School Bullying

School bullying is a problem that persists in the society. It affects not only young children who are victims of bullying, but also the adults who were either themselves victims of bullying during their childhood or whose children are victimized. While there is no standard definition of bullying, it is generally interpreted as the â€Å"direct, physical aggression, as well as indirect behavior such as verbal threats† (Smith, 1999, p. 278). Indirect bullying might also include â€Å"leaving others out on purpose, spreading rumors to destroy another’s reputation or getting others to dislike another person† (Olweus). Tattum and Tattum in 1992 described bullying as â€Å"willful, conscious desire to hurt another and put him/her under stress† (Defining Bullying). Some describe it as the systematic abuse of power, and in the cases of children, is reinforced by the lack of awareness of their rights (Smith & Sharp, 1994). Psychologists agree that bullying behaviors occur repeatedly over time and that there is an imbalance of power between the bully and the victim. Smith (1999) also classifies bullying as a subcategory of aggressive behavior, particularly a vicious one, which is repeatedly directed towards a particular victim who is unable to defend effectively. Most focus on the physical aspects of bullying, but indirect bullying poses similar effects on the victims. Bullies seemingly get satisfaction from harming others, may it be physically or psychologically manifested. Studies show that bullies are quite outgoing and socially confident; they rarely show anxiety or guilt in asserting their social position through aggression (Smith & Sharp, 1994). On the other hand, the victims are often those who have no confidence, often exhibiting anxiety in their interactions with peers; they are unable to assert themselves, and they are unable to properly handle the aggression imposed upon them by bullies. Actions are being taken to prevent bullying. The problem in school bullying is that it is often hidden from the supervising adults because the victims are reluctant to complain, perhaps because of fear, while peer groups are also reluctant of providing information. Smith (1999) explained that bullying, at least in schools, exists as a part of the normal interactions between children with different backgrounds and personality characteristics.

National Jazz Hall

QSO-640 Midterm Robert Wilson Question 1 The project that Mr. Rutland is trying to manage is establishing maintaining a National Jazz Hall of Fame(NJHF) in Charlottesville, VA. The NHJF was created and has been in existence for about one year. Now, Mr. Rutland has found that the Paramount Theatre in downtown Charlottesville, which shares it’s name with a famous jazz hall from the 1930s and 40s in New York City, is about to be demolished and would like to save and renovate the building as the headquarters for the NJHF.The Paramount Theatre would be where the NJHF would be located and provide a venue for a museum, archives and a concert center. This would also allow the NJHF to sponsor jazz festivals, workshops and scholarships. The museum would be used to remember great jazz artists, serve jazz enthusiasts along with education he public on the importance of jazz in American culture and history. Question 2 The stakeholders in this project begin with Mr. Rutland himself.After tha t, some of the other stakeholders include the board of directors for the NHJF, the City of Charlottesville departments renovating the historic district of downtown Charlottesville, the consultant hired by the board, other tourist attractions in around Charlottesville and in Western Virginia, they include Monticello, James Monroe’s house, and the University of Virginia. Other stakeholders would be the contractors employed to renovate the Paramount, possible donors to the project, they could be private as well as governmental such as the National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.The potential jazz performers that are potential members of the NJHF are also very important stakeholders. If this is not a highly recognized and reputable hall of fame, some of these iconic jazz musicians will not want to be members of the organization. Finally, jazz fans as a whole are key stakeholders as well. Without them, there would not be a need for this type of attraction. Question 3 There are three major issues facing Mr. Rutland and the NJHF. They are: 1. Fund raising, 2. Building and leading a professional team to complete the project. 3. Marketing in order to promote the NJHF and gain national recognition.In order to successfully address these issues the following skills will be needed: Good communication skills – Since the PM will be dealing with many different type of people, groups and audiences, they will need to be able to communicate effectively on all of these different levels. They need to communicate with government entities in order to secure the necessary permits and inspections once the theatre is set to be renovated. They will have to speak with philanthropic groups in order to raise private funds for the renovation of the theatre along with donations to run the NJHF.In order to gain public funding, the PM will have to address government agencies such as the National Endowment for the Arts. For issue two, the PM will be the team leader and have to communicate well with each group of the project team. They will have to work with the different teams to create the renovation plan. Once that is done, they will have to work with many different contractors to secure bids before deciding on who will complete the renovations. Other groups that the PM will have to communicate would include the finance team, the procurement team and the budget team.As for issue number 3, the PM will have to work with several marketing firms who specialize in the work needed for the NJHF to establish national recognition. They will have to meet with many different firms in order to select the best one for the NJHF. Once that group is selected, the PM will be the interface to that group for the project. Communications with this group will of course be vital to the longevity of the NJHF. Ability to command respect – The PM needs to be to command respect from every group involved in each aspect of the project.With out respect, none of the groups will be â€Å"encouraged† to complete their assigned tasks. Also, without respect the project as a whole will not have any credibility. It is this respect and credibility that will help generate private and government funding. Also, if there is no respect in the project, the NJHF will not gain any respect in the Jazz community. Without that, why would any of the potentials jazz musicians want to be a member of this hall of fame? Conflict Resolution skills – this is a basic skill that every PM must have. Without it, no project would move forward.In this project, the conflicts could be many for all three issues. If the PM cannot resolve the conflicts that will arise from the renovation of the theatre alone, the other two issue will never come to fruition. Good knowledge of project management principles – Of all of the PM principles, risk management is key in this project. If you look at issue two, fundraising, what happens to the pr oject if a major source of funding becomes compromised? One real world example is the Boy Scouts of America. They received almost 40% of their annual budget from a donation by the American United Way.A few years ago, the United Way reduced their donation significantly. The BSA now receives only one percent of its budget from that organization. It was real blow to their ability to maintain their year round projects. In order to recoup this budgetary loss, they established the Friends of Scouting project. They now solicit donations from the parents of Scouts, former Scouts and other companies and non-profit organizations to fulfill the gap. The PM for this project will have to have contingency plans in place like the BSA has done.Be comfortable in an uncertain environment – This is a huge, multifaceted project that a PM can understand every aspect. The PM for this project needs to be able to manage well the pieces they know very well and have the ability to manage the pieces th ey are not so familiar with. They need to put the right people in place for the aspects of the project they are the least familiar. Say the PM is strong in construction but weak in fund raising, they need to find a good fund raiser and someone who is good with marketing. Question 4 I feel that Mr. Rutland does have credibility.He is a professor of History at the University of Virginia. I don’t think that he would have been able to have had jazz greats, Benny Goodman and Chick Corea join the NJHF National Advisory board if they didn’t feel that Mr. Rutland and the board of directors he established were credible. Having two famous jazz musicians like that on the board definitely adds credence and credibility to Mr. Rutland’s plan. Is Mr. Rutland a leader? A leader is defined as â€Å"interpersonal influence, exercised in situations and directed through the communication process, toward the arraignment of a specified goal of goals. † Mr.Rutland has shown tha t ability in the first year of building the NJHF. Mr. Rutland came up with the NJHF and locating it in Charlottesville, VA. He enlisted the help of his fellow jazz enthusiast, and created the board of directors for the hall of fame. After that he found a possible building location that, by name, has ties to the famous jazz era of the 1930s and 19402 in New York City. This would give the NJHF a headquarters with a credible and recognizable name. After establishing the board, Mr. Rutland went out to generate funds for the hall by applying for grants from philanthropic groups along with various government agencies.They were denied for two reasons, inexperience of the board members and the brevity of their existence. This could not be construed negatively toward the board or affect their credibility. Mr. Rutland also understood that the NJHF would need visitors to help generate revenue to continue the hall’s existence. He found that over half a million people visit the Charlottes ville area to see many other attractions. He knew he had to work with the various venues and tourist organization to help promote the NJHF as a viable attraction. Finally Mr.Rutland showed his leadership in hiring a consultant to help answer two questions. One, what is the interest level of the respondents for jazz and the establishment of a National Jazz Hall of Fame. The survey was conducted on a national level and on a local level. This allows Mr. Rutland to find out if people were actually interested in a Jazz Hall of Fame and if they would attend, jazz music as a whole, if people would be willing to donate money to such an organization, what services and events they would expect from the hall and what the average person interested in such a place would be willing to pay for admission.This gave the board an idea of what kind of funding they could expect fromt eh public through donations and admission fees. Question 5 The cultures relevant to this project are the African-American , Cajun, Africans, and American. Jazz was influenced by different cultures and sub-cultures. The music also has roots in the development of other music movements around the world. In the US, Jazz has influenced, the Blues, R&B, Motown, Dixieland, Classical and Country music. Jazz is a melting pot of music as well having its roots in other genres.The project environment for the National Jazz Hall of Fame was a struggle to get off the ground, but was met with great enthusiasm. After the first year, even though they had many setbacks due to difficulties raising contributions from outside sources and finding out they needed at least $600,000 to renovate the theatre, Mr. Rutland and the board felt the project showed promise. Mr. Rutland did not seem to give up, but found other ways to promote and endow the NJHF. He tried to utilized the local tourism outlets, the NJHF promoted concerts to raise money and awareness.Mr. Rutland visited other halls of fame to gain ideas and insights into th eir success. He also commissioned a two surveys to gather information about the viability and interest the public would have for a jazz hall of fame. Question 6 Mr. Rutland should do the following: Budget- Philanthropic organizations – Since they had difficulties raising funds from these types of organizations due to a lack of experience on the part of the board, they need to hire an executive director with fund raising experience.This will give them someone with the proper background that these organization are looking for and a higher level of credibility. This will help solidify them as a true purveyor of a hall of fame for Jazz. Government Agencies – Once they have a qualified executive director and have been established for over two years, they should reapply for government funds from groups like the National Endowment for the Arts. They will be able to get enough funds so that they may even begin to renovate the theatre. Donations – The survey showed that they could receive an average of $23. 0 per donation. They should pursue a low cost way of garnering these donations in order to increase their bottom line. The survey targeted individuals over 35 years old with an income of $50,000+. Perhaps they can target other age and income range along with woman. Memberships – These are an excellent way to raise money. You can usually provide a few low cost incentives to individuals and they will pay a little more of an admission fee to benefit from those perks. However, at this time, without an actually facility for the hall of fame, memberships may be something they should wait on.It was recommended that they pursue Founding Memberships. This would be a more viable option until it is decided on where the actual NJHF will be located. Everyone likes to say that they were the first ones to be involved in a new endeavor. Visitors – The survey found that the average admission fee could be $3. 50. This is a good price considering how many tourists visit the Charlottesville area. Again, until a facility if build and functional, this idea should be set aside. Budget – Expenditures. The Paramount Theatre is the NJHF’s largest expenditure at $600,000.Other expenditures are the cost of the surveys. Future costs will be setting up the Founding Membership accounts, the regular memberships (if any), the salary of the executive director and all of the operational costs of an office for that individual. There will also have to be a budget for correspondence, fliers for concerts and workshops, etc. A Travel budget for the executive director will be required as well. Performance: service/activities The NJHF will have to continue to sponsor concerts and workshops.This will help them promote their mission along with getting their name out there. Offering a scholarship will help as well. This would also help gain credibility with the National Association of Jazz Educators. Competition – The NJHF needs to work with their competition. This will allow them to learn about how they are doing things. What works and what does not. It could also give them an opportunity to create an association with other hall of fames. This would make them appear more established. They could use their competitions success to their advantage.Schedule – First thing would be to hire an experience executive director. I think the NJHF’s first window of opportunity will come when they have been around for over two years so they qualify for government funding. Their first milestone could be signing up their first Founding Member. This would give them a good jumping off point to establish a large group of Members. http://businessmanstar. blogspot. com/2012/01/national-jazz-hall-of-fame-njhf-case. html http://www. expertprogrammanagement. com/2009/06/required-skills-to-be-a-program-manager/

