Analysis of Profitability, Liquidity and Performance Essay Example

Analysis of Profitability, Liquidity and Performance Paper Analysis of profitability, liquidity and performance The profit of a business is the difference between its revenues and its costs. It is important to consider two main types of profit: 1. Gross profit this is calculated by deducting the cost of sales of a business from its sales revenue (turnover). 2. Operating profit is calculated by then taking away overhead expenses from gross profit. Given the above figures it is possible to analyse the profitability of Better Hotels Plc in the two years. To do this we need to calculate how much of every pound spent by customers in the hotels is profit. This is calculated in the following way: 1. Gross profit % (i. e. how many pence in each ? 1 of customer spending is profit). This is calculated by: For Better Hotels in 2004 this is: For Better Hotels in 2005 this is: The profit margin i. e. operating profit % is calculated by: For Better Hotels in 2004 this is: For Better Hotels in 2005 this is: By examining the profit figures you can see that Better Hotels is more profitable in 2005 than it was in 2004. Gross profit % has gone up from 60% to 75%, and Operating profit % has increased from 30% to 40%. Profitability Using these profitability calculations you are able to compare business profits in one year compared with others, and also compare the profitability of different businesses. Another important measure of how well a business is being run is how liquid it is. To do this you need to look at the current assets and current liabilities in the balance sheet. We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of Profitability, Liquidity and Performance specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of Profitability, Liquidity and Performance specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of Profitability, Liquidity and Performance specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The following shows part of the balance sheet for Better Hotels in 2004 and 2005: Extract from Balance Sheet 31st Dec 2004 by examining the two balance sheets it is possible to see that in 2005, Better Hotels has a more liquid assets relative to current liabilities. In 2004 the ratio of current assets to current liabilities was: 80:40 (i. e. ?2 for every ? 1) In 2005 the ratio was: 90:40 (i. e. ?2. 50 for every ? 1) It is important for businesses to have a good liquidity position because, should people that the business owes money to (current liabilities) press for payment it is essential to have the liquidity to pay up. A liquid asset is one that can quickly be turned into cash. Working capital We use the term working capital to describe the difference between current assets and current liabilities. A business has working capital if its current assets are greater than its current liabilities. Working capital is required for the day-to-day running of a business paying bills, wages etc. A business performs well when it has: *high and rising sales *high and rising profits *good control over its costs *a good liquidity/working capital position.

Brothers And Sisters Of Disabled Children Social Work Essay Essay Example

Brothers And Sisters Of Disabled Children Social Work Essay Essay Example Brothers And Sisters Of Disabled Children Social Work Essay Essay Brothers And Sisters Of Disabled Children Social Work Essay Essay Burke s article is unable to originate alteration in policy and pattern since his literature is based around his ain experiences and values. The findings are chiefly experiences from the parents and the cognition of disablement by association is limited. Burke overlooks what professional intercessions are better suited to back up siblings. For case, a UK voluntary service A Topographic point to name our ain provides households of handicapped kids with enlightening advice and runs sibling support groups ( Harris, 2008 ) . Parents believe siblings demands can be met by openly discoursing their sibling s status with a professional ( Conners A ; Stalker, 2003 ) . Meryer and Vadasy ( 1994 ) believe its bureaus duty for professionals to supply up to day of the month information sing their sibling s disablement. Siblings engaging in support groups is a signifier of early intercession to discourse their feelings and to portion their experiences. Burke does non inform us of the important function support groups help to authorise and back up parents and siblings ( Strohm, 2008 ) .Siblings are helped through relaxation Sessionss, out-of-door activities and have aid with prep ( DArcy et al,2005 ) .Although sharing experiences through support groups may non be suited for all children.Invididual guidance such as familial guidance or household therapy possibly more curative ( Conners and Stalker, 2003 ) . Families experiencing stray and pull offing entirely was prevailing in Burke s decision. An advocator or a keyworker could keep close contact with the household and arrange services to back up their demands ( Harris,2008 ) . Burke research of disablement by association is limited to better patterns, nevertheless the of import function siblings contribute within their households needs to be adhere to in bureaus agendas ( Meyer and Vadasy, Sibshops ) .For case, Aiming High for Disabled Children: Better Support for Families is a authorities transmutation programme.to guarantee services accommodate siblings demands through early intercession and for handicapped kids and their households to be empowered and supported to led normal lives ( AHDC,2007 ) . Decision about the value of the article Burke s article raises consciousness of disablement by association but provides no sufficient value to implement alterations in societal policy today. His research is really much ego reflecting and does non propose any farther solutions for back uping siblings of handicapped kids.

Segmentation and Target Market Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Segmentation and Target Market Paper - Essay Example Per year it is selling around 10 billion energy drinks. To increase the profitability of the company and to expand its customer base Monster Energy is presently targeting young adults and teenagers for selling its products. The energy drinks and juices of this company contain different ingredients like caffeine, herbal extracts, taurine, and vitamins B. Monster energy produces such energy drink which falls into the category of functional beverages. The company Monster Energy supports many sports activities and events like BMX, skateboarding, eSports, snowboarding etc. The firm promotes many music brands like The World Alive, Shinedown, Asking Alexandria, Maximum the Hormone etc around the world. Monster Energy drink has become very popular in different countries of the world. In the present time the company has expand its market which helped to expand its customer base and increase its target market. Earlier Monster Energy sold its product only in United States. At that time Athletes were its primary customer. Then all its energy drink was sold to a particular group of people having specific interest. But in the present time lifestyle of people have changed a lot. Many people are consuming different types of energy drinks and health drinks as their daily food products. This is one of the important reasons of expanding the market of Monster energy by targeting new customers. The company is presently targeting young teenagers around 20- 28 years. Both of male and female genders are included in this firm’s target market. The products of Monster Energy drink are previously targeted to male people. But now a day’s its products are also targeted to female customers. The organization’s target market comprises of the customers who are belonging from middle class and upper class of the society. They are having sufficient income to afford the products of Monster Energy Company. Its target market also

