Flag Burning Why It Should Not Be Permitted an Example by

Flag Burning: Why It Should Not Be Permitted Countries have their own way of protecting their inhabitants. These come in different forms and approaches, some being in the form of rules and stipulations. However, not everyone would agree with the stipulations and rules set by the government. One of the stipulations set by the United States government is the prohibition of flag burning. Need essay sample on "Flag Burning: Why It Should Not Be Permitted" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed Flag burning is defined as the vandalism of a countrys national flag. As known by many, the flag is considered to be the symbol of any country (Phil for Humanity, 2008). Flag burning is considered to be statement of people who oppose the government or its ways. Although this may be the case for many, there are still some who practice such. This may be attributed to the fact that burning the flag is a way for people to express themselves. However, certain limits should be implemented so that nothing or no one is offended. For this, I believe that flag burning should not be allowed in the United States. As mentioned earlier, flag burning is used by the people to express their thoughts and emotions. However, these should not go beyond what is right. Desecration of the flag is not something that would happen every day. The truth of the matter is the fact that desecration is a sign of protest regarding a specific issue. Furthermore, flags are also used the national symbol of a country, especially in international relations. The public burning of a flag shows disrespect to the country, and to its government. Intentionally burning the flag would also mean that an individual or group of people do not accept the norms that are being addressed to the public. Regardless of this, people should learn to pay homage and respect to ones culture. The flag is also a part of any countrys culture and should be given the necessary respect. Burning of the flag would show disrespect and dishonor to the country. Moreover, the flag should not be regarded as just a symbol of ones culture. The flag is a reflection of the people and the kind of life they live in their country. It is also a matter of pride and justice, and what could make the people whole. Flags may be considered to be symbolisms of the life people from different nations would have, but these may be attributed to something much more. The article, Flag Burning, focused on the realities that happen to countries worldwide. The article was an informative essay that focused on specific details about flag burning. Upon reading the essay, the knowledge of people would be widened, and their opinions greatly improved. In addition to this, their opinion would be opened to greater possibilities, making them see things differently. Aside from purposely informing the readers about the said issue, the article also aims to persuade the readers into prohibiting and avoiding flag burning among its citizens. In addition to this, the paper was able to show the readers a possible effect desecration may have on the lives of people, especially the children. At such a young age, their eyes are opened to the realities of life. The children should be taught the right values, especially in respecting the dignity of the people, and of their culture. Furthermore, Flag Burning was an article that showed the effects of desecrating the flag. The people are also persuaded into believing that disrespect for the flag through burning is not something to be practiced by people Also, such act is not the best thing to do. As people who have respect for each other, we should learn to give others what is due them. Irrespective of how hurt an individual or groups of people are, it is not proper to degrade a countrys dignity. Furthermore, the article was also focused in making the readers see how such a small deed would eventually lead to something bigger. In addition to this, the tone of the article was persuasive. Upon reading, the readers would be interested to hear more about the said topic, after their thoughts are captured. Mentioning specific instances that happened in the past were also helpful in making the topic more interesting. The readers are also able to identify with what is being explained in the essay by remembering their own personal experiences. Reference (2008). Flag burning. Phil for Humanity.

