Knowing Pseudoscience

Pseudoscience is some form of knowledge, belief or research that claims (or appears) to be scientific, but is not actually following a scientific method.   Peer review and independent research by others may fail to prove the claims.   Superficially, such claims may appear scientific to people. Some of the techniques mentioned in the article that are used by the website to sell their products include:- 1. The research findings or market findings provided by the pseudo-scientists appears to be unprofessional and sloppy.   They may often quote newspaper reports, media coverage, people’s gossip, ancient books, and other pseudoscience books. 2. Pseudoscientists provide facts that emotionally appeal to the audience and provide spectacular results to problems experienced by them.   They may even provide facts to support these results. 3. Pseudoscientists often make people indulge in an irrational form of thinking known as ‘magical thinking’ which is an age-old human habit.   Scientific investigations conducted to prove such facts may be unsuccessful. 4.   Pseudoscientists provide evidence that is different from those provided by systematic studies.   Often a lot of importance is given to unverifiable testimony from people and eyewitnesses, stories, real-life experiences, rumors, gossips, anecdotes, etc.   Studies conducted by professionals are ignored, misinterpreted or even proven wrong. 5. The pseudo scientists do not give reference to previous systematic studies and investigations conducted.   The only give false facts directly, which often cannot be proven right.   They may not allow their claims to be put to a more meaningful test, but may instead suggest some unscientific crazy experiments. The website claims that the tapes can make the individual achieve ‘anything and almost everything’ and ‘As you grow, a series of events occur which build your personality†¦.and your whole self†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ã‚   The article says that pseudoscientist often make extraordinary claims that may be not scientifically true.   Repeated scientific experiments conducted independently by others fail to prove such clams. They also try to influence the individual by encouraging him/her into magical thinking (belief that one’s thoughts, words or action will create results that will defy the laws of nature).   Magical thinking is an old human habit, and often unknowingly we tend to indulge in it.   Pseudoscience may begin by providing facts that emotionally apply to the audience, and provide spectacular results to people’s problems.   They may even provide evidence to support their results. The Websites claims appreciation from renowned organizations and references such as the Russian Government, CNN, Boston University, etc.   The Russian Government may not be able to monitor implementation of ‘Subliminal messages’, as Private TV channels are free to broadcast what they want.   The website gives a positive comment by CNN. However, it did not give the exact person or the date on which these observations and comments were made.   The article says that pseudo-scientists often quote newspaper articles, press reports, collect rumors and gossips, and may even quote other books or organizations that are false or even non-existent.   The research done by the pseudo-scientists usually appears to be unprofessional and careless. The website gives testimony’s of several ‘satisfied customers’ (as claimed by the company) such as George Montgomery, Philadelphia; Joe Martin, Tampa, Florida; Carole Dallas, Portland; Paul Smiley, Richmond; Sherry Fusco, Bois; etc.   Often pseudo-scientists do not give importance to systematic studies provided by professionals and instead give undue importance to the views and testimony’s from unverifiable customers.   They may not permit their products to be subjected to true scientific studies. The website also offers a one-year guarantee for their products.   The Website has not quoted any proven studies to demonstrate the effectiveness of their products.   Guarantee may be a method of compensating for this (to attract the customers into buying their products). References: Coker, R. (2001). Distinguishing Science and Pseudoscience. Retrieved December 17, 2006, from Quack Watch Web site: http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/pseudo.html Subliminal Self-Improvement.com. (2006). Home. Retrieved December 17, 2006, from Subliminal Self-Improvement Web site: http://www.subliminal-tapes-self-improvement.com/index.html      

Human Resources and Organizational Behavior for Health Care Leadership in Health Care Management Essay

There are people that need a strong leader in order to thrive in their job. There are also people that don’t need a strong leader because they have the drive to be successful but may need a push every now and then. When it comes to an organization and the dynamics of it, managers be charismatic because of dealing with so many different personalities in the group. Being a charismatic leader requires self-confidence and trust in his/her subordinates. Showing trust in huge as it instills confidence in that employee and tells them they don’t have to look over their shoulders. They can do their jobs freely which can lead to more production in the organization. Conflicts are a natural part of human interaction and it’s inevitable. Part of being a good leader is having effective conflict management skills. When conflicts arise, managers must know how to manage them so that bigger problems don’t grow. There are so many aspects of being a manager and leading. Employees in the organization depend on good leadership and if that need is not met, it can lead to workplace disfunction. Keywords: Charismatic, Conflict, Leadership, Dynamics, Management When the management job is talked about, leadership often comes to mind. It takes a strong minded, organized, and determined individual to do this job. Over seeing a number of different employees can at times not be the easiest job. Leaders must be willing to accept and meet challenges that come for the betterment of patient healthcare. Not everyone can lead a group of people in an organization. It takes the type of person that has people skills as well as the knowledge of his/her job to lead effectively. Leading Creatively Usually when healthcare leaders have a question they take a rational approach until the right or wrong answer has made it up the chain of command. This approach can be effective in some cases but in healthcare thing are always changing. A regular leader loves to avoid mistakes which all mistakes are not avoidable. Someone who is creative loves to learn from mistakes as it can give them more ideas to choose from. Today, the healthcare environment is even more complex as reform and market forces transform the way healthcare is delivered and managed. Belief systems, values and attitudes are shifting. Creative thinking and agile, adaptive leadership will be required to make hospitals, health systems and networks sustainable as the healthcare delivery landscape transforms (http://www. ccl. org/leadership/landing/healthcare/index. aspx). As a leader in healthcare, managers must show their employees that they are willing to be innovative and let their ego go as group collaboration becomes the norm. By modeling this, the employees will be more willing to work together for the good of the organization and the patients. The Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) has developed a model that health systems can use to adapt and thrive in uncertain times by creating direction, alignment and commitment. There are six essential organizational capabilities that are a prerequisite for success: Collaborative Patient Care Teams- The team will extend to include clinicians outside the hospital environment which will place a much greater emphasis on higher-order collaboration skills. Resource Stewardship- Requires individual ownership and accountability for the decisions that will ultimately allow the system to thrive and manage its resources judiciously. Talent Transformation- Leaders will need to hire and develop talented individuals who can see the next wave of plausible solutions and innovations and lead transformational change. Boundary Spanning- Leaders draw on networks and relationships as they work systemwide to meet the mission of healthcare. Capacity for Complexity, Innovation and Change- Effective leaders move populations from old established processes to new models of effectiveness and understand the underlying emotional impact of change and how it varies by individual. Employee Engagement and Well-being- Employees are most productive and committed to their organization when they are engaged emotionally, mentally and physically. (http://www. ccl. org/leadership/landing/healthcare/index. aspx). These organizational methods are the essential keys for managers to not only lead their workplace to the way of the future but also helping to lead other organizations. The collaboration aspect is key as it will require everyone to be cohesive and understanding. Power and Influence Power is a defined as having behavioral or fate control over the behavior of another. It exists only when there is an unequal relationship between two people and where one of the two is dependent upon the other (Borkowski, 2011). Power can be a trap for some managers which can lead to abusing it. When employees see and experience this happening they pull away and lose respect for that manager. This can be the downfall of an organization as it can cause employees to lose motivation, commitment, and creativity. There are five bases of social power: reward power, coercive power, legitimate power, referent power, and expert power. An individual is not limited to just one source of power. Reward power is the ability to give rewards, something that holds value to another individual. Coercive power is the ability to punish either by administering a punishment or by withholding something that an individual needs or wants. Legitimate power is given to an individual on the basis of a given role or position. Referent power stems from P’s affective regard for, or identification with, O. The greater the attraction, the greater the identification. Expert power exists when P awards power to O on the basis of P’s perception of O’s knowledge within a given area (Borkowski, 2011). In class discussion the general consensus was managers that had the trust and respect of their employees, had the most power. A manager is an expert of the knowledge he/she has over a subordinate. When managers use that expert power in the right way, which is to teach his/her subordinates, they will feel that the manager is wanting them to expand their knowledge for their success as well as the organization. This in turn continues to build trust and deep respect for the manager. As an educator, this is modeled for us by our administration. Our superintendent and principal have both been teachers in the classroom but have since moved into the roles that they have now so they are the experts when it comes to some of the issues that come up. They attend countless meetings of changes that may happen either with our district or state so that then they can inform us. Once we have a good grasp of what is going to take place we can then inform our students. The expert power that our administration had has been passed to the teaching staff so that then we can pass that knowledge to the students. Decision Making Decision making is an everyday part of our lives whether we realize what type of decision we make or not. Sometimes we make decisions rationally and sometimes intuitively. The fact is, we want to make the right decision but that is not always going to be the case because we can never see what the outcome of that decision will be and we have to live with that. As in any decision model we use, there are pros and cons of each. In the rational decision making model it brings logic and order to decision making. This approach also can help ensure discipline and consistency. Here are the sequence of steps used to rationally develop a solution: Identifying a problem or opportunity, gathering information, analyzing the situation, developing options, evaluating options, selecting a preferred alternative, and acting on the decision. A strength of this model is that it provides structure and discipline to the decision making process. A weakness of this model is the time that is needed to go through this process (http://www. the-happy-manager. com/articles/rational-decision-making-model/). Another decision making model that is used often is intuition. Intuition can make you a much more effective decision maker, especially when you deal with non-standard situations or in expedient decision making. However there are points that need to be considered for instance, when you need to use intuition, can it be effective, and how this decision model ranks versus rational analysis (http://www. time-management-guide. com/intuition-decision-making. html). In class discussion, classmates used a few different models most notably the two mentioned above. There were a few that used both or weighed heavily on just one. I was one that used both rational and intuitive. There are times in coaching when I use the rational approach to make a decision concerning practice. For example, if I need to set up teams that are equal in talent as opposed to starting five and bench, I have to think about who matches up better with who, or what drills are going to be the most beneficial and productive on a given day. My intuitive approach is used during game situations. For example, when to utilize timeouts, when to substitute players, what play to run, or when to switch defenses. Either way, decisions ometimes don’t work out the way you envision but you learn to live with it and move on. Conflict-Conflict Management Another aspect of being a leader in management is conflict and conflict management. Some situations are easier to handle than others but a manager that has effective conflict management skills can diffuse a bad situation before it gets worse. Interpersonal conflict is a natural outcome of human interaction that involves two or more individuals who believe that their attitudes, behaviors, or preferred goals are in opposition (Borkowski, 2011). This type of conflict is probably one the most common in the workplace simply because there are personal characteristics and issues, interactional difficulties and perspective and perceptive differences. As a result of the diversity of today’s workplace, an extensive range of differences exists between personal and cultures. When dealing with groups of people, many interpersonal conflicts involve role confusion. If a person doesn’t understand their expectations it can intensify the conflict leading to unhealthy relationships. As a result, reactions such as aggression and hostility can take place. There are many strategies we can use in conflict situations whether we use some more often than others or not. It’s important that the strategy we do use is appropriate for that particular situation even if it’s not the strategy we habitually use (Williams, n. d. ). Some strategies we can use for conflict management are; Forcing, Accommodating, Avoiding, Compromising, and Collaborating. When forcing, the manager is using formal authority or other power that he/she possesses to satisfy their concerns without regard to the concerns of the party they are in conflict with. Accommodating is allowing the other party to satisfy their concerns while neglecting your own. Avoiding is not paying attention to the conflict and not taking any action to resolve it. Compromising or attempting to resolve a conflict by identifying a solution that is partially satisfactory to both parties, but completely satisfactory to neither. Lastly, there is collaborating or cooperating with the other party to understand their concerns and expressing your own concerns in an effort to find a mutually and completely satisfactory solution (Williams, n. . ). When leading an organization, understanding how conflict arises is helpful for anticipating situations that may become conflictual. This was something that was talked about in our class discussion. Another idea that was mentioned was that seeing all sides of a situation makes a good manager because it helps the employees develop trust. A situation that stands out to me is looking up from speaking with another student and witnessi ng a student get hit with a ball by another student. We will call the student that got hit (A) and the student that threw the ball (B). Obviously student (A) was not happy about getting hit so the first thing he does is run to confront student (B). Some pushing was done by both and then I intervened. Not seeing student (B) throw the ball just the outcome, I calmed them both down and I asked student (B) why he hit student (A) with the ball. He said he was trying to throw it to someone else but that student (A) stepped in at the wrong time and got hit so it was a just an accident. After student (A) heard the story he understood and apologized for pushing student (B) and student (B) also apologized. The strategy I used was collaborating as we all came to an understanding to what happened. Conclusion Not everyone can lead a group of people in an organization. It takes the type of person that has people skills as well as the knowledge of his/her job to lead effectively. Managers are pulled in so many different directions and they must be able to adapt. Being a leader in an organization is not easy, however being a leader period is not easy. A manager must be aware of what is happening in their organization to lead effectively. Not everyone has the same expectations but part of being a charismatic leader is showing that trust and confidence in his/her employees shows them that even though you are the manager, you trust what they are bringing something positive to the organization. Managers relationship with his/her employees is important as the day to day operations depend on the behaviors of everyone. The relationship connectedness between subordinates and managers is key to productivity in the workplace.

