Game Industry Forecast Shows Solid Growth

The global game industry will generate $60 billion in revenue for 2011, and is growing at 10% annually according to a new research report by industry analyst Colin Sebastian for RW Baird. That growth rate should see overall industry revenue hit $80 billion by 2014, but the some areas of the business will remain flat or even decline, while other areas will be growing at an annual rate of 15% to 20%. The growth areas that Sebastian sees are in online and mobile games, â€Å"driven primarily by downloadable content (DLC) and mobile games† and social games to a lesser extent.These areas will be growing annually at a rate of 15% or more for the next several years, Sebastian believes. Unfortunately, other areas of the game business won't be faring as well. He sees packaged software sales staying flat this year, with the growth in Xbox 360 and PS3 sales being offset by the decline in Wii and handheld game sales. This quarter will see strong sales with many big titles coming out, but that positive sales picture will only be enough to pull the sales out of the loss category for the year.The good news for the game business is that it's the only media business with a strong positive growth forecast for the next several years. Newspapers, magazines, music, TV and other media businesses are struggling with the transition to a digital distribution model, but the high level of innovation in the game industry has kept the overall picture positive. That's not to say there are no problems; Sebastian sees â€Å"many video game companies will continue to struggle through this transition. † Sebastian sees the mobile market as bringing in $2 billion in revenue this year, with growth continuing due to rapid adoption of smartphones and tablets.He cites studies showing that games are the leading applications on smartphones, and consumers consumers have been very willing to pay for games or for in-app purchases with â€Å"freemium† hgames, which now represent the ma jority of revenues for mobile games. Sebastian believes tablets can be the next great market for games, given that the form factor is better than a smartphone for playing games. Studies also show that gaming is the number one usage of tablets, with over 70% of tablet owners playing games on the devices.The difficult business climate for traditional game companies means there are fewer clear winners to invest in right now. Sebastian sees GameStop as a good holiday play given the large number of AAA titles coming out this quarter, and beyond that he picks Activision and Electronic Arts as the best performers for long-term investors, followed by Take Two. The nature of the game market is changing in the USA, according to studies cited by Sebastian. He points to the Entertainment Software Association study showing 72% of US households play games, with the average age of gamers being 37.Additionally, more than half of gamers play on their phones and other handheld game devices, and women now represent 42% of the gamer population. † It's a far cry from the traditional â€Å"our market is teenage boys of all ages† that used to be the only demographic for game companies to care about. Sebastian sees hope for the core games segment, in that the broad appeal of casual games may get more people interested in gaming, and eventually looking for the deeper experiences that console games and PC games can offer. He sees the PC game market doing better in 2012, mostly on the strength of hit releases like Diablo III.Handheld devices, lead by the Nintendo 3DS and the Sony PSP (and soon the PS Vita) will be flat in 2012, with the launch of the PS Vita helping to offset the shift to smartphones, at least for a while. Sebastian believes the PS Vita may be able to take the leading position from the 3DS. Finally, Sebastian sees social games continuing to grow and develop in depth and richness, eventually being able to appeal more to core gamers. Console games will add mo re social elements, too, and eventually social games outside of Facebook will become more popular.He sees growth rates surpassing 10% annually for the next 3-5 years. The current leaders are Zynga, with 262 million monthly average users (MAU), followed by Electronic Arts with 203 million MAU. Overall, it's a complex portrait of a rapidly growing and changing industry. Clearly there are dangers ahead for many companies as business models are changing, and once-profitable businesses are seeing their audiences depart for other types of gaming. Successful companies will be the ones who stay flexible as conditions continue to change rapidly. What's your opinion on the future of the game industry?

