Analysis of Walmart and Coca Cola

Introduction In analyzing the internal and external environment of the two companies, Walmart and Coca Cola, we shall need to use an environmental scan.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of Walmart and Coca Cola specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Environmental Scanning: This involves â€Å"careful monitoring of an organization’s internal and external environments for detecting early signs of opportunities and threats that may influence its current and future plans. In comparison, surveillance is confined to a specific objective or a narrow sector† (Carpenter Sanders, 2009). Internal Environmental and External Environment Coca Cola’s internal environment is basically comprised of its business controls which comprise of fundamental attributes including: proficiency in production technique, by utilization of its workforce’s management expertise and suitable communication networks. C ontinuous monitoring of the internal environment has gone a long way in avoiding ineffectiveness in any stage of the production line. Concerning the external environment of Coke, it has been observed that it consists of dominant forces which can bring transformations that produce opportunities and threats in the beverage market. The PEST analysis is an instrumental tool for evaluating the marketing environment as it looks into Political, economic, social and technological aspects of the prevailing environment. Coca Cola PEST analysis Political: Negative political circumstances in international markets can upset Coke’s businesses given that 71% of its net operating revenues come from sales in worldwide markets. Economic: Alterations in foreign currencies and instability in interest rates distress financial results due to the fact that majority of Coke’s revenues and expenses are in foreign currencies. Social: As people pursue healthier lifestyle trends, the non-alcoholi c beverage industry is affected because of the aspect of diet sodas and bottled water and the demand connected to them.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Technological change: Technological advancements like internet can be used for efficient advertising. Cans and plastic bottles (borne of new technology) that come to substitute the previous glass bottles make the product more appealing. All in all, new technology amplifies the quality of the product (Cheesman, 2004). Walmart PEST analysis Political: Walmart ascertained that they were vigilant of the political situation of all countries they have conducted their business in and have also made sure that they have a rational stand regarding political issues. Wal-Mart is constantly prepared for any difficulties pertaining to the political sector. Economic: Walmart’s economic standing is doing well and they strive to advanc e their products to deliver the best to their customers. Hand in hand with the internal economic condition of the firm, the economy of the country should also be taken into account. Walmart first and foremost vets the economic position of the country they would like to operate in before concluding whether or not they will have a branch there. Social: Walmart strives to ascertain that the products they offer in the market will be acceptable to the public. They do not approve the delivery of products they know will cause anxiety or protests among various groups in the society. Walmart ensures that they have a good association with diverse segments in the society although some are discontent with them. Walmart also participates in social activities that incline towards developing a better affiliation between them, the customers and the society they are operating in at large. Technological: Walmart offered fresh innovations in its technological facet. They use high cutting-edge cash reg isters and superior performing slot machines. Their security systems are also advanced. Due to the fact that technology is a rapidly changing phenomenon, Walmart strives to ensure that they are up-to date with what is happening so as to adapt to these changes in a timely fashion. This is in effect aimed at giving them a competitive edge with any other company that may be using advanced technology too. Competitive advantage and strategies used Competitive advantage is the outcome of matching core competencies with the opportunities available. Some of the main competitive strengths of Coke are: its wide acceptance by the customers, dedicated associates, rising marketing abilities and outstanding network of bottlers and distributors. Coke has a prominent marketing sense and a brand name that is well renowned (Wheelen Hunger, 2010). Walmart, on the other hand, has been able to retain a competitive advantage allowing it as a company to use many strategies. However their most outstanding (and effective strategy) is low prices. Moreover, their employees are treated well, and their isles are clean and well organized. Due to its big size, Walmart is able to get big discounts from suppliers and they in turn pass that saving down to their customers.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of Walmart and Coca Cola specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Swot Analysis Opportunities: Companies often use the swot analysis to analyze various aspects of the environment for example both WalMart are aware that demand of fast moving consumer goods within various regions are expanding and thus the organizations are expanding their product portfolio and services to earn more revenues. Threats: The coca-cola company/Walmart through research have understood that newer upcoming companies and older rivals are rapidly changing and bringing about stiffer competition and thus the companies have dedicated a lot of funds to ensure that they stay ahead of the game within their environment. Strengths: One of the key strengths of Coca-Cola Company/Walmart is that it has a wide range of brands. The Coca-Cola Company/Walmart are located in strategic locations which as quite advantageous and convenient for consumers. Furthermore, the Coca-Cola Company/Walmart has experienced top and well experienced employees who assist in making the companies quite unique. The presence of strengths enable these companies capitalize on environmental opportunities as they reveal themselves. Weaknesses: Walmart, for example, heavily reles on the United States and the Americas market instead of global markets which may offer more but on the other hand understanding your weaknesses can be used to the advantage of the organization and this is how the company has avoided unnecessary risks. Conclusion By carrying out routine checks on the business environment and being alert on the on-goings in the business, the firm can gain great advantage in achieving its short term and long term goals and objectives. Another key element to a successful business is doing an environmental scan, identifying and understanding the risks (and other issues) underlying and attempting to manage them in the most appropriate way. Thus, by doing this, the company will ensure that it remains efficient and more so, profitable. Therefore, the management should ensure that environment scans are constantly done in order to check on any threats that may result in losses or inefficiency in both the in external or external environment and at the same take advantage of new opportunities. References Carpenter, M. A., Sanders, W. G. (2009). Strategic management: A dynamic perspective concepts and cases. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Cheesman, H. R. (2004). Business Law: Legal, E-Commerce, Ethical and International Environments. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Wheelen, T. L., Hunger, J. D. (2010). Concepts in strategic management and business policy. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. This essay on Analysis of Walmart and Coca Cola was written and submitted by user Quinn Flynn to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Overview of Infinitives in Spanish

