Essay example --

Statement of Purpose We are accessible only to a limited quantity of resources around us. Considering the current usage and availability of resources, it has become very important for us to use them as wisely as possible. As an industrial engineer my aim is to find ways to eliminate wastefulness and enhance the efficiency of the process or service being provided. I would like to enhance my knowledge and in order to achieve this, I wish to pursue my Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering at the Arizona State University. I aspire to do my PhD after my Masters to fulfil my long term career goal of carrying out postdoctoral industrial research while becoming a tenured professor. Throughout, my inclination has always been towards academics and I consistently strive to achieve the best. I attended one of the best schools in my city, National Public School, Bangalore. Be it in school or my college, I have always been very enthusiastic about learning something new. In 2010, I started my undergraduate degree course in Industrial Engineering and Management in the prestigious M.S. Ramaiah ...

What Causes Epilepsy? :: Biology Essays Research Papers

What Causes Epilepsy? From GABA to Zinc Epilepsy is "a diverse collection of disorders" (1). In the United States, there are close to one million people with epilepsy-- about 1 in 200 people around the world have epilepsy(3). This is a review of the emerging insights into the mechanisms underlying the most common form of epilepsy, complex partial epilepsy(1). Terminology and Classification of Epileptic Seizures The term seizure refers to a transient alteration of behavior due to abnormal synchronized and repetitive bursts of firing of neurons in the central nervous system. Epilepsy is syndrome of episodic brain dysfunction characterized by recurrent unpredictable spontaneous seizures. Partial seizures begin in a localized brain region, whereas generalized seizures show widespread involvement of both hemispheres. Examples of generalized seizures are absences (petit mal), myoclonic, or tonic-clonic (grand mal) seizures. A complex partial seizure is associated with impairment of consciousness while a simple partial seizure is not. Most complex partial seizures originate from the temporal lobe and are also called temporal lobe seizures. Epileptics frequently have more than one type of seizure. When simple partial seizure precedes a complex partial seizure, it is referred to as an aura. More recent classifications of epileptic syndromes incorporate such features as etiology, age of onset, and th e different combinations of seizures that an epileptic has. Other commonly used terms include ictal (of seizure itself) and interictal (between seizures). Convulsion implies ictal behavior with vigorous motor activities. Status epilepticus denotes a very prolonged seizure or series of seizures occurring so frequently that full recovery of brain function does not occur interictally (1). Complex partial seizures constitute a major percentage of epilepsies and as a result of impaired consciousness are rather disabling. They are often medically intractable in that the administration of medication will not control the seizures. Most cases of complex partial epilepsy appear to stem from an abnormality in the temporal lobe, since partial resection of the temporal lobe, including the mesial structures, hippocampus, and amygdala, virtually eliminates seizures in more than 80% of selected patients. Examination of tissues of the surgical specimens and autopsy studies of patients with chronic temporal lobe epilepsy most often reveal sclerosis of the hippocampus, termed Ammons horn sclerosis, which is characterized by a marked loss of the principal neurons of hippocampus (1). Jackson and his Early Theory on Epilepsy and Brain Organization In the 1800s, it was noted by Jackson that epileptic seizures begin in isolated parts of the body such as the thumb and from there spread to neighboring regions perhaps the arm and then to the rest of the body.

Federal Income Tax Formula

FEDERAL INCOME TAX FORMULA Gross Income – Above the Line Deductions____ Adjusted Gross Income – Itemized or Standard Deduction – Exemptions_________________ Taxable Income x Applicable Marginal Tax Rates for Each Bracket Tax Liability – Tax Credits_________________ = TAX OWED ABRIDGED INCOME TAX ACCOUNTING I. Gross Income [ § 61] — A. Wages, Salaries, and Tips B. Interest Income C. Dividend Income D. Other (Net) Income—Reduced by Deductible Expenses 1. State & Local Income Tax Refunds 2. Alimony Received 3. Business Income or Loss 4. Capital Gains or Losses 5. Taxable IRA Distributions, Pensions, & Annuities . Rents, Royalties, Partnerships, S-Corporations, Estates, Trusts 7. Unemployment Compensation & Social Security 8. Other Income II. Less â€Å"Above the Line† Deductions— A. Unreimbursed Qualified Moving Expenses B.? of Self-Employment Tax C. Self-employed Health Insurance Deduction D. IRA Deduction E. Payments to Keogh R etirement Plan F. Penalty on Early Withdrawal of Savings G. Student Loan Interest Deduction H. Alimony Paid I. Tuition and Fees Deduction J. Depreciation Deduction ———————————————————-â€Å"The Line† = Adjusted Gross Income (â€Å"AGI†) III.Less the Greater of (1) Itemized Deductions or (2) the Standardized Deductions— A. Itemized Deductions: 1. Medical and Dental 2. State Taxes 3. Interest Expense on Qualified Mortgage Indebtedness 4. Casualty & Theft Losses 5. Miscellaneous Itemized Deductions i)Misc. Deductions Subject to 2% AGI Floor ii)Misc. Deductions Exempt from 2% AGI Floor B. Standard Deduction [ § 63] IV. Less Exemptions = Taxable Income V. Tax Liability = Taxable Income x Applicable Marginal Tax Rates VI. Less Tax Credits A. Historical Building Rehabilitation B. Renewable Energy C. Work Opportunity Tax Credit D. Qualif ying Child Tax Credit = TAX OWED

