Analysis of the banking industry in Qatar Example

Essays on Analysis of the banking industry in Qatar Research Paper Section/# Qatar Banking Prospectus The level of competition currently exhibited within the banking industry in Qatar. With regards to the freedom and level of competition that currently exists within the Qatari banking sector, it should be noted that the level of competition and freedom that exists within Qatar far outweighs the same levels of freedom and competition that are exhibited elsewhere throughout the region. This is evidenced by the fact that when the financial crisis struck, rather than taking direct action within the banking markets, the QIA (Qatar Investment Authority – a branch of the government) aimed to work with the banks to seek to provide the needed fluid capital to avert any domestic issues that may serve as spillover effects of the global crisis. Whereas a litany of other â€Å"more free† economic systems took federal action within the financial markets, Qatar sought to engage with the shareholders of the financial institutions indirectly rather than by taking direct action into the markets. 2. The laws and regulation set by government to reduce or increase competition in this industry. One of the ways that the government has actually served to decrease the level of competition that is currently exhibited within the industry is the way that it has chosen to cooperate fully with only handful of Qatar’s 18 currently operation banks. Although this tacit approval mechanism is a means by which one, or a small group of banks can be raised over the others, it also serves to provide knowledgeable shareholders with which the government is comfortable with cooperating on some of the larger pipeline and oil/gas extraction fiduciary projects. 3. The financial crisis ant its affect on the industry. Although briefly mentioned earlier in this analysis, the main way that the Qatari government sought to avert the affects of the financial crisis of 2007/2008 was to involve itself directly with the banks to ensure that liquidity remained high enough to avert any of the negative externalities that were being witnessed elsewhere throughout the world at that time with regards to a general lack of liquidity. As a means of doing this, the government of Qatar announced that they would be willing to take a 10-20% stake by means of capital injection into the banking sector. As it was noted that the economic issues associated with the global financial crisis would not intimately affect the banking system of Qatar to the degree that it was originally projected, the government reduced the level of proposed capital injection to around 5 percent over a period of several years. In this way, the observer can be aware of the fact that although the government of Qatar was willing and able to rapidly intervene in the financial affairs of its largest banks, it did so in a model that was in keeping with a well developed economic system with an advanced governmental structure interested in the preservation of its most important financial institutions.

