Monday, September 30, 2019

Unbranded to Branded

Eyewear market in India remains buoyant despite recession Despite the economic crisis, the eyewear market in India as a whole displayed healthy growth in volume sales in 2009, while growth in its value sales slowed marginally relative to 2008. The demand for premium lenses, frames and sunglasses slowed more than that of the low-price and economy segments, so there was an overall slow-down of growth in value sales at the end of review period. Spectacles still preferred over contact lensesWhile marketers of contact lenses made an aggressive push into the Indian consumer market, especially the young adult segment, the mass market continued to favour spectacles over contact lenses. The two factors that have kept the level and growth rate of sales of contact lenses below those of spectacles are concerns about their use and their price. The prescription market remains biased in favour of spectacles and opticians rarely prescribe contact lenses unless the patient specifically requests them. Direct imports keep market completely fragmented Retail shelves across the country are full of imported spectacle frames and sunglasses. These low-priced imports played an important role in sustaining demand, especially for sunglasses, whose sales enjoyed the highest growth of any subsector in 2009, as they had in 2008. These imports have also kept the spectacles market entirely fragmented, with only eight companies holding even a 1% share of retail sales in Indian eyewear market. Chained specialists enjoy significant growthThe review period saw the growth of several chained specialist retailers, such as Titan Eye+, GKB Opticals and Vision Care. Titan Eye+ has been a game changer in that it has modernised the retail sector and forced others to follow suit. In order to remain competitive, opticians feel compelled to increase their ranges of frames, offer eye-testing services and carry contact lenses as well. Reliance’s Vision Express is another large player that is likely to i nfluence marketing and distribution in the years to come.Chained specialists are also able to negotiate better deals with suppliers, undertake promotions, offer better prices to customers, and provide greater visibility for new products and launches. Demand for spectacles expected to continue driving retail sales of eyewear The prescription market is expected to continue to drive demand in the forecast period, as literacy rates increase, more children become prospective wearers of spectacles, and economic growth sustains the increase in purchasing power.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

HIV Patients Should Have Equal Access to Kidney Transplantation Essay

HIV infection may be obtained by patients receiving renal replacement therapy (RRT) through blood transfusions, renal allograft, sexual contacts, or needle sharing of drug addicts. Viral infection or HIV-associated nephropathy can cause renal failure. In the early 1980’s, prognosis of patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) was very low, and survival rate of HIV-infected individuals with ESRD was miserable. Accordingly, several people even doubted the worth of providing continuance dialysis to patients with AIDS. Due to progress in diagnostic techniques in serologic and viral markers of disease, and use of extremely efficient antiretroviral agents, the prognosis of HIV-positive individuals has radically improved. Today, skills and knowledge in hemodialysis are effective modes of therapy and many centers, though some are reluctant, are now starting to practice renal transplantation in HIV-infected patients. Human Immunodeficiency Virus HIV infects CD4+ T cells, making the immune system weak as these cells malfunctions. Abnormal activation ofCD8= T cells may contribute to the loss of both CD4+ AND CD8+ T cells through apoptosis, which may represent a major cause of infected and non-infected cell death in HIV infection. Many HIV-infected individuals proliferative responses to recall antigens, irradiated stimulator peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy, unrelated donors, or T cell mitogens (Roland & Stock, 2003). HIV infection can worsen existing renal disease and can trigger pathologically distinct disease named HIV-associated nephropathy (HIVAN), a focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) associated with severe cystic tubular lesions, leading to chronic renal failure. Renal syndromes include: fluid and electrolyte malfunction, proteinuria, nephrotic disease, progressive azotemia, inflamed kidneys, and fast succession to end stage renal disease (ESRD). HIV-infected patients who developed renal disease have short survival span. Transplantation process may increase the risk of HIV-infected patients in accelerating the depletion and dysfunction of their CD4+ T cells, which may further result in the development of more serious and complicated disease, such as AIDS, making HIV replication harder to control. On the other hand, immunosuppression might reverse the immuno-pathology associated with HIV disease (Roland & Stock, 2003). End Stage Renal Disease  When the kidney totally lost its ability to filter waste from the circulatory system, renal failure finally meet the end stage renal disease or ESRD, the final stage of nephropathy or the premeditated degeneration of the kidneys. In 1998, over eighty-six thousand patients received therapy for treating ESRD in the United States. Autonomously, Medicare expenditures rose to 12. 9 billion dollars from 12 billion in 1998. The total cost of ESRD program through medicare was 17. 9 billion and is now projected to be 28. 3 billion dollars by 2010 (Winsett et al, 2002). The most common causes of ESRD include diabetic nephropathy, systemic arteral hypertension, glomerulonephrities, and polycystic kidney disease. In the case of ESRD, GFR declines to less than 10mL/min/m2, once it declines to that level, the normal hemeostatic function of the kidneys can not be sustained anymore. Whatever the cause, if untreated, ESRD may cause severe infection and even death to the patient. When the kidney function decline to less than twelve percent to fifteen percent, the patient survival will depend on the kidney transplantation and the therapies associated to it (Winsett et al, 2002). Chronic Dialysis versus Kidney Transplantation According to the New England Journal of Medicine (1999), transplantation is superior in saving life than long-term dialysis. The mortality rates were analyzed among over 200, 000 patients who underwent dialyses for ESRD and only twenty-three thousand received a kidney. Based on the research, patients who undergo transplantation live twice more than the projected years of life of patients who remained on the waitlist having dialysis. A successful transplantation improves the quality of life and lessens the mortality rate for many patients. Moreover, it consumes less time and energy. However, this procedure may cause bleeding, damage, and infection to other organs inside the body, even death can occur. That is why after transplantation, patients must undergo immunosuppression process for a lifetime period to monitor signs of rejection (Berns, 2007). Despite the greater risks, when it comes to quality and length of life, a transplanted kidney is more preferred. It’s man over machine. Statistics Over ten thousand kidney transplantations are being performed each year on patients with ESRD. Records show that patients who undergo kidney transplantation live longer than those who are just taking dialysis; but eight to nine patients on the waitlist die every day due to scarcity of organs to be used in the transplantation. Cadaveric kidney supply has an average of more than two years to come, and only 15-20 % of patients in the list were granted to receive them. The condition of renal failure and what causes them have direct effects on the transplantation rates of patients. Individuals with cystic kidney disease (25. 5%), obstructive nephropathy (24. 9%), and glomerulonephrities (23. 2%) have the utmost successful transplantation rate while patients having diabetes (13. 3%) and hypertension (8. 5%) have the lowest rates (Wallace, 1998). Why transplantation should be considered in HIV-infected patients? Organ malfunction has been the principal grounds of morbidity and mortality of HIV-infected patients, AIDS-related complication is only secondary. Before, immunosuppression was thought to be an unconditional contraindication in the circumstance of HIV infection, now, it is gradually more valued that immune activation is a major aspect of HIV pathogenesis. Consequently, immunosuppression has advantageous effects in people with HIV infection through temperance of immune activation or reduction of HIV reservoirs. Some specific immunosuppressant agents also have antiviral properties or interact synergistically with certain antiretroviral agents (Roland & Stock, 2003). Reasons for reluctance of performing Kidney Transplantation for HIV-infected patients: In a survey conducted to 248 renal transplant centers in The U. S. in 1998, 148 requires HIV testing of prospective kidney recipients and that the vast majority denies patients with HIV to undergo transplantation. Most centers believe that transplantation is not suitable for HIV-infected patients (Spital A. , 1998). Before, chronic dialysis was the only option for treating ESRD of HIV-infected patients for fear of increased morbidity and mortality due to therapeutic immunosuppression. The allocation of cadaver kidneys to these patients was also considered improper due to expected inferior patient graft survival (Anil Kumar et al. , 2005). Also, according to the research led by Professor Andrew Grulich from the University of the New South Wales’ National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Search (NCHECR), immune deficiency is responsible for the increased risk of contracting several types of cancer than the general population. HIV patients are eleven times more expected to develop Hodgkin’s lymphoma while there is almost four times the risk for those who had transplants (Staff Writers, 2007). Professor Grulich further proposed that people’s immune system must be maintained at a higher level through the use of anti-retroviral drugs. The main historical exclusion of HIV-infected patients with ESRD was rooted in the coherent basis that immunosuppression necessary for organ transplantation would aggravate an already immunocompromised state. Although there were numerous initial reports signifying worse outcomes after solid organ transplantation in HIV seropositive recipients, there have been reports as well suggesting there were no unpleasant effects of HIV infection on allograft survival (University of California, 2007). Indeed, there have been two reports of HIV-infected patients going through liver or renal transplantation who demonstrated normal graft function for at least eight years following the transplant. The HIV status of the two was unknown at the time of transplantation; therefore no endeavors were prepared to adjust immunosuppressive therapy. The distinction in these studies may recount to differences in the time of HIV acquisition, with those of longstanding HIV infection prior to transplantation having a faster end relative to those who acquired HIV infection at the time of transplantation. Regardless of standard cyclosporine-based immunosuppressive treatments, there was no proof of OI or progression to AIDS in the first eight years following transplantation (Roland & Stock, 2003). There are multiple other reports of patients with HIV who had gone through transplantation and demonstrated long-term graft survival in the presence of immunosuppression with variable rates of developing AIDS or death. Six of eleven renal allografts were functioning at a mean follow-up of thirty-one months (Roland & Stock, 2003). Effects of Immunosuppressant Agents In order to avoid rejection reaction of the body against transplanted organs, immunosuppressant drugs are being taken to block the immune system from attacking the transplanted organ and preserving its function. As side effect, these drugs can help in HIV progress to AIDS. However, recent studies show that these drugs can also contribute in the reduction of HIV. Inactive T lymphocytes serve as a vital reservoir for HIV regardless of HAART. Immunosuppression may affect the reservoir of HIV-infected cell that persist throughout HAART through reduction of cell-associated HIV by either direct inhibition of viral replication, potentiation of HAART effects, or exhaustion of infected cells and lessening in the accessibility of permissive target cells by preventing T-cell activation. Otherwise, improvement in viral reservoirs can be caused by reduced immune management of HIV-expressing cells (Roland & Stock, 2003). Ethical and Medical Issues Organ shortage is one of the ethical issues in organ transplantation. One distributive fairness criteria is equal access which include length of time waiting (first come, first saved basis), and age (youngest to oldest). The supporters of this criteria has a strong belief that since kidney transplantation can save live, it is an important remedial practice and worth offering to anyone who needs it (Center for Bioethics, 2004). The second type is the maximum benefit, aiming to maximize the quantity of successful transplants. The maximum benefit criteria include medical need (the sickest people are being prioritized for a transplantable organ), and probable success of a transplant (giving organs to the person who will be most likely to live the longest). People who support the maximum benefit philosophy aspire to avoid the wasting of organs, which are quite scarce, so that the greatest benefit is derived from every available organ (Center for Bioethics, 2004). During the Pre-HAART era, HIV-infected patients have a very poor prognosis, many people believes that it would be a waste to use the limited supply of organ to those group of patients that is why many transplant centers are reluctant to practice the transplantation. However, now that the HAART has been launched and the mortality and morbidity rate has been decreasing, it would be unethical to withhold this option in the absence of evidence that it is either unsafe or ineffective. Advancement in HIV Therapy: HAART era Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) has been the primary improvement in the treatment of HIV-infected patients in the previous decade. Numerous studies and observations had proven that advantageous outcomes of HAART also include improvement of HIV-related renal complications. Virologic and histologic evidences imply that HIVAN perhaps the result of HIV-1 reproduction in the kidney. The potential relation of HIVAN with HIV-1 replication in the kidney is associated with epidemiologic and medical records showing that HAART may improve HIVAN. On the other hand, from nephrologist’s perspective, one effect of this achievement has been the emergence of new kidney diseases related to (1) enhanced management of the HIV infection and (2) the prospective nephroxicity of antiretroviral treatments. According to the studies of MD Roland and Stock, medical tests have confirmed apparent survival benefits linked with the use of protease inhibitor (PI)-containing or non-nucleoside reverse-transcriptate inhibitor (NNRTI)-containing regimens (HAART). Epidemiologic statistics show reduced mortality, hospitalization rates, and opportunistic infection (OI) incidence associated with HAART. There have been vivid decline in new AIDS-related OIs, the majority of which are now occurring in people with low CD4+ T cell counts and those who are not receiving medical care (University of California, 2007). Epidemiologic and modeling information sustain the clinical trial efficacy data, signifying that HAART has a considerable effect on medical result (Roland & Stock, 2003). Survival Rate Using the United States Kidney Data System (USRDS) data, the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology analyzed and studied these inputs to find out whether recipient HIV serologic status remains the primary factor in graft and patient survival in modern clinical transplantation. Ninety-five percent of the HIV-infected patients survived after transplantation and only 4. 3% died. Although in the earlier USRDS studies of kidney recipients before the introduction of HAART, the results showed that HIV-infected recipients had a survival of eighty-three percent while the uninfected patients have eighty-eight percent survival rates. While endurance records of HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected patients is almost the same, selection bias may have occurred, prioritizing the healthier patients than HIV-infected individuals. Also, in the studies of MD Roland, data showed that graft survival and rejection rates of HIV-infected patients who had gone through transplantation were similar to those HIV-negative patients (Roland & Stock, 2003). Studies and Observations Methods. This study aims to observe safety and success of kidney transplantation, and learn the effects of immunosuppressant treatments on HIV infection, with the approval of the Institutional evaluation board of two universities: the Drexel University College of Medicine and Hahnemann University Hospital. Forty-five recipients with HIV infection from February 2001 to January 2004 were observed. Patient inclusion criteria were maintenance of HAART, plasma HIV-1 RNA of

