300 Prosecitions by Bloody Mary

Beginning in 1555 after Parliament brought back the act to allow the killing of heretics, Bloody Mary attempted to change England (Queen 2). One of the ways that Queen Mary Tudor earned her title as Bloody Mary was because she mass-murdered about three-hundred or so Protestants. Mary was Catholic and wanted England to remain as Roman Catholic. The first person to be burned at the stake was John Rogers who was the brains behind printing the Matthews-Tyndale Bible. Followed by Rogers was Thomas Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury was executed for the Great Bible (Queen â€Å"Bloody† Mary 2). People who took the side of the â€Å"heretics† were also arrested and eventually killed. Religious leaders publicized their ideas and disagreed with Mary; they tried to persuade people that horrible rulers should not continue to be a tyrant but instead resist against them (Queen 2). Other people also burned included Nicholas Ridley; Bishop of London, Hugh Latimer; Bishop of Worcester, John Philpot; Archdeacon of Westminster, and John Hooper; Bishop of Gloucester. The executed victims came from all sorts of backgrounds except the nobility, in the sense that poor ordinary regular people were killed. The educated people and preachers were not burned everyday (Queen 2). Once a person had been convicted of heresy, they did not have an opportunity to confess. This outraged people and brought an ill feeling towards the burnings. People were against it because normally someone would have a chance, even right before being burned to confess and apologize, or recant (Queen 3). Overall, Bloody Mary earned the title from her angry English country after the murder of 300 Protestants and Protestant leaders along with eight hundred fled to Germany and Switzerland. It all ended along with her lonely death in 1558. (Biography 4) Works Cited â€Å"Queen â€Å"Bloody† Mary. † GREATSITE. COM: antique Bibles, rare Bibles, ancient Bible leaves. 23 Feb. 2009. Greatsite Marketing. 23 Feb. 2009 . â€Å"Queen Mary. † 23 Feb. 2009 . â€Å"Biography of Mary Tudor, Bloody Mary. † Essortment Articles: Free Online Articles on Health, Science, Education & More. 2002. 23 Feb. 2009 .

A Weeping Child, Hidden by an Evil Front Essay

Many people say, those who can become good are not truly evil and that those who can become evil are not truly good. A person who is truly evil must have no remorse for the bad they have done. A truly evil person can never become good. Lady Macbeth and her husband Macbeth commit the ultimate evil. Together, they kill their King and afterwards murder and deceive many others. In the play Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, Lady Macbeth is depicted to be an evil and cruel woman in the beginning, but in the end it becomes clear that Lady Macbeth is not completely evil because she knew that what she was doing was wrong, was merely trying to please her husband, and shows complete remorse for her actions. In the early scenes of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is portrayed to be a cruel and evil woman, but despite her actions she still realizes her wrongdoing. As she plots and demeans her husband she seems to be the backbone of the plan to kill the King. According to Bernad, a published literary critic, â€Å"She is the ambitious, unscrupulous, cruel woman who would pluck the infant smiling at her breast and dash its brains out. But beneath this iron front is a heart of flesh†¦ † (52). Lady Macbeth is putting on a front of evil to try and make her self think that what she is about to do is okay. She may seem to be evil, but she is in fact completely aware of how wrong her actions are. She even mocks the manhood of Macbeth saying, â€Å" Art thou afeard/ To be the same in thine own act and valor/ As thou art desire? Wouldst thou have that/ Which thou esteem’st the ornament of life/ And live a coward in thine own esteem,† and even suggests he is more of a woman than she is, however, she cannot kill Duncan herself (I. vii. 43-47). She begs the spirits to unsex her,† Come you spirits/ That ten on mortal thoughts, unsex me here,† knowing that she cannot do the terrible things that she must as the woman she is (I. v. 47-48). Even though she claims she could dash her infant’s brains out, she cannot find it in her to kill Duncan herself due to his so called resemblance to her father. All of the evil she seems to be in the early scenes is self-proclaimed. Lady Macbeth puts on this front of evil, but beneath it all she knows that what she is doing is ultimately wrong. Lady Macbeth not only knows her wrongdoing, but is also unselfish, doing all of this with her husband in mind. Her evil persona is simply bravery. Bernad writes, â€Å"To bolster up her husband’s courage, she puts up a brave front; but when alone, she shows how empty handed she is† (52). Although Lady Macbeth does have something to gain from Duncan’s death, she is trying to get her husband courage up to do something that he ultimately wants more than anything. This is a quality of unselfishness, which is far from evil. In front of him, she simply washes her hands of the blood as if it is nothing, but behind closed doors the blood would remain. Lady Macbeth knows as soon as she receives Macbeths letter that he wants to become the King. She says, â€Å"It is too full o’ th’ milk of human kindness/ To catch the nearest way: thou wouldst be great,/ Art not without ambition, but without/ The illness should attend it† (I. v. 17-20) Lady Macbeth knows that Macbeth wants to be the king. She also knows that without being pushed, he will not do this for himself. In order to be the unselfish and ultimately good wife she is, she must put on this brave and evil front to get her husband what he wants. She thinks of her husband and not of herself when she pushes him to do this evil act. Lady Macbeth is not an evil woman; she is simply an unselfish woman who must be brave for her husband. Remorse is another characteristic Lady Macbeth had that is not evil. A completely evil person has no guilt for the bad they do. As the play continues and begins to come to an end, a new side of Lady Macbeth is shown. A side is shown of a more feminine, and helpless woman. Bernad writes, â€Å" She has become like a scared little girl, suddenly conscious of all the wrong she has done†, and â€Å"she has become almost a pathetic figure† (52-53). By the end of the play Lady Macbeth has become crazy, consumed by her guilt. Her previous front of evil is completely erased and her true vulnerable side is shown in her sleep. As she confesses her guilt and wrongdoing, she becomes an object of sympathy. Lady Macbeth says, â€Å"The thane of Fife had a wife. Where is she now?/ What, will these hands ne’er be clean? No/ more o’ that, my lord, no more o’ that. You mar all/ with this starting† (V. i. 44-47). As she says this she knows she will never be able to get rid of the guilt. She asks if her hands will ever be clean, referring to the guilt she will always carry with her. She then goes to bed, and falls into a sleep she will never wake up from. As Lady Macbeth becomes overwhelmed with guilt, as Bernad says, â€Å" She is the heart-broken girl sitting on the doorstep, weeping over her broken doll. No man is so callous as not to have compassion on her weeping† (52). As Lady Macbeth begins to crumble, there is no evil to her. She is simply a broken woman. Lady Macbeth’s unselfishness, remorse, and complete knowledge of her actions show that she is not completely evil. Although she seems to be evil throughout the early scenes, she realizes that what she is doing is ultimately wrong. This is a trait of a good person and not an evil one. Another one of these traits is her unselfishness. All of her bad actions throughout the play were made simply with the goal to get her husband what he wanted. Lady Macbeth ultimately feels guilt and remorse for all of the wrong that comes out of what she has done. Lady Macbeth is not completely evil because she has traits that a completely evil person cannot have. No person with the ability to do good, and care for others is a completely evil person.

Description of the GIS techniques Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Description of the GIS techniques - Essay Example Other whale types which do exist but are area to site include the sperm whale, killer whale and the fin whale. Sperm whales are famous for their massive heads and rounded foreheads. It is believed that they are rare because of intense hunting. However, data on the exact population of whales at the Scottish coast is hard to come by given that little research has been carried out to estimate their numbers (Clark, 1997). Some of the reasons for this state of affairs are the little research which has been carried specifically on this marine mammal. This may be explained by the fact that the United States has been keen to end the practice of whaling which kills whales for the sake of it. Therefore, a lot of research on whales has tended to be in waters around where the practice is prevalent such as Japan (Au, 2003; Griffin, 1998; Elnser, 1999). Industrialization and development around the Scottish coast is believed to have significantly led to the pollution of waters around the coast, compromising the quality of ecosystems these whales enjoy. This is because uncontrolled dumping of waste into the sea has negative effects on the environment, affecting the food chain in the process. Human activity along the coast has been increasing over the decades, increasing the frequencies with which accidents involving whales and other marine animals attack people. Sperm whales are known to dive to deeper levels in search of food. Even though their environment might have been affected, it is expected that still some would be around, assuming that their deeper diving can compensate for the declining food supply due to pollution. This is because pollution starves the plants and other marine animals such as fishes and seals fed on by the sperm whales of the oxygen and other nutrients needed for their nourishment (Elsner, 1999). Essentially this means that the whales are likely to have faced a drop in their food supplies. On the other part, such levels of pollution also have the

Accounting information system Implementation Plan Essay

Accounting information system Implementation Plan - Essay Example The new system would serve the purpose of information systems auditing. Information system auditing is carried out to identify the reliability of data processed into the financial system. Reliability of such a system is necessary because the information systems are responsible for generating the financial statements. The following issues play a key role in the implementation plan and thus, affect the overall system. The focus of the implementation strategy is on those procedures that affect the overall working of the system. The implementation of the new system would bring major changes in the organization. Therefore, we need change management policy and procedures to handle that. The main idea behind forming and implementing a change management policy is to provide a guideline for the management of change in an effective manner so that the human resource, i.e. the employees and the customers are not taken by surprise. Moreover, when we make changes, we need to plan ahead, monitor and take continuous feedback to reduce retention for the new system in the organization and to increase value addition by the system. Before we move onto the procedure of managing change, we must define what is change management? Change Management is the process of managing changes that happen with the implementation of some new system or with changing scenario (Change Management – Best Practice, 2009). We need to realize the issues that would arise as the Quickbooks Enterprise 9 is deployed in the organization: Retention – Changes are not usually welcomes, therefore, it is perfectly normal that Hydraulics Manufacturing Co. would have to face retention from its staff. This retention is mainly due to the apprehension that the experienced staff members might lose their job due to the new system. System Failure – Another risk associated with the deployment of the system is that it might not serve the purpose it is intended to serve. It might fail and not function properly

Best buy Case Study Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Best buy Case Study - Assignment Example ased on Best Buy’s case study, customer-centricity works better because the segmentation of high-earning customers, empowers the employees to target those who will bring in more profits to the store (Boyle, 2006). In the Best Buy case study, Brad Anderson wanted an immediate change from the traditional strategy to a customer-centric strategy. However, as evidenced in Boyle’s magazine article, the shift from a traditional strategy to a customer-centric strategy also many problems. The profits and growth of a company’s branches are not made easily as most managers imagine (Capon, 2008). According to the CEO at Best Buy, Brad Anderson, the transformation is not always smooth as most people would expect (Boyle, 2006). In addition, the traditional strategy of offering customer services was different because it only focused on only the clients who are average or only those spending a lot of high quality services. Most companies are proud to say that they are customer-centric, which is an added advantage because marketers use customer results to understand the customers’ base. This not only saves on time, but resource and scarce resources. A customer-centric organization also makes it easier for the clients to communicate any time with it. Contrary to the traditional strategy of providing services, a customer-centric company has no room for opaque responses which also lack empathy. According to Boyle (2006), using the segmentation tactic at Bet Buy Company helps it to work at a successful pace, particularly when it opened its first stores in China. Since segmentation allows a company to identify its most profitable and least profitable clients in the market, Best Buy’s marketing team identified that China had profitable customers. It is the reason that allowed Best Buy to become successful in China. It is because of the segmentation tactic that Best Stores continues to design its stores according to customer wants, since identified that customers like an

