Advantages and Limitation of International Trade Assignment

Advantages and Limitation of International Trade - Assignment Example This essay explores the issues surrounding international trade. The Theory of Comparative Advantage. If two countries X and Y trade in two goods G and H, both can benefit by specializing in the good in which they have a comparative advantage and then trading them. This has been proved valid even when country X has an absolute advantage in both goods due to the complexities of intra-country distribution of resources. Distribution of Gains and Losses from Trade. If goods G and H use two inputs, K and L (capital/ labor), at given prices, production of goods will probably utilize inputs in different ratios. If G uses a higher ratio of K to L than H, production of that good becomes K-intensive, relative to H. Here, if G is K-intensive, it will mean that H is L-intensive.  If country X’s inputs of production have a higher ratio of K to L than country Y, then X is K-abundant and Y is L-abundant, relatively. A country will tend to export products which are intensive in factors that country has in abundance. A labor-abundant country (say country Y), will tend to export labor-intensive products. Also, country X’s capital-intensive exports will rise. As it does so, the relative price of the abundant factor in that country will rise. The L-abundant country will see labor prices rising, i.e. wages will rise. The purchasing power of owners of labor will rise; purchasing power of owners of capital will fall. International trade will tend to equalize the relative prices of the two factors in the two countries

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Landscape alteration Essay

Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP) Collection, Preparation and Uses

Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP) Collection, Preparation and Uses Samuel Good Fresh Frozen Plasma Introduction Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP) is the name for the liquid portion of human blood, which has been frozen and preserved. It is taken by blood donation and is stored until needed for blood transfusion. FFP has been available since 1941 (Hoffman, et al, 1990), it was used initially as a volume expander (Erber, et al, 2006), but is now used for the â€Å"management and prevention of bleeding in coagulopathic patients† (Ho, et al, 2005). The term FFP is confusing as the plasma cannot be frozen as well as fresh at the same time. What the term implies is that the plasma was frozen rapidly after it was taken and therefore can be considered fresh. The plasma, from a transfusion aspect, contains essential components such as fibrinogen, albumin, globulin and coagulation factors. These allow for specific individual components to be transferred to a recipient who is in need. The most efficient and effective way to make optimum use of blood which has been donated, is to separate it into its individual components. This process allows for a â€Å"wider availability of blood products† (Spence, et al, 2006) and also reduces the risk patients are exposed to â€Å"transfusion-related risks† (Erber, et al, 2006). The use of FFP and its individual products has increased tenfold since its first introduction (Hoffman, et al, 1990). One reason for this may be the declining availability of whole blood because of the trend to use component therapy (Spence, et al, 2006). Collection and Storage When a donor gives a unit of whole blood, the blood is then separated into several components parts. These include; packed red blood cells (pRBC), platelets and FFP. If required the FFP can be further divided into cryoprecipitate and something called cryo-poor plasma. Cryo-poor plasma is rarely used as a therapeutic response (Lauzier, et al, 2007). As mentioned previously, plasma is the non-cellular, liquid part of the blood. It is made up of; water, electrolytes and proteins. The proteins include the clotting factors and intrinsic coagulants (Murray, et al, 1995). The plasma is separated from the blood after donation and then frozen. For the plasma to be considered ‘fresh’ it must be frozen â€Å"within eight hours of collection† (Murray, et al, 1995) and stored at a temperature of minus 18 degrees centigrade or lower. If this fails to happen, the product is known just as ‘frozen plasma’, which like cryo-poor plasma, is rarely used for therapeutic means. However, to maintain coagulation factors to optimum levels the plasma should be stored at minus 30 degrees centigrade (Lauzier, et al, 2007). FFP can be prepared by separation from whole blood or via plasmapheresis. Plasmapheresis is the name given to a â€Å"broad range of procedures† where â€Å"extracorporeal separation of blood components† (Erber, et al, 2006) results in a plasma which is filtered. Preparation To summarise, FFP is collected in citrate-containing anticoagulant solution, frozen within 8 hours and stored at minus 30 degrees centigrade for up to a year. Although every protection is taken to ensure sterility, it is quite possible for the donor to have an asymptomatic bacteraemia at the time of donation (Stanworth, et al, 2004). The bacteria will have its proliferation down-regulated by the plasma being frozen. However, FFP can still sometimes transmit infectious