Polymerase Chain Reaction free essay sample

Polymerase chain reaction The Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a biochemical technology in molecular biology to amplify a single or a few copies of a piece of DNA across several orders of magnitude, generating thousands to millions of copies of a particular DNA sequence. Developed in 1983 by Kary Mullis, PCR is now a common and often indispensable technique used in medical and biological research labs for a variety of applications.These include DNA cloning for sequencing, DNA-based phylogeny, or functional analysis of genes; the diagnosis of hereditary diseases; the identification of genetic fingerprints (used in forensic sciences and paternity testing); and the detection and diagnosis of infectious diseases. In 1993, Mullis was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry along with Michael Smith for his work on PCR. The method relies on thermal cycling, consisting of cycles of repeated heating and cooling of the reaction for DNA melting and enzymatic replication of the DNA. We will write a custom essay sample on Polymerase Chain Reaction or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Primers (short DNA fragments) containing sequences complementary to the target region along with a DNA polymerase (after which the method is named) are key components to enable selective and repeated amplification. As PCR progresses, the DNA generated is itself used as a template for replication, setting in motion a chain reaction in which the DNA template is exponentially amplified. PCR can be extensively modified to perform a wide array of genetic manipulations. Almost all PCR applications employ a heat-stable DNA polymerase, such as Taq polymerase, an enzyme originally isolated from the bacterium Thermus aquaticus.This DNA polymerase enzymatically assembles a new DNA strand from DNA building-blocks, the nucleotides, by using single-stranded DNA as a template and DNA oligonucleotides (also called DNA primers), which are required for initiation of DNA synthesis. The vast majority of PCR methods use thermal cycling, i. e. , alternately heating and cooling the PCR sample to a defined series of temperature steps. These thermal cycling steps are necessary first to physically separate the two strands in a DNA double helix at a high temperature in a process called DNA melting.At a lower temperature, each strand is then used as thetemplate in DNA synthesis by the DNA polymerase to selectively amplify the target DNA. The selectivity of PCR results from the use of primers that are complementary to the DNA region targeted for amplification under specific thermal cycling conditions. PCR principles and procedure PCR is used to amplify a specific region of a DNA strand (the DNA target). Most PCR methods typically amplify DNA fragments of up to ~10 kilo base pairs (kb), although some techniques allow for amplification of fragments up to 40 kb in size.

Organizational Behavior

Organizational Behavior Free Online Research Papers Organizational behavior is the study of how people, individuals and groups act or behave in different structures or cultures of an organization. Organizational behavior seeks and identifies factors that are necessary for a company to become effective and more efficient over the competitor. Factors that determine one company’s success over another company in the same industry, includes valuing diversity, ongoing organizational learning and effective communication. Organizational culture is the personality of a company; a company’s culture consists of shared beliefs which shape the organization. The values, assumptions, standards, and tangible signs of the organization’s members, make up the culture of an organization. An organization’s culture can be recognized by looking at the arrangement of its furniture, or by looking at person’s employed by the organization, or by what the members of the organization wear. Our company culture can be recognized by the viewing public as one who has a high turnover rate of employees. The executives constantly reorganize and restructure the company. During these periods, persons are offered separation packages, positions are made redundant and others are fired. Only those persons that are highly skilled and knowledgeable about the industry have remained. This culture according to McNamara (1999) is known as a Fortress culture, a culture of which employees do not know when it wi ll be their last day on the job. This culture to some appears quite daunting, however; it has its advantages. Persons that are highly skilled are quickly promoted to the top without regard for seniority. Workplace diversity is the variety among people based on gender, race, ethnicity, age, family status, sexual orientation, religion and physical appearance. Valuing diversity is a core topic of organizational behavior. In an ideal world all persons within an organization are treated equal when it comes to hiring and promotions in the workplace, however; in reality discrimination still exist. Acknowledging diversity in the workplace is very crucial, as there are other races, other voices and other ways of seeing things and solving problems while functioning as a team. Diversity is not valued within our organization. Some persons within our organization are promoted and hired based on their gender and physical appearance. For example, our company has a greeter/ hostess in our reception area. This greeter/hostess is a part of the hospitality team. The primary purpose of the hospitality team is to make the customer feel welcomed, comfortable and wanted by our organization. The greete r/hostess has to have a certain physical appearance. All greeters are females, fair skinned, slim built with beautiful features. Discrimination based on features such as attractive or unattractive appearance results in special preferences for those blessed with certain attributes and penalties for persons failing to measure up to the given standards. Communication is an active process of exchanging information and thoughts. Communication involves a source and a recipient that encodes and decodes the intended message. The encoding process involves interpreting an idea into a message which is spoken, non-spoken (signaled) or written. The different channels of communication includes face-to-face, electronic mails, post mails, voice mails or by way of telephone. Communication in our company is primarily channeled through electronic mail. Our interoffice memos are transmitted electronically. The administrative staff corresponds to the agency staff also through emails. Before emails were implemented at our company the company’s messenger would deliver written mails to the agency staff. Now the process is much more expeditious and efficient. An example of the communication process within our organization is as follow: An underwriter’s primary job is to assess and classify the risk of an applicant. An electronic ap plication is sent directly to the underwriter by the agent (the source). The underwriter (the recipient) receives the application assess the risk and determine if additional medical requirements are needed in order to classify the risk. If additional documents are required, the underwriter responds (feedback) electronically letting the agent knows what is needed for the applicant to be issued a contract. The agent seeks out the additional requirement and returns it electronically to the underwriter for processing. Organizational effectiveness is the level in which a company attains its goals. According to Schermerhorn, Hunt, Osborn (2005) an organization’s efficiency is measure by the number of resources needed to produce a good, which is also known as the internal process approach. Our company measures its effectiveness by setting a target profit margin. Each agency force has an assigned target and each agent within an agency has an individual assigned goal. Each agency force assigned quota makes up the overall target. The executive team monitors the company’s progress on a monthly basis. Visits are made and progress/production reports are drafted to show the percentage of quota attained. The process of acquiring knowledge necessary to survive or compete in an environment is known as organizational learning. It is important to constantly change and seek superior ways of functioning or performing duties. Organizational learning includes shared knowledge between employees within an organization. Organizational learning is an ongoing process at our company. Team leaders are responsible for organizing a knowledge corner. Each team member is encouraged to bring a topic for discussion to corner. The team member during his/her assigned month would decorate the corner with paraphernalia of his/her chosen topic. Topics would include information on the company’s old and new products, breaking business news, the competitor’s products, etc. All these topics help to shape the behavior of our company. Understanding organizational behavior is vital in designing a company’s structure. In understanding individual and group behavior helps management realize how people in different cultures and environment communicate and function to attain strategic set goals. References McNamara, C. (1999). Organizational Culture. Retrieved May 15th, 2006 from managementhelp.org/org_thry/culture/culture. Schermerhorn, Jr., J.R., Hunt, J.G., Osborn, R.N. (2005). Organizational Behavior. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Retrieved May15th, 2006, from University of Phoenix, Resource, MGT/331. Research Papers on Organizational BehaviorAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalResearch Process Part OneThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductThe Project Managment Office SystemRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesUnreasonable Searches and Seizures