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Building a Bridge to the 18th C

Chapter one and two of the book â€Å"Building a bridge to the 18th Century† by Postman Neil is talking about the progress of man through the time he has inhabited the earth and what has been the catapulting force to great heights that has seen him achieve much in little time.Progress is described as a brainchild of enlightment which then releases vitality and inspiring confidence like the one that is seen in the 18th century. Much of what is seen as great achievement of 20th century is as a result of great work and thinking of people in the middle ages. This then transfers enormous credit to the philosophers and scientists in middle ages for starting the progress back then.The 18th century has been depicted as a period of great thinkers who invented things virtually in all spheres of life and for mankind to progress; the answer does not lie in the future or the current times but going back to that great century.The progress being advocated for is scientific or technological a dvancement which requires no moral authority as opposed to moral progress that can be attributed to enlightment coupled with poetic imagination.The two forms of progress happen concurrently and it is hard to separate them throughout the ages that man has sought to tread in footsteps of enlightment.The idea of rationality, materialism and deconstruction have been discussed at length but not well understood owing to the fact they are mainly articulated from a Christian perspective of philosophers who were mainly Christians.Therefore their fundamental understanding of rationality is through idealism advanced in those times of insurgency and revolt against the orthodox running of the Christian faith. It follows that rationality has radical expression through progress.ReferencePostman, N. (1999). Building a Bridge to the Eighteenth Century: Ideas from the Past That Can Improve Our Future. New York: Alfred A. Knopf Incorporated

Friday, September 27, 2019

Business information system Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Business information system - Case Study Example n the case study with regard to their course and the benefits a management student expects to gain (BIS 2011, Abramowicz, Maciaszek, WeÃŒ ¨cel & International Conference on Business Process and Services Computing, 2011). It means different things to different people. However, they vary in approach, structure and style. The situation must be dealt well by the student learning in decision making and role manager situation. Several alternatives can be chosen in courses of action in the described situation being faced by the decision maker. However, there are no answers which are correct and unique in the method of case study. Class large group discussions, small group discussion, and individual preparation are the three stages of case study method comprising of different roles (BIS 2011, Abramowicz, Maciaszek, WeÃŒ ¨cel & International Conference on Business Process and Services Computing, 2011). Before each class, student’s intensive preparation is required in the method unlike teaching based on the lecture. First the case should be read thoroughly and severally to grasp the described situation with the facts being familiarized and important description of the student noted (Sharma, 2014). Thorough understanding must be acquired by the student, main protagonist identification and their relationship keeping in mind the different kinds of presentation in the case study. Speculation (non verified information), assumptions generated during discussion and case analysis and inferences which represents the judgment of individuals in a situation given. However, they are not equally valuable. Upon reliance on the facts, quality decisions can be seen (BIS 2011, Abramowicz, Maciaszek, WeÃŒ ¨cel & International Conference on Business Process and Services Computing, 2011). Internal evaluation part might be a case written analysis and must be properly structured when needed by a student. A structure of specific guidelines may be provided by the instructor. However, a neat and

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Capital Punishment in the United Kingdom Research Paper

Capital Punishment in the United Kingdom - Research Paper Example The elimination of the death penalty in all circumstances eventually took place in 1998. Similarly, the 13th Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights in 2004 outlawed the restoration of the death penalty, provided that the United Kingdom continued to be a party to the convention. History of Capital Punishment in the United Kingdom Hanging used to be the chief mode of execution in the United Kingdom since the 5th Century; other practices included drawing, quartering, beheading, burning at the stake, shooting, drowning, and hurling from cliffs. In 1196, the first person was hanged at Tyburn as a punishment for sedition. From 1351, the capital offences that attracted the death penalty included treason, witchcraft, murder, rape, piracy, robbery, arson, embezzlement of master properties, and theft (Davies 2007, p. 107). Efforts directed at the abolition of the death penalty had been ongoing since the late 1700s. In 1770, Sir William Meredith challenged parliament to consider pr oportionate punishments rather than capital punishments. Nevertheless, the proposal failed; however, it opened up the debate. Every year, there were over thousand death sentencing, although only a sizeable number of executions took place (Levinson 2002, p.155). In 1810, Sir Samuel Romilly remarked that United Kingdom had the most offences according to law to be punished by the death penalty. At its height, the criminal law, otherwise labeled as the â€Å"Bloody Code,† had categorized 220 crimes punishable by death. Sir Samuel Romilly attempted to convince parliament to de-capitalize minor offences, especially much of the Act of King William (Block & Hostettler 1997, p.109). Execution for crimes such as murder, robbery, and burglary were frequent; however, capital punishment for minor offenders were mainly not carried out. Nevertheless, in some instances, children could be executed for crimes such as stealing. A death sentence could be commuted on the grounds of benefit of cle rgy, official pardons, or execution of military duty (Stearman 2008, p.47). Statistics indicate that, between 1770 and 1830, close to 35,000 death sentences were handed out, out of which about 7,000 executions happened. At the time, prisons comprised of small, crowded, and badly run institutions, a situation that led to incorporation of punishments like transportation of offenders to distant lands such as America and Australia. During the 1830s, the masses had started to express doubts on the punishments (Block and Hostettler 1997, p. 110). Many more prisons were built while the old ones were extended to avail a fresh mode of punishment. The overriding notion centered on making prisons unpleasant places to stay in order to discourage people from committing crimes. Reform In Europe, reforms on the subject of the death penalty, championed by academics, started around 1750. Year 1808 witnessed abolishment of capital punishment for pickpockets and lesser offenders. This set the onset fo r the reform process perpetuated over the next fifty years. Nevertheless, capital punishment remained operational even though the government occasionally commuted the death penalty. The Judgment of Death Act 1823 awarded power to judges to commute the death penalty excluding cases of treason and murder (Levinson 2002, p.156). The Punishment of Death Act 1

How Taxes Affect Economic Efficiency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

How Taxes Affect Economic Efficiency - Essay Example According to Keynesians, tax cuts have a negative impact on the growth of wages (Ryan, 2011). There are some countries where governments encourage international trade while on the other side, some raise barriers. Some governments impose just enough tax to support various government expenditures while some levy taxes which burden the whole population (Kroeger, 2011). Adam Smith is revered in the field of economics because of his remarkable work on free-market economics and taxation. There are many economists of the modern times who consider Adam Smith the best tax economist of all time. According to Smith, the resources of a nation are allocated in the most efficient manner through an 'invisible hand'. According to Smith's view, taxes should be levied in such a way that they optimize and satisfy four variables. These variables include equity, transparency, convenience, and efficiency. According to Smith, by imposing limited taxes, economies can maximize their wealth (Kroeger, 2011). T axes are imposed by a government to support some basic functions. These legitimate functions include education, defense, and the construction as well as maintenance of roads. In a market economy, the allocation of resources depends on the forces of demand and supply. In order to understand the ultimate impact of tax on economics, it is imperative to evaluate this impact in terms of the purchasing power of individuals as well as the economy's aggregate supply. One of the basic concepts of economics is that an increase in demand leads to the production of more goods and services in order to fulfill the demand. It implies that if producers can sell more because of an increase in demand of their products then they need to produce more goods to satiate the increasing demand. The imposition of tax deprives tax payers from a portion of their money that they would have spend on consumption. If it is accepted that the imposition of tax only deprives people from money than it would be conclud ed that taxes have a negative impact on economy. However, by looking at the other side of coin, it can be comprehended that the money which people spend on taxes eventually turns into government's income. Government spends this money on the welfare of the public which in turns enhance the economic growth (Kroeger, 2011). The income of one person depends on the spending of others. When government spends the money, it ultimately turns into the income of the public. Similarly, when the public pays taxes, it becomes the income of the government. So, it is wrong to say that the imposition of taxes drops the aggregate spending in fact it causes it to increase. If tax payers save their money instead of paying taxes, it will impact government expenditures and will decrease the overall consumption and in turn the overall economic efficiency. Similarly, if government saves money and does not spend it then it would ultimately affect the public. It proves that the act of saving money is not ben eficial for the overall economy of a country but it creates problems. This act is really harmful for the economy of the country. A very obvious example of the harmful effects of this act is the Great Depression. The Great Depression occurs because people who could have opted for spending money chose to save it. However, those who wanted to spend money were deprived of it (Kroeger 2011). The long term expenditures of government increase with the growth of population. Therefore government needs money to

