The durability of concrete Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

The durability of concrete - Essay Example This research will begin with the definition of concrete, as a construction material. Concrete is a basic construction material, it is made of mainly four constituents, cement, fine aggregate(sand), coarse aggregate and water. With the addition of water to the cement and other components in dry form, this addition of water makes the concrete fluid and this flow able mixture enables us to pore in the desired shape and size which is dictated by the moulds and formwork. During this the water chemically bonds with the cement and hydration takes place. The ultimate strength of concrete is a factor of water cement ratio and this is the reason a precise mix ratio of concrete is calculated and mix design is prepared. Finally the dry components are combined to form hardened matrix. This final product, the concrete is good in compressive strength but weak in tensile strength. To finish this weakness we provide steel reinforcement which has high tensile strength. This concrete is called the rei nforced concrete. The concrete’s quality is determined by the quality and care taken while the production phase of the concrete. As we are well aware of the fact that elasticity of concrete is all most the same at low stress levels but tends to decrease as the higher stress levels are attained as matrix cracking develops. At the very same time the concrete is very weak in thermal expansion and has a low value of coefficient of thermal expansion. The content of cementitious material, along with the water content determine the final strength, durability, abrasion resistance, shrinkage values and many other properties. But the most important property that is under discussion is the Durability of concrete. Definition of Durability: Concrete durability has been defined by the American Concrete Institute as â€Å"its resistance to weathering action, chemical attack, abrasion and other degradation processes† Durability can also be defined as â€Å"the quality of materials or structures of continuing to be useful after an extended period of time and usage†. Whereas according to PCA(Portland Cement Association),† Durability is the ability to last a long time without significant deterioration†. Summarizing the above definition the durability is the ability of concrete to maintain it size, shape and all other properties against adverse environment with respect to time. Now the next issue is that what factors affect the durability of concrete and how can the material be improved to get the highest efficiency and life. There are several aspects that govern the strength of concrete and its life but the most effective way to calibrate this is to understand the process of deterioration in the first place. The most common proof of the deterioration process is the formation of the cracks and the detail study of the types of cracks will enable us to decide and deduce the reason, mechanism and solution to the problem. These cracks can be formed by during the plastic state or the hardened state. The reason of which will be discussed in details in the next sections. Processes of Deterioration There are several ways in which the deterioration of the concrete can be studied and processes explained but I believe that the most comprehensive pattern to understand this process is to first understand the cracks and types of cracks and then the reasons for their formation. Concrete has two forms during its formation and service. Firstly it is in fluid state and then the hardened state. Now we will discuss the processes under the two states. Fluid State deterioration and Crack propagation The reasons for these cracks are mainly due to the poor workmanship and handling. The main reasons among this are plastic shrinkage, settlement and lastly movement of formwork and subgrade during the construction work.

Nursing Managment Essay Example for Free

Nursing Managment Essay Article Review of â€Å"A Handoff Report Card for General Nursing Orientation This article examines the strengths and weakness of the orientation process of new grads or new nurses to a unit or hospital. By the use of a 100 point score report card containing a summary of the nurses skills, knowledge, and also use of the Benner which measure clinical performance and critical thinking. The article addresses the use of a report card to better communicate the strengths and weakness of the orientees’. This report card is handed off to the next person in whom the new nurses will orient. The handoff is designed to create continuity and accuracy. An example of the type of data that would be measured by the handoff report includes items such as the nurses’ experiences and documentation of strengths and areas that need to be developed or improved. The report card is based on 3 assessments 1. The orientees own self-assessment 2. The instructor’s assessment 3. Competition of competencies From the first day on the unit, the nurse identifies his/her learning type using Benner’s Theory. This provides the nurse with a baseline of where their own individual level of development has reached, as well as, the preceptor, manager, or instructor. Secondly, the instructor assessment measures the orientees’ knowledge and performance. This report card is divided into 4 areas of measurement. The types of areas of measurement are areas such as: nursing interventions, documentation, critical thinking, nursing behaviors, clinical judgment, and several other areas. The last area of measurement is the nurses’ skill level. Several types of competencies were set up to determine if the nurse was competent to function on the unit. In conclusion, the report card was discussed with the leadership team, so that the orientation is more focused on the needs of the oreintee, based on the unit in which the orientee is being trained to work. As I was reading this article, it re minded me of an article that we had read at work. In the American Journal of Critical Care 2009, there was a research study completed to determine the best way to evaluate the new grads, new nurses, and it also evaluated the current nursing staff. In the study, most of the data that was returned was from the new grads. The suspected reasoning was the enthusiasm of the new grads. But the overall outcome, was positive, but mostly helped the management team to better evaluate the competency of their nurses. Currently, in the unit I work in we are challenged with determining the strengths and weakness of our newly hired nurses. Some of the nurses stated that they came to our unit with experience from different venues; however, their level of care has left us with many voids. I personally, enjoyed both articles and the effort of increasing critical thinking and professional behaviors on the clinical floor. Remember we all one day may be patients. Hargraves, L., Nichols, A., Shanks, S., Halamak, L. (2010). A Handoff Report Card for General Nursing Orientation. The Journal of Nursing Administration, 40(10), 424-431. Kleinpell, R. (2009). Evidenced Based Review Discussion Points. American Journal of Critical care, 18(3), 261-262.

