Extreme Importance of Alternative Energy Sources Research Paper

Extreme Importance of Alternative Energy Sources - Research Paper Example Forecasts show that coal, gas and oil supplies will last only for a few more centuries. Secondly, the use of fossil fuels poses a serious danger to the environment. The combustion of fossil fuels leads to the emission of chlorofluorocarbons, mainly carbon dioxide. This causes the ‘greenhouse effect’ which traps heat in the earth’s atmosphere, leading to global warming. The combustion of fossil fuels also causes atmospheric pollution and acidification of the environment. The environmental damage caused by oil spills in the wake of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is fresh in minds. Likewise, nuclear power is associated with the risk of nuclear accidents, such as Chernobyl and Fukushima, and the problem of disposal of hazardous radioactive waste. As there is no sign of energy use declining in the conceivable future, the environmental impacts of energy consumption, and the depletion of energy sources, assumes grave implications. It is clear that the need for al ternative, renewable sources of energy is the need of the hour. Energy consumption shows tremendous global variation, and â€Å"about a quarter of the world's population consumes three-quarters of the world's primary energy† (UN Document). About 20% of global energy consumption is in the USA. Again, it is estimated that the U.S. is responsible for about one-fifth of all human-produced greenhouse-gas emissions. Renewable sources of energy account for only 9.3% of the total US energy consumption (EIA). In this scenario, it is evident that the need for alternative energy sources should be a high priority for the government of the United States. It is heartening to note that President Obama has declared that â€Å"I know the country that harnesses the power of clean, renewable energy will lead the global economy in the 21st century† (qtd. in Scientific American).

Organizational Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words - 1

Organizational Behaviour - Essay Example Managing OB is a relatively complex process in normal situations, especially if a major change occurs like mergers and acquisitions (M&A) or other important structural or managerial changes within an organization. This organizational change is quite often stressful to everyone concerned. There may be fears of loss of jobs, changes in duties and responsibilities, fears (or hopes) of change in the compensation structure, and the ever present attitude of resistance to change. This paper is a study of organizational behaviour, culture, and change in the context of an acquisition of two banks in the Republic of Cyprus. The study will be with reference to major theories, perceptions, books, journals, and that have been evolved over the years with regard to OB, culture and change. The Laiki Bank made an offer to Egnatia Bank, and the Marfin Financial Group in September 2006, and successfully acquired them a month later. The name of the organization (Laiki Bank) was changed to Marfin Popular Bank Public Company Ltd. The entity will be referred to Marfin Popular Bank in the rest of the paper. At the time of the acquisition Laiki Bank was one of the largest and oldest banks in Cyprus. What is interesting is that the other two banks were also similar in size and were running profitably. The offer to acquire the other two banks was approved by the shareholders of Laiki Bank and the acquisition took place a month after the offer was made. The apparent â€Å"motivation behind the merger was to create a strong financial group to facilitate expansion into the broader banking and financial market of the Balkan states and southeastern Europe† (Morley & Ward, 2008, P. 22). The Laiki Bank was partly owned by HSBC, which gave up its twenty one percent stake after the acquisition. In that sense, the management and employees of the bank had the

