Daoism: a philosophy of life Essay

Daoism is not a religion, the Philosophical Daoists believe the Dao Jia is a philosophy of life. Taoism is translated into English simply as â€Å"the way or path.† Every Taoist believes the goal in life is to become one with the Tao â€Å"Taoist Beliefs†. Taoism is pronounced (Dow-ism), and it means path or the way. Taoism very vague and has to be experienced, it â€Å"refers to a power which envelops, surrounds and flows through all things, living and non-living. The Tao regulates natural processes and nourishes balance in the universe. To the Philosophical Daoist what is most real is nature. The Daoists believe that nature is constantly changing and as it does so do the patterns and processes. With nature changing constantly there are things or occurrences that can arrive unexpectedly, â€Å"emergent properties.†As for humans they are a natural part of nature, and it is necessary for them to depend upon it, for their living and well being necessities. Living an excellent life according to the Daoists would have to be trying not to conquer the natural world. And trying not to mend it into ways in which it would only help in achieving wealth and riches, but instead to go with the flow of the natural world. Therefore, to live an excellent life, they would do so by flowing with the natural occurrences and processes of the world. The Taoist path to salvation is called Wu Wei, meaning â€Å"the principle of non-action.† The way to attain unity with the Tao involves no effort, ambition, discipline, or education. Since it is the â€Å"principle of non-action,† it is important to understand Wu Wei is not avoiding of action, but of certain types of action, such as: aggressive, controlling, coercive, manipulative or intimidating. Therefore, each person has an equal opportunity to attain balance. It involves surrender to nature: since every person is by definition part of the Tao, there is no need or reason to seek it elsewhere. Furthermore, everyone has direct access to the Tao because the Tao is connected to reality, and everyone is a part of reality. In summary, there is no need to seek answers outside of oneself. Through non-action the answer is revealed through one’s ow n existence. Wu wei can also be expressed in everyday life, it is considered â€Å"going with the flow of things.† For example, trying to reach a certain place but doing so by polluting or disrupting natural order is not Wu Wei, rather by reaching a certain destination by fitting in with the natural order of the environment  and nature. Wu wei is the living a person who in touch with the understanding of Dao. Many may be quick to believe that the Philosophical Daoists are pacifists because they do not disrupt the way of the natural being. But, that would be an inaccurate statement. Fighting and warfare are recognized as occasional necessities, they were something that had to be done, and the Philosophical Daoists had a certain way of approaching it. Daoism is strongly against unnecessary warfare and do not glorify it as certain militaries would. The Dao De Jing believes, â€Å"Military weapons are inauspicious instruments†¦so when you have no choice but to use them†¦do so cooly but without enthusiasm† (Dao De Jing 31). Clearly it is evident that the Daoists are not pacifists, t hey believe violence has to occur, but there is a way to approach it without giving it glorification and excitement. Lastly, Daoism is deeply rooted in the love of nature and its wholeness. Humans are a part of nature and could live peacefully if they followed the way of Daoists.

An Analysis of Sonnet 130 Essay

Iambic Pentameter: The poem uses an iambic pentameter, a rhythmic scheme used in sonnets. The rhyme scheme is ABABCDCDEFEF GG, and is split into three quatrains and a rhyming couplet. It contains 10 syllables per line, with syllables alternating between unstressed and stressed when spoken aloud. This gives the sonnet the effect of sounding like a regular love poem, but upon closer examination of the words used we can tell that the poem and its intentions are completely different. The Final Couplet: In Sonnet 130, the persona describes the woman with unflattering terms such as â€Å"black wires grow on her head† and â€Å"in the breath from that my mistress reeks†. However, even though he points out her numerous flaws he still declares his love for her, suggesting that he embraces all her traits and characteristics and loves her nonetheless. This is further exemplified in the final couplet of the poem, â€Å"And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare; as any she belied with false compare. This sudden contrast, despite being contradictory to the previous lines of the poem, is significant in showing that regardless of her flaws he is still wholly in love with her. Throughout the poem, the persona compares his mistress to that of an imaginary, perfect woman. However, in the last lines we see that the persona chooses the real woman with all her imperfections over the â€Å"goddess† he has never seen. Rhyme Alternating rhymes: The rhyme schem e is ABABCDCDEFEF GG. â€Å"Sun† rhymes with â€Å"dun†, â€Å"red† and â€Å"head†, and so on, before ending with â€Å"rare† and â€Å"compare†. This enhances the image of a seemingly dull woman that the persona describes – the woman in question is said to have breasts which are dun, suggesting that she is sexually unattractive. Her lips are contrasted with that of coral, â€Å"Coral far more red than her lips’ red†. Red is the colour of sensuality, and thus the persona is stating that she is not a sensual woman. The effect that this rhyming scheme gives is to contrast the persona’s definition of beauty as a part of nature and the woman’s flaws. Third Quatrain and Final Couplet: The persona declares that he would â€Å"love to hear her speak†, despite her voice being less beautiful than music. This is the first time in the poem that praise has been conferred upon the persona’s mistress. He then goes on to compare the woman with that of a goddess, the highest being and his imperfect mistress. The final lines introduce a change in the rhyming scheme, with a couplet ending the rhythmic three quatrains. The couplet is used to introduce a new idea, that despite the woman’s flaws, the persona ‘s love for her is higher than that of the heavens. This highlights a key theme of the poem – regardless of the woman’s physical flaws and looks, the persona is able to see past her looks and still be beautiful in his eyes. This is significant because in the Shakespearean Era, the role of women was to please man with a beautiful face and body, and here we see Shakespeare expressing his love for a woman who did not possess many of these qualities.

Hotel& Restaurant Food Allergy Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hotel& Restaurant Food Allergy Questions - Essay Example Others include allergens associated with fish and fish products. The allergy protocol also takes into consideration the possible allergens that may result from nut products as well as sesame seed products and sulphites. The most common allergies vary in degree of their severity. There are quite a number of customers who have reported experiencing some mild upsets. It is only in isolated cases that a customer has reported experiencing a severe anaphylactic reaction. Our staffs are trained on how to handle patients who are allergic to different types of foods. For that matter, most of our packaged products are accompanied by a list of allergens that are likely to be contained within the packaged food products. The staff members are also candid in suggesting to our clients several types of foods that are allergen-free as well as those that have minimal allergen concentrations. The menu contains an accompanying column that identifies the foods that contain allergens as well as their levels. The customers are easily able to identify the foods that contain no traces of allergens in them. Some clients are also specific in liaising with the chief chefs to prepare food rations that are allergen-free depending on their preferences. Such orders are prepared within short periods of time to satisfy client requirements. As part of our safety food program, there are specific sets of kitchenware that have been specifically designed to prepare any special orders. This has been the company policy for quite a long time. With the high rate of return and regular customers, it has become a norm to prepare their food rations with special utensils. At the first instance of accommodation into the restaurant, guests are advised to notate their food allergy concerns at the time that they make their bookings. The customers are advised to liaise with the chief chef as well as the manager on duty. The information is communicated to the staff who will be designated to prepare

