ATP Definition and Importance in Metabolism

Adenosine triphosphate or ATP is often called the energy currency of the cell because this molecule plays a key role in metabolism, particularly in energy transfer within cells. The molecule acts to couple the energy of exergonic and endergonic processes, making energetically unfavorable chemical reactions able to proceed. Metabolic Reactions Involving ATP Adenosine triphosphate is used to transport chemical energy in many important processes, including: aerobic respiration (glycolysis and the citric acid cycle)fermentationcellular divisionphotophosphorylationmotility (e.g., shortening of myosin and actin filament cross-bridges as well ​as  cytoskeleton construction)exocytosis and endocytosisphotosynthesisprotein synthesis In addition to metabolic functions, ATP is involved in signal transduction. It is believed to be the neurotransmitter responsible for the sensation of taste. The human central and peripheral nervous system, in particular, relies on ATP signaling. ATP is also added to nucleic acids during transcription. ATP is continuously recycled, rather than expended. Its converted back into precursor molecules, so it can be used again and again. In human beings, for example, the amount of ATP recycled daily is about the same as body weight, even though the average human being only has about 250 grams of ATP. Another way to look at it is that a single molecule of ATP gets recycled 500-700 times every day. At any moment in time, the amount of ATP plus ADP is fairly constant. This is important since ATP is not a molecule that can be stored for later use.​ ATP may be produced from simple and complex sugars as well as from lipids via redox reactions. For this to occur, the carbohydrates must first be broken down into simple sugars, while the lipids must be broken ​into  fatty acids and glycerol. However, ATP production is highly regulated. Its production is controlled via substrate concentration, feedback mechanisms, and allosteric hindrance. ATP Structure As indicated by the molecular name, adenosine triphosphate consists of three phosphate groups (tri- prefix before phosphate) connected to adenosine. Adenosine is made by attaching the 9 nitrogen atom of the purine base adenine to the 1 carbon of the pentose sugar ribose. The phosphate groups are attached connecting and oxygen from a phosphate to the 5 carbon of the ribose. Starting with the group closest to the ribose sugar, the phosphate groups are named alpha (ÃŽ ±), beta (ÃŽ ²), and gamma (ÃŽ ³). Removing a phosphate group results in adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and removing two groups produces adenosine monophosphate (AMP). How ATP Produces Energy The key to energy production lies ​with the  phosphate groups. Breaking the phosphate bond is an exothermic reaction.  So, when ATP loses one or two phosphate groups, energy is released. More energy is released breaking the first phosphate bond than the second. ATP H2O → ADP Pi Energy (Δ G -30.5 kJ.mol-1)ATP H2O → AMP PPi Energy (Δ G -45.6 kJ.mol-1) The energy that is released is coupled to an endothermic (thermodynamically unfavorable) reaction in order to give it ​the  activation energy needed to proceed. ATP Facts ATP was discovered in 1929 by two independent sets of researchers: Karl Lohmann and also Cyrus Fiske/Yellapragada Subbarow. Alexander Todd first synthesized the molecule in 1948. Empirical Formula C10H16N5O13P3 Chemical Formula C10H8N4O2NH2(OH2)(PO3H)3H Molecular Mass 507.18 g.mol-1 What Is ATP an Important Molecule in Metabolism? There are essentially two reasons ATP is so important: Its the only chemical in the body that can be directly used as energy.Other forms of chemical energy need to be converted into ATP before they can be used. Another important point is that ATP is recyclable. If the molecule was used up after each reaction, it wouldnt be practical for metabolism. ATP Trivia Want to impress your friends? Learn the IUPAC name for adenosine triphosphate. Its  [(2R,3S,4R,5R)-5-(6-aminopurin-9-yl)-3,4-dihydroxyoxolan-2-yl]methyl(hydroxyphosphonooxyphosphoryl)hydrogen phosphate.While most students study ATP as it relates to animal metabolism, the molecule is also the key form of chemical energy in plants.The density of pure ATP is comparable to that of water. Its 1.04 grams per cubic centimeter.The melting point of pure ATP is  368.6 °F (187 °C).

