Analysis using Porter’s five forces model in Marketing

On analyzing the case we will seek to look at two relevant barriers to entry; namely, product differentiation and economies of scale. The economy of scale refers to the decline per unit in product cost as the volume of production increases. Levi’s could have exploited opportunities to outsource their production facilities where labour is cheaper, in order to mass produce and have a cost advantages. Volumes of jeans have been produced in this market because other labels such as Arizona Jeans have exploited the opportunity. If they exploit the opportunity it means that they could produce for less and sell at a higher cost to their profitability. The Levi’s brand has product differentiation because there is a history of brand loyalty; the product carries enough clout to justify a reasonable price premium. They had embarked on a project to create a niche market to attract higher income customers who were willing to pay a premium for a perfect fit. In this case the threat would be brand loyalty because there are a lot of producers of jeans. Threat of Rivalry Threat of rivalry includes all distributors and stores that sell jeans. Example of stores is the likes of JC Penny stores who were once a business alliance, they have sought out cheaper alternatives such as the Arizona brand of jeans and have become their competitor; there is also Gap, Lee and Wrangler. Each of these brands has their own market or customer base. With all of these competitors in the market there is likely competitive pricing for the product. Threat of Substitutes There are other forms of clothing that can substitute for jeans example cotton, linen and other forms of material that makes clothing. In this case though Levi’s has created a â€Å"personal pair for a perfect fit† this proposal has created the niche market for Levi’s through a jeans customization program with their strategic alliance partner Technology Corporation. With this partner they will be able to achieve a competitive advantage. Threat of Suppliers Threat of suppliers all depends on the amount of raw materials. Since Levi’s now has a strategic partner, Technology Corporation they are the ones who take the orders and manufactures the customized jeans at their location. The threat is that they have to rely on another organization to complete the process at a separate location. The benefit though is that this company is a joint venture where each partner has a vested interest in the success of the business thus minimizing risks. However; on the other hand the partner may decide to cheat if they see a more valuable venture for themselves in starting their own line of business. There is also the threat of an increase salary and benefit for employees as well as retention of trained personnel in the area of sales and manufacturing. Threat of Buyers Threat of buyers relies on the marketing of the brand. If Levi’s has a good marketing strategy then customers and suppliers are more likely to purchase their goods. The company has begun to engage in a joint venture with another company therefore once they start receiving orders they will be able to meet the demand to supply stores and retail customers alike. According to the case, the brand Levi is one of the most recognizable brands worldwide since the 1950’s. The jeans had established a political and ashion statement as an American icon. Levi’s has become synonymous with the term â€Å"authentic,† â€Å"genuine,† and â€Å"original. † They are the largest brand-apparel company in the world and the number one purveyor of blue jeans. Levi’s has an image of quality and durability. The image of the company is valuable and rare. Perhaps no other firm has been able to duplicate the Levi brand and the firm uses this image to their competitive advantage as not many firms are able to imitate that image. Despite competetition from low cost rivals who are able to produce more cheaply at overseas facilities, Levi has organized its cost structure and business by using technology and joint venture to their advantage. They have established value creating activities by way of market revitalization and have established a corporate reputation, established links with their suppliers and buyers and invested in high technological equipment and information support systems.

Quality Improvement Part 1 Essay

Examine three external indicators and how customers use the indicators as part of the Quality Improvement process; finally explain how stakeholder’s feedback is used in the quality Improvement process. Performance Measurement vs. Quality Improvement process â€Å"The primary concern of managers responsible for the operations of hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare delivery organizations is the quality of the non-clinical aspects of care over which they have most control, most visibility†. (Ransom Joshi Nash, 2008. P. 31). Performance measures are an important element of quality management process. Performance measures has the responsibility to directing their effort when change need to be institute. In the healthcare organization performance measures are a tool used to help managers understand and improve quality of care for patients and to develop a better functional programs for the staff. In contrast, Quality Improvement focuses on bridging the gap between current levels of quality. It is a way to be proactive in preventing errors or perhaps respond to near misses and develop a plan where safety is major components to process improvements. In case of medical errors, quality improvement help identify and see what changes can be made to improve or have preventive measures. Quality Improvement and quality Measures assist owners and managers with improving performances and raising performance standards. Norman Clinic Quality Improvement goals Norman Clinic of Physical Therapy is one of the largest hospitals in the state of Ohio. This clinic is about fifty (50) miles from downtown is dedicated to five key of quality measures. Emergency Services, Physical Therapy, Heart Failure, Surgical, pneumonia. This hospital offers a standard service and has earned its reputation in the management of individuals with disturbed functions or impairment related to neuromuscular, musculoskeletal, cardiopulmonary, and integumentary systems. Norman Clinic has specific service in quality improvement process such as reducing the occurrence of ventilation of patients in the ICU and NICU. Role of the Consumer Healthcare consumers play an important role in the quality improvement of Norman Clinic and can impact hospital’s reputation, and feedback received from consumers. During admission, each patient receives a booklet who allows him to understand the mission, the goal, and different realization of the clinic in intensive care. This booklet outlining way patients may become active member of the clinic, include the methods used by healthcare providers to meet patient expectation, reduce risk of infection, improve quality of care, decrease medication errors, increase customers satisfaction as it relates to pain management and post discharge care. External Quality Indicators

A Research Proposal of the Effects of Online Gaming

However, although many claim that educational potential lies within video games, they still have not been universally been regarded as a quality learning tool. Patricia Greenfield (Mind and Media) claimed in 1984 that with increasing technology and increased research that future video games would be a vital component to the educational process. David Sheff (Video Games: A Guide for Savvy Parents) said almost the exactly same thing in 1994. Thus, it seems as if the issue of using video games for educational purposes is still not fully accepted and their implementation brings forth many concerns.It is also seen that we have constantly regarded video games as having high potential and that their use in education will be vital in the near future. However, these visions have remained the same as time has passed and the foreseeable goal of implementation has still yet to be reached, for we keep pushing the time line further into the future. This brings forth the question of will this push back continue as years pass or will the educational potential of video games be reached in the near future?Video games are seen as a good learning tool because many think that they can teach children in ways that their teachers are failing by sparking their minds, stimulating their thinking, and inspiring their imagination. Addictions to Internet games, particularly massive multiplayer online role-play games (MMORPGS), have emerged as a threat to public health—a new epidemic. Although they pose no direct physical danger, they take a toll on the mental well being of players. This disease is as equally debilitating as an addiction to drugs or alcohol.Consequently, addictions to these games have ruined lives as they disrupt family life, distract students, and compromise jobs. Although some video games provide benefits to society, when used as a tool to engage children in the classroom, or train soldiers on urban warfare, the posit ive impact of these programs are negated as soon as one considers the potential damages. Proper use of games requires the responsibility of the gamers and the marketers. Software developers should reveal the potential dangers associated with the games, like how the games have a possible addictive nature.Perhaps these programs need to have labels that warn of possible health consequences. The labels would be similar to the labels that law requires tobacco companies to place on their cigarettes. Public awareness should encourage members of society to be aware of the personal consequences of excessive gaming Conceptual Framework: To conduct a research to test the in observing them of the effects of online gaming in students. Statement of the problem: This study aims to know the effects of online gaming to the students: Significance of the study:Although the addiction factor and gender issues still exist to the same extent in online games as they do in offline games, it looks as if online gaming has provided answers to the other negatives that have plagued video games. The first obvious positive that online gaming has brought to video games which was no t available to off-line games is interaction among numerous other people. Off-line games were mostly solitaire in nature and had zero social aspects associated with them. Online games have allowed for a reintroduction of socialization among games. And this socialization has no boundaries, for a very diverse Internet population exists.Playing over the web will help develop friendships, whereas playing off-line can lead to a decrease in friendships. Another positive that online games bring forth is a decreased amount of violence. Most of the violent games being played off-line are quick action games that require rapid button-pushing. However, because of latency and lag issues these games have had a difficult time being transformed into an online medium. Furthermore, when these type of games are successfully transformed into an online game the number of enemies is drastically decreased. One is no longer playing against a tremendous amount of monsters that have been implemented into the game but rather just a few enemies being played by other humans. This forces one to methodically formulate strategies on how to dominate and beat the other individuals instead of creating an atmosphere of just killing everything in sight. The final negative factor of video games that online gaming may alleviate is decreased intelligence. Much more constructive thinking is necessary to be successful in online games, mainly because human opponents are more unpredictable and tougher than the monsters in offline games.

