Effects of Clear Vision on Organizational Performance Research Paper

Effects of Clear Vision on Organizational Performance - Research Paper Example lay out clear objectives that clearly define the role and function of each individual employee, collective departments, and the future vision for the organization. Employees need to know that what they are doing has value in the overall scheme of things. A clearly defined vision can certainly go a long way towards making that happen, leading to increased staff morale and a purpose and direction in work related endeavors. As this study reflects, it behooves the modern organization to make certain the any such vision is clearly communicated to all stakeholders, and that everyone is one the same page moving forward. Vision is essential to the success of a business. Without vision, there is no direction. With no direction, there is little sense of where an organization is heading, and even less of an idea as to how it is going to get there. Setting forth a clear vision enables members of an organization to understand what their individuals and collective roles are, and it time a clear vision statement will pay dividends in terms of enhance organizational performance. Even given these indicators, however, it is a bit shocking to discover how many organizations lack this sense of clear vision. Few, it seems, take the time to set out clear objectives and performance targets for all to see. This sense of top down leadership might have executives understanding where they want the organization to go, but the very people charged with the task of actually getting it there are all too often left in the dark. With this reality in mind, it is important to study the role that a clear vision has on the perfo rmance of an organization in today’s increasingly global and competitive marketplace. The purpose of this study is to establish the relationship between a clearly established vision statement and the overall performance level of an organization. This will be primarily accomplished by looking at real life examples of companies with and without clear vision, and how

J&S mini supermarket Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

J&S mini supermarket - Research Proposal Example Their main problems lie in the fact that they don't have the resources (enough staff) to offer a good service to their clients. This means that they have not been able to pay attention to building relationships with their customers. Relationship marketing is defined as "a marketing method in which businesses consistently maintain two-way communication with their prospective, current and inactive customers in order to gain a deeper understanding of their needs while delivering personal and compelling marketing throughout their lifecycle"(Vtrenz,2004:4). It involves understanding the customers' needs as they go through their life cycles, and one of its central concepts is customer retention.(Wikipedia, 2005) At J & S, customers are hard to retain because once they have experienced a bad service, they seldom come back. In order to start building relationships with their clients, this business must get to know them; who are their clients, what are their needs. This can be done by several ways. From the basic observation technique (e.g. noticing their shopping patterns); to applying mini surveys while they wait in line to pay. The point is to get to know them better. It is useful to observe things like: With this information, you ... With this information, you might be able to offer valuable services to the clients such as free parking (and/or parking space for bikes), weekly offers and promotions, etc. The point is to design a strategy that fits the customers' lifestyles and needs. Focusing on the customers' needs One of the main things the clients need at this convenient store is to be able to find their products easily. This can be done; first, by re-organizing the store's layout so that the access and flow through the locale is easy. Then, by using clear signs in the aisles and throughout the that help the customers find what they need (and their prices). Customers shouldn't feel left alone in their task of shopping their groceries. It should be made a pleasurable experience instead of a hassle. Hiring new staff for the purpose of aiding and guiding the customer is the most important action to be taken by this convenient store. Their job is to be available to the clients, to have the information about the products, about where they are located, and about new products. They should wear a distinctive uniform, perhaps a good suggestion is that they wear T-shirts or vests with a legend such as "Ask me if you have any questions" or "I'm here to help you". The clerk should salute and ask the client "Did you find all that you were looking for" before they pay, and thank them for shopping there before they leave the store. All these little details count. They will make the customer feel special and it is likely that he/she will return because the service was good and focused on the client. In the store, machines to verify the price should be available at the end of each aisle, and a person should be responsible for checking the aisles for missing prices tags, and misplaced products. Extra

Management by exception Essay Example for Free

