Insectivorous Plants free essay sample

The rapid acid growth allows the sundew tentacles to bend, aiding in the retention and digestion of prey. [5] Pitfall traps Main article: Pitcher plant Pitfall traps are thought to have evolved independently on at least four occasions. The simplest ones are probably those of Heliamphora, the marsh pitcher plant. In this genus, the traps are clearly derived evolutionarily from a simple rolled leaf whose margins have sealed together. These plants live in areas of high rainfall in South America such as Mount Roraima and consequently have a problem ensuring their pitchers do not overflow. To counteract this problem, natural selection has favoured the evolution of an overflow similar to that of a bathroom sink—a small gap in the zipped-up leaf margins allows excess water to flow out of the pitcher. Heliamphora is a member of the Sarraceniaceae, a New World family in the order Ericales (heathers and allies). Heliamphora is limited to South America, but the family contains two other genera, Sarracenia and Darlingtonia, which are endemic to the Southeastern United States (with the exception of one species) and California respectively. We will write a custom essay sample on Insectivorous Plants or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Sarracenia purpurea subsp. urpurea (the northern pitcher plant) can be found as far north as Canada. Sarracenia is the pitcher plant genus most commonly encountered in cultivation, because it is relatively hardy and easy to grow. Darlingtonia californica: note the small entrance to the trap underneath the swollen balloon and the colourless patches that confuse prey trapped inside. In the genus Sarracenia, the problem of pitcher overflow is solved by an operculum, which is essentially a flared leaflet that covers the opening of the rolled-leaf tube and protects it from rain. Possibly because of this improved waterproofing, Sarracenia species secrete enzymes such as proteases and phosphatases into the digestive fluid at the bottom of the pitcher; Heliamphora relies on bacterial digestion alone. The enzymes digest the proteins and nucleic acids in the prey, releasing amino acids and phosphate ions, which the plant absorbs. Darlingtonia californica, the cobra plant, possesses an adaptation also found in Sarracenia psittacina and, to a lesser extent, in Sarracenia minor: the operculum is balloon-like and almost seals the opening to the tube. This balloon-like chamber is pitted with areolae, chlorophyll-free patches through which light can penetrate. Insects, mostly ants, enter the chamber via the opening underneath the balloon. Once inside, they tire themselves trying to escape from these false exits, until they eventually fall into the tube. Prey access is increased by the fish tails, outgrowths of the operculum that give the plant its name. Some seedling Sarracenia species also have long, overhanging opercular outgrowths; Darlingtonia may therefore represent an example of neoteny. Brocchinia reducta: a carnivorous bromeliad The second major group of pitcher plants are the monkey cups or tropical pitcher plants of the genus Nepenthes. In the hundred or so species of this genus, the pitcher is borne at the end of a tendril, which grows as an extension to the midrib of the leaf. Most species catch insects, although the larger ones, particularly N. rajah, also occasionally take small mammals and reptiles. These pitchers represent a convenient source of food to small insectivores. Nepenthes bicalcarata possesses two sharp thorns that project from the base of the operculum over the entrance to the pitcher. These likely serve to lure insects into a precarious position over the pitcher mouth, where they may lose their footing and fall into the fluid within. [6] The pitfall trap has evolved independently in at least two other groups. The Albany pitcher plant Cephalotus follicularis is a small pitcher plant from Western Australia, with moccasin-like pitchers. The rim of its pitchers opening (the peristome) is particularly pronounced (both secrete nectar) and provides a thorny overhang to the opening, preventing trapped insects from climbing out. The lining of most pitcher plants is covered in a loose coating of waxy flakes, which are slippery for insects, prey that are often attracted by nectar bribes secreted by the peristome and by bright flower-like anthocyanin patterning. In at least one species, Sarracenia flava, the nectar bribe is laced with coniine, a toxic alkaloid also found in hemlock, which probably increases the efficiency of the traps by intoxicating prey. [7] The final carnivore with a pitfall-like trap is the bromeliad Brocchinia reducta. Like most relatives of the pineapple, the tightly-packed, waxy leaf bases of the strap-like leaves of this species form an urn. In most bromeliads, water collects readily in this urn and may provide habitats for frogs, insects and, more useful for the plant, diazotrophic (nitrogen-fixing) bacteria. In Brocchinia, the urn is a specialised insect trap, with a loose, waxy lining and a population of digestive bacteria. [citation needed] Flypaper traps The leaf of a Drosera capensis bending in response to the trapping of an insect The flypaper trap is based on a sticky mucilage, or glue. The leaf of flypaper traps is studded with mucilage-secreting glands, which may be short and nondescript (like those of the butterworts), or long and mobile (like those of many sundews). Flypapers have evolved independently at least five times. In the genus Pinguicula, the mucilage glands are quite short (sessile), and the leaf, while shiny (giving the genus its common name of butterwort), does not appear carnivorous. However, this belies the fact that the leaf is an extremely effective trap of small flying insects (such as fungus gnats), and its surface responds to prey by relatively rapid growth. This thigmotropic growth may involve rolling of the leaf blade (to prevent rain from splashing the prey off the leaf surface) or dishing of the surface under the prey to form a shallow digestive pit. The sundew genus (Drosera) consists of over 100 species of active flypapers whose mucilage glands are borne at the end of long tentacles, which frequently grow fast enough in response to prey (thigmotropism) to aid the trapping process. The tentacles of D. burmanii can bend 180Â ° in a minute or so. Sundews are extremely cosmopolitan and are found on all the continents except the Antarctic mainland. They are most diverse in Australia, the home to the large subgroup of pygmy sundews such as D. pygmaea and to a number of tuberous sundews such as D. peltata, which form tubers that aestivate during the dry summer months. These species are so dependent on insect sources of nitrogen that they generally lack the enzyme nitrate reductase, which most plants require to assimilate soil-borne nitrate into organic forms. Drosera capensis responding to captured prey. This scene is about 4 hours in real-time. Closely related to Drosera is the Portuguese dewy pine, Drosophyllum, which differs from the sundews in being passive. Its leaves are incapable of rapid movement or growth. Unrelated, but similar in habit, are the Australian rainbow plants (Byblis). Drosophyllum is unusual in that it grows under near-desert conditions; almost all other carnivores are either bog plants or grow in moist tropical areas. Recent molecular data (particularly the production of plumbagin) indicate that the remaining flypaper, Triphyophyllum peltatum, a member of the Dioncophyllaceae, is closely related to Drosophyllum and forms part of a larger clade of carnivorous and non-carnivorous plants with the Droseraceae, Nepenthaceae, Ancistrocladaceae and Plumbaginaceae. This plant is usually encountered as a liana, but in its juvenile phase, the plant is carnivorous. This may be related to a requirement for specific nutrients for flowering. Snap traps The snap traps of Dionaea muscipula close rapidly when the sensitive hairs on the leaf lobes are triggered. The only two active snap traps—the Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) and the waterwheel plant (Aldrovanda vesiculosa)—are believed to have had a common ancestor with similar adaptations. Their trapping mechanism has also been described as a mouse trap , bear trap or man trap, based on their shape and rapid movement. However, the term snap trap is preferred as other designations are misleading, particularly with respect to the intended prey. Aldrovanda is aquatic and specialised in catching small invertebrates; Dionaea is terrestrial and catches a variety of arthropods, including spiders. [8] The traps are very similar, with leaves whose terminal section is divided into two lobes, hinged along the midrib. Trigger hairs (three on each lobe in Dionaea muscipula, many more in the case of Aldrovanda) inside the trap lobes are sensitive to touch. When a trigger hair is bent, stretch-gated ion channels in the membranes of cells at the base of the trigger hair open, generating an action potential that propagates to cells in the midrib. [9] These cells respond by pumping out ions, which may either cause water to follow by osmosis (collapsing the cells in the midrib) or cause rapid acid growth. [10] The mechanism is still debated, but in any case, changes in the shape of cells in the midrib allow the lobes, held under tension, to snap shut,[9] flipping rapidly from convex to concave[11] and interring the prey. This whole process takes less than a second. In the Venus flytrap, closure in response to raindrops and blown-in debris is prevented by the leaves having a simple memory: for the lobes to shut, two stimuli are required, 0. 5 to 30 seconds apart. The snapping of the leaves is a case of thigmonasty (undirected movement in response to touch). Further stimulation of the lobes internal surfaces by the struggling insects causes the lobes to close even tighter (thigmotropism), sealing the lobes hermetically and forming a stomach in which digestion occurs over a period of one to two weeks. Leaves can be reused three or four times before they become unresponsive to stimulation, depending on the growing conditions. The tip of one stolon of Utricularia vulgaris, showing stolon, branching leaf-shoots, and transparent bladder traps Bladder traps Bladder traps are exclusive to the genus Utricularia, or bladderworts. The bladders (vesicula) pump ions out of their interiors. Water follows by osmosis, generating a partial vacuum inside the bladder. The bladder has a small opening, sealed by a hinged door. In aquatic species, the door has a pair of long trigger hairs. Aquatic invertebrates such as Daphnia touch these hairs and deform the door by lever action, releasing the vacuum. The invertebrate is sucked into the bladder, where it is digested. Many species of Utricularia (such as U. sandersonii) are terrestrial, growing on waterlogged soil, and their trapping mechanism is triggered in a slightly different manner. Bladderworts lack roots, but terrestrial species have anchoring stems that resemble them. Temperate aquatic bladderworts generally die back to a resting turion during the winter months, and U. acrorhiza appears to regulate the number of bladders it bears in response to the prevailing nutrient content of its habitat. Lobster-pot traps Genlisea violacea traps and leaves A lobster-pot trap is a chamber that is easy to enter, and whose exit is either difficult to find or obstructed by inward-pointing bristles. Lobster pots are the trapping mechanism in Genlisea, the corkscrew plants. These plants appear to specialise in aquatic protozoa. A Y-shaped modified leaf allows prey to enter but not exit. Inward-pointing hairs force the prey to move in a particular direction. Prey entering the spiral entrance that coils around the upper two arms of the Y are forced to move inexorably towards a stomach in the lower arm of the Y, where they are digested. Prey movement is also thought to be encouraged by water movement through the trap, produced in a similar way to the vacuum in bladder traps, and probably evolutionarily related to it. Outside of Genlisea, features reminiscent of lobster-pot traps can be seen in Sarracenia psittacina, Darlingtonia californica, and, some horticulturalists argue, Nepenthes aristolochioides.

