The basis of structure, of life, and of mankind Essay Example for Free

The basis of structure, of life, and of mankind Essay Every single form of life on the planet is created and controlled by a chemical recipe, a chemical code consisting of hundreds of thousands of instructions in every single cell, the basis of structure, of life, and of mankind. Who, what, where, when, how, and why, are all questions which for centuries have remained unanswered. They demanded an extraordinary amount of skill, time, and precision from individuals the world over to be conquered to our current level of understanding. Many discoveries have led to the discovery of genetics. In 1895, Wilhelm Roentgen, a german physicist, accidentally discovered x-rays, whilst studying cathode rays in a high voltage gaseous discharge tube. This marked the beginning of a long series of explorations and experiments, eventually leading to the discovery of DNA. A year later in 1896, Antoine Becquerel, this time a french physicist, discovered through experimentation and observation, the disintegration of electromagnetic rays (x-rays, and gamma rays), also known as radioactivity. He was observing the element uranium and saw that it could blacken a photographic plate even though the latter was separated by a sheet of glass and paper. Becquerel also noticed that the rays were capable of emitting charge captured by an electroscope, which showed they possessed an electric charge too. Becquerels idea was revolutionised in 1898 by Pierre and Marie Curie who suggested radioactivity occurred due to the structure of atoms. Max Von Laue then discovered x-ray diffraction in 1912, which was, not long after, mathematically interpreted by Lawrence Bragg by analysing the different diffraction patterns made by x-rays when they deviate from their original paths, due to closely spaced atoms in the crystal. Bragg didnt believe that Laues theory was correct in detail. He therefore carried out numerous experiments and concluded by using the now common Bragg law. This details at what angles x-rays will be most efficiently diffracted by crystals when the wavelength and distance between the crystal atoms are known. One very famous scientist who played a large part in the progression towards the discovery of DNA was Maurice Wilkins. Teamed with Rosalind Franklin, both x-ray crystallographers, their studies included analysing DNA crystals and diffraction. They discovered that the sugar-phosphate backbone of the DNA molecule is present on the outside of the molecule and also discovered the basic helical structure of the molecule. The final breakthrough came in 1953, when Francis Crick, and James Watson (Wilkins was also a principal contributor) officially published their model for the structure of DNA. They discovered how information, governing heredity is carried in the chromosomes of human cells (DNA), hence determining physical development in every single cell of the individual. Procedures have evolved even further since then, which shows how much science can progress over the years. What begins as a small theory can drastically transform into an enormous scientific revolution, changing they way we would have previously visualised ideas. HUGO was set up in the year 2000. This organisation involves the very best scientists from all over the world and the technology of supercomputers and robotics also, and was set up originally in a bid to crack the genetic code. This occurred on the 26th of June 2000 and now provides the blueprint for all human life. Thanks to all the dedication of those scientists over centuries, many ideas previously considered as ridiculous are being reconsidered. Who would believe, for instance, that an actual living animal could be cloned using another animals DNA? It may have taken scientists over 250 attempts to clone Dolly the sheep, but they succeeded in the end. Could it now be seen as possible to clone a dinosaur? It could occur, although the odds of retrieving frozen, preserved, living cells are very slim. Another consideration would need to be finding a very closely related female living species for the cloning to work. An impossibility? Perhaps not! New technology derived from such scientific investigations now enable more effective medical treatments to be created, and also could help eradicate inherited diseases such as downs syndrome or some forms of cancer, giving people a better quality of life. Recent innovations are GM crops, and human cloning, over which there is much controversy. We do not yet know what disadvantages could occur if we mess with the chemical code for life. For all the advantages such as enabling crops to become drought resistant, creating decaffeinated coffee plants, and increasing disease and pest resistance, as well as maybe in the future being able to recreate an animal or person whom has died, or being able to choose how your baby will look, there are bound to be disadvantages. Recent research suggests that disease immunity decreases considerably in a cloned animal, than a normal animal. With such complicated and moral issues, the issue of religion must be considered. It can sometimes be perceived that science today is displacing the views of religion. For example it is believed that god created mankind. With evidence such as the above, it certainly questions the reliability of religion. I believe that both religion and science is important. The human race is forever wanting answers as to what they dont know. However, the amount of belief in religion seems to be declining due to people wanting evidence to support statements. No longer will they accept an idea as a safeguard because it is stated in the bible, they want to know why it is so. Its seems more people want to believe magic however. Maybe it is because science is so closely related to magic and is in itself a type of hocus pocus. It is a method of explaining why something occurs despite our limited knowledge and disbelief and doesnt need experiments to clarify it. In the past it was thought to contradict the bible, but, really it is another side of science which just needs to be explored. In the past, it was believed witches conjured magic. We now know that it is the planet earth which conjures up magic which is waiting to be uncovered. Altogether, it can be concluded that science has progressed dramatically over the years. It is a magic which is never ending and which will never cease to be investigated. It is an alternative way of looking at the world, which progresses everyday and which, just like religion or magic, brings about previously unheard of miracles. Science is always being revolutionised and is beginning to be seen by many as a new religion, which is gradually unfolding the mysteries the universe prevails.

