Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Ulcerative colitis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ulcerative colitis - Essay Example Fever, pain in the joints, weight loss, and GI bleeding may also accompany nausea and vomiting (Board, ADAM & National Center for Biotechnology Information, 2012) Though the exact cause is unknown there are many research studies that have been able to suggest with scientific validation the possibility of many factors, causes and contributions to the disease. One research study conducted in 2006 suggested that there was a significant genetic contribution that factored in those more susceptible to those with an inflammatory bowel disease (Satsangi,2006) Studies at the molecular level have identified and determined genetic susceptibility to ulcerative colitis. Of course this discovery is able to provide new insight into the pathogenicity of the disease and disease process. Risk factors usually include those in poor health and it is a higher risk between the ages of 15-30 and then resurfaces between the ages of 50-70. Family history and Jewish ancestry are also implicated though family history may be linked to genetics and studies in these areas are able to provide stronger links between this family history and the prevalence of the disease. Breastfeeding, appendectomy, and smoking are also associated risks (Head, and Jurenka, 2003). Normal system functions appear to be prohibited by ‘increases in certain inflammatory mediators, oxidative stress signs, deranged colonic milieu, decreased oxidation of short chain fatty acids, increased intestinal permeability, an increase in the production of sulfides, and decreased methylation,’ (Head, and Jurenka, 2003). Certain cytokines along with anti-oxidant levels as well as the presence of bacteria interfere with normal system functions. These systematic functional abnormalities each contribute to symptoms of ulcerative colitis. For example increased oxidative stress is manifested in the intestinal mucosa of patients. Bowel lesions are much more evident when the bacteria

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Effect of Reducing Agents on the Growth of Magnetospirilla

Effect of Reducing Agents on the Growth of Magnetospirilla Shubhashri Chakraborthy, Pauline Shekina, Upasana Dey and Suthindhiran Krish Abstract: Magnetotactic Bacteria are a fascinating group of microorganisms. Magnetospirilla is a microaerophilic bacterium. The effect of reducing agents varies with the cell depending on the properties of the reagent. They also produce different redox potentials which force a substrate to follow specific metabolic pathway in order to change the product or rate of the reaction. So it is essential to study the effect of reducing agents on the growth of Magnetospirilla. Two strains of this bacterium, MSR-1 and RJS-1 were selected for the study. Reducing agents like Ascorbic Acid, Cysteine and Glutathione were prepared in various concentrations and the bacteria were cultured. The ideal concentration of the reducing agents required for the growth of these two strains was identified. Glutathione at the concentration 0.250mg/ml is found to be ideal for the growth of MSR-1 and Cysteine at the concentration of 0.250mg/ml is found to be ideal for the growth of RJS-1 strain of Magnetospirilla Keywords: Magnetotactic bacteria; Ascorbic Acid; Cysteine; Glutathione; Reducing agents. Introduction: Magnetotactic bacteria (orMTB) are a  polyphyletic  group of  bacteria that orient along themagnetic field lines of Earth’s magnetic field with the help of organelles called magnetosomes. Magnetosomes are iron crystals of magnetite or greigite. The movement of microorganisms in response to the magnetic characteristics of the environment is known as  magnetotaxis. Many efforts have been made to optimize the growth conditions of MTB.[4] Magnetospirilla are facultative anaerobic magnetic bacterium. Reducing agents can have very different effects on the microbial cells depending on the properties of the reagent and of the properties of the cell itself. Reducing agents can produce different redox potentials which might be force a substrate to follow a specific metabolic pathway in order to change the rate or product of the reaction.[6] Previous studies showed that changing the redox environment had a strong impact in the applications of Magnetospirilla. Therefore we studied the effect of different reducing agents at different concentrations on the growth of Magnetospirilla. Materials and Methods: Culturing the bacteria Two strains of Magnetospirilla, MSR-1 (DSMZ, Germany) and RJS-1(Marine Biotechnology Lab, VIT University) were grown in liquid Magnetic Spirillum Growth Medium (MSGM).[1] A stock of 500ml of the MSGM media was prepared without reducing agents and Resazurin. 7ml of the media were transferred in small vials and it was purged with nitrogen gas for 3 minutes to provide microaerophilic condition. The vials were sealed with butyl rubber septa and aluminium centre holed caps. These vials were autoclaved at 121 °C for 15 minutes. Stock solution of the reducing agents Ascorbic Acid, Cysteine, Glutathione and Sodium Sulfide (10mg/10ml) were prepared and filter sterilized. Heat sensitive materials such as vitamins were also filter sterilized. 