Designing a Research Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Designing a Research Project - Essay Example Today the progression of technological expertise has made it feasible to fetch the consumers throughout the globe at the virtual store where the individuals are permitted to look through, pick, try out and pay without being actually there at the shop. This hi-tech development has in turn stimulated the quantity of competition among the companies and the procedure of modernization has been incessantly tailored by every company with the aim of drawing the consumers. A nation’s wealth is exceedingly enthused by the manufacturing and utilization phase on one hand. However on the further side the sequence of fabrication and utilization is completely reliant on the demand of the purchasers and the availability of products by the market person as per the demands. Consequently it is the primary aim of every company to persuade and please its consumers and provide them with the claimed goods and services. The aim of this research is to find out the marketing strategies taken by electronics giant Apple to reach its targeted consumer for the product iPhone. Being the most innovative organisation in its sector and having largest market share in the developed market it is challenge for Apple to reach its entire customer with limited time period. This study will help people to understand Apple’s iPhone marketing strategy in this ever changing competitive world. For this research both primary and secondary research approach will be taken. For primary research both qualitative and quantitative questionnaire will be made and distributed among the respondents. For qualitative questionnaire interview method will be used and for quantitative questionnaire survey method will be used. Probability sampling will be used for quantitative data collection method and non probabilistic data collection technique will be used for qualitative data collection technique. When a company fails to make available the vital

The interesting topic Essay Example for Free

The interesting topic Essay The marking criteria should be available to candidates whilst completing the task. The quality of written communication will be assessed in the judgements and conclusion section. The total number of marks for this unit is 45. INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES †¢ This document consists of 8 pages. Any blank pages are indicated. Teachers are responsible for ensuring that assessment is carried out against the Controlled Assessment set for the relevant examination series (detailed above). Assessment evidence produced that does not reflect the relevant examination series will not be accepted.  © OCR 2010 [Y/600/3256] DC (AC/DJ) 64632/1 OCR is an exempt Charity Turn over 2 The purpose of this unit is to carry out a practical investigation of a topic chosen from a set of options supplied by OCR. In the course of the investigation, there will be an opportunity to look in depth at an aspect of computing that goes beyond the subject matter outlined in A451. The tasks will require a significant element of practical activity, which must be evidenced in the report and which will form a major element of the assessment. The topics will enable practical investigation and some supplementary research to be carried out in a variety of ways. These will include, but are not restricted to: †¢ practical investigations with hardware or software †¢ practical investigations with online resources Supplementary research may be required and resources may include: †¢ web-based enquiry †¢ contact with IT professionals †¢ research using computer industry publications  © OCR 2010 A452 Jan13/Jun15 3 Candidates should complete all tasks. Validating web forms Many web sites collect information from people using forms. These forms can be put together using HTML form objects. The data entered is normally sent back to the web server where it is processed by database software. It is always a good idea if the data entered into a computer system is validated in order to reduce the number of errors that occur. A lot of this validation can be carried out at the client end of the process. In other words, processing can be carried out by the browser. There are various ways in which this can be done. A common way is to write scripts that intercept the input data and check it before it is submitted to the server. There are various scripting languages that can be used to write the necessary validation routines. A popular example is JavaScript. Most browsers are able to interpret JavaScript. JavaScript, just like other elements of a web page, is best written using a plain text editor such as Notepad. Scripts can be embedded in a web page or saved separately as JavaScript files, using the extension js. The web page can access these scripts when needed. Here is the starting point for a form that collects information about exam entries. File Edit View History Bookmarks Tools Help http://examentry. net Exam entry Exam Entry Form Name Subject Submit Reset Fig. 1 It contains two text boxes. When the Submit button is clicked, a script checks that both boxes have been filled in. Here is the HTML code that lies behind the form and the JavaScript code that does the validation. Exam entry function validateForm() { var result = true; var msg=†Ã¢â‚¬ ; if (document. ExamEntry. name. value==†Ã¢â‚¬ ) { msg+=†You must enter your name †; document. ExamEntry. name. focus(); document. getElementById(‘name’). style. color=†red†; result = false; }  © OCR 2010 A452 Jan13/Jun15 Turn over 4 if (document. ExamEntry. subject. value==†Ã¢â‚¬ ) { msg+=†You must enter the subject †; document. ExamEntry. subject. focus(); document. getElementById(‘subject’). style. color=†red†; result = false; } if(msg==†Ã¢â‚¬ ){ return result; } { alert(msg) return result; } } Exam Entry Form Name Subject In order to work, the page needs to have access to a second HTML file called success. html. Its purpose is to test the code. It just needs four lines: Success message You entered all the data required  © OCR 2010 A452 Jan13/Jun15 5 Your assignment 1. Describe how this HTML code produces the form displayed in the browser (Fig. 1). 2. Describe how the JavaScript function performs the validation check. 3. Describe how the HTML calls the validation routine. 4. (i) Add another text field to the form to take the user’s examination number. (ii) Extend the Javascript code to validate this field to make sure that it is not left blank. (iii) Extend the Javascript code to make sure that the user’s examination number is exactly 4 digits. Produce evidence to show that you have planned, written and tested your code. 5. Add a set of radio buttons to the form to accept a level of entry such as GCSE, AS or A2. Write a function that displays the level of entry to the user in an alert box so that the level can be confirmed or rejected. Produce evidence to show that you have planned, written and tested your code. 6. Produce an evaluation of your solutions. 7. Write a conclusion about the effectiveness of JavaScript validation routines to reduce the number of errors that are made in data input.  © OCR 2010 A452 Jan13/Jun15 6 BLANK PAGE  © OCR 2010 A452 Jan13/Jun15 7 BLANK PAGE  © OCR 2010 A452 Jan13/Jun15 8 Copyright Information OCR is committed to seeking permission to reproduce all third-party content that it uses in its assessment materials. OCR has attempted to identify and contact all copyright holders whose work is used in this paper. To avoid the issue of disclosure of answer-related information to candidates, all copyright acknowledgements are reproduced in the OCR Copyright Acknowledgements Booklet. This is produced for each series of examinations, is given to all schools that receive assessment material and is freely available to download from our public website (www. ocr. org. uk) after the live examination series. If OCR has unwittingly failed to correctly acknowledge or clear any third-party content in this assessment material, OCR will be happy to correct its mistake at the earliest possible opportunity. For queries or further information please contact the Copyright Team, First Floor, 9 Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 1GE. OCR is part of the Cambridge Assessment Group; Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which is itself a department of the University of Cambridge.  © OCR 2010

Essay --

Introduction ïÆ'Ëœ This document is to develop METI’s digital strategy for recruiting, in part because recruiting activities will be my next mission at METI immediately after my graduation from HKS next year. ïÆ'Ëœ Looking at the current recruiting tools of METI, I was shocked to see how biased toward analog tools they are, in spite of radical changes occurring in the digital era. For example, METI makes countless phone calls to prospective students, but barely send emails to them. METI uses a great deal of posters, flyers and brochures, but does not have a consolidated website or blog for recruitment. METI holds a lot of face-to-face seminars, but does not conduct online sessions. ïÆ'Ëœ Therefore, inspired by cutting-edge campaign strategies in the United States, I am strongly determined to transform METI’s recruitment strategy in parallel with the development of digital tools, in order to attract the best and brightest who are able to deal with difficult problems Japan faces, such as nuclear power plants, territorial disputes and cyber terrorisms. ïÆ'Ëœ In summary, facing widespread public distrust of the Government of Japan and fierce competitions against other attractive ministries and lucrative private firms in the field of recruitment, it is critical to take advantage of progressive digital tools in each phase, such as targeted e-mail campaigns, Google Adwords campaigns, blogs, Twitter, Facebook, and Google Hangouts, in combination with existing analog tools, in order to successfully reach out to targeted candidates. ïÆ'Ëœ The key is how to make most of METI’s principal assets, distinguished brand and its ambassadors (employees), and how to engage student themselves as â€Å"co-developers† under the principles of Web 2.0. 1. People 1-1. Japanese R... ...o still wonder whether they should choose METI or private firms due to the nature of policy-making that is not familiar to many of them, it is critical to develop an intimate environment where all the member can know each other and discuss policy issues together. ïÆ'Ëœ Since public policy-making is essentially different from the private sector, the intimate discussion will empower admitted candidates who have already chosen to take the difficult examinations and intense interviews to be more confident about their first career. Conclusion ïÆ'Ëœ By combining existing tools with digital tools effectively, METI will be successful in attracting, engaging and hiring high-quality students. ïÆ'Ëœ It is important to note that the key is always how to utilize METI’s primary assets, METI’s distinguished brand and its ambassadors, and how to engage students themselves as â€Å"co-developers†.

Lyme’s Disease

Early signs and symptoms are similar as the flu such as fever, headache, stiffness, fatigue, and Joint pain. If it's not treated, the severity worsens, â€Å"infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system (2). Medically, it is possible to treat diseases, depending on severity, in order for the patient to get well but the only flaw is finances. Companies want to make money out of every advantage that they can. According to one of my colleagues that there Is a medication that can treat cancer but it costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. Capitalism is gruesome because it is beginning to outweigh a person's health instead of balancing or allowing the person's health become more important than money.Doctors and nurses should teach the patient that diseases will be treated but not rued because diseases can pause its process but can restart the process and further It's destruction. They need to teach the patient and the patient's family on preventive ways to prevent fr om getting the disease, â€Å"Steps to prevent Lame disease include using insect repellent, removing ticks promptly, applying pesticides, and reducing tick habitat (2)†. In this generation, social media is a huge influencer that spreads word around the world. The greatest example is the ALLS ice bucket challenge.

The World Made Straight

A Summary: In 1970s Western North Carolina, a young man stumbles across a grove of marijuana, sees an opportunity to make some easy money, and steps into the jaws of a bear trap. He is discovered by the ruthless farmer who set the trap to protect his plants, and begins his struggle with the evils of his community’s present as well as those of its history. Before long, he has moved out of his parents' home to live with a onetime schoolteacher who now lives in a trailer outside town, deals a few drugs, and studies journals from the Civil War.Their fates become entwined as the community's terrible past and corrupt present lead to a violent reckoning with the marijuana farmer and with a Civil War massacre that continues to divide an Appalachian community. Major themes: Knowledge vs. Ignorance – self knowledge is the most important part of the protagonist, Travis. Here Travis is trying to portray a tough guy, ignorant attitude when really he is a scrawny boy. Travis gains kn owledge from the books he finds in Leonard’s trailer.He gains knowledge by Leonard teaching him in the trailer. Knowledge never leaves you. Travis’ goal as the protagonist in this book is to better himself and start a change in his life. Why would he want to better himself? Travis is trying to find out who he is. He starts off as a want to be tough guy who hangs with the rebels. That’s the way of life in the North Carolina Mountains no one really gives school a chance in the fact that most of the students end up as farmers.Travis’ ignorance for school and life in the beginning is very high. Knowledge consumes us in the fact we are always looking for new information and trying to obtain that all knowing self. Travis finds his way not the usual way of going through grade school but successfully gaining a GED. This sets him at an accomplishment something also his father never did. Travis sees himself heading down a road of hardships, Success, and failure.But Travis will learn from the mistakes and gain knowledge of the subject and move on to better himself for the future and what ever it may hold. Characters: Travis Shelton, 17 years old, high school dropout discouraged from bettering himself by his tobacco farmer father. Leonard Shuler, a former schoolteacher, now small-time drug dealer, whose career was ended by a student. Carlton Toomey, a ruthless and wily farmer and drug dealer. Dena, once a pretty young woman, who has become a heavy drug user.