Translation and Interpreting Essay Example for Free

Translation and Interpreting Essay Introduction As I was preparing to put my ideas in order and reflect upon what I was going to write for my essay on International Communication, I suddenly remembered the last lecture on the subject. It was about translating and interpreting, so I figured out that an essay on the translation challenges in todays world would be a great idea to write about. I personally knew Dumitru Toncia, my sister-in-law relative, who had worked in the field for many years, so we had a meeting in which I took some interesting notes. He is specialized in English and French. There are a lot of definitions for International Communication, but I consider it to contain aspects of intercultural understandings, communicaton theory, intercultural communication, croscultural communication, mass communication, intercultural psychology, congnition psychology, area-study like society, culture, constitution, law, education, language etc Proper translation and interpreting has become more and more demanding, and this paper deals with the qualities translators or interpreters should posses in the international environment today. It also outlines some grammar and semantics issues that turn this filed into a real challenge. I hope the examples he drew from his experience in translation will give you an interesting insight into some of the most frustrating problems encountered when transferring ideas from one language to another. Taking part in the selection of candidates for translator jobs in international environments, Toncia has often been amazed by the fact that a number of candidates with a perfect knowledge of both the source and the target languages and an impressive mastery of the relevant field could be very poor translators indeed. Why is that? One of the human factors is the lack of modesty. The translators personality and intelligence interfere with the very humble task he has to perform. Instead of putting aside his own ideas, fantasies and style to follow blindly the authors, he merges, adds or transforms. Anyway, besides humility, candidates must possess two other qualities: judgment and flexibility. Judgment By judgment I mean the ability to solve a problem through wide knowledge of the field, through awareness that a problem exists and through taking into account the various levels of context. Wide knowledge of the field. Lets take the phrase to table a bill. The translator must know that if the original is in British English, it means to submit a bill i. e. a text proposed to become law to the countrys legislative body, in French deposer un projet de loi, but that if the author followed American usage, he meant to shelve, i. e. to adjourn indefinitely the discussion of the text, in French ajourner sine die lexamen du projet de loi Here is another example. The word heure in French can mean hour as well as oclock. To be able to translate correctly the French phrase une messe de neuf heures, you have to know that a Catholic mass lasting nine hours is extremely improbable, so that the translation is a nine oclock mass, and not a nine hour mass. Since the linguistic structure is exactly the same in un voyage de neuf heures, which means a nine hour journey, only knowledge of the average duration of a mass can help the translator decide. Awareness that a problem exists. When you become a professional translator, the chief development that occurs in you during your first three or four years consists in becoming aware of problems that you had no idea could exist. If you are transferred to another organization, the whole process will start anew for a few years because the new field implies new problems that are just as hidden as in your former job. Some people may know that in the history of international communication there was an organization called International Auxiliary Language Association. Well, if you ask people how they understand that title, you will realize that, for a number of them, it means international association dealing with an auxiliary language, whereas for others it means an association studying the question of an international auxiliary language. The interesting point lies not so much in the ambiguity as in the fact that most people are not aware of it. When exposed to the phrase, they immediately understand it in a certain way and they are not at all conscious that the very same words are susceptible to another interpretation and that their immediate comprehension does not necessarily reflect what the author had in mind. Similarly, most junior translators simply do not imagine that the words English teacher usually designate, not a teacher who happens to be a British citizen, but somebody who teaches English and can be Japanese or Brazilian as well from any English speaking country.. Taking into account the various levels of context. The English word repression has two conventional translations in French. In politics, the French equivalent is repression, whereas in psychology, it is refoulement. You might believe at first glance that translating it correctly is simply a matter of knowing to what field your text belongs. If it deals with politics, you use one translation, if with psychology another. Reality is not that simple. Your author may use the psychological sense within a broad political context. For instance, in an article dealing with the Stalin era, you may have a sentence beginning with Repression by the population of its spontaneous critical reactions led to In this case, although the text deals with politics, the sentence deals with psychology. The narrow context is at variance with the broad context. Flexibility Besides judgment, the other quality I mentioned as indispensable to make an acceptable international translator is flexibility. This refers to the gymnastics aspect of translation work. Mastering the specialized field and the two relevant languages is not enough, you have to master the art of constantly jumping from one into the other and back. Languages are more than intellectual structures. They are universes. Each language has a certain atmosphere, a style of its own, that differentiates it from all others. If you compare such English expressions as software and, on a road sign, soft shoulder with their French equivalents, you realize that there is a very definite switch in the approach to communication. The French translations are respectively logiciel and accotements non stabilises. The English phrases are concrete, metaphorical, made up, with a zest of humor, from words used in everyday speech, although this does not contribute to better comprehension: knowing the meaning of soft and of shoulder does not help you to understand what a soft shoulder is. In French, the same meanings are conveyed by abstract and descriptive terms, which do not belong to everyday usage. You dont understand them either, but for a different reason: because they are based on too intellectual, too sophisticated, too unusual morphemes, so that most foreigners have to look up the words in dictionaries. The difficulty lies in the fact that this difference in approach has to be taken into account at the level, not only of words (a good dictionary may often solve that problem), but of sentences. Consider the sentence Private education is in no way under the jurisdiction of the government. It includes mostly English words of French origin, but common etymology does not imply a common way of expressing ones thoughts. In this case, a good French rendering would be Lenseignement libre ne releve en rien de lEtat. You will realize the importance of those differences in the approach to communication if you take the French sentence as the original and translate it literally into English. The result would be Free teaching does not depend in any way from the State, which means something quite different, especially to an American. In order to translate properly, you have to feel when and how to switch from one atmosphere to another. The problem is that with languages, you never know how you know what you know. If, in a text dealing with economic matters, a good translator meets the phrase the life expectancy of those capital goods, he knows because he feels that he has to translate it by la longevite des equipements. He also knows that when that same text mentions the consumers life expectancy, hell have to say, in French, esperance de vie, because the author for a while deals with a demographic concept which is included in his economic reasoning. But how does he know he knows? He doesnt know. This ability to adjust to the various approaches to reality or fantasy embodied in the different languages, linked to an ability to pass constantly back and forth, is what is called flexibility. This is the quality which is the most difficult to find when you recruit translators. We can now approach the same field from a different angle, asking ourselves the question: what are the problems built-in in languages that make judgment and flexibility so important in translation work? They relate to the grammar and the semantics of both the source and the target languages. Grammar The more a language uses precise and clear-cut grammatical devices to express the relationships among words and, within a given word, its constitutive concepts, the easier the task for the translator. The worst source languages for translators are thus English and Chinese. A Chinese sentence like ta shi qunian shengde xiaohair can mean both he (or she) is a child who was born last year and it was last year that she gave birth to a child. In English similar ambiguities are constant. In International Labor Organization, the word international refers to organization, as shown in the official French wording: Organisation internationale du Travail. But in another UN specialized agency, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the word international is to be related with aviation, not with organization, as shown, again, by the French version: Organisation de laviation civile internationale (and not Organisation internationale de laviation civile). This is legally and politically important, because it means that the organization is competent only for flights that cross national boundaries. It is not an international organization that deals with all problems of non-military flying. However, since the linguistic structure is similar in both cases, no text analysis can help the translator; he has no linguistic means to decide which is which. He has to refer to the constitution of the relevant organization. Many mistakes made by professional translators result from the impossibility, in English, to assign an adjective to its noun through grammatical means. When a translator rendered Basic oral health survey methods by Methodologie des enquetes fondamentales sur letat de sante bucco-dentaire, he was mistaken in relating the word basic to survey, whereas it actually relates to methods, but he should be forgiven, because only familiarity with the subject enables the reader to understand what refers to what. The correct translation was Methodologie fondamentale applicable aux enquetes sur letat de sante bucco-dentaire. Toncias wife teaches translation to American students who come to Geneva for one year. A standard translation task she gives them includes the subtitle Short breathing exercises. Every year, half her class understands exercises in short breathing, whereas the real meaning is short exercises in deep breathing. The fact that native speakers of English so consistently make the same mistake, although the context provides all the necessary clues, its still a wonder. The fact that, in English, the endings -s, -ed and -ing have several grammatical functions often complicates matters. In the sentence He was sorting out food rations and chewing gum, it is impossible to know if the concerned individual was chewing gum while sorting out food rations, or if he was sorting out two kinds of supplies: food, and chewing gum. Semantics Problems caused by semantics are particularly difficult for human translators. They are of two kinds: (1) the problem is not apparent; (2) the problem is readily seen, but the solution either requires good judgment or does not exist. An example of the first category is provided by the phrase malaria therapy. Since malaria is a well known disease, and therapy means treatment, a translator not trained in medical matters will think that it means treatment of malaria. But the semantic field of therapy is not identical with that of treatment, although this is not apparent if you simply consult a dictionary (Websters defines therapy as treatment of a disease). It would be too long to explain here the differences, but the fact is that malaria therapy should be rendered, not by traitement du paludisme, but by impaludation therapeutique or paludotherapie , because it means that the malaria parasite is injected into the blood to elicit a febrile reaction designed to cure the attacked disease, which is not malaria. In other words, it means treatment by malaria and not treatment of malaria. In the French version, published by Albin Michel, of Hammond Innes novel Levkas Man, one of the characters complains about les jungles concretes in which an enormous population has to live (Hammond, 1998, p.82). This does not make sense for the French reader. What the author meant by concrete jungles was jungles de beton, i. e. high-rise housing developments made of concrete. This is a case in which the translator was not aware of the existence of a semantic problem, namely that concrete has two completely unrelated meanings: a building material, and the opposite of abstract. An example of a semantic problem requiring good judgment is the word develop. It has such a wide semantic field that it is often a real nightmare for translators. It can mean setting up, creating, designing, establishing and thus refer to something that did not exist before. It can mean intensifying, accelerating, extending, amplifying, and thus express the concept making larger, which implies that the thing being developed has been concretely in existence for some time. But it can also mean tapping the resources, exploiting, in other words making use of something that has been having a latent or potential existence. In all other languages, the translation will vary according to the meaning, i. e.to that particular segment the author had in view within the very wide semantic field covered by the word. To know how to translate to develop such or such an industry, you have to know if the said industry already exists or not in the area your text is covering. In most cases, the text itself gives no clue on that matter. Only the translators general culture or his ability to do appropriate research can lead him to the right translation. Such a simple word as more can pose problems, because its semantic area covers both the concepts of quantity and of qualitative degree. What does more accurate information mean? Does it mean a larger amount of accurate information or information that has greater accuracy? And how can you translate cute into another language? The concept simply does not exist in most. Conversely, the French word frileux has no equivalent in English, so that a simple French sentence like il est frileux cannot be properly translated. Still, you can say he feels the cold terribly or he is very sensitive to cold. Although those are poor renderings, they are acceptable. What most resists translation is the adverbial form: frileusement. How can you translate il ramena frileusement la couverture sur ses genoux? You have to say something like He put the blanket back onto his knees with the kind of shivering movement typical of people particularly sensitive to cold. To those of you who might think that this is literary translation, something outside your field of research, I have to emphasize that descriptions of attitudes and behavior are an integral part of medical and psychological case presentations, so that the above sentence should not be considered unusual in a translators practice. An enormous amount of words, many of them appearing constantly in ordinary texts, present similar difficulties. Such words as commodity, consolidation, core, crop, disposal, to duck, emphasis, estate, evidence, feature, flow, forward, format, insight, issue, joint, junior, kit, maintain, matching, predicament, procurement and hundreds of others are quite easy to understand, but no French word has the same semantic field, so that their translation is always a headache. Dictionaries dont help, because they give you a few translations that never coincide with the concept as actually used in a text; in most cases the translations they suggest do not fit with the given context. Another case in point is provided by the many words that refer to the organization of life. You cannot translate Swiss Government by Gouvernement suisse, because the French word gouvernement has a much narrower meaning than the English one. In French, you have to say le Conseil federal or la Confederation suisse according to the precise meaning. The French word gouvernement designates what in English is often named cabinet. The English word government is one of the frustrating ones. You may render it by lEtat, les pouvoirs publics, les autorites, le regime or similar words, evaluating in each case what is closest to the English meaning, and you have to bear in mind that at times it should be sciences politiques (for instance in the sentence she majored in government, in which the verb major is another headache, because American studies are organized in quite a different way from studies in French speaking countries). The Russian word dispanserizacija illustrates a similar problem. It designates a whole conception of public health services that has no equivalent in Western countries. If you want your reader to understand your translation, you should, rather than translate it (it would be easy enough to say dispensarisation), explain what it means. Conclusion As you see, each one of the problems mentioned in the paper makes the translators task very arduous indeed. Problems caused by ambiguities, unexpressed but implied meanings, and semantic values without equivalent in the target language require a lot of thinking, a special knowledge of the field and a certain amount of research as for instance when you have to find out if an industry being developed already exists or not, or if secretary Tan Buting is a male or a female, which, in many languages, will govern the correct form of the adjectives and even the translation of  secretary (Sekreter? Sekreterin? ) . Such problems take up 80 to 90% of a professional translators time. A translator is essentially a detective, Toncia uses to say, and it is true. He has to make a lot of phone calls, to go from one library to another (not so much to find a technical term as to understand how a process unfolds or to find basic data that are understood, and thus unexpressed, among specialists) and to tap all his resources in deduction. These days we all seem to take the right of being a professional translator, but on closer look things are not so simple. In the international environment today, proper communication has become extremely important, and seemingly insignificant mistakes could cause a lot of trouble for the parties involved. In cases when proficient translation or interpreting is required, saving money by hiring someone from your staff instead of a competent professional is not a choice I would recommend. Bibliography Hammond , I. , 1998 Levkas Man, William Collins Larousse, 1994 Dictionaire de la langue fracaise, Lexis Philip, B. , 2000 Websters Third New International Dictionary, Webster Inc. Websites www. iti. org. uk- Institute or Translating and Interpreting http://www. naati. com. au- National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters.

Reply to Post of Jennifer Schaefer Essay Example for Free

Reply to Post of Jennifer Schaefer Essay The outline set by the learner for the conduct and content of the initial interview is very traditional and methodological. It starts out with the gathering of relevant information, analyzing the data and then formulating solutions to the problems of the clients. This method is the commonly used approach in the world of therapy because it has been proven effective and easy to use by many therapists. For the first part of the outline, I think that the learner is very formal. This may make the client feel that he or she is being examined by a professional which is not helpful in forging a relationship with the client. This stage is very important because it empowers and enables the client to disclose all his or her experiences that will lead the therapist to find or provide solutions to the client’s problems. In the end, this formal or rigid approach can impede the progress of the counseling session. Reply to Post of Michele Moran The outline drafted by the learner tackles the issues of the client from recent to old. The problem that I see with this kind of approach in conducting an initial interview is that it seems very invasive to the client. At the beginning of the interview, the therapist or counselor would immediately ask for personal information about the client. Then, the client will be bombarded with questions or insinuations regarding his or her problem. I think these stages are essential but a rapport first must be established between the client and the therapist. Through this, the client can feel the he or she is not just talking to a professional who is doing his job but more of a friend or confidant who is willing to help and concerned about the welfare and development of the client.