Aalsmeer Flower Auction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Aalsmeer Flower Auction - Essay Example The researcher states that FloraHolland flower auction plays a key role in the Netherlands, land of Floriculture where its position as marketplace fulfils the role of matchmaker, intermediary and knowledge center. FloraHolland itself operate a nationally operating intermediary organization and import department. In a market that is characterized by upscaling and internationalization, FloraHolland wants to maintain and increase its strong market position. By offering the best and broadest assortment, FloraHolland wishes to tie (international) commerce flows to the marketplaces. FloraHolland offers its members the best sales opportunities at the lowest possible costs. FloraHolland is a service providing company that is not focused on generating profit – Mission Vision. FloraHolland or Aalsmeer Flower Auction need to refocus its resources to continue to be relevant in this day and age with the emergence of alternative, electronically driven flower markets. To widen its market bas e and influence Aalsmeer Flower action should meet the needs of retailers. Retailers are also dependent on its consumers that demand for fresh products, more varieties, smaller quantities and multiple deliveries each week. Rightly or wrongly, the retailers felt that they should have more influence on supply. Business Requirements Aalsmeer Flower Auction needs to meet the requirement of its retailers among other things with the use of information technology using the correct strategy. The information technology strategy should be able to enable the delivery of Fresh products to the retailers at the shortest possible time and with minimum expense. Generalized model of exchange processes – Kambil and Van Heck 1996. The Grower should make the following information available: Grower ID: Batch number; Batch Type; Batch Availability Schedule; Batch Volume; Initial Price; Last Price The Auction transaction file should have the following information: Order reference number; Batch numb er; Batch Type; Batch Availability Schedule; Volume purchased; Price; Auction reference number; Transport code Logistic Providers should make the following available for the retailers. Logistic Provider ID; Transport Schedule (Departure Time and place – Arrival Time and Place); Transport Type; Maximum Volume The Logistic transaction file should have the following information: Logistic Provider ID; Transport Schedule; Order reference number; The above data profile assumes that the retailer, grower and logistic-provider identification database are normalized. The process flow is described as follows: When a grower put a batch of his harvest to the auction, all details shall be flashed on the board. For each transaction using the auction clock where a retailer purchase a portion of the batch, the board display will display the new volume up for auction. When a retailer completes his transaction, he will then pick the logistical support provider and purchase a room for his newly purchased flowers. The Logistic provider shall make his availability or the available room he can still accommodate to the message board.