buy custom The Use of Steroids essay

buy custom The Use of Steroids essay Steroids, which may also be termed as the anabolic androgenic steroids bears reference to the hormone testosterone of the male that, are meant for the building of the muscles, enhancement of the performance as well as the improvement of the physical appearance. The anabolic as well as the muscle effect that are associated with the drug are resourceful to the retention of protein in the body of the user. This is a building block that is essential for the development of the body muscles, the skin as well as the bones. The androgenic, also referred to as the muscular effects associated with the drug is a cause of the progression of the males deep voice, the muscle hair, aggressiveness and the facial as well as the body hair. It is however notable that the people who are involved in the abuse of the drug are at a high risk of a wide range of the side effects that are usually unwanted. Most of the unwanted risks are also associated with irreversibility. In the case of the use of injection as a method of application of the drug in to the body there is a high possibility of infection with HIV (Wright Cowart, 1994). The use of steroids in todays society is an issue that is rampart. The stories that are related to the use of steroids have been at the focal point in the media. Their use is commonly reported in most of the professionals taking part ion the baseball players, the cyclists as well as the track stars. These are the most commonly reported cases and some of them have even admitted publicly about their use of steroids in an attempt of achieving an edge in as far as their competitiveness is concerned. The use of the steroids among the athletes is a possible cause of their exclusion from the activities of sport at the time that they are discovered (Wright Cowart, 1994). The problem is specifically serious wih the young people who in most of the situations are exposed to the habit by the members of their peer. The most influential peers are the friend, the acquaintances and the partners in gym. The teenagers in addition to the young adults especially the males who take part in activities such as athletics are particularly exposed to the risks that are associated with the use as well as the abuse of steroids. This is based on they believe that they hold to the effect that steroids contribute in the enhancement of their performance especially during the physical activities ion addition to their general appearance. It is however ironical that the young people are especially exposed to the risks that contribute to significant harm in as far as their bodies are concerned (Wright Cowart, 1994). As an irony, the teens expose themselves to a situation of risk in relation to causing substantial harm in as far as their health is concerned. This is also accompanied with an irreversible situation of a transformation of their appearance in a manner that they may least anticipate. The effects are epitomized in acne, a growth that is stunted, and the assumption of the characteristics of female in young male accompanied by the characteristics of male in young girls. The extent of the research that has so far been conducted reveals the fact that the earlier the onset of the use of the drug, the higher iss the likelihood of indulgence in the experimentations with other drugs of similar kind. The use of steroids is either in an oral form in the form of tablets or even the use of intramuscular injections. The use of the steroids is in most of the cases based on hearsay as well as gossip with respect to the determination of the most appropriate dosage that is associated with an appreciable extent of safety. In the case of the abuse of the drug, the victim usually use to the extent of using a great number of milligramss of the dose on a daily basis who is consequently not a safe level. The actual prescription of the doctor is in the extent of as little as 1 5 milligram on a daily basis in the case that the use of the drug is legitimate. Some untrue assumptions however arises to the effect that the use of high levels of the drug is consequential to some results that are favorable. This therefore leads to the use of a combination of the drug by the users which results to the phenomena that is identified as the stacking. The use of the drug in such cases is usually based on cy cles in which case the drug is commonly used for a period of up to 6 extending to 12 weeks with a time punctuation of refraining from the use of the drug (Wright Cowart, 1994). This is done for the purpose of the avoidance of a situation of building tolerance. There are various degrees of problems that are associated with the use of steroids. Most of the adolescents are usually at high risk in as far as the behavior is concerned. There is a high possibility that they may loose some interests on the activities on daily basis in addition to incidences of energy loss as well as boredom. They are also in a position of experiencing some difficult times in the course of the limitation of the use of the drug. They are also prone to develop some tolerance to the use of steroids calling for the use of huge amounts of the drug in order to achieve the effects that are associated with muscle building. They are also likely to develop some problems that are associated with work in addition to the relationships with other people. The use of steroids is also a possible cause of the phenomena that is identified as the male anorexia in which case the victims are exposed to an experience of dissatisfaction in as far as their image of the body is concerned an d fail to notice the changes that evident in the rest of the people (Wright Cowart, 1994). Buy custom The Use of Steroids essay

Solid Harvard Format Outline Step by Step Guide

Solid Harvard Format Outline Step by Step Guide Make It Look Harvard: Drafting an Outline in Harvard Format When students depart on their educational journey through college or university, they are most likely to encounter unknown tasks and unfamiliar requirements that make their hands tremble and mind race. Formatting, referencing, analyzing, providing literature review, methodology and discussion, and so on – the list can be expanded as required. But most requirements were not invented to complicate students’ lives. To the contrary, referencing and formatting standards were created to facilitate scholarly work and to standardize it. Thus everyone reading a paper knows what is meant by names and numbers in parentheses and how to decode reference entries. Harvard, also known as author and date format, is one of the most popular standards and after using it two or three times you will feel safe and confident in applying it. Outlining in Harvard style is no different from outlining in other styles. We will guide you step by step through main points and intricacies of the style, and then you can download a Harvard manual from the web and look up specific details that you need right on the go. Why Is Formatting and Referencing Important? Formatting gives a paper organized and neat look, and it also prompts readers what to expect from this paper. Abstract, footnotes, subheadings, reference part – all this is conditioned by a chosen format, so the more carefully you will approach the task the better your paper will be perceived by readers. Referencing is a separate point of attention. It means providing information about sources you used and indicating what exact ideas you borrowed and incorporated into your narration. If you fail to do so, you commit the worst academic crime – plagiarism. So to avoid blames of stealing ideas of others, credit every idea you use, whether in an outline or a ready paper and use a coherent citation standard across the paper. It will show that you take academic honesty seriously and are ready to be a part of the scholar community. This is where Harvard style comes in handy. Outlining is another important point. It is a plan of your paper will all key points mentioned and referenced. Yes, you should begin referencing on this stage already and it will significantly facilitate your work. 7 Basic Steps to Take While Writing an Outline Highlight and put down all key information that you see in sources; Organize it as a bullet point list with expanded notes after main subheadings; Cite author and date after each borrowed idea; Capitalize the authors’ names; Underline or put in italics names of books/articles; Create a rough reference page; Stay coherent in punctuation (no strict rules here). Basically, it all looks simple, but while writing outline students often skip referencing and then struggle to remember where the specific phrase or idea comes from. Apart from this complexity, you should not encounter any serious issue while using Harvard style to create a good outline, and, consequently, a good paper. General Path to Follow Now you may wonder how to structure your outline more precisely and what markers to use. It is also not that complicated. Subdivide your topic into points and give each point its sub-points. To differentiate between primary and secondary ideas use tabulation tool (indent). Flush left the lead point. Then make an indent and present sub-point(s). If you need to subdivide it, make a deeper indent. So the outline will look like a set of steps turned upside down. But this trick will help you to see what is important and what is supporting. Use various markers to differentiate between list levels: Roman numerals (main ideas) Arabic numerals (sub-points) Letters (upper case, lower case – for further subdivision) Letters in parenthesis. Switch between these markers and indentation to keep the structure of your outline visible to you and readable to your prof (if he or she requests to see the outline). No matter if you use Harvard or other standards, this basic rule of building an outline remains in place. Differentiate between levels and bring in more subdivisions if you need to add specific details and citations into main points. The more sub-points, the better the final paper will be. Applications of Harvard Formatting Style Harvard style is probably the most common formatting style because of its simplicity (it can contest with MLA only). Harvard formatting is used in Humanities and social science, but sometimes in business case studies as well. If you are assigned an outline with Harvard formatting, do not skip this task and do not treat it negligently. Making a good outline will help you to: Map out the information you found in a clearly readable way; Find inner connections and analogies; See what evidence goes where; See if you have enough evidence or need to research more; See what logical gaps you need to fill with additional research; Create a visible structure of your future paper. Application of Harvard style to outlining makes writing easier (because of the relative simplicity of style) and helps you keep your focus. By applying this style you get: Clear structure with logical subdivisions of issues and topics; The ready hierarchical structure of ideas (you see what is important and what can be skipped if you go beyond upper word count limit); A communication strategy that you can assess on the go and change without having to rewrite the whole paper; Bullet point image of your future paper – you can decide if you like it or not (and if your audience will like it). The outline is valuable in that it keeps you on the track of your thoughts and topics and does not let you stray away or forget something. While writing a paper it is very easy to get lost in explanations and lose the line of argument. An outline keeps you organized and brief, and by writing in bullet point format you can catch every idea that comes to your mind before it flies away. This is probably the highest benefit of outlining. We hope that we have persuaded you in the necessity of outlining and gave you the basics of Harvard style to keep you confident and going. Read through your outline and decide, if you have included everything you wanted or something else needs to be included yet. Check your introduction, conclusion and references. If everything seems in place, you are equipped to write a final paper. Finish Line Now that we have covered all major points Harvard style and outline creation do not look that intimidating. Actually, outlining is a valuable skill and so you should never miss a chance to practice it. Before setting to work, double check instructions given by your professor and what he or she expects to find in your outline. Whether your instructor wants to see a full-fledged plan with lots of subdivisions and citations or just a brief sketch showing that you are on the right track – anyway, you are well prepared to do it. But if you still need help and guidance, feel free to contact us and ask for assistance. We will create a proper outline, a whole paper and a reference page in Harvard format or in any other format you need. This is not a problem at all. We all learn by examples, so with our help and professionally crafted assignments you are bound to master the intricacies of this art – and get your good grades regularly.

