THE EVOLUTION OF THE US WHEAT INDUSTRY Essay Example For Students

THE EVOLUTION OF THE US WHEAT INDUSTRY Essay The US wheat industry demonstrates how integration across the food chain can raise efficiency. At the beginning of the century, it was much like what India is today. It was fragmented, with a proliferation of small regional markets. There was no standard grading system; each state had its own informal grades. Farmers, although large, were exploited by traders, who often bought wheat at low prices by claiming that it was poor or that demand was weak. The storage, handling, and transport infrastructure was limited. The result was high intermediary margins, a dearth of accurate market signals to producers, waste, and low processing yields. Today, however, the US industry is the benchmark for efficiency in grain processing and procurement. Its farmers produce 36 bushels per acre, one of the highest yields in the world, and its millers achieve flour extraction levels of 75 percent. We will write a custom essay on THE EVOLUTION OF THE US WHEAT INDUSTRY specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Its average waste level of 2 percent is the lowest in the world, and well ahead of the 8 to 11 percent in India.Large, integrated grain processors such as Cargill and Archer Daniel Midland (ADM) played a central role in this transformation. They have influenced all parts of the chain agricultural inputs, agricultural production, procurement, and processing and in so doing have been able to build profitability in a low-margin business. Agricultural inputs Cargill has developed high-yielding seed varieties that are resistant to disease and pests, raising productivity and reducing the need for agrochemicals. Agricultural production Large, integrated processors have established joint ventures with farmers cooperatives and provided marketing support, access to credit, and extension services. ADM, for example, works with Growmark, a cooperative of 175,000 farmers, to encourage them to use better seed varieties and improve farming practices. Procurement Integrated companies have invested in upstream infrastructure to streamline procurement. ADM owns almost 200 grain elevators in which grain is stored according to moisture content, grade, and dockage (impurities). The elevators allow incoming streams of wheat to be blended to achieve uniformity of grade and functional characteristics. ADM also owns almost 1,900 barges, 800 trucks, and 130,000 railcars for the rapid movement of grain. All loading and unloading is done using pneumatic blowers. Investment in infrastructure enables companies like ADM to achieve waste levels as low as 1 to 2 percent. Integrated companies have also influenced grain marketing. They played a key role in the development of grading systems and the standardization of grades in 1916. They have since provided continuous feedback to government agencies to ensure grading systems have kept pace with changes in grain production. They have also been important in the development of grain trading markets, which have helped stabilize grain prices and assisted the industry in managing risk. Processing Finally, these companies have influenced processing by raising yields. Continuous improvement in milling technology has pushed extraction rates as high as 75 percent, while process controls have enabled millers consistently to produce more than ten types of flour. This not only means that the market grows and consumers are more satisfied, but also results in better returns to farmers. Wheat farmers in the United States get 92 percent of the delivered mill price, compared with 70 percent for their Indian counterparts.

To Hell With Dying essays

To Hell With Dying essays In the picture book To Hell with Dying by Alice Walker, the narrator and her sibling were loyal companions to their elderly neighbor Mr. Sweet. Walkers use of point of view, setting, characters, themes, and figurative language help the story evolve. Walker writes this short story in first person point of view. The narrator, a now more matured woman, reminisces on her childhood memories of the revivals of Mr. Sweet but then towards the end she begins to talk about the present day and her attempt to save Mr. Sweet once again. The young girl is the narrator and protagonist in the story. The point of view affects the story because the reader cannot understand the pleasure that the children bring into Mr. Sweets somewhat meaningless life. With having the girl narrate the story, the reader is unable to detect her siblings emotional reaction to Mr. Sweet. Each characters outlook on a certain situation is vital to the overall story but the reader does not get that in Walkers story. The reader does not get any background information on any of the characters hence the characters are flat. The only character that is semi-round is Mr. Sweet because the reader learns about his alcoholism, diabetes, ambitions, and musical skills with the guitar. The protagonist is a girl in her early to mid twenties. The antagonist is her elderly neighbor, Mr. Sweet Little. The narrator of the story is a young, vibrant girl who doesnt really understand why and the important of reviving Mr. Sweet. The girl is very observant to Mr. Sweets ungrown-up like behaviors when he is with her and her siblings. She also noticed, how much [he] depended on her when she would participate in the revivals. The girls main purpose in the story is to help revive Mr. Sweet from the deathbed by kissing and tickling him all over with her other siblings keeping him company. The reader...

