Alternative Culture Medium for Fungi Essay

Scope and Delimitation This study is focused on how to produce ointment out of banana and papaya fruit peelings extract to help avoiding fungal infections. It must be done within a laboratory. The place must be conducive for only a matter of years. This study builds upon on how to lessen fungal infection. We only used 200g of chopped fruit peels (banana and papaya), 1.5 distilled water, 3 gulaman bars and etc. This product efficiency must estimate three trials having three replication each. After three trials that the study is not proved, it will be considered failure. The paper covers five important chapters namely: the problem and its background, theoretical concept, methodology, presentation, analysis and interpretation of data and summary, conclusion and recommendation that will explain further this study. This product diminishing fungal infection concluded that it must be solve first the basic reason for the occurrence of fungal infections produced by the combination of chemicals. These chemicals are studied to produce bad effects to the consumers of this product and may lead to allergy when it is not resolved for longer time. Chapter II THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK Review of related Literature Studies conducted by different researches were proved to support this investigatory project. Naomi (2012), when I was a child I suffered with mild eczema. It slowly diminished, but as an adult I still have sensitive skin which is prone to developing dry areas. As a result, looking after my skin is very important to me and I am constantly on the lookout for new skincare products which may be suited to my troublesome skin. One such product that I recently discovered is the cult beauty classic, Papaya (or pawpaw) Ointment. PURE’s Papaya Ointment has become a must-have in Australia, where it originates from, and is becoming increasingly popular in the UK and Europe because of its skin healing properties. The science behind the sauce is this†¦ The papaya fruit which this ointment contains is extremely rich in nutrients, and due to its anti-inflammatory properties has been used throughout Australian history to treat skin complaints. The skin’s pH naturally sits at a lightly acidic 5.5 (known as the skin’s acid mantle), but this can be made more alkaline by shower gels and soaps, which in turn can irritate the skin. Papaya ointment helps to hydrate the skin and bring the pH level back down to an appropriate level, using the probiotics that are used to ferment the papaya before it is made into ointment. PURE Papaya Ointment is petrochemical-free and contains only natural ingredients, so there’s nothing nasty and chemically in it to cause any irritation. All the ingredients are carefully chosen for their beneficial properties too. For instance, Shea Butter, Jojoba Oil and Macadamia Oil are intensely moisturizing and nourishing, Calendula is anti-fungal which helps to prevent some skin diseases, Vitamin E helps to heal and protect the skin and Beeswax is insoluble in water so forms a protective barrier on the skin. Because of its healing properties and because it is so nourishing, PURE Papaya Oi ntment has an endless list of uses. I have been using it for weeks now, and I have found it to be invaluably versatile. The backs of my hands are naturally very dry, which is only made worse by hot showers and using cleaning products, which often cause the skin to crack. Using the ointment as a moisturizer has softened the skin on my hands and has stopped them chapping, which I am so, so happy about. I’ve also been massaging it into my cuticles on a regular basis to condition them, which has made my nails look a lot better. I used it to calm an insect bite last week too, and as a lip balm when I accidentally bit my lip and made it sore. PURE also state that the ointment can be used to soothe nappy rash, sun burn or weather-irritated skin, to moisten sore nipples caused by breastfeeding, to soften calluses, as skin protection by runners or hill-walkers, to soothe skin after shaving or epilating, as a natural hair styling wax and much more. The product is also very popular with make-up artists, who use it as a base for make-up and on the lips of models as, because it doesn’t contain petroleum jelly, it doesn’t melt or sweat under hot lights. PURE sell three different sized containers of Papaya Ointment, which can also be bought in bundles. The 25g squeezy tube pictured costs  £9.99 and is the perfect size to carry with you in your handbag. For  £19.99 you can get a large 100g tube, or for  £35.99 there’s a 200g jar of ointment available, both of which are a great size for the bathroom cabinet or for use by make-up artists. If you want to try PURE Papaya Ointment for yourself, visit the PURE Papaya website here. After featuring in their Must Haves Beauty Kit, PURE recently teamed up with BeTrousse to offer a 20% discount on their products. The Difficulties of fruit dealers, it’s not different from other market dealers in a certain way. Commonly, problem occurs when delivering it results of disadvantages. For example, traffic, road constructions, and even weather disturbances. All of these are stated here in the review for the fact that these can be a reason of fruit spoilage. Choosing an appropriate fruit shouldn’t be lost here either. Fruits commonly seen in the market would be like apple, banana, oranges, mango, and any other fruits. And I say banana would easy to be eaten. The banana plant is the largest herbaceous flowering plant. The plants are normally tall and fairly sturdy and are often mistaken for trees, but their main or upright stem is actually a pseudo stem that grows 6 to 7.6 meters (20 to 24.9 ft.) tall, growing from a corm. Banana is a staple starch for many tropical populations. The flesh can vary in texture from firm to mushy. Both skin and inner part can be eaten raw or cooked. Bananasà ¢â‚¬â„¢ flavor is due, amongst other chemicals, to isoamyl acetate which is one of the main constituents of banana oil. Banana hearts are used as vegetables in South Asian and Southeast Asian cuisine, either raw or steamed with dips or cooked in soups, curries and fried foods. The flavor resembles that of artichoke. As with artichokes, both the fleshy part of the bracts and the heart are edible. Banana leaves are large, flexible, and waterproof. They are often used as ecologically friendly disposable food containers or as â€Å"plates† in South Asia and several Southeast Asian countries and may be also used as umbrellas when the pseudo stems are tied together to form a floatation device only in regions where banana grows. The tender core of the banana plant’s trunk is also used in South Asian and Southeast Asian cuisine, and notably in the Burmese dish mohinga (rice noodles in fish soup) Banana peel may also have capability to extract heavy metal contamination from river water, similar to other purification materials. (Most of it is taken from Wikipedia) Papaya with the scientific name, Carica papaya is a common fruit to be found in tropical countries. It is a succulent fruit of the family Caricaceas. Papayas are usually grown from seed. Their development is rapid, fruit being produced before the end of the first year. Under favorable conditions, a papaya plant may live for five years or more. Papaya is oval in shape and the colour of the skin is green if unripe. It will turn to green yellowish when it is ripe. The flesh of papaya is white before maturity, turns to a rich orange-yellow or deep rose when ripe, with colour varying according to variety. Papaya fruit is sweet in taste, with an agreeable musky tang, which is more pronounced in some varieties and in some climates than in others. Papaya has been regarded as one of the most valuable tropical fruits that contains many biological active compounds. Filamentous fungi of 84 genera, represented by 234 species, were isolated in the period 1919–1977, from such library materials as books, paper, parchment, feather, textiles, animal and vegetable glues, inks, wax seals, moving pictures, magnetic tapes, microfilms, black and white photographs, papyrus, wood, and synthetic materials (in books). Thirty-four genera of fungi have been isolated in the air of three archives in Warsaw, Poland. Most of these have also been found in library materials. Based on 219 isolations from library materials, a list of 40 species of filamentous fungi has been provided for those species isolated with a frequency of three times or more. Despite 80 years of investigations into the microbiology of library materials there is still a substantial lack of information on fungi colonizing library materials in North and South America, Asia, Africa, and Australia. Among the 84 genera and 234 species of filamentous fungi, 19% may be a source of different diseases caused by mycotoxins. So far though, nobody has labelled libraries ‘sick’ buildings. In addition, culture collections do not seem to acquire or retain strains isolated from library materials (e.g. IMI in Egham, UK, retains over 16 500 strains, yet none of these strains are isolated from library materials). Review of related Studies Moore-Landecker (1998), studied the fungi of mycology. At various points throughout history, fungi have been considered to be either plants or animals. It was finally concluded that fungi are neither plants nor animals, but are a distinct group. Fungi are now considered one of the five kingdoms into which all living organisms are classified. Fungi have a unique cellular structure and an unusual pattern of sexual reproduction. They may be single-celled or multicelled organisms (the great majority are multicelled), in which each cell contains a nucleus. Examples of fungi include puffballs, mushrooms, yeasts, and molds. Fungi have an unusual cellular structure in that the nuclei stream between cells, making it appear as if the cells have multiple nuclei. This cellular structure, along with their unique method of reproducing by forming spores, distinguishes the fungi from all other organisms. Fungi are heterotrophs, meaning they cannot produce their own food from inorganic matter (not de rived from living organisms). Fungi secrete enzymes that breakdown organic matter (derived from living organisms) outside their bodies. Their cells then absorb the products. The digestive activities of fungi are essential in the decomposition (breakdown) of organic material and the cycling of nutrients in nature. Some fungi, called saprobes, obtain nutrients from nonliving organic matter. Other fungi are parasites, meaning they obtain nutrients from the tissues of living host organisms. Toe jam (2007), studied that some Fungi cause a number of human, plant, and animal diseases, while the others provide numerous drugs (such as penicillin and other antibiotics), foods (e.g., various Mushrooms, Truffles and Morels, and various Yeasts which are used in bread, champagne, and beer). Other common Fungi are rusts, smuts, puffballs, molds, many Ascomycetes such as the agents of Dutch elm disease and chestnut blight. However, many other fungi are biotrophs, and in this role a number of successful groups form symbiotic associations with plants (including algae), animals (especially arthropods), and prokaryotes. Examples are lichens, mycorrhizae, and leaf and stem endophytes. Among the other well-known associations are fungal parasites of animals. Humans, for example, may succumb to diseases caused by Pneumocystis (a type of pneumonia that affects individuals with supressed immune systems), Coccidioides (valley fever), Ajellomyces (blastomycosis and histoplasmosis), and Cryptococcus. Lichens (1887), studied that some of the fungi familiar to people are used in fermentation, such as Saccharomyces sp., which can be used to make bread or wine and only can be seen with microscope. Some members of order Mucorales (Zygomycota) are used to make fermented soy beans. Rhizopus sp. that grows on old bread are also members of Zygomycota. Penicillin, widely used in medicine, is made from Penicillium sp., a member of Mitosporic fungi. Many edible fungi, such as Lentinusedodes (Berk.), Agaricus bisporus and auricularia, are members of Basidiomycota. In addition to their use as food and medicine, fungi are also important players in nature. Many fungi, such as wood-rotting fungi and Piloboous sp., participate in the decomposition process of bio remains or organic matters, accelerating the cycle and use of natural substances. Some fungi are parasitic and may cause diseases. For example, cordyceps sinensis is the host insect of Cordyceps sp. Ganoderma sp. lives on trees parasitically and causes damage to them. Many fungi form mutually-beneficial symbiotic relations with other life forms. For instance, lichens, commonly seen in the forests or woods, are symbiotic life forms consisting of fungi and algae. Root systems of a vast majority of seed plants and members of Endogonaceae may form endomycorrhiza relationship, which enhances the ability of plants to absorb nutrients from the soil. Many species of fungi form ectomycorrhiza relationship with plants. In short, fungi of various kinds play an important role in both natural ecosystems and our daily life. However, our knowledge of them is still quite limited. The book introduces members of Ascomycota and Basidiomycota in the hope that the general public can know more about them and more students can be inspired to join the research work of this biological field. Gauthier (2003), according to her that the children, especially during the summer time when they spend a lot of time outdoors, can often get scrapes on their knees and elbows. Carpet burns from sitting on the ground too long can also occur. Instead of using a commercially-sold ointment from the pharmacy, use a banana peel to alleviate the pain from the scrape and promote healing. Cut a small portion of the banana peel and rub the inside of the peel against the scrape or carpet burn. The inside of the banana peel acts as ointment to help heal the wound. Bobby Gene (1998), conducted an extract composition derived from the peel of a banana and the method for producing the extract composition. An aqueous solvent is combined with the peel of a banana. If the banana is unripe, a base is also added. The mixture is homogenized and allowed to react at least until a black supernatant appears. The entire slurry is filtered. The resulting extract is used alone or combined with a cream or ointment. Medicinal benefits of the extract include relief from pain, swelling, itching, bruising, wrinkles, and sunburn. Boyle (2003), studied that people can use papaya ointment to help sterilize and heal rashes, burns, and open cuts. It is also popular for treating dry skin, eczema, and other skin irritations. Some individuals find that it works to reduce skin blemishes, pimples, and acne. Basically, it can be used on any skin condition for which a person might otherwise apply another type of commercial antibiotic. It is also available as a lip balm to treat cracked, chapped, or peeling lips. To make papaya ointment, manufacturers ferment the fruit of the pawpaw and typically combine it with other stabilizing ingredients, such as petroleum jelly and preservatives. The thick, pale-yellow gel that is produced has a vague, sour odor. Some manufacturers combine the papaya ointment with other ingredients to enhance its skin-softening and healing properties and mask the unpleasant smell. For instance, coconut oil, aloe, or honey might be combined with pawpaw extract to create a product that encompasses the benefits of each while having a pleasant fragrance. Some individuals prefer a purer form of papaya ointment, and some retailers sell all-natural products containing no added preservatives or other ingredients. For those seeking the purest approach, the moist underside of the peel from a raw papaya actually contains a sticky substance that many claim has all the benefits of manufactured lotions. If a person is lucky enough to have regular access to pawpaw fruit, he or she can take advantage of the healing benefits by rubbing the peel directly onto the problem skin areas. As a caveat, some people might have a sensitivity to papaya or the ingredients used in the manufacture of papaya ointment. In that event, using the salve could actually cause additional, more serious skin irritation. Further, there is some evidence that papaya, especially when not completely ripened, could affect a woman’s ability to become pregnant. Consequently, individuals who are trying to become pregnant are advised against usingpapaya ointment. According to Hawks worth (1992), there are approximate a little 1.5 million described species of fungi. A little more than 400 of these species are known to cause disease in animals, and far fewer of these species will specifically cause disease in people. Many of the latter will only be superficial types of diseases that are more of a cosmetic than a health problem. Thus, there are not many species of fungi that are pathogenic to human that will be fatal. The study of Fungi as animal and human pathogens is medical mycology. There is also such a thing as veterinary mycology, but the types of diseases that are found in your pets often are the same as those that are found in people. Because of the rarity of human diseases caused by Fungi, most people have little, if any, knowledge of such diseases. The diseases of warm-blooded animals caused by fungi are known as mycoses. Although such diseases are relatively few, the fungi that cause them have a wide host as well as geographical range. Most of these diseases are not fatal, but once contracted; they may forever be a source of constant irritation and can lead to permanent scaring, which is why they are not such a pretty sight to view. The successful treatment of fungal diseases is more difficult than those caused by bacteria. Because bacteria are prokaryotes, the makeup of their cells are very different than our own eukaryotic cells and pharmaceutical products, such as antibiotics, are able to successfully destroy bacteria without harming our cells, tissues and organs. However, because fungi are eukaryotes, finding a treatment that will kill the fungus and not harm our own cells is more difficult. Thus, most chemical treatments are also toxic us as well as the fungus. The most widely used drug for treating systemic mycosis and other fungal infections that do not respond to other drugs is Amphotericin B. Azole drugs are also widely used, but these only inhibited fungal growth and do not kill the fungus. Conceptual Framework Hypothesis a.) Both Banana and papaya peels extract would be an alternative culture medium for fungi. b.) Only the banana peel extract will be the alternative culture medium for fungi c.) Only the papaya peel extract would be an alternative culture medium for fungi d.) Both banana and papaya peels extract will not be an alternative culture medium for fungi. Definition of Variables a.) Banana Bananas are the most popular fruit in the world. Members of the genus Musa (part of the family Musaceae), they are considered to be derived from the wild species Musa acuminata (AA) and Musa balbisiana (BB). It is believed that there are almost 1000 