Calculations Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Calculations - Assignment Example 352,000 Purchases ?150,000 Opening Inventory ?65,000 Cost of Goods Available for Sale ?215, 000 Less Closing inventory ?70, 000 Cost of Goods Sold ?145, 000 Gross Profit ?207, 000 Property depreciation (5% using straight line method) ?5100 Plant and equipment depreciation (20% ) ?19500 Distribution cost ?58,000 Dividends paid ?12, 000 Administrative expenses outstanding ?4,500 Less distribution costs prepaid ?10, 000 Total Expenses ?77100 Net Profit before Tax ?129900 Corporation tax (22%) ?17500 Net Income ?112,400 c) Statement of financial position Julyfest Limited Balance Sheet for the year ended 31st May 2012 ASSETS Current Assets Inventory 70,000 Cash and cash equivalents 63,500 Account Receivables 87,000 Prepaid distribution cost 10,000 Total Current Assets 230,500 Fixed Assets Property 102,000 Cost of plant and equipment 98,000 Less Accumulated Depreciation 30,000 Total Fixed Assets 170,000 TOTAL ASSETS 400,500 LIABILITIES Current Liabilities Trade payables 37,000 Interest Unp aid Bond 6,500 Taxes 17,500 Purchases 150,000 SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY Equity shares 100,000 Retained Profits 59,500 Share premium 30,000 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY 400,500 Task Two Statement of cash flows provides important information to those using it as it provides information about the out flows and inflows that have taken place in a certain financial year or within a specific period of time (Baker 2005). The main importances of statement of cash flow are as discussed below. First statement of cash flows enables users to identify as well as understand the sources from which the funds used in the business during a specific period as the uses into which these funds were used (Philips 2008). Other financial statements such as balance sheet and trial balances are not able show sources of funds as well uses into which these finances were put into use (Baker 2005). Statement of cash flow also plays an important role in enhancing management of businesses as w ell as management of business resources (Baker 2005). It also enhances planning of business funds as well as ensuring that business cash flows (outflows and inflows) conform to each other (Tailor 2003). This is as opposed to other financial statements such as balance sheet which only shows assets and liabilities of business. Balance sheet cannot account for both cash outflows and cash inflows. Another importance of statement of cash flow is that it shows how efficient an organization is able to generate income (cash inflows) from its operation (Baker 2005). Other financial statements such as balance sheet which only shows assets and liabilities of business but cannot show shows how efficient an organization is able to generate income (cash inflows) from its operation (Philips 2008). Another importance of cash to those whose use it is that it is a report of funds that have been used during a specific period of time for various business activities (both short term and long term) such organization’s long term investment (Baker 2005). This information can also be shown by balance sheet. Another importance of cash to those whose use it is that it is a report of funds that have been received by the business during a specific period of time from various business activities such as debentures, share issue and loans among others (Baker

Recruitment and Selection Strategies Recommendations Essay Example for Free

Recruitment and Selection Strategies Recommendations Essay With the expansion of Clapton Commercial Construction on the horizon, Atwood and Allen Consulting have created these recommendations for recruitment and selection. Clapton Commercial Construction will be expanding by twenty percent into Arizona, which is a new market for them. In this proposal we will discuss the need to recruit/select for the expansion project, the importance of diversity, how Clapton Commercial Construction can brand their organization, and how to legally recruit and select candidates. Once all these concepts are in place for Clapton Commercial Construction the company will be ready for the Arizona market. Diverse workforce In order for Clapton Commercial Construction to succeed in a new market and meet the demands of their future clients, they will need to recruit. An increase of workforce by twenty percent will require an understanding of the employment need. To successfully meet your expansion need for the next five years, the company needs to understand the U.S. market. Your market is tight which means construction workers are in high demand. This will lead to a high talent pool with diverse ethnicity. â€Å"The United States workforce is diverse and becoming more so every year† (Casico, 2012). Your organization is part of the service economy. Clapton will employee a workforce that resembles their clients, this help with communication when language barriers exist and assist in providing a new set of talent not yet available to your organization. Clapton’s company brand should be seen as an organization that is concerned with reaching and enhancing your clients experiences by showing them how Clapton is culturally in tuned. Over the next five years the company will go through an annual twenty percent employment increases and turnover of twenty percent. With this in mind Clapton has to provide an incentive package that is competitive in the Arizona market that decreases turnover rates. The business strategy of the organization will be based on teamwork. Diversity will be a big component of this concept. Teamwork is  only successful when all working parts are functioning as one. Diversity awareness course should be given to all employees, and conflicts will need to be resolved as soon as managers are aware. Recruitment concepts Recruitment is vital to the success of your organization. This process will determine your workforce. As mentioned in our prior recommendation it is important to hire employees that