E-commerce Practice Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

E-commerce Practice - Personal Statement Example From the brainstorm for the website, I realized that there was a need to develop research about the industry, our product and potential clients. Though e-commerce provides an almost unlimited market, the main challenge is directing traffic to the site and translating this in turn to actual sales, a proposition that has become more challenging considering technical requirements and saturation of industries (Lefebvre & Lefebvre 30-31). Afterwards, I had to communicate the site's requirements to developers so that it can best reflect the product and performance objectives to maximize the productivity and effectivity of the site. Finally, there was a need to develop performance measures for performance and maintaining competitiveness. The entire process of setting up the company is time consuming and challenging. Often, I encountered tasks that were beyond my existing skills or competencies which challenged me to research and cultivate the means to augment my skills or competencies as necessary.

Discuss the role of demand Essay Example for Free

Discuss the role of demand Essay In this paper we discuss the role of demand and supply in determining equilibrium price and quantity in the market, in a free market the demand and supply determine the equilibrium price and demand, in this case we consider 2,500 apartments which are to be leased out at a rate of 1,100 per month. If we assume that this is the equilibrium price and quantity in the market we can derive our demand and supply curve to determine the various factors that will affect the equilibrium price and quantity. From the above diagram the intersection of the demand curve and supply curve give us the equilibrium quantity and the equilibrium price, if the price was to rise then the demand for the apartments would decline, if the price was to decline then demand would be high for these apartments. The adjustment of the free market is automatic because when the supply rises then prices decrease, when prices decrease then the demand increases forcing the prices to rise, therefore in the long run the free market is at equilibrium, the factors that affect this equilibrium therefore include demand, supply, prices and charges by other competitors. Change in demand: When demand increases there will be an increase in the level of prices, this is caused by the fact that as the demand increase then the demand curve shifts to the right as shown below, when the demand increases then the prices increase, when prices increase then more apartment builders will be encouraged to increase supply of apartments resulting into increased supply, increased supply will shift the supply curve to the left leading to a decline in prices, therefore in the long run the curves will adjust into a new equilibrium, this is shown in the diagram below: When the demand for houses increase then the demand curve shifts from demand curve 1 to demand curve 2, this increases the prices, as the price increase investors are encouraged to invest more and provide more apartments, this results into increasing supply, when supply increases due to the increased prices the supply curve shifts downwards from supply curve 1 to supply curve 2, the new equilibrium now is where demand curve 2 intersects with supply curve two. Our new equilibrium is at a lower price yet a higher quantity. This clearly shows how the market shifts as a result of change in the demand for apartments. Changes in supply and demand: Changes in the supply is caused by the price, when the price rise then the supply level increases, when the price declines then the supply level declines. On the other hand the demand is also affected by prices, when prices decline then the higher the demand and when the price rise then the lower is the demand. Shifts in the demand and supply curve will affect decision making, this is because as economists we will aim at producing at the most optimal position, the optimal point will be determined by the maount of revenue derived from the apartments, the higher the price the higher the revenue per aprtmetn yet the lower the revenue the lower the revenue per apartment, however total revene will be calculated by multiplying the demand with price. Four points emphasized: When demand increases prices will rise, When the prices rise then the higher the supply, The higher the supply the lower the price and The lower the price the higher the demand Application: This concept of demand and supply can be used to determine the result of an increase in the price of product or even a reduction in the price, however our above analysis is that of a normal good, therefore in the workplace we can determine what wll happen to the demand and revenue after an increase or decline in prices. Elasticity of demand: Price elasticity of demand is the responsiveness of demand to a change in prices, the hgher the price elasticity then the hgiehr the demand wil respoind to a change in prices, however the lower the price elasticity then the lower is the responsiveness to a change in price. Results: From the above discussion we have summarized the law odf demand and supply for a normal good, it is evident that for a normal good when demand increases prices will rise, when the prices rise then the higher the supply, the higher the supply the lower the price and finally the lower the price the higher the demand. References: Brian Snow (1997) Macroeconomics: Introduction to Macroeconomics, Rout ledge publishers, London Philip Hardwick (2004) Introduction to Modern Economics, Pearson Press, New York Stratton (1999) Economics: A New Introduction, McGraw Hill Publishers, New York

Biodiversity and Land Quality Essay -- Infrastructure Biodiversity Ess

Biodiversity and Land Quality Human society's progression through time has resulted in many environment-altering effects, particularly those brought about by industrialization and rapid population growth. The combination of increased numbers of humans and improved technology has created the need for better management of resources and transportation across the globe. This need has produced great leaps in infrastructure, such as roads and dams. However, the introduction of this infrastructure into the natural world has adversely affected the environment. Biodiversity is often drastically altered, resulting in changes in breeding and predation patterns which, in turn, lead to species extinction and degradation of soil and vegetation. The complex intertwining of many facets of the environment create the potential for humans to have tremendous impact upon the world in which they live, and the effects of infrastructure upon biodiversity and land quality have a far-reaching influence on the environment that calls for cr itical evaluation. As global population increases, a more economically efficient use of resources is necessary to sustain demand for fuel, food, and water. Cities, and the huge populations that they contain, "are parasitic on the surrounding landscape," requiring large amounts of resources to be imported into them (Southwick 169). Thus, more reliance is being placed upon technological innovations and industrialization in order to efficiently support the world's growing numbers, and concentrations, of humans. As a result, infrastructure, particularly dams and roads, are becoming prominent features of the modern landscape. Natural ecosystems are often adversely affected by the environmental modification infrastructure ... ...if industrial activities are not kept at bay. Works Cited: Balmford, Andrew, Georgina M. Mace, and Joshua R. Ginsberg. "The challenges to conservation in a changing world: putting processes on the map," in Conservation in a Changing World, ed. Mace, Balmford, and Ginsberg. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1998. GLOBIO. www.globio.info. UNEP 2001. Myers, Norman. "The Rich Diversity of Biodiversity Issues," in Biodiversity II: Understanding and Protecting Our Biological Resources, ed. Reaka-Kudla, Wilson, and Wilson. Washington, DC: Joseph Henry Press, 1997. Southwick, Charles. Global Ecology in Human Perspective. Oxford Univ. Press, 1996. Steadman, David W. "Human-Caused Extinction of Birds," in Biodiversity II: Understanding and Protecting Our Biological Resources, ed. Reaka-Kudla, Wilson, and Wilson. Washington, DC: Joseph Henry Press, 1997.

Science, Development and Humanity :: Science Scientific Papers

Science, Development and Humanity ABSTRACT: The formation of a new scientific picture of the world is connected with the necessity of subjectivity. This subjectivity posits no limits for the scientific aspects of cognitive processes, but embraces a comprehensive world of spiritual activity. To choose the most effective model of social behavior, it is important to have an adequate knowledge of reality (i.e., the objective regularities of the surrounding world). Modern science reflects the vagueness of reality and, in consequence, the impossibility of using classical approaches. Increasingly, the negative phenomena of the surrounding world reflects the complexity of natural and socio-natural systems, especially on the global scale. Restrictions of the classical approaches to this complexity can be overcome within the synergistic theories or hierarchical systems theory that are becoming more and more popular. The necessity of appeal to modern theories, initiated as the result of ecological crises, stimulates the process es of new paradigm formation in science, acting often in spite of the needs and motives of society. The role of scientific world cognition in the history of Humanity is not considered to be unequivocal. One must not overestimate it's significance in man's living being improvement, raising it's status, expansion of it's rights, but one should confirm the development of science only, and further more, the appearance of technical inventions completely changed the relations between the man and the world surrounding him, generating ecological crisis. On the other hand, the problem of Humanity future development is extremely complex, it's solving is only with the use of scientific potential. Attribute of Mind, giving a man the right to be crowning point of nature determined the direction of the Planet history development several centuries ahead. To great extend, rationality, as well as the science itself is the result of Age of Enlightenment and it caused upheavals in Europe and influenced further world development. The Picture of world during New Age was seen as if the event was determined exactly by the starting conditions. According to Laplas Principle of determination one could recall the past and predict future in details in case if one possessed the total combination of data at any moment of time. In scientific view of New Age laws of nature were given their own status, differed greatly comparing with the laws expressing models of relations between people, determined by the norms and values of religion and morals. Thus, Ch.Snow's mind, premises for existence of "two culture's conflicts" appeared.

Nutrition †Obesity Essay

Objective: To assess the association between the consumption of fast food (FF) and body mass index (BMI) of teenagers in a large UK birth cohort. Methods: A structural equation modelling (SEM) approach was chosen to allow direct statistical testing of a theoretical model. SEM is a combination of confirmatory factor and path analysis, which allows for the inclusion of latent (unmeasured) variables. This approach was used to build two models: the effect of FF outlet visits and food choices and the effect of FF exposure on consumption and BMI. Results: A total of 3620 participants had data for height and weight from the age 13 clinic and the frequency of FF outlet visits, and so were included in these analyses. This SEM model of food choices showed that increased frequency of eating at FF outlets is positively associated with higher consumption of unhealthy foods (b ? 0. 29, Po0. 001) and negatively associated with the consumption of healthy foods (b ? A1. 02, Po0. 001). The SEM model of FF exposure and BMI showed that higher exposure to FF increases the frequency of visits to FF outlets (b ? 0. 61, Po0.001), which is associated with higher body mass index standard deviation score (BMISDS; b ? 0. 08, Po0. 001). Deprivation was the largest contributing variable to the exposure (b ? 9. 2, Po0. 001). Conclusions: The teenagers who ate at FF restaurants consumed more unhealthy foods and were more likely to have higher BMISDS than those teenagers who did not eat frequently at FF restaurants. Teenagers who were exposed to more takeaway foods at home ate more frequently at FF restaurants and eating at FF restaurants was also associated with lower intakes of vegetables and raw fruit in this cohort. International Journal of Obesity (2011) 35, 1325–1330; doi:10. 1038/ijo. 2011. 120; published online 28 June 2011 Keywords: fast food; overweight; ALSPAC Introduction Childhood obesity prevalence have risen dramatically in the last 30 years in the Western world with the most recent figures for England and Wales show that 17% of boys and 16% of girls are obese. 1 An increase in the availability of calorie dense foods is implicated as one of the factors in the aetiology of the obesity epidemic. Fast food (FF) is one section of the food market that has grown steadily over the last few decades and it was worth d8. 9 billion in the United Kingdom in 2005. 2 FF is typically quick, convenient, cheap and Correspondence: Dr LK Fraser, School of Geography, University of Leeds, University road, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK. E-mail: l. k. fraser@leeds. ac. uk Received 6 February 2011; revised 21 April 2011; accepted 12 May 2011; published online 28 June 2011 uniform in its production,3 but FF is often high in saturated fats, energy dense and has low micronutrient content. 4–9 Studies from the United States of America have shown that children who consume FF (when compared with children who do not eat FF) have higher energy intake and higher fat intakes9,10 as well as lower vegetable and milk intake. 