Science Fiction, Technology, and Our Modern World Essay - 2

Science Fiction, Technology, and Our Modern World - Essay Example The brain in a vat scenario depicts a situation where all beliefs we hold about the world would presumably be false despite the fact that they are justified. Brain in a vat argument presents a situation where a removed human brain placed in a life-sustaining fluid and connected to computers that provide exactly the same impulses as the body. The computers effectively create a virtual reality. The person with the disembodied brain continues to have a perfect life without a relationship with the object of the real world. The person will not be able to discover the reality of their simulated world thus transferring my consciousness to a computer would make no difference, I will not mind. Q2. Metaphysics is concerned with the fundamental nature of reality whose hypothesis may claim the truth underlying physics. It may also say a thing about our mind’s nature or creation of the world. Matrix hypothesis is regarded as a metaphysical proposition with all the three elements. These are the reality underlying physics, nature of our minds and the creation of the world. Each of these elements is coherent, and cannot be ruled out conclusively and none of them is a skeptical hypothesis. Matrix and metaphysical hypotheses are similar in three-part version. The fundamental computation of the physical processes, the separation of our cognitive systems from physical processes while interacting with these processes and lastly the physical reality created outside the physical space. One may make various objections. For instance, one might argue that the matrix hypothesis implies a computer simulation where physical process exists but not simply that the physical processes themselves exist. Matrix hypothesis seeks to create consciousness in minds, which may or may not be fully aware that they are living in a simulation. Q3. Computer games and simulations are interactive multimedia whose

Yoga Good Morning Essay Example for Free

Yoga Good Morning Essay Wow, check this out Not a single person is into yoga? Why? Because yoga is not a trend or maybe people are not aware of the extra ordinary benefits of yoga. Today I’m going persuade you why yoga should be a part of your lifestyle. So what is yoga? According to dictionary. com, a system of exercise practiced as part of discipline to promote control of the body and mind. It all started 5000 years ago in India and today millions of people are enjoying its benefits. Now I’ll be talking about the benefits of yoga in two aspects or parts, 1. Physical benefit 2. Mental Benefit Yoga has several physical benefits, it helps in increasing strength, improves flexibility, posture correction, toning muscles and enhancing several internal organs. There is no age restriction in yoga, even kids can perform yoga. People, especially women after age 30 usually complain about back pain. According to a study conducted by self. om on people having backbone problem, showed that these people eased their soreness by 56% by only TWO classes per week for about six months of yogic exercises, and treatments with med and physical therapy only lessened it by 16%. Apart from this, people often think dumbbell is the key or the only way to sculpt the body. Yoga is strength training says Dr. Lauren, who is an instructor at pure yoga in New York City and creator of Barrett Boot camp. He further adds â€Å"You’re using your body weight to move from posture to posture and in certain poses you are lifting every pound of your body† and in this way it helps in gaining strength through yoga. In addition to this, it also improves the cardio vascular health. According to Harvard medical school, yoga helps in keeping the heart fit by its special breathing techniques which improves the heart rate, lowers blood pressure, lowers stress, prevents blockage in veins, lower blood sugar and many more different benefits. Now moving on to the mental benefits, Yoga is very effective in enhancing the mental well-being from chronic conditions like depression, stress, anxiety, Insomnia and many more. Today, according to World health organization 121 million people in the world suffer from depression and 2/3rd of them are women. Researches from Duke University studied 124 people dealing with neuropsychiatric disorders, and they found clear evidence that yoga provides great aids in curing depression. Yoga can also be the key to minimizing stress for busy professors and students, according to a study conducted by the researches at the University of California, San Francisco. The research also stated that only eight week of yoga classes lowered stress and depression among the students and the professors. So, doing one hour of yoga which includes combination of postures, balancing, breathing raises the level of brain chemical GABA by 27% which deals with the depression and stress, lower the chemical higher the depression. Yoga also helps the insomniacs. Practicing yoga helps the insomniacs fell asleep 15 minutes faster and they slept one hour longer each night after only two months of 45 minutes of yoga poses daily before bed, according to research conducted by Brigham Women’s hospital. This is because yoga before bed relaxes the patient and it was easier to doze off. So, in conclusion, with little time and effort, the positive effects of yoga will not only improve your health, but also every area of your life will become evident and abundant. Yoga works by making you feel good, strong and peaceful.

Acid Rain :: Free Essay Writer

Modern society is becoming overwhelmed with great amounts of pollution from cars, factories, and an overabundance of garbage. The immense amounts of sulphur dioxide emitted into the air causes high levels of acid in the atmosphere. When this sulphuric acid is absorbed into moisture in the air, poignant rainfalls can be damaging to the external environment. Acid rain is a serious problem with disastrous effects. Each day this serious problem increases. Many people believe that this issue is too small to deal with right now, but this issue should be met head on and solved before it is too late.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Acid rain is defined as any rainfall that has an acidity level beyond what is expected in non-polluted rainfall. Any precipitation that has a pH value of less than 5.6 is considered to be acid precipitation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the main causes of acid rain is sulfur dioxide. Natural sources that emit this gas are volcanoes, sea spray, rotting vegetation, and plankton. However, the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, are largely to be blamed for approximately half of the emissions of this gas in the world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nitric oxide and nitric dioxide are also components of acid rain. Its sources are mainly from power stations and exhaust fumes. Like sulfur dioxide, these nitrogen oxides rise into the atmosphere and are oxidized in clouds to form nitric acid. Acid rain has drastic effects on our environment. It causes lakes and rivers to become acidic, killing off fish. Short-term increases in acid levels kill lots of fish, but the greatest threat is from long-term increases, which stop the fish reproducing. Plants and algae in lakes also suffer from increased acid levels. When the pH gets down to 4.5, virtually everything is dead.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How does acid rain affect humans? Among one of the serious side effects of acid pollution on humans are respiratory problems. The SO2 and NO2 emissions give rise to respiratory problems such as asthma, dry coughs, headaches, eye, nose, and throat irritations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The best approach to acid rain is to reduce the amount of Nitrogen Oxides and Sulfur dioxides being released into the atmosphere. Fitting a catalytic converter to a car can reduce the emissions of nitrogen oxides by up to 90 percent, but they are very expensive, and cause more carbon dioxide to be released, which contributes to the greenhouse effect.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sulfur Dioxide emissions from power stations can be reduced before, during, or after combustion.

Case study on Implementation of quality systems through information technology systems in Athal Company Essay

