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.

Partial fulfilment of the Requirement Essay

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND Introduction Nowadays, we are experiencing diseases which is caused by insects like mosquito. To name some are Dengue, Hemorrhagic Fever, and Malaria wherein if not treated early it can cause death. Mosquitoes are all around the corner of our environment. They are not that big but can cut off life. To control the mosquitoes, different mosquito repellent are made and the laboratory chemicals are effective but they are quite expensive and not environmental friendly. Chemicals also are harmful to our health; it may cause a sudden death in case of improper handling. In the rural barangays there are common herbal plants used by rural folks in exterminating harmful insects like mosquitoes. And so the research was conceptualized to detect the insecticidal effect of Alliums cepa (Onion) and Allium sativum (Garlic) on mosquitoes and make a mosquito repellent out of onion and garlic, a not expensive repellent that everyone especially the poor ones can afford. Garlic and Onion contains allicin that is capable of repelling mosquitoes and allicin is inimical to mosquitoes. Another reason is garlic and onion has also a strong odour that overwhelms the mosquito’s sense of smell and prevents from finding their prey (us). Statement of the Problem This study will be conducted to examine if there is an insecticidal effect in the extract of Allium sativum (Garlic) and Allium cepa (Onion) on mosquitoes and to make a repellent out of it that will be guided with the following questions: * Is there an insecticidal effect in the extract of Allium sativum (Garlic) and Allium cepa (Onion) on mosquitoes? * Is the extract of Allium cepa (Onion) and Allium sativum (Garlic) effective as a mosquito repellent? Objectives Generally, the study aims to determine if there is an insecticidal effect of Allium cepa (Onion) and Allium sativum (Garlic) on mosquitoes. Specifically, the study aims to know if the extract of Allium cepa (Onion) and Allium sativum (Garlic) is effective on repelling mosquitoes. Significance of the Study The study can help in repelling mosquitoes for it will examine the insecticidal effect of Allium cepa (Onion) and Allium sativum (Garlic) on mosquitoes. This study will be helpful to people especially those living with many mosquitoes around them for it will be easy for them to make it and it’s safe. And the repellent will be an environmental friendly. It can also help lessen the dengue and malaria outbreak. Scope and Limitations The study will be conducted from November 2012 to December 2012. It will be conducted on a cool warm dry room. The effectiveness of this repellent will be applicable to the place where the experiment will be conducted. Hypothesis There will be no insecticidal effect of Allium cepa (Onion) and Allium sativum (Garlic) on mosquitoes. The extract of Allium cepa (Onion) and Allium sativum will not be effective as a mosquito repellent. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE Recently, our country is suffering from different kinds of outbreak just like dengue and malaria outbreak and this is caused by mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are around us, they are small but they can cause death if you are bitten with it. To control these insects some of us buy expensive insecticide though it is effective it is also harmful. Harmful to our health because it contain chemicals that if mishandled can cause to death. It’s not also environmental friendly. Herbal repellent are commonly used by rural barangays where the people find it difficult for them to buy commercially available insecticides for mosquitoes, and so the researcher was conceptualize to examine if there is an insecticidal effect of Allium cepa (Onion) and Allium sativum (Garlic) on mosquitoes and to make a repellent that is effective to repell mosquitoes, a non-toxic repellent, an environmental friendly and a cheaper mosquito repellent. Onion and Garlic has an allicin that is capable of repelling mosquitoes and other insects. The allicin which is released by Allium cepa (Onion) and Allium sativum (Garlic) are inimical by mosquitoes. The another reason why Garlic and Onion can repell mosquitoes is their strong smell that overwhelms the mosquito’s and prevent them from finding their prey (us). Onion Onion is the common name for herbaceous, cold season plant Allium cepa, which is characterized by an edible, rounded bulb composed of concentric, fleshy, tightly packed, and an enlarged leaf basses. Onion is also the name of this edible bulb, which is commercially valuable and known for its pungent oil that departs a strong taste. Onion are found in a large number of recipes and preparations spanning almost the totality of the world’s cultures. The whole plant is edible and is used as food in some form or other. They are now available in fresh, frozen, canned, caramelized, pickled, powdered, chopped and dehydrated formed. Onion can be used, usually chopped our sliced, in almost every type of food, including cooked foods and fresh salads and as spicy garnish. In European cultures they are rarely eaten on their own, but usually act as accompaniment to the main course. Depending on the variety, an onion can be sharp, spicy, tangy, pungent mild or sweet. Onion contains allicin that is capable of repelling mosquitoes. Onions can also repel mosquitoes because of its strong odour and its spicy flavour which mosquitoes hate. Commonly a red onion is used by repelling mosquitoes. Garlic garlic is plant grown for its sharp-tasting bulb, which is used to season foods. Some plants related to garlic including the onion also have strong flavour. The garlic bulb consists of parts called cloves. The cloves may be eaten or used for planting. A brittle papery covering called a tunic grows around each cloves] and around the whole bulb. There are several important components of garlic that have been identified, and many more that have not. Alliin is an odourless sulphur-containing chemical derived from the amino acid cysteine. When garlic bulbs are crushed, alliin is converted into another compound called allicin. Allicin appears to be one of the primary active compounds that gives garlic its characteristic odor and many of its healing benefits. However, allicin is not absorbed effectively by the human body. To combat this problem, aged garlic is fermented to break allicin down to usable compounds. These compounds are water-soluble sulphur compounds (S-ally cysteine and others) and an amount of oil-soluble sulphur compounds. Alicia is a powerful compound of garlic. If the garlic releases an illicit it is inimical to mosquitoes. They have therefore evolved to avoid garlic, another reason why garlic can repel mosquitoes is that the strong smell of garlic overwhelms the mosquito’s sense of smell and prevents them from finding their prey (us). RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Materials Alliums cape (Onion) and Alliums stadium (Garlic) will be the main components of the repellent and will be the source of illicit. Cayenne pepper will be added to onion and garlic to make it spicier. Liquid dish soap will be needed to make the repellent fragrant. In getting the extract of Onion and Garlic, blender will be used. A sprayer is also needed wherein the repellent will be placed. Test Organism Fifty mosquitoes will be collected and must be distributed equally to five containers for the five set-ups. Mosquitoes will serve as the test organism. Test Procedure In making the repellent, chop into small pieces the onion and garlic without peeling. Place the chopped onions and garlic at the blender with the cayenne pepper. Then place a 250 mol amount of water. Blend on a slow speed to a milky consistency. After blending place the extract of onion and garlic pin a empty bottle sprayer. Wait an hour to add 50mL liquid dish soap for the extract will be odorous. Then shake well. In determining the insecticidal effect, there will be five set up. The first repellent will have 100g of onion and garlic. Second set up will have 100g of onion and 70 g of garlic. Third setup will have 70g of onion and 100g of garlic. The fourth set-up will have 100g of onion and 100g of garlic and liquid dish soap will not be added. And the fifth set-up will be a commercial insecticide to determine is what is more effective. One set-up will be sprayed at the one container with mosquitoes and the researcher will record how long will all the mosquitoes die and how many mosquito will die in one 30 sec, 1 min, 1 min and 30 sec, and 2 min. The other set-ups will also undergo this procedure. RESEARCH PLAN Student’s Name| Kamille Joy P. Tamanu| Year Level | IV| School| Camalaniugan National High School| School Address| Dugo, Camalaniugan, Cagayan| Title of Project| Insecticidal Effect of Allium cepa (Onion) and Allium sativum on Mosquitoes| Tel. /Fax. No| (078)-844-2036| Project Adviser| Rowena Arellano| This year’s experiment began| Conducted the work at School and Home| MATERIALS AND METHODS Materials Allium cepa (Onion) and Allium sativum (Garlic) will be the main components of the repellent and will be the source of allicin. Cayenne pepper will be added to onion and garlic to make it spicier. Liquid dish soap will be needed to make the repellent fragrant. In getting the extract of Onion and Garlic, blender will be used. A sprayer is also needed wherein the repellent will be placed. Test Organism Fifty mosquitoes will be collected and must be distributed equally to five containers for the five set-ups. Mosquitoes will serve as the test organism. Test Procedure In making the repellent, chop into small pieces the onion and garlic without peeling. Place the chopped onions and garlic at the blender with the cayenne pepper. Then place a 250 mL amount of water. Blend on a slow speed to a milky consistency. After blending place the extract of onion and garlic pin an empty bottle sprayer. Wait an hour to add 50mL liquid dish soap for the extract will be odorous. Then shake well. In determining the insecticidal effect, there will be five set up. The first repellent will have 100g of onion and garlic. Second set up will have 100g of onion and 70 g of garlic. Third setup will have 70g of onion and 100g of garlic. The fourth set-up will have 100g of onion and 100g of garlic and liquid dish soap will not be added. And the fifth set-up will be a commercial insecticide to determine is what is more effective. One set-up will be sprayed at the one container with mosquitoes and the researcher will record how long will all the mosquitoes die and how many mosquito will die in one 30 sec, 1 min, 1 min and 30 sec, and 2 min. The other set-ups will also undergo this procedure. Bibliography Book O.A Lorenz Academic American Encyclopaedia 1994 Vol.9, pp.48 O.A Lorenz Academic American Encyclopaedia 1994 Vol.14, pp.390-391 Anton A. Redneck, World Book 2006, Vol.8, pp.44 George R. Hughes, World Book 2006, Vol.14, pp.163 Internet Sites http://www.philippineherbalmedicine.org/garlic.htm http://www.philippineherbalmedicine.org/onion.htm http://organicgardeningweb.com/Recipe%20book/Pesticide%20Recipes/Garlic%20Spray.htm http://recipegoldmine.com/house/all-purpose-insect-spray.html