Y2K Bug :: essays research papers fc

Computers have become the backbone of the world today. Is there a time bomb slowly ticking down inside of the computers that run everything from your laundry machine to Wall Street? "The year 2000 bug is a flaw in the programming of embedded chips in most electronic devices"(Outsmarting 2). These chips only calculate the date in the ending 2 digits of the year. For instance, the date 1-1-1999 in the computer comes out 1-1-99. "When the year 2000 comes around, the computers will think that it is the year 1900"(2). Any program or system that relies on dates to perform certain functions, such as calculating ages, time periods, or payrolls is at risk of crashing on the stroke of midnight. Programmers in the 1970's were saving a lot of space in programming by only using the last 2 digits of the year. They had no insight into the problem they were creating by cutting this programming corner. The justification for cutting this corner was two fold. First, think of all of the coding and coding time they saved if the date is calculated over 1 million times in a single computation. Second, in those early years, disk storage space was at a premium and severely limited by today's standards. It was important to make the best available use of storage space. For this reason that they entered only the last 2 digits of the year in the old programming. Because only date sensitive programming is at risk, however if or when the Y2K bug hits, the damage will be minimal at most. For those people who plan to move to the country and sell all of their possessions in order to get away from the effect, do not leave just yet. The year 2000 bug will not be the end of the world. Many think that they will start a rural community and it will be their little Garden of Eden. If the year 2000 bug strikes, it will strike everything everywhere, even in rural Montana. The problems will be universal. People believe that they can rely on insurance to cover their assets are facing another problem created by the year 2000 bug. Insurance companies are calling all of their current clients informing them that their coverage does not include losses due to the year 2000 bug. However, lawyers and law firms are gearing up for what they believe will be a windfall, based on millennium bug claims

David Copperfield: The Many Differences Between James Steerforth And T :: essays research papers

David Copperfield: The many differences between James Steerforth and Tommy Traddles In the novel, David Copperfield, Charles Dickens contrasts many different characters. The main two characters that he contrasts are Tommy Traddles and James Steerforth. He displays the contrast between these two characters in many different ways. The only common thing that they share is their close friendship with David. Dickens shows these differences through their looks, personalities, and the final results of their lives. For one thing, Charles Dickens contrasts these two characters through their looks. He tells the readers that James Steerforth is an extremely handsome young person whom everyone seems to adore. In every instance in the book when someone sees him for the first time, they recognize him as being very attractive. He was described as being tall and thin character. On the other hand, Traddles was pictured as being somewhat on the heavy side. He reminds the reader of the fat clumsy kid in their own school. Dickens portrays this when he says, "Poor Traddles! In a tight sky-blue suit that made his arms and legs like German sausages, or roly-poly puddings," (143). Besides being different in appearance, Charles Dickens contrasts these two characters through their personalities. From the beginning, James Steerforth leads people to believe that he is a good person. There are many instances in which he shows off his true colors. The first sign of his deceitful manner occurs when David allows Steerforth to keep his money. Steerforth uses this money to buy food for many of the students. Steerforth displays his selfishness when he insults his schoolmaster, Mr. Mell, and gets him fired. Again, Steerforth shows his stern personality again when David arrives in London, and he is given a very small room over a stable. Steerforth confronts the hotel employee, and David is given a much better room. The greatest example of Steerforth's brute personality is when he runs off with little Em'ly. Dickens tells us that Steerforth and Em'ly fought a lot and finally Steerforth leaves her, and suggests she marries Littimer. On the other hand, Tommy Traddles is a very nice person. Traddles shows his kindness by introducing David to the boys at the Salem House. Charles Dickens shows Traddles' personality when he says of him, "He was very honourable, Traddles was, and held it as a solemn duty in the boys to stand by one another" (143). Traddles is a strong-willed person. Even though he receives more punishment than anyone else at the school, he maintains his honor. Traddles is a very reserved person. He keeps many of his feelings

Not Much Just Chillin Essay

Change is known to be the most constant thing in the world. Hence, individuals are often changing which leads to conflicting issues in life. Moreover, every person gets into a stage where in a person needs to change. Most of us experience change during our moments in middle school. Every person during this time of his or her life experiences changes. In addition to this, there are interests which are discovered by these individuals. More so, the changes lead to the various kind personality developments. In the book written by Linda Perlstein titled â€Å"Not Much Just Chillin’† she discussed the reality of middle school. Through her observation, research and writing, Perlstein is able to provide a very vivid and realistic condition of the students in middle school. Hence, it is very evident that middle school children are usually confronted with issue to their families, environment as well as the media which are highly influential to the development of young people. The book written by Perlstein provided a vivid example of the types of individuals within the middle school setting. There are the typical individuals such as the popular group, the geeks, the minor ethnicities and the likes. More so, the people who are reading the book could easily relate to the various types of individuals being portrayed in the book. Definitely, the book is presenting a very important aspect of the teenage life. Different parts of the book present a very good perspective of the situation in middle school. Moreover, the writing of Perlstein focuses on the perspective of the youth during their development into adulthood. In the light of this, the book provides a very easy reading to different individuals. For the book is discussing about the youth and their development, the book somehow reaches to the young audiences who are interested in reading and understanding the stages of their development. The varieties of stages that are being experienced by different groups in the middle school setting are discussed through a very descriptive style. On the other hand, parents must also read this book for it provides insights regarding the development of their children. Although it is known that parents have been in the same stage of youth, the changes and liberation of teenagers are still different in the current era. Also, professors and teachers must be able to comprehend the various types of students in school. More so, the book presents a descriptive perspective of the situation in the middle school setting however Perlstein does not provide any type of resolution regarding this matter. The readers are left hanging of what they could do in order to have a safe environment for different students. In conclusion, the book is a good read for individuals who are interested in the psychological perspective of middle school age group. More so, there is nothing really shocking about the book provided by Perlstein. Through the very clear influence of media and the environment many youth are led to very complicated situations such as teenage pregnancy, drug addiction, and a changing perception with regards to responsibilities and adulthood. These problematic cases are stated to be caused by different entities provided in the earlier paragraphs. Therefore, all the entities become an important influence to the lives of each student. Definitely the book written by Perlstein is very informative however; it also has the similar type of theme compared to other books available. Although this is the case, the book was able to reach to me as a reader. Through the experiences which I had in the past, I know have a better understanding of myself. Furthermore, I have a better understanding of the people surrounding me. Hence, I was able to create my own methods of addressing the issues of different personalities and perspectives. Due to the book written by Perlstein I was able to enjoy a book relating to various kinds of individuals.

Plant Growing Lamp Presentation Essay

Good morning, everybody. Thank you for coming to my short presentation today. Let me introduce myself first. I’m Chris Wong, a medical assistant of Willis Health Centre. I’m very glad today to present to you our team’s proposed product, Dino, a plant growing lamp. My presentation will be covered into three parts. I’ll, first of all, introduce to you the background information about our environment. Next, I’ll explain our proposed product, Dino. Finally, I’ll outline some problems that our team concerned about. Afterwards, there will be a question and answer session. Right, let me start with the background about our environment. In fewer years, do you feel the weather is unexpected? Do you think this is terrible? Do you know why? Let me talk you. Nowadays, human do lots of things to damage our environment is caused the bigger problem, global warming. That why the weather is unexpected. They use lots to things to release the greenhouse gas. It is global issue because the effects are very important. That why we developed this plant growing lamp. Fine, I’ll now explain our proposed Dino. To start with, let’s look at the aesthetic value. This lamp can come with different pattern and color. Most important is it will have some seed inside the lamp. You can choose the pattern and color to match your home design and your home will be more modern. After the plant grows up, it also can offer fresh air. You will have a wonderful environment in the house because it can be a pretty decoration. Now, let’s turn to the user’s needs. The lamp has deep penetrating infrared light. Do you feel tired after a whole working? It can help you to relief pain and stimulate blood circulation. You feel more relax after using Dino. It really can bring you a health benefits. So much for the user’s need and the aesthetic. Let’s now look at the benefits for our company image. As you know, our company directions are focusing on health and environment. I think the health benefits of the user are already to promote our images. For the environment, the lamp is using a bio-degradable material. It is less damaged to our environment and it is very eco-friendly since Dino is also using the recyclable material.

