Sunday, August 9, 2020

Welcome to The Meister Team Felix, Maria and Sandra! - Focus

Welcome to The Meister Team Felix, Maria and Sandra! - Focus Haven’t heard from us in a while? That’s because we’ve been very busy adding to our growing team. On that note, we’d like to formally welcome Felix, Maria and Sandra. They’ll be utilizing their expertise in the QA, Software Development and Growth departments. “Great things in business are never done by one person. They’re done by a team of people.” â€" Steve Jobs Felix Kiss â€" Backend Developer My Background I knew I wanted to become a software developer ever since I was 12 years old. That was when I first started learning about HTML/CSS/JS, PHP and a little bit of C, mainly through the internet and books. I attended a technical high school that focused on IT, and then obtained my Bachelors Degree in Software Engineering from the University of Applied Sciences in Vienna. My professional experience varied over the years â€" I’ve worked as a freelancer, I worked for a few small consultancy firms; I also co-founded a company that developed a web application for private medical practices, where I was responsible for the REST API as lead backend developer. After four years, I decided that it was time for a change of scenery, so I joined the backend team at Meister! My Role at Meister As a backend developer at Meister, I’ll be responsible for making improvements to systems that are currently used by both products and by all users, such as user/team management and billing. This involves a lot of backend development with the occasional bit of frontend. About Me Im a huge fan of hockey, gaming and software development. In an effort to combine my three favorite things, I’m a system administrator for the European EA Sports competitive NHL Series. I participate in tournaments in a team of six. I appreciate word play (every pun is a good pun) and clever humour. Aside from that, I enjoy listening to podcasts and goofing around with my best friend. Maria Cygan â€" QA My Background I actually got into IT in a bit of a roundabout way. I have a degree in Linguistics from the   University of Warsaw, but my career started off behind a service desk in my hometown, Lódz. After that, I worked as a technical writer at Fujitsu RD and then made the switch to QA. I just recently moved to Vienna to further my career, and that’s when I joined the QA team at Meister. My Role at Meister I started at MindMeister in May as a quality assurance officer. My job is to make sure that MindMeister remains a fun tool to use and is completely bug-free. I do this by performing manual tests as well as updating and designing new test cases. I’m also looking into finding new testing tools and methods. About Me You can nearly always find me reading something. My favorite genres are fantasy and science fiction, but I won’t say no to a good crime story, or learning more about history, archeology, paleontology and linguistics. When my nose isn’t in a book, you can find me cross-stitching or playing RPGs (computer as well as pen and paper ones) and board games. Sandra Merkel â€" Data Analyst   My Background I come from Leipzig, Germany. I studied International Business in Dresden and spent time in St. Petersburg, Nice and Vienna. After completing my studies, I started working in online marketing and that took me to Berlin. Soon after my arrival, I accidentally became a “data person” (this is probably because data is on the rise everywhere). This is when I discovered that python can be more than a snake and that some cookies cannot be eaten. After five years in Berlin, I heard Vienna calling and now here I am.. My Role at Meister As a data analyst at Meister, I will focus on gathering, blending and displaying data to empower other team members to make good decisions. My main focus will be to first build up the business intelligence area at Meister. I’ll be working closely within the growth team to create a centralized knowledge base that will house all data, from several sources, in one place. In addition, I will try to bridge the gap between marketing and tech. My role will also be to understand the user journey. About Me I like good food and drinks with friends. I’ve always been into sports and have done a variety of different things, like Taekwon-Do and ballroom dance. I recently discovered CrossFit, the perfect sport for anyone seeking to have a near-death experience. Anyone keen to join? Welcome to The Meister Team Felix, Maria and Sandra! - Focus Haven’t heard from us in a while? That’s because we’ve been very busy adding to our growing team. On that note, we’d like to formally welcome Felix, Maria and Sandra. They’ll be utilizing their expertise in the QA, Software Development and Growth departments. “Great things in business are never done by one person. They’re done by a team of people.” â€" Steve Jobs Felix Kiss â€" Backend Developer My Background I knew I wanted to become a software developer ever since I was 12 years old. That was when I first started learning about HTML/CSS/JS, PHP and a little bit of C, mainly through the internet and books. I attended a technical high school that focused on IT, and then obtained my Bachelors Degree in Software Engineering from the University of Applied Sciences in Vienna. My professional experience varied over the years â€" I’ve worked as a freelancer, I worked for a few small consultancy firms; I also co-founded a company that developed a web application for private medical practices, where I was responsible for the REST API as lead backend developer. After four years, I decided that it was time for a change of scenery, so I joined the backend team at Meister! My Role at Meister As a backend developer at Meister, I’ll be responsible for making improvements to systems that are currently used by both products and by all users, such as user/team management and billing. This involves a lot of backend development with the occasional bit of frontend. About Me Im a huge fan of hockey, gaming and software development. In an effort to combine my three favorite things, I’m a system administrator for the European EA Sports competitive NHL Series. I participate in tournaments in a team of six. I appreciate word play (every pun is a good pun) and clever humour. Aside from that, I enjoy listening to podcasts and goofing around with my best friend. Maria Cygan â€" QA My Background I actually got into IT in a bit of a roundabout way. I have a degree in Linguistics from the   University of Warsaw, but my career started off behind a service desk in my hometown, Lódz. After that, I worked as a technical writer at Fujitsu RD and then made the switch to QA. I just recently moved to Vienna to further my career, and that’s when I joined the QA team at Meister. My Role at Meister I started at MindMeister in May as a quality assurance officer. My job is to make sure that MindMeister remains a fun tool to use and is completely bug-free. I do this by performing manual tests as well as updating and designing new test cases. I’m also looking into finding new testing tools and methods. About Me You can nearly always find me reading something. My favorite genres are fantasy and science fiction, but I won’t say no to a good crime story, or learning more about history, archeology, paleontology and linguistics. When my nose isn’t in a book, you can find me cross-stitching or playing RPGs (computer as well as pen and paper ones) and board games. Sandra Merkel â€" Data Analyst   My Background I come from Leipzig, Germany. I studied International Business in Dresden and spent time in St. Petersburg, Nice and Vienna. After completing my studies, I started working in online marketing and that took me to Berlin. Soon after my arrival, I accidentally became a “data person” (this is probably because data is on the rise everywhere). This is when I discovered that python can be more than a snake and that some cookies cannot be eaten. After five years in Berlin, I heard Vienna calling and now here I am.. My Role at Meister As a data analyst at Meister, I will focus on gathering, blending and displaying data to empower other team members to make good decisions. My main focus will be to first build up the business intelligence area at Meister. I’ll be working closely within the growth team to create a centralized knowledge base that will house all data, from several sources, in one place. In addition, I will try to bridge the gap between marketing and tech. My role will also be to understand the user journey. About Me I like good food and drinks with friends. I’ve always been into sports and have done a variety of different things, like Taekwon-Do and ballroom dance. I recently discovered CrossFit, the perfect sport for anyone seeking to have a near-death experience. Anyone keen to join?