Thalamic Glutamate as a Marker of Global Brain Pathology -MS

Thalamic Glutamate as a Marker of Global Brain Pathology -MS Author contributions: LP design conceptualisation of the study, analysis and interpretation of data, drafting the manuscript for intellectual content. JR design conceptualisation of the study, data collection, analysis and interpretation of data, drafting the manuscript for intellectual content. IRB analysis and interpretation of data, revising the manuscript for intellectual content. GS analysis and interpretation of data KZ data collection RN design conceptualisation of the study, analysis and interpretation of data, drafting the manuscript for intellectual content.[LP1] Disclosures: LP no disclosures. JR no disclosures. IRV no disclosures. GS no disclosures. KZ no disclosures. RN Bayer, Biogen, Genzyme, Merck Serono, Roche honorarium for speaking, advisory boards. Biogen, Genzyme, Novartis funds for organising education, staff. Biogen, Novartis Principal investigator.[LP2] [LP3] Multiple sclerosis Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterised by demyelination and variable degrees of axonal loss and gliosis. People with MS (pwMS) present with sensory disturbances, spasticity, fatigue, ataxia, pain and urinary dysfunction1. The most common form of MS is relapsing-remitting and 85% of pwMS initially present with it, with most eventually progress to a secondary, progressive phase2. Without adequate treatment, 25% of pwMS become wheelchair-bound3. Charcot was the first to describe the inflammatory demyelinating plaque as a hallmark of MS in the late 19th century4. While white matter lesions (WML) contribute to disability5,6, they are likely not its only drive. Recent evidence supports the concept that grey matter lesions (GML) and atrophy are likely contributors to disability7,8. Furthermore, recent studies have looked at diffuse axonal loss and support the notion that this process drives long-term disability, due to a combination of focal inflammation and cortical damage driven by meningeal inflammation9-13. Large clinical trials in MS infrequently correlate the effect of therapies with brain lesion volumes and atrophy. This is due to the fact that as of today, no automated software exists which is able to consistently calculate WMLs14 and GMLs are grossly underestimated as they are not readily visible on MRI15,16. Lastly, brain atrophy is hard to quantify, can only be measured longitudinally and is subject to non-tissue related (pseudo-atrophy) volume loss subsequent to disease modifying treatment17,18. There is an unmet need for a simple biomarker that can act as a surrogate for neuronal damage in MS for use in observational and interventional studies. Natalizumab Natalizumab (Tysabri) is a disease-modifying treatment given intravenously as a monthly infusion19. In the UK it is licensed as a second-line treatment for severe, rapidly evolving, relapsing-remitting MS. It is directed against the ÃŽÂ ±4 subunit of integrin on lymphocytes and acts as an immune-modulator by inhibiting their migration to the brain20,21. Compared to placebo, it has been shown to reduce relapse rate by 68%. Furthermore, it reduced the risk of disability progression by 42%, defined as a change in EDSS score sustained for 24 weeks21. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is a non-invasive MRI sequence that allows identification and quantification of in vivo metabolites present in a small, preselected brain region. Proton nuclei (1H) are most commonly used in studies of the human brain due to their abundance and high sensitivity. MRS sequences distinguish between different metabolites by measuring the frequency at which 1H nuclei flip, which is in turn dependent on the molecular group carrying the hydrogen atom22. Measuring these metabolic changes allows researchers to gain an insight into changes at a cellular and molecular level in the brain, which cannot be acquired using conventional MRI techniques23. The thalamus is a subcortical hub, with multiple reciprocal connections to both white matter tracts and cortical grey matter24. Previous studies evidenced the fact that it is sensitive to pathology occurring in other brain regions25. We speculated that by using the thalamus as our region of interest (ROI), investigated metabolites would give a measure of global neuronal damage. Aims We investigated thalamic MRS as a biomarker for global brain neuronal damage in MS by comparing baseline metabolite concentrations between pwMS and HCs. Metabolites that were found to be statistically significantly different between these two groups at baseline were investigated further. To