Thursday, October 31, 2019

What part does ethics play in food marketing Essay

What part does ethics play in food marketing - Essay Example The development and study of one’s ethical standards is also considered as ethics (Velasquez & Et. Al, 2010). It can be said that food is the most important concern for people since it creates an impact upon individual health and well being. The way companies market their food has been in limelight because of the rising obesity rates that is threatening the industrialized countries’ population. Broader health concerns such as diseases because of addictives and preservatives make marketing ethics in food industry a relevant topic. Food ethics is one of the emerging academic disciplines in the recent times and is considered as one among many in the escalating field of applied ethics. The ethical issues are crucial with regards to the food. The ethical concerns encompass a correspondingly broad range of issues, for instance, the disparity between global food supplies and human nutritional needs. The other ethical concerns are results of the modern agricultural along with t he food biotechnologies for human as well as animal welfare (Mepham, 2000). The most important consideration in the food and agricultural products is that ‘production, transformation and distribution’ of such products can be considered as general aspects of daily life around the world. Therefore, these activities may not be addressed in the realm of ethics. However, the economic benefits that are derived by participating in food and agriculture system are considered as a means to an end that are ethical in nature (FAO, 2001). It is evident that the ethical consideration is becoming central in consumer food choices’ unease expressed by consumers regarding the increasing gap between the production processes and consumption. According to the current trend the consumers face three types of ‘ethical concerns’. The first type of the concern is about the substantive issues, for example, animal welfare. The second type of ethical concern covers requirements in relation to reliable information while the third concern covers involvement and participation. The food production system in the recent years possesses certain inherent features. There are different barriers that tend to block ‘ethical conscious consumers’ and ‘producers food choices’. There are four ethical requirements that may be as follows: the need for tax on unhealthy ingredients, the need for labeling and ethical traceability, the need for diversification of the production methods and the need for sufficient prices in case when the price reduction is gained at the expense of ethical values such as increased environmental impairment and compromised animal welfare Along with the significance of all facets of food in the society, there are certain other aspects of food that is beyond the basic nutrition which is becoming increasingly imperative. Therefore, in this regards, it is important to regulate the representation as well as coexistence of these styles of production. When it comes to food industries, the retail outlets need to be more concerned regarding the kind of food products they are delivering to their customers. The consumers are quite concerned regarding few ethically questionable structural traits related to the food chain, for instance, lack of animal welfare, trustworthy information and objectivity on the part of the information sources. It has been evident that the consumers even complain regarding the lack of the involvement with the food chain and rising gap between the food chain and consumers that treats them as strangers and outsiders and excludes them from making any decision regarding the food supply. European consumers tend to focus upon seven ethical issues. These

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

At the Brookly Museum, art helps show why black lives matter Essay

At the Brookly Museum, art helps show why black lives matter - Essay Example Resnikoff explains how some of the portraits of modern day black people provoke traditional images of medieval saints by placing them in medieval religious contexts. To support, the article refers to specific exhibits, such as the "Arms of Nicolas Ruterius, Bishop of Arras† and the â€Å"Mugshot Study†. He considers Wiley’s artwork as being similar to the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement, which resists de-humanisation of black people and calls for racial justice. The article also refers to the differences in public view that the exhibition will provoke more public discussions of racial injustice and that it is too difficult to alter the deep-seated attitudes with one exhibition. The content of the article is relevant to the topic, which is how Wiley’s works of art on display at the museum provoke discussions among the public about the value of black lives. The choice of examples helps show how Wiley’s portraitures reinterpret traditional paintings and break the widespread images of black people. The article also refers to Wiley himself, for example, to show how the artist draws parallels between mugshots and the paintings of the 18th century. The article gives a broad review of the artwork on display by presenting the views of the author, the differing opinions of the public, and discussions of the features of specific works of art on display. References to public opinion balance the argument and evoke interest in the reader about the topic. Resnikoff, Ned. (March 2, 2015). At the Brooklyn Museum, art helps show why black lives matter. Aljazeera America. Retrieved from