Effective Team and Performance Management Essay - 1

Effective Team and Performance Management - Essay Example But that was just a start of the many lessons that I learnt concerning working in a group. The process of team formation was a unique experience as I had to work with people I did not know neither had interacted with before. Thinking back on the way that the team initially got together, I can clearly understand why Tuckman (1965:87-89) developed his four step model. The very first thing we had to do was select a leader, and since all of us were quite uncomfortable and held back a little, Hana who was the first to break the silence and quite seemed to be directing the group, was chosen as the leader of our group. We were four members in the teams diverse both in gender, race and culture. I realized that this could possibly present a problem as noted by Cox (1991:57) concerning diverse teams, but this was proved wrong as different members though uneasy at first, brought in different thoughts and perspectives into the group discussions and the search for a solution as shown by Kravitz ( 2011). I got to understand that a team would not be able to get focused direction without a leader who fosters the team towards bonding, familiarity and working together rather than individually (Chieh-Wen, Yi-Fang, & Ming-Chia, 2010:1299). Notably at first we had to develop rules on how the team would work out, the various expectation of the team and how we need to behave to accomplish various tasks and accountability. Though initially I felt I did not own the group or understand exactly what we need to and how we need to do it, after laying out the rules and interacting for while and after realizing that my team members were as anxious as I was, I became more comfortable and gained trust in the group. This is certainly a reflection of one of Hackman’s (2002:54) that a team needs to have a strong direction and focus in its direction and needs to develop a structure upon which tasks are assigned. This is clearly noted in the manner with which various tasks are roles were assi gned in the team. One of the most unique lessons that I gained were from the survival activity. Not only was I able to see my team develop its own unique character, but me and my teams became as one dependant on each other and highly seeking to accomplish the same thing. Different team members tended to have different characters. While two were action oriented, one was more of realist while I was a planner engrossed on details (Chieh-Wen, Yi-Fang, & Ming-Chia, 2010:1302). At first I thought it incredulous but fun that we had to take animal names for our group and had to develop a survival strategy for our species to survive in a constraint environment. As we continued with our survival strategy I thought, aha, this is not about just some other random assignment, but was rather a deeper look into team building, what makes teams act in togetherness, have the same goal, same zeal and work together proactively to attain what is good for all in the group (Cook, 2009:124; De Jong, & Elfri ng, 2010:540). This is highly reminiscent of the social exchange theory which looks at how different people in a team exchange resources in manner that created utility for our group and enabled us to be able be able to brainstorm and come up with effective survival tactics for the lion in the jungle (Flynn, 2005:743). It also made me think of Freud’s group behavior model where he notes that people often have a herd instinct which potentially

Smoking Ban Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Smoking Ban - Essay Example The public was, however, largely ignorant to this fact the medics became viewed with skepticism. It took a number of long years for people to pay attention to the medics. Medical science has, nevertheless, proved beyond a reasonable doubt that smoking kills (Susman, 2012). A lot of smokers claim that it is by choice that they smoke this might be the case, but what if the person smoking is a female who is pregnant, or what if the smoker sits in a room full of young children and inflicts that choice of hers to the children. Smoking has since the early 1990’s, become antisocial and the voice of the non smokers can largely be heard (European Society of Cardiology, 2012). Smoking ban infringes on human rights to enjoy their freedom. A lot of people believe that putting smoking bans in a number of public areas is a harsh measure and that it will affect them profoundly. There is also the other group that accepts putting bans in all public places is the way to go. The question I ask is, why do people smoke. From my research, I uncovered a couple of that lead people to smoke; First of all young people smoke because it makes them feel mature, look like their friends or even experiment (Susman, 2012). Adults, on the other hand, smoke to reduce stress or pressure (Hinds & First, 2000). Carrying a couple of smokes to work is a reward to all smokers, most of them would not think of carrying them to work if they did not have a reason too. Smoking enables one to kick back, relax and enjoy him or herself for a few minutes. I must acknowledge that sitting with a group of people with a smoke is a terrific way to relax. The other group of people says that smoking is a social thing. For example, if a person is outside having a smoke and spots another person also having a smoke, it is always an easy and  pleasant way of starting a conversation. Especially in social places like bars or clubs, these are the places, to meet people and socialize over a smoke and a drink. Smoking is

Investigating Dynamic Malware Analysis tool Research Paper

Investigating Dynamic Malware Analysis tool - Research Paper Example It has been identified that the sandbox tools are effective in terms of updating the malware signature databases and understanding the behavioral patterns of such codes. Malware is identified as a form of malicious software that can cause tremendous level of damage to a standalone platform or to an entire organizational setup if ignored. One of the major issues being faced by the online security companies is regarding identification of the continuous evolutionary pattern of the malware programs. The functionality of the malware programs gradually depends on their types, which further does have multiple counts. Popular examples of malware programs includes ‘Ransomware Trojans’, ‘Keyloggers’, ‘Rootkit virus’ and multiple more. Within the drastic evolution in the areas of software fields and data execution patterns, multiple unauthorized individuals have started using these kinds of malicious contents for attaining illegal access to those systems from where they can gather crucial data for sufficing their needs (Malware Help. Org, 2014). Taking into consideration of the loss caused by such malicious programs, multiple static and dynamic malware detection tools have also been developed that often prove effective in mitigating the risk associated with malware attacks on crucial data storage and execution systems. Static and dynamic malware detection analysis are few such tools that are provided by the software vendors, which are capable of identifying existing malware codes within a system and blocking or terminating them at the same instance (Egele et al.,2010). The entire concept of dynamic malware analysis mainly depends on the signature identification technique. When a new malware detection tool comes under the supervision of an analyst, he / she continuously updates the database of that tool with all the possible malware signatures, which the system is previously subjected. With the help of an

1984. vs. Animal Farm Essay Example for Free

1984. vs. Animal Farm Essay 1984 vs. Animal Farm George Orwell, the man behind two best-selling novels; 1984 and Animal Farm, follows the idea that the establishment of an elite power in a society produces hopelessness and fear. George Orwell is an author commonly known for his politically influenced works regarding socialism. In Animal Farm, Orwell portrayed an uprise of the farm animals overthrowing their master, Mr. Jones. Two pigs led the animals in this rebellion; their names were Snowball and Napoleon. The two pigs engaged in a political struggle, as both of them wanted to have the power to lead all of the animals. In 1984, Orwell describes a society that is completely under totalitarian control, as the dictatorship of big brother and his party in Oceania rule over the population with rigid laws and a distinct hierarchy of social position. Winston Smith, a blue-collar outer party member, is secretly discontent with his life. As Smith becomes more and more rebellious, his party intervenes and forces him to rehabilitate and conform to their ideals. In George Orwells 1984 and Animal Farm, the idea of individuality and free thought is eliminated in order to preserve a spot for a higher and more authorative power. Individuality is taken from the characters in both of the novels, Animal Farm and 1984. In 1984, the outer party is blind to the reality that their lives are being completely controlled. An example of this ignorance is when the outer party is told that their chocolate rations had been increased, when in actuality the rations had been reduced the week prior. The party’s successful assault on the individuality of its members led to happiness amongst the leaders and a gain in power. In Animal Farm, Orwell displayed the idea that a simple mental state of mind can easily be manipulated. The pigs controlled the animals and made them believe that everything they said was correct. The pigs proved this theory when they repeatedly changed the  seven commandments. When they were questioned, they reported to the animals that the â€Å"laws† had always been in their changed condition. Napoleon uses the terror brought on by the dogs to rule the farm and none of the animals realize it. Both the party and the pigs demonstrated that it is possible to abolish individuality and force people to live the life that is placed before them. George Orwell successfully portrayed the lives of people who were under complete tolitarian control in the books Animal Farm and 1984. The pigs and the party were able to gain control over their commoners by using manipulation and fear. Orwell shows the reader that it is easy to be taken advantage of in these two novels.

Feminism in Film

Feminism in Film Feminism In Film Feminism called for positive female characters but seems to have contributed to its own decline as a political movement by refusing to recognise the body as a site of transformation and experimentation, capable of being imagined outside the notions of lack,passive, and other. A person can be masculine and feminine, active and passive, and increasingly the body is transformed through exercise, fashion, make-up, and hairstyles. Individuality is the defining feature of a contemporary consumer culture. The idea that a person can be anything he or she wants to be makes political movements like feminism increasingly unnecessary. Current society sees people as consumers and films are made for people as consumers. In capitalist societies grand political ideologies have been replaced by individual consumerism. One could ask whether feminism is relevant any more as women occupy the same roles as men in society and in films. Female characters are present in every genre, from road movies to westerns, from action to science fiction. Cinema is seen as pure entertainment in a world where individuals search for pleasure and satisfaction. The female action heroines represent similarity and difference, a middle space between binaries of masculine and feminine. They have contributed to the new spaces opened up for women in films and in societies. One could see these figures as a celebration of difference and individualism. You can be and become anything you want. It is no longer necessary to organise the world through rigid binaries. By denying women the possibility to enjoy images of active, aggressive, and even violent women without reducing them to pseudo males, feminism has lost sight of the agenda it set out to achieve. Furthermore, historically feminism like other critical movements has rarely addressed subjects that are not white and fundamentally heterosexual. Feminist film theory has inherited many of the cultural attributes and biases of its male predecessors. The centrality of sexual difference, especially in psychoanalytic feminism, and its difficulty in dealing with other differences- of class, race or sexual preference- have seemed to fix feminist theory within the very dualism it seeks to explain (Thornham, 1997). Feminism has more or less exhausted itself through its obsession with binary logic. Films are increasingly enjoyed as pure entertainment and the battle of the sexes has been replaced by celebration of difference and consumer culture. However, this does not mean that the problems addressed by feminists have been solved or that they have disappeared.