Obesity Crisis Speech Free Essays

Thesis/Central Idea: Obesity Crisis Introduction: Obesity has become a controversial and great medical issue within today’s society. It is defined as a disease in which excess body fat has accumulated to such an extent that health may be negatively affected. In other word, an increase of body fatty tissue mass. We will write a custom essay sample on Obesity Crisis Speech or any similar topic only for you Order Now It can also be defined as a body mass index of around 30 or above (Mathur, 2007). Many studies show an association between excessive body weight and various diseases, particularly cancers and heart problems which directly relate to increased mortality and lower life expectancy. Body I. Main Point: In many countries, obesity has become a major problem. Obesity is rapidly rising especially in developing countries. A. Subpoint: Statistics indicate that obesity is a high-risk national malaise. 1. According to the World Health Organization, in year 2005, 400 million adults were obese. 2. And predicts that there will be more than 700 million adults will be obese in the world by 2015. B. Subpoint: Childhood obesity is also at an all time high 1. According to the U. S. Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the percentage of obese children has increased by 54 percent in 6 to 11 year olds and 39 percent among 12 to 17 year olds. 2. That is to say that 16 to 33 percent of Americans within the ages of 6 to 17 are considered obese. 3. Unfortunately for children of the age of 7 who are obese, 40 percent of them will struggle obesity throughout their adulthood and be faced with many health complications. As for the obese adolescents, 70 percent of them will remain obese throughout their adult life. . Another statistic figures children between the ages 10 and 13 have an 80 percent chance of battling through the torments of an obese life as an adult. Transition: What causes obesity? II. Main Point: Genes, eating habits and a slow metabolism rate may all play a part. A. Subpoint: Most often, obesity tend to run in family which leads to genetic cause (Myers, 2004) 1. In one study, adults who were adopted as children were found to have weights closer to their biological parents than to their adoptive parents. . In this case, the person’s genetic makeup has more influence on the development of obesity than the environment in the adoptive family home. B. Subpoint: Apart from hereditary factors, obesity also occurs when there is a combination of unhealthy eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle. 1. According to the American Academy of Child ;amp; Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), unhealthy weight gain due to poor dieting and lack of exercise is responsible for over an incredible 300,000 deaths a year. 2. Nowadays, most people indulge in static mental exercise such as surfing the internet, watching television and reading rather than physical activities. 3. This would lead to an increase in the rate of obesity as more and more people become lazier (Myers, 2004) C. Subpoint: Eating habits are essential in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and preventing the degenerate diseases in which are hand and hand with obesity. 1. The fast-food revolution and the carbohydrate-laden two-minute noodles as convenient substitutes for wholesome food also contribute to weight gain. . This is especially to those who have the eating habits of consuming a big portion of oily and fatty foods all at once. 3. Besides that, too much alcohol may also cause obesity because most alcoholic drinks are high in calories and this can lead to consuming more calories than we should. D. Subpoint: Obesity could also be caused by the slow metabolism rate of a person (Mathur, 2007) 1. Researchers found more metabolic and digestive disorders resulting from over consumption of trans-fats and refined white flour carbohydrates, combined with low fiber intake. 2. These eating patterns are known to interfere with food and energy metabolism in the body, and cause excessive fat storage. Transition: The effect of obesity is that people are getting fatter III. Main Point: Growing evidence shows that if you are overweight you are more likely to develop health problems, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, certain types of cancer, gout and gallbladder disease. A. Subpoint: Being overweight can also cause problems such as sleep apnoea (interrupted breathing during sleep) and osteoarthritis (wearing away of the joints) B. Subpoint: Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes which reduces our body’s ability to control blood sugar. 1. Therefore, a person’s blood glucose level will increase and later become obese 2. It is also a major cause of early death, heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, and blindness. C. Subpoint: Heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death and disability for both men and women. 1. This is because overweight people are more likely to have high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke, than people who are not overweight 2. Very high blood levels of cholesterol and triglycerides (blood fats) can also lead to heart disease and often are linked to obesity. 3. Being overweight also contributes to angina (chest pain) and sudden death from heart disease or stroke without any signs or symptoms (Mathur, 2007) Transition: There are many things we can do to control obesity IV. Main Point: Becoming more active is the best way to burn more calories and lose weight. A. Subpoint: As a citizen, we could help by walking or running at least 20 minutes a day. This will ensure that our heart stays healthy. . Also, if we know someone who is overweight, we should always try to support and encourage them to exercise. Quite often, people who are overweight will shy away from society, so any support we can give them will be greatly appreciated. 2. We should be a role model for the younger generations to follow on how a healthy lifestyle is like. Also, a child could develop a healthier eating habit when they are still young as that’s their best learning time. B. Subpoint: It is imperative that the Government prioritize disease prevention and health promotion. . The government could organize health talks on obesity and publish advertisements through the media to show the damaging effects of obesity. 2. Measures have already been taken thanks to The Health Ministry’s Healthy Lifestyle campaign for promoting physical activity since factors such as environment, sports and recreational amenities influenced people’s inclination in this direction (Crawford, 2004) Conclusion: Obesity has a strong negative effect on the society and therefore, it is harmful. If society can take steps to solve the challenges faced, obesity will decline and people would have a healthier lifestyle. If obesity gets bad, then problems that come with it may be irreversible. Problems such as diabetes and heart conditions are common illnesses suffered by people who are obese. Therefore, there is a need to stop it from becoming a serious threat. Bibliography Crawford, Lester M. â€Å"Government’s role in combating the nation’s obesity epidemic. Health amp; Human Services, June 2004 Mathur, R. â€Å"Obesity†, http://www. medicinenet. com/obesity_weight_loss/article. htm Myers, M. D. â€Å"Causes of obesity†, http://www. Weight. com. World Health Organization http://www. who. int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/index. html U. S. Center of Disease Control and Prevention http://www. cdc. gov/obesity/index. html American Academy of Child amp; Adolescent Psychiatry http://www. aacap. org/cs/root/facts_for_families/obesity_in_children_and_teens How to cite Obesity Crisis Speech, Papers

Impact Of Ransomware On The Cycle Revenue â€Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Impact Of Ransomware On The Cycle Revenue? Answer: Introduction: The main analysis of mitigations required to address ransomware assaults on the revenue system of the organization is discussed in the report. The report recommends the controls required to reference them. In addition, the analysis also discusses a conclusion of weaknesses in the company and their addressing mitigations. Discussion: Motherboards and More Pty Ltd is a medium size, elite, Australian company. They are in charge of the generation of computer microchips, motherboards and graphics card. Furthermore, they are a key supplier to developers and repairers of computer parts in the whole of Australia. Motherboards and More Pty Ltd is available in business for a long time and uses a joined ERP system. The administrative working environments are situated in a centralized building, with the generation, recovery, and transportation divisions on the edges of the town. