Florence Regarding Investment Appraisal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Florence Regarding Investment Appraisal - Essay Example Capital budgeting is primarily undertaken when investment outlay is done for a long period. In the context of this paper, the investment will be done in heavy machinery and the project period is 5 years. Payback period denotes the time period that is absorbed by the project for recovering the total cost of the project. Payback may not be the primary technique but it is an important technique that determines whether a firm should undertake a particular project. The criterion is that when projects are compared on the basis of payback period, a project with shorter payback period is selected (Sangster, 1993; Cooper, Cornick and Redmon, 2011). The calculated payback period for each project is as follows: It was calculated that project A required the least amount of time followed by project B and project C respectively. In other words, Project B requires 0.52 years or about 6 months more than project A. From the perspective of payback period, project A can be recommended over the other pr ojects as it takes the shortest amount of time to recoup the initial outlay (Sangster, 1993). Accounting rate of return is often considered as the true measure of profitability with respect to a project in capital budgeting as it not only take into account the net cash inflow but also focuses on expected net earnings from each project with respect to the fund invested initially. This technique works on the notion that earnings instead of generally cash flow are better measure of success of an investment. A project with higher accounting rate of return is generally considered as the superior choice (Kida, Moreno and Smith, 2001). The calculated accounting rate of return of each project is as follows: It is important to discuss the reason for using incremental revenue prior analyzing the outcome.  

Annotated bibliography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Annotated bibliography - Essay Example This civil war is a significant historical element and thus helps educate and enlighten readers. This source explores the influence slavery had on the civil war. It examines the role of slavery especially in influencing politics in the south. Of significant emphasis are the submissions of major political players and society from the southern region of America in relation to slave ownership. The author also highlights the role of black soldiers in the civil war and in what way they influenced the side that lost and that which lost the civil war. The author of this book dwells on the period before the civil war. He asserts that there were troubles over slavery that was slowly building up to a national phenomenon. He acknowledges that there were skirmishes along the North and South Border in relation to fugitive slaves. They were what shaped up politics and culture leading to the civil war. This source is instrumental in showing the build up to the war. It helps people know that political factions started forming a long time before the actual war started. It contributes to research by giving a wider scope of events leading to the civil

Systemic anatomy Essay Example for Free

Systemic anatomy Essay The muscles of tongue can be divided into intrinsic and extrinsic groups. The intrinsic muscles lie entirely within the tongue, while the extrinsic muscles attach the tongue to other structures. The extrinsic muscles reposition the tongue, while the intrinsic muscles alter the shape of the tongue for talking and swallowing. Extrinsic tongue muscles, by definition, originate from structures outside the tongue and insert into the tongue. The four paired extrinsic muscles protrude, retract, depress, and elevate the tongue: Muscle From Nerve Function Genioglossus muscle mandible-(Genial Tubercles) hypoglossal nerve Protrudes the tongue as well as depressing its center. Hyoglossus muscle hyoid bone Depresses the tongue. Styloglossus muscle styloid process Elevates and retracts the tongue. Palatoglossus muscle palatine aponeurosis pharyngeal branch of vagus nerve Depresses the soft palate, moves the palatoglossal fold towards the midline, and elevates the back of the tongue. Intrinsic muscles Four paired intrinsic muscles of the tongue originate and insert within the tongue, running along its length. These muscles alter the shape of the tongue by: engthening and shortening it, curling and uncurling its apex and edges, and flattening and rounding its surface. The superior longitudinal muscle runs along the superior surface of the tongue under the mucous membrane, and elevates, assists in retraction of, or deviates the tip of the tongue. It originates near the epiglottis, the hyoid bone, from the median fibrous septum. The inferior longitudinal muscle lines the sides of the tongue, and is Joined to the styloglossus muscle. The verticalis muscle is located in the middle of the tongue, and Joins the superior and inferior longitudinal muscles. The transversus muscle divides the tongue at the ed to the mucous membranes . the tongue that run along the sides 2. The muscle that . -Protrude -Retract -Depress -Retraction, elevation of posterior third -Shape changes The Genioglossus mus protrudes the tongue. Remember that contraction of the right genioglossus muscle (for example) points the tip of the tongue to the patients left. The Styloglossus muscle retracts the tongue upward and backward. Also the Palatoglossus muscle retracts the tongue upward and backward. The Hyoglossus muscle depresses the tongue. The Levator veli palatini muscle elevates the soft palate during swallowing. The Longitudinal, tranverse and vertical muscles of the tongue. They help to change the shape of the tongue. 