Feminism & Law Essay

Feminism simply refers to the thought that women and men should have similar and equal rights in all fronts, be it sexually, politics, economics or civil amongst others. Though feminism efforts can be traced back to the late 19th century, intense activism can be placed at the upper quarter of the 20th century where there arose feminist movements, philosophy, theories and literature supporting equality between the genders. Indeed these movements and efforts bore fruits and are credited with the revolution that would see a flurry of laws enacted and policies aimed at opening more opportunities implemented. The recent past years have seen this change and feminist movements have become dormant and almost irrelevant, many agree that this has been brought forth by the mere fact that their grievances were addressed. Indeed feminism had genuine grievances. A look at the traditional society, and also the prevailing circumstances up to the world war period, indicates that the society was highly patriarchal. Both the unwritten and the written rules were aimed at subjugating women while elevating the position of men in all aspects. Job opportunities, politics and economics were wholly dominated by men. Women leadership was looked down upon and women roles were only limited to household chores. The Declaration of Sentiments, a document detailing grievances of women as published in 1846 during the Seneca Falls Convention, has clearly outlined these concerns indicating how inequality raged in the male dominated society be it in the marriages, economics and also in the workplaces (Estelle, 2003). The key grievances ranged from the role of women in marriages and also the pursuit of equal opportunities in the workplaces. The first wave of feminism was concentrating its efforts in rooting out inequality aimed at property rights and universal voting rights. These were accorded by the law by the first quarter of the 20th century. The second wave of liberation was radical and was pursuing injustices meted out against women revolving around cultural and political inequalities. These grievances were touching on the very foundation of marriage and sought to ensure that a woman’s voice and rights in marriage were respected and ensured by the law. Consequently, legislations recognizing marital rape were enacted and women’s rights in regard to divorces were also put into place. Abortion was also a key concern and resulted to intensified activism demanding for women to be allowed to take control of their sexuality and also the fate of their pregnancies. The Roe v Wade landmark court ruling that outlawed abortion was seen as a major success for feminist movements. Political and social rights were advanced. The third wave of feminism became referred to as the Women’s Liberation and took place from the late 1970s to 1990s. This was aimed at rooting out sexism and all forms of discriminations especially in the workplaces. Women demanded laws aimed at tackling sex discrimination and abuse. This was a wave that was also aiming at rooting out the perception that feminist movements were pursuing the upper class women, it is for this reason that this movement began focusing at the issues that generally affected women such as gender based violence and the removal of gender based connotations and stereotypes (Estelle 2006). With the accomplishments of the ideals that feminism sought to achieve, there is now a general feeling that feminism has become irrelevant. As Anita (2004, 96) contends, â€Å"years and years ago this feminist thing was really big and people did fight for women’s rights, and that was good. But we are equal now, so there’s not that need. † This is indeed the prevailing situation; feminism has ceased to be relevance. Women have acquired rights and although still disadvantaged, have equal rights to men. The angry bra burning and men bashing activists are no longer around as their common objectives were met and the modern woman is unencumbered by the traditional feminist ties (Estelle 2006). The popular media is said to mirror the society bringing into perspective all the held perceptions and norms. A comparison of the movies that cropped up a couple of decades ago and today’s movies for example indicates a stark contrast. Whereas the 80s movies gave women subtle and supportive roles, modern movies are according men and women equal roles and are portraying women playing the roles that were regarded as the preserve of men. They are also no longer seen as sex toys and objects to provide comic relief in movies and magazines but are rather playing active roles. Today’s women are seen as assertive in their own right but not mere props to support men, they are holding executive roles and have plunged deep into the cutthroat executive and political affairs if the recent Hillary Clintons candidature is anything to go by. They possess charisma and enough magnetic pull to carry out demanding political tasks as their men counterparts. Though sexism is yet to be eradicated, the rigorous feminist movements no longer enjoy the huge membership like they used to in the 80s, today they have taken a more integrative approach. References Anita H. (2004). All about the girl: culture, power, and identity. Routledge. Estelle B. F. (2006) Feminism, sexuality, and politics: essays. UNC Press. Estelle B. F. (2003) No Turning Back: The History of Feminism and the Future of Women. Ballantine Books.