70ÃŽ ¼l of filtered vitamin solution and 14ÃŽ ¼l of filtered ferric quinate solution were taken in sterile eppendorf tubes. Different concentrations of reducing agents (0.125mg/ml, 0.250mg/ml, 0.375mg/ml and 0.500mg/ml) were also taken in the eppendorf t ubes containing the vitamin and ferric quinate solutions. Using sterile needles and syringes these solutions were transferred into the vials. These vials were incubated at 37 °C in a shaker. Checking the growth of the bacteria The growth of the bacteria were observed using spectrophotometer. Optical Density (OD) was taken at 595nm in 24, 26, 29, 38, 44 and 48 hours of incubation. The values are plotted in graph to find the maximum growth rate. Results and Discussion: A graph was plotted against time in hours and the OD values taken for different concentrations of reducing agents. Figure 1. Graph showing the growth of Magnetospirilla (MSR-1) at various concentrations of Ascorbic Acid. The growth of MSR-1 was maximum at the concentration 0.500mg/ml of Ascorbic acid. Figure 2. Graph showing the growth of Magnetospirilla (MSR-1) at various concentrations of Cysteine. The growth of MSR-1 was maximum at the concentrations 0.250mg/ml of Cysteine. Figure 3. Graph showing the growth of Magnetospirilla (MSR-1) at various concentrations of Glutathione. The growth of MSR-1 was maximum at the concentration 0.250mg/ml of Glutathione. Figure 4. Graph showing the growth of Magnetospirilla (MSR-1) at various concentrations of Sodium Sulfide. The growth of MSR-1 was maximum at the concentration 0.500mg/ml of Sodium Sulfide. Comparing all the OD values the growth of MSR-1 was maximum at the concentration 0.250mg/ml of Glutathione. Figure 5. Graph showing the growth of Magnetospirilla (RJS-1) at various concentrations of Ascorbic Acid. The growth of RJS-1 was maximum at the concentration 0.375mg/ml of Ascorbic Acid. Figure 6. Graph showing the growth of Magnetospirilla (RJS-1) at various concentrations of Cysteine. The growth of RJS-1 was maximum at the concentration 0.250mg/ml of Cysteine. Figure 7. Graph showing the growth of Magnetospirilla (RJS-1) at various concentrations of Glutathione. The growth of RJS-1 was maximum at the concentration 0.375mg/ml of Glutathione. Figure 8. Graph showing the growth of Magnetospirilla (RJS-1) at various concentrations of Sodium Sulfide. The growth of RJS-1 was maximum at the concentration 0.500mg/ml of Sodium Sulfide. Comparing all the OD values the growth of RJS-1 was maximum at the concentration 0.250mg/ml of Cysteine. Our studies showed that optimal concentration of reducing agents showed increased growth. When the concentration of reducing agents is increased further it inhibits the growth because of toxicity. Optimal concentration of reducing agents reduces the lag time and enhances the cell density. Conclusion: There are many other reducing agents which are used for growing various species of Magnetotactic bacteria. From the results we got it is suggested that Glutathione at the concentration 0.250mg/ml is ideal for the growth of MSR-1 and Cysteine at the concentration of 0.250mg/ml is ideal for the growth of RJS-1 strain of Magnetospirilla. References: [1] Blakemore R P, Maratea D and Wolfe R S, â€Å"Isolation and Pure Culture of a Freshwater Magnetic Spirillum in Chemically Defined Medium,† Journal of Bacteriology, 140(2), 720, 1979. [2] Cody Nash, â€Å"Mechanisms and Evolution of Magnetotactic Bacteria,† 2008. [3] Damien Faivre and Dirk Schuler, â€Å"Magnetotactic Bacteria and Magnetosomes,† Chem.Rev, 108, 4875–4898, 2008. [4] John F. Stolz, â€Å" Magnetosomes,† Journal of General Microbiology, 139, 1663-1670,1993. [5] Tadashi Matsunaga and Toshifumi Sakaguchi, â€Å" Molecular Mechanism of Magnet Formation in Bacteria,† Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering, 90, 1-13, 2000. [6] Xiangqian Li, Qilei Wang and Yemin Xue, â€Å" On the Change in Bacterial Growth and Magnetosome Formation for Magnetosprillum Sp. Strain AMB-1 Under Different Concentrations of Reducing Agents,† Jorunal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology,13, 1392-1398, 2013. [7] Yoshihito Uchino and Suzuki Ken-Ichiro, â€Å"A Simple Preparation of Liquid Media for the Cultivation of Strict Anaerobes,† Journal of Petroleum and Environmental Biotechnology, S3-001, 2157-2160, 2011.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Physics of Baseball :: physics sport sports baseball