Case study on Implementation of quality systems through information technology systems in Athal Company Introduction                   Athal is a service offering company that was established in 1980. It offers inspection, testing, consulting, and quality control services. The company offers services to different companies in different industries through its 15 branches in United Kingdom. The company had offered these services in the past using manual quality system but due to competition and emergence of technology in the industry, the company found it necessary to implement a new automated quality assurance system by adapting information technology systems. This would enable it to offer quality services that meet national and international standards. The implementation of the new system was faced with challenges from financial to employees’ resistance to the new technology. The data on the case study was obtained through questionnaires and interviews. The findings were as follows. From the 110 questionnaires administered, only 100 of them were complete and used for this case st udy. From the 100 questionnaires that were complete, 90% discredited the manual system saying it was faulty as it offered minimum monitoring. 70% of the employees had a positive attitude about the manual system, as it was not effective when monitoring employees. 30% had negative attitude on the system as they felt the system caused personal conflicts between them and the people in charge of quality control. 100% of the participants agreed that the automated system was more effective compared to the manual system since all the employees had to log in to automated biometric system. 43% of the employees were resistant to the process and felt that the manual system would continue while 57% of the employees felt that transformation to the automated quality system was necessary. 95% of the employees felt that it was important to implement the quality system for both the external and internal environment of the business to ensure that the overall performance of the company was monitored. 5 % of the participants were not sure if the quality system was supposed to be installed both internally and externally.                   The company’s 110 employees were issued with questionnaires and five management staffs from the five departments were interviewed revealing the following: The employees were resistant on the new implementation was because of fear of losing their jobs and their relevance when the new technology would be adapted in the company. Hence, the implementation process heavily relied on the employees in the company. The company sensitization and trainings employees on the new technology saw the implementation process become smooth. The company also faced challenge on the cost of the new system in terms of infrastructures such as software, computers, and training employees and technical staff on running and marinating the process. However, the implementation of the new system improved the services offered and increased its competitive advantage in the market. Through analysis, it was realised that, the company use of technology has limited the buyers’ bargaining power thus retraining and attracting more customers from its unique quality services that it offered. The new technology decreased the profitability of the industry thus decreasing the threats of the new entry. The company was under the threat of high suppliers’ bargaining power due to few suppliers in the industry that made the cost of operations to increase thus decreasing the profits margins. There industry has threats of substitute services that are offered by companies using the manual system at low prices. However, the new automated system was found to be fast and giving effective services that attracted consumers and thus retaining and attracting new employees in the company thus helping it to regain its competitive position in the market. Moreover, the ability of the system to be monitored by different people at the results in services that are accurate is free from errors thus giving consumers’ confidence as opposed to the manual system. The proces s is also cost effective in long term due to reduced time and human capital that can be utilized in other constructive duties that would improve the productivity of the company. The system was recommended for both internal and external controls. Question                   Athal is a company was established in 1980 in United Kingdom. It main work is provision of services in that vary from inspection, testing, consulting and quality control. They offer these services to different organizations to ensure that they offer quality services and that they are able to handle managerial and financial problems with the international standards. The company offers these services in more than 15 branches in United Kingdom. For the company to be efficient, it has linked all the 15 offices through information systems and technology. The company also manages to offer these services by employing 110 workers that are of various professional backgrounds. The workers are delegated duties based on 5 different departments of the company that include public relations, finance department, technical, marketing and quality control. The finance department ensures that all the financial services are met for the company and that of the clients looking for consultancy services in the organization. The public relation department ensures that interpersonal relationship for all the clients and workers is maintained at high level thereby improving the performance of the employees, retain, and attract more customers. This has led to productivity of the company due good customer relation and high quality services that the company offers. Technical department ensures all the other department and technical services management meet the goal and mission of the company to offer quality services.                   The quality control department ensures that all the services that offered by the company and its internal managements are in line with the international and local standards (Hoyle, 2009 p. 244). The company had adopted manual quality control system that mandated employees to monitor all the services and departments in the company. In addition, the inspections and testing when assessing qualities of their clients was done manually, which was expensive and involving to the employees in charge. The manual system was not efficient and some of the departments, employees, and services monitoring was poor resulting to poor services that affected the productivity of the company. The quality of services that a company or business offers helps it to retain and attract more customers making the company more competitive and commanding a wider share of the market (Berry, & Parasuraman, 2004 p. 134). Therefore, for the company to improve its services and improves its market share, a competitive and efficient quality control systems had to be put in place. Despite the high cost of implementation, the service would ensure that quality services are dispensed through efficient monitoring services.                   The company adopted and automated a quality control system developed through information technology to link all the five departments and the employees. Consequently, the company linked all the 15 branches such that all the services offered meet the customers need. The interlinked company departments and branches would ensure that inspection and testing process were efficient. The technical department monitored and maintained all the systems. The marketing department quality system ensured that customers could get all the necessary information and services that meet the international standards. Consequently, through quality control the public relation department would ensure that a good relationship among all the stakeholders of the company by disseminating relevant information and keeping the customers updated throughout.                   The questions categorized for questionnaires and interviews. The employees’ questions related to the effectiveness of the new process, their attitude on the change, and the transformation to the new system. Moreover, it also focused on employees’ involvement in the new process, and how monitoring changed comparing the old system. Concerning this question, some employees said that the new system was more effective while few of them did not distinguish between the performance of the manual and the new system saying that they view both systems as the same. On the issue of cost and monitoring, most of them said that the new system on quality assurance was more costly and offered close monitoring of employees and projects on the course thus maintain a high performance rate in the company. On the issue of the attitude of the employees, some employees had a negative attitude on the new system as they said that the new system would limit their free dom and might result to losing their jobs. Those with positive attitude argued that the new automated system would make work easier and improve the performance of the company. Few were confused on the though seemed interested with the implementation of the new technology. The implementation process was expensive from the response of the majority of the participants while few did not care about the cost and they said that it was cheap for the company since it had enough resources to implement the new system. According to the participant in this case study that were working for Athal company for the time of the research, the transformation process was faced with resistant as some employees feared losing jobs due to inadequate skills. Other argued that new technology would result in working overtime because some machines would require monitoring and thus resisted the change and made the transformation process difficult for the management. A number of the employees said that transformat ion was smooth as they cited that the management was able to deal with employees and assured them that nothing would change on the management of employees and their jobs were safe. They also indicated that the management assured them that the transformation to the new automated system would include training of employees in order to adapt to the new system. The employees argue that method would be applicable to both internal and external monitoring, as the company required the monitoring of the quality of other companies that it offered services. To them, this was the best means by which the company would improve its services to its clients.                   On the part of the management interview, it emphasized on the performance of the new technology, employees and clients response, and the cost of the implementation. The interview involved five management employees under the five departments. The management unanimously answered that the performance of the new system showed improvement. They cited that the system could process large information fast, accurately, and effective as compared to the old system. The management argued that the employees had a mixed reaction on the implementation while the clients were happy and welcomed the new system, as they believed that it could improve their services. The implementation process was costly according to the management but they did it as a way of improving their qualities.                   The organization experienced problems and poor performance in the marketing department thus caused reduced customers in the company. Similarly, poor performance of public relations department resulted to conflicts and poor employees’ performance that affected the efficiency and productivity of the company in delivering its services. In every company or business, good employees’ relationship is important since it minimizes conflicts and improves their working conditions and as a result, employees become very productive, which is the aim of every business. Consequently, employees are able to offer quality services to the customers thus retaining more customers for the company. Similarly, the slow monitoring and poor services in the finance department caused company poor performances and financial mismanagements. All the problems happened to Athal Company despite it having a manual quality assurance system that was mandated monitoring and ensu ring that the company was able to operate within the local and international business environment. The problems reflected that the manual system was ineffective. Therefore, the company needed to change its method of quality assurance so that it could ensure that customers received quality services. Finance department also needed good management as it ensured that the company operated with the international and national standards. The approach would not only improve the company’s quality systems but also improve its productivity and its competitiveness due to high quality services and standards that it would uphold.                   The target market for Athal Company is organizations and businesses that are in need of consultancy, inspection and testing services. The companies or businesses may be diverse and offering various services in the market but for them to provide quality services to their customers, they strengthen their managements through Athal consultation services (Wigand, 2003 p. 33). Therefore, Athal Company needs to provide high quality services and set international standards to its clients. Hence, it was important for it to adapt new technology in quality assurance services that would allow it give quality inspection, testing, and quality control services. Thus, adapting an automated information system would ensure that it would be able to carry out internal and external quality control.                   Athal Company offered effective services in the industry, which has maintained its productivity in the market in spite of its manual system. The company has also high skilled employees although the achievement of the company’s goals has been achieved through extra management and monitoring. In addition, the company operates in an industry where competition is not very much stiff. However, the emergence of the new technology that few companies are adapting, competition is becoming a business issue that management has to deal with. Moreover, the companies marketing strategies and technology adaptation has been poor until the recent past when the company adapted the new technology on quality assurance. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the implementation process of the new quality assurance system and how best is suited in the company’s strategies to improve its productivity and growth in the industry. Literature Review                   With the development and the industrialization of the world, technology has become inevitable to business industries (Lanz, 2013 p. 6). Many businesses industries adapt technologies to increase efficiency and quality of services they offer. The quality services and efficiency serves as a strategy to compete in the market. Information technology is one of the technologies that have been adapted by many companies and bushiness to improve on their performance (Ho-Chang, Chang, & Prybutok, 2014 p. 316). The information technologies have been used in various areas of specialization for company such as records department, financial, marketing and quality control. The technologies are linked to the business strategies such that they fit the competitive strategies making the company to fit in a dynamic market and environment (Wang et al, 2012 p. 346). The information technology systems help to integrate business entities making it more manageable and efficient i n delivery of its services (Drnevich, & Croson, 2013 p. 488-489). Hence, the quality system that would incorporate information technology system will enhance the integration of the five departments and the external environment making the company more manageable and improve service delivery. Consequently, the business would be able to compete and improve its performance.                   The implementation of the new technology in Athal Company involved an organization change. Hence the company needed to prepare the employees for a new change because people tend to resist to changes and particularly to those that tend to affect their freedom (Ford, J., Ford, L., & D’Amelio, 2008 p. 370). The managers have the responsibility to initiate new changes and influence employees to develop positive attitude on the technologies for smooth adoption of new technology (Lilly, & Durr, 2012 p. 199). To avoid resistance managers and executive must provide employees with trainings and other support skills that will help them to adapt to new technologies (KumpikaitÄâ€", & ÄÅ'iarnienÄâ€", 2008 p. 93-94.). Methodology                   The case study used questionnaires to obtain information from the employees about the manual quality system and the newly implemented quality systems in the company (Appendix 4). All the 110 employees were administered questionnaires to feel that contained both the questions about the old and the new information systems. In addition, interviews were conducted with five members from the top management team to understand the monitoring of the two systems (Appendix 5).                   The questionnaires were preferred for the employees because they were a large group in the company and other methods would take a lot of time. Moreover, it was possible to administer all the questionnaires at the same time thus saving time and getting the required information. However, the tool is not appropriate for getting details.                   Interviews were preferred for the management team because they were few and it could be managed with a short time. Interview also helps in getting details about the implementation process. However, it is time consuming. The interview involved the three questions attached in the appendix for the management.                   Athal Company was chosen in this case study since it was one of the companies that had implemented a new automated quality system using information technology in the recent past. These meant employees could be able to provide the required information as opposed to those that implemented it long time ago. In addition, there was high likely hood that most of the employees working in the company were present during the implementation process thus accurate information. Moreover, the implementation of the new system was faced with many challenges from employees’ resistance to financial support. In addition, the company size was manageable for this study since it had few employees, few departments and only five departments. Hence, finding information from the company would be easier compared to large complicated company.                   The region of study was chosen to be United Kingdom because the location has been advanced in quality system technology and so there was high likelihood of finding a company that had implemented a quality system using information system as the study had targeted. The studies show that the United Kingdom has a number of companies operating in quality assurance industry, which made the study more appropriate within the country (Sroufe, & Curkovic, 2008 p. 517). Study                   The case study involved the shifting of Athal Company from the manual quality systems to new automated quality systems that would be implemented using information technology systems. To implement the new quality assurance system using information system, the company needed to purchase new computers, information systems software to link various departments and branches. The program required skilled labor that was costly and extra training for the employees so that they could be able to adapt to the new technology freely. In addition, the new technology needed change of organization behavior from a manual system to an automated system, which many of the employees were not conversant. Therefore, the company had to change the behavior of employees from manual to automated systems, which risked objection and resistant. Hence, the management had to use their leadership skills and organization development to implement the new change successfully (Mullins, 2013 p. 8). The new system meant that the employees freedom, poor performance and missing of duties would end. Consequently, their level of services would be monitored and thus giving quality services. The implementation process involved installation of inspection, testing, and quality control infrastructures that were linked using information system software and hardware that would be used to disseminate information.                   The change to new technology for Athal Company meant that it would increase its market share due to improved quality of services that it would offer. Its clients would receive quality inspection and testing that would guarantee the quality control. The new information system would be able to monitor external companies that serve as its client at constant rates thus enhancing efficiency of Athal Company. Moreover, the automated system has low errors as compared to the manual system thus, the right services will be offered. This will guarantee the company efficient services that meet the national and international levels.                   The new changes to the automated system will enable the management in the Athal Company to be able to define their objectives and delegate to specific employees, which could not be possible with the manual system. Defined objectives and delegation of duties in the company will mean that the tasks would be accomplished in time. Moreover, less time is wasted using the automated quality systems thus the employees become more productive in spite of quality services that they offer. The result is the overall productivity of the company and better services to their clients compared to when they were using the manual system.                   The company decision to implement the new quality assurance system was because of increased competition and the deteriorating performance on its inspection, testing, and quality control services. The few companies in the industry had improved their performance, they had started to command the market, and therefore, the company had to look for means by which it could be able to compete with the other companies. The adoption of the new automated quality assurance system was seen as the only way that the company would be able to compete successfully in the market and thus a decision was finally reached to implement the new system. However, the decision was subject to employees support as they would be the one s that would use the technology for the benefit of the company. The decision process involved all the employees in the company where opinions were included in the new projects. Due to fear of most of the employees on their relevance when the new techno logy would be implemented, training of existing and recruiting of new employees was included as part of the implementation of the new system. When all the employees were comfortable with the new technology and sensitized on the need to shift to the new technology, the management went ahead to implement the new automated quality system in the company. Since the employees are growth oriented, they were able to adapt to the new system. Analysis                   The company wanted to implement new system as a sign of its improvement from the manual to the automated system. The automated system would allow the company to improve its services and the ability to upgrade and update the systems software will give the company ability to adapt to continued improvement of its services. Therefore, the new technology will be advantageous to the manual quality system that limited continued improvement throughout the operations.                   The case study can be analyzed using various porters’ five forces to determine its applicability of the new technology in Athal Company and the external business environment (Appendix 7). The porters’ five forces help to analyze the business in terms of competition, threat of new entry, power of buyers, suppliers, and substitute’s products or services.                   Consulting industry in United Kingdom is very competitive and thus companies in the industry must devise strategies that will make them more competitive and make them the leading companies in the market. Therefore, for Athal Company to remain relevant in the market, it must adopt the best technologies that will enable it to provide the best quality assurance services in the industry. In the industry, company adapt to manual systems due to their low operation cost (Ahuja, & Khamba, 2008 p. 745). Hence, Athal company shift to new technology gives it competitive advantages over the other companies in the industry. According to the research carried out on the company, 90% of the employees credited the automated system saying that it was effective compared to the manual system. Thus, the system would be able to deliver quality effective services to its target market. Quality services help a company to retain its customers and place it in a more competitive po sition in the market as customer or buyers tend to be attracted by quality and not the prices (Porter, 2008 p. 33). Therefore, the company’s choice on the automated system would be advantageous in the market despite the cost that is associated with it. The implementation of the new automated case study led to the improvement of the company’s performance and increase in customers seeking services from the company and thus improved incomes as shown in figure 1 below (Appendix 1). According to the interview carried out on the company’s income performance, the income is expected to rise to $ 27,000 million with the new automated system.                   The industry suffers from the presence of companies that are still using manual systems as a means of quality assurance system. The manual system forms the substitute services offered in the industry. These companies charge their inspection services at lower prices that threaten Athal automated services. Hence, Athal Company must offer good services beyond their clients’ expectations so that they will be able to shift from the manual to the automated. The company also needs to put in place marketing strategies that will advertise the new system emphasizing on the quality of services that it will offer as opposed to their previous method of quality assurance. Moreover, the company needs to offer quality services that will meet the needs of the clients. Hence, the company needs to improve its management and staff training so that it will be able to cope up with the substitute services from the company.                   In every market, companies maintain the large share of the market through limiting the bargaining power of the consumers. Initially, the company was offering manual services that were offered by other companies in the market. This gave consumers more bargaining power as they had a wide choice of obtaining services from various companies. However, the shift of Athal company from manual system to the new technology that was adapted by few companies make consumers to have limited choices of seeking services from the automated companies. The presence of few companies with the automated quality control system makes it possible for Athal Company to limit the bargaining power of consumers. When the bargaining power of consumers in the market is limited, they will tend to buy or obtain services from a single business (Chen, 2008 p. 241). Therefore, Athal Company will limit the customers and thus they will tend to seek the new services from the company thus impro ving its productivity and making it more competitive in the market.                   Athal Company shifting to the new technology meant that it would also shift its suppliers from those that provided the manual facilities to those that would suppliers it with facilities and infrastructures for the new technology. Since many companies in the industry have not adapted the new technology, it means that the suppliers are few in the industry. Few suppliers mean that the suppliers provide their services with strict conditions and high prices due to lack of competition. Moreover, the suppliers have high bargaining power in the market. This led to high installation cost for the automated quality system and the maintenance cost. The high prices offered by suppliers in the market reduce the profits margins for the companies operating in the industry (Chen, 2008 p. 241). Therefore, the new technology was costly to the company and the consecutive maintenance costs remain high thus reducing the profits margin for the company. Hence, limited suppliers in the industry threaten Athal Company adaptation to the new technology for quality system.                   The decreased number of suppliers and the reduced profits margin in the industry discourage new entrants in the industry. The decreased new entrants in the industry result in decreased competition in the market and threats for the existing companies. Therefore, Athal Company is free from threats of new entry due to high cost of adapting new quality system technology. The reduced competition creates favorable environment for the existing company to operate and improve their services in order to achieve their desired profit margin and growth in the market. According to the management, the maintenance cost for the new technology in the quality system is 40% more than the previous manual system. Hence, few companies in the industry can adapt it and especially those that are profit oriented. Advantage of Athal Company on implementation of the new quality assurance system                   The implementation of the new quality assurance system by Athal Company will accrue various advantages over the old manual system. The advantages will be in terms of effectiveness, efficiency, cost, involvement, and result oriented.                   The automated system will be advantageous in that inspection and tests will be run fast and effectively thus saving time that can be used to do other constructive duties in the company. Automated system will mean that the same type of the information will be fed to the system for various clients at a very short time and giving results instantly (Mak, & Peng, 2008 p. 366). One can only repeat similar information for the automated system. However, on the manual system one would be forced to record similar information for various entry and different clients thus taking a lot of time for a given task and giving out delayed results. This can be distractive to clients making them to shift their services to other companies that can offer fast and effective services. Hence, the automated system will not only give effective services at a very short time, but also retain the customer making the company more competitive in the market as opposed to the manual system (GE inspections N.d p. 1).                   Although the automated system installation and training of employees on the new system is costly in the short term, in long term, the system will be cheap as there will be saving of time and decreased human involvement thus saving the cost of labour for the company. The time saved could be used to do other constructive and productive services for the company, which would in turn give returns that subsidise the cost incurred by the company. Since the new system utilises decreased human labour, the company can opt reducing its labour, which may as well reduce its cost of operation and thus increase its profits margin (GE inspections N.d p. 18). However, the manual system required a lot of time to fill out the forms and extra human labour to attend different labour thus the process becoming expensive in the long term and but cheap in the short term since there are is no cost of installation. Hence, the automated system is less expensive in the long term and thus more advantageous to the company compared to the manual system.                   The automated system is results oriented and the results can be assessed by different employees since they will be available from the system thus minimizing errors being transferred to clients. Moreover, different employees can monitor the results in their various destinations so that a perfect final product is achieved. Hence, the system forms the best collaborative monitoring system. This is in contrast to the manual where results are only processed by an individual subjecting them to errors that may be transferred to clients and may affect the customer relation with the company and affect its performance and provision of services. Therefore, Athal implementation of the new quality system through information system presents it with advantage on accurate and quality services for the customer thus maintain customer relations and maintaining its market performance at improved level.                   However, the new automated system will be a challenge to the company as the information system tool is expensive on purchase and replacement in cases of breakdown. Moreover, the process of maintenance and training of employees can be very expensive for the company thus accruing unplanned cost, which may make its services more expensive thus making it less competitive in the market. Customers are attracted by low prices in the market. Although the automated system performs various tests for the information fed for the machine, the system has limitations and some of the tests such as images, and colour are only tested using manual system. Hence, the system cannot operate fully independently. Thus the cost of operation is increased by additional services for manual system. Findings                   The data obtained from this case study from Athal Company was summarised as follows. From the questionnaires, only 100 of them were complete and used for this case study. From the 100 questionnaires that were complete, 90% discredited the manual system saying it was faulty as it offered minimum monitoring. 10% saw it as the means to abscond their duties for their private jobs. All the employees agreed that the manual system was costly in terms of monitoring but cheap on the maintenance. 70% of the employees had a positive attitude about the manual system as it was not effective when monitoring employees. Employees could be absent from work without the knowledge of the top management due to unreported cases. 30% had negative attitude on the system as they felt the system caused personal conflicts between them and the people in charge of quality control. 100% of the participants agreed that the automated system was more effective compared to the manual sys tem since all the employees had to log in to automated biometric system. The information could be relayed fast and reach the target group within the shortest time possible. 43% of the employees were resistant to the process and felt that the manual system would continue while 57% of the employees felt that transformation to the automated quality system was necessary. 95% of the employees felt that it was important to implement the quality system for both the external and internal environment of the business to ensure that the overall performance of the company was monitored. 5% of the participants were not sure if the quality system was supposed to be installed both internally and externally.                   The data that was obtained from the management was as follows. According to the management, the automated quality system was more effective and efficient in monitoring and delivery of information across the company departments and branches. Moreover, the system was fast as compared to the manual systems. The management agreed that the automated quality system improved the performance of the employees and that of the company thus increasing attracting more customers. The customers had increased from 300 to 550 per day when the new system was implemented as shown in figure 3 below (appendix 3). Similarly, it is expected that the income would increase from $ 13,000 to $ 27,000 million by the end of the first year the figure 2 below in appendix 3 analysis the change. The management said that the employees had mixed reactions on the new quality systems, with almost half number of the employees arguing against it. However, concerted trainings and sensitization s led to smooth implementation of the new systems. From the questionnaires, it was found that managers appreciated the new systems and saw it a good system for medium companies. The implementation process was expensive and the maintenance cost is high. The installation and maintenance cost is 60% more for the new technology than the manual system as shown in the figure below. Conclusions and Recommendations                   The objectives of this case study were achieved in that the new quality assurance system that was implemented by Athal Company could be upgraded unlike the manual system through update of information system software.                   The process of full implementation, handling, monitoring, operating the system for the Athal Company involved the employees and organization management. Therefore, the process of quality assurance is effective when coupled to individuals, groups and organisations.                   According to the management, the type of the information system adapted to be used by quality assurance system depend on the size of the organization, services offered, financial ability and availability of resources. Athal Company being a medium company chose the relevant information system that meets their size of the company, financial ability and ability for continuous improvement.                   The process of quality assurance automation involves installation of testing, inspection and quality control equipments that are interlinked with information system software and hand wares such as computers to record information and deliver results. Athal Company followed the protocol and successfully implemented a quality system using information system.                   The following recommendations would be most appropriate for the company and other that would take the initiative to implement the same system in their premises.                   The company should prepare its employees in advance through hiring the right employees who have the skills to prevent unnecessary cost from extra trainings. If there has to be a training, only few employees should be trained and not the entire workforce. This would prevent resistant to new technology and save the company unplanned costs.                   The company should asses the availability of suppliers of the technology that is planning to adopt to prevent exploitation of the company by suppliers as evidenced in this case study. Few suppliers in the market resulted to increased cost, which in turn led to reduced profits from high cost of operations. References Ahuja, I. P. S., & Khamba, J. S. 2008. Total productive maintenance: literature review and directions. International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, 25(7), 709-756. Berry, L. L., & Parasuraman, A. 2004. Marketing services: Competing through quality. Simon and Schuster. Chen, Z. 2008. Defining buyer power. Antitrust Bull., 53, 241. Ford, J. D., Ford, L. W., & D’Amelio, A. 2008. Resistance to change: The rest of the story. Academy of Management Review, 33(2), 362-377. GE Inspections. Inspection Technologies: Productivity through inspection solution. N.d 1-19 Ho-Chang, C., Chang E., K., & Prybutok, V. R. 2014. Information technology capability and firm performance: contradictory findings and their possible causes. MIS Quarterly, 38(1), 305-A14. Hoyle, D. 2009. ISO 9000 quality systems handbook. Amsterdam: Butterworth-Heinemann. KumpikaitÄâ€", V., & ÄÅ'iarnienÄâ€", R. 2008. New training technologies developing human resources. Economics & Management, 93-94. Lanz, J. 2013. Helping Small and Midsized Businesses Succeed in a Technology-Driven World. CPA Journal, 6-9. Lilly, J. D., & Durr, D. W. 2012. Technology changes at work and employee reactions: The role of leader behavior. Human Systems Management, 31(3/4), 193-201. Mak, K. L., & Peng, P. 2008. An automated inspection system for textile fabrics based on Gabor filters. Robotics and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing, 24(3), 359-369. Mullins, L.J. (2013). Management & Organisational Behaviour. Pearson Porter, M. E. 2008. The five competitive forces that shape strategy. Harvard business review, 86(1), 25-40. Sroufe, R., & Curkovic, S. (2008). An examination of ISO 9000: 2000 and supply chain quality assurance. Journal of Operations Management, 26(4), 503-520. Wang, N., Liang, H., Zhong, W., Xue, Y., & Xiao, J. 2012. Resource Structuring or Capability Building? An Empirical Study of the Business Value of Information Technology. Journal Of Management Information Systems, 29(2), 325-367. Wigand, R. T. 2003. Introduction to business information systems. Berlin [u.a.: Springer-Verl. Appendices Appendix 1 Figure 1: showing the changes in income with respect to change in quality assurance system Appendix 2 Figure 2: increase in number of employees with the change in technology Appendix 3 Figure 3: comparison between the cost of the automated and manual quality system. Appendix 4 Questionnaires Serial no. Question Answers Employees 1 How effective was the manual system 2 Was the manual system costly in terms of monitoring and maintenance 3 What was your attitude on the manual system 4 How effective has the automated quality system been compared to the manual system 5 Comparing to the manual system, was it costly in terms of implementation and maintenance 6 How was the transformation to the new automated system 7 Was the automated system applicable to internal and external monitoring of the company 8 Was you involved when deciding on the new system Appendix 5 Management interview questions 8 How do you compare between the manual and automated quality control system on their performance 9 How did the employees and customers respond to the new system automated system 10 Kindly comments on the overall implementation process and whether the cost of the installation of the process is high or low Appendix 6 Manual system Automated system Customers 300 per day 550 per day Income $ 13,000 million $ 27,000 million Cost and maintenance 100% of the standard cost 160% of the standard cost Appendix 7 Source document