Summary Of Bless Me, Ultima By Rudolfo Anaya - 1180 Words

AP Literature/ Period 3 Mr. Amoroso Emily Padilla Death is abstruse but can make one savvy. The way one thinks may be shifted by an incident, bringing them to a point where they feel uncertain about what they believe in. All the purity and sin that comes with this life is what brings them to become equivocal and controversial as to what is right and wrong. Thoughts of doubt may not be cleared up, but it will allow one to find a path they pertain to. A novel, Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya relates to this concept in the sense that the main character Antonio Mà ¡rez is conflicted due to the deaths he encounters which alters his beliefs. The war took Antonio’s three older brothers, but not only taking them, but also a war hero;†¦show more content†¦Tony being brought up to the idea that God is everything and that he was supposed to be a priest, who was the one closest to God was all being questioned since Ultima’s spirit being present in Lupito’s death rather than God himself. There was someone other than Tony who also was close to Ultima, Narciso a local town drunk. He was always looking out for Ultima and defending her from Tenorio who wanted to kill her. On the night of his death there was a snowstorm taking place and he was just trying to get to Ultima to warn her about Tenorio,who wanted to go out and kill her for the death of his daughters, Narciso didn t know but Antonio was following him on his journey to get to Ultima. Narciso tried to get Andrew to go tell Ultima because he believed he could get to her faster but he wasn t leaving Rosie’s house. â€Å"Confess me—† (Anaya 170) Narciso asking him to do this challenged Tony and God and the fact that he is being asked to do more than he is actually capable of is present once again. He as a kid and not a priest makes him not â€Å"allowed† to confess other people but he did so regardless, once again having him question God’s capabilities. â€Å"you’re only a kid—I’m just sorry.† (Anaya 178) The fact of a good person dying without justifiable reason is questioned by Tony, and why wasn t justice brought for Tenorio’s actions; Andrew not listening to Narciso was also questioned by Antonio, due to the fact thatShow MoreRelatedSummary : Bless Me, Ultima, Rudolfo Anaya Essay1697 Words   |  7 Pageswitches are portrayed in our modernistic era. In the novel, Bless Me, Ultima, Rudolfo Anaya depicts the development of Ultima, an old curandera, to symbolize a recurrent theme of how being different is looked down upon. Although being accused of witchcraft has had a negative connotation all throughout history, there is a fine line between using witchcraft for good rather than evil. Witchcraft can have two connotations in regards to Bless Me, Ultima, seeing as there are those individuals who support Ultima’sRead MoreLiterary Criticism : The Free Encyclopedia 7351 Words   |  30 PagesTo Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee (1960)[30] Dune, by Frank Herbert (1965)[33] The Outsiders, by S. E. Hinton (1967)[34] A Wizard of Earthsea, by Ursula K. Le Guin (1968)[35] I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou (1969) Bless Me, Ultima, by Rudolfo Anaya (1972) The World According to Garp, by John Irving (1978) The Discovery of Slowness, by Sten Nadolny (1983) Bright Lights, Big City, by Jay McInerney (1984)[36] Ender s Game, by Orson Scott Card (1985)[34] The Cider House Rules, by

Ebay Case Meg Whitman free essay sample

In 1995, Pierre Omidyar founded eBay, an on-line company whose purpose was to facilitate an environment where people could not only exchange goods, but also have discussions, make connections, and form relationships. He carefully crafted a culture based upon, â€Å"trust, respect, autonomy, empowerment, and equality,† and sought for the eBay community and company to be reflective of those principles. eBay was successful because Omidyar realized that a respectful, symbiotic relationship with this on-line community was critical, â€Å"because eBay wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for [the] community. In 1998, Meg Whitman was brought in as CEO to strengthen the eBay brand and to develop a stronger marketing strategy. In this, she was remarkably successful. In little over a year, eBay registrants grew from 88,000 to 3. 8 million users. The company successfully went public, revenue just about doubled every quarter, and acquisitions and partnerships were made to increase the customer base. However, the rapid growth under Whitman caused a major problem for eBay: it put a strain on the culture and the community upon which eBay was successfully founded. With growth came the need for more rules and policies. For instance, Whitman made the decision to ban the sale of firearms to keep the company free of legal liabilities. Many in the community and company were shocked and outraged by this policy because it violated the eBay values of open communication and trust. Also, the acquisition of Butterfield and Butterfield, a prestigious, high-end auction house, was taken as a slap in the face. It violated