Management by exception Essay With the release of the new budget for year 9 from Competition Bikes, there are a couple of areas that are a concern that warrant being addressed. The first being the prediction of amount of bikes to be sold; Competition Bikes is expecting 3,510 units to be sold after a year 8 that sold only 3,400 units which was a 15% drop in sales from the year prior (which sold approximately 4,000 units) with zero drop in price point which may make it harder for customers to justify purchasing a bike in the current economy. Understandably, year 8 was in the middle of a recession and the economy could rebound for a productive year 9. However, with only an extra $984 being spent on advertisement, the expectations could fall short unless advertisement spending is increased to approximately the $2,000 range it was in year 7. Competition Bikes is putting themselves at risk for over ordering raw materials and a surplus of raw materials only takes up more storage space, which leads to extra money being spent for storage. There is also an issue with General and Administration Expenses. General and Admin expenses is the same amount as it was in year 8 ($170,000). However, in year 7, Competition Bikes spent $12,000 less and sold 600 more units then it did in year 8. Year 7 was proof that Competition Bikes has the ability to produce and sell a successful amount of bikes without having an extremely high operational cost. That extra $12,000 could be spread into other aspects such as: advertising, factory maintenance and even bonuses. 2. A flexible budget is a budget that adjusts or flexes for changes in the volume of activity† (Averkamp, 2013). A flexible budget is more useful than a static budget because it is based on actual output. The difference between an actual output and a budgeted amount is known as a variance. When the amount of the actual result is higher than budgeted, it is considered favorable, whereas when the budgeted amount turns out higher is unfavorable. Within the Competition Bikes flexible budget there are a few favorable variances, the first one of note being within Net Sales. The company had a budget of $5,247,250, with the flexible budget being $5,117,385, however the  final numbers were $5,096,847, which gives the company an unfavorable variance of -$130,065. Total Variable Cost however was a favorable expense. With a planned budget of $3,967,962 and a flexible budget of $3,869,612 the actual output was $3,805,400 the favorable variance came out to $98,349. Contribution margin was also an unfavorable variance (-$31,716). Advertising Expenses went over cost for an unfavorable variance of $3,754 from a standard budget of $28,412 and a flexible budget of $27,708. The extra money spent towards advertising may have been to help boost extra sales towards the end of the year. Transportation Out also went over its budget for an unfavorable variance by $5,607. However, there is more to the Transportation Out than what the budget says. The price of shipment is supposed to be $30 per unit and with 87 less units sold; there should be an extra $2,610 in the budget. This requires extra investigation. 2A. In terms of corrective action, the best course is to focus on where the points where there were unfavorable variances. A key point to that would be to also create realistic predictions of sales and budget. By predicting a high sales goal (one that exceeds the amount of units sold the year prior), Competition Bikes is potentially setting itself up for another down year. To prevent another unfavorable variance in Net Sales, which was affected by the unfavorable Actual Output of Units Sold. Although the projection output was missed by only 87 units, that totaled out to $130,065. It would behoove Competition Bikes to create realistic predictions (as stated above). Another idea would to be to examine the sales process. Compare and contrast what strategies were compared between the successful year 7 and the down year 8 to determine if any changes took place in the sales process and development. Competition Bikes should not have been as aggressive as they were following a down year. An improved variance here could also directly affect the Contribution Margin and Operating Income, which both were unfavorable. Advertising Expenses should be increased to the level of year 7. Competition Bikes lowered their budget for advertising but yet ended up spending more  anyway. With the economy still in a rut, the chances of hitting a high prediction is slim, especially with low advertising. Since fewer sponsors are using the products from Competition Bikes, it would be wise to advertise to a different market of users (i.e. college students, those who live in traffic congested cities (New York), bike cops, etc). Meanwhile, the transportation unfavorable variance could be fixed by determining what the additional costs were. Since the transportation cost per units is $30, with sales prediction 87 less than projected, that is $2,610 that could have put transportation costs into favorable. The additional costs could be because of rising fuel prices, toll roads, raises for drivers, etc. Many avenues have to be explored in the future to save money on transportation (renegotiate contracts, new source of transportation, new transportation company, etc.) 2B. â€Å"Management by exception is the practice of examining the financial and operational results of a business, and only bringing issues to the attention of management if results represent substantial differences from the budgeted or expected amount† (Steven Bragg, 2014). This practice can be effective as it leaves upper management with more serious issues. By utilizing accurate and up-to-date information, management can keep the budget on track and consistent with what was forecasted. One main target for Management By Exception is net sales. Breaking down the yearly goals into weekly or monthly targets will allow the company to better breakdown the trends and identify areas of need and growth. By monitoring the trend of sales, management can initiate discussions on how to improve sales and how to keep up with demand if sales are higher than expected. Competition Bikes would be wise to make start/restart contract negotiations to maintain consistent material and labor costs. Spending variance on materials was favorable but labor was unfavorable. If the price of the materials or labor increase substantially overtime, the budget could become more expensive, costing the company more money. Works Cited Averkamp, Harold. What is a flexible budget?. Learn Accounting Online for Free. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2014. . Bragg, Steven. What is management by exception? Questions Answers AccountingTools. What is management by exception? Questions Answers AccountingTools. N.p., 5 June 2013. Web. 28 Feb. 2014. .