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Antacids Structure and Uses

Antacids Structure and Uses Antacids are medications that increase the pH balance in your stomach. A number of symptoms, including heartburn, gastritis, and gastro -esophageal reflux disease (GERD), can be treated with them. In most cases, antacids start working within a few minutes. It is important to note that they may not always be necessary, and they can have serious consequences if used improperly. The most common of these bases are hydroxides, carbonates, or bicarbonates. The following table contains a list of the active ingredients found in several common commercial antacids, and the reactions by which these antacids neutralize the HCl in stomach acid. Compound Chemical Formula Chemical Reaction Aluminum hydroxide Al(OH)3 Al(OH)3(s) + 3 HCl(aq) > AlCl3(aq) + 3 H2O(l) Calcium carbonate CaCO3 CaCO3(s) + 2 HCl(aq) > CaCl2(aq) + H2O(l) + CO2(g) Magnesium carbonate MgCO3 MgCO3(s) + 2 HCl(aq) > MgCl2(aq) + H2O(l) + CO2(g) Magnesium hydroxide Mg(OH)2 Mg(OH)2(s) + 2 HCl(aq) > MgCl2(aq) + 2 H2O(l) Sodium bicarbonate NaHCO3 NaHCO3(aq) + HCl(aq) > NaCl(aq) + H2O(l) + CO2(g) What Are Antacids? How Do They Work? Types of Antacids Is Simethicone an Antacid? What Are Antacids Used For? When to Consult Your Doctor About Antacids Final Thoughts on Antacids Working of antacids The opposite of an acid is a base, and thats exactly what an antacid is. Antacids make you feel better by increasing the pH balance in your stomach. The pH system is a scale for measuring the acidity or alkalinity of a given environment (in this case, your stomach). The scale goes from  0 to 14. A pH of 7 is neutral. Below 7 is acid. Above 7 is alkaline Normally, the acid level in your stomach is about 2 or 3. Trouble may start when your pH drops below those numbers. To make you feel better, an antacid need not bring the pH level all the way up to 7 (neutral), which would be a highly unnatural state for your stomach. In order to work, all the antacid has to do is get you to 3 or 4. It does this by neutralizing some of the excess acid.   Due to several complex factors, a base cant neutralize your acid all by itself. A base needs some chemical helpers, or ingredients, to accompany it as it neutralizes the acid in your stomach. All antacids contain at least one of these four primary ingredients: Sodium Calcium Magnesium Aluminum. Antacids are medications that increase the pH balance in your stomach. A number of symptoms, including heartburn, gastritis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), can be treated with them. In most cases, antacids start working within a few minutes. It is important to note that they may not always be necessary, and they can have serious consequences if used improperly. What Are Antacids? Antacids are medicines that work by increasing the pH balance in your stomach. Americans currently spend close to $1 billion per year on antacids. This is because antacids can quickly relieve the symptoms associated with occasional heartburn and indigestion. Though they cause problems for some, antacids can be taken safely by most people. Consumers who use antacids only once in a while, and as directed, are unlikely to experience significant side effects. But antacids may not always be necessary, and they can have serious consequences if used improperly. Frequent and prolonged use can cause irreparable harm to your heart, kidneys, or bones. Even if used occasionally and in moderation, antacids can cause problems for people with special medical conditions. How Do They Work? The opposite of an acid is a base, and thats exactly what an antacid is. Antacids make you feel better by increasing the pH balance in your stomach. The pH system is a scale for measuring the acidity or alkalinity of a given environment (in this case, your stomach). The scale goes from  0 to 14. A pH of 7 is neutral. Below 7 is acid. Above 7 is alkaline. Normally, the acid level in your stomach is about 2 or 3. Trouble may start when your pH drops below those numbers. To make you feel better, an antacid need not bring the pH level all the way up to 7 (neutral), which would be a highly unnatural state for your stomach. In order to work, all the antacid has to do is get you to 3 or 4. It does this by neutralizing some of the excess acid. Due to several complex factors, a base cant neutralize your acid all by itself. A base needs some chemical helpers, or ingredients, to accompany it as it neutralizes the acid in your stomach. All antacids contain at least one of these four primary ingredients: Sodium Calcium Magnesium Aluminum. Types of Antacids As mentioned above, antacids have four types of ingredients. Within these four types, there are many different brands. Below we discuss each type, name several brands, and discuss their possible side effects. Sodium Antacids (Alka-Seltzer, Bromo-Seltzer, and Others) Sodium bicarbonate (commonly known as baking soda) is perhaps the best-known of the sodium-containing antacids. It is potent and fast-acting. As its name suggests, it is high in sodium. If youre on a salt-restricted diet, and especially if the diet is intended to treat high blood pressure (hypertension), take a sodium-containing antacid only under a doctors orders. Calcium Antacids (Tums, Alka-2, Titralac„ ¢, and Others) Antacids in the form of calcium carbonate or calcium phosphate are also potent and fast-acting. Regular or heavy doses of calcium (more than five or six times per week) can cause constipation. Heavy and extended use of this product may clog your kidneys and cut down the amount of blood they can process. Extended use of calcium antacids can also cause kidney stones. Magnesium Antacids (Maalox, Mylanta, Riopan, Gelusil, and Others) Magnesium salts come in many forms carbonate, glycinate, hydroxide, oxide, trisilicate, and aluminosilicate. it has a mild laxative effect; it can cause diarrhea. For this reason, magnesium salts are rarely used as the only active ingredients in an antacid, but are combined with aluminum, which counteracts the laxative effect. (The brand names listed above all contain magnesium-aluminum combinations.)Like calcium, magnesium may cause kidney stones if taken for a prolonged period, especially if the kidneys are functioning improperly to begin with. A serious magnesium overload in the bloodstream (hypermagnesemia) can also cause blood pressure to drop, leading to respiratory or cardiac depression a potentially dangerous decrease in lung or heart function. Antacids are medications that increase the pH balance in your stomach. A number of symptoms, including heartburn, gastritis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), can be treated with them. In most cases, antacids start working within a few minutes. It is important to note that they may not always be necessary, and they can have serious consequences if used improperly. Aluminum Antacids (Rolaids, Alternagel , Amphojel, and Others) Salts of aluminum (hydroxide, carbonate gel, or phosphate gel) can also cause constipation. For these reasons, aluminum is usually used in combination with the other three primary ingredients.   Used heavily over an extended period, antacids containing aluminum can weaken bones, especially in people who have kidney problems. Aluminum can cause dietary phosphates, calcium, and fluoride to leave the body, eventually causing bone problems such as osteomalacia or osteoporosis. It should be emphasized that aluminum-containing antacids present virtually no danger to people who have normal kidney function and who use these products only occasionally and as directed. Uses of Antacids Antacids can be used to treat a number of common symptoms in the esophagus, stomach, and intestines. Some of these antacid uses include: Indigestion Gastritis Heartburn Gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) Peptic ulcer. Indigestion Indigestion is a fuzzy word that is often used to refer to vague abdominal discomfort. It is also referred to as: Sour stomach Acid indigestion Upset stomach Acid stomach. Gastritis Gastritis is a condition that occurs when your stomach lining becomes inflamed by too much acid secretion. Heartburn Heartburn occurs when the stomachs contents, including its corrosive juices, go into reverse and come back up the esophagus (known as acid reflux or gastro- esophageal reflux). Gastro-esophageal Reflux Disease If you experience gastro esophageal reflux frequently, then you may have something called gastro esophageal reflux disease, or GERD for short. Peptic Ulcer If the location of the burning sensation is a little lower, and if it stays around formore than a few days, you could have a peptic ulcer. An ulcer is simply a sore in your stomach that keeps getting irritated by stomach acid. Side effects Excess calcium from supplements, fortified food and high-calcium diets, can cause the milk-alkali syndrome, which has serious toxicity and can be fatal. In 1915, Bertram Sippy introduced the Sippy regimen of hourly ingestion of milk and cream, the gradual addition of eggs and cooked cereal, for 10 days, combined with alkaline powders, which provided symptomatic relief for peptic ulcer disease. Over the next several decades, the Sippy regimen resulted in renal failure, alkalosis, and hypercalemia, mostly in men with peptic ulcer disease. These adverse effects were reversed when the regimen stopped, but it was fatal in some patients with protracted vomiting. Milk alkali syndrome declined in men after effective treatments were developed for peptic ulcer disease. But during the past 15 years, it has been reported in women taking calcium supplements above the recommended range of 1200 to 1500  mg daily, for prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, and is exacerbated by dehydration. Cal cium has been added to over-the-counter products, which contributes to inadvertent excessive intake. The New England Journal of Medicine reported a typical case of a woman who arrived in the emergency department vomiting and altered mental status, writhing in pain. She had consumed large quantities of chewable antacid tablets containing calcium carbonate. She gradually recovered. Compounds containing calcium may also increase calcium output in the urine, which might be associated with kidney stones. Calcium salts may cause constipation. Other adverse effects from antacids include Carbonate: regular high doses may cause alkalosis, which in turn may result in altered excretion of other drugs, and kidney stones. A chemical reaction between the carbonate and hydrochloric acid may produce carbon dioxide gas. This causes gastric distension which may not be well tolerated. Carbon dioxide formation can also lead to headaches and decreased muscle flexibility. Aluminum hydroxide: may lead to the formation of insoluble aluminium-phosphate-complexes, with a risk for hypophosphatemia and osteomalacia. Although aluminium has a low gastrointestinal absorption, accumulation may occur in the presence of renal insufficiency. Aluminium-containing drugs may cause constipation. Magnesium hydroxide: It has laxative properties. Magnesium may accumulate in patients with renal failure leading to hypermagnesemia, with cardiovascular and neurological complications. See Milk of magnesia. Sodium: increased intake of sodium may be deleterious for arterial hypertension, heart failure and many renal diseases. Side effects from antacids vary depending on individual and other medications they may be taking at the time. Those who experience side effects most commonly suffer from changes in bowel functions, such as diarrhea, constipation, or flatulence. Although reactions to any drug may vary from person to person, generally those medications that contain aluminum or calcium are the likeliest to cause constipation, those that contain magnesium are the likeliest to cause diarrhea. Some products combine these ingredients, which essentially cancels them out, to forestall unpleasant side effects. In general, people with kidney problems should probably not take antacids as this can sometimes cause a condition known as alkalosis. In other people, side effects may occur if substances such as salt, sugar, or aspirin, are added to a particular medication. As with all medications, always carefully read the product label on the package and check with your doctor or pharmacist if you have any question about potential drug interactions or side effects. Some side effects, such as constipation and diarrhea, are fairly obvious. Other more serious side effects, such as stomach or intestinal; bleeding, can be more difficult to recognize. In general, any sign of blood in the stool or the presence of vomiting is a danger sign and should be brought to the immediate attention of a physician. If your symptoms persist for more than 10 days to two weeks while you are using the medication, you should stop taking it and consult your doctor. Persistent symptoms may indicate that you have more a serious problem than occasional acid reflux. Pregnant or nursing baby should always consult your doctor before taking this medication. Generally, you should not give these medications to children under the age of 12 unless under the advice and supervision of your doctor or the package label has indicated that the product is safe for young children Antacids (The Truth About Antacid) Im sure you know of someone who suffers from heartburn on a regular basis and takes antacids like theyre candy. It might even be you. Most people think the answers to all their stomach problems can be resolved by taking over-the-counter antacids. In reality, their digestive problems typically stem from low stomach acid, very few digestive enzymes, and huge meals that were not chewed well enough. These meals cause food to sit in the digestive tract longer than they should. As a result, food ferments, causing gas and bloating when it is not properly digested. As gases rise and reach the esophagus, they cause pain in the chest that some say feels like a heart attack. Too much gas causes the valve that keeps the stomach contents out of the esophagus to stretch. This spills acid into the esophagus, causing the stinging sensation other wise known as heartburn. Taking an antacid medication may temporarily ease the burning sensation since it reduces stomach acid. When this is done, improper food digestion occurs, and then ferments. Then the whole problem starts all over again. By using antacids to control stomach acid, the stomach compensates by providing more acid. Below I have outlined common ingredients in antacids and their effects on our body. Please read carefully through them. It is amazing that, especially if taken in large doses, antacids can be harmful to your health! Aluminum salts: These salts interfere with the absorption of phosphates. This can lead to constipation, loss of appetite, weakness, and bone damage. Aluminum salts can aggravate patients with Alzheimers disease, kidney disease, those who are dehydrated, and those with certain bone disorders. Calcium salts: In excess, calcium sales can cause constipation, urinary tract disorders, headaches, mood changes, muscles weakness, and nausea. Sodium bicarbonate: This has a laxative effect. Sodium bicarbonate can also affect blood pressure and cause swollen feet and legs. In addition, antacids can interfere with the absorption of vitamins and medication, especially antibiotics. Antacids that contain magnesium can be dangerous when given to people who have a kidney disease. It can also be dangerous for those who suffer from dehydration. I have read that antacids block the vitamin B12â‚ ¬Ã‚ ¦the most vital vitamin for the human brain. Researchers believe that the lack of vitamin B12 in the brain may be one cause of Alzheimers disease. If indeed you have osteoporosis or are at risk, or if you are a child, you should never take antacids. I am in the process of putting out 10 proven tips that will reduce your heartburn within a very short period of time. I too have suffered from years and years of agonizing heartburn and it is my pleasure to share these secrets to you. Until recently, I learned the truth about antacids and some proven methods of curing heartburn. Let face it, if you are going to settle for treating heartburn instead of curing it, youll be wasting your money! This method of treatment will bring absolutely no long term effects and a possibility of esophagus cancer could occur. In our next newsletter, I will discuss 10 techniques to conquering heartburn. Antacids are medications that increase the pH balance in your stomach. A number of symptoms, including heartburn, gastritis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), can be treated with them. In most cases, antacids start working within a few minutes. It is important to note that they may not always be necessary, and they can have serious consequences if used improperly. Is Simethicone an Antacid? Some antacids contain an ingredient called simethicone, a gastric defoaming agent that breaks up gas bubbles, making them easier to eliminate from your body. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says simethicone is safe and effective in combination with antacids for relief of intestinal gas associated with heartburn. Not all antacids contain simethicone. If you are looking for relief of symptoms associated with gas, read the antacids label carefully to make sure it contains simethicone. What Are Antacids Used For? Antacids can be used to treat a number of common symptoms in the esophagus, stomach, and intestines. Some of these antacid uses include: Indigestion Gastritis Heartburn Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD for short) Peptic ulcer. If antacids fail to relieve symptoms of any of these conditions within 10 to 15 minutes, or if symptoms are severe, you should visit your doctor.

Friday, October 25, 2019

An Analysis of Countee Cullens Any Human to Another Essay -- Countee

An Analysis of Countee Cullen's â€Å"Any Human to Another† Countee Cullen was man who struggled to be called a â€Å"poet† instead of a â€Å"Negro poet.†Ã‚   His life during the Harlem Renaissance was filled with inequality and prejudice.   These facts have lead many analysts to perceive his poem â€Å"Any Human to Another† as a cry for racial equality.   However, Cullen’s manipulation of structure, imagery, and symbols in the poem reveals that his true theme is that all humans are individually unique but must live together in harmony and equality, caring for and helping each other.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The first technique Cullen uses to show his theme is the structure of the poem.   â€Å"Any Human to Another† is made up of five stanzas:   the first and second are six lines long, the third and fifth contain seven lines, and the fourth stanza is made up of only five lines.   The author uses these varying lengths for a purpose; he wants the readers to see the way in which a variety of different types join together to form one poem.   This is analogous to the way in which many unique people make up our society.   The diversity of stanza length in the poem shows that the diversity of society in the world is a main contributing factor to our culturally enriched lives.   Another example of how the structure of this poem relates to the theme is in the rhyme schemes of the five stanzas.   Each part has several lines that rhyme with other lines in that stanza; however, the rhyme scheme of one stanza does not match with that o f any other.   This again shows the unique parts of each stanza that all go together to make one beautiful poem.   Similar to the way this poem would lack excitement if it followed one rhyme pattern the whole way through, life would be not b... ... means to express his opinion is the â€Å"little tent† in the second stanza.   Cullen writes that no man is allowed his own â€Å"meadow of sun and shadow,† the sun being joyous feelings while the shadow is angst.   No man deserves the privilege of indulging himself in â€Å"sun† while others in the world have troubles; on the other hand, no man should deal with the â€Å"shadow† of inequality without a friend or companion.   As a member of the human race, each individual has their own duty to care for and help others.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Countee Cullen clearly has a message to spread through this poem.   His structure of individual stanzas coming together, imagery of diversity and grief, and symbols of emotional bonds say one thing:   society must be made of individual people who coexist in peace, aiding and respecting one another.   This message is clearly a valuable truth we must all learn.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Plato’s Theory of Ideas Essay