Film Analysis of the Written on the wind Movie Review

Film Analysis of the Written on the wind - Movie Review Example Marylee, for example, has a strong lustful attraction to Mitch since they were children. Though Mitch shows no interest of indulging in to a relationship with her, she is still persistent in pursuing after him. One night, she is overcome by the fact that Mitch is not at her disposal and she goes on to pick up Biff Miley, an ex-football player from her high school days. The first few words that she utters are indicative of the vacuous sexual needs and existence. The writer also highlights how the culture in the 1950’s prompted people to pursue after success and in the process forget how to raise up their family. When Kyle, who has resumed his drinking habits after his visit to the doctor, is brought home by Mitch and Lucy; and Marylee is dropped by the police at home together with Biff, Jasper is exasperated by the behavior of his children. At this point, he mentions to Mitch of how his marriage has been a flunk, how his relationship with his brother has worsened, and finally, how his two children have developed a reputation that is contrary to his desires. What Jasper is trying to Mitch is that he has failed in the patriarchal society. It is therefore evident that the writer is of the view that the politics and culture in the 1950’s were patriarchal. The film several themes that are prevalent throughout the film. The themes depict or bring to light the squalid issues in society during the 1950’s. Nymphomania is one of the themes that is highlighted in the film. Marylee is the character that the writer uses to highlight this theme. She has the urge to relieve her sexual tensions with Mitch but his withdrawal forces her to go and sleep with other men. When she is brought home by the police after she, together with Biff are arrested, Biff mentions that it’s... This movie review focuses on the Written on the wind film, that iis a 1956 film which was directed by Douglas Sirk. The film draws its name from the Robert Wilders 1945 novel, â€Å"Written on The Wind†. It gives an account of the real life scandal that involved Libby Holman and her husband Zachary Smith Reynolds, who was a tobacco heir. However, in the film, Gorge Zuckerman, the man in charge of the screen play, changes the characters and the location of the source of the family wealth. He shifts it to Texas from North Carolina and substitutes the tobacco with oil. In conclusion, the film can be categorized as both a shaper of the 1950’s culture and a reflection of it. The film is reflection of the culture because it depicts how people in the 1950’s were so much indulged in the pursuit of riches and fame that in the process, they lost track of what was valuable to society; that is family. It also reflects how people in power during this period put on facades and hid their true nature and problems behind these facades. Kyle for example was wearing a â€Å"dashing playboy† faà §ade to hide the fact that he could not be what his father expected him to be and that he had problems. The film is a shaper because it points out the societal ills that were present in the 1950’s. It was therefore an eye opener to everyone who was living in this era that the society was slowly decaying and the morals were slowly being lost. However, the shaping function of the film is very minimal when compared to the reflection function because not much change was initiated after the film was released.

Critical Thinking Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Critical Thinking - Case Study Example Arbitration would ensure that consumers are able to have their cases resolved at a quicker rate and without any loss of time. The consumer can therefore be able to perform his/her daily duties with minimal fuss. According to Currier et al., recent studies suggest that, the percentage of consumer arbitration case outcomes, in favor of the consumers, stood at 55% and an additional 93% of respondents interviewed, regarding their general feelings and perceptions of the use of arbitration in consumer contracts, was favorable. They cited that they thought that, the use of arbitration, was more favorable than court cases due to their perceived fairness in dealing with consumer cases (Currier et al., 2009). Additionally, arbitration as a process is significantly cheaper than litigation in court. The high fees required by lawyers is non-existent in arbitration making it a cheaper alternative to court litigation. The insertion of the arbitration clause provides consumers with the ability to protect themselves against harmful or sub-standard goods and services supplied by a company. The arbitration clause provides consumers with the choice to purchase a good or service from one company or another in accordance with their preferences and tastes. Additionally, the arbitration clause provides a legal avenue that can be exploited by the consumer in case of a dispute. The introduction of binding arbitration clauses in consumer contracts will help both parties protect themselves against disputes and breach of

Toxicity from Heavy Metals Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Toxicity from Heavy Metals - Dissertation Example Heavy metals occur naturally in the crust of the Earth. These metals depict remarkable stability, and resist any attempt at degradation or destruction. As a consequence, heavy metals accumulate in sediments and soils. Some of the heavy metals have undergone drastic change in their biochemical and geological cycles, due to human activity (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, 2008). Some of the primary man – made sources of heavy metals are the mines, smelters, foundries, traffic and by products of combustion. Heavy metals that are comparatively more volatile tend to be dispersed over vast areas through the atmosphere. In several cases, such heavy metals have been deposited thousands of miles from the site of their initial release into the atmosphere (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, 2008). The suspension in the atmosphere of heavy metal particles, in general, depends on their size and lightness. Thus, heavy metal particles that are larger than 10 micro meters (Â µm) in diameter settle to the ground, under the influence of gravity. This takes a few hours for completion. However, the heavy metal particles that are less than 1Â µm in diameter persist in the atmosphere for weeks. Such particles are usually removed from the atmosphere, by precipitation (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, 2008). ... However, the heavy metal particles that are less than 1Â µm in diameter persist in the atmosphere for weeks. Such particles are usually removed from the atmosphere, by precipitation (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, 2008). A useful definition of heavy metals is given below. Heavy metals are chemical elements that have a specific gravity that is ? 5 times the specific gravity of water. At 40C the specific gravity is deemed to be 1, by convention. As such, specific gravity is the ration of the density of a substance to the density of water (LifeExtension, 2013). Toxicity in Heavy Metals Some of the toxic metals, whose specific gravity exceeds 5 times that of water are; arsenic with a specific gravity of 5.7, cadmium with a specific gravity of 8.65, iron with a specific gravity of 7.9, lead with a specific gravity of 11.34, and mercury with a specific gravity of 13.546 (LifeExtension, 2013). Heavy metals that cannot be metabolised by the human body accumulate in the s oft tissues and become toxic. The entry of heavy metals into the human body is via air, food, water; and cutaneous absorption due to agricultural activity; exposure during manufacturing, industrial or pharmaceutical activity; or residential exposure (LifeExtension, 2013). With regard to adults, the entry of toxic heavy metals is frequently on account of industrial exposure to these substances. Among children, ingestion is the most common reason for the entry of toxic heavy metals. It has been determined that normal hand to mouth activity could lead to the development of toxic levels of heavy metals among children. The infrequent or rare routes of toxic heavy metal entry into the human body include radiological procedures, incorrect dosing or monitoring during intravenous nutrition, a

Framework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Framework - Essay Example Lastly, I would take part in the procedure of reviewing the results of the market campaigns (Tranter et al, 2006). I am a detail-oriented individual and having this attribute could help me see unobvious opportunities and share it with the company aiming at creating an appropriate compliance and integrity framework to support innovation in solutions, processes, and products in a highly regulated world. I have a believe that all of these concepts will be tremendously useful in my CP (Uysal & Fesenmaier, 2001). However, I think I will not use the marketing plan concept since the organization has already put their marketing plan into action, but it will assist me to identify how it functions. The organization's culture centers on the workers wellbeing (Belch, G. E., & Belch, M.A., 2009). The organization strives to see that employees get secured, and contented knowing that all the fulfillment issues will be addressed and that there will be no pessimistic penalties for those who raise con cerns. The core of a robust compliance culture is an effective mechanism that permits employees to speak up, and raise actual or potential compliance concerns in a non-retaliatory environment so that they may be referred faster and effectively (O’Guinn et al, 2008). ... It was formed under the Royal act jointly between the government and the individuals of the state. At first, the government owned 50 percent of the total shares, when the corporate showed hard work and dedication the government gave ten percent of the shares to the workforce. This was intended to encourage other industrial sectors to add more effort to their activities. This corporation is located in the republic of Saudi Arabia. It has grown by ten percent current value in the fertilizer industry. It is, therefore, predicted that the fertilizer production in Saudi Arabia is going to grow in an alarming rate following the organization of this Saudi Arabia Fertilizer Company. Four other companies in this state have ventured in the production of Fertilizers and hence Saudi Arabia Fertilizer Company is facing stiff competition from these competitors (Canwell, 2004). The business world at present is facing several issues that impacts on their performances. Business corporations have expe rienced stiff competition forcing them to invent new ideas that are different from their competitors and get preferred by their customers. Therefore, managers need to be creative to evade this challenge. Another issue is security and privacy. Companies all over the globe are being challenged by the improved technology, which forces to adapt to the system to improve their security issues (Jansson, 2008). The external stakeholders including the customers, the workforce, and the government play a very significant role in the company. Without them, the company cannot prosper and be successful. Therefore, corporation is devoted to offering clients high quality products that meet their needs and expectations. Any risks associated with the company’s products, have the capacity to destroy

Obesity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Obesity - Essay Example Obesity is a serious illness that has been spreading fast. It can even strike people who are not predisposed to it, primarily because of the influence of the modern civilization - above all, the development of technologies that diminish the amount of physical movements for people and, of course, the spread of fast-food that is a source of extra calories and a reason for multiple maladies, of which obesity is the most common one. (Leake, J. and Porter, A., 2003) Bulimia is considered nowadays an addiction, and the most widespread addiction is the addiction to sugar. As a result, more than half citizens of the USA and Canada are overweight, and though doctors warn people how harmful it is for health, there is still a flow of commercials and advertisements propagating "eating non-stop" as the best way of life. Many doctors and dieticians believe that certain kinds of food can cause a stable addiction (chocolate, sugar, meat, and cheese) since they make our brain produce the substances that evoke the sensation of happiness: "foods which are high in fat and sugar can cause significant changes in brain biochemistry similar to those from drugs such as heroin and cocaine". (Leake, J.

Alcohol Effect on the Human Liver Research Paper

Alcohol Effect on the Human Liver - Research Paper Example The liver has often proven to possess the capability of regenerating itself, but the effects of alcohol eventually overpower and wear it down, resulting in Damages are difficult to reverse. The alcohol consumption has several immediate and some durable effects. Although it is true that moderate drinking is beneficial to an individual’s health, such as reduce the risk of heart problems, too much consumption of alcohol can be detrimental to an individual’s health. Alcoholism is probably the most prevalent drug abuse in the US currently. In 1995, research by the American Bureau of statistics exhibited that 67% of all population over the age of 12 admitted having drunk beers within the previous year. Surprisingly almost fifty percent of them admitted to having drunk alcohol beverages within the past month. It has been implied that the reason for the rise of alcohol users, is that the beverage is pleasant, relaxing and is regarded as a social beverage by many. Consuming of a lcohol beverages occasionally may not have serious damage, however, drinking alcohol in excess can seriously destroy a person’s liver, resulting to conditions that are dangerous and potentially fatal. When an individual takes alcohol, the person feels euphoric in that the individual experiences a rush in the body that causes them to be happy (Black, 2010). This effect of alcohol on the human body makes alcohol a popular drink among individuals in the society. The use of alcohol has long-term effects on a person’s health and one of the most affected organs in the body is the liver. The liver has a critical function in the body’s metabolism in that it processes the food that we take in the digestive system.