Comparison of Pride and Prejudice with Sense and Sensibility

The poem â€Å"Pied Beauty† was written by Hopkins in 1877 and the â€Å"Ode to Autumn† was penned down by Keats in 1820. These poems appreciate all the aspects and diversity of Nature positively leading to the praise of God. In Pied Beauty, this praise of the Creator is vivid and apparent as the poet magnanimously asserts: â€Å"He fathers-forth whose beauty is past change: Praise him.† However, in Ode to Autumn the praise is subtly highlighted through the description of exuberant bounties of Autumn. The overarching theme of â€Å"beauty beyond appearance† is witnessed in both the poetic works mentioned above. In â€Å"Pied Beauty† this theme encapsulates the idea that perfection of things lies behind their appearance. The poet accentuates the fact that the spirit and energy beyond the appearance is to be appreciated. Thereby, a metaphysical streak echoes throughout, emphasizing the true essence of the word, â€Å"beauty†. Similarly, this theme is observed in â€Å"Ode to Autumn† connoting that the season Autumn has its own beauty like other seasons. Generally, Autumn is associated with old age or the end of life but Keats has creatively portrayed it as a season of â€Å"mellow fruitfulness†, thus, denoting the beauty of Autumn afar from its appearance. He has artistically projected an implied meaning to the poem by illustrating that autumn is the time of life where everything eventually leads to its completion or to have acquired the ultimate m otive of life. The crux of Ode to Autumn is to symbolize the uncertainties of life the Universe is so prone. However, in Pied Beauty, a synonymous thought is presented in the subtle descriptions of Nature that juxtapose the opposites to underline the notion that life is unpredictable , non-static and full of ambiguities. Hopkins asserts: â€Å"And all the trades,their gear &tackle &trim. Whatever is ficke, freckled,(who knows how?) With swift, slow; sweet, sour;adazzle,dim; He fathers-forth whose beauty is past change† Here, the poet stresses on the diverse nature of the life on Universe that everything is in a flux. The only thing constant is change and therefore, in Ode to Autumn we notice that autumn has arrived and we should appreciate the various shades of Nature it offers because they are momentary. Consequently, the beauty and speciality of everything present should be appreciated. It is because every atom and molecule on earth gifts us with some meaning and purpose in life. Another eminent theme is of â€Å"Nature†. In â€Å"Pied Beauty† numerous aspects of Nature are delineated using compound words. Hopkins appreciates that â€Å"Glory be to God for dappled things†, â€Å"skies of couple-colours† the â€Å"rose-moles† on the trout, the â€Å"Fresh-firecoal chestnut-falls; finches' wings† and also the â€Å"Landscape plotted and pieced -fold,fallow &plough†. The poet is praisng God for everything that he has created and also for the sublime energies that Nature encapsulates beyond its physical appearance. Furthermore, this theme of Nature is also evident in â€Å"Ode to Autumn†. This ode is pregnant with admiration for different activities that take place in autumn. Keats enumerates that it is a â€Å"season of mists and mellow fruitfulness†, â€Å"load and bless with fruits the vines that round the thatch-eves run†, â€Å"fill all fruits with ripeness to the core†, â€Å"swel l the gourd and plump the hazel shells with sweet kernel†,†barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day†, â€Å"lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn† and the â€Å"Hedge-cricket sing†. All these descriptions stimulate our senses and lend a beautiful cinematographic element to the poem. Analogous to Hopkins, Keats also implies the stylistic device of compound words. However, the contrast lies in the fact that Keats uses compound words to make his poetry sensual whereas, Hopkins employs compound words to give different things a set shape and pattern. This is called instress and inscape technique that Hopkins uses. For example, he says â€Å"For skies of couple-colour as a brinded cow†. Here he is characterizing the sky's colour and accentuating the inter relation and harmony of Nature. Like the brinded cow the sky is also spotted and patchy as the blue sky and white clouds are â€Å"coupled† together. The creative amalgamation of sky with creations on earth reflects the poet's love of nature to a commendable degree. On the contrary, Keats utilizes compound words to give a corporeal effect. For instance, he calls autum the â€Å"bosom-friend of the maturing Sun† and also he asserts â€Å"half-reap'd furrow†, â€Å"bloom the soft-dying dayà ¢â‚¬  and â€Å"full-grown lambs†. All these examples stir the senses. Animal and bird imagery have also been incorporated in these poems. Hopkins uses the image of the â€Å"brinded cow† to make the colour and pattern of the sky tangible, and also uses the image of a trout with rose-moles and the finches' wings to signify the variety and diversity of Nature. Nonetheless, Keats uses the images of the â€Å"swallow† singing, â€Å"lambs† bleating , â€Å"hedge-cricket† singing and the red-breast,†garden-crofet† whistling to indicate that autumn has a life and activity of its own which must be appreciated instead waiting for other seasons to come. Alliteration in the â€Å"Pied Beauty† is used to heighten the auditory effect of the poem. It is said about Hopkins that â€Å"his poetry should not be read with eyes but ears† (Bridges). The alliteartion used in the compound word â€Å"couple-clouds† empahsizes on making the sky tangible whereas â€Å"Fresh-firecoal† denotes a paradox to enhance the colour of the chestnut that is falling off the tree and â€Å"fold, fallow† these descriptions of the landscape suggest the multiplicity of lands created by God. On the other hand, in â€Å"Ode to Autumn† the alliterations â€Å"winnowing wind†, â€Å"dying day† and â€Å"lambs loud† all of these are stressing upon the activities that take place in autumn. Thus, signifying that autumn is also lively and is not about the end of life rather it announces a new happy beginning that follows. Nonetheless, apart from a few stylistic contrasts, both poets share a common natural ground of ideas, that is , the love and intense adulation of nature. The imagery that these poets employ is far-fetched and typical of the Romantic school of thought.

Analysing data and findings from questionnaire Essay

Analysing data and findings from questionnaire - Essay Example This information is available in Figure 5.3. 5.2.4 Respondents' Education The academic background of each of the respondents was obtained. Figure 5.4 reveals that most of respondents were Master degree holders and they represented 34.9 percent of the sample population while 8.9 percent of the respondents were educated up to high school level. 29.4 percent of the respondents were found to be having a Bachelor degree and 14.4 percent were PhD degree holders. 12.5 percent of the respondents revealed they had other certificates. 5.2.5 Respondents' Position It is evident from Figure 5.5 shows that most of respondents were experienced and had worked for 1-5 years. They represented 37.6 percent of the respondents while respondents having more than 20 years’ work experience comprised of 4.9 percent of the sample population. About 18.7 percent of the respondents had working experience of 6-10 years. Additionally, respondents having experience of less than one year accounted for 14.1 pe rcent of the respondents; while 17.7 percent amongst them had working experience of 11-15 years. The remaining 7 percent respondents amongst the sample population had experience of 16 -20 years. 5.3 The Data 5.3.1 Data Inspection Data analysis commenced with an inspection and review of the data in order to ascertain that it was suitable for analysis. In order to carry out an exhaustive data analysis it was considered proper to follow the procedures outlined by Hair et al. (2006), which included examining data patterns that were missed out and adhering to statistical assumptions, identification of outliers, and a review of skewness and kurtosis. 5.3.2 Missing... The study provides specific contributions relative to quality management practices in public hospitals in Saudi Arabia. The researcher uses a sample population of 327 respondents in carrying out an exploratory factor analysis to determine the factor structure of instruments that had 101 items. The factors examines in this context were: transformational leadership style, transactional leadership style, laissez-faire leadership style, organizational culture and quality management practices. A test of reliability was also made in the context of all the interval scale variables in order to ascertain the extent to which they are free from casual errors. Additionally, this research made an analysis of the assumptions made in regard to homoscedasticity, linearity and non linearity and the outcomes showed that the assumptions proved to be correct. In addition to the above, the research conducted hierarchical regression in order to analyze the relationships amongst different leadership styles , organizational culture and practices of quality management. In view of the outcomes that emerged from the research, it can be said that all the hypotheses made in this study were found to have adequate support in terms of the research outcomes. The independent variables also revealed a pattern whereby they sufficiently contributed to practices of quality management. Organizational culture has been found to be important and to have a partially moderating impact on the relationships amongst laissez-faire leadership styles and quality management practices.

