Compression Techniques essays

Pressure Techniques expositions This examination depicts a picture portrayal procedure that involves dynamic refinement of client indicated locales of intrigue (ROI) of enormous pictures. Dynamic refinement of unique quality can be cultivated in principle. Nonetheless, due to substantial weight on capacity assets for our applications, we confine the refinement to about 25% of the first information goals. Wavelet disintegration with Vector Quantization (VQ) of the high recurrence segments and JPEG/DCT pressure of low recurrence segment is utilized as portrayal system. Our programming will reproduce the locale chose by the client from its wavelet decay at wanted goals. Further refinement from the primary see can be gotten dynamically by transmitting high recurrence coefficients from low goals to high goals, which are compacted by variation of Vector Quantization called Model Based Vector Quantization. The client will have a choice of dynamic develop of the ROIs until full goals put away or end the transmission whenever during the dynamic refinement. The whole engineering of the program depends on object situated programming utilizing C++. A multiresolution decay into wavelet coefficients gives the most valuable picture portrayal or picture perusing. Picture deterioration is finished recursively into wavelet coefficients utilizing the strategy [2] appeared in Figure 1. The given picture is deteriorated into low and high recurrence groups along the lines and sections. The high recurrence subbands are first scalar quantized and the low recurrence band, LL subband of the most significant level decay is compacted utilizing JPEG/DCT strategy. The scalar quantization is heavier for higher goals and decreased progressively for low goals high recurrence parts. The coefficients are then additionally compacted by a variation of Vector ... <!

UFOs Essay -- essays research papers

UFOs &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&quot;Little Green Men&quot;, &quot;Martians&quot;, &quot;Outer Limits&quot; ! That is what individuals consider when outsiders and UFOs ring a bell. Outsiders have been near, as far as should be obvious, since 1561. The inquiry is presently posed, How come in light of the fact that they [UFOs] have been located, experienced, and abducted; Why have we been kept in obscurity by our legislatures? &quot;Since UFOs were viewed as a security chance, the report on these sightings was initially delegated mystery (Kadrey 22).&quot; The name 'flying saucer' was 'begat' by an Air Force pilot in 1947, when he expressed that he had saw something that resembled a 'flying saucer'. &quot;The government thought about UFOs and have been following them since 1947, which is to be accepted when the 'Age of UFOs' begun (Stacey 55). In this way, through the following pages the hypothesis that UFOs are genuine in view of proof the administration has concealed, the quantity of sightings, and the uncountable number of kidnappings, will turn into a reality. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The first explanation that will be tended to, is the mystery and Government coverup of UFOs. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&quot;National Security Agency, or NSA, an abbreviation regularly accepted by insiders to signify 'SAY Nothing' , (Stacey 40) &quot; has been accused for many UFO administrative concealments around the country. &quot;Our issue is with government mystery, since it broadens the hole among residents and the administration, making it significantly more hard to take an interest in the popularity based procedure (Stacey 40),&quot; says Steven Aftergood while tending to UFO mystery. The UFO puzzle, or as it is previously know as the &quot;'Cosmic Watergate' : the progressing conceal of the administration's information about extraterrestrial UFOs and their earthly exercises (Stacey 36)&quot; is accepted to be begun during the Nixon organization, which is still under alot of examination. The Nixon Organization likewise settled the Freedom of Information Act [FOIA] in the 1970s', it made the way for alot of truth and more coverups. &quot; I don't figure they would do a 300-page report on all that they detect,&quot; says Joe Stefula who is a UFO scientist. The &quot;military would far rather have individuals accuse such things for flying saucers than them (Brookesmith 14). &quot; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Several mystery UFO Projects ... ...ng reclaimed on board the UFO and flown (with her vehicle too on board) back to the site of the snatching. (Brookesmith 108) &quot; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In end, I accept that UFOs, Aliens, EBEs, or whatever you call them; do have the way in to our future in the presence of humankind. In spite of the fact that, mystery agreements with our administrations may not actually get what we need, we can battle back. Lets bounce back for a second and ask ourselves an inquiry now: What on the off chance that we were in a similar difficulty, wouldn't we need ourselves to be sound as well, and take what we need? On the off chance that we take a gander at the outsiders activities from their viewpoint, what they are doing is actually what we are doing to ourselves by devastating the o- zone layer. So for what reason wouldn't they be able to do likewise to us? I feel that the proposition to demonstrate the presence of UFOs as expressed that Government coverups do represent a danger to the truth and national security of our nation, UFO sightings and kidnappings do present a danger right now and we should be prepared at all chances to uncover the Government what's more, The outsiders. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The End.

Dating App Dangers 7 Tips to Detect Fake Romance Scammers

Dating App Dangers 7 Tips to Detect Fake Romance Scammers Dating App Dangers: 7 Tips to Detect Fake Romance Scammers Dating App Dangers: 7 Tips to Detect Fake Romance ScammersThese con artists will try and make you fall in love with them online, only to turn around and start asking for moneyâ€"lots and lots of money.Online dating sucks. It’s so hard to tell whether someone is really who you think they areâ€"especially when their photos are so “artfully” composed as to completely obscure their face and their “about me” section is nothing but Coldplay lyrics.But going on bad date after bad date pales in comparison to someone who’s actually misleading you. Dating apps and websites are full of scammers who use your desire to connect to connect themselves to your bank account.According to a report from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), there were almost 15,000 complaints of “romance scams” made in 2016, with losses that exceeded $230 million. That’s well over $15,000 lost per complaint! Yikes!Don’t let yourself get duped by a romance scammer. Here are seven ways you can stay safe while looking for love online.1. Perform your own background check.It’s amazing how far a little bit of googling will go. People who run these scams will likely write you long, florid messages; remember, they’re trying to make you fall in love with them. Take all the information they give you and comb through both search engines and social media to see what you can verify.In the modern age, most people have at least some kind of digital footprint, and you should be able to verify that this person really exists. If you keep running up against dead endsâ€"if it seems like this person doesn’t exist beyond their dating profileâ€"then there is a very good chance that, well, they’re entirely made up.2. Reverse image search.Most of the advice in this article is pretty low tech, but this one involves using some slightly more advanced technology to your advantage. (Okay, it’s not exactly high tech, but if you want to hum the Mission Impossible theme under your breath while you do it, we won’t judge.)Scammers will likely steal images from someone else to create their profile, which is something you can turn against them. The nonprofit advocacy group Consumer Reports suggests that you run any dating profile images through a reverse image search using Google Images or a search engine like TinEye.When you’re being scammed, the results will return someone completely different from the person you’re chatting with. Consumer Reports also suggests that you check your pen pals email address against the records kept on RomanceScams.org.3. Do not follow to a second location.Most dating sites and websites have security measures to prevent their users from being scammed. When someone’s messaging you in a suspicious way, there’s a chance that the site’s security team will pick up on it and delete the scammer’s account.This is why many romance scammers will try and get you off the platform as soon as possible. They’ll make up some excuse and ask that you two continue your conversation over text or email. This is a huge red flag.Push back and suggest that you two continue chatting through the site, or try and set up a Skype call so that you two can actually talk face-to-face. Whatever excuses they push back with are likely to be very flimsy.Talk to anyone who’s been in a real long distance relationship: If a person’s really that into you, they’ll figure out how to make a Skype call work. And if the person does  agree to a Skype call or to meet up in real life and then keeps finding reasons to cancel, thats yet another red flag.4. Watch out for grammar and spelling.In the age of texting and autocorrect, we’ve all let our standards for spelling and grammar fall by the wayside. But when you’re talking with a stranger on the internet, keep an eye out for grammar and spelling mistakes, especially if the person insists that they are a native English speaker.A number of the people pulling these scams are not, in fact, na tive English speakers, nor do they live in the United States. Lots of mistakes in spelling, or use of common phrases that just seem a little … off … might be a sign that this is a foreigner trying to pretend they’re an American.With online dating, a person who’s trying to pretend they’re someone else is not a  person you want to get involved withâ€"scam or no.5. Phone a friend.Not to get all Inception on you, but have you ever woken up from a dream and realized that things which made perfect sense to you in that dream actually make no sense whatsoever once you woke up?That’s how it can be with these scammers, many of whom are adept at weaving a convincing spell over you, one that makes big flashing warnings signs look like a romantic candlelit dinner. You can combat this by talking to a friend or a close relative, someone who can help you process what’s going on and point out when things don’t make sense or seem weird.Scammers will anticipate this and try to isolate you from such people. They’ll try and convince you that your friends are the ones who are wrong, not them. Don’t let them fool you. Someone who you’ve been close with for years is more trustworthy than a person you only know as text on a screen. Don’t let your heart override your head.6. Be skeptical.This goes for all facets of online dating, it’s just especially true when dealing with potential scammers. The best way to keep your heart from being broken and your bank account from being emptied is to treat everything your online partner tells you with skepticism.This isnt only about how they talk about themselves, its also how they talk about you.  If your online partner is constantly complimenting you, be suspicious. They might just be trying to crush your inner alarm bells under the weight of their flattery.Look, we think that you’re really great, but when somebody who’s never met you is going on and on and on about how great you areâ€"how handsome and how smart and how funny and how wiseâ€"perhaps it’s because they want something from you.Experienced online daters know that people are rarely who they portray themselves to be online. Take that advice to heart and said heart should be protected from romance scammers.7. Just say “no.”Even if you’ve ignored all the rest of the advice in this article, it’s not too late. Up until you hit the button in your banking portal that says “transfer funds,” you still have a chance to save yourself from a romance scam.This advice is extremely simple, but it can also be extremely difficult. When your long-distance love all of a sudden has a “financial emergency” and desperately asks you to send them money … just tell them no.This is what the con has been building to, and it’s also the moment where any doubt should vanish from your mind. If you didn’t know, now you know: It’s a scam.They won’t give up easily, they will continue to wheedle and plead. Their sob story will take on even sobbier dimensions. Don’t fall for it. Tell them no, and end the communication. Block their number, delete your profile, do whatever you have to do.Online dating might kind of suck, but it’s also how more and more people are finding love. Don’t let a scammer turn your quest for romance into a date with financial ruin. Follow our advice, and the only bad experience you’ll have on dating apps will be awful datesâ€"so many truly awful dates.To learn more about protecting yourself from scammers, check out these related posts and articles from OppLoans:Don’t Let Fake Debt Collectors Scam You Out of Money You Don’t Owe4 Common Home Contractor Scams and How to Avoid ThemReverse Mortgages: How They Work and How to Shop For One SafelyHas a romance scammer ever tried to con you? We want to hear about it! You can find us  on  Facebook  and  Twitter.Visit OppLoans on  YouTube  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  LinkedIN