diseases. Therefore, screening and pathogen inactivation may be performed to reduce the risk. FFP contains no RBC’s and also no WBC’s. As there are no WBC’s the plasma is referred to be as being leucodepleted. This is an indication as to why FFP can transmit said diseases. As mentioned pathogen inactivation can be performed and this is done by using either Methylene blue or a solvent/detergent process. The Methylene Blue Technique Methylene blue is a dye that has been shown to be very effective in the inactivation of pathogens. It binds to nucleic acids and, on illumination with white light, singlet oxygen is formed. This then destroys viral DNA and RNA, therefore viral replication cannot take place. Solvent/Detergent Technique This technique is used for the preparation of factors viii and ix as well as immunoglobulins. First, a solvent is added to the plasma which removes the lipid viral envelope. After this is complete, a detergent is added which inactivates the viral contents. The solvent and detergent are then removed by a physical separation technique, in which they are dissolved in oil. Column chromatography can then be used to isolate factors viii and ix. Once any treatment that is required is complete, the FFP is ready for use. It is an accepted practice that FFP is thawed before use (Ho, et al, 2005). The required units of FFP are placed in a water bath set at 30 – 37 degrees centigrade for approximately 20 – 30 minutes. Von Heyman, et al investigated the effects of 2 different thawing machines and running warm water of 43 degrees centigrade, on the activity of clotting factors, inhibitors and activation markers in FFP. They discovered no significant differences in the activity of coagulation markers over a 6 hour period post thawing. However, a major conclusion found was that, if FFP is immediately transfused after thawing, the product remained rich in clotting factors. Also, if the plasma is left, the activity of said clotting factors decline gradually and therefore FFP should only be maintained at room temperature for up to 4 hours. If thawed FFP is not used within 24 hours it becomes a separate product known as ‘thawed plasma’ (Murray, et al, 1995). Most clotting factors are stable in thawed plasma, however some labile factors, such as v and viii are not. Their degradation actually accelerates whilst the plasma is in a liquid state (Lauzier, et al, 2007). The only main advantage of having thawed plasma readily available, is that it can be transfused rapidly if a severely injured patient requires it. FFP Blood Type Specific It is widely accepted that O negative is the universal donor for pRBC’s, however for FFP this isn’t the case. A and B antigens of the blood are located on the red cells themselves. Type O individuals are devoid of these proteins on their red blood cells. Plasma does not contain RBC’s, but it contains antibodies to the corresponding absent protein. An example of this is: Type A individual has Anti-B antibodies in their blood. Type O plasma has both Anti-A and Anti-B antibodies and is incompatible with about 55 percent of the population. An individual with type AB blood has neither Anti-A nor Anti-B antibodies. This makes the AB plasma ideal for universal use when the blood type of the patient is unknown. The Rh status is irrelevant because any plasma with Anti-D is destroyed at the manufacturing stage. Recipient blood Acceptable blood groups of donor plasma O O,A,B,AB A A,AB B B,AB AB AB The major problem with blood type AB is that the percentage of the population which has it is only 4 percent. Therefore it is better to use FFP which is blood type compatible, which will be determined at the blood bank. Usage There are very few actual specific needs for the use of FFP (Spence, et al, 2006). Usually FFP is used to treat â€Å"deficiencies of coagulation proteins where specific factor concentrates are unavailable† (Hoffman, et al, 1990). Coagulation deficiencies can occur in a variety of different clinical situations. These include massive blood loss, surgery, and infection or acquired multiple coagulation factor deficiencies. Examples of FFP usage: Replacement of isolated factor deficiencies Reversal of Warfarin effects Massive blood transfusion Antithrombin III deficiency Treatment of immunodeficiency Treatment of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura Treatment of Disseminated intravascular coagulation Replacement of isolated factor deficiency FFP can be used to heat deficiencies of factors II, V, VII, IX, X and XI. It is only chosen as a treatment when no specific component therapy is available. Certain factors require a different haemostatic level, for example; severe factor X deficiency only requires a factor level of about 10 percent. Therefore FFP has a range of success when treating factor deficiencies. Reversal of Warfarin effect If a patient is being treated with Warfarin, they have been shown to be deficient in â€Å"functional vitamin K dependent coagulation factors II, VII, IX and X† (Spence, et al, 2006). Usually vitamin K will be administered, however anticoagulated patients will be actively bleeding, and therefore FFP can be used. Massive blood transfusion The use of FFP as a treatment on massive blood transfusion has increased over the decades. Massive bleeding is