CMV Infection Epidemiology and Pathogenesis

CMV Infection Epidemiology and Pathogenesis Virus Strain Variation An important variable that may impact the prognosis of infection may be viral strain variation. It has been hypothesized that some clinical strains of CMV are intrinsically more harmful, based on variability in genes implicated in viral pathogenesis. Some subtypes of CMV classified on the basis of their UL144 (TNF receptor homolog) sequence were described as being more likely to be associated with symptomatic disease (Arav-Boger etal., 2006), irrespective of the viral load. On the other hand, other studies were unable to confirm any association with UL144 genotype and the outcome of infection. No differences in clinical outcome could be attributed to variants of the CK homologs, UL146 and UL147 (Heo etal., 2008). When genotypes based on the sequence heterogeneity in the envelope glycoprotein gene, gN (UL73), were compared, congenital infection with one genotype, gN-1, was associated with an improved prognosis with respect to long-term neurodevelopmental sequelae (Pignatelli etal., 2003). In another study of infants with congenital infection, the distribution of genotypes for the gB glycoprotein gene (UL55) showed significant differences, depending upon the disease classification observed, but no information was reported on long-term neurodevelopmental sequelae (Jin etal., 2007). Differences in virulence between strains of HCMV may reflect their abilities to attach to cells. HCMV strains Toledo (low passage in cell culture), Towne and AD169 (cell culture-adapted) exhibited differences in virulence in vaccinated volunteers. Growth differences relative to virulence of the various HCMV isolates have also been observed in endothelial cells. Differences in glycoproteins may be the reason for the differences in abilities to attach and replicate in cells. HCMV was originally classified into four genotypes of gB, each with a characteristic nucleotide and peptide sequence, but later, a fifth glycoprotein genotype has been identified (Sweet, 1999). Clinical HCMV isolates are slower growing on human fibroblast cells and differ from laboratory adapted strains of HCMV in that they encode additional sequences in the ULb locus (about 19kb), which is believed to be associated with viral pathogenicity and/or the ability of the virus to grow on epithelial/endothelial cells (Hahn et al., 2004). This locus is rapidly mutated and deleted in the process of adaptation of the virus to tissue culture fibroblast cells (Dargan et al., 2010). The UL128-131 genes in the ULb locus have been demonstrated to be necessary for virus entry into epithelial and endothelial cells by a newly identified endocytic method of cell entry that is different from the pathway of infection in fibroblast cells (Ryckman et al., 2006). Epidemiology Human CMV is an ancient virus that is ubiquitous in human populations, reaching a prevalence of 100% in Africa and Asia, and approximately 80% in Europe and the USA, depending on socioeconomic status (Cannon et al., 2010). CMV infection is widespread and occurs worldwide. (Bate et al., 2010). Seroprevalence rates vary depending on age (higher rates are observed among older persons), geography (higher rates in developing countries), and socioeconomic status (higher rates in economically depressed regions) (Bate et al., 2010, and Cannon etal., 2010). Primary CMV infection occurs most commonly during the first 2 decades of life (Joseph et al., 2006). Non-white race, low socio-economic status, premature birth, and neonatal intensive care unit admittance are among the important risk factors for congenital CMV infection (Kenneson and Cannon, 2007).Congenital CMV infection can occur in 0.5-2% of all pregnancies, often with devastating consequences for the developing fetus (Sung and Schleiss, 2010). Among congenitally infected infants, approximately 10% have signs and symptoms of disease at birth. Although the remaining 90% of infants are asymptomatic at birth, 10-15% will subsequently develop permanent sequelae, including sensorineural hearing loss and mental retardation (Cheeran et al., 2009). It has been reported that 25% of congenitally infected infants whose mother had a primary HCMV infection during pregnancy had at least one sequela, compared with 8% in infants born to women with recurrent infection (Sung and Schleiss, 2010). The impact of congenital CMV is greater in the developed world because of the number of CMV negative wo men of child bearing age and the risk of primary infection during pregnancy which substantially increases the likelihood of congenital infection (Colugnati et al., 2007). In the developed world, congenital HCMV is the second most common cause of mental retardation next to Downs syndrome (Dollard et al., 2007). Additionally, HCMV related deafness occurs at a greater frequency than that related to Hemophilus influenza infection in the preHIB vaccine era (McGregor and Choi, 2015). Transplacental transmission of virus occurs in about one-third of mothers with primary CMV infection (Kenneson and Cannon, 2007), and approximately one-half of these infections in utero result in a symptomatic clinical syndrome (Adler et al., 2007). Epidemiological data suggest that the timing of acquisition of primary infection relative to the establishment of pregnancy is an important factor in establishing the risk to the fetus for in utero transmission (Revello et al., 2006). The infection is acquired by 40% of children within the first decade of life. Seroprevalence increases to 80% by the age of 60 (Kenneson and Cannon, 2007). Most HIV-infected individuals are seropositive for CMV. HIV infection accelerates the development of CMV-dependant immunological abnormalities (Barrett et al., 2012). In Africa, the prevalence of CMV IgG among HIV-negative adults was 81.8% (range 55-97%). For HIV-infected adults the pooled CMV IgG seroprevalence was lower among those with clinically defined AIDS (81.9%, range 59-100%) than among asymptomatic HIV-infected adults (94.8%, range 71-100%), consistent with the notion of weaker humoral responses associated with AIDS progression. It is also possible that some non-HIV infected adults are infected but do not mount a measurable IgG response. Among pregnant women seroprevalence mirrored that among healthy blood donors, although the HIV status of participants was not always stated. In children, pooled seroprevalence was 88.1% (range 80-100%). With this very high seroprevalence in children, even in very young infants, one would expect seroprevalence among adults to be consistently close to 100% (Bates and Brantsaeter, 2016). In Egypt, the seroprevalence of CMV infection among pregnant women and acute lymphoblastic leukaemic patients was 100%(Bates and Brantsaeter, 2016). Pathogenesis CMV employs at least two distinct, cell-type specific mechanisms of cell entry. Entry of CMV into endothelial and epithelial cells is mediated by endocytosis in a pH-dependent fashion; in contrast, entry into fibroblasts is non-endocytic, and pH-independent. CMV fibroblast entry is believed to be initiated by binding of virion-associated gB to a cell surface receptor, followed by fusion with the cell membrane in a process that requires a complex of three other glycoproteins: gH, gL, and gO (Ryckman etal., 2006). In contrast to the model of CMV entry for fibroblasts, endocytic entry of CMV into endothelial and epithelial cells requires a complex of gH, gL, and three other proteins encoded by a region of the CMV genome referred to as the UL128-131 gene locus (Wang and Shenk, 2005). The pathologic effect of a CMV-encoded gene is believed to be mediated directly by that gene product; in other situations, CMV infection leads to downstream effects on cellular gene expression that then may potentially lead to pathologic outcomes. In many circumstances, CMV gene products mediate more than one pathogenic effect and there is considerable overlap across these categories (Schleiss, 2011). Following infection, the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) for the major 72-kilodalton IE protein is transcribed more abundantly than any other mRNA as a result of an upstream regulatory sequence of DNA that competes more efficiently for ribonucleic acid polymerase 11 (Stinski, 1984). These upstream enhancer sequences constitute the first step in the regulation of CMV gene expression. The 72-kilodalton protein is then transported back to the nucleus, presumably to influence the switch from restricted transcription of the long unique sequence to more extensive transcription. A block in the synthesis of IE proteins disrupts any further transcription of the viral genome, suggesting that these proteins may play a major role in determining whether a CMV infection is latent, persistent, or productive (Spector and Spector, 1984). The pathogenesis of disease associated with acute CMV infection has been attributed to lytic virus replication, with end-organ damage occurring either secondary to virus-mediated cell death or from pathologic host immune responses targeting virus-infected cells (Britt et al., 2008).

The influential factors behind the growth of globalisation

The influential factors behind the growth of globalisation Current business environment is more volatile and dynamic. There are different reasons behind this transformation in the world. Globalisation is one of the main factors that behind the above change. We can define globalisation as a process by which the world is becoming increasingly interconnected as a result of massively increased trade and cultural exchange. Earlier existed boundaries between countries in the world have been dramatically reduced due to the globalisation. This is seen as more than simply a way of conducting business- it can be considered as a continues process. This is not a new force that emerged few years back, it has been taking place for hundreds of years but it has speeded up enormously over the last half-century. In History, in a similar manner, the techniques of industrial manufacturing lead to create the process of industrialisation, now that process has linked with the globalisation and has created new environment of operating businesses. There are few influential factors behind the growth of globalisation. Increase in communication technology is one of them. TV, telephony and the internet have permitted information and ideas to travel quickly. As an example USA businesses can have a call centre in Philippine or India answering calls from local customers. Another factor is improvements in the transportation sector. It has become more quick and cheap. People can go for holiday all around the world. Workforce can seek for a job opportunity available in another country. Businesses can easily ship their product and raw materials all over the world. Another main influential factor behind the growth is trade liberalisation. This has been excelled due to the Laws restricting for free trade and fo reign investment movements have been relaxed between countries. Some governments even offer grants and tax incentives to attract foreign companies to invest in their country. These actions have lead to create free trade zones in the world. In other words theses are known as trade blocs where groups of nations who form an economic union or customs union. Governments follow friendly rules and regulation within those regions for trading purposes. For example the European Union (EU) aims at not just a customs union but also economic union by way of harmonisation of taxes, establishing a common monetary policy and moves towards a single currency. EU has now expanded over 26 member countries and benefited to combined population of 356 million. Trading blocs generally increase the integration and interdependency of the member economies which is speed up the globalisation process. As a result of trading blocs trade amongst the members has increased, which ultimately increase the world trade capacity. Further it gives the opportunity to businesses better access to effective capital and labour markets which increases the movement of labour within the countries and increase investments. For example Poland workers have been well recognized in the UK and Ireland labour markets. As result of the globalisation process international trade has increased dramatically in the 20th century. Many countries get more chances to participate in the world trade. As a result of increase in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) many labour oriented countries get access to capital market and vice -versa. Their natural resources value has increased and countries have more capability to use them to manufacture export oriented goods. Increase in international trade brings better standard of living through access to many ways of satisfying their needs and wants. Further it is argued that current development of trading blocs help international trade through making global negotiations easier, in the case of trade negotiations.   