Plato’s theory of Ideas addresses the problem of change. As we experience the world we experience it as change. As Heraclitus puts it, all things are in flux (Barnes 58). Things change through time, and they also change through space, via motion. One never steps in the same river twice. But against this ancient wisdom of Heraclitus there is also the wisdom of Parmenides, who proclaims that nothing ever changes, because whatever exists necessarily has permanent existence (Ibid 245). Parmenides is seen to have posed the problem of being and non-being which had bedeviled the Greeks for long, before Plato affected reconciliation through his Theory of Ideas. The points of view of both Heraclitus and Parmenides are valid, he says, because they are speaking of different modes of existence. Heraclitus describes the phenomenal world, whereas Parmenides the transcendental one. Parmenides speaks of the higher truth, of true and unchanging reality. This is the reality of Ideas, and which we do not experience directly. Heraclitus’ wisdom is the lesser one, but hardly insignificant. It is the reality of the phenomenal world, and the one which we experience directly. It is the world as framed by time and space, and therefore characterized by perpetual change. Plato’s theory concerns the relationship between the two realities. Change is the fundamental problem that we face. There are two aspects to this problem, one moral, and the other metaphysical. First to consider the metaphysical. Realities are all we ever seek. The non-real repels us, for it is of the same substance as error, illusion, or imperfection. But how real can we accept that which is never the same in two successive instances, or in two different locations. The best we can say of such reality is that it is transient. It is as if we have a glimpse of reality, but it doesn’t persist, and is instantaneously replaced by another reality. At this point we may come to the rash conclusion that there is nothing that is permanently real, as do the nihilists. Another equally rash conclusion is that, while there is an objective reality, it is beyond our reach, which is the conclusion of the skeptics. But nihilism does not account for intelligibility and comprehension. We clearly understand the comprehend the world beyond, which means that there is something there to understand, which in turn means there is something real. The same argument may be used to dispel skepticism too. The moral dimension to the problem of change involves a similar argument, this time introducing the concepts of virtue, justice and beauty. Such qualities are indispensable to human existence. If there was nothing called virtue and justice, we would not be able to live with our neighbors at all. If there was nothing called beauty, we would be deprived of the very motive force that carries us through life. But no one has ever come to agree as to what these entities are, and each arrives at a subjective estimation. Such relativism, in the first instance, seems to refute the existence of justice or beauty as properly existent entities in themselves. At the same time the tangible existence of human society tells us that justice and beauty necessary exist, even though no one can put a finger on it. The conviction that there is a thing called justice is part of the moral life. Change is thus a measure of imperfection. Material objects are mutable; therefore they can only be imperfect copies of real entities – the Ideas. This is true for either tangible objects, or abstract qualities, such as virtue and justice. We recognize a ball because it is round, but do we actually perceive roundness directly? Roundness is a geometrical concept that we are able to understand, but we can never come across something that is perfectly round in the material world. No one has ever seen perfect roundness, and yet we are able recognize something as round immediately. This can only mean that roundness is an innate concept of the mind. We are allowed to compare real objects with this archetype, so that whenever something is â€Å"nearly† round, then we call it round. The roundness of the ball is an imperfect copy of the archetypical roundness – and the latter is what we call the Idea of roundness. In the same way the ball is composed of the copies of other Ideas, such as redness, hardness, bounciness, if we have a red, hard and bouncy ball. All these qualities come together to make the material object, which is the ball, and this is a mutable entity. The Ideas, however, never change. It is because the Ideas have permanency that we are able to comprehend the ball for what it is. For if the forms, such as roundness and hardness, had no fixity, then there is no hope for intelligibility at all. Again, the material ball can be said to exist only because the Ideas have true existence, i.e. they retain their qualities at all times and in all places. Therefore, material objects derive their existence from the transcendental existence of Ideas. It is a transient, and therefore limited existence, when we compare it to the true existence of Ideas. We therefore have two levels of existence, one of Ideas, and the other of material things. The Ideas we may denote as Entities, they only having true existence. Material things also have existence, but only in a transient way, so we must say that they do not truly exist. They derive both their intelligibility and their existence by dint of their being copies of the Entities. The Entities are perfect, because they are immutable. Material objects, on the other hand, are mutable, which reflects the fact that they are imperfect copies of archetypical forms. In one of the most famous passages of Plato, which has come to be known as â€Å"The Myth of the Cave†, we find a vivid illustration of the structure of reality as envisaged by Plato (Marias 48). Socrates (Plato) asks his audience to imagine a curious type of cave dweller. They have spent all their lives inside the cave, and not only that, but they are chained and restricted in such a way that they must sit facing the wall of the cave, and cannot even turn their necks to see what goes on behind their backs. In this posterior region there is a path, and even further back a fire blazes. There are bearers walking along the path and carrying objects. The shadows of these objects fall onto the cave wall. These shadows constitute all that the cave dwellers ever see. The objects that the bearers carry are real, and are likened to the Entities. The shadows are likened to the material objects. The first thing to notice is that they are indistinct and imperfect copies of the real things. The second thing is that they are mutable, meaning that the shadows flicker and give a perpetually changing outline. Compared to this the Entities are solid and immutable. Socrates further goes on to consider what it implies if the cave dwellers are released from their shackles, and then led out of the cave into the broad daylight. They see things now with the maximum of clarity, and we may liken such seeing as experiencing the Entities themselves. Compared to the puny and indistinct shadows inside the cave, the real things have far more clarity. By letting the cave dweller out, Plato is suggesting that there is escape from the cage of phenomenal existence, and that man spans the gap between the two realms, experiencing material things on the one hand, but with the latent possibility of knowing the ultimately real too. The question then arises as to how we should deal with change. We can either accept change as the final judgment, which means that we will not allow Plato’s transcendental realm of Ideas. Such a stance is known as relativism, because all things are now only relative to each other. With relativism all points of view must be accepted as valid, and there will no underlining objectivity to it all. Either this, or we accept Plato’s theory of forms. But relativism by itself is absurd. Even the statement â€Å"relativism is true† has meaning only if it is objective. Since relativism denies objectivity, the statement is self-contradictory, therefore false. This means that we must fall back on Plato’s theory of Ideas. But a multiplicity of Ideas also entails relativism, for these too must be mutually related to each other. To expel all relativism we must ultimately arrive at the â€Å"Idea of the Ideas†, the single Idea form which all others must stem (Ibid 53). It is what Plato calls the transcendental Good. Since we cannot apprehend Entities, how are we to arrive at truth? Plato says that it is through reconciliation. We are perpetually striving towards objectivity, which is the common ground to all points of view. Therefore, there is a universally operative force by which all things mutually attract each other. Plato calls this eros – or love. This is the motive force that propels all things, and leads to truth. The process of reconciliation is where opposite points of view come together, and there is gradual expansion of the common ground. The process, therefore, sets before us a hierarchy of truth. At the lower end is the particular and the subjective; at the higher end is the general and the objective. In terms of change we say that, at one end of the hierarchy is the transient and ever-changing, and the other is the permanent and immutable truth. We proceed from the lower end of the hierarchy to the higher. The same hierarchy is reflected in all things that we observe in the material world. There is the hierarchy of the inert and the living. Among the living there is the hierarchy of the insentient plants and the sentient animals. Among both these groups we find an infinitely nuanced hierarchy, with man at the summit of it all. Even among man there is a hierarchy, reflected the stages of spiritual development, whereby material attachment is gradually shed. Plato speaks of a nine fold hierarchy that spans from the tyrant to the philosopher (Ibid 47). To illustrate how the condition of man came to be, Plato describes (in the Phaedrus) a mystical vision as it comes to Socrates while meditating on the banks if the Illysus. He sees the soul of man being carried by two winged horses, one of which is unruly (denoting the senses and the passions), and the other is calm (denoting the mind). Reason is the driver in the middle, and he carries the soul over heaven, so that the soul has glimpsed the eternal and unchanging truth. But in the end reason cannot manage the unmatched steeds, so that the horses lose their wings, and the soul fall to earth, taking on a material body. If it was not for the glimpse of heaven, the fallen soul would only be ranked among the beasts. But the special condition of man is that he straddles the divide between the material and the eternal. He must persist in a material body, but where the wings have been clipped there is aching longing to fly again. The aching is further exacerbated by the recollection of heaven. The soul which has once experienced eternity can never forget it. The faculty of reason itself is but an act of remembering of having once flown over heaven. Through reason man may guide his soul back to heaven, through the acquisition of wisdom. The rational perception of material things is therefore an act of remembering. Material objects are therefore only the signposts that lead the way back to heaven. Socrates puts this most beautifully in the following way: â€Å"The virtue of wings consists in lifting heavy things upwards, bearing them through the air to the place where the gods reside† (qtd. in Marias 48). In conclusion, Plato solves the problem of change by positing the existence of Ideas, which are the transcendental entities having eternal and unchanging existence. The theory describes a hierarchy of existence, with the unchanging Ideas residing at the summit, and the material objects below, which obtain both their existence and their intelligibility through being derived from the Ideas. Put in another way, the mutable objects are only imperfect copies of the perfect and immutable archetypes. The human condition is such that it remains in contact with both realms. While the human soul persists in the illusory and mutable realm of material objects, it nevertheless strives towards the objective and unchanging truth through the faculty of reason. The rational contemplation of material objects is therefore only a process or recollection of the higher truth which the soul was once privy to. From this point of view material objects are only signs that lead the way back to the ultimate truth, and wisdom is but a process of shedding material attachment. Works Cited Barnes, Jonathan. The Presocratic Philosophers. London: Routledge, 1982. Marà ­as, Julià ¡n. History of Philosophy. Chelmsford, MA: Courier Dover Publications, 1967.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Advertising Effects On Young People Essay