Sample Literature Review

Title: Implicit side of the Olympic Games: The Past, Present and Future of Olympic Marketing. Summary: This dissertation is dedicated to the analysis of Olympic marketing as the implicit side of Olympic movement; evaluation of past, present and future profiles of Olympic marketing. Research literature review There’s a list of research papers dedicated to commercialization of sports in general. At the same time, there’s apparent deficit of studies, dedicated directly to the problem of Olympic marketing, due to the specificity and complexity of the field. Many of them, besides are out-of-date researches. Different aspects of marketing in Olympics appear described in various sources. Though a problem of Olympic marketing is discussed in a list of books and articles, none of them provides ultimate analysis of the phenomenon. It could be explained by the rapid changes in Olympic marketing itself and probable deficit of research data. To exemplify the thesis, one could mention that many studies related to Olympic marketing appear outdated already before they are published. Most of the papers provide, hence, a pure theoretical analysis of the research field. At the same time there is a certain deficit of quantitative researches. There are practically no research books and articles describing the structure of Olympic marketing, its financial revenues and their distribution, peculiarities of Games’ staging, profiles of major sponsors, etc. Monographs and multi-authors books Brenda Pitts and David Stotlar (Pitts et al, 1996) analyze sports marketing in their comprehensive research â€Å"Fundamentals of Sport Marketing†. The study is dedicated to the overall analysis of commerce in sports, its history and modern tendencies. The authors analyze the reasons of sports and marketing’s rapprochement and assess according contributions of business and sports. The researches also define differences of sports marketing from the other forms of promotion in diverse spheres, define the most specific features of sports marketing. The authors focus on several most important aspects of sports marketing, i. e. : development of marketing strategy in sports; clarifying the needs and goals of sports organization and evaluation the ways how a sponsor could contribute it; implementation of comprehensive marketing plans through sponsorship, licensing, ticketing, advertising, etc. The book provides both theoretical and practical data concerning sports marketing. The authors discuss historical aspects of sports marketing, as well as its presence and future, evaluate the general paradigm of sports marketing. Researchers also introduce the fundamentals of marketing inquiry including the basics of segmentation, targeting, and positioning in sport business, etc. Though the book itself is one of the most thorough and all-round analysis of the problem, the paradigm of Olympic marketing is less examined in the research. As a result, a reader could only learn the fundamentals of sports marketing in general, while Olympic marketing has several significant differences. The research of Mulin et al, 2000, is believed to be a groundbreaking text in the field pf sport marketing and management. The primary asset of the book lies in presenting of a new perspective of sports marketing. The authors didn’t just apply the general theory of marketing to sports; instead, they developed a new study of sports marketing based on their own experience. The research focuses on a special nature of sports marketing in a global perspective and the reasons of commercialization in sports environment (1); definition of consumers’ audience and marketing segmentation (2); licensing and pricing strategies of sports marketing (3); specificity of marketing sponsorship (4), etc. The real life examples, besides, make the study extremely valuable to a critical reader. Mulin et al, 2000, focuses on development and management of all-round marketing strategy in sports that includes advertising and promotion, licensing, branding, broadcasting etc. Unfortunately, the study also defines the fundamentals of sports marketing in general, while the paradigm of Olympic marketing remains completely unexamined. Pelsmacker et al, 2001 examines the field of marketing communication. This comprehensive study covers establishment of marketing relationships between companies and corporate sponsors, development of PR and advertising program, provision of effective marketing management. Though the research doesn’t examine the field of sports marketing, the authors provide a fundamental theoretical framework applicable for the further analysis of Olympic marketing. Brad Wise (Wise, 1997) gives an overview of Olympic marketing in his monograph â€Å"Sports marketing: rules of the game and strategies for success†. The author describes the main tendencies of commercialization in sports and analyzes general principles of sports marketing. Though the book is valuable to general apprehension of marketing in sports, its contribution in understanding of Olympic marketing is insufficient. Shank, 1999, defines future perspectives of marketing in sports, summarized in his recent book â€Å"Sports marketing: a strategic perspective†. The author defines positive and negative impacts of marketing relationships in sports and discusses major tendencies of sports and commerce co-existence. Shank, 1999, also focuses on advertising, promotion and sponsorship in a global sports. The primary accent, however, is made rather on commercialization of sports in general, while the marketing profile of Olympic Games remains underexamined. McDonald, 1999 analyzes the recent case studies of sports marketing, also including the most peculiar specimens of Olympic marketing. The author focuses on 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City in the chapter â€Å"Lake City 2002 Winter Olympic Games – the prevention of ambush marketing†. Though the contribution of the author is sufficient, he didn’t analyze the implicit aspects of Olympic marketing providing, instead, the overview of its most explicit manifestations. Shilbury, 1998 devoted his research to the economic aspects of sports marketing, the Olympic marketing as well lacks its comprehensive analysis. Pemberton, 1997 analyzes fundamentals of sports marketing on his own experience. The study incorporates the aspects of establishment and maintenance of cooperation between sports and sponsoring companies and their reciprocal revenues. Though the author provides easy-to-understand, step-by-step explanation of sports as a multibillion business, he focuses on the American sports events. Olympic marketing remains out of the field of author’s researches as well. There’s also a list of work dedicated directly to the Olympic Movement that uncover the fundamentals of Olympic marketing. R. Mandell, 1976, critically analyzes the first Olympic Games of modernity in his book â€Å"The First Modern Olympics†. The author uncovers marketing aspects of the Games, discusses private and corporate sponsorship, sources of Games’ revenues, philatelic program, etc. This information is necessary to understand the making of modern Olympic marketing in historical perspective. F. Landry (Landry et al, 1996) summarizes the major achievements of the IOC (also including its financial achievements) in her study dedicated to the centenarian anniversary of the Olympic Games. The study serves a comprehensive guide through the marketing history of the IOC, its major decisions and innovations. This research complicates the theoretical premises of sports marketing presented in the previous studies. J. Lucas, 1980, analyzed Olympic Games and related phenomena, also including marketing, in his research â€Å"The Modern Olympic Games†. Though the book contains valuable information concerning the problem, the analysis is much outdated. Nevertheless, suggested data is important for the analysis of Olympic marketing in historical perspective. D. Wallechinsky, 1984 analyzes Olympic marketing in his â€Å"The Complete Book of the Olympics†. The primary drawback of the research is still out-of-date information. H. Preuss, 2000 provides a comprehensive analysis of Olympic Games’ economics. A longitudinal research covering almost thirty years of Olympic history since 1972 to 2000, remains obviously the most reliable and all-round analysis of Olympic marketing. The author analyzes all characteristics pertaining to Olympic marketing, defines peculiarities of marketing in Olympic sphere, suggests comprehensive statistical data. At the same time, development of marketing relationships in pre-1972 era is underexamined in the study. Research articles There’s a number of articles examining the problem of sports marketing in general, and Olympic marketing in particular. Marshall et al, 1992 develops the idea of corporate sponsorship in sports. The author analyzes implicit relationships between the organizers and sponsors, as well as their profits, evaluates the assets of corporate sponsorship in sports. The article, however, doesn’t deal with the Olympic marketing directly, that reduces its value for the present research. Sandler et al, 1989, describes Olympic marketing in his article â€Å"Olympic sponsorship vs. â€Å"ambush marketing†: who gets the gold? †. This comprehensive analysis, however, is also much out-of-dated by now. Stotlar, 1993 develops the idea of marketing relationships in Winter Olympics. The author focuses on the idea of corporate sponsorship of the Games that is important for making overall conclusions regarding the role of marketing in staging and holding the Games. Several articles are dedicated to the particular aspects of Olympic marketing. Busby, 1997, analyzes media sponsorship of the sports. The author focuses in broadcasting policies, rights fees and coverage of the sports events as well as the role of broadcasting in sports’ development. More broad definition of Olympic marketing in the aspect of licensing is provided in the Crabb and Ji article â€Å"The Olympic Movement: the Games and Olympic IPR†. The research suggests all-round information concerning the organizing and staging of the Games, main challenges of host cities, and importance of Intellectual Property to the Olympic Movement. The research of T. Atobelli (Atobelli, 1997) is dedicated to the analysis of Olympic marketing program in Sydney. Though the article was written two years prior to the Games, the author has managed to define the main strategies of Sydney’s marketing policy in the aspect of financing and peculiarities of its implementation. As a result, he introduced the â€Å"nitty-gritty† of Olympic marketing to the readers Batcha, 1998, undertook a critical approach to Olympic marketing. The author developed the idea of multiple malversations in sports marketing. Batcha, 1998, believes, that sponsors have turned to be the real competitors of the Olympic events instead of sportsmen. The author states that growing commercialization of the Games has made a serious influence of equity and impartiality of the Olympic Movement. Greek researcher Papandropoulos (Papandropoulos, 2004), instead, believes in a necessity of Olympic marketing in a global perspective. The author provides necessary statistical data concerning staging of 2004 Games in Athens and also defines most important historical landmarks of Olympic marketing and their influence on Games’ development. The author describes the roots of Olympism and sources of its financial supports changing throughout the times. Papandropoulos, 2004 analyzes Olympic sponsorship as a serious source of Games’ funding. This information is vital for the general analysis of Athens 2004 marketing plan. On-line reports and researches Internet reports and documents also provide important information about Olympic marketing. One of the most comprehensive studies is a commemorative report of the International Olympic Committee dedicated to the history and presence of Olympic movement (The Olympic Movement, 1997). The research grants a reader with all-round evaluation of Olympic marketing, its development and future prospects. The paper also provides a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the Olympic marketing that, unfortunately, is now outdated in many aspects. Some principles of Olympic marketing are also described in the Olympic Charter – the official Constitution of the International Olympic Committee. Much information concerning fundamentals of Olympic marketing is accessible on the official site of the International Olympic Committee. The site provides an excurse into the past of Olympic marketing, mentions key dates of its making as well as most important innovations. Forasmuch as the site is being permanently updated, it grants most recent and reliable information concerning the revenues, distributions and expenditures of Olympic Movement. The site also proposes a number of quantitative data concerning financial revenues of the Committee. Presented charts offer comparative analysis of marketing revenues’ growth. Unfortunately, most information is accessible only in a tabloid form that is enough to apprehend the overall idea of Olympic marketing; at the same time, the data is insufficient for a comprehensive analytical research. The international Olympic Committee issues a bulletin dedicated to Olympic Marketing. â€Å"Marketing matters† bulletin is accessible on the official site of the Olympic Committee and could be regarded as a most complete and reliable source concerning past, present, and future of Olympic marketing. The bulletin, besides, provides the reports of IOC’s Marketing Commission and Organizing Committees of the Games’ functioning. The most recent qualitative-quantitative data covering marketing plans of 2004 Games in Athens and 2008 Games in Beijing is also available in the bulletin.