the eBay value of respect, and the community saw this purchase indicative of the company’s priorities being focused on higher profit margins, not building and maintaining relationships with its existing community. There are clear reasons why the eBay community felt its culture was being left behind in the wake of rapid growth. First, the strategic design of eBay dramatically changed under Whitman’s management. eBay was previously built upon a small, flat and flexible team of engineers who worked together without many formal chains of authority. This open work environment perfectly mirrored the community Omidyar sought to create online, and the internal company practiced its values of respect and trust on a daily basis. However, Whitman correctly recognized that as the company grew, more formal structures and positions would have to be put into place to bear the burden of greater demand. With expert consultation, she reorganized the engineers. She eventually added eleven different vice presidents in upper management. In little time, the company transformed from an informal, flat model to a formal functional structure. This enabled growth, but it also created tall hierarchies that diminished the culture of open communication. For instance, lower-level employees and the eBay community both back-lashed at the decision of banning firearms for largely the same reason: they had no idea such a policy was forthcoming. Upper management made this decision without outside consultation. Even though it was the right decision for the company, it was handled and presented in a way that violated the culture eBay was built upon. In 1999, Whitman formally created a Community Watch group to monitor the website for fraud. Initially, eBay â€Å"counted on its users to abide by its user agreement and take much of the responsibility for safeguarding the site themselves. But, the community had grown too large to be self-monitored. Again, the decision was appropriate, but so many structural changes implemented in so little time was too much for the community to absorb without reaction. Moreover, the political nature of eBay changed rapidly. Pierre Omidyar, eBay’s founder and developer, had the rare gift of leading with b oth referent and expert power. He used this power to create a strong sense of community throughout eBay. He also used his referent power to give Whitman legitimacy in both her position as CEO and in her consequential actions. His support was effective at getting the company to align behind her decisions, but the external community did not see this support and were more suspicious of the company’s new direction. Whitman’s decisions were all sound and applauded by Wall Street. But the community saw what was once a democratic forum turning into a big business. Her lack of consultation with the community lead one user to brand eBay as having a â€Å"cavalier attitude,† and a â€Å"political agenda. † Lower level employees also saw this lack of communication. Where there were once full company meetings weekly, now they were held, at most, once a quarter. Power was concentrating. Clearly, this power shift was positively causing growth but negatively affecting culture. In her defense, Whitman was not indifferent to the culture at eBay. She stressed hiring people who understood and wanted to expand the eBay culture. But at the same time she outsourced customer service to a location in Utah, far from where the gatekeepers of the eBay culture were to be found. Therefore, those directly working with the community may have been the least in tune with its values. Also, she applauded and maintained the â€Å"no penalty† culture where everyone could voice their opinions and feel free to change their minds. However, with the growth of the company, there were fewer opportunities for a voice to be heard, less direct contacts with upper management, and fewer voices involved in major decisions. This led to decisions being made that were sound individually but not corporately when placed in the eBay culture. It also proved difficult to spread this culture to the plethora of newly added users. And it is critical because it built the community, which built the company, and if it is removed, those elements that made eBay a unique success will be gone. Therefore, eBay needs to find a way to maintain its culture. One way to correct this problem would be to implement more cross-functional teams internally. These teams would recreate the initial eBay structure of being team-based, autonomous, and flat. They would allow different departments to address problems and offer valuable input into pending company policies. This lateral flow would lead to decisions that would keep more in line with the original eBay culture, thus satisfying the community at large. The downside to these teams is that it gives Whitman and others less authority to use in making decisions for the company. Another alternative would be to create a formal system of distributing information and gathering feedback from the eBay community. This would create an opportunity to communicate values as well as pending or upcoming policy