Maritime Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Maritime Economics - Essay Example Maritime economics refers to the business of shipping which is considered to be quite intriguing. The shipping industry which marked its commencement with the transportation of cargoes has been witnessing increased significance owing to the related advantages and prospects in the field of international development (Cullinane, 2011). Shipping is considered to be a service based industry that is believed to grant the sustenance with regard to the global trade. The subject of maritime economics is believed to have developed and grown based on the study that is supposed to relate to the past record of shipping, for instance contractual understanding relating to shipping as well as trade (Talley, 2012). Performance evaluation indicators are considered to be essential in order to gauge the operating competence with regard to the shipping industry. It is regarded as essential to draw attention to the condition related to operation performance with the intention of further enhancing the performance. There has been stated to remain available numerous kinds of indicators for the reason of using them for assessing the results attained by the shipping companies or the seaports. The prevailing indicators are believed to be of great use owing to their easy computability with the help of the accessible information. The application of the indicators would enable the evaluation of the performance of a particular shipping company and ascertain the degree of contentment of the obtained results. The performance indicators is learnt to gauge the performance of the shipping companies in sectors like tanker, offshore, container, dry bulk and other miscellaneous sectors (Trujillo & et. al., 1999). It needs to be mentioned in this regard that the indicators related to performance measurement is not regarded as structured, comprehensive or constant. The indicators that are used to gauge the performance of the shipping companies is done with the

Joseph G. Mccoy Historic Steches of the Cattle Trade of the West and Article

Joseph G. Mccoy Historic Steches of the Cattle Trade of the West and SouthWest 1874 - Article Example The author aptly refers to Red river and northern states, which endorses the fact that McCoy encourages the Texans to take the herds from Texas to Abilene, Kansas. 2. While taking the history of the document under-examination into account, it becomes evident that the author appears to be discussing the herds’ trade phenomenon as well as social circumstances during the years of civil war that had captured the USA during mid 1860s. In addition to this, the circumstances discussed in the document also ratify the situation of unrest and chaos in various states of America. Furthermore, McCoy has also cited the years 1866 and 1867 while creating the article. Nevertheless, the article was written in 1874, almost six to seven years after the incident had taken place. Making such a long delay while creating the article may arise some doubts regarding its validity. Somehow, the original date of the happening of the circumstances would certainly be few years before the document was produ ced. Consequently, the writer would surely be collecting the memories of the years between 1868 and 1870. So, the event discussed in the document would have taken place by 1868-70. 3. In the document under-study, McCoy has elucidated the problems faced by the cattle owners during and after the American Civil War era. These issues include the carrying of the cattle from one area to the remote regions of the vast country, dealing with the customers belonging to divergent states, bargaining problems while selling the cattle, deceit and frauds inflicted upon them by the swindlers, contagious diseases the cattle caught and price issues while entering into deals with the buyers. Moreover, McCoy has also described the physical dangers observed by the drovers including the life risks as well as of getting attacked or robbed during their long and dreary journey with the aim of selling the animals. Hence, the author has skillfully elaborated various challenges the longhorn dealers had to unde rgo during late 1860s. 4. The document under the title Historic Sketches of the Cattle Trade of the West and Southwest narrates in third person the developments and challenges related to the herds owners, entrepreneurs, traders, ranchers and dealers while carrying and shifting the cattle from one state to the others by applying different methods, manners and sources of communications according to their resources and financial positions. The author has cited the names of various cities and states related to the herd trade, which include Texas, Chicago, Illinois, Quincy, Hades, Leavenworth, Kansas and Abilene. The description of the chronicle of events in such in-depth details endorses the concept that either McCoy had directly been involved in the cattle trade as an entrepreneur, or had kept and owned the longhorn herds by himself. Furthermore, having well informed with regards to the prices, number and affairs of the cattle proves him as a full time cattle entrepreneur. 5. It is a f act beyond suspicion that writers, poets, philosophers and intellectuals serve as the brain of society, who by dint of their thoughtfulness, guide the other members of society by showing the right path and by pointing out the evils and problems prevailing within some particular area, region or community. The same is also applied to McCoy, who has also elucidated the challenges that used to arise on the way of