Big City

â€Å"Big Fish in Small Pond† An Argumentative Essay on Big City v. s Small City __________________________________ Introduction They say that it is always better to be a small fish in a big pond than being a big fish in a small pond. While this brief discourse is certainly not on the topic of either fishing or ponds, it is similar in the way that the experiences of being somebody in an unknown town and being a â€Å"nobody† in a big town mirror this proverb. While there certainly are many advantages to living in a small town, the question that begs to be asked is whether or not these advantages far outweigh those of living in a big city.Further, living in a small town means that one is residing in a relatively small community and that the people manifest a certain familiarity that goes beyond normal conversations. The town grocer or shopkeeper may remember one’s name and the local physicians may actually even know one’s entire medical history. The crime r ate is much lower than a big city and it is safer to take walks at night without worrying about getting mugged. Yet, can one say that life has truly been lived and experienced based on the happenings in a small town?There is so much that the world has to offer and only a small part of that can be experienced in any small town (Steves, 2007). Analysis In cases as that aforementioned, one may take to imagine the delight of those who reside in Istanbul, Turkey—fine and simple—yet possess all the wonders a certain place would ever possess. Churches, mosques, palaces, dashing synagogues, castles and towers are few of the land marks which connote the ideal definition of Istanbul—a big city rich with â€Å"big† entities.Being Turkey’s most populous city, and considerably the center of economics and culture for that instance, the rise of crime rate would be inevitable to contain, hence, this connotation is admirably contained by this big city, compared to that which seemingly occur in other â€Å"small towns† such as the increasing crime rate in Tijuana, Mexico—the inhabitants under such jurisdiction itself are paving their way on the streets for the â€Å"plague of the society† to be expunged, for that instance.What tends to be the predicament of the case falls basically on the fact that there will always be challenges living in a ‘big’ city—although there appears to be an excitement and a favorable delight offered in the arena of satisfaction—the challenge which serves as a pre-requisite to this extent lies on the premise that the â€Å"larger the scope, the bigger the probability, the lesser the chance to catch the best fish. In a big city, there are numerous jobs offered, hence, there also exists numerous individuals who are as competent as you are—one may be the best in their respective small towns, but the competition in big towns far more serve as a bigger arena for the c ompetition.Aside from that, unlike the possessions that a person may have in a small town, it is hard to achieve these things in the light of an urbanized vicinity—take for example a car bought in a small town may have been the â€Å"funkiest† but in the larger arena of a big town, it only belongs to the standard toys for the big boys—the emotional belligerence is what swallows the individual by then—no satisfaction is attained. Conclusions and further remarksLiving in a big city on the other hand presents far more challenges and rewards. Nobody has ever claimed that living in a big city is easy. It is fraught with dangers and opportunities but for those who are able to overcome the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities there lies a certain satisfaction that one can never derive from the experiences of living in a small town; the triumph in knowing that one has achieved something that has made one a better person (StudyAbroad.Com, 2002). The advantages of living in a big city have little to do with financial status or even material wealth. There is another factor that indeed matters and it is the knowledge that life has been lived fully—the knowledge that even though one never did become the big fish in the big city, one did become one tough fish after all. Big City â€Å"Big Fish in Small Pond† An Argumentative Essay on Big City v. s Small City __________________________________ Introduction They say that it is always better to be a small fish in a big pond than being a big fish in a small pond. While this brief discourse is certainly not on the topic of either fishing or ponds, it is similar in the way that the experiences of being somebody in an unknown town and being a â€Å"nobody† in a big town mirror this proverb. While there certainly are many advantages to living in a small town, the question that begs to be asked is whether or not these advantages far outweigh those of living in a big city.Further, living in a small town means that one is residing in a relatively small community and that the people manifest a certain familiarity that goes beyond normal conversations. The town grocer or shopkeeper may remember one’s name and the local physicians may actually even know one’s entire medical history. The crime r ate is much lower than a big city and it is safer to take walks at night without worrying about getting mugged. Yet, can one say that life has truly been lived and experienced based on the happenings in a small town?There is so much that the world has to offer and only a small part of that can be experienced in any small town (Steves, 2007). Analysis In cases as that aforementioned, one may take to imagine the delight of those who reside in Istanbul, Turkey—fine and simple—yet possess all the wonders a certain place would ever possess. Churches, mosques, palaces, dashing synagogues, castles and towers are few of the land marks which connote the ideal definition of Istanbul—a big city rich with â€Å"big† entities.Being Turkey’s most populous city, and considerably the center of economics and culture for that instance, the rise of crime rate would be inevitable to contain, hence, this connotation is admirably contained by this big city, compared to that which seemingly occur in other â€Å"small towns† such as the increasing crime rate in Tijuana, Mexico—the inhabitants under such jurisdiction itself are paving their way on the streets for the â€Å"plague of the society† to be expunged, for that instance.What tends to be the predicament of the case falls basically on the fact that there will always be challenges living in a ‘big’ city—although there appears to be an excitement and a favorable delight offered in the arena of satisfaction—the challenge which serves as a pre-requisite to this extent lies on the premise that the â€Å"larger the scope, the bigger the probability, the lesser the chance to catch the best fish. In a big city, there are numerous jobs offered, hence, there also exists numerous individuals who are as competent as you are—one may be the best in their respective small towns, but the competition in big towns far more serve as a bigger arena for the c ompetition.Aside from that, unlike the possessions that a person may have in a small town, it is hard to achieve these things in the light of an urbanized vicinity—take for example a car bought in a small town may have been the â€Å"funkiest† but in the larger arena of a big town, it only belongs to the standard toys for the big boys—the emotional belligerence is what swallows the individual by then—no satisfaction is attained. Conclusions and further remarksLiving in a big city on the other hand presents far more challenges and rewards. Nobody has ever claimed that living in a big city is easy. It is fraught with dangers and opportunities but for those who are able to overcome the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities there lies a certain satisfaction that one can never derive from the experiences of living in a small town; the triumph in knowing that one has achieved something that has made one a better person (StudyAbroad.Com, 2002). The advantages of living in a big city have little to do with financial status or even material wealth. There is another factor that indeed matters and it is the knowledge that life has been lived fully—the knowledge that even though one never did become the big fish in the big city, one did become one tough fish after all.

Perils of Texting Essay

Cell phones have become a staple of modern society. Nearly everyone has them, and people carry and use them at all hours of the day. For the most part, this is a good thing: the benefits of staying connected at any time and at any location are considerable. But if you’re like most Americans, you may regularly talk on the phone or even text while at the wheel of a car. This dangerous behavior has resulted in increasing numbers of accidents and fatalities caused by cell phone usage. The trend shows no sign of slowing down. In 2003, a federal study of 10,000 drivers by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) set out to determine the effects of using cell phones behind the wheel. The results were conclusive: talking on the phone is equivalent to a 10- point reduction in IQ and a .08 blood alcohol level, which law enforcement considers intoxicated. Handsfree sets were ineffective in eliminating risk, the study found, because the conversation itself is what distra cts drivers, not holding the phone. Cell phone use caused 955 fatalities and 240,000 accidents in 2002. Related studies indicated that drivers that talked on the phone while driving increased their crash risk fourfold, and drivers that texted while driving increased their crash risk by a whopping 23 times. Since that study, mobile device usage has grown by an order of magnitude, worsening this already dangerous situation. The number of wireless subscribers in America has increased by around 1,000 percent since 1995 to nearly 300 million overall in 2010, and Americans’ usage of wireless minutes increased by approximately 6,000 percent. This increase in cell phone usage has been accompanied by an upsurge in phone-related fatalities and accidents: In 2010, it’s estimated that texting caused 5,870 fatalities and 515,000 accidents, up considerably from prior years. These figures are roughly half of equivalent statistics for drunk driving. Studies show that drivers know that using the phone while driving is one of the most dangerous things you can do on the road, but refuse to admit that it’s dangerous when they themselves do it. Of users that text while driving, the more youthful demographic groups, such as the 18–29 age group, are by far the most frequent texters. About three quarters of Americans in this age group regularly text, compared to just 22 percent of the 35–44 age group. Correspondingly, the majority of accidents involving mobile device use behind the wheel involve young adults. Among this age group, texting behind  the wheel is just one of a litany of problems raised by frequent texting: anxiety, distraction, failing grades, repetitive stress injuries, and sleep deprivation are just some of the other problems brought about by excessive use of mobile devices. Teenagers are particularly prone to using cell phones to text because they want to know what’s happening to their friends and are anxious about being socially isolated. Analysts predict that over 800 billion text messages will be sent in 2010. Texting is clearly here to stay, and in fact has supplanted phone calls as the most commonly used method of mobile communication. People are unwilling to give up their mobile devices because of the pressures of staying con nected. Neurologists have found that the neural response to multitasking by texting while driving suggests that people develop addictions to the digital devices they use most, getting quick bursts of adrenaline, without which driving becomes boring. There are interests opposed to legislation prohibiting cell phone use in cars. A number of legislators believe that it’s not state or federal government’s role to prohibit poor decision making. Auto makers, and some safety researchers, are arguing that with the proper technology and under appropriate conditions, communicating from a moving vehicle is a manageable risk. Louis Tijerina, a veteran of the NHTSA and Ford Motor Co. researcher, notes that even as mobile phone subscriptions have surged to over 250 million during the past decade, the death rate from accidents on the highways has fallen. Nevertheless, lawmakers are increasingly recognizing the need for more powerful legislation barring drivers from texting behind the wheel. Many states have made inroads with laws prohibiting texting while operating vehicles. In Utah, drivers crashing while texting can receive 15 years in prison, by far the toughest sentence for texting while driving in the nation when the legislation was enacted. Utah’s law assumes that drivers understand the risks of texting while driving, whereas in other states, prosecutors must prove that the driver knew about the risks of texting while driving before doing so. Utah’s tough law was the result of a horrifying accident in which a speeding college student, texting at the wheel, rear-ended a car in front. The c ar lost control, entered the opposite side of the road, and was hit head-on by a pickup truck hauling a trailer, killing the driver instantly. In September 2008, a train engineer in California was texting within a minute prior to the most fatal train  accident in almost two decades. Californian authorities responded by banning the use of cell phones by train workers while on duty. In total, 31 states have banned texting while driving in some form, and most of those states have a full ban for phone users of all ages. The remaining states are likely to follow suit in coming years as well. President Obama also banned texting while driving for all federal government employees in October 2009. Still, there’s more work to be done to combat this dangerous and life-threatening practice. Sources: Paulo Salazar, â€Å"Banning Texting While Driving,† WCBI.com, August 7, 2010; Jerry Hirsch, â€Å"Teen Drivers Dangerously Divide Their Attention,† Los Angeles Times, August 3, 2010; www.drivinglaws. org, accessed July 2010; www.drivinglaws.org, accessed July 7, 2010; Matt Richtel, â€Å"Driver Texting Now an Issue in the Back Seat,† The New York Times, September 9, 2009; Matt Richtel, â€Å"Utah Gets Tough With Texting Drivers,† The New York Times, August 29, 2009; Matt Richtel, â€Å"In Study, Texting Lifts Crash Risk by Large Margin,† The New York Times, July 28, 2009; Matt Richtel, â€Å"D rivers and Legislators Dismiss Cellphone Risks,† The New York Times, July 19, 2009; Tom Regan, â€Å"Some Sobering Stats on Texting While Driving,† The Christian Science Monitor, May 28, 2009; Katie Hafner, â€Å"Texting May be Taking a Toll on Teenagers,† The New York Times, May 26, 2009; and Tara Parker-Pope, â€Å"Texting Until Their Thumbs Hurt,† The New York Times, May 26, 2009. Questions to be answered: 1. Which of the five moral dimensions of information systems identified is involved in this case? 2. What are the ethical, social, and political issues raised by this case? 3. Which of the ethical principles described are useful for decision making about texting while driving?