Missing Figures Baseball is a fascinating sport that is exceptionally fun to play. This assignment is all about understanding the physics of a few key aspects of this sport. One might ask what physics could have to do with baseball? Like most sports baseball involves physical motion. Baseball encompasses all three planes of motion through throwing, hitting, and fielding. All of the classical laws of mechanics can be applied to understand the physics of this game. Baseball is not a difficult game to comprehend, but it can a very long time to achieve a high level of performance. Usually one starts playing this game at a very young age and the first thing they start out with is throwing. Throwing a baseball involves exploiting all major muscle groups in the body to generate a large torque on the arm that will in turn create a high potential for speed when it is released. Throwing Throwing is a fairly natural activity for a person. Everyone at some point in time has thrown some object at a person. In baseball throwing becomes an art. Throwing a baseball is a relatively easy task, but throwing it accurately and with a high speed is difficult. People who play this sport spend a very long time perfecting their throw. When one throws a baseball properly they are using there entire body to generate a large force to propel the baseball. A general throwing position starts with a person rotated 90 degrees from there target with there throwing arm 180 degrees from the target and parallel to the ground. The person then starts rotating their body back towards their target while there throwing arm starts bending until it is almost 90 degrees to their elbow, while the arm is bending at the elbow the throwing arm is rotating such that the arm rotates back almost 180 degrees from the target. Meanwhile the person is leaping forward with the leg that was initially pointed at the target while there other leg is planted into the ground. The person is bending at their waist and the other arm is rotating into their body. Around the point where the driving leg strikes the ground the throwing arm is rotating foreword at a tremendous angular speed and the person lets go of the ball. At the point where the ball is let go the persons body pulls the planted leg forward and the throwing arm finishes its motion towards the driving leg.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

The 20th Century State of the American Dream

The American dream has always been a popular and typical subject matter in literature and arts in the United States. Though not a lot of people may be able to define the term in technical detail, Americans certainly know it by heart. The American dream has grown to a multitude of meanings over the years. A 15-year old girl may see the American dream as winning Ms. USA and being able to represent her country in front of the whole world. A young college student on the hand may see it as finding the most promising job and succeeding in his dream profession someday.While a newly wed man may see the American dream as acquiring his own house and property in a typical sub-urban area where he can start his life with his family calmly and peacefully. These are just some possible faces of American dream based on the perspectives of Americans from different walks of life. However, the real and concrete definition of ideal may not be that certain. The American dream have also been observed to ev olve through the years since it has to base itself on the necessity of the American society.And considering the current state of the American society in this modern age of the 20th century, the American dream can be easily seen as the vision of America as an economically stable, politically peaceful and societally harmonious nation. In this light, one may easily see how the different sectors of the country contributes to the achievement of this dream. However, although it can be observed that all of the American's visions are directed to this goal, there may still be things that hinder the achievement of this ultimate dream.In Loren Hickock's letter to Harry Hopkins in 1934 reveals the state of America, and this was reflected in this statement: â€Å"A Promised Land, bathed in golden sunlight, is rising out of the grey shadows of want and squalor and wrethchedness down here in the Tennessee Valley these days† (Hichock, 1934). The United States of America as the nation on whic h the roots of the state if Tennessee stands was evidently described as a gifted nation showered with golden sunlight. This entails a lot of positive things. This can entail how rich the soil of America is, and this can entail how great it natural resources are.This could have made the American Dream reachable if only the showers of the golden sun was put to good use. In the same letter by Hickock, she describes the state of American farm lands in Tennessee and how these lands, despite their arability and richness do not even grow sufficient crops for people to consume. Hickock writes, â€Å"Crops grown on it are stunted. Corn, for instance, grows only about a third as tall there as it does in Iowa. They tell me it isn't even good timber land. Just a thin coating of soil over rock. † (Hickock, 1934). This was during the 1930s.The situations at present may already be the same, but these confessions may reveal a pre-existing predicament which may have found its way to the roots of all Americans. A similar situation to this which can be seen to hinder America in achieving its ultimate dream is people's waste of resources. Just like the failure of earlier Americans to maximize the capacity or arable lands in Tennessee, American nowadays are suffered with debts and unnecessary financial debts that eventually make them fail in balancing and maximizing their prime resource which is money.Aside from the dilemma on resources, one of the most significant dilemmas of Americans that may have hindered them for so long