Overview of Infinitives in Spanish As the most basic of verb forms, the Spanish infinitive is widely used, even more so than its English counterpart. Since it has some characteristics of both verbs and nouns, its usage can be quite flexible. Following are the most common uses of the infinitive, along with sample sentences and links to lessons. As the Subject of a Sentence When it functions as the subject of a sentence, the infinitive functions much as it does when used as the subject in an English sentence, although it is often translated using the English gerund. Thus the sentence Nadar es difà ­cil could be translated as either To swim is difficult (English infinitive) or Swimming is difficult (English gerund). Infinitives used as nouns are masculine. Usually, when the subject infinitive is used to refer to general situations, no definite article (in this case el) is needed (although some speakers optionally include it). But when referring to specific instances, the article is often used. Thus, el isnt used in the above sample sentence, but it is here: El nadar a travà ©s del rà ­o era un movimiento fatal. (Swimming across the river was a fatal move.) (El) fumar es una de las peores cosas que los nià ±os pueden hacer con sus cuerpos. Smoking is one of the worst things that children can do with their bodies.(El) votar es una obligacià ³n y un derecho. Voting is an obligation and a right. ¿De dà ³nde procede este comprender? Where does this understanding come from? As the Object of a Preposition The use of infinitives after prepositions is another example of them functioning as nouns. Although the rule isnt consistently applied, the use of the definite article is usually optional. Spanish infinitives coming after prepositions are almost always translated using the English gerund. El error est en pensar que el inglà ©s tiene las mismas estructuras que el espaà ±ol. The mistake is in thinking that English has the same structures as Spanish.El hombre fue expulsado de restaurante por comer demasiado. The man was kicked out of the restaurant for eating too much.Nacimos para estar juntos. We were born to be together. In Forming the Periphrastic Future   An infinitive can follow a present-tense form of ir a to form a very common type of future tense. Voy a cambiar el mundo. Im going to change the world. As a Substitute for the Subjunctive Mood   The most common sentence structure calling for use of the subjunctive mood is one in the form of subject main verb que subject subjunctive verb. However, if the two subjects in the sentence are the same, it is normal to drop the que and replace the second verb with an infinitive. This can be seen in a simple example: In Pablo quiere que Marà ­a salga (Pablo wants Mary to leave), the two subjects are different and the subjunctive is used. But if the subjects are the same, the infinitive is used: Pablo quiere salir. (Pablo wants to leave.) Note that the English infinitive is used in both translations; youd make a mistake to imitate English in that regard. Esperamos obtener mejores resultados. We hope to get better results. (With different subjects, the subjunctive would have been used: Esperan que obtengamos mejores resultados. They hope we get better results.)Yo preferirà ­a hablar con la pared. I would prefer to talk with the wall.Javier niega querer salir del Barcelona. Javier denies wanting to leave Barcelona. The infinitive may also substitute for the subjunctive following impersonal statements: No es necesario comprar un computador caro para realizar tareas sencillas. It isnt necessary to buy an expensive computer in order to accomplish simple tasks.No es probable ganar la loterà ­a. It isnt likely to win the lottery. Although generally the subjunctive is used following que when the main subject and the subordinate subject are different, an exception can occur with various verbs of influence such as dejar (to let), mandar (to mandate) and prohibir (to prohibit). In such sentences, the person performing the action is represented by an indirect-object pronoun. Desertà © porque me ordenaron matar a civiles. I deserted because they ordered me to kill civilians.Dà ©janos vivir en paz. Let us live in peace.Mis padres me prohibieron tener novio. My parents prohibited me from having a boyfriend.Le hicieron andar con los ojos vendados. They made him walk blindfolded. One way of analyzing the above sentences is to view the infinitive as the object of the main verb and the indirect object as representing the person affected by the main verbs action. To Follow Certain Verbs   Numerous verbs, too many to list here, are routinely followed by an infinitive. Structurally, the infinitive functions as an object of the verb, even though we may not think of it that way. Among these verbs are poder, which is usually thought of as an auxiliary verb. No puedo creer que su nombre no est en este reporte. I cant believe his name isnt in this report.Los cientà ­ficos lograron crear cà ©lulas del cerebro humano. The scientists succeeded in creating human brain cells.Los dos fingieron estar enfermos para ingresar al rea de emergencia del hospital. The two pretended to be sick in order to enter the hospital emergency room.Debemos cuidar el planeta Tierra. We ought to care for the planet Earth.Mi amiga no sabe estar sola. My friend doesnt know how to be alone. The verb phrases tener que and haber que are also followed by the infinitive. With Verbs of Perception In a sentence construction thats difficult to analyze, the infinitive can be used to indicate that someone was a witness (such as by hearing or seeing) to a completed action. Vimos volar un florero por la ventana. We saw a vase fly through the window.Nunca te vi estudiar. I never saw you study.Te oyeron cantar el himno. They heard you sing the hymn.