buy custom British North American Colonies essay

buy custom British North American Colonies essay There were thirteen original British North American colonies but we will focus on New York and New Jersey in this question. New York and New Jersey were both middle colonies and Quakers was the main religion in these two colonies. New Jersey was initially occupied by the Dutch who settled along the Hudson river bank. However in 1664, England seized New Jersey from the Dutch colon and took over its control. The same year, New Jersey was incorporated in Charles IIs grant to his brother James who was the Duke of York (Roark 115-118). New York on the other hand, was originally named, New Netherlands in honor of the Duke of York under the Dutch rule. The settlement of the Dutch colony along the banks of Hudson led to a separation of New England from other colonies, and consequently jeopardized the English dominion in North America. This sparked conflicts between Britain and Dutch leading to the seizing of New Netherlands by the English colonialists (Roark 115-118). Indentured servants were European settlers who bought their passage to the United States by accepting to work for their employers for a period between four and seven years, after which they were free to become permanent citizens of the U.S. (Bennett 15-20). African slaves on the other hand were people who were forcefully transported from Africa to various parts of Europe to work as slaves in the plantations of white settlers. Unlike the indentured servants, slaves had no contracts with their employers and were therefore bound to serve them permanently. Between 1650 and 1710, both the indentured servants and African slaves had relatively fewer rights as compared to free people (Bennett 15-20). They worked at the satisfaction of their masters and could even be traded to other employers. However, several changes have taken place since then. With the end of colonization which led to freedom of independence of various nations, both slave trade and indentured servitude came to an end. Buy custom British North American Colonies essay

Free Online Public Schools for Connecticut Students

Free Online Public Schools for Connecticut Students Connecticut offers resident students the opportunity to take online public school courses for free. Below is a list of no-cost online schools currently serving elementary and high school students in Connecticut. In order to qualify for the list, schools must meet the following qualifications: classes must be available completely online, they must offer services to state residents, and they must be funded by the government. Virtual schools listed may be charter schools, state-wide public programs, or private programs that receive government funding. List of Connecticut Online Charter Schools and Online Public Schools CT Virtual Learning Center (off-site link) About Online Charter Schools and Online Public Schools Many states now offer tuition-free online schools for resident students under a certain age (often 21). Most virtual schools are charter schools; they receive government funding and are run by a private organization. Online charter schools are subject to fewer restrictions than traditional schools. However, they are reviewed regularly and must continue to meet state standards. Some states also offer their own online public schools. These virtual programs generally operate from a state office or a school district. State-wide public school programs vary. Some online public schools offer a limited number of remedial or advanced courses not available in brick-and-mortar public school campuses. Others offer full online diploma programs. A few states choose to fund â€Å"seats† for students in private online schools. The number of available seats may be limited and students are usually asked to apply through their public school guidance counselor. (See also: 4 Types of Online High Schools). Choosing a Connecticut Online Public School When choosing an online public school, look for an established program that is regionally accredited and has a track record of success. Be wary of new schools that are disorganized, are unaccredited, or have been the subject of public scrutiny. For more suggestions on evaluating virtual schools see: How to Choose an Online High School.

The Legacy of Darwins On the Origin of Species

The Legacy of Darwins On the Origin of Species Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species on November 24, 1859 and forever changed the way humans think about science. Its not an exaggeration to say that Darwins landmark work became one of the most influential books in history. Decades earlier, the British naturalist and scholar had spent five years sailing around the world aboard a research ship, H.M.S. Beagle. After returning to England, Darwin spent years in quiet study, examining plant and animal specimens. The ideas he expressed in his classic book in 1859 did not occur to him as sudden bursts of inspiration, but were developed over a period of decades. Research Led Darwin to Write At the end of the Beagle voyage, Darwin arrived back in England on October 2, 1836. After greeting friends and family he distributed to scholarly colleagues a number of specimens he had collected during the expedition around the world. Consultations with an ornithologist confirmed that Darwin had discovered several species of birds, and the young naturalist became fascinated with the idea that some species seemed to have replaced other species. As Darwin began to realize that species change, he wondered how that happened. The summer after returning to England, in July 1837, Darwin began a new notebook and took to writing down his thoughts on transmutation, or the concept of one species transforming into another. For the next two years Darwin essentially argued with himself in his notebook, testing out ideas. Malthus Inspired Charles Darwin In October 1838 Darwin re-read Essay on the Principle of Population, an influential text by the British philosopher Thomas Malthus. The idea advanced by Malthus, that society contains a struggle for existence, struck a chord with Darwin. Malthus had been writing about people struggling to survive in the economic competition of the emerging modern world. But it inspired Darwin to begin thinking of species of animals and their own struggles for survival. The idea of survival of the fittest began to take hold. By the spring of 1840, Darwin had come up with the phrase natural selection, as he wrote it in the margin of a book on horse breeding he was reading at the time. In the early 1840s, Darwin had essentially worked out his theory of natural selection, which holds that organisms best suited to their environment tend to survive and reproduce, and thus become dominant. Darwin began writing an extended work on the subject, which he likened to a pencil sketch and which is now known to scholars as the Sketch. The Delay in Publishing On the Origin of Species It is conceivable that Darwin could have published his landmark book in the 1840s, yet he did not. Scholars have long speculated on the reasons for the delay, but it seems that its simply because Darwin kept amassing information he could use to present a lengthy and well-reasoned argument. By the mid-1850s Darwin began working on a major project  that would incorporate his research and insights. Another biologist, Alfred Russel Wallace, was working in the same general field, and he and Darwin were aware of each other. In June 1858 Darwin opened a package sent to him by Wallace, and found a copy of a book Wallace had been writing. Inspired in part by the competition from Wallace, Darwin resolved to push ahead and publish his own book. He realized he could not include all his research, and his original title for his work in progress referred to it as an abstract. Darwins Landmark Book Published in November 1859 Darwin finished a manuscript, and his book, titled On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races In the Struggle for Life, was published in London on November 24, 1859. (Over time, the book became known by the shorter title On the Origin of Species.) The original edition of the book was 490 pages, and had taken Darwin about nine months to write. When he first submitted chapters to his publisher John Murray, in April 1859, Murray had reservations about the book. A friend of the publisher wrote to Darwin and suggested he write something quite different, a book on pigeons. Darwin politely brushed that suggestion aside, and Murray went ahead and published the book Darwin intended to write. On the Origin of Species turned out to be quite a profitable book for its publisher. The initial press run was modest, only 1,250 copies, but those sold out in the first two days of sale. The following month a second edition of 3,000 copies also sold out, and the book continued selling through successive editions for decades. Darwins book generated countless controversies, as it contradicted the biblical account of creation and seemed to be in opposition to religion. Darwin himself remained mostly aloof from the debates and continued his research and writing. He revised On the Origin of Species through six editions, and he also published another book on evolutionary theory, The Descent of Man, in 1871. Darwin also wrote prolifically about cultivating plants. When Darwin died in 1882, he was given a state funeral in Britain and was buried in Westminster Abbey, near the grave of Isaac Newton. His status as a great scientist had been assured by the publication of On the Origin of Species.

Services Directive Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Services Directive - Essay Example Services Directive The first of these is that the implementation of the application of the country of origin principle, which requires that only the law of the country in which the service provider is located should be applicable. Further, it enjoins upon the Member States not to restrict in a discriminatory way services from a provider established in another Member State. Second, empowering citizens to use the services provided by any other Member State without being delayed or discouraged by restrictive measures imposed by their country. Third, creation of a mechanism to provide assistance to citizens who use a service provided by an operator established in another Member State and fourth, the allocation of tasks between the Member State of destination and origin, in respect of the posting of workers. This directive is not applicable to non – economic and non – remunerated activities. Hence, it is not applicable to the non – remunerated activities of the governments of Member states in respect of its cultural, educational, legal and social commitments towards its citizens . The origins of this directive lie in the questions thrown up by the incident described in the next few lines; a liqueur, Crà ¨me de Cassis, was not allowed to be imported and sold in Germany by the importers Rowe-Zentral AG. The reason for this was cited as low alcoholic content for that particular type of alcoholic drink. The importer approached the European Court of Justice, which challenged the validity of national legislation that was attempting to introduce non – tariff barriers to trade. ... The importer approached the European Court of Justice, which challenged the validity of national legislation that was attempting to introduce non - tariff barriers to trade.2 One of the main bastions of the free movement of goods within the EU is the principle of mutual recognition. Its genesis lies in the above cited EU Court of Justice famous Cassis de Dijon judgment of February 20, 1979. This principle requires that, every Member State to accept products on its territory which are legally produced and marketed in another community Member State. The right of Member States is restricted to challenging this principle in cases involving risk to public safety, health or the environment. In such cases the measure taken must be in conformity with the principles of necessity and proportionality. On the 4th of November 2003, the European Commission published a communication aimed at illuminating the principle of mutual recognition.3 A businessman is often forced to abstain from selling a product, which does not satisfy the technical rules of that Member State, owing to ignorance as to how to proceed in such a discriminatory situation. A technical rule gives the specifications which define the features necessary in a product like its composition, presentation, packaging, labelling etc. The aim of this communication is to spell out the rights and methods of appeal which economic operators may derive from the principle of mutual recognition, when they encounter such difficulties. On the whole, wherever provisions of a national law are incompatible with the principle of mutual recognition, the national courts and administrations have to guarantee the full impact of the principle by removing, of their own

A Generalized Thermodynamic Correlation Based on Three-Parameter Essay

A Generalized Thermodynamic Correlation Based on Three-Parameter Corresponding States - Essay Example Moreover, there are discrepancies existing between the extended and the original correlations’ interface. The main objectives of the paper are the development of the analytical correlations basing on the stated three – parameter corresponding state principle. Also, the work is aimed at covering the whole range of Tr and Pr in the practical application of hydrocarbons processing (Lee and Kesler). Furthermore, the work focuses on the improvement of consistence and accuracy of the pre-existing correlations. The achievement of the above stated objectives was based on the two state equations that are similar to Rubin, Benedict and general fluid reference (Lee and Kesler). In the paper, there is the description of the methodologies that can be efficiently used in the in the representation of the thermodynamic functions and volumetric functions. The description is based on the on the 3-parameter corresponding state principle proposed by Pitzer (Lee and Kesler). The functions referred in the description include fugacity coefficients, densities, enthalpy departures, isochoric and isobaric. The description of the methodologies has resulted in the generation of two equations of state that can be effectively used for reference fluids and the two equations are adequately used to represent both the thermodynamic and volumetric properties of both vapour and fluids as a function of the pre-stated 3-parameters within a range where Tr =0.3 to Tr =0.4 and Pr = 0 to Pr = 10. Using the above stated analytical form, there is an improvement in the representation of the properties at critical regions and within low temperatures (Lee and Kesler). The article concludes that, the stated methods are reliable and due to this; they have found wide applications in various in various conditions. Also, it is connoted that the accuracy of the methodologies can be compared to the original Pitzer correlations,

Financial Reports of McDonalds Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financial Reports of McDonalds - Assignment Example This paper discusses McDonalds’ 2013 annual report with focus on the company’s operations, income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow, and ratio analysis. Accounting information, often summarized and communicated in annual reports, is important to different stakeholders to an organization. This paper reviews and reports on McDonalds’ annual report for the year ended 2013 with focus on the company’s operations and financial statements. The discussion identifies positive prospects in the annual report but offers reservations on the company’s long-term stability due to overreliance on external funding. One of McDonalds’ operational activities in the accounting year ended 2013 was realignment of its subsidiaries, efforts that begun in the year 2005. The operations were geared towards two major goals, to realign the subsidiaries to external environments in the areas of operations and to realign the subsidiaries to the company’s global perspective. Theses aimed at attaining a desired corporate image by the company. The company also operates in two scopes, through its managed subsidiaries and though its franchises. Its branches however obtain commodities and services from independent suppliers but quality assessment centers exist to ensure threshold standards in all of the company’s outlets. The company’s operations also include collaboration with suppliers to facilitate efficiencies through innovation, outstanding practices, and continuous improvements. The company offers a standard menu to its customers though a level of variation may exist to accommodate geographical diversity around its outlets. It also offers seasonal products but majorly on promotions. Monitoring and evaluation of newly developed products also form a major aspect of the company’s operations. Research and development is another significant area of the company’s operations and research and development facilities exists in the United States, Europe, and

Hydro-power and the wildlife damage it causes Essay

Hydro-power and the wildlife damage it causes - Essay Example She implies despite the positive benefits brought about by Hydro power, the environment suffers a great deal of its side effects, notably, extinction of some form of wildlife. With the emergence of Global warming, dams have received a lot of attention despite the fact that they generate huge quantities of electricity without really burning fossil fuels. In this context, multiple questions have been raised concerning the environmental effects of hydropower. Among them, Are dams carbon neutral? What of the energy used in the construction of Dams and the reservoir that are created behind them (deforestation and decomposition). Notably, endless questions have been raised over the impact of Hydropower on the surrounding environment and more particularly, its impact on wildlife. As opponents of hydropower indicate, it appears as if enough evidence has been found to discredit Hydropower as an efficient energy source. Having that in mind, the paper seeks to discuss the negative environmental effects posed by Hydropower with a view to elucidate on the destruction of wildlife habitats. In a study by FWEE on provision of balanced information for water as a renewable energy resource in the North West, it is indicated that, some specific impacts due to a hydroelectric power projects mainly depends on the following variables (FWEE 1). Firstly, the size and the flow rate, secondly, the climatic and habitat conditions, thirdly, design type and operation of the project. Additionally, the habitat and climatic conditions as well as, the project locations play a significant role. In terms of the project location, upstream or downstream location often comes in focus. This clearly reveals that the dynamics involved in hydropower generations affect various sectors that are directly or indirectly related to its production. McCully, in his article of big Dams big trouble, published by New internationalists, close to sixty percent of the world’s largest river system are mostly fr agmented by numerous dams and considerable water withdrawals for irrigation purposes. This implies that the massive fragmentation of and replumbing of the world largest rivers has led to an increased loss of fresh water species. In this regard, close to a third of the world fresh water fish species have been reported as extinct, vulnerable or endangered. Additionally, IEA Hydropower Agreement on Hydropower and the environment: present context and the guidelines for future Action, indicates that construction of the reservoir increased the storage water, thus covering riparian areas stream banks (23). Following these, inundation occurs. A change in the habitat conditions leads to the emergence of a new equilibrium. While this is happening, different set of dynamics begin to affect how species grow feed, spawn and grow within these regions. Though a rise in water levels increase electricity production, the riparian zone is affected since some of the vegetation initially covered by wate r may never re-establish McCully further indicates that a significant but unknown number of , amphibians, shell fish, as well as plants and birds that depend on Fresh water ecosystems are on the verge of extinction or as such, at risk (620). He further points it out that Flooding from Dams has the potential to disrupt Wildlife

Values and Ethics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Values and Ethics - Research Paper Example My personal mission statement is: to achieve a successful career as an ‘Emergency Medical Technician’ by following my personal ethical values and the professional ethics observed in the organization and the profession as a whole. It is apparent from my mission statement that I seek to pursue a successful career on the basis of my ethical values. I attach significant importance to the ethical values as they form the foundation for a successful career or a successful organization. Along with following my own ethical values through my career, I would also follow the ethical values observed in the profession as a whole and in the organization that I would be a part of. Ethical values hold a very important role in the success of an organization therefore in my career I would opt for organizations that hold strong ethical values and the ethical values that are appropriate in conformity with the overall profession. My personal ethical values that would guide me as a future manager include; professional behavior, objectivity, integrity, accountability, innovativeness, cooperation, encouragement, fairness, equality, and confidentiality. Professional behavior would help me put my best efforts in my career by working sincerely. Professional behavior would also help me conduct the tasks in my professional capacity in a better way. Objectivity means having an unprejudiced opinion and not being biased while making a professional decision. As a manager, objectivity would help me make decisions that are best for the organization as a whole and I would not be influenced by any factors that may impair my objectivity. Integrity would help me conduct my job without any immoral or fraudulent acts. Accountability means being responsible for all the acts conducted in the professional capacity. Due to accountability, I would be responsible for my acts as a manager. Because of being responsible, I would try to conduct my tasks in the best way possible. Therefore, accountability

Hydro-power and the wildlife damage it causes Essay

Hydro-power and the wildlife damage it causes - Essay Example She implies despite the positive benefits brought about by Hydro power, the environment suffers a great deal of its side effects, notably, extinction of some form of wildlife. With the emergence of Global warming, dams have received a lot of attention despite the fact that they generate huge quantities of electricity without really burning fossil fuels. In this context, multiple questions have been raised concerning the environmental effects of hydropower. Among them, Are dams carbon neutral? What of the energy used in the construction of Dams and the reservoir that are created behind them (deforestation and decomposition). Notably, endless questions have been raised over the impact of Hydropower on the surrounding environment and more particularly, its impact on wildlife. As opponents of hydropower indicate, it appears as if enough evidence has been found to discredit Hydropower as an efficient energy source. Having that in mind, the paper seeks to discuss the negative environmental effects posed by Hydropower with a view to elucidate on the destruction of wildlife habitats. In a study by FWEE on provision of balanced information for water as a renewable energy resource in the North West, it is indicated that, some specific impacts due to a hydroelectric power projects mainly depends on the following variables (FWEE 1). Firstly, the size and the flow rate, secondly, the climatic and habitat conditions, thirdly, design type and operation of the project. Additionally, the habitat and climatic conditions as well as, the project locations play a significant role. In terms of the project location, upstream or downstream location often comes in focus. This clearly reveals that the dynamics involved in hydropower generations affect various sectors that are directly or indirectly related to its production. McCully, in his article of big Dams big trouble, published by New internationalists, close to sixty percent of the world’s largest river system are mostly fr agmented by numerous dams and considerable water withdrawals for irrigation purposes. This implies that the massive fragmentation of and replumbing of the world largest rivers has led to an increased loss of fresh water species. In this regard, close to a third of the world fresh water fish species have been reported as extinct, vulnerable or endangered. Additionally, IEA Hydropower Agreement on Hydropower and the environment: present context and the guidelines for future Action, indicates that construction of the reservoir increased the storage water, thus covering riparian areas stream banks (23). Following these, inundation occurs. A change in the habitat conditions leads to the emergence of a new equilibrium. While this is happening, different set of dynamics begin to affect how species grow feed, spawn and grow within these regions. Though a rise in water levels increase electricity production, the riparian zone is affected since some of the vegetation initially covered by wate r may never re-establish McCully further indicates that a significant but unknown number of , amphibians, shell fish, as well as plants and birds that depend on Fresh water ecosystems are on the verge of extinction or as such, at risk (620). He further points it out that Flooding from Dams has the potential to disrupt Wildlife

I project 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

I project 1 - Essay Example Besides, iProject would allow me to gain practical knowledge in the field of technology marketing, develop understanding on importance of documentation and in turn generate a high quality report. With the advent of Smart Phone technology, a number of apps are being released on daily basis with a sole aim of gaining more business (Audely, 2011) and to provide customers with better after sales services in a way to facilitate them in gaining access to required information, saving time and ensure customer loyalty and customer satisfaction (Owen, 2010). iProject attempts to highlight the significance of the Smart Phone Applications in the developing the market strategy by illustrating the new creative application technology which is Radio-frequency Identification (RFID) in this website asmaalghafis.wix.com/asma. The project is aimed and planned for completion with minimum cost and resources. iProject has two main phases i.e., short term and medium term plan. For this purpose, project has been divided into two phases where phase 1 corresponds to short term career goals and phase 2 corresponds to medium term goals. Figure below shows the short term plan The main purpose of short term plan is to develop understanding of project management and planning, real world application of the knowledge and learning gained through formal courses that would help to comprehend the main essence of the topic of the assignment. I, Asma Ibrahim Al Ghafis would be managing the entire project and the website would be www.asmaalghafis.wix.com/asma. In this project, I would be assisted by Mr. Waqas Jeral, who has extensive knowledge and experience in marking as he has been working with a number of firms as a marketing consultant. He has extensive interest in techniques and method that circumference the online marketing strategy and building online, the personality identity. We

My Most Personal Place Essay Example for Free

My Most Personal Place Essay White blank walls, white cold tile floor, tucked in the basement away from my seven other roommates was my new bedroom. The only natural light in the room coming from the window the size of a picture frame. Moving into a new and unfamiliar place can be unsettling and exciting. I went to work moving my things in and making this 10 by 10 white empty box my new room. After two short days I completed my decorating and was thrilled with the outcome. The ceiling of my bedroom was outlined with white christmas lights twinkling in unison. In the middle of the ceiling hung a round yellow paper lantern that came from my sisters wedding; everytime I looked up I had good memories and it made me feel love and warmth. I placed glow-in-the-dark stars sparatically covering my ceiling so I felt I was falling asleep gazing at the stars in the sky. The room had a ledge about a foot higher than my queen size bed. I lined the ledge with vanilla-lavender scented candles that filled the room with an amazing aroma that calmed me as if it rocked me to sleep before bed. My bedding was gray and lavender colored with a pattern that looked as if it was paint brush strokes. I was not allowed to paint the walls so I covered them with colorful posters of bands and portraits I enjoyed. Between the posters were photos of my friends and family; photos that made me smile as I reminisced the funny memories I had with my loved ones. The tile felt like ice against bare feet. I purchased a gray shag rug that looked as if it came from the 1970s but felt soft and warm as it cushioned your feet from the cold, hard floor beneath it. My closet was immediately to the left after you entered my room and was hidden by a light purple curtian. There was a small, black mini fridge in the corner of the room beside the television. The door had two locks on it thanks to my dad, but it made me  feel safe.

Effects of Exercise on the Human Body

Effects of Exercise on the Human Body Exercise represents one the highest levels of extreme stresses to which the body can be exposed. Exercise physiology is the study of the function of the human body during various acute and chronic exercise conditions. These effects are significant during both short, high intensity exercise as well as with prolonged strenuous exercise such as done in endurance sports like marathons, ultramarathons, and road bicycle racing. In exercise, the liver generates extra glucose, while increased cardiovascular activity by the heart, and respiration by the lungs, provides an increased supply of oxygen. When exercise is very prolonged and strenuous, a decline, however, can occur in blood levels of glucose. In some individuals, this might even cause hypoglycemia and hypoxemia. There can also be cognitive and physical impairments due to dehydration. Another risk is low plasma sodium blood levels. Prolonged exercise is made possible by the human thermoregulation capacity to remove exercise waste hea t by sweat evaporation. This capacity evolved to enable early humans after many hours of persistence hunting to exhaust game animals that cannot remove so effectively exercise heat from their body. In general, the exercise-related measurements established for women follow the same general principles as those established for men, except for the quantitative differences caused by differences in body size, body composition, and levels of testosterone. In women, the values of muscle strength, pulmonary ventilation, and cardiac output (all variables related with muscle mass) are generally 60-75% of the exercise physiology values recorded in men. When measured in terms of strength per square centimeter, the female muscle can achieve the same force of contraction as that of a male. The functions of muscle tissues assume roles in homeostasis, as follows: Excitability Property of receiving and responding to stimuli such as the following: Neurotransmitters: Acetylcholine (ACh) stimulates skeletal muscle to contract, electrical stimuli: Applying electrical stimuli between cardiac and smooth muscle cells causes the muscles to contract, Applying a shock to skeletal muscle causes contraction, Hormonal stimuli: Oxytocin stimulates smooth muscle in the uterus to contract during labor.Contractility Ability to shorten. Extensibility Ability to stretch without damageElasticity Ability to return to original shape after extensionThrough contraction, muscle provides motion of the body (skeletal muscle), motion of blood (cardiac muscle), and motion of hollow organs such as the uterus, esophagus, stomach, intestines, and bladder (smooth muscle).Muscle tissue also helps maintain posture and produce heat. A large amount of body heat is produced by metabolism and by muscle con traction. Muscle contraction during shivering warms the body. Skeletal muscle consists of fibers (cells). These cells are up to 100 Â µm in diameter and often are as long as the muscle. Each contains sarcoplasm (cytoplasm) and multiple peripheral nuclei per fiber. Skeletal muscle is actually formed by the fusion of hundreds of embryonic cells. Other cell structures include the following:Each fiber is covered by a sarcolemma (plasma membrane). The sarcoplasmic reticulum (smooth endoplasmic reticulum) stores calcium, which is released into the sarcoplasm during muscle contraction. Transverse tubules (T tubules), which are extensions of the sarcolemma that penetrate cells, transmit electrical impulses from the sarcolemma inward, so electrical impulses penetrate deeply into the cell. Besides conducting electricity along their walls, T tubules contain extracellular fluid rich in glucose and oxygen.The sarcoplasm of fiber is rich in glycogen (glucose polymer) granules and myoglobin (oxygen-storing protein). It also is rich in mitochondria. Each fibe r contains hundreds to thousands of rodlike myofibrils, which are bundles of thin and thick protein chains termed myofilaments. From a cross-sectional view of a myofibril, each thick filament is surrounded by a hexagonal array of 6 thin filaments. Each thin filament is surrounded by a triangular array of thick filaments.myofilaments are composed of 3 proteins: actin, tropomyosin, and troponin. Thick myofilaments consist of bundles of approximately 200 myosin molecules. Myosin molecules look like double-headed golf clubs (both heads at the same end). The heads of the golf clubs are called myosin heads; they are also called cross-bridges because they link thick and thin filaments during contraction. They contain actin andadenosine triphosphate (ATP) binding sites. Myosin heads project out from the thick filaments, allowing them to bind to the thin filaments during contraction. Actin is a long chain of multiple globular proteins, similar in shape to kidney beans. Each globular subunit contains a myosin-binding site. Tropomyosin is a long strand of protein that covers the myosin-binding sites on actin when the muscle is relaxed. Troponin is a polypeptide complex that binds to tropomyosin, helping to position it over the myosin-binding sites on actin. During muscle contraction, calcium binds troponin, which causes tropomyosin to roll off of the myosin binding sites on actin. A muscle action potential travels over sarcolemma and enters the T tubules, causing the sarcoplasmic reticulum to release calcium into the sarcoplasm. This triggers the contractile process.Myosin cross-bridges pull on the actin myofilaments, causing the thin myofilaments of a sarcomere to slide toward the centers of the H zones.Deep fascia is a broad band of dense irregular connective tissue beneath and around muscle and organs. Deep fascia is different from superficial fascia, which is loose areolar connective tissue.Other connective-tissue components (all are extensions of deep fascia) include epimysium, which covers the entire muscle; perimysium, which penetrates into muscle and surrounds bundles of fibers called fascicles; and endomysium, which is delicate, barely visible, loose areolar tissue covering individual fibers (ie, individual cells).Tendons and aponeuroses are tough extensions of epimysium, perimysium, and endomysium. Tendons and aponeuroses are made of dense regular co nnective tissue and attach the muscle to bone or other muscle. Aponeuroses are broad, flat tendons. Tendon sheaths contain synovial fluid and enclose certain tendons. Tendon sheaths allow tendons to slide back and forth next to each other with lower friction. Tenosynovitis is inflammation of the tendon sheaths and tendons, especially those of the wrists, shoulders, and elbows. Tendons are not contractile and not very stretchy; furthermore, they are not very vascular and they heal poorly. Nerves convey impulses for muscular contraction. Nerves are bundles of nerve cell processes. Each nerve cell process (ie, axon) divides at its tip into a few to 10,000 branches called telodendria. At the end of each of these branches is an axon terminal that is rich in neurotransmitters.Blood provides nutrients and oxygen for contraction. An artery and a vein usually accompany a nerve that penetrates skeletal muscle. Arteries in muscles dilate during active muscular activity, thus increasing the supply of oxygen and glucose.A motor nerve is a bundle of axons that conducts nerve impulses away from the brain or spinal cord toward muscles. Each axon transmits an action potential (ie, nerve impulse), which is a burst of electricity. The nerve impulse travels along the axons at a steady rate, like fire travels along a fuse; however, nerve impulses travel extremely fast. Each axon has 4-2000 or more branches (ie, telodendria), with an average of 150 telodendria. Each separate branch suppli es a separate muscle cell. Thus, if an axon has 10 branches, it supplies 10 muscle fibers. Small motor units are for fine control of muscles; large motor units are for muscles that do not require such fine control.The neuromuscular junction is made of an axon terminal and the portion of the muscle fiber sarcolemma it nearly touches (called the motor endplate). The neurotransmitter released at the neuromuscular junction in skeletal muscle is ACh. The motor endplate is rich in thousands of ACh receptors; the receptors are integral proteins containing binding sites for ACh and sodium channels. Nerve impulse (action potential) reaches the axon terminal, which triggers calcium influx into the axon terminal.Calcium influx causes synaptic vesicles to release ACh via exocytosis. ACh diffuses across synaptic cleft.ACh binds to theACh receptor on the sarcolemma. Succinylcholine, a drug used to induce paralysis during surgery, binds to ACh receptors more tightly than ACh. Succinylcholine initially causes some depolarization, but then itbinds to the receptor, preventing ACh from binding. Therefore, it blocks the muscles stimulation by ACh, causing paralysis. Another drug that acts in a similar fashion is curare. These drugs do not cause pain relief or unconsciousness; thus, they are combined with other drugs during surgery. When ACh binds the receptor, it opens chemically regulated ion channels, which are sodium channels through the receptor molecule. Sodium, which is in high concentration outside cells and in low concentration inside cells, rushes into the cell through the channels.The cell, whose resting membrane potential along the inside of the membrane is negative when comparedwith the outside of the membrane, becomes positively charged along the inside of the membrane when sodium (a positive ion) rushes in. This change from a negative charge to a positive charge along the inner membrane is termed depolarization. The depolarization of one region of the sarcolemma (the motor endplate) initiates an action potential, which is a propagating wave of depolarization that travels (propagates) along the sarcolemma. Regions of membrane that become depolarized rapidly restore their proper ionic concentrations along their inner and outer surfaces in a process termed repolarization. (This process of depolarization, propagation, and repolarization is similar to dominoes that topple each other but also spring back into the upright position shortly afterward.)The action potential also propagates along the membrane lining the T tubules entering the cell. This action potential traveling along the T tubules causes the sarcoplasmic reticulum to release calcium into sarcoplasm.Calcium binds with troponin, causing it to pull on tropomyosin to change its or ientation, exposing myosin-binding sites on actin. An ATPase, which also functions as a myosin cross-bridging protein, splits ATP into adenosine diphosphate (ADP) + phosphate (P) in the previous contraction cycle. This energizes the myosin head. The energized myosin head, or cross-bridge, combines with myosin-binding sites on actin. Power stroke occurs. The attachment of the energized cross-bridge triggers a pivoting motion (ie, power stroke) of the myosin head. During the power stroke, ADP and P are released from the myosin cross-bridge. The power stroke causes thin actinmyofilaments to slide past thick myosin myofilaments toward the center of the A bands.ATP attaches to the myosin head again, allowing it to detach from actin. (In rigor mortis, an ATP deficiency occurs. Cross-bridges remain, and the muscles are rigid.)ATP is broken down to ADP and P, which cocks the myosin head again, preparing it to perform another power stroke if needed. Repeated detachment and reattachment of the cross-bridges results in shortening without much increase in tension during the shortening phase (isotonic contraction) or results in increased tension without shortening (isometric contraction).Release of the enzyme acetylcholinesterasein the neuromuscular junction destroys ACh and stops the generation of a muscle action potential. Calcium is taken back up (resequestered) in the sarcoplasmic reticulum, and myosin cross-bridges separate. ATP is required to separate myosin-actin cross-bridges. The muscle fiber resumes its resting state. The chemical energy that fuels muscular activities is ATP. For the first 5 or 6 seconds of muscle power, muscular activity can depend on the ATP that is already present in the muscle cells. Beyond this time, new amounts of ATP must be formed to enable the activation of muscular contractions that are needed to support longer and more vigorous physical activities. For activities that require a quick burst of energy that cannot be supplied by the ATP present in the muscle cells, the next 10-15 seconds of muscle power can be provided through the bodys use of the phosphagen system, which uses a substance called creatine phosphate to recycle ADP into ATP.4 For longer and more intense periods of physical activity, the body must rely on systems that break down the sugars (glucose) to produce ATP. The complete breakdown of glucose occurs in 2 ways: through anaerobic respiration (does not use oxygen) and through aerobic respiration (occurs in the presence of oxygen). The anaerobic use of gluco se to form ATP occurs as the body increases its muscle use beyond the capability of the phosphagen system to supply energy. In particular, the glycogen lactic acid system, through its anaerobic breakdown of glucose, provides approximately 30-40 seconds more of maximal muscle activity. For this system, each glucose molecule is split into 2 pyruvic acid molecules, and energy is released to form several ATP molecules, providing the extra energy. Then, the pyruvic acid partially breaks down further to produce lactic acid. If the lactic acid is allowed to accumulate in the muscle, one experiences muscle fatigue. At this point, the aerobic system must activate.The aerobic system in the body is used for sports that require an extensive and enduring expenditure of energy, such as a marathon race. Endurance sports absolutely require aerobic energy. A large amount of ATP must be provided to muscles to sustain the muscle power needed to perform such events without an excessive production of la ctic acid. This can only be accomplished when oxygen in the body is used to break down the pyruvic acid (that was produced anaerobically) into carbon dioxide, water, and energy by way of a very complex series of reactions known as the citric acid cycle. This cycle supports muscle usage for as long as the nutrients in the body last. The breakdown of pyruvic acid requires oxygen and slows or eliminates the accumulation of lactic acid. In summary, the 3 different muscle metabolic systems that supply the energy required for various activities are as follows: Phosphagen system (for 10- to 15-sec bursts of energy)Glycogen lactic acid system (for another 30-40 sec of energy)Aerobic system (provides a great deal of energy that is only limited by the bodys ability to supply oxygen and other important nutrients) Many sports require the use of a combination of these metabolic systems. By considering the vigor of a sports activity and its duration, one can estimate very closely which of the ene rgy systems are used for each activity. During muscular exercise, blood vessels in muscles dilate and blood flow is increased in order to increase the available oxygen supply. Up to a point, the available oxygen is sufficient to meet the energy needs of the body. However, when muscular exertion is very great, oxygen cannot be supplied to muscle fibers fast enough, and the aerobic breakdown of pyruvic acid cannot produce all the ATP required for further muscle contraction. During such periods, additional ATP is generated by anaerobic glycolysis. In the process, most of the pyruvic acid produced is converted to lactic acid. Although approximately 80% of the lactic acid diffuses from the skeletal muscles and is transported to the liver for conversion back to glucose or glycogen, some lactic acid accumulates in muscle tissue, making muscle contraction painful and causing fatigue. Ultimately, once adequate oxygen is available, lactic acid must be catabolized completely into carbon dioxide and water. After exercise has stopped, extra oxygen is required to metabolize lactic acid; to replenish ATP, phosphocreatine, and glycogen; and to replace (pay back) any oxygen that has been borrowed from hemoglobin, myoglobin (an iron-containing substance similar to hemoglobin that is found in muscle fibers), air in the lungs, and body fluids. The additional oxygen that must be taken into the body after vigorous exercise to restore all systems to their normal states is called oxygen debt. The debt is paid back by labored breathing that continues after exercise has stopped. Thus, the accumulation of lactic acid causes hard breathing and sufficient discomfort to stop muscle activity until homeostasis is restored.5 Eventually, muscle glycogen must also be restored. Restoration of muscle glycogen is accomplished through diet and may take several days, depending on the intensity of exercise. The maximum rate of oxygen consumption during the aerobic catabolism of pyruvic acid is called maximal oxygen uptake. Maximal oxygen uptake is determined by sex (higher in males), age (highest at approximately age 20 y), and size (increases with body size). Highly trained athletes can have maximal oxygen uptakes that are twice that of average people, probably owing to a combination of genetics and training. As a result, highly trained athletes are capable of greater muscular activity without increasing their lactic acid production and have lower oxygen debts, which is why they do not become short of breath as readily as untrained individuals. The best examples of light exercise are walking and light jogging. The muscles that are recruited during this type of exercise are those that contain a large amount of type I muscle cells, and, because these cells have a good blood supply, it is easy for fuels and oxygen to travel to the muscle. ATP consumption makes ADP available for new ATP synthesis. The presence of ADP (and the resulting synthesis of ATP) simulates the movement of hydrogen (H+) into the mitochondria; this, in turn, reduces the proton gradient and thus stimulates electron transport. The hydrogen on the reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) is used up, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) becomes available, and fatty acids and glucose are oxidized. Incidentally, the calcium released during contraction stimulates the enzymes in the Krebs cycle and stimulates the movement of the glucose transporter 4 (GLUT-4) from inside of the muscle cell to the cell membrane. Both these exercise-induced respon ses augment the elevation in fuel oxidation caused by the increase in ATP consumption. An increase in the pace of running simply results in an increased rate of fuel consumption, an increased fatty acid release, and, therefore, an increase in the rate of muscle fatty acid oxidation. However, if the intensity of the exercise increases even further, a stage is reached in which the rate of fatty acid oxidation becomes limited. The reasons why the rate of fatty acid oxidation reaches a maximum are not clear, but it is possible that the enzymes in the beta-oxidation pathway are saturated (ie, they reach a stage in which their maximal velocity [Vmax] is less than the rate of acetyl-coenzyme A [acetyl-CoA] consumption in the Krebs cycle). Alternatively, it may be that the availability of carnitine (the chemical required to transport the fatty acids into the mitochondria) becomes limited. Whatever the reason, the consequence is that as the pace rises, the demand for acetyl-CoA cannot be met by fatty acid oxidation alone. The accumulation of acetyl-CoA that was so effective at inhibiting the oxidation of glucose is no longer present, so pyruvate dehydrogenase starts working again and pyruvate is converted into acetyl-CoA. In other words, more of the glucose that enters the muscle cell is oxidized fully to carbon dioxide. Therefore, the energy used during moderate exercise is derived from a mixture of fatty acid and glucose oxidation. As the intensity of the exercise increases even further (ie, running at the pace of middle-distance races), the rate at which the muscles can extract glucose from the blood becomes limited. In other words, the rate of glucose transport reaches Vmax, either because the blood cannot supply the glucose fast enough or the number of GLUT-4s becomes limited. ATP generation cannot be serviced completely by exogenous fuels, and ATP levels decrease. Not only does this stimulate phosphofructokinase, it also stimulates glycogen phosphorylase. This me ans that glycogen stored within the muscle cells is broken down to provide glucose. Therefore, the fuel mix during strenuous exercise is composed of contributions from blood-borne glucose and fatty acids and from endogenously stored glycogen.Being fit (biochemically speaking) means that the individual has a well-developed cardiovascular system that can efficiently supply nutrients and oxygen to the muscles. Fit people have muscle cells that are well perfused with capillaries (ie, they have a good muscle blood supply). Their muscle cells also have a large number of mitochondria, and those mitochondria have a high activity of Krebs cycle enzymes, electron transport carriers, and oxidation enzymes. Individuals who are unfit must endure the consequences of a poorer blood supply, fewer mitochondria, less electron transport units, a lower activity of the Krebs cycle, and poorer activity of beta-oxidation enzymes. To generate ATP in the mitochondria, a steady supply of fuel and oxygen and decent activity of the oxidizing enzymes and carriers are needed. If any of these components are lacking, the rate at which ATP can be produced by mitochondria is compromised. Under these circumstances, the production of ATP by aerobic means is not sufficient to provide the muscles with sufficient ATP to sustain contractions. The result is anaerobic ATP generation using glycolysis. Increasing the flux through glycolysis but not increasing the oxidative consumption of the resulting pyruvate increases the production of lactate. The purpose of respiration is to provide oxygen to the tissues and to remove carbon dioxide from the tissues. To accomplish this, 4 major events must be regulated, as follows: Pulmonary ventilation. Diffusion of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the alveoli and the blood, Transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood and body fluids and to and from the cells, Regulation of ventilation and other aspects of respiration: Exercise causes these factors to change, but the body is designed to maintain homeostasisWhen one goes from a state of rest to a state of maximal intensity of exercise, oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide formation, and total pulmonary and alveolar ventilation increase by approximately 20-fold. A linear relationship exists between oxygen consumption and ventilation. At maximal exercise, pulmonary ventilation is 100-110 L/min, whereas maximal breathing capacity is 150-170 L/min. Thus, the maximal breathing capacity is approximately 50% greater than the actual pulmon ary ventilation during maximal exercise. This extra ventilation provides an element of safety that can be called on if the situation demands it (eg, at high altitudes, under hot conditions, abnormality in the respiratory system). Therefore, the respiratory system itself is not usually the most limiting factor in the delivery of oxygen to the muscles during maximal muscle aerobic metabolism. VO2 max is the rate of oxygen consumption under maximal aerobic metabolism. This rate in short-term studies is found to increase only 10% with the effect of training. However, that of a person who runs in marathons is 45% greater than that of an untrained person. This is believed to be partly genetically determined (eg, stronger respiratory muscles, larger chest size in relation to body size) and partly due to long-term training. Oxygen diffusing capacity is a measure of the rate at which oxygen can diffuse from the alveoli into the blood. An increase in diffusing capacity is observed in a state of maximal exercise. This results from the fact that blood flow through many of the pulmonary capillaries is sluggish in the resting state. In exercise, increased blood flow through the lungs causes all of the pulmonary capillaries to be perfused at their maximal level, providing a greater surface area through which oxygen can diffuse into the pulmonary capillary blood. Athletes who require greater amounts of oxygen per minute have been found to have higher diffusing capacities, but the exact reason why is not yet known. Although one would expect the oxygen pressure of arterial blood to decrease during strenuous exercise and carbon dioxide pressure of venous blood to increase far above normal, this is not the case. Both of these values remain close to normal. Stimulatory impulses from higher centers of the brain and from joint and muscle proprioceptive stimulatory reflexes account for the nervous stimulation of the respiratory and vasomotor center that provides almost exactly the pr oper increase in pulmonary ventilation to keep the blood respiratory gases almost normal. If nervous signals are too strong or weak, chemical factors bring about the final adjustment in respiration that is required to maintain homeostasis. Regular exercise makes the cardiovascular system more efficient at pumping blood and delivering oxygen to the exercise muscles. Releases of adrenaline and lactic acid into the blood result in an increase of the heart rate (HR). Basic definitions of terms are as follows:VO2 equals cardiac output times oxygen uptake necessary to supply oxygen to muscles. The Fick equation is the basis for determination of VO2. Exercises increase some of the different components of the cardiovascular system, such as stroke volume (SV), cardiac output, systolic blood pressure (BP), and mean arterial pressure. A greater percentage of the cardiac output goes to the exercising muscles. At rest, muscles receive approximately 20% of the total blood flow, but during exercise, the blood flow to muscles increases to 80-85%. To meet the metabolic demands of skeletal muscle during exercise, 2 major adjustments to blood flow must occur. First, cardiac output from the heart must increase. Second, blood flow from ina ctive organs and tissues must be redistributed to active skeletal muscle. Generally, the longer the duration of exercise, the greater the role the cardiovascular system plays in metabolism and performance during the exercise bout. An example would be the 100-meter sprint (little or no cardiovascular involvement) versus a marathon (maximal cardiovascular involvement). The cardiovascular system helps transport oxygen and nutrients to tissues, transport carbon dioxide and other metabolites to the lungs and kidneys, and distribute hormones throughout the body. The cardiovascular system also assists with thermoregulation.The pumping of blood by the heart requires the following 2 mechanisms to be efficient:Alternate periods of relaxation and contraction of the atria and ventriclesCoordinated opening and closing of the heart valves for unidirectional flow of blood The cardiac cycle is divided into 2 phases: ventricular diastole and ventricular systole.This phase begins with the opening of the atrioventricular (AV) valves. The mitral valve (located between the left atrium and left ventricle) opens when the left ventricular pressure falls below the left atrial pressure, and the blood from left atrium enters the left ventricle.Later, as the blood continues to flow into the left ventricle, the pressure in both chambers tends to equalize.At the end of the di astole, left atrial contractions cause an increase in left atrial pressure, thus again creating a pressure gradient between the left atrium and ventricle and forcing blood into the left ventricle.Ventricular systole begins with the contraction of the left ventricle, which is caused by the spread of an action potential over the left ventricle. The contraction of the left ventricle causes an increase in the left ventricular pressure. When this pressure is higher than the left atrial pressure, the mitral valve is closed abruptly.The left ventricular pressure continues to rise after the mitral valve is closed. When the left ventricular pressure rises above the pressure in the aorta, the aortic valve opens. This period between the closure of the mitral valve and the opening of the aortic valve is called isovolumetric contraction phase.The blood ejects out of the left ventricle and into the aorta once the aortic valve is opened. As the left ventricular contraction is continued, 2 processe s lead to a fall in the left ventricular pressure. These include a decrease in the strength of the ventricular contraction and a decrease in the volume of blood in the ventricle.When the left ventricular pressure falls below the aortic pressure, the aortic valve is closed. After the closure of the aortic valve, the left ventricular pressure falls rapidly as the left ventricle relaxes. When this pressure falls below the left atrial pressure, the mitral valve opens and allows blood to enter left ventricle. The period between the closure of the aortic valve closure and the opening of the mitral valve is called isovolumetric relaxation time. Right-sided heart chambers undergo the same phases simultaneously. Most of the work of the heart is completed when ventricular pressure exists. The greater the ventricular pressure, the greater the workload of the heart. Increases in BP dramatically increase the workload of the heart, and this is why hypertension is so harmful to the heart.Arterial BP is the pressure that is exerted against the walls of the vascular system. BP is determined by cardiac output and peripheral resistance. Arterial pressure can be estimated using a sphygmomanometer and a stethoscope. The reference range for males is 120/80 mm Hg; the reference range for females is 110/70 mm Hg. The difference between systolic and diastolic pressure is called the pulse pressure. The average pressure during a cardiac cycle is called the mean arterial pressure (MAP). MAP determines the rate of blood flow through the systemic circulation.During rest, MAP = diastolic BP + (0.33 X pulse pressure). For example, MAP = 80 + (0.33 X [120-80]), MAP = 93 mm Hg. During exercise, MAP = diastolic BP + (0.50 X pulse pressure). For example, MAP = 80 + (0.50 X [160-80]), MAP = 120 mm Hg. The heart has the ability to generate its own electrical activity, which is known as intrinsic rhythm. In the healthy heart, contraction is initiated in the sinoatrial (SA) node, which is often called the hearts pacemaker. If the SA node cannot set the rate, then other tissues in the heart are able to generate an electrical potential and establish the HR.The parasympathetic nervous system and the sympathetic nervous system affect a personsHR. Parasympathetic nervous system: The vagus nerve originates in the medulla and innervates the SA and AV nodes. The nerve releases ACh as the neurotransmitter. The response is a decrease in SA node and AV node activity, which causes a decrease in HR. Sympathetic nervous system: The nerves arise from the spinal cord and innervate the SA node and ventricular muscle mass. The nerves release norepinephrine as the neurotransmitter. The response is an increase in HR and a force of contraction of the ventricles.At rest, sympathetic and parasympathetic ne rvous stimulation are in balance. During exercise, parasympathetic stimulation decreases and sympathetic stimulation increases. Several factors can alter sympathetic nervous system input.Baroreceptors are groups of neurons located in the carotid arteries, the arch of aorta, and the right atrium. These neurons sense changes in pressure in the vascular system. An increase in BP results in an increase in parasympathetic activity except during exercise, when the sympathetic activity overrides the parasympathetic activity. Chemoreceptors are groups of neurons located in the arch of the aorta and the carotid arteries. These neurons sense changes in oxygen concentration. When oxygen concentration in the blood is decreased, parasympathetic activity decreasesand sympathetic activity increases. Temperature receptors are neurons located throughout the body. These neurons are sensitive to changes in body temperature. As temperature increases, sympathetic activity increases to cool Effects of Exercise on the Human Body Effects of Exercise on the Human Body Exercise represents one the highest levels of extreme stresses to which the body can be exposed. Exercise physiology is the study of the function of the human body during various acute and chronic exercise conditions. These effects are significant during both short, high intensity exercise as well as with prolonged strenuous exercise such as done in endurance sports like marathons, ultramarathons, and road bicycle racing. In exercise, the liver generates extra glucose, while increased cardiovascular activity by the heart, and respiration by the lungs, provides an increased supply of oxygen. When exercise is very prolonged and strenuous, a decline, however, can occur in blood levels of glucose. In some individuals, this might even cause hypoglycemia and hypoxemia. There can also be cognitive and physical impairments due to dehydration. Another risk is low plasma sodium blood levels. Prolonged exercise is made possible by the human thermoregulation capacity to remove exercise waste hea t by sweat evaporation. This capacity evolved to enable early humans after many hours of persistence hunting to exhaust game animals that cannot remove so effectively exercise heat from their body. In general, the exercise-related measurements established for women follow the same general principles as those established for men, except for the quantitative differences caused by differences in body size, body composition, and levels of testosterone. In women, the values of muscle strength, pulmonary ventilation, and cardiac output (all variables related with muscle mass) are generally 60-75% of the exercise physiology values recorded in men. When measured in terms of strength per square centimeter, the female muscle can achieve the same force of contraction as that of a male. The functions of muscle tissues assume roles in homeostasis, as follows: Excitability Property of receiving and responding to stimuli such as the following: Neurotransmitters: Acetylcholine (ACh) stimulates skeletal muscle to contract, electrical stimuli: Applying electrical stimuli between cardiac and smooth muscle cells causes the muscles to contract, Applying a shock to skeletal muscle causes contraction, Hormonal stimuli: Oxytocin stimulates smooth muscle in the uterus to contract during labor.Contractility Ability to shorten. Extensibility Ability to stretch without damageElasticity Ability to return to original shape after extensionThrough contraction, muscle provides motion of the body (skeletal muscle), motion of blood (cardiac muscle), and motion of hollow organs such as the uterus, esophagus, stomach, intestines, and bladder (smooth muscle).Muscle tissue also helps maintain posture and produce heat. A large amount of body heat is produced by metabolism and by muscle con traction. Muscle contraction during shivering warms the body. Skeletal muscle consists of fibers (cells). These cells are up to 100 Â µm in diameter and often are as long as the muscle. Each contains sarcoplasm (cytoplasm) and multiple peripheral nuclei per fiber. Skeletal muscle is actually formed by the fusion of hundreds of embryonic cells. Other cell structures include the following:Each fiber is covered by a sarcolemma (plasma membrane). The sarcoplasmic reticulum (smooth endoplasmic reticulum) stores calcium, which is released into the sarcoplasm during muscle contraction. Transverse tubules (T tubules), which are extensions of the sarcolemma that penetrate cells, transmit electrical impulses from the sarcolemma inward, so electrical impulses penetrate deeply into the cell. Besides conducting electricity along their walls, T tubules contain extracellular fluid rich in glucose and oxygen.The sarcoplasm of fiber is rich in glycogen (glucose polymer) granules and myoglobin (oxygen-storing protein). It also is rich in mitochondria. Each fibe r contains hundreds to thousands of rodlike myofibrils, which are bundles of thin and thick protein chains termed myofilaments. From a cross-sectional view of a myofibril, each thick filament is surrounded by a hexagonal array of 6 thin filaments. Each thin filament is surrounded by a triangular array of thick filaments.myofilaments are composed of 3 proteins: actin, tropomyosin, and troponin. Thick myofilaments consist of bundles of approximately 200 myosin molecules. Myosin molecules look like double-headed golf clubs (both heads at the same end). The heads of the golf clubs are called myosin heads; they are also called cross-bridges because they link thick and thin filaments during contraction. They contain actin andadenosine triphosphate (ATP) binding sites. Myosin heads project out from the thick filaments, allowing them to bind to the thin filaments during contraction. Actin is a long chain of multiple globular proteins, similar in shape to kidney beans. Each globular subunit contains a myosin-binding site. Tropomyosin is a long strand of protein that covers the myosin-binding sites on actin when the muscle is relaxed. Troponin is a polypeptide complex that binds to tropomyosin, helping to position it over the myosin-binding sites on actin. During muscle contraction, calcium binds troponin, which causes tropomyosin to roll off of the myosin binding sites on actin. A muscle action potential travels over sarcolemma and enters the T tubules, causing the sarcoplasmic reticulum to release calcium into the sarcoplasm. This triggers the contractile process.Myosin cross-bridges pull on the actin myofilaments, causing the thin myofilaments of a sarcomere to slide toward the centers of the H zones.Deep fascia is a broad band of dense irregular connective tissue beneath and around muscle and organs. Deep fascia is different from superficial fascia, which is loose areolar connective tissue.Other connective-tissue components (all are extensions of deep fascia) include epimysium, which covers the entire muscle; perimysium, which penetrates into muscle and surrounds bundles of fibers called fascicles; and endomysium, which is delicate, barely visible, loose areolar tissue covering individual fibers (ie, individual cells).Tendons and aponeuroses are tough extensions of epimysium, perimysium, and endomysium. Tendons and aponeuroses are made of dense regular co nnective tissue and attach the muscle to bone or other muscle. Aponeuroses are broad, flat tendons. Tendon sheaths contain synovial fluid and enclose certain tendons. Tendon sheaths allow tendons to slide back and forth next to each other with lower friction. Tenosynovitis is inflammation of the tendon sheaths and tendons, especially those of the wrists, shoulders, and elbows. Tendons are not contractile and not very stretchy; furthermore, they are not very vascular and they heal poorly. Nerves convey impulses for muscular contraction. Nerves are bundles of nerve cell processes. Each nerve cell process (ie, axon) divides at its tip into a few to 10,000 branches called telodendria. At the end of each of these branches is an axon terminal that is rich in neurotransmitters.Blood provides nutrients and oxygen for contraction. An artery and a vein usually accompany a nerve that penetrates skeletal muscle. Arteries in muscles dilate during active muscular activity, thus increasing the supply of oxygen and glucose.A motor nerve is a bundle of axons that conducts nerve impulses away from the brain or spinal cord toward muscles. Each axon transmits an action potential (ie, nerve impulse), which is a burst of electricity. The nerve impulse travels along the axons at a steady rate, like fire travels along a fuse; however, nerve impulses travel extremely fast. Each axon has 4-2000 or more branches (ie, telodendria), with an average of 150 telodendria. Each separate branch suppli es a separate muscle cell. Thus, if an axon has 10 branches, it supplies 10 muscle fibers. Small motor units are for fine control of muscles; large motor units are for muscles that do not require such fine control.The neuromuscular junction is made of an axon terminal and the portion of the muscle fiber sarcolemma it nearly touches (called the motor endplate). The neurotransmitter released at the neuromuscular junction in skeletal muscle is ACh. The motor endplate is rich in thousands of ACh receptors; the receptors are integral proteins containing binding sites for ACh and sodium channels. Nerve impulse (action potential) reaches the axon terminal, which triggers calcium influx into the axon terminal.Calcium influx causes synaptic vesicles to release ACh via exocytosis. ACh diffuses across synaptic cleft.ACh binds to theACh receptor on the sarcolemma. Succinylcholine, a drug used to induce paralysis during surgery, binds to ACh receptors more tightly than ACh. Succinylcholine initially causes some depolarization, but then itbinds to the receptor, preventing ACh from binding. Therefore, it blocks the muscles stimulation by ACh, causing paralysis. Another drug that acts in a similar fashion is curare. These drugs do not cause pain relief or unconsciousness; thus, they are combined with other drugs during surgery. When ACh binds the receptor, it opens chemically regulated ion channels, which are sodium channels through the receptor molecule. Sodium, which is in high concentration outside cells and in low concentration inside cells, rushes into the cell through the channels.The cell, whose resting membrane potential along the inside of the membrane is negative when comparedwith the outside of the membrane, becomes positively charged along the inside of the membrane when sodium (a positive ion) rushes in. This change from a negative charge to a positive charge along the inner membrane is termed depolarization. The depolarization of one region of the sarcolemma (the motor endplate) initiates an action potential, which is a propagating wave of depolarization that travels (propagates) along the sarcolemma. Regions of membrane that become depolarized rapidly restore their proper ionic concentrations along their inner and outer surfaces in a process termed repolarization. (This process of depolarization, propagation, and repolarization is similar to dominoes that topple each other but also spring back into the upright position shortly afterward.)The action potential also propagates along the membrane lining the T tubules entering the cell. This action potential traveling along the T tubules causes the sarcoplasmic reticulum to release calcium into sarcoplasm.Calcium binds with troponin, causing it to pull on tropomyosin to change its or ientation, exposing myosin-binding sites on actin. An ATPase, which also functions as a myosin cross-bridging protein, splits ATP into adenosine diphosphate (ADP) + phosphate (P) in the previous contraction cycle. This energizes the myosin head. The energized myosin head, or cross-bridge, combines