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS): Improving Treatments

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS): Improving Treatments Summary ALS is a progressive, fatal motoneurone disease, ultimately leading to paralysis and respiratory failure within 3-5 years. There is currently only one FDA-approved drug, Riluzole, but its lack of disease prolongation combined with the aggressive disease nature means identifying new treatments is essential. This review highlights 3 of the most current and promising research areas. Recent Phase 1 Clinical trials have proven safety of stem cell (SC) implantation in humans. Parallel rodent SC models show positive results in both decelerating disease progression and promoting anti-inflammatory neuronal protection. Supplementary use of growth factors also shows potential regarding motoneurone survival and dendrite length in cultures, and survival rates in mouse models. Knockout of glial xC- glutamate anti-porter significantly reduces excessive glutamate levels in neurones by 70%, compared to xC- +/+ microglia. Knockout also reduces levels of pro-inflammatory markers. These findings highlight vital role of xC- system in reducing neuronal glutamate excitotoxicity. Antisense technologies effectively reduced SOD1 protein and mRNA levels, consistent in CSF and brain of SOD1 rodent cortices. This supports SOD1 as a good biomarker for future antisense studies. Overall, there is promising research being conducted. However improvements in clinical trial techniques must be addressed in order to reliably compare findings from future studies, and allow identification of a cure in the future. Summary word count: 213 Introduction Also known as ‘Lou Gehrig’s Disease’, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) involves loss of upper and lower motoneurones from the brainstem and spinal cord. Symptoms progress from difficulty in limb movement to paralysis, and finally respiratory failure, the biggest cause of death in ALS. With a prevalence of approx. 2:100,000 and average onset age of 55 years, death usually occurs 3-5 years after onset. Although first identified in 1869 by Jean-Martin Charcot, there remain no conclusive disease causes. The disease is classified into 2 types: Familial ALS (fALS), the inherited form, is responsible for approx. 10% of all cases. There are a handful of genetic mutations linked to fALS, including: C90RF72, TDP-43, FUS, Ubiquilin-2, and currently most relevant in disease-models, Cu2+/Zn2+ Superoxide Dismutase (SOD1). Sporadic (sALS) form comprises the majority of cases, and this unknown nature of the disease makes targeted treatments challenging. Riluzole is currently the only FDA approved treatment for ALS, increasing life expectancy by 2 months. In 2011, ‘Nuedexta’ was also approved as a treatment for pseudobulbar effects in ND diseases. Patients must otherwise rely on palliative care to improve quality of life. This review will focus on the most current and widely researched areas. Proposed mechanisms of disease are beyond the scope of this review, but can be found in a review by Cleveland and Rothstein (2001). Stem Cell Therapy Due to its infamous potential, stem cell (SC) therapy is perhaps the most widely researched treatment area. SC therapy aims to improve symptoms rather than cure the disease, by either targeting re-growth of neurones or promoting their survival. Here we will focus on clinical and pre-clinical SC trials in the last 5 years. Direct neuronal replacement One proposed treatment method is to replace dying motoneurones with SCs. Recent Phase 1 Clinical Trials by Glass et al., (2012) and Feldman et al., (2014) studied the safety of lumbar and cervical SC injections, respectively. Both trials found good patient tolerance and sufficient safety to continue with future trials. Feldman et al. also used histochemical analysis to address concerns over unpredictable SC migration, by highlighting successfully transplanted SCs in spinal cord slices, Figure 1. Figure 1. B) Cross-section of spinal cord highlighting non-native cells C) Close-up shows morphology of cells consistent with pre-implanted SCs, indicative of successful transplantation into spinal cord. [Adapted from Feldman et al., 2014] Despite multiple limitations to the experimental technique, such as absence of a control group, results indicated early SC transplantation has a good chance of slowing disease progression in ALS patients, as 50% of patients showed improvement in 6-15 month post-trial check-ups. The corresponding Phase II Trial commenced in September 2013, and is due for completion this month. Figure 2 shows a previous study by Karussis et al., (2010) where SC injection leads to a significant increase in immune-regulatory cells (CD4+/CD25+) and an overall decreased immune response. Figure 2. Levels of neuronal cell inflammatory markers following injection of SCs [Adapted from Karussis et al., 2014] Reduction in immune response over 24hrs was in fact greater than seen in immunomodulatory medicines, suggesting additional mode of action for SC therapy. Neuronal survival via growth factor delivery Unsuccessful trials in the late 1990s to treat ALS with growth factors (GFs) prompted further studies into appropriate CNS targeting. Development of the SOD1-mutant rat model allowed Suzuki et al., in 2008, to address these delivery issues in a study using SCs as GF vectors. They found GF delivery to mid-stage SOD1 rodents showed increased neuromuscular connections, and a lifespan increase of 28 days, possibly due to reduced neuronal loss. Viral vectors for trophic factors (TFs) provide an alternative delivery route, and in 2010, Dodge et al., carried out mouse embryonic-SC motoneurone studies in which expression of TFs IGF-1 and VEGF-165 using viral vector, AAV4, allowed successful delivery of TFs to entirety of CNS. This slowed MN decline and increased mouse survival. Figure 3 shows initial culture studies using mouse-derived embryonic motoneurone SCs, showing clear protective action on neurones. Figure 3. A) 70% of motoneurones died in control, GFP-CM, compared