10 Ways Identity Thieves Can Get Your Information

10 Ways Identity Thieves Can Get Your Information Identity theft is when someone fraudulently uses your personal information, such as your name, date of birth, Social Security number, and address, for their financial gain. These uses might include  to obtain credit, get a loan, open a bank, or a credit card account or obtain an I.D. card. If you become  the victim of identity theft, chances are it will cause severe damage to your finances and your good name, especially if you do not find out about it immediately. Even if you catch it quickly, you can spend months and thousands of dollars trying to repair the damage done to your credit rating. You can even find yourself accused of a crime you did not commit because someone used your personal information to perpetrate the crime in your name. Consequently, it is vital in todays electronic age to protect your information as best you can. Unfortunately, there are thieves out there just waiting for you to make a mistake or get careless. There are different ways that identity thieves go about stealing the personal information of others. Here are the most common methods used by identity thieves and ways for you to avoid becoming their victim. Dumpster Diving Dumpster diving is when someone  goes through trash looking for personal information that can be used for identity theft purposes. Identity thieves look for credit card bills, bank statements, medical bills and insurance, and old financial forms such as old tax forms. Stealing Your Mail Identity thieves will often target a person and steal mail directly from their mailbox. Thieves will also have all of the mail redirected through a change of address request made at the post office. The identity thieves are looking for bank statements, credit card bills, tax information, medical information, and personal checks. Stealing Your Wallet or Purse Identity thieves thrive by illegally obtaining personal information from others, and what better place to get it but from a purse or a wallet. A drivers license, credit cards, debit cards, and bank deposit slip, are like gold to identity thieves. You Are a Winner! Identity thieves use the temptation of prize winnings to lure people into giving them their personal and credit card information over the phone. The identity thief will tell the person that they have won a contest for a free vacation or some grand gift, but that they need to verify personal information, including their date of birth,  to prove they are over 18-years-of-age. They will explain that the vacation is free, except for the sales tax, and ask for the winner to provide them with a credit card. They usually make it sound like a decision must be made immediately, or the person will lose the prize. Skimming Debit or Credit Card Numbers Skimming is when thieves use a data storage device to capture the information from the magnetic strip of the credit, debit or ATM card at an ATM or during an actual purchase.   When skimming from an ATM, thieves will attach card readers (called skimmers) over the real terminal card reader and harvest data from every card that is swiped. Some thieves place a fake PIN pad over the real one to capture victims PINs (personal  identification  numbers) as they enter it. Another common way to do this is by installing tiny cameras to capture the PIN entered on the number pad. Shoulder surfing, which is when a person reads over the shoulder of the card user, is also a common way to obtain personal identification numbers. Once the thief has returned to the ATM and collected the file of stolen information, they can log into an ATM and steal money from the harvested accounts. Other thieves clone the credit cards to sell or for personal use. Skimming  can occur anytime someone with a digital card reader gains access to your credit or debit cards. It can be done easily  when the card is surrendered, such as in restaurants where it common practice for a waiter to take the card to another area to swipe it. Phishing Phishing is a scam in which the identity thief sends an email falsely claiming to be from a legitimate organization, government agency or bank, to lure the victim into surrendering personal information such as a  bank account number, credit card number or passwords. Often the email will send victims to a phony website that is designed to look like the real business or government agency. eBay, PayPal, and MSN are regularly used in phishing scams. ​Obtaining Your Credit Report Some identity thieves will obtain a copy of your credit report by posing as your employer or rental agent. This will give them access to your credit history including your credit cards numbers and loan information. Business Records Theft Business records theft involves the theft of files, hacking into electronic files or bribing an employee for access to files at a business. Identity thieves will sometimes go  through the trash of a business to get employee records which often contain social security numbers and customer information from charge receipts. Corporate Data Breaches A corporate data breach is when a corporations protected and confidential information is copied, viewed or stolen by someone who is unauthorized to obtain the information. The information can be personal or financial including names, addresses, telephone numbers, social security numbers, personal health information, banking information, credit history, and more. Once this information has been released, it will likely never be recovered and the individuals affected are at an increased risk of having their identities stolen.   Pretexting Pretexting is the practice of obtaining someones personal information using illegal tactics, then selling the information to people who will use it to, among other things,  steal the persons identity, Pretexters may call and claim that they are calling from the cable company and doing a service survey. After exchanging pleasantries, they would ask  about any recent cable problems, and then ask if you mind completing a short survey. They may offer to update your records, including the best time of the day to provide service to you and the obtain  your name, address and telephone number. People will often volunteer information to cheerful, helpful company representatives who are good listeners. Armed with the personal information,  the  pretexter may then decide to  search for public information about you, and learn your age, if you are a homeowner, if you paid your taxes, places that you lived before, and the names of your adult children. They may look at your social media profile to learn about your work history and the college that you attended. They will then call companies you are associated with to gain enough information to get access to your  financial information, health records, and  social security number.

Comparative economic systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Comparative economic systems - Essay Example With industrialization came the need for a skilled and diverse workforce where traditional work arrangements were no longer feasible. During the Cold War period the world was divided into two main camps with the West (USA, W. Europe) embracing a free market economic system and the East (USSR, China) embracing a command economic system. In a free market economic system a nation’s economic activities are the result of individual decisions by buyers and sellers reflected in the price of products and services in the marketplace. People have the freedom to develop their talents and abilities and take up work or enter professions according to individual choice. They can also produce and supply goods and services as private businesses freely within legal and contractual obligations. The free market economic system of the West adumbrating free enterprise has been (and continues to be) referred to as capitalism. Up until the end of the Cold War, capitalism was a term of opprobrium to the East where communism ( a term of opprobrium to the West) was the term used for a command economy where all economic activity of the nation was controlled centrally by the government (mediated by the Communist Party). No private individuals were allowed to own and operate the means of production of goods and services. Public ownership, except in very small scale, local economic activity, was the norm. As everyone knows, USA exemplifies the paradigmatic capitalist state while Soviet Russia and China used to exemplify communism. Things have changed for Russia and China since the 1980s (although the latter still holds onto the communist label) and what these changes are, how they have been adopted and the progress achieved are the concern of this paper. A third kind of economic system called socialism is adopted by some countries with most of the major industries,

Financial strengths and weaknesses of Primax, Alpha and Beta; Essay

Financial strengths and weaknesses of Primax, Alpha and Beta; - Essay Example Some accountants contend that Bank Overdraft should be treated as a long-term liability since that arrangement with the bank is is almost permanent (so long as the enterprise is a going concern). On the other hand, some accountants that contend that Bank Overdraft should be treated as a current liability since this facility may be withdrawn by the bank at any time. As a conservative measure of short-term financial position, Bank Overdraft has been considered as a current liability in the current instance. The current ratios of both the firms are nearly same but when compared to that of Primax both of them are well below the desired level. However, there could be firms that have low current ratios but work efficiently as is the case in fast food industry. This is so because current ratio does not analyze the quality of current assets which might contain obsolete stocks or slow paying and doubtful debtors. In the current instance it is observed that while Alpha has cash worth 43, Beta does not have any cash balances. Hence, though current ratio of Alpha is lesser than Beta, from a broader perspective, between the two; Alpha is in a better position than Beta (C. C. D. Consultants Inc. 2009). Quick Ratio = (Current Assets – Stock)/(Current Liabilities) Quick Ratio of Primax = (3399-1102)/1098 = 2.09 Quick Ratio of Alpha = (525-306)/745 = 0.29 Quick Ratio of Beta = (636-224)/853 = 0.48 If we consider Primax’s quick ratio as a benchmark, both these firms fall woefully short of that, but of the two, Beta seems to be in a better position provided of course its trade receivables are all good without any possibility of bad debts or slow recovery. Solvency Ratios Solvency Ratios evaluate long-term capability of a business... One of the most popular tools of identifying financial strengths and weaknesses of an enterprise is through Accounting Ratio that could be used by a financial analyst to qualitatively evaluate the financial status and level of performance of an organization. This project analyses in detail financial strengths and weaknesses of Primax, Alpha and Beta; three firms engaged in manufacturing furniture. While Primax among them is most financially sound the other two firms are not doing that well financially. Any business consists of a series of interrelated processes that operate in tandem to produce the final output that the consumer wants. Kaplan and Norton have identified certain groups or bundle of activities that should be considered as independent units for the purpose of evaluating the efficiency of the entire business process. These independent units are: operations management, customer management, innovations, regulatory compliance and social responsibility in that order of import ance. Efficiency of a business enterprise in each of these sectors should be independently measured and the overall efficiency of the business enterprise would be calculated as a weighted average of these independent measures. Unless an enterprise can satisfy its customers it cannot exist. The best way to do it is to identify the most profitable group of customers and focus marketing efforts in wooing this group. However, the costs of such an exercise should never exceed the tangible benefits obtained from it.

Christology Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Christology - Term Paper Example ‘From above’ concept of Christology refers to the ideology of incarnation of a person as a human being and spends the entire life in serving to the welfare of others. The ‘from above’ concept is best applicable to the birth of Jesus Christ as he had incarnated to serve for the well-being of the humankind (Wildman 285-286). The Christology’s concept was made clear, as it was completely assumed that Jesus was the savior of human being. After this analysis of Jesus, it was necessary to understand the relationship between Jesus and his holy being. The holy being of Jesus Christ is always at the point of various types of controversies and belief of the Christianity. In accordance with the Christianity, few of the orthodox Christians believe that Jesus was the God sent for serving the welfare of the people. On the other hand, in the current scenario, the liberal theologians are strictly against of the belief that Jesus is God (Wildman 285-286). Thus, this essay will study the significance of Second Vatican Council on the Church’s Patristic heritage. This essay has been presented with an intention of analyzing the significance of Second Vatican Council on the Church’s patristic heritage. Accordingly, that reclaimed heritage has been understood with the description of the Keresztys Christology (Part III). In the last section of the essay, a detailed study has been conducted on the ways that Christology reflects on the Latin West’s medieval heritage. The political significance of Second Vatican Council had created complexities on the profound belief of the common people on Jesus Christ. The Second Vatican Council was one of the changes that had occurred in the early twentieth century. After its formation, it became one of the most significant aspects, as it changed the life of the million Christians. Pope John XXIII had announced Second Vatican Council on January 25, 1959 in order to reveal the spiritual renewal of the church and to declare that

How a person should be Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

How a person should be - Essay Example Another approach in the direction of understanding truth goes with the name of interpretive analysis of situations and the conclusions that individuals and groups draw from their experiences are indeed identified as truths. But, in the view of this group’s conceptual understanding, the nature of truth wholly and solely depends on one’s experiences alone. The final approach towards gaining understanding of reality is called postmodernism that simply states that nothing is in-definitively true and vice versa and therefore, the gathering of information is going to determine the truths and facts of the present time. There was a time in past, when scientists believed that world is flat like a table and if ships were to go far into the sea then, they may fall from the edge of the world. However, with the passage of time, the featured belief changed and so did the human behavior towards reality (Klein pp. 26). The knowledge always changes, modifies, and transforms the basic se t of beliefs from which the complete social value system is based and because of this reason, when beliefs go through the process of change, then, the societal behaviors mold in such a way so that they can represent the newly formed assumptions. The Plato developed a way that thrived on gathering people’s opinion about a particular matter and then, the group attempted to develop a consensus and that agreed upon statement was given the status of divinity. But, if people’s experiences are recommending against the general statement then, it means that the reality is outdated and needs modifications. Thusly, the major and the most important approaches towards reality are based on human interpretation of events. The scientific experimentation technique introduced by early Muslim scholars was based on the due principle of experimentation and it supported the notion of experimentation via that the statements about reality can be proven and disproven (Rorty pp. 1). The real ch ange in the community occurs on a cognitive level and then, a new thought is shared slowly and gradually with others (Gladwell pp. 2). Ultimately, it reaches the people who have the appropriate level of power and authority needed to bring the change. Therefore, a small change in a thought pattern leads to a major one. But, nobody cares to tell the name of a person who originally gave the seed of change and because of this reason, real thinkers of the community remain unknown and unsung in most number of the cases. In the modern scientific literature, the researcher is free to fabricate hypothetical statements about an issue but he or she has to prove it with the help of empirical experimentation in order to derive generally acceptable statements. Nevertheless, the above-mentioned approach can be taken as monistic evaluation of interpretive assumptions about reality. The trend of change in human belief system over the passage of time is supporting that nothing is true forever and tha t is an elementary assumption of postmodernism (Rorty pp. 2). The previous discussion highlighted the fact that not all of the approaches towards reality are hostile to each other but they are indeed complimentary. The monistic way of thinking helps humans in standardization of realism so that public can understand and comprehend the world around them in a shared manner. The interpretive analysis of the situations helps

Undecided Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Undecided - Assignment Example The project personnel was present to answer the questions and concerns raised by the members of the public. The scope of the proposed project would widen the existing six-lane road facility to an eight-lane road highway and in addition, extend the shoulders of the road by reconstructing the existing two-lane frontage roads and upgrade to meet the current standards. It was proposed that by improving the infrastructure, the economic growth of the city will increase because of reduced traffic delays, improvement of safety in the city and it shall facilitate evacuations during an emergency. Due to the expansion project, an additional 11-acre stretch of land was required to complete the project successfully. It meant that several businesses shall be displaced by the improvement; however, the personnel manager present provided procedures, programs, benefits and other information on land acquisition. The environmental document and another drawing showing the proposed project was displayed t o the public hearing as well as other tentative schedules of how the program shall be executed. At 1400HRS, the expected speakers and the public had arrived and taken the various seats and position. A short prayer was offered and the was started by the city clerk who took us through the norms of the meeting. The first part of the discussion involved free intermingle among the public and the project developers, this was very interesting since it gave the public to have a close interaction with the project managers. It further enhanced rapport and close understanding of the project since several people were able to ask questions, which they may not have a chance to ask during the actual presentation. After a one hour of interactive mingle and discussion, everybody took back their seats for the full technical presentation of the project. The personnel project manager was given a chance to take us through the whole project, stating its merits and it is going to affect the citizen.

