Addiction And Substance Abuse Drugs - 1021 Words

Nicolo Vitale Mrs. Martinez English 3 March 30, 2016 Addiction and Substance Abuse Addiction and substance abuse is a crime that has plagued the U.S. ever since the early 1900 s and from that point on has been an uphill battle for the U.S. to stop. But even with everything the U.S. has tried nothing that has been done has even made a dent in the drug war. Drugs just continue to hit the very streets that innocent people live on. Today people walk right outside their house and just around the corner, there is some guy that has the ability to sell them drugs. That is why the war on drugs in the U.S. has failed miserably because the number of people and high schoolers that are using drugs is still increasing, drug tests do not do anything to discourage using drugs and almost everyone knows how to cheat the tests, and legalizing drugs, such as marijuana and other low level drugs, would allow the U.S. to have more control over drugs in the end. The U.S. has tried many different policies and methods to end the war on drugs but so far addiction and substance abuse continues to rise amongst Americans. The U.S. thinks that the best way to end the war is by replacing and issuing new policies every so often when every policy before that has not seemed to change anything. The National Institute on Drug Abuse did a study in 2012 that showed an increase of 30% in high schoolers that were using drugs and that was only in two decades (Addiction). Apparently not even high schoolers areShow MoreRelatedDrug Addiction And Substance Abuse1808 Words   |  8 Pageshas taken over their life? Addiction includes biological, psychological, and behavioral factors. It is very dangerous emotionally, psychologically, and physically. Drug addiction or substance abuse is an ongoing uncontrollable need to use drugs, despite the harmful or negative consequences it causes. The person depends on drugs to keep functioning normally as the natural chem ical balance of the brain is altered. No matter the reason a person starts abusing drugs, either for excitement, escapeRead MoreSubstance Abuse And Drug Addiction814 Words   |  4 PagesSubstance abuse and drug addiction affects people from all walks of life. Drugs are available to those who want to consume them. Even though there vast amounts of literature and other informative and preventive data, people still choose to abuse drugs. Unfortunately, most of them become addicts and find it very difficult to escape their addiction for the reason that underlying issues may be causing them to seek and use drugs. There exists a number of special populations that are identified and mayRead MoreSubstance Abuse, Drug Traffickers And Addicts On How Religion Can Help Individuals On Their Addictions2351 Words   |  10 PagesIn this paper I will be discussing religion, science, substance abuse, drug traffickers and addicts on how religion can help individuals on their addictions, and how clergy members need to have more training on substance abuse. In religion it has been known that the clergy members are not educated as they should be on substance abuse and because of this it becomes a problem (Califano, and Sheehan 8). Then within the health care providers and psychiatrists, the issue with them is that they doRead MoreThe Ethics of Drug Use and Drug Abuse1579 Words   |  6 PagesEthics of Drug Use and Drug Abuse For any professional working in the substance abuse treatment field, they will very likely come across situations and be presented with dilemmas relating to personal beliefs, judgments, and values. Drug or substance use and abuse have been a controversial and heated topic around the world for centuries. Drug abuse, in a way, is a facet of human culture that has been present for a great deal of human history in general. Every culture handles the issue of drug abuseRead MoreSubstance Abuse: Crisis Intervention1352 Words   |  5 Pages Substance abuse: Crisis intervention To the outsider, the lives of substance abusers often look like a series of crises waiting to happen. Often, the extent to which substance abuse is causing devastation in the life of the sufferer is more manifest to outsiders such as friends or relatives than the abuser him or herself. Crises relating to substance abuse may be biologically-related (such as a medical crisis brought about by abuse); legally related (a conviction for abusing an illegal drugRead MoreThe Effects Of Drug Addiction On Children1506 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction When an individual is struggling with drug addiction problems, the family is affected physically, mentally, and emotionally. The disease not only changes the addict’s whole life, but it changes the lives of their family members as parents get torn apart from themselves and each other. The role of each family member begins to shape around what is in the best interest of the addict. This research paper is an overview of the effects that raising a drug addicted child has on parent’s ability toRead MoreAddiction : The Problem Of Addiction Essay1198 Words   |  5 PagesAddiction Students stroll in to class, their Venti iced soy vanilla lattes in hand rather than a notebook and pen. Keurig coffeemakers are commonplace in college dorm rooms. Colleges boast the number of Starbucks shops they have on campus. Just a month into the school year, and already many students’ bodies are becoming tolerant to caffeine, needing more and more of it to achieve the desired boost of energy, and if not given their fix, rebelling by causing headaches and irritability. Could itRead MoreEssay on Social Aspect of Substance Abuse1001 Words   |  5 PagesAddiction is a difficult disease that involves several different factors including biological, psychological and sociological aspects. Anderson (1997) states that substance use refers generally to the ingestion of illicit drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, opiates, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, PCP, amphetamines, etc. The use of illicit drugs, such as alcohol and nicotine, are less frequently included in this definition, despite their widespread use and undisputed potential for harm. Substance abuseRead MoreSubstance Abuse And Its Effects On Society1285 Words   |  6 PagesSubstance abuse has existed since the start of civilization and it is an ever present entity in the modern era as well. Distilled beverages were the main drinking source in many cases even safer to drink than water in early civilizations, for instance during the Middle Ages. Many substances were also used in medicine derived from certain plants for anesthetics such as opioids from poppy seeds. In addition, nicotine and tobacco products and other hallucinogenic substances were used for recreationalRead MoreSubstance Abusers: A Vulnerable Population Essay840 Words   |  4 Pagesgoing to be describing the characteristics of substance abusers. Next, give the common health issue and needs. Then, give specific resources that Peoria have to offer. Finally, how substance abuse relates to Healthy People 2020. Overall, this will give o ne an overview of the vulnerable population such as substance abusers. Characteristics of the population Substance abuse is when a person want their mind to be altered with the use of drugs. Substance abuse affect all ages, race, religion, and income

The Relationship Between Locke And Rousseau On Human Nature

INTRODUCTION This essay is aimed at discussing how human nature in Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau impact the way that the role and function of the state is viewed. Human Nature is referred to as the essential and immutable character of all human beings. Others may refer to it as the biological or genetic factor suggesting that there is an established and unchanging human core. It highlights what is innate and natural about human life, as opposed to what human beings have gained from education or through social experience. A social contract is an agreements made either among citizens or between citizens which gives rise to the State. When the social contract involves the mutual agreement between individuals in order to gain something from the State, citizens accept the authority of the state in return for benefits which only the state, as a sovereign power, can provide. Social Relations can be defined as the relationship between two or more individuals. There are three philosophers with different vie ws on human nature, the philosophers are Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau. Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau all have different views on human nature which impact on the conception of the roles and functions of the state. This essay will now discuss the views on human nature, social relations and the social contract according to each philosopher. THOMAS HOBBES Thomas Hobbes believes that human beings have an appetite for power to live luxurious lives. He believes that human beings are neverShow MoreRelatedThe Relationship Between Locke And Rousseau On Human Nature1763 Words   |  8 PagesINTRODUCTION. This essay is aimed at discussing how human nature in Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau impact the way that the role and function of the state is viewed. Human Nature is referred to as the essential and immutable character of all human beings. Others may refer to it as the biological or genetic factor suggesting that there is an established and unchanging human core. It highlights what is innate and natural about human life, as opposed to what human beings have gained from education or through socialRead MoreProperty Debate Between Locke Rousseau1103 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau, two philosophers with differing opinions concerning the concept of private property. Rousseau believes that from the state of nature, private property came about, naturally transcending the human situation into a civil society and at the same time acting as the starting point of inequality amongst individuals. Locke on the other hand argues that private property acts as one of the fundamental, inalienable moral rights that all humans are entitled toRead MorePolitical Theory: Property1369 Words   |  6 Pagestheir works to speculations about the state of nature and property ownership. However, a comprehensive theoretical exploration of the concept of private property ownership is credited to relatively modern philosophers like Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau. The writings of Locke and Rousseau on property ownership are quite fascinating to compare. Both philosophers portray the early stages of man in what they refer to as th e State of Nature. This paper takes a critical look at Rousseau’sRead MoreThe Social Contract Theory Since The United States1449 Words   |  6 Pagesdemocracy from the past. During its development, democracy has been falling-up. It is a way out for the improvement of human civilization and universal humanism, but democracy also contains a paradox per se. Overall the nature and dynamics of such democracy remains a never-ending study case for the scholars. This discussion is also part of efforts to respond to that paradoxical nature of democracy. Social Contract Theory If we look at the beginning part of US Constitution, this sentence raises question:Read MoreCoexistence of Equality and Inequality under the Social Contract1508 Words   |  7 Pagesand the body politic. John Locke was one of the first to expound on the origins of property, and sixty-six years later Jean-Jacques Rousseau would also address the issues of property and inequality. According to Locke and Rousseau, the social contract is sanctioned by formal equalities yet creates or gives way to inequalities after it is formed. Though Locke would argue that inequalities in the private sphere don’t fall under the jurisdiction of the government, Rousseau would say justice gets deformedRead MoreJohn Locke vs Jean-Jacques Rousseau.1663 Words   |  7 PagesJohn Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau are great political philosophers that have many similar insights about society and its political form. However, when closely examining the writings of these thinkers, one can easily discover many subtle differences among them. The two philosophers base their theories on different assumptions, which subsequently lead to dissimilar ideas about the origin of society and the constitution of governments. As a result, their views of the development of society greatlyRead MoreSimilarities Between Locke And Rousseau1369 Words   |  6 Pagescompares Locke and Rousseau noticeable similarities and differences can be found. Both men advocate similar ideas with different outcomes regarding the state of nature. Furthermore, Locke and Rousseau both come to distinct actualization and prophecies. Regarding the progression and advancement of mankind. Therefore, by comparing and contrasting these two distinct teachings one can find the true principles behind the state of nature and the natural laws inherent in mankind. The state of nature can beRead MoreJohn Locke: Founding Father of Modern Era Liberalism1444 Words   |  6 PagesThomas Hobbes, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and John Locke are all great thinkers who were greatly influential in forming philosophies that would affect the future of politics. By analyzing each philosopher’s ideology, we can identify which thinker’s theory reflected modern era liberalism the most. For this paper I will be arguing that, John Locke provides a more compelling framework of modern era liberalism because of his perception of the state of nature, the social contract and the function of governmentRead MoreLocke And Rousseau s Theory Of A Social Contract1206 Words   |  5 PagesJohn Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau are often associated with modern liberal ideas such as equality for all citizens, freedom and liberty, etc†¦ However, Locke and Rousseau present far more nuanced arguments in their works and although they share views on some aspects they ultimately have a different political philosophy. Locke and Rousseau have clearly distinct social contract theories, interpretations of man and the state of nature. In his work, Discourse on Inequality, establishes the idea ofRead MoreRousseau s State Of Nature1037 Words   |  5 PagesRousseau defines the state of nature as â€Å"The hypothetical, prehistoric place and time where human beings live uncorrupted by society† (Editors). According to Rousseau, in the state of nature people have complete physical freedom and are at liberty to do whatever they want (Editors). The state of nature for Rousseau is where human beings have not discovered rationality or morality (Editors). The state of nature keeps us from turning psychopathic as opposed to society who Rousseau says is to blame