Saturday, May 23, 2020

The Struggle Of The Civil Rights Movement - 1339 Words

The Civil Rights Movement is one of the most influential events from all of America’s history. This fight started long before the ‘60s and has continued long after. All minority groups will face the struggle for rights at some time. This movement just happened to be for the African Americans in the 1960s. During this era, there were several leaders and events that experienced success in their endeavors to get rid of segregation and create equal opportunities for all. One of the most famous leaders from this time period started out as the son of a Baptist preacher in Nebraska. However, this boy soon became fatherless after moving to Michigan. This boy, that grew up to play a significant role in the movement, was Malcolm Little or better known as Malcolm X. He experienced hardships and oppression starting at a young age because of the prejudiced and racist environment that existed at the time. On May 19, 1925, Malcolm Little was born in Omaha; however, even before he turned 4, his family moved several times due to death threats from the Black Legions, a group similar to the Ku Klux Klan. By the time Malcolm was 6 years old, the Little family had experienced their house burning down and their father die. While both were declared accidents, most believe it to be the works of the Black Legion. After his eighth grade year, Malcolm decided to drop out of school. Soon after, he became involved in the crime life, wearing zoot suits and adopting the nickname â€Å"Detroit Red.† In 1946,Show MoreRelatedThe Struggle For Civil Rights Movement906 Words   |  4 Pagesfor their fights as citizens down to the present.† (423) John Dittmer’s Local People: The Struggle for Civil Rights in Mississippi uncovers the origins of black suffrage within the state and continues through the historic Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s in America. While many books have been written on this topic, Local People tells a different story. Rather than focusing on the national movement and its personalities, Dittmer chooses to emphasis the importance and sacrifices of the localRead MoreThe Civil Rights Movement And The African American Freedom Struggle Essay1913 Words   |  8 PagesRevolution only shows half of what the Civil Rights Movement is about. This documentary fai ls to show the Armed resistance aspect of the African American Freedom struggle. As the documentary shows the nonviolent part of the Civil Rights Movement it leaves out how important the role of armed resistance was in the African American freedom struggle. It unsuccessfully shows how armed resistance made the Civil Rights Movement possible and protected many civil rights leaders such a Martin Luther King. SoundtrackRead MoreStruggle for Black Americans: Civil Rights Movement Essay2552 Words   |  11 PagesThe Hundred year struggle for Black Americans would begin during Reconstruction, long before the civil rights movement would be headlining in the 1950’s and 1960’s. The struggle would not just be for freedom but also in terms of education and employment from the police brutality and general day to day discrimination. This abuse would compel individuals, such as the more famous Black civil rights leaders to launch efforts to assert their constitutional rights and improve their standing in society;Read MoreThe Role Of Civil Disobedience And The Civil Rights Movement1503 Words   |  7 Pagesinjustices. Ranging from peaceful marches to powerful acts of civil disobedience, not only in the United States but in Central American countries such as Nicaragua. This being said, civil protests and peaceful demonstrations were not necessarily more successful in exuding change than pieces of legislation but moreso acted as a catalyst for social change, leading towards legislation that would positively impact those who protested. The concept of civil disobedience and peaceful demonstration acting as a catalystRead MoreAnalysis Of Bloody Lowndes1569 Words   |  7 PagesJefferies The Civil Rights Struggle Markà © C. Wrisborne AFTS/ HIST 3390: The Modern Civil Rights Movement Dr. Michael Williams November 13, 2017 Bloody Lowndes was written by a historian named Hassan Kwame Jefferies. The book details the African American struggles faced in the fight for freedom in the rural area of Lowndes County, during the1960’s. He examines different activist groups, the leaders within those groups, and their impact/ role played on the Civil Rights MovementRead MoreAfrican Americans Need To Understand â€Å"The Necessity, As1562 Words   |  7 Pagesamong civil rights historians, which creates and reinforces a lack of detachment that has characterized the civil rights scholarship since its inception. While Eagles acknowledges that the activist standpoint is not likely to disappear in the near future, his call for more objectivity in how historians of the civil rights movement conduct their research has not received the attention it deserves. In the article, which was released five years before Jacqueline Dowd Hall’s call for a long civil rightsRead MorePrejudice and Discrimination in Ame rica Today Essay1663 Words   |  7 Pagesthe color of a persons skin is irrelevant, racism still exists and will forever exist in America. It is a never-ending phenomenon that is ingrained in American life. Racism is America, just as America is built around the idea of racism. As the civil rights activist and scholar Derrick Bell would say, Racism is an integral, permanent, and indestructible component of this society. He proclaims that no matter what blacks do to better their status, they are doomed to fail as long as the majority ofRead MoreThe Civil Rights Movement By Charles W. Eagles780 Words   |  4 Pages Ten years after Fairclough article, another author continues the discussion of historians and their attempt to analysis the civil rights movement. Charles W. Eagles’ article â€Å"Toward New Histories of the Civil Rights Era† provides further supporting evidence that scholars fail to analyze the movement to its fullest potential. Eagles util izes diplomatic historian John Lewis Gaddis analogy of historians studying the cold car. According to Gaddis, cold war scholars â€Å"reflected the contemporaneousRead MoreNaacp1094 Words   |  5 PagesNAACP The civil rights movement in the United States has been a long, primarily nonviolent struggle to bring full civil rights and equality under the law to all Americans. It has been made up of many movements, though it is often used to refer to the struggles between 1945 and 1970 to end discrimination against African-Americans and to end racial segregation, especially in the U.S. South. It focuses on that particular struggle, rather than the comparable movements to end discrimination against otherRead MoreThe Civil Rights Movement : Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.1168 Words   |  5 PagesLuther King Jr. delivered to the Christian Action Group on December 7, 1964, he discusses the positive gains that have been achieved by the civil rights movement. In this speech King provided his audience with several facts on how the people have came a long way from where they began and that the civil rights movement has made a great progress in its struggle for equal treatment under the law. In King s speech, he begins by claiming that they have come a long way from where they began. As he starts

