How Does Peer Pressure Affect Decision Making Essay

Axel Blaze (ShÃ… «ya GÃ… enji) is the ace striker and voice of reason of the team. His sister, Yuka is in a coma because of Kageyama’s interference to stop him from play against Teikoku Academy. He keeps an amulet made by his sister, and makes a promise with her to stop playing soccer, but when he sees that his passion for the game is strong, he changes that promise to become the champion of the Soccer Frontier. Later, Yuka wakes up from a coma, and he began to play soccer more freely with his teammates. Goenji joins up with the others to play against teams around the world. He becomes close friends with Endou, Fubuki, and Kido as the story progresses. Killer Shots * Fire Tornado Spins in mid-air, showing fire coming from his feet, then kicks the ball in mid-air. * Dragon Tornado: the combination of Axel’s Fire Tornado and Kevin’s Dragon Crash. * Inazuma Drop: Jump high then use the other player as a stepping stone to jump once more then kick the ball in high mid-air. This move was used to give Raimon a 1-0 win against Wild Junior High * Inazuma No.1:Both Mark and Axel kick the ball towards the goal. Was first used in the match against Brainwash Middle High. * Fire Rooster: Kicks the ball up high with Nathan then kicks the ball with Nathan in mid-air releasing six fire wings. * Inazuma No.1 Drop: The Inazuma Drop adding Mark as one of the kickers. * Final Tornado: Combination of Tri-Phoenix and Fire Tornado.This was only used against Zeus Eleven. This move is also called Tri-Phoenix X. * Bakunetsu Storm:The technique that Axel develop when Aliea Academy arc and this technique debut when Inazuma caravan vs Epsilon Remastered * Twin Boost: A move first used by Jude and Eric. Jude kicks the ball to Eric then Eric kick the ball back to Jude for the final kick. A more powerful version of the Twin Boost was used by Jude and Axel. Jude kicks the ball upward then Axel uses Fire Tornado to pass the ball to Jude for the final kick. This is sometimes called Double Boost. * Bakunetsu Screw:The technique that Axel develop during the fight with Australia’s Big Wave team. It is the evolution of the Bakunetsu Storm with a added spin to the ball. * Tiger Storm: The technique Gouenji and Toramaru created by using Tiger Drive followed up by Bakunetsu Storm. * Grandfire: This technique is used by Gouenji, Toramaru and Kiyama. This was used to topple Argentia’s The Empire impenetrable defense. * Grand Fire Ignition: The ball is kicked by Gouenji, Toramaru and Kiyama. This technique is the evolution of Grand Fire with a more intense flame on the ball.

Mgt 510

People Management, the Mantra for Success: The Case of Singhania and Partner Jameelah Richardson Dr. Finn MGT 510 September 10, 2012 In this paper we will discuss the case of Singhania and Partner. We would examine the case of Singhania and Partners and evaluate the organization’s strategy. Next we would evaluate each of the five IHRM practices with respect to recruitment and selection, training for cross-cultural adaptation, management development, evaluation, and compensation. Later we will discuss which of the five practices can be approved.Afterwards, we would make recommendations to management to successfully improve the current IHRM strategy. Finally, we would explain how the recommended changes impact the organization in the industry. Examine the Case of Singhania and Partners and Evaluate the Organization’s Strategy Singhania & Partners is known as a full service national law firm. This firm is known for being successful with international corporate and comm ercial, litigation, and arbitration and intellectual property in law. The company was founded by Ravi Singhania and Manju Mohorta.Ravi Singhania was the founder and managing partner while Mohorta was the Chief Executive. Both Ravi and Manu were concerned about the HR practices currently used by the firm and if the company faces human resource risks. It seemed that the firm is facing a high attrition rate in the Indian legal services industry and this is causing an alarming problem. There has been a shift between legal firms and partners. It seems the entry of foreign law firms into India could create more competition between law firms.They should focus more on gaining trust of their employees. Gaining the respect of your employees will create positive work environments and relationships within the firm. It would also deflate stress and uncertainty while being in that work environment. Evaluate Each of the Five IHRM Practices with Respect to Recruitment and Selection, Training for Cr oss-Cultural Adaptation, Management Development, Evaluation, and Compensation Recruitment of staff should be sought after a complete analysis of the job to be done.An analytical study would focus on the tasks that need to be performed to determine valuable factors. A written job description would be beneficial so the employer would know what physical and mental characteristics one should possess and what qualities and attitudes are desirable. The  Recruitment and Selection Process  is one of the basic HR Processes. Recruitment and Selection is very sensitive as many managers have a need to hire a new employee and this process is always under a strict monitoring from their side.The  Recruitment and Selection Process  must be simple and must be robust enough to operate excellently in the moment of the insufficient number of candidates on the job market and the process must be also able to process a large number of candidates within given time limit (Richards, 2008). Cross-cult ural training encompasses a combination of translation, instructional design and cultural adaptation, each of which is required to convey new concepts to a target audience in another country.Simply translating training material will not work, as it fails to take into account the cultural factors that influence the trainees' perceptions (Smith, 2004). With Management development, you must look at the strategy of the organization and address that there are well trained managers in play to ensure the organization is on the right path of completing their goals. Basically an evaluation / appraisal scheme is a formalization of what is done in a more casual manner anyway (e. g. if there is a vacancy, discussion about internal moves and internal attempts to put square pegs into ‘squarer holes' are both the results of casual evaluation).Most managers approve merit payment and that too calls for evaluation, made a standard routine task, it aids the development of talent, warns the ineff icient or uncaring and can be an effective form of motivation (Richards, 2008). Compensation Strategy  is one of the most important strategies in the HRM function as it influences the costs of the organization and potential bad decision can lead to very serious damages to the organization (Richards, 2008). Discuss which of the Five Practices can be improved In my opinion, both recruitment and selection and compensation could be improved.Today, a lot of people are chosen for a job on how they look or because they know someone which isn’t fair to the person who actually has the experience to complete the job. Even if you don’t have that much experience for the job but your educational background introduces you to what the job entails you should still be giving a chance to perform at your best. Most college students are not giving a chance to start a job in their major because you’re expected to have 5 to 7 years’ experience early on but how do you obtain that if you’re learning the basics of what is expected in that particular field?I feel if you were introduce to what the field entails then you should be given a chance to perform the task either way you will be trained to do that job right? Compensation is the most important factor in HR yet employees work hard and get compensated less. It seems that organizations put so many stipulations into play to get compensated that once you receive it you’re like I did all of this for that what was the point?If you expect your employees to perform at their best level and keep that same drive every month, compensation should be both a reachable and achievable goal so in the end everybody wins the employer, employee, and the organization as a whole. Make Recommendations to Management to Successfully Improve the Current IHRM Strategy International Human Resource Management Strategy (IHRM) is the recruitment, selection, training and development, performance appraisal, compensation, and labor relations (Cullen, 2011).Management needs to be cautious of who they’re choosing to complete the task at hand. Education and experience should play in major part in the recruitment and selection process. With college students, they are aware of what the job is and what it entails but in order for the individual to complete the job the way you want it you must train them. Afterwards, then evaluate them on their performance to determine if they’re a right fit for the organization. Compensation must improve and employees should be acknowledge for the hard work that is put in day in and day out.If employees feel their being treated with the upmost respect, receiving job recognition and compensation for what they’re doing production would be meeting or exceeding the organization’s expectation and everyone wins. Explain how the Recommended Changes Impact the Organization in the Industry Managers can build trust by demonstrating that they are guided b y ethical standards and beliefs and then by exhibiting behaviors that are consistent with those standards and beliefs. A variety of conditions and factors can enhance employee trust.Four of the most important are credibility, integrity, reliability, and commitment (Smith, 2004). In conclusion, employee trust is generally something that is earned over time. Building trust can be difficult but it is much easier to lost it through inconsistent behavior and lack of commitment. By enhancing employee trust Singhania ;amp; Partners will become the most consistent firm. References Cullen, John B. ;amp; Parboteeah, Praveen (2011) Multinational Management Richards, Sam (2008) HRM Advice Smith, Jeanine (2006) V ;amp; L International

Cost of Health Care Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Cost of Health Care - Assignment Example Patients suffering from this illness were in the past thought to be demonic posed thus they were highly feared and most of them looked up in psychiatric institutions (McNamara, 2008, p.74). The most disturbing issue behind mental illness is that most patients suffering from this medical condition are unable to afford private psychiatric facilities. They are unable to access public medical funds because of their medical conditions. This indicates that most of these patients are left to struggle with their conditions if they do not have a well informed person to help them get assistance. The National Mental Health Association of 2006 in collaboration with the National Alliance to End Homelessness of 2009 has taken course in helping the mentally disturbed In America and is expanding a helping hand to other states outside America (National Mental Health Association . 2006). The criteria to be met so as to acquire medical funds from this organization is; being mentally disturbed and homel ess, suffering from schizophrenia and yet no access to a health care facility and living with a mental condition in a poor environment (National Mental Health Association ,2006, p.3). The organization helps those who cannot access their funds by using the U.S Protection and Affordable Care Act to get funding directly from the government and help those who do not qualify for their assistance (National Mental Health Association . 2006). Mentally disturbed patients have limited options of places where they can inquire for help and get assisted. The health care act has to strategize on ways that can help the poor people with mental disorders access help without