Social enterprise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Social enterprise - Essay Example The enterprises must ensure collaboration and implement competitive strategies that will ensure sustainability in providing high quality products and services to their stakeholders. The enterprises must remain committed to their strategies bottom lines of improving social and environmental welfare of the society. In addition, national government agencies must support their activities through favorable regulatory framework. Social enterprises aim at attaining both commercial and social goals. In this case, a social enterprise whether for-profit or non-profit organization will strive to attain social, cultural, economic and environmental outcomes through redirecting the surplus towards the pursuit of environmental and social goals (Paton 2003). The businesses range from credit unions, community centers, and companies that engage in solving societal problems such as producing renewable energy (Doherty 2008). Social enterprises can take the form of community interest company (CIC) whereby the social mission of the organisation is regulated or industrial and provident society (IPS) which is co-operative that is democratically controlled by the members for the benefit of the society (Ridley-Duff and Bull 2011). Another form is the companies limited by shares or guarantee whereby the memorandum of association outlines how the profits will be channeled towards social causes. The fourth is the group structures that have charitable status whereby companies engage in charitable activities in order to enjoy tax benefits (Doherty 2008). Unlike commercial enterprises that focus on profit maximisation, the social enterprises have limited access for debt financing and attain most of their financing from grants such as trusts and foundations (Doherty 2008). Other sources of financing include community finance from credit unions, equity finance from the

Human trafficking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Human trafficking - Essay Example World governments, UN, Council of Europe, NATO and NGOs are making efforts to combat it. The U.S is leading efforts with efforts to combat it domestically and internationally. The U.S Trafficking and Violence Protection Act 2000 {TVPA} has defined human trafficking as comprising severe crimes: sex trafficking and forced labor. It defines sex trafficking as a crime where â€Å"a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such an act has not attained 18 years of age.† TVPA defines forced labor as â€Å"the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage or slavery (http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/82902.pdf). Human trafficking is a transnational activity that does not consider boundaries or borders. Profits from human trafficking go into the strongboxes of international organized criminal outfits. Human trafficking is supported by other global crimes like money laundering document fraud and human smuggling (ht tp://www.lib.msu.edu/harris23/crimjust/human.htm). Human trafficking has a common denominator with all other forms of trafficking, i.e., reducing human beings to forms of property over which an unlimited power is exercised (Savona & Stefanizzi, 2007, p.10). Human trafficking is the ‘perfect’ crime because the risks of being caught are very less, negligible punishment awaits those unlucky enough to be apprehended, exorbitant profits are easily made and the whole business feeds on a traded item {human beings} that can be used and reused, marketed and exchanged (King & Clift, 2004, p.21). Human trafficking is the third most lucrative global illegal activity, surpassed only by illegal arms sales and illicit drugs. The human trafficking trade is widely and