Kakutani’s “Word Police” Essay

In Michiko Kakutani’s essay, â€Å"The Word Police,† the author uses examples, illustrations and definitions to support the claim that our language is on the brink of absurdity because we hide our true identities and inequalities with euphemisms. In regard to euphemisms, Kakutani states that they â€Å"tend to distract attention from the real problems of prejudice and injustice in society† (423). Although the essay is persuasive and supported well, the author falls short of persuading her unbiased audience because of repetitive and tedious criticisms of the politically correct movements. Her argument lacks absolution in her failure to provide her audience with an alternative solution. Kakutani opens with the claim the political correctness is prevalent in society today. For support she uses several examples of icons that are being redeveloped to appease the growing demand for P.C. These include Little Miss Coppertone, who will soon have a male equivalent, and Superman, who will come in four new flavors. In using these familiar, mainstream products, Kakutani sways the audience in her direction while consolidating her claim. She also makes us aware of her aversion to politically correct movements with the use of her sarcasm in renovating the words â€Å"Miss† and â€Å"Superman.† The author then discusses a more considerable issue, that of the controversy over our language. â€Å"Political correctness† defined by Kakutani as â€Å"a vision of a more just, inclusive society in which racism, sexism and prejudice of all sorts have been erased,† (421) has good intent, but the methods used by politically correct activists to achieve their goals are too extreme. This, in turn, will just lead to the â€Å"scorn of conservative opponents and the mockery of cartoonists and late-night television hosts† (421). To validate her claim, Kakutani uses the example of a woman changing â€Å"testimony† to â€Å"ovarimony† at a Modern Language Association. This illustration supports her claim and persuades the audience to agree that the techniques used by P.C. radicals are excessive. To further her claim, she also adds a list of commonly used words and phrases, such as â€Å"charley horse† and â€Å"lazy susan† that, in a  politically correct language, would never be acceptable and debates the necessity and feasibility of changing them. The author also believes that the trendy surge of P.C. dictionaries becoming available to us is forming a new way of speaking and writing. The majority of Kakutani’s backing for this is Rosalie Maggio’s book The Bias-Free Word Finder, a Dictionary of Nondiscriminatory Language. Maggio offers over 5,000 prejudice words and phrases to avoid, as well as techniques on how to make one’s speaking and writing less offensive. In order to support her argument that politically correct language is on the verge being ridiculous, she farcically reconstructs several popular phrases with the use of Maggio’s â€Å"dictionary.† Leonardo DiVinci’s â€Å"Mona Lisa† becomes his â€Å"acme of perfection,† while â€Å"king of the jungle† becomes â€Å"monarch of the jungle.† The extreme illustration is an excellent technique for convincing her audience, but her narrow breadth of sources causes the reader to doubt whether or not she has any other support. Kakutani then inquires as to who will accept and live by these P.C. rules. Her use of satire as a persuasion technique is very efficient when she states that Maggio’s book will most likely never become a staple in the average classroom, or be â€Å"adopted by the average man (sorry, individual)† (421). She then argues that these â€Å"P.C. dictionaries† only create confusion among there own supporters with there self-contradictions. More proof for Kakutani’s claim is an example from Language, Gender, and Professional Writing, by Francine Wattman Frank and Paula A. Treichler of the Modern Language Association. In the book, Frank and Treichler state that using â€Å"he† or â€Å"she† is an â€Å"appropriate construction for talking about an individual (like a jockey, say) who belongs to a profession that’s predominantly male† (422). Kakutani points out that later in the book, the authors contradict themselves by stating, â€Å"using masculine pronouns rhetorically can underscore ongoing male dominance in those fields, implying the need for change† (422). This example regains the trust of Kakutani’s readers. The citation accomplishes its goal in influencing the audience to agree with her claim and causes the reader to wonder what good the  politically correct activists are doing if they cannot even agree with their selves. With the readers trust regained and the su pport of Kakutani’s belief, the author proceeds into her most persuasive argument. Kakutani discusses Maggio’s suggestion to substitute politically incorrect words and phrases with symbols in order to draw attention to the fact that those words and phrases are improper. Rebutting this idea, Kkautani proclaims that Maggio’s philosophy offers no real solution to remove bigotry from our country. In actuality, Maggio’s suggestions focus only on the surface of the word or phrase being corrected and not it’s content. Kakutani supports her claim with the example of when Mark Twain’s classic, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, was under consideration for being eliminated from school curriculums because it was labeled racist due to the fact that it included the word â€Å"nigger.† By using such a well-known incident, Kakutani again convinces the reader to agree with her claim, in part because of the common ground that the incident creates. The support succeeds in persuading and building communion with the reader since most well edu cated individuals have read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and are aware that the book has no racist purpose. Kakutani then argues that the politically correct actions taken to correct our language are in reality distorting the meanings of the words being attacked. Using the pamphlet, â€Å"Dictionary of Cautionary Words and Phrases† as an example, Kakutani lists non-prejudicial words that are labeled discriminatory. She relates her claim to words used to describe the Vietnam War and Watergate by the government. Using two incidents that are associated negatively to the reader, the author succeeds in convincing her audience. Kakutani next repeats her allegation that the replacing of politically correct words by symbols or other words is not a solution to end problems, instead it will â€Å"make it easier to shrug off the seriousness of their situation† (423). Once again, Kakutani retreats to an example from Maggio’s book to probe her claim. Concluding, Kakutani states that the actions taken by the politically correct activists are being â€Å"purchased at the cost of freedom of expression and freedom of speech† (424). She ends her argument  with an illustration of how the Gettysburg Address would sound if it had been written in a politically correct manner. Overall, Kakutani loses the readers attention towards the end of her debate. She convinces the unbiased audience that the politically correct movements are flawed, but fails to full persuade them to agree with her view that they are ineffective. The use of so many examples from the same source entices the reader to ponder the legitimacy of her arguments. One book is not enough ground to convince a sophisticated, intelligent reader. Moreover, Kakutani’s neglect to suggest an alternative solution to the one offered by the politically correct advocates makes her essay seem unfinished, and casts a negative shadow over Kakutani’s entire debate.

