Composition and Seperations Essay

When a kernel of popcorn is heated, pressure builds and, depending on the percent of water in the kernel, the kernel pops open and popcorn is produced. The percentage of water in each kernel differs between brands of popcorn. If the steam produced fails to pop the kernel, the kernel becomes hard and burns. The purpose of Part 1, â€Å"Popcorn Composition†, of the â€Å"Composition and Separations Lab was to determine whether premium popcorn brands display desirable qualities when measured and compared with cheaper brands of popcorn. The experimental relevance of Part 1 of the experiment was to demonstrate the effects of water in a popcorn kernel when heated and converted to heat. Differences in water percentage determine whether or not the kernel will burst and create popcorn. In Part 2, â€Å"Separating a Solid Mixture†, the purpose was to work with supplies in the lab to separate a solid mixture of popcorn, sand, salt and iron filings into the four separate components to eventually learn the percent composition of the solid mixture. By developing a plan to separate the mixture, the group should have ended up with four separate items with weights that added up to the original weight of the mixture. The experimental relevance of Part 2 of the experiment was to learn how to separate each component in a four part solid mixture from each other. Procedure: In part 1 of this week’s lab three popcorn kernels of a one brand were given to each group. A Bunsen burner was set up by each group and the three kernels were each weighed separately on an electric balance. The Bunsen burner was then lit following the instructions given. (ch185) A 100mL beaker was obtained and filled with a half inch of clean sand. The beaker was placed on a ring stand and one kernel of popcorn was submerged into the sand. The beaker was then covered with a watch glass and heated over the Bunsen burner until the kernel popped. After popping, the kernel was removed and weighed and the moisture content was measured. This procedure occurred for all three kernels. After the moisture content of all three kernels were measured, an average was deduced for the three and written on the board. Each of the other four groups also wrote their averages for their individual brand on the board to give the class a better understanding of the differences in moisture content for each of the five brands. In part 2 of this week’s lab, a 50mL beaker was filled with a solid mixture consisting of popcorn, sand, salt and iron filings. The group then got the mass of the entire mixture and began sketching a plan to separate the mixture properly into its original four contents. First the group separated the popcorn from the mixture by using a drainer. The popcorn was then weighed. Second, the iron filings were separated using a magnet after pouring the remaining mixture onto a piece of paper. After the magnet collected all iron, the iron was scraped into a beaker and the weight was recorded. The third and final separation used a beaker and a filter paper. The filter paper was weighed and put into a filter that spilt into the beaker. The remaining salt/sand mixture was then poured into the filter paper using water to dissolve the salt. After the solution was put into the filter paper and the salt had dissolved, the filter paper and sand was dried and then weighed. After subtracting the filter paper weight from the weight of the filter paper and sand together, the weight of the sand was known. Once you had the weight of the sand, iron and popcorn, the weight of the salt was found by subtracting the three combined weights from the original weight of the mixture. To find the percent composition of each component, the weight of each was divided by 100 and, in the end, each components percent added up to 100% of the initial mixture. Results/ Data/ Calculations: Part 1: Each group determined the moisture percentage of their brand of popcorn. Table 1 shows the moisture content of each brand. Table 1: Moisture Percentage of Popcorn Brands Group Number| Popcorn Brand Used| Percent Moisture| 1| Act III| 6.24 %| 2| Food Club| 8.35 %| 3| Jolly Time| 12.2 %| 4| Orville Redenbacher| 7.47 %| 5| Pop Perfect| 6.22 %| Jolly Time popcorn was measured for weight and the moisture content was then measured. Table 2 shows the initial weights, final weights, moisture contents and percent moistures of each of the three trials performed. Table 2: Moisture Percentage by Weight of Jolly Time Popcorn Kernels Kernel| Initial Weight (g)| Final Weight (g)| Moisture Content| % Moisture| 1| 0.105 g| 0.086 g| 0.019 g| 17.8 %| 2| 0.138 g| 0.140 g| -0.003 g| -1.89 %| 3| 0.113 g| 0.106 g| 0.007 g| 6.55 %| AVERAGE| 0.109 g| 0.096 g| 0.013 g| 12.2 %| Sample Calculations: Find weight= (cupcake holder + kernel – cupcake holder) = (.263 g – .177 g) = 0.086 g Moisture Content= Initial weight – final weight = 0.105 g – 0.086 g = 0.019 g % Moisture= Moisture content x 100 Initial weight of kernel = 0.019 g = 17.8% 0.105 g Average % moisture = 17.8 + 6.55 = 12.2% 2 Part 2: The weight and eventually percentage composition was measure in a mixture of corn, iron, sand and salt and then with each component individually. Table 3 shows the weight and % compositions. Table 3: Percent composition of Mixture Material| Weight (g)| % Composition| Full Mix| 42.2 g| 100 %| Corn| 3.26 g| 7.79 %| Iron| 19.0 g| 45.0 %| Sand| 15.7 g| 32.5 %| Salt| 6.25 g| 14.8 %| Sample Calculations: Percent Composition:Initial Weight x100 Total Mixture Weight Beaker with nothing: 59. 95 g Beaker with mix: 102.1 g W/ Mix:102.1 g W/O Mix: – 59.95g 42.98 g Discussion: The experiment in part 1 was done to show that even slight differences in moisture content in popcorn make a big difference when it comes to the popcorn’s â€Å"popping† abilities. Before the experiment, the moisture content and its effect on popcorn were unknown. After the experiment each group left with the knowledge of moisture content in both preferred brands and cheap brands of popcorn. This experiment gave insight into the importance of exactness for popcorn companies pertaining to the moisture content in each kernel. The experiment in part 2 was performed to show that most solid mixtures can be separated if using the right tools. Each group had to propose a solution to separating the mixture and then weighing each of the four components afterwards to conclude if they added up to the initial weight of the solid mixture. This experiment allowed students to use their brains to separate any solid mixture that they come in contact with, which will be helpful for the future in this lab and others. Throughout the two parts of this experiment several specific errors were found and dealt with. In part 1 of this experiment several popcorn kernels were burnt and did not pop. These kernels may have affected our experiment by giving us false data, as we did not include these kernels in any final data. With burnt popcorn kernels, we were shown that the moisture content in the popcorn brand given may have resulted in one of the â€Å"cheap† brands given. In part 2 of our experiment, the initial weight was supposed to be taken before separating any part of the mixture. Unfortunately, the initial weight was skipped before the popcorn was separated. The popcorn then had to be put back into the mixture and the mixture was then weighed for the initial weight. This may have affected the final data, although it was a small error. In part 2 another error occurred when the group began to separate the salt and sand in an incorrect manner. This, however, did not affect final data, as the salt would have been eliminated anyway. Conclusions: The goals in this experiment for part 1 were to determine the moisture content in a brand of popcorn, compare the given brand with others in the lab and then find out if moisture content affects the ‘popping’ or corn and which brand or brands has a better likelihood of popping (i.e. preferred vs. cheap brands). In part 2 of the experiment the goals were to separate a solid mixture and then find the percent composition of each of the four materials within the mixture. The average moisture percentage for Jolly Time popcorn was 12.2 %. To get to this point, the group popped three separate kernels and found the moisture percentage for each and then averaged them. The percent composition for part 2 of the solid mixture was 7.79 % for corn, 45.0 % for iron, 32.5 % for sand and 14.8% for salt. These measurements added up to the 100% solid mixture and the weights added up correctly. References: Ch185. How to Light and Adjust a Bunsen Burner. http://ch185.semo.edu/labsafe/bunsen.html (accessed Feb 12, 2013). Composition and Separations. http://linus.chem.ku.edu/genchemlab/184SP13/Download184_Labs/Composition%20and%20Separations%20Chem%20184%20Spring%202013.pdf (accessed Feb 12, 2013) Guidelines for Laboratory Reports http://linus.chem.ku.edu/GenChemLab/184SP13/guidelines%20for%20lab%20reports.htm (accessed Feb 12, 2013)

Kaze Lato

In theory, point of view reveals a perspective from which the narrator tells the story. Analyzing a story’s point of view will provide us with answers to two questions ‘by whom’ and ‘how’ the story is told. By the way, we can also understand attitude of the writer towards his characters as well. In the case of ‘Babylon Revisited’, the one who tells us this story is a third-person narrator. To be more specific, he is a limited omniscient narrator.Firstly we notice that the narrator addresses the protagonist by name ‘Charlie’ or the third person ‘he’, and also does the same with other characters. This suggests that he stands somewhere beside the story, witnessing it without participating in it, and then retells us what happended- that is why the narrator is called a ‘third-person’. From the objective point of view of a third person narrator, the story appears to be more all-round and reliable. On the o ther hand, the narrator in this story is omniscient.Firstly it is because he can read mind of characters. He leads us into Charlie’s thoughts to have a look at his absolutely different life one year and a half ago and also his nostalgia of it; or to see his loss when finding the Ritz bar gloomy and quiet. â€Å"Charlie directed his taxi to the Avenue de l'Opera, which was out of his way. But he wanted to see the blue hour spread over the magnificent facade, and imagine that the cab horns, playing endlessly the first few bars of La Plus que Lent, were the trumpets of the Second Empire.They were closing the iron grill in front of Brentano's Book-store, and people were already at dinner behind the trim little bourgeois hedge of Duval's. He had never eaten at a really cheap restaurant in Paris. Five-course dinner, four francs fifty, eighteen cents, wine included. For some odd reason he wished that he had. As they rolled on to the Left Bank and he felt its sudden provincialism, h e thought, â€Å"I spoiled this city for myself. I didn't realize it, but the days came along one after another, and then two years were gone, and everything was gone, and I was gone. The narrator knows everything Charlie has in his mind. Furthermore, the narrator even knows things that Charlie is not aware of. The most important of those is the fact that Charlie left his address for Duncan Schaeffer at the beginning of the text, and forgot about it somewhere between the Ritz bar and the Peters' house. This one detail opens up the stage for Charlie's tragic loss of Honoria at the end of the story. Charlie doesn't remember this detail; he's left in confusion as to just how Duncan â€Å"ferreted out the Peters' address† while the narrator know it just because of his omniscience.In addition he is not absolutely omnicient: the narrator is limited within Charlie’s perspective. In most of the story, the author describes the surrounding environment from Charlie’s view , and interprets only Charlie’s thoughts. It is an intention of the author to dig deeply into Charlie’s inner life that the narrator focuses only on Charlie’s mental state. And this confines the narrator to be a limited narrator. However, in a small part of the story, the constant point of view is diverted to another character’s perspective.In the following paragraph, the narrator tells the story from the view of Mrs. Marrion: â€Å"With each remark the force of her dislike became more and more apparent. She had built up all her fear of life into one wall and faced it toward him. Marion shuddered suddenly; part of her saw that Charlie's feet were planted on the earth now, and her own maternal feeling recognized the naturalness of his desire; but she had lived for a long time with a prejudice – a prejudice founded on a curious disbelief in her sister's happiness, and which, in the shock of one terrible night, had turned to hatred for him.It had all happened at a point in her life where the discouragement of ill health and adverse circumstances made it necessary for her to believe in tangible villainy and a tangible villainâ€Å" The oddity in narration does not ruin the flow of the story by interfering with the point of view, but, on the contrary, it contributes considerably to the story because it enhances the reliability. The story would not be so dramatic if readers could not understand the distrust of Mrs. Marrion in Charlie’s reform. This paragraph keeps readers, who is on Charlie’s side at the first place, doubting about the certainty of his willingness to mend.It also reveals the innermost uncertainty to resist alcohol in the nature of Charlie himself. Such is the great effect that a change in point of view can has on the trend of the story. That is a brief portrait of the narrator who tells us the story of ‘Babylon Revisited’. Another question that we are answering is ‘how’ the story is narrated from his point of view. The narrator have a vitally important role in choosing what is mentioned during the story. It is because the world emerging in the story is filtered through the point of view of the narrator.In the case of ‘Babylon Revisited’, surrounding environment in the story is imbued with Charlie’s feelings and thoughts. Fitzgerald uses a technique called ‘stream of consciousness technique’ to narrate this mixture of inside and outside world: â€Å"He left soon after dinner, but not to go home. He was curious to see Paris by night with clearer and more judicious eyes than those of other days. He bought a strapontin for the Casino and watched Josephine Baker go through her chocolate arabesques. After an hour he left and strolled toward Montmartre, up the Rue Pigalle into the Place Blanche.The rain had stopped and there were a few people in evening clothes disembarking from taxis in front of cabarets, and cocottes prowl ing singly or in pairs, and many Negroes. He passed a lighted door from which issued music, and stopped with the sense of familiarity; it was Bricktop's, where he had parted with so many hours and so much money. A few doors farther on he found another ancient rendezvous and incautiously put his head inside. Immediately an eager orchestra burst into sound, a pair of professional dancers leaped to their feet and a maitre d'hotel swooped toward him, crying, â€Å"Crowd just arriving, sir! † But he withdrew quickly†

