School Finance Article Analysis

After the Second World War, there has been a dramatic increase on school finance in the United States. Through the article, Guthrie explains some of the critical incidents that contributed the considerable increase of the per-pupil expenditures in public elementary and secondary learning institutions. Upon reading the article, one should have an understanding on how do certain events affect per student spending in America. Some of the factors cited by Guthrie are the constant expansions regarding the services offered by schools, more pricey specialized classes on high school students, and special education programs. Also, Guthrie includes that grants for students from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with disabilities make a contribution to increased costs. In the article, Guthrie suggests that it is very likely that the increasing expenditure on school finance continues. With this, the author offers some solutions to be considered to put a halt or, at the least, control its growth rate. Some of these are privatization and contracting. Just like the article states about the increasing per student expenditure, school finance in Massachusetts is also affected by the factors stated earlier. Thus, one can say that Massachusetts is on its way on a much higher education budget. In the event that the education status in Massachusetts will continue (that is, its school’s productivity is increased), there can be a possibility that the trend will snap, thus making the funds for public elementary and secondary schools could be minimized.

How Does the Film “the Breakfast Club” (1985) Perpetuate Teen Stereotypes Essay

â€Å"The Breakfast Club† shows the typical stereotypes of before, specially the 80s. The snob girl that thinks she shouldn’t be there, the popular sports boy, the rebel that is not understood, the nerd that doesn’t want to be in trouble, the outcast that is ignored, and the teacher that thinks to highly of themselves and thinks that teenager equals problem. In the 80s â€Å"The Breakfast Club† became really popular. This could be because the teenagers that saw it found themselves identified with the characters. It also made adults and teenagers see from the outside what was happening, and that stereotypes did exist. Nowadays these stereotypes still exist in a way, but not as marked as before. Now teenagers could communicate with other people from different groups, not like in the film, were the â€Å"popular† girl doesn’t think the rebel, nerd or outcast should be with her there. She thinks to highly of herself. Internet has also helped people not label others as much. Now people sometimes meet though internet, and this makes the first impression useless in what it refers to appearance. Teenagers get to know each other more, so they don’t fall for the stereotypical appearance of others. I find that what has also changed between the 80s and now, is that studies have become more important. It is true that we still think a lot about our appearance, clothes, etc. but the society has made us more aware of the fact that without studies we maybe wouldn’t be able to go far. More information on TV has also influenced, now people are informed better on what’s happening around the world. Teenagers now know there is more apart from school and friends, and are more worried about their future and world-wide problems, than to belong to a group. We are more understanding on what is around us, we are less narrow minded. Know we know there are people the same as us, so we give more opportunities. However, are stereotypes still giving problems? Many adults stereotype teenagers as being lazy, unmotivated, and undetermined individuals. Loud, obnoxious, rebellious, out of control, and up to no good†¦ Many people in different generations sincerely believe that all teenagers are guaranteed trouble no matter where they are. I am not arguing that teenagers like that don’t exist, because there are plenty of them out there, but it is bothering that one type of teenager has been able to spoil the image of all the others. Things like long or coloured hair, black clothes, heavy make-up, ect. Create a wrong idea of the person. Things like saying that a teenager is bad just because they are trouble makers is wrong, someone could be just having fun and act serious somewhere else. People, specially teachers and parents, think that all teenagers are always ready for the battle, that they are not capable of reasoning, listening, or saying something interesting. In an external point of view, I personally find teenagers more interesting than any other group of ages. We are in the middle of children and adults, our view of the both is split into two and our exposure between them is different, this creates a wider point of view. Therefore, a different opinion. In conclusion, Stereotypes have changed throughout the years, people don’t label as much. However, it’s still there, and is still harmful.

Camping

Hey, be careful and dont do anything stupid, my dad said to me right before I hopped into Chase Millers dark blue Chevy S-IO with a camper shell on the back. I looked at Chase and Tyler Becker and said, Lets go camping. As Chase pushed down the gas pedal, a big cloud of black smoke shot out of the back of the truck and the smell of burning motor oil filled the cab. It was in July, and we wanted to go camping. I asked my dad if we could go up to our familys cabin in Elk Springs, which is near Montrose. He agreed, so Chase, Tyler and I, all sixteen years old, packed our stuff and were ready to go camping. With excitement, we Jumped into Chases truck, and took off to the woods. It takes a good hour and forty-five minutes drive to get there from my house, and the drive gets a little boring. Chases truck was full of Junk. I found a roll of fishing line, and we got this bright idea to tie a piece of plastic to the end of the fishing line. I rolled down the window and threw out the plastic piece while holding on to the roll of fishing line. I let out more and more line, until the end was way out there. People would drive up to it and be confused, because they wouldnt see the fishing line, Just the plastic piece. Before I knew it, we were pulling up to the cabin. When we stopped, the first thing I did when I got out was take a deep breath. Then I said, What do you guys want to do? Chase Just shrugged his shoulder. Tyler suggested, Lets take a hike. We all agreed to that, because it sounded fun. As we were walking away from the cabin, I remembered that I brought a slingshot. I thought it would be fun to shoot rocks at stuff, so I suddenly said, Wait for me. I have o get something. I ran to my bag, which was still in Chases truck, and grabbed the slingshot. We took off into the woods. Every now and then we would stop, and Tyler and Chase would carve pointed sticks, and we would try to shoot birds, trees and other animals with rocks. We all sucked shooting the slingshot; we couldnt hit anything. As we were walking through the forest, we saw a clearing in the forest. We went to go see what it was. The clearing was a spot where people were logging. The logging company had all their equipment laying out everywhere. We slowly peeked our heads ut to see if the loggers were working. None were to be found. So, we walked up to the equipment to check it out. There was a big truck loaded logs on to the logging trucks. They had about four chainsaws laying there and another big truck that cut the trees down. Since it was private land that they were logging on, they didnt have to lock up. All the doors were open. Of course, we all had to get in them and play around with the controls. Tyler started to honk the horn in the semi-trucks. The horn hear us. About an hour passed, and we got bored of messing around with all their stuff, so we ecided to keep hiking. Tyler grabbed the slingshot and I made sure everything was put back how it was. As we were walking away Tyler was shooting rocks at the logging truck. We were about fifty yards out, and he couldnt hit it. Chase and I were standing there watching him, laughing and telling him that he sucked, because he couldnt hit a huge target. After about fifty shots and not one hit from him, Tyler said, Here, you try. I have to take a piss. I grabbed the sling shot from him and picked up a round pebble, about the size of a small marble, off the ground. I loaded the pebble in the eather pouch and drew both my hands up. With a firm grip of the handle of the slingshot in my left hand and squeezing the pebble in leather pouch with my right hand, I slowly pulled back. When the rubber band was fully stretched out, I closed one eye and took aim right towards the truck. Before I even thought about what I was doing I let go of the sling. The sling snapped forward launching the marble size rock towards the truck. A split second later, the rock crashed threw the window, and the sound of breaking glass filled the air. I remember yelling, OH SH#@! LETS GET OUT OF HERE! Tyler couldnt even finish what he was doing. We all hauled butt out of there as fast as were could. After we were a good distance away, we stopped, let Tyler finish what he was doing, and let my nerves calm down. I took a couple of deep breaths and something horrible popped into mind: my dad saying, Dont do anything stupid. I felt so bad. We decided to go back to look at the damage. As we were going back I was trying to figure ways out of this. When we got there, there was glass all over the place. The whole window was blown out into tiny pieces of safety glass. Tyler got an idea to make it ook like an accident. His idea was to lean a tree up against the truck to make it look like it fell and broke the window, but there was only one problem, there were no trees around. They had logged them all. Then I got an idea, which wasnt much better. My idea was to find a dead bird and put in on the seat by the broken window, making it look like the bird flew through window. We walked around looking for a dead bird. We had no luck. Then we all took turns shooting rocks at birds to try to kill one. No luck there either. By this time it was getting late and we were getting hungry, so we tarted to head back to the cabin. All night I couldnt get Dont do anything stupid out of my head. My conscience was getting to me. I tried to think of ways to tell my dad, and how harsh of a punishment he would give me. I woke up about 10:00 a. m. , and I heard the loggers working. We decided to go see. As we got closer, we made sure that they couldnt see us. While hiding behind trees, Tyler started to make a howling noise. The man with the chainsaw heard the noise, shut off his chainsaw, looked around, and then he went back to work. Tyler did it a second time, even louder than the first. This time the man shut off the chainsaw, set so we took off running through the woods, laughing all the way back to the cabin. When we got back, we started to pack to get home early. We Just got done packing up, and this gut ache came to me. I was getting nervous to go home. I kept thinking what my dad said to me. We Jumped into the truck, and took off to go home. On the way home, I decided to tell my dad when I got back. We pulled into my driveway and I got really nervous. I hopped out of the truck and grabbed my stuff. I could hear my dad say, Dont do anything stupid in my head ver and over. As I walk up to the front door he was there to greet me. He asked, Did you have fun? With a sorrowful look on my face, I replied, Yeah. I broke a window. Before I realized what I was saying, I had told him. I thought he was going to go off on me and give me a harsh punishment, but he didnt. He Just told me to do what I think is best. I ended up talking to the owner of the logging company and paying $104. 31 out of my pocket for the broken window. I should have listened to my dad a little better when he told me, Dont do anything stupid.

The Brand Strategy Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Brand Strategy - Case Study Example As the new Director of Business Development for Aero Motors, I will design a marketing plan that is achievable within the specified period, and that will help us market our products. Our brand strategy ought to be different and unique from the other brands in the market. As much as we want uniqueness, so many people want the same product as we have developed it. The brand strategy ought to be different from others; it should be unique to attract customers. Forming Brand strategy is never the same in all products; it differs with the kind of product that one wants to market. Developing a brand strategy is a top town approach that is determined by a marketing strategy. The marketing team needs to know beforehand the type of strategies they want to use and should avoid imitation. Uniqueness should be the top objective of brand strategy. There are a number of methods of brand strategy that can be used, branding by thinking involves centralized planning and is the best in bigger companies with a range of products. Another method of brand strategy is branding by imagery; it is linked to the use of advertisements that help relate better to the consumer. This is a good form of brand strategy since it involves the customer. Branding by user familiarity targets product quality, usability, and product design. The customer is the most significant in this form of brand strategy. Branding by self-expression involves the customer who combines efforts with the company to help in brand building. The best brand strategy, which can be, used in marketing our product is branding by use of imagery, this is because its sales depend largely on the image. Our brand should predict customers’ needs and appeal to them emotionally and experientially, this way the car will do well in the market. For the development of relationships and expansion in the US market, we will ensure that the product is properly distributed so that it will be accessible in all the motor market in the United States. A strong brand will require more revenue and will sell more.  