Endosymbiotic Theory in Eukaryotic Cells

Endosymbiotic Theory in Eukaryotic Cells Endosymbiotic theory- the modern, or organelle- containing eukaryotic cell evolved in steps through the stable incorporation of chemoorganotrophic and phototrophic symbionts from the domain Bacteria. The hypothesis of endosymbiosis is at present the most widely accepted theory on the evolution of the eukaryotic cell. This current theory states that the mitochondria and chloroplasts contained within the eukaryotic cell, are there due to the integration of free living bacteria which implement aerobic metabolism, chemoorganotrophic bacteria, and bacteria which implement oxygenic photosynthesis, cyanobacteria. It is thought that symbiosis, in addition to natural selection and mutations, is also a driving force in the evolution of the modern or organelle containing eukaryotic cell. This essay will describe in detail the endosymbiotic theory and its features, discuss the evidence which supports it and then discuss its major opposing theories, the hydrogen hypothesis and the syntrophy hypothesis. Short history of the endosymbiotic theory Many biologists have had a role in what is now known as the endosymbiotic theory. Firstly in 1883, Andreas Schimper proposed that particular organelles evolved from the symbiotic union of two different organisms, (this was while he was studying chloroplast division within green plants and observed a similarity between chloroplasts and free living cyanobacteria.), (Vargas-Parada, 2010). In 1905, Konstantin Merezhkovski devised the term, symbiogenesis , due to his work on lichens leading him to speculate that more complex cells evolved from a symbiotic relationship between less complex ones (2006). Then in the 1920s, Ivan Wallin suggested that organelles such as mitochondria and chloroplasts began as symbiotic bacteria and that species creation could have occurred through endosymbiosis. Finally, much later in 1967 Lynn Margulis collected various microbiological observations which supported the hypothesis of endosymbiosis. Evolution of the eukaryotic cell The current evidence for the evolution of eukaryotic cells suggests that around 4 billion years ago ancestors of Bacteria and Archea arose. It is thought that in bacteria, around 3.2 billion years ago, phototrophy occurred, with the common ancestor of many bacteria thought to be an anaerobic phototroph. Then around 2.7 billion years ago oxygen-generating cyanobacteria developed, which over time caused an increase in the atmospheric oxygen levels. The atmosphere slowly changed from anoxic to oxic due to this rise in oxygen levels. At some point during this period eukaryotic microorganisms containing organelles evolved and the oxic environment drove their evolution. Main distinguishable features of present day eukaryotes from prokaryotes In many prokaryotic cells their DNA is arranged into a single loop, is circular and unlike eukaryotes, it is not associated with histones and is therefore termed naked. Prokaryotic cells reproduce by the process of binary fission, are mainly unicellular organisms and are usually smaller than eukaryotic cells. In the nucleus of the eukaryotic cell, the DNA is organised into chromosomes, which is surrounded by a membrane. Eukaryotic cells reproduce by the means of mitosis and meiosis, are usually larger than prokaryotic cells and are usually complex and multicellular. The main distinguishing feature of eukaryotic cells is that they contain membrane bound organelles, with the most noteworthy being the mitochondria and chloroplasts. The major organelles involved in the endosymbiotic theory The endosymbiotic theory refers to the organelles mitochondria and plastids, (plastids refer to chloroplasts, chromoplasts, and gerontoplasts, to name a few), however mainly focuses on chloroplasts. The major reason for these two organelles being involved in the endosymbiotic theory is because they both contain a small genome. Moreover, both of these organelles contain the operating systems required for cellular functions such as protein synthesis, for example ribosomes and transfer RNA, and also the cellular constituents needed for translation. Mitochondria Mitochondria are the site of respiration and oxidative phosphorylation in eukaryotic cells. They are membrane bound organelles, with each cell containing thousands of them. Mitochondria show variations in their morphology, and can be rod-shaped or spherical. They are surrounded by two membranes, an outer membrane and an inner membrane. The outer membrane is made up of protein and lipid and contains channels which allow the diffusion of ions and small organic molecules. The inner membrane is less permeable and is invaginated to form cristae. Oxidative phosphorylation occurs on the inner membrane; with cristae allowing maximum surface area for ATP synthase molecules, which are involved in the synthesis of ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate), the final step of oxidative phosphorylation. It is for this reason that they are considered to be the power generators of the cell. Mitochondria possess their own DNA which is independent of the cells chromosomal DNA. The mitochondrial genome mainly encodes proteins needed for oxidative phosphorylation and also encodes ribosomal RNAs, (rRNAs), transfer RNAs, (tRNAs) and proteins necessary for protein synthesis. Mitochondria use simplified genetic codes, which seem to have arisen from selection pressure for smaller genomes (Madigan, 2009 p. 351). Even though mitochondria possess their own genome they still require proteins encoded by nuclear genes. Chloroplasts Chloroplasts are membrane bound organelles found in phototrophic eukaryotic cells. These cells are found in plants algae and some protists. Chloroplasts contain chlorophyll which is the photosynthetic pigment present within them. Chloroplasts are usually larger than bacterial cells and can differ in size and shape. Chloroplasts again like mitochondria consist of two membranes and inner membrane and an outer membrane. Their outer membrane is permeable and the inner membrane is less