How a person should be Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

How a person should be - Essay Example Another approach in the direction of understanding truth goes with the name of interpretive analysis of situations and the conclusions that individuals and groups draw from their experiences are indeed identified as truths. But, in the view of this group’s conceptual understanding, the nature of truth wholly and solely depends on one’s experiences alone. The final approach towards gaining understanding of reality is called postmodernism that simply states that nothing is in-definitively true and vice versa and therefore, the gathering of information is going to determine the truths and facts of the present time. There was a time in past, when scientists believed that world is flat like a table and if ships were to go far into the sea then, they may fall from the edge of the world. However, with the passage of time, the featured belief changed and so did the human behavior towards reality (Klein pp. 26). The knowledge always changes, modifies, and transforms the basic se t of beliefs from which the complete social value system is based and because of this reason, when beliefs go through the process of change, then, the societal behaviors mold in such a way so that they can represent the newly formed assumptions. The Plato developed a way that thrived on gathering people’s opinion about a particular matter and then, the group attempted to develop a consensus and that agreed upon statement was given the status of divinity. But, if people’s experiences are recommending against the general statement then, it means that the reality is outdated and needs modifications. Thusly, the major and the most important approaches towards reality are based on human interpretation of events. The scientific experimentation technique introduced by early Muslim scholars was based on the due principle of experimentation and it supported the notion of experimentation via that the statements about reality can be proven and disproven (Rorty pp. 1). The real ch ange in the community occurs on a cognitive level and then, a new thought is shared slowly and gradually with others (Gladwell pp. 2). Ultimately, it reaches the people who have the appropriate level of power and authority needed to bring the change. Therefore, a small change in a thought pattern leads to a major one. But, nobody cares to tell the name of a person who originally gave the seed of change and because of this reason, real thinkers of the community remain unknown and unsung in most number of the cases. In the modern scientific literature, the researcher is free to fabricate hypothetical statements about an issue but he or she has to prove it with the help of empirical experimentation in order to derive generally acceptable statements. Nevertheless, the above-mentioned approach can be taken as monistic evaluation of interpretive assumptions about reality. The trend of change in human belief system over the passage of time is supporting that nothing is true forever and tha t is an elementary assumption of postmodernism (Rorty pp. 2). The previous discussion highlighted the fact that not all of the approaches towards reality are hostile to each other but they are indeed complimentary. The monistic way of thinking helps humans in standardization of realism so that public can understand and comprehend the world around them in a shared manner. The interpretive analysis of the situations helps

Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Economy - Essay Example This was positive news for the economy of UK but the policy makers have struggled to register even modest pace of progress of the country’s economy. The government of UK has however faced lot of criticism from the people because of policy measures on austerity after it took office in 2010. Since the time the government of UK has reduced their spending, the economy of the country has become stagnant. This has been fuelled by the effects of recession. As compared to the last fiscal, the economy of the country has grown by a meager 0.3% in the first quarter of the current year. The last quarter of 2012 registered a lean growth of 0.3%. This showed that the economic depression in UK has been prevailing since the last year and is still continuing in 2012. According to the director of fixed income at Scotia Bank, Alan Clarke, the GDP growth rate of the country has been 1.2% for the last year. The slight increase in the economic growth rate is a sign of relief for the UK treasury but the challenge of reviving the economy still looms large over the policymakers. One of the major rating agencies, the Fitch Ratings emerged as the second major ratings agency to dismiss UK from its triple â€Å"A† credit ratings. The economy of UK saw unemployment levels rising in the month of February and the wages of labor also declined to minimum levels. The International Monetary Fund who were once a major proponent of the austerity measures of the governments commented that UK should consider to reduce government spending on the back of weak economic progress of the country. The British political administration headed by the Prime Minister commented that they would continue with the austerity policies in order to avoid the fate of Greece and other members of the European Union (Dow Jones & Company, 2013, p.1). The British administration still believes that it might take longer than expected for the economy to recover but the slightest progress in the first quarter of 201 3 indicated that the economy is healing. There are no easy solutions for economic recovery from the situation of crisis built over the years. This is evident from the worldwide economic slowdowns in countries like US, Germany, China, etc. Analysis of the article and identification of linkage with the economic concepts The rime of Golden age in Europe and US saw the major economies of the world like UK passing through a phase of reconstruction and government policies on increased expenditure in order to boost the aggregate demand in the economy. This created increase in the flow of money in the economy of the countries like UK. This policy adopted by the policy makers could be linked with the economic theory proposed by the British economist, Keynes. The Keynesian theory of economics explained that an expenditure of one member in the economy leads to the income of another member. The rise in income level of the population led to the increase in aggregate demand which was supported by increase in production and increase in fiscal deficits of the government (Mankiw, 2011, p.39). In the later stages the increase in liquidity level beyond limit and excessive savings led to decrease in investments and fall of production levels. This caused inflation

Edgar Allan Poe Essay Example for Free

Edgar Allan Poe Essay A famous author who initiated the start of detective stories and could spook his readers out with his tales of horror was born in January 19,1809. He was a wonderful short story writer and a poet. One of his masterpieces that he is well known for is known as â€Å"The Raven.† I’m sure by now you’ve guessed that I’m speaking of the â€Å"Father of the Detective stories† known as Edgar Allan Poe. Poe’s work reflected his own bitter and mysterious life. In most of his writing there is a blur between what is real and what if fiction because many of his narrators are on some sort of drugs. Edgar was a romantic writer, and his style was gothic. Edgar Allan Poe was a romantic in his writing. He was a part of the American renaissance movement and it is apparent he along with many other American writers rejected the British form of writing. He seemed to embrace that writing should express emotions. It shouldn’t just follow a certain rubric of rules but effuse from the heart. The tell-tale signs of a romantic writer are strong idealism and rejection of classicism. These characteristics are vividly found in his work known as â€Å"Ligeia†. In this story the narrator is an opium addict who marries a woman named Ligeia. He finds her to be very intriguing. He sees her as a beautiful woman with a mysterious personality. Unfortunately, she dies and he ends up marrying a stereotypical woman named Rowena. She is the complete opposite of Ligea in that she is exactly the way all the women of his era are supposed to be like. At the end of the story this woman also dies but then Ligea returns to the author through Rowena’s dead body. The romantic writer uses many examples to illustrate his preference for Romanticism over British literature and Classicism. The preference of the author for his first wife is an example of strong idealism and rejection of classicism. For instance, the writer describes his wife as an extraordinary being†¦almost inhuman: â€Å"She came and departed as a shadow.† Then he goes on to talk about her eyes and mentions that they are much bigger than normal eyes should be. He has a soft spot for her unique features and admires her intelligence. It is because she is different from the norm of women, he finds her attractive. She is a symbol of rebellion to the rules of classicism and her characteristics paint the art of romanticism. He then contrasts her â€Å"Singular yet placid cast of beauty† with the â€Å"fair-haired† and â€Å"blue-eyed† classical beauty of Rowena. It is apparent he prefers his first wife over the latter one because he repeatedly compares the two but compliments the first one. Poe then goes on to demonstrate strong idealism in his work. Idealism was basically a term used to define the optimistic nature of American writers in the good nature of mankind. In this story the fact that the narrator’s first wife comes back to life through the body of his second wife is a symbol of optimism. The author had described his wife as a woman who had wisdom of divine matters. He believed in her wisdom so much that he was sure she had used it to resurrect herself. It is also useful to know that the author was an opium addict. His point of view may have been distorted with hallucinations but the opium usage itself is an example of strong idealism. It is through this usage he is able to find his favorite wife come back to life simply because he willed for her to return to him. Her return could even be literal after she claims that, â€Å"Man doth not yield him to the angels, nor unto death utterly, save only through the weakness of his feeble will† (Lombardi). So maybe she was really there and if she was then this is a fine example of idealism. Considering, idealism is the hope of having a very unlikely event occur because of someone’s optimism. One more example of idealism in Ligeia is no significance of time or space. The American writers wanted to be very distinct from the old literature and wanted to cut off from them. As a result, they made time and space irrelevant to their work as a rebellion to rules. This explains why readers are never told how or when the author met his first wife or at what time she was reincarnated. For example, Poe says â€Å"I cannot, for my soul, remember how, when, or even precisely where, I first became acquainted with the lady Ligeia. (Deter) In addition, the author is so caught up the description of Ligeia he doesn’t remember the beginning of his relationship with her or what the ending to her is. She seems to consume him to the point that time and space don’t matter to him. Does she even have an ending? Considering she comes back to life as if manipulating time is one of her skills. All of these details just add to how much of a romantic writer Edgar Allan Poe really is. Poe used a very gothic style of writing. His work was usually dramatic, suspenseful and melodic. â€Å"The Raven† is a perfect example of these writing techniques. For instance, in â€Å"The Raven† the setting of the story is in his apartment in a lonely December night. The narrator is missing his lover, Lenore, who died. He is trying to distract himself by delving into the realms of his books but is sadly failing in all his attempts. Then a Raven appears at his window and knows of one word, â€Å"Nevermore.† He asks the Raven if he would see his lover again, but it replies â€Å"Nevermore.† The Raven angers the author and he tells it to leave to which the Raven gives the same answer, â€Å"Nevermore†. This poem is very meaningful and pretty much defines the themes and styles that Edgar loved to promote in his work. One thing to be noted when reading this poem aloud is that repeating Nevermore aloud after each stanza is a purposeful tactic. Edgar’s melodic instincts shine through this technique. He does this to emphasize the unity of effect and so that each stanza reflects the meaning of the poem as a whole. In addition, the â€Å"O†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s in â€Å"Lenore† and â€Å"Nevermore† are too emphasized so that the unity of effect occurs once more. Moreover, this woman has left him and she is no more so the two words are parallels to the emotions of the author at the moment. They signify his loneliness. Edgar’s poetry is always well thought-out and he is always on a mission to have relatable but dramatic themes that will suck his readers in. In this poem he combines the theme of beauty with death. The beauty is represented by the memory of his beloved lover but who has met the ugly reality of death. He asks the Raven whether he will meet her in heaven but is hit by the cruel answer â€Å"Nevermore†. This blatantly ugly reality is what makes his poem have an even more gothic and depressing touch.

