Behavioral scientists Essay

Gang violence is a social phenomenon that has caught the interests of behavioral scientists, psychologists and other related fields. At the forefront is the fact that gangs are social groups that have exclusive rules and strict codes of brotherhood which can actually provide the need for belongingness and affiliation as well as security in the harsh life in the city streets. Surprisingly, gangs have been associated with violence for the longest time, the term gang is already perceived as negative and that at present, gang is synonymous to violence, criminal acts and substance abuse. People join gangs for various reasons but it has been found that adolescents who have been victims of abuse, have dysfunctional family systems, school drop-outs and those in foster care generally join gangs more than the normal teenager. Thus, the final project is geared towards bringing about behavior change for adolescents at risk of joining gangs and or has a tendency for violence. Before drawing up a concrete behavior change program, it is important to examine how this could be brought about by factors like motivation and cultural awareness. Motivating people to change is not an easy feat, generally, if a person is set in his/her ways, then asking them to change something that they do not perceive to be evil or negative is a futile act. Central to the concept of motivation is that the goal offered to the individual must be meaningful to him/her, one that is personally desired and can be owned as a personal decision. This is where choice comes in, when a person is confronted with a choice; his/her reaction to it depends on their circumstances and present state of mind (Iyengar & Lepper, 1999). In this context, choosing to change their behavior should come from their internal desire to change, to become better and to be removed from their present difficulties. For example, if the behavior that is targeted to be modified is expressions of anger, it makes sense to the person to change this if he/she can realize that his/her actions hurt other people and that it also causes people to avoid them and hence lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness. Gangs are often formed around cultural groups, that is one gang can be comprised of Latinos, others are blacks, and others Asians and or whites. Thus, a program for behavior change should also consider the different cultural underpinnings of the gang and its members, if the gang is made up of black Americans, then asking them to join a program geared towards changing them, might be construed as culturally motivated, they have to be changed because they are blacks. There is much emotionality when it comes to culturally specific gangs and it cannot be denied that emotion may get in the way of participating in a program that is designed to change them (Markus & Kitayama, 1991) Motivation is also said to be affected by culture, one has to be able to correctly identify the cultural background of the gang or the participants of the project so as to provide a more culturally relevant and sensitive program. Lastly, motivation can be defined as extrinsic and intrinsic, it has been generally accepted that intrinsic motivation is more positive, more important and influential than extrinsic motivation thus the behavior change program should appeal to the intrinsic motivation of the participants. Intrinsic motivation is the feelings and behavior that drives the person to act in a certain way or to commit to a behavior change program. Internal means that it is something personal and valued by the person, it can be the desire for self-awareness, confidence and achievement, whereas extrinsic motivations are physical and tangible like prestige, money and awards (Sansone & Harackiewicz, 2000). The behavior change program should be designed to spark the intrinsic motivation of the participants, thus conducting an orientation seminar will introduce the participant to the program and letting them experience how good it is to be able to know who they are, to know that they mattered and someone cared for them would facilitate rapport and trust between the researcher and the participant. If the concepts of choice, culture and motivation will be adequately examined and integrated into the planned program, then surely the project would be a success. References Iyengar, S. & Lepper, M. (1999). Rethinking the role of choice: A cultural perspective on intrinsic motivation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76, 349-366. Markus, H. & Kitayama, S. (1991). Culture and self: Implications for cognition, emotion, and motivation. Psychological Review, 98, 224-253. Sansone, C. & Harackiewicz, J. (2000). Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation: The search for optimal motivation and performance. San Diego: Academic Press.

Introduction to Human Settlements

UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN SETTLEMENTS Why people build environments? In order to understand built environments, one should know how the human mind works. The human mind imposes an order on the world. The world is chaotic and disorderly which; the human mind classifies, orders and onto it, imposes cognitive schemata. Settlements, buildings and landscapes are results of this activity. Hence, built environments including settlements are one way of ordering the world. INTRODUCTIONVancouver Declaration on Human Settlements (1976) defined human settlements as â€Å"the totality of the human community – whether city, town or village – with all the social, material, organizational, spiritual and cultural elements that sustain it. The fabric of human settlements consists of physical elements and services to which these elements provide the material support†. The physical components comprise, Shelter, i. e. the superstructures of different shapes, size, type and materi als erected by mankind for security, privacy and protection from the elements and for his singularity within a community; Infrastructure, i. . the complex networks designed to deliver to or remove from the shelter people, goods, energy or information; Services cover those required by a community for the fulfilment of its functions as a social body, such as education, health, culture, welfare, recreation and nutrition. All settlements essentially involve the making of places. Each place is a differentiated portion of the earth’s surface of previously undifferentiated space, a portion that is distinguishable from other such portions and has a specific meaning. What makes a place is always some schema, some ordering principle, which varies in different cultures.In most traditional cultures these schemata are related to the sacred. The purpose of place is to create a space that is habitable and usable in terms acceptable to the culture. All settlements are ordered and organized. Settlements not only impose an order on the larger domain but also are themselves organized. There is an ordering system both in the settlement, ceremonial centre or whatever and at the larger scale; there are systems within systems. All settlements are designed. Settlements are designed in the sense that they embody human decisions, choices and specific ways of doing things.Designed environments include places that are cleared and planted, areas where rivers have been diverted and fields that have been fenced in certain patterns. In fact many apparently commonplace activities have a greater impact on the earth than design in the traditional sense. The way cities, regions and countries look depends in the final analysis on the design activity of many individuals and groups at different times. ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS Origin of settlements can be traced back to the caves where people gathered for protection against the natural forces or for defence against rival trib es.These places of communal living gave way to the village. The village was a by-product of the development of agriculture in areas where there was an adequate water supply and fertile soil. Many of these earliest villages arose adjacent to what are now the Mediterranean Sea and the Nile, Tigris, and Euphrates rivers. In addition to the role of providing shelter to its people, the village was also an appropriate sanctuary for the altar of their Deity, a meeting place for assembly, and a centre for trade. As this environment became increasingly populated, urbanization resulted.Communities larger than the village came as a result of the growth of crops and the breeding of stock on a more permanent basis than before. The production of hard grains that could be stored for a longer period of time offered stability, since it assured insurance against starvation. The ability of these urban areas to preserve food made it possible to diversify into other activities. With a development of div ersified economy not totally dependent on food production, it became possible to attract people into a labour pool, thus providing employment in a variety of forms.This brought about the enlargement of villages or hamlets into towns and cities, which operated on different political and economic bases than had not been possible in the simpler forms. CHARACTERISTICS OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS The Influence of Geography Natural factors played an important part in the development and growth of settlements. The danger or fire and flood, extreme climatic conditions, the possibility of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, lack of natural resources or fertile soils – all influenced decisions either to settle in a given area or to move to a more favourable site.Moderate climates were always preferred to settle. Most of the settlements are located between the latitudes 60-degree North and 45-degree South. Although extreme temperatures are found within these boundaries, as the climate is favou rable for habitation for major parts of the year. Geographic studies indicate that settlements seldom form where the topography is steep. Some cities are located at high altitudes, but the slope of the land is relatively level. For example, Denver, Colorado and Mexico City are around 5000 feet above sea level but the terrain at these sites is relatively flat.Accessibility to other settlements also plays a role in the location and development of settlements. Political and Social Organization The village brought something new to the lives of primitive people: the need for mutual responsibility and cooperation. Various social and political organizations emerged as a direct result. People did not adjust easily to the self-discipline that community life required. Personal rivalry flared within the village and the most powerful individual assumed the role of tribal leader. Rivalry between villages often resulted in armed conflict.Several villages might come under the domination of the vic torious tribe with that tribe’s leader rising to the position of ruler. In time empires were created and rulers took the titles of king and emperor. What distinguishes the early city from the primitive village is its higher degree of political and social organization. The more sophisticated social structure allows people to live together in relative peace. Social, economic and political organization is essential to the growth and development of a city. As a result of the more advanced social structure, bold aesthetic changes took place.Temples and other structures of the ruling group became permanent. Tremendous amounts of energy were expended to produce great edifices, such as palaces and cathedrals, which became a source of pride to the public and the seat of power for its rulers. In the mean time, most of the people lived as slave labour in mud huts or worse where none of the basic amenities existed. Such situations still exist in many parts of the world today, where great numbers of people live in slums. Evolution of Physical Form Two basic forms of settlements are noticeable: the walled town and the open city.Within these basic forms a wide variety of patterns are woven. Each form and design is shaped by the character of the society at the time. Few cities that thrived with great cultures began with a plan. They developed by a process of accretion; the growth was irregular, responsive to the changes in the habits of people and dynamic in character. They began as free cities settled voluntarily. Their external form and the physical pattern were introduced according to the structure of the land itself or the manner in which the land was apportioned among the inhabitants.Cities have been subjected to the process of continuous remodelling through the ages and the variety of their forms is the result of the particular force or forces that were dominant during the successive periods of their history. In order to discern the characteristics of a civilizat ion, attention cannot be confined only to the rulers but also to the affairs of the people. More than the great and the impressive structures, common dwellings of the people mark the culture of the cities.

Alternative Beverages

Alternative beverages competed on the basis of differentiation from traditional drinks such as carbonated soft drinks or fruit juices. The market started out with low competition, however that is rapidly changing as many new product lines enter and profit margins will inevitably suffer from the price reduction. The rest of the beverage industry is faced with low profit margins because of high competition and little ability to differentiate products. The alternative beverage segment help companies to sustain volume growth in mature markets where consumers were reducing their consumption of carbonated soft drinks.Also the alternative beverage industry offered products that catered to different demographics. For example energy drinks were purchased more by teens and young adults while energy shots were bought by adults to get extra boosts of energy during the work day. In addition the vitamin-enhanced drinks and sports drinks went more toward athletes and people who exercised often. Thi s differs from just the usual carbonated soft drinks that people were used to drinking. Now they had products that they could consume for different activities.Demand is expected to grow worldwide as consumer purchasing power is increased and alternative beverages offered profit margins much higher than those of other beverages. One key characteristic in the beverage market was introduction of the energy shots and they were an important growth factor in the industry; the 5 hour energy shot was introduced in 2004 and took the market by storm with its high containments of B6, B12 and caffeine. Competitor’s course introduced energy shots to the market but none have come close to the 5 hour energy shot, with it holding 85% of the market share in 2009.