Crime Theories of Durkheim and Robert King Merton Essay

Crime Theories of Durkheim and Robert King Merton - Essay Example Durkheim's most significant theoretical contribution to the field of criminology is his formulation of the concept of anomie. According to Durkheim's theory, society has the need and the moral right to regulate the behavior of its citizens. When society is in a state of rapid transition, the rules of society break down and people no longer can appraise their situation, "ambition was perpetually stimulated but never satisfied (Walter 1972). This condition Durkheim called "acute anomie" (Gottfredson and Hirsch 1990, p. 54). Chronic anomie occurs when overwhelming importance is attached to economic progress as the supreme goal in and of itself and secondary consideration is given to the regulation of human conduct and the control of individual ambition. These conditions which prevailed in the nineteenth century contributed significantly to the variety of social problems observed in that society (Durkheim 1992). According to Merton's theory, deviance is most likely in societies in which success is a major societal objective but where many of the inhabitants are unable to acquire the material possessions or social status that denote success. His theoretical argument is formulated in terms of the societally recognized goals that individuals strive for and the institutionalized means used to regulate access to these desired objectives (Gottfredson and Hirsch 1990). Merton recognizes that these goals and means are not equally available to all individuals because of the differentiated class and ethnic structure of American society. Striving for success within a society that is achievement oriented, some individuals for whom traditional paths to achievement are closed follow illegitimate or deviant means to attain success within that society Although this theory was originally developed in terms of American society, it has been applied to many of the world's other industrialized societies as an e xplanation of the persistence of criminal behavior (Merton 1967). The other similarity between Durkheim and Merton is an understanding social impact on an individual and his behavior. The possibility of varied acquaintances in modern, complex society led to the formulation of the theory of differential association, which holds that criminal behavior is learned through interaction with others. The extent to which criminal norms and habits are acquired is determined by the intensity and duration of the association. The mechanisms for learning criminal behavior are no different from any other kinds of learning. Briefly, stealing is no more motivated by the desire for material goods than is honest employment. In the latter case, however, the individual is sufficiently committed to the society's norms and values to channel his desires through legitimate means while in the former case, the individual will pursue his goals by illegitimate methods (Gottfredson and Hirsch 1990). In contrast to Durkheim, Merton underlines that anomie theory addresses the impact of urban life on modern man suggesting that conflicts often arise in contemporary society because what man strives to attain is not accessible to him. This situation is characteristic solely of modern society because limited social mobility existed before the advent of

A Christmas Carol Essay Example for Free

A Christmas Carol Essay Secondly, Dickens A Christmas Carol is a story with a happy resolution. This is another key reason for its lasting appeal. The reader is taken through a wide range of emotions but in the final stave the only emotions are of happiness and hope. We see happiness throughout the stave and this prompts the reader to hope for more joy in the characters future. This is important as it reflects the spirit of Christmas for many people and it was how Dickens believed Christmas should be. He appears to have achieved his aim of reversing the decline of Christmas celebrations at the time of writing the novel. Its enduring appeal is that it continues to be a reminder of the true meaning of Christmas. Dickens titles Stave Five as The End of it this appears to suggest that there should be no other meaning to Christmas except joyfulness and compassion for others. We learn that these are the messages that Dickens wanted to haunt their house pleasantly as stated in the preface. This also implies that he wants the messages delivered in the novel to live on and remain with the reader. During this stave when Scrooge speaks his sentences, they often end with exclamation marks which shows that he is now in a more pleasant mood. This adds a sense of excitement within the reader which contributes to the Christmas spirit shown in the stave. The use of exclamation marks changes in this stave as they are used positively which contrasts to the earlier staves when Dickens uses them negatively when associated with Scrooge. The narrators voice assures the reader that Scrooges transformation was long lasting and complete. The narrators omniscient view of the future explains that Scrooge went on to become not only a second father to Tiny Tim but also as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man. By the end the reader feels that they have been immersed into Scrooges world and changed with him. The audience can sense the warmth and compassion that surrounds Scrooge now. The last line as Tiny Tim observed, God bless Us, Every One! summarizes how Dickens believes the spirit of Christmas should be. It is significant that the last line is from Tiny Tim as he symbolizes how Christmas can be enjoyed and celebrated despite not having the luxuries that others may have. It also leaves us with the final message that the feeling of goodwill does not only lie with the characters but the readers as well. The concluding feeling of joy and hope symbolizes all that Christmas represents and is one of the reasons that A Christmas Carol remains popular today. Another key issue in this novel is the potential to change and the redemption of a character. It engages the reader in the novel as they want to see Scrooge change so they are encouraged to continue reading. It also maintains the themes of hope and goodwill that is associated with Christmas. At the beginning Scrooge is seen as a cold miserable character that expresses no joy at Christmas. During Stave Two we see his potential for change as we realise that he did once have friends and family which shows that Scrooge was not always heartless and unkind. He remembers the little boy that came singing carols and his nephew earlier and is remorseful that he did not treat them better. The spirit takes Scrooge to a place where he used to work and is reminded how he had enjoyed Christmases in the past. Scrooges transformation continues through the night as the ghost of Christmas present shows him the Cratchit household who are a loving family even though they have no money. Scrooge shows concern for Tiny Tim the little crippled boy in the family. This shows that he is beginning to change as he takes an interest in other peoples well being. The last stave is where we see a drastic change in Scrooges behaviour. His merry attitude towards Christmas is seen when he says A merrier Christmas, Bob, my good fellow, than I have given you, for many a year! Ill raise your salary, and endeavour to assist your struggling family. From this we can see that Scrooge has a new kindness within him. It shows that Scrooge has realised that he has not treated Bob well and that he will try to make amends. It also suggests that Scrooge is now more charitable and generous. We also see that Scrooge is again thinking about others assist your struggling family which is an extreme contrast to Stave One If they would rather die they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population. A Christmas Carol remains as popular as ever. This is because it continues to be relevant to todays society. Dickens wanted to cut through the materialism of Christmas and remind people of its real meaning, which is a time to be joyous and charitable. Dickens use of strong language when describing Scrooges character at the beginning is to demonstrate that there is always a possibility of change and redemption of a character. This allows the reader to believe that there is some goodness in all. It creates feeling of hope, warmth and joy that is linked to Christmas. In A Christmas Carol Dickens use of language makes the reader feel that they are amongst the action. It conjures up all the range of emotions that a human being experiences and ultimately results in happiness, which is an emotion everyone strives for.