Research Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Research Analysis - Essay Example The hypothesis being tested is : Would a certain discussion type have a significant influence on rigorous instruction? The study adapted the concept of Academic Rigor as a means of measuring reading comprehension. This was specifically used since the researchers believed that Academic Rigor is one of the Principles of Learning that engages active use of knowledge among learners. The researchers learning expectations were quite high since they wanted to observe critical thinking among participants. Among the literature review, the study cited Brown’s collaborative dialogue. Brown’s theory is often used in what we call collaborative classrooms† wherein knowledge is shared between teachers and students. Teachers do not only use skill but â€Å"also value and build upon the knowledge, personal experiences, language, strategies, and culture that students bring to the learning situation† ( Tinzmann, et.al, 1990). The study also mentioned the concept of Academic Rigor which is often misunderstood. Actually , a good definition of academic rigor is â€Å" sufficient time be devoted to a topic or unit of study and that students would have an opportunity to explore it in depth, developing questions as they go along† ( Chapter 7:A-4, state.gov., 2005). Apparently, a lot of educators today have the wrong perception of this term resulting to unmet expectations in classroom learning. The study also presented Applebee’s study on the importance of disc ussion-based activities. However, Adler st.al ( 2003) emphasized that discussion is effective if it is monologic wherein the teacher does not confine the lesson through lecture and seatwork. Discussion-based is not a new concept anymore but a more important thing is how it is being implemented in the classroom. In short, the literature review emphasizes the importance of collaborative dialogue, types of classroom talks that can enhance learning and the applicability of Academic Rigor in promoting

Critical Issues Module 2 Paper Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Critical Issues Module 2 Paper - Coursework Example Though these activities may be short-term, activity based cost reduction activities should provide a better alternative for cost management of the ongoing activities. To implement cost reduction activities in the organization, the top senior managers should be committed. The board should be willing and ready to provide the necessary resources needed. Performance management and activity-based cost reduction models is the key to success of every organization. In non profits organizations such as the Innovations theatre, Reginald Foster Dance Troupe, Century Child Care, and Center Neighborhood Settlement, performance management and activity-based cost reductions models have been applied to achieve the success of the organizations (Walsh, 2002). In the Innovations Theatre the board and the staff members perform the activities with the sole purpose of achieving organizational success. The board is clearly aware of their duties and hence seeks development for the theatre. They also articulate the vision of the theatre and work towards achieving their vision by incorporating the other workers. Duties are assigned to different groups of people. The board has also engaged in activity-based cost reductions such paying a membership fee and other annual membership dues. These will go a long way in facilitating the company’s activities. They have also expanded the theatre by establishing new home theatre. The organization also recruits new members to the board who have financial ability and other professional talents that would be helpful to the organization (Firstenberg, 2009). The member is also expected to have a high social civic standing a factor that will make the organization gain some social status. There is a free flow of communication between the workers and the board members and the workers decisions are highly valued during the meetings. This

Gene therapy (stem cell and non viral vectors) Essay

Gene therapy (stem cell and non viral vectors) - Essay Example The second approach insists on knocking out or inactivating the muted improperly functioning gene (Al-Dosari, 2009). Lastly, the third approach looks forward to the introduction of a new gene in to the patient’s body to help in fighting the diseases. Chemical vectors in the form of cationic lipids and cationic polymers are known to form condensed complexes with negatively charged DNA via electrostatic forms. Studies have shown that the formed complexes that protect DNA matter and bolster cell uptake coupled with intracellular delivery. Among the most common chemical-based, non-viral vectors are Cationic Lipids (Mukherjee & Thrasher, 2013). Cationic Lipids share similar structures of positively charged hydrophilic, and hydrophobic tails linked via a linker structure. Responsible for the binding of with the cathode phosphate group in the nuclei acids are the positively charged head groups. On the other hand, the hydrophobic tails are typically composed of moieties, cholesterol, and aliphatic chains (Al-Dosari & Gao, 2009). Cationic lipids are mostly applied in the process of liposuction, as such, Al-Dosari & Gao, (2009) coin as the mostly applied gene delivery method. They claim that widely applied co-lipids are cholesterol and DO PE. Transfection tends to be high for lipid composition with high degrees of membrane fluidity. The specified cells particularly well tolerate localized injection. In addition, the method is ideal for DNA-based vaccines development. The method has widely been applied in the direct transfer of skin and thyroid cancer cells for the facilitation of conventional chemotherapy Schlaepfer & Eckel, (2009). Andrà © et al., (2006) showed that following vivo intra-tumoral transfer of short hairpin RNA expression, the total reversal of the phenotype of MDRI and increased efficacy of chemotherapy in thyroid tumor growths inhibition is achievable. Localized injection has demonstrated potential in vivo gene delivery research. For instance,

Bussines Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Bussines Accounting - Essay Example However, with the shift in the supply curve the quantity supplied falls. On account of this leftward shift the equilibrium supply falls to St and the equilibrium price moves up to Pt. The demand for cotton remains intact and the supply curve shifts upward. The unchanged demand and the fall in supply mean that the price of cotton will increase (The University of North Carolina, n.d.). Due to the fall in supply and unchanged demand of cotton the supplier will now charge a higher price for lesser quantity of cotton. This explains the rise in the price of cotton due to a fall in cotton supply of major cotton manufacturing countries. Scenario 2- An emergence in economy has a positive impact on demand. The emergence of the UK economy from the grip of the recent recessionary phase and the reported growth in the first three quarters of 2010 is a good sign for the market. It implies that there has been arise in the level of business activity. With the rise in the business activity the income of the people will move up thereby pushing up their demand for cotton. On account of the increased demand and constant supply (assumed) the price of the cotton will move up. In the above diagram with the rise in demand for cotton from Q1 (old) to Q2 (new) the demand curve shifts from D1 to D2 however the supply remains constant at S1. As a result of the increased demand and constant supply the equilibrium price increases from P1 (old) to P2 (new). Therefore an emergence in the economy of UK will result in a rise in the price of cotton. Scenario 3- A rise in the price of crude oil from $40 per barrel at the time of the recent recession to $92 per barrel in the current market will exert an upward pressure on the price of cotton. This happens because cost of crude oil is a ‘factor cost’ for the supplier. The rise in the cost of crude oil raises the transportation costs for the supplier. A rise in the factor cost raises the overall cost of the seller. As a result of the inc reased cost the seller lowers the supply of the goods as he is not willing to supply the same goods at an increased cost. In the above diagram the original supply was So and the original quantity that the supplier was willing to sell was Qo at the price Po. However with the rise in any of the factor cost the supplier will lower the supply of goods. In the given scenario the supplier lowers the cotton supply on account of a rise in the transportation cost. Due to the fall in supply and the unchanged demand the price increases to Pt. This happens because same number of ‘buyers’ are chasing a lesser amount of goods (cotton) . Due to this the price of cotton increases to Pt. Therefore a rise in the price of crude oil increases the transport cost of the supplier thereby lowering the supply and creating an upward pressure on the price. Scenario 4- A rise in Value Added tax in UK from 17.5% to 20% in January 4, 2011 will create an upward pressure in prices. The imposition of t he value added tax creates an â€Å"inward shift in the supply curve†. This means that the supply curve shifts towards the left thereby raising the equilibrium level of prices and decreasing the amount of goods sold (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, n.d.). In the above diagram So is the original supply when the VAT was 17.5%. But with the rise in VAT to 20% the supply curve shifts leftward to So as the suppliers are now willing to sell lesser amount of

Information System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Information System - Essay Example The people who create a software system are in immense pressure to come up with the software at a lowest possible cost (Dahanayake). The pace of the advancement in software engineering has increased so rapidly that the best practices that were known by the individual in creating a software system has deviated and has changed too fast. This is because in Information technology industry every time something new turns up and it is becoming difficult for the professionals in coping up with it. Most of the software systems are developed through an integrated channel of customer feedback and this makes the task more difficult for them to create exactly the same software system that is demanded by most of the customer (Downes). While creating software system there has also been some legal consequences in the issuance and the protection of the licenses. Bigger firms often negotiate for the software license due to the poorly defined law of license, which adds up more difficulties for the firms. The companies are struggling to survive in the market and they are relying on their professionals to get them a competitive advantage in the market which puts more stress on these experts which forces them to make decisions that are unlikely to favor the company while fulfilling customer’s demands (Downes). More often while creating a software system; the biggest problem is the lack of understanding the software system regarding both the managers and the information technology expert who are leading the development effort. To create software system one should analyze the software components because otherwise some software’s are known as ‘spaghetti code’, which are unstructured and complex. This gives rise to the quality and time tradeoff and affects the growth of the company. Some software’s are made for a particular environment