Market Segmentation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Market Segmentation - Essay Example Lastly, the company seeks for a unique marketing segment that is not being practised by their competitors. This plays a big role in enabling companies to achieve a high market share, thus generating a comfort factor since the buyers will see it as a market leader. Through this, most business entities are able to better their competitive positions and satisfy their customer needs (Burrows, 2010). For an adequate marketing strategy to take place, a manager has to determine and identify the boundaries within the market and with the help of a business plan, develop a clear definition of a business to be in operation. Then, the manager should get enough knowledge and all the relevant information about the goods and services provided by the competitors in relation to the basic requirements of the customers in the market. The company, therefore, would determine the methodology and variables to use in dividing its market into subsets. Research tools are introduced in the process of collectin g and analysing data with the purposes of identifying a homogenous segment which, at the same time, is heterogeneous to the other segments. Basing on the consumers’ behaviour, a company selects the variables that will assist it in creating a detailed profile of each distinct segment (Burrows, 2010). Then the marketing manager looks for the potential customer with needs and wants that require being satisfied in respect to the business they had identified in the previous steps. Finally a product and market plan is developed to make an appeal to a specific market segment. All these combined together will attract a customer to purchase a particular product that will satisfy his or her needs and wants. Market segmentation is considered as a decision making tool for most of the marketing managers in the selection of a target market for their goods and services. Product differentiation techniques have frustrated companies’ expectations since they were purposed to provide a va riety of products rather than offering different segments, therefore leading most of the companies to embrace the segmentation. Marketing managers use segmentation in defining the market, i.e. they are able to perceive their market from a consumer’s point of view rather than a manufacturer’s. Managers gain the knowledge and ability to rationalise policies for available commodities so that they can outshine their competitors by protecting their products from any competitive practice and also work towards achieving a high market share. They harmonise the different segments in a company by catering for the segments that are perceived to be more important, and minimising the competition between the goods and services within a company. This simply means that managers rely on the segmentation process to position ranges of their existing products (Croft, 1994). Since not all existing products can satisfy the needs of each segment, the managers identify the gaps and take an in itiative of launching a brand new or an already available commodity to solve the shortcoming. Companies with small distribution channels use segmentation to sell their goods and services in specific parts of a country. A marketing manager uses the GNP per capita and different behaviours of the customers in the area of concern to determine the marketing strategy to be used in meeting their needs. Demographic variable in market segmentation explains

Discuss your most significant academic or personal achievement Essay

Discuss your most significant academic or personal achievement - Essay Example I succeeded to mÐ °intÐ °in multi-tÐ °sk Ð °ctivity Ð °nd Ð °m especiÐ °lly proud to hÐ °ve 4.00 grÐ °de point Ð °verÐ °ge thÐ °t ultimÐ °tely Ð °llowed me to grÐ °duÐ °te Ð °s sÐ °lutÐ °toriÐ °n. I hÐ °ve Ð °lwÐ °ys enjoyed school Ð °nd clÐ °sses Ð °nd tried to tÐ °ke Ð °s much Ð °s it wÐ °s possible from every single lesson. I Ð °m Ð °n Ð °ctive student on clÐ °sses; I Ð °lwÐ °ys tÐ °ke Ð °n initiÐ °tive when it comes to Ð °nswering teÐ °cher’s questions on regulÐ °r clÐ °sses or helping other students to keep up with some subjects. Besides Ð °cÐ °demic excellence, I try to succeed in the theÐ °ter production thÐ °t occupies the mÐ °in pÐ °rt of my extrÐ °-curriculÐ °r Ð °ctivities. I Ð °m currently plÐ °ying Ð ° leÐ °d in â€Å"You’re Ð ° good mÐ °n ChÐ °rlie Brown†. This role tÐ °kes Ð ° lot of efforts, but I do like plÐ °ying. My school, pÐ °rt-time job Ð °nd service job leÐ °ve little time to leÐ °rn the scenÐ °rio thÐ °t is why I hÐ °ve to be reÐ °lly efficient if I wÐ °nt to succeed in the plÐ °y Ð °nd to mÐ °intÐ °in my leÐ °d position. I Ð °m therefore continuously performing under strict deÐ °dlines Ð °nd cÐ °n be eÐ °sily given to stress. However, I mÐ °nÐ °ge my time Ð °nd Ð °ll tÐ °sks Ð °ccording to set priority Ð °nd time of delivery. In my theÐ °tricÐ °l performÐ °nce it is Ð °lso worth mentioning SÐ °n FrÐ °ncisco BÐ °y Ð reÐ ° productions where I pÐ °rticipÐ °ted since the Ð °ge of three. I hÐ °ve therefore completed over fifty productions. My Ð °chievements in theÐ °ter Ð °lso include three rewÐ °rds for the best Ð °cting in Ð °dult legitimÐ °te theÐ °ter. I hÐ °ve been the GrÐ °nd ChÐ °mpion in vocÐ °ls for the StÐ °te of CÐ °liforniÐ ° during five yeÐ °rs: 2001, 2002, 2003 2004 Ð °nd 2006. Not only Ð °m I involved with Ð °cÐ °demic Ð °nd extrÐ ° curriculÐ °r Ð °ctivities; I Ð °m Ð °lso working in Ð ° pizzÐ ° restÐ °urÐ °nt Ð °pproximÐ °tely 20 hours Ð ° week (nÐ °me the work thÐ °t she is hÐ °ving, then it cÐ °n be better described). This employment hÐ °s tÐ °ught me much

The current climate of financial constraints will have a dramatic Essay

The current climate of financial constraints will have a dramatic impact on investigating crime Examine this assertion - Essay Example The recession has affected every segment of society especially the working class. When people are without work for a prolonged period of time, even honest citizens sometimes turn to crime to pay their bills mostly in urban areas. In such situations, the resources of the crime prevention agencies are usually focused on serious or violent crimes, and they usually ignore lesser offences such as burglaries due the scarcity of manpower and other resources such as cars for patrolling, or even clerical personnel for filing in report or preparing the paperwork to present the cases for court proceedings. In the absence of police personnel on the streets, minor arguments may escalate to shootouts or stabbings because the presence of police usually acts as a deterrent and prevents the situation from escalating. Other crimes such as auto thefts, shoplifting, provoked and aggravated assault, property crime, gang wars, murders, domestic battery, aggravated burglary, fraud, rape and kidnapping all are on the increase due to the cutbacks in police budgets. Besides having an adequate number of personnel, other things that are essential for effective policing are vehicles, monitoring and tracking equipment (Moro, 2012). Computer systems for maintaining records and other paperwork. Funds are also needed to hire additional civilian personnel on a temporary basis or to pay off informants who are an essential part of any police network. The police department needs forensics laboratories, equipment and chemicals and qualified staff to man these laboratories. Then too offenders who are apprehended need facilities such as beds in the lock ups and prisons, before they are released on bail, or if they are not released on bail they do require other facilities such as food, medicine and police personnel for keeping a watch over these prisoners so that they do not riot and kill each

