Industrial Hygiene Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Industrial Hygiene - Essay Example Also, the United States Code defines toxin as a deadly and poisonous substance that is either produced by plants, animals, or by artificial processes (US Code, 18, 2008). Toxins are classified into two main groups: bio-toxins and environmental toxins. Bio-toxins are toxic materials that unequivocally substantiate biological origin. Common types of bio-toxins are systemic toxins, neurotoxin, cytotoxin, and hemotoxin. On the other hand, environmental toxins are those that include man-made poisons. Most common types of environmental toxins are neurotoxic shellfish poisoning, and toxic triggers like pesticides and monosodium glutamate. Exposure to toxins does not necessarily cause disease. The amount or dose of the toxic material and length of time at which a person is exposed to the toxin determine the risk of developing serious diseases (CCOHS, 2009). Parkinson’s disease is considered to be caused by exposure to toxins. However, case studies show that there is no direct correlation between developing the disease and exposure to chemicals. In fact, it â€Å"involves combination of genetic and environmental risk factors, which include exposure to manganese, lead, etc. (Schmidt,

Genotoxicity of Endodontic Irrigants and Medicaments

Genotoxicity of Endodontic Irrigants and Medicaments Abstract Genotoxicity describes a deleterious action on a cells genetic material affecting its integrity. This includes both certain chemical compounds and certain types of radiation. Genotoxic substances are all those with affinity to interact with DNA which is not proof of their dangerousness to humans, but does render them potentially mutagenic or carcinogenic. This review will address the genotoxicity of endodontic irrigants, medicaments, and sealers. It has been postulated that exposure of living tissues to cytotoxic agents can result in chronic cell injury, compensatory cell proliferation, hyperplasia, irritation, degeneration or tissue necrosis (1) and ultimately tumor development (2, 3). It is likely that proliferation may increase the risk of mutations within target cells and also be important in selective clonal expansion of exogenously or endogenously initiated cells from pre-neoplastic foci and eventually tumors (2). Thus, the DNA damage may diminish the self-repairing potential of tissue (4). In light of these considerations, genotoxicity and cytotoxicity assays gained widespread acceptance as an important and useful indicator of carcinogenicity. Definition of genotoxicity In genetics, genotoxicity describes a deleterious action on a cells genetic material affecting its integrity. This includes both certain chemical compounds and certain types of radiation. Genotoxic substances are all those with affinity to interact with DNA which is not proof of their dangerousness to humans, but does render them potentially mutagenic or carcinogenic (5). Genotoxicity of root canal irrigants Sodium hypochlorite Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) is recommended as the main endodontic irrigant because of its ability to dissolve organic matter together with its broad antimicrobial action (6). NaOCl is commercially available as aqueous solutions with concentrations ranging from 1% to 15% and having an alkaline pH with values around 11 (7). Sodium hypochlorite has a wide range activity against both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. It is the strongest antifungal agent among root canal irrigations and medications. Furthermore, it is the only root canal irrigant that can destroy the microbial biofilm effectively (6, 7). Hamaguchi and Tsyutsui (8) showed that NaOCl was not genotoxic to mamalian cells. Hagiwara et al. (9) showed that sodium hypochlorite induced chromosome aberrations in Syrian hamster embryo (SHE) cells when treated in the presence of exogenous metabolic activation. Aubut et al. (10) revealed that neutralizing a 2.5% NaOCl solution did not induce any genotoxic effect. Marins et al. (11) showed that NaOCl did not induce any genotoxic effect. Chlorhexidine CHX is a synthetic cationic bis-guanide that consists of two symmetric 4-cholorophenyl rings and two biguanide groups connected by a central hexamethylene chain. CHX is a positively charged hydrophobic and lipophilic molecule that interacts with phospholipids and lipopolysaccharides on the cell membrane of bacteria and then enters the cell through some type of active or passive transport mechanism (12). Its efficacy is due to the interaction of the positive charge of the molecule and the negatively charged phosphate groups on microbial cell walls (12), thereby altering the cells osmotic equilibrium. This increases the permeability of the cell wall, which allows the CHX molecule to penetrate into the bacteria. CHX is a base and is stable as a salt. The most common oral preparation, chlorhexidine gluconate, is water-soluble and at physiologic pH, it readily dissociates and releases the positively charged chlorhexidine component (12). At 0.2% concentration, due to the leakage of low mol ecular weight substances(potassium and phosphorous) from the bacterial cell wall, CHX is bacteriostatic. On the other hand, at 2% concentration, CHX is bactericidal, as precipitation of the cytoplasmic contents occurs and resulting in cell death (13). Ribeiro et al. (14) revealed that chlorhexidine digluconate is able to induce primary DNA damage in leukocytes and in oral mucosal cells, but no chromosome breakage or loss in erythrocytes. Another study indicated that CHX in 0.01% and 1% concentrations did not induce DNA damage. Yeung et al. (15) stated that potential genotoxicity and tissue damage when extruded into the periradicular tissue and at higher concentrations should be considered during periodontal and endodontic practice. Li et al. (16) revealed that CHX-induced genotoxicity on macrophages may be via reactive oxygen species generation. MTAD BioPure (Dentsply, Tulsa Dental, Tulsa, OK, USA), otherwise known as MTAD, was introduced by Torabinejad et al. in 2003 (17). It is composed of 3% doxycycline, 4.25% citric acid and a detergent (0.5% Polysorbate 80) (17). Marins et al. (18) assessed the genotoxicity of MTAD using single cell gel (comet) assay. Results showed that the BioPure MTAD was able to promote DNA breakage in CHO cells only at the highest concentration tested as well as to induce significant increase in tail moment at all tested concentrations in murine fibroblasts. Another study revealed that MTAD did not cause cell death, but presented genotoxic effects (19). EDTA EDTA (Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) refers to the chelating agent with the formula (HO2CCH2)2NCH2CH2N(CH2CO2H)2. This amino acid is widely used to sequester di- and tri-valent metal ions. EDTA binds to metals via four carboxylate and two amine groups. EDTA forms specially strong complexes with Mn(II), Cu(II), Fe(III), and Co(III). EDTA is mostly synthesised from 1,2-diaminoethane (ethylenediamine), formaldehyde (methanal), water and sodium cyanide. This yields the tetra sodium salt, which can be converted into the acidic forms by acidification (20, 21). EDTA is a polyamino carboxylic acid and a colourless, water-soluble solid. It is widely used to dissolve limescale. Its usefulness arises due to its role as a hexadentate ligand and chelating agent, i.e. its ability to sequester metalions such as Ca2+ and Fe3+. After being bound by EDTA, metal ions remain in solution but exhibit diminished reactivity. EDTA is produced as several salts, notably disodium EDTA and calcium disodium EDTA. The compound was first described in 1935 by Ferdinand Munz, who prepared the compound from ethylenediamine and chloroacetic acid (22). Today, EDTA is mainly synthesised from ethylenediamine (1,2-diaminoethane), formaldehyde, and sodium cyanide (22). EDTA reacts with the calcium ions in dentine and forms soluble calcium chelates. EDTA demineralizes dentine to a depth of 20–30 ÃŽ ¼m in 5 min (23). According to Heindorff et al. (24) EDTA influences chromosome breakage by mutagenic agents. In particular, when applied in combination with chemical mutagens, EDTA enhances mutagen-induced aberration frequencies. Furthermore, they reported that EDTA affects the inhibition of DNA synthesis in primary cultures of mammalian cells. This may be due to impairment of enzymes involved in DNA replication. Using single cell gel (Comet)assay, Marins et al. (25) showed that EDTA did not produce genotoxic effects. Iodine potassium iodide (IKI) Iodine was first discovered in seaweed in the early 1800s. Although its exact mode of action is not fully known, it is thought to induce cell death nonspecifically due to the oxidizing effects of free iodine on SH-OH- and NH groups of amino acids and on double bonds of unsaturated fatty acids. Iodine is highly efficient microbicide to a wide variety of bacterial, fungal and viral infections (26). Potassium iodide (KI) is a compound made of 76% of iodine and 23% of the alkali metal potassium by weight. KI is prepared by reacting iodine with a hot solution of potassium hydroxide, the product being subsequently reduced to iodide by heating the dry reaction mixture with carbon. Another form of iodine compounds is IKI. The solution can be prepared by mixing 2 g of iodine in 4 g of KI; this mixture then is dissolved in 94 ml of distilled water (26). Poul et al. (27) assessed the genotoxic effects of potassium iodate in vitro using the alkaline comet assay and the cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay on CHO cells. Results showed that potassium chlorate as well as potassium iodide, bromide and chloride did not induced DNA damage in the alkaline comet assay for doses up to 10 mM. In another study, Hikiba et al. (28) assessed the effect of iodine and iodoform on chromosome aberrations using Syrian hamster embryo (SHE) cells and found that iodine induced chromosome aberrations and iodoform induced no genotoxicity. Using the comet assay and chromosome aberration test to characterize the genotoxic potency of povidone-iodine within 4 h of contact with CHO-K1 cells, Muller et al. (29) found no chromosomal damage. In another study, Hedayati et al. (30) showed that incubation of lymphocytes with (131)I induced genotoxicity, which was reflected by an increase in micronuclei frequency. Genotoxicity of intracanal medicaments Calcium hydroxide Calcium hydroxide [Ca(OH)2 ] was originally introduced to the field of endodontics by Herman in 1920 as a pulp-capping agent. It is a white odorless powder with the formula Ca(OH)2, and a molecular weight of 74.08 (31). Calcium hydroxide has low solubility in water (about 1.2 gL-1 at 25 C), which decreases as the temperature rises. The dissociation coefficient of Ca(OH)2 (0.17) permits a slow, controlled release of both calcium and hydroxyl ions. The low solubility is a good clinical characteristic as a long period is necessary before it becomes soluble in tissue fluids when in direct contact with vital tissues (32). It has a high pH (about 12.5-12.8), is insoluble in alcohol and is chemically classified as a strong base, it main actions come from the ionic dissociation of Ca2+ and OH- ions and their effect on vital tissues, generating the induction of hard tissue deposition and being antibacterial. Ca(OH)2 dissociates into calcium and hydroxyl ions on contact with aqueous fluids. Ca (OH)2 in water has a thixotropic behavior (33). According to Ribeiro et al. (34) calcium hydroxide do not promote DNA damage in mammalian cells. In another study, Ribeiro et al. (35) revealed that calcium hydroxide was not able to modulate alkylation-induced genotoxicity or oxidative DNA damage as depicted by the single cell gel (comet) assay. MTA MTA is a mixture of a refined Portland cement and bismuth oxide and trace amounts of SiO2, CaO, MgO, K2SO4, and Na2SO4 (36). Portland cement is a mixture of dicalcium silicate, tricalcium silicate, tricalcium aluminate, gypsum, and tetracalcium aluminoferrite (37). Gypsum, and to a lesser extent, tetracalcium aluminoferrite are important determinant of setting time (37). MTA contains fewer toxic heavy metals, has a longer working time, and have undergone additional processing/purification than regular Portland cements (36). The MTA powder is mixed with supplied sterile water in a 3:1 powder/liquid ratio and it is recommended that a moist cotton pellet be temporarily placed in direct contact with the material and left until a follow-up appointment (38). Upon hydration, MTA materials form a colloidal gel that solidifies to a hard structure in approximately 3–4h, with moisture from the surrounding tissues purportedly assisting the setting reaction (38). Hydrated MTA has an initia l pH of 10.2, which rises to 12.5 three hours after mixing (39). Using single cell gel (comet) assay, Ribeiro et al. (40) detected no DNA damage after a treatment of cells by MTA and Portland cements for concentrations up to 1000  µ/ml. In another study, Ribeiro et al.(41) demonstrated that regular and white MTA did not produce genotoxic effects at 1 to 1000  µgmL-1 FOR 3 H AT 37 C. Another study using Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells indicated that that MTA and Portland cements are not genotoxins and are not able to induce cellular death (42). Braz et al. (43) assessed the genotoxic effects of MTA and Portland cements in peripheral lymphocytes from 10 volunteers by the alkaline single cell gel (comet) assay. Findings failed to detect the presence of DNA damage after a treatment of peripheral lymphocytes by MTA and Portland cements for concentrations up to 1000 mug mL(-1). Camargo et al. (44) revealed that regular and white MTA preparations did not negatively influence cell survival or reactive oxygen species production. Ding et al. (45) show ed that MTA and calcium silicate possessed no genotoxic effect. According to Zeferino et al. (46) MTA as well as Portland cement+15% bismuth oxide were not genotoxic. Genotoxicity of root canal sealers For assessment of the genotoxic potential of any material, it is recommended to perform a series of in vitro tests. At least two assays, investigating different endpoints, shall use mammalian cells. For cytotoxic and bactericidal compounds, as many endodontic  sealers appear to be, care must be taken in the test set up: For a proper evaluation the selected test concentrations used for genotoxic effects must be below the concentrations where toxic effects are found (47). Ørstavik and Hongslo (48) showed that extracts of a synthetic polymer material, based on epoxy-bis-phenol A, induced mutations in Salmonella typhimurium TA 100 as did extracts of the epoxy-bis-phenol A resin alone. Formaldehyde, an active ingredient from one of the ZnO-based materials, induced mutations in both Salmonella typhimurium TA 98 and TA 100. The mutagenic activity of formaldehyde as well as of the epoxy material was reduced in the presence of rat liver microsomes. Schwikl et al. (49) showed that eluates of mixed AH26 were mutagenic, and their genotoxicity was strongly depended on the setting time. The number of mutants after exposure to eluates of unset AH26 was enhanced approximately 7- to 10-fold. However, the mutagenic activity of the mixed material was clearly reduced after a setting time of 1 wk. Physiological saline eluates of the mixed AH26 were not found to be mutagenic. Dimethyl sulfoxide eluates of the liquid component of AH26 elicited mutagenic effects similar to the freshly mixed material; eluates made in physiological saline were barely mutagenic at a 10-fold higher concentration. Leyhausen et al. (50) showed that AH-Plus revealed no genotoxicity and mutagenicity. Epoxy-based sealers are also mutagenic in mammalian cell mutation assays. Ersev et al. (51) showed that silver-free AH26 set for 24 h were weakly mutagenic in Salmonella typhimurium TA100. They further showed that silver-free AH26 might contain small amounts of two mutagenic substances: bisphenol A diglycidyl ether and formaldehyde. Tai et al. (52) revealed that root canal sealers containing formaldehyde and bisphenol A diglyether proved to be not only cytotoxic but also genotoxic. Miletic et al. (53) found no mutagenicity found for AH26 and AH Plus sealers on human lymphocytes in highly controlled conditions in vitro. Formaldehyde is released from some epoxy-based sealers with a maximum after 2 days, even though the amount is much less than that of paraformaldehyde containing zinc oxide-eugenol sealers (54). It was believed that the leakage of formaldehyde and bisphenol- A diglycidyl ether from the epoxy-sealers contributed to the mutagenic effects (49, 55). Formaldehyde is classified as a carcinogen in animals, whereas there exists only limited evidence for carcinogenic effects in man (56). There is also limited evidence for animal carcinogenicity from bisphenol-A diglycidyl ether and no adequate data for the evaluation of human cancer risk for this compound (57). Considering the limited exposure of these compounds from endodontic epoxy sealers and the lack of definitive assessment by the IARC, it seems unlikely that such sealers contribute to an increased risk of cancer in patients. However, the high level of paraformaldehyde in zinc oxide-eugenol. Using Comet assay, Huang et al. () showed that the zinc oxide eugenol-based sealers  (Canals, Canals-N, and Tubilseal) did not always cause a dose-dependent increase in genotoxicity. The resin-based sealers (Topseal, AH 26, and AH Plus) caused a dose-dependent increase in genotoxicity, but no such effect was seen with the calcium hydroxide-based sealer (Sealapex) (47).