Cardiovascular Effects of Necrostatin-1 (Nec-1)

Cardiovascular Effects of Necrostatin-1 (Nec-1) Abstract Necrostatins have been identified as cardioprotective agents to reduce reperfusion injury after ischemia, preventing necroptosis due to their RIPK1 inhibitory effect. In this study basal cardiovascular effects of Nec-1 and its inactive analog Nec-1i was investigated in healthy rats under anesthesia. Relatively low doses of Nec-1 and Nec-1i were administered (0.8mg/kg and 0.846 mg/kg, respectively) in line with the in vivo dose response model described by Takahashi et al (2012). Basal heart functions were recorded namely, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), P interval, PR interval and QTc interval. The results of this study indicated that administration of Nec-1 but not Nec-1i raised systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, while PR interval was depressed. No statistically significant effect on P interval, and QTc was observed by administration of both necrostatins. The effectiveness of Nec-1 reveals a dual cardiovascular effects, exerting both vasodilator and vasoconstrictor actions as well as a positive inotropic effect on cardiomyocytes. Since no conditions of ischemia or any other oxidative stress are present, which means that no type of programmed cell death is triggered (apoptosis, necrosis, or necroptosis), it can be assumed that Nec-1 acts in a RIPK1-independent manner. Thus, this action of Nec-1 under normal heart conditions remains to be clarified at a cellular level investigating its involvement in signaling pathways (e.g. NO pathway, ÃŽ ²-AR pathway) of all cell types involved cardiovascular function (endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells of blood vessels), and cardiomyocytes as well. In general, after the elucidation of the exact mechanisms of action of Nec-1 at a molecular basis, Nec-1 could be applied as a positive inotrope that enhances basal cardiac function in pathological conditions. Discussion Degterev et al (2005) initially introduced necrostatins as therapeutic agents for ischemic brain injury through chemical inhibition of non apoptotic cell death. Three years later the same research group identified RIPK1 as a specific cellular target of necrostatins (Degterev et al, 2008). In parallel necrostatins were also reported as potential cardioprotective agents by Smith et al (2007) as they reduced ischemia reperfusion injury in their experimental trials. Although, current research has used necrostatins as potential inhibitors of necroptosis in ischemic heart experimental designs in vitro and in vivo (Smith et al 2007, Takahashi et al 2012), basal effects of these substances on heart function and haemodynamics have not yet been investigated. In this study administration of necrostatins (Nec-1 and its inactive analog Nec-1i) in healthy rats under anesthesia was performed. The results of this study indicated that administration of Nec-1 but not Nec-1i raised systolic and diastol ic blood pressure, heart rate, while PR interval was depressed. No statistically significant effect on P interval, and QTc was observed by administration of both necrostatins. Interpreting the results of this study is a complicated issue as the availability of comparable data is restricted and sometimes contradictory. The effectiveness of Nec-1 on increasing mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate, reveals a dual cardiovascular effects, exerting both vasodilator and vasoconstrictor actions. When evaluating the effectiveness of Nec-1 using in vivo murine disease models, Nec-1 was suggested to reduce ischemia reperfusion injury as an RIPK1 inhibitor in the TNF signalling pathway, thus preventing necroptosis (Smith et al 2007). But when no conditions of ischemia or any other oxidative stress are present, which means that no type of programmed cell death is triggered (apoptosis, necrosis, or necroptosis), it can be assumed that Nec-1 acts in a RIPK1-independent manner. Thus, this action of Nec-1 under normal heart conditions remains to be clarified at a cellular level investigating its involvement in signaling pathways of all cell types involved cardiovascular function (endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells of blood vessels), and cardiomyocytes as well. Interestingly, Eefting et al (2004) reviewed the role of apoptosis in reperfusion injury discussing both pharmacological as well as genetic interventions in animal models. Nitric oxide (NO) appeared to increase myocardial contractility, myocardial function and endothelial function in many reports of this review. NO is a well known regulator of excitation-contraction coupling in myocardial function (Ziolo et al, 2001a) and ÃŽ ²-adrenergic receptor (ÃŽ ²-AR) signalling (Ziolo et al, 2001b). In line with this notion, a recent study in rats demonstrated that renal vasodilatation was induced through the NO pathway with a pharmacological agent (Garcia-Pedraza et al, 2015). Thus, further research could aim in identifying potential interplay of Nec-1 through other signaling pathways starting from the NO pathway. Another approach could be the potential relation of Nec-1 with vascular ATP levels, as the vasodilatory action of intravascular ATP in the coronary circulation was reported to be attributed to the dual and e qual activities of adenosine and ADP acting at purinergic P1 and P2Y1 receptors, respectively (Korchazhkina et al, 1999). Nevertheless, the results of this study indicate that Nec-1 exerts a positive effect on basal cardiac function, by raising heart rate, blood pressure and by depressing PR interval. Since, stimulation of ÃŽ ²-adrenergic receptor (ÃŽ ²-AR) pathway has been reported as the most important regulator of cardiac contractility (Bers and Ziolo, 2001), it could be assumed that Nec-1 affects electrical signal transduction in some way of this pathway. In general, activation of ÃŽ ²-AR activates the cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) leading to the phosphorylation of several target proteins within the cardiomyocyte, such as Ica (L-type membrane Ca+2 channels), RyR (ryanodine receptors of the sarcoplasmic reticulum), TnI (troponin I), and PLB (phospholamban). Interstingly, it has been suggested that PLB phosphorylation at Ser 16 by PKA is one the major factors affecting positively cardiomyocyte contraction after ÃŽ ²-AR stimulation (Kohr et al, 2012). In line with these observations, Nec-1 coul d somehow affect the phosphorylation status of proteins responsible for cardiac function. The observed depression of PR interval, in this study, after administration of Nec-1, which represents not only atrial depolarization but also the beginning of ventricular depolarization, reflects that the signal conductance through AV node/His bundle was increased possibly through increased phosphorylation of intracellular proteins involved in cardiac contractility. Noteworthy, Nec-1s has been shown to stimulate directly cardiac contractility through myosine binding protein C (MYBP-C) phosphorylation (Szobi et al. 2015, unpublished data) in animal experiments. Regulation of cardiac contractility by MYBP-C through phosphorylation has been reviewed by Saul Winegrad (1999), along with its role in the formation of the sarcomeric myofibril as a result of binding to myosin and titin. Although, not statistically significant in this study, QTc interval tended to be shortened under the effect of Nec-1. Preliminary data from animal experiments with Nec-1s after ischemia reperfusion indicated decreased QTc intervals, suggesting that Nec-1s might be protective on ventricular arrhythmias (Szobi et al. 2015, unpublished data). The comparison of Nec-1 and its inactive demethylated derivative Nec-1i as factors effecting basal haemodynamics and heart function appears confusing, as previous experimental approaches were applied on disease models using in vivo and/or in vitro ischemic conditions (Degterev et al 2005, Degterev et al 2008, Smith et al 2007, Takahashi et al 2012), and not healthy animals under anesthesia. Additionally, the effectiveness of these substances in previous reports varied not only in a time and dose dependent manner, but also regarding species specificity (Takahashi et al 2012). Nonetheless, in this study Nec-1 but not Nec-1i influenced positively systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate, while PR interval was depressed. These results could be compared with the ones obtained from the in vivo murine model of ischemia-reperfusion injury reported by Smith et al (2007), where Nec-1 (1.65 mg/kg) reduced infarct size whilst Nec-1i (1.74 mg/kg) was ineffective. On the other hand, in vivo Nec-1i was as protective as Nec-1 against lethality associated with TNF-induced necroptosis in high doses (6mg/kg) (Takahashi et al 2012). As both necrostatins were proven to inhibit human IDO as predicted by molecular modeling by Takahashi et al (2012), it can be assumed that Nec-1i cannot be used us a reliable ineffective control for Nec-1. Alternatively, Nec-1s which is a more specific RIPK1 inhibitor lacking the IDO-targeting effect, was suggested by Takahashi et al (2012) as a control substance in experiments investigating the potent effect of necrosatins (Vandenabeele et al 2013). Interestingly, in vitro Nec-1i exhibited paradoxically higher cardioprotection that Nec-1 at high doses (100ÃŽ ¼ÃŽÅ") (Smith et al 2007). In the present in vivo study, relatively low doses of Nec-1 and Nec-1i were used (0.8mg/kg and 0.846 mg/kg, respectively) in line with the in vivo dose response model described by Takahashi et al (2012). Although, low doses (0.6mg/kg) of both Nec-1 and Nec-1i had a toxic effect increasing lethality during TNF-induced necroptosis, suggesting that RIPK1/RIPK3- dependent pathway drives TNF-induced mortality (Takahashi et al 2012), this toxicity effect was not observed in the present study. Of course, in their experiments necrostatins were administered during TNF-induced mortality, demonstrating that low doses were toxic in terms that they were not sufficient enough to protect form induced mortality. In contrast, in this in vivo study, evaluating the comparative effect of low doses of both necrostatins, it could be assumed that these substances maintain their profile of active (Nec-1) and inactive (Nec-1i) factors when administered under normal-non stressful condition. But which signaling pathway is triggered, under the effect of Nec-1 but not Nec-1i, leading to this elevated systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate) remains to be clarified. In general, as demonstrated in this study, enhancement of basal cardiac performance by Nec-1, evidenced by increased systolic and diastolic blood pressure heart rate, and depressed PR interval could be a double-edged sword. Although Nec-1 has been introduced as an agent reducing injury after reperfusion in brain and heart (Degeterev et al 2005, Smith et al 2007, Takahashi et al 2012), the effect of this substance under normal conditions must be further investigated before its administration in other pathological conditions. Thus, examining the response of all cell types (cardiomyocytes, smooth muscle and endothelial cells of blood vessels) under the effect of Nec-1 could be a first step under this point of view. Each cell type, and eventually the overall response to any pharmacological administration, will depend on several distinct or sometimes overlapping factors, such as changes in metabolic conditions (pH, calcium levels, ATP levels), or even active (under phosphorylation or not) signaling molecules and transcription factors. Additionally, in order to clarify the molecular mechanism of action of Nec-1 on basal cardiac function, the comparative effect of other necrostatins apart from Nec-1i, e.g. Nec-1s which lacks the IDO inhibitor effect, would provide meaningful insights. Conclusions Although Nec-1 was introduced to prevent necroptosis as a RIPK1 inhibitor reducing ischemia reperfusion injury, the enhancement of basal cardiac activity by Nec-1 in healthy anesthetized rats, as demonstrated by this study, indicates that this molecule may also act in an RIPK1-independent manner. Thus, further research is needed in order to clarify the molecular mechanism underlying this effect. For example, future directions could aim at identifying the potential interplay of Nec-1 in signaling pathways, such as the NO pathway and the ÃŽ ²-AR pathway, of all cell types involved cardiovascular function. The biochemistry of this involvement could be comparatively analyzed by administration of other necorstatinsm, such as Nec-1s. Finally, Nec-1 after evaluating all these parameters, Nec-1 could be used a positive inotropic agent in cases of cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure, heart attack or cardiogenic shock. References Bers DM, Ziolo MT. (2001). When is cAMP not cAMP? Effects of compartmentalization. Circ.Res. 89, 373–375. Degterev A, Huang Z, Boyce M, Li Y, Jagtap P, Mizushima N et al. Chemical inhibitor of nonapoptotic cell death with therapeutic potential for ischemic brain injury. Nat Chem Biol 2005; 1: 112–119. Degterev A, Hitomi J, Germscheid M, Ch’en IL, Korkina O, Teng X et al. Identification of RIP1 kinase as a specific cellular target of necrostatins. Nat Chem Biol 2008; 4: 313–321. Eefting F, Rensing B, Wigman J, Pannekoek WJ , Liu WM, Cramer MJ, Lips DJ, Doevendans PA. Role of apoptosis in reperfusion injury. Cardiovascular Research 61 (2004) 414– 426. Garcia-Pedraza JA, Garcia M, Martin ML, Moran A, Pharmacological evidence that 5-HT1D activation induces renal vasodilation by NO pathway in rats. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. 2015 doi: 10.1111/1440-1681.12397. Korchazhkina O, Wright G, Exley C. Intravascular ATP and coronary vasodilation in the isolated working rat heart. British Journal of Pharmacology (1999) 127, 701  ± 708 Kohr MJ, Roof SR, Zweier JL, Ziolo MT. Modulation of myocardial contraction by peroxynitrite. Frontiers in Physiology (2012);3:468(1-10). Smith CCT, Davidson SM, Lim SY, Simpkin JC, . Hothersall JS, Yellon DM. Necrostatin: A Potentially Novel Cardioprotective Agent? Cardiovasc Drugs Ther (2007) 21:227–233. Takahashi N, Duprez L, Grootjans S, Cauwels A, Nerinckx W, DuHadaway JB, Goossens V, Roelandt R, Van HauwermeirenF, Libert C, Declercq W, Callewaert N, Prendergast GC, Degterev A, Yuan J and Vandenabeele P. Necrostatin-1 analogues: critical issues on the specificity, activity and in vivo use in experimental disease models. Cell Death and Disease (2012) 3, e437; doi:10.1038/cddis.2012.176. Vandenabeele P, Grootjans S, Callewaert N , Takahashi N. Necrostatin-1 blocks both RIPK1 and IDO: consequences for the study of cell death in experimental disease models. Cell Death and Differentiation (2013) 20, 185–187. Winegrad S. Cardiac Myosin Binding Protein C Circ Res. 1999;84:1117-1126.) Ziolo MT, Katoh H, and Bers DM. (2001a). Expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase depresses beta-adrenergic-stimulated calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum in intact ventricular myocytes. Circulation 104, 2961–2966. Ziolo MT, Katoh H, and Bers DM. (2001b). Positive and negative effects of nitric oxide on Ca(2+) sparks: influence of beta-adrenergic stimulation. Am.J. Physiol.HeartCirc.Physiol. 281, H2295–H2303.

