Marriott at Myanmar Essay Example for Free

Marriott at Myanmar Essay This report is prepared to be the first document evaluating Myanmar’s attractiveness for consideration of establishing Marriott Hotels and Resorts in this country. The best location for the hotel is chosen to be the city called Yangon since it offers a wide variety of activities for travelers with different interests. Yangon Marriott Hotels and Resorts will be attracted to upscale visitors who wish to stay in a luxury, five-star hotel with exceptional service quality, while enjoying the beauty of the country. The target groups of customers are not limited only to local high income Burmese, but also foreign visitors who come on a business or vacation purposes in Myanmar. Myanmar is a resource-rich country with a lot of unseen and attractive destinations. If developed properly, the country has a high potential for growth in the tourism industry in the future. However, due to the high level of risks of its cultural, economical and political systems, this country is considered not attractive enough to operate the luxury brand hospitality business under Marriott name. Strained relationship with the U. S government and the European Union also makes it more difficult for an international brand like Marriott to establish a new business in this country. II. Overview Summary Information A. Key information regarding demographics of the target country The Union of Myanmar, previously called Burma, occupies the largest geographical area in the mainland Southeast Asia. From North to South, three parallel chains of mountain ranges divide the country into three river systems and create various topographic regions. It shares national borders with several countries: China on the north, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, and India on the northwest, with the Bay of Bengal to the southwest. The country achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1948. The population of Myanmar, approximately 54 million people, is highly diverse. There are eight major ethnic groups, which can be subdivided into 135 ethnic minorities. The official language is Burmese; however, several native languages are also spoken. English is usually spoken, particularly by the educated urban elites, and is the secondary language learnt in government schools. Eighty percent of Burmese population is Buddhist, prevalent in Theravada sect. The military government has officially relocated the capital of the country from Yangon to Naypyidaw in March 2006. III. Business History A. History of the company Marriott International, Inc. is a leading worldwide operator and franchisor of a range of value and luxury hotels and related lodging facilities. Nowadays, Marriott International has about 3,150 lodging properties located in the United States and 67 other countries and territories. Its operations are grouped into five business segments, which are full-service lodging, select service lodging, extended-stay lodging, timeshare, and synthetic fuel. Marriott International was formed in 1993 when Marriott Corporation split into two companies: Marriott International and Host Marriott Corporation. The company is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland. B. Products/services offered and their unique advantage in the target markets The Marriott has become one of the world’s leading hospitality business operators from its excellent quality, service, and value. Throughout the Asia-Pacific region, its brand name has continuously led the company to the consistent growth in Marriott properties in many countries such as China, Japan, Singapore, and Thailand. Each Marriott hotel differentiates itself with exceptional amenities, individualized attention to guests, and careful reflection of local surroundings. As the business expands worldwide, Marriott brand gains a high level of brand loyalty from its guests. This large customer base will help facilitate the business when the brand enters to new-oversea markets. IV. Business Activity A. Industry structure, competition in the country and current economy of the target country Even though the number of travelers visiting Myanmar is very low, tourism is considered the country’s major source for foreign exchange. Burmese government has been trying to promote their tourism industry to outsiders. They launched the campaign of ‘Visit Myanmar Year’ in 1996. After that, according to the Statistics from Ministry of Hotels Tourism, the number of tourist arrivals has been increased. However, this increasing number could not retain on a continuous basis due to the country’s uncertainty and instability in many areas that made people feel uncomfortable visiting Myanmar. Myanmar’s economy is currently mixed and primarily based on agricultural activities, including livestock, fisheries, and forestry. This sector accounts for 50 percent of the country’s overall GDP. The country also possesses several kinds of valuable natural resources, including intensely fertile soil, offshore oil, and gas deposit. It is also the world’s largest exporter of teak and precious stones such as jade, pearls, rubies, and sapphires. Since late 1988, Myanmar moved toward more market-oriented economy. It changed its centrally planned economy to be more liberalized, both in domestic and international trade. The role of private sector was promoted, and foreign direct investment was welcomed. Despite such efforts, Myanmar is still considered the poorest country among the Southeast Asian nations. Although tourist industry has a high potential for growth in the future, it still remains underdeveloped. This is because mismanagement from the military government’s control, ineffective and inefficient policies, poor infrastructures, together with the country’s bad international image have drawn the whole country to the state of underdevelopment. Moreover, since the late 1990s, Myanmar’s economy has worsened due to economic sanctions from many countries such as the European Union, Canada, and the U. S. Foreign investments usually come from China, Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand. V. Market Research A. Market conditions in target country 1. Existing demand There are several reasons why Myanmar should be a good place in consideration for new investment opportunity. The country has vast and virtually untapped natural resources. To this day, Myanmar remains one of the most mysterious and undiscovered destinations in the world. The country seems appealing to many tourists around the world due to its unseen attractions with regard to cultures, history, and natural beauty. There has been an increasing demand from outside the country, especially from those travelers who wish to discover this resource-rich country. Myanmar is viewed as a good destination for people who want to have an exotic adventure, beach vacation, and mountain experience. In addition, advocates supporting Burmese tourist claim that it is the only method to help Burmese poor citizen to have a better standard of living and avoid isolating the country from the rest of the world. Another important issue needed to be pointed out is the message from the leader of Myanmar’s opposition National League of Democracy. Aung San Suu Kyi has in the past asked foreign tourists not to visit the country, as this helps increase the military junta’s power. This is one of the reasons why some people do not want to visit the country. 2. Competition After the Burmese government opened the country to promote several industries, tourism started to develop in Myanmar. Nowadays, there are approximately 500 hotels and guesthouses throughout the country. In Yangon alone, there are only six luxury hotels and approximately 20 moderate and economy hotels. Among those luxury hotels, none of them is operated under the recognized global hotel-chain companies. Most of the hotels are run by local Burmese people or businessmen from neighboring countries such as China, Singapore and Thailand. Therefore, competition in Myanmar’s tourism industry has not reached the intense level yet. VI. Potential Difficulties or Restriction A. Entry requirement The Government of Myanmar posts some restrictions on foreign investors wishing to do business in the country. In order to establish and operate under contractual agreement or partnership, foreign entity must submit all proposals to the Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) and get approved under the Foreign Investment Law (FIL). Foreign investors can set up their business either in the form of a wholly-owned subsidiary or a joint venture with any partners: an individual, private company, a cooperative society or a state-owned enterprise. In all joint ventures, the minimum equity required from the foreign party is 35 percent. Moreover, the minimum amount of capital requirement to be eligible under the Foreign Investment Law is set to be US $500,000 for an industry, but US$300,000 for a service organization. Tourism industry is one of many sectors allowed under the Foreign Investment Law. Rather than the initial investment requirement, Myanmar also has commercial tax of ten percent levied on service of operation of