Drugs and Alcohol in American Popular Culture Essay

Drugs and Alcohol in American Popular Culture - Essay Example As for the authors’ credentials, Dr. Primack is a faculty of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in Pennsylvania. He is also a faculty of the Division of Adolescent Medicine and therefore he has an authority regarding adolescent behavior in the context of medical science, for adolescent behavior is the main subject of this particular study. Moreover, he is also a recipient of the Physician Faculty Scholar Award from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The other author, Dr. Douglas is another faculty member of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Dr. Kraemer is a third faculty member of the same medical school. Dr. Douglas and Dr. Kraemer are affiliated with the Center for Research on Health Care of the same educational institution, and so it implies that they already have considerable background on how to conduct research on health care. The authors, being experts in their fields, with their medical degrees, with Primack’s expertise with adole scent medicine, and with Douglas’ and Kraemer’s experience with research on health care, make up a team of researchers that possess full credibility. The study is published by the National Institutes of Health, particularly PubMed Central and the U.S. National Library of Medicine. This is a reputable institution when it comes to research on health. This source is barely 3 years old and is certainly not that old for it to be considered unreliable or obsolete. The thesis advanced by the authors based on the results of the study is that there is an â€Å"independent association between exposure to cannabis in popular music and early cannabis use among urban American adolescents†. ... authors based on the results of the study is that there is an â€Å"independent association between exposure to cannabis in popular music and early cannabis use among urban American adolescents† (Primack et al.). The objectivity of the presentation and analysis of data lies in three facts. First, the sample size of 1198 American and African-American students is large enough to become representative of the group of adolescents exposed to popular music with cannabis content. Secondly, the researchers used statistical analytical tools like multivariable regression, bivariate analysis, and additional analysis in the form of finding out whether there was a correlation between cannabis use and alcohol, but of which the researchers have not found any significant relationship. Thirdly, the study is objective and credible because the methods used in the study had been preapproved by the University of Pittsburgh Institutional Review Board prior to the execution of the study (Primack et al.). If the procedure had not been approved by the board, it would not have been published by the NIH and it would not have been considered credible and objective. On the support to its claims, On the subject of comprehensiveness, the study was actually able to find the differences when it comes to various variables vis-a-vis the degree of correlation between exposure to popular music and cannabis use among the respondents: â€Å"Current use of cannabis was associated with higher exposure to cannabis in music, having a favorite artist with a higher number of songs with cannabis references, older age, lower grades, less demanding parenting, less supportive parenting, higher sensation seeking, and higher rebelliousness [while] ever use of cannabis was associated with higher exposure to cannabis in

Management accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 3

Management accounting - Essay Example 17), management invented modern business. Early forms of management accounting integrated both decision-making and analysis, going beyond financial and operational performance data. Chandler stated that before managerial, there was no equivalent of the modem multi-unit organization as there was nothing remotely like the divisional Wed corporation (Chandler 1977, pg.18). Chandler states that the managerial revolution invents something new which it is frequently misunderstood as the "modern business enterprise". This did nothing less than overturn the old economic world which is a world within which he tells much basic economic theory is still distressingly rooted. The new form of management was accelerated by industrial revolutions in the 19th century. After the 20th century the impending requirements by financial accounting in most organizations developed new pressures placed on the capital markets, creditors and taxation (Schaltegger et al 2006, pg. 72). Decentralization involves th e distribution of decision-making authority within the organization by offering managers at different operation levels the authority to make decisions relating to their areas of focus. In the new form of management that was developed around 1850, decentralization of organizations is a key issue in its performance. ... The first structure was the development of a management system for individual single-unit organizations, such as the factory while the second structure was the development of management for the large multi-unit organization (Chandler 1977, pg.29). The structure of the management that was developed around 1850 is in the form of an inverted tree. The board of directors in an organization is above all other levels and below the board of directors is the managing director. The managing director is in charge of the organization activities at any given time. The managing director handles upcoming issues in the organizations and makes strategic decisions. Below the managing director, there are several branches which cater for different purposes. In an ideal organization, the branches could include the purchasing department, personnel department, operations director and finance director who in the organization has a different function that it has to perform for the smooth functioning of the organization. All branches are responsible to the managing director who is in turn responsible to the board of directors. The purchasing department has several functions in the organization which include the purchasing department where it procures all necessary materials that are needed for production or daily operation of the company or organization. The purchasing department is charged with a responsibility of continuously evaluating whether it is receiving the required merchandise at the least possible price so as to maximize profitability. In most organizations, the Purchasing department ensures timely delivery of materials from its associates like the vendors, and also ensures the accounts payable department to ensure that awaiting deliveries are received in full and are

Performance in Drama and Poetry Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Performance in Drama and Poetry - Assignment Example In addition, the poem evidently demonstrates unity of action in that the activities are focused on one plotline and the illiterate protagonist. Unlike the more epic novels, spanning several plots, geographical locations, and historical eras, drama and poetry are far less overarching. For instance, in the play, A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, Drobot (2012) said the story revolves around the protagonist, Blanche DuBois who is depicted as constantly bearing the brunt of ill-treatment, especially at the hands of Stanley. However, the other characters are depicted as playing subsidiary roles throughout the play. In light of the focus on a single item, the resulting drama and poem would always be performative. Plays and poems employ characterization, plot and mood to develop the themes, which are inherent throughout the literary piece in question. As a reader, I have noticed that unlike the narrative novels which tend to be â€Å"telling† the story from the narrator’s or the author’s view, plays and poems generally show readers the events as they unravel. As the result, I do have a feeling of a participant when reading plays and poems than when reading

Global HRM Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Global HRM - Assignment Example Hofstedes, Trompenaars, and the globe models cross-cultural dimensions had an impact on human resource management. The primary focus of these three dimensions was on human thinking, behavior of organizations in predictable situations, and feeling and acting. Although each dimension had something particular to point out, it affected HRM. One of the implications was that HRM should not consider people as groups but as individuals because in as many as people are in a group they are different. Another implication was that the predictable way might not turn out as expected. It is usually advisable to have a backup plan in case the first idea does not go through. The HRM should also have a clearly defined time frame. It can either be on short term or long term or inner versus outer time. It makes managing duty simpler because they are well classified. The other issue was to define societies in relation to their gender and uncertainties. It is also advisable for HRM to understand that ther e could be different many uncertainties, and that things do not always go through as planned (Cullen& Parboteeah,

The Interests of the Educated Individual, the Employer, and the Assignment

The Interests of the Educated Individual, the Employer, and the Economy - Assignment Example In terms of the volume of employment, education and health are the two prime sectors in Australia. The Australian government spends a huge amount of its national income every year for supporting and promoting the educational institutions of the country. In the line of public policy, education is always given priority because in one hand development of education system plays a modern role for sophisticating the society while on the other hand an improved educational system is expected to absorb the unemployment by providing educated, thoughtful, intellectual and innovative human resources. For example, the mean of ‘Smart State’ vision of the government of Queensland was to develop technology-based industries and build up the skillful and flexible working people. In this policy, the Queensland government for the growth and development of the state in future has promoted innovative ideas in the field of scientific research and information and communication technologies. (Le nore Adie, 2008, pp 252-255). Besides the government of Queensland on the issues of social justice, has developed the reform strategy QSE 2010. This strategy was developed responding ‘the major challenges for education posed by the global knowledge economy in ‘new times’, characterized in particular by the global information networked society and increased inequalities and new forms of exclusion’. (Taylor and Singh, 2005, p 727). However, though the demand for education has risen tremendously in the recent past in Australia, the allocation of resources to education relative to the country’s GDP has not risen accordingly. In Australia, there have been seen changing and volatile policies towards the education. People in Australia are very much aware of what a good and proper educational system should be and regarding this, there are common as well as conflict views among the residents of Australia.  

Modern Business in Comparative Perspective (EXAM PREPARATION) Essay

Modern Business in Comparative Perspective (EXAM PREPARATION) - Essay Example Through outsourcing, the management will get some free time to concentrate on improvement of its output. On the other hand, in the year, 2000 Hewlett Packard Co in US has increased the production of its products by 50 %. The company ensures that it has enough to meet its customers demand at any particular time. The countries ensure that they acquire adequate raw material as well as skilful personnel in order to produce quality products. The companies also provide that they use modern equipment’s in their production process to produce quality products. Japan, most company’s management is transferring their operation to online. That is, they have to find their raw material online and find a market their products online. The company products also call for proper marketing of its products to sell to the expectations of the enterprise. However, various companies have different marketing strategies that the use to sell their products. For instance, Toyota Company in Japan ensures that it acquires and sells over 50% of its products online. On the other hand, most Companies in US uses promotional techniques. The companies always conduct road shows to market its products. In addition, the companies also adopt the system of e-commerce in most of its operations. Economic success of the particular countries contributes a lot to the country’s economic success. However, the countries management ensures that it properly trains its employees in order to meet organizational objectives at just in time (JIT). For instance, Honda Company in USA ensures that it gives its employees an opportunity to learn more. For instance, the company takes its employees for seminars in order to improve their skills and experience. On the other hand, Toyota Co in Japan ensures that it provides on the job training to its employees if performance evaluation demands training. The operation management of both USA and Japan are equal in the