Organizational behavior and development Essay

Organizational change or development has evolved overall meaning of business. The set of market-driven, financial and technical changes which, in the eighties, faced better-informed consumers demanded the best and cheapest products accessible worldwide; producing these goods requisite the assimilation of both resources and knowledge on a global scale; at the same time, it became probable to transport information around the world at immensely reduced costs. s multinational organizations had leaned to pursue one of the three basic strategies attaining economies of scale through the centralized management of resources, having a strong (decentralized) national presence, and sharing universal a central pool of skills and experience the predicament for the new ‘transnational’ corporations was to unite these three, often conflicting, approaches into a single strategy: â€Å"To participate effectively, a company had to develop global competitiveness, international flexibility, and worldwide learning competence simultaneously†. Freivalds, J. 1995, 24-28) All these changes need a consummate degree of language interdependence and individual communication something which the usual structure of a multinational (the head office hub surrounded by satellite subsidiaries) is not intended to accommodate. Control has to give way to synchronization, and corporate culture becomes an issue of central significance. But, so as to understand how language functions in an organization, we require going beyond the framework. We also require understanding the points at which management myths stop working or cease to be useful; we require to look for discontinuities and uncertainties (Halcrow, A. 1999, 42-47). To turn language into a really competitive weapon in practical business, we require to start being more conscious of the language we, our colleagues and our competitors use and see it for what it actually is visionary myths, power struggles, group limits, discontinuities, auguries of changes to come or vestiges of changes past. And, when we recognize more about the limitations of organizational language, we will be better located to develop its potential. Discourse is variously used in the gender and language field. It maybe used in a linguistic sense to refer to language beyond that of words. Or it may be used in a post-structural sense to refer to broad systems of meaning discourse is not restricted to spoken language but also refers to written language (Weatherall, 2002, pp. 76–7) Available At: www. palgrave. com/pdfs/023000167X. df What does it mean for an organization to communicate in a particular, national language? A company might and most do have the corresponding of dialects, but a common native language has significant implications which supersede ‘regional’ differences such as these. To appreciate such implications, we require looking first at the role which communication and language particularly, plays in an organization. At the most simple level, communication provides two functions gathering and disseminating information. As, the eventual purpose of both functions is to precipitate action: a head office might act in response to feedback from customers channeled via its field sales force; workers on an assembly line might transform their working practices in accordance with new guiding principle from the operations management. Such actions are not limited to those formally sanctioned by the organization: information, and the actions which consequence from its transmission, can be official or unofficial. Indeed, every organization consists of subgroups who have diverse information needs and channels, and whose reactions to the similar set of stimuli differ. Language is not just the means by which people converse (that is, the medium in which items of information are spoken); it is also the purveyor of meaning. Data is simply information while it has meaning, and data without meaning cannot impetuous action. Language therefore provides a means by which we understand the relative implication of any information and decide how we will respond. Within an organization, the role of language is consequently analogous to other and more well-known aspects of cultural behaviour such as myths, practices and stories. They all offer a context from which we can conjecture meaning; they therefore mainly determine how we interpret information, and this in turn determines how we act. Take for instance the manager who comes in and strangely closes his or her office door. How people interpret this will depend on, amongst other factors, the representation of a closed door in that particular environment (problems? privacy? and myths (‘Smith did that just after being fired’). Just as with myths and stories, individuals in an organization (or organizations as a whole) might seek to persuade the way in which both conversion processes take place by managing the meaning of the language used: the greater the vagueness of the language, the less convenient or conventional the resulting action (Korn, L. B. 1990, May 22, 157-161). Starting with the similar basis of meaning which sharing a common language gives is obviously fundamental to this process, though the success with which this can be attained also depends on many other factors. Anthropologists and philosophers have argued that a national language characterized a ‘contract’ within society which underpins its common culture. Though, some countries are reluctant to have contact with other cultures due to cultural and religious conflicts. It is the lack of understanding that is at the root of all exclusiveness or prejudice, distrust or hatred (Allan, G. 1993, pp. 1-25). There are many examples of countries that are unenthusiastic to have contact with other cultures. For instance, relationship between Israel and Islamic countries, Pakistan and India etc The disparity between the diverse cultures in the world today on reflection is seen to be one of language or appearance more than anything else. The entire of mankind forms a single species; and external diversities of feature and color, stature and deportment, behavior and customs notwithstanding, man ubiquitously is but man, a certain human quality supplying the relation of unity in the middle of all diversity. Humanity is one, and human culture as the appearance of an aspiration, an Endeavour and an attainment, is also one. The countries that are unwilling to contact with other cultures are losing permutations and combinations of the same or similar basic elements of human culture. Basically, the physical urge for getting and begetting, for living and spreading, is everywhere present, as also is the aspiration for a state of permanent happiness for â€Å"all this, and heaven too†. This desire, which is roughly as forceful as the physical urge, is shared by the entire of mankind and has raised men above the level of the simply animal. Religion, with its Janus-face of fear and hope, attempts to untangle the mystery of life and being. These attempts, leading to science and philosophy and nurturing of the emotions (opening up the limitless joys of art and mysticism), are general to mankind in all ages and climes, and they spring all over from the pursuit of what the sages of India regarded as the only end for which man is actually striving cessation of suffering and achievement of an definitive and abiding happiness. And in this common striving, there has never been any segregation of a particular people or group of men from other peoples or groups, whenever contact between them either direct or indirect was made probable (Lane, H.  W. , DiStephano, J. J. , & Maznevski, M. L. 1997). The mainsprings of human culture are thus the same, they are common; and assured ideals, values, attitudes or behaviors, whether good or bad from absolute or relative points of view, have constantly been found to be transmissible. These ideals, values, attitudes or behaviors form patterns comparable to languages. All provide to meet the minimum needs of man, but those which state most adequately and most skillfully the aspirations, the endeavors and the achievements of man naturally have a predominant place in the affairs of men. Certain patterns of culture thus stand out pre-eminent; and, becoming feeders and sustainers of weaker or less complete ones, they attain an international and comprehensive status (Beck, U. and Beck-Gernsheim, E. 1995). This play of action and communication in the cultural sphere is going on for ever. The opposing forces of centrifuge and centripetence are also constantly operating and strife with infrequent violent modification of one pattern by another, or harmony deliberately or instinctively brought about is also in evidence (Allan, G. 998). With the hope of one world, one mankind and one happiness for all inspiring our men of learning and wisdom to find a path that can be followed by all, this contemplative readiness for a single world culture was never greater than now. We leave aside, of course, men of narrow viewpoint whose intransigent support of one particular prototype is merely an unconscious expression of a blind selfishness which has its roots in both ignorance and a ye arning for domination. The time is certainly ripe, and the stage is set, for a correct understanding of the diverse patterns of culture and for exploring the methods for their harmonizing, taking our stand on the essentials and not on the accidentals, on the agreements and not on the divergences. While this is achieved, and mankind everywhere is trained to recognize the fundamental agreement based on the individuality of human aspirations, a new period in the history of humanity will instigate. Besides, as every global organization has its own language for talking concerning strategy: certainly it is possible to track the way in which the organization is developing by the words it uses to illustrate its strategy. If the language of strategy has any single source, it perhaps lies in classical warfare: our plans for expansion and competition remain heavily if unconsciously influenced by ideas of winning wars, beating our enemies, securing our position. However, management strategy first evolved a characteristic language of its own in the sixties and was focused on the decisions taken by management and the types of analysis requisite to ease them: decision-making was the essential activity of management, as decisions led to actions (Hays, R. D. 1974; 25-37). By the mid eighties, the analogies were architectural: strategies were the infrastructure, people the consumable building blocks. The respect principally since the late 1980s that the perimeters of organizations were no longer strong walls has given us a rather diverse vocabulary, drawn from biology and evolutionary theory: our strategic vocabulary is more and more drawn from the natural, rather than the man-made, world: ‘webs’, ‘porous boundaries’, business ‘ecosystems’, and those words which disguised a rigid framework or clear demarcation are starting to fall from favor. Linked to this trend is the idea that thriving organizations efficiently go beyond language they do not need to communicative their strategy because everyone already knows it. However, if we believe that strategy has its own, distinctive language, then this trend is just the most modern development in its evolution: rather than being precise and analytical, the language of strategy is becoming less specific qualitative instead of quantitative. What matters most is that the language is diverse. If the language is different, then the organization can do something different: if the language is that which the organization already uses, then the strategy cannot transform the status quo (Lester, T. 1994, 42-45). The richest sources of new language frequently lie within an organization, but among those people hardly ever asked to put in to its strategy, such as people on the customer front line, new recruits, and many more. Who these people are specifically varies from organization to organization and is a function of the way in which an individual organization manages language. Thus, to recognize ways in which you can incorporate a new language into your own organization’s strategy, you first require understanding how language is managed across your organization as a whole. Language plays a key role in this process: when we think of an organization, the model we tend to have in our minds is one in which those at the top talk, as those at the bottom do. Flatter organizations and the empowerment of those who work in them can mean that the sharing of talking and doing has changed, but I think most of us would still have difficulties in finding a company where this division has totally disappeared, particularly when it is applied to internal processes such as developing a strategy (Nurden, R. 997). Taking the words from the bottom of your organization, rather than from the top, reverses this state: it means that the doers start talking. The effect is less suspicion about language (from the doers) and a diverse way of using language (for the talkers): both ways, it moves the goalposts in terms of what the strategy sounds like, making it more likely that the organization as a whole will listen more efficiently.