biological species concept :: essays research papers fc

Biological Species Concept (BSC) What are biological species? At first glance, this seems like an easy question to answer. Homo sapiens is a species, and so is Canis familaris (dog). Many species can be easily distinguished. When we turn to the technical literature on species, the nature of species becomes much less clear. Biologists offer a dozen definitions of the term "species". These definitions are not fringe accounts of species but prominent definitions in the current biological literature. Philosophers also disagree on the nature of species. Here the concern is the ontological status of species. Some philosophers believe that species are natural kinds. Others maintain that species are particulars or individuals. The concept of species plays an important role both in and outside of biology. Because of the important role of this concept, many biologists proposed definitions for this concept. Over the last few decades, the Biological Species Concept (BSC) has become predominately the dominant species definition used in biology. This concept defines a species as a reproductive community. This though has had much refinement through the years. The earliest precursor to the concept is in Du Rietz (1930) then later Dobzhansky added to this definition in 1937. But even after this the definition was highly restrictive, the definition of a species that is accepted as the Biological Species Concept was founded by Ernst Mayr; â€Å"...groups of actually or potentially interbreeding natural populations which are reproductively isolated from other such groups†. However, this is a definition on what happens in nature. Mayr later amended this definition to include an ecological component; â€Å"... a reproductive community of populations (reproductively isolated from others) that occupies a specific niche in nature. The BSC is greatly accepted among vertebrate zoologists and en tomologists. Two reasons account for this addition to the definition of Biological Species Concept. Firstly, these are the groups that the authors of the BSC worked with (Mayr is an Ornithologist & Dobzhansky has worked mainly with Drosophila). More importantly, Sexual reproduction is the predominate form of reproduction in these groups. It is not coincidental that the BSC is less widely used amongst botanists. Terrestrial plants exhibit much greater diversity in their mode of reproduction than vertebrates and insects. There have been many criticisms of the BSC in its theoretical validity and practical utility. For example, the application of the BSC to a number of groups is problematic because of interspecific hybridization between clearly delimited species.

