Sunday, November 17, 2019
The Process of Analyzing the Concept Essay Example for Free
The Process of Analyzing the Concept Essay Introduction This analysis is based on Apple Inc. case study in which the strategic management is analyzed. In the process of analyzing this concept, the article also indentifies the issues and problems as they are presented together with the identification of the major issues surrounding the organization and individuals that are involved with the Apple Inc. Alternative course of action is addressed together with the recommendation that is based on the analysis. Understanding strategic management Through strategic management, a series of moves are developed and executed with an aim of enhancing the organization to be successful in the current situation and also in the future. As the Apple Inc aggressive history is analyzed, a slew of examples are unveiled with an illustration of the irreproducible ability in the effort to have an adoption as well as own market creation. Appleââ¬â¢s strategic management The success of Apple Inc. has been based on its ability to integrate into its model of business operation a management that is strategic. Through strategic management diligent involvement, Apple Inc. has been able to ensure that it is not maneuvered; a strategy that has enabled the company for the past 3 decades to emerge as successful in the competition. However, believing that Apple Inc. has not gone through some setbacks would be illogical. In fact, this is one of the companies that have their good testimony of how the tread of emerging as successful in an already established market can be challenging. However, Apple Inc. has been able to maintain a steady pace as it makes effort to continue with the market analysis, which has been enhanced through having a strategic plan that has been implemented properly, and through capitalizing on strengths that have been highlighted, the analysis has indentified. In the philosophy simple terms, the strategic management is perceived to be basically important to every leading business in any sector of the economy. A model example happens to be presented by Apple Inc. on how the strategic management incorporation can assist in making a firm to successfully be able to meet its expectations and objectives (Yoffie and Slind, 2008). Through the strategic management development, Apple Inc. has benefited in many ways despite the challenges that have been witnessed in the process. Emerging as an industrial giant in the modern business is not an easily achievable goal, but will require a strategy in place that clears the path to success. Internal growth has in one way or the other enhanced the competitive growth of Apple Inc. and through maintaining an aggressive business tread, its importance has been realized in the lucrative success that has been enjoyed by Apple Inc (HBSWK, 2004). In technology, Apple Inc. has advanced from the initial computer industry to involvement of the peripherals which has been based on its products and services that have been on a wide scope. The Appleââ¬â¢s mission highlights a company that is with no doubt in the process of revolving the technology industry. The short term goals of Apple have not been well defined, which presents one of the major shortcomings Of Apple Incââ¬â¢s strategies. Due to its major goal which has in the past been aimed at ensuring that the customers are provided with the best personal computers globally, finding other specific objectives has proved difficult to Apple. Of late, it has been realized that due to the modern emerging competition, Apple Inc. has continued losing its customers to the alternative companies that are offering their products at a lower market price, especially in the iPod music; this has strongly been attributed to the increasing hackers of the code and the piracy. Other challenges facing has been failure to draw a specific target to a customer group that is focused and failing to take advantage of the customers that already exist. Product integration failure coupled with the technologies that are available readily has been another challenge that has continued to establish it self into this company, which has been critical its success. These problems have however not been very critical to the business. The inability of Apple Inc. to be comparable to other companies has been based on the fact that Apple has not been specializing in one product scope , thus providing a more complicated scope of products. This can be an advantage as well as well as a disadvantage. Looking at Apple Inc. initial mission, the specification has been based on the computer development. With a new product development (consider the iPhone), a new mission was redefined, leaving uncertainty in evaluation of Apples initial goal (Freedman, 1998). Is it a company which has found opportunities in the market that is appropriate resulting to incorporation or is it a company that has from the onset been aimed at clearly known goals? Recommendation Apple Inc. has enjoyed success of growth in the market through development of products that have been widely accepted. The company however needs to improvise its technology and products to eliminate the problem that it has faced involving loss of its customers to the competitors. The identification of a specific group of customers would be very relevant in the process of ensuring certainty of existence in the market. The introduction of iPhone for example targeted the category of young men; a group which is likely to be very dynamic and slippery to new technology. Having a specific group of customer will thus enable Apple Inc. to progress with a strategy that will result in continuous market of its products. Just like any other company, Apple Inc. is prone to dynamic business environment and the appropriate strategic management is what is required if the business has not only to exist in the market, but also result in continuous profits. References Freedman, R., (1998). Apple Computer Inc. New York University Leonard N. School of Business HBSWK (2004). Where Does Apple Go from Here?. HBS Working Knowledge Yoffie, B. and Slind, M., (2008). Apple Inc., 2008. Harvard Business School