Relationship Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Relationship Management - Essay Example Their son, William Henry Smith took over the business and was joined by his son, William Henry Jr. and WH Smith and Son was born. The firm based its growth on the railway boom and capitalized on it by its presence in the railway stations and using the railroads as a means of distribution. For many years, the main rival to both W H Smith's railway station and news distribution business was John Menzies. WH Smith addressed this competition by buying out all retail outlets of Menzies in 1988. This has resulted in an amazing presence for WH Smith in every single railway station in Britain. In the year to 31 August 2004, W H Smith plc had a turnover of 2,834 million, on which it made a pre-tax loss of 130 million, due to significant "exceptional items" and losses on the sales of subsidiaries. Disposals during the year reduced the group's net assets from 409 million to 256 million. At its December 2004 share price of around 323p, the company's market capitalization was just under 600 million. (wikipedia.org) The company had been having a series of problems including the retail where it has faced tough competition on diverse fronts, significant fall in pension funds that has caused internal tensions and from the threat from its distribution side that all contributed to its financial downfall. There is no doubt that the company has to try to revamp on all fronts to recap its former glory. The main The main disadvantage of WH Smith is that it lacks a distinct retail identity and that shoppers no longer have a real reason to visit its stores. It has lost its niche and needs to re-find it in order that it builds itself a solid identity. It has suffered the onslaught of specialised competitors and its sales have declined due to it losing customers. Specialist retailers such as HMV, Waterstone's and Ottakar's offer a far wider range of music and books. Amazon burst on the scene as an online retailer and built its base so quickly and this has influenced WH Smith's sales. It has also been squeezed by Asda and Tesco, which sell basic stationery and magazines more cheaply. In addition, shoppers seeking DVDs and compact discs are just as likely to pick them up at their local Tesco too, along with their envelopes and greetings cards, other traditional WH Smith staples. Attempts at diversification such as publishing have not been as successful as expected. Kate Swann, WH Smith's chief executive, said the company aimed to "reinvigorate" itself. "We aim to return the UK High Street Retail business to its role as Britain's most popular stationer, bookseller and newsagent," she said. Ms Swann admitted the firm had lost out to competition from supermarkets and had not helped itself by providing "an inconsistent product offer and an inadequate strategic response to competition". However, she said the stores still had great potential. "The business has unique strengths through its extensive store portfolio, strong market shares and high customer footfall. "Our plans encompass improved efficiency through cost savings and margin enhancement, while rebuilding the competitiveness and depth of our product ranges." Relationship management Relationship Marketing is a marketing method in which businesses consistently maintain two-way communication with their prospective, current and inactive customers in order to gain a deeper understanding of their needs while delivering personal and compelling marketing

International Crime Witness Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

International Crime Witness - Assignment Example The country follows a bicameral system in terms of political domain. The responsibilities of the central government and state are segregated apparently. The federal government controls the legal functions of the entire nations through legal policies and numerous regulations (Tatsachen, 2014). Germany is the largest among of the economies in the European Union (EU). A constant increase in GDP has been witnessed by the country in the recent past. It is considered as a global hub of business sector with special inclusion of the automobile sector. A considerable percentage of the employment is provided by the SMEs (Tatsachen, 2014). Regulations for the criminal act in Germany are deemed to be quite certain. However, with the passage of time, certain amendments have been brought in the legal structure, which has further provided systematic rules for contemplating the witnesses in crime scenes. As per Subsection 6 of the Criminal Code, a witness is seen as a contributor towards the preventer of any particular offence or crime. The regulation depicts that the primary responsibility of any witness is to stop crime voluntarily in the first place. The Criminal Code of Germany also depicts that crime witness needs to voluntarily depict his/her knowledge about the crime to the concerned authorities as early as possible so that proper measures can be taken. However, this particular aspect of the law is only limited towards witness of the criminal offence and not for any other legal scenario. Article 5 of the Principal Witness Act is also an important decree that specifically determines the process followed to deal with t he criminal witness. As per this particular code of the German criminal law, a witness should not intend to misguide the case with their information or else they might be liable to get imprisonment of 1 year (Hilger, n.d.). Criminal suspects in the US are liable to enjoy certain individual rights. As per the fifth amendment of the federal law of the US, all criminal defendants will have the right to get free trial along with certain rights relevant to search and seizure.     Ã‚  

General principles of contact Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

General principles of contact - Essay Example There is also an objective and subjective component. The objective test relies on whether or not an "independent observer, appraised of the background facts known to the parties, would consider there to have been an agreement, and if so what agreement".2 It is beneficial to reduce an agreement expressly, or in written form, where there will be little doubt to its existence and content or terms.3 Where there are doubts, however, the law uses a two-fold process of offer and acceptance.4 Firstly, an offer intends to make a contract. For an offer to be complete, there must be an intention, it must be communicated, and it must be certain and complete. No further steps are anticipated. "I accept" will form a contract. It will not be an offer if the offeree does not hear it from the offeror.5 The offer may be destroyed by withdrawal by the offeror, a lapse of time specified by the offeror, or at a reasonable time after being made, and also by being superseded by a subsequent offer (by offeror or offeree), or lastly being rejected by the offeree.6 Offers must be distinguished from an invitation to treat. An invitation to treat gives the offeree a chance to make an offer to purchase the item. Some examples include: Advertisements or shop displays.7 Unilateral offers are contracts where the acceptance and performance are simultaneous, and takes the form of: "If you do this then I promise that" (examples: rewards and tenders). The contract is unilateral because only the offeror is bound.8 Until the offeree performs, he/she has not accepted. When performance has happened, the offeree has nothing left to do.9 However, there are problems with unilateral offers. The normal rule is that you can revoke until communication of acceptance, which may lead to unfair results. The "Walking to York" example suggests that you must walk all the way to York in order to have accepted the unilateral contract. Thus, walking 80%, or partial walking, is not acceptance. Performance then must be complete or the offer can be revoked.10 Partial completio n, however, may give rise to quantum meruit, which allows for the offeror to revoke the offer but to award the offeree a reasonable value for the time and effort he has put in up to the time of revocation. It is usually imposed to avoid the unjust enrichment of one party at the expense of another. For there to be a valid acceptance of an offer, there must be a mirror image of the offer without adding anything new.11 The communication of acceptance must be expressly or impliedly dictated.12 Silence is not acceptance.13 In order for a contract to be considered binding there must be consideration. The Pollock definition of consideration is: "An act or forbearance of one party, or the promise thereof is the price for which the promise of the other is bought, and the promise thus given for vale is enforceable." There must be a benefit - detriment component to show a causal link. The case of Thomas v Thomas states that "consideration means something which is of some value in the eye of the law, moving from the plaintiff to defendant. It may be some benefit to the plaintiff or some detriment to the defendant".14 More specifically, however, the formation of a straightforward civil engineering contract follows a similar process. It may proceed in the following stages: invitation to tender; tender or

Jet Star Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Jet Star - Essay Example The research shows that the core product offered by Jetstar, is low cost fares without compromising on quality. This has been successful so far, largely due to an operational model which consists of a network of point to point services. Via a SWOT analysis, it was found that the strengths of the company centre on its product range, affiliation with Qantas and expansion through joint ventures. Weaknesses centre on negative customer reviews, reputation issues and poor employee relations. It was found that the threats to the company primarily surround its competitors; Tiger Airways and Virgin Australia, as they offer a similar product. The opportunities available to Jetstar currently centre on market opportunities and growth, potential Asian customers and an increasing consumer reliance on the internet. It is recommended that in order for continued market success, the company focus on service and reliability at a low price, in order to increase their customer base and differentiate themselves from competitors. It is also recommended that the company expand further within Asia and develop and a loyalty program. This report finds that Jetsar Airlines currently enjoy a lucrative position within its domestic market, with strong potential to enjoy success internationally. The product offered by the company, that of low-cost fares without compromising on quality has so far been received well by the consumer. This has also been supplemented by a range of other products. Using Jetstar.com as the single distribution channel for the company has also been successful, due to the ever increasing numbers of consumers which are using the internet. As the external analysis highlights, the competitor situation for Jetstar primarily focuses on Tiger Airways and Virgin Australia, as both airlines offer a similar low-cost product. However, the macro-environmental situation for the company appears extremely positive due to its healthy domestic

