Drama and Theater Essay

What is drama? What are the similarities and differences between Greek Drama, Renaissance Drama, Kabuki Drama, and Contemporary Drama? Drama is tension. In the context of a play in a theatre, tension often means that the audience is expecting something to happen between the characters on stage. Will they shoot each other? Will they finally confess their undying love for one another? Drama derived from the Greek verb dran, meaning â€Å" to act† or â€Å"to do†, refers to actions or deeds as they are performed in a theatrical setting for the benefit of a body of spectators. Drama is often combined with music and dance: the drama in opera is sung throughout; musicals include spoken dialogue and songs; and some forms of drama have regular musical accompaniment (Banham, 1998). Drama was the crowning glory of the Athenian Age. This period has been called by different terms. It has been called the Age of Pericles because Pericles was the ruling power in Athens at the time. It has been also called the Athenian Age because Athens became the white-hot literary center of Greece, and it has been called the Golden Age because the drama flourished during this period. There were three great tragic writers: Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes, the greatest writer of comedy the world has ever produced ( Serrano & Lapid, 1987, p. 26) Drama and Theater The theatre of ancient Greece, or ancient Greek drama, is a theatrical culture that flourished in ancient Greece between c. 550 and c. 220 BCE. It is true that there is much in human nature that loves dramatic presentation, for man loves to imitate other persons. Gestures by a narrator or an orator may be considered dramatic, but these are only disjointed actions; there is a wide step between this and dramatic actions. The Greeks gave the drama as a literary form to the world. The drama of antiquity is very different from the drama as we now know it. It had dignity, nobility, and power. It had little of the spontaneity and easy naturalness of modern plays. The Greek drama was cut up into situations or episodes, and between these episodes were choral recitations of great length. These choral recitations, though they had beauty and power, slowed the action and interrupted the forward movement of the story. The choruses however, were visually attractive. The participants, competed with each other in the splendor of their dresses and the excellence of their singing and dancing (Serrano and Lapid, 1987, p. 26-27). Some example of the Greek drama were the Story of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra , by Aeschylus and The story of Oedipus The King by Sophocles (p. 28). Primary in a true appreciation of Renaissance drama is the poetry. The theatre of their day was a poetical one. Rather than being confused by the poetry we find in these plays, we need to understand why the poetical theatre was, and is, superior in expression and more powerful in emotion than a realistic one. Their stage was â€Å"conventional†or poetical while today’s stage is realistic. As an example, in Shakespeare’s Timon of Athens Timon is disgusted with mankind, hating all of the supposedly â€Å"decent† people he knows. When confronted by thieves he tells them to go about their work merrily; everyone steals, and he offers examples of thievery: I’ll example you with thievery: The sun’s a thief, and with his great attraction Robs the vast sea; the moon’s an arrant thief, And her pale fire she snatches from the sun; The sea’s a thief, whose liquid surge resolves The moon into salt tears; the earth’s a thief, That feeds and breeds by a composture stol’n From gen’ral excrement; each things’s a thief. (Timon of Athens 4. 3. 438-45). Kabuki, like other traditional forms of drama in Japan as well as in other cultures around the world, was (and sometimes still is) performed in full-day programs. Rather than attending a single play for 2–5 hours, as one might do in a modern Western-style theater, one would â€Å"escape† from the day-to-day world, devoting a full day to entertainment in the theater district. Though some plays, particularly the historical jidaimono, might go on for an entire day, most plays were shorter and would be arranged, in full or in part, alongside other plays in order to produce a full-day program. This was because it was required in kabuki play to get the audience showing different preference that is in either the history plays or domestic plays like a drama, to enjoy during the full-day program. Contemporary Drama was never very popular after World War I, drama in a realist style continued to dominate the commercial theatre, especially in the United States. Even there, however, psychological realism seemed to be the goal, and nonrealistic scenic and dramatic devices were employed to achieve this end. The plays of Arthur Miller and Tennessee Williams, for instance, use memory scenes, dream sequences, purely symbolic characters, projections, and the like. Even O’Neill’s later works-ostensibly realistic plays such as Long Day’s Journey into Night (produced 1956)-incorporate poetic dialogue and a carefully orchestrated background of sounds to soften the hard-edged realism. Scenery was almost always suggestive rather than realistic. European drama was not much influenced by psychological realism but was more concerned with plays of ideas, as evidenced in the works of the Italian dramatist Luigi Pirandello, the French playwrights Jean Anouilh and Jean Giraudoux, and the Belgian playwright Michel de Ghelderode. In England in the 1950s John Osborne’s Look Back in Anger (1956) became a rallying point for the postwar â€Å"angry young men†; a Vietnam trilogy of the early 1970s, by the American playwright David Rabe, expressed the anger and frustration of many towards the war in Vietnam. Under he influence of Brecht, many postwar German playwrights wrote documentary dramas that, based on historical incidents, explored the moral obligations of individuals to themselves and to society. An example is The Deputy (1963), by Rolf Hochhuth, which deals with Pope Pius XII’s silence during World War II. The contemporary drama does not purport to be easy; it insists on a greater understanding of all things pertinent to modern humanity and its relationships to religion, societal order, psychology in order to appreciate its message; however, it critically acknowledges that most of us remain ignorant to all the former. Thus, the drama instructs, irritates, challenges, and begs for intelligence in order to gain from its message. It remains didactic, combined with pleasure, but always wishing to challenge the current notions of authority. References http://www. clt. astate. edu/wnarey/modern_contemporary_drama. htm Banham, Martin, (1998 ed. ). The Cambridge Guide to Theatre. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0521434378. Serrano, Josephine and Lapid, Milagros, (1987). English Communication Arts and Skills Through World Literature. Phoenix Publishing House, Inc.

Ethnic Literature Essay

The term â€Å"ethnic† when in conjunction with the word â€Å"literature† in the academic discourse community of students, often brings out mixed feelings of excitement and dread. On the one hand, students understand that they will be getting away from the canonical American literature – which can equal boring in their eyes; on the other hand, students interpret the term â€Å"ethnic literature† to mean distinctive – which can equal confusing or ambiguous – and perhaps at times not relatable because it is outside their scope of experiences. Perhaps before jumping into why it matters, the term â€Å"ethnic literature† should be defined first and because I am still learning how to interpret this term myself, I searched for a suitable one I could agree with. I found one in an article entitled â€Å"Assessing Teachers’ Knowledge of Multi-Ethnic Literature†, and the article actually used another source themselves to come up with a workable, layman’s definition. Ethnic literature as defined by D. E. Norton (as the article’s source) is, â€Å"Literature about racial or ethnic minority groups that are culturally and socially different from the white Anglo-Saxon majority in the United States, whose largely middle-class values and customs are most represented in American literature† (qtd. in Hager & Thompson 22). I think this definition works well to define what ethnic literature is on a surface level, but the more I dig in, I feel that this idea goes much deeper. I asked myself, who can write about ethnic literature? Can anyone just pick up a pen so to speak and tell a story about a young Japanese boy, or a Hispanic family? Can an African-American writer write about Hispanic or Chinese people and claim it is ethnic literature? And the answer to myself is no. Why? Because unless that African-American has been submersed in the Hispanic or Japanese culture from the time of childhood, how are they going to capture the very essence of being, thinking, and living day-to-day in that culture? And even if that African-American had, they would still most likely have a different perspective from the average Hispanic or Chinese person because of being different themselves (i. e black) and perhaps are treated different by the community at large which corrupts the â€Å"normal† cultural thinking. At this deeper level I am trying to get at, I find John M. Reilly’s article â€Å"Criticism of Ethnic Literature: Seeing the Whole Story† helpful in acquiring this. He states that, â€Å"the assertion of ethnicity in literature can be made only through a procedure by which the writer resolves formal problems†¦ what moves from recognition of identity to creation of a strategy for handling reality still is not literature until the individual author sustains her or his ethnic identity through a sequence of formal choices† (4). I am interpreting this to mean that as a reader of this literature, I should see and feel throughout the story (perhaps subtlety) that in some way, the characters mindset (and perhaps actions) in the story differ from my own specifically because of the culture they have grown up in in, which has shaped that character’s thinking. There are thoughts and feelings – ideas, I don’t understand without further explanation from the author, which is sometimes provided, and sometimes not. An example of this is in Brando Skyhorse’s novel The Madonnas of Echo Park, I find myself wondering what the significance of the jacaranda trees mentioned in different parts of the book. Looking up what they are, it becomes apparent to me as jacaranda trees are native to Central America – roots back to their homeland. The blossoms from the trees fall and are scattered everywhere. Felicia in chapter 2 states that â€Å"there’s no way getting away from them† (25). Basically meaning, you cannot escape who you are and where you come from. I would not have understood this had I not explored the history of that tree to uncover the significance in the book. Another example is in Seventeen Syllables in the story â€Å"Seventeen Syllables†. The story about a Japanese family is easy to read, but is hard to connect with as I don’t share the same philosophies about a woman’s place in the Japanese culture. A specific instance in the story was when Mrs. Hayashi, Rosie’s mother received her the first place prize for her stellar Haiku. When the man from the newspaper presented her with a package, Mrs. Hayashi, stating she knew it was unorthodox, asked if she might open it because she was very curious. (Yamamoto 17). At this point, I am thinking to myself, â€Å"I don’t get it – why wouldn’t she open it? † but upon reflection, I considered the patriarchal society that is dominant in this culture, and perhaps it is the wife’s obligation to consult or have the husband open the gift, even if it is not specifically for him. Yet another example is in Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz. To come specifically to the point, I do not understand this idea of why it is understood that Dominican men are supposed to be these â€Å"manly men† that women flock to and fall on their knees for. That the sexual appetite along with innate sense of charisma from Dominican men is expected, and when it’s lacking, it doesn’t go unnoticed. â€Å"Anywhere else his triple-zero batting average with the ladies might have passed without comment, but this is a Dominican kid we’re talking about, in a Dominican family: dude was supposed to have Atomic Level G, was supposed to be pulling in the bitches with both hands† (24). Why is this idea so indoctrinated in this culture according to the book? This is perhaps something I will never understand, except that it is a part of their culture. All of these examples are all good and well, but the important question is why is ethnic literature important? What can be gained from reading it? From a most basic viewpoint, it is a highly effective vehicle for helping people understand themselves and the world around them. Thompson and Hager in their article state that, â€Å"multi-ethnic literature mirrors and validates the experiences for minority groups and juxtaposes the familiar with the less familiar for mainstream children† (22). In other words, through reading ethnic literature, readers can find ways to connect with others around them that are different. The article also states that when readers are exposed to divergent thoughts, language patterns, value systems, and different ways of living, that it can open up awareness about others and create compassion and understanding towards them that might not have happened without the literary exposure (23). To sum it all up, I will never argue against the instruction of ethnic literature in the school setting. In fact, I think teaching it should begin right from the beginning in kindergarten, and perhaps one day we won’t need the designated term â€Å"ethnic literature† – perhaps one day it can just be â€Å"American Literature† and part of the regular American canon of literature. Works Cited Diaz, Junot. The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. New York: Penguin, 2007. Print. Reilly, John. M. â€Å"Criticism of Ethnic Literature: Seeing the Whole Story†. Critical Approaches to Ethnic Literature. 5. 1 (1978): 2-13. Web. 21 Apr. 2012. Skyhorse, Brando. The Madonnas of Echo Park. New York: Free Press, 2010. Print. Thompson, Deborah L. and Jane Meeks Hager. â€Å"Assessing Teachers’ Knowledge of Multi-Ethnic Literature†. Yearbook of the American Reading Forum. 1990. 21-29. Web. 21 Apr. 2012. Yamamoto, Hisaye. Seventeen Syllables. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2001. Print.