Advertising on American youth has changed somewhat in the last ten years. Today’s youth, mostly between the ages of 15-18, see an advertisement on television, or the internet and they want to try it , have it, or even steal for it because they desire it. Take alcohol advertisements for instance. Alcohol advertisements are more complex and appealing to today’s youth than they were ten years ago. The effect of these alcohol related advertisements, cause our youth to try just a little sip or worse drink to many. Because our youth today don’t understand the effect of alcohol on them, they get behind the wheel of a vehicle and either cause an accident where they hurt or kill themselves or they hurt or kill someone else. Alcohol advertisements were not as appealing ten years ago as they are today. Really all you would see were a few beer advertisements and the â€Å"Drink Responsibly† at the end of it. Honestly, who really drinks responsibly these days? I don’t believe that our American youth does or there would not be that many drunk driving accidents involving our youth. As far as technology advertisements, they are just as bad. The effects of these advertisements are a hundred times worse on today’s youth than they were ten years ago. Therefore, the effects of advertising on today’s young population has increased the potential for success, however there is still non-targeted advertisement that reaches out to today’s American youth in a potentially negative perspective. Television is the dominant way to advertise to American youth because that is what our youth spends most of their time doing. By searching online for evidence that could support this, I found these statistics from thinkbox.tv: â€Å"Ages 15-24 spend 43% of their time watching television. Young people particularly like commercial television, which accounts for 76% of ages 16-34. Commercial television reaches 62% of the 16-34 population every day, 89% every week, and 97% every month. Of ages 5-16, 45% talk about their favorite television program with friends and family. Of ages 5-16, 34% say they regularly visit their favorite television website or Facebook page. 10% of ages 5-16, watch television on their laptops or computers in their rooms† (http://www.thinkbox.tv/getting-started-on-tv/discover-the-power-of-tv-advert  ising/#2). These statistics can somewhat show that the youth today spends more time watching television and playing on their computers than they do outside. Furthermore, television has become a powerful piece of technology for today’s youth. For example, the variety of channels that is now available for our youth. For that reason, television is the main source of advertising to our youth today. Advertising today vs ten years ago can raise a lot of viewpoints among Americans today. Most people will argue that advertisements do not cause any effects on our youth, but I disagree. For instance, cigarette advertisements effect our youth in some way. Some young people choose to ignore these advertisements because they know it harms the body, while others choose to go purchase cigarettes because they think it makes them fit in more with their peers. I have seen more young people with a cigarette today than I did ten years ago. In addition to the cigarette advertisements, the alcohol advertisements raise concern with some. Alcohol advertisements tend to persuade our young people that its ok to drink as long as you drink responsibly. There is not one young person that says â€Å"Ok, I will only have a couple of drinks†. Young people tend to do what they think will make them more acceptable in today’s society. To me, this is unacceptable behavior. In a similar fashion, Violence has taken over our youth today. The video games that most young people play portray violence in a very bad way. Some gangs or â€Å"clicks† use this type of violence as an initiation for young people to join. I have seen more teen tragedies in today’s news due to this type of violence than the last ten years. There is teen kidnappings, violent injuries and even murders. Most of the time, it is teen on teen violence because they think its ok because they see it on television or even the internet. It is ridiculous on how much violence has happen with today’s youth. I believe it is because of all the advertisements that portray violence has an ok thing. For example, video games are the main source of violence in today’s youth. My opinion on this type of advertising is one of the causes of most of our youth’s accidents, tragedies, and even deaths. Today’s advertising has more effect on our youth than it did ten year s ago. In conclusion, advertising on American youth has caused tragedies and even death. Young people today really don’t have enough common sense to know that if it looks, taste, or smells bad, that it probably is and that they should not partake in it. Our young people today seem to think that if they partake in things that could hurt them then it makes them fit in more with their peers. To clarify, â€Å"If you can drink this or smoke this or even try this, then you can be part of this â€Å"click†. It sickens me to know that even our youth today has effects on other young people. Parents should monitor more of what their child is doing, what they are watching and what kind of people their child is friends with. In another sense, parents could prevent tragedies or even death from occurring. Yes, advertising in some way has increased the potential for success in American youth; however it still has potentially negative perspectives on American youth today. By parents monitoring what their child is watching, what their child is doing, and what kind of people their child is friends with can potentially decrease the amount of smoking, drinking, and violence that our young people partake in today. There is always positive potential for our American youth. We just have to monitor more of what they watch and make sure that they know right from wrong. http://www.thinkbox.tv/getting-started-on-tv/discover-the-power-of-tv-advertising/#2 THESIS AND OUTLINE The effects of advertising on today’s young population has increased the potential for success, however there is still non-targeted advertisements that reaches out to today’s American youth in a potentially negative perspective. I. Introduction Paragraph A. The relation between advertising today verses ten years ago. B. The effects on American youth today verses ten years ago. C. Thesis Statement II. Body Paragraph A. Topic Sentence on the focus of the paragraph B. Specific examples of the effects of advertising on today’s youth. C. My explanation and analysis of my examples. D. Summary Sentence III. Body Paragraph A. Topic Sentence that identifies opposing viewpoints. B. My explanation on why I disagree C. Examples of why I disagree D. Summary Sentence IV. Conclusion Paragraph A. Summary of my body paragraphs B. Thesis statement reiterated C. My final thoughts or call for action

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

How to Make Bubble Print Pictures

How to Make Bubble Print Pictures Bubble prints are like fingerprints, except made with bubbles. You can make bubble prints and learn about how bubbles are shaped and how pigments combine to make different colors. Bubble Print Materials Bubble prints are made by coloring bubble solution, blowing bubbles, and pressing paper onto the bubbles. You need brightly-colored bubbles in order to get a good picture. Tempera paint powder works really well, but you can substitute other water-soluble paints if you like. bubble solution (buy it or make your own)tempera paint powderpaperstrawssmall plates Make Colored Bubble Solution Pour a little bubble solution onto the bottom of a plate.Stir in paint powder until you have a thick paint. You want the thickest paint you can get, yet still be able to make bubbles using it. If you get the three primary colors of tempera paint then you can mix them in order to make other colors. You can add black or white paint, too. Primary Colors BlueRedYellow Secondary Colors - Made by mixing two primary colors together. Green Blue YellowOrange Yellow RedPurple Red Blue Make Bubble Prints Put the straw into the paint and blow bubbles. It may help to tilt the dish slightly. You can experiment with a few large bubbles versus many small bubbles.Touch the bubbles with a sheet of paper. Dont press the paper down into the paint - just catch the impressions of the bubbles.You can switch between colors. For multicolored bubbles, add two colors together but dont mix them. Blow bubbles into the un-mixed paints. Learn About Bubbles Bubbles consist of a thin film of soapy water filled with air. When you blow a bubble, the film expands outward. The forces acting between the molecules of the bubble cause it to form the shape that encloses the most volume with the least surface area a sphere. Look at the bubble prints that you have made. When bubbles stack, do they remain spheres? No, when two bubbles meet, they will merge walls to minimize their surface area. If bubbles that are the same size meet, then the wall that separates them will be flat. If bubbles that are different sizes meet, then the smaller bubble will bulge into the large bubble. Bubbles meet to form walls at an angle of 120Â °. If enough bubbles meet, the cells will form hexagons. You can see this structure in the images you make in this project.

Monday, October 21, 2019

abraham lincon essays

abraham lincon essays President Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States. He was the president during the Civil War when he fought for slave rights and ended up freeing the slaves. His life ended on April 15, 1865 at the hand of a killer named John Wilkes Booth while attending a performance at Fords Theater in Washington D.C. On February 12, 1809, the son of Thomas and Nancy Honks Lincoln was born in a log cabin in Harden County, Kentucky. They named him Abraham after his grandfather. Having no education, Thomas Lincoln, Abrahams father worked as a farmer, as his family made repeated new starts in the west. When little Abraham was eight years old, his family moved from Kentucky to Indiana, where he grew up in a wild region, with many bears and other wild animals still in the woods. Abrahams childhood was spent in a poor life, as opportunities for education and cultural activities on the frontier wes poor. In the year of 1818, his mother Nancy died of a frontier decease called Milk Sickness. Only one year after Nancys death, Abrahams father, Thomas, married a woman named Sarah bush Johnston, a mother of three children, who became Abrahams stepmothe. Sarah made sure that the by Abraham received at least some schooling to read and write. The Lincolns lived in Indiana for a period of fourteen years. Abraham was raised on hard farm work and hunting. He grew strong and very tall. He was in height, six feet, four inches, nearly weighing, on an average, one hundred and eighty pounds; he had black hair, gray eyes. To support the poor family, Thomas Lincoln kept Abraham busy at farm work until Abraham was twenty-two years old. In the year of 1830, the Lincolns decided to leave the state of Indiana, because they hoped of a better future and moved to the state of Illinois. Abraham settled in the town of New Salem, Illinois, where he began his education by study ...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Italian Adjective Order

Italian Adjective Order In general  Italian adjectives  follow the  noun: È una lingua difficile.  (It is a difficult language.)Marina à ¨ una ragazza generosa.  (Marina is a generous girl.) Certain common adjectives, however, generally come before the noun: Anna à ¨ una cara amica.  (Anna is a dear friend.)Gino à ¨ un bravo dottore.  (Gino is a good doctor.)È un bruttaffare.  (Its a bad situation.) The most common adjectives that come before the noun are listed in the table below. Italian Adjectives That Precede Nouns bello beautiful bravo good, able brutto ugly buono good caro dear cattivo bad giovane young grande large; great lungo long nuovo new piccolo small, little stesso same vecchio old vero true But even these adjectives must follow the noun for emphasis or contrast, and when modified by an  adverb: Oggi non porta labito vecchio, porta un abito nuovo.  (Today he is not wearing the old suit, he is wearing a new suit.)Abitano in una casa molto piccola.  (They live in a very small house.)