The Role of Perception in the Decision-Making Process Essay

The Role of Perception in the Decision-Making ProcessWhat is perception? How can a persons perception of others impact an organizations behavior? What are the positive and negative effects of using perceptive shortcuts when judging others? How are decisions in real world organizations actually made? How can our perceptions shape ethical or moral decisions? These are the questions that will be attempted to be answered in this essay. According to Robbins, S. (2005) Perception is a process by which individuals organize and interpret their sensory impressions in order to give meaning to their environment. The role of perception in the decision-making process goes beyond the five senses (1) sight, (2) hearing, (3) smell, (4) taste, and (5)†¦show more content†¦the CEO, family members etc. depending on their level of influence or control over the organization. What are the positive and negative effects of using perceptive shortcuts when judging others? Perceptive shortcuts can affect the quality of a persons decision-making and performance. According to Robbins, S. (2005) some of the most frequently used shortcuts include:†¢Selective perception: selective interpretation based on ones expectations. †¢Halo Effect: bias opinion based on first impression or single attribute. †¢Contrast effects: assessment of persons qualities based on others with similar qualities. †¢Projection: Attributing ones own characteristics to other people. †¢Stereotyping: preconceived notion about an individual based ones perception of the group to which that person belongs. †¢Self-fulfilling prophecy: A situation in which one person inaccurately perceives a second person and the resulting expectations cause the second person to behave in ways consistent with the original perception. Positive effects of using perceptive shortcuts when judging others:†¢Simplify the amount of information being received. †¢Having express knowledge of individual characteristics allows interviews to go quickly. †¢Grouping people based on similar characteristics can help interviewers to extract applicants with specialized skills quickly. †¢It is easier to judge an applicant positively if the interviewer perceives that they are alike.Show MoreRelatedIs The International English Language Testing System Reliable and Fair?1491 Words   |  6 PagesIn the past,large organizations have implemented language assessments aimed to assess learners ability in the use of language in higher education.These high stake tests plays a vital role when decisions made on individual performance and its outcome is considered as a diagnosis of the learners ability.Among these performance, the International English Language Testing System ( IELTS) writing score is considered by most universities a benchmark against learners success in higher education.This hasRead MoreBenefits And Risks Of Diversity1232 Words   |  5 Pagesdifferent, so there is very little information about the likeness of people. Thus, the knowledge in this matter is more related to the conception, scope, benefits and risks of diversity in the workplace. Organisa tional psychologists consider that the perception of this concept has changed. Companies used to associate diversity with differences in terms of demographic aspects such as age, race, gender, sexual orientation or disabilities (Mor Barak 2011). However, this concept has changed with time. CurrentlyRead MoreThe Halo Effect And Stereotyping1567 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Perception is a process by which individuals organize and interpret their sensory impressions in order to give meaning to their environment† (Robbins Judge, 2014, p. 80). Robbins and Judge (2014) give an explanation that perceptions are important because each of us has a biased worldview since we are all limited to using our own observations to draw conclusions based on our personal experience. Perception shortcuts are tools that allow people to judge someone quickly and provide data for makingRead Morewhat is organizational behavior1418 Words   |  6 Pages5 1. Briggs = Personality assessment- Extravert Vs Introvert, Sensing Vs Intuitive, Thinking Vs Feeling, Judging vs Perceiving 2. Proactive personality = Identify opportunity, show initiative, take action, preserver to the end 3. Values perceptions =Process by which individuals organize and interpret their sensory impression in order to give meaning to their environment. Chapter 6 1. Self serving bias= Success is because of me, Failure is because of everything else 2. Halo effect= One opinionRead MoreNegotiations Between Chicago s Teachers Union And Mayor Rahm Emmanuel1316 Words   |  6 PagesExploring Negotiations Abstract This essay will explain the basics of negotiations between different parties. The essay will include the information background that can help or hinder the outcomes of these negotiations. This essay is about the negotiations between Chicago’s Teachers Union and Mayor Rahm Emmanuel in 2012. The failure to have a timely outcome that each party could agree upon force the teachers of Chicago public schools to strike for nine days at the beginning of the 2012-2013Read MoreTheoretical Perspectives and Research1441 Words   |  6 Pagesto analyse and understand organisations, however this essay shall focus on two perspectives, namely the modern and critical theory. These two perspectives have different views on concepts that might appear similar, thus this essay shall examine the different stands they each take. Concepts that can be examined include, power, control and conflict, organisational structures, organisations culture and organisation and its environment. This essay sha ll closely examine how the two perspectives have differentRead MoreTheoretical Perspectives and Research1448 Words   |  6 Pagesto analyse and understand organisations, however this essay shall focus on two perspectives, namely the modern and critical theory. These two perspectives have different views on concepts that might appear similar, thus this essay shall examine the different stands they each take. Concepts that can be examined include, power, control and conflict, organisational structures, organisations culture and organisation and its environment. This essay shall closely examine how the two perspectives have differentRead MorePerception And Perception Of Perception1727 Words   |  7 Pagespeople cause many problems which is relevant to a concept called perception. In this essay, the concept of perception will be described through academic definitions and knowledge also with practical examples. The main objective is to provide readers with a better on what perception is, why it is important to the study of Organization Behaviour (OB) and the effects and implications of it onto managers’ job. Perception is defined as the process in which perceivers give meaning to the things they see afterRead MoreLiterature On Teacher Professionalism And The Vocational Culture Of Teaching1529 Words   |  7 PagesWhat does it mean to be a ‘good’ teacher’? Discuss in relation to the literature on teacher professionalism and the vocational culture of teaching Introduction Teachers are role models who share their knowledge and passion for a subject to their students. They do not only have the technical ability to teach but they also have the mental capacity to deal with many challenging students to assess each situation in a pragmatic manner. Teachers have collective attributes which help the students to learnRead MoreIntroduction. Police And Other Agencies Within Law Enforcement1469 Words   |  6 Pagesthe job and part of being prepared, is to have a mine-set to make split decisions and the ability to know when and how to use of discretion. Empirical research suggests the discretion is a necessary and extremely vital part of decision-making in policing. Some may ask how the police decide when to release or arrest a person? What situations can they use their authority of discretion? What is their decision-making process when choosing to use their discretion? Criminological research has examined

Meaning and Family History of the Surname Estrada

The toponymic surname Estrada originates from any of the many places in Spain and Portugal named Estrada, from Estrada, meaning road. Derived from the Latin stata, denoting a road or paved way, which in turn derives from sternere, to strew or cover. Estrada is the 52nd most common Hispanic surname. Surname Origin:  Spanish, Portuguese Alternate Surname Spellings:  DE ESTRADA, ESTRADO, ESTRADER Famous People With the Surname Erik Estrada – American actor of Puerto Rican descentTomà ¡s Estrada Palma – First president of Cuba (1902–1906)Elise Estrada – Canadian pop-singer and actressJoseph Estrada – film actor, producer, former president of the Philippines Where Do People With the Estrada Surname Live? According to Public Profiler: World Names the majority of individuals with the Estrada surname live in Spain and Argentina, followed by concentrations in the United States, Canada, and France. Genealogy Resources for the Surname Estrada Family Crest - Its Not What You ThinkContrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as an Estrada  family crest or coat of arms for the Estrada  surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male-line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted.   ESTRADA Family Genealogy ForumSearch this popular genealogy forum for the Estrada surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Estrada query. Source: Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.