The aim of the project is to find a Competitive inhibitor which will Essay

The aim of the project is to find a Competitive inhibitor which will inhibit the methylation of Protein phosphate 2A (PP2A) Via LCMT-1 - Essay Example This means that the methylation of PP2A may be an important regulatory mechanism on the condition that the PP2A methylation is tightly regulated. Tamanoi and Clarke (2006, p. 316) further presents that there are two main levels of regulation of the PP2A. This is may be achieved either through demethylating enzyme LCMT1 or PME-1 or the regulation at the C-terminal tail of PP2AC site (Tamanoi and Clarke, 2006, p. 316). Furthermore, they advance that the methylation of PP2A can also be regulated or deregulated by certain diseases(Sheng 2013). Seshacharyulu, Pandey, Datta and Batra (2013, p.9) elaborates that PP2A serves to regulate the function by dephosphorylating numerous important cellular molecules such as the p53 and Akt. The PP2A is significant in critical cellular processes including signal transduction, proliferation and apoptosis. PP2A is structurally multifarious made up of catalytic, support and regulatory subunits. The support and catalytic sub-units of the PP2A comprise of two major isoforms, whereas the regulatory sub-unit has four distinct families of different isoforms. Of these sub-units, the regulatory sub-unit is considered the most diverse in terms of spatial and temporal specificity. The PP2A usually undergoes certain post-translational changes such as methylation and phosphorylation that serve to regulate the enzymatic activity of PP2A. Certain somatic alterations, mutations and aberrant expression of the PP2A support and regulatory sub-units have been common in a variety of malignancies in humans including skin, breast and lung cancers. This demonstrates that the role of PP2A as a tumor suppressor (Seshacharyulu et.al 2013). A group of heterogeneous genes encode the individual subunits of the enzyme. This gives rise to a multitude of various PP2A holoenzyme complexes (Schà ¶nthal 2013, p.2). Some of the observations that PP2A puts certain stimulatory and

Permit Processing on Mercer Island Essay Example for Free

Permit Processing on Mercer Island Essay The rapidly increasing population and land use is one of the significant yet phenomenal challenges in today’s public administration. Accompanied by the spatial utilization and maintenance is the urban planning and management as one of the functionalities of city administrators in dealing with the simultaneous increase of land use, wherein various types of uses demands a particular place within the city limits. Relevantly, the expansive modality of business districts or areas must be complemented with a system or process as a procedure in obtaining of permits to operate a business is necessary and required. Thus, the system or process is needed to ensure the systematic flow of urban zoning. In this regard, the city administration must work on how permit processing would respond to the aspectual needs of the population without hampering the sustainable community development. Dealing with urban-community issues tackles various considerations in the processing of business permits, such as organizational functions of city administration must be streamlined through conduct of dialogues and campaigns in the implementation processes. This procedure is one of the components in public administration where urban-community issues must be resolved. In Mercer Island, the city manager have studied the situation in permit processing and found the significant action of implementing the system or process that is meeting both administrative functions of the city government and the demands of the residents. The implementing programs of permit processing in Mercer Island could have found the breakthrough of a procedure in public administration. This paper will account the discussion of multifaceted issues that significantly drawn the decisiveness of city managers in administering Mercer Island’s public administration programs. Methodology The result of the case study, entitled: ‘Permit Processing on Mercer Island’, conducted by Judith Noble as her Master’s Degree thesis at the Graduate School of Public Affairs at the University of Washington and published by The Electronic Hallway in 1996 will be the derivative of the literature review, taking into account the issues, actors and organizational forces that have been depicted in the public administration of Mercer Island. Likewise, additional literatures will revalidate the presentation or exhibition of data reflective of the conducted case study. Literature Review City overview: history and township Mercer Island was named after the Mercer Brothers who explored the place while on food gathering and subsequently first established a non-native settlement at the north-west side of the island in 1870s. The settlement has thoroughly expanded to the north-east side of the island and known as the East Seattle where became famous of the Calkins Hotel as a landmark of commercial land use in 1889 (Mercer Island Historical Society, 2006). In 1908, the East Seattle have grown with residential and business population, wherein the urbanization was largely developed from 1930s towards 1940s when a floating bridge was built that reached towards its state of Washington as the nearby area of commerce (City Government of Mercer Island, 2008) Presently, Mercer Island is a highly urbanized city being established from the 1960 incorporation and 1970 merging of north-western and eastern municipalities that has been fully developed as a business district of Seattle with 23, 894 population (US Census Bureau, 2007). Brief background of the issues As manifested by the continuously growing population and developing commercial zones, the city administration of Mercer Island has employed its ways and means in the processing of business permits. In 1996, the Mercer Island’s City Manager Paul Lanspery was persevered to act on the result of a report that has been commissioned and studied the status of community development. As cited, the tremendous increase of land use has been attributed to the establishment of businesses, in which even residential areas diversify into commercial use. The situation could become a perennial problem to the majority of the residents as well as the natural environment may soon marginalize and disintegrate by the potential pollution (Noble, 1996). On the other hand, Lanspery was worried of the â€Å"systems thinking† of the city administration, wherein the processing of business permit application must be reviewed in order to assess the public administration and accountability of the city government and its employees, as there were â€Å"pressure groups† from the residents that advocates the call in preserving the city from further commercial development. The personal, organizational and external forces  Reflecting on the report on community development and through the conducted on-site observation, Lanspery was motivated by his personal beliefs on â€Å"continuous improvement† (Noble, 1996). It may be interpreted that Lanspery’s personal belief could be an â€Å"internal motivating force†; reclaiming â€Å"continuous improvement† of Mercer Island is achieving sustainable development in the community. Based on the conducted on-site survey, Lanspery has brought the organizational accountability of the city government to objectively see and find the perspective of Mercer Island amidst its commercial diversification. The land use of the residents must be coupled with responsibilities in nurturing and protecting the environment. Hence, the city government must actualize the administration of public interest to preserve the natural habitation of the island without hampering the on-going business activities of the city. It may be summarized that Lanspery’s personal belief of continuous improvement retains the organizational accountability of the city government as the external force in implementing sustainable means, instead of sustaining an intensive â€Å"environmental change† that in fact deface the natural beauty of Mercer Island. To cite, preserving Mercer Island culture and natural environment is a challenge to its city government in improving sustainable business operation and administering of its investors in a participatory process, adhering efficiency, quality and commitment (Noble, 1996). The environment and public administration According to the case study, the topography of Mercer Island is not suitable for high-rise buildings and definitely limited to horizontal construction. On the other hand, the windy atmosphere of the Island is susceptible to fire-igniting materials, like the fire tragedy in 1889 that burned-flat the fire-prone Calkins Hotel. The topography of Mercer Island has been critically considered in the implementing guidelines of the city government, as a response to mitigate environmental risks and preservation of the environment from potential threats of commercial abuse. The public administration has organized a team of diverse technical expertise that composes the building department personnel who will evaluate the application of permits for residential and business or commercial land use. To cite, the government has likewise regulated a countless permit application for construction of small structure and land use projects, taking into account an estimated of 70 percent from the total 1,300 permits being issued yearly (Noble, 1996). The public administration in the issuance of permits was consistent in the implementation of environmental protection programs and risk mitigating measures, such as to cite the intensive evaluation and qualification procedures on application of mechanical permits for installing furnace pipes, plumbing, hot tub and lawn sprinkler systems, electrical wiring, and even burglar security and fire alarms. Part of the revenue collection campaigns were also managed by the city government on penalties and fines from illegal permit fixers, violators of health and safety guidelines, and other proceeds from residential construction permits acquisition (Noble, 1996). Nature of policy system and processes of policy and decision making It may be reflected that the decentralization of local government units or city governments have been enacted as part of streamlining the Federal bureaucracy system, devolving the powers of the local government executives in executing the municipal or city programs and projects. In which case, the city government of Mercer Island is spearheaded by the executive function of the Mayor, the legislative power of the city council and the city manager who is mandated to act in administering the township development. The enactment of land use policies were outlined in the â€Å"check and balance† configuration of area implementation. Specifically, the city manager headed the tangible implementing procedure of the Department of community Development that enjoined the technical maintenance, engineering and the public safety programs. Part of a functional public administration and transparent decision making process is the conduct of public dialogues that has been initiated by the City Council, expediting the legislative process and synergy among the council membership. To cite, the legislative function of the city council reaches out the public concern in terms of interpreting the city codes and ordinances. The city council has even organized citizen boards and commissions to enable a transparent and community-participatory undertaking of relevant issues on land use and the city government’s public administration functions, like the creation and establishment of the Building Board of Appeals that act as a quasi-judicial body, examining and interpreting the technical description, meaning and implementation of the â€Å"building code† as the ethical parameter in the land use policies. Leadership, management and administrative ethics It may be found that what has been highlighted in the case study is the decisiveness of Paul Lanspery, being the city manager, who persevered the undertaking of necessary public administration processes and fully utilizing the organizational elements of the city government. The overall representation of the case study [according to the literature review] has also found Lanspery’s ideals, having the personal beliefs of continuous improvement of Mercer Island. The personal beliefs could be perceived to have influenced the systems thinking, character-values and governance. Lanspery’s position as part of the â€Å"politico-persona† in the executive function of the City Mayor’s Office, wherein city management emanated its mandate or functions, has contributed to â€Å"streamline the system†. Based on the case study, it may be recalled that organizational dysfunction has threatened to be a problem of the City Council in implementing the ordinances or enforcement of the building code and policies on land use. As cited, such problems pertain to be the (1) deficiency in coordinating with departments which the city government has established non-substantive change, (2) failure in completing inspections and its technical evaluation results, (3) discrepancy in applying the technical standards of the building code and engineering guidelines (Noble, 1996). To cite and quote Mercer Island’s City Councilor Fred Jarrett, â€Å"reliability and consistency in dealing with the processing of permits is required for changing a cedar roof to tile for one home but not for another† (Noble, 1996). Meaning, making reliable and consistent the â€Å"way of leadership† may require the need of change in the system and processes on how the permit application would be more beneficial and contributory to a decisive public accountability and administration, specifically on sustaining the judicious utilization of the landholdings in Mercer Island. Post activities and findings  The assumption to office of Paul Lanspery as Mercer Island’s City Manager has significantly shown with substantial change in the functions of various departments directly involve in the processing of business and residential permits, land use, public safety and order and the city’s environmental maintenance programs. As a city manager, Lanspery has implemented the organizational system on reporting, evaluation procedures, ethical standards, quality values, effectiveness and efficiency. The implementation of service-value-oriented ethics was the first and foremost organizational procedure employed by Lanspery. The action-oriented response through holding of regular meetings among the personnel of each department was aimed to improving and developing the responsible and accountable execution of task of every working personnel, in which adherent to creating good governance that shall harmonize the public administration. Lanspery has also introduced the â€Å"strategic component† of leadership accountability, wherein department managers were directed to participate in â€Å"visioning exercises† that would visualize the sustainable needs of the community and specifically to preserve the socio-economic life of Mercer Island from threatening effects of commercial land use. A synergy of public administration has been conceptualized to harmonize the fiscal management of every department. Strategic budget planning, monitoring and auditing system were also established to enable the efficient performance of the city government in its revenue collection and budgeting, and financing of community projects that focuses on improving the socio-economic life of the community. Meanwhile, the judicious implementation of permit processing is complemented with social and judicial sanctions to ensure the importance of law enforcement in mitigating the unlawful land use, being deterrent to commercial abuse of Mercer Island’s economic resources and environment. At this point in time, the case study has accounted the decisive managerial skill of Lanspery who enabled the â€Å"political will† of an area manager that prevented the vulnerable exploits of Mercer Island. Through that decisive and dedicated public administration has streamlined the organizational set-up of Mercer Island’s Department of Community Development (DCD), manifesting a more accountable city government. Conclusion Public administration could be the ethical standard in managing public accountability. The processes and ethics in public administration is a continuing challenge in the dispensation of the local government units and its local executives. Indeed, the political will of the local executive is necessary to supplant the weaknesses and flaws with transparent and good governance. Like Lanspery who have visualized the needs of Mercer Island has not submitted to the disguise of commercial development but reclaims the vision for sustainability. In Lanspery’s oath of office has transpired the vision, mission and goal of the city government as an organization that sustains the socio-economic life of Mercer Island. The collection of revenue from permit processing application, approval and issuances could have been substantial to the coffer of the city government yet vulnerable to irregularities and corruption. The case study on Mercer Island’s city management depicts the broad understanding of ethics in public administration, enabling effective implementation of key policy programs that accounts the majority interest of the population and its environment. It may be then concluded that public accountability must manifest an unwavering leadership in local governance, whereas devolution of power from the national government must promote the local participation of people towards sustainable development of communities.