permeable. The inner membrane surrounds the stroma, which houses the photosynthetic pigment, chlorophyll and other cellular components needed for the process of photosynthesis in thylakoids. Thylakoids stacked into the structural units, grana. The thylakoid membrane is not permeable to ions and other metabolites, due to the light reactions of photosynthesis needing the proton motive force which is necessary for the synthesis and release of ATP. The stroma of the chloroplast holds large amounts of the enzyme RubisCO, (ribulose bisphosphate carboxylate), which catalyses the Calvin cycle or the dark reactions of photosynthesis. The Calvin cycle converts COà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ into various organic compounds like glucose which are needed by cells. Chloroplasts also contain their own DNA, which is also independent of the cells chromosomal DNA. The identified chloroplast genomes are all circular DNA molecules, with each chloroplast containing several matching copies of the genome (Madigan, 2009 p. 350). Genes contained within the chloroplast encode for proteins required for photosynthesis and autotrophy to occur and also rRNA and tRNA used for the processes of transcription and translation. Like mitochondria, chloroplasts have some proteins, which are encoded by nuclear genes and not just by the chloroplast genome. Introduction to the endosymbiotic theory The primary endosymbiotic theory implies that the mitochondrial ancestor was a free living facultatively aerobic alphaproteobacterium, attained by another cell and therefore giving rise to a eukaryotic cell. (Madigan, 2009 p. 520) A species of cyanobacterium is thought to be the ancestor of chloroplasts, obtained by a heterotrophic eukaryote, after eukaryotic cells had appeared around 1.5 billion years ago (Madigan, 2009 p. 520) and was obtained as an internal symbiont (Bruce Alberts, 2002). Secondary endosymbiosis refers to the event where several non-phototrophic organisms attained chloroplasts, after the primary endosymbiosis event is said to have occurred. Secondary endosymbiosis is said to have been an important factor in the evolution of eukaryotes, bringing the modern diversity of life into being (Macfadden, 2001). Features of and molecular evidence for the primary endosymbiotic theory The main point of the primary endosymbiotic theory, and which gives it its credibility, was that both mitochondria and chloroplasts both contain DNA, with rRNA, tRNA and proteins involved and needed for the respiratory chain in mitochondria and proteins needed for photosynthesis in chloroplasts, being encoded by these small genomes within mitochondria and chloroplasts. Non-phototrophic eukaryotic cells are genetic chimeras containing DNA from two different sources, the endosymbiont, which is the mitochondria, and the host cell nucleus (Madigan, 2009 p. 520). Eukaryotes which are phototrophic, for example algae and plants, have DNA from two endosymbionts, the mitochondira and the chloroplasts as well as the nuclear DNA. The majority of mitochondrial DNA and chloroplast DNA is similar to bacterial DNA in its shape, which is circular and size. The second feature of primary endosymbiosis is that genes originating from bacteria are found in the nucleus of the eukaryotic cell. This has been proven by sequencing genomes, which have shown that nuclear genes encode properties unique to mitochondria and chloroplasts, (and also which closely resemble genes of bacteria), showing that during the evolution of the eukaryotic cell these genes where transferred to the nucleus of the eukaryotic cell, from the bacterial endosymbionts, during the development of the organelle from the engulfed cell (Madigan, 2009 p. 521). The third feature of primary endosymbiosis is that the mitochondria and chloroplasts contain their own ribosomes. Ribosomes are present in eukaryotic cells and prokaryotic cells, with eukaryotic cells possessing the larger form, 80S, and prokaryotic cells containing the smaller, 70S, ribosomes. The mitochondria and chloroplast contain these 70S ribosomes. The fourth feature is antibiotic specificity. Mitochondria and chloroplast are sensitive to antibiotics which kill bacteria or are bacterial inhibitors. Some for example streptomycin do this by specifically interfering with the functions of the 70S ribosomes, which occurs in the same way in mitochondria and chloroplasts (Madigan, 2009 p. 521). Rifampicin is an antibiotic which in bacteria affects the RNA polymerase. It does not have this effect on eukaryotic RNA polymerase however does inhibit mitochondrial RNA polymerase. The fifth and final feature of primary endosymbiosis is that of molecular phylogeny. Phylogenetic studies comparing organelles and rRNA support the theory of mitochondria and chloroplasts deriving from bacteria. There is also other evidence in addition to what is mentioned above. Both mitochondria and chloroplast are surrounded by two membranes. It is though that the inner membrane is the original membrane which contained the prokaryotic cell and the outer membrane results from the process of endocytosis when the bacteria were taken into the eukaryotic cell. Protein synthesis in the endosymbionts begins with N- formyl methionine, the same amino acid that initiates protein synthesis in bacteria whilst in eukaryotic cells protein synthesis is initiated by methionine. Also the thylakoid membrane and the protein complexes which it contains are like those that can be found in cyanobacteria (Pyke p. 5) , and chloroplasts can divide in a way which is similar to the process of binary fission which is carried out by bacteria. This evidence all suggests that the host cell which obtained the mitochondrion by phagocytosis was an anaerobic eukaryotic cell, (which already contained a nucleus) and that the mitochondrial endosymbiont was an obligate anaerobe (Mentel, 2010). This event was later followed by the endosymbiosis of a cyanobacterium, allowing the eukaryotic cell to become photosynthetic. In this way the host eukaryotic cell attained permanent organelles which are suited to energy production. It