Enzymology and Catalytic Mechanism Essay Example for Free

Enzymology and Catalytic Mechanism Essay Many diseases and disorders are caused by defects in the molecular level of cells and not just having to do with nutrition or other extrinsic factors ,in this report ,we will specifically look at enzymes and their key role in energy production and the cycles and series of activities that make it possible for the human to function properly . Enzymes have four basic characteristics .They do not make a reaction occur that would not occur on its own, they just enhance and make it happen quicker. The enzyme will not be changed by the reaction, it may be changed during the process, but the end product will leave the enzyme as it was when it started. Enyzmes can be used repeatedly. Enyzmes have specific substances in our bodies, so if enzymes don’t work properly, metabolism will not work properly. Enzymes do their work as catalyst by speeding up the process to improve performance. They lessen the activation energy making producing products easier .Enzymes act on specific substances in our bodies. The enzymes will fit into the substance or substrate like a lock and key .Once it is with its certain substrate, it acts like a key and it unlocks the substrate and the substrate can do what it needs to do and then the enzyme will releases from it and is not changed ,then it moves on to another substance. Heredity Fructose Intolerance is a condition that can be passed down through families ,in HFI,two copies of an abnormal gene are present ,thus making it an auto recessive diso rder, and frequently it is seen in person without a history of the disorder . HFI is a condition that affects fructose metabolism ,basically the amount of Aldolase B’s substrate ,F1P ,changes when Aldolase B is deficient or doesn’t work at all. People that have this disorder do not have any symptoms if they do not ingest any  fructose ,whether orally or by IV .F1P is a product of fructokinase and substrate for Aldolase B ,when Aldolase B is not available ,we start to see symptoms of HFI .Aldolase B is only seen in the kidney,liver,and small intestines. An excellent way to see enzymatic roles in our bodies is by studying how Fructose is metabolized in our liver .It is a multiply step, complex process .The first step is the conversion of fructose to fructose 1-phosphate by fructokinase ,which causes the fructose to become trapped in the liver .Then,Fructose-1-phosphate undergoes the chemical reaction called hydrolysis by fructose-1-phosphate aldolase (aldolase B) to form dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) and glyceraldehyde. This usage of fructose leads to either glycolysis for the production of ATP or gluconeogenesis.Sanders, J. (2013) When fructose is taken into the body it is phosphorylated by fructokinase to make fructose 1 –phosphate , Aldolase B then impels F1P breakdown into glyceraldehyde and DHAP,that are used to go on to make ATP through glycolysis or to be used for storage through gluconeogenesis(glycolysis in reverse) .Fructose 1 Phosphate is a product and substrate but also a signal and it send out an alert for high blood sugar and will send signals to tell glucokinase to come out of the nucleus and into the cytoplasm and lower blood sugar by sending out glucose to the body. Our bodies usually only have fructose in the blood if we have an increase amount of glucose or high blood sugar ,this means we have elevated F1P levels and that is when glucokinase needs to be released .When F1P is low and our blood sugar is low and our blood glucose is low ,glucokinase will go into the nucleus. When the liver senses hypoglycemia, it produces glucose to be sent to liver cells .Glycolysis reverses to gluconeogenesis to produce glucose to be released in the blood. With HFI,if there is an abundance of F1P because there is no Aldolase B,then our blood sugar is low and the liver will not be picking up the phosphate and it is not being used glycogen breakdown will be slowed down and not much glucose will get produced and glucose will not be getting released, that’s when you see symptoms of hypoglycemia .Also, symptoms of liver damage will result because there is no phosphate available for the ATP synthase ,because it is bound up ,the cells in the liver will die without the ATP production .If a person continues to ingest and not be able to metabolize the fructose a person can die .Symptoms of HFI are hypoglycemia,jaundic,nausea/vomiting, renal or  liver damage or failure. .When bodies are overworked; our breathing will speed up as we try to get more oxygen delivered to our body cells. Most of our energy is made through aerobic methods; however, some situations need an accelerated more energy than our bodies can effectively make. That is when our bodies will cause muscles to generate energy through glycolysis. During glycolysis, glucose breaks down into pyruvate. If our bodies have enough oxygen; pyruvate is goes into an aerobic pathway to be broken down and used for energy. When we don’t have enough oxygen, our body will temporarily change pyruvate into lactate and it will be sent through a cycle to change it to glucose. If there are high lactate levels in the muscle cells there will be a high level of acidity and other metabolites will be disrupted .The high lactate levels do prevent permanent muscle damage when muscles are exerted by slowing the primary systems needed for muscle contraction, but when the body rest, oxygen becomes available and the lactate changes back to pyruvate, allowing continued aerobic metabolism and energy for when a persons the body is recovering from an extreme physical exertion. In glycolysis, 2 ATP are produced to turn glucose into lactate, but in gluconeogenous, it takes 6 ATP to lactate back into glucose. In our muscles glucose can combine with oxygen to generate energy. If there is not any oxygen, the anaerobic breakdown of glucose is achieved through glycolysis; however, ATP and Lactate are present through this process. In the normal presence of O2, glycolysis in muscle cells produces two units of ATP and two units of pyruvate. The two compounds provide the energy that enables a cell to perpetuate breathing through a series of chemical reactions called the Krebs cycle, also called the citric acid or tricarboxylic acid cycle. Oxidation pulls a carbon atom and 2 hydrogen atoms, water and carbon dioxide, out of the equation. Higa, M. (2015) In the absence of oxygen, enzymes can break down the glucose carbohydrate by fermentation. Dehydrogenase enzyme in muscle cells converts it into lactate and the amino acid alanine. The liver filters the lactate out of blood to reverse engineer it to pyruvate and then into glucose. While two ATP molecules are produced by glycolysis in the muscles, it costs the liver six ATP molecules to feed the cycle by gluconeogenesis. If the Cori Cycle occurred in one cell, then glucose to lactate would make 2 ATP, but the lactate to glucose process would cost 6 ATP, this is a net loss of 4 ATP, if the cycle continued over  and over then it would be a futile cycle. If there is any defect with the enzymes in the citric acid cycle ,the cycle will not continue to function as it should, every step has a specific role and a lot of the time the enzymes and products relay on one to function properly for the next step to occur, an example would be :if citrate synthase did not occur or if there was a defect ,then Acetyl-CoA would not happen, nor would CoA,therefore ,the following steps in the CAC would not happen as they should and since it is a cycle, each part has to function properly. The biggest problem with a break in the CAC is that the ATP production is not possible because CAC products are sent to the Electron Transport Chain for Oxidative phosphorylation. During the ETC ,products from Citric Acid Cycle are sent to the matrix of the mitochondria ,the workhouse of the eukaryotic cells ,and it is there ,that NADH and FADH2 are sent to a series of 4 complexes, first to complex 1 and then to complex 2 and then then both of them send their electrons to a co-enzyme ,named Q10, and then from there these products transfer to complex 3 and then to co-enzyme Cytochrome C and then complex 4 ,at this point these the electrons are given for oxygen to make water . This is called Aerobic Respirations. Oxygen takes the electrons and makes water and then the hydrogen ions are pumped out across the intra membranes space. The complex I, III, and pushes these hydrogen ions out .The next complex are called ATP synthase. These hydrogen ions move through this complex and they have energy and they take ADP and phosphate and make it in ATP. Sanders, J. (2013) If any enzyme in the CAC stops working the amount of ATP is affected, example would be if citrate synthase is not working properly then citrate would not be made, also CoA nor would Acetyl- CoA, which is the molecule that enters the CAC.Subsequently the entire cycle is disrupted and then `the ETC will not have access to the products required for ATP production. Sources: Sanders, J. (2013).Electron Transport Chain Retrieved from http://wgu.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer/Default.aspx?id=9ec716ab-3610-47a4-bb37-41b4805935d6 Gilbert, S. (2014).Enzymes Retrieved from http://www.biologyreference.com/Dn-Ep/Enzymes.html Sanders, J. (2013) Aldolase B and Hereditary Fructose Intolerance. Retrieved from http://wgu.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer/Default.aspx?id=ce81226c-d293-4232-997e-fb2957530367 Higa, M. (2015) What is the Cori Cycle .Retrieved from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-cori-cycle.html