Geomorphology Lab 2 Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Geomorphology 2 - Lab Report Example Even though there was not difference observed, the ages given by radiocarbon dating were a bit unrealistic. The radiocarbon age-based sedimentation rate is considered unrealistic and cannot relied upon because of the fluctuations witnessed in the rate of production of carbon 14 at the top of the atmosphere. This carbon 14, older and young changes the apparent age of the samples. It is this time range because it gives an â€Å"age plateau† whereby a wide span of real time is covered. The significant effect occurs at this point because of the combination of large influx of 14C-depleted, carbon from the oceans, and decrease in the rate of 14C production from the atmosphere causes the â€Å"age plateau† 3. What is the percentage change in the sedimentation rate from radio-carbon age based sedimentation and calibrated age-based sedimentation? Why is the radiocarbon age-based sedimentation rate not realistic? However, the radiocarbon age-based sedimentation rate is considered unrealistic and cannot relied upon because of the fluctuations witnessed in the rate of production of carbon 14 at the top of the atmosphere. This carbon 14, older and young, changes the apparent age of the samples. 4. Note that the sedimentation rate declined 10000 to 8000 years ago. Can you provide an environmental factor (e.g climate, vegetation uplift, etc) and process-based source-to-sink explanation as this why occurred? Climate is a major environmental factor, which may have contributed to the sedimentation decline. As the result of aridity witnessed during this period, the amount of sediment transported and deposited decline. Rain is an important factor, given water is used in the transportation of the

M, a 72 year-old widow with neprohritic syndrome Assignment

M, a 72 year-old widow with neprohritic syndrome - Assignment Example Multiple substances such as, water, urea, creatinine, uremic toxins, and drugs move from the blood into the dialysate, thus facilitating removal from the blood. Solutes are transported across the membrane by either passive diffusion or ultrafiltration. M also received 7 sessions of Plasma Exchange. Plasma Exchange is a procedure in which blood is separated into different parts: red cells, white cell, platelets and plasma. The plasma is removed from the blood and a plasma substitute replaced. M had chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is the treatment which uses anti-cancer drugs to kill cancer (Myeloma) cells. Myeloma is the cancer that affects cells in the bone marrow called plasma cells leading to damage to the kidney. Haemodialysis and Plasma Exchange will correct M's blood chemistry and therefore relieve her present symptoms. M is hypertensive due to fluid overload or as a result of the failure of the kidneys. The Management of M's hypertension will have the highest priority. As Redmond and McClelland (2006) noted prompt recognition and treatment of hypertension are essential because cardiovascular disease including coronary artery disease, atherosclerosis, stroke and left ventricular hypertrophy are the most common cause of death in patients with kidney disease. Risk reduction measures to prevent cardiovascular disease may delay the progression of kidney disease (in ARF or is the effect here Reno protective). ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are the drug of choice (Thomas 2004); however deterioration in renal function may follow initiation of treatment with these medications (DOH 2005, BNF 2006). Since hypertension can have deleterious effects on both cardiovascular and kidney functions, the long-term protection provided by ACE inhibitors (or ARBs) out weighs the risk they pose (Th omas 2004) (this is for ERF is it the same for ARF - CHECK). Because acute renal failure is a catabolic state, the patient can become nutritionally deficient. Total caloric intake should be 30 to 45 kcal (126 to 189 kJ) per kg per day, most of which should come from a combination of carbohydrates and lipids. In patients who are not receiving dialysis, protein intake should be restricted to 0.6 g per kg per day. Patients who are receiving dialysis should have a protein intake of 1 to 1.5 g per kg per day (Agrawal 2000). Hyperphosphatemia The patient has hyperphosphatemia. Phosphate is normally excreted by the kidney and phosphate retention and hyperphosphatemia may occur in ARF. Phosphate - binding agents may be used to retain phosphate ion in the gut. The most common agent is calcicihew, although M is on this drug she needs education on when to take the tablets or maybe increase the dosage. Uremia Caloric intake shou

It is a summary, so i don't know which better topic could be. please Essay

It is a summary, so i don't know which better topic could be. please write the best, thanks - Essay Example edge over the then available coloring products since it penetrated the scalp, and nourished the hair along with dying it, and Gelb later introduced the single-step coloring process called Miss Clairol Hair Color Bath. With the release of Miss Clairol, the number of women opting for hair dying increased drastically. Polykoff, the model advertising the Miss Clairol Hair Color Bath, had to select the ad very prudently, but still some controversies arose particularly because of fact that Gelb’s product could be applied at home personally came as a threat to the salons’ business. The company’s objective was to sell the product without causing any damage to the hairdressers’ status along with emphasizing upon the automaticity of the product to sell it. Miss Clair not only portrayed the image of a new woman, but also inspired many companies to open as its competitors, that are known as some of the most reputable brands