additionally support using MRS imaging as a surrogate for global central nervous system pathology, we investigated the correlation between these metabolite concentrations in pwMS and total lesion volume. In order to investigate whether thalamic MRS can be used to monitor treatment response, we measured changes in their concentration following treatment with the disease-modifying drug natalizumab. Population Participants aged 21-65 underwent inclusion criteria screening. For the pwMS group, this included satisfying the McDonald criteria 2010, having highly active MS and having been scheduled to initiate natalizumab treatment as part of routine NHS Case. Following ethics approval and written informed consent from participants, 17 pwMS and 12 HCs were recruited to the study. HCs underwent an MRI baseline scan while pwMS underwent a scan at baseline, and follow-up scans at 10 and 56 weeks after initiation of natalizumab treatment. Acquisition of MRS data All experiments were carried out in the same Siemens 3T Magnetom Verio with a 32-channel receiver head coil[LP4], used to acquire combined MRI and 1H-MRS scans. A magnetisation-prepared rapid gradient-echo sequence (MPRAGE) was used to obtain high-definition T1 weighted scans with the following parameters: (repetition time (TR)= 2300s;echo time (TE)= 3ms; inversion time (TI)= 900; 160 sagittal sections; slice thickness 1.0mm; in-plane resolution of 1x1mm2 . A single voxel was placed over the left thalamus. In order to acquire the single-voxel scans, a Point-RESolved Spectroscopy sequence (PRESS) was used which had variable power and optimized relaxation delays (VAPOR) water suppression (TR/TE, 2000/30ms) on a single 15-mm slab. This was aligned to the T1 sequence sections (Figure 2). Four reference transients were used to align the data. The average of 96 transients was used for water suppressed spectra. The volume of interest was 15x15x15mm, voxel size was 3.4mL. These parameters we re also used to acquire reference MRS datasets without water suppression. This was done to obtain an internal water reference, which was used to scale metabolite signals. Double inversion recovery pulse and phase sensitive inversion recovery sequences were also acquired. Lesion volumes White and grey matter lesions were identified on 160-slice T1 scans with co-registered double inversion recovery sequences. Lesions were manually segmented in T1 space using the Imperial College software ImSeg. The images obtained by this process [LP5]were used to derive proportions of grey matter, white matter and total lesion volumes. T1, double inversion recovery pulse and phase sensitive inversion recovery sequences were used to check for presence of lesions in the thalamus. Data processing T1 and spectroscopy data were initially obtained from scans in dicom format (dcm). A modified MATLAB (v.2015b) script was used to convert the T1 scans into nifti format (nii), the single voxel spectroscopy scans into rda format (rda) and to generate mask files in rda format. LCModel (v.6.3-1K) was run by using a second modified MATLAB script, in order to obtain spectroscopy data from 0.2-4.0 ppm. The software is a user-independent fitting routine that works by superimposing spectra obtained in vivo with high-resolution model spectra. It is an accurate and reliable method to quantify MRS data with short echo times (ETà ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¤30ms)28,29. Partial volume corrections to explain different concentrations of water in the grey matter (GM), white matter (WM) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were conducted by converting T1 sequences from dicom to nifti format, and segmenting the obtained images using MATLABs SPM8 toolbox. This allowed scaling metabolite concentrations obtained from PRESS sequence with water-suppression, to the waters internal reference signal from the unsuppressed water PRESS-sequence. The segmentation was used to calculate voxel proportions of GM, WM and CSF, which are in turn needed to obtain the water concentration (WCONC) value from the unsuppressed water reference signal used to estimate absolute concentrations of metabolites. Total WCONC values for each voxel were computed in accordance with Section 10.2.2.3 of the LCModel manual29.Eddy-current correction was performed by using LCModel. Relaxation effects were not corrected for, and therefore reported metabolite concentrations will differ from actual ones by an unknown factor. The latter is likely to be negligible, as all reported concentrations will deviate from actual concentrations by this same, unknown factor. As per LCModels manual, metabolite concentrations