columbine essays

columbine essays The tragedy at Columbine High School is something that will be remembered and talked about for many years to come. People from across the nation have all heard about this event. But there are still a couple questions that people have. For instance whos to blame? The kids alone, the parents for how they brought the children up, or even actually the students at Columbine? Most say that the parents are to blame, but who actually knows? In my opinion the only two people that can actually answer this question truthfully are both dead. Everyone wants answers. Did the kids have help? Who was it? Who sold them the weapons and why? Why did they do this? How could they do this? I had a class about the last question. Who could actually go into a room and commit a crime of massacre in a school of people that you know and have grown up with? Most of our class thought that they couldnt ever get enough anger to do anything even remotely as bad, but when you actually think about it, if you had no fr iends and where made fun of all the time. It looked like your parents, teachers, and even all your own piers where against you. I think anyone could snap and maybe even do something as drastic as this (Why at Columbine High). Did the boys, Dylan Klebold, 17, and Eric Harris, 18, have any help doing this crime. As of yet no one has true evidence that proves they did except they did find who sold them the weapons. Police found around thirty small bombs and one twenty-pound propane bomb in the school, enough explosives to blow the school into almost nothing. For this reason people believe that the boys either had to have help or they had visited the school many times to plan this assault. No one talking though and no proof has been found. Their not only looking for information from someone that could point to someone that had helped theyre also looking for someone that had known that this was going to happen, so that they may find the answ...

Low-level Waste facility essays

Low-level Waste facility essays Nuclear Fusion, a process in which two light nuclei combine to form a single heavier nucleus. An example of this is the sunrays they are the simplest form of nuclear fusion. The use for this is fusion is used as a fuel. But the risks are radiation poising which is very deadly. Nuclear fission, a reverse process of fusion. So its a process in which a heavy nucleus splits in to two smaller nuclei. The simplest form is particles going into are atmosphere from space. We use it by making atomic bombs. It can also cause radiation poising which is very deadly. Radioactive Decay is the time required for one half of the atoms in any starting sample of a radioisotope to decay. An example of how long this takes is radionucliden. This element has a half-life that ranges from 50 days to 15,700,000 years. When the radioactive materials buried breaks down the environment is destroyed. Radioactive decay is used by us to treat cancer and alpha rays are used in smoke detectors. Gamma and beta rays give off a radiation poising which is extremely harmful and hard to contain. With all these things that can happen if you put a low level waste facility in your area it over weights the pros. In till waste management is studied and we know more about it I dont advise putting one in your community. It can be harmful and its present a long time in the atmosphere and the land. ...

Declutter Your Inbox in 5 Easy Steps

Declutter Your Inbox in 5 Easy Steps Is your inbox clogged with emails you just don’t have it in you to respond to? I’ll do that tomorrow, you think. And again the next day. And again. Until it’s lodged safely on the â€Å"previous† screen and all that’s left is the niggling sense of guilt that you didn’t do something you were supposed to do. Sound familiar?It might not be all your fault. So many emails these days are too long and too unclear. They’re harder to respond to because there’s no clear information or ask identifiable. But that’s someone else’s problem, you think. Right? Well, sort of.What if we all started paying more attention to making our emails shorter, clearer, and more succinct? Think of it as the email revolution. And part of that revolution involves taking these 5 steps to declutter your inbox.1. Cut it in halfThink before you write. What’s your general expected word count for this particular bit of correspondence? 250 words? Write it out, then see if you can cut it in half, by weeding out unnecessary words, equivocations, and superfluous details. Keep practicing this and eventually you’ll be able to half it before you start writing and save yourself the editing step.2. Think 5 sentences or bustThis won’t work in every situation, obviously. Discretion here is key. But, whenever possible, try to challenge yourself to send emails of 5  sentences- max.3. Pyramid itJournalists often use the pyramid technique when writing news stories. Put the most important information right up front, then the pleasantries and other sundries in decreasing order of importance down the page. That way you reader knows immediately what this email is about and what you need from them.4. Don’t get lazyDon’t think of shorter emails as an excuse to slack. We’re talking sharper, better emails- not just one-line, half-baked responses that will only frustrate your colleagues and your boss. Try to s ee whether you can solve the problem, finish the project, and make the email chain stop at your desk  through a bit of careful thinking.5. Clarity is keyOne of the best parts about this new email philosophy is that it will encourage you to ask for what you need and want- clearly, and without hedging bets or hemming and hawing around your questions. Make it easy for people to help you, or say yes to your proposal, or just correspond with you in the course of business. You’ll all be better off.

Sample Population Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Sample Population - Assignment Example Secondly, the manner in which one person is selected will be independent of how the other person will be selected (Walsh & Wigens, 2003). The benefit of using a random sample is that there is the generalization of the population one is interested in the study. In this case, the population is of about 1,000 employees and out of the 1,000 100 will be selected to generalize the 1,000 employees. Additionally, the selection method will use simple random sample where each individual will be chosen randomly and by chance (Torgerson & Miles, 2007). In that, each individual has the same probability of being chosen at any stage throughout the sampling process. In so doing, the technique will be unbiased as the employees of that are chosen without determining any particular characteristic. The research study will have data sources that will provide actual information shedding light on how employees can use the social media as a platform to raise grievances. The data sources will play a crucial role in the research, as they will explain the theoretical concept of social media and how it has been misused in the organization. In so doing, the information collected or data collected will be compared with what the information provided by the sample population and establish whether there is a relationship between the data. Additionally, the data source will be used to improve or emphasize on what the participants provide during the research.  