The Telegraph and the Internet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Telegraph and the Internet - Essay Example In both cases, this linking of two users led to the development of a complex network of wired channels linking different geographical areas of countries and ultimately the whole world. In case of both the revolutions, the pioneers were rewarded with unprecedented levels of wealth. Technology: Recurring themes can be observed, as far as the communication technology is concerned. Due to the wired technology of the telegraph, it became necessary to invent a coded method like the Morse Code (a binary system of dots and dashes), which would facilitate transmission of information, as was the need of those times. The technology used by Internet also has an essentially similar design philosophy, though much more advanced. The system of nodes as intermediate transfer points for the complex networks of the telegraph system, similarly relate to the modern Internet connectivity. Another factor common to both technologies is the slowdown due to information overload. Development phase: The rise and spread of the population to far flung areas, and an increase in business and industrial activity resulted in the development of efficient transport systems such as railways. ... The governments utilized this innovation for better control of military and political matters, whereas the businesses could covert larger and larger geographical areas into one marketplace. In both cases, the subsequent entrants in the customer base were individuals, who brought along with them good and bad impact of human issues. Hacking or disruptive activities and misinformation about the operational capabilities are the common negative aspects about the social impact. On the positive side, personal issues like online chatting, romance and love over the wires, and even conclusion of marriage contracts are the common features of the personal applications of both, the telegraph and the Internet. Impact of the telegraph on New Journalism: The meaning of New Journalism: The term 'New journalism' as it is understood today, was codified by Tom Wolfe in a collection of journalism articles he published in 1973. Though it is not fiction, and it maintains elements of reporting, including strict adherence to factual accuracy, New Journalism often brings some features not originally found in news papers, but rather in magazines. The features identified by Wolfe are: elements of story telling, dialogue in full, first person point of view, and recording every day details. In effect, New Journalism differs from traditional journalism, by accommodating the element of entertainment in the original factual content. The influence of the telegraph: The origins of this shift towards New Journalism can be traced back to the invention and adoption of the electric telegraph in the nineteenth century. During that period, great changes were taking place in the society. The telegraph was instrumental in changing the

Business in asia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Business in asia - Essay Example The researcher states that the classical growth theory argues that economic growth can negatively impact on the rising population and inadequate capitals. The classical theorists believe that short-term increase in actual GDP can result in population explosion which can ultimately reduce the actual GDP. The neoclassical theory depicts that steady economic growth can only be achieved with correct amount of labor, money and technology. It was the extension of â€Å"Harrod Domar Model† which tells that higher amount of savings and higher minimal production of capital can increase the growth rate of economy. In developing countries, labor is plentiful, but the capital is limited, which in turn reduces the amount of savings and leads to low investment and low economic growth. The endogenous growth theory depicts that economic growth is mainly the consequence of endogenous force and not due to external impact. According to this theory, investment in labor capital, invention and info rmation are the significant elements which can determine economic growth. Endogenous theory also shows that policy actions can also influence on the long-term development of economy. In this theory, the engine of growth is the labor capital because endogenous theorists believe that if labor capital accretion increases then the productivity of employees and physical resources also increase. The endogenous theory observes innovation as one of the major determinants of technological development and productivity growth. Therefore, developing countries that invest more on research and development are able to accomplish higher paybacks. The Simple AK Model which is developed by Paul Romer (1990) is the modest endogenous model. This model shows that exclusion of lessening return can result in endogenous growth (Slide 40). Question 4 Austrian Business Cycle Theory seeks to clarify the economic succession which indicates variations in production or economic movement in a country. These varia tions happen around a long-standing development tendency and usually comprise alterations over a period of time between stages of boom and burst. The Austrian Business Cycle Theory observes business cycles as the unavoidable result of extreme development in bank credit, aggravated by integrally harmful and ineffectual central bank strategies which cause lower interest rates for longer period of time. It can result in unnecessary credit formation, hypothetical economic bubble and reduced savings. According to this theory, low interest rate for a constant period of time and extreme credit formation can result in unpredictable and uneven balance between savings and investment. The increase of credit can result in higher money supply and higher money supply leads towards un-maintainable boom during which the artificially induced lending reduce the investment prospects. Thus, the Austrian Business Cycle Theory denotes that bursts can happen if the lending or credit formation becomes unma nageable. A saving induced boom is maintainable, but

Choose one of the lists Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Choose one of the lists - Assignment Example This has resulted in progression of disunity in the country causing extremist tendencies while indicating urgent need of a curriculum that can appreciate diversity as strength and inculcate expectations of an enlightened country and the enlightened globe. In this regard, it is very imperative that educators and leaders should have a sound knowledge and understanding of existing curriculum that will enable them to deal effectively with diversity issues that exist in curriculum. Discussion Curriculum has often been defined as the â€Å"planned interaction of students with instructional content, instructional resources, and instructional processes for the attainment of predetermined educational objectives† (Ashraf, n.d, pg. 69). This clearly indicates that the curriculum is not a confined document, and that many factors play around the aspects of curriculum that need consideration, as in this paper, diversity of learners is the main focus. Principally, the teaching and learning a ctivities are predominantly the notions that enable curriculum to include ‘how’ factor in its characteristics, and thus, I believe curriculum cannot exist in confinement but it always need presence of teaching, learning, as well as assessment to ensure its existence. In other words, the curriculum refers to ‘what is taught’, whereas, the teaching and learning can indicate ‘how it is taught’ that clearly signifies the interdependent relationship that exist between these notions and the curriculum and that will be very helpful in management of diversity issues in education. Traditionally, the curriculum was limited to the narrow scope of â€Å"set of courses, coursework, and their content, offered at a school of university† (Riehl & Firestone, 2005). However, after detailed analysis of different curriculum documents and from course readings and discussions, I admire the 1968 definition of Kerr, where curriculum exists as â€Å"All the lea rning which is planned and guided by the school, whether it is carried on in groups or individually, inside or outside the school† (Lawton, 2012). This definition has somehow exceeded the bounded vision of traditional perspective of curriculum that used to confine the curriculum as only course and content and this definition, thus, can act as a basis for educational leaders to recognize and resolve diversity issues in the curriculum. Kerr’s definition obviously acknowledges the importance of teaching and not keeping it in the mode of ‘jug and mug theory’ only but the usage of term ‘guided’ itself is an indication of the role of teacher as a facilitator that was also observed during the analysis. Moreover, while relating this definition once again, I came across the understanding that the knowledge is not limited to the range of content only. Rather, it goes beyond the levels of content producing a complex set of relationships that play their ro le during the processes of teaching and learning after the development of curriculum and its objectives. Briefly, one cannot remove the curriculum from these factors and their relationships, which falsify traditional definition of curriculum in which it was viewed as an â€Å"

