Analysis & Critique of Canadian Court System Essay

Analysis & Critique of Canadian Court System - Essay Example These models are the inquisitorial and the adversary models. The Canadian Court System mostly applies the adversarial process in its legal processes. Adversarial justice system is the best approach to addressing justice and equality in court systems and the Canadian Courts should continue using it. Reasons for the Adversary Justice System The ultimate concern of the adversary court system is to ensure equal treatment between the prosecution and defense. The court assumes a neutral position and acts as referee between the two parties. This system requires all parties to adhere to the law in responding to different issues in the court. For instance, police officers must use the procedures that the law accepts to obtain evidence from suspects or the accused. The court will determine whether the police used the appropriate ways of gathering evidence that are recognized by the law and are free from deception and other malpractices. The neutral state of the court ensures a fair trial for t he accused (see Law Commission). Adversary system stresses on strict observance of the law in seeking justice for all parties involved in a case. This characteristic gives the system an added advantage over the inquisitorial justice system. Inquisitorial justice system involves the court in determining facts and evidence about a case. Therefore, the system gives room for bias where the court can favor one side of the case. This is unlike the adversary system that advocates for observance of the law in determining facts about a case. Moreover, the inquisitorial system denies the accused the right of privacy. The system requires the accused to collaborate with the police and other court officials in the process of gathering evidence. The accused has no right of remaining silent throughout the process unlike in the adversary system where the accused has the right of choosing to remain silent throughout the court process. Courts in the adversary justice system act as supervisors of the actions of the prosecution and the accused and eliminate any practices that conflict with the law. The system does not grant the court the authority of supporting the prosecution against the accused. This form of fairness does not exist in the inquisitorial justice system. It is possible for the authority or the police to coerce their authority on the accused in their attempt to gather evidence against him or her. The law does not allow use of evidence that is a result of coercion of authority. Police officers are known to use excessive power in their attempt to gather evidence against victims of crime. Therefore, involving the court and the police in the process is not in the best interests of ensuring equal and just treatment for offenders (see Prasad). The adversary system becomes even stronger when looking at emerging trends in the field of law. For instance, there have been efforts to introduce the system of restorative justice in the court process. Restorative justice is an em erging trend in the court system where victims and offenders interact in the process of seeking justice. Legal procedures are not the basic requirements of punishing an offender under restorative justice. Instead, the offender must take absolute responsibility for his or her actions by convincing the victims that he or she will not repeat such an offense in the future. The system does not recognize the state as an agent that feels the effect of law breaking. It holds the notion that actions of offenders

Undergraduate Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Undergraduate - Research Proposal Example While looking at evolution of mammals, keen focus will be set on the GSD, (Genetic Sex Determination). The purpose of this research is to dig deeper into the behavior of the conserved sex determination genes in mammals. By investigating on this, findings could be used to develop an evolution pathway. This way, analysis on patterns of the mammal and birds gene development can be determined. I have decided to use an approach that investigates every sex-determination gene in the different species. Comparisons and behavior relations are observed to determine where each gene differs from each other (Haag & Doty, 3). The project will first proceed by gene collection. Types of the collected genes will go further into the different sex determination genes. For instance, while studying the genes involved in the sex determination process, the somatics will be studied different from the germ-line, focusing on the behavior of each under its classification. Study of these genes will be conducted for mammals and birds and chosen vertebrates of interest. For the vertebrates, the master genes for the sex determinants must be identified. In most of the mammals these genes are indicated in the Y-chromosomes. Alongside this, the NM accession number is to be determined and the knowledge of the longest transcript. This way a sex determining loci can be observed. A complete nucleotide has significant impact on the study of evolutionary impact of sequential pathways. DNA sequences tend to have information about the background of a certain species’ gene. Study on the rate of variations in genomes and relation to environment and population helps to draw a conclusion on the relation between the gene sequences and their evolution. So as to effectively analyze the sequence alignments for quality control, analysis of the palms would be conducted. This type of analysis enables one to determine the protein