Reseach Method Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Reseach Method - Coursework Example Village 14 was used as a case study for sampling respondents to express their intent of supplying mangoes to the factory. The responses were analyzed with the use of the SPSS. From the analysis, it was seen that of a total of twenty two (22) respondents who answered either yes or no, eighteen (18) of them said yes, whiles four (4) of them said no. What this means is that the intention of villages in household living 10km or more from the factory to do business with the factory by supplying mangoes is higher. In terms of percentage, this is represented by 81.81% of Yes as against 18.19% of No. The interpretation that can be given to this result is that the responses did not reflect the hypothesis that proximity would be a key factor for the villagers in deciding whether or not they would supply mangoes to the factory. Some of the factors that were considered, based on which the hypothesis was drawn includes the fact that, farther distances from the factory could generally affect the e xpenditure on transportation for the villagers. Once the expenditure goes up, their profit margins are likely to be affected. This statistical logic has however been defeated. Invariably, the villagers are hopeful that an increase in the expenditure for transportation would be reflected in the prices they charge on unit tone of mangoes sold to the company and so they would make their profits in the long run. This assumption not withstanding, it would be very appropriate for the villages that live 10km or more from the factory and thus stand some chances of raising their prices to reflect expenditure on transportation to realize that increases prices of mangoes could be a competitive disadvantage to them if villages living near the factor sell at lower prices. The only economic principle that could possibly defeat this analysis is in cases where demand from the factory is

Time value of money paper Essay Example for Free

Time value of money paper Essay Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Before dwelling on the various applications of Time Value of money paper, it is imperative to clearly understand what the whole concept of time value of money is all about.   The whole concept is based on the premise that all investors prefer receiving a certain amount of money today rather than the same amount in future, while holding everything else constant. Money in actual sense has a time value, which is an economic theory brought about by three reasons that include inflation, liquidity and risk. (Tuller, Lawrence W.1997)    This is based on the argument that if the investor receives the money today, he/she can earn interest on that amount until the specified future date.   For example earning $100 today is preferable than earning this same amount in one years time. This is because choice of either spending the money today or investing it for future.   Thus if one chooses to earn $100 one year from now, spending is also deferred for a similar period and will miss out on the opportunity to invest it. (Tuller, Lawrence W.1997) Financial application of the time value of money The Time Value for money is a very fundamental principle of investing and budgeting and all standard calculations are based on the basic formula of the present value of a future sum that is discounted to the present. The concept is fundamental in many aspects of finance; this is because it has an impact on consumer finance, business finance and government finance. (DeThomas, A 1992). The Time value of money concept has much valuable financial relevance. The concept finds some of its major and important uses in the measurement of various trade-offs in spending and saving (DeThomas, A 1992).   On a personal budgeting level, it has important consequences. For example one may make the decision to invest because the time value of money is greater in the future if the market interest rates stand at say 6% which is considered a high rate, however if the rates are much lower than this say between 1%- 2%, one may opt to spend the money because the time value of money today is higher. (DeThomas, A 1992). The time value of money is extremely useful in the following sectors of business: Commercial banks Credit card financial service companies Insurance companies d. State governments lotteries   Retirement plan financial service providers The basic concept of time value for money that includes compounding, discounting and annuities are frequently used in the retirement savings plan to determine the amount of the deposit that is needed to accumulate a certain future plan.   Commercial banks Commercial banks extensively find great use of time value for money; on a daily basis they use various time value of money formulas. It is used to calculate the amortization of loans for home mortgages that is described as present value of an annuity. In the calculation of mortgages, the future value of the annuity formula is used to determine monthly payments that the borrower is supposed to make. The concept is also used in the calculation of the future value of all the savings in the fixed deposit ( Crosson, S.V. Needles, B.E. 2008) Credit card financial service companies Under normal circumstances credit card financial services issue loans to the card holders, towards this end the time value of money formula is used to determine the schedules for loan repayment and also used in calculating the future value of the loan which is the ending balance. ( Crosson, S.V. Needles, B.E. 2008) Insurance Companies To illustrate how the insurance companies make use of the time value of money is when and one buys a life insurance. He/she gives money to the insurance company which doesn’t have to pay the beneficiaries the sum accruing until the principal dies, this can translate into many years. On the other hand the insurance company decides to invest the money in various instruments with the hope there value will increase. The insurance company is bound to benefit greatly the longer it has to invest the money, which it uses to pay back the benefit. The longer the insured lives the more the time the insurance company has to invest the money before paying up. ( Crosson, S.V. Needles, B.E. 2008) Thus if you buy the insurance when you are older it means that your lifespan is shorter, this also applies to those people with ailments or are unhealthy. That is the reason why the older or unhealthy people pay more in premiums compared to the young and healthy; the time value of money is applied the insurance company earns more money the longer the premium stays. ( Crosson, S.V. Needles, B.E. 2008) State governments lotteries Lottery is one of the methods that the government utilizes to provide funding for education in America. However those oppose the government for raising such money through lottery argue that the government takes advantage of the ignorance of the laymen of the time value of money with lotteries that hit a million dollars. The winner of such a lottery does not get the million dollars upfront; rather one receives $ 50,000 per annum for the next 20 years. The state cannot pay that money upfront because of the time value of money where a million dollar now is more worth a million dollars in future. ( Crosson, S.V. Needles, B.E. 2008) Components of a discount/interest rates   A sum of five different components makes up the rate of return at which an investment trades in financial theory; the five components are discussed here below and include: a) The real risk-free interest rate   This forms the basis at which all other investments are analyzed and compared. It is basically the rate of return an investor would expect to earn in risk less environment devoid of any form of inflation. (Carl S. W et al 2001) b) An Inflation Premium To adjust an investment’s expectation for a future inflation a certain rate is added towards this purpose; this is what is termed as the inflation premium. (Carl S. W et al 2001) c)   Liquidity Premium Liquidity premium is required in circumstances where investors are not willing to pay for the full value of the stocks or assets especially if there is a possibility of not selling them as quickly as they would wish because of buyer scarcity. The liquidity premium serves the purpose of compensating the potential loss. How big a liquidity premium is, is dependent on the investors perception of the activity of the market. A good example of where the liquidity premium is required is in such investments as family controlled company with thinly traded investments like bonds and stock. (Carl S. W et al 2001) d) Default risk premium Default risk premium indicates how investors perceive the likelihood of a company defaulting to meet its obligation or the likelihood of it going bankrupt. In most cases when there are telltale signs of a company in trouble, the investors demand a default risk premium which eventually leads to the collapse of the company.  Ã‚   (Carl S. W et al 2001) e) Maturity Premium The maturity premium commonly refers to the difference that exits between the interest rates of a short term default free bond and a longer maturity default free bond. The price fluctuation of the interest rates change is determined by how further in the future the bonds of the company have matured which in turn determine the price.   (Carl S. W et al 2001) REFERENCES Carl S. Warren, James M. Reeves, Philip E. Fess, James M. Reeve (2001): Financial and  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Managerial Accounting: South-Western College Crosson, S.V., and Needles, B.E. (2008): Managerial Accounting (8th Ed). Boston:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Houghton Mifflin Company. DeThomas, Art (1992): Financing Your Small Business: Techniques for Planning,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Acquiring Managing Debt: Oasis Press, Tuller, Lawrence W. (1997): Finance for Non-Financial Managers and Small Business   Owners: Adams Media

