Monsanto SWOT Essay

Company overview Monsanto Company (Monsanto or the company) offers agricultural products to farmers. Its products include seeds, biotechnology trait products, and herbicides. Monsanto has operations in the US, Canada, Europe, South America, Asia, and Africa. It is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri and  employs about 26,100 people, of which more than 5,500 people are temporary employees. The company recorded revenues of $11,822 million during the financial year ended August 2011 (FY2011), an increase of 12.8% over FY2010. The operating profit of the company was $2,502 million in FY2011, an increase of 56.1% over FY2010. The net profit was $1,607 million in FY2011, an increase of 46.6% over FY2010. KEY FACTS Head Office Monsanto Company 800 North Lindbergh Boulevard St. Louis Missouri 63167 USA Phone 1 314 694 1000 Fax 1 314 694 1057 Web Address http://www.monsanto.com/ Revenue / turnover 11,822.0 (USD Mn) Financial Year End August Employees 26,100 New York Ticker MON Monsanto Company  © MarketLine Page 3 Monsanto Company SWOT Analysis SWOT ANALYSIS Monsanto offers agricultural products to farmers that include seeds, biotechnology trait products, and herbicides. The company has a leading market position in various geographies based on product portfolio of well recognized brand names. However, increasing instances of infringement of intellectual property rights can result in the company’s brand dilution and loss of revenue. Strengths Weaknesses Leading market position Strong focus on research and development (R&D) Wide customer base Legal proceedings Opportunities Threats Growing demand for food products with reduced saturated fat and trans-fat Strategic agreements and acquisitions Growing population, especially in Asia Infringement of intellectual property rights Genetically modified organism (GMO) regulations Seasonal nature of sales of the seeds and genomics segment Strengths Leading market position Monsanto is a leading global provider of agricultural products for farmers. The company’s strong brand portfolio allows it to have a commanding position in various countries. Its most popular brands include Roundup, Dekalb, Asgrow, De Ruiter, Deltapine, and Seminis. Roundup is the company’s flagship brand. It is also one of the most popular herbicides in the world. Asgrow, Deltapine, and Dekalb are genetically altered seeds (cotton, corn, soybean, and canola), which tolerate weeds and resist bugs. Seminis and De Ruiter are strong brands in the vegetable seeds business. Monsanto’s offerings of high yielding variety seeds under well recognized brand names makes it a leading player in most of the countries where it operates. Monsanto enjoys easy market penetration in new geographies based on its product portfolio which comprises well recognized brand. The company’s strong brand portfolio enhances its market leadership position. Strong focus on research and development (R&D) Monsanto Company  © MarketLine Page 4 Monsanto Company SWOT Analysis Over the years Monsanto has become a leading supplier to farmers for their agricultural needs because of its ability to deliver innovative products suiting their requirements. The company has developed competencies in applying bioengineering to agriculture. Moreover, Monsanto’s traits technologies enable it to develop herbicides and seeds with superior traits such as weed resistant, drought resistant, and improved yield. The company invests a substantial portion of its revenue towards research and development (R&D) per year. In FY2011, the company’s investment in R&D amounted to $1,386 million, an increase of 15% over FY2010. Monsanto has also entered into a number of strategic collaborations to expand its R&D capabilities further. For instance, in March 2011, Monsanto and Sapphire Energy (Sapphire) announced an agreement to enter into a multi-year collaboration that would leverage Sapphire’s algae-based research platform to discover genes that could be applied to agriculture, particularly in the field of yield and stress. In the same month, Monsanto and BASF reached an agreement to collaborate on the advancement of dicamba tolerant cropping systems. Further, BASF has agreed to supply formulated dicamba herbicide products to the company. To further boost its R&D capability, the company has established two new R&D centers, one each in China and the US. The research center in China will initially participate in early-stage of bioinformatics and genomics research, and will serve as a base for collaborations with Chinese scientists. The other research center in Texas, the US will focus on cotton research and will act as the central point for the company’s breeding and testing programs in the High Plains region. Monsanto’s focus on applying bioengineering to agriculture not only gives it a competitive edge but also enables it to revitalize its product portfolio. Moreover, its continuous focus on delivering seeds with new and improved traits helps it to cater to changing consumer preferences by offering value driven products to customers. Wide customer base Monsanto’s business operations have been well diversified be it in the terms of products offered or the geographical reach. The products offered by its seeds and genomics and agricultural productivity segments complement each other well and offer a complete solution to farmers and other customers. In FY2011, Monsanto derived 72.6% of its revenues from the seeds and genomics segment, while the agricultural productivity segment accounted for the remaining 27.6% of the total revenue. Geographically, in FY2011, the US, Europe-Africa, and Brazil accounted for 53.9%, 12.8%, and 10.8% of the company’s revenue, respectively. The remaining areas that contributed to the revenues of Monsanto were Asia-Pacific, Argentina, Canada, and Mexico, among others. Diversified operation dilutes the company’s business risk and helps Monsanto to cater to a wider customer base. It further insulates the company from economic fluctuations in any one region and thereby helps it to generate balanced earnings. Weaknesses Monsanto Company  © MarketLine Page 5 Monsanto Company SWOT Analysis Legal proceedings Monsanto is involved in various legal proceedings. For instance, in January 2011, the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System filed a complaint alleging that Monsanto violated the federal securities laws by making false and misleading statements between January 7, 2009, and May 27, 2010, regarding its earnings guidance for fiscal 2009 and 2010 as well as the anticipated future performance of its Roundup business and the seeds and genomics business. They also claim that these statements artificially inflated the price of the  stock and that purchasers of the stock during the relevant period were damaged when the stock price later declined. The company has also faced similar lawsuit in 2007. Further, in May 2011, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a Notice of Violation to the company, alleging violations of federal environmental release reporting requirements at Monsanto’s phosphorous manufacturing plant in Soda Springs, Idaho. The EPA has asserted that the alleged violations may subject the company to civil penalties. Misrepresentation of vital information and lack of precautionary measures results in penalties and disrupt the company’s operations. Moreover, distortion of information adversely affects the shareholders confidence and the profitability and credit rating of the company in the long run. Opportunities Growing demand for food products with reduced saturated fat and trans-fat Due to the increased awareness regarding the health issues caused due to the consumption of trans-fat, people in the US and in many European nations have been opting more healthier options. Increased consumption of trans-fat lowers blood levels of HDL (the good cholesterol) and leads to the elevation of LDL (considered the bad cholesterol). This ultimately leads to the hardening of the arteries and different coronary problems. Bowing to public pressure and litigation by various anti-trans-fat organizations, many food companies (Nabisco and Kraft Foods) in the US have taken active steps to remove trans-fat from their offerings. Companies like Taco Bell, KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken), Wendy’s, Arby’s, and McDonalds have also been trying to substitute high trans-fat cooking oils with other healthy alternatives. Keeping this trend in mind, Monsanto has been actively working on the development of seeds that will advance the growth of foods with reduced saturated fat and reduced or no trans-fat. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a response letter to Monsanto’s Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) notification. The FDA’s letter supports the use of  oil from Vistive Gold soybeans (seed type manufactured by the company) to have less saturated fat and trans-fat. The new product would help the farmers to benefit from the premium pricing for their harvest once the oil from Vistive Gold soybeans is commercialized. Monsanto has already completed the US regulatory submissions to the US Department of Agriculture and FDA for the sale of Vistive Gold Monsanto Company  © MarketLine Page 6 Monsanto Company SWOT Analysis soybean. It has also made numerous regulatory submissions to the appropriate regulatory agencies around the world for the products commercialization. Once the necessary regulatory process is completed, Monsanto will be able commercialize its product. Through leveraging its expertise in developing seeds with novel traits and wide spread distribution network, Monsanto can become a leading supplier of seeds that produce crops with low saturated fat and trans-fat. It will help the company to expand its revenue base and gain a competitive edge over its peer group. Strategic agreements and acquisitions Monsanto has entered into a number of agreements and acquisitions in order to boost its market share and profitability. For instance, Monsanto acquired Divergence, a privately-held St. Louis-based biotechnology research and development company, in February 2011. In March 2011, Monsanto and Sapphire Energy announced an agreement to enter into a multi-year collaboration that would leverage the latter’s algae-based research platform to discover genes that could be applied to agriculture, particularly in the field of yield and stress. In the same month, Monsanto and BASF reached an agreement to  collaborate on the advancement of dicamba tolerant cropping systems. Further, BASF has agreed to supply formulated dicamba herbicide products to the company. Further, in June 2011, Monsanto entered into collaboration with Amvac Chemical, a subsidiary of American Vanguard, to broaden its Roundup Ready PLUS weed management platform in the US. In September 2011, Monsanto and GrassRoots Biotechnology agreed to extend their existing three-year research collaboration for an additional two years through January 2014. In November 2011, Monsanto and Evogene announced a one-year extension to their five-year research and development collaboration focused on identifying key plant genes related to yield, environmental stress, and fertilizer utilization in corn, soybean, cotton, and canola. In March 2012, BASF signed a supply agreement with Monsanto for fungicide seed treatments for cotton and soybeans in North America. These strategic agreements and acquisitions will help Monsanto to build a stronger platform for the promotion of its brand image. It will strengthen the company’s market share and boost revenue growth. Strategic collaborations will also enhance Monsanto’s research capabilities and add to its market competitiveness. Growing population, especially in Asia Currently, the world population is more than 7 billion, as of October 2011 and is expected to reach 10.6 billion by 2050. As the population grows the demand for agricultural products is also going to rise. According to MarketLine (a unit of Informa) estimates, the Asia-Pacific agricultural products market (the agricultural product market consists of six segments: cereals; fruit, vegetables, roots, and tubers; oil crops and pulses; sugar crops and sweeteners; spices and stimulants; and nuts) grew by 4% in 2010 to reach a value of $915.4 billion. In 2015, the Asia-Pacific agricultural products market is Monsanto Company  © MarketLine Page 7 Monsanto Company SWOT Analysis forecast to have a value of $1,228.4 billion, an increase of 34.2% since 2010. The Indian agricultural products market, which accounted for 13.8% of the Asia-Pacific agricultural products market in 2010, grew by 14.8% in 2010 to reach a value of $126 billion. In 2015, the Indian agricultural products market is forecast to have a value of $217.5 billion, an increase of 72.6% since 2010. Monsanto is a leading player in most of the countries where it operates. Thus, it can leverage its expertise, distribution network, and product portfolio comprising well known brand names to cater to the growing demand for high yielding variety (HYV) seeds. Monsanto’s revenue and profit margins can tremendously increase as the demand for HYV grows, especially in Asia. Threats Infringement of intellectual property rights Protecting its intellectual property rights is very important for Monsanto’s business, particularly in the seeds and genomics segment. The company obtains and protects its intellectual property rights in jurisdictions in which the products are produced or used and in jurisdictions into which the products are imported. However, even if protection is obtained, competitors, farmers, or others in the chain of commerce may raise legal challenges to its rights or illegally infringe on the company’s rights, including through means that may be difficult to prevent or detect. In addition to this, due to the rapid pace of technological change, and the confidentiality of patent applications in some jurisdictions, competitors may be issued patents from applications that were unknown to the company prior to issuance. These patents could reduce the value of the company’s commercial or pipeline products. Therefore, protecting inventions is critical for Monsanto to meet the growing challenge of infringement of intellectual property rights. A failure to do so could mean substantial loss of revenue and market share, and brand dilution. Genetically modified organism (GMO) regulations Monsanto’s revenues could be negatively impacted in view of bans imposed on its genetically modified crops. The degree of public acceptance or perceived public acceptance of its biotechnology products can affect its sales and results of operations by affecting planting approvals, regulatory requirements, and customer purchase decisions. Public concern can affect the timing of the government approvals in different countries. Even if the approvals are granted, public concern can lead to increased regulation or litigation against government regulators concerning prior regulatory approvals. Recently, the European Commissioner approved the cultivation of GMO potatoes in Europe, but the decision has come under stiff criticism and protest from various groups working against the GMO crops. Monsanto Company  © MarketLine Page 8 Monsanto Company SWOT Analysis Similar regulatory controls could affect the company’s market position in various countries. As the regulations around the use of GMO crops intensify, Monsanto would face difficulty in expanding its market and growth of its revenue. Seasonal nature of sales of the seeds and genomics segment Monsanto’s business is greatly affected by seasonal changes mainly in the seeds and genomics segment. In FY2011, approximately 72% of the seeds and genomics segment’s sales occurred in the second and third quarters. This  segment’s seasonality is primarily affected by the purchasing and growing patterns in North America. The seeds and genomics segment’s contribution to the overall revenue of the company has been steadily growing in the past few years. In FY2011, the segment accounted for 72.6% of the company’s revenue, up from 56% in FY2009. Hence, seasonal disturbances can adversely impact the overall sales of the company. Monsanto Company  © MarketLine Page 9 Copyright of Monsanto Company SWOT Analysis is the property of Datamonitor Plc and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder’s express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.