Cationic Antimicrobial Peptides in Humans

Cationic Antimicrobial Peptides in Humans Antimicrobial peptides Introduction Cationic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are gene-encoded peptides of the host defence system made up of 12-50 amino acids, with at least 2 positive charges conferred by lysine and arginine residues and about 50% hydrophobic amino acids (Hancock and Scott 2000). They are produced from gene transcription and ribosomal translation and often, further proteolytically processed (Zhoa 2003). The peptides are folded so that non-polar amino acid side-chains form a hydrophobic face and polar, positively charged residues form a hydrophilic face (Robert and Hancock 1997). Expression of antimicrobial peptides can be constitutive or inducible by infectious or inflammatory stimuli like cytokines, bacteria and lipopolysaccharides (LPS) (Cunliffe and Mahida 2004). They have diverse structures to effectively kill a wide range of microbes at prone sites e. g the skin and lungs, and in secretions such as sweat and saliva (Yeaman and Yount 2004; Santamaria 2005). Many mammalian antimicrobial peptides rous e the hosts innate immune system (Jenssen et al 2006) instead of directly killing the host. Peptides which are found in living organisms from bacteria to plants, insects, fish, amphibians to mammals including humans (Kamysz 2005) are recorded in numerous existing databases e. g. AMSDb (Eukaryotic peptides) (Tossi and Sandri 2002), BAPDb (bacterial peptides), ANTIMIC (natural antimicrobial peptides) (Brahmachary et al 2004) and APPDb. Currently, 1831 peptides are hosted by the Antimicrobial peptide database with 99 antiviral, 453 antifungal, 100 anticancer and 1179 antibacterial peptides (The Antimicrobial Peptide database 2010). In humans, antimicrobial peptides are produced by granulocytes, macrophages and most epithelial and endothelial cells. They boost the immune system, have anti-neoplastic properties and help in regulating cell signalling and multiplication. Amphibian AMPs have been discovered from the skin of frogs from families ranging from Iomedusa, Pipidae, Hyperoliidae, Ranidae, Hylidae, Discoglossidae, Agalychnis and Litoria. The structure of these peptides as unravelled by CD spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy and molecular modeling (Suh et al 1996) have been found to be generally 10-46 amino acid residues long (Rollins-Smith et al 2005), mostly linear and simple-structured, (Conlon et al 2004) the majority being hydrophobic, cationic and possessing an amphipathic a-helix in nature. Following production, they are stored in the granular glands (poison glands) of skin dermal layer to be secreted in response to injury (Bovbjerg 1963), or as defence against pathogenic bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites. Biologically active molecules including antimicrobial peptides are produced as large proteins harbouring a signal and an acidic propiece which get cut off to give an active peptide prior to or at secretion from the poison glands (Amich e et al 1999). Cationic peptides are also expressed in the gastric mucosa cells and in the intestinal tract (Kamysz 2005). The best-known peptides isolated from frogs are caeruleins, tachykinins, bradykinins, thyrotropin- releasing hormone (Barra and Simmaco 1995), brevinins, esculentins, magainins, ranatuerins and temporins (Conlon et al 2004). In the past, peptides were extracted using solvents like methanol or acid from the skins of amphibians after sun-drying but with concomitant dwindling of many frog species, other alternative techniques have emerged, one of which comprises stimulating the frog using mild electricity and collecting the skin secretion; 2-4 weeks after, the secretion can be re-collected after replenishment of the glands (Barra and Simmaco 1995). Large amounts of small peptides and their analogues which are resistant to protease cleavage and contain D-amino acids can be chemically synthesised while larger peptides can be expressed in a prokaryotic host from cloned cDNAs coding for a fusion protein (Piers et al 1993). An efficient means of producing therapeutic peptides in transgenic mice red blood cells has been explained by Sharma et al (1994) whereby the required peptide is collected from proteolytic cleavage from the fusion protein where the peptide is at the C-terminal end of human a-globin. Structure of antimicrobials In spite of sharing similar features, sequence homology between antimicrobial peptides is low and secondary structure diversity is wide (Jenssen 2006). Secondary structures based on sequence homologies, 3-dimensional structures and functions can be grouped into 5 classes: Linear, mostly a-helical peptides lacking cysteine, with or without a hinge region (cecropins, magainins). Antimicrobial peptides with one disulphide bond that form a loop structure with a tail (bactenecins, esculentins). Antimicrobial peptides with at least two disulfide bonds yielding primarily or solely a Î’-sheet structure (defensins, protegrins). Linear peptides comprising an unusual composition of regular amino acids with the absence of cysteine (histatins, indolicidin, temporins). Antimicrobial peptides derived from larger peptides or proteins with other known functions (lactoferricins, MUC7, Casocidin1). Mode of action of peptides Unlike numerous antibiotics or secondary metabolites that halt microorganisms over a number of days by hindering the action of key enzymes, most of the vertebrate antimicrobial peptides neutralise microbes quickly by disrupting the membrane or permeating it and targeting anabolic reactions (Barra and Simmaco 1995). The antimicrobial properties of most peptides rely on the formation of a-helical (Oren et al 2002) or Î’-sheet-like tubular (Fernandez-Lopez 2001) structures when interacting with negative charges on cell surfaces or when forming a-helical bundles following self-association in solution (Avrahami and Shai 2002). The mechanism of action of antibacterial peptides is thus twofold: membrane acting (membrane permeabilisation) or non-membrane acting (affect vital intracellular processes) as depicted in Figure 3. Different models of membrane permeabilisation exist; in one model, peptides reorient to cross the phospholipid bilayer of the membrane as a cluster without assuming any particular direction, resulting in a micelle-like complex of peptides and lipids. The toroidal pore model suggests that peptides enter the bilayer at 90 degrees to it, the hydrophilic regions interacting with phospholipid head groups and the hydrophobic regions interacting with the lipid core. Additionally, the membrane curves inward so that the bilayer lines the pore too. The barrel-stave model involves insertion of peptides perpendicularly to the bilayer, forming the staves in a barrel-shaped cluster, such that hydrophilic regions of the peptides project into the pore lumen and the hydrophobic regions contact the lipid po rtion of the bilayer membrane. According to the carpet model, peptides group together parallel to the lipid bilayer and local areas are coated like a carpet (Lai and Gallo 2003). Buforin II in frogs crosses the bacterial membrane without causing permeabilisation and binds DNA and RNA in the cytoplasm of E. coli (Park et al 1998). Antifungal peptides have been found to function in different ways one of which is fungal cell lysis e. g. frog Magainin targeting C. albicans (Tytler et al 1995; Zasloff et al 1987) and frog Brevinin-1 acting on Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis as described by Rollins-Smith et al (2002). Defensin from mammals permeabilises the membrane of C. albicans (Lehrer et al 1985; Patterson-Delafield 1980); bovine Indolicidin has been found to act similarly on T. beigelii (Lee et al 2003). Another strategy of antifungal peptides is the disruption of synthesis of fungal cell wall (De Lucca and Walsh 1999). Cecropin from insects as studied by De Lucca et al (1998) binds to membrane cholesterol or ergosterol and affects the fungus Aspergillus fumigates. Bovine lactoferricin and the hybrid peptide of Helicobacter pylori ribosomal protein L1 and magainin-2, HP(2-9)-MA(1-12), have been shown by Bellamy et al (1993) to cause extensive damage to the ultra structure of the cell wall of C. albicans . Yet a nother mode of action has been documented which involves depolymerisation of the actin cytoskeleton illustrated by Pn-AMP 1 from plants which attacks S. Cerevisiae and C. albicans actin. In contrast, as reported by Helmerhorst et al (1999) and Kavanagh and Dowd (2004), Histatin from human primates acts on mitochondria in C. albicans. Rollins-Smith et al (2002b) found that the peptides magainin I and II, PGLa, and X. Laevis CPF, Phyllomedusa sauvagii dermaseptin and R. catesbeiana ranalexin were more potent at the zoospore transmission period of the chytrid fungus life cycle than against mature stages. It has been found that peptides with primarily antifungal activity particularly abound in polar and neutral amino acids, pointing to a structure-activity link (Lustig et al 1996). Numerous studies point to different modes of action of antiviral peptides which interfere with adsorption, entry of the virus into the cell (Belaid et al 2002) or act on the viral envelope (Robinson et al 1998). Targeted viruses are notably enveloped RNA and DNA viruses except non-enveloped adenoviruses (Bastian and Schafer 2001), echovirus 6 (Pietrantoni et al 2006) and feline. Sinha et al (2003) found that rabbit a-defensin NP-1 acts by inhibiting HSV movement from cell to cell. By interacting with the CXCR4 chemokine receptor functional as a coreceptor for HIV-1 entry into T cells (Murakami et al 1991), a polyphemusin analogue, T22 reportedly inhibits the HIV strains using that chemokine receptor (Tamamura et al 1999). Antivirals can also hamper viral entry through interaction with viral glycoproteins as in the case of ?-Defensin (retrocyclin 2) claimed by Yasin et al (2004) to protect cells from HSV-2 infection by acting on HSV-2 glycoprotein B. Viral antimicrobial peptides can a ct in the cell as well, stimulating genes or proteins, thereby affecting host cell antiviral mechanisms (Bowdish et al 2004);viral gene and protein expression (Wachinger et al 1998) can be hampered too. Antimicrobial activity of peptides Features of antimicrobial peptides The emergence of resistant bacterial strains worldwide necessitates (Bonomo 2000) development of new families of antibiotics. Antimicrobial peptides have properties which render them attractive for development of new antimicrobial therapies. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are often vulnerable to antimicrobial peptides (Jacob and Zasloff 1994; Tencza et al 1997); minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 1-8 Â µg/mL competitive with the most powerful antibiotics against resistant organisms have been recorded with peptides (Isogai et al 2009). Lui et al (2009) observed strong effectiveness of peptide nanoparticles against bacteria, Streptococcus haemolyticus (gram-positive bacteria), Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecalis and also against drug-resistant bacteria methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, yeast tropicalis and fungi, Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans and Stachybotrys chartarum. Antimicrobial pe ptides not only eradicate bacteria rapidly and neutralize endotoxins but are synergistic with antibiotics and active in animal models (Hancock and Scott 2000). Furthermore, they exhibit a broad spectrum of activity by virtue of their relatively non-specific mode of action. In addition, mutations leading to classical antibiotic resistance do not affect them and they do not easily select antibiotic resistant variants (Shai 2002; Huang 2000). However, peptides have drawbacks limiting their use e. g. they are cleaved by proteases notably trypsin-like proteases and researchers still need to probe further into uptake mechanisms into different tissues (Boman 1995). Activity of Frog peptides Numerous studies aimed at understanding further antimicrobial expression of antimicrobial peptides have been conducted. In line with a first line of defence to the frog, release of antimicrobial peptides are stimulated in response to an environment conducive to microbial proliferation; it has been observed that while the freeze-tolerant wood frog, Rana sylvatica, shows no signs of any antimicrobial peptide activity in winter, it produces and secretes an active peptide upon exposure to warmer conditions (Matutte et al 2000). Rollins-Smith et al (2002a) found that effectiveness is enhanced when mixtures of peptides rather than single ones are released; magainin II and PGLa, synergistically hamper growth of B. dendrobatidis and B. ranarum on the skin of X. Laevis. Frog peptides are seen as interesting and potentially useful molecules that could be effective against a range of human pathogens (VanCompernolle et al 2005), viral, bacterial or fungal. In the 1960s, a 24 amino acids long antibiotic peptide bombinin secreted from the skin of the frog Bombina variegata was isolated but discouraging high haemolytic activity restricted applicability (Csordas and Michl 1970). Since then, large numbers of various peptides have been discovered with antimicrobial potential; Gaegurin, for instance, from a Korean frog is described as having a considerable spectrum of activity with mild haemolytic activity, rendering it a potential antibiotic (Suh et al 1996). Recently, high amounts of peptides were discovered in Litoria chloris, the Australian red-eyed tree frog which blocked HIV without harming T cells; the peptides appeared to target the HIV virus probably by insertion into its outer membrane envelope and punching holes in it (VanCompernolle et al 2005). S ome frog peptides have aroused interest as potential agents for treatment of Type 2 diabetes as exemplified by a peptide isolated from the skin secretions from the leaf frog, Hylomantis lemur with the ability to release insulin from the rat BRIN-BD11 clonal B cell line; A synthetic version of the peptide, phylloseptin-L2 was remarkably good at that. Other peptides from phyllomedusid frogs are a 13 amino-acid-residue peptide from Agalychnis calcarifer (Abdel-Wahab et al 2005) and peptides from Agalychnis litodryas (Marenah et al 2004a) and Phyllomedusa trinatis (Marenah et al 2004b) with a structure similar to dermaseptins. Therapeutic applications Antimicrobial peptides are appealing for therapeutics since they are rapidly produced at low metabolic expenses, stored easily in abundance and readily available shortly following an infection, to rapidly counteract a wide range of microbes (Zhoa 2003). The 20 existing amino acids confer tremendous diversity in sequence and structure of peptides, presenting opportunities in creating a whole range of novel drugs (Hancock and Scott 2000) Peptides can be used for battling antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections or septic shock (Finlay and Hancock 2004). Other potential applications include topical applications for preventing sexually transmitted diseases (Rana et al 2006) including HIV/HSV (Reddy et al 2004), Meningococcal meningitis, diabetic wounds e. g. foot ulcers, gastric helicobacter infections, impetigo (Gunaratna et al 2002; Reddy et al 2004), treating eye infections (Migenix 1998). Creams with snails mucin containing antimicrobial peptides are currently marketed for topical applications treating skin infections and acne inflammation (Cottage 2007). Efforts have also been directed at developing magainin analogs into anticancer drugs (Boman 1995). Furthermore, as attempts persevere to alter the immune system of the vectors or their symbionts to confer to the vectors the ability to eradicate the parasites (Ham et al 1994; Gwadz et al 1989), peptide antibiotics are seen as a potential weapon in fighting insect- borne diseases like malaria, trypanosomiasis, and filariasis. Besides using AMP as proteins, genes encoding