varieties of bananas in the world, subdivided in 50 groups. b.) Papaya Papaya is a luscious fruit that has been taken for granted. Papaya fruits are good sources of Vitamin A, B and C. It is a familiar meat tenderizer because for clearing fruit juices, on fermenting liquors, pre-shrinking the quality of wool and as soap for washing clothes. Papaya possesses medicinal values. c.) Fungi Fungi constitute one of the life kingdoms. Fungi are eukaryotic (eu=true; karyon=nucleus) organisms with a cell wall like plants, but they do not have chlorophyll. Fungi are not able to ingest their food like animals do, nor can they manufacture their own food the way plants do. Instead, fungi feed by absorption of nutrients from the surrounding environment. They accomplish this by growing through and within the substrate on which they are feeding. d.) Extract To withdraw (as a juice or fraction) by physical or chemical process or to treat with a solvent so as to remove a soluble substance. e.) Feasibility Capable of being used or dealt with successfully f.) Experiment An operation or procedure carried out under controlled conditions in order to discover an unknown effect or law, to test or establish a hypothesis, or to illustrate a known law g.) Potato dextrose agar Potato dextrose agar (BAM Media M127) is common microbiological growth media[->0] made from potato[->1] infusion[->2], and dextrose[->3]. Potato dextrose agar (abbreviated â€Å"PDA†) is the most widely used medium for growing fungi and bacteria which attack living plants or decaying dead plant matter. Potato Dextrose Agar is a nutrient rich media that mycelia thrive upon. h.) Fruit peels Peel, also known as rind or skin, is the outer protective layer of a fruit[->4] or vegetable[->5] which could be peeled off. The rind is usually the botanical[->6] exocarp[->7], but the term exocarp does also include the hard cases of nuts[->8], which are not named peels since they are not peeled off by hand or peeler, but rather shells because of their hardness. i.) Autoclave a device for sterilizing implements using steam at high temperature. Conceptual Framework Hypothesis a.) Both banana and papaya peels extract would be an alternative culture medium for fungi. b.) Only banana peel extract will be an alternative culture medium for fungi. c.) Only papaya peel extract would be an alternative culture medium for fungi. Definition of Variables Banana The banana plant is the largest herbaceous[->9] flowering plant. The plants are normally tall and fairly sturdy and are often mistaken for trees[->10], but their main or upright stem is actually apseudostem[->11] that grows 6 to 7.6 metres (20 to 24.9 ft.) tall, growing from a corm[->12]. Each pseudo stem can produce a single bunch of bananas. After fruiting, the pseudo stem dies, but offshoots may develop from the base of the plant. Many varieties of bananas are perennial Papaya The papaya is a large, tree[->13]-like plant[->14], with a single stem[->15] growing from 5 to 10 m (16 to 33 ft.) tall, with spirally arranged leaves[->16] confined to the top of the trunk[->17]. The lower trunk is conspicuously scarred[->18] where leaves and fruit were borne. The leaves are large, 50–70 cm (20–28 in) in diameter[->19], deeply palmately[->20] lobed, with seven lobes. Unusually for such large plants, the trees are dioeciously[->21]. The tree is usually unbranched, unless lopped. The flowers are similar in shape to the flowers of the Plumeria[->22], but are much smaller and wax[->23]-like. They appear on the axils[->24] of the leaves, maturing into large fruit – 15–45 cm (5.9–18 in) long and 10–30 cm (3.9–12 in) in diameter. The fruit is ripe[->25] when it feels soft (as soft as a ripe avocado or a bit softer) and its skin has attained amber to orange hue. Fungi A fungus is a member of a large group of eukaryotic[->26] organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts[->27] and molds[->28] as well as the more familiar mushrooms[->29]. These organisms are classified as a kingdom[->30], Fungi, which is separate from plants, animals, and bacteria[->31]. One major difference is that fungal cells have cell walls[->32] that contain chitin[->33], unlike the cell walls of plants, which contain cellulose[->34]. These and other differences show that the fungi form a single group of related organisms, named the Eumycota (true fungi or Eumycetes), that share a common ancestor[->35] (a monophyletic group). This fungal group is distinct from the structurally similarmyxomycetes[->36] (slime molds) and omycetes[->37] (water molds). The discipline of biology devoted to the study of fungi is known as mycology[->38], which is often regarded as a branch of botany[->39], even though genetic studies have shown that fungi are more closely related to animals than to plants. Potato dextrose agar Potato dextrose agar (BAM Media M127) and potato dextrose broth are common microbiological growth media[->40] made from potato[->41] infusion[->42], and dextrose[->43]. Potato dextrose agar (abbreviated â€Å"PDA†) is the most widely used medium for growing fungi and bacteria which attack living plants or decaying dead plant matter. Gulaman The gulaman jelly bars are used in the various Filipino refreshments or desserts such assago at gulaman (or gulaman at sago, commonly shortened to sago’t gulaman), buko pandan, agar flan, halo-halo[->44], different varieties of Filipino fruit salads, black gulaman, and red gulaman. CHAPTER II THEORITICAL FRAMEWORK Review of related literature Studies conducted by different researches were proved to support this investigatory project. Fungi exist primarily as filamentous dikaryotic organisms. As part of their life cycle, fungi produce spores. In this electron micrograph of a mushroom gill, the four spores produced by meiosis (seen in the center of this picture) are carried on a club like sporangium (visible to the left and right). From these spores, haploid hyphae grow and ramify, and may give rise to asexual sporangia, special hyphae which produce spores without meiosis. The sexual phase is begun when haploid hyphae from two different fungal organisms meet and fuse. When this occurs, the cytoplasm from the two cells fuses, but the nuclei remain separate and distinct. The single hypha produced by fusion typically has two nuclei per â€Å"cell†, and is known as a dikaryon, meaning â€Å"two nuclei†. The dikaryon may live and grow for years, and some are thought to be many centuries old. Eventually, the dikaryon forms sexual sporangia in which the nuclei fuse into one, which then undergoes meiosis to form haploid spores, and the cycle, is repeated. Some fungi, especially the chytrids[->45] and zygomycetes, have a life cycle more like that found in many protists[->46]. The organism is haploid, and has no diploid phase, except for the sexual sporangium. A number of fungi have lost the capacity for sexual reproduction, and reproduce by asexual spores or by vegetative growth only. These fungi are referred to as Fungi Imperfecti, and include, among other members, the athlete’s foot and the fungus in bleu cheese. Other fungi, such as the yeasts, primarily reproduce through asexual fission, or by fragmentation — breaking apart, with each of the pieces growing into a new organism. Fungi are heterotrophic. Fungi are not able to ingest their food like animals do, nor can they manufacture their own food the way plants do. Instead, fungi feed by absorption of nutrients from the environment around them. They accomplish this by growing through and within the substrate on which they are feeding. Numerous hyphae network through the wood, cheese, soil, or flesh from which they are growing. The hyphae secrete digestive enzymes which break down the substrate, making it easier for the fungus to absorb the nutrients which the substrate contains. This filamentous growth means that the fungus is in intimate contact with its surroundings; it has a very large surface area compared to its volume. While this makes diffusion of nutrients into the hyphae easier, it also makes the fungus susceptible to desiccation and ion imbalance. But usually this is not a problem, since the fungus is growing within a moist substrate. Most fungi are saprophytes, feeding on dead or decaying material. This helps to remove leaf litter and other debris that would otherwise accumulate on the ground. Nutrients absorbed by the fungus then become available for other organisms which may eat fungi. A very few fungi actively capture prey, such as Arthrobotrys which snares nematodes on which it feeds. Many fungi are parasitic, feeding on living organisms without killing them. Ergot, corn smut, Dutch elm disease, and ringworm are all diseases caused by parasitic fungi. Mycorrhizae are a symbiotic relationship between fungi and plants. Most plants[->47] rely on a symbiotic fungus to aid them in acquiring water and nutrients from the soil. The specialized roots which the plants grow and the fungus which inhabits them are together known as mycorrhizae, or â€Å"fungal roots†. The fungus, with its large surface area, is able to soak up water and nutrients over a large area and provide them to the plant. In return, the plant provides energy-rich sugars manufactured through photosynthesis. Examples of mycorrhizal fungi include truffles and Auricular IA, the mushroom which flavors sweet-and-sour soup. In some cases, such as the vanilla orchid[->48] and many other orchids, the young plant cannot establish itself at all without the aid of its fungal partner. In liverworts, mosses, lycophytes[->49], ferns, conifers, and flowering plants[->50], fungi form a symbiotic relationship with the plant. Because mycorrhizal associations are found in so many plants, it is thought that they may have been an essential element in the transition of plants onto the land. Fungi are classified within their own kingdom – The Kingdom Fungi, while some are in The Kingdom Protista. A fungus is neither a plant nor an animal. It is similar to a plant, but it has no chlorophyll and cannot make its own food like a plant can through photosynthesis. They get their food by absorbing nutrients from their surroundings. Kingdom Fungi includes mushrooms, rusts, smuts, puffballs, truffles, morels, molds, and yeasts, and thousands of other organisms and microorganisms. They range from microscopic single-celled organisms, such as yeast, to gigantic multicellular organisms. Many fungi play a crucial role in decomposition (breaking things down) and returning nutrients to the soil. They are also used in medicine, an example is the antibiotic[->51] penicillin, as well as in industry and food preparation. For a long time fungi were classified as plants, mainly because of their similar lifestyles – both are seen to grow in soil and are sessile (permanently attached; not moving). Plant and fungal cells both have a cell wall, while cells from the animal kingdom don’t. Fungi are thought to have diverged from the plant and animal kingdoms about one billion years ago. Mycology is the study of fungi – it is a branch of biology. A mycologist studies fungi’s genes, biochemical properties, their use to us as a source of food, their hallucinogenic, poisonous and pathogenic (ability to cause disease) properties. It was not until the 16th century, when the microscope was developed, that mycology became a well-established science. Review of related Studies Brendan (1986), conducted an extract composition derived from the peel of a banana and the method for producing the extract composition. An aqueous solvent is combined with the peel of a banana. If the banana is unripe, a base is also added. The mixture is homogenized and allowed to react at least until a black supernatant appears. The entire slurry is filtered. The resulting extract is used alone or combined with a cream or ointment. Medicinal benefits of the extract include relief from pain, swelling, itching, bruising, wrinkles, and sunburn. Hudson (1988), studied that papaya is a fruit that contains precious enzymes like chymopapain and papain that assist our digestion process. The enzymes specifically help to convert proteins from the food that we consume into amino acids. Recent research has shown how amino acids act as a key agent in various processes concerning our physical and mental health,including chemical reactions that take place in our bodies. As we grow older the production of digestive enzymes slows within our pancreas and stomach, and this causes the digestion of protein to become less effective. The result is an excess of undigested proteins that help fight the growth of the harmful bacteria within the gastrointestinal system and the absence of important amino acids that facilitate all vital chemical reactions. In order to maintain good health, it is absolutely essential to retain quality protein. The enzymes in papaya play a crucial role in this process. Proteolytic enzymes such as papain digest non-livi ng or inert proteins. Intestinal parasites are attacked and killed by papain as these parasites are made of protein. Research is being conducted in relation to the use of papain for relieving the side effects of cancer therapy. It is known to effectively ease side effects such as mouth sores and problems with swallowing following chemotherapy and radiation sessions. It prepares our body to fight cancer and strengthens our immune system as well. Fermented papaya enzymes are used by an Australian company known as Rochway to create a product called papaya35. This product is made out of organically grown papaya. Their probiotic papaya mixture has antioxidant properties that strongly resist harmful molecules in our bodies. Cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and diabetes are all caused by these same harmful molecules. Numerous studies are being carried out on the benefits of papaya, and new benefits are being added to a long list. If you are interested in the current studies being conducted you can find more information at PubMed.gov. You’re likely to come across a useful papaya ointment if you search the market or alternatively, you can consume fresh papaya fruit. If you are seeking the therapeutic effects of consuming papaya, you may take note that ripe papaya contains chymopapain and papain (proteolytic enzymes) in lesser amounts than green papaya (as it has not ripened at this point). Strakosch 1943 experimental studies on the penetration of the following substances: lard, cod liver oil, olive oil, petrolatum, vaseline (Chesebrough), lanolin, petrolatum and lanolin to equal parts, â€Å"Aquaphor† (Duke), petrolatum plus five per cent cetyl alcohol, a base consisting of mannide monooleate-ceresin wax-petrolatum-mineral oil-lanolin, â€Å"Hydrosorb† (Abbott), rose water ointment USP., lecithin ointment, a base consisting of stearyl alcohol-mineral oil-water-petrolatum and a base consisting of liquid petrolatum-peanut oil-triethanolamine-stearic acidcetyl alcohol and water, were reported. The relative intensity of the penetration into the normal human skin of the different test substances listed in the order from the best to the worst penetration, as revealed by this study is as follows: the base consisting of: liquid petrolatum-peanut oil-steric acid-triethanolamine-acetyl alcohol and water; â€Å"Hydrosorb† (Abbott), â€Å"Aquaphor† (Dule), lard, cold liver oil, stearyl alcohol-mineral oil-water-petrolatum, lanolin, a base consisting of mannide monooleate-ceresin wax-petrolatum-mineral oil-lanolin, lecithin ointment, petrolatum and lanolin to equal parts, petrolatum plus five per cent cetyl alcohol, olive oil, rose water ointment, vaseline (Chesebrough), and finally petrolatum as such. [->0] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Growth_medium [->1] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potato [->2] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infusion [->3] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glucose [->4] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruit [->5] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetable [->6] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botany [->7] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exocarp [->8] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nut_%28fruit%29 [->9] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbaceous [->10] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree [->11] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudostem [->12] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corm [->13] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree [->14] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant [->15] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant_stem [->16] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaf [->17] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trunk_(botany) [->18] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scar [->19] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diameter [->20] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palmate [->21] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dioecious [->22] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plumeria [->23] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wax [->24] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axil [->25] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ripening [->26] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eukaryote [->27] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yeast [->28] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mold [->29] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mushrooms [->30] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_(biology) [->31] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacteria [->32] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_wall [->33] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitin [->34] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellulose [->35] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_ancestor [->36] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myxomycetes [->37] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oomycetes [->38] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycology [->39] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botany [->40] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Growth_medium [->41] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potato [->42] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infusion [->43] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glucose [->44] – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halo-halo [->45] – http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/fungi/chytrids.html [->46] – http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/alllife/eukaryotasy.html [->47] – http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/plants/plantae.html [->48] – http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/monocots/liliflorae/orchidales.html [->49] – http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/plants/lycophyta/lycophyta.html [->50] – http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/anthophyta/anthophyta.html [->51] – http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/10278.php