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

The Rescuers And Aid For Jews During The Holocaust

In studying the rescuers and aid to Jews during the Holocaust, there are few, if any, factors that prove to universally explain why people decided to help. These people defied most demographics; class, country, religion, and even included anti-Semites, though economic and practical determinations were involved so much as one’s ability to help is determined by economic/practical restraints. Even so, most, if not all, of these people did have the propensity for helping and service to other prior to helping Jews of the Holocaust. Nechama Tec and later Perry Lendon found this to be true, showing that in these people was an instinct to help, regardless of their feelings towards Jews. This characteristic coincided with independent, self-reliant people who felt less attached to social demands and saw helping as a fact rather than heroic act. While these characterize individuals, the level at which specific countries were willing to help Jews did differ. Denmark and Bulgaria helped mo re than countries like Romania. In Denmark, there were a smaller amount of Jews and most were already assimilated into society before the Nazis came in. This allowed them to easily blend and hid within Denmark, and eventually Jews were helped to escape in 1943 as the Nazi encroached into Denmark. Hungary, on the other hand, held intense anti-Semitic views, but chose to help Jews (somewhat) because they did not believe in the methodology used by the Nazis against Jews. Hungary refused deportationsShow MoreRelatedRighteous Gentiles1026 Words   |  5 Pagesthose non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. The title is used informally as referring to anyone considered to be a savior of Jews, but it has an official role in the Israeli program of Holocaust remembrance, administered by Yad Vashem. The criteria established by Yad Vashem include the following: — â€Å"The rescuer ensured the survival of a Jew or Jews by extending aid to them when they were in danger of being killed or sent to a concentration camp; — The rescuer knew thatRead MoreMarion Hid A Unique Individual1078 Words   |  5 Pagesstory. She was tasked with hiding a Jewish male ballerina named Karel Poons. During the holocaust Germans would come raid houses to see if they were hiding anyone. The Germans would come at night because they had figured out that they could look and if there were more beds slept in than there were people they would know they were hiding a Jew. So the rescuers combated this by putting a Jew in the same bed with one of the rescuers. Karel was gay, which made him even more of a target for the Germans. HeRead MoreThe First Anti Semitic Act Essay1329 Words   |  6 PagesThe first anti-Semitic act was after Jesus was put to death by Roman authorities. However, the gospel accounts were interpreted as blaming all Jews for the crucifixion. After the crucifixion, Roman armies destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem. Jewish people were exiled an d looked as agents of the devil and murderers of God. Jewish people were being dehumanized by being restricted from owning land and having occupations because of state and church laws. In the 1900’s, another lie was presented that JewishRead More When Light Pierced the Darkness by Nechama Tec Essay3070 Words   |  13 Pages(American 99). In her book entitled When Light Pierced the Darkness, Nechama Tec asserts that people who aided Jews during the Nazi Holocaust may have acted altruistically; however, they did so under a modified definition of altruism. Furthermore, she offers her own definition of altruism within the context of the Holocaust and designates six traits, which she found rescuers of Jews to exhibit. While many of these traits are apparent in the personalities of characters in the films: Shop on MainRead MorePinchas Tibor Rosenbaum: Holocaust Hero 2659 Words   |  11 PagesRosenbaum whose individual heroic actions during the Holocaust resulted in the legac y of the lives of approximately a thousand Jews and a pattern of humanity for generations to come. Just prior to World War II, persecution of the Jews began with changes in civil law, which increasingly restricted their opportunities and participation in society. According to Marion A. Kaplan, author of Between Dignity and Despair, Nazi-controlled governments confiscated Jews’ â€Å"personal property and limited food and

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Linear Thermal Expansion Free Essays

The term thermal expansion refers to the increase in size of an object as that object is heated. With relatively few exceptions, all objects expand when they are heated and contract when they are cooled. Perhaps the most important exception to this rule is water. We will write a custom essay sample on Linear Thermal Expansion or any similar topic only for you Order Now Water contracts as it cools from its boiling point to about 39. 2Â °F (4Â °C). At that point, it begins to expand as it cools further to its freezing point. This unusual effect explains the fact that ice is less dense than water.Different materials expand or contract at different rates. In general, gases expand more than liquids, and liquids expand more than solids. When an object is heated or cooled, it expands or contracts in all dimensions. However, for practical reasons, scientists and engineers often focus on two different kinds of expansion, or expansivity: linear expansivity (expansion in one direction only) and volume expansivity (expansion in all three dimensions). The amount by which any given material Joints such as this one are used in bridges to accommodate thermal expansion.Objective To determinate the average coefficient of linear Expansion of the copper rod. Theory: Solids Expand as they are heated and contract if they are cooled. Thus their length is function of temperature. Thus , when the temperature of an object is increased by ? T, its Length L initial increases by ? L. Apparatus: – Dial Gauge – Thermometer – Cu rod – Rubber tube – Boiler – Hot plate Method * Measure the initial length of Copper rod, with a meter stick at room temperature. * Adjust the micrometer dial at zero. Insert the thermometer in the top of the copper rod and record its reading at room temperature. * Start heating the water by switching in the electric hot plate to maximum and wait until the steam is generated from the water boiler. When the rod reaches a constant uniform temperature, measure the corresponding change in the length ? l. * Switch off the hot plate and immediately record ? l (on the dial micrometer) and the temperature measure T ( on the thermometer ) upon cooling. How to cite Linear Thermal Expansion, Papers