The Costs and Consequences of Drone Warfare International Affairs

Question: Discuss about the Essay for The costs and consequences of drone warfare.International Affairs? Answer: Introduction Changes in the management that are increasing at a fast rate and becoming less predictable are leading to a condition where the gathered information is becoming outdated. The trends of business are changing at an alarming rate all over the world and the companies or organizations that do not support change in the system of management (Johnson, 2013). Many in the global sector have acknowledged the importance of leadership in managing emergencies. Strategic leadership, change management and crisis management are very important for an organization to function smoothly. This particular paper will discuss the use of drones in the military system of the United States of America. The U.S. military operates numerous unmanned aerial vehicles or UAVs to target suspect militants in the tribal areas of Pakistan and Yemen. It has been confirmed by President Barrack Obama that the U.S. military is using drones or UAVs to protect the country from external attacks (Byman, 2013). The drones are usually used in conditions where manned flights are considered difficult or too risky. Drones can be referred to unmanned combat aerial vehicle to keep a close watch on the activities of the attackers. The drone operators who are technically skilled people and work for long hours operate the drones. It is because of the tremendous pressure that people are expressing less interest in pursuing the positions of drone operators. This paper will find out the possible outcomes for people backing out from the position and showing less interest in pursuing the position of drone o perators. Strategic Leadership Perspective Strategic leadership is considered as the ability to accommodate visionary operational management by integrating philosophical thoughts with the realities of the company (Schoemaker, Krupp Howland, 2013). It requires the operational supervision of daily activities. It further helps in assuming the implementation and formulation of strategies for unseen events and implementing the long-term objectives to ensure development and survival. The organizational leaders of the present era require strategic thinking skills to foster growth, sustain operations and facilitate smooth functioning of the organizational activities (Carter Greer, 2013). The drones patrol the skies and they are used in launching lethal strikes against the suspected terrorists. Drones help the military officials to reach remote places where normal aircrafts cannot reach. It is because the regions are either difficult or too risky to reach. The drone policy has helped to spark public backlash in Yemen and Pakistan. Drones usually do not create sympathy or anger for terrorist movements in the countries. The drones are piloted and unmanned and they are used to help the military officials to keep an eye on the terrorists or attackers. However, it is seen that the drone operators (also known as the pilots) need to work for a very long time. They are skilled personnel and face tremendous pressure to operate drones for nearly eight long hours. On the contrary, they work six days a week. Therefore, it becomes hectic for them to deliver their services. This is the only reason that people are not willing to pursue the position of a drone operator. This is when strategic leadership is required. A leader can help the military system to pursue other individuals to make decisions voluntarily for the betterment of the military organization. He or she will influence people to operate drones for the betterment of the military operations (Springer, 2013). It can help the individuals to cope with the essential environmental changes. A strategic leader is believed to adjust, reorient and organize the improvements within an organization. A strategic leader is also believed to appeal to the emotions of the group and inspire the team members to achieve success in the end. The leaders in the U.S. military can motivate the individuals to participate in the welfare activities of the country. They can adopt strategies to reduce the working hours of the pilots or increase their pay to gain benefits from the individuals (Kark, Karazi-Presler Tubi, 2016). This will affect the military system of U.S. in a better way and the country can safeguard itself from the attackers. Change Management Leadership is an effective process of generating change within an organization (Hayes, 2014). The leader usually imposes the change. However, it is often considered as a sharing process of the same values and purpose. Leaders should be the change promoters within the organizations. Leaders have the power to motivate and influence others to achieve the desired organizational goals. A leader who imposes change is usually an individual with the capability to influence the employees, teams and organizations to change their behaviors on a certain decision-making process (Cameron Green, 2015). Leadership plays a crucial role in implementing certain organizational changes. Leadership can be quite effective and successful on implementing the organisational changes under the following topics: Creating structural change- leaders need to keep a track of the change phenomena within the organization and providing support through consistent processes and tools. Implementing, as well as, sustaining changes- leaders must develop effective action plans to supervise the progress towards the change. Engaging other people- leaders must be efficient enough to engage people in the decision-making process of the organization. Creating the change case- leaders should be capable enough to create awareness among the employees regarding the necessity of change. Developing and facilitating capability- leaders should be able to sustain people to bring out their motivation to achieve change. In this particular case, the leaders of the U.S. military should speak to the concerned authority to send fewer individuals into war and attacks on the enemies of the country. It will help the country to save the individuals from being ravaged at wars. However, the country needs many behind-the-scenes workforces. It means that the military forces need to keep a watch on the terrorist activities with the use of drones. However, most of the individuals are not showing interest in pursuing the role of a drone operator. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the leaders to influence the people to make them aware of the necessary changes within the military forces (Horowitz Stam, 2014). Crisis Management It is the duty of the leaders to foresee the crisis of the organization. The necessity of leadership in crisis management is acknowledged at the global sector (Coombs, 2014).The leader should take responsible decision during the crisis period for the smooth functioning of the business of the company (Johnson, 2013). During the crisis period, the employees often lose their hope and shows less interest at the workplaces. This particular case depicts a similar situation. The drone pilots are not showing interest to operate the drone due to excessive stress. They work for eight hours a day and six days a week. It is very stressful for them to work for such long hours (Russell, Butkus Figley, 2016). There is often limited funding in the military and therefore, it becomes impossible for the individuals to devote their time to the work for less money. Here comes the responsibility of an efficient leader. A leader should adopt certain measures to motivate and influence the individuals to de liver their best performances. The workforce is diminishing with every passing day, as the individuals are no longer interested to pursue the position of drone operators. The leaders must instill the thoughts of patriotism into the minds of the individuals. They should be motivated to work for their country. The leaders should consider the fact that there is limited funding. The workforces, who go outside at war, have fixed funding, which is quite limited (Boyle, 2013). The leaders should motivate the workforce to continue with their services within the limited funding. They should be made aware that they go at war only for the betterment of the country. This ideology is instilled among the individuals through effective leadership. On the other hand, the leaders should adopt some measures to reduce the pressure of the drone pilots. Few of them can be appointing alternative pilots after a fixed period, offering incentives for hard work and extreme effort. This will help the military forces to cope with the crisis period and defend the enemies through drone operations. Team and shared leadership are best suited for managing crisis within the military operations. Every individual would receive equal opportunity to participate in the decision-making process (Daft, 2014). However, the team leader would take the decision. This would lead to the success of the military operations. Conclusion At the end, it can be concluded that effective leadership is quite necessary for the smooth functioning of the organizational affairs. The leaders in the U.S. military should be efficient enough to manage the team members and motivate them to deliver their best performances for the betterment of the organization. The leaders need to be cautious regarding the operations of the drone pilots. They remain under huge stress and because of the stress, they are backing out from pursuing the position of drone operators. It is the duty and responsibility of the leaders to motivate the officials to manage stress and work for the betterment of the country. This will help the country to prevent themselves from the external attackers and terrorists. Strategic leadership, change management and crisis management define the characteristic and responsibility of a leader to take effective decisions. References Boyle, M. J. (2013). The costs and consequences of drone warfare.International Affairs,89(1), 1-29. Byman, D. (2013). Why drones work.Foreign Affairs,92(4), 32-43. Cameron, E., Green, M. (2015).Making sense of change management: a complete guide to the models, tools and techniques of organizational change. Kogan Page Publishers. Carter, S. M., Greer, C. R. (2013). Strategic leadership: Values, styles, and organizational performance.Journal of Leadership Organizational Studies, 1548051812471724. Coombs, W. T. (2014).Ongoing Crisis Communication: Planning, Managing, and Responding: Planning, Managing, and Responding. Sage Publications. Daft, R. (2014).The leadership experience. Cengage Learning. Hayes, J. (2014).The theory and practice of change management. Palgrave Macmillan. Horowitz, M. C., Stam, A. C. (2014). How prior military experience influences the future militarized behavior of leaders.International Organization,68(03), 527-559. Johnson, C. E. (2013).Meeting the ethical challenges of leadership: Casting light or shadow. Sage Publications. Kark, R., Karazi-Presler, T., Tubi, S. (2016). Paradox and challenges in military leadership.Leadership Lessons from Compelling Contexts (Monographs in Leadership and Management, Volume 8) Emerald Group Publishing Limited,8, 157-187. Russell, M. C., Butkus, S. N., Figley, C. R. (2016). Contribution of military organization and leadership factors in perpetuating generational cycle of preventable wartime mental health crises: part one.Psychological Injury and Law,9(1), 55-72. Schoemaker, P. J., Krupp, S., Howland, S. (2013). Strategic leadership: The essential skills.Harvard business review,91(1), 131-134. Springer, P. J. (2013).Military robots and drones: a reference handbook. ABC-CLIO.

Renaissance Essays (365 words) - Philosophical Movements, Philosophy

Renaissance The renaissance first appeared in the Italian city states because of the similarity between their language and the Latin language. Humanism used classical works to improve speaking and writing skills; therefore the Italians had a great advantage. More manuscripts were made available for the Italians, which led to the production of more intellectual leaders. The writing and speaking skills of humanism was soon demanded at the princely courts. Humanism transformed art, literature and political and social values. Eastern scholars were invited by the Italians to join the West, to bring more Greek manuscripts and to help regain command of the Greek language. The Italian states differed from other states in that they were the leaders of the renaissance, with the chancellor of Florence, Coluccio Salutati, and a group of humanists Italy collected the ancient manuscripts. They were called the civic humanists, since they felt that an active life was essential for full development. Two scholars from Italy, Guarino de Verona and Vittorino de Feltre transformed education. They used the ideas of humanism to establish a curriculum that spread to Europe. The Florentine Neoplatonists led the way towards a new exploration of grand ideals of truth and perfection. Ficino and Pico were both gifted Neoplatonists, and with their philosophy they had a major influence on artists and thinkers for the next two centuries. The Italian humanism left a deep imprint on European thought and education. The Italian city states stimulated the development of the Renaissance, since the movement first took place in Florence. Another advantage was that Florence was famous for its art, since the greatest artists of the 1200s and 1300s, Giotto and Cimabue, were identified with the city. The Florentine citizens were wealthy and ready to patronize art and the city had an excellent design of luxury goods, such as silk and gold. Humanist ideas eventually spread to Northern Europe because of the need for better educated laity and the tension and violence in the society. Writers and artists were also seemed to have little grasp on reality and displayed deep emotional instability. The knights were becoming less important in battle and despite this the nobles pretended to act as if the knights were more important. There was also the instability of the religions, with the interest in death and trial of witches. Printing aided the spread of humanism.