3. Muscle of pharyngeal wall. The pharyngeal wall is formed by skeletal muscles and by fascia. Gaps between the muscles are reinforced by the fascia and provide routes for structures to pass through the wall. The muscles of the pharynx are organized into two groups based on the orientation of muscle fibers. The constrictor muscles have fibers oriented in a circular direction relative to the pharyngeal wall, whereas the longitudinal muscles have fibers oriented vertically. The three constrictor muscles on each side are major contributors to the structure of the pharyngeal wall and their names indicate their position†superior, middle, and inferior constrictor muscles. Posteriorly, the muscles from each side are Joined together by the pharyngeal raphe. Anteriorly, these muscles attach to bones and ligaments related to the lateral margins of the nasal and oral cavities and the larynx. The constrictor muscles overlap each other in a fashion resembling the walls of three flower pots stacked one on the other. The inferior constrictors overlap the lower margins of the middle constrictors and, in the ame way, the middle constrictors overlap the superior constrictors. Collectively, the muscles constrict or narrow the pharyngeal cavity. When the constrictor muscles contract sequentially from top to bottom, as in swallowing, they move a bolus of food through the pharynx and into the esophagus. All of the constrictors are innervated by the pharyngeal branch of the vagus nerve [X]. The superior constrictor muscles together bracket the upper part of the pharyngeal cavity. Each muscle is attached anteriorly to the pterygoid hamulus, pterygomandibular raphe, and adjacent bone of he mandible. From these attachments , the muscle tans out posteriorly and Joins witn its partner muscle from the other side at the pharyngeal raphe. A special band of muscle (the palatopharyngeal sphincter) originates from the anterolateral surface of the soft palate and circles the inner aspect of the pharyngeal wall, blending with the inner aspect of the superior constrictor. When the superior constrictor constricts during swallowing, it forms a prominent ridge on the deep aspect of the pharyngeal wall that catches the margin of the elevated soft palate, which then seals closed the haryngeal isthmus between the nasopharynx and oropharynx. The middle constrictor muscles are attached to the lower aspect of the stylohyoid ligament, the lesser horn of the hyoid bone, and the entire upper surface of the greater horn of the hyoid. Like the superior constrictors, the middle constrictor muscles fan out posteriorly and attach to the pharyngeal raphe. The posterior part of the middle constrictors overlaps the superior constrictors. The inferior constrictor muscles attach anteriorly to the oblique line of the thyroid cartilage, the cricoid cartilage, and ligament that spans between these two attachments to cartilage and crosses the cricothyroid muscle . Like the other constrictor muscles, the inferior constrictor muscles spread out posteriorly and attach to the pharyngeal raphe. The posterior part of the inferior constrictors overlaps the middle constrictors. Inferiorly, the muscle fibers blend with and attach into the wall of the esophagus. The parts of the inferior constrictors attached to the cricoid cartilage bracket the narrowest part of the pharyngeal cavity. Longitudinal muscles The three longitudinal muscles of the pharyngeal wall are named according to their rigins†stylopharyngeus from the styloid process of the temporal bone, salpingopharyngeus from the cartilaginous part of the pharyngotympanic tube (salpinx is Greek for tube), and palatopharyngeus from the soft palate. From their sites of origin, these muscles descend and attach into the pharyngeal wall. Longitudinal muscles of the pharynx The longitudinal muscles elevate the pharyngeal wall, or during swallowing, pull the pharyngeal wall up and over a bolus of food being moved through the pharynx and into the esophagus. Stylopharyngeus The cylindrical stylopharyngeus muscle originates from the base of the medial urface of the styloid process of the temporal bone, descends between the superior and middle constrictor muscles to fan out on, and blend with, the deep surface of the pharyngeal wall. It is innervated by the glossopharyngeal nerve [1;0. Salpingopharyngeus Salpingopharyngeus is a small muscle originating from the inferior aspect of the pharyngotympanic tube, descending on, and blending into the deep surface of the pharyngeal wall. It is innervated by the vagus nerve [X]. Palatopharyngeus Palatopharyngeus , in addition to being a muscle of the pharynx, is also a muscle of the soft palate . It is attached to the upper surface of the palatine aponeurosis, and passes posteriorly and inferiorly to blend with the deep surface of the pharyngeal wall. Palatopharyngeus forms an important fold in the overlying mucosa (the palatopharyngeal arch). This arch is visible through the oral cavity and is a landmark for finding the palatine tonsil, which is immediately anterior to it on the oropharyngeal wall. The larynx, or voicebox, is an organ in the neck that plays a crucial role in speech and breathing. The larynx is the point at which t aerodigestive tract splits into two separate pathways: the inspired air travels through he trachea, or windpipe, into the lungs, and swallowed food enters the esophagus and passes into the stomach. Because of its location, the larynx has three important functions control of the airflow during breathing protection of the airway production of sound for speech. The larynx consisted of a framework of cartilage with surrounding soft tissue. The most prominent piece of cartilage is a shield-shaped structure called the thyroid cartilage. The anterior portion of the thyroid cartilage can be easily felt in thin necks as the Adams apple. Superior to the larynx (sometimes considered part of the arynx itself) is a U-shaped bone called the hyoid. The hyoid bone supports the larynx from above and is itself attached to the mandible by muscles and tendons. These attachments are important in elevating the larynx during swallowing and speech. The lower part of the larynx consists of a circular piece of cartilage called the cricoid cartilage. This cartilage is shaped like a signet ring with the larger portion of the ring in the back. Below the cricoid are the rings of the trachea. In the center of the larynx lie the vocal folds (also known as the vocal cords). The vocal folds are one of the most mportant parts of the larynx, as they play a key role in all three functions mentioned above. The vocal folds are made of muscles covered by a thin layer called mucosa. There is a right and left fold, forming a V when viewed from above. At the rear portion of each vocal fold is a small structure made of cartilage called the arytenoid. Many small muscles, described below, are attached to the arytenoids. These muscles pull the arytenoids apart from each other during breathing, thereby opening the airway. During speech the arytenoids and therefore the vocal folds are brought close together. As the air passes by the vocal folds in this position, they open and close very quickly. The rapid pulsation of air passing through the vocal folds produces a sound that is then modified by the remainder of the vocal tract to produce speech. This process is described in more detail in the page on vocal fold vibration. 