Young Goodman Brown Essay Example for Free

Young Goodman Brown Essay The people living in the United States of America are some of the most liberated people in the world. The majority of the people living in this country are well aware of their religious freedom and human rights. It is therefore hard to imagine that more than 300 years ago, there was a group of people living in Massachusetts who could not tolerate others; especially those whose views are not in conformity to their own. The Puritans were both celebrated and reviled in history. But for Nathaniel Hawthorne the way they persecuted non-conformists made him loathe them. The only problem is that he is related to some of the most notorious figures of that era. He wrote a significant number of works to help him deal with his connection to this men and the Young Goodman Brown is one best example of how he tried to exorcise the demons of the past. The Author Nathaniel Hawthorne was born on July 4, 1804. He was born in a place used to be called Salem, Massachusetts. His hometown was later renamed to Danvers, Massachusetts and probably for good reason. In 1692 there was a real witch hunt in this town. Suspected witches were hanged and burned. His ancestors were leading men of Salem. One of them was William Hathorne who settled in the colony in the early part of the 17th century and then went on to become one of Salem’s spiritual builders and made a significant contribution in creating a theocratic society (Meltzer, 10). William Hathorne held many offices including magistrate and as a military leader who forced the Indians out of their homeland. Later on Nathaniel Hawthorne will use some of his exploits and misdeeds as the background for his stories. In order to have some perspective, in the year that Nathaniel Hawthorne was born, it was also the same year that Thomas Jefferson was reelected president of the United States and about the same time when Lewis and Clark set out on an expedition to explore the West (Meltzer, 15). It means that when Hawthorne wrote Young Goodman Brown America was still a relatively young country and thus the lessons of the past are still fresh in the memories of many most especially those who came from the primary settlements such as in Massachusetts. For Nathaniel Hawthorne his darkest secret lies in the fact that his ancestors â€Å"†¦earned the reputation of chasing down the wicked like a bloodhound† (Meltzer, 12). The following best describes the situation in the Salem witch trials: While the witch-hunt craze lasted, men and women, young and old, were jailed, their property confiscated and they were forced to invent testimony against innocent others. The court’s central aim was to get a confession out of the accused. About fifty people gave in to the intense pressure and some were executed (Meltzer, 11). It will become apparent later on that Nathaniel Hawthorne made a realization; that he could do something about the dishonorable actions of his ancestors by becoming a writer. But as mentioned earlier American in the mid-19th century was not exactly a highly industrialized nation. This is bad news for an aspiring writer like Hawthorne because this means that it is extremely difficult to earn a decent living writing short stories and novels. He had a rough start as a writer. But then he found his niche, he found his own unique style and the rest is history. The Story The Young Goodman Brown is one of the more important works of Nathaniel Hawthorne and it is about the religious experience of a young man named Young Goodman Brown. The main character was married to a young woman named Faith and one day decided to take on a strange journey deep into the woods right after sunset. It is a curious time to start traveling to another town or to any particular location. It turns out that Young Goodman Brown was invited to attend a clandestine meeting in the darkest part of the woods. The story took a sudden turn when the highly religious Young Goodman Brown was discovered to be meeting with the devil incarnate (McCabe, par. 1). Hawthorne made a cryptic introduction of the devil when he wrote the following: But the only thing about him that could be fixed upon as remarkable was his staff, which bore the likeness of a great black snake. So curiously wrought, that it might almost be seen to twist and wiggle itself, like a living serpent. This, of course, must have been an ocular deception, assisted by the uncertain light. Hawthorne did not elaborate why the pious young man consented to a meeting with the devil. This difficulty is exacerbated by the declaration of Young Goodman Brown who said: We are a people of prayer, and good works, to boot, and abide no such wickedness. The abovementioned excerpt may help answer that question – Young Goodman Brown was deceived and did not realize at first that he was talking to Satan. But that is not the most interesting part of the story. The tale became more complicated when Young Goodman Brown saw the most highly respected people in Salem village taking part in the said devious meeting. The young man could not believe his eyes when he saw Goody Cloyse, Deacon Gookin, and the old minister of Salem. The confusion was made more intense by the presence of known sinners including the hated sorcerers from the heathen tribes. The religious people of his village spoke against their kind and yet all are gathered under the trees, seeming to enjoy each other’s company. It was also revealed to Young Goodman Brown that the prim and proper ladies in Salem village are guilty of either murder or unbridled lust. He was shocked to find out about the hypocrisy and the deception. But his life was about to be destroyed by what he saw next. In the beginning of the story Hawthorne made it clear that aside from religion Young Goodman Brown’s purpose in life is to love and cherish his wife, Faith. He was not only madly in love with his young and beautiful wife but he considered her as his anchor and helps him keep focus. At the climax of the story however, Young Goodman Brown saw his wife in the meeting and willingly participated in the demonic rituals. Needless to say, the young man was crushed and he would never recover. He went on to live for a long time. At his funeral he was survived by an older looking Faith, by his children and grandchildren. But he died a broken man full of gloom that his family never bothered to inscribe anything in his tombstone. It seems that it is best for him to die rather than live. The Context As they say it is all about context. The story can be interpreted different ways but the correct interpretation will have to have an understanding of the context. One critic provided the initial foray into the study of context when he wrote, â€Å"Despite Hawthorne’s reputation as a romancer who preferred to create a ‘neutral territory, somewhere between the real world and fairy-land’ †¦ he paid careful attention to historical settings for most of his literary works (Person, 16). Hawthorne based his story on historical facts but most importantly he based it on the actions of his ancestors. A deeper examination of his lineage will reveal that, â€Å"Puritanism and the history of early Massachusetts settlements – Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, and Salem – form one important context in which to understand Hawthorne’s writing† (Person, 16). It must be noted that Nathaniel Hawthorne’s great-great-great grandfather was William Hathorne. William Hawthorne was well known for ordering one Quaker woman – Ann Coleman – to be whipped while walking the streets of Salem. John Hathorne the son of William Hathorne was also made notorious by presiding in the equally infamous Salem witch trials in 1692. One should also note that the letter â€Å"w† is missing from the last names of the aforementioned ancestors. This could mean that the author was less than thrilled to be associated with these men. In fact, â€Å"†¦Hawthorne referred to each of these ancestors as a ‘bitter persecutor who possessed all the Puritanic traits both good and evil. Hawthorne felt haunted by these ancestors and took shame upon himself†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Person, 17). It can be said that Nathaniel Hawthorne had to rectify what was done in the past through his stories and novels. The link to the Salem witch trials and the plot of Young Goodman Brown can be seen in how Hawthorne used details from the trial and incorporated it into the story. The most important aspect of the Salem witch trial that Hawthorn used was encapsulated in a concept called â€Å"specter evidence† (Person, 18). This is the belief that people could give Satan permission to mimic them in a supernatural way and then using that likeness, the devil could then move freely within the community to tempt others. In Young Goodman Brown the concept of â€Å"spectral evidence† was used to the hilt. Critics assert that the people that Young Goodman Brown encountered are the specters of everyone he knew (Person, 18). Unfortunately, the young man believed the specter to be the real thing and as a result his life was turned upside down. The sense of gloom felt by Young Goodman Brown is but a reflection of what Hawthorne felt because what his ancestors did he could not forget, â€Å"It was a family bloodstain Nathaniel Hawthorne could never rid himself, of even after more than a hundred years had passed since those ancestors died† (Meltzer, 14). But he tried his best. The Intentions of the Author Based on the preceding discussion and based on a careful analysis of Young Goodman Brown it would appear that Hawthorne had at least three intentions when he began to write this piece of literature and these are listed as follows: 1. Hawthorne wanted to show that it is counterproductive to have legalistic communities; 2. Hawthorne wanted to show that religious bigotry accomplishes nothing of long lasting significance; 3. Hawthorne wanted to show that some of the religious people in the past are guilty of hypocrisy and if truth be told they deserved to be hanged and burned just like the suspected witches in the Salem witch trials; and finally 4. Hawthorne tried to demonstrate that suspicion can lead to distrust and paranoia. Nathaniel Hawthorne was able to accomplish all of the above by creating a great work of fiction. In this work of fiction he used the aforementioned concept called â€Å"spectral evidence† to make Young Goodman Brown believed that the people he saw were indeed acting on their own free will. It was an improbable story but worked well to develop the ideas of Hawthorne. It was the contrasting subplots; the first one shows a group of pious people living in Salem village, the second one shows the same group of people living a double life by being true worshippers of the devil. In Hawthorne’s storyline he was able to criticize and make fun of the religious order of yesteryears. He also made no qualms in exposing the excesses of the Puritans. He was also able to show that if people isolate themselves by persecuting others – especially the nonconformists – and driving them out of the community then they will lack the necessary feedback mechanism that will tell them they are living in excess. The tragedy of Young Goodman Brown is the lack of communication and the inability to reach out to others as shown by the behavior of the main character. Conclusion In Young Goodman Brown the story can only be understood by examining the historical background of Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hawthorne’s ancestors participated in the violent persecution of those who failed to conform to the standards set forth by the Puritans. This means that those who disagree can leave anytime but for those who wanted to stay, they must learn to live by the rules. Those who will not conform will have to suffer by flogging, hanging, and burning. For Nathaniel Hawthorne building a highly legalistic society can backfire and instead of creating a harmonious community the byproduct is hypocrisy and secret sins. But most importantly if people isolate themselves then they are impeding progress in their spiritual journey. By erecting a facade of religiosity or by not opening up and reaching out to others, people will become paranoid and die with an unresolved inner turmoil. In the case of Young Goodman Brown he made a mistake of judging the specters as real and so he decided not to be in communion with his own people. There could also be another interpretation, that what he encountered were not specters and that what really happened is that he fell asleep and dreamt that he was in a demonic meeting attended by religious leaders and his wife. Irregardless of which one is truth, Young Goodman Brown could have fixed everything if only he reached out to his wife, to his pastor, to the elders of the church and initiated dialogue. But unfortunately Young Goodman Brown took the easy path and it is to build a high wall made out of pride and the erroneous thinking that he alone knew the truth. Works Cited Alkana, Joseph. The Social Self: Hawthorne, Howells, William James, and Nineteenth-Century Psychology. KY: The University Press of Kentucky, 1997. Demas, Corrine. Great American Short Stories. New York: Barnes Noble, Inc. , 2004. McCabe, Michael. Nathaniel Hawthorne: Young Goodman Brown. 27 July 1998 Florida Gulf Coast University. 26 October 2008 http://itech. fgcu. edu/faculty/wohlpart/alra/Hawthorne. htm. Meltzer, Milton. Nathaniel Hawthorne: A Biography. MN: Twenty-First Century Books, 2007.

