and ought respect the rights of others (Association of Accounting Technicians 2007, p 7). Therefore if the bank manager of Ernest Banks knows that if the financial reports of the firm at hand are prepared on an accruals basis, which will eventually lead to lower profits. There is the risk that the financial ability of the company to pay the interest and capital commitments concerning the loan diminish. They should therefore take remedial action in order to mitigate such risk and thus safeguard the resources entrusted by depositors. c) The problem at hand identified in the previous question necessitates that the owner is informed of this issue as soon as possible. They ought to explain that the cash balance reported in the monthly bank statements does not represent the actual profit made by the business enterprise. Such illustration should be made in light of the weaker financial ability of the company to pay interest and capital commitments on the present loan that the firm will face in the nearby future. Since the business is experiencing growth there is still potential for the firm to mitigate the problem at hand. This stems the importance of informing the owner of such issue, who will take remedial action to solve it. However, the bank should refrain from providing specific solutions, since liabilities may arise if such solutions do not solve or possible even worsen the present financial performance of the company. CASE 3 1) The net increase in cash and cash equivalents originating in the cash flow statement is different from the net income portrayed in the income statement due to the different principles followed that where contrasted in the previous question of the former case. The reason for such disparity stem from a number of factors. For example, in the cash flow statement only the cash received from cash sales and debtors is recorded. In the income statement, all the sales incurred are taken into account. Similarly the cash payments for purchases, expenditure and to creditors are shown in the cash flow statement. However, in the income state all expenditure and purchases incurred in that time frame are taken into account (Lewis R. et al 1996, p 317). Non-cash expenditure like provision for depreciation and provision for slow moving stock are deducted from the profit figure. These are omitted from the cash flow statement since they do not represent cash outflows. Further more, capital expenditure incurred and paid during the period is recorded under the investing activities of the cash flow statement. This even though incurred is not portrayed in the income statement, but is recorded in the balance sheet due to its materiality and long-term effect. Hence it will affect cash flow but not net income. This thus clarifies the reason why the net income of $100,000 significantly differs from the actual cash flow balance depicted in the cash flow statement. 2) The operating cash flow, which eventually portrays the cash inflow or outflow from operating activities is very important for the organization, since it should the net cash generated/lost from the firm’s operations. From the differences noted previously it is important that a company not only makes profit but also generates sufficient cash from its operations to be able to meet its financial obligations (Weetman P. 2003, p 185-186). The operating cash flow should be considered as the lifeblood of the firm. Without cash from the operating activities the firm cannot operate for long. It is therefore important that a consistent net cash inflow from operating activities is shown in the financial statements. 3) The sources of cash flow that can be replaceable by new growth are long-term debts that mature and are taken back to finance new growth prospects. Fixed assets classified under investing activities can also be renewed once they finish their possible economic benefits by purchasing similar or better ones. Redeemable share capital, both ordinary and preference can also be renewed by another issue of such finance instruments (Lewis R. et al 1996, p 321). 4) The first basic solution of improving cash flow in view of the cash issue outlined is by focusing on sales and inventory management. By increasing the inventory turnover and diminishing the money tied up in stock by reducing stock levels can be useful remedies in order to free up some cash and enhance the liquidity of the James Spencer Corporation. Cash sales can also be boosted through the introduction of cash discounts. It is also pertinent that present debtors are properly chased by the credit control department to ensure that cash is collected on time (Bernabucci B.2005). Financial managers can also alleviate cash by reducing the debtors collection period through effective credit control policies and procedures put in practice and increase the creditors collection period from the present and potential suppliers. The factoring services provided by factor companies can be another viable solution to enhance cash flow from debtors. Factoring basically comprises the forwarding of a debt to a factor company at a reduced rate than the face value of such debt in exchange of a cash receipt of that account receivable (Ccassociates). For example a debtor of $10,000 of Company A is transferred to a factor company at 85%. Company A will receive $8,500 from such account receivable and then it is the responsibility of the factor company to collect the $10,000 from the trade debtor. James Spencer Corporation can also cushion its cash by either opting for an overdraft facility or increasing the present overdraft. This will act as a buffer against any unforeseen events that may weaken the cash flow of the firm. Even though bank overdraft is payable on demand by the bank, such debt medium is extremely flexible. This is due to the fact that the company can utilize how much of the debt it seems fit (Washington State University). For example if the overdraft facility is of $50,000, the company may take only $20,000 of such overdraft. References: Association of Accounting Technician (2007). Professional Ethics. Berkshire: Kaplan Publishing. Bernabucci B. (2005). Improving you Cash Flow Problems, Entrepreneur. com (on line). Available from: http://www. entrepreneur. com/money/moneymanagement/financialanalysis/article79084. html (Accessed 15th November 2007). Ccassociates. The Factoring Solution (on line). Available from: http://www. ccassociates. com/factoring_solution_accounts_receivable_factoring_explained. html (Accessed 15th November 2007). Foster M. J. ; Johnson L. T. (2001). Why does the FASB have a Conceptual Framework? Financial Accounting Standards Board (on line). Available from: http://www. fasb. org/articlesreports/conceptual_framework_uti_aug_2001. pdf (Accessed 16th November 2007) IAS 17 (2000). Leases. London: International Accounting Standards Committee. International Accounting Standards (2000). Framework for the Preparation and Presentation of Financial Statements. London: International Accounting Standards Committee. Lewis R. ; Pendrill D. (1996). Advanced Financial Accounting. Fifth Edition. London: Pitman Publishing. Washington State University. Short Term Sources of Finance (on line). Available from: http://cbdd. wsu. edu/kewlcontent/cdoutput/TOM505/page36. htm (Accessed 15th November 2007). Weetman P. (2003). Financial and Management Accounting. Third Edition. Essex: Pearson Education Limited.