Herbal Medicines: Helpful Aids or Harmful Injuries

Herbal Medicines: Helpful Aids or Harmful Injuries Anna Pham   Abstract Despite using plants for medicinal purposes for over 5,000 years, not much is known about the efficacy, mechanism, or safety of herbs pharmacological activity. Although herbal medicines are not a new threat, they are becoming an increasing concern due to their growing popularity around the world. Introduction Use of traditional medicine has expanded globally and has gained popularity. Not only is it used for primary health care of the poor in developing countries, it is also used in countries where conventional medicine is predominant in the national health care system. Three quarters of the world population is estimated to rely on herbal and traditional medicine as a basis for primary health care1. With this increase in popularity, an awareness of the efficacy, quality control, and safety of herbal medicines have become important concerns. Plants have been recorded as being used for medicinal purposes over 5,000 years2. For most of history, herbal medicine was the only treatment. As early as 1890, 59% of the listings in the US Pharmacopeia were from herbal products, and it is estimated that one third to one half of currently used drugs were derived from plants1. Today, thousands of herbal products are available over the counter and are commonly used by patients globally. Public dissatisfaction with the cost of prescription medications, combined with an interest in returning to natural or organic remedies, has led to an increase in herbal medicine consumption1. This is particularly true in individuals with chronic or incurable diseases. Herbal medicines are not a new threat, but they are an important and misunderstood threat. According to the World Health Organization, an herb is any form of a plant or plant product, including leaves, flowers, fruit, seed, stems, roots, and seeds2. These plants can either be sold raw or as extracts, where the plant is softened with water, alcohol, or other solvents to extract some of the chemicals. The resulting products contain dozens of chemicals, including fatty acids, sterols, flavonoids, alkaloids, and glycosides3. Efficacy Echinacea plant is widely used primarily for treatment of the common cold. Assessing the effectiveness of different Echinacea preparations is complicated because of the many extraneous variables. There are three different species of Echinacea in medical use, which include Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea pallida, and Echinacea angustifolia4. As well, not only are different parts of the plant are used (root, herb, flower, or whole plant), different methods of extraction are used. Lastly, other plant extracts or homeopathic components are added in some preparations. Making comparisons and pooling data of different preparations of Echinacea is methodologically questionable, so interpreting the plants effectiveness needs caution due to the heterogeneity of the preparations. Furthermore, the exact mechanisms of action for the immunomodulating effects of Echinacea preparations are unclear. There are four classes of compounds that are known to contribute to the immunomodulatory activity of Echinacea extracts: alkamides, glycoproteins, polysaccharides, and caffeic acid derivatives4. Different concentrations of different compounds are found in the three species of Echinacea. Subsequently, the pharmacologic effects associated with the elements in Echinacea may result from independent or synergistic interactions with single or multiple elements. As well, even if Echinacea extracts and constituents have demonstrated pharmacological activities in various biological assays, there is no evidence-based conceptual framework to explain how Echinacea might effectively prevent or treat acute respiratory infections4. Karsch-Volk et al. investigated in a systemic review the effectiveness of different Echinacea preparations for preventing and treating common colds or induced rhinovirus infections4. Different preparations were compared to a placebo in twenty-four double-blind randomized control trials with 4631 participants. It was not possible to apply a standard definition of the common cold across the trials, so the participants included in this study were individuals with non-specific viral upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) with a clinical diagnosis of common cold, influenza-like syndrome, or viral URTI; volunteers without acute URTIs but treated for preventative purposes; or volunteers without acute URTIs but challenged with rhinovirus treated for preventative and/or therapeutic purposes. The researchers only included trials of oral Echinacea with one preparation versus a placebo and excluded trials of combinations of Echinacea with other herbs and trials comparing Echinacea with no tr eatment or a treatment other than placebo. A large proportion of the preparations used in the trials were pressed juices (stabilized with alcohol), alcohol tinctures or tablets made from dried extracts. The heterogeneity of the preparations tested did not allow a strong conclusion. The different preparations of Echinacea contained different amounts of bioactive components; therefore, the different preparations were not comparable. Karsch-Volk et al did conclude that some Echinacea products were more effective than a placebo for treating the common cold, but the overall evidence for clinically relevant treatment effects was weak. In general, Echinacea preventing colds did not show statistically significant reductions in illness occurrence; however, nearly all prevention trials suggested small preventative effects. Studies investigating the effects of herbs cannot draw strong conclusions unless heterogeneity and reproducibility are controlled. Regulation Herbal medicines are often promoted as natural and therefore harmless; however, these remedies are not free from adverse effects. Much of the United States botanical industrys products are unlicensed and are not required to demonstrate efficacy, quality, or safety1. Lack of regulation and loose distribution channels may attribute to poor quality of herbal products which will result in adverse reactions. Regulation is difficult since different cultures in different regions of the world have developed various practices of traditional medicine without a parallel international standard and appropriate method for evaluating traditional medicine. Safety Pharmacologically Active Ingredients       Natural products contain pharmacologically active molecules which can potentially cause danger to human health. Examples of toxicity associated with herbal use include the hepatotoxicity due to pyrrolizidine alkaloids-containing plants, acting by a characteristic veno-occlusive disease that may be rapidly progressive and fatal, Aconitum poisoning due to Aconitum alkaloids, which are highly toxic cardiotoxins and neurotoxins, and the severe and lethal cardiovascular side effects associated with Ephedra sinica6. However, other studies have clearly shown that adverse events due to herbal remedies are relatively infrequent if assessed for causality and that although the number of severe clinical reactions was small, fatalities have been described7. The objective of this review was to collect available data on the following: (i) adverse effects observed in humans from the intake of  plant food supplements or botanical preparations; (ii) the misidentification of poisonous plants; and (iii) interactions between plant  food supplements/botanicals and conventional drugs or nutrients. Contamination Biological contamination and chemical contamination of medicinal herbs and herbal products are very common. Impurities in medicinal herbs and their preparations and products refer to biological contamination8. They may involve living microbes such as bacteria and their spores, yeasts and molds, viruses, protozoa, insects (their eggs and larvae), and other organisms. Microbial contamination of herbs may result from improper handling during production and packaging. Sources of contamination are microbes from the ground and processing facilities (contaminated air, microbes of human origin). Cross contamination is also a possibility from extraneous materials such as glass, plastic, and other materials which contact the herbs, herbal preparations, or products. Human excrement, animal manure and feces used as fertilizers are other sources of biological contamination. As well, contamination of herbs with bacterial strains resistant to known antibiotics poses human health risks and infection . Additionally, because molds are widespread in the atmosphere, they are a natural contaminant of medicinal herbs. Molds are potent allergens and producers of mycotoxins. Products of microbial metabolism, such as toxic, low-molecular-weight metabolites from molds, are chemical contaminants. Furthermore, herbal products can be contaminated by heavy metals and pesticides as well. Drug  Interactions Case reports, case series, and pharmacokinetic trials have highlighted that herbal medicines can interact with prescribed medicines6. Interactions can have either a pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics basis