Adult children of alcoholics

Alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence within the family setting often results in a serious psychological and social disorder that many now consider a family disease.   Truly, the family is not at ease, and the family relationships are not only disrupted but also disrupting.Undeniably, each member of the family can be victimized by the disturbing effects of problem drinking on the stability, unity, values, attitudes, and goals of the family unit.Countless millions of American adults have been exposed to problem-producing family drinking through endangered physical, mental, social, economic, and even spiritual welfare; unhappy and unfulfilling marriages; broken homes resulting from desertion and divorce; impoverishment; and sometimes violence involving both spouse abuse and child abuse.The family and marital interaction of alcohol-abusing people have become a growing area of research recently.   We now know that evidence linking alcohol abuse and family violence is not simply one of cause and effect.   Indeed, the husband who beats his wife is sometimes a battering father, but alcohol consumption may be coincidental to the circumstances that end with the abuse.Sometimes the drunken father is the target of violence from the wife and even the children.   To complicate the family situation, violence is often interspersed with periods of calm that mistakenly encourage the victims to believe that the personal abuse will not be repeated and in some instances, alcohol abusers can hold all other family members psychologically hostage to their threats of misbehavior or embarrassment, so that problem drinkers will â€Å"get their way† and so non-problem drinkers allow the abuse to continue through their own silence and inaction.Adults and Children of Alcoholics:Currently, it is estimated that there are 29 million Americans who may be designated as children of alcoholics (COA) or adult children of alcoholics (ACOA).   Nearly 7 million of them are under 18 ye ars of age, and almost 3 million of this group will likely develop alcoholism, other drug problems, and other serious coping problems.About half of all ACOAs will likely marry alcoholics and thus at risk of re-creating the same kind of stressful and unhealthy families in which they themselves grew up.  Ã‚   There is no doubt that all children are affected adversely by family alcohol abuse and suffer negative consequences.The larger proportions of COAs & ACOAs seem to function fairly well and do not develop serious problems during childhood or adulthood.   Many ACOAs & COAs make positive adjustments to their families’ alcoholism and other related-problems (Dunkel, 1994).Many children of alcoholics, however, are at an extremely high risk for developing alcohol and other drug problems, and often live with overwhelming tension, stress and fears.   Some have high levels of anxiety and depression, others do poorly in school and still others experience problems with coping.Amo ng the most frequently observed differences in ACOAs and COAs are deficits in mental functioning; in perception, reasoning, intuition, and the process of gaining knowledge.   While these children tend to achieve lower scores, they nevertheless test within normal ranges for intelligence and knowledge of specific academic subjects.But they often experience school problems, repeat grades, fail to graduate from high school and require referrals to school counselors and psychologists (Wegscheider, 1981).When COAs and ACOAs were first identified as a special population with unique needs and problems, a standard group of symptoms (the COA and ACOA syndrome) was formulated to describe children and adult children of alcoholics.The problems and symptoms were toleration of bizarre behavior displayed by parents as normal and acceptable, inability to trust others, difficulty in expressing inner feelings, experience of depression, and increased risk for mental illness.They tend to have developm ent of guilt feelings for supposedly causing a parent’s alcoholism and have loss of self-esteem and perception of self and family as oddities.   These individuals feel helpless in controlling their selves and life events.Children even have shown a belief in a magical person who will eventually save the child from harm and there is a development of an inward life focus to escape from the turmoil of the home.COAs and ACOAs commonly assume one of the following distinctive coping roles within the family; the family hero or junior mom caretaker, who is quite successful both at home and at school; the scapegoat who is something of an angry rebel and often involved unapproved social behavior.The lost child or angel, who withdraws to the background, never causes trouble, has no opinion, feels unimportant, and isolates himself or herself from others; or the mascot, who manages to defuse explosive and tense situation, often through humor, by focusing attention on himself or herself ( Jorgensen & Jorgensen, 1990).Recent critics of the theory of the COA and ACOA syndrome have contended that many children of nonalcoholic, but strong dysfunctional families such as those marked by sexual or physical abuse and incest, also share some of the characteristics as COAs and ACOAs.   Although the uniqueness of the ACOA and COA syndrome may be abandoned, the pain created within children who grow up in an alcoholic home is still acknowledged as significant and serious.The revision of this syndrome appears to include the following characteristics; A greater likelihood of becoming an alcohol or other drug abuser; a strong disposition toward having psychiatric symptoms as an adult; a moderately significant increase risk for marital problems; more impulsive behavior as a child as well as delayed language development, fine motor coordination and sociability; and a higher incident of cognitive disorders.Although most COAs and ACOAs have few common psychological factors that distin guish them from other children who experienced a disadvantaged childhood, one researcher has found that disproportionate number of children born to alcoholic or drug addicted parents have abnormal brainwave patterns.   Such differences appear to correlate strongly with certain behavioral characteristics, including impulsivity, social deviance, and lower IQ (Dunkel, 1974).The Recovery:Family therapy is a form of psychotherapy based on the proposition that disturbed relationships among various family members may have contributed to or resulted from the destructive drinking of one family member.   This form of treatment emphasizes family interaction factors, in addition to individual problems of the alcohol abuser, and proposes changes in the communication patterns of family members.All family members are treated as a unit, rather than isolating the alcoholic and treating that person apart from their family.   Behavioral therapy is a general form of psychotherapy that is based on the application of human learning theories in a clinical setting.   Behavioral therapists emphasize changing the coping patterns of the alcohol-dependent individuals rather than changing the underlying causes of self-destructive alcohol abuse.Some behavioral therapies focus on assertiveness training and improving communications skills and problem solving methods.   Such treatment emphasizes that drug dependent people can gain control over their own actions, reaffirm the value of sobriety, and eventually overpower alcohol.   This basic belief stands in sharp contrast with the philosophy of Alcoholics Anonymous, which emphasizes personal powerlessness over alcohol (Schuckit, 2006).Alcoholics Anonymous is one of the most successful approaches in recovery from Alcoholism.   Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a fellowship of problem drinkers who want to help in maintaining sobriety.   Voluntary membership involves an emotional commitment that the alcoholic is powerless over the cont rol of alcohol and that only a power greater than the self can restore soundness of mind.The famous â€Å"Twelve Steps† of AA express the philosophy and recovery process of this international association.   Offering hope of recovery from alcoholism is an essential feature of Alcoholics Anonymous.   Such hope is provided by both example and supportive interrelationships with other members of this self help fellowship.   Each person is expected to become involved with the Twelve Steps of AA, an ongoing process referred to as â€Å"working the program†.The Twelve Traditions of AA are the operational principles of the fellowship and express the importance and significance of the group in relationship to its membership, nonmembers, and society in general.   At present, Alcoholics Anonymous has an estimated membership in excess of 1.5 million people in 114 countries around the world.Despite its evident spiritual orientation, AA continues to thrive, based on singlenes s of purpose, group autonomy, self-supporting financial operation, maintenance of non-professional status, noninvolvement in public controversy, and personal anonymity.   Patterned closely after AA are the AlAnon family groups for spouses and friends of recovered and recovering alcoholics and Alateen groups for children of alcoholics (Ammermann, Ott & Tarter, 1999).Summary:Alcohol abuse is everyone’s problem.   Whether nonuser, moderate or social drinker, or alcoholic, everyone is directly or indirectly affected by alcohol abuse.   Whether alcoholism is perceived as a personal threat or not and whether drinking is viewed as good or bad, the most important thing to remember is that ethyl alcohol is a drug with the potential for adverse drug effects even when used in social settings.Social drinking is usually moderate, but the limits of appropriateness are likely to vary from one drinker or drinking group to another.   Consequently, promoting so-called responsible drink ing behavior may be less than adequate as a method of reducing alcohol problems and alcohol abuse.In a similar manner, urging drinkers to â€Å"party sensibly† or â€Å"know your limits† may sound like good advice, but these recommendations have been criticized as lacking in specificity and dealing with glittering generalities that cannot be applied easily.Problem drinking refers to alcohol consumption that will result in damage to the drinker, the drinker’s family, or the drinker’s community.   Problem drinkers include not only alcohol-dependent individuals and long-time alcohol abusers, but also moderate and light drinkers who drive after excessive drinking and cause accidents.Problem drinking is a form of substance abuse as well as a consequence of substance abuse.   Use of alcohol continues despite a persistent social, occupational, psychological or physical problem related to such consumption.   Problem drinking is also a form of substance abus e because alcohol intake recurs when such use is dangerous to oneself or to others or both.Reference:Ammermann, R. T., Ott, P.J., & Tarter, R.E. (1999).   Prevention and societal impact of    drug and alcohol abuse [computer file].   New Jersey: Erlbaum Associates.Dunkel, T. (1994).   Dealing with demons of a new generation.   In Annual Editions:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Drugs, Society and Human Behavior 94/95, p. 128-130. Guilford, Conn.:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Dushkin.Jorgensen, D. & Jorgensen, J. (1990).   Secrets told by children of Alcoholics.   Blue Ridge   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Summit, Pa.: Tab Books.Schuckit, M. A. (2006).   Drug and Alcohol Abuse a Clinical guide to diagnosis and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   treatment.   New York: Springer.Wegscheider, S. (1981).   Another chance: Hope and Health for the alcoholic family.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   California: Science and Behavior Books.