The Annual Inflation Rate Essays - Monetary Policy, Inflation

The Annual Inflation Rate Essays - Monetary Policy, Inflation The Annual Inflation Rate The Annual Inflation Rate Just about everything we do as a nation lends to the annual inflation rate. In this article, though, I have chosen four of the most important variables that influence inflation the most. Inflation is the sustained increase in prices, or in other words, a steady decline in the buying power of the dollar. I have come up with an equation that includes the following variables: the unemployment rate, the federal funds interest rate, per capita income, and new home sales. These variables consistently have shown a relationship to the inflation rate and aggregately may help to explain the cause of inflation. The first variable I chose was the unemployment rate. This is the annual average of persons 15 years of age or older, actively seeking and available for work, but unemployed. (BLS). The relationship between unemployment and inflation provides evidence of a short-run trade-off between the two variables known as the short-run Phillips curve (BLS). The relationship suggests that by accepting higher inflation levels, the Fed can use monetary policy to stimulate the economy and temporarily reduce unemployment. When prices go up, the wages are affected also. This occurs because if no adjustments are made, then the same wages will buy less goods and services, which affects consumer spending. Less spending means less profits, which ends in layoffs and higher unemployment. The flip side reveals the effect of unemployment on inflation. The hypothesis for this variable is that as the unemployment rate decreases, the annual inflation rate will increase. The reasoning here is that if more people are employed and have money, there is more spending, more demand, and therefore prices will rise. The second variable I chose was the federal funds interest rate. Federal funds are the Feds channel of affecting the economy through the banks. The Fed aims to maintain a steady economy with steady growth and stable prices. Too much money results in price increases, or inflation. Too little money slows growth. To increase money, the Fed buys bank-owned government securities. It pays with deposits, which enable more loans, which enable more deposits, and so on. To reduce money, the Fed sells government securities, and banks pay from their Fed accounts. This reduces reserves, forcing banks to reduce loans. So they raise interest rates to consumers and businesses. While reducing loans, a bank may find that its reserves are less than allowed under Fed regulations. To stay legal, it phones for a one-night loan from a bank with excess reserves. The borrowed funds move from one banks Fed account to anothers, thus the name federal funds (Fedpoint15, p.2). The federal fund interest rate is a good indicator of what aims the Fed has for the economy and what state we are currently in. The hypothesis for this variable is that if the Fed raises interest rates, there must be too much money in the economy. The Fed is predicting a rise in inflation rates. So a rise in federal fund interest rates will reveal a rise in the inflation rate. The next variable I chose to explain inflation was per capita income. When consumers have and are spending more money, prices will continue to climb. Income though, plays another role in inflation. A rise in per capita income is a good indicator of higher wages. Wage escalation is a direct result of low unemployment rates. The more people working the more money is being made and spent, more demand and thus higher prices. Take a look from a different angle. (Lonski, p.1). The hypothesis here is that as per capita income increases, inflation will also increase. More money means more spending and more demand, as stated previously. Thus, prices will inflate. Other factors may also play a role such as when interest rates are raised to combat inflation. Will we then see the opposite effect take place? The fourth and final variable I chose to help explain inflation was new home sales. Construction spending is a good indicator of our nations economy, but the actual purchase of new homes is probably a better indicator of consumer spending. If the houses are built and no one is buying, it does not help the economy. Volume of sales

