Discussion 1 Week 4 Competitive Bidding and Long-Term Cost Savings Assignment

Discussion 1 Week 4 Competitive Bidding and Long-Term Cost Savings - Assignment Example CMS then enters into contracts with select DME suppliers to provide DME items at the prices determined by CBP†¦ CBP also provides an incentive for DME suppliers to accept lower Medicare payment amounts in exchange for the ability to serve beneficiaries and to potentially increase their Medicare market share† (U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2011, p. 2). As such, it is the best interests of Medicare patients that prices are set through CBP to ensure that they are provided with the least cost of DME. Competitive bidding was revealed to remain a crucial part of the health reform program, particularly Medicare reform (Feldman, Dowd, & Coulam, 2013). As emphasized, â€Å"competitive bidding will save a substantial amount of money, the exact amount depending on the bidding rules ultimately selected and any transition rules adopted to moderate the pace of change for beneficiaries† (Feldman, Dowd, & Coulam, 2013, p. 20). As such, due to the cost efficiency and potential savings to be generated from competitive bidding, it will remain a viable alternative when the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is fully implemented in 2014. The defining factors regarding the competitive bidding process include the price, which is considered the primary factor (Universal Service Administrative Company, 2014); as well as reliability, technical support, bandwidth, and quality of transmission (Universal Service Administrative Company, 2014). Thus, the survival or failure of the bidding organization would depend on their ability to provide the needed goods, products, or services, in the most cost-effective and reliable manner within the stipulated time frame. Feldman, R., Dowd, B., & Coulam, R. (2013, April). A Competitive Bidding Approach to Medicare Reform. Retrieved from American Enterprise Institute:

Financial Intermediaries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Financial Intermediaries - Essay Example Financial intermediaries have played a key role in poverty eradication, by financially supporting their customers with investment funds. Their main 21st-century role is providing financial services through innovative ways to the poor in order to increase their capacity of production and quality of life. Since majority of the poor live in rural areas and only depend on agriculture, they are prune to many risks because of income fluctuations. On the other hand, they cannot access insurance markets and conventional credit to offset this. The poor rarely access funds from many formal financial intermediaries due to fear of high risks and costs that are involved in small transactions that are not profitable and the poor are unable to provide collateral security to these institutions.Financial institutions also provide markets for assets of firms by liquidation and restructuring of firms that are in distress. In this case, they sell assets in order to recover bank loans. When they know the synergies existing among firms, they suggest efficient solutions like corporate control and assets reallocation. Siklos asserts that healthy firms search for displaced capital of firms that have become bankrupt, although this may make firms acquire machines that are unsuitable for them. Financial intermediaries also act as centralized markets where they provide ready information on buyers and machines, thus allowing capital, which is displaced, to move to uses that are its productive.

Jack Londons life, reputation, and characteristics of literature that Essay

Jack Londons life, reputation, and characteristics of literature that he has written - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that Jack London was a social activist, journalist, and an American author. He has written various short stories, novels, and poems and with time has shown the world that even exciting tales, taking place in bizarre places can have numerous intricacies of wonderful literature. It is without a  doubt that London’s literary work is based mostly on his childhood experiences, which he clearly illustrates using elements such as symbolism and imagery to develop exceptional themes such as existentialism and survival. Jack London was born on January 12th, 1876, in San Francisco. His childhood formed his personality as well as his outlook on his later literary life. Research shows that he spent most of his time in solitude; hence, developed competent skills in storytelling. He did not have a definite home; thus, most of his early ears he lived with his wet nurse and as time went by he lived with a black woman who was called Virginia Prentis s, then his mother flora Wellman. Despite Flora’s flaws as a mother, she instilled the significance of education in London; hence, by the time he was five years old, he could read and attend numerous grammar schools until the age of fourteen years. Therefore, in 1891, he graduated from Cole grammar school though his real education emanated from the public libraries. When he was ten years old, he started going to the public libraries and his voracious reading skills and quiet demeanor impressed Donna Smith, the librarian; hence, became his guide.