Health Essays Chronic Disease Management

Health Essays Chronic Disease Management Chronic Disease Management Chronic diseases have an effect on all countries, and the augment in their prevalence is to a great extend attributed to varying demographics, improved life expectancy, changing lifestyles, better disease management and management and a better understanding of the factors that cause poor health and disease. Laboratory, clinical and population-based research has revealed that a few risk factors are responsible for the prevalence of most chronic diseases: unhealthy diet and high energy ingestion, lack of physical activity and use of tobacco. Alcohol intake, environmental pollutants, age and hereditary factors also play a role. These risk factors are the same in men and women and across all regions in the world. The associated healthcare, financial and social burden of chronic diseases, which include diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, asthma, chronic obstructive airway disease, hypertension, chronic depression, osteoporosis, end stage renal failure and stroke, are progressively on the increase. In the US alone to be specific, some 125 million people now suffer from at least one chronic disease. Chronic diseases are a tremendous burden to individuals and to countries and the available traditional healthcare methods are not able to meet the requirements for preventing and reducing this burden. It is because of this problem that chronic disease management has emerged as a new approach towards caring for patients with chronic diseases. Chronic disease management in clinical circles can be defined as an elaborate, systematic, multicomponent strategy to delivering healthcare while involving all members in the population or community who suffer from similar infections. Cardiovascular disease is chronic and is the first cause of death among the elderly in all countries. This observable fact was evident even 60 years ago, as Roberts noted that diseases of the circulatory system and pneumonia were the first causes of death among the aged in Jamaica in 1950. These diseases are to some extent the sequelae of advancing age. As life expectancies are increasing the prevalence of all noncommunicable disease is also increasing. Thus, one could adopt the approach that these are an foreseeable consequence of ageing and the focus therefore has to be on simply treating them when they do occur and applying the acknowledged interventions for secondary prevention once the first disease episode has occurred. It is possible to reduce the mortality from chronic diseases in general. Some of the developed countries such as Canada, Australia and the United States have succeeded in reducing mortality by applying preventive measures. Meeting the multifaceted needs of patients with chronic diseases is the single supreme challenge facing our healthcare system in most countries today. With the increasing numbers of patients suffering from chronic diseases, it is of the essence that clinicians, healthcare administrators and health policy makers plan and ensure that the healthcare delivery system is tailored to provide care for these patients across the band of their healthcare needs. Chronic disease management has been known to be the best and most comprehensive approach for providing holistic and comprehensive care for patients with chronic illnesses. The Kaiser Permanente care triangle has frequently been used to conceptualize Chronic disease care at three main levels Supporting self-care for patients suffering from chronic disease who are at low risk of complications and hospitalization. Disease management for people who are in need of regular routine follow-up and are at high risk of chronic disease. Case management for people who have complex needs and those who are high-intensity users of unplanned less important care. Managing chronic diseases at the system level has been the focus of many latest publications.1-4 In the US, the recent Institute of Medicine Report – Crossing the Quality Chasm – focused on the need to reorganize care delivery to meet the healthcare demands of populations of patients who suffer from chronic illnesses. In October 2001, the British Medical Journal and the Western Journal of Medicine both published special issues focusing on the problem of chronic diseases and tinted how various nations are dealing with this ever rising epidemic. It is therefore timely that all nations focuses on coming up with a better program to address the needs of patients with chronic disease, on the advances in clinical and non-pharmacological management, and the challenges faced in ensuring that patients receive optimal care meeting the needs at the various stages of their disease. Programme for chronic disease management A successful chronic disease management program should be designed while considering fundamental factors that are critical to its sustainability. First of all the program should be aimed at a certain specific condition within the population suffering. Then the nest important factor concerns the availability of evidence on which its functions should be based. A good program has to keep in its consideration the existence of obstacles which may be a hindrance to its successful implementation. Adequate measures should be put in check to ensure that there is a balance between quality and the economic of the objectives of the care to be given United States In the United States chronic disease management programs, also known as chronic care management, have become extensive. They are being favored by employer groups, health-care organizations and health payers, these programs are being increasingly raising concern because very little scientific evidence is available to justify their effectiveness and economic impact. Disease management was introduced and launched in 1990 by drug companies for the purpose of helping patients to comply with various medications and also to increase their sales. This programs have developed in the private sector to become such a competitive industry that these companies contract health plans to offer comprehensive care to various groups. They are then paid a fee by the health plans to guarantee a saving. Disease management programs are wide in the private sector; they offer care and support as part of benefits and support from physicians. Some programs have been organized in such a way that the physician can receive alerts whenever the patient needs medical attention or even when the services for preventing chronic diseases are long overdue. Some use professional clinical information systems which can integrate participant’s data for instance data which concerns claims data or self reports. This can be even acquired from multiples sources. However there is only a small number of beneficiaries who suffer from chronic illness and therefore account for the unproportionate share of medical expenditure. This results in such patients receiving fragmented care from a number of site providers and to add on the insult they receive repeated and costly hospitalization. The manifestation project was endorsed by the Medicare, Medicaid,and SCHIP Benefits Improvement and Protection Act of 2000 (BIPA). In adding together to the BIPA projects, there arenumerous of other coordinated care demonstrations approvedby Congress in the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, a capitatedDM demonstration recently initiated by the Bush administration,and an end-stage renal disease management demonstration. People are demandingto figure out ways to do disease management in the public sector that act in responseto patient-privacy concerns and that admiration the traditionalrole of the physician. Disease management programs have no effect on the state budget as they pay for administrative services while they are guaranteed by the government a savings offset in form of claims reduction. It is important to point out that even though the opportunities for cost savings and step up inhealth outcomes is great, the challenges of introducing disease management onwide scale in the Medicare program are momentous The patients increasing population is likely to bring up challenges which are not found in the private sector. France In France studies have shown a tremendous improvement in the state of health and quality of life for chronic illness patients. There has also been significant reduction in costs due to the implementation of coordinated networks for the treatment of asthma. The reduction in costs cannot be attributed to spontaneous national changes in management but rather it can be explained by the effect of the intervention program. This initiative can be said to be the first attempt towards implementation ofa disease management program in France. Italy In Italy the health system is aiming at utilizing Information technology tools to manage chronic diseases. In this country the population f over 65 years has be noted to be on the rise. What is worrying is that the number of chronic diseases also increases with this range of age. Approximately 90% of the aged people are suffering form chronic diseases and something has to be done in effect to prevent further repercussions. In the past Italian doctors have raised concern over the time that is used in treating patients with chronic diseases and therefore cam up with a resolution to use community care which such a program there is a shift from hospital based care to community based care. Such a program aims at reducing on the number of patients admitted with chronic diseases, removes patients out of hospital quicker and improving on the network for helping people with chronic diseases. This is to be done while the records are kept centrally and monitored while the services are moved to the community. In Italy there is also another program being put in place and it is called sole project as it is aiming at networking all hospitals with communities to give the citizens services. The program is also aiming at controlling flow of information so as to help the elderly patients. The idea must have been copied from the UKs pathways to telecare. Germany In German two laws were passed in the year 2001 to address the main problems in the healthcare system. Despite advance which have been made in diagnosis and treatment of diabetes, patients still experience secondary complications, The purpose of disease management program in Germany is to avoid repetition of diagnostic testing, by specialists or in hospitals thus assisting in containing the cost. In Germany chronic diseases management programs have a legal basis under which they operate. For instance in the year 2002 there was a reform law which laid down a complicated procedure for the establishment and implementation of disease management programs. These procedures included the characteristic features of a disease which qualifies to be included in the management programs. Implementation of disease management programs in Germany has been influenced by politics which is not like in the other countries. Germany has a longer experience with disease management programmes than the United States. The healthcare system in Germany has characteristics which have seen the introduction of disease management programs. This includes the free choice of the non-profit sickness funds who have to strike a balance between spending and income. There are also issues regarding to efficiency and quality on the side of those who are chronically sick The ministry of health in Germany anticipated that disease management programs will help to reorganize the fragment care for people suffering from chronic illnesses. The main challenge towards implementation of the programs regards to the defining of the minimum standards proves to be contentious and time consuming as people continue to suffer. Another challenge has been on implementing the program for Diabetes whose care requirements has been attacked by more than ten scientific societies. These scientists argue that the government and the sickness funds favored a minimal program which was created basing on studies with the highest level of evidence. Some claim that the programs were created under extreme time pressure. (R. Busse 2001) By way of the German-style DM programs the government anticipated a radicalGordian explanation to a knot of disheveled problems. While theauthentic experience with DM programs is by a long way larger and longerin the United States than in Germany, the German strategy couldbe of interest in the United States, where we have cream skimming andadverse selection having in fact blocked managed care infiltrationinto the Medicare population. One observable difference is theownership of the DM programs; in the United States they are to some extent connected with pharmaceutical companies or special DMP vendors. Whendisease management came up in Germany, analogous companies appearedon the market, with the hope for commercial triumph. Some sicknessfunds contracted them to assist them in preparing DM programs, but suchcompanies have more or less disappeared from the market The UK According to statistics in the U K lack of proper care to manage chronic diseases on a day today basis can lead to unnecessary complications and premature death. Children also suffer from chronic diseases for instance children below five years account for 15% of the cases(General household survey 2002) Self care has sometimes been ignored in the UK but it is a well proven approach to improving the situation of chronic diseases. According to data from the Department of Health’s Economic and Operational Research the effects of self care include; Reduced to visits to GP Sby over 40% for the high risk cases. Reduction in admissions to hospitals by about 50% in a Parkinson’s diseases The length of stay in hospitals for mental health problems reduce. Off work days can reduce by even more than 50% for patients suffering from arthritis Self care or management is not just an issue of providing information to the patients but it involves a range of other things to make it workable. Patients need care education regarding to self management of their sickness by helping stand what they ought to do and how to make adjustments towards their medical dosage and how and when they need healthcare. They also need quick reminders of when they should be attending to certain measures concerning their health. They need support from knowledgeable patients or even an expert in their disease and broader networks which can include attending to group practices involving the same kind of health condition. Their s uncertainty as regarding to self care however it is likely to improve in relevance because of the following: The increase of information that is availed to the patients. The ability of information technology to support self care. The possibility of having reliable and accurate home monitoring systems. The greater anticipation by many patients to be the locus of control. In the UK the main providers of care for chronic diseases are the primary care teams. They include community nurses, pharmacists, dieticians, opticians, podiatrists, and physiotherapists. Barriers for implementing disease management programs One major factor which hinders the implementation of these programs is the lack of proven after investment. This has tended to limit the health plan and interest of the disease management organization. Future of Disease management programs There is no acceptable best way to chronic disease management. Evidence that has been observed throughout the world brings out clearly that, to be successful, policy-makers should put into consideration: Providing well-built leadership and vision at the national, regional or organizational level which should oversee all that is required for the programs to succeed. They should ensure full-bodied collection of information and data-sharing among all the stakeholders in the health sector. Care should be provided based on people’s needs and an ability to identify people with different levels of need; They should also put in place measures that target key risk factors, including widespread disease prevention initiatives. Growing towards supporting self-management and empowerment of people with chronic diseases Policy brief should involving a wide range of stakeholders such as individuals, the voluntary and community sector, clinicians, private industry and public services. Future Disease management programs should be tailored to reduce the costs associated with care for people suffering from chronic illnesses. The growing costs of operations such as dialysis are still a major concern in most countries. But with the Disease management programs in place these costs are expected to decline and lead to improved care even through public health for chronic disease cases. However reducing the costs with DM programs has been successful in some areas but the drug treatment especially in diabetic cases seems to be an area where the growing costs are inevitable.