Caesars Gallic Wars and Vercingetorix

Caesar's Gallic Wars and Vercingetorix One of Gauls most colorful historical figures is Vercingetorix, who acted as war chief for all the Gallic tribes who were trying to throw off the Roman yoke during the Gallic Wars. Vercingetorix and Caesar are the main figures in Book VII of De Bello Gallico, Caesars narrative about his wars in Gaul, although the Roman allies, the Aedui, also play a large role. This period of revolt follows the earlier Gallic battles at Bibracte, Vosges, and Sabis. By the end of Book VII Caesar has put down the Gallic revolt. The following is a summary of Book VII of De Bello Gallico, with some explanatory notes. Vercingetorix, son of Celtillus, a member of the Gallic tribe of Arverni, sent ambassadors out to Gallic tribes not yet allied with him asking them to join him in his endeavor to get rid of the Romans. By peaceful means or by attacking, he added troops from the Gallic tribes of the Senones (the tribe connected with the band of Gauls responsible for the sack of Rome in 390 B.C.), Parisii, Pictones, Cadurci, Turones, Aulerci, Lemovice, the Ruteni, and others to his own armed forces. Vercingetorix had used the Roman system of demanding hostages to ensure loyalty and ordered a levy of troops from each of these groups. He then took supreme command. He tried to ally the Biturgies, but they resisted and sent ambassadors to the Aedui for help against Vercingetorix. The Biturgies were dependents of the Aedui and the Aedui were allies of Rome (Brothers and Kinsmen of the Roman People 1.33). The Aedui started to help but then turned back perhaps because, as they said, they suspected the Biturgi es of complicity with the Arverni. Perhaps because they lacked the support of the Aedui, the Biturgies gave in to Vercingetorix. It is possible the Aedui already planned to revolt against Rome. When Caesar heard about the alliance, he realized it was a threat, so he left Italy and set out for Transalpine Gaul, a Roman province since 121 B.C., but he didnt have his regular army, although he did have some German cavalry and troops he had in Cisalpine Gaul. He had to figure out how to reach the main forces without putting them in danger. Meanwhile, Vercingetorix ambassador, Lucterius, continued to gain allies. He added the Nitiobriges and Gabali and then headed to Narbo, which was in the Roman province of Transalpine Gaul, so Caesar headed to Narbo, which made Lucterius retreat. Caesar changed his direction and advanced into the territory of the Helvii, then on to the borders of the Arverni. Vercingetorix marched his troops there in order to defend his people. Caesar, no longer able to do without the rest of his forces, left Brutus in command while he went to Vienna where his cavalry was stationed. Next stop was the Aedui, one of Romes main allies in Gaul, and where two of Cae sars legions were wintering. From there, Caesar sent word to the other legions of the danger presented by Vercingetorix, ordering them to come to his assistance ASAP. Vellaunodunum When Vercingetorix learned what Caesar was doing, he headed back to the Biturgies and then to the non-allied Boiian town of Gergovia in order to attack it. Caesar sent ahead messages to the Boii to encourage them to resist. Heading towards the Boii, Caesar left two legions at Agendicum. En route, at the Senones town of Vellaunodunum, Caesar decided to attack so there wouldnt be an enemy on his heels. He also figured he would take the opportunity to gain provisions for his troops. Especially during the winter when there was little to forage, having food could decide the outcome of a battle. Because of this, allied towns that werent potential enemies at ones back might still be destroyed to make sure the enemy army starved or retreated. This is what Vercingetorix would soon develop as one of his main policies. After Caesars troops surrounded Vellaunodunum, the town sent out their ambassadors. Caesar ordered them to surrender their weapons and to bring out their cattle and 600 hostages. With arrangements made and Trebonius left in charge, Caesar set out for Genabum, a Carnute town that had been preparing to send troops to help Vellaunodum fight, Caesar. The Romans pitched camp and when the townspeople tried to escape at night via a bridge across the Loire River, Caesars troops took possession of the town, pillaged and burned it, and then headed across the Loire bridge into the Biturgies territory. Noviodunum This move prompted Vercingetorix to stop his siege of Gergovia. He marched towards Caesar who was beginning a siege of Noviodunum. Noviodunum ambassadors begged Caesar to pardon them and spare them. Caesar ordered their weapons, horses, and hostages. While Caesars men went into town to gather up the arms and horses, Vercingetorix army appeared on the horizon. This inspired the people of Noviodunum to take up arms and shut the gates, backing down from their surrender. Since the people of Noviodunum were going back on their word, Caesar attacked. The town lost a number of men before the town surrendered again. Avaricum Caesar then marched to Avaricum, a well-fortified town in the Biturgies territory. Before responding to this new threat, Vercingetorix called a war council, telling the other leaders that the Romans must be kept from getting provisions. Since it was winter, foraged provisions were hard to come by and the Romans would have to leave. Vercingetorix suggested a scorched-earth policy. If a property lacked a good defense it would be burned. In this way, they destroyed 20 of their own Biturgies towns. The Biturgies begged that Vercingetorix not burn their noblest city, Avaricum. He relented, reluctantly. Vercingetorix then set up camp 15 miles from Avaricum and whenever Caesars men went foraging at a distance, some of Vercingetorix men attacked them. Caesar meanwhile built towers but could not build a wall around the city, as he would have wished, because it was enclosed by rivers and marshes. Caesar besieged the town for 27 days building towers and walls while the Gauls built countering devices. The Romans finally had success with a sudden attack, which frightened many of the Gauls into flight. And so, the Romans entered the town and massacred the inhabitants. About 800 in Caesars reckoning escaped to reach Vercingetorix. Caesars troops found ample provisions, and by this time winter was almost over. Vercingetorix was able to calm the other leaders despite all the recent disasters. Especially in the case of Avaricum, He could say the Romans didnt defeat them by valor but by a new technique the Gauls hadnt seen before, and besides, he might have said, he had wanted to torch Avaricum but had only left it standing because of the pleas of the Biturgies. The allies were appeased and supplied Vercingetorix with replacement troops for those he had lost. He even added allies to his roster, including Teutomarus, the son of Ollovicon, the king of the Nitiobriges, who was a friend of Rome on the basis of a formal treaty (amicitia). Aeduan Revolt The Aedui, Romes allies, came to Caesar with their political problem: their tribe was led by a king who held power for a year, but this year there were two contenders, Cotus and Convitolitanis. Caesar was afraid that if he didnt arbitrate, one side would turn to Vercingetorix for support of its cause, so he stepped in. Caesar decided against Cotus and in favor of Convitolitanis. He then asked the Aedui to send him all their cavalry plus 10,000 infantry. Caesar split his army and gave Labienus 4 legions to lead north, towards the Senones and Parisii while he led 6 legions into Arverni country towards Gergovia, which was on the banks of the Allier. Vercingetorix broke down all bridges over the river, but this proved only a temporary set-back for the Romans. The two armies pitched their camps on opposite banks and Caesar rebuilds a bridge. Caesars men headed to Gergovia. Meanwhile, Convictolitanis, the man Caesar had chosen to be king of the Aedui, treacherously conferred with the Arverni, who told him that the Aeduans holding out was preventing the allied Gauls from being victorious against the Romans. By this time the Gauls realized their freedom was at stake and having the Romans around to arbitrate and help them against other invaders meant the loss of freedom and heavy demands in terms of soldiers and supplies. Between such arguments and bribes made to the Aedui by the allies of Vercingetorix, the Aedui were convinced. One of those in on the discussion was Litavicus, who was put in charge of the infantry being sent to Caesar. He headed towards Gergovia, providing protection for some Roman citizens on the way. When they were near Gergovia, Litavicus riled up his troops against the Romans. He falsely claimed the Romans had killed some of their favorite leaders. His men then tortured and killed the Romans under their protection. Some rode off to th e other Aeduan towns to convince them to resist and avenge themselves on the Romans, as well. Not all Aeduans agreed. One in the company of Caesar learned of Litavicus actions and told Caesar. Caesar then took some of his men with him and rode to the army of the Aedui and presented to them those very men they thought the Romans had killed. The army lay down its arms and submitted themselves. Caesar spared them and marched back towards Gergovia. Gergovia When Caesar finally reached Gergovia, he surprised the inhabitants. At first, all was going well for the Romans in the conflict, but then fresh Gallic troops arrived. Many of Caesars troops did not hear when he called for a retreat. Instead, they continued to fight and try to plunder the city. Many were killed but they still did not stop. Finally, ending the days engagement, Vercingetorix, as the victor, called off the fight for the day when new Roman legions arrived. Adrian Goldsworthy says an estimated 700 Roman soldiers and 46 centurions were killed. Caesar dismissed two important Aeduans, Viridomarus and Eporedorix, who went to the Aeduan town of Noviodunum on the Loire, where they learned that further negotiations were being made between the Aeduans and the Arvernians. They burned the town so the Romans couldnt feed themselves from it and began to build up armed garrisons around the river. When Caesar heard of these developments he thought he should put down the revolt quickly before the armed force grew too large. This he did, and after his troops had surprised the Aeduans, they took the food and cattle they found in the fields and then marched off to the territory of the Senones. Meanwhile, other Gallic tribes heard of the revolt of the Aedui. Caesars very competent legate, Labienus, found himself surrounded by two newly rebelling groups and so needed to move out his troops by stealth. The Gauls under Camulogenus were tricked by his maneuvers and then defeated in a battle where Camulogenus was slain. Labienus then led his men to join Caesar. Meanwhile, Vercingetorix had thousands of cavalry from the Aedui and Segusiani. He sent other troops against the Helvii whom he defeated while he led his mena and allies against the Allobroges. To deal with Vercingetorix attack against the Allobroges, Caesar sent for cavalry and light-armed infantry help from the Germanic tribes beyond the Rhine. Vercingetorix decided the time was right to attack the Roman forces whom he judged to be inadequate in number, as well as encumbered with their baggage. The Arverni and allies divided into three groups to attack. Caesar divided his troops in three, too, and fought back, with the Germans obtaining a hilltop formerly in Arverni possession. The Germans pursued the Gallic enemy to the river where Vercingetorix was stationed with his infantry. When the Germans started to kill the Averni, they fled. Many of Caesars enemies were slaughtered, Vercingetorix cavalry was routed, and some of the tribal leaders were captured. Alesia Vercingetorix then led his army to Alesia. Caesar followed, killing those he could. When they reached Alesia, the Romans surrounded the hilltop city. Vercingetorix sent out mounted troops to go to their tribes to round up all those old enough to bear arms. They were able to ride through the places where the Romans hadnt yet completed their fortification. The fortifications were not just a means to contain those within. The Romans put torturous devices on the outside that could injure an army pressing against it. The Romans needed some to gather timber and food. Others worked on building the fortifications, which meant Caesars troop strength was diminished. Because of this, there were skirmishes, although Vercingetorix was waiting for Gallic allies to join him before a full-fledged fight against Caesars army. The Arvernian allies sent fewer than asked, but still, a great number of troops, to Alesia where they believed the Romans would easily be defeated by the Gallic troops on two fronts, from within Alesia and from those newly arriving. The Romans and Germans stationed themselves both inside their fortifications to fight those in the city and outside to fight the newly arriving army. The Gauls from outside attacked at night by throwing things from a distance and alerting Vercingetorix to their presence. The next day the allies came closer and many were injured on the Roman fortifications, so they withdrew. The next day, the Gauls attacked from both sides. A few Roman cohorts left the fortifications and circled round to the rear of the outer enemy whom they surprised and slaughtered when they tried to flee. Vercingetorix saw what had happened and gave up, surrendering himself and his weapons. Later Vercingetorix would be displayed as a prize in Caesars triumph of 46 B.C. Caesar, generous to the Aedui and Arverni, distributed Gallic captives so that every soldier throughout the army received one as plunder. Source: The Gallic Menace in Caesars Propaganda, by Jane F. Gardner Greece Rome  © 1983.