Predisposing Factors For Urinary Tract Infections

Predisposing Factors For Urinary Tract Infections The important predisposing factors for urinary infections in females are age, sex, pregnancy, sexual intercourse, menopause, use of birth control devices, catheterization, surgery, diabetes, use of calcium supplements, immunosupperession, renal transplantation and spinal cord injury. Besides, UTI is also the most frequent medical complication in patients with neurologic bladder dysfunction leading to high morbidity, poor quality of life and limited life expectancy. Moreover, severe protein malnutrition, poor fluid intake, and poor hygiene resulting in decrease immunity are also associated with urinary tract infections. A number of predisposing factors render individuals susceptible to urinary tract infections (UTIs). Any obstruction in normal urine flow or complete emptying of bladder facilitates the access of organisms to the bladder and, in turn, predisposes an individual to infection (Jackson et al., 2000). There are numerous possible structural abnormalities of urinary tract that are associated with a residual urine which increases the chances of infection and may become associated with repeated attacks of UTI. Some of these are renal calculi, tumors, and urethral stricture. All these factors cause obstruction to complete emptying of bladder (Shanson and Speller, 1999). Approximately 15% of the urinary stones diseases are infectious stones. These stones are composed of struvite and/or carbonate apatite. UTI caused by urease positive organisms is also a risk factor for the formation of infectious stones. If these infections are not treated and the stones are not removed, the kidney is damaged (B ichler et al., 2002). Some important predisposing factors for urinary tract infections are: 1. SEX An important predisposing factor for UTI is the sex of patient. It is evident from substantial research that UTIs are more common in females as compared to males (Mohsin and Siddiqui, 2010; Dielubanza and Schaeffer, 2011). Most infections in women are uncomplicated, whereas in men complicated infections predominate (Carlson and Mulley, 1985). Women are especially prone to UTIs probably because of the shortness of urethra and closeness of urethra to opening of genital and intestinal tract (Nester et al., 2004). The shorter length of the female urethra allows uropathogens easier access to the bladder. Men are less prone to get UTI, possibly because of their longer urethra and the presence of antimicrobial substances in the prostatic fluid (Schaechter et al., 1993). The relation of sex and incidence of UTI has been confirmed by the study of Laupland et al., (2007). Laupland et al., (2007) reported community onset of UTI among Canadian residents with the annual incidence of 1.75% and fem ales were at significantly increased risk as compared to males (3% vs. 0.5%, RR 5.98; 95% CI, 5.81-6.15; P 2. AGE The incidence of UTIs in women tends to increase with increasing age. Symptomatic and asymptomatic UTIs are extremely common in the elderly population. The prevalence of bacteriuria in women is about 20% between ages 65 and 75, increasing to between 20-25% over the age of 80 years (Gray and Malone-Lee, 1995). Whereas, a significant number of infections occur in men only after the age of 50 years when prostatic hypertrophy or other urinary tract abnormalities occur. UTI in young men is unusual and requires further investigations (Shanson and Speller, 1999). The prevalence in men is 3% at age 65-70 years and about 20% at ages over 80 years (Gray and Malone-Lee, 1995). The geriatric (elderly) community is frequently affected by UTIs but these infections are usually asymptomatic. Approximately 25% of all infections in elderly are UTIs (Foxman, 2002). In a study (Buonanno and Damweber, 2006), it was documented that 50% of elderly women are affected by asymptomatic UTI. In many cases bladd er catheterization is a contributing factor and causes increasing incidence of UTIs in elderly population. In another study (Rodhe et al., 2006), it was reported that asymptomatic UTI was found in 14.8% of the overall individuals of  ³ 80 years of age. Of these, 19% were women and 5.8% were men. A woman over 80 years with urinary incontinence and needing support to walk has 50% risk of asymptomatic UTI. The majority of symptomatic urinary tract infections occur in women after the age of 50 years (Shanson and Speller, 1999). In a study (Menon et al., 1995), prevalence of symptomatic and asymptomatic UTI was evaluated in women between 57-97 years of age. It was found that symptomatic UTI occurred in 54% women and asymptomatic UTI occurred in 10% women. From these results it was concluded that asymptomatic UTI was common in elderly women while only a small percentage of women have symptomatic UTI. In another study, an increased prevalence of UTI among women aged 18-30 years was found associated with sexual intercourse and pregnancy (Cunha et al., 2007). It has been reported that complicated UTIs were found most frequent among females aged between 40-59 years, while, in other age groups, uncomplicated UTIs were most frequent. It has also been noted that the isolation frequency of E. coli gradually decreases with increasing age with both complicated and uncomplicated UTIs (Kumamoto et al., 2001). UTIs are generally asymptomatic among apparently healthy, sexually active young women. In contrast, UTIs are more complicated among elderly individuals, infants and young children. UTI in children younger than 2 years has been associated with significant morbidity and long term medical consequences (Shortliffe, 2003). Winiecka et al., (2002) evaluated the bladder instability in children with recurrent UTIs. It was found that the most common disturbance of lower urinary tract functioning in the children with recurrent UTI was instability of the dtrusor muscles which occurred more often in children with vesicoureteral reflux. The incidence of nosocomial UTIs has been found to be higher in age group of 53.6  ± 20 years than the patients in age group of 39.7  ± 22.2 years. However, all the UTIs are usually asymptomatic and develop in catheterized individuals (Parlak et al., 2007). In contrast, Vessey et al. (1987) observed that the risk of UTI decreases with age. 3. SEXUAL ACTIVITY Another predisposing factor, sexual intercourse, is also a common cause of UTIs among women because during sexual intercourse bacteria in the vaginal area could be messaged into the urethra. This problem can be avoided by urinating after sexual intercourse (Cornforth, 2002). Women who change sexual partners or have sexual intercourse more frequently may experience more frequent bladder infections (Kontiokari et al., 2003). In a study (Scholes et al., 2000), independent risk factors for recurrent UTI in young women included recent one month intercourse frequency (odds ratio (OR), 5.8; 95% confidence interval (CI), 3.1-10.6 for 4-8 episodes), 12 month spermicide use (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.1-2.9), and new sex partner changing the past year (OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.2-3.2). 