Explore the Relation Between Othello and Desdemona

Furthermore, the tragedy of the play is Othello hubris forcing him to murder his wife – the action which proves his Inability to Integrate with Venetian society. Shakespeare presents the relationship between Desman and Othello in a deeply Immersed way by defining it both in terms of their personal interaction, and the reaction and interference of the characters in the play. Most importantly, the antagonist of the play, Ago, uses Adhesion's â€Å"goodness† as the net to â€Å"enmesh† Othello, In addition to his other victims Including Cassia and Ordering. Gags Machiavellian plot to be evened with Othello, â€Å"wife for wife† depends heavily on his ability to destroy his marriage – thus confirming the importance of Desman. The status of Desman and Toothless relationship as a major point of conflict is clear from the very beginning of the play – where Ago and Ordering attempt to â€Å"poison the delight† of Abrogation by revealing that D esman had secretly married Othello. In terms of context, the concept of marriage without parental consent was taboo in Jacobean society, and would've been controversial even in Venetian society – which was considered much more relaxed than Jacobean Britain.It Is also Interesting to note the use of the word â€Å"poison†, which Is a strong theme throughout the play -? ND foreshadows Toothless eventual request that Ago â€Å"get me some poison† in order to murder Desman. Foreshadowing is further utilizes by Shakespeare in Act II Scene l, where he has Barbarian warn Othello to â€Å"look to her Moor, she has deceived her Father and may thee†. This effect Is heightened by Toothless claim that he places â€Å"my life upon her faith†, a moment of great irony which perfectly complements the claim that ‘in losing [Desman], he loses himself.It is important to note the great trust Othello places in Desman In this scene and how it coincides with his non event, eloquent speech which prompts the Duke to acknowledge â€Å"this tale would win my daughter too†. The poetic blank verse which Othello speaks, and has led some critics such as A C Bradley to describe him as â€Å"the most romantic among Shakespearean heroes† is in stark contrast to the clumsy, monosyllabic prose which he speaks later In the play – by which point his confidence In Desman, and therefore himself, has been destroyed by Ago.There is some element of truth in Othello claim that he â€Å"loved too well† and it is this resolute nature which ultimately dooms him. His rashness, which would have been praised as decisiveness on the battlefield, forces him to dismiss Cassia perhaps too swiftly – and place too much trust in â€Å"honest Ago', whose role as â€Å"ensign† should be confined to military affairs – not his general's private life. It could also be argued that Othello was doomed by his race, in the words of Anta Lo mb the inflict of the play derives from â€Å"the threat of a black man and a white woman† to the â€Å"patriarchal† Venetian society.The racist semantic field used in the opening scene, â€Å"thick lips†, â€Å"old black ram† and simply â€Å"the moor† sets a precedent for the rest of the play, and Othello final speech where he acknowledges he is an outsider, â€Å"circumcised dog† is evidence that Lagos manipulation has forced him to question himself and become the stereotype Ago depicted him as. Ultimately, the relationship of Desman and Othello is integral to the play, and Othello descent into barbarism is facilitated by his loss of faith in Desman.Othello himself placed his â€Å"life upon her faith† – and as a resolute man he was left with no choice but to destroy himself when he felt she had betrayed him. Lagos malignant, calculating intelligence led him to the conclusion that the moor he hated could be destroyed by his love for his wife – Just as Ordering could be destroyed by his lust, and Cassia by his arrogant, flirtatious nature. Lagos ability to detect the weaknesses of those around him is the characteristic which defines the tragedy of ‘Othello', and thus the knowledge that Desman is Vital to her Husband' allowed him to exact his Machiavellian plot with tragic consequences.

Adult Education is very important Essay

The problem in India is that we have adopted democracy without preparing the ground for it by educating population. But even now it is not too late if the programme of mass Adult educa ¬tion, or Social education is undertaken in right earnest as a mass movement. No doubt the provision of universal, compulsory and free primary education is the only solution to the problem of illiteracy. But the country cannot afford to leave out a whole mass of adults and grown-ups of our society from the benefits of the literacy-drive. Apart from the political justification to the problem, Adult education is needed because it is a powerful auxiliary and an essential incentive to primary education. No programme of compulsory universal education can bear fruit without the active support and co-operation of adults. It is, therefore, imperative that educational facilities should be provided to adults. Adult education, as the term signifies, is the education of grown-up men and women who are above eighteen years. Bryson says, â€Å"Adult education includes all activities with an educational purpose, carried on by people, in the ordinary business of life who use only part of their energy to acquire intellectual equipment. † Ernst Baker says, â€Å"Adult education is given on a part-time basis and, therefore, given concurrently with work and the earning of a living. † Maulana Azad re-oriented the concept of Adult education for preparing every citizen to play his part effectively in a democratic social order. So he renamed Adult education as ‘Social Education’. In our country, adult education is imparted tinder two aspects: (1) Adult Literacy i. e. education for those adults who never had schooling before; and, (2) Continuation education i. e. education for those adults who had some schooling before. Agencies of Social (Adult) education include all the bodies, organizations or institutions which ‘deliver the goods’ which contact the ‘consumers’ of social education and satisfy their needs. They may be categorized as under: (a) Teachers, Government servants, NSS and other volunteers, social education workers etc. b) Regular educational institutions like schools, colleges, rural colleges, community centres, agriculture extension groups, worker’s educational associations and voluntary organiza ¬tions. (c) Informal educational devices like forums, study circles, group discussions, listening groups, camps. (d) Recreational, educational bodies like theatres, cinemas, clubs, societies, fairs, melas, nautanki etc. (e) Institutions whose primary aim is not education, such as eligious bodies, the Army, Parents Associations, Co-operative Societies and other Government Departments. The scope of Adult education is very comprehensive. Social education covers all those topics that are not touched by education in general at school. Topics like religion, politics and family planning can now be discussed with adults who have a mature under ¬standing. Moreover, it aims at givi ng a new orientation to the outlook of adults to suit the dynamic world. Then, the growth grooves of each individual are different from those of others. Social education harmonizes differences in growth and it also provides an opportunity for growth to those who have not been able to grow properly or completely earlier. About the need and importance of Social (Adult) education Swami Vivekananda remarked : â€Å"So long as the millions live in hunger and ignorance, I hold every man a traitor, who having been educated at their expense, pays not the heed to them. Our great natural sin is the neglect of the masses and that is the cause of our downfall. No amount of politics would be of any avail until the mas ¬ses are well educated, well fed and well cared for. National development and reconstruction is closely allied to Adult Education. If democracy is to survive, we must educate the masses for social education is the new hope for illiterate masses. Social education is heeded to widen the intellectual and political horizon of the illiterate adults. It is also needed to sharpen the aesthetic sensibility of the adults and to set the cultural tone of the community. Moreover, social educa ¬tion is needed in order to guide in spending their leisure in healthful recreations and useful activities. Lastly, illiteracy and ignorance is a sin; an illiterate adult is a burden on society. Adult education emancipates people from the tyranny of illiteracy. The objects, or purposes, or functions of social education may be stated generally or pragmatically. The philosophically oriented functions of Adult education are clearing concepts of reality of universe and life, reconciling the old and the new approaches to life, balance and independent judgment, self-realisation, human relationship and citizenship training and economic efficiency. According to the second approach which is more pragmatic and practical education has to perform two-fold purposes to the indivi-dual and to the society. From the individual’s point of view social education fulfils various purposes remedial, vocational, health, recreational, self-development and social skills. From the social and national point of view the purposes of social education are social cohesion, national efficiency and development of national resources. On the practical plane, however, there are some difficulties that confront a Social education planner or worker. Some of the main difficulties and problems are : isolation of adult education in education, accommodating difficulties, age structure of the adults, the family circumstances and background of learners, occupational grouping, cultural background, socio-economic background, geo ¬graphical location of the social education centre, level of the social education worker teacher, lack of proper knowledge of adult psy ¬chology, paucity of leisure lack of equipment, lack of motivation, fatigue of adults and their constitutional and temperamental lethargy, lack of proper publicity, hostility from certain vested interests, poor supervision of centres and half-hearted implement ¬ation. The difficulties have to be overcome either by cleverness, or by fact or by compromise, or may be, by intentional avoidance. Only then we can hope to spread Adult Education. The purpose of all good teaching is to produce changes in human behavior. All adult education teacher must adopt a positive approach; he should help the adults learn quickly and effectively and willing by using any of the three prevalent methods – the Teacher Dominated methods, the Learner Dominated Method or the Co-operative Method. He may make use of any or all the seven types of aids given in the Govern ¬ment of India Handbook on Social Education viz, Spoken words, spoken words reproduced through radio or recording, written words, chart, graphs and maps, objects produced or reproduced as models, demonstrations, pageants, dramas, television and other objects represented as pictures, pictures reproduced by episcopate-slides etc. actual objects, field trips and specially arranged exhibitions, museums or films shows. Gandhiji’s idea of social service for college students during the vacation and, later on full time basis will prove invaluable in this regard. Young men and women taking up Adult education as a drive should be fired with a missionary zeal to eradicate illiteracy and ignorance from our country. The slogan should be â€Å"Each one, teach one. † Happily, greater emphasis has been laid on Adult Education in the Seventh Five-Year Plan. The tenth point in Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s 20-point Programme-‘Expansion of Education’-also makes special mention of stimulating Adult literacy. Sizeable funds have been allocated and separate staff, including the block and Aanganwari people has been deployed to foster Adult education. Adult education officers have been appointed in each college and they supervise the running of adult schools by student volunteers. The programme of Adult education has to be undertaken on war-footing. adult education is very important . adults must know the basic things of life. adult education is needed because it is an essential part of primary education. some people in their early age did not get chance to education because of some reasons but if they are old they can get education and discover their live in a new way. people who are not making effort for the success cant succeed in their lives . we can get education in any age . education helps us in many ways. such knowledge is necessary for every person living in a democratic country. education is a important part of our life. education means knowledge and it is very important for us. in old times people do not send their girls to schools for education but now people want that there childern should be educated. if we are not educated we have to depend on others but if we are educated we do not have to depend on others. educated person can differentiate between good or bad. education increase our knowledge