share the organizations goal of successfully expanding into a new market, while continuing to provide our clients with superior service. The human capital theory suggests that education or training raises the productivity of workers by imparting useful knowledge and skills, hence raising workers future income by increasing their lifetime earnings (Becker, 1964). Before Clapton can post the vacancy for open position, you must determine the type of candidate you are searching for. Ensure that the description for the open position is descriptive of the job role; the knowledge, skill and ability needed. The post should also reflect the expectations of the candidate and a clear outline of the Clapton’s organizational goal. Recruitment will be handled by your HR department specialist; they should be family with the Equal Employment Opportunity Act. â€Å"According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), an employer may not fire, demote, harass, or otherwise â€Å"retaliate† against an individual for filing a charge of discrimination, participating in a discrimination proceeding, or otherwise opposing discrimination. The same laws that prohibit discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, and disability, as well as wage differences between men and women performing substantially equal work, also prohibit retaliation against individuals who oppose unlawful discrimination or participate in an employment discrimination proceeding† (Cascio, 2012).† Arizona is considered a work at will state. This means simply that the employment is not based on a formal contract and can be severed by the employee or employer with or without a cause. Even though Arizona is a work at will state, discrimination is still prohibited. Arizona does not require an employer to provide breaks or lunches but as an employer who prides themselves on providing exceptional employee benefits Clapton should still provide employees two paid breaks and an unpaid lunch break  during an eight hour shift (Nolo.com). Conclusion Atwood and Allen Consulting have created a recruitment and selection Strategies plan that will help Clapton Commercial Construction facility in Arizona move along. If Clapton Commercial Construction follows this recruitment planning the company will be successful within the next five years. Employment will have expanded and the facility will be well known in Arizona. With the help of the HR Department Clapton has to provide an incentive package that is competitive in the Arizona market that decreases turnover rates. References Becker, G. S. (1964). Human capital. New York: Columbia University Press Nolo.com. Retrieved on May 3, 2014 from: http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/arizona-law-meal-rest-breaks.html

Five Basic Corporate Finance Functions

Five Basic Corporate Finance Functions Introduction UBS AG is a diversified global financial services company, having its main headquarters at Basel and Zurich, Switzerland. In June 1998, Union Bank of Switzerland and Swiss Bank Corporation (SBC) completed the merger announced six months previously. Just two years later, UBS acquired the US brokerage firm Paine Webber, greatly increasing the size and scope of its business. Then the new firm set the seal on these achievements by proclaiming a single brand. In this light, UBS is both a new institution and new brand. In the picturesque Swiss region of Valposchiavo, for example, one UBS branch traces its origins as far back as 1747. The core components of todays UBS date back to the second half of the nineteenth century. At the same time, its history extends many generations into the past, particularly in Switzerland, the US and the UK. UBS is ranked second worlds largest asset manager of private wealth, and is the second-largest bank in Europe, in both market capitalisation and profitability. With its major presence in United States UBS has its headquarters located in New York City; Weehawken, Private Wealth Management in New Jersey; and Stamford, Connecticut for Capital markets, UBSs has its retail offices throughout the U.S., and has its presence in more than 50 countries (www.ubs.com/1/e/about/history.html). UBS was force to turn to the Government of Singapore for fresh funding after incurring a huge loss in 2007. After funding, Government of Singapore Investment Corporation became the largest shareholder of UBS in 2007. UBS managers pledged to return bonuses after a dramatic loss in November 2008. New financial aid was expected from Swiss government after the UBS shareholders voted to restore the shaken trust in UBS (www.ubs.com/1/e/about/history.html). Credit Suisse found a new cross-town rival in the form of UBS which has evolved on a similar path. Both of them originated from Switzerland indulging in commercial and retail banking who purchased major investment banks in United States and both are being investigated by U.S. authorities currently for helping 17,000 American citizens to avoid taxes. Based on the order by the Swiss Financial Markets Supervisory Authority (FINMA), UBS on 18th February 2009, immediately has agreed to provide the identities of and account information of about 250 American clients to United States and also agreed to pay US$ 780 million in the form of compensation and fines (www.ubs.com/1/e/about/history.html). Corporate Finance Modern companies need to raise finance from the capital market in order to invest in the real and intangible assets they need to earn profits. Their first priority is to ensure that they can source finance for both their short run and their long run needs in the most economical way possible. Corporate investment is by its nature risky and often capital intensive (Ryan, 2007). In order to justify the use of other peoples money a firm needs to ensure that the investment decisions it makes, taking into account its cost of capital, lead to an overall increase in the value of the firm and hence its investors wealth. Alongside the problem of sourcing finance at the cheapest cost, the firm has to make sure that all