The End of Race

The End of Race What if the human races of the world all vanished into thin air? That’s what Steve Olson proposes in â€Å"The End of Race: Hawaii and the Mixing of Peoples†. According to the world everyone is made of a certain race. The two main races are White and Black (African American). But there are others as well, including American Indian (Alaska Native), Asian, Hispanic (Latino), Native Hawaiian (Other Pacific Islander), or Other. Most people only identify as one corresponding to their birth parents, where they were born, or what they identify with the most from their own choice.Some people, even from one of our own states, go to such heights as to say that they are â€Å"Mixed†. Steve Olson believes that, â€Å"Almost half the people who live in Hawaii today are of â€Å"mixed† ancestry. What it means to be mixed is not all obvious genetically, but for official purposes it means that a person’s ancestors fall into more than one of the [si x] â€Å"racial† categories identified on the U. S. census forms†¦.. Intermarriage is a cumulative process, so once an individual of mixed ancestry is born, all of that person’s descendants also will be mixed.As intermarriage continues in Hawaii – and already almost half of all marriages are between couples of different or mixed ethnicities – the number of people who will be able to call themselves pure Japanese, or pure Hawaiian, or pure white (haole in Hawaii), will steadily decline† (251). Races could truly end if everyone becomes mixed somehow. Collaboration could also send races on their way to the dump. One man who has insight on collaborating is Bressler 2 Marshall Poe.In Poe’s â€Å"The Hive† he claims that, Wikipedia has the potential to be the greatest effort in collaborative knowledge gathering the world has ever known, and it may well be the greatest effort in voluntary collaboration of any kind† (264). If that m any people could come together and create a website made of their own thoughts and opinions, who says that we can’t all agree that races are over and done with? So with mixes of races and collaboration on what races are, it could really be the deadline for races. Biology, location, and affiliation could change whether race persists or not. -â€Å"Community of Descent†? Define Race and Concept of Race -Why do ethnicities continue to function in society if race no longer has a biological basis? -U. S. Census Bureau’s explanation of the racial categories used in the census taken every ten years -How is race represented on Hawaii’s official state government Web site at Hawaii. gov and Hawaii’s tourism Web site at gohawaii. com? Any differences? Use race definition to support position. -School races persist in Hawaii according to Olson. Locate Web site for some schools there and find evidence to support for Olson’s argument or complicate it. -Ect †¦ on page 262 and 263 or on Ri9ghts and Bytes worksheet.