Profiling Genome of Tibetan Chicken

Profiling Genome of Tibetan Chicken Profiling the genome-wide DNAmethylation pattern of Tibetan chicken  using whole genome bisulfite sequencing Abstract Background: Tibetan chickens living at high altitudes show specific adaptations to high-altitude conditions, but the epigenetic modification bases of these adaptations havent been characterized. Results: We investigated the genome-wide DNA methylation patterns in Tibetan chicken blood using whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS). Generally, Tibetan chicken exhibited analogous methylation pattern with that of lowland chiken. A total of 3.92% of genomic cytosines were methylcytosines, and 51.22% of cytosines in CG contexts were methylated which was less than those in lowland chicken (55.69%). Moreover, the base next to methylcytosine of mCHG in Tibetan chicken had a preference for T, which was different from that in lowland chicken. In Tibetan chicken, the methylation levels in the promoter were relatively low, while the gene body maintained hypomethylated. DNA methylation levels in upstream regions of the transcription start site (TSS) of geneshad a negative relationship with the gene expression level, and the DNA methylation of gene-body were also negatively related to gene expression. Conclusions: We firstly generated the genome-wide DNA methylation patterns in Tibetan chicken, and our results will be helpful for future epigenetic studies in adaptations to high-altitude conditions and provide a new idea for the prevention and treatment of mountain sickness and other hypoxia-related diseases to human. Keywords: Epigenetics, DNA methylation, MethylC-Seq, highland chicken, adaptation, extreme environment.   Ã‚   Background DNA methylation is a crucial epigenetic modification that plays a vital role in genomic imprinting [1], transcriptional repression [2], and chromatin activation [3]. In recent years, we have gained knowledge on the association of DNA methylation with cellular differentiation, development, and disease, however, little information is available concerning the DNA methylation modifications under long-term extreme environment. Environmental aspects influence through both genetic and epigenetic mechanisms [4, 5]. Several studies have tried to establish the relationship between environmental factors and DNA methylation in humans. It was reported that reduced global DNA methylation in whole blood was related to exposure to ambient air pollution at the home addresses of non adults [6]. In malignant cells, airborne benzene induce a significant decrease in the methylation of LINE-1 and AluI, and increasing airborne benzene levels can cause hypermethylation in p15 and hypomethylation in MAGE-1 [7]. The average level of methylation in p16 was increased in patients with benzene poisoning compared with control group, while no alternation was observed in the p15 methylation [8]. Korea et al. revealed that most organochlorine (OC) pesticides were inversely and significantly related to the methylation of Alu [9]. In the prenatal pregnant women, lead exposure was inversely related to genomic DNA methylation in white blo od cells [10]. Moreover, base on the epigenetic inheritance mechanisms, adaptive traits that result from the environment can be transferred to the next generation. For instance, environment containing endocrine-disrupting chemicals can affect the germ line and promote disease across offspring via DNA methylation [11]. Above researchs shows that environmental conditions could induce DNA methylation alternation to to influence disease, prompting us to explore whether DNA methylation is associated with the unique adaptations of farm animals to hypoxia and high-dose ultraviolet radiation in high-altitude environments. The Tibetan chicken which lives in high-altitude environment has smaller body, lower heart rate, higher spleen rate and erythrocyte volum than low-altitude chicken. Previous research showed that humans relocating to high-altitudes might undergo acute mountain sickness, high-altitude pulmonary edema, and high-altitude cerebral edema [12]. Whereas, the Tibetan chicken is greatly adapted to the low-oxygen and high-altitude environment and displays good performance in terms of survival and has high reproduction [13]. Therefore, investigation the genome-wide DNA methylation of Tibetan chicken, understanding the effects of DNA methylation on the plateau adaptability, may provide a new idea for the prevention and treatment of mountain sickness and other hypoxia-related diseases to human. In this study, we perform whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) on Tibetan chicken blood to analyze their global DNA methylation patterns. The DNA methylome distribution in the Tibetan chicken genome was shown for the first time. Our results will provided an important resource for exploring low-oxygen adaptation mechanism in high-altitude district. Methods Animals In this study, one Tibetan chicken was obtained from Xiangcheng County in the Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture with the living place about 3500 meters above sea level. Blood samples were collected and stored at -20  °C for bisulfite sequencing. Total genomic DNA was collected from the blood with the use of a TIANamp Genomic DNA Kit (Tiangen, Beijing, China). All experiments in this study were performed in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations, and were approved by the Science and Technology Department of Sichuan Province. MethylC-Seq library construction and sequencing DNA was fragmented by sonication with a Sonicator (Sonics Materials) to a mean size of approxi ­mately 250 bp, followed by blunt ending, 3à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²-end addition of dA, and adapter ligation, in which Illumina methylated adapters were used according to the manufacturers instructions (Illumina). The bisulfite conversion of Tibetan chicken DNA was carried out using ZYMO EZ DNA Methylation-Gold kit (Zymo Research, Irvine, CA, USA) and ampli ­fied via PCR with 12 cycles. Ultra-high-throughput pair-end sequencing was performed by the Illumina Genetic Analyzer (GA2) on the basis of manufacturer instructions. Raw GA sequencing data were processed using Illumina base-calling pipeline (SolexaPipeline-1.0). Data Filtering Data filtering was performed via the elimination of the adaptor sequences, contamination and low-quality reads from raw reads. Low-quality reads consist of three types including: 1) Contain adaptor sequence; 2) N base number over 10%; 3) The number of base whose quality less than 20 over 10% was trimmed, and the read which accord with one of them will be removed. Only cleaned data were used for the downstream analyses. Reads Alignment On the forward read of each read pair, observed cytosines were replaced with replaced with adenines, and the observed guanines were replaced with adenines on the reverse read of each read pair. The alignment form reads were then mapped to the alignment form gallus_gallus reference genome by SOAP aligner[14]. Each hit with a single placement with a minimum number of mismatches and and a clear operation chain was defined as unambiguous alignment (uniquely mapped reads) and was used for ascertainment of methyl-cytosine. The copy numbers of the local region was estimateed by calculating the the uniquely mapped reads. Estimating methylation levels Methylation level was determined by dividing the number of reads covering each mC by the total reads covering that cytosine, which was also equal the mC/C ratio at each reference cytosine. The function is showed as following: Methylation level = 100 * GO enrichment Analysis GO annotations of Tibetan chicken genes were downloaded from the Ensembl (ftp://ensembl.org/pub/current/otherdata/Gene_ontology/gallus_gallus_glean_gene.go). GO comparative analyses between inter ­ested genes groups were performed using BGI WEGO (http://wego.genomics.org.cn/cgi-bin/wego/index.pl). KEGG Pathway Analysis Different genes usually interact with each other to exercise their biological functions. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomesà ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã‹â€ KEGGà ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã¢â‚¬ °is the main public pathway database. Super geometry analyses were conducted to find the KEGG pathways enriched in genes differentially methylated compared to the whole genome. The calculation formula is the same as that in GO function analyses, N represents number of genes with pathway annotation; For the number, n is the number of differentially expressed genes corresponding N, M represents number of all genes which have a particular pathway annotation; m represents numbers of differentially expressed genes which have a particular pathway annotation. Pathway mapped Q value à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¤ 0.05 defined as the pathway of significant enrichment. Through significant enrichment of the pathway, we can determine the most main in biochemical pathways and signal transduction pathways. Results       Global mapping of DNA methylation In the present study, blood samples from a Tibetan chicken were used to generate three libraries for genome-wide methylation sequencing. All libraries showed nearly complete bisulfite conversion (99.7%). A total of 41.3 Gb raw data were obtained from three blood samples. After data filtering, 151,345,614, 165,745,108 and 141,554,972 clean reads were generated for the three libraries, respectively. Of the total reads, 75.6% were mapped to the reference genome, with 28 X Whole-genome average coverage depth, which could reveal the data quantity of clean data because of the characteristics of bisulfite sequencing (Table 1 and 2). Cytosine patterns have 3 major types (CG, CHG and CHH, H represents non-G base, hereinafter inclusive) according to the sequence context. Therefore, we analyzed the relationships between effective sequencing depth and genome coverage for different cytosine patterns (Figure S1, S2). Figure S1 reveals that there is a negative correlation between the effective sequencing depth and the percentage of cytosine in genome. The Figure S2 shows that the distribution of genome coverage varies with sequencing depth accord with the Poisson distribution, and the depth of the distribution`s apex is near to the genome average sequencing depth. In additon, we performed effective coverage analysis base on three different levels: chromosome, gene region and genomic feature. The effective coverage of all cytosine in each chromosome ranges from 82.77% to 97.86%, except for 24.96% in chr17 , while the CpG effective coverage of each chromosome ranges from 86.74% to 97.5%, except for 23.58% in chr17 (Table S1). Moreover,coverage of all cytosine in CDS and intron region was 95.94% and 93.66%, respectivelyà ¯Ã‚ ¼Ã…’ and CG coverage in CDS and intron region was 96.04% and 93.45%, respectively (Table S2). DNA methylation patterns In Tibetan chicken, the methylation level of all genomic C sites was more than 3.9%. Patterns of Cytosine methylation in Tibetan chicken were found to have three major types (mCG, mCHG and mCHH) according to the sequence context. We discovered overall genome-wide levels of 51.22% CG, 0.4% CHG, and 0.45% CHH methylation in the Tibetan chicken (Table 3). In whole genome, the CG methylation occupied over 96% of cytosine methylation, which is the primary cytosine methylation pattern. However, the rate of mCHH was only 3% and the rate of mCHG was 1%(Fig. 1A). Methylation status of CG, CHG and CHH differ between species, even varies with different conditions concerning time, space and physiology within a single organism. Figure 1b showed that percentage of the methylation level of methyl-cytosine varies with methylation level. In the tibet chicken blood, more than 75 % of mCG sites were 60-100 % methylated (Fig. 1b). In addition, chromosome1 was used as an instance to illuminate the methyl-cytosine density distribution in chromosome, and the methyl-cytosine density showed large variations throughout the chromosome 1, which was similar to other chromosomes (Fig. 1c) Proximal Sequence Features Analysis To identify whether the particular local sequences were markedly enriched as the DNA methylome of Arabidopsis, we analyzed the sequence adjacent to sites of CG and non-CG methylation. The methylation ratios of all potential 9-mer sequences were calculated, and the methylated cytosine was located at the fourth position in these sequences (permitting an analysis of three bases upstream of CHG, and CHH methylation). As shown in figure 2, hardly a sequence preference was found in the CG-flanking regions of the hole genome or in the mCG-flanking regions. Moreover, the highest frequency base that next to the CHG cytosine in genome was A, followed by T and C, while the base following the mCHG methylcytosine has a preference for T, followed by A and C. In CHH context, the fifth position that proximal to the