Coral Bleaching Proposal

Coral reefs deliver ecosystem services to tourism, fisheries and shoreline protection and often called â€Å"rainforests of the sea†. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, which in turn consist of polyps that cluster in groups. Coral reefs grow best in warm, shallow, clear, sunny and agitated waters. However, coral reefs are fragile ecosystems, partly because they are very sensitive to water temperature.They are under threat from climate change, oceanic acidification, blast fishing, cyanide fishing for aquarium fish, overuse of reef resources, and harmful land-use practices, including urban and agricultural runoff and water pollution, which can harm reefs by encouraging excess algal growth. According to Brian Skoloff of The Christian Science Monitor, â€Å"If the reefs vanished, experts say, hunger, poverty and political instability could ensue.Since countless sea life depends on the reefs for shelter and protection from predators, the extinction of the reefs would ul timately create a domino effect that would trickle down to the many human societies that depend on those fish for food and livelihood. There has been a 44% decline over the last 20 years in the Florida Keys, and up to 80% in the Caribbean alone. Coral is very sensitive to changes in seawater. It requires the temperature is moderate but clean without sewage. As long as there is enough time, coral reefs can naturally recover a little natural damage, and sometimes even make the coral reef biological richer.Human activities on coral can cause the pressure of the reef so long and extensive. These pressures may be generated on coral reefs forever. The method of restoring the damage even of coral death is researched into four parts: coral Introduction, what is the coral bleaching phenomenon, causing bleaching, and the strategy to save coral bleaching. Coral bleaching caused by the decline in species diversity of coral reef ecosystems, and even affect the entire marine physical system. Once the coral reef is dying, the whole ecosystem out of balance.There are many actual reasons why the maintenance of biological diversity is important. Many resources can be prepared in the coral reef in order to made pharmaceuticals, chemicals and food. Before the coral reef caused serious destruction, many species will be found disappear. No one knows what we destroy, but if we do not stop destroying the coral reef deterioration. The situation will continue, and will lose a lot of value to be discovered. So we want to make a comprehensive conservation and strategies to save disappearing coral.

Gender Stereotyping in Media Advertisements Essay

The tremendous influence of the media as an important cultural vehicle on the preservation and reinforcement of existing societal norms, beliefs, and behaviors has been under increasing scrutiny from academics, scholars, and feminists in an attempt to understand the code and language within which the media operates and its impacts on various audiences. (Dines, Humez, Hoynes, & Croteau, 2003; Silverstein, Perdue, & Kelly, 1986; Gamble 1997) Lately, there has been a growing concern over the role of the media in helping to maintain the long-standing inequality between sexes in the way that it continues to exploit gender stereotypes overtly as in the case of television programming, to the subliminal messages conveyed by product advertisements, music videos, and other forms of visual entertainment which now include fashion spreads and magazines. (Dines, Humez, Hoynes, & Croteau: 336; Gamble 272) This concern comes amidst allegations that the media, specifically product advertisements, is somehow responsible for the proliferation and reinforcement of unhealthy attitudes and biases against women and women’s bodies, for instance, in warping the definition of physical attractiveness to that of ‘thinness’(Silverstein, Perdue, & Kelly: 519; Gamble 272) and of self-worth to being ‘pretty’ or desired by the male (Dines, Humez, Hoynes, & Croteau: 247). In its many forms, product advertisements, through graphic, in-text, and non-graphic representation, are guilty of exploiting the prevailing societal concepts of femininity and masculinity in their sole objective of increasing demand for the products which translates to increased profit margins. (Wiles, Wiles, & Tjerlund: 35) Product advertisements are also a cause for special concern in that they are easily accessible and are barely constrained by censorship and other legislation. The fact that they are ubiquitous in almost all forms of media—be it print, broadcast, video, and the internet—make them doubly powerful in molding, or warping, the minds of individuals young and old. Dines, Humez, Hoynes, & Croteau (2003) point out, for instance, how â€Å"elements of the pornographic can be located in advertisements,† (p. 336) referring not only to graphic sexual acts or innuendos but to specific representations of female and male constructs and of power relationships between and within these constructs that are seen in advertisements. It is argued that masculinity and femininity are always constructed in the â€Å"conventional† way: that the male is â€Å"bigger, stronger, and has the ability to hurt the women† (Dines, et. al. 336) or in a position of greater power over the women, who are always depicted or associated with the weak, delicate, and passive role. (Gamble 272) In the same manner, women are often portrayed as inferior to men through the use of the following graphic illustrations: â€Å"women appear shorter; men instruct women; women appear to be drifting in deep thought while men? Eyes are focused purposely; and women appear helpless. †(Wiles, Wiles, & Tjerlund, 36) Indeed, one need not look further than the nearest perfume advertisement to see how men and women are portrayed as predator and prey, respectively, signifying the women’s degraded position in the gender stratification. More notable is the apparent absence of ‘others’ in the gender spectrum which may not be totally accepted by societal standards: bisexuals, lesbians, and gays, who barely make it to product advertisements except for those products specifically intended for their market. Furthermore, results of Wiles, Wiles, & Tjerlund’s (1995) study of the portrayal of women in magazines in three countries which include the United States, the Netherlands, and Sweden supported the contention that â€Å"role portrayals presented in magazine advertising depict cultural biases and stereotypes† which tended to portray men in active roles and women as men’s sexual objects or in decorative, passive positions. If art imitates life and culture, this only goes to show the extent to which gender inequality remains as much a challenge to overcome in real, reel, and the simulated world of advertising. Works Cited: Dines, G. , Humez, J. M. M. , Hoynes, D. W. , & D. Croteau. Gender, Race, and Class in Media: A Text Reader. Sage Publications, 2003. Gamble, T. K. & M. W. Gamble, â€Å"Gender and Non-verbal Language. † Contacts: Communicating Interpersonally. Boston, M. A. : Allyn and Bacon, 1997.

Top Research Paper Topics 2013 for College

Top Research Paper Topics 2013 for College Top Research Paper Topics 2013 for College First of all, in order to write a good research paper, you have to understand well what kind of task it is. So, research papers differ from typical essays a little bit. They are longer and require some research work to collect useful information which you can use for your paper. It may sound strange, but the most difficult task for some people is choosing the topic. Actually, its quite normal. If the topic was chosen by your teacher, you have no other choice than to accept it and use it for your research paper. On the other hand, when you have to choose your topic yourself, you can be confused and have trouble choosing the one you really like and interested in. Lets try to do it together. Talking about topics that are relevant in 2013, you can think of everything that happened this year and choose the event that impressed you most. Was it a military conflict in the Middle East? You can analyze the political situation in Syria, Egypt, Afghanistan etc. Also, you may try to find a way out of all the problems in these countries. Maybe the new iPhone 5S is a far more appealing topic for you? Write a paper about modern technology, speaking about how it changed our everyday life, including all the advantages and disadvantages these gadgets have. Are you interested in economy? If yes, you can write about the financial problems in various countries, connecting this factor to financial crisis of 2007-2008. Try to analyze all the opinions on how to cope with such kind of problem and present them in your paper. Actually, there are topics that are relevant, no matter what year it is now. Lets take discrimination. We all seem to be well-educated, polite people without bias against any social group, be it homosexuals, people of different race, religion or gender. However, the problem still remains serious in many countries. Another topic to dwell on is obesity. Is there any way people can eat both delicious and healthy food? Do fast-food restaurants sell junk-food? Is it worth being a vegetarian? In addition, talk about environmental problems and possible ways to make our impact on nature less harmful. There should be some ways to protect rain forests in Brazil, or use alternative power sources (solar or wind energy), use bicycles instead of cars, save electricity and so on. Choosing a topic is just the first step to completing your paper. If you find it too difficult to cope with, or you are pressed for time, you can always rely on our academic writing service for help. We are always ready to lend you a helping hand. At research paper service you have a great opportunity to order a custom written paper online. High quality and plagiarism-free guarantee!