Definition and Examples of Diazeugma

Definition and Examples of Diazeugma Diazeugma is a  rhetorical term for a sentence construction in which a single subject is accompanied by multiple verbs. Also called  the play-by-play or multiple yoking. The verbs in a diazeugma are usually arranged in a parallel series. Brett Zimmerman points out that diazeugma is an effective way to emphasize action and to help ensure a swift pace to the narrativea sense of many things happening, and quickly (Edgar Allan Poe: Rhetoric and Style, 2005). Etymology From the Greek, disjoining Examples and Observations The seven of us discussed, argued, tried, failed, tried again.(Patrick Rothfuss,  The Wise Mans Fear. DAW, 2011)Swallows dart, dip, dive, swiftly pluck perching insects from slow-moving current.(Robert Watts Handy, River Raft Pack of Weeping Water Flat. Writers Showcase, 2001)Reality demands that you look at the present, and doesnt have time for illusion. Reality lives, loves, laughs, cries, shouts, gets angry, bleeds, and dies, sometimes all in the same instant.(Allen Martin Bair, The Rambles of a Wandering Priest. WestBow Press, 2011Immigrants contribute economically, politically and culturally to American society in the same way native-born Americans do: they go to work or school, raise their children, pay taxes, serve in the military, hold public office, volunteer in the community, and so on.(Kimberley Hicks, How to Communicate With Your Spanish Asian Employees. Atlantic Publishing, 2004) The Play-by-Play Figure Another figure of speech makes one noun serve a cluster of verbs. Hockey announcers use this figure, multiple yoking, when they do play-by-play:Announcer: Labombier takes the puck, gets it past two defenders, shoots . . . misses . . . shoots again, goal!Multiple yoking, the play-by-play figure. Formal name: diazeugma.(Jay Heinrichs, Thank You for Arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson Can Teach Us About the Art of Persuasion. Three Rivers Press, 2007)Used to and would are good for long series of verbs:On weekdays he used to/would get up, make the breakfast, do the washing-up, pack his sandwiches, put the bins out, say goodbye to his wife and go to work.(Paul Lambotte, Harry Campbell, and John Potter, Aspects of Modern English Usage for Advanced Students. De Boeck Supà ©rieur, 1998 Shakespeares Use of Diazeugma My lord, we haveStood here observing him: Some strange commotionIs in his brain: he bites his lip, and starts;Stops on a sudden, looks upon the ground,Then, lays his finger on his temple; straight,Springs out into fast gait; then, stops again,Strikes his breast hard; and anon, he castsHis eye against the moon: in most strange posturesWe have seen him set himself.(Norfolk in William Shakespeares Henry VIII, Act Three, scene 2 Whitmans Use of Diazeugma As to me I know of nothing else but miracles,Whether I walk the streets of Manhattan,Or dart my sight over the roofs of houses toward the sky,Or wade with naked feet along the beach just in the edge of the water,Or stand under trees in the woods,Or talk by day with any one I love, or sleep in the bed at night with any one I love,Or sit at table at dinner with the rest,Or look at strangers opposite me riding in the car,Or watch honey-bees busy around the hive of a summer forenoon . . ..(Walt Whitman, Miracles) Pronunciation die-ah-ZOOG-muh

Pope Francis Quotes on Racism, Xenophobia, Immigration

Pope Francis Quotes on Racism, Xenophobia, Immigration Pope Francis has received praise for his forward-thinking views since 2013 when he became the first pontiff from Latin America. While the Catholic Church leader has not backed same-sex marriage or reproductive rights, he’s suggested that gay people and women who’ve had abortions deserve empathy and forgiveness, a departure from previous pontiffs. Given his views on these issues, progressives wondered what the pope might have to say about race relations when he made his first visit to the United States in September 2015. At that time, racial tensions continued to run high in the nation, with police killings and allegations of police brutality routinely making the news and trending on social media networks. Prior to his U.S. visit, Pope Francis had not specifically commented on the Black Lives Matter movement, but he had weighed in on racism, xenophobia, stereotypes, and diversity around the world. Familiarize yourself with the pope’s views on race relations with the following quotes. All Forms of Intolerance Should Be Fought Pope Francis  came down hard on intolerance while speaking to a group from the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Rome in October 2013. He highlighted the center’s goal â€Å"to combat every form of racism, intolerance, and anti-Semitism† and noted that he’d recently reaffirmed the Catholic Church’s condemnation of anti-Semitism. â€Å"Today I wish to emphasize that the problem of intolerance must be confronted in all its forms: wherever any minority is persecuted and marginalized because of its religious convictions or ethnic identity, the well-being of society as a whole is endangered and each one of us must feel affected,† he said. â€Å"With particular sadness I think of the sufferings, the marginalization and the very real persecutions which not a few Christians are undergoing in various countries. Let us combine our efforts in promoting a culture of encounter, respect, understanding, and mutual forgiveness.† Although the pope could have limited his discussion of religious intolerance, he included intolerance based on ethnic identity in his speech as well, an indication that he’s concerned about the treatment of all minority groups. The World Cup as an Instrument of Peace When the FIFA World Cup kicked off in June 2014, many sports fans focused exclusively on whether their favorite teams would advance in the soccer (football) tournament, but Pope Francis offered a different viewpoint on the games. Before the opening match between Brazil and Croatia, Francis said the World Cup could teach the public a great deal about solidarity, teamwork, and honoring opponents. â€Å"To win, we must overcome individualism, selfishness, all forms of racism, intolerance, and manipulation of people,† he said. One cannot be a self-centered player and experience success, he said. â€Å"Let nobody turn their back on society and feel excluded!† he said. â€Å"No to segregation! No to racism!† Francis is reportedly a lifelong fan of the Buenos Aires soccer team San Lorenzo and hoped the World Cup served as a â€Å"festival of solidarity between peoples.† â€Å"Sport is not only a form of entertainment but also - and above all I would say - a tool to communicate values that promote the good that is in humans and help build a more peaceful and fraternal society,† he said. End Racism Against U.S.-Bound Migrants A year before real estate mogul-turned-President Donald Trump branded some undocumented immigrants from Mexico as rapists and drug traffickers, Pope Francis called on the United States to adopt a humanitarian approach to the migrants crossing the border, especially children. â€Å"Many people forced to emigrate suffer, and often die tragically,† the pope stated on July 15, 2014, in a message addressing a global conference in Mexico. â€Å"Many of their rights are violated, they are obliged to separate from their families and, unfortunately, continue to be the subject of racist and xenophobic attitudes.† Francis could have framed the situation on the U.S.-Mexico border as a humanitarian crisis without invoking racism and xenophobia, but he made a point to recognize how attitudes about â€Å"the other† influence immigration policy. The pope has a history of advocating for refugees, remarking on an Italian island in 2013 that the public was indifferent to the dire circumstances in which North African and Middle Eastern migrants find themselves. Stereotypes and the Criminal Justice System On Oct. 23, 2014, Pope Francis addressed a delegation from the International Association of Penal Law. Speaking to the group, Francis discussed the widespread idea that public punishment is the solution to difficult social problems. He expressed his disagreement with this view and questioned the motives of public punishment. â€Å"Scapegoats are not only sought to pay, with their freedom and with their life, for all social ills such as was typical in primitive societies, but over and beyond this, there is at times a tendency to deliberately fabricate enemies: stereotyped figures who represent all the characteristics that society perceives or interprets as threatening,† he said. â€Å"The mechanisms that form these images are the same that allowed the spread of racist ideas in their time.† This is the closest Francis came to addressing the Black Lives Matter movement before his visit to the U.S. in September 2015. Like many activists in the movement, Francis suggests that racial scapegoating factors into why society favors taking freedom away from some groups and placing them behind bars for years rather than remedy the social ills that keep prisons overflowing. Embracing Differences While discussing tensions between Catholics and Muslims in January 2015, Pope Francis once again emphasized the need to accept differences. He told a delegation affiliated with the Pontifical Institute of Arab and Islamist Studies that â€Å"patience and humility† are musts in the Islamic-Christian dialogue to avoid fueling â€Å"stereotypes and preconceptions.† â€Å"The most effective antidote to every form of violence is education about discovering and accepting difference as richness and fertileness,† Francis said. As his other remarks on diversity indicate, accepting differences can apply to religious faith, ethnicity, race and much more. The lesson to be learned, according to the pope, is that people don’t divide themselves and lash out against others based on differences.

Constantine and Christianization Research Paper

Constantine and Christianization - Research Paper Example His mother was a Christian and it is assumed that her influence may have been a factor in his conversion, although this is based on speculation since there is no record relating to the reasons for his faith. He was undoubtedly a man of conviction who changed his spiritual allegiance out of sincere motives, but his individual beliefs do not explain the gradual consolidation of the Christian place which took place during his lifetime. In order to explore this fascinating period of history and explain the rapid process of Christianization in this period it is necessary to look at the political and economic conditions of the time as well as some of the religious and philosophical debates which were carried out in clerical and academic circles. Constantine became emperor of the whole Roman Empire in 324 at a time when most of the Roman authorities were convinced that the stability of the empire depended upon persecuting Christians and promoting the traditional polytheistic religion of Roman antiquity, while admitting some secular and philosophical debate drawn from the widely popular Greek culture of the time. According to Gill (1) Constantine’s conversion to Christianity was one major contribution to Western history but it is matched by his creation of the illustrious city of Constantinople, which became a model for other cities to follow and a rival to the glory of Rome. His massive building plan gave greater credibility to the Christian faith, particularly as he was interested in Church architecture and devoted significant sums of money to Christian projects. Constantine was a remarkably generous patron to the arts and architecture, leaving his mark on the history of European culture in the form of many ambitious buildings which together characterise what came to be known as Byzantine culture. Some important

Beethoven Sonata in D Major, Opus 10 No 3 First Movement Term Paper

Beethoven Sonata in D Major, Opus 10 No 3 First Movement - Term Paper Example In the thirty-second notes, it contains very many passages, which limits the rhythm at which it can practically be in use. Its creation features a fake recapitulation in flat E. First movement The first movement is signified by a marking, ` con brio,’ which contains a number of examples of the urgent need of virtuoso pianistic techniques. Towards the end, the first movement has a quasi-cadenza. The final allegro assai movement includes trills, upward runs, sudden contrasts, and some use of the minor key. It is a package of variations on a subject matter marked by, "La Prima Parte Senza Replica’’ where the very first part is not repeated. The music has 3 variations. At this point, it looks like it is almost ending quietly like in the first movements and in the last movements, but it concludes suddenly with a roaring C major chord. In the very first phase of the first movement the form that involved is sonata, G major: allegro vivace. In the second movement, the fo rm is serenade, C major: adagio grazioso. Finally, in the last and third phases, the form is rondo sonata, G major: allegretto. The stridently profiled distinctiveness of the op.10 sonatas nonetheless admits a number of familiar features amid them, such as the occurrence of comic music thriving in rapid contrasts and surprising turns. Fanciful, random comedy surfaces in the finales of all the pieces, and mainly noticeably in the beginning allegro of the succeeding sonata is in F major. The sonatas are nevertheless marvelously contrasted in personality, mainly in the opening movements: the abrupt, theatrical phrase of the C small sonata sets into reprieve the calm, naughty spirit of the F major, while the vibrant intensity of the third sonata, in D major, propels the official intend from inside. Similar to Beethoven’s four previous sonatas, op.10 no.3 also has four faction sandwiched amid a beginning allegro and a finale in a silent quicker tempo. In the preliminary seriousnes s of this sonata, like the largo e mesto of op.10 no.3, Beethoven stress the distinction among hopeful, apparent lyricism and dark, discordant chords in the bass. Other than in the pathetique some of these variations are combined at the onset; the logic of conflict implied in the up melodic recitation is eroded against the brooding load of the C minor tonality, through highlighting on diminished-seventh chords. Whilst penetrating the high pitch registers, melodious rise becomes both touching and fragile. This is because it is reliant on the immovable choral reinforcement of the bass (Marshall 76). The recitative-like expression close to the ending of the grave are harmonically parenthetical, hanging on an illusory accentual intonation that delay the forthcoming motion to the tonic C minor in anticipation of the commencement of the following allegro di molto e con brio. The sluggish movement in tonic or non-tonic minor mode in op.10 no.3 It is the lights out effect that gives the ini tial impact: the sudden precipitation of a gloomy antitype to the first movement’s type. Always, when non-tonic happens in the slow movement, it is expected that there will be a relief in all movements. Thus, the logic of no escape is redoubled during the subside of representation into minor. Allegorically, when the beginning is heard, especially the beginning of a sluggish movement, the chilling of gloom passes above the tonic; the