Phantom of the opera Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Phantom of the opera - Essay Example In the book, the Phantom is described as a ghostly figure that did not have a nose and had a dressing resembling that of an undertaker. In addition, in the book, he is described as a very thin person, in fact a comparison is made to a skeleton. The Phantom possesses an ugly yellow skin, together with deep set eyes that glow in the dark (Leroux 13). The book denotes the Phantom to have been having 3-4 long black hairs which hung down from his forehead. In addition, the books describe the Phantom as having a head that constantly changed at will. In comparison to the movie, the Phantom is seen as a seemingly genuine and caring person. In contrast to the book, the movie brings out the Phantom as not that scaring and demon like (Joel). In addition, instead of a disfigured person, in the movie, the Phantom is seen as handsome shaped man that wore a beautiful white mask. In regard to the lair, in the book, it is described as being a dark area except for some area on the floor which had a shaded lantern. The lantern in the book shines on a gushing fountain set positioned in the wall (Leroux 19). The wall had water splashing down it, and the water disappeared under the floor. Furthermore, it also had black demons that stirred fires in the book. It is described as having a nightmarish darkness, including tapestries on furniture, walls, vases, candlesticks and flowers (Leroux 21). In the book, Daae is seen as seen to be in a chaise lounge, which is a simple bedroom that contained a mahogany bed plus cretonne hangings existing on its walls. In the book, the room basically looked like a funeral room. In comparison to the lair in the movie, it is portrayed as a beautiful place. The walls of the lair in the movie are seen as gray, though had candles placed everywhere that cast glow on the existing brick (Joel). In addition, the antique candlesticks plus the candelabras had been placed everywhere, books placed all around, silk curtains draped about, plus also had the art

Strengths Weaknesses And Changes Required At Ucell Essay

Strengths Weaknesses And Changes Required At Ucell - Essay Example One of the things that need to be done is affecting of changes in Ucell’s organizational structure in a manner that best serves the organization. Organization structure is the manner in which an organization arranges jobs and people in order for its work to be performed, as well as for its goals to be accomplished (Stonehouse & Houston, 2012: p34). In cases where the working group is small with frequent face-to-face communication that is frequent and where the formal structure is not necessary. However, in cases where the organization is larger, such as in Ucell’s case, decisions in the organization will have to be made concerning the delegation of tasks. Therefore, procedures are established to assign responsibility for the organization’s functions (Stonehouse & Houston, 2012: p35). These decisions are the ones that will determine the changes in the organizations’ structure.  One way to change the organizational structure would be through departmentaliz ation. Functional departmentalization involves the grouping of services that use similar resources, skills, and knowledge. The organization is based in most parts of the country and geographical departmentalization would aid in the restructuring of the company (Stonehouse & Houston, 2012: p37). In this case, would reap advantages by organizing their operations along geographic lines such that all activities that are performed in one region can be managed together. It would also be advantageous to carry out service departmentalization where activities, which are necessary for the production and marketing of similar services or single services, are grouped together. This would allow for considerable autonomy over the company’s operations, as CEO. In this case, the employees in the group are able to focus on needs of their line of services and become experts in distribution, development, and production. Departmentalization would also be done according to clients and markets.