AMP can be delivered as gene therapy. Genetically altered bacteria making the antimicrobial in situ can be used for targeting pathogens, which is particularly relevant to the treatment of dental caries, Crohn disease, and other disorders in which disturbances in natural microflora play a role and host-microbe balance must be preserved (Palffy 2009). Peptides are also used for food preservation as exemplified by Nisin, produced by certain strains of Lactococcus lactis subsp. Lactis (Joerger 2003). Engineering peptides for enhanced activity Natural peptides do not always possess all the features required to make them suitable therapeutics, validating the need to engineer their primary structure to confer those properties to them (Sarah et al 1999) e. g. stability, reduced toxicity (Won and Ianoul 2009); existing desirable properties e. g. potency, selectivity or specificity of antimicrobial activity can also be strengthened. In cationic AMPs, antimicrobial activity has been ascribed to the net positive charge since the outermost portion of bacterial membranes is negatively charged by virtue of the negatively charged phospholipids (Brogden 2005). Substitution of acidic residues with basic ones, reportedly boosted the potency of LLP1 against S. aureus from the increase in net charge of the peptide (Robert and Hancock 1997). Hydrophobicity (aiding in membrane insertion) and flexibility, driving the peptides change in conformation to allow interaction with the membrane, have also been identified as important (Jenssen 2006). Antibacterial activity of peptides can be enhanced by altering their flexible secondary structures; altering the membrane-associated conformation of indolicidin to bring the N and C termini closer together increased activity against gram-negative bacteria (Ianoul 2010). Oren and Shai (2000) claim that a successful designing strategy in the synthesis of antimicrobial peptides is the incorp oration of non-natural amino acids (such as Ornithine) and the utilization of D-Amino acids with the aim to sustain natural activity and confer resistance against proteases. It has been found that, often, modest alterations to ineffective antimicrobial peptides successfully confer antifungal properties as evidenced by the resulting potent action of magainin analogues coupled with undecanoic acid or palmitic acid in contrast to the native peptide, against yeast and opportunistic fungal infections (Avrahami and Shai 2003) However, often, one roadblock in peptide production is that expression of antibacterial proteins in bacteria may be suicidal to the cells; this could be circumvented by making a fusion protein which is made to accumulate in inclusion bodies at a later stage in growth (Boman 1995). A report of this technique applied on four fusion proteins was recently published (Piers et al 1993). Use of expression vectors in hosts that are insensitive to the peptide antibiotic is also proposed as a solution that has met with success in producing an insect defensin in yeast (Reichchart et al 1992). There are reports of the baculovirus system being used to express a fusion protein cecropin A although with rather low yields, in an insect cell line (Andersons et al 1991). Using the same virus vector in live insects, expression of cecropin about 60 times higher was recorded in the hemolymph. Pseudin antimicrobial peptides Introduction Pseudin-1, Pseudin-2, Pseudin-3 and Pseudin-4 are antimicrobial peptides with structural similarity, which are secreted from the skin of the bright green and pink paradoxical frog from the Pseudidae family, Pseudis paradoxa, inhabiting Trinidad and the Amazon basin (Olson et al 2001). Pseudins, a subfamily of the Frog Secreted Active Peptides (FSAP) are cationic, amphipathic and helical (Olson et al 2001). Pseudin-2, the most abundant and powerful 2685. 4 Da peptide comprises 24 residues (GLNALKKVFQGIHEAIKLINNHVQ). In aqueous solutions pseudin-2 coils randomly while in those emulating the hydrophobicity of the cell membrane e. g. 50% trifluoroethanol/water, it assumes an a-helical conformation (Yasser et al 2008). Antimicrobial activity of Pseudin-2 As testified by Olson et al (2001), Pseudin-2 effective against Escherichia coli (MIC=2. 5 Â µM), Staphylococcus aureus (80 Â µM) and Candida albicans (130 Â µM) and has very weak haemolytic activity against human erythrocytes in contrast to other frog antimicrobial peptides (Colon 2004). Another study by Pal et al (2005) showed that strains of several pathogenic bacteria Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Streptococcus were also effectively acted upon by multi-l-lysine-substituted analogues. They also demonstrated that gradually raising the cationicity of pseudin-2 by replacement of several residues with l-lysine in the hydrophilic part of the peptide enhanced the antimicrobial property. An analogue [D-Lys3, D-Lys10, D-Lys14]pseudin-2 in particular, in contrast to others had a significantly increased antimicrobial effect against E. coli and S. aureus and, low haemolytic and cytolytic activity against human erythrocy tes. Replacing Asn with Lys at codon 3 was found to double the antimicrobial activity against E. coli and S. aureus from a reduction in destabilisation of the a-helix besides greater positive charge (Pal et al 2005). Kim et al (2007), in a study attempting to link structure to mechanical action of pseudin-2 in microorganisms and liposomes, suggested that the antimicrobial activity of Pseudin-2 is ascribed to the punching of holes in the target cell membrane through its oligomerisation according to the toroidal pore model in zwitterionic liposomes and the barrel-stave model in anionic liposomes. Pseudin-2 as an anti-diabetic peptide Besides antimicrobial features, Pseudin is seen as promising, prospective insulinotropic agent for treating type 2 diabetes as an incretin mimetic (Abdel-Wahab et al 2008). Yasser et al (2008) demonstrated that Pseudin-2 and derivatives, particularly a [Lys18]-pseudin-2 derivative, enhanced release of insulin from a clonal B-cell line, BRIN-BD11 via Ca2+ independent pathways. The insulin- releasing features of [Lys18]-pseudin-2 are very similar to the gut hormones GLP-1(7-36) amide and GIP (McClenaghan and Flatt 1999) Mutagenesis Site-directed mutagenesis Initially, DNA mutation was based on generation of random mutations in chromosomal DNA using X-rays and chemicals or error-prone PCR which suffered from the major drawback of not targeting the mutation to a specific gene, leading to the emergence of site-directed mutagenesis. This technique has become instrumental for altering DNA sequences in molecular biology and genetic engineering, and for investigating how protein structure relates to function (Zheng et al 2004). In vitro approaches to site-directed mutagenesis can be generally grouped into three categories (Botstein and Shortle 1985):(i) localized random mutagenesis (ii) oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis (Cosby and Lesley 1997) and (ii) techniques restructuring DNA fragments e. g cassette mutagenesis (Lo et al 1984). Single amino acid substitutions in proteins can be produced by oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis. One or more amino acids at specific desired locations in the polypeptide chain can be substituted with no length change. Any residue, chemically reactive or inert, buried or exposed can be targeted, and size can be replaced without altering polarity, or polarity without altering size (e. g. aspartate to asparagine). Often, different multiple substitutions are introduced at one specific position or at several locations to study their effect on protein function (Kegler et al 1994). Saturation mutagenesis Using saturation mutagenesis, which often involves oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis (Zoller and Smith 1982), a library of mutants with all possible mutations at one or more pre-determined key positions in a gene can be created. In conjunction with high-throughput screening, saturation mutagenesis has numerous applications. For example, it has been used in enhancing the stability of the Rhizopus oryzae prolipase enzyme towards lipid oxidation products such as aldehydes (Lorenzo et al 2007) and to increase enantioselectivity of Pseudomonas fluorescens esterase (Park et al 2005). The ligand-binding specificity of the human oestrogen receptor for a resveratrol-like synthetic compound has also been successfully enhanced by saturation mutagenesis (Islam et al 2009). Randomised gene libraries are usually created by replacing part of the parental gene with a synthetic DNA cassette with specific randomised codons (Hine et al 2003). Cassette Mutagenesis is a means of creating a library by targeting a specific site or sites of any length or sequence and replacing them with new sequences; degenerate oligonucleotides are used for inserting the predetermined degeneracy into the peptide. Cassette Mutagenesis involves cutting the original gene contained in a plasmid with two endonucleases at identified, appropriate restriction sites to remove a small section from the plasmid. To make the sequence more amenable to mutations at any region along it, unique restriction sites around 40 nucleotides apart can be inserted into the plasmid (Stryer 2002). The gap is subsequently replaced with a synthetic double-stranded oligonucleotide (the cassette) with sticky ends which is then ligated to the plasmid which now has the required mutation. The new mutated insert allows protein structures or nucleic acid sequences to be studied. Bakir et al (1993) found cassette mutagenesis to be useful for mutating nine single amino acids in the active site of Aspergillus awamori glucoamylase to modify pH dependence of the enzyme and investigate the functions of the mutated residues. Xiang and Sampson (2004) used cassette mutagenesis to screen libraries for establishing specificity of the substrate in a cholesterol oxidase-catalyzed reaction. Oligonucleotide synthesis or screening can be costly for cassette mutagenesis, especially if several parts of a gene are targeted for saturation mutagenesis, since for each region to be mutated, a different batch of oligonucleotide cassettes containing the mutated codon must be produced (Kegler-Ebo et al 1994). Codon randomisation High throughput substitution can be accomplished through randomisation of codons, resulting in a randomised gene library including all possible amino acid substitutions for the target amino acid residue. Conventional codon randomization uses oligonucleotides containing NNN-, NNB-, NNK- or NNS (N: A/C/G/T; B: C/G/T; K: G/T; S: G/C) since each of these combinations code for all 20 amino acids (Patrick and Firth 2003). Creating NNN libraries from oligonucleotides by employing an equimolar mixture of the four nucleotides at each position represents the easiest approach to codon randomisation (Bosley et al 2005) but a sizeable portion of the library contains premature stop codons especially in the event of multiple codon-randomisations. Additionally, the most common protein mutants with Arg, Leu and Ser (with six degenerate codons) are immensely over-represented in contrast to the rarest mutant with Met or Trp at each randomized position (Patrick and Firth 2003). By employing reduced codon sets, the quality and diversity of the protein library can be enhanced. NNB codons have the lowest likelihood of 1 in 48 of coding for stop codon. NNK and NNS codons reduce the over-representation of the commonly-occurring variants (Patrick and Firth 2003). Although NNK and NNS give rise to a similar distribution of amino acids, NNK is preferred for libraries hosted by E. coli and S. cerevisiae by virtue of their favourite codon use but the NNK codon distributes the 20 amino acids unequally and generates 3% termination codons. Neuner et al (1998) mutated codons with dinucleotide phosphoramidite which has the advantage of requiring only seven dinucleotide building blocks to code for all 20 amino acids. Besides being flexible, the technique can be used applied to various hosts with different codon usage patterns. Virnekas et al (1994) have reported use of trinucleotide phosphoramidites as well in random mutagenesis involving chemical DNA synthesis with a yield above 98%. MAX randomisation The MAX codon randomisation method designed and tested on three residues on a synthetic zing finger protein recently by Hine et al (2005) is a superior technique using simple primers efficiently to curtail library size. Using this technique specific synthetic oligonucleotides anneal to a template containing the codons targeted for mutagenesis which are each fully randomised conventionally (NNN)-to select the particular set of desired codons for E. coli. 20 oligonucleotides, each made up of a complementary region and a MAX codon encoding an amino acid, base-pair at each randomised codon. Specific selection primers are designed to cover the 5 region of each target codon and terminate with each specific codon whose presence in the library is necessary; a set of primers is synthesised for each targeted codon. These are hybridised to the template and ligated to give a single strand. 2 extra unique oligonucleotides are needed for serving as primer-binding and restriction sites at the cassette extremities, also ensuring that PCR amplification of only the selection strand occurs. The resulting double-stranded DNA can be subjected to restriction digestion, dephosphorylation followed by ligation into an expression construct or extended to regenerate the complete gene. One advantage of the MAX technique is that, despite the requirement for a large number of primers, their maximum number does not exceed 20 times the randomized codon-number, resulting in a library comprising 8000 mutants with the absence of codon bias and premature termination codons. While randomising NNN and NNG/T codons generates exponentially-rising redundant gene libraries with increasing randomised codons, MAX randomisation generates non-redundant libraries in essence. Amplification bias likely to arise from using PCR to generate the complementary strand can be minimised by synthesising a second strand instead of using PCR. MAX also allows circumvention of the use of a DNA synthesizer and is helpful when medium to large (103-106 variants) libraries have to be screened efficiently (Neylon 2004). Drawbacks MAX is not practical if only one codon needs to be randomized and cannot be used if the number of adjacent codons to be randomized exceeds two. Furthermore, it is a complicated technique (Hine et al 2003). References Abdel-Wahab, L. M. , et al. (2005) Isolation and structural characterisation of a novel 13-amino acid insulin-releasing peptide from the skin secretion of Agalychnis calcarifer. Biol Che. 386: 581-587. Amann and Brosius. (1985) ATG vectors for regulated high-level expression of cloned genes in Escherichia coli. Gene [Online]. 40: 83-190. Available from: http://www. sciencedirect. com/science?_ob=ArticleURL_udi=B6T39-47PH4H8-BJ_user=153063_coverDate=12%2F31%2F1985_rdoc=1_fmt=high_orig=search_sort=d_docanchor=view=c_searchStrId=1259545403_rerunOrigin=google_acct=C000012698_version=1_urlVersion=0_userid=153063md5=af56ff2270eff863a3062bdd46bc9a70 Amiche, M. , et al. (1999) The dermaseptin precursors: A protein family with a common preproregion and a variable C-terminal antimicrobial domain. FEBS Lett [Online]. 456: 352-356. Available from: http://apps. isiknowledge. com/InboundService. do?Func=Frameproduct=WOSaction=retrieveSrcApp=HighwireUT=000082079500002SID=Q2coKoP%40dF7jNOjpLkgInit=YesSrcAuth=Highwiremode=FullRecordcustomersID=HighwireDestFail=http%3A%2F%2Fwww. isiknowledge. com%3FDestApp%3DCEL%26DestParams%3D%253Faction%253Dretrieve%2526mode%253DFullRecord%2526product%253DCEL%2526UT%253D000082079500002%2526customersID%253DHighwire%26e%3DCkCYpwhLs4N6PGgAE_lYJ503Re6_mdcbI8LWGd6UH07UznpX03dChP3eV4e0frXM%26SrcApp%3DHighwire%26SrcAuth%3DHighwiresmartRedirect=yes[Accessed 25th Feb 2010] Andersons et al. (1991) Biologically a