IBM Corporation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

IBM Corporation - Essay Example Strengths of IBM Corporation include knowledge, relationships, selling and history. The challenges of the company are based on high quality of products and services. Direct sales force maintains a relationship. Among the weaknesses are high competition and rapidly changing technology market (IBM boosts sales productivity, n.d.). The innovative PC technology is not cheap and that is why not all the potential customers can afford it today. IMB, in contrast to Dell Corporation, tries to maintain high standards of service proposing and selling (the most important) to its customers high quality products. In this case IMB takes into account both internal and external stakeholders (Crawford, Benedetto, 2003). Opportunities of IBM Corporation are local area networks, the Internet and training of the staff. The increasing opportunities of the Internet offer another area of strength in comparison to the box-on-the-shelf major chain stores (McDonald, Christopher, 2003). Customers want more help with the Internet, and IBM Corporation is in a better position to give it to. IBM will strengthen its long-standing commitment to 64-bit computing. For more than three decades, the power of microprocessors has doubled every 18 to 24 months, and most observers expect that to continue for another 10 years. The same progress is being made in other functions in silicon, such as graphics processing. Some portables will have the full power of desktop machines (Clarke, 2001). The challenges of the company are to follow the technological trends of computer industry and develop new products for professional users. For instance, notebook processors will double in power every two years, "to 12 GHz in five years, predict industry observers. Disks will shrink and may be replaced by solid-state memory. Displays will grow clearer, brighter and more energy-efficient and may even unfold to desktop size. The efficiency of batteries will improve, but perhaps not enough to keep up with power-hungry applications such as multimedia and wireless communications" (Anthes, Brewin, 2002). For this reasons, IBM strategies should integrate technology refresh provisions early in the design process of major systems and components to allow upgrades during development, production and system operation. Cost leadership (Porter, 1985), however, is a sustainable source of competitive advantage only if barriers exist that prevent competitors from achieving the same low costs. In an era of increasing technological improvements in manufacturing, manufacturers constantly leapfrog over one another in pursuit of lower costs. At one time, for example, IBM enjoyed the low-cost advantage in the production (Winograd, 1997). Then the Japanese took the same technology and, after reducing production costs and improving product reliability, gained the low-cost advantage. IBM fought back with a highly automated printer plant in North Carolina, where the number of component parts was slashed by more than 50 percent and robots were used to snap many components into place. Despite these changes, IBM ultimately chose to exit the business; the plant was sold (Prahalad, Hamel, 1994). Competitive advantage (Porter, 1985) of IBM Corporation is driven more by sales and performance management than by manufacturing and product innovations. The direct sales model (or other near-direct models) has been successful in the U.S., and the industry is moving more in that

Role of Public Administration in American Politics Assignment

Role of Public Administration in American Politics - Assignment Example This paper tells that the idea of New Freedom was finally dropped by Wilson once he was elected but it attracted and helped local businessman and was in their benefit. Wilson's New Freedom policy had a huge impact on how Public Administration was managed as it gave the small and private businesses a better chance to groom and improve by breaking up monopolies (Rouse & Berkley, 2003).  The New Deal was the caption that President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave to a series of promises and programs he had started from 1933 up till 1938 with the sole objective of giving reform, relief, and recovery to the economy and people of the United States when the United States was facing the Great Depression (Rouse & Berkley, 2003). It all started by initiating emergency relief programs, banking reform laws, agricultural programs, and work relief programs as part of the total reforms towards a better economy. After this, another New Deal was to be formulated this one incorporated migrant worker's pro grams, the Social Security Act, programs to aid tenant farmers, and union protection programs. Hence, the first New Deal targeted short term programs for all the groups and norms in the society, meanwhile the second New Deal was a more thorough effort of taking power away from big business and shifting it towards consumers, coal workers, and farmers (Cook, 1996). Though the New Deal was unable to end the Great Depression it benefited the local society and the labor force in many ways, therefore, its importance for the betterment and development of Public Administration cannot be ignored. The Great Society was basically a set of programs proposed in the United States domestically on the idea of President Lyndon B. Johnson. Two main objectives of the Great Society social reforms were the removal of racial injustice and poverty. Some major programs apart from these objectives that were launched by the Great Society were Education, Health, Transportation, Consumer Protection, Environmen t, and Arts and Cultural Institutions. Some of the programs launched at that time still exist in the United States. A number of observers have distinguished the fact for many Great Society programs, chiefly the poverty initiatives, became complex beginning in 1968, primarily owing to the Vietnam War and Johnson's aspiration to continue an unprejudiced budget but some continued up till now (Cook, 1996). These programs have a significant contribution to the betterment of public administration as most were designed to benefit the people living in the United States and portray the true essence of Democracy.   The Reagan Revolution, as Ronald Reagan's presidency was known, had the major objective to give a boost to American morale, and minimize the people's dependence upon government. As both a President and a Politician, Reagan depicted himself as being a conventional, anti-communist, in favor of reduced taxes, in favor of a less significant government except the army, and favored rem oving policies on corporations and organizations (Rouse & Berkley, 2003). Reagan supported high amounts of spending on the country's defense and peacekeeping. He also helped the United States put an end to the ever-rising inflation that affected the country's economy severely under the earlier leaders Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford, minimizing tax rates by a huge margin.

Should state or local governments tax sodas to fund health care Research Paper

Should state or local governments tax sodas to fund health care - Research Paper Example There is a debate on whether the state government should tax sodas and use the proceeds in health care initiatives. There are many health issues that are related to the intake of sodas in the United States of America. Issues like tooth decay, diabetes and obesity are on the rise among the teens. The contribution of soda to the health care expenses is already high and continues to increase at an alarming rate as depicted by the expenditure on health related issues. It is estimated that $79 billion is spent yearly on obesity and overweight related issues (Lohnes, 2006). The proponents of the tax levy on sodas argue that the taxation of these sodas will help in reducing heath related illnesses like obesity diabetes and tooth decay. The acids that are contained in the sodas breaks up the tooth enamel thus destroying it. The Sodas are known to contain a high level of sugar which is harmful to the health of the people. Various proposals have been put forward regarding the taxation of sodas; the mayor of Philadelphia Michael Nutter proposed a tax on all beverages with added sugar, putting a two-cents-ounce levy on the sugar added drinks. The overall effect of the taxation is that an estimated $ 77 million per year would be generated and directed towards health care programs (Nolan, 2009). Sodas are considered as diuretics implying that they have the ability to dehydrate the body. In places like South Texas where the temperatures are extremely high during summer, the continuous consumption of sodas will cause serious dehydration to the body thus leading to complicated health issues since dehydration causes headaches and heat exhaustion. Nolan (2009) states that the government should impose a tax on the sodas in order to discourage the consumption of sugar added soda. When a tax is levied on soda, it implies that the price of the product will go up meaning that many people will not be able to afford buying the product. This will shift the preference of the people

Soul Man Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Soul Man - Movie Review Example It goes to show the reality, things have changed for the better but racism still remains a daunting challenge and it affects the lives of the blacks' day in and day out. Racism is portrayed and also condoned in some shots of the movie thought it isn't conspicuous, this movie could only have been made in the late 1980s, it would have been severely condemned had it been made in the present time. Some shots are very offensive and raised a hue and cry back then but it was settled and did not become a great problem. The after-school format is also shown in the movie and it represents stereo-type, it goes to show how almost everyone does the same thing and the same represents stereo-typing in the society. The stereo-typing was focused upon to make the audience laugh and this, wavered the intention of the director. The intention was to make the people realize how stereotypical the society had become and to motivate the people to think out of the box but when it was turned into a comedy, the essence of it was lost and as a result of which the desired impact wasn't created on the minds of the people. Mark turned into a black man in order to

How has minimally invasive robotic surgery affected patient care Term Paper

How has minimally invasive robotic surgery affected patient care - Term Paper Example The instruments that the system is made of rotate within the body as it would in the case of the surgeon’s hands allows the surgeon to gain the surgical access. This because of the small size that is approximately one to inches making what would be otherwise impossible for the traditional surgeon possible. The system was mainly designed for the removal of prostate but has in its lasts model been used in bladder and kidney diseases, otolaryngology, abdominal and gynecology. The system is also applied in thoracic, pediatric and cardiac surgery. A long incision is made by the surgeon in the case of the traditional open surgery. This means that the surgeon requires more access to the patient’s anatomy that is actually required to perform an operation at a particular site. This is not the case with the advanced robotic surgery. Rigid manual instruments are the ones used in the case of the traditional minimally invasive surgery (laparoscopic surgery). These instruments pass through small incisions. The patient’s anatomy is observed through s video monitor that is standardized. On the other hand the robotic system does all the operations using a computerized system that require minimal and at some point on human control. The surgeon’s mechanical movement that allows for the 3D vision millimetric precision is done by the Da Vinci Si full HD robotic system. This makes sure that there is even a single hand trembling making it very helpful to the surgeon especially in those operations where precision in critical and makes a lot of difference. In the case of the traditional surgery trembling is common. Based on the above study, it can be concluded the invention of the da Vinci HD surgical system has been a major breakthrough in the field of surgery. Many lives have been saved through this advanced robotic surgery system with surgeons and patients benefiting in equal measures. There

Lethal v. Non lethal weapons Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Lethal v. Non lethal weapons - Research Paper Example ra, weapons have not only failed to strengthen a nation’s position while dealing with such difficulties but suggest that it is too prudish to inflict any severe damage to enemies or accept casualties. This has given rise to legal challenge against the use of force which has given rise to unsympathetic propaganda. Lethal weapons are developed with increasing precision and lethality due to the rise of a global defense industry worth a multibillion-dollar. Justice against crime has become a matter of serious concern for the first world country as the fight back the use of lethal weapons to introduce non-lethal weapons such as â€Å"acoustic (bioeffects), chemical (pepper spray), electrical (stun devices and projectiles), kinetic energy projectiles (shot bags and ring airfoil projectiles), light (lasers, flashing bright lights), nets (baton launched, projectile launched), and fleeing vehicle interdiction (mechanical and electric/electromagnetic)† (Morehouse 1996). If non-le thal weapons are not considered secure then there seems no difference between the use of lethal weapons. But one might agree that there may be lesser damage caused to environment at large. If the defense industry continues to produce weapons on large scale spending billions and billions of dollars, then the humanity will have to look for other solutions to protect mankind against crime. Today many nations’ chief exports are weapons technology for both defense as well as offense. Many critics have suggested that the business of conventional weaponry should be re-channelized for a worthy cause. Educated people need to realize that in order to evolve into better specie one needs to move on a higher plane. It is for this reason that the non-lethal weapons technology and its application started to evolve. Consequently non-lethal weapons and technologies are defined according to their potential application at the tactical and strategic level (Morehouse 1996). The question which often

Cultural Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Cultural Evaluation - Essay Example India is a diverse country with having deep rooted traditions, culture, and religion which lives with one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Cohen (2001) once said, â€Å"India is an ancient state but a modern civilization.† Globalization has affected India and its culture. â€Å"India is particularistic, communitarians, diffuse, outer-directed culture that favors ascribed status and has a synchronous perception of time.† (Overgaard, 2010) The deeply rooted traditions and cultures within every part of India are gradually changing due to this phenomenon as well as the moral values of the country. Furthermore, the whole system within this country is affected including the caste system, karma, and the eternal religion. Due to this, India has resulted in a more modern having urbanized Indians who are living a life with the ancient tradition, culture, and values even after trying to change their living way according to the Western lifestyle. But they have kept a hold to some values, tradition, and culture such as religion which is important. According to Tarakeshwar, Nalini et al., (2003), religion is a very important aspect of culture and a crucial factor when it comes to analyzing culture and predicting people’s behavior. Moreover, India has developed itself and its values to ascribed status which is connected to particularism. They caste system would have failed, had India been a universalistic culture nation. Therefore, it is said that youth of the nation will now be self dependent, individual, cosmopolite, and they would belong to a global culture. This proves the fact that India and its culture is still Westernizing. â€Å"There is, apparently, an underlying assumption in the Indian tradition that no individual can claim to have seen the truth for the first time and, therefore, that an individual can only explicate, state, and defend in a new form a truth that has been seen, stated, and defended by countless others before