hotels. B. Intellectual property issues Intellectual property is one important issue that prevents many oversea businesses from entering to Myanmar. The country has a negative outlook on its control with regard to this matter. Myanmar is considered having poor, maybe poorest, intellectual property right laws by the outside world. Marriott brand could be jeopardized since Myanmar’s legislation alone may not be able to protect the ownership of the company’s trademark. In the past, there was an evident showing that some local businesses were registered by using the existing international trademarks or trade name, and that prevented the original owners to register their own names and run the business in this country. VII. Cultural Issues A. Religion and its role in the society Since most Burmese people are Buddhist of Theravada stream, Buddhism has greatly influenced the standards of etiquette in the country. Their core religious belief is karma, the concept that good fathers good and bad fathers bad. This core belief has reflected in almost every aspect in everyday life; however, it does not play a significant role in doing business in this country. With basic knowledge of Burmese culture and custom, foreigners would find it easy to live with the local people. B. Special cultural issues For employer and employee relationship, Burmese employees are hardworking and loyal to their bosses. In return, an employer is expected to give help when in times of need. Such help can be the advice given for personal problems or loan granted in a financial crisis. As in all Asian countries, Myanmar respect people older than them. Therefore, in order to avoid friction in workplace, subordinates should be working under an older supervisor. Friendship, trust, and honesty are valued in a business relationship. Favors received, such as introducing a potential client or supplying a reference, must be repaid at a future time. For the first time in a business meeting, details of the project may not be discussed. Instead, the meeting may be spent evaluating each other’s personality and business strengths and weaknesses. In general, Myanmar business people find it easier to deal with Asians than Westerners. C. Business cultural issues In recent years, both China and India have attempted to strengthen ties with the Burmese government for economic benefits. This situation indicates that relationship with the military government could help smooth out the process or get the deals more easily. Personal relationship is considered one of the key components that could determine the success of the business. Foreign business will be more likely to succeed if the foreign entity can tie with a local partner, ultimately the Burmese government. According to Asian Journal of Political Science, â€Å"all post-colonial Myanmar governments and the business community benefited from their clientelistic networks. Without the help of government officials, many business firms would have gone under quickly; at the same time, without the assistance of business people, it would have been hard for most post-colonial Myanmar governments to keep themselves in power. It is very clear that government-business relations cannot simply be reduced to a zero-sum game. Certain interactions between the military government and the business community were mutually empowering†. Corruption is systemic at all levels of the Government and society. From Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, â€Å"It is considered by economists and businesspersons to be one of the most serious barriers to investment and doing business in the country. A Byzantine and capricious regulatory environment fostered corruption. † VIII. Service Operation A. Location of service facilities The best location that Marriott Hotels and Resorts could be is in the city called Yangon. Yangon, previously known as Rangoon, is one of the most popular areas for foreign visitors and is considered the gateway to Myanmar. It is the largest and former capital of the country. Even though the city is no longer the capital, Yangon continues to be the most important commercial center of Myanmar. This relatively simple city is attractive in its own particular way. Yangon has earned the name ‘the Garden City of the East’ since it is green and cool with lush of tropical trees, shady parks, and beautiful lakes. The city offers a wide variety of activities for visitors such as diving, cultures, and ecotourism. Therefore, this city has a potential to attract a lot of travelers with different interests. B. Service modification necessary to adapt to local environment Since one of Marriott’s strength lies in its careful reflection of local surroundings, Marriott Hotels and Resorts built in Yangon should hold the same principle. Yangon Marriott Hotels and Resorts should combine the city’s natural beauty of its history, culture and scenery while offering the unique luxury standards. Destination hotels and resorts type might be an appropriate alternative for Marriott in Yangon. The destination resort should be located in the Yangon area with noteworthy natural features, plus an urban setting. IX. Personnel Strategies A. Employment restriction Myanmar has active labor force of about 20 million. They are fairly trained manpower and skilled labor with relatively low cost comparing to other neighboring countries. There is only 23 percent of the overall population working in the service industry; however, these Burmese people are considered hospitable due to the fact that they are generally honest and kind. However, due to the country’s poor infrastructure, Burmese people are not provided with good education. Their skills might not be good enough to fit in Marriott’s high standards of hospitality service. Therefore, it seems necessary for Marriott to provide training sessions to improve their hospitality skills. B. Expatriate issues Since Marriott ties the brand image with its superb service quality, it is vital that Yangon Marriott Hotels and Resorts are equipped with talented management team. Marriott International Inc. might need to import managers from oversea to run the Myanmar operations in order to ensure that Marriott’s core business practice is followed everywhere. This issue brings about big challenge since it will not be easy to find the talented people who will be willing to work in a country with high uncertainty and instability in many aspects on a voluntary basis. Marriott International Inc. might need to provide them with high enough incentives to encourage them to accept this assignment. Nevertheless, under the Foreign Investment Law, Myanmar allows the employment of foreign experts and technicians. Required manpower can be recruited through Township Labor Offices. X. Risks A. Government stability The most important risk exposed in Myanmar deals with its political issue. For the past 40 years, Myanmar has been ruled by the military government or junta, in which the power is centered. The State Peace and Development Council, or SPDC, maintains strict authoritarian rule over the people of Myanmar. The country has a reputation abroad for brutally crushing political dissent, as in the case of house arrests of Aung San Suu Kyi. According to the information from the articles Foreign relations of Burma and Military of Burma, â€Å"Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy won a landslide victory in the countrys election of 1990; however, the military which has controlled Myanmar (Burma) for decades refused to transition the country to civilian democratic rule. For her part, Aung San Suu Kyi has spent most of the last decade under house arrest for her political efforts. In 1991, Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize while still under house arrest. † This case brings about the global awareness and concern on the country’s political abuse and human right violation. B. Legal risk The country also completely lacks of regulatory and legal transparency. â€Å"All existing regulations, including those covering foreign investments, are subject to change with no advance or written notice at the whim of the regime’s ruling general. Myanmar does not accept International Court of Justice. C. Economic risk Myanmar’s economy suffers from serious macroeconomic imbalance. The country’s money currency is called Kyat, which is not stable at all. Volatility happens on a weekly basis. The Kyat is not convertible. This severe situation includes rising inflation, fiscal deficits, and multiple official exchange rates that overvalue the Burmese Kyat. A major banking crisis in 2003 also contributed a large negative impact on the overall disrupted economy. XI. Potential Benefits A. Market potential As already mentioned, Myanmar is one of resourceful countries that have high potential for future growth in tourism industry. The country offers all traditional delights of Asia in one country. If developed properly, the country’s tourism can become one of the world’s famous tourist destinations. Seeing this opportunity, Marriott brand can expand globally throughout the Asian Pacific region. Now Marriott brand has its hotel chains in Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam in this Asia Pacific region. B. Incentive from local government Myanmar’s Foreign Investment Law provides a lot of incentives to foreign investors in the form of tariff and taxes. The business will be granted a tax exemption for three consecutive years beginning the first year of operation. The country also provides the relief from income tax on profit reinvested within one year. Myanmar guarantees that the business permitted under FIL will be protected from being nationalized during the granted period. C. Relationship to the United States However, according to Bureau of Democracy Human Right and Labor, â€Å"the US and Burmese relation has been worsened after the 1988 military coup and violent suppression of pro-democracy demonstration. Subsequent repression, including the brutal crackdown on peaceful protestors in September 2007, further strained the relationship. † â€Å"In addition, since May 1997, the U. S. Government has prohibited new investment by U. S. persons or entities. A number of U. S. companies exited the Burma market even prior to the imposition of sanctions due to a worsening business climate and mounting criticism from human rights groups, consumers, and shareholders. The United States has also imposed countermeasures on Burma due to its inadequate measures to eliminate money laundering. † As a result of the above fact, it seems inappropriate for Marriott to enter Myanmar at this moment. Since Marriott is a U. S. based company, the company could run into a big conflict with the U. S. government, which could have a seriously negative impact on its hotel operations around the world.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Engineering Essay

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Engineering Essay Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are a class of device which make conversion of electrochemical fuel to electricity with negligible pollution[1]. SOFCs have two major configurations: flat planar and tubular and the SOFCs system consists of a stack that is made of many unit cells. Each unit cell is composed of two porous electrodes, a solid ceramic electrolyte and interconnects. Unlike other fuel cells, the SOFCs conduct oxygen ions from the cathode to the anode through the electrolyte, and hydrogen or carbon monoxide reacts with the oxygen ions in the anode[2]. The materials of anode and cathode have different requirements; the anode should withstand a very reducing high temperature environment whilst the cathode has to survive a very oxidising high temperature environment[3]. Among all the important fuel cells under development, the solid oxide fuel cells operate at the highest operating temperature, typically between 600 and 1000à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™[4]. So the SOFCs has also been called the third-generation fuel cell technology because it was expected to be put into application widely after the commercialisation of Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cells (PAFCs) (the first generation) and Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells (MCFCs) (the second generation)[2]. The solid oxide fuel cell is composed of all solid components with the electrolyte acting as an oxide ion conductor and operating at high temperature (~1000à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™) in order to ensure adequate ionic and electronic conductivity for the cell components[5]. 1.1.1 SOFC Advantages and Disadvantages SOFCs have a number of advantages due to their solid materials and high operating temperature. Since all the components are solid, as a result, there is no need for electrolyte loss maintenance and also electrode corrosion is eliminated[6]. Since SOFCs are operated at high temperature, expensive catalysts such as platinum or ruthenium are totally avoided[2, 6]. Also because of high-temperature operation, the SOFC has a better ability to tolerate the presence of impurities as a result of life increasing[6]. Costs are reduced for internal reforming of natural gas[6]. Due to high-quality waste heat for cogeneration applications and low activation losses, the efficiency for electricity production is greater than 50 ¹Ã‚ ªand even possible to reach 65 ¹Ã‚ ª[2, 6]. Releasing negligible pollution is also a commendable reason why SOFCs are popular today[5]. However, there are also some disadvantages in existence for deteriorating the performance of SOFCs. SOFCs operate high temperature, so the materials used as components are thermally challenged[5]. The relatively high cost and complex fabrication are also significant problems that need to be solved[6]. 1.1.2 SOFC Applications Due to the advantages mentioned above, SOFCs are being considered for a wide range of applications, such as working as power systems for trains, ships and vehicles; supplying electrical power for residential or industrial utility[2, 7]. 1.1.3 SOFC Components and Configurations A SOFC system is composed of fuel cell stacks, which consist of many unit cells. There are two major configurations, tubular and planar, being pursued, described generally as follows. Tubular unit cell is shown in Figure 1[8, 9]. The schematic illustrates the corresponding current flow direction and components. According to X. Li[2], due to easy stacking consideration, recently more and more tubular cells have the structure of cathode inside and anode outside the electrolyte layer. The planar unit cell has a flat structure with a bipolar arrangement, as shown in Figure 2[10]. Seung-Bok Lee at el.[11] reported that since the more effective current collection by planner interconnects, planar SOFCs have superiority in power density. On the contrary, the thermal and mechanical properties of tubular SOFCs are better than that of planner SOFCs. Table 1[2] lists a comparison of the two different SOFC cell configurations Table 1 A comparison of the two different SOFC cell configurations[2] Advantage Disadvantage Ease of manufacturing Edge current collection Tubular No need for gas-tight cell sealing Low-power density Less thermal cracking due to thermal expansion mismatch High materials cost Lower fabrication cost High temperature gas-tight sealing Planar Ease in flow arrangement High assembly effort and cost Higher power density Stricter requirement on thermal expansion match An SOFC stack consist of many unit cells, which are connected by interconnects. Figure 3[12] illustrates image of planar SOFC stack. 1.1.3.1 Cathode The typical material for the cathode is strontium-doped lanthanum manganite (La1-xSrxMnO3, x=0.10-0.15), because of its good electrochemical activity for oxygen reduction, high electronic conductivity, good stability[2, 4].Other materials, like platinum and other noble metals have also been considered as candidates of the SOFC cathode due to the highly oxidising environment. However, considering the high cost of platinum, it is not best choice to use this metal as the cathode. 1.1.3.2 Anode Though as for the cathode, precious metals like platinum can be used for the SOFC anode, the most widely used material is a nickel-zirconia cermet, i.e. a mixture of nickel and yttria-stabilised zirconia (YSZ) skeleton[2]. About 20 ¼Ã¢â‚¬ ¦-40 ¼Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ porosity in the anode structure is good for mass transport of reactant and product gases[1, 2]. Nickel plays the role as the electrocatalyst for anode reaction and also can conduct the electrons produced at the anode whilst the yttria-stabilised zirconia is used for conducting oxygen ions[2]. 1.1.3.3 Electrolyte There are a number of materials that can be used for the SOFC electrolyte. Among them, yttria stabilised zirconia (YSZ), i.e. zirconia doped with around 8 mol ¼Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ yttria and gadolinia-doped ceria (GDC) is the most widely used materials suitable for the SOFC electrolyte. GDC has very good ionic conductivity, but it also shows a high electronic conductivity[5]. Compared with GDC, YSZ is stable in either reducing or oxidising environments and has a good conductivity to transmit ions, especially at sufficiently high temperature. But unlike GDC, YSZ shows little or no capability to conduct electrons. Each time two yttria ions (Y3+) replace two zirconia ions (Zr4+) in the zirconia crystal lattice, three oxide ions (O2-) replace four O2- ions, which make one O2- site become vacant, as shown in Figure 4[5]. The vacancies are determined by the amount of yttria doped. So it seems superficially that the more yttria doped, the better the conductivity. But there is an upper limit for the amount of doped yttria, which is shown in Figure 5[5]. The peak conductivity appears at yttria concentration of 6% to 8 mol%. Very dense YSZ has a very low gas permeability, which does not allow the reactant gases to mix. However, since YSZ has a low ionic conductivity, in order to ensure the ohmic loss and match with other components, it has to be made about 20-50 ÃŽÂ ¼m thick [1, 2]. 