Advertising as social communication -- semiotics Essay

Advertising as social communication -- semiotics - Essay Example Karl Marx has defined commodities as products that are independent in nature and have some form of value that humans need or enjoy (Economic Manuscripts, 1993). The ad that is chosen for this particular topic is that of Marlboro cigarettes which are quite known and popular in the world being one of the most bought of that particular commodity. Cigarettes are now sold worldwide and a large part of the global population smoke and the tobacco companies are trying harder now than ever to maintain the brand loyalties that they have earned over the years from their customers. Not only this, companies strive now at a greater pace to perhaps snag a few customers from other brands or to pull in those who have recently begun smoking. So one can say that Marlboro cigarettes are a lifestyle commodity and one of which the exchange value sign value has been overshadowed by its use value. As in the marketing world exchange is a major component and for any exchange to take place there has to be knowledge in the minds of the consumers or buyers and sellers. This particular ad attempts to project to the general public that their particular need can be complimented by the use of this particular brand of cigarette. Thought a lot of advertisements may rely on the idea of abstraction to convey their message across to the public there is a certain risk that is to be ascertained when this route is taken. Not everyone may be on the same page as those who created the advertisement and the whole concept may not even be mean what the people behind the desk even wanted. There is no real form of abstraction in this particular advertisement that has been published by Marlboro. The simple idea is to introduce the product and a male figure has been introduced with who the male population at large is sensed to be on the same level with. The typical western theme that has been employed by this particular company again is highlighted as a sense of manliness is trying to

Why are men most of the time the leading character in science fiction Essay

Why are men most of the time the leading character in science fiction films - Essay Example Such determinations have manifested through female actors joining and streaming the art of science fiction films to agitate for their recognition. Feminist female writers have expressed desire to translate the current social shift that is intending to achieve total gender equality. Many reasons underlie the mystery of male gender appear to dominate or assume massive roles as leading characters in the science fiction film. One reason attributes to the intensive use of technology in the science fiction films (Tolette 42). In most of the science fiction films, it is common to come across high-tech guns, rockets, robots and massive scientific phenomena in the lines of technology. It is undisputable that male genders or men have been the main innovators, inventors and creators of the technologies and the technological devices. The fact that they create technology and technological devices places them in the best position to control and manage the operations of the devices. Tolette confirm s that these are facts known to every individual in the wider societies and it would be deceptive or meaningless for writers of the science fiction films give women leading roles in the movies (49). The aspect of deception can occur because movies and films act as reflections of the contemporary or future social issues within the particular societies, and people find it enjoyable when movies demonstrate some aspects of social reality. This means that using male gender to play leading roles in the films creates sense of reasonability, credibility and authenticity of the particular films of science fiction. However, the technological aspect tat warrants male dominance in the science fiction films is slowly fading since women are increasingly participating in technological advancements making it reasonable to begin featuring females as leading characters in the films. One example of such developments includes The Stepford Wives (1975) that featured a small village where there was gradu al replacement of wives with robotic women (Stange, Carol and Jane 1223). Other examples are the Eve of Destruction (1991, Aliens (1986), Terminator 2 and Cherry 2000 (1987), which pointedly placed women in the positions of technological mastery. The listed films feature women as wielders of hardware, creators of powerful programs and givers of orders. In the demonstration of Johnston, another reason for male taking leading roles in most of the science fiction movies relates to the fact that they men constitute the majority writers of the films (52). This dominance has seen male film writers focus on giving men roles of leading characters. The dominant male film writers also take advantage of widespread perception and reality that men constitute the great scientists and use the scientific fictions in films to confirm this reality to the societies. In addition, dominant male writers of the science fiction films use the privilege to hold on the traditional beliefs that put men above w omen. The film writers have the urge to demonstrate and reinforce their initial social order of making women subjective to men and incapable of playing complex roles. Another reason for domination of male in leading characters in science fiction relates to be belief that women make decisions based on emotions and tension while those of males rely on rationality (Stange, Carol and Jane 1224) 43). This fact makes filmmakers afford women subordinate and supporting roles while men play leading roles. Science fiction films solely bases on the principles of technology and are tech intensive. To operate successfully, scientific devices such as those

Diversity Management as a Tool For Eliminating Discrimination Literature review

Diversity Management as a Tool For Eliminating Discrimination - Literature review Example This paper shows that what are the positive points of diversity management and how diversity management enhances the performance of the individuals as well as the organization. It will develop the skills which are essential to managing a workforce team. In this article, we will study how a diversified work team enhances the productivity of an organization and how we can mitigate the hazards of diversity.  Organizations are formed with a major aim to earn profits but to earn profits, dedication and hard work is required, apart from compelling the employees to do the work. Management or the managers are supposed to manage their employees and their work in a professional manner which is ethical and appreciable as well. Proper management will ultimately increase the performance and motivate the employees because according to Steven Kopin self-motivated employees are more productive and dedicated rather than the unmotivated ones. The most important human activity is managing. Ever since people began forming groups to accomplish aims they could not achieve as individuals, managing has been essential to ensure the coordination of individual efforts. As society has come to rely increasingly on group effort, and as many organized groups have become large, the task of managers has been rising in importance. The aim of all managers is the same: "to create a surplus". Management is the process of designing and maintaining an environment in which individuals, working together in groups, efficiently accomplish selected items. Management is essential for any organization for creating its value in the long run. Managers are charged with the responsibility of taking actions that will enable individuals to make their best contribution to groups' objectives. Management thus applies to small and large organizations, to profit and for a not-for-profit enterprise to manufacture as well as service industries. The term enterprise refers to a business, government agency, hospital, un iversity, and any other type of organization.

What it means to be a professional in the military (army) Essay

What it means to be a professional in the military (army) - Essay Example It is practically impossible to uphold the acceptable standards in any professional without understanding the underlying principles. Professional militants keep themselves updated with changes in rules and regulations. Professionalism particularly in the military always calls for focus on work objectives. Doing anything outside the given instructions qualifies as unprofessionalism. Military professionalism is not all about war and fights. It is about restoring peace and harmony in the society by use of means that are humanely acceptable. This demands good ethical standards. Indeed, military professionalism and ethics are inseparable. For instance, it is unethical and therefore unprofessional for a military professional to torture an innocent civilian for pleasure or fun. Technical expertise is always essential for military professionalism but it is fruitless if not guided by the realms of good morals and ethical standards. Professionalism in the military means demonstrating sound judgment even in difficult and demanding situations. Prudence and careful thought makes a good military professional. This is because military professionals often face challenging situations that demand prompt decision-making. Quality of their decisions determines the discourse in a war. A bad decision by a military leader may mean death to many of his military men or a continuation of a fight. Arguably, most wars in history were escalated by bad decision making as opposed to technical expertise. Discipline plays a very important role in success of any professional career. Military professionals are given more rights, freedom, and power of authority as compared to ordinary citizens. They can be termed as â€Å"special citizens.† These rights and privileges are prone to abuse if discipline is not maintained. Professionalism in the military therefore means upholding the highest level of discipline to the authority, oneself and