Psychology †Pretty Little Liars Style Essay

Psychology The science of behavior and mental processes Nature vs. Nurture The controversy over the impact which genes and experiences have on psychological behaviors. Just like in the Bad Seed (performed at Rosewood High,) psychologists wonder if evil is something inherited or learned. Basic Research Science whose main goal is to increase the scientific knowledge base. Applied Research Scientific studies which aim to solve practical problems, like forensics being used to determine if the Liars’ evidence is real. Clinical Psychology A branch of Psychology which studies psychological disorders. Mona would have to have seen a clinical psychologist†¦ that chick cray. Psychiatry A branch of medicine dealing with psychological disorders, with physicians who often give medicine to their patients. Empiricism The concept that knowledge comes from experience via the senses, while science comes from observation and experimentation. Jenna had lost the sense of sight, so in a strange, empirical sense, she could be less knowledgeable than the Liars†¦ if not, she certainly is more crazy. Hindsight Bias The tendency to believe that after a known outcome a person had known it all along. Reminiscent of people claiming they had known Toby is part of the A team†¦ It can’t be true!! False Consensus Effect The tendency to overestimate the extent to which others share our beliefs and behaviors. Similar to how Spencer completely opened up to Toby, assuming that there was no way he was involved with A. Illusory Correlation Surely connected to the phrase â€Å"correlation is not causation,† this is the perception of a relationship where none exists. Similar to how Noel kept imagining a relationship between himself and Aria. Independent Variable The experimental factor which is being manipulated and whose effect is being studied†¦ ust like how A manipulates the Liars to watch them crack. Dependent Variable The experimental factor which is being measured. A manipulates the Liars to see how far she can get them to crack. Evolutionary Approach The study of psychology using the principles of natural selection. A seems to follow Darwin’s theories, eliminating the weakest of the NAT club one by one. Biological Approach The study of Psychology linking psychological progresses and biology, such as genetics. This is similar to A’s belief that Aria would have an affair with Ezra simply because her father had also had a student-teacher relationship. Behavior Genetics Approach A theory which determines how our environment influences our individual differences. The Liars all had secrets similar to the ones their parents had kept, be it lying, cheating, or stealing. Psychoanalytic Approach Studies using Freud’s theories on how the unconscious drives our behavior. Humanistic Approach Emphasize the growth potential of healthy people†¦. such as the ever beautiful Keegan Allen. Structuralism An early school of psychology which used introspection to explore the structure of the human mind. Similar to how Dr. Sullivan asked Hanna to think back about her relationship with Alison to help her move past her death. Functionalism A school of psychology which focused on how mental process allow an organism to adapt, survive, and flourish. In the movie Psycho (scenes from which were replicated in the episode â€Å"unmAsked†) Bates had become his mother in order to cope with his life and adapt to his condition. Human Factors Psychology The study of how people and machines interact. For instance, how the Liars are so reliant on their cellphones, even though that’s what brings them misery. Bottoms-Up Processing Perception, or analysis of sensory information, which begins with the sense receptor and works up to the brains integration of sensory information. Aria and Emily had first seen Caleb talking on the phone, and after listening to him talk, they then interpreted his conversation to mean that he was lying to Hanna. Top-Down Processing A form of higher level mental process which constructs perceptions based on experience and expectation, more similar to how Spencer learns information. Sensory Adaptation Diminished sensitivity in consequence of constant stimulation. Similar to Paige’s concern over the fact that Emily has become so used to â€Å"A† that she no longer realizes the danger she constantly is in. Associative Learning Learning that two events occur together, typically stimuli and a consequence. Similar to the Liars becoming convinced that every ad thing that happens to them is linked to â€Å"A†. Behaviorism The view that Psychology should be an objective science that studies behavior without reference to mental processes. Many people had believed that Mona was not truly sick because of her mental state, but merely because of her objective behavior. Classical Conditioning A learning style where an organism associates stimuli. Pavlov’s study of dogs salivating was a large factor. The Liars had received texts from â€Å"A† and got scared, now simply hearing their phone go off is enough to scare them. Unconditioned Response The unlearned response in classical conditioning, in this case, the fear behind the texts. Unconditioned Stimulus The stimulus which naturally triggers a response. In this case, â€Å"A†. Conditioned Response The learned response to a previously neutral stimulus. The Liars learned to fear their cellphones. Stimulus An irrelevant stimulus which eventually becomes a stimulus in classical conditioning. In this case the Liars’ cell phones. Conditioned Generalization The tendency once a response is conditioned, for similar stimuli to issue the same response. For instance, if the Liars were to then fear their computers and other technology as well. Acquisition The initial stage in classical conditioning where the stimulus first elicits a response. Like when the Liars first jumped after hearing Aria’s cell phone ring at Alison’s funeral. Extinction The diminishing of a conditioned response, such as after Mona was found to be â€Å"A. † Operant Conditioning A learning style where behavior is strengthened following reinforcement or diminished by punishment. Like â€Å"A† terrorizing the Liars to punish them for how they acted around Alison. Law of Effect Thordike’s principles that behavior followed by favorable consequences become more likely and that behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely. For instance, Byron stopped having affairs after Alison blackmailed him in punishment for his actions. Operant Chamber The â€Å"Skinner Box† used to teach rats to hit a bar in order to obtain food or water. Shaping An operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior toward closer and closer approximations of a desired goal, like guiding mice to a specific area of a cage. â€Å"A† does this to lure Spencer into the fun house at the founders day festival. Fixed-Interval Schedule In operant conditioning, a schedule of reinforcement that reinforces a response only after a specific amount of time. Similar to having a paycheck and a specified pay day, which Ashley did have, but it just didn’t seem to be enough. Variable-Ratio Schedule A schedule of reinforcement that reinforces a response at an unpredictable amount of responses. Similar to Lucas and his gambling problem. Latent Learning Subject matter which is learned but not demonstrated, such as Mona pretending to be less intelligent then she really is. Overjustification Act When you reward someone for doing something they already like to do, such as Emily winning anchor. They won’t see it as a reward, but that doesn’t mean former psychopaths like Paige won’t see it that way. Neuron A nerve cell, the basic building block of the nervous system. Just like how Alison was the main building block of the Liars. Dendrites The branching extensions of a neuron that receive impulses, such as the Liars receiving information from A. Axon The extension of a neuron through which messages are sent to other neurons or to muscles or glands. Toby was an extension of Spencer who sent out messages as A. Myelin Sheath A layer of tissue that encases neurons. It enables faster transmission of neural impulses. The Liars’ families and their secrets protect the Liars, yet A uses them to get across their message more clearly. Threshold The level of stimulation required to trigger a neural response. After finding Toby was A, Spencer’s threshold for tolerating Mona sunk to an all-time low. Acetylcholine A neurotransmitter that triggers muscle contraction. Such as the neurotransmitter that makes Pretty Little Liars fans twitch every time Toby comes on screen. Central Nervous System The brain and the spinal cord, which are linked to survival†¦ something Alison was terrible at. Autonomic Nervous System The part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the internal organs. Such as the gorgeous boys of the show who control the hearts of the Liars. Sympathetic Nervous System The part of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body. Parasympathetic Nervous System The part of the autonomic nervous system which calms the body. Medulla The area of the brain that controls breathing and heart beats. Sensation The process of sensory receptors receiving stimulant energies from the environment. This can be analogous with the Liars gaining clues to A’s identity. Perception The process of interpreting sensory information to recognize objects and events. Analogous with interpreting clues to determine who A is. Psychophysics The study of the relationship between physical characteristics of stimuli, such as intensity, and the psychological experience of them. Absolute Threshold The minimum stimulation needed to detect a stimulus half of the time. The absolute threshold for Pretty Little Liars fans is low considering the intensity of their cliffhangers. Subliminal Something below the absolute threshold for conscious awareness. The clues that are in the show are subliminal while being watched, but only make sense when considered with hindsight bias. Weber’s Law The principal that two stimuli must differ by a constant minimum percentage to be able to tell the difference. Apparently the difference between Alison and her twin are too minimal to pass the Liars’ threshold. Sensory Adaptation Diminished sensitivity as a consequence of constant stimulation. After the blow of finding out Toby was A, it really shouldn’t surprise me that Spencer would join the A team as well. Optic Nerve The nerve that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain. Something Jenna lacks. Sensory Interaction The concept that senses influence each other. While Jenna was blind, her lack of vision altered her taste for food. Selective Attention Focusing attention on one stimulus, such as Spencer ignoring Alex at Homecoming to pay attention to Emily and Toby. Perspectives/Approaches Methods of Research Social Psychology Biological Bases of Behavior Development Learning, Cognition, Language, Intelligence Sensation/Perception Motivation/Emotion States of Consciousness Personality Theories Abnormal Psychology People Foot-In-The-Door Theory The tendency for people who have first agreed to a small request to comply later with a larger request. This would make it easy for the A-Team to attract followers. As soon as they agree to send one taunting text to the Liars as revenge on Alison, the next thing you know they’re running over Hanna with a car. Social Facilitation Improved performance of tasks in the presence of others, often occurs with simple or well-learned tasks, but not with difficult or unmastered ones. When Toby and Spencer ran together, they probably ran faster and longer than if they had been alone.