Lesson Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Lesson Plan - Assignment Example Proper addressing of these objectives enable learners be in a position to write short stories that are not only complete but also creative. Secondly, teaching students on proper editing skills will result to the learners applying them effectively on their writing. Finally, learners will be in a position to write brief contents that are of high quality, this is due to their comprehension of the difference between quality writings and quantity. Since writing an outstanding mini saga requires a lot of creativity, I will ensure that I psychologically prepare the students for the lesson. First, I will introduce the topic by writing the word â€Å"Saga† on the board before asking students if they have any prior knowledge of the term. After informing them that a Saga is a long story normally comprising of heroic events or something dramatic, I will proceed to state that the day’s lesson will not be on â€Å"saga† but â€Å"mini saga†, an implication that it will be brief. Once the class is aware of the day’s lesson, I will start by first defining the term Mini saga as a brief form of writing, normally has exactly fifty words excluding the title. The fifty word mini saga comprises of three sections, which are beginning, middle and end. I will then state a brief history of the mini saga by stating that Brian Aldiss is the man behind this form of writing. The main reason why Aldiss came up with the mini saga form of writing is that according to him, telling a story in a few words not only was it fun but also a challenging experience (â€Å"British Council†). After ensuring the class has full knowledge on the term mini saga, I will begin the lesson teaching them on how to come up with an appropriate and magnificent mini saga. Learners will participate in a classroom discussion where they will display their writing and editing skills.

International marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

International marketing - Essay Example Ultimately, the take away message that the reader is instilled with necessarily points definitively to the means by which globalization and the clear and incessant need for differentiation and change ultimately defines the current environment. In such a way, the preceding analysis will first seek to provide a general summary of Friedman’s book and then go on to draw inference with regards to how some of the key concepts and presentations that Friedman made can be utilized in an understanding how a firm/entity engages with a globalized appreciation for the 4P’s of marketing. Accordingly, through such an analysis, it is the hope of this author that the reader will gain a further level of inference with regards to the way in which Friedman presents his main argument as well as the applicable it and usefulness that these arguments have with relation to specific aspects of marketing that have been discussed thus far within this course. In this particular way, although Friedm an engages with a host of topics, both historical and current, the ultimate goal of his piece is to instruct the reader with regards to the key changes that must take place within the current market in order for both the United States and the individual is this owner within it to continue to leverage degree of profit within the ever-changing dynamics of the global marketplace. In such a way, even though the reader might be distracted at times with the historical and geographic journey that Friedman engages in, the ultimate understanding that is represented within each of these case studies, interviews, historical interpretations, and analysis is with regards to how the current world model has developed and will continue to develop into the near future. One of the key understandings that the reader is left with upon nearing the conclusion of Friedman’s piece is with regards to some of the key forces that pose a severe potential for harm with regards to the current dynamic that is thus far been described in his book. Rather than engaging in a level of sensationalism or fear mongering, Friedman ultimately discusses with the reader a realistic approach to each of these threats and shows how further levels of collaboration/cooperation, within the construct of the globalized system as it currently exists, is ultimately able to defeat these threats. Although there are many salient aspects discussed within Friedman’s book, the reader can specifically relate his interpretation of the interconnected and rapidly changing nature of the current economic and political system that the fines the world as specifically cogent with regards to the 4P’s of marketing. Naturally, the 4P’s necessarily refer to price, place, promotion, and product. Within the construct of a globalized world that is increasingly dependent upon the way that each of these 4P’s is evidenced within given cultures/markets, it becomes apparent to the reader that such an und erstanding and application of Friedman’s worldview, illustrated within his book, is ultimately able to exponentially expand the approach to the individual might have with regards to these 4P’s. What is meant by this is the fact that the 4P’s of marketing are oftentimes taught within the construct of a specific geographic setting. For instance, when the student integrates with an understanding of price, promotion, product, and place, the economy is oftentimes understood within the

Analysis of the Death Penalty and Presidential, Parliamentary Systems Essay

Analysis of the Death Penalty and Presidential, Parliamentary Systems - Essay Example Justices can often state in their decisions what they believe is right or wrong, but this can sometimes be in contradiction to their overall decision. Thus, overall, a Supreme Court decision would offer a verdict and explain that it is valid because it complies with the Constitution and other laws. An editorial would be more rhetorical in nature, as it would not cite the legality of the death penalty as well as its preceding use as evidence supporting its current use, as this would be arguing why the death penalty is Constitutional or not. Instead, the editorial would persuade the reader why the death penalty is or is not necessary, efficient, or of use, regardless of its legal status, and thus the writer would have a goal of being subjective and persuasive rather than objective and decisive. 2. Official agreements between countries tend to closely resemble the structure of a contract. They provide for the conditions of the contract, the duration of the contract, and who is involved. They would also list exceptions and contingencies for violation of the contracts. It would, of course, be written and express, rather than being verbal or implied, so that the relationship and agreement between countries are clearly defined and stated.

Modernism of Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Modernism of Art - Essay Example The essay "Modernism of Art" analyzes the art in the context of modernism movement. The paper discovers also the work of Jack Ryan, as representative of modernism. Most of Jack Ryan’s works are engaged in the automobile in the form of humanity and employing the automotive designs landscapes with main aim of building human understanding. According to Jack Ryan, his ideals of automobiles are to exemplify an idealized and fantastical sense and desire that offers a timeline that display both human sincerity and absurdity. These works have embodied the best and worst of human desire and ingenuity with the aim of tethering humanity to practicality. Regarding to sculpture, drawings, and multimedia electronics and designs, the contribution of Ryan’s to modern art is triangulates between immense qualities of sound, personal history, and cultural conditions especially in the understanding and perception. However, for the visual world, he has demonstrated experience through sounds that have provided him with opportunities to explore physical awareness of space and environment deeply. Additionally, in most of his recent works and projects, he has related sound and visual interrelationship and the responsibility of the stimulation and visual as a single aesthetic form. In these works, Ryan has exhibited the new listeners through a bi-lateral stimulation and Eye Movement Decentralization and responsibility strategies. These strategies have created a therapeutic process to be used especially in on the trauma victims. particularly solders with an aim to create an environment that links brain hemispheres for addressing issues related with the trauma. Form these strategies and principles of the EMDR towards shaping the installations that can influence states especially neurological from using sound and light patterns. It should be note d that Ryan is an artist who is an independent curator and a co-finder of fugitive projects that is based out of the Nashville. Mor eover, he is a member of the Ditch Projects. Most of his exhibition, Ryan has conducted is historical work in places including Maison Laurentine (Paris France), Cascade Galley (Portland OR), and Archer Gallery (Vancouver WA). These multimedia works have been so creative especially attractive and appealing to the eye that they achieve their intended work. Most of his work have created impact in the united states include his shows in the America university Museum situated in the Washington DC powerhouse (Memphis) (Gablik 476). Many industrial drone and doom metal with some of his bands utilizing primary fabricated customs have published Ryan’s works that usually use speakers and machines or controllers. Ryan has exhibited and performed most of these machines in exhibitions and festivals especially in the United States and more extensively in countries outside the United States. He did release his albums that might be considered art or sculpture towards serving the humanity and the environment. The above work art clearly indicate that Ryan’s well articulation of his work that makes his work attractive thereby making being used in museums and part of historical art. The effective of such usage in Ryan’s work is that most of them are often formed or pegged on collective work of different artists including those that are pegged Whitney’

This is speech class Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

This is speech class - Assignment Example For example the organization, punctuation and rhythm of the speech, there is merit to be found. The phrasing, pauses and iterations were so conceived as fitting to an oral presentation. In this regard the speech worked well with the large audience at the Capitol Hill. One can witness members of the audience hooting, nodding or clapping in approval during pauses in the speech. The repetitive usage of the phrase â€Å"We, the People...† added a sense of gravity to the delivery, as these were the same words with which the Preamble to the constitution begins. It thus invoked a sense of history and continuity from the time of the Declaration of Independence. When one searches the speech for significant policy measures that would benefit the majority of the population there were hardly any. Platitude after platitude forms a tired old pattern. Allusions to ‘unity’, ‘racial equality’, ‘destiny’, ‘security’, ‘bipartisanship’, etc flow fluidly from the President’s tongue. There was nothing concrete to suggest if any of these sentiments will translate into constructive policy measure for the people. Seen in this view the speech can be termed as uninspiring. Although the tenor of President’s voice was serious and its effect on the audience somewhat dramatic, there is little of substance to the entire 20 minute long address to the nation. President Obama covers foreign and domestic affairs without going into specifics. For instance he says that every child in America should have equal opportunity of success. But, whether this means greater infusion of funds for the public education system and an overall reduction in tuition fee is anybody’s guess. Likewise, Obama talked about creating a conducive environment for businesses. Taken as such it is a benign idea; but if he was implying huge bailouts for corporations out of tax-payer money then it is a bad deal for citizens. The President’s equivocations

