Aurora Biosciences Corporation

This is one of those picket and shovel companies in the Biotechnology sector. ABSC designs and develops drug discovery technologies and services. Aurora Biosciences is developing a system using fluorescent assay technologies and ultra-high-throughput screening systems (UHTSS) to allow researchers to overcome many limitations of traditional drug discovery processes. Aurora's functional genomics technology can successfully analyze over half a billion discrete cells derived from 20 million independent GenomeScreen(TM) clones in one day. It's GenomeScreen(TM) technology acts as a search engine to rapidly scan the genome of living, human cells to find genes associated with specified diseases or physiological processes. ABSC has technology capable of searching through expansive libraries of compounds to identify those that might lead to new medicines. This enables Aurora to rapidly identify commercially relevant genes, and to directly develop screens for drug discovery, faster and more efficiently than existing methods. To date, Aurora has filed for patent protection on over 100 previously unknown gene sequences, including their use for compound screening, human diagnostics and drug discovery. ge ·nome – set of chromosomes: the full complement of genetic information that an individual organism inherits from its parents, especially the set of chromosomes and the genes they carry. A genome is the complete collection of an organism's genetic material. The human genome is made of about 50,000 to 100,000 genes located on the 23 pairs of chromosomes in a human cell. A single human chromosome may contain more than 250 million DNA base pairs, and it is estimated that the entire human genome consists of about 3 billion base pairs. Genetic information is found in each cell of the body, encoded in the chemical deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). The ultimate goal of genomic mapping and sequencing is to associate specific human traits and inherited diseases with genes at locations on the chromosomes. The successful completion of the genome project will provide a better understanding of the organization of human genes and chromosomes. It promises to revolutionize both therapeutic and preventive medicine by providing insights into the basic biochemical processes that cause many Human diseases. Celera (CRA) will soon reveal the sequence of the genome. When completed it will steer to a new great scientific challenge. The big commercial challenge after the completion of the genome will be to understand the function of the genes identified. (This market will be colossal) Aurora stands at the crossroads of this challenge by conducting the gene discovery while at the same time assigning function information to the genes. With their GenomeScreen technology, they're in the business of discovering what genes actually do. So a challenge to sequence-based patents would likely heat up demand for Aurora's technology. (Ok, it gets complicated here so just bare with me) Currently, about 20% of discovery programs are based on genomics. In fact, it has been predicted that virtually all new discovery programs will be genomics based in a few years. A major challenge for the pharmaceutical industry is to determine which of these â€Å"targets† is significant from the drug discovery perspective (meaning $$$). To do this, companies must assign functions to the targets (what it does). Once the target has been identified, you still have to build a screen to find drugs that affect the target, a process which takes up to a year. Aurora's Genomics and Molecular Biology division has developed a technology to overcome these challenges. The value that Aurora brings to this process is added at all stages, from gene identification to target validation to screening compounds to the compounds themselves. In other words, it does important (cool) stuff that makes the company the good old American dollar bill. Revenue in 1999 was 90% higher than in 1998. Aurora has grown from $2 million in revenue in 1996 to $50 million in revenue in 1999, compared to revenue of $26.5 million and a net loss of $18.7 million, or $1.14 per share, for the year ended December 31, 1998. This year ABSC is expected to make $.19 and $.34 in 2001. Last year ABSC made $.01 per share, its EPS growth is expected to be 1750% this year and 82.43% in 2001. From three months ago its earnings have been raised 11.7% for 2000 and 21.4% for 2001. In the past four quarters is has beat expectations by between 18.75% and 54.55%. It is estimated that it†s growth for the next five years will be around 50%. ABSC has a proprietary enabling technology, agreements with almost every major pharma co., forecast profitability, high growth, strong management team, track record of exceeding earnings forecast, growth industry, small float leading to great price elasticity, and one positive press release after another and most importantly an explosive market. The future of this company is very bright. This sector is very volatile, this is a long term hold. The price hit a high of $140 a few months and has now dropped to $31 7/8. The reason for the drop was due to President Clinton†s comments concerning the Human Genome. Those comments do not affect ABSC, but because the shareholders did not know what Aurora Biosciences does they sold when Clinton said something negative about genomics. He said that when the Human Genome was decoded it would have to be shared. ABSC benefits from genome, it does not sell it. Current customers include American Home Products, Becton Dickinson, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Clontech Laboratories, Inc., Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Cytovia, Inc., Eli Lilly and Company, Exelixis Pharmaceuticals, F. Hoffmann- LaRoche Ltd., Genentech, Inc., Glaxo Wellcome, Merck & Co., Inc., National Cancer Institute, Pfizer, Inc., Pharmacia & Upjohn, Inc. and Warner-Lambert Disclaimer: (its really good and it took me a lot of time to phrase it just right, so please read it) I know that the future growth might sound too good to be true and it might actually. And remember these are only ESTIMATES and no matter how conservative I make them sound the company might not fulfill them. This is not an investment advisory service, it is recommended that you consult with a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decisions. The information herein should not be construed as an offer to buy or sell securities. The information is taken from sources thought to be accurate but there is no guarantee. All due diligence should be done by the reader or their financial advisor.