Project Management and Internal Function Essay

The HRIS project is necessitated by two factors which support our business needs. One of these factors is the need to keep up with the demand for our product within the marketplace. The second factor is actualizing a business that works as hard for its employees as hard as the employees have worked for the business. Our business has increased by two fold in the last 18 months, which means that we must create a new way of doing business. As a result of this growth, we had to revamp the financial system, which has actualized its contribution through showing up as time savings achieved through automation. As a result of implementing the financial system, we received our return on investment six months earlier than anticipated. How does it get any better than that? It is with the same dedication that the HRIS project is being given life and endorsed by the stakeholders, which support this project. Description As a result of this growth, we have just completed the transition of incorporating the financial system and it has been a smashing success. This new growth demands of us that we do business a little differently now. It is our intent through this project to improve the employees’ workplace and space in addition to addressing the changes that come about from expansion. There has been a marked and appreciable demand for our products over the last two years. As a result of this growth, we now require a better way of doing business. The HRIS project will take an outside and inside approach in order to create the space for transition and a better way of doing business. The approximate savings through this project would be actualized within the two quarters alone. Objective The objective for this project supports our goal of achieving a more robust production environment for our customers in addition to providing a better environment for future growth for our employees. It is our intent to support this project in the following ways: 1. Payroll will be automated and this will produce a faster and easier way for the employees to be reimbursed or to make changes to the auto pay options. 2. Our employees will be in a better position to pursue and create a career track for them that aligns with their own goals. 3. The HRIS process will allow for more transparency in hiring for those on the outside. 4. Potential employees will be able to see and apply for open positions. 5. Management will be in a better position to ensure that the potential applicants are well-qualified. 6. Additional funding now available from the implementation of the financial system can fund more research and projects to improve the workplace. Success Criteria or Expected Benefits The success criteria came from the various stakeholders and sponsors. The CEO of the company, Rory Genhardt, commissioned a project manager to spearhead the HRIS project. The project manager conducted several interviews of various stakeholders and sponsors in order to obtain measurable project objectives. The reports disseminated will include information gathered from the individual SMEs. It is this information that was used to present information to the stakeholders, sponsors and participants through reports, presentations, written, verbal and oral communications. The expert judgment provided by these various individuals was invaluable. They are outlined for the HRIS project as targets. Specifically identified from the various stakeholders of the expected benefits of the implementation of this project are the â€Å"recruiting capabilities† and â€Å"succession planning† for the CEO. Per the HR Director, â€Å"vacation and sick time and sick leave linked to attendance instead of years of services†, in addition to â€Å"tracking of certification and education requirements† would be a benefit from the implementation. The VP of Marketing would receive benefit from the â€Å"employee database and the e-forms†. The VP of Finance would be appreciative of the â€Å"payroll capabilities†. The most beneficial aspects for the VP of Manufacturing would be the â€Å"performance review management and compensation capabilities†. â€Å"Position control† and the â€Å"recruiting capabilities† would be beneficial to the Plant Managers. Funding Some of the funding available for this project was generated per the information contained in the GenScoop newsletter. The CEO of GenRays states, â€Å"extra savings will fuel additional growth and expansion to the company, as we are able to fund more research and projects to improve our workplace.† In addition to the growth experienced from the total sales in the last quarter, GenRay is in a solid position to support funding for this project as stated by the VP of Finance with a contribution of $103,000. Should additional funding be required for this project, the Information Technology Director will be sought out as they have approximately $360,000 available for hardware and software upgrades in addition to technical staff being available for assistance. Major Deliverables The following deliverables contained in this project charter were derived from interviews with the stakeholders who said: âÅ"â€" The CEO requires that commencement of the project is to begin after the W2s are issued per a request from the CEO as time is critical for the introduction of this project. The actualization of this project will create more â€Å"research and projects to improve our workplace.† âÅ"â€" Per the executive sponsors and the CEO, there is a request to complete the project with all the system elements being functional before the year-end closing as the anticipated savings will provide company additional funding for R&D projects on the horizon. This is an internal function of the project outcome and a desired product to the end user. âÅ"â€" In order to keep the project on schedule, incorporating compatible team members during the performing stage will help to keep the project running smoothly and decrease down time. This is an internal function of the project outcome. This deliverable creates a stable foundation for the commencement of the project. âÅ"â€" The VP of Manufacturing requires integration of the searchable performance feature so that managers can review potential candidates who can be selected for the management program. This is an internal function of the project outcome and a desired product to the end user. The phase in the project allows for the HR, Plant Manager, VP of Finance and Marketing to have access to and use this information. âÅ"â€" The Director of Human Resources requires an awareness of which team members require additional time to move through the forming, storming and norming stages. This is an internal function of the project outcome. âÅ"â€" The CEO requires that the software has recruiting capabilities. The information derived will screen qualified candidates who are applying for positions. This is an internal function of the project outcome and a desired product to the end user. The phase in the project allows for management to have access to and use this information. âÅ"â€" The CEO also requires an integrated computerized system, which tracks the performance review information, to include certifications, experience and educational requirements which can be used for succession planning. This is an internal function of the project outcome and a desired product to the end user. The phase in the project allows for the HR, Plant Manager, VP of Finance and Marketing to have access to and use this information. âÅ"â€" The Plant Manager from Manufacturing Site 1 requires a self-serve employee database which will track and update the information on each employee. This is an internal function of the project outcome. The phase in the project allows for management to have access to and use this information. âÅ"â€" The VP of Marketing requires the implementation of business forms which populate E-forms for the ease of inter-commerce for more standardized processes among the organization. This is an internal function of the project outcome and a desired product to the end user. âÅ"â€" The VP of Finance requires an automated self-service payroll in order to save time and money. This is an internal function of the project outcome. âÅ"â€" The Plant Manager from Manufacturing Site 1 requires analyzation of the position control of the data entered by salary, grade and job title so as to provide equitable compensation to the employees throughout the site. This is an internal function of the project outcome and a desired product to the end user. âÅ"â€" The Director of Human Resources requires a capability which mines the data contained within performance review data and training records in order to ensure that the proper candidate is matched with most compatible candidate. This is an internal function of the project outcome and a desired product to the end user. The phase in the project allows for management to have access to and use this information. âÅ"â€" The Director of Human Resources requires the capability of self-service of employee’s information, which is then used and approved by their management in order to streamline the hiring process. This is an internal function of the project outcome and a desired product to the end user. The phase in the project allows for management to have access to and use this information. âÅ"â€" The Director of Human Resources requires migration of the older databases in addition to streamlining the information received into a consolidated database to include financial, employee, vacation, benefits, training, education and certification. This is an internal function of the project outcome and a desired product to the end user. Acceptance Criteria Per the CEO of GenRays, the major acceptance criteria is, â€Å"The project must be complete with all system elements functional before year-end closing.† In addition to that the following criteria are: âÅ"â€" The CEO’s acceptance is that the actualization of this project will create more â€Å"research and projects to improve our workplace.† âÅ"â€" Per the executive sponsors and the CEO, the acceptance criteria for them is having all the system elements be functional so that the company will have additional funding for R&D projects on the horizon. âÅ"â€" The CEO requires that the software have recruiting capabilities, the phase in the project allows for management to have access to and use of this information. âÅ"â€" The CEO also requires an integrated computerized system, which tracks the performance review information. This phase in the project allows for the HR, Plant Manager, VP of Finance and Marketing to have access to and use this information. âÅ"â€" HR requires incorporating compatible team members. This criteria creates a stable foundation for the commencement of the project. âÅ"â€" The Director of HR’s acceptance requires an awareness of which team members require additional time to move through the forming, storming and norming stages. This is an internal function of the project outcome. This phase ensures completion of the project without personnel complications. âÅ"â€" The VP of Manufacturing’s acceptance requires a searchable performance feature which allows for the HR, Plant Manager, VP of Finance and Marketing to have access to and use this information. âÅ"â€" The VP of Marketing’s acceptance requires the implementation of business forms. This is an internal function of the project outcome and a desired product to the end user. âÅ"â€" The VP of Finance requires an automated self-service payroll in order to save time and money. This is an internal function of the project outcome. âÅ"â€" The Plant Manager from Manufacturing Site 1 requires a self-serve employee database. The phase in the project allows for management to have access to and use this information. âÅ"â€" The Plant Manager from Manufacturing Site 1 requires analyzation of the position control of the data entered by salary, grade and job title. This is an internal function of the project outcome and a desired product to the end user. âÅ"â€" The Director of Human Resources requires a capability which mines the data. This is an internal function of the project outcome and a desired product to the end user. The phase in the project allows for management to have access to and use this information. âÅ"â€" The Director of Human Resources requires the capability of self-service of employee’s information. The phase in the project allows for management to have access to and use this information. âÅ"â€" The Director of Human Resources requires migration of the older databases. This is an internal function of the project outcome and a desired product to the end user.