JUDAISM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

JUDAISM - Essay Example When I was there during the services, it lasted somewhere between three to four hours. During their normal services, I saw that people wear the usual daily attire, but during Shabbat, people wear suits and ties. The women wear long dresses or long skirts and sleeves. I was told that the person who leads the service is called a â€Å"Rabbi.† He is the one who does the sermon on the â€Å"Parasha† (Torah reading) and also on some important events that happened during the week. It is noticeable that men and women are separated during services. I noticed this practice on both Orthodox and Modern Orthodox Judaism services. One of the very obvious things that I observed was that women do not glance at male worshippers during I did further research and observation, occasionally asking questions to worshippers. I was told that the vestments the Rabbis wear have ancient origins. I was cited a verse from the Torah by one of the worshippers to help me understand the historical association of the Rabbi’s garments. God had told Moses in Exodus 28:2-4 â€Å"You shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. These are the garments which they shall make: a breast piece, an ephod, a robe, a coat of checker work, a turban, and a girdle. They shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons to serve Me as priests. They shall receive gold, blue and purple and scarlet stuff, and fine twined linen.† It can also be found in Exodus 39:1 â€Å"Of the blue and purple and scarlet stuff they made finely wrought garments, for ministering in the holy place; they made the holy garments for Aaron, as the Lord had commanded Moses.† Therefore, the concept of the vestment s goes all the way back to Aaron. I noticed that in synagogues, there is a tabernacle that holds the Torah scrolls. It is very similar to the Christian tabernacle, with the candle at the side. Further research told me that this practice goes all the way

LensCrafters Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

LensCrafters - Assignment Example Incurring least costs involve employing opening up more stores and having employees who serve clients in the quickest way possible. This, consequently, enhances the customer experience. Operations management is an inevitable part of an organization as it involves the movement of goods from the producer, the retailer, and finally to the consumer. Ensuring customer satisfaction while simultaneously striving after efficiency is a huge challenge to operation management activities. Operations management entails the processes and scientific methodology through which products are created and delivered effectively to customers. This is because customers define the existence of a business. The way in which an entity produces and channels products to customers creates the difference between a delightful and an unpleasant customer experience. In the end, produced goods should be available to the market on time and be of the desired quality. Effective operations management, therefore, is crucial to providing high-quality goods that customers demand within a desired period. In designing goods and services, operation managers should value the opinions of customers. A proper market research necessitates that a company asks customers what they need before designing products that appeal to general consumer preferences. Physical characteristics such as dimensions, color, and materials are customer specifications that a company translates into making final goods. It is crucial, however, for a product to undergo prototype testing in order to ensure that customers’ specifications are feasible. Customer experience also depends on the service delivery and system design. This includes the facility’s location, the servicescape, organizational structure, technology, and information support systems. Location affects a customer’s travel costs and time. Besides, the servicescape should entail an enchanting physical impression that promotes customer

The Controversial Role of Women in Today's Time Research Paper

The Controversial Role of Women in Today's Time - Research Paper Example In the past, it was usual for women candidates to experience discrimination and unfairness by party leaders. These party elites refuse to employ women to compete for office, and they did not advocate women candidates (Thomas & Wilcox, 1998). Consequently, women experienced hardships in raising financial supports and in being respected as trustworthy candidates by the electorate and the mass media. Women in Politics: Past and Present Recent studies report that such inequities and discrimination has ebbed significantly. As stated by Georgia Duerst-Lahti, although women have been normally defeated by the men in elections in the past, it ceases to be the case nowadays (Thomas & Wilcox, 1998). As Barbara Burrell claims, in recent elections women have been more triumphant than men at all phases of the procedure from ‘early money through the general election’ (Thomas & Wilcox, 1998, 4). Negative responses of the electorate to women candidates have been reported as well. In the past, large numbers of voters believed that the place of women was not in politics (Carroll, 2003). Recent studies discover that women elected officials have mainly surmounted these barriers. According to Foerstel and Foerstel (1996), a significant percentage of the masses remain quite less sympathetic or accommodating of women candidates, but the percentage of citizens having this sentiment has decreased drastically, and although such sentiments remain they are frequently overpowered by incumbency status or party allegiance. Scholars studying fund-raising performances, voter preference, and party leaders’ treatment or perception of women candidates have assumed that when women compete for office, they win elections as frequently as their male counterparts do (Foerstel & Foerstel, 1996). Nevertheless, the removal of several barriers does not imply that men and women play on an even field. Barriers to the representational parity of women remain and contribute in the explanatio n of the relatively low proportions of women running for political positions (Rajoppi, 1993). These barriers comprise the rigidity of the incumbency aspect, media exposure of candidates, social qualification, electoral system, and socialization impacts. New Barriers to Women’s Political Participation Social qualifications relate to the expectations of the public about the eligibilities of those who are qualified contenders. Usually this involves specific job-related backgrounds, educational achievements, military involvement, and number and form of earlier political experiences, and so on (Carroll, 2003). Even though there has been a great deal of progress, women nowadays remain less probable than their male counterparts to occupy political positions from legal professions, for instance, and are more probable to have joined politics from women’s organizations or community assistance (Carroll, 2003). Thus, women may be perceived as less competent aspirants. Even though the impact of social qualifications have weakened later on, the gap in this aspect imply the women still confront bigger or new barriers to surmount to attain the same objectives. One implication of the conflicting qualifications and backgrounds is that women are less predisposed to view themselves as competent contenders for political positions (Thomas & Wilcox, 1998). The kind of socialization that encourages women to look for professions in law firms or business organizations also leads to their lower degree of self-esteem (Thomas & Wilcox,

Starbucks international business Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Starbucks international business - Assignment Example The rise of business opportunity in different markets is creating a strong appeal in terms of market attractiveness to the firms located in the global markets. The factor of market attractiveness is resulting in the entry of firms in to new geographical locations. It is important to highlight that the entry of the firms in different foreign markets around the world is continuously raising the level of competition in the marketplaces. This assignment focuses on the international business aspects of Starbucks. In a more elaborate manner, it can be said that this assignment focuses on analyzing the international business activities of Starbucks as well as understanding the challenges that they face for being present in an international business. This assignment also aims to evaluate the business stage of Starbucks and make necessary recommendations. Analysis of international business activities Starbucks is a widely popular beverage brand of the United States, which has presence in mult iple markets around the world. ... In the current times, the company produces and sources its highly specific Arabica coffee from various international markets like Latin America, Africa as well as Asia (Pashman, â€Å"Do You Know Where Your Coffee Beans Come From?†). While analyzing the international business activities of Starbucks, the factor of international expansion of Starbucks also has to be taken into account. The highly popular news site Forbes has reported that under the leadership of President and CEO, Howard Schultz, the company has designed some very ambitious international expansion plans. The international expansion plans are highly organic in nature and focuses largely on penetrating in the emerging markets of the east like India and China. The company has plans of opening around 1300 stores in various markets around the world, out of which around 600 stores will be opened in the market of China (Loeb, â€Å"Starbucks: Global Coffee Giant Has New Growth Plans†). Talking in regards to the long term expansion plans of the company, it can be stated that the current management aims to open around 1500 stores in China by the close of the year 2015 (Trefis Team, â€Å"Starbucks U.S. Growth Will Remain Solid While Overseas Expansion Continues†). Challenges for Starbucks as an International Corporation While analyzing the challenges that exist for Starbucks, focus has to be given to the fact that Starbucks is an international brand which enjoys presence in multiple global markets. The most important challenge for Starbucks is the level of competition. Since the main offering of Starbucks is beverage, hence the brand faces competition of both primary and secondary nature. The primary competition of Starbucks arises from the multiple

PEST analysis for the iphone in the UK( just Social and Technological Essay

PEST analysis for the iphone in the UK( just Social and Technological part) - Essay Example One of the company’s products that are highly demanded in the market is iphone. This paper will discuss the technological and social factors and how they affect the demand of the product in the UK market The young people make the largest market segment in UK. These are people with a disposable income which they are willing to spend on high quality products in the market. Having an iPhone is currently being considered as a social symbol. The current generation has a perception that owning one of these phones is an indication that one belongs to a higher social class (Meek, Meek, & Chartered Institute of Marketing 2003). Therefore, young people across the UK are working hard in order to ensure that they get hold of this gadget. This has played a significant role in increasing the demand for the product in the market. The design and the quality of iPhone make it ideal for majority of the UK population. The local population believes that Apple Company produces high quality products which meet the demand of the current generation. As a result, people are willing to go to any extent in order to purchase the product. Moreover, the innovative nature of the company makes the customer more eager to wait for the next product (Nykiel 2003). However, iPhone has been able to satisfy the interests of very many customers in the UK. Therefore, the demand for the phone continues to rise each day. Apple Inc has been using various media in order to reach the target market. Currently, it has shifted towards social media in order to reach its customers across the country. The social media platforms have given an opportunity for the company to communicate directly with the customers (Pogue 2010). As a result, the customers are able to raise their grievances concerning the company’s product. Therefore, the issues are addressed before they get out of hand. This has been instrumental in developing a very close customer relationship (Lancaster &

Strategic human resource management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Strategic human resource management - Essay Example The business organisation tends to exits in a competitive environment and often faces issues like scare resources which needs to be managed effectively and thus gives the organization a competitive advantage. Thus applying the definition of strategic human resources, it can be said that it is a long term focus, provides a linkage in between the human resources and strategy process, enhances effective performance and finally foster excellence corporate skills (Deb, 2006, p. 45-48). The main purpose of HR strategies is to articulate the intention of organisation related policies and practises and as per the dictum of Fomburn (1984) the business and the manager needs to perform well in the current environment in order to succeed in the future business environment. Strategic human resource management has various sectors such as recruitment and selection, training and development, performance management and others. However this paper will talk widely about performance management and perfo rmance related pay (PRP). ... Reward is a key practise in the framework of performance management strategy. Reward systems are of two types, one is monetary component of reward management which tends to fulfil the needs of employees such as hygiene factors, security and physiological needs and second factor is recognition and job satisfaction (Kandula, 2006, p. 59). The logic behind implementing the performance pay by organisation is as follows, PRP focuses on the effort where the organisation actually requires it PRP supports the culture of performance oriented The PRP scheme emphasis the performance of individual PRP aims to strengthen the process of performance planning PRP rewards the right employee and hence motivates to work more (Salaman, Storey & Billsberry, 2005, p.178). Therefore PRP is an essential and important tool use by organisation to enhance the performance of both the employees and the organisation as a whole. The next section deals entirely with performance related pay and aim to answer to the proposition whether the disadvantage of performance related pay outshines the advantage of PRP schemes. Performance-related pay systems The various forms of paid employment which also includes remuneration on base pay tend to have performance expectation or standard attached to it. According to Behrend, every form of employment which is paid involves effort bargain and also pay bargain. Performance standards are highly implicit and thus are open to contestation and misunderstanding of psychological contract. Strategic decisions which take place at the board level encompass performance related pay mainly for senior managers and directors. The PRP is often regarded as motivational tool for the top level management to achieve the target which

Into A Police State Essay Example for Free

Into A Police State Essay Introduction In a time when WW2 had just finished, people were worried that communism might spread around the world, and the overall scariness of the changing world around, George Orwell wrote a dystopian novel, set in the future, in a world that changes the past to suit the needs ofcalled 1984. Orwells novel has been written to make his audience challenge the values that have been presented in the novel. The values of freedom and truth and an attitude of love have been used to make us challenge the way we think of these things. 1984 is a novel in which the world has been transformed into a society in which a group called the Party can watch every persons moves at any time of the day. Â  1984 manipulates the society into believing everything they say. Â  George Orwells masterpiece makes the audience challenge the values and attitudes of the novel. Â  Values of freedom, privacy and trust. Attitudes of anger, and love. BP1 1984 makes the audience challenge the value of freedom. What is freedom Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows. This quote shows that the Party controls the world so much that they have the power to change the answer for 2+2=4 to 2+2=5 (or any other number). Â  That the choice for mankind lay between freedom and happiness, and that, for the great bulk of mankind, happiness was better. Â  This quote shows that people in the world of Oceania have a choice of freedom or happiness. Because most people know the consequences of having freedom, they choose the safe option and have happiness in the Party. This leads into the next quote: Â  To die hating them, that was freedom. If you are with the Party, you will have happiness (previous quote) and if you are against them, you will have the freedom to speak out against the Party. But this means that you must die, because almost all of the haters of the Party will get caught eventually and shot or killed. Because the world that people live in has been manipulated so that people do not have freedom, we as the audience are challenged with the moral of freedom and what it means having it. BP2 Â  Orwells setting in 1984 also makes us challenge the values of truth. There was truth and there was untruth, and if you clung to the truth even against the whole world, you were not mad. Â  This is saying that the people of Oceania know their own truths, and everyone has an opinion as to what is the truth and what is not. But people are forced to believe in a truth that is untrue when they know a truth which is true. Thus people have two truths to believe or know in. The people who follow the Party and respect them will believe in the untruth and forget the real truth, and the people who are against the Party will know their truth which is the truth. So the people who are against the Party are the sane ones. Â  If all records told the same tale then the lie passed into history and became truth. Â  This is saying that if all of the novels in the world said the same things, this would become the truth. And if one thing was different from a book/magazine etc. then the Party would change it so it would become the truth. It is like saying if 10 books said that WW1 did not occur, and another book did, the Party would get that one book and change it so that it would say that WW1 did not occur. If everything in the world said that something happened, then the lie would pass into history and would become the truth. Â  Whatever the party holds to be truth, is truth. It is impossible to see reality except by looking through the eyes of the Party. Â  This is saying that everything the Party says is the truth and that everyone should listen to it. If you dont listen to the truth, then you cant see the reality of what the world is. If you want to understand the world, then you must be with the Party. The world is a blur without them. These quotes show how the Party has manipulated the truth so that the entire super state believes every word they say. By doing this everyone will do what they want. However some people are already thinking against the Party and they are the sane ones but they will be the ones that will most likely die. BP3 * Orwell also challenges the audience with his dystopian society with the attitude of love. Â  The old civilizations claimed that they were founded on love or justice. Ours is founded upon hatred. This is saying that the entire world is based around hatred. This can be backed up with the two minutes hate and the hatred that people have for the Party. * There will be no loyalty, except loyalty towards the Party. There will be no love, except the love of Big Brother. There will be no laughter, except the laugh of triumph over a defeated enemy. There will be no art, no literature, no science. Â  1984s society has been challenged in a way that no love ever exists. People are not allowed to love another person. The only way that people are allowed to marry is so that they can produce for the Party. They only believe in the Party and listen to what they tell people to do. Nothing exists anymore except that Party and everything that they do. Â  Confession is not betrayal. What you say or do doesnt matter: only feelings matter. If they could make me stop loving you-that would be the real betrayal. Â  This is saying that the only way that people in Oceania can stop loving someone is if that Party brainwash them so that they wont love them anymore. That is the only way that people can betray someone. Never again will you be capable of ordinary human feeling. Everything will be dead inside you. Never again will you be capable of love, or friendship, or joy of living, or laughter, or curiosity, or courage, or integrity. You will be hollow. We shall squeeze you empty and then we shall fill you with ourselves. Â  This quote is saying that the society of 1984 has no feeling for anything. Everyone is straight faced and just does what the Party want them to do. The line Never again will you be capable of love just says that the world can become a world has place of hatred for one another. This definitely challenges the audiences on love. Â  This novel has very little love in it and it makes us challenge what love actually is and why it is such a special thing for us as humans to have. CONCLUSION Â  These points that have been made so that the audience of 1984 challenges their values and attitudes. Â  The novel explores the values of truth and freedom and the attitude of love. Â  We see that after reading the novel how much we value these things in our world and that we should be grateful for what we have in life.