or both, and herbal medicines may interact with prescribed drugs at the intestine, liver, kidneys, and targets of action. Herbal remedies involved in drug interactions have been shown to up-regulate or down-regulate cytochrome P450s and/or P-glycoprotein6. The roles of drug transporters, including the organic anion and cation transporters and the nuclear pregnane-X receptor, are apparent9. However, most of the evidence for herb-drug interactions come from case reports; therefore, it is difficult to establish a cause and effect relationship. Izzo reviewed the clinical data regarding the interactions between herbal remedies and prescribed drugs. Since herbal medicines are a mixture of more than one bioactive ingredient, such combinations of many substances increase the likelihood of interactions taking place; therefore, theoretically, the likelihood of herb-to-drug interactions is higher than drug-to-drug interactions, if only because synthetic drugs usually contain single chemical entitities10. Therefore, it is difficult to rule out what causes the interaction. The review investigated the clinical data for 27 herbal remedies known to interact with conventional medicines, such as Aloe vera, Echinacea, and St Johns Wort. Also examined in the review were characteristics of the patient. Age, frailty, infrequent genotypes, ethnicity, gender, and comorbidity should be accounted for when considering herb-to-drug interactions. This is important since polymorphisms in the genes for drug-metabolizing enzymes or transporters may influence herb-to-drug interactions. As well, the concomitant use of prescription medications and herbal products by older adults is a common situation in western countries10. Since older adults typically have multiple health problems, they are at particular risk for herb-to-drug interactions. Despite this gravity, clinical studies investigating the potential of drug interactions in elderly patients are rare. Additionally, it is well established that the pharmacokinetics of many drugs vary between men and women. Gender differences in herb-to-drug interactions have been reported both experimentally and in clinical trials10. Izzos review article had many limitations. Only clinical reports were considered, and preclinical studies, including human in vitro experiments, were excluded. This and other unpublished articles could lead to underestimation. As well, most of the evidence on herb-to-drug interactions discussed in the article was based on case reports, which are sometimes incomplete and do not allow inferences for a causal relationship. However, it should be noted that even documented case reports can never establish a causal relationship between drug administration and an adverse event since there are so many extraneous variables. Also, the extract type, standardization of extract, part of the plant used and the scientific name of the plant were not specified in the papers reviewed. This is important because preparations obtained from the same plant may have different chemical compositions and therefore different biological actions, as previously highlighted. This leads to uncertainty as to what cau ses the adverse effects. Furthermore, herbal preparations are not subject to the same regulations as prescription drugs, so the content of active ingredients may vary among manufacturers, potentially causing a large variation in efficacy and safety. The under-regulated quality of herbal medicines is another limitation and safety issue since contamination or adulteration of herbal medicines, including adulteration with synthetic drugs, may cause drug interactions. Therefore, a contaminant/adulterant, and not an herbal ingredient, can theoretically cause the drug interactions. Lastly, it is difficult to identify most herb-to-drug interactions because many countries do not have a central mechanism for mandatory reporting, and many people conceal their use of herbal medicines to their physicians or pharmacists, believing that herbal products are natural and therefore safe10. Izzo concluded that clinical reports clearly indicate that herbal medicines can interact with conventional drugs. While most of these interactions have a negligible clinical significance, some may pose a serious threat to public health. Herbal medicines may be used by patients concomitantly receiving conventional drugs, which can result in misunderstood adverse events. Future  Directions Important changes to the regulation of herbs are needed to improve the safety and appropriate use of herbal products. These include requiring manufacturers to register with the FDA, requiring safety tests like those required for over-the-counter drugs, requiring all health claims to be supported by data approved by the FDA, and ensuring that product labels provide an accurate list of all ingredients1. These changes will help the safety of herbal products, but additional changes are needed to improve and promote high-quality research. Defining specific standards for herbal products to ensure consistency between studies is critical. Once a well-established standard of the chemical fingerprint exists for herbs, the formulation of the herbal product can become clear. Additionally, symptoms of illnesses are subjective. Operational definitions need to be addressed to make strong comparisons. Ideally, a robust study design would be able to show all preparations of a plant showing either positive or negative effects. Because of the current regulatory structure and limited available data on safety and efficacy, there is high risk using herbal medicine, including severe side effects from pharmacologically active ingredients, contaminants, or drug interactions. On the other hand, the benefits using herbal medicine lack evidence or have inconsistent evidence, so more high-quality research needs to be conducted, especially regarding high-risk patients such as older adults. Conclusion/Summary Assessing the efficacy, quality, and safety of herbal medicines is problematic because of inadequate or inconsistent study methods being used. Herbal research should be conducted with the same meticulous care as any other medical research, and all herbal products administered to patients should ideally be chemically characterized, standardized, and of known quality. Extraneous variables from different herbal preparations do not allow for generalizations about the efficacy and safety of herbal remedies, and findings of clinical studies must be interpreted cautiously because many studies were performed without sufficient rigor and recorded detail. Additionally, the current regulation of herbs does not ensure that available products are safe, and false and illegal marketing claims are common. Changes to the regulation of herbal products could dramatically improve the appropriate use of herbs. High quality research in this field is needed to firmly establish the efficacy and safety of many herbal products. The biggest threat regarding herbal medicines is that it continues to be misunderstood. It is unknown which exact chemical, or combination of chemicals, in an herb produces a biological effect. Hence, it is difficult to create the ideal herbal product that is precise, controlled, and standardized. Also, it is not known if a single chemical component of the herb or the synergistic combination of chemicals in the plant would produce the desired effect. Which constituent of the herb produces an herb-to-drug interaction is not understood either, allowing for adverse reactions. These ambiguous fallouts result from the many different preparations of herbal products. Standardized, robust study designs are required to address the uncertainty of these findings. References Efferth T, Kaina B. Toxicities by Herbal Medicines with Emphasis to Traditional Chinese Medicine: United States, 2011. World Health Organization. General Guidelines for Methodologies on Research and Evaluation of Traditional Medicine: Geneva, 2000. Rotblatt M, Ziment I. Evidence-based herbal medicine. Philadelphia, PA: Hanley Belfus; 2002. Karsch-Và ¶lk M, Barrett B, Kiefer D, Bauer R, Ardjomand-Woelkart K, Linde K. 2014. Echinacea for preventing and treating the common cold. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2: CD000530. Gauthier S, Schlaefke S. 2014. Efficacy and tolerability of Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761 ® in dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials. Clin Interv Aging 9: 2065-77. Izzo A, Hoon-Kim S, Radhakrishnan R, Williamson EM. A Critical Approach to Evaluating Clinical Efficacy, Adverse Events and Drug Interactions of Herbal Remedies: 2016. Di Lorenzo C, Ceschi A, Kupferschmidt H, et al. 2015. Adverse effects of plant food supplements and botanical preparations: a systematic review with critical evaluation of causality. Br J Clin Pharmacol 79: 578-92. Kosalec I, Cvek J, and Tomic S. Contaminants of medicinal herbs and herbal products: Croatia, 2009. Cho HJ, Yoon IS. 2015. Pharmacokinetic interactions of herbs with cytochrome p450 and p-glycoprotein. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2015: 736431. Izzo AA. 2012. Interactions between herbs and conventional drugs: overview of the clinical data. Med Princ Prac 21: 404-28.