was also mutually beneficial for the symbionts which obtained a constant and accommodating environment for their growth. Secondary endosymbiosis The primary endosymbiosis event in the common ancestor plants and in green and red algae is said to have created the modern day chloroplast. The secondary symbiotic event refers to non-phototrophic eukaryotes obtaining chloroplasts by the endocytosis of a green or red algal cell and consequently becoming phototrophic. It is thought that secondary and even further endosymbiosies lead to the diversification of eukaryotes. Problems with the endosymbiotic theory To support the endosymbiotic theory in the 1980s, Tom Cavalier-Smith proposed that certain single-celled eukaryotes which are at present still living, bear a resemblance to earlier eukaryotes, were primitively amitochondriate (Lane, 2005 p. 42),(basically eukaryotes without any mitochondria), and Cavalier-Smith named them archezoa. (He later abandoned this theory in 2002, (Cavalier-Smith, 2002)) These cells derived their energy via fermentation and prefer environments with little oxygen and were thought to be the bridge between early eukaryotic cells (as archezoa contain a nucleus) and prokaryotic cells, which would have supported the theory of a bacterial cell being phagocytised, but not digested, leading to the possession of a mitochondria in the early eukaryotic cell. It was then thought that as oxygen levels on earth started to rise, the mitochondria too, began to evolve, due to aerobic respiration being more resourceful than anaerobic respiration, which again supported that the phagocytosis of this bacterial cell was for the purpose of a more efficient way of generating energy. In March 2000, Jan and Siv Andersson proposed the Ox-Tox hypothesis to explain that aerobic respiration was the selective pressure leading to the gain of the mitochondria, originally selected for the removal of oxygen by the host cell (Andersson, 2000). This was due to research showing that the genome sequence of Rickettsia prowazekii had a strong phylogenetic relationship with mitochondrial proteins (Andersson, 2000). However in the late 1990s these hypotheses were question due to the appearance of contradictive evidence. The genomes of archezoa were sequenced and genes were found which showed that the ancestors of archezoa once had mitochondria, even though there was no physical indication of them in the cell. Some archezoa such as Giardia were found to have mitochondria but in the form of mitosomes, which still carried out mitochondrial processes (Lane, 2005 p. 47) again implying that these eukaryotes once contained mitochondria within their cells. It was then suggested that the original host in the eukaryotic merger was a methanogen, due to the structure of eukaryotic and methanogenic histones and the 3D conformation of the DNA associated with the histones being closely related (Lane, 2005 p. 48). Other problems with the endosymbiotic theory are that if a bacterium was phagocytised by a eukaryotic cell, it would definitely have been digested and neither mitochondria nor chloroplasts are able to survive independently outside of the eukaryotic cell. Chloroplasts arent the main focus when disproving the endosymbiotic theory as its thought that when the phagocytosis of a phototrophic symbiont occurred, the host cell already contained mitochondria. The alternative theories to the mainstream endosymbiotic theory The hydrogen hypothesis In 1998, William Martin and Miklà ³s Mà ¼ller proposed the hydrogen hypothesis. Unlike other hypotheses which suggested that the formation of eukaryotic cell was due to the rising oxygen levels, this hypothesis suggests that instead it was to do with hydrogen. They state that Eukaryotes are suggested to have arisen through symbiotic association of an anaerobic, strictly hydrogen dependent, strictly autotrophic archaebacterium (the host) with a eubacterium (the symbiont) that was able to respire, but generated molecular hydrogen as a waste product of anaerobic heterotrophic metabolism. (Mà ¼ller, 1998). The hydrogen hypothesis is based on hydrogenosomes which are anaerobic mitochondria, that produce ATP and with their waste products including hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide and which also are able to function in low oxygen environments. Martin and Mà ¼ller suggested that there was a methanogenic ancestry of the host (Mà ¼ller, 1998) due to methanogens needed the very products (hy drogen and carbon dioxide), which are released by hydrogenosomes and because hydrogenosomes survive in the same environment as methanogens. Due to the intimate association between the methanogen and the bacterium, the symbiosis becomes closer, due to the methanogen needing the products of respiration produced by the bacteria and it is gradually engulfed by the methanogen. By the process of lateral gene transfer from bacterium to methanogen, the methanogen is now able to carry out aerobic and anaerobic respiration (Lane, 2005). There are known examples today of bacteria which live as endosymbionts within other prokaryotes (Mentel, 2010), which again helps support this hypothesis. Another point which gives the hydrogen hypothesis credibility is that all anaerobic and aerobic mitochondria all originated from a facultatively anaerobic ancestral state (Mentel, 2010). Also according to the hydrogen hypothesis, the host cell was not required to have possessed a nucleus (Mà ¼ller, 1998). The formation of the nucleus is explained by genes for the synthesis of lipids being transferred to the host chromosome from the symbiont leading to the host synthesising these bacterial lipids and then resulting in the formation of the endoplasmic reticulum, an internal membrane system and origination of a eukaryotic nucleus (Madigan, 2009 p. 376). The effects of the hydrogen hypothesis for chloroplasts have not been considered in much depth (Allen, 2003). The syntrophy hypothesis This hypothesis was proposed by Purificacià ³n Là ³pez-Garcà ­a and David Moreira in 1999. This hypothesis is based on similar metabolic considerations as