to high survival with IGF-1-CM/VEGF-CM. B,C) IGF-1-CM/VEGF-CM treated motoneurones showed increased neurite length and survival rates compared to control. [Image from Dodge et al., 2010] Subsequent mouse studies showed increased survival and decelerated reduction in hindlimb grip-strength and stamina on the rotarod, seen in Figure 4. Figure 4. A,C,E) Mouse studies depicting neuroprotective action of TFs, IGF/VEGF vs control. [Image adapted from Dodge et al., 2010] It is worth noting that combined delivery of both TFs showed no synergistic effect, probably due to their affecting the same pathway. Subsequently, in 2013, Krakora et al., modified human mesenchymal SCs to further investigate synergistic effect of combined GFs. A synergistic effect between GDNF + VEGF was seen due to their action on different signalling cascades. This shows promise for future studies into improved neuronal survival. SC conclusions Phase-1 clinical-trials have shown safety of SC injection into CNS with promising, if unreliable, patient outcomes. The mechanism of improvement still unidentified, but hints at inflammatory regulation in neural protection may open an interesting avenue. GF application shows further potential based on rodent/mice studies with a proven effect at slowing disease progression and neuronal loss. SCs make suitable GF vectors as can be made to express/over-express GFs. Combining GF models with SC vectors for targeted delivery requires further exploration. Future trials must consider frequency, dose and administration technique. Neuronal Excitotoxicity Mouse ALS models by Beers et al., (2011) and Liao et al., (2012) indicate microglia conversion from M2 (anti-inflammatory) to M1 (pro-inflammatory) state during disease. Believed to be due to glutamate toxicity, therapeutic work should focus on reducing excessive neuronal glutamate level, and reducing resultant pro-inflammatory response. In 2014, Mesci et al., studied the xC- system; a glial antiporter exchanging cysteine for glutamate release, causing increased neuronal glutamate. The study aimed to show blocking xC- would reduce excessive glutamate release and affect M1/M2 state, to reduce inflammation. xCT (transporter gene) -/- mouse microglial studies demonstrated a significant 70% reduction in glutamate release compared to XC- +/+. Furthermore, Figure 5 shows significantly increased pro-inflammatory factors in xC- +/+ mice microglia compared to -/-, hinting at a shift towards the M1 microglial phenotype via xC-. Figure 5. A-E) Levels of M1 pro-inflammatory factors in xCT -/- vs +/+ mouse microglia [Image from Mesci et al., 2014] Interestingly, Mesci et al., also noted a 10-fold increase in anti-inflammatory M2 marker levels at pre-symptomatic phase in -/- mice which drops off at disease onset, indicating M1/M2 shift upon disease onset. Encouragingly, -/- microglia showed significant increase in motoneurone survival in -/- vs +/+ microglia, at 45% and 35% survival, respectively. This is indicative of a less neurotoxic environment. Finally, xC- -/- SOD1 mutated mice showed an overall deceleration in disease progression, shown by increased survival rates following advanced disease stage (20% weight loss) in Figure 6. Figure 6. Survival in advanced ALS in xC- +/+ and -/- SOD1 mice Neurotoxicity conclusions These anti-excitotoxicity findings are consistent with the action of Riluzole. Future drugs may target xC- system, however current antagonists are poorly specific and available to brain. Identification of a more suitable antagonist would be a good priority before further clinical trials. Antisense Technologies Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) bind to specific mRNA sequences to cause mRNA degradation. In 2013, Leah et al., conducted studies in SOD1 rodents and human subjects with neurodegenerative diseases. SOD1-targeting ASOs were introduced to subjects to reduce SOD1 levels. They found both SOD1 mRNA and protein fell by 69Â ±4% and 48Â ±14%, respectively, in rodent cortices. Interestingly, this matched reduced protein levels by 42Â ±14% in rodent CSF, indicating CSF levels are a good measure of levels in brain. Unfortuntely, SOD1 cannot be a specific ALS marker due to its presence in other neurodegenerative diseases. However, its observed constant levels over time supports SOD1 as a good biomarker in indicating efficacy of antisense technologies and its effective targeting by ASOs may be useful in measuring brain SOD1 levels via CSF levels in future studies. A Phase 1 Clinical Trial by Miller et al., (2013) to determine safety of single-dose intrathecal injection of ASOs found no safety concerns. However, liver cancer and neuropathy was previously seen in cases of chronic low SOD1 levels (Elchuri et al., 2005), so long-term dosage effects must be carefully monitored. Conclusions This review was restricted to three main research areas, but areas such as susceptibility gene identification, oxidative stress and protein misfolding, are also being explored. Current research shows promise, especially in SOD1 rodent models and positive safety data from Phase 1 Trials. SCs continue to have vast potential, and when combined with GFs have shown encouraging effects on disease progression in rodent models. Reliability of these studies, however, must be improved in order to draw accurate conclusions and compare findings from related studies. Ideally, a ‘standard trial protocol’ should be implemented. Trials must also consider long-term effects of reduced SOD1 levels (in antisense techniques) and immunosuppressant use (with stem cells). Some issues may possibly be alleviated by recent development of new autologous SC models (Meyers et al., 2014). In short, current ALS treatments remain palliative care and Riluzole, but with new developments continuously emerging there is definitely an exciting research landscape ahead. In October 2014, ALSA requested Phase II Trial proposals to accelerate work in this area, meaning that the race is on to find suitable ALS treatment that may help patient prognosis in the future. Word count: 1573 119/09/2016