4. Give the cartilage of larynx. Describe each. Laryngeal cartilages can refer to: The arytenoid cartilages are a pair of small three-sided pyramids which form part of the larynx, to which the vocal folds (vocal cords) are attached. These allow and aid in the vocal cords movement. Each is pyramidal or ladle-shaped in form and has three surfaces, a base, and an apex. The cricoid cartilage or simply cricoid is the only complete ring of cartilage around the trachea. The epiglottis is a flap that is made of elastic cartilage tissue covered with a mucous membrane, attached to the entrance of the larynx. It projects obliquely upwards behind the tongue and the hyoid bone, pointing dorsally. There are taste buds on the epiglottis. The thyroid cartilage is the largest of the nine cartilages that make up the laryngeal skeleton, the cartilage structure in and around the tracheathat contains the larynx. It is composed of two plate-like laminae that fuse on the anterior side of the cartilage to form a peak, called the laryngeal prominence. This prominence is often referred to as the pomus Adam' or Adams apple. The laryngeal prominence is more prominent in adult male than temale because ot 1200 in female. 5. Muscle of soft palate. Muscle Action levator veli palatini deglutition ne difference in the size ot the angle: 900 in male and Vagus nerve via pharyngeal plexus tensor veli palatini mandibular nerve palatoglossus respiration palatopharyngeus musculus uvulae moves uvula

What are the Most Prevalent Dangers of Smoking and Drinking?

What are the Most Prevalent Dangers of Smoking and Drinking? A report based on open data provided by the UK Government in data.gov.uk Prepared by Tsvetelina Terezova Supervised by Dan Heron This work presents a research of the question What are the most prevalent dangers of smoking and drinking? In order to be understood and given an answer to this question, the report is based on open data, related to the topic and provided by the UK Government in data.gov.uk. All data in this web site are non-personal and in a format that allows it to be reused. The selected datasets here are explored, analysed and calculated by the use of R statistical software tool whereas Tableau data visualization software tool, is used for presenting the data in a pictorial format. The structure of the research is covering the following data visualisation life cycle, presented in figure 1 below. Figure 1. Data Visualisation Life Cycle Alcohol and cigarettes seriously threaten the health and are among the top causes of death. Among all risk factors for heart disease, people have the greatest control over those related to the use or abuse of alcohol and cigarettes. Multiple studies demonstrate that people who use or abuse with these substances have a significant increase in risk of developing heart disease. The answer of this research question presents a range of information on drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes which data is drawn together from different sources. The objective of the report is to present a wide picture of the health problems and dangers relating to the consumption of alcohol and cigarettes in England. The purpose of the data analysis and visualisation is to: Get closer to the data of alcohol and cigarettes consumption; Be understood the influence of smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol; Enable decisions as it is much easier to be understood the potential risks of smoking and drinking by visualising the data; Discover patterns to be shown how both Alcohol and Smoking hide almost one and the same dangers; Inspire action the aim of this work is to visually demonstrate the dangers of smoking and drinking and can influence governments to improve the health care. This research report contains data graphics analysed from different datasets published online at data.gov.uk, by the UK Government. These data graphics are analysed in R software tool and visualised by the use of Tableau software tool. The goal is to be demonstrated how the dangers and abuse of tobacco and alcohol are approximately one and the same. The collected information is from a variety of data sources and the intent is to be presented in a better and amicable format. Also, the report includes some analysis performed by the Health and Social Care Information Centre and some National Statistic publications. [1] Selected Datasets: Statistics on Alcohol, England This statistical record operates as a benchmark for the health issues relating to the alcohol use. The provided information is collected from different sources and is presented in a convenient format. It includes cases such as drinking habits and manner among adults (16 years old and over) and children (11 to 15 years old); ill health and death related to drinking; accessibility of alcohol; hospital admissions related to alcohol consumption. The record consists of previously published data and also comprises further new analysis. The recent analysis are primarily received from the Health and Social Care Information Centres (HSCIC) Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) system, and prescribing data. The statistics also comprises new records on the current government policies and aspirations related to the alcohol use. It also includes links to additional sources of valuable information. [6] Statistics on Smoking, England This statistical record represents an assortment of information on smoking which is collected from different sources. The aim of this record is to present an extensive picture of the health problems related to smoking in England and includes themes such as smoking predominance, addictions, behaviours and style among adults and children, expenses, ill health and death related to smoking. This statistics incorporates data from a variety of sources representing it in a convenient format. It incorporates information and data formerly published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC), Department of Health, the Office for National Statistics and Her Majestys Revenue and Customs. The record also comprises