1.1.3.4 Interconnects Interconnects are used to connect the neighbouring cells. Materials which act as interconnect must have properties of high electronic conductivity[1]. Ceramics are usually used for the interconnect since the operating temperature is around 1000à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™. Mg-doped lanthanum chromite, LaCr1-xMgxO3 (x = 0.02-0.01) shows advantages because its electronic conductivity typically increases with temperature[2]. However, although noble metals have good electronic conductivity, their high price limits their becoming a candidate for the interconnect[ 2, 4]. 1.1.5 Electrochemical Conversion The air is carried to the cathode and the oxygen reacts with electrons from the external circuit yielding oxide ions[2, 4]: Cathode: O2 + 2e- à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ O2- (1) The electrolyte does not permit the oxygen pass through it, but the oxide ions migrate from the electrolyte to the anode. At the anode hydrogen or carbon monoxide reacts with oxygen ions to produce water or carbon dioxide[2, 4]: Anode: H2 +O2- à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ H2O + 2e- (2) CO + O2- à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ CO2 + 2e- (3) This releases electrons to move through the external circuit to the cathode, thus generating an electric current. So the overall cell reaction occurring is[2, 4]: H2 + O2 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ H2O +Waste Heat + Electric Energy (4) CO + O2 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ CO2 +Waste Heat + Electric Energy (5) The electrochemical conversion is shown in Figure 6[13]. 1.2 Electrolyte Materials 1.2.1 Zirconia Zirconia is a white ceramic, with the properties of high temperature, wear and corrosion resistance, high melting point and low coefficient of thermal expansion. Historically, the application of zirconia has been in refractory and ceramic paints[2]. However, with the development of advanced technologies, due to its stabilised and excellent properties mentioned above, it can be used as electrical conductivity material in the solid oxide fuel cells, wear parts and sensors. Zirconia can exist in three different crystal structures: monoclinic, tetragonal and cubic. At room temperature, it naturally exists as the form of the monoclinic crystalline structure. When the temperature reaches around 1100à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™, the crystal form changes to tetragonal, and then to cubic at about 2370à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™[14]. Pure zirconia is never used because of its unstable properties, so many dopants are added to stabilise the higher temperature forms and hence avoid the damaging tetragonal to monoclinic transformation, e.g. MgO, CaO, Ce2O3, and Y2O3. Of these, yttria is the most common dopant, yielding yttria stabilised zirconia (YSZ). 1.2.2 Yttria Stabilised Zirconia (YSZ) and the Effect of Different Yttria Contents YSZ is considered to be an important electrolyte material for solid oxide fuel cells. The proportion of yttria in YSZ is still under research, but is often around 8 mol%. This yields a cubic fluorite-structure YSZ, which displays good thermal stability, good ionic conductivity at high temperature and a thermal expansion compatibility with electrode materials[15]. However, it is mechanically weak as a result of the high fraction of vacancies present in the structure. Different amount of yttria in zirconia has different effect on the properties of YSZ, including ionic conductivity, toughness, fracture strength etc[16]. 8 mol% yttria stabilised zirconia (8YSZ) has a cubic structure with properties of high ionic conductivity, good chemical stability but its low mechanical strength, limits the fabrication[17, 18]. However, for 3-7 mol% Y2O3, both cubic and tetragonal phases exist in the microstructure. Table 2[19] lists comparison of phases for different yttria concentration in zirconia. Table 2 Phase variation for different concentration of yttria in zirconia[19] %Y phase 2YSZ Tetragonal with some monoclinic 3YSZ Pure tetragonal 4.5YSZ Cubic and tetragonal 6YSZ and higher cubic If the YSZ has a great volume fraction of metastable tetragonal phase, which will provide good mechanical properties (strength and toughness) to the ceramic[16]. For example, 3 mol% yttria stabilised zirconia (3YSZ) has an excellent mechanical properties of high flexural strength and good fracture toughness. M. Ghatee et al.[16] also demonstrated that 3YSZ shows higher electrical conductivity than 8YSZ at T550 °C. That is because the activation energy of electrical conductivity for 3YSZ is lower than 8YSZ at all temperatures. And the strength of the material is determined by grain size and flaw size[16]. 1.2.3 Nanostructured Zirconia Nanostructured ceramics are expected the average particle size is less than 20nm[20]. And recently, nanotechnology have drawn much attention because of the good mechanical properties, i.e. increasing of hardness, strength, of the materials in nano-size. It is reported that the electrical conductivity of nanostructured YSZ is about 2-3 orders of the magnitude larger than that of microcrystalline YSZ[15]. Since nanostructured YSZ has many advantages, the development of nanocrystalline YSZ electrolyte grows rapidly. Y. Chen et al.[15], has synthesised nanocrystalline YSZ electrolyte via the plasma spray technique. 1.3 Characterisation of YSZ 1.3.1 Ionic Conductivity Conductivity is a measurement of whether charges transport well or not. Ionic conductivity is derived from  ion mobility rate, which is determined by carrier concentration c and carrier mobility u, which is shown in Equation 1 [5]. (1) [5] where is the charge number of the carrier, is Faradays constant. 1.3.1.1 AC Impedance Spectroscopy Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is a widely used technique for differentiating different losses, i.e. anode activation losses, ohmic losses and cathode activation losses. Impedance, Z, a judgement of the capacity of a system to resist current flow relates to variation of time and frequency. It is given by the following Equation 2[5]: Z = (2) [5] Where: V(t) is time-dependent voltage = V0 cos() i(t) is time-dependent current = i0 cos() V0 and i0 are the amplitudes of voltage and current is radial frequency is phase shift It often uses sinusoidal voltage perturbation, V = V0cos(), dominating responded current, i = i0cos(), to measure impedance. So according to Equation 2, impedance Z is written by Equation 3[5]: Z = = Z0 (3)[5] Ionic conductivity is often investigated by impedance spectroscopy. Temperature and frequency are important factors which should be controlled accurately[21]. Measurements are often processed using platinum electrodes, in air. The YSZ electrolytes are coated with platinum paste on both sides. Two platinum wires which adhere to each side of the YSZ electrolyte were connected to the frequency response analyser. And the measurements are carried out under the temperature range of 200-1000 °C[21, 22]. 1.3.1.2 4-Probe Method 4-point probe method is used to measure the electrical impedance of YSZ. The configuration of the 4-point probe shown in Figure 7[23], is composed of four independent electrical terminals, the two probe (A and B) are used to provide current whilst the potential drop is measured by the inner terminals (C and D)[23, 24]. Figure 7 Principle of 4-point probe technique[23] And the face contact should be ensured when the measurement was made[25]. According to H. Kokabi[23], before measurement, the following two assumptions must be processed: The area of measurement is uniform; The diameter of the contact point is far less than the distance between two probes. 1.3.1.3 Sintered Density and Grain Size Effect on Ionic Conductivity According to X.J. Chen et al.[21], ionic conductivity can be divided to two parts: intragranular conductivity and intergranular conductivity. The former one is related to density, while the later one depends on the grain size and grain boundary. Intragranular conductivity increases with increasing density, and intergranular conductivity increases with the sintering temperature till 1350à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™, then drop down[21]. It is reported that high densities and small grain sizes can improve the electrical and mechanical properties of YSZ[26]. In the case of the porosity, >10%, can has great reduction for conductivity because the pores hinder the conduction way between grains[26]. On the contrary, the fully dense YSZ has a maximum conductivity. Han et al.[27] said that the grain boundary motion induces grain growth, which is driven by two processes: grain boundary diffusion and grain boundary migration. They both make densification increase, but the latter one gives rapid grain growth[22]. So if dense sintering with little grain growth needs to be achieved, hindering grain boundary migration, whilst keeping grain boundary diffusion active, is a good method. The activation energy for grain boundary migration, which is the least energy to ensure migration occurring, is higher than that for grain boundary diffusion. So as D. Mà ¦land[22] suggests, it is better keeping the sintering temperature to no more than 1300 °C, which means that grain boundary migration is inhibited, but grain boundary diffusion is active.