in achieving the American dream is racism and discrimination on religion. The popular men's magazine in the US, Playboy conducted an interview with Malcolm X regarding the state of racism in America. During the 1960s. In Malcom X's answers, his view of the American dream was clear; however, the destruction of this dream was depicted even clearer. Malcom X says: â€Å"Freedom, justice and equality are our principal ambitions[†¦ The white man has t aught the black people in this country to hate themselves as inferior, to hate each other, to be divided against each other[†¦ ] the brainwashed black man can never learn to stand on his own two feet until he is on his own. We must learn to become our own producers, manufacturers and traders; we must have industry of our own,to employ our own† (â€Å"Playboy Interview Malcolm X, Alex Haley†, 1963). In these lines, the division between black and whites Americans was very apparent.It seemed like these people were living in two separate nations, when in fact, there were sharing one ground. Hence, there was practically no concrete sense of unity during that time. And although most Americans would claim that racism has finally found its end in the country, it can never be denied that it has created a serious scar in America's history. That although the current American society may be doing everything to heal the issue, the scar will always be there and it will never be erased in America's face.This can also be one of the most significant and considerable hindrances of achieving the American dream. Today, almost everything is being commercialized already. Everything seems to have a price tag. Because of this, people are becoming more and more competitive against each other to the extent that human rights violations are committed against their own countrymen. Evidently, in this kind of situation, achieving the ultimate American dream would be impossible. America has always been deemed as the land of the free.But considering how pressured, restrained and oppressed people are now due to financial debts, poltical predicaments and economic instability, America may not be totally free after all. At least not yet. This picture can be easily seen in this statement of Hickock in the same letter she sent to Hopkins: â€Å"And all over the state, in rural areas, the story is the same– an illiterate, wretched people, undernourished, with standards of l iving so low that, once on relief, they are quite willing to stay living so low that, once on relief, they are quite willing to stay there for the rest of their lives. It's a mess† (Hickock, 1934)

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Rcsc214 Exam 1

Chapter 1 Retailing-consists of the final activities and steps needed to place merchandise made elsewhere into the hands of the consumer or to provide services to the consumer. Last step in supply chain. Trends that affect Retailing today: * E-tailing- ie. The Internet accounts for less than 5% of retail sales but has changed consumer behavior. (speed, convenience, control, vast info, lowest prices) hasn’t destroyed †¦ *Bricks-and-Mortar retailers – Retailers that operate out of a physical building. ’ but B & M retailers must give customers more control to combat E-tailing.Outshopping-when customers get needed info (such as proper size or how to assemble a product) in the store and then orders it online for a lower price and to avoid paying sales tax. * Price Competition Loss Leader-selling a product at or below its cost Bottom Line-net profit on an income statement *Same-Store sales-compares an individual store’s sales to its sales for the same month in the previous year. *Market Share-the retailer’s total sales divided by total market sales *Scrambled Merchandising- exists when a retailer handles many different and unrelated items.The result of the pressure being placed on many retailers to increase profits by carrying additional merchandise or services (with higher profit margins) that will also increase store traffic ex. Convenience store that sells low margin gasoline but high margin bread, milk, beer, ciggs ETC. Supercenters, gift cards in grocery stores but causes cost increases in RENT, INVENTORY COSTS, LABOR COSTs *Category Killer-a retailer that carries such a large amount of merchandise in a single category at such good prices that it makes it impossible for customers to walk out without purchasing that they need, thus KILLING the competitionCategorizing Retailers Census Bureau- NAICS code Number of outlets- Chain? Or not? *Standard Stock list-a merchandising method in which all stores in a retail chain stock t he same merchandise *Optional Stock List approach-merchandising method in which each store in a retail chain is given the flexibility to adjust its merchandise mix to local tastes and demands. *Channel Advisor or Captain-the institution (manufacturer, wholesaler, broker, or retailer) in the marketing channel that is able to plan for and get other channel institutions to engage in activities they might not otherwise engage in.Large store retailers are often able to perform the role of channel captain. *Private Label Branding- May be store branding, when a retailer develops its own brand name and