Fractional Distillations Essay Example for Free

Fractional Distillations Essay In this experiment we aim to demonstrate that we can separate two volatile compounds from a mixture due to the different chemical properties of each compound. We will accomplish this by a separation procedure known as distillation, which relies on each compound having a distinct and separate boiling point. Our pure products will be analyzed with gas chromatography to determine the success of the distillation. Procedures The experiment was performed as stated in the course textbook: Pavia, D. L., Lampman, G. M., Kriz, G. S., Engel, R. G. Introduction to Organic Laboratory Techniques: A Microscale Approach. 2007, 4th Ed. Pp 51—57. . Data The distillation curves for our simple and fractional distillation (See page 3) clearly demonstrate that fractional distillation separates the two compounds more completely. The boiling point (bp) of our unknown compounds was taken from the flat regions of the fractional distillation curve. Our unknown mixture contained hexane (bp 69  ºC) and toluene (bp 110.6  ºC). Analysis via gas chromatography allowed us to determine the relative percentage of hexane and toluene at fractions near the beginning and end of our distillations. Relative percentages have been recorded in the table below, and our calculations are shown on page 5. Conclusion This week we utilized two methods of distillation (simple and fractional) to separate a mixture of two volatile compounds. We found that while the simple distillation separated the majority of the two compounds near the beginning and the end of the distilling process, fractional distillation produced much more pure fractions. In simple distillation the column was shorter, allowing less room for the two different compounds to fully separate. While heating the round-bottom flask the hexane molecules gain higher kinetic energy faster than the toluene molecules due to their lower molecular weight and lesser intermolecular forces. The longer fractional  distillation column allowed the hexane molecules with higher kinetic energy to separate from the lower-energy toluene molecules. After viewing the gas chromatograph data from the fractional distillation we saw that our unknown compounds had almost completely separated, while the fractions from the simple distillation were less pure. Although distillation is a good separation technique it is still necessary to ensure that proper steps are taken to reduce the chances of error. Failure to add a boiling chip to the round-bottom flask could allow the mixture to heat unevenly. This could allow molecules with a higher boiling point to gain kinetic energy before the molecules with the lower boiling point, which would create impure fractions. Watching the rate of temperature increase is also important. Allowing the temperature to increase too quickly can cause impurity for the same reason. We forgot to add the boiling chip to the round-bottom flask in the simple distillation, which could have contributed to the mixture of toluene and hexane that we saw. We made sure to include the boiling chip in the fractional distillation, however, and did not observe any problems. Even though both hexane and toluene are volatile, they have different chemical properties to allow for separation and analysis. Hexane is a hydrocarbon with no dipole moment or double bonds. This means that it has few intermolecular interactions, and will have a lower boiling point. It also has a lower molecular weight than toluene, so it will appear first on the gas chromatograph. Toluene has a benzene ring with a methyl group attached. Toluene has greater intermolecular forces than hexane because the benzene ring withdraws electrons from the methyl group. This creates a slight polarity to the molecule that increases intermolecular forces and increases the boiling point. Since toluene has a greater molecular weight than hexane it will appear second on the gas chromatograph. This experiment illustrates how useful the different properties of compounds can be while trying to purify mixtures of compounds.

Landmines :: Nuclear War Weapons Essays

Landmines The possible use of weapons of mass destruction such as nuclear bombs, biological and chemical weapons, terrorizes us, as it can have catastrophic repercussions if they were to be in the hands of terrorists. One of the reasons behind our fear is that no matter where we are in the world can we tomorrow suffer from the use of such weapons, and are in no place completely safe, as we have seen with the catastrophe of September 11, 2001. Yet there exists many other weapons that can be used to harms civilians, from which we are less conscious about since they don’t affect us. The result of the use of landmines, for example has been horrendous in many third world countries, hurting many non-military personnel, even once a conflict between tow nations has been resolved. They have been implanted on the battlefield of more than 70 countries in the world, and are still being built by some of the most powerful nations such as Russia, China or the United States. The first known description of a pressure-activated landmine was by the German military historian Frieherr Von Flemming in 1726, but such mines were not commonly used in warfare until the Second World War. It has been accounted that more than 300 million mines were deployed between 1939 and 1945. In the first part of the war mines were solely used as a device to counter enemy tanks. Yet, one of the problems with Anti-Tank (AT) mines of the time was that they were easily removed and re-used by the other side, so Anti-Personnel (AP) were created to solve this problem. They were deployed around AT mines to prevent their removal. Originally, both AT and AP landmines were developed as tactical, defensive weapons. They were intended to protect troops, military bases, and key installations like power plants and water supplies. After the Second World War, with the advances in technology the landmines became an offensive weapon. Mines in the 1960’s could be simply launched from an airp lane, and would only activate once on the ground, thus making it possible to drop more mines from the air than if placing them on the ground. Not only this would allow mines to be placed in a war zone in a much greater frequency, but until now, each mine that was placed was recorded and mapped, in order to be able to remove it once the conflict was over.

Poverty in Egypt Essay

Food crisis, political catastrophe, societal upheavals—these are perhaps the most controversial issues that boggle the minds of the Egyptian masses nowadays. Along with the current political catastrophes that has transcribed in the contemporary milieu, Egypt is considered as a transit country for prostitution, child trafficking and a massive rise of violence (Wenger, 1987, The World Bank, 2008). War in Gaza, smuggling—these problems are said to be the manifestation of poverty, which at hand is the main culprit in swallowing the inhabitants of third world countries (Erlanger, 2008). As a matter of fact, this unprecedented communal catastrophe has long been a major concern by political parties that preventive and charitable measures are given to them each year. Thus such drive for lifting their economy is driven away by civil confrontations that those who intends to help them are hindered to fulfill their duty. Basically, this historical and contemptible country is far from letting their guard down from the hopes of reaching solitude and receiving their respective needs; as the residents themselves are working hard to get a grasp of armistice not only for the sake of keeping their lives but for the verity of achieving worldly acceptance. As a matter of fact, the Egyptian government has developed several steps in aide of helping their constituents live a bountiful life. Thus this dream shall not be made possible without the cooperation of their general public. The situation in Egypt â€Å"Reduce poverty and improve equity in the distribution of income†Ã¢â‚¬â€this is the statistical and economical strategy of their management. The reality in Egypt is known all over the world. Nutritional status and unemployment are apparently the cited â€Å"intrinsically important† fields that the residents are hoping to be resolved. The conceptual argument in this matter is that poverty is identified as â€Å"rupture† in the urbanization process combined with the problems of civil hostilities. Further, if there had been cities which have been granted with the delivery of basic services, it is only the urban areas who eventually enjoys it since that those who badly need it either turn away from the help itself, or has become bleak on the context of improving their lives. To note, there is a huge density in street-vendors and homeless families and Egypt (Development, 2008). World Bank assessed that the numbers that appeared in their data is based on the context of poverty indicators and in layman’s term, it is the multi-faceted feature of having insufficient income. Hence the battle in defeating the odds of reality is too close to call. The price for being less-fortunate With the issue in poverty in mind, scholars and statisticians were able to distinguish the effects of poverty in the community. Such are as follows: the scarcity of opportunity as there is derisory learning or education, nutrition, wellbeing and instruction, or the incapability to find a profession that can completely be in remuneration someone’s obtainable and present aptitude. Hence these are caused of susceptibility, owed to insufficient assets and resources, to impulsive prevalent fiscal distress or even personage fright such as when those who are considered as breadwinners mislay their ability to bring in money for a living (Ravallion and Chen, 2007). Overcoming the societal dilemma Even though these problems have been gradually present for quite a long time already, it should also be considered that the country has been developing in the verge of the 21st century. Their Millennium Development Goals enhanced literacy, mortality and their health status increasing every year and sufficiently, a large piece of the residents are cooperative in such dimension. Furthermore, the brackets that were considered as poor—the tenant farmers and small-scale farmer, landless laborers, unemployed youth and more specifically women—have been found to be positively improving and these are coherent to that of the development in the light of literacy. However, pursuing the dream still needs to be pressed on further and not lose hope despite the hindrances that unfolds before them to be able to sustain the momentum. Conclusions with further remarks Global systems theory is perhaps one of the many theories related to capitalism and transnational corporations. There should be emphasis that children are ‘sacred’ in a sociological sense because of the fact that childrearing and its effects on children reaffirm the belief in the importance of children. It creates a protected space of security, trust and close human connection inasmuch as it illustrates the generous and nurturing characteristic of individuals rather than being individualistic and always inclined for competition (Rudra, 2005). The limitations of quantitative measurements of well-being have long been recognized, and there is a rich tradition of anthropological and sociological work that uses a range of techniques to achieve an in-depth understanding of poverty for project work—broadening understanding of both poverty and the policy process (Lane, 2007). New pockets of poverty are undermining prosperity, making it look more tenuous. The materialist bias is part of a historical legacy, an ancient political responsibility for ensuring that citizens have roofs over their heads, larders with food to eat. While the very meaning of poverty remains the subject of debate, and differences of opinion persist in how to best study the root causes of poverty.