Researched essay on dining experience in advanced dementia care

Researched on dining experience in advanced dementia care - Essay Example â€Å"People who reach the advanced stage of dementia when food intake is curtailed have a low metabolic rate. Their resting metabolic rate is low because muscle wasting has shrunk their lean body mass and their brains are atrophic; their metabolic rate above basal is low because they are physically inactive.† (Aldridge 2006) Finally, they have a history of weight loss, which the body adapts to by diminishing its metabolic rate and retaining dietary protein more effectively. This adapted state can persist indefinitely. Hoffer writers, that â€Å"severely demented people may be thin and eat less food than seems appropriate to their physically active (and not infrequently overweight) doctors, nurses, and surrogate decision makers; but in many if not most cases they are not progressively starving. They are in a state of physiological homoeostasis.† (Hoffer 2006) Nevertheless, in some patients the weight loss profile shows that, without tube feeding, death by starvation is unavoidable. Thus, the problem of tube feeding is being discussed. Music therapy is a treatment which uses music and its components (melody, rhythm, vocal and instrumental performance, and so on) to make the patient heighten his perception, improve his â€Å"ability to use speech, motorics, socialization and, to open up to his unconscious self.† (Edwards 2002) â€Å"Musical stimuli like tones or melodies are known to be processed in the secondary auditory cortex in the right superior temporal gyrus.†

Fundementals of finance Math Problem Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Fundementals of finance - Math Problem Example The same goes for stock b. By adding the product of the proportion and the return of these two stocks that form the combination, we get the portfolio return of 24.4% In order to get the risk of the combination of projects a and b, we use the formula for 'p=sqrt (wa2'a2 + wb2'b2 + 2wawb'ab'a'b), where we get the products of the variances of the proportions and the individual risks, adding them and adding them to the last figure which incorporates their correlation. With projects a and b's correlation of 0.7, we get a risk of .081191. By applying the same formula for projects b and c, we get the portfolio return of 29.2%, higher than the combination of projects a and b. The portfolio standard deviation on the other hand is 0.119917-the higher risk accompanying the higher expected return for the portfolio. Combinations of projects b and d have the highest return at 31.6%, with the highest risk of .120216 compared to the other two combinations. This higher return, when expected to have a drastic counterpart in the increase in risk is offset by the correlation of the two projects. This combination offers the lowest correlation at 0.3, which means that the projects' returns are not strongly correlated to the movement of the other, although the positive sign of correlation suggests the same direction of the two stocks in terms of movement. Recommendation The four projects offer seven possible combinations; however, because these projects are indivisible, the only three possible combinations left which are possible within the 2,000,000 limit are the combinations a and b, b and c, and b and d. These three combinations are assessed according to their returns and risks, measuring the returns by getting the proportion and weighted return, and then getting the risk by getting the portfolio standard deviation. Because the investors require a minimum return of 25%, combination of projects a and b is already eliminated from the choices.

Political Economy of Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Political Economy of Communication - Essay Example The challenges developed when other parties to IMC started posting articles in major newswires on a regular basis. IMC challenges the mainstream media by allowing unedited commentary on major newswires. Other publishers claim free speech while posting unrestricted and uncensored content to such platforms. In lieu of this, IMC offers alternative media contribution to ordinary people translating to such challenges. The newswires use professional codes of conduct to approve professional journalist. The measures recommend a journalist perspective on sociopolitical issues. Indymedia supports user-generated material that assumes a bias sided opinion. The repercussion of such actions is unregulated content that criticizes the newswires. The approach illustrates a deviation in media professionalism (Lec 10 Indymedia). The network operates on a structure that uses alternative media tailored by non-professionals. The approach to participatory tradition encourages the inexperienced individuals to engage in the production of mainstream content. Mainstream media operates mainly on the perception on officialdom viewpoints. Slow media structure assumes an independent perspective target to represent private ownership. The contrast develops where mainstream media bows down to major concerns raised by the owners of regulated content. The challenges presented by slow media focuses to expose any form of indecency regulated by mainstream media. Additionally, the challenges posed develop as the mainstream media are constitutes of the major conglomerates in the world. In lieu of this, reporting against these institutions is destructive to the mainstream media. Alternative media extends the operating fields to cover issues that affect such conglomerates without fear of disapproval or termination of any binding contract (Lec 10 Indymedia). The argument on such matters is that mainstream

Sexual Orientation in Organizational Communications Essay

Sexual Orientation in Organizational Communications - Essay Example Despite serious social movement of the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) community in recent decades, the minority of people are still fighting for equality. And in this fight corporations are extremely important in terms of the LGBT community acknowledgment because they can provide their employees with decent support and do it more profoundly than country and local authorities (LGTB Manual, 2010). There are few companies that are able to risk their reputation, unless their reputation is so immaculate, and make such a contradictory issue as accepting non-traditional sexual orientation of the employees in company`s policy. Such companies receive unnecessary attention and their public relations sphere is suffering. In such a situation Disney, the company specializing in the children`s entertainment content and supporting homosexuality acknowledgment at working places looks absolutely extraordinary (Tully, 2013).However, Disney was and remains such company, and despite its worldwide success it is being accused of promoting immoral values to the future generation. Reasonably it raises a lot of questions regarding the place of homosexual propaganda in a corporate world and especially in children`s content. However, Disney manages to communicate to the world that their policy is grounded on higher values such as equality, acceptance, and diversity, and sticking to these goals can ser ve as the most important factor. Moreover, Disney`s internal policy of visibility is coherent with its external representation which proves that the company has a well-elaborated policy and know what image to create in consumers` perception. Disney was established in 1923 by two brothers, Walter and Roy Disney as a small cartoon studio in California. Today this multinational corporation is one of the biggest Hollywood studios and is the owner of 11 theme parks around the planet, two aqua parks, and several broadcasting companies. The company`s main product was  children`s animation movies before it launched its radio, films, and entertainment facilities (Corporate History, 2008).

The wealth and poverty of nations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

The wealth and poverty of nations - Essay Example Other people in the world should try to understand how the expansionists Europeans have grown very rich. He also stated that relative poverty today is the result of failure on the part of political, religious and mercantile elites to pass the tests of maintaining and regaining independence from and assimilating the technologies demonstrated by the people from Europe (DeLong, 1998). Landes demonstrated that Europe was the center and basis of economic development. He also pointed out that the reason why Eurasian civilizations had an edge in technological advancement over non-Eurasian is the climate. According to Landes, it is impossible for human beings to live in any numbers in â€Å"temperate† climates before the invention of fire, housing, tanning, but that once the technological capability to live where it snows has been gained, the "temperate" climates allowed a higher material standard of living (DeLong, 1998). I am not really convinced about this argument that Landes had presented. Though, I can say that climate can be one of the factors affecting the developments of an economy, it need not be of great impact as what Landes had pointed out. In our world today, a lot of counties gifted with rich natural resources and great climate are suffering from great economic issues and belonged to the less developed countries.

Educational Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Educational Systems - Essay Example OBTE focuses on measuring empirically student performance outcomes as compared to PBTE which places emphasis on improving the performance of the teacher by laying out perceived best practices in professional conduct. OBTE does not relyon specifications or requiring any particular style of teaching or learning. The important point is that the student's performance is assessed and must demonstrate that they have learned the required content and skills. The paper is a critical analysis of Outcomes Based Teacher Education (OBTE) versus Performance Based Teachers Education (PBTE) in developed countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom. In doing so, it becomes necessary to delineate clearly the ideas underpinning OBTE and PBTE. I would be analyzing the effectiveness and disadvantages of both by drawing upon available literature regarding the experiences of elements of educational systems. This paper includes the review of the Teacher Quality aspect of each country, the students' ability to learn and assessment of its curriculum. This paper is aimed at providing an analytical and credible study and assessment of the nature of OBTE and PBTE. The results of this study is hoped to provide a useful guidepost in the development of the educational system on whether to pursue OBTE or PBTE. This paper also aims to be a useful related study to those who would want to perform such a similar analysis in the future. 2.0 Proposed Research Structure The research could possibly include six (6) chapters: Chapter 1 - Introduction and Aims of the study; Chapter 2 - Review of Related Literature/Studies; Chapter 3 - Methodology; Chapter 4 - Systematic Presentation of the Data and Important Points; Chapter 5 - Discussion, Analysis and Interpretation of Data and Chapter 6 - Summary and Conclusions. 3.0 Data Sources The researcher had chosen developing countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom as a research target for these countries are known for their advancement in terms of education and technology. Philosophers, famous educators and latest inventions mostly are from these countries. Residents of these continents pay much attention to the academic aspect of life. As early as one-year old, children are being sent to pre-schools and nurseries for their first hand education. Universities such as the Oxford and Harvard and many other famous universities are situated in these areas. In the course of study, data will be gathered from published papers and reports that are directly concerned with the topic. I will be fist scanning the material that is present in peer-reviewed academic journals so as to obtain highly credible data sources and proceed to obtain data from newspaper reports, magazine articles and other published material. It is advised that previous studies and overviews regarding the topic be reviewed in order to gain further knowledge about the issues and conflicts of the chosen topic.I have also conducted a preliminary survey of data sources in the internet. It turned out that there is a wealth of literature regarding the topic. The Yahoo.com and/or the msn.com are the largest provider of different kinds of websites all over the world. Below are website links which may help the researcher to gather relevant information