Cider House Rules Essay -- essays research papers

The movie Cider House Rules involves many different characters that one can focus on, but the main character I want to focus on is Homer Wells, who is also the main character of the film. Now every character goes through many different situations and are faced with different obstacles that they must over come. Dr. Larch has to over come the ability to realize he is human, and how the board wants to replace him. Mr. Rose has to over come non-diligent workers, and conflicts with his daughter and keep a calm, flowing working environment. Candy Kendall has to deal with her husband Wally Worthington being away fighting for the United States in World War II. On the other side Wally has to deal with the loss of ability to use his legs and being paralyzed in a wheel chair. But, none of these are more compelling or can be looked at in so many ways as Homer's. Now from the time Dr. Larch said, "Hence forth you be known as Homer Wells", he seemed to be the type of person to say, "What you see, is what you get". Now I believe this cause from early childhood, to adolescence, to early adulthood there was never anything to flashy about him. He was dressed in plain old school baby pajamas with legs and feet on them. When he was growing up he was wearing plains shirts, and a pair of slacks. This form of appearance remained constant through the rest of the movie in reality. The main colors that Homer wore were grays, blacks, and browns. Showin...

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Susan B. Anthony Susan Brownell Anthony was a magnificent women who devoted most of her life to gain the right for women to vote. She traveled the United States by stage coach, wagon, and train giving many speeches, up to 75 to 100 a year, for 45 years. She went as far as writing a newspaper, the Revolution, and casting a ballot, despite it being illegal. Susan B. Anthony was born on February 15, 1820, in Adams, Massachusetts. She was the second of eight children in her family. In the early 1800's girls were not allowed an education. Susan's father, Daniel, believed in equal treatment for boys and girls and allowed her to receive her education from a private boarding school in Philadelphia. At the age of seven her family moved to Batterville, New York. Later, in 1845 her family made their final move to Rochester, New York. At the early age of fifteen, Susan started her teaching career, thanks to her father's encouragement. She continued to teach until she was thirty. Opposing the use of liquor and wanting an immediate end of slavery, Susan displayed he...

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Forms are defined as the objects or â€Å"things† we believe to see in which are not physically there, but in the form in which they are perceived. These Forms described in Plat's theory are only intellectually comprehended not physically. To Plato, nothing that is physical can be â€Å"Perfect,† perfect only exists in theory. But these Forms are not Ideas, simply because these forms existed before anyone was around to imagine these things.There were always â€Å"things† in shapes, or dutiful things, or quantities of things before there were people having ideas or giving names to these things. Plato was aware of the physical sense of things, but believed they had a lesser reality because they can always approximate their form and are always to some extent flawed. Aristotle on the other hand, disagreed with Plato on his theory of forms because he believed Plat's theory to be meaningless. Aristotle argument against Plato Is referred to as the Third man Argument.Ari stotle believed that if everything is unconnected by some type of outside form that relates everything together, there must be another form connecting that form with the first form and so on. He viewed the forms as Universals-Something that more than one Individual can be. Saying that something can be connected to more than one thing, so circularity, beauty, largeness and greenness are examples of universals because more than one thing can be circular, beautiful, large or green. So people, or animals or plants are not universals they are particulars because only one thing can be these things.I agree with Aristotle on his Idea of proving Plato wrong with universals and particulars. I think that these forms cannot Just end with one thing In common, that more than one adjective can be described per object. If something Is circular and that Is what Is In common, say the example are coins, they can also be silver, ridged, small, large, heavy, light, there are many ways of describing an o bject and their forms would be never ending. Plat's theory of Forms By landlubber's he believed Plat's theory to be meaningless.Aristotle argument against Plato is forms as Universals-something that more than one individual can be. Saying that I agree with Aristotle on his idea of proving Plato wrong with universals and particulars. I think that these forms cannot Just end with one thing in common, that more than one adjective can be described per object. If something is circular and that is what is in common, say the example are coins, they can also be silver, ridged, small, large, heavy, light, there are many ways of describing an object and their forms