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Essay --
DRYING It is the most crucial part of every herb and spice sector. It is not only increases the product shelf but also enhances the product quality. At the time of harvesting moisture content is 70-85%. Due to high water content cardamom is highly susceptible for bacterial multiplication. It is highly desirable to keep the final moisture should be ranges from 10-12%. It is important to dry the cardamom capsules as soon after harvest as possible to prevent the loss of aroma. It is also imperative that the drying process is as short in order to avoid mould growth and retain the bright green color of capsule. The drying temperature should not be above 50Ã °C otherwise it will affect the color and delicate flavor of the final product. Cardamom capsules with a good green color can be sold for a premium price. If the drying period is too long mould can start to grow on the cardamom. Various types of dryers are used for processing of spices, ranging from simple sun drying to gas drying, wood firer drying and humidity controller dryer. SUN DRYING. It is very ancient and very cheap method of dr...
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Connecting Sociological Theory and Social Issues
Running Head: Connecting Sociological Theory and Social Issues Connecting Sociological Theory and Social Issues The topic of choice is the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States and around the world. HIV/AIDS has been a main concern for the world since its emergence in the 1980ââ¬â¢s. ââ¬Å"The prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the United States through 2009 was about 1 million cases. Worldwide, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS varies from less than 0. 1 percent to 15ââ¬â28 percent of a countryââ¬â¢s populationâ⬠. (Schaefer 394)This essay will explore the three major socialization perspectives on this issue; the interactionist perspective, the conflict perspective, and the functionalist perspective. Each perspective will give a greater insight on how society reasons. The functionalist perspective is described as ââ¬Å"a sociological approach that emphasizes the way in which the parts of a society are structured to maintain its stabilityâ⬠. (Schaefer 440) On the topic of HIV/A IDS, a functionalist will most likely focus on how this issue has affected health care for those infected with the disease.Without proper healthcare, there will be a sociological imbalance. So in order to bring back balance and stability, other alternatives have to be established. A functionalist will emphasize that ââ¬Å"if established social institutions cannot meet a crucial need, new social networks are likely to emerge to perform that function. In the case of AIDS, self-help groups have organized, especially in the gay communities of major cities, to care for the sick, educate the healthy, and lobby for more responsive public policiesâ⬠. Schaefer 395) On the other hand, the conflict perspective is focused on the tension that comes about with the HIV/AIDS epidemic. For a long time AIDS was seen as a homosexual, drug user, African American disease. From the conflict viewpoint this could be a reason why the government did not respond as quickly as they should have. ââ¬Å"St udies show that African Americans and Latinos are diagnosed later and are slower to receive treatment than other racial and ethnic roups. â⬠(Schaefer 395) However, to correct the injustice there has been new programs to reach out to minorities and those less fortunate to receive treatments. An interactionist perspective looks at an issue on a smaller scale (micro) than the conflict and functionalist perspective. The interactionist is defined as ââ¬Å"a sociological approach that generalizes about everyday forms of social interaction in order to explain society as a wholeâ⬠. Schaefer 441) The HIV/AIDS epidemic on a micro level was predicted that the outbreak ââ¬Å"would lead to a more conservative sexual climate among both homosexuals and heterosexuals, in which people would be much more cautious about becoming involved with new partners. â⬠(Schaefer 395) However, statistics have shown quite the opposite. ââ¬Å"People in the United States have not heeded precautio ns about ââ¬Å"safe sex. â⬠Data from studies conducted in the early 1990s indicated a growing complacency about AIDS, even among those who were most vulnerable. â⬠(Schaefer 395)To conclude, no sociological perspective or approach is the precise method of viewing society as a whole. It is best to take a little bit of each perspective. Although, each perspective is different, they all depict that HIV/AIDS is a huge concern for society. If we do not continue to make progress and become lax in spreading the education on HIV/AIDS, history will have a way of repeating itself. Reference Schaefer, Richard T.. Sociology: A Brief Introduction, 9th Edition. McGraw-Hill Learning Solutions, 2011. .