Secretors And Non Secretors In Human Population Biology Essay

Secretors And Non Secretors In Human Population Biology Essay Human population can be categorized into secretors and non-secretors. They are categorized on the basis of presence or absence of the blood group antigens (A, B and H) in the body fluids and secretions, such as saliva, sweat, tears, semen, serum, mucus present in the digestive tract or respiratory cavities etc. Secretors are individuals that secrete blood group antigens in their body fluids while non-secretors are the individuals that do not secrete them in their body fluids and secretions. It is a known fact that ABO blood type is controlled by blood type coding genes present on the chromosome 9q34 but the secretor status of an individual is decided by interaction of a separate gene (called secreting gene) with these blood type genes. The presence of the secreting gene in a persons genome makes him a secretor and absence makes him a non secretor. The gene is designated as (Se) for Secretors and (se) for Non-secretors and it is entirely independent of the blood type A, B, AB or O. The individuals secreting antigens in the body fluid are designated as ABH secretors in blood banks. Individuals having O blood group secrete antigen H, A blood group secrete A and H antigens, B blood group secrete B and H antigens in the fluids. A secretor gene helps a person to gain a degree of protection against different environmental conditions especially the micro flora of a particular environment and also the lectins present in them. It helps them in promoting the growth of friendly, stable blood type intestinal bacterial ecosystem which depends on the blood type antigens present in the mucus of an individual. Secretor status does alter the carbohydrates present in the body fluids and their secretions and hence it also affects and influences the attachment and persistence of the micro flora present in the body. Secretors are at a higher advantage than non-secretors. Non-secretors have a potential health disadvantage. They possess many metabolic traits such as carbohydrate intolerance, immune susceptibilities. Different tests are available for determining an individuals secretor status. Most common test uses saliva or other body fluids of an individual for testing the secretor status. These tests are based on the princi ple of Agglutination Inhibition where the antigens are neutralized by the corresponding antibodies so that these antibodies will not be further be available to neutralize or agglutinate the same antigens residing on the red blood cells. ELISA could also be used for determining the presence of the secreted Lewis antigens in the saliva or other body fluids. Statistics Series, Place Reference Number Tested % Secretor % Non-secretor Frequency Frequency Negroes,New York (5) 178 61.2 38.8 0.38 0.62 Danes,Copenhagen (6) 263 74.0 26.0 0.49 0.51 Japanese,Japan . 424 75.7 24.3 0.51 0.49 Germans,Berlin (7) 363 78.0 22.0 0.53 0.47 Poles,Poland (8) 88 79.4 21.6 0.54 0.46 Whites, New York (9) 74 82.4 17.6 0.58 0.42 Finns, Helsinki (10) 196 86.3 13.7 0.63 0.37 American, Indians,New Mexico (11) 69 98.5 1.5 0.88 0.12 American, Indians, Utah (12) 79 100.0 0 1.00 0 The alleles Se and se differ in the frequency and have an anthropological value. They occur in different frequency in different populations. They have a high frequency in the American Indiana and a low frequency in the southern Indians. In US 20% of the population is secretors whereas 80% of the population consist of non-secretors. The fusion allele of the FUT2 (secretor type alpha(1,2)-fucosyltransferase) gene at a high frequency and a new se385 allele in a Korean population SECRETOR AND NON-SECRETOR A person secreting blood group antigens into the body fluids and other secretions like saliva, semen, tear, mucous in the digestive tract and respiratory cavities are named as secretors. In similar terms they put their blood type antigens in the body fluids. They secrete antigens according to their blood type, A secrete antigen A and H, B secret antigen B and H, O secrete antigen O and AB secrete A, B and H antigen. Secretors expresses Lewis b (Leb) antigens on the RBC where as non-secretor expresses Lewis a (Le a) on their RBC.These antigens in the body fluids give additional protection to the individual against the various microorganisms and the lectins present all around us. 15- 20% of the population consists of non-secretor. These individual fail to secrete the blood group antigens in their body fluids hence they become susceptible to bacterial and superficial yeast infections. A large no of them sometimes also suffer from the autoimmune disorder. This could also be correlated with the secretor and non-secretor phenotype. The body secretions of secretors and non-secretors differ quantitatively and also qualitatively. The type and quantity of the antigens present in it differ among different individuals. In some cases the non-secretors may contain the A and B antigens in the saliva but the quantity is less and even quality is very low hence they have similar functional problem. There are certain properties which are specific for secretors and differ in non-secretors. Some are listed below: Intestinal alkaline phosphatase activity ABH secretor correlates the activity of alkaline phosphatase and serum alkaline phosphatase present in the intestine. Non-secretors have low activity of alkaline phosphatase and serum alkaline phosphatase which is responsible for the breakdown of fat and assimilate calcium. Low molecular weight alkaline is present in both secretors and non-secretors and high molecular weight alkaline phosphatase is present only is secretors. Bacterial flora The ABH blood types influence the population of bacteria residing in the local vicinity of the gut mucin glycoproteins. Bacteria produce enzymes that have the capability to degrade the terminal sugar of ABH blood type antigens and which are consumed as food by them. The B antigen degrading bacteria produce enzyme to detach the terminal alpha-D-galactose and A antigen degrading bacteria produce enzyme to detach N-acetylgalactosamine which are used as a source of food by them. Blood clotting The secretor and the ABO genetics influence each other and influence the variance of the plasma concentration of vWf upto 60%. Raised levels of factor VIII and vWf may cause thrombotic and heart disease in future. Secretors have the slowest clotting time, thinnest blood, least tendency of platelet aggregation, low amount of factor VIII and von Willebrand factor (vWf). The non-secretors have highest clotting time, thick blood, high amount of factor VIII and von Willebrand factor (vWf) and low bleeding time. The blood viscosity is also influenced by the secretor phenotype. Lewis Phenotype Clotting Characteristics Le (a- b-)  Ã‚  highest activity of factor VIII and vWf Shortest bleeding times (especially in A, B and AB) Le (a+ b-) intermediate activity Shorter bleeding times (especially for O) Le (a- b+) lowest activity of factor VIII and vWf Longest bleeding times (especially for O) Lewis Blood Type and Clotting Factors Immunoglobulin levels ABH non-secretors have low levels of IgG immunoglobulin. The secretion of different concentration of different components of the blood group substances is controlled by the secretor gene and it also affects the phagocytic activity of the leucocytes which provides an added advantage to the non-secretors. The leucocytes of the non-secretors possess a greater ingestion power when compared to the secretors. The O and B blood group non-secretors have the highest phagocytic activity. The presence of level of anti-I in the serum of an individual is affected by the ABO group, secretor status and sex of the individual. The secretors females have a high level of anti-I in the serum as compared to the males. The non-secretor have low levels of IgA and IgG antibodies and hence have frequent problems with the heart valve. Genetics and Biochemical pathways The secretion of the blood group antigens in the body fluids and other secretions are genetically influenced by certain allelomorphic genes. Secretor gene contains two alleles Se and se. Se is dominant and hence is present in the homozygous or heterozygous condition in the secretors which lead to the secretion of antigens into the body fluids. se is recessive allele and is present in non-secretors in the homozygous condition. SeSe and seSe produces a dominant secretor phenotype and sese produces a recessive non-secretor phenotype. Basically three genes are responsible for the formation of the A and B antigens. They are namely ABO, Hh, and Sese genes encoding glycosyltransferases which produces the A and B antigens. H antigen present in the individual with O blood group is the precursor for the formation of A and B antigens. H antigen act as a backbone on which the A and B antigens are built up. The O gene is considered as amorphic. The allele Hh and Sese reside on each locus and are closely linked together. It is also suggested that one of the allele has arisen by the gene duplication of the other. The H allele is responsible for the production of H antigen on which antigen A and B are built. The second allele on the same locus is really rare. The product related to this allele hasnt been discovered yet and hence it is considered as amorph. The oligosaccharide responsible for the formation of the A and B antigen can exist in a simple linear fashion or a complex branched fashion. Infants A, B and H antigens contain high amount of linear chained oligosaccharide whereas oligosaccharides present in an adult contain high amount of branched chained oligosaccharides The A and B antigen is synthesized from a common intermediate known as substance H. The conversion is carried out by the addition of a sugar molecule to the non reducing end of the H oligosaccharide chains. This addition affects the reactivity of H antigen. The ABH substances are secreted in the Urinary respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract by mucous glands residing there. The secretor gene regulates the synthesis of blood group antigens in the superficial glands of gastric and small intestinal mucosa. The secretors and non-secretors produce A and B substances which are basically glycoproteins in pylorus and Brunners glands and produce A and B substances those are soluble in alcohol and glycosphingolipids in nature. The secretors also produce ABH substances in the prostate and lactating mammary glands. The secretion of breast is rich in H substance but poor in substance A and virtually absent in substance B. The synthesis of these substances in the exocrine acini of pancreas and secretory cells of sweat gland is not controlled by the secretor gene. The blood groups substances were also detected in the collecting tubules and calyxes of the secretors but it could not be concluded that whether