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Aviation Argument Paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Aviation Argument - Term Paper Example The White paper has a self-serving interpretation of the air traffic control outsourcing proposal. Indeed, the time for the outsourcing of the American air traffic control jobs is now. The outsourcing of the air traffic control job contains many issues. The research centers on the advantages of outsourcing. The research focuses on the White paper’s biased analysis of the outsourcing alterative. The time for outsourcing the air traffic control processes must not be delayed further. The privatization of ATC will improve current air traffic service. Ron Hira (2008) emphasized â€Å"Offshore outsourcing in the services sector is a major shift in how our economy operates, and it will have serious impacts on the trajectory of economic growth, national security, the distribution of income, and the workforce. These impacts will be both positive and negative. When the business owners and consultants who are moving jobs overseas claim that their actions will have a clear net positive, they are merely fortune telling†. In terms of air safety data shows that Canada’s air safety is better than the current United States air safety program. Canada outsources its air traffic control responsibilities. In addition, there is better safety statistics in United States airports run by private contractors (outsource companies) when compared to the air safety statistics of United States airports run by Federal Aviation Administration or FAA. In addition, Nav Canada complied with all requirements to effectively and efficiently control the landing and takeoff of planes with its airports. The Canada outsourcing companies cooperated with NORAD and Federal Aviation Administration by implementing high quality air traffic control operations. With privatization, there will be smoother and quicker implementation of advanced air traffic control technology, which is beyond the current FAA’s current slow modernization activities. Outsourcing

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Declaration of Independence- Thomas Jefferson Final Term Paper

Declaration of Independence- Thomas Jefferson Final - Term Paper Example Distinctively enumerated into exceptional divisions, the writer demonstrated some rare writing skills that make it one of the best literal state papers. The Declaration of Independence can be divided into an introduction, a clearly developed preamble, a section describing the indictment of the Crown, denunciation of the American oppressors (the British) and a good conclusion. Any paper passing the test of good writing must at least show such organization. Throughout the document, artistic or literary devices (rhetoric devices) can be pointed out to prove the fact that the writer must have had tremendous proficiency with the topic of artistic discourse. With the topic of the Declaration of Independence at hand, this paper will tackle Thomas Jefferson’s rhetoric and the play of words he had used in the formation of this historical document. With the basis of textual analyses of the Declaration of Independence, historical interpretations will be conducted in order to explain the American context under the British colonial government. This paper will also explain the educational background of Thomas Jefferson – one that honed him as an eloquent writer of the mentioned document. Before going into the analyses of the Declaration’s text, it is important to give light to its author Thomas Jefferson. Although history has had laughable doubts of according Jefferson the credit of the text authorship, controversies of such nature are interesting to tackle. One good example of a weak school of thought that the authorship of the Declaration of Independence could be not of Thomas Jefferson is the belated publication of Mecklenburg Declaration. Mecklenburg Declaration which was allegedly duplicated by Jefferson. But as the proponents of this thought steadfastly argued, the controversy was later found out to be a â€Å"hoax†. It was disproven by Jefferson himself. Scholars

Monday, September 23, 2019

Monopoly and Microsoft Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Monopoly and Microsoft - Essay Example As will be demonstrated in this brief analytical response, it is the belief of this author that an monopoly, regardless of its shape, size, or form, is ultimately destructive to the market and harmful to the end consumer (Kapoor, 2009). As such, the case of Microsoft and a discussion of economic theory, as well as the behavior that Microsoft has indicated over the past several decades, will be engaged as a means of understanding this particular approach. Furthermore, it is the hope of this author that the reader will come to a more profound level of understanding with respect to the fact that monopolies are ultimately harmful and do not represent a net benefit to the society as a whole (figures 1 and 2 within the appendix of this brief work demonstrate the harm that a monopoly can have with regards to increased prices paid by the end consumer). Monopoly and Microsoft: In understanding the monopoly that Windows has on the user experience of operating a PC, one should not only look to the way in which the firm dominates the operating system itself. Instead, a quick consideration of recent history reveals that Microsoft has long cultivated the monopoly that it now holds (Ohlhausen, 2004). For instance, Microsoft purposefully packaged Internet Explorer within Windows 95 and after as a means of decreasing the market presence and overall level of profitability that Netscape could have in the market (Gisser, 2011). As this was an effective tool towards decreasing competition, and Microsoft soon learned the benefit of packaged software’s ability to further define the market that it had already captured, much the same technique was employed with regards to the audio/video player of Windows Media Player (Vogelstein, 2004). Realizing the a litany of different startups were threatening to take market share from Microsoft, the same strategy of packaging Windows Media Player into the operating system as a means of integrating the product with what can only be describe d as a captive market (Greene et al. ,2004). As can be firmly noted, the monopolistic model of competition is ultimately harmful to the market and to the consumer. The only entity that benefits from such a model is obviously the producer. As figure 1 and figure 2 both denote, a certain level of deadweight loss is portended by the monopoly. As a graphical representation helps the reader to understand, this deadweight loss is actually stolen from the equilibrium price and demand; thereby making the good under monopolistic competition greatly higher priced than it would be in normal competition. As previously denoted, this in and of itself is engaged by the monopoly seller as a means of incurring further profits. Figure 1: Figure 2: Microsoft’s Approach to Profitability and the Engagement of the Monopoly as a Function of Capitalist Drive Likewise, in seeking to understand the approach that Microsoft has engaged, it can only be defined as one that is bounded by rational self inte rest in the sense of continuing to accrue further levels of profitability and continue to integrate into further markets (Cohen et al., 1999). Even a cursory review into the current time does not reveal a Microsoft that allows its fate to be pinned upon the success or failure of an operating system; rather, when one looks at the face of Microsoft, one can see a firm that has recently expanded to purchase a controlling

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Ice and Snow Removal Essay Example for Free

Ice and Snow Removal Essay Ice can affect an airplane’s engine two ways. First, it can form in the carburetor of the engine, blocking the travel of the fuel-air mixture through the carb and possibly resulting in engine failure. Second, ice can also form over the air inlets through which the stream of air must flow on its way to the intake system of the power plant (Eichenberg, 2001 p. 14). Deep inside of the carb, there is a little passageway through increase in its temperature because the compression physically forces the molecules of the gas closer to each other. When the compressive force is removed, as it is when the fuel-air mixture travels back into a wide opening of the venturi, the temperature of the gas drops. Cooling occurs because the compressive force has been removed and the molecules spread out; hence, molecular activity (heat) declines. A small flapper that controls how much fuel air mixture is allowed to go into the cylinders is placed in or very near the venturi tube. This flapper device is called a â€Å"throttle place. † When you push in or pull out the throttle control in the cockpit, the action is to move the throttle plate in the carburetor. In turn, the throttle plate is regulating the amount of the fuel-air mixture that is being fed to the intake system of the engine: more flow, more power; less flow, less power. It works the same way in a car engine (Andersland and Ladanyi, 2004 p. 242). When the air is colder than freezing, ice loves to form on the edges of hard objects that are placed in the stream of the air laden with water vapor. Moreover, the temperature drop in the carburetor can be as much as 90F and the freezing point of water is 32 °F, carburetor ice can be a possibility anytime (Lankford, 2000 p. 68); hence, the removal of ice and snow is necessary . Discussion Ice Formation and the Processes Involved In understanding the concepts of ice and snow removal, it is essential to understand the process behind the rationale of ice formation in these structures to further comprehend the rationale behind the mechanics of ice and snow removal. Icing on the airframe of an airplane is deadly, although severity cannot be overemphasized (Andersland and Ladanyi, 2004 p. 242). Any accumulation is a situation that must be dealt with immediate concern especially is it has been prior to plane functioning. The course of action the pilot takes depends upon many factors, including but certainly not limited to whether the airplane has any ice-protection equipment. Normally the water in the air is in a gaseous state, and we refer to it as water vapor. Water vapor will change to the liquid state at a certain temperature (determined by atmospheric conditions) and become visible, and such temperature is considered as the dew point (Eichenberg, 2001 p. 14). When the dew point is lower than the ambient temperature, the vapor remains a gas, and the water molecules may not be evident in the air. When much vapor is contained in the air that the air cannot hold any more, the humidity has reached or very nearly approached the 100% level (Ashford, Stanton, Moore, 1997 p. 312). When humidity hits 100 percent, dew point and temperature will be the same, and water vapor will start becoming visible. The formation may evidently become fog, clouds, rain, drizzle, or other forms (Eichenberg, 2001 p. 16). Airplanes can fly just fine through most visible moisture as long as the temperature at the flight level is warm enough that the water do not freeze. However, when the ambient temperatures are cold enough that the water in the air is already frozen, it generally will not adhere to the airframe: hence, structural icing is not generally a problem in those conditions. Water can exist in the liquid state at temperatures below 32F. It is called super cooled water (Ashford, Stanton, Moore, 1997 p. 313). The science behind this phenomenon is complex, and it is essential to understand that super cooled water can be present even though the temperature outside the airplane below freezing. When a droplet of super cooled water hits the airplane, the surface tension on the outside of the droplet breaks (Andersland and Ladanyi, 2004 p. 247). Since the airframe is cold and at or below freezing, if the ambient temperature is likewise, the droplet freezes to the airframe upon impact, and ice forms. Ignore the friction heating that occurs on the leading edges of the airframe, when though the space shuttle gets red hot from friction as it reenters the atmosphere, it will not gain any similar effect in a small airplane (Andersland and Ladanyi, 2004 p.246). At speeds faster than about 400 knots, ice seldom adheres to airframes, but does not go that fast either. When your light airplane goes through the applicable atmospheric conditions, ice will form on it (Lankford, 2000 p. 64). Airframe icing can also occur when the clouds or other visible moisture and the surface of the airplane are at a temperature slightly warmer than freezing and the water is not super cooled. As water droplets hit the airframe and splatter, they cool slightly (Eichenberg, 2001 p. 16). Expect airframe ice in temperatures as warm as about 34 °Ã¢â‚¬â€36 °F. Ice that forms on the structure of the airplane falls into three classifications: rime, clear, and mixed. Rime ice is cloudy in appearance due primarily to the fact that it contains air entrained within the ice (Ashford, Stanton, Moore, 1997 p. 312). Clear ice is smooth and much more transparent than is rime because it has little if any air trapped inside. On the other hand, mixed ice is a combination of rime and clear types. The Dangers of Ice and the Rationale for its Removal Ice and snow removal in air crafts post various risks that may affect the passengers and the crew present especially during flight. Our discussion about the effects of ice on the airframe and dealing with icing encounters assumes that flying an airplane that is not approved for flight into known icing conditions. Only a very few light, single engine airplanes are so approved, while the greatest majority of light planes cannot be flown into icing conditions, either legally or safely (Ashford, Stanton, Moore, 1997 p. 314). Accumulations of ice on the airframe do three things, none of which is positive: airfoils change shape, weight is added, and drag increases The worst part of airframe ice is the simple fact that all three negatives act together—you never get just one or two of them (Eichenberg, 2001 p. 16). When ice accumulates, the airplane needs to carry more weight, with a wing that has far less lifting power than it will when clean of ice, and the airplane’s increased drag must be overcome by a propeller that cannot produce its normal thrust, since it is contaminated with ice too (Andersland and Ladanyi, 2004 p. 248). This combination has effects that are exponential in the decreased performance of the airplane. Any amount of Ice on the wings, tail surfaces, and propeller changes the shape of the affected surface. This change of shape changes the airfoil and alters its characteristics. Ice never accumulates exactly the same way twice, so when flying an airplane, not approved for known icing conditions, and get into ice with it (Kazda and Caves, 2007 p. 112). When a factory seeks certification of an airplane for flight into known icing, any experiments and analyses are performed that do not done for a lightplane, which is not going to be certified for known icing (Ashford, Stanton, Moore, 1997 p. 313). The manufacturer will do, or contract to have done, what is known as an impingement analysis. This means that, through the use of computer models and scientific analysis, engineers will look at the airfoils and determine where water droplets of certain sizes will affect the leading edge. After the impingement analysis is completed, the airplane will be flown in natural icing conditions as a part of its certification trials (Vinson, Rooney, 2006 p. 72). Often, a model of the wing will be put into a wind tunnel that can spray water droplets onto it, and further test the results of the impingement analysis. Moreover, the airplane will be flown behind a tanker that sprays water onto it so the flight test people can see how the entire deicing system works in flight (Eichenberg, 2001 p. 18). None of these steps is taken when certifying an airplane that will not be approved for flight into known icing (Andersland and Ladanyi, 2004 p. 248). Such is the reason for precarious position when getting into ice in a typical light plane, which has never been tested or certified for known icing. Nobody knows what shape the airfoils will take as Ice builds on them. As the accumulation progresses, the shapes of the wing, tail surfaces, and prop are continually changing (Kazda and Caves, 2007 p. 114). No one knows the handling qualities, stall speeds, stall characteristics, reduction of prop thrust, or any of the other performance parameters of what is now a totally new and different airplane (Ashford, Stanton, Moore, 1997 p. 314). Ice adds mass to the entire airframe where it adheres. Mass equals weight; therefore, an airplane encountering ice gets heavier as the ice grows. Ice is also very heavy. Water weighs about 64 pounds per cubic foot, and recall that clear ice will be very close to the weight of water (Andersland and Ladanyi, 2004 p. 246). Rime and mixed ice will be a little lighter, but not by much. As the buildup occurs, the drag penalty increases, and again the effects grow at exponential rates. Even small parts of the airplane, like radio antennae, once coated with ice, become producers of large amounts of drag (Vinson, Rooney, 2006 p. 71). Snow and Ice Removal in Ground Areas Occasionally, some will find an airport that will use sand on a runway and other paved areas, but sand can wreak havoc when ingested into turbine engines, it can also be picked up by propellers and heavily abrade them With the increasing jet and turboprop fleets, sand is not used much anymore. Most airports do a very good job of plowing snow from the areas where airplanes operate (Eichenberg, 2001 p. 16). However, plowing alone cannot remove all of the snow, and is little help at clearing ice from the paved areas. Even though the modern chemicals do some good, a runway cannot be rid of ice like a road can where salt is used. Pilots have to expect and deal with ice on the ground.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Edgar Allan Poe and Imagery