Argument Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Argument - Research Paper Example Camera phone is a type of cell phone which has the option of taking pictures (Goggin, 2012). Due to this initially it was considered a tool of intervening in to the privacy of others and therefore many countries banned its use especially in the public places. Later on due to the extensive useful effects of camera phone it was allowed. However, with the passage of time inventors developed such sophisticated built-in cameras that now people don’t know even that they have been photographed. Despite of the fact that majority of the people consider camera phone as a blessing, it has given rise to many problems that were previously not present and therefore today people believe that the use of camera phones should be constrained especially in gymnasiums and other similar places in order to ensure privacy and security of the public while on the other side there are individuals who believe that the camera phones should not be restricted at public places. Hence it leads to an argument which is not yet resolved. People who believe that camera phones does not create disturbance or infuriation in their private lives does not supports the idea of banning camera phone at public places rather they support the idea of using it at places such as gymnasiums. This is primarily due to the fact that camera phones provides an opportunity to capture the most lovable moments of one’s lives and also to share them with others via social networking websites (Goggin, 2012). The mischievous intentions of people can be controlled by the implementation of strict rules and regulations which aims to provide protection to general public. Banning camera phones would be a significant step in this regard. However, if the use of camera phones is not protected by the law then there are substantial chances that people who do not have mischievous intentions will also indulge into harming activities for the sake of fun only. It is the basic

US Wine †California Region Essay Example for Free

US Wine – California Region Essay Having studied the wine industry in general in the USA, in order to arrive at a concise answer the problem of purchase of imported bottles by the wineries in the Californian region, it is important to have an overview of the wine industry in California. Some of the important features of the California wine industry are: California wine accounts for almost 90 percent of the wine production in the United States. California ranks fourth in the total world production of wine next to France, Italy and Spain. The topography, climatic conditions and the soil of the Californian region greatly facilitates the growing of grapes and production of quality wine. These are the major factors for the concentration of the wineries in and around the state. The sales of the California wine is showing an increasing trend every year and account for nearly two thirds of all wine sales in the country. The most important point to note from the point of view of the buying of the imported bottles is that California’s wineries are predominantly family owned and multi-generational which makes the changes in the buying decisions almost impossible. The profile of the California wine industry as illustrated by the MKF Research LLC is appended below to give the readers an in-sight into the magnitude of the California wine industry. The figures are based on the statistics for the year 2005. The following table illustrates the contribution of California to the total Wine shipments in the US: The development of glass bottles with uniformly-sized necks and the accompanying cork stopper are the two important prerequisites of the international wine trade. Simi Newsletter observes â€Å"During the 18th century, bottle shapes evolved more nearly into those we recognize today as being distinctively wine bottles. Made from black glass they became taller and more cylindrical, and most assumed the form of todays Burgundy bottle†. During the course of the 19th century, the development of particular shapes of wine bottles evolved, to indicate the regions from which the wine came. Examples of such identification are Bordeaux and Champagne. Simi Newsletter adds further that â€Å"Today, most of the great viticultural regions of the world have their own distinctive bottle shape†. The function of a wine bottle is to represent its contents by the mere shape of the bottle. Thus the traditional wine bottles from France have taken to be the models that define the variety of the wine inside the bottles, irrespective of the regions of the world the wine is coming from. The most common shapes of bottles are: The Bordeaux Bottle: The shape of the bottle is such that the shoulder of the bottle helps filtering the sediment particles which used to present in the old Bordeaux wine. Even though the sediment problem is not there now the shape of the bottle continues. All red Bordeaux wines have green glasses and the white ones are filled in clear glasses, of course with some exceptions. The California wine industry also follows the same tradition. However due to the rugged nature of the winery owners, this tradition is not being followed very strictly. The Burgundy Bottle: The Burgundy bottle looks elegant with its shoulder sloping. Wine varieties Pinot Noir in green colored bottles and Chardonnay in green or clear colored ones are filled in this kind. In California â€Å"Chenin Blanc and Rhone varietals are also usually bottled in this shape† Simi Newsletter. The Champagne Bottle: These bottles are usually large thick walled and tall necked and are equipped to store the sparkling wine under high gas pressure. A recess or indentation is usually found in these bottles to relive the excessive gas pressure. In the case of bottles for still wines originally the punt was the result of the ancient method of molding the glass. But tradition continues and the punt remains in almost all fine wine bottles. The Dessert Wine Bottle: Simi Newsletter further states that â€Å"Many dessert wines made in California are bottled in long-necked bottles that resemble the bottles of Alsace and the Mosel and Rhine wines of Germany† The color of the bottle plays a very important role in making the differences between the wine varieties clear. It may be observed that all the Rhine wines are placed in Brown colored bottles. The Mosels are found in green bottles, But California follows green, brown or clear. It is contradictory that some wines have clear bottles, as the coloring of the wine bottle has the purpose of protecting the ultraviolet light preventing the aging of the wine. But the bottling of wines is purely a matter of traditional values. However some regions have developed their own shapes and colors of the bottles which have become the regional standards and specialty.