M2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

M2 - Essay Example Firstly, it will try to understand if the Eric Jensen brain-based program is effective at what it is designed to do, and secondly, it will seek to identify if the brain-based teaching/learning significantly improves the reading of standardized test scores. The data the is associated with this research will be collected using three different methods which include a survey, focus group discussions as well as an interview of the teachers. A questionnaire will be constructed to serve the purpose of collecting data in the classroom and will be filled by the students in the class. On the other hand, the focus group will target various teachers who use the Eric Jensen brain-based program as well as those who do not. Finally, the interview will be designed to collect data from teachers concerning whether the brain-based teaching/learning significantly improves the reading of standardized test scores. Since the questionnaire will be measuring the opinions of the teachers on whether the Eric Jensen brain-based program is effective at what it is designed to do, it will be constructed as an attitude scale that will contain a minimum of ten items. A pilot test will be conducted to establish if the people who are targeted for the survey have adequate knowledge and an understanding of that will enable them to provide significant opinions to the study (Morra & Rist, 2009). The questionnaire will include choices that will allow the respondents who have no options to express their perspective as well as a number of questions to gather information at the beginning that will screen out the ones who have limited or no knowledge of the prevailing subject. The questionnaires that will be used will employ open questions that will allow the respondents to provide answers that best describe the opinion they have on specific issues beings studied. The questionnaire will avoid giving the respondents the option of ticking their choices based on a provides scale as in

Intro to Macroeconomics Assignment(7 Questions) Assignment

Intro to Macroeconomics (7 Questions) - Assignment Example In comparison, the investment curve determines how much money a consumer will invest at available interest charges. This is determined by the expected net profits from the available investments. One main determinant of this is the non-changing non-interest rate determinants, which are the same as the determinants of the consumption schedule. The investment schedule is considered less stable than the consumption schedule since it is determined by the interest rates as compared to the income of the individual. Built in stabilizers refer to government policies that cause budget deficits to grow during economic downtimes, or cause surpluses to increase due to increased economic recession. Two examples of built-in stabilizers are tax structures and government spending. In the computation of the Gross Domestic Product of a country, the gros private investment (Ig) is an important factor. This is because the gross private investment provides a measure of the future financial state of the country. The gross private investment is calculated as the sum of the replacement purchases of the population and the investments done to gain inventory. The net private investment is calculated as the above figure less depreciation experienced in the country. An increase in the gross private investment serves to increase net GDP since the factors of the sum are also included in the factors of the GDP. The bearing of the marginal propensity to consume and the marginal propensity to save (MPC and MPS), both have bearings on the spending multiplier since they are both factors of the formula for the multiplier. When the MPS is given, the multiplier is calculated as the reciprocal of the MPS. When the MPS is 0.6, the multiplier is 1.667, when the MPS is 0.75, the multiplier is 1.333, and when the MPS is 0.8, the multiplier is 1.25. The open economy multiplier is given by the equation, 1/(1-MPC + MPM), while the closed economy multiplier is given by 1/(1-MPC). Built in

Multicultural Education Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Multicultural Education - Coursework Example Creating a multicultural environment requires one to be non-judgmental and open. It is important that teachers act genuinely among diverse students. Classes have students with different experiences from all over the world, some good and some traumatizing. A number of students are refugees of different ethnic backgrounds running from war-torn countries. Some students may be poor and others from extremely wealthy families (Banks & Banks, 2010, p.49). Teachers should, therefore, respect students for who they are and accommodate their thoughts and concerns. Multicultural classrooms have children from different linguistic background. To have a better understanding of their students, teachers need to research the native backgrounds of these students. They should embrace the language differences since it gives them an insight into their customs and behavior. Schools should have multicultural libraries no matter the subjects taught. Having a variety of books from multicultural authors excites an ordinary classroom (Wayne, 2009, p. 34). Perhaps the most exciting way of creating a multi-cultural environment is celebrating cultural differences among students. Schools can accomplish this through simple events such as food fairs highlighting different cultures and cultural music. As countries continue to exhibit great diversity in classes, must teachers and students to understand and accept differences among people. There is, therefore, a significant challenge among educators to develop an effective multicultural education curriculum through which all students can learn happily with each

Management accounting concept Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Management accounting concept - Essay Example Moreover, the paper will also entail the affiliation between moral hazard and decision making along with relevant information. QUESTION 1 Moral hazard is an interesting area of research in management accounting as it deals with various significant aspects concerning the perception of the managers in making effective decisions, determining disciplinary aspects and mitigating ethical issues. The area of moral hazard forecasts that the activities of the managers are hard to monitor and the compensation along with the financial decisions are linked with the performance of individual managers. It can be affirmed that moral hazards differ from one person to other based on the mental attitudes and the intention of the individuals to perform various operational functions. The moral hazards mainly occur due to the unethical practices that perform by the individuals or the managers belonging to any organization in order to attain personal along with organizational benefits. In this similar con text, moral hazard can be explained from various aspects such as a company is running in loss. In order to recover such loss, the manager of the company arranges for fire to destroy the building and claim the money from the insurance sector. This denotes the conduct of unethical practices by the manager, resulting in causing moral hazard. The decision making with regard to moral hazard may lead towards the occurrence of several disciplinary actions and also data forgery. The decision concerning data forgery, at certain times may lead towards the conduct of unethical practices by the employers towards the employees. In management accounting, decision making mainly motivates the employees to perform their respective operational functions effectively (Sprinkle and Williamson 414-448). The area concerning moral hazard is evident particularly at the time when the managers belonging to any organization acquire valuable information from the accountants regarding financial data and misinter pret those for personal gain. This practice ultimately raises the conduct of moral hazard affecting the managerial compensation level of the organizations at large. It can be affirmed that the conduct of moral hazard in the management level hinders in forecasting true and real picture of organizational performance. The area of moral hazard within the context of management accounting research is quite interesting as it can be eliminated through making effective decisions and also through following ethical principles by the stakeholders and the employees ethically. It is worth mentioning that the judgment regarding the morality of business and management is quite crucial. The area concerning moral hazard delivers significant benefits to the managers and the organization as well. In the context of management accounting research, the intention of the managers is often to adopt effective decisions without forging valuable data, resulting in motivating the employees to perform better. Thi s behavior might certainly support an organization to increase its overall performance by a certain degree (Sprinkle and Williamson 414-448). QUESTION 2 In order to determine about how the area of moral hazard could benefit the managers, it can be affirmed that it depends on the perception and the mental thought process of the managers. A manager, who is honest might work in accordance with the information provided and formulate accurate data. Moral hazard is when, the manager for his/her personal benefit forges the data provided and capitalizes on it. The managers might not take proper disclosure of policies for availing personal benefit. In this regard, moral hazard benefits the managers in terms of implementing policies that would provide them personal benefits by not

