Effects Of Energy Drink Consumption On All Age Groups Are...

Based on data obtained from limited English sources dated 2005 to 2010, energy drinks have become more popular among teenagers and young adults (Rath, 2012). SixWise.com’s (2008) article â€Å"What is really in a hot dog?† provided evidence that just because the product is purchased by the public does not automatically mean it is beneficial long term (Wyrick). This new craze of energy drinks has the world consuming them at a staggering rate. The debates concerning the effects among energy drink consumption in all age groups are real and impacts most of us in some shape or form. Some people will argue there are benefits found in some of the ingredients that enhance the psychological and physiological mental and cognitive performances such as†¦show more content†¦When consumers substitution water with an alternative fluid, it has to be approached with extreme caution. Such is the case when the alternative fluid is an energy drink. When water is replaced with an e nergy drink, the timing of the energy drink intake and the amount of energy drink intake must be clearly understood by the consumer (Attila Cakir, 2011). The consumer has to be aware that they are depriving and harming the human body in the short term as well as the long term impact to a person’s life with this type of substitution. Energy drinks are comprised of the following primary ingredients: caffeine, sugar, ginseng, taurine, and guarana. Caffeine is the most commonly used legal drug in the world that does not discriminate among the races, ethnicity, or gender groups. Babu et al. (2008) stated that a lethal dose of caffeine in a healthy adult can range from 5 - 10 g with 9 - 28 mg of caffeine per ounce in an energy drink (Rath, 2012). The human body does not block caffeine. The body acts like a sponge and absorbs caffeine and then quickly distributes it throughout the body (Rath, 2012). Individuals have the tendency to excessively consume caffeine. The caffeine when combined with sugar can cause psychological and physiological effects in people such as mild to moderate euphoria. Drinking one energy drink is not considered excessive. Drinking two or more drinks in a day is considered excessive. The second

Academic Development Higher Education and Learning Plan...

My higher education and learning plan (HELP) directly supports my academic development by providing a structured, high view of my planned studies up until I have achieved my higher education qualification. It allows me to benchmark my actual study progression against a sensible and realistic guide based on my yearly credit aims. By recording the start and finish time of each ‘module’ that comprises my qualification, I can easily ensure there are no conflicting timescales I was not already aware of. Adding the cost to the HELP enables me to calculate the overall cost of my qualification as well as the price of each level of study. The notes section allows me to append any thoughts I have concerning specific modules; for example in my HELP†¦show more content†¦These external courses are mostly covered in the modules included in my HELP, but some additional study and resources will be required. By making note of them in my HELP I allow myself adequate time to consi der these in conjunction with my current study, making informed choices as to whether I would be able to carry out both simultaneously or if extra time would be required. Using a HELP supports my career development in both my current organisation and in my future plans to change the direction of my career. Having a HELP demonstrates to my current employer and potential future employers that I have considered my role within an organisation, and how further academic and personal development can help support my responsibilities within it. It evidences commitment to my own development outside of work that could potentially reflect back and improve my performance in the work place. It will also allow my employer to see other positions or areas my continued development could benefit the organisation in the future. Looking beyond my current employment, having a HELP in place allows me to plan out a future career change I have in mind. After completing my qualification I will hopefully be a ble to switch to a more specialised role, either in the same organisation or another entirely. There is also a chance that demonstrating I have a plan in place to study towards a specificShow MoreRelatedDevelopment Plan For The Professional And The Academic Field1521 Words   |  7 PagesDevelopment Needs Analysis Introduction Why a development planning is important to a learner who wants to succeed in the professional and the academic field? A development plan is defined as a structured and supported process commenced by learners to consider their own learning, performance and achievement and to plan for their personal, educational and career development. 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Equal right for marriage Essay Example For Students

Equal right for marriage Essay Equal right for marriage BY ptnk1996 Chris Zhu 08/01/13 Essay #3 final draft The American dream is one of freedom and equality. Its supposed to be branded in the hearts of every United States citizen however, when it comes to homosexuals, citizens of the United States wake up and the dream is demolished. Same-sex marriage is the most conflicting issue in the currently society. Marriage is basically a private matter and a fundamental human right, so people should have the right to decide with whom they marry, not the state. In the essay titled Gay Marriage: Societal Suicide, Charles Colson talks about his reasons for opposing same-sex marriage. The main argument is built around Colsons belief that legalizing same-sex marriage would lead to the decoupling of marriage, and ultimately result in what he describes as: an explosive increase in family collapse, out of wedlock births and crime. (P463) It seems like same-sex marriage is the death of family. However, in the other essay Desecration? Dedication! written by Anna Quindlen, she argues that gay ouples, like career women, are being held to a higher standard than other people and that this is unfair (P461). Although she is not thorough for gay marriage but more for equal right. In comparing gays to naturalized citizens, author is pointing out how natural born citizens take for granted citizenship as well as thier right to get married. Straight people also divorce and crime. Marriage is for love, for responsibility. Gay marriage is Just another expression of marriage. Then, Charles Colson states the xtremely opposition in gay couples having children. Among the statistics, Colson lists that: Boys who grow up without fathers are twice as likely as other boys to end up in prison, and sixty percent of rapists and 72 percent of adolescent murderers never knew or lived with their fathers, and girls raised without a father in the home are five times more likely to become mothers while still adolescents. (P463) He continues to mention additional studies that illustrate the link between children who ome from broken homes and the development of behavioral problems and poor academic performance throughout the childs lifetime. Anna Quindlen also indicates, One of the chief arguments opponents have against same-sex marriage is that marriage is designed first and foremost to produce and shelter children. (P461) However, she explains that nowadays, more and more people who dont want to have kids, women who ar e past childbearing age. These all the behaviors from straight people, so having the baby is absolutely not the purpose for marriage. The essay also mentions, Jonathan Rauch reports that the most recent Census found 28 percent of gay couples had kids. And thats probably an undercount. (P461) The evidence provided by Colson effectively demonstrates the existence of a direct correlation between criminal activity and broken families, but not only for the gay couple families. Boys and girls who grow up without fathers also happen in the unwed and divorced families. Gay couples have their children or not Just as the same as the marriage. If two persons are closed to each other regardless of their gender, they should be allowed to marry with each other. No matter how their families come from, people have absolute no right to treat them differently or put pressure on them. They are Just the two people who love each other very much. Thats all what it needs to form a family. There is no abnormal marriage. The abnormal Just lies in our eyes. Legalizing gay marriage is granting same-sex couples the right to marry and ensure all citizens have equal rights and opportunities.