were multiplied by a factor of 1.04, which amounts to the specific gravity of brain tissue29, and were reported in mmol/L (mM). Data exclusion A heat map (Figure 4, right side) was created in order to check for voxel placement by using FSL view v.3.2.0. T1 sequences and mask files were reoriented to match the Montreal Neurological Institute standard template, followed by brain extraction from the surrounding tissue. T1 sequences and mask files were registered to standard space using the Montreal Neurological Institute template, which consists of 152 averaged brain T1 scans of 2mm resolution. The heat map is a depiction of each voxel mask overlaid onto the che2better template for T1 sequences taken from the mricron software.[LP6] No MRS spectra were removed from the analysis owing to minimal inter-scan variability. Spectra generated by LCModel were checked for overall data quality in accordance with the softwares instruction manual29. 2 baseline HC and 2 pwMS spectra were excluded from data analysis (Table 1). For a metabolite to be investigated, it had to be relevant to MS pathology as evidenced by previous studies, as well as to demonstrate sufficient data quality, measured by having Cramà ©r -Rao lower bounds ratio of 75% of individual scans. Five metabolites were investigated: choline-containing compounds (Cho), glutamate (Glu), myo-inositol (Ins), total creatine (tCr) and total n-acetylaspartate (tNAA) (Table 1). In a given subjects scan, metabolite concentrations with a Cramà ©r-Rao lower bounds (CRLB) value of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¥15% were excluded from data analysis, as per LCModels manual of instructions. Concentrations exceeding 2 standard deviations (2SD) out with the group mean were also excluded. QCa for entire spectra QC for individual metabolites Participant group Before spectra QC (n) After spectra QC (n) Metabolites (marker of)6 Participant group Before metabolite QC(n) After 1st QCf (n) After 2nd QCg (n) HCsb 12 10 Cho1 (membrane turnover) HCs 10 9 9 pwMS BLc 17 15 pwMS BL 15 12 12 pwMS 10wd 16 16 pwMS 10w 16 16 16 pwMS 56we 16 16 pwMS 56w 16 15 15 Glu2 (metabolism and neurotransmitter activity) HCs 10 6 6 pwMS BL 15 9 8 pwMS 10w 16 14 14 pwMS 56w 16 15 14 Ins3 (glial marker) HCs 10 7 7 pwMS BL 15 14 14 pwMS 10w 16 15 14 pwMS 56w 16 15 15 tCr4 (metabolic activity) HCs 10 10 10 pwMS BL 15 15 14 pwMS 10w 16 16 15 pwMS 56w 16 16 16 tNAA5 (neuronal loss, mitochondrial activity) HCs 10 10 9 pwMS BL 15 15 14 pwMS 10w 16 16 16 pwMS 56w 16 16 15 Statistical analysis Prism GraphPad (v.7) and IBM SPSS Statistics 24 software were used to conduct statistical analysis. Participant demographics results are reported as mean and standard deviation (SD). Metabolite concentrations are reported as mean, standard error of measurement (SEM) and 95% confidence intervals. Parametric tests were used after testing for normal distribution of the data. Unpaired t-tests were used to compare metabolites between pwMS and HCs cross-sectionally. Pearsons coefficient was used to correlate between metabolite concentrations and bilateral lesion volumes. A linear mixed model was used to quantify longitudinal changes in metabolite concentrations in pwMS. MRS data were obtained from 17 pwMS (mean age (SD) was 41.6 (10.6), range 21-58 years) and 12 HCs (mean age (SD) was 41.9 (8.3), range 29-61 years). Mean time since diagnosis in years was 12.1 (10.6) and mean Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) was 4.1 (1.1). People with MS, n 17 Age, mean (SD) 41.6 (10.6) Sex, n (%) M 6 (35) F 11 (65) Years since diagnosis, mean (SD) 12.1 (10.6) EDSS score, mean (SD) 4.1 (1.1) Healthy controls, n 12 Age, mean (SD) 41.9 (8.3) Sex, n (%) M 9 (75) F 3 (25) Lower concentrations of glutamate are found at baseline in the thalami of people with highly active MS A statistically significant difference in the concentration of glutamate was found between the two groups (7.67 ±0.3456 in HCs and 6.55 ±0.232 in pwMS, p=0.016). No significant difference was found between the two groups using other metabolites. Metabolite Healthy controls (n=10) People with MS (n=15) 95% CI Cho 1. 