The Moral Theories Of Normative Ethics - 1175 Words

Utilitarianism is one of the general moral theories of normative ethics, which is made up of two principles: utility and equality. Utility is to maximize things like happiness, pleasure, and desire-satisfaction. Equality is the principle that the interests of all members of the moral community who are involved are completely equal. The utilitarian theory, therefore, tries to create the most amount of well being and the least amount of displeasure or suffering. To apply the utilitarian view to whether it is possible to be an ethical carnivore, consideration of all the interest of all those involved is essential, which would include humans and non-human animals. Farmers, meat eaters, animals, activists are all affected by ethical and unethical choices made by carnivores. One way to be an ethical carnivore, according to the utilitarian view, would be to consume happy meat, which is meat that is raised, treated and killed humanely, minimizing suffering to animals. According to philosoph er Peter Singer, animals have the ability to feel pain and so have an interest in avoiding pain; this makes animals part of the moral community says Singer .In a utilitarian based world, if all meat eaters would only purchase happy meat, it would substantially reduce the pain and suffering of the non human members of the moral community and thus maximizing the good for the most number of beings thus supporting that there can be such a thing as an ethical carnivore. People have personal reasonShow MoreRelatedNormative Ethics : A Theory Or System Of Moral Values1356 Words   |  6 PagesWebster’s Dictionary defines ethics as â€Å"a theory or system of moral values† (Agnes, p. 295). Normative ethics is an area of ethics that centers on the standards for human conduct. Utilitarianism is a perspective of normative ethics, which focuses on consequences. The utilitarianism perspective regarding morality emphasizes that when making ethical decisions; we should choose to d o whatever will result in the greatest good, taking all of mankind into consideration. The â€Å"moral thing to do† under thisRead More Ethical and Philosophical Questions about Value and Obligation977 Words   |  4 PagesQuestions about Value and Obligation I Recall the distinction between metaethics and normative ethics. Normative ethics deals with substantial ethical issues, such as, What is intrinsically good? What are our moral obligations? Metaethics deals with philosophical issues about ethics: What is value or moral obligation? Are there ethical facts? What sort of objectivity is possible in ethics? How can we have ethical knowledge? Recall, also, the fundamental dilemma of metaethicsRead MoreNormative Ethics: Society Determines What Moral and Ethical Act or Action is Correct and Acceptable1446 Words   |  6 PagesNormative ethics are those ethical principles and values that are considered morally correct and express principles of good character, actions that are viewed as right rather than wrong and are commonly accepted and reasonable. The prompt in this assignment refers to the requirement of â€Å"the existence of normative† requiring the practice of normative ethics in how individuals and society determine what moral and ethical act or action is correct and acceptable. Normative ethics embraces the philosophicalRead MoreEthical Ethics And Normative Ethics1078 Words   |  5 Pagestwo questions are examples of why mete-ethics and normative ethics exist. To be able to create an environmental ethic, one must have a sense of moral conclusion. Whether these morals are categorized through self-interes t or obligation, meta ethics and normative ethics try to decipher these notions. To derive a normative ethic, meta-ethics needs to explain the language of morality, and how do humans come to a consensus of specific actions and thoughts. Ethics, by short definition, is how we (humans)Read MoreEthical Theories Of Normative Ethics1259 Words   |  6 PagesOver the last couple of weeks in Philosophy 103, we learned five theories concerning normative ethics: utilitarianism, duty ethics, virtue ethics, care ethics, and natural law ethics. While learning about those theories, I often thought about how the arguments for some theories included interesting ideas that I personally agreed with, but the methods of reasoning were somewhat lacking. Contrastingly, I encountered theories with arguments that were not thought-provoking ideas at first, but I becameRead MoreFeminist Ethics : A Better Alternative Than Traditional Normative Ethical Theories Essay1540 Words   |  7 Pagesthe question: C ould feminist ethics provide a â€Å"better† alternative than traditional normative ethical theories? In order to answer this question, one must have an understanding of what feminist ethics is and what it aims to accomplish. According to Rosemarie Tong and Nancy Williams, feminist ethics is â€Å"an attempt to revise, reformulate, or rethink traditional ethics to the extent it depreciates or devalues women s moral experience.† An important point in feminist ethics is to understand how genderRead MoreEthics Paper1177 Words   |  5 PagesEthics Paper Week 1 Assignment Rheana Willis 01/08/2012 Dilemma Choice 2: A married couple, both addicted to drugs, are unable to care for their infant daughter. She is taken from them by court order and placed in a foster home. The years pass. She comes to regard her foster parents as her real parents. They love her as they would their own daughter. When the child is 9 years old, the natural parents, rehabilitated from drugs, begin court action to regain custody. The case is decided in theirRead MoreNormative ethical subjectivism and the four arguments aganist it with examples1418 Words   |  6 PagesNormative ethical subjectivism is an ethical stance that attempts to specify circumstances under which an action is morally right or wrong using four distinct arguments that try to prove this claim. Normative ethical subjectivism claims that an act is morally right if, and only if, the person judging the action approves of it. Stemming form this view on ethics a normative ethical theory has been made. An ethical theory is a theory of what is right and wrong. This stance on ethics is the oppositeRead MorePlato s Model Of The Perfect Society945 Words   |  4 Pagespicture of moral value that can be reflective in both political and civil life. Plato’s society runs in harmony when each person finds their function and contributes to the society. Carpenters must build houses, teachers need to teach, and farmers need to farm. The main point is for main too keep obtaining knowledge, it is through the obtaining of knowledge that a better society will be forged out of it. The three major divisions in eithers are, normative ethics, metaethics, and applied ethics. NormativeRead MoreDeontological Ethics : Ethics And Ethics1256 Words   |  6 Pages Deontological Ethics Deontological Ethics are based on normative ethics position that judges the morality of an action that in line with rules. In other words, deontology falls within the nomenclature of moral theories that guide and assess our choices of what we ought to do (deontic theories), in contrast to (aretaic [virtue] theories) that—fundamentally, at least—guide and assess what kind of person (in terms of character traits) we are and should be. In contemporary moral philosophy, deontology

Strategic Information Systems Business and Enterprise

Question: Discuss about the Strategic Information Systems for Business and Enterprise. Answer: Introduction The literature review depicts the importance of implementing accounting software packages in Australia, to overcome different issues that are associated to the traditional accounting system. In this literature review the selected online accounting software is Saasu that uses the concept of software as a service. The history of the accounting software packages and the development of adaptation of the software packages in small to medium business enterprises are also demonstrated in this literature review. Apart from this the literature review will also illustrate the current market size of the online accounting software package Saasu. Due to the presence of several accounting software packages in the market, the leaders of the accounting software and the competitive advantages of Saasu will also be discussed in this literature review. History of accounting software packages During the analysis of accounting software packages in Australia it has been found that, in the current market Saasu is one of the most widely utilized online accounting software. The distributive model implemented by Saasu, is completely based on the cloud SaaS (software as a service). In the year of 2000, this online accounting software was invented by Marc Lehmann and Grant Young. Initially it was invented as a side project, but after the year of 2004, different business organizations have adopted this to overcome the traditional business oriented issues (Mas et al. 2014). In the initial stage the business does not required to invest much for the business rather from the very beginning the business was proved to be very profitable from the business perspectives. In the year of 2000, the company has credited $1 Million. After gaining a huge profit from the competitive marketplace the executives of Saasu had decided to build a partnership relationship along with the Australian onlin e foreign exchange platform. Gradually in the year of 2014, Saasu established a partnership along with Westpac (Contractor et al. 2015). Saasu the online accounting software package was generally used to liberate small to medium businesses. Mostly in order to mitigate the issues regarding traditional accounting system, online accounting software is implemented, that disrupted the old ways. Rather than medium, small businesses can be operated well by utilizing the concept of online accounting software. It provided faster, better ways to manage the businesses. Behind the business success of Saasu, triple business stakeholders such as consumers, employees and shareholders are responsible (Tijani and Mohammed 2013). The company always focuses on the current market status and based on that Saasu decided the price of the products served by the organization. In order to gain competitive advantages Saasu is always ranges the price of the products lesser than the others. Development and adaptation of online accounting software Saasu From the market analysis it has been found that, Saasu is one of the well known online accounting software companies. The service provides cloud based solution to small to medium organizations for managing large amount of data. This is one of the most developed online accounting software packages that are handled by most of the retailer companies. Development year Impact 2002 Saasu was founded in the year of 2002. 2013 In the competition of ICB software was Saasu was funded to be one of the best accounting software (Khair, Cooke and Hand 2013). At the edge of the web the keynotes accounting software was designed. 2014 Saasu implemented cash flow and forecasting facility to the existing system. The data stored in the database was migrated to Australia (Wu and Smyth 2012). New innovative application programming interface was introduced to the system. The system changed to global search 2015 The system start to got direct feed from Westpac, St George and ANZ. Online payment system was involved to the system. Saasu integrated to OzForex and Westpac. 2016 Online payment system was involved with Paypal. Apple ios and android platform also started to utilize the Saasu online accounting software (Yelland, Sullivan and Makrides 2015). New dashboard and screen capabilities are involved for update of the new interface system. Saasu online accounting software is very helpful to run small to medium businesses from anywhere. After adaptation of the system many additional features are found to get added to the existing system of Saasu (Alamin et al. 2015). It provided a single dashboard system where, the users can found the details of bank balance, selling processes and upcoming payment as well. The users can give invoice to the system at the same time the system become capable to hold the details of the users. It has backup resilience and disaster recovery feature. The administration can search for the details stored in the database whenever and wherever needed. During adaptation of software as a service (SAAS) platform, confidential data might get lost; the import and export tools used by Saasu will help to recover those data, from the data storage (Venkatachalam 2015). The professional online invoice payment will enable the consumers to pay through online credit card payment options. The auto update and the mobile access approach provides, latest version with innovative features and at the same time, it involves easy expenses. The current market size of Saasu online accounting Since last three to four years the online accounting software has become a credible option for small to medium businesses but currently the business organizations are trying to change their platform from the traditional one to the innovative supply chain and finance system (Nunoo et al. 2015). Saasu is older online accounting software which is better than Xero in some of the operating sectors. It had involved the values of spreadsheet import activities in order to increase the mechanisms of data entry and export as well. Though, the application programming interface utilized by Saasu was very weak from the beginning of its innovations. In order to overcome the issue Saasu has developed their back end and front end applications. Saasu developed before Xero but it fails to provide all the services required by the consumers of the accounting software (Schwarze 2014). The main issue was that it does not have their norms rather it was focused on the norms and values of MYOB. In order to m itigate these issues Saasu merged the old and the new applications together to make it more innovative compared o the others. The transaction process of Saasu is limited only for high transmission businesses (Wu and Smyth 2012). It has been noted that, the official support of Zapier, added many non coded options to integrate other cloud based applications. Identification of the leaders in the market After a comparative analysis it has been determined that, the options provided to Saasu by the third party are very strong from the market selling perspectives. The price and credited amount allotted for the services of Saasu are lesser than the online software accounting organizations. The inventory management system manages by Saasu include, support quotes, consumer invoice and selling orders. The basic of the purchasing is very innovative, while the stock market of Saasu reaches a certain point it is capable to generate replenishment PO. The TS service provided by the organization is excellent (Nunoo et al. 2015). After adaptation of these features still the organization is unable to hold the top position in the competitive marketplace. The current market analysis implies that, MYOB is the top position holder online accounting software package. Analysis of current gaps and challenges identified by the consumers for Saasu The current market of online accounting software package implies that, the payroll management system of Saasu is balanced and for additional complicated situations good third party involvement is available in Saasu. The real inventory or perceptual inventory management system of Saasu gives reordering, large plan, multi locations and variant facilities to the consumers. It has no auto company entries. The market segmentation made by Saasu is completely informal by it is reliable and flexible (Contractor et al. 2015). The budget estimated to implement the system in the competitive market is based on the demand of the consumers. The account level economical allocation changes according to the changing time period. The security and data access functionalities provided by Saasu, is satisfactory but not excellent. The cash flow management system involves interactive drag, drop and forecast functionalities (Schwarze 2014). The dashboard and analytical approach is very weak and is not isolated rather it is integrated to third party. Online payment integration process is approachable due to its capacity to hold volume data entry. The users can get support very easily due to high authoritative help on the smart mobile applications. Conclusion From the overall discussion it can be concluded that, Saasu and Xero both the online accounting software packages act as a tool for small business organizations. The businesses those want to change their sales invoice, and masses of quotes should use Saasu accounting software. As, Saasu can deliver high volume invoice and at the same time, during the usage of inventory system Saasu can purchase orders with automated cashing and statements the small businesses are using this online accounting software package. The literature review discussed that, history, development an adaptation of Saasu online accounting software. In addition to this, the literature review also illustrated the current market size and competitive advantages of Saasu. Apart from this, the leaders in the market are also indentified in the literature review. Recommendations Security: The system is needed to be secured so that, the data stored in the database remain safe and secured. Selection of platform: Proper platform selection is needed to develop the service of Saasu. Training: The employees working for the organization are needed to be well trained so that they can involve continuous innovative development of the system. References Ahmad, N.S.M. and Leftesi, A., 2014. An exploratory study of the level of sophistication of management accounting practices in Libyan manufacturing companies.International Journal of Business and Management,2(2), p.1. Alamin, A., Yeoh, W., Warren, M. and Salzman, S., 2015, January. An empirical study of factors influencing accounting information systems adoption. InProceedings of the Twenty-Third European Conference on Information Systems. ECIS. Contractor, S., Alexander, L.V., Donat, M.G. and Herold, N., 2015. How Well Do Gridded Datasets of Observed Daily Precipitation Compare over Australia?.Advances in Meteorology,2015. Khair, H.A., Cooke, D. and Hand, M., 2013. The effect of present day in situ stresses and paleo-stresses on locating sweet spots in unconventional reservoirs, a case study from Moomba-Big Lake fields, Cooper Basin, South Australia.Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology,3(4), pp.207-221. Lemos, A.L., Daniel, F. and Benatallah, B., 2016. Web service composition: a survey of techniques and tools.ACM Computing Surveys (CSUR),48(3), p.33. Mas, J.F., Kolb, M., Paegelow, M., Olmedo, M.T.C. and Houet, T., 2014. Inductive pattern-based land use/cover change models: A comparison of four software packages.Environmental Modelling Software,51, pp.94-111. Nunoo, F.K.E., Asiedu, B., Kombat, E.O. and Samey, B., 2015. Sardinella and Other Small Pelagic Value and Supply chainof the fishery scetor, Ghana.The USAID/Ghana Sustainable Fisheries Management Project (SFMP). Narragansett, RI: Coastal Resources Center, Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island and Netherlands Development Organisation. GH2014_ACT044_SNV. Schwarze, J., 2014. Deviant Legality: When the Internationalization of the Law Violates Social Norms. Tijani, O. and Mohammed, A.K., 2013. Computer-Based Accounting Systems in Small and Medium Enterprises: Empirical Evidence from a Randomized Trial in Nigeria.Universal Journal of Management,1(1), pp.13-21. Venkatachalam, N., 2015. Leveraging of software as a service by small and medium enterprises: Information systems capabilities and organisational complementarities. Wu, D. and Smyth, G.K., 2012. Camera: a competitive gene set test accounting for inter-gene correlation.Nucleic acids research,40(17), pp.e133-e133. Yelland, L.N., Sullivan, T.R. and Makrides, M., 2015. Accounting for multiple births in randomised trials: a systematic review.Archives of Disease in Childhood-Fetal and Neonatal Edition,100(2), pp.F116-F120.