the investment decisions it undertakes are value adding. If they are not the firm will not be able to justify its existence for very long and will find itself out of business (Ryan, 2007). The ability to trade the financial claims of business ventures has been known about and practised for centuries. In the modern era the standardization of financial claims into homogenous trading units has transformed the way markets operate. Until the 1930s companies, for example, borrowed money from banks but following the Wall Street Crash in the United States there was a sudden loss of confidence in the banking sector. As a result, companies started to practise what governments had been doing for some time and sidestepped the banks going directly to lenders and offering them securitized debt in the form of bonds (Ryan, 2007). Although modern financial intermediaries are marvel of efficiency, the role of traditional intermediaries such as banks as providers of debt capital to corporations has declined for decades. Instead, nonfinancial corporations have increasingly turned to capital markets for external financing, principally because the rapidly declining cost of information processing makes it much easier for large number of investors to obtain and evaluate financial data for thousands of potential corporate borrowers and issuers of common and preferred stock equity (Megginson and Smart, 2006). The Five Basic Corporate Finance functions: Although corporate finance is defined generally as the activities involved in managing cash flows (money) in a business environment, a more complete definition would emphasize that the practice of corporate finance involves five basic functions: Raising capital to support companies operations and investment programs (the external financing function); Selecting the best projects in which to invest firms resources, based on each projects perceived risk and expected return (the capital budgeting function); Managing firms internal cash flows, its working capital, and its mix of debt and equity financing, both to maximize the value of firms debt and equity claims and to ensure that companies can pay off its obligations when due (the financial management function); Developing company-wide ownership and corporate governance structures that force managers to behave ethically and make decisions that benefit shareholders (the corporate governance function); and Managing firms exposures to all types of risk, both insurable and uninsurable, to maintain and optimal risk-return trade-off and therefore maximize shareholder value (the risk-management function). (Source: Megginson and Smart, 2006) External financing When corporations are young and small, they usually must raise equity capital privately, either from friends and family, or from professional investors such as venture capitalists. These professionals specialize in making high-risk/high-return investments in rapidly growing entrepreneurial businesses. Once firms reach a certain size, they may decide to go public by conducting an initial public offering (IPO) of stock-selling shares to outside investors and listing the shares for trading on a stock exchange. After IPOs, companies have the option of raising cash by selling additional stock in the future (Megginson and Smart, 2006). Capital Budgeting The capital budgeting function represents firms financial managers single most important activity, for two reasons. First, managers evaluate very large investments in the capital budgeting process. Second, companies can prosper in a competitive economy only be seeking out the most promising new products, processes, and services to deliver to customers. Companies such as Intel, General Electric, Shell, Samsung, and Toyota regularly make huge capital outlays. The capital budgeting process breaks down into three steps: Identifying potential investments; Analysing the set of investment opportunities and identifying those that create shareholder value; and Implementing and monitoring the investments (Source: Megginson and Smart, 2006) Risk Management Historically, risk management has identified the unpredictable act of nature risks (fire, flood, collision, and other property damage) to which firms was exposed and has used insurance products or self-insurance to manage those exposures. Todays risk-management function identifies, measures, and manages many more types of risk exposures, including predictable business risks. These exposures include losses that could result from adverse interest rate movements, commodity price changes, and currency value fluctuations. The techniques for managing such risks are among the most sophisticated of all corporate finance practices. The risk-management task attempts to quantify the sources and magnitudes of firms risk exposure and to decide whether to simply accept these risks or to manage them (Megginson and Smart, 2006). Corporate Governance Recent corporate scandals-such as financial collapses at Enron, Arthur Andersen, WorldCom, and Parmalat-clearly show that establishing good corporate governance systems is paramount. Governance systems determine who benefits most from company activities; then they establish procedures to maximize firm value and to ensure that employees act ethically and responsibly. Good management does not develop in a vacuum. It results from corporate governance systems that hires and promotes qualified, honest people, and that motivate employees to achieve company goals through salary and other incentives (Megginson and Smart, 2006). Developing corporate governance systems present quite a challenge in practice because conflicts inevitably arise among stockholders, managers, and other stakeholders interests. But rarely is it in the interest of any individual stockholder to spend the time and money needed to ensure that managers act appropriately. If individual stockholders conducted this type of oversight, they would personally bear all the costs of monitoring management, but would share the benefits with all other shareholders. This is a classic example