Saturday, May 2, 2020

Novel Regulators of Mitochondrial And Cellular Iron Homeostasis

Questions: Q1, Discuss role of energy in the body Provide definitions of the phrases: anabolism; catabolism metabolism Discuss the role of energy in the body (why does body need energy? Talk about MRSGREN) Describe how energy is produced in mitochondria. Q2, Analyse how two body systems interrelate to perform a named function / functions Roles of cardiovascular, respiratory and digestive systems o Analyse the functions of cardiovascular system (transport of gases; nutrients proteins; fats glucose); respiratory (gases exchange O2/CO2) and digestive system (producing glucose). Explain how glucose and oxygen is transferred to mitochondria when energy is produced. Glucose + Oxygen = Energy + carbon dioxide + water H12C6O6 + 6O2 = 36 ATP +6 CO2 +6 H2O Analyse the equation Q3 Discuss the problem homeostatic responses to changes in the internal environment during exercise Definition of homeostatic Internal environment Concept of negative feedback as regulatory mechanism Homeostatic mechanisms for regulations of 1. Heart rate: roles of internal receptors, autonomic nervous system sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve supply, cardiac centre, sinoatrial node; effective of increased body temperature and adrenaline of heart rate 2. Breathing rate: role of internal receptors, autonomic nervous system sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve supply, respiratory centre, diaphragm and intercostal muscle 3. Body temperature: production of heart by the body, e.g. through metabolic processes; loss of heart by the body radiation, conduction, convection, evaporation; role of hypothalamus, autonomic nervous system sympathetic and parasympathetic, skin role of arterioles and sweat glands; effective of shivering; implication of surface area to volume ratio, e.g. in care of babies; fever 4. Blood glucose levels: roles of pancreas, liver, insulin, glucagon, Discuss the role of insulin glucagon in balancing glucose level in human body. Q4 Evaluate the importance of homeostatic in maintaining the healthy functioning of the body. What happens if heart rate; breathing rate; body temperature and glucose level go up and down for long period of time Evaluate different diseases (e.g. heart disease; lung diseases or diabetes as part of imbalance of homeostatic mechanisms) Answers: 1: Role of Energy in the Body Anabolism Anabolism is a set of metabolic procedures, which are involved in constructing the larger molecules from the smaller units of molecules. All the anabolism mechanisms require energy for producing bonds between the smaller molecules. The anabolic reactions are powered by the energy gained from the hydrolysis of ATP[1]. In human and other living organisms body, these types of reactions tend to build up organs or tissues. Catabolism Catabolism is the metabolic procedure functions opposite to the anabolic procedures. In this process, larger molecules are broken down through a number of processes to obtain smaller unit. In contrast to anabolic reactions, the smaller unit produced in the processes are oxidized to produce energy or used up in other anabolic processes. This procedure mainly provides energy to body[2]. Metabolism Metabolism is a group of chemical transformation related reactions in the living organisms cells. The metabolic reaction helps organisms to undergo growth and reproductive procedures in response to the external and internal environment. Metabolism is divided in two types of procedures including catabolism and anabolism[3]. Role of Energy in Body Energy is the key of individuals daily living. A living organism needs energy at every moment of life, from movement to metabolism and nutrition. The MRS GREN is the basic body functions of the living organism, all of which needs energy. Movement is essential for animals to collect food and transport for sake of survival. Energy is produced from burning carbohydrate or fat stored in muscles, making individual t move. Respiration is the process of conversion of energy from the carbohydrates and fats and the energy produced by this method is used up by cells. Sensitivity is another process of responding to the external stimuli, it is also done by energy, as it is required to send signals from brain to muscle to function against stimuli[4]. Growth is essential for survival, which is powered by usage of energy, construction of building blocks of body needs hydrolysis of ATP (energy) to proceed with growth reactions. The next step of growth is reproduction, which also needs huge amount of energy, the HPG system and the oxidizable metabolic fuels power mechanisms related to control of sex behavior. Like the above methods, the excretion and nutrition are also entirely dependent upon energy consumption. Each step of these procedures needs energy[5]. Production of energy in Mitochondria Mitochondrion is the cell organelle resides in all eukaryotic cells and it is responsible for performing aerobic respiration, through which ATP from the nutrients is generated by the use of oxygen. The energy is generated through three critical process constituting glycolysis, krebs cycle and electron transport chain (ETC). krebs cycle enzymes and ETC components resides in mitochondria. Through glycolysis, glucose is spit into pyruate while generating ATP and NADH. Pyruvate is converted to acetyl-CoA, which provides ATP, FADH2 and NADH through Krebs cycle. NADH and FADH2 carries electron to ETC and through the proton pumping proteins in the inner membrane protons are pumps out to the inter-membrane space creating a gradiant. This gradiant serves for ATP synthesis by the inner-matrix protein ATP-synthase[6]. 