they are produced by the kidneys or are generally excreted. These secretions were noticed in the eight to nine weeks old salivary glands and stomach and later it appears throughout the gastrointestinal tract. Glycosphingolipids carrying the A or B oligosaccharides are present on the membranes of RBCs, epithelial and endothelial cells and are also present in the plasma in the soluble form. The glycoproteins carrying the similar A and B oligosaccharides are responsible for their activity in the body fluids. In the body fluids they are present in the secreted form. The A and B oligosaccharides which do not contain the carrier proteins are present in the milk and urine. The chromosome 19 containsFUT 1 and FUT 2 genes which code for fucosyltransferase. FUT genes numbered from 1-7 and form clusters which are responsible for the production of enzymes called as fucosyltranferases. The cluster is located on chromosome 19q13.3. Fucosyltranferase helps in the formation of fucose moiety which is added to the H antigen and further gylcosylate the A or/and B antigens. H antigen is a basic blood group antigen present in each and every human being but the content varies in different individuals of the same ABO group. A general pattern indicates that its strength varies as O>A2>A2B>B>A1>A1B. Water soluble H antigen has been demonstrated in the saliva and the body fluids of the individuals.H antigens are fucose containing glycan units which are present on the glycolipids or glycoproteins residing on the erythrocytes membrane or in the secretions. The fucosylatedglycans are the substrate for the enzyme glycosytransferases that are responsible for the formation of the epitopes for A, B and Lewis blood group antigens. Secretors contain both the alleles whereas non secretor contains the null allele for FUT2 gene. The FUT 2 gene codes for fucosyltranferaseenzyme in the exocrine tissues which lead to formation of antigens in the body secretions and body fluids. The A and B genes produce glycosyltranferase that add sugar to oligosaccharide chains that is converted to H antigen. The H antigen are constructed on the oligosaccharide chain. The oligosaccharide chains could be of two type : Type 1 and type 2. 1 carbon of the terminal 6-carbon sugar b-D-galactose (Gal) is linked to the number 3 carbon of subterminal  N-acetyl-glucosamine  (GlcNAc) in Type 1 chains and to the number 4 carbon of GlcNAc in Type 2 chains. The glycosphingolipids present in the plasma and on the membranes of glandular and parenchymal cells and glycoproteins present on the cell surfaces or body fluids carry either the type 1 or type 2 chains. The glycolipids antigens present on the RBC contain type 2 chains. A gene-specifies N-acetyl-galactosaminyl-transferase and the B gene-specifies galactosaminyl-transferase and add   GalNAc   and  Gal   respectively in alpha (1-3) linkages to the same Gal which is acted on by the H gene transferase. The H gene produces fucosyltransferase that add fucose to the terminal Galactose molecule of type 2 chain. It forms an alpha (1-2) linkage. A and B antigens are constructed when the A and B transferases attach respective sugars to the type 1 or type 2 chain substituted with Fucose. The A alleles encode UDP-GalNAc: Fuc alpha1->2 Gal alpha1->3 N-acetyl-D-galactosaminyltransferase (alpha 1->3 GalNActransferase or histo-blood group A transferase). The B alleles encode UDP-Gal: Fuc alpha1->2 Gal alpha 1->3 galactosyltransferase (alpha 1->3 galactosyltransferase or histo-blood group B transferase). O alleles encode proteins without glycosyltransferase function The secretor gene FUT2 located at 19q13.3 and codes for the activity of the glycosyltransferasesin concert with the FUT1 gene coding for H antigen, needed to assemble both the ABO and Lewis blood groups.They are active in places like goblet and mucous gland cells which interact with each other and lead to secretions of antigens in the fluids. The expression patterns of both the genes are different. The FUT1 (H) gene is dominantly expressed in the erythroid tissues which lead to the formation of the H enzyme whereas the FUT2 (secretor) gene is expressed in the secretory tissues and lead to the formation of secretor enzyme. The product of the H enzyme or H gene resides on the erythrocytes and product of secretor gene resides on mucins in secretions. If an individual lack these alleles, he/she will not be able express the above active enzymes therefore they would lack the substrates for the A or B glycosyltransferases and hence they would not express the A and B epitopes. Relationship of ABH Secretor status and Lewis system Lewis typing is sometimes used for the de facto determination of the ABH secretor status. The production of Lewis antigens is genetically controlled. Individuals possessing the Lewis (Le) gene would produce the Lewis antigens which are carried in the plasma by different substances and are absorbed onto the Red blood Cells present in ones blood. The ABO determinants and H/h blood groups determinants are structurally related to Lewis blood determinants. FUT1 provide the glycans for glycosyltransferases which convert Lewis antigen to ABH antigens. FUT2 allele is expressed in the secretor and is responsible for the expression of type1 H determinant. The secretors convert their Lewis a antigen to Lewis b therefore they are (a-b+) and the non-secretor are (a+b-) as they lack the FUT2 responsible for glycosyltransferase which could convert Lewis a antigen to Lewis b antigen. Lewis (Le) gene and Secreting (Se) gene interact with each other. Initially Lewisais formed and if Se gene is absent in an individual the Lewisa substance is absorbed on the RBC and the individual is typed as Lewisa but in secretors the Se gene controls the activation of the H gene which causes addition of an additional sugar to Lewisa which convert it to Lewisb. Secretors contain both Lewisa and Lewisb in their plasma but absorb Lewisb preferentially on the red blood cells and the individual is typed as Lewisb. Hence we could interpret that presence of Lewis gene would type an individual as Lewisa positive or Lewisb negative or vice versa. An individual could not be positive for both. A person containing both Lewis gene and Secreting gene are typed as Lewisa negative and Lewisb positive whereas a person having the Lewis gene but not the secretor gene is typed as Lewisa positive and Lewisb negative. Individual who does not have Lewis gene regardless of secretor gene is typed as Lewisa negative and Lewisb negative. Note: Lewis Double Negative (LDN) is a sub type of non secretors but Lewis typing cannot be used for them to determine the ABH secretor status. Detection methods The presence and absence of the antigens in the body fluids could be detected by Agglutination Inhibition and Lewis typing. Agglutination Inhibition test could be divided into two parts:- Part I Antibody Neutralization: To determining ones secretor status, the saliva of the individual is mixed by the antiserum (Anti-A, Anti-B or Anti-H) available commercially. In secretors the soluble substances i.e. blood group antigens will react with the antibodies present in the antiserum and will get neutralized. Part II Agglutination Inhibition: The bed blood cells obtained commercially are added to the test mixture. In secretors agglutination of the RBC do not take place as no free antibodies are available to agglutinate them. All the antibodies have reacted with the soluble antigens present in the saliva whereas in non-secretors agglutination would occur upon addition of the RBC as no blood group antigens are present in the saliva so antibodies present in the antiserum are not neutralized and hence would be free to react with the test RBC cells which are added to the test mixture. Hence agglutination is a negative test for secretor status and positive test for the non-secretor status. Note: Anti-H lectin containing phytohaemagglutinin virtually specific for human RBC. Thirteen Cucurbitaceaespecies have been investigated for the anti-H activity present in their seed lectins. Lectins has been extracted and purified from Ulexeuropaeus seeds. It could be used to demonstrate the H secretor status of blood group O individual and also for subgrouping the blood group A individuals. Lewis typing: Individuals carrying the Lewis gene produce Lewis antigens that are carried by the plasma and are also adsorbed on the red blood cells. Lewis antigens do not reside only on the red blood cells. Initially the gene gives rise to Lewisa. If Se gene is present it activates H gene which interact with the Lewisa and add a sugar to Lewisa and hence get converted it to Lewisb. Both Lewisa and Lewisb in present in the plasma of the secretors. If the Se gene is not present then the Lewisa substance is adsorbed on the red cells and individuals are typed as Lewisa. The secretor status of an individual could be determined with help of Lewisa and Lewisb antibodies mixed with an individuals saliva and observing the agglutination macroscopically. Disease Susceptibility among Secretors and Non-secretors Digestive system Non-secretors are more prone to the diseases caused by the oral bacteria in the digestive system of an individual. It includes ulcers, celiac diseases gastric carcinoma pernicious anemia etc. It could lead to dysplasia or increase in the number of cavities present in the digestive tract. Non-secretors are less resistant to the infection caused by Helicobacter pylori which could lead to the formation of peptic and duodenal ulcers. It could easily colonize and cause inflammation in the non-secretors. The non-secretors lack the blood group antigens in the mucus secretions therefore H.pylori attach to the walls of the digestive tract and cause infection. The secretors have a tendency to secrete free ABH antigens in their intestinal secretions which effect the bacterial and lectins adherence to the microvilli present in the gut. The secretors produce these antigens and act as a competitive disadvantage from preventing H.pylori attachment. These antigens act as a decoy in the secretors whi ch prevent them from attaching with the host tissues. The non-secretors also show a lower IgG immune response to the H.pylori. They have excessive rate of bleeding, perforation and development of stomach ulcers but correlation between these complications and the secretor status have not been documented yet. The non-secretors are not able to turn off the digestive enzymes and hence they produce large amount of enzyme pepsin and hence are more prone to duodenal ulcers. 50% of the duodenal ulcers are present in non-secretors. 