Edgar Allan Poe and Imagery Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore, while I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, as of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. Tis some visitor, I muttered, tapping at my chamber door only this, and nothing more. (Poe, The Raven, 1845) It is with this stanza that Edgar Allan Poe opens his epic poem The Raven; and it is with this descriptive opening that the reader is thrown into a world unbeknown to anything imaginable, the world of Edgar Allan Poe the master of horror and imagery. Edgar Allen Poe was born January, 19th, 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts to Parents David Poe Jr. and Elizabeth Arnold Hopkins Poe. Edgar had a younger sister Rosalie Poe and an older brother William Henry Leonard Poe. When Edgar Poe was only 1 year old his father David Poe Jr. left Elizabeth to struggle to care for Edgar and his siblings. It was in the time following the departure of his father that Edgars mother Elizabeth came down will tuberculosis. Being poor Elizabeth had no choice but to cling to life at a boarding house, all the while young Edgar watched helplessly as his mother slowly sank into delirium until finally passing. Following the death of his mother Elizabeth Arnold Hopkins Poe, Edgar and his siblings were scattered to three different foster homes throughout Richmond, Virginia. Edgar was eventfully cared for by John Allan, a wealthy tobacco merchant, who cared for Edgar as if he was his own child and welcomed Edgar into his family with open arms. (Biography: Edgar Alle n Poe, 1994) (Who Is Edgar Allan Poe?) It was during his younger years that Mrs. Allen would shower Edgar with affection, and at for Edgar things were good, but much like Edgars early life things would not remain, much like Elizabeth Poe, Edgars foster mother stricken with tuberculosis. During this time a rift between Edgar and Mr. Allen grew. It was following this time that Mr. Allen sent Edgar to attend the University of Virginia. It was during this time that Edgar Allan Poe developed great gambling debt. During that time debtors prison did exist. Fearing being sent to prison, Edgar joined the United States army in 1827 under an assumed name Edgar a Perry. After two year in the army Edgar Allan Poe was discharged in1829 following the death of his foster mother Frances Allan on February 28, 1829 The Death of Frances Allan affected Edgar vastly and much like the death of his mother Edgar would carry her death throughout life often revering itself in Poes writings. (Biography: Edgar Allen Poe, 1994) (Who Is Edgar Allan Poe ?) After the death of Frances Allan, Poe moved to Baltimore where he would eventually marry his first cousin, 13 year old Virginia Clemm. Their marriage was a happy one. That was until 1942 when his wife Virginia devolved tuberculosis. The next five years were as Edgar was already accustomed to a living hell. Edgar would care for Virginia, up until her death in 1847. During the time after his wife Virginias death Edgar Allan Poe would go through great torment. He would drink to inebriation often and go through periods of insanity. It wasnt until 1849 that Edgar Allan Poe would finally be relieved of the demons he found in his life. On October 7th 1949 Edgar Allan Poe died of unknown causes at the age of 40. (Biography: Edgar Allen Poe, 1994) (Who Is Edgar Allan Poe?) Edgar Allan Poe was a fantastic writer who would use various styles and elements to create every detail present in his work. Edgar Allan Poe would often take events that occurred in his life and transcribe them into his work. Such pieces of work as the red death and even the raven depict chilling demons found in the life of Edgar Allan Poe. (Biography: Edgar Allen Poe, 1994) (Who Is Edgar Allan Poe?) One technique that he often used to portray a since of imagery is the unity of effect. The unity of effect is simply the total sum of every detail in the story combined to reach the ending. Edgar Allan Poe would use his characters, the setting, the mood, and various other aspects to draw the reader into his story, and it was this unity of effect that world ultimately lead the reader to feel a part of the story and upon conclusion make the reader feel the general mood that Edgar Allan Poe wanted for his ending. (Poe, The Philosophy of Composition) The unity of effect can be found in most of Edgar Allan Poes writing but none predominately as in The Fall of the House of Usher. To draw the reader into a dark world where vampires exist, and where the effects of Roderick usher burying his sister Madeline Usher drive Roderick into a state never seen before, one of sorrow, mystery, and terror, Edgar Allan Poe used both imagery and the unity of effect. (Poe, The Philosophy of Composition) Edgar Allan Poe opens his short story The Fall of the House of Usher using the unity of effect; He does this by providing the reader with a chilling depiction of the setting outside the house of usher. A dull, dark, and soundless day in the autumn of the year, when the clouds hung oppressively low in the heavens, I had been passing alone, on horseback, through a singularly dreary tract of country (Poe, The Fall Of The House Of Usher, p. 738). This opening sets the tone for the entire story as you jump into the role of the Narrator a boyhood friend of Roderick ride horseback thought a dark and gloomy country side to help Roderick in his time of need. Edgar Allan Poe further uses the unity of effect in his description of the house of usher. ` With the first glimpse of the building, a sense of insufferable gloom pervaded my spirit. I say insufferable; for the feeling was unrelieved by any of that half-pleasurable, because poetic, sentiment, with which the mind usually receives even the sternest natural images of the desolate or terrible. I looked upon the scene before me upon the mere house, and the simple landscape features of the domain upon the bleak walls upon the vacant eye-like windows upon a few rank sedges and upon a few white trunks of decayed trees with an utter depression of soul which I can compare to no earthly sensation more properly than to the after-dream of the reveler upon opium the bitter lapse into everyday life the hideous dropping off of the veil. There was iciness, a sinking, a sickening of the heart an unredeemed dreariness of thought which no goading of the imagination could torture into aught of the sublime. (Poe, The Fall Of The House Of Usher, p. 738) This description of the house of usher creates a feeling of horror which casts down the readers spine and lies in the pit of ones stomach, for as a reader I can now say that nothing good rests in the house of usher. Edgar Allan Poe also uses the unity of effect in his description of the characters. I gazed upon him with a feeling half of pity, half of awe. Surely, man had never before so terribly altered, in so brief a period, as had Roderick Usher! It was with difficulty that I could bring myself to admit the identity of the wan being before me with the companion of my early boyhood. Yet the character of his face had been at all times remarkable. A cadaverousness of complexion ; an eye large, liquid, and luminous beyond comparison ; lips somewhat thin and very pallid, but of a surpassingly beautiful curve ; a nose of a delicate Hebrew model, but with a breadth of nostril unusual in similar formations ; a finely moulded chin, speaking, in its want of prominence, of a want of moral energy; hair of a more than web-like softness and tenuity ; these features, with an inordinate expansion above the regions of the temple, made up altogether a countenance not easily to be forgotten. And now in the mere exaggeration of the prevailing character of these features, and of the expression t hey were wont to convey, lay so much of change that I doubted to whom I spoke. (Poe, The Fall Of The House Of Usher, pp. 740-741) Edgar Allan Poes description of Roderick usher helps the reader understand and feel what horrors Roderick has seen and what awaits the reader in his stay at the house of usher. Edgar Allan Poe uses the unity of effect in other manners such as the reading of the Mad Trist where you (The narrator) and Roderick read the story only to hear the noise emanating from outside your chamber door. It is in this part of the story that the end of draws near, but not only that of the story but possibly of you. It is in the end where Edgar Allan Poe completes his unity of effect and succeeds in collaboration every aspect of the story into one feeling at the end, that of terror. There did stand the lofty and enshrouded figure of the lady Madeline of Usher. There was blood upon her white robes, and the evidence of some bitter struggle upon every portion of her emaciated frame. For a moment she remained trembling and reeling to and fro upon the threshold then, with a low moaning cry, fell heavily inward upon the person of her brother, and in her violent and now final death-agonies, bore him to the floor a corpse, and a victim to the terrors he had anticipated (Poe, The Fall Of The House Of Usher, p. 750) Edgar Allan Poes short story The Fall of the House of Usher uses the unity of effect in great lengths to help the reader dive into the role of the narrator and truly feel the terror in which he felt. Edgar Allan Poe archives this through using various descriptive techniques thought the story to link every aspect in some way to the ending. It is through that; that Edgar Allan Poe archives his unity of effect in the short story The Fall of the House of Usher. Edgar Allan Poe used imagery in every one of his writings to allow the reader to completely immerse themselves into his writings. In reading any of Edgar Allan Poes work it becomes obvious that Edgar Allan Poe is in many ways a master of imagery. His writing style differs greatly from any other style I have ever seen. Edgar Allan Poe allows the reader to assume to lead in each and every one of his works. One such piece of work is the raven. In the poem the raven, Edgar Allan Poe uses great imagery to portray a felling of horror, of grief and of madness, madness brought on by the loss of a love, Lenore. The poem the raven tells of a man, a young poet who is morning the loss of his love Lenore. When suddenly there was a knock on his door when he goes to inspect it, he soon finds that there is nothing there. This goes on repeatedly until the entrance of a raven, which utters but one word nevermore. It is with both the raven and his uttering of nevermore that the poet drives himself into insanity curing, and pleading with the raven, that he believes is a messenger from the afterlife. In the raven Edgar Allan Poe uses imagery to allow the reader to enter the world of the young poet, to revel in the madness found within. It is in the second and third stanzas that Edgar Allan Poe uses imagery to portray both the setting and the first tone of horror found in the raven. Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December, and each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor. Eagerly I wished the morrow; vainly I had sought to borrow From my books surcease of sorrow sorrow for the lost Lenore For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore Nameless here for evermore. And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain Thrilled me filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before; So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating `Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; This it is, and nothing more, (Poe, The Raven, 1845) In these stanzas Edgar Allan Poe begins to describe the setting, the descriptive nature in Edgar Allan Poes the raven chills my bones. In the raven Edgar Allan Poe used various symbols and hints to lead the reader to create an image in their head and allow them to become the poet. One such symbol is the poem being set in December. December is a cold month, its darkness and its cold, breaths death. The chill of the winter night allows the reader to imagine a dark cold windy night, the embers of the fire gently glowing on the floor; the purple curtains fluttering in the wind, each symbol bring you further into the world of the raven. This is what Edgar Allan Poe does best; he used great imagery to portray his overall tone. In the raven each and every line brings the reader deeper and deeper into madness. Edgar Allan Poe not only uses imagery to allow the reader to enter a physical image in their mind but to also allow the reader to enter an emotional image as well. One such example is in Edgar Allan Poes poem Annabel Lee. In this poem Edgar Allan Poe describes his love for Virginia dubbed Annabel Lee and the heart ache brought about from her untimely death. It was many and many a year ago, In a kingdom by the sea, That a maiden there lived whom you may know By the name of ANNABEL LEE; And this maiden she lived with no other thought Than to love and be loved by me. (Poe, Annabel Lee, 1849) Lines 1-6) The Opening stanza in Annabel Lee creates a feeling of love. The repetition of the line In a kingdom by the sea creates a felling of solidarity of importance, that the love between you and Annabel lee is all that matters and the love you two share is in its own way a kingdom by the sea, that your love creates a world a kingdom your kingdom by the sea. The angels, not half so happy in heaven, Went envying her and me- Yes!- that was the reason (as all men know, In this kingdom by the sea) That the wind came out of the cloud by night, Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee. (Poe, Annabel Lee, 1849) (Lines 21-26) This stanza in Annabel Lee creates the image of a battle between the heavens and your Annabel lee. This stanza allow the reader to imagine angels looking down from heaven at your Annabel Lee looking with such hatred, so envy, that they had no other choice but to kill her taking your Annabel Lee. Another thing that this stanza portrays the overall obsession Edgar Allan Poe had with Virginia (Annabel Lee). To Justify Annabel Lees death by stating that the angels envy your love for each other so in turn they took Annabel lees life. It is in the poem Annabel Lee that Edgar Allan Poe allows the reader to identify themselves with Poe himself. It is with Annabel Lee that Poe creates a vision within himself one that portrays his life with Virginia and how even in death Virginia and he will be together. But our love it was stronger by far than the love Of those who were older than we- Of many far wiser than we- And neither the angels in heaven above, Nor the demons down under the sea, Can ever dissever my soul from the soul Of the beautiful Annabel Lee. For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams Of the beautiful Annabel Lee; And the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes Of the beautiful Annabel Lee; And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side Of my darling- my darling- my life and my bride, In the sepulchre there by the sea, In her tomb by the sounding sea. (Poe, Annabel Lee, 1849) (Lines 27- 42) From looking at Edgar Allan Poes life and from analyzing Annabel Lee I can clearly see how Edgar Allan Poe uses imagery to create a feeling of an eternal love. It can also be said that Annabel Lee creates an image of Poe that is all but flattering, one that portrays Poe and an over obsessive husband. Who even through death will both love and be with Annabel Lee. From analyzing his life and biographies one can say that Edgar Allan Poe was madly in love with Virginia, and in writing Annabel Lee, Edgar Allan Poe clearly depicts both his love and obsession for Virginia. There are many lines in Annabel lee that show this. Edgar Allan Poe lived a life unlike any other. His life was that of death and sorrow, of heartache and misery. Edgar Allan Poe uses his tragic life as a muse in all of his pieces of work. The Red Mask of Death, The Raven, Annabel Lee, The Fall of the house of Usher, Etc all of these pieces of work represent a tragic event in Edgar Allan Poes life. It is in using this muse that Edgar Allan Poe can create an image so strong that the reader forgets what is real and what fiction is. It is in creating this feeling that Edgar Allan Poe truly earns his title as a master if imagery. So in conclusion Edgar Allan Poe uses great description, imagery and the unity of effect to create a world for the reader. A world of horror, of sorrow, of long lost long, that in which none could ever imagine a world of Edgar Allan Poe.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Tetanus Toxin: Structure and Purification