Mixed Media Culture :: essays research papers

Mixed Media Culture Following the Constitutional Convention in 1787, Ben Franklin was asked what kind of government the country now had; â€Å"a republic, if you can keep it†. Franklin’s concerns at that time was that we might turn to a monarchy on the basis that this was the kind of government familiar to most people in the new world. Now, many years later, we should be concerned about the same issue, but rather than a â€Å"real† monarchy, comprised of an individual or a family ruling the country, we are faced with the prospect of money being the King and those with money controlling government and society. We have seen government fall to the whims of money and special interest groups, more in the last decade than before. There are laws on the books to control the influence peddling in Washington and other communities, but these laws are not being enforced. Pressure and influence by unions, large business groups and other large organizations has been common place for years, but in the recent past, we have seen influence from individuals, many with less than acceptable standards, accepted by the size of their campaign contributions to individuals or to a specific party. The average American has to wonder today whose interest is being served by their representatives. The idea of a government for the people can and should be questioned, until we can put controls on those with money and the manner in which they are allowed to spend money to influence elections and policies. When we see polls indicating that nearly two thirds of the participants question the integrity of the government, we need to look seriously at what changes need to be made. We need to develop a system that is less influenced about the need to raise large sums of money and get the politicians more focused on the needs and values of society. Some of the measures being considered include: better enforcement of laws currently on the books, restrictions on a candidate raising large sums of money, if he elects public funds for his campaign, closing the loopholes associated with soft-money contributions from unions, business groups and others, and encourage voluntary limits on campaign spe nding. Obviously, we did not get in this position overnight and this issue is not something that will be solved without a sweeping change through the government structure. Another issue impacting the political process today is the lack of participation by registered voters and maybe the need to increase the number of registered voters.

To What Extent Did the American Revolution?

DbKatie Gordon APUSH Mr. Vieira September 24, 2012 DBQ: To what extent did the American Revolution fundamentally change American society? In your answer, be sure to address the political, social and economic effects of the Revolution in the period from 1775 to 1800. After the American Revolution, Americans, who were free of British control, started to reevaluate politics, the economy and society. After breaking away from what they thought was a corrupt and evil government, Americans changed how they wanted to govern their society, even though they ultimately reverted to a more centralized government similar to Britain.The uneducated masses, as viewed by the elite, didn’t experience a lot of change though the ideals from the revolution still guided some to seek better financial opportunities. Women, slaves, and loyalist experienced a considerable amount of change in society as women experienced more freedoms, some slaves were set free, and loyalist left America. Overall, Americ a didn’t experience a lot of economic change, but it did experience, to varying degrees, political and social change. Politically speaking, the Americans did not want their government to resemble that of the British government.Which brings about the development of the Articles of Confederation. However, there were many holes in the Articles: there was no executive branch, the federal government could not implement taxes and overall the government did not have much centralized power. Everyone knew that a change needed to be supplemented and quick. This brings about the writing and ratification of the Constitution. In order to persuade states to ratify the Constitution, Alexander Hamilton wrote and circulated the Federalist Papers.James Madison also writes, â€Å"ambition must be made to counteract ambition† (Document I), insinuating the system of checks and balances that the Constitution insures. This active separation of power was pivotal in the ratification of the Con stitution, which contrasted the American government from the British government. Americans did not experience much change economically. The Philadelphia society for the promotion of agriculture in 1786, handed out a medal, which said, â€Å"venerate the plough† (Document F). This demonstrates how the elite were still â€Å"rewarding† the common people who weren’t financially better off than before the revolution.Similarly, in Shay’s Rebellion farmers led by the ex-military officer â€Å"[stopped] the courts of justice in several counties†¦crying out for a paper currency, [or] for an equal distribution of power† (Document G). A particular example of the downfall of American economy was Shay’s rebellion. This represented economic strife that the common people were enduring and ultimately rebelled. Two important socio-economic issues the founding fathers discussed were the rights of women and slavery. Women’s roles increased greatly during the revolution. While me were away fighting or running the country, women were at home running and defending the farm.This can be seen in the woodcut (Document A) and in Abigail Adam’s letters to Thomas Jefferson (Document G). Women had, for a time, the right to vote in New Jersey. The revolution also increased the education of women and encouraged them to be more involved in public life. However, all women were not content to go back to their household chores after the revolution as seen by Molly Wallace who says â€Å"if [taught] to read, why not speak? † (Document J), illustrating how some women wanted to further their domestic roles and play a larger role in society.Women were not ultimately granted the right to vote until many years later, but that foundation started during the American Revolution. The practice of slavery was common during the time period of the American Revolution in the colonies and in Europe. At the time, it was the primary economic eng ine in the south and Caribbean. American revolutionaries thought about the morals of slavery, but were unable to change much at this time. However, slavery could be banned in the Northwest Territories, where it wasn’t too important to that region’s economy.The Northwest Ordinance specifically says, â€Å"There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in said territory† (Document H). Although the revolution was not directly able to ban slavery, it cased the issue and allowed future generations to solve it. The revolution also enabled religious freedom to be written into the fabric of our nation. Many European nations had state religions of this time. Some of the first settlers to the colonies came in search of religious freedom. However, some of them instituted theocratic governments once here. But the revolution showed that America was a melting pot of ideas and people.They believed that our government should not sponsor one particular religion. Virgin ia enacted such a law in 1786. Politically Americans experienced some change by forging a new government even though they revised it in the end. Economically, the common people, who fought for better lifestyles, still lived under the heel of the elites. However a significant amount of change occurred for women, slaves and loyalist, although the loyalist position in changed in society in a very negative manner. In these ways American society experienced change in respect to political and social life, but not economically.

Benefits of a College Degree Essay

After high school, a choice that many students have to make is whether to go to college or not. There are many factors that go into one’s decision. There are pros and cons to going to college and also there are pros and cons for not going to college. But the decision that will give someone the better opportunity to have a more successful life is to go to college. The money that one will earn after getting a college degree will be more than the money a person will make without getting a college degree. As our society has continued to evolve, education has become the optimal route to professional success: pursuing a degree is the best way to receive training, to gain expertise in a given field, and even to guide you and help you make choices about your career (Value†¦). Money is one of the most important reasons that a person goes to college. On average, a person that has just a high-school diploma earns $30,400 per year while a person that gets a bachelor’s degree will earn on average $52,200 per year (Value†¦). A master’s degree on average will get a person a yearly salary of $62,300 (Value†¦). Based on the numbers, a formal education is an essential ingredient in today’s society. Going to college and getting four more years of schooling may not be the fun thing to do, but it is a wise choice to help lead one to a more successful life. Some people may say that even though that someone will earn more money by getting a college degree, the cost of college does not equal out the amount of money one will make. While the cost of college is expensive, the difference in money made from a college degree will be able to cover the cost of college over time. The average cost of college tuition plus expenses per year is between $20,000 and $35,000 (U. S. News Staff). Of course that is quite a bit of money that would go into paying for college, but even if a person cannot pay for it at the time or did not get a scholarship, someone could always get a student loan so they can pay for college in that way. While if a person chooses to not go to college, that person can get a full-time job that one may focus heavily on. Although a person in college can have a job, that person cannot work as much as someone who is not in college. At first this is a positive for not going to college because that would mean more money for the people not going to college. That is true but over years; the people with a college degree will end up with more money because of the higher annual salaries. The benefits of a college degree are not just for money, but also a college degree will also give a person more career options. A person with a college degree will have more career options than someone without a college degree because employers will see that one has a college degree and think that person knows what to do and can do the job well. Employers want the best person for the job and a college degree looks really good on a person’s resume (Ten Great†¦). In a survey that was casted to see what employers look for, those employers said that they wanted people that have dependability, reliability, a good attitude, the ability to read comfortably, the ability to think more consciously, computer skills, and the ability to communicate clearly whether it be spoken or in writing (Knowledge and†¦). Along the path of getting a college degree, one will also learn these skills and attributes. Not only does a college degree increase one’s chances of getting a job, but it can also get a person employer-paid health insurance and pension plans. That is great considering that the amount of employers that are offering health insurance and pension plans are going down. Also, if in the town or state that a person lives in hits a recession, if one has a college degree, then that person is more likely to keep their job. Plus, even if that person does get fired, that person will still be more likely to find a job somewhere else because of the college degree (Ten Great†¦). College is not just a place to get a degree, but it is also a place to make connections and lifelong friends. Making connections is creating relationships with those that are further along in their career. One’s professors will enjoy helping out their students because they would not be professors if they did not care about helping out others. In college, a person will meet many people from many different places. The people that someone is with can listen to people’s stories about their backgrounds, experiences, and cultures. This will be an advantage because meeting a diverse range of people will give one a broader view on the world and cultural understanding (The Benefits†¦). Being in college will help one learn more about themselves. While one is in college, a person will figure out more about their likes and dislikes (The Benefit†¦). College is a time when one is starting to prepare for a career that one will enjoy doing that job for the rest of their life. Hopefully a person in college will find a career that one will enjoy and also be able to perform that job well. The time spent in college will help one become more satisfied with their career choice later on in life. Of course, the obvious benefit of going to college is the education and the knowledge that one will learn. In whatever major that a person takes while in college, one will get a higher understanding of what the class is about. Having the knowledge in a certain area will make a person better at their job. The knowledge that one will gain in college will help that person doing what is needed to get done every day. Plus, with a college degree, one will not need as much training as someone who did not get a degree. The benefits of going to college outweigh the possible negatives of going to college. While there is a chance of someone being very successful in life with only a high school diploma, the odds are just better if one has a college degree. There are many benefits of going to college so that one can earn a college degree. One can get a higher annual salary than someone that does not go to college. Having a college degree with give a person more career choices and also improve their chances of being hired by an employer. One will learn the skills that employers are looking for like knowledge, dependability, computer skills, and much more. A person that goes to college will develop great friendships and make a real connection with people. While in college, one will learn more about themselves, find out more about oneself, and hopefully be able to realize their dreams. There is no correct way to live life, but when someone is trying to figure what path to take so that one can fulfill their dreams and be as happy as possible, the signs point that going to college and getting a college degree is the smarter choice. Works Cited Gill, Deanna. â€Å"Negative Effects of Not Exercising. † n. p. HubPages Inc. 22 Mar. 2011. Web. 3Nov. 2012. Wiley, Blackwell. â€Å"Regular Exercise Reduces Large Number of Health Risks Including Dementia and Some Cancers, Study Finds. † ScienceDaily, 16 Nov. 2010. Web. 3 Nov. 2012. CourseAdvisor. â€Å"Benefits of a College Degree. † Washington Post Company. CourseAdvisor Inc. 2010. Web. 6 Dec. 2012. â€Å"Knowledge and Skills Needed to Succeed in the 21st Century Workplace,† National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, June 2000. â€Å"Ten Great Reasons to Get a College Degree. † n. p. Yellow Page College Directory. 2011. Web. 6 Dec. 2012. â€Å"The Benefits of a College Degree. † n. p. Hobsons. Web. 6 Dec. 2012. â€Å"The Real Benefits of a College Degree. † n. p. RightFitDegrees. com, Inc. 2009-2012. Web. 7 Dec. 2012. U. S. News Staff. â€Å"The Average Cost of a U. S. College Education. † n. p. U. S. News & World Report. 24 Aug. 2010. Web. 6 Dec. 2012. â€Å"Value of Education. † n. p. 2003-2010. Web. 6 Dec. 2012.