69 ±0.0826,n=9 1.75 ±0.25, n=12 -0.232 0.216 Glu* 7.67 ±0.346, n=6 6.55 ±0.232, n=8 * -2.00 0.253 Ins 3.98 ±0.250, n=7 4.45 ±0.281, n=14 -0.452 1.380 tCr 34 ±0.134, n=10 5.42 ±0.150, n=14 -0.350 0.510 tNAA 8.60 ±0.134, n=9 8.46 ±0.178, n=14 -0.656 0.375 Baseline thalamic glutamate concentrations in pwMS correlate negatively with total lesion volumes Baseline glutamate concentrations in pwMS negatively correlated with T1 scan total lesion volumes (n=8; r=-0.80, p=0.017; Figure 6). No other thalamic metabolite correlated with lesion volumes. Lesion volumes in HCs (n=6) were assumed to be zero and are depicted in Figure 6, but this parameter was excluded from statistical analyses. No lesions were found in the thalami of pwMS in this study. Glutamate concentration correlated even more strongly with left hemisphere lesion volumes (p=0.0091), an expected finding given that the left thalamus was used as the studys ROI. The correlation was least significant when using right hemisphere lesion volumes (p=0.030). These results are reported in Table 3. Sampled lesion load location r, correlation coefficient p-value Left hemisphere -0.84 0.0091 Right hemisphere -0.75 0.030 Both hemispheres/Total -0.80 0.016 Thalamic glutamate concentrations increase following natalizumab treatment Glutamate concentrations measured in the thalami of pwMS increased significantly (p=[LP7]) between the 10 and 56 weeks (n=12 pairs of data-points) follow-up scans. At 56 weeks, no significant difference between the pwMS and HC groups was recorded, suggesting that glutamate levels had normalised[LP8]. No significant difference in glutamate concentration was recorded between baseline and 10 weeks follow-up scans (n=7 pairs of data-points) and between baseline and 56 weeks follow-up (n=7 pairs of data-points).[LP9] This observational study used proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) to compare metabolite concentrations in 17 pwMS and 12 HCs. Study findings indicate a lower baseline concentration of glutamate in the thalami of pwMS compared to HCs. In pwMS this correlated negatively with total baseline brain lesion volume, which supports our initial hypothesis that thalamic MRS specifically measuring glutamate can be used as a surrogate for global central nervous system pathology. An increase in glutamate concentrations was recorded following natalizumab treatment between 10 and 56 weeks of follow-up. To our groups knowledge, this is the first 1H-MRS study to identify baseline cross-sectional differences in thalamic glutamate, correlate glutamate concentrations with total lesion volumes, and report longitudinal changes in thalamic glutamate following natalizumab treatment. Thalamic glutamate is a potential surrogate for total brain neuronal damage in highly active MS Glutamate, the chief central nervous system excitatory neurotransmitter is mainly synthesized from glutamine31,32. In addition to its neurotransmitter role, glutamate concentration is closely linked to the Krebs cycle, which reflects the cells metabolic activity. Previous proton MRS studies in MS reported higher levels of glutamate in lesioned white matter of pwMS compared to HCs33,34. One of these studies also reported lower levels of glutamate in lesioned grey matter regions34. The limitation of using white or grey matter lesions as ROIs is the high heterogeneity of these brain regions. With regards to WMLs, their definition includes- among others- active, inactive and remyelinating lesions. As for grey matter, this can be affected by exposure to cytokines from meningeal follicle-like structures or, similarly to WMLs, demyelination13,35,36. Current MRS imaging is unable to discriminate between these different pathologies. Therefore, metabolite concentrations obtained from these ROI s are likely to reflect the aforementioned local pathological changes, rather than global MS pathology. In contrast, the potential advantage of thalamic MRS is that the thalamus is rarely affected by local inflammation in MS37,38. Given that it is a subcortical hub highly connected with numerous other brain areas, this study hypothesised that the thalamus could be used as a biomarker of total brain neuronal damage in highly active MS. Two results in our study support this hypothesis: the decreased concentration of glutamate in pwMS and the negative correlation between glutamate and total brain lesion volume. Lesion volumes in MS have been found to correlate with axonal loss39 and disability40. Moreover, glutamate is mainly found in synaptic vesicles, therefore the decreased thalamic glutamate recorded in pwMS in this study could represent neuronal degeneration and synapse loss. Thalamic glutamate increases following natalizumab treatment Between 10 and 56 weeks of natalizumab treatment our group recorded a significant increase (p=,) in the concentration of thalamic glutamate in pwMS. At the end of the follow-up period, glutamate levels normalised, with no significant difference being recorded between pwMS and HC groups. No significant differences in glutamate concentration were found between baseline and 10 (n=x pairs?) and baseline and 56 weeks (n=x pairs?)