10,11 Therefore, the consumption of such foods could possibly result in a positive energy balance; and hence, weight gain. There is some evidence from longitudinal studies in the United States of America that consuming FF as a teenager can result in weight gain in both early12 and middle adulthood. 13 FF is often marketed to children and adolescents through television, internet and movie advertising,14–17 with brand recognition being present from an early age. 18 The addition of toys as gifts with FF meals also attracts children. There is growing body of literature that has assessed the location of FF outlets and has found that areas of higher deprivation Fast food and body mass index LK Fraser et al 1326 have more FF outlets19–21 and that FF outlets are often located close to schools. 22–24 The majority of research to date has been undertaken in the United States of America, but a study that analysed the fat content of a FF meal in McDonald’s and Kentucky Fried Chicken outlets in 35 countries showed that the amount of fat varied considerably between countries, within the same FF outlet. 25 This means that results from studies in the United States of America may not be generalisable to other countries. This study aims to assess the cross-sectional association between the consumption of FF and the body mass index (BMI) of teenagers in a large UK birth cohort. Methods The data for this study were obtained from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC),26 which is a birth cohort study where pregnant mothers who lived in the old Avon County in the United Kingdom (the Bristol region) were recruited in the early 1990s. A total of 14 541 mothers completed recruitment. Because of retrospective recruitment the total sample size was 15 224 fetuses and 14 610 live births. This paper presents data on the teenagers who attended the year 13 clinic and completed the year 13 questionnaire. Variables The food frequency data were collected from the questionnaires completed by mother (or carer) and separate questionnaires completed by the teenagers themselves at age 13 years. The data used from the carer questionnaire (collected at the same time point) referred to the questions ‘How often does s/he eat in a FF restaurant? The responses to this question were collected as never/rarely, once a month, once every 2 weeks, once or twice per week, 3–4 times a week, 5 or more times a week. The carers were also asked ‘In total, how many portions of vegetables does s/he eat in a week (do not include potatoes)’, ‘In total, how many portions of raw fruit does s/he eat in a week? ’ These were free numerical responses, which were retained as a continuous variable for analyses. In the food frequency part of the teenager completed questionnaire the teenagers were asked ‘If you ever buy food yourself from outside school, or from school vending machines, how often do you buy and eat each of the following things (include after school and weekends): chips, burger, pizza, sandwich, pies or pasties, chocolate, crisps, fruit and other food. ’ The height and weight data were collected at clinic visits at B13 years. The exact age, sex, height and weight were used to calculate a BMI standard deviation score (BMISDS) for each participant (1990 UK reference dataset). 27 The teenagers International Journal of Obesity were classified as obese if their BMISDS was greater than the 95th percentile (BMISDS41. 64). The physical activity data were collected via accelerometry at the age 13 clinic visit. 28 The participants wore an accelerometer for seven consecutive days and the measure used from this is mean counts per minute, which is a continuous variable. A deprivation score was assigned to each participant by matching the coordinates of their residential address (when carer questionnaire was completed) to the appropriate lower super output area. Each lower super output area has an index of multiple deprivation score (Index of Multiple Deprivation 2007 (IMD))29 assigned from the local census data. This is a continuous variable in which a higher number indicates an area of higher deprivation. Ethnicity was assigned as per the child’s ethnicity into a binary variable of ‘white British’ and ‘other’ ethnicity. Statistical modelling Descriptive statistics were performed in STATA version 10 (StataCorp LP, College Station, TX, USA). A structural equation modelling (SEM) approach was chosen to allow direct statistical testing of a theoretical model. SEM has many benefits over traditional regression techniques, which include the ability to model equations simultaneously and the incorporation of latent variables. 30 SEM is a combination of confirmatory factor and path analysis, which allows for the inclusion of latent (unmeasured) variables. 31 This approach was used to build two models: the effect of FF outlet visits and food choices and the effect of FF exposure on consumption and BMI. The SEM analyses were undertaken in AMOS version 17. 0 (IBM SPSS, USA). The hypothesised model for food choices is shown in the results section (Figure 2). The observed variables are displayed as boxes and latent variables as circles. Each observed variable has an associated random error term and each latent variable has an associated disturbance term, which represents the variance in the latent variable that has not been explained by the observed variables associated with that latent variable. Regression paths are shown by singleheaded arrows and covariances by double-headed curved arrows. The model fit was assessed by two indices; the comparative fit index (CFI) and the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA). The CFI is a comparison of the hypothesised model compared with an independence model where all parameters are assumed to be independent. The RMSEA gives an indication of ‘how well would the model, with unknown but optimally chosen values, fit the population covariance matrix if it were available’. 