“Hero of Our Time” by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn and “One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich” by Mikhail Lermontov Essay

The two novels â€Å"Hero of Our Time† written by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn and â€Å"One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich† written by Mikhail Lermontov will be compared for this World Literature Assignment (Comparative Study). The main characters of these two novels will be compared and distinguished. In â€Å"Hero of Our Time† the main character is Grigory Alexandrovich Pechorin and the main character in â€Å"One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich† is Ivan Denisovich (Shukhov). The novel â€Å"Hero of Our Time† is composed of five short stories and is about the adventures of the main character Pechorin. There are three main narrators in this novel, who are, the travel writer, Pechorin and Maxim Maximych. Lermontov has used three narrators so the readers can see three different perspectives making the reader see different views of the characters in the book. The reader also learns that the five short stories are not in chronological order. This makes it some what confusing for the reader but at the same time gets the reader really interested in the book. The story is about how Pechorin is struggling in the society he is living in and also at the same time struggling with himself. We find out his true feelings and thoughts in his journal where the reader feels sympathy for him. Pechorin to other characters in the book is never honest and sometimes is not in control of his emotions and actions. The aim of the author is to show the readers if Pechorin re ally is the hero of his time or not. This is very ironic since the lack of morality suggests that he is not a traditional hero. The novel â€Å"One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich† is a description of one of Shukhov’s days in a labour camp where he has been sentenced for ten years. We learn how prison life is harsh and tough. In the labor camp it is all about surviving, comradeship (between the Prisoners) and corruption. The reader learns that the only free time Prisoners have is during their meals. The prison life has forced some people to change. An example of this is where one of the prisoners, Fetiukov, has become the type of man who would steal potatoes out of another man’s soup. The style of the novel is understated and straightforward. Solzhenitsyn has written this book very descriptively. Everything has been described accurately so the reader can imagine and visualize the surroundings. An example of this is when Shukhov is describing the mess hall: â€Å"The mess-hall seemed as usual, with clouds of vapour curling in through the door and men sitting shoulder to shoulder like seeds in a sunflower†1 This novel is written in the 3rd person form but we see through Shukhov’s eyes. We get to know him as a first person so we get a broad perspective of him and also others, how they look at Shukhov. We show respect to Shukhov since he is surviving the cold harsh conditions. â€Å"The cold stung. A murky fog wrapped itself round Shukhov and made him cough painfully† In the labour camp the authority treats the prisoners like animals where Shukhov treats them as comrades. Shukhov’s one day in the labour camp is representing the lives of millions of people who were sent to labor camps during Stalin’s regime. If we look at Pechorin’s characteristics we learn that he has the characteristics of a Byronic Hero. This can be said by looking at his behaviour, he is sulky, creates the sense of mystery, is isolated from the society and also rebels against social niceties of the time. â€Å"A Hero of Our Time† involves women. Pechorin is scared to get in love or make any kind of commitment with any women since a fortune teller once told his mother that he would die when he gets married. Pechorin thinks about this and tries to avoid it, thus he makes excuses for not making any commitments with women. The reader gets the feeling that he is irrational, although it’s clean-cut that he has an ambivalent character. Pechorin is a person who contradicts himself. He sets out to do something and at the end does the total opposite of it. This shows that he can be misleading. â€Å"I lied, but I wanted to bait him. I was born with a passion for contradiction. My whole life has been nothing but a series of dismal, unsuccessful attempts to go against heart or reason† Pechorin can be described as a womanizer since he likes to play against women’s emotions and use them so they can benefit him and fulfill his personal desires. He gets this satisfaction when he uses women, making him feel like a ‘hero’. The reader also learns that he is a character who can’t even be honest to himself. This is not always the case, for example when he writes in his journal he always tries to be honest. Pechorin is very self-analytical because he analyzes motives so we can see things from his perspective. â€Å"I’ve always hated entertaining, but now every day my house is full of guests, dining, supping, gambling.† Pechorin makes the reader also assumes that his mental break down will be from women. Now if we look at the characteristics of Shukhov, we learn that Shukhov is a prisoner of war in a labor camp. Life is very hard, just one day of his life shows so much about the living standards he is living in. Shukhov is a disciplined person and has not lost his civilized behaviour, like for example he would always take his cap off while eating even when it’s freezing. Similarly Pechorin also has pride but his pride is his self-respect and his arrogance, mostly superficial things. The low living standards have made Shukhov enjoy little things for example building a wall, smuggling a piece of hacksaw blade so he can make a knife out of it. The most important characteristic about him is that he is a very honest man especially to his comrades. He gives them respect and realizes like him he should not be here. The strong bond between his friends makes him want to live on. Comradeship is essential because without comradeship in the labor camp, surviving would be really difficult. Shukhov’s pride and dignity has been taken away from him and he only thinks of surviving this labor camp. In the labor camp his better days are when he gets extra food and has not ended up in the lock-up. He sometimes thinks positive and thinks about the future that there is still some hope. He hopes to meet his family which is waiting for him. If we compare the two characters we see that Shukhov has a much stronger bond with his comrades/friends than Pechorin has with his friends. Shukhov has to have friends in order to survive in the prison because if he doesn’t he would be even more mentally broken down. The bond of friendship makes him live on in that dreadful prison. It can also be said that Shukhov is a person who we can respect and who also shows respect to others. There is also a similarity between the two characters which is that they were/are both soldiers. This means that they have both encountered war and seen the dreadful sides of it. Another important similarity between them is that they are both shaped by society and the time that they live in. Although Shukhov is in prison and Pechorin isn’t the reader feels that Shukhov still has more freedom. This is because Shukhov is a person who won’t hurt anyone and respect everyone. In return he is also trusted and no one has ever hurt him before. The reader feels that Shukhov has inner peace and that he is a kind of freedom. On the other hand Pechorin does not have that inner peace which Shukhov has this is because he is a selfish person thinking only of his desires. Since Shukhov is in prison he has the freedom of his political ideas and these cannot be punished since he is already in prison. This again shows how Shukhov has the freedom to do this but Pechorin doesn’t. It can be concluded that Shukhov has a stronger character than Pechorin. This is because Shukhov is in general a pleasant person who respects everyone. He is a civilized man and always thinks how he could survive the rest of the years so he can go back to his family. Pechorin is quite opposite to Shukhov, he has a weak character. This is because he is not trustworthy even at times not to himself because he contradicts him self a lot. It can be felt that Shukhov is the greater hero of his time since he makes the reader sympathise for him without creating sympathy. But Pechorin wants the readers to sympathise for him by explaining his feelings, emotions and actions all the time. Bibliography Books: 1) Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (2000): One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, Penguin Classics; England 2) Mikhail Lermontov (2001): A Hero of Our Time, Penguin Classics; England 1 â€Å"One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich†, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Penguin Classics Edition (2000), England, page 118 2 â€Å"One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich†, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Penguin Classics Edition (2000), England, page 23 3 â€Å"A Hero of Our Time†, Mikhail Lermontov, Penguin Classics (2001), England, page 77 4 â€Å"A Hero of Our Time†, Mikhail Lermontov, Penguin Classics (2001), England, page 84

A Federalists Speech essays

A Federalist's Speech essays A Federalist's Speech (I made this up actually) Many of us are overreacting; the Constitution is not meant to oppress us. As of now, our states are vulnerable. Do you honestly think that one of our states can maintain their independence from the British on its own? Survival as a respected nation requires the transfer of important, though limited, powers to a central government, and this can be done without destroying the identity or autonomy of separate states. I am like you; none of us wants to replace one oppressive monarchy with another centralized, unrestrained regime. But our Articles of Confederation were unstable and disorganized, and they allowed for petty jealousy and competition between states. Americans, we must unite; but I see that we must also have a balance of power. This Constitution allows for this new kind of balance, never achieved elsewhere. Indeed, the Federalist Papers themselves indicate a balance or compromise between the national propensities of Mr. Hamilton- who reflects the commercial interests of a port city, New York- and the wariness of Mr. Madison, who shares the suspicion of distant authority widely held by Virginia farmers. Rather than the absolute sovereignty of each state granted by those Articles, the states will retain a residual sovereignty in all those areas that do not require national concern. The very process of ratification of the Constitution symbolizes the concept of federalism rather than nationalism. As our friend Mr. Madison puts it: This assent and ratification is to be given by the people, not as individuals composing one entire nation, but as composing the distinct and individual States to which they respectively belong... The act therefore establishing the Constitution will not be a national but a federal act. Under this Constitution, we will have a concurrency of powers between the national and state governments, analogous to the planets revolving around the sun...

How to Make Collaborative Marketing Actually Work the Best Way

How to Make Collaborative Marketing Actually Work the Best Way Marketing managers want their teams to collaborate effectively. Facilitating collaborative processes between team members and across departments, however, is easier said than done. The more people are added to a project, the more potential for productivity snags. Increased complexity equals increased odds of project failure due to miscommunication, misalignment of resources, or general disorganization. However, when managers, sales, creatives, strategists, and analysts are all working in sync toward a common goal, teams can achieve results far beyond what they could on their own. In fact, maximizing success often requires this, and the complex needs of modern marketing make functioning optimally impossible without collaborating well across departments and disciplines. Download Your Free Marketing Collaboration Templates Before tackling any task, its useful to have the right tools for the job. To help implement more collaborative marketing strategies and processes in your own organization, download these three free resources: Marketing Strategy Guide (PDF): Plan an entire marketing strategy efficiently (with team collaboration in mind from the start). Marketing Project Calendar Template (Excel): Collaborate on project timelines with a single version of truth. Convincing Your Team to Use (PowerPoint): is marketing management software thats built to facilitate collaborative marketing teams. Before you decide to use it with your organization though, youll need buy-in from your team. This slide deck will help build the case for collaborating in one place with . How to Make Collaborative Marketing Actually Work the Best Way by @Ben_What Does Collaborative Marketing Mean? Here’s the definition this post will work with: Collaborative marketing describes the process of aligning multiple team members and resources, within one or multiple organizations, to achieve a goal that would otherwise be impossible without leveraging one another’s capabilities. That sounds simple enough, right? Why Does Effective Collaboration Matter? The payoff for investing in collaborative skill development, training, software, and processes can be powerful. But, not all companies feel like their teams are working together well enough. According to a survey from Visix, 39% of those surveyed â€Å"believe that people in their own organization don’t collaborate enough.† That’s a massive problem. Almost 40% of people think their organization doesn't collaborate well. Do you agree?What Are the Biggest Roadblocks to Effective Collaboration? So, if companies aren’t collaborating enough, what’s holding them up? Speaking in terms of newsrooms (chaotic, busy places- not unlike marketing departments), Poynter once broke down four Ds  that block creative collaboration: Distance: Too much physical distance between teams. Dominance: One team’s ego and need to be in charge, crushing collaborative culture. Dissonance: Competing priorities between teams leading to la ack of clear focus. Discomfort: Sometimes, it’s challenging to work with people you don’t know. That article was written back in 2008. But, with the possible exception of the first point (teleconferencing technology has come a long way since then), the other three issues are timeless barriers to getting people to work well with each other. Including marketers.