The reading of the ammeter Essays

The reading of the ammeter Essays The reading of the ammeter Paper The reading of the ammeter Paper To find out how the length of a wire affects its resistance. Introduction- Metal is a good conductor of electricity. This is because their atoms contain small negatively charged particles called electrons. Some of these electrons are not fully attached to their atoms. This means that they can be easily detached and made to flow through the metal. This creates a current. If a wire has a low resistance, then more current will flow through the wire easily. Before the electric current was fully understood, people thought that the current flowed from the positive to the negative. This is opposite to the flow of electrons and is now know as the conventional current. An electrical current is a flow of an electric charge, so the amount of charge is will depend on the strength of the current. This is measured in Coulombs. The equation for this is: Charge= Current x Time Q = I x T Coulombs= Amperes x Seconds Factors affecting resistance Thickness- There are some factors that affect the resistance of a wire. The first of these things is the thickness of the wire. A thicker wire will have less resistance than a thin wire, because there are more paths for the electrons to flow through. The easier that it is for electrons to pass through a wire, the lower its resistance is. Material- The material a wire is made from can also have an affect on the amount of Resistance it will have. Some wires may contain more atoms than other materials. This would mean that there would be an increase in the amount of collisions between the atoms and electrons. This would mean that there might be a higher resistance. Copper would have a higher resistance than ni-crome, as the ni-crome is a better conductor of electricity that copper. Temperature- The temperature of the wire will also affect the resistance that it has. If the wire has a high temperature, then the atoms in the wire will be vibrating quickly. This will make it harder for electrons to pass through. The more heat that there is, the more resistance that there is also. Ohm investigated how the temperature of a wire can affect its resistance. Ohms law states, If the temperature of a conductor does not alter, then the current which flows through it is proportional to the potential difference applied. The gradient of this line should always be constant. You get this line by- R=I/V Resistance= Current / Voltage Ohms = Amperes / Volts. If my experiment is accurate enough and I control all the factors that affect resistance, then I should get a graph that looks a bit like this. It will have a sloping line with a constant gradient. Length- The length of a wire can also have a large affect on its resistance. A long wire will have more resistance than a short wire. This is because it is easier for electrons to pass through the short wire than through the long wire. This means that there are fewer collisions between the moving atoms in the short wire than the long wire. Therefore there is more current flowing as there is less resistance. Resistance slows down the flow of electrons through the wire. Prediction- I think that the short thick wire will have a larger current flowing through it and therefore, it will have less resistance than a long thin wire. If there is a large current, then there is a low resistance. If there is a low resistance, then there is a large current. If there are more than 6 x 10(18) electrons flowing through it per second, then the current is 1 ampere, giving a lower resistance. Preliminary work- I am going to do some preliminary work. I think that this will help me work out the best way of doing my experiment. I think that it should help me to decided which way is best to measure my results and also how often I will need to measure the wire. I am going to try and take some measurements off the three different thicknesses of wire that are available to me. I am going to use ni-crome wire of the thickness 28swg, 24swg and 22swg. I am going to keep my voltage at 4 volts, so not to burn the wire out. I am going to take the current at 10cm, 50cm and 100cm. Here are my results: Thickness (S. W. G) Length (cm) Current (amps) Resistance (ohms). Plan- Apparatus- For my experiment, I will need the following items: Three 100cm lengths of ni-crome wire.   Power pack. Ammeter.   Meter rule. Crocodile clips.   Wires.   Power supply. Diagram- Safety precautions- As an extra safety precaution, I will not use more than four volts on my wire. If I use more than four volts, then I may burn the wire out. I will also, never put the clips with ten cm of each other. This is because if I put them to close on the wire, the current flowing through them will be to strong and the wire will melt. I will also make sure that I do not touch the wire when the clips are on them. Between the clips, the wire gets very hot and if I touch it, I may burn my self on it. Fair test- To make my experiment fair, I will have to try to control certain things through the experiment. I will need to try to keep the room temperature at a constant level. This will ensure that the atoms do not gain too much energy. I will need to always keep my voltage on four, to ensure that there isnt a different amount of current flowing through the wire. I will also need to try to keep my measurements as accurate as I can. I have decided to measure the wire every two cms. I think that this will be a good amount to use as it should give me a good range of results and there wont be big gaps between them. My result table may look very big, but once I put my results on to a graph, then I should get a detailed graph of my results. I will try to use the same wire each time that I do my experiment. This is because if one wire has been used more than another, then some of the electrons may have been burned out. This would cause a decrease in the resistance. Method-The first thing that I will need to do for my experiment, is to make sure that I have all of my equipment and I have a results table ready to put my results into. Once I am ready to start, I will turn the ammeter to 20m and the voltage on the power box to 4 volts. I will then turn the power on. I will take the first wire, 28swg and place the first crocodile clip at 0cm. I will then take the second clip, and I will place it at 10cm. I will take the reading of the ammeter and write it into my results table. I will then continue to move the clip along the wire, stopping every 2cm. I will carry this on until I reach 100cm.