Fires Of Jubilee book review Essay Example

Fires Of Jubilee book review Essay Biographer Stephen B. Oates is an award winning Civil War era expert. The Fires of Jubilee is just one of sixteen books that he has written. As a History professor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Oates wrote this biography of Nat Turner and his infamous insurrection. Nat Turner was convinced that he was a chosen man of the Lord. Ironically, the name Nathaniel is Hebrew for the gift of God. Nat felt, deep in his heart, that he was special and important in the fight for the freedom of all slaves. As a child he was something of a spectacul. His mother and father would brag to the other slaves of how Nat had congenital bumps and scars on his head and chest, which in African tradition meant that he was destined to be a leader. Also, Nat was naturally a highly intelligent person. As a child he was able to learn to read and write at ease on his own. This astonished many of the the slaves, as well as his master Ben Turner. Nat also astonished his mother by telling of an event th at happened prior to his birth, that he had no way of knowing. When she asked how he knew of the incident he said that somehow he just knew. Many of the whites and other slave also made Nat feel different than the other slave by saying that he would never be of any service to anyone as a slave. A comment that, at ayoung age, gave Nat the impression that he might one day be freed. Nat knew he was different. Even though it was considered disgraceful for slaves to not get drunk on holidays, Nat never drank, much less got drunk. The most convincing sign, to Nat, that he was chosen was that he had visions, that he claimed were from the Lord. Visions that would eventually be his motivation for insurrection. Until the age of 8, Nat was owner by Ben Turner, who was considered to be a fair and kind master. However, at the age of 9 Sam Turner, Bens son, became Nats new master. Sam was definetely a harsher master than his father, which was a blow to