Gender History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Gender History - Essay Example he men were supposed to be the active participants in the battlefield while for a woman it is important to be chaste and moral to prove that she is a good citizen. The benchmark of patriotism is thus based on the gender of the individual. Here we are going to focus on the same gender construction of the Second World War especially in Britain. Same issue is discussed by Prof. Sonya Rose in her book â€Å"Which People’s War.† Here we are going to discuss the points which are related to the gender construction during the Second World War. All wars which occurred in the history are mainly fought by the men and there are very exceptional cases where women have taken part on actual battlefield right from the mythological war to the modern war. It is generally anticipated that only men are eligible to serve as a soldiers because of their physical strength they have got by nature. Rather the masculinity of any man is judged by his willingness to fight. Of course it doesn’t mean that the women had never participated in the war actively. Some exceptional cases of course are there like Saint Joan or Rani of Jhansi etc. But these women have comprised only 1% and the rest of the women have denied for this work. Generally men and women are socialized to play their role according to their gender. Their minds are culturally prepared accordingly. Hence gender has always been the important and unavoidable matter in the war. Men are given the status of heroes and are always anticipated as the subject while the women are alway s taken for granted as a fragile creature and they are subject to be raped during the war time. Generally war time work used to be divided on the basis of gender. Janet Lee in her book â€Å"War Girl†states, â€Å"Women’s entry into this masculine space of war in any role other than that of nurse, that submissive angel of mercy, threatened the foundation of wartime gender construction with its division into masculine military forces and feminine home

MRP5 - Methodology Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

MRP5 - Methodology - Assignment Example However, it will adopt the use of ethnographic study, case study and survey research designs. These will help in analyzing and describing all the necessary data about the target population’s history, behaviors and responses through the use and analysis of the available primary and secondary sources. Thus, the research will be valid, authentic and reliable. As the foundation of education, elementary school needs to be under a good management. This is the only ay through which it can help in preparing learners to be well-groomed and competitive students as they proceed to the middle school, high school and college. However, many cases of poor performance have been experienced in the past especially in the American elementary schools. One of the reasons for this has been lack of motivation to the teachers. This paper will conduct an intensive research to find out if it is really true that elementary school teachers produce dismal performances because they are demoralized. Hence, the research will be a useful one since it will help in giving out recommendations aimed at rectifying the situation. The vastness of education sector means that it has a very large population. With interest groups ranging from learners, teachers, school administrators, school management boards, Department of Education officials and the general public, it means that the list of participants will e so big. However, to save on time and costs, the researcher will have to use a purposive sampling procedure. It will help in identifying the proportionate population sample to rely upon as the representative sample for the entire target population. Giving each participant an equal opportunity to participate in the study will definitely make it bias-free. The hypothesis of this study will be: To what extent does the motivation of teachers influence the performance of teaching staffs in American

Flaws of the Employment System in the United States Research Paper

Flaws of the Employment System in the United States - Research Paper Example The white settlers adopted superiority complex hence crediting them with civilizing them. The false notion came to be known as the white man’s burden. It was used to justify Europeans taking land away and enslaving the natives. This became a system of exploitation and discrimination as naturally-occurring differences became apparent. It became a system of denying people access to rights, representation or access to resources as it was institutionalized to affect virtually every aspect of life even the judicial system. Though progress has been made in the eradication of racial discrimination in employment, there is still some ground to be covered in eradicating the rampant prejudice. The situation is worsened by the statistics that are still a characteristic of modern day America which show that black people who have been arrested, charged or served a jail term can hardly get employment. The statistics show that one in every three black men has to be incarcerated in their lifetime, one in six Latino and one in seventeen Caucasian men. Disciplinary actions still are harsher for the black comparatively. The immigrants’ rights are not guaranteed as natives while per capita employment levels comparatively show that blacks are four-times less employable than the whites (â€Å"American Law Reports: Annotations and Cases† 115). Most of the big companies as is presently constituted in its ranks show that the majority of top management is white-dominated. Even if, there is an equal opportunity in hiring upward mobility is still a problem as most of the blacks remain in the same position for long a time. On the contrary, the white counterparts are being promoted to take positions of responsibility. They are segregated into the lowest level positions and still earn less than the white counterparts even if they are in the same job cadre.

You Have read about HITECH Act,HIPAA,ARRA,and electronic Essay

You Have read about HITECH Act,HIPAA,ARRA,and electronic signatures.Summarize the intentof one of these laws and its impact on your practice - Essay Example Such HIT includes electronic health records and secure and private exchange of electronic health information (McGonigle & Mastrian, 2015). McGonigle and Mastrian (2015) outlines that, in subtitle D, the HITECH Act addresses and states the security and privacy concerns linked with the electronic transmission or diffusion of health information. In part, the Act has numerous provisions that reinforce the criminal and civil enforcement of the HIPAA rules. These provisions have a great impact on health provision and general healthcare. As a records nurse practitioner and officer, I am greatly influenced with the HITECH Act. I am involved in numerous exchanges of health care records and information. My work must be discrete and private to ensure security of healthcare information and patients’ health records. Through the Act, I now exercise more caution and care to ensure that the electronic health information and files do not land in wrong hands. In its section, there are penalties for violation of the Act. The regulations and penalties ensure that practitioners, particularly in health records, cautiously carry out their work diligently to ensure and enhance the safety and security of health information and patients’ health records (McGonigle & Mastrian,

State the Problem Essay Example for Free

State the Problem Essay Two entrepreneurs, Rabie and Harary, started a company around a product that sprouted hair from a small humanlike head. They called this product Earth Buddy and the sales jumped pretty quickly. Sales at first started through Toronto-area flower shops and gift stores but as demand increased they were able to start selling Earth Buddy at Toys R Us, Wal-Mart, K-Mart and similar stores. The production process had few steps but was affected by the weather. With hot weather, the process was delayed two hours. Summer is forecasted to come, which means it will be getting hot soon. This will slow production when demand is increasing. It is Ben’s task to find a solution so that these hot days do not increase process time. Analyze the Problem The problem lies in the process of making the product. There are seven steps in making the product and each one has a limited capacity. Personal should be placed in the task where they can be most effective. Ever process has a bottleneck and in this case it is the Filing step. The Filing step, with the current amount of employees, can only produce 40 units per hour. It is said that there is usually about 250 heads in the filling area but sometimes it is a larger amount. This is because all the other steps have at least a production capacity of 75 units per hour and some even have up to 225 units per hour. Filling is the bottleneck and it causing delays. Conclusion/Suggestions There are two suggestions for Earth Buddy to solve its problems. The first solution is to increase personal in the Filling stage. This will increase the capacity, which will increase production. Hiring more personal is the best option to stop the delays. The second solution is to making the productions areas temperature-controlled rooms. This way it does not matter how hot it is outside because the weather will not affect the product. This will stop the two-hour delays from ever occurring again. There is also a proposition in which facility can be expanded, but this is not a good idea. The product is going off the shelves right now but competition is soon to rise because it is a very simple process. Investing a lot of money in a new facility can  become a failure. The solutions are increase production and get temperature-controlled rooms.

Tolnaftate Drug Profile:

Tolnaftate Drug Profile: Trade Names: Tinactin Synonym: Tolnaftato, Tolnaftatum Structure: Fig: Structure of Tolnaftate Chemical Name: 0-2- naphthyl methyl (3- methyl phenyl thiocarbamate) Description: Tolnaftate is a synthetic thiocarbamate used as an anti- fungal agent that may be sold without medical prescription in most jurisdictions. It may come as a cream, powder, spray, or liquid aerosol, and is used to treat fungal conditions such as jock itch, athletes foot and ringworm. It is sold under several brand names in including Tinactin, odor Eaters, Absorbine, Aftate, Ting (85) . Molecular Weight: 307.41 g/mol Mechanism of Action: Tolnaftate is a topical fungicide. Though its exact mechanism unknown, it is believed to prevent Ergosterol biosynthesis by inhibiting squalene epoxidase (86) . It has also been reported to distort the hyphae and to stunt mycelia growth in susceptible organisms (87) . Melting Point: 110- 111.50C (230- 2330F) Pharmacological Action: Tolnaftate, a pharmacologically inert new fungicide for topical treatment of superficial mycoses, has been reported to be highly effective in skin infections caused by common pathogenic fungi as well as being non- irritating and non- sensitizing. It is a fungicidal invitro. During clinical investigation, studies showed no changes in the blood and urine of patients given tolnaftate topically, suggesting that the drug is not toxic to the kidney or the hematopoietic system. Distorts hyphae and inhibits mycelia growth in susceptible fungi. The anti- dermatophyte agent to tolnaftate was compared with the allylamine anti-fungal compounds naftifine and terbinafine. Tolnaftate was shown to inhibit sterol biosynthesis at the level squalene epoxidation and squalene was shown to accumulate in dermatophytes grown in its presence. Biochemical studies in whole and broken cells supported this conclusion and showed that the compound was active against squalene epoxidation in broken candida albicans cells, but was mwch less potent against whole cells. These results suggested there was a barrier to penetration in these yeasts (88) . Side Effects: Irritation Pruritus Contact dermatitis Onset: 24- 72 Hours Dosage: Topical/ cutaneous: Superficial dermatophyte infections, pityriasis versicolor. Adult: Apply a 1% gel / solution /powder /cream bid for 2-6 weeks; repeat if necessary. Continue treatment for 2 weeks after disappearance of all symptoms to prevent recurrence of infection. Storage: Topical/Cutaneous: Store at 15-300C TOLNAFTATE DRUG PROFILE: Trade Names: Tinactin Synonym: Tolnaftato, Tolnaftatum Structure: Fig: Structure of Tolnaftate Chemical Name: 0-2- naphthyl methyl (3- methyl phenyl thiocarbamate) Description: Tolnaftate is a synthetic thiocarbamate used as an anti- fungal agent that may be sold without medical prescription in most jurisdictions. It may come as a cream, powder, spray, or liquid aerosol, and is used to treat fungal conditions such as jock itch, athletes foot and ringworm. It is sold under several brand names in including Tinactin, odor Eaters, Absorbine, Aftate, Ting (85) . Molecular Weight: 307.41 g/mol Mechanism of Action: Tolnaftate is a topical fungicide. Though its exact mechanism unknown, it is believed to prevent Ergosterol biosynthesis by inhibiting squalene epoxidase (86) . It has also been reported to distort the hyphae and to stunt mycelia growth in susceptible organisms (87) . Melting Point: 110- 111.50C (230- 2330F) Pharmacological Action: Tolnaftate, a pharmacologically inert new fungicide for topical treatment of superficial mycoses, has been reported to be highly effective in skin infections caused by common pathogenic fungi as well as being non- irritating and non- sensitizing. It is a fungicidal invitro. During clinical investigation, studies showed no changes in the blood and urine of patients given tolnaftate topically, suggesting that the drug is not toxic to the kidney or the hematopoietic system. Distorts hyphae and inhibits mycelia growth in susceptible fungi. The anti- dermatophyte agent to tolnaftate was compared with the allylamine anti-fungal compounds naftifine and terbinafine. Tolnaftate was shown to inhibit sterol biosynthesis at the level squalene epoxidation and squalene was shown to accumulate in dermatophytes grown in its presence. Biochemical studies in whole and broken cells supported this conclusion and showed that the compound was active against squalene epoxidation in broken candida albicans cells, but was mwch less potent against whole cells. These results suggested there was a barrier to penetration in these yeasts (88) . Side Effects: 1.Irritation 2.Pruritus 3.Contact dermatitis Onset: 24- 72 Hours Dosage: Topical/ cutaneous: Superficial dermatophyte infections, pityriasis versicolor. Adult: Apply a 1% gel / solution /powder /cream bid for 2-6 weeks; repeat if necessary. Continue treatment for 2 weeks after disappearance of all symptoms to prevent recurrence of infection. Storage: Topical/Cutaneous: Store at 15-300C 3.2.1 LECITHIN Synonyms Pc; kelecin; LECITHIN; Alcolec-S; granulestin; L-Lecithin; LIPOID(R)E80; Lecithin, NF; Phospholutein; E322; egg lecithin; LSC 5050; LSC 6040; mixed soybean phoaphatides; ovolecithin; Phosal 53 MCT; Phospholipon 100 H; Prokote LSC; soybean lecithin; soybean phospholipids; Sternpur; vegetable lecithin (89) . Structure Where red – choline and phosphate group; black glycerol; green-unsaturated fatty acid; Blue saturated fatty acid. Chemical name 1,2-diacyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine Molecular weight 789 g/mol Description Lecithin occurs light yellow to dark brown, transparent or translucent, viscous liquid substance, as white to brown powder or granules, or as a light yellow to dark brown lump, having a slight, characteristic odour and taste. Identification: (1) Place 1 g of lecithin into a kjeldahl flask, add 5 gm of powdered potassium sulphate and 0.5 gm of cupric sulfate, and 20 ml of sulfuric acid. Tilt the flask at about 45ËÅ ¡C angle, heat gently until the effervesense , and raise the temperature to boiling. After the contents become blue, transparent solution, heat for 1-2 hours, cool and add an equal volume of water. Take 5 ml of this solution, and add 10 ml of ammonium molybdate solution (1 → 5), and heat. A yellow precipitate is formed. (2) To 0.5 g of lecithin, add 5 ml of diluted hydrochloric acid(1→2), heat in a water bath for 2 hours and filter. Use this solution is considered as a test solution. Perform paper chromatography with 10 Â µl of the test solution, using choline chloride solution (1 →200) as the control solution and a mixture of n-butanol, water, and acetic acid (4:2:1) as the developing solvent. A red orange spot is obtained from the control solution is observed. In pap er chromatography for the filter paper, use a No. 2 filter paper. Stop the development when the developing solvent rises about 25 cm, air-dry, spray with Dragendorffs reagent to develop a colour, and observe in daylight (90) . Solubility Insoluble in cold water and also acetone. Soluble in about 12 parts of absolute alcohol. Soluble in chloroform, petroleum ether, mineral oil and fatty acids. Sparingly soluble in benzene. Insoluble in cold vegetable oils and animal oils (91) . Viscosity Viscosity of lecithin is directly influenced by heat. Lower temperature equals higher viscosity and vise versa. The influence of temperature on lecithin viscosity is curvilinear, meaning that at low temperatures, a small increase in heat causes a elatively larger decrease in viscosity. For example, a lecithin with a viscosity of 10,000 centipoise at 24 0C, might have a viscosity of 5000 centipoise at 350C. An increase in temperature to 460C might lower the viscosity to 3000 centipoise and further increase to 570C would reduce viscosity to 2250 centipoise. Mixing oil, such as soybean oil or fish oil, with the lecithin at a rate of 20 % oil and 80 % lecithin as a similar influence on viscosity as raising temperature by 110C. In other words, a standard fluid lecithin with 10,000 centipoise viscosity when mixed with 20 % soybean oil would have an approximate viscosity of 5000 centipoise (92) TYPICAL PROPERTIES Acidity/alkalinity pH = 5.5–8.0 for a 1 % w/w aqueous solution Ash 1.5–3.0 %, depending upon the grade and viscosity Auto ignition temperature 360Â ºC Density (bulk) 0.341 g/cm3 Density (tapped) 0.557 g/cm3 Density (true) 1.326 g/cm3 Specific gravity 1.26 Melting point Browns at 190–200 Â ºC. Chars at 225–230 Â ºC. Glass transition temperature is 170–180 Â ºC. Iodine number 95-100 for liquid lecithin. 