new analyses performed by the Health and Social Care Information Centre. [2] Smoking, drinking and drug use among young people in England This dataset is announced by the Health and Social Care Information Centre. Smoking, Drinking and Drugs use among Young People in England is an annual research executed in participating schools in England for providing information on scholars smoking, drinking and drug consumption behaviours. The study concentrates on different manners in different years, alternating between drinking and smoking one year, to drug consumption the next year. [3] Alcohol-related recorded crimes, violent crimes and sexual crimes, England The three datasets [7], [8] and [9] contain a percentage respectively of the all recorded crimes, of the violent crimes and the sexual crimes per year, persons, all ages, per 1,000 population. The data are provided by the City of York Council and authorized by the Open Government Licence. Statistics on Womens Smoking Status at Time of Delivery: England This record represents the last outcomes and trends from the womens smoking status at time of delivery (SATOD) data compilation in England. The outcomes provide a measurement of the predominance of smoking among pregnant women at Commissioning Region, Area Team and Clinical Commissioning Group level. This supplement the public data existing from the Infant Feeding Survey (IFS). The smoking in pregnancy can bring to significant pregnancy-related health issues such as complications during childbirth, greater risk of abortion, premature birth, low birth-weight and sudden unexpected death in early childhood. [4] Alcohol-related deaths in the United Kingdom The data here is presented by the National Statistics Office and authorized by the Open Government Licence. This report provides the most recent data for alcohol-related deaths in the UK, its four composite countries and districts of England. Comparisons are made between 2012, and earlier provided information from 1991 onwards. [10] Deaths from smoking This dataset is provided by the Department of Health and authorized by the Open Government Licence. The information for deaths due to smoking per 100,000 is provided by the Association of Public Health Observatories (APHO) Geographies: Local Authority District (LAD), County/Unitary Authority, Government Office Region (GOR), National Geographic coverage: England. [5] The analysis implications are related to preparing the selected data, perception of the intended data characteristics, selecting a proper tool and technique, correctly using the tool, accurately presenting the data and making the right clarifications. In order to be explored and appropriately visualized the answer of the research question are used the following steps: Analysing the entire open data, statistics and reports published in data.gov.uk; Selecting the appropriate datasets related to the research question; Downloading the selected datasets as an Excel files; Cleaning Data and preparing the excel files for analysis. 4.1 Normalization of the data formatting as raw data; 4.2 Removing the introductory text and additional information from the files; 4.3 Clearing the data files from blank spaces and unnecessary written sentences irrelevantwith the data analysis. 4.4 Replacing the contained symbol for missing data (-) with the value 0 in the data fields; 4.5 The following three small datasets: Alcohol-related recorded crimes, Alcohol-related violent crimes and Alcohol-related sexual crimes, are gathered in one excel file with the aim to be analysed and visualised together; Converting all the excel files in .csv format; Exploratory data analysis in R Exploratory data analysis is detective work (it) can never be the whole story but nothing else can serve as the foundation stone. John Tukey Exploratory Data Analysis (1977) [21] The exploratory data analysis (EDA) is very important part in the data visualisation process as it detect mistakes, check assumptions, suggest possible statistical models and determine relationships between variables. Exploratory framework pertains to the following process sequence: Data > Analysis > Model > Conclusion In this work the EDA is achieved with the help of R statistical software tool, widely used and broad range of analysis capabilities. The main types of EDA are Univariate and Multivariate approaches and both can be non-graphical and graphical. Here the Multivariate analysis will be included only in the visualization part. Univariate Approach Alcohol related deaths Filtering the year in dataset Alcohol related deaths only for 2012 with the aim to be compared the data for Smoking related deaths. The STR function is used to display the inner structure of the data and diagnostics Str(Alc_deat), shows the internal structure of the dataset The head(Alc_deat) function is used to look at top few lines of the dataset (to see the data structure) The tail(Alc_deat) function is used to look at bottom few lines of the dataset (to see the data structure) Smoking related deaths Data set structure seems to be fine except value as this should be an integer and not a factor, therefore the value is changed to integer The function Smk_dea$Value = as.integer(Smk_deat$Value) is used forchanging the value to integer The function Summary(Smk_dea$ Metric_seconday) is used for summarising the most common causes of death related to smoking. The function sum(Smk_deat$Value) is used for calculating the amount of deaths caused by smoking ABOVE ALL ELSE SHOW THE DATA EDWARD TUFTE According to Jacques Bertin the visualization is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the artificial memory that best supports our natural means of perception. [22] And according to Cleveland and McGill, it is also à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦categorical and quantitative information encoded, chiefly through position, shape, size, symbol and colour. [21] Data visualization is above all understanding relations and ratios between numbers. The data visualization is not about understanding particular numbers, but about understanding models, patterns, and relationships that exist in groups of numbers, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the use of abstract, non-representational pictures to show numbers, Edward Tufte. [22] To meet and understand images is one of the common instincts of the human. From a well-drafted image, one is simpler to see the