Radiation Dose Reduction Strategies in Cardiac CT Angiography

Introduction With great advancements in technology especially in the field of medicine, computed tomography (CT) has developed to become a very important clinical tool (Smith-Bindman et al. 2009). The use of CT examinations has also substantially increased.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Radiation Dose Reduction Strategies in Cardiac CT Angiography specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the U.S., for example, the number increased from 3 million from the 80s to about 70 million by 2007. Computed tomography has been integrated into various healthcare procedures and has led to the dramatic improvement of patient health care. For this reason, CT has been considered among the most useful technologies in medicine. The use of coronary CT angiography (CCTA) has been established to be a useful tool in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease (Goitein et al. 2011). This is basically because it allows for non-invasiv e evaluation of coronary arteries (Flohr, Raupach, and Bruder 2009). It is currently used in the evaluation of acute chest pains. CCTA is also used in the elimination of coronary atherosclerosis. For this particular reason, it has been recognized to be valuable among those with intermediate cardiovascular risks (Torres et al. 2010). Despite the importance of CT in medicine, it is known to be a great source of radiation that may be harmful to the human health. The radiation doses associated with this procedure is said to be much higher than those associated with the x-rays. A typical example is that of a chest CT scan. It is said to deliver more than 100 times that of a conventional chest radiograph (Flohr, Raupach, and Bruder 2009). Therefore, the increased use of CT in medical examinations has led to the subsequent increase in the exposure of ionizing radiation to individuals. This has led to great concerns since exposure to ionizing radiation has been associated with the developme nt of cancer (Smith-Bindman et al. 2009). In a particular study, the amount of radiation that is exposed to the patient during a single CT scan was compared to that which the long-term Chernobyl survivors were exposed to (Smith-Bindman et al. 2009).Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Radiations from cardiac CT angiography have increased the impact and prevalence of cardiac atherosclerosis among individuals. For this reason, regulation of the exposure of these elements has been necessary and has been done through adherence to the ALARA principle, which stands for ‘As Low As Reasonably Achievable’. The ALARA principle came about as a measure to reduce the harmful effects of radiation during any procedure involving radiation (Stolzmann et al. 2008). This implies that reasonable methods should be employed in order to ensure that an individual encounters minimum r adiation doses. It is believed that each radiation dose increases the risk of genetic mutation or cancerous developments. However, since it is also necessary to maintain the image quality in terms of spatial and temporal resolution, it is important to consider both the radiation doses and image quality while performing CCTA. Studies have shown how to comply with the ALARA principle while maintaining an image quality that would be useful in diagnosis (Torres et al. 2010). Methodology The method used for this paper included a thorough literature search to find relevant peer-reviewed articles. The various databases that were used included Medscape, ScienceDirect, PubMed and ProQuest. The keywords that were used included ‘Cardiac CT Angiography’, ‘CT radiation doses’ and ‘radiation reduction strategies in CT angiography’. From the available articles, only those that were most relevant to the study were selected. Relevance of the articles was determ ined through the analysis of the articles’ titles, abstracts and conclusions. The results were also checked and highlighted. In order to ensure up-to-date information, the search criterion was limited to articles published between 2008 and 2013 (not more than 5 years old). From the articles selected, various radiation reduction strategies were highlighted and may be summarised as shown below.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Radiation Dose Reduction Strategies in Cardiac CT Angiography specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Tube current Tube Potential ECG Gating Position of Patient Z-axis Coverage Automatic Exposure Control (ACE) Collimation Using of Dual Energy Technology Exposing the Area of Interest Only (FOV) Fast Gantry Rotation Time Using Reconstruction Techniques Pitch Over-ranging Objectives To identify the various strategies to reduce radiation exposure in cardiac (coronary) CT angiography T o highlight some of the limitations associated with CCTA To provide recommendations for the appropriate strategies to employ while performing coronary CT angiography Tube current Studies have indicated that the tube current within the CT suite should not be constant for all individuals (Leipsic et al. 2010). Several strategies have been studied to ensure optimal tube current during CCTA. One of the strategies employed is the weight-based approach. This approach aims at adjusting the tube current based on the individual’s body weight or body mass index (Lee et al. 2012). This may be necessary to avoid the possibility of overexposing the individual to radiation. The tube current should be