Compare and contrast of feudal systems in Japan and Europe Essay

Japanese feudal system during the Kamakaru Shogunate from 1100 to 1868 and Europe’s feudal system during the middle ages from the 800’s to the 1600’s were similar regarding warriors and weapons, considering that they were based on similar codes of conduct and weaponry, were similar in their socio-political division that had a similar hereditary hierarchy, but the treatment of women differed in that women were allowed to serve in Japanese warrior class but not in the European’s. European knights were very similar to the Japanese samurais; not only were they similar in their codes of conduct, but they had similar weaponry. The Knights were based on Chivalry which consisted bravery, respect and honor. The Samurais followed a similar code of conduct called bushido meaning â€Å"the way of the warrior† which consisted of loyalty, bravery in the martial arts, and honor until death. The similarity in their weapons was the use of swords, horses, small knife s, and armor. Although Europeans had a much heavier armor made of metal which immobilized knights, Japanese armor can still be compared to the armor of the knights. Reasons for this similarity is that both systems were faced with constant warfare, and their conducts were somewhat based on religion although Japan basing bushido from Confucianism and Europe basing chivalry from Catholicism. The socio political divisions of Japan and Europe are similar in that they are both stratified hierarchy. They both had hereditary classes of nobles, warriors, and peasants and serfs. Constant warfare in both Japan and Europe made the warrior class the most prominent. In Japan, since the Mongols wanted to attack the Japanese were always prepared and lived in terror. Japanese and Europeans also built protective castles. Like in Europe the kings gave land fiefs to vassals, Shoguns distributed land to his followers. In both feudal systems warriors served local lords. While lords offered payment and protection vassals provided loyalty. Fiefs of land were given in return for military service and therefore knights gained lands from lords as payments for their militar y service. Although similar to Europe, Japanese feudal system did not pay samurais with land, but instead paid them a ratio of the earnings from taxing the peasants; usually the Daimyo taxed peasants and owned land. As stratified hierarchies, both had a lowest class who were serfs in Europe and peasants in Japan. In both regions, serfs and peasants were heavily taxed and toiled. One reason for the similarity in stratification was that both Japan and Europe were  decentralized. Although Japan and Europe had similarities in their warriors, weaponry, and socio political stratification, the treatment of women varied in each region. Women in Japan were treated more equally; they were able to join the samurai army and were expected to act like a samurai and be strong like men, even if it meant dying after losing a battle. Unlike the costume of Japan, Europeans saw women as fragile, and delicate who were to be protected by chivalrous men.

Good Leaders Are Made Not Born

A PROJECT REPORT ON BEHAVIOURAL ASPECT OF LEADERSHIP BEHAVIOURAL ASPECT OF LEADERSHIP BUSINESS SCHOOL OF DELHI GREATER NOIDA SUBMITTED TO: SUBMITTED BY: PROF. VEENU ARORA ROHIT KUMAR PGDM(2011-13) INTRODUCTION Good leaders are made not born . If you  have the desire and will power ,you can become an effective leader. good leaders develop through a never-ending process of self study, education, training and experience.This guide will help you through that process. to inspire your people into higher  levels of teamwork, there are certain things you  must be, know ,and ,do. These do not come naturally, but are acquired through continual work  and study. The best leaders are continually working and  studying to improve their leadership skills. Before we get started, les define leadership. Leadership is  a complex process by which a person influences others to accomplish a mission, task or objective  and directs the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and cohe rent.A person carries out this process by applying his or  her leadership attributes (belief, values, ethics, character, knowledge, and skills). Although your position as a  manager, supervisor, lead, etc. s and objectives in the organization, this power does not make you a leader†¦ it simply makes you the boss. Leadership makes people  want to achieve high goals and objectives, while, on  the other hand, bosses tell people to accomplish a  task or an objective. Bass' (1) theory of leadership states that there  are three basic ways to explain how people become  leaders, the first two explain the leadership development for a small  number of people.These theories are: Some personality traits  may lead people naturally into leadership  roles. Tg is  is THE  TRAIT THEORY. Crisis or important event may cause a person to rise to the occasion, which brings extraordinary leadership qualities in an ordinary person. This is THE GREAT EVENT THEORY. People can choo se to become leaders. People can learn  leadership skills. This is THE TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP THEORY. It is most widely accepted theory today and the premise  on which this guide is based. When a person is deciding if  he respects you as a leader, hedoes not think about your attributes.He observes what you do so that he can know who you really are. He uses this observation to tell if you are an honourable and trusted leader, or a self serving person who misuses his or her  authority to look good and get promoted. Self serving leaders are not as effective  because their employees only obey them, not  follow them. They succeed in many areas because they present a good image  to their seniors at the expense of their  people. The basis of good leadership is honorable character and selfless service to your organization .In  your employees' eyes,  Your leadership is everything you do that  affects the organizations objectives and their well being. A  respected leader concentrates on what she is [be] (beliefs  and character), what she knows job, tasks, human nature), and what she  does (implement, motivate, provide direction). What makes a person follow a leader? People want to guided by those they respect and those who  have a clear sense of direction. to gain respect, they must be ethical. A sense of direction is achieved by conveying a strong vision of the  future. TWO MOST IMPORTANT KEYS OFLEADERSHIPHay's study examined over 75 key components of  employee satisfaction. They found that: trust and confidence in  top leadership was the single most reliable  predictor of employee satisfaction in an organization. Effective communication by leadership in three critical areas was  the key to win  organizational trust and confidence: helping the employees understand the company's overall business strategy. Helping employees understand how they contribute to achieving key  business objectives. Bring information with employe es on both  how the company is doing and how an own  employee's division is doing -relative to strategic business objectives.So basically, you must be trustworthy and you  have to be able to communicate a vision of where you are going. Notice how the â€Å"PRINCIPLES OF LEADERSHIP† in the next section closely ties in with this. HUMAN RELATIONS The six most important words: â€Å"i admit i made a mistake. â€Å"The five most important words: â€Å"you  did a good job. â€Å"The four most important words: â€Å"what is  your opinion. â€Å"The three most important words: â€Å"if you please. â€Å"The two most important words: â€Å"thank  you. â€Å"The one most important word: â€Å"we. â€Å"The least most important word: PRINCIPLE OF LEADERSHIPTO HELP YOU BE, KNOW, AND DO, (2) FOLLOW THESE ELEVEN principles of leadership (later sections will expand on  gaining an insight into these principles and  providing tools to perform them):Know yourself an d seek self-improvement means continually strengthening your attributes. This can be accomplished through reading, self-study, classes, etc. be technically proficient. As a leader, you must know your job and have a solid familiarity with your employees' jobs. Seek responsibility and take  responsibility of your actions. Search for ways to guide  your organization to new heights.And when things go wrong, they will sooner or later, do not blame others. Analyze the  situation, take corrective action, and move on to the next challenge. Make sound and timely decisions. Use good problem solving, decision making and planning tools. Set the example. Be a good role model for  your employees. They must not only hear what they are expected to do but also see. Know your people and  look out for their well-being. Know human nature and importance of sincerely  caring for your workers. Keep your people informed. Know how to communicate with your people within the organization. Develop a sense of responsibility in  your people.Develop good character traits within your people that will help them carry out their professional responsibilities. Ensure that tasks are understood, supervised, and accomplished. Communication is the key to this responsibility. Train your  people as a team. Although many so called leaders call their  organization, department, section, etc. A team; they are not really teams†¦ they are just a group of people doing their jobs. Use the  full capabilities of your organization. By developing a team spirit, you will be able to employ your organization, department, section, etc. to its fullest capabilitiesFACTORS OF LEADERSHIP The four major factors of leadership are †¦.. THE FOLLOWER: Different people require different styles of  leadership. For example,  a new hire requires  more supervision than an experienced employee. A person with  a different attitude requires a different approach than one with a  high degree of  motivation. You must know  your people! The fundamental starting point is having a good understanding of human  nature: needs, emotions, and motivation. You must know your employees' be, know and do attributes. LEADER:  You must have an honest understanding of who you  are, what you know, and what you can do.Also, note that it is the followers, not the leader who determines  if a leader is  successful. If a follower does no it trust or lacks confidence in his or her leader, then she will be uninspired. To be successful you have to convince your followers, not yourself or your supervisors, that you are worthy of being followed. COMMUNICATION: You lead through two way  communication. Much of it is non-verbal. For instance, when you â€Å"set the example,† that communicates to your people that you would no task them to perform anything that you would not be willing to do.What and how you communicate either builds or harms the relationship between you and your emp loyees. SITUATION: All situations are different. What you  do in one leadership situation will not always work in another situation. You must use your judgment to decide the best course of action and the leadership style needed for each situation. For example, you may need to confront an employee  for inappropriate behavior, but the confrontation is too late or too early, too harsh or too weak, then the results may prove ineffective . ATTRIBUTES if you are a leader  that can be trusted, then the  people around you will learn to respect you.To be a good leader, there are things thtu must be, know, and do. these fall under the  leadership framework: BE a professional. BE a professional who possess good character traits. KNOW the four factors of leadership- follower, leader, communication, situation. KNOW yourself . KNOW human nature KNOW your job KNOW your organization. DO provide direction. DO implement. DO motivate. Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, Adjourning The Tu ck man model(2)shows the five stages that teams go through: from Forming to Storming to Norming to Performing to Adjourning.Forming In the Forming stage, team members are introduced. They state why they were chosen  or volunteered for the team and what they hope to accomplish within the team. Members cautiously explore the boundaries of acceptable group behavior. This is a stage of transition  from individual to member status, and of testing the leader's guidance both formally and informally. Forming includes these feelings and behaviors: Excitement, anticipation, and optimism. Pride in being chosen for the  project A tentative attachment to the team Suspicion and anxiety about the job.Defining the tasks and how they will be accomplished. Determining acceptable group behavior. Deciding what information needs to be gathered. Abstract discussions of the concepts and issues, and for some members, impatience with  the discussions. There will be difficulty in identifying some of the relevant  problems. Because there is so much  going on to distract members' attention in the beginning, the team accomplishes little, if anything, that concerns it's project goals. This is perfectly normal. Storming During the team's transition from the â€Å"As-Is† tothe â€Å"To-Be,† is called the Storming phase.All members have their own ideas as to how theprocess should look, and personal agendas arerampant. Storming is probably the most difficultstage for the team. They begin to realize thetasks that are ahead are different and  moredifficult than they imagined. Impatient about thelack of progress, members argue about just whatactions the team should take. They try to relysolely on their personal and professionalexperience, and resist collaborating with most  of  the other team members. Storming includes these feelings and behaviors:Resisting the tasks. Resisting quality improvement approachessuggested by other members.Sharp fluctuations in attitude about the teamand the project's chance of success. Arguing among members even when they agreeon the real issues. Defensiveness, competition, and choosing sides. Questioning the wisdom of those who selectedthis project and appointed the other  membersof the team. Establishing unrealistic goals. Disunity, increased tension, and jealousy. The above pressures mean that team  membershave little energy to  spend on progressingtowards the team's goal. But they  are beginningto understand one another. This phase sometimestakes 3 or 4 meetings before arriving at theNorming phase.Norming The Norming phase is when the team reaches aconsensus on the  Ã¢â‚¬Å"To-Be† process. Everyonewants to share the  newly found focus. Enthusiasmis high, and the team is tempted to go beyond theoriginal scope of the process. During this stage,members reconcile competing loyalties andresponsibilities. They accept the team, teamground rules, their roles in the team, and theindividuality of fellow members. Emotionalconflict is reduced as previously competitiverelationships become more cooperative. Norming includes these feelings and behaviors:An ability to express criticism  constructively.Acceptance of membership in the team. An attempt to achieve harmony  by avoidingconflict. More friendliness, confiding in each other, andsharing of personal problems. A sense of team cohesion, spirit,  and goals. Establishing and maintaining team ground rules and boundaries. As team members begin to work out their differences, they now have more time  and energy to spend on the project. Performing The team has now settled its relationships andexpectations. They can begin performing bydiagnosing, solving problems, and choosing andimplementing changes.At last team membershave discovered and accepted each  other'sstrengths and weakness, and learned what theirroles are. Performing includes these feelings andbehaviors:Members have insights into personal and  groupprocesses, and bett er understanding of eachother's strengths and weakness. Constructive self-change. Ability to prevent or work  through groupproblemsClose attachment to the teamThe team is now an effective, cohesive unit. Youcan tell when your team has reached this stagebecause you start getting a lot  of work done. Adjourning The team briefs and shares the  improved processduring the this phase.When the team finallycompletes that last briefing, there is always abittersweet sense of accomplishment coupledwith the reluctance to  say good-bye. Manyrelationships formed within these teams continuelong after the team disbands TEAM VS GROUP There are several factors that separate teamsfrom groups. Roles and  Responsibilities Within a group, individuals establish a set of  behaviors called roles. These roles setexpectations governing relationships. Roles oftenserve as source of confusion and conflict. Whileon the other hand, teams have a sharedunderstanding on how to perform their role.These rol es include: leader, facilitator,timekeeper, and recorder. Identity While teams have an identity, groups do not. It isalmost impossible to establish the sense of  cohesion that characterizes a team without thisfundamental step. A team has a  clearunderstanding about what constitutes the team's'work' and why it is  important. They can describea picture of what the team needs to achieve, andthe norms and values that will guide them Cohesion Teams have an esprit that shows a sense of  bonding and camaraderie. Esprit is the spirit,soul, and state of mind of the team.It is theoverall consciousness of the team that  a personidentifies with and feels  a part of. Individualsbegin using â€Å"we† more than â€Å"me. † Facilitate Groups have a tendency to get bogged down withtrivial issues. Ask yourself, â€Å"How much time getswasted in meetings you attend? † Teams usefacilitators to keep the team on the right path. Communication While members of a group are  centered uponthemselves, the team is committed to opencommunication. Team members feel they canstate their opinions, thoughts, and feelingswithout fear. Listening is considered as importantas speaking.Differences of opinion is valued andmethods of managing conflict are understood. Through honest and caring feedback, membersare aware of their strengths and weakness  asteam members. There is an  atmosphere of trustand acceptance and a sense of community. Flexibility Most groups are extremely rigid. Teams, howevermaintain a high level of flexibility, and theyperform different task and maintenance functionsas needed. The responsibility for teamdevelopment and leadership is shared. Thestrengths of each member are identified  andused. Morale Team members are enthusiastic about the work of  the team and each person feels pride in being a 16 ember of the team. Team spirit is high. To be asuccessful team, the group must have a  strongability to produce results and a  high degre e of  satisfaction in working with one  another. Working With Other TeamMembers Although we are like in many ways, we are dislikein a lot more ways. Humans have always tried toclassify things, including themselves. This sectionuses a popular categorizer by placing people intofour styles – Driver, Persuader, Analyzer,Organizer. (note that the names will vary widelydepending upon the creator of the chart). It  doesthis by charting them on two dimensions – tasksand emotions.People gets results on tasksbetween two extremes – expedience andprocesses. People use emotions in dealing withothers through two extremes – controlled orresponsive. In the chart below, the twodimensions are shown under the profile Character: Be a piece of the  rock †¢ Charisma: The first impression can seal the deal. †¢ Commitment: It seperates doers from  dreamers †¢ Communication: without it you travel alone †¢ Competence: if you build it they will come à ¢â‚¬ ¢ Courage: one person with courage is a  majority †¢ Discernment: put an end to  unsolved mysteries †¢Focus: the sharper it is, the sharper you are †¢ Generosity: your candle loses nothing when it lights another †¢ Initiative: you wont leave home without it †¢ Listening: to connect with their hearts use your ears 43 †¢ Passion: take this life and love it †¢ Positive attitude: if you believe you can, you can †¢ Problem solving: you cant let  your problems be a problem †¢ Relationships: if you get along they will go along †¢ Resposibility: if you wont carry the ball you wont lead theteam †¢ Security: competence never compensates for insecurity †¢ Self-discipline: the first person you lead is you †¢