Environment and Public Works Essay

Redwood forests are filled with an assorted collection of animal and plant species. These forests are deemed as complex ecosystems wherein â€Å"the tallest trees in the world to the tiniest fungi are working systematically in a very delicate balance. † More so, the redwoods have been discovered to affect the â€Å"climate of the river canyons by transpiring moisture which keeps the humidity high† (Humboldt Redwoods Interpretive Association). Through this, it can be surmised that trees play a vital role in sustaining life in the biosphere. Because of this, it is mandatory that humans do everything in their power to protect and conserve the redwood forests. However, due to changing times, the biodiversity in the Redwood forests are being threatened particularly by illegal logging. Historically, illegal logging started over centuries ago as early as the Spanish colonization and still a continuous practice in the 21st century. Since then, almost 95% of the redwood forests had been destroyed (Berry). Moreover, illegal logging is caused by overpopulation and increase in demand for natural resources. Because of these demands, virgin forests are turn into urban housing to accommodate the growing population and timbers are being utilized for profit. As a result, the various California species are being endangered to the brink of extinction. If this will not be taken care of immediately, the ecosystem of the Redwood forests will soon be destroyed which can adversely affect the natural cycle of existence. To prevent this from happening, several actions must be facilitated such as information campaign, boycott and conservation efforts. The public needs to be aware of the current situation of the Redwood forests in order to educate and at the same time invoke their interest in saving the Redwood. More so, through the boycott of the products of companies that abuses the Redwood forests, people can help in decreasing the need for natural resources produced by trees and animals living in the Redwood forests (Gapsucks. org). Furthermore, practicing environment-friendly activities such as recycling paper and patronizing consumer goods that are safe for Mother Earth can alleviate the current negative effects of illegal logging which can cause floods, wildfire, extinction of plant and animal species and climate change. As a public political figure, I hope that you can help in disseminating information about how to lessen human impact on the Redwood Forests. Also, I hope that you can generate legislations that will protect and sustain the biodiversity of the Redwood Forests. Respectfully yours, Your name Works Cited Berry, Wendell. â€Å"Learn from the Past. † 2009. Bioweb. uwlax. edu. 13 May 2009 â€Å"Redwood Forest Ecology. † 8 October 1996. Humboldt Redwoods Interpretive Association. 13 May 2009 â€Å"Save the Redwoods, Boycott the Gap. † 18 January 2009. Gapsucks. org. 13 May 2009

Britain Imperialism

Expansionism The question when it comes to Britain and other empires, would be how they influenced and helped to fuel an entire race for an empires' expansion. New imperialism began creation on continuous practice in the sass's in the European scale of things. Industrial powers or backings help create an empire of control. With any nation in history, new technology often equates to an increase in knowledge and power. There are also many factors that cause things as such as new imperialism.Those factors include things such as geopolitics, nationalism and economic factors. The effect on Britain's decision to adopt this form of expansion was completely influenced by Europe, as all other countries eventually were. According to the noted Winston Churchill, â€Å"give peace to warring tribes, to administer Justice where all was violence, to strike the chains off the slave, to draw the richness from the soil, to place the earliest seeds of commerce and learning, to increase in whole people s their capacities for pleasure and diminish their chances of pain. Snobbery, p. 149) Most of all nations would disagree that imperialism is good or beneficial to anyone else's country but their own. Whether it is the affects of Europe or non-European cultures and countries, imperialism seems to be beneficial on a large scale, which is why every country and culture wants control of it. There were many imperialist activities that took place within or concerning Britain in the 19th century. It is shown throughout Britain's history the significant events that have led up to imperialism in this nation.Going back in early 19th hundreds, it is noted that the British did indeed force China into the opium trade in the early sass's which in turned caused a shift to begin. Back in 1839-1841 and again in 1878-1880, the Bruits had gone to war with Afghanistan to protect its property in the form of POS and India, as well as the northern frontier. Originally Britain took over India back in 1825 a nd fought to maintain its control. Even earlier in history, many people requested and sought out the protection of Britain, including Malay Sultanates.Later n the twentieth century, in 1914, Britain completely controlled Malay. In a place called Borneo, Karakas had become under the ownership of an ex -Brim by the name of James Brooke, whom also was a solder for the East India Company. Furthermore and eventually in 1888, Saba became a British province. Within that same year, the former owner of Saba, Brunet also fell under British control. Reference:

Comparing poems about identity Essay

In this essay I will be comparing two poems about identity-â€Å"Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan† by Moniza Alvi and â€Å"Welsh Landscape† by R.S. Thomas. â€Å"Welsh Landscape† was written in approximately 1963. It’s a poem of dismay; Thomas is despairing about what is happening to his country. Although he has an obvious love for his country, in â€Å"Welsh Landscape† this is almost hidden by Thomas’s feelings of bitterness and frustration at what’s happened to the once infamous landscape, history and language of Wales. Thomas wishes that Wales would just move forward and embrace its heroic past, but in his eyes this just isn’t happening. â€Å"Presents from my Aunts in Pakistan† was written in the late 20th century. It’s also a poem of despair-but in a different way. Thirteen-year-old Moniza Alvi isn’t angry, but she’s uncomfortable where she is and wishes that she could fit in. She’d give anything for that. She wishes desperately that she could feel more at home and ordinary in Britain, where she’s lived practically all her life, but she can’t. She can’t reconcile her two cultures-Pakistani and English-and she’s confused and upset about this. Moniza Alvi wonders why she can’t fit in and feels utterly trapped. This is like Thomas’s poem; he feels that his country is trapped between two cultures-English and Welsh-too. Both Alvi and Thomas feel that they’ve completely lost their identities. Both poets explore their culture in these poems. They’re both proud of many aspects of their cultures, but feel that a lot needs to be done to enable them to live in their idea world. RS Thomas seems angry. He talks about how in Wales you â€Å"cannot live in the present† and how there’s â€Å"only the past†. He’s angry that that over the years, the Wales he knows and loved has crumbled away. It could have been avoided. Thomas directly addresses his reader when he comments that â€Å"You cannot live in the present†. Here, he’s saying that this is the same for everybody in Wales; it’s unavoidable. Although you can tell that Thomas is proud of his culture (he talks about the â€Å"immaculate rivers† and the â€Å"soft consonants†) he believes that a more negative atmosphere has now taken over his country. He believes that Wales should remain purely Welsh, and anybody who defies that is â€Å"inbreeding†. Overall, I think that RS Thomas is trying to say that we should appreciate Wales but be conscious of its violent past and try to move on from that-instead of being trapped between the past and present. At the moment, people just aren’t moving on. Moniza Alvi, on the other hand, feels lost. She’s confused. She longs to be able to wear her â€Å"glistening†, â€Å"satin-silken†, â€Å"embossed† clothing, but can’t fee comfortable in them. â€Å"My costume clung to me and I was aflame,† she says. â€Å"Aflame† implies that when she wears these clothes, she feels embarrassed and angry that she doesn’t look right. â€Å"Costume† suggests that these don’t feel like her ordinary clothes; it’s like she’s trying to be something that she’s not. However, although she longs for â€Å"denim and corduroy† (ordinary, plain British clothes) she doesn’t describe them with anywhere near as much enthusiasm. They’re plain, even if they are comfortable, and here we see that Moniza Alvi is again torn between her two cultures. She’s envious of her Aunt Jamila, who can â€Å"Rise up out of its fire, half English†. She feels that she can’t do this at all. She simply wants to be accepted for who she is. She loves her Pakistani clothing-it looks â€Å"radiant† in her wardrobe-but on her, it just doesn’t look right. She talks about her mother’s â€Å"cherished† jewellery which was stolen from her car. The jewellery, like her, was stolen from its roots-now it’ll never be cherished in the same way again. She then goes on to discuss the â€Å"camel-skin† lamp. Just like her, the camel-skin lamp has been taken out of its own culture and put somewhere else. She says that she considers its â€Å"cruelty†-we see here that the lamp is a metaphor for herself. She feels that she has been treated cruelly when she was taken out of her culture and put somewhere else-and she’s having difficult dealing with it. Ever since she left Pakistan, she’s felt out of place. On the journey to England, Moniza Alvi says that â€Å"prickly heat had me screaming on the way†-her trek to England even started off on the wrong foot. She â€Å"ended up in a cot†-this implies that as soon as she arrived in England she was completely trapped. She then immediately â€Å"found myself alone, playing with a tin boat†. She;s already lost, and the tin boat insinuates that she already wants to sale back home. She just wants to feel right where she is; she doesn’t have an identity. Here, we see a contrast between the two poems that I’m studying-brittle as it is, at least RS Thomas has an identity. The mood throughout â€Å"Welsh landscape† is that of frustration. RS Thomas is irritated because he sees the potential in Wales-â€Å"the constant noisy tractor† and the â€Å"hum of the machine† which implies that work in Wales is indeed moving forward. He sees the beauty of Wales in the â€Å"immaculate† rivers and the â€Å"wild† sky, but is angry that people aren’t willing to maintain this beauty in other aspects of Wales-the â€Å"wind bitten towers and castles† and, â€Å"mouldering quarries and mines†. He’s frustrated that people aren’t maintaining the areas that his country has always been famous for. He feels that he’s been affected unnecessarily-if the Welsh people did what in his eyes are their duties, he wouldn’t be in this situation. He’s extremely aggravated that this has been allowed to happen and that Wales’ reputation and condition is continuing to deteriorate. He’s worried that eventually, Wales won’t even have its â€Å"soft consonants† and, â€Å"wind-bitten towers and castles† to its name-they’ll be allowed to die out.