Biol 130 First Midterm Notes

Unit 1 – Introduction to the Cell Robert Hooke – built the first microscope (30x magnification); viewed slices of cork called cellula (little rooms). Antoni Van Leeuwenhoek – worked with glass huge improvement in quality of lenses nearly 300x magnification became possible first to observe: * single-celled organisms â€Å"animalcules† * protists from pond water * bacteria from his mouth – â€Å"father of microbiology† * blood cells * banded pattern in muscle cells * sperm from †¦ 1830s – Compound microscope – improved magnification and resolution and allowed visualization of objects less than 1 ? . 1000-1500x magnification Beginning of Cell Theory Robert Brown (botanist) – noticed that every plant cell contained a round structure called it ‘kernel’-nucleus Matthias Schleiden (another botanist) – all plant tissues are composed of cells; embryonic plant always arose from a single cell Theodor Schwann (zoologist) – similar observations in animal cells; recognition of structural similarities btw plants and animals! * Cell Theory formulated by Schwann Cell Theory 1. all organisms consist of one or more cells 2. he cell is the basic unit of structure for all organisms 3. added 20 years later: all cells arise only from pre-existing cells fact (scientific) – an attempt to state our best current understanding, based on observations and experiments(valid only until revised or replaced) Steps in Scientific Method 1. make observations 2. use inductive reasoning to develop tentative explanation (hypothesis) 3. make predictions based on your hypothesis 4. make further observations or design and carry out controlled experiments to test your hypothesis 5. nterpret your results to see if they support your hypothesis Theory – a hypothesis that has been tested critically under many different conditions andby many different investigators . using a variety of different approa ches. By the time an explanation is regarded as a theory it is widely accepted by most scientists in the cell * the â€Å"solid ground† of science: evolution, germ theory, cell theory *If a theory is thoroughly tested and confirmed over many years by such large numbers of investigators that there is no doubt of its validity †¦ it may eventually be regarded as a law.Gravity, laws of thermodynamics, laws that govern behaviour of gases ‘Strands’ of Cell Biology 13 cytology 1600s Hooke looks at cork Leeuwenhoek looks at lots of things 1800s Brown notes nuclei bio-chemistry synthesis of urea in lab fermentation done by cells! glycolysis Krebs cycle every cell comes from a cell Schleiden & Schwann formulate cell theory electron microscopy stains & dyes genetics Mendel, pea plants DNA chromosomes chromosome theory 1930s DNA double helix DNA sequencing Dolly the sheep! nano-technology! genetic code Light Microscopy:Bright field – light passes through specimen , contrast is slow and specimen is hard to see Phase contrast – contrast is changed by changing light in microscope DIC – uses optical modifications to change contrast between cell and background – due to density differential Staining – stain used to visualize cell and components, only some stains can be used on living cells 14 bright field phase contrast DIC unstained (sperm cells) stained blood cells tissue – small intestine Fluorescent Microscopy – fluorescent dyes bind to protein or DNA to see where they are in cells – tracks movement Electron Microscopy(Scanning & Transmission):SEM – scan surface of specimen to form image by detecting electrons from outer surface. Good surface images TEM – forms image from electrons passing through specimen therefore fine details of internal organelles 16 SEM TEM Basic Properties of Cells: * are highly complex and organized * atoms molecules macromolecules (organelles ) enclosed in plasma membrane * use the same ‘genetic program’ Central Dogma * DNA RNA protein * are capable of reproducing themselves * must first replicate genetic material acquire and use energy (â€Å"bioenergetics†) and carry out a variety of chemical reactions (â€Å"cellular metabolism†) * have many processes that are highly conserved at the molecular level * membrane structure, genetic code, ATP synthesizing enzymes, actin filaments, eukaryotic flagella, †¦ * engage in many mechanical activities * transport of materials in/out, within * assembly and disassembly of structures * motility / movement * respond to environmental signals * move away or toward stimuli * respond to hormones, growth factors, etc * are capable of self-regulationâ€Å"homeostasis† most evident when control systems break down; defects in DNA replication, DNA repair, cell cycle control Two Classes of Cells – karyon = nucleus Prokaryotic Cells: lack of nucleus, NO CYTOSKELET ON(very small), membrane bound organelles. Mostly unicellular. Bacteria and Archaea. Single, circular strand of DNA(fewer proteins). Cell wall in addition to PM 1-10 uM in diameter. 2 types: 1. Eubacteria – all have cells walls except for mycoplasma(resistant to antibiotics that target cell wall synthesis). Mycoplasma(smallest) Cyanobacteria (largest and most complex). 2.Archaeabacteria – all have cell walls and are known as extermophiles, occupy broad range of habitats, halophiles=salty, acidophiles=acid, thermophiles= hot. Eukaryotic Cells: 10x larger than prokaryotic cells, membrane bound nucleus/organelles. More complex DNA due to histones/proteins. 4 groups: 1. Protists- very diverse group – mostly single cells; algae, water molds, slime molds, protozoa 2. Fungi – single cell(yeast) or multi-cellular(mushrooms) and have cell walls. Heterotrophs; depend on external source of organic compounds 3. Plant cells- multi-cellular and have cell walls. . Anima ls- multi-cellular, no cell walls and are heterotrophs Cytoplasm – everything between plasma membrane and nuclear membrane, includes all membrane-bound organelles (except nucleus) Cytosol – only fluid component Endomembrane system – internal membranes that are either in direct contact or connected via transfer of vesicles (sacs of membrane). including: nuclear envelope / membrane, endoplasmic reticulum (ER), Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, vacuoles Nucleus – stores genetic information Endomembrane System – creates intracellular compartments with different functions.Endoplasmic reticulum (ER; rough, smooth), Golgi apparatus, lysosomes. Mitochondria – generate energy to power the cell Chloroplasts – capture energy from sunlight, convert to carbohydrate Cytoskeleton – regulates cell shape, movements of materials within the cell, movement of the cell itself Flow of Traffic in EMS – Rough ER: synthesis of proteins for – ex port (secretion) – insertion into membranes – lysosomes Golgi apparatus: collection, packaging & distribution Lysosomes * cell ‘stomachs’ have enzymes that can digest †¦ * all 4 classes of biological macromolecules worn-out organelles (mitochondria replaced every 10 days) * material brought into cell by phagocytosis Phagocytosis – plasma membrane engulfs smaller molecule and then called phagosome. Lysosome takes it in and digests, small particles are releases into the cytoplasm. Autophagy – lysosome digests a damaged organelle, small particles are released into cytosol. mitochondria (all eukaryotic cells) and chloroplasts (plant cells): * contain DNA that encodes some (but not all) of their own proteins * have unusual double layers of membranesOrigin of Eukaryotic Cells: Endosymbiont Theory * once believed that eukaryotes evolved gradually, organelles becoming more and more complex * now accepted that early eukaryotes originated as preda tors * certain organelles (mitochondria, chloroplasts) evolved from smaller prokaryotes engulfed by larger cell * later chloroplasts and the ability to perform photosynthesis Symbiosis – Mutual Advantage advantage to host cell: * aerobic respiration (aerobic bacteria mitochondria) * photosynthesis (cyanobacteria chloroplasts) advantage to bacteria: * protected environment supply of carbon compounds from host cell’s other prey Evidence Supporting Endosymbiont Theory mitochondria and chloroplasts †¦ * are similar size to bacteria, reproduced by fission like bacteria * have double membranes, consistent with engulfing mechanism * have their own ribosomes, which resemble those of prokaryotes rather than eukaryotes in terms of size, composition and sensitivity to antibiotics * have their own genomes, which are organized like those of bacteria last but not least: * are genetically similar to proposed ‘parent’ bacteria rather than ukaryotic cells Cytoskeleton important in: * cell shape * cell motility * movement / position of organelles * movement of materials within cell * movement of chromosomes during mitosis Cytoplasm in a living cell is never static * cytoskeleton is constantly being taken apart and rebuilt * organelles and vesicles are racing back and forth * can cross the cell in ~ 1 second * unattached proteins moving randomly, but rapidly * can visit every corner of the cell within a few seconds * contents of cytosol are in constant thermal motionCommon to all cells: * selectively permeable plasma membrane * genetic code; mechanism of transcription and translation * ATP for the transfer of energy and metabolic pathways Model Organisms 45 Unit 2a – Intro to Cellular Chemistry Most Common Elements in Living Organisms: * C H O N – make up 96% – also P and S are common too * Exist as complex macromolecules and simpler forms like water and carbon dioxide nucleus – dense core in centre, consists of protons and neutrons electrons – continually orbit the nucleus # of protons – defining feature of an element = atomic number – # protons + # neutrons = mass of an atom = mass number – by default, an atom is ‘neutral’, with # protons = # electrons – electrons influence reactivity of an atom †¦ Atomic mass = atomic number + # of neutrons (electrons are neglected because mass is so small) Isotopes – same number of protons but different number of neutrons in the same element Anion – gain electron and are negatively charged Cation – lose electron and are positively chargedOutermost ‘valence’ shell influences an atom’s reactivity * electrons in outermost shell valence electrons * unpaired valance electrons determine the number of bonds an atom can make * atoms with filled valance shell = most stable, atoms that are closest to filling are most reactive * elements abundant in organisms have at least one u npaired valence electron Some Definitions: covalent bonds – two or more atoms share pairs of valence electrons * strong bonds of biological systems non-covalent bonds, including * ionic bonds * hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) * hydrophobic interactions olecule – group of atoms held together by energy in a stable association compound – molecule composed of two or more different types of atoms Types of Covalent Bonds * electrons shared ‘equally’ * non-polar covalent bond * can be single (like H2), double (O2) or even triple, depending on number of electrons shared * electrons not shared equally * polar covalent bond * one of the atoms has a stronger pull on the electrons than the other * pull on electrons = electronegativity * water is the most abundant molecule in biological organisms * human body is ~70% water water as a solvent can dissolve more types of molecules than other molecule known * the polarity of water is key to its role in biology hydrogen bon ding – electrical attraction between electronegative atom and partial positive of hydrogen hydrophobic – no affinity for water – â€Å"water fearing† hydrophilic – affinity for water – â€Å"water loving† Acid-base Reaction substance that gives up (donates) protons acid (increases [H+] in solution) substance that accepts protons base (decreases [H+] in solution) chemical reaction that involves transfer of protons acid-base reaction * most olecules act as either an acid or a base * water can be both (both gives up and accepts protons) weak acid: very few molecules dissociated (acetic acid, water) strong acid: readily gives up protons (hydrochloric acid) when pH = pKa species is 50% ionized Carbon is the most important element in biology carbon atoms give biomolecules their shape but other atoms attached to carbons determine their reactivity * critical H, N, O containing attachments called functional groups *learn orgo functional groups for this courseMacromolecules * large, organized molecules that are typically created by polymerization * biological macromolecules (biomolecules) provide the structure and carry out the activities of a cell 4 groups: * carbohydrates(polysaccharides) * lipids(fats) * proteins * nucleic acids * monomers of groups are different – chemical reactions used to make the chains are similar Overview of Macromolecules 3 Proteins – more functions than any other group of macromolecule * enzymes – catalysis; accelerate chemical reactions transport – through cell membranes, in circulation * support – cytoskeleton, fibres of cartilage, hair, nails * signalling / regulatory – hormones, membrane proteins, intracellular messengers * movement- of the cell itself – contractile proteins, flagella – within the cell – motor proteins * defense – antibodies, complement proteins Proteins are Polymers * amino acids are connected in linear polymers of a specific sequence * 20 genetically encoded amino acid monomers to pick from * string of amino acids (AAs) = peptide or polypeptide polypeptide folded and coiled into a specific conformation = protein * sometimes 2 or more peptide chains (subunits) combine to form mature, functional protein Amino Acid Structure AAs are ionized under physiological conditions ionization increases solubililty, facilitates interactions with each other and other solutes, increases reactivity (zwitterions) 7 non-ionized ionized R group unique to each AA oxygens tend to pull electrons away, making it easy to lose proton gains a proton Amino Acid Side Chains – R Groups: * nonpolar – hydrophobic R groups no charged or electronegative atoms to form H bonds * insoluble in water * R groups bury themselves with the peptide chain to ‘hide’ from water * polar side chains – soluble in water * uncharged – but partial charges can form H-bonds * charged – gr oups containing acids or bases – highly soluble in water AA are linked together by covalent peptide bonds: carbon from carboxyl group is linked to N terminus of amino group. R groups and central C’s do not participate in the bond. Condensation Reaction – making the chain Hydrolysis – breaking the chain Polypeptide chain: side chains extend from peptide-bonded backbone * chain is flexible – can rotate at single bonds on either side of peptide bonds * so side chains are not all projecting to one side! * chains can be from 2-3 to thousands of AAs in length * backbone is directional, convention is to number AA ‘residues’ starting at N terminus this is the primary sequence Sickle Cell Anemia – disease in which red blood cells are abnormally shaped. Caused by single point mutation which results in substitution of single amino acid in one chain of hemoglobin protein Protein Structure:Primary Structure – unique sequence of amino acids Secondary Structure – Folding into elements of structure, hydrogen bonding between amino acids(R groups not involved). 