Codeine Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Codeine - Research Paper Example f the ancient tool kit in medicine for its therapeutic effects, and hence euphemistically called as the â€Å"plant of joy.† Codeine has a number of medicinal uses besides as pain reliever, such as antitussive (to suppress coughing), anti-hypertensive (lower blood pressure), anti-anxiety, to help control diarrhea, delay premature labor contractions, as a sedative (helps in relaxation and sleeping), and for its hypnotic properties too. Its availability as an oral medication (as opposed to injectable medication) make it the widest prescription drug, with about 157 million written prescriptions annually and its sales reached approximately $3.3 billion in 2005 alone, and still continues to gain in popularity. However, identification of the chemical composition of codeine as a distinct compound is fairly recent; it was first identified in 1832 by the French chemist Pierre-Jean Robiquet which closely followed the first identification of morphine a few years earlier, back in 1806 by German pharmacist Friedrich Wilhelm Adam Serturner (Kane & Triggle, 2007, p. 10). Codeine is isomer of morphine, which means both have the same molecular components but are structured different hence it is known for its chemical name, 3-methylmorphine. It can be made or manufactured in the laboratory in commercial quantities from morphine, using a semi-synthetic process. Morphine is the most abundant alkaloid (the chemical compounds that contain basic nitrogen atoms) found in opium, at 8 to 17% by weight, and followed by codeine, at .07 to 5%. Codeine is the chemical precursor of most opioids (any compound that acts like morphine) such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, and tramadol. It is classified similar to opioids produced by human bodies like the endorphins and enkephalins (ibid. p. 13). Although it has many legitimate uses in medicine, codeine has a potential to be misused and abused as a â€Å"recreational† drug because of a â€Å"high† feeling it generates among drug users; that feeling is

New adventure creation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

New adventure creation - Essay Example 146). The following new adventure creation ideas will be necessary to ensure success of the business as well as making it profitable. The name of the business will be XYZ car body and paint shop. The present paper discuses the venture of a new business idea starting a car body and paint shop. The business will be engaged in repairing and painting car bodies of all models. This is a good business idea for the type of business seems not to be affected, by any economic changes since everybody currently seems to own his or her own car. The idea of the business is to provide high quality products and services to the potential customers (Grossman 2005, p. 150). Being the owner of the business, I will ensure that the business keeps every kind of current technique, products, and services to enable it to offer quality services and products, which is the most customers’ demand in todays world. The business and the workers will be dedicated to carrying out all services on time and sustaining every car owner to be a long-term customer of the shop. XYZ car body and paint shop will be selling and replacing worn-out car bodies and offering painting services to the damaged car bodies. This will involve complete restoration of car frames for all types and makes of cars, body repairs, and paints including electrical repair, rust repair, custom engine building, and metal fabrication and paint. The business will specialize in all the current Spain cars and trucks makes. The average body repair and painting will take a minimum of two days, therefore the average labour for repairing and painting one car will cost an approximation of $100. The customers will also incur extra cost for any other extra part that we will buy for the purpose of the car repair. The XYZ car body and paint shop will also carry out any other relevant car services

Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 23

Psychology - Essay Example Teachers tend to select boys more often for special services. There is little information about the effect of family SES on the selection process and it is contradictory. More parental involvement and student engagement have a positive effect on the selection process. The study included 441 girls and 465 boys all in the sixth grade. Teachers and students filled out questionnaires in the classroom. The teachers reported the students’ need for services. They also filled a Teachers Report Form which reported students’ behavior and psychological problems. Additionally they assessed the parents’ interest and their own cooperation with parents. The students reported how satisfied they were with their academic achievement and interest in school. They reported their family SES by the occupation of their parents and whether they had been unemployed in the past six months. The results showed that there was in fact a gap between need for and access to the services. The gap was largest in remedial instruction and smallest in psychological counseling. The only difference according to gender was in the remedial instruction where more boys had not received this remedial instruction and this was because of budget cuts. Only in psychological counseling were there reasons beside budget cuts for the lack of access to the services. In general the study showed the factors that affected each type of service. These were in remedial instruction- lower family SES, lower parental involvement, lower student engagement all predicted a higher need for services; for Special Ed. services- male gender, lower family SES, lower parental involvement, internalizing symptoms and lower student engagement all predicted higher need for services; and for psychological counseling- male gender, lower student engagement and below average academic achievement all predicted higher need for services. Yet the factors that influenced