The List of All US Colleges with a Public Relations Major

Are you someone who can’t help but tell all your friends about your new favorite things? Maybe it’s a book you just read or a TV show you just finished, but as soon as you can, you’re looking for ways to tell more people so they can enjoy them too. Or maybe you love strategy and developing your campaign to run for student council was the highlight of your high school experience. Or maybe when something goes wrong at the nth hour, you’re the one everyone turns to for a solution—and you thrive on that adrenaline. If you can see yourself in any of those scenarios, Public Relations might be the major for you. Public Relations is a unique major that’s closely related to marketing, though they are different. In this major, you will develop strong writing and communication skills, learn data analysis, and set yourself up for success in a variety of fields. The most straightforward career path after studying Public Relations is, of course, to work in PR, either at a firm working on a variety of campaigns for different types of brands and products, or in-house for a specific brand working on all their products. Other careers that this major would prepare you well for include publicity, crisis management, and social media specialist, though strong writing and communication skills are highly sought after in many fields. It should come as no surprise that academic performance like your grades and test scores are important when applying as a Public Relations major. You will want an impressive GPA as well as a rigorous course load showing that you are taking advantage of your school’s available honors and AP classes, especially in classes that require strong writing skills like English and history courses. Because Public Relations is a more specialized major, one way to stand out is to curate your extracurriculars to demonstrate your interest early on. Look for school-level activities that relate to the skills you want to develop further with a Public Relations degree, like the newspaper, debate team, student council, and event planning committees. You can also look into interning with or shadowing a PR professional in your area. There’s a lot to consider when thinking of developing your college profile, which is why the Early Advising Program can help you decide on a strategy for your Public Relations application as early as 9 th or 10 th grade. You’ll be paired with a specialist who will help you decide on courses, pursue extracurriculars, and answer your early-stage college application questions. Because Public Relations is a more specialized major, fewer schools offer degree programs. This might be the biggest way you narrow down your school list, but even when looking just at schools with Public Relations majors, there is still a variety of other factors to consider, like size, location, or the feel of the campus. That’s why one of the best ways you can improve your chances of being accepted as a Public Relations major is creating a list of schools that are a good fit for you academically and personally. With the College Strategy Program , can help you build a strong school list as early as 11 th grade. You’ll work one on one with a specialist to tailor your school list based on your preferences and, with our exclusive chancing engine, understand how your profile compares to similar applicants. Because Public Relations is a field that requires strong communications skills, you will want to take extra care while writing your college application essays. Choose topics true to who you are and allow your voice to shine through while remaining within the prompt. This is your last opportunity to demonstrate your passion and predisposition for Public Relations, so your writing samples are especially important. With the Applications Program , you’ll be paired with an admissions specialist who will help you develop an essay strategy for applying to your top schools. They will provide one-on-one guidance throughout the admissions process and help you submit your best applications. Estimating your chance of getting into a college is not easy in today’s competitive environment. Thankfully, with our state-of-the-art software and data, we can analyze your academic and extracurricular profile and estimate your chances. Our profile analysis tool can also help you identify the improvement you need to make to enter your dream school. Abilene Christian University | ACU Alderson Broaddus University | AB American University Anderson University (Indiana) Anderson University (South Carolina) Appalachian State University Ashland University Auburn University Austin Peay State University | APSU Azusa Pacific University | APU Baldwin Wallace University | BW Ball State University | BSU Barry University Belhaven University Belmont University Bethel College (Indiana) Biola University Black Hills State University | BHSU Bloomsburg University | BloomU Boise State University | BSU Bowie State University | BSU Bradley University Brigham Young University | BYU C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University | LIU Post California Baptist University | CBU California State University, Dominguez Hills | CSUDH California State University, Fresno | CSU Fresno Canisius College Capital University Cardinal Stritch University Carroll College Carthage College Castleton University Central Michigan University | CMU Central Washington University | CWU Chapman University City College of New York | CCNY Coe College Columbia College (Missouri) Columbia College (South Carolina) Columbia College Chicago Concordia University Ann Arbor Concordia University Nebraska Concordia University Wisconsin | CUW Concordia University, St. Paul Culver–Stockton College Curry College Dallas Baptist University | DBU Delaware State University | Del State DePaul University Duquesne University East Central University | ECU East Texas Baptist University | ETBU Eastern Illinois University | EIU Eastern Kentucky University | EKU Eastern Michigan University | EMU Eastern New Mexico University | ENMU Emerson College Evangel University Fairfield University Fairleigh Dickinson University | FDU Ferris State University Fisher College Florida A&M University | FAMU Florida Gulf Coast University | FGCU Florida International University | FIU Florida Memorial University Florida State University | FSU Freed–Hardeman University | FHU Frostburg State University Gallaudet University Gannon University Georgia Southern University Golden Gate University | GGU Gonzaga University Goshen College Grand Valley State University | GVSU Hannibal–LaGrange University | HLGU Hardin–Simmons University | HSU Harding University Harris–Stowe State University Hofstra University Hunter College | CUNY Hunter Huntington University Illinois State University | ISU Indian River State College | IRSC Indiana University of Pennsylvania | IUP Iona College Iowa State University Jacksonville State University | JSU John Brown University | JBU Kalamazoo College Kansas Wesleyan University | KWU Kennesaw State University | KSU Kent State University Kutztown University of Pennsylvania | KU La Salle University La Sierra University | LSU Lake Erie College Lander University Lasell College | LC Lee University Lehman College | CUNY Lehman Lewis University Lincoln University (Missouri) Lindenwood University Lindsey Wilson College Lipscomb University Longwood University Loras College Louisiana College Louisiana State University | LSU Loyola University Chicago Marietta College Marshall University Marymount Manhattan College Marywood University McKendree University | McK Mercy College Messiah College Middle Tennessee State University | MTSU Millersville University of Pennsylvania | MU Milligan College Minnesota State University Moorhead | MSUM Mississippi Valley State University | MVSU Missouri Baptist University Missouri Southern State University Missouri State University | MSU Missouri Western State University Monmouth University Montana State University Billings | MSU Billings Montclair State University | MSU Mount Mary University Mount Mercy University Mount Vernon Nazarene University | MVNU Murray State University | MSU Muskingum University National Louis University | NLU New College of Florida New York Institute of Technology | NYIT Newberry College Nicholls State University North Dakota State University | NDSU Northcentral University Northern Kentucky University Northern Michigan University | NMU Northwest Nazarene University | NNU Oakland University Oakwood University Ohio Wesleyan University Oklahoma Baptist University | OBU Oklahoma Christian University | OC Old Dominion University | ODU Olivet Nazarene University | ONU Otterbein University Our Lady of the Lake University | OLLU Palm Beach Atlantic University | PBA Park University Pennsylvania State University | PSU Pepperdine University Peru State College Point Park University Quinnipiac University Radford University Rhodes College Rider University Robert Morris University | RMU (Pennsylvania) Rochester Institute of Technology | RIT Roger Williams University | RWU Rogers State University Rowan University Rutgers University–Newark Sacred Heart University | SHU Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota | SMU Salem State University Samford University San Jose State University | SJSU Savannah State University Seton Hall University Simmons College Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania | SRU South Dakota State University Southeastern University Southern Adventist University Southern Methodist University | SMU Southern New Hampshire University | SNHU Southwest Baptist University | SBU Spring Arbor University | SAU St. Anselm College St. John Fisher College St. John’s University St. Joseph’s College (New York) | SJC State University of New York at Fredonia | SUNY Fredonia State University of New York at Oswego | SUNY Oswego State University of New York at Plattsburgh | SUNY Plattsburgh Sterling College Suffolk University Syracuse University Taylor University Temple University Texas State University Union University University of Alabama University of Central Arkansas | UCA University of Central Florida | UCF University of Central Missouri | UCM University of Delaware University of Findlay | UF University of Florida University of Georgia University of Houston University of Idaho University of Louisiana at Lafayette | UL Lafayette University of Lynchburg University of Memphis University of Miami University of Mount Union University of Nebraska at Kearney | UNK University of Nebraska–Lincoln | UNL University of New Hampshire | UNH University of North Alabama | UNA University of North Florida | UNF University of Northwestern – St. Paul University of Oklahoma University of Oregon University of Rhode Island | URI University of South Carolina | USC University of South Carolina Upstate | USC Upstate University of South Dakota | USD University of South Florida | USF University of Southern California | USC University of Southern Indiana | USI University of Southern Mississippi | Southern Miss University of Tennessee University of Tennessee at Martin | UTM University of Texas at Austin | UT Austin University of Texas at San Antonio | UTSA University of the District of Columbia | UDC University of Wisconsin–Green Bay | UW–Green Bay University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh | UW Oshkosh University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point | UW–Stevens Point Utah Valley University | UVU Utica College Valdosta State University | VSU Virginia Tech Walla Walla University Washburn University Wayne State College Wayne State University | WSU Waynesburg University Weber State University Webster University West Liberty University West Texas A&M University | WTAMU West Virginia University | WVU West Virginia Wesleyan College Western Kentucky University | WKU Western Michigan University | WMU Wilkes University Winona State University | WSU Xavier University York College of Pennsylvania York College, City University of New York | CUNY York Youngstown State University With more than 10,000 students helped through the applications process, the Applications Program is a data-driven approach to college admissions. Working one-on-one with an admissions specialist, you’ll have access to exclusive tools like our chancing engine, which gives you your real admissions chances at hundreds of schools across the nation based on your academic and extracurricular profile, and our return-on-investment college cost calculator.