Cincinnati Flood of 1997 essays

Cincinnati Flood of 1997 essays Within two days between March 1 and 3, 1997, a killer storm developed from the Gulf of Mexico from Mississippi all the way to West Virginia and carrying with it a deluge of rain as the worst flood in 33 years (Mazzola 1997). Right on day 1, it was an unusually moist type of weather with a terrifying potential for torrential downpours. It turned violent, bringing thunderstorms and tornadoes across a 250-mile spread of destruction. In five hours, Arkansas experienced 14 tornadoes, which killed at least 24. It lashed nearby states, killing one person a day in Mississippi and Tennessee and its high winds, claiming two lives in Texas. Rains continued on day 2 through Kentucky and Southern Ohio, as swollen streams and creeks poured into the Ohio River (Mazzola). Their levels rose to a foot a day until day 3. Licking River rose to 52 feet, or 12 feet above flood stage. All through day and night 3, 12" rainfall crashed through 40,000 homes and businesses in Louisville. Leaving the place desolate, it drove east to Clermont, Brevin, Adams, Scioto, Lawrence and Gallia counties, before heading for West Virginia, where it eased a bit. By then, 16 West Virginia counties had been declared to be in a state of emergency, as Ohio and Kanawha Rivers filled their banks. Not quite out, it proceeded east-northeast on day 4, but was broken up by a cold front until dissipating in the Great Lakes area. Floods had gone in and out of the Ohio Valley, but past floods could not compare with the wrath of March 1997. The weather freak produced a variety of floods, from flash flooding in hilly terrain and poorly drained areas, to small stream flooding in rural and urban areas. These were followed by very serious flooding along the Ohio River and many of its tributaries (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 1998). It poured into the rivers in northern Kentucky, including the Rolling...

Dinosaurs at the American Museum of Natural History

Dinosaurs at the American Museum of Natural History Visiting the fourth floor of the American Museum of Natural History in New York is a bit like dying and going to dinosaur heaven: there are over 600 complete or near-complete fossils of dinosaurs, pterosaurs, marine reptiles, and primitive mammals on display here (these are just the tip of the prehistoric iceberg, since the museum also maintains a collection of over one million bones, accessible only to qualified scientists). The large exhibits are arranged cladistically, evoking the evolutionary relationships of these extinct reptiles as you go from room to room; for example, there are separate halls devoted to ornithischian and saurischian dinosaurs, as well as a Hall of Vertebrate Origins devoted largely to fish, sharks, and the reptiles that preceded the dinosaurs. Why Does AMNH Have so Many Fossils? This institution was at the forefront of early paleontology research, represented by such famous paleontologists as Barnum Brown and Henry F. Osborn- who ranged as far afield as Mongolia to collect dinosaur bones, and, naturally enough, brought the best samples back for permanent exhibition in New York. For this reason, a whopping 85 percent of the display skeletons at the American Museum of Natural History are composed of real fossil material, rather than plaster casts. Some of the most impressive specimens are Lambeosaurus, Tyrannosaurus Rex and Barosaurus, among a cast of hundreds. Planning to Go? If youre planning a trip to AMNH, keep in mind that theres much, much more to see than dinosaurs and prehistoric animals. This museum has one of the worlds best collections of gems and minerals (including a full-sized meteorite), as well as vast halls devoted to extant mammals, birds, reptiles and other creatures from around the globe. The anthropology collection- much of which is devoted to Native Americans- is also a source of wonder. And if youre feeling really ambitious, try attending a show at the nearby Rose Center for Earth and Space (previously the Hayden Planetarium), which will set you back a bit of cash but is well worth the effort.

Inflation in Zimbabwe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Inflation in Zimbabwe - Essay Example These are permanent dollarization, joining the Common Monetary Area membership, usage of its dollar as the only legal tender and employment of variable regimes. However, in its conclusion and recommendation, the brief singles out joining of the CMA as the best choice for Zimbabwe to permanently curb its inflation. Situation brief When Zimbabwe attained independence in 1980, its dollar’s worth averaged $1.25 (Kramarenko et al. 2010). Over time, inflation rose steadily under the presidency of Robert Mugabe until towards the end of the 1990s when the confiscation of land from White settlers had negatively affected food production (Coomer & Gstraunthaler 2011). With the seizing of these commercial farms, foreign investors fled away leading to halting of manufacturing and reducing the supply of foreign currency needed for importation of goods. Tax revenue also reduced drastically. In order to ensure that the government funded its debts, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe increased its pr inting of currency causing a rise in inflation to triple digits as of 2001. ... Wines (2006) referred to this as one of the world’s highest inflation. As of July 2008, Zimbabwe was suffering a high inflation at 231 million percent per year. President Robert Mugabe employed various strategies so as to bring this inflation into control. The economy was turned over to the president’s closest allies in the National Security Council. Intelligence officers and loyal army officers were used in controlling key functions including tax collection and food security. Key supporters of the president had their salaries increased drastically to cushion them from the effects of the inflation with the central bank printing more notes. This instead led to hyperinflation due to the circulation of too many worthless Zimbabwean dollars. By November 2005, the inflation stood at 400% which edged in January 2006 to over 600% (Wines 2006). By June 2008, this was at 11.2 million percent per year and kept increasing in the subsequent months to over 231 million percent in 200 8 (Berger 2008). In January 2009, the 100 trillion Zimbabwean dollar note worth $30 was introduced into the circulation (Pindiriri 2012). The US dollar exchanged for Z$180 officially but fetched Z$8,000 in the black market. This was further worsened by the deadlock that existed between the Zanu-PF party of Robert Mugabe and the Movement for Democratic Change, the opposition. The closest Zimbabwe came to finding a solution was with the dollarization in February 2009 where authorities allowed for trade with five different currencies, though the US dollar became the principal (Pindiriri 2012). The use of the Zimbabwean dollar was discontinued. But this was considered as a short term measure that would not give a permanent solution to the problem of inflation in Zimbabwe. Therefore, the

Genetic Analytical Report. exmamine the postive & negative effects of Essay

Genetic Analytical Report. exmamine the postive & negative effects of providing patrents with information - Essay Example Awareness of the genetic predisposition to diseases will trigger the notion of taking pro-active measures to ensure health safety in the public. Cooperation and encouragement of the government of Australia are some of the most fundamental requirements of this notion. This research report will generate useful information for a common man as well as for the government of Australia to some extent who will be able to use this information to make informed decisions while making the policies regarding the promotion or restriction of disclosing the genetic predisposition to diseases to people. Researchers hold the consensus that human genetic predisposition is the cause of most chronic diseases. In a vast majority of cases, it takes more than a single defective gene to cause the disease. Nevertheless, this remains a fact that genetic component is the most fundamental causal factor in a lot of common diseases experienced in adulthood including schizophrenia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and several congenital malformations that include but are not limited to neural tube defects, cleft lip, and cleft palate. This has conventionally generated a consensus among the doctors that many individual genes play a little yet considerable role in predisposing a person to a particular condition of genetics. Despite that, identifying the genes causing a particular disease is a very cumbersome target to achieve. In order to determine and sequence such a gene, it is imperative that the scientists are able to tell a gene that is equipped with the predisposing power for a specific disorder from the others. This raises a question for the scientists whether going through such a tough process is worth it when the information has mixed effects on the life of the individual whose genes are being assessed. Telling an individual that he/she carries a certain gene that caused an awful disease in his/her parents can be very overwhelming and stressful for the individual. On the other hand, kn owledge of the existence of a dangerous gene and the likelihood of acquiring the disease in the future gets very alarming for the individual and he/she is able to take preventive measures in time. Thus, informing the individuals about their genetic predisposition to diseases has both positive and negative outcomes. This research paper is directed at identifying the potential pros and cons of letting the people know their genetic predisposition to diseases. 1.1   Background and recent findings   In order to perceive the way of portrayal of genetics and the scientists’ role in it, popular media has been studied a number of times by different researchers (Condit, Ofulue, & Sheedy 1998; Henderson and Kitzinger 1999, Conrad 2001, Petersen 2001, and Bubela & Caulfield 2004). Other researchers have conducted in-depth analysis of the published editorials and journal articles with a view to examining the way developments in genetics have conventionally been recorded by the clinici ans and past researchers and what role they have played in advancing the field of genetics (Cunningham-Burley & Amos 1999). Editorials are one of the most fundamental sources of information about the portrayal of genetics. â€Å"Published in peer-reviewed journals, editorials allow leaders of the research and clinical communities to provide commentary on developments in science and clinical practice†

Why is it important for educators to understand how to interpret test Assignment

Why is it important for educators to understand how to interpret test scores - Assignment Example Through this objective and measurable assessment, educators can then device effective methods for intervention to improve the student’s performance and then retested again to see if the intervention was effective. Interpreting test scores will also give educator’s the unique insight and ability to assess the efficacy of their own teaching method whether it has achieved its goal by comparing the actual scores of its intended audience to the their objective. It will also allow them to evaluate if the tools they use for teaching serve its purpose. This insight which test score interpretation provides enable educator’s to address any identified any weakness both in their teaching method and curricula and provides them the opportunity to improve. Thus, it is it important for educators to understand how to interpret test scores not only to rank or grade students, but more importantly, determine if their methods, tools and their selves are effective as educators and that their tools and methods serve the purpose of educating their