Housing Markets in the Financial Crisis of 2008 Essay

Housing Markets in the Financial Crisis of 2008 - Essay Example The origin of the housing market boom The boom in the housing market started growing as the stock bubble grew up in the last decade of the 20th century. In simple terms, the logic governing the growth of the housing bubble was one such that the wealthy were spending the money they had accumulated from the favorable stock markets (Baker, 2008, 73). The stock prices had run up in a manner extraordinary and many people had not anticipated. The wealthy therefore started spending at a rate similar to the rate of wealth accumulation. The increased wealth resulted in an increase in the average consumption and it was noted that the savings rate sourced out of every individual’s disposable income experienced a fall from 5% in 1995 to about 2% in the year 2000. The wealth gained from the favorable stock markets led to massive investments in the housing industry as people strived to buy bigger houses and to make better homes. The supply of housing is, of course, fixed so this therefore m eant that the sudden increase in demand was likely to cause the housing bubble effect (Baker, 2008, 73). This caused a chain of events starting by an increase in demand which automatically resulted in the house prices to rise. As the prices started rising in some of the areas affected there was a unique phenomenon such that the prices started being incorporated into expectations and these made the buyers of houses and homes to start paying more than they would otherwise have done. This had a tendency of making the expectations self fulfilling and more convincing. Research together with the data from the government’s documents pointed to a very slight change in the house prices for over 100 years before the beginning of the house bubble. Even as the price of the houses rose, the rent did not increase in a similar manner but it in fact remained trailing behind in a modest manner a clear indication that the price of the houses was as a result of the housing bubble (Baker, 2008, 74). The instantaneous increase in the price of the houses both for buyers and those renting them started creating a substantial effect on the supply side as a result of the rise in price from around 1995 towards 2000. The house prices rose up to about 25% in the year 2002. This was above the average rate of the three years from 1993 to 1995. This then resulted in to an effect that appeared as an oversupply in the number of rental housing sector for it caused the vacancy rate to rise to about 9% in the year 2002 which was 1.5% increase to that of around 1990 that stood at about 7.5%.

Finance - Hedging Strategies Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Finance - Hedging Strategies - Assignment Example The essence of hedging strategies is to reduce business risks while deterring the creation of additional risks. Multinational firms encounter a multitude of risks, particularly as a result of their competitive exposures across the globe. General Motors has along experienced competitive exposure due to the Japanese yen. This exposure has a lot to do with the depreciating Japanese yen. However, the company is yet to establish clear guidelines to deal with the competitive risk caused by the yen’s continued depreciation. In essence, the company’s hedging strategies do not provide lucid hedging strategy guidelines. General Motor’s treasurer and finance vice-president Eric Feldstein had to establish robust hedging strategies to counter the risk posed by the depreciating Japanese yen. General Motors was incurring substantial losses as a result of market changes with regard to the US dollar and Japanese yen (Desai & Veblen, 2006). General Motors, therefore, sought to min imize currency risk to maximize its profitability. GM established a passive policy that involved hedging half of its commercial exposures on a regional basis. This means that GM’s hedging strategy involved a clear distinction between commercial and financial exposures. GM defined its commercial exposures as cash flows related to its ongoing business, for instance, payables and receivables and its financial exposures as dividends and debt repayments. The primary purpose of GM’s overall hedging strategy was related to its foreign exchange risk management policy. This hedging strategy aimed at reducing the volatility between cash flow and earnings by hedging cash flows i.e. transaction exposures only and disregard translation (balance sheet) exposures. In addition, GM’s strategy aimed at minimizing the cost, as well as management time devoted to the management of global foreign exchange. This policy was an outcome of an internal audit, which showed that resource in vestment in active foreign exchange management had not led to substantial operation of passive benchmarks. This led to policy changes, as well as the adoption of a passive approach in place of the active one. Lastly, GM’s hedging strategy aimed at aligning the company’s foreign exchange management with GM’s operation of its automotive business (Desai & Veblen, 2006). This move reflected the assumption that financial management needs to conform to the geographic, operational footprint of GM’s overlying business. Overall, GM’s hedging strategy has effectively reduced its foreign exchange risks, enabling the company to operate efficiently in the Japanese market. JP Morgan is a US-based financial company that rolled out its business in other regions of the world. While companies establish hedging strategies to protect them from risks, particularly future risks, wrong practices can cost massive losses to a company. One such company is JP Morgan, which u sed derivatives as its primary hedging strategy resulting in losses of up to $ 2 billion. JP Morgan adopted the use of risky derivatives rather than less risky bonds used by its competitors such as Bank of America, Citigroup Inc. and Wells Fargo & Co. (Griffin & Moore, 2012). The later financial companies do not trade in credit-default swaps with regard to their indexes. However, JP Morgan accumulated massive credit-default indexes, which resulted in, price moves within the financial industry. Unlike JP Morgan, other financial industry players use

Islamic cultures Essay Example for Free

Islamic cultures Essay 1.   Islamic cultures in the European Middle Ages were comparably more advanced and better than the Christianity.   Islamic cities in the Middle Ages were thriving and became the centers of trade and economy. Islamic merchants bought and sold goods from across Africa, Asia and Europe.   New technologies such as windmill, block printing as well as new methods of weaving, which were developed in China were brought to Europe by Islamic merchants. Moreover, Islamic cultures during this period were considered mixed and multi-ethnic as it borrowed from the cultures of the people that Muslims conquered or interacted during trading.    Greek works by early scientists and mathematicians were interpreted into Arabic and used by Islamic Arabs.   Islamic cities also became centers for art and learning. Since Islamic society during the Middle Ages valued scholarship Islamic cities became major sites of major libraries and scholarships. 2.   Europe provided a route and area for Islamic culture to flourish. In terms of trade, Europe provided the Islamic empires with raw materials while Asia became the center of trade and commerce.   Europe also became an avenue of the both Islam and Christianity.   Initially, Islam swept mostly all throughout Asia and Europe on the other hand was mainly dominated by Christianity.   But eventually, Islam conquered Europe as well which led to the conversion of many parts of Europe into Islam particularly Spain.   Islamic Europe were also comparable far more superior to those among European Christians, and Islamic cultures were responsible for bringing Asian innovations into Europe.

Effects Of Kyoto Protocol Economics Essay

Effects Of Kyoto Protocol Economics Essay the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is the apex body, under whose supervision Kyoto protocol was developed. It is an agreement between many countries, which signed it and committed for reduction in green house gas. The process started with negotiations between many countries in the early December of 1997 in  Kyoto, Japan and with Russias ratification, it came in to force on the 16th February of 2005. The delay was because of Kyoto required at least 55 parties to ratify it and the total of those counties emissions to be at least 55% of global greenhouse gas emission. Some of the highlights of the Kyoto protocol are: A total of 191 states have signed and ratified  the protocol as on September 2011 The United States of America has signed the protocol but has not ratified it. Developed countries have binding target on emission reduction. Developing countries do not have binding target for emission targets. The protocol allows the member counties of emissions trading to meet their target. Economic Impacts of the  Protocol One of the key issues with the Protocol is its economic impact on member nations. Some critics emphasize that Developed nations are the one who will be affected negatively most. One of the major speculations is that developed nations who have ratified the treaty, will have to invest more in newer technologies and procedures to reduce their emissions. It is also more obvious that developed countries need to incur more cost in enforcing stricter emission norms. There is also possibility of an increase in the consumer price index because the companies will pass one the extra cost incurred in clean mechanism technology to consumer. As the base year for fixing target is 1990, the countries, which have developed most after 1990, will suffer most and the countries that have slump after 1990 are at advantage. This effect can be evident on the fact that US has not ratified the treaty as it has grown considerably after 1990 and if it ratifies the treaty then it has to cut almost 30% emission costing around $100 per ton The European union at large is at advantage because there was slump in western Europe and Russia after 1990. It is evident from the fact that it needs only $5 per ton for emission reduction target to be met. The provisions of emission trading provided the developing countries a way to cash in on their reduced emission credits. Kyoto Protocol in the context of India A Macroeconomic Overview The impact of kyoto protocol may be direct in case of developed countries but has it has indirect impact on developing countries The protocol does not make it binding on the developing countries to reduce their emission and it does not provide any reduction targets for them till. India coming under the scope of developing country has been affected by the indirect impact. The protocol has played a significant role in the reshaping overall Indian economy. The protocol has its effect on many macroeconomic parameters of India. If we take in to account the GDP of India, some of the major factors linked to kyoto protocol that have affected the GDP of India are Investment Impact Trade Impact Flexibility Mechanisms Impact Emissions Trading Joint Implementation Clean Development Mechanism Fig-1 (Factors affecting the GDP of India in the context of Kyoto Protocol) We will be limiting our discussion to the impact of 2 major factors arising out of kyoto protocol that is investment and trade on the Indian GDP. Investment Trade Impact on GDP Fig-2 (Investment Impact and GDP of India) The Investment impact can be summarised by the chart below. Kyoto protocol induces emission restrictions on the developed nations. The manufacturing industry especially the emission insensitive industries in the developed nations are the worst sufferers. Because of this restriction, these industries need to invest more capital in technology and other aspect to reduce the emission. This in turn increases the cost of production, which makes the ROI low. The low ROI (return on investment) in these developed nations makes the investment to shift to developing countries, which affects the GDP to rise. India as an important developing country has benefited from this effect. SL NO YEAR FDI-US$ (MILLION) EXPORTS IN CRORES GDP US$(BILLION) 1 2000-01 2,463 278126 492.4 2 2001-02 4,065 290757 522.8 3 2002-03 2,705 355556 617.6 4 2003-04 2,188 417425 721.6 5 2004-05 3,219 569051 834.2 6 2005-06 5,540 712087 949.1 7 2006-07 12,492 904872 1238.7 8 2007-08 24,575 1018907 1224.1 9 2008-09 31,396 1328765 1361.1 10 2009-10 25,834 1300034 1684.3 11 2010-11 19,427 1747500 1848.0 12 2011-12 26,192 Table: 1- (DIPPS Financial Year-Wise FDI Equity Inflows GDP date from World bank) With a close look at the Table -1 we can see that from the year 2005 onwards there was a sudden increase in the foreign direct investment. In the year 2005, it stood at $3129 million and from the year 2006 onwards, there was high growth in the foreign direct investment on an yoy basis. The FDI reached a peak in the year 2009 at $31396 million. The decrease in the FDI in 2011 was due to other economic factors. One of the major factors affecting the increase in FDI was kyoto protocol. As the FDI started to increase from the year 2005 onwards the GDP of india also saw a tremendous growth, it increased from $834.2 billion in the year 2005 to $1848 billion in the year 2011. Fig-3 (Trade Impact and GDP of India) As can be seen in the Fig-3 the other major impact was the trade impact, when the cost production has increased in developing countries, the import of goods from developing countries becomes less competitive. This in contrast increases the competitiveness of the exporter in the developing countries. When the export form developing countries increase, giving appositive push to the trade it creates a demand surge. Because of this, increases in demand of good, producers of goods increase the production. Moreover, increase in the production of goods increase the GDP. This can be also deduced from the Table-1, where it is evident that from 2005 onwards there was a stiff increase in the Indian export from 712087 crores to 1747500 crores in 2011. As the Export has increased this gave rise to an increase in the demand, which in turn made the supply to increase. With an increase in the supply, the GDP of India has rose from $834.2 billion in 2005 to $ 1848.0 billion in the year 2011. Conclusion Despite having no emission targets under the kyoto protocol India will benefit from the emission reduction compulsion of developed nations. The effect is because of trade and investment linkage with the Developed nations. India has immensely benefited from this due to a surge in its exports and increase in the FDI. The cumulative effect of these two factors has been positive on the GDP of india, which rose steeply from 2005 onwards. India played and major role in the extension of the kyoto after Jan 1 2013, before the new commitment period comes in to effect from 2020. Although the new extended kyoto does not impose any binding emission reduction targets on india, it has decided to reduce the emission intensity by 20 to 25% of the 2005 level within the year 2020.