Tetanus Toxin: Structure and Purification Tetanus is regarded amongst the most severe and fatal disease since ancient times [1]. Tetanus is termed from a Greek word ‘Tetanos’ which means- to contract *. The disease is generally initiated due to deep wounds, cuts, and during catastrophic situations like natural calamities, physical trauma, etc. [a] It was first discovered by Hippocrates in early 19th century *. However it was etiologically described by Carle and Rattone who were first to produce tetanus in animals by injecting pus extracted from an infected human with the same disease in 1884. During this same period Nicolaier also produced tetanus in animals from soil samples. Further research in 1889 by Kitasato revealed that animals were infected by this disease when they were injected with a particular organism isolated from a human patient *. Nocard in 1897 revealed that this disease can be treated by the use of its antitoxin. Moreover in 1924 the significance of toxoid came into existence during World War I which was formulated by Descombey and this passive immunization against tetanus was majorly used during World War II *. Structure of tetanus toxin: The tetanus toxin is of 150kD comprising of three fragments i.e. A,B and C having a molecular weight of 50kD each [n]. Fragments A and B were observed to be non-spastically toxic and also to block the release of catecholamine. It also inhibits the action of synaptic nerves and thus exhibits an important role in the toxicity of the toxin. On the other hand fragment C is regarded as the non-toxic subunit but retaining the required antigenic properties of the toxin. This fragment is seen to bind with gangliosides, motor endplates and synaptic membranes. It also helps in transportation of the toxin from the periphery to the central nervous system [o]. Krieglestein et al. in 1990 stated that tetanus toxin is a 151-kD protein. The complete amino acid sequence is known. The mature toxin is made of two peptide and contains 10 half-cystine residues. Treatment with 4-vinylpyridine in the presence of 6M guanidine converted six of them into s-pyridylethyl cysteine residues are determines by amino acid analysis. When alkylation was preceded by mercaptolysis, all 10 halfcystine residues were recovered in the s-pyridylethylated form. It was therefore concluded that the toxin contains six sulfhydryl groups and two disulfide bond [r] Mode of Action: Rossetto et al. in 2001 reported that the neuroparalytic syndromes of tetanus is caused by neurotoxins produced by bacteria of the genus Clostridium of 150 kDa proteins consisting of three-domains, endowed with different functions: neurospecific binding, membrane translocation and specific proteolysis of three key components of the neuroexocytosis apparatus. After binding to the presynaptic membrane of motoneurons, tetanus neurotoxin (TeNT) is internalized and transported retroaxonally to the spinal cord, where it blocks neurotransmitter release from spinal inhibitory interneurons. TeNT cleave specifically at single but different peptide bonds, VAMP/synaptobrevin, a membrane protein of small synaptic vesicles [s]. Kegel et al. in 2002 stated that the 50kD ligh chain subunit comprises of zinc metalloproteases which cleaves synatobrevin that is not involved in neuroexocytosis [t]. Foster in 2009 Stated that TeNT enters the body via wounds and initially binds and internalizes into the peripheral terminals of motorneurons where it is transported by retrograde axonal transport to the motorneuron in the spinal cord. TeNT is transported to somatodendritic postsynaptic sites and is released into the synaptic cleft where it undergoes receptor mediated uptake into the presynaptic termini of the inhibitory interneurons, from where it translocates into the cytosol and inhibits neurotransmitter release. [u]. Starting material for purification of tetanus toxin: Raynaud in 1951 developed a technique of using non-autolyzed toxin direct from the organism i.e. Clostridium tetani [i] .This technique gave an advantage of obtaining a more concentrated form of toxin as compared to that obtained from the filtrates [i][j]. For this purpose the organism was generally cultured and subcultured using Tarozzi medium* and modified Tarozzi medium [j] Latham medium was also widely used for the same reason [j] [k]. M. Matsuda et.al in 1989 also used modified Latham medium for culturing of Clostridium tetani [o]. Muller and Miller in 1954 investigated that pancreatic digest of casein contained some inhibitory content which was solved by charcoal treatment [y]. Toxin was also extracted by treating the bacterial cells in hypertonic solution using 0.1M sodium citrate and 1M sodium chloride as stated by Bernard Bizzini et.al [q] Conventional method to produce tetanus vaccine: The Harvard strain of Clostridium tetani is grown in a fermentor for about a week using a semisynthetic medium. This leads the bacteria to lyze and release the toxin obtained in the supernatant. This method yielded about 60-80 Lf/ml. This yield is then filtered and detoxified using formaldehyde. This reacts with the toxin molecule mainly the amino groups of lysineresulting in imine formation, further reacts with the unstable groups of imidazole or phenol ring finally involves a cross-linking reaction between the both the amino groups. Formaldehyde also affects the 3-D structure, therefore making the toxic conformational epitopes [y]. Purification by HPLC: Kunihiro Ozutsumiet.al. in 1985 used extracts from the organism for purification of tetanus toxin using High performance liquid chromatographic methods (HPLC) [j]. The toxin extracted from the previously described method was initially purified using ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by ultracentrifugation in order to get rid of the unwanted particulate matter by filtering it through a 0.2 um membrane filter. The concentrated sample in the equilibrating buffer at a pH of 7.5 proceeded through a final step of purification by running it on HPLC using a column of a TSK G3000 SW of 0.75 x 60 dimensions. This column was equilibrated using 0.1M sodium-phosphate buffer at a pH of 6.8 and the flow rate was maintained at 0.6 ml/min. The fractions obtained were tested for its protein content at 280nm using a UV spectrophotometer [j]. Further the efficiency of HPLC was compared with another gel filtration method using Ultrogel column [j] [o]. Purification using Sephadex G-100: For large scale production of tetanus toxoid, Alcohol precipitation was used for immunization purpose by Pillemer L. et.al [b]. However, Levine et.al in 1951 used to purify the tetanus toxoid by ammonium sulfate precipitation [c]. Later, further purification and characterization of the toxoid was achieved by filtering it through Sephadex gels using G-100 columns as stated by Williams C. et.al in 1965 [d]. This simplified and low cost method yielded four separable fractions of the toxoid where the first two fractions of 55-65% non dialyzable nitrogen possessed significant antigenic properties. The next fraction obtained was of smaller molecular weight and showed poor antigenecity when injected in animals; however the fourth fraction obtained was not identified but was predicted to be metabolic by-products of the organism and had no significant role [d]. Before running on the column the protein concentration was determined using a UV spectrometer at 280nm. Chromatographic gel filtratio n was performed using a column of 1.2 x 0.062 m dimension. The column was packed and equilibrated with 0.1M phosphate buffer with a pH of 8.5, additionally 1% formaldehyde can be added to inhibit the bacterial growth. The void volume after equilibration was maintained at 800ml at the flow rate was fixed at 80ml/hr. The sample loading volume was around 50ml and was concentrated to about 100,000 Lf. The four fractions were collected and were further seperated by recycling them on the same column [d]. This method gave an efficient insight on how to purify and separate different components of the toxoid. M Matsuda in 1989 carried out the separation of fragment A-B treated with urea by running it on a ccolumn packed with Sephadex G-25, equilibrated with 0.02M tris-HCL buffer containing trace amounts of dithiothreitol and urea [o]. Other gels such as Sepharose 4B and Sephadex G-200 was also used by researchers like Bernard Bizzini, Immunodiffusion test was also carried out using Ouchterlony’s method [o] [p] [q]. Papain Digestion of Tetanus toxin: Further research by Helting and Zwister in 1974 made possible to obtain fragment C from Tetanus toxin which has significant antigenic properties but lack pathogenecity and thus occupies a major role in immunization [e]. Helting et.al stated that Tetanus toxin can be degraded in a specific pattern. The mild papain digestion cleaves the F(ab) region. The papain enzyme breaks the 150kD toxin into two parts, one comprising of the C-terminal of the heavy chain i.e. of 47kD which corresponds to the Fragment C of the toxin whereas the other part of 95kD consists of N-terminal heavy chain subunit along with the lighter chain polypeptide forming the fragment B (refer to Figure 2). This Fragment B was observed to have a toxic effect on mice when injected with a sufficient dose and also has an adverse effect on the nervous system, thus it was necessary to purify and obtain only Fragment C for immunization and to further study its immune response [f]. The purified Fragment C was separated and ob tained by chromatographic methods and by using anti-Fragment C IgG [f]. Ulrich Weller in 1989 performed papain digestion for 16 hours of overnight stirring of the toxin at 25Â °C at a concentration of 40ug/ml. The toxin was suspended in 10mM sodium-phosphate buffer at pH of 6.5 with 1mM EDTA and NaN3 and 10mM cysteine. After the incubation period 0.5mM of Ll-chloro-3-tosylamido-7-amino-2-heptanone was added as a stop solution in order to inactivate papain by further incubating it at room temperature for 30 min and was then cooled to 0Â °C with saturated ammonium sulfate solution at pH 6.5 with further centrifugation. The precipitate was resuspended in the same buffer mentioned. This further proceeded for its separation and purification on Sephadex G-100 column and the fractions were collected at the flow rate of 15ml/hr b*. These fractions were further pooled and contrated using a Centiprep 10 concentrator and the buffer was changed to 0.5 M NaCl with 30mM Tris-HCl at pH 7.5. The fragments B and C showed up homogenously on SDS-PAGE. The fragment C was further dialyzed against 10mM sodium phosphate buffer at a pH of 7.5. The samples obtained were further checked for its protein content at 285nm and was determined by modified lowry method after trichloroacetic acid precipitation. They also ran an SDS-PAGE using rerducing and non-reducing gels and was stained by Coomassie blue-250 and the chains and fragments of the toxin were determined according to their known amino acid sequence b* Other methods developed to obtain fragment C: Fishman et al. (1992) Pointed out that the non-toxic binding fragment of tetanus toxin (fragment C) binds avidly to neural tissue and has a growing number of neurobiological uses. Its current utility is limited by both its high commercial cost and the complex procedure for its preparation requiring highly purified tetanus toxin. A short procedure was developed which prepares fragments of tetanus toxin from crude C. tetani extracts. The resultant proteins are atoxic with molecular sizes and immunological properties closely resembling fragment C. These proteins undergo retrograde axonal and apparent transneuronal transport in a fashion similar to fragment C [v]. Ledoux et al. in 1994 Indicated that tetanus toxin once internalized via receptor-mediated endocytosis, form membrane channels in order to traverse the endosomal membrane and enter the cytoplasm of the nerve terminal forming an association between neurotoxin monomers which results in an oligomeric form of the neurotoxin necessary for assembly of a channel through the hydrophobic interior of the endosomal membrane, thereby allowing passage of the neurotoxin or its active fragment through the resulting pore [w]. Technique used to test the specificity of the heavy and light chain subunits: Matsuda and Yoneda in 1975 isolated the heavy and light chain subunits from a toxin reduced by treatment with dithiothreitol-urea[g] [h]. Kunihiro Ozutsumiet.al. in 1985 used the technique of electrophoresis using sodium-dodecyl-sulphate polyacrylamide gel i.e. SDS-PAGE as shown in Figure (3). and was further used to put up a western blot in order to check the specificity of the isolated subunits obtained [l] [m] [j]. SDS-PAGE allowed the toxin to stack at 49kD corresponding to the fragment C subunit and 85kD comprising of the 4heavy chain subunit [j] Goretzki and Habermann in 1985 characterized enzymatic fragments of tetanus toxin by immunoblotting using a set of previously characterized antibodies and a set of novel antibodies. The selected antibodies recognized the light chain, fragment C (ÃŽ ²1) and the complementary piece (ÃŽ ²2) of the heavy chain when blotted on nitrocellulose. All toxin preparations contained intrinsic esteroprotease activity which became manifest in the presence of urea. The main product of papain hydrolysis is fragment C, which appears as a double band under non reducing conditions but is homogeneous when reduced. Chymotryptic digestion hydrolyses the heavy chain well but leaves the light chain largely intact. Tetanus toxin is very resistant against trypsin as compared with other proteases, although this enzyme splits numerous different links [x].