Critically Assess the View That We Are Not Responsible for Our Evil Actions Essay Example for Free

Critically Assess the View That We Are Not Responsible for Our Evil Actions Essay Many Philosophers, such as Hoderich and John Calvin, believe that humans do not have free will to act in moral situations and that all moral actions have uncontrollable prior causes. Hard determinists, therefore, follow the belief that humans can not be morally blameworthy for their actions, evil or not, because their actions are predetermined. However, this is a ridiculous stance to take as humans are free to make moral choices, meaning they are entirely responsible for their evil actions. Many argue that hard determinism is the best approach to take when assessing this hypothesis as once you abandon the outdated notion of freedom; you can create a much better world. B.F. Skinner supports this view by recognising that since people are ultimately the result of their conditions, â€Å"and will get conditioned by their upbringing and environments anyway†, we ought to control people’s upbringing and environments as much as possible to ensure that their conditioning is positive. Skinner argued that such a plan would be more helpful than the current situation, in which peoples conditions is ultimately dependent on to luck. The case of Leopold and Loeb demonstrates this idea perfectly. If you look at the case on the surface, it seems like an act of pure evil, both boys kidnapped Bobby Franks and demanded ransom from his family, when this failed, they murdered him by hitting him over the head with a chisel. Harrow, whom was their lawyer and a follower of hard determinism, argued that â€Å"they killed [Bobby Franks] because they were made that way. Because somewhere in the infinite process that go to the making up of the boy or the man something slipped†. If one looks into the background of these two boys, evidence refutes this point; both of these boys were from very privileged backgrounds, Leob was actually the son of the vice president. Despite this, Leob was fascinated by detective stories; he read about crimes, he planned them and he eventually committed them. Leopold, on the other hand, who was reading Philosophy at the University of Chicago, became attracted to Friedrich Nitezche and his criticism of moral codes; he believed that those who followed Nitezche were super human and did not have to abide by the moral laws that others did. Darrow argued that Leopold’s obsession with crime and Loebs fascination with Nitezhce was a form of rebellion against the well-meaning, but strict and controlling, governess who raised him. They can not be hold morally responsible for the murder of Bobby Franks because each â€Å"child takes one shape or another shape depending not upon the boy himself, but on what surrounds him.†. However, this is a weak view to take as it suggests that people do not need to feel guilty for their actions; they have no moral responsibility, as their actions are already determined. If people were not morally responsible for their evil actions, then the world by a chaotic place, people could commit evil crimes and blame it upon their surroundings. It is therefore clear that hard determinism is a ridiculous view to take when assessing this hypothesis, as it would lead to utter anarchy and the notion of sin would be undermined. Many argue that soft determinism is the best approach to take when assessing the question, as it does not rule out free will- the two are compatible and so moral decisions and moral debate remains possible. Followers of soft determinism believe that some of our actions are conditioned, while others have so complex a collection of causes that they may properly be described as freely decided or willed. Hume is the Philosopher who is normally associated with this idea. Hume believed that events are determined because of a casual link between objects. Take for example, in 2012, when the travellers were prevented from flying as a result of ash from a volcanic eruption in Iceland. For Hume, this casual link is called the constant union of objects. For instance, the volcano’s eruption prevents you from flying; that is outside of the control of the individual. But the response to that situation produces free will. In relation to murder, one could argue that your upbringing is determined, but the way you respond is a result of free will. This is a differing view to that of Take for instance the case of Mary Bell in 1968 who was convicted of the murder of two toddles. She was subject to an awful upbringing; her mother was a prostitute who specialised in sado- masochism- Mary was forced to listen to her mother perform these acts. A soft- determinist could argue that although Mary was subject to an abusive upbringing, she must hold some moral responsibility for her actions. Although this view seems highly logical, soft determinists have not agreed on precisely what is and what is not a determining factor in human action. This means that contradictions between followers of soft determinists are highly likely. Many disagree that Libertarianism is the best approach to apply to questions surrounding moral responsibility. They believe that cause and affect is too apparent in the world for us to simply disregard it; it must have an impact on human actions. Take for instance, the idea of murder, if you are brought up in a family in which murder is regarded as a sin, you are less likely to commit such a crime as one understands that murder immoral. This demonstrates the idea of cause and effect perfectly; someone teaches you that murder is immoral; the cause, you understand this and therefore do not do it; the effect. Despite this, one could refute this weakness by arguing that these are just moral rules that coincide with the societal norm, they do not strip us of our free will. Even if we were not brought up with these moral codes, we can still abide by them as we posses free will. The idea of free will also makes logical sense to us. In our day-to-day lives, we feel as if we posses it; we make daily decisions based upon our feelings, not something that has already been determined. As put by Aquinas, â€Å"man chooses not of necessity but freely†. Peter Van Inwagen’s also follows this approach, he argues that we can see that we posses free will by the deliberation of two choices of action; if we are able to do both, then we must have it as it ultimately is our choice to do either or. Peter Van Inwagen used an analogy to demonstrate this idea; you are walking along a road with many branches on it, which branch you choose to go down is your decision. Therefore, in relation to moral responsibility, we should all be held responsible for any evil actions committed as they do not come about as a result of chance or random events. Some may be subject to events which could potentially alter their morality, but they are free to choose which path they take. To conclude, although hard- determinism has some strengths, the fact that it believes that we should not be held morally responsible for actions mean it is useless when looking at questions surrounding moral responsibility. Soft- determinism, on the other hand, is far too vague and would produce many contradictions. Libertarianism is the best approach to take as it makes logical sense; we can see we possess free will and we should therefore be punished if we commit evil actions.