contracts with a manufacturer to produce the product with the retailer’s brand, or designer lines, where a known designer develops a line exclusively for the retailer. Margin/Turnover Gross margin percentage- measure of profitability GROSS MARGIN/NETSALES Gross Margin-NET SALES – COST OF GOODS SOLDOperating Expenses-expenses that a retailer incurs in running the business other t han the cost of merchandise Inventory Turnover- refers to the number of times per year, on average, that a retailer sells its inventory. High Performance retailers-retailers that produce financial results substantially superior to the industry average. Low margin/low turnover-operates on a low gross margin percentage and a low rate of inventory turnover†¦ will not be able to generate sufficient profits to remain competitive and survive. High Margin/Low turnover-(bricks and mortar) high gross margin percentage and low ate of inventory turnover ( high end stores, mom and pop) Clicks and Mortar-instore and online Low margin High turnover- low gmp, high rate of inventory turnover (wal mart, amazon. com) High, High- convenience stores, 7 eleven, circle k, Location- new non traditional places. Size *Store management- the retailing career path that involves responsibility for selecting, training, and evaluating personnel, as well as instore promotions, displays, customer service, buil ding maintenance, and security *Buying-retailing career path whereby one uses quantitative tools to develop appropriate buying plans for the store’s merchandise lines.Analytical method –finder and investigator of facts Creative Method- Idea person Two pronged approach- both analytical and creative CHAPTER 2 Strategic planning- involves adapting the resources of the firm to the opportunities and threats of an ever changing retail environment * Development of mission statement * Definition of specific goals and objectives for the firm * Identification and analysis of the retailers strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats –SWOT ANALYIS * Development of basic strategies that will enable the firm to reach its objectives and fulfill its missionMission statement- a basic description of the fundamental nature, rationale, and direction of the firm. Market Share- retailer’s TOTAL SALES/ TOTAL MARKET SALES Profit-based Objectives-deal directly with the monet ary return a retailer desires from its business ROI/RONW- Return on investment/ Return on Net Worth STRATIEGIC PROFIT MODEL (MEMORIZE) Net ProfitMargin| Net Profit /Total Sales| Return on Assets| Net Profit* /Total Assets| Financial Leverage| Total Assets/Net Worth| Return on Net Worth|Net Profit*/Net Worth| X = Asset Turnover| Total Sales/Total Assets| Stockouts- products that are out of stock and therefore unavailable to customers when they want them Productivity objectives- state how much output the retailer desires for each unit of resource input: Floor space, labor, and inventory investment. * Sales prod: net sales/ total square feet of retail floor space * Labor prod: net sales/#of full time equivalent employees * Merchandise prod: net sales/average dollar investment in inventorySocietal Objectives- those that reflect the retailer’s desire to help society fulfill some of it’s needs. * Employment objectives * Payment of Taxes * Consumer Choice * Equity * Being a b enefactor RASM- (revenue per available seat mile) calculation used by airlines. Yield Management- the understanding, anticipating and reacting to changing customer needs in order to maximize the revenue from a fixed capacity of available services. (1)low marginal costs (2)fixed capacity (3) perishable product (4)fluctuation demand (5)different market segmentsPersonal Objectives-reflect the retailer’s desire to help individuals employed in retailing fulfill some of their needs. * Self Gratification * Status and respect * Power and authority Strategy- a carefully designed plan for achieving the retailers goals and objectives. 3 strategies Get shoppers into your store/ traffic strategy Convert these shoppers into customers by having them purchase merchandise (retailers conversion Do this at the lowest operating cost possible that is consistent with the level of service that your customers expectTarget market-the group of customers that the retailer is seeking to serve Location-g eographic or cyber space where the retailer conducts business Retail mix- the combination of merchandise, price, advertising and promotion, locations, customer service and selling, and store layout and design Value proposition- clear statement of the tangible and/or intangible results a customer receives from shopping at and using the retailer’s products or services Operations Management- deals with activities directed at maximizing the efficiency of the retailer’s use of resources. It is frequently referred to as day to day management.CHAPTER 6 Horizontal Price Fixing- occurs when a group of competing retailers (or other channel members operating at a given level of distribution) establishes a fixed price at which to sell certain brands of products ILLEGAL violates Sherman Antitrust Sec 1 Vertical Price Fixing-occurs when a retailer collaborates with the manufacturer or wholesaler to resell an