Drinking Alcohol Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Drinking Alcohol - Essay Example There have been studies that indicate that the effect of alcohol on a person’s brain increases the occurrence of accidents (vehicular), violent tendencies and aggressive behavior, more serious psychiatric conditions (depression, anxiety, short attention span); and hampering of the brains abilities to function well. Hypothesis: An increase in the consumption of alcohol increases the tendency for people to become socially aggressive and thereby, the victim of bullying would respond by getting retribution for the physical aggression received from the bully. According to Buddy T. â€Å"in all 50 states, the legal limit for drunk driving is a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level of .08. A 120-pound woman can reach a .08 BAC level after only two drinks and a 180-pound man can be at .08 after only four drinks† (2010, par. 2). Experimental Process: Three sets of samples (say 5 victims of bullying to drink alcohol in excess of legal limits, 5 victims not to drink, 5 victims to drink just within the legal limit) would be taken and asked to drink as prescribed. They would then be asked to confront their bullies and react according to their state of mind. The frequency and kind of socially aggressive behavior would then be identified, measured and noted according to the sample and control groups. Validity Procedures: Choose sample randomly but with almost the same gender and age as well as the kind of bullying applied (The direct form involves behavior that aims to physically harm the victim through any of the following means: hitting, kicking, pushing (Carbone-Lopez, et.al, 2010, 333) and fighting, flicking, throwing, shoving, hair pulling (Parentline, 2006,

High-tech tools Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

High-tech tools - Essay Example The uses of high tech tools have changed such situations. On the other hand, these high technology tools have created various presentations that have negative impacts on teens. For a long time, the use of high technology tools have created a controversy since many people believe that high tech tools are beneficial to human beings; while other people believe that they have several negative impacts. Therefore, this paper shall seek to explain some of the negative impacts brought about by high technology tools. It will also explore how these negative effects can be minimized. Naturally there are some people who not believe that high technology tools have negative impacts on teens. This is attributed to the fact that high technological tools have made life easier, as well as improved the lives of human beings. For instance, it has improved the manner in which people communicate with one another. From mobile phones to social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter have improved the inter action and communication between people. Additionally, an individual can book for accommodation in a hotel without necessarily going there. All these are ascribed to high technology tools. ... While discussing the negative effects of high technology tools on the teens, we will begin with issues that are related to the use of mobile phones. The rate at which young people have adopted the use of mobile phones in various parts of the world is extremely impressive. However, the uses of mobile phones have been realized to cause certain issues of concern. For instance, some people hide behind this technology to save themselves from emotionally stressing actions such as ending relationships (Campbell 2). Sociologists have argued that teens prefer to send text messages, instead of making calls when talking about awkward or emotionally stressing situations that can impact on their capacity to interact amongst themselves. Bullying is one of the negative impacts of using mobile phones, especially cyber bullying. The teens create these phenomena by texting when they cannot express the same sentiments face-to-face (Campbell 4). These will in the end lead to increased anxiety, depressio n, psychosomatic symptoms, worst still even suicide. The consequence of this issue is yet to be investigated but it is said that cyber bullying has a great impact compared to face-to-face bullying. When the abuse is done verbally, the victim might not be in a position to remember the exact words used, but when text messages are sent to the victim; they have a collection of the abuses and can read them several times. These could turn to be more concrete and seem real compared to the spoken words. Mobile phone use has also been found to be problematic in schools. One main trouble caused by use of mobile phones in schools revolves around the way students use them to rely on their parents when solving

Are video games or online role-playing games ever likely to become a Essay

Are video games or online role-playing games ever likely to become a mainstream pastime for people of all ages and social levels Explain the reasons for your answer - Essay Example Mostly arcade games encompass video games and these games were the source of inspiration that later led to the formation of online games. People adopted this emerging trend fast since video games have been an addictive source of pastime from the beginning. Technology keeps modifying things and later video game arcades also began to lose their captivating charm when they were superseded by home video game consoles and computers. The idea of gaming through computers across internet was favored specifically and this gaming trend is spreading quickly throughout the world affecting not only youth but people from all age groups and social backgrounds equally. The fame and attraction of video games and online role-playing games is sky-rocketing currently. This is understood from the above discussion that people have been playing video games for many years to entertain themselves. Video games have come a long way with features and storylines constantly being modified to match the public’s changing tastes. Now thousands of free online video games can be surfed and downloaded from the internet in no time. New innovative ideas related to video gaming keep cropping up, one of which is online role-playing games. This allows online gaming between people themselves from different areas of the world. A broader term for such games is massive multiplayer online role playing games (MMORPG). Another genre of popular online video games among people is party video games which is quite a patent source of entertainment. It seems like video games have been growing alongside internet keeping people from all age groups equally engaged. This is a reality that video games interestingly allow people a chance of forgetting their day-to-day tensions f or a while, replacing them by little joys that are absolutely necessary to keep going on with life. I, on my part, have been forming opinion regarding the vigorously spreading charm of video games for years. I myself