Strategic Management Process Essays

Strategic Management Process Essays Strategic Management Process Paper Strategic Management Process Paper Running head: STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT PROCESS Strategic Management Process MGT 498 In the following paper the strategic management process will be discussed. First to be described will be the primary components of a strategic management process. I will also indicate why a strategic management process is needed for a company. Finally I will research Apple and describe their strategic management process. The first step to strategic management is 1. Developing a strategic vision. The management or leader must come up with a vision for the company. This vision should focus on where management wants the company to be in five years. â€Å"A big first step in developing the strategic vision is to create a mission statement. The mission statement should define what an organizations purpose is and what it hopes to accomplish in the future. The corporate identity begins to take shape when the mission statement captures the strategic vision of leadership† (Akbar, 2008). The second step is setting objectives. This step puts the mission statement into action. It gives employees something to work toward. The third step is crafting strategy to achieve objectives. Management needs to develop a strategy for all employees to follow to reach the companies goals. The management needs to take into consideration all aspects of the goal including competitors. The fourth step is implementing ; executing strategy. This step is when the plan will hit the streets. Management has to make sure the plan fits with the company. The final step is evaluating and correcting. A good team is always looking for ways to improve the company. The plan must constantly be looked at for improvements. One company that has a good strategic management process is apple. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak founded Apple in 1976. Apples mission statement is as follows: â€Å" Apple is committed to bringing the best personal computing experience to students, educators, creative professionals and consumers globally through innovative hardware, software and Internet offerings† (Apple, 2011). By following this mission statement apple has the most dedicated and loyal customer base. With profit growing every day and consumers waiting in line for hours for the hottest apple product is incredible. There are only a few items that people will wait in an outrageous line for: 1. Black Friday Sales 2. Apple products. It is extremely hard to keep inventing new products to keep customers happy but apple seems to know the trick. Apple has a great strategic process that is monitored closely. If there is new technology to be invented apple is going to invent it. Any company that wants to succeed has to implement a strategic management process. If a company hires a good management team that follows thru with objectives and is a great leader the company will succeed. Any company has to monitor competition closely and always be one step ahead. If a company can be successful they have a good chance of following in apples footsteps. One does have to remember that apple just recently has been reinvented, everyone should have look on the bright side. Reference Akbar, M. (2008). Elements of the strategic management process. Retrieved from helium. com/items/844145-elements-of-the-strategic-management-process? page=2 Apple. (2011). Apple Infor. Retrieved from apple. com/about/