the hydrogen hypothesis proposed by Martin and Mà ¼ller (Moreira, 1999). There are some similarities between the two hypotheses. Firstly, they both maintain that the metabolic nature if the original symbiotic event involved both hydrogen and syntrophy, secondly that the hydrogen dependent autotrophic archeon must have been a methanogen (Moreira, 1999) and finally that the mosaic nature of the eukaryotic genome can be explained by lateral gene transfer and replacement over a long symbiotic life (Moreira, 1999). The difference between these hypotheses is that the syntrophy hypothesis states that the organisms involved were ÃŽÂ ´- proteobacteria, which are ancestral sulphate reducing myxobacteria, and methanogenic archaea (Moreira, 1999). The hydrogen hypothesis states that an ÃŽÂ ±-proteobacteria began the symbiosis, wherea s in the syntrophy proposal it is thought that two eubacterial types were involve, a sulphate reducing ÃŽÂ ´- proteobacteria, (which produced hydrogen for fermentation), and also an ÃŽÂ ±-proteobacterial methanotroph became symbionts and used the methane which was generated by the methanogen to produce C0à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã¢â‚¬Å¡. Both of these hypotheses agree that the ancestral mitochondria were of anaerobic origin (Moreira, 1999). The chimeric nature of the eukaryotic cell The hypotheses mentioned above, suggest that the modern eukaryotic cell is a chimera, which is a cell that is made up of features from both Bacteria and Archaea (Madigan, 2009 p. 376). Eukaryotes contain the same sort of lipids which are found in Bacteria and the tools they contain for transcription and translation are like those found in Archaea (Madigan, 2009 p. 376). The chimeric nature of nuclear genomes can be partially explained by the endosymbiont hypothesis of mitochondria (Hua). At some stage in eukaryogenesis, cellular and genomic combination of the two different organisms (which vary for the hydrogen and syntrophy hypothesis) happened with gene transfer from bacteria to archaea and then subsequent replacement. The bacterial genome is then thought to have condensed down and could have also dematerialised as the cell underwent evolution, (as horizontal gene transfer, which includes the introduction and loss of genes, is often seen in symbionts (Madigan, 2009 p. 377)). The de veloping eukaryotic cell must have inherited some of the archaeal-DNA processing systems, whereas the cellular metabolism systems are thought to have come from bacterial organotrophy (Hua). During its evolution the modern day eukaryotic cell has become ever more complicated and has led to the appearance of complex, multicellular life forms which are powered by mitochondria and chloroplasts in phototrophic eukaryotic cells. The progression of its evolution and how all the individual compartments of the cell occurred is expected to have taken an extensive amount of time. Variation and natural selection evidently occurred, perfecting the cell by the removal of mechanisms and cellular structures which were deemed useless, leading to biological diversity. It is still undetermined which of these hypotheses mentioned accurately describe the origin of eukaryotes and is thought that the further sequencing of genomes and phylogenetic analyses of the prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes will provide an improved elucidation of the origin and diversity of eukaryotes.

Essay on Mary Shelleys Frankenstein and Bladerunner -- Movie Film com

Similarities between Frankenstein and Bladerunner    Many similarities can be found between Mary Shelley's 1816 novel, Frankenstein and the 1982 movie Bladerunner . The number of similarities between these two works, created more than two hundred years apart, is staggering. A cursory look at both works reveals these similarities: Both stories feature a very intelligent person trying to play God through the creation of life. Both of the creatures were subsequently mistreated by their maker and society as a whole. In both stories, the audience is left feeling greater sympathy for the monster than for the creator. Both stories contain a very intelligent creator who seems unaware of the forces that they are dealing with. They are both fascinated with human life and wish to create it themselves. Victor Frankenstein states, "One of the phenomena which had peculiarly attracted my attention was the structure of the human frame, and, indeed, any animal endued with life. Whence, I often asked myself did the principle of life proceed?"(pg. 51) Both creators share a fascination with where life proceeds from. Is it merely intellect? Or, as in the case of Bladerunner, are emotions the defining element of human life. Both creators are expressly interested in creating a life form equal to human and Tyrell even wishes to create a life form superior to man. Both stories share a central theme, that the acquirement too much knowledge is dangerous. Throughout Frankenstein, the reader is left with the feeling that Victor's obsessive desire to defeat nature, through the creation of another life, directly led to the many tragedies that befell him, "Learn from me, if not by my precept, at least by my example, how dangerous is the ac... ...g detail of its execution." (pg 219). Roy expresses to Tyrell that he has done undesirable things during his life that were caused because of his desire to live longer than his allotted four years. Both monsters express their longing to remain alive. Even though life has not been fair to them and fait dealt them a cruel hand, these creatures still cling to life dearly, "Life, although it may only be an accumulation of anguish, is dear to me, and I will defend it.." (pg 100) Lastly both Frankenstein's monster and Roy Baty state what it means to be a slave, one to his envy and rage, and the other to a human race that spurns him. "..but I was the slave, not the master, of an impulse, which I detested, yet could not disobey...Evil thence forth became my good." Works Cited Shelley, M. (1969). Frankenstein (12th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.   