Asignment

No marks will be awarded for the entire assignment if any part of it is found to be pied directly from printed materials or from another student. 2. All submissions should be made on or before the due date. 3. Any late submissions after the deadline will not be entertained. 4. Zero (O) mark will be awarded for late submission, unless extenuating circumstances are upheld. Scenario Computer everywhere Computers are everywhere. Watching television. Driving a car, using a credit card, even ordering fast food all involve computers, not to mention browsing the Web on your personal computer.Your car computer is an embedded computer that can be ascribed a special-purpose, because it only accepts input and performs limited functions. Your personal computer, on the other hand, Is general-purpose, meaning It accepts a wide range of input and can perform a variety of tasks. For one day, make a list of each computer you encounter (be careful not to limit yourself Just to the computers you see). H ow is the computer used? Is the computer special-purpose or general-purpose? Why? How was the task the computer performs accomplished before computers? Write a detail report your finding.The Assessment This assignment will contribute 50% towards the module marks, as mentioned In the student Assessment & Information sheet. This assignment will be evaluated based on the following criteria. Marks will be awarded based on: Criteria Weight In Package understanding Demonstrating a sound knowledge and understanding of the scenario study in I OFF 25 Research and Analysis Discussion and analysis of the process that takes place based on the scenario given. Critical thinking and Applicability This includes analysis and evaluation of facts followed by results of evaluation.Displayed evidence of critical appraisal. Documentation and Referencing A proper documentation and references, adhering to the academic writing format as required by the university. 20 Guideline for Structure of document Prep are a document describing your analysis with appropriate diagrams, the report should be fully researched and referenced. Document the results of your work in a professional and systematic manner. Your completed documentation should meet the following requirements: 1 . Table of contents for every detailed section. 2. Abstract 3. Introduction 4. Sections . Conclusion 6.Appendices if necessary 7. References Submission requirements 1 . Your report must be typed using wordiness's with Times New Roman font size 12, with 1. 5 spaces. Expected length is 3,000 words and you need to include a word count at the end of the report. 2. The report has to be well presented and should be typed. Submission of report that is unprofessional in its outlook (dirty, disorganized, inconsistent look, varying colored paper and size) will not fare well when marks are allocated. 3. The report should have a one (1†³) margin all around the page as illustrated below: 4.Every report must have a front cover. A transparent plastic sheet can be placed in front of the report to protect the front cover. The front cover should have the following details:- a) Name c) Subject. D) Project Title. E) Date Assigned (the date the report was handed out). F) Date Completed (the date the report is due to be handed in). 5. All information, figures and diagrams obtained from external sources must be referenced using the Harvard referencing system accordingly. Assignment marking criteria: Distinction (75%+) Demonstrated comprehensive research with detailed evidence.High level of analysis performed, exceptional and thorough knowledge and understanding displayed with regard to the application. This includes analysis and evaluation of facts followed by results of evaluation. Documentation presented in a professional manner, following proper sequencing and flow. Displayed evidence of critical appraisal. Credit (65-74%) Adequate research conducted with fair detail of evidence presented. Moderate level of under standing, analysis and knowledge displayed. Some level of relevance included in terms of application.Moderate level of analysis and evaluation of facts followed by results comparison. Good level of documentation presented. Some level of reflection was evident in the documentation. Moderate level of critical appraisal. Pass (50-64%) Low level research conducted. Some evidence of research displayed. Basic level of understanding and knowledge analysis displayed. Satisfactory level of documentation. No evaluation and analysis of facts, no results comparison performed Satisfactory or low level of reflection displayed. No level of critical appraisal demonstrated.