Uniformity of gamma camera images

Uniformity of gamma camera images Introduction In 1958, Hal Anger developed the first ?- camera and forever changed the area of nuclear medical imaging. Angers camera (also known as scintillation camera or gamma camera) used a 6 mm thick scintillation crystal (NaI) coupled to seven photomultiplier tubes (PMTs), each 3.5 cm diameter, arranged in a hexagonal shape. The crystal was used to convert the gamma rays into scintillation photos which would then be converted into electrical signals by the PMTs. The output of the PMTs in Angers camera was analogue and represented continuous values of gamma ray energy and the position of the event. The camera had a collimator mounted in front of the sodium iodine crystal, which was used to stop scattered gamma rays and essentially form the image. In the initial design of the gamma camera all the circuits were analogue and the camera is still known as an analogue camera. The images were displayed in cathode ray tubes (CRTs) or they were imprinted onto photographic films which were used as hard copies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Later on, with the development of electronics and computer technology, the analogue output of the photomultiplier tubes would be fed into a digital computer which would process the signals to form the clinical image. In order to achieve that, analogue to digital converters (ADCs) were incorporated into Angers design which would digitize the signals before feeding it to the processing unit. Gradually all the major electrical components of the gamma camera were replaced by digital electronics and in modern cameras the signals are digitized by ADCs installed individually in every PMT. The complete digitization of the gamma camera allowed for significant improvements of the prototype gamma camera. With the increased processing power available, modern gamma cameras can nowadays image at high count rates, can store digital images and display them directly onto computer screens. Furthermore, they can implement a range of corrections which have drastically imp roved the quality of the modern clinical images. Our objective in this essay is to describe the factors that affect the uniformity of gamma camera images, the technological advancements that have improved the cameras imaging quality and capability as well as the methods that are currently used to assess and correct a ? cameras uniformity. The basic components of a gamma camera and their function The general principles behind the function of a gamma camera are rather simple to understand. So, before we proceed onto discussing the uniformity of a ?-camera, we ought to mention its basic components and their function since they can affect image uniformity. The main components of a gamma camera are described below. The gantry of the gamma camera provides mechanical support to the detector head. The scintillation crystal [usually NaI (TI)], is maybe the most important component of gamma camera. Its function is to convert the incident gamma rays, originating from the patient, into scintillation photons. Between the crystal and the photomultiplier tubes, a transparent light guide is put in place to maximize the optical transmission of light from the crystal to the PMTs. Once the scintillation photons reach the photocathodes of the PMTs, they get converted into photoelectrons. The photoelectrons then, go through an amplification stage where their number is multiplied by a series of dynodes. Finally the electrons hit the PMTs anode and we get the output voltage that represents our signal. The photomultiplier tubes are connected to the pulse arithmetic circuits where the position and the energy of each event are determined. In addition, at the PMT output, gamma cameras incorporate a pulse height analyzer that determines which events get accepted based on their energy. This mechanism is put in place in an effort to reject signals arising from scattered photons that have managed to penetrate the collimator. The pulse height analyzer is also known as the energy window. The energy window is usually set to accept events with energies ranging from -10% to +10% of the peak energy. For example, when imaging with 99mTc (? emitter, 140 KeV, T1/2 = 6 h) the energ y window is set between 126 KeV and 154 KeV. The final component of the detector head of the gamma camera is the collimator. It is a lead plate with a large number of holes which is placed in front of the scintillation crystal. The main function of this component is to control which of the gamma rays pass through to the crystal and which ones are stopped. Gamma rays that travel parallel to the collimators holes (perpendicular to the crystal) are allowed through while oblique rays are attenuated. The role of the collimator is essential