32 A combination of CFI40. 95 and a RMSEA of o0. 50 is a sign of good model fit. The w2-test of overall fit is very sensitive to large sample size so has not been used in these models. 30 The two models were constructed a priori using previous research. The nutritional content of chips, burgers, pizza and Fast food and body mass index LK Fraser et al 1327 pies are known to be high in saturated fat and energy and therefore are ‘unhealthy’,4–9,33 whereas fruit and vegetables are known to contain fibre and vitamins and so are classified as ‘healthy’. Exposure to FF outlets is known to be higher in areas of higher deprivation. 19–21 In the food choices model, unhealthy consumption (latent variable) was modelled from the frequency of consumption of chips, burger, pizza and pies (reported by the teenagers themselves), and the healthy consumption was modelled from the number of pieces of vegetables and raw fruit consumed by the teenager (maternal report). The number of times that the teenager visited a FF outlet (maternal report) was regressed on the unhealthy and healthy consumption variables. The model for the effect of FF exposure on consumption and BMISDS is shown in Figure 3. Here exposure is a latent variable modelled from maternal and paternal takeaway frequency and deprivation score. The exposure is regressed on the number of visits to FF outlet. The BMISDS at age 13 years is the main outcome of this model. Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the ALSPAC Law and Ethics Committee and the local research ethics committees. Results A total of 3620 participants have data for height and weight from the age 13 clinic and the frequency of FF outlet visits, and were included in these analyses (SEM cannot use individuals with missing data). A total of 1711 (47. 3%) were boys and 456 (12.6%) obese. The descriptive statistics are shown in Table 1. Frequency of visiting FF outlets and food consumption frequencies are shown in Figure 1. The results of model 1 are shown in Figure 2 with regression weights shown in Table 2. This model showed that increased frequency of eating at FF outlets was positively associated with higher consumption of unhealthy foods (b ? 0. 29, Po0. 001) and negatively associated with the consumption of healthy foods (b ? A1. 02, Po0. 001). The CFI for model 1 was 0. 98 and the RMSEA was 0. 05 (90% confidence interval 0. 044, 0. 058). These represent good approximate model fit. Table 1. The results of model 2 are shown in Figure 3 with regression weight shown in Table 3. This model showed that increased exposure to FF increased the frequency of visits to FF outlets (b ? 0. 61, Po0. 001), which in turn was associated with higher BMISDS (b ? 0. 08, Po0. 001). Deprivation was the largest contributing variable to the exposure (b ? 9. 2, Po0. 001). The CFI for model 2 was 0. 98, and the RMSEA was 0. 021 (90% confidence interval 0. 009, 0. 033). These represent very good approximate model fit. Discussion This study shows that teenagers who are exposed to more unhealthy foods at home are more likely to eat at FF restaurants and have a higher BMISDS. The negative association of increased visits to FF outlets on consumption of healthy foods (fruit and vegetables) has also been demonstrated. The FF restaurant use in this analysis was reported by the mother or main carer of the teenager and showed that nearly 60% of all the teenagers ate at a FF restaurant at least once a month. This appears to be less frequently than in the United States of America, where studies showed that 60% of older children and adolescents ate FF more than once per week34 and that B30% of children ate at a FF restaurant on any typical day. 9. As one part of the SEM this study showed that eating at a FF outlet was associated with a higher BMISDS. There were no previous UK studies to compare these results with, but previous studies from the United States of America have not found consistent results. Boutelle et al. 11 found no association between frequency of FF consumption and adolescent BMI or weight status, and an Australian study Descriptive statistics Mean BMISDS Deprivation (IMD 2007)29 Physical activity (c. p. m. ) Raw fruit (portions per week) Vegetables (portions per week) s. d. Median IQR 0. 29 13. 7 541 9. 5 9. 5 1. 14 11. 4 190 7 7 0. 024 10. 6 511 8 8 A0. 47, 1. 06 5. 9, 17. 0 404, 653 5, 14 5, 12 Abbreviations: BMISDS, body mass index standard deviation score for age and sex; c. p. m. , cycles per minute; IMD 2007, Index of Multiple Deprivation 2007; IQR, interquartile range. Figure 1 Food frequency data. International Journal of Obesity Fast food and body mass index LK Fraser et al 1328 Figure 2 Results of SEM model of food choices. Table 2 Results of SEM model of food choices Regression weights a Unhealthy’fast food Healthy’fast food Chips’unhealthy Burger’unhealthy Fruit’healthy Vegetables’healthy Pizza’unhealthy Pies’unhealthy Estimate s. e. CR P 0. 285 A1. 023 1. 000 0. 732 1. 000 1. 157 0. 774 0. 530 0. 021 0. 124 13. 439 A8. 274 o0. 001 o0. 001 0. 016 45. 243 o0. 001 0. 148 0. 018 0. 016 7. 802 42. 483 32. 720 o0. 001 o0. 001 o0. 