Okonkwo as Epic Hero in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart Essay

Okonkwo as Epic Hero in Things Fall Apart      Ã‚  Ã‚   Achebe’s work, Things Fall Apart, is an epic; it resembles stories about heroes found in many cultures. In these stories, the heroes are extraordinary individuals, whose careers and destinies are not theirs alone, but are bound with the fortunes and destinies of their society. They become heroes by accomplishing great things for themselves and their communities, winning much fame as a result.    Okonkwo fits this pattern. The first paragraph of Things Fall Apart is notable in this respect, for it describes Okonkwo as follows:    Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond. His fame rested on solid personal achievements. As a young man of eighteen he had brought honour to his village by throwing Amalinze the Cat. Amalinze was the great wrestler who for seven years was unbeaten, from Umuofia to Mbaino. He was called the Cat because his back would never touch the earth. It was this man that Okonkwo threw in a fight which the old man agreed was one of the fiercest since the founder of their town engaged a spirit of the wild for seven days and seven nights. (3)    In an epic story, the hero undergoes many tests, which we can see as rites of passage. In Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo undergoes such tests, including the wrestling match with Amalinze the Cat, his struggle with the negative legacy of his father, and the struggle to succeed on his own.    Praising heroes is a basic function of epics. As ... ... Hopes and Impediments. New York: Doubleday, 1989. Innes, C.L. Chinua Achebe. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990. Nnolim, Charles E. "Achebe's Things Fall Apart: An Igbo National Epic" Modern Black Literature. ed. Okechukwu Mezu New York: Black Academy Press, 1971, 55-60. Obiechina, Emmanuel. "Narrative Proverbs in the African Novel," Research in African Literatures, 24, 4 (1993), 123-140. Okafor, Chinyere Grace. "From the Heart of Masculinity: Ogbodo-Uke Women's Masking." Research in African Literatures, 25, 3 (1994), 7-17. Traore, Ousseynou. "Matrical Approach to Things Fall Apart; A Poetics of Epic and Mythic Paradigms." Approaches to Teaching Achebe's Things Fall Apart. ed. Bernth Lindfors. New York: MLA, 1991, 65-73.

Analysis Poem ‘No Coward Soul Is Mine’

No Coward Soul Is Mine by Emily Bronte No coward soul is mine, No trembler in the worlds storm-troubled sphere: I see Heavens glories shine, And faith shines equal, arming me from fear. O God within my breast. Almighty, ever-present Deity! Life — that in me has rest, As I — Undying Life — have power in Thee! Vain are the thousand creeds That move mens hearts: unutterably vain; Worthless as withered weeds, Or idlest froth amid the boundless main, To waken doubt in one Holding so fast by Thine infinity; So surely anchored on The steadfast Rock of immortality. With wide-embracing love Thy Spirit animates eternal years,Pervades and broods above, Changes, sustains, dissolves, creates, and rears. Though earth and man were gone, And suns and universes ceased to be, And Thou wert left alone, Every existence would exist in Thee. There is not room for Death, Nor atom that his might could render void: Thou — Thou art Being and Breath, And what Thou art may never be d estroyed. Analysis Connotative words:First stanzaIn the second line, storm-troubled has negative connotative meaning. Denotative meaning from storm is an extreme weather condition with very strong wind, heavy rain, and lighting; and the denotative meaning of trouble s to cause someone to have a problems or difficulties. The word storm-troubled is a compound verb that has connotative meaning an activity of destroying something with the powerful energy or an activity that can cause a dangerous effect. In the fourth line, shines has positive connotative meaning. The denotative meaning from shines as verb is to send out or reflect light; the connotative meaning is to show something or looks like. Also in fourth line, the word arming has positive connotative meaning. The word arming comes from word arm and affix  ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€œing. Arming then has meaning as verb.The denotative meaning from arm is part of body which consist of two long parts of the upper body that fixed to the shoulders and have hands at the end. The connotative meaning from arming is to embrace or to hug someone, also to save or to make safety from something.Second stanzaIn the first line, the word breast has positive connotative meaning. The denotative meaning from breast is part of body, especially has relation with women. The connotative meaning from this word is deep inside of heart. In this line the poet wants to show that she really believes in God, so that she says that God in her breast or in her deep inside of her heart. Fourth Stanza In the fourth line, Rock has positive connotative meaning. The denotation meaning of rock is the dry solid part of the Earth’s surface; stone. The connotative meaning of Rock here is the faith, beliefs, or religion that people have to have.Seventh StanzaIn the third line, Being and Breath has positive connotative meanings. The denotative meaning of being is a person or thing that exists or the state of existing; and breath is the air that goes into and o ut of lungs. The connotative meaning of those words is the One who only has the being forever or the One who can give a life or soul for the creature.