because it provides the PMTs with the ability to identify the location of each event and it stops scattered x-rays which spoil the contrast of the images. In addition, the collimator provides physical protection to the extremely sensitive and fragile scintillation crystal that lies beneath it. Camera Uniformity The term uniformity refers to the variations of intensity present in an image acquired using a uniform radioactive source. Factors that affect ? camera uniformity In the previous section of this essay we described briefly the function of the gamma camera. In reality however, things do not work perfectly. In fact there are numerous sources that can cause image imperfections and ruin the uniformity of our images. The most common sources and factors that affect image uniformity are: Collimator defects variations in hole size and angulation variations in septal thickness Crystal and light guide non uniformities in the crystals stopping power non uniformities in the number of scintillation photons emitted by the crystal non uniformities in the transmission of light through the light guide and the optical grease Photomultiplier Tubes variations in light collection efficiency with the events position in the crystal due to geometry variations in light collection efficiency with the depth of interaction in the crystal due to geometry variations in the quantum efficiency of the photocathode across the face of the photomultiplier tubes variations in PMT tuning gain differences between PMTs Count rate Energy of incident gamma rays To begin with, it is fairly obvious that a poorly constructed or damaged collimator will affect primarily the sensitivity of the gamma camera. The sensitivity variations arise from the fact that a defective collimator will attenuate gamma rays in a non uniform manner. That is to say, that the number of gamma rays which pass through the collimators holes will vary either due to differences in the septal thickness or due to differences in the angulation of the holes. So, the image will appear either hot or cold depending on the number of counts, thus ruining the uniformity of the image. The collimator, however, is not the only cause of imperfections. In an ideal world, the scintillation crystal would exhibit properties such as homogeneous stopping power, interaction with gamma rays only through photoelectric absorption, transparency towards scintillation photons and high conversion efficiency (gamma to scintillation photons). However, in reality, the crystal presents with variations in its stopping power which ultimately lead to sensitivity imperfections and the appearance of hot and cold spots on our images. As we mentioned above, this variation in counts is a manifestation of non uniformity. Furthermore, the scintillation crystals exhibit incongruities in their light output. This is attributed to variations in the doping of the crystal with the chemical which serves as the activation centre for the luminescence phenomenon. (In the NaI crystal the doping is performed using thallium). In addition real crystals exhibit non uniform transmission of light, in cases where the optical grease used to couple Crystal-PMTs is dried out, or if the crystal has been exposed to moisture in which case opacities (yellowing) are developed. Finally, non uniformities in the images also originate from variations in the fraction of light that the photomultipliers collect. Light is lost between the gaps of the PMTs array but also near the edges of each individual PMT due to reflection. The majority of scintillation photons are collected near the center of the PMT, where the collection efficiency is best. This causes the counts to appear as if they were pulled towards the centre of the PMT and results to non- linearities. Even, the smallest non linearities will result in large non uniformities in the images. Last but not least, we ought to mention non uniformities arising from variations in the function of the photomultiplier tubes. The photocathode of a PMT, in reality, does not convert photons into electrons uniformly. Its quantum efficiency is better near its center and deteriorates as we move toward the edges. In addition, different PMTs tend to exhibit slightly different gains which ultimately lead to non uniformities. For example, a PMT with a gain above/below the correct gain will result in fewer counts falling within the energy window, creating a cold area over the dysfunctional PMT. Drift in PMT gain is usually caused over time, due to ageing, exposure to magnetic fields (Earth, MRIs), temperature fluctuations or power supply instabilities. So far we have discussed how the function of the gamma camera components can affect uniformity in practice. For completeness, we ought to mention that gamma camera uniformity (specifically the intrinsic uniformity) can also be affected by other factors such as: the activity of the radionuclide used to image, the number of acquired counts, the source-camera distance and the source volume. According to Elkamhawy, Rothenbach, Damaraju and Badruddin the intrinsic uniformity of the gamma camera increases with the increase of the source activity. However the increase in activity must not exceed the