001 Abbreviations: CR, critical ratio; SEM, structural equation modeling. aAll consumption variables units: never/rarely, once a month, once every 2 weeks, once or twice per week, 3–4 times a week, 5 or more times a week. showed that FF eaten at home (but not away from home) was associated with higher BMI in adolescents (MacFarlane). Two longitudinal studies using data from the CARDIA study found that higher FF intake in adolescence was associated with higher BMI in young adulthood12 and those who ate FF more than twice a week had put on an extra 4. 5 kg of weight 15 years later. 13 The teenagers who ate more frequently at FF restaurants were more likely to eat less fruit and vegetables, as well as consume more unhealthy foods (chips, burger, pizza, pies) than those teenagers who ate at FF restaurants less frequently. This is an indication that the consumption of unhealthy foods may displace healthy food choices. This is similar to previous research in the United States of America, International Journal of Obesity which showed that children who ate FF consumed 45 g less vegetables per day than children who did not eat FF. 10 At age 13 years the food frequency data were a combination of maternal and self-report from the teenagers, but the total macro- and micronutrient values could not be assessed in this study as these data were not yet available at the time of writing. Deprivation was the largest contributor to the FF exposure variable. This could be explained by the fact that those of higher deprivation eat more FF because of the relative cheapness of FF. It has also been shown in many studies in the United Kingdom and the United States of America that areas of higher deprivation have more FF outlets than more affluent areas therefore, FF is more readily available. 35 An interesting economics paper from the United States of America showed that increasing the cost of FF by $1 could decrease BMI by 0. 78 units. 36 The increased consumption of unhealthy foods (chips, burger, pizzas and pies) by those teenagers who ate more frequently at FF outlets was not surprising, but the associated negative effect of the consumption of fruit and vegetables by these participants is important. These teenagers will not only be consuming more of the saturated fat and salt from the burgers, and so on, but at the same time they are not consuming important nutrients from fruit and vegetables. Although many FF outlets now offer more healthy alternatives such as fruit and vegetables, the consumers may still be choosing the unhealthy foods. Fast food and body mass index LK Fraser et al 1329 The FF question completed by the carer did not specify what constituted FF so some respondents may only count large franchises as FF whereas others may use a broader definition that includes independent takeaways. Although the frequency of eating at a FF restaurant was asked, the carers were not asked about the food eaten from these establishments and many FF restaurants now offer more ‘healthy’ alternatives. Although the majority of FF items do not meet the Food Standards Agency nutrient standards for total fat, saturated fat, sugar and sodium there are wide variations in similar products from different FF outlets with sodium content varying by up to four times in fried chicken products. 37 Therefore, having data on which food items were consumed from which FF outlet would further enhance future studies. There was no information on why the teenagers ate at FF restaurants, and key questions for the future include; was there no alternative eating establishments in their neighbourhood? Did they prefer FF to other meals or was the cost of food important? Conclusions This study has shown that the teenagers who ate at FF restaurants consumed more unhealthy foods and were more likely to have higher BMISDS than those teenagers who did not eat frequently at FF restaurants. Teenagers who were exposed to more takeaway foods at home ate more frequently at FF restaurants. Eating at FF restaurants was also associated with lower intakes of vegetables and raw fruit in this cohort. Figure 3 The SEM model of FF exposure and BMI. Table 3 Results of SEM model of FF exposure and body mass index Regression weights Fast food ’exposure. Maternal fast food’exposure Deprivation’exposure Paternal fast food’exposure BMISDS’fast food BMISDS’c. p. m. a Estimate s. e. CR 0. 61 1. 000 9. 20 0. 66 0. 08 0. 00 0. 07 8. 654 1. 07 0. 08 0. 02 0. 00 8. 605 8. 680 3. 586 A3. 351 P o0. 001 o0. 001 o0. 001 o0. 001 o0. 001 Abbreviations: BMISDS, body mass index standard deviation score for age and sex; c. p. m. , cycles per minute; CR, critical ratio; FF, fast food; IMD 2007, Index of Multiple Deprivation 2007; SEM, structural equation modeling. a All consumption variables units: never/rarely, once a month, once every 2 weeks, once or twice per week, 3–4 times a week, 5 or more times a week. Strengths/limitations This is a large dataset with good-quality height and weight data taken at clinic visits by trained staff using validated equipment. There were food consumption data about the teenagers available from both the teenagers and their carers, but this is a cross-sectional study so causation cannot be implied from this data. As expected in a longitudinal study there is attrition and the subcohort used in this study may not be truly representative of the whole cohort. Conflict of interest The authors declare no conflict of interest. Acknowledgements. We are extremely grateful to all the families who took part in this study, the midwives for their help in recruiting and the whole ALSPAC team, which include interviewers, computer and laboratory technicians, clerical workers, research scientists, volunteers, managers, receptionists and nurses. The UK Medical Research Council (grant ref: 74882), The Wellcome Trust (grant ref: 076467) and the University of Bristol provide core support for ALSPAC. LKF was funded by ESRC/MRC studentship. References 1 Craig RS. Health survey for England 2007, 2008. Available from http://www. natcen. ac. uk/study/health-survey-for-england-2007. 