Key Success Factors of Apple Inc Essay Example

Key Success Factors of Apple Inc Paper Abstract Introduction – Introducing Apple Inc. (One of the largest company in computer industry), and the meaning of Key Success Factors as well as the main objective of the Research Paper. Relation to Previous Research – By analyzing different researches, we can have a whole picture of Apples success and see whether there have any managerial implication. Proposed Methods and Reflections – By using a questionnaire with different questions to respondents via Internet, we can analyze the data to reflect Apples recent key success factors. Conclusion – Brief summary of the key success factors of Apple Inc. which make it have a market share of 14% in U. S. and 3% in the world. Introduction Apple Inc. is an American Multinational corporation with a focus on designing and manufacturing consumer electronic and related software products. Its best-known hardware products include the Macintosh line of personal computers, the iPod (portable media player), and the iPhone. The software products include the Mac OS X operating system, iTunes media browser and the iLife suite of multimedia and creativity software. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) The personal computer industry is characterized by the following features: it is highly competitive, computer companies abide aggressive pricing practices that causes downward pressure on gross margins, another feature is frequent introduction of new products, computers, peripherals and accessories have got in a great extant short product life cycles, there are a lot of industry standards and patents, in fact, all makers apply strategies of continual improvement in product price/performance characteristics, if any company has invented any technological advancements, another one rapidly adopts it, besides, prices are very sensitive on the part of consumers, and it is likely, there is and lots of competitors in the market. We will write a custom essay sample on Key Success Factors of Apple Inc specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Key Success Factors of Apple Inc specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Key Success Factors of Apple Inc specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In order to achieve those results Apple Inc. has got today the company has to pay attention to all these above described factors which determine success. According to A. A. Thompson, Jr. , A. J. Strickland and J. E. Gamble in Crafting and Executing Strategy (2005), key success factors are so important to future competitive success that all firms in the industry must be competent at performing or achieving them or risk becoming and industry also-ran. An industry’s key success factors are those competitive factors that most affect competitors’’ ability to prosper in the marketplace, which include particular strategy elements, product attributes, resources, competencies, competitive capabilities, and market achievements. In my research paper, I will try to review and analyze key factors of the Apple’s success, try to compare results of several existed researches on this issue with the one that have been done by me and discuss about both. My research has been made by means of a questionnaire via the Internet (see the Appendices). One supposes that the success of the company was brought about because of its innovations and internal organizational impacts. Relation to Previous Research There are a lot of researches which refer to the issue of the success of Apple Inc. in mass medias, the Internet and economic literature. All of them point out in some way or other different factors of the success. My research is to get the whole picture of Apples success by analyze different researches and facts with applying strategic theories that I have learnt on this program. Let us consider some of them. According to the article â€Å"Apple Computer, Inc. † (Apple Computer, Inc. Case Study) The author calls factors of early success of the company. Among them there were the interface â€Å"window† introduced to customers (though it has been later borrowed by Microsoft), the strong organization structure of the company which consisted of designing professions with high work discipline and morality, next, one of the main factors was, in fact, is the deep market penetration with the educational community in the U. S. A. and some others. As for the today’s success of the company, one can example the results of the research from the article â€Å"Apple Computers, Inc. Comprehensive Business Analysis†. The author of this work confirms that Apple Inc. is a successful maker because of the following elements of its strategy. First of all, it is due to the company’s constant innovations (virtually, the company is called one of the most innovative one in the country). Second, products of Apple are stylish, are characterized by usability and increased speed and memory. Besides, Apple is a company with a very strong brand, in other words, is good positioned. About this fact the following research speaks — â€Å"From computer geek to style icon† (Behind Apples Strategy: Be Second to Market) The researcher is discussing about the importance of the brand revitalizing as one of the most efficient factors of the success. Having narrowed its followers’ share to a â€Å"Specialist† brand, the company has returned its former reputation as the most fashionable computer maker in the market. Due to much attention to its customers, the company has created its own base of loyal ones who, as witness some sources, has great expectation about future company outputs. In other word they are confident of quality of Apple’s devices. This confidence alongside with effectively paying off all debts has led to overvaluing of the company in the financial markets. One of important factors of the success is the one which gives the company the possibility to compete in the market. It is margin expansion. Due to large reserves of higher prices the company, in fact, has got room to survive during price wars with other rivals. According to the article â€Å"Apple and PCs, both given Up for Dead, Are Rising Anew† (Archives The New York Times Friday, May 23, 2008) the core impulse of the development of the company in the early period and after 1998 was the return of Steve Jobs to it. The team headed by Jobs understands that the main preconditions of the company success are â€Å"simplicity, branding and style†. The new staff created after Apple Inc. has got problems with its finances, is a source of creativity and non-standard thinking that lead to constant innovations due to a great share of research and development costs. Besides the mentioned factors, one can call the one referred to high quality of sales (for example, when in Palo Alto, Calif. , in the store they have found out that the companys innovative iMac computer did not work with a newly designed Epson printer, in a matter of days a software patch was created and widely distributed via the Internet that helped to combat customers’ complaints). Also researchers point out many novelty from Apple — iPod, iPhone, iMac and others which have got demand due to the creative approach to their production, due to the fact all these product have got their own names â€Å"iPod†, â€Å"iPhone†, â€Å"iMac† (without the article â€Å"the†). Proposed methods and reflections In order to gather our own data about what main factors of Apple Inc. ’s success, we will work out a questionnaire with different questions to respondents via the Internet. This kind of research was chosen because of its simplicity for understanding and doing conclusions, because of the possibility of the existence of control questions, and because of rapidity of gathering of information. The first question can reflect about the Apple Inc. s recently breaking into a different market niche, for instance, the portable music segment — with iPod and iTunes software. Nowadays in this market the company has achieved 90% of all sales in the U. S. A. (according to â€Å"Apple Computers, Inc. Comprehensive Business Analysis†). This share of the market, in fact, allows the Apple’s management to set its own rules of competitive oppositions. Such monopolistic state creates the possibility to charge new prices that is used by the company in full. Now existed competitors are not able to create something to surpass the Apple’s product. Next, as for the question No2, on the ground of these answers, one can conclude that all these factors have got their weight in the success of the company. But the main two of the three are easiness of use of its computers and sales via the Internet. As for the last factor, there is a need to say that Apple sells its products via its improved distribution network in the U. S. A. and worldwide. In particular, the company is using the sites Amazon. com and Buy. com that gives the possibility of home shopping. In this context (of sales), we have to note about the company’s retail strategy. According to the article â€Å"Apple Retail Stores: the 9-success factors† (Apple Retail Stores: the 9-success factors, December 23, 2007), Apple Inc. attracts about 9000 visitors a week in each of its stores in the U. S. A. Besides the article numbers other factors of the success, they are: a strong concept, new and exciting products, enough cash on the balance sheet (that during the period of the company’s collapse was, in fact, one of the most crucial problems), excellent marketing and brand name (about it we have noted), excellent supply chain management (it gives the possibility not to depend on one of the suppliers, in other words, not to be in the situation of monopoly), relevant information systems, excellent shop locations, a unique solution-focused store design, and outstanding store operation to deliver â€Å"Fantastic experience†. If to speak more about the last factor, according to the article â€Å"Mac sales corral 14% of U. S. computer market† (Keizer G. , â€Å"Mac sales corral 14% of U. S. computer market† http://www. computerworld. com/action/article. do? command=viewArticleBasicarticleId=9069298) the company’s store personnel offers customers complete buying experience† that, to some executives’ mind, is the most important factors of the success. As for the third question, â€Å"To what extent does the existence of professional designers at the company assist its success? † In fact, it means what many other researches confirm that, in particular, Steve Jobs’ returning to the company in 1997 became an impulse of revitalizing and give the possibility to create a new team of designers which set a milestone of creativity, an innovation approach and research and development costs. As for the fourth question, it can reflect whether Apple Inc. due to a wide range of above mentioned and other factors has got a base of loyal customers who are confident of the company, of its products and expect novelties from it in spite of relatively higher than in competitors prices. One has to note that the bulk of this base of customers is the educational sector, which the company has relied in the past and rely now on. And finally, as for the fifth question â€Å"What do you think of relatively higher prices of Apple’s products? † So, we can observe that whether the law â€Å"high price — high quality† works in the case of Apple or not. The company has got a strong brand name, long history of presence in the market, is famous for its innovations and novelties, and corresponding quality of products. Besides, we have asked some open questions about key factors of the Apple’s success and got the following results: if to group them — thought leadership, network innovations, human factors engineering, continuous improvements. If to generalize these answers, we will get similar conclusions: one of the main factors of the company’s success alongside with the presence of creative approach within the team of designers is constant innovations and RD costs which rank the company as the one of the most innovative in the country. Conclusion In spite of particularities of the computer market, Apple Inc. has managed to outlive during the period of its collapse at the beginning of the 1990s and achieve a remarkable success. There are many key factors which have determined and determine such results (Apple’s market share is 14% in the U. S. A. and 3% in the world — according to the article â€Å"Mac sales corral 14% of U. S. computer market†). They are innovations, â€Å"buying experience† at stores, a great amount of RD costs, deep penetration with the

Patrick Henry essays

Patrick Henry essays Patrick Henry was a lawyer patriot, orator and was a symbol for the the American fight for liberty and self government. Patrick Henry was born in 1736 in Hanover County, Virginia 1736 and died in 1799. He was educated in a country school and in a school kept by his father. Henry tried merchandising and farming, but lost money at both. He then turned his mind to the study of law, and was admitted to practice in 1760. Three years later he won reputation by the management of a famous law case, known as the Parson's Cause. At that day the clergymen of Virginia, like those of England, were entitled to salaries from public funds. Their salaries were given in part in the currency of the day, namely tobacco. In 1764 he moved to Louisa county, Virginia, where, as a lawyer, he argued in defense of broad voting rights before the House of Burgesses. The following year he was elected to the House and soon became its leading radical member. He instilled the point that a king who vetoed a good and helpful law made by a locally elected representative body was not a leader to his people. Patrick Henry had been called a traitor who committed treason in his struggle against the Stamp Act. In 1774 he represented Virginia in the First Continental Congress where he continued in the role of firecracker. At the start of the revolution, he returned to his native state and lead militia in defense of V irginia's gunpowder store, when the royal Governor spirited it aboard a British ship. Henry forced the Governor Lord Dunmore to pay for the power at fair price. In March 1775 Patrick Henry told colonists to arm themselves in the war against England, speaking the immortal words: I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death Henry's call to arms was returned with a warrant on his head placed by the King of England. Henry responded with the remark a Quaker in religion but ...