with myosin-binding sites on actin. Power stroke occurs. The attachment of the energized cross-bridge triggers a pivoting motion (ie, power stroke) of the myosin head. During the power stroke, ADP and P are released from the myosin cross-bridge. The power stroke causes thin actinmyofilaments to slide past thick myosin myofilaments toward the center of the A bands.ATP attaches to the myosin head again, allowing it to detach from actin. (In rigor mortis, an ATP deficiency occurs. Cross-bridges remain, and the muscles are rigid.)ATP is broken down to ADP and P, which cocks the myosin head again, preparing it to perform another power stroke if needed. Repeated detachment and reattachment of the cross-bridges results in shortening without much increase in tension during the shortening phase (isotonic contraction) or results in increased tension without shortening (isometric contraction).Release of the enzyme acetylcholinesterasein the neuromuscular junction destroys ACh and stops the generation of a muscle action potential. Calcium is taken back up (resequestered) in the sarcoplasmic reticulum, and myosin cross-bridges separate. ATP is required to separate myosin-actin cross-bridges. The muscle fiber resumes its resting state. The chemical energy that fuels muscular activities is ATP. For the first 5 or 6 seconds of muscle power, muscular activity can depend on the ATP that is already present in the muscle cells. Beyond this time, new amounts of ATP must be formed to enable the activation of muscular contractions that are needed to support longer and more vigorous physical activities. For activities that require a quick burst of energy that cannot be supplied by the ATP present in the muscle cells, the next 10-15 seconds of muscle power can be provided through the bodys use of the phosphagen system, which uses a substance called creatine phosphate to recycle ADP into ATP.4 For longer and more intense periods of physical activity, the body must rely on systems that break down the sugars (glucose) to produce ATP. The complete breakdown of glucose occurs in 2 ways: through anaerobic respiration (does not use oxygen) and through aerobic respiration (occurs in the presence of oxygen). The anaerobic use of gluco se to form ATP occurs as the body increases its muscle use beyond the capability of the phosphagen system to supply energy. In particular, the glycogen lactic acid system, through its anaerobic breakdown of glucose, provides approximately 30-40 seconds more of maximal muscle activity. For this system, each glucose molecule is split into 2 pyruvic acid molecules, and energy is released to form several ATP molecules, providing the extra energy. Then, the pyruvic acid partially breaks down further to produce lactic acid. If the lactic acid is allowed to accumulate in the muscle, one experiences muscle fatigue. At this point, the aerobic system must activate.The aerobic system in the body is used for sports that require an extensive and enduring expenditure of energy, such as a marathon race. Endurance sports absolutely require aerobic energy. A large amount of ATP must be provided to muscles to sustain the muscle power needed to perform such events without an excessive production of la ctic acid. This can only be accomplished when oxygen in the body is used to break down the pyruvic acid (that was produced anaerobically) into carbon dioxide, water, and energy by way of a very complex series of reactions known as the citric acid cycle. This cycle supports muscle usage for as long as the nutrients in the body last. The breakdown of pyruvic acid requires oxygen and slows or eliminates the accumulation of lactic acid. In summary, the 3 different muscle metabolic systems that supply the energy required for various activities are as follows: Phosphagen system (for 10- to 15-sec bursts of energy)Glycogen lactic acid system (for another 30-40 sec of energy)Aerobic system (provides a great deal of energy that is only limited by the bodys ability to supply oxygen and other important nutrients) Many sports require the use of a combination of these metabolic systems. By considering the vigor of a sports activity and its duration, one can estimate very closely which of the ene rgy systems are used for each activity. During muscular exercise, blood vessels in muscles dilate and blood flow is increased in order to increase the available oxygen supply. Up to a point, the available oxygen is sufficient to meet the energy needs of the body. However, when muscular exertion is very great, oxygen cannot be supplied to muscle fibers fast enough, and the aerobic breakdown of pyruvic acid cannot produce all the ATP required for further muscle contraction. During such periods, additional ATP is generated by anaerobic glycolysis. In the process, most of the pyruvic acid produced is converted to lactic acid. Although approximately 80% of the lactic acid diffuses from the skeletal muscles and is transported to the liver for conversion back to glucose or glycogen, some lactic acid accumulates in muscle tissue, making muscle contraction painful and causing fatigue. Ultimately, once adequate oxygen is available, lactic acid must be catabolized completely into carbon dioxide and water. After exercise has stopped, extra oxygen is required to metabolize lactic acid; to replenish ATP, phosphocreatine, and glycogen; and to replace (pay back) any oxygen that has been borrowed from hemoglobin, myoglobin (an iron-containing substance similar to hemoglobin that is found in muscle fibers), air in the lungs, and body fluids. The additional oxygen that must be taken into the body after vigorous exercise to restore all systems to their normal states is called oxygen debt. The debt is paid back by labored breathing that continues after exercise has stopped. Thus, the accumulation of lactic acid causes hard breathing and sufficient discomfort to stop muscle activity until homeostasis is restored.5 Eventually, muscle glycogen must also be restored. Restoration of muscle glycogen is accomplished through diet and may take several days, depending on the intensity of exercise. The maximum rate of oxygen consumption during the aerobic catabolism of pyruvic acid is called maximal oxygen uptake. Maximal oxygen uptake is determined by sex (higher in males), age (highest at approximately age 20 y), and size (increases with body size). Highly trained athletes can have maximal oxygen uptakes that are twice that of average people, probably owing to a combination of genetics and training. As a result, highly trained athletes are capable of greater muscular activity without increasing their lactic acid production and have lower oxygen debts, which is why they do not become short of breath as readily as untrained individuals. The best examples of light exercise are walking and light jogging. The muscles that are recruited during this type of exercise are those that contain a large amount of type I muscle cells, and, because these cells have a good blood supply, it is easy for fuels and oxygen to travel to the muscle. ATP consumption makes ADP available for new ATP synthesis. The presence of ADP (and the resulting synthesis of ATP) simulates the movement of hydrogen (H+) into the mitochondria; this, in turn, reduces the proton gradient and thus stimulates electron transport. The hydrogen on the reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) is used up, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) becomes available, and fatty acids and glucose are oxidized. Incidentally, the calcium released during contraction stimulates the enzymes in the Krebs cycle and stimulates the movement of the glucose transporter 4 (GLUT-4) from inside of the muscle cell to the cell membrane. Both these exercise-induced respon ses augment the elevation in fuel oxidation caused by the increase in ATP consumption. An increase in the pace of running simply results in an increased rate of fuel consumption, an increased fatty acid release, and, therefore, an increase in the rate of muscle fatty acid oxidation. However, if the intensity of the exercise increases even further, a stage is reached in which the rate of fatty acid oxidation becomes limited. The reasons why the rate of fatty acid oxidation reaches a maximum are not clear, but it is possible that the enzymes in the beta-oxidation pathway are saturated (ie, they reach a stage in which their maximal velocity [Vmax] is less than the rate of acetyl-coenzyme A [acetyl-CoA] consumption in the Krebs cycle). Alternatively, it may be that the availability of carnitine (the chemical required to transport the fatty acids into the mitochondria) becomes limited. Whatever the reason, the consequence is that as the pace rises, the demand for acetyl-CoA cannot be met by fatty acid oxidation alone. The accumulation of acetyl-CoA that was so effective at inhibiting the oxidation of glucose is no longer present, so pyruvate dehydrogenase starts working again and pyruvate is converted into acetyl-CoA. In other words, more of the glucose that enters the muscle cell is oxidized fully to carbon dioxide. Therefore, the energy used during moderate exercise is derived from a mixture of fatty acid and glucose oxidation. As the intensity of the exercise increases even further (ie, running at the pace of middle-distance races), the rate at which the muscles can extract glucose from the blood becomes limited. In other words, the rate of glucose transport reaches Vmax, either because the blood cannot supply the glucose fast enough or the number of GLUT-4s becomes limited. ATP generation cannot be serviced completely by exogenous fuels, and ATP levels decrease. Not only does this stimulate phosphofructokinase, it also stimulates glycogen phosphorylase. This me ans that glycogen stored within the muscle cells is broken down to provide glucose. Therefore, the fuel mix during strenuous exercise is composed of contributions from blood-borne glucose and fatty acids and from endogenously stored glycogen.Being fit (biochemically speaking) means that the individual has a well-developed cardiovascular system that can efficiently supply nutrients and oxygen to the muscles. Fit people have muscle cells that are well perfused with capillaries (ie, they have a good muscle blood supply). Their muscle cells also have a large number of mitochondria, and those mitochondria have a high activity of Krebs cycle enzymes, electron transport carriers, and oxidation enzymes. Individuals who are unfit must endure the consequences of a poorer blood supply, fewer mitochondria, less electron transport units, a lower activity of the Krebs cycle, and poorer activity of beta-oxidation enzymes. To generate ATP in the mitochondria, a steady supply of fuel and oxygen and decent activity of the oxidizing enzymes and carriers are needed. If any of these components are lacking, the rate at which ATP can be produced by mitochondria is compromised. Under these circumstances, the production of ATP by aerobic means is not sufficient to provide the muscles with sufficient ATP to sustain contractions. The result is anaerobic ATP generation using glycolysis. Increasing the flux through glycolysis but not increasing the oxidative consumption of the resulting pyruvate increases the production of lactate. The purpose of respiration is to provide oxygen to the tissues and to remove carbon dioxide from the tissues. To accomplish this, 4 major events must be regulated, as follows: Pulmonary ventilation. Diffusion of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the alveoli and the blood, Transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood and body fluids and to and from the cells, Regulation of ventilation and other aspects of respiration: Exercise causes these factors to change, but the body is designed to maintain homeostasisWhen one goes from a state of rest to a state of maximal intensity of exercise, oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide formation, and total pulmonary and alveolar ventilation increase by approximately 20-fold. A linear relationship exists between oxygen consumption and ventilation. At maximal exercise, pulmonary ventilation is 100-110 L/min, whereas maximal breathing capacity is 150-170 L/min. Thus, the maximal breathing capacity is approximately 50% greater than the actual pulmon ary ventilation during maximal exercise. This extra ventilation provides an element of safety that can be called on if the situation demands it (eg, at high altitudes, under hot conditions, abnormality in the respiratory system). Therefore, the respiratory system itself is not usually the most limiting factor in the delivery of oxygen to the muscles during maximal muscle aerobic metabolism. VO2 max is the rate of oxygen consumption under maximal aerobic metabolism. This rate in short-term studies is found to increase only 10% with the effect of training. However, that of a person who runs in marathons is 45% greater than that of an untrained person. This is believed to be partly genetically determined (eg, stronger respiratory muscles, larger chest size in relation to body size) and partly due to long-term training. Oxygen diffusing capacity is a measure of the rate at which oxygen can diffuse from the alveoli into the blood. An increase in diffusing capacity is observed in a state of maximal exercise. This results from the fact that blood flow through many of the pulmonary capillaries is sluggish in the resting state. In exercise, increased blood flow through the lungs causes all of the pulmonary capillaries to be perfused at their maximal level, providing a greater surface area through which oxygen can diffuse into the pulmonary capillary blood. Athletes who require greater amounts of oxygen per minute have been found to have higher diffusing capacities, but the exact reason why is not yet known. Although one would expect the oxygen pressure of arterial blood to decrease during strenuous exercise and carbon dioxide pressure of venous blood to increase far above normal, this is not the case. Both of these values remain close to normal. Stimulatory impulses from higher centers of the brain and from joint and muscle proprioceptive stimulatory reflexes account for the nervous stimulation of the respiratory and vasomotor center that provides almost exactly the pr oper increase in pulmonary ventilation to keep the blood respiratory gases almost normal. If nervous signals are too strong or weak, chemical factors bring about the final adjustment in respiration that is required to maintain homeostasis. Regular exercise makes the cardiovascular system more efficient at pumping blood and delivering oxygen to the exercise muscles. Releases of adrenaline and lactic acid into the blood result in an increase of the heart rate (HR). Basic definitions of terms are as follows:VO2 equals cardiac output times oxygen uptake necessary to supply oxygen to muscles. The Fick equation is the basis for determination of VO2. Exercises increase some of the different components of the cardiovascular system, such as stroke volume (SV), cardiac output, systolic blood pressure (BP), and mean arterial pressure. A greater percentage of the cardiac output goes to the exercising muscles. At rest, muscles receive approximately 20% of the total blood flow, but during exercise, the blood flow to muscles increases to 80-85%. To meet the metabolic demands of skeletal muscle during exercise, 2 major adjustments to blood flow must occur. First, cardiac output from the heart must increase. Second, blood flow from ina ctive organs and tissues must be redistributed to active skeletal muscle. Generally, the longer the duration of exercise, the greater the role the cardiovascular system plays in metabolism and performance during the exercise bout. An example would be the 100-meter sprint (little or no cardiovascular involvement) versus a marathon (maximal cardiovascular involvement). The cardiovascular system helps transport oxygen and nutrients to tissues, transport carbon dioxide and other metabolites to the lungs and kidneys, and distribute hormones throughout the body. The cardiovascular system also assists with thermoregulation.The pumping of blood by the heart requires the following 2 mechanisms to be efficient:Alternate periods of relaxation and contraction of the atria and ventriclesCoordinated opening and closing of the heart valves for unidirectional flow of blood The cardiac cycle is divided into 2 phases: ventricular diastole and ventricular systole.This phase begins with the opening of the atrioventricular (AV) valves. The mitral valve (located between the left atrium and left ventricle) opens when the left ventricular pressure falls below the left atrial pressure, and the blood from left atrium enters the left ventricle.Later, as the blood continues to flow into the left ventricle, the pressure in both chambers tends to equalize.At the end of the di astole, left atrial contractions cause an increase in left atrial pressure, thus again creating a pressure gradient between the left atrium and ventricle and forcing blood into the left ventricle.Ventricular systole begins with the contraction of the left ventricle, which is caused by the spread of an action potential over the left ventricle. The contraction of the left ventricle causes an increase in the left ventricular pressure. When this pressure is higher than the left atrial pressure, the mitral valve is closed abruptly.The left ventricular pressure continues to rise after the mitral valve is closed. When the left ventricular pressure rises above the pressure in the aorta, the aortic valve opens. This period between the closure of the mitral valve and the opening of the aortic valve is called isovolumetric contraction phase.The blood ejects out of the left ventricle and into the aorta once the aortic valve is opened. As the left ventricular contraction is continued, 2 processe s lead to a fall in the left ventricular pressure. These include a decrease in the strength of the ventricular contraction and a decrease in the volume of blood in the ventricle.When the left ventricular pressure falls below the aortic pressure, the aortic valve is closed. After the closure of the aortic valve, the left ventricular pressure falls rapidly as the left ventricle relaxes. When this pressure falls below the left atrial pressure, the mitral valve opens and allows blood to enter left ventricle. The period between the closure of the aortic valve closure and the opening of the mitral valve is called isovolumetric relaxation time. Right-sided heart chambers undergo the same phases simultaneously. Most of the work of the heart is completed when ventricular pressure exists. The greater the ventricular pressure, the greater the workload of the heart. Increases in BP dramatically increase the workload of the heart, and this is why hypertension is so harmful to the heart.Arterial BP is the pressure that is exerted against the walls of the vascular system. BP is determined by cardiac output and peripheral resistance. Arterial pressure can be estimated using a sphygmomanometer and a stethoscope. The reference range for males is 120/80 mm Hg; the reference range for females is 110/70 mm Hg. The difference between systolic and diastolic pressure is called the pulse pressure. The average pressure during a cardiac cycle is called the mean arterial pressure (MAP). MAP determines the rate of blood flow through the systemic circulation.During rest, MAP = diastolic BP + (0.33 X pulse pressure). For example, MAP = 80 + (0.33 X [120-80]), MAP = 93 mm Hg. During exercise, MAP = diastolic BP + (0.50 X pulse pressure). For example, MAP = 80 + (0.50 X [160-80]), MAP = 120 mm Hg. The heart has the ability to generate its own electrical activity, which is known as intrinsic rhythm. In the healthy heart, contraction is initiated in the sinoatrial (SA) node, which is often called the hearts pacemaker. If the SA node cannot set the rate, then other tissues in the heart are able to generate an electrical potential and establish the HR.The parasympathetic nervous system and the sympathetic nervous system affect a personsHR. Parasympathetic nervous system: The vagus nerve originates in the medulla and innervates the SA and AV nodes. The nerve releases ACh as the neurotransmitter. The response is a decrease in SA node and AV node activity, which causes a decrease in HR. Sympathetic nervous system: The nerves arise from the spinal cord and innervate the SA node and ventricular muscle mass. The nerves release norepinephrine as the neurotransmitter. The response is an increase in HR and a force of contraction of the ventricles.At rest, sympathetic and parasympathetic ne rvous stimulation are in balance. During exercise, parasympathetic stimulation decreases and sympathetic stimulation increases. Several factors can alter sympathetic nervous system input.Baroreceptors are groups of neurons located in the carotid arteries, the arch of aorta, and the right atrium. These neurons sense changes in pressure in the vascular system. An increase in BP results in an increase in parasympathetic activity except during exercise, when the sympathetic activity overrides the parasympathetic activity. Chemoreceptors are groups of neurons located in the arch of the aorta and the carotid arteries. These neurons sense changes in oxygen concentration. When oxygen concentration in the blood is decreased, parasympathetic activity decreasesand sympathetic activity increases. Temperature receptors are neurons located throughout the body. These neurons are sensitive to changes in body temperature. As temperature increases, sympathetic activity increases to cool