Grices Four Maxims

Grices Four Maxims Grice has proposed four maxims for conversation. Firstly, Grice proposes two maxims under the umbrella of quantity. Speakers have to make their contribution as informative as is required and should not make their contribution more informative than is required. These two maxims are clearly related to the amount of information given between the speakers in their conversation or communication. Grice indicates that the amount of information between the speakers is necessary to let the communication goes on. Speakers need to avoid superfluous information through communication. Clearly, these two maxims are implicitly related to each other. A simple example is A man stops his vehicle in the middle of the road to briefly ask you for directions. He may ask Where is the post office?, the listener may say Not far or Continue on, and make the second left up there. Youll see it (Jacob. 2001, 77). Clearly, the second response is more related to the maxim of quantity. Secondly, Grice posits maxim of quality which indicates that Try to make your contribution one that is true; but, this is separated into two specific maxims: 1. do not say what you believe to be false. 2. do not say that for which you lack adequate evidence. (Grice 1989, 27). These two maxims seem quite distinct. The former requires speakers to always say true things rather false things while the second requires them to have some adequacy of their responses. For example, a speaker may ask Should I buy my son this new sports car?. Speaker B may respond I dont know if thats such a good idea, his car runs fine or Yeah that sounds like a good idea, his car breaks down all the time (Jacob. 2001, 77). Next Grice adds another maxim called maxim of relation. Grice refers to this maxim by simply saying that Be Relevant (Grice 1989, 27). With respect to this maxim, Grice believes that speakers should add relevant input to the conversation being done. For instance, a speaker may ask How are you doing in school?. Speaker B may reply What fine weather were having lately! Or Not so well, Im afraid. Id rather not discuss it (Jacob. 2001, 77). Unfortunately, this maxim has received considerable criticism. Searle, Wilson and Sperber have all rejected and criticized this maxim. Searle added that though it is initially intuitive, it is ultimately problematic (Searle 1992, 14). Lastly, Grice also posits a fourth maxim which indicates that speakers should avoid ambiguity and obscurity of expressions during their communication. They also have to be brief and orderly. A good example is Can you take out the trash? Sure, but we need to talk about how we are assigning the chores around here when I get back. (Jacob 2001, 77). Grice pointed out that maxims of manner may be insufficient and gave it little importance compared to the other maxims. Grice writes that It is obvious that observance of some of these maxims is a matter of less urgency than is the observance of others; a man who has expressed himself with undue prolixity would, in general, be open to milder comment than would a man who has said something he believes to be false (Grice 1989, 27). Critics have argued that maxim of ambiguity is the most important one compared to the other maxims because of its direct relation to what is called equivocation. Grice (1989) also suggests that there are other maxims such as social and moral. He also presents four ways in which speakers violate the four maxims. These ways are violation, opting out, a clash and flouting maxims. Guo (2006) presents a simple explanation of these four ways. The explanation comes in order. First, a speaker may opt out of observing the maxim due to his/her unwillingness to cooperate with another speaker in the way maxim requires. Second, a speaker does not observe the four maxims due to the difficulty of conciliating a maxim with another at the same time. Third, a speaker may also fail in observing the maxim because of his/her intention to force the hearer to look for the meaning which is distinct from the expressed meaning. Lastly, a speaker intentionally violates the cooperative principles which results in lying. In short, these four maxims have come as an assumption to effective communication among speakers; however, speakers may violate these maxims which results in ineffective communication as Grice and his proponents have suggested. It is said that following the four maxims leads to effective communication. Here, the relationship between the four maxims and communication is discussed. Schoolfield (2007) asserted that Communication is considered the basis of Gricean theory. It is also considered the point of conversation as clear communication can occur by means of a dialogue. Conversation is used to send information from one speaker to another. The efficiency of this sending is determined by communication. Moreover, the similarity between Grices four maxims and the communicative goal of conversation, they require the cooperative principle to lead to effective communication. When one approaches conversations in terms of communication, the four maxims must be mentioned. For instance, if a speaker does not give true information during his dialogue while his aim is communication, this seems that he does not act in a cooperatively. Schoolfield (2007) discussed the relationship between the four maxims and communicatio n. He points out the first maxim Make your contribution as informative as is required, is necessary in communication. Speakers provide an amount of information to communicate the intended idea while others provide insufficient information as a violation to the maxim so that they will not achieve the goal of communication. Thus, if the person has the goal of communication, he/she must include relevant facts related to the topic of the dialogue. As for Do not make your contribution more than is required,, Grice (1989) believes that it is not necessary in communication. Culturally, this is clear in English-speaking countries where people find it desirable not to give excessive information during communication, as Grice notes, a waste of time (Grice 1989, 26). Communication requires do not say what you believe to be false, as there will be a failure in communication if one is not honest in the information he/she states. Schoolfield (2007) this maxim is far necessary in cooperative infor mation communication so that the information must not express something false. In addition, Do not say that for which you lack adequate evidence, is an acceptable rule for communicators. Therefore, Schoolfield (2007) argues that there must be at least some basic level of understanding as to what can count as evidence or they may be very serious breakdowns in communication. Relevance maxim is most desirable in communicative conversations because when we receive certain information, communication requires responses that are relevant to the information given; however, it is sometime irrelevant in achieving the goals of communication. (Hintikka 1986 argued that relevancy is important in cooperative and effective communication; however, many other have reduced the importance of relevance to efficiency. As to manner maxim, as Grice states, Avoid obscurity of expression, it is also necessary for effective communication since one must have clear and coherent communication. Schoolfield (2007 ) believes that if there is not some clarity in communication, then much confusion will arise or increase for the listeners. Likewise, avoid ambiguity will be necessary for cooperative communication (Grice 1989, 27). Schoolfield (2007) explained that ambiguity arises due to two interpretations that come from one statement. Thus, the avoidance of ambiguity, with regards to effective communication, must only be followed when it can occur. Next is, Be brief (avoid unnecessary prolixity), (Grice 1989, 27). Schoolfield (2007) believes that brevity is a cultural norm and helpful in communication. Thus, while a consideration for avoiding unnecessary prolixity is acceptable, any issue of brevity being required for cooperative communication will be only decided within a conventional framework. Lastly, Be orderly (Grice 1989, 27). Schoolfield (2007) indicated that this maxim is not necessary in effective communication. Instead, he has given much attention to the speed of giving information ra ther the orderliness of giving information. The Gricen theory is believed to be true not just for conversation, but also for written communication. Cooper (1982:112) maintained that this theory is also common in writing and what Grice says about conversation applies equally to all communication. In conclusion, through this brief discussion of the four maxims and their role in communication, I can say that some of Gricean maxims are not necessary in communication while others are. Gricen maxims play a crucial role in communication. However, his theory is always argued by many scholars and researchers. First, its not clear whether the maxims work in other languages and cultures as some cultures such as Malagasy follow completely different maxims in their communication. In their culture, speakers are not willing to share information. They tend to evade direct questions and reply incomplete answers. Second, they are not a complete listing of the rules we follow in conversation; for example, there are also rules about, say, politeness, which are not addressed in his maxims. Third, the Gricean Maxims, despite their wording, are only meant to describe the commonly accepted traits of successful cooperative communication.