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Distance Learning as an Effective Enhancement to the Elementary School

Distance Learning as an Effective Enhancement to the Elementary School Curriculum Distance learning does not replace the existing classroom; rather it has proven to be an effective and useful tool in expanding the elementary school curriculum. Distance learning is defined as the â€Å"education for students working at home, with little or no face-to-face with teachers and with material provided remotely, for example through email, television, or correspondence† (Encarta World English Dictionary, 2001). The concept of distance learning has been around for centuries, evolving from primarily correspondence courses, to the Internet and two-way audio and video connection that are used now to establish a connection between the teacher and the students. (Poole, 2000). Distance learning has been used to augment the curriculum for elementary schools, rather than replace the personalized classroom that is vital to student development. It is designed to expand and fill in the gaps of the traditional course offerings, while meeting the widely diverse needs of each individual student. Distance learning has been designed to enhance student education, while still keeping learning firmly centered within the school. (Ravaglia & Sommer, 2000). There have been many arguments, both for and against distance learning; all have been well supported. However, there is extensive support for the benefits of distance learning, and how it has expanded and enriched the elementary school curriculum. There have been many critics that strongly advocate against the use of distance learning in elementary schools. Many believe that this new teaching method may replace the existing classroom all together, and won’t give students the adequate face-to-face con... ... Poole, D.M. (2000). Student’s participation in a discussion-oriented online course: A case study. Journal of Research on Computing in Education, 33, (2), 162-177. Ravaglia, R. & Sommer R. (2000). Expanding the curriculum with distance learning. Principal, 79, (3), 10-13. Scheps, S.G. (1999). Homeschoolers in the library. School Library Journal, 45, (2), 39-40. Truell, A.D. (2001). Student’s attitudes towards and evaluation of internet-assisted instruction. Delta Pi Epsilon Journal, 43, (1), 40-49. Expanding the Curriculum with Distance Learning. (2001). Retrieved November 13, 2001, from http://iiswinprd03.petersons.com/distancelearning/default.asp TEAMS Distance Learning. (2001). Retrieved November 5, 2001, from teams.lacoe.edu. Distance Education. (2000). In Encarta World English Dictionary (Vol. 14, pp. 309). Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Dr. Martin Luther King :: essays research papers