For example the EU will negotiate as a single trading block making it easier to push through practises which increase free trade. As per the following graph it is arguable that benefits of international trade have been equally distributed among the world population. Globalisation and increase in international trade is probably helping to create more wealth in developing countries and has affected to the balance of international trade. However globalisation is having a dramatic effect on the organisations for good or ill. Some positive impacts are as follows; Increase greater access to capital market. Inward investment by MNCs helps organisation to start new businesses locally and in foreign countries. This will provide new jobs and skills for local people. Companies can bring wealth and foreign currency to local economies when they buy local resources, products and services. Release of government regulation and establishing better infrastructure in the local economy attract foreign investments. China is well known for cheap labour compared to western countries labour cost. This has become a main reason for many organisations moving their businesses to China. Further investment friendly environment through strong financial support (Tax benefits, financial institutes) for new businesses, attract their cheap resources for other countries. Most of the western countries resources are fully utilised and market have become more matures, but there are emerging economies like China, India, Brazil and Russia which consist many untapped cheap resources. Therefore as a result of pressure built up from the Western markets, businesses now moving for those emerging markets. This process has been made easier and more comfortable due to the globalisation. The extra money created by these investments can be spent on education, health and infrastructure of the countries. (Corporate Social Responsibility activities) Achieve economies of scale. Economies of scale means the increase in  efficiency of production  as the number of goods  being produced increases.  Economies of scale lowers the average cost per unit through increased production since fixed costs are shared over an increased number of goods. Initially Adams Smith identified division of labour and specialization are the main factors that lead to economies of scale. However as Globalisation process increases companies get other opportunities to reduce their production cost and achieve economies of scale. Access to lower inputs and specialized inputs in different countries would bring the economies of scale. Costly inputs such as research and development, advertising, managerial expertise and skilled labor now can be outsourced to specialized countries and it will result in increased efficiency and lead to a decrease in the average cost of production and selling. Therefore economies of scale provides  big companies  access to a larger market with lower cost of production and greater margin for their products.    Globalisation increases awareness of events happening in the world. For example, the USA was quickly made aware of the 2011 tsunami in Japan and sent help rapidly in response. Globalisation may help to make people more aware of global issues such as deforestation and global warming and alert them to the need for sustainable development. The sharing of ideas, experiences and lifestyles of people and cultures. People can experience foods and other products not previously available in their countries. Globalisation has resulted in many businesses starting or buying operations in other countries. Companies that operate in several countries are called multinational corporations (MNCs) or transnational corporations (TNCs). Presence in different countries brings interaction with different cultural and social values. On this case business practices that are successful in local country could be act as negatively or positively under different cultural and social values. Therefore it is advisable to find answer to following questions before starting a new venture with another country. What are the main difference between cultures?, Are they matter of learning a new handshake, or do they go deeper than that?, Can cultural differences really have that much impact on the business deal? Etc. Finding solution for those questions is helpful for organisations to handle cultural differences in business expansions. For example language differences, the way they perceive time, traditional and religious believes etc. play a big role in Asian countries. When US and European base organisations move towards the Asian countries the above cultural factors could act as barriers for entry to those markets. In terms of communication US and Europeans are considered as low context cultures, language is direct and explicit, but when it comes to Asian countries they are known as high context cultures where language is indirect. Further as per certain cultural and social practices men dominate in the business sector than the women but in European organisation everyone gets equal opportunity to participate in the operations. Therefore when companies setup new business in a different culture, that company need to customise their corporate culture as per the local cultural values. As an example the US fast food chain McDonalds, large MNC which has nearly 30,000 restaurants in 119 countries, had a problem of sell ing beef burger in India due to the religious believes. Further they launched Mc Rice in Sri Lanka since rice is the main food in the Sri Lankan culture. Likewise multinational companies tend to customise their strategies to overcome certain social and cultural restrictions as well as implement new thing to take advantageous. In current business environment sometimes it is difficult to follow a global strategy for their operation in throughout the world. Therefore most companies tailor their management strategy and organisational structures to respond to the local factors. In other words local responsiveness is essential when a psychic distance is higher in two different countries. As a result of this new relationships will occur in managing businesses globally. Joint venture agreements, alliances etc. are common relationships that business partners follow to reduce their risk exposure in the current business environment. Designing of organisational structure and management style is important capture the opportunities available in the market. Some companies follow decentralised structure to increase the speed of decision making in the particular market. Some other companies follow a selective approach by some functions are retain in with the parent country and others establish in different markets. As exa mple GAP Inc.s designing function is conducted in centrally and manufacturing function has been outsourced to Asian countries. This mechanism has benefitted them through utilising Asian