2 Keynote.UK fast food and home delivery outlets, 2006. International Journal of Obesity Fast food and body mass index LK Fraser et al 1330 3 DeMaria AN. Of fast food and franchises. J Am Coll Cardiol 2003; 41: 1227–1228. 4 Astrup A. Super-sized and diabetic by frequent fast-food consumption? Lancet 2005; 365: 4–5. 5 Brown K, McIlveen H, Strugnell C. Young consumers and the hospitality spectrum. Appetite 1998; 31: 403. 6 Harnack LJ, French SA, Oakes JM, Story MT, Jeffery RW, Rydell SA. Effects of calorie labeling and value size pricing on fast food meal choices: results from an experimental trial. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 2008; 5: 63. 7 Lewis LB, Sloane DC, Nascimento LM, Diamant AL, Guinyard JJ, Yancey AK et al. African Americans’ access to healthy food options in South Los Angeles restaurants. Am J Public Health 2005; 95: 668–673. 8 Paeratakul S, Ferdinand DP, Champagne CM, Ryan DH, Bray GA. Fast-food consumption among US adults and children: dietary and nutrient intake profile. J Am Diet Assoc 2003; 103: 1332–1338. 9 Schmidt M, Affenito SG, Striegel-Moore R, Khoury PR, Barton B, Crawford P et al. Fast-food intake and diet quality in black and white girls – the national heart, lung, and blood institute growth and health study. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2005; 159: 626–631. 10 Bowman SA, Gortmaker SL, Ebbeling CB, Pereira MA, Ludwig DS. Effects of fast-food consumption on energy intake and diet quality among children in a national household survey. Pediatrics 2004; 113: 112–118. 11 Boutelle KN, Fulkerson JA, Neumark-Sztainer D, Story M, French SA. Fast food for family meals: relationships with parent and adolescent food intake, home food availability and weight status. Public Health Nutr 2007; 10: 16–23. 12 Duffey KJ, Gordon-Larsen P, Jacobs DR, Williams OD, Popkin BM. Differential associations of fast food and restaurant food consumption with 3-y change in body mass index: the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study. Am J Clin Nutr 2007; 85: 201–208. 13 Pereira MA, Kartashov AI, Ebbeling CB, Van Horn L, Slattery M, Jacobs DR et al. Fast-food habits, weight gain, and insulin resistance (the CARDIA study): 15-year prospective analysis. Lancet 2005; 365: 36–42. 14 Sutherland LA, MacKenzie T, Purvis LA, Dalton M. Prevalence of food and beverage brands in movies: 1996–2005. Pediatrics 2010; 125: 468–474. 15 Powell LM, Szczypka G, Chaloupka FJ. Trends in exposure to television food advertisements among children and adolescents in the United States. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2010; 164: 794–802. 16 Hillier A, Cole BL, Smith TE, Yancey AK, Williams JD, Grier SA et al. Clustering of unhealthy outdoor advertisements around child-serving institutions: a comparison of three cities. Health Place 2009; 15: 935–945. 17 Lingas EO, Dorfman L, Bukofzer E. Nutrition content of food and beverage products on Web sites popular with children. Am J Public Health 2009; 99(Suppl 3): S587–S592. 18 Robinson TN, Borzekowski DLG, Matheson DM, Kraemer HC. Effects of fast food branding on young children’s taste preferences. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2007; 161: 792–797. International Journal of Obesity. 19 Cummins SCJ, McKay L, MacIntyre S. McDonald’s restaurants and neighborhood deprivation in Scotland and England. Am J Prev Med 2005; 29: 308–310. 20 Fraser LK, Edwards KL. The association between the geography of fast food outlets and childhood obesity rates in Leeds, UK. Health Place 2010; 16: 1124–1128. 21 Macdonald L, Cummins S, Macintyre S. Neighbourhood fast food environment and area deprivation-substitution or concentration? Appetite 2007; 49: 251–254. 22 Neckerman KM, Bader MDM, Richards CA, Purciel M, Quinn JW, Thomas JS et al. Disparities in the food environments of New York City public schools. A J Prev Med 2010; 39: 195–202. 23 Davis B, Carpenter C. Proximity of fast-food restaurants to schools and adolescent obesity. Am J Public Health 2009; 99: 505–510. 24 Seliske LM, Pickett W, Boyce WF, Janssen I. Density and type of food retailers surrounding Canadian schools: variations across socioeconomic status. Health Place 2009; 15: 903–907. 25 Stender S, Dyerberg J, Astrup A. Fast food: unfriendly and unhealthy. Int J Obes 2007; 31: 887–890. 26 Golding J, Pembrey M, Jones R, Team AS. ALSPAC-The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children – I. Study methodology. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 2001; 15: 74–87. 27 Cole TJ, Freeman JV, Preece MA. Body-mass index reference curves for the UK, 1990. Arch DisChild 1995; 73: 25–29. 28 Riddoch CJ, Leary SD, Ness AR, Blair SN, Deere K, Mattocks C et al. Prospective associations between objective measures of physical activity and fat mass in 12–14 year old children: the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Br Med J 2009; 339: b4544. 29 Index of Multiple Deprivation 2007 (IMD 2007). 30 Kline R (ed) Principles and Practice of Structural Equation Modeling. The Guildford Press: New York, 2005. 31 Tomarken AJ, Waller NG. Structural equation modeling: strengths, limitations, and misconceptions. Annu Rev Clinic. Psychol 2005; 1: 31–65. 32 Byrne BM (ed). Structural Equation Modelling with AMOS. Lawrence Erbaum Associates: London, 2001. 33 Astrup A, Dyerberg J, Selleck M, Stender S. Nutrition transition and its relationship to the development of obesity and related chronic diseases. Obes Rev 2008; 9: 48–52. 34 Taveras EM, Berkey CS, Rifas-Shiman SL, Ludwig DS, Rockett HRH, Field AE et al. Association of consumption of fried food away from home with body mass index and diet quality in older children and adolescents. Pediatrics 2005; 116: E518–E524. 35 Fraser LK, Edwards KL, Cade J, Clarke GP. The geography of fast food outlets: a review. 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Nucleosynthesis Essays - Nuclear Physics, Nuclear Chemistry