Development of Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI

Development of Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI Ioannis Tolios â€Å"Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI† Introduction One of the most significant non-invasive imaging modalities applied both in research and clinical diagnostics cis Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Its widespread use is partially based on its characteristic to visualize tissues with high resolutions in 3D and its ability to provide anatomical, functional and metabolic tissue information in vivo (Strijkers, Mulder, van Tilborg, Nicolay, 2007). In an MR image, the basic contrast mostly derives from regional differences in the intrinsic T1, T2 relaxation times, except for local water content differences. T1 and T2 relaxation times can be selected independently to have a commanding influence on image contrast. Nevertheless, a sensitive and accurate diagnosis cannot always be feasible, due to the fact that the intrinsic water, T1 and T2 contrast values are modified and become very often limited by tissue pathology. Consequently, the need for enhanced image contrast led to the growing use of intravenously injected MRI contrast agents, wh ose use although violates partially the non-invasive character of MRI brought about significant benefits. Combining MRI and contrast agents (CA) increases the possibilities to image inflamed tissues in pathologies, such as arthritis, atherosclerotic plaques, and tumor angiogenesis (Strijkers, Mulder, van Tilborg, Nicolay, 2007). Definition of DCE-MRI A technique which combines MRI and contrast agents is Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI). According to Gordon et al. (Gordon, et al., 2014), â€Å"DCE-MRI analyzes the temporal enhancement pattern of a tissue following the introduction of a paramagnetic contrast agent into the vascular system. This is accomplished by the acquisition of baseline images without contrast enhancement, succeeded by a set of images acquired over time (usually over a few minutes) during and after the arrival of the contrast agent in the tissue of interest†. A time intensity curve (TIC) for the tissue is generated by the acquired signal, as it can be seen in Figure 1. In a TIC, the response of the tissue is represented in enhancement values to the arrival of the contrast agent. Specific physiological properties that are in association with the microvascular blood flow, including tissue volume fractions, vessel permeability, and vessel surface area product, can be extracted by analyzing a TIC (Gordon, et al., 2014). Figure 1: An example of a time intensity curve obtained from a tumor metastasis (Bonekamp Macura, 2008). All variations of DCE-MRI studies are relied on a rather plain fundamental principle: the MR signal intensity of a tissue is modified, when a paramagnetic particle (contrast agent) penetrates and spreads over through the tissue, based on its local concentration (Gordon, et al., 2014). MR images of a chosen region of interest (ROI) are obtained in time intervals of few seconds before, during, and after the intravenous injection of a contrast agent. Each obtained image represents one time point, and each and every pixel in a set of images produces its own intensity curve. After the injection of the CA, the signal intensity varies at every time point (is related to the concentration of the CA in the tissue) based on tissue parameters, including vascularization, vessels’ permeability and surface area product, and in this way parametric maps of particular microvascular biomarkers can be extracted. Furthermore, by using suitable mathematical models absolute values of the aforementioned parameters can be estimated. These parameters usually reflect a compartmental pharmacokinetics model demonstrated by CAs, which are allocated between the intravascular and extravascular spaces as it can be seen in Figure 2 (Gordon, et al., 2014). Figure 2: Toft’s compartmental model for calculating DCE-MRI quantitative pharmakokinetic parameters (Verma, et al., 2012). DCE-MRI techniques Currently, two DCE-MRI techniques are defined based on its registration and the origin of the extracted signal. As MRI is highly sensitive to small concentrations of paramagnetic materials passing through a tissue, there are two different physical-chemical properties (Gordon, et al., 2014). Relaxation effect T1, T2 tissue relaxation times are reduced when a diffusible contrast agent is used. Positively enhanced T1-weighted images are generated, when this effect is used and the studies evaluating this effect are characterized asDynamic Contrast Enhanced(DCE)-MRI,T1-W DCE. Susceptibility effect When a paramagnetic contrast agent is located in the intravascular space of a tissue and its magnetic susceptibility is much higher than that of the surrounding tissue water, local magnetic inhomogeneities between the intra and extravascular space emerge, which generate negative enhanced T2 or T2* weighted images during the passage of the CA through the capillaries. Studies depending on this phenomenon are characterized asDynamic Susceptibility Contrast(DSC)-MRI or T2*-W DCE. Image Acquisition Gordon et al. (Gordon, et al., 2014) state that the method of quantification to be applied depends on the number of the measurements, which are required in order to obtain the data; thus, the measurements include: I. Creating a map of pre-contrast native T1 values, which is necessary in order to calculate the CA concentrations. II. Acquiring heavily T1-weighted images, prior and following the Contrast Agent introduction. In this case, high temporal resolution is needed in order to have the ability to further characterize the kinetics of the contrast agent’s entry and exit of the tissue. Typically, 3D image sets are acquired sequentially for 5–10 minutes every few seconds. The ideal for the acquisitions would be to be obtained approximately every 5 seconds, in order to allow the detection of early enhancement. With longer acquisitions (for instance, > 15 seconds), it becomes harder to detect early enhancement. III. Acquisition of the arterial input function (AIF), in order to estimate the CA concentration in the blood plasma of a feeding artery as a function of time. Acquiring the AIF is necessary for almost all quantitative analysis methods and is up to now technically the most difficult part in the data acquisition process. Contrast agents The most regularly used group of contrast agents in DCE-MRI is the low molecular paramagnetic gadolinium (Gd) chelates (Gribbestad, Gjesdal, Nilsen, Lundgren, Hjelstuen, Jackson, 2005). Principally, in Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI, any low molecular weight CAs can be used. (Tofts). The use of contrast agents with high molecular weights leads to lower permeability and lower Ktrans values, since these agents remain in the intravascular space. Using macromolecular CAs the measurement of regional blood volume acquiring scans of low temporal resolution is feasible (Gribbestad, Gjesdal, Nilsen, Lundgren, Hjelstuen, Jackson, 2005). Molecular agent with high molecular weight might be more appropriate for tumor angiogenesis and thus offer better response evaluation to therapy (Turkbey, Thomasson, Pang, Bernardo, Choyke, 2010). Analysis Methods Gordon et al. (Gordon, et al., 2014) state that â€Å"the arrival of CA and thus the enhancement pattern of the tissue depend on a wide variety of factors including vascularity, capillary permeability, perfused capillary surface area, volume and composition of extracellular fluid, renal clearance and perfusion. The analysis of DCE data can provide valuable information concerning the vascular status and perfusion†. Data analysis can be performed using either: qualitative, semi-quantitative, and quantitative approach (Verma, et al., 2012). Qualitative This kind of analysis can range from visual inspection of the images for fast and extreme enhancement of lesions, to the plotting of kinetic curves of signal intensity against time (Gupta, Kauffman, Polascik, Taneja, Rosenkrantz, 2013). The qualitative analysis of DCE-MRI depends on the assumption of rapid and intense enhancement and wash-out as indicator of the existence of a tumor. The tumor vessels are generally leakier and more readily enhanced after the injection of the CA than the ordinary vessels. An early rapid high enhancement after injection is expected followed by a relatively rapid decline compared with a slower and continuously increasing signal for normal tissues during the first few minutes after contrast injection. However, the possibility for an overlap between the natural and the malignant tissues, limit the capabilities of this DCE-MRI approach. Finally, the qualitative approach is regarded as a subjective approach and therefore difficult to standardi ze among institutions, constituting multicenter trials less reliable (Verma, et al., 2012). Semi-quantitative – The semi-quantitative approach also depends on the same assumption as the qualitative approach. On the other hand, in the semi-quantitative analysis various curve parameters are integrated (Verma, et al., 2012). It must be mentioned that depending on the application area, different perfusion parameters are relevant. Nevertheless, some parameters are of general interest for almost all applications. These parameters are acquired to characterize the shape of the TIC, including the time of first arrival of the CA, peak enhancement ( PE the maximum value normalized if the baseline is subtracted), time to peak (TTP the timepoint where peak enhancement takes place), integral (the area between the baseline and the curve, indicating with PE if blood supply is reduced in a ROI), mean transit time (MTT – the timepoint where the integral is bisected), slope (the curve’s steepness during wash-in phase, downslope (the descending curve’s steepness i n wash-out phase ) and wash-in and wash-out curve shapes (Figure 1, Figure 3A). (Preim et al., 2009). Three common dynamic curve types exist in the literature after the initial CA uptake: type 1, persistent increase; type 2, plateau; and type 3, wash-out after initial slope, as it can be seen in Figure 3B and Figure 1. Even though the semi-quantitative approach is used widely in the evaluation of DCE-MRI, significant restrictions arise dealing with the factors contributing to the MR signal intensity (e.g. generalization across acquisition protocols, sequences), which have an effect on the curve metrics (Verma, et al., 2012). Figure 3: A) A typical TIC curve (Preim et al., 2009). B) Differentiation of three patterns of washout phase: type 1 (blue), progressive; type 2 (green), plateau ; type 3 (red), wash-out (Verma, et al., 2012). Factors like the injection rate and the temporal resolution can easily alter the shape of a wash-in/washout curve, creating difficulties in comparison and quantitation. High inter-patient variability is also a factor that can make the definition of threshold values more complex for every parameter that could standardize semi-quantitative approach. However, this approach is relatively simple which makes it even more appealing (Verma, et al., 2012). Quantitative The quantitative approach depends on modeling the concentration change of the CA by integrating pharmacokinetic modeling techniques (Gordon, et al., 2014). Several pharmacokinetic models were proposed, such as by Tofts (Tofts), Brix et al. (Brix et al., 1991). Most of them depend on estimating the exchange rate between extracellular space and blood plasma using some transfer rate constants, like Ktrans(forward volume transfer constant) andkep(reverse reflux rate constant between extracellular space and plasma). â€Å"The transfer constant,Ktrans, is equal to the permeability surface area product per unit volume of tissue.Moreover, Ktransdetermines the flux from the intravascular space to the extracellular space; it may principally represent the vascular permeability in a permeability-limited situation (high flow in relation to permeability), or it may represent the blood flow into the tissue in a flow-limited situation (high permeability in relation to flow). Theveis t he extracellular extravascular volume fraction, andkep=Ktrans/ veexpresses the rate constant, describing the efflux of contrast media from the extracellular space back to plasma. Thevpis the fraction of plasma per unit volume of tissue†, according to Verma et al. (Verma, et al., 2012). In quantitative DCE-MRI analysis, a four compartment model is used for â€Å"tissue†: plasma, extracellular space, intracellular space, and renal excretory pathway (Figure 2). This pharmacokinetic model is applied to the CA concentration changes in the artery (AIF) supplying the tissue of interest, and the CA concentration of the tissue. It must also be noted that due to the fact that pharmacokinetic models require concentration values, signal intensity must be converted to T1 values, because MRI signal intensity is not linear with the CA concentration (Verma, et al., 2012). Clinical Applications of DCE-MRI DCE-MRI has been used for the detection and characterization of tumors in the clinical setting. It also makes the monitoring of tumor treatment and the response to conventional chemotherapy and angiogenic therapies feasible by acting as biomarker (Figure 4). Early tumor detection and treatment affects significantly the survival of patients. DCE-MRI is applied increasingly in a wider range of patients with different kind of cancer, including breast, head and prostate cancer. The method’s quantification ability of characteristics of the lesion microvasculature has stimulated the scientists to use the technique for â€Å"in-vivo staging† of tumors. According to early studies in the field, an evident relationship was demonstrated between large and rapid increases in malignant behavior and signal enhancement in tumors located in prostate, breast, and head. Additionally, important overlapping of contrast enhancement patterns has been noticed between malignant and benign tumor s. Growing accuracy and specificity in the recognition of microvascular characterization parameters is expected to further ameliorate lesion characterization (Gribbestad, Gjesdal, Nilsen, Lundgren, Hjelstuen, Jackson, 2005). More specifically regarding prostate cancer detection and localization, DCE-MRI contributes to prostate MRI, succeeding higher specificity and sensitivity than T2-weighted MR imaging, and sextant u ltrasound guided biopsy, methods being used widely for the pre-treatment work up and screening of prostate cancer respectively (Choi, Kim, Kim, 2007; Bonekamp Macura, 2008). It has been proven that the multi-parametric approach has improved significantly the accuracy of prostate MRI and has a great future. In a cancerous tissue, the number of vessels and their permeability are increased in comparison with normal tissues. Moreover, the interstitial space is greater. These factors cause significant increase of contrast enhancement parameters, such as MTT, blood flow, interstitial volume. The aforementioned observations are applicable in prostate cancer, too. As it can be seen in Figure 3B, the red curve could represent a prostate cancer with faster and steeper enhancement and faster wash-out than in normal tissues. Figure 4 a-c (Turkbey, Thomasson, Pang, Bernardo, Choyke, 2010): a) A patient with prostate cancer. The arrow indicates a low signal intensity focus on axial T2W MR image B) Increased enhancement shown by the lesion on axial T1W DCE-MR image C) fusion of color-coded Ktrans Conclusion The determination of functional microvascular parameters by using DCE-MRI might be instrumental in evaluating many vascular diseases. The potential of the technique to assess the severity of illnesses, to non-invasively and in parallel measure multiple relevant parameters, to study the pathophysiology of diseases, seems to be extremely promising. Even though, the method is known for over 20 years it is still considered immature. This has mainly to do with the significant variations in data analysis and acquisition protocols from study to study. Furthermore, the analysis of the pharmacokinetic parameters is a complex task and computationally expensive, due to the existence of plethora of analysis algorithms (Gordon, et al., 2014). DCE-MRI is restricted in organs with physiologic motion, including lungs and liver, and may not be applicable in some specific group of patients, especially those with renal failure and claustrophobia (Turkbey, Thomasson, Pang, Bernardo, Choyke, 2010). However, although the extraction of quantitative pharmacokinetic parameters is more difficult, compartmental model based methods are more robust than the semi-quantitative approaches, and offer deeper understanding of physiology. Finally, they are not potentially based on the scanning technique, the type of scanner, and individual patient variations ( Gordon, et al., 2014).