Importance Of Staphylococcus Aureus To Humans Biology Essay

Importance Of Staphylococcus Aureus To Humans Biology Essay The bacterial genus to be isolated and identification in this project is Staphylococcus. This genus has been chosen for the reason of its abundance on the skin of mammals and the pathogenic nature of one of its member, Staphylococcus aureus. Apart from skin infections, Staphylococcus aureus could mutate to Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). In both cases, these give rise to medical implications. In addition, the distinctive features of Staphylococcus aureus from other species in the genus allow it to be easily isolated and identified via culturing and biochemical tests. Staphylococcus was first discovered in 1880 by Alexander Ogston (Paniker 2005, p.192). Currently, more than 30 different species of the genus has been identified (Deurenberg Stobberingh 2008). The name Staphylococcus was derived from Greek, with the prefix Staphylo referring to bunches of grapes and the suffix coccus referring to granule (Ryan Ray 2004). As the meanings suggest, bacteria from Staphylococcus are circular-shaped and their arrangement resembles bunches of grapes when observed under a microscope. Typically, a Staphylococcus has a diameter of approximately 1ÃŽÂ ¼m (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.562). The aim of the project is to isolate Staphylococcus aureus from the genus from a bundle of cat hairs and verify its identity via microscopic examination. No human specimen is used due to the potential pathogenic property of Staphylococcus. It is intended that a pure culture of pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus is obtained. For the purposes of this project, the importance of Staphylococcus aureus to humans, its classification in terms of morphology, physiology and structure, methods of isolation and identification by biochemical tests would be the objectives to be addressed. Importance of Staphylococcus aureus to humans The importance of Staphylococcus aureus to humans would be outlined by a review of the cell structure, cell physiology and environmental niches, followed by the medical implications of Staphylococcus. Cell structure Staphylococcus is a cocci bacterium. As a member of the Bacteria domain, it is expected that Staphylococcus has bacterial cell structure. In other words, it lacks nucleus and membrane-bound organelles. The structural elements in a cell of Staphylococcus should include a cell membrane, cell wall, ribosome and nucleoid (Campbell et al. 2009, p.98). On the other hand, it is worthwhile to note that Staphylococcus does not have flagella and spores (Paniker 2005, p.193). In addition to the above structures, Staphylococcus aureus possesses surface proteins that help attachment to proteins such as the fibronectin and fibrinogen-binding proteins involved in blood clotting (Baron 1996). This cellular property may explain the pathogenic nature of Staphylococcus aureus, as invasion might occur via wounds and abrasions. Cell physiology The cell physiology of Staphylococcus covers temperature, pH, osmolarity and oxygen requirements, as well as cell division. Staphylococcus typically grows from a temperature of 20oC to 40oC, with optimum temperature being 37oC (Todar 2000). Concerning the optimum pH for metabolism, it ranges from 7.4 to 7.6 (Paniker 2005, p.193). For osmolarity, Staphylococcus requires a water activity of at least 0.85 for substantial growth (Todar 2000). As for oxygen requirement, Staphylococcus is facultative anaerobic (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.562). This implies Staphylococcus can grow regardless of the presence of oxygen, but the presence of oxygen would be more favorable. Environmental niches The environmental niches of Staphylococcus can be addressed by its interactions with other organisms as to where it is found, how it synthesizes nutrients for growth and mutation. Staphylococcus is commonly found on the skin and mucous membranes of animals with stable body temperatures, including humans (OGara and Humphreys 2001, p.583). The salty environment along skin surface due to the production of sweat may account for the abundance of Staphylococcus, since its enzymatic activity is at alkaline pH (Blood et al. 2007). The prominent bacteria from the genus include Staphylococcus aureus, which colonizes in nasal cavity, larynx and on the skin surface (Andersson, Lindholm Fossum 2011). This may outline a parasitic relationship, in which Staphylococcus is the parasite and the animal supporting its growth is the host (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.725). In the presence of oxygen, Staphylococcus utilizes glucose to carry out cellular respiration, and electrons are passed on to the terminal acceptor, oxygen (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.562). When oxygen is lacking or absent, Staphylococcus may undergo fermentation and lactic acid is the usual product (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.562). In the process, glucose is converted into substrate pyruvate, followed by its binding to the cofactor Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+) to produce lactic acid (Campbell et al. 2009, p.178) The interactions of Staphylococcus with the environment may also be underlined by mutation, which often occurs with Staphylococcus aureus. An example would be Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a Staphylococcus aureus that is resistant to the antibiotic, Methicillin (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.562). The mutation is caused by an alteration of the methicillin-resistance gene (mec A) coding for a penicillin-binding protein (Davis 2011). This results in failure of antibiotics to cure infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus, which will be addressed in the medical implication section. Medical implications of Staphylococcus Staphylococcus can present a great diversity of environmental, medical or biotechnological implications. Being a mesophile, Staphylococcus can carry out metabolism under normal room temperature. Together with the abundance of warm-blooded animals which act as hosts to provide a salty medium, it can be said that Staphylococcus has an environmental implication of ubiquity. Statistics show that Staphylococcus aureus is present in 30% of healthy people (National Centre for Preparedness, Detection and Control of Infectious Diseases 2003). Though Staphylococcus may colonize on the skin surface of the host without causing any harms, its ubiquity can still give rise to various medical issues. The MRSA mentioned previously would be one of the problems associated with Staphylococcus. Apart from methicillin, MRSA could show resistance against many other antibiotics such as penicillin and amoxicillin (Agodi et al. 1999, p.638). The ineffectiveness of existing antibiotics to cure MRSA infections has resulted in fatality, and it is usually characterized by the incidence of septic shock and pneumonia (Klevens et al. 2007). A rapid increase of MRSA infections has been observed over the decades. The rate of hospitalized MRSA infections was only 2% in 1974 but this figure increases dramatically to approximately 40% in 1997 (Lowy 1998). This causes deaths of 19000 in t he United States of America annually (Klevens et al. 2007). As Staphylococcus colonies on skin surfaces and mucous membrane, skin infections and diseases associated with mucous membranes could be another medical implication. It is known that Staphylococcus aureus may cause Scalded Skin and Toxic Shock syndromes. Moreover, it may cause pneumonia, urinary tract infections, food poisoning (Gill et al. 2004, p. 2426). Classification of Staphylococcus The classification of Staphylococcus can be reviewed in terms of its morphology and some of the physiological properties stated above. Morphology The morphology of Staphylococcus can be described as cocci gram positive bacteria arranged in a cluster. This can be explained by its property of cell wall and its behavior in cell division. The cell wall of Staphylococcus shows a gram positive reaction, which indicates its composition is essentially a thick layer of peptidoglycan (Todar 2011). This property of cell structure helps the identification of Staphylococcus. Moving on to cell division, it can be predicted that Staphylococcus reproduce by binary fission. The reason for its cluster formation may be explained by its capability of undergoing binary fission in multiple planes with daughter cells remains proximal to each other (Paniker 2005, p.192). Though the daughter cells remain in close proximity, the positions of attachment could vary and this leads to cluster being formed irregularly (Todar 2011). Physiological properties In terms of thermal requirement, Staphylococcus is a mesophile. Regarding pH requirements, it is a neutrophile. Being a facultative anaerobe, Staphylococcus is catalase positive. The absence of flagella indicates that Staphylococcus is a non-motile bacterium. In addition, Staphylococcus aureus is coagulase positive but not for other species in the genus. As light is not readily available on skin surface and mucous membranes, it is proposed that Staphylococcus obtain energy via organic chemical compounds. Hence it is regarded as a chemotroph (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.137). The facultative anaerobic property of Staphylococcus may lead to a deduction that it utilizes organic carbon as the source of electron when oxygen is present. Though some Staphylococcus may use reduced forms of inorganic nitrates to generate electrons, its preference towards an aerobic atmosphere should define it as an organotroph (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.137, 562). When comes to carbon source, Staphylococcus is a heterotrophy (Kumar, Hatha Christi 2007). That is to say, it attains its carbon source by converting organic substances for synthesis via oxidation (Voet, D, Voet, JG Pratt CW 2008, p.449). To sum up, Staphylococcus should be one of the members of the microbial group Chemoorganotrophic heterotrophs. Methods of Isolation of Staphylococcus The methods of isolation of Staphylococcus would include growing in medium followed by streak plating. Growth media To ensure optimum growth of colonies, Staphylococcus should be enriched in nutrient broth with sodium chloride (NaCl) before plating on a nutrient agar. A nutrient broth normally consists of beef extract and peptone as fuels for growth (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.148). The addition of salt allows a selective medium for Staphylococcus as it predominantly grows in salty environment. Alternatively, a growth medium can be done via a Mannitol salt agar (MSA), which consists of 7.5% of NaCl and a pH indicator. MSA essentially acts as both a selective and differential medium. NaCl selects for saline-favored Staphylococcus and the pH indicator differentiates between Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. Differentiation can be illustrated by the fact that Staphylococcus aureus utilizes mannitol in the agar for metabolism, and the generation of acidic product is indicated by a yellow color. However, this phenomenon does not apply to non-pathogenic Staphylococcus (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.147). Streak Plating Following enrichment, Staphylococcus in the medium can be transferred to an agar plate with nutrient broth and salt, by employment of aseptic techniques. At the same time, a transfer to an agar plate with only nutrient broth should be performed as a control set-up. This is to ensure the effectiveness of the selective media because other bacteria could grow on the agar plate if the medium was not set up properly. Afterwards, the plates would be incubated for a week. Incubation should be done at 37oC as it is the optimum temperature for Staphylococcus to grow. Plating and incubation should be repeated a few times to make sure that the colonies grown are pure. Identification by biochemical tests The identity of Staphylococcus cannot be confirmed by carrying out the gram reaction alone due to the fact that a great variety of bacteria from other genus may also show gram positive reaction. Therefore, some biochemical tests have to be performed to verify that the bacteria isolated is in the genus of Staphylococcus and it is of the species Staphylococcus aureus. These tests include catalase, motility and cogulase. First of all, as Staphylococcus aureus is facultative anaerobic, it is expected that it contains enzymes to break down harmful products such as free radicals generated along its aerobic pathway (). In this case, the enzyme of interest is catalase, in which its presence allows the breakdown of toxic hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) into oxygen and water (). Therefore colourless gas bubbles can be observed when H2O2 is added to a colony of Staphylococcus aureus. Moreover, as Staphylococcus aureus is non-motile, motility test can be performed. In a motility medium supplied with carbon source, a pink color can only be observed along the stab line (). This essentially means that the growht Staphylococcus aureus is localized and its colonies are not motile. Furthermore, the identification test between Staphylococcus aureus and other bacteria from the genus would be based on its reaction with coagulase. Staphylococcus aureus readily coagulates plasma but not for others species in the genus (Willey, Sherwood Woolverton 2011, p.750). To ensure accuracy of the test, it is preferable to test on colonies extracted from culture plates that are known to contain coagulase positive Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase negative Staphylococcus epididymis respectively. The former acts as a positive control, while the latter acts as a negative control. Conclusion In conclusion, Staphylococcus is a ubiquitous bacterial genus that can pose various medical implications and it can be grown, isolated and identified based on its, environmental niches, morphology, physiological and structural characteristics. The aims of isolation and identification of Staphylococcus aureus can be achieved by a review of the four objectives as summarized below. Firstly, it is often found on epidermis of animal skins including humans and its ability to metabolize optimally at 37oC and at pH of 7.4-7.6 makes it a potential pathogen to humans. In particular, the species Staphylococcus aureus can cause a great diversity of diseases and the mutated Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus could be fatal owing to its resistance to most antibiotics. Secondly, it can be classified by in terms of morphology and some of the physiological characteristics. Its morphology is gram positive cocci bacteria growing in clusters. It is a mesophile, nuetrophile and facultative anaerobe. It is catalase positive and only Staphylococcus aureus is coagulase positive. The energy, electron and carbon sources of Staphylococcus aureus can be described as chemoorganotrophic heterotrophic. Thirdly, regarding growth medium, the sample of cat hair should be enriched in a medium of sodium chloride before incubating on an agar plate of nutrient broth and salt at 37oC. The colonies should be streaked plated a few times to remove contaminants. This increases the efficiency of isolation of Staphylococcus aureus. Lastly, Staphylococcus aureus can be identified by the catalase, motility and coagulase tests. It is expected that bubbling is observed as a positive result with the catalase test. As for the motility test, a negative test is expected. In other words, no growth is observed across the stab line. Clumping of plasma is seen as a positive result and this differentiates Staphylococcus aureus from other species in the genus.