Guide to Using Visual Basic for Applications

Guide to Using Visual Basic for Applications One of the most outstanding qualities of Visual Basic is that its a complete development environment. Whatever you want to do, theres a flavor of Visual Basic to help you do the job! You can use Visual Basic for desktop and mobile and remote development (VB.NET), scripting (VBScript) and Office development (VBA !) If you have tried VBA and you want to know more about how to use it, this is the tutorial for you. (This course is based on the version of VBA found in Microsoft Office 2010.) If youre searching a course in Microsoft Visual Basic .NET, you have also found the right place. Check out: Visual Basic .NET 2010 Express - A From the Ground Up Tutorial VBA as a general concept will be covered in this article. Theres more to VBA than you might think! You can also find articles about the Office VBA sisters: There are basically two way to develop programs that can work with Office applications: VBA and VSTO. In October 2003, Microsoft introduced an enhancement to the professional programming environment Visual Studio .NET called Visual Studio Tools for Office - VSTO. But even though VSTO leverages the considerable advantages of .NET in Office, VBA remains more popular than VSTO. VSTO requires the use of the Professional or higher version of Visual Studio - which will probably cost you more than the Office application youre using - in addition to the Office application. But since VBA is integrated with the host Office application, you dont need anything else. VBA is used primarily by Office experts who want to make their work faster and easier. You seldom see large systems written in VBA. VSTO, on the other hand, is used by professional programmers in larger organizations to create Add-Ins that can be quite sophisticated. An application from a third party, like a paper company for Word or an accounting firm for Excel, is more likely to be written using VSTO. In their documentation, Microsoft notes that there are basically three reasons to use VBA: - Automation Repetition - Computers can do the same thing over and over much better and faster than people can. - Extensions to User Interaction - Do you want to suggest exactly how someone should format a document or save a file? VBA can do that. Do you want to validate what someone enters? VBA can do that too. - Interaction between Office 2010 Applications - A later article in this series is called Word and Excel Working Together. But if this is what you need, you might want to consider Office automation, that is, writing the system using VB.NET and then using the functions from an Office application like Word or Excel as needed. Microsoft has stated that they will continue to support VBA and its featured prominently in the Official Microsoft Office 2010 Development Roadmap. So you have as much assurance as Microsoft ever provides that your investment in VBA development wont be obsolete in the near future. On the other hand, VBA is the last remaining Microsoft product that depends on VB6 COM technology. Its over twenty years old now! In human years, that would make it older than Lestat the Vampire. You might see that as tried, tested and true or you might think of it as ancient, worn-out, and obsolete. I tend to favor the first description but you should be aware of the facts. The first thing to understand is the relationship between VBA and Office applications like Word and Excel. The Office application is a host for VBA. A VBA program can never be executed by itself. VBA is developed in the host environment (using the Developer tab in the Office application ribbon) and it must be executed as part of a Word document, an Excel workbook, an Access database or some other Office host. The way VBA is actually used is different too. In an application like Word, VBA is used primarily as a way to access the objects of the host environment such as accessing the paragraphs in a document with the Words Word.Document.Paragraphs object. Each host environment contributes unique objects that are not available in the other host environments. (For example, there is no workbook in a Word document. A workbook is unique to Excel.) The Visual Basic code is mainly there to make it possible to use objects customized for each Office host application. The fusion between VBA and host specific code can be seen in this code sample (taken from the Microsoft Northwind sample database) where purely VBA code is shown in red and Access specific code is shown in blue. The red code would be the same in Excel or Word but the blue code is unique to this Access application. VBA itself is almost the same as it has been for years. The way it integrates with the host Office application and the Help system has been improved more. The 2010 version of Office doesnt display the Developer tab by default. The Developer tab takes you into the part of the application where you can create VBA programs so the first thing you need to do is change that option. Simply go to the File tab, Options, Customize Ribbon and click the Developer box in Main Tabs. The Help system works much more smoothly than it has in previous versions. You can get help for your VBA questions either offline, from a system that is installed with your Office application, or online from Microsoft over the Internet. The two interfaces are designed to look a lot alike: Click Here to display the illustration If your Internet connection is fast, the online help will give you more and better information. But the locally installed version will probably be faster and in most cases its just as good. You might want to make the local help the default and then use the online help if the local version doesnt give you what you want. The fastest way to go online is to simply select All Word (or All Excel or other app) from the Search dropdown in the help. This will immediately go online and perform the same search, but it wont reset your default selection. Click Here to display the illustration On the next page, we get started with how to actually create a VBA program. When VBA is hosted by an application like Word or Excel, the program lives in the document file thats used by the host. For example, in Word you can save your Word macro (its not a macro, but we wont quibble about terminology right now) either in a Word document or a Word template. Now suppose this VBA program is created in Word (this simple program just changes the font to bold for a selected line) and is saved in a Word document: Sub AboutMacro() AboutMacro Macro Macro recorded 9/9/9999 by Dan Mabbutt Selection.HomeKey Unit:wdStory Selection.EndKey Unit:wdLine, Extend:wdExtend Selection.Font.Bold wdToggle Selection.EndKey Unit:wdStory End Sub In earlier versions of Office, you could clearly see the VBA code stored as part of the document file in the saved Word document by viewing it in Notepad where everything in the Word document can seen. This illustration was produced with a previous version of Word because Microsoft changed the document format in the current version and VBA program code doesnt show up clearly as plain text anymore. But the principal is the same. Similarly, if you create an Excel spreadsheet with an Excel macro it will be saved as part of an .xlsm file. Click Here to display the illustration VBA and Security One of the most effective computer virus tricks in the past was to insert malicious VBA code into an Office document. With previous versions of Office, when a document was opened, the virus could run automatically and create havoc on your machine. This open security hole in Office was starting to impact Office sales and that really got Microsofts attention. With the current 2010 generation of Office, Microsoft has thoroughly plugged the hole. In addition to the improvements mentioned here, Microsoft has enhanced Office security in ways that you might not even notice right down to the hardware level. If youre hesitant to use VBA because you heard that it wasnt safe, be assured that Microsoft has gone the extra mile to change that now. The most important change was to create a special document type just for Office documents that include VBA programs. In Word, for example, MyWordDoc.docx cannot contain a VBA program because Word will not allow programs in a file saved with a docx file extension. The file must be saved as a MyWordDoc.docm for the VBA programming to be allowed as part of the file. In Excel, the file extension is .xlsm. To go along with this enhanced document type, Microsoft created a new security subsystem in Office called the Trust Center. Essentially, you can customize how your Office application treats documents containing VBA code in fine detail. You open the Trust Center from the Developer tab in your Office application by clicking Macro Security in the Code section of the ribbon. Click Here to display the illustration Some of the options are designed to harden your Office applications so malicious code doesnt run and others are designed to make it easier for developers and users to use VBA without having security unnecessarily slowing things down. As you can see, there are a lot of ways that you can customize security and going through all of them is far beyond the scope of this article. Fortunately, Microsofts site has extensive documentation on this topic. And its also fortunate that the default security settings are good for most requirements. Since VBA is tied to the host Office application, you have to run it there. That topic is covered starting on the next page. How Do I Run a VBA Application Thats actually a very good question because its the first one that users of your application will ask. There are basically two ways: - If you decide not to use a control, like a Button, to start the program, then you must use the Macros command on the ribbon (Developer tab, Code group). Select the VBA program and click Run. But this might seem a little too much to some of your users. For example, you might not want the Developer tab to even be available to them. In that case ... - You need to add something that the user can click or type to start the application. In this article, we will look at the Button control. But it could be clicking a shortcut, an icon on a toolbar or even the act of entering data. These are called events and what we will write in this and later articles is event code - program code that is automatically run when some specific event - like clicking a Button control - happens. UserForms, Form Controls and ActiveX Controls If youre not just selecting a macro, the most common way to run a VBA program is to click a button. That button can either be a form control or an ActiveX control. To a degree, your choices depend on the Office application that youre using. Excel provides slightly different choices than Word, for example. But these fundamental types of controls are the same. Because it offers the most flexibility, lets look at what you can do with Excel 2010. A simple text message will be inserted into a cell when several different buttons are clicked just to make the differences more clear. To get started, create a new Excel workbook and select the Developer tab. (If you have another Office application, a variation of these instructions should work.) Click the Insert icon. Well work with the Form Controls button first. Form controls are the older technology. In Excel, they were first introduced in version 5.0 in 1993. Well work with VBA UserForms next but form controls cant be used with them. Theyre also not compatible with the web. Form controls are placed directly on the worksheet surface. On the other hand, some ActiveX controls - which we consider next - cant be used directly on worksheets. Form controls are used with a click and draw technique. Click the Button form control. The mouse pointer will change into a plus sign. Draw the control by dragging over the surface. When you release the mouse button, a dialog pops up asking for a macro command to connect with the button. Click Here to display the illustration Especially when youre creating a control for the first time, you wont have a VBA macro waiting to be connected with the button, so click New and the VBA Editor will open with the suggested name already filled into the shell of an event subroutine. Click Here to display the illustration To complete this very simple application, just type this VBA code statement inside the Sub: Cells(2, 2).Value Form Button Clicked An ActiveX button is almost exactly the same. One difference is that VBA places this code in the worksheet, not in a separate module. Heres the complete event code. Private Sub CommandButton1_Click() Cells(4, 2).Value ActiveX Button Clicked End Sub In addition to placing these controls directly on the worksheet, you can also add a UserForm to the project and place controls on that instead. UserForms - about the same thing as Windows forms - have a lot of advantages in being able to manage your controls more like a normal Visual Basic application. Add a UserForm to the project in the Visual Basic editor. Use the View menu or right-click in Project Explorer. Click Here to display the illustration The default for a UserForm is to not display the form. So to make it visible (and make the controls on it available to the user), execute the Show method of the form. I added another form button just for this. Sub Button2_Click() UserForm1.Show End Sub Youll notice that the UserForm is modal by default. That means that when the form is active, everything else in the application is inactive. (Clicking the other buttons does nothing, for example.) You can change this by changing the ShowModal property of the UserForm to False. But this is getting us deeper into programming. The next articles in this series will explain more about this. The code for the UserForm is placed in the UserForm object. If you select View Code for all of the objects in Project Explorer, you will see that there are three separate Click event subroutines that are contained in three different objects. But theyre all available to the same workbook. Click Here to display the illustration In addition to forcing an event by clicking a button, VBA is also used to react to events in the objects in the hosting application. For example, you can detect when a spreadsheet changes in Excel. Or you can detect when a row is added to a database in Access and write a program to handle that event. In addition to the familiar command buttons, text boxes, and other components that you see in programs all the time, you can add components that are actually part of your Excel spreadsheet in your Word document. Or do the reverse. This goes way beyond copy and paste. For example, you can show an Excel spreadsheet in a Word document. VBA allows you to use the whole power of one Office application in another. For example, Word has relatively simple calculation ability built in. But Excel - well - excels at calculation. Suppose you wanted to use the natural log of the Gamma function (a relatively sophisticated math calculation) in your Word document? With VBA, you can pass values to that function in Excel and get the answer back in your Word document. And you can use much more than the Office applications! If you click the More Controls icon, you can see a considerable list of things that are installed on your computer. Not all of these work out of the box and you should have the documentation for each of them available, but it gives you an idea about how broad the support is for VBA. Of all the features in VBA, there is one that is clearly more useful than any other. Find out what it is on the next page. Ive saved the best for last! Heres a technique that applies across the board to all of the Office applications. Youll find yourself using it a lot so were covering it here in the Introduction. As you start to code more sophisticated VBA programs, one of the first problems you will run into is how to find out about methods and properties of Office objects. If youre writing a VB.NET program, youll often look for code samples and examples to solve this problem. But when you consider all the different hosting applications and the fact that each of them have hundreds of new objects, you usually cant find something that exactly matches what you need to do. The answer is the Record Macro ... The basic idea is to turn on Record Macro, go through the steps of a process that is similar to what you want your program to accomplish, and then check the resulting VBA program for code and ideas. Many people make the mistake of thinking that you have to be able to record exactly the program you need. But its not at all necessary to be that exact. Its usually good enough to record a VBA program that is just close to what you want and then add the code modifications to make it do the job precisely. Its so easy and useful that I will sometimes record a dozen programs with slight differences just to see what the code differences are in the result. Remember to delete all the experiments when youre finished looking at them! As an example, I clicked Record Macro in the Word Visual Basic Editor and typed several lines of text. Heres the result. (Line continuations have been added to make them shorter.) Sub Macro1() Macro1 Macro Selection.TypeText Text: _ These are the times that Selection.TypeText Text: _ try mens souls. The Selection.TypeText Text: _ summer soldier Selection.TypeText Text: _ and the sunshine patriot Selection.TypeText Text: _ will, in these times, shrink from Selection.TypeText Text: _ the service of their country. Selection.MoveUp Unit:wdLine, Count:1 Selection.HomeKey Unit:wdLine Selection.MoveRight Unit:wdCharacter, _ Count:5, Extend:wdExtend Selection.Font.Bold wdToggle End Sub Nobody studies VBA just for itself. You always use it along with a specific Office application. So, to continue learning, there are articles here that demonstrate VBA used with both Word and Excel: - Getting Started Using VBA: The Word Working Partner - Getting Started Using VBA: The Excel Working Partner

Reflections on Food Solution in My Neighborhood Coursework

Reflections on Food Solution in My Neighborhood - Coursework Example Encourage schools to purchase healthy food for the students from local growers that are known to be sustainable farmers †¢ Good food offerings are unaffordable †¢ National school meal program to supply healthy meals to children †¢ Teach people about how they can preserve, cook, and share food for the benefit of those that cannot afford. †¢ Food wastage †¢ Create food awareness through environmental studies and community Arts movements that advocate for social change regarding food conservation †¢ Unhealthy, poorly cooked and cold lunch program †¢ Encourage the Good Food Cafà © that offers a healthy hot lunch program for school kids †¢ Malnutrition and hunger is rampant due to inadequate food supplies and poverty. †¢ The government should create school meal programs to provide children with constant food supply. †¢ Encourage diverse culinary tastes for multicultural population to honor the different cultural rituals †¢ Kinderga rten children change their attitude towards fresh fruits and vegetables †¢ Encourage children to eat fresh fruits and vegetables more than processed and canned food. †¢ Collaborate with food scholars and non profit private and public organizations to exhume, document and link people with their food practices to determine where health deficiency occurs. †¢ Form organizations such as Food-share that supplies fresh, nutritious, and affordable fruits and vegetables to children and adults every month.