of the collective action problem that arises in most relationship between stockholders and managers (Megginson and Smart, 2006). Bankruptcy and Corporate Financing Patterns The more debt a firm uses in its capital structure, the less likely the firm will be able to meet its debt service obligations, and the more likely default will occur (Benning and Sarig, p.347). It is this default likelihood that introduces bankruptcy costs into capital structure. As argued by Van Horne (p.268), the presence of bankruptcy costs is an important source of imperfection in the markets for corporate funds. Under imperfect conditions, there are the administrative costs of bankruptcy, and assets may have to be liquidated at less than their economic values (Bekter, p. 56). It is also this tendency that Myers (p.218) describes as the direct cost of bankruptcy. The implication of the presence of bankruptcy cost in financial leverage is manifested more by the fact that debt-financing generates risks. Not only that, but it has been argued that for instance that every financing decision comes with some risk implications on the value of the firm (Glen and Pinto, 1994). The largest bankruptcy in U.S. history was finally coming to an end. On April 20, 2004, MCI, Inc. Emerged with an announcement that it had begun distributing securities and cash to its creditors according to a court-approved reorganization plan. MCIs chief executive officer, Michael Capellas, heralded a new beginning for his company, which had filed for bankruptcy court protection twenty-one months earlier-when the company was called WorldCom-after disclosing and $11 billion accounting fraud. At the time of its Chapter 11 filing, WorldCom had assets totalling nearly $104 billion and debts of $32 billion (Megginson and Smart, 2006). WorldCom shocked the business world when the company announced in June 2002 that it had fraudulently overstated $3.9 billion of expenses as capital expenditures, which had allowed it to book higher profits during the telecom boom years of 1998-2001. WorldCom chief financial officer Scott Sullivan was fired the day the accounting fraud was disclosed, and his exit followed that of founder and long-time CEO, Bernine Ebbers, who had been forced out in April 2002. Over the next two years, more than $7 billion in additional accounting errors and frauds were uncovered,, bringing the total misstatements to $11 billion, and in a March 2004 restatement of its 2001 and 2002 financial results, the company wrote off over $74 billion in previously booked profits and goodwill (Megginson and Smart, 2006). Corporate Control Transactions Changes in corporate control occur through several mechanisms, most notably via acquisitions. An acquisition is the purchase of additional resources by a business enterprise. These resources may come from the purchase of new assets, the purchase of some of the assets of another company, or the purchase of another whole business entity, which is known as a merger. Merger is itself a general term applied to a transaction in which two or more business organizations combine into a single entity. Oftentimes, however, the term merger s reserved for a transaction in which one corporation takes over another upon the approval of both companies boards of directors and shareholders after a friendly and mutually agreeable set of terms and conditions and a price are negotiated (Megginson and Smart, 2006). Statuary Merger A statutory merger is a form of target integration in which the acquirer can absorb the targets resources directly with no remaining trace of the target as a separate entity. Many intrastate bank mergers are of this form. Subsidiary Merger Conversely, an acquirer may wish to maintain the identity of the target as either a separate subsidiary or division. A subsidiary merger is often the integration vehicle when there is brand value in the name of the target, such as the case of PepsiCos merger with Pizza Hut in 1997. Sometimes, separate tracking or target shares are issued in the subsidiarys name. Sometimes, these shares are issued as new common shares in exchange for the targets common shares, as occurred when General Motors issued new Class E and Class H shares to acquire, respectively, Electronic Data Systems and Hughes Electronics during the 1980s. Alternatively, a new class of preferred stock may be issued by the bidding firm to replace the common shares of the target as well (Megginson and Smart, 2006). Consolidation Consolidation is another integrative form used to effect a merger of two publicly traded companies. Under this form, both the acquirer and target disappear as separate corporations and combine to form an entirely new corporation with new common stock (Megginson and Smart, 2006). Dealing with the Crisis The merger of the Union Bank of Switzerland and the Swiss Bank Corporation in June 1998 resulted in UBS evolution. The new company was named originally as Union Bank of Switzerland, but officials chose to call it as UBS as the name was clashing with United Bank Switzerland a subsidiary part of the United Bank Limited, Switzerland. United Bank of Switzerland is no longer known for its name as it made its brand name UBS like 3M. The carried over logo from SBC, which stands for confidence, security and discretion has remained with UBS. With its acquisitions of Dillon Read in New York and S. G. Warburg in London, SBC had investment banking business all over the world before the merger. Due to the Long-Term Capital Management crisis, in October 1998, the first chairman of the merged bank resigned which affected the Union Bank of Switzerland. After the acquisition of Paine Webber Group Inc. by UBS in 2000, it became the largest private clients wealth management company in the world. A CHF 3.265 trillion assets was invested in wealth management businesses, including the U.S. As the company began to operate as one large firm, all the business group of UBS were rebranded under the UNBS name on the 9th June 2003. All major companies bought by Union Bank of Switzerland like UBS