sites of cytosine has a preference for C, and the sixth position prefer to T, which is similar to the mCHH(Fig. 2). DNA methylation levels of different functional regions Different genomic features are associated with distinct regulation functions. To study the DNA methylation profile in different genomic features, the heat map was used to present the distribution of methylation level in the CDS, downstream, Genome, intron and upstream (fig. 3). The comparative analysis of mean DNA methylation levels revealed that different gennome regions showed distinguishing DNA methylation levels. Additionally, we analyzed DNA methylation patterns across the transcriptional units at whole genome level. In Tibet chicken, most of the promoter regions have an association with CpG islands and are hypomethylated, which showed a lower CG methylation level than the gene-body and the gene downstream. Moreover, methylation of CG declined sharply before the TSS and increased markedly towards the gene body regions and stayed at a plateau until the 3 end of the gene body, and two obvious peaks were present in the regions of the internol exon and the last exon (Fig. 3). The me thylation of CHG had the same varying tendency with the methylation of CG, but was characterised by mitigatory changes compared to the rapid changes of CG methylation. Furthermore, the methylation peaks of both CG and CHG were presented in the internal and last exons in which the methylation lows of CHH appeared. DNA methylation levels ofpromoter and genebody Methylation of the promoter suppresses gene expression, but the functional role of gene-body DNA methylation in highly expressed genes has yet to be clarified. To better characterise the methylation of promoter and gene-body, a comprehensive analysis of methylated genes and unmethylated genes in gene-body and upstream2k was performed. In total, 14,018 genes were methylated in both promoter and gene-body, while 505 genes were exclusively methylated in promoter and 409 genes were exclusively methylated in gene-body, and 231 genes unmethylated in both promoter and gene-body (fig. 4A). Gene ontology analysis of methylated and unmethylated genes revealed the top-ranked enriched GO terms were related to the cellular process, metabolic process, and response to stimulus in the biological process (BP) category. The cellular component (CC) category mainly comprised genes involved in cell, cell part, and organelle. Within the molecular function (MF) category, binding, catalytic activity, and tr ansporter activity were highly represented (fig. 4B and 3S). In addition, KEGG analysis showed that genebody methylation genes were clustered in the metabolic pathways, protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum, and calcium signaling pathway, while the genebody unmethylation genes were clustered in metabolic pathways, Fc gamma R-mediated phagocytosis, and endocytosis. Moreover, promoter methylation genes were most involved in ubiquitin mediated proteolysis, oocyte meiosis, and melanoma, while , promoter unmethylation genes were most involved in N-Glycan biosynthesis, Glycosylphosphatidylinositol(GPI)-anchor biosynthesis, and Fat digestion and absorption (fig. 5). DNA methylation and gene expression level DNA methylation of promoter generally suppress gene transcription via inducing a compact chromatin structure. We obtained the gene expression profiles of Tibetan chicken from the GEO database. Based on expression levels, all genes were divided into ten groups, from the lowest 10% and to the highest 10%. Furthermore, the genomic regions that 2 kb upstream of the TSS were defined as the proximal promoter, and used the mean methylation as the methylation level of each group. The correlation analysis showed that gene expression level was negatively related to the mean DNA methylation level of the promoter regions (fig. 6A; r=-0.93, pshowed little difference in these ten groups with different expression level (fig. 6B; r=-0.83, p Discussion Genomics technologies have been extensively used to investigate the adaptations of humans, animals and plants to extreme conditions [15, 16]. However, the relationships between the adaptions and the epigenetic modifications that result from extreme environmental exposures remains to be further elucidated. To date, the methylation pattern of Tibetan chicken remains unknown. To improve our understanding of the association between epigenetic modifications andadaptations to hypoxia and high-dose ultraviolet radiation in high-altitude environments, we analyzed whole-genome single-base resolution DNA methylomes by WGBS to provide the genomewide DNA methylation patterns in Tibetan chicken blood and interrogate the potential role of DNA methylation in adaptations to high-altitude environments. Genome-wide DNA methylations of lowland chickens have been researched using MeDIP-seq [17, 18], MBD-Seq [19], and Methyl-MAPS [20], which measure methylation base on immunoprecipitation and restriction enzyme digestion. Compared to WGBS, these technologies generate lower resolution and coverage, and fail to obtain methylation level for CHG and CHH. For example, Only 32 % of CpG coverage was obtained from the study of lowland chicken using Methyl-MAPS [20]. In the other lowland chicken study, the CpG coverage ranges from 83.72 to 91.57 % using MethylC-seq [21]. In the current study, the CpG effective coverage of each chromosome ranges from 86.74% to 97.5%, except for 23.58% CpG coverage of chr17 in Tibet chicken. In lowland chicken, more than 55.69% of cytosines in CG contexts were methylated which is much higher than those in Tibet chicken (51.22%), while the percentage of mCHG and mCHH in Tibet chicken was higher than those in lowland chicken. In addition, 96.24 %, 0.86 % and 2.89 % of all methylcytosines were present in the CG CHG and CHH context, respectively, while the CG methylation in Tibet chicken occupied only 96% of cytosine methylation. Moreover, the base next to methylcytosine of mCHG in lowland chicken had a preference for A, while that in highland chicken prefer to T. All these indicated that the highland environments decrease the global CG methylation levels of chicken, and change the sequence context preferences for methylation, suggesting that the methylation involve in the adaptations of chicken to high-altitude environments. In Tibetan chicken genome, the DNA methylation level rapidly down before the TSS and markedly increased towards the gene body regions and stayed at a plateau until the 3 end of the gene body. These methylation features discovered in this study consistently match with those previously reported in bovine placentas [22]. Similar to the lowland chickengenome, the Tibetan chicken genome has two CG methylation peaks in the internal and last exons, but the difference is that the lowland chicken genome showed a mitigatory methylation level in the genome regions before the TSS [21], suggesting that the long-term hypoxia and UV radiation under high-altitude conditions cause methylation alternation. The promoter plays a crucial role in the regulation of gene transcription and most of the promoter regions are hypomethylated [23], while the gene-body DNA methylation is associated with chromatin structure and elongation efficiency, and prevents spurious transcription initiation [24, 25]. In present study, we found the promoter is hypomethylated, whereas the methylation level in gene-body is relatively high, a finding that is similar to those from previously reported in human [26] and lowland chicken [17]. Hypermethylation of the promoters represses gene transcription [27], and the reduction of methylation at the promoters causes gene overexpression [28]. In human embryonic stem cells, Laurent et al. reported that 20% of the most highly expressed genes displayed the lowest methylation levels in promoter. We analyse the relationship between the methylation and the expression inTibetan chicken, using the method reported in previous studies [17]. Similar to reports in humans [17, 29, 3 0] and lowland chicken [5], DNA methylation level in 2 kb upstream of genes is negatively related to the gene expression level in Tibetan chicken, this was further evidence that DNA methylation at the promoters is involved in gene silencing. Methylation in gene-body is more prevalent than in promoter, but the role of gene-body methylation in gene regulation remains unclear. Previous researchs showed that gene-body methylation has an intricate correlation with expression level. Most researchers believed that the methylation of gene-body is positively correlated with gene expression [26, 29, 31, 32], although several researchers have indicated that intragenic methylation might inhibit gene transcription [24]. However, the correlation between gene-body methylation and expression levels in bovine placentas is non-monotonic and the moderately expressed genes show the highest methylation in gene-body [22]. Our data demonstrated that methylation in the gene-body of Tibetan chicken may decrease gene expression. However, methylation in gene-body is just one of the thousands of factors that affect gene transcription. Therefore, further studies centering on the DNA methylation of certain regions that display distinct effect in gene regulation are needed to clarify the complicated epigenetic mechanism underlying high-altitude environments and its relationships with adaptations to hypoxia and high-dose ultraviolet radiation in high-altitude environments. In summary, the present study provides the first comprehensive analysis of genome-wide DNA methylation patterns in the blood of highland chicken, and our results can be used for future studies on epigenetic gene regulation in highland chicken. This study contributes to the knowledge on epigenetics in highland animals. References 1. Tirado-Magallanes, R., et al., Whole genome DNA methylation: beyond genes silencing. Oncotarget, 2017. 8(3): p. 5629-5637. 2. Li, S., et al., Genome-wide analysis reveals that exon methylation facilitates its selective usage in the human transcriptome. Brief Bioinform, 2017. 3. Keown, C.L., et al., Allele-specific non-CG DNA methylation marks domains of active chromatin in female mouse brain. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2017. 4. Daxinger, L. and E. Whitelaw, Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance: more questions than answers. Genome Res, 2010. 20(12): p. 1623-8. 5. Chen, Z.J., Genetic and epigenetic mechanisms for gene expression and phenotypic variation in plant polyploids. Annu Rev Plant Biol, 2007. 58: p. 377-406. 6. De Prins, S., et al., Influence of ambient air pollution on global DNA methylation in healthy adults: a seasonal follow-up. Environ Int, 2013. 59: p. 418-24. 7. Bollati, V., et al., Changes in DNA methylation patterns in subjects exposed to low-dose benzene. Cancer Res, 2007. 67(3): p. 876-80. 8. Xing, C., et al., Methylation and expression analysis of tumor suppressor genes p15 and p16 in benzene poisoning. Chem Biol Interact, 2010. 184(1-2): p. 306-9. 9. Kim, K.Y., et al., Association of low-dose exposure to persistent organic pollutants with global DNA hypomethylation in healthy Koreans. Environ Health Perspect, 2010. 118(3): p. 370-4. 10. Pilsner, J.R., et al., Influence of prenatal lead exposure on genomic methylation of cord blood DNA. Environ Health Perspect, 2009. 117(9): p. 1466-71. 11. Crews, D., et al., Transgenerational epigenetic imprints on mate preference. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2007. 104(14): p. 5942-6. 12. Srivastava, S., et al., Association of polymorphisms in angiotensin and aldosterone synthase genes of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system with high-altitude pulmonary edema. J Renin Angiotensin Aldosterone Syst, 2012. 13(1): p. 155-60. 13. Li, M. and C. Zhao, Study on Tibetan Chicken embryonic adaptability to chronic hypoxia by revealing differential gene expression in heart tissue. Sci China C Life Sci, 2009. 52(3): p. 284-95. 14. Li, R., et al., SOAP2: an improved ultrafast tool for short read alignment. Bioinformatics, 2009. 25(15): p. 1966-7. 15. Turner, T.L., et al., Population resequencing reveals local adaptation of Arabidopsis lyrata to serpentine soils. Nat Genet, 2010. 42(3): p. 260-3. 16. Liu, S., et al., Population genomics reveal recent speciation and rapid evolutionary adaptation in polar bears. Cell, 2014. 157(4): p. 785-94. 17. Li, Q., et al., Genome-wide mapping of DNA methylation in chicken. PLoS One, 2011. 6(5): p. e19428. 18. Hu, Y., et al., Comparison of the genome-wide DNA methylation profiles between fast-growing and slow-growing broilers. PLoS One, 2013. 8(2): p. e56411. 19. Carrillo, J.A., et al., Methylome Analysis in Chickens Immunized with Infectious Laryngotracheitis Vaccine. PLoS One, 2015. 10(6): p. e0100476. 20. Tian, F., et al., DNMT gene expression and methylome in Mareks disease resistant and susceptible chickens prior to and following infection by MDV. Epigenetics, 2013. 8(4): p. 431-44.