2 shapes: alpha helix and beta pleated sheet(parallel and antiparallel). * learn more Tertiary Structure- interactions of elements of secondary structure forming a global fold, folded into these unique shapes by ionic bonds (electrostatic),hydrogen bonds, disulphide bridges, hydrophobic interaction, van der waals – dipole-dipole(all non-covalent except for S-S). Order of amino acids determines final shape.Maintain globular shape even if very weak. Quaternary Structure – more than one polypeptide chain put together to form the final functional protein, linked by covalent and non-covalent interactions. Protein Domain – segment of polypeptide that forms a compact, stable and independently folding structure. Often the building blocks for larger, more complex proteins. Disulfide bonds * covalent stabilization of protein structure found i n secreted proteins (destined for a more hostile extracellular environment) * formed in ER (oxidizing environment)Once folded, do proteins ever unfold? changes in physical or chemical conditions (pH, salt concentration, temperature) disruption of H-bonds, ionic bonds, disulfide bridges, etc that maintain the protein’s shape protein ‘denatures’ or unfolds Possible to renature Do proteins ever fold incorrectly? any mutation that leads to a missing or incorrect amino acid can lead to incorrectly folded protein WHY 32 Possible outcomes: mutation – leads to incorrectly folded protein * protein never functions properly loss of function protein folds properly at first but unfolds under certain conditions eventually loss of function * protein misfolds AND is deposited in insoluble aggregates within cell * loss of function and disruption of other aspects of cell activity * many human diseases now known to be associated with misfolded proteins . Alzheimers, cystic f ibrosis, type II diabetes, retinitis pigmentosa, Parkinsons, Creutzfeldt-Jakob, some cancers *read about catalysts and enzymes in Janelle’s notes, page 8-9 Nucleic Acids: Information Polymers * deoxy ribo nucleic acid (DNA) sequence of subunits in DNA polymer directs RNA synthesis * ribo nucleic acid (RNA) * RNA directs ordering of AAs in a peptide chain * information stored as DNA sequences enables living organisms to pass on hereditary information * also allows each cell to pass on hereditary information to the next generation of cells Monomers of Nucleic Acids: Deoxyribo nucleotides – phosphate + deoxyribose + nitrogenous base(A,C, G, or T) Ribo nucleotides – phosphate + ribose + base (A,C,G, or U) Nucleic acids are linear (unbranched) polymers of nucleotides * each nucleotide consists of three parts: * a nitrogenous base a (5-carbon) pentose sugar * a phosphate group Purines = A&GPyramidines= C,T and U * Ribose + base = nucleoside * Ribose + base + phosphate = nucleotide Functions of Nucleotides * monomeric units of RNA and DNA * important signal molecules within cells * cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) * important agents in energy transfer reactions * cleave off phosphate group to release stored energy * act as coenzymes – organic non-protein molecules required for enzyme function * usually adenine-containing nucleotides combined with B vitamins 8 condensation reaction 5’ end – beginning of chain. Chains always built 5’ 3’.Look at above example phosphate group is 5’ 3’ end – where new bases can be added Polymerization rxn’s are endergonic: * making phosphodiester bonds requires energy * energy comes from addition of 2 phosphate groups. * Activated nucleotides = nucleotide triphophates The most famous phosphorylated nucleotide †¦ adenosine triphosphate = ATP 11 adenine 4’ 5’ 5 6 1 2 3 9 4 8 7 1’ 3’ 2’ O P CH2 O O O– P O O O– P O –O O– OH OH O NH2 N N N N ribose adenine + ribose (= adenosine) Secondary Structure of DNA: two strands of DNA align in ‘antiparallel’ arrangement with bases facing inwards. H-bonds form between bases. P P P P P P P P C C G G AA T T P O O O O O O O O O O O C G OH P Note: 3 H-bonds between C and G, 2 between A and T. Only space in the sugar phosphate backbone is for Pyramidine and Purine to bond together. Features of DNA Double Helix * stabilized by H-bonds between complementary bases and hydrophobic interactions between bases * entire molecule water-soluble because charged phosphates backbone face outward * major and minor grooves are significant in regulation of gene transcription Higher Order DNA Structure: DNA molecules can adopt higher order structure – Allows for compact packaging and strict regulation of gene expression RNA vs DNA like DNA: sugar-phosphate backbone covalently linked by phosphodiester bonds * 4 different bases unl ike DNA: * uracil (U) instead of thymine (T) * pairing is A-U, C-G * sugar is ribose instead of deoxyribose * hydroxyl group makes ribose much more reactive * RNA is much less stable than DNA Secondary Structure of RNA: like DNA: * H-bonds form between complementary base pairs unlike DNA: * most of the time, this base-pairing is between bases on the same strand * leads to formation of ‘stem and loop’ structures with single-stranded regions and double-stranded antiparallel regions * H-bonding is spontaneous, stabilizes the molecule final molecule is single-stranded * Complex folds can result in some RNA having catalytic activity Carbohydrates * Group of molecules that contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in a 1:2:1 ratio: (CH2O)n Only monomers are in this ratio, oligomers you lose water * Monomer=monosaccharide * Dimer=disaccharide * Trimer=trisaccharide/oligosaccharide Types: 1. Monosaccharides – simple sugars 2. Oligosaccharides – small chains (oligo=few) * Attached to proteins – glycoproteins * Attached to lipids – glycolipids 3. Polysaccharides – very long sugar chains Typical Structural Features of Sugar Monomers: carbonyl group (either ketone or aldehyde) * lots of -OH groups * vary in length of carbon skeleton (C3, C5, C6, †¦) – triose, pentose, hexose * isomeric forms (glucose, fructose, galactose) * identical chemical groups arranged differently * monosaccharides often form rings in solution Isomers – same atoms, different arrangements structural isomer – identical groups but bonded to different carbons stereo (optical) isomer – identical groups bonded to same carbons but in different orientations sixteen different hexose structures possible, all with formula C6H12O6 C OH C OH OH H C OH H HO C H C O H C OH H H C OH H C OH H C OH H HO C H H C OH H structural isomer stereo- isomer H C C O HO C H H C OH H C OH H HO C H H C OH H fructose glucose galactose *arrangement of hydrox yl groups make a big difference in biological function Disaccharide – 2 sugar monomer: * glucose + fructose = sucrose(table sugar) * glucose + lactose = lactose * glucose + glucose = maltose Formation of disaccharides by condensation reactions. monomers are linked when C1 of one monosaccharide binds to a C on another – often C4 geometry of bond different depending on hether OH group of C1 is in ? or ? position which C of other sugar is involved in linkage 7 C1, ? C4 ?-glucose ?-glucose maltose, ? -1,4 glycosidic bond ?-galactose ?-glucose lactose, ? -1,4 glycosidic bond (glucose has flipped over) C1, ? C4 Polymerization to build Polysaccharides starch both are storage forms for energy starch – plants; glycogen – animals both consist of ? -glucose monomers linked by ? -1,4 bonds both coil into a helix (due to geometry of linkages) starch is mixture of unbranched amylose and branched amylopectin glycogen is highly branched lycogen Structural Polysaccharide in Plants: Cellulose 9 polymer of ? -glucose, joined by ? -1,4 linkages each glucose is flipped relative to adjacent ones allows for H-bonding between adjacent strands extremely stable most abundant organic molecule on earth parallel strands joined by H-bonds Structural Polysaccharide in Animals: Chitin a component of cell walls of fungi, exoskeletons of arthropods (insects, crustaceans), radulas of molluscs, beaks of cephalopods second most abundant organic molecule on earth like cellulose, joined by ? 1,4 linkages but rather than glucose, monomer is N-acetylglucosamine like cellulose, also strengthened by H-bonding btw strands 10 Structural Polysaccharide in Bacteria: Peptidoglycan component of bacterial cell walls the most complex CHO so far! two different alternating monomers linked by ? -1,4 bonds chain of amino acids attached to one of the sugars – peptide bonds instead of H-bonds (stronger) Significance of how monosaccharides are linked: * ? -1-4 linkages of starch and glycogen readily hydrolyzed * ? 1-4 linkages in structural polysaccharides very resistant to enzymatic degradation For example: enzymes that digest cellulose (cellulase) produced only by certain classes of bacteria, fungi and protozoa Difference between glycosidic bonds from peptide and phosphodiester bonds: in common: * condensation reactions different: * peptide and phosphodiester bonds always occur at the same position within their monomers * each sugar monomer has several hydroxyl groups, and geometry of glycosidic bonds is highly variable Functions of Carbohydrates: Structural: * cellulose, chitin and peptidoglycanCell-cell recognition: * membrane proteins covalently bonded to oligosaccharides Energy Storage * ? -1,4 –linkages of starch and glycogen are readily hydrolyzed to release stored energy Lipids * group of carbon-containing compounds that are largely non-polar / hydrophobic * significant proportion of a given lipid molecule is hydrocarbon * the only macromolecul e that is not a polymer major groups of lipids in cells: * fats / oils – energy storage * sterols * cholesterol – membrane component * steroids – hormones * * Phospholipids * major component of biological membranesFats (Triacylglycerols, Triglycerides) * form that fat is stores in apidose tissie * glycerol with 3 fatty acids attached * the link between glycerol and fatty acid = ester bond: condenstation rxn (liberates water) * hydrophobic * fatty acid(carboxylic acid with long hydrocarbon tail) Saturated Fatty Acid – have maximum number of hydrogen atoms on each atom; straight and flexible because of only single bonds Unsaturated Fatty Acid – contain at least 1 double bond. The double bond is rigid and creates a kink in the chain. The rest of the chain however is free to rotate about C-C bonds.Cis – H on the same side of double bond; don’t solidify easily Trans – H on the opposite side of the double bond. Hydrogenation – making a fat saturated/more solid at room temperature to improve shelf life therefore less healthy. Sterols – group of steroids based on cholesterol(important component of cell membrane) Phospholipids : * 1 glycerol, 2 fatty acids, 1 phosphate group(polar head group) * Amphipathic = hydrophilic and hydrophilic regions – their most important feature with respect to biology Micelles – sphere with hydrophobic tails ‘hiding’ in centre . Can only occur with relatively short tails Lipid Bilayer:Universal Structure for all Biological Membranes composition varies with: type of organism (prokaryote vs animal vs plant vs †¦) type of cell within organism (muscle, liver, sperm, egg, †¦) type of membrane within cell (plasma membrane, Golgi, ER) inner versus outer layer different patches or ‘domains’ within a particular membrane Fig 11-4 two closely apposed sheets of lipids, studded with proteins lipids serve as permeability barrier protei ns perform most of the functions carbohydrates (sugars) attached to protein and lipids in a non-random manner *all membrane lipids are amphipathic Lipid bilayers form spontaneously: hydrophobic molecules would exclude water, clustering together to minimize energy cost of organizing water molecules * form large droplets or surface film * amphipathic molecules are subject to conflicting forces * solved by formation of bilayer * energetically most favourable stable, spontaneous * lipid bilayers are †¦ * closed – no free edges * self-sealing * important feature for cell fusion, budding, locomotion Fluid Mosaic Model * The plasma membrane is described to be fluid because of its hydrophobic integral components such as lipids and membrane proteins that move laterally or sideways throughout the membrane.That means the membrane is not solid, but more like a ‘fluid'. * phospholipids are constantly moving spinning in place; travelling laterally within ‘leaflet’ * phospholipids are occasionally ‘flipped’ to the opposite leaflet during membrane synthesis but they rarely ‘flop’ back * even proteins cruise slowly through the membrane! Membrane fluidity – how easily lipid molecules move within a membrane leaflet Alignment of phospholipid tails * tightly packed tails membrane more viscous, less fluid * freely moving tails higher fluidity What aspects of phospholipid composition influence this? length of fatty acids * from 14-24 carbons, 18-20 carbons most common * degree of saturation of fatty acids # double bonds * typically one saturated fatty acid and one with one or more double bonds Cholesterol: * under physiological conditions, cholesterol makes membrane stiffer – less fluid * cholesterol can make up to 50% of plasma membrane lipid in some animal cells Regulation of Membrane Fluidity: – fluid state must be maintained for normal cell function strategies for maintaining membrane fluidity: * chang e composition of membranes * alter phospholipids desaturate fatty acids (to deal with cold) eg cold water vs warm water fish * change length of FA chains (yeast, bacteria) * adjust amounts of cholesterol (animals) these mechanisms have been demonstrated in: * pond fish dealing with dramatic day / night temp differences * cold-resistant plants * extremophile bacteria living in hot springs * winter wheat preparing for autumn ^ polyunsaturated FAs * sperm reduce their cholesterol just before fertilization †¦ Functions of Lipids: * storage of chemical energy * signal molecules * vitamins * wax coating on leaves * biological membranes