30-40% of group O individuals are affected by the duodenal ulcers and 15- 20 % are affected by the gastric ulcers. They act as a multiplicative risk factor with the gene coding for hyperpepsinogenemia I which impact in the risk of duodenal ulcers. Group A individuals have a higher tendency of having gastric cancer and pernicious anemia. Statistics shows that 20% of the group A individuals are affected by gastric cancers and 25% are affected by the pernicious anemi a. Oral pathology The non-secretors are more prone to oral diseases like mouth and esophagus cancer, epithelial dysplasia etc. They have more cavities than secretors. Diabetes The ABH non-secretors and Lewis negative (Le a-b-) individuals have a high risk of developing insulin dependent diabetes or complications arising from diabetes. Secretors with juvenile diabetes have a low chance of developing retinopathy. The ABH non secretors which are affected by insulin dependent diabetes mellitus the mean level of C3c and C4 is lower as compared to ABH secretors. Metabolic Syndrome X The Lewis negative men are predisposing to syndrome X and prothrombic metabolism. They have high levels of BMI, SBP, triglycerides and low rather fasting levels of serum insulin and plasma glucose. This relationship is not true for women and is only applicable for the men. Respiratory System   Secretors have an added protection against the harmful environmental assaults directed towards our lungs and as usual non-secretors have a health disadvantage. They are over represented among the people suffering from influenza viruses A and B, rhinoviruses, respiratory synsytial virus and echinoviruses. The secretors who are miners or smokers do receive a protection against the disastrous effects of the cigarette smoking. Asthma is very common among the individuals working in the coal mines. Upon research it was concluded that asthma among them is also related to the non-secretor phenotype present in them. The non-secretor has a tendency to snore and are more prone to COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). Heart disease The ABH non-secretor phenotype have a high risk of developing myocardial infarction and Lewis negative individuals have a high risk of developing chronic heart disease (CHD) and also ischemic heart disease (IHD). They contain high levels of triglycerides. Alcoholism has a positive interaction with the Lewis negative individuals. Alcohol consumption is protective in these individuals. Autoimmune Disease   Autoimmune disorders such as ankylosing spondylitis, reactive arthritis, psoriatic arthropathy, Sjogrens syndrome, multiple sclerosis, and Graves disease are more prone in non-secretors. The ABH non-secretors affected with graves disease produces high levels of antitubulin antibodies as compared to secretors and are unable to produce the water soluble glycoproteins in the saliva. Fetal Loss and Infertility ABO antigens are also found on the sperm of the secretors. These are obtained from the seminal secretions present in them. ABO incompatibility could exist between the wife and husband if could affect the fertility of an individual. This issue has not been properly studied and is therefore under research. Rheumatic Fever The secretors and group O individuals are resistant to Rheumatic fever and more number of cases have been recorded in the non-secretors. Secretor status could also determine whether the rheumatic fever would be followed by streptococcal pharyngitis or not. Neisseria species The non-secretors who do not produce water soluble antigens in the saliva are at the risk of getting infected by Neisseria meningcococcal disease. The immune capabilities of the secretor provide a relative protection in the secretors. The ABH non-secretors produce low level of anti-meningococcal salivary IgM antibodies which provide protection to the secretors against the microorganism. Candida species Non-secretors are barriers of candida species and therefore are frequently affected by the candida infections. The glycocompounds secreted by secretors in the body fluids inhibit adhesins present on the yeast which are responsible for their adhesion with the body tissues. This leads to the development of the chronic hyperplastic Candidiasis. Statistics shows that 68% on the non-secretors are affected by chronic hyperplastic candidiasis. Non-secretor women are affected by recurrent idiopathic vulvovaginal Candidiasis. An individual with a combination of non-secretors and absence of Lewis gene are at relative risk of developing recurrent idiopathic vulvovaginal Candidiasis. Tumor Markers The individuals with inactive Se (se/se) alleles and homozygous active Le alleles (Le/Le) allele have a highest mean value of CA19-9 tumor marker. The Lewis negative individuals irrespective of Se genotype have negative values for CA19-9. The Lewis negative individuals have higher mean value for DU PAN-2 as compared to Le-positive individuals. We can conclude that CA 19-9 marker is not an appropriate tumor marker for Le-negative individuals but DU-PAN-9 is an appropriate tumor marker. Bacteria Urinary Tract Infections Non-secretors are at a higher risk of getting recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI) and renal scars as compared to secretors. This susceptibility is higher among negative Lewis subset. Statistics of a study done on women affected with recurrent urinary tract infection stated that 29% of the non-secretor women were affected by UTI and 26% of Lewis (a-b-) women were affected by the UTI. The non-secretor phenotype and blood group B and AB phenotype work together to increase the risk of UTI among women. Women and children suffering from renal scarring with and without the antibiotic treatment for UTI are prone to UTI and pyelonephritis. 55-60% of non-secretors develop renal scars and 16% on secretors develop renal scars. C-reactive protein levels, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and body temperature are higher in the non-secretors that in secretors with recurrent UTI. Conclusion It concludes that there exist a statistical association between the individuals blood-group secretor phenotype and the diseases they are susceptible to. So knowing your secretor status is advantageous as we can use the nutritional supplements more intelligently and effectively. It also makes us aware of the diseases, illness and metabolic dysfunction we are prone to, difference in the levels of intestinal alkaline phosphatase activity, propensities towards blood clotting, tumor markers and different ingredients of breast milk so that we can manage them before hand and would be prepared for them in the near future.

Should Adopted Children Be Allowed To Locate Their Biological Parents? :: essays research papers

Should Adopted Children Be Allowed To Locate Their Biological Parents?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A touchy topic these days is whether or not the option should be open for adopted children to be able to locate their biological parents. There are some many circumstances for each different case that it is hard to know where exactly I stand on this topic. Over all, I do not think that you should locate your biological parents.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many reasons for this. For one thing, learning information on the person who gave you up is a long drawn out process. It can be very emotionally painful, as well. For whatever reason you were given up for adoption; death, financial problems, to young, etc it ¹s private information and should remain that way. The decision was made a long time ago because it was the best one at that time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Think about the birth parents involved. What happens after you spend a few months or more of your life trying to locate these people only to have a door shut in your face? How would you feel if that were to happen? The chances of this happening are pretty good. Yes, there are happy reunions on talk shows that turn out for the better, but that is not always the reality. These people gave up their birth rights many years ago and should not go back on that. They have moved on with their lives and might not want to be reminded what could have been. So many hurt feelings and feelings of guilt could come flying back and then put more of a burden on both of your lives.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There is another factor to think about in this situation. How is your family suppose to react to this and how are they supposed to feel? This is the loving family that took you in as there own for all these years, are they

Alcohol and Drinking - Alcoholism :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Alcoholism It was a rainy Wednesday afternoon and little Tommy was struggling to cross the slippery puddle- filled streets. The crossing guard at the corner felt a tug at her leg and it was Tommy waiting to cross. He waited patiently at the corner until traffic seemed to clear. The crossing guard began to lead Tommy across the street when out of nowhere a car sped around the corner and without acknowledging the crossing pedestrians, ended little Tommyà ¾s life. Tommyà ¾s parents were called at work and notified of the horrible accident. Through all the gory details they received the same awful truth that is heard by millions every year, Tommy had been killed by a drunk driver. Alcoholism is an epidemic in America that affects the lives of many. Alcoholism, as a disease, affects the individual, the family, and society as a whole. Families are torn apart, domestic violence occurs, and innocent bystandersà ¾ lives can be changed forever, just like little Tommyà ¾s. Drunk driving is just one of the many issues involving the abuse of alcohol. Alcohol abuse can lead to further drug and substance dependence. On the individual, alcohol damages bodily processes and organs, and affects personality and temperament. An approach to treating this serious illness is group therapy and individual counseling. The severity of the problem and the willingness of the patient will determine the extent of treatment he or she will undergo. Though there are many aspects of alcoholism, a major issue at hand is whether or not alcoholism is a genetically inherited disease. Through research studies and surveys, it is evident that alcoholism is, in fact, genetically inherited. Genetic makeup is not the only factor, however. Environmental influences can foster genes and motivate a person to drink. Many people drink due to a neurological imbalance (which causes a psychological disorder). Others use alcohol as an outlet to their daily stresses. There is even a group of people who become alcoholics with an unknown motive. Alcoholism is a disease with many dimensions. This disorder begins as early as childhood and elevates throughout adolescence to its prime stage in adulthood. The early years are the crucial determination point. If a child grows up with constant exposure to alcohol, they will most likely pattern their behavior after the role model. This is how the whole cycle continues. It is unfortunate that so many Americans a re affected by this disease and they are not even aware of it.