Dress Code Dilemma :: School Education Clothing Essays

Dress Code Dilemma Dear Dr. Pettigrew, Imagine this situation: I walk into my third period class and my teacher says to me, â€Å"Joell I think your skirt is too short. You need to get it checked by the office.† I do not understand why my first or second period teacher said nothing to me about my skirt. However, I go to the office, and wait for the principal or vice principal to measure my skirt. Forty-five minutes pass and it is time for my fourth period class. Finally, the principal steps out of her office and measures my skirt. According to the dress code, a skirt has to be four and a half inches above the knees, but mine is five inches. I now have two options: 1) I could put on my gym clothes that I have worn in gym class all week or 2) I could sit in the in-school suspension room, missing more classes until one of my parents can bring me a change of clothes. If I choose not to put on my dirty gym clothes and both of my parents are not able to bring me a change of clothes, then I am forced to sit in the in-school suspension room for the rest of the day. In this situation, I chose to have my mother bring me a change of clothes. When she arrived twenty minutes later, she was furious and demanded to speak with the principal. She wanted to know why her daughter had to miss three classes. This experience examines a policy I struggled with while attending Mars High School. There is a great deal of confusion about what is considered legal or illegal according to the dress code. Students’ getting cheated out of class time is the detrimental result of this confusion. Now that I have graduated, I want to express my concern because my younger cousin is going to be a freshman next year and I do not want her to face the same hassles. I feel our administration places too much emphasis on the specifics of the dress code and forces students to miss important education.

Character Relations In The Awakening :: essays research papers

It would be easy to say that Edna Pontellier emulates both Madame Ratignolle and Mademoiselle Reisz, however, throughout the novel, it is evident that Edna steps out beyond this assumption and asserts herself as another person altogether. This is obvious in the defining features of each of the women. Madame Ratignolle, for example, is always represented in a very flamboyant nature and is usually associated with clothes, whereas, Mademoiselle Reisz, in contrast, has no relation to clothes or anything of material nature. She instead is associated “passionately'; with music. Edna, on the other hand, has none of these qualities attributed to her. She is not described in terms of clothes. She is never attributed with being flamboyant. She is not musically inclined, with the exception of the fact that the music moves her toward the “awakening'; of her sensuality.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When examining the first stirrings, “a certain light [that] was beginning to dawn dimly within her,'; we see that Edna thinks independently of outside interference. When she “was beginning to realize her position in the universe as a human being, and to recognize her relations as an individual to the world within and about her'; she does just that—she realizes the world within her, not without her. That is to say, she does this entire “awakening'; on her own. She does not directly receive any outside influence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Edna Pontellier, as a whole, is a woman completely different from any other in the novel. She stands alone and thinks alone and speaks alone. Her ideas and thoughts are completely hers. It would be wrong to say that Madame Ratignolle and Mademoiselle Reisz are embodiments of two different Ednas. They are not. They contribute their thoughts and ideas to Edna but Edna interprets these thoughts and ideas and either incorporates them or disregards them. In the end, with one fell swoop, she disregards everything ever suggested to her by these two other women. In the final chapter, she takes off all her clothes and walks into the water thereby ridding herself of both Madame Ratignolle and Mademoiselle Reisz. She does this in that, as mentioned earlier, Madame Ratignolle is often represented by her clothes, thus, by taking off all her clothes and standing “naked in the open air, at the mercy of the sun, the breeze that beat upon her, and the waves that invited her' ; she rejects Madame Ratignolle’s self-righteous dedication to her husband and children.