Salave Project Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Salave Project - Assignment Example The company has also secured an investigation permit of up to 2765ha for a total of 3198ha of highly potential gold deposits (Asturgold, n.p). The area has already been developed, and access roads, power lines, water and telephone lines are available in the area. The area is just 10 kilometers from Tapia within the province of Galicia. This region has a long coal mining history that boosts confidence on future mine developments the Salave Project. This project is viable since it has a strong geological evidence to support it. Gold deposits are in the main Salave granodiorite and surrounding regions. The deposit contains gold mineralization along numerous north to northwest irregular lenses. Salave gold deposit is one of the biggest and premier grade undeveloped gold deposits in Western Europe. It is an investment that is worthwhile and lucrative. This report will show the predicted future of the Salave project investment in such a way that the investor will see the value of investing in such promising project. Since gold is a precious stone, investing into this project is also extremely precious to both the investor and the company taking up the Salave project. All the data and relevant analysis confirm the viability of this gold mine project. Introduction The Salave project has a basis on the preliminary economic analysis of the project. This economic analysis shows the financials of the project for the next eighteen (18) years. These projections are subject to alterations in the economy and, therefore, the rational of this statement is to take into account the changes and incorporate them for investors to have total confidence in the project. The analysis of the project indicates that, over the next 18 years, the project will generate a NPV of $576 million (Asturgold, n.p). Previous metallurgical studies and tests indicate that recoveries are in the order of 90%. The region has 1.7 million oz Au and indications show that 338 thousand oz Au inferred. This is g ood news to any investor who wants to have the most value for their investments. The robust economy demonstrated in 2011 placed the gold price at an attractive $1,100/oz. The local community is in total support of the project and shows confidence in the mining process. Currently the drive to put Salave to production as soon as possible is enormous. This project is the best investment in Western Europe. Significance of the Salave Project The Salave project is tremendously significant in the economy of Spain and to investors and share holders of the company that runs the Salave project. The project has vast possibilities and positive rewards in the end. Many investors always seek to increase their share value. This is the business that Salave project focuses on among other key goals like to be the largest gold mine in the whole of Western Europe. This project is resistant to the economic dynamics that will make investors shy to invest in the gold business. The gold business is never l ow due to the constant and steady rise of the prices of gold over the years especially when inflation strikes. This analysis will show how the value of the share holders will be on the increase, and the success of the project is the main purpose of the call for investor input from all over the globe. Cash flow Analysis In the forecast of the project’s cash flows for the next two decades, the following assumptions hold: A. All factors remain

Case Analysis Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Analysis - Case Study Example He suffered from low self esteem. Therefore, he was looking to get back to working in accordance to his competence. The person came across the advertisements in the paper given by Carbon Manufacturing Company as the company was looking for new employees in all of their departments as there was strike going on in the plant. The strike was called by the union at Carbon Manufacturing. This meant the work at the plant was disturbed. The person in the case is eligible for the job. The job will pay him a similar salary as he was getting at the earlier plant. The management of Carbon was fed up with the union there. So, they decided to include a clause in the new employees contract which required them to agree to not to join a union ever during the stay at the company. The job was a permanent job as the company assured that even if the striking workers return, the new recruits will stay in the company. The non-union clause in the contract was a matter of concern for the person as he analyze d that other prospect of joining the company was good. Father of the person was strong union person. Therefore, he had background which suggested him to be in favor of unions. But the present job crisis and his family where he had wife and kids favored his mind to look for the option of appearing for the job interview. The ethical issue regarding the unions also came up in his mind as his neighbors and community received undue benefits from the presence of unions in the plants. His father also told him the scenario that the Americans had to face in the past when there was no presence of union. Long working hours, low payments, very few benefits, and also no security of job were the scenario that engulfed the country in the absence of the unions. The person though believed that such working conditions and scenarios were a thing of the past and in present day, the management of the companies was much more vigilant of the employee welfare. So,

Reflect on If I could be any historical figure within the time period, Research Paper - 2

Reflect on If I could be any historical figure within the time period, who would I be and why I want this to be on D - Research Paper Example eater importance and long-lasting impact than what a single military commander, philosopher, pop-culture icon, or any other individual within past society has been able to offer. As a function of attempting to prove this point to the reader, the following analysis will be concentric upon providing many of the accomplishments that Martin Luther King realized during his life and draw a clear level of comparison with respect to the fact that these accomplishments, taken as a whole, stood apart from the rest of the individuals during his time, and indeed sense, and represented individual whose strength and perseverance are not only admirable but something which should be desired within the current time. Firstly, it should be stated that few if any individuals in the modern world are able to attain a level of education or expertise at such a young age as did Martin Luther King Junior. For instance, Martin Luther King Jr. became an ordained Baptist minister at the age of 18. Whereas it is true that certain individuals within the modern world are able to accrue a great deal of education and expertise at a relatively young age, Martin Luther King was not only able to become an ordained clergyman within his community, he was also the youngest person ever to receive and Nobel Peace Prize for his work in seeking to end racial segregation (Hinds 469). As can readily be noted, the ability to dedicate himself to his studies and to the cause in question allowed for Martin Luther King to be an admirable character that this student seeks to look up to. Yet, one of the largest reasons for why Martin Luther King Jr. is a historical figure that I would like to be is due to the fact that he struggled tirelessly and fearlessly for the rights of his fellow man. Whereas many individuals during the time period were caught up in returning hatred for hatred, Martin Luther King Jr. was focused upon using nonviolent methods and leading a peaceful civil rights that would channel the same ap proach that Thoreau and Gandhi had used to such great effect (King 33). Whereas it might have been easy to fall victim to the desire for seeking revenge and demanding a level of immediate and violent revolution on the part of the disenfranchised population of the United States, King was able to resist this temptation and take the higher path; aspects of character and virtue that are extraordinarily rare and extremely appealing to this individual author. Such as yet, King’s most notable achievement is not with regards to the fact that he was merely a participant in the nonviolent civil rights movement of the mid-20th century; rather, his most notable achievement is with respect to the fact that he led this civil rights movement and carefully and painstakingly sought the ways in which it could be promoted so that it could affect the greatest benefit towards the exhibition of civil rights within the United States. Naturally,

Case Analysis Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Analysis - Case Study Example He suffered from low self esteem. Therefore, he was looking to get back to working in accordance to his competence. The person came across the advertisements in the paper given by Carbon Manufacturing Company as the company was looking for new employees in all of their departments as there was strike going on in the plant. The strike was called by the union at Carbon Manufacturing. This meant the work at the plant was disturbed. The person in the case is eligible for the job. The job will pay him a similar salary as he was getting at the earlier plant. The management of Carbon was fed up with the union there. So, they decided to include a clause in the new employees contract which required them to agree to not to join a union ever during the stay at the company. The job was a permanent job as the company assured that even if the striking workers return, the new recruits will stay in the company. The non-union clause in the contract was a matter of concern for the person as he analyze d that other prospect of joining the company was good. Father of the person was strong union person. Therefore, he had background which suggested him to be in favor of unions. But the present job crisis and his family where he had wife and kids favored his mind to look for the option of appearing for the job interview. The ethical issue regarding the unions also came up in his mind as his neighbors and community received undue benefits from the presence of unions in the plants. His father also told him the scenario that the Americans had to face in the past when there was no presence of union. Long working hours, low payments, very few benefits, and also no security of job were the scenario that engulfed the country in the absence of the unions. The person though believed that such working conditions and scenarios were a thing of the past and in present day, the management of the companies was much more vigilant of the employee welfare. So,