Nucleosynthesis Essays - Nuclear Physics, Nuclear Chemistry Nucleosynthesis The big bang which created the universe, only created the elements Hydrogen (H) and Helium (He) and possibly a very small amount of Lithium (Li). However, a glance at the periodic table of the elements shows that today (some 15 billion years after the big bang) there are at least 108 known elements. Every atom of every element heavier than Li has been produced since the big bang! The factories which make these elements are stars. Nucleosynthesis or the synthesis of nuclei, is the process by which stars (which start out consisting mostly of H and He) produce all other elements. The key is nuclear fusion, in which small nuclei are joined together to form a larger nucleus. (This contrasts with nuclear fission, in which a large nucleus breaks apart to form two smaller nuclei). Fusion requires an extremely large amount of energy (see fig. 1), and can typically only take place in the centers of stars. FIGURE 1 a) Low energy proton is strongly repelled by the 7Be nucleus.b) High energy proton moves so fast that it can strike the 7Be nucleus. Once the proton touches the nucleus, it has a chance to stick. If the proton sticks, the 7Be becomes a 8B nucleus.c) 8B is radioactive and changes into 8Be plus a positron (b+) and a neutrino (n). 8Be is itself radioactive, and almost immediately breaks into two 4He nuclei. Protons repel each other. This repulsion becomes stronger as the protons get closer together (just like when you try to stick two magnets together north to north, or south to south. Try this! As you push the magnets closer together, it becomes harder to do). However, if the protons can actually touch each other, they have a chance to stick together! This is because of the strong nuclear force which attracts nucleons (protons or neutrons) together, and is much stronger (at close range) than the electromagnetic force repulsion that makes protons repel other protons. (Magnets do not do this: two like poles will never stick together). In order to get a proton to strike another proton (or a nucleus that contains several protons) they must be traveling at high relative speeds; if their closing velocity is not great enough, they will never get close enough to stick together, because they strongly repel each other. But, just as you can make two of the same magnetic poles touch each other by providing sufficient force, so too can protons touch when they have sufficient relative speed. This can take place in the center of the sun, where the temperature is extremely high. Temperature is related to atomic motion: the hotter something is, the faster its atoms are moving [] see demo food coloring in water[]. Table 1 shows the nuclear reactions that are taking place in our sun, as well as nuclear reactions that take place in stars that are either older than our sun, or hotter than our sun. The reactions in columns 2 and 3 occur after a star has entered the red giant phase. How fast a star evolves to this point depends on its mass: stars heavier than the sun can reach this phase in less than 5 billion years (the age of the sun) whereas stars with about our sun's mass take about 10 billion years to get there. The particles you may be unfamiliar with are: n the neutrino, g a gamma ray (high energy light wave), and b+ the positron (the antimatter version of the electron). TABLE 1. NUCLEAR REACTIONS IN STARS OUR SUN NOW OLDER, OR HOTTER STARS p + p 2H + b+ + n 4He + 4He 8Be + g 12C + p 13N + g 2H + p 3He + g 8Be + 4He 12C + g 13N 13C + b+ + n 3He + 3He 4He + p + p 12C + 4He 16O + g T1/2 = 10 min 16O + 4He 20Ne + g 13C + p 14N + g 3He + 4He 7Be + g 20Ne + 4He 24Mg + g 14N + p 15O + g 7Be + p 8B + g 15O 15N + b+ + n 8B 8Be + b+ + n T1/2 = 120 ms 8Be 4He + 4He 15N + p 12C + 4He He burning (core) H

HONDA Report Essays

HONDA Report Essays HONDA Report Essay HONDA Report Essay Introduction. Soichiro Honda was born on November 17, 1906, in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan. He was a racer, a businessman, and a manufacturer. He dreamed of a better way of making piston rings, founded a small company, and began production. He was also a Japanese engineer and industrialist, and founder of Honda Motor Company, Ltd, which is a Japanese multinational corporation primarily know as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles. Headquartered in Japan, Honda Motor Company is one of the major producers of quality motor vehicles around the world. Honda Motor Company is by far the worlds biggest motorcycle maker since 1959. Hondas quality, innovation and reliability have made it one of the most sought after car brands in the world. Its major car models such as Accord have occupied the leadership position in global sales for years now. Honda cars are also renowned for their fuel efficiency and have a loyal customer following all around the world. Hondas leadership position is sustained due to its enormous focus on RD, quality and innovation. Along with Toyota, its major competitor, Honda has ruled the US markets with its uccessful models and captured market share of American manufacturers such as GM and Ford. This success turned Hondas focus to another dream, the American Dream, and the company also moved away