defined as â€Å"the loss of one blood volume within 24 hours† or as â€Å"50 percent blood loss within 3 hours† or a â€Å"bleeding rate of 150 ml/minute† (Lauzier, et al, 2007). It is indicated for use in patients who have documented blood clotting abnormalities after large blood loss and who are in need of urgent treatment. This is due to the fact that in most emergency situations it is unacceptable to wait hours for lab results to be returned. Antithrombin III deficiency FFP is sometimes used as a source of Antithrombin III in people who are deficient of this inhibitor. Especially if the patients are undergoing surgery or who use Heparin to treat thrombosis. Treatment of Immunodeficiency FFP has been used in children and adults with a humoral immunodeficiency as a source of immunoglobulin. It is also sometimes used for infants when parental nutrition is lacking, and they are suffering with severe protein losing enteropathy (Erber, et al, 2006). Treatment of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura The treatment recommended for this condition is a daily plasma exchange (Murray, et al, 1995). Prompt intervention is indicated if development of neurological abnormalities start to appear. This plasma exchange usually continues for at least 2 days after remission (Ho, et al, 2005). Treatment of Disseminated intravascular coagulation Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is a syndrome where the control of the coagulation system becomes disturbed and out of control. This is usually due to pro-coagulants being dispersed into circulation (Stanworth, et al, 2004). Most of the time this happens secondary to a disease or disorder, such as cancer. In the presence of DIC, fibrinogen, platelets and coagulation factors V and VIII become rapidly depleted. FFP is given as treatment to prevent further problems or progression. Treatment usually involves a patient being infused with a single line of FFP and then coagulation tests performed to assess the clinical benefit (Stanworth, et al, 2004). There are also some conditional uses where FFP can be used but is not the first choice treatment, such as liver disease and Paediatric use. If patients have an abnormal coagulation profile and are suffering from liver disease, they can be treated with FFP. There is varying success and treatment must be monitored by regular transfusion coagulation tests. Clotting times of infants have been shown to be longer than that of adults (Murray, et al, 1995), and even longer in premature babies (OShaughnessy, et al, 2004). Vitamin K deficiency is the most common cause of neonatal bleeding (Murray, et al, 1995). FFP can be used to counter the effects if required. In the case of babies suffering from haemorrhagic disease of the newborn, FFP can be used as treatment. But only if the â€Å"chance of bleeding is greater than the risk of harmful reactions† to the treatment with FFP (Lauzier, et al, 2007). Risks As with any transfusion there is a risk of infection, the main risks identified include: Disease transmission Excessive intravascular volume Anaphylactoid reactions Alloimmunisation Transfusion related acute lung injury The risks associated with viral infectivity of FFP are similar to that of whole blood and RBC’s. As mentioned earlier this risk can be countered by photochemically treating the plasma. Allergic reactions that occur in response to FFP transfusion vary in severity from â€Å"hives to fatal non-cardiac pulmonary oedema† (Stanworth, et al, 2004). Transfusion relate acute lung injury (TRALI) is defined as a â€Å"new episode of acute lung injury within 6 hours of complicated therapy† (OShaughnessy, et al, 2004). It manifests as severe respiratory problems, including hypoxia and other symptoms linked to pulmonary oedema. Symptoms will usually subside 2 days after ceasing FFP treatment (Stanworth, et al, 2004). Alloimmunisation can occur if Anti-Rh antibodies are formed after treatment with FFP. To counter this, plasma containing Anti-D antibodies should not be given to an RhD-positive recipient. There has also been reported incidences of post-transfusion Hepatitis, and depends on a number factors, including donor selection. Also with any intravenously transfused fluid, there is a chance of hypervolemia which could lead to cardiac failure, therefore administration of FFP should not be given in excessive doses. Below is a suggested dosage breakdown: Volume of 1 Unit Plasma: 200-250 mL 1 mL plasma contains 1 u coagulation factors 1 Unit contains 220 u coagulation factors Factor recovery with transfusion = 40% 1 Unit provides ~80 u coagulation factors 70 kg X .05 = plasma volume of 35 dL (3.5 L) 80 u = 2.3 u/dL = 2.3% (of normal 100 u/dL) 35 dL In a 70 kg Patient: 1 Unit Plasma increases most factors ~2.5% 4 Units Plasma increase most factors ~10% Figures taken from (http://reference.medscape.com/drug/ffp-octaplas-fresh-frozen-plasma-999499) Conclusion In conclusion, FFP can be used as an effective treatment for a number of different clinical issues. It also does not come without risk and therefore FFP should be collected, stored, prepared and used in an efficient and safe manner. Below I have summarised the administration of FFP. FFP (Fresh Frozen Plasma) Volume: 240-300ml (mean 273ml) Storage: designated temperature controlled