changes. This system of polling through email would empower the community to have a cogent voice once again and would reestablish the feeling of one-to-one communication. The downside is that if the company decided to go in a direction different than that of the community, those polled and involved could lose faith and optimism in exercising their voice. Finally, Whitman could create a separate company under the eBay name where she could make mergers and acquisitions without alienating the base users and without directly affecting the company. This would help maintain the existing eBay culture, but it would do nothing to repair any damage done. Moreover, having a different arm will not expand their user community of eBay, which is eBay’s vision. Whitman should create a formal system of distributing information and gathering feedback from the eBay community. This mechanism would be two-fold in design. First, eBay would create a oalition of the â€Å"top sellers,† those truly engrossed in the eBay community and whose interests are aligned with both company and community. Upper management would formally integrate the opinions and responses of this group (on issues ranging from policy to community values) into its decision-making processes. Also, the use of widely sampled polls of eBay users on the same issues would help th e company get a feel for how the broader community at large feels about important issues. This would be positive for the community because it would give them a legitimate voice in the company again, just as it had at eBay’s inception. It is important to remember that eBay is unique in that the community it serves is the company itself. Soliciting, responding to, and implementing the voice of this community improve eBay; even with its now more functional structure, it will only help the company know the needs and opinions of its community, which will strengthen business. The downside to this move is that after hearing out the top sellers and looking at the data of a poll on a particular issue, Whitman and upper management may still feel that an unpopular direction needs to be taken. Some users may feel patronized and refuse to participate in future polls. Even so, many in the community will be appreciative to at least be involved in the process and to be forewarned of pending changes. Once again there will be a dialogue with the community that will attribute value, trust, and respect to its opinions, even in disagreement. In this manner, eBay can grow and still stay small.

Biomedical waste management Essay Example

Biomedical waste management Essay CHAPTER-V Discussion This survey was conducted to measure the cognition and pattern sing biomedical waste direction among staff nurses working in JIPMER infirmary, Puducherry the sum of 300 staff nurses were participated and the cognition and pattern assessed by utilizing structured questionnaire. The survey consequence shows that the mean cognition mark among the survey participants was 20.5 out of 25. 70.7 % of staff nurses had first-class cognition, and 29 % had mean to good cognition in biomedical waste direction. We will write a custom essay sample on Biomedical waste management specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Biomedical waste management specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Biomedical waste management specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Knowledge approximately Biomedical waste and its direction The survey consequences show about 99 % of staff nurses had known approximately Biomedical waste and 88.3 % of them know about the aims of Biomedical waste direction in infirmary. A survey carried out by the wellness attention supplier in third attention infirmary in Rajkot showed similar consequences about 95 % of survey topics were cognizant of biomedical waste direction. Knowledge of bio jeopardy symbol Bio jeopardy symbol is critical in biomedical waste direction. These survey consequences show that 92.3 % of staff nurse right identified the bio jeopardy symbol. Chudasama et Al ( 2013 ) , Vishal et Al ( 2013 ) , Mathew et Al ( 2011 ) , showed that 82 % to 87 % of their survey participants severally were identified the bio jeopardy symbol right. The consequence of this survey is somewhat higher than these surveies. This survey includes merely staff nurse, these surveies done on all type of wellness attention supplier including sanitation and housekeeping workers, may be due to this fluctuation occurred. Knowledge of hazard of infection transmittal: The hazard of infection transmittal from a biomedical waste is high when it was non handled decently. Around 90 % of survey, topics had knowledge on the hazard of disease transmittal to hepatitis B, C, HIV etc. , from biomedical waste. A KAP survey on staff nurses of the private infirmary of Udupi metropolis showed that 77.5 % had cognition of the hazard of disease transmittal which is relatively less than this survey consequences. Similarly, other surveies knowledge on the hazard of disease transmittal varies from 84- 92 % . Knowledge of composing of biomedical waste: The survey consequence shows around 52 % of survey capable had cognition on the right composing of the biomedical waste. Merely 15 % of waste was generated in the infirmary were infective, if nurses understand this construct so segregation of the waste is critical event in biomedical waste direction. Knowledge of topographic point of segregation of biomedical waste Segregation of waste is a important minute in whole biomedical waste direction. The major part of biomedical waste direction is segregation of waste at the topographic point of beginning. In this survey, merely 66 % of survey topics were cognizant that topographic point of segregation is place beginning of the waste. Knowledge on this point is relatively less than other spheres. Knowledge of colour cryptography of biomedical waste direction Color coded bin and screens are of import tools in biomedical waste direction. Knowledge of these colour codification aid in segregation and intervention of the biomedical waste decently. There are four types of colourss coded bins and screens in BMW. These are ruddy, bluish, xanthous, and black colourss. A Red colour bin for blood contamination. About 95 % of survey participants had cognition of this colour coding system used in biomedical waste direction. The similar consequence are seen in Vanesh Mathur et Al. ( 2011 ) , Savan Sara Mathew et Al. ( 2011 ) , approximately 93 % of these survey participants had cognition of colour cryptography. But the consequence of Chudasama et Al. ( 2013 ) show merely 85 % of survey participants had cognition of colour coding which relatively less than this survey. Knowledge of methods of biomedical waste direction and disposal The consequence of our survey showed that 75 % of survey topics were cognizant of the methods of BMW and its disposal. A similar consequence was seen in a survey conducted in third attention infirmary Bhopal Vishal et Al. ( 2013 ) around 75 % of the staff nurses had knowledge on methods of disposal. Another cross sectional survey done in third attention learning infirmary in Ludhiana showed that cognition of the method of biomedical waste disposal was 100 % among staff nurses and on comparison staff nurse had more cognition in this sphere than other wellness attention suppliers. Knowledge of disease spread by biomedical waste The survey consequence showed that around 90 % of this survey participants were cognizant that the disease can distribute from improperly managed biomedical waste. Chudasma et Al. and Mathew et Al. showed that similar consequence, 89 % and 92 % of the survey participants aware about the disease can be transmited through biomedical waste. Asadullah et Al. ( 2012 to 2013 ) carried out a survey among the staff nurses in Udupi, Karnataka ; India showed that 77 % survey participants had equal, unequal cognition on the disease transmittal. Knowledge of needle stick hurt and station exposure prophylaxis The survey consequence showed that cognition of needle stick hurt and station exposure prophylaxis was about 77.6 % among the survey topic. Our survey consequence showed that Out of 300 participants, 266 ( 88.6 % ) had immunized for hepatitis B. A KAP survey done in third infirmary in New Delhi ( Sharma et al. 2011 ) among wellness attention personal showed that 50.2 % of survey participants had cognition of disease transmittal by needle stick hurts. 91.1 % of survey topics are vaccinated for HBV. Sarika P Patil et Al. ( 2011 ) , the cross-sectional survey survey was conducted in Tertiary Care Government Hospital in Dhule ( Maharashtra ) , India. The consequence showed 81.7 % ( 125 ) were immunized for hepatitis B. and lockjaw severally. and among the 34 non immunized for hepatitis B.The bulk of the participants staff nurses were immunized. Overall cognition: Overall mean mark of cognition on biomedical waste direction was 20 ( Markss ) . Sub group analysis showed that there is no a important mean mark difference of cognition on biomedical waste direction among gender, educational position, experience and BMW preparation position. Asadullah et Al. ( 2012 to 2013 ) carried out a survey among the staff nurse in Udupi, Karnataka, India showed that important association between instruction position and mean cognition, score the difference seen between Diploma Holder and ANM. The minimal instruction degree for staff nurse is diploma hence in this have ANM, due to this we didn’t happen this difference. The mean mark is classified as Poor Knowledge ( A ; lt ; 40 % in the entire cognition mark ) , Average to good cognition ( 40-79 in the entire cognition mark ) , and first-class cognition ( A ; gt ; 80 in the entire Knowledge mark ) . The survey consequence showed that 70.7 % of the staff nurses had first-class, and 29 % had good cognition on biomedical waste direction. When comparing the norm to good cognition and first-class cognition classs between gender instruction position, experience and BMW preparation position showed that important association ( 5 % ) between the cognition and gender. Biomedical waste direction pattern The direct observation of BMW pattern in 50 wards showed that equal figure. Of