Heritage Tourism On Archaeological Sites In Egypt Tourism Essay

Heritage Tourism On Archaeological Sites In Egypt Tourism Essay Egypt is located in the North- Eastern corner of Africa and South-Western Asia and is commonly known as The Motherland of the World Land of Civilizations and The Greatest Power in Human History being reputable for its 7,000-year-old record of civilization and immense wealth of knowledge (SIS, 2011). Amongst all civilizations and nations, Egypt is known to be one of the worlds oldest tourist destinations, possessing one third of the worlds ancient monuments within its country. Besides its other archaeological and cultural monuments, the discovery of the Pharaonic antiquities long time ago has added a special appeal to Egypt, therefore boosting Egypts tourism industry. However, with the booming increase in Egypts tourism, conflicts and issues starts to surface concerning the management and conservation of the ancient Egyptian archaeological sites and treasures. What defines Egypt is its massive number of archaeological sites that can be found all over the country and of course, its extraordinary architectural and heritage attractions such as the legendary Pyramids of Giza, the world-famous Valley of the Kings and the temple at Abu Simbel. These well-known and remarkable sites are the lifeblood of the countrys tourism industry where it attracts over 2 million visitors annually to Egypt (Boniface and Cooper, 2001). Despite being one of the most highly industrialized country in the Arab region, Egypts petroleum and economy is not sufficient to provide adequate amount of jobs to its population of 73 million (e.g.: Boniface and Cooper, 2001; MINTEL, 2004). It is also mentioned by Weeks and Hetherington (2006) that tourism has been a key factor in Egypts economy for about the last two centuries and over the last generation. It has become a crucial component of the economy and is now the source of 45 percent of the countrys annual foreign currency earnings. Therefore tourism in Egypt plays a critical role of support for its economy where it benefits both the government and to all levels of the society. One of the main components of the tourism industry in Egypt is heritage tourism. Heritage itself as a concept has entered on to a global stage and penetrated into the local, regional and national arena (Burnett, 2001). The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) states that heritage and culture have become an important element in almost 40 per cent of all international trips taken (Timothy and Boyd, 2003) and despite of recession, heritage tourism still continued to grow (Hanna, 1993, cited in Timothy and Boyd, 2003). Throughout the world, ancient venues and archaeological monuments have become major tourism attractions (Laws, 2011) and one such destination is Egypt where the impacts of flourishing heritage tourism on ancient archaeological sites are apparent through out the country. However, in spite of the thriving tourism industry in Egypt, conflicts and issues starts to arise that contradicts Egypts own tourism interest. In order to maximize revenue from the tourism industry, Egypt implemented the approach of opening more sites to visitors and promoting visits through advertising and high profile overseas tours of antiquities (Weeks and Hetherington, 2006). Ironically, the benefits of expanding Egypts tourism are being out weigh by the negative aspects. Lambert (2011) states that a bustling tourist industry is sadly known to be a double-edged sword. She added that, as most archaeological sites are very fragile and ancient, they were not meant to accommodate thousands of visitors on a daily basis. The overcrowding of tourists visiting, touching and stepping onto these sites, are destroying many archaeological attractions. One such incident happened in February of 1988. A chunk of limestone fell from the Egyptian Sphinx, the half lion, half man relic built by the ancient Egyptians over 4,000 years ago. Recently on January 2011, Egypts Supreme Council of Antiquities had announced plans to close the tomb of Tutankhamen to tourists by the end of the year. The tomb, which was discovered some 89 years ago, was damaged as a result of the overwhelming visits of tourist, particularly over the past three decades (http://www.redorbit.com). The mass tourism in Egypt has also impacted the Valley of the Kings, altering the physical and natural aspects of the environment. According to Gaetano Palumbo, the program director for North Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia for the World Monuments Fund, a New York-based nonprofit dedicated to preserving and protecting endangered historical sites around the world: One could say that, the heritage sites in Egypt are victims of their own success. In the Valley of the Kings, Luxor, visitor numbers have almost doubled in the past 10 years, from 1.5 million to close to 3 million, with peaks of 10,000 visitors a day. This creates massive problems in visitor management. Drastic decisions may have to be taken in order to regulate visitor numbers, including temporary or permanent closures of ancient sites.   Due to poor tourism and cultural heritage management, Bindlegas (1997) states that the decay of some of the worlds most fabulous ancient relics has been happening at a shocking rate. These major archaeological and cultural heritage sites represent the origins of human civilization and provide the best evidences of the historical and cultural development of humanity (Global Heritage Fund, 2010). If measures are not taken to start preserving and conserving the ancient monuments, it will be completely destroyed within centuries. However, increasing the tourism receipts into Egypt and on the other hand, conserving these heritage sites is not as simple as it seems. Leask (2006) described that balancing the development of tourism opportunities and heritage conservation activities has been a continuous struggle for countries with tourism and cultural heritage management. The different parties involved are unable to decide on the same agreement, resulting in the lack of proper management that can benefit both the tourism and conservation of the ancient Egyptian archaeological sites and treasures. Therefore this paper aims to identify the variables that constitute and associate to the impacts of heritage tourism on archaeological sites in Egypt. AIM To assess the impacts of heritage tourism on archaeological sites in Egypt OBJECTIVES To review secondary literature about the environmental impacts of heritage tourism on archaeological sites in Egypt. To study the conflict between heritage and tourism in Egypt. To assess the management and conservation of archaeological sites in Egypt. CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW DEFINING TOURISM According to the Advance Release of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) World Tourism Barometer, international tourism showed a strong recovery of almost 7% to 935 million in 2010, from the 4% decline during the global economic crisis in 2009. Through the decades, tourism is now known as one of the largest industry in the world, experiencing dynamic improvements and intense diversification, leading it to become one of the worlds fastest growing economic sector (e.g.: Youell, 1998; World Tourism Organization (UNWTO, 2011)). Therefore, prior to assessing the impacts of heritage tourism on archaeological sites in Egypt, it is first essential to define and understand the term tourism. Even in early researches, the term tourism had yielded, as many definitions as there were many studies of phenomenon (Cohen, 1974, cited in Wall and Mathieson, 2006). Guyer-Feuler who concentrated on the economical and statistical aspects of tourism, conceived the first definition of tourism in 1905, where it defined tourism as: A phenomenon unique to modern time which is dependent on the peoples increasing need for a change and relaxing, the wish of recognizing the beauties of nature and art and the belief that nature gives happiness to human beings and which helps nations and communities approaching to each other thanks to the developments in commerce and industry and the communication and transportation tools becoming excellent. (Bahar, 2005: 2, as cited in Esen and Uyar, 2010) The origin of the term tourism goes back to the 17th century where the root word tour is derived from the Hebrew word torah which means learning and examining. People who were sent on a voyage to explore distant areas to learn the social activities of the population living in those places are known by the Hebrews as tourist and the behaviour as touring. (Bahar, 2005) Some other few pioneers who attempted to define tourism were Professor Hunzikar and Krapf (1941, cited in Holloway, 1994:1) of Berne University who states that it is: The sum of phenomena and relationships arising from the travel and stay of non-resident, in so far as they do not lead to permanent residence and are not connected to any earning activity. Holloway (1994) then continues that tourism, besides being associated as a form of recreation or leisure; it might be where individuals or a group of individuals travel away from home. However, Holloway (1994) also questioned the specificity of the statement on whether tourism is defined by its purpose or the distance travelled. Indeed, it is a common perception and a popular understanding amongst people that the central aspects of tourism evolves around holidays, leisure and tours, engaging in different kinds of activities to have a good time and as long as being in a foreign land, it is considered to be tourism regardless of the distance travelled. However, tourism is more than just a cursory explanation of leisure, recreation and being in a foreign land. In 1993, after much reviews, researches and further analysis on existing works of tourism definitions, the UNWTO (1993, cited in Youell, 1998:9), with co-operations from many international organizations, finally announced the officially accepted definition as: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the activities of persons travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes. Therefore with the multitude of tourism definitions given by researchers and studies, which of these, can academics, organizations and professionals use as an accurate guideline in the tourism industry? In spite of the existence of many variations of tourism definitions and the popularity of tourism studies in recent decades, it has been discussed and acknowledged by academic researchers, organizations and industry professionals that there has been no specific means in defining the principal concept of the term tourism due to its large complex nature of subject, involving diverse combinations of disciplines and industry sectors (e.g.: Morley, 1990; Youell, 1998; Goeldner, Ritchie and McIntosh, 2000; Dredge and Jenkins, 2007). Moreover, regardless of the complications of specifying definitions for tourism, tourism is nothing without the tourists. The main factor that drives tourism is the tourists who are travelling and therefore any effort to understand tourism as a concept has to first understand the motivations behind the tourists decision to travel. Also, the definition of tourism is dependent on an individuals perspectives and perception of tourism and also how it will fit into a particular purpose or situation (Dredge and Jenkins, 2007). In addition, the changes of the different definitions since the early 1900s till the present day demonstrates that tourism can no longer be associated to merely economics and geography (Arlt, 2010). As time passes with the continuous growth of the industry, researches into the concepts of tourism will persist to expand, eventually resulting in the creation of more definitions of tourism. IMPACTS OF TOURISM Tourism is an integration of close interactions involving the dynamic relationships of different variables or elements in the tourism travel process and thus, it can never be a standalone unit. Hence, any changes or effects to a variable will create a ripple effect within the whole tourism structure. With this, contributions made by the growth of the tourism industry will therefore lead to an increased economic activity within the country. Countries are increasingly becoming dependent on tourism, as it is one of the most rational and sustainable development choices that have the capability of creating employment to the communities and also acting as a main provision of foreign earnings to the economy. (UNWTO, 2010 Tourism and the Millennium Development Goals) While it is often the economic impacts of tourism that businesses and public organizations that are usually interested in (Stynes, 1999), the late twentieth century saw the emergence of environmental and socio-cultural impacts of tourism being controversial and critical issues discussed in tourism study (Youell, 1998). As the main objective of this paper aims to concentrate on the impacts of heritage tourism on the archaeological sites in Egypt, this section will therefore provide an overview of the positive and negative influences that tourism, in general, have on the economic, environment and socio-culture around the world. Economic Impacts It is predicted that by 2020, revenues earned from the tourism industry will be $1.5 trillion (Kumar and Prasad, n.d). Tourism being declared as one of the worlds largest industry is similar to any other businesses and industries; affecting the economy by generating income for the countrys economy, stimulating job opportunities for the people from the international level down to the local levels. Increasing competiveness amongst countries has also pushed the business capacity of the tourism industry to the level of, or, sometimes even exceeding trade commodities such as oil and food exports (UNWTO, 2011). Tourism being a major player in the service sector is naturally dependent on labor therefore stimulating a great deal of employment opportunities both in developed and developing countries. The fact that tourism is an intergration of many various individual elements in a tourism travel process, the economic impacts from tourism will therefore affect industries in the construction sector, agriculture sector, commercial services sector such as retail and customer services and also the health and finance sector (e.g.: Wall and Mathieson, 2006; ÃÆ'-nder and Durgu, 2007). Tourist expenditures contributing to the balance of payments through foreign exchange earnings, and revenue generated from tourism developments can represent a crucial source of income for a nations economy (Balaguer Cantavella-Jorda, 2002, cited in Seetanah, 2010). However on a negative note, seasonal tourism also known as induced employment, being influenced by the increase in the demand and supply of tourism causes the increase of low-paying jobs and often creating unemployment during off-peak seasons (Kreag, 2001). Peak periods of tourism can benefit the economy of a country, however on the expense of the locals, who might have to pay for the higher prices of goods and services in the community, thus increasing their cost of living. However, contributions of tourism to a countrys economic benefits is relative to factors such as the availability of facilities and resources, the countrys social and political stability, the host communities behavior towards tourist and the amount of investment injected by the government into tourism projects and development (Youell, 1998). Environmental Impacts The relationship between tourism and the physical environment, natural or man-made, is firmly interlinked and complicated. Controversial debates of tourism and the environment have been going on in determining whether they are friends or foes. The physical environment is an important aspect of tourism; it ensures the sustainability of attracting tourism in the