2: Interaction within Body systems Role of Cardiovascular system The cardiovascular system is one of the most important systems in pumping blood through the vessels for transporting oxygen and nutrients to cells. During the period of inhalation, air enters lung and oxygen is absorbed through the lung membrane into the bloodstream. The oxygen-rich blood is pumped through heart and blood vessels and capillaries. These capillaries linked to each cell provide oxygen to cell and collect carbon dioxide produced by cells and bring it back to lung. Another critical function is to supply nutrients to cell. After ingestion of food, the digested food migrates to intestine from where it is absorbed in bloodstream. Additionally, glucose is absorbed from liver and blood transports nutrients and glucose to each cell through the similar process and removes waste materials from cells[7]. Role of Respiratory system Gas exchange is the most important function of respiratory system. The oxygen inhaled through nose reaches to alveoli of lung, the alveoli of lung and blood capillaries are very close to contact and oxygen can quickly diffuse through the wall of alveoli to the blood capillaries, similarly carbon dioxide diffuses from capillary to alveoli. After entering into blood stream oxygen is captured by RBCs and then oxygenated blood goes to left part of lung and from where it is pumped through the rest of the body and oxygen-deficient, carbon-dioxide rich blood goes to right side of lung[8]. Role of Digestive system The major role of digestive system is to digest the consumed food and assimilation of the nutrients from the digested foods to produce energy for regular activity. The digestive system starts from the mouth and ends to the beginning of excretion system. The organs in the digestive tract contain glucose and it is the smallest sugar unit, which is obtained through the hydrolysis of larger molecules by the digestive enzymes in digestive system. In small intestine, glucose is being absorbed and carried to liver through bloodstream and stored for providing energy in future[9]. Transfer of glucose and oxygen to mitochondria Glucose + Oxygen = Energy + carbon dioxide + water H12C6O6 + 6O2 = 36 ATP +6 CO2 +6 H2O In the above equation, from glucose and oxygen, energy, carbon dioxide and water is produced and the process is known as respiration. This is the process of aerobic respiration; glucose is obtained through the digestion of consumed food. Glucose undergoes glycolysis in cell cytoplasm and produces pyruvate[10]. Pyruvate is converted to acetyl CoA by PDC complex and transported to mitochondria through transporter and enters into krebs cycle. On the other hand oxygen is diffused through the mitochondrial membrane pores and serves as an electron acceptor in the electron transport chain. The equation of respiration is depicting the way how body gains energy. The glucose obtained from glucose breakdown and oxygen obtained from breathing are used by body to produce energy. The by-products of the reaction include carbon dioxide and water, which are exhaled[11]. 3: Homeostatic Responses to Changes in Internal Environment During Exercise Definition of Homeostatic and internal environment Homeostasis is a property of a system where variable of the system are regulated for maintaining the internal environment in stable condition. Human body is a complex organism including different variables which are functioning to keep a well-established balance in the system. In this context, the internal environment is referred to the condition prevailing within organisms body and especially with respect to the composition of tissue fluids. There is a significant relation with homeostasis and internal environment of human body[12]. Negative feedback as regulatory mechanism The negative feedback is the reaction causing decrease in function. The biological system of human body sometimes provides negative feedback to some stimulus. Sometimes, output of the system is lessened. One example can be the human body temperature. The temperature fluctuations sometimes promote human hypothalamus to respond according to it. In temperature drop, body attempts to shivers to bring up temperature, in contrast body sweats to cool down for evaporation[13]. Heart rate- The heart rate is being controlled by two systems, the sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system. The sysmpathetic nervous system works during fear, sress or working of muscles.It enhances the heartbeat and rate. The aim is to manage good environment in internal organs to keep the heart rate good. The internal receptors drive message to brain and it drives the response to the cardiac centre through the nerve impulses. Through this action, nerve slows down heart rate and BP is decreased to normal rate. During fear or stress condition, adrenaline is released and it promotes heart rate to be faster through the boost up of sympathetic nervous systems effect. Thus, while increasing heartbeat, it also starts to beat fast, like during the excess production of carbon dioxide, breathing rate enhances to get breathing back to normal homeostatic level. Breathing rate- Breathing rate is also being regulated to keep the normal homeostatic balance. Breathing leads to the coordination of three complex interactions including respiratory control, sensory system and effector system. The respiratory control centre located ate human brain stem controls the breathing rate during day and night. The control centre endlessly monitors the oxygen and carbon dioxide level in the blood stream for adjusting the breathing rate for maintaining balance and body homeostasis. Mostly, the breathing rate is managed by medulla. The system is flexible[14]. The action potential of breathing causes the contraction of muscle of diaphragm along with the intercostals muscle. Medulla is able to detect small change in pH and determine the amount of CO2 in blood. At low pH, respiratory centre is stirred and it enhances rate of breathing, in contrast high pH make breathing slower for decrease in stimulation of nervous system[15]. Body temperature- The thermo-receptors in human skin are able to indicate the changes happening within the environmental temperatures. After detecting the changes, the autonomic nervous system sends signal to the hypothalamus. Then the hypothalamus reviews the temperature of blood and sends the nerve impulse in the posterior hypothalamus, which is the heat gain centre. This nerve impulse then sent to the effector, which is skin. Then a number of mechanisms happen for conserving heat[16]. Vasoconstriction occurs when the shunt vessel widens to allow arterioles to become constrict, thereby reducing blood flow to capillary surface. Then blood flows through the insulating layer of adipose tissue, thereby preventing the dissipation of heat to environment[17]. Shivering occurs, which helps to generate metabolic heat. Sweating is reduced and respiration is enhanced, the pilli erector muscles are motivated to raise hairs, thereby trapping insulating layer of air. Blood glucose level- The regulation and homeostasis of blood glucose level is dependent upon different molecules, organs and cell types. The antagonistic pancreatic hormones, insulin and glucagon regulate the concentration of glucose. The glucose transporter receptors on alpha and beta cells detect glucose concentration in blood. The beta cell reacts against raised blood glucose level and secrete insulin hormone[18]. Insulin signals body tissue to intake glucose or converting glucose to lipid or glycogen as storage of energy. During low glucose level, alpha cells activates and secretes glucagon hormone for stimulating skeletal muscle and liver for breakdown of glycogen in glucose and stimulates liver to produce glucose by breaking down glucose. It also helps to stimulate glucose formation from glycerol. In this way these two hormones plays their role to take glucose level back to normal rate[19]. 