Oppressiveness of Society Exposed in Emily Jane Brontes Wuthering Heights :: Emily Jane Brontes Wuthering Heights

Oppressiveness of Society Exposed in Emily Jane Bronte's Wuthering Heights Wuthering Heights, the creation of Emily Jane Bronte, depicts not a fantasy realm nor the depths of hell. Rather, the novels focuses on two main characters' battle with the restrictions of Victorian Society. Societal pressures and restrictive cultural confines exile Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff from the world and then from each other. The story commences in the desolate moors of Yorkshire, home of the estate Wuthering Heights. True to its setting, the novel develops Catherine and Heathcliff as mischievous children who wander the isolated bogs, separating themselves from the activities of Wuthering Heights. Catherine^s childhood exile stems from her lack of compliance with the rules concerning the conduct of a Victorian lady. As a child, her father was too ill to reprimand the free spirited child, ^who was too mischievous and wayward for a favourite.^(33). Therefore, Catherine grew up among nature and lacked the sophistication of high society. Catherine removed herself from society and, "had ways with her such as I never saw a child take up before; she put all of us past our patience fifty times and oftener in a day;...we had not a minute^s security that she wouldn^t be in mischief. Her spirits were always at high-water mark, her tongue always going--singing, laughing, and plaguing everyone who would not do the same. A wild, wicked slip she was--"(37). Catherine further disregarded social standards and remained friends with Heathcliff despite his degradation by Hindley, her brother. ^Miss Cathy and he [Heathcliff] were now very thick;^(33) and she found her sole enjoyment in his companionship. Catherine grew up beside Heathcliff, ^in the fields. They both promised to grow up as rude as savages; the young master [Hindley] being entirely negligent how they behaved,^(40-41). During her formative years Catherine^s conduct did not reflect that of a young Lady, ^and one of their chief amusements [was] to run away to the moors in the morning and remain there all day,^(41). Thus, Catherine^s behavior developed and rejected the ideals of an oppressive, over-bearing society, which in turn created an isolation from the institutionalized world. The two existed on their private island unchecked until Catherine suffers an injury from the Linton^s bulldog. Forced to remain at Thrushcross Grange, the Linton^s home, after her injury, isolates Catherine from Heathcliff and her former world of reckless freedom. Living amongst the elegance of the Lintons transforms Catherine from a coarse youth into a delicate lady. However, sublimation into Victorian society does not fit her