relationships and trends. As the visual production of the data takes advantage of the huge, and often underutilized, range of the human eye to get information from pictures and figures. The data visualization changes the load from digital analysing to visual analysing. Receiving information from visualizations is much more timesaving instead of analysing documents and sums therefore many decision makers would prefer to get the data in graphical form instead of textual or written form. In order to be explored and appropriately visualized the answer of the question What are the most preventable dangers of smoking and drinking? are used the following steps: Making a visual exploration of the data using Tableau Software, as follows: Connecting the excel data files; Creating Views and Analysis for each one of the files as separate worksheets and name appropriately every sheet; Representing the data in more effective way, applying filters, creating sets and groups, generating trend lines, using different visualization methods, such as: Bars, Lines, Plot, Pie, Stacked bars, etc. for better understanding; Using appropriate colours for good visualisation; Adding title and description (caption) to the graphics for better accepting; Gathering the worksheets and creating dashboards and/or data story. In the visualization process are also taken of importance the following Tuftes design principles: the data to be shown above all else, the data-ink ratio to be maximized, the non-data-ink to be erased, the redundant data-ink to be erased and finally the visualization to be revised and edited. [22] The point of this report is to give a resolution of the question What are the most prevalent dangers of smoking and drinking? and to strengthen the answer with real data and facts. R has been used to analyse the data and its results helped to achieve the objective of the research and then Tableau was used to visualise the finding and complete the research question. Well-structured stories expand the influence, make the data more rational and benefit the message retention. Thinking hard about the viewers the structure of the story follows inductive horizontal logic with similar grouped ideas: Smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol What are the most prevalent dangers of smoking and drinking? Smoking among adults causes numerous health diseases leading to preventable death; Drinking alcohol among adults is a danger because also causes numerous health diseases leading to preventable death; Cigarette consumption among children is a danger because leads to addiction and damaging the development of childs body; Alcohol among children leads to poisoning and damaging the development of childs body; Alcohol related crimes are danger because lead to Robberies, Sexual attacks, Intimate partner violence, Murders; Smoking in pregnancy affects the life of the mother and her unborn baby; Smoking related deaths are danger because cause lung cancer; Alcohol related deaths are danger because cause alcoholic liver disease; After the made analysis of the data related to alcohol and cigarettes consumption, it can be summarized that the steps in the horizontal logic (shown above) formalized similar grouped ideas which are de facto the key points (dangers), answering the question. After associating several feedbacks, the result was suggesting the visualizations had unnecessary use of data ink, some of the graphics were with too bright colours and the audience had difficulties to get a clear picture of the figures, which are shown in the appendix. The redesign of the graphics included medium data ink, change of the colours from light to colour blind pallet for colour blind people and easier understanding of the images. Also, some of the bar charts were ordered by height as thus were represented the Gestalt features to allow the viewer to see the shapes without spending time to process the image. In order to be answered the research question What are the most prevalent dangers of smoking and drinking? numerous statistical reports and datasets were explored. According to most of the sources, here are visually explained the top dangers of smoking and drinking. Danger 1: Cigarette smoking among adults Smoking damages the blood circulation and the heart. Also, increases the risk of: stroke, heart attack, coronary heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, cerebrovascular disease (damaged arteries that deliver blood to the brain). It can limit the blood supply to the penis and can cause impotence in men. It can also decrease the productivity of both men and women. [11] Key findings for cigarette smoking among adults, registered in UK. Figure 1 demonstrates that people aged 20 to 24 and 25 to 34 reported the highest dominance of cigarette smoking (respectively 29% and 27%), while those aged 60 and over reported the lowest dominance, 13 percent. The data shown in figure 1.1 are an instance how the men are more likely to smoke than the women, 22% of the men report smoking versus 19% of the women. Danger 2: Drinking alcohol among adults Alcohol is ethanol which anaesthetizes the brain as a potent drug. In the bark area of the brain, it works as a relaxant and perverts the control, memory, learning ability, decisions and conduct. There is no doubt that long term use or abuse of alcohol causes inflammation and cirrhosis of the liver and also enhances the risk of kidney disease. [12] Key findings for drinking alcohol among adults, registered in UK. The results of the data here resemble those described above for smoking among adults, namely: people aged 16 to 24 and 25 to 44 have the highest frequency of alcohol consumption, while those who are 65 years old and over have the lowest. (Figure 2) The data has changed and decreased in the years and in 2013 is recorded lower alcohol consumption from young adults aged 16 to 24 and 25 to 44 years old. Danger 3: Cigarette smoking among children The young people and teens are quite vulnerable to the deadly effects caused from the consumption of cigarettes because their body is still growing. Most of the people begin to try cigarettes before finishing their high school. So if the people stay smoke-free in school, they will likely never start smoking. [16] Key findings for smoking among children, registered in UK.From this data set, kids were asked whether they think it is OK to try cigarettes to see what it is like or it is OK