freezer. Core temperature -30 o C Shelf life: 24 months (frozen) Must be ABO compatible, but Rh is not necessary to be considered for transfusion and no anti D prophylaxis is required if Rh-D negative patients receive Rh-D positive FFP. Prior to the transfusion FFP must be thawed under controlled conditions using specifically designed equipment. Thawing usually takes approximately 15-30 minutes Once thawed, FFP must not be re-frozen and should be transfused as quickly as possible. Post-thaw storage results in a decline in the quality of coagulation factors. If stored at 4 degrees centigrade post thawing (in a designated temperature controlled refrigerator), the transfusion must be completed within 24 hours of thawing. Pooled solvent-detergent treated plasma is also commercially available Dose: typically 10-15ml/kg. This dose may need to be exceeded in massive haemorrhage depending on the clinical situation and its monitoring (BCSH 2004) Typical infusion rate 10-20ml/kg/hr (approximately 30 minutes per unit) Rapid infusion may be appropriate when given to replace coagulation factors during major haemorrhage. There is anecdotal evidence that acute reactions may be more common with faster administration rates. (http://reference.medscape.com/drug/ffp-octaplas-fresh-frozen-plasma-999499) REFERENCES Erber WN, Perry DJ: Plasma and plasma products in the treatment of massive hemorrhage. Best Pract Res Clin Haematol 2006, 19:97-112 Hewson JR, Neame PB, Kumar N, Ayrton A, Gregor P, Davis C, Shragge BW. Coagulopathy related to dilution and hypotension during massive transfusion. Crit Care Med. 1985;13(5):387-391. Ho AM, Karmakar MK, Dion PW. Are we giving enough coagulation factors during major trauma resuscitation? Am J Surg. 2005;190(3):479-484. Hoffman M, Jenner P. Variability in fibrinogen and Von Willebrand factor content of cryoprecipitate.  Brief Sci Rep. 1990;93(5):694-697. Lauzier F, Cook D, Griffith L, Upton J, Crowther M: Fresh frozen plasma transfusion in critically ill patients. Crit Care Med 2007, 35:1655-1659. Leslie SD, Toy PT. Laboratory hemostatic abnormalities in massively transfused patients given red blood cells and crystalloid. Am J Clin Pathol. 1991;96(6):770-773. Murray DJ, Olson J, Strauss R, Tinker JH. Coagulation changes during packed red cell replacement of major blood loss. Anesthesiology. 1988;69(6):839-845 Murray DJ, Pennell BJ, Weinstein SL, Olson JD.Packed red cells in acute blood loss: dilutional coagulopathy as a cause of surgical bleeding. Anesth Analg. 1995;80(2):336-342. OShaughnessy DF, Atterbury C, Bolton Maggs P, Murphy M, Thomas D, Yates S, Williamson LM, British Committee for Standards in Haematology, Blood Transfusion Task Force: Guidelines for the use of fresh-frozen plasma, cryoprecipitate and cryosupernatant. Br J Haematol 2004, 126:11-28. Spence RK: Clinical use of plasma and plasma fractions. Best Pract Res Clin Haematol 2006, 19:83-96. Stanworth SJ, Brunskill SJ, Hyde CJ, McClelland DB, Murphy MF: Is fresh frozen plasma clinically effective? A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Br J Haematol 2004, 126:139-152 Tieu BH, Holcomb JB, Schreiber MA. Coagulopathy:its pathophysiology and treatment in the injured patient. World J Surg. 2007;31(5):1055-1065 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fresh_frozen_plasma http://www.psbc.org/therapy/ffp.htm http://reference.medscape.com/drug/ffp-octaplas-fresh-frozen-plasma-999499 http://ccforum.com/content/14/1/202

The River Runs Through It :: essays research papers

The 'Water is Wide'; takes place on the coast of South Carolina and Yamacraw Island during the nineteen sixties. A man by the name of Pat Conroy offers to teach over on the island, many people on the island have no education and are illiterate. When Conroy gets over to the island he finds himself very disgraceful. The teachers at the school believe that the children cannot be taught. His method of teaching is very different from others. One of Conroy's goals was to teach the children about America. So he showed them movies and let them listen to American musicians. After doing this about every day, it made an influence in the children's lives.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Big C and Lincoln were the class clowns. They hated the principle because every time they did something bad she would beat them. During most of his time on the island, Conroy stayed with the Skimberry's. The Skimberry's were a nice couple named Zeke and Ida.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When Halloween came around Conroy decided he wanted to take the children over to Bluffton, South Carolina, or Halloween so they could 'trick or treat.'; None of the kids even knew what 'trick or treating'; was. After making field trip forms and sending them home with all the children. The children came back with one of them signed. So Conroy went door to door asking begging each of the parents to let their children go.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Throughout the story Pat Conroy took the children many places. Unfortunately Mrs. Brown and Ted Stone accused him of doing many wrong things. He was not able to return the next year.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Even if Conroy did not teach the children anything, he still felt they would be able to survive in the outside world. I like this book. It made me very thankful that I have a good education. I also like the way Pat Conroy writes. In the future, I hope to read some of his other books. My favorite part of the book was when they would listen to the music of different artists, I also liked when they would play outside and he would tell about how they played so roughly.