Humanness in the Film Nell Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Humanness in the Film Nell - Essay Example This sets her apart from the rest of the â€Å"civilized world.† Yet despite the difficulties in accepting and adapting to the new world she faces, despite the recent loss she experienced, despite the loss of the feeling of belonging, Nell still manages to push herself to learn to at least understand the new surroundings she is brought into. This presents viewers with several issues about the development of an individual as a human, and how the people react to things that are beyond the norms of the society. While one may obviously focus on the character of Nell to provide answers to these questions, one should also consider that while Nell portrays several qualities of a human despite being â€Å"superficially† different, the two doctors, Jerry and Paula, represent the society's standards of what it takes to be human. There is a general consensus that for an individual to be considered human, one 1) should know proper socialization; 2) should display proper nature and nurture, and; 3) should be able to blend well within a society through common language and set of values. It is interesting that despite Nell displaying these three major characteristics, society still views her as â€Å"abnormal,† and this is despite the society's grandstanding about diversity. Nell obviously possesses proper socialization, proper nature and nurture, and the ability to blend within a society through common language and set of values --- and despite these qualities being different from what is considered standard, Nell is human and society should view her as such. Nell knows proper socialization. According to the observations and findings of Dr. Lovell and Dr. Olsen, Nell's â€Å"personal† language is a product of her life-long interaction with her now deceased mother and twin sister. Nell's language is English, and just appears to be a bit gibberish because she adapted her mother's aphasic words due to the paralysis of half of her face after suffering from a stroke. Even though the bigger society may not see this as the most common example of proper interaction, the way Nell was able to fully integrate herself in the lives of the only two people she has ever known is already a presentation of her ability to socialize. Furthermore, even when presented with a new environment when the two doctors who are trying to help her first bring her to town, she is immediately able to befriend the sheriff's depressed wife. Even though society may still see these interactions as too limited to really show Nell's social skills, it does not necessarily mean that society's standards should be the benchmark for everything. It is clear that Nell is able to â€Å"attempt† to communicate to other â€Å"humans† who are obviously, to speak in scientific terms, of the same species as her --- which is somewhat a sure display of her unspoken awareness, and acknowledgment that yes, she is human, and yes she can try further. Nell displays prop er nature and nurture. When Nell shows how she treats her twin sister's remains with love, respect, and emotion, one can easily see how human she is. No other species in this planet can show such natural attachment of emotions to a family aside from humans. In addition, when one pays attention to her mental flashbacks, it is obvious that she was nurtured well even within just a small family since Nell's memories of her dead mother and sister are so fondly remembered even when she is already in a different world. Nell is also able to trust a person who shows her concern,

Have people become overly dependent on technology Research Paper

Have people become overly dependent on technology - Research Paper Example Human beings have become too dependent on technology to survive without it, considering that in the current world, all human beings rely on tools, devices and equipment or systems to make work easier for them. For example, human beings use technology to grow food, acquisition of good shelter, transport and communication, entertainment and even education. Technology can be loosely described as all that is a collection or composition of devices, skills, knowledge and the application in their application. All this makes the human work very easy to accomplish. Technology is the art or craft where human beings use their abilities through processes and knowledge to satisfy daily needs. Technology has always existed from time immemorial and what has been changing is the complexity of the relevant technical know-how. In ancient times, human beings used primitive forms of technology, for example harnessing of fire by rubbing two sticks together or the use of flints as blades. Today, technolog y has gone to higher levels for example innovations in communication technology and internet. Equally, there has been an advance in medical circles that has made human beings live a more comfortable life. This includes research in stem cell therapy, test tube babies and even vaccines. In the field of transport, human beings have become overly reliant on more efficient modes of transport that have come as a result of technology, and this includes dream liners, faster electric trains or trams and electric cars, which also includes transport modes such as cable cars and hot-air balloons. Technology has had a great impact in the daily running of the human lives. These effects exhibit themselves either positively or negatively. Human beings rely on technology to make their work simpler thus accruing the benefits that go a long way in improving lifestyles. Such technology for example internet has come with its advantage of making communication easier. Technology has made the world seem li ke what is normally known as a global village (Mooij, 2004). This is so in that it brings individuals closer to each other through constant communication and interaction. For example, social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook and MySpace allow people to share a lot such as updates, photos, biographies and even share interests. The internet has also enabled faster communication in the sense that people get instant feedback on their communications. This can be accomplished through chats, emails and skyping. The creation of hot spots and wireless networks have enabled people to access the internet even in the remotest parts of a country thus enabling easier and faster communication. According to Kizza (2001), technological advances have enabled human beings to produce and secure data that is important in the day to day running of human life. Technology also allows human beings to have proper planning in their daily lives. For example, when you lose data contained in books and y ou wish to

William Gilpin, On Picturesque Beauty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

William Gilpin, On Picturesque Beauty - Essay Example In his essay Gilpin demonstrates that the ;picturesque can both be the objective of the travels (though it may not be the only objective as per rational reasons) and it will be the sole source of amusement. Gilpin introduces the idea that the philosophy of creation and appreciation of beauty cannot be done in isolation from the sublime. The quality of greatness that is sublime, whether it occurs in a physical, metaphysical, spiritual or artistic form cannot be considered picturesque if exists without a certain degree of beauty. An apt example given is that of a vast ocean which is sublime in its power but without any other object or point of reference to increase the overall beauty of the scenery it depicts it will not be considered picturesque and thus, will not provide any great source of pleasure for the viewer. The objective of the picturesque travel is to seek out such a combination of form, composition, color and atmosphere which comes together as the perfect aesthetic blend of sublime and beauty. Andin the case of nature, the seeker is fortunate as there are innumerous examples and varieties of objects to be found which together create picturesque forms of scenery. â€Å"They are varied, a second time,  combination; and almost as much, a third time, by different  lights,  and shades, and other aerial effects. Sometimes we find among them the exhibition of a  whole; but oftener we find only beautiful  parts.† (Giplin) Animals, humans and the great ruins which form the landscape for the traveler can all be a part of the picturesque. But again it is their form and the overall scene the depict that is of concern in this kind of study- though with all these elements to consider those who have a love of the picturesque can a find great variety to amuse themselves with even in just the pure nature. According to the author, there is more beauty to be found in the usual occurrences than the unusual. He describes

Hypothesis Identification Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hypothesis Identification Analysis - Essay Example he independent variable was chosen by the researcher because the increase in the abuse of cigarettes and tobacco can be attributed to the marketing strategies of tobacco companies. Joint sponsorships between alcohol and tobacco companies contributed to the increased numbers of people using cigarettes and alcohol products at the same time. The promotion event targeted sporting events where the youth had interest in such as auto racing soccer and golf. Other events such as bar and night club events have been sponsored by the tobacco and alcohol companies to influence more people to use their products. The promotion programs are aimed at exposing the tobacco and alcohol products to the young adult potential smokers so that the companies can improve on their sales and profit margin (Jiang & Ling, 2011). The hypothesis statement was used to determine whether the increase in alcohol and cigarette abuse among young adults is due to marketing strategies of the tobacco and alcohol companies. The study found out that tobacco companies were able to offer discounted or free alcohol at Tobacco Company sponsored bar nights. The discounted or free alcohol is aimed at introducing more young adults into the usage of alcohol and tobacco products. For instance, the study found out that Marlboro promotional strategies were aimed at offering free beer to the young adults who bought their cigarette products so as to generate excitement and please the participants (Jiang & Ling, 2011). The hypothesis was accepted since the promotional and marketing strategies of the tobacco and alcohol companies were aimed at introducing more young adults into the usage of their products. The implications of the study are that tobacco and alcohol companies are contributing to the increasing deaths of young adults in the United States. Their marketing strategies only lead to more young people abusing tobacco and alcohol products. Tobacco and alcohol companies are only concerned with the sales they

Trade Show Promotional Ideas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Trade Show Promotional Ideas - Essay Example For our advertising campaign we have started off with some teasers saying "What's a safer way of safe crib bumper" leaving our audiences wandering what is that which is lacking in their already possessed bumper. The rest of the phrase creates a sense of consciousness and anxiousness as to what is the teaser referring too. Further more to promote our product we have taken the help of another medium that is banners which inform the audience about the website and phone number to buy the product, yet the product itself has not been disclosed and an element of surprise still remains and they do the work of a poster and teaser as well. Now for the date of launch we have prepared another set of posters that reveal the identity of the product and of course the product as a whole. A catchy slogan, "Is your child breathing enough oxygen" has been used to attract the audiences and the slogan carries in it a message of exclusivity and is promoting the masses to adopt what suits them the most.

W.B. Yeats Poems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

W.B. Yeats Poems - Essay Example Yeats mostly employed traditional against the form poems unlike another corresponding modernist who frequently experimented with the prevailing free verse. Yeats poem The Circus Animals’ Desertion entails five stanzas with the iambic pentameter. The poem present inspiration enabled with the searching for the truth. Yeats past poetic accomplishments of the circus animals mainly parades the show of his entire life. Yeats accomplish that individual music numerous techniques, which clearly possess massive rhythms of the Irish speech, and encompass into a colloquial yet dramatic speaking voice. Moreover, Yeats recognized uncertainty concerning the principles of conventional scansion of the kind that depicts the measure of verse to be metrical foot, and wrote of his earliest verse (Jochum, 2006, 123-189). Yeats’s subsequent prosody as the analyzable in terms of the traditional iambic patterns and the corresponding strong variations that Yeats played on these meters, or a more individualist’s combination of accentual and syllabic measures probably matters less than the fact that Yeats accomplishes his idiosyncratic music by concurrently working in and at the identical time against a fixed form. Yeats writes either in an accentual against or syllabic verse, which has fixed the number of syllables to every line. In The Lake Isle of Innisfree possess long lines with strong accents spread quite uniformly. The analysis poems manifest at the level of the form with the rhetorical available that implies a particular kind of the political freedom, which faithful summary of the central aspiration of the poet. The rhythm of every line contains complaint, a lapse within the scansion, at which point the poet openings pure longing (Jochum, 2006, 123-189). Rhythmic difference mainly expresses Yeats idea of freedom thus a prosodic variation acquires political

Same Sex Marriage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Same Sex Marriage - Essay Example I believe that promoting the rights of homosexuals and legalizing marriage for them is an insult for the sacred and traditional institution that marriage is. Our society gives us no right to play with the traditional values that has been set by our ancestors. Homosexual marriages will give more rise to non-serious marriages. As mentioned by Andrew Sullivan, gay men enjoy more sexual freedom and escape the strains of monogamy. Legalizing gay marriages would hence mean inculcating more promiscuousness and corruption into your own society. Gay men are more likely to have many partners than straight men and they are less likely to be loyal to only one partner for a long time. Hence, the traditional family ties would be further weakened which would in turn have a detrimental impact on the future generations. Many people also believe that by legalizing homosexual marriage, the concept of marriage would gradually crumble down. Over the years, people would start marrying their pets or would develop a love for animals and would then press the authorities to legalize that, thereby derogating the entire system that our forefathers have followed. People might also want to marry stuff toys, their mothers or brothers or sisters, so how would they be stopped from claiming their rights? To be frank, Homosexuality is still considered an abnormality or a psychological disorder amongst many conservative societies and they would be completely unacceptable towards the stance of legalizing same sex marriage. Also, it has been shown by numerous studies that gays are more likely to have a shorter life expectancy. Promiscuousness, drinking, smoking and unhealthy lifestyles should be avoided. I disagree with Andrew Sullivan’s claim that same-sex marriage would strengthen the culture of marriage. Heterosexual marriages are considered sacred because they are the reason behind the continuation of generations of a particular race. Promoting same sex marriages would mean promoting a