Biology of Prostate Cancer

Biology of Prostate Cancer PDG The Biological basis of illness and therapeutics Cancer of the prostate Introduction Malignancies are currently responsible for more deaths in the UK than ischaemic heart disease (Cummings et al 1998). Half of these malignant deaths are from the â€Å"big four† – Lung, Bowel, Breast and Prostate (World Cancer Research Fund 1997). These cancers are almost unknown in developing countries but the incidence reverts to the UK norm within one or two generations of immigration, which argues strongly for the presence of environmental factors. If this is true then these malignancies should be theoretically preventable. Prostate cancer is the current most prevalent male cancer, accounting for about 30% of all new cases and also for about 14% of all malignant deaths (Montironi 2001). The incidence is increasing, this may, in part, be due to the increasing age of the male population. Increasing consumption of red meat and fats are associated with an increase in risk, and a diet of vegetables and salads (especially tomatoes) is associated with a lower risk. It appears that Vit E supplements significantly reduce the risk of developing the disease (Heinonen et al 1998) Pathophysiology of the disease The prostate is a walnut sized gland which is situated just below the male bladder. It is primarily responsible for producing the seminal fluid and it also produces some hormones. In malignancy, there are several different forms. The neuroendocrine form (small cell type) can occur but it is not as common as the focal neuroendocrine type. (Di SantAgnese 2000) Prostate cancer is thought to arise primarily from one or more (usually a series) of genetic mutations in the DNA. This can either be inherited or acquired. (Hague et al 1996) In the UK the majority of prostatic malignancies are thought to be mutations occurring at directly at the tumour site rather than being genetically inherited.(Bingham et al 1998) The genetic mechanisms can involve either the activation of an oncogene or the inhibition of a tumour supressor gene. The mechanism is not simple, and it is thought that about four to six stepwise mutations in the DNA are responsible for the genesis of prostate cancer. The actual mechanism of the acquired genetic mutation is thought to be when an oncogene is translocated and fused with the activity promoter of another gene, this mechanism is often found when specific tumour markers are detected in the blood (viz. PSA). A similar mechanism is implicated in the more aggressive forms of prostatic cancer where the oncogene combines (and thereby inhibits) a tumour supressor gene. Demonstration of abnormal amounts of proteins such as PSA are useful in detecting the presence of micro-metastases when the disease process is thought to be in remission. The original sequence of the DNA is thereby changed. The actual mechanism can be by translocation (as described above) or by insertions or inversions which are more usually due to errors of RNA translation. All of these mechanisms ultimately exert their effect by interfering with the proper regulatory controls of the protein manufacturing abilities of the cell One of the main pathological features of malignancy is the neovascularisation that almost universally occurs. It is thought to begin in Benign Prostatatic Hypertrophy (BPH), and progresses through the pre-malignant into the frank malignant state. (Bostwick et al 2000) This is thought to be a result of the increase in detectable levels of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF). The levels of VEGF are highest in the most malignant forms of the disease, and is amenable to external hormonal manipulation. The commonest sites of metastatic disease are in the bone and the liver. (Mazzucchelli et al 2000) There is considerable evidence to support the implication of oncogenes in the aetiology of this cancer. Oncogenes such as c-myc and c-erb-B of have been found, as have supressor genes such as p27(Kip1) and pp32R1/2. Oncogenes have also been implicated in the formation and regression of the metastatic form of the disease. (Lijovic et al 2000) There appears to be a genetic association with the cancer as 10% of sufferers have a family history of the disease (Selley et al 1997) Modern management of prostate cancer The management of prostate cancer is primarily dependent on the clinical staging. There are several different types of staging currently employed. The commonest is the Gleason staging (I-IV) with III being the clinically commonest presentation. Significant factors in the staging are: Neuroendocrine differentiation Angiogenesis Perineural invasion Proliferation markers Other factors also play a part including the PSA and other blood borne entities. The first two factors are arguably the most important. We have learned a great deal about the detection and treatment of prostate cancer in the recent past, but the mortality figures do not reflect the increase in our knowledge. The two overriding clinical factors are early detection (ideally in the pre-invasive state) and the identification of the other prognostic factors. Chemoprevention is a field that is gaining in momentum at the present, but it is still largely experimental. (Montironi et al 1999) The current mainstay of treatment at present is hormonal manipulation A recent paper by Armstrong (et al 2001) looks at the current role of cellular immunotherapy in the field of prostate cancer management. This is a field which also holds exciting practical prospects for tumour management. It involves giving the patient vaccines prepared from antigenically active tumour cells or activated lymphocytes. Specifically cytotoxic T-lymphocytes are used to identify and then destroy the tumour cells. They do this by being programmed to recognise a specific protein on the surface of the malignant prostate cell. Clinical trials have shown that this method of treatment is at its most effective when first line (hormonal) treatment has reduced the size of the tumour to a residual amount, which is at high risk of relapse. For reasons that are not yet fully understood, this method appears to suffer from a developing tolerance to the malignancy by the lymphocytes. This is currently the focus of intense research activity. ( Hwu et al.1999) A more recent development still is an offshoot of this type of treatment and that is the use of gene modified vaccines. This involves vaccines which contain genetically modified cells. The most effective found so far are those which work by making cells increase the production of cytokines in close proximity to the tumour cells. (Alvarez-Vallina et al 1996) This appears to increase the antigenic appeal of those cells and thereby render them more amenable to attack from the immune system. This avoids the difficulties with the side effects that were seen when cytokines were given systemically. (Gao et al 2000) Other mechanisms for gene therapy involve the ingenious use of viruses to transfer the altered DNA into the malignant cell. In prostate malignancies, their use has been disappointing because of problems with side effects, but the theory is also promising (Relph et al 2004) PSA and related proteins such as prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) are commonly helpful in monitoring the progress or relapse of the disease (Montie 1997) PSA is being experimentally exploited by being coupled to enzymes such as thymidine kinease. This can be placed in the body by a retrovirus and therefore infects all cells but is only activated in prostate cells. They are refered to as the Trojan Horse Vectors and appear to very successful in early trials. Proponents of the technique refer to it as performing a genetic prostatectomy. More modern techniques still involves the detection of prostate cells in the bloodstream using a reverse transcriptase and polymerase chain reaction. This is thought to be a particularly sensitive assay for the prediction of surgical failure (Olsson et al 2003) The downside to these treatments involving genes, is that the mechanisms of protein synthesis and regulation are unimaginably complex. Attempts to cure one malignancy may unwittingly cause another by a process called Insertional mutagenesis, where the desired effect in one cell is hindered by an unwanted malignant change in another. (Armstrong 2001) Conclusions The advances in our understanding of the molecular basis of prostate cancer have been spectacular in the last decade. Interventional genetics now are on the brink of offering a real chance of survival to patients with resistant disease. Patients with widespread disease are usually desperate to try any form of novel treatment. Although the theory and understanding of many of the oncogenic processes are already well advanced, it is vital not to give a patient false hope of cure. (Bingham et al 1998) To this end the Dept. of Health has set up a new governing body in the shape of he Genetic Therapy Advisory Committee (GTAC) to consider and oversee all new and proposed treatments. The major hurdles that remain in this field are how to effect the stable and specific transfer of genes into tumour cells, how to ensure the safety of both patients and staff and to define exactly where the best place is for gene therapy alongside the mainstream treatments today. (Montironi 2001) References Alvarez-Vallina L, Hawkins RE.2002 Antigen-specific targeting of CD28-mediated T cell co-stimulation using chimeric single-chain antibody variable fragment-CD28 receptors. Eur J Immunol; 2002 26: 2304-2309 Armstrong, David Eaton, and Joanne C Ewing 2001 Science, medicine, and the future: Cellular immunotherapy for cancer BMJ, Dec 2001; 323: 1289 1293. Bingham SA, Atkinson C, Liggins J, Bluck L, Coward A. 1998 Phytoestrogens: where are we now? Br J Nutr 1998; 79: 393-406 Bostwick DG, Grignon D, Hammond EH, Amin MB, Cohen M, Crawford D, et al. 1999 Predictive factors in prostate cancer. College of American Pathologists Consensus Statements 1999. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2000; 124: 996-1000. Cummings JH and Sheila A Bingham 1998 Fortnightly review: Diet and the prevention of cancer BMJ, Dec 1998; 317: 1636 1640. Di SantAgnese PA. 2000 Divergent neuroendocrine differentiation in prostatic carcinoma. Sem Diagn Pathol 2000; 17: 149-161 Gao L, Bellantuono I, Elsasser A, Marley SB, Gordon MY, Goldman JM, et al. 2000 Selective elimination of leukemic CD34(+) progenitor cells by cytotoxic T lymphocytes specific for WT1. Blood 2000; 95: 2198-2203 Hague A, Butt AJ, Paraskeva C. 1996 The role of butyrate in human colonic epithelial cells: an energy source or inducer of differentiation and apoptosis? Proc Nutr Soc 1996; 55: 937-943 Heinonen OP, Albanes D, Virtamo J, Taylor PR, Huttunen JK, Hartman AM, et al. 1998 Prostate cancer and supplementation with alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene: incidence and mortality in a controlled trial. J Natl Cancer Inst 1998; 90: 440-446 Hwu P, Yang JC, Cowherd R, Treisman J, Shafer GE, Eshhar Z, et al. 1999 In vivo antitumor activity of T cells redirected with chimeric antibody/T cell receptor genes. Cancer Res 1999; 55: 3369-3373 Lijovic M, Fabiani ME, Bader J, Frauman AG. 2000 Prostate cancer: are new prognostic markers on the horizon? Prostate Cancer Prostatic Diseases 2000; 3: 62-65 Mazzucchelli R, Montironi R, Santinelli A, Lucarini G, Pugnaloni A, Biagini G. 2000 Vascular endothelial growth factor expression and capillary architecture in high-grade PIN and prostate cancer in untreated and androgen ablated patients. Prostate 2000; 45: 72-79 Montie JE, Meyers SE. 1997 Defining the ideal tumor marker for prostate cancer. Urol Clin North Am 1997; 24: 247-252 Montironi R, Mazzucchelli R, Marshall JR, Bartels PH. 1999 Prostate cancer prevention. Review of target populations, pathological biomarkers and chemopreventive agents. J Clin Pathol 1999; 52: 793-803 Montironi 2001 Prognostic factors in prostate cancer BMJ, Feb 2001; 322: 378 379. 1997. Olsson CA, Devries GM, Raffo AJ, Benson MC, OToole K, Cao Y, et al. 2003 Preoperative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction for prostate-specific antigen predicts treatment failure following radical prostatectomy. J Urol 2003; 155: 1557-1562 Relph K, Kevin Harrington, and Hardev Pandha 2004 Recent developments and current status of gene therapy using viral vectors in the United Kingdom BMJ, Oct 2004; 329: 839 842. Selley S, Donovan J, Faulkner A, Coast J, Gillat D. 1997 Diagnosis, management and screening of early localised prostate cancer. Health Technology Assessment 1997; Sikora K 1994 Current Issues in Cancer: Genes dreams and cancer BMJ, May 1994; 308: 1217 1221. World Cancer Research Fund. 2003 Food, nutrition and the prevention of cancer: a global perspective. Washington, DC: WCRF, American Institute for Cancer Research 2003 PDG 12.9.05 Word count 2,206