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Macroeconomic
Macroeconomic study of deal not with Individual but aggregate of these quantities not with Individual Incomes but nation incomes not with Individual output but with the nation output Macroeconomic as two policies which are; Financial or monetary macroeconomic policies: The government can make the balance of how money can be supply.The money can be supply In three term which are: OMO- Open Market Operation Reserve requirement Interest Rate OMO can supply money Into the bank through central bank example the BOT can sell the shared to the bank at the lower price who can be faced the Inflation and then hat central bank can buy to the higher price theory.In microeconomics the behavior can depend on how they make decision on choice of the good but in the microeconomics it not consider the 1 OF3 Inalvlaual Denavlor It cons10er aoout tne tne wnole nation com/microeconomics-chapter-4/">Microeconomics is the study of decision that people and business make regarding the allocation of resource a nd price of good and services . This can means also taking into account taxes and regulation created by government. Macroeconomic focused on the supply and demand and other forces that determine the price level seen in he economy. For example microeconomics would look at how a specific company could maximize its production and capacity so it could lower price and better compete in its industry Macroeconomic on the other hand is it the field of economic that studies the behavior of the economy as a whole and not Just on the specific companies but the entire industries and economic .This look at economy-wide phenomena such as Gross Nation Product (GDP) and how its affected by changes in unemployment, nation income, rate growth, and price level . For example , macroeconomic would look t how an increase/decrease in net export would affect the nation capital account or how GDP would be affected by unemployment. What are the determinants of economic growth and living standard in a country in macroeconomic are used in determine to know why this country is more develop than other country are used macroeconomic. For example why Kenya are more develop than Tanzanian country is this how can be used or.Since a century ago developed nation have achieved a high rate of economic growth which in turn raised people standard of living macroeconomic examines the reasons behind the speedy conomic growth in the developed nations and understand the reason why this growth is different between the various countries Productivity The average labor productivity or the output of a single worker is important to determine the standard of living macroeconomic will question the factor which decide on the employee productivity growth rate macroeconomic is seen the one worker or single worker in order to determine the average of the worker in the economic that can assure the economic product of the nation or the whole can grow or not in yht area What are the cause of the decline and growth in an economic ny economy will surely go through decline and growth in relation to this macroeconomic will look at the cause of these changes in the economic and the government policies that can be implement to overcome an economic problem wnat are Tactor wnlcn affectlng unemployment Rate of unemployment means there is an available work force that wants to work but has no Jobs the rate of unemployment will increase when the economic situation is good macroeconomic will examine the reasons for unemployment types of unemployment and ways to overcome unemployment What are factor that cause the general price level or inflation to rise Inflation is an increase in the general price level which is usually measured by changes in the consumer price index the question asked in a macroeconomic analysis are 1 . what are factor affecting inflation. 2. Why does inflation rate differ from time to time 3. why does inflation rate fro one country to anotherThe macroeconomic does not look for the one per son or individual s a policy but can be used to all people For instances if a national saving is increased at the cost of individual welfare it is not considered a wise policy The macroeconomic analysis regard aggregate as homogenous but does not into its internal composition For instance if the wages of the clerks fall and the wages of the teachers rise the average wage may remain the same It is not necessary that aggregate variable are important. For instance nation income is the total of the individual income if the nation income in the country goes up it is no necessary that the income of all individual in the country will also rise there is possibility that that the rise in nation income may be due to the increase in the income of a few rich families of the country
Thursday, November 7, 2019
Myths About Obama - The 5 Wackiest Myths About Obama
Myths About Obama - The 5 Wackiest Myths About Obama If you believe everything you read in your email inbox, Barack Obama is a Muslim born in Kenya who is ineligible to serve as U.S. president and he even charters private jets at taxpayer expense so the family dog Bo can go on vacation in luxury. And then there is the truth. No other modern president, it seems, has been the subject of so many outrageous and malicious fabrications. The myths about Obama live on through the years, mostly in chain emails forwarded endlessly across the Internet, despite being debunked over and over again. Here is a look at five of the silliest myths about Obama: 1. Obama is Muslim. False. He is a Christian. Obama was baptized at Chicagos Trinity United Church of Christ in 1988. And he has spoken and written often about his faith in Christ. Rich, poor, sinner, saved, you needed to embrace Christ precisely because you had sins to wash away - because you were human, he wrote in his memoir, The Audacity of Hope. ... Kneeling beneath that cross on the South Side of Chicago, I felt Gods spirit beckoning me. I submitted myself to His will, and dedicated myself to discovering His truth, Obama wrote. And yet nearly one in five Americans - 18 percent - believe Obama is a Muslim, according to an August 2010 survey conducted by The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. The are wrong. 2. Obama Nixes National Day of Prayer Numerous widely circulated emails claim President Barack Obama refused to recognize the National Day of Prayer after taking office in January of 2009. Oh Our wonderful president is at it again .... he has cancelled the national day of prayer that is held at the white house every year .... sure glad I wasnt fooled into voting for him! one email begins. Thats false. Obama issued proclamations setting the National Day of Prayer in both 2009 and 2010. We are blessed to live in a Nation that counts freedom of conscience and free exercise of religion among its most fundamental principles, thereby ensuring that all people of goodwill may hold and practice their beliefs according to the dictates of their consciences, Obamas April 2010 proclamation read. Prayer has been a sustaining way for many Americans of diverse faiths to express their most cherished beliefs, and thus we have long deemed it fitting and proper to publicly recognize the importance of prayer on this day across the Nation. 3. Obama Uses Taxpayer Money to Fund Abortions Critics claim that the health care reform law of 2010, or Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, includes provisions that make up the broadest expansion of legalized abortion since Roe v. Wade. The Obama Administration will give Pennsylvania $160 million in federal tax funds, which weve discovered will pay for insurance plans that cover any legal abortion, Douglas Johnson, legislative director for the National Right to Life Committee, said in a widely circulated statement in July 2010. Wrong again. The Pennsylvania Insurance Department, responding to claims that federal money would fund abortions, issued a stern rebuttal to anti-abortion groups.Pennsylvania will - and has always intended to - comply with the federal ban on abortion funding in the coverage provided through our federally funded high risk pool, the Insurance Department said in a statement. In fact, Obama signed an executive order banning the use of federal money to pay for abortion in the health care reform law on March 24, 2010. If the state and federal governments stick to their words, it does not appear taxpayer money will pay any part of abortions in Pennsylvania or any other state. 4. Obama Was Born in Kenya Numerous conspiracy theories claim that Obama was born in Kenya and not Hawaii, and that because he was not born here he was not eligible to serve as president.The silly rumors grew so loud, however, that Obama released a copy of his certificate of live birth during the presidential campaign in 2007. Smears claiming Barack Obama doesnt have a birth certificate arent actually about that piece of paper - theyre about manipulating people into thinking Barack is not an American citizen, the campaign said. The truth is, Barack Obama was born in the state of Hawaii in 1961, a native citizen of the United States of America. The documents prove he was born in Hawaii. Though some believe the records are phony. 5. Obama Charters Plane for the Family Dog Uh, no. PolitiFact.com, a service of the St. Petersburg Times in Florida, managed to track down the source of this ridiculous myth to a vaguely worded newspaper article in Maine about the first familys vacation in the summer of 2010. The article, about the Obamas visiting Acadia National Park, reported: Arriving in a small jet before the Obamas was the first dog, Bo, a Portuguese water dog given as a present by the late U.S. Sen Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., and the presidents personal aide Reggie Love, who chatted with Baldacci. Some folks, eager to jump on the president, mistakenly believed that meant the dog got its own personal jet. Yeah, really. As the rest of us toil on the unemployment line, as millions of Americans find their retirement accounts dwindling, their hours at work cut, and their pay scale trimmed, King Barack and Queen Michelle are flying their little doggie, Bo, on his own special jet airplane for his own little vacation adventure, one blogger wrote. The truth? The Obamas and their staffer traveled in two small planes because the runway where they landed was too short to accommodate Air Force One. So one plane carried the family. The other carried the Bo the dog - and lots of other people. The dog did not have its own private jet.
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
How Are AP Exams Scored
How Are AP Exams Scored SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If youââ¬â¢re studying for an AP exam right now or are thinking about taking an AP class in the future, you might be wondering: how are AP exams scored? In this post, we'll break down the scoring process, all the way from the raw scores you earn on the multiple-choice section and essays to how you get a final score on a scale of 1-5. Knowing how AP exams are scored can help you do your best on them- especially if you want a perfect 5! The AP Scoring Scale Each AP test is given a score from 1 to 5.According to the College Board (the group that administers AP tests), these numbers translate in the following ways: 5: Extremely Well Qualified 4: Well Qualified 3: Qualified 2: Possibly Qualified 1: No recommendation Any score that's 3 or higher is considered a passing score, though some colleges only accept 4s and 5s for credit. (See APââ¬â¢s college database for specific policies at each university.)Getting a 5 is especially desirable because, for most exams, it puts you in the top 10-20% of scorers. See our list of AP classes for more info on passing rates. Your 1-5 score is a scaled score,converted from a composite score.Your composite score is calculated from the total number of raw points you earned from your correct multiple-choice answers and your free response. Itââ¬â¢s a bit confusing, but we will guide you through the process! Want to get a perfect 5 on your AP exam and an A in class? We can help. PrepScholar Tutors is the world's best tutoring service. We combine world-class expert tutors with our proprietary teaching techniques. Our students have gotten A's on thousands of classes, perfect 5's on AP tests, and ludicrously high SAT Subject Test scores. Whether you need help with science, math, English, social science, or more, we've got you covered. Get better grades today with PrepScholar Tutors. How Are AP Tests Scored? The majority of AP exams consist of two sections: multiple choice and free response. On some exams each section is weighted equally, whereas on others one section is worth slightly more. You can look up the specifics for each exam on the officialAP courses pages. The multiple-choice section is graded by a computer. There are no deductions for incorrect or blank answers, so your raw multiple-choice score is simply the number of questions you get correct. The free-response section is graded during the annual AP Reading held in the first two weeks of June. The AP Reading is basically a huge convention. Tons of teachers and college professors gather to grade thousands and thousands of student-written responses for each exam. This is why you don't get your AP scores until July even though you take the test in May:the written portion of your exam isn't graded until mid-June. After that, the College Board has to calculate the composite score and final scaled score for each exam, equating the test so the scores stay even from year to year. (For example, they want to make sure a 3 on the AP US History exam means the same thing from one year to another, even if one version of the test turned out to be more difficult for students.) (Side note:There is a good chance that an AP teacher at your school goes to the AP Reading each year. It can be interesting and helpful to talk to them about what happens at the convention, how quickly free responses are scored, and the best and worse free responses theyââ¬â¢ve seen. These are answers that will vary a lot from subject to subject but could ultimately be helpful to you!) This is a picture from the English Literature Reading from this blog post over at AP Central. It's worth taking a look at if you are curious about what the AP Reading is like! Each free response is given a "holistic" score, meaning it's evaluated for its overall effectiveness or correctness. Typically, points arenââ¬â¢t deducted for the occasional small error, such as a spelling or grammar mistake. Most tests grade their free responses between 1 and 9, with 1 being least effective and 9 being nearly perfect. Your raw free-response score is the total of the scores you get for each response. How to Get a Scaled AP Score Between 1 and 5 After your multiple-choice section is graded by a machine and your free response is graded by a human, your essay and multiple-choice scores are combined to give you a composite score. This score is just a way of combining the two section