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 128

Assignment Example This paper explores and discusses the sovereignty claims of the native tribes in Alaska and Akaka in Hawaii. Natives of Alaska, a land purchased by the United States from Russia have gone through a tumultuous period of political and legal up and downs before the recognition of their self-government status by the federal government. Throughout the contacts between the aboriginals of Alaska and the Europeans, the natives have hotly pursued their rights to the ownership of their lands. In history, the Tlingit, Tanaka and Haida tribes initially fought with the Russia, and vehemently object the sale of the lands to the US, claiming the rightful ownership. After the sale, they took their struggle to a different player until the recognition of their status through the Congress enacted law, the Alaska native Claims Settlement Act in 1971 (Zellen, 120). The state government of Alaska has over the years softened its stand on tribal sovereignty amongst the Alaskan tribes. In 1992, the Native Policy Statement, an instrument from the state government codified laws acknowledging the tribal authority and recognized their special status. Hawaiian sovereignty efforts are dissimilar from other Native American claims as they demand total cessation from the Union and a return to the previous monarchial rule. However, there are certain actors within the native population who are pushing for self democratic government, whilst others have acknowledged the importance of the Union and are urging fellow tribes mate to stay within the Union. In the same breath as the governments of the other Native Americans, such as those in Alaska, the native populations are pushing to be including in an arrangement referred to as a nation within a nation (Trask, 66). In fact such a bill has been brought before the senate, repeatedly the Daniel Akaka (Kauanui, 173).

Quantum probability communications Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Quantum probability communications - Essay Example I have also observed that labour shortage and high unemployment coexist in the labour market of China. In fact, these issues have cropped up in recent years. The total number of students passing out from different universities in China has increased considerably in 2014 compared to 2013.   The quarter of January-March, 2014 evidenced around 1293 million graduate job seekers looking for employment opportunities in China, but have not been successful in getting a job across 102 cities through employment agencies. The unemployment rate in the major cities of China including rural migrants stood at 8.7% in the 1st quarter of 2014 (Voxeu.org, 2015). On the other hand, the percentage comes to 6.9% if the rural migrants are excluded. This can be explained through the lack of required skills among the local graduate candidates in China. In the view of Chan (2015), the labour shortage in China can be met by offering more employment opportunities to the migrant workers and expanding employme nt agencies.   Thus, the current shortage of labour supply in China would offer better job opportunities and career prospect to migrant workers like me. In continuation to this, the Chinese market has become a suitable destination for the Japanese companies. This can further increase the job demand for migrant employees.   Lack of multiple job-oriented skills seems to be the key reason for the inability of young graduates to secure a job in China. This further makes me suitable as a potential employee in China because of my knowledge.

Autobiography on how my life led to the decision of becoming a nurse Essay

Autobiography on how my life led to the decision of becoming a nurse - Essay Example I have overcome many obstacles and have made many difficult decisions to get where I am in life. The journey that I was meant to take has recently become clear. Ultimately, this decision was there all along; however I did not recognize it or realize that the calling of a nurse was one that was right for me. After having spent what seemed like forever wandering and searching for my life’s purpose, I reached the lowest point in my life. After much thought, I decided I needed to go back to school; yet my options were limited as the only thing I could afford was a technical school. I enrolled in a Medical Assistant School and instantly fell in love with the subject matter. For the first time in my life, I felt like a part of something greater than just the information that was being presented to me. I got a job the week I graduated and became a Medical Assistant in a large Allergy and Asthma practice. I went above and beyond my job and felt like this was finally the path I was meant to be on. My motivation kicked in and I knew this was what I needed to do; moreover, rather than it merely being a job, I craved more. I tried to figure out a way to go back to school in order to realize my dream of becoming a nurse, and there was no way I was going to settle for anything else. I wanted to go all the way and pursue my degree; however, the biggest obstacle at this point was purely financial. It just so happened that my older cousin moved in with my family at this time; because he too was feeling a little lost. The only thing that made him happy was looking back at memories he made while he was in the military. He kept talking about how much he needed motivation so that he could go to college and get a degree and how the military would now pay for it. This is when it all started to click for me. I finally realized this was what I needed to do to get where I wanted to go in life. I decided that I was

Computer Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Computer Science - Essay Example The methods for doing the same are described as below. Textual information like a file or a document comprises of a collection of numbers, characters and special characters for example punctuation marks and symbols. A computer uses the following procedures for the conversion of Text to binary Decimal numbers are the numbers whose base is 10 i.e. it uses ten digits (0 to 9) to represent the values, while binary is the number system whose base is two, it uses 0's and 1's to represent the numbers. Each binary bit has a position assigned to it. The zeroeth position is assigned to the least significant position on the right most side. The 0 or 1 at the respective position is then multiplied by the corresponding power of two to obtain its decimal equivalent i.e. A digit at Kth position is multiplied by 2 ^(k-1). For example Real numbers may be put into binary scientific notation: a x 2^b .The number to the right of decimal part must be multiplied by negative powers two of the corresponding position .The number to the left hand side must be multiplied by the positive powers of two. Mantissa and exponent are then stored .For example Each and every character, symbol or punctuation mark is mapped to a corresponding decimal number .For example letter K is mapped to number 75, the number is then encoded by using ASCII code to a string of Binary numbers. ASCII stands for American Standard Code for Information Interchange. It is an 8-bit code, which contains in all 128 characters (uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, punctuation, symbols, and some non-printing characters such as the blank space). For example, the code for "I am" would be: 73 - 01001001 - code for I 32 - 00100000 - code for space 97 - 01100001 - code for a 109 - 01101101 - code for m 46 - 00101110 - code for period REPRESENTATION OF IMAGE: To store an image, like a photograph, in binary form, a computer superimposes a grid on that photograph. Each pixel or grid contains one "dot" of color. In order to store data for that pixel in memory; the information about that pixel's color must somehow be converted to a binary number. There are various ways to do this which serve to map a pixel to binary numbers. Different ways or methods associate different number of bits with each pixel. There are two main formats in which images are stored in the computer - bitmap (or raster) and vector. In vector representation, all components of the image are stored using mathematical formulas. In a bitmap image, the image is stored in memory by recording some piece of binary data corresponding to each pixel of the image. The number of bits used to store each pixel affects both the image quality and the amount of memory that will be needed to store the image. There are various scales for coding the colors, one being grayscale in which 1 repre sents black and 0 represents white. Each pixel in a grayscale image can be stored using 1 byte (8 bits). To represent colored images 16-color, 256 color, and RGB color (or true color) color codes are used. Each of the different code requires different

Problems in Advertising - Understanding Advertising Messages Essay

Problems in Advertising - Understanding Advertising Messages - Essay Example There are numerous media used in advertisement such as print media and broadcast advertisements. I am intending to study two magazines and two television programs for a period of two months to verify their effects by going to the magazine publishers and the respective media that air the TV programs. Magazines, which are widely used by most firms due to their ability to access a specific target group with high quality presentations and the fact that they accommodate design options, prestige, influence, believability and long shelf life. (Shimp 367-369). I will consider the models used in different basis such as the number used, gender, facial expressions and their evocation. The setting of the scene, its implications to the moods or emotions and the relationship between the setting and the model is important to be analyzed. I will further consider the possible omissions by regarding not only what has been evidently shown and said but also what is omitted and the implication of leaving such issues. The issue of audience cannot be avoided since it is in fact the reason for advertisement. The strategies used in advertisement should be geared towards persuading the customers or support the product, service or a project. It is therefore important to consider the persuasiveness of the advert in the magazine. I will also confirm if the information being passed is ethical and honest as per the company’s claim. The overall effect of the advert on the customer’s feelings, emotions and the degree in which it attracts the customer is similarly an important issue to reflect on while considering the analysis. I will ask the consumers and the entire public on their take on the magazines advertisement by using questionnaires or verbally interviewing them (Shimp 367-369). Considering the TV advertisements, I will access the ability of the advert contents to appeal to the public. I will intend to check on what the advertiser has done to make the product attractive t o the audience by regarding the color, music on the background used, and the models or people involved in the advert. I will scrutinize the targeted audience of the advert and the ability of the advert to reach the audience as anticipated by the company. I will reflect on the statements used and their credibility about the product VHS vs BetaMax The world of entertainment has since changed greatly since 1975 when Sony single handedly revolutionized the manner in which we watch TV, movies and even the approach used in scheduling our evening hours. However, it is unfortunate that the Betamax format cannot withstand the VHS format in the market simply because of advertisement and promotional techniques employed by VHS. BetaMax had very sharp bits, small cassettes that are very much portable, and the hi-fi sound tracks that do not interfere with high-speed duplication compared to the JVC, which did not have same technological advantage as BetaMax.   Several issues affect the technolog ical associated industries such as video formatting which result to a firm’s loss of market share or even closure. Consumers usually concentrate on features that comprise user friendliness and the degree in which utilization knowledge fits into their needs. Businesses should be geared towards meeting the unmet needs of the customers in addition to the already met needs. High tech markets are regarded as vibrant and multifaceted, thus resulting into a varying target market

Request for Funds to Expand to Outdoor Catering Assignment

Request for Funds to Expand to Outdoor Catering - Assignment Example As such, the restaurant is considering other options that can help it serve its distinguished customers adequately. Currently, the fast food market is experiencing a rapid growth due to the increase of the working class customers. These are a group of customers who have money to spend and thus offering opportunities for investors to venture into the fast food industry. In this regard, this proposal invites venture capitalist to help Seasoned Catering to expand its business to outdoor catering. Seasoned Catering is a fast food restaurant that serves organic fast food to its customers. Over the years, the restaurant has seen its customer base expand due to an emphasis on healthier food products. Currently, Seasoned Catering has one outlet located in the city center and mainly serves the working class who has limited time to cook at home. The prices for Seasoned Catering products are customer friendly and this has helped to increase the demand for products from the restaurant. The restaurant at the moment has a staff consisting of 10 caterers and two management staff. However, the increasing number of customers means there is need to add more staff members to improve service delivery. While the restaurants maintain a focus on its working-class customers, it has also noticed the opportunity to also serve customers at their doorstep. This would help to improve the restaurant's sales volume and profits by over 70%. However, Seasoned Catering lacks adequate start-up that can ensu re it reaches organic fast-food customers in different locations around the city (Woolard & Condon, 2013). The outdoor catering for fast food is a new service in the market and it provides significant opportunities to increase sales and profits respectively.  