Advantages and disadvantages of social capital

Advantages and disadvantages of social capital In this essay I explore advantages and disadvantages social capital, which relates to social networks, the people we trust and mutual exchange of favours, the main feature here being social networks as they can be valuable to both the individual and the community, allowing information to be shared as well as promoting individuals and communities to be more trusting and equal. Social capital has been defined in different ways over the years; James Coleman developed the concept as: The types of relations that exist between individuals as located within both families and communities, and that are said to exert a strong influence on levels of educational achievement. Scott, J. and G. Marshall, (2005:606). This view linking relationships within families and communities as a determinant of individuals social capital, identifying certain achievements as strong if these relationships are strong too: Deficiencies in social capital such as would follow from single-parenthood, decreased parental involvement with the child or with family activities, and low levels of interaction between adults and especially parents in local communities were detrimental to development in adolescence. Scott, J. and G. Marshall, (2005:606). Other influences on social capital include the social structures and the environment, which surround individuals, as well as their culture, norms and sanctions. This demonstrated in the three different types of networks within social capital, which include bonding, bridging and linking. Bonding can be described as the social support we may receive from the people we are close to as part of our backgrounds, it Relates to common identity, for example ties among people who are similar to each otherà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦within communities. IDeA, (21/10/08), which include family members, individuals sharing the same ethnic groups or clubs. While Bridging can be described as the social cohesion between individuals and groups, bringing people together who would not normally relate to each other, it Relates to diversity, for example ties among people who are different from one an otherà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦across communities. IDeA, (21/10/08), which includes the conversations of varied views and interests between associations. Lastly, Linking, where the associations between those gaining independence and democratic lifestyles due to status are links with those in authority, it Relates to power, for example ties with those in authority or between different social classes between communities and organisations and with structures outside communities. IDeA, (21/10/08), which includes powerful institutions and the decision-making process for example, local authorities. It is important to suggest that for social capital to be strong, Bridging is the most important concept as it allows for more information to be passed between individuals and greater confidence for individuals and groups to become more involved with each other creating associations to benefit both the individual and the community: The Community Development Foundation describes social capital as increasing the confidence and capacity of individuals and small groups to get involved in activities and build mutually supportive networks that hold communities together. IDeA, (21/10/08). Also, Robert Putnam who agrees with the concept that trust, norms and networks, that can improve the efficiency of society by facilitating coordinated actions Putnam, R. (1993:167) cited by Harris, J. (2002:2), widens the concept, emphasising the importance of peoples involvement within informal activities and voluntarily participating or being part of voluntary associations, this also showing the importance of Bridging capital. However, as important social capital is claimed to be, Putnam has claimed a decrease in public participation in these informal activities and voluntary associations in particular societies therefore having a negative impact on social cohesion: Over the past thirty years we have become ever more alienated from one another and from our social and political institutions, and that this disengagement poses a critical threat to our personal health, local communities and national well-being. This taken from The Saguaro Seminar, Bowling Alone, (2007). Ii is important to evaluate some of the positive and negative affects of social capital, and here it is clear that some of the positive affects could include impact on individuals happiness as they form relationships and associations to benefit income as well as on personal health, while on the community, a positive impact could be shown on crime rates and educational attainment and more effective government, however, as Putnam claims above that there is a decline in social capital and therefore this having a negative influence to individuals and communities, (for example, increasing crime rates, decreasing educational achievement, teenage pregnancy, child suicide, etc).   The negative affects of social capital could include social exclusion as many groups achieve internal cohesion at the expense of outsiders, who can be treated with suspicion, hostility or outright hatred Walker, A. (2004). Also, social capital can be used for bad purposes, perhaps for profit rather than support of individuals and communities as they network. The idea that there are less people participating in voting and showing political interest than those who take part in volunteering organisations perhaps shows one of the ways in which the voluntary and community sector are increasingly becoming an important feature within societies. It is first important to understand the meaning of volunteer and community and then how they are important as a whole, a third sector. Volunteering is any activity which involves spending time, unpaid, doing something which aims to benefit someone (individuals or groups) other than or in addition to, close relatives, or to benefit the environment National Survey of Volunteering, (1997). Voluntary associations have been defined as: Any public, formally constituted, and non commercial organisation of which membership is optional, within a particular society. Scott, J. and G. Marshall, (2005:691). This could include churches, political parties, pressure groups, leisure activity groups as well as professional associations, to encourage public participation to maintain social order. The key features of voluntary organisations includes that they are