Ernie Davis Essay

A three-time All-American halfback and 1961 Heisman Trophy winner, Ernie Davis would go on to win MVP title in both the Cotton Bowl and the Liberty Bowl, and was inducted into the College Football Hall Of Fame in 1979. He was the first African American man to win the Heisman Trophy, and to be picked 1st overall in the NFL draft. His career was cut short when he was diagnosed with cancer in 1962. Athlete. American Football player. Ernie Davis was born on December 14, 1939 in New Salem, Pennsylvania, USA. He is the first African American man to win the Heisman Trophy and the first black athlete to be chosen 1st overall in the NFL Draft. A three-time All-American halfback and 1961 Heisman Trophy winner, Davis set yardage and scoring records at Syracuse University. He would go on to win MVP title in both the 1960 Cotton Bowl and the 1961 Liberty Bowl, and would be inducted into the College Football Hall Of Fame in 1979. His honors and accomplishments on the gridiron were matched only by his adversity off the field; As a black athlete playing many games in the south, he was the victim of racism on several occasions. The most publicized incident occurred when he was selected as the Cotton Bowl MVP in 1960. Davis was told by organizers that he would be allowed to accept his award at the post game banquet, and would immediately have to leave the segregated facility. Ernie refused to receive the award, and his entire team agreed to boycott the banquet. A man of firsts, Ernie Davis was the first African American man to win the Heisman Trophy, the first to join the prestigious Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity (a nationally recognized Jewish fraternity) and, in 1962, became the first African American player to be picked 1st overall in the NFL draft. Tragic Death Although the details are somewhat disputed, Davis’ contract was considered to be the most lucrative ever offered to an NFL rookie. His teammates and supporters looked forward to seeing Ernie sharing the backfield with the great Jim Brown, breaking countless records and leading the Cleveland Browns to a decade of victorious seasons. Those seasons would never come, however, as Ernie was diagnosed with acute monocytic leukemia during preparations for the 1962 College All Star Game. Although treatment had begun immediately, the disease would prove incurable and Ernie died on May 18, 1963 – Having never played a professional football game. Both the House and the Senate eulogized him, and his wake was in The Neighborhood House in Elmira, New York, where more than 10,000 mourners paid their respects. Accolades from JFK His character and his athletic accomplishments caught the eye of John F. Kennedy, who had followed Ernie’s college career and made several attempts to meet the star. In 1963, when he heard Ernie would be honored by his high school with a school holiday, the president sent a telegram reading: â€Å"Seldom has an athlete been more deserving of such a tribute. Your high standards of performance on the field and off the field, reflect the finest qualities of competition, sportsmanship and citizenship. The nation has bestowed upon you its highest awards for your athletic achievements. It’s a privilege for me to address you tonight as an outstanding American, and as a worthy example of our youth. I salute you.† Ernie Davis was the subject of the 2008 Universal Pictures film â€Å"The Express,† based on the non-fiction book Ernie Davis: The Elmira Express, by Robert C. Gallagher.

Total quality pointer paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Total quality pointer - Research Paper Example For instance, Quality entails developing and sustaining relationships by evaluating, expecting and fulfilling stipulated or stated requirements or needs. For instance, it is always the norm to seek zero defects and conformance to needs in order to develop and sustain relationships (George, 1998). Quality is the ongoing process of consistently producing what customers’ demands or wants while eliminating and reducing errors before and after delivery of services or goods to the customer. They will look at the segmentation criteria that allows an organization to determine which bunch of consumers are based suited to serve and which service or product offer will meet both the requirements of its selected segment and do better than their competitors. In addition, modern pioneers gather information about what customers needs and this in turn helps the firm to provide the consumers with what they want (Simon, 2011). Further, they focus on target marketing which helps them to brand messages on specific market that are more likely to purchase their product or service than other markets. Having specific knowledge about what target market will enable the firm meet the demands of its customers. Elements of quality are important because they define the firm or organization when it comes to treating or dealing with its customer. This in turn helps an organization know what it needs to do in order to continue providing quality services and products to its customers while outperforming its competitors in the market. Foreseeing the future in terms of what customers expect and that is what the companies need to deliver. Companies should aim to deliver continuous value to their consumers’ changing needs because there is an ever increasing global marketplace. The future quality hangs in balance because most companies are facing challenges to recruit, develop, train

The Hughes H-1 racer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Hughes H-1 racer - Essay Example Hughes, Jr.1 In 1934, Hughes formed the Hughes Aircraft Co., a division of the Hughes Tool Company. Their mission was to build the best racing planes in the world. Hughes Aircraft did just that when it built its first internally designed airplane in 1934: the H-1 racer. Howard Hughes, along with Richard Palmer and a small team of engineers, designed the H-1 racer and Glenn Odekirk, together with his team, built it.2 The wood and metal single-seat monoplane was streamlining at its very best, designed for speed, pure and simple. Designing, building, and extensively testing the plane took the team 18 months but it was well worth the effort. On September 13, 1935, Hughes himself piloted the H-1 to a record-breaking 352 miles per hour at Martin Field, near Santa Ana, California. The previous record was 314 miles per hour. The H-1 was not only the fastest plane, but it was the fastest plane that could fly from standard runways, had practical flight characteristics, and had an almost unimaginable range of nearly 4000 miles (Parker, 2002). The H-1 had two sets of wings. The wings Hughes used to break the landplane speed record were of a low aspect ratio and shorter than those which he used for high-altitude transcontinental flight. The former was originally intended only for short flights at low altitudes; in the latter, Hughes set a new transcontinental record on January 18, 1937 for long-distance, high altitude flights when he recorded an average speed of 332 miles per hour over a course of 2,490 miles.3 The H-1 was powered by a Pratt and Whitney Twin Wasp Junior radial piston engine rated at 700 horsepower at 8,500 feet but which could deliver 1,000 horsepower for high-speed flight. According to Hughes (as cited in Michel, n.d.), â€Å"the H-1 racer was fast because it was clean and yet it attained its speed with a Pratt and Whitney engine of perfectly

Simulation and Its Use in Nursing Education Term Paper

Simulation and Its Use in Nursing Education - Term Paper Example All these are types of simulations which are put in one form or the other. Bottom-line, what they all have in common is that they are all done in a mock situation. This is appropriate because the stake holders perform steadfastly in the clinical setting (Keeping, 2008). Discussion Using simulation, it is simple to bridge the gap between the real condition and the ideal condition. A nursing educator would like to put his or her students into the ideal condition of dealing with real patients. This in reality is not possible because the students are not yet fully qualified to handle real patients in the ideal situation (Brown, Crawford & Hicks, 2003). They might just compromise their health. In order to curb this identified need as required by need assessment, simulation is used. Need assessment is a well choreographed process whereby the gaps or discrepancies between the conditions that are faced now and the ideal conditions are established and addressed appropriately. The students are placed in the ideal situation using simulation. ... Associate degree students who are preparing to handle patients in critical conditions are best taught using simulation. This puts them in an almost real scenario without real danger to the patients. Patients suffering from conditions such as Myocardial infarction and Congestive heart failure are in very critical conditions. In congestive heart failure the heart is not able to pump enough blood that meets all the needs of the body. Myocardial infarction on the other hand is a condition where an interruption occurs to the flow of blood to some part of the heart and as a result the cells of the heart give in and die. These students under simulation feel the real urgency and quagmire in a race to save the patients’ lives. They are compelled to have a rush of adrenalin and adopt enhanced critical thinking. Simulation therefore greatly benefits the medical teaching fraternity by alleviating the risk of harming critically ill patients from the inexperience of student professionals (O rme, 2007). Simulation in these critical conditions is however facing significant challenges. It is such a great huddle to cross in trying to create a precise simulated condition of the real situation that goes down in the operation theatres that handle these critically ill patients (Gomm & Davies, 2000). It might be quite a challenge to implement the practicum. Simulations are only the imitations of the real life scenarios. They are not quite the real thing. Going into a simulation environment with the full knowledge that the environment is only an imitation is such a challenge. It compromises the creativity and ability to learn or teach. In order to mitigate this challenge, it is important to try and forget the fact that a simulation is not the real life scenario. It is possible

Ideas From Response to Intervention Research Paper

Ideas From Response to Intervention - Research Paper Example The model introduces inclusiveness into the education model through introducing more accommodating models of instructions and a need-based allocation of the learning facilities to the targeted learners’ teams. One of the models concentration areas is addressing the learning difficulties detected in learners at earlier stages before they adjust to them, to the extent that they will need exposure to special education programs. From exposing students to high quality instruction models and interventions at the very initial stages of the problems detected, the model is able to prevent these subjects from falling behind their counterparts. This paper is an appraisal of RTI models to determine the ideas that are familiar, those that are new and intriguing, and those that seem confusing and impractical (Hale 16-27). Discussion Some of the assumptions adopted by the RTI model form the core aspect of learning of different students, and provide a framework for understanding the reality s urrounding the learning ability of all learners. Some of the ideas contained in the assumptions adopted by RTI clearly define the dynamics that need to be introduced into the delivery of education towards realizing a more accommodative model of education for all learners. These ideas are discussed below (Sahlberg 167). The educational structure can successfully teach all learners – despite the imminent personality and intellectual variations between one learner and the other. From the study of Sahlberg (167), the ability of teachers to offer instructions from research based approaches depending on the success of the given model improves the performance of different students in a significant manner. The use of innovative models in offering instructions to learners can also accommodate both slow and fast learning students, including support of abstract ideas with diagrams, demonstrations and descriptions, all supposed to create better understanding. The problem-solving abilitie s of teachers also contribute greatly to the success of low-performing students as these are cultivated into the learning model. Some of the traits introduced into this approach include planning, reflection, evaluation and action to integrate what is taught at classes (Sahlberg 10). Based on these reviewed facts, it is clear that the introduction of research-based instructions, adopting those that work best, instructing using innovative models and cultivating instruction absorption models among the students can greatly influence the performance of different learners – both fast and slow. These facts, therefore, can be applied to prove the credibility of the idea presented by RTI that an effective learning system can effectively teach all students. From class and group work during my course, I have experienced the fact that student-based instruction models can foster the performance of different learners including those that are intellectually challenged. An example is a case where diagrams were greatly helpful in cultivating the success of group members, especially those who could not comprehend abstract ideas substantially (Sahlberg 167). RTI models also work on the basis of the principle that early intervention is vital towards avoiding the development of learning-based problems. From the case of Finnish schools explained in Sahlberg (155), the training of teachers to make them highly capable of detecting and diagnosing problems among their students, classrooms and schools has been a great step towards addressing the learning

Leadership and management 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Leadership and management 2 - Essay Example Purpose and Requirements of Commissioning for GP Consortia in the NHS The purpose and requirements of commissioning of GP Consortia in NHS is as follows: 1. The main objective of GP Consortia Commissioning is to ensure that the design and structure of the health system is unique and innovative and different (Doctors.net.uk, 2011). 2. The Commissioning calls for the designing a healthcare system, which would revolve around the needs and requirements of the patients (Doctors.net.uk, 2011). 3. It also ensures that the NHS resources are properly utilized. Principles and Practice of Commissioning in the NHS Commissioning in the NHS is considered a method and approach, which concentrates on delivering healthcare facilities and services to the general population. Furthermore, the approach is based on the needs and requirements of the patient. The process of commissioning is considered to be â€Å"complex process with responsibilities ranging from assessing population needs, prioritizing he alth outcomes, procuring products and services, and managing service providers† (Department of Health Website, 2011).  Ã‚  In simple terms, commission in the NHS is considered to be the procedure and a methodology, which concentrates on delivery of healthcare resources to the general public. The principles of Commissioning in the NHS are as follows: 1. ... 5. â€Å"Using commissioning not just to retain existing services or commission new ones but, where necessary, to decommission services which are inefficient, ineffective, inequitable or unsustainable† (GP Commissioning Consortia, 2010). 6. Striving for constant and ongoing improvement and enhancement in the healthcare system. 7. Ensuring that performance of the healthcare system is enhanced and improved. Commissioning Process in the NHS The first step is to understand the process of commissioning in the NHS. The Commissioning process in the NHS calls for identification and recognition of the intended healthcare outcomes. Furthermore, it calls for meeting the needs and demands of the general public along with proper utilization of resources and priorities (Department of Health Website, 2011). For this purpose, it is essential to identify the needs and requirements of the public. Healthcare providers are considered to be the main providers of information and knowledge in the st age of understanding. Based on their perspective, services and facilities are designed in accordance to the need and requirements of the public. After the identification of needs and requirements, it is essential to make an assessment. The process of assessment concentrates on delivering services in an effective manner, opting for the best and sustainable option (GP Commissioning Consortia, 2010). The next step calls for the implementation of the commissioning strategies and ensuring that the resources are utilized in a proper way. After the implementation of commissioning strategies, it is essential to review and report the intended outcomes. How a Medical Practice can become Part of a Practice

Estrogen Signaling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Estrogen Signaling - Essay Example Estrogen is one of the important sex hormones. It has definite physiological roles, the most important of which are sexual and reproductive functions. Other biological roles include involvement in various functions attributing to the cardiovascular, immune, central nervous system and musculoskeletal systems (Gustafsson, 2003; cited in Heldring, 2007: 906). The body produces many estrogen types, the most potent of which is 12- beta estradiol or E2. E2, along with its 2 metabolites estriol and estrone exerts various biophysiological effects in the body (Heldring, 2007). These effects are mediated through binding of the molecules of estrogen to specific estrogen receptors. Currently, 2 specific estrogen receptors have been identified and they are ER-alpha and ER-beta. These receptors belong to class-1 nuclear receptors (Petterson and Gustafsson, 2001; cited in Heldring, 2007: 907). Binding of the ligands to these receptors induces certain conformation changes in the receptor which in tu rn leads to a series of changes in the receptors and ultimately ends in the preinitiation complex. The changes which occur in the receptors are migration of ER from cytosol to nucleus, dimerisation of the receptor molecules, binding and interactions between dimerised receptor protein and specific sequences of DNA, recruitment of various coregulator proteins concerned with the biological action and also recruitment of various transcription factors (Paech, Webb, Kuiper, et al,1997; cited in Heldring, 2007: 908).

Group dynamics in the business world Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Group dynamics in the business world - Essay Example This paper tends to discuss the significance of understanding group dynamics in the business world. It also researches how teamwork and interdependence would enhance organizational cohesiveness and its implications in business world. To illustrate, today technology is the most inevitable factor in the rapid changing business world. Web-based technology helps organizations to be more productive by aligning their workforce, information, and resources. Individual efforts alone can not attain the intended goals on proposed time. As new business organizations are rather decentralized in their structure, incorporated information sharing and problem solving have become essential. Therefore, members require specialized training in group dynamics and team building because various factors like diverse personalities, departmental politics, and dispute over leadership might challenge team’ effectiveness (Ackerson W., 1990, p.23). Moreover, teams are the part of an organization’s quality improvement program. Therefore, positive interdependence is essential to achieve mutual goals. Organizations can easily cut down time lag in communication by maintaining positive interdependence. As compared to individual managers, a team can better research the effectiveness of current strategies and identify the weakness if any. However, it is said that research about groups is not always valid and relevant. The validity of the research depends on various factors including the potentiality of members involved, depth of material evaluation, reliability of information collected etc. Groups are believed to have more potential than individuals in problem solving. It helps organizations to compress time by effective interaction between the group members. Strategy designed by group is more reliable; and is less likely to flaw as it is the result of negotiation, bargaining and compromise between many individuals. Group can better

The Language of Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

The Language of Leadership - Essay Example There are five appropriate methods of ensuring that the organization’s workforce harmoniously undertakes the tasks in accordance to the set rules and regulations, and in the absence of coercion. Modern leaders should serve as the center nerve of distributing favorable prepositions to the entire organization. Through the sharing of objectives, leaders set an equated and united organizations as the subjects realize their equated importance and choose to work in teamwork (Kadalie, 2006). Therefore, leaders may apply the collaboration and sharing techniques to ensure teamwork and united performances of tasks in a friendly environment. These variables shall eventually serve to ensure that all performances interrelate directly to the leader’s vision of the organization (Schmid, 2009). Other factors that leaders may use in ensuring that leaders may use to recognize talents of the others include democratic, and dispersed approaches whereby the subjects are able to express their feelings and propose the various methods that they feel as appropriate in undertaking specific tasks. Lastly, leaders may use the dispersion techniques to stimulate integration and the realization of talents amongst his subjects in the organization (Halpern, & Lubar, 2003). Mainly, a leader serves as integral in stimulating performances to excellence and ensuring that all their

Howard Zinns A Peoples History of the United States Essay Example for Free

Howard Zinns A Peoples History of the United States Essay There are two types of people in this story. They are the conquerors and the conquered. The communities that Zinn talks about in the story are the Native Americans and the English settlers that came to America. Out of those communities the conquerors were the English settlers and the conquered were the Native Americans. These two communities had similar and different views on topics. One thing that the two viewed differently was how they viewed the land. The Native Americans believed that the land did not belong to one single person, rather they believed that the land belonged to a whole tribe. The English settlers did not feel the same way. The settlers believed that each individual person had the opportunity to own his own land and that he may do whatever he wants to with it. Another difference the two communities had was their views on religion. The Native Americans did not believe in religion. They believed that there was a type of spiritual force that controlled the land. The English settlers did believe in religion. They worshipped gods and executed religious practices. The two groups did have some similarities though. One similarity was language. The two groups both used language to communicate with one another. Another similarity the two had was a law system. They both had punishments set up for the level of crime that someone within their community committed. Those are some similarities and differences between the two communities. Chapters 2 and 3 Racism is not natural. Zinn expresses this in the story. There are two things that factor into racism not being natural. Those two things are historical forces and human decisions. Historical forces are certain ideas or movements become irresistible forces that will have their way. One example of this is plantations not having enough people to work on them. The plantation owners had Caucasian slaves but they were few and far to come by. They considered using Native Americans as slaves but they were hard to capture and the owners knew that they would rebel. They eventually turned their attention to the very populous African American group. They went out and captured many African Americans and brought them into slavery. Human decision is a purposeful selection from a set of alternatives. An example of human decision is how they treated the slaves. The owners treated the African American slaves way worse than they treated the Caucasian slaves. They made the penalty for crimes committed by African American slaves far worse than those for a white man that had committed the same crime. The owners also felt that the slaves may rebel. If the plantation was attack the black slaves were not given weapons to defend themselves. This was to prevent them from every feeling in power and to prevent rebellions. These two things both factor into racism, but the main one that creates racism is human decision. Racism is not something that is guaranteed to happen. It was not set in stone that one race would hate another. It takes people to create this feeling. People themselves create this feeling and that is why it is human decision.

A Review Of Employee Management Systems Information Technology Essay

A Review Of Employee Management Systems Information Technology Essay Nowadays, Employee Management System is being adopted by many sectors in the real world whether it is small or large scale. But currently most of the fast food restaurant does not have this system implement to the website. Thus, the author decided to develop a web-based employee management system for fast food restaurant. The system will be built consists of human resource management function such as leave request, employee report and job application, this function will be integrated to this web-based system. The aim of this project is to design and develop a web based Employee Management System using PHP and MySQL. In this project, a web-based Employee Management System will be developed for Carls Fast Food restaurant to manage employee job information, working schedule, leave request, employee report on achievement, training and evaluations. In addition the system will also manage job application information that apply job online by visitor. In this web-based system basically it has 4 main users that are administrator, manager, employee and visitor. For employee, manager and administrator they can login to the system through online to perform their different task respectively that available for them, for visitor they can apply job. Where manager can do managerial work such as view/modify/create employee report, in addition it also can approve/deny/view leave request, accept/decline/view interview for job candidate, search for employee information and modify/view employee schedule. Manager can upload a doc file to the administrator, if there is any change about employee and manager information. In addition manager can search for specific employee information, view and print information. In employee, it can request leave and check for leave request whether their leave is approve or deny. Employee also can view working schedule that has been arrange by the manager and search for colleague to view their basic information. Administrator has just a small task such as create new user if there is any new employee, manager and administrator. In addition, it also can modify user information and delete user, and download doc file that uploaded by the manager to update the require information. And lastly the visitor can apply job online through the job application This web-based system is important where it can improve the way of managing and keep track of employee information such as leave request, employee performance report and others. Thus, this can determine the success level of the fast food restaurant. 1.1 Company Background Carls Fast Food Restaurant is one of the fast food restaurants in Malaysia, located at Cheras, Kuala Lumpur which founded in the year of 2008. This fast food restaurant is relatively similar to another fast food restaurant, which primarily sells french fries, fried chicken, hamburger and soft drinks. The restaurant has a traditional way and manual system of managing their employee information, hence the restaurant itself has the intention to improve the management of their employee. 1.2 Problem Statement One of the problems of the current Carls Fast Food restaurant is, they still using the manual way of managing the employee information and records, in term of keeping employee information such as employee leave request, employee report, and employee working schedule. The existing management task on keeping employee records and information of the still has to be done manually by hand written and record it in paper document. Employee records is not always reliable because is it hand written and might cause human error for example manager might write a wrong title in a report. Data duplication problem might happen when manager cant find require information. There is a possibility that data might get misplace when doing manual filling. Due too many data and paperwork that needed to record it could consume a lot of space in the filling cabinet. The retrieval of data can time consuming because it has to be searched from the filling cabinet. This will cause waste of resource in term of time and money. In addition it would also cause inconvenience and ineffectiveness in daily work. Plus, the manger will face difficulties when need to update employee working schedule, report and leave request, In the employee point of view, when they need to request for leave they need to fill in a leave request form manually and submit to manager personally and wait for confirmation, this is time consuming. Other than that, if there are any changes in working schedule, employee might have wrong information in the working schedule because the schedule might not update immediately, therefore the employee might not satisfy with the working schedule. 1.3 Objective The main objective of this project is to develop a web-based employee management system for Carls Fast Food Restaurant. The project objective is important because it define the purpose of the project. William (2009) identifies one of the reasons of project objective: They help frame the project. If you know the project objectives, you can determine the deliverables needed to achieve the objectives. The objectives of this project are as shown below: To understand and defining the fast food restaurant requirement for an employee management system. This objective is to ensure the greater understanding of fat food restaurant when developing an employee management system To analyses and designing a database suitable for the fast food restaurant This objective is crucial because it serve as a mainstay of the employee management system Build up a database that will store information such as employee working schedule, leave request, report, and job application and employee details. To perform a programming language analysis, compare and contrast the different programming language, which to use to develop the system This objective is to analyses information that has been collected. Select a suitable programming language to implement the system. To design a user interface for the fast food employee management system This objective is to design a user web interface that is user-friendly To allow a better and more flexible employee management system for this fast food restaurant. Improve the employee management of the fast food restaurant, analyses a better way to review data and ensure the system can adapt the specification needs. Improve efficiency of information management and improve data integrity To provide better capabilities for manager. Improve the capabilities and managerial work for manager to record employee report, employee leave request, employee working schedule and job application information for job candidate on interview. Improve better viewing of employee and job candidate information such as employee report and job application. To provide capabilities for administrator Where administrator can manage employee, manager and administrator information such as create new user and user information maintenance. To provide capabilities for employee To allow employee have better information and viewing of working schedule. Allow employee to search for their colleague information. 1.4 Scope This system will be focusing on developing of a web-based employee management system that would suit the fast food restaurant. The project scope is important because it define the need of the project. The main module is leave request, approve/deny leave. check approve/deny and employee report. Employee information management module will keep track of employee report. Another module is employee working schedule, with this working schedule in the system employee work time can be manage more effectively. The last module is accept/decline interview of job candidate that has been applied by visitor through job application. There are 4 main users in this system. One of the users is visitors, who like to apply job for the fast food restaurant. Employee is also one of user that able to apply leave online, check leave approve/deny and view working schedule. Manager of the restaurant able to view, print, modify, remove and create employee report, leaver request, working schedule. For administrator, it can create, modify, and remove new user. In this project, the web-based employee management system has several modules and feature, as listed below: Job application for website visitor Login page for administrator, manager and employee Account setting for 3 user (User profile and change password) Online leave request Check Approve/Deny leave View working schedule Search for colleague information Create new user for administrator, manager and employee User information maintenance Download doc file to update manager and employee information Approve/Deny leave request View approve/deny leave request View/Modify/Remove/Create employee report (Achievements, Training and Evaluations) View and modify employee working schedule Accept/Decline/View interview for job candidate View and print information Upload doc file to administrator. Chapter 2 Literature Review 2.1 Introduction Martyn Shuttleworth (2009) defines that A literature review is a critical and in depth evaluation of previous research. It is a summary and synopsis of a particular area of research, allowing anybody reading the paper to establish why you are pursuing this particular research program. A literature review is a summary research on existing of journal, articles, and other appropriate sources. 2.2 Fact Finding and Technique The author will conduct research to understand more about the of web-based employee management system by come up with question and answer. The author will also conduct a research of existing employee management system, to gather more information about employee management system. In addition, the author will discuss the advantages of web-based system over manual system. The chosen technique such as research, interview and surveillance will be use to gather information. Most of the research is based on Internet searches. 2.3 Definition of Web-Based Employee Management System. In order to have better understanding of the term web-based employee management system, the author will break it down into few terms and perform research about it that are web-based, employee, management system and employee management system. 2.3.1 What is Web-based? Bestbrief.com, (n.d.) provides a meaning of web-based: Web-based is Information or an application made available via the World Wide Web. It is accessible anywhere in the world as long as there is an Internet connection. Basically web-based also known web application, where is it convenient to the users, can log on to web-based system through the Internet using a web browser. 2.3.2 What is an Employee? It is defines that An employee is an individual who was hired by an employer to do a specific job. The employee is hired by the employer after an application and interview process results in his or her selection as an employee.(Susan n.d.). Employees play the most important roles in business where it can determine the success stage of a company. 2.3.3 What is Management System? Bluerockassociates.co.uk, (n.d.) defines that: Management systems are those systems that are used to help operate a business successfully. They work by helping to make it function correctly, by creating a management framework within which decisions are made and in which processes operate. Management system is crucial because it can assist the organisation by setting objective and outline the plan to improve and manage the organisation. 2.3.4 What is Employee Management System? Alan (2009) argues that Employee Management System is all about workforce, thus businesses that are serious about proper workforce should use employee management system. Employee management system is used to does the work of assembling, managing and organizing the valid information about the employees of a company. From another point of view, employee management system can assist an organisation to maintain employee performance report and keep track all of employee information, this can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the organisation. 2.4 The term of human resources in market The term such Human Resources Information System (HRIS), Human Resources Management system (HRMS), Enterprise Resources Planning (ERP), Employee Management System (EMS), from the author point of view those terms is relatively has the same connotation and there is not much difference in meaning. The terms that the author stated just now are few of the term in human resources market, there are still other term arising in the human resources market. Clay (2008) argues that It seems like the more simple terms which may have been created by IT people or programmers slowly become replaced by more sophisticated terms created in the marketing world. The difference that might have is the module or functionality of the system. For example a company requires a system that can manage their employee training information, the term for it most likely will be Employee Training Management (ETM). It usually depends on the requirement of the company or organisation. Madison et.al (2010) describes that When a difference between personnel management and human resources is recognized, human resources is described as much broader in scope than personnel management. 2.5 Existing System The employee management system available in the market currently is similar to human resources management, employee leave management, and employee performance management. On the other hand, the scopes are smaller for restaurant and do not provides much management system for restaurant like Carls Fast Food. Below show the links of HRMS software that purchase by companies to manage employee: http://ubshelp.com/software-lists/ubs-human-resource-management-system.html http://www.hr2000.com.my/product.htm The HRMS software as stated is a software that need to install to a computer in order to run the software. The features that UBS has mainly is to manage employee information such personal details, education, employment history, salaries listing, and many more features for managing employee. It also has report in employee training, skills and leave. For hr2000, it has 2 main products that are QUICK PAY and QUICK STAFF. In QUICK PAY it has features such as management reports, data import export feature, and many more features that mostly about payment, salary, tax computation and shift rates. In QUICK STAFF it has features to manage employee historical information and human resources that consists of accident, appraisal, benefit, career development, education history and many more modules for managing employee information. Both HRMS software is powerful to cater company that managing employee in a centralized way. However, there is some problem, that it needs to install the software t o a computer to run the system, where it can cause time consuming and for some cases user have to log on to a specific computer to use the system. The problem the author just stated just now doesnt mean that the software is not good or inappropriate, the suitable word to describe it should be lacking. Therefore, a web-based system would be much more advantages over the HRMS software that the author point out above, below shown the links of web-based system. http://www.orangehrm.com/ http://whentowork.com Although web-based system has many advantages, it also has their own weaknesses or disadvantages. The user might have problem of login to the system due to the internet connection speed is slow and not stable, this can disrupt the daily task of the user. There will be a security issue such as virus threat, viruses might be able to corrupt or delete data. Another security issue is unauthorised access to the hosting server that stored the data, hacker can break into the network to steal, view, delete and change information such as password and confidential information. The advantages web-based will be discuss more detail in the next section of this chapter that is advantages of web-based system over manual system, comparison of comprised system manual system and benefits of web-based system. 2.6 Advantages of web-based system over manual system In this section advantages of web-based system over manual system research will be conducted because it can identify the concurrent problem of Carls Fast Food restaurant facing due to the restaurant itself mainly record their employee information in a manual system. Furthermore, it can assist the author when developing this project because the term of web-based system is related and relevant to the web-based employee management system that the author is going to develop. Although manual system is relatively low cost but it is time-consuming to access data held in a manual filing system.(Deskdemon.com n.d.). Since, the paper and document is store in the filling cabinet, as task or work amount increase on paperwork this will consume a lot of space in filling cabinet. Furthermore, if the task of a manager increase, it can lead to cause data miss-filling because too much of task to be perform. In web-based system, it can eliminate paper costs or reduce paperwork as daily task can be done by using computer and internet technology. This therefore, can increase the effectiveness of daily task and information can be manageable. In addition information maintaining and updating can be more systematic. From other point of view, the manual system has to records data by hand written manually into paper, it could cause the information to be incorrect or inaccurate because that might be possibilities that the manager accidentally written the incorrect information in the document. Other than that, it can cause data duplication because some task has to be repeatedly over and over again. While in web-based system, Everything is computerised managers just have to enter the specific information into the system.(John n.d.). Since everything is computerised possibilities of error can be reduced greatly. Moreover, it can avoid data duplication because most of the computerised system there will be a data deduplication. Data deduplication is essentially refers to the elimination of redundant data, if there is any data duplication, the duplicate data will be deleted and leaving only one copy of data to be stored. (Webopedia n.d.). The retrieval data is time consuming and slow as it has to search the records or information manually, from different filling cabinet area. Since the data is store in filling cabinet, the data might fall into wrong and use it against the organisaiton. Moreover, if the data in the manual record document lost, the will be lost completely. While in web-based system it can reduce the time consuming, because data processing and retrieval is much faster than manual system. Information is store in database, where only different user only can access to specific information only. A computerised database in web-based system is reliable, fast and well systematize in term of information. 2.6.1 Comparison of Computerised System and Manual System Below shown the comparison of computerised system and manual system, in a table form. Computerised System Manual System Fast when search for information. Time consuming when search for information. Greatly eliminate paperwork Too much paperwork and documenting. Systematic information maintenance Bad information maintenance. Information more accurate Less accurate information Better data security Lack of data security 2.7 Benefits of Web-based According to db net solutions, web based applications have evolved significantly over recent years and with improvements in security and technology there are plenty of scenarios where traditional software based applications and systems could be improved by migrating them to a web based application. In these recent years, many companies that are using manual system or conventional system has transform their system into web-based system due to, there many advantages in using a web-based system. Here are some of the advantages: Data centralized The data is centralized so that is it accessible from the Internet anytime with computer. And data is stored in a secure server, so anything goes to the computer it wont affect the data. No Software to Install or Update User need to login to the web-based system from any web browser, web-based system doesnt take up any spaces in the computer hard drive. It is located on separate secure host server. (Taublee.M,). More manageable The db net solution defines Web based systems need only be installed on the server placing minimal requirements on the end user workstation. This makes maintaining and updating the system much simpler as usually it can all be done on the server. User-friendly Most of the web-based is user friendly, it is convenient where user can get use to the system easily. 2.8 Interview session Date : 22th June 2010 Time : 11.00am 11.30am Interviewer : Mr.Kumar 1. Can you briefly describe about Carls Fast Food Restaurant? Carls Fast Food Restaurant is one of the fast food restaurants in Malaysia, located at Cheras, Kuala Lumpur which founded in the year of 2008. This fast food restaurant is relatively similar to another fast food restaurant, which primarily sells french fries, fried chicken, hamburger and soft drinks. 1. How do manage employee data? Manual or computerised system? Manual, we record employee information such as leave request, working schedule and employee report manually and stored the data in the filling cabinet. 2. If manual, question this: Do you satisfy with the current manual system of handling data? No, 3. If No, mention the reason. Due to too much of paperwork, hard to keep track of employee information because filling cabinet is messy. Time consuming when searching for employee information. 4. How many employees do you have in the restaurant? Currently we have 16 employee working in this restaurant with different shift that is morning shift and night shift Chapter 3 Methodology 3.1 Introduction Choosing a suitable methodology is important because it serve as a guideline when developing the system step by step. There are a lot of different methodologies that have been created to serve certain system development. Without proper guidance from any these methodologies, the system development always fail due to poor planning and management during development. 3.2 Project Methodology Thus, the author chooses System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) to serve as guideline when developing this web-based system. SDLC is framework for describing information in developing system successfully (Pasupuleti 2008). Pasupuleti (2008) specified that The overall process of developing information system through a multi-step process from investigation of initial requirements through analysis, design, implementation and maintenance. Waterfall Model of software development process is not suitable for developing this web-based system. Therefore, to overcome this problem, iterative and incremental software development process is selected to use as software software development process for this project. Although Iterative and Incremental process is quite similar to the waterfall model but it can overcome the problem that Waterfall Model have and cover the disadvantages. The Waterfall Model is linear and sequential design process that normally use in software development process (wikipedia.org, WF n.d.). The Waterfall Model consists of 5 phases that are requirement specification, design, implementation, testing and maintenance. In Waterfall Model, once one phase of software development is completed, the development of next phase will start and there is no turning back. Hence iterative development is use to solve the problem, this development could exit at any phase and return back to the previous phase to ensure positive at the end of this project. According to PCMAG (n.d.) iterative development is A discipline for developing systems based on producing deliverables often. Each iteration, consisting of requirements, analysis design, implementation and testing, results in the release of an executable subset of the final product. 3.3 Iterative Developed Model Figure 1: Iterative Development Model 3.3.1 Requirement Analysis Phase In this first phase, the author will focus on the requirement of the web-based system. Analyses the end-user needs that is Carl fast food restaurant and develop the user requirement. The problem statement will be done to identify the current problem of this fast food restaurant is facing by analyses the problem. The project objective purpose will be define to know the deliverables that needed to be achieved, refines the objectives into defined function. The research is will be done such as research of existing system in the human resources market. Research on manual and computerised system will be done about advantages of computerised system over manual system. Interview is done to gather more information about the fast food restaurant current management. 3.3.2 System Design Phase In this phase, the requirement specification is transform into system design to focus on how to deliver the required functionality. This system design phase is will focus on the architecture of the web based system, the database design and interface are defined in this phase. This phase must be done carefully, any malfunction can cost time and money to resolve. The next phase will be implementation phase. 3.3.3 Implementation Phase In this implementation phase, the transformation stage of the system design to executable system. The design from the previous phase will be translated into programming language that selected by the author according to the need of this web-based system. If the design from previous stage is carry out properly, the codes can be generated easily without much problem. The author selected PHP programming language to develop this web-based system and for the database the author selected MySQL as database because it can perform well with PHP language. After the implementation, the next phase will be testing. 3.3.4 Testing Phase In this testing phase it is a very important phase in system development of this project. A test is perform to obtain clearer understanding of the system. It is also important cater the author on how well the system had met its requirement and specification. To efficiently test the system, a few testing has been done that is test plan test case, performance testing and user acceptance testing. Test Case In this testing, it basically use to test the functionality of the system to check whether it working correctly or not. Hower (2010) describes that a test case is an input, action, or event and an expected response, to determine if a feature of a software application is working correctly. A test case might consist of test case name, test objective, actual result, expected result and conclusion (Hower, 2010). Performance testing Performance testing can be important measure that the system should be emphasis on. Basically the accomplishment of the project should be measured by the performance of the system to determine speed and effectiveness of the system. Hence, testing to know how well the system is behaving is crucial. User Acceptance testing User acceptance testing is a very important testing because it can determine whether the system developed is success or not. User such as manager or the owner of the fast food restaurant is important people to test the system because they are the end user. Therefore, their feedback and comments for the developed system are the most important factor in deciding the success of the system. Users will be asked to use the system to perform the task and they will validate the web-system based on their first time experience using the system. Users will ask to grade the web-based system. 3.3.4.1 Performance and User Acceptance Testing Evaluation on Performance Testing: Module : Leave Request Objective : This will allow user to request leave. Success Criteria : 1. Users able to request for leave after submitted their leave request form online. Expected results : 1. Users can check approve/deny leave after submitted the form. Actual result : 1. Users can check approve/deny leave after submitted the form. Evaluation : Majority of the users were satisfied with the web-based system. They were comfortable and did not hesitate to use the features. Hence, the web-based system is evaluated as satisfactory. Evaluation of User Acceptance Testing: Objective : The testing will involve the web-based system. This will test how well the users understand the use the features/module offered. Test Steps : The users will have a firsthand on using the web-based system. Users will be given the freedom to do whatever they want to the web-based system. Users will be observed to check if they are uncomfortable or irritated when using this web-based system. Users will be requested to grade this web-based system. Expected results : Users should be able to understand the functionality of the web-based system and know how to use the buttons and navigation buttons provided. Users should not feel irritated or uncomfortable when using the web-based system. Users should not feel lost or unsure of what to do with the web-based system. Actual result : Most users were able to understand the functionality of the web-based system and know how to use the buttons and navigation buttons provided. Users did not feel irritated or uncomfortable when using this web-based system. Users did not feel lost or unsure of what to do with the web-based system. Evaluation : Majority of the users were satisfied with the web-based system. They were comfortable and did not hesitate to use the features. Hence, the web-based system is evaluated as satisfactory. Test Plan Name: Please (à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡) where applicable. Performance Testing: Test Result Good Average Bad Determine if the leave request able to submit to other party User able to track leave request and approve/deny leave. All buttons will be tested for errors.

IVU Preparation and IVU Procedure

IVU Preparation and IVU Procedure What is Intravenous Urography? Intravenous Urography examines is the urinary system by using a special dye (contrast medium) that is injected into one of your veins. The dye travels through the bloodstream and is removed by the kidneys and passed into the ureters and bladder. The dye helps to show up these organs more clearly on X-rays. The test can help find out the cause of urinary problems. It can show kidney and bladder stones, tumours, blood clots or narrowing in the ureters. It is routinely done as an out-patient procedure in the radiology department. The procedure is comprised of two phases. First, it needs a functioning kidney to clean the dye out of the blood into the urine. The time necessary for the dye to come into view on x rays correlate exactly with kidneys function. The second phase gives entire anatomical images of the urinary tract. Within the first few minutes the dye lights up the kidneys, a stage called the nephrogram. Later the pictures follow the dye down the ureters and into the bladder. The final film taken after urinating shows how well the bladder empties. The contrast is removed from the bloodstream through the kidneys. Then contrast media becomes visible on x-rays almost immediately after injection. Attention is paid at the: Kidney Bladder  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Tubes that connect them (urethras) Why Intravenous Urography is done? The most common reason an IVU is done is in a condition be the suspected presence of stones in the urinary tract. Other pathology are such as renal failure, myeloma and infancy. The doctor would like to know how the urine is draining from the kidney to the bladder and how the stones have affected your urinary system. This may be used to balance the ultrasound of the kidney to the bladder and how the stones have affected the urinary system and the other wise. IVU uses a dye, also called as a contrast medium. This shows up the soft tissues the urinary system on the x-ray. This will allow the cancer to be seen in any parts of the patients urinary system. The cancer shows up as a blockage or an uneven outline on the wall of the bladder or ureter for an example. It is also used in the investigation of other suspected causes of urine obstruction or blood in the urine. Patient preparation for Intravenous Urography. Patient should be held NPO for 24 hours prior to the radiographic study. Patient should receive a minimum of 2 cleansing enemas prior to study. One enema should be performed the night before the procedure. Patient should receive large-bore catheter prior to examination start time. Patients over 60 lbs should receive 2 large-bore catheters to facilitate contrast administration. Medication Instruction Fasting Instruction Bowel Preparation A) Unless the patient have an asthma or other allergies the medications are not reqiured. Therefore, the suggestion for the examination is reviewed since the patient can develop a reaction towards the contrast media that are used. If the doctor feels the benefits of this procedure will equalize the risks, then the patient may be arranged to prednisolone (a type of steroid medication) tablets for the examination. This would be 40 mg 12 hours and then, 40mg 2 hours prior to the procedure. Sometimes in an urgent examination, the patient may be given an injection of Hydrocortisone 100 mg (another type of steroid) just before the the examination. B) If the IVU procedure is in the afternoon, patient can take light breakfast. Until 4-6 hours before the procedure, the patient can take a small cup of clear fluids per hour such as water, fruit juice, black tea or black coffee. No milk must be taken because it causes indigestion. It is preferable that nothing should be taken for at least 4 hours prior to the procedure. Water is allowed in diabetics, myeloma patients, renal failure and for other conditions where dehydration is contraindicated. C) Low residue vegetable-free diet for 1 day before the examination. A lot of water should be taken during this period before fasting begins. The patient may be given laxatives such as 2 tablets of Dulcolax at 9 pm the night before the examination to increase the peristalsis action. Procedure for Intravenous Urogram. Patient will be asked to lie on an x-ray table where the radiographer will take a preliminary film of their abdomen. The doctor will then give patient an injection of contrast medium into their arm. After this, a series of films will be taken over the next 30 minutes as the dye passes through your renal tract. At one stage of the procedure, a tight band may be placed on patients lower abdomen to help the radiographer to obtain maximum filling of the kidneys before the contrast medium flows down into the bladder. At the end of the examination, patient will be asked to empty your bladder, and then another film will be taken to see the empty bladder. Sometimes the contrast medium takes some time to go through the kidneys and these results in an extended examination time. Contrast medium is a fluid that is opaque to x-rays, is concentrated in the kidneys and goes into the bladder before being passed out in your urine. It is colorless, so the patient cannot see it when you go to the toile t. Aside from the minor sting from the injection as the contrast medium is injected, some people report feeling a warm flush, and sometimes have a metallic taste in their mouth. These things usually disappear within a minute or two, and are no cause for alarm. Incase the patient become itchy or short of breath, let the radiologist know straight away, as they may have a slight reaction to the contrast, which can be eased with antihistamines. If the patient have asthma or severe allergies, the radiologist may suggest them to take a steroid, or use other imaging options. Patient care after Procedure Sometimes, there would be minor (generalised warmth, to rashes) to moderate, asthma and difficulty breathing, a drop in the blood pressure (usually transient) or rarely severe and life threatening (anaphylaxis). Infrequently, there may be severe discomfort/pain when compression is applied, but usually the compression will be released the moment the patient inform the radiographer in charge of your examination. The only severe complication of an IVP is an allergy to the iodine-containing dye that is used. Such an allergy is rare, but it can be fatal. Patient are given and asked to lay on top of draw sheets cause the radiographic may be cold. Pillows are given for comfort. There is usually no special instructions post IVU. The patient may eat and drink unless your referring doctor has another examination or procedure for you after the IVU examination About the Intravenous Urography Examination The procedure takes about 40 to 60 minutes. Patient need to empty their bladder before the test. In a private cubicle, Patient may be asked to remove their clothing and put on a hospital gown. Then patient will be taken to the X-ray room and asked to lie down on the X-ray table. Radiographer will take the first X-ray pictures without the dye. Radiographer will then inject the dye in a vein in their hand or arm, and take more X-rays of your abdomen and pelvis. Patient may be asked to move position and lie on your stomach, or hold their breath for a few seconds while the X-rays are taken. To help improve images of the kidneys, a tight band may be placed across their abdomen. Patient may also be asked to go the toilet to empty your bladder and have another X-ray taken. Results on Intravenous Urography A normal intravenous urogram indicates no visible abnormality in the structure or function of the urinary system. The radiologist looks for a smooth non-lobulated outline of each kidney, no clubbing or other abnormality of the renal calyces (collecting system), and no abnormal fluid collection in the kidneys that could suggest obstruction. The ureters must contain no filling defects (stones) or deviations due to an adjacent tumor. The bladder must have a smooth outline and empty normally as visualized on the post-void film. Abnormal results include hydronephrosis (distension of the renal pelvis and calices due to obstruction) as a result of tumors or calculi (stones). Cysts or abscesses may also be present in the urinary system. A delay in renal function can also indicate renal disease. An abnormal amount of urine in the bladder after voiding may indicate prostate or bladder problems. Intravenous urograms are often done on children to rule out a rapid developing tumor in the kidneys, called a Wilms tumor. Children are also prone to infections of the bladder and kidneys due to urinary reflux (return back-flow of urine). Film For a preliminary film, (35 x 43cm) supine full A.P. abdomen to include lower border of symphysis pubis and diaphragm, abdominal preparation,and for any calcifications overlying the renal tract areas. Additional films to decide position of any opacities.35 ° posterior oblique of the renal regions. Tomogram of the renal areas are at 8-11 cm 4 reasom why we do preminilary Patient preparation The position of kidney (collimation) Exposure factor Instruction For an immediate film (24 x 30cm), AP of the renal areas, the film is exposed 10-14 s after the injection (arm-to-kidney time). It is to show the nephrogram. For a 5 minute film (24 x 30cm) AP of the renal areas, this film is taken to decide if the excretion is equal or if the uptake is poor and is important for assessing the need to adjust the technique. A compression band is now applied around the patients abdomen and the balloon positioned midway between the iliac spines. This can produce better pelvicalyceal distension. Compression should not be used in cases of suspected renal colic, renal trauma or after recent abdominal surgery. In 15 minute AP of the renal areas, there is usually sufficient distension of the pelvicalyceal system with opaque urine by the time. In the release of film the supine AP abdomen, this film is taken to show the whole urinary tract. If the film is good enough, the patient is asked to empty their bladder. The main value of this film is to access bladder emptying to demonstrate a return to normal of the dilated upper tracts with the relief of bladder pressure. In 25 Minute film (24 x 30cm) 15 ° caudal angulations centred 5 cm above the upper border of the symphysis pubis to reveal the swollen bladder. After micturition film, this will be the coned view of the bladder with the tube angled 15 caudad and centred 5cm above the symphysis pubis or the full length abdominal film to show the bladder emptying success and the return of the previously swollen lower ends of urethras to normal. Contrast agents and drugs Common examples for a 70 kg adult with normal blood urea values (2.5 7.5mmol/L.)Contrast media must be warmed to body temperature before injection. High osmolarity of contrast medium (HOCM) or low osmolarity of contrast medium (LOCM) 370 are acceptable but infants and small children, those with renal and cardiac failure, poorly hydrated patients, patients with diabetes, myelomatosis or sickle-cell anaemia and patient who have had a previous severe contrast medium reaction with low osmolarity contrast medium reaction with a strong allergic history have to receive low osmolarity contrast medium. Paediatric dose is 1ml kg/1 Equipment used for Intravenous Urogram Conray 400 ® 1 mL / lb ( 3 mL / kg) In high risk cats or compromised dogs (abnormal BUN / Creatinine), consult with the radiologist about the use of Omnipaque (Iohexol) instead of the Conray. Indwelling catheter preplaced in patient by clinician, student or treatment room techs. Depending on size of the animal or amount of contrast to be injected, 2 catheters might be required. Crash kit should be made available in the case of allergic contrast reaction (ie: vomiting and / or nausea are the most common.) What are the risks on doing Intravenous Urogram? Intravenous urograms are commonly performed and generally safe. However, in order to make an informed decision and give your consent, you need to be aware of the possible side-effects and the risk of complications of this procedure .Patient will be exposed to some X-ray radiation. Level of exposure is about the same as the background radiation that you would receive naturally from the environment over 12 to 14 months. Pregnant women are advised not to have X-rays, as there is a risk the radiation may affect the development of your unborn child. If the patient is, or think you may be pregnant, they must tell their doctor before the appointment. These are the unwanted but mostly temporary effects of a successful procedure. Very rarely, they may sense a warm feeling or get a metallic taste in their mouth after having the contrast. This should last only a minute or two.

Experiment to Compare the Enthalpy Changes of Combustion of Different Alcohols :: GCSE Chemistry Coursework Investigation

Experiment to Compare the Enthalpy Changes of Combustion of Different Alcohols Introduction: This plan will try to outline how the experiment of comparing changes of combustion of different alcohols will be conducted and what results are expected. Background When chemical reactions take place they are often accompanied by energy changes. Chemical reactions most frequently occur in open vessels. That is, they take place at constant pressure. Enthalpy refers to energy at constant pressure (volume may vary). Enthalpy: An example is best to illustrate to show enthalpy works. Methane - how much energy does its molecules contain? The first thing needed is the amount of methane present = 1 mole (16 g). What ever its value, the total amount of energy in a given amount of a substance (sometimes called the Heat energy content) is known as the enthalpy, denoted H. Methane is a fuel to get energy from it, react it with oxygen. CH4(g) + 2O2(g) CO2(g) + 2H2O(l) The above chemical equation shows that 2 moles (64 g) of oxygen molecules are required to burn 1 mole of methane. Again, it is impossible to know the total enthalpy (heat energy content) of the oxygen. Likewise, we can't know the total heat energy content of 1 mole of CO2 and 2 moles of H2O (the products). Enthalpy Change H = (HCO2 + 2HH2O) - (HCH4 + 2HO2) In general, H = Hproducts - Hreactants But remember, this is theoretical; it is not possible to determine the absolute value of the enthalpy of a chemical element or compound. However, H values for chemical reactions can be obtained. They can be measured experimentally, or calculated using Hess's Law (see later), or worked out in other ways. Exothermic and Endothermic Reactions When chemical reactions take place they are often accompanied by heat changes. The system (the reactants which form products) may give out heat to the surroundings, causing them to warm up. In this case the reactants have more stored energy (greater total enthalpy) than the products. Such chemical reactions are said to be exothermic. The system may take heat from the surroundings, causing them to cool down. In this case the reactants have less stored energy (less total enthalpy) than the products. Such chemical reactions are said to be endothermic. Exothermic reactions give out energy to the surroundings. Endothermic reactions take energy from the surroundings. Most reactions take place at constant pressure... It is possible to measure changes in heat energy that accompany chemical reactions. Most reactions take place in vessels that are open to the atmosphere, that is, they take place at constant pressure (volume may vary). The special name given to a change in heat energy content measured at constant pressure is enthalpy change.