Effect of Creatine Supplementation

Effect of Creatine Supplementation Abstract Introduction The use of creatine supplements as an aid to enhance performance in sports shot to prominence after it was revealed that the British Olympic team had used said nutritional supplements in the build up to the Barcelona games of 1992. The Times (7 August 1992) reported that high profile athletes such as Linford Christie and Sally Gunnell had won gold medals while using creatine during their preparation. Although sometimes viewed as controversial by sections of the sporting community, creatine as a nutritional supplement is perfectly legal and its use is encouraged by certain sporting institutions. An example of this dilemma is within the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association), whereby the distribution of creatine by team coaches is banned but individual athletes are still allowed to procure the supplement themselves, although the Athletic Management journal, among others, postulates that this was done in order to level the playing field rather than as a result of a side effect discovery (NCAA clamps down on supplements, 2000: 12.5). Creatine is a naturally occurring substance found mainly in meat and fish {{2 Herda,T.J. 2009; }} that was first isolated in skeletal muscle by Michel-Eugà ¨ne Chevreul in 1832 and given its name from the derivation of the Greek word for flesh, Kreas. Twelve years later, the German scientist Justus von Liebig theorised that this compound was necessary to produce muscular action in vertebrates after observing foxes in the wild and comparing their creatine levels to those in captivity. He even went as far as to harvest his own supply of creatine from the foxes and marketed it as Fleisch Extrakt, proclaiming that it would allow the body to do more work and for over a century this was the only creatine supplement ever produced. It has been established by the scientific community that increased ingestion of creatine as a dietary supplement will lead to an increase in the total creatine (TC) and phosphocreatine (PC) concentrations in skeletal muscle {{10 Finn,J.P. 2001;11 Harris,R.C. 1992; 14 Greenhaff,P.L. 1994; }}. PC is simply the phosphorylated form of creatine that is found mainly in skeletal muscle which is utilized during high-intesity exercise to quickly replace the diminished adenosine triphosphate (ATP) stores {{2 Herda,T.J. 2009; }}. This is achieved through the actions of the enzyme creatine phosphokinase (CPK) which is found in high concentrations in muscles, allowing for swift replenishment of ATP despite the rising levels of intracellular adenosine diphosphate (ADP) that occurs during exercise {{2 Herda,T.J. 2009; }}. Ergo increasing the bodies creatine stores should result in an improved ability to regenerate the skeletal muscle fibres ATP stores and consequently lead to improved performance a nd delayed onset of fatigue during bouts of high-intensity exercise (Hargreaves, M. 2006). The aim of this paper is to review the current literature regarding creatines supposed beneficial effect on muscle performance and determine what is the optimal method of delivering the supplement to the skeletal muscle. Since creatine became fashionable in the mid 1990s, numerous sports supplement companies have been researching how it can best be administered into the body, with regards to dose size, timing and the different forms of creatine now available. Other factors need to be considered such as potential side effects and certain population groups who may be at risk when using creatine. The general consensus is that it does work as an ergogenic aid; defined by Leuthholtz and Kreider (2001) as a technique or practice that serves to increase performance capacity, the efficiency to perform work, the ability to recover from exercise, and/or the quality of training thereby promoting greater training adaptations. Another aim of this paper is to examine the mechanisms behind creatine s beneficial effects and where these improvements take place i.e. specific muscle fibre types. It is also important to consider what is meant by improvement; does it mean performance in specific exercises or just in muscle development in general? Are there particular sports events where the improvements are marked and easily noticeable? The two enzymes required for de novo (endogenous) synthesis of creatine in humans, transamidinase and methyltransferase, are found in the kidneys, pancreas and liver {{18 Balsom,P.D. 1994; }}. Therefore creatine needs to be transported via the bloodstream to the muscles where it is needed and it has been found that the normal range of creatine concentration within plasma is between 50 and 100  µmol/L {{18 Balsom,P.D. 1994; }}. To determine the total amount of creatine in the body, the levels of both the free form (FC) and phosporylated forms need to be combined. The present day analysis is that for a man of 70kg, his TC will amount to approximately 120g, with a turnover (of creatine to creatinine, the break-down product of creatine phosphate in muscle) estimated at about 1.6% per day {{19 HOBERMAN,H.D. 1948; }}. This equates to about 2g in an average male, which is replaced by both endogenous and exogenous sources, the latter coming mainly from meat and fish as mentioned earlier, w ith herring being a particularly good example {{18 Balsom,P.D. 1994; }}. In 1986, Hoogwerf et al calculated that the average creatine intake in a mixed diet was 1g per day so the remaining gram has to be made up by endogenous synthesis, while those individuals whose diet lacks creatine completely due to insufficient animal produce intake, such as vegetarians or vegans, will have to make up their daily intake entirely through endogenous means {{21 Delanghe,J. 1989; }}. In terms of distribution, skeletal muscle is home to 95% of the TC found in the body, two-thirds of which is in the phosphorylated form {{18 Balsom,P.D. 1994; }}. The remaining 5% is found mostly in the brain, heart and testes. Ageing appears to have no effect on the total amount of TC found within skeletal muscles, but levels of PC were found to be lower in untrained elderly individuals compared to their younger counterparts, while FC was found in higher concentrations in the elderly cohort {{22 Moller,P. 1982; }}. A subsequent training study by Moller and co-workers revealed that once the elderly individuals had undertaken some basic exercise, their FC and PC levels more closely resembled those of the younger group. This points to a conclusion that inactivity will result in the dephosphorylation of creatine, a process that can easily be reversed by a return to training. A 1989 study by Tesch et al showed that type II muscle fibres have higher concentrations of PC than their type I counterparts, during resting state. These findings are to be expected since the anaerobic type II fibres use PC as their major storage fuel so that ATP can be generated quickly, as opposed to the type I slow twitch fibres that primarily use triglycerides as their main source of fuel. Before exploring creatines proposed effects on muscle performance and development, it is important to consider how its ingestion actually influences the bodies stores. In 1992 Harris et al showed that ingesting 5g of creatine monohydrate resulted in the elevation of the level of creatine in plasma, one hour later, from 50-100  µmol/L to over 500  µmol/L. Unfortunately the only research conducted that has uncovered the mechanism behind creatines transport from bloodstream into muscle was done in rats {{27 Fitch,C.D. 1966; }}. It was found that the intracellular trapping of creatine and a saturable process allowed for transport of the compound from the bloodstream across to the muscle and explained the high creatine content of the skeletal muscle. Perhaps surprisingly, this is still the most we know about this particular mechanism after over 40 years and is definitely an area that is prime for future research. Creatine monohydrate versus creatine ethyl ester While creatine monohydrates (CM) use is widespread, creatine ethyl ester (CEE) is less well known in the public domain. Manufacturers of the latter claim it is more readily absorbed into the body due to being more lipophilic and therefore having a longer half-life once ingested. It is converted back into creatine once digested as it is an ethyl ester derivative of creatine, specifically developed by the University of Nebraska Medical Centres technology transfer entity, UNeMed. The claims of the various manufacturers of this specific type of creatine were disputed by a study by Child and Tallon that was presented at the International Society of Sports Nutrition 4th annual meeting. They had found that CEE was quickly broken down into creatinine due in part to the decreased acid stability caused by the addition of the ethyl group (Child Tallon 2007). The proposed beneficial benefits of the two varieties will be discussed in length later on. Effect on body mass In 1975, Ingwall et al hypothesized that creatine could stimulate both cardiac and skeletal muscle into a state of hypertrophy by myofibrillar protein synthesis. In vitro and in vivo skeletal muscle had increased synthesis of the contractile proteins actin and myosin as well as the muscle specific iso-enzyme creatine phosphokinase, all of which were due to creatines selectivity. With the increased accumulation of these myofibrillar proteins, skeletal muscle went into a state of hypertrophy. This study is considered as the initial groundbreaking research into the methods behind creatines effect and a lot of the subsequent papers mentioned in this piece reference it extensively. Ingwall followed this initial study up a year later {{16 Ingwall,J.S. 1976; }} with a paper on creatines effect as a potential chemical signal that links increased muscular activity with increased contractile mass. An important factor to note is that this paper is not referring to creatine as a dietary supplement, as its effects as an ergogenic aid were not fully understood until the early 1990s, but rather as an end product of the contraction mechanism. Its aim was to establish the biochemical and physiological mechanisms by which muscular hypertrophy occurs after increased muscular activity and measure the effects of increased intracellular creatine levels in differentiating skeletal muscle cells in culture. The conclusion was that although creatine probably does play a role in selectively controlling the rate of synthesis of muscle-specific proteins, it is hard to determine whether these results would apply in vivo. There are two schools of thought when it comes to assessing the change in body composition that comes with creatine supplementation; an increase in