Multiple alleles and sex chromosomes Assignment

Multiple alleles and sex chromosomes - Assignment Example A person’s blood type is determined genetically. It is imperative that a thorough understanding of the DNA is ascertained for better grasping of the multiple alleles’ direct contribution to the inheritance of ABO blood systems. Histones allow the packaging of DNA and condense it into chromatin. Histones are highly alkaline proteins with a positive charge while DNA is negatively charged (Pollard and Earnshow, 2007). Accordingly, Histones and DNA will interact with the Histones acting as spool materials in which the DNA can attach itself. Histones and the DNA will form the nucleosomes, which on further packaging and separation by linker DNA’s, result in chromatins. Further condensation of the chromatins and other proteins will result in the chromosomes. Chromosomes can, therefore, be defined as a carrier of genetic information as it contains highly packed DNA and Histones (Pollard and Earnshow, 2007). DNA consists of nucleotide substances that are further comprised of deoxyribose, phosphate groups and the four bases. DNA is generally a linear sequence of ACTG bases that define the physical traits in an organism. DNA can be viewed as a double helix, which when separated produces two parallel linear strands of the nucleotide letters where each strand is complimentary to each other (Pollard and Earnshow, 2007). A interlocks with T while G interlocks with C. The exact order of the four bases along the molecule represents the coded genetic information. ... Genomes are the genetic information defining each organism, which is determined by the genome sequences depending on how the four bases are aligned (Pollard and Earnshow, 2007). It is also important to note that apart from genes, a genome also contains other DNA sequences that do not encode genes. The human body has three billion pair of DNA, 28000-34000 pairs of genes and 23 pairs of chromosomes (Pollard and Earnshow, 2007). This translates into a myriad sequences which could explain the wide scope of genes. Genes are the basic and structural and functional units of genetics; therefore the basic unit of inheritance that is composed of DNA and RNA. They control the cells by directing the formation of proteins. An allele is an alternative form of a gene and it represents the different version of a similar gene (Pollard and Earnshow, 2007). A gene is comprised of two alleles and each individual carries only two alleles of each gene, which exhibit a dominant recessive relationship. The dominant allele will prevail over the recessive gene and is responsible for the resulting phenotype. Recessive alleles will, therefore, not affect the phenotype of the individual. A pair of allele resulting from the various combinations of alleles can be referred to as the genotype while the resulting physical trait as a result of the genotype is called the phenotype (Pollard and Earnshow, 2007). Multiple alleles arise where there are three or more different alleles of a particular gene in a gene pool. This results into polymorphism where two or more phenotypes exist in a given population (Pollard and Earnshow, 2007). The occurrence of multiple alleles can be attributed to difference in the non-coding DNA found between genes rather than

Impact Of Patient Engagement In Key Areas Of Health Care Assignment

Impact Of Patient Engagement In Key Areas Of Health Care - Assignment Example However, this has worsened the health of patients. For example, a poor engagement between family, care provider and a patient could lead to a patient taking medication for a simple illness yet they are suffering from something worse that they may not have been informed by their health providers. All this is brought about by the lack of transparency. Patient engagement in their safety has also enabled them to provide important information that may be lacking from their medical records hence improving the severity of their illness.  Quality and patient outcomes  Patients have also been engaged in as far as quality and outcome is concerned, and this has also impacted positively in their welfare. There has been involved and informing them when choosing options of treatment and, therefore, they are given a chance to choose what they are comfortable with (Mullins, Abdulhalim, & Lavallee, 2012). For example, both patients and their families are engaged in educational initiatives on heal thy eating habits and the provision of better healthcare services at lower costs hence making it affordable to many people. Improvement of health outcomes has also been witnessed due to patients being involved fully in prevention, decision -making and self-management activities (Herrin et al., 2015).  Effective communication  Patient engagement in effective communication has led to a successful relationship between patient and care provider.  

Summary of Chapter 7 & 8 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Summary of Chapter 7 & 8 - Essay Example During the late 19th century, the government used to force people to work in its coffee plantations, which accounted for a significant portion of its exports. Most of the reforms that have been established over the years have fallen due to dictatorship and frequent unrests. The CIA has been involved repeatedly in the violence experienced in Guatemala and in determining its leaders by overthrowing others. Some leaders have also resigned after the armed forces failed to protect them. In spite of an improvement in economic performance during the second phase of the 20th century, levels of unemployment continued to increase and poverty persisted due to unequal wealth distribution. In the urge to control the population, civilian murders increased to approximately 300 people per month. At the same time, the government perpetrated terrorism acts both towards the civilians and the opposition. Peace talks did not bear fruits for a long period as the government continued to victimize the citizens and the rebels. Whenever the US was involved in armed conflicts in the nation, it was blamed for the most violations of human rights. Several elections in the 19th and 20th centuries led to violence and presidents being overthrown following rigging allegations. Even after the end of the civil war, violence worsened especially in 2004 when an estimated 2,000 civilians, mostly women, were killed. The other crime forms exhibited in 2013 included corruption, drug trafficking, impunity, and extra judicial killings. Contemporary Guatemala has continued to experience persistent poverty and economic problems. The state of political landscape appears to be improving starting with p rosecution of presidents due to corruption. Rios Montt, a former head, was prosecuted and is presently serving 80 year sentence for genocide and crimes against humanity. However, organized crime persists in addition to trafficking of drugs. Guatemala remains a

Incentives and disincentives to invest in research and development Essay

Incentives and disincentives to invest in research and development - Essay Example A critical input for a firm’s success might be a derivative of its investments in R&D projects. For this reason, competition is one of the primary incentives that would influence a business to invest in R&D, which is also an essential element that can lead to the growth and profitability of a business (Atkinson & Ezell, 2014, p. 27). In this case, intellectual property rights accorded to innovative entrepreneurship provide an incentive to for the investment in innovative developments. These rights contribute to the protection of a firm’s intellectual assets, which enhances profitability and heightens the entity’s competitiveness. For instance, Gilead Sciences Inc., a pharmaceutical organisation in the United States, invested in an R&D project to develop Sovaldi (Sofosbuvir), a drug used in the treatment of Hepatitis C. This drug was introduced in the market in December 2013 (Palmer, 2015, np). The invention not only improved the profitability of the firm, but it also led to the sustainability of the firm’s competitiveness in the industry. There is a possibility of addressing market failures for R&D by influencing the incentives for a private firm. In this case, addressing issues of the appropriateness of an invention’s research results is possible by granting the inventor the monopoly over the intellectual property (Curci, 2010, p. 45). However, the disincentive of the appropriation relates to the risks and ambiguity of R&D investments. In this case, a firm can invest in an R&D project.

Chemistry of antiscalants Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Chemistry of antiscalants - Essay Example Conversely, Phosphonates, polyphosphates and polycarboxylates react with minimal quantities (Singh et. al., 2008). Threshold inhibitors are the name that refers to the chemical agents that inhibit scale and work at quantities below the stoichiometric level. These inhibitors foil the whole process of precipitation. Various mechanisms take place when interfering with the process of precipitation. The first manner is the modifying of the crystals into shapes that make it impossible for attachment with other crystals. Secondly, the inhibitors attack the forces that bind the particles into precipitation to break the bond necessary for the precipitation. The third mechanism is through impeding the growth of the particles to bring a non-precipitation zone. Despite the effectiveness of the antiscalants, other indispensable factors determine the whole process. These factors comprise of presence of other ions in the solution, the temperature, the PH and the ratio of super saturation. Moreover, the heaviness of a polymer matters a lot when the antiscalant is polymer (Singh et. al., 2008). CACO3 crystallization is a process that is intricate and requires great understanding to know the reaction that takes place with the antiscalant. The various mechanisms with which the antiscalant inhibits the precipitation are under one method of â€Å"charges attraction†. The antiscalant is always negatively charged and it gets attracted to the area with the crystals, which is positively charged. The definition of threshold inhibition is assumed from this description. Threshold inhibition thus refers to the fusing of the particles of the inhibitor to the crystal-filled arena that is rich with ions. The surface of the crystallization zone tends to be loose and hence creates a space for absorption of the inhibitor’s particles. Once the inhibitors have penetrated to the inside of the crystals, the formation of crystals is in interference. It delays the beginning of crystalliz ation since the walls that would bind the crystals are filled with the inhibitors particles. The first crystals cannot be detected since the inhibitors particles impose a derailment between the period of super saturation state and crystallization (Singh et. al., 2008). Consequently, the crystals form but the inhibitors attack to tamper the growth sites. It thus obstructs the normal reaction that would have to happen. The inhibitors modify and alter the growth of the crystals. Results from the modification of the crystals, is retarded crystals that do not have the strength to stick on metal materials. These crystals are then electrostatic charged and thus posses repulsion with particles with the same side charges. It makes the crystals not to converge and clot (Singh et. al., 2008). There is a common fact that phosphonates are better threshold inhibitors than polycarboxylates. Contrarily, polycarboxylates are better dispersants than phosphonates. Both chemical agents show their react ion when in a solution in inhibiting scale threshold. In a condition where the level of super saturation is low, the phosphonates can be the ultimate solution. Conversely, where the level of super saturation is high, polycarboxylates can salvage the reaction (Singh et. al., 2008). Polycarboxylates have properties that can help in dispersing of particles that are useful in a condition of high super saturation. It is a