(social Work) Mental health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

(social Work) Mental health - Essay Example This is when the social workers come in to contain and help the individual control and master their emotions (Howe 2008, p.2). Social workers dealing with mental health work with such individuals to help them overcome their mental disorders. They resolve these disorders, usually associated with families that have a line of mental health illness or those with psychosocial problems. However, some social problems lead to mental disorders such as unemployment, poverty, family distress, trauma and disability. These problems usually lead to emotional imbalance resulting in suicidal thoughts, depression, relationship problems, anxiety, family conflicts, personality disorders, and trauma and adjustment issues. The social workers provide a range of interventions that are evidence-based which focus on bringing out solutions such as psycho education, detailed psychosocial assessment and narrative therapy (Adams, Dominelli & Payne 2009, p.xvi). Mental health workers play a major role in rehabilitating the life of the individual with mental disorders. This multiplies further to bring peace, harmony and relaxation in families and communities in which these individuals reside. In the end, mental health social workers create a great and positive impact in the community at large (Crawford & Walker 2007, p.20). Mental health services have three broad divisions, which a social worker can either choose to specialize exclusively in one setting or practice across the broad of the three. These health care application programs include treatment, prevention and rehabilitation. Prevention targets to reduce cases of the disorder by modifying stressful environments. Treatment targets at reducing the existing cases of dysfunction in the society, which include processes such as intervention and diagnosis. Rehabilitation main aim is to reduce the after effects caused by a disorder by retraining the individual to

Architecture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Architecture - Essay Example The Tama Art University Library was designed by Toyo Ito. According to Bognar (1985), Ito deals with forms which are pure and abstract. He strives to make building unique by playing with their surfaces, which, in his mind, according to Bognar (1985), â€Å"carry the meaning and the quality of space† (p. 323). The Glasgow School of Art Library was designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, who, having designed around the turn of the 20th Century, was considered one of the pioneers of modernism (Nuttgens, 1988). Each of these buildings have distinctive features, themes and ways of playing with light, and, in the case of Arets, sound. Each of these buildings resemble one another in critical ways, yet are different as well. This paper will explain the three buildings, their unifying principles and the way that they differ. University Library in Utrecht The qualities embraced by Arets are on display with the University Library in Utrecht. From the outside, at a glance, it appears to be box-like and black, and looks to have a strong aesthetic. The building is made almost entirely of glass, so it reflects the light and the environment. The facade, according to Beek (2005), consists of alternating opaque and transparent panels, glass and concrete. On the glass is printed jungle trees, while the jungle trees are etched, in relief, on the concrete portions of the facade. However, although the building is dark, it plays with light in different ways. McCarter (2012) explains that the building plays with light by alternating the panels of concrete and glass, and some of the glass panels are double paned and slightly off-kilter. This gives the building a three-dimensional effect, and also allows the sunlight to be filtered through and regulated. Between the panels shifting, the alternation between the concrete and the glass, and jungle patterns on the glass and concrete, the building plays with light in a way that is dynamic. Once inside, Beek (2005) describes the interio r as a contrast, as the floor is reflecting and white, and this contrasts with the dark concrete panels. Once the individual comes in through the main entrance, McCarter (2012), states that there is a gallery there, and this leads to a large staircase. The main idea is that the white reflecting floor, and the contrasting dark concrete, is repeated throughout the interior. When one reaches the first level, there is an atrium that is at full height. On the inside, one understands that there are spatial volumes which correspond with the solid outside walls. Meanwhile, the glass panels vertically close the facade line. Beek (2005) states that the interior of the library consists of lecture rooms, bookshelves and archives, all on different levels, and that each of the different levels have a different style. Some of the levels feature open terraces. Some feature rooms which are enclosed with balconies. One meeting room is cantilevered, and facing the atrium completely. There is some colo r inside, notably red, which is the color of some of the fixed furnitures. The textures and relief on the outside glass and concrete turn out to be functional, with regards to the acoustics and the light inside the building, according to Beek (2005). This is because the relief texture on the concrete absorbs the outside sounds. The glass imprintations regulates the sunlight. Therefore, the inside building is silent and open, because of this light and sound regulation. Therefore,