4: Importance of Homeostatic in Maintaining Healthy Functioning of the Body Effect of long-term fluctuation of breathing rate, heart rate, glucose level The fluctuation of bodys normal functioning can lead to a number of health risk, sometimes, these are life threatening. The fluctuation of heart rate for longer time enhances the risk of low blood supply to the organs; it can also affect the breathing rate. It would result in tingling of extremities or trouble in concentrating.It can cause high blood pressure, blood clots as well as stroke[20]. It needs immediate medical care. It may also effect brain functioning. The long-term effect of glucose level fluctuation can lead to diabetes. These symptoms are mainly seen in diabetic patient. Sometimes, eating substances that are more sugary can raise the blood glucose level, or irregular regulation of glucagon and insulin can also lead to long-term fluctuation of blood glucose level[21]. Disease as a part of imbalance of homeostatic mechanism There are a number of diseases, which are caused by the imbalance of homeostasis. In the case of lung diseases, cleft palate, rhinitis, tonsillitis, Heimlich maneuver can be caused due to imbalance of homeostasis. Smoking hampers the ciliary activity and destroys cilia, thus preventing mucus accumulation[22]. On the other hand, heart blockage, stroke, high blood pressure etc can cause due to imbalance of homeostasis of heart function. Additionally, diabetes is entirely due to the imbalance of secretion of glucagon and insulin, which are the major effectors of the homeostasis mechanism of blood glucose level[23]. Reference List Bayeva M, Novel Regulators Of Mitochondrial And Cellular Iron Homeostasis (2012) Domec J and Johnson D, "Does Homeostasis Or Disturbance Of Homeostasis In Minimum Leaf Water Potential Explain The Isohydric Versus Anisohydric Behavior Of Vitis Vinifera L. Cultivars?" (2012) 32 Tree Physiology Geissler C and Powers H, Human Nutrition (Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier 2012) Hagman D and Kratz M, Macrophage Infiltration Of Human Adipose Tissue And Its Association With Systemic Inflammation, Obesity, And Metabolic Disease (2012) Hill R, Wyse G and Anderson M, Animal Physiology (Sinauer Associates, Inc Publishers 2012) Kenney W and others, Physiology Of Sport And Exercise (Human Kinetics 2012) Kovacs W and Ojeda S, Textbook Of Endocrine Physiology (Oxford University Press 2012) Kovacs W and Ojeda S, Textbook Of Endocrine Physiology (Oxford University Press 2012) Marieb E, Essentials Of Human Anatomy Physiology (Benjamin Cummings 2012) Munis J, Just Enough Physiology (Oxford University Press 2012) Powers S and Howley E, Exercise Physiology (McGraw-Hill 2012) Pray L, Pillsbury L and Tomayko E, The Human Microbiome, Diet, And Health Raith M and others, "Effects Of Recombinant Human Keratinocyte Growth Factor On Surfactant, Plasma, And Liver Phospholipid Homeostasis In Hyperoxic Neonatal Rats" (2012) 112 Journal of Applied Physiology Sherwood L, Essentials Of Physiology (Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning 2012) Shier D, Butler J and Lewis R, Hole's Essentials Of Human Anatomy Physiology (McGraw-Hill 2012) Silbernagl S and others, Color Atlas Of Physiology (Springer 2012) Simpson S and Raubenheimer D, The Nature Of Nutrition (Princeton University Press 2012) Slominski A, Sensing The Environment (Springer 2012) Spasojevic I and Spasojevic I, "Integrative Concept Of Homeostasis: Translating Physiology Into Medicine" [2012] Nature Precedings Sprague I, Cells And Human Health (Springer 2012) Thibodeau G, Patton K and Anthony C, Structure Function Of The Body (Elsevier/Mosby 2012) Tortora G and Derrickson B, Principles Of Anatomy Physiology (Wiley 2012) [1] Bayeva M, Novel Regulators Of Mitochondrial And Cellular Iron Homeostasis (2012) [2] Domec J and Johnson D, "Does Homeostasis Or Disturbance Of Homeostasis In Minimum Leaf Water Potential Explain The Isohydric Versus Anisohydric Behavior Of Vitis Vinifera L. Cultivars?" (2012) 32 Tree Physiology [3] Geissler C and Powers H, Human Nutrition (Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier 2012) [4] Hagman D and Kratz M, Macrophage Infiltration Of Human Adipose Tissue And Its Association With Systemic Inflammation, Obesity, And Metabolic Disease (2012) [5] Hill R, Wyse G and Anderson M, Animal Physiology (Sinauer Associates, Inc Publishers 2012) [6] Kenney W and others, Physiology Of Sport And Exercise (Human Kinetics 2012) [7] Kovacs W and Ojeda S, Textbook Of Endocrine Physiology (Oxford University Press 2012) [8] Kovacs W and Ojeda S, Textbook Of Endocrine Physiology (Oxford University Press 2012) [9] Marieb E, Essentials Of Human Anatomy Physiology (Benjamin Cummings 2012) [10] Munis J, Just Enough Physiology (Oxford University Press 2012) [11] Powers S and Howley E, Exercise Physiology (McGraw-Hill 2012) [12] Pray L, Pillsbury L and Tomayko E, The Human Microbiome, Diet, And Health [13] Raith M and others, "Effects Of Recombinant Human Keratinocyte Growth Factor On Surfactant, Plasma, And Liver Phospholipid Homeostasis In Hyperoxic Neonatal Rats" (2012) 112 Journal of Applied Physiology [14] Tortora G and Derrickson B, Introduction To The Human Body (John Wiley Sons 2012) [15] Sherwood L, Essentials Of Physiology (Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning 2012) [16] Tortora G and Derrickson B, Principles Of Anatomy Physiology (Wiley 2012) [17] Shier D, Butler J and Lewis R, Hole's Essentials Of Human Anatomy Physiology (McGraw-Hill 2012) [18] Thibodeau G, Patton K and Anthony C, Structure Function Of The Body (Elsevier/Mosby 2012) [19] Silbernagl S and others, Color Atlas Of Physiology (Springer 2012) [20] Slominski A, Sensing The Environment (Springer 2012) [21] Simpson S and Raubenheimer D, The Nature Of Nutrition (Princeton University Press 2012) [22] Spasojevic I and Spasojevic I, "Integrative Concept Of Homeostasis: Translating Physiology Into Medicine" [2012] Nature Precedings [23] Sprague I, Cells And Human Health (Springer 2012)