Prescription Obesity Drugs Essay -- Pharmaceuticals

1. Has FDA provided ‘sufficient guidance’ to guide development and registration of prescription diet medications? If you agree, provide examples of what you consider ‘sufficient advice’ (including date of publication). I believe the FDA does provide sufficient guidance on the development and registration of prescription diet medications. In 2007, FDA issued draft guidance that clearly defines their expectations to judge effectiveness (weight reduction and maintenance of weight loss after 1 year’s treatment). It also indicates an effective product should provide improvements in blood pressure, lipids, and glycaemia therefore changes in common weight-related comorbidities need factored into clinical trial to assess efficacy. FDA also states it expects to see drug-mediated weight reduction demonstrated to result from a loss of body fat verified through advance screening tools. From a safety perspective, the FDA states the drug should not adversely affect cardiovascular function particularly highlighting cardiac valvulopathy. 2. Has FDA’s grounds for rejecting the NDAs of prescription diet pills in the last 10 years been based on safety/efficacy concerns? In 2010 alone, three drugs reviewed by the Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee (EMDAC) have failed to gain approval. EMDAC felt each drug (naltrexone/bupriopion, lorcaserin and phentermine/topiratate) had unacceptable safety issues (particularly cardiovascular risk profiles). The committee also concluded that lorcaserin did not provide enough convincing evidence of efficacy and safety to gain approval. EMDAC cite lack of diversity in the phase 3 trial population might result in efficacy of the drug being overstated while potential safety risks understated. Whi... ... FDA. (2010). FDA Briefing Document: NDA 22529 Lorqess (lorcaserin hydrochloride) Tablets, 10 mg. Sponsor: Arena Pharmaceuticals Advisory Committee. Retrieved from http://www.fda.gov/downloads/advisorycommittees/committeesmeetingmaterials/drugs/endocrinlogicalandmetabolicdrugsadvisorycommittee/ucm225631.pdf FDA. (2007). Guidance for Industry. Developing Products for Weight Management. Retrieved from http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/Guidances/ucm071612.pdf FDA. (2011).Predictive Safety Testing Consortium (PSTC). Retrieved from http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/PartnershipsCollaborations/PublicPrivatePartnershipProgram/ucm231132.html McCallister, E. (2011). BioCentury, Obesity Reset. Retrieved from http://www.biocentury.com/promotions/obesity/next-generation-of-obesity-drugs-unlikely-to-reach-regulators-before-2014.html Prescription Obesity Drugs Essay -- Pharmaceuticals 1. Has FDA provided ‘sufficient guidance’ to guide development and registration of prescription diet medications? If you agree, provide examples of what you consider ‘sufficient advice’ (including date of publication). I believe the FDA does provide sufficient guidance on the development and registration of prescription diet medications. In 2007, FDA issued draft guidance that clearly defines their expectations to judge effectiveness (weight reduction and maintenance of weight loss after 1 year’s treatment). It also indicates an effective product should provide improvements in blood pressure, lipids, and glycaemia therefore changes in common weight-related comorbidities need factored into clinical trial to assess efficacy. FDA also states it expects to see drug-mediated weight reduction demonstrated to result from a loss of body fat verified through advance screening tools. From a safety perspective, the FDA states the drug should not adversely affect cardiovascular function particularly highlighting cardiac valvulopathy. 2. Has FDA’s grounds for rejecting the NDAs of prescription diet pills in the last 10 years been based on safety/efficacy concerns? In 2010 alone, three drugs reviewed by the Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs Advisory Committee (EMDAC) have failed to gain approval. EMDAC felt each drug (naltrexone/bupriopion, lorcaserin and phentermine/topiratate) had unacceptable safety issues (particularly cardiovascular risk profiles). The committee also concluded that lorcaserin did not provide enough convincing evidence of efficacy and safety to gain approval. EMDAC cite lack of diversity in the phase 3 trial population might result in efficacy of the drug being overstated while potential safety risks understated. Whi... ... FDA. (2010). FDA Briefing Document: NDA 22529 Lorqess (lorcaserin hydrochloride) Tablets, 10 mg. Sponsor: Arena Pharmaceuticals Advisory Committee. Retrieved from http://www.fda.gov/downloads/advisorycommittees/committeesmeetingmaterials/drugs/endocrinlogicalandmetabolicdrugsadvisorycommittee/ucm225631.pdf FDA. (2007). Guidance for Industry. Developing Products for Weight Management. Retrieved from http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/Guidances/ucm071612.pdf FDA. (2011).Predictive Safety Testing Consortium (PSTC). Retrieved from http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/PartnershipsCollaborations/PublicPrivatePartnershipProgram/ucm231132.html McCallister, E. (2011). BioCentury, Obesity Reset. Retrieved from http://www.biocentury.com/promotions/obesity/next-generation-of-obesity-drugs-unlikely-to-reach-regulators-before-2014.html