The Biggest Sharks in the World

The Biggest Sharks in the World The whale shark holds the title of the worlds biggest shark species. Growing to a length of about 65 feet (the length of about 1 1/2 school buses!) and weighing about 75,000 pounds, this streamlined fish is really a gentle giant.   Some areas frequented by these sharks, such as Ningaloo Reef  in Australia, have become popular tourist destinations because of their swim-with-sharks programs. Whale sharks live  in tropical and warmer temperate waters in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. In addition to their size, these sharks can be easily recognized by their gorgeous coloration, which is formed from lighter spots and stripes over a gray, blue or brown skin. They also have very wide mouths, which they use to eat tiny prey primarily plankton, crustaceans, and small fish, which are filtered from the water as the shark swims. The second-biggest shark species is the basking shark, which grows to about 40 feet long. These animals are also plankton feeders. They live primarily in temperate ocean waters throughout the world. The Biggest Shark Filmed In summer 2015, a video swept the news, touting it was the biggest shark ever filmed. What many of the news reports failed to mention is the species. There are more than 400 shark species, and they range in size from the 60-foot whale shark to pygmy sharks and lantern sharks that are less than a foot long when fully grown. The biggest shark filmed was actually a white shark, also known as a great white shark. At average lengths of 10 to 15 feet, white sharks are generally much smaller than a whale shark or basking shark.   So, while the 20-foot white shark nicknamed Deep Blue may (or may not) be the largest white shark ever filmed, its by far not the largest shark ever filmed as there is plenty of video footage of much larger whale sharks and their slightly smaller relatives, the basking shark.   The Biggest Shark Ever Caught According to the International Game Fish Association, the largest shark ever caught was a white shark nabbed in  Ceduna, Australia. This shark weighed 2,664 pounds.   Another one of the largest white sharks caught is thought to be a 20-foot shark caught by a trawler about 12 miles off the coast of Prince Edward Island, Canada. The significance of the sharks size was underestimated at the time, and the shark was initially buried. Eventually, a scientist dug it up to investigate it and realized the enormity of the find. The shark was later estimated to have been about 20 years old, meaning it may still have had some growing to do Sources Bateman, D. 2015. Canadian Who Caught Real-Life Jaws Wishes He Hadnt. Toronto Star Newspapers. CBS News. 2015. Giant Great White Shark Caught OFF P.E.I. Was a Teenager. Grenoble, R. 2015. This Is Deep Blue, Probably the Biggest Shark Youve Ever Seen. The Huffington Post.Martins, Carol, and Craig Knickle. 2009.  Whale Shark.  Florida Museum of Natural History Ichthyology Department.

Love & Friendship text analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Love & Friendship text analysis - Essay Example To her, Robbie is a sex-crazed maniac who is out to hurt her sister. Her accusation lands Robbie a jail-term. However, with age she comes to terms with her mistake and leads her life wishing for atonement, and this makes her writes to the end. All the events in the novel can be attributed to the failure of the older generation. Therefore, this paper shall seek to explain the extent to which the older generation’s failure contributed to the events of the story. The novel centers on the youth and adolescents facing challenges as a result of their parents’ failures. For instance, Briony’s cousins’ Lola, Pierrot, and Jackson visit the Tallis’s home for summer since their parents, Cecil Quincey and Hermoine are having problems in their marriage. They are giving their parents time to work out their differences and probably revert back their idea of having a divorce. It is during this visit that Lola gets raped and Robbie is accused of the crime. Chances are high that if Lola’s parents were in a healthy relationship, then they could have not visited the Tallis’s home during summer since they could be spending time together as a family. On the other hand, if they had not visited Tallis’s home, then Lola could have not been raped and Robbie could not have been sent to prison. The Talli’s family members are not happy as a family since their parents are not always there for them. Jack Tallis, the head of the family is always in London working and does not get time to visit or spend quality time with his family. McEwan asserts, â€Å"†¦and the old man is staying in town. He might come later† (48). The whole household misses his presence, and everything that goes wrong is attributed to the fact that he is not around. Briony explains that her father’s presence always changed the family’s atmosphere. She asserts, â€Å"Whenever he was around, the house settled on a fixed point† (McEwan 122). In as much as he spent his time at home in the library

Plastic materials Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Plastic materials - Essay Example By using Autodesk Moldflow Insight software, the user is able to add packing filling and phases of the injection moulding process. This allows for a greater ability to forecast the melted plastic flow model at a higher manufacturing quality than usual. This ability will also allow engineers to help enhance gate locations, systems of balance runner, process assessment, and part defect correction with more preciseness. Mould manufacturers greatly benefit from the ability of the software to simulate effects of non-uniform mould temperatures, better assess adjusted valve-gate timing categorizations and the hot versus cold runner flow system associations. All of these can be achieved along with the spread simulation competencies of selective models. These can now go beyond ordinary thermoplastic injection moulding to state moulding procedures. Procedures which require gas aided co-injection, and injection compression. Another advantage of using Autodesk Moldflow Insight software is that it offers a constant monitoring of inventors, mould makers, and engineers whose work in a simulation set up and consequences allow the program to better understand the required performance of the moulded plastic material. The program comes to better understand and depict the alterations to geometry, material, mould designs, wall width, and circumstances that affect plastic manufacturability. This means that â€Å"what-if† situations in design problems. are most likely real problems that the software already knows how to handle when it comes to design confirmation.

Sorry for Disturbing You Essay Example for Free

Sorry for Disturbing You Essay Life is about many things. Some would say friendship is gold, others that money talks. But one main thing that many people isnt listing that high, is communication. We have the ability to talk and express what we feel. That can be the key to loving relationships and a happy life, if handled correctly. But if one is not able to express those feelings, and not able to obtain intimacy with someone else it will lead to loneliness. The short story â€Å"Sorry for Disturbing You† is written by Richard Knight and is dealing with the importance of communication. It is about a meeting between two men that seem different but really may not be that different after all. The story begins with the main character, Ian, reflecting and looking back upon his meeting with Michael Phelps. After that the story is chronologically built and is stretching across a couple of hours. The story is told by a third person narrator with a view inside of Ians head. There is no outer description of Ian and our portrait of Michael is painted by Ians view of him and how he appears to be through the dialogue. Ian sees Michael as a helpless and possibly an alcoholic person: â€Å"He seemed lost, hanging on to the doorframe for support† (l. 4) â€Å"He looked ill. Or very drunk. † (l. 11) Michael is also compared to â€Å"a sobbing child† (l. 55) and â€Å"a helpless foal† (l. 87) to emphasize the state he is in. There is something inside of Ian, reaching out for Michael. He really didnt want to let him in but still he did, because of his instincts telling him to. The same with starting a conversation with him. He still have some reluctance against Michael being in his house, so he finds him a chair that is â€Å"not too comfortable† (l. 6) It seems, through the dialogue, that Ian is not the best of communicators. For example: â€Å"What the hell am I supposed to talk about for ten minutes? † (l. 52) He dont know what to do about Michael and even less what to talk to him about. Michael is a mysterious man. There are hints that Michael may have an alcohol problem, since he seems drunk, he has a social worker and the fact that the taxi driver refuses to drive him home. He is rejected from society and he is not on good terms with his daughter. â€Å"Twenty-two years. The answer came immediately, like a time tables answer. (l. 73) The reason for his relationship to his daughter is suggested in this sentence. The reason might have been an event, something he was responsible of. Michael is a lonely man filled with so much regret it spills out in the form of tears. He is looking a lot at the photograph of Karen and Corinne, while hes probably thinking about his daughter and his family he no longer is in contact with. Karen and Corinne is not take up much space in the story but their absence are taking up a lot of space in Ians mind. When he think about Karen he gets a bit confused and ignorant. He is wondering how she would react to the whole thing but is not sure. He wants Karen to be there but he doesnt call her until the very end, as the very last way of getting Michael out of the house. In that way its because of Michael that Ian contacts his wife. What starts out as being a disturbance of Ians evening ends up being a help to him, because the communication between Ian and his wife was in a very bad condition. Suddenly the title of the short story has a different meaning than before. The meeting with Michael have definitely changed something inside Ian. When opening the door for Michael in the beginning of the story, the first thing he sees is the â€Å"icy rain running in beads down the mans face† (l. 1). But when he is looking back on the whole thing he is â€Å"no longer sure if it had been rain or tears† (l. 2) and the fact that he is now looking differently at the situation than he first did is showing that he have changed. When he met Michael it gave him a chance to reach out to Karen and to reflect on his own life. He realizes just how important family is and that he have to make an effort communicating with his wife and daughter. A physical example of Michaels great impact on Ian is when he grips Ians hand in the end, and holds it for a long time. The very last sentence of the short story: â€Å"He switched the television off, made two cups of tea and a glass of warm milk, and took the first careful steps up the stairs† (l. 171) shows that he is now quitting his former passiveness and is taking action so he wont lose the people he loves. Unfortunately, Michael is an example of many people across the world. It is sad, but you can only learn from this short story. It have a very strong morale: communicating is important.