Educational applications of Bandura, Piaget, Gissell, Erikson, and Research Paper

Educational applications of Bandura, Piaget, Gissell, Erikson, and Vygotsky at early childhood sites (Preschool to2nd grade) - Research Paper Example The mind of children especially those in the stage where they are introduced to learning concepts are very navigating are exploring thus they are supposed to be given an opportunity to explore their curiosity and in the end they will develop both mentally and cognitively (Follari, 2007). The psychology of children is not inferior to that of adults it is only that children have limited line of thinking within which they level of understanding is limited (Pound, 2011). Theories about the manner in which children learn and acquire knowledge at their tender age however they at some point tend to conflict with each other since they were advanced by different people who conducted their research at different historical times and under varied circumstances (Robinson & Jones-Diaz, 2006). However, they whole tend try to explain the fundamental issues concerned with child psychology that influences the manner in which children acquire knowledge and understanding of things (Morgan, 2011). Bandura took a behaviorist approach in advancing his thoughts on how children in preschool as he believed the manner in which children developed mentally and cognitively was generally based on their behaviors. Bandura indicates that learning for children is a gradual process which continues perpetually throughout one’s life (Pound, 2011). Even after maturity the learning process goes on as a mature person continues gathering new knowledge and skills from his/her surrounding or from formal education in schools. Development in children is regarded as a conditional behavior which is special in nature as in the manner in which a particular child behaves determines how he/she develops mentally and cognitively (Mooney, 2013). The behaviors that children develop according to Bandura are not inherited from their kins they are due to the child’s interaction with his/her immediate environment that makes a child behave in

System engineering Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

System engineering - Coursework Example Sometimes change is usually unpredictable, coming at time that an organisation does not anticipate it. In such a scenario, the way an organisation handles the change determines the adaptability that determines the recovery of the organisation. Various recommendations have been given on how to manage change in systems engineering. To effectively deal with change in systems engineering, it is recommended to follow a simple guideline. First identify the areas that change is required in the processes and justify the need for change. Secondly, assess and evaluate the possibility of positive results from a change in terms of dealing with stakeholders needs or coming up with a better product. Thirdly, change managers should implement the change in a process that does not disrupt the whole system. When a change is finally in place, it should be practiced to replace the previous process and made the norm. This should then be followed by periodic monitoring of the change as it is being impleme nted and evaluation of the whole process (Habhouba, Cherkaoui, and Desrochers, p.

History final in-class essays Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

History final in-class essays - Essay Example These empires are one of the most important empires because they provide a lot of information and important documents concerning the Islamic culture and beliefs (Bryce, 2013). To begin with, the Ottoman Empire was formed around the beginning of 14th century and was the first empire to be formed among these three empires. It covers areas such as the North Africa region, Egypt, Syria, Arabia, Iraq, and the Balkans region. It was founded by a sultan known as Sultan Selim in 1512 and its boundaries covers Atlantic Ocean region to the whole Persian Gulf (Dinc & Yetim, 2012). The empire went in first battle of the Lepanto at around 1571 and later went in a battle where it was defeated in 1683 in Vienna. In addition, the empire is remembered as one of the great Islamic empires that brought modernization in the late 19th century that. Although it failed to improve the economic, political, and social process in its regions, it was seen to provide bigger impact on the cultural Islamic historic al life (Carnegie, 2013). The empire ruled until around 1600, where it reached its peak and later started to decline due to some internal lack of organization. Again, the decline was due to enemy pressure that was inflicted to the empire by the Europe and Asia enemies of the empire. Although the empire faced various challenges, it was it came to an end in 1918 after World War I. The empire is remembered as one of the great Islamic empires that gave rise to the present day country called Turkey. Again, the empire is also remembered as one of the empires that provided the link between the medieval revolution and the current Islamic historical information (Guidetti, 2013). The second great Islamic empire is known as the Safavid Empire that was founded in 1501 as a result of political changes in Persia. The empire is come from the name Safavid that was the name of Sufi order formed by the Sunnite mystic. Although Safi-ad-Din died in around 1334 the empire name was passed to Shiism at ar ound 1400 hence the name the Shiite Safavid Empire. Ismail became the head of Safavid in 1487 and ruled up to 1501 where he declared himself the Shah of Iran and established a dynasty that united and brought together Iran people and ruled them up to late 1722. Iran became more influenced by the western culture in the early 19th century leading to modernization, which brought about the Islamic religion of today. Besides the empire although formed in 1501was one of the great Islamic empires that was originated as a result of religious sect and acquired most of political as well as military characteristic. This empire was officially the empire of Shiite and some of the religious diversity he has led to conflict between it and the Sunni neighbors. Besides this is one the empires that ruled within the shortest time and was greatly affected by the invaders such as the Afghans which attacked them in around 1722. The empire is greatly remembered for its nationalism and it led to the formati on of the present day Iran country (Behbudi, 2013). The third empire is the Mughal Empire that was based in India and was founded in 1526 (Garcia-Rivero, 2013). The empire faced many challenges and was affected British empires. In addition, the empire gained from the succession of strong rulers that gave him the Hindu population