Reflections on Styles and Context of News Reporting Essay

Reflections on Styles and Context of News Reporting - Essay Example This meant that events happening would take several hours or even days before becoming public knowledge. Presently, great changes have occurred and this reflective essay reviews these changes and advances in my own eyes and experiences. Reflections My experiences in journalism, news, and event reporting include using multimedia like video, photos and recorded voice to capture news, which I then send to the editorial office from whichever location through the world wide web and sometimes live via satellite television. The news is quickly edited before being relayed to audiences as ‘breaking news’. I have experienced live events being simultaneously shown to audiences through different media including television, cable and on the internet while the events are happening as happened during the Soviet revolution in the early nineties. I can use my mobile phone or portable to capture, edit, and send news all over the world via social networking through the internet and relay l ive pictures and commentary, occasionally just a few seconds behind the real event as Zahid (2010) avers. This is unlike the earlier days of journalism when reporting involved using notebooks and a camera or a video recorder with tape which was followed by sometimes a long journey to the main office, upload pictures (or develop them if taken on film), edit video using a long cut and paste process before compiling a news feature. Events occurring yesterday are reported as today’s news. Technology has changed all this, as I am now able to post news articles online, have a quick electronic version of the print newspaper posted on the news company’s web page where people can read the news and even post their own comments and views. So while in the olden days news reporting used to be a one way communication system (at least in the short term) where people just read what was printed and comments would take from days to weeks, presently readers can comment on news through bl ogging and comments on the web 2.0 platform. Watching and following the Egyptian revolution, I not only saw and experienced people power but importantly, but at a personal level experienced a new way in relaying information and following events that have forever changed my journalism practices. I can integrate news and information using the internet, mobile phones as well as traditional telephone and print media to distribute information, cheaply confirms Krotoski (2011). Through the Egyptian revolution, I have come to discover that not just governments and editors have control over what news and the public consumes information; the cost of distributing and sharing news has been greatly reduced thanks in no small part to technology and web 2.0. I can capture and share news with the world using only a cell phone with a decent camera. I have discovered that consumers of news, be it through print or electronic media, want news as they are happening and want to be able to easily alert f riends and other people instantly on what is happening so they can also view what is happening. The advent of the internet makes this possible; I could be relaying breaking news from the news site using my cell phone onto the newspapers’ or TV stations’ Twitter, Facebook or You tube page, and a reader logged in gets the news and tweets or chats with their friends about what is happening, all in just a few seconds. The news is transmitted so fast and in real