Paine Webber, UBS Warburg, UBS Asset Management and others were just called UBS. With the retirement of the Paine Webber brand UBS took a US$1 billion write-down for the loss of good will associated with as a result of the rebranding (www.ubs.com/1/ e/about/history.html). In a report released on 01st April 2008, 15 billion Swiss francs (US$15.1 billion) in a new capital was seeked by Swiss bank UBS AG as it expected to post net losses of 12 billion Swiss francs (US$12.1 billion) for the first quarter of 2008. Approximately US$19 billion on U.S. real estate and related credit positions were expected to write-down as UBS was hit by U.S. Subprime mortgage crisis and losses. Fitch Ratings and Standard Poors, and Moody are cut down the long term credit rating of UBS in April 2008 to AA and Aa1 respectively. A new capital of CHF 6 billion through mandatory convertible notes was announced by UBS which they had on the 16th October 2008, and was place with Swiss Confederation. Transfer agreement of approximately USD 60 billion currently illiquid securities and various assets from UBS to a separate fund entity were made between the Swiss National Bank (SNB) and UBS (www.ubs.com/1/e/about/history.html). The third quarter Group net profit was announced by UBS on 4th November which was in line with their 16th October pre announcement, CHF 296 million standing with net profit attributable to UBS shareholders. A further CHF 4.8 billion of write-downs and losses on risk positions affected that quarter in gain on tax credit of over CHF 900 million and own credit of CHF 2.2 million. In an announcement made on the 12th November 2008, UBS said that from 2009 there will be no more than one-third of any cash bonus paid out in year it is earned with the rest held in reserve. Top executives will have to hold 75% of any vested shares; incentives would also vest after three years on shares with share bonus accounts subject to malus charges. US$6 billion of equity was put into the new bad bank entity by UBS in November 2008; a benefit option was kept only if the value of its assets were to recover. UBS structure guaranteed clarity for UBS investors by making an outright sale, which was indicated as a neat package by the New York Times (www.ubs.com/1/e/about/history.html). The head of the Swiss National Bank (SNB) and Chairman Jean-Pierre Roth on Friday the 30th January 2009 was quoted on Reuters as saying that the two best capitalised banks in the world are UBS and Credit Suisse. In an announcement made on the 09th February 2009 by UBS, said that it lost nearly 20 billion Swiss francs (US$17.2 billion) in 2008, which is the single-year biggest loss in the history of Switzerland. The commitment to each of the UBS business divisions and strategy were confirmed by UBS Board of Directors and the Group Executive Board on the 10th February 2009. Investigations relating to UBS U.S. cross-border business are getting resolved by entering into a deferred prosecution agreement with the US Department of Justice and a Consent Order with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. US$380 million represents disgorgement of profits from its cross-border business out of US$780 million which UBS agreed to pay. And the remaining represents the tax amount of United States which UBS failed to withhold to the accounts. The interest, penalties and restitution for unpaid taxes are included in the figures. UBS also entered into an agreement with the Securities and Exchange Commission as part of the deal in which it agreed to the charges of having acted as an unregistered broker-dealer and investment adviser for Americans (www.ubs.com/1/e/about/history.html). Initiative taken CHF 20.9 billion (US$ 18 billion) loss was posted by UBS AG on the 11th march 2009 which was stated in their revised FY 2008 report. It was said that UBS was extremely cautious about the outlook of 2009. UBS announced in its Annual General Meeting held on 15th April 2009, it has plans of cutting 8,700 jobs in its return to profitability. UBS had to make about US$50 billion in write-downs and announce of 11,000 job cuts since 2007 due to the global financial crisis. UBS agreed to sell its Brazilian financial service business, UBS Pactual, to BTG Investments for approximately USD 2.5 billion in a statement made on the April 21st 2009. UBS was aiming to reduce its risk profile and to become more profitable by the sale of the Brazilian business. U.S. federal grand jury charges were made on private banker Raoul Weil for which UBS formally cut all its ties on the 1st May 2009. Raoul had been suspended in November 2008 after he was indicated in correlation to the tax evasion affair. A first quarter net loss of two billion Swiss francs (USD1.75 billion) was confirmed by UBS on May 20th 2009 which was less than initially expected. UBS restated its 2008 annual report on the May 20th 2009. A further reduction in the net profit was announced by the bank of CHF 450 million, and CHF 269 million in reduction of equity and equity attributable to UBS shareholders (www.ubs.com/1/e/about/history.html). UBS strengthened its capital base by placing 293.3 million shares from existing authorized capital by taking the advantage of current market conditions. A small number of large institutional investors were placed with the shares. In the view of the regulators it was consistent that this capital raising aims at strengthening confidence in UBS and the Swiss financial centre which is claimed by UBS. The second quarter loss of CHF 1.4 billion (US$1.32 billion) was reported on the 4th August 2009. The Swiss government made a statement of selling its CHF 6 billion stake in UBS on the 20th August 2009, making significant profit; the mandatory convertible notes of 332.2 million which it had purchased in 2008 to help UBS clear its balance sheets of toxic assets (www.ubs.com/1/e/about/history.html). In the Lundquist CSR Online Awards 2009, UBS ranked No.1 in Switzerland and No. 2 globally in November 2009. The award is given for demonstrating best online CSR communications.