countries specialised capabilities of manufacturing to convert their design into practical product. Therefore globalisation process brings new organisational designs and management styles to the market. Local markets work force have now increased and well interact with the MNCs. Earlier they were only involved for lower level operations but now management representation also has increased. This is a good advantage for MNCs to take advantage of innovative skills of the local employees since they have more experience in the particular market. Microsoft has given more concentration on Indian market since that workforce well recognised for IT skills. From employees perspective also this will be a good opportunity for them to utilise their skills effectively. Recognition, income level, career opportunities, opportunity to obtain foreign exposures etc. will be increased through working in multinational company. Their innovative concept could bring to the world market through the help of MNCs. So far this report addressed only the good side of the Globalisation and not that mean it doesnt have a dark side. Following are few negative impacts of globalisation Globalisation operates mostly in the interests of the developed countries, which continue to dominate world trade at the expense of developing countries. The role of developing countries market has become to provide the North and West with cheap labour and raw materials at lower cost. There are no guarantees that the proper benefits from inward investment will benefit the local community in developing countries. Often, profits are sent back to the MNCs parent countries. This has become easier for them due the tax relief offered by the local governments. Further these MNCs with their massive economies of scale, possibility to drive local companies out of business. After that If these MNCs realised that it becomes cheaper to operate in another country than the current one then they move for better opportunity by closing down the factory and make local people redundant. This would be a major hit for the local economy. Increase environmental population due to the high industrialisation. Globalisation is viewed by many as it affects to the worlds cultural diversity and it feared that it may westernise the local traditions and languages. After considering the above negative sides of the globalisation we can state that it is not helping to close the gap between the worlds poorest countries and the worlds richest. In the case of trading blocs, it is argued they create conflicting parties fighting for regional interests not for every ones benefits. As per the World Trade Organisations statistics, the worlds poorest countries share of world trade has declined by more than 40 per cent since 1980 to a mere 0.4 per cent and the poorest 49 countries make up 10% of the worlds population, but account for only 0.4% of world trade. (Online, www.gatt.org) This clearly shows benifits of globalisation has not been distributed equally. Further its doubt that MNCs pay fair amount for the developing countries resources. As a result of these negative reasons poor peoples living standards remain same and the gap between poor countries and rich countries wont reduce. Conclusion Globalisation has a major impact on the business environment as well as the people general life pattern. Within the current knowledge economy, knowledge workers have more opportunities due to the globalisation. Their career is not static as compared to the traditional workers. They always seek better opportunities in the market and as a result of globalisation their career path has extended even for different countries. However, as a MNC, they have more responsibilities and accountability for their actions in the different markets. As a good corporate citizen they must give their focus on improving local social and educational life the local people also. Further they must ensure fair consideration for the resources utilised the developing countries. These will ultimately useful to break the bridge between rich and poor countries.

Ironic Cycles :: essays research papers

Ironic Cycles In The Sun Also Rises, Ernest Hemingway uses irony and symbolism to illustrate how a group of Americans and English expatriates lived life. They try to forget the war and restore a sense of meaning to their lives, which he would have liked to do. Hemingway’s attitudes are expressed in the book, including his idea of, â€Å"emphasize the optimistic idea of progress of life’s cycle.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When Hemingway was growing up, he would perfect his fishing during his family’s summer vacations to Horton’s Bay. Right up until he decided to enlist in the army, his passion was fishing. The fishing trip in the book demonstrates that Jake can find happiness in the sun, without Brett. Spending time with two men that know the woman he loves makes him realize he is better off without Brett.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jake seems to be the â€Å"mature, stabilizing friend to all,† but his own life is in a mess. Hemingway shared the same characteristics. When he was rejected from the army because of his bad eyesight, he still wanted some adventure in his life. So he decided to be an ambulance driver for the Red Cross. After he was wounded, he helped another injured man find his way to a trench and out of harm. He put other people’s problems ahead of his own, just as his character, Jake, does. Jake symbolizes the steers being put into the ring to calm the bulls. He is put into the rowdy group to help them maintain some order. His true emotions do not show through much. This is one of Jake’s flaws, along with his impotence. As Hemingway was wounded in war, he portrays this in Jake’s character.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hemingway joined the â€Å"Lost Generation† crowd during his hardships. During these years people spent time aimlessly walking around. They didn’t think there was a purpose to their lives. In the book, the characters wandered together through an â€Å"endless, drunken procession of parties, cafes, and sexual affairs,† in a desperate search for meaning to their lives. Some of the story Jake tells the reader lies between the lines in the book, possibly symbolizing the absence of meaning in the characters’ lives.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The war constantly haunts the characters throughout the book. The effects of war are evident in their alcoholism and their unconscious cruelty to each other. It is the war and its effects they are running away from with their continuous drinking.