Describe Plato Allegory of the Cave Essay Example for Free

Describe Plato Allegory of the Cave Essay Describe Plato allegory of the cave (25 marks) Plato  is one of the most important Greek philosophers and a pupil of Socrates. He founded the Academy in Athens, an institution devoted to research and instruction in philosophy and the sciences. His works on philosophy, politics and mathematics which were very influential. The complex meanings that can be perceived from the Cave can be seen in the beginning with the presence of the prisoners who are chained in the darkness of the cave. The prisoners are bound to the floor and unable to turn their heads to see what goes on behind them. To the back of the prisoners, lie the puppeteers who are casting the shadows on the wall, which the prisoners are perceiving as reality. In the beginning of the  Allegory of the Cave  Plato represents man’s condition as being â€Å"chained in a cave,† in Plato’s allegory the prisoners are chained in a cave, unable to turn their heads. All they can see is the wall of the cave. Behind them burns a fire all the prisoners see and hear are shadows and echoes cast by objects that they do not see. In platos allegory Plato believes the cave is the world the entire human race are prisoners of the world in the same way the cave represents the limits of their universe or knowledge The cave also represents misunderstanding and distraction, similarly Plato believes our body is a cave and inside the body is the soul ,and the soul is trapped inside the body in which humanity lost everything we required in the world of forms which was the true knowledge when we die the soul is released from our body. Another interpretation is when the prisoners are trapped inside the cave the prisoners represent humanity ,who don’t know what reality is, because they think reality is just what they can see (the shadows) which is really not reality at all it is mere representation of the truth The prisoners symbolize those of a sensible world unwilling to see or face reality. In their ignorance the prisoners hide away in the cave, unaware of the transcendent world These prisoners cannot move because they are restrained by chains. The only thing that they can see is a wall  To the prisoners the truth is only the wall and its shadows. The prisoners know nothing outside of the shadows at one point one of the prisoners are released he starts to see the objects of physical reality The released prisoner is a person confronted with the possibility of enlightenment who first sees the truth (the sun in the allegory) and is blinded by it. Another allegory in Platos story is The chains which hold humanity back from their own understanding these prisoners cannot move because they are restrained by chains the chains can be interpreted as a Fear of failure or   delaying something which are examples of the chains that hold back each individual from their full potential. In the allegory these chains keep the prisoners from escaping and finding the truth that is the outside world. The chains that restrain the prisoners, while real to the prisoners in the cave, are no more real than the shadows are. Another interpretation found in the allegory the cave is very dark because there is little light inside it and objects are hardly seen, The sunlight at the end of the path, would be specifically the form of good the allegory could also be about religious enlightenment, the Sun representing the light of the good, the Godly other world which the freed prisoner has surpassed to and was now able to see. The prisoner who was enlightened to religion is momentarily released from the ignorance and darkness of humanity the sun is a form of good, enlightened truth and the escaped prisoner who requires the knowledge and is obliged to return to the people in chains and enlighten them on what has been seen . Improve answer In the outer world there is light and everything is clear and visible the prisoner released from the cave into the outer world slowly and gradually begins to identify everything and becomes to realise that the outer world is the real and the cave is the unreal world likewise also Knowledge, education, and spiritual  enlightenment all symbolize the light. In Allegory of the Cave, light most commonly reflects revelation when prisoners, humanity, leave â€Å"the cave†. (unreal world) the darkness in the cave symbolically represents the world of ignorance The shadows are replicas or copies of reality. The echoes represent items in  life  that have been distorted over time due to gossip, impressions, and rumours   These shadows or teachings where blinding the prisoner from thinking outside of what was placed in front of them equally the prisoners interpret the shadows on the wall as being real who see reflections but instead are just poor shadows of images of things that exist in the outside world for example a tree is a poor reflection of a real things that exists. Above all Because of how we live, true reality is not obvious to most of us. However, we mistake what we see and hear for reality and truth his is the basic premise for Platos Allegory of the Cave, in which prisoners sit in a cave, chained down, watching images cast on the wall in front of them. They accept these views as reality and they are unable to grasp their overall situation: the cave and images are a trick a mere shadow presented to the prisoners.