from other companies who relied upon distributors to sell their bikes when the company set up its headquarters in the west coast of America. Company overview 0 Honda has grown to become the worlds largest motorcycle manufacturer and one of the leading automakers. Honda develops, manufactures and markets a wide variety of products ranging from small general-purpose engines and scooters to pecialty sports cars, to earn the Honda Motor Company an outstanding reputation from customers worldwide. The Companys business is carried out through four segments: The Two-Wheel segment manufactures two-wheel vehicles All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) Personal watercrafts And other related products. The Four-Wheel segment offers four-wheel vehicles and other related products. The first production automobile from Honda was the T360 mini pick-up truck, which went on sale in August 1963. He was produced as a conventional rear wheel drive pickup truck, a flatbed with folding sides, and as a covered van. But, Hondas major car models include its best selling Accord, Civic, CRV, Hybrid car Insight and its luxury range of cars under the Acura brand. The Accord automobile followed in 1976, the same year that American Honda released its first automatic transmission motorcycle, the CB750A. The Honda Civic is a line of subcompact and subsequently compact cars. On the automotive side, Honda became the first manufacturer to finish first, second and third in the Motor Trend Import Cars of the Year selections. The word ? « civic ? » means of, or relating to a citizen, a city, citizenship or civil affairs. As its name suggests, the Civic incorporated Hondas wish to create a car for all people, a car for the world. The Financial segment in engaged in the provision of financial and insurance services. The General-purpose and Others segment is engaged in the manufacture of general-purpose products and its related products. Headquartered in Tokyo, the Company has over 400 subsidiaries and over 100 associated companies in Japan, North America, Europe, Asia and other districts. It is essential that Honda Motor Company focused on making its cars more fuel- efficient. To make this idea work, Honda will need to spend heavily on continuous research and development. Such R process is an on-going activity at progressive and innovative organizations like Honda. Hondas engineers will need to think out of the box and come up with innovative technologies that can really set apart Honda from its compet itors. Focusing on high HP-to-weight ratio engines and environment friendly hybrid vehicles will help the company to protect its market share in the future. For example, the two seated Insight model, which derived its power from a ombination of a 3-cylinder gasoline engine, and a large battery pack providing power-assist during acceleration was a good start. Another innovation is the use of ethanol as an efficient and more environment friendly gas substitute. Honda Motor Company needs to create new models or redesign existing models to be more friendly and geared for comfort of the older generations, such as the baby boomers. This comfort should be teamed with a fashionable look, as baby boomers dont want to be reminded of their aging bodies. To come up with this range of product mix, Honda will need to make significant capital expenditure. However, this strategy can be dangerous as Honda might lose its focus. In an effort to capture this segment of the marketplace, Honda might lose its quality and strategic focus. However, if this option is pursued, Honda will need to raise capital in the form of equity as well debt in a suitable combination to fund this capital expenditure. 0 Honda is already expanding their U. S. production, today, 80% of the 1. 3 million cars Honda sells in North America are made at North American factories, and the parts in Hondas American cars increasingly come from local suppliers. Honda plans to increase its production from the current 1. 4 million units a year to 1. 62 million units within a year. This new growth should be put in areas where the cost of living is relatively low. This will ensure that Honda can pay workers fair wages for the area. Creating a loyalty to American made products is no t the only reason that Honda needs to expand its local production levels. Since over 70% of revenue for Honda is gained in America, it is important to make the vehicles where or close to where they are sold. With the ever-changing exchange rate between the United States and Japan, local production gives Honda stability. This helps Honda to be much more resistant to exchange fluctuations, says Satoshi Aoki, senior managing director at Honda in To Conclusion Unlike other global businesses that see size as the key to survival, Honda embraces the ideal that even as Honda operations expand around the globe, they want to maintain the qualities of a small company that is close to its customers. The ability to produce a worthwhile product with the speed, flexibility and efficiency of a small company and the essential elements of a large company global reach and echnological strength, is what drives them into the future and will continue to help them strategize their global efforts. Hondas global strategy is very simple put cost-effective plants in areas that best meet the needs of local customers. They integrate plants into markets with a Small Born manufacturing strategy, starting small and then expanding as local demand increases. This thinking has helped them establish more than 100 factories in 33 countries, an approach that allows Honda to achieve efficiency and profitability, even at low production volumes.