The Pecan Tree Report Essay -- Farming

The Pecan tree is a native tree to North America. When early European settlers traveled across the sea to settle in the New World, they found pecan trees located in numerous places in this new land. Since then, the pecan tree has become one of the most important orchard species in terms of acreage. Indians began using pecans almost 8000 years ago in what is now Texas. The first budded pecan trees were produced in Louisiana in the mid-1800s and orchards have been established throughout the Southern states. The first recorded shipment of pecans to England was documented in 1761, by Spanish and European explorers (Anderson and Crocker, 2004). In 1917, a commercial shipment of pecans came out of Georgia and since then, Georgia has been the leading producer of pecans. Although Georgia is the leading producer, in some years collections of pecans from wild trees in Oklahoma and Texas surpass the production in Georgia. The life cycle of a pecan tree has four main components: germination, rooting, sprouting and lifespan and reproduction. The many different elements of the pecan tree life cycle contribute to the growth and development of the pecan trees we see today. The life cycle of a pecan tree has many different elements. The cycle begins with the spreading and germination of seeds. Mature pecan trees produce and drop thousands of seeds to the ground during the fall season. Dispersal of these seeds may be through the water, wind or animals but wind will end up pollinating the seeds. Pecan tree seeds lay dormant throughout the winter and will begin the growth process in the spring. The seeds require an adequate amount of warmth and rain throughout the winter and early spring months. Once the germination process has finished, the seed... ...l, Ted E., and Bruce W. Wood. "Movement of adult pecan weevils Curculio caryae within pecan orchards." Agricultural & Forest Entomology 10, no. 4 (November 2008): 363-373. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed April 18, 2012). Anderson, P.C., and T.E. Crocker. "The Pecan Tree." Solutions for Your Life: University of Florida IFAS Extension (2004). Web. 18 Apr. 2012. Christman, Steve. "Floridata: Carya Illinoinensis." FLORIDATA. Floridata.com LC, 30 Aug. 2000. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. http://www.floridata.com/ref/c/cary_ill.cfm. Wells, Lenny. "Nutritional, Environmental, and Cultural Disorders of Pecan." The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension (2010): 1-12. Web. 19 Apr. 2012. Ree, Bill. "Pecan Insect Pests." Pecan Kernel. Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University. Web. 19 Apr. 2012. http://pecankernel.tamu.edu/pecan_insects/pests/index.html.

The Clifford Ball :: essays research papers

The Clifford Ball The Ball, the ball, the ball. The Clifford Ball 1996, the greatest musical performance I've ever witnessed, a time I'll never forget. "Where the fuck is Plattsburg, New York?" That was the main concern on a warm summer afternoon, as we began to pack up the car for a trip that will remain crisp in my mind better then vacation I've ever been on. It was Tom, Tim, Joe, Beau, Tom' brother Steve, Alex who flew in from Wisconsin, Tim's brother Sean and myself Tony. The weather couldn't been better, the mood...excitement, joy, and a little nervousness. After all it was my first Phish show, and Tom was the only other one out of us all who had seen a Phish show. I had always liked phish, but I was always reluctant to get tix for a show, I figured I could wait till they came to Giant Stadium, or The Meadowlands. One day I decided â€Å" What the hell!!† Plattsburg was a good 6 hours up I-87 from quiet River Vale, New Jersey. So we spent most of the afternoon at Shop-rite, Campmor, and Ramsey outdoor. We had sleeping bags, coolers of beer, soda, food, and more beer, tents, stoves, lanterns, bug torches, and clothes. At around 12 midnite Friday morning we hit the road and embarked, on what would be a scared trip. Tom drove the van with his brother and myself. Tim in his red Festiva with Joe and Sean, and Beau in his blue Festiva with Alex. Stopping only to piss and re-fuel, we busted up to Plattsburg, arriving around 6am. It was amazing to see all the VW Westvalias up I-87 with Steal you Face, and dancing bear stickers. Once arriving, we picked a spot to set camp (out of the Wetlands of course) We followed the lead of crickets bouncing gently round room to a nice spot. Close to the potable water, yet far enough from the rank smell of port-a-jons. Then we got some needed sleep. We woke up around 1pm and I opened my eyes to my suprise...100,000 other people arrived while we were asleep!!! Didn't bother me, the more the merry. It was really strange. Once I stepped out of the tent, I think I left something behind. I didn't have a care in the world. I forgot about my job, my house, my life back home. I WAS AT A PHISH SHOW, that's all that mattered. Yeah, in an ordinary situation, the crickets would have bothered me. I liked um. The real freaky people that lived off acid and trying to get that one miracle would

New Invention

It is recommended that every person should consume eight glasses of water a day. For this project, we are given the ability to create anything we wanted with the simple request that we highlight the affects it would have. If I could create anything in the world, I would pawn the invention of a machine that had the capability to filter and cleanse any scale of water at any given moment immediately. Now many people will say that I should create something beneficial to myself, such as a time machine, or a teleportation device of some sort. But one of the major benefits of this machine is that not only does it benefit every person individually, but it benefits our entire world on a grander scale. One of the key elements that this machine can do, is it can cleanse and purify any amount of water, meaning, it will be able to filter masses of water such as beaches and rivers. Due to the fact that the Earth’s surface is compromised of seventy percent water, many people lack to realize that water is such a key component in our lives. The human body can live without food for a month, but can only survive without water for a week. Now this machine will benefit the individual on personal scale by allowing every person to have safe, consumable water regardless of their location. In public places, there are opportunities to drink water from water fountains. But the cleanliness of the water coming from these drinking fountains is typically a concern that many people have. When people swim for hours at a time, they become dehydrated craving water. But the consumption of chlorine-infested water or beach water is never known to be safe for anyone. Now with the ultimate water purifying machine, water can be easily accessible for anyone at anytime. Thus, this supports the hydrating of everyone as well as the steady inclination of water consumption. The United States utilizes about three-hundred and forty six million gallons of fresh water every day. Fortunately for our nation, there isn’t a dire need for clean water. But with the amount of oils spills, pollution of air, these accumulations of events have brought our nation to an urgent call for the cleansing and purifying of our water. Fortunately for our nation, the United States utilizes eighty percent of its water for irrigation and thermoelectric power. But with this invention, we can further the beneficial and positive uses that our nation utilizes water for. With this invention, we can purify the surrounding water bodies so that our wildlife in the ocean can resist fatality from pollution of our waters such as oil spills and toxic wastes. This invention can also eliminate water-borne illnesses that spread in public water arenas such as swimming pools, lakes, and beaches. Following the elimination of oil spills, toxic waste dumps, and other negative impact happenings from the United States, this prevents them from spreading to other areas of the Earth as well as preserving the oceanic animal lives. On a worldwide scale, more than one billion people lack a reliable source providing safe, drinking water. Unfortunately, our world lacks the resources to supply the huge demand and need for water. As much as eighty percent of our world’s illnesses derived from water-borne illnesses. In poverty-stricken areas, the consumption of dirty water or even lack of water to consume is fairly common. With this invention, the placement of this machine in poverty-stricken areas will purify the waters, supply the needy with clean and consumable water, and lead those nations away from hunger. Evidently, an invention that revolves around the cleansing and purifying of water bodies is a major benefit personally, towards our nation, and in the grander scheme, towards our entire world. A machine that could potentially supply those in need with clean water for their consumption, that could cleanse the polluted waters, and that could make a major push towards a healthy dosage of water consumption, could very well result in a life-changing move. This invention will provide a means of consumable water at any place, reassured of its cleanliness and pure quality. This invention will support our wildlife in the ocean by ridding the oceans and bodies of water in our nation, of its toxic wastes and spills that threaten their lives. This invention will eliminate the water deprived bodies of the poor, providing them with clean water, and aiding them in drinking water to rid their bodies of diseases and deficiencies. Clearly, the invention of this machine will aid our nation in a push for a better world.

Icarus in Prose, Poetry and Visual Art Essay

What does it take for one to achieve freedom? As a father, what sacrifices can you give to let your son live the life of a freeman? For an artist and creator, Daedalus, the best of his ability and skills are his weapons in order to give himself and his son, Icarus, the taste of freedom. His sacrifice has been none other than his son. For centuries and millenia, the story of Icarus and Daedalus has awed the whole world, and has been told and retold by different writers and poets and illustrated and put to life by various artists on stage and on canvas. This famed story is all about an inventor and his son’s attempted escape from a Labyrinth whom he himself has designed. Daedalus, is a talented, remarkable craftsman, who was conscripted by King Minos of Crete to design a Labyrinth to confine a Minotaur, a half-human half-bull creature who is the son of  Ã‚   Pasiphae, Minos’ wife. To feed it, the palace will have to receive human sacrifices and thrown to the Labyrinth. In the course of the story, a hero, Theseus, came to the place with the objective to kill the beast, putting a stoppage to the brutal sacrifice. The daughter of the king, Adriane, fell in love with him and with the help of Daedalus, was able to give him the tip of the thread as a means to escape the Labyrinth. In some renditions of the story, it was said that Theseus and Adriane eloped and thus, catching Daedalus in the ire of the king. For this, Daedalus and Icarus, his son, were imprisoned in the Labyrinth in place of the Minotaur. Otherwise, there were versions indicating that the imprisonment   was only in the light that King Minos wanted to keep the secrecy of the Labyrinth structure. In any case, Daedalus’ imprisonment has always been part of the story, alongside their escape feat. Since the king of Crete had jurisdiction over sea and land, Daedalus found it best to travel through the skies. He crafted two pairs of wings out of feathers, strings, and wax for both himself and his son, of course, to be able to fly. Icarus has been given reminders by his father by saying, â€Å"Icarus, my son, I charge you to keep at a moderate height, for if you fly too low the damp will clog your wings, and if too high the heat will melt them. Keep near me and you will be safe.† This reminder has been put to wste though, as our young hero has been overcome by giddiness and excitement, and his curiosity to see what lies beyond the clouds lead him to soar higher. It was to late for him to try to go back to the previous altitude for afterwards, he saw that his wings melted and he rocketed down to the ocean. What went back to Daedalus then was the dead body of his son. As a tribute to his son, he named the place as Icaria. In some versions that could be found in the web, it was said that Heracles passed by to give him a burial. The most enduring elements that the story that existed in all versions of the story of Icarus were the presence of the wings’ exact resemblance to that of a bird’s, the construction of the Labyrinth, the Minotaur, Daedalus and Icarus imprisonment, and their escape. Also, the standard plot then begins with Daedalus being chosen as the one who would design the labyrinth to constrict the Minotaur, being imprisoned with his son, escaping from prison and seeing his son die. These elements have been retained in the story probably because of their impact to the story. The story contain various themes, such as the sweetness of freedom, human ingenuity and ambition, the real essence of freedom, vanity of the human race. The whole story is a puzzle, just like the Labyrinth that Daedalus made. One would not help asking what is the purpose of having Icarus’ death in the story? Why does it seem that Icarus was only made to be able to fly in order to die? Is Icarus’ death supposed to teach us that we should not violate the rules of nature? I have read this story when I was a kid, and the only character left to be remembered was Icarus, and the feat before his death. Reading it once again brought my mind’s focus again to the father: his love for the son, his craftmanship and his grief at the death of his son. The story has taught us so much about the different sides of human nature, and our tendency to go in between. King Minos has been much filled with cruelty, and Daedalus on the other hand proved to be the softest and the most tender of all. It was the cruelty of Minos to offer humans as food for a Minotaur, on one side, and Daedalus’ compassion to give Adriane the clue to the Labyrinth to help Theseus escape and his love as a fathe r on the other. To add to this theme tableau, we can thus witness the suffering that the oppressed people experienced. Such are the incarceration of people who only chose to be at the right side, the endless sacrifice of people of all ages by being fed to the Minotaur. The thirst for freedom, in itself, is a means to depict suffering. Icarus’ death on the other hand, makes clear to us that not all things end up happily. We cannot escape sufferings that our life can give us. Freedom is never absolute, it pays its price. The story meant well.