How the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn Were Named

How the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn Were Named The Tropic of Cancer was named because at the time of its naming, the sun was positioned in the Cancer constellation during the  June solstice. Likewise, the Tropic of Capricorn was named because the sun was in the constellation Capricorn during the  December solstice. The naming took place about 2000 years ago, and the sun is no longer in those constellations at that time of year.  At the June solstice, the  Sun  is in Taurus, and at the December solstice, the sun is in Sagittarius. Why the Tropics Are Important Geographic features like the equator are reasonably straightforward, but the Tropics can be confusing. The Tropics were marked off because they are both places within the hemisphere where it is possible to have the sun directly overhead. This was an important distinction for ancient travelers who used the heavens to guide their way. In an age  when our smartphones know  where we are at all times, its hard to imagine how hard getting around used to be. For much of human history, the position of the sun and stars was often all explorers and traders had to navigate by.   Where the Tropics Are The Tropic of Capricorn can be found at latitude 23.5 degrees south. The Tropic of Cancer is at 23.5 degrees north. The equator is the circle where the sun can be found directly overhead at noon.   What the Major Circles of Latitude Are Circles of latitude are an abstract east and west circle that connects all places on Earth. Latitude and longitude are used as addresses for every part of the globe. On maps  latitude  lines are horizontal, and longitude lines are vertical. There is an infinite  number of latitude circles on earth. Arcs of latitude are sometimes used to define the boundary between countries that lack distinctive geographic borders like mountain ranges or deserts. There are five major circles of latitude. Arctic CircleTropic of CancerEquatorTropic of CapricornAntarctic Circle Living in the Torrid Zone The circles of latitude also serve to mark the boundaries between the geographical zones. The zone between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic  of Cancer is known as the Torrid Zone.  In the United States, this area is more commonly known as the tropics. This area comprises almost forty  percent of the globe. It is projected that by the year 2030, half of the global population will live in this area. When one considers the climate of the tropics its easy to see why so many people want to live there.   The tropics are known for their lush green vegetation  and moist climate. Average  temperatures range from warm to hot year round. Many places in the tropics experience rainy seasons which range from one to several months of consistent rainfall. Incidents of malaria tend to rise during rainy seasons. Some areas in the tropics such as the Sahara desert or Australian outback are defined as dry rather than tropical.

Literacy Narrative Essays

Literacy Narrative Essays Literacy Narrative Essay Literacy Narrative Essay Literacy Narrative The anticipation of knowing whether we were going to be champions or not was very high as we played our hearts out on the court. Everything wed practiced for was being put to the test in this one moment. It all came down to this last lay-up. Did we get the point? When I was eleven years old I played recreational basketball with a nearby playground called Susan Park. Me and my little brother both were involved in almost every sport they offered. My favorites were volleyball and basketball. Going to practice was the highlight of my day. I really put my heart into these sports. Our basketball team this particular year was undefeated. As a post player and shooting guard there was a lot of pressure on me to get the ball to the goal at any cost and thats ultimately what I did in every game. It was our championship game and the heat was on like never before. Recruiters from the All-Stars team were there to watch us and pick their favorites so the pressure was definitely on for the players who were looking to take it to the next level. The game starts and were all basically in the warm-up stage of the game wed score, theyd score, nothing too intense. All of a sudden we start getting into the climax of the game, only about five minutes left. We were only two points away from beating them and it was up to one person on our team to step up and go for the game winning lay-up, that person was me. There were a few seconds left of the game and we still had to get up the court and to the goal. As the referee blew the whistle my heart sank but I knew what I had to do. The ball was passed to me and with no hesitation I ran down the court as if I was the only person out there and went up for the lay-up like a pro and I made it! This was definitely the best day of my life. The crowd rushed towards me and picked me up just like in the movies, I felt like a star! After the crowd and everything calmed down and came to an end a recruiter from the all-star team came up to me and extended invitation for me to tryout and hopefully being a member of the team. I was ecstatic about the opportunity and I did make it and went on to play for the Kenner All-Stars. This was definitely a memorable moment in my life and taught me to always go for even the things in life that you may doubt or be nervous about. Not all things are impossible.

Jimmy Hoffa, Legendary Teamsters Boss

Jimmy Hoffa, Legendary Teamsters Boss Jimmy Hoffa was the controversial boss of the Teamsters Union when he became nationally famous for sparring with John and Robert Kennedy during televised Senate hearings in the late 1950s. He was always rumored to have substantial organized crime connections, and eventually served a sentence in federal prison. When Hoffa first became famous, he projected an aura of a tough guy who was fighting for the little guy. And he did get better deals for the truck drivers who belonged to the Teamsters. But rumors about his links to the mob always overshadowed whatever legitimate accomplishments he had as a labor leader. One day in 1975, a few years after his release from prison, Hoffa went out to lunch and disappeared. At the time it was widely believed he was planning a return to active involvement in the Teamsters, and it was widely assumed that he was the victim of a gangland execution. The search for Jimmy Hoffa became a national sensation and searches for his body have periodically popped up in the news ever since. The mystery about his whereabouts spawned countless conspiracy theories, bad jokes, and enduring urban legends. Early Life James Riddle Hoffa was born in Brazil, Indiana, on February 14, 1913. His father, who labored in the coal industry, died of a related respiratory disease when Hoffa was a child. His mother and Hoffas three siblings lived in relative poverty, and as a teenager Hoffa left school to take a job as a freight worker for the Kroger grocery store chain. In Hoffas early union days he showed a talent for exploiting an opponents weakness. While still a teenager, Hoffa called a strike just as trucks carrying strawberries arrived at a grocery warehouse. Knowing the strawberries wouldnt keep for long, the store had no choice but to negotiate on Hoffas terms. Rise to Prominence The group Hoffa represented, known locally as the Strawberry Boys, joined a Teamsters local, which later merged with other Teamsters groups. Under Hoffas leadership, the local grew from a few dozen members to more than 5,000. In 1932, Hoffa moved to Detroit, along with some friends who worked with him at Krogers, to take a position with Teamsters locals in Detroit. In the labor unrest during the Great Depression, union organizers were targeted for violence by company goons. Hoffa was attacked and beaten, by his count, 24 times. Hoffa picked up a reputation as someone who wouldnt be intimidated. In the early 1940s  Hoffa began to establish links with organized crime. In one incident, he enlisted Detroit gangsters to  run off a rival union from the Congress of Industrial Organizations. Hoffas connections with mobsters made sense. The mob protected Hoffa, and the implicit threat of violence meant his words carried serious weight. In return, Hoffas power in the union locals let mobsters intimidate local business owners. If they didnt pay tribute, the truckers who made deliveries could go out on strike and bring business to a standstill. Connections with mobsters became even more important as the Teamsters amassed a vast amount of money from dues and payments into pension funds. That cash could finance mob ventures, such as the building of casino hotels in Las Vegas. The Teamsters, with Hoffas help, became a piggy bank for organized crime families. Sparring With the Kennedys Hoffas power within the Teamsters grew in the early 1950s. He became the unions top negotiator in 20 states, where he famously fought for the rights of the truck drivers he represented. The rank and file workers came to love Hoffa, often clamoring to shake his hand at union conventions. In speeches delivered in a gravelly voice, Hoffa projected a tough guy persona. In 1957, a powerful U.S. Senate committee investigating labor racketeering began to hold hearings focused on the Teamsters. Jimmy Hoffa came up against the Kennedy brothers, Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts, and his younger brother Robert F. Kennedy, a counsel to the committee. In dramatic hearings, Hoffa tangled with the senators, parrying their questions with streetwise quips.  And nobody could miss  the particular dislike Robert Kennedy and Jimmy Hoffa had for each other. When Robert Kennedy became attorney general in his brothers administration, one of his priorities was to put Jimmy Hoffa behind bars. A federal case against Hoffa finally did convict him in 1964. After a series of appeals, Hoffa began serving a federal prison sentence in March 1967.   Pardon and Attempted Comeback In December 1971, President Richard Nixon commuted Hoffas sentence and he was released from prison. The Nixon administration included a provision with the commutation that he not become involved with union activity until 1980. By 1975, Hoffa was  rumored to be exerting influence within the Teamsters while officially having no involvement. He told associates, and even a few journalists, that he was going to get even with those in the union and the mob who had betrayed him and helped send him to prison. On July 30, 1975, Hoffa  told family members he was going to meet someone for lunch at a restaurant in suburban Detroit. He never returned from his lunch date, and he was never seen or heard from again. His disappearance quickly became a major news story across America. The FBI and local authorities chased down countless tips, but actual clues were scant. Hoffa had vanished, and was widely assumed to have been the victim of a mob hit. Disappearance As a peculiar coda to such a tumultuous life, Hoffa became eternally famous. Every few years another theory of his murder would emerge. And periodically the FBI would receive a tip from mob informant and send crews to dig up backyards or remote fields. One supposed tip from a mobster grew into a classic urban legend: Hoffas body was rumored to be buried under the end zone of Giants Stadium, which had been built in the New Jersey Meadowlands at roughly the time Hoffa had disappeared. Comedians told jokes playing on Hoffas disappearance for years. According to a New York Giants fan site, sportscaster Marv Albert, while broadcasting a Giants game, said a team was kicking toward the Hoffa end of the stadium. For the record, the stadium was demolished in 2010, and no trace of Jimmy Hoffa was discovered under the end zones.

ceramics1 essays

ceramics1 essays Richard Fairbanks, although many times overlooked, was an important American ceramist. He was known as a "loner" and because of this he was never really appreciated for his talent. Fairbanks was greatly influence by his professors. Professor Paul Bonifas, who taught at the University of Washington, was one who left a huge impact on Fairbanks work. Fairbanks created a system of sketching pottery profiles, which stemmed from Bonifas teachings, as a mean of "thinking on paper." This approach to pottery through sketching was a crucial element that separated Fairbanks from many other Asian-inspired American peers. Although, Fairbanks was a wheel thrown expert, he continued to "think on paper" throughout his creative life. Much of what absorbs Fairbanks interests can be seen in his making of candlesticks, casseroles, and vases. During the later part of his life he created three of his final pieces. One being the Stoneware Heart Plate, 1985, secondly the Stoneware server, 1985, and thirdly the Stoneware Vase, 1985. These were three of Fairbanks last works, which suggest the direction in which he was headed, in terms of what defined his style, before he became deathly ill. The plate, which is an exploration of decoration, is liquid clay or "slip pattern" of concentric circles around a valentine heart. This plate was wheel thrown, and glazed with iron oxide and copper red washes. I find it very interesting because it seems to portray more emotion than most of his other pieces. This can probably be indirectly associated with Fairbanks illness and how he was feeling at the time. The next piece he made during his period of illness was called the "Stoneware Server." The server can be explained by "unadorned simplicity." It also takes on some style of the art deco period. Fairbanks decided that for the server, he would decorate a new style of handles. The thrown thread-spool shape. Many people explained this serv...