Leadership Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Leadership - Assignment Example Under the umbrella of brand development, my company will provide solutions like designing the brand portfolio, naming the brand, creating the package design of the product and reconfiguring existing brands. Blue Angel Pvt. will provide solutions like designing all the customer touch points such as creating corporate and customer identity of the brand under the name of brand designing solution (Blue Marlin, 2013). Five force analysis of the graphic designing industry can be explained in the following manner. Type of Force Intensity of the force Characteristics of the Force Buyer Power Moderate Although the switching cost for customers is low but buyer power in the industry has reduced due to involvement of value billing system. Supplier Power Low Graphic designing companies have the option to choose supplier from plenty of available suppliers such as freelancers, trained graduates and experienced professionals. Substitutes Moderate Collected design from Asian countries and eco-design or individual designs. New Entrant Low Graphic designing is not a resource hungry industry, hence talents move from one company and start a venture without investing huge amount of capital. Competition High The industry is hypercompetitive due to presence of many players; competitors compete with each other on the basis of price and process of service delivery. (Source: Cooper, Evans and Williams, 2009) It is evident from the industry analysis, that a leader must have expert knowledge and skill regarding graphic designing in order to help the organization innovate and attract talents from the industry. By lending the conceptual framework of â€Å"expert power† used in the research work of Yukl (2010), it can be said that leaders must have the creative knowledge to attract subordinates and coordination capability to infuse teamwork among subordinates in order to help the company to move ahead in the jungle of graphic designing industry. Creation of Environment According to Han nigan (2008) and Mullins (2007), it is important for any organization to develop a culture of reward, learning, knowledge sharing and creativity in order to address challenges created by macro environment. I believe that a leader of a graphic designing firm has to be a curious person; by stating the term â€Å"curious† I want to mean that the leader must have the willingness to gather information and knowledge from both internal and external sources and use the gathered ideas in order to bring innovation in the graphic designing process. In such context, I need to make sure that all of my team members in Blue Angel Private Limited have the same enthusiasm and culture value to gather and share knowledge. When I am talking about knowledge sharing culture in the organization, then it is evident that the readers of this report are expecting that I will take help of learning organization concepts in order to validate my points. The fact is that, research scholars such as Solesvik and Encheva (2010) have pointed out that innovation culture in the organizational can be created by integrating the concepts of organizational learning. Although organizations can use either formal or informal culture but I believe that, Blue Angel Private Limited should use organic organizational structure and informal culture in order to create room for successful and innovative environment. Krackhardt and Hanson (1993, p. 104) have defined informal organizational

Ethic Case Opinion and Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethic Case Opinion and Analysis - Essay Example The sum total of all the above challenges result in a high cost of labor which impacts negatively on the firm. Therefore, a worker-sensitive firm needs to put up a number of measures to curb this high labor costs, otherwise the company might face a competitive disadvantage in the market. The measures put forth should be ethical and fair both to the firm and the workers or employees. In cases where the measures are not fair, customers tend to distant themselves from the firm’s products or services and this impacts negatively on the firms’ share of the market. This is often the cause of a business gap between client prospect and what they basically get from the market. The misunderstanding caused between the client and the firm interferes with the projected incomes and sales. It is worth noting that there is a need to identify explicit criteria through extensive research that relates to labor resources and service delivery. There are two main methods of managing labor cos ts, controlling staffing and adjusting salaries paid. In the face of competitive forces, a firm has to adapt quickly since it is essential for the company to react to the changing conditions. The other way of dealing with company downsizing is to act on employees’ number. The actions chosen need not be ruthless but rather ethical. Actions such as compulsory early retirement or lay off in a firm need to be done in a selective manner. It is worth noting that the criteria chosen should take into consideration the needs of the workers. It should be creative so as to draw and keep employees. However, it should not compromise the operational efficiency or profit margins at any cost. It should be viable and reasonably ethical. Some of the ethical ways of reducing labor costs include job sharing and developing outreach programs. Question 2 The Golden Rule â€Å"Do unto others as you would have others do unto you† is an ecumenical and ethical standard that requires those who be lieve in it to consider the feelings and likes of others before acting. It is often referred to as the ethic of mutual exchange. This rule has often been applied in solving business related problems among other worlds’ problems. This paper seeks to explore the application of the golden rule in business ethics. It is a rule in business management that plays a big role in long term success of a firm. Ethics does not always pay but rather presents a central challenge towards good management to constantly align success and responsibility in business. (Maxwell 122) Executive management in firms faces a lot of challenges in trying to apply this rule because of the conflicting behaviour of human nature. However the golden rule underlies and protects codes of business conducts and responsible consumption. Golden rule actually works in a competitive business; this is because workers tend to be more motivated since they will have a feeling of being appreciated in their work. They will further put their own initiative and effort in work with minimum or no supervision as long as they are provided with good working environment. This is a policy that makes one feel respected. This does not only apply to the workers but also to the customers. Everyone wants to be treated with honor and respect in ways that enrich

Financial Market Homework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Financial Market Homework - Essay Example Financial markets are usually divided into capital markets and money markets. The capital market involves exchange of long term finance (Robert, 2009). This includes stock market, which facilitates financing through issuing stocks and also exchange of stock ownership and the money market which facilitates debt financing and investment (Rose, 1994). Currently the financial sector has additional markets to facilitate financing such as commodity markets derivatives market, futures markets and foreign markets. Financial markets provide borrowers with funds to facilitate their investments (such as corporations and government institutions to obtain funds in order to finance their current operations or to finance expansion and growth) (Wurgler, 2000). It also provides the lenders a platform to channel their surplus funds in productive way (such as financial institutions that have excess funds to lend on short term and long term basis), facilitates credit creation (usually done by commercial banks through issuance of loans), provides liquidity to institutions and government organizations and promotes savings culture (the commercial banks provides financial savings services) In Qatar, the financial market is controlled by Qatar Investment Authority (QIA). This is the serves as the state’s sovereign wealth fund that specializes in both local and international investments. Usually QIA manages the financial surpluses from oil and natural gas companies (which run into millions of dollars) Additionally, Qatar Holding, a branch of QIA that is in charge of international investment, receives more than $30 billion from the state. These funds are invested internationally in Europe, Asia Pacific, and United states It is estimated that QIA has assets worth over $170 billion (Hall, Kerr & Hammond, 2013). This value is expected to increase as the country continues to invest in expansion

The Old proof of Human Craving to Preserve Heritage Essay Example for Free

The Old proof of Human Craving to Preserve Heritage Essay Humans love their routes and even more love to bask in the glory of the accomplishment of their ancestors, and such attitude towards heritage has only manifested in modern times with the advent of museums. However, the level of wonder rises to an unbelievable degree when one discovers a piece of architecture as old as 421 BCE too clearly consolidates the above belief. That is the reason why this essay has chosen to describe Erechtheion, the building that was decidedly built to accommodate all possible nuances of ancient Greek heritage and culture. Background Right after they completed Parthenon and the Propylaia, the city-states of Athens and Sparta and their respective allies got involved in the Peloponnesian Wars between 431 and 404 BCE, between which they had a peaceful period of six years under the regime of Nikias, and the Athenians didnt miss that chance to fulfil the dream of their dead hero Perikles (died in 429 BCE), who wanted to restore the glory of Acropolis, and accordingly started constructing Athena Polias, which later became known as the Erechtheion (Syrigos, 1995), the work of which commenced on 421 BCE and finished around 406 BCE. Erechtheion contains six larger than life maidens columns known as the Caryatids. According to mythology, it was here that Poseidon struck the ground with his trident and that Athena produced the Olive tree. Overall, the building proves to be a brilliant solution of both spiritual confluence and practical problems (Sanctuary, 2006). Architectural Details The Erechtheion had two main entrances, on the north and east sides, where some columns from the east porch, comprising an ornamental pedestal supporting a fluted shaft of white marble and topped by a separately made capital, carried the flavour of neo-classical architecture, especially with their floral ornament of the necking and the delicate mouldings of the pedestal and capital (Cook, 1997). The uniqueness of this building lies in the fact that it contains more original features than any of its counterparts in Acropolis. It can be classified by three separate independent sections like the central temple, the porch of the Caryatides and the north extension, all having separate roofs. Apart from that, it is built at four different levels and accordingly, Ionic columns of three different dimensions and proportions are used, besides Korai as supports for the entablature the famous Caryatides (Erechtheion, 2008). Otherwise the temple has two main parts, where once Athena reigned at the east and Poseidon-Erechtheus found their places at the west. In all, it reflected the compactness of classical Attic architecture. The frieze was created out of Eleusinian stone of a deep grey colour, and metal connecting pins set in the slabs were used to hold the relief figures. Once a gold lamp adorned inside, reportedly made by Kallimakhos, the artist accredited with the invention of the Corinthian capital (Syrigos, 1995). There is no authentic document regarding the architect of this building, yet its Ionic structure would remind the genius of Mnesikles, who is regarded as one of the stalwarts of Greek architecture and who was known for his originality and his ability to provide functional adaptation to accommodate the multiple religious needs of so many cults, even amid the irregular basement (Syrigos, 1995). Another researcher Williamson (2008) too supports this idea, who opines, The Erechtheion, built on the site of ancient sanctuaries on the Athenian Acropolis, is so unlike every other Greek temple that some have dismissed it as an aberration. Rather, it is the result of its architect, probably Mnesikles, applying inventive skill to accommodate a complex web of religious relationships. The Erechtheion provides evidence that the craft tradition of architecture, hobbled by convention, was giving place to a new creative approach to design. Proof of Craving to Preserve Heritage It is this meticulous projection of religious confluence of Greece separates Erechtheion in dignity, as it comprehensively covered the spiritual milieu of ancient Greece within its chambers and its temenos (sacred courtyard). Though the structure primarily facilitated worship of Athena Polias and Poseidon, it meticulously accommodated a host of other important characters/elements of Greek Mythology, like the graves of Erechtheus with the sacred snake, and of Kekrops, the ancestors of the Athenians, as well as the signs from Poseidons trident which produced water, the Erechtheis Sea, a well that contained salt water, and the marks from the thunderbolt of Zeus. The altars of Zeus Hypatos, of Peseidon and Erechtheus, of Hephaistos, of the hero Boutes, of the Thyechoos, and the very ancient xoanon of Hermes, all were placed together there. And there was more the sacred olive and the sanctuary of Pandrosos, which included the altar of Zeus Herkeios too found their places (Sanctuary, 2006). According Syrigos (1995), the architect succeeded by subtle and ingenious use of the differences in level to produce an astonishing temple, which satisfied the requirements of all these cults. He respected the traditions and at the same time introduced striking innovations. Present Situation The unique temple was converted into a church during the Middle Ages, and later it was used as a harem for the ruler of Athens during the Turkish occupation. In 1801 the British ambassador, Thomas Bruce, Earl of Elgin, took a caryatid (which he later sold to the British Museum), replacing it with a plaster cast. The Erechtheion was partly rebuilt by the American School of Classical Studies. Now it again suffers depredations, this time from atmospheric pollution and the increasing pressure of tourism (Williamson, 2008). Conclusion The evidences and discussion clearly points at the innate desire of the Greeks to preserve their heritage at one place, and the intensity of such desire brought the issue completing their mammoth task of creating Acropolis even after the war, which normally could be a period of general consolidation. Thus, apart from skill, innovativeness and beauty, which are tangible in Erechtheion, one intangible proof is right there, which proves human craving fore preserving their heritage and gather inspiration from it. References Cook, B. F. (1997). Ionic column from the ErechtheionThe Acropolis, Athens, Greece, about 420-415 BC in The Elgin Marbles. 2nd Edition: London, The British Museum Press. Retrieved 8 December 2008, from http://www. britishmuseum. org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/gr/i/ionic_col umn_-_the_erechtheion. aspx Erechtheion (2008). Retrieved 8 December 2008, from http://www. erechtheion. org/Docs/Lesk%20Erechtheion%20with%20figs%20sm. p df http://www. ne. jp/asahi/daikannw/network/webacropol/erechtheio. html Sanctuary of Erechtheion. (2006). Retrieved 8 December 2008, from http://www. travelpod. com/travel- photo/rcl0906/turkey_greece06/1158590880/dscn03. jpg/tpod. html Syrigos, A. B. (1995). The Erechtheion. Retrieved 8 December 2008, from Williamson, M. (2008). The Erechtheion, Athens, Greece; Mnesikles(? ), architect, 421- ca. 406 b. c. Retrieved 8 December 2008, from http://warandgame. blogspot. com/2008/08/erechtheion. html