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Case study - Essay Example Franchise contract can be beneficial on the part of Delissa in the sense that Agria could easily penetrate the Japanese market through its business partner Nikko. At the same time, Delissa could easily make use of Nikko’s existing market distribution to deliver Delissa’s yogurt in the market. One of the main factors that contribute to the failure of Delissa’s business strategy of entering the Japanese market has something to do with communication / language and culture gap. There is basically no single stakeholder on the part of Nikko who could speak English. For this reason, it becomes a challenge for the two companies to establish a clear vision and implement market strategies to increase the business’ profitability. Due to lack of communication, mistrust between the two parties becomes unavoidable. (p. 9–11) The initial marketing plan that was implemented is inappropriate due to the fact that it was not effective in establishing a good market position and differentiation for Delissa’s product-line. Based on the research survey result, 55% of the respondents were not clear on what the company is trying to communicate with regards to Delissa product. (p. 9–11) Based on the company’s recent media planning, Delissa is targeting children and young people between 13 to 24 years of age. For some reason, Nikko and SRT International Advertising Agency has been running TV spots between 11:15 to 12:15 at night. Obviously, the company’s target consumers are mostly asleep around that time. (p. 9–10) Aside from the ineffective advertising campaign used in the business, the ordering system and market distribution of Dalissa product is very slow due to some internal bottlenecks that causes delay in the delivery of products in the market. (p. 9–8) Ole Bobek – Agria’s director of international operations was constantly negotiating with Nikko regards to the business franchise. Even

Friday, October 18, 2019

Ellis College Admission Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ellis College Admission - Essay Example Ellis College believes in delivering superior education to the students. I can take the first major step towards achieving my career goal at Ellis. I do not have an American diploma but what I know is Ellis values the experience gained by the individual over the years, which will help me as I have plenty of experience in the profession. I am planning to join another organization because right now I have a decent job, but with not much of growth potential. I firmly believe that to grow up, there must be opportunities for capable persons, which in turn provide motivation to perform still better. 5. As you advance in your career, what are your priorities related to advancement? For example, these priorities may include finding a stable position, reaching a certain salary level, fulfilling a personal interest, using specialized skills, being challenged intellectually, or providing benefits to others. You may have other priorities than the examples listed here, and you are encouraged to discuss them. My short-term goal is to gain credentials as a qualified learner, who’s ready to accept the challenges and learn from them. Therefore my first priority is to reach a stable position using specialized skills. Ellis College will help me in polishing my skills. I’ll do all my sincere efforts to consolidate my position thereafter. And after reaching a certain salary level I’ll consider having my own enterprise. Having received so much from the society, I consider it my solemn duty to pay my due share back to the society as well. I’ll, therefore, do my bit to help in reducing the agony of orphan kids by providing them with toys and books. Ellis College is certain to provide me the edge in interpreting the challenges arising out of globalization and competition. I am sure Ellis can help me in restructuring my knowledge and broadening the knowledge base.

Business Operations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business Operations - Essay Example At the same time, it will concentrate on giving unique skincare diagnosis, facials, manicures, pedicures and other services, which are customized as compared to it competitors. Market segmentation is considered to the process in which customers are classified in accordance to their needs and objectives. It offers several advantages to an organization(Worthington, Britton & Rees, 2004). Firstly, it allows the company to concentrate on the main market. At the same time, it allows them to offer unique products and services. It assists the organization to emphasize and concentrate on its skills. Dove Spa will concentrate on targeting females of Streetly, between the ages of twenty and sixty. This segment has been selected because women between these ages are conscious about their looks and mostly take care of themselves. They used wide ranging beauty products. Dove Spa will give them skincare diagnosis, facials, manicures, pedicures and other services, which are customized. The competition is fierce in this industry and therefore, it is important that Dove Spa stands out unique as compared to its competitors. Marketing mix is considered to an important concept and it is the fundamental part of the marketing strategy. It concentrates on quality of services and products, which would be offered by the company. It concentrates on four essential components, which include price, product, position and promotion (Worthington, Britton & Rees, 2004). It concentrates on devising a marketing strategy, which would target every segment. The same strategy would be used for Dove Spa in order to advertise and promote it in effective way. It would assist the company to accomplish its aims and objectives. The main challenge for Dove Spa would be to develop an appropriate and strong business strategy in order to saturate itself in the market. Research suggests that the internal environment of the

Biodiesel an Alternative Source of Fuel Research Paper

Biodiesel an Alternative Source of Fuel - Research Paper Example Due to the emergence of many industries involved in converting â€Å"raw materials into finished goods†, biodiesel proves to be an alternative source of fuel to suit the operations of the existing and emerging industries (Kowalski, 2010). This fuel is also suitable for diesel vehicles. Biodiesel is a kind of energy generated from fats or vegetable oils combined with alcohol (Kowalski, 2010). This fuel is ideal for diesel engines, as it does not require the modifications of the engines for its use. The United States of America generates this fuel by using soybean oil. Many companies prefer to generate this fuel from already used fats and at times use grease. Biodiesel is effective, as one may prefer mixing it with diesel or use it alone. Biodiesel is ideal during its use as it is friendly to the environment and nontoxic. It is a recyclable fuel. Biodiesel tend to burn cleanly with minimal chocking smell and emits an insignificant portion of smoke. This fuel is not a source of p ollution as it emits insufficient amounts of pollutants such as â€Å"carbon (1V) Oxide and hydrocarbons and no sulfur† is contained in this substitute source of fuel (Kowalski, 2010). During its preparation, filtration of the fats or oils extensively is necessary to remove the contaminants and water present. Biodiesel contains high amounts of energy and its accurate tackiness makes it apposite for use in all vehicles and equipment that require diesel. In order to realize energy liberty, Biodiesel is the initiative to take and follow (Kowalski, 2010). Preparing Biodiesel Transesterification is the procedure of coming up with biodiesel. This process involves a chemical reaction thus a catalyst is necessary to augment the speed of reaction. Since the fats and oils are hydrocarbons, filtration is a prerequisite to clean them. After they are clean, alcohol is added to the mixture and a catalyst introduced. Sodium hydroxide is the preferred catalyst to speed up its manufacture. Th e catalyst does not become part of fuel in any way. The resulting product of the chemical reaction is biodiesel fuel (Demirbas, 2008). Biodiesel has become popular as heating oil in many countries with many residents of the United States using this fuel in place of household oil. Letter â€Å"B† comes along with a certain number to mark it. The number represents the percentage of this fuel in a mixture of petroleum and biodiesel. For example, a combination of 30% biodiesel and 70% petroleum is denoted as B30. B20 is the most popular biodiesel globally. Compared to the fossil fuels, biodiesel emits fifty percent less hydrocarbon and minimum amounts of sulfates and oxides (Demirbas, 2008). Over the past twenty years, biodiesel has proved to be a substitute fuel. It offers preventive measures of handling and transporting as its biodegradable. To eliminate low temperature gelling, additives are readily available in the market. The companies announce on a gel additive that blends well with B100 to prevent gelling of temperature without altering the engine components. To maintain the stability of the fuel, recommendations are that blends of biodiesel above B20 to be used not more than six months after its production. Uses of fuel functions optimally above B20 in older vehicles, precautions are necessary due to deposits left by petrol diesel. Biodiesel dissolves the sediments that in turn obstruct the fuel sift. â€Å"Positive Impacts of Biodiesel on the Environment† Biodiesel as an alternative source of fuel offers some positive impacts on the human health as well as the environment. The largest impact made by this fuel on the environment is that it serves to reduce smog.

Thursday, October 17, 2019

The effect of immigration on US economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The effect of immigration on US economy - Essay Example This decrease was a result of reduced job opportunities and increased law enforcement. (Giovanni 24) Despite this reduction, researchers found that the reproduction could have contributed the reduction of immigrants. A good number of immigrants have children, who are recognized legally as US citizens, others intermarried gaining their citizenship by marriage. Although it is hard to estimate the actual number of immigrants living in the US, researchers estimated that a third of the total population living in the US is illegal. Recent reports released by the center for immigration studies showed that in the year 2012, 12 million immigrants arrived in the United States temporally using non-immigrants visas. This figure translates to a 50% total population by the year 2000. Significant number of these illegal immigrants was from Mexico. For over a decade, there has been rapid distribution of immigrants in the United States. Georgia reported the immigrant population growth rate of 152% between year 2000 and 2007. California grew by 10.2%, registering the largest number of immigrants in the United States. Consequently, California can comfortably offset its fiscal cost. Although this immigration may be caused by historical and geographical factors, economic growth is achieved. For instance, if a state is experiencing rapid growth in terms of economic conditions, it might end up encouraging immigrants and affect income, output and employment. Analysis by various physiologists says that, reasonable arguments are being raised to protect all American-born workers from competition from immigrants. The United States government is enforcing strict laws to prioritize recognition of American born citizen (Nwosu, Batalova and Auclair 56). Immigrants are allowed to keep transportation, natural resources, construction and maintenance occupation and material moving occupations. On the other hand, the

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Strategic hospitality management Literature review