MGT 407 Module 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

MGT 407 Module 5 - Essay Example Finance and security are other possible departments that may participate in the program along with HR. Risk assessment, standards and procedures, defined roles, designated official, communication, internal reporting and program assessment are the areas that should be according to the article covered by any such corporate ethics program. Ethics particularly in the context of Human Resources generally refer to the principles or laws distinguishing between right or wrong conducts. The recent decades in the USA there has been almost a mushrooming of ethical crises. It is more likely true that in the present era of communication coverups are harder to effectively carry out and hence such instances are being revealed although they have been around for ages. Misrepresentation, Covering up details of anomalies, cheating in essence have been discovered to have proliferated all the layers of corporate America. And surprisingly in many cases these are understood to be almost necessary practices for growth. Blossoming profit making practices by managers via utilization of insider information on shareholder details and stock have emerged as common place. In the face of such falling standards, the role of the HR professional has assumed an unprecedented importance. It is the responsibility of the HR department to create proper e thical codes of conduct, introduce ethical training through different programs as well as employing officers who specialize in ethics. Unethical actions on the part of any employee(s) affects all related customers, employees, shareholders and managers alike. An Employee has to make a many choices each day which if unethical can greatly harm the companys reputation, productivity as well as profits. Such actions can be of various forms and shapes. Utilization of company resources for personal gains (using company phone lines to make personal calls), failing to report

What it means to be a professional in the military (army) Essay

What it means to be a professional in the military (army) - Essay Example It is practically impossible to uphold the acceptable standards in any professional without understanding the underlying principles. Professional militants keep themselves updated with changes in rules and regulations. Professionalism particularly in the military always calls for focus on work objectives. Doing anything outside the given instructions qualifies as unprofessionalism. Military professionalism is not all about war and fights. It is about restoring peace and harmony in the society by use of means that are humanely acceptable. This demands good ethical standards. Indeed, military professionalism and ethics are inseparable. For instance, it is unethical and therefore unprofessional for a military professional to torture an innocent civilian for pleasure or fun. Technical expertise is always essential for military professionalism but it is fruitless if not guided by the realms of good morals and ethical standards. Professionalism in the military means demonstrating sound judgment even in difficult and demanding situations. Prudence and careful thought makes a good military professional. This is because military professionals often face challenging situations that demand prompt decision-making. Quality of their decisions determines the discourse in a war. A bad decision by a military leader may mean death to many of his military men or a continuation of a fight. Arguably, most wars in history were escalated by bad decision making as opposed to technical expertise. Discipline plays a very important role in success of any professional career. Military professionals are given more rights, freedom, and power of authority as compared to ordinary citizens. They can be termed as â€Å"special citizens.† These rights and privileges are prone to abuse if discipline is not maintained. Professionalism in the military therefore means upholding the highest level of discipline to the authority, oneself and