Human Carbonic Anhydrase II

Human Carbonic Anhydrase II Human carbonic anhydrase II is one of the fastest studied enzymes known with a variety of roles in reaction catalysis. Its primary function is to catalyze the reversible hydration reaction of carbon dioxide. In addition to carbon dioxide hydration, it is also capable of other latent skills, such as catalyzing esterase activity. The ability of human carbonic anhydrase II to function as a catalyst derives from key residues in and around the active site that play crucial roles in the mechanism. Substitutions to two of those particular key amino acids were performed via Quick-change site directed mutagenesis: H64A and V142D, to investigate the particular role they have in the catalytic active site. Various kinetic experiments and structural analyses were performed on wild-type carbonic anhydrase and the mutants to discern and compare their activity to each other and to literature, including Michaelis-Menten parameters for PNPA hydrolysis, CO2 hydration, and inferring function molecular m odelling. Though the same trends can be seen as the literature, individual values were found to be much lower owing to errors in measurement and equipment. Trends were found to coincide with the mutants known roles in the active site: His64 is the proton shuttle that facilitates proton transfer during the rate limiting step and Val142 participates in the hydrophobic pocket to bind and recruit substrates to interact with the active site. Mutations to both of these sites show that enzyme efficiency and activity strongly decreases. Introduction Human carbonic anhydrase II (hCAII) is a zinc metalloenzyme that catalyzes the following reversible reaction: . The enzyme commonly functions to help shuttle carbon dioxide in red blood cells to rid the body of metabolic waste, and catalyzes the hydrolysis of many aromatic esters [1, 2]. Structurally, a zinc ion is located in the active site, coordinated to 3 histidine residues (H94, H96, H119) and usually a hydroxide ion or water molecule [2]. The mechanism of hCAII proceeds through two major steps: 1) the conversion of carbon dioxide to bicarbonate, and 2) the regeneration of Zn-OH by proton transfer. The active hydroxide that is bound to zinc nucleophilically attacks a nearby carbon dioxide molecule, resulting in a bicarbonate ion binding to zinc [3]. The zinc-oxygen bond breaks to subsequently release a bicarbonate ion, which is replaced with water [3]. The Znà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢OH bond is regenerated by a proton transfer to the external buffer, which is facilitated by the His64 residue [3]. The proton transfer step is the rate limiting step of the reaction [3]. The diazole side chain on the histidine residue is what gives it the ability to be a proton acceptor and donor. Mutations in that position (His64) usually result in decreased enzyme activity due to a lack of proton transfer; however the reaction does proceed to a lesser degree without an active His residue, possibly due to its extensive water network in the activ e site forming secondary proton wires [4]. Carbonic anhydrase catalyzes one of the most rapid reactions; it is one of the fastest enzymes studied [1]. Its reaction speed is due, in part, by the amphiphilic nature of the active site [1]. The hydrophobic side is used to bind carbon dioxide, while the hydrophilic patch functions to optimally orient the carbon dioxide molecule for the reaction [1]. The hydrophobic wall forms a well-defined pocket near the zinc-hydroxide and is composed of the following amino acids: Val142, Val121, Leu197 and Trp208. The hydrophilic patch consists of Thr198 and Glu106, which form a hydrogen bond network with the Znà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢OH to stabilize and orient it for nucleophilic attack on CO2 [2]. Therefore, any modifications to the hydrophobic pocket would change its structure, and consequently, its catalytic efficiency [1]. In this study, the importance and role of His64 and Val142 to the structure and mechanism of hCAII are determined through site-mutagenesis and subsequent characterization of the new mutants, H64A (His64 Æ’Â   Ala) and V142D (Val142 Æ’Â   Asp) via kinetic and structural analysis. The changes that arise from the substitutions may prove to be applicable to drug synthesis because hCAII is known to be involved in a variety of diseases, for example, Marble brain disease, where mutations in the hCAII gene leads to a deficiency in the enzyme which is an autosomal recessive disease [5]. Studies in hCAII mutations can be used to design folding modulators to suppress misfolding which frequently occurs due to hCAII destabilization [5]. Another major disease involved with hCAII gene is osteopetrosis. The hCAII genes inactivation decreases osteoclast function in bone, and knowledge of hCAII mutations that inactivate the enzyme may lead to better understanding of bone remodelling [6]. Some carbonic anhydrase diseases use inhibitors (CAI) to suppress the hCAII as a therapeutic treatment. Inhibitors prevent hCAII activity by inhibiting either of the reaction steps: the conversion of CO2 which involves V142 in the hydrophobic pocket, or the rate limiting step, proton transfer, in which His64 is crucial. Experimental Procedure Site directed mutagenesis via the PCR-based Quick-change method was performed on hCAII as cited in Woolley (2011) for 10 ng and 20 ng wild-type plasmids (hCA2pET24b from Novagen) [7]. Table shows the sequence of the primers used in the PCR reactions. Products of PCR mutagenesis reactions were run on 0.7% agrose gels to determine size. The gels were run at 150 V in 1X TAE buffer. Red safe dye from Intron Biotechnology was used in the agrose gel instead of ethidium bromide for safety reasons [7]. The standard molecular weight ruler used was a 1 kB DNA ladder from Fermentas. Table : Primer sequences used in mutagenesis of hCAII in the forward and reverse direction for mutants H64A and V142D Mutant Direction Sequence MW (Da) %GC TM ( °C) H64A Forward GGATCCTCAACAATGGTgcTGCTTTCAACGTGGAG 10778 51 67 Reverse CTCCACGTTGAAAGCAgcACCATTGTTGAGGATCC 10709 V142D Forward CTGATGGACTGGCCGaTCTAGGTATTTTTTTG 9868 44 62 Reverse CAAAAAAATACCTAGAtCGGCCAGTCCATCAG 9779 The enzyme, DpnI, was then used to digest methylated DNA (the parent template DNA). The DNA vector that contained the mutation was transformed into supercompetent E.coli turbo cells from New England Biolabs by heat shock [7]. LB-agar plates were prepared to grow the transformed cells containing mutant genes (i.e. H64A and V142D hCAII gene) [7]. Both were injected with Kanamycin to ensure that the culture that grows will have the desired mutation [7]. A miniprep culture was set-up from the LB-agar plate into LB medium to grow one colony for DNA analysis [7]. Restriction enzyme mapping was prepared and XhoI and BglII were chosen, they were used under buffer 3 for optimal efficiency. Plasmid putification was performed using the QIAprep Spin Miniprep Kit, and then the chosen restriction enzymes were carried out and were run on 1% agrose gel [7]. A sample of the purified DNA was sent to an external company (ACGT) for commercial sequencing (Sanger dideoxy type) to verify if the mutagenesis occurred correctly. The sequence was analyzed using the program BioEdit. To determine the level of confidence of the sequencing results, the purified DNA was quantified using UV/Vis absorption via a spectrometer [7]. The concentration was calculated using Ecà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1(260) as 50 ÃŽÂ ¼g/mL. Purified plasmid DNA was transformed into E.coli BL2(DE3) cells to initiate protein expression by heat shock, similar to the transformation into turbo cells [7]. The cells were cultured and a single colony was grown. Once sufficiently grown, ITPG and ZnSO4 were added to induce protein expression [7]. SDS-PAGE was used to confirm protein expression and was analyzed against an unstained protein molecular weight marker by Fermentas. The protein and ladder was stained with coomassie blue [7]. Affinity chromatography was used to purify the mutant hCAII proteins [7]. The matrix used was agrose linked to p-(aminomethyl)benzenesulfonamide, exploiting the tight binding that occurs between hCAII and sulphonamides. Once purified, the protein was dialyzed using a 6000-8000 Da dialysis membrane to replace the elution buffer with protein buffer and removes the matrix from the protein [7]. SDS-PAGE is again used to confirm the protein is still present after purification and to check its approximate molecular weight. It was run for two different amounts of protein, 2 ÃŽÂ ¼g and 10 ÃŽÂ ¼g, and also ran 10ÃŽÂ ¼L of wash fractions from affinity chromatography [7]. Protein concentration was determined by UV absorption at 280 nm in a final concentration of 6M guanidine hydrochloride. From the calculated concentrations, purity of the protein could be assessed via SDS-PAGE. To characterize this purified hCAII protein, a variety of analyses were done. Two types of mass spectrometry (MS) were performed: electrospray ionization (ESI) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) [7]. The MS analysis was used to confirm the presence of the mutation in hCAII with intact and digested protein. Protein samples (H64A and V142D hCAII) were not diluted for either of the MS analyses as cited in Woolley (2010). Samples of 10 ÃŽÂ ¼L of stock protein concentrations (37.6 ÃŽÂ ¼M H64A and 3.2 ÃŽÂ ¼M V142D hCAII) were used for analysis of the molecular weight of the intact protein by ESI-MS. Both mutants were then digested by Trypsin Gold (MS grade) from Promega and the resulting fragments were evaluated by ESI-MS as well [7]. A 50 ÃŽÂ ¼L sample was used for each mutant, 40 ÃŽÂ ¼L of the mutant at stock concentration and 10 ÃŽÂ ¼L of the Trypsin Gold. A couple ÃŽÂ ¼L of the digested mutants were saved for MALDI-MS and the rest was used for ESI-MS. Once the molecular weights for each of the digested fragments were determined by ESI-MS, the products were run through a protein database to confirm the identity of the protein and mutations [7]. The 1 ÃŽÂ ¼L of the tryptically digested mutants prepared for ESI-MS, subsequently underwent MALDI-MS. The 1 ÃŽÂ ¼L samples were mixed with a matrix consisting of 1 ÃŽÂ ¼L ÃŽÂ ±-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (CHCA) and 1 ÃŽÂ ¼L of 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) [7]. The entire mixture was pipette onto a MALDI well and was inserted into the mass spectrometer and a MALDI-MS spectra was obtained. Michaelis-Menten kinetics was used to determine the KM and kcat of the p-nitrophenyl (PNPA) hydrolysis reaction [7]. The ionized