count rate capabilities of the camera otherwise non uniformities may be caused. In addition, according to Elkamhawy et al., the intrinsic uniformity increases as the counts go up. This is something to be expected, considering the probabilistic nature of the phenomenon of radioactive decay. Poisson statistics teach us that as the counts become higher the relative standard deviation decreases. That is to say that the coefficient of variation is reduced as the number of counts goes up and the statistical noise decreases. Finally, there are reports of an inverse correlation between the source to camera distance and the intrinsic uniformity. As the distance increases the intrinsic uniformity is increased due to a more uniform attenuation of the gamma rays travelling towards the crystal. That is to say, when the source is close to the crystal the gamma rays have to travel longer to reach the edges of the crystal than the centre. (See figure 2). Therefore the gamma rays travelling towards B will suffer greater attenuation that gamma rays travelling to point A. This dif ference in attenuation will result in count differences thus increasing the intrinsic non uniformity. However, if we increase the source to crystal distance, the gamma rays will undergo more or less the same attenuation due to the inverse square law and the counts will be more uniform throughout the crystal. Developments in gamma camera technology that have contributed in uniformity improvements. In older, analogue gamma cameras, the only correction that could be performed was a sensitivity correction that dealt with sensitivity variations on the images. Following the technological developments, the high processing capabilities of modern microprocessors and the implementation of analog to digital converters into their design, modern gamma cameras have been equipped to deal with non uniformities through a series of corrections.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Differences in photomultiplier gain used to be dealt with using the cosmetic approach which entailed the individual tuning of each PMT to match the other. Advances in microprocessors now allow for more advanced approaches. Maps containing the regional differences in pulse heights, as acquired from uniform flood sources, can be used to correct on an event to event basis (on the fly). As we mentioned earlier PMTs are affected by various external factors and they are caused to drift. Novel technologies have been introduced into gamma cameras which enables them to keep the gains stable in real time. For example, manufactures such as Toshiba, Elscint and IGE have implemented auto stabilization techniques where LEDs are used to tune the PMTs. The LEDs emit light which is detected by the tubes and the output voltage is then compared with a reference voltage and the gain is adjusted accordingly. With the increased processing power other corrections are current ly being used too. Linearity and energy corrections are common ways to improve the degree of uniformity in modern cameras. In the energy correction the most common practice is to expose the camera to a monochromatic gamma ray source (usually 99mTc) and acquire reading for the energy in various positions. Theoretically, the energy signal should remain constant independent of location on the crystal. However, as we have mentioned earlier there is always a small fraction of light which is lost. So, the readings are compared to the mean expected energy and a map of correction factors is stored in the gamma cameras memory which is used to rectify any errors in the energy signals. The linearity correction has a similar function. We would expect every events position coordinates to appear as a linear combination of the PMTs output voltages. , Y. But again due to light losses that is never true in practice. Fortunately, this is easily corrected through the linearity correction maps similar to those that we acquire for the energy correction. First of all, we remove the collimator and we introduce a lead plate with parallel holes throughout its extent. Then the system is exposed to a uniform point source. The image is processed and the positional errors are determined and stored as a separate correction map. The final correction to be applied on an image is the sensitivity correction, which has been used in the past as the only uniformity correction of analogue cameras. In modern cameras the technicians first stabilize the gains of the PMTs and then they proceed to apply the energy and linearity correction which have the greatest impact in the cameras uniformity. Then, and only then, they proceed with the sensitivity correction. The correction maps for the sensitivity are acquired by exposing the gamma camera (with the collimator mounted) to a uniform radioactive source. The counts are scaled up or down to eliminate any remaining cold or hot spots on the image. We should note that the individual correction maps should be acquired for each collimator since the sensitivity variations are primarily caused by collimator defects and other factors that we have already discussed. The scientific community has not stopped at the abovementioned corrections. Manufacturers