By the time Macbeth murders Duncan Essay Example for Free

By the time Macbeth murders Duncan Essay By the time Macbeth murders Duncan, he has already lost the battle for his soul. Discuss this statement and examine the factors which lead to his decision to kill the king. It is the aim of this essay to evaluate and determine the validity of the above statement. I will examine the factors which lead to Macbeths decision to kill the king. The definition for a persons soul is the spiritual part of them that is supposed to continue after their body is dead. People also use soul to refer to a persons mind, character, thoughts and feelings. The battle for his soul represents whether this person submits to good or evil. The factors that I will look at in particular when considering what drove Macbeth to commit the murder, are the witches and Lady Macbeth. The play begins with the witches who introduce Macbeth by saying they will meet him. There to meet with Macbeth. This is an effective way to start the play, as people were very superstitious at the time. They believed in witches and they believed they were evil. One person who was very wary and curious about such matters was James I and Shakespeare had written this play for him. The gunpowder plot took place the previous year and James I was, consequently, very sensitive and concerned about future assassination attempts. Shakespeare was writing for an audience who were predominantly Christian and who believed in heaven and hell; the way some one behaved on earth would decide what happened to them when they died. The soul is very important in this play and this is why Macbeth may have been popular as people were interested in these things. If someone lost their soul, they would be lost to God and would be condemned to hell for eternity. Macbeth talks a lot about this in his dramatic monologues. Duncan was a good honest king who had done nothing but treat Macbeth as a good friend. Duncan calls him worthiest cousin, which suggests the closeness of their relationship. Duncan is grateful for Macbeths bravery in battle. He says, I have begun to plant thee and will labour, to make thee full of growing. Duncan is saying he will do anything to repay him for being so brave. Duncan is a very good person, Macbeth says, Duncan hath borne his faculties so meek hath been so clear in his great office that his virtues will plead like angel. Macbeth knows that he was good and he still murdered him. Therefore is no excuse for what he has done. The King is Macbeths guest so he should protect him, not attack him. There are different reactions from Macbeth and Banquo to the witches predictions. Banquo believes that Macbeth will become king because he has already become Thane of Cawdor, just as the witches had predicted. He thinks that it is very strange how the witches are helping them. Furthermore, he believes the witches will be kind to them and have their trust only to betray them later. He is clearly surprised and remains sceptical as to their intentions. The different reaction by Macbeth is apparent when he is shocked at first after hearing what the witches have to say. He truly believes that he will become king as two of the predictions have proved accurate. Things can only get better for Macbeth, or so he believes. Macbeths opinion of the witches remains undecided and he does not really know what to think about the weird sisters. There are conflicting beliefs that he has. Firstly, he believes they are not good, but if they were bad why did they give him such success? It seems that he is beginning to trust the witches when he considers the success that they have given to him. Banquo, on the other hand, instantly distrusts them and believes to win us to our harm, the instruments of darkness tell us truths. As soon as Lady Macbeth receives Macbeths letter about the witchs predictions she begins to plan the murder: Come, you spirits that tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here and fill me from the crow to the toe top full of direst cruelty. She wants to be filled with cruelty and wants evil spirits to posses her. She wants to lose her femininity and become manly so she is capable of the greatest cruelty. She hopes to lose her soul so she does not feel guilty. The factors that lead Macbeth to kill the king are the witches, Lady Macbeth and his own personality. The witches led Macbeth to the murder when they greeted him and said All hail Macbeth, that shall be king hereafter. In the time of the play it was believed that witches could take demonic possession of people and make them do what they wanted. Macbeth sees a dagger just before the murder of Duncan. Some people may say that it is the witches that put the image in front of him to drive him into murdering. However, Act 1, scene 1 suggests that there are limits to the witchs powers; they cannot kill. They talk about a lady who did not give them nuts so they want to get her back, and also her husband who is on a boat. Ill give thee wind. Ill drain him as dry as hay. They say many things that they will do to him but they do not mention killing him and this proves that death is not in their power. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have a good relationship, they seem to get on extremely well together and when they are apart they miss each other. Later in the play Lady Macbeth begins to take control and becomes rather dominant. She can persuade him to do anything. Macbeth decided that he did not want to go through with the murder but Lady Macbeth talked him into it by calling him a coward and using harsh words. And live a coward in thine own self esteem. She says this after Macbeth refuses to proceed any further with the murder. She is taunting and humiliating him. When Macbeth talks himself out of committing the murder, We will proceed no further in this business, Lady Macbeth makes him change his mind by calling him a coward. She tells him, When you durst do it, then you were a man. The implication being that he is no longer acting like a man. She tells him that if he breaks this promise, he will break all other promises including those made to her, Such I account thy love. Nevertheless, she claims that she would rather dash out the brains of a baby then break such a promise. Shakespeare utilises extremely strong imagery to emphasise just how important it is for her. In Macbeths dramatic monologue he gives many reasons as to why he does not want to go through with the murder. Many thoughts are running through his head such as the fear of Duncan returning as something bad in his next life. Additionally, he believes something bad will happen if he goes through with it. To plague th inventor. This even handed Justice He is going against the deed of killing the king. Strong both against the deed: then, as his host. He is a kinsman, therefore he can not kill somebody on the same side as him and this suggests that it is not like him at all and he does not want to take his life. When Lady Macbeth enters he does not tell her these reasons but gives different ones altogether. He says the king has been honouring him recently and people have high opinions of him. Consequently, he wants to remain popular with people. Macbeth must kill Duncan so that he can be king and take his place. The witches told him that he would be king, but not necessarily by murdering him. Initially the murder has been devised entirely by Macbeth and not recommended by anyone else. As Macbeth states, If chance will have me king, why chance me crown me, without stir. He is saying that if he becomes king that is good but he will not do anything to make himself king. As he admits, his only motive for the killing is Vaulting ambition. I will now consider the nature of Macbeths sin. The crime that has been committed is truly evil, but I do not believe that Macbeth is necessarily evil. The fact that Macbeth believes that he will never be forgiven indicates he is genuinely remorseful. The only reason Duncan was murdered was for Macbeths personal gain. Macbeth had no real reason to kill him, as the king was a dear friend. There are many reasons that suggest that Macbeth should never be forgiven for this. The murder was in cold blood and it had been planned and not committed in the heat of the moment. Macbeth did not want to go through with it but Lady Macbeth induced him to do so. This is why I believe Macbeth is not evil because he was driven to it. After the murder the grooms were smeared with blood to make it seem as if they had committed the murder. In the morning Macbeth murders them too pretending that he has acted out of violent love for Duncan. He does this to get himself out of trouble and to avoid suspicion. Therefore, the grooms cannot deny committing the murder. Macbeth has killed the king. At the time, there was a belief that kings were put onto the throne through Gods power (divine right) and so an attack on the kings power was seen as acting against Gods wishes. This is the reason for him to go to hell as God has disowned him. Macbeth says, Hes here in double trust: first, as I am his kinsman and his subject, strong both against the deed; then as his host, who should against his murderer shut the door, Not bear the knife myself. Macbeth knows that what he has done is wrong as he should be looking after his guest. After the murder, Macbeth is unable to say the word Amen, But wherefore could not I pronounce Amen I had most need of blessing and Amen'. He feels that God has deserted him as Amen means god with us. He is trying to keep his Christian faith but he believes he is losing his soul and that he will be doomed to eternal damnation. Macbeth feels that he cannot sleep because only the good sleep. After the murder has been committed Lady Macbeth is calm and does not feel any guilt at all. The fact that she is not sorry suggests that she is evil. Wash this filthy witness from your handsmear the sleepy grooms with blood. She gives him orders as she does not want to get caught and she wants somebody else to get the blame. If I were in the audience, I would be thinking that Macbeth is now behaving unlike himself. He is acting guilty about the murder and he wishes that he never committed the crime. This is dramatic because it shows that he must really want to be king if he kills even though he does not want to and this shows how desperate he really must be. Christians believe that if someone is truly sorry for a sin they have committed and repent, they can be forgiven and, in that case, their soul would not be forfeit. After the murder I strongly believe that Macbeth is extremely sorry for what he has done. I had most need of blessing. This means that he still wants Gods blessing even after his terrible sin. I am afraid to think what I done, which suggests that it is so unlike him to do this that he is scared to look back, he does not want to believe what he has done. To know my deed twere best not know myself he would rather not know himself after what he has done as he is so ashamed. Wake Duncan with thy knocking, I would thou couldst He wishes that Duncan could be wakened with knocking which means he regrets the murder. I do not believe that Macbeth has lost his soul as he feels sorry for what he has done and feels very guilty he also has many regrets. As Macbeth is so worried about the murder he has committed one would not think that he would kill anymore, but he does. He arranges the murder of Banquo, his best friend, and tries to have his son Fleance killed. This is because Banquo suspects that Macbeth has killed Duncan as he heard the witches predictions. He has Fleance murdered because the witches said Banquos descendants would be king. Macbeth seeks out the three witches to predict the future, even though he knows that they are evil. To the weird sisters. More shall they speak. For no I am bent to know by the worst means, the worst. He also wants to know what else must be done for him to be king. The audience may have thought that he is turning evil and is just looking for trouble and they will probably be worried about what will happen next. He arranges the murder of Lady Macduff and her children because she has fled to England to join the other side to be against Macbeth. He wants to hurt her for turning against him. Now Macbeth is beginning to lose his soul as he keeps on killing and he does not feel guilty anymore. He finds that he must keep on doing more and more wrong in order to stay in his position. I am in blood stepped so far that I should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go oer. He has gone far enough and there is no point stopping as he has done a lot to get where he is. It will be far easier for him to carry on then to stop. It is possible that the witches have sensed a potential for evil in Macbeth and that is why they have chosen to use him. It is Macbeth who has horrible imagings. He fought in battles so he killed a lot of people there. We learn many contradictory things about Macbeth. He is a very strong man as he fights in the kings battles and wins. He is described as Brave Macbeth and Noble Macbeth by the captain, this is because he is very loyal, brave and honourable. However, Lady Macbeth says he is too full oth milk of human kindness and implies that he has a good heart. Macbeth has been violent in battle. He unseamed him from the nave to th chops and fixed his head upon our battlements. He had fought a lot in battle and killed a lot of people but after the murder he can not handle all the guilt. His personality has changed. He admirers Lady Macbeth when she is at her most evil, saying she is undaunted mettle. This is because she does not give up and pursues with her target. Macbeth is frequently associated with dark and night, asking for darkness to cover his feeling. Stars, hide your fires, let not light see my black and deep desires. Goodness is represented by light and evil is represented by dark. For example, Macbeth using the cover of darkness to hide his crimes, Come, seeling night, scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day. He is ashamed of what he is thinking. Macduff says of him Not in the legions of horrid hell can come a devil more damned in evil to top Macbeth. He thinks Macbeth is filled with evil. The name of his follower, Seyton is perhaps a pun of Satan. I do not believe that Macbeth is evil. The witches made him think a lot and this led him to do things he would never normally do. It was the witches who gave him the idea of being king and this is where things started to become bad. Macbeth goes to visit the witches again after the murder who tell him that no person can kill him that is born from women. He now thinks he is invincible. In my opinion, it is here that he loses his soul given that he carries on killing without feeling any guilt. It seems that Macbeth was not only an instrument of evil, but also the victim.