82-88 for powdered lecithin. Saponification number 196 Functional Category Lecithin is a generic term to designate any group of yellow-brownish fatty substances occurring in animal and plant tissues, and in egg yolk. It is naturally composed of phosphoric acid, choline, fatty acids, glycerol, glycolipids, triglycerides, and phospholipids. It is often used as an emulsifying agent.Available in variety of forms including granules, soft gels and chewable tablets. Applications: Lecithins are used in a wide variety of pharmaceutical applications. They are also used in cosmetics and food products. Lecithins are mainly used in pharmaceutical products as dispersing, emulsifying, and stabilizing agents, and are included in intramuscular and intravenous injections, parenteral nutrition formulations, and topical products such as creams and ointments. Lecithins are also used in suppository bases to reduce the brittleness of suppositories, and have been investigated for their absorption-enhancing properties in an intranasal insulin formulation. Lecithins are also commonly used as a component of enteral and parenteral nutrition formulations. There is evidence that phosphatidylcholine (a major component of lecithin) is important as a nutritional supplement to fetal and infant development. Furthermore, choline is a required component of FDA-approved infant formulas. Other studies have indicated that lecithin can protect against alcohol cirrhosis of the liver, lower serum cholesterol levels, and improve mental and physical performance. Liposomes in which lecithin is included as a component of the bilayer have been used to encapsulate drug substances; their potential as novel delivery systems has been investigated.This application generally requires purified lecithins combined in specific proportions. Therapeutically, lecithin and derivatives have been used as a pulmonary surfactant in the treatment of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome.mnb Stability and storage conditions: Lecithins decompose at extreme pH. They are also hygroscopic and subject to microbial degradation. When heated, lecithins oxidize, darken, and decompose. Temperatures of 160–1808C will cause degradation within 24 hours. Fluid or waxy lecithin grades should be stored at room temperature or above; temperatures below 108C may cause separation. All lecithin grades should be stored in well-closed containers protected from light and oxidation. Purified solid lecithins should be stored in tightly closed containers at subfreezing temperatures Incompatibilities Incompatible with esterases owing to hydrolysis. Safety Lecithin is a component of cell membranes and is therefore consumed as a normal part of the diet. Although excessive consumption may be harmful, it is highly biocompatible and oral doses of up to 80 g daily have been used therapeutically in the treatment of tardive dyskinesia.(8) When used in topical formulations,lecithin is generally regarded as a nonirritant and nonsensitizing material.(2) The Cosmetic Ingredients Review Expert Panel (CIR) has reviewed lecithin and issued a tentative report revising the safe concentration of the material from 1.95% to 15.0% in rinse-off and leave-in products. They note, however, that there are insufficient data to rule on products that are likely to be inhaled Handling precautions Lecithins may be irritant to the eyes; eye protection and gloves are recommended. Regulatory status: GRAS listed (Generally Recognized as Safe). Accepted for use as a food additive in Europe. Included in the FDA Inactive Ingredients Database (inhalations; IM and IV injections; otic preparations; oral capsules, suspensions and tablets; rectal, topical, and vaginal preparations). Included in nonparenteral and parenteral medicines licensed in the UK. Included in the Canadian List of Acceptable Non-medicinal Ingredients. 3.2.2 SPAN80 Nonproprietary Names Sorbitan monooleate Synonyms Ablunol S-80; Arlacel 80; Armotan MO; Capmul O; Crill 4; Crill 50; Dehymuls SMO; Drewmulse SMO; Drewsorb 80K; E494; Glycomul O; Hodag SMO; Lamesorb SMO; Liposorb O; Montane 80; Nikkol SO-10; Nissan Nonion OP-80R; Norfox Sorbo S-80; Polycon S80 K; Proto-sorb SMO; Protachem SMO; S-Maz 80K; Sorbester P17; Sorbirol O; sorbitan oleate; Sorgen 40; Sorgon S-40- H; Span 80; Tego SMO. Structure Chemical name C24H44O6 (Z)-Sorbitan mono-9-octadecenoate Molecular weight : 429 g/mol Description Span80 occur as Yellow viscous liquid with a distinctive odour and taste. Solubility: Sorbitan esters are generally soluble or dispersible in oils; they are also soluble in most organic solvents. In water, although insoluble, they are generally dispersible. Viscosity Typical viscosity values for span80 1200-2000 mPa.s measured at 20Â ºC Typical properties HLB value : 4.3 Density : 1.01g/cm3 Saponification value : 149-160 Functional category: Emulsifying agent, non ionic surfactant, solubilizing agent, wetting, dispersing and suspending agent. Applications A non-ionic surfactant that can be used to form oil-in-water emulsions and in combination with low HLB surfactants can form water-in-oil emulsions. EPA approved oil spill dispersant. Sorbitan monoesters are a series of mixtures of partial esters of sorbitol and its mono- and dianhydrides with fatty acids. Sorbitan diesters are a series of mixtures of partial esters of sorbitol and its monoanhydride with fatty acids. Sorbitan esters are widely used in cosmetics, food products, and pharmaceutical formulations as lipophilic nonionic surfactants. They are mainly used in pharmaceutical formulations as emulsifying agents in the preparation of creams, emulsions, and ointments for topical application. When used alone, sorbitan esters produce stable water-in-oil emulsions and microemulsions but are frequently used in combination with varying proportions of a polysorbate to produce water-in-oil or oil-in-water emulsions or creams of varying consistencies. Sorbitan monolaurate, sorbitan monopalmitate and sorbitan trioleate have also been used at concentrations of 0.01–0.05% w/v in the preparation of an emulsion for intramuscular administration. Stability and storage conditions: Gradual soap formation occurs with strong acids or bases. Sorbitan esters are stable in weak acids or bases. Sorbitan esters should be stored in a well-closed container in a cool, dry place. Safety Sorbitan esters are widely used in cosmetics, food products, and oral and topical pharmaceutical formulations and are generally regarded as nontoxic and nonirritant materials. However, there have been occasional reports of hypersensitive skin reactions following the topical application of products containing sorbitan esters. When heated to decomposition, the sorbitan esters emit acrid smoke and irritating fumes. The WHO has set an estimated acceptable daily intake of sorbitan monopalmitate, monostearate and tristearate and of sorbitan monolaurate and monooleate at up to 25 mg/kg body-weight calculated as total sorbitan esters. Regulatory status Certain sorbitan esters are accepted as food additives in the UK. Sorbitan esters are included in the FDA Inactive Ingredients Guide (inhalations; IM injections; ophthalmic, oral, topical and vaginal preparations). Sorbitan esters are used in nonparenteral medicines licensed in the UK. Sorbitan esters are included in the Canadian List of Acceptable Non-medicinal Ingredients. 3.2.3 TWEEN 80: Non-proprietary names: Polysorbate 80 Synonyms: Atlas E; Armotan PMO 20; Capmul POE-O; Cremophor PS 80; Crillet 4; Crillet 50; Drewmulse POE-SMO; Drewpone 80K; Durfax 80; Durfax 80K; E433; Emrite 6120; Emulgin SMO; Glycospere O-20; Hodag PSMO-20; Liposorb O-20; Liposorb O-20K; Montanox 80; Polyoxyethylene 20 oleate; Protasorb o- 20; Ritabate 80;(Z)-sorbitan mono -9-octadecenoate poly(oxy1,2- ethanediyl) derivatives; Tego SMO 80; Tego SMO 80V; Tween 80. Structural formula Chemical name Polyoxyethylene 20 sorbitan monooleate Empirical formula C64H124026 Molecular weight M.W: 1310 Functional category: It acts as an Emulsifying agent; nonionic surfactant; solubilizing agent; wetting agent and also dispersing/suspending agent Description: It is colorless to light yellowish viscous liquid. Typical Properties: HLB value: 15 Density: 1.08 g/ml at 20 ËÅ ¡c Saponification value: 45-55 P H 5% aq solution : 5.5-7.5 Specific gravity (20/20ËÅ ¡c) : 1.065-1.095 Moisture content: Moisture content not more than 3% Solubility: Soluble in water and also soluble in ethanol. Insoluble in mineral oils. Viscosity (dynamic): The viscosity of tween 80 is 300-500 centi stokes at 25ËÅ ¡c Applications of tween80 in pharmaceutical formulation or technology: Polyoxyethylene sorbiton fatty acid esters (polysorbates) are a series of partial fatty acid esters of sorbitol and its anhydrides copolymerized with approximately 20, 5 or 4 moles of ethylene oxide per each mole of sorbitol and also sorbitol anhydrides. The resulting product is therefore a mixture of molecules of varying sizes rather than in single uniform compound. Polysorbates containing 20 units of oxy ethylene are hydrophilic nonionic surfactants that are used widely as emulsifying agent in the preparation of stable oil-in-water pharmaceutical emulsions. They may also be used as solubilizing agent for a variety of substances including essential oils and also other oils like oils are soluble vitamins, and teen 80 as a wetting agent in the formulation of oral and parenteral suspensions. They also have been useful in improving the oral bioavailability of drug molecule that are substrates for P-glycoprotein. Polysorbates are also used in cosmetics and also food products. Stability and storage conditions: Polysorbates are stable to electrolytes and week acids and bases; gradual saponification occurs with strong acids and strong bases. This type of oleic acid esters are sensitive to oxidation. Polysorbates are hygroscopic and should be examined necessary for water content before to use and dried if necessary. Prolonged storage of tween 80 along with other polyoxyethylene surfactants can leads to the formation of peroxides. Polysorbates should be stored in a well closed containers, protected from the light, in a cool and dry place. Incompatabilities: Discoloration and /or precipitation occur with various substances especially phenols, tannins, tars, tar like materials.The anti microbial activity of paraben preservatives is reduced in the presense of polysorbates. Regulatory status: Polysorbate60, 65and 80 are GRAS listed. Polysorbates 20, 40, 60, 65and 80 are accepted as food additives in Europe. Polysorbates 20, 40, 60, 65and 80 are included in the FDA inactive ingredients guide (IM,IV,oral,rectal,topical and vaginal preparations). Polysorbates are included in parenteral and non parenteral medicines licensed in the UK. Polysorbate such as 20, 21, 40, 60, 61, 65, 80, 81, 85 and 120 are included in the Canadian list of acceptable non medicinal ingredient.