long run. In fact, it is impossible to define the different types of tourism without the inclusion of the environment (Safakli, n.d). A tourists decision to travel and the duration of stay depends on the physical environment of the destination. According to Olali (2000), the estimation given by academics states that in the next 100 years, the environment will be the only option that will determine the demand of tourism. The environmental impacts of tourism can be categorised into two categories which are postive and negative impacts, and finding a balanced relationship with the environment is uncommon, if not, there is hardly a balanced relationship (Holden, 2000). The negative impacts of tourism on the environment caused by the increased in tourist visitations are visible through the changes, damages and depletion of natural resources, causing the destruction of wildlife habitat, improper waste disposal, air and water pollutions, and also erosion of the natural landscape such as the mountains and historical sites (e.g.: Youell, 1998; Holden, 2000; United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), 2001; Wall and Mathieson, 2006). The lack of facilities and space to accommodate the increase in tourist visitations results in the overcrowding and the over usage of an environment, therefore also increasing improper waste disposal, loss of significant attractions and unethical behaviors due to the lack of supervision over the large number of visitors. The detrimental state of the environment will then lose its beauty and attractiveness to these tourists therefore causing a decline in tourist visitations. Despite of the attention on the negative impacts of tourism on the environment, there are still positive impacts of tourism that benefits the environment. Contradictory to the cause of degradation of these natural resources, the motivating factor behind a tourists decision to travel to these places are based on the sentimental attachment they have with the environments (Kreag, 2001). And because these environments are what attracted tourists visits in the first place, preservation efforts are heighened to keep them well managed, and protected from further deterioration. The positive environmental impacts of tourism are sometimes associated to the economic value of tourism earned revenue (Holden, 2000). The increase of tourism travel to a destination also increases the tourism funds flowing into the countrys economy. This additional funds allows governments to use the added revenue from its tourist industry to implement measures into proper management and invest in the restoration of the environment such as construction of new roads to accommodate overcrowding of vehicles, building and upgrading facilities to attract or accommodate the influx of visitors and installing modern technologies into the conservation and preservation of sensitive areas (e.g.: UNEP, 2001; Kreag, 2001). And as tourism travel increases, the impacts on the environment are also increasing. Therefore, it is of utmost importance for government agencies and tourism organizations to focus on the preservation and conservation of the environment. When the environment is restored to its original state or even better, the flow of visitors into the destination will resume once again. However if there is a lack of proper management or close facilitation of the situation, the environment will eventually return back to its damaged state. The attempt to balance the positive and negative aspects of the impacts of tourism on the environment tends go round a vicious cycle. This is where the importance of strategic planning intervenes and it is a crucial part of sustainable tourism of a destination. Socio-cultural Impacts The inclusion of social impact studies is an essential criterion for any tourism industry and tourism government agencies planning for a sustainable tourism industry as it provides an insight of the support for tourism development within host communities (e.g.: Nyaupane and Thapa, 2006; Zhang et al., 2006; Tovar and Lockwood, 2008; Deery, Jago and Fredline, 2011). Social cultural impacts on a destinations society such as traditions, identity, lifestyle, values and customs, are the results of the direct and indirect interactions between the host communities, the tourists and the tourism industry. These impacts of tourism development on the local society are identified through the evaluation of residents perceptions and behaviors towards tourism (Tovar and Lockwood, 2008). Regardless of the magnitude of the fluctuations of tourism demand, the impact on the host community will not only be dependent on the number of tourist arrivals but the type of tourist (Holloway, 2002). Of which, the se impacts can either have a positive or negative influence on the society. Firstly, improvements of infrastructures resulted from tourism development such as clean water and stable telecommunications, improved transportation and banking services, and new business investments are positive impacts that contributes in enriching the local communities way of life (http://www.gawler.sa.gov.au). Tourism also helps in boosting the quality of life in the society and provides opportunities for locals to experience cultural exchange and interactions with the rest of the world. The accumulative experience gained from engaging in the cultural exchange with visitors enhances the host communities ability to interact comfortably and confidently with future potential visitors in the long run. Having an influx of tourist arrivals to a destination can also encourage the preservation and conservation of cultural values and traditional customs which are in danger of losing its identity. The increased interest of tourists into the culture and traditions of the local society also helps to push the demand for historical and cultural education and local tourism agencies will be pressured to step up on preservation and conservation of possible endangered ancient sites, monuments or artifacts (Kreag, 2001). Despite of the positive and inspiring socio-cultural impacts of tourism on a host environment, the negative impacts of tourism, on the other hand, can equally cause a prominent damage on a culture. Ironically, instead of riviving a lost culture, the continuous development of tourism driven by the influx of tourist demand can very well cause the same cultural identity and value of the host communities to change and this issue has raised concerns amongst tourism organizations. This normally happens when local communites conformed to the needs, wants and desires of tourists expectations in the bid to respond to their growing demands. As such, this conformity leads to the commercialization of local culture into a commodity and the modification of traditional art and craft forms, resulting it to become reconstructed ethnicity which might end up causing the eradication of cultural goods (www.coastlearn.org). One of the negative aspect on the social status of a culture is the social differences between the host and the tourists. According to Mathieson and Wall (2006), more often than not, social tensions between host communities and tourists happens in developing countries whereby the tourist market are from a country with higher foreign currency rate than the host communities and thus unintentionally highlighting the disparity of wealth. They also mentioned that since the nature of tourism involves the movement of people around geographical locations, social conflicts occur as a result of differences in cultures, values, lifestyles and languages. TOURISM AND HERITAGE Defining Heritage in Tourism With the growth of the tourism sector, the types of tourist are also diversified and the collection of individual experiences of these tourists influence the different types of tourism offered today, thus the formation of the different types of tourism (Timothy and Boyd, 2003). Heritage tourism has been one of the oldest forms of tourism offered since the early ages, however in recent years, it has grown to popularity in the industry. It is the inheritance of the unrepeatable products of life from the past that is worth preserving for the benefits admiration and education of the current and future generations (e.g.: Nurick, 2000; Timothy and Boyd, 2003; Sethi, 2005; National Trust, 2011). Heritage could be anything that is tangible or intangible left behind by the past such as archaeological or historical sites that have been preserved, natural landscapes which are of a destinations significance, artifacts and documents, culture, values and sometimes even the people of the past such as the indigenous people. However over the years, heritage has been modified and commercialized to suit tourists demand and expectations, allowing it to be more accessible, attractive, educational and entertaining (Fyall and Rakic, 2006). Heritage itself as a concept has entered on to a global stage and penetrated into the local, regional and national arena (Burnett, 2001). The World Tourism Organization (WTO) states that heritage and culture have become an important element in almost 40 per cent of all international trips taken and despite of recession, heritage tourism still continued to grow (Hanna, 1993, cited in Timothy and Boyd, 2003). The different types of heritage attractions offered now are varse and wide, examples includes natural history attractions, religious attractions, sociocultural attractions, art galaries, ancestral dwellings, and genocide monuments. Fyall and Rakic (2006) adds that the demand for heritage based tourism has been on the rise because Lowenthal (1979) states that peoples sentimental reminensce of the past is deeply affected by the parallel ongoing eradication of historical antiquities while on the other hand, Hannabuss (1999) also claims that heritage enthusiasts are immersing themsevles in heritage for the purpose of finding a rational explanation for their post-modern lives. With the controversial issues happening in everyday life, it is no wonder that heritage behaves as a touchstone in reminding people the primary essence of life. Hence, an attempt to understand the demand of heritage tourism could best be determined by initiating a study on visitor psychographic characteristics as these visitors are the primary factors pushing the demand for heritage tourism. Determining the visitor demographics can also aid in better planning and management of visitor capacity control in relation to preservation and conservati on of the heritage sites which will be discussed further in the next section. According to Hall and McArthur (1993a, as cited in Timothy and Boyd, 2003), the significance of heritage can be categorised into four different areas in relation to its economic, social, political and scientific significance. The economic significance of heritage refers to the value of the heritage to visitors, in terms of the amount of revenue earned from visitations to the sites. The social significance refers to the personal identification that individuals have to associate themselves with their heritage. In terms of its political significance, the representations of heritage can behave as an aid in managing political issues due to its political nature behind its existance. Finally, heritage educates visitors on its history, culture and the population of a destination. It also acts as a benchmark for ecological studies on the environments and ecosystems, therefore presenting itself as a scientific significance to the people (ibid.). Impacts of Tourism on Heritage Through the globalization and increasing competiveness of the tourism industry, governments, tourism organizations and agencies are continuously pushed into the whirlpool of sustainable tourism development. Bramwell and Lane (1993) states that sustainable tourism development can be implemented if the balance of the economic, environmental and social aspects of the development is realised. It is certain that every country in the world will definitely have a heritage background attached to them, however, what makes heritage tourism in a country unique is the exclusiveness of the actual heritage product itself. The characteristics and uniqueness of that particular heritage product dictates the different types of visitors and the demand of heritage tourism in the destination. With tourism, comes impacts. As mentioned in earlier sections, tourism impacts the economy, environment and the socialcultural aspects of a destination. Likewise, heritage tourism being categorised into the four different aspects of significance, will therefore impact the economy, evironment and socialcultural aspects of a destination. An influx of tourist visitations can positively or negatively affect the destination in many aspects. Prosperity of the economy, job creations, improved quality of life are some of the positive impacts whilst seasonal unemployment, social tensions, pollution of the environment are some of the negative impacts. However when it comes to heritage, tourism is known to be impacting the environmental and sociocultural aspect of the destination more often than the economical aspect, unless otherwise, the countrys tourism economy is highly dependent on heritage tourism. Tourism is known to have an intitmate relationship with the matters of heritage conservatio n and preservation; a significant element in deciding the survival of a countrys heritage Hence, the impacts caused by tourism on heritage sites are in ways similar to that of a natural environment (pollution, lost of habitat, lost of attractiveness), however, the results and repercussions are amplified due to the uniqueness of the heritage enviroment that can never have an exact replica elsewhere in the world. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK Heritage Sites in Egypt Demand of Tourism in Egypt IMPACTS OF TOURISM ON HERITAGE IN EGYPT Politcal Issues in Egypt CHAPTER THREE: ANALYSIS GROWTH OF TOURISM IN EGYPT Tourism and Heritage in Egypt The term history can be best epitomized by the ancient Egyptian civilization than to any other ancient culture (Grimal, 1994). Egypt is probably the worlds oldest civilization from the  Nile Valley  since the 3,100 BC and is reputable for its extensive collection of historical record on civilization and the immense wealth of knowledge (SIS, 2011). Five thousand years ago, a glimpse start of Egyptss tourism began with the start of cruising (Goeldner, Ritchie and McIntosh, 2000). Queen Hatshepsuts first cruise journey is recorded on the walls of the Temple of Deit El Bahari in Luxor, where it states that the purpose of cruising at that era was for peace and tourism (ibid.). However the genesis of heritage tourism in Egypt could mainly be attributed by the smart and innovative grandeur infrastructure of the Pharaonic burial tombs such as the Sphinx and the other ancient Egyptian pyramids, which saw the first early arrivals of tourists. The start of tourism playing as a core role in the economy of Egypt came with the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869 and after being announced by Khedive (Viceroy) Ismail that Egypt was to be part of Europe (www.thelonelyplanet.com). The Nile, Luxor, the ancient Pyramids of Giza and temples are what defines Egypt as a heritage destination. Egypts ancient civilization is an evidence of the evolution of mankind from the prehistoric days till the present. The rich history of Egypt acts as a connection to the distant past of humanity, which reveals mankinds greatest glories and achievements. Current Status of Egypts Tourism Industry Tourism in Egypt is a huge lucrative business that has flourish and become a major component in the economic development. Millions of tourists are travelling to Egypt each year, for the purpose of appreciating the abundance of the natural and historical phenomenon within the country (www.greenstarhotel.net). In 1995, international vis