Royal Opera House analysis Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Royal Opera House analysis - Term Paper Example d analysis of the entire organization, products, uniqueness, strengths and weaknesses of it as a business model, and other imperative sectors which will enable others to understand how this organization functions and targets its demographic in order to serve the public by meeting cultural desires of the people for entertainment and also to provide jobs for those who are employed by the ballet and opera house as performers. The organization itself is a series of different theaters, both inside and outside that are home to the ballet, opera, and orchestra and also show many other performances. Not only is there an entertainment sector, but there is also an educational sector that serves as a program for young and promising dancers and musicians to further their knowledge in hopes to try their own personal talent. The students are coached as if at a school and become more formally educated than they would at a public or private school in London. The Royal Opera House is one of the top theaters in the world. While there are numerous other theaters in the area, many are much smaller than the Royal Opera House. This organization is supported by patrons, donors, and even grants. However, additional income is earned through the bars and restaurants that are included within the Royal Opera House. Another portion that serves as a fundraising opportunity for the organization is the gift shop which offers products both for sale onsite and also on the Internet. Music and the arts as a source of entertainment is very popular in this area. Located in the City of London, it is a place where not only locals but visitors can attend performances all year long. Many of the productions are targeted toward elitists. However, many of the programs produced at the Royal Opera House are starting to focus more on the youth. One recommendation is that the Royal Opera House continue to market toward the youth both as performers and as audience members. This is an excellent

The impact of out of stock in convenience sector( retail) Literature review

The impact of out of stock in convenience sector( retail) - Literature review Example They can be categorized as discount store, super market, convenience store, hyper market or departmental store. In the literature based on supply chains and logistics, when a customer is unable to find an item of his choice the retail store is considered to be out of stock. Actually, it is not difficult to say â€Å"out of stock†, but like many other issues taken under research; this issue has its own implications which can only be clarified through research (Charlton and Ehrenberg 1976). â€Å"Out of stock can be classified into two types: item and brand† (Fitzsimons 2000). Firstly, a stock keeping unit (SKU) of a particular brand may be out of stock and secondly all options of a particular brand in a single product can be out of stock. Out of Stock (OOS) has been defined differently by different researchers. Gruen and Corsten (2002) define OOS as â€Å"the percentage of SKUs that are OOS on the retail store shelf at a particular moment in time†. This means that the customer perceives that the item he wants will be available but it is not. Alternatively, from a consumer point of view, OOS is â€Å"the number of times a customer looks for the SKU and does not find it† (Corsten and Gruen 2003). ... First, retailers are battled with more charges in providing string of connections, due to high inventory, procurement, management, and warehouse costs. Second, it furthermore raises the likelihood that out-of-stocks (OOS) may happen, which may lead to clientele displeasure and shop disloyalty. As retailers strive to contend with discounters on service, OOS can harshly jeopardize their comparable place in the buyers’ mind. According to Campo et al. (2000), out of supply position not only decreases revenue but furthermore decrease of clients as well. In 20% situations shop swapping is due to out of supply situations. Presently, there have been a vast number of studies carried out by Emmelhainz et al. (1991), Verbeke et al. (1998), Campo et al. (2000), Gruen et al. (2002), Corsten and Gruen (2003) and Sloot et al. (2005). They were responsible for formation of factors which encourage buyer reactions, such as the category of inventory, the extent of brand devotion, type of consume r and the urgency of the requirement for the item. So all of these investigations were rather associated to assess buyer answer as an outcome of OOS position at retail- OOS position is too exorbitant for retailers, as it can originate a decrease in revenue; the study performed in 1968 for Progressive Grocer assessed more than eleven percent decrease in sales. Emmelhainz et al (1991) study outcomes display, for example, that a stock-out can make a constructor misplace more than fifty percent of his clients to competitors, alternatively retailers countenance the decrease of up to fourteen percent of the purchasers of the missing product. This income decrease does not only owe to lost sales all the way through the OOS experience, but can