Reader Response of Nam’s At the Door :: Wong Phui Nam

Wong Phui Nam’s â€Å"At the Door† is mainly giving a voice to the unwanted unborn who struggles with death in the early stage of its life. The persona begins by questioning its mother on why did she poisons it. From line â€Å"the poisons seep down, blacken leaf and stem† giving readers the images of death as the poison oozes slowly in painful and destroying manner. The news of pregnancy and birth are in general received as something blissful and joyful, however it is obviously not the case for this pregnancy. This poem illustrates sadness and grief of the discarded foetus, giving it a melancholy tone. The foetus is seen as a plant. The new life of the foetus as symbolises in â€Å"leaf†, â€Å"stem† and â€Å"roots† are â€Å"blacken†, â€Å"pinch† and â€Å"disarrange† and it is deformed before birth by the poison. More images of deformity can be seen in the second stanza. The persona states the â€Å"streams† and â€Å"blood† that gives the notion of new life, is contaminated and hence deformed its â€Å"hooked tail† which is supposed to develop to be its legs and the â€Å"forked ends† as its fingers. The stained and ruined blood causes by the poison has fatally lead the deformity of the foetus and disregard the existence of this new life. The persona’s unwanted existence is described more in the moment of its birth in the third stanza. The persona again questions its mother wonder if she ever pictures the condition of her child in her womb. Instead of developing into a well transformed human being, due to the seeping poison the foetus â€Å"melted back into glistening bunched gel†. This image offers readers an ugly sight of the deformed, unwanted embryo. The deformed foetus that is depicted as â€Å"glistening bunched gel, / red grapes† is â€Å"expelled† from the womb, reinforcing the idea of the unwanted existence by being violently thrown out from the womb where it is presumed to be safe and warm for the new comer. The persona continues by inquiring its mother if she finds life difficult like the way it feels and this notion is portrayed through the dictions, â€Å"harsh† and â€Å"sharp anxieties†. Persona sees itself as â€Å"delicate† â€Å"crystals† implying the notion of fragility and can easily be destroyed. Reader Response of Nam’s At the Door :: Wong Phui Nam Wong Phui Nam’s â€Å"At the Door† is mainly giving a voice to the unwanted unborn who struggles with death in the early stage of its life. The persona begins by questioning its mother on why did she poisons it. From line â€Å"the poisons seep down, blacken leaf and stem† giving readers the images of death as the poison oozes slowly in painful and destroying manner. The news of pregnancy and birth are in general received as something blissful and joyful, however it is obviously not the case for this pregnancy. This poem illustrates sadness and grief of the discarded foetus, giving it a melancholy tone. The foetus is seen as a plant. The new life of the foetus as symbolises in â€Å"leaf†, â€Å"stem† and â€Å"roots† are â€Å"blacken†, â€Å"pinch† and â€Å"disarrange† and it is deformed before birth by the poison. More images of deformity can be seen in the second stanza. The persona states the â€Å"streams† and â€Å"blood† that gives the notion of new life, is contaminated and hence deformed its â€Å"hooked tail† which is supposed to develop to be its legs and the â€Å"forked ends† as its fingers. The stained and ruined blood causes by the poison has fatally lead the deformity of the foetus and disregard the existence of this new life. The persona’s unwanted existence is described more in the moment of its birth in the third stanza. The persona again questions its mother wonder if she ever pictures the condition of her child in her womb. Instead of developing into a well transformed human being, due to the seeping poison the foetus â€Å"melted back into glistening bunched gel†. This image offers readers an ugly sight of the deformed, unwanted embryo. The deformed foetus that is depicted as â€Å"glistening bunched gel, / red grapes† is â€Å"expelled† from the womb, reinforcing the idea of the unwanted existence by being violently thrown out from the womb where it is presumed to be safe and warm for the new comer. The persona continues by inquiring its mother if she finds life difficult like the way it feels and this notion is portrayed through the dictions, â€Å"harsh† and â€Å"sharp anxieties†. Persona sees itself as â€Å"delicate† â€Å"crystals† implying the notion of fragility and can easily be destroyed.

Solar Energy Essay -- Energy Sources, Solar Power

Someday, our energy sources are going to run out. What will we do? What can we do? Our major source of energy now is fossil fuel. If that were to run out, there must be an alternate way to get energy. Because of this problem, there has been a lot of research going on. Through that research, alternate ways to get energy have been developed. They include wind energy, solar energy, nuclear energy, tidal energy and many more. In this paper I will focus on the aspects of solar energy. I will look at the history of solar energy, cover the advantages and disadvantages of solar energy and then finally I will talk about the concept of solar energy (how it works) and ways that solar energy can be used in your everyday life. First let’s look at the history of solar power. It has been more than a century ago that solar power was first looked into. Some people believe that the reason for alternate energy sources came in the 1970’s when there was an energy crisis. But according to history, the first look at alternate energy sources came when a scare of running out of fossil fuel came about. Many different things were looked at, but solar power somehow was the one that was looked at the most seriously. Once solar power was focused on, years later, there were ways that were invented to obtain the radiation from the sun and use it to make things work. However, the development of solar power faded when World War I came along. After the war, energy was in demand and therefore, solar power took a back seat in science. Fossil fuel still remained the main source of energy at that time. Most of the credit for solar energy should go to the man by the name of Auguste Mouchout. Although he was a mathematics instructor, he did qu... ...ren. â€Å"Technologies and Applications.† 10 October 2014. http://www.canren.gc.ca/tech_appl/index.asp?CaId=5&PgId=121 Darvill, Andy. â€Å"Solar Energy.† 10 October 2014. http://www.darvill.clara.net/altenerg/solar.htm The Alternate Energy Institute. â€Å"Solar Energy.† 10 October 2014. http://www.altenergy.org/AEI/6 â€Å"The Future of Solar Energy.† 10 October 2014. http://www.history.rochester.edu/class/solar/future.htm The Solar Cooking Archive. 10 October 2014. http://www.solarcooking.org/ Smith, Charles. â€Å"History of Solar Energy.† 10 October 2014. http://www.solarenergy.com/info_history.html Solar Electric Power Association. â€Å"Solar Power Basics.† 10 October 2014. http://www.solarelectricpower.org/power/what_are_pvs.cfm SunWind Solar Industries. â€Å"Uses of solar energy.† 10 October 2014. http://www.web.net/~sunwind/solar/solar_energy_uses.html

Lady Audleys Secret Essay -- essays research papers

The Style and Genre of Lady Audley’s Secret   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lady Audley’s Secret, by Mary Elizabeth Braddon, is a novel of many elements. It has been placed in many different style or genre categories since its publication. I feel that it best fits under the melodrama or sensational genre, and under the subgenre of mystery. It contains significant elements of both types of writing, so I feel it is best to recognize both, keeping in mind that melodrama is its main device and mystery is a type of Victorian melodrama. In order to understand how the story fits into these categories, it is necessary to explore the Victorian characteristics of each, and apply them to the text. In addition to establishing the genres, it is important to explain why and how these genres fit into Victorian culture.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The term melodrama has come to be applied to any play with romantic plot in which an author manipulates events to act on the emotions of the audience without regard for character development or logic (Microsoft Encarta). In order to classify as a Victorian melodrama, several key techniques must be used, including proximity and familiarity to the audience, deceit rather than vindictive malice, lack of character development and especially the role of social status. The sensational novel is usually a tale of our own times. Proximity is indeed one great element of sensation. A tale which aims to electrify the nerves of the reader is never thoroughly effective unless the scene be laid out in our own days and among the people we are in the habit of meeting. In keeping with mid-Victorian themes, Lady Audley’s Secret is closely connected to the street literature and newspaper accounts of real crimes. The crimes in Braddon’s novel are concealed and secret. Like the crimes committed by respected doctors and trusted ladies, the crimes in Lady Audley’s Secret shock because of their unexpectedness. Crime in the melodrama of the fifties and sixties is chilling, because of the implication that dishonesty and violence surround innocent people. A veneer of virtue coats ambitious conniving at respectability. Lady Audley’s Secret concludes with a triumph of good over evil, but at the same time suggests unsettlingly that this victory occu rs so satisfyingly only in melodramas (Kalikoff, 9... ...r with seemingly no real purpose in the novel turns out to be the key to unlocking the whole plot. This technique was very popular in Victorian mystery. By using the elements of both melodrama and mystery fiction, Mary Elizabeth Braddon was able to create her most famous work of her long lasted career, Lady Audley’s Secret. Her ability to construe a mystery and keep the reader involved in her work shows the talent she had for writing. Mary Braddon would not have been a popular Victorian novelist if she had not engaged in a certain amount of sentimentality (melodrama) in her fiction (Peterson, 165-166). Her choice of the mystery made her famous and revered by many of her colleagues. Robert Louis Stevenson wrote to her once that he wished his “days to be bound each to each by Miss Braddon’s novels';, and Tennyson declared that he was “simply steeped in Miss Braddon'; (Peterson, 161). By exploring the elements of both melodrama and mystery, it becomes clear that Lady Audley’s Secret fits into both. Using these genres, Braddon was able to create a successful novel of her time that incorporated both reader em otion and Victorian culture.