Corrections Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Corrections - Research Paper Example Therefore, this paper evaluates the various available forms of corrections for offenders ranging from incarceration to community based corrections. Appreciating the important role played by correction officers in charge of handling and controlling prisoners, the paper evaluates the in-depth responsibilities of these officers, their academic qualifications and attributes necessary for effective executions of their mandate. It would also be critical to analyze the classifications of prisons and the security levels that define these classifications. Introduction In the US, sentencing ranges from restitution, fines, probation supervision, community service, suspended sentences and imprisonment terms to execution in cases of capital offences. Sentencing as a legal process defines the anticipation of the correctional function which carries out these sentences. The correctional function on the other hand define the last component of the criminal justice activities continuum in the criminal justice system responsible for the execution of sentencing orders issued by criminal courts (Cripe, Pearlman & Kosiak, 2012). Correction encompasses the probation authority, jail terms, community corrections agencies, prisons and paroling authorities. In addition to these five traditional and principal components of corrections, this component of the justice system could also include clerks of courts charged with collection of fines and restitution money and also those who assist in the supervision of offenders in the community. Probation refers to imprisonment alternative sentences which allow the defendant to be integrated into the community, stay at home and continue working (Cripe, Pearlman & Kosiak, 2012). However, such a person would be needed to report to a probation officer on a regular basis for counseling and assistance in crises. Violation of the conditions normally imposed by the court to govern the defendant’s activities could result in negative report being subm itted to the court. If serious enough, the probation could be revoked by the court. The courts rely on probation officers for such reports which could cause the defendant to be imprisoned. Lack of payment of fines and restitutions could cause the defendant to possibly face a jail term to serve as a sanction. As another form of correction, incarceration involves confining inmates in a prison. These include boot camps, weekend programs, half-way houses, also referred to as residential reentry centers and other entities for locking up individuals overnight. But a prisoner could be released before finishing the prison term if such a prisoner agrees to abide by certain conditions. This is referred to as parole and if the parole conditions get violated, the prisoner could be returned to prison. Fines would normally be used with or in lieu of prison terms. Less severe crimes such as traffic offenses have come to appreciate fines as the acceptable mode of punishment due to being punitive, e asier to administer and easily fits within a wide range of severity of crimes. However, it has been argued as being unavailable to indigent defendants and not being punitive enough for the wealthy defendants (Clear, Cole, Reisig & Petrosino, 2012). Restitution on the other hand tries to make the injured whole through administration of monetary awards as damages. In as much as