Occupy Wall Street Movement Essay

The Occupy Wall Street Movement began on Sept. 17, 2011, when a diffuse group of activists began a loosely organized protest called Occupy Wall Street, camping out in Zuccotti Park, a privately owned park in New York’s financial district. The protest was to stand against corporate and government greed, social inequality and the corrosive power of major banks and multinational corporations over the democratic process. The idea was to camp out for weeks or even months to replicate the kind, if not the scale, of protests that had erupted earlier in 2011 in Tunisia and Egypt. There were many that protested for this trying to make a change. Many people fought for their rights asking for help for certain situations such as foreclosing in homes and also asking for better jobs to support their families which I feel was the hugest part regarding this Movement. The Movement was very important for these people to stand up for their rights and announce the help that they needed and they feel that other people deserved when stuck in situations. There was a main slogan for these protesters. We are 99 percent was a huge part of this. It refers to income differential, a main issue for OWS. It derives from a We are 99 percent flyer calling for Occupy Wall Street’s second General Assembly in August 2011. The variation â€Å"We are the 99%† originated from a page of the same name. Vietnam War era, and that the majority of Democrats, independents and Republicans see the income gap as causing social friction. The slogan was boosted by statistics which were from the Congressional Budget report released in October 2011. I feel that Occupy Wall Street Movement did have great point. I think what they were hoping to do was great for people. Others did not understand that they were trying to distribute more of a even income for all people with better jobs. They were even trying to create more of a number of jobs for all people. A big part of this was to relieve much debt from people that had this. I think the effort for this had great morals and should have been remember and supported. This is a issues that I believe still comes from time and time and there still hasn’t been much done about these issues presented. Many people do not understand how hard today’s world is. There would be so much relief is there was a program that could help people out so much. I think people are fighting for their rights for so many things. People are looking for other’s to listen to their opinions. These people in the Movement wanted to make a change not just for themselves, but for the world and future. They were trying to make the public understand what they are not agreeing with and get them to understand that there are many other factors that need to be considered. Utilitarianism I feel plays a huge part in this. This represents good over bad for almost all situations. I feel that people in this Movement could feel that they would involve themselves with this. One of the big points with Utilitarianism is that one must understand happiness before they can get happiness. I feel that for what the people in this movement were fighting for was their happiness and they have already understood unhappiness. People can understand Utilitarianism that believes in this protest. Many people have gone through these six stages that were fighting for their rights. These people were looking for happiness and to maximize it as long as possible. It was very important for these people to get out of their tough situations and fight for a better life for everyone. People were not disregarding their problems; they were simply acknowledging them and trying to move on. It was just asking for help. Kant’s ethics I feel is the opposite of this movement. Kant felt that acting out in feelings and self interest meant you had no moral worth. He felt people that made mistakes just shall be punished. Many people are fighting to not feel this way. They were fighting for the right to get better no matter their situation. Just because a mistake is made does not mean you did not have any morals or any self worth. People everyday have made mistake that should not be held against them for their whole lives. Many people have made decisions which may have been wrong. We all should have the right to move on and go forward. There is not morally wrong about sticking up for what you believe in and fighting for it. Kant was very by the book and believed that everything should go a certain way. I don’t think he considered to fight for rights for humans and that some things that come along aren’t always morally correct. Another thing that was fought in this Movement was income equality. Income inequality is increasing nationwide and new data from the Census Bureau shows which states have it worst. Maine, West Virginia and California all count among states where the wealth gap is