Euthanasia Informational Outlo essays

Euthanasia Informational Outlo essays Euthanasia Informational Outlook Before practicing medicine as a profession, doctors must take a Hippocratic Oath in which they are sworn to protect human life. Therefore, any concept which involves assisting a patient to take his own life would, on the surface, appear to be a violation of the sacred medical oath. However, with the ever-increasing numbers of terminally-ill patients, the issues aren't necessarily as black and white as they once appeared. With the increasing prominence of Dr. Jack Kevorkian, sometimes referred to as Dr. Death, many patients and medical professionals are questioning the implications of physician-assisted suicide, and whether or not such an action constitutes murder. I. Advanced euthanasia directives including terminal care, value of life and right to die Euthanasia comprised of the Greek words eu, which means good and thanatos, which means death. There are two basic types of euthanasia active and passive. Active euthanasia involves inducing a painless death to a patient (per his request) who is suffering from a terminal illness or incurably debilitating condition, with their direct consent. To date, this practice is illegal in the United States, but is recognized by the Netherlands' government ("Hemlock Society: General Information" 1997). Passive euthanasia is the medical practice of not intervening in the natural death process and is performed through the removal of feeding tubes, the cessation of antibiotic medications to fight infection, or the halting of chemotherapy. This is a legally recognized practiced and is widely accepted by the medical establishment. ("Hemlock Society: General Information" 1997). In recent years, the term assisted suicide has become popular or notorious, depending on one's point of view. This is the process of aiding a person to end his life, and is considered illegal in most states. Although family members often help a t...

Case Study on Health Education

Case Study on Health Education Sample case study on Health Education: Explain how â€Å"health literacy† relates to Healthy People 2020. Health literacy is having the capacity to process and understand basic health information, and applying this information when making health-related decisions. The responsibility of communicating health information is placed on health professionals and the general public expects them to communicate in plain language which is easily understood. When technical jargons are used, most people are unable to adopt the recommendations which are being put forward by health professionals. The main objective of Healthy People 2020 is to improve the general health of Americans. Besides strengthening the current health policies, Healthy People 2020 also wants to increase the proportion of the population which engages in healthy behaviors. Unless health literacy is improved, the objective mentioned above would no be achieved. There exists a gap of knowledge between the health professionals and the public. The health professionals posses the critical information need to promote health living while the public does not have this information; they rely on the professionals to advice them. Therefore the hunger for information already exists and the impetus is on the health professionals to furnish the public with easily understandable information. The inability to understand health information is often attributed to the manner in which it is presented. There are some factors like age and educational levels which play a part in limiting health literacy but most people blame their inability to understand health information on the manner in which it was conveyed. In concluding, health professionals and physicians in particular must disseminate health information in an accurate and actionable manner. They should speak in a plain language which cuts across all social and cultural boundaries. Health literacy is an attainable goal but the degree to which the public absorbs health information and adopts healthy behaviors largely depends on the language used by health professionals. Please give examples of how health literacy (or the lack of health literacy) affects a persons health behaviors Due to a general improvement in education standards, it is often assumed that everyone possesses some basic form of health literacy. Understanding a medical prescription or sticking to a strict diet prescribed by a doctor may not seem like a complex undertaking to most people. However, there are people within our community who are unable process even the most basic health information without the help of a relative or close friend. Without getting into the details of the factors which limit their health literacy, it has already been proven that the lack of health literacy negatively affects a person’s health behaviors. People with low health literacy are less likely to understand oral or written information given by health professionals. This is glaringly evident among the elderly population or people who are not native speakers (speak English as a second language). Such people are more likely to mix up the prescriptions given by a doctor, ignore important health information and in some occasions refuse to seek treatment for their ailments. Their refusal to seek health treatment is sometimes not voluntary; they are simply daunted by the prospect of navigating a â€Å"complex† health system. The countless procedures, appointment schedules and prescriptions appear like insurmountable challenges. People with low health literacy prefer to seek health services from publicly financed programs instead of going to the private sector which offers better quality of care. Financial ability is often identified as the main reason why certain people opt for publicly financed programs but their health literacy also influences this decision. Public programs like Medicaid are perceived to be more suited for people of low income but the reality is the cost of care at Medicaid is comparable to a majority of private sector programs. Medicaid patients perceive it to be more ‘reliable’ and they ignore private healthcare mostly because of the fear of navigating a ‘new’ healthcare system. Discuss the evolving challenges health educators face regarding improving health literacy. The healthcare industry has undergone massive transformations in the last couple of decades. New medical techniques have been discovered and newer prescriptions introduced to replace the old ones. More importantly, there has also been a dramatic shift in health policies and such changes are unknown to the public. Health educators carry the responsibility of informing the public of all these changes but their efforts are often hampered by financial barriers. Nowadays, educating the public on health awareness is an expensive venture. For example, only a few public organizations can afford to run an important health message during prime time television; the cost of such advertisements exceeds the budgets of most health education projects. The same high costs are evident in other advertising avenues like billboards, magazines and newspapers. The options available for educating the public on health issues are simply limited by the high costs. Other challenges faced by health educators include social and cultural barriers. We currently live in a diverse society which is dominated by different ethnic groups. The difference in earning power has further subdivided our society into different social groups. Health educators face serious challenges especially when communicating social-specific or cultural-specific health information. For example, there is a high prevalence rate of STIs amongst low income populations than high income populations. In some regions, large segments of the low income population are composed of people from a particular ethnic or racial group. How then do health educators convey important information on STIs without appearing like they are racial profiling? Such misconceptions hamper the health educator’s efforts to raise health literacy within certain segments of the population.