Nerwork Security Essay Example for Free

Nerwork Security Essay SCENARIO 1 According to scenario 1, the followings are the threads and security measure to control it. THREADS SECURITY MEASURE 1.Fire outbreaks, begins just outside the data center. The attack is an internal and active attack caused by a disgruntled employee or worker i.e an unhappy or a dissatisfied employee I. Availability of fire department center II. Implementation of well programmed sprinkler system III. Building has been evacuated to prevent loss of lives SUGGESTIONS 1.Figure out the worker by investigating and either dismiss him/her or by compensating him/her by treating him right or well. 2. This can also be controlled by enforcing the physical security of the company i.e by installing cctv camera in every hook and corner of the company this will monitor all the employees activities within the vicinity of the company; of which any employee that engages in such a destructive act can be fished out easily by replaying the record. 3. RFID can also be deployed to monitor the in and out of every employee. 2.Anthrax box was detected by an employee in the lobby I. Evacuation of building has be done again to prevent loss of lives II. Health department is on scene to investigate the issues and treat people III. The sprinkler system has been implemented which caused the email and web server to stop working. SUGGESTIONS 1. Employees and visitors should be properly screened and be checked thoroughly before entering the organization or company so as to avoid them bringing in potentially dangerous object in to the company. 2. Foreign object detector technology should be deployed and implemented in the company to ensure proper screening of the people i.e visitors and employees moving in and out of the company. 3. Call the attention of crime investigators so  as to confirm the doer of the crime ; finger print test will done the box . 3.E-mail server and Web server are down I. The sprinkler system was programmed to turned off the web and email server down in case of any emergency so as to prevent data loss , explosion and destruction of the server SUGGESTION 1.E-mail and web server should always be kept in a safer area where it cannot be easily accessed by an intruders and free from disasters like thunder storm, lightening and flooding i.eit should be kept In a water proof data room around the middle level of a building. 2. There should always be an alternative stand-by server kept In another location to replace in case a server is down so ensure the proper functioning of the company e-commerce websites 3. call the right personnel i.e network security engineer to figure out the proper place servers should be kept against disaster when planning to design a network 4. The e-mail and web server should either switched on be repaired or replaced immediately to ensure the proper functioning of the company e-commerce sites so as to prevent lossof customers 4.Customer cannot place order at the company sites since the servers were down I. The company has provided an alternative call center at another location against emergency for customers who cannot place order at the company’s site. 5.Employees are afraid to resume work I. The police department intervened SCENARIO 2 According to scenario 2, the followings are the threads and control measure was taken. THREADS CONTROL MEASURES 1.Explosion occurs at a chemical plant i. They took a precautionary measures by building the headquarters two (2) miles away from the chemical plant so as to loss of lives and properties. ii. Officials took control measure by trying to confirm amount of  potentially dangerous and deadly toxins that have released to the air so as to alert people to evacuate the area if the rate were high or if the area will not fit for lives to survive 2. people were experiencing Breathing difficulties i. Public health officials took a security measure by encouraging people living in the city to â€Å"shelter in place† i.e the use of a structure and its indoor atmosphere to temporarily separate individuals from a hazardous outdoor atmosphere. 3. Company tells the employee not to leave the building i. Employees took a precautionary measure by leaving the building since they were not sure about what they were hearing and that they needs to get home to take care of their families. ii. The security also took a control measure ,by knowing what tell people so as not to create unnecessary or false alarm to the who want to take shelter in company’s lobby. 4. Authority says the explosion was an occupational hazard i.e an accident. i. Several employees were hospitalized for quality treatment People are upset that cafeteria did not have more supply at hand. i. Due to the explosion, company took a security measure by closing the cafeteria for while pending the time that the immediate danger passes. SCENARIO 3 According to scenario 3, the followings are the threads and security measure to control it. THREADS SECURITY MEASURE 1.Pandemic flu outbreaks starts in Hongkong i. The company took a precautionary measure by telling the employees to have traveled to hongkong not to return to work until they see a doctor so as to prevent the spread of the flu within the organization since it is communicable disease ii. As a precautionary measure, the company decided having security at the front door to interrogate visitors whether they have been to hongkong for the past three weeks so as to prevent the spread of disease SUGGESTTIONS i. A quarantine system should also be implemented i.e the isolation of infected animals and people from the normal people. ii. Dust mask should always be used within the company vicinity till the flu suppresses . 2. Few people were diagnosed with the flue i.e infected i. Students took a security measure by absenting from school so as not to contact the flu. ii. As a precautionary measure, some employees did not do to work because they afraid to go out in public so as not to be infected with the deadly flu . 3.The disease spreads i. Employees are demanding for vaccinations and dust mask so as to cure and minimize the spread of the flu disease. ii. As a precautionary measure, managers consider letting crucial staff volunteer for a lock down i.e restricted to a confined area so as to prevent the spread of the disease. iii. They consider directing work to another location or calling retired workers to help out in order to prevent the spread of the disease within the organization 4.The has peaked. i. As a precautionary measure , employees were not whether to return to work so as not contact the deadly flu disease.