and researchers have shifted their focus to new technologies hoping to replace components that contribute to bad uniformity but also to improve other gamma camera properties (resolution, count rate capability e.t.ch). For example, position sensitive photomultiplier tubes have been introduced (Hamamatsu, Photonis et. al.), which are capable of detecting the location of the event more accurately and efficiently that conventional PMTs. In addition to that, silicon photodiode arrays are being used coupled to the scintillation crystals for improved light sensitivity and quantum efficiency. Finally, there is a shift of interest towards replacing scintillation crystals with semiconducting materials. The combination of cadmium telluride with zinc makes for a great x ray and gamma ray detector. The main advantage of semiconductors over scintillation crystals is that the first converts photons directly in to electrical current. Contrary to the scintillation crystal that needs to use the photomultiplier tubes which are a significant source of non uniformities as we have mentioned. Quality Control: Measurement of non uniformity in gamma cameras Maintaining good uniformity in clinical images is extremely important. Even the smallest degree of non uniformity can cause artifacts which can prevent doctors from diagnosing the patient or lead them to the wrong diagnosis. The assessment of a gamma cameras uniformity is an integral part of its quality control and it is carried out in regular intervals (daily or weekly basis). These kind of investigations are carried out to ensure that there are no, non-uniform areas in the cameras field of view. The uniformity of a gamma camera can be measured either intrinsically or extrinsically. In the intrinsic setup, the collimator is removed and the naked crystal is exposed to a low activity uniform flood source. This setup has the advantage that the measurements are not affected by collimator induced non uniformities. In the extrinsic setup the system uniformity is assesses and the collimator is mounted onto the crystal. The advantage in this case is that the conditions of measurement are closer clinical parameters since in clinical acquisition the collimator is always in place. As far as the flood sources are concerned, 99mTc and 57Co are the most common choices. The technetium has the advantage of being readily available in hospitals and can be used as a mixture of radioactive material and water to create a uniform flood source. Also technetium is the most common radionuclide used in daily medical practices. Moreover, the presence of water presents a more realistic scatter source re sembling scattering conditions in patients. The main drawback of the technetium flood source is that it has a short half life and must be used soon after its creation. In addition, the construction method presents with the danger of spilling and contamination. An alternative to 99mTc is a 57Co source which has a convenient half life of 271 days. The peak energy of cobalt is close to that of technetium which is convenient in cases where the cameras performance is energy dependent. On the other hand, cobalt flood sources are quite costly and are usable only for about a year. Furthermore, cobalt sources often contain amounts of other cobalt isotopes Co60 and Co58 which emit higher energy gammas and may affect our measurements. A common testing protocol is the following. The radioactive source is placed at a distance approximately 4 times the field of view to ensure that the variation between the counts in the centre and the edge of the crystal is sufficiently small (as we have explained in figure 2) and can be ignored. The crystal is irradiated uniformly and a few million counts are acquired (approximately 1- 5 million counts). We need to acquire a statistically sufficient number of counts to ensure that the Poisson noise is minimal. We make sure that all the right corrections have been applied before we assess the images. A visual inspection of the images usually reveals gross deviations in performance. However, once the images have been acquired they are processed, using the cameras software, to yield values for common parameters such as the mean uniformity and the corrected uniformity which are used to quantify the quality of the camera. The mean uniformity informs us for the overall uniformity of the c amera throughout the FOV. The corrected uniformity is acquired by removing the Poisson noise from the mean uniformity. Those are not the only parameters that we can examine and other such as the integral uniformity and the differential uniformity are often assessed. Conclusion The uniformity of a gamma camera is maybe the most important parameter that expresses the quality of the cameras performance. Non uniform areas in the field of view can result in misdiagnosed patients and low quality of clinical services. Thus it is essential to perform regular checks to ensure optimal performance of the ? camera. Assessing the uniformity of a camera is not easy. As a parameter, uniformity is dependent on many factors and there are many things that can go wrong. Gamma cameras require regular testing, responsible operation and expert knowledge of its governing principles to make sure that its performance stays within clinically acceptable levels. References Professor Richard Lawson, The Gamma Camera , Lecture notes for the Nuclear Medicine Module of the University of Manchester MSc in Medical Physics, 2010. Peter F. Sharp, Howard G. Gemmell , Alison D. Murray, Practical Nuclear Medicine , 1-19, 65-90 Springer Publications, Third Edition. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gamma_camera EMITEL, http://www.emitel2.eu/emitwwwsql/encyclopedia.aspx, Scintillation Camera http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/ Gamma_camera_cross_section.PNG Abdelhamid A. Elkamhawy, Joseph R. Rothenbach, Srikanth Damaraju and Shamim M. Badruddin, Intrinsic Uniformity and Relative Sensitivity Quality Control Tests for Single Head Gamma Cameras, Nuclear Medicine Department, Cuero Community Hospital, Cuero; and Nuclear Medicine Department, Spohn Shoreline Hospital, Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology 2000; 28: 252-256 A. Hughes and P.F Sharp, Factors affecting gamma camera non-uniformity, Department of Bio-Medical Physics and Bio-Engineering, university of Aberdeen, Forester hill, Aberdeen, AB92ZD, UK, Phys. Med. Bio., 1988, Vol 33, No.2, 259-269, IOP Publishing Ltd, 1988 A. Hasman, PhD and R.T Groothedde, Gamma camera uniformity as a function of energy and count rate, Department of Medical Informatics, Medical Faculty, Free University Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Department of Radiotherapy an d Nuclear Medicine, St. Radboud University Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, British Journal of Radiology, 49, 718 722, 1976 William R. Hendee and E.Russell Ritenour, Medical Imaging Physics, Wiley Publications, 4th Edition, Pages 179-195, 198-215 http://csusap.csu.edu.au/~xzheng/lectures/phy232/phy232topic8.ppt, Gamma Camera (II), Charles Sturt University Hamamatsu Photonics, Position Sensitive Detectors, http://sales.hamamatsu.com/index.php?id=20231language=1 Wikipedia, Cadmium Telluride, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadmium_tellurid Michael K. OConnor, Quality Control of Scintillation Cameras (Planar and SPECT), Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, published on the website of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine. Uniformity measurement, Isotrak C-ThruTM Flood Source, High Technology Sourced Ltd, www.hightechsource.co.uk Length : 3.300 excl references and title.

Post Traumatic Stress and the Brothers Relationship in The Red Convert

Henry Fosdick once said, â€Å"The tragedy of war is that it uses man’s best to do man’s worst.† In â€Å"The Red Convertible† by Louis Erdrich, there is a conflict amongst two brothers, Henry and Lyman as ones awareness towards reality is shifted upon the return of the Vietnam War. Henry’s experience fighting in the Vietnam War is the responsibility for the unexpected aftermath that affects their brotherhood. The event of Henry fighting in the war through fears, emotions and horrors that he encounters is the source of his â€Å"Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome [PTSD].† It has shaped his own perception of reality and his relationship with his brother Lyman and the strong bond that they had shared. War changes a person in ways that can never be imagined. Living in a war as well as fighting in one is not an experience witnessed in everyday life. Seeing people die every time and everywhere you go can be seen as an unpleasant experience for any individual such as Henry. The experiences that Henry had embraced during the Vietnam War have caused him to become an enraged and paranoid being after the war. It has shaped him to become this individual of anxiety and with no emotions. The narrator says: â€Å"the change was no good. You could hardly expect him to change for the better, I know. But he was quiet, so quiet, and never comfortable sitting still anywhere but always up and moving around (Erdrich 28).† It appears that the war in Vietnam has still gotten into Henry. The war may be over in reality but in his mind it is still going on. This can explain all the agitations and discomfort he has such as not being able to sit still. Based on research, what Henry was experiencing was shellshock from the battlefield from the many soldiers being killed to t... ...s inner self. What is seen as a relationship amongst these two young men is now torn apart by the transformation of Henry caused from his witnesses during warfare. The reality that shapes individuals as they fight in war can lead to the resentment they have with the world and the tragedies that they had experienced in the past. Veterans are often times overwhelmed with their fears and sensations of their past that commonly disables them to transgress and live beyond the emotions and apprehensions they witness in posttraumatic experiences. This is also seen in everyday lives of people as they too experience traumatic events such as September 11th and the fall of the World Trade Center or simply by regrets of decisions that is made. Ones fears, emotions and disturbances that are embraced through the past are the only result of the unconscious reality of ones future.