Fighting For Our Love Ones Essay -- essays research papers

In today’s world, most families have a love one struggling to live with cancer, HIV, glaucoma, or multiple sclerosis. Most of us, here in the United States, have watched a love one endure the pain of chemotherapy, uncontrollable muscle spasms, or blindness. Our love ones not only suffer physical pain, but mental anguish as well. Our dying loves ones are at war with our Federal Government. They are fighting for a chance at a better quality of life. They are fighting for the legalization of marijuana for medical use. Until marijuana is legalized for medical use, our love ones are forced to break the law. "†¦my gift to my husband, John Joseph who died last year. At the end of his life, my husband was wracked with pain from lung cancer. Marijuana was one medication that eased his intense pain, and nausea during chemotherapy. But, to get marijuana to help JJ, we had to break the law. †¦my husband’s ability to tolerate chemotherapy after a couple of puffs of marijuana extended his life and improved his quality of life (1)." That was an excerpt from a letter written by Anne Boyce to the voters of California for the passage of Proposition 215. In 1996, Proposition 215 was a proposed legislation in California that makes it legal for doctors to prescribe marijuana to terminally ill patients. Proposition 215 was passed by the voters of California, but patients who use marijuana could still and are prosecuted by our Federal Government. Anne Boyce broke the law in order to obtain marijuana for her dying husband. Anne Boyce, a sixty-seven year old Registered Nurse, is not your typical criminal, now is she? Nevertheless, if Anne Boyce was caught by the law enforcement, she would be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Federally, possession of even one joint carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison (7). Cultivation of even one plant is a felony, with a maximum sentence of five years (7). Is this fair? Anne Boyce and others like her are law-abiding citizens, but they or someone they love are suffering from a grave illness, and legal pharmaceuticals do not ease the pain. So, they are force to break the law. Wouldn’t you do the same for your love one? I know I would. There is a need for a change. "I often drove her to the ho... ...he new millenium, the United States is well equipped with technology to address and to solve these problems. How can we help our love ones deal with the pain and agony of a deadly disease? How can we improve the quality of their lives? The answer is simple. Marijuana has been proven to be therapeutic, to have countless medical benefits, and to be remarkably safe. The medical use of marijuana needs to be legalized. It would be monitored just like any other controlled substance. This solution is easy. Legalizing marijuana would go through the same procedure as the other medically prescribed substance. It is up to us. We, the people of America, need to follow in the footsteps of Anne Boyce as well as the voters of California. We need to write to our Congressmen. Let our Senators and our Representatives know of our wishes, our rights. We need to talk a stand. Follow the advice of a once great President, Thomas Jefferson, who once said "if people let the government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be as in sorry state as are the souls of those who live under tyranny."

Due Process vs. Crime Control Model :: Criminal Justice

Due Process vs. Crime Control Model   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The two models of crime that have been opposing each other for years are the due process model and the crime control model. The due process model is the principle that an individual cannot be deprived of life, liberty, or property without appropriate legal procedures and safeguards. ( Answers.Com) Any person that is charged with a crime is required to have their rights protected by the criminal justice system under the due process model. The crime control model for law enforcement is based on the assumption of absolute reliability of police fact-finding, treats arrestees as if they are already found guilty. (Crime control model) This paper will compare and contrast the role that the due process and crime control models have on shaping criminal procedure policy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Some of the differences between the due process model and the crime control model are in the due process model people that are arrested are perceived to be innocent until proven in a court of law. The crime control model believes that the people that are arrested are guilty and need to be punished by the government. Another difference with both models is the due process model believes that policing within the criminal justice system is essential to maintaining justice within society. The crime control model believes that the arresting of people in the criminal justice system has a negative effect and slows down the process of the criminal justice system. One more difference is the due process model believes in the rights of the defendants and proving their guilt is essential to keep the government in control. The crime control model believes that the rights of the defendant cost too much and the criminal justice system should be spending more money on recruiting p olice officers and building prisons.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although both models have some differences, they also have some similarities. The due process model and the crime control model both believe that the defense counsel’s job is to act as an advocate within the criminal justice system. Another similarity of both models is they both believe that criminals should be punished if they violated the law.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There seems to be more differences than similarities between the due process model and the crime control model.

Geek Weekly :: Advertising Essays

Geek Weekly Tired of lame, homogenized tech news addressed in laymen’s terms? Subscribe to Geek Weekly magazine!! Geek Weekly: Not Your Mother’s Computer Magazine This isn’t just another generic technology periodical marketed bluntly toward every computer user in North America. No, this is a magazine just for you, the true geek, who craves rich and creamy technological news, at the speed of technology – tasty, up-to-the-minute reviews and reports, delivered to you every week. Geek Weekly features all the latest industry news, a full-featured video game hints and reviews section, and editorial reviews of the latest gadgets and hardware, written by geeks just like you (except for the fact that these geeks are good writers). With every dweeb-certified issue, you’ll get a CD-ROM packed to the 650 with the newest, coolest demos and utilities. If you’re not convinced yet, seek medical attention. But first, read on. How much does this amazing magazine that caters to all of my geekly urges cost, you say? You’ll be pleased to hear that for a limited time we are offering a 12-month Geek Weekly subscription at over 65% off the yearly newsstand cost of $98.45. That’s 52 issues plus special holiday supplements for only $31.95. We know what you want. We give you what you want. This magazine has it all. Sure, you could waste hours every day picking up scraps of information off the Internet that might be equivalent to what you would read on the cover of last September’s Geek Weekly, but let’s face it; even though you’re a geek, you don’t have that time to waste. You’d rather be browsing eBay or playing Unreal against an Australian guy. So make it easy for yourself! Subscribe to Geek Weekly and get a one-up on all your friends. Oh, and when they beg you for a subscription card from one of your issues, be nice and give it to them so that they can subscribe, because we want to make more money.