Japanese Medical Beliefs Essay Example for Free

Japanese Medical Beliefs Essay Japanese Medical Beliefs Medicine is all around us. It comes in all forms and all types of beliefs. Each person has their own beliefs on what medicine can do to or for the body. No matter what country one visits, there will be a medical office to assist, however their views may vary that what one may be use to. In Japan, things are no different; however, Japan has some beliefs that contrast other countries. The Japanese has received influence from other countries, such as the Chinese, but they have turned everything into their own. They have their own superstitions, traditional medicine (including how they view modern medical needs), and different types of current trends that they follow. Every country has its own superstitions. Certain things that are not allowed to happen on certain days or even certain things must be kept away because of its meanings. In 1998, an experiment was done to see if the Japanese was using the Taian-Butsumetsu superstition when discharging patients. The basis of the study was â€Å"To determine the influence of superstition about Taian (a lucky day)-Butsumetsu (an unlucky day) on decision to leave hospital. To estimate the costs of the effect of this superstition† (Hira, Fukui, Endoh, Rahman, Maekawa, 1998). They took figures from patients discharged from Kyoto University Hospital from the beginning of April 1992 to the end of March of 1995, 3 years worth of patients. In the Japanese world, the Taian-Butsumetsu belief is related to the six day lunar calendar and affects the Japanese culture in a variety of ways since the Taian is suppose to be a lucky day where as the Butsumetsu is supposed to mean unlucky. Due to this superstition, some patients have asked to extend their stay so that they can be released on the following Taian day, which means more costs to the hospitals. To get the most accurate data, they used hospital records and calculated the amount of days that patients were released on each day of the six lunar cycle, and then estimated the costs that the extension brought on to the hospital. They also took into consideration the patients age and gender. The results showed that â€Å"Of the 23677 patients discharged from the Kyoto University Hospital during the study period, 12613 (53. %) were female and 11064 (46. 7%) were male. The mean number of discharged patients was 21. 6 a day with the mean age 42. 3 years and the mean hospital stay 37. 1 days. The mean number, age, and hospital stay of discharged patients were highest on Taian and lowest on Butsumetsu. The Kruskal-Wallis test showed significant difference among the days of this cycle regarding the mean number, age, and hospital stay of discharged patients† (Hira, Fukui, Endoh, Rahman, Maekawa, 1998). Reports also showed that 3. 3% of the discharged patients adjusted their discharge date due to their belief in Taian. It goes on to state the estimation that the mean of a typical hospital charge was 12 600 yen a day. The extra charges the patients caused the hospital to incur in order to stay to the next Taian, amount to 7. 4 million yen a year all due to a superstition. If the patients would have shorted their stay to a prior Taian, there could have been a savings of roughly 12. 1 million yen. Another superstition for the Japanese is blood type. According to superstitions, your blood type can tell your temperament and personality. A man named Furukawa Takeji suggested a link between the two after working in a high school and observing the temperamental differences between applicants. His theory suggests that type A were generally mild tempered and intellectual, while blood types B were opposite (Thatcher). This superstition has influenced the Japanese so much that some companies have actually grouped their workforce together depending on their blood type. In the 1920’s and 30’s blood type grew more intriguing. Scientists in the west found that type B was common in Asia, but rare in Caucasians. As type B was typical in animals, they argued that Asians were inferior, lower on the evolutionary scale. Japan does have some forms of traditional medicine. They are required to have independent licensees for Kampo, acupuncture, moxibustion, and anma-massage-shiatsu. Kampo is only able to be performed by physicians with western medical doctor’s license. Acupuncture and moxibustion can be given by a person graduated from senior high school and later completed a 3 year education at one of the educational facilities specified. Acupuncture, moxibustion and anma are classified within the framework of the Japanese medical care system (Katai). Of these, Kampo seems to be the most widely used in Japan. Kampo medicine is widely practiced and is fully included into their modern healthcare system. The word Kampo means Han Method, which refers to China’s herbal system which developed in the Han dynasty. It was used in ancient China but is believed that Kampo came to Japan from Korea in the 5th or 6th century. In 1976, it was added to Japans national health insurance plan. Although it relies on herb formulas, it uses acupuncture, moxibustion and a few other components. 70 percent of physicians in Japan regularly prescribe it to their patients (Tanaka, 2010). It has been used by gynecologists, urologists, cardiologists and even gastrointestinal specialists. In order to determine the right formula for each patient, they require a sho. This is a diagnosis based on patient’s symptoms and patterns of disease. In 2007 Japan’s Society of Oriental Medicine issued an evidence report which shows all the findings of the research published from 1999-2005. 8 papers were deemed qualified. Some double blind showings were, â€Å"Hypertension related symptoms (flashed faces, etc. ): The administration of Ourengedokuto (Huang Lian Jie Du Tang) decreased hypertension related symptoms (Muli-center study of 116 facilities) Upper Gastric Symptoms: Rikkunshito (Liu Jun Zi Tang) was effective in decreasing upper GI discomfort and related complaints, such as a l ack of appetite. Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Administration of Keishikashakuyakuto (Gui Zhi Jia Shao Yao Tang) decreased abdominal pain among IBS patients. The effects were more pronounced among diarrhoea-dominant IBS cases. Muscle Cramping: Shakuyakukanzouto (Shao Yao Gan Cao Tang) was effective for reducing muscle cramping among cirrhosis patients. Obesity: 24 weeks of administering Bofutsuseisan (Fang Feng Tong Sheng San) decreased visceral fats and waist circle, as well as improved insulin resistance among obese female patients. Allergic Rhinitis: Shouseiryuto (Xiao Qing Long Tang) was effective in improving symptoms of allergic rhinitis† (Tanka, 2010). Another form of traditional medicine is Acupuncture and Shiatsu massage. Acupuncture is where extremely thin needles are gently placed in certain areas of your body. It can be uses to help balance the flow of energy through pathways in the body or can be used to stimulate nerves, muscles and tissue. It can be a more natural way of making the body feel better, without medication. Shiatsu is a massage that is used to relax people. The massage therapist uses hand, thumbs, elbows and knees to help dig into the more â€Å"knotted† areas of the body. It is an acupressure therapy. By using these additional parts of the body, they can use their whole body to endure more pressure onto the person in order to offset tension. The difference between acupuncture and acupressure is that acupuncture uses needles, where as acupressure uses body part to dig into the tissue. Some people do not truly understand the alternative ways. â€Å"The biggest misconception about alternative medicine is that its just a different procedurethat one can just replace it with conventional medicine, like taking an herb instead of a pill. †(Gray 2009). The Japanese also has strong views on medical beliefs. Things such as organ transplants are strongly discouraged due to Japans belief. In 1987, the Medical Association declared brain death to be equivalent to the death of a human being (Masahiro, 1995). Some Japanese doctors practice â€Å"closed-door medicine†, which is where the doctor fails to properly inform patients about their condition or straight out lies to them about it. A study in 1992 showed that only 20% of terminal cancer patients knew they had cancer because of the doctor’s decision to inform them on the truth. This shows that 80% of patients were lied to or told nothing. Masahiro, 1995) Due to this, Through the brain death controversy quite a few people expressed great fear that in the process of the determination of brain death and transplantation no information might be given to family members, and in the worst case that the doctors might lie to family members. Some pointed out the possibility that doctors might psychologically threaten the family members if they refuse to agree to organ donations from a brain-dead relative. As time passed, it appeared that Japan accepted modern technology in almost every form except human birth and death. Research has shown that they believed a dead person goes to the next world as a soul. If parts of that body were to be donated, then body as a whole would not be together, thus making the soul unhappy in the next world. The Japanese has however become more willing to use terms such as â€Å"informed consent† or â€Å"patients rights†. It appears as if Japans beliefs will simply be based off of their own cultural beliefs, as oppose to something such as the Euro-American beliefs. Due to the fast paced living in Japan, they have begun trends to help ease the stressed out society and bring forth relaxation. They have opened oxygen bars, nap salons and animal therapy. In oxygen bars, you can have personal flavored oxygen cans that can help bring you energy and provide fresh air. You can also purchase them at salons and beauty halls. The canisters, such as Big Ox’s helpfully informs that oxygen is an essential gas for human beings and claims that its 89 per cent oxygen blend (normal air contains about 21 per cent) can help boost energy, particularly during exercise (Feelgood, 2008). In recent years, major cities in Japan have opened nap salons. A particular salon in Tokyo, Napia has over 1,500 members. Fatigued office workers can take a brief lunchtime nap on a daybed there for roughly equivalent of $4. 50 (US). Sleep studies have shown that their naps should not go beyond 30 minutes because it is then more likely for them to fall into a deep sleep and end up waking up feeling extremely groggy. To help ensure that customers do not sleep beyond 30 minutes, they provide customers with coffee right before their nap. Since it generally take 20 minutes for the caffeine to kick in, they can get a quick nap in, then the caffeine will kick in and allow the person to have a more natural wake up (Faiola, 2006). Some Japanese companies have even gotten their health insurance providers to cover the fees for nap salons. If they have not succeeded in that route, they simply take naps at their desk during lunchtime. This way they are not only getting their nap in but the office lights are being turned off which is saving energy. In Japan, bathing in mineral waters is popular as a health-promotion practice. (Miller, 2007) Onsen, which is a hot spring, is in their belief to be opposite of everything in their normal crazy lifestyle. It represents an opportunity for the Japanese to melt down the hierarchical nature of society through mutual nakedness and intimacy (Onsen, 2006-7). It is pretty much a public bath with natural hot spring water for them to use in order to relax from their hectic work schedules. It is their belief that the water holds healing powers. There are a few different types of hot springs: Simple Springs, Carbonate Springs, Salt Springs, Sodium Sulfate Springs, Iron Springs, Acidic Springs, Sulfur Springs and Radium Hot Springs. Most people sit back quietly and enjoy the silence that surrounds them while bathing for roughly 20-30 minutes. The extremely acid hot spring Onsen water is believed to ease neuralgia, alleviate muscle pain and the symptoms of chronic skin disease. It also relieves chronic fatigue and stress. Since ancient times, Onsen water has been renowned to help maintain a beautiful skin. In addition to its other health and beauty benefits, the hot springs energize the metabolism. The Onsen experience is also known to calm nerves and put the bather in a relaxed, meditative state† (Onsen, 2006-7) Unfortunately today there are only three hot spring resorts remaining. One is Kusatsu Thermal Spring which is in a small town roughly two and a half hours from Tokyo by train. It can either be visited for the day, or turned into a mini vacation. If only wanting to spend a day, you can visit one of 18 public hot springs in the town for a quick fix. Another location is Gero Thermal Spring. It is roughly three and a half hours from Tokyo by train to Nagoya, then about an hour and a half to Gifu, where Gero is located. Here, you can stay at one of the resorts or visit the public springs which allows you to test out three of the twenty. The final is Arima Onsen Thermal Spring. This final spring is roughly three hours from Tokyo then another 30 minutes to Kobe, where Arima is located. This spa is the oldest spa known to the country. Here, there is a public theme park which holds 17 hot springs. Another trend is fish pedicures. At some Onsen Springs, there are spas where you can dip you feet into the water and have these fish eat the dead skin off your feet. Although they are considered â€Å"flesh eating† they actually have no teeth, meaning that you will not get bitten. They basically suck the dead skin and cells off, leaving your skin silky smooth. No matter what country you look at, each will have its own beliefs on medicine. Some are traditional and some may by alternative. Japan is widely known for having a mixture of each. While receiving influence from other countries, Japan has incorporated other medical approaches into their own. They have their own superstitions, traditional medicine (including how they view modern medical needs), and different types of current trends that they follow.