Sex Education in primary schools Research Proposal

Sex Education in primary schools - Research Proposal Example Many think that giving them sex education in school will help them understand the dangers of sex before they are ready and help them abstain from sex. Children are not capable of understanding sex at such an early age and therefore it gives them a license to have sex if they are not already doing so. The truth is that when children have free sex information available to them and they receive condoms and other contraception methods they will want to experiment and have sex early. This is not a good thing. There are three main reasons for this: 1) Without being taught about ethics and responsibility, kids will see this education as a green light to do whatever they want; 2) It should be more the responsibility of parents to discuss this with their kids rather than teachers who may or may not know the students very well; 3) Sexual education is not one-size-fits all—people should be taught according to their maturity. Where do children get their information about sex? In todays world they are getting it from their teachers in most elementary, secondary and high schools. With the Internet and other methods of information that children have access to they are able to find just about anything they want easily. The question then is why should they have access to sex education? They are very young and the more information they receive the more they will want to try sex early. There education should be commensurate with their ability to take responsibility for their actions. In this case, there is a big gap between the two. There are several sides to this debate. Much of it comes from parents. Many parents think that all children should be taught abstinence which means that children are told to abstain from sex before marriage. Kim and Rector report that according to a 2005 study those children who took a vow to abstain from sex when they were adolescents are the least likely to engage in sexual intercourse as teenagers (74). This is a very

Strategic Management - business environment - success Case Study

Strategic Management - business environment - success - Case Study Example The second section will take a look at the internal and external situation of the company through the employment of a SWOT analysis. The strategies employed by a business organisation are strongly influenced by its leaders. The strategic direction and path taken by the company is always dependent on the leadership style, personality, and experience of its decision makers. This fact is highly exemplified in the operation of Stakis Plc. Since its inception to its course of operation, the company has been run by four distinct leaders which pursued different strategies in order to take the company forward. These leaders are Reo Stakis, Andors Stakis, Sir Lewis Robertson and David Michels. Roe Stakis laid the foundation of Stakis Plc by the opening of a restaurant in Glasgow in 1947. This move during a period of "severe and continuing austerity" in an "industrial city which carried over an unattractive image from the interwar period" seems to be irrational at the moment. However, it showed the leader's Reo Stakis' optimism and the determination to offer his products in spite of the external challenges and difficulties. Reo's distinct optimism and determination fuel the growth of the company and its venture to other types of businesses. It can be seen that during his reign as the chairman of the Stakis Plc, the company has gone beyond the restaurant business into other sectors such as hotels, casinos, property and finance. The growth strategy employed by Reo can be further anlysed through the use of the Ansoff Matrix. The Ansoff's Matrix is a tool in strategic management which is utilised in order to aid in deciding the product and market growth strategy of a company. According to this tool, the strategies employed by a business organisation can be categorised according to the products offered and markets targeted. Strategies are classified as market penetration, market development, product development and diversification (Thomson and Strickland 2002). Analysing the growth strategy employed by Reo Stakis in the light of the Ansoff Matrix, it can be noted that the founder has ventured both into product development and diversification strategies. Unsatisfied as a restaurateur, he also offered lodging and recreation services to his tourists and business clients by opening hotels and casinos. This move can be described as a product development and related diversification strategy. By venturing into the leisure and hotel industries, the company is offers new products to its current market and also hopes to attract new ones. This is also evidenced by the company's rapid expansion into new geographical regions in the United Kingdom. The decision of Stakis Plc to venture into the property and financial sector is an unrelated diversification strategy. With this decision, the company moves beyond its previous business scope. It is also notable that the company's expansion strategy is often furthered through the acquisition of other firms. W ith the leadership Reo, Stakis Plc has acquired D&A Haddow and St. Ermin's Hotel. When deciding to operate in an unrelated industry, the company does not establish its own brand but seems to be more

Whats wrong with the American School system Essay

Whats wrong with the American School system - Essay Example The paper will highlight those elements and related factors that are the ultimate cause of substandard teaching and flaws in American school system. In America, the school system is unable to meet the learning needs of students and the approach is outdated that is not helpful for them in this digital age. It is due to the fact that America in the past focused on schools systems to be producing a workforce that was limited in number. Therefore, it was not a big deal if not all children were getting their way into classrooms. It ultimately resulted in making half population going to school with the other half remaining idle thus participating in criminal activities and becoming drug addicts. It is unfortunate but true that only one-third of American population got a change to finish their high schools with a rise in dropout rates at the same time (Gates, 2005). These are the students that gets their way into college and are ready for work while other students are taught things that they cannot make use of anywhere. Gates (2005) argues that class difference is also there in American school systems where not all children are getting equal chance to surpass due to economic conditions. In an attempt to highlight the nature of problems that American schools face, Steffin (2011) discusses the key aspects that are important in terms of drawbacks of majority of American schools. These drawbacks include the inadequacy of learning that does not contribute to creating certain skills in students that they could use in future. Moreover, the learning materials are not up to the mental level of some of students. An ambiguity also prevails in students mind as to what they are learning and what is their aim in reading the subjects they do. It is also disturbing for the teachers as they themselves do not think they are being successful in teaching students

Reaction paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 24

Reaction paper - Essay Example There were other neighboring plantations in the area like New Design and also Wye Town. The home plantation was the administrative base of all the twenty farms in the area. The slaves who proved unmanageable were also punished at the home plantation. The punishment forms include; whipping, sloop boarding, and being sold. These punishments were aimed at minimizing or eliminating resistance from other slaves. At the home plantation, all the slaves received their monthly food allowance for sustenance (Douglas 16). Mr. Litch was another player who, despite being uneducated was very wealthy. His plantation had approximately 600 slaves. He employed competent overseers to manage his plantation, and he adequately remunerated them. There was a jail and also a whipping post within his plantation. These punishment approaches, were aimed at the slaves who did not adhere to set down rules. Mr. Litch even engaged in murder, without being questioned due to his vast amounts of wealth. The reaction illustrates very inhumane punishment that the slaves received in the plantation of Mr. Litch. He required strict compliance to eight commandments, within his plantation. However, if a neighbor accused a slave against theft, the master engaged in browbeating and also assurances that he provides adequately for his slaves and hence they do not have reasons of stealing. The accuser was, however, whipped as a form of punishment, after the neighbor has left. The slaves who engaged in stealing pieces of meat or corn we re punished through being chained, imprisoned and finally subjected to hunger (Jacobs 57). The north and the south regions of America are different due to the direct issue of slavery. Thus the reaction paper illustrates the 1857 south crisis. The south policy is relatively ineffective, in the moral, social and political areas. The north, through its effective approaches and policy, are effective in almost all issues and opinions. It is

Issue with communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Issue with communication - Essay Example This not only looks bad from a new customer point of view, but it does not firm up established relationships with current customers. The lack of action on the company’s social media pages suggests that it does not place the role of technology in acquiring new customers very highly. It would useful for Future Shop to also share its Facebook posts on its Google+ page. In this case, the company would gain more followers among Google+ fans because not everyone uses Facebook. It is important that Future Shop caters to all social media networks because some people only use one or two. If Future Shop customers who prefer to use Google+ feel like the company has a lack of interest in them, then this will result in a loss of trust and loyalty from these customers. Communication plays an important role in the performance and growth of a company, and Future Shop needs to realize this if it wants to expand in the future. In a similar way, Future Shop’s LinkedIn page also reflects badly on the company’s image and reputation. On the LinkedIn page, the company mentions that it has more than 10,000 employees, except only 1,581 employees are in linked on the page (this means that only about 15% of employees are connected to the page). Added to this is the fact that the amount of followers is only around 3000, which barely double the number of the employees who are linked on the page. On the career page, Future Shop does not have any activities or job postings to attract new people to the company. Leaving this page blank shows a disinterest in hiring new people. The company does not put in any effort to attract job seekers and/or encourage them to visit the page regularly for any updates about job openings. Also, on the products page, the company does not list any of its products currently for sale. This does not encourage new customers to become attracted to the company

Gharar in Islamic Law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Gharar in Islamic Law - Assignment Example Another major contribution of the Islamic banks is that being under supervision of their Shariah Boards they presented a wide range of questions concerning modern business to Shariah Scholars, hence, providing them an opportunity to understand the contemporary business practice and trade but also to evaluate it in the light of Shariah and to find out other alternatives which may be acceptable according to the Islamic principles (Vogel and Samuel, 1998). Islamic Laws Islam is a complete code of life and encompasses everything in life. It influences families as much as international relations and certainly includes all financial matters. It sources are the Quran and the Sunnah and the consensus of the opinion of the great jurists and interpreters of Islamic Law. If none of cited provide guidance on a particular matter then there is qiyas or analogy by which jurists and scholars compare an issue of today with a similar one described in the Quran or Sunnah and draw conclusions from the p rinciples involved (Usmani, 2001). In all mattes of finance, the essence of Islamic law is perhaps based on a verse from the Quran that says â€Å"Do not usurp one another’ possessions†. The object of Islamic finance is to eliminate injustice and exploitation in financial dealings and to create an equitable distribution of wealth by encouraging effort and mutual co operation. It is believed that this, in turn, will increase productivity and goodwill, alleviate economic hostility and inspire all the members of a society with a feeling of having common economic goals (Al-Qardawi, 2001). However, because the law is derived from writings that predate modern life, the interpretations can be difficult. In the finance sector, banks appoint Shariah boards to consider transactions that the bank wishes to engage in and decide whether they meet the Shariah requirements. However, boards in different banks may often come to different conclusions (Obaidullah, 2005). Almost all trans actions entered into by banks are based on legal contracts that conform to local law (or in many cases, English Law) and often add Shariah compliance as an additional requirement. This has not proven to be an easy legal basis for business, although only a few cases have come to the courts, the courts have ruled that only one law can be applied (Ghafoor, 1995). London Rulings Two cases are worth studying a) Islamic Investment Company of Gulf Ltd v Symphony Gems & others (London High Court 13.02.02) b) Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd & others v Shamil Bank of Bahrain EC (Royal Courts of Justice, London 11 & 12 December, 2003) In the later case, the banking expert on Islamic Law and former director, Center of Islamic and Middle Eastern Law on the invitation of the court gave following observations (Usmani, 2001): The precise scope and content of Islamic Law in general, and Islamic banking in particular are marked by a degree of controversy within Islamic world, best exemplified by the fact that the actual practice of Islamic banking differs widely within the Islamic world (Usmani, 2001). In the absence of any agreement on the boundaries of Islamic Banking or indeed on what ought to be the precise ingredients of a Morabaha agreement, it is in practice up to the individual banks to determine the issue. In the absence of any legal prescription as to what does and what does not constitute Islamic banking or finance, most Islamic banks, including those in Bahrain, seek the advice of Islamic Scholars who examine and approve