The Anatomy and Actions of the Knee Essay -- essays research papers

The knee joint is formed by the articulation of the distal end of the femur and the proximal end of the tibia. The fibula is only involved to the extent that it serves as an attachment site for connective tissue. In this paper, the anatomy of the joint will be discussed. The knee is a hinge-type, diarthrotic, or freely moveable joint. Also referred to as a synovial joint, the 2 articulating ends of bone are encased in a capsule that lubricates the joint with synovial fluid to reduce friction. Each bone in a synovial joint has articular cartilage at the articulating surface. The C-shaped medial and lateral menisci serve to deepen the articulation at the superior surface of the tibia, thus enhancing the bony stability of the joint. Also adding to the joints stability are the two major pairs of ligaments: the cruciates and the collaterals. The medial and lateral collateral ligaments have a stabilizing effect in a lateral plane of motion, helping to prevent sideward displacement and over-rotation. The medial collateral attaches the femur to the tibia, also attaching to the medial meniscus. The lateral collateral attaches the femur to the fibula but has no attachment to the lateral meniscus. Both collaterals lie slightly posterior to the lateral axis of the knee joint and are taut when the knee is full extension. This positioning of the ligaments causes a slackness when flexion occurs, allowing medial and lateral rotation to take place. The cruciate ligaments are so named because of their cross-configuration within the joint. The anterior cruciate ligament attaches to the tibia on its anterior-superior surface, crossing through the joint from the medial side to its lateral attachment on the femur. The posterior cruciate ligament attaches on the posterior-superior aspect of the tibia, crossing diagonally and medially to its lateral attachment on the femur. The anterior and posterior cruciates protect against hyperextension and hyperflexion, respectively. The actions performed at the knee include flexion, extension, and medial and lateral rotation. Flexion is the bending of a joint so that the angle between the two bones decreases. The primary muscles that flex the knee are a group collectively known as â€Å"hamstrings.† The hamstrings consist of the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, semimembranosus. The muscles that assist in flexion are the sartorius, gracilis,... ...g  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Linea aspera on posterior femur, greater trochanter of femur Insert  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Patella and via patellar tendon to tibial tuberosity Action  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Extension of knee Nerve  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Femoral VASTUS INTERMEDIUS Orig  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Anterior and lateral femoral shaft Insert  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Patella and via patellar tendon to tibial tuberosity Action  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Extension of the knee Nerve  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Femoral VASTUS MEDIALIS Orig  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Linea aspera on posterior femur Insert  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Patella and via patellar tendon to tibial tuberosity Action  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Extension of knee Nerve  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Femoral TENSOR FASCIA LATA Orig  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Iliac crest (posterior to ASIS) Insert  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Iliotibial tract (which continues to attach to the lateral condyle of the tibia)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Assists extension of knee Nerve  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Superior gluteal   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Solar Power