expanding fastest. The gap between the richest and poorest residents of twenty states increased last year, while remaining about the same for the remaining 30, according to newly released data from the U.S. Census Bureau. No states saw significant decreases in their levels of income inequality. There is a huge different in the income equality. Many people don’t make barely anything to others. This has gotten worse over the years. It has even gotten worse then the 1700’s. There is way too far of a difference between the minimum wages and taxes that are taken from people. It would only be fair to up the minimum wage to make things more fair to people that do not have as good as others. This is something that people in the Movement were fighting for also. I feel that people in this movement would have been satisfied by just being acknowledged for the change they were trying to make. It is important for people trying to make a change in many important ways to at least feel like they are getting somewhere. I think a great outcome would be for people to consider what they are saying and work on fixing the problems. I think that many things that are being fought for are morally correct. If we all take a chance and realize the things we need to work on like provding help for people that need it, that would be great. For example, now in 2012 we have Obama care that helps many people that are in need of insurance that cannot afford it. Romney now is trying to get rid of this saying the government is paying too much to help low income people. This is the same thing. Many low income people are in need of this help and this should not be taken away from them. I think that a great ending would be for all people to be financially good. But everyone must work to get this help. I think we should all be financially stable no matter what income we make. Money is most of today’s problem especially with this economy today, if we could somehow get past this moment and look outside of this I think we could make it as a country by helping each other out. I believe this movement stood for great things. I think it will continue more movements in the future. Many people feel strongly about this subject. Some people use government help and abuse, but there are many people out there that need the help. I feel there should be a limited time to get assistance until you get on your feet. I believe there will be many people who want to fight over an argument about that. I hope there will be more positive movements such as this one in the future so people can stand up for what they believe in and what they hope for. People are looking for better jobs to make more money for their family. I feel that all people should fight to get to the best. That issue will never fade away. Some people had said about the movement that people were only asking for money which was not true. The goal of this movement was to get help for different things. These people in my opinion were not trying to over grow capitalism or start a riot. People were hoping for help when foreclosing on their homes which was a big issue. These are things that are happening to people who lose their jobs or getting a pay cut at work. These people were hoping for programs to get back on their feet. There are so many programs out there to help people; some money from the government should be able to go towards helping out people in these situations. I feel that this movement was very important and that people will continue to ask for this help until they are heard or a change is made. References: http://occupywallst.org/ http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/o/occupy_wall_street/index.html http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/16/us/ny-occupy-anniversary/index.html

Blood glucose regulation Essay

DISCUSSION 1. Explain how insulin changed plasma glucose concentration over the course of the experiment. The insulin changed the plasma glucose levels by raising dramatically from fasting to the one hour mark, but by hour 3 it droped again to almost the same levels as fasting. The glucagon remained almost the same on throughout the levels except that it lowered a bit 1 hour after the  meal. 2. Explain how glucagon changed plasma glucose concentration over the course of the experiment. Glucagon acts on liver cells to promote breakdown of glycogen into glucose and formation of glucose from lactic acid and certain amino acids. 3. Explain what caused the change in plasma ketone concentration over the course of the experiment. Ketones changed from high during fasting to lower after eating and even after hour three because it first they were needed to generate ATP but droped because they were not needed as much for fuel. 4. Explain how negative feedback caused the changes in plasma insulin concentration observed during the experiment. the level of blood glucose controls secretion of both glucagon and insulin via negative feedback. 5. Explain how negative feedback caused the changes in plasma glucagon concentration observed during the experiment. 