Rainbow Parrotfish Scarus Guacamaia

Rainbow Parrotfish Scarus Guacamaia Abstract The rainbow parrotfish Scarus guacamaia is a prominent herbivore in the coastal waters of southeastern Florida whose life history is strongly linked to a dependence on both mangrove and coral reef habitats. Rainbow parrotfish also serve in maintaining the health of coral reefs by keeping algal populations in check. Using NOAA fisheries data from the Mangrove Visual Census and the Reef Visual Census, this study focused on observations of this species in Biscayne Bay and the Upper Florida Bay in order to quantify occupancy and to examine the different factors that affect the presence and absence, and the ontogenetic shifts present in this species between juvenile and adult stages. Logistic regression was used to predict abundance and occurrence using the environmental variables of temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity, average depth, and distance from channel openings. Presence and absence were also measured against mangrove cover, bottom substrate type, and shoreline development. It was found that salinity, average depth, and distance from channel openings were significant in predicting the occurrence of this species, while temperature and dissolved oxygen were not. Conservation efforts for this species, listed as vulnerable under the IUCN, need to be given greater consideration as the health of this and other parrotfish may be useful in determining the management breadth and priorities on coral reef ecosystems across the Caribbean Sea. Key words: rainbow parrotfish, mangroves, logistic regression, conservation, land-use planning. Acknowledgements In completing this thesis research, I would foremost like to thank my advisor, David W. Kerstetter, Ph.D., and committee members John F. Walter III, Ph.D. and Richard E. Spieler, Ph.D., whose input and guidance has been critical in moving forward through this project. I would like to thank David L. Jones, Ph.D. for his assistance on equations and statistics. For their assistance in various aspects of ArcGIS, I would like to thank Brian K. Walker, Ph.D. and Kristian Taylor. Notably, I would like to thank James A. Bohnsack, Ph.D. and Joseph E. Serafy, Ph.D. and their work, without whom, this research could not have taken place. I would like to thank my lab mates, especially Bryan Armstrong, Shannon Bayse, Amy Heemsoth, Cheryl Cross, and Kerri Bolow for all their feedback, inquiries, assistance and advice throughout the entire research process. Finally, I would like to thank my family and all my friends for their tireless support and unfailing encouragement in the completion of my thesi s work. Introduction Life History of the Rainbow Parrotfish Rainbow parrotfish Scarus guacamaia is the largest herbivorous fish in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea and is found in both mangrove and coral reef habitats (Mumby 2006). The rainbow parrotfish is a large, heavy-bodied, and laterally compressed fish, compared with other species of reef fish. It has a fusiform body shape with dull orange fins possessing streaks of green extending into the dorsal and anal fins; median fin margins are blue in color with the dental plates appearing a blue-green. In this species there appears to be no obvious color differentiation based on sex (Cervigà ³n 1994). Rainbow parrotfish are behaviorally cautious in nature, and are generally observed in isolation, though they can be found in schools of up to thirty individuals (Dunlop and Pawlik 1998). It has a daily home range of about 1000 m3 (Smith 1997), and occupies varying depths from the surface to 25 m. It depends on corals for shelter and space to inhabit (Cole et al. 2008) and seeks shelter under ledges at night or when threatened. The species has been shown to use the angle of the sun as an aid in returning to these shelters (Smith 1997). Rainbow parrotfish are herbivorous fish that, like most members of the Scaridae family, feed mainly by scraping macro-algae from coral structure (Bellwood et al. 2004). However, it has also been observed to feed directly on coral (Rotjan and Lewis 2006) and gut content analyses have revealed spicules from feeding on sponges (Dunlop and Pawlik 1998). Rainbow parrotfish life history characteristics are reasonably well known. It is a protogynous hermaphrodite, meaning individuals in this species undergo a sex change between their initial phase, where they are generally female and terminal phase, where they are male. Terminal phase male rainbow parrotfish defend a territory and a harem of females, and when the male dies, the most dominant female will become the dominant male, with her ovaries becoming functional male testes (Streelman et al. 2002). Like other species in this family, peak spawning occurs primarily in warmer summer seasons from May to August, but can occur year-round, and there is an active period of recruitment into the population occurring around February in this region (Haus et al. 2000). Spawning is found to take place generally around dusk, and may correlate to either the lunar cycle or the high tide, as this is an optimal time for egg dispersal. The initial phase is composed of females while the terminal phase i s composed of sexually mature males. Rainbow parrotfish aggregate into territories that contain a group of females and the dominant male, which pair-spawns almost exclusively within this group (Munoz and Motta 2000). The rainbow parrotfish is a relatively large reef fish, compared to most species of reef fishes in the Caribbean, and can achieve a maximum length of 120 cm (TL). The estimated K value of 0.293 equates to a minimum population doubling time of approximately four and a half to fourteen years (Robins and Ray 1986; Randall 1962). Observations of rainbow parrotfish have been made in waters with temperatures ranging from 12-36  °C, salinities ranging from 23.74 to 39.1 †° (parts per thousand), and dissolved oxygen concentrations ranging from 2.4 to 14.07 †° (Serafy et al. 2003). The species wide range of tolerances to these factors is most likely an adaptation to the wide range of its known habitats. These habitats range from estuaries to offshore areas, both of which are subject to large pulses of freshwater and storm events. The varied thermal and oxic conditions cannot be exploited by less tolerant species and may be beneficial in providing refuge from predators, foraging gr ounds, or potential nursery areas (Rummer et al. 2009). The diet of rainbow parrotfish has been shown to be variable across life stages and habitats. In the Dunlop and Pawlik (1998) study, sponge spicules were found in higher masses in the individuals collected from the mangrove sites as compared to those from coral reefs, suggesting there are shifts in diet preference based on the food sources available. A secondary food source is coral, as rainbow parrotfish has been classified as a facultative corallivore based on direct observations, meaning coral can be either a majority of their diet or only a minor component. These fish impose more permanent and chronic pressures on scleractinian corals (those that generate a hard skeleton such as Montastrea and Porites species) meaning there is repeat scraping activity on these corals, and the damage caused is longer lasting. However, chronic predation may play a factor in regulating distribution, abundance, and fitness of certain prey corals (Cole et al. 2008). Though not fully known, this corall ivory may be part of an ontogenetic diet shift, meaning coral is only an important food source for part of their lives, accounting for less than five percent of their bites (Cole et al. 2008). Along with this diet selectivity comes the ability to cause significant damage to corals by biting off growing tips or large portions of skeletal material, which means they are capable of having a disproportionately large impact on the physical structure of Caribbean reefs (Cole et al. 2008). It has also been observed that grazing reduced the density of zooxanthellae and increased the severity of a bleaching event in Belize (Cole et al. 2008). Rainbow parrotfish use a feeding method of scraping or grinding algae from the coral or other rocky substrate, and sometimes inadvertently ingests coral animals as well. The hard coral substrate is broken down through its digestive system, and the excretion of this limestone material is one of the main sources in the creation of the sand surrounding cora l reefs in the Caribbean. Parrotfishes are known to become progressively more important to coral reef ecosystems upon reaching a certain key size around 15-20 cm, at which point they become functionally mature (Lokrantz et al. 2008) and their actions provide a significant impact on the coral reef. This impact increases exponentially as there is a non-linear relationship between body size and scraping function. Calculations have suggested that up to 75 individuals with a size of 15 cm are required to functionally compensate for the loss of a single 35 cm individual, and a 50% decrease in body size can result in a 90% loss of function provided to the ecosystem (Lokrantz et al. 2008). In addition, the level of grazing impact in mangrove systems is also a power function of body length. A conservative estimate places the home range of S. guacamaia at 1600 m3 (Mumby and Hastings 2008), which is larger than that of many other scarids. Rainbow parrotfish also represents approximately 14% of the total grazing intensit y measured for mangrove depauperate systems (Mumby and Hastings 2008). The majority of the rainbow parrotfish diet consists mostly of short epilithic turf algae, cropped algae, red coralline algae, and filamentous algae (Mumby and Hastings 2008), and they feed heavily upon Halimeda opuntia, a green calcareous alga. Juvenile scarid abundance has also been shown to be positively related to the percent cover of Dictyota spp. algae at site level in the Florida Keys (Kuffner et al. 2009). Similar parrotfish species have been observed consuming whole pieces of the thallus rather than grazing on the attached epiphytes, and taking more bites from H. opuntia and fewer bites from coral than would be expected from the percent cover of different microhabitats (Munoz and Motta 2000). While not quantitatively known for rainbow parrotfish, a mean home range for similar parrotfish species, redband parrotfish and redtail parrotfish, in the Florida Keys was observed to be 4371.5 +/- 5869.5 m2 (Munoz and Motta 2000); the standard error was found to be high due to a low nu mber (n = 7) of study sites. Due to overlap in microhabitat and foraging areas in these home ranges, interspecific aggression between parrotfish species takes place when one species attempts to use defended resources to the detriment of the defending species. This aggression involves vigorous chasing over comparatively large distances, as well as biting. Engaging in resource defense behavior was found to be advantageous as the benefits gained outweighed the cost (Munoz and Motta 2000). Aggression has also been observed to be greater when encountering other parrotfish species as opposed to non-parrotfish species and rainbow parrotfish were instigated into these aggressive encounters most often by redband parrotfish Sparisoma aurofrenatum (Munoz and Motta 2000). Scarus guacamaia is most closely related phylogenetically to midnight parrotfish Scarus coelestinus and striped parrotfish Scarus iseri, with Scarus clades having root nodes at between 2 and 3 million years ago, thus implying that most Scarus species are products of recent speciation. This speciation likely occurred around the time of the complete closure of the Isthmus of Panama at approximately 3.1-3.5 million years ago (Smith et al. 2008). The pantropical distribution and the relatively recent ages of the divergence of the four main clades of Scarus imply that fluctuations in sea level and patterns of differential cooling of the oceans during the Pliocene and Pleistocene may be the driving forces behind the rapid radiation in this genus, which is today largely restricted to the complex reefs built by hard corals (Smith et al. 2008). Alternatively, processes of ecological speciation and divergence due to sexual selection remain a possible explanation for the rapid radiation of parr otfishes, which all have pelagic larval phases and highly similar morphology (Smith et al. 2008). The protogynous mating system of parrotfishes, where species aggregate and have male-dominated haremic systems organized by color recognition, has also been proposed as a possible driving force for speciation via sexual selection mechanisms (Smith et al. 2008). The phylogeny of parrotfish suggests a gradual shift from browsers living in seagrasses to excavators inhabiting rock and/or coral reefs to scrapers found exclusively in association with coral, with Sparisoma being considered the transitional genus (Streelman et al. 2002). It can be assumed that the Scarus genus has always had a habitat association with coral reefs as the Scarus genus is the third radiation off of the Sparisoma lineage (Streelman et al. 2002). Of the parrotfishes, S. guacamaia is the only species that possesses an obligate and functional dependence on the mangrove habitats (Nagelkerken 2007; Mumby 2006). This dependency has been shown quantitatively in the Mumby et al. (2004) study in which the species suffered local extinctions that corresponded with the removal of mangrove stands, and the extent of mangrove coverage in a region is one of the dominant factors in structuring reef communities. Mangrove connectivity enhances the biomass of rainbow parrotfish on neighboring coral reefs, because grazing influences the cover of macroalgae on reefs and high levels of parrotfish grazing has been shown to lead to a twofold increase in recruitment of Porites and Agaricia corals in the Bahamas (Mumby and Hastings 2008). Biomass of rainbow parrotfish has been shown to more than double when coral reefs were located adjacent to rich mangrove resources, defined as mangrove stands with 70 km or greater of fringing red mangrove Rhizophora mangle located in a region of 200 km2, equating to coverage of 35% (Mumby 2006). Juveniles of this species, those less than 30 cm total length (TL), are observed almost exclusively in mangrove habitats, while all individuals observed on the coral reef were greater than 25 cm TL (Dorenbosch 2006). Average sizes of 10.1 cm and 14.6 cm TL have been recorded in mangroves and seagrass beds, respectively (Nagelkerken et al. 2000). The species of juvenile reef fishes that utilize mangroves and seagrass beds do so because of the high food availability, the presence of shade and shelter that the mangroves provide, and a reduced risk of predation due to the plant and root configurations. There is also a lessened chance of interaction with predator species as well as low predator abundance and efficiency (Verweij et al. 2006). Shallow water habitats such as mangroves and seagrasses, are believed to contain less piscivores than the reef (Verweij et al. 2006) possibly because the energetic cost s of chasing the smaller fish in these habitats outweigh the gains of catching one of the prey fish. The turbidity of the water can also negatively affect predator efficiency due to scattering and reduction of light by suspended particles (Verweij et al. 2006). There is significant interannual variability in species composition that may be expected in mangrove fish communities, but spatial factors have been found to contribute more to differences in fish community structure than seasonality (Robertson and Duke 1990). Verweij et al. (2006) tested the effects of plant structure, shade, and food upon rainbow parrotfish foraging behavior using artificial seagrass leaves and artificial mangrove roots. Rainbow parrotfish showed the same trends as those of pooled herbivores, showing highly significant Poisson regression results for the tested variables of structure, food, structure*food, and location of the experimental unit. In this study, 72 individuals were observed ranging in size from 7.5-15.0 cm. The behavior observed was broken down into 