Strategic hospitality management - Literature review Example In discussing about the hospitality brands, that are owned, managed or franchised by the group, it can be said that the brands has a presence in almost every category like luxury, full service, select service, extended stay suites as well as timeshare. The Hilton Worldwide in the year 2011 was credited as the fastest growing major hotel company. As of the year 2011, the hospitality chain accumulated around 30 million HHonors members out of which 3.5 million members joined in the year 2011 itself. The hotel brand has presence in various continents around the world like the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa as well as Asia. Vital information about the company is given below in a summarised format: In 2011, the hotel company had an inventory of over 630,000 rooms all over the globe. The company is the owner of multiple popular brands which are present in around 90 countries. In the year 2006, the annual revenue of the hospitality company was around 7.44 billion USD. Journalistic Art icle While performing a strategic performance analysis for the Hilton Worldwide from the investors’ point of view, it is important to focus on conducting an overview of the global hospitality industry along with estimating the growth of the company in the recent times. Focus also needs to be given on the prospects of growth for the company in markets around the world. Overview of the global hospitality industry In discussing about the global hospitality industry, it is important to highlight that the global macro factors are bound to have a strong influence in this particular industry. Talking on this note, it needs to be stated that in the current years, the global hospitality industry has been affected in a significant manner by the political and economic factors around the world. In the year 2012, the global hospitality industry suffered the impacts that generated from US presidential election, sovereign debt crisis of the Euro zone, political disturbances and tension in v arious regions of the Middle East along with slowing down of Asian economies. Talking on this note, it can be stated that in the year 2012, the hospitality sector of the US, especially in the locations of New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco as well as Chicago displayed indications of growth and expansion. A report by the globally popular consulting firm Ernst and Young revealed that the average revenue per available room as of the year 2012 touched the levels of 2007. A deeper analysis revealed that the growth in the average revenue per room happened mainly because of the increase in occupancy levels as well as average daily rate (ADR). It was also found that the influence of the factors like high barriers to entry, longer and extended periods of development of hotel property as well as reduced dependence on wholesalers has greatly helped the upscale, upper upscale as well as luxury segment players of the hospitality industry of the region to attain an increase the revenue per avai lable room (RevPAR) in the recent times. The RevPAR for the Asia Pacific region, barring countries like India and New Zealand also recorded an increase in the year 2012. The prolonged political disturbances in some of the major markets of Middle East regions resulted in generation of mixed performance for this particular

The effect of immigration on US economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The effect of immigration on US economy - Essay Example This decrease was a result of reduced job opportunities and increased law enforcement. (Giovanni 24) Despite this reduction, researchers found that the reproduction could have contributed the reduction of immigrants. A good number of immigrants have children, who are recognized legally as US citizens, others intermarried gaining their citizenship by marriage. Although it is hard to estimate the actual number of immigrants living in the US, researchers estimated that a third of the total population living in the US is illegal. Recent reports released by the center for immigration studies showed that in the year 2012, 12 million immigrants arrived in the United States temporally using non-immigrants visas. This figure translates to a 50% total population by the year 2000. Significant number of these illegal immigrants was from Mexico. For over a decade, there has been rapid distribution of immigrants in the United States. Georgia reported the immigrant population growth rate of 152% between year 2000 and 2007. California grew by 10.2%, registering the largest number of immigrants in the United States. Consequently, California can comfortably offset its fiscal cost. Although this immigration may be caused by historical and geographical factors, economic growth is achieved. For instance, if a state is experiencing rapid growth in terms of economic conditions, it might end up encouraging immigrants and affect income, output and employment. Analysis by various physiologists says that, reasonable arguments are being raised to protect all American-born workers from competition from immigrants. The United States government is enforcing strict laws to prioritize recognition of American born citizen (Nwosu, Batalova and Auclair 56). Immigrants are allowed to keep transportation, natural resources, construction and maintenance occupation and material moving occupations. On the other hand, the

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Athletes as Role Models Essay Example for Free

Athletes as Role Models Essay Principally, the observance of good quality sportsmanship widens outside the in performance playing field and occupy not only the conduct of the players, but the trainer, umpire and parents as well. In order to comprehend sportsmanship, it is a fine thought to inquire yourself, why are you here? In further words, why you and your kid have determined to contribute in any game? These queries may resonate evident, but inspiration and enthusiasm facilitate to conclude results. Partaking in sports construct a pleasure for strength, produce imperative shared abilities as the youngster crafts new acquaintances, and educates broods how to effort as constituent of the same squad. As a full-time player, the child can build up valuable game skills in spite of this that either his side manage to triumph or is defeated. In actuality, the goal of succeeding insipid in contrast to the better, more precious teachings of determination and supervision of achievement and impedance. This details the necessity of sportsman-like shells. To make certain that the child achieves all of the advantages of sports involvement, it is fundamental that first-class sportsman-like ethics be recognized, illustrated and commended. Sportsmanship initiate with the elementary theory of reverence. In order to make possible just play and gratification on and off the ground the courteous behavior of instructors, comates, challengers, umpires and parents is necessary. There is a lot of case in points of reverential, sportsmanlike demeanor in every sport. The coach is a stature of influence and is supposed to have the players’ top welfare in mind. The participant’s consideration for coach’s recommendation, guidance and trend on the playing field constructs collaboration, leading to victory. According to Weinberg Gould, Optimistic communiquà © with co-players is also very important on the field, and oral support is an important phase of excellent sportsmanship. Censure does not advance solidarity. A performer should by no means get annoyed or noticeably distressed at a teammate for producing a blunder. Forthrightness is on the subject of propping up others and operating mutually to revolve faults into helpful erudition practices. Fair-play submits to each player holding an unbiased probability to trail conquest (Weinberg Gould, 1999). If a person is a sport aficionado and a loving parent, one possibly responded in a positive way to these difficulties. If or either you shriek out or lucratively restrain your confrontation in these state of affairs, you epitomize apposite conduct for every child in attendance. A person’s deeds and how you transact with the aggravation will sway the prospective activities and disposition of parents’ own child. According to Crookes, efficient statement for players by coach encloses six fundamentals; comprehensible, to the point, accurate, absolute, well-mannered and productive (Crooks, 1991). Be a fine functioning representation, and make obvious how to be an excellent sport. Youthful competitors are very easily influenced, and their performance is chiefly fashioned throughout education procedures of mock-up and corroboration. Consequently, coaching and encouragement of good sportsmanship commences with one’s own manners and sportsmanlike conduct. Not anything is wrong with flattering discouraged when circumstances on the sports ground don’t go smoothly for your team. However, if either of the parents desires to demonstrate antagonism, proceed incongruously or quarrel in front of an immature team member, the dreadful performance is liable to rematerialize when the player is dealt with comparable sites. Eventually, person’s dealings, expressions and approaches en route for sport will assist to contour child’s personality and manners like an Athlete. In a study regarding coaches and assessing their influences on athletes, Smith and Smoll experimented further than 70 instructors, did oblique more than 80,000 behaviors, and reviewed almost 1,000 athletes. They set up that athletes countered optimistically to coaches who endowed with upbeat opinion subsequent to a good recital attempt, counteractive coaching and back-up after a performance blunder, and technological order and a judicious quantity of universal support dissimilar to performance quality (Smith 2001, Smoll Smith, 2006). References: * Weinberg, R.S. Gould, D. (1999), Foundations of sport and exercise psychology (2nd Edition). Champaign, Illinois: Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc. * Crookes (1991), Complan Column Athletics Coach, 25 (3), p. 13 * Smith, R. Smoll, F. (2006). Enhancing coach-athlete relationships: Cognitive-behavioral Principles and Procedures; En J. Dosil (Ed.), the Sport Psychologists Handbook (19-37). Reino Unido: John Wiley Sons.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Oncolytic Virus Therapy for Cancer