Indias Soft Drinks Industry Essay Example for Free

Indias Soft Drinks Industry Essay 1. 1. 1 INDIA’S PHYSICAL RESOURCES India is a country rich of raw materials, resources and land. For this report, we will focus on those physical resources that are essential for the soft drinks industry – water, sugar, aluminium, power sources. With a land space of over 2. 9 million square kilometres (sq km) and a population of 1. 22 billion people, India has only 314,070 sq km of water (CIA World Fact book, 2012). Even though the Indian government has done many things do improved the situation by building water plants and water piping in the urban and rural areas, there are still about 18. 5% of the population (226 million) that lack access to clean, drinkable water (CESS INDIA, 2004) With a sophisticated water purification installed in our soft drinks plantation, A. G. Barr are able to process the unclean water into safe, drinkable water and use it for the basis of the final products. Hence, A. G. Barr will be able to offer an alternative drinking source for the citizens with our soft drinks products. Next, with a total arable territory of about 1. 2 million sq km, agriculture is the biggest industry and plays a major role in the socioeconomic growth of India (Maps of India, 2012). According to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) (2012) and the Maps of India (2012), India is the 2nd biggest world producers of sugarcane (sugar) with about 453 sugar mills located all over India. INCLUDEPICTURE http://faostat. fao. org/DesktopModules/Faostat/Images/T20/ChartPic_3nemzw945otecriq01oo. png? 3f2841b2-add0-4841-9dc7-5707a2a011f0 \* MERGEFORMATINET Table 1: Top Production – Sugar cane 2010 Source: FAO Thirdly, for aluminium, India is the fifth biggest producer in the world after Australia, Guinea, Brazil and Jamaica (Maps of India, 2012). Finally, to obtain vast economic growth and a flourishing industrial sector, the Indian government has invested and given top precedence to the power sector of the nation and as of the 21st century, India is able to generate about 90% of its own energy through (Maps of India, 2012): Thermal/Coal Power Hydro Power Renewable Resources Power Nuclear Power With most of the raw materials and resources readily available in India, the price for these materials will be relatively standard and low. Hence, this will lower the cost of production. This is a key factor in venturing into the India market as A. G. Barr require a huge amount of clean water and sugar to produce the soft drink products. 1. 2 THREATS 1. 2. 1 INFRASTRUCTURE The infrastructure in India is one of the most problematic and unreliable in the world. As stated previously, even though India is able to generate 90% of its power, due to the poor financial position of many power supply companies, the power supplies are always inconsistent and frequently being cut-off (India: Risk overview, 2011). Hence, companies, offices and industrial plants need to have their own back-up power facilities to ensure no interruption to the production processes (India: Risk overview, 2011). The road and railway system in India is still undependable and many traffic congestions are resulted due to the inadequacy. Pan (Asiamoney, 2010) notes that while the Indian government are investing US$1 trillion in infrastructure from 2012 to 2017, political bureaucracy and lack of good projects are hindering the developments of infrastructure. At the same time, Roy (Euromoney, 2010) reports that while Mr. Rajiv Lall, chief executive of state-run lender Infrastructure Development Finance Company believes India infrastructure has been slowly improving, the dependable relationship between the public sector and the private sectors in infrastructure will lead to corruption and thus may hinder the progression of big infrastructure projects. Therefore, any company that wish to venture into India soft drinks market will need to spend a sizeable amount on power generator and water purification facilities. This huge expenditure will put a dent on the initial capital investment and A. G. Barr need to take this into account and plan on how much of the expenditure to be transferred over to the final consumers through the products. 1. 2. 2 EDUCATION AND LABOUR According to several organizations; CIA (2012), US Department of State (2011) and WEF (2011), India’s literacy rate is only at 61%. The education level in India is low as many of the population live in poverty or the slump and unable to afford going school. Moreover, the Indian government lacks of provision of education is hindering its people to learn and receive knowledge. This result in a low skilled workforce and the unemployment rate for youth age 15 to 24 in India is high at 10. 5% (CIA World Fact Book, 2012). While a soft drink company with high technology facilities and processes requires employees with minimal skills, it is still essential for these workers have a basic understanding and motor skills to operate the high-tech, expensive machineries. Another end of the spectrum is those highly educated Indians where the information technology (IT) sector is booming. These IT personnel and engineers are viable to our company as they able to manage, supervise and suitable of the higher ranking jobs. Hence, to ensure the workers hired have the essential skills, A. G. Barr will need to frequently conduct training programs, skills development workshops and have simple instructions which are easy to follow. 2. DEMAND CONDITIONS With the relaxation of the Indian government policy on FDIs and foreign companies, the soft drinks industry had change tremendously. As the US and EU markets are highly saturated, companies are looking into the Asian markets to expand and gain more revenues. Apart from China, Japan and South Korea, India is the 4th leading Asian soft drinks market and the market is still growing and has yet to reach its saturation point. In 2010, there is a substantial demand for soft drinks as the market has grown by 10. 4% (Datamonitor, 2011). Datamonitor (2011) even predicts that by 2015, the Indian market will grow to a value of $5. 8 million. Table 2 shows the growth of India soft drink market from 2006 to 2010. Table 2: India soft drinks market volume: million liters, 2006–10(e) Datamonitor (2011) also reports that as of 2010, the soft drinks industry has generated total revenues of $3. 8 billion and with 50% of the total revenues, carbonates sale is the most profitable category. Table 3: India soft drinks market segmentation: % share, by value, 2010(e) It is essential to note that currently there is a growing trend of â€Å"vitamin water† or â€Å"nutrient water† in the world as many people are becoming more health conscious. The Times (London) (2012) reports that even India is not spared from the trend as PepsiCo, together with Tata Global Beverages, intend to market the â€Å"nutrient water† to India’s urban, middle-class consumers where a bottle of such product will cost slightly higher than a standard bottled water. Hence, this could greatly affect the retail sales of carbonates. A. G. Barr has already altered its products to regular variants to low calorie and no added sugar variants in accordance to the gradual shift towards healthly living in the UK (A. G. Barr, 2012). For example, its popular porduct, IRN-BRU now comes in a sugar free variation, the ‘IRN-BRU sugar free’. Thus, the â€Å"nutrient water† market is another sector A. G. Barr could develop into not only in UK but also in India. 3. India has huge supporting industries for the soft drinks market and the availablity of the main components for a soft drinks company in India is high. There are 453 sugar mills in India and the top 6 growing states are located in the Northern, Southern and Western regions of India (Maps of India, 2012). Noteably, the Indian government has been extentsively investing in the agriculture sector to ensure that the process of the sector from raw materials to warehousing and merchandising flow smoothly. And as for the aluminium industry, India has a sizeable number of aluminium plants located mainly in Northern and Southern regions. 3. 2 BARGAINING POWER OF SUPPLIERS As inputs are readily available, suppliers are unable to provide their services or sell their products at a higher price than their competitors as it is of no loss to the soft drinks company since the company is able to get the same or better services and products from other suppliers. A. G. Barr is able to obtain the primary inputs for its products through several sources in the region or state. Thus, the bargaining power of suppliers such as the packaging producers and raw materials and soft drinks ingredients producers are relatively low (Datamonitor, 2011). 3. 3 BARGAINING POWER OF BUYERS The power of the retailers and distributors in this market is weak as most soft drinks manufactures work closely with the local bottling companies to distribute the ready for sale products to buyers within a certain region or sector (Datamonitor, 2011). Datamonitor (2011) also reports that with 46. 3% of the total market volume, the independent retailers such as the small family mart shops are the main distribution channels for soft drinks but this could change with the introduction of super and hypermarkets. Thus, consumers will have a wider range of soft drinks brands to choose from. In order to gain relatively significant market share, A. G. Barr needs to do plenty of advertising and promotion. One of the strategies A. G. Barr could adopt is to set their soft drinks at a lower price than the main competitors, TCCC and PepsiCo in the rural areas while maintaining the same price in the urban areas where most of the middle-income and high-income classes have high consumer purchasing power. 4. FIRM STRATEGY, STRUCTURE AND RIVALRY 4. 