Compare the ways the contrast between two fathers and their daughters are made interesting in ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and ‘An Inspector Calls’ Essay

‘Romeo and Juliet’ was written in the 16th century by William Shakespeare and ‘An Inspector Calls’ was written nearly 400 years later in the early 20th century by J.B. Priestley. In both of these plays the relationships of fathers, Lord Capulet and Arthur Birling and their daughters, Juliet and Shelia, are portrayed as being a typical father daughter relationship with seemingly very caring but slightly controlling fathers. In ‘Romeo and Juliet’, Lord Capulet seems to be very caring and considerate towards Juliet when speaking to Paris, a man that Lord Capulet would like Juliet to marry due to his status and financial position. This is shown when Capulet says â€Å"hopeful lady of my earth†, this infers Juliet means the world to him, it implies she is as precious to him as he created her and is very proud of her. It also shows that as she is his only child he wants nothing other than the best for her. We can also see that Capulet wants the best for his daughter when he is explaining to Paris how he wants him to â€Å"woo her† and to â€Å"get her heart†. This shows that Capulet wants Juliet to be in love with the man she is going to marry and wants to get married to him for her own emotional reasons and not just because her father wants her to. Many girls in the 16th century were forced into marriages they didn’t want to be in; many didn’t have a choice of whom they were going to marry but in Juliet’s case she did have some say which was a very rare occurrence. At the start of ‘An Inspector Calls’ we believe that Arthur Birling truly loves his daughter and he would do anything for her and support her in many ways. We can see this when he says â€Å"Sheila means a tremendous lot to me† over the engagement dinner with Gerald. It is portrayed that he truly has her best interests at heart and only wants the best for her. Although, as Birling later reveals that he wants Sheila to marry Gerald not only for her benefit but also for his, as Gerald’s father’s business (Crofts Limited) is Birling’s top rival and Birling knows that by his daughter marrying Gerald his business will thrive and exceed its current position. We can see this when Birling says â€Å"lower costs and higher prices† Birling is over joyed with Shelia’s choice as he can see the future business potential. So as we can see at the start of both of these plays both fathers only want the finest for their daughters and are trying to get them to marry into wealthy and well respected families. Change. The first time we see Juliet and Lord Capulet together is in Act 3, Scene 5, of the play when Juliet is about to tell her father that she doesn’t want to marry Paris. Lord Capulet walks in and witness’ Juliet crying, he thinks he is about to deliver good news which will stop her tears, but as he soon finds out she is crying because she doesn’t want to marry Paris. He is outraged. The audience can see this when Lord Capulet implies he will â€Å"drag thee on a hurdle thither† this shows that he is not going to take no for an answer and he is going to make Juliet marry Paris wither she likes it or not. He also refers to Juliet as a â€Å"curse† this proves that he is totally disgusted with Juliet that his own daughter is going against what he is telling her to do, and that all she is doing is bringing bad luck to the Capulet house hold, he is trying to make her feel so awful for not marrying Paris, in order to that she may change her mind. Even though Lord Capulet liked to give the impression that he was giving Juliet some choices in who she marries when he said to Paris â€Å"Within her scope of choice† we later find out that really Juliet had no choice and the decision was made for her. We thought that Lord Capulet was a kind and caring father but as we now can see he is not the person originally portrayed, when people do not do as he wants he turns into an strong willed man that will try to make them do it whether they like it or not . In ‘An Inspector calls’ Birling and Sheila’s relationship seems to be very childlike, this is shown when he says â€Å"Are you listening, Sheila?† and her reply is â€Å"I’m sorry, Daddy†. This shows that even though Sheila is growing up into a woman Birling is still talking to her like she is a child and is refusing to let her grow up. Birling is also very dismissive of Sheila; we witness this when he says â€Å"nothing to do with you, Shelia. Run along†, the way in which he speaks to her is quite belittling and we are made to believe that although she is his daughter, women are second class to men, he truly believes that she is not worthy of being spoken to with regard to the inspectors visit. Birling is a very single minded man who does not take kindly to opposition to his beliefs. This is seen when he says â€Å"we’ve had experience – and we know† this shows he is no longer prepared to discuss the topic any further, when discussing war with his son Eric. Birling has very similar expectations for his daughter as Lord Capulet has for Juliet, they both want their daughters to marry into good families however with a certain degree of control, we know this because Capulet says â€Å"within her scope of choice†, he is allowing her a certain degree of choice in whom she marries although it is clear that he would want to have the final say in who she married and therefore her choices are limited. Juliet clearly feels she is treated like a child too as she has no intention of marrying Paris as she is already in love with Romeo whom is a Montague. As the inspector questions