Traffic Camera Lights Should Be Installed Essay Example for Free

Traffic Camera Lights Should Be Installed Essay Red light running is a common problem in roads and intersections. According to the focus report from Texas House Representatives, injuries and fatalities from red light crashes had increased annually from 10,000 in the year 1975 to 24,000 in the year 2001 (Focus Report, p 1). In California, from the report of the National Advisory Board, there is an approximately 200,000 crashes where 150,000 are from injuries and more than 1,100 fatalities in the year 2001. (National Campaign to Stop Red Light, p. 1). In the years 1992 to 2000, the number of road accidents that had caused death at signalized intersections had increased by 19% nationwide where the red light running being the frequent cause. Half of the deaths were innocent pedestrians and occupants in vehicles that had been hit by these red light runners (National Campaign to Stop Red Light, p. 1).. Financially, California Highway Patrol estimates that the red light running fatality had caused $2,600,000 and other accidents costs between $2,000 and $183,000 (National Campaign to Stop Red Light, p. 1). In Texas, accidents are   estimated to be cost at between $1.4 Billion. Medical, Insurance and other related expenses falls at about $3 billion annually. Federal Highway Administration from the US Department of Transportation, red light runnin more than 100,000 crashes and approximately 1,000 deaths annually (Federal Highway Administration, page 1).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In order to address the problem of red light running, authorities had decided to use cameras. Traffic light cameras had been used in the United States in the 90’s. John Quain states that New York had been one of the first areas that had installed camera devices to catch law-breaking individuals (nytimes.com, 2008). Red light Cameras main goal is to make people obey traffic rules and minimize if not eliminate red light runner violators.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are three types of cameras that had been used by the police. These are the film camera, digital camera and video camera (National Campaign to Stop Red Light, p 13). The film camera has a limited amount of images to capture but has the highest image resolution among the other two types. The digital camera captures the picture and directs it to the computer. There is no need to get or retrieved the image from the site because the captured images go straight to the database of the operator. Lastly, video cameras are used to detect the speed and capture the images to detect the violators. The cameras have different features to sense the position of the car. This includes the video motion sensors, laser tracking and the sensors embedded in the road. When the car passes the stop line and the light has turned red, the camera captures a series of pictures of the infraction. This includes the license plate of the violator. From these pictures, the owner of the vehicle is issued a ticket. The ticket and the photographic evidence from the camera is then given to the owner via mail (nytimes.com, 2008). In addition to the mail, according to Seattle Post Intelligence, the owner is tasked to pay the fine in 18 days, if the owner was not the one driving he or she must ask for a hearing or an affidavit. If the driver had signed the affidavit the ticket is nulled. The tickets issued to the owner do not appear in the driving records (seattlepi.com, 2008).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are many benefits in installing the traffic light cameras. First benefit is to the police force. In the article from the National Campaign to Stop Red light runners, it had been stressed that the police force monitors the roads and intersections in order to ensure that there are no violators. If a particular scenario happens, the police is sometimes forced to chase the violator for the traffic ticket. This particular procedure does not only waste the time of the police but it also wastes gasoline. There have also been procedures that had assigned a particular group to monitor the roads. These situations waste time and effort of not only a single policeman but a group of policemen. Since the cameras had been installed, the police had more time to worry about other things aside from monitoring the traffic (National Campaign to Stop Red Light, p 11). In the year 1998, the International Association of Chiefs of Police had supported the red light cameras. The resolution had indicated that red light cameras are there â€Å"for more effective and efficient traffic law, in conjunction with normal enforcement efforts.† (National Campaign to Stop Red Light, p 11).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Second benefit is that the red light cameras had been able to reduce the red light violations by 40% at intersections with cameras and a 50% reduction at intersections without cameras (thenewspaper.com, 2008). The reduction of violations only shows that there the goals of the red light cameras had been met. Third benefit is the financial aspect from the type of crash accidents that had happened. According to the Federal Highway Administration in America, there is an approximate aggregate economic benefit of $39,000 per site per year. The $39,000 benefit came from the minimized right angle crashes and the increase in rear accident crashes. Even though there was an increase in the rear end crashes the economic computation of the crashes had resulted to a positive benefit for society. Another angle of economic benefit is that the camera systems pay for itself because of the red light running fines that has been generated. (Federation Highway Administration, page 84).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another benefit that the red light camera brings is that it had become a deterrent to bring behaviour change to motorists. (National Campaign to Stop Red Light, p 8). The behaviour change does not only include obeying traffic rules, it also includes respect for fellow drivers which had resulted to avoiding crashes, injuries and loss of life. Recent studies show that there have been   25 to 30 percent reduction in intersection injury crashes (National Campaign to Stop Red Light, p 8). In Seattle, the frequency of light running dropped. Studies revealed that there has been a reduction of at least 50 percent. The study shows that the cameras had reduced the frequency of car collisions. Seattle had made a one-year pilot period and the city had issued that there have been 16,539 citations. These citations had resulted to $1.1 million in penalties. More than 70% of the ticketed violators had paid for their fines (seattlepi.com, 2008). In London, red light and speed cameras had shown a reduction of 54% in red light violations. The 11,000 violations that had ben recorded in the last 6 months of the year 2000 had been decreased to 5,000 in the first six months of the year 2001. (Red Light Press Clippings, Page 1). The red light camera had been installed in different areas in the United States and it has also contributed a lot in the reduction of accidents and injuries in the road. Oxnard California had shown that there have been a reduction of injury crashes at intersections with traffic signals by 29 percent since 1997. This does not only include the intersections with camera. Fairfax, Virginia had experience a decline of 44% after a year of camera enforcement. Washington D.C. had shown a reduction of fatalities from16 percent to 2 percent in the first two years of installation. Charlotte, North Carolina had experienced 70 percent in the first year of camera enforcement. New York City, Maryland, and California also had shown a reduction of violations ever since the cameras had been installed. There are many issues that surround the installation of red light cameras. There have been studies that show that the installation of the cameras had resulted to an increase in the rear-end crashes of cars. The issue had been the timing of the yellow light and the fear of the people about the ticketing from the traffic enforcement offices. Another issue is that the enforcers may have adjusted the cameras so that there would be more people who would incur traffic violations to increase the fine collection. Some of the people view the installation of these cameras as an additional tax collection that the government is collecting from the people. The â€Å"Big Brother† issue had also been discussed, several people question their right to privacy. It had been noted that the use of the red light cameras violates the privacy of the people. (US House of Representatives, 2001) There may have been issues that are against the red light cameras however, the proponent of this paper believes that it is better to install traffic cameras in all the intersections. It is more important to be able to care for the safety of the people rather than think about the privacy and costs. Life costs more than anything else and it is the duty of the police to take care of the citizens of the country. People feel safer because they know that it is safe in the streets. Knowing that there are safeguards such as traffic camera lights in the roads helps people think that they are secure. The reduction of the violations of red light running had shown very promising results. It is not only easier for the police force to know the violators but it had also brought about the increase of security in the roads. Since people would not be able to escape their violations, the people are then disciplined and as a such this brings behavioural change from the drivers. Works Cited    Robinson, B.A. , â€Å"Same Sex Marriages (SSM), Civil Unions and Domestic Partnerships†. Religous Tolerance, 30, Texas House of the Representatives. â€Å"Red-Light Cameras in Texas: A Status Reportâ€Å"   Focus Report. May 2001. House Research Organization. 10 February 2008. http://www.hro.house.state.tx.us/focus/redlight79-15.pdf Quain, J. â€Å"Lights, Camera, Traffic Ticket† Technology. 6 January 2008. New York Times. 10 February 2008. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/06/automobiles/06LIGHT.html?ex=1357275600en=fedd158c6b011f9bei=5088partner=rssnytemc=rss Federal Highway Administration. â€Å"Safety Evaluation of Red-Light Cameras†. U.S. Department of Transportation. April 2005. Research and Development Technology Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center. 10 February 2008. http://www.tfhrc.gov/safety/pubs/05048/05048.pdf National Campaign to Stop Red Light Running. â€Å"Stop on Red = Safe on Green†. 2002. National Campaign to Stop Red Light Running 10 February 2008. http://www.stopredlightrunning.com/pdfs/StopOnRedSafeOnGreen.pdf Galloway, Angela. â€Å"More red light cameras comingâ€Å" 2 January 2008. Seattle Post Intelligencer. 10 February 2008. http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/345753_redlight03.html BJS. â€Å"Red light cameras can reduce crash-related injuries† 20 April 2005. Science Blog. 10 Februar 2008. http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/node/7612/print Mobilizing the Region. â€Å"Facing Albany Roadblock, NYC must Fake Traffic Safety Program†. 24 November 2001. Tri-State Transportation Campaign. 10 February 2008.   http://www.tstc.org/bulletin/ City of Saskatoon. â€Å"Drive safe. Drive smart. Stop at red lights!â€Å" 2007. City of Saskatoon. 10 Februry 2008. http://saskatoon.ca/org/municipal_engineering/red_light_cameras/index.asp U.S. House of Representatives. â€Å"Red Light Camera Scam†. The Red Light Running Crisis May 2001. TheNewspaper.com 10 February 2007 http://www.thenewspaper.com/rlc/reports/rlcreport6.asp