scores so that they are weighted correctly. For example, for AP English, multiple choice is worth 45% and free response is worth 55%. Often, composite scores are between 0 and 100, or 0 and 150. The composite score is then converted to a number on the scaled score range 1-5. This means that for each scaled score, there is a range of possible composite scores that could earn it. For example, a 5 could be any composite score between 0 and 150 on one exam. Since scaling varies year to year, there are no exact cutoff numbers for scores for AP tests, and the College Board does not release detailed scoring data. Furthermore, you will not see what your composite score was on your AP score report- you'll only get the final number between 1 and 5. However, many teachers, prep books, and websites have come up with formulas to predict the scaled score for each AP test, which can help when you are grading your practice tests and trying to come up with a target score. Scoring Example: AP English Language and Composition As we've seen, AP test scoring is not exactly straightforward. To help clarify the process, we will walk through a scoring example using the most popular test, AP English Language and Composition. Also known as the class in which you annotate every. Single. Thing. Here are the basics of the AP English exam: it has 55 multiple-choice questions, worth 45% of your score, and three essays, worth 55% of your score. Each essay is graded between 1 and 9. Before we get into the scoring example, remember that this guide is an estimation since score conversions can vary year to year based on test difficulty. While it's impossible to precisely predict an AP test score before you get your score, you can still get an idea of how the process works. Step 1: Add Up Your Correct Answers to Get Your Raw Scores There are 55 multiple-choice questions on the AP English exam. Let's say you get 40 right, get eight wrong, and leave seven blank. Your raw multiple-choice score would be an even 40 points. Out of the three essays, let's say you earn the following scores from the graders: 4, 7, and 8. This gives youa total raw essay score of 19 (4+7+8). Step 2: Convert Your Raw Scores to a Single Composite Score Now, this is the tricky part in which we will convert each of those raw scores to a single composite score between 0 and 150. The maximum converted essay score is 82.5, or 55% of 150. The maximum converted multiple-choice score is 67.5, or 45% of 150. To figure out your composite score, use this formula: (Multiple Choice Raw Score x 1.23) + (Essay Raw Score x 3.05) = Composite Score In this example, your multiple-choice composite score would be 49.2, and your essay composite score would be 57.95. Thus,your total composite score would be 107 (rounded down). Step 3: Use the Chart to Estimate Your Scaled Score The last step is easy. Use the chart below to estimate your final AP score (on a scale of 1-5): Composite Score (0-100 or 0-150) Scaled Score (1-5) 104-150 5 92-103 4 76-91 3 50-75 2 0-49 1 As you can see, your score of 107 would earn you a 5- but just barely! Again, these numbers are estimates and will shift from year to year based on test difficulty. Since 107 is just over the mark of 104, it's possible that in some years it could net you a 4 instead of a 5. What About Scoring Other AP Tests? Weââ¬â¢ve learned how to score an AP English Language and Composition exam. However,you canââ¬â¢t use this exact same process for every AP test. Most AP tests have slightly different section weights and question totals, so the scoring formulas are different. For example, AP Calculus AB has fewer multiple choice questions (45), more free responses (six total), and weighs each section at 50%. Each AP subject is a unique challenge ... and has its own scoring formula. So how can you figure out how the AP tests you are taking are graded? First, if youââ¬â¢re taking the AP class for the test you want to take, ask your teacher if he or she has a formula for converting practice test scores to scaled scores. Most AP teachers have a formula they use with their students for practice exams. If youââ¬â¢re not taking the class or your teacher doesnââ¬â¢t have a formula, either find a prep book for your specific test or search online. Remember that all formulas are estimates. Soif you really want a 5, you shouldnââ¬â¢t aim for the lowest possible composite- you should aim for perfection, or very close. Thatââ¬â¢s the only way to guarantee you'll get a 5 on test day. On the other hand, if