Social Media for PR: Implications and Opportunities

Social Media for PR: Implications and Opportunities Mandy Soh The Role and Implications of New Media for PR Introduction With the introduction of the internet comes new media, which in recent years have seen PR practitioners having to adapt and change their approach to cater to the online community. According to Dewdney Ride, new media can be described as â€Å"the preferred term for a range of media practices that employ digital technologies and the computer in some way or another (James, n.d.). New media also provides a wider reach than traditional media, being portable and easily accessible. This essay seeks to explore the opportunities and threats presented to PR practitioners with the introduction of new media. Using a local case study, this essay will also discuss how new media has changed the way PR practitioners engage with their organizational stakeholders, as well as how it has impacted public relations practices today. Case Study – SMRT In 2011, SMRT trains experienced periodical breakdowns during the months October through December. The most prominent incidents being the December 15 and 17 breakdowns, believed to have been the worst train breakdowns in 24 years of operations, sparking angry netizens to take to social media platforms such as Twitter to express their outrage over the unreliability of the train service (Low, 2011). These breakdowns affected some 5,000 commuters during the evening peak hour (Sim, 2011). Netizens were further enraged by the surfacing of a photo on Twitter depicting a photo taken on an SMRT taxi which shows the message starting with â€Å"Income opportunity† before explaining the breakdown (Barimen, 2011). Prior to the episodes, an announcement was made by SMRT to increase train fares starting the following year. This fostered a sour attitude towards SMRT among Singaporeans, and negative comments were buzzing around the various social media sites. Impact of New Media on SMRT’s PR Practice Throughout these incidents, SMRT continued to disregard feedback on their official Facebook and Twitter pages, instead going on to offer vouchers to its subscribers and followers. The only â€Å"official† responses to confused commuters among the chaos seem to be coming from only one SMRT Ltd Feedback, a troll account which emerged during the crisis. Without any clear answers on SMRT’s official channels, the comments from the troll account only further added to the public’s confusion and doubt. Only after 15 hours have elapsed has SMRT began providing information and responding to the situation. The organization, in its failure to communicate timely with the public in times of crisis, has lost their trust. This is despite the fact that there have been no major episodes in their history of operation. The incident has shown that organizations should have a tested plan in place to be able to communicate with the stakeholders efficiently in times like this. Because of the fast transfer of information in the age of new media, employees who manage the social media platforms have to exercise discretion on the appropriate times to put up certain content. In the case of SMRT, instead of responding to queries during the crisis, employees instead put up voucher offers, which was of no help clearing the air of doubts. Opportunities for Better Engagement with Stakeholders Despite the negative impact that new media has on public relations practices, it has also presented a series of opportunities for PR practitioners. Because of its wide reach, organizations can now use new media to launch a direct dialog with their stakeholders with ease. Platforms such as forums and blogs allow for PR practitioners to establish a two-way communication, allowing them to better understand the feedback of the public. When the public is engaged in this process, it creates brand awareness and a word-of-mouth effect. It is also easier for the organization to rally support from the public, by empowering them to make certain decisions. This will result in a higher number of people who would champion the organization’s cause. When there is a need for fast transfer of information, like in times of crisis, organizations can harness the use of new media to get their messages out. This allows for control of the situation on the organization’s part. The organization can even garner the public’s comments and come up with better solutions to solve the problem. Social media sites such as YouTube and Facebook can also be used as publicity vehicles. One such example is from Coca-Cola, which in 2012 released a YouTube video titled â€Å"Hug Me by Coca-Cola†. In the video, several Singaporeans can be seen obtaining a bottle of Coca-Cola from a vending machine. Instead of the traditional vending machine which dispenses with the slotting of coins, this particular machine dispenses upon a hug to it. The video generated more than a million views, with many netizens praising the organization’s creativity. Threats to PR Practices In spite of the opportunities for PR practitioners to effectively use new media as a source of communication with the public, certain threats are present as well. Janal (1998) argues that â€Å"too many companies go on the web without a set of goals†, suggesting that there are no incentives to move the public to be committed instead of just curious. In such cases, Theaker (2004, p. 264) suggests that PR practitioners work with the marketing department to ensure that sites are tested before they are fully launched, instead of conducting such testing on the public. PR practitioners also have to work harder to keep up with the trends to be able to fully understand the social media lingo. On top of that, they have to be more responsive because of the fast transfer of information with lesser effort. Organizations also have to work harder to establish credibility with the reduction of face-to-face interaction, which may create misunderstandings easily. Conclusion In the age of new media, there are many considerations and skills PR practitioners have to be sensitive to and develop to better reach out to their intended public. However, with proper research and strategizing, new media can be a very powerful tool for PR practitioners. Apart from this, PR practitioners also have to remember that having a better engagement with the public will lead to better reach for the organization. Instead of using new media to generate a large number of likes, genuine engagement of the public will ultimately lead to brand loyalty. The use of new media can be a double-edged sword in cases like SMRT. If PR practitioners are able to be well attuned to the sensitive nature of it however, new media can be effectively used to reach out to a wide number of stakeholders, thereby establishing their organization’s reputation. References Barimen, A. (2011, December 21). Not So SMRT: A Case Study of Communications Failure. Retrieved April 6, 2015, from http://www.skribeproductions.com/2011/12/21/not-so-smrt-a-case-study-of-communications-failure/ James, M. (n.d.). A review of the impact of new media on public relations: Challenges for terrain, practice and education. Asia Pacific Public Relations Journal, 8. Retrieved April 7, 2015, from http://www.academia.edu/1529188/A_review_of_the_impact_of_new_media_on_public_relations_Challenges_for_terrain_practice_and_education Low, I. (2011, December 16). Singapore’s MRT Breakdown Chaos Leaves Thousands Stranded. Straits Times Indonesia. Retrieved April 6, 2015, from http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/archive/singapores-mrt-breakdown-chaos-leaves-thousands-stranded/485081/ Sim, R. (2011, October 18). In Singapore, 5,000 Commuters Affected by MRT Disruption. Straits Times Indonesia. Retrieved April 6, 2015, from http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/archive/in-singapore-5000-commuters-affected-by-mrt-disruption/472390/ Theaker, A. (2004). Using the internet effectively in public relations. InThe Public Relations Handbook(2nd ed., p. 264). England, Abingdon, Oxfordshire: Routledge. Malaria: Causes, Prevention and Treatments Malaria: Causes, Prevention and Treatments Introduction There are over 100 species of malaria parasites the most known to cause death is in Africa called plasmodium falciparum (Malaria No More 2014). Only female anopheles mosquitos can transmit malaria (Malaria No More 2014). The malaria parasite is a member of the apicomplexa they are characterized by a set of organelles (Greenwood et al., 2008). These organelles are known as apical organelles because are located at the end of the parasite (Greenwood et al., 2008). This plasmodium parasite has cycles to develop in the mosquito (Greenwood et al., 2008). When this parasite enters the body through the mosquito it invades the liver there it multiplies 10,000 times two weeks in, the parasite goes into the blood stream where it infects the red blood cells (Malaria No More 2014). Currently 1 million people are dying from malaria and 500 million cases (Greenwood et al., 2008). As of now 2 billion are at risk of malaria mostly affecting poor populations around subtropical and tropical areas because the temperature and rain are better for the development of the malaria causing parasites in mosquitos (Greenwood et al., 2008). Malaria is a mosquito borne disease caused by a parasite (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). It usually causes chills, muscle pain, fever, and flu like illness (Malaria.com, 2011). It can also cause severe problems such as damage to the brain, heart, kidneys, and lungs (Malaria.com, 2011). When malaria is untreated it develops severe complications and causes death (Malaria.com, 2011). Malaria is caused when a mosquito infected with parasites bites a person (Malaria.com, 2011). In some rare occasions people can get it when they come in contact with infected blood (Malaria.com, 2011). Review and Results of Case Study In this study a 46 year old male was admitted to a hospital in Saudi Arabia (Hussain et al., 2008). 10 days before he was admitted had many symptoms which included abdominal pain, vomiting, and loose stools. He also got bloody diarrhea a day before his admission (Hussain et al., 2008). He didn’t appear to have a fever or cold and flushing of face and his medical history was great (Hussain et al., 2008). Once he was admitted he had a report of his blood film which was negative for malaria parasites (Hussain et al., 2008). His examination showed that he had diffuse congested mucosa of the stomach (Hussain et al., 2008). His blood, urine, and stool culture reports were all negative (Hussain et al., 2008). They did find hematological findings which were anaemia with hemoglobin because of the destruction of the red blood cells (Hussain et al., 2008). He had a slightly impaired renal function but his liver function tests were normal. 5 days after his admission on a routine peripheral smear they reported a sexual form of plasmodium malariae (Hussain et al., 2008). They didn’t know if he had malaria because he had no signs of organ damage and didn’t fulfill the World Health Organization criteria of sever malaria (Hussain et al., 2008). The patient had recent history of travel to Pakistan without taking chemoprophylaxis for malaria since malaria is widely distributed in Pakistan (Hussain et al., 2008). This patient was given drugs and blood to correct anaemia from malaria and gastrointestinal bleeding (Hussain et al., 2008). He was later released four weeks later (Hussain et al., 2008). Analysis Malaria is a parasite called plasmodium malariae which starts of in the mosquito (Collins Jeffery, 2007). The mosquito has a small number of sporozoites that go to the salivary duct it is then injected to the venules of the bitten human (Collins Jeffery, 2007). When the parasite enters the blood stream, within an hour the sporozoites attack’s the liver (Collins Jeffery, 2007). Once inside a parenchymal cell the parasite matures in 15 days (Collins Jeffery, 2007). Within this time period thousands of merozoites are produced. These merozoites invade the red blood cells and start the erythrocytic cycle (Collins Jeffery, 2007). After a developmental cycle happens in the red blood cells, for a couple of days some merozoites are released and reinvade more red blood cells (Collins Jeffery, 2007). While the malaria parasite is multiplying in the red blood cells it has to be moving between cells otherwise it will get cleared out by the immune system (Harvard School of Public Health, 2012). In the parasites nucleus there is a gene called virulence which encodes a protein on the surface of the parasite to allow it to enter the blood cells where it can turn off and on to hide (Harvard School of Public Health, 2012). It is able to turn off the gene by packing the gene up into a tight ball in the nucleus to turn back on it simply unpacks itself from the ball (Harvard School of Public Health, 2012). The parasite forms a protein which binds to a specific antigen called Duffy antigen (GenePlanaet, 2012). This antigen is common in our blood cells this makes a Duffy antigen system which is like the AB0 blood system (GenePlanaet, 2012). People with Duffy positive have these antigens Duffy negative doesn’t (GenePlanaet, 2012). The malaria parasite needs these Duffy proteins to enter the blood stream and develop the infection (GenePlanaet, 2012). People with Duffy negative are resistant to malaria because they don’t have this antigen (GenePlanaet, 2012). Symptoms and Tests There is uncomplicated which last 6-10 hours which has a cold stage a hot stage and a sweating stage (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). In a cold stage the person has a sensation of a cold and shivers (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). The host stage consists of fever, headaches, vomiting, and seizures in young children (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). The sweating stage is when the person sweats and returns to a normal temperature and experience tiredness (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). Some symptoms of this are fever, chills, sweat, headache, nausea and vomiting, body aches, and general malaise (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). Some physical symptoms may include increased respiratory rate, weakness, elevated temperature, enlarged spleen, enlarged liver and perspiration (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). Sever malaria has different results a person might have seizures go into a coma or other neurologic abnormalities (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). They can also experience server anemia because of the destruction of their red blood cells. Acute respiratory distress, abnormalities in the blood, low blood pressure, kidney failure, and metabolic acidosis are other results of server malaria (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). Tests that were given in this case study were blood smears, endoscopic examination, and abdominal ultrasound. Blood smears are taken from a finger prick (webmed, 2011). When the doctors do blood smear tests they use thick and thin blood smears to know if someone has malaria (webmed, 2011). It will let them know the percentage of red blood cells that are infected with the parasite (webmed, 2011). When they do a thick blood smear a drop of blood is put on a glass slide for examination (webmed, 2011). These tests are more useful to determine the presence of the parasite because they use a larger sample of blood to examine (webmed, 2011). A thin blood smear is a drop of blood that is spread across the slide this helps them know what type of malaria the patient has (webmed, 2011). In this case the blood film came back negative for malaria parasites (Hussain et al., 2008). They performed an endoscopic exam in which they found a diffuse congested mucosa (Hussain et al., 2008). They also did an abdominal ultrasound which came out normal (Hussain et al., 2008). There are other ways to test for malaria for example there are various test kits to detect antigens form malaria parasites these kits are usually used where microscopic diagnosis is not available (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). There is also a molecular diagnosis where the parasite nucleic acids are detected through a reaction using polymerase chain (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). They can also do a serology test that detects antibodies against malaria parasites (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). This test uses indirect immunofluorescence or enzyme linked immunosorbent (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). This test does not detect the current infection what it detects is the past exposure (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). There are lateral strip tests what these tests allow them to do is to target histidine rich protein 2 of the malaria parasite and its specific lactate dehydrogenase (Kakkilaya, 2011). Theses don’t require any type of machinery so they can be performed anywhere (Kakkilaya, 2011). The kidney and liver are checked to see if they have any damage to see if they have malaria or rule it out. Treatments There are several treatments and that are given to stop the malaria parasite from developing in the blood. Some of them are chloroquine, malaron, lariam, quinine, doxycycline, clindamycin, and quinidine (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). Chloroquine helps prevent the malaria parasite to develop in the blood (WebMed, 2014). Cholorquine stops the parasite by blocking the chemical that protects the parasite from haem which is toxic to it (NetDoctor, 2013). This drug is taken orally and it is taken weekly for 4 weeks (NetDoctor, 2013). Malarone stops the parasite from reproducing by blocking an enzyme called dihydrofolate reductase which helps reproduce (NetDoctor, 2013). The dihydrofolate reductase enzyme makes folinic acid from folic acid and this is essential for the parasite to make a new DNA which is needed to reproduce (NetDoctor, 2013). Lariam kills the malaria parasite but it is not understood how it does this (NetDoctor, 2013). This drug is useful for travellers to areas where it is known to be (NetDoctor, 2013). Quinine is used to treat malarial infections it attacks the parasaite once it enters the red blood cells and stops it from multiplying (NetDoctor, 2013). Doxycycline is an antibiotic that stops the parasite (NetDoctor, 2013). It stops it from producing proteins that are needed to stay alive and multiply once it stops it then it is killed by the immune system (NetDoctor, 2013). Quinidine is used for severe cases of malaria it is directly given into a vein for 7 days in a hospital because the person’s heart needs to be monitored (NetDoctor, 2013). In this case the patient was given quinine infusion for 48 hours after the 48 hours he was given 600 mg of quinine orally (Hussain et al., 2008). He was also given some supportive drugs orally for a week which consisted of 500 mg of doxycycline, 40 mg of pantoprazole, and 200 mg of ferrous fumarate for 7 days (Hussain et al., 2008). He was has also given two pints of blood. Four weeks after these drugs were given to him he was discharged from the hospital with a negative blood film for malaria and he did not have any symptoms since his arrival to the clinic (Hussain et al., 2008). He was asked to come back to do further tests to be assured the malaria parasite was gone but he did not return to the clinic (Hussain et al., 2008). Conclusion Malaria can be prevented and if infected it can be treated. It is caused by a parasite that only female mosquitoes can carry. When these mosquitos go and take blood meals they transmit the human it bites. The parasite makes its way to the liver by masking itself from the body so it won’t detect it and eliminate it where later it makes its way to the blood stream and attacks the red blood cells. As of now there are many cases of malaria mostly in the African regions. Although there are treatments for malaria there are still a lot of people who die from it. Children and pregnant women have a higher risk of dying of malaria. Malaria can also be confused with other diseases because the symptoms are similar. This parasite is a very sneaky which likes to hide and wait for a period of time to multiply and prepare to attack the body. Although this might be the case there are plenty of test given to find out if someone has malaria to stop it before it can really do some server damage to the liver. There are some good drugs to help eliminate this parasite from our bodies. Sometimes people might think that this parasite is gone some people that have recovered from the first episode of this illness there might be several attacks called relapses this could happen within a moths or even years of having no symptoms. This usually occurs because they have stage parasites in the liver that reactivate. There are treatments given to reduce the chances of having these relapses. This can be a dangerous disease if not treated on time, but it can be prevented by tests to diagnose it before it is too late.