The Causes of the Financial Crisis and the Overhauling of Regulatory Essay

The Causes of the Financial Crisis and the Overhauling of Regulatory Framework - Essay Example Firstly, with regards to the banking and economic meltdown that occurred between 2007/2008, this must be understood as a global crisis. Although it began in the United States as a result of the subprime mortgage crisis, it rapidly spread globally and has affected every extant economy in the world; slowing growth, diminishing export strength, and devaluing a litany of world currencies in the process. Figure 1.0 denotes the issue of debt to GDP within major world economies. Figure 1.0 Preventative Steps: As a function of the breakdown in regulatory mechanisms capable of dealing with the size of the crash of 2007-2008, many of the largest and most effective regulations have been international in scope. But a few of these global regulations include the Basel III International Framework as well as further EU regulations concerning Markets in Financial Instruments Directives (MiFID). Ultimately, these further regulations, in tandem with existing regulations on the banking sector seek to in tegrate a set baseline of rules with regards to the standards underlying capital liquidity within the market. Due to the fact that the ultimate issue that the banking system was faced with during the crash was concentric around liquidity, most of the further regulations that have been passed with regards to seeking to provide a remedy to any further exhibitions of the same problem have been concentric upon speaking to the underlying weakness of the liquidity requirements that existed prior to the crash of 2007/2008. In seeking to identify the overall effectiveness of the current regulations, it can be said that they have kept the world from experiencing any further shocks similar to the ones that precipitated the events of 2007/2008; however,... This essay aims to fully discover the means by which the financial and banking crisis occurred and also seeks to establish whether or not the current regulatory framework is in and of itself sufficient to provide a firewall against any further shocks to the market. The discussion is also briefly concentric upon the future outlook that the global economy has to look forward to; based upon the realities that have been discussed and presented. The financial crisis of 2007/2008 was predicated by the banks which had leveraged bad debt in order to create more debt for their clients. Ultimately, this can understood as a situation in which certain types of outstanding credits that a bank had in the form of loans to various entities or stock market derivatives were falsely identified as suitable contingents upon which further money could be created and/or loaned within the financial system. Any further bailouts or interference on the part of the government within the banking system are deemed ineffective. The ramifications of inaction are strong, the fact of the matter is that a precedent has now been set whereby the banking system can behave in a reckless manner, knowing that as long as their bank is large enough to be considered â€Å"too large to fail† they can always count on being backed by the government, and ultimately the citizen taxpayers. The greatest threat that continues to exist is with regards to the economic threat of unsustainable debt; a risk that has only grown in the years since the economic collapse.