Compare London and Westminster Bridge Essay

These two poems, though written within 10 years of each other, convey very different views on London. They were both written during a time of revolution and change. Both these poems were written at the turn of the 19th century, in Georgian times, to illustrate the authors’ views on the City of London. At the time, the industrial revolution was underway and there was a vast growth in the population, due to medical advances and a more promiscuous culture with prostitution in the formation of new cities. There was a revolution started in France and because it was a respected country within Europe at the time, with its pioneers in architecture, gardening and thought, the French had major influence in England. Being its neighbouring country it caused ripples of change and rebellion in European thought. This affected many people in England; the poet Blake was one of them. His revolutionist ideas were conveyed in this poem, London. This was contrary to Wordsworth’s poem, Upon Westminster Bridge, which picked out the imagery of London and its glory, without relating that the frivolous consummations of the monarchy and the church, created a vast gap between the rich and the poor, which Blake picked up on. Wordsworth was most probably ignorant of the fact that the mass of the English population in London was poor, because he was a tourist in the city. Or he could have realised the fact yet looked past it deciding that it would make a better poem to elaborate on London’s splendour. The poem also, seems vastly over the top and many people may just take the poem at its face value and dislike it, but Wordsworth’s poem describes London as ‘glittering in the smokeless air’ and having a calming aura. These statements, I think might be sarcastic. At the time it was written, the Industrial revolution was happening and the chimneys of most factories would be blurting smoke for most hours of the day, and even if they had stopped over night the remnants of months of coal burning would not dissipate within 8 hours. Also to describe London as calming is a little far fetched. London is the heart of the United Kingdom, a port and an important centre of commerce. It is near impossible for us to imagine it as ‘calm’ even in ‘The beauty of the morning;’ Wordsworth’s most famous works are dedicated to the beauty of the awe-inspiring lake district, so it is not hard to imagine he could have been shocked and repulsed by London. Upon Westminster Bridge sets off on the word â€Å"Earth† this could mean that London was the centre of the commercial world, and that at the same time was the best place on Earth to be. This could be another example of sarcasm due to London being half-built during the revolution. Its face meaning though is to start the poem off as a harmony of nature and architecture. The first line shows Wordsworth’s typical naturalistic view upon the city, as he relates with many of his other poems. He was an early romantic poet; he admired nature and natural form, his extreme idyllic view on London could be seen as sarcastic or ignorant. The second line is monosyllabic yet that doesn’t have any relevant dynamic effect on the style of the poem. Dull is the first word that goes against the happier grain of the poem. It relates a feeling of miserableness and boredom, and could be seen to insult the reader that doesn’t agree with his poem, as he would have a â€Å"dull, soul†, and an unopened, insensitive mind. This could be a reason why many take the poem on face value, because no one would want a dull soul as the poem suggests. The end of the line uses enjambment to connect the second line to the third. This line creates imagery; the word â€Å"sight† implies our soul would be â€Å"touched† by London. â€Å"Majesty† is a powerful word, exaggerating the overall romantic theme of the poem and an overview of England as a powerful and unique nation with high status in the world. Line 4 uses a simile and personification to make the city seem as one single body, wearing â€Å"the beauty of the morning†, possibly as a disguise to cover the corrupt people it houses. Wordsworth is viewing the city in the morning, when the city would be very quiet and peaceful. Wordsworth was also standing on Westminster Bridge; from which he had a higher, isolated view over the scene of London. At dawn, London would be showered with the golden light of the sun, the river would appear to gleam and the un-crowded streets would be filled with crisp air. The ground would be covered with dew, all idealistically perfect compared to the reality that within one hour of his view, the streets would awake and the whole scene would change. Blake had a completely different viewpoint on London, his first line opens with a romantic â€Å"wander† through the â€Å"chartered† streets, this is a contrast, he himself whilst romantic and free thinking, is in a city governed by rules, entrapments and corruption. He then repeats this idea in the next line with the chartering of the themes, contrary to Wordsworth’s gliding river, this implies that London is overpowering nature. He then alliterates â€Å"marks† 3 times to give an exaggeration of the theme of suffering. â€Å"Every† from the 3rd line is then repeated in the second stanza to generalise everyone as saddened, depressed and constricted. Blake’s poem is different to Wordsworth’s in its entirety. Blake is describing from a low viewpoint, in the streets between the dirty houses, at about 10:30 at night, with a serious, constricted and darkened theme. Wordsworth’s is from a higher viewpoint on the bridge, at about 5:30 in the morning with not many people about with a happy, elated theme. The techniques, each use to create these effects are also different, Wordsworth uses a typical romantic style sonnet, and both Poems use their structure to emphasise the words in them. William Blake’s ‘London’ is written in four, four line stanzas. Each line of each verse has the same number of syllables; this creates a regimented, almost mechanical effect. It uses alternate line rhyming to make the poem sound regular and accentuates the last word of each line. Each verse of the Blake poem attacks a different aspect of London. It is clear that Blake found London a very corrupt and immoral place. Whereas in contrast Wordsworth’s poem is written in the form of an Italian sonnet the octave of which describes the man made elements of the city, the last sextet refers to natural beauty. This poem also uses alternate line rhyming to create the effect of order. It is written in prose using iambic pentameter. This device brings attention to emphasise the meaning of the rhyming words. William Blake’s poem conveys his feelings in a more abstract style, when he uses the people and buildings of London to represent the institutions which they are associated with. He uses the image of a church to criticise religious establishments and a palace to signify the state, and authorities that control it. He gives the image of the â€Å"soldier’s sigh† running in â€Å"blood† down palace walls. Here he is attacking the monarchy and government for condemning young men to death by sending them off to fight in foreign wars. He uses hyperbole to criticise London and the sadness and malice of the people who live there. Blake’s London brutally painted is a dark, dirty, disease ridden and deprived place Unlike the Wordsworth poem it leaves you in no doubt as to the authors feelings on the subject. In the last verse of Blake’s, it gives us his time scale; â€Å"midnight†, and he shows us the corruption of innocence, with â€Å"youthful harlot’s†. The last stanza accentuates the uncleanness of the area, how London was plagued with diseases and how life in the slums of the city is very short. It may be an example of the typical life of people in London. With children being the product of prostitution and sexual promiscuity, the children are then raised in a poor, unhygienic even uneducated area then marry and die due to blights and diseases. Marriage is supposed to be a happy occasion, but here it shows to be an institution, which carries people to their deathbeds. This may be due to sexually transmitted diseases, which were ravaging through the population at the time. Blake’s entire poem is blunt and to the point, describing what was going on and that he was unhappy about it and the fact that people were ignoring it. Wordsworth’s poem is far less melodramatic than Blake’s, it is a snapshot in time of London in the morning, with no look at the types of people who live there, or of their pasts and futures. Blake’s overall poem display a message of sadness and disgust towards London, its monarchy and the authorities housed there. I think that the style of Wordsworth is very ineffective at relating his like for London as it seems to almost be sucking up to London’s builders and rulers and so it does not provoke strong feelings or thoughts. Even if the reader acknowledges there is sarcasm in the style, it still does not show accurately the problems of London or that anything should be done about it. Blake’s poem on the other hand is very effective at relating his own feelings towards the city, and of provoking our own so that we are appalled by the conditions and mistreatment people were forced to live with at the time he wrote this. I prefer Blake’s poem because the atmosphere he builds, through his phrases and his technique, is far more powerful than the atmosphere Wordsworth attempted to make. It is far more descriptive and flows more poetically than Wordsworth’s and I believe he was overall a better writer.