fat-free mass, first proposed by Earnest et al in 1996, and/or an increase in the relative water content of skeletal muscles. Francaux and Poortmans found that after nine weeks of training and creatine supplementation, their was an increase in the absolute value of both total body water (TBW) content and intracellular water (ICW) levels but not the relative value, indicating that the gain of 1-2kg of total body mass they observed was due to dry matter growth {{17 Francaux,M. 1999; }}. These results were similar to those obtained by Kreider et al in 1996 in that there was an increase in total body mass without a change in the TBW percentage {{28 Kreider,R.B. 1996; }}. When specifically studying the effects of creatine ethyl ester (CEE) supplementation, Spillane et al found no significant changes in TBW between the CEE, creatine monohydrate and placebo groups after heavy resistance training lasting 48 days {{26 Spillane,M. 2009; }}. This study paid particular interest to the supposed water retention qualities of CEE as many of the manufacturers of the supplement claim that the esterfication process it undergoes increases cells permeability to creatine and minimizes the amount of extracellular water (ECW) retained during supplementation {{26 Spillane,M. 2009; }}. As suggested by Mesa and colleagues {{80 Mesa,J.L. 2002; }}, one of the potential benefits of creatine supplementation is the accompanied increase in TBW and ICW that help facilitate skeletal muscle hypertrophy. Furthermore in 1998 Kreider et al conducted a study that used bioelectrical impedance to evaluate the changes in body composition after short term (28d) creatine supplementation during training. They concluded that the increases in body mass that they found could not be explained by disproportionate increases in total body water content and the majorit y of the increase could be attributed to lean tissue accretion {{29 Kreider,R.B. 1998; }}. Powers et al study in 2003 is perhaps the definitive work done on the subject of water retention within muscle during creatine supplementation. They concentrated solely on the fluid distribution, in a similar way to Francaux and Poortmans; by measuring total body water as well as the intra- and extracellular levels and found that although water was retained, fluid distribution remained the same {{31 Powers,M.E. 2003; }}. The theory that water retention is the main stimulus for skeletal muscle hypertrophy due to preferential retention by the intracellular component is without any evidence in the literature researched for this paper. The increase in TBW is relative to the increase in total body mass, the majority of which is formed of fat-free mass. Effect on maximal performance Maximal performance can be defined in many ways depending on the discipline; within the gym environment it is known as the 1 repetition maximum (1RM), the most weight an individual can lift in a single repetition for a given exercise. Out on the athletics track, maximal anaerobic performance can be measured with a short sprint, between 60-120m for example. Most of the studies that will be subsequently mentioned in this section have sought to discover the effects of combining creatine supplementation with various forms and intensities of resistance training. The duration of the training period also varies from one study to the next. Beck et al combined ten weeks of resistance training with supplementation of a drink that contained creatine, amino acids and protein {{6 Beck,T.W. 2007; }}. The control group drank a placebo mixture that contained just carbohydrates, and both groups were tested for their anaerobic power production before and after training. Both groups experienced improve d performances in their leg extension and bench press 1RM scores as well as their muscular endurance (number of repetitions performed at 80% of their 1RM). Also of note were increases in fat-free mass and percentage fat reduction for both groups. Most significantly however, were the changes elicited by the test drink when it came to peak power (PP) and mean power (MP) production; quantitative values that were determined using two 30 second Wingate Anaerobic Tests (WAnT). A good summary of this test is provided by -zkan et al (2010): it requires 30 seconds of pedalling at maximal speed on a cycle ergometer, against a resistance that is determined by the users body weight. As mentioned, it tests the individuals muscle power, endurance and fatigability and these were all improved in the test group but not in the placebo group. Their reasons for using a combined supplement drink was to assess whether the creatine, protein and amino acids combined effect would be greater than the benefits that would be expected from ingesting just one of the ingredients alone. It was hoped that examining the changes expected in body composition after resistance training would help to differentiate between the mechanisms that assist in supplement-induced performance enhancement. In that respect the study revealed no new information. The combination drink did improve the test subjects anaerobic capabilities compared to the carbohydrate placebo but provided no additional benefit for improving muscular strength or endurance when combined with medium term resistance training. A possible improvement to the study would have been to add in placebo groups that were to consume just protein and amino acid isolate drinks and perhaps it would have then been easier to differentiate between the respective beneficial effects of each supplem ent. It does confirm that when exercising at near maximal level, increased PC levels within the muscle can be advantageous at replenishing the ATP-PC pathway in anaerobic conditions. A near identical study by Chromiak et al in 2004 had differing results when it came to comparing the final PP and MP values of the two groups {{48 Chromiak,J.A. 2004; }}. They found that those who had taken the carbohydrate-only drink had identical results, in respect to improved PP and MP values, to those who had received the combination one. Differing levels of training intensity and volume could account for these differences, as well as the fact that the test conducted by Beck et al was evaluated using two WAnTs, as opposed to the Chromiak study , who only used one. When the results are compared to other studies that have tested similar protein, carbohydrate and creatine mixes, creatine does appear to produce the most consistent improvements in performance related activities so one can assume that the isolated increases in PP and MP are due to creatine, rather than the protein or amino acids. Open to discussion however, is the possibility that protein and amino acids could have contributed to the post-exercise recovery and tissue repair, therefore becoming a factor in the PP and MP training-induced increases. When creatine ingestion is isolated during short-term supplementation, the results of several studies appear to show encouraging results. Tarnopolsky and colleagues showed that short-term, high-dose creatine supplementation (20g a day for 4 days) markedly improved high intensity exercise performance, specifically in anaerobic cycling power and dorsi-flexor maximal voluntary contraction torque. They also found that males and females responded to the supplementation in a similar manner, with no gender effects apparent {{49 Tarnopolsky,M.A. 2000; }}. Volek et al found comparable results when they looked at maximal effort muscle contractions in individuals during repetitive sets of bench press and jump squats, after receiving 25g doses of creatine every day for a week {{50 Volek,J.S. 1997; }}. CM vs. PEG A subsequent study by Beck with Herda et al {{2 Herda,T.J. 2009; }} compared the effects of CM with that of differing doses of polyethylene glycosylated creatine (PEG), another form of CEE. Using the standard recommended safe dose of 5g a day of CM, the results after training were compared to those obtained taking 1.25g and 2.5g of PEG. Similar tests to the ones previously mentioned in other studies were used to measure muscle strength, endurance and power output in a group of young, healthy men. The difference with this study was that there was no extra training (aerobic or resistance) undertaken by any of the subjects from the level of exercise that they performed regularly before entering into this study. Instead it was just the simple administration of their respective supplement or placebo for a period of 30 days. CM had the effect of increasing body mass and muscle strength in the 1RM tests using the bench press and leg press. Those individuals taking the PEG doses found simila r improvements in muscle strength but no change in their body mass. Neither group had improved PP performance or muscle endurance when compared to the placebo group, respectively measured using the countermovement vertical jump and WAnT, and repetitions to failure at 80% of 1RM using bench press and leg press. It had been suggested by Fry et al that PEG could help facilitate creatines movement across the sarcolemma during gastrointestinal (GI) absorption, therefore a smaller dose of this form of creatine would be needed to obtain potentially the same results as CM (Fry, CF. 2007). This study showed that while a smaller dose of PEG did show comparable results to those obtained using CM, further studies are required to determine its effects when combined with resistance training. One notable practical application is that both CM and PEG groups experienced improved 1RM performance without undertaking a loading period. Many manufacturers of CM encourage a week of loading of the creatine supplement i.e. a larger dose of 20-25g followed by a maintenance period taking a normal 5g dose. Going on from this, with further research required, it might be possible to achieve the same improved performance in 1RM exercises usually seen after 5g.d-1 of CM, by taking a smaller daily dose of PEG. Again, it i s possible results may vary when combined with a set period of resistance training and further research is required in this area. CM vs. CEE, with special reference to the creatine transporter A 2009 study by Spillane et al concentrated on looking into the effects of CEE supplementation on muscle performance after a seven week period of heavy resistance training {{26 Spillane,M. 2009; }}. As mentioned briefly earlier, CEEs proposed advantage over CM is that it is more bio-available due to the esterification process it undergoes, thereby making it less hydrophilic. The manufacturers of this particular variety of creatine also claim that due to enhanced sarcolemma permeability in favour of CEE, it is able to taken up into muscle without the need for the creatine transporter (CT) {{26 