Diagnosing And Monitoring Of Thrombocytopenia Biology Essay

Diagnosing And Monitoring Of Thrombocytopenia Biology Essay Thrombocytopenia is a haematological condition marked by a decrease in platelet number in peripheral blood (5). To identify the source, it is important to understand the mechanism of platelet formation and its pathophysiology. 1.1.1 Role of platelets Platelets were first described in the 19th century as dust of blood(44, 45). Over the last 100 years, there have been many advances in understanding the role of platelets. These cells have a diameter of 2-3mm and have been identified as playing a crucial role in repairing of damaged blood vessels, in response to injury; achieved via a clotting mechanism and the involvement of various clotting factors (1). It is a continuous cascade, where one factor activates the next with the end product being a fibrin clot. Formation of the clot prevents blood loss, maintaining cell concentration within vessels. Under normal conditions, 11011 platelets are released from the bone marrow into circulation, which helps provide the balance between formation and sequestration (43). Larger platelets are considered to be more reactive and efficient at performing their role than mature platelets (11). During vascular damage, there is increased activity from cytokines, transcription and growth factors to res tore the balance, as more than 20-fold rise in cells are released into blood (45). 1.1.2 Thrombopoiesis Thrombopoiesis is the process of platelet formation, occurring in the bone marrow. The mature cells have a life span of 10 days and make up 5litres of the total blood volume; one third of which is found in the spleen due to platelet senescence (43). Thrombopoiesis consists of a negative feedback mechanism, regulated by the glycoprotein thrombopoietin (TPO) (43). TPO was named after erythropoietin in 1950, after being shown to have inducing capabilities in a study performed on rats with bleeding disorders (43). In the last decade, a greater understanding of the growth factor has been achieved (41). Its association with the cellular oncogene; cellular myeloproliferative leukaemia (c-Mpl) found on the surface of megarkaryocytes and platelets has been identified (40). TPO has a high affinity for c-Mpl (43). Research carried out in mice in 19__ showed 15% of patients with thrombocytopenia had a defect in TPO or c-Mpl (41,[2,3]). It was suspected to have a role in the differentiation of megakaryocytes to platelets (41). Megakaryocytes are immature platelets derived from haematopoietic stem cells, via megakaryopoeisis, with the help of various cytokines (Figure 1) (45). They are larger than platelets, consisting of organelles, granules and soluble macromolecules bound within a cell membrane (45). As seen in the diagram, megarkaryocyte organelles are fragmented to form proplatelets (45). These are long and thin cells, with hallmark features, consisting of swollen tips, which constitute the cell organelles and granules (45). The shape is made up of overlapping microtubules (45). The cell content is further phagocytosed by macrophages prior to entering peripheral circulation (45). The formation of proplatelets are dependent on environmental factors, for example during inflammation, synthesis is increased due to the rapid consumption of platelets (41). TPO proliferate megakaryocytic activity by stimulating stem cells to enter the G0 phase of the cell cycle (1). Its involvement does not stop at platelets, as it also stimulates activity of other stem lines. This shows that TPO is of great importance in the formation of the blood cells. 1.1.3 Pathophysiology of thrombocytopenia The cause of thrombocytopenia is of great importance to clinicians. To establish the correct treatment of patients, it is important to identify the source of the condition and its pathophysiology (17). There are many causes of thrombocytopenia; 2 of the main mechanisms include: Hypoproduction of platelets Hyperdestruction of platelets Hypoproduction Decrease in platelet production is associated with suppression of thrombopoiesis, resulting in megakaryocyte hypoplasia within the bone marrow (50). There are several factors, which may contribute e.g. exposure to radioactive substances, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy (50). A defect in the stem line can be due to haematological malignancies, such as acute leukaemia, aplastic anaemia, myelodysplastic syndrome and multiple myeloma. In the hypoproduction of platelets, there is a decrease in all progenitor cells of platelets, thus an increase in plasma TPO and a decrease in immature platelets seen in blood Hyperdestruction An increase in destruction of platelets in peripheral blood may be due to sequestration of platelets by the spleen, via reticuloendothelial system (22). To compensate for the loss of platelets, the bone marrow releases immature platelets into circulation, indicating normal megakaryocytic activity (5). Hyperdestruction conditions can be further classified into immunological causes, such as idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP) and non-immunological causes, e.g. disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) (23, 34). ITP continuing for periods longer than one year is known as chronic ITP (7). The condition is characterised by mucocataneous bleeding and a decrease in platelet count, often associated with the humoral cell-mediated mechanism (7). It is proposed that the complement pathway mediated by anti-platelet antibodies, may be a contributing factor (7). 1.1.4 Treatment of thrombocytopenia The severity of the abnormality varies from chronic to acute and is commonly associated with bleeding (10). Therefore the treatment of thrombocytopenia is dependent on the progression of the symptoms. There are many management schemes available to patients with this condition, one being TPO drug therapy, such as Electrombopag and AM G531 (45). The molecules of TPO bind to c-Mpl receptors, stimulating megakaryopoiesis (45). In many cases, there is a dramatic decrease in platelet count, resulting in excessive abnormal bleeding. The loss of whole blood is likely to be managed with red cell transfusion followed by other blood products. Due to the cause being thrombocytopenia, the patient is likely to need platelet transfusion. National blood transfusion guidelines state the platelet threshold as 20109/l (___). This would be decided by clinicians and consultants. 1.2 Historical Review 1.2.1 History of Platelets It wasnt until 1962 that platelet function was truly understood (44). Platelets named by Bizzozero was first detected in the mid 19th Century by Max Schulitz (44,45). They were noted as being the smallest blood cells, equivalent to 1/10 of erythrocytes (44). Following on from this theory, Bizzozero in 1882 studies these cells in vivo, using microscopy and detected platelets to consist of adhesion qualities, which was significant during vascular damage (45[2,3]). It was later suspected to play a role in thrombosis (44). 1.2.2 History of reticulated platelets Reticulated platelets were first observed in 1969 in peripheral blood of dogs, following acute blood loss. Ingram and Cooper-Smith (1969) used methylene blue to stain the RNA of cells, based on which a count was achieved (13). They were microscopically shown to be more reactive than mature platelets and have resemblance with reticulocytes, thus was named reticulated platelets (13, 18). Further investigation showed reticulated platelets to be RNA containing immature platelets derived from megakaryocytes, in the bone marrow (4,10). Similarly, Boayse and Rafelson observed the same platelet characteristics in humans, which then lead to opportunities for greater research into the area (35). By 1970, megakaryocytic progenitor cells could be detected, followed by the identification of growth factors responsible for differentiation of stem cells in 1980 and 1990 (45). To date, several discoveries have been concluded, which has lead to a better understanding of the mechanism. This has resulte d in advances in the diagnosis of thrombocytopenia. Based on reticulocyte analysis, Kienast and Schmitz introduced a fluorescent dye; thiazole orange to stain the nucleic acid, using flow cytometry (24). 1.2.3 History of thrombocytopenia The clinical symptoms of epitaxis and pupura were first classified with thrombocytopenia by Brohm, Kraus and Denys in 1883 (56). Later in the year, Kaznelson associated thrombocytopenia with a destruction of platelets (55). By 1946, increase numbers of megakaryocytes were seen in the bone marrow of patients with low platelets, forming the basis of idiopathic thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP) repectively (56). 1.2.4 Diagnosis In 1953, Brecher et al developed the first manual phase microscopy (55). Using counting chambers, platelets could easily be identified from red cells and counted (55). This method was soon replaced in 1950 by the Coulter principle, followed by automation in 1970 (55). Since then, there has been a vast improvement in the counting of platelets. The discovery of the light microscopy has also helped in achieving this and is still used in diagnosing thrombocytopenia to date. However, in the last decade, Sysmex have designed new upgraded software, designed for Sysmex XE2100 and XE5000 analysers. It has adopted the flow cytometry technique discovered by Kienasr and Schmitz, where reticulated platelets can be measured, in the form of immature platelet fraction (IPF) (11). 1.3 Discussion 1.3.1 Diagnosis of thrombocytopenia Preliminary studies consisted of platelet counts to be achieved microscopically (44). It wasnt until 1962 that platelet function was truly understood (44). A great deal of time and research has resulted in implementation of various specialised tests. Current diagnostic methods Thrombocytopenia can be an incidental laboratory finding or suspected from clinical feature presented by patients (40). Characteristics seen include bruising, purpura and bleeding. The bleeding condition may progress to severe forms (27). Therefore, the importance of diagnosis cannot be emphasised enough. Screening consists of full blood count marked with a decrease in platelet count followed by morphology examination for confirmation of results. On many occasions, larger megakaryocytes are released in peripheral, which may be visible by microscopy. Currently, a bone marrow examination is the gold standard method for detecting autoimmune thrombocytopenia (5). It investigates megakaryopoietic activity, where a hypoplastic image indicates decreased production (17). A bone marrow aspirate is not desired by patients, as it is an invasive and uncomfortable procedure. The method is vulnerable to sampling errors and examination can be subjective (22) There is limited specialised testing ava ilable to achieve this information, thus is crucial, especially in chronic thrombocytopenia, where 30% of cases are due to immune reaction or cytokine associated (45). Another crucial test includes plasma TPO levels. This is carried out by ELISA (Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay), using anti-TPO monoclonal antibody against recombinant TPO (50). This technique is expensive and time-consuming (2). Plasma TPO concentration have are reported to increase in hypoproduction conditions and normal in ITP (22) Plasma Glycocalicin (GC) levels can also be examined. It is a hydrophilic fragment made up of carbohydrates, which forms part of the ÃŽÂ ±-subunit of the platelet glycoprotein membrane (22). Low levels have been suspected in thrombocytopenia due to decreased production, and elevated in ITP (22). Thrombopoiesis is cytokine-mediated; therefore it would be useful to determine the expression of c-Mpl, as mutations in the gene have been identified in conditions such as congenital amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia (50). This may be achieved by proteomic assays. Immature platelet fraction (IPF): the future diagnostic tool Over the past years, there have been several advances in detection of reticulated platelet. After years of research, Sysmex have introduced an automated flow cytometric method on the XE2100 and XE5000 analysers (11). It uses upgraded software to calculate an accurate measure of immature platelet fraction (IPF). The cells obtained from the peripheral sample is stained using fluorescence dyes and passed through a semi-conductor diode beam, where approximately 30,000 cells are counted and displayed on the basis of cell size and RNA content (12). The data is converted into a graph, showing the RNA content and cell size as forwards scatter and side scatter (figure 2)(12). Many authors have commented on the positivity of the technique in the diagnosis and management of patients (3). IPF was shown to be increase in ITP patient of a study performed by (5). 46 AITP patients had a median IPF of 17.4%, signifying the probable increase in megakaryocytic activity occurring in the bone marrow (5). Abe et al. (2006) conducted a similar study comparing healthy volunteers with patients diagnosed with thrombocytopenia (17). It was proposed that patients with ITP have a significantly increased IPF (17). This was agreed by (3,[8]), as ITP cases with platelet count >50 was observed to have an increase in numbers varying from 2.3-52.1%, and patients with A similar trend was observed in DIC patients by _____(16). Comparably, a positive correlation with D-Dimer was noted, whereas the data was inversely proportional to platelet count (16). DIC is commonly associated with a decrease in platelets, due to the intravascular formation of clots (16). In response, the bone marrow releases immature platelets into circulation, increasing the count (16). A study which compared hypoproduction and hyperdestruction of platelets showed a significant deferent between the groups (34). The mean IPF in subjects with decreased production was 7.5%, whereas in-patient with ITP and DIC, the mean IPF was 30.0% (34). This is evident that IPF can be used as a marker to distinguish between hypoproduction and hyperdestruction of platelets (34). Thrombocytopenia can be seen in patients with HIV, as they are most probably immune-compressed, thus are more vulnerable to infection. According to(8, [Briggs et al]), patients suffering from infections are more likely to have reduced platelet count, which explains why 40% of HIV patients in (8)s investigation were observed to have a low platelet count and raised IPF (8). IPF is a very quick and useful technique. The data obtained can be used for various clinical applications (2). It is relatively inexpensive and commercially available, therefore its use in monitoring drug therapy for bone marrow malignancies can be beneficial (2). (4) has shown the positive use of IPF in monitoring patients on chemotherapy, as well as (37), who reported IPF having 70% predictive value for detecting early platelet recovery (4, 37). The platelet count and IPF was monitored post exposure to chemotherapy. During the process, 3 pools of platelets were transfused. Completion of the second transfusion resulted in an IPF peak of 11.3% at day 11 (4). The increase in IPF indicates the existence of immature platelets in peripheral blood, predicting the increased release of