Staphylococcus Aureus: Structure and Functions

Staphylococcus Aureus: Structure and Functions Introduction 1.1 Staphylococcus aureus Staphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic yet versatile pathogen that can infect almost all types of tissue in the human body. 33-50% of healthy individuals were reported to be S. aureus carriers. The diseases resulting from S. aureus infection range from superficial infections; invasive infections such as endocarditis to the life threatening septic shock and toxic shock. The presence of foreign material greatly increases the risk of infection by providing a base for attachment and biofilm formation. S. aureus appears as clustered gram positive cocci under the microscope. Criteria used to identify this organism include the production of golden pigment on nutrient agar; being positive for coagulase; mannitol fermentation and the production of deoxyribonuclease. The virulence of the infecting strain and the nature of the host immune response are important determinants for the outcome of severe S. aureus infection . 1.1.1 S. aureus genome and regulation of gene expression S. aureus has a 2.8-2.9 Mbp circular genome. House-keeping genes and genes associated with central metabolism and some virulence determinants (e.g. protein A) are highly conserved among strains and make up the majority of S. aureus genome. The rest more variable regions mainly consists of mobile elements such as pathogenicity islands (SaPI, 7 identified), genomic islands (ÃŽ ½SaÃŽ ± and ÃŽ ½SaÃŽ ²), Staphylococcal chromosomal cassettes (SCC) and bacteriophages. S. aureus expresses an array of adhesins, immunomodulatory molecules; anti-inflammatory proteins and as many as 30 toxins to invade, evade and cause host tissue damage. Many of the virulence factors discussed below are encoded by genes located in the variable region. Their expression is under the control of a complicated and interconnected regulatory network . Four main gene regulators have been identified, including the two component regulatory system (agr, sae); the transcription factors (SarA and its homologous); the nutrient regulated CodY regulator and alternative transcription factor ÏÆ'B. agr is an auto-inducible quorum-sensing system, promoting expression of extracellular virulence factors and down-regulating cell surface proteins. ÏÆ'B has been shown to participate in the general stress response, and may be involved in antibiotic resistance; pigmentation; biofilm and micro-colony formation (referenced in ). Many surface proteins/adhesin have been shown to be positively influenced by ÏÆ'B, while the expression of most exoproteins and toxins were down-regulated. Activity ofthe agr system is influenced by other gene regulators and may be regulated by cell density. The transcription of agr components were found to be promoted by SarA and gene products of the sar locus and repressed by CodY. To add up the complexity, transcription o f the Sar locus was controlled by three promoters that can be differently activated during in vitro growth. One of these promoters was demonstrated to be ÏÆ'B dependent . It is generally regarded that exponential growth in vitro is correlated with the colonization phase of infection. Correspondingly, genes encoding surface proteins were found to be expressed earlier, starting during the transition from stationary to exponential growth while the expression of secreted proteins started at late-exponential growth phase. The in vivo situation of infection is likely to be more dynamic. Different stimuli trigger combined and coordinated action of the regulatory network, reflecting the particular state of bacterial growth, host defense and environmental nutrition. For example, phagocytosis by neutrophil triggered differential expression of 21.8-39.1% of S. aureus genes â€Å"at any time† following the event. The suppressive effect of CodY on S. aureus virulence factors lead to the possible suggestion that S. aureus may maintain its virulence factor to low level to ‘co-exist harmlessly with the host until a invading opportunity arise. In any case , it would be interesting to see how host immunological activity ‘feedback on S. aureus regulation of its virulence factors, especially immune evasion molecules. 1.1.2 Antibiotic resistance The rapid spreading of antibiotic resistant S. aureus strains through human communities presents a major challenge for conventional treatment. In 2005, it was reported that methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infection caused more death than AIDS in USA. S. aureus demonstrated amazing ability to â€Å"co-evolve† with the development of antibiotics. The first generation penicillin uses ÃŽ ²-lactam to bind penicillin-binding proteins (PBP, bacterial transpeptidase) and inhibits bacterial cell wall synthesis. S. aureus resists this class of antibiotics by producing ÃŽ ²-lactamases (aka penicillinase) that cleaves ÃŽ ²-lactam. Second generation of penicillin, such as methicillin was developed. The structure of their ÃŽ ²-lactam has been modified to resist ÃŽ ²-lactamases. S. aureus soon acquired the mecA operon that encodes a modified PBP (PBP 2a), which showed reduced susceptibility for ÃŽ ²-lactam and thus granted resistance to all ÃŽ ²-lactam containing antibiotics. mecA is located on the staphylococcal chromosome cassette mec (SCCmec), a mobile genetic element that allows horizontal transfer of mecA between strains. MRSA infection shows increasing prevalence in all continents, primarily in healthcare-environments (HA-MRSA). Alarmingly, these strains have been shown to exhibit resistance to other types of commonly used non-lactam antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin and erythromycin. Vancomycin, a peptidoglycan polymerization inhibitor, is now considered as the last-line antibiotics for MRSA treatment. However, strains of vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (VISA) have emerged. Notably, these strains have developed thicker cell walls that require higher concentrations of vancomycin to be effective (minimal inhibitory concentration MIC over 4ug/ml). A vancomycin resistant S. aureus (VRSA) strain has been reported recently (MIC >32 ÃŽ ¼g/ml). This complete resistance is most likely due to the horizontal transfer of the vancomycin resistant gene (VanA) from En terococcus faecalis. Development of effective new antibiotics against S. aureus has met with only limited success, urging the development of alternative therapies based on better understanding of the pathogenicityof S. aureus . 1.2 Adhesin / ECM interaction as key to S. aureus colonization/invasion Colonization is always the first step in bacterial infection and is an important component in pathogenesis. The wide range of tissues that S. aureus can infect reflects its ability to adhere and therefore colonize many different biological niches. S. aureus is now recognized as an invasive organism, targeting non-professional phagocytes such as keratinocytes, epithelial cells, endothelial cells and osteoblasts. The tasks of initial colonization and invasion are assisted by S. aureus surface anchored and secreted adhesive molecules known as MSCRAMM, microbial surface components recognizing adhesive matrix molecules and SERAM, secretable expanded repertoire adhesive molecules. The majority of MSCRAMM and SERAM bind extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins such as fibrinogen and fibronectin. In general, the interaction with ECM proteins is regarded as providing a ‘foothold for S. aureus to establish and to exacerbate infection. However, it has been reported that in some animal models l oss of fibronectin binding proteins (FnBPs) led to an increase in bacterial virulence, indicating a role of the ECM protein in limiting bacterial dissemination or enhancing bacterial clearance. Due to overlap in target specificity; functional redundancy and the difference in experiment settings, the exact contribution of each isolated staphylococcal adhensin protein remains ambiguous. Nevertheless, fibronectin (Fn) and fibrinogen (Fg) are the most popular targets of known S. aureus adhesins. The interaction between FnBPs and Fn is thought to play a key role in S. aureus internalization by non-phagocytic cells, as FnBP-coated latex beads and non-invasive bacteria expressing FnBPs were readily taken into the human cells (293 cells). Internalization provides several benefits for the bacterium: firstly, protection from host serum defense mechanisms and antibiotics ; secondly, access to nutrient-rich environments after escape from phagocytic vessels; thirdly, facilitating the crossing of the endothelial/epithelial layer and spreading of the infection; and lastly, establishing intracellular bacterial reservoirs for recurrent infection. S. aureus produces two related FnBPs (namely A and B) that contain almost identical Fn-binding domains in the close proximity to their cell-wall-spanning domain. The Fn-binding repeats of FnBPA were crystallized in complex with the N-terminal F1 modules of Fn. FnBPA peptide is inserted along the triple-stranded ÃŽ ² sheets of the Fn F1 module to form an antiparallel tandem ÃŽ ² zipper. Since the C-terminus of Fn interacts with ÃŽ ±5ÃŽ ²1 integrin that are expressed on most host cell surfaces, S. aureus can attach to the host cell through a Fn bridge. The attachment was shown to trigger the accumulation of actin and focal-contact-associated proteins (e.g. tensin) at the bacteria contact site and initiate internalization in a protein tyrosin kinase FAK-dependent manner. It was predicted that one FnBP can bind six to nine Fn molecules. This multivalent interaction was suggested to be important in mediating internalization . The bindings of Fg by the clumping factors (ClfA and ClfB) and FnBPA are mediated by a shared protein structure called the A domain and by a â€Å"dock, lock and latch† mechanism. Interestingly, Clf A is expressed during stationary phase and binds to the ÃŽ ³ chain of Fg. ClfB is expressed at the exponential growth phase and binds to the C-terminus of Fg AÃŽ ± chain. This portion of Fg has been reported to be involved in the coagulation process and wound healing . Fn and Fg interactions have been blamed particularly in S. aureus wound infection and infective endocarditis in humans. Fg binding alone could initiate experimental endocarditis in mice and has been correlated with valve colonization. However, cell invasion and persistence of the infection only occurred when the Fn-binding ability was enabled (via FnBPs). Both interactions were statistically correlated to disease severity. Binding to Fg and Fn simultaneously significantly accelerated the rate of internalization into cultured endothelial cells. In this regard FnBPA that is capable of binding both proteins may play an important role in establishing endocarditis . Platelets accumulation on the heart valve is another critical factor for the development of infective endocarditis. S. aureus-induced platelet aggregation is a complicated and multifactorial process and was suggested to be dependent on Fg or fibrin. FnBPA, ClfA, ClfB and SdrE (serine-aspartate repeat protein) were shown to be able to cause platelet aggregation independently of other S. aureus surface proteins. ClfA displayed the strongest aggregation effect among the last three. SdrE required the presence of plasma to cause aggregation, although the mediator was not identified. ClfA was proposed to interact with platelet indirectly through an Fg bridge or directly with platelet surface protein p118. Other studies have argued that ClfA-specific IgG also participated in platelet activation by cross-linking ClfA to platelet FcÃŽ ³RIIa receptor . 1.3 S. aureus toxinsdirect damage of host cells S. aureus produces a range of cytotoxins, including the ÃŽ ² barrel pore forming toxin (e.g. ÃŽ ± hemolysin); the two component pore forming leukocidins and the exfoliative toxin. Besides the effects of reducing viable phagocytes and weakening host immune system, S. aureus cytotoxins are currently believed to contribute to bacterial dissemination. Lysis of host cells might also provide nutrients for proliferating bacteria, especially iron from hemolysis . These toxins have different prevalence in different diseases. Exfoliative toxin (ET) operates at the epidermal layer of the skin and causes staphylococcal scalded-skin syndrome. ET-A acts as serine protease and specifically cleaves Desmoglian-1 (Dsg-1). Dsg-1 is a cell-cell adhesion molecule expressed on epidermal keratinocytes. Cleavage of Dsg-1 disrupts the superficial layer of epidermis and helps bacterial invasion. ÃŽ ±-hemolysin (Hla) is strongly implicated in S. aureus lung infections. Active and passive immunization of Hla strongly protected mice against S. aureus pneumonia. Hla is released as a water soluble monomer and oligomerises on the host cell membrane to insert the hydrophobic stem domains. Seven Hla monomers are required to form a pore which eventually leads to cell lysis. At sub-lethal concentrations of Hla, host cells produce pro-inflammatory cytokines like IL-8; IL-6; vasoregulators (PGI2, PGE2 and thromboxane), which could have detrimental systemic effect. The exp ression of twenty S. aureus virulence factors were disrupted individually or in combination and the virulence of the resultant deletion mutants were compared in a mice pneumonia model. Deletion of argA, which encodes a component of the arg gene regulation system, resulted in almost complete loss of virulence. Only the Hla deletion mutant produced comparable effects, indicating the importance of Hla in causing lung tissue damage. Human neutrophils can resist Hla lysis but these cells are targeted by Leukocidins. Leukocidins are thought to act in the similar way as Hla. Among the leukocidins, Panton-valentine leukocidin (PVL) is found in all CA-MRSA (community acquired-MRSA) isolates and strongly associated with CA-MRSA infection. However in mouse models of abscess, sepsis, and pneumonia, the severity of diseases caused by PVL- deletion strains were not significantly different from that caused by the wt strains. More surprisingly, PVL-expressing S. aureus strains did not lyse human ne utrophils better than that without PVL. However, it is not clear how these experimental conditions resemble the amount and time of PVL production during infection in human. Another significant problem is that PVL might be human specific and might not work in mice. Nevertheless, a new class of leukocidal molecules, the ÃŽ ± type phenol-soluble modulin (PSMÃŽ ±), was produced at a considerably high level by CA-MRSA. They were shown to contribute to the increased neutrophil lysis, skin lesion formation and mortality rate of experimental animals caused by CA-MRSA infection . 1.4 Interaction of S. aureus with host immune system 1.4.1 Brief overview of host defense against S. aureus Host defense against S. aureus mainly relies on the innate immune system, in particular, neutrophil mediated killing. The integrity of skin and mucosal layer is the first line of defense against invading bacteria. They also encounter antimicrobial substances released by epithelial cells and phagocytes (e.g. defensins; cathelicidins and lysosome). Defensins and cathelicidin are positively charged antimicrobial peptides that could permeate the bacterial membrane. Lysozyme is produced by many cell types and secreted into various tissues. It cleaves bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan at ÃŽ ² 1-4 glycosidic linkage between N-acetylmuramic acid (NAM) and N-acetylglucosamine (NAG). Innate pattern recognition receptors (e.g. Toll-like receptor 2) and immunoglobulin also detect the presence of S. aureus. The latter is recognized by C1q and initiates the complement classical pathway (CP) or directly activates phagocytosis through Fc receptor expressed on neutrophils or monocytes. The human comp lement system is discussed in more detail below. One outcome of complement activation is the production of anaphylatoxin C3a and C5a. Together with formyl methionine peptides produced by bacteria, these chemoattractants are sensed by their receptors expressed on leukocytes and attract leukocytes to the sites of infection. Leukocyte recruitment is accomplished through highly coordinated interactions between adhesins on leukocytes and endothelial cells. Leukocytes change from rolling in the blood stream to firm adhesion to the endothelium and then transmigrate through the endothelial layer. Subsequent migration of leukocytes to infection sites is mediated by integrin interacting with ECM proteins. Once they reach the infection site, the phagocytes recognize antibodies or complement fragments deposited on the bacterial surface through their respective receptors. Phagocytosis then occurs. The phagosome is fused to the lysosome to form the phagolysosome for enzyme-mediated and oxygen fre e radical mediated destruction . 