Acupuncture for Chronic Headache in Primary Care

Acupuncture for Chronic Headache in Primary Care Research Critique Introduction Research involves the use of systematic procedures to answer an inquiry. It involves data collection, synthesis and analysis in the light of the question or inquiry; and formulation of conclusions and recommendations, (Badke, 2004). General types of research include experimental studies which â€Å"are used to test the effect of a treatment or intervention†, (Peat, 2001, p. 16). Clinical trails fall under the broad category of experimental trials. Clinical trials are controlled experiments with patients, which range from â€Å"studies to prevent, detect, diagnose, control and treat health problems to studies of the psychological impact of a health problem and ways to improve people’s health, comfort, functioning, and quality of life†, (Brooten, 2006, p.86). Generally, clinical trials can be categorised into either randomised trials or non-randomised trials. This paper will try to evaluate the scientific research conducted by Vickers and colleagues (2004), entitled: Acupuncture for chronic headache in primary care: large, pragmatic, randomised trial, which was published on 15 March 2004 at the British Medical Journal. This particular topic was selected due to its relevance to this field of study. Numerous insights from this field of study and valuable best practice information in quantitative research methods can be gained from undertaking this critiquing task. This critique will be carried out using the research framework for critiquing health research formulated by Caldwell and co-workers (2005), which provides a comprehensive set of criteria against which the elements of the research article by Vickers and colleagues (2004) can be appropriately measured. This paper will first evaluate the overview of the study, including the abstract, literature review and the methodology used. Next, it will critically analyse issues concerning resear ch ethics, data protection and research funding. Then, it will evaluate the reliability, validity of the research results, including the sampling methods employed. It will then identify the specific strengths and weaknesses of the research article. Finally, the concluding judgement about the research article will be presented. Below are the definitions of selected important terms used in the research article: Acupuncture – pertains to the â€Å"technique of traditional Chinese medicine, in which a number of very fine metal needles are inserted into the skin at specially designated points†, (â€Å"Acupuncture†, 2007). ANCOVA – stands for ‘analysis of covariance’ which is a statistical treatment that combines analysis of variance (ANOVA) and regression; whereby â€Å"the predictable component of the individual differences can be removed with regression analysis†, (Anderson, 2001, p. 283). Chronic – â€Å"all impairments or deviations from normal that have one or more of the following characteristics: are permanent; leave residual disability; are caused by nonreversible pathological alteration; require special training of the patient for rehabilitation; or may be expected to require a long period of supervision, observation or care†, (Sidell, 1997, p. 1) Negative binomial regression – â€Å"is one of a class of mixed Poisson models that mix a second source of variance with the Poisson variance to account for overdispersion†, (Cohen, et al., 2003, p. 531). Outcome measures – â€Å"reflect patient health status at either the individual or the aggregate (population) level†, (Stommel Wills, 2004, p. 234). Randomised trial A randomised trial is a clinical trial that pertains to â€Å"an experiment in which therapies under investigation are allocated by a chance mechanism†, (Brooten, 2006, p.86). Sham Treatment – is the experimental treatment that â€Å"has no effect and which subjects cannot distinguish from the active treatment â€Å"(Peat, 2001, p. 20). Critical Analysis In March 15, 2004, the BMJ Publishing Group Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Medical Association, published the research article in its medical journal, the British Medical Journal (BMJ). Its â€Å"print BMJ has been published continuously since 1840, and now appears in four weekly editions, varying only in their advertising content. Together, their circulation totals about 122 000 copies, of which 10 000 are distributed outside Britain†, (BMJ, undated). Its website provides â€Å"the full text of everything published in the print journal since 1994, as well as much material unique to the web†, (BMJ, undated).These make the BMJ Publishing Group Ltd. an influential and authoritative source of medical articles. The authors are recognized medical practitioners with different fields of specialisations. Andrew Vickers is an assistant attending research methodologist at the Integrative Medicine Service, Biostatistics Service, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York; Rebecca Rees is a research officer at the Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Co-ordinating Centre (EPPI-Centre), Social Science Research Unit in London; Catherine E Zollman is a general medical practitioner from Montpelier Health Centre in Bristol; Rob McCarney is a research officer at the Department of Psychological Medicine, Imperial College in London; Nadia Ellis is lecturer Department of Health and Social Sciences, Coventry University in Coventry; and both Peter Fisher, who is the director of research and Robbert Van Haselen who works as the deputy director of research are from Royal London Homeopathic Hospital. Thus, based on their qualifications, the authors have the credibility, needed knowledge and e xpertise to engage in an extensive scientific study such as the article being evaluated. The article is appropriately titled as Acupuncture for chronic headache in primary care: large, pragmatic, randomised trial, since it essentially focussed on the effectiveness of the use of acupuncture to relieve chronic headache. Moreover, the title expressly implies that the methodology utilizes a large sample in the randomised trial. The abstract appears to be concise and complete. In a few paragraphs, the essential research components were summarised in the abstract, namely: (1) the research objective; (2) setting; (3) participants; (4) interventions; (5) main outcome measures; (6) results; and (7) conclusions. The abstract provides the complete key information that the readers need to fully understand the article. The introduction explained the health costs related to headache, which is the main topic of the article, including the need to apply other approaches in its treatment, particularly, acupuncture. The introduction also provides the main aim or rationale of the study, whi ch was: â€Å"to estimate the effects of acupuncture in practice† in general; and â€Å"to determine the effects of a policy of ‘use acupuncture’ on headache, health status, days off sick, and use of resources in patients with chronic headache compared with a policy of avoid acupuncture†, in particular, (Vickers et al., 2004). However, the literature review was limited