Oncolytic Virus Therapy for Cancer Abstract Interest of oncolytic virotherapy is mounting from over the past few decades for treating many kinds of malignancies. Despite oncolytic viruses attain many successes in cancer therapeutic era; they all have still challenges in their developments. The interaction between virulence factors of viruses, hosts immune defense system, microenvironments and tumour factors are the hazardous influences in their achievements of novelties. Currently, with the thanks of modern recombinant biotechnology, most of the oncolytic viruses are increasing their tumour selectivity and specificity. On the other hand, they reduce their efficacies on physiologically functioning cells. Furthermore, combinational therapies with traditional anti-cancer treatment regimes have also promising and relevance outcomes. In 2004, Chinese food and drug administration (FDA) approved first oncolytic virus in treatment of head and neck tumours. However, they have some still unsolved obstacles in proper cancer therapy. In m y paper, the current issues and future prospects of the oncolytic viruses are highlighted how to use as therapeutic weapons. Keywords: Oncolytic viruses; Oncolytic virotherapy; Cancer gene therapies; recombinant 1. Introduction Cancer is one of the leading causes of death globally comprising 13% of all deaths (7.6 million deaths) in 2008. Although well established conventional therapies including surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are existed, we still need new therapies and strategic plans. Local therapies such as surgery and radiotherapy have been limited in disseminated tumours. Likewise, chemotherapy has some intolerable adverse effects and sometimes, pre-existing chemo-sensitive tumours are resistance to chemotherapy after prolonged used. Thus, we really need certain promising therapies to handle these problems. Recent years, oncolytic virotherapy is uprising and promising for the various types of cancers. Ideology of virotherapy treating the malignancy has been introduced since early 20th century. However, since early oncolytic viruses were targeted not only tumour cells but also the normal cells, interest in the virotherapy was declined. Therefore, many trials related with such therapy were termi nated during the following decades. Late 1990s, interest of virotherapy was re-active with the advance of modern biotechnology. Today, concern of the virotherapy is high and it has the potential promises as a reasonable cancer treatment by itself or conjunction with other conventional therapies such as surgery, radio and/ or chemotherapy (synergic effect). Advance technology allows the development of oncolytic viruses which only effective on dividing cancer cells but not attack the normal dividing cells. There are generally two types of oncolytic viruses namely non-engineered (naturally occouring) and engineered agents. Both types may destroy the malignant cells without harming the normal cells. Generally, oncolytic viruses only infect and preferentially replicate within the cancer cells followed by lyses these cells. In recent years, many therapeutic virus candidates are emerging and testing their oncolytic prosperities with preclinical and clinical trials. Among them, adenovirus H101 was the first virus approved by C hinese food and drug administration (FDA) in 2004 as the adjuvant oncolytic virotherapy combined with pre-existing conventional chemo- and radiotherapy in the head and neck cancers. 2. Type of oncolytic viruses Oncolytic viruses are principally divided into 4 types according to their mechanisms of action. There are intrinsically tumour selective viruses, virulent gene deleted viruses, promoter inserted viruses and pseudotyped viruses. Genetic modified oncolytic viruses are manipulated whether insertion of the transgenes or deletion of the virulence genes. Naturally occouring tumour selective viruses are the viruses that are not genetically modified, direct targeting on the malignant cells. For instance, New castle disease virus, Vesicular stomatitis virus, Poliovirus and Reovirus are intrinsically tumour selective. However, affectivity is less due to depend on the natural strength of their lytic properties. Virulent gene deleted oncolytic viruses are more popular because their selectivity on target tumours are more specific without infectivity to normal ones. For example, herpes simplex virus, adenovirus, measles virus and vaccinia virus can be modified by deletion of their virulence protein coding genes. In addition, inserting of foreign genetic elements such as promoter region boost tumor specificity and selectivity of oncolytic viruses. Thus, tumour cells allow the replication of these viruses because only tumour cells can activate the promoter region of them. For example, prostate specific antigen (PSA) promoter inserted adenovirus CG7870 applies in prostate cancer and promising results were came out. Pesudotyped oncolytic viruses are modified with ligands which target tumour selective cell surface receptors. Therefore, they solely have their infectivity on malignant cells. (E.g. adenovirus delta 24RGD). Moreover, these viruses may reduce toxicity and dose requirement. 3. Characteristic features of standard oncolytic virus Since viruses can infect not only the malignant cells but also the functioning cells, oncolytic virotherapy is the critical therapy. Hence, safety and efficacy of the virotherapy are considerable issue and still challenging for further improvement. Potential oncolytic viruses are needed to confirm or compare whether they have real ideal characters of oncolytic virus or not. Standard characters of the oncolytic virus stated that (1) they only replicate within tumour with high multiplication rate, not on normal cells (2) less or no infectivity and virulence than their wild types (3) genetically stable so that mutations and recombination with other viruses are minimized for manufacturing and safety issues. DNA virus is more stable than RNA virus (4) can inactivated anytime with antiviral drugs or other mechanisms (5) considerable mass production (commercially available) can be possible with good manufacturing practices. Therefore, for development of virotherapy, all oncolytic viruses sh ould be fulfilled above criteria. Adenovirus and Herpes simplex virus (HSV) have high selectivity and specificity on tumour cells with massive replication rate of 1000 folds in 1st cycle. Besides, they are considerably stable whereas terminate anytime with their respective antiviral therapy (e.g. adenovirus is self-limiting and HSV is treated by acyclovir). 4. Tumour selective mechanism With the knowledge of the malignant cells molecular biology, oncolytic virotherapy can be created to attack the tumour cells selectively. Cancer cells undergo changes ranging from subtle point mutation to chromosomal instability. Inherent tumour selective viruses specifically attack the tumour cells by targeting the specific tumour promoting pathway of the malignant cells such as activated Ras and AKT pathway, defective interferon (IFN) pathway etc. RNA-activated protein kinase (PKR) pathway is a natural process that inhibits viral protein synthesis. Physiologically, interferon (IFN) secreted from infected cells phosphorylates the PKR which subsequent phosphorylates eIF-2ÃŽ ±. Then, phosphorylated eIF-2ÃŽ ± interfere the oncolytic viral protein synthesis that require for their virulence. In contrast, Ras mutation and defective IFN in malignant cells disturbs the PKR pathway and favours the oncolytic virus activity. For instance, herpes simplex virus (HSV) containing neurovirulence gene ÃŽ ³34.5 that binds with intracellular phosphatase and dephosphorylates eIF-2ÃŽ ± allowing replication of HSV in both normal and tumour cells. However, deletion of this gene permits to replicate only in Ras mutated or interferon (IFN) defective cells. Controversially, recent finding suggested that ÃŽ ³34.5 deleted HSV can also replicate in PKR functional malignant cells. It is seen to be defects in PI-3 kinase pathway which favours translation of ÃŽ ³34.5 mutant HSV. Moreover, genetically modified adenovirus (dl331), VAI mutant strain, prefers to replicate only in tumour cells with Ras activation. Similarly, dl331 is also effective in Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) associated tumours such as nasopharyngeal malignancy because Epstein-Barr virus expresses viral associated RNAs (VA RNAs) that defect PKR pathway. Many cancer cells over-express receptors for virus in high level. Thus, exploiting this mechanism, many oncolytic viruses are selectively homed in their specific malignant cells. For example, over-expression of intracellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) and decay acceleration factor (DAF) in tumour favours to infect Coxsackie virus A21. Besides, Newcastle disease virus (NDV) binds sialic acid receptors. Alpha virus similarly uses heparin sulphate or ICAM-1 as its receptors. Both of them are highly express in tumor population. Therefore, these viruses are highly concentrated in tumour cells. 5. Immunogenicity of virotherapy Likewise as many other viruses, oncolytic viruses also stimulate and activate the body defense mechanisms including innate as well as adopted immunity. These viruses produce the viral proteins required for their replication within tumour cells. These proteins also stimulate the MHC class I gene to present it on the cellular surface of tumour cells as well as on the normal cells. MHC class I antigen was recognized by cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) or CD8+ cells which may destroy any cells representing MHC I antigens. Therefore, nature immunity allows eliminating both tumour and normal non-dividing cells. So, oncolytic viruses may also destroy normal cells apart from abnormal ones. An immune mechanism on the oncolytic viruses is one of the major constraints for developing modern virotherapy. However, to date, genetically modified viruses can only replicate and lyses p53 mutant cells. They cannot inactivate p53 gene of the normal host cells. p53 is functional and prevent replication of these viruses in the normal host cells. So, they are allowed their functions only in mutant tumour cells. 6. Conversion of oncogenic to oncolytic Many oncogenic viruses are potential to use as oncolytic therapy nowadays after genetically manipulation. Generally, 15-20% of the carcinogenesis is contributed by various kinds of oncogenic viruses such as herpes papilloma virus (HPV), Epstein-Barr virus etc. Reversely, these viruses can be changed to treat the malignancies by exploiting their lytic effects on the dividing cells. One of the classical examples is herpes simplex virus type 2 which is ongoing trials in many tumour cell lines by deleting its oncogenic genes coding thymidilase kinase or ribonucleotide reductase. Therefore, even tumourogenic agents can be used as oncolytic therapy by engineering their oncogenic gene components. 7. Novel oncolytic viruses 7.1. Adenovirus Adenovirus is interested in treatment of brain tumour especially in glioma multiforme. This tumour is never metastasized and contributed as single lesion. Moreover, it is almost resistance to systemic therapy because of blood-brain barrier and lack of cell mediated antigen drainage. However, fortunately, oncolytic viruses can replicate and spread within the tumour population since blood brain barrier create immune privileged site. In glioma cells, tumour suppressor gene (Rb) is inactivated and lack of expression. Taking this advantage, genetically modified adenoviruses are constructed by deletion of eight amino acids in Rb binding region of E1A protein. Therefore, they are unable to replicate in the normal cells because viruses cannot inactivate Rb gene of the functioning cells. But they can easily divide within the malignant cells owing to the lack of Rb protein. Additionally, adenoviruses induce autophagy in infected cells (malignant cells) through down-regulation of AKT/TOR pathwa y. Many genetically engineered adenoviruses are still on trials including in vitro and in vivo tests. ONYX-015 (dl1520) is a simple adenovirus lack of E1B 55K protein which do not replicate in the normal cells. So, they only express their functions in p53 mutant cells. In other word, their function does not work in p53 competent cells. Onyx-015 is a first oncolytic virus that has been approved by china FDA to treat the head and neck cancers especially refractory nasopharyngeal cancer combining with standard cisplatin based chemotherapy. Onyx-015 should be given intratumoural or peritumoural injection because of their side effects (e.g. flu-like syndrome). In addition, it showed 50% response rate observed in phase I and II clinical trials of pancreatic cancer. Recent studies found that Onyx-015 replication is not solely dependent on p53 function. Onyx-015 can replicate within some p53 competent cells whereas sometimes, cannot replicate even in mutant p53 cells. It may think to be reliable on E1B 55K independent nuclear late mRNA export of the tumour cells but not in functionally norma l cells. Besides, other co-founding effects should be considered. For example, increasing the temperature (fever, hyperthermia or drugs) promotes replication of E1B deficient adenovirus in the malignant cells rather than normal ones. dl250 mutant strain is engineered by deletion of E1B 19K which is homologue of Bcl-2 and also inhibits pro-apoptotic protein Bax. Functionally, Bcl-2 is the anti-apoptosis protein. Hence, deletion of E1B 19K leads to permit cell death in Bcl-2 over-expressed tumour cells. It may also reduce expression of anti-apoptosis proteins and various growth factors. This type of virus is more potent in anti-tumour activity than dl1520. Delta 24 (dl922-947) adenoviruses are genetically modifying agents which are deleted the gene related with virulence factors and upregulate the transcription elements sensitive to the transcription factors of tumour cells. E.g. Delta-24 is modified by deleting of 24 nucleotides (pRb binding region) in E1A gene so that it is unable to inactivate Rb gene in the normal cells. So, it can only effective in the malignant cells. Now, many studies promise that it has potent anti-tumor effect in glioma. E1A mutants are more superior in oncolysis than E1B strains in vivo and vitro. Besides, Delta-24 RGD is more efficient in treating the low CAR (coxsackie-adenovirus receptor) expression malignant cells such as glioma and bronchogenic carcinoma cells. 7.2. Herpes Simplex virus First herpes simplex virus (dlsptk) as an oncolytic agent is developed in 1991 that is deleted in thymine kinase (TK) genes required for nucleic acid metabolism. Lacking of this gene, Herpes Simplex virus (HSV) lose its ability of replication in the normal cells. Hence, HSV only prefer to infect the tumour cells. HSV is a primarily potential treatment in several paediatric cancers including brain tumours. So far, ÃŽ ³34.5 deleted HSV are tracking on the clinical trials. These all vectors directly target to the tumour cells by deletion of neurovirulant gene ÃŽ ³34.5 (30kb) which is not essential for replication of the malignant cells. G47Δ HSV virus is derived from G207 parent virus. They are constructed by deletion of both copies of ÃŽ ³34.5 gene (1kb) and deletion of 312bp in ICP47 gene increasing oncolyitc efficacy. Also, they promote MHC class I expression in the tumour cells enhancing the immunogenicity of these cells. G207 variant was completed phase I study in glioblastoma multiforme resulting with no serious side-effects. Similarly, HSV 1716 is a genetically engineered variant by manipulating HSV1 stain 17 and deleting both copies of neurovirulent gene, ÃŽ ³34.5. Pilot study has already completed in Metastatic melanoma. NV 1020 (R7020) stain is the chimeric recombinant of HSV 1 and 2 with deleting one copy of ÃŽ ³34.5 gene, UL24 and 56 genes. Originally, it is developed as HSV vaccination. However, recently, it is still ongoing phase II trial on hepatic metastases of colorectal cancer by direct infusion into the hepatic artery. OncoVEXTM is recombinant vector with deletion of ÃŽ ³34.5 gene as well as ICP47. Deletion of ÃŽ ³34.5 reduces intrinsic neuro-pathogenecity of HSV whereas ICP47 deletion restores MHC class I presentation. Additionally, insertion of GM-CSF gene stimulates immune response of the host to the tumour cells. Releasing of GM-CSF promotes recruitment of dendritic cells for tumour specific response. It promotes tumour specific antigen (TSA) expression as well. Thus, OncoVEXTM affects not only on local tumour but on metastases or distant tumours. Currently, OncoVEXTM improved loco-regional control of head and neck cancers combining with chemo-radiotherapy. Intralesional injection of OncoVEX GM-CSF is ongoing phase I trials on cutaneous metastases and melanomas although it has dose related limitation such as injection site inflammation. Another advantage is that it is able to carry large transgenes up to 150kb. It is the main advantage of these viruses using for oncolytic agent although they ma y produce neurotoxity at high doses, difficult cloning and reactivate latent herpes infection which are hidden in the nervous systems (Ganglions). 7.3. Newcastle disease virus Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is paramyxovirus containing single stranded RNA which causes Newcastle disease in avian (birds). Earliest NDV (73-T strain) has been started to use as a clinical trial oncolytic virus for cervical cancer in 1965. Based on their oncolytic properties, NDV is divided into lytic and non-lytic stains. Lytic strains direct lyses the targeted cells. Currently, 2 lytic strains of NDV are ongoing trials which are NDV-HUJ and PV701. Both are naturally occouring live attenuated viruses. As NDV-HUJ strain is a neurotropic virus, it applies in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Likewise, NDV-PV701 strain has effect on many types of tumours. Results of their trials have potential promising. One of the advantages of NDV is that it selectively replicates in the tumour cells, not on normal ones. When NDV has also studied in breast cancer patients neoadjuvant with chemotherapy, outcome was desirable with minimal adverse effects including fever, flu-like syndrome, hypotension etc. Occourance and severity of side effects is reduced in subsequent therapy due to development of NDV antibodies in patients serum. On the other hand, non-lytic strains disturb the malignant cell metabolisms leading to allow regression of the tumours. Common non-lytic strains include Ulster stain. NDV damages the malignant cells by either direct lysis of the cells, induction of cytokine production (Interferon, Tumour necrotic factor) or enhance apoptosis including both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. 72-T stain induces cytokine release while Ulster stain over-expresses the TRAIL receptors on tumour cells surface which may lead to apoptosis. 7.4. Mump virus and Simian virus Mump virus is the first paramyxovirus trying to treat in variety of human malignant cells. Vaccine strain 79 (S79) has potential promising oncolytic virus because S79 can only be infected to the cancer cells but not in normal ones. Studying in nude mice, mump virus demonstrated its tumour inhibition effect significantly. Simian virus is also a rubulavirus and among them, strain 5 can be genetically engineered as an oncolytic virus. This modified strain is able to attack several different cancer cell types significantly. 7.5. Vesicular stomatitis virus Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) is only rhabdovirus potentially using in cancer therapy. VSV is a single stranded RNA virus considering for oncolytic therapy. Developing of the recombinant VSV virus in 1995, the role of VSV is amounting in virotherapy. In recent studies, genetically modified replication competent VSV prolonged survival of hapatocellular carcinoma, breast cancer and malignant melanoma. Oncolytic properties of VSV is more effective in type I interferon (IFN) resistance malignant cells. Tumour cells are defect in interferon (IFN) signaling pathways but activated in Ras -ERK pathway. However, VSV can also impact on the normal cells especially in high doses. Thus, early (prophylactic) interferon therapy is required concomitant with VSV virotherapy because interferon appears to prevent the viral replication within the normal cells. Using the advantage of replication within the interferon defect cells, recombinant VSV deltaM51 which is defective in M (matrix) protein (poin t mutation) was constructed. Matrix protein is the regulator protein that increases replication and transcription of the virus but blocks the host cells anti-viral mechanism. Studies showed that VSV deltaM51 strain has beneficial role in glioma cells xenografted nude mice. Furthermore, VSV shutdown the blood supply to the tumour leading to deprivation of oxygen and nutrients which may require for tumour growth. 7.6. Measles Measles as oncolytic therapy is more interesting since there was significant regression of Hodgkins lymphoma after infecting with measles virus. Resent study suggested that recombinant measles virus (Edmonston B strain) showed significant inhibition on xenograft SCID mice with human lymphoma cells. Next, Edmonston B stain specifically attracts CD 46 cell surface receptors that are highly expressed in human mesothelioma cells. Thus, this strain has highly attractive role in treatment of mesothelioma. In addition, engineered measles virus with interferon (IFN) ÃŽ ² gene inhibits tumour angiogenesis rather than parental strain. Despite most of the people previously encountered with measles infection or vaccination in their early life which may cause therapeutic failure, the evidence highlighted that replication of measles virus was taken place even in the immune individuals. It seems to be immunosuppression due to cancer itself or concurrent use of other anti-cancer therapies such as ra diotherapy, and (or) chemotherapy. 7.7. Poxvirus Vaccinia virus (VV) is the most potential candidate poxvirus utilized as virotherapy recently. This virus is genetically engineered by deletion of thymidine kinase genes like herpes simplex virus (HSV). For instance, JX-594 strain which is transfected with GM-CSF gene, displayed oncolytic activity in animal models. However, it may rarely affective in the normal cells. Most Vaccinia viruses kill the targeted malignant cells by apoptosis as well as traditional mechanisms. Myxoma virus, another poxvirus, is significantly effective on human glioma cancer cell lines. In addition, rapamycin (immunosuppressant) reinforced its oncolytic efficacy when using combination. 7.8. Togaviruses Togaviruses (Sindbis and Semliki Forest Virus) also show their potential roles in the oncolytic therapy. Sindbis virus (SIN) is an RNA virus that naturally infects human by mosquito bites. This virus binds with its receptors of 65kD (Laminin receptors) which are highly express on the tumor cells (tumour homing property). To take the advantage, Sindbis virus promotes considerably regression of the several tumor cell lines in vitro testing and xenograft SCID mice. In human study, it has promising effect on cervical and ovarian malignancies with minimal or no remarkable adverse effect on normal cells. Next, Semliki Forest Virus (SFV) may inoculate repeatedly without prominent immune response. Togaviruses favour as the oncolytic virotherapy agents due to their high replication rate, broad spectrum of host ranges, increase transgene expression and stable in blood stream. Apart from these viruses, Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEE) is also a replication competent virus which is int eresting in certain circumstance of oncolytic therapy. 7.9. Retrovirus Gamma retrovirus (moloney murine leukemia virus (MoMLV)) may have effect on the tumour cells not in the non-dividing cells. So, it may safe as oncolysis. For instance, when U87 glioma xenografted nude mice were administrated with MoMLV, significant oncolytic result has been reported. These viruses are less effect on normal cells due to lack of nuclear transport of viral genome. Certainly, they cannot replicate well within non-dividing cells. In addition, modified MoMLV viruses expressing HSV thymidine kinase (TK) have synergistic effect on glioblastoma cells combining with ganciclovir (anti-viral agent for HSV). Another retrovirus such as fomy virus has also intrinsic oncolytic property. It is researched recently on glioma implanted nude mice. However, the result is still controversial.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Psychoanalysis :: Psychoanalytic Theory and Methods