Analysis of a Media Source’s Coverage on a Research

The Wall Street Journal published an article regarding a recent psychopharmacology study on depression done by Dr. Hunter that investigated whether pre-medication brain activity corresponded with treatment outcome. In addition, the article discusses the interesting results garnered from the placebo group v. medicated group analysis. While the news piece does a fair job in representing the study’s findings, the author does delve into extrapolations not statistically supported in the actual study. Fifty-one adults who were diagnosed with major depression were used in the study, and this was accurately reported by the news article (Wang, 2006). Hunter et al. investigated whether there were significant differences in â€Å"demographic characteristics, illness history, baseline illness severity, [and] final response[s],† and finding none, pooled the subjects for analysis (2006, p. 1427). This does give the Journal, who must condense the findings for the public, good reason to fail in reporting this. The study is experimental in nature, also using double-blind and randomized assignment to help rid the results of confounding variable input. All of the subjects were given a placebo anti-depressant for a one-week lead-in; after this, half of the individuals were continued on the placebo while the others were given one of two anti-depressants. Electroencephalograph (EEG) readings were taken at the time of enrollment, after the lead-in period, and several times later (over an eight week period). The Wall Street Journal condenses this explanation down, and while the article abandons the jargon of an experimenter, it does give the impression of an experimental method being followed. When the news article explains how the researchers defined their variables they leave out valuable information. The author states that patients with certain brain-patterns â€Å"ended up responding better to antidepressant treatment[s],† but fails to mention how this was evaluated (Wang, 2006, p. 1). A Hamilton depression scale was given to judge improvement, giving reliability to the study’s findings. However, the news piece does accurately report that EEG was also used, in an attempt to find a decrease in prefrontal lobe activity. This study uses a control group, those maintained on the placebo, and compares their EEGs to those of the medicated group, but the main focus of the research was the search for experimental evidence supporting that the commonly used one-week lead-in can predict treatment outcome via brain imaging. The Wall Street Journal article focuses on only a facet of the study, and one that the researcher’s claim to have nonsignificant support for. Wang states that, â€Å"patients who developed this brain-pattern change ended up responding better †¦ than patients who didn’t,† which is misleading to an audience that has not read the actual research (2006, p. 1). While Hunter et al. do find that their EEG scans were a good indicator of treatment success, they also caution that: Although the placebo and medication group analyses yielded different brain regional predictors of outcomes, because of the absence of statistical group interaction we cannot conclude that changes in †¦ [the differing brain regions] †¦ differentially predicted outcomes (2006, p. 430). The news article wrongly insinuates that the study provided evidence for a brain-pattern that is linked to a good treatment outcome in depression. It is certainly true that this study offered outcomes that encourage research in this direction, and that the author also seems to believe that the EEG-pattern found is â€Å"a good indicator† for success, but after reading the actual experiment, Wang seems to have inflated the actual findings. Having critiqued the insinuations of the news piece, the extrapolations made by the author do have some merit. The researchers discovered that both the medicated and the placebo groups had a similar variance â€Å"predicted by the neurophysiological changes occurring during the placebo lead-in phase† (Hunter et al. , 2006, p. 1429). They offered some possible causal factors such as â€Å"pharmacotherapeutic alliance and pretreatment expectations,† these results seem to demonstrate a placebo-treatment effect, which offers even more reason to further investigate how a patient’s treatment induction affects his/her progress (Hunter et al. , 2006, p. 1429). Though not mentioned or referenced in the Wall Street Journal item, the ethical issues surrounding this experiment are noted by Hunter et al. Providing individuals suffering from major depression placebos for eight weeks is risky, using a double-blind procedure makes it even more dangerous. While the IRB board of UCLA did require a 15-25 minute counseling session during each patient’s visit, this is a massive step down from the psychopharmacological and psychotherapeutic support offered at the recruitment area (a psychiatric outpatient hospital) (Hunter et al. 2006). Conversely though, this ethical â€Å"patch† does raise an interesting question for further research, lightly touched on by the study’s authors; if this psychotherapy (however minute) was responsible for a pre-treatment neurophysiological shift, and the shifts that were indicatory of better treatment outcomes could be identified, research could be done to more effectively meld psychotherapy and medic al psychiatry. It is understandable why media reports often leave out details of a research study, often the conclusions and discussion by the author/s of the study are of more interest to the public. However, when a media piece merely latches onto a nonsignificant observation or a suggestion for future research found in the study, the true findings of the experiment are overshadowed by the speculation of the piece’s author. When a media source offers information about a study, it is vital to maintain a skeptical and critical mindset towards the findings until they are corroborated by the primary source. It is important to look for information that supports the generalizability of the study’s findings. In the piece presented above, it is worth noting that the study was done on depressed individuals, other psychopathologies may not have any correlation to the results or conclusions provided. The media also commonly jumps from correlation to causation, whether directly or implicitly. While scientific information is the goal of research, sensitization by the media will usually occur to some degree.