Effect of Calpain-calpastatin System in Meat Tenderness

Effect of Calpain-calpastatin System in Meat Tenderness 1.0 Introduction Meat quality is the freshness of the meat. This is the most crucial things which supplier always find and think in order to fulfill the high demand from the customer. This shows researcher play an important role in increasing the quality of meat because of the high demand from the wholesalers or consumer. The critical point of appraisal of meat quality occurs when the consumer eats the products and they comment on the colour, nutritional value, and price determines the decision to repurchase (Boleman et al., 1997).In addition, consumer evaluation of eating quality is the most determination of meat quality as tenderness, juiciness and flavor of meat are the most important elements (Tarrant, 1998; Bindon Jones, 2001). The variability in tenderness cause by a lot of factors before post mortem, like the feeding types and the environment (French et al., 2001) and after post-mortem, like temperature, pH, sarcomere length and proteolysis (Charlotte Maltin et al., 2003). In this study it focusing majorly on the role of genetic traits which play an important function in order to get the high quality of meat (Williams, 2008). Interest of this study is to identify the relationship between the microsatellite repetition and the calpastatin type1 promoter region effects in meat tenderness. In mid 1980s (Mullis Faloona, 1987; Saiki et al., 1985) as the advent of Polymerase Chain Reaction(PCR), microsatellites were detected in eukaryotes genome and they are the most promising PCR-based markers. Microsatellites are simple sequence tandem repeats (SSTRs) of variable length that distributed throughout the eukaryotic nuclear genome in both coding and non-coding region (Jarne Lagoda, 1996). This can be amplify and identify by the PCR method (Sunnucks, 2000, Strassmann et., 1996, Shriver et., 1995). Due to the high mutation rate of microsatellites, they are potentially the most informative marker with advantages of easy and low-cost detection. Thus, the microsat ellites repeat in calpastatin can influence the tenderness of meat because of the different types can produce with different role. The aim of this findings is to characterise the expression of microsatellite repeat in calpastatin type I promoter region in bovine, to identify the  regulation of CAST gene inhibitory calpain system in affecting the tenderization of meat and to develop a mechanism that can control the calpastatin gene in maintaining the tenderization of meat. 2.0 Literature review 2.1 Meat Quality and consumer perception Meat quality is a term used to describe a range of attributes of meat. Those factors such as post mortem factors, pH, temperature, proteolysis, sarcomere length, and the most important elements is tenderness and juiciness that affect the consumer to repurchase the meat (Warris, 2000). Besides that, meat quality also determine by color, flavor and texture which influence the consumer to enjoy the meat product (Glitsch, 2000). However, the main cause of failure of consumer complain to repurchase is the variability in eating quality, especially in tenderness. Some of the consumer that has more knowledge will concern on the safety of consuming meat. They will think of the health implication like the composition of the polyunsaturated fat and saturated fat, and the microbial contamination especially during handling the meat products. According to the statistical of meat consumption in Ninth Malaysian Plan, the Malaysian government targets to increase the production of beef in order to reduce the import dependence. As per capita consumption which 0.5 kg in 2003 of mutton is very low, more attention is paid to the beef market which increased from 2.3 kg to 5.8 kg (FAO, 2007). Due to the high demand, the qualities of meat need to be increased in order to make sure consumer will repurchase. Anderson and Ferguson (2001) emphasize that quality as the top priority in making decision to buy and consume more meat. Similarly , factors that effect the consumer to repurchase red meat other than economic one is meat quality (Taljaard et al., 2006). 2.2 Tenderness Tenderness is a primary factor that influencing the consumers reaction (Glitsch, 2000).Tenderness is an integrated textural property made up of mechanical, particulate and chemical components (Paerson and Young, 1989).The appreciation of tenderness when eating is not explained by the force required to cut through a piece of meat, but is affected by the way the muscle fibers breakdown and the release of juices and flavor while chewing. Several independent studies have identified a locus on bovine chromosomes 29 with affect on tenderness. The caplain1 (CAPN 1) gene that codes for a calcium dependent protease involved in meat tenderization post- mortem. According to the research Miller et al., 2001, meat tenderness (texture) is the most important organoleptic characteristics that influence the acceptability for consumer. Tenderness is the consequences of postmortem physicochemical and biochemical changes in muscle of myofibrillar. After slaughtering, muscle is extensible and elastic until the onset of the rigor mortis, when the energy for muscle relaxation is depleted (Alberle et al., 2001). 2.3 Tenderization phase 2.3.1 Pre-rigor phase The duration of pre-rigor phase is dependent on the animal species. After the slaughtering of animal, blood, oxygen and nutrient supply are cut to the muscle and these triggers the pre-rigor phase to start (Lawrie, 1998).For chicken is less than 0.5 to 1.0 h and for beef 4 to 6 h (Aberle et al., 2001). The muscle will becomes gradually stiff and its tension reaches maximum on the completion of rigor. This is due to the formation of an irreversible actomysin complex in muscle which lead to the shorten sarcomere length. This will cause the toughening of muscle at the beginning of the post-mortem process (Koohmaraie et al., 1996). 2.3.2 Rigor phase At this phase, muscles maintain the homeostasis by metabolize muscle glycogen by aerobic glycolysis. Thus, it will continue supply of ATP. During this phase, the depletion of ATP will increase the concentration of calcium ion in sarcoplasma. Sarcoplasma reticulum functioning in removing of calcium ion across the membrane utilizing the calcium ATPase pump and dependent on ATP for this active process (Robbins et al., 2003). In the meat process, anaerobic glycosis is take place in order to maintain the production of ATP. From this the lactic acid will produced and decrease in pH value and lead to the depletion of creatine phosphate because of lack of ATP. Thus, the availability of substrate required to maintain the contractile proteins actin or myosin in relaxation state. The irreversible cross bridge and rigor mortis occur because of actin and myosin and these will made the muscle reaches to the maximum toughness as the consequences of shortening the sarcomere length (Goll et al., 1995 ). 2.3.3 Post-rigor phase In the post-rigor, the proteolytic enzyme system are responsible in continuing the tenderness (Kemp et al., 2010; Koohmaraie et al., 1996). This phase started about 24 hours to 14 days of meat storage. The rate change is variable due to the proteolytic degradation of myofibrillar and cytoskeletal proteins cause the loss of structural integrity of myofibrils which enhancing the meat tenderization (Koohmaraie et al., 1996). The calpain/calpastatin(calcium-dependent), proteosomal and lysosomal systems have been extensively investigated for their involvement in post-rigor proteolytic degradation and meat tenderization (Kemp et al., 2010; Koohmaraie et al., 1996). 2.4 Factors that affect the meat tenderness 2.4.1 Muscle pH After the bovine is being slaughter, they need to maintain their homeostasis. So, the muscle will undergoes anaerobic respiration and regenerate the production of ATP by aerobic respiration. The amount of ATP produced is less than normal. During anaerobic, the glycogen is metabolized into pyruvate and then converts into lactic acid. The lactic acid will gradually decrease the pH value of the muscle tissue (Maltin et al., 2003).This level of of pH will give varies effects on glycogen level, ATP turn over and the metabolic characteristic of muscle tissue (Lawrie, 1998). The high level of pH which is greater than 7.5 , typically dark and easy to bacteria to survive on it. This will shorten the shelf life of the meat and this bring to the variability if the tenderness as the low of glycogen substrate (Watanabe et al., 1996). 2.4.2 Temperature Temperature during the pre-rigor and post-rigor phase will affect on the metabolism of the muscle tissue of meat(Hertzman et al., 1993).Meat toughness will increase during the higher temperature (Bruce and Ball, 1990). The declination of muscle temperature will lead to the shortening of muscle. This is because of the reduced calcium sequestering ability by the sarcoplasmic reticulum as a result of the depletion of energy compounds which cause the muscle to contract and increase the toughness of meat (Huff Lonergan et al., 2010). There are a researched found that, at 15 Celsius is the best temperature for maintaining meat tenderization (Geesink et al., 2000). 2.4.3 Juiciness Juiciness is defined as the feeling in the mouth of moisture from cooking meat and chewing. The juiciness is closely related to the attribute of flavor as this latter attribute is also affected by the level of IMF in the meat. The high the intramuscular fat content (IMF) , the higher the meat quality (Kerry et al., 2002). 2.4.4 Proteolysis Proteolysis is a conversion of muscle to meat entrains changes in tenderness due to changes in the properties of muscle fibre and connective tissue. The steps are toughness increase into rigor, proceed with proteolysis and last the rigor is resolve. Proteolytic system is divided into four which, first, cathepsin-lysomal system second, ATP-dependent ubiquitin –proteasome system, third, calpain-calpastatin system and last is matrix Metalloproteinases (MMP) (Thompson and Palmer, 1998). Tenderization increasing during ageing and it is primarily a result of calpain-mediated degradation of myofibrillar and cytoskeleton proteins. Most of researcher doing the investigation on proteolytic system and the have a A1QWdebate on these. But most of the studies agreed that the calpain system has play the major role in post-mortem tenderization (Boehm et al., 1998; Koohmaraie.1992b; Taylor et al., 1995a). Proteolysis involve calpain occurs between 3-14 d post mortem when activity of  µ-calpain low ,  µ-calpain maybe bound to the myofibril and inactivated during post mortem storage but the m-calpain active when the level of calcium arise. Calpain is calcium-dependent which function in softening the muscle tissue of the meat. In proteolysis it involve the calpain proteases and caplain-specific inhibitor, calpastatin. When the low level of calpastatin produce, the more calpain protease produce .Then, the tenderness of meat will increase. 