Cardiac Muscle Structure and Function

Cardiac Muscle Structure and Function The structure of cardiac muscle The capacity for cells to utilize biochemical energy to generate both mechanical force and movement of the human body is a dominant feature found in muscle cells. There exist three distinct categories of muscle tissue, each differing by specific structural and functional properties. These categories include smooth muscles, skeletal muscles and cardiac muscles. Smooth muscles are involuntarily contracting, non-striated muscles that surround the inside walls of hollow organs such as the urinary bladder, reproductive organs, and both the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts. Its contraction enables and regulates the progression of liquid content, such as food, urine and blood, along the internal passageways. Skeletal muscles are voluntarily contracting, striated muscles that attach to bones of the skeleton. The contraction of skeletal muscle is primarily responsible for the movement of the skeleton, but also has roles in heat production and protection of internal organs. Cardiac musc les are an involuntarily contracting, striated muscle found exclusively in the walls of the heart, more specifically in the myocardium. Contraction of cardiac muscles propel oxygenated blood into the circulatory system to deliver oxygen to the body, as well as regulates blood pressure (Martini et al., 2009). Cardiac muscle tissue is composed of a network of individual cardiac muscle cells, called cardiomyocytes. Cardiomyocytes are small in size, averaging 10-20ÃŽ ¼m in diameter and 50-100ÃŽ ¼m in length, have a single centrally positioned nucleus and connect to adjacent cells in a branched manner through specialized sites known as intercalated discs (Martini et al., 2009). Two structures that are found within the intercalated discs are  desmosomes and gap junctions. Desmosomes are specialized structures involved in cell-to-cell adhesion and gap junctions are intercellular channels that connect the cytoplasm of adjacent cells, allowing the free passage of molecules, ions and electrical signals. Within the cytoplasm of striated muscle cells are long, cylindrical organelles termed myofibrils. With a diameter of 1 to 2ÃŽ ¼m and numbering between hundreds to thousands in a cell, myofibrils are enveloped and grouped together by connective tissue called the fasciculus, which forms bundles of myofibrils that spans the length of the cell (Widmaier et al., 2006). Individual myofibrils can be further divided into two types of contractile filaments: thin filaments and thick filaments. These filaments are composed primarily of actin and myosin proteins, respectfully. The thin and thick filaments are aligned in a manner where they form repeating structural units along the length of the myofibril. Among these structures is the sarcomere, which is a Ca2+-dependent contractile unit responsible for muscle contraction and relaxation (Widmaier et al., 2006). An increase in cytoplasmic Ca2+ influx causes the thin and thick filaments to overlap each other, causing a shortening of the sarcomere, leading to a muscle contraction. Alternatively, a decrease in cytoplasmic Ca2+ levels causes the thin and thick filaments to pull away from each other, leading to relaxation of the myofilaments. The specific arrangement of the thin and thick myofilaments is responsible for the striated appearance of both skeletal and cardiac muscle tissue. Electrical stimuli, called action potentials, are required for striated muscle cell contraction. In skeletal muscles, action potentials are derived from neurons in the brain and spinal cord that transmits the signal through the nervous system and innervates muscle fibers, causing contraction. However, unlike skeletal muscles, the contraction of cardiac muscles occurs without neural stimulation, a property called automaticity (Martini et al., 2009). This is because the heart contains pacemaker cells, which are specialized cells that have no contractile function; rather having the ability to initiate and conduct action potentials to neighboring cardiomyocytes. The cardiac action potential propagates across cardiomyocytes through gap junctions, allowing the cells to contract in tandem, which enables the heart to contract as one muscle. Cells which have pacemaker activity constitute 1% of cardiac muscle cells, whereas the other 99% are contractile cells (Sherwood, 2006). The conversion of an electrical stimulus into a mechanical response is performed through a physiological process known as the excitation-contracting coupling or the ECC. This phenomenon has a critical role in muscle cells as it allows a propagating action potential to cause shortening of the sarcomere, leading to muscle cell contraction. When action potentials are produced by pacemaker cells, they conduct across the heart by traveling along the length of the myofibril on the muscle sarcolemma. An action potential will transmit on the sarcolemma until it reaches a transverse-tubule (T-tubule). T-tubules are defined as deep invaginations into the sarcolemma that contact the cisternae of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), an organelle that functions as a Ca2+ storing body. Upon penetrating the T-tubules, the action potential will cause a depolarization of the membrane voltage potential, leading to an increased influx of Ca2+ into the cytoplasm. Resting within the T-tubules are many ion tr ansporters such voltage-gated L-type Ca2+ channels and Na+ / Ca2+ exchangers (D. Bers, 2002). These Ca2+-transporters are opened/activated when stimulated by action potentials, prompting the entry of extracellular Ca2+ into specific microdomains in the cytosol (Berridge, 2006). An elevation of cytoplasmic Ca2+ levels will trigger the opening of ryanodine receptors (RyR), which are intracellular Ca2+ channels present on the membrane of the SR, allowing stored Ca2+ to exit the SR and enter the cytosol. The mechanism of how Ca2+ ions triggers Ca2+ release from the SR was identified by several groups in the 1960s, and appropriately termed Ca2+-induced- Ca2+-release (Endo et al., 1968; Ford et al., 1968). An overall increase in intracellular Ca2+ level causes Ca2+ to bind and cause a conformational change in Troponin C, a protein present on actin filaments. This conformational change causes a displacement of Tropomyosin, which prevents the interaction of myosin protein with actin filaments, thereby allowing myosin to contact actin, which promotes sarcomeric contraction. Alternatively, Ca2+ sequestration from myofilaments and cytoplasmic depletion prompts a relaxation of the sarcomere. Such a decrease of cytoplasmic Ca2+ occurs by either by re-entering the lumen of organelles, such as the SR and mitochondria, or cellular export by Ca2+ pumps and Na+/ Ca2+ exchangers on the sarcolemma (D. Bers, 2002). The efficiency of muscle contraction is partly depicted by the type of myosin heavy chain (MyHC) that the cell expresses. MyHC are enzymes, found on the head of myosin proteins, which catalyze the hydrolysis of ATP. The rate at which MyHC can hydrolyze ATP ultimately depicts the speed at which the myofilaments contract, as well as the overall energy efficiency of that cell. In cardiomyocytes, two types of MyHC proteins are expressed: ÃŽ ±-MyHC and ÃŽ ²-MyHC. The following table represents the distinguishing features of the cells that express either ÃŽ ±-MyHC or ÃŽ ²-MyHC: Similar to skeletal muscles, cardiomyocytes are categorized into two distinct classes, based on the type of myosin heavy chain (MyHC) that is expressed. Those who predominantly express ÃŽ ±-MyHC are found in adult hearts, contract in a more energy inefficient manner and are quicker to fatigue. In contrast, cardiomyocytes that express more ÃŽ ²-MyHC are present in developing hearts, have a more energy efficient contraction and are more resistant to fatigue. Cardiovascular diseases and pathological cardiac hypertrophy Cardiovascular diseases are disorders that prevent the proper function of the heart and blood vessels, causing abnormalities of the cardiovascular system, which lead to defects in the brain, kidneys, lungs and other parts of the body (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2009). According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular diseases accounted for 29% of global deaths in 2004, making it the leading cause of death in the world (World Health Organization, 2009). Furthermore, with an aging population, the number of patients diagnosed with heart disease in America is expected to double within the next 30 years, from 5 million to 10 million (Hobbs, 2004). In Canada, this disease was responsible for 31% (or >70,000) of total deaths in 2005 (Statistics Canada, 2009). Amongst the numerous categories of cardiovascular diseases, heart failure is the most prevalent, with the fastest spreading rate and the highest mortality rate over the past decade (Heineke et al., 2006). Heart failure is defined by defects in cardiomyocyte structure, function, rhythm or conduction, which prevents the heart to pump adequate amounts of oxygenated blood and nutrients to meet the bodys demands (McMurray et al., 2005). Individuals living with a failing heart suffer from severe coughing, shortness of breath and edema, leading to a decreased tolerance to exercise and an overall diminishment in physical and mental health. As the disease progresses, patients may develop further pathophysiologies due to detrimental effects on the function of vital organs, ultimately resulting in death. A common abnormality that precedes heart failure is the pathological enlargement of the heart, a condition known as cardiac hypertrophy. Cardiac hypertrophy is induced by the release of hormones, cytokines, chemokines and peptide growth factors, which act on cardiomyocytes in an endocrine, paracrine and autocrine manner (Heineke et al., 2006). The release of these factors occurs in response to increased cardiac workload, myocardial injury or defects in the contractibility of cardiomyocytes (J. Molkentin, 2000). The initial stage leading to cardiac hypertrophy is increased size and cell volume of cardiomyocytes in order to sustain the increased cardiac output demanded by the hypertrophied heart. Such a process is referred to as compensatory hypertrophy. At later stages of cardiac hypertrophy, the hypertrophied heart can no longer keep up with the increased workload, which subjects patients to heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias and sudden death (Berenji et al., 2005). It should be noted physiological cardiac hypertrophy, which occurs during pregnancy, adolescence growth and aerobic training, does not share the same detrimental consequences on cardiomyocytes as pathophysiological heart growth (Oakley, 2001). A characteristic of pathologically hypertrophied hearts is cardiomyocyte disarray, which is a disorder of heart cells. Misaligned cardiomyocytes prompts a disruption in the conduction of action potentials across cells, leading to compromised intracellular Ca2+ kinetics and decreased shortening of the sarcomere, which ultimately compromises the contractions of the heart. The molecular signaling pathways, responsible for cardiac hypertrophy, are being extensively studied by researchers with the hopes of developing therapies to treat cardiac hypertrophy. Calcineurin-NFAT signaling pathway The availability of intracellular calcium (Ca2+) in mammalian cells is critical for their existence and proper function. In addition to its role in muscle cell electrophysiology and contraction, Ca2+ acts as a secondary messenger in many signal transduction pathways, involved in physiological processes such as fertilization, memory, apoptosis, membrane trafficking and cell division (D. M. Bers, 2008). Furthermore, at the molecular level, Ca2+ has been implicated in regulation of gene transcription, DNA replication, DNA repair and both protein synthesis and degradation. A common question in muscle cell biology is that, with its numerous downstream targets, how does Ca2+ specify and activate a particular signaling pathway. It is generally understood that Ca2+ influxes into the cytoplasm through Ca2+ transporters on the sarcolemma as waves of Ca2+. In the 1990s, researchers have identified that depending on the amplitude and frequency at which Ca2+ waves penetrate the cell, different Ca2+-dependent signaling pathways are activated, which also affects gene expression and cell differentiation (Berridge, 1997; Dolmetsch et al., 1997; Dolmetsch et al., 1998). However, the exact molecular mechanisms in which specific Ca2+-dependent pathways in contracting cardiomyocytes are regulated remains disputed due to the highly specialized rhythmic cycling of Ca2+ involved in the hearts ECC. Molkentins group have postulated the existence of Ca2+ microdomains in the cytoplasm, which are relatively independent of the Ca2+ involved in the ECC. Within these microdomains , Ca2+ is locally regulated and can activate protein signaling pathways in that particular region (Houser et al., 2008). Many proteins that require Ca2+ to be active cannot readily bind Ca2+, thus use Calmodulin (CaM), a high affinity Ca2+-binding protein, as a Ca2+ sensor and signal transducer. Expressed in all eukaryotic cells, CaM is a 17kDa protein composed of four EF-hand motifs, each capable of binding a single Ca2+ ion. The affinity to which Ca2+ binds CaM depends on changes in intracellular Ca2+ concentrations. When cytoplasmic Ca2+ level are low, CaM exists in a closed conformation, where the EF-hand motifs are packed together, hiding the Ca2+ binding sites. Alternatively, when intracellular Ca2+ level are high, Ca2+ ions bind to the EF hand motifs on CaM, causing a conformational change that allow Ca2+ to bind more readily to the other motifs, allowing CaM to attain an open configuration (Chin et al., 2000). Because CaM is a small, flexible molecule with numerous targets, such conformational changes are required to expose specific hydrophobic regions on each domain, which allow the Ca2+-CaM c omplex to bind and activate specific proteins (Al-Shanti et al., 2009). One of the most recognized signaling pathways that require the Ca2+-CaM complex to be activated is the Calcineurin Nuclear Factor of Activated T-Cells cascade. Calcineurin (Cn), also referred to as protein phosphatase 2B (PP2B), is a Ca2+-dependent serine/threonine phosphatase that was first discovered in 1979 as a CaM binding protein in brain extracts (Klee et al., 1979). Further research by Schreibers group identified that Cn played a prominent role in the immune system, where the addition of immunosuppressive drugs, cyclosporine A (CsA) and FK506, decreased Cns activity (Liu et al., 1991). Cn is ubiquitously expressed in all cells and the gene that encodes the Cn protein is conserved from yeast to mammals, suggesting a common mode of regulation (Al-Shanti et al., 2009; Rusnak et al., 2000). Once active, Cn can de-phosphorylate a number of transcription factors such as myocyte enhancer factor 2 (MEF2), nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NFÃŽ ºB) and nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) (Alzuherri et al., 2003; Blaeser et al., 2000; Jain et al., 1993; Michel et al., 2004). In addition to transcription factors, Cn has been identified as a direct regulator of the pro-apoptotic factor, Bcl-2 (Wang et al., 1999). The most characterized downstream target of Cn is the family of NFAT transcription factors. In the heart, the role of the Cn-NFAT signaling pathway in mediating pathological cardiac hypertrophy in vitro and in vivo has been extensively studied (Bueno et al., 2002; De Windt et al., 2001; Hill et al., 2002; Molkentin et al., 1998; Sussman et al., 1998; Zou et al., 2001). Once de-phosphorylated, NFAT transcription factors translocate to the nucleus and dimerize with other transcription factors to re-activate cardiac fetal genes, leadin g to hypertrophy of the adult heart. The structure of Calcineurin Human Cn was first crystallized in 1995 by the Villafranca group (Kissinger et al., 1995). Although it shares similar sequence homology to other serine/threonine protein phosphatases, PP1 and PP2A, the structure of Cn was found to be unque due to its dependence on Ca2+ for optimal activity (Griffith et al., 1995; Kincaid et al., 1988; Klee et al., 1988). From its structure, it was discovered that Cn exists as a heterodimeric protein, consisting of two subunits: the 59kDa catalytic subunit, calcineurin A (CnA), and the 19kDa regulatory subunit, calcineurin B (CnB) (Kissinger et al., 1995). The structure of CnA consists of two domains: a catalytic region which is found on the N-terminal and the regulatory domain which is present on the C-terminal region (Al-Shanti et al., 2009). The regulatory domain of CnA consists of three sub-domains: a CnB binding domain), a CaM binding domain) and an autoinhibitory domain (AI) as depicted in Figure 1.4 (Ke et al., 2003; Klee et al., 1998). Alternatively, the structure of CnB shares a 35% sequence identity to CaM and contains four EF-hand motifs, allowing it to bind Ca2+ ions in a similar mechanism as CaM (Klee et al., 1988; Kretsinger et al., 1973). In non-stimulated muscle cells, Cn is present in its inactive conformation, in the cytoplasm, where the autoinhibitory domain sterically blocks CnAs catalytic domain, rendering the phosphatase inactive. Upon stimulation, cytoplasmic Ca2+ will bind CnB, causing a conformational change, which exposes the CaM binding domain on CnA. Once the Ca2+-CaM complex docks onto its respective binding domain, another conformation change occurs which displaces the autoinhibitory domain from the catalytic domain, enabling the enzyme to be active. The crystal structure of full length human Cn was solved with a resolution of 2.1Ç º. The globular structure of CnA consists of 521 residues, where residues 14-342 form the catalytic domain and residues 343-373 form the CnB binding helical domain (Kissinger et al., 1995). Residues 374-468 and 487-521 are not visible in the crystal structure because they are presumed to exist in a random conformation(Ke et al., 2003). The AI domain is represented by a segment of 18 residues (Ser469-Arg486) that lie over the substrate-binding cleft on the C-terminus of CnA. The AI domain consists of two conserved short ÃŽ ±-helical domains, with five additional residues in its extended form. The residues of the AI domain that have the strongest interactions with the substrate-binding cleft of CnA were identified as Glu481-Arg-Met-Pro484, where Glu481 hydrogen-bonds with water molecules bound to the dimetal site in Cns active site (Kissinger et al., 1995). Residues 343-373 form an extended amphipathic ÃŽ ±-helical region that interacts with hydrophobic residues within the CnB binding cleft. In mammals, CnA is encoded by three genes (CnAÃŽ ±, CnAÃŽ ², CnAÃŽ ³) and CnB by two genes (CnB1, CnB2). Yet in the heart, only CnAÃŽ ±, CnAÃŽ ² and CnB1 are expressed (J. Molkentin, 2000). NFAT proteins NFAT transcription factors were first identified by the Crabtree group where, similar to Cn, NFAT played an important role in the regulation of early T-cell activation genes (Shaw et al., 1988). Since its discovery, researchers have provided evidence that the role of NFAT proteins was not restricted to T-cells, having been implicated in the central nervous system, blood vessels, heart, kidney, bone, skeletal muscle and haematopoietic stem cells (Crabtree et al., 2002; Graef et al., 2001; Hogan et al., 2003; Kiani et al., 2004; Macian, 2005). NFAT proteins are part of the Rel-family of transcription factors. The molecular mass of NFAT ranges from 70-200kDa, which is due to alternative splicing of genes resulting in varying protein sizes and differential phosphorylation states (van Rooij et al., 2002). The primary structure of NFAT consists of a moderately conserved N-homology region (NHR), a conserved Rel-homology region (RHR) and a non-conserved C-terminal domain (CTD). Firstly, the NHR (residues 1-407) contains a transactivation domain (TAD), a Cn docking site, a nuclear localization signal (NLS), a nuclear export signal (NES), serine-rich regions (SRR) and Ser-Pro-X-X-repeating motifs (SP), where X denotes any amino acid. The TAD is required for NFAT to bind the promoter region of genes to initiate transcriptional events. The Cn docking domain contains a SPRIEIT sequence, a variant of PxIxIT, which allows Cn to bind to NFAT and de-phosphorylate serine residues, mediating the nuclear shuttling of NFAT. Secondly, the RHR (residues 408-677), which is conserved among all Rel proteins, confers to a shared DNA binding specificity (L. Chen et al., 1998). The C-terminus of the RHR contains a DNA binding motif, which permit Rel-proteins to bind the 5-GGAAA-3 consensus sequence (Rao, 1994). The N-terminus of the RHR contains a domain that allows NFAT to interact with other transcription factors in the nucleus. Such molecular partners include the leucine zipper protein activator protein-1 (Fos, Jun), the Zn-finger protein GATA-4, the MADS box protein MEF2 and many others (L. Chen et al., 1998; Crabtree et al., 2002; Hogan et al., 2003; Molkentin et al., 1998). Lastly, although the exact role of the CTD (residues 678-928) remains ill defined, due to the differences in the length of the CTD between NFAT isoforms, it is possible that the CTD is responsible for the different transcriptional activity of the NFAT isoforms, as shown by several groups (Calabria et al., 2009; Rinne et al., 2010). NFAT transcription factors are ubiquitously expressed and consists of five isoforms: NFATc1, NFATc2, NFATc3, NFATc4 and NFAT5 (also known as tonicity-responsive enhancer-binding protein or TonEBP) (Mancini et al., 2009). Of the five NFAT proteins, only NFATc1, NFATc2, NFATc3 and NFATc4 are regulated by Ca2+-Cn signaling and are have known roles in skeletal and cardiac muscles (Calabria et al., 2009; van Rooij et al., 2002). NFAT5 cannot interact with Cn due to the absence of a SPRIEIT domain and is therefore insensitive to Ca2+-Cn signaling (Lopez-Rodriguez et al., 1999). Rather, NFAT5 is regulated by osmotic stress and is known to control the expression of cytokines, such as tumor-necrosis factor (TNF) and lymphotoxin-ÃŽ ², in lymphocytes (Lopez-Rodriguez et al., 2001; Macian, 2005). Due to its insensitivity of Cn and unclear roles in muscle cells, for the remainder of this thesis, the focus will be on the Ca2+-Cn regulated NFAT isoforms: NFATc1, NFATc2, NFATc3 and NFATc4. The cellular localization of NFAT proteins depend on the phosphorylation state of approximately 14 serine residues on the NHR. Okamura et al. identified that of these residues, 13 phosphoserines are targeted by Cn and are located in motifs SRR1, SP2 and SP3 (Macian, 2005; Okamura et al., 2000). Upon de-phosphorylation, the NLS sequence of NFAT is exposed and the NES is masked, prompting nuclear entry. NFAT kinases are regulators of NFAT transcription factors, which can interact with NFAT and reversibly phosphorylate the same serine residues that are targeted by Cn. Known NFAT kinases include casein kinase-1 (CK-1), glycogen-synthase 3ÃŽ ² (GSK3-ÃŽ ²), p38 and JUN-N-terminal kinase (JNK) (Beals, Sheridan et al., 1997; Chow et al., 1997; Gomez del Arco et al., 2000; Zhu et al., 1998). Upon re-phosphorylation, the NES sequence is re-exposed whereas the NLS sequence is hidden, prompting cytoplasmic retention of NFAT (Okamura et al., 2000). These kinases can either be classified as mainte nance kinases, which phosphorylate NFAT in the cytosol to prevent nuclear import or export kinases, which target NFAT in the nucleus to promote nuclear export. Each kinase can phosphorylates serine residues on specific motifs. CK-1 acts as both an export and maintenance kinase on SRR1 of NFATc2 (Okamura et al., 2004). GSK3-ÃŽ ² functions as an export kinase on both SP2 and SP3 of NFATc1 and SP2 on NFATc2 (Beals, Clipstone et al., 1997; Macian, 2005). The mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) family consists of p38, JNK and extracellular-regulate-signal kinases (ERK) and can phosphorylate the first serine of SRR1 on different NFAT isoforms. JNK phosphorylates NFATc1, whereas p38 targets NFATc2 (Chow et al., 1997; Gomez del Arco et al., 2000). CK1 may be responsible for phosphorylating the remaining serines on SRR1 (Macian, 2005). Although a cell may have the potential to translate different NFAT isoforms, depending on which NFAT kinase is expressed, only certain NFATs may be nuclea r localized. Cn-NFAT signaling in cardiac hypertrophy Cn-NFAT signaling is described as a multifunctional regulator, where its function depends on the cell type in which this pathway is active. In the brain, Cn-NFAT signaling mediates numerous processes, which include memory, brain strokes, ischemic injury, Parkinson and Alzheimers disease and the regulation of the cAMP-response-element binding protein (CREB) (Shibasaki et al., 2002). In the lungs, Cn-NFAT signaling has been implicated in the perinatal lung maturation and function, and regulating genes involved in the homeostasis of pulmonary surfactant, which is required for proper breathing (Dave et al., 2006). In skeletal muscles, this pathway is required for functional-overload induced skeletal muscle hypertrophy and for mediating skeletal muscle-fiber type conversions from fast muscle fiber type to slow muscle fiber type (Dunn et al., 1999; Michel et al., 2004). In the cardiovascular system, Cn is required for the early development of the heart, specifically the cardiac septum and valves (de la Pompa et al., 1998; Ranger et al., 1998). During heart disease, Cn-NFAT signaling promotes the reactivation of cardiac fetal genes, which are responsible for cardiac growth during development. The reactivation of these genes in the adult heart is responsible for the pathological growth of the heart, and not physiological growth (Wilkins et al., 2004). In 1998, Molkentin et al. first reported the novel role that Cn-NFAT signaling played in mediating pathological cardiac hypertrophy (Molkentin et al., 1998). Among the major findings of this report was that Cn-induced the de-phosphorylation of NFATc4, prompting its nuclear entry and allowed NFATc4 to interact with the GATA-4 transcription factor, leading to cardiac hypertrophy. In addition, cultured cardiomyocytes, treated with Cn inhibitors CsA and FK-506 immunosuppressive drugs, blocked chemical-induced cardiac hypertrophy. To support their in vitro findings, transgenic mice that expressed a cardiac-specific constitutively active form of CnA were generated. The hearts of CnA overexpressing transgenic mice, compared to the hearts of wild-type counterparts, displayed a 2-to-3 fold increase in heart weight-to-body weight ratio, a thickening of the left ventricular wall and intraventicular septum, a 2-fold increase in cross-sectional area of cardiomyocytes and extensive fibrosis. Furth ermore, CnA overexpressing mice had a greater increased susceptibility to sudden death, mimicking the effects of heart failure in humans. Upon treatment with the Cn inhibitor, CsA, the hearts of CnA transgenic mice returned to normal size. Many genes and proteins that are re-employed in response to heart disease have prominent functions in embryonic and fetal heart development. For example, cardiac fetal genes are active during the physiological growth in developing hearts. This family of genes consists of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), b-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), ÃŽ ±-myosin heavy chain (ÃŽ ±-MHC), ÃŽ ²-myosin heavy chain (ÃŽ ²-MHC), and many others (Oka et al., 2007). When the heart has fully matured into an adult heart, the expression of these genes becomes dormant. During heart disease, hypertrophic stimuli re-activate the expression of these genes in the adult heart, which enables the heart to grow to a pathological state. One of the most studied transcription factor that interacts with NFAT to initiate cardiac hypertrophy are GATA proteins. GATA transcription factors consist of two conserved zinc fingers that are required to bind to the consensus DNA sequence 5-(A/T)GATA(A/G)-3, as well as domains that allow GATA to interact with transcriptional cofactors (Ko et al., 1993; Merika et al., 1993; Oka et al., 2007). Of the six members of the GATA family (GATA-1 to GATA-6), GATA-4, GATA-5 and GATA-6 are expressed in the heart (J. D. Molkentin, 2000). Among the GATA proteins expressed in the heart, GATA-4 has been associated with embryonic cardiogenesis, such as heart tube formation, and pathological growth of the adult heart (Molkentin et al., 1997; Pikkarainen et al., 2004). In addition, GATA-4 is a known regulator of the expression of cardiac structural genes during development. GATA-4 gene targeted mice were embryonic lethal at E7-9.5 due to structural and functional defects of the heart (Molkentin et al., 1997). Alternatively, cultured cardiomyocytes overexpression of GATA-4 caused a 2-fold increase in cell surface area, whereas GATA-4 overexpressing transgenic mice lead to increased heart-weight-to-body weight ratio, cardiomyopathy features of the cells and upregulation in the expression of cardiac fetal genes (Liang, De Windt et al., 2001). The regulation of GATA-4 occurs post-translationally, where such modifications affect its DNA binding ability, transcriptional activity and cellular localization. A number of chemical stimuli that induce cardiac hypertrophy have been associated with the phosphorylation of GATA-4, which increases both its DNA binding and transcriptional activity (Oka et al., 2007; Pikkarainen et al., 2004). Molkentins group identified that phosphorylation of Ser105 on GATA-4 by the ERK1/2 and p38 MAPK was responsible for GATA-4 increased DNA binding affinity and transactivation during heart failure (Charron et al., 2001; Liang, Wiese et al., 2001). Another kinase that targets GATA-4 is GSK3-ÃŽ ², a known negative regulator of cardiac hypertrophy (Haq et al., 2000). GSK3-ÃŽ ²-mediated phosphorylation of GATA-4 prompts its export from the nucleus, rescuing Cn-mediated cardiac hypertrophy (Morisco et al., 2001). A second family of transcription factor that is re-activated during heart disease is the myocyte enhancer factor 2 (MEF2). There are four members of the MEF2 family expressed in vertebrates: MEF2A, MEF2B, MEF2C and MEF2D. MEF2 proteins can either homodimerize or heterodimerize with other transcription factors such as NFAT and GATA, which can then bind to the DNA sequence 5-CTA(A/T)4TAG-3 to carry out transcriptional events (Blaeser et al., 2000; McKinsey et al., 2002; Morin et al., 2000; Oka et al., 2007). Although the MEF2 proteins are expressed in most cell types, their transcriptional activity is restricted to the immune system, neurons and contractile muscle cells (Akazawa et al., 2003). In the heart, MEF2 have critical roles in cardiac differentiation. MEF2C null mice were embryonic lethal, due to cardiac looping defects, an absence of a right ventricle and a downregulation of cardiac structural genes (Bi et al., 1999; Lin et al., 1997; Oka et al., 2007). The majority of MEF2A null mice died 2-10 days after birth because of defects in conduction and architecture of the heart. Surviving MEF2A null mice displayed reduced mitochondrial content and a less efficient conductive system. (Naya et al., 2002). In addition, transgenic mice that express a dominant negative MEF2 died shortly after birth because of cardiomyocyte hypoplasia, thinning of the ventricular walls and heart chamber dilation (Kolodziejczyk et al., 1999; Oka et al., 2007). A greater workload imposed on the heart, a phenotype of cardiac hypertrophy, has been associated with increased MEF2-DNA binding (Molkentin et al., 1993; Nadruz et al., 2003). In cultured cardiomyocytes, adenoviral-mediated overexpression of MEF2A or MEF2C caused sarcomeric degeneration and cell elongation, both of which indicate cardiac dilatation. The hearts of transgenic mice overexpressing MEF2A or MEF2C were subject to contractile defects, ventricular dilation and were more readily hypertrophied when pressure overload stimulation was induced. However, when cells of the transgenic hearts were isolated, rather than having a greater cross-sectional area, the cardiomyocytes were more elliptical in shape, suggesting that MEF2 did not d

Personal Narrative- Improved Writing Essay -- Personal Narrative

My first real writing experience happened my junior year at HHS. It was the second to last day of school of my sophomore year, and I happened to be flipping through the course descriptions book, and was thinking of an English class to take next year. Well, I sat there and sat there thumbing through the pages, and finally, one particular class appealed to me. I thought, "WOW, this is a class I should take!" "Yeah right," but I still decided to register for American Lit.anyway. Well, the school year finally ended, and I wasn’t too happy for next year’s school year to begin. "I mean, American Lit. was going to be boring with all the reading, not to mention all the writing, too." But I didn’t consider the writing to be a big problem, because I had gotten to be pretty good at it by my junior year, or so I thought. To move on, the summer didn’t last long enough for me. I had tons of fun being at the cabin, fishing and stuff. But the thought of going back to school bothered me, so that kind of ruined my summer. And before I knew it, I was lying in bed the night before my first day of "hell" tossing and turning all night because I knew I was doomed for the next nine months of my life. "Finally," I said as I woke up after two hours of sleep, "let’s get this over with." I ran out the door without breakfast, and I was already fifteen minutes late by the time I got to school. I walked into my first class. It sucked. I walked into my second class, and that also sucked! American Lit. was next. "I don’t even know why I registered for this," I thought as I strolled into the classroom and took my seat way in the back. The teacher then walked in and said her name was Ms.Schmidt. "Man, she looks pretty damn old," I said under my bre... ...o work through this nasty theme habit. "Now that we have gone over pretty much everything I know about writing a good paper," my teacher said after six months of afterschool sessions, "I want you to write one paper for me, one that will show me my time wasn’t wasted with you." So I went back to my very first paper on Hester Prynne, and rewrote it. I came back the next day, turned it in, and anxiously awaited her comments. "What is takin’ so long for her to read my frickin’ paper?" I asked myself. Fifteen minutes later she was finally done. "My time wasn’t wasted with you. This paper shows me your creativeness as a writer. How you related Hester Prynne’s character to someone you know was really interesting. This paper held my attention throughout its’ entirety. I can’t say enough about your dramatic improvement in writing. I am really proud of you, Alex." Personal Narrative- Improved Writing Essay -- Personal Narrative My first real writing experience happened my junior year at HHS. It was the second to last day of school of my sophomore year, and I happened to be flipping through the course descriptions book, and was thinking of an English class to take next year. Well, I sat there and sat there thumbing through the pages, and finally, one particular class appealed to me. I thought, "WOW, this is a class I should take!" "Yeah right," but I still decided to register for American Lit.anyway. Well, the school year finally ended, and I wasn’t too happy for next year’s school year to begin. "I mean, American Lit. was going to be boring with all the reading, not to mention all the writing, too." But I didn’t consider the writing to be a big problem, because I had gotten to be pretty good at it by my junior year, or so I thought. To move on, the summer didn’t last long enough for me. I had tons of fun being at the cabin, fishing and stuff. But the thought of going back to school bothered me, so that kind of ruined my summer. And before I knew it, I was lying in bed the night before my first day of "hell" tossing and turning all night because I knew I was doomed for the next nine months of my life. "Finally," I said as I woke up after two hours of sleep, "let’s get this over with." I ran out the door without breakfast, and I was already fifteen minutes late by the time I got to school. I walked into my first class. It sucked. I walked into my second class, and that also sucked! American Lit. was next. "I don’t even know why I registered for this," I thought as I strolled into the classroom and took my seat way in the back. The teacher then walked in and said her name was Ms.Schmidt. "Man, she looks pretty damn old," I said under my bre... ...o work through this nasty theme habit. "Now that we have gone over pretty much everything I know about writing a good paper," my teacher said after six months of afterschool sessions, "I want you to write one paper for me, one that will show me my time wasn’t wasted with you." So I went back to my very first paper on Hester Prynne, and rewrote it. I came back the next day, turned it in, and anxiously awaited her comments. "What is takin’ so long for her to read my frickin’ paper?" I asked myself. Fifteen minutes later she was finally done. "My time wasn’t wasted with you. This paper shows me your creativeness as a writer. How you related Hester Prynne’s character to someone you know was really interesting. This paper held my attention throughout its’ entirety. I can’t say enough about your dramatic improvement in writing. I am really proud of you, Alex."

The Relationship of Allegory of the Cave to Learning and Education Essa

The Relationship of "Allegory of the Cave" to Learning and Education The "Allegory of the Cave" is Plato's attempt to explain the relationship between knowledge and ignorance. Starting with the image of men in fetters that limit their movement and force them to look only ahead, this is the idea that all men and women are bound by the limits of their ignorance. Men and women are restricted by the limits of the education of their parents and the small amounts that can be culled from their environment. Images and shadows are representations of those things surrounding us that we see but do not understand because of our limited knowledge. As we obtain the ability to see things more clearly in the cave that is our ignorance, we start to then loosen the fetters that bind us and investigate the objects and images around us with our newly acquired mobility. Eyes that have seen nothing but darkness for so long are now fine-tuned to see even the smallest glimmer of light, or knowledge, in the far reaches of the cave. Constantly moving and gathering knowledge we observe that we are in fact m...

The Secret Life Of Great White Sharks Essay -- essays research papers

Great White Sharks are greatly misinterpreted as vicious man-eaters because of the media, movies, and people’s imaginations, but they are actually large fish who mistake people for seals and other marine life. What is a great white shark? The great white, among the least understood of Earth’s creatures, is an apex predator, meaning that it is at the top of the food chain with no natural predators. This means great whites have their pick of food when it comes to selecting their prey (Klimley 15). Carcharodon carcharias, better know as the great white shark, have existed as a group for over 350 million years (Long). Its name means â€Å"ragged-toothed† (Gorman 10). The largest white shark on record was 21 feet long and weighed 7302 pounds. Its ancestors, now extinct, were three times this size, with teeth that were six inches long (White Shark). Today sharks are represented by over 600 species (Long). Great whites are part of a grouping know as mackerel sharks, a grouping which includes the salmon, porbeagle, and maco shark (MacGregor 46). Unlike the true fishes, sharks do not have internal bone, but instead have a cartilaginous skeleton (Long). This stiff flexible material is found in the ridge of your nose and in your earlobes. Because cartilage does not leave fossil remains like bones, there are no fossils of ancient sharks- just their teeth (Klimley 56). Little is known about great whites because they are enormous, bulky, and hard to handle. And that’s when t hey’re dead. Their body temperature is sometimes ten to fifteen degrees [Celsius] warmer than the surrounding water, which makes them efficient predators in cool water (Gorman 15). The back of the shark is a dull gray color and the underside is colored white. The tail is crescent shaped. There are five gill slits on great white sharks. Studying a live great white shark up close and in detail is, for obvious reasons, practically impossible (Sanders 31). The great white is the only shark that can hold its head above water to see what is happening on the surface (MacGregor 47). It has been said that sharks do not swim through water as much as they â€Å"fly† through it with their torpedo like body (Gorman 25). The fins of a shark serve important roles in this action. As the shark moves the Caudal, back, fin to propel it forward, careful adjustment of the pectoral, side, and dorsal, top, fins keep the shark leve... ...is planet. For them to be driven to extinction by man, a relative newcomer, would be more than an ecological tragedy; it would be a moral travesty (Gorman 29). Works Cited All About Sharks. 5 Feb 2001. <<a href="http://www.ozemail.com.au/~bilsons/sharks.htm">http://www.ozemail.com.au/~bilsons/sharks.htm>. Bowman, S.C. â€Å"Shark Attacks.† Reader’s Digest July. 1995: 74-8. Gorman, Jessica. â€Å"Inside the Great White.† National Geographic Apr. 2000: 2-29. Klimley, A.P, Anderson, S.D, Henderson, R.P, and P. Pyle. Great White Sharks: the biology of Carcharodon carcharias. New York: American Publishing Inc., 1996. Long, Douglas. The White Shark. 5 Feb 2001 <<a href="http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/vertebrates/Doug/shark.html">http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/vertebrates/Doug/shark.html>. MacGregor, Elise. â€Å"Beyond Jaws.† Windsurfing Magazine. Sept/Oct. 1993: 45-9. Martin, Glen. â€Å"Great White Sharks.† Discover. June. 1999: 54-61. Sanders, Zack. â€Å"A Great White Shark.† Newsweek. Oct. 1996: 30- 36. White Sharks. 20 Feb 2001. <<a href="http://www.aqua.org/animals/species/whitshark.html">http://www.aqua.org/animals/species/whitshark.html>.

Gender Roles: The Building Blocks of American Society Essay

Ever since I could remember most of what I learned about being a male came from a series of components, majority include my parents, family, television, school, toys, the media, and peers. Gender expectations were embedded within me by society and I had no clue of what was happening. When I was young it was expected of me to play with toys that suited males i.e. batman, spiderman, superman, watch television shows that encompassed male behavior, I even had to perpetuate dominance over my male counterparts as a means of sustaining my masculinity. This was all taught to me by the constructs of masculinity developed by society. I can recall many instances in which my stepfather would punish me if I stayed inside on on Saturday/Sunday mornings because in his time period, boys were expected to be outside performing manual labor while the woman were expected to cook and clean. It is the roles of American society that have plagued the notion of dominant and subordinate gender roles of male a nd female. I learned to perpetuate masculinity without even understanding what masculinity or femininity even meant, it was taught to me as a natural way of being, something that I never questioned because I simply thought it was the correct way of living, and even though it did not quite make sense to act tough or to act male, I still followed everything I was taught. All my life I acted the way I was expected to act, as a Hispanic male, I had to stay within the confines of my ethnicity and gender. Males where not expected to be emotional or to have feelings. Within a family that honors male dominance and power that males can perpetuate, none of my uncles show any signs of weakness or vulnerability, as it is taboo for the men in my family to show any sign of softness. I however, always had problems with living my life in  this order and having to perpetuate male behavior. I can recall one instance where I wrapped my hair in a towel after a shower because I saw my mother always doing it and I wanted to as well, it was not until my mom caught me, when she instantly put me in place and told me to never do that again. She specified that if my dad witnessed what I had done I would never see the light of day. Ever since I could remember, the ways in which I performed my gender role was not necessarily performed the way society constructed it. I never performed what was expected of me, most of the time I would sit on the side of my house crying after being yelled at by my stepfather for not being boyish enough for him. I always had my mind on being who I thought I should be i.e. free and able to explore as I wanted, and not what people told me to be. All my life, I have witnessed male family members and their inability to console or give proper advice to anyone because there was always an ego bias due to their lack of feeling and emotion. My father is a prime example, no matter what he discussed with me as a child it always related to male dominance and woman subordination and the idea of the other. I come from a family with ego gratification issues, most of my uncles including my father suffer from perpetuating masculinity and male dominance, and they thrive off of not showing an ounce of weakness or vulnerability. Within the confines of my family it is actually frowned upon to express feeling or even express care of love towards anyone, it is a sad fact, but it is the learned male dominant/ female subordinate roles that have convoluted American society to act in this specific manner. Nonetheless, it is a sad feat of American life. If I suddenly woke and I was female my life would change dramatically, the result would impact my whole center of being substantially. Not only would the mechanics of my body entirely change, my entire conception of self would as well. I could no longer go to the bathroom the same, use masculinity as a crutch to get ahead in society, my entire notion of self and the makeup of who I am as a person, and as a dramaturgical actor would be in chaos. The building blocks that I was founded upon would completely rearrange, everything I have learned my whole life would be flipped. I would no longer see myself in the same light, as I now have to relearn what it means to begin living a life that I have no real first hand experience within. My entire life revolves around my conception of myself as a male, my  educational level, my acquired dominance in society from just being a male, my role as a man, and my privilege in society. This change would alter my conception of what it means to be a human entirely. As our entire lives are shaped by gender expectations and societies ideas of what it means to be a male and female. It would be a tough change nonetheless. My gender performance would have to be re-built from the ground up. I would have to learn to act like a female, to make my way in the world as a female, I would lose certain privileges that come along with being male such as job opportunities, respect, power, and would have to completely relearn gender roles within a female body. For some, this would be the worst possible outcome that could ever happen to a male, not only because of everything that comes along with being a male, but also everything that comes along with being a female. Females are stigmatized for their femininity, their roles as woman in society, their sexual partners, the clothes that they wear, the way that they look, there are so many things that woman have to deal with that many men simply do not understand. This would be an eye opener, everything I have learned and got away with, as a male such as freely exploring my manhood and eating disgustingly, would be redefined. In society woman are held to the highest degree of observance and are forced to stay within the lines of femininity. Everywhere you look, on billboards, magazine covers, newspapers, and tabloids there is the romanticized version of what it means to be a woman and the standard that they are held up to is simply unreachable. No one can measure up to societies standard of what it means to be a woman, they are constantly broken down and told they are not pretty, they are not desirable, they are not what they should be, they are promiscuous, and if a guy does the same things he is not scrutinized for his actions. My entire life as a woman would be a new understanding, an entire new journey and experience. Learning what it means to be stigmatized and talked down upon if I decided to be who I was as a man, but as a woman. I woul d no longer be able to shove food down my throat, act vulgar, run around with my shirt off, jog around at nighttime because of the fear of being raped, or abducted. It would totally reshape everything I was taught and defined as in society. Even though acting masculine or acting feminine is a social construct, it has consumed me everyday, I have always filled that masculine role that society has brought me up within and even though  everything about myself is wrapped up within my gender specific role as a Hispanic male, becoming a female would totally change my gender experience. I would be reborn, forced to learn everything about myself as a female, and what it means to be a female and act like a female in society. Nonetheless, it would completely reshape my views and ideas about gender.

Solenoids – Physics coursework

Solenoids Permanent Magnet- Magnetic Field.http://www.diracdelta.co.uk/science/source/m/a/magnetic%20field/source.html Magnets have two poles called North and South.Similar (like) magnetic poles repel. Unlike magnetic poles attract. A magnet attracts a piece of iron. The most important of the two properties of attraction and repulsion is repulsion. The only way to tell if an object is magnetised is to see if it repels another magnetised object. The strength and direction of a magnetic field is represented by magnetic field lines. Field lines by convention go from North to South. A magnetic field is three-dimensional, although this is not often seen on a drawing of magnetic field lines.Electromagnets A magnetic field exists around all wires carrying a current. When there is no current the compass needles in the diagram shown line up with the Earth's magnetic field. A current through the wire produces a circular magnetic field. See what happens when there is a current in the wire. The magnetic field for a coil of wire is shown below. The magnetic fields from each of the turns in the coil add together, so the total magnetic field is much stronger. This produces a field which is similar to that of a bar magnet. A coil of wire like this is often called a solenoid.http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/standard/physics/using_electricity/movement_from_electricity/revision/1/slideshow-1/2/An electromagnet consists of a coil of wine, through which a current can be passed, wrapped around a soft iron core. This core of magnetic material increases the strength of the field due to the coil. ‘Soft’ iron is easily magnetised, and easy to demagnetise- it does not retain its magnetism after the current is switched off. Steel, on the other hand, is hard to magnetise and demagnetise, and so it retains in magnetism. It is used for permanent magnets. The strength of an electromagnet depends on:The size of the current flowing through the coil The number of turns in the coil The material inside of the coil Heinmann physics Domains – http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/solids/ferro.html#c4Ferromagnetic materials exhibit a long-range ordering phenomenon at the atomic level which causes the unpaired electron spins to line up parallel with each other in a region called a domain. Within the domain, the magnetic field is intense, but in a bulk sample the material will usually be unmagnetized because the many domains will themselves be randomly oriented with respect to one another. The main implication of the domains is that there is already a high degree of magnetization in ferromagnetic materials within individual domains, but that in the absence of external magnetic fields those domains are randomly oriented. A modest applied magnetic field can cause a larger degree of alignment of the magnetic moments with the external field, giving a large multiplication of the applied field.FerromagnetismIron, nickel, cobalt and some of the rare earths (gadolin ium, dysprosium) exhibit a unique magnetic behavior which is called ferromagnetism because iron (ferrum in Latin) is the most common and most dramatic example.