Mark Ratners Concepts of Molecular Electronics

Mark Ratners Concepts of Molecular Electronics Mark Ratner  and  The Basis of the Future: Molecular Electronics Levent BahadÄ ±rhan KarakuÃ…Å ¸ 2. Introduction Mark Ratner, He is professor of chemistry and professor of materials science and engineering at Northwestern University. He studies the theory of fundamental chemical processes related to nanoscale application. Ratner is a member of the Internatioanal Academy of Quantum Molecular Science also, His lectures subjects were â€Å"Transport in molecular Junctions†and â€Å"Nano and Energy† at Stanfort University at 2009. I choose Mark Ratner because, Topic of Nano technology and energy generation are important on the sustainable energy. High capaticy batteries, high technology solar cells, etc. besides; new tech-power plants or storages These topics to be studied for me. In short, Quantum mechanics and Nano technology are always interested me[20]. 2.1. Education He graduated from Harvard University department of chemistry at 1964. Then, He started Ph.D. in chemistry from Nortwestern University and working with G. Ludwig hofaker. Ratner first lecture chemistry at New York University from 1970 until 1974[20] 2.2. Career Development He worked may extended period of time in israel and he worked with lots of scientists, including form Tel Aviv University and University of Jesursalem. Also Rater works international association, particularly in Netherlands and Denmark[20] 3. Fields 3.1 Molecular Electronics (Primary field) Molecular electronics increased interest in as of late, induced spawning by information technology may reach it computability limits in a several years. [1-2]. In order to molecular electronics to become a valued alternative to silicon researces, It will not be enough to generated molecular electronic devices with distinguished characteristics, but proper circuit and architectural solution will be needed. When lots of effort has given to the demonstration of electronic functionalities of one molecules and organic filmsi research at the circuit and system level is still in its beginning[5-9]. Investigation on single molecules or nanotube based devices prospect to keep Moore’s law alive once miniaturisation of silicon-based structures becomes useless. As first proposed by Aviram and Ratner [10]. One can imagine to squeeze whole nonlinear circuit elements such as transistors or diodes into single molecules. In principle, suchlike devices could be importantly faster and smaller th an end of the routemap solid state electron devices[11]. 3.1.1 Why molecular electronics? Intrinsically entire electronic processes in nature, from photosynthesis to signal transduction, occur in molecular structures. For electronic epplications, molecular structure have four major advantages: Size: The size scale of molecules is between 1 and 100nm, a scale that permits functional nano-structures with attendant advantages in efficiency, cost and power dissipation. Assembly and recognition: One can exploit secific internolcular interaction to from structures with nano-scale self assembly. Molecular recognition can be used to chance electronic attitutde, providing both swithing and sensing capabilities on the one molecule scale. Dynamical stereochemistry: lots of molecules gave multiple distinct stable conformations or isomers. Such geometric isomers can gave distinct optical and electronic properties. For instance, the retinal one switches between more than one stable structures, a process that transduces light into a chemoelectrical pulse and allows vision. Synthetic tailorability: with choice of character and geometry, ona can extensively vary a transport of the molecule, binding, structural and optical properties. The instrument of molecular synthesis are extremely developed.[12] [http://www.nanowerk.com/nanotechnology/reports/reportpdf/report52.pdf] 3.1.2 Electrode The molecule electrode interface is a severely significant component of a molecular junction. It might limit current flow or completely modify the measured electrical response of the junction. Lots of experimental platforms for constructiong molecular electronic devices are founded on practical comsideration. This approach is in numerous ways the boon and the disaster of the field. For instance, the sulfur gold bond is a fabulous chemical hangle for forming self assembled, forceful organic monolayers on metal surfaces. Other technics such as using a scanning probe tip a cÄ ±ntact the molecule are frequently employed in part. Becuse that avoid processing steps that can damage or unexpecteably modify the molecular component. Optimally the couice of electrode materials would be based not on the easy of production or measurement, but rather on first principles considerations of molecule electrode interactions. On the other hand, in state of the art for the theory of molecule electrode interfaces is very elemantary. [http://www.nanowerk.com/nanotechnology/reports/reportpdf/report52.pdf] 3.1.3 DNA Consider a protein that spans a cell membrane and shuttles information across that membrane. The protein self assembles and self orients in the membrane; it also might switch between two forms, only one of that will transmit the chemicalsignal. Proteins are big molecues and indeed a specific molecular size is required to achieve such a rich combination of properties. The rotaxane molecule shown large and comples, but it is indeed efficiently and small designed, given the set of mechanical, chemical, and electronic properties that have been built into it[16]. Quite likely, transport in DNA junctions will show that the molecule or at least naturally occuring DNA is actually a wide bandgap semiconductor characterized by localized hole hopping between the low energy guanine cytosine pairs. Also guanin yields the most stable positive ion. Because the band gap is wide, DNA seems colourless and long range coherent charge motion is improbable[17]. 