Business Ethics and the Chinese Market Essay -- Business Ethics Essays

I believe that standard business ethics cannot be possible internationally. Culture varies from society to society. The change in culture varies due to various reasons it depends on economic and legal factors. Political and legal factors play a vital role and that differentiate from one culture to another that is why I believe that business ethics can never be universal. Considering the example of China where government put a check on online information. Google has a big concern over the Chinese market because many web pages were blocked within that region. Culture also have great influence in emerging economies as it can be observed that in many countries offering expensive gifts in corporate world is consider as bribe especially in United States or Canada while in few countries it is ethically acceptable. Here, sharing expensive gifts even to politician in power is illegal but companies provide them as a bribe otherwise they will not receive any favors from the government. To run smooth business it is important to not to have any barriers for that company avail this option of gifting bribe to high officials even the foreign corporation does not hesitate to follow this same practice. Chinese is suppose to be as the big market, which helps in generating revenues because of this reason Google had to change their ethical rules for China, and has to follow their rules and Chinese government also did not them to lose. The role of cooperation is to establish a relation of profit that creates a support to their investors. The rules and laws of the corporation follows the sets, which are made by National Government of the country where they are operating however, they do not mainly play a role in changing the ethics of the c... ...ucious%20connection%20120505%20science%20direct.pdf). Cox, T., and Blake, C. (1991). Managing Cultural Diversity: Implications for Organizational Competitiveness. Academy of Management Executive vol. 5 (3). Retrieved from (http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/4165021?uid=3738832&uid=2&uid=4&sid=21101348728463). Hitt, M., Lee, H., and Yumel, E. (2002). The Importance of Social Capital to the Management of Multinational Enterprises: Relational Networks among Asian and Western Firms. Asia Pacific Journal of Management vol. 19 (2). Retrieved from (http://link.springer.com/article/10.1023%2FA%3A1016247920461?LI=true). Welbourne, P., Harrison, G., and Ford, D. (207). Social Work in UK and the Global Market Recruitment, Practice and Ethical Considerations. International Social Work vol. 5 (1). Retrieved from (http://isw.sagepub.com/content/50/1/27.short). Business Ethics and the Chinese Market Essay -- Business Ethics Essays I believe that standard business ethics cannot be possible internationally. Culture varies from society to society. The change in culture varies due to various reasons it depends on economic and legal factors. Political and legal factors play a vital role and that differentiate from one culture to another that is why I believe that business ethics can never be universal. Considering the example of China where government put a check on online information. Google has a big concern over the Chinese market because many web pages were blocked within that region. Culture also have great influence in emerging economies as it can be observed that in many countries offering expensive gifts in corporate world is consider as bribe especially in United States or Canada while in few countries it is ethically acceptable. Here, sharing expensive gifts even to politician in power is illegal but companies provide them as a bribe otherwise they will not receive any favors from the government. To run smooth business it is important to not to have any barriers for that company avail this option of gifting bribe to high officials even the foreign corporation does not hesitate to follow this same practice. Chinese is suppose to be as the big market, which helps in generating revenues because of this reason Google had to change their ethical rules for China, and has to follow their rules and Chinese government also did not them to lose. The role of cooperation is to establish a relation of profit that creates a support to their investors. The rules and laws of the corporation follows the sets, which are made by National Government of the country where they are operating however, they do not mainly play a role in changing the ethics of the c... ...ucious%20connection%20120505%20science%20direct.pdf). Cox, T., and Blake, C. (1991). Managing Cultural Diversity: Implications for Organizational Competitiveness. Academy of Management Executive vol. 5 (3). Retrieved from (http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/4165021?uid=3738832&uid=2&uid=4&sid=21101348728463). Hitt, M., Lee, H., and Yumel, E. (2002). The Importance of Social Capital to the Management of Multinational Enterprises: Relational Networks among Asian and Western Firms. Asia Pacific Journal of Management vol. 19 (2). Retrieved from (http://link.springer.com/article/10.1023%2FA%3A1016247920461?LI=true). Welbourne, P., Harrison, G., and Ford, D. (207). Social Work in UK and the Global Market Recruitment, Practice and Ethical Considerations. International Social Work vol. 5 (1). Retrieved from (http://isw.sagepub.com/content/50/1/27.short).

Acc 291 Reflective Summary Week 3 Essay

Calculating stock, dividends, and stock splits Stock is buying into ownership of a company. It is buying into their assets as well as their earnings. To calculate stock one must understand how to calculate the earnings per share. To calculate the earnings per share take the net earnings and divide by the outstanding shares. Dividends are cash distributions that companies pay out regularly to shareholders from earnings. Profitable companies pay dividends. To calculate dividends for dollar amount take the number of owned shares and multiply by the dividend per share. Stock split is increasing the number of outstanding shares that is owned by dividing each share. Each stockholder receives an additional share, but the value of each is reduced by half. Two shares equal the original value before the share split took place. The calculation of stock splitting is very complicated. See more:  Mark Twain’s Humorous Satire in Running for Governor Essay Differentiate types of stocks issued by corporations. There are two basic types of stocks that corporations can issue. Common stock and preferred stock are the two types; both have different benefits and possible opportunities. Common stock is the most basic type of stock you can obtain from a corporation. Since it’s the basic type of stock that you can purchase it has its limitations and is very limited in value. Owning a common share of the corporation shows that you own a fraction of company and its value is directly impacted by the company’s monetary successes and failures. Most see owning common shares as a risky investment  and this is why the owners will receive their profits after the preferred stock is disbursed. Preferred stock is the other type of stock that corporations issue. The main benefit of owning a preferred share of a corporation is that your dividends are received before common shareholders. Unlike common shareholder benefits, preferred stock is based on a fixed dividend payment. If the company goes out of business or liquidates their assets, preferred shareholders still receive the money back they invested and this is disbursed before common stockholders receive theirs as well. The only setback is that preferred stock cannot doesn’t gain as much in value as the common shareholder profit because of the fixed payment. Preferred stock also has a division of classes that is based on market prices, restrictions, etc. All in all, depending on the investor’s needs and financial opportunities both stock options have their benefits and possible setbacks. Reference: http://www.stanford.edu/~mikefan/stocks/whatarestocks.html Fan, 2006 Cardinal Money Management Oracle thinkquest. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://library.thinkquest.org/3088/stockmarket/typesofstocks.html ———————– Reflection Summary Assignment 1 Reflection Summary Assignment