2.8% of individuals resting (spaced evenly throughout the water column), 91.7% foraging, and 5.6% swimming. Eighty-four percent of the rainbow parrotfish observed foraging in the study were found in the artificial mangrove roots, with six percent foraging on artificial seagrass leaves. It was determined that the presence of higher surface area on the root structure provided more substrate for algae, which allowed for diurnal feeding (feeding that occurs in the da ytime) on the fouling algae and epiphytes in mangroves and seagrass beds. Rainbow parrotfish observed in this study were also found to be preferential to experimental units with the highest structural complexity. Caribbean region mangroves and seagrass beds function as foraging habitats, but are not used continuously as shelter during the daytime (Verweij et al. 2006). The value of these habitats is diminished with decreased water clarity from turbidity originating from terrestrial run-off, leading to population declines in this and other species (Freeman et al. 2008). Seagrass minimum light requirements differ between species and systems. Halodule and Syringodium seagrass species often require more than 24-37% surface light intensity (Freeman et al. 2008). These seagrass species consistently require minimum light levels that are an order of magnitude higher than the requirements of terrestrial plants or other photosynthetic marine organisms. Reduced subsurface light intensity has c aused seagrass declines and the subsequent re-suspension of unstabilized sediments has impeded recovery of these seagrass systems, increasing the pressure placed on species such as the rainbow parrotfish that depend on them (Freeman et al. 2008). However, presence of preferential habitat is not the only contributing factor determining abundance. It is possible that habitat configuration has an influence on the connectivity between mangroves, seagrasses, and coral reefs and this configuration in terms of providing pathways and connections to the reef affects fish assemblage composition, fish density and size, and species richness (Dorenbosch et al. 2007). Local recruitment patterns can also play a major role. In a study off Curaà §ao, juvenile densities on the reef were comparable to those in seagrass beds, suggesting that this species can also use the coral reef as a nursery (Dorenbosch et al. 2004). Dorenbosch et al. (2007) concluded that for rainbow parrotfish, migration among these habitats most likely takes place along the coastline. The presence of seagrass-mangrove bays along the coasts of these islands strongly influences the distribution pattern of this species on the coral reef (Dorenbosch et al. 2004). The absence of seagrass beds and mangroves was shown to lead to reduced density of those species that utilize seagrass-mangrove bays in juvenile stages (Dorenbosch et al. 2004). For island sites, this migration was observed to occur on the sheltered or leeward shores, where most adult individuals were observed on coral reefs between 0 and 10 km from mangroves. However, no significant linear relationship was present between mean total density of adult rainbow parrotfish on these reefs and the distance to the nearest stands of mangroves (Dorenbosch et al. 2006). There was also reduced density or complete absence of juvenile rainbow parrotfish on the coral reefs that were farther than nine kilometers from the mangrove and seagrass habitats used by fish of juvenile ages. The density of these species is additionally regulated on local scales by variable habitat structural complexity and the available vegetation. Herbivory, measured by rates of grazing, was found to be highest at the maximum habitat complexity site (Unsworth et al. 2007). This suggests that the increased shelter and food abundance provided by denser seagrass beds may have increased fish abundance resulting in these higher levels of herbivory (Unsworth et al. 2007). Herbivory was found to increase away from patchy seagrass areas whilst increasing distance from a reef reduced the rate of herbivory due to a reduction in fish migration. Observed high levels of herbivory, however, may only be a short-term effect of irregular grazing by shoals of juvenile and sub-adult scarids (Unsworth et al. 2007). Rainbow parrotfish migrate across habitats in accordance with its life history stage, and will grow as large as possible before moving on to the next habitat (Mumby et al. 2004). Utilization of intermediate nursery habitats has been hypothesized to increase survivorship of small fish (Mumby et al. 2004). The intermediate nursery stages between mangroves, seagrass beds, and patch reefs serve the function of alleviating predatory bottlenecks in early demersal ontogeny (Mumby et al. 2004). A predatory bottleneck occurs when pressure from predation prevents a large percentage of a population from reproducing. The presence of seagrass beds has also been linked to significantly higher densities of rainbow parrotfish on coral reefs (Dorenbosch et al. 2006) while other studies (e.g., Gonzalez-Salas et al. 2008) have found differing results with respect to these nursery habitats. Noting high abundance of juveniles and adult members of S. guacamaia in coral reef habitats and a total absence in mangrove stands, it appears that mangroves in certain regions do not function as obligate habitats and that seagrass and coral rubble become the primary alternative for nursery, growth, and reproduction (Gonzalez-Salas et al. 2008). It is possible that with removal of mangrove forests the rainbow parrotfish are adapting to utilize other habitats that offer similar survival benefits. The reduced benefits of these marginal habitats may not provide rainbow parrotfish with the resources necessary to survive across their entire life history, allowing only temporary survival through one life stage or another (Rummer et al. 2009). This selective use, which is defined as use of a particular habitat patch disproportionately relative to its availability, can be exhibited either seasonally or spatially, and proximity rather than suitability has been found as the dominant pattern of habitat use (Faunce and Serafy 2008). Mangrove shorelines across broad spatial scales are not equivalent in thei r value as fish habitats due to the inherent patchiness within the ecosystem. A measure of total habitat area may therefore overestimate the amount of functional habitat utilized by these fishes. In addition, species richness and total number of fishes collected adjacent to mangrove shorelines has been shown to decline with increasing inland distance from creek mouths and oceanic inlets, with water depth greatly related to fish use (Faunce and Serafy 2008). Rainbow parrotfish are valuable members of the communities with which they are associated. The grazing activities of these parrotfish are beneficial in preventing algal overgrowth and enhance coral reef resilience to algal blooms and other competitor species (Hughes et al. 2007). The species also facilitates settlement and survival of corals by scraping and bioeroding the hard dead coral substratum and are crucial for the regeneration and maintenance of coral reefs (Lokrantz et al. 2008). Rainbow parrotfish and other scarid species participate in not only the uptake of carbon into the food chain in their direct consumption of seagrass, but also indirectly contribute to the detrital food chain with the removal of decaying seagrass material, which potentially results in the widespread dispersal of seagrass material into surface waters. Detached seagrass may also be cast onto the shore where it decays and may re-enter the system as detritus (Unsworth et al. 2007). Rainbow parrotfish may be equally important in influencing seagrass export from the system by the high rates of material discarded during consumption. The unattached plant matter, estimated to be as high as 11% of seagrass growth, becomes subsequently removed from the system by weather and currents (Unsworth et al. 2007). This figure is in addition to the amount consumed in grazing which causes the loss of at least 16% of the seagrass growth each day (Unsworth et al. 2007). In spite of their ecological role and importance, S. guacamaia populations are thought to be in decline and to have been fished to ecological extinction in Brazil, as well as other areas of the Caribbean (Floeter 2006). Rainbow parrotfish has been listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. This designation means the species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild based on one or more of the following five criteria: reduction of population size, shrinking geographic range, a population with fewer than 10,000 mature individuals, restricted population extent, or quantitative analysis showing the probability of extinction in the wild is at least 10% within 100 years (the full explanation of which are detailed in the 2004 IUCN criteria; version 2.3, Roberts 1996). Given this information and the ecosystem role of the species developing a model that details occurrence provides a means to assess the health and function of this parrotfish in this region. In addition, one may apply the methods not only throughout the range of this species, but it may be possible to apply this model to other parrotfish species and similar families across the Florida Reef Tract and the Caribbean Sea. Characteristics of the Biscayne Bay and Florida Reef Tract Region The Biscayne Bay region receives high numbers of larvae from offshore spawning adults and functions as a source point for juveniles and adults to migrate to the reef tract (Wang et al. 2003). The region also contains some of the most pristine habitat within the Florida Keys (Ishman 1997). The coastal shelf of the Florida Keys is characterized by shallow and highly variable topography, where currents are influenced by tides, wind, and the very energetic offshore Florida current system (Haus et al. 2000). The eddies and meanders of the Florida Current make it possible for upwelling and larval transport to occur across the shelf, and the scale of these perturbations can vary from slow moving mesoscale gyres to faster moving, sub-mesoscale eddies (Haus et al. 2000). Velocities of these eddies can range from 0.53 m/s to 0.80 m/s along the inshore edge of the Florida Current (Haus et al. 2000) and the variability of those velocities can have an impact on dispersal and the resulting end loc ations of larvae (Haus et al. 2000). Patch reefs in this region occupy a significant portion of the water column, which leads to variability in the water depth. These protrusions have the potential to change the strength and direction of the tidal flow in the bay. The northern Florida Keys contain over 4,000 patch reefs, composed generally of cemented reef (47.3 +/- 2.2% cover) and pavement (20.1 +/- 2.1%), with varying amounts of rubble, boulders and sand (Kuffner et al. 2009). The benthic community observed on these patch reefs is largely dominated by macrophytes, encrusting invertebrates, and suitable settlement substratum found beneath a substantial canopy of gorgonian (soft) corals (Kuffner et al. 2009). Macroalgae occupies a large portion of space on the reefs, especially Dictyota spp. (15.4 +/- 0.8% cover) and Halimeda tuna (11.7 +/- 0.6% cover). Live scleractinian corals account for only 5.8+/- 0.6% of the benthos (Kuffner et al. 2009). The tides are generally weak, with a semidiurnal height range of approximately 0.5 m (Haus et al. 2000). As measured in Caesar Creek, tidal velocity can exceed 25 cm/s, while current measurements within the inlets have shown peak tidal velocities in excess of 50 cm/s (Haus et al. 2000). These channels commonly referred to as the ABC Channels because of their names: Angelfish Creek, Broad Creek, and Caesar Creek form the main outlet from the southern end of Biscayne Bay onto the Florida reef tract. The ABC Channels convey large oscillating tidal flows and wind driven flows between the bay and the ocean, and transport through these corridors predominantly shows a semi-diurnal cycle with amplitudes of 500 m3/s, 300 m3/s, and 250 m3/s respectively (Wang et al. 2003). Based on observations, there is a net outflow at Angelfish and Caesar Creek, but an inconsistent inflow in Broad Creek (Wang et al. 2003). With the tidal flows and the input of freshwater, the residence times of the water varies widely from several months in the more enclosed Barnes Sound and circulation-restricted Card Sound (Ishman 1997), to about a month in the western parts of South Biscayne Bay, and nearly zero in the vicinity of the ocean inlets (Wang et al. 2003). The area encompassing Biscayne Bay south to Card Sound and Barnes Sound forms a barrier island lagoon system that exhibits estuarine characteristics near points of freshwater inflow during the wet and early dry season (Wang et al. 2003). This lagoon system leads to broad salinity regimes that are highly variable throughout the year, and vary greatly across relatively small areas of only several kilometers due to high freshwater input through canals (as opposed to groundwater), and limited tidal flushing. Salinity variations in Biscayne Bay primarily result from canal discharges through gated control structures, as well as smaller freshwater exchanges in the Bay driven by overland runoff, rainfall, and evaporation (Wang et al. 2003) and upwelling from groundwater (Ishman 1997). The greatest salinity fluctuations occur near canal mouths in Barnes Sound and along the western margin of Biscayne Bay. The smallest fluctuation ranges were observed near ocean inlets (Wang et al. 2003), where the vertical variations of salinity in the water column ranged from less than 0.2 †° to a maximum salinity change of 0.8 †° from top to bottom in the vicinity of the inlet mouth (Haus et al. 2000). In the Pelican Bank region of Biscayne Bay (see Figure 10), good circulation results in regular flushing and average salinities range from 33 to 35 †° (Ishman 1997). Water flow characteristics in this region are also determined by a network of drainage canals used for agricultural and industrial purposes. These canals also function to control flooding, which has greatly altered the distribution of freshwater within the watershed, as well as the quantity, quality, and timing of freshwater discharges to Biscayne Bay (Wang et al. 2003). This has led to greater pulses with larger peak discharges in the wet season and less freshwater reaching Biscayne Bay in the dry season due to reduced terrestrial storage and lowered groundwater levels (Wang et al. 2003). Increased runoff not only affects salinity conditions in coastal waters, but also can be a mechanism for increased nutrient loading (Rudnick et al. 2006). There exists a coastal ridge, bisecting the Bay, which acts as a groundwater divide, with water west of the ridge flowing toward Florida Bay. The outputs of freshwater from the canals have punctured massive holes through the ridge, changing the d irection and characteristics of the flow, and the qualities of the watershed (Wang et al. 2003). This region also is characterized by large coverage of submerged aquatic vegetation such as seagrasses, and wide availability of phytoplankton, microalgal and macroalgal species. Florida Bay is approximately 2000 km2 in total surface area, with 95% bottom coverage of seagrasses, characterized by sparse, patchy beds of Thalassia testudinum interspersed with locally abundant Halodule wrightii (Fourqurean and Robblee 1999). However, in the spring of 1991, Florida Bay exhibited a shift from a system characterized by clear water to one of extensive and persistent turbidity and phytoplankton blooms, which limits the ability of the seagrass to grow and function properly by reducing penetration of light in the water column (Fourqurean and Robblee 1999). This seagrass die-off was not accompanied or preceded by noticeable decreases in water clarity or increases in colonization by epiphytes, however. There were many hypothesized causes for this die-off which include hypoxia and sulfide toxicity , the loss of the estuarine nature of the system, overdevelopment of the seagrass beds, chronic hypersal