International Relations theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

International Relations theories - Essay Example In that NATO countries view an attack upon one member State as an attack upon all treaty members collectively, the legal justification for the use of armed forces in Afghanistan in self-defence is not a matter of legal dispute in international law in the manner that the Iraq war was under contention. As professor Patrick Thaddeus Jackson wrote in ‘Theories of International Relations’ (2006) â€Å"Realism is characterized by a concern with material coercive power. It treats states as the primary unit of analysis. Power is primarily viewed in military terms, and the military power of other states presents the greatest potential danger to an individual state. Economic leverage is also considered an important element of national strength, and Realist analyses of international economics assume that hegemonic actors define not just political but economic structures.† (Jackson, 2006) In evaluating the realist concern for global security, the US and NATO powers are the pr imary police force for international trade and commerce, which was threatened directly by the World Trade Center attacks. The costs of the attack led to $40 to $60 billion USD in insurable costs according to a Congressional study, plus a large drop in the stock markets, contraction of the economy, support for the airline industry, and militarization for the war on terror internationally. (Makinen, 2002) Where international trade and business was impacted in such a major way by terrorism, the realist argument is given as the primary justification for the deployment of military forces in a police action to secure this. Where the 9/11 attacks also harmed the perception of America internationally as a hegemonic power, it also required a realist response to restore the balance of power to hegemony in a â€Å"zero sum† game of national interests. The natural resource interest in Afghanistan is arguably in natural gas, minerals, or pipelines. Yet a greater interest can be seen in NA TO of a containment of Iran, arguably a major concern due to the Islamic theocracy in the country and nuclear program. In establishing bases in both Afghanistan and Iraq, this can be seen as part of a NATO-US led policy of containment of Iranian power as well as regime change in Sunni States with the goal of democratization. The democratization argument applies to realism when NATO, the US, and others decide it is in their best interests to promote democratic governments around the world to support global security and the expansion of their social and economic interests. Finally, a critical view of realism can be seen in the interest of the Military-Industrial Complex to deploy in Afghanistan to further the expansion of the contracts related to the war and Department of Defence as they relate to private profit, ownership, and control. Question 2- How does Marxist theory address poverty and land reform as global security concern? In the economic theory developed by Karl Marx, there w ill be no true peace or security in the status quo internationally unless or until the developed nations make a commitment to economic rights and shared, egalitarian, economic development on a humanitarian and moral basis. It is the landless poor who in many regions suffer the most at the lowest levels of global capitalism internationally. Many of these

Measuring the Impact of Stress on Physical Health

Measuring the Impact of Stress on Physical Health Psychologists are very interested to understand the many ways in which stress can make us unwell. Before psychologists can get to the point of very significant real-life benefits to be had from understanding this relationship, they need valid and reliable way of measuring stress first. There are two main categories of measurement that has been developed and they are self-report and physiological methods. One psychological measurement of stress is self-report scales and they include the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS). The Social Readjustment Rating Scale was developed by Thomas Holmes and Richard Rache in 1967 and is a well-known self-report method of measuring life changes that go on in an individuals life. Both Holmes and Rache studied the medical records of patients, picking out the events that occurred in the patients lives not long before they fell ill. Within the SRRS, it presents a list of 43 life changes and each one of the 43 stressful life events was given a Life Change Unit (LCU). Obviously this unit depended on how traumatic the event felt to be by a large sample of participants. The researchers calculated averages for each life event and further divided these numbers by ten. This gave the overall LCU score for each change and these changes were put into rank order from highest to lowest. It was found that if an individual has less than 150 LCU, they have a 30% chance of suffering from stress. Between 150 and 299 LCU, it equates to a 50% chance of suffering from stress, and finally over 300 LCU it means the person has an 80% chance of developing a stress related illness. The downside of this measurement of stress is that it doesnt take individual difference into consideration. The scale just assumes that each stressor affects people the same way but this is not true, for example some people may say that divorce is very stressful however for others it may even be a relief or amicable. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) is the most commonly used psychological instrument for assessing the perception of stress. Items were made to assess how overloaded, uncontrollable and unpredictable respondents find their lives to be. Also within the scale, it has a number of direct queries about current levels of stress that the person experiences. The questioned asked in the (PSS) are about thoughts and feelings during the past month. In each case, people completing it are asked how often they felt a certain way. Another psychological measurement of stress is the Hassles and Uplifts Scale (HSUP). It is a self-report measure of the stress associated with everyday irritations known as hassles and of the small pleasures of daily life that are thought to partly offset the negative effects of hassles known as the uplifts. It is a more comfortable way to identify the pros and cons events that happen in each persons daily life. Also, Allen Kanner et al put forward that the combined effects of daily hassles and uplifts would be a more useful indicator of stress therefore he then developed this scale. The HSUP has three different forms: Daily Hassles Scale Daily Uplifts Scale Combined Scale The Daily Hassle Scale consists of 117 items and includes seven categories which are family, friends, work, environment, chance occurrences, health and practical considerations. Examples of hassles include disliking work colleagues, troublesome neighbours and too much responsibility. The scale measures how severe each hassle is on a three-point scale: somewhat, moderately or extremely severe. Based on the severity measure, it will reflect on the fact that the psychological meaning of each hassle to the individual is more important than how often it occurs. On the other hand, the Daily Uplifts Scale was constructed by a similar process that consisted of 135 items that were processed from the same content areas as the Hassles Scale. Examples of uplifts include relating well with friends and meeting responsibilities, liking fellow workers, and getting enough sleep. The individual identifies all of the uplifts that apply, followed by how often they have experienced them over a specific period of time. After many years of research with the Hassles and Uplifts Scale, some limitations were identified and so it was updated by Anita DeLongis et al and became the Hassle and Uplifts Questionnaire. The Skin conductance response (SCR) is a physiological measure of the degree of sweating associated with arousal of the autonomic nervous system. ANS arousal activates the bodys fight or flight response when a stressor occurs. Small increases in sweating can be detected as greater electrical conductance across the skin. To detect sweating, electrodes are attached to the index and middle fingers of one hand. A very small current that cannot be felt is applied to the electrodes in order to measure how much electricity is being conducted. Since human skin is a good conductor of electricity, the more we sweat, the more conductance there will be. There are two types of skin conductance. One is tonic conductance and this is skin conductance when we are not experiencing a stimulus. It is used as a baseline measure against which to compare phasic conductance. This type occurs when something happens like for example when someone asks you a question or we are shown a picture. The whole response can take from four to five seconds. Along with respiration, blood pressure and heart rate, the SCR makes up a polygraph, more commonly known as the lie detector test. Another physiological measurement of stress is by testing the persons blood pressure. Blood pressure is a measure of the force that exerts on the walls of blood vessels. When blood is measured by a sphygmomanometer, two numbers appear like for example 135/85mmHg. The first number, 135, represents the systolic pressure which happens when the heart pushes blood out of the arteries, whereas the second number, 85, represents the diastolic pressure, which is the pressure of the heart at rest. Salivary alpha-amylase is another physiological way of measuring stress. Alpha-amylase is an enzyme thats made under sympathetic innervations and can be collected in the individuals saliva. There is a lot of evidence suggesting that the level of salivary alpha-amylase increases with physiological stress, such as exercise.

How the Greek Revered Their Gods :: Ancient Greece Greek History

How the Greek revered their gods In ancient times, the Greeks had absolute and undeniable respect for their gods. They demonstrated their admiration by putting in place many rituals and celebrations to reverence the gods that they loved and feared in order to ensure harmony with them. In particular, the focus will be on the religious beliefs of the Greeks, including prayer and sacrifice, as well as on festivals and the arts, such as the ancient Olympic games and theatre. These aspects of their culture made a significant contribution to their quality of life. Moreover, these topics will be examined in relation to the twelve Olympian gods and their associates. The ancient Greeks practiced a religion that was in effect, a building block to many ensuing pagan religions. This religion revolved around their reverence to the gods. Essentially, the Greeks worshipped numerous gods, making their religion polytheistic. They believed that exercising the opportunity to choose between a wide array of gods to worship offered them a great sense of freedom that they treasured. After all, the Greeks were known for their intellectual distinction of which their means of worship played a huge part. Each city-state, or polis, thus had an affiliated god who protected and guided its residents. Within a given polis, the belief in common gods unified the people. Ultimately, the Greeks yearned for this unity and order in the universe, which is a characteristic that is not unlike that of people today. It might seem contradictory that they believed in many gods and sought organization at the same time, for larger numbers are inherently unstable. But, to the god-fear ing Greeks, each god represented a different facet of life that together upheld an organized universe if each of these gods was properly appeased. To satisfy these gods, the Greeks participated in activities such as prayer and sacrifice and erected divine temples and centers for oracles in honor of specific gods. There is evidence of this institutionalization early on in the reign of the Olympian gods, thus forming the Olympian religion. The Olympian religion lacked the presence of true sentimentality, and the gods were not seen as forgiving or "flawless" as the Christian God is often portrayed. The Greek gods were portrayed as humans, which meant that they were not perfect. That is, the gods made mistakes, felt pain (e.g. Aphrodite in love with the mortal Adonis), and succumbed to anger and their tempers (e.