item at an agreed upon price Price discrimination- occurs when 2 retailers buy an identical amount of â€Å"like grade and quality† merchandise from the same supplier but pay different prices. Clayton act makes only certain forms illegal DEFENSESCost justification- differential in price could be accounted for on the basis of differences in cost to the seller in the manufactur, sale, or delivery. Due to differences in quantity or method. Changing market differences-justifies based on the danger of imminent deterioration of perishable goods or on the obsolescence of seasonal goods. Meeting Competition in good faith -lower price was made in good faith in order to meet an equally low price of a competitor Deceptive Pricing-occurs when an misleading price is used to lure customers into the store and then hidden charges are added; or the item advertised may be unavailable.Predatory Pricing-exists when a retail chain charges different prices in different geographic areas to eliminate competition in selected geographic areas. Palming off-occurs when a retai ler represents that merchandise is made by a firm other than the true manufacturer Deceptive advertising-when a retailer makes false of misleading advertising claims about the physical makeup of a product, the benefits to be gained by its use, or the appropriate uses for the product. Bait and switch- advertising or promoting a product at an unrealistically low rice to serve as â€Å"bait† and then trying to â€Å"switch† the customer to a higher priced product. Product liability laws-deal with the seller’s responsibility to market safe products. These laws invoke the forseeability doctrine, which states that a seller of a product must attempt to foresee how a product may be misused and warn the consumer against hazards of misuse. Expressed warranties- are either written or verbalized agreements about the performance of a product and can cover all attributes of the merchandise or only one attributeImplied warranty of merchantability- made by every retailer when t he retailer sells goods and implies that the merchandise sold is fit for the ordinary purpose for which such goods are typically used Implied warranty of fitness- a warranty that implies that the merchandise is fit for a particular purpose and arises when the customer relies on the retailer to assist or make the selection of goods to serve a particular purpose Territorial restrictions-are attempts by the supplier, usually a manufacturer, to limit the geographic area in which a retailer may resell its merchandiseDual distribution- occurs when a manufacturer sells to independent retailers and also through its own retail outlets One way exclusive dealing arrangement-occurs when the supplier agrees to give the retailer the exclusive right to sell the suppliers product in a particular trade area Two way exclusive dealing arrangement- occurs when the supplier offers the retailer the exclusive distribution of a merchandise line or product in a particular trade area if in return the retaile r will agree to do something or the manufacturer, such as heavily promote the suppliers products or not handle competing brands. ILLEGAL. Tying agreement-exists when a seller with a strong product or service requires a buyer to purchase a weak product or service as a condition for buying the strong product or service Ethics-set of rules for human moral behavior Explicit code of ethics-consists of a written policy that states what is ethical and unethical behavior Implicit code of ethics- an unwritten but well understood set of rules or standards of moral responsibility Chapter 14Empowerment- occurs when employees are given the power in their jobs to do the things necessary to satisfy and make things right for customers. Servant leadership-an employees recognition that their primary responsibility is to be of service to others. 20% of customers generate 80% of sales value proposition-the promised benefits a retailer offers in relation to the cost the consumer incurs customer relation ship management CRM-comprised of an integrated information system where the fundamental unit of data collection is the customer, supplemented by relevant information about the customer erformance appraisal and review- is the formal, systematic assessment of how well employees are performing their jobs in relation to established standards and the communication of that assessment to employees Motivation-is the drive that a person has to excel at activities, such as a job, that he or she undertakes Esprit de corps- occurs when a group of workers feel a common mission and a passion for that mission and a pride in being part of the groupFixed component- typically is composed of some base wage per hour, week, month, or year Variable component-is often composed if some bonus that is received if performance warrants Fringe benefit package-is a part of the total compensation package offered to many retail employees and may include health insurance, disability benefits, life insurance, retire ment plans, child care, use of an auto, and financial counseling Job enrichment- the process of enhancing the core job characteristics to improve the motivation, productivity, and job satisfaction of employees.