to only one source of published work – the Cochrane review of 26 randomised trials. This would be very insufficient in terms of the extent of evaluating available sources of information related to the topic of the study. Moreover, it does not provide a comprehensive evaluation of scholarly work from which the rationale of the study could be based. The study is a quantitative research, since the data obtained are represented in the form of numbers and statistical treatment was employed to interpret the data gathered (Grinnell Unrau, 2005, p. 62). Despite the lack of implicit statement of the hypothesis, the audience or reader can obtain a general notion or idea of what is being tested (the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of chronic headache). However, the variables were not clearly defined. Nevertheless, the procedures employed in the methodology were intricate and systematic. The participants were clearly identified and adequately described in the study. In the accrual of patients, several stages were established to facilitate the flow and recruitment of participants. Figure 1 in the appendix illustrates the flow of participants in the study. Moreover, ethical principles were upheld during the conduct of participant recruitment. Since most legal instruments expressly prohibit the use of human subjects for medica l research, the researchers obtained written informed consent from the participants. The researchers implemented a system to ensure randomization of the study through a ‘password protected database’, thereby eliminating the potential for bias and subsequently improving the quality of the results. As Peat (2001, p. 28), explains: â€Å" in randomised controlled trials, the quality of the evidence is improved if measurement bias, such as observer or reporting bias, is reduced by using objective outcome measurements and if observers are blinded to the group status of the subjects. The method of data collection proves to be valid and reliable, as evidenced by the relatively high number of treatments (12 treatments) employed over a sufficient length of time (3 months). Moreover, a follow-up procedure was implemented to generate â€Å"a global estimate of current and baseline headache severity†, (Vickers, et al., 2004). This further enhanced the validity of the results. The large sample size helped ensure the reliability of the results. Additionally, t he use of measurable outcomes such as the Likert scale of headache severity helped eliminate bias by extending common measurement criteria for the respondents. The article correlated its results with the findings in â€Å"prior literature on acupuncture†, (Vickers, et al., 2004), suggesting a high degree of validity of results generated. The presentation of results was systematic and at the same time, clear and comprehensive. The results portion explained the process of participant recruitment including the flow of participants through the trial, patient compliance and dropout rate and their characteristics. It also provided a clear explanation of data that were obtained with accompanying tables and graphs. Thus, the audience can easily comprehend the results obtained. In the discussion, the results generated were translated into the main findings of the study which were stated in a clear, yet simple manner. Moreover, the strengths and the limitations were identified and discussed clearly. The strengths of the research article are anchored on its methodology, such as in the recruitment of participants with a large sample size, the implementation of a system to conceal the randomization and the meticulous follow-up procedure one year after the experiment. Such procedures helped ensure that the research findings are reliable and valid. On the other hand, one of the limitations of the study is the absence of sham acupuncture for the participants, thereby failing to consider the potential placebo effects. Additionally, the participants were not blinded in the study; thereby raising the possibility of bias in terms of the participants’ assessments of their headache scores. In terms of the literature review, the article failed to provide an objective evaluation of a sufficient body of literature related to the topic of the research. Thus, it failed to address the gaps in knowledge related to acupuncture and chronic headache due to the lack of an extensive evaluation o f available literature. Conclusion In the final analysis, the research article serves as an additional source of authoritative and credible information regarding the use of acupuncture for the relief of chronic headache. The findings of the study strongly support available scientific evidence. The weaknesses of the research article discussed above can serve as important considerations for researchers who are planning to engage in a similar undertaking – they must evaluate a substantial body of literature to gain insight into the currently available information and subsequently identify knowledge gaps. Moreover, future randomised clinical studies in acupuncture should include a sham treatment to be able to consider potential placebo effects; and blinding of participants must be observed to eliminate bias. Bibliography Acupuncture. (2007). In The Columbia Encyclopedia (6th ed.). New York: Columbia University Press. Anderson, N.H., 2001. Empirical Direction in Design and Analysis. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Badke, W.B., 2004. Research strategies: Finding your way through the information fog. (Second Edition). New York: iUniverse, Inc. British Medical Journal. Undated. Available from: http://resources.bmj.com/bmj/about-bmj. [Accessed: 18 April, 2008]. Brooten, D., 2006. Clinical Trails. In: Encyclopedia of Nursing Research (Second Edition). Joyce Fitzpatrick and Wallace, J.J., (Eds). New York: Springer Publishing Company. Caldwell, K., Henshaw, L., Taylor, G., 2005. Developing a framework for critiquing health research. Journal of Health, Social and Environmental Issues, 6(1), 45-54. Cohen, J., Cohen, P., West, S.G. and Aiken, L.S., 2003. Applied Multiple Regression / Correlation Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. Grinnell, R. M., Unrau, Y. A., (Eds.), 2005. Social Work Research and Evaluation: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches (7th ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. Peat, J. K. (Ed.), 2001. Health Science Research: A Handbook of Quantitative Methods. Crows Nest, N.S.W.: Allen Unwin. Sidell, N. L. , 1997. Adult Adjustment to Chronic Illness: A Review of the Literature. Health and Social Work, 22(1), 5+. Stommels, M., Wills, C.E., 2004. Clinical Research: Concepts and Principles for Advanced Practice Nurses. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins Vickers, A.J., Rees, R., Zollman, C.E., McCarney, R., Smith, C.M., Ellis, N., Fisher, P., 2004. Acupuncture for chronic headache in primary care: large, pragmatic, randomised trial. Available from: http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/328/7442/744. [Accessed: 15 April 2008]. Appendix Figure 1Flow of Participants Through the Trial Source: Vickers, et al., 2004