each of the characters about a woman, Eva Smith (also known as Daisy Renton) who has apparently committed suicide. Each of characters have had some involvement with the young girl and may each of played a part into the her death. It is clear to see that Shelia’s personality goes from one of being immature and talked down to, to strong and mature, she accepts that she may have been partly responsible for the suicide of Eva. For the first time Birling is shown in his true light and Shelia she sees her father as being very opinionated and stubborn and refusing to accept any responsibility for his part in Eva’s death, as a rich employer to those in society who are not as wealthy, he has a duty of care. Birling also realises that his hopes and dreams may not become reality although he still refuses to accept any responsibility with regards to the death Eva, at the end of the play he cracks jokes about whole situation and about the way that possibly they have all been had over, although Shelia and Eric are remorseful, Birling mocks them when they are feeling so awful. When Capulet finds out his only daughter has taken her own life because she wanted to be with the man she loved, Romeo; not Paris, he seems to learn a lesson from his mistakes, this is shown in the quote â€Å"O brother Montague† (Romeo’s father) this conveys that now his actions have led to the death of a family members, Romeo also takes his own life and therefore there have been deaths on both sides which cause him to want to end rivalry between the Capulets and the Montagues. The word â€Å"brother† suggests that not only does he now want to take his rivals on as friends he sees them as almost family. This makes the audience feel sad for both families because for them, peace came at a very high price which both have paid but at the same time the audience would feel proud that both families have put their differences aside and came together to support each other. Ultimately the huge contrast between Lord Capulet and Birling is that although both men strive to be the successful men of their time and are trying to achieve the best for their daughters, Lord Capulet learns from his pushiness into trying to marry off his daughter to better the family name and Birling does not learn, even when someone has died and his daughter feels partly to blame he refuses acknowledge this or any part he himself may have had in the death of Eva Smith, or the feelings of his family. Juliet was a strong enough person to take matters into her own hands and hatch a plan to marry Romeo. Shelia shows that she is a more sensitive person by feeling guilt in her part of the death of Eva. The comparison of contrast between the two relationships became interesting and apparent when in each play someone died. Lord Capulet reflected on his actions and was able to offer an olive branch to his enemy in the hope that he could become a better person following the deaths of Romeo and Juliet. Birling still continued to be the single minded and stubborn man he started off as by not learning or realising that his actions have had consequences for others and especially his own family.

Limitations of Ratio Analysis for Cross-Sectional Comparisons Essay

Ratio analysis is a useful technique for comparing a company’s performance and position with other companies. However, such comparisons may be misleading. Some of the limitations of ratio analysis for cross-sectional comparisons are discussed below: Accounting policies: Accounting laws allow companies to choose accounting policies and use discretion while preparing accounts. Such a freedom leads to differences in the accounts of companies, which in turn distorts cross-sectional company comparisons. Historic cost: If companies are of different ages, their financial statements will include non-current assets purchased at different times in the past which will usually be recorded at historic cost. This will mean the different companies have different book values of asset, thereby affecting their financial statements even if the businesses are otherwise identical (Ireland and Leiwy, 2011). Creative accounting: Companies tend to present inflated revenues and reduced liabilities on the financial statements. In particular, they tend to window dress during earnings results seasons. These tricks make investors believe that companies have a strong financial position. However, such creative accounting misleads analysts using financial accounting and ratios for cross-sectional comparisons. Different risk profiles: Companies have different financial and market risk profiles. Companies in the same industry may face different financial and market risks. For example, a company with a low debt ratio may indicate improved financial position. However, banks may not have provided loans to the company owing to the company’s low creditworthiness or high financial risk profiling. Another company in the same industry may have a low financial risk profiling, and it may obtain loans at a reduced rate for expansions. But, the financial statement will only show a high gearing rate. In this case, ratio analysis leads to incorrect interpretations and conclusions about both the companies. Qualitative factors: Ratio analysis does not consider qualitative factors such as management quality, quality of assets, social responsibilities, goodwill etc. Despite the limitations discussed above, financial ratio analysis is still useful in assessing a company’s financial performance. Ratios can provide a functional understanding of a company’s operations if used intelligently. Analysts need to understand the limitations in the analytical method and make the necessary modifications.