to smoke cigarettes once a week. The acceptability of smoking increases with the age. For instance, 6% of 11 years old think that it is OK to try smoking to see what it is like in comparison with 57% (avg.) of 15 years old. The interesting finding here is that girls are more likely to try smoking cigarettes to see what its like than boys are. (Fig. 3) Danger 4: Drinking alcohol among children Alcohol can harm the development of young peoples body because it is still growing. This makes youths especially vulnerable to the long-time harm caused by the alcohol consumption. Drinking alcohol in youth can harm the brain development. Most of the teens think that is not worth to worry about because the health risks caused by drinking are far in the future. Nevertheless, there is an acute rise in the amount of people in their twenties dying from liver disease as a score of alcohol abuse in their teens. The young people consuming alcohol are more likely to be involved in accidents and end in hospital because of alcohol poisoning. [15] Key findings for drinking among children, registered in UK.The summary of the dataset here shows that more prone to alcohol consumption are 15 years old children with the highest record of 25% (Figure 4). The data analysis on Figure 4.1 shows that boys and girls were equally likely to have drunk alcohol in 2014 (8%) which record was dramatically decreased since 2010 when the percentage was 13%. Danger 5: Cigarette smoking during pregnancy Smoking during pregnancy can put the health of the mother and her unborn baby at risk. The cigarette consumption can enhance the danger of: low birth weight; miscarriage; complications of pregnancy; premature birth; congenital defects in the baby (cleft palate); poorer growth, development and health of the child stillbirth or death within the first week of life. [20] Key findings for smoking during pregnancy, registered in UK. The dataset for Womens Smoking Status at Time of Delivery (SATOD) gives information on the frequency of smoking among pregnant women in UK. The results here show that the lowest percentage, 12% of mothers recorded as smokers at the time of delivery (TOD), is registered in 2013/2014 which continues to decrease steadily from 15% in 2006-07 (Figure 5). Regardless of the fact that the percentage of women who are smoking in pregnancy is measured less than those who do not smoke in pregnancy, the smoking at TOD definitely will stay a prevalent danger because it hides many health risks. Danger 6: Alcohol related crimes The alcohol consumption is a very common factor related to most of the cases with criminal records. Many people find themselves involved in crimes after an intense drinking of large amount of alcohol intake because the ethanol has the aptitude to reduce the ability of making decisions, decrease the inhibitions and encourage aggressive inclinations. The most general alcohol-related crimes are cases of drinking and driving. However, there are many other significant violations that result from the abuse of alcohol. The most common alcohol-related crimes are: robberies, sexual attacks, intimate partner violence and murders. [13] Key finding for alcohol-related crimes, registered in UK. According to the Alcohol-related crimes dataset, in 2013 are recorded: 4.85% of alcohol-related recorded crimes; 0.13%   of alcohol-related sexual crimes; 3.63% of alcohol-related violent crimes. Danger 7: Smoking-related deaths Smoking is one of the biggest causes of diseases and deaths in the UK. Annually, around 100,000 people in the UK die from smoking, and many others are living with exhausting smoking-related diseases. Smokers under the age of 40 have a 5 times higher risk of a heart attack than non-smokers. The cigarette consumption is a major reason of around 80% of deaths from lung cancer, around 80% of deaths from bronchitis and emphysema, and about 14% of deaths from heart disease. Almost all cancer deaths can be referred to smoking. For instance, cancer of the lung, throat, bladder, mouth, lip, pancreas, kidney, stomach, liver and cervix. Approximately half of all smokers will die earlier. Generally, the smokers die ten years younger than the people who do not smoke. [11] Key findings for smoking-related deaths, registered in UK. Figure 7 shows that the most prevalent deaths are from cancers (3, 392, 696) followed by all diseases of the digestive system (2,761, 928), all circulatory diseases (2,059, 112) and all respiratory diseases (1,224,208). Figure 7.1 shows that the larger proportion of deaths are among men. Danger 8: Alcohol-related deaths After smoking, the abuse of alcohol is the second most frequent reason of avertible death. The list below counts the causes of death which are related to alcohol consumption: [17] Key findings for alcohol-related deaths by gender, registered in UK. Figure 8 summarises that 6,490 alcohol-related deaths were registered in UK for 2012, an age consistent rate per 100,000 population. For both genders, males and females, it can be summarised that the most common cause of death from alcohol was the alcoholic liver disease with 4,075 registered deaths. 4,230 of alcohol-related deaths were among males compared with females which were 2,260 (Figure 8.1). DATASETS: UK government open data. Available online on: https://data.gov.uk/ Health and Social Care Information Centre. Dataset of Statistics on Smoking, England. Available online on: https://data.gov.uk/dataset/statistics_on_smoking_england Health and Social Care Information Centre. Dataset of Smoking, drinking and drug use among young people in England. Available online on: https://data.gov.uk/dataset/smoking_drinking_and_drug_use_among_young_people_in_england Health and Social Care Information Centre. Dataset of Statistics on Womens Smoking Status at Time of Delivery: England, Available online on: https://data.gov.uk/dataset/statistics-on-womens-smoking-status-at-time-of-delivery-england Department of Health. Dataset of Deaths from smoking.Available online on: https://data.gov.uk/dataset/deaths_from_smoking Health and Social Care Information Centre. Dataset of Statistics on Alcohol, England. Available online on: https://data.gov.uk/dataset/statistics_on_alcohol_england City of York Council. Dataset of Alcohol-related recorded crimes: Persons, all ages (per 1,000 population). Available online on: https://data.gov.uk/dataset/kpi-lape18 City of York Council. Dataset of Alcohol-related