Monday, March 23, 2020

If You Need to Understand English Literature, You Will Need the Bible

If You Need to Understand English Literature, You Will Need the Bible Photo by Samantha Sophia ‘Oh miss, Shakespeare is so difficult to understand! I don’t understand The hobbit!, can we read Persuasion again?’ –those were the comments of my students during the year, in some of the many books-authors we read in class. See, most of English literature is bible-Christian based, meaning that you will know the author’s point of view only after knowing the bible’s principles†¦ -King James Version. The thing is that since a couple of years, the bible reading has been taken out from the schools and therefore their principles. Hold on, I’m not getting religious†¦ I just want to explain to you why this specific book is important to understand the English speaking culture. Over 50% of the English and American people don’t read the bible (and probably never will), but when you see the culture, either in the movies or books; you can see where it all comes from. In primary we had to read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and I remember this chapters where Tom Sawyer had to memorize his bible verses†¦ during the ceremony on Sunday’s class, the teacher asked him the names of the two apostles and Tom said ‘David and Goliath’†¦ now, would you understand such joke if you didn’t know David’ story? –probably not. I remember reading Frankenstein in 7th grade, and it kind of broke my heart, because the author is somehow complaining upon his creator for being such monster himself. See, the creator didn’t mean to make him ugly and unlikeable, and in fact he loved him as a son; but the creation became sad since he was being pushed out for his appearances†¦ If you don’t know where the author is coming from with this idea, you might just think is kind of cool such story. But, if you visit the book of Isaiah 14 you will understand that Wollstonecraftis trying to excuse Satan from getting greedy and is giving a contrary point of view of the verses in the bible. I could spend all the night speaking about all English literature and the related-symbolic biblical messages, but the point is that knowing the source as matter of culture will give you an advantage in literature. Novels such as Macbeth: you can find half of the Sacrifice of Jesus in the dialogues. The hobbit: from A-Z †¦ desolation, dragon, greed, power of little people defended by a greater power, glory. Pride and Prejudice: The obvious transforming power of love and self-sacrifice. Hamlet: Cain and Abel. Dante’s Divine Comedy: This is obvious Now, even in the new literature and so famous comics, we find every time more and more. You already know Superman and its references, right? Kal-El comes to save the earth and his father sends in ‘spirit’ with him†¦ -What about captain America? The righteous captain, who will put others before him and will fight for liberty and justice, who is very respectful above all, towards his authorities. -Hulk? The doctor who tries to control the evil in him, but feels ashamed and filled with repentant every time he loses control. Now that we are touching scripts, you might want to check on so many other books and stories. You’ll be surprised! Ring any bells? Maybe is time to get into it, if you are interested in English literature, stories and legends. Missing the point of view of the author is like missing the whole story. And then again, I don’t mean it in a religious way, but in a general cultural one. And the more you go into it, the more it’ll make sense for a complete story. If you are a heavy reader or writer, I’m sure you already know this†¦ but most of the people don’t know that the language itself has been based on that. Not to mention some laws and traditions. Knowledge never hurts! After so many complaints from my students about the different authors, I explained to them this basic tip. They all (most of them) went home that weekend and read (audio-read) half of the bible†¦ I was surprised how they started enjoying and absorbing the books that fast. All of them graduated with honors in my class (in case you wonder, there was an independent examiner-which I personally didn’t know). First things first, right? And how do I know this? Because I love learning!