1 CULTURAL IMPACT ON FIRM STRATEGY AND STRUCTURE A. G. Barr core strategic focus is based on the following 7 platforms (A. G.Barr, 2012): Core Brands and Markets Portfolio development Route to market Partnerships Efficient Operations People Development Sustainability To ensure these strategies and structure is maintain in other country, A. G. Barr has to train its overseas employees, make them understand and cultivate the A. G. Barr working culture. However, this will be a tough challenge in India due to the poor education and different socio-culture. Thus, A. G. Barr needs to accommodate its Western working culture with India working culture, however without losing its main mission and strategy. To ensure this is excuted properly, A. G. Barr needs to obtain a specialist in the Indian market and culture. 4. 2 RIVALRY AMONG EXISTING COMPETITORS In India, the soft drink market is dominated by three main players The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC), PepsiCo and Parle Bisleri Ltd – securing 74. 1% of the total market volume (Datamonitor, 2011). Table 4: India soft drinks market share: % share, by volume, 2010(e) BBC News (2011) reports that TCCC planned to invest $2 billion in India to boost its market share and expected India to be in its top five markets by 2020. Meanwhile, PepsiCo intend to launch a new product, â€Å"nutrient water† with Tata Water targeting at the young urban consumers to gain more market shares (Pagnamenta, 2012). This shows how competitive the rivalry in the India soft drinks industry where the two major market shares are actively investing and developing new products to gain more shares. 4. 3 THREAT OF NEW ENTRANTS The big players of the India soft drinks industry are actively improving themselves and distinguishing their products through various methods. Furthermore, TCCC and PepsiCo are renowned world soft drinks brands which have been existing in the India market for many years. Though new companies in the industry may have difficulty competing with the existing players, it may accomplish small success by using different production method or focusing on the lesser ventured catergories of the soft drinks markets such as health drinks and energy drinks (Datamonitor, 2011). This could be a major break through for A. G. Barr as its most popular products; the IRN-BRU; is low in sugar and contains additional benefits of an energy drink. In addition, the Rockstar series which are designed to target those who lead active lifestyles may be able to attract the young, urban consumers. With several advertising accolades, A. G. Barr has the knowledge and is able use the power of media to attract potential consumers and gain more market shares. 4. 4 THREAT OF SUBSTITUTES The main substitutes for soft drinks markets are traditonal tea and coffee, homemade juices and fresh water from the water plants or piping system. As A. G. Barr and other leading soft drinks companies have diverse products to cater to the different needs of the consumers – carbonates, bottled water, juices etc – this will narrow down the threat of substitutes. However, the threat is still relatively moderate as retailers and distributors may give more shelf space for traditional tea and coffee products as they may be stored at room temperatures (Datamonitor, 2011). 5. GOVERNMENT BBC News (2011) reports that India is ranked 95th out of 183 nations in the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions (TICP) list. Due to the high corruption scandals among its government officials, low or invisible legislative work, red tape and bureaucracy, India has dropped from 87th in 2010 to 95th (BBC News, 2011). Despite its numerous intervention, corruption in India is an issue which is very difficult to get rid off since most of the political members and officals have their own agendas and are resistant to change (India: Risk overview, 2011). Hence, foreign companies will faced many setbacks when they venture into the India sectors. 6. ROLE OF CHANCE The role of chance plays a small part in factoring the soft drinks industry as most of the technology are at it most advanced state. The only main issue currently is the Iran oil crisis. As India still refuses to cut Iranian oil imports, this may lead to a huge setback if USA decides to attack Iran and ignore India’s relation with Iran (CBS News, 2012, Kennedy, 2012). With a potential strain relationship with USA, this could lead to severe freeze in the trade and foreign direct investments. Furthermore, the other two traid nations, EU and Japan, may follow suit USA’s decision to cut ties with India for refusing to withdraw the purchasing of Iranian oil. CONCLUSION In conclusion, the soft drinks market in India is huge though it is predominately hold by 3 major key players. To venture into this territory, a new company need to set itself apart from the majpr players through unique advertising, differentiated production method and diverse product offerings. New companies may set an initial low price of its products to attract consumers however; this should not be a long term strategy. Companies need to have a huge capital investment to counter the corruption, trade policies and poor infrastructure. Thus, expenditures and initial start-up cost will be high and companies will have to redistribute part of the cost to its final consumers in order to gain profits. PART B: CRITICAL EVALUATION OF PORTERS NATIONAL DIAMOND MODEL Michael E. Porter is a well renowned economic strategist whom has writen 18 books and over125 articles (HBS, 2008). With a core field in competitive strategy, Porter has written and developed a number of strategic frameworks such as the Porter’s National Diamond model and Porter’s 5 Forces analysis. Since the model was based on eight developed countries and two industrialized countries, an analysis on developing, growing countries such as India is flawed. This is because these developing countries are not on the same economic level as the 10 countries. Thus, though the Porter’s National Diamond (PND) model analysis almost every aspect of India’s profile, it still lacks in-depth analysis and companies should not base their analytical evaluation on the PND model alone. As supported by Van Den Bosch, and Van Proojien (1992), both authors believed that PND model provide limited analysis on the control of national culture on the competitive advantage of nations. Similar to the EU countries, India too has a diverse set of culture which plays significant role in the management of the country’s economy, laws, trade policies and governance. There are limited sources on India and the soft drinks market due to the lack of legistative work from the government officals. Furthermore, some of the reports or statistics may not be entirely accurate due to the high corruption level. For example, reports may state that India is able to generate 90% of its power but the power plants are inconsistent and supplies are frequently distrupted. Also, to what extend is the literacy rate of India is correct? The literacy rates may be higher than stated as with 1. 22 billion people, India officials may have a tough job collecting the accurate datas. Moreover, with high poverty and low income, most of Indian citizens have the ‘thrifty mindset’ whereby they prefer things which are basically free even though it maybe harmful such as drinking untreated water. These are the pros of the PND model for India: Analysis different aspect of the country profile Takes into account the role of Government which is the most essential for India These are the cons of the PND model for India: Limited credible sources for analysis Little depth as India is a huge country with various swinging factors. Limited analysis on the cultural effect on a country’s competitive advantage Ways to improve the PND model for India: Supporting the model with other analysis model such as PEST, SWOT, Porter’s 5 Forces and Fons Trompenaars’ Seven Cultural Dimensions. Intentsive research on the market and the growth of the market. REFERENCES A. G. Barr (2012) About Us. Available at: http://www. agbarr. co. uk/agbarr/newsite/ces_general. nsf/wpg/about_us-our_strategy (Accessed: 22 March 2012). BBC News (2011) Coke plans $2bn India investment in bid to boost growth. Available at: http://www. bbc. co. uk/news/business-15731884 (Accessed: 20 February 2012). BBC News (2011) India Transparency International corruption index blow. Available at: http://www. bbc. co. uk/news/world-asia-india-15979646 (Accessed: 01 March 2012). CBS News (2012) U. K. : Attack on Iran has enormous downsides. Available at: http://www. cbsnews. com/8301-202_162-57380838/u.k. -attack-on-iran-has-enormous-downsides/? tag=mncol;lst;1 (Accessed: 20 February 2012). India. CESS (2004) Right to Drinking Water in India. Available at: http://www. cess. ac. in/cesshome/wp%5CWater. pdf (Accessed: 22 March 2012). CIA (2012) South Asia, India. Available at: https://www. cia. gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/in. html (Accessed: 20 February 2012). FAO (2012) Faostat. Available at: http://faostat. fao. org/site/339/default. aspx (Accessed: 01 March 2012). HBS (2008) Harvard Business School Faculty Research. Available at: http://drfd. hbs. edu/fit/public/facultyInfo. do? facInfo=biofacEmId=mporter (Accessed: 10 April 2012). India: Risk overview’ (2011) Business Asia, 43, 14, pp. 10-11, Business Source Premier, EBSCO [Online]. Available at http://searchebscohost. com (Accessed: 22 March 2012). Kennedy (2012) US Pleas for Asia to Cut Iranian Oil Imports Fall on Deaf Ears, Oilprice. Available at: http://oilprice. com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/US-Pleas-for-Asia-to-Cut-Iranian-Oil-Imports-Fall-on-Deaf-Ears. html (Accessed: 20 February 2012). Maps of India (2012) India Agriculture.