Reflection on Homeostasis Stage Essay

This paper contains my view on Homeostasis balance. In particular, I am reviewing the stage where the fetus is starting to respond to the outside world through a facial expressions or controlled movements, denoting pleasure or disgust. The process of a fetus to be able to accumulate capacities of the external world through mother’s body and take it to the higher level with the growth. The newborn already has an organized behavior that includes feelings, needs and phenomenal survival skills with visual, grasping and auditory stimulations. With all that preparedness to step in to the new environment new baby also carries over a habituated behavior. He has a set point. It is the ideal state of a bodily system. If child’s body detects a discomfort then negative feedback is stepping in and trying to keep the body in the previous, most familiar condition. At first, child’s system will detect the change. Then the body will react to the change and finally will try to stabilize the body to the original state. These changes are bringing a discomfort that can include high blood pressure and increase in heart rate. The symptoms can lead to the anxiety if the set point is getting disturbed to often. This process will not happened if bodily system habituated to repetitive stimulation, attuned to the environment and disturbing effects on physiological condition of the child are absent. As an example, I would like to present a case. A mother brings one-year-old infant to the therapy. The reason for it is inability to ride a car since birth. The child has an accelerated anxiety and vomiting when placed in the car or even seeing a car image. Family has a difficult time to function with the child’s condition. It also brings arguments into marital life. Therapist has a result of physical exam that child is in the good health. During the assessment therapist should look for many reasons why the child has such disturbing behavior. If there is an absence of medical conditions in the child then during the assessment counselor should find out chronological steps of relations between child and a car, parents behavior in relation to the car rides. During the assessment the therapist should create a report about family history ( ) and parents past and present medical history. In this case woman suffered from car claustrophobia during pregnancy. Currently she has occasional car claustrophobia attacks. During pregnancy every time she would get in the car the fetus will react to it by increased movements and accelerated heart rate. Mother knew about possibility of her anxiety transferring to the fetus. Unfortunately, she had to function and take a car rides every day. It should be taking into consideration that at this stage infant have a very close connection to a mother. He can hear her voice, feel her breath, responds to the anxiety and calmness. Also he is already seeking and responding to the environmental conditions. In this case the child already achieved the stage of homeostasis. The infant is in need for mother’s ministrations when getting in the car. The frustration and fussiness followed by anxiety appears when mother does not meet his needs. She can’t provide him a care while fighting car claustrophobia. The child can also have a ge netic predisposition. The car claustrophobia transferred to the baby from one of the parent. As a counselor, I will provide the following therapeutic treatment. First of all, baby should have a several CBT session with the desensitization or exposure therapy. Since the baby also has a strong reaction to the car image. Mother should also attend similar CBT sessions. Since, the infant has a strong interconnection with mother repeating her disorder, a â€Å"specificity of regulatory fittedness between a particular infant and particular caregiver† should be established immediately (Sander 1975). Therapist should emphasize that the caregiving routine, especially if related directly to the car, should be carefully examined and changed if needed. I would also recommend to disable the alertness of the baby during the ride, mother should remain in the most calming state as possible, avoid family arguments before getting into the car, keep positive atmosphere while in the car, surround baby with toys and another entertainment tools. I found the sunglasses could be helpful. It blocks the side vision and car door do not even exist. Headphones, music and favored cartoon can be in use for the baby. Since the baby is closely connected to the mother and capable of having a conversational exchange, mother should talk to the baby during the trip.

Emile Bronte and Wuthering Heights Essay

Wuthering Heights is one of the most influential novels of 19th century; even though a dark and powerful novel the deeper aspects of life and strong emotions form the pillar of the novel. The novel is intricately weaved with strong emotion, powerful imagery and the conflict of possession. It reveals the most complex love story interlaced with separation and union under most conflicting circumstances. Love has been portrayed as a very evasive powerful emotion where give and take is exercised in complete isolation, just with the individual soul, and in that manner every character is lonely and isolated. It has been critically analyzed that the circumstance and the characters in the book reflects close similarity to the writer Emile Bronte’s personal life and surrounding. Wuthering Heights is the only novel which she wrote and since Emile Bronte’s life was dark and dreary, Wuthering Heights was influenced by her experience of isolation. Emily Bronte was an extraordinary writer of 19th century known for her imaginative and inspiring streak which reflects in her work as well as her life. Emily never married, stood up for her inner convictions and lived all her life at her family’s home in Haworth Parsonage, near Yorkshire Moors in northern England. She loved her home and her surrounding, which was rugged, dreary and wild in landscape, full of storms and harsh and unpredictable weather. Her novel Wuthering Heights is very clear imagery of her home surrounding in manner of exposure to the moors, cliffs and the isolated and dark setting. (Jennings). The early tragedies of loss of her mother and her two elder sisters as a result of terrible illnesses, affected her very deeply being very closely associated with pain and isolation. She lived with her other siblings two other sisters and a brother creating an imaginary world inspired by the toy soldiers which was a gift from her father. Emily seemed to be more overpowered by this imaginary world, even as an adult unlike her other siblings. Her fantasy world was called â€Å"Gondal†, and this private world provided her with immense strength and inspiration. In this world which was ruled by a woman she was in charge and control of her life. The character of Catherine Earnshaw in Wuthering Heights reflects this aspect of her personality in imagination, holding on to her past and in her intensity of love, which gives her more pain than pleasure. The intensity and the passion is in proportion of the pain and anguish to save what she has in the depth of her heart fighting with the external environment tormented by harsh winds and storms. Wuthering Heights is in many ways a clear reflection of Emily’s life, and the society in which she lived where women were not treated as an equal with the men of the society. The rules by which women had to live were very strict and allowed for little freedom or independence. Catherine, merges with Emily in her thinking, feeling and intensity. Even the steps she takes to make compromises in her life, is reflection of her courage and strength as it is taken to ensure security for Heathcliff or to ensure that her love thrives in more secure circumstances. Catherine is wild and intense and follows her heart, in sincerity, the main objective of her life is make things better for Heathcliff, who is her other image. Heathcliff and Catherine are inseparable, they are like two bodies with one soul. They cannot live without each other, and all their life they are drawn in relationship, which changes with the change of identity for Catherine from Catherine Earnshaw as a girl and teenager who is madly and inseparably in love with Heathcliff, to Catherine Heathcliff as two inseparable identities merged into one and Catherine Linton who is the regeneration of the Catherine, to keep her alive through her spirit and beauty. The story of Wuthering Heights begins with the introduction of the pages from Catherine’s diary, a love story which is ready to be brought before the world as one of the most intense stories of the time with timeless passion and intensity which begins with life and carries until the grave. There are intrusions but there is always the clarity of focus on who really belongs to whom, in the inner world of heart and soul. This is so closely connected with the conditions of Emily’s life and her close bond with the novel Wuthering Heights, Catherine’s diary can be said as Emily’s diary where she is trying to reveal her inner world to the outside world, it is intimate, personal and deep. She expresses her free and independent attitude thorough Cathy, with similar rebellion and strength of character, to stand up against the injustice done towards Heathcliff. There is a very intimate relationship between the dream and the reality, which is guided through the pages of the diary. The different inscriptions of Catherine’s name are reflective of the movement of the novel from one generation to another linking the key relationships which are covered under layers of hypocrisy. â€Å"When you have processed the information you have been waiting for, you see the point of the order of the scribbled names, as Lockwood gives them: Catherine Earnshaw, Catherine Heathcliff, Catherine Linton. Read from left to right they recapitulate Catherine Earnshaw’s story; read from roght to left, the story of her daughter, Catherine Linton. The names Catherine and Earnshaw begin and end the narrative†¦ this is an account of the movement of the book: away from Earnshaw and back, like movement of the house itself. (MW,419-20) (Jacobs 1979) The sequential order of the names as they first appear on the window ledge, then in the diary and elsewhere, connects the story with past and present, interweaving in it the aspect of darkness of the nightmares and the dreams and the powerful influence of nature with the supernatural element, overshadowing the moors and the Wuthering heights. The sinister darkness of the towering Wuthering heights, can be compared to the dark impressions left on her tender mind of the loss of her mother and the sisters, the personal loss and pain have emerged as the source of darkness and the isolation, which the inhabitants of Wuthering Heights have to endure and live day after day without any clear sign of hope and light. The outside physical world is dark and gloomy; the only refuge is in the sanctuary of the heart and soul, which drives the novel from beginning to end in the service of love, regardless of social constraints. The isolation which the characters of the Wuthering Heights experience is beyond imagination. It is sheer inner strength which allows for the characters to emerge from the dreary darkness, just like Emily, whose inner strength and courage made her survive the road of solitary path in the midst of social stigma and environmental control. This isolation can be seen almost all of her characters in Wuthering Heights. This aspect can be seen as the homelessness and the anguish of isolation is experienced by Hindley when he is forced from home, after old Earnshaw’s death Heathcliff is driven away, returning some years later, on the death of Heathcliff finally Hareton has a chance to live who had live almost in destitude and isolation within the walls of Wuthering Heights. Isabella first leaves her home in The Grange for life with Heathcliff, and then is devastated by her marriage with Heathcliff escapes to anonymity with impossibility for return. Her son Linton is first uprooted to his uncle’s home and then to his fathers home. The young Catherine, daughter of Catherins Earnshaw is first taken from Thrushcross Grange as Heathcliff’s temporary prisoner and then is forced to become his daughter-in-law and his permanent prisoner. The ultimate of isolation and exile is the conscious choice made by Cathy(Catherine Earnshaw ) who creates her exile as a conscious act of imagination, just like Emily in her Gonad world: â€Å"If I were in heaven, Nelly, I would be extremely miserable. I dreamt one that I was there. Heaven did not seem to be my home; and I broke my heart with weeping to come back to earth; and the angels were so angry that they flung me out, into the middle of the heath on the top of Withering Heights; where I woke up sobbing for joy† (Jacobs 1979) The marriage to Edgar fulfils this prophecy of homelessness from which only death promises respite. Yet, Cathy’s death is again another self-imposed exile, as she refuses to get better and wants to die, this scene has amazing similarity with the manner in which Emily died. The manner, in which Emily dies in isolation, is an example which captures the synthesis of the conviction and the courage with which she lived her life. Emily was the strongest and the most sincere of the Bronte family, who had the inner strength to stand for her inner faith and conviction, unruffled by the outside world and its changing influences. â€Å"She was a strong willed person who remained true to herself and her vision, even until her very last breath. † (Jennings). She was very ill, just like the protagonist of the novel Wuthering Heights, Cathy, â€Å"she was suffering from severe lung infection, but she refused to give in to her illness and continued to live as she always had: believing her own strength would help her endure and survive and ultimately overcome the physical limitations of her life. Emily Bronte’s life and death of courage and independence is a lasting example to us all†(Jennings) Emily Bronte valued life greatly and her novel reflects her close vision about the preciousness of life and the power of the inner self (soul). She had strong conviction that no matter how violent the turmoil outside, as is reflected in many aspects of Wuthering Heights in relationships, weather and social conflict, the human soul had the power to endure and go beyond the barriers and the hardships which inflict pain and suffering as part of our experience in life. Her greatest accomplishment was writing her novel Wuthering Heights, which is the only novel she ever wrote and through which â€Å"she was able to speak her mind able to speak her own mind, make clear the power of her voice, and reveal her entire vision of humankind to the world. It has been 150 years since Wuthering Heights was first published, yet it is still a widely-read book and is studied in many schools. Emily Bronte’s story of two childhood companions who are unable to remain together once they are adults is powerful and moving. It reminds each of us, no matter who we are, that we are often left alone in the world, and that we all long to be a part of something more than ourselves, but that it is only through love of ourselves that we can truly find love with others. The story is written in one of the most unforgettable, original voices ever heard, and almost everyone who has read this novel has been deeply affected by it. Emily died at the age of thirty, only a year after Wuthering Heights was published, but she still speaks to us through her writing. † †(Jennings) â€Å"No Coward soul is mine†¦ No trembler in the world’s storm-troubled sphere†¦ I see Heaven’s glories shine†¦ And Faith shines equal arming me from Fear†¦ There is not room for Death†¦ Nor atom that his might could render void†¦ Since thou art Being and Breath†¦ and what thou art may never be destroyed†¦ â€Å"