tailored to fit the individuals with different Body Mass Index (BMI) (Leipsic et al. 2010). This is meant to correct for different body shapes in order to ensure minimal radiation exposure while maintaining diagnostic image quality (Tatsugami et al. 2008). Further research is underway to expl ore possibility of using diameter or thoracic shape (Shrimpton et al. 2009). This may provide a better alternative for future use as practitioners observe the ALARA principle. Tube Potential The tube potential also determines the amount of radiation exposure to patients (Lund et al. 2009). The relationship between the two is exponential. Increasing the tube voltage increases the radiation exposure by the square of that factor (Torres et al. 2010). ECG Gating For CCTA to be successful, â€Å"motionless† images of the coronary arteries should be acquired. For this to happen, all reconstructed images at a specific time must correspond to a specific point in the cardiac cycle. This may be made possible through ECG gating, which involves synchronizing with the ECG (Stolzmann et al. 2008). One of the ways this is done is through retrospective ECG gating. This involves the activation of the x-ray beam throughout the entire cardiac cycle. Images are then reconstructed in any desired phase of the cycle. This method allows for the selection of the appropriate images to reconstruct for each vessel. Despite the fact that this method allows for the assessment of any wall motion abnormality, valve function and ejection fraction, it exposes the patient to high radiation doses.Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The alternative method, prospective ECG Gating, involves the same procedure but is only done in a specific period in the cycle (Wu, Budovec, and Foley 2009, 958). The interval between a whole cycle is referred to as the R-R interval. The x-ray tube is only activated at a particular point in the interval and is referred to as the phase window. As the phase window is made narrower, the radiation dose is also decreased. Therefore, this method may be useful in minimizing exposure of radiation to the patient. However, this also comes at a cost. Fewer phases of the cycle will be available for image reconstruction. For this reason, it may be difficult to obtain quality images with an increased heart rate (DeFrance et al. 2010). Position of Patient Another important factor to consider while reducing radiation dose is the position of the patient in the gantry. The patient should be placed in such a way as to ensure that the area of concern is placed at the isocenter. This would ensure that t he beam crossing that region in whatever direction would cross as much body tissue as possible. A well-positioned patient would facilitate constant image noise and avoid increased surface radiation dose (Bae et al. 2008). Z-axis Coverage The total radiation dose is greatly influenced by the craniocaudal length (Khan et al. 2011). This is basically due to the fact that it directly relates to the dose-length product. One way of reducing the radiation dose in CCTA is by limiting this length. Automatic Exposure Control (ACE) The ACE is a device that facilitates the termination of x-ray exposure. The x-ray terminal may be operated by man or automatically by the ACE. This device ensures that there is a consistent x-ray film. It may be useful in ensuring reduced radiation dose to the patient since it ensures a good consistent x-ray density in order to match the shapes and sizes of different individuals (Bae et al. 2008). Collimation The adaptive section collimation is a method that is prom ising to reduce radiation dose in CCTA (Deak et al. 2009). The results from a study by Deak and his colleagues showed that this method allowed great reduction of unnecessary exposure to radiation due to z-overscanning. They recommended that it could be used together with other strategies such as AEC and spectral optimization. Using of Dual Energy Technology The use of dual source CT has provided solutions to problems that were experienced during the implementation of CT angiography. The main problem was the fact that imaging needed rapid volume coverage while resolving the disease in vessels. This technology employs the use of two x-ray sources and detectors and ensures double temporal resolution at twice the speed (Torres et al. 2010). Therefore, radiation exposure is minimized. Exposing the Area of Interest Only (FOV) Another way of decreasing radiation dose is by exposing the area of interest only for imaging. This ensures that there is an increased z-coverage requiring few image s that maintain diagnostic image quality (Khan et al. 2011). Fast Gantry Rotation Time In order to facilitate underexposure of radiation to the patient, some scanners have the capability of sub-second gantry rotation times. When this is coupled with tube current modulation, it causes tube current saturation. This means that the tube current works at maximum capacity (Israel et al, 2008). Using Reconstruction Techniques The reconstruction method used is also an important consideration. There are two classes that include the surface-based and thresholding-based reconstruction techniques. The thresholding-based reconstruction is preferred (Leipsic et al. 2010). This is due to its speed and its use of relatively small amount of computational power. Pitch The high-pitch CT angiography is a technology that has helped achieve reduced radiation exposure to patients. This is mainly because they have significantly reduced the scan time and allowed greater volumes to be covered at a time (Apfa ltrer et al. 2012). Over-ranging Over-ranging is another strategy for reducing radiation dose exposure. It facilitates the covering of large areas during scanning in order to ensure that the examination is done at a shorter period. The wide-range detectors may be used to facilitate this. Limitations of CCTA Despite the many advantages associated with cardiac CT angiography, this technology has its limitations. CT scanners produce ionizing radiation that come into contact with the patient while under examination. Increasingly high exposure to radiations from these procedures increases risks of cancer. This is even more worrying since the number of people exposed to these radiations has increased over time since CCTA procedures are done virtually everywhere. Some studies have shown the possibility of CT angiography false-detecting coronary obstruction where it actually does not exist (Nissen 2008). Such a high false-positive rate may be dangerous since it may lead to unnecessary proce dures. For CCTA to be successful, the heart rate must be about 65 beats per minutes (McCollough 2008). When this heart rate is exceeded, the quality of images may be affected. Foods and drinks containing caffeine may increase heart rate. Therefore, patients should be encouraged not to take them before examination. Patients also need to be trained on proper breath-holding techniques in order to get diagnostic images (Hausleiter et al. 2009). Another limitation is the fact that contraindicated contrast material may lead to misinterpretation of results. Lack of clinical and radiological experts is another limitation since not many are trained in the field. Since the machines used for CCTA are expensive, lack of funding may lead to the use of poor equipment. Discussion The technology behind CCTA has proved very beneficial in the field of medicine. Several improvements have been made to make examination more effective and efficient. This includes reduction of radiation exposure and impro ved image quality. Despite the several studies that have been done in order to reduce radiation dose, several limitations still exist. This calls for further research in the field. Recommendations Several strategies have been studied but each has its pros and cons. While using ECG gating, for example, it would be recommended to use the prospective ECG gating instead of using retrospective ECG gating (Miller, Rochitte, and Dewey 2008, 2330). Among the various protocols used in CCTA, the 64-row MDCTCA has been recommended (Johnson, Pannu Fishman, 2009). It is also recommended that patient preparation should be done before the patient undergoes examination. During examination, exposure parameters such as tube potential and tube current should be adapted to the individuals BMI. Proper positioning of the patient in the scanner is also recommended in order to ensure optimization of CCTA. Conclusion Great advancements in technology led to the introduction of coronary CT angiography. This technology allowed for the non-invasive imaging of coronary arteries. The multi-detector computed tomography (CT) scanners were used to perform this examination. Within few years, this technology was in use in virtually every medical situation. This procedure promised to provide safe and painless diagnosis of coronary disease. However, it was not long before some of the limitations of this procedure were discovered. The most worrying of the issues associated with CCTA was exposure to ionizing radiations that were linked to cancerous developments. For this reason, the ALARA principle was introduced in order to ensure that the patient is exposed to minimal radiation dose. Several strategies have been suggested and used to reduce the radiation dose in cardiac CT angiography (Raff et al. 2009). However, some problems are still encountered with the strategies that are in place. Therefore, more research is required to find more effective and safe methods of diagnosing coronary artery dise ase. References Apfaltrer, Paul, Herbert Hanna, Joseph Schoepf, Janet Spears, Stefan Schoenberg, Christian Fink, Rozemarijn Vliegenthart. 2012. â€Å"Radiation dose and image quality at high-pitch CT angiography of the aorta: intraindividual and interindividual comparisons with conventional CT angiography.† AJR 199(6): 1402-1409. Bae, Kein, Ann Seek, Calton Hildebolt, Ching Tao, Fing Zhu, Mang Kanematsu, and Kate Woodard. 2008. â€Å"Contrast enhancement in cardiovascular MDCT: effect of body weight, height, body surface area, body mass index, and obesity.† AJR Am J 190(1): 777-784. Deak, Paul, Oliver Langner, Michael Lell, and Willi Kalender. 2009. â€Å"Effects of Adaptive Section Collimation on Patient Radiation Dose in Multisection Spiral CT.† Radiology 252(1): 140-147. DeFrance, Tony, Eric Dubois, Dan Gebow, Alex Ramirez, Florian Wolf, and Gudrun Feuchtner. 2010. â€Å"Helical prospective ECG-gating in cardiac computed tomography: radiation dose and image quality.† Int J Cardiovasc Imaging 26(1): 99-107. Flohr, Thomas, Rainer Raupach, Herbert Bruder. 2009. â€Å"Cardiac CT: How much can temporal resolution, spatial resolution, and volume coverage be improved?† J Cardiovasc Comput Tomogr 3(1): 143-152. Goitein, Orly, Shlomi Matetzky, Yael Eshet, David Goitein, Ashraf Hamda, Elio Segni, and Eli Konen. 2011. â€Å"Coronary CT angiography for acute chest pain triage: Techniques for radiation exposure reduction, 128 vs 64 multidetector CT.