[LP10] follow-up scans. It can be hypothesised that the limited sample size of pairs of data-points between baseline and 56 weeks follow-up glutamate prevented us from recording an existing statistically significant difference. With regards to changes in glutamate between baseline and 10 weeks, there could be a significant change in glutamate concentration within this timeframe, which was not picked up due to our limited sample size. It also cannot be excluded that thalamic MRS may take longer to respond to treatment. Previous published literature has shown lower glutamate concentrations in lesioned white matter of pwMS at baseline, which increased following treatment with natalizumab41. This effect can be attributed to the anti-inflammatory proprieties of natalizumab. By preventing production of nitrogen oxide and reactive oxygen species by macrophages, the drug could reduce axonal damage otherwise caused by these compounds42,43. Study limitations The algorithm used my SPM8 is incapable of accurately differentiating between the brighter grey and surrounding white matter, as the image intensity in the thalamus is very close to the intensity of white matter. Therefore the software records a higher white matter proportion in the thalamus than the true one. It should be however noted that this inaccuracy in measuring white/grey matter ratio should not cause any systematic error that would affect overall results. The studys HCs were adequately age-matched but poorly gender-matched to pwMS. Previous studies however reported no significant differences in any of the metabolite concentrations in the brain between different genders44. Therefore, no correction for a gender effect was made. The HC group only had a baseline scan, with no longitudinal data recorded. A useful longitudinal control group may be untreated pwMS. The absence of such a control group is currently however a common limitation, as people with highly active MS are nearly always on treatment. Having no information on the natural history of thalamic MRS in pwMS, it is difficult to interpret the significance of longitudinal changes in glutamate seen in this study. Lastly, albeit the thalamus is seldom affected by inflammatory activity in pwMS, the presence of inflammatory lesions has been previously described45. Such lesions are a confounding factor as they directly influence measured metabolite concentrations. However, based on T1, double inversion recovery pulse and phase sensitive inversion recovery sequences, no thalamic lesions were observed in our study. Future work Studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm our baseline findings, as well as to confidently interpret longitudinal changes in glutamate concentrations following natalizumab treatment. The presence of a pwMS untreated control group is not justifiable on ethical and legal grounds, however fu

Economic Theories Applied to the New Economy Essay -- Sony Economics B

Economic Theories Applied to the New Economy Discuss the extent to which the economic theories in the Market’s Reader can be applied to the â€Å"New Economy†. (50 marks) A) Discuss the extent to which the economic theories in the Market’s Reader can be applied to the â€Å"New Economy†. (50 marks) In this question, I will define the old and new Economy, then I will mention the main characters of New Economy and what is different between new and old Economy. After that, I will discuss the role of knowledge, innovation, and individual creative and competitive as the primary resource needed to create economic wealth. Then, I will discuss Innovation reduce costs and improve product quality and how advances technology achieve the cost reduction and reserve the economic scale in good level. finally I will Study the Economic theories in market reader, clearifing how it could use and ably in the new economy. It may be helpful to describe the â€Å"old economy† before I talk about the â€Å"new economy.† From around 1938 to 1974, the economy was built on a manufacturing base geared toward standardized production (It was manual labor) (1). It was organized into stable, hierarchical and generally autocratic organizations. These organizations achieved a competitive edge in the market by making standardized products faster and more economically. They focused on incremental cost reductions and a national marketplace. This is how success and prosperity were achieved in most courtiers, examples of type of organization could be found in textile and steel mills. This economic order began breaking down between the mid-1970s and the early 1990s. The crisis included both textiles and steel in a period of transition from the old economic order