F. Scott Fitzgerald :: essays research papers

F. Scott Fitzgerald F. Scott Fitzgerald is in many ways one of the most important American writers of the twentieth century. In his first novel, This Side of Paradise, Fitzgerald epitomized the mindset of an era with the statement that his generation had, "grown up to find all Gods dead, all wars fought, and all faiths in man shaken†¦"(Fitzgerald 307). Aside from being a major literary voice of the twenties and thirties, Fitzgerald was also among "The Lost Generation’s" harshest and most insightful social critics. In his classic novel The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald blatantly criticized the immorality, materialism, and hedonism which characterized the lifestyles of America’s bourgeois during the nineteen-twenties. Collectively, Fitzgerald’s novels and short stories provide some of the best insight into the lifestyles of the rich during America’s most prosperous era, while simultaneously examining major literary themes such as disillus ionment, coming of age, and the corruption of the American Dream. The life of F. Scott Fitzgerald is marked by as much, if not more, romanticism and tragedy than his novels. Throughout Fitzgerald’s life, he unsuccessfully battled alcoholism, depression, and himself, in a quest for both personal and literary identity. At the age of twenty-three, Fitzgerald published his first novel, This Side of Paradise, to critical raves and unimaginable economic success. Shortly after the publishing of this novel, Fitzgerald was able to coerce Zelda Sayre into marriage. This marriage is manifestly the most significant event of his life—eventually, Zelda would not only expedite, but essentially, cause the personal and literary downfall of Fitzgerald. Upon marriage, and also coinciding with the pinnacle of Fitzgerald’s fame, Scott and Zelda began living a life of wasteful extravagance that was often characterized by recklessly drunken behavior. In order to maintain this lifestyl e, Fitzgerald was forced to put aside working on novels, and focus his creative efforts on penning lucrative, but by no means extraordinary, short stories. Throughout their marriage, Zelda put constant economic, as well as, emotional strains on Fitzgerald. She encouraged his short story writing, as well as his drinking, and was continually swaying his focus from writing to socializing. Also, Zelda’s eventual mental breakdown triggered Scott’s own series of nervous breakdowns. Because of these factors, Zelda is often considered the prime instigator of Fitzgerald’s literary and personal declines. Yet in spite of Zelda’s overtly negative influence on Fitzgerald, he continued to love his wife to the day he died.