† Acta Radiologica 52(1): 840-845. doi:10.1258/ar.2011.110169. Hausleiter, Jorg, Todd Meyer, Frost Hermann, Mann Hadamitzky, Moses Krebs, and Tiana Gerber. 2009. â€Å"Estimated radiation dose associated with cardiac CT angiography.† JAMA 301(1): 500-507. Israel, Gray, Summer Herlihy, Ami Rubinowitz, Daniel Cornfield, and James Brink. 2008. â€Å"Does a Combination of Dose Modulation with Fast Gantry Rotation Time Limit CT Image Quality?† AJR 191(1): 140-144. Johnson, Pa mela, Harpreet Pannu, and Elliot Fishman. 2009. â€Å"IV contrast infusion for coronary artery CT angiography: literature review and results of a nationwide survey.† AJR Am J 192(1): 214-221. Khan, Atif, Khurram Nasir, Faisal Khosa, Amina Saghir, Sheryar Sarwar and Melvin Clouse. 2011. â€Å"Prospective Gating With 320-MDCT Angiography: Effect of Volume Scan Length on Radiation Dose.† American Journal of Roentgenology 196(1): 407-411. Doi:10.2214/AJR.10.4903. Lee, Yi-Wei, Ching-Ching Yang, Greta Mok, and Tung-Hsin Wu. 2012. â€Å"Infant cardiac CT Angiography with 64-Slice and 256-Slice CT: Comparison of Radiation Dose and Image Quality Using a Pediatric Phantom.† PLOS ONE 7(11): 1-9. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0049609. Leipsic, Jonathon, Troy LaBounty, Brett Heilbron, James Min, John Mancini, Fay Lin, Carolyn Taylor, Allison Dunning, and James Earls. 2010. â€Å"Estimated Radiation Dose Reduction Using Adaptive Statistical Iterative Reconstruction in Coronary CT Angiography: The ERASIR Study.† AJR 195(1): 655-660. DOI:10.2214/AJR.10.4288. Lund, Greg, Emma Wegian, Martin Saeed, John Wassermeyer, George Adam, Anna Stork. 2009. â€Å"64-Slice spiral computed tomography of the coronary arteries: dose reduction using an optimized imaging protoeol including individual weight-adaptation of voltage and current-time product.† Eur Radiol 19(1): 1132-1138. McCollough, Cynthia. 2008. â€Å"CT dose: How to measure, how to reduce.† Health Phys 95(1): 508-517. Miller, Julie, Clara Rochitte, and Monchin Dewey. 2008. â€Å"Diagnostic performance of coronary angiography by 64-row CT.† N Engl J Med 359(1): 2324-2336. Nissen, Steve. 2008. â€Å"Limitations of computed tomography coronary angiography.† J Am Coll Cardiol 52(25): 2145-2147. Doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2008.09.017. Raff, Gilbert, Kavitha Chinnaiyan, David Share, and Tauqir Goraya. 2009. â€Å"Radiation dose from cardiac computed tomography before and after implementation of radiation dose-reduction techniques.† JAMA 301(1): 2340-2348. Shrimpton, Paul, Barry Wal, Terry Yoshizumi, Lee Hurwitz, and Paul Goodman. 2009. â€Å"Effective dose and dose-length product in CT.† Radiology 250(1): 604-605. Smith-Bindman, Rebecca, Jafi Lipson, Ralph Marcus, Kwang-Pyo Kim, Mahadevappa Mahesh, Robert Gould, Amy Berrington, and Diana Migliretti. 2009. â€Å"Radiation Dose Associated With Common Computed Tomography Examinations and the Associated Lifetime Attributable Risk of Cancer.† Arch Intern Med 169(22): 2078-2086. Stolzmann, Paul, Hans Scheffel, Thomas Schertler, Thomas Frauenfelder, Sebastian Leschka, Lars Husmann, Thomas Flohr, Borut Marincek, Philipp Kaufmann, and Hatem Alkadhi. 2008. â€Å"Radiation dose estimates in dual-source computed tomography coronary angiography.† Eur Radiol 18(1): 592-599. doi.10.1007/s00330-007-0786-8. Tatsugami, Fuminari, Lars Husmann, Bernhard Herzog, and Nina Burkhard. 2009. â€Å"Evaluation of a bod y mass index-adapted protocol for low-dose 64-MDCT coronary angiography with prospective ECG triggering.† AJR 192(1): 635-638. Torres, Felipe, Andrew Crean, Elsie Nguyen, and Narinder Paul. 2010. â€Å"Strategies for radiation-dose reduction and image-quality optimization in multidetector computed tomographic coronary angiography.† Canadian Association of Radiologists Journal 61(1): 271-279. doi:10.1016/j.carj.2009.11.013. Wu, Wenhui, Joseph Budovec, and Dennis Foley. 2009. â€Å"Prospective and retrospective ECG gating for thoracic CT angiography: A comparative study.† AJR 193(1): 955-963. This research paper on Radiation Dose Reduction Strategies in Cardiac CT Angiography was written and submitted by user Marcus U. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. 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Three Top Financial Scandals in the Recent Past

Three Top Financial Scandals in the Recent Past Summary Financial scandals have been common in corporations for a considerable length of time. In this particular paper, fraudulent financial activities that have affected three companies have been discussed. The rigging of financial markets and large well established corporations is not a new phenomenon. However, the trend seems to be getting out of control in the modern economy.