to the new one. a lot of countries loss their competitive edge because other countries were making things faster and cheaper. The cheap labor which had brought industries to the South was being very cheap. At the same time, workers also began wanting a higher standard of living, wanting cars, televisions, washing machines, better clothes and homes, wanting a chance to educate their children. Text Box: source: http://www.calumet.purdue.edu/management/hrm_sum.htmlThe new economy is emerging as a knowledge- and idea-based economy. In this new economy, the key to success and prosperity is the extent to which t... ...er design and high prices. The year also marked the company's restructuring of its sales and distribution channels. In addition to the existing structures based on product categories, a new organization was set to be established, that would focus exclusively on mass-retailers, in an attempt to foster close knitted relationships and improve communications with its consumers. The strategies that Sony must continue to pursue are: it must keep itself ahead of the change curve. In order to do so, the company must be able anticipate the direction of the change. Second, it must be able to focus and make the change happen. Also, Sony as a company needs to redefine itself from a business perspective, demonstrating that Sony is a consumer electronics products company, not a gaming company. For the market of consumer electronics is an ever-growing market and will always be significantly greater than the target market for games, which only includes a small segment consisting mainly of children and teenagers. However, from a holistic point of view, Sony should strengthen and maximize the brand value of its core sectors- electronics, games and content (music and picture).

Ernst Von Mansfeld Thirty Years

Thirty Years' War: Ernst von Mansfeld Ernst von Mansfeld was a German military commander in the Thirty Years War. Although he fought for the Protestant cause, Mansfeld was a Roman Catholic. He was considered one of the most dangerous opponent of the Catholic League. He was born in 1580 as the illegitimate son of Peter Ernst I von Mansfeld-Vorderort and Dorothea von Solms- Lich. In 1594 he served under Archduke Leopold. Then, in 1610 he Joined Frederick V and the Protestant Union. At the age 36 he led his first regiment of 2000 men.He fought for the Protestant Union until he died from illness in November, 1626. In the Bohemian Phase of the Thirty Years' War Mansfeld led an army of 2000 men, raised by the Duke of Savoy, to aid the Bohemian rebels. He successfully siege the Bohemian city of Pilsen in 1618. Mansfeld was defeated in the Battle of Sablat after being inactive for a while. At the Battle of White Mountain Masfeld and his forces were defeated, and in shortly after forced to su rrender Pilsen to the Catholics. Toward the end of the Bohemian Phase King Frederick V selected Mansfeld to lead is Bohemian troops.Following this he undertook Frederick's position in Upper Palatinate. He then moved into Rhenish Palatinate. This allowed Mansfeld to successfully defend against Johann Tserclaes, the Count of Tillys attempt at overtaking Bohemian rebel regiments. He also was defeated by Tilly twice. Mansfeld's troops were very destructive, not only to the lands of his enemy, but to the lands he was supposed to defend. During the Palatine Phase of the Thirty Years' War Mansfeld raised another of Frederick Vs armies in an effort to recover Palastine.The effort was a failure, because he was once again defeated by Tilly. Then Mansfeld was given an army of 12,000 men by James I of England. These troops were sent into the Dutch city of Breda as an attempt of relief for the Siege of Breda, but the troops were not permitted set foot on land, and Breda fell in 1625. Mansfeld le d the remainder of his army to Dutch lands, where they were once again defeated by Habsburg forces. Mansfeld continued to fght. He led his forces to Bergen-op-Zoom, a Dutch city seiged by the Spainish in 1622. This led to the relief of the city.Mansfeld spent 1624 and 1625 raising an anti-Habsburg army. He led this coalition in a march on Bohemia in 1626, but in a turn of events Mansfeld was forced to turn to Hungary. He intended on returning to his base after being defeated by Tilly once again. On his return home Mansfeld fell ill, and on November 29, 1626 he died in Bosnia. Mansfeld was a great force to be reckoned with during Thirty year's War. The Protestant Union can contribute much ot their success during the early phases ot the war. He was remarkable because he fought for the Protestant cause while remaining a faithful Catholic.