Peter Maloney writes in his article, † Environmentalists Against Solar Power† that solar power projects are facing major scrutiny, not from the coal or oil industry, but from environmentalists. Maloney says that Southern California is pushing for solar power in the desert cause the amount of sunlight with virtually no clouds, â€Å"but its also the home to the Mojave ground squirrel, the desert tortoise and the burrowing owl, and to human residents†. Maloney also states that the US Bureau of Land Management says that it had applications submitted for solar power that would cover 78,490 acres in the desert. For the entire US, the number of applications grew from zero two years ago to more than 125 with enouch potential electrical power of 70,000 megawatts or the equivalent to 70 large coal plants. The rush to try and get this land is caused by a California Law that calls for 20 percent of the state's electricity must come from renewable resources by 2010. Jim Harvey, who is the founder of the Alliance for Responsible Energy Policy, is quoted by Maloney saying, † Our position is that none of this is needed. We support renewable energy, and we support California's renewable energy targets, but we think it can be done through rooftop solar†. Harvey also pointed out the success that Germany was having by using rooftop solar panels. The way it works is that the government offers payments for electricity generated from solar panels. The payment is roughly 50 cents per kilowatt hour. The average payment in the US in 11 cents per kilowatt hour, but the payments would not be as high as the German payments here. Maloney goes on to say not only would the solar panels destroy habitats, it would run the deserts small water supply, as it is, even more scarce. The mirror and solar panels would have to be washed, and some panels use turbines which would require more water. Terry Frewin, chairman of the Sierra Club's California/Nevada desert commitee, says that † solar panels destroy all natice resources on site, and have indirect and irreversible impacts on surrounding wilderness†. At the current rate of adding 200 megawatts of rooftop solar panels a year, it would take â€Å"100 years to meet the 20 percent renewable [target set] by California†. The first major debate over a large solar power project was over the 250 acres of land, which was on the outskirts of Victorville, California, on the western side of the Mojave that was gonna be used for the solar panels. Inland hired people to look for the endangered ground squirrel and desert tortoise. No squirrels were found but some tortoises were, so the Inland, cmpany building the panels, said for every acre of lost habitat they would buy one acre of land to offset it. Although it would cost some â€Å"6.5 million to 10 million dollars† to buy the offsetting acreage. Solar Power Peter Maloney writes in his article, † Environmentalists Against Solar Power† that solar power projects are facing major scrutiny, not from the coal or oil industry, but from environmentalists. Maloney says that Southern California is pushing for solar power in the desert cause the amount of sunlight with virtually no clouds, â€Å"but its also the home to the Mojave ground squirrel, the desert tortoise and the burrowing owl, and to human residents†. Maloney also states that the US Bureau of Land Management says that it had applications submitted for solar power that would cover 78,490 acres in the desert. For the entire US, the number of applications grew from zero two years ago to more than 125 with enouch potential electrical power of 70,000 megawatts or the equivalent to 70 large coal plants. The rush to try and get this land is caused by a California Law that calls for 20 percent of the state's electricity must come from renewable resources by 2010. Jim Harvey, who is the founder of the Alliance for Responsible Energy Policy, is quoted by Maloney saying, † Our position is that none of this is needed. We support renewable energy, and we support California's renewable energy targets, but we think it can be done through rooftop solar†. Harvey also pointed out the success that Germany was having by using rooftop solar panels. The way it works is that the government offers payments for electricity generated from solar panels. The payment is roughly 50 cents per kilowatt hour. The average payment in the US in 11 cents per kilowatt hour, but the payments would not be as high as the German payments here. Maloney goes on to say not only would the solar panels destroy habitats, it would run the deserts small water supply, as it is, even more scarce. The mirror and solar panels would have to be washed, and some panels use turbines which would require more water. Terry Frewin, chairman of the Sierra Club's California/Nevada desert commitee, says that † solar panels destroy all natice resources on site, and have indirect and irreversible impacts on surrounding wilderness†. At the current rate of adding 200 megawatts of rooftop solar panels a year, it would take â€Å"100 years to meet the 20 percent renewable [target set] by California†. The first major debate over a large solar power project was over the 250 acres of land, which was on the outskirts of Victorville, California, on the western side of the Mojave that was gonna be used for the solar panels. Inland hired people to look for the endangered ground squirrel and desert tortoise. No squirrels were found but some tortoises were, so the Inland, cmpany building the panels, said for every acre of lost habitat they would buy one acre of land to offset it. Although it would cost some â€Å"6.5 million to 10 million dollars† to buy the offsetting acreage.

Dark Matter and a Distant Supernova Make an Eerie Cross

Dark Matter and a Distant Supernova Make an Eerie Cross A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...a massive star exploded. That cataclysm created an object called a supernova  (similar to the one we call the Crab Nebula). At the time this ancient star died, own galaxy, the Milky Way, was just starting to form. The Sun didnt even exist yet. Nor did the planets. The birth of our solar system still more than five billion years in the future. Light Echoes and Gravitational Influences The light from that long-ago explosion sped across space, carrying information about the star and its catastrophic death. ​Now, about 9 billion years later, astronomers have a remarkable view of the event. It shows up in four images of the supernova created by a gravitational lens created by a galaxy cluster. The cluster itself consists of a giant foreground elliptical galaxy collected together with other galaxies. All of them are embedded in a clump of  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹dark matter. The combined gravitational pull of the galaxies plus the gravity of dark matter distorts light from more distant objects as it passes through. It actually shifts the direction of the lights travel slightly, and smears the image we get of those distant objects. In this case, the light from the supernova traveled by four different paths through the cluster. The resulting images we see here from Earth form a cross-shaped pattern called an Einstein Cross (named after physicist Albert Einstein). The scene was imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope. The light of each image arrived at the telescope at   a slightly different time - within days or weeks of each other. This is a clear indication that each image is the result of a different path the light took through the galaxy cluster and its dark matter shell. Astronomers study that light to learn more about the action of the distant supernova and the characteristics of the galaxy in which it existed.   How Does this Work? The light streaming from the supernova and the paths it takes are analogous to several trains that leave a station at the same time, all traveling at the same speed and bound for the same final destination. However, imagine each train goes on a different route, and the distance for each one is not the same. Some trains travel over hills. Others go through valleys, and still others make their way around mountains. Because the trains travel over different track lengths across different terrain, they do not arrive at their destination at the same time. Similarly, the supernova images do not appear at the same time because some of the light is delayed by traveling around bends created by the gravity of dense dark matter in the intervening galaxy cluster. The time delays between the arrival of each images light tell astronomers something about the arrangement of the dark matter around the galaxies in the cluster. So, in a sense, the light from the supernova is acting like a candle in the dark. It helps astronomers map the amount and distribution of dark matter in the galaxy cluster. The cluster itself lies some 5 billion light-years from us, and the supernova is another 4 billion light-years beyond that. By studying the delays between the times that the different images reach Earth, astronomers can glean clues about the type of warped-space terrain the supernova’s light had to travel through. Is it clumpy? How clumpy?   How much is there?   Answers to these questions arent quite ready yet. In particular, the appearance of the supernova images could change over the next few years. Thats because light from the supernova continues to stream through the cluster and encounter other parts of the dark matter cloud surrounding the galaxies.    In addition to the Hubble Space Telescopes observations of this unique lensed supernova, astronomers also used the W.M. Keck telescope in Hawaii to do further observations and measurements of the supernova host galaxy distance. That information will give further clues into conditions in the galaxy as it existed in the early universe.