Dantes Divine Comedy - Symbolism in the Punishment of Sin in The Infer

The Symbolism in the Punishment of Sin in Dante's Inferno  Ã‚      Inferno, the first part of Divina Commedia, or the Divine Comedy, by Dante Alighieri, is the story of a man's journey through Hell and the observance of punishments incurred as a result of the committance of sin. In all cases the severity of the punishment, and the punishment itself, has a direct correlation to the sin committed. The punishments are fitting in that they are symbolic of the actual sin; in other words, "They got what they wanted." (Literature of the Western World, p.1409) According to Dante, Hell has two divisions: Upper Hell, devoted to those who perpetrated sins of incontinence, and Lower Hell, devoted to those who perpetrated sins of malice. The divisions of Hell are likewise split into levels corresponding to sin. Each of the levels and the divisions within levels 7,8, and 9 have an analogous historical or mythological figure used to illustrate and exemplify the sin. The first of the two divisions of Hell is Upper Hell. Upper Hell is the area habitated by those committing sins of incontinence or lack of self-restraint. This lack of self-restraint could be in the form of anything from sex to mood. Before delving into the sins of incontinence, one must first look into the first inconsistency of the Inferno. This inconsistency is found in the Vestibule of Hell. The Vestibule of Hell contains the trimmers and the neutrals. Although almost all other sins mentioned in the Inferno are of an ethical, universal standpoint, the ones mentioned here are sins only from the Christian point of view. These neutrals are the people who either showed no partisanship or did not take sides. Lines 37-39 and 46-50 read: They are joined with that choir... ...ion. Dante cites now-historical and mythological figures to exemplify the sins and to make for the better understanding of sin to even the most inept of readers. This work stands alongside The Bible as one of the greatest religious-literary masterpieces of all time.    Works Cited Literature of the Western World, Volume 2. 4th edition by Brian Wilkie and James Hurt. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1997. Works Consulted Niven, Larry and Pournelle, Jerry. Inferno. New York: Pocket Books,1976. MacAllister, Archibald T. Introduction. Inferno. By Dante. New York: Mentor, 1954. Pinsky, Robert. The Inferno of Dante. New York: Harper Collins, 1994. Shippey, T.A. "Into Hell and Out Again". Times Literary Supplement, 8 July 1977, .820. Spinrad, Norman. Introduction to Inferno, by Niven and Pournelle. Boston: Gregg Press, 1979. Dante's Divine Comedy - Symbolism in the Punishment of Sin in The Infer The Symbolism in the Punishment of Sin in Dante's Inferno  Ã‚      Inferno, the first part of Divina Commedia, or the Divine Comedy, by Dante Alighieri, is the story of a man's journey through Hell and the observance of punishments incurred as a result of the committance of sin. In all cases the severity of the punishment, and the punishment itself, has a direct correlation to the sin committed. The punishments are fitting in that they are symbolic of the actual sin; in other words, "They got what they wanted." (Literature of the Western World, p.1409) According to Dante, Hell has two divisions: Upper Hell, devoted to those who perpetrated sins of incontinence, and Lower Hell, devoted to those who perpetrated sins of malice. The divisions of Hell are likewise split into levels corresponding to sin. Each of the levels and the divisions within levels 7,8, and 9 have an analogous historical or mythological figure used to illustrate and exemplify the sin. The first of the two divisions of Hell is Upper Hell. Upper Hell is the area habitated by those committing sins of incontinence or lack of self-restraint. This lack of self-restraint could be in the form of anything from sex to mood. Before delving into the sins of incontinence, one must first look into the first inconsistency of the Inferno. This inconsistency is found in the Vestibule of Hell. The Vestibule of Hell contains the trimmers and the neutrals. Although almost all other sins mentioned in the Inferno are of an ethical, universal standpoint, the ones mentioned here are sins only from the Christian point of view. These neutrals are the people who either showed no partisanship or did not take sides. Lines 37-39 and 46-50 read: They are joined with that choir... ...ion. Dante cites now-historical and mythological figures to exemplify the sins and to make for the better understanding of sin to even the most inept of readers. This work stands alongside The Bible as one of the greatest religious-literary masterpieces of all time.    Works Cited Literature of the Western World, Volume 2. 4th edition by Brian Wilkie and James Hurt. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1997. Works Consulted Niven, Larry and Pournelle, Jerry. Inferno. New York: Pocket Books,1976. MacAllister, Archibald T. Introduction. Inferno. By Dante. New York: Mentor, 1954. Pinsky, Robert. The Inferno of Dante. New York: Harper Collins, 1994. Shippey, T.A. "Into Hell and Out Again". Times Literary Supplement, 8 July 1977, .820. Spinrad, Norman. Introduction to Inferno, by Niven and Pournelle. Boston: Gregg Press, 1979.

Nursing Care Plan & Basic Conditioning