1.4.2 The human complement system The human complement system is a sequentially activated proteolytic cascade that involves more than 30 fluid phase and surface bound proteins. It is one of the key elements of the innate immune system that connects bacterial recognition, leukocyte chemotaxis; phagocytosis as well as adaptive immunity . Three main activation pathways are utilized to recognize foreign and danger signals. The classical pathway (CP) senses antigen bound antibody by C1q. Bacterial carbohydrate ligand is recognized by mannose binding lectin (MBL) or ficolins and initiates the lectin pathway (LP). Upon ligand recognition, both pathways use their specific proteases to cleave C4 and then C2. The resultant C4b2a (the C3 convertase) converts C3 to C3a and C3b. The Alternative pathway (AP) starts by direct binding of C3b to the bacterial surface generated by spontaneous lysis of C3 to C3b called â€Å"tick-over†. Factor B that associates with surface-bound C3b is subsequently cleaved to Bb and forms the alternative pathway C3 convertase C3bBb. The amplification loop of C3 activation is started. C3 cleavage is the central event and merging point in the three pathways. Accumulation of surface bound C3b changes the substrate specificity of C3 convertase to C5. C5 cleavage produces C5a and C5b. The latter m ediates the formation of the membrane attack complex C5b-9 (MAC), which inserts into the target cell membrane and ultimately causes lysis of target cells. C3a and C5a are powerful anaphylotoxin that trigger neutrophil homing. The overall picture of this complex system is depicted in Fig. 1.1 MASP: mannose-binding lectin–associated serine proteases. Figure adapted from Walport et al 2001 (Ref.). Three main outcomes of complement activation are: 1, chemotaxis of leukocytes via C5a and C3a; 2, C3b mediated phagocytosis via complement receptors on phagocytes; and 3, lysis of bacteria by MAC. It is also suggested by recent studies that the C3b presented on bacterial surface are critical factors for B cell activation and the production of specific antibodies. Although the MAC complex cannot function on gram positive bacteria like S. aureus, leukocytes mediated killing is critical for fighting against S. aureus infection . 1.4.3 S. aureus Immune evasion molecules 1.4.3.1 Resistance to antimicrobial substances S. aureus circumvents antimicrobial substances by three main strategies: 1, changing surface charges; 2, modifying the substrates of antimicrobial substances and 3, inactivating antimicrobial substances. S. aureus employs two enzymes to change the highly negatively charged teichoic acid in its cell wall (WTA). DltABCD (Dlt operon) adds D-alanine to WTA and the multiple peptide resistance factor F (Mprf) participates in the modification of membrane phosphatidylglycerol with L-lysine. Both modifications increase bacterial surface charges and thus reduce the attraction to the cationic defensins. dlt or MprF defective strains were killed more efficiently by neutrophil oxygen-independent killing. The former was much less able to cause arthritis and mortality in mice sepsis and arthritis models . S. aureus avoids lysozyme cell wall cleavage by modifying its cell wall peptidoglycan. O-acetyltransferase (OatA) was proposed to mediate this response. OatA catalyses the acetylation of muramic acid, which results in the addition of an acetyl group on S. aureus peptidoglycan. An oatA- strain was sensitive to lysozyme, while complementary expression of the enzyme restored its resistance . Two enzymes have been reported to directly inactivate antimicrobial peptides. Aureolysin (a metalloproteinase) could cleave and therefore inactivate cathelicidin LL-37. Staphylokinase (SAK), a secreted plasminogen binding protein, was reported to form a complex with ÃŽ ± defensin and almost completely blocked its antimicrobial activity. This activity was independent of plasminogen binding. S. aureus strains that produce SAK had a higher survival rate in vitro and higher virulence in a mouse arthritis model . 1.4.3.2 Prevent phagocytosis and opsonision 1.4.3.2.1 General anti-opsonin molecules S. aureus clinical isolates produce a capsular polysaccharide outer cell wall. Serotypes 5 and 8 of the capsular polysaccharide are associated with increased virulence. The capsule is anti-opsonic via blocking of surface deposition of opsonins and their receptor/ligand interaction. Immunoglobulins are targeted by protein A (SpA) and its homologues Sbi (S. aureus IgG-binding protein), SSL7 (Staphylococcal superantigen-like protein 7) and SAK. SpAis a 42 kDa surface anchored molecule. It has four to five IgG binding units that could interact with IgG Fc portion. This interaction presents IgG to leukocytes Fc receptor in the wrong orientation and therefore prevents recognition. In the present of IgG, strains expressing high level of SpA were shown to be more resistant to leukocyte phagocytosis than SpA-poor strains, especially when the sole source of opsonin was purified IgG. Opposite results occurred with IgG-deficient serum, indicating SpA confers protection against neutrophil through IgG interaction. Sbi contains two IgG binding sites at the N-terminal domain. The significance of the Sbi/IgG interaction remains to be fully established. SAK forms a complex with plasminogen and converts plasminogen to plasmin. Plasmin cleaves IgG and C3b deposited on S. aureus resulting in reduced recognition by phagocytes and likely impaired initiation of C1q mediated CP activation . 1.4.3.3 Complement inhibition S. aureus is now recognized as ‘a master of complement evasion. Unlike other bacteria which use host factors to ‘disguise the bacteria or inhibit complement activation, S. aureus produces a group of proteins to attack the key elements of the complement cascades. The list of anti-complement virulence factors is growing. So far, five complement inhibitors have been demonstrated and well characterized: SCIN; Efb; Ehp; SSL7 and Sbi. Interestingly, SCIN, Efb, Ehp and Sbi all use a triple ÃŽ ± helix bundle as their functional domain while their modes of action are markedly different (Fig. 1.2). SSL7 belongs to the SSL protein family. Its function will be discussed in context with other members of the family in a later section. 1.4.3.3.1 SCIN SCIN (staphylococcal complement inhibitor) is a human-specific 9.8 kDa secreted protein with a trip ÃŽ ± helix structure (Fig. 1.2) and is produced by 90% of S. aureus strains. SCIN was shown to inhibit all three complement activation pathways. In the presence of SCIN, the deposition of C3b and MAC were prevented, so was the C2b and Ba release. However the amount of surface bound C3 convertases (both forms) were increased, suggesting SCIN had a stabilizing effect on this complex. SCIN bound to surface-immobilized C3b directly and the binding site was predicted to involve the C3b MG7 and MG8 domain and the area nearby. This was confirmed by the co-crystallized SCIN-C3bBb complex. In vitro binding studies suggested the complex was likely to form in a 1:1 or 2:2 ratio. Indeed in the crystal structure, the complex appeared as a SCIN2C3b2Bb2 heterodimer that was bridged by the two SCIN molecules cross-linking the two C3b fragments. However this cross-linkage was not critical in SCIN compl ement inhibition as monomeric interaction also resulted in stable and inhibited C3 convertase. Native C3 could still associate with the SCIN-C3 convertase complex, but the production of C3b was largely inhibited, suggesting the convertase was likely trapped in a dysfunctional yet stable state by SCIN. Moreover, SCIN exerted a partial competition for factor B binding to C3b and a complete competition for factor H/C3b binding. The significance of the inhibition on factor H was not clear although reducing iC3b (inactive product of the cleavage of C3b) mediated downstream signaling could be beneficial for the bacterium. Physiologically, C3 convertase decays shortly after assembly. This disassociation is required for further cleavage of C2 and factor B. Thus SCIN functions by preventing C3 convertase decay; hindering conformational activation of C3 convertase and possibly by blocking C3b/iC3b mediated signaling . 1.4.3.3.2 Efb Efb (extracellular fibrinogen-binding protein) and the recently discovered Ehp (Efb-homologous protein aka Ecb) have been shown to inhibit C3b deposition in AP and C5 convertase activity in all three pathways. The efb gene is present in 85% of S. aureus isolates sequenced to date. Its inhibitory effects on complement mediated lysis and neutrophil activation in response to C5a have been demonstrated. The Efb complement binding domain (Efb-c) is also a triple ÃŽ ± helix huddle, although the arrangement is different from SCIN (Fig.1.2). It binds both C3 and C3b via the C3d fragment. However, which of the C3 forms is the primary target of Efb is debated. Structural-biochemical analysis suggested the binding affinity of Efb-C to native C3 was higher than that to C3b. The binding was proposed to induce conformational changes in C3 and prevent proper cleavage of the molecule. This view was challenged by Jongerius et al based on the observation that C3 cleavage was not influenced by Efb-C in CP/LP. Instead, they suggested Efb-C attacked complement intermediates that contain C3b. Therefore, in CP/LP, C3 convertase (C4b2a) was not affected by Efb but C5 convertase (C4b2aC3b) was inhibited, as evidenced by the decreased C5a production. Ehp was found to contain two C3d binding sites and showed higher levels of inhibition compared to Efb, though the mechanism of action was proposed to be similar. Nevertheless, the C3d fragment carries another important task: mediating interaction with complement receptor 2 (CR2) on B cells and facilitating B cell activation. Both Efb-C and Ehp were shown to completely inhibit C3d:CR2 interaction and its stimulatory effect on a B lymphoma cell line. The predicted binding site of CR2 on C3d was in close proximity to the residues that have been shown to be involved in Efb-C:C3d and Ehp:C3d binding. The exact competition mechanism remains to be confirmed . 1.4.3.3.3 Sbi Sbi is another secreted S. aureus protein that targets C3 activation. Sbi binds C3b but has a stronger affinity to C3dg. The binding was shown to be improved when the C3a domain was also present. These observations suggested the C3dg and C3a portion of C3 were important for Sbi/C3 interaction. By comparing binding profiles of different domains of Sbi, the C3 binding site was proposed to be located in its fourth domain (Sib IV). Interestingly, Sbi IV alone inhibited AP activation in a dose-dependent manner. However when the third domain was also present, incubation of human serum with this recombinant protein induced activation of complement, as shown by the degradation of native C3. A distinctive C3 derivative was present in Sbi-III-IV treated serum, whose molecular weight and migration behavior on two dimensional SDS-PAGE correspond to a transacylation product of C3b and Sbi. The cleavage of C3 activates an internal thioester moiety in the C3b fragment, which allows C3b to form cova lent bonds with hydroxyl groups in close proximity (e.g. bacterial surface). Thus it was proposed the Sbi III-IV provided a fluid-phase transacylation target for C3 cleavage and cause non-effective activation of the alternative pathway. Since mutational study confirmed the Sbi-IV was responsible for the complement inhibitiory effect, Sbi-III was proposed to be important in consumptive complement activation. Once again, Sbi IV adopts the triple helix structure, arranged in a similar fashion as Efb-c and Ehp (Fig. 1.2). Just like Efb and Ehp, the binding of C3dg to CR2 was inhibited by Sbi-III-IV, implying that Sbi may also influence adaptive immunity . 1.4.3.4 Preventing phagocyte extravasation and chemotaxis 1.4.3.4.1 CHIPS; FLIPr and FLIPr-like CHIPS (the chemotaxis inhibitory protein of S. aureus) was identified for its ability to prevent neutrophil chemotaxis to formylated peptide and C5a. CHIPS encodes a 121-amino acids (aa) secreted protein and presents in 62% of S. aureus clinical isolates. Postma et al demonstrated that CHIPS selectively and directly bound to C5a receptor (C5aR) and formylated peptide receptor (FPR) expressed on cell surface and competed with their respective ligands for binding. Receptor activation, as measured by the Ca2+ influx and murine neutrophil migration to the injury site, was inhibited. The two receptors were shown to interact with different areas on CHIPS. The N-terminal 6 residues of CHIPS, F1 and F3 in particular, were identified as the FPR binding sites. While the C5aR-binding domain was mapped to residues 31-121, which forms a packed structure similar to the ÃŽ ² grasp domain. Arginine 44 and lysine 95 were shown to be critical for its antagonizing activity. C5aR binds CHIPS through its N-terminus residues 10-18. These residues were suggested to be either involved directly in C5a binding or were required to stabilize the interaction. Therefore, CHIPS may function by direct competing with C5a or by disrupting the formation of the stable ligand/receptor complex . Two more S. aureus proteins were found to inhibit neutrophil chemotaxis. The secreted FPR-like 1 inhibitory protein (FLIPr) and its homologue FLIPr-like bound FPR and FPR-like 1 receptor (FPRL1). The N-terminal 6 residues of both proteins were important in both interactions but the phenylalanine was not critical for FRP binding. The inhibition of FPRL-1 by both proteins occurred in the nanomolar range. FLIPr-like was shown to be a potent inhibitor for FPR with activity comparable to CHIPS. However, animal infection models with chips or flipr isogenic deletion strains has not been reported. The contribution of CHIPS in bacterial infection is yet to be determined . 1.4.3.4.2 Map Map (MHC class II analog protein a.k.a. Eap) is a multifunctional 60-70 kDa secreted protein expressed by 97% of S. aureus isolates. It is an anti-inflammatory molecule that reduces leukocyte availability and function. Map can interact with a wide range of host ligands, including Fg, Fn and ICAM-1 (intercellular adhesion molecule-1). Map largely blocked ICAM-1 mediated firm adhesion and transmigration of neutrophil. In a peritonitis mice model, intraperitoneal injection of Map or pre-treatment of mice with Map showed 50-75% inhibition of neutrophil recruitment. Neutrophil infiltration in mice infected with a map- strain was 2-3 folds higher than that seen with a map+ strain, demonstrating Map inhibits ICAM-1 mediated neutrophil migration in vivo. Interaction of Map with ICAM-1 may modify signal transduction in leukocytes. NF-ÃŽ ºB activation and tissue factor release in THP-1 cells were diminished by Map treatment. A substantial amount of IL-6 and TNF-ÃŽ ± and a smaller amount of IL- 4 were released from Map treated human CD14+ PBMC in vitro. Anti-ICAM-1 antibody blocked the action, suggesting the induction was also mediated by ICAM-1. It is not clear if cellular processes other than cytokine production are also influenced, although Maps effect on PBMCs appears to be dose dependent . In addition to the cytokine changes, T cell function was impaired by Map. Mice treated with Map showed significantly reduced T cell mediated delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) and T cell proliferation. Adoptive transfer of T cells from Map-treated mice to untreated recipients prevented the recipients from developing DTH when challenged with allergen. The Map