6. The insulin/glucagon ratio changed over the course of the experiment indicating changes in glucose storage and changes in ability to increase blood glucose concentration via glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis. State when glucose storage capability was highest and why. 7. State when glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis were highest and why. 1 hour post meal because that’s when there was the highest amount of sugar in the blood. 8. Explain how a high blood ketone level helps the body conserve blood  glucose. When the concentration of ketone bodies in the blood rises above normal the ketone bodies, most of which are acids, must buffered. 9. Restate your predictions that were correct and give the data from your experiment that supports them. Restate your predictions that were not correct and correct them, giving the data from your experiment that supports the correction. APPLICATION 1. During exercise, epinephrine and norepinephrine are released from the adrenal medulla. Epinephrine and norepinephrine have the same effect on plasma glucose levels as glucagon. Explain how epinephrine and norepinephrine affect plasma glucose and why this is important during exercise. Epinephrine and norepinephrine will be released by the adrenal medullae in response to stress. During exercise the brain will release epinephrine and norepinephrine because it has been told that the body needs to adjust to the new demand that must be met. Which means that the heart rate needs to increase in order to support itself and work efficiently. 3. The symptoms of diabetes mellitus include high plasma glucose levels and ketoacidosis (blood pH decreases due to increasing levels of ketones). Explain how diabetes causes these symptoms. Diabetic ketoacidosis is a dangerous complication of diabetes mellitus because the chemical balance of the body becomes too acidic.

Fuel Tax Essay Example

Fuel Tax Essay Example Fuel Tax Essay Fuel Tax Essay Do you just want cheaper fuel to increase your income? To become a popular Government? Squeeze more profit for your firm? Protect the environment? Break car dependence? These questions are a sign of the ever-increasing pressure for and against a reduction in fuel tax. The governments reluctance to openly discuss its policy has caused a real clouding of the arguments causing a general sense of frustration. This essay addresses both sides of the arena in the pursuit of bringing clarity and reason to an emotional topic. This essay uses the term petrol as defined to be a flammable fuel used in internal combustion engines(Oxford Con Dic, 1989: 425), thus including diesel, as well as unleaded vehicles. The issues that are covered are externalities, tax, public transport, who the tax effects, and utility. The arguments are ordered against a reduction then for a reduction. Over the last 30 years, with the rise of environmental awareness, the externalities connected with the use of motor vehicles have caused major concern to society and has presented a strong argument against a reduction in petrol tax. Pigovian taxes are the best way to correct for the negative impact of externalities by taking into account the social costs of using petrol to such a great extent. These social costs: health, congestion, environmental breakdown and accidents all need correcting. Every time you burn petrol you generate pollution in the atmosphere with carbon dioxide, thus increasing global warming and health problems e.g. asthma, bronchitis, and other respiratory disorders. Congestion causes lost opportunity costs from unproductive time wasted. Accidents cannot be measured accurately as the loss of intellectual productivity cannot account for future possibilities. The best way is to allocate efficiency with social cost added to the pricing model. : As we see in figure 1: The marginal private cost curve is MPC. D is also the marginal benefit curve. Marginal cost exceeds MPC. In a competitive market, output is Qo, price is Po. When a Pigovian tax is imposed to show the social costs, then MSC becomes the MC for suppliers decisions. The price rises to P1 and the quantity falls to Q1: the point of allocation efficiency (Parkin, King 1995: 527). With the market failure and the externalities addressed the government can gather the tax revenue and tackle the social costs with revenue generated, which brings the price into alignment with their external costs. To look closer at the nature of tax and its winners and losers will reveal that all the tax is past onto the consumer in accordance with its inelastic properties. As the rules of tax state, with the fall in quantity demanded being smaller than the price reduction (in percentages). The consumer will be saddled with the larger cut of tax in the short run and all the tax in the long run. Therefore, the consumer is paying for all the externalities and the firm that profits from supplying petrol: pays nothing. As seen above in figure 1, there is a dead weight loss, which is caused from the reduction in the quantity demanded. This welfare loss has been minimized, however, this shows the petrol sectors ability to sustain large tax increases. The lack of response by motorists to the increases in the price of petrol causes the tax to become very appealing for revenue generation. The quantity demanded does not drop much after a tax increase. This shows how large amounts of money can be raised easily. In 1999/2000, fuel duties (excluding VAT) raised à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½22.3 