Sony :: essays research papers

Competitive Analysis Sony Financial Status and History Revenue growth same as industry average Likelihood of Entry or Retaliation The first digital cameras for consumer use were the Apple QuickTake 100 (February 17th, 1994) and the Kodak DC40 (March 28th, 1995). Sony entered the imaging market with their first digital camera, the CyberShot Digital Still Camera in 1996. In April of 2001, Kodak announced its first digital photo printer. In August of 2001, Sony announced its first digital photo printer (was smaller and more lightweight than Kodak’s). Sony is in a different industry than Kodak. Sony belongs to the Audio/Video Equipment Industry where Eastman Kodak is in the Photography Industry. Sony, however does manufacture photographical tools. Based on the two companies’ history, Kodak will likely continue to have a larger selection of electronic photography products, but Sony will continue to develop similar products, often â€Å"improved† versions of Kodak’s original products. http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bldigitalcamera.htm by Mary Bellis http://www.dpreview.com/news/0108/01082107sonydppmp1.asp http://www.dpreview.com/news/0104/01042301kodakcamerasys.asp Management Profile Nobuyuki Idei - Chairman and Group Chief Executive Officer   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Strong background in international marketing   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Degree in Politics and Economics   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Leading Sony into the digital age and developing Sony’s brand image Kunitake Ando – Presient   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Engineered Sony’s re-entry into the personal computer market (VAIO)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  University of Tokyo School of Economics   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Worked for Sony’s A/V Products and Established Sony Prudential Live Insurance Howard Stringer – Chariman and CEO of Sony Corporation of America Oversees Sony Pictures Entertainment (parent of Columbia Picutres), Sony Pictures TV, Sony Pictures Digital and Sony Electronics, Inc.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Worked for 30 years as a journalist, producer and executive at CBS   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  President of CBS   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Works in entertainment http://www.sony.com/SCA/senior_mgmnt.shtml Strategic Capabilities Assesment Scenario Analysis Components of Competitive Intelligence Future Objectives and Current Strategy â€Å"Transformation 60 Program†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Undergoing Structural Reform   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cutting fixed costs by reducing 9000 jobs   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Reducing production/distribution/service points by 10%   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Reducing the number of suppliers and building strategic partnerships   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Reducing the number of parts   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rationalizing non-production costs   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Continue to strengthen Electronics Convergence Strategy Converge technology and resources in home and mobile electronics---customers can use them interchangeably Invest in semiconductors and key devices to differentiation and added value CMOS Image Sensor and CCDs to achieve higher resolution/image quality **really focus on converging technology and resources and focus on adding value and differentiation Strengthen Demand and Supply Chain management http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/IR/info/presen/mr_keiho/20040519/qfhh7c000000c5t2-att/sony2004strategy.pdf Sony is investing $60B in 2005 and 2006 to build new production wings that will focus on semiconductors that enhance imaging. Sony and Samsung have entered a cross-licensing agreement that will allow mutual usage of the companies’ patent portfolios. http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/News/Press/200412/04-1214E/ Sony plans to consolidate various business segments to accelerate and market the development of next generation devices and entertainment. Assumptions Based on Sony’s current and future strategies, Sony assumes customers will perceive added value when A.

A Book That Has Had an Impact on Me Essay

During my fourth year of secondary school, I became acutely aware of the Women’s Rights Issue. I made an attempt to re-examine many of the cultural norms that I had previously accepted as just being â€Å"the natural order of things. † One of the paths I took to expand my awareness of the female psyche involved women’s literature. That is why I spent one weekend of my life in bed–crying, laughing, feeling sometimes confused, and often, incredibly angry and distraught. On that rainy Humboldt Friday night I had decided to read â€Å"The Women’s Room. The author, Marilyn Fridey, describes the lives of several women from the 1950’s to present. These women are nothing out of the ordinary. They either go to college and then get married, or they get married without bothering about the pretense of college–after all, they know that college is only a way to find more economically promising husbands. Myra, the main character whose life is traced throughout the book vaguely wonders why she is not content cooking pot roast, scraping shit from the baby’s diapers, and picking up her husband’s dry cleaning. See more: Strategic Management Process Essay Her only solace is the neighborhood of women who share concerns over coffee in the afternoons. They wonder why Katherine, a Catholic woman who has 9 children and an alcoholic husband, committed suicide. â€Å"She had a normal life, they thought, she just should have talked her husband into using birth control. † As for the rest of the women, including Myra, their lives, fears, disappointments and yearnings, were much more subtle, yet equally suicidal in their quiet desperation. Many years down the road, Myra’s life finally changes. Her husband has â€Å"made it†, the kids have grown, and life is easy economically. Myra has a nervous breakdown. Once recovered, she divorces, and becomes a graduate student at Yale. Though painful and difficult, it is here that she comes to terms with herself, realizes her potential, and learns to live with herself–not necessarily happily–but at least honestly. After I finished the story of Myras world that Sunday evening, I woke up in the middle of the night sobbing uncontrollably from a terrible nightmare. Though I couldn’t remember the dream, I came to a profound realization. Myra’s life was my mothers. Most of my life I had revered, respected and admired my father for going to college, being intelligent and worldly, having power and control. In short for being a man. My mother always seemed too â€Å"wishy-washy†, easily trodden upon, overly dependent because she had chosen the role of housewife, mother. I rebelled against the tradition, and feared wearing those chains someday. Consequently, I strove to be like my father. Until this book, I never realized how much more courage it took for a person to live within a stifled role, and find contentment by living through other people. During that night of crying I understood my mother for the first time–I respected her inner strength, compassion, gentleness. Ever since then, my relationship with my mother has evolved, and we are very close. I will probably never adopt the role in life that she chose to take, but I now respect her for her life, and understand the reasons why she made those choices. Reading of Myra’s evolution as a female changed the way I feel towards myself, my feelings and compassion for my mother, and provided me with a much more sensitive view towards the lives of many women in our society today.

Life of Adele Essay

Better known simply as Adele, is an English singer, songwriter and musician. Adele Laurie Blue Adkins was born in Tottenham, north London, England, to Penny Adkins, an English teenager, and Mark Evans, a Welshman, on 5 May 1988. Evans walked out on Adele when she was two, leaving her 20-year-old mother to raise her single-handedly, for which Adele has still not forgiven him. She began singing at age four and asserts that she became obsessed with voices. Adele has cited the Spice Girls as a major influence in regard to her love and passion for music, stating that â€Å"they made me what I am today. † At the age of nine, Adele and her mother, a furniture-maker and adult learning activities organiser, relocated to Brighton. She remains an ardent fan of her hometown Premier League football club Tottenham Hotspur. At 11, she and her mother moved to Brixton, and then to neighbouring district West Norwood, in south London. West Norwood is the subject for Adele’s first record, â€Å"Hometown Glory†, written when she was 16. After moving to south London, she became interested in R&B artists such as Aaliyah, Destiny’s Child and Mary J. Blige. Adele says that one of the most defining moments in her life was when she watched Pink perform at Brixton Academy. Adele graduated from the BRIT School for Performing Arts & Technology in Croydon in May 2006, where she was a classmate of Leona Lewis and Jessie J.  Adele credits the school with nurturing her talent even though at the time she was more interested in going into A&R and hoped to launch other people’s careers. Her debut album, 19, was released in 2008 to much commercial and critical success. Adele released her second album, 21, in early 2011. The album was well received critically and surpassed the success of her debut, earning the singer six Grammy Awards in 2012 including Album of the Year, equalling the record for most Grammy Awards won by a female artist in one night. The success of 21 earned Adele numerous mentions in the Guinness World Records. She is the first artist to sell more than 3 million copies of an album in a year in the UK. With her two albums and the first two singles from 21, â€Å"Rolling in the Deep† and â€Å"Someone Like You†, Adele became the first living artist to achieve the feat of having two top-five hits in both the UK Official Singles Chart and the Official Albums Chart simultaneously since The Beatles in 1964.

Compare the ways in which London is Portrayed by William Wordsworth and William Blake Research Paper Example

Compare the ways in which London is Portrayed by William Wordsworth and William Blake Research Paper Example Compare the ways in which London is Portrayed by William Wordsworth and William Blake Paper Compare the ways in which London is Portrayed by William Wordsworth and William Blake Paper this is referring to the children of London. Blake uses flowers as a representation and as a symbol of the children as flowers are something which people are able to control and are able to force, thus it can be inferred from this that the children are being controlled in the way which they grow and the way in which they live; this is similar to a flower, where one can choose how they want it to grow and Blake is using this technique of symbols in his text to show how the children are also being controlled and are also being restricted, in a similar way that a plant would. This is also very similar to the way in which William Wordsworth portrays London, even though with a different meaning and purpose. In the poem Composed upon Westminster bridge, he has written that a sight so touching up unto the fields and the sky. In this instance, Wordsworth has represented London as a sight so touching, whereby he is saying that this carries on through the fields and the sky. A field and a sky are both seen and often referred to as places which have a sense of endlessness, thus Wordsworth writes in a way whereby he is saying that the beauty which London holds in ever going and has no end. Therefore, this can also be seen as a way that is also similar in the way that London is being portrayed through their poems with their use of representations and symbols. In addition, one further way in which Blake is able to portray London through his poem is by using the technique of changing the tone in which he writes in the poem: The Sick Rose. In the Sick Rose, it is evident that after the second line through to the end, Blake has changed the tone in which he writes. The tone in which Blake writes after the second line is in grief; has found out thy bed of crimson joy; and his dark secret love, by introducing a the tone of grief, William Blake is able to change the mood of the poem and he is able to manipulate the way in which the reader views what is written: in the howling storm, this would normally be seen as a normal line as something which is regular as a storm is bound to make howling noises, however, by introducing the tone of grief, Blake is able to make the line seem much more sinister and much more evil than normally would be associated with it. This use of tone can be compared to way in which Wordsworth has written in the poem: Composed upon Westminster Bridge, in this poem Wordsworth has written with a much more peaceful tone and with a tone which is much more pleasant than that used by Blake, it is written: All bright and glittering, through using this tone, he is creating a sense of much more peace and subtleness. Through writing in a tone with more peacefulness, Wordsworth is able to somewhat sugar-coat his portrayal of London: never felt, a calm so deep! , with the tone and the description, he is able to make the poem seem a lot more positive than it would normally be seen, this contrasts from the tone which is used by Blake of grief: and his dark secret love, does his life destroy with this tone, Blake is able to portray a much more negative view whereas Wordsworth uses the effect of changing the tone to create a much more positive portrayal. It can be seen very clearly through the various poems that have been written by William Blake and by William Wordsworth that there have been several different ways in which the portrayal of London has been given. Blake has generally chosen to give a much more bleak portrayal through varying the manner in which he has changed the imagery which he presents to the reader and the rhyme scheme and the language that he has used; this is similar to the way in which William Wordsworth has written whereby he had also used these techniques along with the ability to change the tone in which he writes in order to give a portrayal which has a much more positive outlook, he has been able to pick the metaphors he uses and is also able to select the type of punctuation he can include such as his uses of enjambment. Thus is clear that throughout the pieces of work that have been by Wordsworth and Blake, there has been a wide array of different ways in which London has been portrayed.