Spillane,M. 2009; }}. The CT mediates the uptake of creatine in skeletal muscle against a concentration gradient and is helped by a Na+-dependent transporter {{94 Guimbal,C. 1993; }}. A review by Snow and Murphy looked at the literature concerning the CT, primarily how it is regulated and what gene expression is responsible for its activity {{51 Snow,R.J. 2001; }}. They found that the CreaT1 gen e was expressed in a variety of tissues, including neural, cardiac and skeletal muscle, and that the activity of the transporter protein itself was regulated by substrate concentration, cellular location and a host of other factors. A subsequent review in 2003 by the same authors demonstrated that the creatine content in muscle was predominantly determined by extracellular supply and the expression and activity of the CTs {{52 Snow,R.J. 2003; }}. They also found that after creatine supplementation, the increases seen in total muscle creatine levels were variable and hypothesized that potential factors responsible for these differences could be carbohydrate intake, average level of exercise and possibly fibre type. Supplement companies make specific reference to CEEs supposed benefits over CM, indicating that it is easier to absorb than other versions and offers faster results (MyProtein.co.uk web site, accessed 27-1-2010). However, these claims have been disputed, not only by the International Society of Sports Nutrition, as mentioned earlier, but also by another independent study that showed that CEE was unstable at low pH conditions and as a result, would be taken up less by muscle than an equivalent dose of CM (Mold et al 1955). The results of the comparative study by Spillane et al seemed to concur with these objections. Performance and muscle strength were improved to a similar level of those using CM and those in the placebo group, while body composition was unchanged. They concluded that the improvements seen in the study were most likely due to the training regime, rather than the supplementation and that CEE ingestion markedly increased the serum creatinine levels without any notable change in serum and total muscle creatine levels. This can only lead to the observation that the CEE was being degraded while in GI transit and its uptake by skeletal muscle was insufficient enough to prevent further degradation to creatinine or increase the levels of creatine within the muscles {{26 Spillane,M. 2009; }}. This is a very interesting revelation considering the manufacturers claims of increased absorption and it shouldnt go unnoticed that all supplementation mentioned in the study (placebo, CM and CEE) provided no additional benefit to the training specification undertaken by the volunteers. A loading phase (approx. 20g/day) of five days was followed by a maintenance period lasting 6 weeks (approx. 5g/day) and the training programme was a fairly intense one with participants required to train four times a week. Perhaps the more demanding training schedule was sufficient in providing maximal muscle strength increases and supplementation could not possibly have had any b eneficial effect. This is open to discussion however, as so far every study that has been reviewed in researching for this paper has shown that creatine increased the effects of training. Effect on repetitive sub-/supra-maximal exercise Improved performance in repetitive exercises such as repeated sprints (6x60m) are more relevant than one-off maximal performances when it comes to assessing creatines effect in a sporting environment. The ability to perform longer and harder during interval training sessions gives way to better results and hopefully better performance in competitions. It is essential to differentiate this form of exercise from endurance training, which involves long concerted efforts with little, if any, rest time. It could be said that improving this aspect of your training will give rise to improved performance in 1RM tests so the effect of creatine supplementation needs to be evaluated in both aspects. High intensity interval training (HIIT) is a specific type of interval training and is utilised by some of the studies subsequently mentioned. It requires maximal effort for a short duration of time, interspersed with active recovery at a lower intensity to the main workout. The thinking behind this form of training is that intramuscular levels of H+ will be elevated when the next set of exercise begins and this should force the body into improving intramuscular buffering capacity {{54 Costill,D.L. 1984; }}. This should then improve performance in future training/events by delaying fatigue. A 2003 study by van Loon et al looked at the effects of CM supplementation, without training, on performance during repeated supra-maximal sprints on a cycle ergometer as well as an endurance cycling exercise {{24 van Loon,L.J. 2003; }}. Whole-body and muscle oxidative capacity and substrate utilisation as well as body mass were also measured before and after to monitor any potential changes. The main aim of the researchers was to determine any differences in the results of the aforementioned values, between creatine loading and prolonged use of the supplement. Performance in the repeated sprints was improved in both groups, while there was no improvement at all in the endurance exercise. Muscle oxidative capacity was also unaffected. The researchers had based their predictions, on a possible change in the oxidative capacity, on findings by Brannon et al that showed increased muscle citrate synthase activity in rats after prolonged creatine supplementation {{53 Brannon,T.A. 1997; }}. Their results suggested improvements in the values mentioned because citrate synthase is a mitochondrial marker enzyme, although almost every study that has looked into creatines effect on endurance has found no (or even negative) effect. Unfortunately this study also came to the same conclusion. Kendall et al carried out a similar, subsequent study in 2009, looking into the effects of combining HIIT with creatine supplementation and assessing any changes in critical power or anaerobic working capacity {{3 Kendall,K.L. 2009; }}. Critical power reflects the individuals ability to sustain their highest power output for an extended period time while anaerobic working capacity is their total metabolic work capacity, independent of oxygen use {{3 Kendall,K.L. 2009; }}. Creatine significantly improved critical power compared to the placebo and control groups while anaerobic working capacity was unchanged in all test subjects after treatment. This suggests that HIITs effects on endurance performance changes may be enhanced by creatine supplementation. A possible explanation for this is that PC is a major component of biological buffering and, as has been shown already, creatine supplementation can increase the bodies total creatine stores therefore allowing for improved pre-exercise PC availability. Although the participants of this particular study did not have their intramuscular levels of PC measured, other studies have repeatedly shown a significant increase after varying levels of supplementation (3-20g/day) {{11 Harris,R.C. 1992;1 Vandenberghe,K. 1997; 55 Casey,A. 1996; }}. Therefore, not only does creatine supplementation help to replenish PC stores and increase energy production in the ATP-PC energy system, but it also serves to delay the onset of muscle fatigue by prolonging the build up of ADP and inorganic phosphate (Pi), known factors in the activation of anaerobic glycolysis (Cramer 2007). The studies covered in this paper have mostly used young, healthy males to test the effects of creatine supplementation so to ensure fair coverage of the population the next study to be considered examines the effect of the ergogenic aid in sedentary older women. Gotshalk et al (2008) showed significant increases in upper- and lower-body maximal strength in thirty 58-71 year old women after CM supplementation The effect of creatine supplementation on muscle development The aim of this section is to attempt and explain the structural changes that take place after creatine supplementation that facilitate the improvement in muscle performance shown in the aforementioned studies. It has already been shown by numerous studies that exogenous creatine can replenish the PC stores and lead to faster regeneration of ATP and therefore allow a longer and more intense exertion. This next section will focus on how creatine potentially alters the morphology of skeletal muscle and how it can amplify the effects of training. Muscle fibre type and size A study by Volek et al examined the cross-sectional area and proportion of muscle fibre types before and after supplementation and twelve weeks of heavy resistance training {{56 Volek,J.S. 1999; }}. Those subjects in the creatine group had significant increases in the cross-sectional area of all four types (Type I, IIA, IIAB IIB) while increases in the placebo group were much smaller, with only Type IIA fibres reaching a significant value of change. Interestingly it was this type of fibre that increased in proportion in both groups after training, but more so in the creatine subjects (9% vs. 7%). They also found a significant decrease in Type IIB fibres in both groups (9% and 6%) indicating that the training was responsible for a slight shift from the fast glycolytic type towards the fast oxidative type of fibres, with creatine accentuating this change. This change is to be expected as resistance training has previously been shown to decrease the percentage of Type IIB fibres and en courage the transformation from Type IIA > Type IIAB > Type IIB in as little as five workouts {{18 Balsom,P.D. 1994; }}. As the authors state in their discussion section, the greater gains in muscle fibre hypertrophy seen by the creatine group implies enhanced myofibrillar synthesis and/or reduced breakdown. Myosin heavy chain synthesis Ingwall and colleagues had shown in 1972 that skeletal muscle, formed both in vitro and in vivo, would synthesise myosin heavy chain faster when supplied with creatine in vitro {{57 Ingwall,J.S. 1972; }}. Ingwall had been one of the first to postulate that the hypertrophy of skeletal muscle as a result of increased muscular activity might be due to an end product of the activity promoting contractile protein synthesis {{57 Ingwall,J.S. 1972; }}. The results of his early experiment were consistent with the idea that creatine acts as a positive-feedback effector within the system relating muscular activity and muscle protein synthesis. However it is still unclear whether the same mechanism is applicable in vivo as creatines beneficial effects appear to act indirectly through the enhancement of the intensity of trai