Personality and the Workplace :: Workplace Essays

Personality and the workplace 1 Individual Assignment on Personality and the Workplace PSY 250 – Psychology of Personality Personality and the workplace 2 There are many situations that can be mentioned when we get into the subject about interpersonal situations at my workplace, but on in particular pops out to my attention, respect. Respect is the one thing that the military was built up on. Well, during the next few pages you will read about how it has changed throughout the years in the military or at least in my career field, how it has been dealt with, how it got this way, what can be done to change it and who is responsible for making the changes. Not only will you read about respect, you will also read about how higher promotion rates have motivated many of the newer supervisors into trying to make the career field a better one for everyone. Through the use of creativity, involvement and implementation these new supervisors are trying to make a change in our military discipline that is so greatly needed. Since I have returned to my current career field, after managing three dorms, I noticed that the level of respect has changed from when I was there 2 and a half years prior. We have acquired many new very young troops who don’t want to do what they are told, not only are the younger troops acting this way, but many of the non commissioned officers (NCOs) or should I say lower ranking supervisors are acting this way as well. Things aren’t how they use to be when I first came into the military, back then you were told to do something and you did it no questions asked. It got done simply because someone who out ranked you told you to do it. Now days the troops want an explanation to why they are asked to do something, they don’t do it or they do it wrong or carelessly. Personality and the workplace 3 Due to the diversity of the personalities in our workplace it becomes very difficult to try and pin point a specific personality trait for the cause of our problems. It varies based on each individual; sometimes it is due to the fact that we as supervisors allow our subordinates to get away with murder. In the case of the military we strive on discipline and respect, and when we allow a troop to disrespect any of us or just let them cross over the line once, they forget that they are in the armed forces and tend to lower their standards.