2.5 Microsatellite Microsatellites are simple sequence tandem repeats (SSTRs).The repeat units are generally di-, tri-, tetra- or pentanucleotides (Powell et al., 1996) .Like repetition in birds is ACn, where it`s means two nucleotides A and C are repeated in bead-like fashion a variable number of times. The n could be range from 8 to 50.This always occur on a non-coding region of DNA. On the each side of the repeat unit are flanking regions which consist of unordered DNA. This flanking region is dangerous because they will allow the development of locus-specific primers to amplify the microsatellites with PCR. By having a forward and reverse primer on each side of microsatellites it will be able to amplify a fairy short (100 to 500bp) locus-specific microsatellite region(Sunnucks, 2000, Strassmann et., 1996, Shriver et., 1995). Microsatellites were designed for generative neurology disease in human but it shows a great applicability in other species. Microsatellites act as markers was classified based on the number of bases like short repeats are microsatellites while longer repeats are minisatellites. Besides that, it also classified by the type of repeated sequence present whether it is perfect, imperfect or composite. Imperfect means the repeated sequence was interrupted by different nucleotides which are not repeated while composites when two or more different motifs in tandem (Selkoe Toonen, 2006).In addition, microsatellites is co-dominant and it is widely distributed throughout the genome and transferable between species. These features provide their successful function in these fields (Chistiakov et al., 2006). 2.5.1 Microsatellites mutation Microsatellites are useful genetics markers because they tend to be polymorphic. Normally, human microsatellites with 20 or more alleles ad heterozygosities. This is because their mutation occurs different from the â€Å"classical† point mutations, where the substitution of one nucleotide to another occurs. The mutation in microsatellites occur through slippage replication where two strands could slip relative position a bit but still manage to get the zipper going down the beads. One strand can be lengthened or shortened by the addition or excision of the nucleotides. So, the repeat unit can be one longer and the other is shorter than the original (Selkoe et., 2006). 2.6 Calpastatin Study of calpastatin gene promoter activity had been done by some of the researcher .Calpastatin is proteinase inhibitor for calpain which family of calcium-activated neutral proteases that regulate the of Ca2+. It is encoded by single gene in mammal which produces proteins isoforms through the alternating splicing, There are four types of CAST which are Type I, Type II, Type III has been characterized in porcine with the study of the three promoters directing expression(Parr et al., 2004) while in bovine calpastatin transcripts including Type IV had been characterized with the studied of four functional promoters in the gene (Raynaud et al., 2005).This four types of CAST can bind to the calpain and inhibit proteolytic activity. A single calpastatin can inhibit several caplain molecules in vitro. Several isoforms of calpastatin exist due to the alternative promoter usage and differential splicing (Parr et al., 2001; Raynaud etal., 2005).Increasing response on calpastatin expression to ß- adrenergic stimulation has been associated with skeletal muscle hypertrophy in livestock (Parr et al., 1992; Killefer and Koohmaraie, 1994) and related inversely with the tenderization rates(Koohmaraie, 1996). ß- adrenergic stimulation act by the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) responsive elements in calpastatin promoter regions(Cong et al., 1998a, b).three types of promoters located in the 5 region of gene upstream of exons 1xa, 1xb, and 1u generate calpastatin mRNA transcripts the types I, II, and III respectively (Takano et al., 2000; Parr et al., 2004).In pig, these promoters have putative motifs for another transcription factors that will imply other signaling pathways of calpastatin expression(Parr et al., 2001; Raynaud etal., 2005). 2.6.1 The types of calpastatin genes From the previous studies, there were found calpasatin has four types of repetitive-inhibitor domains which are Type I, Type II, Type III and Type IV. The isolated cDNAs from the various mammalian species have conspicuous differences in the regions encoding the N-terminal sequences. These four different types has different function and from the different sources. The Type I and Type II in mouse and bovine respectively also differ from each other in the uttermost N-terminal sequences, possess longer domain L sequences than those of rabbit, pig and human inhibitors which are Type III.The previous obtained mouse calpastatin cDNA is encoded by as many as 31 exons including the first exon. The other three additional exons specifying the N-terminal sequences of the types were identified in the mouse genomic DNA sequence. The mRNAs for Type I and Type III were expressed in the liver, the Type II high in heart and skeletal muscle .Besides , the Type IV abundance in testis. These findings sho w that the calpastatin isoforms possessing different N-terminal sequences are generated by the alternative transcription initiation from their own promoters and skipping of the mutually exclusive exons (Takano et al., 2000). Cong et al. (1998), reported cAMP-dependent transactivation of the bovine calpastatin gene whose promoter located on the upstream of exon .They identified a sequence GTCA which was important for the cAMP responsiveness and corresponded to the half site of the full CRE(a consensus palindromic cAMP-responsive cis-element; TGACGTCA).They demonstrated that mutation of GTCA at -76 nt to ATCT completely abolished the dibutyryl-cAMP .Comparison of the nucleotide sequences of the mouse and bovine genomic DNAs did not show a high similarity but little similar sequence GTGCGGTGTCAGCCGG (identical residues are underlined) containing GTCA was found. The differential expression patterns of the type I, II, III mRNAs among different animal suggests that the presence of different transcriptional regulatory elements upstream of the respective promoters. Besides that, the differences in N-terminal sequences might affect the intracellular distribution of the action calpain-calpastatin system in stimula tion of meat tenderness (Takano et al., 1999). 2.7 Calpain Calpain were intracellular calcium-dependent cysteine proteinases which present in all mammalian(Goll et al., 2003; Sorimachi et al., 2001).In catalysing the limited proteolysis of cytoskeletal and membrane protein , the calpain were play a big role.This regulation occur with help of specific protein inhibitor calpastatin.In striated muscle, the calpain/calpastatin system has been proved in regulation protein turnover especially in meat texture development (Sensky et al., 2001). 2.8 The effect of calpain-calpastatin system in meat tenderness The calpain and calpastatin proteolytic enzyme system is believed to be the main contributor to the tenderness of meat at post mortem.The present of calpastatin in meat influence the calpain by acting as inhibitor. Calpastatin is a marker in order to determine the tenderness of meat. The researcher found the activity of the calpastatin in meat at 24 hours was highly related to shear force value after 14th day after post mortem. It showed that an early event after the animal being slaughter could be predictive of ultimate shear force because of the low activity of calpastatin (Whipple et al., 1990). The findings was repeated in pork. The higher level of calpastatin after 2 hours of post mortem is increasing the toughness (parr et al., 1999).We can conclude that the activity of calpastatin was responsible in variation of tenderness of meat by the differences in proteolytic rate of the animals. A more complex study is performed by the Shackleford et al.(1994) that correlate between both calpastatin level and meat toughness and the possibility of using these for selection purposed to improve the meat quality.

In a Grove :: essays research papers

Louis Andrei Zabala Litera2 10335625 07/11/05 In A Grove It is a story that provides the ultimate explanation of how two different people who are witnesses to a crime give completely different psychological recollections of the same event. The author reminds us that truth depends on the telling. Someone must step forward and tell that truth. I believe that no matter how many times you read "In A Grove," there's not enough information in the story to figure out the truth about what took place on the day of the samurai's death, but it's still fun to sort out what you think you know for sure, what seems highly probable, what seems highly improbable, and what doesn't fit into any of these three categories. But for me, "In A Grove" isn't about searching for some kind of absolute truth — it's about how differently people perceive the same external event. The best example in the story of what I mean by this is perhaps the sword fight between the bandit and the samurai. The bandit perceived it as a heroic duel between a pair of honorable, expert swordsmen while the woodsman saw two scared, clumsy men stumbling around with swords in their hands as each tried desperately to prevail over the other any way he could. When it's all said and done, you won't know who is telling the truth, who is lying and, mos t importantly, why. Yet the parable is more important, today, perhaps, as a lesson in how we construct the narratives upon which justice depends: What facts must we know to decide the truth? That question makes the author’s inquiry the concern of those who now seek justice in the GMA presidency, as well. And it doesn't matter one bit. The writer isn't interested in truth, lies or anything of the sort. He's interested in reality, and the reality of human truth is that no one will ever really know it.