3.1.4 Circuit Architecture The potential of chemical synthesis to design specific and maybe even useful device behaviors is rapidly being realised. The following question, what sorts of circuit architectures can most take advantage of molecular electronics, is nowadays receiving rather a bit of attention both from computer scientists and from researchers; progress towerd indentifying and constructing working molecular electronics circutry has advanced fastly[13]. 3.1.5 The Future The primary challenges of realizing a true molecular electronics technology are wintry. Controlled fabriaction to within specified tolerances and its expermental verification is a exclusive problem. Self assembly schemes based on molecular recognition will be viral for that work. Absolutely reproducible measurments of junction conductance are only beginning in laboratories at Cornell, Harvard, Delft, Purdue and karlsruhe Universities and at the Naval research laboratory and same centers. A lot of the technology targets of molecular electronics, such as the computational applications duscussed, should perhaps be viewed as drivers for steering the field forward and for defining the critical and rate limiting challenges that must be overcome[14]. 3.2 Electron transport in molecular wire junctions Molecular conductance junction are structures in that unimolecules or minor groups of molecules conduct electrical current between one than one electrodes In such junctions, the linkage between the molecule and the electrodes very affects the current boltage characteristics. Considering theoretical and several experimental advances, including the understanding of basic systems, there is still limited correspondence between theoretical and experimental studies of these systems[18]. 3.3 Mesoscopic features of charge Generation in organic semiconductors Over the past twenty years, organic materials gave been extremly investigated by countless research groups for implementation in organic photo voltaic(OPV) devices. The organic semi conductors is protrusive by their potential low cost and facile tunability, making organic photovoltaic devices a knowledfe gap in our common understanding of materials, so boyh the time scale and lenght scale (fento to microsecond and nano to micrometer) proper to OPV functionality occupy a challenging a impressive space between the traditional regimes of quantum mechanics and solid state physics[19]. 4. Conclusion Ratner lead up lots of field, research centre and laboratories foremost; International Business Machines (IBM) and The defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Also, He described his experiences as an organizing member; a member of the board of directors and being on steering and selectrion committee. The significance of gaving a staff at research centre and proposal some thoughts on the future nanotechnology. Once for all, Ratner have a part in many today’s technology References [1] J. R. Heath and M. A. Ratner, Physics Today 56, 43 (2003) [2] J. R. Reimers, C. A. Picconnatto, J. C. Ellenbogen, and R. Shashidhar (eds.), Ann. New York Acad. Sci. 1006 (2003) [5] J. R. Heath, P. J. Kuekes, G. S. Snider and R. S. Williams, Science 280, 1716 (1998) [6] Y. Wada, Proc. IEEE 89, 8 (2001) [7] J. M. Tour, W. L. Zandt, C. P. Husband, S. M. Husband, L. S. Wilson, P. D. Franzon and D. P. Nackashi, IEEE Trans. Nanotech, 1, 2 (2002) [8] M. Macucci, G. Iannacone, L. Bonci and M. Girlanda, IEE Proc. Circuits Devices Syst. 151, 5 (2004) [9] A. Chaudhary, D. Z. Chen, X. S. Hu, M. T. Niemeier, R. Ravichandran and K. Whitton, IEEE Trans Comp. Aided Des. Int. Cir. Sys. 26, 11 (2007) [10] A. Aviram and M. A. Ratner, Chem. Phys. Lett., 29, 277 (1974) [11] J. C. Ellenbogen and J. C. Love, Proceedings IEEE 88 (3), 386 (2000) [12] Thomas Bjà ¸rnholm References:Tue Hassenkam, Kasper Moth-oulsen, Nicolai Stuhr-Hansen, Kasper Nà ¸rgaard, M. S. Kabir, and Thomas Bjà ¸rnholm. Self-Assembly and Conductive Properties of Molecularly Linked Gold Nanowires. Nano Letters, 4 (1), 19 -22, 2004. [13]. A. J. Heinrich et al., Science 298, 1381 (2002). [13] A. Bachtold, P. Hadley, T. Nakanishi, C. Dekker, Science 294, 1317 (2001); Y. Huang, Science 294, 1313 (2001); P. Avouris et al., Physica B 323, 6 (2002); Y. Chen et al., Nanotechnology 14, 462 (2003). [14] A. DeHon, in Proc. First Workshop on Non-Silicon Computation, available at http://www.cs.caltech.edu/research/ic/ pdf/molecular_nsc2002.pdf [15] P. J. Kuekes, R. S. Williams, â€Å"Demultiplexer for a Molecular Wire Crossbar Network,† US Patent 6,256,767 (3 July 2001) [16] A. J. Heinrich et al., Science 298, 1381 (2002). [17] D. Porath, A. Bezryadin, S. de Vries, C. Dekker, Nature 403, 635 (2000). [18] Nitzan, A, Ratner, M 2003, Electron Transport in Molecular Wire Junctions, Science, 5624, p. 1384, JSTOR Journals, EBSCOhost, viewed 7 May 2015. [19] Savoie, B, Jackson, N, Chen, L, Marks, T, Ratner, M 2014, Mesoscopic features of charge generation in organic semiconductors, Accounts Of Chemical Research, 47, 11, p. 3385-3394, Scopus ®, EBSCOhost, viewed 7 May 2015. [20] Cao, M, Deng, L, Xu, H 2015, Study of PNA-DNA hybridization by AFM-based single-molecule force spectroscopy, Colloids And Surfaces A: Physicochemical And Engineering Aspects, 470, p. 46-51, Scopus ®, EBSCOhost, viewed 7 May 2015.