violent crimes: Persons, all ages (per 1,000 population). Available online on: https://data.gov.uk/dataset/kpi-lape19 City of York Council. Dataset of Alcohol-related sexual crimes: Persons, all ages (per 1,000 population). Available online on: https://data.gov.uk/dataset/kpi-lape20 Office for National Statistics. Dataset of Alcohol-related deaths in the United Kingdom Available on: https://data.gov.uk/dataset/alcohol-related_deaths_in_the_united_kingdom REPORTS BOOKS : Health and Social Care Information Centre. Report, Statistics on Smoking, UK (2014) Health and Social Care Information Centre. Report, Statistics on Alcohol, UK (2015) Office for National Statistics. Report of Violent Crime and Sexual Offences Alcohol-Related Violence, 2015 Office for National Statistics. Smoking and drinking among adults, 2009 Raphael Zahler, Caroline Piselli. Smoking, alcohol, and drugs, Chapter 6 Public Health Research Consortium. Report of A Review of Young People and Smoking in England, 2009 Office for National Statistics. Alcohol Related Deaths in United Kingdom, 2013 Health and Social Care Information Centre. Report of Smoking, drinking and dru

My Mom the Powerhouse Essay -- Descriptive Essay Examples

My Mom the Powerhouse One of the biggest influences in my life is my Mom. She is one of 10 children born to an Appalachian coal miner who could not read or write. Her family lived in the mountains of Kentucky in a little cottage that had no running water and no electricity. She read by kerosene lamp. As a child, she attended a one-room schoolhouse, which also had no electricity and no running water. There was one teacher for eight grades, and each row in the classroom was a grade. My mom says she liked listening to the lessons of the higher grades. There was a big, black potbellied stove in the middle of the room, between the fourth- and fifth-grade rows. My mom couldn't wait to get to the fourth grade so she could sit by the warm stove in the winter. She got her drinks of water from a big bucket in the back of the schoolroom. She would make a little cup by folding writing paper, and she would use a metal dipper to take water from the bucket and put it into the cup. She says the water tasted like the writing paper. At Christmas, my mom's family couldn't afford a tree o... ...She whispered softly, "I was 10." I try to fathom what it would be like if my mom had died when I was 10. I can't imagine, and I'm glad I haven't had to experience that. I must admit that my mom and I sometimes disagree because we're both so strong-willed. Actually, my father affectionately calls my mom "just plain stubborn." But now I realize that her will had to be powerful to pull her through tough times. I am thankful that she taught me to be determined and to focus on the positive. She says those two things can help everyone survive.

Congress Essay -- essays research papers

There is a definite need for Congress in the United States. It serves many roles such as making laws, implementing national policy and watching over the other two branches of government. These are just a few of the duties of our U.S. Congress. Although they are essential to our government, there are potential problems. People are not always satisfied with the length of time involved in passing a law as well as the deadlock Congress can experience on an issue. Another potential problem people see with Congress is representation. Not all Americans feel that they are equally represented. The Congress of the United States is viewed by many as the largest branch in government. Some people might even say it is the most important. This is due to the roles Congress pays in our government. Congress is responsible for the lawmaking in our country as well as implementing national policy. The power to make laws was given to Congress by our forefathers when they constructed our constitution. Passing laws is very important to our country because without them we would be living in chaos. Of course, all our laws are not perfect but for the most part our Congress does a good job at keeping this country under control. The problems with lawmaking that most people see is the time involved in getting a law passed. In order for a bill to become a law it must first be introduced to the House or Senate, or both, then referred to a committee. This can be a very time consuming process. Anyone interested in having a law passed must realize the process involved and be patient. In addition to lawmaking Congress is also involved in passing amendments. Our nation has been able to grow and strengthen due to the amendment process. In order for our government to keep up with the changing times it is crucial that we make adjustments to the constitution. The downfall is that the amendments passed have not always kept up with changing times. Arguments against Congress would be that they taken to long in enforcing the amendments. The U.S. Congress must also implement national policy. The Congress must regulate commerce in order to create a prosperous economy. It is up to Congress to monitor the growth of the economy and be ready to act if necessary. Congress has the power to implement monetary policy in which they decrease taxes to induce spending during a slow econo... ... half the nations population are women, but the 102nd Congress had only thirty one women members. In addition, our nation is made up of mostly blue collared workers, yet the most predominant occupation of Congress members are lawyers. With this in mind the Congress must strive to understand and represent the needs of the people. Congress cannot ignore the disadvantage groups that feel unrepresented in the system. Until the enactment of Medicare in 1965, Congress declined to pass health care legislation for the elderly. There will always be people for and people against any branch in government. The reason being, government is not perfect, nor are the people who run it. Laws take time to create and policies take time to be implemented. You cannot deny the fact that regardless of the time involved these procedures are a major and necessary step. Over all Congress does a good job with the roles and duties it is given. When it comes to representation, the vote lies in our hands. We have the power to vote for who we want to represent us. We can make a difference if we get involved in electing those who share the same ideas of the people to make us a better a better nation.