A-Bomb yes? :: essays research papers

The relevance of the two atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was that it ended World War II, which is the main goal of the any war so yes, it was necessary. The two bombs dropped mightconvince the Japanese any further resistance was futile, which worked. After the bombings, there were rumors of Japanese ready to surrender the next few day which claimed to make the two bombings â€Å"unnecessary†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The generally accepted view that the Japanese would fight to the very end put that rumor at a very small percentage. The Japanese also wanted their current emperor to remain on throne and they were afraid that the surrendering terms would cause the Japanese to choose a new Emperor.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The atomic bomb lead America to the atomic age, causing it to build many thousands of nuclear bombs. Having the many nuclear bombs was a great defense, not for shooting, but to generally let countries know that â€Å"hey we have more nuclear weapons than you all combined† so that they would think twice, even three times before attacking America. The dropping of the first atomic bomb proved that by ending the war. The second dropping of the bomb was just as important to causing the Japanese to surrender as much as the first. Just two days after Hiroshima, the Soviet Union declared war on Japan. Dropping the second bomb on Nagasaki would make the surrender of Japan inevitable. What would have happened had the A-bomb not been used? Of course, thewar would have continued. US forces; therefore, would have had to invade the home island of Japan. Doing so, would end in many casualties. American forces would not only have to fight Japanese forces, but Japanese civilians as well. The Japanese civilians may not seem like a lot compared to the U.S. forces, but the Japanese government had been giving the civilians weapons from guns to spears. With the overwhelming number of civilians compared to American Forces, it would prove to be a hard battle which could lead to many casualties. The number of Japanese civilian casualties could have been greater than that of the atomic bomb and it would have taken a longer period.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Chief of Staff predicted that the Japanese would have surrendered on September 1944, but they were still fighting. So there was no way of knowing if the Japanese were going to surrender or not.