Famous Classic Love Quotes to Know

Famous Classic Love Quotes to Know What makes a classic love quote classic? Just because its old doesnt necessarily make a quote or a saying romantic (in fact, some older love quotes dont really age all that well). In Western literature, many a scribe has tried to express his or her love, and plenty of these love quotes have stood the test of time.   Its not easy to know what turns of phrase your beloved will find most appealing, but there are many poems, sonnets, and phrases that have become part of the lexicon. Perhaps its because theyve touched on something in our collective consciousness. In any event, theres no shortage of quotes about love and romance to offer inspiration. Classic Love Quotes from Writers Not every writer is known for having a romantic side, but sometimes the most romantic thoughts come from the least likely voice. Here are some well-known, classic love quotes from famous writers.   All mankind love a lover.― Ralph Waldo Emerson In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.†Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬â€¢ Jane Austen, from Pride and Prejudice. Love consists in this, that two solitudes protect and touch and greet each other.―Rainer Maria Rilke I dont call you handsome, sir, though I love you most dearly: far too dearly to flatter you.―Charlotte Bronte, from Jane Eyre. There is only one happiness in this life: to love and be loved.―George Sand I love those who can smile in trouble, who can gather strength from distress and grow brave by reflection. Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but they whose heart is firm and whose conscience approves their conduct  will pursue their principles unto death.―Leonardo da Vinci Classic Love Quotes from Poets Then, of course, there are the poets, for whom love is a primary preoccupation (at least, for a great many of them). Sometimes love is beautiful and kind, sometimes it is a curse and a scourge, but its always fuel for passionate expression How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach― Elizabeth Barrett Browning And seem to walk on wings, and tread in the air.― Alexander Pope I will write the evangel-poem of comrades and of love.― Walt Whitman Love in a hut, with water and a crust, Is - Love, forgive us! - cinders, ashes, dust. ― John Keats There is pleasure in the pathless woods there is a rapture on the lonely shore, there is a society where none intrudes by the deep sea, and music in its roar; I love not Man the less, but Nature more. ― Lord Byron And all my days are trances, And all my nightly dreams Are where thy dark eye glances, And where thy footstep gleams - In what ethereal dances, By what eternal streams.― Edgar Allan Poe For life, with all, it yields of joy and woe, And hope and fear (believe the aged friend), Is just our chance o the prize of learning love How love might be, hath been indeed and is. ― Robert Browning

Is it safe to keep wild animals as pets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Is it safe to keep wild animals as pets - Essay Example Definition of pets, broad and can include wild animals (Steiger, 2006). Difference between wild animals and domestic pets: wild animals not suitable for human companionship, domestic animals are (Caesar, 2009). Statistics of injuries and mauling and the spread of disease by wild animals indicate that keeping wild animals as pets is intrinsically dangerous (Animal Legal & Historical Center, 2004; Define pets and wild animals. Wild animals cannot be domesticated and turned in to human companions, pets can be domesticated and converted to human companions (Caesar, 2009). Capture stats from Captive Wild Animal Protection Coalition and Euro Group for Animals. Extreme utilitarianism argue that it is ethical to keep wild animals as pets: animals are inferior to human beings, we already exploit them for food and for education. Moreover, keeping wild animals as pets improves the quality of their lives (Kreger & Hutchins, 2010). Rudy (2011) makes a compelling case for keeping wild animals as pets: the exploitation of the wild, animals are better off learning to live with human beings. Some wild animals have demonstrated adaptability (Rudy 2011). Perkins (2003) argues that keeping wild animals as pets can be a good thing: looks at the definition of pets and how keeping wild animals as pets can turn them into traditional concepts of pets as human companions. Mankind has a history of wanting to own and cultivate wild animals and this may be a trait inherited from our ancestors who were hunters (Bell, 2001). History informs that mankind has a tendency to rescue and rehabilitate wild animals. Amid much debate and controversy over the ethics and dangers of keeping wild animals as pets, people are known to keep wild animals in their homes as pets (Bell, 2001). The debate over the dangers and ethics of keeping wild animals as pets is represented by two philosophical perspectives. On the one hand, abolitionists take the position that cite

CoOrdinate implementation of customer service stratergies (certificate Essay

CoOrdinate implementation of customer service stratergies (certificate III in sales) - Essay Example 6 Private Contractor 7Architect and Private Contractors 8 Company approves Interior Design and Store Lay-out Milestone 3 9 Interior Designer starts work 10 Interior Designers ends work 11 Merchandisers fix store lay-out Milestone 4 12 Booths/kiosks for sports and apparel finished 13 The interior designer makes final touches to the store lay-out 14 Company opens store to the public Milestone 5 GANNT CHART OF MAJOR TASKS TO BE DONE BY PERSONNEL IN ACQUIRING THE PRODUCTS (SPORTING GOODS, EQUIPMENT, APPAREL AND ACCESSORIES) Task Task 1 Planning Sports Equipment Task 2 Generating and Selecting list of suppliers Task 3 Checking Quality of Merchandise and Final Choice Task 4 Planning Store Lay-out for Sports and Apparel Task 5Installation Task 6 Sporting Goods are placed in Display Booths Task 7 Store is open to the Public Reports & milestones Duration of Project - months 1 Store Merchandising Manager and team Milestone 1 2 Merchandising Team 3Merchandising Team 4 Quality control Manager and team of assistants Milestone 2 5 Marketing Director and Merchandising Team 6 Architect, Marketing Director and Merchandising Team 7 Architect and Private Contractor Milestone 3 8 Architect and Private Contractor 9 Architect and Private Contractor 10 Architect and Private Contractor 11 Marketing Director and Merchandising Team Milestone 4 12 Merchandising Team 13 Merchandising Team 14Marketing Director, Merchandising Team and Architect Milestone 5 Identification of Project Stakeholders The project has several stakeholders. The first group of stakeholders is the...Through special coordination with the company's high-quality suppliers, product testing demonstrations will take place on-site for our customers to appreciate. This system will allow the customer to appreciate the features of the sports equipment and accessories, and they will be able to receive detailed equipment performance information right from the manufacturers' representatives. The Shop employs sports specialists and athletes who are familiar with the various sporting goods and equipment. The shop caters to university students and sports enthusiasts who live in the community. The shop has a strategic location as it is close to Deakin University Waterfront campus, college and high school libraries, department stores and supermarkets, cafes, restaurants, entertainment sites, city hospitals, designated sporting grounds and the beach. The project has several stakeholders. The first group of stakeholders is the end consumers consisting of the family households comprising of the parents, the teen-agers who are university students, the children and other family members who will purchase the sport equipment, apparel and accessories. The company must provide high-quality goods at affordable prices.

Introduction to business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Introduction to business - Essay Example The business is experiencing success and is in the peak section of the business cycle (Schumpeter 235). The business has to grow further in order to continue to experience higher profits. One of the best ways of making an already successful business more successful is expansion. Expansion can take place in various ways, the business can expand by the means of integration, the business can choose to expand and integrate vertically or horizontally. The business can use the method of backward vertical integration by taking over the electronic products it is already selling and enjoy all the profits and the business can even open new outlets through internet and expand. For example: the business can franchise its services to other individuals who are running websites and selling goods and services through that website. Through this method the business will earn from sales of electronic products conducted by those companies who have purchased the franchise from the business. Schumpeter, Joseph A, and Redvers Opie.  The Theory of Economic Development: An Inquiry into Profits, Capital, Credit, Interest, and the Business Cycle. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press, 1934.