product from the hydrolysis, p-nitrophenol (PNP) produces a bright yellow colour that was used to follow the rate of the reaction via the Perkin Elmer Lambda UV/Vis spectrophotometer [7]. Various sample concentrations of PNPA were set up to have a final enzyme concentration of 0.2 ÃŽÂ ¼M in protein buffer [7]. The initial rate measurements of each PNPA concentration were taken for wild-type enzyme, H64A mutant, V142D mutant, and a blank with no additional enzyme added (refer to data tables in Enzyme Kinetics I [7]). PNP has a molar absorption coefficient (ÃŽÂ µ) of 1.73ÃÆ'-104 Mà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1cmà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1. This was used to calculate Michaelis-Menten values: Vmax, KM, kcat, and kcat/KM [7]. The ability of hCAII mutants (H64A and V142D) and wild-type hCAII to catalyze the hydration of CO2 was measured. The pH of the solution was measured to track the progress of the reaction because the reaction generates protons. Enzyme solutions were prepared according to table 2 in [7]. The buffer used in the table was 50 mM TRIS buffer (pH 7.8). Additional enzyme samples were prepared for 25 nM of wild-type hCAII and 100 nM of H64A mutant in a final concentration of 22.5 and 29.92 mM imidazole buffer (pH 7.8) respectively to determine chemical rescue of mutant H64A. The pH of the CO2 hydration assay was measured using a pH probe and pH meter at 5 second increments for a total of 90 seconds starting at the beginning of the reaction [7]. The slope of the initial changes in the first 2 points was considered to be the V0 for each enzyme concentration. From the initial velocity, a kcat value can be calculated for each enzyme using the assumption that [S] >> KM, the Michaelis-Menten equati on simplifies to kcat=V0/[E]. The third kinetics experiment used fluorescence to determine the binding constant of dansyl amide (DNSA) and acetazolamide (AZ) (from Sigma-Aldrich) to H64A and wild-type hCAII was performed using the Perkin Elmer Fluorometer [7]. Stocks of 1 mM and 200 ÃŽÂ ¼M of DNSA were prepared from a 21.6 mM DNSA stock by dilution with DMSO. Enzyme stocks were diluted to 0.25 ÃŽÂ ¼M with TRIS buffer to make a 10 mL solution. A 1 mL sample of H64A from stock made was titrated with DNSA in small increments [7]. The fluorometer emissions were taken at 470 nm. AZ titration in competition with DNSA was not able to be completed. The last characterization experiment done was molecularly modelling the hCAII wild-type enzyme, as well as the mutants H64A and V142D. The molecular model of hCAII analyzed was derived by x-ray crystallography and found in the Protein Data Bank (PDB) repository. The wild-type and H64A hCAII structures examined had a PDB code of 1CA2 and 1MOO respectively. At present, no crystal structure has been found for V142D hCAII. The Swiss PDB Viewer program was used to visualize the protein structures. Secondary structures of the proteins were able to be observed. Residues around the metal active site and the Ramachandran plot were explored. Homology between hCAII and other carbonic anhydrase isozymes, hCAIV (PDB code 1ZNC) and hCAI (PBD code H1CB), were also studied by performing an iterative magic fit on the ÃŽÂ ±-carbons and structure alignment for each pair. The root mean square (RMS) between hCAII and the other isozymes were also analyzed to determine conserved and deviated regions in the structures. The binding of cobalt in the hCAII active site was also investigated (PDB code 3KOI). The structural inhibition of hCAII by AZ was also gleaned by structural analysis (PDB code 3HS4). Its mode of inhibition and binding sites were shown through the crystal structure. Lastly, the Swiss PDB Viewer program was used as a tool to theoretically synthesize mutations and compare it to the actual structure as determined by other scientists, for example, by aligning the virtual and crystallized mutations to determine deviations in structure by performing RMS. Results Site-directed mutagenesis PCR. Products from the PCR mutagenesis reactions were examined using 0.7% agrose gel electrophoresis. Two samples of differing amounts of template DNA (10 ng and 20 ng) were used for each mutant (Figure ). Bands were only observed for samples containing 20 ng of the hCA2pET24b DNA template plasmid (Figure ). The size of the bands observed coincides with the size of the plasmid used, 6018 bp. Heat shock transformation and isolation of plasmid. Several colonies were observed after plasmid transformation for both mutants, and 1 colony from each mutant was chosen for restriction enzyme digest with BglII and XhoI. Figure : Electrophoretic run on 0.7% agrose gel of DNA of hCAII mutants from PCR mutagenesis reactions. Lane 1 is the GeneRuler ladder by Fermentas and lanes 10-13 are the following: V142D (10 ng), V142D (20 ng), H64A (10 ng), and H64A (20 ng). As suggested from the gel, the mutants in the 20 ng plasmid was more successful than the 10 ng plasmids in determining relative molecular weights. Both mutants in the 20 ng plasmid show a band at approximately the 6000 base pair mark, which coincides with the number of base pairs in the hCA2pET24b plasmid that was used (6018 base pairs). Quantification of pure plasmid DNA. A 1/20th dilution was carried out on the purified DNA with elution buffer (EB; 0.1 M Tris, 0.4 M KSCN, pH 7). The absorption of the diluted DNA at 260 nm and 280 nm was taken by a UV/Vis spectrophotometer and the relative DNA purity was determined (Table ). The assumption that Ecà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1 260 = 50 ÃŽÂ ¼g/mL for DNA was applied in the calculation of concentrated and diluted concentrations of purified DNA (Table ). Table : Relative DNA purity for mutants V142D and H64A determined by UV/Vis spectrophotometer absorbance at 260 and 280 nm. Calculated concentrations of mutants from absorbance data, where Ecà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1 260 = 50 ÃŽÂ ¼g/mL. Mutant Wavelength, ÃŽÂ » Absorbance Units Relative DNA Purity (A260/A280) Concentrated (ÃŽÂ ¼g/mL) Diluted (ÃŽÂ ¼g/mL) V142D 260 nm 0.3117 1.7852 311.70 15.59 280 nm 0.1746 H64A 260 nm 0.2653 1.7581 265.30 13.27 280 nm 0.1509 Enzyme restriction digest. Purified plasmid DNA of mutants were digested with XhoI and BglII, separately and together in a single and double digest for both mutants. The digested and undigested samples were run on 1% agrose gel, and 2 bands were observed around the 6000 and 7000 bp marker for all 8 samples (Figure , Figure ). The expected length of the bands in the double digest should be 892 bp and 5126 bp (Figure ). Figure : Electrophoresis performed in 1% agrose gel of digested V142D hCAII in lane 1-4. The (1 kB) GeneRuler DNA ladder is shown in lane 5. Lane 1-4 contain the following: V142D plasmid, V142D + XhoI, V142D + BglII + XhoI, and V142D BglII. Double bands are shown at the 6000 and 7000 bp marker for all 4 V142D samples. Figure : Electrophoresis performed in 1% agrose gel of digested H64A hCAII in lane 1-4. The (1 kB) GeneRuler DNA ladder is shown in lane 5. Lane 1-4 contain the following: H64A plasmid, H64A + XhoI, H64A + BglII + XhoI, and H64A BglII. Double bands are shown at the 6000 and75000 bp marker for all 4 H64A samples. Figure : Restriction enzyme cut sites and position of hCAII gene (5072-5854) on the hCAI2pET24b plasmid DNA Sequencing. The mutations for both V142D and H64A in the hCAII gene were successful according to the sequenced DNA result obtained from ACGT. Other mutations in the DNA sequence were observed in both mutants, but since the aligned protein sequence was the same, mutations were likely to be silent mutations due to amino acid redundancies. When sequenced in the forward direction by T7 polymerase, a protein mutation was found (K153N) other than the desired mutation of V142D; however, when sequenced in the reverse direction by T7 polymerase terminator (T7TER), K153N was not observed. Plasmid DNA transformation into E.Coli BL21(DE3) cells. Following transformation into BL21(DE3) cells, colonies were observed for both hCAII mutants (V142D and H64A). A random colony was chosen to be cultured and then was induced to express protein with 270 ÃŽÂ ¼M IPTG and 0.1 mM ZnSO4. SDS-PAGE for protein expression. Protein expression was tested with SDS-PAGE. The expected molecular weight of V142D hCAII is approximately 29.2 kDa and the expected molecular weight of H64A hCAII is approximately 29.1 kDa. SDS-PAGE bands are observed between the ladder markers 25.0 kDa and 35.0 kDa for both mutant proteins (Figure , Figure ). Figure : SDS-PAGE loaded with V142D hCAII proteins to examine protein expression. Samples were loaded in different volumes of protein to ensure gel visualization. Lane 15 contains the Fermentas protein molecular ladder and lane 1-4 contain the following: 1 ÃŽÂ ¼L à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢IPTG, 4 ÃŽÂ ¼L à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢IPTG, 1 ÃŽÂ ¼L+IPTG, 4 ÃŽÂ ¼L +IPTG. All 4 samples had some form of protein expression between 25.0 to 35.0 kDa. Figure : SDS-PAGE loaded with H64A hCAII protein to examine protein expression. One sample was loaded with 4 ÃŽÂ ¼L of H64A protein and +IPTG in lane 10. Lane 6 contains the Fermentas protein molecular ladder. The one H64A sample loaded showed an expression between 25.0 and 35.0 kDa. Calculation of pure protein concentration and extinction coefficient. Following affinity purification and dialysis, pure protein concentration was calculated from UV absorption measurements at 280 nm and the known extinction coefficient of hCAII as 50070 Mà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1cmà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1 (Table ). The final concentration of the samples of V142D and H64A hCAII were 3.2 ÃŽÂ ¼M and 37.6 ÃŽÂ ¼M respectively. Table : UV absorption measurements at 280 nm of purified protein and the resulting final concentration Mutant Average A280 Protein concentration (ÃŽÂ ¼M) V142D 0.01583 3.2 H64A 0.1884 37.6 SDS-PAGE to assay purity and check approximate molecular weight. Several samples were loaded into the SDS-PAGE for each mutant protein: lysate and wash fractions (collected from affinity chromatography), 2 ÃŽÂ ¼g protein, and 10 ÃŽÂ ¼g protein. For H64A, a visible band was only observed for the 10 ÃŽÂ ¼g sample (Figure ). The band was located between the 35 kDa and 25 kDa markers on the ladder. For V142D, none of the 4 samples resulted in a band on the gel (Figure ). Figure : SDS-PAGE shown for H64A mutant protein. Lane 1 contains the Fermentas protein molecular weight marker. Lane 11-14 contains H64A samples of the following (in order): lysate, wash fraction, 2 