ITSM implementation success Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

ITSM implementation success - Assignment Example The application of this approach also recognizes that the information technology systems cannot work independently without accountability. Appropriate management of the Information technology systems using the ITSM approach also helps organization to discover strategize that can be used to offer the IT services at reduced competitive costs. The ITSM design was made up to respond to the tests that were encountered by medium and small sized organizations in an attempt to adapt an IT model that is centered to the views and opinions customers. This approach has also developed affordable applications that apply expertise skills helping the organization to obtain all the benefits related to ITSM. Most organizations put all efforts and best practices in place to give their customers the goods and services yet they do not reap the maximum benefits from their activities in relation to their efforts (Leonardi, 2007). These organizations fail to get all the benefits because they do not implemen t the appropriate cost effective approaches in their activities. The traditional practices in return consume more resources in terms of capital, labor and time. As compared to the traditional operation management practices, the ITSM approach reduced the operational costs greatly mainly due to the use of advanced information technology systems as well as applying expertise skills in the use of the approach. Another major aim of the application of Information Technology Service management approach is to enhance the delivery of IT related services to customers based on the process oriented approach. This involves examining and optimizing all services provided to the customers to ensure that they meet the interest and the values that the customers require. ITSM introduces the focus on the delivery of end to end services by applying the best practice process models while the traditional approaches focused on managing on Information technology as a stack. ITSM also aligns the IT services with the new changing trends of the organizations. Some of the changing patterns and emerging trends in most organizations include the size or the organization, advancement of the IT systems change of the organizations goals and the change of the organizations goals and visions. For an organization improve service delivery to their customers, some factors should be considered. These factors include quality planning, efficient project management and commitment by the staff to service delivery and the involvement of the organization in providing Information Technology systems. The ITSM approach similarly helps the organizations to effectively plan and create strategies that enhance quality planning as well as improve the service delivery to customers. Quality and strategic planning which is enhanced by the ITSM approach is the ability of the organization to collectively have control and manage the future and destiny of the organization. Project management as a factor for enhancing ser vice delivery to the customer is defined as the formal approach to changes in the organization such some of the projects organizations may be involved in include system development, procurement and implementation and cultural changes among others. According to Van, B. J et al (2008) Information Technology Service Management (ITSM) has gained popularity in both public and

Assignment 2Q Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

2Q - Assignment Example The Project Manager must verify these deliverables are those items that have been finished. However, upon the end of implementation phase, closing a project becomes a necessary point. Closing a project requires careful analysis and often misunderstood from a project management standpoint. This paper will discuss some of the project closures that are challenging for project management. In Agile, financial discrepancies can be a huge factor. Often times in a project, expectations are not met that are defined in scope and the WBS. Thus, creating contingency strategies is pivotal towards executing a successful project. One of the most pivotal contingency strategy is to have a high incremental cost of resources. Resources are often less expensive when they are bought in bulk, but expensive if they are purchased incrementally. Hence, it is critical to have software and other resources purchased in bulk to avoid paying extra money. Another key strategy is to have collaborative sessions on a day-to-day basis. Often times the project falls behind because individuals are not aware of unexpected circumstances that can occur. Keeping in track with their progress on day to day basis can be truly helpful in the long run. This become problematic as the project due date comes closer since many smaller tasks may not be captured in the WBS itself. One of the biggest concerns for c losing a project is the end the finer details of the store. This becomes more problematic the project does not achieve optimal results. This is where the project may fall. For instance, The Project Manager should produce confirmation from the Senior User or User Group that the final product or outcome of the project meets the acceptance criteria.   Another fact to be incognizant of are budget discrepancies. Budget discrepancies are one of the most difficult challenges to deal with when closing down a project because PMs

Difficulties in Basic Non-Syntactic Cognitive Processes Essay

Difficulties in Basic Non-Syntactic Cognitive Processes - Essay Example According to this theory, language acquisition must occur early in life if native-like mastery is to be achieved. After the critical period has passed, the age of acquisition is no longer supposed to have an effect, and native-like performance is no longer achievable. (Birdsong, 2005) Not all L2 data conform to a strict interpretation of Critical Period Hypothesis. The age at which L2 grammatical performance begins to differ from native speakers varies widely from early childhood to late adolescence, depending on the combinations of first and second languages. ( Bialystok and Miller, 199; Mc DONALD, 2000) Recent research has also studied the grammatical performance of native speakers under memory load. Using a grammaticality judgment task, Blackwell and Bates (1995) found native speakers were impaired in their judgment ability on sentences containing agreement violations with a low concurrent memory load and showed impairment on sentences containing omissions and word order errors at a much higher memory load. The compressed speech did not affect the interpretation of active and subject-cleft structures, which follow the normal subject-verb-object word order, but it did impact the interpretation of passives and object-clefts which have non-canonical word order. A.U. Knightly, Jun, and Oh (2002) found that early passive exposure to a language spoken in the home allowed people who then learned the language in adulthood to perform well in this language on phonological measures, but did not help with syntactic mastery. The age of acquisition at which L2 learners are significantly worse than native speakers is earlier if the L1 and L2 are dissimilar than if they have more similarity. (Johnson and Newport, 189 found this age to be 7 for Chinese/English and Korean speakers.)

Michael Jackson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Michael Jackson - Essay Example The last section forms concluding response to this problem. The method used is particularized examination of the literature together with the critical summarizing and personal inferences on the topic. Michael Joseph Jackson was also known as a King of Pop or the Icon of the Pop Music. This was considered to be an outstanding personality in the dimension of music in general and pop in particular. Strange stories together with personal and materialistic difficulties always occurred in his way. What was more, health problems with a constant pain remained to be a part of his life. A huge amount of hurdles chased him during his life; still, people always expressed admire and appreciation to Michael. He was a favourite for millions of people and idol for the entire world. Michael Jackson was born on August 29, 1958 in the common family of American workers (Borsboom, 2011, p.7). He was a black boy and a sevenths child in the family with strong rules and regulations. He always liked to perform since the early ages and tried to do it if some opportunities took place (Borsboom, 2011, p.11). At the age of 5 he started to perform at â€Å"a Christmas recital† in front of his classmates (Borsboom, 2011, p.11). This was a first try in his career as a singer and dancer. In 1964 Michael together with his brother Marlon joined the Jackson Brothers, and in a few years he started singing lead with his brother Jermaine in this band (Borsboom, 2011, p.11). His first serious performance on the professional scene was realized in 1968 when Michael appeared as a member of band that was called The Jackson 5 (Borsboom, 2011, p.11). That was an important step in his career as a vocalist and pop-singer, as it gave him the first serious experience and first essential lessons. It should be admitted that The Jackson 5 experienced a great fame in teenage people what was remained to be unusual in for African-American band (Borsboom, 2011, p.11). With

Women's Health. Health Care Disparity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Women's Health. Health Care Disparity - Essay Example Healthcare disparities exist in both public and private sectors. Various kinds of socio-economic factors contribute to the existence of healthcare disparities like inadequate access to care to some group of people, poor quality of care to some individuals, etc. Community features and behaviors at personal level also contribute to these disparities. It is generally found that people who belong to ethnic or racial minority groups, or individuals with mental or physical impairment or disabilities, or women may face health care disparities. Very often healthcare disparities exist between rural and urban areas. (Mead, 2008) Part B) Explain why some women (in general) may face barriers to health care. Of course, over the decades significant progress have been made in women’s health. However, still health status of women on average is not as good as of men. Not only that, but healthcare disparities exists among women as well. Different sub-groups of women get different types of acces s to care and quality of care also varies across different subgroups of women. (Mead, 2008) There are a number of reason for which some women face healthcare disparities compared to men and other groups of women as well.