Cellular Molecular Mechanisms Of Hutchinson Gilford Progeria Syndrome Biology Essay

Cellular Molecular Mechanisms Of Hutchinson Gilford Progeria Syndrome Biology Essay Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS or progeria) is a very rare autosomal dominant disorder which results in premature aging and eventually death. Patients are often very underweight at birth and will display conclusive symptoms of premature aging within 18-24 months, such as reduced body fat, hair loss and aged skin, alongside tissue and organ degeneration. Average lifespan for sufferers of HGPS is thirteen years and cause of death is invariably due to heart failure. Due to the nature of these symptoms, HGPS is referred to as an accelerated aging disorder. Currently, only 100 cases of HGPS have been formally documented, around 50 of which are children who are alive today; however it is estimated that a further 150 children worldwide currently suffer from HGPS, but have not yet been formally diagnosed. The identification of the HGPS mutation has only recently been identified and located on codon 608 of the LMNA gene, which codes for four types of lamin proteins: lamin A, lamin C, lamin Aà ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  10 and lamin Cà ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  2. These, along with the B-type lamin are responsible for keeping the structure of the nucleus together by forming a scaffold which lines and interacts with the nuclear membrane. The LMNA mutation leads to the expression of progerin, rather than lamin A, altering the structure of the nuclear membrane and leading to loss of nuclear integrity, DNA damage and a compromised DNA double-strand-break repair mechanism. This causes a variety of problems relating to normal cellular function as well as resulting in increased apoptosis and significantly decreased proliferation rates. Until recently, medical assistance for children with HGPS only involved treating the symptoms which accompany the disease, rather than the effects of the HGPS mutation; however in August 2009, clinical trials began testing the effects of farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs) on HGPS patients. This was following experimental evidence from Toth et al (2005) who showed that human fibroblast cells expressing progerin had reversed nuclear alterations when treated with farnesyltransferase inhibitors in vitro. Introduction Aging is a normal and natural physiological process which all living things must experience, unless death should occur prematurely. Aging impairs verve and mobility, causes hair loss, weakens bones and inevitably will ultimately lead to death. As humans, the price that must be paid for our unique self-awareness is the knowledge that we will eventually age and die, forcing us to come to terms with our own mortality and compelling us to value youth. Patients suffering from HGPS are not given the opportunity to experience their youth in the same way as most. By 18-24 months their bodies are already showing signs of physiological aging and by 5 years old they will show more signs of age-related disease than many adults in their 70s. In young, healthy humans, cells are able to cope with the assault of DNA damage which all livings organisms will unavoidably encounter over time. Over time, the ability to deal with this damage lessens and the physiological process of aging will gradually occ ur. HGPS cells are not capable of dealing with this DNA damage to the same extent and so aging happens quickly and prematurely. Despite this, intelligence and cognitive function in children with HGPS are often above average compared to other children within their age bracket (Progeria Research Foundation, 2006). To understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms of HGPS, it is first important to understand the process of normal aging in healthy humans. Normal Physiological aging Aging on an evolutionary level may be described as a progressive decline in fitness (the ability to survive and reproduce) due to a decline in tissue functionality with increasing age (Partridge Gems, 2002). On a cellular level it may be described as a progressive functional decline and increase in cell mortality (Lombard et al., 2005). Although many theories have been proposed, no conclusive theory has been agreed upon to explain how or why we age. Aging is thought to be caused by various genetic and environmental factors. At the cellular level this progressive malfunction of tissue is thought to be due to accumulation of damage by various biomolecules which leads to cell loss or damage (Vijg, 2000). Usually the body has the ability to regenerate these damaged or lost cells through pools of stem cells, however the body does not have the ability to regenerate infinitely and over time this causes a decline in tissue functions typical of aging. This is consistent with the disposable soma theory of aging (Kirkwood Holliday, 1979), which states that cell repair and maintenance (including DNA repair, defence against oxidants, etc) are costly activities. To work to extend life indefinitely would make little sense, as in the wild many organisms have an extremely high mortality rate. Therefore, animals have evolved in such a way that energy invested in maintaining the soma is limited, so that the animal is kept alive long enough for it to reproduce, but not to keep it alive indefinitely. Past this point, the bodys regeneration mechanisms fail and physiological aging becomes apparent. From an evolutionary point of view, this theory makes more sense than others which are based around aging being a genetically inbuilt process, as this would provide no benefit whatsoever to the individual animal or the species as a whole. Aging may involve damage to a variety of cellular components; however damage to various DNA and RNA molecules is likely to be a major contributing factor. Despite the cells inbuilt mechanisms designed to repair damage, damaged DNA which has not been restored perfectly can lead to mutations with detrimental consequences. Balaban et al. (2005) outlines the potential role for damaged mitochondria DNA in the process of aging, however nuclear DNA is a more likely culprit. Mitochrondial DNA has thousands of copies present within the cell which can be replaced if damaged, whereas there are only two copies of nuclear DNA. Several studies have shown that as age increases, so does the risk of mutation (Martin et al., 1996) and there is substantial evidence to suggest a causal link between damage to nuclear DNA and physiological aging. Sedelnikova et al. (2008) showed that the level of double strand breaks (DSBs) that take place increase with age and older cells are less able to repair these DS Bs. Finally, there is the observation that symptoms of progeria are caused by defined mutations in DNA maintenance proteins, which leads to impaired DNA repair mechanisms (Musich Zou, 2009). HGPS belongs to a group of disorders known as segmental progeroid syndromes, characterised by early manifestation of features usually associated with normal physiological aging. They are consequently referred to as accelerated aging disorders. HGPS Background HGPS was first described over 120 years ago by Hutchinson (1886) and again later by Gilford (1904). Since its original classification in 1886, just over 100 cases of the disease have been documented. It affects around 1 in 4-8 million newborns all over the world with no preference for gender. Figure 1 Locations of children around the world who have been diagnosed with HGPG. There are currently 50 living children diagnosed with HGPS, most of whom reside in affluent Western countries. It is estimated that a further 150 children worldwide suffer from progeria but have not yet been identified due to insufficient means to diagnose in less prosperous countries as well as the rarity and complexity of the disease and the fact that the HGPS gene has only recently been identified. (Adapted from the Progeria Research Foundation, 2006) Children with progeria are often born appearing healthy, however shortly after birth it becomes apparent that weight and height gain are below that of which is expected of healthy children (Merideth et al., 2008). By 18-24 months of age they begin to display signs of premature aging, which can be seen in figure 2 below. Figure 2: A 3 and a half year old boy with HGPS showing typical progeroid symptoms. These include stunted growth, loss of hair and body fat, aged skin and unusually prominent eyes. Non-visible symptoms include stiff joints, atherosclerosis., osteoporosis and fatigue. Impaired growth does not seem to be due to any hormone inbalance/resistance or malnutrition. Cardiovascular problems are generally thought to be caused by loss of smooth muscle cells, disruption of the extracellular matrix and other irregularities in vascular structure. Life span ranges from 8 21 years with the average being around 13 years old. Death is almost invariably caused by atherosclerosis (Progeria Research Foundation, 2006). HGPS has recently been acknowledged as part of a family of diseases known as laminopathies, as it is caused by a dominant mutation on the LMNA gene. Before the identification of the gene responsible for progeria, diagnosis was carried out solely on the symptoms that have been mentioned. Thanks to the recent discovery of the mutated gene (Eriksson et al., 2003), diagnosis can be carried out based on the appearance of this mutation. HGSP is caused by a de novo mutation on the LMNA gene, although other progeroid syndromes may be hereditary. The lamins The LMNA gene codes for the nuclear A-type lamin proteins: lamin A, lamin C, lamin Aà ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  10 and lamin Cà ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  2 (Fisher et al., 1986). These, along with the B-type lamins are responsible for keeping the structure of the nucleus together by forming a scaffold which lines and interacts with the nuclear membrane. The structure of the nuclear lamina within the nuclear envelope is shown in figure 3. Figure 3: Structure and function of the nuclear lamina The lamina exists on the inner nuclear membrane (INM), providing structural support and helping with chromatin organisation as well as binding nuclear pore complexes (NPCs), nuclear proteins (purple) and transcription factors (pink). Barrier to auto integration factor (BAF) is a chromatin-associated protein which binds to the lamina and various nuclear envelope proteins (Coutinho et al. 2009) Fawcett (1966) deduced that the lamins are components of the nuclear lamina, a layer found between the chromatin and the nuclear envelope initially thought to provide structural support for the nuclear membrane and a location for the chromatin to attach. Recently, further roles of nuclear lamins have been proposed, including DNA synthesis, transcription, apoptosis and assembly of the nuclear envelope. It has been determined that several isoforms of lamins are encoded by three different genes: The LMNA gene encodes lamin A, lamin C, lamin Aà ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  10 and lamin Cà ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  2 and the LMNB1 gene encodes lamin B1 and LMNB2 encodes B2 and B3 lamins (Stuurman et al., 1998). Whilst every vertebrate cell expresses at least one type of B lamin, lamins encoded by the LMNA gene are only expressed in differentiated tissue. This observations suggest that lamin encoded by LMNA may have specific roles within certain cells. It is possible that the role of these lamins is in fact to induce or maintain differentiation within these cells, although no conclusive evidence has been presented to support this. It is likely, however, that A type lamins have roles related to and dependant on correct chromatin organisation and nuclear structure. This includes reformation of the nuclear envelope post-mitosis, transcription, DNA replication and nuclear positioning (Holaska et al., 2003; Spann., 20 02; Moir et al., 2000; Haque et al., 2006). Although studies have shown that LMNA deficient mice develop normally, shortly after birth growth problems occur (Sullivan et al., 1999). Shortly before cell division in the late prophase stage of the cell cycle, the phosphorylation of lamin subunits takes place, causing the nuclear envelope to break down. A-type lamins are the first to be disassembled, occurring during early prophase, whilst B-type lamins are disassembled during prometaphase (Georgatos et al., 1997). This course of action is thought to be a necessary requirement for the reassembly of the nuclear envelope after cell division have taken place (Burke and Gerace, 1986). However, studies such as those by Newport et al. (1990) have provided evidence against these theories, stating that when these disassembled lamin subunits are imported, they are done so into a formed nuclear envelope with fully functional pores. Perhaps is it possible that a finite number of lamin monomers are used in the reassembly of the nuclear envelope and the rest are transported in at a later stage. The role of lamins in DNA replication is unclear, however several studies have suggested that Xenopus interphase extracts were depleted of Lamin B3 which resulted in a lack of DNA replication (Newport et al., 1990), however it remained unclear whether this was entirely due to the absence of lamins or if other factors, such as a smaller and more fragile nuclear envelope, contributed. A later study by Moir et al. (2000) provided evidence to suggest that normal nuclear lamin organisation is required for DNA synthesis and that this dependency is completely unrelated to the insufficient formation of the nuclear envelope. It appears that when nuclear lamin organisation is incorrect, the elongation phase of replication fails to take place, probably due to an alteration in distribution of elongation factors, Replication Factor Complex and Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen. The potential role of nuclear lamins in transcription has been put forward by Spann et al. (2002), who disrupted the normal nuclear organisation of nuclear lamins using a dominant negative mutant lamin lacking the NH2- domain. This resulted in the inhibition of RNA polymerase II activity in both mammalian and embryonic Xenopus cells. Notably, RNA polymerases I and III were not affected. The role of lamins in apoptosis is directly related to the state of the nuclear envelope. Apoptosis is a very precise physiological mechanism for effective destruction of unwanted cells without causing inflammation or distress to other cells, as would occur in necrosis. Lamin degradation is one of the processes that occur during apoptosis, however several studies have suggested nuclear lamins play a role in the induction of apoptosis (Rao et al, 1996; Di Matola et al., 2001). Post mitosis, protein phosphatise 1 (PP1) is dispatched to the nuclear envelope to initiate lamin B reformation. If this process is abolished, lamin B is degraded and apoptotic signals take place. As previously mentioned, expression of lamins A/C is limited to differentiated cells. Due to their role in DNA replication and transcription, several researchers have hypothesised that they play a role in gene expression as well. Gupta and Saumyaa (2008) propose that specialised A/C lamin expression regulates gene expr ession in such a way which may prevent cell division and cause the cell to undergo terminal differentiation a form of programmed cell death. Lamins are also used for chromatin organisation and positioning within the nucleus, so cells with LMNA mutations exhibit a range of problems involving abnormal chromosome organisation. Glass et al (1993) showed that A lamins interact with chromatin by binding histones as well as indirectly through lamin-binding proteins such as LAP2ÃŽÂ ± and barrier-ro-autointegration (BAF) (Holaska et al., 2003). Cellular and molecular mechanisms of HGPS The most commonly reported mutation responsible for causing HGPS is LMNA  codon 608 in exon 11 (c. 1824 C>T). Although the LMNA gene encodes both A and C type lamins, only A lamins are affected as exon 11 is not present in lamin Cs. Whilst this point substitution does not result in an amino acid change (G608G ) it partially activates a cryptic splice site, resulting in the deletion of ~50 amino acids near the carboxyl terminal in lamin A (LAà ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬  50) but maintaining the CAAX site. Amongst the deleted amino acids is the ZMPSTE24 cleavage site, which is necessary for the maturation of lamin A. This results in farnesylation and carboxymethylation of lamin A, resulting in progerin (Capell et al., 2005). This cryptic splice site is only partially activated and it is estimated that only 10-50% of splices mRNA in transcribed. Since the second LMNA allele is normal, there is still some presence of wild-type lamin A although it is present in much lower levels. Whilst most HGPA pat ients are heterozygous for LMNA p.G608G, mutations have been reported on other location on the LMNA gene, such as one patient with a p. E145K mutation and another with 471C and R527C mutations (Goldman et al., 2002). These mutations have lead to various laminopathies very similar to HGPS (often referred to as atypical HGPS) however the pathophysiological manifestation of these diseases is probably different as they do not result in the production of progerin. HGPS cells are significantly larger than normal cells and usually have large cytoplasmic vacuoles, an abnormally shaped and sized nucleus, often distorted with chromatin extrusion (De Sandreà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Giovannoli et al., 2003). Goldman et al. (2004) also report evidence of misshapen nuclear envelopes and abnormally thick lamina, both of which are associated with other mutations on the LMNA gene. Not surprisingly, these structural abnormalities cause a variety of cellular dysfunctions including loss of structural nuclear integrity and certain mitotic problems such as irregular chromosome separation, delays in cytokinesis and nuclear assembly and binucleation (Dechat et al., 2007). The loss of nuclear integrity can have a detrimental effect of the function of the cell, however it does not remove all structural ability of the nucleus and cell, it only reduces it. This means that the tissues most likely to be affected by a comprised nucleus are those which are consistently subjected t o mechanical stress, such as blood vessels. Indeed, vasculature in HGPS patients is often severely compromised and death is almost always caused by heart failure. HGPS cells have abnormal chromosome organization in interphase nuclei and can show a loss of peripheral heterochromatin, possibly due to various epigenetic changes. These include upregulation of genes such as H3K9me3 and H4K20me3, both of which are involved in the definition of constitutive heterochromatin (Columbaro, 2005). The H3K27me3, responsible for the definition of facultative heterochromatin, is downregulated, possible due to a reduction in the expression of the histone methyltransferase enhancer EZH2 used for H3K27 trimethylation (Schumaker et al., 2006). Evidence has suggested that these changes in heterochromatin due to altered gene expression may often result in further changes in gene expression. An interesting line of investigation to follow would be to monitor the expression of various other genes in HGPS cells. It is important to understand if HGPS enhances or inhibits the expression of various other genes and, if so, what these genes are and whether these genes play a part in the HGPS phenotype. Since lamin A only appears in differentiated cells, it is possible that one of the roles of lamin A is to maintain differentiation of the cells by securing tissue-specific gene expression. This could mean that the premature aging phenotype is not actually related to normal physiological ageing, but occurs due to certain tissues being unable to perform their designated function due to incorrect gene expression, leading to cell death, tissue degeneration and organ failure. Several studies have indicated that HGPS cells show increased damage to DNA. This was demonstrated by Bridger and Kill (2004) whose experiments showed that HGPS cells were unable to proliferate sufficiently when kept in culture and showed increased rates of apoptosis as well as demonstrating early signs of cellular aging. All of these afflictions are caused by damage to nuclear DNA. Liu et al (2006) also demonstrated that HGPS cells have increased activity in their DNA repair pathways, strongly implying that DNA damage has occurred. The most compelling evidence to suggest DNA damage as a likely culprit for progeroid symptoms is presented in a study by Liu et al. (2005), which showed that HGPS cells have a double strand break (DSB) repair defect. These cells show less concentrated levels of DSB repair factors such as Rad50 and Rad51 as well as damage signaling molecules such as 53BP1. With this evidence, the conclusion can be drawn that Lamin A in necessary for complete DNA repair to take place when necessary, and also that DSB repair is diminished in HGPS cells. DSBs are the most dangerous type of DNA damage that can potentially occur as a result of the constant attack from various agents, as they can potentially result in loss or confusion of genetic information or cell death. To some extent, DSBs occur naturally within the body during normal processes such as meiosis (Keeney Neale, 2006), or during replication when the separated stands encounter blocking lesions. The level of DSBs that occur during these processes can be increased by UV radiation, ionizing radiation, various chemical agents and the presence of free radicals. When a DSB occurs, the cells defense mechanisms commands that the cell cycle halts and DSB repair mechanisms activate. DNA DSB repair mechanisms are thought to occur as one of two processes: Non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) and homologous recombination (HR). Although HR is thought to be considerably more accurate than NHEJ, neither mech anism will produce perfect results. Evidence has been presented to imply that as we age we become increasingly dependent on HR to repair DSBs as activity of NHEJ and all other mechanisms gradually decrease (Johnson-Schlitz Engels, 2006). Many of the changes to the nuclear membrane are not a direct result of insufficient lamin A, but instead are caused by the presence of Progerin, an abridged version of lamin A, and its accumulation of the INM. This accumulation results in alterations in the structure of the nuclear lamina. Liu et al. (2005) suggests that the inefficient DNA repair mechanisms which occur in HGPS cells are in fact due to raised levels of Progerin at the INM. Fitting with this theory, experiments designed to reduce the levels of Progerin have successfully managed improve the cellular phenotype of HGPS cells. Scaffidi and Mistelli (2005) proposed inhibiting the production of Progerin whilst leaving lamin A unaffected by using specific antisense morpholinos which inhibit splicing at the deviant site. Another approach is to treat HGPS cells with farnesly transferase inhibitors (FTIs) which, as the name suggests, inhibit farnesyl transferase, so preventing the modification of Progerin to the farnseylated ki nd seen in HGPS cells. Liu et al., (2006) have shown that this approach does not only improve the cellular and nuclear abnormalities of HGPS cells, but can actually improve the health of HGPS mice. However, FTIs are not specific to Progerin as antisense morpolinos are, and lamin A is likely to be inhibited as well as the modification of Progerin. It is also possible that several other unrelated proteins would be affected by this approach; however these negative side-effects have not yet been documented. Several potential cellular and molecular mechanisms which may contribute to the HGPS phenotype are described below in figure 4. Figure 4 Various cellular and molecular mechanisms which may contribute to the HGPS phenotype. Progerin becomes trapped within the nuclear membrane as a result of permanent farnesylation. Alteration of the normal lamina structure causes vulnerability to mechanical stress and some nuclear blebbing. Other consequences involve disruption of protein interactions, disorganization/loss of heterochromatin and disrupted interactions with RNA polymerase II, RNA splicing factors and transcription factors, causing misregulation of gene expression. (Coutinho et al. 2009) The way these cellular abnormalities cause the general HGPS phenotype are not yet understood and currently can only be speculated on. As further research is carried out regarding HGPS, the cause of premature aging throughout the whole body may become more transparent. Treatment Due to the rarity and complexity of HGPS, there is currently no known cure; however, there are a variety of treatments aimed at alleviating the symptoms which are associated with this disease (Progeria Research Foundation, 2006). It is recommended that patients suffering from HGPS have a regular and nutritional diet as well as supplementary vitamin tablets (in normal doses). Dental problems which occur as a result of HGPS are treated with fluoride supplements, and aspirin should be administered on occasion in order to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes, which are invariably the main causes of death in HGPS children. In the case of heart-related problems such as angina, drugs like nitroglycerin may be used, although the dose should be measured carefully based on weight and height as use of anesthetics on children can be potentially dangerous. There is little that can be done to reduce the effect of reduced bone mass except for vitamin and calcium supplements, so children sho uld be accompanied at all times as they are at significantly greater risk of fracturing bones. The hip bones are particularly susceptible to dislocation due to coxa valga. Certain surgical procedures can take place to reduce the risk of this, as well as physical therapy in order to keep all joints as mobile as possible. The use of growth hormones has been suggested as a potential treatment for HGPS children; however the long term effects of this have not been shown to be significant. Currently there are several areas of research into possible clinical therapeutic treatments for progeria. Wang et al. (2008) and Liu et al (2006) demonstrated the use of farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs) which appear to reduce the nuclear abnormalities present in HGPS cells, reducing the severity of symptoms on HGPS mice, improving their general health. Subjects showed improved cardiovascular health, a reduction in the number of bone fractures and improved survival and growth rates. This has been substantiated with evidence from Toth et al (2005) who showed that human fibroblast cells expressing progerin had reversed nuclear alterations when treated with FTIs in vitro. Clinical trials testing the effect of FTIs in children with HGPS began in August 2009 and ended the following December. Results from these trials are still being awaited. Summary Most of the breakthrough discoveries regarding HGPS have been made within the last few years. These include the location of the HGPS mutation, the nature of the disease and potential clinical therapies which are aimed at preventing the HGPS phenotype on a cellular and molecular level instead of simply treating the symptoms. There are several ways that the effects of the point mutation on the LMNA gene on chromosome 1 could lead to the pathogenesis of HGPS and it is likely that the combined affects of this mutation results in the HGPS phenotype. Compromised nuclear integrity may lead to reduced structural support for the cell, so those tissues under constant mechanical pressure such as the vasculature will suffer more greatly than other tissues. Another possible cause of the HGPS phenotype is the accumulation of DNA damage. This is a logical conclusion to draw, as the mechanism of normal human aging is thought to occur in this way. HGPS cells have insufficient DNA DSB repair mechanisms and so the phenotype of premature ageing in children with progeria is simply due to the magnification of one of the factors that causes aging in healthy humans. The pool of stem cells that healthy humans rely upon to counter increased apoptosis as a result of DNA damage would be under more pressure to proliferate in HGPS children, perhaps exhausting supplies and causing tissue degeneration. It is also possible that the stem cells themselves are affected by the HGPS mutation, causing a decline in proliferative ability. The possibility that the HGPS mutation may lead to up or down regulation of other genes is not one that should be ignored. If this is the case, the vast variety of symptoms which accompany HGPS may be explained by the altered lev els of expression of other genes. Until more is understood about Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome, it is impossible to conclusively explain the extraordinary symptoms of this disease. Perhaps the results of the recent clinical trials will shed more light on how the alteration of two proteins due to a single point mutation can cause a child to show such drastic physiological aging. Experimental data analysis Programmed cell death (PCD or apoptosis) is a necessary part of complex life in all sorts of multicellular organisms. In humans, it is not only essential during embryonic development (preventing all manner of deformities) but also consistently through life. Efficient apoptosis prevents a vast number of diseases by ensuring that any unnecessary or potentially harmful cells are destroyed safely, without harmful effects on neighbouring cells, which happens in necrosis. Apoptosis only causes a diseased state when its rate of action exceeds or falls short of that which is necessary to keep an individual healthy. Insufficient apoptosis is well known culprit for the development of cancers, when tumorous cells which should have been erased are allowed to proliferate and develop into tumours. Another well known example of diseases due to lack of apoptosis is the vast number of immunodeficiency diseases caused by self-targeting T and B lymphocytes. These cells should have been removed through apoptotic signals, but when these signals fail these self-targeting lymphocytes are allowed to survive and will target the bodys own tissues. Increased rates of apoptosis throughout the body are commonly observed in many diseases, for example, HGPS. Abnormalities either within or external to the cell cause apoptotic signals to occur, resulting in PCD of cells which would otherwise not have been destroyed. PLAC8 (placenta-specific 8) is a gene which encodes a small, highly conserved protein known as onzin. Experimental evidence has been presented to demonstrate that under expression of endogenous onzin results in reduced cell proliferation, whilst over expression results in an increased cell count (Rogulski et al, 2005). This data suggests that onzin has a negative effect on the rate of apoptosis. Li et al. (2006) suggest that expression of onzin within a cell protects it from apoptotic signals and that when onzin levels are depleted the cell becomes sensitive to apoptotic assault. To test the effects of onzin on the rate of apoptosis, CEM-C7 T-leukemic cells were transfected with either an expression construct containing PLAC8 or pcDNA3, where the pcDNA3 vector acted as the control. Cultures of these cells where then exposed to a range of apoptosis-inducing agents: Fas, Dexamethasone (dex), cisplatin, butyric acid, okadaic acid and UV exposure. This was in order to determine whether expression of the PLAC8 gene effectively reduces the rate of induced apoptosis. Cell counts were taken after 24, 48 and 72 hours. The significance of the difference between cell counts in PLAC8 and pcDNA3 cultures when exposed to all apoptosis inducing agents was determined using a two-sample T-test. The samples used in each test were the apoptosis-inducing agent transfected with PLAC8 and the same apoptosis-inducing agent transfected with pcDNA3. The results from these two-sample T-tests are shown below in table I. Table I. Apoptosis inducer p-value (24 hours) p-value (48 hours) p-value (72 hours) Dex 0.023 0.069 Cisplatin 0.026 0.045 0.042 Butyric acid 0.003 Okadaic acid 0.03