Radio-Frequency identification technologies Essay Example for Free

Radio-Frequency identification technologies Essay REID technologies Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   RFID is an acronym that stands for, Radio-Frequency identification. This refers to a small devise that has a small chip and antenna. This chip can carry at most 2,000 bytes of data. This device mainly serves the same purpose as the bar code or a magnetic strip at the back of an ATM or any other credit card and provides a unique identifier for the said object. Just as the magnetic strip is always scanned to gain information, the RFID must also be scanned so as to get the saved information (Angell, I. ; Kietzmann, J. 2006). There is a significant advantage of RFID devices over the barcodes because this device does not require to be precisely positioned relative to its scanner. The RFID devices do not have to be in contact with the scanner itself as we have witnessed in many instances in the case of barcodes. One may be able to count all his/her purchases by just collecting all of them into one bag which is placed over the scanner. The scanner will read all the RFID without having to manually move these products across the scanner. For high frequency scanners it could be able to read up to 20 feets above it. (Angell, I.; Kietzmann, J. 2006) argues that these devices are also very minute and they could be embedded in the product labels, the environment and other strategic sites so as to track the movement of the holders. They are activated by receivers and they transmit a lot of information which ranges from product information like the purchase location, manufacturer’s date and the route of delivery, the credit history of the person who is holding the card along with his/her the address. The active RFIDs are very capable of data transmission even if they have not been activated by any receiver. They could be linked with inbuilt sensors so that they can continuously monitor the conditions of the environment and the applications that are of interest to the US military and the environmental groups. The information amount that is accessible and also generated through the RFIDs is so big the it may overwhelm all the data sources that is in existence and also become from the humans view point as infinite. So in a society where every individual is embedded with an RFID chipset, they will always be under a constant surveillance as it was put forward by Cloud Atlas with the resistance taking the form of a struggle to transmit  the information to the present and also the future stakeholders in the globe in case of any catastrophe. Hayles PropositionHayles (2009) argues that that the RFID issues should not be used to beat a retreat to the liberal humanism but on the other hand sees it as RFIDs are just like the human cognition that is multi layered and context aware which is capable of generating novel meanings along with interpretations just like the RFIDs. He continues his argument by adding that consciousness should not be taken just as being the only arbiter of meaning and hence gives non-human agents a room to contribute to the cognition of the humans. And in this view, the RFID technology therefore ceases to be part of the distributed cognition system which have for a very long time been extended and amplified human cognition (Hayles, 2009). Arguments   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (Galloway , 2004) argues that the calm technology concept emanated from cultural and political-economic environment that reflected on the researcher’s own desire for minimalist, high technology living and aesthetically pleasing living in the work places and this does not change the fact that the seamless computing concept are so much inherent in the present day computing technologies. Also the central thing in the ubiquitous and pervasive technologies is the ability of the computer to have the capability of perceiving, interpreting and reacting to the information that has been fed into it. The information infrastructures also must be able to shift from the periphery into the centre and hence to be able to recognize and also respond to the actual context of use. The context computing will therefore rely on two types of information namely: physical location and user identity, where both require very big data acquisition and also stora ge and delivery mechanisms. The GPS or the Global Positioning systems are now familiar locations awareness technology. Galloway being a sociologist is always very keen to make it clear that the technologists always work on bridging the sociology into the Ubiquitous computing framework and sees it as a very good idea that collaboration between the sociologists who are concerned on how people lead their lives on a day to day basis and the innovators of technology is something that needs to be encouraged (Galloway, 2004). He is keen to put it that the use of RFID technology could be very useful to the supply chain but on the other hand it can be used to collate and gather information behind the scenes from some of the desperate sources. The Data matching that comes with these technologies, along with personal identification and the information from locating sensing abilities; once they are combined they could pose a very big problem to the citizen’s ability to act in the world. This concept of a utopian or dystopian future which is created by these technologies comes from a technological determinist view that the society is shaped by technologies. But (Hayles, 2009) on the other hand was trying to show that the distributed cognition model that could be identified as ubiquitous computing could change the environment to pave way for a utopian or dystopian world is not just a new development that has cropped up but something that has existed for long. I think the epistemological or the ontological distinction could be of a great use in this context. Hayles (2009) points out that the epistemological question is where we could and should discuss the privacy issues as it gets the same sort of things in the data or information distinction, which is that something very fundamental than disclosure of the data could be at stake. My thinking in the way that Hayles (2009) formulates the question as one that changes the way that we think of human subjectivity could be basically useful; which is the general direction as she indicates. On this point, I would like to notice one part of the argument; the RFID tags on what she portrays exist as both virtual presences and devices negotiating the boundary through the transmission of data from the things world to the information world. In my argument, they are just active participants in what could be seen like informatics of subjectivity, taking subjectivity as the primary informatics as being the product of or by constituted by the information. (Gordon Hull, 2014)One thing that is worth noting about this is that the formula here is directly bio-political, as far as subjectivity is neither Cartesian (being generated and also guaranteed by something which is besides the material world interactions) nor is it Juridical (in a sense that Locke applies in Essay 11.27 in opposition to Rene Descartes and in which Foucault means the term) but just an emergent product of the interactions of the environment and the humans. The informatics of subjectivity brings into account general biological information in bio-politics understanding. The next implication of this formulation gives one the freedom to address the question of resistance and also how we should work to ensure that the RFID technology will form a part of a better world but not lead the worsening of it. As she put forward, resistance in the etiological register is so much understood even though not all that effective with the ontological things being more difficult. â€Å"Epistemological issues lend themselves to strategy and tactics (from sophisticated counter-surveillance techniques to brute force methods like smashing RFID tags with a hammer or frying them in a microwave), but how do we understand the ontological effects of animate environments† (49-50). The reading from Philip K. Dick’s Ubik (1969) stresses that capitalism on itself could not be the only trusted to come up with salutary results (65) and she also closes the argument by saying that, â€Å"The idea that meaning and interpretation can occur across and between human and mec hanical phyla contributes to an expanded sense of ethics necessary when the contexts for human actions are defined by information-intensive environments and include relational and context-aware technologies such as RFID† (69). Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To me, it seems as far as RFID tags settle the boundary between the informatics and the objects and the transition in between those, they should be seen as sites for the primitive capital accumulation. This is to mean that they are places where the objects becomes subsumed into the capitalist structures of the market as they are dispossessed of whatever the value they might had before. So when RFID technologies contribute to this process as for instance when they are utilized in generating revenues in case of metadata processing for the huge corporations through consumer purchases tracking is the time that they should be carefully scrutinized, with their political and economical subject to the highly careful critique, specifically as it is at this moment that they make up us as the subjects of global capital, and or where the resistance of the constitution is needed or called for (Gordon Hull, 2014). References Gordon Hull, (2014). RFID Tags, Informatized Subjects and Biopolitics. A group blog with people from all over the map. HYPERLINK http://www.newappsblog.com/ New APPS: Art, Politics, Philosophy, Science.11 September 2014 Galloway, Anne. ‘Intimations of Everyday Life: Ubiquitous Computing and the City’, Cultural Studies, vol. 18, nos. 2/3, 2004 Hayles, Katherine, N. ‘RFID: Human Agency and meaning in Information-Intensive Environments’, Theory, Culture Society, vol. 26, nos. 2/3, 2009. Angell, I., Kietzmann, J. (2006). RFID and the end of cash?. Communications of the ACM 49 (12): 90–96. doi:10.1145/1183236.1183237. Retrieved 9 November 2013. Philip Dick Ubik (1969). One of Time’s. Mariner book. Library of congress cataloging in publication data Source document