Influenza Viruses Essay -- Diseases, Birds

Influenza viruses existing in birds continue to be a source for a diverse combination of antigenic subtypes including 16 hemagglutinin (HA) and 9 neuraminidase (NA) and represent a large reservoir of novel antigens to which the human population is naà ¯ve [1,2](1)) (Seasonal influenza epidemics are a major public health concern, accounting for five million severe cases worldwide [1](4))(Annually, influenza types A cause human outbreaks responsible for substantial mortality and morbidity, particularly in high risk groups, such as infants, elderly, and immunocompromised individuals.(5)).(3)) (The influenza virus is one of the most devastating viral diseases due to being highly contagious which easily spreads as an aerosol and causes acute viral respiratory disease and mortality to susceptible groups. In order to prevent the spread of seasonal or pandemic outbreaks of influenza, vaccination is a powerful and cost-effective means [1](15)) (Protection against influenza virus is primarily mediated by antibodies to the viral hemagglutinin (HA) [2,3]) ,HA is the major surface glycoprotein of the virion and responsible for the attachment and penetration of viral particles into cells during the initial stages of infection.((5)((8)) (Successful prophylactic influenza vaccines elicit efficient HA-specific systemic antibody, which can bind the virus and inhibit early events in the influenza virus infection.(6)) Different types of influenza vaccines such as subunit [7-10], attenuated [11,12], and inactivated influenza vaccines[14] are available although the inactivated ones are the most widely used in the commercial scale [6]. ((12) (the major substrate for the preparation of inactivated influenza vaccines is embryonated chicken’s egg .((1) (In c... ... the P1 baculovirus stock In Sf-900 III Medium was Prepared, as appropriate. To do this, sequentially 0.25 ml of the baculovirus stock was diluted in 2.25 ml of Sf-900 medium. The dilutions 10–4 to10–8 were used in our assay. The medium from each well removed, immediately replace with 1 ml of the appropriate virus dilution and incubated for 1 hour at room temperature. Plaquing medium containing 12.5 ml 4% Low Melting Agarose and 37.5 ml Sf-900III was prepared and incubated at 40ËšC water bath until use. Following the 1 hour incubation, the medium containing virus from the wells removed and replaced with 2 ml of plaquing medium. Allowed agarose overlay at room temperature until to harden. The plates incubated at a 27ËšC humidied incubator for 7–10 days. To improve the visualization of plaques, the plates were stained by 0.5 ml Neutral Red solution (1 mg/ml). (21) Influenza Viruses Essay -- Diseases, Birds Influenza viruses existing in birds continue to be a source for a diverse combination of antigenic subtypes including 16 hemagglutinin (HA) and 9 neuraminidase (NA) and represent a large reservoir of novel antigens to which the human population is naà ¯ve [1,2](1)) (Seasonal influenza epidemics are a major public health concern, accounting for five million severe cases worldwide [1](4))(Annually, influenza types A cause human outbreaks responsible for substantial mortality and morbidity, particularly in high risk groups, such as infants, elderly, and immunocompromised individuals.(5)).(3)) (The influenza virus is one of the most devastating viral diseases due to being highly contagious which easily spreads as an aerosol and causes acute viral respiratory disease and mortality to susceptible groups. In order to prevent the spread of seasonal or pandemic outbreaks of influenza, vaccination is a powerful and cost-effective means [1](15)) (Protection against influenza virus is primarily mediated by antibodies to the viral hemagglutinin (HA) [2,3]) ,HA is the major surface glycoprotein of the virion and responsible for the attachment and penetration of viral particles into cells during the initial stages of infection.((5)((8)) (Successful prophylactic influenza vaccines elicit efficient HA-specific systemic antibody, which can bind the virus and inhibit early events in the influenza virus infection.