Just-In-Time Inventory Practices Essay Example for Free

Just-In-Time Inventory Practices Essay The Just in Time inventory system is the one which aims at reducing the cost of inventory at nay organization by monitoring the holding cost of it. It aims at reducing all the costs that are associated with inventory management and to enhance the production of products. The philosophy aims at the production of goods â€Å"at the right place, at the right time and in the right quantity† (Muller, 2003). History of Just In Time Inventory System Just in Time inventory system is another name of lean production system. The creator of the philosophy of Just in Time Inventory was Taiichi Ohno, the father of Toyota Production System (TPS) in Japan. The TPS systematizes production and logistics for the vehicle manufacturer, together with communication with the suppliers and customers. The system was between the years 1948 and 1975. As it was previously called the Just In Time Production, the TPS was basically built on the writings of Edward Deming and the famous car manufacturer Henry Ford. When the founders of Toyota visited United States, they were not impressed by the assembly line of Ford which focused on the concept of mass production, however, when they visited the super market, they were very impressed by the system of resupply and replenishment of drinks only when one drink was consumed. They adopted this system and named it â€Å"The Toyota Way†. Characteristics of Just in Time Inventory System Just In Time system gained popularity. It focused on many aspects of production and helped many organizations reduce their costs on their inventory. The basic characteristics of Just in Time inventory system are that it reduces the inventory accumulation in any organization. The holding cost of inventory goes down and hence the production costs are reduced by large figures. As opposed to the mass production system, lean production or Just in Time production system focused on production of goods in batches. The production is done in smaller lots and sizes. It also focuses on the aspect of quality control and inspection. The smaller lot sizes give the advantage of better inspection of the production batches. The production or the assembly line is divided into work cells, the system step by step production system which saves the capacity and saves the time to move from one step to the other. The most important characteristic is waste minimization at all times. With lesser inventory accumulation, the costs reduce, the inventory does not go obsolete and costs of warehousing and safety does not incur. Currently, organizations that have maintaining their supply chain are effectively making the use of Just in Time inventory system (Hugos, 2006). Benefits of Just in Time inventory System There are lots of advantages in implementing JIT lean manufacturing. JIT makes manufacturing operations competent, cost efficient and customer responsive. It allows producers to acquire and collect materials just before theyre needed, thus lessening the cost and trouble of administrating redundant parts. With the constantly changing demand JIT is apt to the producers’ needs of purchasing new inventory all the time. By acquiring only a limited and certain amount of inventory, the costs are saved and if the demand of a product goes down, the manufacturers are saved from huge losses they might incur from extra inventory that has gone outdated. Not only the inventory problems, producing the right quantity of goods saves the companies from accumulating capital in unsold inventory. Hence, there is no waste during production and demand is accurately met (Muller, 2003). Demerits of Just in Time System Even though the Just in Time system has some advantages, it lacks at some points. Just in Time system if not kept well can disrupt the whole supply chain of an organization. The companies which produce goods that have fluctuating demand can find it difficult to implement Just in Time. The demand does not allow the manufacturers to rely on a certain quantity of material. If the demand is too low, their inventory can go in waste, and if the demand is too high, they might not be able to fulfill the demand completely in a single batch of production (Sharma Narayan, 2010) (from UIU Library). Just in Time has got some major risks associated with it. In countries like Pakistan and India where labor strikes and political instability makes it difficult to ascertain the demand and if the supplies don’t reach the factories and plants on time, supply chain can disrupt. However, these issues can be overcome by making sure that transportation and logistics are well looked upon and alliances are built with suppliers to ensure that supplies are received right on time. Moreover, the concept of safety stock also comes into existence as the risk out running out of stock increase (Muller, 2003). Practical Application  JIT is a philosophy and can not be implemented as a complete science. However, with minor changes, it can be effectively put into practice. Dell, a famous computer manufacturer has made a successful application of JIT system. The company produces customized PCs and laptops for its customers only when it receives the order. The manufacturer to customer model of selling has also made it very successful and it has also helped the organization to establish its unique selling proposition effectively (Piasecki, 2003). Wal-Mart is another organization with an excellent supply chain and is the world leader in whole sell. It has also made a successful implementation of JIT system. Another organization that is very famous for its initiative of JIT system is none other than Toyota. Toyota has made the use of JIT as well as other philosophies such as Kanban and Kaizen. Their concepts of continuous improvement and card system have made their assembly line produce the car at cheap rate. It might seem that with low cost cars, quality might not be as satisfactory as it supposed to be, but, Toyota has implemented some major quality control system. Six sigma is the foundation of their quality. They have come up with different terms that identify how well the work is going on in the organization. Hence, Toyota is an example that can not be eliminated from the success given by JIT system (Monden, 1998). Conclusion JIT system is highly successful of implemented with complete knowledge and care. The idea of the system is to eliminate waste and save costs that are stuck with several kinds of waste during a production process.