Position essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Position - Essay Example after a high-profile spokesperson named Celerino Castillo, a former high-ranking Drug Enforcement Agency operative, testified and gave first-hand information about the substantial involvement of the CIA in the drug trade. The following discussions center on the issues regarding how the CIA gets involves in drug trades. The CIA was created by a Wall Street investor and lawyer named Clark Clifford through the National Security Act of 1947 (Corruption Enablers in Legal-Judicial Areas, 2009). Corruption was rooted with the CIA when it was created (Stitch, 2009). The leaders of this US government transformed section supported the illegal trade, including Clifford. The CIA got involved in this trade to finance their operations and later on became a money producing machine for some money-hungry operatives. This information was included in Celerino Castillo’s report. In the early 1950’s all the way up to the mid 1970’s the U.S. military participation in Laos, Indochina had a lot to do with illegal drugs. Research shows that heroin and opium were flown by â€Å"Air America† into a lot of different nations, as well as Vietnam (Stitch, 2007). Because of CIA’s drug trafficking, Southeast Asia became the major producer of heroin and opium. It is assumed that Southeast Asia produces 80% or the world’s heroin and opium (Stitch, 2007). The good image of South Vietnam was also tarnished by the drug trade brought in by the CIA from Laos. Cultures like that of the Hmong in Laos delivered 40,000 men for the CIAs underground Laotian military (Stitch, Rodney, 2007). Nevertheless in the development, opium production took over the Hmong people and many became addicted. To back the Hmong drug addiction, the CIAs â€Å"Air America† transferred rare opium beyond the Laotian mountains to the drug test centers. During the mi d-70s, Army health officers gave estimation that roughly twenty percent of American fighters had become addicted to the drugs because of the CIA (Stich

The Impact of Globalization on Recent Changes to Employment Patterns Assignment

The Impact of Globalization on Recent Changes to Employment Patterns and Structure in either a Country or Industry of Your Choice - Assignment Example More specifically current sources are used for the report to gain knowledge of the pattern of current changes introduced thereof and its due implications on the employment scenario. Findings The findings relate that the era of globalization or liberalization has impacted the pattern of industrial relation policies and thereby the employment structures of the Indian economy. Firstly it is noticed that the system of due protectionism of employees which was the significant feature of Indian industrial relations gradually is subjected to abolition thereby contributing to the reduction of impacts of trade unionism in India. Secondly the system of collective bargaining is also found to be decentralized to render potential to the management in governing trade union activities. Thirdly the findings reflect that how human resource management functions have focused on development of employee productivity through aspects of training and employee development. Fourthly the growth of services and communication sector industries in the country is also noticed side by side with the manufacturing sectors thereby leading to the emergence of new employment structures. Fifthly policy changes to industrial relations in the post liberalization period reflected a rise in both organized and unorganized types of employment structures leading to the growth of casual and self-employed labor market. Sixthly case studies dealt with in relation to manufacturing sectors pertaining to cotton and jute mills are presented where issues relating to modernization and employee participation are presented. The findings reflect the impacts of modernization and participative style management in the specific... The conclusion of the report specifically highlights on drawing a summary of the essential themes related to globalization and its impact on the employee patterns and structures in the Indian employment market. It also draws a summary of the findings of the report relating to the case studies used reflecting the impacts of industrial relation policy changes on the employer-employee relationships. Finally it also focuses on the pattern of recommendations sought in relation to the employment issues relating to the cases underlined. This paper makes a conclusion that the mode of globalization in relation to the world at large has contributed to the development and introduction of new set of operational, trade and employer-employee relationship aspects along different sets of business enterprises. Moreover the emergence of a liberal market has also spurred the growth of different employment sectors both in relation to the developed and developing economies. The project focuses specifically on the Indian economy where the emergence of a liberal market framework has led to the birth of casual forms of employment in sharp contrast to the existence of only organized employment sectors. Moreover the emergence of both public and private sectors in the Indian economy also triggers the development of newer styles of employer-employee relationship patterns. In fact the mode of industrial relations has gained a far flung change in comparison to the period pre and post liberalization in influencing the patterns of employmen t patterns and structures in the industrial and employment scenario of India. It is found that during the pre liberalization period the employment and the industrial structure of India were mainly governed by manufacturing and other large scale industries.