The Fight for Women’s Rights

Today, women have more liberty to do as they please. There are many positions in companies held by women. There was even a woman who ran for presidency in 1872. Additionally, there are many companies founded and ran by women. These show that home is not the only place for women, and they should not be tied as individuals running the house while their husbands work. The freedom that women have today cannot be possible without the events in the past that gave them identity in a society initially dominated by men. Women in the Past and Their Place in Society Time and again, people bore this thinking that women were just â€Å"a creative source of human life. † Many people considered them as forever inferior to men, creations that were under the opposite sex. Furthermore, women were constantly referred to as source of temptation. Even in other countries, women were viewed as children, meaning they would still be inferior to men. In Greek mythology, Pandora opened the box and was then responsible for all the unhappiness among mankind. This was the same viewpoint among Christians in the early times. For instance, St. Jerome believed that â€Å"Woman is the gate of the devil, the path of wickedness, the sting of the serpent, in a word a perilous object. † This was agreed by Thomas Aquinas, a Christian theologian who believed that the primary role of women is for conception. He further claimed that in other things, men are better assisted by their fellow men (Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1995). The lack of women's rights has placed women in delicate situations. During the 17th century, some women were believed to be witches, and were executed. The majority, consisting of men, believed that the weaker sex was more likely to be corrupted by the devil. Interestingly, most of the women charged with witchcraft were brave or stubborn while some were childless, spinsters, or successful. These were the characters that were not in the Puritan idea of femininity (Kendall, 2001, p. 9). Furthermore, the past seen women as domestic partners, tending about the orchard, or making cheese or baking pies. Women were also serving guests and cleaning the house. Aside from numerous household chores, many of these women have many children to feed and take care of. A typical family would have twelve to thirteen children, aside from extended families. The father was seen to be the head of the family, and this belief was taken from Bible passages which says that man leads the woman. Furthermore, special emphasis was put on the role of women to be submissive on their husbands (Kendall, 2001, p. 10-11). Additionally, books were published which further strengthened the division of labor between man and woman. An author, George Savile, claimed that men were created more intelligent and logical than their counterpart. Thus, men should be the head of families, businesses, and enterprises. Also, Savile emphasized the woman's need to have a husband. And for women who were not happy with their married lives, they should just â€Å"make the best of it† (Kendall, 2001,p. -11). Many colonies had fewer unmarried women. This was because life was not easy for spinsters, or those unmarried women. For instance, they did not have many opportunities to earn. As a result, their parents or brothers or married sisters provided them with their expenses. When this happened, the unmarried women would help care for their relatives children or clean the house (Kendall, 2001, p. 11) Women also did not have liberty with money. Laws did not have provisions for women regarding owning a property or making contracts. It was the men who have the liberty to sell their possessions according to his judgment. Further, when a single woman has money, it becomes the property of her husband upon their marriage. Women lacked the legal right to the money they earned. On top of this, her belongings could be seized by creditors when his husband lacked the money to pay his debts. It was also the men's discretion to leave their properties to anyone upon their death. This power came to be called as â€Å"the apron-string hold. The only right that women have was only a one-third of their property after the death of the husband (Kendall, 2001,p. 11-12). Women in the past also did not have rights over their children. Under the law, the children were the property of the husbands. In cases when a couple divorces, the sole custody of the children is to the father. Men also have the right to grant custody of the children to anyone but their wives. In addition, laws also permitted husbands to physically discipline their wives. This means that husbands could whip their wives for as long as they want provided that the whip was not thicker than his thumb. This was known to be the â€Å"rule of thumb. † However, this was not seen as oppression against women, but instead it was an assertion of the women's right not to be beaten severely (Kendall, 2001, p. 12). Women were also considered as the weaker sex. They were thought be squeamish and unable to do heavy chores. During the preindustrial times, women were assigned to domestic chores while heavier tasks were done by men. The belief that women were the weaker sex, as seen from the division of labor, forgot to consider that domestic chores, including taking care of children and other tasks, required sustained labor. However, recent studies showed that women have greater tolerance for pain compared to men, and live longer and more resistant to some diseases (Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1995). In opportunities for education, the provision for women came as second to that for men. During the colonial times, girls learned to read and write from dame schools. They could join schools for boys during the summer when boys were working and there were vacant seat in classrooms. Fortunately, changes were in store for the education of both sexes. The late 19th century witnessed the increase in the number of women students. There were colleges and universities founded for women, and the schools for boys also began to admit women students. By 1870, one-fifth of students from colleges and universities were women. It further increased during the early 1900s (Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1995). In addition, the traditional role of women as child-bearers gradually changed. It used to be that people has this stereotypal opinion about women whose place is at home. As times changed, women gained freedom and a voice in choosing contraception or undergoing legalized abortion. These choices have given them greater control over how many children they wanted to bear. Despite these positive changes, women were still tied to their roles as mothers and wives. Most of them were talented but did not have freedom to pursue studying or other careers (Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1995). In place of formal education, many young women learned things from their mothers. They were expected to learn cooking and caring for children as preparation for their future roles. During the 1960s, tests were conducted that showed the scholastic achievement of young girls as higher during the early grades. The explanation behind this finding was the decline in the girls' expectations because their families or their teachers did not expect them to prepare for a future different from marriage and motherhood. The good thing was that changes were taking place with regards to this trend (Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1995). By the start of the 20th century, women were able to obtain undergraduate college degrees. In 1984, 49% of undergraduate degrees were by women, a sharp increase from just 19% during the onset of the century. Furthermore, more women became interested in taking graduate studies. This was further improved when, in the mid-1980s, women held 49% of masteral degrees and 33% of doctoral degrees. Moreover, women students in college comprised 53% in 1985 (Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1995). Another area where women came as inferiors to men was at work. During the colonial times, women who earned a living were seamstresses or in charged of keeping boardinghouses. There were some women who worked men's jobs, such as doctors, preachers, writers, and lawyers, among others. At the onset of the 19th century, occupations allowed for women were either factory labor or domestic work. They were generally excluded from higher professions but were allowed to write and teach (Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1995). Several changes took place in the following centuries. Career opportunities such as medical profession have undergone changed attitudes. Anyone could practice medicine, but obstetrics was generally a woman's domain. Unfortunately, the educational preparation needed for this profession increased, limiting some women to further pursue medical practice. On top of it, racial discrimination began against certain groups of women. For instance, the American Medical Association did not accept females. They were also barred from medical colleges for men. This changed by 1920s. During this period, a significant number of women attended certain leading medical schools. This was further strengthened when the American Medical Association accepted women members in 1915 (Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1995). Women's Rights It is common knowledge among people that women did not have as much legal rights and other opportunities compared to men. Women were confined in homes, where their major roles were wives and mothers. They could not join in political or social matters, as these were the spheres of men. Women lacked many rights that in a sense, they were like slaves. Women have been fighting for their rights as early as the 19th century, spearheaded by evangelical groups and volunteer associations among middle women from class and upper class. They have strived to affect changes in the American society whose perspective on women was too limiting (Walter, 2001, p. 184). Rights that women can freely obtain indicates the â€Å"understanding of global well-being. † This issue is something that every country should resolve, and not only those ones where religion is the law (Shah, 2007). Rights that women should have equal access to include human rights, equality rights, and political rights, among others. The road to these rights was not a smooth one. Women were constantly in battle for equal footing with men. It took almost fifty years before the Equal Rights Amendment was passed to the states for ratification. Women from all races and nationalities united to support and push the ratification of ERA. Rallies, fundraising activities, marches and many other events were conducted to encourage supporters for the amendment. However, many politicians did not see the need to ratify the ERA for women. They argued that if women were allowed rights, it would destroy families or the women's credibility. However, these issues that were once debated on now became a part of the society (Eisenberg & Ruthsdotter, 1998). Voting rights have also been fought for by brave women. Starting in 1920, women were allowed to vote, although their other political roles were limited (Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1995). However, this was a major change in a nation dominated by men who did not believe in allowing women to participate in political matters, including voting. But certain women, such as Stanton, believed that obtaining voting rights was a start to a greater role for women in the society (Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia, 1995). Reproductive rights, under basic human rights, were also fought for many years. These rights would allow women the right to determine how many children they wanted to have. Without these rights, their other rights would have no profound meaning. This was because when they were not granted reproductive rights, they would not be able to fully make decisions about other areas including education and work. History witnessed the significant decrease in birth rate during the 19th century as women became more educated (Lewis, 2009). Women's Struggles As women battled for their rights and for an equal place in the society, they were faced with opposition from all sides. They have struggled for equality, for voting rights, and for political power. They have struggled to have an identity in the American society. And they have struggled to be freed from the chains that kept them inferiors for many years. Although many changes took place and women now have more liberty compared to the past, women were still in struggle for equality. History has witnessed women's struggle against oppression, as commenced in 1857 in textile factories, to stop racial segregation. They have also demanded to be paid equally with that of their male co-workers. Furthermore, women struggled to push their rights through movements and marches. Many people were firmly opposed to this that some women who participated in these events were jailed or, in remote cases, tortured (TamilCanadian, 1999). The importance of a women's liberation struggle cannot be emphasized enough. Women should be given the freedom from oppression in any form, from discrimination and from their economic dependence on men. Although women have come a long way in their struggles, and now have many rights, there were still some women who faced oppression and in many forms. Sexual harassment is prevalent in some places, especially at work where women's jobs are considered inferior to that of men's. Furthermore, women faced challenges with regards to shared responsibilities between them and their working husbands. On top of these, there is still the segregation of jobs between sexes (TamilCanadian, 1999). In addition, an article in 1999 reported that women in jails were especially susceptible to oppression in the form of sexual abuse and slavery to male prisoners (TamilCanadian, 1999). The Amnesty International reported that women in jails around the world are always victims of human rights violations due to their gender and vulnerability. Women have been the victims of sexual violence, including torture and rape. Furthermore, many of these women were not given proper health care and were instead targeted for punishments and discrimination (Amnesty International, 1999). Even today, women's struggles are still prevalent in the society. Young women struggle for their own equality and democracy. It was claimed that young women have been the targets or victims in many instances. Equal pay for equal work was pushed ahead despite the trying times during the Bush administration. Young women have struggled for reproductive rights, welfare reinstatement, criminalization, violence against them, and better access to public education. In addition, further claims were made regarding the exploitation of young women by capitalists and the structures that they control. This was especially true among young women of color, who are more likely to be the subject of sharper racist edge (Wheeler, 2001). Furthermore, women have experienced being paid less compared to men doing the same job. They have also gone through the lack of job security in the retail/sales industry. Aside from this, women have to submit to restrictions on hours rendered for work. Also, many of these industries do not allow workers to organize. And the worst thing is that immigrant women fall prey to the most despicable working conditions. Between work and families, young women continue to struggle to attend to both. A 2000 census showed that more than 12 million families are led by single parent who also manage the household. Furthermore, 2. 4 million of these families are below the poverty line (Wheeler, 2001). Women's Rights Movement As women became more aware of the importance of obtaining their rights, the Women's Right Movement was put into action in 1848. No one thought that a small group of dedicated women could change the course of history to be able to achieve full rights in America. Women's fight for changes within the family life, employment, government, and education have been notable. These changes did not just happen overnight. Women of different races from different places all desired to affect changes by conducting meetings, nonviolent resistance, and public speaking (Eisenberg & Ruthsdotter, 1998). According to past historical accounts, the birth of the agitation for women's rights was brought about by Frances Wright, a Scotchwoman who visited the United States in 1820. She was popularly known as an intellect on matters regarding politics and social reform. She would live from one place to another, always encouraging both men and women to think differently on traditional beliefs including slavery and the degradation of women in the society. Eventually, Wright succeeded in her efforts, evidenced by literature written by various women. The articles that women wrote talked about the status of women. Furthermore, there were lectures conducted, although some women were bannished for doing so (Hecker, 2004, p. 81). These events have led women to question women's rights, especially among those who were against slavery. Further inquiry into the validity of slavery caused these women to investigate the enforced status of women in the society. Meeting were conducted to address these issues. However, the women, including Angelina and Sarah Gimke, often faced hostility in meetings where there were men. In fact, during a meeting of the Anti-Slavery Association in 1840, men did not take part in committees where there were women involved. This was despite women held a larger contribution to uphold the cause (Hecker, 2004, p. 81). These affairs reached London during the World's Anti-Slavery Convention. Some alti-slavery organizations sent women as their delegates. Unfortunately, the English members refused to allow these women to take part in the proceedings due in part to the opposition of the clergy. The latter believed that St. Paul did not permit women to teach. Thus, delegates Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, the first president of the Female Anti-Slavery Society of Philadelphia, decided to start a women's rights convention upon returning to the United States. The World's Anti-Slavery Convention caused a larger cause to exist (Hecker, 2004, p. 81). July 13, 1848 is the birth of the movement in New York during a tea party. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, a housewife and mother, along with four friends, was in attendance. During their conversation, the topic turned to the situation of women. Stanton made known of her discontent about the limitations enforced on women in the America's new democracy. Despite the American Revolution which was fought 70 years earlier, women still lacked freedom. Stanton believed that the society could benefit more if women were given active roles. This was something that Stanton's friends agreed with, and thus they carried out a large-scale program (Eisenberg & Ruthsdotter, 1998). Days after this conversation, they set a date and location for their first convention. It was held on July 19-20, 1848, at Seneca Falls, New York. Newspapers attributed the organization of the event to the â€Å"divorced wives, childless women, and sour old maids,† referring to Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, Mrs. McClintock and other brave women who attended to their domestic lives and to their children. This first convention attracted a large crowd which reached 300 (Hecker, 2004, p. 81). During the convention, the women presented and signed the Declaration of Sentiments and Declaration of Resolutions mainly based on Declaration of Independence. These include the objectives of the women's rights movement. After this convention, many others were held for the following years (Adams, 2003, pp. 7-8). As Stanton herself expected, newspapers and certain people backlashed them. This was because newspapers believed that the Declaration of Sentiments was shameless, most especially the demand for women to vote. They attacked women on all sides. Fuirthermore, the newspapers published the document, along with the signatures of women who supported it. As a result, many of the women from the Convention had doubts and even withdrew their signatures from the document. Despite being embarrassed, some women were steadfast in what they believed in. Fortunately, something happened which favored the women upon the publishing of the document. The negative articles that editors published became widespread that even the people from isolated towns were informed to the issues. As a result, many people became involved in the heated debate regarding the women's rights in the society (Eisenberg & Ruthsdotter, 1998). The push for women's rights was further supported by two factions of the movement in 1869. One was the American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA) and the other, the National Woman Suffrage Assocation (NWSA). AWSA was organized in Boston by Lucy Stone, a woman popular for advocating anti-slavery and for lobbying the women's rights. NWSA, on the other hand, was organized by Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. The organization aimed to change federal law and passionately opposed the 15th Amendment as it excluded provisions for women (Women in Congress, n. d. ).. The two factions could not unite because the supporters of AWSA believed that their rival was â€Å"racially divisive and organized†¦ to continue a national reform at the state level† (Women in Congress, n. d. ). Furthermore, NWSA did not include alternative arguments and strategies. The NWSA founders also ignored other women groups, including organizations ran by laborers, civic reformers and farmers (Buhle, M. J. , Buhle, P. , & Stanton, 2005, p. xix). With the delicate balance between these factions, the AWSA and the NWSA strived to maintain momentum. The latter attracted recruits from the public speaking activities of both Stanton and Anthony. AWSA, on the other hand, did not have the wide reach that the rival organization enjoyed, but it was better funded and larger. However, the factions were not able to attract broad support from women. They did not even encourage male politicians to allow women to vote (Women in Congress, n. d. ). Between the 1880s and the onset of 1890s, a surge of volunteerism swept the nation. Many of these volunteers came from middle-class women, most of whom were members of clubs and professional societies, supporters of progressive causes, and members of charity organizations. The surge of volunteerism was brought about by these women's desire to â€Å"expand their sphere of activities further outside the home. Thus, the suffrage movement was further strengthened, and both the AWSA and the NWSA gained momentum. Finally, the two factions united in 1890 as they took advantage of the â€Å"constituency† brought about by the event. AWSA and NWSA united and formed the National Americal Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA), led by Stanton and, later, by Anthony. The new organization drew support from various organizations ran by women, including the Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), the National Consumer's League, and the Women's Trade Union League (Women in Congress, n. . ). The new organization aimed to gain votes in states and went through some challenges. Finally, in 1869, Wyoming became the first state to allow women full voting rights. Afterwards, Colorado, Utah, and Idaho followed suit. These were the only states which allowed women to vote. The period covering 1910 to 1914, the NAWSA furthered its efforts to encourage other states to do the same thing. Consequently, the stat es Washington, California, Kansas, Arizona, and Oregon extended voting rights to women. In 1913, the Illinois followed suit, and the state's future congresswoman, Ruth Hanna McCormick, helped advance the fight for suffrage. In 1914, Montana joined the states, mainly due to the efforts of its future Congresswoman, Jeannette Rankin (Women in Congress, n. d. ). Women's fight to obtain full rights like those of men's is not finished yet. There are still cases of oppression and violence against women. Women are still struggling to rise to be able to obtain a strong identity in the American society. The liberty and rights that women have today became impossible due to events in the past that put women in the frontline. The Women's Rights Movement have enabled women to obtain voting rights and, consequently, human rights and equality rights. The selfless efforts of several notable women opened the eyes of all women regarding their place in the society. In the past, the only place for women was the home. They lacked basic rights and were mainly inferior to their husbands or to men in general. However, times have changed. In most places, women now stand side by side and in equality with men. The efforts of women to push forward a better life full of opportunities for all women brough forth these fruits.