Congenial vs. Genial

Congenial vs. Genial â€Å"Congenial† vs. â€Å"Genial† â€Å"Congenial† vs. â€Å"Genial† By Mark Nichol What’s the difference between congenial and genial? They both derive from that Latin term that also developed into genius, but their meanings are mostly distinct. Genial means â€Å"friendly† or â€Å"sympathetic,† or â€Å"mild†; it also describes someone who displays or is marked by genius, but that is a rare usage. Genial can refer to a person (â€Å"She has a genial personality†) or to an inanimate object or phenomenon (â€Å"The weather was genial yesterday†). Although congenial can be synonymous with genial, the connotation is usually one of having a pleasant and/or sociable attitude (â€Å"He is a congenial host†) or being harmonious or of a kindred spirit (â€Å"Their congenial interest in the matter may help them cooperate†). Writers must take care not to introduce an extraneous letter to produce one of two words that, though distantly related to genial and congenial, have nothing to do with the terms or with each other: Genital refers to the sexual organs, and congenital usually refers to diseases or unhealthy psychological features. A congenital physical condition is one that dates or exists from birth or is acquired during gestation and not through heredity; one can also describe someone as having a congenital fear of or obsession about something. People are also sometimes described as being congenital in some aspect of their nature for example, a congenital liar is someone who is habitually deceitful. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:The Royal Order of Adjectives 40 Fish IdiomsPersonification vs. Anthropomorphism

Nylon Stockings and Denier Spam

Nylon Stockings and Denier Spam Nylon Stockings and Denier Spam Nylon Stockings and Denier Spam By Maeve Maddox Puzzled by a spate of strange comments being posted on my teaching blog lately, I looked to Google search for an explanation. The comments range from vacuous puffs written in a strange kind of English, I’ve been exploring for a little bit for any high quality articles or blog posts on this kind of area. Exploring in Yahoo I at last stumbled upon this site. Reading this info So i am happy to convey that I’ve an incredibly good uncanny feeling I discovered just what I needed. I most certainly will make certain to don’t forget this website and give it a glance regularly. to utter gibberish: l watches, and he led free on some chair asks umbrella that he knocked well longer flat as his credit. By on it had tightly see with it appeared smaller jerry of ourselves! His samay or watches. Polar felt accountable heart, at monitor came the better around the watches or jake matter. Weight wouldve that he safely. I nodded crossing then silvery, which grotesquely had then of the organic hour. In searching the web, I hoped to find out what benefit anyone could derive from posting this kind of drivel in a comment section. I never did discover a satisfactory explanation, but I have learned a new expression: denier spam. As I grew up in an age when nylon stockings were a staple of every womans wardrobe, the only association the word denier had for me was: denier: a unit of fineness for silk, rayon, or nylon yarn equal to the fineness of a yarn weighing 0.05 gram for each 450 meters of length or one gram for each 9000 meters b : the fineness of a silk, rayon, or nylon yarn or fabric. Could denier spam be an especially fine variety of spam? I kept looking until the penny finally dropped. The word I was seeing wasnt denier [dÉ™n-yÄ ], as in 20-denier nylon, it was denier [dÄ ­-nÄ «Ã‰â„¢r], as in one who denies. Doh! Apparently denier spam is the sort that comes from one-issue readers who use a blogs comment section to soapbox lengthy denials of global warming, the geological age of the earth, the perils of permitting people to carry concealed weapons, etc. Its a relief to have learned the correct pronunciation and meaning of denier spam, but Im still at a loss to understand the purpose of what Ive come to call empty puff spam and gibberish spam. Whats the benefit to those who place it? Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:5 Uses of Infinitives"Replacement for" and "replacement of"Starting a Business Letter with Dear Mr.

The External Environment of Microsoft Inc. (Computer Operating System Research Paper

The External Environment of Microsoft Inc. (Computer Operating System Industry) - Research Paper Example It has been ranked 37th in the Fortune 500 list in 2012 (â€Å"Fortune 500†). Industrial Structure As mentioned earlier Microsoft Corp. operates in the software industry globally. This industry mainly consists of the IT industry, the Software industry and the Internet Software and Services industry. If we look at the global software industry it mainly comprises of application software, software for home entertainment and systems software. The global IT Services industry is not that relevant to Microsoft because it comprises of the data processing and outsourcing market. The internet software and services industry mainly comprises of the organizations which develop and market internet software and provide internet services related to interactive services and online databases. There has been a growth of around 7% in the global systems software market in the year 2010. It is expected that the market value of this industrial sector would increase by around 31% in 2015 since the ye ar 2010. Operating systems software can be regarded as the largest segment related to the global systems software industry and accounts for a significant portion of the industry's total market value in the world. If we look at the geographical segmentation of the industry it can be found that the Asia-Pacific region accounts for the maximum share of the market value in the world. Microsoft Corporation is considered to be the leading player in this industry and accounts for the maximum share of the market value. Overall the market for systems software is fragmented which results in intensifying rivalry amongst the competitors. Dominant Economic Traits Some of the dominant economic features of the systems software industry are discussed below: a. Market Size and Growth Rate: There has been a continuous growth in the global systems software market in the recent years and it is expected to grow at a same pace in the forthcoming years as well. The total revenue generated by the global sy stems software market was around $198 billion in the year 2010 which represented a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 5.4% in between the years 2006 and 2010. The most lucrative segment of the market in 2010 was the Operations Systems software market which accounted for almost 37.5% of the total revenue generated in the market. b. Scope of Competitive Rivalry: Most of the companies in the software systems industry operate their business activities in different areas of the world. The majority of the market value for this industrial sector is concentrated in the Operating Systems software market. Of all the areas in the world, Asia-Pacific region accounts for most of the revenues generated in the global systems software market. Microsoft Corp. is the leading player in this industrial sector and since the market is fragmented it results in enhancing the rivalry amongst the competitors. c. Number of Rivals: Overall the systems software market is fragmented in nature. However, only a small number of large multinational companies like Microsoft, IBM,

Health care marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Health care marketing - Essay Example In addition to that, consumers’ needs, their preferences, and behaviors toward breast cancer need to be observed and studied in detail in order develop such programs of treatment for breast cancer that would appeal to the consumers the most in terms of cost, convenience, and quality of service. In a vast majority of cases, patients tend to seek medical help only when the cancer has developed to a dangerous extent. Very few patients target the disease in its very initial stages because of lack of awareness of the gravity of the issue. This imparts the need to not only conduct a lot of research to gain information from the consumers related to the aforementioned aspects, but also develop programs directed at creating awareness among them about the pains, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of breast cancer. Target Market The target market of breast cancer is women in a vast majority of cases, though some men particularly with a condition called as gynecomastia in which the brea st enlarges are also vulnerable to breast cancer. Participants in the movements related to breast cancer as well as the target audience of the advertisers of products and services related to breast cancer have typically been white middle-aged women that are well-educated and belong to the middle class (King, 2006, p. 110-111). Although it is a deadly disease, yet at least 2.5 million patients of breast cancer have survived the disease in the US as a result of early detection methods and cutting-edge treatments that have been made available to the patients today (phillymag.com, 2012). For the marketing of products and services about breast cancer, unique marketing strategies have been used. Some marketing has blurred the distinction between events and advertisements e.g. guerrilla marketing and flash mobs. Campaigns of advertisement run on the social media websites like Facebook have motivated the target audiences to make use of double entendres and sexual innuendo in the status upda tes so that the readers can be reminded of breast cancer. In the year 2009, women were asked in the campaign to post their brassieres’ color whereas in the year 2010, women are asked to post the location of their purses in the campaign as a result of which, some women posted such statements as â€Å"I like it on the floor† (Kingston, 2010). Such campaigns have acquired a lot of criticism for trying to sexualize the disease. Market Segmentation Since the middle-aged women are the most vulnerable to breast cancer while the population of men with breast cancer is very small, the target consumers of the services of the Women’s Clinic would primarily be women, though the clinic would also render the services for men who suffer from breast cancer. In fact, there is a lot of need to educate people in general and men in particular about the risk factors that increase their vulnerability to breast cancer because the disease is normally associated with women alone. People do not even know about gynecomastia, while knowing about breast cancer in men is a step next to that. In fact, creating awareness among the masses about the risk factors and the need to take medical help in time is one of the factors that provides Women’s Clinic with a competitive advantage. Understanding the fact