billion, which is 6% of the total governments revenue (HM Treasury 46: 2000). The market for fuel is able the bear a large tax charge and the extent of the market is sizable too. Six pence on all road fuel duties raises as much money as one penny on the basic rate of income tax (HM Treasury 44: 1999). The suppliers and the government are seen to raise huge amounts of revenue from highly taxed petrol. In response to the argument for a reduction in petrol tax as the large amounts of revenue generate seem excessive and appear to be public and private profiteering. With the revenue being re-invested in infrastructure as the government is committed to doing. In the Chancellors Pre-Budget Speech in November 1999, [we] are now in a position instead of the pre-announced 6 per cent escalator-to make our decisions Budget by Budget with the following commitment: if there are any real term rises in road fuel duties, the revenues will go straight to a ring-fenced fund for the modernisation of roads and public transport (Smith, 2000; 8) These pledged billions give the vehicle user a real choice. The need to break car dependency and shift back the demand curve back instead of a taxing shift along the demand curve will reduce drivers by more. See figure 2: The option of substitute transport will make the driver fell they do have a choice to private vehicles. Investment of the revenue from petrol tax is a great asset. Much more than the revenue from the mandatory car tax gives. These improvements are necessary, as the infrastructure needs modernizing. This alternative will drop demand by giving a substitute drivers can rely on. The haulage industry will use it to put its freight back on the railways, if confidence were restored. A solid public transport system reduces demand without tax by using the revenue to change behaviour on petrol reliance. People are not adverse to tax increases if they know where the money is being spent. There is no way to guarantee that the money allocated to spending on roads and public transport is actually going to be spent in these areas. With the state of the rail system, the amount of congestion and the crackdown on accidents by fines, which many see as a new source of revenue, we are not seeing the benefits from the high petrol taxes: the highest in Europe. See figure 3: Unleaded petrol UK 55.47 Netherlands 44.84 Italy 42.93 Germany 40.12 Austria 32.35 Spain 28.04 Figure 3. European petrol duty and VAT, pence per litre With these high prices drivers expect to see improvements. This is the essence of their frustration. The modernization the government speaks of has not shown many tangible results. The alternative transport needed has not improved enough to encourage drivers to alter their actions and onto public transport. The cost of living taken across different household groups shows that an increase on petrol tax hits the poorest car owner, as well as, rural dwellers (Smith, 2000: 4). These are the people that need a substitute of public transport. Their incomes and budget constraints are the most susceptible to price rises. The governments lack of results in modernizing and producing a good transport alternative are just rationalizations for easy revenue. As with firms supplying homogeneous product we should be aware of the likelihood for them to maximise their profits in the event of a reduction in petrol tax. If the government were to give a 10 percent decrease in fuel tax the firms would not pass on all the savings to the customer. The small differences in price on the petrol forecourt do suggest price fixing, although illegal, it is difficult to prove. The petrol suppliers might, for example, pass on an 8 percent reduction and profit from the other 2 percent. This is a problem in a homogeneous market with few firms, indicative of the markets for natural resources. Although petrol users are also trying to increase their position by fuel tax being reduced. The Government are looking after all interests. These three groups are all willing to maximise their utility. As well as income utility there is utility as a quantitative measure of psychological satisfaction (Etrzioni, Lawrence, 1991: 86) present. The chance of promotion from mak ing more profits, getting something cheaper, or covering short falls in other public services are all difficult to value in financial terms. The inter conflict of interest will not allow for mutually beneficial trade. Rational self-interest depends in which of these groups you are, and to the same extent if you think this is an argument for or against a petrol tax reduction. In conclusion, we have seen that the taxes on petrol are in place to correct externalities by bringing adding social costs to show the real cost of vehicle use. This in turn has shown the petrol market to be one of high taxation with its inelastic nature. The revenue generated would regenerate the public transport sector to allow for alternative travel, although governments have failed to deliver. Tax affects vehicle users who need a substitute for car travel the most. And finally we saw utility maximisation pulling the debate in all directions. Tax reduction maybe a personal issue but there are rational arguments which need addressing to come to a solution in the best interests of society.