No Child Left Behind Act :: essays research papers

Page 1 Symbolism in Robert Frost This poetry analysis essay is about symbolism in Robert Frost’s poetry. The essay is titled â€Å"Symbolism in Robert Frost† and the poems under discussion are â€Å"The Road Not Taken† and â€Å"Birches†. Fisrt I will start with the poem titled â€Å"The Road Not Taken† and provide three short quotes from this poem and one quote from â€Å"Birches.† I will also provide three possible interpretations of their meaning. The following is a quote from the poem titled â€Å"The Road Not Taken†: â€Å"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both and be one traveler.† The first possible interpretation of that quote is that there a choices in life that we as individuals will ultimately have to make. Sometimes these choices are made and the consequences are not what was expected. These choices however insignificant at the time, can result into significant circumstances. The choices we make in life affect us in many ways. The next possible interpretation of that quote is making choices in life is what human beings do throughout life. There are no foolproof systems in place to indicate which choice will benefit individuals the most. A third interpretation of the quote is the choices in life are many and there will be situations where you can not change your decision easily once it has been made and you’re forced to see through with what you have decided. There are times when we make choices and look back on the choices we have made in retrospect thinking what would have happened if I had choose differently? Now that I have provided three possible interpretations of a quote from the poem titled â€Å"The Road Not Taken†, I would now like to take a second quote from that same poem and provide three possible interpretations of its meaning. The following is a second quote from the poem titled â€Å"The Road Not Taken†: â€Å"Oh I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever comeback.† The first possible interpretation of that quote is that we as individuals come to terms with and accept the choices we make in life whether good or bad. The next possible interpretation of that quote is when dealing with choices made in life that may not have been wise before, we can make the best of the situation and stay the course.

How does Alton Towers Monitor Customer Service Essay

Alton towers is an industry that offers products and services that are similar to its competitors, they need to continually monitor and asses their levels of customer service, and improve areas so that they can exceed customer expectations. To have a high level of customer service the organisation first needs to identify its aims and objectives this might come in the form of a mission statement. Alton towers mission statement is ‘we create magic moments’ this appeals to people of all ages, and different groups of people, what people look for when they go to Alton towers. Like many other businesses and services it is vital to keep customers happy regardless weather they are old or new, this will encourage them to revisit the attraction. People from different back grounds and ages Price or value for money Alton towers costs à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½23.00 for one adult ticket, so when you purchase the ticket you expect to get value for money which is different for different people, one persons value for money might be fun for the whole family (adults, children and teenagers) another persons value for money might be to visit every ride in the theme park twice. So Alton towers needs to take in consideration that everyone’s value for money is different but cannot lower there prices to low due to competitive organisations and the annual funding needed to keep the park open, so what Alton towers have done is printed off booklets informing people of the prices and opening times of the theme park, height restrictions on rides seasonal times (the time of year that the park is most popular) online information and website from this booklet people can see. When to visit, what time to visit, how much they are going to pay and what rides they can/can’t go on and see if Alton towers offers better value for money than Drayton manor park. Consistency and accuracy of the park If customer receive a good amount of customer service while at Alton towers and this continues each time it encourages people to revisit again and again, Alton towers is forever trying to improve its standard of customer service and rides to make it more enjoyable for people, they are now trying to improve the waiting lines so that rides are easier to access and the lines go down quicker. Accessibility Alton towers have a very good accessibility due to the high amounts of people arriving and departing from the park. Alton towers has increased there car parks so that they can now hold up to 50,000 vehicles a day if the accessibility is bad then customers will assume that it is like this all around the park, there are also ramps to help people who cannot walk up steps or are in a wheelchair, rides also let wheel chair users access the ride from the exits which are also ramped so that access is more easier. Reliability If Alton towers is unreliable then people are influenced to try another theme park. But Alton towers is not unreliable this is what attracts customers to come back, they keep there internet and brochures up-to-date and let customers know what is going on around the park this is reliable because if they where closed one day and they didn’t advertise it lots of people would still turn up at the theme park expecting to get in. Staff At Alton towers they employ the best staff that are trained to deal with the high expected levels of customer service, staff all where a uniform this to ensure that they remain clean and recognized Alton towers also employs over 1500 members of staff and they are all divided to work over different areas of the park to help with customers In busy periods e.g. over the summer Alton towers employs more ‘casual staff’ that can handle high amounts of customers and that can deal with them in an appropriate manner Health and safety If the health and safety of the park is poor the customers will not visit again but if the high standards are noticeable then they will enjoy there visit a lot more, at Alton towers rides have regular maintenance checks and are run in the morning before the park opens to ensure that there are no faults. Cleanliness and hygiene The cleanliness and hygiene standards of Alton towers is essential if the park looks unclean this gives a really bad first impression when the customer see it , the park has been given hundreds of bins, there are also designated litter pickers that patrol the park every 15 minutes, toilets that are all around the park are monitored every 40 minutes to ensure they remain clean and tidy. Enjoyment The main objective at Alton towers is to make everyone’s day (who visits the park) is to make is as enjoyable as possible, they do this by trying to get lines and queues down as quick as possible, offering people fast track system so the can skip the queues, more fast food restaurants are being introduced this will help to the long queue’s that

Branch of government Essay

The executive branch is the most important government branch. The executive branch is the 3rd branch of government and with out it, the entire system would be backwards and out of order. The executive is the branch of a government charged with implementing, or executing, the law and running the day-to-day affairs of the government or state. The de facto most senior figure in an executive is referred to as the head of government. The executive may be referred to as the administration, in presidential systems, or simply as the government, in parliamentary systems. The Executive branch provides national security and without national security there would definetley be no order and protection in the nation. The executive branch makes the President the commander in chief, the executive branch also makes the president the economic leader. The president appoints cabinet members, the cabinet contains the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Defense, the Attorney General (Justice Department), the Secretary of the Interior, The Secretary of Agriculture, the Secretary of Commerce, The, Secretary of Labor, The Secretary of Health and Human Services ,the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Energy and, the Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs. The executive branch is the most important branch of government because without the cabinet and all the departments, the country would be in turmoil. If there were no laws to execute then the whole country would be out of order. If there was no executive branch there would be no running the functions of the state, managing the bureaucracy, and deciding how to enforce the law. The organizational structure of the executive branch will determine the relationship between the heads of state and government respectively. The Executive Branch also carries out the laws. In a presidential system the leader of the executive branch is at once the head of state and head of government. In a parliamentary system, a cabinet minister with the title of prime minister is head of government, while the head of state is a largely ceremonial monarch or president.