Blood pressure and heart rate in humans

Blood pressure and heart rate in humans Introduction: Blood pressure is the measurement of arterial pressure as a result of the contraction and relaxation of the heart. The pressure upon the contraction of the heart is normally defined as the systolic pressure while the pressure upon relaxation is referred to as the diastolic pressure. Both are measured in milliliters of mercury (mm Hg) and are most important in measuring a healthy blood pressure. The heart rate, which is usually expressed in beats per minute, is also important when measuring the strength and wellness of a heart. An individual with a healthy heart will usually have a systolic pressure of 120 mmHg and a diastolic pressure of 80 mmHg (Bishop 2009). A normal heart rate is within the range of 60 bpm and 80 bpm (Weedman 2009). The most common way to measure an individuals blood pressure and heart rate is with a sphygmomanometer, a machine that when used correctly is able to accurately determine a persons blood pressure. Both blood pressure and heart rate are unfixed and constantly changing in response to the body. Factors such as diet, exercise and physical and psychological stress can alter the arterial pressure. An individuals blood pressure will increase when the vessels in the body constrict while the heart tries to continually pump the same amount of blood throughout the body. The blood pressure will decrease when the vessels increase in diameter and blood is able to flow through them with ease. High blood pressure is referred to as hypertension while low blood pressure is referred to as hypotension. An individuals body might react to pain or stress with an increase in blood pressure or respond to constant and frequent exercise with an over all decrease in blood pressure over a period of time. Hydration is an important part of the circulatory system. Appropriate hydration is crucial for normal body function. Hydration helps to distribute the necessary nutrients, regulate body temperature and dispose of waste within the body (Patterson, 2005). Water should make up approximately 60% of an adults body weight. A lack of proper hydration can affect blood volume, plasma volume and the volume of red blood cells in the body (Costill 1974). In the experiment we designed and performed in class, we wanted to observe different factors affecting blood pressure. We asked the question, â€Å"Does hydration effect an individuals blood pressure and heart rate?† We then generated a testable hypothesis that the consumption of water will increase blood pressure as well as heart rate. Materials and Methods: We began the experiment by choosing two variables, dependant and independent. The independent variable was ingestion of 16 ounces of water in order to hydrate an individual; the dependant variable was the measured heart rate and blood pressure. We also designated our experimental replicates groups. All together there were a total of 26 individuals in the experimental group. The entire experimental group was divided into pairs. When blood pressure and heart rate were taken throughout the experiment, they were taken by the individuals partner. We took three basal / resting blood pressure readings. To do so we placed the blood pressure cuff on the left arm of the individual tested and used the sphygmomanometer to determine the individuals resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure as well as his/her heart rate. To correctly situate the pressure cuff on the arm, we assured that the cuff was placed approximately 3 cm above the elbow. We made sure there was no bulky clothing between th e individuals arm and the cuff. The tube leading from the sphygmomanometer to the cuff was situated on the innermost side of the arm, near the brachial artery (Weedman 2009). When wrapping the pressure cuff around the arm, we assured that it was neither too snug or to loose. We pumped the cuff with the rubber bulb until it reached 150 mm Hg. To do so required that we squeeze the bulb while our finger covered the air hole and releasing to allow the bulb to refill. Once at 150mm Hg, the sphygmomanometer gradually released the pressure until the digital reading came up on the screen. We then recorded the data and repeated this step two more times to have a total of three basal readings. After retrieving the resting blood pressure, we had the individual consume about two cups (16 oz) of water quickly (less than one minute) and the partner immediately took a blood pressure reading with the sphygmomanometer. We followed the initial post reading with four more readings in time intervals of three minutes switching off between partners. We recorded the systolic, diastolic, and heart rate for each of these readings. The cuff was taken off after each reading to allow the pressure to be reestablished in the individual between each reading. Throughout the experiment, the data was collected by each individual and then collected and put into an excel spreadsheet. The data that was collected included each subjects basal and experimental blood pressure and heart rate readings along with the relative temperature of the water consumed (cold or room temperature). The collected data was then analyzed using different forms of statistics. We used a â€Å"T test† as well as dividing relevant data into subgroups and found the range and average of the data. Results: In this experiment, we exposed a group of 26 individuals to dehydration and then had them consume a total of 16 ounces to rehydrate. Their blood pressure was then taken immediately as well as in intervals of three minutes for a total of twelve minutes. We predicted that hydrating an individual would increase their blood pressure and decrease the heart rate, however, we found that hydration in fact does the opposite. When organizing and reviewing the data for this experiment it is clear that our results for this experiment were relevant. Our data was calculated based on averages of pulse rates and blood pressures. Our averaged data was then organized in graphs and tables that were divided into subgroups based on the temperature of the water consumed (cold, room temperature, and unknown temperature). Finally, the ranges of each subgroup and T-tests were calculated based off of our data. We calculated three T-tests from our data. One T-test used results of average pulse rate readings from the cold, room temperature, and unknown water consumed. Another T-test was calculated from the average systolic results from the cold water, room temperature water, and the unknown water consumed. The final T-test used the average diastolic results from the cold water, room temperature water, and unknown water consumed. The values for each T-test can be seen in Tables 1, 2, and 3, T-tests. Because the values for each of the T-test was less than 5%, it can be concluded that the data collected shows a correlation between hydration and blood pressure and heart rate. In graph 1, the room temperature graph, the heart rate overall decreased. In graph #2, the second room temperature graph, the systolic and diastolic pressures also decreased. In the cold water heart rate graph, graph #3, the heart rate drastically increased. In graph #4, both the systolic and diastolic pressures decreased. Finally, in graph #3, the graph showing unknown temperatures of the water, the heart rate had an overall decrease. Graph #4 showed that the diastolic pressure had an overall decrease in pressure while the systolic had an overall slight increase. Discussion: Originally, we hypothesized that blood pressure and heart rate would be affected by hydration. We predicted that an increase in hydration would proportionally increase the blood pressure and heart rate. Our results do to some extent support our hypothesis and predictions. Our results show that hydration does affect blood pressure and heart rate. Our data collected generally shows that hydration, over a short period of time, will overall decrease the arterial pressures (systolic and diastolic) as seen in Graphs 2, 4, and 6. The data in each subgroup also shows that pulse rate will be affected differently by different temperatures of water. When ingesting cold water, the pulse rate generally increases, while those that consumed room temperature water have a decreased pulse rate as seen in Graph 1 and 3. A hypothesis that would correctly support the results of this experiment would be, â€Å"Hydration (the consumption of water) will decrease blood pressure while cold water will increase heart rate.† Though this hypothesis is accurately supported by the results, this hypothesis may also be incorrect. One way it can be determined that our results wholly support our hypothesis is the value of the T-tests calculated for this experiment. The value of the T-tests based off of the average pulse rate, systolic pressure, and diastolic pressure were all below 5%. This shows low variability within the experiment and suggests that our experimental results are valid. Because the T-test was below 5%, it can be concluded that our results from this experiment are significant. Our results support the fact that hydration does decrease blood pressure. After much research, it is shown that, â€Å"dehydration and blood pressure are linked that it is not aging that leads to High Blood Pressure, but rather dehydration.† (Healthy Water 2007). Our results for our experiment relate to this statement because our data shows that hydration lowers blood pressure, and inversely suggests that dehydration would do the opposite by increasing blood pressure. When an individual is dehydrated, their blood vessels compensate the lack of water by contracting and heightening blood pressure. When an individual is sufficiently hydrated their vessels are filled with a high blood volume that holds the vessels open and relaxed while transporting water to fundamental organs and systems throughout the body. There were many weaknesses and flaws in our experiment and experimental design. One flaw in experimental design was the lack of a control group. Though basal readings were taken prior to the experiment, there was no separate group that was not treated with the independent variable and measured throughout the experiment. Also, our experiment was done in a hurry that could have affected the blood pressure and heart rate throughout the experiment. The sphygmomanometers that were used often came up with â€Å"error† which may have contributed to the insignificance of our data. Finally, there was no way of measuring the level of dehydration of the experimental group prior to drinking the 16 ounces of water. The data will vary with the different levels of hydration and without knowing the exact level of hydration of each individual it would be impossible to group them together. Though our results did not match our hypothesis, they were comparable to similar experiments. Our data did show that an increase in hydration will decrease blood pressure. However, our data and experimental design is neither accurate or acceptable due to errors in experimental design and experimental flaws. Literature Cited: Bishop T. 2009.Measuring Blood Pressure. Practice Nurse 38: 11-16. Costill DL, Dill DB. 1974. Calculation of percentage changes in volumes of blood, plasma, and red cells in dehydration. Journal of Applied Physiology 37: 247-248. Healthy Water. 2007. Dehydration and Blood Pressure disorders are linked. http://www.healthy-water-best-filters.com/dehydration-blood-pressure.html. February 20, 2009. Patterson SM, Rochette LM. 2005. Hydration status and cardiovascular function: effects of hydration enhancement on cardiovascular function at rest and during psychological stress. International Journal of Psychophysiology 56: 81-91. Weedman D, Sokoloski ES. 2009. Biology of Organisms. 5th Edition. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. P 173-184.