A New Nation1 essays

A New Nation1 essays Starting things off, Lipset seems to be a very articulate man. His views on this beautiful country are exactly down to earth. Lipset began talking about how this country is the best in some areas but how we lack our supremacy in other areas. For instance I will express crime rate and military power. In Lipsets passage he stated that the crime rate in the United States is well above all other nations, but the American military is the strongest in the world. That is not a contradiction but only a mere example. Now with being the strongest military power in the world many smaller and third world countries tend to look up to us. That statement is easily represented by the fact that we are a city on a hill. This nation might be on top is some aspects of the game but there is a few things that weigh us down. We won both world wars, set peace in the Middle East, and maintained our economic prowess. But are our greatest years starting to fall behind us? According to Lipset we are starting to distrust our leaders and have slim confidence in our institutions. That does not mean that everything is going south but what it really means is that we need to get in gear and do something about these situations. Not only are the Americans aware of this but so are other nations in the world. Japan knows our educational average is below standard. Germany knows that our some of our citizens hate our democracy. So once again the eyes of many are upon this huge city on top of a steep hill. Lipset then proceeded to talk about how a lot of our fine nations essays were written under the direction of foreign pens. The only way that is possible is by comparing a culture that one is well established with to a culture that he is not that aware of. Most foreign travelers wrote about how exceptional this plac ...

Time Capsule Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Time Capsule - Essay Example Between 1404 and 1414, Konrad came up with a number of paintings that were a depiction of ‘The Crucifixion’. During this period of Renaissance, religious forms were widespread in the society because of a society domination of the Church of Roam and the Catholic Church (Kleiner, 2006). On the Age of Baroque, an example of a possible Caravaggio find would be one of Caravaggio’s paintings—an Italian painter who downplayed the pre-existing rules of painting and came up with a new way of doing his artwork. His paintings, such as the â€Å"Inspiration of Saint Mathew,† were a reflection of the emotional and physical aspects of a human being. His work was a true image of â€Å"The Age of Baroque† in Italy and France that used exaggerated motion to elicit drama, grandeur, and tension alike (Guisepi, 2007). Music Throughout the existence of humanity, music has existed to move the human being emotionally and pump him up physically. In both periods of Renaissance and the Age of Baroque, music could be found in the form of sheets or notes. This could be a clear reflection of an era where the humanity existed without any advancement in technology that dominates the contemporary world. Additionally, from a critical look at of some of the musicians one would show that they helped to lay a platform of establishing musical sound of then and today. One is likely to find music notes of the likes of Leonel Power, a composer of early Renaissance times and Jacopo Peri, an Italian musician of the Age of Baroque (Guisepi, 2007). Descriptions of drawings or architecture Architects of the Renaissance time wanted to transform their status of professionalism from skilled laborers to artists. The architects of this era wanted to come up with structures that would be appealing to the human being both emotionally and reason wise (Kleiner, 2006). In this regard, one would hope to find in the time capsule notes and a set of plans on marvels like the Florence Cathedral among other great structures of the time that paved way for modern architecture. In the time capsule, works by Renaissance architects like Leon Battista, Andrea Palladio, and Filipo Brunelleschi could be a possible find. A possible reflection of Baroque architecture could be through finding the works of architect like Sir Christopher Wren. Such a finding would mirror the new emphasis that Baroque architecture placed on bold massing, domes, and light and shade colonnades etcetera. A possible find in the time capsule would be a set of plans or notes that relate to the rebuilding of the churches of London following the 1666 Great Fire of London (Kleiner, 2006). Philosophy From a philosophical point of view, the age of Renaissance portrayed a transition from the mediaeval thinking of an anonymous existence to the uniqueness in man be cause of enlightenment that characterized the man of the time. While Greece could be the source of early philosophers, the age of Renaissance came up with new values while old philosophies found new meanings. Recovery of ancient documents, renewed emphasis on individual freedom, and opposition of institutional authority made the practice of education undergo a revolution. In the time capsule, one can locate a copy of Galileo’s work on the telescope. A more interesting find however would be a discovery of the telescope he used to make astronomical observations. Galileo, an Italian, helped revolutionize the scientific landscape of the era of Renaissance through his invention of the telescope and many contributions in mathematics and physics. The nature of the Age of Baroque could be reflected in the time capsule by coming across the work of a philosopher of the time like

Can stem cell research promise any improvement in autoimmune diseases Paper

Can stem cell promise any improvement in autoimmune diseases - Research Paper Example Stem cell research promises improvement in autoimmune diseases. The immune system is the body’s main line of defense against invasion by infectious organisms. The body has many cellular components, and the immune system must be able to differentiate components of invading organisms and of its self to conduct its protection functions effectively. Through this, it only attacks the invading components and not its own components. The immune system may fail to recognize and eliminate invading components on time, and this result in infections. However, autoimmune diseases, such as type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis,  occur when the immune system fails to distinguish its own cells or components and attacks them by mistake (Ra, Kang, Shin, Park, Joo, Kim, Kang, Lee, Nakama, Piao, Soh, and Kurtz, 2011). Stem cell research helps explain why the bodys immune system, for some reason, turns against itself. Stem cells helps heal damaged tissues. Researchers have established the use of Haematopoetic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) in the management of malignant and non-malignant diseases (Holbro, Abinun, and Daikeler, 2012). Currently, research indicates that stem cell therapy induces intense healing action in animals with different forms of autoimmune disorders. Stem cells have the unique ability to adjust the immune system to avert pathological responses while at the same time maintain its ability to repel disease (Hugle and Daikeler, 2010). Stem cells and particularly, mesenchymal stem cells, produce anti-inflammatory agents in inflamed tissues. They do not suppress the immune response of the patient’s whole body like immune suppressive agents such as methothrexate and steroids, which present lasting unfavorable effects, and need for lifetime treatment. Instead, the stem cell mediators act locally. Alan Tyndall confirms that more than 1500 patients have received HSCT as