Hamlet: Contrast Plays A Major Role :: Shakespeare Hamlet Essays

Hamlet: Contrast Plays A Major Role In William Shakespeare's Hamlet, contrast plays a major role. Characters have foils, scenes and ideas contrast each other, sometimes within the same soliloquy. One such contrast occurs in Act Five, Scene One, in the graveyard. Here, the relatively light mood in the first half is offset by the grave and somber mood in the second half. The scene opens with two "clowns", who function as a sort of comic relief. This is necessary, after the tension of Ophelia's breakdown (and subsequent death), and after the ever-increasing complexities of the plot. Previously, Polonious provided some humour, but since he is dead, a new source must be found - the gravediggers. Their banter becomes the calm before the storm of the duel, and the play's resolution. There is also a juxtaposition of the clowns and the graveyard here, which further intensifies the effect. The clowns chatter about their work in a carefree manner, even going so far as to play with a riddle ( " What is he that builds stronger ... carpenter" V,1,41-42). Shakespeare even went so far as to include his puns in this grave scene (V,1,120). Hamlet himself experiences a temporary lightening of mood from listening to the gravediggers' conversation. Their carefree treatment of death singing while digging graves, not to mention tossing skulls in the air) is a parallel to Hamlet's newfound attitude. After having committed himself to his cause in Act IV, he is no longer bothered by the paradox of good and evil, and (seemingly) is untroubled by his previous misgivings. Hamlet's musings on the equality of all men in death serve as a transition into the darker second half of the scene. His contemplations on death reflect Act IV, Scene 3, when Hamlet gives voice to a humorous notion concerning " how a king may progress through the guts of a beggar " (IV,3,27-28). Hamlet expands on this idea with his thoughts on how even Alexander the Great or " Imperious Caesar " may descend to such base uses as stopping a beer barrel, or stopping " a hole to keep the wind away " (V,1,207) The entrance of Ophelia's funeral procession marks the beginning of the second half, which balances the humor of the previous portion. The graveyard now takes on its more traditional role, as a place of grief, rather than a place of drollery. Laertes's words, understandably, contain references to Hell, and also hold no particular benevolence for Hamlet. The tension of the scene is further heightened by the confrontation which

Obstacles to General Purpose Augmented Reality Essay -- Virtual World

Obstacles to General Purpose Augmented Reality Abstract Augmented reality allows the enhancement of the real world with text, images and virtual objects. General purpose augmented reality is designed to be used continuously, as a part of everyday life. While this is potentially very powerful, it will also be very difficult to implement. Introduction Augmented reality allows the enhancement of the real world with a computer generated virtual world. This virtual world can be simple or complex, and can contain text, labels, sounds, images and even virtual objects that appear to be real. Many uses have been proposed for augmented reality. In general, they can be broken down into two categories: those that use limited augmented reality for a specific task, and those that use a general purpose, continuously worn system. General purpose, continuously worn augmented reality systems hold great potential for enhancing everyday life. They will allow instant and effortless access to vast amounts of information. They will enable seamless interaction with the increasing number of computer systems that we find in our world. They promise new means of enhancing social interaction and communication. The also will have many other uses that have not even been thought of yet. Despite their great promise, general purpose augmented reality systems are very complex and will be very difficult to adequately implement. They have demanding hardware requirements, and also present software problems that are likely to be even more difficult to overcome. Hardware Issues While present portable computers are useful in many respects, the hardware they contain falls far short of what is needed to adequately implement augmented ... ...f this is Surface drawing , an experimental system that allows the creation of 3d objects using gestures. While the problem of designing interfaces is not likely to be fully solved the near future, it will be possible to create interfaces that will be adequate for many situations. Conclusion General purpose augmented reality will have to overcome many obstacles before it can become widespread. It must be able to draw on numerous sources of data, filter that data for relevance and usefulness, be able to effectively and efficiently display that data, and finally allow the user to easily interact with that data. It must also have adequate hardware to support these goals. Despite the challenges it faces, general purpose augmented reality will prove to be very useful in many situations. As it becomes more practical, it is likely to become increasingly common.