ÃŽÂ ¼g protein, and 10 ÃŽÂ ¼g protein. Only the 10 ÃŽÂ ¼g protein had (faint) observable bands located between the 25 and 35 kDa markers. Figure : SDS-PAGE shown for V142D mutant protein. Lane 4 contains the Fermentas protein molecular weight marker. Lane 12-15 contains V142D samples of the following (in order): lysate, wash fraction, 2 ÃŽÂ ¼g protein, and 10 ÃŽÂ ¼g protein. No observable bands are seen for any of the samples. Mass spectrometry. ESI-MS was not successful in analyzing the molecular weight of intact and digested protein of both mutants. A MALDI spectrum was able to be generated for the digested proteins; however, without the digested ESI spectrum to compare to, the peaks from the MALDI spectrum can only be speculatively assigned. Kinetics: Hydrolysis of PNPA. Using the molar absorption coefficient of PNP (1.73ÃÆ'-104 Mà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1cmà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1), the rate of each reaction was determined. The predicted rate was calculated using the Michaelis-Menten kinetics: . The plot of predicted rates and actual initial rates vs. PNPA concentration can be seen in Figure , Figure , Figure for wild-type, H64A, and V142D hCAII respectively. The Vmax and KM values for each enzyme were calculated by minimizing the square difference between the predicted and actual reaction rates, and the kcat was calculated using the equation: (Table ). Table : Calculated Michaelis-Menten parameters for wild-type, H64A, and V142D hCAII catalyzing the hydrolysis of PNPA. Wild-type hCAII H64A hCAII V142D hCAII Vmax (ÃŽÂ ¼M/sec) 1.202 0.812 0.218 KM (mM) 1.280 1.957 8.362 kcat (sà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1) 5.141 ÃÆ'- 10à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢3 2.159 ÃÆ'- 10à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢2 6.825 ÃÆ'- 10à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢2 kcat/KM (Mà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1sà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1) 4.02 11.032 8.162 Figure : Michaelis-Menten plot of initial rate vs. concentration of PNPA added for wild-type hCAII enzyme. Figure : Michaelis-Menten plot of initial rate vs. concentration of PNPA added for H64A hCAII enzyme. Figure : Michaelis-Menten plot of initial rate vs. concentration of PNPA added for V142D hCAII enzyme. Kinetics: CO2 hydration. Initial velocity (V0) values were calculated by measuring the progression of the reaction (via concentration of protons) with time (Table , Table , and Table ). kcat values were then calculated using the same equation as in the hydration of PNPA and averaged for the individual enzymes (wildtype, H64A, and V142D hCAII) in a particular buffer (i.e. TRIS or imidazole). Table : Initial velocity (V0) and kcat values calculated for the hydration of CO2 by wild-type hCAII in TRIS buffer and imidazole buffer. Wild-type concentration (nM) V0 for WT+TRIS (M/s) V0 for WT+Imidazole (M/s) 0 1.3E-08 6.05778E-08 1.5 1.1E-08 N/A 2.5 1.1E-08 5.63E-08 5 2.1E-08 5.16E-08 12.5 5.9E-08 5.63E-08 Average kcat (sà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1) 5.3 ±1.62 12.44 ±9.19 Table : Initial velocity (V0) and kcat values calculated for the hydration of CO2 by H64A hCAII in TRIS buffer and imidazole buffer. H64A concentration (nM) V0 for H64A+TRIS (M/s) V0 for H64A+Imidazole (M/s) 12.5 1.4E-08 6.57E-08 25 1.4E-08 5.8E-08 50 1.7E-08 7.53E-08 Average kcat (sà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1) 0.67 ±0.39 3.03 ±1.97 Table : Initial velocity (V0) and kcat values calculated for the hydration of CO2 by V142D hCAII in TRIS buffer. V142D concentration (nM) V0 for V142D+TRIS (M/s) 12.5 6.2E-09 25 5.4E-09 50 5.5E-09 Average kcat (sà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1) 0.27 ±0.19 Fluorescence detection of ligand binding. DNSA was titrated with H64A hCAII to determine its affinity for the enzyme. The dissociation constant, KD, for DNSA was determined to be 0.086 ÃŽÂ ¼M when protein concentration was 0.25 ÃŽÂ ¼M. Competitive titration of H64A-DNSA hCAII with AZ was attempted, but was not successful as DNSA binding was too tight, making it difficult to be displaced by AZ. Molecular modeling. Literature models of wild-type (PDB code 1CA2) and H64A (PDB code 1MOO) hCAII were analyzed. There is no available structure of V142D hCAII at present. The secondary structure of wild-type is composed of 18 ÃŽÂ ²-sheets (77 residues) and 10 ÃŽÂ ±-helices (42 residues), with the majority of the ÃŽÂ ±-helices falling in the domain of right-handed helices, while very few show left-handed helical properties according to the Ramachadran plot. It also seems that the active site is solely composed of ÃŽÂ ²-sheets, and no ÃŽÂ ±-helices (Figure ). Analyzing PDB structure 3HS4 (AZ bound hCAII), the mechanism as to how AZ inhibits hCAII function can be seen. AZ has 3 binding sites, 2 are novel binding sites and the other provides a mechanism of inhibition. AZ binds the zinc directly at the active site, displacing crucial ligands needed for catalysis. There were some discrepancies found between the crystal structure of H64A [1MOO] as cited on PDB and virtually mutated H64A from wild-type hCAII, resulting in a RMSD (root mean square deviation) of 0.29 Ã… (Figure ). Since no literature structure of V142D is available, no comparison between virtual and crystal structures could be made. Figure : Secondary structure of wild-type hCAII overlain with ribbon to visualize the higher arrangement. Figure : RMSD between H64A hCAII virtually mutated and literature crystal structure. Blues denote the same or similar residues, while reds and oranges indicate completely different amino acids. Discussion Agrose gel results were only visible for samples that contained 20 ng of the plasmid template DNA, rather than the 10 ng plasmid. This may be a result of more amplification during PCR with the 20 ng plasmid, and so would intensely be more visible. Though the 20 ng samples showed bands at the appropriate 6000 bp mark, there was also a faint band that can be seen near the end of the gel. This may be due to non-specific primer annealing. Quantification of DNA purity was done by exploiting the peak absorbances of protein and DNA. DNA maximally absorbs at 260 nm, while protein dominantly absorbs at 280 nm. The purity ratio reports the relative amount of DNA compared to protein present in the sample. The purity of both mutants were approximately 1.8, which is regarded as a relatively pure sample; however, a purity ratio of more than 2.0 would have been ideal. The restriction enzyme digest showed 2 bands (7000, 6000 bp) for all samples, which may have been a sign of poor mixing/ pipetting since the volumes of restriction enzyme were extremely small amounts. If this is the case, only some of the DNA was nicked and some were not, which would result in 2 bands. It was expected that the plasmid sample would have a high band (supercoiled), each of the singly digested samples would have a slightly lower band (nicked), and the doubly digested would show 2 bands that indicated the fragment size of 892 and 5126 bp. Sequencing results showed that a protein mutation occurred when the sample was sequenced in the forward direction by the T7 polymerase. A lysine at position 153 had mutated to glutamine (K153N). However, this mutation was not observed when the T7 polymerase terminator was used to sequence the sample in the reverse direction. A mutation that occurs in one sequencing direction and not the other is usually attributed to sequencing errors, which may be the reason in this case. The SDS-PAGE bands for protein expression coincided with the expected molecular weight for both mutants, which could suggest that the correct proteins were expressed; however, there is a possibility that the proteins expressed could be of similar weight, but completely different. Interestingly, the V142D samples that did not include the protein inducer, IPTG, had a more intense band than the faint ones found for the samples that did include IPTG. This may just be a result of mislabelling. The SDS-PAGE performed to assess purity after the purification process. Mutant V142D had low protein expression as evidenced by its concentration of 3.2 ÃŽÂ ¼M. The V142D mutant should have very low protein expression according to Fierke et al. (1991) because valine at position 142 is uniquely required for maximal expression in E.Coli. It is suggested that by altering position 142, protein stability decreases [2]. Therefore, the protein that was expressed in the previous SDS-PAGE gel may not be V142D hCAII at all. The sample may have been small fragmented contaminant proteins that would have completely run off the gel altogether. However, the low concentration of V142D after purification may also be a major factor in the lack of gel bands observed as well. Unlike V142D, H64A hCAII concentration should not have affected its lack of bands because it was calculated to have had a reasonable concentration of 37.6 ÃŽÂ ¼M. There were some problems loading the samples into the wells; t his could be an explanation as to no observable gel bands. ESI-MS is dependent on concentration because it affects the size of primary droplets [8]. The unsuccessful determination of molecular weight of V142D hCAII may be attributed to its low concentration. The H64 hCAII mutant was also not able to be successfully analyzed with ESI-MS. A possible reason for the failure was that it was not kept on ice while it was not being used. The enzyme may have become inactive and degraded into smaller fragments. This would explain the ESI-MS output obtained for H64A. No definite molecular mass was determined, but the spectrometer did detect a lot of small protein fragments in the sample, all under 1000 amu. The kinetic values obtained from PNPA hydrolysis do not follow similar trends found in literature [2]. The kcat/KM for wild-type hCAII (2500 ±200 Mà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1sà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1) was found to be significantly larger than V142D hCAII (3 ±0.3 Mà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1sà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1) in literature, more than 800ÃÆ'- larger [2]. Experimental calculations yielded kcat/KM for V142D (8.16 Mà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1sà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1) to be about 2ÃÆ'- larger than wild-type (4.02 Mà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1sà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬â„¢1), which did not follow literature patterns. The literature trends make more biolog