bio medical waste bins as per bio medical waste direction usher lines ( xanthous, bluish and black ) in all wards ( 100 % ) . All wards have hub cutter for acerate leafs and panpipes which all in working status and all of them utilizing personal protective steps like a mask, baseball mitts, etc. The BMW records were non maintained in any of the wards. The pattern of managing the disposal of fictile waste, soiled dressings/plaster casts/linen waste, sharps and acerate leafs waste and human anatomical waste were about 100 % . Chudasama et Al. ( 2013 ) showed that 87 % reported holding hub cutter in wards. Around 84 % of participants are utilizing personal protective steps like a mask, baseball mitts, etc. while managing BMW. Study consequence showed that 74.5 % of participants reported that there is the good care of BMW records in wards and 87 % reported holding hub cutter in wards. The pattern of managing d isposal fictile waste, soiled dressings/plaster casts/linen waste, sharps and acerate leafs waste and human anatomical waste are 80 % , 66.8 % , 63 % and 63.1 % severally. This fluctuation occurred because in this survey research worker observed straight the wards, non the person survey participants. The Chudasama et Al. ( 2013 ) carried out it separately. The blood spill kit and station exposure prophylaxis kit were available in 20 % of wards entirely. Overall the cognition of the biomedical waste direction among staff nurses in the third attention learning infirmary was good. The biomedical waste direction pattern was satisfactory except the BWM records were non maintained decently. 1

Owl Facts

Owl Facts Hailed for their supposed wisdom  and their appetite for pesky rodents  but derided as pests and subjects  of superstition, owls (families Tytonidae and Strigidae) have had a love/hate relationship with humans since the beginning of recorded history. There are over 200 species of owls, and they might date back to the days of dinosaurs. Fast Facts: Owls Scientific Name: Tytonidae, StrigidaeCommon Names: Barn and bay owls, true owlsBasic Animal Group: BirdSize: Wingspans from 13–52 inchesWeight: 1.4 ounces to 4 poundsLifespan: 1–30 yearsDiet:  CarnivoreHabitat: Every continent except Antarctica, most environmentsConservation Status: Most owls are listed as Least Concerned, but a few are Endangered or Critically Endangered. Description There are about 216 species of owls divided into two families: Barn and Bay owls (Tytonidae) and the Strigidae (true owls). Most owls belong to the group of so-called true owls, with large heads and round faces, short tails, and muted feathers with mottled patterns. The remaining dozen-plus species are barn owls, which have heart-shaped faces, long legs with powerful talons, and moderate size. Except for the common barn owl, which is found worldwide, the most familiar owls in North America and Eurasia are the true owls. More than half of the owls in the world live in the neotropics and sub-Saharan Africa, and only 19 species reside in the United States and Canada. One of the most remarkable things about owls is that they move their entire heads when looking at something rather than moving their eyes, like most other vertebrates. Owls need large, forward-facing eyes to gather scarce light during their nocturnal hunts, and evolution couldnt spare the musculature to allow these eyes to rotate. Some owls have astonishingly flexible necks that let them turn their heads three-quarters of a circle, or 270 degrees, compared to 90 degrees for the average human being. The tawny owl is just one of the more than 225 owl species in the world. Nick Jewell/Flickr/CC by 2.0 Habitat and Distribution Owls are found on every continent except Antarctica, and they also inhabit many remote island groups including the Hawaiian islands. Their preferred habitats vary from species to species but include everything from arctic tundra to marshlands, deciduous and conifer forests, deserts and agricultural fields, and beaches. Diet and Behavior Owls swallow their prey- insects, small mammals and reptiles, and other birds- whole without biting or chewing. Most of the unfortunate animal is digested, but the parts that cant be broken down- such as bones, fur, and feathers- are regurgitated as a hard lump, called a pellet, a few hours after the owls meal. By examining these pellets, researchers can identify what a given owl has been eating and when. (Baby owls dont produce pellets since their parents feed  them soft,  regurgitated food in the nest.) Although other carnivorous birds, such as hawks and eagles, hunt during the day, most owls hunt at night. Their dark colors make them nearly invisible to their prey and their wings beat almost silently. These adaptations, combined with their enormous eyes, put owls among the most efficient night hunters on the planet. As befitting birds that hunt and kill small prey, owls have some of the strongest talons in the avian kingdom, capable of seizing and grasping squirrels, rabbits, and other squirmy mammals. One of the largest owl species, the five-pound great horned owl,  can curl its talons with a force of 300 pounds per square inch, roughly comparable to the strongest human bite. Some unusually large owls have talons comparable in size to those of much bigger eagles, which may explain  why even desperately hungry eagles usually wont attack their smaller cousins. In popular culture,  owls are invariably depicted as extremely intelligent, but its virtually impossible to train an owl, while parrots, hawks, ​and pigeons can be taught to retrieve objects and memorize simple tasks.  