Gender and Power in The Arabian Nights Essay -- The 1001 Arabian Night

Gender and Power in The Arabian Nights Works Cited Not Included Contemplating the relationship between gender and power, one undoubtedly notices that tradition regards men as the holders of official office and power. Historically, men have also always been the leaders of their families, and turned to in times of trouble or need. Making generalizations is normally a weak approach to any task; in this case however, it is necessary to do so in order to illustrate how drastically opposite the situations prove in various selections from "1001 Arabian Nights." Rather than men taking critical roles of power, the women characters, especially at crucial moments in the plot, empower themselves far beyond the male figures, and, consequently, prove much more important to their respective plots. The stories offer a different perspective on the gender-power relationship and, consequently, ask readers to reconsider their notions of the traditional relationship between gender and power. In "Aladdin and the Magic Lamp", Aladdin's character is that of a lazy vagabond lacking motivation to pursue anything in life. In fact, Aladdin's idleness is so grave that he causes his own father's death. The gender-power relationship is introduced almost immediately with Aladdin's father's death; because of the death, Aladdin's mother is forced to provide for the family and care for her only child. Traditionally, the father in a family has been the one to work, while the mother cared for the children. Thus, Aladdin's mother is empowered almost immediately in the story as she is forced to take on both the role of matriarch and patriarch. Aladdin's mother is again empowered by her desire to help her pathetically useless son. Aladdin, who "fell helplessly ... ...tory, and indeed has more impact on the story than any of the men. Through her striking empowerment, Scheherazade even saves her own life, as well as those of any other virgins the king may have taken. Ultimately, the stories of "1001 Arabian Nights" indeed leave readers no choice but to re-evaluate their classic perceptions of the gender-power relationship. In the stories discussed above, there is simply no question that the action of the stories and the important moments in each revolve entirely around the women. Those who regarded the gender-power relationship as a non-issue must now think again. It is difficult to disprove a widely spread notion such as the one at hand here, but one can always try. It seems clear, however, through these examples, that perhaps classic perceptions that the male is more powerful than the female really should be reconsidered.