Miranda v Arizona Essay

Citation: 384 U.S. 436, 10 Ohio Misc. 9, 86 S. Ct. 1602, 16 L. Ed. 2d 694 (1966) Brief Fact Summary: Self-incriminating evidence was provided by the defendants while interrogated by police without prior notification of the Fifth Amendment Rights of the United States Constitution. Synopsis of Rule of Law: Authorities of the Government must notify suspects of their Fifth Amendment constitutional rights prior to an interrogation following an arrest. Facts: The Supreme Court of the United States consolidated four separate cases with issues regarding the admissibility of evidence obtained during police interrogations. * The first Defendant, Ernesto Miranda, was arrested for kidnapping and rape. Mr. Miranda was an immigrant, and although the officers did not notify Mr. Miranda of his rights, he signed a confession after two hours of investigation. The signed statement included a statement that Mr. Miranda was aware of his rights. * The second Defendant, Michael Vignera, was arrested for robbery. Mr. Vignera orally admitted to the robbery to the first officer after the arrest, and he was held in detention for eight hours before he made an admission to an assistant district attorney. There was no evidence that he was notified of his Fifth Amendment constitutional rights. * The third Defendant, Carl Calvin Westover, was arrested for two robberies. Mr. Westover was questioned over fourteen hours by local police, and then was handed to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents, who were able to get signed confessions from Mr. Westover. The authorities did not notify Mr. Westover of his Fifth Amendment constitutional rights. * The fourth Defendant, Roy Allen Stewart, was arrested, along with members of his family (although there was no evidence of any wrongdoing by his family) for a series of purse snatches. There was no evidence that Mr. Stewart was notified of his rights. After nine interrogations, Mr. Stewart admitted to the crimes. Issue: Whether the government is required to notify the arrested defendants of their Fifth Amendment constitutional rights against self-incrimination before they interrogate the defendants? Held: The government needs to notify arrested individuals of their Fifth Amendment constitutional rights, specifically: their right to remain silent; an explanation that anything they say could be used against them in court; their right to an attorney; and their right to have an attorney appointed to represent them if necessary. Without this notification, anything admitted by an arrestee in an interrogation will not be admissible in court. Dissent: Justice Tom Clark argued that the Due Process Clauses of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments of the Constitution would apply to interrogations. There is not enough evidence to demonstrate a need to apply a new rule as the majority finds here. The second dissent written by Justice John Harlan also argues that the Due Process Clauses should apply. Harlan further argues that the Fifth Amendment rule against self-incrimination was not intended to forbid any and all pressures against self-incrimination. Justice Byron White argued that there is no historical support for broadening the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution to include the rights that the majority extends in their decision. The majority is making new law with their holding. Argued: February 28, March 1, and March 2, 1966 Decided: June 13, 1966 Vote: 5-4 in favor of Defendants Conclusion: The majority notes that once an individual chooses to remain silent or asks to first see an attorney, any interrogation should cease. Further, the individual has the right to stop the interrogation at any time, and the government will not be allowed to argue for an exception to the notification rule. Follow-up (Miranda v. Arizona): After the Supreme Court overturned the conviction of Miranda, the State of Arizona retried him. Miranda was convicted in the second trial by Arizona and sentenced to 20-30 years; the confession by Miranda was not introduced as part of evidence.

Job dissatisfaction Essay

1.What symptom(s) in this case suggest that something has gone wrong? In this case, there are few symptoms clearly stated that something has gone wrong for this company. These symptoms can be classified into two main areas; one is the negative feedback from the customers and another one if from its own employee’s job dissatisfaction. As stated in this case, the customer services business has grown doubled in the past five years as the advancement of technology allowed employees to investigate most software and hardware system faults from the center through remote monitoring. However, as the business grows, there are possibility of increasing work load and pressure that causes the rise of those negative feedbacks from both customers and employees. First of all, the symptoms that suggested something had gone wrong includes the company was unable to live up through their customer’s expectation. This is shown by the increasing complaints regarding poor quality service by customers. Customers have commented that employees seem indifferent to the client’s problem, not enthusiastic in assisting and helping them. Besides, they also commented that they are receiving slow response to their problem where solving their issue requires the involvement of more than one department. This might due to poor procedure flow. Moreover, their customer also commented that employees are lacking of knowledge regarding client’s unique information technology system infrastructure. There are more symptoms being detected in employee side which include increased in employee resignations above industry average and employee referrals become rare. Employees are complaining about monotonous work where the work is lacking in variety and interest. Employees also commented that they are disconnected from the consequences of their work, where the outcome of their service is not made known to them. Conflicts that frequently occur among employees with different departments also a symptom that showing appropriate action must be taken by the management. Employees also complaining about the stress level are increasing when serving dissatisfied clients. It is clearly that the company is experiencing some growth; however, the management needs to find a solution to solve the arising issue where their employees are lacking of motivation in their job. However, the executive team’s decision to raise pay rates for its customer service staff and the vested profit-sharing plan does not improve the employees’ work performance or customers’ satisfaction. 2.What are the main causes of these symptoms? The main cause of these symptoms is the lack of motivation among customer service employees. As according to the results of employee survey and informal comments given by employees, we can conclude that most of the employees do not meet their job satisfaction. This is the main factor for the lack of engagement in doing their task, ended with poor performance in their customer service. The work effectiveness is strongly affected by employees’ work motivation and job satisfaction. The lack of motivation among customer service staff is caused by several factors which include the boredom from monotonous work, feels disconnected from the consequences of their work, conflicts with other departments and the stress serving unhappy clients. All of the above causes are leading to job dissatisfaction among employees which then driving poor quality service to their customers. They are lacking of common goal in their task. The relation between those factors and motivation level among employees can be explained by the Job Characteristic Model. According to Job Characteristic Model, five core job dimensions, skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy and feedback from job, produce three psychological states among employees and lead to higher level of internal work motivation, job satisfaction and work effectiveness. From the employee survey and informal comments, it is clear that the job is lack of variety and lacking of feedback from job. In addition, problem within the structure of the company causing conflicts between departments. This might due to lack of proper channel of communication from the time of query have been made by customer and the ticket is issued until the problem has been resolved. Besides, high quit  rate and lower productivity among new employees is another reason causing poor quality service to customers. The overall scenario does not improve but turned worst instead when the management takes the wrong approach in solving the problem by rising employees pay. The problem and causes of the poor quality service is not been analyzed and identified, thus there is no positive impact by just rising pay rates to customer service staff. This can be further discussed as ineffectiveness of reward. The reward given is not linked to the work performance; as the results, employees do not experience the positive emotions even when they receive higher pay or incentive from the vested profit-sharing plan. 3.What actions should Yakka Tech executives take to correct these problems? Yakka Tech executives should take few actions in order to correct these problems. These actions mainly focus on three parts, first is on boosting up employees job satisfaction to increase their job motivation. Secondly, the management should implement a better and more organize system for the flow of query between departments. Thirdly, the Yakka Tech executives should reconstruct the reward system in order to improve reward effectiveness. These problems must be properly addressed and analyzed before the company implements new solutions. Management shall gather more information regarding the factors causing employees job dissatisfaction which results in poor quality service. Productivity among employees is strongly related to their job engagement and job motivation. As in this case, the executives should establish a goal setting plan in order to help employees have a clear goal on their job which help in motivating the employees. By setting a precise goal can also help to motivate employees to stay in track. In addition, the executives can establish a feedback system to promote communication between management and staff. Set a regular employee survey, group meetings or other feedback system to enable employees to share their thoughts to the management. This is to allow the management to detect those areas that need improvement to have better employee engagement. An organized system is vital in any organization in order to promote smooth work flow. Yakka Tech should implement a better and more organize system to solve the communication problem between departments and the flow of query between departments. A clear procedure of work flow should be set and made known to all departments that involve in addressing customer’s problem. Moreover, adequate training for new employees and ongoing training for employee is important. This is to keep employees skills up-to-date and increase productivity. Reconstruct the reward system to promote reward effectiveness. The rates of pay do not increase productivity, but employee engagement does. The executives should come out a better incentive scheme to motivate their employees. For example, reward is given to employee who receives good comment from their customer or annual bonus is given to the team when the complaints rate is lower than the benchmark. The reward given should be always linked to the employee performance and the management should provide relevant reward the valued by their employee.