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Three Top Financial Scandals in the Recent Past specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There are growing allegations that systematic robbing of financial institutions has been taking place in the past 3 decades or so. One of the worst impacts of financial fraud in these institutions is that the global interest ad exchange rates have always been forcibly fixed by a few fraudulent individuals. In other words, the market forces of demand and supply are hardly left to play their roles in the contemporary liberaliz ed economies. This paper offers a succinct discussion of three top financial scandals that have been witnessed in the recent past. Introduction When banks in London are engaged in the process of borrowing from each other, there is a specific charge that is levied on the service. This average interest rate is referred to as Libor. The Thomson Reuters usually play the role of calculating this value (Snyder, 2012). There are several instances when Libor matters a lot especially when it comes to the net value of a product or when borrowing loans from banks and other financial institutions. For instances, it is highly likely that Libor affects credit card usage and property loans in several ways. Even the US economy is significantly affected by Libor. Other scandals discussed in this paper include the Enron and WorldCom scandals. The London Interbank Offered Rate (Libor) To begin with, it is perhaps necessary to explore the culprits behind the Libor scandal. The fixing scandal for intere st rates is believed to have involved close to twenty major banks both in Europe and the United States. It has also been found out that banks spread across three continents were embroiled in the scandal. The scandal remarkably jeopardized the career of Bob Diamond who was serving as the chief executive officer at that time. Pressure mounted each day for the CEO to surrender his office while other several top professionals in the banking sector across the world were being compelled to quit their offices so that investigations could be started (Snyder, 2012).Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In order to assist the trading position of the bank immediately before the onset of global financial meltdown in 2007, submissions that were never true were made to the committee charged with the role of setting interest rates for Libor. This was a critical way of manipulatin g interest rates so that the overall financial performance of the bank could improve. Besides, this move boosted the profitability of the Barclays Bank (Snyder, 2012). This was a serious fraud bearing in mind that Libor is a leading interest rates benchmark across the global financial markets. The integrity of the interest rates was adversely affected by the Barclays’ behavior since it generally posed a gross financial threat to other market players. Enron Scandal The Enron scandal has also been noted as one of the most popular financial frauds that took place in the last decade. At the onset of the new century, Enron was a company to reckon with in several ways due to its performance and market stability (Foster, 2010). It recorded a tremendous success that several other companies could hardly attain. Nonetheless, a harbinger of elaborate challenges was recognized by investors when earnings restatement was announced by Enron in mid 2001. Within a period of merely one and a h alf months, Enron was declared bankrupt and unable to run its financial obligations in spite of the fact that it was powerful market performer and oozed with adequate wealth. The fraudulent financial activities that took place at Enron could be grouped into two categories. First, basic fabrication of numbers took place in the financial records of the company (Salter, 2008). For instance, when its venture with Blockbuster did not succeed, it was poorly valuated. Second, complex financial maneuvers were also witnessed prior to the fall of the company. Nonetheless, the American economic system is largely believed to have significantly contributed to the decline of Enron (Foster, 2010). The people’s trust in the performance of the entire economy was also weakened after the scandal. The executives of the company were described as greedy individuals who could not maintain their integrity as outlined in the code of ethics (Fox, 2003). WorldCom scandal Both the accounting fraud and e rosion of profits affected the performance and market stability of WorldCom company. Illusionary earnings amounting to billons were created in the eyes of investors whereas the company was headed to serious state of bankruptcy.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Three Top Financial Scandals in the Recent Past specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More One of the major impacts of this fraud was felt in the telecommunications sector. Millions of users were negatively affected by the declined performance of WorldCom Company (Romero, 2002). According to the financial records of this company, the net value of assets owned by the firm was estimated at $107 billion. Before this filing could be released to shareholders, the company reported that expenses amounting to about $3.8 billion had been improperly accounted for in the records. Telephone companies, suppliers, and banks were adversely affected by the fraudulent activities at the firm after the scandal was exposed. Before its bankruptcy, the total debts accumulated by the company stood at $41 billion. This marked the beginning of its downfall (Romero, 2002). Conclusion In recap, it can be seen that the financial scandals discussed caused major economic hitch in all the three companies. However, the common attributing factor was poor management of the firms’ resources. References Foster (2010). The decades worst financial scandals. Web. Fox, L. (2003). Enron: The Rise and Fall. New York: John Wiley Sons. Romero, S. (2002). WorldCom’s collapse: the overview; WorldCom files for bankruptcy; largest U.S. case. Web.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Salter, M. (2008). Innovation Corrupted: The Origins and Legacy of Enrons Collapse. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Snyder, M. (2012). The Biggest Financial scandal in History? Web.