4. USE OF BIRTH CONTROL DEVICES Several studies have shown that women who use a diaphragm are more likely to develop UTIs than women who use other forms of birth control (Strom et al., 1987). More recently, investigators have demonstrated that women whose life partners use a condom with spermicidal foam also tend to have growth of E.coli in the vagina (Jancel and Dudas, 2002). Women with UTI are 2.7 times more likely to be current user of intra-uterine contraceptive device (IUCD)/condoms (95% CI, 1.3-5.6) and 1.6 times more likely to be housewives by occupation (95% CI, 1.0-3.0) as compared to women who did not have UTI. UTI among IUCD/condom users may reflect existence of unhygienic conditions during application of procedure or spread of infection by the thread of IUCD. UTI in these women may have serious consequences of developing renal damage (Bhurt et al., 2000). 5. PREGNANCY Pregnancy also acts as a risk factor for UTI as it causes anatomic and hormonal changes which favour development of UTI (Schlembach, 2006; Marinade et al., 2009). A history of current UTI, diabetes mellitus, analgestic nephropathy, hyperuricaemia and Fanconis syndrome are predisposing factors for UTI during pregnancy (Krcmery et al., 2001). Dietary habits seem to be an important risk factor for UTI recurrence in fertile women, and dietary guidance could be a first step towards prevention (Kontiokari et al., 2003). The physiological changes associated with pregnancy are the relaxation of ureter under the effect of hormones and increase urinary output. The chemical composition of urine is also affected and results in increased urinary substances e.g. glucose and amino acids, which may facilitate bacterial growth (Sheikh et al., 2000). The pregnant women with kidney infection have a greater chance of delivering their babies prematurely with low weight (Mittal and Wing, 2005). Sometimes, it results in fetal and maternal morbidity (Lamyman et al., 2005). Recently, the relationship of maternal UTIs in pregnancy with the rate of preterm birth was evaluated (Banhidy et al., 2007). It was found that of 38,151 newborn infants, 5.7% had mothers with UTIs with pregnancy. Women with pregnancy also had somewhat shorter gestational age and a higher proportion of preterm birth. This preterm inducing effect of maternal UTI was preventable by antimicrobial therapy. In this connection, Hazir (2007) evaluated the frequency of asymptomatic UTI in pregnant women. Eleven hundred apparently healthy pregnant women were screened for significant bacteriuria. The prevalence of asymptomatic UTI was found to be 6.1%. However, asymptomatic UTI had no relationship with gestational age, parity, level of education, and body mass index. In a study (Al-Haddad, 2005) 500 pregnant women were screened for asymptomatic UTI in their first and second trimester. Out of them 8.4% were positive for cultur e. A control group of non-pregnant women was also screened for asymptomatic UTI. The control group yielded 3% positive cultures. The frequency of UTI in pregnant women was observed 30% of the women suffered from UTI. Of these infected women, 53.7% were in the age group of 15-24 years and 48.8% were in the third trimester. Primigravida had highest percent culture positivity i.e. 66.6%. The incidence was higher in less than 20 years of age group i.e. 71.42%. The incidence of prematurity was 75% and that of low birth weight was 50% in untreated patients (Lavanya and Jogalakshmi, 2002). In a study (Hanif, 2006), it was observed that out of 1000 pregnant women, 42.6% complained one or more symptoms of UTI. The urine culture of symptomatic patients showed growth in only 8.69% cases. In another study carried out by Nath et al. (1996), 542 women were screened for UTI. Out of them, 9.04% had UTI. Of these, 35% had asymptomatic while remaining 65% had symptomatic UTI. Age-wise incidence of UTI in pregnancy was observed in the age groups of 0.05 by  Ã‚ £2 test) (Khattak et al., 2006). Incidence of UTI during pregnancy among Pakistani women, was slightly low in pregnant women (28.5%) as compared to non-pregnant control subjects (30%). However, the difference was not significant. Symptomatic UTI was found in 22.4% pregnant and 20.0% non-pregnant subjects (Sheikh et al., 2000). In a study conducted in Peshawar, Pakistan (Ahmad et al., 2003) the prevalence of UTI was 29.57% in pregnant while 14% in non-pregnant control subjects. In another study performed in Pakistan, 130 muslim women of child bearing age attending the outpatients clinic were interviewed in order to determine the frequency of cystitis and its associated risk factors including personal hygiene practices. Of these, 27% of the women experienced cystitis once in the past. About 63% women reported first UTI during pregnancy. A significant relationship was observed between parity and cystitis (P During pregnancy symptomatic and asymptomatic UTI can trigger the development of serious complications affecting both the mother and the fetus. Thus, proper screening and treatment of bacteriuria is necessary to prevent complications during pregnancy. All women should be screened for bacteriuria in the first trimester. Women with a history of recurrent UTIs or urinary tract abnormalities should have repeated screening for bacteriuria during pregnancy (Macejko and Schaeffer, 2007). 6. MENOPAUSE Postmenopausal women are also susceptible to UTI due to lack of estrogen which plays important role in pathogenesis (Hu et al., 2004). The protective effect of estrogen replacement on ascending UTI is controversial. A study was designed using an experimental model of UTI. In that study surgically menopausal mice were supplemented with estrogen and the susceptibility of UTI was evaluated after experimental E. coli infection. Surprisingly, despite the hypothesis that estrogen would protect mice from infection, estrogen treatment significantly increased the susceptibility of the mice to ascending UTI (Curran et al., 2007). In postmenopausal women, sexual activity, history of UTI, treated diabetes and urinary incontinence are associated with a high risk of UTI. However, therapeutic role of oral estrogen remains uncertain. For instance, in a study (Hu et al., 2004) which included the postmenopausal women aged between 55 and 75 years, development of UTI was noted in sexually active postmenopausal women (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.07-1.87), with a history of UTI (OR, 4.20; 95% CI, 3.25-5.43), diabetes mellitus (OR, 2.78; 95% CI, 1.78-4.35) and urinary incontinence (OR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.03-1.78). 