Prehistory and antiquity Essay

Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant watercraft. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing, entertainment, public safety, and warfare. Historically, a â€Å"ship† was a vessel with sails rigged in a specific manner. Ships and boats have developed alongside humanity. In armed conflict and in daily life they have become an integral part of modern commercial and military systems. Fishing boats are used by millions of fishermen throughout the world. History The first known vessels date back to the Neolithic Period, about 10,000 years ago, but could not be described as ships. The first navigators began to use animal skins or woven fabrics as sails. Affixed to the top of a pole set upright in a boat, these sails gave early ships range. By around 3000 BC, Ancient Egyptians knew how to assemble wooden planks into a hull.[10] They used woven straps to lash the planks togetherand reeds or grass stuffed between the planks helped to seal the seams. A panel found at Mohenjodaro, depicted a sailing craft. Vessels were of many types Their construction is vividly described in the Yukti Kalpa Taru, an ancient Indian text on shipbuilding. This treatise gives a technical exposition on the techniques of shipbuilding. It sets forth minute details about the various types of ships, their sizes, and the materials from which they were built. The Swahili people had various extensive trading ports dotting the coast of medieval East Africa and Great Zimbabwe had extensive trading contacts with Central Africa, and likely also imported goods brought to Africa through the Southeast African shore trade of Kilwa in modern-day Tanzania.[21] Before the introduction of the compass, celestial navigation was the main method for navigation at sea. In China, early versions of the magnetic compass were being developed and used in navigation between 1040 and 1117. Renaissance Until the Renaissance, navigational technology remained comparatively primitive. This absence of technology did not prevent some civilizations from becoming sea powers. Examples include the maritime republics of Genoaand Venice, Hanseatic League, and the Byzantine navy. The carrack and then the caravel were developed in Iberia. After Columbus, European exploration rapidly accelerated, and many new trade routes were established.[38] In 1498, by reaching India, Vasco da Gama proved that the access to the Indian Ocean from the Atlantic was possible. These explorations in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans were soon followed by France, England and the Netherlands, who explored the Portuguese and Spanish trade routes into the Pacific Ocean, reaching Australia in 1606 and New Zealand in 1642.[39] A major sea power, the Dutch in 1650 owned 16,000 merchant ships. Specialization and modernization During the first half of the 18th century, the French Navy began to develop a new type of vessel known as a ship of the line, featuring seventy-four guns. This type of ship became the backbone of all European fighting fleets. These ships were 56 metres (184 ft) long and their construction required 2,800 oak trees and 40 kilometres (25 mi) of rope; they carried a crew of about 800 sailors and soldiers. Ship designs stayed fairly unchanged until the late 19th century. The industrial revolution, new mechanical methods of propulsion, and the ability to construct ships from metal triggered an explosion in ship design. Factors including the quest for more efficient ships, the end of long running and wasteful maritime conflicts, and the increased financial capacity of industrial powers created an avalanche of more specialized boats and ships. Ships built for entirely new functions, such as firefighting, rescue, and research, also began to appear. In light of this, classification of vessels by type or function can be difficult. Even using very broad functional classifications such as fishery, trade, military, and exploration fails to classify most of the old ships. This difficulty is increased by the fact that the terms such as sloop and frigate are used by old and new ships alike, and often the modern vessels sometimes have little in common with their predecessors. Today In 2007, the world’s fleet included 34,882 commercial vessels with gross tonnage of more than 1,000 tons,[42] totaling 1.04 billion tons.[1] These ships carried 7.4 billion tons of cargo in 2006, a sum that grew by 8% over the previous year.[1] In terms of tonnage, 39% of these ships are tankers, 26% arebulk carriers, 17% container ships and 15% were other types.[1] In 2002, there were 1,240 warships operating in the world, not counting small vessels such as patrol boats. The United States accounted for 3 million tons worth of these vessels, Russia 1.35 million tons, the United Kingdom 504,660 tons and China 402,830 tons. The 20th century saw many naval engagements during the two world wars, the Cold War, and the rise to power of naval forces of the two blocs. The size of the world’s fishing fleet is more difficult to estimate. The largest of these are counted as commercial vessels, but the smallest are legion.Fishing vessels can be found in most seaside villages in the world. As of 2004, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimated 4 million fishing vessels were operating worldwide.[43] Types of ships[edit] Ships are difficult to classify, mainly because there are so many criteria to base classification on. One classification is based on propulsion; with ships categorised as a sailing ship, a steamship, or a motorship. Sailing ships are propelled solely by means of sails. Another way to categorize ships and boats is based on their use, as described by Paulet and Presles.[46] This system includes military ships, commercial vessels, fishing boats, pleasure craft and competitive boats. In this section, ships are classified using the first four of those categories, and adding a section for lake and river boats, and one for vessels which fall outside these categories. Commercial vessels Commercial vessels or merchant ships can be divided into three broad categories: cargo ships, passenger ships, and special-purpose ships.[47] Cargo ships transport dry and liquid cargo. Dry cargo can be transported in bulk by bulk carriers, packed directly onto a general cargo ship in break-bulk, packed in intermodal containers as aboard a container ship, or driven aboard as in roll-on roll-off ships. Liquid cargo is generally carried in bulk aboard tankers, such as oil tankers which may include both crude and finished products of oil, chemical tankers which may also carry vegetable oils other than chemicals and LPG/LNG tankers, Passenger ships range in size from small river ferries to very large cruise ships. This type of vessel includes ferries, which move passengers and vehicles on short trips; ocean liners, which carry passengers from one place to another; and cruise ships, which carry passengers on voyages undertaken for pleasure Special-purpose vessels are not used for transport but for other tasks. Examples include tugboats, pilot boats, rescue boats, cable ships, research vessels, survey vessels, and icebreakers. Most commercial vessels have full hull-forms to maximize cargo capacity.[citation needed] Commercial vessels generally have a crew headed by a captain, with deck officers and marine engineers on larger vessels. Special-purpose vessels often have specialized crew if necessary, for example scientists aboard research vessels. Commercial vessels are typically powered by a single propeller driven by a diesel or, less usually, gas turbine engine.[citation needed] The fastest vessels may use pump-jet engines.[citation needed] Naval vessels Naval vessels are those used by a navy for military purposes. There have been many types of naval vessel. Modern naval vessels can be broken down into three categories: surface warships, submarines, and support and auxiliary vessels. Modern warships are generally divided into seven main categories: aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers, frigates, corvettes, submarines and amphibious assault ships. The distinction between cruisers, destroyers, frigates, and corvettes is not rigorous; the same vessel may be described differently in different navies. Battleships were used during the Second World War and occasionally since then, but were made obsolete by the use of carrier-borne aircraft and guided missiles.[48] Most navies also include many types of support and auxiliary vessel, such as minesweepers, patrol boats, offshore patrol vessels, replenishment ships, and hospital ships which are designatedmedical treatment facilities.[49] Fast combat vessels such as cruisers and destroyers usually have fine hulls to maximize speed and maneuverability. They also usually have advanced electronics and communication systems, as well as weapons. Fishing vessels Fishing vessels are a subset of commercial vessels, but generally small in size and often subject to different regulations and classification. They can be categorized by several criteria: architecture, the type of fish they catch, the fishing method used, geographical origin, and technical features such as rigging. As of 2004, the world’s fishing fleet consisted of some 4 million vessels.[43] More than 60% of all existing large fishing vessels[51] were built in Japan, Peru, the Russian Federation, Spain or the United States of America.[52] Fishing boats are generally small, often little more than 30 meters (98 ft) but up to 100 metres (330 ft) for a large tuna or whaling ship. Aboard a fish processing vessel, the catch can be made ready for market and sold more quickly once the ship makes port. Weather vessels[edit] A weather ship was a ship stationed in the ocean as a platform for surface and upper air meteorological observations for use in marine weather forecasting. Surface weather observations were taken hourly, and four radiosonde releases occurred daily. [54] It was also meant to aid in search and rescue operations and to support transatlantic flights. Proposed as early as 1927 by the aviation community,[56] the establishment of weather ships proved to be so useful during World War II that the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) established a global network of weather ships in 1948, with 13 to be supplied by the United States. Their crews were normally out to sea for three weeks at a time, returning to port for 10 day stretches.[54] Weather ship observations proved to be helpful in wind and wave studies, as they did not avoid weather systems like other ships tended to for safety reasons.[58] They were also helpful in monitoring storms at sea, such as tropical cyclones.[59] The removal of a weather ship became a negative factor in forecasts leading up to theGreat Storm of 1987.[60] Beginning in the 1970s, their role became largely superseded by weather buoys due to the ships’ significant cost.[61] The agreement of the use of weather ships by the international community ended in 1990. The last weather ship was Polarfront, known as weather station M (â€Å"Mike†), which was put out of operation on 1 January 2010. Weather observations from ships continue from a fleet of voluntary merchant vessels in routine commercial operation. Inland and coastal boats Many types of boats and ships are designed for inland and coastal waterways. These are the vessels that trade upon the lakes, rivers and canals. Barges are a prime example of inland vessels. Barges towed along canals by draft animals on an adjacent towpath contended with the railway in the early industrial revolution but were out competed in the carriage of high value items because of the higher speed, falling costs, and route flexibility ofrail transport. Riverboats and inland ferries are specially designed to carry passengers, cargo, or both in the challenging river environment. Rivers present special hazards to vessels. They usually have varying water flows that alternately lead to high speed water flows or protruding rock hazards. Changing siltation patterns may cause the sudden appearance of shoal waters, and often floating or sunken logs and trees (called snags) can endanger the hulls and propulsion of riverboats. Riverboats are generally of shallow draft, being broad of beam and rather square in plan, with a low freeboard and high topsides. Riverboats can survive with this type of configuration as they do not have to withstand the high winds or large waves that are seen on large lakes, seas, or oceans. Lake freighters, also called lakers, are cargo vessels that ply the Great Lakes. The most well-known is the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, the latest major vessel to be wrecked on the Lakes. These vessels are traditionally called boats, not ships. Visiting ocean-going vessels are called â€Å"salties.† Because of their additional beam, very large salties are never seen inland of the Saint Lawrence Seaway. Because the smallest of the Soo Locks is larger than any Seaway lock, salties that can pass through the Seaway may travel anywhere in the Great Lakes. Because of their deeper draft, salties may accept partial loads on the Great Lakes, â€Å"topping off† when they have exited the Seaway. Similarly, the largest lakers are confined to the Upper Lakes (Superior, Michigan, Huron,Erie) because they are too large to use the Seaway locks, beginning at the Welland Canal that bypasses the Niagara River. Since the freshwater lakes are less corrosive to ships than the salt water of the oceans, lakers tend to last much longer than ocean freighters. Lakers older than 50 years are not unusual, and as of 2005, all were over 20 years of age.