American Airlines Case Study Essay

Executive Summary With 1988 operating income of $801 million on a revenue of $8.55 billion, American Airlines, Inc. (American), principal subsidiary of Dallas/Fort Worth-based AMR Corporation, was the largest airline in the United States. At year-end 1988 American operated 468 aircraft on 2,200 flights daily to 151 destinations in the United States, Bermuda, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, France, Great Britain, Japan, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela, and West Germany. The objective of American Airlines revenue management effort was to maximize passenger revenues by selling the right seats to the right customers at the right prices. As the decision maker of American Airlines, I recommend introducing Upgraded Computerized Reservation System to replace current SABRE system to keep the company leader of the industry while maximizing profit. Part 2: Issues Identification Immediate Issue Low load factors for Chicago – West Coast Nature: tactic Timing: short term In 1987, in the nonstop markets, American and United competed on the basis of fares, flight schedules, and factors such as quality of service. In the connecting markets, American, United, and Continental also competed on the basis of fares and flight schedules. Once again American and United matched each  other’s fares, while Continental, with its post-Chapter 11 reorganization and low-cost structure, was the low-price provider. So, United had a superior flight schedule, and Continental cheaper fares. As for American, our load factors were down to an unacceptable level. Deep discount for New York – San Juan Nature: tactic Timing: short term New York-San Juan was American’s largest market, measured in revenue passenger miles. The market was fairly evenly divided into three categories. The first category consisted of business passengers; business travel occurred year-round. Leisure passengers made up the second category; leisure travel peaked in the summer. Passengers of Caribbean origin either coming to the United States or returning to the Caribbean to visit friends and relatives constituted the third category. Eastern periodically offered deep discounts to stimulate demand during traditional slow seasons. In September 1988 Eastern introduced a restricted round-trip fare of $198 midweek and $238 weekend. The fare was applicable for travel until December 14, 1988. American had to decide if and how to respond. Systemic Issue Complicity of Yield Management Nature: Strategic Timing: long term American Airlines broadly described the function of yield management as â€Å"selling the right seats to the right customers at the right prices.† At American Airlines, almost everything is automated because the yield-management decision-making process is too large and therefore too complex to be processed manually. Part 3: Environmental & Root Cause Analysis In the past, under regulations, airlines were not allowed to set their ticket prices at will. Rather, all fares had to be approved by the government. Normally, fares were set on a cost plus basis in order to guarantee airlines a minimum return. On the one hand, airlines had no incentive to reduce costs by streaming operations and increasing productivity. Essentially, price discrimination under regulation was based on the assumption of two distinct  and easily separable types of customers: price-insensitive, yet very time-sensitive business travelers, normally flying on expenses, and price sensitive, yet-time-insensitive leisure travelers, typically paying for their own trips. The deregulation of the airline industry has opened up many opportunities to seize market share and revenues. American needs to identify and develop a detailed revenue management and yield management plan to capitalize on this opportunity. Airline deregulation in 1979 led to additional complexity in the practice of yield management. Two major changes took place. First, the number and variety of discount fares increased. Second, airline began offering connecting service, using centrally located airports as hubs, to serve more of the traveling public and provide national service. The resulting airline environment is very complex. The following factors complicated the yield management task: (1) the demand for full- and discount-fare seats on any given flight was uncertain; (2) the demand was variable over time; (3) in certain cases, for example leisure flights, the demand was also â€Å"lumpy†; (4) there was a bewildering multitude of fare types and restrictions; (5) the hub-and-spoke system made some customers in one fare type more attractive than other customers in the same fare type; (6) some customers booked seats but did not show up for their flights. Part 4: Alternatives and Options Below is a detailed breakdown of the alternatives and options for the issues identified above. Option 1: Marketing American Airlines could focus its priorities on marketing in order to realize its full potential from a demand, capacity and yield perspective. Offering last minute vacation packages or more aggressive pricing policies for flights that look increasingly like they will not reach capacity would be another way to help fill vacant spots. Pros: a. To sell deeply discounted seats at the last minute could make additional profit. b. American Airlines could be known to offer fantastic last minute vacations periodically. Cons: a. Focusing solely on marketing in an industry that is undergoing rapid  change could be extremely costly in the long run. b. Marketing would provide short term benefits but concrete improvements by other airlines may leave American behind. c. Another drawback to an aggressive marketing focus is would skew yield management regression models, most notably overbooking. Option 2: Upgrade Computerized Reservation System American Airlines’ â€Å"store front† is the computerized reservations system, SABRE (semi-automated business research environment). All sale and cancellation transactions, whether from American Airlines reservations agents or travel agents, pass through SABRE, updating reservations inventory for all affected flights. Because the yield management decision-making process is so large and complex at American Airlines, effective control of the inventory of seats can be accomplished only with more advanced automated models. Pros: a. Increase the productivity of yield-management specialists and the reduction in work load can allow them to spend more time reviewing only critical flights thus making better revenue decisions. b. Instead of being a price follower, the system could guide the company make better pricing strategies. c. Keep American Airlines leader position in the industry. Cons: a. It takes time and capital investment of new system. b. There is a learning curve for new system and takes time to get used to new system. Part 5: Recommendations Critical to an airline’s operation is the effective use of its reservations inventory. American Airlines currently has the most advanced computerized reservations system – SABRE. To increase the responsiveness and effectiveness of yield-management strategies and to coordinate reservations inventory decision with SABRE, it is recommended that option 2 is applied. Because the yield-management decision-making process is so large and complex at American Airlines, effective control of the inventory of seats can be accomplished only with more advanced automated models. The new model is aiming at handling overbooking control, discount allocation and traffic management. Part 6: Implementation Plan Step 1: Acquire buy-in from stake holders and management. Step 2: Set up target and create budget. Step 3: Establish a team to do the development of new system. Part 7: Monitor and Control Yield management performance is difficult to measure because of the dynamic nature of the marketplace. Decision Technologies developed a reliable and credible method of measuring performance that we believe is unique in the airline industry. In order to gauge the success of implementing this process certain KPIs need to be established to compare against previous system: Load factor Revenue yield per passenger mile Operating expense per available passenger seat mile