Electronics Arts Company Analysis

Electronics Arts Company Analysis Electronic Arts (EA) is an American developer, marketer, publisher, and distributor of computer and video games. The gaming industry where the company operates is one of the most competitive and dynamic industries. Perform a PEST analysis and five forces analysis on the industry as well as SWOT analysis and suggest an appropriate strategic course for Electronic Arts. 1.0 Introduction Electronic Arts, Inc. (EA) is a worldwide developer, dealer, publisher and distributor of video entertainments. The organization was an initiate of the early home computer amusements organization and was remarkable for encouraging the designers and programmers in charge for its games. Initially, EA was a home computing amusement publisher. EA developed via achievement of several successful developers. It had grown to be one of the worlds biggest third party publishers. (Wikipedia ,2010) Presently, it is mainly successful goods are sports games available under its EA Sports label, entertainments based on trendy film authorizes such as Harry Potter and games from long-running franchises like Medal of Honor, Need for Speed, The Sims, Battlefield and the presently games in the Burnout and Command and Conquer series. With the majority of its sports instruction series being industrial by EA, and the worlds biggest enlargement studio EA Canada which they are also the distributors of the Rock Band series. (Wikipedia ,2010) 2.0 PEST analysis tools PEST can be described as political, economic, social, technological issues, which are applied to evaluate the marketplace for a company or organizational unit. The PEST analysis headings are a structure for analysis a position, and can also be applied to evaluate a plan or position, trend of a business and marketing proposal. It is a helpful implement for understanding marketplace situation, in which they are working, and the opportunities and threats that be positioned within it. (Strategylabs, 2010) The models issues will vary in significance to a particular company based on its business and the products it manufactures. Moreover, issues which are more probable to alter in the outlook or more related to a specified business will carry greater meaning. Additionally, EA who create a large range of goods can find it more helpful to evaluate one division of its organization at a time with the PEST model, hence concerning on the particular issues appropriate to that one division. (Researchmarkets, 2009) By understanding the situation in which EA function exterior to the divisions, they know how to take benefit of the opportunities and diminish the threats. Particularly, it is a functional tool for understanding threats linked with market development or decline and as such the situation, prospective and trend for them. It is finding out where they are in the circumstance of what is occurring exterior that will at several point cause what is happening within of the business. (Modelbenders, 2009) 2.1 Five forces analysis Porters five forces analysis contracts with issues external a business that influence the environment of rivalry within it, the forces inside the organization that control the approach in which firms compete, and accordingly the organizations likely productivity is accomplished in Porters five forces model. An industry has to realize the dynamics of its businesses and marketplaces in order to compete successfully in the market. It described the forces which make rivalry, competing that the competitive atmosphere is formed by the relations of five dissimilar forces acting on a company. It seems at five solution parts specifically the threat of entrance, the power of consumers, the power of providers, the threat of substitutes, and competitive challenges. (Emerald Insight Staff , 1993) Understanding the environment of each of these forces gives associations the essential approaching to allow them to make the right plans to be successful in their marketplace. It is a simple tool that supports EA understanding where power lies in a business situation. It also assists to recognize both the strong point of their current competitive situation, and the strength of a situation of them is looking to move into. With an understandable recognizing of where power lies, it will allow EA to get fair benefit of its strengths, develop weaknesses, and avoid taking incorrect stages. Consequently, to concern this planning instrument efficiently, it is vital to know the position and to look at each of the forces separately. (Modelbenders, 2009) 2.2 SWOT analysis SWOT analysis is a strategic planning system applied to assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats concerned in a plan or in an industry venture. The interior issues can be analysis as strengths or weaknesses depending upon their force on the companys goals. The exterior issues can comprise macroeconomic matters, technological alter, legislation, and socio-cultural transforms, as well as alters in the market or competitive situation. (Strategylabs, 2010) In many rival analyses, EA make completed outlines of each competitor in the marketplace, concerning particularly on their virtual competitive strengths and weaknesses utilizing SWOT analysis. EA will observing each competitors price structure, sources of earnings, resources and competencies, competitive situation and manufactured goods isolation, degree of vertical combination, historical reactions to business enlargements and other issues. (Emerald Insight Staff , 1993) Another instance is EA, which is a great example of how computer amusements business can utilize a SWOT analysis to shape out a strong company strategy. They have known that its strength was selling openly to customers and keeping its prices lower than those of other competitors. EA put together a company strategy that integrated mass customization and just-in-time manufacturing and allowing consumers enjoy their computer amusements with complete imagination in the games world. (Researchmarkets, 2009) 2.3 The analytical tools in solutions It helps EA in discovery the true resolution that best meets their requirements and can play a dynamic role in the accomplishment as well as support. To make easy this development, they have recognized strategic deal with key vendors. The growing resolutions portfolio presents customers with leading skill by world-class partners and developed in the marketplace. EA suggests proven resolutions that provide stability, scalability and the elasticity needed to maximize effectiveness and performance in a extremely competitive atmosphere. (Sadler, Philip , 1993) EA bring value to their customers by joining that recognize how with an entire suite of feature rich resolutions that offers the best functionality part. Thus, the system to develop the productivity and efficiency of company analysts, EA must continue to enlarge the width and strength of their data storehouses, which will diminish the number of data sources that analysts need to entrance directly. They must also equip analysts with improved analytical tools that manage the way they do. (Coate, Patricia , 2007) In line with the ever growing complexity of the competitive marketplace EA has abilities far beyond those of the conventional intermediary, letting them to manage as their customers reliance risk partner with resources to contain every part of their business. They give the firm with the most proper resolutions, through consultancy services, systematic tools and risk goods that continue and improve their customers situation in the market. (Sadler, Philip , 1993) 3.0 Conclusion Any company must seek to understand the nature of its competitive environment if it is to be successful in achieving its objectives and in establishing appropriate strategies. If a company fully understands the nature of the analysis, and particularly appreciates which one is the most important, it will be in a stronger position to defend itself against any threats and to influence the forces with its strategy. The situation is fluid, and the nature and relative power of the forces will change. Thus, the need to monitor and stay aware is continuous. (Coate, Patricia , 2007) Some issues during the implementation of these analyses strategic are crucially important for organizations to build long-term business strategy and sustaining competitive advantages rather than simply list the forces. Successful use of the analysis includes identifying the sources of competition, the strength and likelihood of that competition existing, and strategic recommendations for the action a company should take in order to develop barriers to competition. (Researchmarkets, 2009) It is important to make sure that the sources are reliable and relevant to the current condition of the organization. It has to be viable, reliable and valid, in order to conduct a good analysis of the model. For this purpose, the gathered data and information has to be checked and be applied to the current business conditions. Further limitations could be present in the nature of market forces that reduce the applicability of the information sources to present situations and the amount of detailed information required. (Wikipedia, 2010) 4.0 Reference Question 1 Wikipedia (2010), Electronic arts, retrieved on February 12,2011 from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_Arts Strategylabs (2010), Analysis of electronic arts, Retrieved on February 13,2011 from www.strategylabs.net/search-swot-analysis-of-electronic-arts_p8.asp Researchmarkets (2009), Swot analysis , Retrieved on February 12,2011 from www.researchandmarkets.com/reports//electronic_arts_swot_analysis Modelbenders (2009), Electronic arts, Retrieved on February 12, 2011 from www.modelbenders.com/papers/Smith_Game_Impact_Theory.pd E-library Emerald Insight Staff (1993), 1st ed., Strategic Management,    Emerald Group Pub lishing Ltd Sadler, Philip   (1993), 1st ed., Strategic Management , Kogan Page Ltd. Coate, Patricia (2007), 1st ed., Focus on strategic management ,   Emerald Group Publishing Ltd Question 2 Suggest why different approaches to strategy development might be appropriate in different organizations such as a university, a fashion retailer and a high technology company. Introduction A business strategy naturally is an article that obviously expressive the way an industry will pursue and the steps it will take to accomplish its objectives. In a quality of business plan, the business approach results from objectives created to support the stated assignment of the business. In the examination step of business plan development, one of several processes is applied to evaluate a firms market, resources, barriers to achievement and specific advantages. The aim of strategic examination is to classify what a business needs to achieve, the strengths it can bring to bear on achieving the objective and weaknesses that require to be addressed prior to combination and accomplishment. (Sadler, Philip   ,1993) Strategic consideration methodologies can comprise estimating the business circumstances, several of competitive situations, verifying what market forces are at work and ranking competitors, among others. Integrating a business approach typically is one of many steps in a larger production planning process. A business strategy starts with an overall vision. From the vision, a mission statement for the industry is constructed, regularly the shorter and more accurate the better. A mission guides to specific objectives the business will accomplish to complete its mission and that in turn guides to approach to attain goals. Specific plans are regularly then developed to support the business plan. (Coate, Patricia ,2007) Corporate strategy It is verifying the greatest plan to be competitive in the market. It assists to classifies, evaluates, and clarifies the main issues  facing productions to deliver insights corporations can apply to develop performance and achieve a competitive advantage. It is focused with the overall principle and scale of the business to meet stakeholder outlooks. This is an essential level since it is seriously influenced by investors in the production and performs to lead strategic decision-making throughout the business. Corporate strategy is frequently stated openly in an operation statement. The associations have a vision and a plan for accomplishing that vision. They apply that strategy through everything they accomplish. These great associations are able to make and capture value and situation themselves for better value. (Businessdictionary,2009) 2.1 Business unit strategy Strategic business unit (SBU) is focused more with how an industry competes profitably in an exacting marketplace. It focuses strategic decisions about option of goods, meeting wants of clients, gaining benefit over rivals, developing or making new opportunities. It is known as a business unit within the overall corporate identify which is distinguishable from other business because it serves a defined external market where management can conduct strategic planning in relation to products and markets. (Wikipedia ,2010) The unique small business unit advantages that a firm insistently promotes in a constant manner. When organizations become truly large, they are greatest thought of as being collected of a number of productions. These organizational units are large enough and standardized enough to exercise organize over most strategic issues influencing their performance. They are controlled as self contained planning units for which distinct business strategies can be enlarged. A strategic business unit can include an entire organization, or can basically be a smaller division of an organization set up to execute a specific job. The SBU has its own business approach, goals and rivals and these will frequently be dissimilar from those of the parent organization. (Wikipedia ,2010) Operational strategy It is focused with how each division of the business is managed to bring the company and business unit level strategic way. It concerns on problems of resources, progressions, and groups. The operating strategy intends to close the strategic gap between business strategy and accomplishment. It transforms the strategic objectives into obviously described achievement aims and aligns the implementation process to the value intention. The operating strategy consists of several parts starting with the operating business form as the basis for development, function, and technical and human performance style. An operating business form is the associations crucial logic for constantly accomplishing its principle goals. The desired outcome is to have a tactical to carry out the operating strategic plan. (Tmginconline ,2009) A number of the key essentials comprise classify required decisions and correlated issues for business process such as key production processes, managing approaches. Additionally, it gives creative ideas for operating problems and to make new value opportunities. It is a model to close business development gaps and to understand business value. It can be described as the business development direction based on the general vision. For example, key decisions and leading values for key business processes and managing approaches. (Tmginconline ,2009) 2.3 Olympia College Olympia College was established to meet the rising require for private top education in the country and is an associate of the well-known Raffles Education Group. There are choices of analysis of the strategic plan process within Olympia College. The operational strategy shows that direction into generating strategic competitive advantage in the development. Therefore, they can get a new system to structure their business functions and make sure the successful enlargement of their business in the competitive market. (Olympia ,2010) Strategic planning is a long range planning procedure that helps in setting the direction of Olympic College. The strategic plan originates from the colleges mission and strategic vision and gives detailed actionable strategies for moving towards planned outcomes. Moreover, they have to help student improvement toward objective completion. It is more purposeful and successful in their efforts to bring education at a distance, finalize and realize a long range distance education plan. (Olympia ,2010) However, they have to exploit community entrance to Olympic College, particularly for enlarge and apply an on-going enrollment management structure that informs instructional plans, student support services, and facilities planning. They are concerning attention on learning and to assist students, ability, personnel, and administrators perceive themselves as a society of beginners, encourage a college wide culture of measurement that embraces the consideration of learning outcomes and encourages the study of teaching and learning. (Olympia ,2010) 2.4 Padini Holdings Berhad Padini sells ladies shoes and accessories, childrens clothes, maternity wear and accessories through different subsidiaries. They can apply the business unit strategy to formulate and execute the plans that will give a competitively greater fit the situation and accomplish the organizational objectives. However, it can assist Padini to emphasize attention on a particular regional market or consumer group. The long term plan of Padini also wants to do the interior and exterior review to strengthen the situation in the global market. ( Padini, 2010) It shows a fashion viewpoint of each will covers a complete range of goods intended at a targeted customer. The corporation will carry on upgrading the image of its goods while emphasizing value and standard. It is successful grip in the productive but competitive womens footwear market. There are strategies to strengthen its dominant situation with enhanced production lines and increased competence. Having successfully impressed its brand names into the perception of Malaysian consumers, Padini is moving to turn its different labels into regionally familiar fashion leaders. It aims to fulfill the potential of the export market, particularly in the Asian region, and will also step up in foreign country marketing for its goods. ( Padini, 2010) 2.5 Dell INC. Dell Inc. is the top retailer of computer systems in the market. Dell sells desktop personal computers, notebook computers, network servers, and a diversity of computer software. They can apply the corporate strategy as a direction in which its production operations work together to get particular objectives. They implement that strategy for accomplishing their vision to build up a strong communication suppliers and customers relationships in the future. It helps Dell to find out the best strategy to be competitive in the marketplace. Thus, it will guide them to improve the work performance and gain a competitive advantage. (Dell, 2010) Dells objective is to generate loyal clients by providing better experience at a great value. They are devoted to direct relationships, giving best goods with standard based technology outperforming the rivalry with value and an advanced client experience. Dell is the association which is recognized worldwide for its approach of direct selling to the customers and business customers due to which it has obtained greater profits and has grabbed large market share from its rivals. As the business develops with the period of time it is largely enterprise strategy is becoming stronger, complicated and established. (Dell, 2010) Conclusion Nowadays, competitive market a strategy that assures a constant approach to offering the goods or services in a system that will outperform the competition is significant. However, in performance with defining the marketing strategy associations should also have a well defined method for the day to day progression of executing it. A cost leadership strategy is based on the idea that the associations can manufacture and market a high quality goods or services at a lower cost than their rivals. These low costs must transform to profit margins that are higher than the manufacturing average. Some of the circumstances that must exist to support a cost leadership strategy comprise an on-going accessibility of working capital, excellent process engineering abilities, and close management of work, goods designed for easiness of manufacturing and low cost distribution. (Emerald Insight Staff ,1993) It is important to know the market segment as described by the viewpoint characteristics associations have chosen as the objective for their offering. It is based on the criticality of the prospects require, their approach about alteration, the importance of the benefits, barriers that exist to integrating the offering into daily procedure and the reliability of the offering. The prospective for market penetration involves whether they are selling to past clients or a new outlook, how aware the forecasts are of what they are presenting, rivalry, growth rate of the manufacturing and demographics. The prospects willingness to give for product value is established by their understanding of competitive pricing, their capability to give and their want for characteristics such as value, stability and dependability, ease of utilize, consistency and steadiness. (Coate, Patricia ,2007)