Free Essays on Internal Dissent

Anti-War Movement The antiwar movement actually consisted of a number of independent interests, often only vaguely allied and contesting each other on many issues, united only in opposition to the status quo. Attracting members from college campuses, middle-class suburbs, labor unions, and government institutions, the movement gained national prominence in 1965, peaked in 1968, and remained powerful throughout the duration of the conflict. (DeBenedetti) Encompassing political, racial, and cultural spheres, the antiwar movement exposed a deep schism within 1960s American society. But widespread opposition within the government did not appear until 1968. The antiwar movement became both more powerful and, at the same time, less cohesive between 1969 and 1973. Most Americans pragmatically opposed escalating the U.S. role in Vietnam, believing the economic cost too high; in November of 1969 a second march on Washington drew an estimated 500,000 participants. (Garfinkle) At the same time, most disapproved of the counterculture that had arisen alongside the antiwar movement. The clean-cut, well-dressed SDS members, who had tied their hopes to McCarthy in 1968, were being subordinated as movement leaders. Their replacements deservedly gained less public respect, were tagged with the label "hippie," and faced much mainstream opposition from middle-class Americans uncomfortable with the youth culture of the period-long hair, casual drug use, promiscuity. (DeBenedetti) The movement regained solidarity following several disturbing incidents. In February 1970 news of the My Lai massacre became public and ignited widespread outrage. In April President Nixon, who had previously committed to a planned withdrawal, announced that U.S. forces had entered Cambodia. Within minutes of the televised statement, protesters took to the streets with renewed focus. Then, on 4 May, Ohio National Guardsmen fired on a group of student protesters at Kent Sta... Free Essays on Internal Dissent Free Essays on Internal Dissent Anti-War Movement The antiwar movement actually consisted of a number of independent interests, often only vaguely allied and contesting each other on many issues, united only in opposition to the status quo. Attracting members from college campuses, middle-class suburbs, labor unions, and government institutions, the movement gained national prominence in 1965, peaked in 1968, and remained powerful throughout the duration of the conflict. (DeBenedetti) Encompassing political, racial, and cultural spheres, the antiwar movement exposed a deep schism within 1960s American society. But widespread opposition within the government did not appear until 1968. The antiwar movement became both more powerful and, at the same time, less cohesive between 1969 and 1973. Most Americans pragmatically opposed escalating the U.S. role in Vietnam, believing the economic cost too high; in November of 1969 a second march on Washington drew an estimated 500,000 participants. (Garfinkle) At the same time, most disapproved of the counterculture that had arisen alongside the antiwar movement. The clean-cut, well-dressed SDS members, who had tied their hopes to McCarthy in 1968, were being subordinated as movement leaders. Their replacements deservedly gained less public respect, were tagged with the label "hippie," and faced much mainstream opposition from middle-class Americans uncomfortable with the youth culture of the period-long hair, casual drug use, promiscuity. (DeBenedetti) The movement regained solidarity following several disturbing incidents. In February 1970 news of the My Lai massacre became public and ignited widespread outrage. In April President Nixon, who had previously committed to a planned withdrawal, announced that U.S. forces had entered Cambodia. Within minutes of the televised statement, protesters took to the streets with renewed focus. Then, on 4 May, Ohio National Guardsmen fired on a group of student protesters at Kent Sta...