you just want to make sure you pass, try to aim for a 4 so that even if you make more mistakes than you're hoping to, youââ¬â¢ll still get at least a 3! Want to get a perfect 5 on your AP exam and an A in class? We can help. PrepScholar Tutors is the world's best tutoring service. We combine world-class expert tutors with our proprietary teaching techniques. Our students have gotten A's on thousands of classes, perfect 5's on AP tests, and ludicrously high SAT Subject Test scores. Whether you need help with science, math, English, social science, or more, we've got you covered. Get better grades today with PrepScholar Tutors. Whatââ¬â¢s Next? Curious about the benefits of taking an AP Exam? See our in-depth guide about what AP tests are and why you should take them. Also studying for the SAT? Get tips from our resident 1600 full scorer, and check out how to improve a low SAT Math score. Studying for the ACT instead? Get tips on the essay, read a guide to the daily ACT question, and learn how you can score a perfect 36. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:
Sunday, November 3, 2019
Forensic DNA Testing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words
Forensic DNA Testing - Essay Example The DNA Identification Act of 1994 formalized the FBI's authority to establish a National DNA Index System (NDIS). The CODIS is different from the NDIS in that NDIS is the national database whereas CODIS is used today by more than 40 law enforcement laboratories in over 25 countries.( FBI, 2009) The CODIS system requires > 4 RFLP markers and/or 13 core STR markers. Now, what are STR's Most of the DNA is identical to the DNA of others in the human genome. However, there are inherited regions of our DNA that may not necessarily code for proteins termed as introns, which can vary from person to person. A variation in the DNA sequence between individuals is termed as "polymorphism". Sequences which display the highest degree of polymorphism are very useful for DNA analysis in forensics cases and paternity testing. Forensic DNA testing is based on analyzing the inheritance of a class of DNA polymorphisms known as "Short Tandem Repeats "or STRs. STRs are short sequences of DNA, normally of length 2-5 base pairs, that are repeated numerous times in a head-tail manner, for example the sequence GATA occurs anywhere between 5-16 repeats at the locus D7S820. The number of repeats within an STR is referred to as an allele. Thus there are 12 different alleles possible for the D7S820 STR. Because there 12 different alleles for this STR, there are therefore 78 different possibl e genotypes, or pairs of alleles. Specifically, there are 12 homozygote's, in which the same allele is received from each parent, as well as 66 heterozygote's, in which the two alleles are different. Norrgard,K.(2008) After an extensive validation study, 13 STR loci were selected to form the core (i.e., required) genetic markers for CODIS. The methodology involved in the STR analysis is as follows. The DNA is isolated from the sample. The STR region in the DNA is amplified using PCR and suitable primers. The various companies manufacturing STR kits typically vary in the primer they employ. PCR enables even nanogram amounts of sample to be sufficient for evaluation. Only when all the 13 markers match in the source and the felon sample is the convict included in the source of crime. Even after all the 13STR's are matched a statistical test is carried out to analyze the overall STR frequency. It is assumed that the STR's follow law of independent assortment which implies that each member of a pair of homologous chromosomes separates independently of the members of other pairs so the result is random and that the population mates randomly by the FBI in analyzing the STR profiles. The Hardy Weinberg l aw was used to calculate gene frequency which states that the gene frequencies remain conserved from generation to generation. It is important to understand that this number is the probability of seeing this DNA profile if the crime scene evidence did not come from the suspect but from some other person. If all the STR's from the sample are not retrievable due to damaged or an extremely old source of DNA, then the STR profiling cannot be used as the sole evidence and other proof's have to be collected. Though the STR profiling is rapid the CODIS database is currently facing a backlog of >600,000 samples to be keyed in.In addition to
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