COMMUNITY COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF NURSING CLINICAL ASSESSMENT TOOL Subjective Data (Basic Conditioning Factors) Student: Date of Care: 10/03/09 Patient’s Initials: P. V. Age: 37 Room #: 3114 Bed 1Allergies: Food: NKA Gender: FMedications: NKA Environmental: NKA Admitting Diagnosis: Pancreatitis Developmental Stage (Erickson and Havinghurst): (List Developmental stage and tasks, assess each task) 1. Selecting a mate: Although patient is single, she has many friends. Patient was happy to introduce her friends that came to visit. Introductions were all made as friends, no boyfriend or husband mentioned. 2. Starting a family and raising children: Patient is not interested in these aspects of life. Patient is more concerned over her friends and their activities that they do together. 3. Managing home: While the patient lives alone, she would prefer to have a roommate to share housekeeping tasks and rent. 4. Taking civic responsibility: Patient is not interest in helping out community. 5. Starting occupation: Patient has been a Title Researcher for two years, she claims that it is just a job to pay the bills. 6. Finding congenial social group: Patient claims that she has a tight group of friends that she enjoys going out with. While the patient was agreeable, she wanted to be left alone. The Erickson stage that the patient is in is adulthood; Intimacy vs. Isolation. I find that Miss F. V. to be in isolation, developmentally. She wanted no socialization from myself, lives alone, and works alone. She is not actively looking for a mate and was demanding to have her door shut my entire shift, which was the norm since she was admitted 20 days ago. History of present illness: On 9/13/09 patient presented with severe ABD pain in ED. A computed tomography Scan (CT-Scan) of the abdomen and pelvis with contrast was performed; showing severe pancreatitis with prominent pancreas demonstrating significant edema. Moderate to large amounts of ABD ascites demonstrating simple fluid attenuation was noted. Peritoneal enhancement was predominantly noted within the left ABD, reflecting significant peritonitis. No bowel obstruction was noted and pancreatic necrosis was not excluded. Moderate bilateral pleural effusions were also noted. Past medical history : Irritable Bowel Syndrome Anxiety Depression Cocaine use (1998) Smoker Past surgical history: none Medications: Drug NameDoseRoute FrequencyClassification Metoprolol Tartrate50mgPO q12hAntihypertensive Enoxaparin Sodium40mgSQ dailyAnticoagulant Esomeprazole Mag Trihy40gmPO dailyAnti-ulcer Hydromorphone hydr2mgPO PRN Opioid Analgesic Ergocalciferol800int unitsPO daily Vitamin Complementary/Alternative Medical Practices Herbal Remedies: None Vitamins/Minerals: Daily multivitamins Meditation/Yoga: None Massage: None Acupuncture/Acupressure: None Aromatherapy: None Other: None Health Care Systems (Current orders and role of health care members): Low fat diet IV [email  protected]/hr q24h Double Lumen PICC line Left AC CBC OOB Sociocultural / spiritual orientation: none Family system: Patient has family support, however lives alone in a walk up apartment. Patterns of Living: A. Employment: Title Researcher B. Education: Some college C. Hobbies / interest: None D. ETOH / drug use: Social only Environment (Conditions of living and working): Client lives alone, although the answer changed from 9/13/09 to 9/14/09 to lives with a friend. Family is supportive. Friends are supportive. Available Resources (Economic, personal, agencies): Primary Insurance: Primary Insurance is a HMO with BlueCross BlueShield. Objective Assessment of the USCR's Pt: F. V. Room 13314 Bed 1 Jennifer Hughes Please use Y, N, NA to indicate Yes, No or Not Applicable Day 1Day 2Additional Data Psychosocial Solitude v. Social Interaction or Normalcy Well groomed/Good hygieneY Appropriate/Full range affect Y Maintains eye contactN Calm moodN Cooperative attitudeY Able to concentrateY Clear speech (volume/tone) Y Psychomotor retardation N Tics/Tremors N Hyperactivity/Restlessness/Agitation N Hallucinations/Illusions N Suicidal/Homicidal Ideations N Activity/Rest Well-rested N FatiguedN Slept through night N Neuromuscular (prevention of hazards) Alert and oriented Y Times 3 Gait steady Y Hygiene independentN Refused AM care Primary notified Pain free NDilaudid 2mg given @ 6am by primary Hand grasp, strong and equal bilat Y Foot push, strong and equal bilat Y Smile symmetrical Y Tongue to midline Y PERL Y Meets developmental task Y Cardiovascular (air or water) Palpable pedal pulses bilaterally Y Oral mucosa pink Y Conjunctiva pink Y Capillary refill within 2 seconds Y Absence of edema Y Apical/radial regular rhythm YRate= 94 Blood pressure YBP= 86/60 primary notified Telemetry Y Integument (prevention of hazards) Temperature YTemp= 98. 0 Skin turgor WNL Y No tenting noted Skin warm to palpation Y Cool to touch Skin intact Y Incisions N Wounds N Day 1Day 2Additional Data Respiratory (air) Resps easy and even Y Lungs clear Y Secretions N Oxygen in use N Oxygen saturationY 98 Cough and deep breathe N Chest tubesN Gastrointestinal (Food or Elimination) Abdomen softY Tender to the touch Abdomen non-distended Y Bowel sounds presentYAll 4 quads Abdominal drainsN Stomach tubesN Bowel movementN Nausea/vomiting N Feeds selfY Breakfast (% consumed) 50% Lunch (% consumed) 75% Dinner (% consumed) Tube feedingN IV solution (type and rate) YTPN @83cc/hr bag @ 1200cc @ 07:40 IV site (location)YLeft AC PICC Double Lumen IV site without redness or swelling Y IV dressing dry and intact Y Chemstick n/a Gastrointestinal (food or Elimination) Voids in bedpan or bathroom Y Pt. using bathroom Foley catheterN Suprapubic tube N Urine clearY Color yellow-amber Y Yellow Amount (cc's)n/a Continuous bladder irrigation N Lab Data (explain abnormal values) RANGE WBC: 4. 5 – 11. 0 HGB: Men 14. 7 – 16. 1 Women 9. 3 L12. 0 16. 0May indicate anemia. HCT: Men 42. 0 – 52. 0 Women 27. 1 L37. 0 47. 0May indicate anemia, bone marrow dysfunction, malnutrition, over hydration Platelet 490 H150. 0 – 450. 0 Could indicate hemorrhage or inflammatory disorder. Glucose 8370. 0 – 110. 0WNR Sodium 140135. 0 – 145. 0 WNR Chloride 10395. 0 – 110. 0 WNR Potassium 4. 3 3. 5 – 5. 1 WNR Calcium 8. 1 L8. 4 – 10. 2May indicate protein & vitamin D deficiency, malnutrition, cushing syndrome, acute pancreatitis Albumin 2. 6 L 3. 4 – 5. 0Could indicate malnutrition, ulcerative colitis, use of penicillin, sulfonamides, aspirin or ascorbic acid. BUN: 127. 0 – 20. 0 WNR CR: . 40. 3 – 1. 5 WNR PT: Not in labs 10 – 12 sec PTT: Not in labs 3045 sec INR: Not in labs 2 – 3