Dbq on the Medical Field During the 18th Century Essay

The medical field during the eighteenth century was comprised of unsanitary, heinous, and uncustomary practices, such as blood letting, trepanation, and the overcrowding of hospitals. Even though these practices didn’t help in the development of the medical field, there were auspicious practices that were beneficial, such as midwifery, ingrafting, and faith in God. Midwifery, during the 1700’s, was one of the most womanized practices of the century. To get the help of a male midwife was a belittlement to the female midwife and it was also a way of disparaging midwifery (Document 2). Also, midwives were expected to obtain the knowledge of caring for and to the skills for the well-being of women in labor(Document 2). While the conditions of a woman giving birth improved dramatically, so did the reputation of midwifery. Ingrafting was one of the most cogent inventions in medicine in the eighteenth century. Diseases as contagious and fatal as the smallpox were almost eliminated with the invention of ingrafting (Document 3). This procedure was so advantageous that Lady Montagu, an English writer, was â€Å"well satisfied of the safety of the experiment,† that she intended to try it on her own son (Document 3). Ingrafting has also evolved into vaccines that now can cure and treat malignant ailments like the flu and cowpox. Faith in God was a way for people to have mental support for their ailments, even though it didn’t cure or treat any ailment, people still turned to God for aspiration. Many people still believe in the power of prayer and in the power of faith to relieve them of illnesses. This is best stated by William Buchan, an Edinburgh physician, because his statement that the Christian religion teach that, â€Å"the sufferings of this life are designed to prepare us for a future state of happiness. †(Document 7) Medical practices, such as midwifery, ingrafting, and faith in God, of the eighteenth century not only advanced to the benefit of the overall health of the people, but also led to the more advanced practices used today. Although these practices were basic, they are the vital parts of the development of medicine.

Colonial America to Modern America Essay

All the colonies that were founded in the seventeenth century contributed to the values of perennial America. The three colonies that made the most significant contributions were the colonies of Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. These colonies displayed the democratic government that we are ruled under today, their educational opportunities were strong and sound, and the religious toleration of these colonies was strong and many religions shared the colonies in peace. Their social plurality kept them safe from the Indians and helped them build relationships that made their colony successful and thrive, while other colonies struggled to survive. These relationships that were formed helped their economic materialism, trade. The colonies of Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut contributed greatly to the type of government that we use today. Although Virginia was first ruled by crown, the people, under Nathaniel Bacon, created a document, Declaration in the Name of the People (primary source, document 9). This document convicted the governor of Pennsylvania of crimes against the people and they over threw him and took control for themselves. Pennsylvania, unlike Virginia, was governed right from the start by the people. The type of government in which they were ruled by was a proprietary government, ruled by the land-owning people. Although the proprietary government is not a true democratic government, matters that needed to be resolved were discussed by all (Richard Townsend). Connecticut was completely self-governing. All the control was under the power of the people locally, no outside force had control (pg 37). The educational value of these colonies was very important. Not only did they show that befriending the Indians would prove to be valuable but also very deadly. The social plurality also had a factor in how the Indians responded to the colonies, whether they were welcoming, or hostile. These colonies showed the good and the bad of treating people who were native to the lands. Pennsylvania for example the people were very friendly towards the Indians that were occupying the lands. This kindliness and love created a bond between the Penn’s and the Indians that was not found in many colonies (Richard Townsend). Virginia was different. Although the governor of Virginia was friendly to the Indians, the Indians still attacked the people of the colony. The colonists, lead by Nathaniel Bacon, wanted the governor to attack the Indians and take vengeance for what had happened to the slain colonists. Berkley, the governor, did not attack, so the colonists took matters into their own hands and chased the governor out of town and attacked the Indians brutally (pg 68). This event was important for the educational value because it showed that rulers needed to listen to the people and act for the people to keep them under control and in the rulers favor. The social plurality in Virginia was that the Indians did not want the colonists there, so they attacked the colonists trying to rid them of lands only to create an uprising that killed many people. This shows that not all the Indians had the same views on the colonists. Connecticut both befriended Indians and created war with the Indians at the same time. The Narragansett Indian tribe helped the people of Connecticut in the Pequot war (pg 52). The powerful Pequot Indians took up war with the people of the area. With the Indian allies, the colonists crushed the Pequot threat. The educational value of this war was that although some Indians are hostile, others are kind when there is a common enemy; this idea carries over to modern America. Virginia was the most economically sound colony, other than Massachusetts, because of the tobacco that the colonists grew and exported to England and other countries (pg 67). Ships exported about 1. million pounds of tobacco out of the Chesapeake Bay by the 1630’s. By the end of century, approximately 40 million pounds of tobacco was exported out of the Chesapeake Bay (pg 67). These Virginian farmers needed a major amount of indentured servants. These indentured servants, or slaves, were paid very low wages from their masters. Pennsylvania was not as economically sound as Virginia because they did not have the direct access to the sea, but they did flourish. The colonists of Pennsylvania befriended the Indians which created trade with them, this added culture to both the Indians and the people of Pennsylvania. They also built mills in which the people from all around brought their corn to be ground up and used in many of the foods that were cooked (Richard Townsend). The trade among the people inside Pennsylvania was sound and very vast. Religious toleration is a key part of modern America. Virginia had a vast population of Scots and of the Irish. These people who immigrated to Virginia where allowed to build churches in which they could go and pray and have masses (pg 88). This created diversity in Virginia and made them a prospering colony. Pennsylvania, who was accepting of anyone, allowed people to practice their religion in freedom (Richard Townsend). Connecticut had a harsh religious toleration. The Blue Laws of Connecticut, forbid people to have any other worship than Lord God, or they would be put to death (The Blue Laws of Connecticut, Deuteronomy 13. 6. Exodus 22. 20). There were many other laws that forbid people of other religion to do certain actions. These laws were not accepted vastly, only to the people who read the bible. The colonies of Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut are three colonies that contributed the most to modern America. Their economic materialism was sound which made them all successful colonies and allowed them to expand and thrive. The democratic values of these colonies helped shape the democracy that we use today. Their educational opportunities gave us the knowledge of knowing what no to do when events like theirs arise again, so history does not repeat itself. The religious toleration made America a country in which any religion is accepted.

Absurdity in Camus’s The Plague

Albert Camus tried to make sense of plague's challenge to the human spirit in this novel set in North Africa. It is a chronicle of human suffering. â€Å"But what does that mean – ‘plague'? Just life, no more than that.† (Camus, Gilbert 1948 : 307).The old asthmatic, who spends his days transferring peas from one pan to another, summarizes the overarching theme of Camus's narrative: life and death, in a world that does not seem to care for us. The Plague is a powerful literary work, despite its many logical and other shortcomings, which we will be looking into. Camus is obviously trying to stimulate the reader to think about the problems of life and ways to confront life in a seemingly absurd and cruel world — although how far he succeeds in this attempt is doubtful.Over the course of a few days in sometime in the 1940s, in the Algerian city of Oran, thousands of rats emerge into the streets in dying conditions. At this point begins the outbreak. Absurdity creeps into Camus’s story in more ways than one. Dying rats and the spread of bubonic plague is not an unprecedented phenomenon in human history. In the mid 14th century, the devastating black plague exterminated nearly one third of the population of Europe. Spanning three years, it was a disaster of colossal proportions.A major episode of Bubonic plague occurred in ancient Greece, as well as in the late Roman period, killing people in hundreds of thousands. The narrator of the story himself acknowledges the fact of a ten thousand people dying every single day in Constantinople. Therefore, on the first sign of rats dying en masse, all the nations and international authorities would be alerted, not just the city officials. But that does not strangely happen in Camus’s account. No action is taken at all for a long time, though much hullabaloo goes on.The Plague recounts a specific (albeit fictional) epidemic taking place in a particular location at a particular time, alt hough the year is not clearly specified. Therefore historical and practical questions are important in making sense of the story.Camus’s novel was published in 1947, in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War. It is reasonable therefore to assume that the Oran episode might have occurred towards the end of the war or in the first years of peace. Towards the end of the First World War, a massive outbreak of Influenza pandemic killed an estimated 40 million people worldwide.No one would even remotely want such a disaster to happen all over again at the end of the Second World War, and therefore no one would have taken the matter lightly. The moment the news is in the media, it would have sent shivers across the national capitals all over the world. By no stretch of imagination, Bubonic plague can be considered a local issue.One cannot possibly conceive any city authorities to be complacent over such a grave matter, thereby delaying action and letting the infection take hold in the populace. Leave alone the local authorities, national and international authorities would immediately jump into the scene taking all possible action to contain the burgeoning plague. That a plague is on its way is clear as day from the first deaths of rats to anyone who is least educated, however the city officials go on merely debating, discussing and hesitating.In 1994, a case of pneumonic plague, a deadlier air-borne version of bubonic plague, broke out in the Northwestern India. The word plague was in the air, and hundreds of thousands of people immediately started evacuating their houses, even before the authorities could rush into action. In the end, few people died of the actual infection, more people must have perished in the stampedes to catch trains and buses.In Camus’s novel that seeks to question the very meaning of human life and existence, however, no such commonsensical, logical measures are taken.Common people behave meaninglessly, authorities beha ve absurdly, international authorities do not even figure in – all this in spite of the narrator, Bernard Rieux, being a doctor himself. Even when the doctor starts worrying, he worries about his own city, not the continent and the world, as if plague knows any city limits. Region-specific infectious diseases such as Ebola infections which break out in West African countries from time to time are called endemics, not epidemics.According to the novel, one is given to understand that Bernard Rieux is preoccupied with his wife’s impending trip to a sanitarium and is therefore at first not alarmed by the rats dying on the streets with blood spurting from their muzzles.Doctors are always preoccupied with something or other, yet any doctor spotting a number of rats dying in such a ghastly manner would have issued red alert instantaneously. Rats dying by coughing up blood are strangely viewed by every one concerned as a sanitation issue! This is a preposterous way of telling a story.