Hamlet's antic disposition. Is his madness feigned or real Research Paper

Hamlet's antic disposition. Is his madness feigned or real - Research Paper Example The spontaneity of the act that he puts on seems, at a later stage, to have led commentators on the play to have thought that his was not an act in the first place. His disavowal of what later we realize was a true love for Ophelia, is one of the incidents in the play that are cited to damn Hamlet as insane. The vision of the ghost, some say, seems to be a vision of a madman, who has been deranged by the death of his father and what seems to him a betrayal by his mother. These, for some critics are also validated by his musings on the very nature of death during the graveyard scene. Coupled with a suicidal tendency, these musings of one of Shakespeare’s most famous characters leads not an insignificant number of critics to believe that his state of mind is not one of sanity. All of these, however, can be refuted if one is to look at the play from another perspective. Hamlet, G. Wilson Knight says, presents an antithesis to what the Danish court stands for, life. Whether this i s a result of his direct encounter with death is unclear. However, his musing on death and his rejection of Ophelia are instances where he rejects the vital activities of life. He contemplates suicide, another instance of his revulsion for the life and vitality that are represented by the other members of the court. Knight affirms the essential righteousness of the aims of Hamlet. Deprived of his rights and parental love, Hamlet is morally superior to Claudius who has murdered his own brother out of love for the throne and for Gertrude. However, Hamlet remains in Knight’s words, a â€Å"negation of life† (Knight 187). It is this distance from vitality that places Hamlet in a position where he appears to be insane. To make my point clearer, I shall make a reference to Michel Foucault’s theories of insanity. Foucault saw insanity as a deviation from the normal codes of society. It is, according to him, a means employed by the so-called ‘sane’ society to define itself, that is, it serves as a kind of touchstone for mainstream society (Foucault). Hamlet, here is such a severe contrast to the life-affirming but wicked Claudius and the majority of the other characters that are faithful to him, that he appears to be an aberration. This has been construed as insanity by many. However, this would be to state that in some way or the other, Hamlet can be seen as a mad person. This does not present the facts in a true light. The standard, against which Hamlet’s behavior seems to be a deviation from the norm, is that of the Danish court. However, the moral values that Hamlet employs are those of Renaissance humanism (Kettle 238). Hamlet is a highly educated person. His values are shaped by the dominant ideology of the time, humanism, which talked about the ability of man to rise to infinite heights which were unthought-of before. Seen in this context, the very pessimism that we had attributed to Hamlet seems to be an optimistic atti tude that has seen through the facade of the Danish court. The baseness of the king and his followers rankles Hamlet, one who has recognized the infinite potential of man. What Marcellus unwittingly says about the condition of Denmark , Something is rotten in the state of Denmark (1.4. 90) is exactly what Hamlet feels about the state of his homeland. It is against this backdrop that Hamlet appears to be ins

BIO Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

BIO - Essay Example John Scopes’s role in the Scopes trial was that of the defendant, owing to the fact that he was the teacher who went against the Tennessee State’s law that prohibited teaching of evolution in schools, by openly doing it at the high school he was teaching science (PBS, n.p.). Clarence Darrow was the defense lawyer for the accused in the Scopes Trial, who defended the right of John Scopes to teach evolution and the Darwin theory in class (PBS, n.p.). He did not only defend Scopes fiercely, but also used it as a platform to engage his longtime rival in matters of religion, William Jennings Bryan (PBS, n.p.). William Jennings Bryan testified in the Scopes Trial as an expert in Biblical matters, but behind the scenes the testimony was meant to create a platform where he would engage Clarence Darrow on the subject of evolution, which Bryan was completely opposed to (PBS, n.p.). In the courtroom, their contest of ideas between the Biblical stand and the concept of evolution in science almost sparked a physical

5 questions about China law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

5 questions about China law - Essay Example In relation to a work of a Chinese citizen, term of protection for the right to lease his publication shall be the life of the author and 50 years after his death, and it expires on December 31 of the fiftieth year after the death of the author. In case of a collective work, term of protection expires on December 31 of the fiftieth year after the death of the last of the authors (Article 21 of Copyright Law of PRC, 2001). No. The genral name / generic name or model of a product or good in respect of which trade mark is used cannot be regisered as trade mark under the Trademark Law of PRC 2001 (FN 2). Similarly, the trade marks which consist exclusively of signs or indications which have direct reference to the quality, main raw material, function, intended purpose, weight, quantity or other characteristics of goods or services and the trade marks which are devoid of any distinctive character cannot be registered.

The Mesopotamian Dbq (Outline) Essay Example for Free

The Mesopotamian Dbq (Outline) Essay Group 1:Mesopotamia * Document 1: This document describes the story of an innocent god that shared water with animals at a watering hole. The document describes the importance of water by referencing to the herds of wild game and Enkidu. The people that have created this document have put much emphasis on water systems. * Document 2: This document covers the spectrum of the river systems and agricultural growth in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Indus regions using a map. * Document 3: In this document, a picture depicts reed huts in the marshes of Southern Iraq. It appears that in this area, a large, agricultural-based city does not thrive here. This document stresses that a successful river system is the base of cities. * Document 5: This document describes Marduk’s journey and his conversation that he held with the gods. Overall it is about the creation of Babylon. In the first paragraph, it mentions the location of where Babylon would be locates (near the Tigris and the Euphrates river). This displays the importance that the Babylonians placed on river systems. A: Marduk thought of the Earth as a mirror image of heaven, because he strengthened and prepared the grounds to create holy precinct that would be the home of the gods. Group 2: Egypt * Document 2: This document covers the spectrum of the river systems and agricultural growth in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Indus regions using a map. * Document 6: This document shows the Pyramids of Giza located nearby the Nile. The mud blocks used to create the Pyramids must have been created from a nearby river system. Group 3: Indus River Valley * Document 2: This document covers the spectrum of the river systems and agricultural growth in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and the Indus regions using a map. * Document 4: In this document the formation of mud brick fortification suggests that the Indus river valley Harappa, India indicate that they had an accessible river system nearby. * Document 7: In this document, the walls appear to be made from mud brick, which is a sign that they had utilized a nearby water system. Although the document above delivers evidence of the effect of rivers in these regions, it would be beneficial to have additional documents. A chart of population growth over time of all three regions would suffice. It would be able to display the comparisons and differences in the growth of population within each region. A excerpt of an Egyptian or Harappan script that described the role that their river systems played in their society.