Friday, March 6, 2020

Las Ferreterias de Mexico Essay Example

Las Ferreterias de Mexico Essay Example Las Ferreterias de Mexico Essay Las Ferreterias de Mexico Essay Introduction To find out whether or not Mr. Gonzales should implement the new compensation plan, we will initiate with a valuation of the proposed bonus plan that he is considering. This evaluation will include an analysis of the key decisions and the persons responsible for making the decision as well as a discussion of the proposed plan. Upon this analysis we will conclude whether it is a good idea to implement it and state our suggestions for a modification of the plan. Valuation of the proposed bonus plan Included in the new bonus plan are the store managers (SM), the regional managers (RM), and the corporate staff managers (CM). Not included are the CEO (Mr. Gonzalez) and the COO; their bonuses would be decided by the compensation committee of the board of directors. Furthermore all other employees not included in the plan would continue as before with a bonus in the range of 2%-5% of base salary. Each of the company’s 82 stores is operated by a SM, who has a lot of autonomy. The 82 store are organized into 9 geographical regions. The RMs are responsible for providing oversight and advice to the SMs, whom had little formal education. On the top of these two manager levels are the CMs, who are responsible for a range of centralized functions including purchasing, human resources, marketing, real estate, and investor relations. The proposed bonus plan consists of 4 million pesos plus 8 percent of the corporate income before bonuses and taxes in excess of 120 million pesos. The total bonus pool will be divided between the managers as following: SMs – 70%, RMs – 15%, and CMs – 15%. This year, the bonus pool will amount to 8,498,400 million pesos (all calculations: cf. the calculations for the Whiz Kids questions on the last page), meaning that the bonus pool will be divided by the different manager levels as following: Store Managers5,948,880. 00 million pesos Regional Managers1,274,760. 00 million pesos Corporate Staff Managers1,274,760. 00 million pesos The SMs’ bonus pool will be divided among the store managers based in their relative proportion of bonus units earned. The maximum number of bonus units are 6, with a lower cutoff level at 5% ROI and a upper cutoff level at 11% ROI. These cutoffs stipulate an acceptable minimum performance, while restricting superior performance. Denying bonuses for exceptionally good efforts can be justified by the fact that the performance results can be good luck. Moreover it, to a certain degree, ensures that the managers will not be myopic, which again ensures that the company will show a more steady performance improvement over time. Another reason for the upper cutoff level on the incentive payments might be a desire of not paying lower-level mangers more than upper level managers. In this case, a SM gets 72,547. 32 pesos in average, RMs get 141,640. 00 pesos, and CMs get 254,952. 00 pesos. A top-performing SM cannot earn more than 118,189. 68 pesos in bonus. This is less than the CM’s bonus, so in this case the upper cutoff definitely ensures that the lower-level managers cannot earn more than the upper-level managers. The bonus pools will be assigned to managers based on their entity’s ROI, given by following formula: ROI = (bonus eligible revenues – expenses) / total store investments. Using ROI as the central measurement of performance causes some problems: Accounting profit does not reflect the total value of the company and is therefore not a completely fair method Management myopia: a ROI-focus stimulate shortsightedness, and can undermine long-term focus, which may not be in the interest of the corporation Suboptimization – it may not be in the interest of the enterprise that individual regions will focus solely on the success of themselves rather than on the overall success of the company Regional differences in e. . investment prices, local expenses etc. All bonuses will be paid in cash as soon as financial statements have been prepared. Beside the problems of using ROI as the central measurement element we see following problems with the new incentive plan: Not all people are motivated by cash payment. Furthermore, cash bonuses can generate durability issues, i. e. eople spent the money right away and quickly forgets the joy of having performed well The reward is not timely, as it is not necessarily given upon successes, but when the financial statement has been prepared which in the end of the day may reduce the motivational effect The geographical location also has an important role in determining the success of the different stores; some stores have more favorable locations than other, and therefore enjoy higher bonuses An issue is also whether or not all stores should have the same performance standards. On one hand, motivational incentives are highly individual, and preferences may vary greatly across the regions. Tailoring reward packages to the individual employee’s preferences will undoubtedly have the highest motivational effect, but will not keep the incentive system at the lowest possible cost. It is difficult to implement such a tailored plan due to the vast scope of the project: it will require a huge amount of analysis and date to map down differences. So even though the motivational effect might be higher for an individual tailored incentive program, a single strategy with common performance standards for all stores may be much easier and cost-efficient to implement. The new bonuses are greater than before, and should therefore stipulate improved operating efficiencies. Since ROI is the central element in calculating the bonuses, there is a risk of suboptimization, but since the bonus is partially determined through the corporate profit, the managers should also be concerned with the overall operating efficiency of the company. Ultimately an improvement within operating efficiency should lead to an increase in market shares. By tieing the rewards of the employees to the overall performance of the company, it would inevitably commit them – given that the employees have sufficient possibilities for influencing the results. In this case, the managers have a lot of responsibility and have many channels by which they can control and influence the results. Nevertheless, basing the bonuses partly on a group effort enforce cultural controls, as the employees are more alert of what their colleagues are doing, hence controlling whether they are working efficiently enough; â€Å"get to work; you’re hurting my profit sharing†. In this way, it makes good sense to base the bonuses on a proportion of corporate profit. Proposals for modification of the compensation plan The SMs have a lot of responsibility which is not corresponding to their level of education and their level of bonus. Compared to the RMs and CMs, who are better educated and have more experience, however, the bonus levels are fair. Thus it will be difficult to justify a higher bonus-level for the SMs, based on their current educational level. A possible solution will be to make a compulsory training program in finance and management. When the SMs have passed the courses, they will be qualified to receive a larger bonus. The training program will be an overall gain for the whole enterprise, since they will have more competent employees. So even though this extension does not make the incentive plan cheaper, it will be a gain for the company in the long run. Moreover, the further-training program will be personally satisfying for the managers. Another solution to what we see as the too-much responsibility-compared-to-bonus-problem, would be to enhance the upper cutoff level. Since Mr. Gonzales is concerned about the increased compensation expenses he should consider to lower the bonus pool and implement some non-monetary rewards, as they are often more motivating and durable. An example could be to recognize and communicate particular good performance throughout the company. An alternative idea to pay cash directly could be to reward the managers by some sort of stock option. This would further commit the managers to the company, and would probably be motivating since they have sufficient authority to influence the actual performance of the company. To find a solution for the personnel not included in the plan, i. e. store employees and regional sales and corporate purchasing staff, we suggest modifying the current discretionary bonus awards. Instead of Gonzales being responsible for giving these rewards, we suggest that this authority is delegated to the store managers and regional managers, respectively. These managers are in daily contact with the â€Å"neglected† employees, and it therefore seems more fair that they delegate the rewards. In this way the bonus system will be more motivating for the personnel. Whiz Kids Competition Number of managers% of bonus pool Store Managers:8270% Regional Managers:915% Corporate Managers:515% Bonus Pool 4. 000. 000+(8% of corporate income before taxes and bonuses in excess of 120000000) 4. 000. 000+(0,08*(176. 230. 000-120. 000. 000)) 8. 498. 400 The bonus pool is then divided between the different groups: Store Managers:70%*8. 498. 400= 5. 948. 880,00 Regional Managers:15%*8. 98. 400= 1. 274. 760,00 Corporate Managers:15%*8. 498. 400= 1. 274. 760,00 To find the average amount per manager we divide the pools by the number of managers in the specific group Store Managers:5. 948. 880/82= 72. 547,32 Regional Managers:1. 274. 760/9= 141. 640,00 Corporate Managers:1. 274. 760/5= 254. 952,00 The bonus pool for the top performing store managers : Total units in the bonus plan 6*1+9*2+11*3+20*4+15*5+8*6+4*6+3*6= 302,00 Average pay per unit:5. 948. 880/302= 19. 698,28 Store top performing managers (6 units)= 118,189,68