Adolescent Depression: Causes, Effects and Treatments

Adolescent Depression: Causes, Effects and Treatments Teenage Depression Urooba Fatima Depression is defined as a medical condition in which a person feels very sad, hopeless, unimportant and is often unable to live in a normal way (Merriam-Websters online Dictionary, n.d.). In 2004 alone, it was reported that 11.2 percent of teens suffered from depression (Depression in Children and Adolescents, n.d. para.1). Symptoms that adolescents tend to show when suffering from depression are difficulty with relationships, loss of interest in hobbies, persistent sadness, feeling of hopelessness and the feeling of guilt and/or worthlessness. There are many possible results that stem from depression, such as suicide, substance abuse and alcohol abuse. For various reasons, people fail to realize that majority of the youth in the U.S suffer from depression. People in todays society need to recognize the severity of depression and provide better treatments for their youth. In the past, people did not believe that children and adolescents could go through depression, but today teens show so many signs of depression that it is impossible to ignore. By the time 11 percent of adolescents turn 18 years old they have at least one depressive episode (Merikangas, n.d). One of the leading causes of disability in Americans is major depressive episode, according to the World Health Organization (Merikangas, n.d). The reason depression in adolescents has been ignored so long is that it can be very difficult to tell whether an adolescent is showing symptoms of depression or just going through a phase (Depression in Children and Adolescents, n.d). Before reaching adulthood about 20 to 30 percent of adolescent have one major depressive episode. 25 percent of adults who suffer from depression, started to show signs of depression in their adolescence (Schwarz, 2009). By 2020 depression will compete with heart disease as the â€Å"health disorder with the highest disea se burden in the world.†(Reuters, 2011) Depression in adolescents can be caused by many things but three of the main factors are genetic causes, biological causes, and environmental causes. Genetic factors are traits that you may inherit from your parents (Definition of Genetics, n.d.). Some examples of genetic causes are adolescents with a relative who is or has been depressed is more likely to get depressed. The most common types of depression that runs in the family are bipolar depression and severe major depression (Kim, n.d). However just because depression runs in one’s family does not mean that he/she` will suffer from depression. Depression can also arise in adolescents who do not have a family history of depression There has been a great deal of research that has been done to determine a biological cause, and after many years, researchers have concluded that depression may be caused by abnormal delivery of key neurotransmitters (chemical messengers to the brain)(National Institute of Mental Health, n.d). There are many neurotransmitters that can cause depression but one of the most essential neurotransmitters is serotonin. Serotonin is a chemical that helps deliver signals from one area of the brain to the other. Serotonin is also important for the well-being feelings, imbalances in the brain’s serotonin levels can cause depression (National Institute of Mental Health, n.d). Environmental causes are the influences that one may have from social and cultural that shape a person’s life.There are many environmental causes that may contribute to depression, such as the loss of a loved one, a traumatic event in one’s life, and big changes in one’s life (Healthline Editorial Team, 2012). Events such as these can cause a person to start feeling hopeless. However some research states that getting depressed because of traumatic or stressful event is because that person already has depression. According to Dr. Nassir Ghaemi most people never suffer from depression after a major life event (Ghaemi, 2012). Another environmental cause that can cause depression is bullying. Bullying is the ongoing physical or emotional victimization of one person from another person or a group of people (Bullying and Depression, n.d). Bullying can cause the victim to suffer from low self-esteem, and can also cause suicidal thoughts. People assume that only the child being bullied will suffer from depression in their life, but what they do not realize is that the bully is also at high risk of suffering from depression and suicidal thoughts (Klomek, Sourander, Gould, 2011). In the 1950’s and 1960’s doctors had started making a link between food and depression. Today we know that certain foods have a relation with depression (Laverie, 2010). Food additives are one of the many preservatives that contain synthetic chemicals, and research has proven that synthetic chemicals can cause many symptoms of depression to occur. Food additives are used to add flavor to foods, and to help make foods look more appealing. But the number one reason for using food additives is to help preserve food so that it can last longer (Bousch, n.d.). Research has proven that many food additives have a harmful effect for our health physically but also mentally. Just like food additives, industrial by-products have the same effect on ones mental health. Industrial by-products are products that are produced using machines in factories (Merriam-Webster’s online Dictionary, n.d.). Some examples of food additives that have been proven to have a negative effect on m ental health are foods that are identified as â€Å"sugar-free† or â€Å"diet† (Bousch, n.d) These foods all contain Aspartame, better known as artificial sweeteners. Aspartame can cause many diseases including depression. Another food additive to avoid is monosodium glutamate (MSG), an amino acid used in many frozen foods and chips. MSG can damage cells even to the point of death by over exciting them, and MSG can also affect neurological pathways. If many of these causes are not avoided, adolescents may suffer from depression which may have many consequences. Depression, if left untreated, has many effects. One of effect of depression is substance abuse. Substance abuse and mental disorders usually co-occur in adolescence. Adolescence suffering from depression are usually in search of a way of making themselves feel better, which usually leads them to drugs and alcohol. Teens who try to self medicate marijuana and other drugs end up making their depression worse (Adolescence Depression and Substance Abuse, n.d). Drug abuse and alcohol abuse can also cause suicide because it can impair one’s judgment and increasing their impulsivity, which can cause them to make decisions without thinking of the consequences (Suicide and Depression, n.d). Another effect depression can have on adolescents is a negative impact on school performance. Depression can cause lack of concentration which causes a disinterest in school. Also students tend to be more forgetful when suffering from depression, which causes them to forget about assignments, tests, and quizzes which can cause grades to go down. Another issue adolescents face in school is with insubordination. Depressed adolescents get into more fights and arguments with peers and teachers. School performance can also affect depression, for example doing poorly in school may have an effect on one’s self esteem. School also can be a trigger for stress, which is another cause of depression. Also, adolescents have trouble interacting with their peers which may discourage them from wanting to go to school (Depression, n.d). One of the biggest consequences of leaving depression untreated is suicide. Suicide is the third leading cause of death in adolescents in the U.S. (Suicide Prevention, n.d). The number one cause for suicide is untreated depression (Caruso, n.d). There are many reasons why adolescents commit suicide but most of the time it’s because they think it’s the only solution to their problems and they are unable to see that they can turn their life around (Teenage Suicide, 1999). According to Center for Disease Control over 90 percent of the time someone commits suicide it is because they have a mental disorder that can be treated and if it were treated there would be a less number of suicides in the U.S (Suicide Prevention, n.d). Suicide shares many symptoms with depression but to a much more greater extent, for example extreme hopelessness, insomnia, heightened panic attacks, and irritability (Some Facts about Suicide and Depression, n.d). Depression, unlike many other diseases, is treatable. There are many different approaches to treating depression such as antidepressants, psychotherapy, and electroconvulsive shock therapy. Antidepressants are used to balance chemicals in your brain called neurotransmitters (Greenlaw, n.d). Antidepressants help improve your mood, your appetite, and your sleep (Greenlaw, n.d). Like all medications, antidepressants have negative side effects, for example sometimes antidepressants can make some people feel suicidal, also antidepressants can cause nausea, weight gain, headaches, sweating, and diarrhea(Smith, Robinson, Segal, Ramsey, 2014). Psychotherapy is a series of ways of treating mental health, emotional and some psychiatric disorders (Psychotherapies, n.d). Another word for psychotherapy is talk therapy, psychotherapy involves having people understand their mental disorder (Psychotherapies, n.d). Psychotherapy also teaches one how to deal with stress and unhealthy thoughts. There are many different types of psychotherapy, because everyone responds differently to treatments. Some people may have to meet with the therapist alone whereas some people prefer to be with a group of people (Psychotherapies, n.d). There aren’t many negative side effects of psychotherapy, but one negative in choosing this method treatment is not always being able to find fully qualified therapists who can treat depression this way (Jollant, n.d). Electroconvulsive therapy is when you pass electric currents through the brain to cause brain seizures (Mayo Clinic Staff). Electroconvulsive therapy can reverse certain symptoms of mental illnesses faster than other treatments (Mayo Clinic Staff, n.d). Electroconvulsive therapy is known to be the most effective treatment for severe depression (Szalavitz, 2012). One of the biggest negative effects of electroconvulsive therapy is memory loss (Side Effects and Risks, n.d). People may also suffer from cardiovascular complications, dental and oral trauma, and skin burns (Park, n.d). Islam is a holistic religion, meaning that it has an impact on every aspect of one’s life. Everyone must face some trials and tribulations in life, it doesn’t matter how religious one person may be they can still be tested, as stated in this ayah in the Quran: â€Å"Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: â€Å"We believe,† and will not be tested?† (Qur’an 29:2). Islam teaches its believers never to despair and always have hope in Allah (swt). no matter how hard the situation maybe at the moment that Allah (swt) will also provide that person with relief afterwards (Quran 94:5). Islam believes that shaytaan can make one feel like they’re being punished so one may tend to lose hope and forget that it may only be a test from Allah (swt) not a punishment. According to some, trials and tribulation can also strengthen one’s relationship with Allah (swt) (Bataski, 2011). When someone feels depressed or down at times Allah (swt) states in the quran to always turn to him because he is the only true source of light and guidance. People may go through difficult times in their lives but they should always know that Allah (swt) will always be there for them to turn to. Society needs to recognize the importance of depression and should be able to equip it’s youth with treatments. If many people understood the causes of depression then maybe people would not ignore their symptoms and would go and get treatment for themselves or their children. If depression stays ignored then and nothing is done to help todays youth then there will be a rise in the number of deaths by suicide.

French Tourism Essay -- essays research papers

France is a country of beauty, mystery, and intrigue. Paris has the most known tourist attractions in the world: The Eiffel Tower, L’arc de Triomphe, and the Louvre to name a few. Paris is called the â€Å"City of Light†; the lighting of monuments and buildings emphasizes the beauty of the architecture in the city.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Eiffel Tower is the symbol of Paris, if not the entire country. It is one of the most known monuments in the entire world, and definitely one of the most photographed. It began construction in 1887, designed by the engineer Gustave Eiffel, and was finished in 1889 for the International Exhibition of Paris. It was build to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the French revolution. At first some French people were very much opposed to the large metal monument, and about 300 people signed a petition opposing it. But now it is a large part of Paris, and can be seen from many places in the city. The tower is 310 meters, and was the world’s tallest building for many years after its construction. The tower was saved from being torn down in 1909 by its antenna that was used for telegraph transmission. It has been used for French radio and then later for French television broadcast. In 1986, new lighting was added to accentuate the metal frame. Some interesting events have happened on the tower over the years: in 1954 it was scaled by a mountaineer, parachuted off of in 1984, and in 1924 a journalist rode a bicycle down from the first level. T...