7. CATHETERIZATION Another common source of infection is catheter or tube placed in the bladder (Ribby, 2006; Warde, 2010). The use of vesical catheter over 5 days is the cause of UTI. Bacteria on the outside of the catheter can climb up the device into the bladder and cause infection (Pawelczyk et al., 2002). Infection associated with an indwelling catheter is a representative type of biofilm infection occuring in the urinary tract (Evans et al., 2001). More than 90% of UTI in catheterized individuals are asymptomatic. These infections are rarely symptomatic and infrequently cause blood stream infection. (Tambyah and Maki, 2000). Catheter associated UTI accounts for 40% of all nosocomial infections and are the most common source of Gram negative bacteremia in hospitalized patients. The risk of bacteriuria is approximately 5% per day in 10-20% of hospitalized patients who receive an indwelling foley catheter. With long term catheterization, bacteriuria is inevitable (Warren et al., 1997). For example, the impact of urinary catheterization on 294 elderly (>65 years) inpatients with community acquired UTIs was studied (Kang et al., 2007). Of 294, 144 subjects had urinary catheterization. Patients with urinary catheterization were found with significantly more advanced age, female predominance, frequent admission in hospital, longer hospital stay and higher pathogen isolation after culture than subjects without urinary catheterization (P 8. DIABETES It is evident from literature that diabetic subjects are also at high risk of UTIs. For instance, in a study (Goswami et al., 2001; Litza and Brill, 2010), the prevalence of UTI in diabetic subjects were found to be higher when compared with non-diabetic subjects (9% vs. 0.78%, P= 0.05). Symptomatic and asymptomatic UTIs occur more frequently in women with diabetes mellitus than women without diabetes mellitus (Daneshgari and Mooree, 2006). Women with diabetes who requires pharmacological treatment have approximately twice as high risk of cystitis as non-diabetic women (Boyko et al., 2002) because of the changes in the immune system secondary to the high sugar concentration (Geerlings et al., 2002). However, gestational diabetes mellitus was not associated with increased risk of UTIs (Rizk et al., 2001). Although asymptomatic bacteriuria is not associated with serious health outcomes in healthy persons, further research needs to be undertaken regarding the impact of asymptomatic bact eriuria in patients with diabetes (Geerlings et al., 2002). In another study, Geerlings et al. (2000) evaluated the characteristics associated with the development of UTI among diabetic subjects. It was found that 14% women with type 1 diabetes developed a symptomatic UTI. The most important risk factor for those women was sexual intercourse during the week before entry into the study (44% without vs. 53% with sexual intercourse). A total of 23% women with type 2 diabetes developed symptomatic UTI. The most important risk factor for those women was the presence of asymptomatic UTI at baseline (25% without vs. 42% with asymptomatic UTI). The risk of symptomatic and asymptomatic UTIs among diabetic and non-diabetic postmenopausal women was studied by Boyko et al. (2005). The incidences of symptomatic UTI in diabetic and non-diabetic women were recorded as 12.2% and 6.7% respectively. Whereas, the incidence of asymptomatic UTI was 6.7% for diabetic women and 3% for non-diabetic women. It was concluded that the increased UTI risk occurred mainly in diabetic women taking insulin and women with a longer diabetic duration (> 10 years) compared with non-diabetic women. 9. BLOOD TYPES In addition to above mentioned predisposing factors, the literature has also documented that women with UTIs tend to have certain blood types (Jackson et al., 2000). The presence or absence of blood group determinants on the surface of uroepithelial cells may influence an individuals susceptibility to UTIs. (Schaeffer et al., 2001). Such as, as cited by Kinane et al. (1982), the blood groups AB or B, constitute independent risk factors in some but not all studies. Recently, Sakallioglu and Sakallioglu (2007) found the concordance of UTI with blood group A Rh positive. Infectious microorganisms interfere with specific molecules on epithelial cells. These specific molecules are antigens of the P and ABO system. Antigen structures on uroepithelial cells, for example, the glycolipids of the P antigen serves as receptors for adhesion of microorganisms. The proportion of persons with B phenotype was 23% and P1 antigen was found in 76% of patients suffering from chronic UTIs. In comparison with P1 negative individuals, P1 positive individuals has a longer disease history and more frequently suffered from symptomatic UTI as well as destructive renal changes. The Le (a) antigen and Le (b) antigen (Lewis phenotypes) were observed in 82% and 18% of the patients respectively (Ziegler et al., 2004). 10. USE OF CALCIUM SUPPLEMENTS The use of calcium supplements also increases the risk of UTI, since calcium ions significantly increase bacterial adherence to uroepithelial cells. Apicella and Sobota, (1990) demonstrated in vitro that as the concentration of calcium was increased to levels higher than normally found in the urine, there was a significant increase in bacterial adherence. It was also found that if the diet was supplemented with calcium there was an increase in the excretion of calcium in the urine and a corresponding increase in bacterial adherence when bacteria and uroepithelial cells were incubated in this urine. 11. SURGERY Any surgery on the urinary tract increases the chances of UTI. Urological complications after renal transplantation are also frequently associated with UTIs (Senger et al., 2007). UTI is also the most common bacterial infection occurring in the renal transplant recipients, particularly anatomic abnormalities of the native or transplanted kidneys and possible rejection and immunosupperession. The major risk factors for UTI in renal transplant recipients include indwelling bladder catheters, trauma to the kidney and ureter during surgery (Rubin, 1993; Wilson et al., 2005). Steroids or cytotoxic drugs, as given to renal transplant recipients, greatly increase the chances of recurrent UTIs and infections of kidney in the first few months of post-transplant (Shanson and Speller, 1999). In a study (Senger et al., 2007) it was observed that 13.3% episodes of UTI occurred in the first month to sixth month and 72% after the sixth month of transplantation. The most commonly isolated organism w as E. coli (61.3%). 12. DIET Frequent meat consumption appeared to be the predisposing factor for UTI. UTI were found significantly more common among the people consuming meat more frequently than once a week but not daily (Nayak et al., 1999). 13. AIDS CANCER Certain diseases also predispose UTIs e.g. HIV patients are susceptible to acquire UTI (Padoveze et al., 2002). Schonwald et al. (1999) performed a study to determine the relationship of UTI with AIDS. The analysis showed that patients with HIV had UTI more frequently than control (HIV negative) patients. Beside the difference in the frequency, it was also observed that Enterococci were the frequent isolates in patients with HIV disease, whereas, E. coli was most frequently isolated organism from control subjects. Cancer patients are also at high risk of UTI (Gerberding, 2002). In a study Munyis et al. (1998) determined the prevalence of UTI in children with cancer. The prevalence of UTI was 8.1% (CI = 6.1, 10.1). Out of 15, only 5 patients were symptomatic while remaining 10 were asymptomatic. E. coli and Klebsiella species were responsible for 93.4% of the infections.