Introduction to Computer Organization and Computer Evolution Essay

In describing computers, a distinction is often made between computer architecture and computer organization. Although it is difficult to give precise definitions for these terms, a consensus exists about the general areas covered by each. Computer Architecture refers to those attributes of a system visible to a programmer or, put another way, those attributes that have a direct impact on the logical execution of a program. Examples of architectural attributes include the instruction set, the number of bits used to represent various data types (e.g., numbers, characters), I/O mechanisms, and techniques for addressing memory. Computer Organization refers to the operational units and their interconnections that realize the architectural specifications. Examples of organizational attributes include those hardware details transparent to the programmer, such as control signals; interfaces between the computer and peripherals; and the memory technology used. As an example, it is an architectural design issue whether a computer will have a multiply instruction. It is an organizational issue whether that instruction will implemented by a special multiply unit or by a mechanism that makes repeated use of the add unit of the system. The organizational decision may be based on the anticipated frequency of use of the multiply instruction, the relative speed of the two approaches, and the cost and physical size of a special multiply unit. Historically, and still today, the distinction between architecture and organization has been an important one. Many computer manufacturers offer a family of computer models, all with the same architecture but with differences in organization. Consequently, the different models in the family have different price and performance characteristics. Furthermore, a particular architecture may span many years and encompass a number of different computer models, its organization changing with changing technology. A prominent example of both these phenomena is the IBM System/370 architecture. This architecture was first introduced in 1970 and included a number of models. The customer with modest requirements could buy a cheaper, slower model and, if demand increased, later upgrade to a more expensive, faster model without having to abandon software that had already been developed. These newer models retained the same architecture so that the customer’s software investment  was protected. Remarkably, the System/370 architecture, with a few enhancements, has survived to this day as the architecture of IBM’s mainframe product line. II.Structure and Function A computer is a complex system; contemporary computers contain millions of elementary electronic components. The key is to recognize the hierarchical nature of most complex systems, including the computer. A hierarchical system is a set of interrelated subsystems, each of the latter, in turn, hierarchical in structure until we reach some lowest level of elementary subsystem. The hierarchical nature of complex systems is essential to both their design and their description. The designer need only deal with a particular level of the system at a time. At each level, the system consists of a set of components and their interrelationships. The behaviour at each level depends only on a simplified, abstracted characterization of the system at the next lower level. At each level, the designer is concerned with structure and function: †¢Structure: The way in which the components are interrelated †¢Function: The operation of each individual component as part of the structure The computer system will be described from the top down. We begin with the major components of a computer, describing their structure and function, and proceed to successively lower layers of the hierarchy. Function Both the structure and functioning of a computer are, in essence, simple. Figure 1.1 depicts the basic functions that a computer can perform. In general terms, there are only four: †¢Data processing: The computer, of course, must be able to process data. The data may take a wide variety of forms, and the range of processing requirements is broad. However, we shall see that there are only a few fundamental methods or types of data processing. †¢Data storage: It is also essential that a computer store data. Even if the computer is processing on the fly (i.e., data come in and get processed, and the results go out immediately), the computer must temporarily store at least those pieces of data that are being worked on at any given moment. Thus, there is at least a short-term data storage function. Equally important, the computer performs a long-term data storage  function. Files of data are stored on the computer for subsequent retrieval and update. †¢Data movement: The computer must be able to move data between itself and the outside world. The computer’s operating environment consists of devices that serve as either sources or destinations of data. When data are received from or delivered to a device that is directly connected to the computer, the process is known as input-output (I/O), and the device is referred to as a peripheral. When data are moved over longer distances, to or from a remote device, the process is known as data communications. †¢Control: Finally there must be control of these three functions. Ultimately, this control is exercised by the individual(s) who provides the computer with instructions. Within the computer, a control unit manages the computer’s resources and orchestrates the performance of its functional parts in response to those instructions. FIGURE 1.1 A FUNCTIONAL VIEW OF THE COMPUTER At this general level of discussion, the number of possible operations that can be performed is few. Figure 1.2 depicts the four possible types of operations. The computer can function as a data movement device (Figure 1.2a), simply transferring data from one peripheral or communications line to another. It can also function as a data storage device (Figure 1.2b), with data transferred from the external environment to computer storage (read) and vice versa (write). The final two diagrams show operations involving data processing, on data either in storage (Figure 1.2c) or en route between storage and the external environment Structure Figure 1.3 is the simplest possible depiction of a computer. The computer  interacts in some fashion with its external environment. In general, all of its linkages to the external environment can be classified as peripheral devices or communication lines. There are four main structural components (Figure 1.4): †¢Central Processing Unit (CPU): Controls the operation of the computer and performs its data processing functions; often simple referred to as processor †¢Main memory: Stores data †¢I/O: Moves data between the computer and its external environment †¢System interconnection: Some mechanism that provides for communication among CPU, main memory, and I/O FIGURE 1.3 THE COMPUTER FIGURE 1.4 THE COMPUTER: TOP-LEVEL STRUCTURE There may be one or more of each of the aforementioned components. Traditionally, there has been just a single CPU. In recent years, there has been increasing use of multiple processors in a single computer. The most interesting and in some ways the most complex component is the CPU; its structure is depicted in Figure 1.5. Its major structural components are: †¢Control unit: Controls the operation of the CPU and hence the computer †¢Arithmetic and logic unit (ALU): Performs the computer’s data processing functions †¢Registers: Provides storage internal to the CPU †¢CPU interconnection: Some mechanism that provides for communication among the control unit, ALU, and registers FIGURE 1.5 THE CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT (CPU) Finally, there are several approaches to the implementation of the control unit; one common approach is a microprogrammed implementation. In essence, a microprogrammed control unit operates by executing microinstructions that define the functionality of the control unit. The structure of the control unit can be depicted as in Figure 1.6. FIGURE 1.6 THE CONTROL UNIT III.Importance of Computer Organization and Architecture The computer lies at the heart of computing. Without it most of the computing  disciplines today would be a branch of the theoretical mathematics. To be a professional in any field of computing today, one should not regard the computer as just a black box that executes programs by magic. All students of computing should acquire some understanding and appreciation of a computer system’s functional components, their characteristics, their performance, and their interactions. There are practical implications as well. Students need to understand computer architecture in order to structure a program so that it runs more efficiently on a real machine. In selecting a system to use, they should be able to understand the tradeoff among various components, such as CPU clock speed vs. memory size. [Reported by the Joint Task Force on Computing Curricula of the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) Computer Society and ACM (Association for Computing Machinery)]. IV.Computer Evolution A brief history of computers is interesting and also serves the purpose of providing an overview of computer structure and function. A consideration of the need for balanced utilization of computer resources provides a context that is useful. The First Generation: Vacuum Tubes ENIAC: The ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer), designed by and constructed under the supervision of John Mauchly and John Presper Eckert at the University of Pennsylvania, was the world’s first general-purpose electronic digital computer. The project was a response to U.S. wartime needs during World War II. The Army’s Ballistics Research Laboratory (BRL), an agency responsible for developing range and trajectory tables for new weapons, was having difficulty supplying these tables accurately and within a reasonable time frame. Mauchly, a professor of electrical engineering at the University of Pennsylvania, and Eckert, one of his graduate students, proposed to build a general-purpose computer using vacuum tubes for the BRL’s application. In 1943, the Army accepted this proposal, and work began on the ENIAC. The resulting machine was enormous, weighing 30 tons, occupying 1500 squre feet of floor space and containing more than 18,000 vacuum tubes. When operating, it consumed 140 kilowatts of power. It was also substantially faster than any electromechanical computer, being capable of 5000 additions per second. The ENIAC was a decimal rather  than a binary machine. That is, numbers were represented in decimal form and arithmetic was performed in the decimal system. Its memory consisted of 20 â€Å"accumulators,† each capable of holding a 10-digit decimal number. A ring of 10 vacuum tubes represented each digit. At any time, only one vacuum tube was in the ON state, representing one of the 10 digits. The major drawback of the ENIAC was that it had to be programmed manually by setting switches and plugging and unplugging cables. The ENIAC was completed in 1946, too late to be used in the war effort. Instead, its first task was to perform a series of complex calculations that were us ed to help determine the feasibility of the hydrogen bomb. The use of the ENIAC for a purpose other than that for which it was built demonstrated its general-purpose nature. The ENIAC continued to operate under BRL management until 1955, when it was disassembled. The von Neumann Machine: The task of entering and altering programs for the ENIAC was extremely tedious. The programming process could be facilitated if the program could be represented in a form suitable for storing in memory alongside the data. Then, a computer could get its instructions by reading them from memory, and a program could be set or altered by setting the values of a portion of memory. This idea, known as the stored-program concept, is usually attributed to the ENIAC designers, most notably the mathematician John von Neumann, who was a consultant on the ENIAC project. Alan Turing developed the idea at about the same time. The first publication of the idea was in a 1945 proposal by von Neumann for a new computer, the EDVAC (Electronic Discrete Variable Automatic Computer). In 1946, von Neumann and his colleagues began the design of a new stored-program computer, referred to as the IAS computer, at the Princeton Institute for Advanced Studies. The IAS computer, although not completed until 1952, is the prototype of all subsequent general-purpose computers. Figure 1.7 shows the general structure of the IAS computer. It consists of: †¢A main memory, which stores both data and instructions †¢An arithmetic and logic unit (ALU) capable of operating on binary data †¢A control unit, which interprets the instructions in memory and causes them to be executed †¢Input and output (I/O) equipment operated by the control unit FIGURE 1.7 STRUCTURE OF THE IAS COMPUTER Commercial Computers The 1950s saw the birth of the computer industry with two companies, Sperry and IBM, dominating the marketplace. UNIVAC I: In 1947, Eckert and Mauchly formed the Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation to manufacture computers commercially. Their first successful machine was the UNIVAC I (Universal Automatic Computer), which was commissioned by the Bureau of the Census for the 1950 calculations. The Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation became part of the UNIVAC division of Sperry-Rand Corporation, which went on to build a series of successor machines. The UNIVAC I was the first successful commercial computer. It was intended, as the name implies, for both scientific and commercial applications. The first paper describing the system listed matrix algebraic computations, statistical problems, premium billings for a life insurance company, and logistical problems as a sample of the tasks it could perform. UNIVAC II: The UNIVAC II which had greater memory capacity and higher performance than the UNIVAC I, was delivered in the late 1950s and illustrates several trends that have remained characteristic of the computer industry. First, advances in technology allow companies to continue to build larger, more powerful computers. Second, each company tries to make its new machines upward compatible with the older machines. This means that the programs written for the older machines can be executed on the new machine. This strategy is adopted in the hopes of retaining the customer base; that is, when a customer decides to buy a newer machine, he or she is likely to get it from the same company to avoid losing the investment in programs. The UNIVAC division also began development of the 1100 series of computers, which was to be its major source of revenue. This series illustrates a distinction that existed at one time. In 1955, IBM, which stands for International Business Machines, introduced the companion 702 product, which had a number of hardware features that suited it to business applications. These were the first of a long series of 700/7000 computers that established IBM as the overwhelmingly dominant computer manufacturer. The Second Generation: Transistors The first major change in the electronic computer came with the replacement of the vacuum tube by the transistor. The transistor is smaller, cheaper, and dissipates less heat than a vacuum tube but can be used in the same way  as a vacuum tube to construct computers. Unlike the vacuum tube, which requires wires, metal plates, a glass capsule, and a vacuum, the transistor is a solid-state device, made from silicon. The transistor was invented at Bell Labs in 1947 and by the 1950s had launched an electronic revolution. The National Cash Registers (NCR) and, more successfully, Radio Corporation of America (RCA) were the front-runners with some small transistor machines. IBM followed shortly with the 7000 series. The second generation is noteworthy also for the appearance of the Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC). DEC was founded in 1957 and, in that year, delivered its first computer, the PDP-1 (Programmed Data Processor). This computer and this company began the minicomputer phenomenon that would become so prominent in the third generation. The IBM 7094: From the introduction of the 700 series in 1952 to the introduction of the last member of the 7000 series in 1964, this IBM product line underwent an evolution that is typical of computer products. Successive members of the product line show increased performance, increased capacity, and/or lower cost. Table 1.1 illustrates this trend. The Third Generation: Integrated Circuit A single, self-contained transistor is called a discrete component. Throughout the 1950s and early 1960s, electronic equipment was composed largely of discrete components–transistors, resistors, capacitors, and so on. Discrete components were manufactured separately, packaged in their own containers, and soldered or wired together onto masonite-like circuit boards, which were then installed in computers, oscilloscopes, and other electronic equipment. Early second-generation computer contained about 10,000 transistors. This figure grew to the hundreds of thousands, making the manufacture of newer, more powerful machines increasingly difficult. In 1958 came the achievement that revolutionized electronics and started the era of microelectronics: the invention of the integrated circuit. Microelectronics: Microelectronics means, literally, â€Å"small electronics.† Since the beginnings of digital electronics and the computer industry, there has been a persistent and consistent trend toward the reduction in size of digital electronic circuits. The basic elements of a digital computer, as we know, must perform storage, movement, processing, and control functions. Only two fundamental types of components are required: gates and memory  cells. A gate is a device that implements a simple Boolean or logical function. Such devices are called gates because they control data flow in much the same way that canal gates do. The memory cell is a device that can store one bit of data; that is, the device can be in one of two stable states at any time. By interconnecting large numbers of these fundamental devices, we can construct a computer. We can relate this to our four basic functions as follows: †¢Data storage: Provided by memory cells. †¢Data processing: Provided by gates. †¢Data movement: The paths between components are used to move data from memory to memory and from memory through gates to memory. †¢Control: The paths between components can carry control signals. When the control signal is ON, the gate performs its function on the data inputs and produces a data output. Similarly, the memory cell will store the bit that is on its input lead when the WRITE control signal is ON and will place the bit that is in the cell on its output lead when the READ control signal is ON. Thus, a computer consists of gates, memory cells, and interconnections among these elements. The integrated circuit exploits the fact that such components as transistors, resistors, and conductors can be fabricated from a semiconductor such as silicon. It is merely an extension of the solid-state art to fabricate an entire circuit in a tiny piece of silicon rather than assemble discrete components made from separate pieces of silicon into the same circuit. Many transistors can be produced at the same time on a single wafer of silicon. Equally important, these transistors can be connected with a process of metallization to form circuits. Figure 1.8 depicts the key concepts in an integrated circuit. A thin wafer of silicon is divided into a matrix of small areas, each a few millimetres square. The identical circuit pattern is fabricated in each area, and the wafer is broken up into chips. Each chip consists of many gates and/or memory cells plus a number of input and output attachment points. This chip is then packaged in housing that protects it and provides pins for attachment to devices beyond the chip. A number of these packages can then be interconnected on a printed circuit board to produce larger and more complex circuits. As time went on, it became possible to pack more and more components on the  same chip. This growth in density is illustrated in Figure 1.9; it is one of the most remarkable technological trends ever recorded. This figure reflects the famous Moore’s law, which was propounded by Gordon Moore, cofounder of Intel, in 1965. Moore observed that the number of transistors that could be put on a single chip was doubling every year and correctly predicted that this pace would continue into the near future. FIGURE 1.9 GROWTH IN CPU TRANSISTOR COUNT The consequences of Moore’s law are profound: 1.The cost of a chip has remained virtually unchanged during this period of rapid growth in density. This means that the cost of computer logic and memory circuitry has fallen at a dramatic rate. 2.Because logic and memory elements are placed closer together on more densely packed chips, the electrical path length is shortened, increasing operating speed. 3.The computer becomes smaller, making it more convenient to place in a variety of environments. 4.There is a reduction in power and cooling requirements. 5.The interconnections on the integrated circuit are much more reliable than solder connections. With more circuitry on each chip, there are fewer interchip connections. IBM System/360: By 1964, IBM had a firm grip on the computer market with its 7000 series of machines. In that year, IBM announced the System/360, a new family of computer products. Although the announcement itself was no surprise, it contained some unpleasant news for current IBM customers: the 360 product line was incompatible with older IBM machines. Thus, the transition to the 360 would be difficult for the current customer base. This was a bold step by IBM, but one IBM felt was necessary to break out of some of the constraints of the 7000 architecture and to produce a system capable of evolving with the new integrated circuit technology. The 360 was the success of the decade and cemented IBM as the overwhelmingly dominant computer vendor, with a market share above 70%. The System/360 was the industry’s first planned family of computers. The family covered a wide range of performance and cost. Table 1.2 indicates some of the key characteristics of the various models in 1965. The concept of a family of compatible computers was both novel and extremely successful. The characteristics of a family are as follows: †¢Similar or identical instruction set: The program that executes on one machine will also execute on any other. †¢Similar or identical operating system: The same basic operating system is available for all family members. †¢Increasing speed: the rate of instruction execution increases in going from lower to higher family members. †¢Increasing number of I/O ports: In going from lower to higher family members. †¢Increasing memory size: In going from lower to higher family members. †¢Increasing cost: In going from lower to higher family members. DEC PDP-8: Another momentous first shipment occurred: PDP-8 from DEC. At a time when the average computer required an air-conditioned room, the PDP-8 (dubbed a minicomputer by the industry) was small enough that it could be placed on top of a lab bench or be built into other equipment. It could not do everything the mainframe could, but at $16,000, it was cheap enough for each lab technician to have one. The low cost and small size of the PDP-8 enabled another manufacturer to purchase a PDP-8 and integrate it into a total system for resale. These other manufacturers came to be known as original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and the OEM market became and remains a major segment of the computer marketplace. As DEC’s official history puts it, the PDP-8 â€Å"established the concept of minicomputers, leading the way to a multibillion dollar industry.† Later Generations Beyond the third generation there is less general agreement on defining generations of computers. Table 1.3 suggests that there have been a number of later generations, based on advances in integrated circuit technology. GenerationApproximate DatesTechnologyTypical Speed (operations per  second) With the rapid pace of technology, the high rate of introduction of new products and the importance of software and communications as well as hardware, the classification by generation becomes less clear and less meaningful. In this section, we mention two of the most important of these results. Semiconductor Memory: The first application of integrated circuit technology to computers was construction of the processor (the control unit and the arithmetic and logic unit) out of integrated circuit chips. But it was also found that this same technology could be used to construct memories. In the 1950s and 1960s, most computer memory was constructed from tiny rings of ferromagnetic material, each about a sixteenth of an inch in diameter. These rings were strung up on grids of fine wires suspended on small screens inside the computer. Magnetized one way, a ring (called a core) represented a one; magnetized the other way, it stood for a zero. It was expensive, bulky, and used destructive readout. Then, in 1970, Fairchild produced the first relatively capacious semiconductor memory. This chip, about the size of a single core, could hold 256 bits of memory. It was non-destructive and much faster than core. It took only 70 billionths of a second to read a bit. However, the cost per bit was higher than for that of core. In 1974, a seminal event occurred: The price per bit of semiconductor memory dropped below the price per bit of core memory. Following this, there has been a continuing and rapid decline in memory cost accompanied by a corresponding increase in physical memory density. Since 1970, semiconductor memory has been through 11 generations: 1K, 4K, 16K, 64K, 256K, 1M, 4M, 16M, 64M, 256M, and, as of this writing, 1G bits on a single chip. Each generation has provided four times the storage density of the previous generation, accompanied by declining cost per bit and declining access time. Microprocessors: Just as the density of elements on memory chips has  continued to rise, so has the density of elements on processor chips. As time went on, more and more elements were placed on each chip, so that fewer and fewer chips were needed to construct a single computer processor. A breakthrough was achieved in 1971, when Intel developed its 4004. The 4004 was the first chip to contain all of the components of a CPU on a single chip: the microprocessor was born. The 4004 can add two 4-bit numbers and can multiply only be repeated addition. By today’s standards, the 4004 is hopelessly primitive, but it marked the beginning of a continuing evolution of microprocessor capability and power.