A Look at Todays Whaling Essay -- Fishing Ocean Papers

A Look at Today's Whaling â€Å" The story of the whale is so remarkable, that were there not so many witnesses, I would not venture to tell it, lest I be accused of exaggeration.† -J.D.B Stillman, aboard the ship Plymouth, November 1850 (Stewart, 1995) There is no doubt that humans have always been intrigued with the majestic beauty of the large giants found in all of the world’s oceans. Whales and people have had a long history together, marked by many turns of events. Long ago, native tribes, from many places in the world, depended largely on whales for protein in their diets. They were also able to use much of the whale for oil, thus began a tradition of whaling. The first documented whaling expedition occurred in South Korea around 6000 BC (Bryant, 2000). Whaling began with smaller whales, since humans had only small boats and weapons, such as spears. However, as humans developed larger, more powerful weapons and built bigger boats, they also attained the ability to hunt larger whales. At this time, whaling became an industry, rather than a method of obtaining nutrition and oil when needed. As the whaling industry gained popularity the whale populations began to decline. Whalers moved from one species to another as their numbers decreased to a population size that was no longer economical to hunt. This strain on the whale populations was the heaviest with the creation of whole whaling fleets. It is apparent, that although whaling has important economic value, providing oil and meat, it also has a devastating affect on the whale populations that are targeted. Conservation and sustainability of whale populations has been ignored for a long period of time, leading to possible extinction for many species. Whaling ... ...eo retrieved November 20, 2004, from the following website: http://www.orcaconservancy.org/captivity Horvath, Beth. Gray whales. Lecture given on July 27, 2004 during a Marine Mammals class through AuSable Institute. International Whaling Commission (2004). Aboriginal subsistence whaling. Retrieved November 20, 2004, from the following website: http://www.iwcoffice.org/conservation/aboriginal.htm Marine mammal protection act of 1972. Retrieved October 3, 2004, from the following website: http://laws.fws.gov/lawsdigest/marmam.html Melville, Herman (1952). Moby-Dick. New York, NY: Hendricks House, Inc. Misaki, Shigeko (2000). Media wars on whales and whaling. Retrieved November 21, 2004, from the following website: http://luna.pos.to/whale/gen_mis_media.html Stewart, Frank (1995). The presence of whales. Seattle, WA: Alaska Northwest Books. A Look at Today's Whaling Essay -- Fishing Ocean Papers A Look at Today's Whaling â€Å" The story of the whale is so remarkable, that were there not so many witnesses, I would not venture to tell it, lest I be accused of exaggeration.† -J.D.B Stillman, aboard the ship Plymouth, November 1850 (Stewart, 1995) There is no doubt that humans have always been intrigued with the majestic beauty of the large giants found in all of the world’s oceans. Whales and people have had a long history together, marked by many turns of events. Long ago, native tribes, from many places in the world, depended largely on whales for protein in their diets. They were also able to use much of the whale for oil, thus began a tradition of whaling. The first documented whaling expedition occurred in South Korea around 6000 BC (Bryant, 2000). Whaling began with smaller whales, since humans had only small boats and weapons, such as spears. However, as humans developed larger, more powerful weapons and built bigger boats, they also attained the ability to hunt larger whales. At this time, whaling became an industry, rather than a method of obtaining nutrition and oil when needed. As the whaling industry gained popularity the whale populations began to decline. Whalers moved from one species to another as their numbers decreased to a population size that was no longer economical to hunt. This strain on the whale populations was the heaviest with the creation of whole whaling fleets. It is apparent, that although whaling has important economic value, providing oil and meat, it also has a devastating affect on the whale populations that are targeted. Conservation and sustainability of whale populations has been ignored for a long period of time, leading to possible extinction for many species. Whaling ... ...eo retrieved November 20, 2004, from the following website: http://www.orcaconservancy.org/captivity Horvath, Beth. Gray whales. Lecture given on July 27, 2004 during a Marine Mammals class through AuSable Institute. International Whaling Commission (2004). Aboriginal subsistence whaling. Retrieved November 20, 2004, from the following website: http://www.iwcoffice.org/conservation/aboriginal.htm Marine mammal protection act of 1972. Retrieved October 3, 2004, from the following website: http://laws.fws.gov/lawsdigest/marmam.html Melville, Herman (1952). Moby-Dick. New York, NY: Hendricks House, Inc. Misaki, Shigeko (2000). Media wars on whales and whaling. Retrieved November 21, 2004, from the following website: http://luna.pos.to/whale/gen_mis_media.html Stewart, Frank (1995). The presence of whales. Seattle, WA: Alaska Northwest Books.

Peaches Essay -- Literary Analysis, Reginald McKnight

In the story â€Å"Peaches†, Reginald McKnight introduces his main characters, one being Marcus. Marcus is a good guy, but he is described in different ways, due to his confidence and insecurity. Throughout the work, author Reginald McKnight takes great care to illustrate situations and describe feelings and personalities that many men experience. This way, even though Marcus is having trouble controlling himself around other people and arrogant at times, he still tries to be a better person for Rita and for himself. He does this by going out of the country to experience other cultures and enhance his morals. On one level Marcus demonstrates that he is incredibly confident, on the other level he shows signs of being insecure, manipulative, unstable and incapable of achieving change. Marcus’ actions continually demonstrate how confident he is. Whether he is next door or across the country, Marcus always has his eyes set out for Rita because he sees her as _______. While, he claims â€Å"I have had relationships with Black women and Hispanic women, and Asian women† (75), thinking his experiences with other women instantly make him capable of understanding Rita. Because of ______, Marcus thinks such an understanding of Rita would be ________. He is so eager to be with her that he fails to see her as an individual. To Marcus, past experiences are enough to sustain a healthy relationship. According to Marcus, he had â€Å"been through this before† (75) and told Rita she could tell him anything, thinking it had to do with a cultural gap. In fact, Marcus said to Rita, â€Å"You can tell me. I think I’d understand† (75). [What is he referring to here?] His confidence paired with his need for Rita’s recognition and approval makes it appear that his confidenc... ...anipulative, and unstable. In creating a character so confident, insecure, manipulative, and unstable, Reginald McKnight also creates a character we can sympathize with. McKnight created a sense that Marcus was a confident individual, who set himself apart from society, but in doing so, he set himself up for failure. Where the one woman who could make all the difference began to fear him. Once that happened, everything went downhill as soon as Marcus began to dismiss Ritas response at any given point. Whether or not he was fully aware, Marcus built walls around him and avoided speaking about his personal life with any sort of depth. This, if anything, makes us aware that negative remarks and statements can lead to a very negative result. We are forced to form our own conclusion and conform to the fact that no matter how many miles away, one person may never change.

German Indian Partnership for IT Systems Essay

Very good morning to all of you and a warm greetings on behalf of Centre for infrastructure, Sustainable transportation and urban Planning (CiSTUP), Indian Institute of Science and National Academy of Science and Engineering Germany (ACATECH).. Today we have guests of honour Mr. Rolf Saligmann, German General Consul, Bangalore, Mr. Subir Hari Singh IAS, Addl. Chief Secretary, Govt. of Karnataka, Dr. Christian Aulbach, Science and Technology Counselor, German Embassy, Delhi, Dr. A. Ravindra IAS, Advisor to Chief Minister, Govt. of Karnataka. We also have on the dias Prof. Dr. Otthein Herzog, Executive Board member, National Academy of Science and Engineering, Germany who is the main brain behind this event. We also have Prof. B.N. Raghunandan, Divisional Chair, Earth and Environmental Sciences, IISc who will preside over the function. Warm welcome to other dignitaries off-the dias, Guests and Invitees, press and TV persons, my dear colleagues and students, Ladies and Gentlemen. A warm welcome to all of you from CiSTUP which is started in 2009 with a generous support from Govt of Karnataka in particular BMTC, KSRTC, BDA and NERTC. In about 2 years, we have started a masters programme in transportation and infrastructure engineering, carried out many research and consultancy projects for the Govt of Karnataka and others, organized many conferences, symposium, brain storming sessions and round table meetings to address issues related with our cities in particular urban issues. CiSTUP has grown into a full fledge centre having more than 50 scientists/researchers and students associated with the centre carrying out many important research projects which is of interest to our city, state and the country in the areas of infrastructure, transportation and urban planning. We are organizing a Symposium and a workshop as part of German Indian Partnership for IT Systems (GRIP IT) on the 19th (today) and 20th May (tomorrow) respectively, The symposium is on – ‘Smart Mobility and Energy Concepts for Megacities’. The GRIP IT Workshop on Smart cities is planned  for 20th May 2011 at the Institute and it is restricted to selected and invited participation from industry and academicians. GRIP IT project is planned to act as a catalyst for future research and development collaborations between India and Germany by bringing together the German and Indian partners from the world of academics and industry and to provide a platform for networking. The focus of the initiatives are around the theme ‘Smart Cities’ – the various topics, technologies and the potential research and development potentials in and around the theme. The objective of the workshop is to further deepen our initiatives towards establishing a joint team of German and Indian research and industry partners to pursue high potential research topics of common interest to both countries and to explore possibilities of submitting joint proposals under the EU research framework programme. Towards the objective of identifying the right topics for a potential joint research initiative, we have initiated two studies – one on mobility and the other on energy. The results of the study would be presented at the workshop tomorrow to help focus on the right topics and to work on the next steps towards joint research proposals. It gives me great pleasure to welcome the dignitaries on the dias and off the dias to this Inaugural function of â€Å"Symposium on – ‘Smart Mobility and Energy Concepts for Megacities’. This is a joint initiative of CiSTUP and ACATECH, Germany. It is a great occasion for CiSTUP, IISc and ACATCEH to come together to start a joint collaborations in the area of smart cities. We would like to take this opportunity to express our hearty welcome, on my behalf and on our Institute’s behalf, to Honorable Consul General Rolf Saligmann for honoring our invitation to be the chief guest of this function and inaugurate the symposium. German Consular General is very supportive for such activities leading to large scale indo-german colloborations. We extend a warm welcome and present a bouquet of flowers to Mr. Rolf Saligmann, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany. We also welcome Mr. Subir Hari Singh IAS, Addl. Chief Secretary, Govt. of  Karnataka and commissioner BMRDA, who is always supportive for such developmental initiatives and for accepting to grace this function and deliver his address. We present a bouquet of flowers to Mr. Subir Hari Singh. A warm welcome to Dr. Christian Aulbach, Science and Technology Counselor, German Embassy, Delhi, for this function. We present a bouquet of flowers to Dr. Christian Aulbach. A warm welcome to Dr. A. Ravindra IAS, Advisor to Chief Minister, Govt. of Karnataka, who is always supportive for such initiatives in CiSTUP and at the institute, we thank him for accepting to grace this function and deliver his address. We present a bouquet of flowers to welcome Dr. A. Ravindra. 2 Hearty welcome to Prof. B.N. Raghunandan for accepting our invitation to be with us today as a President of the function. We welcome him and present a bouquet of flowers to Prof. B.N. Raghunandan. We miss amongst us our beloved Director Prof.P. Balaram and Associate Director Prof. N. Balakrishnan, who are very supportive for such activities, who are unable to be here with us today due to other engagements. Hearty welcome to Prof. Dr. Otthein Herzog, Executive Board member, National Academy of Science and Engineering, Germany who has spent lot of time with me in coordinating this event. We extend hearty welcome and present a bouquet of flowers to Prof. Dr. Otthein Herzog. We have many distinguished professors, academicians and leading persons from germany and India. Also we have leading persons from R&D groups and Industry amongst us. Hearty welcome to all the speakers from Germany, India and also Officers of ACATECH and Dr. Ulrich Golgzback, Mr. mathew Joseph, Project manager at ACATECH. Special welcome to all the dignitaries off the dais and Invitees from the Govt of Karnataka, BMTC, BDA, KSRTC, DULT and Indian Institute of Science for taking the time off from their busy schedule to grace this function. We welcome press, TV persons, and officers of our institute, my colleagues from the centre and department, students and other invitees. Once again I extend hearty welcome to all of you for this inaugural function of the Symposium. ONCE AGAIN I EXTEND A WELCOME TO YOU ALL. Sitharam =========================== Prof. T.G. Sitharam, Ph.D.(Canada), FIGS, FIE; Chairman, Centre for infrastructure Sustainable Transportation and Urban Planning (CiSTUP) and PROFESSOR Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore – 560012, INDIA Tel.No.+91-80-23602261 / 22932919 ; Fax no. 080 – 2360 2261 (phone/fax) / FAX no. 0802360 0404 (dept) email: sitharam@civil.iisc.ernet.in (preferred) / proftgs@gmail.com. web URL: http://civil.iisc.ernet.in/~sitharam ; mobile: 9448273751