Principles of Personal Development Essay

Standards that influence the way adult social care job roles are carried out. Codes of Practice set out the criteria against which providers are assessed by. They also describe the standards of conduct and practice with which workers must carry out their activities and ensure that what they do is competent and consistent with the values of their employer. These standards are how registrants’ ‘ï ¬ tness to practice’ is determined. For a care worker to work in a certain profession, they have to register with their particular Professional Council and then work to the Codes of Practice which they deem ï ¬ t. Not following their Code of Practice could result in them being taken of the register and no longer allowed to work in that role. Reflecting on work activities is an important way to develop own knowledge and skills. Reflection on your own practice is important because it allows you to assess what you are doing well, identify areas where you might like or maybe need more training or guidance in to ensure you are performing to the best you can, and are meeting all standards and expectations within the elderly house policies and procedures. Reflecting on your practice can enhance and improve your confidence and self esteem because you can look at what you are doing well, the things you have learnt and achieved and feel good about yourself especially if you have done something with ease that you used to find difficult, if you have done something you never did well in or something that you have never tried before. This then gives you confidence to continue working well and to aim to try other new things or to use what new skills or knowledge you have gained in your practices. During the activity you improve you learning by asking you supervisor/senior. You learn from others people strategies. Find ways to reflect your self in your activity. Reflection, which is learning through experience, is not a new concept. As humans, we naturally reflect on our surroundings and experiences. It is a learning tool that will help us improve our skill and develop our knowledge and practice. Also it is important to find your strengths and weaknesses so that you can develop and improve on them, so you can make your weakness your strengths. Reflecting on your self is a complex activity that requires the individual to develop a set of skills. When you reflect you stand back and think of a situation or problem, gain a new perspective of something, make sense of our experiences and construct meaning and knowledge that directs actions in practice. Use evidence to help decide on decisions. Ways to ensure that personal attitudes or beliefs do not obstruct the quality of work. The best way to ensure that personal attitudes or beliefs don’t obstruct the quality of work is to be dedicated to excellence. Personal attitudes can be changed through education. That is an important way. It helps to develop a good work ethic. How learning activities can develop knowledge, skills and understanding. How a learning activity has improved own knowledge, skills and understanding. The more you think and plan, the better you can do. Think things all the way through to a successful conclusion. Improving improved own knowledge, skills and understanding by reflecting on a situation I don’t have a situation that I really want to share, but I spend a great deal of time reflecting on life from various perspectives from the logical/intellectual to the mystical/muse. The two quotes below are on a list that I keep in my desk. They remind me why I must make time, even if it appears I’m doing something else, to reflect. * â€Å"Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!† ― Dr. Seuss * â€Å"The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.† ― Albert Einstein Feedback from others has developed own knowledge, skills and understanding The example is comments, critics, suggestions. If someone know what to do to this feedback, that person already know what to do next. That was a development by feedback How a personal development plan can contribute to own learning and development Definition of personal development plan Personal development planning (PDP) is the process of creating an action plan based on awareness, values, reflection, goal-setting and planning for personal development within the context of a career, education, relationship or for self-improvement. Who can be involved in the PDP process Typically, each employee’s line manager should be responsible for the individual employee’s PDP. * Managers may need appropriate training to ensure they can manage PDPs effectively. Developing these skills can be built into the manager’s own PDP. * The most senior employees – and those whose performance has the most impact on the performance of the business – may benefit from an external mentor Sources of support for own learning and development There are many sources of support that you can access and many different ways that you can help yourself, when developing your practice. The appraisal or supervision system in your workplace can be a good starting point. This will help you to identify areas of your practice that need to be developed, and to plan to use opportunities for training and development. Some employers provide appraisal at six-monthly or 12-monthly intervals, but supervision should be at least once a month. This gives you a good opportunity to use the experience and knowledge of your supervisor to help you plan how to move forward in your practice. Benefits of using PDP to identify ongoing improvements in own knowledge and understanding Some advantages of taking a personal development approach to your work are: Gaining a clearer focus to your learning. Helping to keep yourself motivated. A better understanding of how you learn and how to improve your performance. More enjoyment and less stress from your learning as you become consciously skilled. More awareness of how to apply your learning to new problems and contexts.

How Western Europe is Divided in the Context of the European Union essays

How Western Europe is Divided in the Context of the European Union essays The way in which government and politics operate in West European politics say a lot about the future of the nation. Most Western European systems are classified as parliamentary because of the fusion of powers between the executive and legislature. Most are also advanced industrial democracies, confronting the same fundamental issues of democracy that concern American The European Union (EU), which was drafted in 1984, concentrated on goals relating to political unification for Europe (Norton, 2002). The EU called for a federal-type Western European government, with a two-house legislature. When examining the effects of the EU on Western European politics, it is important to look at the roots of its existence. The beginning of the EU's existence was actually the creation of the Organization for European Economic Co-operation (OEEC) in 1948. The OEEC was created to advance the re-building of war-torn Europe and to help distribute American financial aid (Marshall Aid) for Western Europe. In 1951, France and Germany created the European Coal (ECSC), which merged the coal and steel industries of the two countries (Norton, 2002). In 1957, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg signed the Treaty of Rome, merging the OEEC and the ECSC into one economic and common marketthe European Economic Community (EEC). In 1973, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Denmark joined the EEC. Greece followed suit in 1981 and Portugal and Spain in 1986. In 1992, the EEC became the European Union (EU). In 1995, Austria, Finland and Sweden joined. The Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Malta and Cyprus plan to join in 2004. In the early 1990s, the EU started working on a Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and a Common European Security and Defence Policy (CESDP) (Norton, 2002). In 1993, the EU com...