Water Erosion Rates Essay Example for Free

Water Erosion Rates Essay A natural arch produced by the erosion of differentially weathered rock in Jebel Kharaz, Jordan Erosion is the process by which soil and rock are removed from the Earths surface by natural processes such as wind or water flow, and then transported and deposited in other locations. While erosion is a natural process, human activities have dramatically increased (by 10-40 times) the rate at which erosion is occurring globally. Excessive erosion causes problems such as desertification, decreases in agricultural productivity due to land degradation, sedimentation of waterways, and ecological collapse due to loss of the nutrient rich upper soil layers. Water and wind erosion are now the two primary causes of land degradation; combined, they are responsible for 84% of degraded acreage, making excessive erosion one of the most significant global environmental problems we face today.[1][2] Industrial agriculture, deforestation, roads, anthropogenic climate change and urban sprawl are amongst the most significant human activities in regards to their effect on stimulating erosion.[3] However, there are many available alternative land use practices that can curtail or limit erosion—such as terrace-building, no-till agriculture, and revegetation of denuded soils. Frost weathering From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from Frost action) Aly by mechanical frost weathering or thermal stress Frost weathering is a collective term for several mechanical weathering processes induced by stresses created by the freezing of water into ice. The term serves as an umbrella term for a variety of processes such as frost shattering, frost wedging and cryofracturing. The process may act on a wide range of spatial and temporal scales, from minutes to years and from dislodging mineral grains to fracturing boulders. Frost weathering is mainly driven by the frequency and intensity of freeze-thaw cycles and the properties of the materials subject to weathering. It is most pronounced in high altitude and latitude areas and is especially associated with alpine, periglacial, subpolar maritime and polar climates but occurs wherever freeze-thaw cycles are present. * | When water freezes to ice, its volume increases by nine percent. Under specific circumstances, this expansion is able to displace or fracture rock. At a temperature of -22 Â °C, ice growth is known to be able to generate pressures of up to 207MPa, more than enough to fracture any rock.[1][2] For frost weathering to occur by volumetric expansion, the rock must have almost no air that can be compressed to compensate for the expansion of ice, which means it has to be water-saturated and frozen quickly from all sides so that the water does not migrate away and the pressure is exerted on the rock.[1] These conditions are considered unusual,[1] restricting it to a process of importance within a few centimeters of a rocks surface and on larger existing water-filled joints in a process called ice wedging. Not all volumetric expansion is caused by the pressure of the freezing water; it can be caused by stresses in water that remains unfrozen. When ice growth induces stresses in the pore water that breaks the rock, the result is called hydrofracture. Hydrofracturing is favoured by large interconnected pores or large hydraulic gradients in the rock. If there are small pores, a very quick freezing of water in parts of the rock may expel water, and if the water is expelled faster than it can migrate, pressure may rise, fracturing the rock. Since research in physical weathering begun around 1900, volumetric expansion was, until the 1980s, held to be the predominant process behind frost weathering.[3] This view was challenged in 1985 and 1986 publications by Walder and Hallet.[1][3] Nowadays researchers such as Matsuoka and Murton consider the conditions necessary for Biological weathering A number of plants and animals may create chemical weathering through release of acidic compounds, i.e. moss on roofs is classed as weathering. Mineral weathering can also be initiated and/or accelerated by soil microorganisms. Lichens on rocks are thought to increase chemical weathering rates. For example, an experimental study on hornblende granite in New Jersey, USA, demonstrated a 3x 4x increase in weathering rate under lichen covered surfaces compared to recently exposed bare rock surfaces.[7] The most common forms of biological weathering are the release of chelating compounds (i.e. organic acids, siderophores) and of acidifying molecules (i.e. protons, organic acids) by plants so as to break down aluminium and iron containing compounds in the soils beneath them. Decaying remains of dead plants in soil may form organic acids which, when dissolved in water, cause chemical weathering.[citation needed] Extreme release of chelating compounds can easily affect surrounding rocks and soils, and may lead to podsolisation of soils. The symbiotic mycorrhizal fungi associated with tree root systems can release inorganic nutrients from minerals such as apatite or biotite and transfer these nutrients to the trees, thus contributing to tree nutrition.[8] It was also recently evidenced that bacterial communities can impact mineral stability leading to the release of inorganic nutrients.[9] To date a large range of bacterial strains or communities from diverse genera have been reported to be able to colonize mineral surfaces and/or to weather minerals, and for some of them a plant growth promoting effect was demonstrated.[10] The demonstrated or hypothesised mechanisms used by bacteria to weather minerals include several oxidoreduction and dissolution reactions as well as the production of weathering agents, such as protons, organic acids and chelating molecules. Oxidation Within the weathering environment chemical oxidation of a variety of metals occurs. The most commonly observed is the oxidation of Fe2+ (iron) and combination with oxygen and water to form Fe3+ hydroxides and oxides such as goethite, limonite, and hematite. This gives the affected rocks a reddish-brown coloration on the surface which crumbles easily and weakens the rock. This process is better known as rusting, though it is distinct from the rusting of metallic iron. Many other metallic ores and minerals oxidize and hydrate to produce colored deposits, such as chalcopyrites or CuFeS2 oxidizing to copper hydroxide and iron oxides. Dissolution and carbonation A pyrite cube has dissolved away from host rock, leaving gold behind Rainfall is acidic because atmospheric carbon dioxide dissolves in the rainwater producing weak carbonic acid. In unpolluted environments, the rainfall pH is around 5.6. Acid rain occurs when gases such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are present in the atmosphere. These oxides react in the rain water to produce stronger acids and can lower the pH to 4.5 or even 3.0. Sulfur dioxide, SO2, comes from volcanic eruptions or from fossil fuels, can become sulfuric acid within rainwater, which can cause solution weathering to the rocks on which it falls. Some minerals, due to their natural solubility (e.g. evaporites), oxidation potential (iron-rich minerals, such as pyrite), or instability relative to surficial conditions (see Goldich dissolution series) will weather through dissolution naturally, even without acidic water. Exfoliation is a type of erosion that occurs when a rock is rapidly heated up by the sun. This results in the expansion of the rock. When the temperature decreases again, the rock contracts, causing pieces of the rock to break off. Exfoliation occurs mainly in deserts due to the high temperatures during the day and cold temperatures at night.[24] Hydration Mineral hydration is a form of chemical weathering that involves the rigid attachment of H+ and OH- ions to the atoms and molecules of a mineral. When rock minerals take up water, the increased volume creates physical stresses within the rock. For example iron oxides are converted to iron hydroxides and the hydration of anhydrite forms gypsum. A freshly broken rock shows differential chemical weathering (probably mostly oxidation) progressing inward. This piece of sandstone was found in glacial drift near Angelica, New York Hydrolysis on silicates and carbonates Hydrolysis is a chemical weathering process affecting silicate and carbonate minerals. In such reactions, pure water ionizes slightly and reacts with silicate minerals. An example reaction: This reaction theoretically results in complete dissolution of the original mineral, if enough water is available to drive the reaction. In reality, pure water rarely acts as a H+ donor. Carbon dioxide, though, dissolves readily in water forming a weak acid and H+ donor. This hydrolysis reaction is much more common. Carbonic acid is consumed by silicate weathering, resulting in more alkaline solutions because of the bicarbonate. This is an important reaction in controlling the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere and can affect climate. Aluminosilicates when subjected to the hydrolysis reaction produce a secondary mineral rather than simply releasing cations. Rainfall There are three primary types of erosion that occur as a direct result of rainfall—sheet erosion, rill erosion, and gully erosion. Sheet erosion is generally seen as the first and least severe stage in the soil erosion process, which is followed by rill erosion, and finally gully erosion (the most severe of the three).[4][5] The impact of a falling raindrop creates a small crater in the soil, ejecting soil particles. The distance these soil particles travel (on level ground) can be as much as 2 feet vertically, and 5 feet horizontally. Once the rate of rain fall is faster than the rate of infiltration into the soil, surface runoff occurs and carries the loosened soil particles down slope.[6] Rill erosion refers to the development of small, ephemeral concentrated flow paths, which function as both sediment source and sediment delivery systems for erosion on hillslopes. Generally, where water erosion rates on disturbed upland areas are greatest, rills are active. Flow depths in rills are typically on the order of a few centimeters or less and slopes may be quite steep. This means that rills exhibit very different hydraulic physics than water flowing through the deeper, wider channels of streams and rivers.[ Gully erosion occurs when runoff water accumulates, and then rapidly flows in narrow channels during or immediately after heavy rains or melting snow, removing soil to a considerable depth. Factors affecting erosion rates Climatic factors include the amount and intensity of precipitation, the average temperature, as well as the typical temperature range, seasonality, wind speed, and storm frequency. In general, given similar vegetation and ecosystems, areas with high-intensity precipitation, more frequent rainfall, more wind, or more storms are expected to have more erosion.[citation needed] Rainfall intensity is the primary determinant of erosivity, with higher intensity rainfall generally resulting in more erosion. The size and velocity of rain drops is also an important factor. Larger and higher-velocity rain drops have greater kinetic energy, and thus their impact will displace soil particles by larger distances than smaller, slower-moving rain drops.[25] Erosional gully in unconsolidated Dead Sea (Israel) sediments along the southwestern shore. This gully was excavated by floods from the Judean Mountains in less than a year. The composition, moisture, and compaction of soil are all major factors in determining the erosivity of rainfall. Sediments containing more clay tend to be more resistant to erosion than those with sand or silt, because the clay helps bind soil particles together.[26] Soil containing high levels of organic materials are often more resistant to erosion, because the organic materials coagulate soil colloids and create a stronger, more stable soil structure.[27] The amount of water present in the soil before the precipitation also plays an important role, because it sets limits on the amount of water that can be absorbed by the soil (and hence prevented from flowing on the surface as erosive runoff). Wet, saturated soils will not be able to absorb as much rain water, leading to higher levels of surface runoff and thus higher erosivity for a given volume of rainfall.[27][28] Soil compaction also affects the permeability of the soil to water, and hence the amount of water that flows away as runoff. More compacted soils will have a larger amount of surface runoff than less compacted soils.[27] Vegetative cover Vegetation acts as an interface between the atmosphere and the soil. It increases the permeability of the soil to rainwater, thus decreasing runoff. It shelters the soil from winds, which results in decreased wind erosion, as well as advantageous changes in microclimate. The roots of the plants bind the soil together, and interweave with other roots, forming a more solid mass that is less susceptible to both water and wind erosion. The removal of vegetation increases the rate of surface erosion.[29] Topography The topography of the land determines the velocity at which surface runoff will flow, which in turn determines the erosivity of the runoff. Longer, steeper slopes (especially those without adequate vegetative cover) are more susceptible to very high rates of erosion during heavy rains than shorter, less steep slopes. Steeper terrain is also more prone to mudslides, landslides, and other forms of gravitational erosion processes