People think owls are smart for the same reason they think kids who wear glasses are smart: Bigger-than-usual eyes convey the impression of high intelligence. This doesnt mean owls are especially dumb, either; they need lots  of brain power to hunt at night. Reproduction and Offspring Owl mating rituals involve dual hooting, and once paired, a single male and female will remain together through the breeding season. Some species stay together for an entire year; others remain paired for life. They dont typically build their own nests, instead, they take over nests abandoned by other creatures. Owls can be aggressively territorial, especially during the breeding season. Mother owls lay between one and 11 eggs over a few days period, with an average of five or six. Once laid, she does not leave the nest until the eggs hatch, some 24–32 days later, and, although the male feeds her, she does tend to lose weight over that period. The chicks hack themselves out of the egg with an egg-tooth and leave the nest (fledge) after 3–4 weeks. No one is sure why, on average, female owls are slightly larger than males. One theory is that smaller males are more agile and therefore more suited to catching prey,​ while females brood young. Another is that because  females dont like to leave their eggs, they need a larger body mass to sustain them for long periods without eating. A third theory is less likely but more amusing: Since female owls often attack and drive off unsuitable males during mating season, the smaller size and greater agility of males prevent  them from getting hurt.   CGander Photography/Getty Images Evolutionary History Its difficult to trace the evolutionary origins of owls, much less their apparent kinship with contemporary  nightjars, falcons, and eagles. Owl-like birds  such as Berruornis and Ogygoptynx lived 60 million years ago during the Paleocene epoch, which means it is possible that the ancestors of owls coexisted with dinosaurs toward the end of the Cretaceous period. The strigid family of owls broke off from tyronids and first appeared in the Miocene epoch (23–5 million years ago). Owls are one of the most ancient terrestrial birds, rivaled only by the game birds (e.g., chickens, turkeys, and pheasants) of the order Galliformes. Conservation Status Most of the species in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) are listed as Least Concern, but a few are listed as Endangered or Critically Endangered, such as the Forest Owlet (Heteroglaux blewitti) in India; the Boreal Owl (Aegolius funereus) in North America, Asia, and Europe; and the Siau Scops-Owl (Otus siaoensis), on a single island in Indonesia. Ongoing threats to owls are hunters, climate change and habitat loss. Owls and Humans It  isnt a good idea to keep owls as pets, and not just because thats illegal in the U.S. and most other countries. Owls eat only fresh food, requiring a constant supply of mice, gerbils, rabbits, and other small mammals. Also, their beaks and talons are very sharp, so youd also need a stock of bandages. If that werent enough, an owl can live for more than 30 years, so youd be donning your industrial-strength gloves and flinging gerbils into its cage for many years. Ancient civilizations had widely divergent opinions about owls. The Greeks chose  owls to represent Athena, the goddess of wisdom, but Romans were terrified of them, considering them bearers of ill omens. The Aztecs and  Mayans hated and feared owls as symbols of death and destruction, while many Native American tribes scared their children with stories of owls waiting in the dark to carry them away. The ancient Egyptians had a kinder view of owls, believing that they protected the spirits of the dead as they traveled to the underworld. Sources Askew, Nick. List of Owl Species. BirdLife International, June 24, 2009.BirdLife International. Micrathene The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T22689325A93226849, 2016.  whitneyi.BirdLife International. Bubo . The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T22689055A127837214, 2017.scandiacus (errata version published in 2018)BirdLife International. Heteroglaux . The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T22689335A132251554, 2018.blewittiBirdLife International. Aegolius . The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T22689362A93228127, 2016.  funereusBirdLife International. Otus . The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T22728599A134199532, 2018.siaoensisLynch, Wayne. Owls of the United States and Canada: A Complete Guide to their Biology and Behavior. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2007.