MGM330-0704A-04 Business Decision-Making - Phase 2 DB Essay

MGM330-0704A-04 Business Decision-Making - Phase 2 DB - Essay Example The three options of credit discount incentive offers are cash back on online purchases, cash back on purchases at clothing stores and entry into a sweepstakes every time the customer utilizes the credit card. The key quantitative tool that determines which option is more attractive for the customer is probability. Probability is the chance of an event occurring (McClave & Benson & Sincich, 2001). For example if a person flips a coin which has only two possible outcomes the probability of the coin landing on heads is 50%. The Piggy case provides some research which can help a statistician determine the probability of a client winning a sweepstakes. The odds of winning a prize are 1 in 1000, thus the chances of winning are 0.1%. The company determines that the average American makes 52 credit card purchases a year. Each of these 52 occurrences represents a separate event with a probability of 0.1% of winning the prize. The value the customer receives can be compared to buying 52 one d ollar lotto tickets. There are lotteries that offer a 1 in 1000 chance of winning $500 when a person purchases a $1 ticket. The attractiveness of this option depends of what is the actual prize of the sweepstakes the company is offering. The other probability of the other two option can not be determine right now without additional data, but this does not mean that an initial analysis can not be performed. As far as the probability the two options follow a different probability called subjective probability. Subjective probability utilizes statistical models based on past information in which two different players may have different probabilities for the occurrence of a same event (Levine & Stephan & Krehbiel & Berenson, 2006). To understand this concept lets analyze each option. The online purchases option implies that a person will be attractive by the incentive because the customer can get cash on online

Law - Community Policing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Law - Community Policing - Essay Example Police policies and procedures provide the guideline for daily working. It assists in decision making of the Police department. Courts and public look to policies and procedures to see whether the actions of any officer are according to policies or not. So, during the making of policies it is taken in to consideration whether or not the policy is meeting the community requirement. Antisocial Behavior Policy Antisocial behavior causes misery to people who want to live with peace in the society. It includes serious violence and harassment. It is difficult to define anti social behavior precisely. The absence of any definition of antisocial behavior creates problem for the Police to tackle it because its power is unclear and solutions may be restricted to other agencies. According to Section 1 (1) of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, Antisocial Behavior is acting in antisocial way that causes harassment, distress, alarm or nuisance to anyone. The anti social behavior includes: Nuisance n eighbors Racist behavior Using or threatening violence Playing music too loud The misuse of fireworks Begging and antisocial drinking People dumping rubbish, fly tipping and abandoning cars People dealing and buying drugs on the street or alcohol abuse Rowdy and nuisance behavior Antisocial behavior policy and procedure of Merseyside Police I am discussing here the antisocial behavior police policy of Merseyside Police. Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England. Policy Statement The key priority of Merseyside Police is to tackle with any anti social behavior. We understand the effect of antisocial behavior on communities and individuals and we have researched different resources to deal with it. Merseyside has still higher level of antisocial behavior. So it becomes our priority to tackle with this serious issue and employ all possible resources to deal with this issue. To reduce this percentage, we will make short term, as well as long term, goals. Our objective is to provide the victim with support and security. Aims The aim of formulating this policy is to reduce and in long term eliminate anti social behaviors. The aim is also to identify the repeat victims and ensure that every safety measures must be used to support them. The policy is provided with procedures so that the application of policy becomes easier and there is a path to follow. Objective The objectives of this Policy is to Decrease the number of anti social behavior incidents Introduction of the system of analyze the victims’ condition Increase the satisfaction of community Create a system for the cooperation of different agencies Follow national guidelines Identify the groups who are engaged in anti social behaviors Application and Scope All police officers, staff and volunteers must know and follow the policies and procedures. Assistant Chief Constable is the Chief Officer and he is responsible for the operations. Outcome Evaluation Outcomes are the goals set or object ives and they should be checked on regular basis. The measurement of the results by the application of policy will be done by the Head of Area support and coordination Unit. Procedure The procedure of the Merseyside Police

The Government of Finland and Spain Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Government of Finland and Spain - Case Study Example The two countries have some disparities in the accounting standards adopted. Moreover, the manner in which the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) are adopted by these countries differ greatly. The level of adoption of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) in Spain is much slower than that of Finland. In Spain, a very strong legal culture persists where the administrative law is used to administer the public sector. The central government is the accounting regulator and any reforms in accounting standards. Any accounting standards that have to be incorporated in the countries accounting standards have to pass via a process of scrutiny according to Spanish laws. The adoption rate is also slow because the influence from accounting professionals is weaker compared Anglo-Saxon countries (Brusca, Isabel, Vicente, and Danny 440).Looking at Finland, it has a very fast adoption rate as compared to Spain. Finland customs and tradition ensure that th ere is a common law that provides for the diffusion of accounting standards in the country. During the period of New Public Management, the Finnish government was among the first countries to like this type of accounting in the public sector. Also in this era, the Finnish government began to adopt the accrual-based type of accounting (Oulasvirta 277). This accounting model was more based on historical costs. Stressing on the historical cost principle, Finnish government stated its resources at the amount, which the business was acquired.