My impression of Dr. Martin Luther King was always and still is that he was a great leader for the African American people. He was a big leader in the civil rights movement. He was also very involved in the community. Even though I have much respect for Dr. King, I felt he was a â€Å"house† or â€Å"yard† negro leader, the term Malcom X used, and was only interested with civil rights issues.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The term â€Å"house† and â€Å"yard† negroes was what Malcom X called black leaders who were just puppets for the white man. They were there just to keep peace among African American people. Like I stated early I have much respect for Dr. King but I still felt he was like the rest of the black leaders who just preached about nonviolence. The ones who always say, look have far we come from the old days, but in actuality we were no better then, than we were back in the old days. I just felt hat violence was never an option when it came to Dr. King and his beliefs. Until I read his comments and he states, â€Å"we still have a choice today; nonviolent coexistence or violent co annihilation.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I also thought Dr. King was more interested in civil rights than he was human rights. â€Å"How is the black man going to get â€Å"civil right† before first he wins his human right?†(Malcom X). But after reading his comments my views have changed. He stated, â€Å"The limited reforms we have won have been at bargain rates for the power of structure. There are no expenses involved, no taxes are required, for Negroes to share lunch counters, libraries, parks, hotels and other facilities. Even the more substantial reforms such as voting rights require neither monetary or psychological sacrifice. He was also quoted saying â€Å"it a crime for people to live in this rich nation and receive starvation wages.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My opinions of Dr. Martin Luther King, has changed since reading his comments. I went from thinking violence was never a choice for Dr. King to learning that it was. Although I feel that he was still a 100 percent against violence. My main opinion of him has change a great deal. I thought Dr. King was only for the civil rights moment, meaning he would be happy with us just getting our voting rights and every thing else that represented the civil rights movement. Dr. Martin Luther King :: essays research papers My impression of Dr. Martin Luther King was always and still is that he was a great leader for the African American people. He was a big leader in the civil rights movement. He was also very involved in the community. Even though I have much respect for Dr. King, I felt he was a â€Å"house† or â€Å"yard† negro leader, the term Malcom X used, and was only interested with civil rights issues.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The term â€Å"house† and â€Å"yard† negroes was what Malcom X called black leaders who were just puppets for the white man. They were there just to keep peace among African American people. Like I stated early I have much respect for Dr. King but I still felt he was like the rest of the black leaders who just preached about nonviolence. The ones who always say, look have far we come from the old days, but in actuality we were no better then, than we were back in the old days. I just felt hat violence was never an option when it came to Dr. King and his beliefs. Until I read his comments and he states, â€Å"we still have a choice today; nonviolent coexistence or violent co annihilation.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I also thought Dr. King was more interested in civil rights than he was human rights. â€Å"How is the black man going to get â€Å"civil right† before first he wins his human right?†(Malcom X). But after reading his comments my views have changed. He stated, â€Å"The limited reforms we have won have been at bargain rates for the power of structure. There are no expenses involved, no taxes are required, for Negroes to share lunch counters, libraries, parks, hotels and other facilities. Even the more substantial reforms such as voting rights require neither monetary or psychological sacrifice. He was also quoted saying â€Å"it a crime for people to live in this rich nation and receive starvation wages.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  My opinions of Dr. Martin Luther King, has changed since reading his comments. I went from thinking violence was never a choice for Dr. King to learning that it was. Although I feel that he was still a 100 percent against violence. My main opinion of him has change a great deal. I thought Dr. King was only for the civil rights moment, meaning he would be happy with us just getting our voting rights and every thing else that represented the civil rights movement.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Waiting for an Angel By Helon Habila

Helon Habila is a poet and a prose writer who grew up in Gombe, Nigeria. When he was a boy, it was the time when Gombe was recovering from a civil war. His father, who used to work at the Nigerian Ministry of Works, dreamed Habila to be an engineer. But he gave up that dream when he began giving Habila some romance literature and Arabic classics. Instead of concentrating on Nigeria, Habila spent most of his time traveling in different places. He also had read great books from famous Nigerian writers like Chinua Achebe and Ben Okri.While reading books, Habila also learned the mastery of story telling. In his primary school, his teacher noticed his talent and asked him to tell stories in other classes. After secondary school, Habila took a degree in engineering at Bauchi University of Technology in Nigeria. But after a year, he dropped out and shifted to College of Arts and Science. However, he still did not become satisfied and quit school permanently. Habila found his life going nowh ere when he got a copy of a novel by E. M. Forster, the Aspects of the Novel. This novel took him back to his passion for literature.He then spent his time in his room reading and writing. During the period he was starting his new life, his father and his brother died in an accident. This time, he entered again another university to study English and Literature. Finally, he succeeded. For two years, he became an assistant lecturer at Federal Polytechnic at Bauchi. During his stay there, he had written two literary pieces, a biography of a chief and a rough copy of a novel entitled â€Å"Prison Stories†. It was all about entwined stories of a young journalist during the regime of General Abacha.When the democracy was regained in Nigeria, Habila pursues his writing career. By the year 2000, he had already won two big awards: the MuSon Poetry Festival Prize for his â€Å"Another Age† and Liberty Bank Prize for â€Å"The Butterfly and the Artist†. Habila also won th e Commonwealth Writers Prize last 2003 for his novel Waiting for an Angel. His latest novel as of today is the Measuring Time (Bures). The Setting The setting of the novel â€Å"Waiting for an Angel† is in Nigeria during 1990s. During this era, the state was dominated and ruled by sadistic brutality.Also, violence on human rights is very prevalent in the country. Nigeria was barred from Commonwealth of Nations. Additionally, almost all countries have charges against Nigeria. This was the situation when the novel took place. The military or dictatorial government of General Sani Abacha eradicated the critical thinking of the countries’ gifted writers and scholars (Whipple). The Characters The main character of the story is Lomba. He is a journalist and an aggravated novelist who was in prison during the first part of the chapter. He writes poems secretly during his incarceration.His roommate, Bola, loses sanity after his family died. Bola also experienced brutality from the hands of the police officers. Mauftu is a superintendent in Lomba’s prison. When he found out the love poems written by Lomba, the jailer asked him to write verses for the girl he was courting, Janice. Janice is a teacher being pleaded by Lomba to save him. However, the teacher cannot save him even she knows Lomba’s troubles. James Fiki is the editor of â€Å"The Dial†, the publication where Lomba was working. Kela is a student and Lomba’s neighbor in Poverty Street.Kela learned the postcolonial history in Nigeria through his English teacher who is an activist and through his other encounters. Alice is Lomba’s first love. However, their love story did not have a happy ending because Alice obligatory married a rich man so that she can pay the hospital bills of her mother. Joshua Amusu was a teacher and an activist who asked Lomba to cover his demonstration against a fraudulent government. The Plot Helon Habila portrays the novel â€Å"Waiting for an Angel† taking place during the regime of General Sani Abacha, when turmoil and violence is on the rise.The story introduced Lomba as an idealistic student in Lagos who attempts to write novels in his apartment in Morgan Street while working for the newspaper, the Dial. Shortly, his roommate Bola was attacked and beaten by police officers during that time along with other journalists. Meanwhile, offices of Dial were also burnt. After the entire incidence, Lomba chooses to participate in prodemocracy protest. During the demonstration, he was seized and put into jail for three years. This novel was narrated in a flashback.It started with Lomba’s situation in jail and finished with highlight events going to his detention (Zaleski) References: Jeff Zaleski. â€Å"Waiting for an Angel. † Rev. of: title_of_work_reviewed_in_italics, clarifying_information. Publishers Weekly 9 Dec. 2002: 61. ABI/INFORM Global. ProQuest. ***INSERT Library name or system, City, State ***. 14 Aug. 2007 http://www. proquest. com/ Bures, Frank. Everything Follows: An Interview with Helon Habila. 14 August 2007 . Whipple, Mary. Waiting for an Angel. 01 June 2004. 14 August 2007 .

Monday, September 16, 2019

Decision making Essay

My personal ethics development has been a process and it has changed over the years from people influencing me and myself maturing. As a child, I was raised well by my mother who always taught me to do the right thing when no one was looking. She always made sure I respected my elders and had good manners. I went to a Catholic school when I was in grade school and high school. My family and I would go to church every Sunday and have dinner together every night. My family always taught me to have good values and morals, to be a part of the community in a productive way. The people that raised me in my earlier life played a huge importance on the man I have become. At this point of my life ,I thought my compass was true north as we heard Mr. O’Rourke talk about in the video lecture. I had strong values at all times or at least I thought I did. As my life went on I realized that my compass was north ,but it wasn’t true north. I still had room to grow and become more mature in my decision-making. Sometimes it can be very hard to judge how ethic you are like a person because you are judging yourself. I graduated high school and soon after that I decided that I was going to join the Army instead of going to college. I was 19 years old when I joined the United States Army and enlisted for four years. The minute I arrived to boot camp I was introduced to the seven Army values which are loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage. We had to memorize these army values ,as well as The Soldiers Creed and Warrior ethos. The warrior ethos is, I will always place the mission first, I will never quit, I will never accept defeat, and I will never leave a fallen comrade. Every morning we would stand information and have to repeat these creeds and Army values as a group. At the time ,I did not understand why it was suppose important memorize all these things. They would make us do team building exercises, where you would have to trust your fellow Soldiers. Then the next six years of my life will change how I looked at my moral decision making for the rest of my life. I went to Iraq when I was 20 for a 15-month tour and came back 22 years old. Within those six years ,I deployed to Iraq three deferent times for a total of 33 months. While you are deployed in a war situation you will be faced with unethical decisions on a daily basis this is where you got to separate your religious and personal ethics with your jobs ethics. Sometimes you need to make a decision based on a duty-based principal, were right and wrong is determined by an outside source. You do things you don’t necessarily believe in ,but it’s for the better of the workplace, work or in this case for the Army. I look back to the days of basic training and throughout the nine years I have been in the Army and I realize why the Army puts so must stress on values. We have classes all the time on ethics, decision-making and critical thinking. The Army prepares you for the hard decisions you are going to have to make with using sound judgment and values. All the training I received from the Army and them instilling values and standards in my brain helped me to always make ethical decisions in the most distraught instances. It helped me that I was raised with good ethics, morals, and values. It made the transition in the Army easier for myself than some of the other Soldiers. The Army is a perfect example of just because you were raised with bad ethics or values do not mean that you will always live that way. People are brought in from all over the world and have to work with each other on a daily basis and trust each other. The Army will teach you how to have good ethics and values. I see people change all the time over the course of time. They will make you have a role model character once they make you believe in the values and ethics. I am not saying everyone will change or will be able to change but if a person truly wants to change they can change with strong leaders in place with good characters. Ethics is crucial in the business world because there is so much room for corruption and misbehavior in the workplace. There is many chances to make unethical decisions in business that is why it is so important to have mandatory training and have people who believe in you work for you. Every company or business needs to come up with some policy such as code to ethics in the workplace environment. Just cause someone grew up a bad apple does not mean that the person is going to be a bad apple there whole life. People who impact them throughout their lives can change them or a certain job with high ethic standards could change their point of view. It could be as simple as one person who influences that person for them to change to the perspective on their ethics. Without ethics in organizations, there would be no sense of trust among employees and as well with customers. You want to know your employees are making ethical decisions because you cannot watch everyone that works for you all the time. You want them to act the same way whether you are in a room with them or a thousand miles away. It is your responsibility as a leader to influence these people and instill these values and ethics in them. You need to make your employees believe in you and your ideas. Throughout my life ,I feel I have had strong morals but many people have influenced me in a positive way. Most people just need positive influences in their life to shape them to have good strong ethics. I was just lucky enough to have these people in my life from an early age and throughout my life. I have never been the person who does things for entitlement-based, I do not find myself making decisions solely on the basis of what is best for myself.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Global warming Essay

Persuasive Speech Good day everyone, today I admonish about global warming. As we know that global warming is on the rise and worsen our planets condition, and as a concern citizen to our environment we should make an action to fight global warming, we should have maintenance and changes to our surroundings to help our dying planet; wake up to reality and be part of the preservation of our mother earth. Global warming has started since the late 19th century and still continues to the present time. According to studies global warming is getting worst through the years and even we can feel the changes in our climate. The melting of North and South Pole are some evidence of the rising temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere and ocean caused by the increasing concentrations of green house gases produced by human activities. And since 1980 the rise of temperature increases two-thirds from the preceding. For now we know how global warming mount and on its greatest. We should be concern to life, to our future, to our children’s children and to all living things in our planet. And I also predict if global warming still prolong and influence our planets worsening condition, 5000 years is the remaining time to our planet that life can exist for even us could imagine what would happen to the upcoming years if global warming still continues. Today there are lots of people producing actions that battle global warming but still they are lacking, they still need more or else all people to be a component of the conservation of our planet. Even there are many citizens saving the earth but the more citizens killing our planet, it is useless. I hope that you will realize the effects of global warming and be more concerned to our environment .To have the sense of discipline to do the right things for the goodness of our planet, so that we won’t suffer. And once again I’m knocking on you to wake up and be part of the preservation of our planet. Thank you. God bless!