Assessment of the environmental impact of Electric Vehicles Essay

Assessment of the environmental impact of Electric Vehicles - Essay Example Source: Shim et al, 2009, Electric car-Tesla Roadstar Structure and Layout of the two vehicle systems In an electric engine the numbers of components is fewer in number and are simpler in configuration. If one were to trace back the line of components starting from the tyres, the wheel axle connected to the tyres is driven by a motor. Similar to controlling speeds by regulating the quantity of fuel, the accelerator controls the voltage input into the motor which thereby controls the speed of the vehicle. The whole setup is powered by a battery and which can be charged from an external power source by simply plugging on to it. (Markel Tony, 2007) Compared to the IC engine which had power sources taken from the same shaft drive it is essential that power for operating the air conditioner and water pump are taken from individual separate motors. The battery should be connected to the motor using a controller so that large starting torques is avoided. (Electric and Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle s, 2010) This can also bring a certain amount of automation in the working of the motor in regulating speed and bringing forth forward or backward motion. It also protects the motors from being subjected to high loads. A number of batteries are arranged in two slots and must be capable of generating 300V DC. (Basic Electric Car Engine Overview, 1999) The Internal combustion on the other hand has a number of components that are required for its efficient working. A four stroke combustion cycle in an Internal Combustion engine follows the Otto Cycle. (Basic Electric Car Engine Overview, 1999) The combustion and the power thus generated takes place in an enclosed space. This cycle has four strokes which namely are 1. Intake stroke- As the piston contained in the engine begins its downward stroke, the inlet valve opens admitting fresh air that has been mixed with gasoline in a certain ratio, into the system. 2. Compression- The cylinder moves up and compresses the air thereby increasing both its density and temperature. 3. Combustion – A spark plug located at the top introduces a spark into this charged mixture. The leads to the downward motion of the piston creating the power stroke. 4. Exhaust- The piston moves back upward thereby expelling the burnt gases outside providing space for fresh intake. Electric vehicles and aerodynamics It is true that the number of components of an electric car is lower than a traditional car and the profile of the electric car can be readily modified to increase its aerodynamic efficiency. However a point of concern is the weight of the batteries that would otherwise increase drag and lower aerodynamic efficiency. By installing an effective nose grille at the front of the car, the air that remains stagnated in the frontal region of the car around the motor and gearbox is rerouted to flow past these areas and thereby reduce drag. The La Chevrolet Malibu has shutters in the lower grille region that are controlled electronicall y and automatically. (Industry, Research and Energy, 2010) As the speed of the vehicle increases the shutters close to allow the air at high speeds to flow past the vehicle. This reduces drag and also gives an impetus to the aerodynamic quality of the vehicle. Fuel efficiency is also increased. (Markel Tony, 2007) In the Honda Civic which has a Hybrid variant has aerodynamic hubcaps that are fixed to the rear end spoilers. This has lead to a reduction of aerodynamic drag from 0.3 to 0.27. The overall effect of

The skills and attributes required to manage a hotel Assignment

The skills and attributes required to manage a hotel - Assignment Example It can be argued that the hospitality industry has transformed itself from a product-focused business to a customer-focused one and from a physical-asset intensive business to an experience-centric one. In order to understand the skills that are required by managers and employees in a hotel to perform better it is important to understand the concept of competencies. Competencies can be described as factors that improve the performance of individuals in jobs. According to the definition provided by Woodruffe (1993), competency provides â€Å"provide the dimension against which people should be assessed for readiness or potential to move into jobs against which they should be appraised and upon which they should be developed†. Skills has been defined as parameters that helps in achieving environmental goals by maximizing certainty of achievement by minimizing cost and time spent (Wadongo, Kambona and Odhuno, 2011). In the past three decades, large number of researchers has focused on the importance of skills and competencies required to run hotels. Skills and competencies are important for both managers and graduates who chose to enter in the hospitality industry. The ability to take initiative has been identified as one of the biggest skills needed to run hotels on the part of managers. This is because initiative can be identified as a parameter that is able to gain support and motivation from others. Hotels are visited by customers from all over the world and managers needs to guarantee satisfaction for the guests. In order to manage the guests and provide them proper satisfaction managers need to have three major types of skills namely conceptual skills, technical skills and human skills. Requirement of skills are further dependent on the hierarchy of the organization and the type of work of the employees. This implies