Psychoanalysis is a system of psychology originated by the Viennese physician Sigmund FREUD in the 1890's and then further developed by himself, his students, and other followers. It consists of three kinds of related activities: (1) a method for research into the human mind, especially inner experiences such as thoughts, feelings, emotions, fantasies, and dreams; (2) a systematic accumulation of a body of knowledge about the mind; and (3) a method for the treatment of psychological or emotional disorders. Psychoanalysis began with the discovery that HYSTERIA, an illness with physical symptoms that occurred in a completely healthy physical body--such as a numbness or paralysis of a limb or a loss of voice or a blindness--could be caused by unconscious wishes or forgotten memories. (Hysteria is now commonly referred to as conversion disorder.) The French neurologist Jean Martin CHARCOT tried to rid the mind of undesirable thoughts through hypnotic suggestion, but without lasting success. Josef Breuer, a Viennese physician, achieved better results by letting Anna O., a young woman patient, try to empty her mind by just telling him all of her thoughts and feelings. Freud refined Breuer's method by conceptualizing theories about it and, using these theories, telling his patients through interpretations what was going on inside the unconscious part of their minds, thus making the unconscious become conscious. Many hysterias were cured this way, and in 1895, Breuer and Freud published their findings and theories in Studies in Hysteria. CLASSIC PSYCHOANALYTIC THEORY Traditional psychoanalytical theory states that all human beings are born with instinctual drives that are constantly active even though a person is usually not conscious of thus being driven. Two drives--one for sexual pleasure, called libido, the other called aggression--motivate and propel most behavior. In the infant, the libido first manifests itself by making sucking an activity with pleasurable sensations in the mouth. Later similar pleasures are experienced in the anus during bowel movements, and finally these erotically tinged pleasures are experienced when the sexual organ is manipulated. Thus psychosexual development progresses from the oral through the anal to the phallic stage. (Phallic, in psychoanalytic theory, refers to both male and female sexual organs.) During the height of the phallic phase, about ages three to six, these libidinous drives focus on the parent of the opposite sex and lend an erotic cast to the relation between mother and son or between father and daughter, the so-called Oedipus COMPLEX. However, most societies strongly disapprove of these sexual interests of children. A TABOO on incest rules universally. Parents, therefore, influence children to push such pleasurable sensations and thoughts out of their conscious minds into the unconscious by a process called repression.