Nature of Sociological Theory

Nature of Sociological Theory THE NATURE OF SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY OKUMAGBA, OGHENERO PAUL, FAYEYE, J.O.   EJECHI, EUCHARIA SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY DEFINITION AND MEANINGS Different people see Sociological theory in different ways. Different people have regarded different aspects of sociology as theory and students are also involved because their works are based on theories. How do we define a theory? In other to give an answer to this question, we must have some definition which must help us in this task. Mennell, S. (1972) distinguished what a theory should be and what by convention is named Sociological theory. He started by saying that sociology theory in some cases is not sociological theory. What this means is that, it deals in most cases with a body of ideas attached to theory, and this is not always their in the strict Sense of it. For Mennel a real sociological theory is formalized and ultimately testable explanations which are accumulated to a large extent in the ordinary process of Sociology Research i.e. sociological theory must be related to Sociological Research. Our theories may only try to explain limited and specific properties of reality. They may belong to some or all area of sociology such as Urban sociology, Sociology of the Family, Political sociology etc. i.e. they may only cover an aspect of sociology and not all. They may be what R.K. Merton calls MIDDLE RANGE THEORIES, i.e. theories that are interested in specific or limited areas e.g Social roles. Mennel goes on to ask the question, what is social theory in the customary sense. Sociological theory is a general collection to topics. it also tends to include the discussion of Some Epistemological issues such as what is science, what is sociological theory. Is it a science? Etc. this is what Stephen Mennel refers to as META THEORY. There is another category which Mennel calls PARA-THEORY. He got this from the works of Ralph Dorhendorf. He defines it as all statement before, around and after Sociological theory which are capable of empirical test themselves but are geared towards theories, We also wasn’t to distinguish this type of theory from what is known a s BASK THEORY. It does not necessary have to be scientifically validated, i.e. it does not contain empirical components as it basis. Although most of the great Sociologists may have developed theory without going on to test them. They ore more or less based on their experience or from reading. Some writers have called the above type GRAND THEORY. This theory is concerned with providing a scheme that can be used to explain the empirical data of research. This type of theory depends on interrelated construct, concepts, prepositions, scientific statements etc. that presents a systematic view of phenomenon by specifying relationship among variables with the purpose of explaining and predicting phenomenon. This type of their is based on data collected from society and it is usually used in explaining certain segments of social reality. We may s ay that Grand theory is based on abstractive ideologies, patterns and principles which undering given nature and social world order i.e. it is global scheme. Ware as empirically based theory concentrates on formulating, generalizing from specific data in other to explain phenomenon. We may say at this point, that the two seems necessary in order to provide a concueate analysis of social reality. However, they may not be isolated from eac h. other. Grand theory tends to be constructed on abstract terms and we may question what process of abstraction does it given to the understanding of the whole social process. Empirically. based theory is derived solely from the data collected from social processes. For Goode and Hatt:†¦. a theory states a logical relationship between facts. From this theory other prepositions can be deduced that should be true, if the first relationship holds. These d educed propositions are hypotheses. To them, and to many others as well, a hypothesis is a minor theory. it â€Å"states what† were looking for† and â€Å"Leads to an empiritical test†. It is a proposition capable to empirical verification but not yet verified. It is apparent at there is more then a semblance of circularity in the reasoning of those who discuss the relationship between a theory and a hypothesis. It is commonly claimed that all â€Å"scientific† hypotheses arc- derivations from empirically supportable theory. It is also typically asserted that every theory had its beginnings in on hypothesis. Hence, one mans hypothesis may be another’s theory. It all depends on the aim and ingenuity of the investigator. Scientific theories are logical systems of propositions which attempt to account for why phenomena ore the way they are and predict their behaviour. Theories are built of data generated, for example Mertonian paradigms and sociological perspectives are synonymous. The direct data generation and theorizing efforts to some aspects of the social world. Thus one can produce specific theories from a particular perspectives e.g. the theory of segmenting opposition and Merton’s social structure and anomie theory fall within the functional perspective. A theory can also be seen as a logically consistent statement of causal laws. Causal laws ore statements of regularities in concomitant occurrences between antecedents and events. The question we should be asking ourselves is, Are we limited by the process of data collection? We have to have a facilitating relationship between the two. Theories which are based on empirical footing helps to direct the grand theory and provides concrete d ata for the grand theory and helps the researcher develop a conceptual framework. The word ‘theory’ derives its meanings and usage from the user. To call a statement a theory is sometimes intended to increase its value by suggesting that it goes beyond ‘mere facts’ e.g when a person says I hove a theory about James he means that he cannot be deceived by him. But sometimes, the word theory as clearly used to reduce the value of a speculative idea by denying it a close connection with reality. In this sense it is often asserted â€Å"tings are all right in theory† but not in practice. Theories would have no value if they did not go beyond facts. Facts are nothing more than statements which we believe to bear truth about particular events which have occurred. Theories ore not meant to be about particular events but about the whole categories of events, it is generally said that Theories or some theories are nothing but general facts. A statement general fact would be either a shorthand or number of statements of the same kind or type, a general statements of the characteristics of a type of events. It is true that all theories go beyond facts; however not all statement which go beyond facts are theories. For example if say that, the colonial masters colonized Nigeria, and established a foreign culture that would otherwise not have developed. I am going beyond facts, but no one can know what culture would have developed if there had been no Colonization in the first instance. However, one can guess, and ones guess is an hypothesis. This guess is not a theory; because it stated something about particular events or particular complexes or events but it states nothing in general about the characteristics of colonial domination. To be testable this theory would have to state the kind of evidence that could be treated as refuting it. Instances of species which have survived being w c-Il adapted to particular environment or instances of Species which were well adapted to a particular environment but which had not survived. In the final analysis, the criterion of a adaptability is the capacity for survival 1.e. One does not really know how adoptable a species is until one has already observed its Capacity for survival. The fact that such a theory is not strictly testable does no mean that it has little value. Its values lies in directing inquiries of the students of evolution In conjunction other theories, some of which are highly testable it has helped evolutionary biologists to explain a great deal. Its own role