NFC technology Essay

‡ The NFC Forum has identified three basic use cases for NFC: connection, access, and transactions. All three have application in transport. ‡ Public transport requires infrastructure for NFC Ticketing + NFC Payment ‡ Transportation Uses: Í » Pay Parking fee Í » Purchasing fuels Í » Links to an up-to-date weather report website Í » Location-relevant map Í » Special discounted travel offers Í » Next bus/train arrival time Í » Taxi services Í » Emergency calls Ease of use: This criterion refers to Ížthe degree to which a person believes that using a particular system would be free of effortÍŸ ‡ Cost: It regroups direct costs (e.g. cost of the technology, cost of implementation) and indirect costs (e.g. infrastructure operation and maintenance). ‡ Reliability: The purchase process should be flawless as it involves a financial transaction. ‡ User/Market Acceptance: This criterion represent the degree to which the user and the different stakeholders are already consenting to accept a technology for payments.  Ã‚‡ Security: Implicit security features (e.g. embedded encryption) and ease of securing the technology.  Ã‚‡ Flexibility: Degree to which the technology can be adapted in many different applications. ‡ Maturity: Development state of the technology. ‡ Speed: Implicit speed of the technology for payments. ‡ Scalability: Ability to grow. Usability in small and large environment. ‡ Upcoming Bluetooth 4.0 low energy protocol will be consuming even lower power than NFC as of now. ‡ NFC alone does not ensure secure communications is vulnerable to data modifications. Advantages over Bluetooth ‡ Almost instant connection (around 1/10 seconds) in comparison to pairing procedure of Bluetooth. ‡ Low power consumption and could work (alternatively) even when one of the device is powerless . ‡ NFC is compatible with existing passive RFID (13.56 MHz ISO/IEC 18000-3) infrastructures. ‡ Shorter range makes it suitable for crowded area with high interferences.

Past Leaders essays

Past Leaders essays Sigmund Freuds life consisted of two things: himself and psychoanalysis. He was an extremely hard worker. Seeing several patients in a day, and then writing into the night, but he never seemed to have fun. He stood up for his work and defended it 100%. Freud had theories of repression, disturbances of sexual function, which he claimed to be neurotic, and infantile sexuality which he said all children are partly neurotic. He prided himself on always being right. He as well came up with the theory of the Id, Ego, and Super-ego, which were the three different parts of the human mind. Freud came to the conclusion of studying his childhood patients that many of the bad incidents that his patients recalled and that seemed to have caused their illnesses were sexual in nature. He established that the primary cause of neurosis was the sexuality of childhood. He also came up with transference which is when someone would enter a new situation in life or they are confronted by a new person, then they would project upon the other person the prejudices of their past and of their previous experiences with people. Freud came up with these main concepts of psychoanalysis as well as many more which are still used to this very day in that same field of study. He didnt create this subject of study; he just perfected it, and made it better. He is said to be the best psychoanalyst to ever live. He kept to himself, and people still dont know certain things about him even to this day. So yes to close, he did help the discovery of self, with his ideas of the id, ego, and supe r-ego, and the neurotic thoughts of the human mind. He made his field into what it is today. Nikolai Lenin grew up living better than the average bureaucrat. Both his father and his brother died within a year. His brother Alexander was killed because he was found to be plotting to assassinate Tsar Alexander III. Soon after his brothers death L...