Early Arkansas Natives and Migrations essays

Early Arkansas Natives and Migrations essays Arkansas and the southwest, January 31, 2003 The Mound builders of the Mississippian Culture The first human inhabitants of Arkansas and North America were the paleo Indians, right after the last ice age disappeared. Survived by hunting the mastodon, saber toothed tigers. Where they came from? The few skeletal remains suggest that they were Caucasoid, were more related to the white races. Some same that they can be related to the Ainu people of Japan. The paleo Indians could have been related to the Ainu people. A great controversy still exists on where the paleo Indians originated. The weapons and tool technology changed between 9 thousand and 8 thousand years ago. Some native Americans today may have paleo Indian genes in their markup today. Their existence ceased to be evident about 8000 yrs ago. The next group of human inhabitants were the Archaic Indians. 8000bc to 1000bc. Definitely Mongolian tribes or bloodlines. On the other hand, they shared cultural traits as the paleo Indians. They were hunter gatherer people. They lived all over Arkansas, we can infer what we know about them come form artifacts that come from bluffs in northern Arkansas. Bluff Dwellers in the Arkansas Ozarks. Fortunately, many articles survived because they lived in sheltered bluffs, . many people have found many artifacts, toward the 19th century. Many investigations were made, and we have many archaic Indian articles from their culture. These give us some information about the archaic Indians way of life. They had no system of writing, or surviving documents to say definitely what their religious beliefs were, afterlife, what was their political organization? No historical records to draw on. It is clear they were hunter gatherer Indians. The archaic Indians had not yet developed the bow. They were hunting deer and elk, and other game that was prevalent. T ...

The book called Brave New World Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The book called Brave New World - Essay Example The first chapter tends to introduce the responder to the society portrayed in Brave New World, as the Director tries to make the students familiar with Bokanovskification, an utterly scientific world; it immediately creates the impression that this highly scientific and sophisticated world is utterly oblivious to the natural considerations and the natural world. The hallmark of the society depicted in Brave New World is to give way to a human form that is starkly divested of its inner urges and yearnings and merely acts as an organic receptacle to the generalized social norms and practices. Thereby in Brave New World the intention of Aldous Huxley is to convey that considering the current direction in which the modern society is advancing, it will eventually distort and alter the human nature itself. Brave New World tends to offer a satirical vision of a future that is sans any flavor and happens to be innately sterile. In that context this science fiction novel happens to be anti-u topian or dystopian in its form and intent. The novel unravels a world that is not only starkly stultified by a marked lack of originality, but is also immensely oppressive in terms of the control that the authorities tend to exercise over the common people. Though the novel deals with a futuristic dystopia, yet it has marked links to the modern history in the sense that it resorts to a profuse usage of irony and paradox to bring out the bleak consequences of the scientific and technological development wrought by mankind in the last few decades. The theme of the novel is the impact of scientific development on mankind and the human interaction with nature that eventually gives way to a regimented world where the denizens are homogenized and categorized as five casts that are Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Epsilon, each cast fixed in its own set ways and incapable of any impromptu and impulsive inclinations and yearnings. This abominable strict social regimentation gets reflected in the feelings of Bernard, â€Å"The mockery made him feel an outsider; and feeling an outsider he behaved like one. †¦ A chromic fear of being slighted made him avoid his equals, made him stand, where his inferiors were concerned, self-consciously on his dignity (Huxley 65).† Brave New World presents a society that essentially accepts the incompatibility between a shallow and drab sense of happiness and the reality that the human beings are required to contend with on a daily basis by legalizing the consumption of a research drug that is ‘Soma’ that is used by the inhabitants of this futuristic world to escape the drabness and challenges marking the real world. In that sense it is indeed intriguing and disturbing to see that Mustapha Mond, the most intelligent and most accomplished benefactor of the world state regards the drug soma as an immaculate tool to assure social harmony and peace. His thoughts regarding soma become obvious in his conversation with Jo hn where he assures John that the world state will rescue him from the dire consequences of an interaction with reality by giving him doses of soma. The soma is shown to be having the power to induce a pacific state in the people inhabiting the world state at the cost of depriving them of their individuality and innate personality. It is the cherished and legalized panacea in the

Chateau de Versailles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Chateau de Versailles - Essay Example Among the most visited historical structures in France, is the Palace of Versailles, (known as Chateau of Versailles in French) which attaches with it a high degree of historical and political significance. The Chateau comes under the head of most visited monuments in France. The vital aspect of preservation of national treasures has been in focus and castles can not be excluded from being so. The rehabilitation of the Versailles shows the keen interest of the country in preserving the presence of such a unique treasure. The basic thought for constructing the Versailles was that it was supposed to be a personal dominion of gratification for Louis, but with its expansion, it was altered into a public centerpiece, displaying the gloire of both the ruler of France and the country itself. Although Versailles lacks the resolutely symbolic proportions, the geometrical planned layout and the utter scale of the gardens show that the intention had been to reflect the brilliantness and constancy of the monarchy which had never been portrayed. The architecture and the expert development along with its rehabilitation has made the castle a masterpiece which has attracted tourist to the site. Even though the chateau has had large queues, people are more than willing to spend hours waiting to explore the structure and ascertain its significance. The history of the chateau started from Louis XIII, on invitation from Gondi, the owner of seigneury of Versailles, went on several hunting trips in the forests of Versailles. Subsequently he ordered construction of a chateau in 1624. In 1632, Louis XIII purchased the seigneury and made extensions to the chateau. The work was limited to the extent that it allowed for mere alterations to the existing chateau. Further, to evade the busy life of Paris and to uphold the dignity under his control, Louis XIV, the Sun king, ordered the construction of the chateau in which he mounted the government. The second construction phase began in 1664 and lasted until Louis XIV's death (1715), this made the chateau into an entirely new building, which was shaped about the Royal Court. Louis le vau was assigned to refurbish expand an antique hunting lodge. From slough land the gardens were created by Le Notre and the hydraulic flaunt of fountains was exercised by Mansart.It was never meant to be a ho me for the King.Versailles was the headquarters of every limb of the state. However, the chateau was deserted after the death of Louis XIV. After Louis XV moved in, it remained as residence of the royal family and there were plans made for extension under Louis XVI, but these never succeeded as the French Revolution intervened, and thereafter it was ruined as the priceless furniture was sold, the pictures were sent away and the palace was turned into a museum. There came a time when it was nearly annihilated by Louis-Philippe. The Chateau now demonstrates on the one hand what remains of the former royal residence, which has an approximate of one hundred and twenty room, and on the other, the Muse d'Histoire (Museum of History) which Louis-Philippe called "Les Galeries Historiques" (Historical Galleries), compromising one hundred and twenty halls. The acts of Louis Philippe can be seen as a huge blow suffered by the monument. However, in 1871 during the Paris commune, it was recogniz ed as a seat for the nationalist government, and so the French parliament met in Louis XV's opera building, up until 1879, which