She :: essays research papers

Khadijah and her brother was home alone on a Monday night. No they were not trying to have a wild party. They were waiting by the phone expecting a call from there parent. I know this sounds strange, teenagers waiting for a call from their parents. But this was not a "Is the house okay" call. There Aunt Marla was in the Hospice House for the terminally ill. They wanted to know how she was doing and was every thing okay. When the phone rung they ran to it like horses at the race track. It was their father telling them that their Aunt was doing fine and will have to stay there a couple of months. They felt relive to hear the good news, but Khadijah knew something was not right. As she got in the bed it felt kind of strange like someone was in it. (Let's not forget this is the same bed Khadijah use to share with her Aunt when she lived with her family.) Khadijah went to sleep with her Aunt Marla in her mind. The next morning Khadijah woke up feeling like something was wrong. She got dress as usual and went down stairs for breakfast. But she did not sit to the table with her brothers. Instead she sat in the rocking chair her Aunt read her stories in. When her mother came down stairs she ask was everything was okay. Khadijah said "yes everything is fine." Everything was not fine, but Khadijah did not no what was wrong yet. When Khadijah got out of the chair to take her bowl to the kitchen she notice it started to rock on its own. She thought nothing of it and guess it came from her getting up real fast. Every morning Khadijah's mother takes her and her brother to school. And on the way there is a graveyard. Khadijah hardly ever looks at the graveyard when she passes by, but something about it today made her look. It look like it had some kind of glow to it. As she pass by Khadijah said "Somebody's dead", her brother Carl said " No duh! The people in the graveyard are.". But Khadijah was not talking about the people in the graveyard. Then Khadijah ask her mother what time was it. Her mother said it was 8 o'clock. Her brother ask "Why does it matter?

Types of Thermometer

Different types of thermometers Galileo thermometer. A  Galileo thermometer  (or  Galilean thermometer), named after Italian physicist  Galileo Galilei, is a  thermometer  made of a sealed  glass cylinder  containing a clear  liquid  and a series of objects whose densities are such that they rise or fall as the temperature changes. By definition, Galileo's thermometer is actually a thermoscope, not a thermometer. Gas thermometer A  gas thermometer  measures  temperature  by the variation in volume or pressure of a gas.One common apparatus is a constant volume thermometer. It consists of a bulb connected by a  capillary tube  to a  manometer. The bulb is filled with a gas such that the volume of the gas in the bulb remains constant. The volume is related to temperature by k, known as Charles's Law  . The pressure of the gas in the bulb can be obtained by measuring the level difference in the two arms of the manometer. Gas thermometers are often used to calibrate other  thermometers. Alcohol thermometerThe  Alcohol thermometer  or  spirit thermometer  is an alternative to the  mercury-in-glass thermometer, and functions in a similar way. But unlike mercury-in-glass thermometer, the contents of an alcohol thermometer are less toxic and will evaporate away fairly quickly. For the working temperature range, themeniscus  or interface between the liquid is within the capillary. With increasing temperature, the volume of liquid expands and the  meniscus  moves up the capillary. The position of themeniscus  shows the temperature against an inscribed scale. Infrared thermometerInfrared thermometers  infer  temperature  using a portion of the  thermal radiation  sometimes called  blackbody radiation  emitted by the object of measurement. They’re sometimes called  laser thermometers  if a  laser  is used to help aim the thermometer, or  non-contact thermometers  to describe the deviceà ¢â‚¬â„¢s ability to measure temperature from a distance. By knowing the amount of infrared energy emitted by the object and its  emissivity, the object's temperature can be determined most of the time. Mercury thermometer A  mercury-in-glass thermometer, is a  thermometer  consisting of  mercury  in a  glass  tube.Calibrated marks on the tube allow the  temperature  to be read by the length of the mercury within the tube, which varies (nearly linearly) according to the temperature of the mercury. To increase the sensitivity, there is usually a bulb of mercury at the end of the thermometer which contains most of the mercury; expansion and contraction of this volume of mercury is then amplified in the much narrower bore of the tube. The space above the mercury may be filled with  nitrogen  or it may be less than atmospheric pressure, which is normally known as a  vacuum.