Financial statements for Lemonade

Financial statements for Lemonade Introduction Financial reports are very important tools used in gauging the financial health of business enterprises and making predictions of the future of a business. It is therefore important that any business organization use these reports in formulating its strategies and future goals to be delivered.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Financial statements for Lemonade specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More While the financial reports give a wider picture of the state of affairs of the business, the ratio provides specific areas of strength within the business and provides an opportunity for the management to leverage on its areas of strength and take corrective measures against the weaknesses. This paper will provide the financial statements and the corresponding ratios for Lemonade stand business for the two seasons. This will be followed by a critical analysis of the financial health of the business as shown by the f inancial report. Financial statements Balance sheet This is a very important financial statement in a business entity. It shows the financial position of the business in terms of assets, liabilities and the owner’s equity. A well prepared balance sheet must therefore clearly indicate the assets owned by the business, the liabilities that the business owes and the money invested by the shareholders or owners of the business. The financial statement below shows the balance sheet for Lemonade business for the two seasons: The income statement on the other hand provides information about the financial performance of a business within a certain period of time.It gives the revenues and expenditures which must be matched to realize the earnings. The income statement below is a summary of the Lemonade business for the two seasons: Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Analysis of the ratios and the financial statements The balance sheet above shows that the business financial position improved greatly between season one and season two as the balance sheet value increased from $16480 to $18400 representing a 12.22% jump in the value of the balance sheet. The same trend was witnessed with the equity side of the balance sheet as the value of equity increased from $4900 to $6200 which was quite impressive for the business. The company liabilities also increased from 11880 to 12120 representing 2% increase. This can be attributed to the increase in the level of activity as the firm tried to improve its level of operation. From the income statement the firms total earnings increased by more than 78% from $9400 to $16800.The increase in earnings is attributed to the large jump in the firms revenues from $44000 to $5700.Although the expenses also increased, the percentage increase stood at 17% which was too low compared to the increase in the revenues wh ich stood at 29%. One of the key factors that determine the financial health of any business is the liquidity. A closer look at liquidity ratios such as current ratio and cash ratio shows a great improvement in the firm’s liquidity from season one to season two. The current ratio in season two stood at 2.10 up from 1.8 in season one and this clearly shows that the firms current asset were able to cover the current liabilities by more than 2 times compared to 1.8 times in season one. The same trend is seen in cash ratio where the firm’s cash and cash equivalents stands at 2.09 times its current liabilities. This is an improvement from 1.7 times recorded in the first season. The debt to equity ratio which shows the level of exposure to debt financing reduced from 2.3 to 1.4 from season one to season two. This means that the firm is properly protected from too much debt and hence the company can use much of its earnings to finance expansion projects rather than repay debt . The inventory turnover increased from 4 times to 9 times which clearly shows an improvement in the firm’s efficiency in operations and hence stock is able to move faster than in the first season. The asset turn over however declined from 3.09 to 2.6 which means that every dollar of asset invested only realized 2.6 in season two compared to 3.09 in season one. This calls for better ways of managing assets in the business. The firm should also avoid keeping too much idle assets (Brigham Houston, 2009).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Financial statements for Lemonade specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Another major indicator of the financial health of a business is the profitability and from the profitability ratios presented the business was able to record improved profits in season two compared to season one. The profit margin increased from 70.5% to 78% and this indicates the firm was able to realize more than 78% sales as profits. The return on equity increased from 47% in season one to 58% in season two. The returns on assets also increased from 10% in season one to 15% in season two. These are clear indications of poor management of equity and assets respectively and hence the need for prudent ways of managing assets and equity. Based on the above financial statements and ratios the firm still stands at a better position provided by strong liquidity and less exposure and hence it has a bright future. The management must however set up proper methods of managing assets and owners equity to realize maximum returns. Reference Brigham, E.F. Houston, F.J. (2009). Fundamentals of Financial Management. 12th ed. Mason, OH : Cengage South-Western.

Hollywood and The Red Scare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Hollywood and The Red Scare - Essay Example In the end, it was the enemy from within acting as the nation’s protector that caused hardships for many Americans and not communism. The most evident example of this exploitation for personal gains comes from Hollywood due to its high profile status. In 1950, what had been a largely ineffectual and obscure U.S. Senator, who was riddled with bribery scandals, gave a speech in West Virginia that would make him a powerful and famous legislator. Senator Joseph McCarthy told those gathered at the Republican Women’s Club â€Å"The State Department is infested with Communists.† (Roberts, 2010). He further claimed to possess 205 names of known, avowed communists who were working for the U.S. State Department. This was untrue but the speech served its purpose, by shifting the accusing public spotlight from him to others. Soon afterward the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) began hearings in an effort to root-out communist sympathizers and subversives. HUAC began by calling to testify movie stars and moguls who the government knew were staunchly anti-communist such as Louis B Mayer, Jack earner, Robert Taylor, Gary Cooper and Walt Disney, a movie making icon that was certain â€Å"Commies† were attempting to ruin his business and his good name. Disney was eager to offer names of suspected communist. He even went as far as to make wild, unsubstantiated assumptions of a person being communist due to this individual having â€Å"no religion and had spent considerable time at the Moscow Art Theatre studying art direction, or something.† (Rad, 2009) It was later discovered Disney had been an FBI informant from the time WWII ended until his death in the mid 1960’s. An opposition group called the Committee for the First Amendment protested the congressional investigations. Among the groups members were high profile Hollywood celebrities such as Lucille Ball, Lauren Bacall, Gene Kelly and Humphrey Bogart. The

Observe behavior - you as a researcher (Psychology) Essay

Observe behavior - you as a researcher (Psychology) - Essay Example A study of college students stress found that stress is self-imposed surprisingly often (Weiten & Lloyd 65). Further enhancing available research that links college activities to self-imposed stress, this researcher noted a particular instance in which a student manifested not only outward indications of self-imposed stress, rather the student began to exhibit behavior toward self-fulfilling prophecy in which the students unrealistic expectations about academic performance caused her negative assertions to become reality. In an attempt to justify a hypothetical linkage between self-imposed stress and self-fulfilling prophecy, this researcher engaged the student to become an It became a crucial determining factor to this case study to witness how the participant functioned in an academic environment and for this researcher to observe behaviors which could be linked to self-imposed stress and self-fulfilling prophecy. The subject was observed frantically reinforcing her impending failure to an upcoming class examination, exclaiming on several occasions that she was "stupid" and could not manage to secure an acceptable understanding of her curriculums material. This researcher allowed the subject to openly express her misgivings with her academic performance and twice witnessed the subject toss her study materials in frustration. Further forward in the subjects study session, the student publicly refused to continue studying because she perceived the activity as a "useless effort" and that she was "doomed to work at a car wash for the rest of her life" and would never attain her degree. As part of our association, it was commonplace for this researcher to offer study assistance by quizzing the subject on her study material. After reviewing the information, this researcher was able to conclude that the subject comprehended