Comparison of Conventional and Islamic Bank Structures

Comparison of Conventional and Islamic Bank Structures Section 1: Conventional Bank ROA Ratio has been decrease from 2007 to 2009 because the bank has decrease on net profit. After that the ratio has been increase from 2009 to 2011. In ROA it means each $1 invested in assets get $0.0184 profit. ROE ratio has decrease from 2008 to 2010 by 2.73% because the bank has decrease on net profit. After that the bank’s return on equity increases from 2010 to 2011 by1.04%. ROE ratio means each $1 invested in equity can get profit $0.1621. PER Ratio has been decrease from 2007 to 2011 by 0.092. This is because the banks in Bahrain has decreased in profit and increasing on operating expense. Section 2: Islamic Bank ROA has been decrease from 2007 to 2008 by 0.2% and changing to (0.625%) because Ithmour has Net Loss in 2009 after that ROA increse from 2010 to 2011 by 0.19%. That is effect from financial crises. ROE has been decrease from 2007 to 2008 by 4.68% after that changing to (2.36%) in 2009 and (0.91%) in 2010 because ithmaar bank has Net Loss which coming from Financial Crisis. PER has been decrease from 2007 to 2011 by 0.82 because some of Islamic Bank has Net Loss and other has increse in operating expence. This study is aimed to investigate the impact of the changes in internal bank-specific variables and external macroeconomics variables towards Islamic banks’ financial performance in Bahrain during and after the global financial crisis. Comparatively, conventional bank and Islamic bank’s ratio is not equal. In order to investigate the impact of financial crisis towards the banking performance, it is very important to understand the determinants of banking financial performance. Literatures reveal that banking financial performance is influenced by internal and external determinants. ROA and ROE are very important indicators of banking financial performance (profitability) and normally used as the dependent variablesConventional bank’s return on assets, return on equity and profit expense ratios are higher than Islamic bank. Islamic bank given best financial perfomance from 2007 and 2008 than Conventional banking. Due to financial crisis, Islamic banks could not m ange accurately financial performance. From 2007 to 2011, Conventional bank provides best reults of ROA, ROE and PER for periodically. the performance of Islamic banks (IBs) and conventional banks (CBs) during the recent global crisis by looking at the impact of the crisis on profitability, credit and asset growth, and external ratings in a group of countries where the two types of banks have significant market share. Section 1: Conventional Bank (LDR) ratio has been decrease from 2007 to 2011 by 21.01%. It means all banks in Bahrain try to decrease loans and accepted deposits from customers. LDR ratio has been increase from 2007 to 2009 by 22.91% it means Islamic Bank increase Loans to customer after the LDR Ratio decreasing from 2010 to 2011 by 6.19% that is effects from financial crises because the Islamic bank decreased Loans to customer. (CPIDR) has been decrease from 2007 to 2009 by 11.67%. It means banks reduce the cash liquidity because the banks give loans to the customer. But CPIDR increases from 2009 to 2011. (LAR) has been increase from 2007 to 2008 by 15.34%. It means that banks try to gives the customer loans to get interest income. But the ratio has decreases from 2009 to 2011 by 5.39%. Section 2: Islamic Bank (LDR) ratio has been decrease from 2007 to 2011 by 21.01%. It means all banks in Bahrain try to decrease loans and accepted deposits from customers. CPIDR Ratio has been increasing from 2007 to 2009 by 9.52% it means the Islamic Bank keep Liquidity Cash to Cover Deposits Requirements after that decreased by 12.4%. LAR has been decreasing from 2007 to 2011 by 5.67% that means in 2007 the bank gave loans to customer by 40.46% from Assets but after financial crises decreased the Loans to customer. Conventional bank and Islamic bank provides better financial performance. Conventional bank results from 2007 to 2011, LDR results increased to decreased periodic year and almost similar financial position of CPIDR and LAR. In this analysis, financial performance of both banks are better and the same time some ratio results are differ from both banks. Managing liquidity is more challenging in IBs,given the limited capacity of many IBs to attract PSIAs since the return on these accounts is uncertain and the infrastructure and tools for liquidity risk management by IBs is still in its infancy in many jurisdictions. Similarly, the dependence on bank deposits is limited due to a less active market and the absence of an interbank rate, except under the limited reverse Murabahah. While IBs usually maintain higher liquidity buffers to address this risk, limited tools (e.g. sovereign sukuks) for making use of this liquidity prevent IBs from operating at a level playing field with CBs. In add ition, the liquidity support in the form of government deposits is easier to be directed to CBs given the easiness of auctioning government deposits to CBs. This could be due to large liquidity support that was extended to the banking system during the crisis, which limited the impact of this factor. The importance of liquidity risk, making the strengthening of liquidity management a key part of the global reform agenda. Section 1: Conventional Bank (DER) has been increase from 2007 to 2008 after that the ratio decreases from 2008 to 2010 by 1.75% after than increase by 0.82% from 2010 to 2011. (DTAR) has been increase from 2007 to 2011 by 0.01. It means the banks take deposit from customer equal 0.905 from Assets in 2011. (EM) Ratio has been increase 1% from 2007 to 2011. It means in 2011 each $1 invested in Assets financial from equity by $0.11. Section 2: Islamic Bank DER has been increasing from 2007 to 2011 by 1.88 because the Islamic Bank depends on deposits from customer and other banks. But that Ratio it is very risky to banks because liability equal 5 times of equality. DTAR has been decreasing from 2007 to 2011 by 0.04 but the Ratio it very high and risky because Liability equal over 50% of Assets. EM Ratio has incresing from 2007 to 2011 by 3.28 it means the Islamic Bank depond on Liability instead of equity that is very risky for the banks. Compare the performance of Islamic banks (IBs) and conventional banks (CBs) during the recent global crisis by looking at the impact of the crisis on profitability, credit and asset growth, and external ratings in a group of countries where the two types of banks have significant market share. The study suggests that IBs have been affected differently than CBs. Factors related to IBs ‘business model helped limit the adverse impact on profitability in 2008, while weaknesses in risk management practices in some IBs led to a larger decline in profitability in 2009 compared to CBs. IBs credit and asset growth performed better than did that of CBs in 2008–09, contributing to financial and economic stability. External rating agencies re-assessment of Islamic Banks risk was generally more favorable. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION: This study is aimed to investigate the impact of the changes in internal bank-specific variables and external macroeconomics variables towards Islamic banks’ financial performance in Bahrain during and after the global financial crisis. This shows that Islamic banking industry is not totally crisis proof. Financial crisis does give an impact upon the Islamic banking performance, particularly in Bahrain, but the effect comes after the crisis period. As one of the fastest growing segments in global financial services, Islamic finance has become systematically important in many markets and too big to ignore in others. While conventional intermediation is largely debt-based and allows for risk transfer, Islamic intermediation, in contrast, is asset based and centers on risk sharing. In addition to providing IBs (Islamic Banks) with additional buffers, these features make their activities more closely related to the real economy and tend to reduce their contribution to excesses and bubbles. Our analysis is suggests that International Banks (IBs) fared differently than did Conventional Banks (CBs) during the global financial crisis. Factors related to IBs business model helpoed contain the adverse impact on profitability in 2008, while weakness in risk management practices in some IBs led to larger decline in profitability compared to CBs in 2009. In particular, adherence to Shariah principles precluded IBs from financing or investing in the kind of instruments that have adversely affected their conventional competitors and triggered the global financial crisis. The weak performance in some countries was associated with name concentration and in some cases, was facilitated by exemptions from concentration limits, highlighting the importance of a neutral regulatory framework for IBs and CBs and strengthening risk management in some banks. IBs credit and asset growth were at least twice higher than that of CBs during the crisis, suggesting a growing market share going forward and larger supervisory responsibility. External rating agencies re-assessment of IBs risk was generally more favorable or similar to that of CBs. Higher solvency has facilitated meeting the relatively more robust demand for Islamic banking finance and maintaining stable external ratings. Lending to the less affected consumer sector has helped support strong credit and asset growth. While the global crisis gave IBs an opportunity to prove their resilience, it also highlighted the need to address important challenges. The crisis has led to greater recognition of the importance of liquidity risks, and the need for efficient bank resolution framework. Hence, building a well-functioning liquidity management infrastructure is a key priority. Moreover, regulators and standard setters for IBs should ensure that the supervisory and legal infrastructure, including for bank resolution, remain relevant to the rapidly changing Islamic financial landscape and global developments. Reform efforts in this regard should interface with the global reform agenda. Greater convergence and harmonization of regulations and products is needed to facilitate an efficient and sustainable growth of the industry. Addressing the above challenges will require that Islamic Banks and supervisors work together to develop the needed human capital.

Angry and Ignorant: Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College Essay

â€Å"Ignorance is bliss†. The line from Thomas Gray’s poem, Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College, published in 1747, has lasted throughout the ages due to its omnipresent applicableness. This is especially seen in the public’s view on war before World War II. Before pictures and news reports from the World Wars were publicized, the United States home front did not see a problem with going to war. All they had heard from the war was propagandize success. However, some people, like poets Carl Sandburg and Nan Braymer, knew the true brutality of war. In Buttons and Five Day Requiem for Vietnam, Sandburg and Braymer both use aggressive diction and imagery to portray different themes; Buttons creates a theme that people are often ignorant to things that are unpleasant, and Five Day Requiem for Vietnam creates a theme that loss of control can lead to anger. The aggressive diction in Buttons reflects the attitude towards war during World War I. In this time, pictures and information about the brutality of war were just getting out to the public, but most did not pay attention. Sandburg says the buttons, which represented the soldiers, were â€Å"shoved† around the map, showing that people were ignorant to the trials of war. If the people at home knew what the soldiers were going through for them, they would be more considerate to the buttons. Even the way the map was â€Å"slammed† up onto the board outside the newspaper stand was not showing it the recognition and respect it deserves. Because the people did not understand the unpleasant happenings of World War I, they did not show proper respect to the map and the buttons. Likewise, Braymer uses aggressive diction in Five Day Requiem for Vietnam to express the anger that the fighting soldie... ... devices of imagery and aggressive diction, Sandburg and Braymer both create different themes. Sandburg uses the devices to convey that people are often ignorant to that which is unpleasant to hear, and Braymer conveys the theme that loss of control can lead to anger. Even though the poems were written about World War I and Vietnam, the themes created are still seen in human nature today. There is always a problem that people choose to ignore instead of working to improve, and there will always be people lashing out due to manipulation. This reveals how, even with societal developments, human nature will never really change. Works Cited "Carl Sandburg Poems - Buttons." Carl Sandburg Poems - Buttons. Andyy Barr Productions, 1998. Web. 04 Nov. 2013. "Voices Education Project." Nan Braymer: Five Day Requiem for Vietnam. Marilyn Turkovich, n.d. Web. 04 Nov. 2013.