Osteoprotegerin as Biomarker for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

Osteoprotegerin as Biomarker for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Osteoprotegerin: a novel faecal biomarker in paediatric inflammatory bowel diseases Abstract Background: Recently, Osteoprotegerin (OPG) has been identified as a faecal biological marker reflecting intestinal inflammation in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). To maintain remission, it is important to prevent relapses, especially in paediatric IBD where failure to thrive is frequently seen. This study aims to identify the diagnostic and predictive value of faecal OPG in paediatric IBD management. Methods: Stool samples, disease activity index scores and inflammatory markers were recorded from children diagnosed with CD or UC during regular visits every three months. An enzyme-linked immunoassay was used to measure faecal OPG levels in these children. Introduction Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), both an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), are severe, chronic diseases affecting the gastrointestinal tract. CD occurs throughout the whole gut but is commonly seen near the ileum, whereas UC is mainly restricted to the colon. IBD deteriorates the intestinal mucosa and causes barrier disruption of the gut leading to abdominal pain, diarrhoea and rectal bleeding [1,2]. A worrisome increase in the world-wide IBD population, particularly in developed countries, has been seen over the past decades [10]. Therefore, early diagnosis and early treatment are important key factors in IBD management, especially in children where IBD causes failure to thrive and impairs growth and pubertal development [13]. Etiologically, our understanding of the etiopathogenesis in IBD is still not completely elucidated but our best hypothesis poses that inflammation of the intestinal mucosa is induced by the intestinal flora causing a deregulated immune response in both the innate and the adaptive immune system often in patients with predisposed genetic factors [14-18]. Currently, colonoscopy, albeit unpleasant, invasive and expensive, delineates mucosal inflammation and is the â€Å"gold standard† in diagnosing and monitoring IBD [11,12]. Consequently, many investigators conducted studies to inflammatory indicators trying to find less-invasive and more accessible ways of assessing gastrointestinal inflammation. Several indices have been developed and validated, however not any as sensitive and specific as colonoscopy [39,40]. Also, inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) have been studied but do not differentiate among several other inflammatory diseases. [37,38]. Nowadays, non-invasive faecal markers are deemed promising in diagnosing and monitoring IBD since previous studies have shown non-invasive faecal markers to reflect intestinal inflammation and mucosal healing [42-45]. In intestinal inflammation, one of the inflammatory pathways is the Nuclear Factor (NF)- ÃŽ ºB pathway controlling inflammatory response and modulated by (pro)-inflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-ÃŽ ±, interleukin (IL)-1 and osteoprotegerin (OPG) [19,20]. OPG or TNFRSF11B is a protein and member of the Tumour Necrosis Factor Receptor (TNFR) superfamily. OPG was first described in bone metabolism where it decreases bone-breakdown modulating the OPG/receptor activation of NF-ÃŽ ºB (RANK)/ RANK ligand (RANKL) pathway. In bone, RANK, which is expressed on osteoclast progenitor cells, binds RANKL and thereby inducing osteoclastogenesis. OPG, expressed by osteoblasts and acting as a decoy receptor for RANK, shows competitive binding with RANKL subsequently preventing a RANK-RANKL ligation and bone breakdown [24,25]. Since both RANKL and OPG are members of the TNFR-family and thus affecting several inflammatory mediators and cytokines (e.g. TNF-ÃŽ ±, IL-1, IL-8 and in terferon (IFN)-ÃŽ ³) the OPG/RANK/RANKL pathway also modulates inflammation. Moreover RANKL is synthesized by T-cells whereas OPG is produced by B-cells and dendritic cells (DC) indicating an even more evident role for both proteins in the immune system [26-29]. Although the exact role of OPG in inflammation is yet to be found, recently conducted studies clearly highlight a potential role for OPG as a non-invasive faecal marker in paediatric IBD. Several studies postulate OPG as a promising non-invasive faecal marker since OPG correlates positively with inflammation markers (e.g. C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)) and IBD index scores [20,30-32]. Moreover, OPG levels decrease significantly after IBD treatment indicating less inflammation [32-34]. In addition, increased OPG levels were not only found in serum but also in intestinal mucosa and stool indicating a distinct role for OPG in intestinal inflammation [20,30-32,34,41]. The aim of this study is to describe levels of OPG with respect to disease state and whether OPG levels change over time while receiving treatment or on behalf of the relapse-remitting pattern of IBD. Furthermore we evaluate the diagnostic and predictive value of OPG as a non-invasive biological marker in paediatric IBD. Methods Patients All patients ( Disease assessment Assessment of patients’ disease activity was measured using the Paediatric Crohn’s Disease Activity Index (PCDAI) for CD patients or the Paediatric Ulcerative Colitis Activity Index (PUCAI) for patients diagnosed with UC. PCDAI scores comprise symptoms (e.g. abdominal pain), physical examination (e.g. peri-rectal disease) and blood results (haematocrit, ESR and albumin) whereas PUCAI scores are only based on subjective symptoms characterizing UC [7-9]. However, previous studies have indicated PCDAI as a poor indicator of intestinal inflammation since it is not correlating well with faecal biomarkers such as calprotectin, lactoferrin and S100A12 [3-5]. Therefore a modified PCDAI was developed and validated based on merely blood parameters (haematocrit, ESR and albumin) [6]. Eventually, both the PCDAI and the modified PCDAI were used for disease assessment in CD patients. CD or UC patients were classified as in remission/inactive, mild, moderate or severe disease state. When scoring a PCDAI12.5/17.5 [x1]or PUCAI score over 65 was classified as a severe disease [6-9]. Since the modified PCDAI only differentiates between an in remission/inactive and a severe form of CD, scores between 7.5 and 12.5/17.5 accounted for a mild/moderate disease state [6]. Subsequently, relapses were defined when patients changed from an inactive disease state to a mild, moderate or severe state or showed a ≠¥12.5 point/≠¥40 point increase in PCDAI score [9] or PUCAI score [7,8]respectively. On other hand, improvement was defined as a decrease in PCDAI score of ≠¥12.5 points [9] or a decrease in PUCAI score of ≠¥35 points [7]. [x2] Sample collection Eight stool samples per patient were collected over a period of 30 months as follows: stool samples were obtained every three months for the first year and then every 6 months for one and a half year. Stool samples were collected and immediately stored at 4 °C. After transporting the samples to the laboratory they were aliquoted and stored in a -80 °C freezer. Moreover, inflammation parameters (e.g. CRP, ESR, albumin, haematocrit, and platelet count), weight, length and Body Mass Index (BMI) were recorded during regular visits. As part of patients’ monitoring these visits took place every three months corresponding with collecting stool samples. Faecal extraction After removing stool samples from the freezer, a weighted amount of stool between 250 mg and 400 mg was added to an Eppendorf tube. Then, the same volume (between 250  µL and 400  µL) of buffered saline (PBS) containing 11  µg/mL aprotinin (Sigma), 2.5  µg/mL leupeptin hemisulfate (Sigma) and 0.5 mM 4-(2-aminoethyl) benzenesulfonyl fluoride (Sigma) was added creating a 1:1 ratio weight/volume. Next, samples were agitated on a vortex machine (Global Science, Auckland, NZ) for 30 seconds and homogenized on a suspension mixer (Gyrotory shaker model G2, New Brunswick Scientific Co, Edison, NJ, US) for 30 minutes. After centrifuging at 13,500g for 10 minutes on 22 °C supernatant was transferred to an Eppendorf tube and stored at -20 °C until analysis. ELISA OPG levels in stool samples were measured using a human OPG/TNFRSF11B ELISA-kit (RD Systems) following the manufactures’ instructions. We used this kit and protocol since it was successfully utilized by Nahidi et al [34]. First, 100  µL per well of capture antibody (mouse anti-human OPG with a working concentration of 2.0  µg/mL in a PBS-dilution) was added to a 96-well plate (Falcon, Corning NY, US) incubating overnight at room temperature. Then, the plate was washed three times with wash buffer (0.05% Tween 20 in PBS pH 7.2-7.4) and tapped dry on paper towel. Next, the plate was blocked by adding 300  µL per well of reagent diluent (1% bovine serum albumin (BSA) in PBS pH 7.2-7.4) incubating for 1 hour at room temperature. Meanwhile, 120  µL of faecal extraction and 120  µL of reagent diluent were added to an Eppendorf tube creating a final 1:2 working dilution of sample. After washing the plate, as aforementioned, 100  µL per well of diluted samples and standard s (recombinant human OPG) were added in duplicates incubating for 2 hours at room temperature. Next, the plate was washed and 100  µL per well of detection antibody (biotinylated goat anti-human OPG with a working concentration of 200ng/mL diluted in reagent diluent with 2% heat inactivated normal goat serum ) was added incubating for two hours at room temperature. Following, after washing, 100  µL per well of Streptavidin-Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was added for 20 minutes at room temperature and protected against light using tin foil. After washing, 100  µL per well of substrate (H2O2 and Tetramethylbenzidine in a 1:1 dilution) was added for 20 minutes and protected against light. Hereafter 50  µL per well of Stop Solution (2M H2SO4) was added and optical density was immediately analysed using a 450 nm microplate reader (Spectramax 190, Molecular Devices, Sunnyvale, CA, USA). The lower detection limit of this assay was 250 pg/mL. Statistical analysis The obtained data from the microplate reader was calculated using Softmax Pro (version 5.3, October 1998; Molecular Devices, Sunnyvale, CA, USA). [x1]Either 12.5 or 17.5. Differs between articles [x2]Not sure if this is right but found this in other articles