[62] The St. Mary’s Challenger, built in 1906 as the William P Snyder, is the oldest laker still working on the Lakes. Similarly, the E.M. Ford, built in 1898 as the Presque Isle, was sailing the lakes 98 years later in 1996. As of 2007 the Ford was still afloat as a stationary transfer vessel at a riverside cement silo in Saginaw, Michigan. Architecture[edit] Some components exist in vessels of any size and purpose. Every vessel has a hull of sorts. Every vessel has some sort of propulsion, whether it’s a pole, an ox, or a nuclear reactor. Most vessels have some sort of steering system. Other characteristics are common, but not as universal, such as compartments, holds, a superstructure, and equipment such as anchors and winches. Hull For a ship to float, its weight must be less than that of the water displaced by the ship’s hull.[63] There are many types of hulls, from logs lashed together to form a raft to the advanced hulls of America’s Cup sailboats. A vessel may have a single hull , two in the case ofcatamarans, or three in the case of trimarans. Hulls have several elements. The bow is the foremost part of the hull. Many ships feature a bulbous bow. The keel is at the very bottom of the hull, extending the entire length of the ship. The rear part of the hull is known as the stern, and many hulls have a flat back known as a transom. Common hull appendages include propellers for propulsion, rudders for steering, and stabilizers to quell a ship’s rolling motion. Other hull features can be related to the vessel’s work, such as fishing gear and sonar domes. Hulls are subject to various hydrostatic and hydrodynamic constraints. The key hydrostatic constraint is that it must be able to support the entire weight of the boat, and maintain stability even with often unevenly distributed weight. Hydrodynamic constraints include the ability to withstand shock waves, weather collisions and groundings. Propulsion systems Propulsion systems for ships fall into three categories: human propulsion, sailing, and mechanical propulsion. Human propulsion includes rowing, which was used even on large galleys. Propulsion by sail generally consists of a sail hoisted on an erect mast, supported by stays and spars and controlled by ropes. Sail systems were the dominant form of propulsion until the 19th century. Mechanical propulsion systems generally consist of a motor or engine turning a propeller, or less frequently, an impeller or wave propulsion fins. Steam engines were first used for this purpose, but have mostly been replaced by two-stroke or four-stroke diesel engines, outboard motors, and gas turbine engines on faster ships. Nuclear reactors producing steam are used to propel warships and icebreakers, and there have been attempts to utilize them to power commercial vessels For ships with independent propulsion systems for each side, such as manual oars or some paddles,[64] steering systems may not be necessary. In most designs, such as boats propelled by engines or sails, a steering system becomes necessary. The most common is a rudder, a submerged plane located at the rear of the hull. Rudders are rotated to generate a lateral force which turns the boat. Rudders can be rotated by a tiller, manual wheels, or electro-hydraulic systems. Autopilot systems combine mechanical rudders with navigation systems. Ducted propellers are sometimes used for steering. Some propulsion systems are inherently steering systems. Examples include the outboard motor, the bow thruster, and the Z-drive. Some sails, such as jibs and the mizzen sail on a ketch rig, are used more for steering than propulsion. Holds, compartments, and the superstructure[edit] Larger boats and ships generally have multiple decks and compartments. Separate berthings and heads are found on sailboats over about 25 feet (7.6 m). Fishing boats and cargo ships typically have one or more cargo holds. Most larger vessels have an engine room, a galley, and various compartments for work. Tanks are used to store fuel, engine oil, and fresh water. Ballast tanks are equipped to change a ship’s trim and modify its stability. Superstructures are found above the main deck. On sailboats, these are usually very low. On modern cargo ships, they are almost always located near the ship’s stern. On passenger ships and warships, the superstructure generally extends far forward. Equipment[edit] Shipboard equipment varies from ship to ship depending on such factors as the ship’s era, design, area of operation, and purpose. Some types of equipment that are widely found include: Masts can be the home of antennas, navigation lights, radar transponders, fog signals, and similar devices often required by law. Ground tackle includes equipment such as mooring winches, windlasses, and anchors. Anchors are used to moor ships in shallow water. They are connected to the ship by a rope or chain. On larger vessels, the chain runs through a hawsepipe. Cargo equipment such as cranes and cargo booms are used to load and unload cargo and ship’s stores. Safety equipment such as lifeboats, liferafts, and survival suits are carried aboard many vessels for emergency use. Design considerations Hydrostatics[edit] Boats and ships are kept on (or slightly above) the water in three ways: For most vessels, known as displacement vessels, the vessel’s weight is offset by that of the water displaced by the hull. For planing ships and boats, such as the hydrofoil, the lift developed by the movement of the foil through the water increases with the vessel’s speed, until the vessel is foilborne. For non-displacement craft such as hovercraft and air-cushion vehicles, the vessel is suspended over the water by a cushion of high-pressure air it projects downwards against the surface of the water. A vessel is in equilibrium when the upwards and downwards forces are of equal magnitude. As a vessel is lowered into the water its weight remains constant but the corresponding weight of water displaced by its hull increases. When the two forces are equal, the boat floats. Hydrodynamics[edit] The advance of a vessel through water is resisted by the water. This resistance can be broken down into several components, the main ones being the friction of the water on the hull and wave making resistance. To reduce resistance and therefore increase the speed for a given power, it is necessary to reduce the wetted surface and use submerged hull shapes that produce low amplitude waves. To do so, high-speed vessels are often more slender, with fewer or smaller appendages. The friction of the water is also reduced by regular maintenance of the hull to remove the sea creatures and algae that accumulate there. Antifouling paint is commonly used to assist in this. Advanced designs such as the bulbous bow assist in decreasing wave resistance. A simple way of considering wave-making resistance is to look at the hull in relation to its wake. At speeds lower than the wave propagation speed, the wave rapidly dissipates to the sides. As the hull approaches the wave propagation speed, however, the wake at the bow begins to build up faster than it can dissipate, and so it grows in amplitude. Since the water is not able to â€Å"get out of the way of the hull fast enough†, the hull, in essence, has to climb over or push through the bow wave. This results in an exponential increase in resistance with increasing speed. This hull speed is found by the formula: or, in metric units: Where L is the length of the waterline in feet or meters. When the vessel exceeds a speed/length ratio of 0.94, it starts to outrun most of its bow wave, and the hull actually settles slightly in the water as it is now only supported by two wave peaks. As the vessel exceeds a speed/length ratio of 1.34, the hull speed, the wavelength is now longer than the hull, and the stern is no longer supported by the wake, causing the stern to squat, and the bow rise. The hull is now starting to climb its own bow wave, and resistance begins to increase at a very high rate. While it is possible to drive a displacement hull faster than a speed/length ratio of 1.34, it is prohibitively expensive to do so. Most large vessels operate at speed/length ratios well below that level, at speed/length ratios of under 1.0. For large projects with adequate funding, hydrodynamic resistance can be tested experimentally in a hull testing pool or using tools of computational fluid dynamics. Vessels are also subject to ocean surface waves and sea swell as well as effects of wind and weather. These movements can be stressful for passengers and equipment, and must be controlled if possible. The rolling movement can be controlled, to an extent, by ballasting or by devices such as fin stabilizers. Pitching movement is more difficult to limit and can be dangerous if the bow submerges in the waves, a phenomenon called pounding. Sometimes, ships must change course or speed to stop violent rolling or pitching. How it has been convincingly shown in scientific studies of the 21st century[65][66], controllability of some vessels decreases dramatically in some cases that are conditioned by effects of the bifurcation memory. This class of vessels includes ships with high manoeuvring capabilities, aircraft and controlled underwater vehicles designed to be unstable in steady-state motion that are interesting in terms of applications. These features must be considered in designing ships and in their control in critical situations. Lifecycle A ship will pass through several stages during its career. The first is usually an initial contract to build the ship, the details of which can vary widely based on relationships between theshipowners, operators, designers and the shipyard. Then, the design phase carried out by a naval architect. Then the ship is constructed in a shipyard. After construction, the vessel is launched and goes into service. Ships end their careers in a number of ways, ranging from shipwrecks to service as a museum ship to the scrapyard. Design A vessel’s design starts with a specification, which a naval architect uses to create a project outline, assess required dimensions, and create a basic layout of spaces and a rough displacement. After this initial rough draft, the architect can create an initial hull design, a general profile and an initial overview of the ship’s propulsion. At this stage, the designer can iterate on the ship’s design, adding detail and refining the design at each stage. As environmental laws are strictening, ship designers need to create their design in such a way that the ship -when it nears its end-of-term- can be disassmbledor disposed easily and that waste is reduced to a minimum. Construction[edit] Ship construction takes place in a shipyard, and can last from a few months for a unit produced in series, to several years to reconstruct a wooden boat, to more than 10 years for an aircraft carrier Generally, construction starts with the hull, and on vessels over about 30 meters (98 ft), by the laying of the keel. This is done in a drydock or on land. Once the hull is assembled and painted, it is launched. The last stages, such as raising the superstructure and adding equipment and accommodation, can be done after the vessel is afloat. Once completed, the vessel is delivered to the customer. Ship launching is often a ceremony of some significance, and is usually when the vessel is formally named. Repair and conversion Ships undergo nearly constant maintenance during their career, whether they be underway, pierside, or in some cases, in periods of reduced operating status between charters or shipping seasons. Vessels that sustain major damage at sea may be repaired at a facility equipped for major repairs, such as a shipyard. Ships may also be converted for a new purpose: oil tankers are often converted into floating production storage and offloading units. End of service Most ocean-going cargo ships have a life expectancy of between 20 and 30 years. A sailboat made of plywood or fiberglass can last between 30 and 40 years. Solid wooden ships can last much longer but require regular maintenance. Carefully maintained steel-hulled yachts can have a lifespan of over 100 years. As ships age, forces such as corrosion, osmosis, and rotting compromise hull strength, and a vessel becomes too dangerous to sail. At this point, it can bescuttled at sea or scrapped by shipbreakers. Ships can also be used as museum ships, or expended to construct breakwaters or artificial reefs. Many ships do not make it to the scrapyard, and are lost in fires, collisions, grounding, or sinking at sea. There are more than 3 million shipwrecks on the ocean floor, the United Nations estimates. Buoyancy A floating boat displaces its weight in water. The material of the boat hull may be denser than water, but if this is the case then it forms only the outer layer. If the boat floats, the mass of the boat (plus contents) as a whole divided by the volume below the waterline is equal to the density of water (1 kg/l). If weight is added to the boat, the volume below the waterline will increase to keep the weight balance equal, and so the boat sinks a little to compensate.