(6)) Different types of influenza vaccines such as subunit [7-10], attenuated [11,12], and inactivated influenza vaccines[14] are available although the inactivated ones are the most widely used in the commercial scale [6]. ((12) (the major substrate for the preparation of inactivated influenza vaccines is embryonated chicken’s egg .((1) (In c... ... the P1 baculovirus stock In Sf-900 III Medium was Prepared, as appropriate. To do this, sequentially 0.25 ml of the baculovirus stock was diluted in 2.25 ml of Sf-900 medium. The dilutions 10–4 to10–8 were used in our assay. The medium from each well removed, immediately replace with 1 ml of the appropriate virus dilution and incubated for 1 hour at room temperature. Plaquing medium containing 12.5 ml 4% Low Melting Agarose and 37.5 ml Sf-900III was prepared and incubated at 40ËšC water bath until use. Following the 1 hour incubation, the medium containing virus from the wells removed and replaced with 2 ml of plaquing medium. Allowed agarose overlay at room temperature until to harden. The plates incubated at a 27ËšC humidied incubator for 7–10 days. To improve the visualization of plaques, the plates were stained by 0.5 ml Neutral Red solution (1 mg/ml). (21)

Bill to Law at Malaysia

3. Explain the process how a Bill becomes Law. Malaysia was a former British colony and prior to its independence a commission was appointed to draft the Federal Constitution based on the system of parliamentary democracy practiced in the Great Britain. Similar to the Westminster System, Malaysia’s Federal Constitution divides the structure of government into three branches – Executive, Legislature, and Judiciary. Under the doctrine of separation of powers, the Legislature is the body which has the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. There are two legislative assemblies under the Westminster system, an upper house (In Malaysia, it is called the Dewan Negara) and a lower house (Dewan Rakyat). Before an Act becomes a law, it is called a Bill. There are two types of Bills, a Public Bill and a Private Bill. Under the Public Bills, there are Government Bills and Private Members Bills, where Government Bill is normally introduced by a Minister and Private Member Bill is initiated by a Member of Parliament. A Private Bill is a proposal for a law that would apply to a particular individual or a group of individuals, or corporate entity. A Bill will have to go through several stages before it becomes a law. When a Bill is introduced to MPs in the parliament, it is called the First Reading. The title of the Bill is read out and copies of it are copied out, no debate takes place, but there will be a vote on whether the House wishes to consider the Bill further. During the Second Reading, the general principles contained in the Bill are debated by the MPs. Frequently, during this stage; public attention will be drawn to the proposal and the debate between the MPs who support and against the bill begins. At the end of the debate a vote is taken – a majority of MPs must be in favor of the Bill in order for it to progress any further. If the Bill passes the Second Reading, it will come to the Committee Stage. At this stage, a detailed examination of each clause of the Bill is undertaken by a committee and the committee will subject the Bill to line-by-line examination and make amendments. The membership of the committee will usually be those MPs with special knowledge, or interest, in the subject of the Bill. Next, the amended Bill goes to the Report Stage – the Bill will be reviewed by the House where it started. The amendments will be debated in the House. The Third Reading is the final vote and debate on the Bill. It is almost a formality, since a Bill which passed through all the stages is very unlikely to fail at this late stage. Another vote will be taken and if passed, then it goes through a similar process in another House. Finally, a Royal Assent by the King is needed in order for the Bill to formally become a law. Under the Constitutional Amendment Act of 1983, the King cannot refuse to sign the bill if it has been passed by both of the Houses in the parliament. Thereafter, the Act is gazetted and becomes an Act of Parliament.