cells from the bone marrow, which would eventually result in a normal platelet count. The improvement in platelet numbers was seen 3 days post transfusion (4). Within this period, another pool of platelet was given (4). Based on the results, the last transfusion was not required, thus could have been avoided (4). Briggs at al. (4, [3]) discovered similar findings to (4) and concluded IPF a better parameter. A similar scenario was presented by (10), who monitored patients undergone haematopoietic stem cell transplant (10). There was a rise in IPF, 3 days prior to platelet count. (4) and (5) also observed a decrease in IPF during the process, which was described by (4,[5]) as being part of the feedback mechanism of TPO or due to dilution of patient blood with prophylactic platelets (4,[5]). There was no significant difference observed between authors, suggesting good precision (5). Paediatric patients are most likely to show increase levels of immature platelets, as there is increased megakaryocytic activity during foetal and neonatal periods (3, 9). Previous reports obtained detected good sensitivity and specificity in IPF measurement using Sysmex XE2100 analysers. In majority of investigations, sensitivity was between 91-96%, with the specificity ranging from 67-100% for ITP (22). These figures suggest IPF to have a good degree of sensitivity. Specificity is widely distributed; however another study performed by (17) showed 86.8% sensitive and 92.6% specific. Therefore IPF (5) is an accurate parameter of reticulated platelets. Precision measurement reviewed by (14, [Biggs et al. 2004]) showed the coefficient of variance (CV) between 10-78% (14, [Biggs et al. 2004]). The vast variation of intra-assays questions the precision of the assay, when using XE2100 analysers. Other platelet indices Other platelet parameter that may be useful in determining thrombocytopenia includes mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution width (PDW). A decreased MPV is detected in bone marrow malignancies, where thrombocytopenia is present, however levels are shown to increase in myeloid leukaemia (M1) (11). PDW is a good indicator in thrombocytopenia of autoimmune cause, as the variation of the size of platelets marks the types of platelets available in peripheral (11). These parameters are commonly used in conjunction with morphology, IPF and TPO as individually, they have minimal clinical significance due to its lack of standardisation and instability with samples embedded in EDTA anti-coagulant (11). 1.3.2 Clinical Management and utility of IPF In severe cases with the need for rapid platelet increase, prophylactic platelet transfusions are given (18). National blood transfusion guidelines state the platelet threshold as 20109/l (___). The platelet count may vary from one analyser to another and may be dependent on the method used to detect the cells, as (12) compared the impedance method to the reference immune count (12). It was showed a decrease in correlation with decrease in platelet count (12). A change in the threshold would have a direct affect on the sensitivity and specificity, as adopting a higher threshold would result in false negatives and adjusted the count to about 10109/l would raise false positives (12). In comparison, the optical fluorescence method showed a good correlation (12). (10,[2,3]) studied the platelet transfusion guidelines and suggested a more accurate marker to detect early marrow activity to be used (10,[2,3]). (17) proposed the use of IPF (17) Chemotherapy treatment due to haematological malignancies can result in myelosuppression of bone marrow (27). It is important that these patients are monitored regularly. Currently, the need to transfuse platelets is dependant on clinical observation and platelet count. An early report from the national external quality assessment scheme (NEQAS) has shown a varying coefficient of variation (CV) between 20-60% when measured using automation (27[Parlar-William 03(NEQAS__ 2003)). It has been reported that the accuracy of the measure of platelet count decreases as the rate of thrombocytopenia increases (27). Therefore, a more sensitive marker would be beneficial. IPF has been shown to have capabilities of a good diagnostic marker. Several authors have discussed its use in monitoring and management with platelet transfusion; however its use in the clinical field is yet to be established (17). It is believed that this preliminary study will enable further investigations into the field at K ing George Hospital, which will eventually result in the positive use of IPF, to aid in diagnosing and monitoring of thrombocytopenia and determining treatment, respectively. 1.4 Future Prospects In the last decade, there have been many discussions on the diagnostic use of immature platelet fraction. Several studies have demonstrated the parameter to be beneficial in routine haematology laboratories for the diagnosis of thrombocytopenia. Regardless of the intensive studies performed, its use is yet to be established. Investigations carried out have shown up to a 3 days increase in IPF prior to platelet count during recovery of patients undergone chemotherapy. This is evident that it is a more useful marker for predicting a rise in platelet count, thus may aid in preventing unnecessary platelet transfusions from occurring. As stated by many authors, the lack of standardisation and questionable specificity has limited it from progressing. Therefore, a study confirming these findings would be useful. An audit can then be carried out, showing its effects follow the change, which can aid in interpreting the best possible technique for diagnosis of thrombocytopenia and monitoring chemotherapy patient. If successful, a larger secondary study can be performed, where a threshold for IPF can be calculated for clinical decisions regarding platelet transfusion. Hopefully, in the near future, IPF will be incorporated into routine laboratories for diagnosis of thrombocytopenia and management of patients with haematological malignancies. This would, in-time improve patient care and cost management of blood transfusion. Based on the above information, a question is asked; is IPF a good indicator of bone marrow function, which can be used to diagnose and monitor thrombocytopenia and help make clinical decisions regarding platelet transfusion? WORD COUNT: 3,140 References Section 2: Design Study 2.1 Introduction Thrombocytopenia is a common haematological condition, which if not treated, can progress to bleeding abnormalities. It is diagnosed routinely at King George Hospital via a full blood count. Further action consists of morphology assessment and bone marrow examination. The bone marrow aspirate is the final step, only performed if diagnosis is not identified. It is an invasive technique, thus not favoured by patients. A new parameter on the Sysmex XE-2100; known as immature reticulated platelet fraction (IPF) has been developed, which targets this problem. It is a measure of reticulated platelets; a form of immature platelets found in peripheral blood. It has been considered to be a true reflection of thrombopoietic activity of the bone marrow. IPF can be detected by a quick, simple and non-invasive technique, which can help in identifying the pathophysiology of the condition. By investigating the parameter in peripheral blood, a prediction can be made on the status of the bone marrow recovery in chemotherapy patient. Therefore it may be a beneficial marker in monitoring of therapeutic patients and in aiding clinical decisions regarding treatment, i.e. platelet transfusions. Based on the information above, the following aims, objectives and hypothesis are drawn, which form the foundation of the study. 2.1.1 Aim To determine if IPF can be used as a diagnostic marker to identify the pathophysiology of thrombocytopenia. To determine if IPF can be used as a predictive marker to assess bone marrow function in chemotherapy patients. To determine whether IPF can be used to help clinical decisions regarding treatment with prophylactic platelet transfusion. 2.1.2 Hypothesis IPF is a good indicator of bone marrow function, which can be used to diagnose and monitor thrombocytopenia and help make clinical decisions regarding platelet transfusion. 2.1.3.Objectives Determine the reference range for IPF at King George Hospital. Determine the stability of IPF measurement during storage Determine the precision of the IPF assay. Compare IPF values for thrombocytopenic patients with different clinical conditions in order to identify its use in determining the pathophysiology. Determine whether IPF predicts a rise in total platelet count in-patient with bone marrow suppression. Determine in how many cases monitoring of IPF could have prevented the need for platelet transfusion 2.2 Research Plan 2.2.1 Flow Chart Figure 3: flow chart of sequential events to take place to accomplish the study 2.2.2 Timeline Table 1: timetable consisting of events and the time in which is aimed to be completed Month (2010-2011) Task Comments July 2010 Obtain 200 EDTA samples from patients with normal full blood counts and perform IPF analysis using Sysmex XE2100, to determine reference range View patients clinical details provided. Samples should have a normal full blood count results. July 2010 Measure the stability and precision of IPF Repeat analysis at 0hrs, 3 times to calculate the precision of the assay. Analyze 50 samples with normal full blood count over a 48hr at two different temperatures. July-December 2010 Identify thrombocytopenic patients and categorise into group 1 and 2 Measure the IPF Monitor IPF and PLT count of chemotherapy patients. Most samples will be taken from the haematology/oncology unit at King George and Queens hospital For each patient, collect the full blood count results. December 2010 Perform statistical analysis on the information gathered January -March 2011 Write up first draft Meet up with supervisor and add any suggestions and improvements made by supervisor April -May 2011 Complete project write up June 2011 Hand into campus office Make sure two copies are submitted. 2.3 Experimental Approach The study protocol is awaiting ethical approval from the Research and Development (RD) department of Barking, Havering and Redbridge university trust (BHRUT). This must be awarded before the practical commences. All analysis will be performed in haematology laboratory at King George hospital and is aimed to be completed by December 2010. 2.3.1 Sample collection and criteria Samples will be collected from King George and Queens hospital with a minimum of 2-3 ml of blood, taken by venepuncture in anticoagulant ethylene diamine tetracetic acid (EDTA). All data processed will be from adult samples, thus this study is not valid for paediatrics or neonatal. In the study, normal will be defined as a patient with a full blood count within the hospital reference range, excluding any haematological abnormalities or unexplained clinical symptoms. Samples selected will be from patients samples requested for a full blood count between 20-50 years of age, with no bias towards sex. Thrombocytopenia is defined as a platelet count of Group 1: Hyperdestruction Group 2: Hypoproduction Before executing the practical, performance of the analysers needs to be checked. The internal quality controls used are purchased from Sysmex and analysed twice a day to ensure quality of the machines. Other quality measures taken include participation in the national external quality assurance scheme (NEQAS) and the Addenbrookes program, run weekly. 2.3.2 Reference range The initial step consists of generating a reference range of IPF (%). To accomplish this, 250 normal patient samples will be analysed on the Sysmex XE2100 analysers. The data will be tabulated and the reference range will be calculated as mean +/- 1.96SD of the normal distribution. 2.3.3 Validation Precision The precision of the test will be determined by repeating IPF analysis five times on 50 normal samples. The standard deviation (SD) and coefficient of variation (CV) will need to be calculated. Stability The stability of immature platelets in EDTA will be established by analysing 50 normal samples kept in different conditions. Each sample will be separated into 2 aliquots, one, which will be kept in the fridge between 2-8Â °C, and the other, which will be kept at room temperature at about 20-25Â °C. The room temperature and fridge temperature will be monitored daily. Each sample will be analysed at 24hrs and 48hrs. The IPF at 0hrs will also be recorded. The data will be tabulated and presented as a scatter diagram. The best condition for storage of samples will be identified along with the time frame of analysis. 2.3.4 IPF analysis Immature platelet fraction will be analysed in the RET chamber of the Sysmex XE2100 analyser (Sysmex, Kobe, Japan), using upgraded softawre. 4.5ml of EDTA blood will be aspirated via the sample rotor valve. The blood will then be diluted in 1:200 using 0.8955ml RetSearch (II) diluent, before being stained with 18ÃŽÂ ¼l RetSearch (II) dye for approximately 31 seconds. 2.8ÃŽÂ ¼l of the stained and diluted sample will enter the optical detector block. With the use of flow cytometry, the sample will go through a semi-conductor laser beam. The samples are then counted and separated based on cell size and RNA content. This will appear as an image of forward scatter and side scatter. Thrombocytopenia detection in group 1 and 2 30 samples for each group needs to be obtained to continue with the study. Patients of group 2 will be selected on the basis of bone marrow examination. The samples will be analysed for a full blood count and IPF, where the data will be recorded in a table. Further unpaired t-test analysis will be carried out to establish the relationship between platelet count and IPF, which can then be used to determine whether IPF is a better marker than platelet count in detecting thrombocytopenia and the underlying cause. Monitoring thrombocytopenia in chemotherapy patients The use of IPF in monitoring patients on chemotherapy will also be investigated. The hypothesis states IPF to be used to monitor thrombocytopenia and help make clinical decisions regarding platelet transfusion. To prove this, 50 patients with thrombocytopenia post chemotherapy will be monitored for 14 days. The platelet count and IPF will be recorded along with any transfusion that may be given. 2.4 Data and Statistical Analysis To perform statistical analysis and ease interpretation of results all raw data will be tabulated and presented in the appendix of the final project. The design of the tables can be seen below. 2.4.1 Analysis for Reference Range Table 2: shows raw data used to determine reference range of IPF (%) Sample IPF (%) PLT (x109/l) Age (yrs) Sex(m/f) The normal samples selected will be from patients between the ages 20-50 years. 2.4.2 Validation Precision Table 3: shows the IPF (%) value obtained at each repeat interval, Sample 1 2 3 4 5 The data will be used to determine the precision by calculating the standard deviation of the mean and CV (%). Stability Table 4: shows the IPF (%) data over 48% of samples stored at different temperatures Sample 0 hrs (Â °C) 24 hrs (Â °C) 48 hrs (Â °C) 2-8Â °C