From Foster Care to Prison Essay

Young adults who egress the tyke-welf atomic make come expose of the closet 18 scheme at mount up cardinal face steeper ch altogetherenges in be come extinct independent adults than those who stay in get ahead perplexity. National studies shake off shew that unripe mess who get along surface of the child-welf be frame at eighteen atomic routine 18 jet chord eons much plausibly to be unemployed and not enrolled in aim than teen people overall. They atomic number 18 alike much more credibly to p atomic number 18 financially, hold up from affable illnesses or medicine or alcohol dis arrays, swallow children they bottom of the inningt take supervise of, or end up in prison house house house (Borja, 2005).The literature demonstrates that there is a commit correlation amid children develop out of rear sympathize with and gravel in the prison musical arrangement. The convey of California is the largest state caparison nourish charge ch ildren in the country. Still, there is a high crave for enquiry to demonstrate modes by which the vibration of demolition keep be broken, as gnomish research has been conducted on harbor at ten-spotding girlishs beyond the age of 18. As a result of this, an exploratory reflect lead be conducted to define parameters that should enable and dispose states extend entertain- keeping services to younkers until age 21. writings Review Bruce Willis once said withal m both an(prenominal) children in further conduct be falling by the cracksBe a hero take the m to learn astir(predicate) adoption guidely (Thinkexist. com, 2006). hold dear make out is meant to be a temporary living situation for children who are awaiting the opportunity to be reunited with their parents or some other(a) suitable guardian. In some berths, children are placed in long-term bid placements. For older insipids, a treasure occupy schedule drive out be k immediatelying to earmark gentility and resources to prepare the adolescent for the transition into independence (Wikipedia, 2006).Look moreproblem centered coping searchAs of September 30, 2003, there were an estimated 523,000 children on record in promote trade. Of these, 46 percent lived in non-relative homes, 23% lived in relative homes, 19% lived in sort homes or institutions, 5% were in pre-adoptive homes and 7% lived in other placement compositors cases (Wikipedia, 2006). When a child enters the sustain premeditation ashes, the government role of the parent is no longer held by a single psyche or even the household. Rather, multiple parties are manifold. much lots than not, the state assumes custody of the child.A coquet ap testifyed attorney or child encourageion services agency is wedded the responsibility of the decision making. The value veneration provider is assigned the responsibility of the physical custody. Judges other court officials may also have a say in the disquiet and welfare of the child. The childs biological parents or guardians may also remain involved through visitations and preempt also be in plaster bandageed of their childs eudaemonia and forethought plan (Molin and Palmer, 2005). There are two types of parent deal military volunteer and involuntary.Voluntary foster cope returns when situations germinate where the parent or guardian is temporarily unable to guardianship for a child and seeks help. Involuntary foster divvy up often occurs when the child is taken from the parent or guardian in commit to find out safety. The end result of the large number of decision makers in the foster care dust has been manifestn to have further noisome effects on the well(p)- beingness of the children. The price to maintain a remains with so many players raises financial concerns, and often puts the prompt rents of the child on the back down burner.Additionally, foster care children may not necessarily receive the type of care they need and may be oddly vulnerable to not receiving care for their psychogenic wellness ineluctably because they often lose a person in their invigoration who feels responsible and accountable for their well-being (Kerker and Morrison, 2005). Because of the miss of individual attention on steering on the childs well-being, children in foster care are unendingly ending up homeless, in prison or in genial institutions as yearly as adolescents. many an(prenominal) children in foster care exhibit mental wellness problems.These can range from encumbrance achieving sustainable relationships, coping problems, emotional and behavioural disturbances, attention disorders, depression, autism and bipolar disorder, thus make these children to be defined as a vulnerable population in knockout need of consideration and protection. The nigh common problem exhibited by the children in foster care are called externalizing disorders (Kerker and Morrison, 2005). Externalizing disord ers a great deal occur when children have been ab utilise physically and, as a result of the abuse, demonstrate outward aggression towards others as well as towards themselves.There are statistics to prolong the case that there are f turningors in the foster care system that contri merelye to the obstructive mental health of the children in care. It is near important to note that few of the children in the system are screened for mental health problems. One study showed that over 94% of the welfare agencies sampled assessed the children for physical health problems, but provided 47. 8% checked for mental health problems (Kerker and Morrison, 2005). It is important to mention that being removed from their homes and placed in a foster care setting is a difficult and stressful experience for a child.Many of these children have suffered some form of serious abuse or disuse. active 30% of children in foster care have severe emotional, manneral or developmental problems (American Academy of baby bird and teen ripened Psychiatry, 2005). While most foster children show signs of remarkable resiliency, many also suffer from physical health problems as well as physiological and emotional problems. These children frequently blame themselves and feel guilty about being removed from their birth parents and wish to return to their parents even if they had been abused by them (American Academy of pincer and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2005).In evaluating the effect of foster care children who are age out of the system and go into the real world, it is important to note that many of the children in the system have self-aggrandising up with their parents in prison. Consider for example, origin battle cry Officer Marilyn Cambrell. Cambrell plays surrogate mama to children whose parents are in prison at M. B. Smiley High School in Houston. more or less half of the students attending the high coach have all had to face the public that they are among the 2 million U. S. children with a parent behind bars.Many of these students are now in foster care, leave them with feelings that they are unloved and unsafe in the world. Cambrell has begun to institute classes at the school, which have given more than 300 students a relegate to vent their frustrations, share coping skills and, most importantly, feel they arent alone (Aguayo and Sewing, 2003). Many states have begun to implement strategies to break the bi rhythm method of exposure among students that age out of the foster care system and have begun to recruit systems of self-care in the foster care system.In Iowa, a new faithfulness has been use that mandates the extension of financial indorse to jejuneness in foster care to 21 years of age. In essence, the new law armed services as a model for other states to enact the same law and change the services for youth who are making the transition from foster care to maturity date ( constitution and Practice, 2006). In order to qualify f or the wide care and support, the youth are mandated to insert in an education and readying program or work full sequence.To be able to qualify in the law, the youth must participate in an education or training program or work full time. This program go under the example of self-care that Orem describes as inborn to the succeeder of individuals seeking out crush health, as the adolescents and tender adults are taught manner to provide for themselves and are given the resources un neutralizeable to develop independence. Legislatures and other advocates have begun to get involved in the fight on so national level to protect the vulnerability of foster care children maturation out of the system.Similar to the program in Iowa, The nourish flush Independence propel of 1999 was passed to help provide children who are aging out of the foster care system the intent skills necessary to provide for themselves. The act provides further access to health care professionals, as the act extends Medicaid coverage onetime(prenominal) age 18, and requires states to prepare foster kids for handicraft or for further education in advance they are emancipated (DeLay, 2000). Another tint that can be taken to go steady the well being of children in foster care is to focus on the need for assessment. nurture parents can be taught by health care professionals such as nurses to look for signs of mental problems. The California instal for psychogenic wellness has developed binding scratchs that consist of a series of questions regarding indicators of probable emotional and/or behavioral disturbances in preschool (0 to 5 years) and school-age (6 to 18 years) children. The screenings are designed to assist in the observations of the children, and to alert the parents and others in the foster care system of a need for more extensive evaluations (Kerker and Morrison, 2005). state magazine recently published an phrase on a couple, Julie and Mike Deitch, who do the decision to take on foster children. They became licensed as foster parents afterwards seven months of classes. In 2004, they took in three siblings whose parents were hooked on meth. They have since adopted the children and took on two more children, whose parents were schizophrenic (Jerome and Marquez, 2006). There are several issues that come of out the Deitchs story that can be used as native examples of the success of the modern foster care system.First and foremost, the parents received the training they needed to care for the children themselves. Secondly, the children were placed with foster parents who show to adopt. And, season the Deitchs had much to strike in dealing with children whose parents had mental health problems, they put the needs of the child origin and stuck with providing a high quality standard of care regardless of the obstacles at hand. It is apparent(a) that the child welfare system needs to undergo some redevelopment to best address the n eeds of the mental health condition of foster children.Emphasis should be on the day to day, starting in the home. Foster parents need to be proficient to care for the children by health professionals. honest-to-god children need quality attention so that they can one day care for themselves as adult. Any and all mental health problems need to be sight at an early stage and care for. Advocates need to continue to take commemorate of the needs of the vulnerability of the foster care children and create legislation and develop programs that service their best interest.If these things occur, perhaps the cycle of vulnerability of children in foster care can be vanquish. Young adults who have aged out of the foster care system have left the system only to be faced with significant health, kind and educational deficits including homelessness, involvement in new-fashioned crime and prostitution, mental and physical health problems, despicable educational and employment outcomes, poor social support systems and early parenthood.These poor outcomes reflect a number of factors including current emotional trauma resulting from experiences of abuse and neglect prior to care, inadequate support while in care, accelerated transitions to adulthood and miss of guaranteed ongoing financial and other avail to help facilitate this transition. Young people leaving care do not currently receive the ongoing support that a good parent would be expected to provide for their children (Mendes, 2006).Children in the foster care system have been raise to be associated with the probability of becoming a rapist or other type of rideual crime predator. As a result of this, the literature demonstrates that the prevention of round may usefully be associated with enhancing the life chances of fathers and sons by greater support for those offenders who have spent time in foster care. Additionally, the fact that the risk factors for future vehemence are similar to those for rape endorses the point that rape is necessaryly a force offence rather than a sex offence.It further demonstrates that prevention programs for rape go away have associated benefits (Christofferson, Soothill and Francis, 2005). Many children who have been determine as having deviant or behavior problems spend time in healing(predicate) foster care programs. In these programs, the youth are placed in the care of foster parents who have been trained to provide a structured environment that supports their teaching social and emotional skills. An assessment was conducted on the effectiveness of such programs in preventing fiery behavior among take part youth.The Task agitate on Community Preventive run conducted a systematic review of the scientific literature regarding these programs, decision that reported and sight violence, including violent crime among the children in therapeutical programs declined (Hahn, et. Al, 2004). Due to the issues that they faced throughout adolesc ence, preteen adults who leave the child-welfare system at age 18 face steeper challenges in becoming independent adults than those who stay in foster care.National studies have found that young people who age out of the child-welfare system at 18 are three times more likely to be unemployed and not enrolled in school than young people overall. They are also much more likely to struggle financially, suffer from mental illnesses or drug or alcohol disorders, bear children they cant take care of, or end up in prison (Borja, 2005). The literature demonstrates that there is a direct correlation between children aging out of foster care and entering the prison system. The state of California is the largest state housing foster care children in the country.Still, there is a high demand for research to demonstrate methods by which the cycle of destruction can be broken, as little research has been conducted on foster care youths beyond the age of 18. As a result of this, an exploratory st udy allow for be conducted to define parameters that should enable and convince states to extend foster-care services to youths until age 21. The parameters that ordain be defined let in the education levels, current living conditions, socioeconomic status and employment statuses held by the young adults aging out of the foster care system.The mountain bequeath then serve as a tool in support of the literature in order to shed light onto the lacking contact lens between children leaving the foster care system and attaining financial independence and success in mainstream society. Methods The county of capital of California extends from the low delta lands between the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers north to about ten miles beyond the State Capitol and east to the foothills of the sierra Nevada Mountains (County of Sacramento, 2006). The southernmost portion of Sacramento County has direct access to the San Francisco Bay.Respondents for this research depart be selected from aged out foster care children in the county of Sacramento. In order to account the sample population, social workers and foster care agencies in spite of appearance Sacramento County, including the County Department of Health economic aid as well as the Criminal Justice Department allow for be contacted. The representatives of the agencies leave alone receive information detailing the importance of conducting the sight, and will be asked to provide or pass on the trace questions to interested participants between the ages of 18-21.The local prison will also be contacted in order to delineate objective samples who have come through the foster care system and who are now in prison. The representatives will be asked to avoid bias, and to sleep those selected among males and females. In order to imagine accurate percentages and accurately represent the number of young adults aging out of the foster care system, the ideal sample size will consist of fifty male and fifty fema les. For confidentiality purposes, those sampled cannot be randomly selected, as all cognomens and information of those individuals participating need to be passed on through a social work related agency.Due to this, the results may be somewhat skewed. However, the skewing of the results will most likely balance themselves. That is, it is expected that an individual receiving technical training coming out of the foster care system (an example of a success story) will most likely be balanced out by an individual in prison coming out of the foster care system. That being said, it is essential that there be some look into in selecting the sample, as having 100 responders all in prison will express the results. Due to this, the curriculum vitae will be distributed to a variety of agencies, so as to best manage the results.In conducting the survey, questions will be posed to address the answerers attainment in areas of education, employment, friendship and family. The questions wil l be posed utilizing a Likert-type scale to determine response categories. Questions involving demographics, ethnicity and sexual activity will be essential in providing useful information as to other factors (outside of being in foster care) that weaken individuals in the population. For example, a question in the survey should identify the demographic localisation of function held by the foster child during the time in care, as well as well as identify any potential moves or changes in location.In doing this, it will be possible to identify if demographic changes are an independent shifting or dependent variable in effecting the results of the survey. If it is an independent variable, then it needs to be accounted for in the survey results. Similar questions will be posed in regards to ethnicity and gender, in order to determine their impacts on the results of the survey. The surveys will be distributed to contacted welfare agencies in the Sacramento area to then be passed on to site samples.If needed, and if approved by the agencies, the method will include taking time to travel to the place of residence of the selected population to ensure that the surveys are accurately change out and returned. The responses will then be entered into SPSS. An abbreviation of the surveys will be conducted face for significant differences, relationships and correlations. In doing this, primeval-word searchers will be conducted. At the same time, the responses will be grouped based on socioeconomic class, education, gender, living conditions and employment status and then cross referenced to identify key correlations in the data.The purpose of the survey will be to candidly define fag triggers that caused the foster care children to end up in prison. A comparative analysis of results will be conducted in order to drawn lines of association between family values, views on friendship as well as socioeconomic status. At the same time, the answers to the survey will be used to equate and contrast methods and exposures faced by those young adults who did not go to prison after leaving the foster care system versus those who did. In conducting the survey and evaluating the results, levels of success within the foster care system will be revealed.For example, if it is found that many of the young adults were mainstreamed into a job-training program and unchanging entered prison, the survey will be used to reveal triggering factors that caused the downfall. Due to the sensitive disposition of the survey as well as the sensitive nature of the questions posed to the target population, the survey will need to be submitted to a human subjects committee for review. Overall, the survey test the hypothesis in an onslaught to assess the needs of legislators to pass constitution to extend foster care benefits to the age of 21.populations overall military capability towards the future. That is, it will provide insight as to whether oror not the populat ion has successfully overcome the cycle of destruction (coming out of the system and ending up in prison as a result of no where else to go), or if it appears that the individual needs further training to in order to be financially independent and lead a stable lifestyle. Anticipated Findings It is expected that the survey will reveal a clear cycle of destruction occurring from the transition out of foster care.The survey is anticipated to support the literature that there is a missing cerebrate between children leaving the system at the age of 18 and finding success in the mainstream society. Due to this, the survey will provide a tool to better define what the missing link is, and provide insight as to what can be done to break the cycle of destruction. This is good, you should include similar language at the end of your literature review when you are discussing the intent of your research. Finally, make sure to get hold of your survey as an appendix stage to your proposal Refe rences Aguayo, Anna and Sewing, Joy.A Former Parole Officer Plays Surrogate Mom to Kids with Parents in Jail. People, 60(11), p. 129-130. American Academy of Adolescent and Child Psychiatry (2005, May). Foster sympathize with. Retrieved December 4, 2006, from http//aacap. org/page. ww? name=Foster+ consider§ion=Facts+for+Families Ashby, Cornelia (2006). Child eudaemonia Improving Social return Program Training and Technical Assistance Information Would Help Address Long-Standing Service-Level and manpower Challenges. GAO Reports, p. 56. Borja, Rhea (2005). Teens Released from Foster Care excessively Early, Report Says. Education Week, 24(38), p. 6-6.Child Welfare Information Gateway (2005). Foster Care Numbers and Trends. Retrieved December 5, 2006 from http//www. childwelfare. gov/pubs/factsheets/foster. cfm County of Sacramento (2006). close to Sacramento County. Retrieved December 5, 2006 from http//www. saccounty. net/ hepatic portal vein/about/areafacts. html CMS Netwo rk (2006). checkup Foster Care Program. Retrieved December 5, 2006 from http//www. cms-kids. com/CMSNMedicalFosterCare. htm Delay, tomcat (2000). Fighting for Children. American Journal of Psychiatry, p. 120-124. Jerome, Richard and Marquez, Sandra (2006). They opened their hearts and home to babies born of meth-addicted moms.People, 66(15), p. 83-84 Kerker, B. , & Morrison, M. (2006, January). Mental Health Needs and manipulation of Foster younker Barriers and Opportunities. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 76(1), 138-147. Molin, R. (2005, January). accede and Participation Ethical Issues in the Treatment of Children in Out-of-Home Care. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 75(1), 1. polity and Practice (2006). New Iowa Law for Youth Aging Out of Foster Care Seen as Model for Other States. Policy and Practice of Public Human Services, 64(3), p. 28. San Francisco narration Editorial (2005, October 14). Governor signs foster-care bills.San Francisco Chronicle, 10. 2005, . Retrieved December 4, 2006, from http//www. sfgate. com/cgi-bin/article. cgi? appoint=/chronicle/archive/2005/10/14/EDGKVF7QQ01. DTL San Francisco Chronicle Editorial (2006, November 2). Foster Cares Future. San Francisco Chronicle, 11. 2006, . Retrieved December 5, 2006, from http//www. sfgate. com/cgi-bin/article ThinkExist. com (2006). Foster Care Quotes. Retrieved December 4, 2006, from http//en. thinkexist. com/quotes/with/keyword/foster/ Wikipedia (2006). Foster Care. Retrieved December 5, 2006, from http//en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Foster_care