is programmatic, it says if you are making enquires of this kind, makes a species more or less adaptable table in a particular environment This has proved useful. This example removed the assumption that if is only the social sciences attempt to be satisfied or utilize theories which ore not strictly testable. TYPES OF THEORY Cohen; (1968) in his book Modern Social Theory out lined four broad types of theories and they are as follows: Analytical Theory Normative Theory Metaphysical theory Scientific theory ANALYTICAL THEORY These are like theories of mathematics or logic which may state nothing about the real world but consist of some sets of axiomatic statements which are true by definition and from which other statements ore derived for example Adam Smith’s their on human economy which stress that people tend to maximize their gains while minimizing their losses. NORMATIVE THEORY These theory elaborates a set of ideal state of which one may aspire for example, ideologist fall within this category Normative theories are subjective in the sense that they deal with the ideal or what ought to be rather than what is. METAPHYSICCAL THEORY These are theories which are beyond the senses in other words, they have no empirical foundation. A good example is Darwin’s theory on Evolution of man and Malthusian’s theory of population. SCIENTIFIC THEORIES This is ideally a universal empirical statement which exacts a causal connection between two or more variables (or types of events). At this simplest, it has this form e.g. whenever x occurs they Y occur X = Y. Scientific theories are universal because it state something about the condition under which some events or types of events always occur If theories go beyond facts, they must have a connection with reality. Hence no experience of reality is worth recording, or could be recorded if it is not for theories. The most elementary theories, which we use a re embedded in our language. All language must use certain universal, categories; and to use a universal category is in effect to use a theory. If for example It says’ that ‘James is a deviant presume certain universal characteristics associated with deviance, as opposed to conformity. Without universal categories there will he no communication, without communication there will be no culture, no society, no science, no technology, no shored experience of die world of reality. Theoretical consideration end theoretical concepts, implicit or explicit have an essential rule in shaping the direction of research, in direction observation an and in guiding description itself, For a theory to be used wisely with sharp awareness, awareness users must have the knowledge of its nature and of its varieties. We need to know its concepts and diverse terminological forms they take. We should be familiar with the history of sociological theoretical endeavours with its changing emphasis, its successes and failure, and its promise for the future, These in themselves constitute the subject matter of the studying of sociological theories. SOCIOLOGICAL THEORYAND SOCIAL ORDER Theory is a set of prepositions complying ideally with the following conditions; The propositions must be put in terms of exactly defined concepts. They must be consistent with one another. They must be such that from them the existing generalization could be deductively derived. They must be fruitful i.e. show the way to further observation and generalizations were increasing the scope of knowledge. From the foregoing, sociological theory can be understood in the sense in which the word theory is used in other sciences. Hence it is; ‘a structure of systematically organized law like propositions about society that con be supported by evidence. The aim a sociological theory from the foregoing is explanation that goes beyond description and systematic definition (or taxonomy). Some characteristics of sociological theory. It is needful to odd that many sociological theories do not meet the ideal criteria of science (i.e. universality, empruism, and causality). CHARACTERIST1C OF SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY Theories are thoughts and ideas used to explain particular Social phenomenon or situations in society. It is a set of systematically relatered propositions a imed at explaining a particular situation. They are thoughts, ideas, or conceptual schemes used to solve societal problems. A theory is good and useful when it is able to solve problems successfully. Sociological theories attempts to explain and investigate problems, issues or events within the context of observable social phenomenon, they attempt to offer scientific and theoretical explanation which on the basis of the past have immediate applicability and are also capable of application to similar problems in the future. All theories attempt more than anything also the question â€Å"Why†. All contemporary sociological theories are selective in their analysis of social phenomenon. No one theory con interest or explain a total social phenomenon (such as the Grand Theory by TALCOTT PARSONS and middle range theories by ROBERT K. MERTON) for example, DEMOGRAPHISM as a sociological perspective is concerned with man’s various responses caused by increase in population. Then TECHNOLOG1SM emphasizes the effect of technology on man and social organization, while ECOLOGISM emphasizes the influence of non human environmental on human behaviour. Contemporary sociological theories must be empirically grounded. They are not merely thoughts or speculations. They are not â€Å"armed chair theories† but are based on observable facts that can be subjected to scientific observation and analysis. They are thoughts backed by verified fact or knowledge. Sociological theories tends to state scietific and observable relationships between variables usually between the dependent and independent variables. independent Variable -independent Variable X Y All sociological theories attempts to solve the problem of order in the society, All contemporary sociological theories deal with social phenomenon that are either imposed or generated by the individuals and these imposed or generated phenomena must either be subjective or objective. Finally, any sociological theory that does not fall into these set of categories is not qualified to be called a sociological theory. FUNCTIONS OF SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES Theories in any discipline have certain function which they perform in investigation info societal problems, It extends the Scope of the original empirical findings by showing the interrelationship between various variables. It provides facts for the accumulation of both theory and research findings. If increase the fruitfulness of research through the successive exploration of the implicajiohs of research findings. lt introduces a ground for the predictions. It entails precision which is derivable from test-ability or verification The importance of precision in theory was stated by R.K, Merton when he wrote those theories which admits a precise precision confirmed by observation taken on strategic importance since they provide an initial basis for choice between competing hypothesis. THE CENTRAL PROBLEMS OF SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY AND SOCIAL ORDER The Problems of Order To take the position that sociological theory centers around the problem of social order may result into laying criticism of conservation ideological bias. To those who sees conflict, they will assume that the position presents or emphasizes order and affirms its desirability. It is certain that people in most societies desire order, they may not accept any kind of order at all cost. The fact that order is desired by many does not justify its central position in sociological theory. When order is presented as being at the centre of sociological theory it is done so because of the following Order is itself something positive, and its opposites only conceivable in terms of it. The very idea of human society presupposes order. The existence of social order is problematic and cannot be taken for grated. The investigation of the problem of order illuminates (or shows) the nature of disorder in its various aspects.