Ad Reinhardt, American Abstract Expressionist Painter

Ad Reinhardt, American Abstract Expressionist Painter Ad Reinhardt (December 24, 1913 - August 30, 1967) was an American abstract expressionist artist who sought to create what he called, absolute abstraction. The result was a series of works known as the Black Paintings, which consisted of geometrical shapes in subtle shades of black and near-black. Fast Facts: Ad Reinhardt Full Name: Adolph Frederick Reinhardt Occupation: PainterBorn: December 24, 1913 in Buffalo, New YorkDied: August 30, 1967 in New York, New YorkSpouse: Rita ZiprkowskiChild: Anna ReinhardtSelected Works: Untitled (1936), Study for a Painting (1938), Black Paintings (1953-1967)Notable Quote: Only a bad artist thinks he has a good idea. A good artist does not need anything. Early Life and Education Ad Reinhardt was born in Buffalo, New York, but moved to New York City with his family at a young age. He was an outstanding student and showed an interest in visual art. During high school, Reinhardt illustrated his schools newspaper. Upon applying to college, he turned down multiple scholarship offers from art schools and enrolled in the art history program at Columbia University. At Columbia, Ad Reinhardt studied under the art historian Mayer Schapiro. He also became good friends with theologian Thomas Merton and poet Robert Lax. The three all embraced approaches to simplicity in their specific disciplines. Untitled (1936). The Pace Gallery Works Progress Administration Work Shortly after graduation from Columbia, Reinhardt became one of the few abstract artists hired in the Federal Arts Project of the Works Progress Administration (WPA). There he met other prominent 20th-century American artists including Willem de Kooning and Arshile Gorky. His work of the period also demonstrated the impact of Stuart Davis experiments with geometric abstraction. While working for the WPA, Ad Reinhardt also became a member of the American Abstract Artists group. They were profoundly influential in the development of the avant-garde in the U.S. In 1950, Reinhardt joined the group of artists known as The Irascibles who protested that the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art in New York was not modern enough. Jackson Pollock, Barnett Newman, Hans Hofmann, and Mark Rothko were part of the group. John Loengard / Getty Images Absolute Abstraction and the Black Paintings Ad Reinhardts work was non-representational from the beginning. However, his paintings show a distinctive progression from visual complexity to simple compositions of geometrical shapes in shades of the same color. By the 1950s, the work began approaching what Reinhardt called absolute abstraction. He believed that much of the abstract expressionism of the era was too full of emotional content and the impact of the artists ego. He aimed to create paintings with no emotion or narrative content at all. Although he was part of the movement, Reinhardts ideas often ran counter to those of his contemporaries. In the latter part of the 1950s, Ad Reinhardt began work on the Black Paintings that would define the rest of his career. He took inspiration from Russian art theorist Kazimir Malevich, who created the work Black Square in 1915, referred to as the, zero point of painting. Malevich described an art movement focused on simple geometric shapes and a limited color palette that he called suprematism. Reinhardt expanded on the ideas in his theoretical writings, saying that he was creating, the last paintings one can make. While many of Reinhardts black paintings look flat and monochrome upon first glance, they reveal multiple shades and intriguing complexity when viewed close up. Among the techniques used to create the works was the siphoning of oil from the pigments used that resulted in a delicate finish. Unfortunately, the method also made the paintings challenging to preserve and maintain without damaging the surface. Black Series #6. U.S. Department of State embassy collections Despite the purging of all references to the outside world in his paintings, Ad Reinhardt insisted that his art could impact society and bring about positive change. He saw art as an almost mystical force in the world. Legacy The paintings of Ad Reinhardt remain an essential conceptual link between abstract expressionism and the minimalist art of the 1960s and beyond. Although his fellow expressionists often criticized his work, many of the most prominent artists of the next generation saw Reinhardt as a vital leader pointing toward the future of painting. Ad Reinhardt in Museum of Modern Art exhibition of his paintings. Robert R. McElroy / Getty Images Ad Reinhardt began to teach art in 1947 at Brooklyn College. Teaching, including a stint at Yale University, was a significant part of his work for the next 20 years until his death from a massive heart attack in 1967. Source Reinhardt, Ad. Ad Reinhardt. Rizzoli International, 1991.

Computer Addiction essays

Computer Addiction essays There once was a time when the only computers known to the average person were those the military possessed. Eventually, large corporations found many different uses for computers in the business world, and today, computers are as common in numerous households around the globe. People from all age groups are learning to operate computers and anyone who has worked with computers for long periods of time knows that computers can be just as addicting as smoking. Computer addiction can have a number of physical, social, and psychological effects on a person and it is to be taken as seriously as any other addiction that a person is battling. One common physical effect computer addiction can have on a person are back problems. Sitting for so long can take a toll on a person's muscles and can result in poor posture. Poor posture can result in chronic back problems that require the services of a chiropractor. Dry eyes, carpal tunnel syndrome, and vision complications are some eye problems caused by over use of a computer. Migraine headaches are quite common in computer addiction and are linked to the straining of the eyes. Because of the long hours spent engrossed in a computer, addicts often have eating irregularities, such as skipping meals and binge eating. Computer addicts experience sleep disturbances, or changes in sleeping patterns, which are most likely due to late hours on the computer and low blood sugar from eating irregularities. One last effect is the failure to attend to personal hygiene, such as bathing, combing hair and brushing teeth. All of these physical effects can be linked to computer addiction. Social effects of computer addiction include reduced time spent socializing with others. People may begin to feel that their computer is the only relationship that they have the time to focus on. They lose the desire for human contact and communication and in a way ...