Effectiveness Of Leadership At Mcdonalds Management Essay Essay

I had the opportunity of working at a McDonald’s chain of restaurants after completion of my undergraduate studies. I was able to observe the role played by members of a team, their team work and leadership of the Manager of the restaurant. I would like to analyse the leadership styles practiced, evaluate the effectiveness of leadership at McDonald’s restaurant and make recommendations indicating how leadership and team work can go hand in hand to improve the performance of the organisation. The first McDonald’s opened its doors to customers in the UK in 1974. Currently, over 2. 5 million people in the UK place their trust in McDonald, expecting that the multinational would provide them with food of a high standard, quick service and value for money. Models and theories that will be discussed in the later portions of this essay are Adair’s Leadership Model and Maslow’s theory of hierarchy which will be applied to McDonald’s. Leadership styles such as autocratic, democratic and persuasive are also discussed to find out which of the three is the ideal model for McDonald’s. A team is a collection of individuals who are interdependent in their tasks, who share responsibility for outcomes, who see themselves and who are seen by others as an intact social entity embedded in one or more larger social systems (for example, business unit or the corporation), and who manage their relationships across organisational boundaries (Susan Cohen and Diane Bailey, 1997). A team is defined as a small number of people, with a set of performance goals, who have a commitment to a common purpose and an approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable (Katzenbach & Smith 1993). There are several factors that influence the success of a team. Team members must have the required skills and attitudes and must create an ambience in which everyone can work with devotion. There should be transparency within the team which is possible if there is effective system of communication between all members. All members of the team must have set responsibilities and must be aware of what is expected from them. In this way all members of the team will be accountable. All members must have harmonising skills and must coordinate among themselves to eliminate any uncertainties or reservations. Members of a team must genuinely appreciate the efforts of fellow members. An effective leader is one who does the right things. Leaders can effectively develop and lead teams if they have the ability to create and communicate a vision what the organization should be. They should have the ability to communicate with and gain the support of all team members. They should have the perseverance to head in the desired direction under bad conditions and create the suitable culture to obtain the needed results. Levine, R. (2000) is of the opinion that leaders need to focus on moving people and organisations forward by increasing the competency of staff and the co-operation of teams in order to improve the organisation. Leadership is related to motivation, interpersonal behaviour and the process of communication. Leadership is important in attempting to reduce employee dissatisfaction (Crow M. 995). The responsibilities of the Restaurant Manager or the team leader at McDonald’s are to set targets, plan budgets, maintain and control stock, recruit, train and motivate a team, create and drive marketing campaigns and build and foster customer relations. Leaders ate McDonald’s restaurants do not lay down any fixed rules on how quickly individuals of a team can progress. Opportunities are given to team members to become managers if they perform well. For this to happen, the crew member must contribute to the success of the team. The management style adopted by team leaders at McDonald’s is to create outlets which are fun places to work. This is called â€Å"team-building†. Leaders at McDonald’s foster accountability and understand the social responsibility culture and incorporate these activities into their businesses. In fact the team leaders have all the characteristics that were used by Stogdill (1950) to define leadership. The characteristic include: traits, behaviour, influence, interaction patterns, role relationships and occupation of an administrative position; articulating visions (e. g.  Bill Gates), embodying values and creating environment for the things that can be accomplished; entities that perform one or more acts of leading; the ability to affect human behaviour so as to accomplish a mission and Influencing a group of people to move towards its goal setting or goal achievement. (Stogdill, 1950) The McDonalds Model is that of Adair’s Model which is called action-centred leadership. This is a constructive model according to which the leader inspires others by their own enthusiasm, commitment and the ability to communicate enthusiasm to people (Adair, 1993). Teams were developed by team leaders so that a common task could be accomplished. Adair (1993) identifies three different approaches to leadership which can be called leadership functions (1) accomplishing the task, (2) maintaining the team and (3) meeting the individual needs of the team members. Adair believes that leaders are not born but emerge from situations. The leader who emerges can adopt any ‘style of leadership’ that warrants the situation. According to Adair a leader is one who has certain innate characteristics which are required to perform his/her role. A leader according to him must have personality and character. Adair quotes Harold Macmillian, â€Å"that a man who trusts nobody is apt to be the kind of man that nobody trusts†. His leader must have integrity, a wholeness and a moral sense. According to Adair, the three functions of meeting the demands of the task, maintaining the team and meeting the needs of individual team members must be kept in balance and none of them should be neglected. The team leader areas of responsibility must include qualities and competencies such as (a) to behave with the highest level of authenticity and integrity by building a trusting relationship with all team members; (b) to be committed fully to the development of the team; (c) to be open and communicate, but must practice good listening skills; (d) be willing to share perceptions, assumptions and views openly with team members; and (e) to allow team members to work independently but in a self-organised manner. Team leaders must take time required to do the work and support team’s efforts and also reflect on its actions. They must maintain and practice accountability and at the same time have a good working relationship with the team members. They should always be ready to monitor and evaluate how the team functions. They should clearly state the purpose of work without being ambiguous or complex. They must try to experiment and share experiences without blame. They should also provide coaching and mentoring support to the team (Barry Stevenson, 2004). The organizational structure of McDonald’s Corporation is centralised but that of its retail