Case Study: P.F. Chang serves its workers well Essay

It is suggested by various text books and management tutors alike, that the mastering of the four functions of management; Planning, controlling, organising and leading along with developing technical, human and conceptual skills, should go some way to allowing a manager some degree of success in the field of management. Of course, having skills is just part of being an effective manager, these skills and functions must be communicated in a way that fellow managers and workers can understand and act upon. The case study of P.F. Chang, a U.S based chain of ‘Asian Bistros’ and ‘contemporary Chinese diners’ â€Å"P.F. Chang serves its workers well†, indicates a number of systems in place by the company that allows its managers to plan, organise and lead their workers and control the final product. The communication process is also aided by processes in individual restaurants. Of course, any individual is responsible for their own behaviour and young mana gers develop their own ‘style’ over time, but for a P.F. Chang manager certain skills need to be mastered to assimilate themselves with the culture and values of the company. Of the four management functions that a manager at P.F. Chang would require to manage a restaurant effectively, it could be argued that leading is the most important. The ‘Leadership Grid’ of Robert Blake and Jane Mouton (Schermerhorn, et al., p246) illiterates a scale of ‘concern’ for both people and production. The case study of P.F. Chang restaurants shows the company’s concern for its people, (‘P.F. Chang serves it’s people well’). It can, therefore, be assumed that on the Blake and Mouton scale, the concern for people is ‘high’. As both restaurant managers and workers achieving the ‘shared purpose’ of customer satisfaction. A P.F. Chang manager, would according to the Blake and Mouton grid, be required to adopt the management style of a ‘Team Manager’. As noted in the case study, most the workers are ‘typically young’ and that could present challengers. Developing a ‘hu man’ management skill would be very beneficial for a P.F. Chang manager due to the make up of the most of workers at each restaurant. In a recent study of Generation Y hospitality workers, it was concluded that even though there was a desire by the respondents to work less hours to ensure a positive work/life balance, â€Å"employee engagement can mean high commitment in recruitment, retention and performance.† (Axwell, 2010). Further reading into the management of the members of Gen Y (those born after 1980 and the most likely the age group that makes up the staff members at P.F. Chang’s) show that certain styles of leadership are called for. Eisner suggests that â€Å"Gen Y workers tend to have unbridled energy, endless enthusiasm, and the skills and experience of those much older [and] they should be managed with a coaching style† (Eisner, 2005). Obviously, not all workers at P.F. Chang will be Gen Y, and of course, not all Gen Y employees will respond to the same style of management. So the effective P.F Chang restaurant manger would need to have an awareness of how different style of manag ement would motivate each worker. Each manager at P.F. Chang’s may bring their own beliefs on what makes them effective as a manager. This could prove to be a hindrance if the individual manager is not open to learning (and putting into practice) a different style of management, subsequently re-evaluateing their approach to how they manage their restaurant to bring themselves in line to P.F. Chang’s corporate values. Emphasising that different generations may require different management strategies, Axwell explains that â€Å"Compared with other generations, Gen Y tends to have less respect for rank and more respect for ability and accomplishment. Expectations should be explained to Gen Y from the outset, including the big picture and how they fit into it.† (Axwell, 2010) Along with many other businesses operating in the current economic environment, P.F. Chang’s business relies on customers discretionary spending and P.F. Chang makes a point of putting their customers’ satisfaction at the forefront of their business. This position is illustrated in the 2010 financial report of P.F. Chan g which stated that the company’s aim was to â€Å"strive to create a loyal customer base that generates a high level of repeat business in our restaurants and translates to interest and trial of our retail products [however] Our business is highly sensitive to changes in guest traffic and our operators concentrate on consistent execution of superior customer service while also focusing on additional opportunities for operating efficiencies† (P.F. Chang, 2011). Some workers may struggle with the concept of ‘exceptional customer service’ and a P.F. Chang manager must find ways to organise those workers to meet the companies expectations while upholding the companies values of openness and respect. The case study mentions that ‘restaurant managers face the challenge every day of putting the right person in the right job, creating a team that works well together’. At P.F. Chang, staff meet before every work shift where the manager is able to organise staff, reminding them of them of their duties for which ever role they may occupy. This meeting could also give the manager an insight into which member of the team may be feeling unmotivated and time could then be made to talk to the team member and discuss any issues. By delegating tasks from a manger to an employee it conveys a sense of trust in the worker, and sense of empowerment. Furthermore, it gives the manager more time to complete other tasks. This delegation is evident at P.F. Chang. The case study notes that by giving servers authority to replace meals and the ‘freedom to make decisions’ there is a reported positive impact on staffs attitude and performance. Regional Vice President, Roxanne Pronk says that those freedoms extended to employees have ‘a huge impact on their attitude and performance’. Some research, however has found that not all employees actually want extra freedom to decisions. A front line service worker in a 2008 survey of the empowerment made the comment that they were not paid to make decision, stating â€Å"that’s a supervisor’s job, that’s not my job† Other respondents mentioned they wanted extra money for doing extra things, and they see it (empowerment) as extra things to their work (Ueno, 2008). Conversely, it is suggested that some employees are more likely to improve their behaviour when given added responsibility while others may resent it. A manager should be aware that a ‘one size fits all’ approach where the assumption is that every member of the team wants added responsibility is unfair, not just on the individual worker who is happy with their current work load and level of responsibility, but also for any particular worker who desires increased responsibility, but does not get it. As noted in Chen et al â€Å"managers need to make judgments regarding whom to empower and to what extent† (Ford, Myron, Russ, & Millam, 1995) Ueno concludes that â€Å"empowerment can improve both customer satisfaction and employee attitudes and behaviour† but also â€Å"that high empowerment does not necessarily represent high service quality while low empowerment does not inevitably correspond to low service quality† (Ueno, 2008). Information such as this could help the P.F Chang manger in organising workers, assigning roles that the employee feels comfortable with, acknowledge that while some employees will enjoy extra roles and increase their engagement, some may not and the encouragement of taking on more responsibility may actually be detrimental to the business. Being able to master the managerial functions and skills is, of course, only one part of the process for a P.F. Chang manger. How the information is conveyed to the staff of the restaurant is another set of skills that would need to be achieved. Good leaders tend to be good communicators who find ways to overcome barriers to effective communica tion. Restaurants by their nature of being a place where many people gather can be nosy places, the kitchens that serves the talking customers can be even noisier and servers waiting on tables do not generally have access to work stations with computers where they can regularly check email or other forms of electronic notifications. It would be important for the manager to establish systems for effective communication with the staff. One such system seems to have been established, as the case study mentions â€Å"every work shift †¦. begins with a staff meeting†. As noted in the case study, this meeting is used primarily â€Å"to motivate workers to head into their shifts with an upbeat outlook†, and as noted earlier, serves as a function for managers to organise staff according to their strengths. From a communications perspective, this meeting would also be the perfect opportunity for managers to disseminate information that could be useful for front line staff members to pass on to customers, for example, changes to menu items. P.F. Chang’s also places emphasis on respect and open communication between its managers and staff. As noted in the case study, managers sit down and discuss if and how workers external issues may be affecting their performance at work. Part of developing this ‘human skill’ which is essential for a task such as this is ‘active listening’. Schermerhorn, et al. state that â€Å"when people ‘talk’, they are trying to communicate something. That ‘something’ may or may not be what they are saying† (p 462). Further to this, Schmerhorn et al also show that different ways of communicating are more effective than others. This ‘channel richness’ or â€Å"the capacity if a communication channel to effectively carry information† (pg 456) argues that face to face meeting can be much more effective in conveying information than ‘hard copy’ like postings or bulletins. In addition to P.F. Chang managers conducting staff meetings before every shift, they also are engaged in discussions with their staff regarding performance issues. With these meetings being face to face, they would be ‘personal and two way’ and thus, ‘high in richness’. Any outcomes and possible agreements made between the manger and employee to meet a specific target to improve performance is more likely to be understood by the employee. Conversely, by sitting down and having a chat, the manager would gain a broader understanding of any issues that may be resulting in the change of behaviour or lack of engagement on the employee. Having open communication between the manager and employee also seems to have benefits for the business. Authors of a study which looked at service worker behaviour found that â€Å"conformance to service standards [are] more likely to be met if service standards are communicated and understood by all members of the organization, including line employees. Thus, open communication between frontline employees and managers is important for achieving service quality† (Chen, 2010). Developing skills for effective communication for the P.F. Chang manager is of course the key to this communication process being effective, along with having an awareness of barriers to effective communication. Age, gender or generational differences can also prove to be a barrier. Returning to a broad example of younger employees â€Å"Gen Y workers tend to look for instant gratification [and] tend to be constant negotiators and questioners, ‘how’ meetings become ‘why’ meetings† (Axwell, 2010) The afore mentioned poor channels of communication like bulletins along with the more subtle areas such as negative body language and other non-verbal communication and a lack of active listening skills may be covered in the training that P.F. Chang’s gives it restaurant managers. As with a lot of large chains, the overall di rection of the business would come from senior management. Planning as a function of the business as a whole, would therefore not be within the gambit of specific P.F. Chang restaurants managers. Of course, a degree of planning would be required and an awareness of this process would be important to the successful management of the restaurant. Schermerhorn, et al. describe planning as â€Å"the process of setting objectives and determining how to accomplish them† (p20). Referring back to the case study, a P.F. Chang manger may set objectives based on the engagement of their staff. For example, reducing absenteeism on days of the week when the restaurant is busiest. The achievement of this objective may be helped by the attitude adopted by the company in dealing with staff whose’ performance does not meet the company standards – an initiative directed by head office, but implemented at restaurant level. Ultimately, the managerial function of control is important to ensure the final product meets the required standard, in the case of P.F. Chang, the experience of diners – from the service to the food. As Merchant points out â€Å"the need or controls over any particular behaviour or operation within an organization depends very simply on the impact of that area on overall organizational performance. Thus more control should be exercised over a strategically important behaviour rather than over a minor one, regardless of how easy it is to control each† (Merchant, 1982). There are many issues that a restaurant manager must contend with on a day to day basis that will have no direct relation to people management, but due to the importance that the restaurant staff have to the overall business, this is the area that the most time should be devoted too. It can be assumed that controls for managing customers satisfaction would at first managed at restaurant level, indeed, the case study highlights that â€Å"the server has the authority to replace a meal†. Should this not be enough to satisfy the complaint of the customer, it may be escalated to the restaurant manager. Since all employees receive â€Å"extensive training† and their employee hand book, it could be assumed that managing customer complaints would be included in this. Once again, the control function would be lead by directives from further up the management chain, but the restaurant manager (and server) would be equipped with the skills and expectations on how to engage with dissatisfied customers. Schermerhorn, et al states that â€Å"the task of a manager is to bring the organisations resources into alignment with its purpose in a way that is sustainable in the organisations operating environment† (p 19). The case study ‘P.F. Chang serves its workers well’ highlights some of the processes that are established throughout the company that can assist the restaurant manager in effective management of a restaurant. For a restaurant manager at P.F. Chang, the goal of maintaining the motivation of the team of restaurant workers is the skill that would most need to be mastered – the function of leading – through a thorough understanding the workers being lead, how they might be thinking and how they wish to be managed, along with a healthy dose of leadership theory. Similarly, by knowing the personalities of the team, they can be organised to ensure a more productive work business. Those who are facing issues outside of work and those who want more responsibility (and those who don’t) can be managed accordingly. The P.F. Chang restaurant manager has surport from head office by way of systems in planning, but should know that control over staff and how they interact with the customers is of paramount importance. And finally, the P.F. Chang manager must acquiesce effective communication skills lead and motivate in the most effective way, and organised the team with the members that are willing and able to perform varying tasks assigned them and manage discuss in respectful and constructive way when controls in place to ensure performance targets are not met. Bibliography Axwell, G. (2010). Generation Y’s Career Expectations and Aspirations: Engagement in the Hospitality Industry. Journal Of Hospitality And Tourism Management , 60. Chen, H. R.-J. (2010). Empowerment in hospitality organizations: Customer orientation and organizational support. International Journal of Hospitality Management , 422, 424. Eisner, S. P. (2005). Managing Generation Y. SAM Advanced Management Journal . Ford, R. C., Myron, F. D., Russ, D. E., & Millam, E. R. (1995). Empowerment: A Matter of Degree. The Academy of Management Executive . Merchant, K. A. (1982). The Control Function of Management. Sloan Management Review , p. 48. P.F. Chang. (2011, Febuary 16). Form 10-K for P F CHANGS CHINA BISTRO INC . Retrieved January 18, 2012, from Yahoo Finance.com: http://biz.yahoo.com/e/110216/pfcb10-k.html Schermerhorn, J. R., Davidson, Poole, Simon, & Chau, W. &. (2011). Management. Milton, QLD: John Wiley & Sons Australia. Ueno, A. (2008). Is empowerment really a contributory factor to service quality? The Service Industries Journal , 1329.