independent and self-governing, driven by values and are to support others not to profit themselves, while a Community is a group of people living together in one place who share either a common religion, race or other characteristic or interest that allows the group to be considered collectively. Communitarianism emphasises the importance of responsibility and finding solutions to social problems within the community. Mark Granovetter (1973) developed a weak ties theory that suggests individuals have strong ties, such as close friends and family, similarly to bonding, shows the support between individuals, while weak ties are those individuals have with acquaintances which can help to develop socio-economic status similarly to bridging in social capital. This concept demonstrates one of the ways in which social capital and the community are interconnected. Together, the two above notions of volunteering and the community have much contribution toward improving individuals and groups lives. The Voluntary and Community Sector, (VCS), has been outlined by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), as comprising the following characteristics:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Self-governing organisations, some registered charities, some incorporate non-profit organisations and some outside both classifications.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Great range of size and structure of organisations.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Work delivered for the public benefit, beyond the membership of individual VCOs.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Independence of both formal structures of government and the profit sector.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Important reliance on volunteers to carry out its work. IDeA (18/09/08). This showing the importance that social capital and the government has on the VCS as networks and policy, and are needed to allow for the sector to grow and benefit the community, allowing for social cohesion and a growth of public participation, this avoiding the affects of what Putnam describes as Bowling Alone. The way in which the VCS can be interconnected to social capital and government policy is shown by the cross-cutting review as the VCSs are for building social capitalà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦contributing expertise and experience to policy formulation. IDeA (18/09/08). There are many advantages of the Voluntary and Community Sector, some of these include that there is variation in scope and it is very diverse, allowing any members of the public to participate in benefiting the community as well as themselves. Also, the NCVO outlines that the VCS builds social capital, which helps to bind society together. IDeA, (18/09/08). In addition the needs of others are met through expertise and experience IDeA (18/09/08), this allowing participants such as volunteers to gain training and skills to benefit themselves and the community. Flexibility is also an advantage, which allows for changing needs to be accounted for. However, a disadvantage could still include the issue of social exclusion as a particular group may become less involved within the community as others form associations. It is important to consider the way in which government policy is connected to social capital and to the voluntary and community sector, to help analyse the extent to which they are interconnected. In recent years Government interest in, and support for the Third sector organisations has been unprecedented. This can be seen for example in proposals for:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Modernising the legal and regulatory framework for charities and the wider not-for-profit sector  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Facilitating third sector involvement in public service delivery, and  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Local regeneration and civil renewal schemes NCVO, (2005-2007) This shows how the government have helped to support the third sector by allowing implementing policies, which allow the sector to benefit. More recently, the sectors have become ever more associated with each other as they begin to work together due to the government being less able to deal with certain social problems alone: There is now greater understanding that effective policy responses to many social problems such as inequality, unemployment and social exclusion require a cross-sectoral approach, with the government working with the third sector and the community. Walker, A. (2004). This cross-sectoral approach takes into account that partnerships are the key to adjust areas of concern within society, allowing expertise and more funding toward services for greater gain and stronger social capital: There are now an increasing number of departmental strategy documents making reference to the advantages of addressing issues of social capital in policy as a means of improving social outcomes and promoting community cohesiveness and development. Walker, A. (2004). The implications partnerships will have includes that the community will benefit as more people will want to participate in the structures, as more plans are made. This also having a positive affect on community safety; such as neighbourhood watch schemes, involving local people in criminal justice. Overall, analysing the way in which social capital works as well as the development of the voluntary and community sector over recent years and the changing strategies of working together with other sectors such as the government, in order to maintain social order and benefit communities as a whole, it is evident that the three sectors are interconnected on many levels, whether it is to build bridges and create networks to benefit the community or to provide some sort of service to help in providing benefits as a whole. Reference Walker, A. (2004), Understanding Social Capital within Community/Government Policy Networks Scott, J. and G. Marshall, (2005), Oxford Dictionary of Sociology, Oxford University Press Inc, New York NCVO, (2005-2007), http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/policy/index.asp?id=2761 page updated (2007) The Saguaro Seminar-Civic Engagement in America, (2007), Bowling Alone http://www.bowlingalone.com/media.htm Voluntary and Community Sector, (2008), http://www.idea.gov.uk Putnam, R. D. (1993) The prosperous community: social capital and public life Social Capital and Innovation Policy Klaus Nielsen (research paper, 2003). www.lgib.gov.uk (2006) Social Inclusion.