World Religions: Buddhism and Christianity

This roadmap of this paper is chiefly twofold. On the one side of the spectrum, it attempts to make a successful presentation of the fundamental nature and key teachings of Buddhism as a particular religious movement. On the other side of the spectrum, this paper hopes to make an equally successful juxtaposition of the salient points relative to the similarities and differences between Buddhism and Christianity. The starting point of this essay will be to firstly lay the foundational elements and fundamental characteristics of the Buddhism faith, as a jumping board from where the succeeding discussions shall be drawn. Secondarily, in order to better place the Buddhism’s teachings within the larger purview of religion as a phenomenon, its comparison with Christianity shall comprise a significant part of the discussions as well. In the process, this paper hopes to establish that there is in fact an array of aspects for both religions which, even when on the surface they appear to be wholly distinct, nevertheless share common strains and resemblances, as far as doctrinal beliefs and ethical norms are concerned. This is a concept of no little importance; for history has been a constant witness to the divisive nature of religious pluralism. On a careful analysis, what this paper hopes to ultimately achieve is not to lay judgment on either the correctness or wrongfulness of any doctrine, as it merely wants to appreciate of the distinctness and uniqueness which defines both Buddhism and Christianity, and all world religions for that matter. Fundamental Tenets of Buddhism Buddhism is a religious tradition believed to be already in place around 500 years before the coming of Christ (Griffiths, 1997, p. 5). The exact location of its initial inception and formation is relatively unknown, inasmuch as the exact time of its emergence remains to be fully determined. But many thinkers believe that the religious movement started from the Indian peninsula, only to be dispersed from the neighboring regions later on. An exact definition of Buddhism may be difficult to identify, as a whole array of versions of Buddhism claim origin and affinity from the force which may be called as the chief inspiration of the religion – Gautama Buddha, also known as Gautama Sakayamuni. Far from being a movement characterized by an universal bond of uniformity or structure, Buddhism is one the few religions in the world which readily embrace diversity from its adherents. In fact, Griffiths would claim that one of the most notable uniqueness of Buddhism lies in its â€Å"very differentiated† character (1997, p. 5). To concretely cite the case in point, one may perhaps discover that the version of Buddhism being practiced in, say, South Asia, may differ distinctively from the one being observed in adjacent states, say, the countries found in South-East Asia. By inference, it is therefore not without good reasons to suppose that Buddhism is a religious movement that neither demand nor teach an adherence to a uniform doctrine to all its followers. As hereinabove hinted, Buddhism takes root from the inspiration and teaching left by its recognized founder by the name of Gautama Sakayamuni, who later on, would be called Gautama Buddha by his followers. At the very least, this is precisely the reason why the religion is named after its founder; since Sakayamuni is believed to be the religion’s supreme exemplification of a life marked by total freedom. It is commonly accepted that Gautama Buddha left a host of teaching pertinent to the methods of meditation as a way to attain a totally blissful existence. This state is called Nirvana. Buddhism, it must be mentioned, is largely about an adherence to a kind of life geared towards the search for enlightenment, as did their founder Gautama. Thus, in view of this, Humphrey believes that this particular religion does not chiefly concern itself with the worship of a Transcendent as an accommodation of a particular â€Å"way of life† (1997, p. 13). In many ways, this is yet another glaring testimony of Buddhism’s peculiarity. Normally, the most fundamental definition of religion – which by the way is accepted for most part by nearly all thinkers – has, one way or another, the element of a belief in a Transcendent as one of the chief conditions to be satisfied. Taylor thus puts it simply: religion is nothing else but a â€Å"belief in a Supreme Being† (cited in McCutcheon, 2007, p. 22). As for Buddhism, many thinkers believe that the element of Transcendence in its core doctrines is not that apparent. Which is why, Williams would contend that Buddhism is a religious movement which is not so much associated with doctrinal beliefs as a â€Å"body of teachings with spiritual benefits (1989, p. 2). In fact, many of Buddhism’s teachings are concerned not really with religious worship as with lifestyle, rituals, devotions and meditations (Mitchell, 2002, p. 1). Buddhism believes reality is always in a constant flux. In other words, it maintains the absolute â€Å"impermanence† of all things (Griffiths, 1997, p. 16). In fact, in the entire corpus of Buddhism’s teachings, one may notice that the theme of impermanence is patently recurrent. Since this religion draws heavily from the fundamental recognition that nothing in the world is ever permanent, it therefore believes that human persons must exhibit a detached comportment in relation to the things of the world. In other words, the more a person appreciates the true implication of diversity and impermanence, in a manner being unattached to all things ephemeral, the more a person is closer to the truth about reality (Williams, 1989, p. 3). Taking cue from this fundamental belief, Buddhism teaches that human life is in a perpetual pursuit of enlightenment against the backdrop of an impermanent world; and this entails being constantly ‘dissatisfied’ by what – read: everything – the world offers (Williams, 1989, p. 34). In many ways, it is only by right of mere inference that one cannot anchor his or her happiness or enlightenment on something that ceases to become as time passes. Thus, the plain admission that reality is in fact impermanent should therefore lead believers to equally recognize that nothing in this world ever satisfies human existence to begin with. Buddhism also acknowledges that reality can sometimes be illusory. Put in other words, Buddhism subscribes to belief that, since things are subjected to a constant flux of change, â€Å"things (therefore) are not what they seem† (Griffiths, 1997, p. 20). To this end, the value of meditation takes concrete shape. Meditation allows a person to enter into the truth that the world cannot satisfy the longing for human contentment and bliss. It is even said that Buddha himself taught that one must always take on the attitude of â€Å"dissatisfaction† even in meditation. In this way, one can therefore sift through the elements which constitute eternal happiness from a world replete with ephemeral things (Mitchell, 2002, p. 33). Through meditation, Buddhism offers a way towards the ultimate state of blissfulness called Nirvana. Through it, one is able to create a standpoint marked by a deliberate renunciation of the world; i. e. , a total freedom from the world. It also has to be pointed out that Buddhism offers a set of belief systems that demands concrete actions as well. The doctrine called the four noble truths for instance essentially begins with the fundamental belief that â€Å"life is suffering† and subsequently demands correlative actions to address it. To concretely cite, Buddhism holds that there are four noble truths in life: namely, (1) life is suffering, (2) the cause of suffering is cravings for pleasure, (3) freedom from suffering is temperance from pleasures, and (4) the way to stop suffering is to practice the eight-fold path which includes, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right living, right conduct, right mindfulness and right concentration (Mitchell, 2002, pp. 5-47). Buddhism and Christianity: a Juxtaposition It has to be firstly remembered that the task of the succeeding discussion is not to draw a point-for-point correspondence between Buddhism and Christianity. The whole point of comparing and contrasting is the inference of resemblances in either religious themes and moral tendencies of both relig ions in question, while affirming the innate distinctness each of them primarily possess. First, it is noteworthy to cite that both Buddhism and Christianity are religious movements that accede to the authority of their founders who act as the primordial and focal point of their emergence. Buddhism on the one hand sees Buddha as the exemplification of their journey towards a transcendent end. Buddha, while considered not as a divinity, remains to be the only figure of transcendent to whom Buddhism profess a faith. Christianity is pretty much the same; except that the person whom they recognize as its founder – Jesus Christ – is firstly believed to as a divinity. Like Buddhism, Christianity owes its emergence from the life and teachings of its recognized founder. In fact, according to Alister McGrath, â€Å"the precipitating cause of Christian faith and Christian doctrine was and is a man named Jesus† (1997, p. ). Put simply, the belief on the Lordship of Jesus Christ was the primordial force that pushed Christianity to become a distinct religious movement out of the mainline Judaic religion. Second, it is also wise to note that both Buddhism and Christianity believe on an ideal existence apart from this world. Buddhism, as mentioned, relegates a se rious amount of its teachings on meditations, in the hope that such a practice would usher its believers onto a state of complete bliss. Christianity too believes that in state of utterly blissful vision of the Lord, translated into heaven (Sheed, 1957, p. 220). Christians believe that when a person dies, his or her soul can either go to heaven or be condemned to hell. Be that as it may, the belief in the incomparable happiness brought about by man’s â€Å"living contact† with the â€Å"infinite perfection of God†, or the concept of an afterlife still emerges. Third, with equal interest it must also be mentioned that both Buddhism and Christianity place the question of suffering within the very context of their respective belief systems. Buddhism acknowledges that suffering needs to be purged and surpassed by letting oneself become free from the lures of the world. Christianity meanwhile believes that suffering has a place in the faith it professes. While Christianity recognizes the undeniable nature of human suffering, it treats the latter with much profoundness and uniqueness. Christianity does not teach that all sufferings must be purged; instead, it teaches that there are sufferings that must be embraced for the sake of heaven. This is supremely exemplified by Jesus Christ himself; the God-man who, by â€Å"suffering â€Å" in â€Å"His soul and body† on the cross saved the world from its sinfulness (Sheed, 1957, p. 127). By way of contrast though, it needs to be acknowledge that there are certain strains of beliefs that distinguish Buddhism from Christianity in a manner being patent and obvious. One can perhaps note how, first, Buddhism differs from Christianity on account of the belief in a divine transcendence. Christianity believes in a God which is Trinitarian in character. This means Christians profess to a God who comes in three distinct persons – the Father, the Son (who is Jesus Christ) and the Holy Spirit (Sheed, 1957, p. 54). If Christianity has a very concrete way of imaging its belief in a divinely transcendent Being, Buddhism’s belief system, by contrast, cannot sufficiently pinpoint the image of a divine; and a belief in the Supreme Being is highly ambiguous for them. Far more critical, there are even those who doubt if the idea of a Supreme Being is tenable for the Buddhist faith. Griffiths for instance notes that ‘the metaphysics of impermanence’ makes it difficult for Buddhist to conceive of a god, who, at least for Christians, is considered to be enduring, impermanent and most of all, unchangeable (1997, p. 23). Second, briefly it can be cited too that Buddhism differs from Christianity in terms of religious structure. It was previously mentioned that Buddhism does not appear to demand a uniform set of doctrines for all its members to observe. This is why, there are a number of different versions of Buddhism throughout the world. Christianity on the contrary insists on a universal acceptance of its official corpus of teachings. While this does not imply that Christianity does not have its own minority versions, the crux of the matter here is that, Christianity, unlike Buddhism, emphasizes, or, more appropriately insists on the need, for its adherents, to profess in â€Å"one† – i. e. , uniform – set of key doctrinal tenets (Sheed, 1957, p. 140). Conclusion This paper concludes with a thought that firstly affirms the need to recognize the value of Buddhism as a movement distinct and unique on its own. As a religion which has been in place for the longest time in human history, it was learned though the discussions that Buddhism takes root from the life and inspiration lent by its recognized founder, Gautama Buddha. Moreover, it was also learned that Buddhism has long established itself as one of the major religions of the world to date, offering its adherents a doctrine which on the one hand embraces a perpetual dissatisfaction towards all things, and on the other hand longs for a state of complete happiness that can only be found within. By right of mere logic, it is not for nothing that millions of people embrace this faith with much devotion and passion; for its doctrines allow its believers to glimpse beyond the ephemeral affairs of the world. With equal interest, this paper also presented a ponderous juxtaposition of Buddhism and Christianity, and therefore concludes that there are indeed strains of similarities which can be gleaned from between the two religions. Among others, it was learned that both of them recognize authoritative figures as their revered founders – Gautama for Buddhism and Jesus Christ for Christianity. And surely, there are lot more similarities and differences which can be cited to this end. In the final analysis though, this paper further concludes that despite teeming differences, many of the aspects of both religions manifest areas that may be taken as facets for future dialogue and mutual appreciation.

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