Saturday, September 14, 2019

IIO course

For example, learning through trial and error how to interact with one's spouse or one's boss intelligently may be expensive for the person as well as for others in terms of emotional energy drained, career failure, or broken relationships. This course will take you through the accumulated wisdom on interpersonal skills. After all, wise people learn from others' experience and from the accumulated wisdom.Learning Goals: In addition to the course objectives mentioned above, students should expect to develop the following by end of the course 1 . Decision Making Skills and Analytical Ability : An ability to arrive at a feasible criteria for Implementation of a decision among a set of equally competitive possibilities : through quantitative and / or qualitative analysis of data and contextual information / industry analysis . Critical Analysis and Creative Communication Skills: Each student should be able to identify key issues relevant to this course, develop a perspective supported by externally obtained / instructor provided information ; capacity to distinguish between major, minor, peripheral and irrelevant factors as well as exogenous and endogenous variables ; and present and defend the decision arrived at based on the assessment criteria already established. . Interpersonal Communication and Group Working Ability: Each student is required to demonstrate an ability to appreciate peer group member view point and work In team environment, exalting a clear understanding of Individual roles and tasks, ability to Identify and resolve Required Text Book: Hunter, J. C. (1998). The servant: A simple story about the true essence of leadership (p. 187). New York: Crown Business.Additional Readings: as per course outline EVALUATION COMPONENTS: Components of Course Evaluation Percentage Distribution Class Participation You should come to class fully prepared with each session's prescribed readings completed (prepared means being capable of starting an educated discussi on or answering the facilitator's questions in class on any section). A deep and thorough understanding of the required readings is expected. Preparedness will be tested individually by asking questions to some students.If you are unable to answer questions satisfactorily, you will lose 5 percentage points of the weighted for this course each time you fail to answer a question raised by the faculty in the class (this means that if you fail to answer four questions in class, you will lose the entire 20% for class participation). Moreover, for each session you must summarize your insights n the form of a short sentence/phrase of not more than 140-characters (including spaces). This â€Å"tweet† for each session must be submitted on the web link provided to you before 0600 hours on the day of the session.The tweet must not be picked up from any of the prescribed readings, but is a summary of your insights from the readings. Do not share your tweet with others- if two or more stu dents have very similar or same tweets, then all concerned students will lose all marks for their submission. Quizzes (There will be one quiz at the end of the course, which will include only little-choice questions with h negative marking). 80% Total 100 COURSE MATERIAL AND HANDOUTS: Soft copies of course material including case studies will be uploaded in the blackboard.Hard copies will be distributed prior to the class and will be available at resource center SESSION WISE TOPICS AND READINGS: session NO-I Session Title Introduction students learn about leadership through service to others. Journal of Business Ethics, 15 (1), 103-110. Pedagogy Lecture and Discussion Session No-2 Session Title Introduction to Karma-Yoga Reading Material Karma in its effect on character. Karma-Yoga, 1-12. Hunter Prologue. Pedagogy Lecture and Discussion Session No-3 Session Title Leadership and Power Reading Material Hunter Chapter 1 (The Definitions).What is duty? Karma-Yoga, 52-64. Pedagogy Lectur e and Discussion Session No-4 Session Title Introduction to Servant Leadership Reading Material Hunter Chapter 2 (The old paradigm) Hunter Chapter 3 (The model). Pedagogy Lecture and Discussion Session No-5 Session Title Love and Leadership Reading Material Hunter Chapter 4 (The verb). We help ourselves, not the world. Karma-Yoga, 65-77. Session No-6 Session Title Managing the Environment Reading Material Hunter Chapter 5 (The environment) Hunter Chapter 6 (The choice). Session No-7 Session Title Why lead?Reading Material Hunter Chapter 7 (The payoff Hunter Epilogue The ideal of Karma- Yoga. Karma-Yoga, 117-131. ATTENDANCE Regularity in Attendance Regular attendance is considered extremely important in the BGP. All students therefore, must comply on regular attendance in class. The relative deduction of having attendance of less than 60% (irrespective of medical certificates) shall not be permitted to appear for the examination in that term/academic year and will carry â€Å"F† read in the course. Institute uses biometric attendance for recording attendance of students.In the event of two continuous sessions, students are required to punch twice at the beginning of each session if there is a break in between the sessions. The class room doors will be closed within 5 minutes of starts for each session. Student attendance will be a component while grading them for the course. If the instructor wishes to take physical attendance along with the Biometric attendance, they will communicate the same in the class. In this case also Biometric attendance ill be the official record (and not the physical attendance) for the course.Instructors have been advised to report about habitual absentees (habitual absentee is defined as students absent in the class for more than three classes consecutively). Unauthorized absence from class/institute will be considered a breach of discipline and the Institute will be free to take appropriate action in such cases. The same stu dent will be asked to face disciplinary committee. Students will not be given any attendance for any committee related activities which warrants them to drop from the class.They are required to undertake all committee related work beyond class hours. Under extra-ordinary circumstances, students may obtain leave of absence under the following rules and procedures: Prior permission of the Director BGP must be obtained for availing of leave. Students are not permitted to go out of station during the terms. In the event of students visiting their local guardian for overnight stay, they must inform the Director BGP and adman office (Officer in charge of hostels) and only travel after receiving a proper gate pass.If a student is noticed to be out of station for overnight thou any intimation to the Director BGP, disciplinary action will be taken against him/her to the extent of debarring the student from appearing in the examinations. In case of sickness, medical certificate issued and/or countersigned by the doctor along with the prescribed application form must be submitted to the BGP Office within 3 days of Joining classes after illness. No student shall be allowed to Join the program unless he/she presents a medical fitness certificate duly endorsed by a Medical Officer of the designated hospital only.No medical certificates from doctors there than the Institute approved hospital will be entertained. Institute's approved hospital's Medical Officers will issue medical certificates only in case of diagnosed illness where they are convinced that the student is too ill to attend classes. These include hospitalizing, communicable diseases (chicken-pox, jaundice and typhoid) and accidental injuries (fractures, deep traumas). Cases depending on the genuinely of the case by the BGP Director.However no compensatory attendance and examination will be held for the period of leave. Students will be awarded grades on the basis of their attendance level and reference only in t he classes from which they were present. Before applying for leave to the Director BGP a student should contact his/her course instructors to ensure that he/she is not missing any quizzes or examinations during the leave period. The BGP Office or the faculty concerned will not be responsible for the student losing any segment of evaluation on account of his/her leave.No compensatory opportunity will be given for quizzes and other class room based components on account of leave of any kind. Attendance and Performance Grade Penalty Each student is expected to attend a minimum of 80% of classes in each course. The grade penalty will be imposed on all the students who do not meet the minimum 80% attendance requirements in each course in the following manner: Attendance of Student Performance Grade Penalty More than or equal to 70% but less than One grade drop (e. G. From A to A-) More than or equal to but less than 70% Two grade drop (e. . From A to B+) Less than 60% F grade will be awa rded If a student gets D grade in a particular course and also gets a grade drop due to attendance shortage, ‘D' will become an ‘F' grade. If a student fails to meet the specified attendance requirement, his/her grade in the respective course(s) would be ordered by the Director BGP in accordance with the grade penalty rules laid down above. Exiting and Entering Students are expected to remain in the classroom, be mentally alert, and participate in the class proceedings for the duration.If a student must leave early for unavoidable reasons, that student should obtain permission from the professor before the class begins. Leaving and re-entering the class is not permitted, except under extraordinary circumstances. Faculty members may cross check the attendance and if a student is found absent in the class, the case will be sent to spieling committee and actions will be taken by the committee. Norms of Behavior Students should demonstrate respect for Faculty and fellow stud ents. Respectful behavior contributes to the enhanced learning experience.Students should refrain from disruptive behavior such as eating, using laptops, and holding side- conversations. Using laptops during is allowed only on the instruction of the proper forum instead of seeking an immediate solution. All grievances may be addressed to the BGP-Director or respective functional heads and in his absence, to the Executive Director. In such cases, a copy should be marked o the above. Respect the Facilities Students are expected to help maintain chairs, display screen, desktop computers, LCD, tables, window curtains and electrical fittings in good usable condition and not damage them or render them useless.Students are expected not to destroy the classroom ambiance. The cost of damage, loss or theft on account of students will be recovered from them. When this cannot be attributed to one student, the cost will be recovered from an identifiable group of which the individual is a part or from the entire batch. Students are expected to use cans to dispose of trash. They are also encouraged to remove defacing or unclean material voluntarily. Essentially, students should always use proper reporting and escalating mechanisms for concerns and issues.Under no circumstances should students take matters into their own hands. Students are expected to use only the students' dining hall for dining. Classrooms or any of the other administrative or academic areas shall not be used for dining. Great Lakes has adopted the principle of preserving the environment. Therefore, it tries to inculcate in the minds of its students and staff, a sense of being one with tauter causing no harm anytime, anywhere, and under any circumstances which will result in damage to the environment.Smoking, chewing tobacco and drinking alcohol in and around the premises is strictly prohibited. Severe penalties will accrue to those students caught violating this. Use of Laptops in the class Use of laptops in the class is strictly prohibited during class hours, unless specifically authorized by the Faculty or the Academic Administration. Biometric Readers: Bio-metric readers are installed for attendance in class rooms. Students must register their attendance using only these devices.