Scarface :: essays research papers

The topic of my presentation is why everyone should watch the movie scarface, and if you have already seen it to watch it again, This movie was directed by Brian De Palma,and written by Oliver Stone (produced-alexander, produced joy luck club) "Scareface"came out in 1983, and feature's Al Pacino as Tony Montana, Michelle Phifer as Elvira, and Steven Bauer as Manny Ray, The story is about a Cuban refugee who makes his way over to Miami,Florida Tony starts out as a dishwasher and hitman, who proceeds to enter into a life of cocaine dealing and organized crime. He then become one of the biggest drug dealers in Florida. The story has a rags to riches theme and is known for graphic violence. This is an action/drama with many indepth plot twists and an incredulous amount of profanity. The movie mostly portrays Scarface in thrid person view, which means the audience learns about the charactor Scarface through his actions and behaviors. The film is not only at great movie, but a cultural icon to some people. Scarface had a tremendous impact on the genre of rap music, and has inspired many rappers and producers to create songs. The premise of this film was actually adapted from the novel "scareface"by Armitage Trail. A Previse movie entitled, "Scareface, the Shame of the Nation" was made in 1932 ,directed by howard hawks and produced by Howard Hughes, which depicts gang-warfare, polictical coruption, and police un-involvment. The main charactor "Tony" was based loosely upon the real ganstar Al Capone, who actually loved the movie. I have seen both movie's and The 1983 "scarface" packs such a influencal punch of knowledge through the actions and life of Pacino as Tony Mantana. This film is known for having interesting quotes; Some notable quotes are= "Say hello to my little friend." "All I have in this world is my balls and my word and I don't break them for no one.

Wayne Gretzky - Comparison Of Two Biographies :: essays research papers

In this essay, I need to compare two biographies of a famous person. I will plot out the difference and compare the two books considering point of view, bias, aim, omission, interest and interpretation. This person is my hero and idol. He is one of the great player in the history of hockey. He set the all-time NHL scoring record in 26 seasons and got four Stanley cup in a row from 1984-1988. He is Wayne Gretzky, the most brilliant and talent hockey player in this century. Ichose the "Gretzky and Taylor" and "Gretzky with Rick Reilly.The book "Gretzky with Rick Reilly was an autobiography. It showed how Wayne Gretzky from his AHL to a famous NHL player. In this book, there were a lot of Gretzky's childhood. We knew that Wayne Gretzky could skate at two years old. He was well known by people at six. When he was ten, he was signing autographs and had a national magazine article written about him. A thirty- minutes national television show done on him at fifteen. It also talk about Gretzky's hero when he was a kid. He was a funny guy. He was Gretzky's hockey instructor. He was also his lacrosse, baseball basketball and cross country coach. He was not only coach, but also trainer and chauffeur. Gretzky called him dad, his name was Walter. However, in the book "Gretzky and Taylor", it did not show anything in Gretzky's childhood. It was started when Gretzky became the NHL player, a member of Edmonton Oiler's rookie. How he became the hall of the frame. The description of this book was very interesting. The writer show the thing through the game. For example the first chapter was talking about the 1984 Stanley Cup final between the Edmonton Oilers and New York Islander. "Wayne," he said, "don't worry about not scoring so far. Just make sure that when you do get a goal for us is a big one. " (Page 15 Gretzky and Taylor ) From this conversation, we could know what had happen at that time. So, there was different between the point of view of those two books. Although this two books had the different point of view, they both had the same aim. They also showed to young people that worked hard was the only source of success. In the book "Gretzky with Rick Reilly", Gretzky showed his talent when he was young.