Mean Girls vs Julius Caesar Essays

Mean Girls vs Julius Caesar Essays Mean Girls vs Julius Caesar Paper Mean Girls vs Julius Caesar Paper Essay Topic: Julius Caesar The Tragedy of Julius Caesar and Mean Girls Both of these works were written in two different time periods, but have some of the most similar ideas. One way that these ;o arts are similar is the main leader Of their respective places. Another way theyre similar is the surrounding characters. Lastly, the other thing that is similar is the plot of each. In short, these two pieces of work are similar because the main ruler inside the work, the supporting actors, and how the story flows and goes. The first of the similarities is the leader of the movie and play. You can consider Regina George, the leader of the school campus, can be seen as Julius Caesar. She is the most popular at the school and everyone likes her, even though she doesnt like them too much. This is like when Julius Caesar was arriving back to Rome after his defeat of Pompom and everyone jumped to love Caesar even though their former great leader had died at hands of the fresh guy. Also, the other characters of both despise a plan to take down the popular being: Caesar and Regina. This showed that they all had a powerful struts and hate towards the main leader. The second similarity is the supporting actors around the main leader. Caddy Heron, the new girl at the school, can be seen as Brutes. She seems to like Regina (Caesar) but in her mind, all Caddy could think about was destroying Regions life. Janis was the first to become friends with Caddy and told her the ways of high school. Janis can be seen as Cassias because she was once great friends with Regina George, just like Caesar and Cassias being friends but soon lost their relationship due to a certain couple of personal issues. Also, Caddy was manipulated to take down Regina, just like Cassias was to Brutes. Gretchen and Karen can also be seen as conspirators because they begin to see problems developing between the Plastic Group and with Regions popularity. Soon, they join forces with Caddy because of loss of confidence in Regina being leader. The third and final similarity is the plot of the play. The comparison is obvious: they try to take down the main leader. There are also some other things that can be thrown in to be included. The Candy Canes that were ended out during Christmas are like the letters forged by Cassias and sent or Brutes. This started Gretchen questioning of Regina not liking her many more. This is mainly because Caddy forged Regions name on the Candy Cane, making Gretchen feel bad. Another one is the Burn Book being like the Will read by Marc Antonym in Julius Caesar. Both wanted people to get angry at the persons who had been accused of wrongdoing and emotions spiked all at once. The majority in both had exploded into a rage near the end. Julius Caesar had the citizens of Rome March around looking for conspirators to kill ND Mean Girls 2 had full-out brawling in the hallways of the school. They all worked together to make sure it wouldnt happen again. Also, the main leaders of the works both get taken down by something greater than them, with Regina getting struck by a bus and Caesar inside of the stabbing ring. In conclusion, both of these pieces are super similar. The similarities are the leaders of each piece of art, the surrounding characters of the leaders, and the plots of those works. Even though these were both written by different directors, it seems that they had some of the same ideas and thoughts.

NEPHROLITHIASIS Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

NEPHROLITHIASIS - Assignment Example There are various types of kidney stones based on specific risk factors (Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, 2015). The condition is characterized commonly by severe pain in the lower back and also painful urination. The paper will discuss the risk factors for kidney stones including cultural considerations as well as other risk factors. There are various risk factors for nephrolithiasis. The factors contribute significantly to the development of the disease. One of the significant risk factors is gender and age. The condition is found to be most common in men as compared to women. The risk increases in men as they reach 40 years and continues to rise until 70 years (Simon, 2013). Hence, as men age, there is increased the risk of developing the condition. In women, the risk is high at 50 years while in young age the condition may develop at the last stage of pregnancy (Simon, 2013). In children, the risk is mainly due to genetic factors. However, it may occur due to deformity in the urinary tract as well as in those children born with low weight and are fed through veins (Simon, 2013). The other risk factor is obesity and weight gain. The two have been associated with an increased danger of developing the condition. It has been found that individuals with higher BMIs and large waist have high chances of developing the disease (Simon, 2013). Such people are said to excrete a large amount of calcium and uric acid that raises the risk of getting the condition. The other risk factor is a family history. The presence of the condition in a family means there is increased chances of it occurring among the relatives (Simon, 2013). The geographical factor is another factor. For example, geography may determine the mineral constituents in local water. This may explain increased or reduced incidences of the condition. Moreover, diet is also another main risk factor for the condition. Various types of food have been associated with increased chances of

Finance Problems Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Finance Problems - Speech or Presentation Example A14. (Stock valuation) Suppose Toyota has nonmaturing (perpetual) preferred stock outstanding that pays a $1.00 quarterly dividend and has a required return of 12% APR (3% per quarter). What is the stock worth? By looking at the table and the percentage of increases and decreases among the 3 types of bonds, it is apparent that the interest-rate risk is higher for longer versus shorter bonds. The longer ones are more volatile, which signifies the level of risk for the investor. Bond 3 has the highest volatility among the three. Because the payment to be received would only amount to 150, the future value of the investment only amounts to 150. The number of periods is 3.5 years. Because the coupon rate at 1000 face value is 9.5%, the investor receives 95 in interest payments. Therefore, the expected rate of return amounts to -1.34%. If the company can pay the principal in the end of the contract, the future value would amount to 1,000. Then the number of years in which interest is paid is 10 years, providing an expected rate of return of 22.42%. In order to compute for the value of the stock, all the dividend payment should be discounted back to the present, as well as the terminal price. Therefore, the dividend in year 2 is discounted using the hurdle rate of 13% for two years. This amounts to 0.78. Then the terminal price is determined using the dividend growth model, where the dividend in year 3, which has grown by 6% to 1.06, is divided by the difference between the hurdle rate and the growth rate. Thus, the terminal price of the stock is 15.14. But this is the price at year 3. It has to be discounted back to the present using the hurdle rate of 13%. Thus, the present value of the terminal price is 11.86. In order to get the final value, the present value of the dividend should be added to the terminal price which amounts to 12.64. This will be James valuation. On the other hand, for Bret, the same procedure should be utilized. In order to compute for the