outlets is different. In McDonald’s outlets the employees work as a team to ensure that customers’ requirements are taken care of in a short period of time. Besides the manager the rest are all attendants who take orders and deliver as fast as they can. There is division of labour among members of the organisation, and the co-ordination of their activities are directed towards the goals and objectives of the organisation. Structure is the pattern of relationships among positions in the organisation and among members of the organisation. Structure makes possible the application of the process of management and creates a framework of order and command through which the activities of the organisation can be planned, organised, directed and controlled. Structure defines tasks and responsibilities, work roles and relationships, and channels of communication (Mullins and Laurie. J, 2008). At McDonald’s the span of control of the manager is narrow. The span of control refers to the number of subordinates working under the supervisor. So if there are five subordinates working under the supervisor or manager, the span of control is five. If the span of control is narrow there are certain advantages (Jenkins and Tessa, 2000). One of the merits is that there is tight control over subordinates and the manager is able to closely supervise the daily operations resulting in better co-ordination. Managers have time to think and plan and they are not burdened with too many problems. A narrow span of control reduces delegation and managers are able to do more work. On the contrary, a flat organisation implies a wide span of control. Theorists are of the opinion that tall organisation structures are inefficient, despite the advantage of a narrow span of control (Robbins, Stephen P, 2007). One can learn to use leadership approaches to develop high-performing teams and individuals at McDonalds. Team leaders were aware of the importance of team building and used suitable tools and techniques to help teams reach their full potential. McDonalds Crew Members are responsible for customer service, food preparation and cleanliness and hygiene. Crew members will be asked to work in any of these areas depending on the individual’s preferences. I worked as a Customer Service Crew member and my job entailed taking orders and delivering meals to customers at the counter. I learnt to be courteous and polite as I was responsible for maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction. The responsibility of the Food Preparation Crew Members was to prepare and cook McDonald’s menu. The teams are self managed and all team or crew member works with team spirit. There is a sense of respect for each other. However it can be said that most crew members do not understand the organisation strategy as they do not have access to this information. The communication between crew members is informal which enables every individual to maintain good harmony within retail outlets. The crew members at McDonald’s are committed because their needs are met by the team leadership. The leadership has developed an ideal and committed team which can be easily motivated. A committed and motivated team is always successful. Larson and LaFasto (1989) studied to understand the characteristics of successful teams and found that all the highly effective teams always had the characteristics such as a clear, elevating goal, a result-driven structure, competent team members, unified commitment, a collaborative climate, standards of excellence external support and recognition as well as principled leadership (Larson and LaFasto, 1989). From this finding it is evident that effective teamwork has a strong relationship with motivation. According to Maslow’s theory the hierarchy of human needs are classified into five levels. This theory advocates that the higher level needs of an individual will become motivating factors only when the lower level ones are satisfied. The five levels starting from the lowest hierarchy to the highest level, are: Physiological – At McDonald’s the motivating factors of the crew members are salary, over time, daily lunch/meal and transportation facilities. Safety – The next important factor is safety which includes elements such as job security, medical insurance and sick leave. Social – There is very good interaction among crew members and customers. This has resulted in excellent teamwork. Self-esteem – Crew members are motivated as the team leader/manager has full confidence in their abilities. They have reputation because of the McDonald’s brand equity. They are recognised and appreciated by fellow colleagues, subordinates, and supervisors. Self-actualization – The crew member reach their full potential when all his needs are taken care off (Maslow, 1987). The disadvantage that I observed was that subordinates are unable to make any decision. They have to always obey and listen to the orders of the manager. However the crew members (team members) had flexible schedules. There were team members from various parts of the world working together. They had different backgrounds and different interests and all worked together to make an ideal work force. In fact there was diversity. I would like to now give a detailed account of my observations on leadership styles and its impact on teamwork in McDonald’s restaurants. The leadership style practised in McDonald’s restaurants is autocratic and therefore crew members are not involved in any decision making. It is also a fact that suggestions from crew members are not welcomed as most of them are new. Crew members are young and work in these restaurants during summer vacations and therefore cannot offer ideas to the leader. Crew members are young and therefore motivated if they are paid wages on time and given extra benefits such as lunch and transportation. This motivates the crew to work in spite of the autocratic leadership. Autocratic style of leadership doesn’t fulfil the self esteem requirements reflected in Maslow’s hierarchy. However at McDonald’s crew members get self respect and also respect each other. McDonald’s will not adopt another style of leadership as the management fears that a persuasive or democratic style will not deliver the goods, viz. , delivering quality food on time to its customers. I would like to compare persuasive and democratic styles of leadership with that of autocratic leadership before arriving at a conclusion: which one of the three styles will ideally suit McDonald’s and at the same time have an impact on team work. Persuasion is one of the requisites of all leaders by which act they can move people toward a new situation. Persuasion does not include rational arguments. A leader can use persuasion as a tactic to gain the support of diverse groups of people using basic human emotions. It is normal that persuasive strategies may provoke team members and some of them may oppose ideas or suggestions. The democratic leadership style or participative style encourages employees to be a part of the decision making allowing more participation of teams in the decision making process.