The causes of the Korean War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

The causes of the Korean War - Essay Example On the other hand, South Korea was being led by Syngman Rhee, a nationalist and was receiving by members of the United Nations and the United States of America. Since the Korean War ended in a truce, there is a presence of the US soldiers in South Korea. This is because, officially, officially, North and South Korea are still at war and thus, there is need to ensure that the US soldiers can make timely military intervention, in the event that North Korea makes an invasion on South Korea. The same truce ensures that South and North Korea remain divided by the 38h parallel. In light of the gravity of the Korean War, the causes of the Korean War must have also been not only serious, but also cutting across socio-economic and political issues, as shall be seen in the discussion which ensues forthwith. There are scholars such as Brune1 who point out that the historical relationship of the two states also served as a strong run-up to the Korean War. As provisional governments, the North an d South divisions competed vigorously over the control of the Korean Peninsula. This always made the major surrounding players in international politics [Russia, China and Japan] to yield to the temptation of interfering with the political situation in the Korean Peninsula. ... Specifically, Kim II-Sung had made efforts to create a Stalinist empire which was built on communist ideals. This regime came complete, having a well established army known as the North Korean People’s Army (NKPA). NKPA was more than adequately stocked with Russian guns, tanks and artillery. On the other hand, South Korea had an unstable political situation. However, the political and economic situation in the United States began to change when the United States began to support Syngman Rhee as the head of the South Korean state. In the mind of the Soviet Republic, if America was going to continuously fund Rhee and South Korea, then it (Russia) was going to lose its grip on the North. This is because, with the large amount of money that the US had and was ready to spend on its allies, pressure would mount in the north to develop a friendlier outlook towards the United States. Thus, the Soviet Union sought to strengthen its hold on North Korea as hard as possible. This state of affairs continued to worsen the state of antagonism between the US and the Soviet Union over the affairs of the Korean peninsula. Later, tension and the competitive spirit between the Soviet Union and the US continued to mount when the political leaders who were being backed by the two political rivals ascended the seat of the head of the executive. On 10 May, 1948, the south held its general elections which saw Syngman Rhee become president. In response, the Soviet Union supported Kim II-Sung politically so that he was declared Prime Minister of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on 19 September, 1948. These events made it clear for the two political rivals that

Breakthrough in Airline Industry Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Breakthrough in Airline Industry - Thesis Example Two successful companies are proposed as case study samples for the survey and extensive person-to-person interviews, namely, Southwest Airlines and American Airlines. In addition, two other profit-taking companies, Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific, shall serve as subjects of secondary interest as the thesis looks into their CRM practice by requesting them through e-mail or fax to fill up a questionnaire on the topic. If feasible, the proposed research shall locate any remaining office or persons that can speak for the failed Oasis Airlines, which is currently undergoing bankruptcy proceedings. Learning about the CRM techniques of both a successful and a collapsed airline is valuable to the proposed thesis since it will enable us to evaluate which process is more effective and useful. Whilst one airline after another goes out of business or on the edge of bankruptcy, a handful of airlines continue to operate profitably as if no crisis assails the industry at all. The most prominent of these successful airlines are Southwest Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, American Airlines and EasyJet. ... Southwest Airlines, for example, was recently honored by the US Department of Transportation for having the least number of complaints received from customers. It is interesting to see what management and operational strategies do these airlines employ to insulate their companies against the current economic crisis as well as the instabilities common to the industry, which can be highly instructive to both practitioners and students of management and marketing. 1.1 Main question: How do the fairly successful airlines handle their contacts with customers as compared to the customer relationship management applications used by failed airlines 1.2 Sub-questions: (1) Can adoption of CRM in the airline industry make a difference between long-term and short-term profitability (2) Which is more beneficial to an airline: online selling of plane tickets or through travel agents (3) Are loyalty schemes that reward frequent flyers part of good CRM practice that should be offered by troubled airlines (4) What tangible benefits have successful airlines derived from CRM for this to be considered a breakthrough system of management for the highly vulnerable airline industry 2. Literature Review Research for the proposed thesis shall focus on the actual results and benefits of CRM applications in airlines in light of the inherent difficulty in managing an airline and the turbulence experienced by the industry in the past few years. In effect, it will measure the impact of CRM applications on the bottom line of airlines based on the experience of Southwest Airlines and American Airlines. Studies of airline CRM in the existing literature, on the other hand, mostly discuss the rationale and mechanics of this process