14-3-3 Protein Analysis | Essay

14-3-3 Protein Analysis | Essay INTRODUCTION 14-3-3 represents a family of highly conserved, 28-33 kDa, acidic dimeric proteins. [B, H1] These proteins were first identified and isolated by Moore and Perez during their systematic study of protein fractions from mammalian brain tissue. [B1] Their nomenclature reflects the system used by the researchers to classify the various protein fractions, based on their migration pattern on starch gel electrophoresis and two-dimensional DEAE chromatography. [D1] Initially it was thought that the occurrence of these proteins was confined to neuronal tissue, where they were found to be present in concentrations as high as 13.3 ÃŽ ¼g/ml. [B19] However, subsequent studies showed that they are in fact widely distributed and ubiquitously expressed in most mammalian tissues. [B] Apart from mammalian tissue, orthologous proteins with a high degree of similarity have also been identified in other organisms including plants, yeast, insects and amphibians. [B] Interestingly, though no prokaryotic ancestor has been identified for the 14-3-3 gene, eukaryotes are known to express multiple isotypes, encoded by highly similar gene sequences. [A, G13] Drosophila and yeast each contain two 14-3-3 genes, Arabidopsis species have 15, while the human genome contains seven closely related 14-3-3 genes. [G13-G16] These genes encode the seven different 14-3-3 isotypes found in human cells – namely ÃŽ ², ÃŽ ³, ÏÆ', ÃŽ µ, ÃŽ ·, Ï„, and ÃŽ ¶. Two additional isoforms – ÃŽ ± and ÃŽ ´, represent the phosphorylated varieties of ÃŽ ² and ÃŽ ¶ respectively. [D7] By virtue of their conserved sequences, the different 14-3-3 isoforms display a similar tertiary structure. Crystallographic studies show that each subunit is made up of nine anti-parallel ÃŽ ± helices, which are able to self-assemble into dimers [F1]; with four of the nine helices participating in this process of dimerization. [A] While certain isoforms such as ÏÆ' and ÃŽ ³ show propensity towards the formation of homodimers, other isoforms like ÃŽ µ prefer to heterodimerize. [H] Structural analyses have also revealed that each monomer contains an amphipathic concave channel through which it interacts with its target proteins. [F13] Since each of the subunits of the dimer contain an independent ligand-binding groove, these proteins can interact with two different binding sites present on the same or different target proteins [H3] The targets of 14-3-3 proteins were first studied by Muslin et. al. in 1995, who determined that these proteins interact with phosphorylated serine-containing binding partners in a sequence specific manner. [A2] Thus, this came about to be the first family of proteins discovered to have an affinity for phosphoserine-specific targets. More specifically, Yaffe et. al. in 1997 identified two putative high-affinity motifs, bearing the sequences RSXpSXP and RXXXpSXP, where pS stands for phosphoserine, R stands for Arginine, P is proline and X is any amino acid. [] These were found to be the consensus sequences for 14-3-3 binding, and were called the mode I and mode II binding motifs respectively. [A21] However not all the 14-3-3 binding partners conform to these motifs and neither are all 14-3-3-target interactions found to be phosphorylation-dependent. [H] Though, a small percentage of 14-3-3 targets do not conform, in general it can be said that, proteins that interact with the 14-3-3 family are usually found to be globular proteins that contain either the mode I or mode II binding motifs within an unstructured region of the peptide. [PG] Interestingly, despite the fact that the different isotypes share a similar structure and show complete conservation of sequence in the ligand-binding region, not all the isotypes of 14-3-3 bind equivalently to their ligands in vivo and the pathways in which the individual isoforms participate have diverged considerably. This isoform specificity cannot be explained solely on the basis of 14-3-3 binding to the consensus sequence. [A, PA] It has hence been speculated that this isoform-specificity may be attributed either to differences in subcellular localization and/or tissue-specific transcriptional regulation rather than inherent differences in their ligand-binding ability. [D] Consequently, the various isoforms of the protein are found to bind different ligands and hence influence distinct cellular pathways and processes. Some of the ligands postulated on the basis of database searches include Raf1, CDC25C, polyoma middle T antigen, BAD, 5’AMP Kinase and PLC ÃŽ ³. [PA] Studies conducted in the late 1990’s demonstrated the ability of 14-3-3 proteins to interact with a number of different protein phosphatases and kinases in the cell, thus influencing multiple signalling pathways within the cell. [D] The mechanism of action of the 14-3-3 family of proteins is based on their ability to alter the stability, the catalytic activity or the subcellular localization of their targets. [H] 14-3-3 dimers being highly rigid, they are able to induce conformational changes in their target proteins as well as generate steric hindrance upon binding. Together, these forces can prevent molecular interactions by modulating the accessibility of the ligand to enzymes; and they can also serve to expose or hide localization motifs such as NES and NLS. [H] The first cellular activity to be attributed to 14-3-3 was that of an activator of tryptophan and tyrosine hydroxylases, rate-limiting enzymes that regulate the biosynthesis of catecholamine and serotonin neurotransmitter, as reported by Ichimura and co-workers. [B20] Subsequently it was discovered that 14-3-3 proteins could regulate the activity of signal transduction molecule protein kinase C. [D3,D4] This and other findings led to the implication that 14-3-3 proteins could act as novel chaperone proteins that are able to modulate the interactions between the different constituents of signal transduction pathways. [D5] Today it is known that 14-3-3 protein dimers are able to interact with a wide array of proteins within the cell including signalling molecules, apoptosis factors, tumor supressors, transcription factors, biosynthetic enzymes as well as cytoskeletal proteins; as a result of which they play crucial roles in the regulation of multiple cellular process such as the onset of cellular differentiation, and senescence, DNA repair and the maintenance of cell cycle check point, co-ordination of motility and adhesion and the prevention of apoptosis [A,H] REVIEW OF LITERATURE 14-3-3 proteins are crucial in the regulation of many cellular functions. An implication of their involvement in this multitude of processes is that any mutation, loss of regulation or altered expression of these proteins can lead them to be associated with major diseases. Through their involvement in the regulation of various tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes, 14-3-3 proteins are thought to be potentially involved in cancerous transformation and the development of malignancies. [Z11] They are also known to be associated with neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, ataxia and Parkinson’s disease. [MT1, MT2, MT3, MT4] The causes of these diseases are poorly understood and hence this family of proteins has been the focus of study of several research groups around the world, leading to numerous publications investigating all the different aspects. This section summarizes the literature elucidating the properties and functions of 14-3-3 proteins that have helped shape the rationale behind this project. A special focus is maintained on current literature that highlights role of 14-3-3 ÃŽ ³ in the cell cycle and in desmosome assembly, as well as its recently discovered ATPase activity. Human 14-3-3 isoforms The members of the 14-3-3 family are among the most abundant proteins in the cell. It has been established that owing to their interaction with diverse targets, 14-3-3 proteins are known to be involved in a multitude of processes, including the control of gene transcription, metabolism, cell cycle regulation, and apoptosis. [C] However, not all 14-3-3 proteins carry out the same functions. The table below provides an overview of the properties of the various human 14-3-3 isoforms: 14-3-3 isoform Official symbol Official full name Chrom-osome location No. of amino acids Mol.Wt. (kDa) Interactions, functions and disorders 14-3-3 ÃŽ ² YWHAB Tyrosine 3-monooxygenase/tryptophan 5-monooxygenase activation protein, beta 20 q13.1 246 27.95 shown to interact with CDC25 phosphatases and RAF1 may play a role in relaying mitogenic signaling to the cell cycle machinery 14-3-3 ÃŽ ³ YWHAG Tyrosine 3-monooxygenase/tryptophan 5-monooxygenase activation protein, gamma 7 q11.23 247 28.12 interacts with RAF1, CDC25C and protein kinase C induced by growth factors in human vascular smooth muscle cells also expressed significantly in heart and skeletal muscles 14-3-3 ÏÆ' YWHAS, SFN Stratifin 1 p36.11 248 27.64 known to interact with PLK4, ERRFI1, MARK3, JUB expressed in epithelial cells 14-3-3 ÃŽ µ YWHAE Tyrosine 3-monooxygenase/tryptophan 5-monooxygenase activation protein, epsilon 17 p13.3 255 29.03 interacts with RAF1, CDC25 phosphatases, and IRS1 proteins plays a role in pathways related to signal transduction, cell division and regulation of insulin sensitivity implicated in the pathogenesis of small-cell lung cancer 14-3-3 ÃŽ · YWHAH Tyrosine 3-monooxygenase/tryptophan 5-monooxygenase activation protein, eta 22 q12.3 246 28.09 contains a repeating sequence, 7 bp in length, in its 5 UTR changes in the number of repeats are associated with conditions such as psychotic bipolar disorder and schizophrenia 14-3-3 Ï„/ÃŽ ¸ YWHAQ Tyrosine 3-monooxygenase/tryptophan 5-monooxygenase activation protein, theta 2 p25.1 245 27.63 found to be over-expressed in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis also expressed in T cells 14-3-3 ÃŽ ¶ YWHAZ Tyrosine 3-monooxygenase/tryptophan 5-monooxygenase activation protein, zeta 8 q23.1 245 27.61 interacts with IRS1 protein may play a role in regulating insulin sensitivity 14-3-3 ÃŽ ³ 14-3-3 ÃŽ ³ is an adapter protein that is known to be involved in the regulation of a wide range of signalling pathways, both general and specialized. This protein is encoded by a gene designated YWHAG, which was mapped to the chromosome 7q11.23 by Horie et. al. in 1999 [Z2] A study of its binding partners in a yeast two-hybrid study revealed that 14-3-3 ÃŽ ³ may have as many as 130 potential ligands. [PG 4] There are reports which link the overexpression of 14-3-3 ÃŽ ³ and its high titres in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) with certain neurodegenerative disorders such as Down syndrome and Alzheimer’s. [A129, A131] This protein is also thought to to be involved in the process of carcinogenesis. Although 14-3-3 ÏÆ' is the isoform that has been most extensively studied for its association with human cancers, there are also several ongoing studies which attempt to establish a correlation between 14-3-3 ÃŽ ³ expression and the development of tumours. This includes the work of Jieqiang Lv. et. al. which was able to demonstrate through proteomic analysis that a reduced expression of 14-3-3 ÃŽ ³ is observed in patients with uterine tumours. [Z10] The role of 14-3-3 ÃŽ ³ in cancer can be better appreciated by understanding its role in the cell cycle and its regulation. Role of 14-3-3 ÃŽ ³ in the cell cycle 14-3-3 proteins play a major role in the regulation of cell cycle through the interaction with various cell cycle proteins. The main targets for 14-3-3 regulation are the Cdc25 proteins. Cdc25 is a family of protein phosphatases comprising the members Cdc25A, Cdc25B and Cdc25C, which are active during different phases of the cell cycle. Cdc25A participates in the regulation of G1/S transition, whereas Cdc25B and Cdc25C regulate G2/M transition. [z3] Cdc25c has been specifically implicated in the activation of the CDK1-cyclinB1 complex by removing inhibitory phosphorylations at T14 and Y15, which advances the cell cycle from G2 to M phase. The overexpression of this protein has been seen to result in mitotic catastrophe in the cell due to premature mitosis. [E28] Therefore the expression and function of Cdc25C needs to be tightly regulated; and 14-3-3 ÃŽ ³ plays a crucial role in this regulation. [E29] During the interphase, 14-3-3 proteins bind to Cdc25C and sequester it in the cytoplasm by occluding the NLS, preventing it from accessing the CDK1-cyclinB1 complex in the nucleus and thus in essence inactivating it. [E28] Dalal et. al. showed that though all the 14-3-3 proteins were able to carry out this function in vitro, only 14-3-3 ÃŽ ³ and ÃŽ µ were found to bind to and thus inhibit Cdc25C in vivo. [] This binding however was found to require the phosphorylation of a specific serine residue at position 216 in human cells, usually carried out by TAK1 and other similar kinases. [E30, z4] Cdc25C is also known to be a target of the DNA replication and DNA damage checkpoints that exert their effects through the phosphorylation of S216 by kinases like Chk1 and Chk2. [z5, z6, z7] This phosphorylation thus generates a high-affinity motif that is able to bind to 14-3-3 proteins present in the cytosol. A schematic representation of this process is provided in the figure below. In the absence of 14-3-3 proteins, this regulation of Cdc25C is disrupted and a result, cells lose their ability to stop cycling upon loss of integrity of their DNA. To this effect, a study conducted by Hosing et. al. in 2008 showed that cells require 14-3-3 ÃŽ ³ in order to maintain their ability to arrest cells in the S phase and the G2 phase checkpoint. [] This was proven by generating 14-3-3 ÃŽ ³ knockdown cells, and studying their response to DNA damage. It was found that these cells were unable to arrest in G2, thus leading to an increase in premature chromatin condensation (PCC) as compared to the vector control. [] This was the first report suggesting that 14-3-3 ÃŽ ³ modulates the cell cycle checkpoint response, through its negative regulation of cdc25C function. Role of 14-3-3 ÃŽ ³ in desmosome assembly 14-3-3 isoforms were also not known to have any role to play in the assembly of desmosomes, until a serendipitous observation led to a study conducted by Sehgal et. al. This study demonstrated for the first time that 14-3-3 ÃŽ ³ is required for desmosome formation. [] They showed that 14-3-3 ÃŽ ³ is able to form complexes with the desmosomal proteins plakoglobin, desmoplakin and plakophilin 3. Their work led to the conclusion that 14-3-3 ÃŽ ³ is essential for the recruitment of plakoglobin to the cell border; and that the loss of 14-3-3 ÃŽ ³ leads to a decrease in desmosome formation. This translates to defective cell-cell adhesion in HCT 116 cells and sterility in male mice when this loss is manifested in the testis. [] These results are in agreement with the fact that 14-3-3 ÃŽ ³ plays a role in the transport of proteins from the Golgi complex to the cell border, as previously reported by Valente et al. in 2012. [Z1] ATPase activity of 14-3-3 proteins The notion that 14-3-3 proteins may possess an ATPase function evolved through a series of studies. The first of these was reported in a paper in 1993 by Hachiya et. al., who had isolated a protein from the rat liver cell cytosol, called the mitochondrial import stimulation factor (MSF). [] This factor was found to modulate the conformation of aggregated proteins and stimulate their import into the mitochondria in an ATP-dependent manner, much like the Hsp70 chaperone molecule. Ensuing studies by the same group led to the cloning of cDNA sequences encoding the large and small rat MSF subunits; and based on these cDNA sequences, it was deduced that the MSF peptides belong to the 14-3-3 family. [] This was thus the first time the ability to hydrolyse ATP was attributed to a 14-3-3 protein. In 1997, Yano et. al. probed further and asked whether the 14-3-3 family of proteins were also capable of the reverse reaction i.e. ATP synthesis; and found that native 14-3-3 proteins isolated from human lymphoblastoma cells as well as recombinant 14-3-3 Ï„ exhibited the ability to generate ATP from ADP. [] This activity resembled that of the enzyme nucleoside diphosphate-kinase. It was then speculated that ATP synthesis and hydrolysis may play a role in regulating the interaction of 14-3-3 proteins with their substrates. Subsequently, in 2006, Yano et. al. also showed that 14-3-3 ÃŽ ¶ acts as a molecular chaperone under heat shock conditions, dissolving thermally-aggregated proteins, also in an ATP-dependent manner. [] This stress-related function is said to differ from the role of MSF as previously described, since in that case, the protein activity is limited to the transport of newly synthesized proteins into the mitochondria. This finding thus represented another part of the puzzle that is the multi-functional nature of 14-3-3 proteins. Despite these reports however, the ATPase activity of 14-3-3 proteins had not commanded much attention from researchers, until recently Ramteke et. al. in 2014 demonstrated unequivocally, using 14-3-3 ÃŽ ¶ as a model, that these proteins possess an intrinsic ATP-hydrolysing function. [] They also studied the putative residues essential to this activity and found that in their model, the mutation of the Asp at residue 124 to Ala (D124A) resulted in a significant increase in the rate of ATP hydrolysis, while the mutation of Arg 55 to Ala caused a partial loss of function. ATPase activity of 14-3-3 ÃŽ ³ As a part of the same study, Ramteke et. al. decided to test whether the other 14-3-3 isoforms also displayed similar properties; and they found that with the exception of 14-3-3 ÏÆ', all the other isoforms, including 14-3-3 ÃŽ ³, showed intrinsic ATPase activity. [] Interestingly, it was found that in case of the ÃŽ ³ isoform, the mutation of the conserved Asp, found at position 129 to Ala (D129A) led to an over two-fold gain in ATPase function, reflecting that the binding of this mutant to ATP is probably either more energetically or sterically favourable. [] The authors of this paper were however unable to comment on the functional relevance of the ATPase activity of 14-3-3 proteins. These results however provide an impetus to further studies on physiological significance of ATP hydrolysis, with respect to individual 14-3-3 isoforms.