Ontogenetic change in skull morphology and Mechanical Advantage in the Essay

Ontogenetic change in skull morphology and Mechanical Advantage in the Spotted Hyena (Crocutacrocuta) - Essay Example Adult spotted hyena have durophagy adaptations that include large jaw, adductor muscles, simplified and robust dentition, and pronounced sagittal crest. Feeding of weaning hyena was limited by morphology compared to adult resulting from the study of ontogenetic change in the skull and feed apparatus. The study is, therefore, aimed at establishing as whether feeding of young hyena was limited by the skull shape, skull size, and the mechanical advantage of jaw muscles. The study also seeks to enquire if feeding apparatus is slow in the spotted hyena compared with other carnivores not adapted for durophagy. Various materials and methods were employed during the study. For instant, during sampling, ontogenic series of individuals of age ranging from 2 months to 18 years of 68 spotted hyenas we sampled. Most of the samples were from the southwest of Kenya in Masai Mara Reserve. Their age was estimated depending upon the appearance. On the other hand, to quantify skull changes, ‘2D landmark-based geometric morphometrics was used. Three views of the skull were analyzed that involved lateral cranium, lateral mandibles, and ventral cranium. In the analysis of fused lateral mandible and cranium for adult hyenas, semi-landmarks were used which later digitized by use of ‘tpsDig’. In addition, superimposition was used to remove variations (Holekamp, Lundrigan, Tanner and Zelditch 354). The analysis of change in ontogenetic shape was done as well as analyzing the relationship between shape and size over a given period (Holekamp, Lundrigan, Tanner and Zelditch 355). The ontogenetic trajectories were determined if they differed significantly. As a result, the sample sizes obtained from a pair of bootstrap used varied with ages. On the other hand, size of the muscle and mechanical advantage was determined first using traditional methods. For instant, size of the adductor muscle was estimated across the zygomatic arches by maximum width. The mechanical advantage was

Rooms Divisions Department - Occupancy and Room Revenue Assignment - 3

Rooms Divisions Department - Occupancy and Room Revenue - Assignment Example Revenue or yield management is a very crucial aspect of any hospitality business. Revenue management is defined by Cross as the application of disciplined analytics so as to predict the behavior of the micro-market, as well as optimizing the availability of products and services, along with price in order to maximize revenue growth. The major aim of revenue/yield management is to sell the right product to the right customer, for the right price, at the right time, and with the right pack. Mauri points out that yield management utilizes data-driven tactics along with a strategy to make decisions on when to sell, what to sell, whom to sell and at how much so as to increase revenue. Yield management also increases the revenue using the demand forecast-technique that is used to establish if room rates need to increase or lower. Basing on the economics of demand and supply, when the supply is low and demand is high, the room prices are increased. On the other hand, when the supply is high, and demand is low, the room prices are reduced. There are various techniques that a hotel’s room division staff may use to promote and maximize revenue. These strategies are based on pricing, inventory, and channels, as well as marketing. First, revenue generation can be maximized by selecting the best blends of predicted demand for the existing prices. The use of sophisticated technology and optimization algorithms needs to be geared towards selling the right quantities of inventory at the right price. Another technique is through the creation of a more dynamic and targeted pricing in the form of promotions and pricing in order to more accurately match demand and supply.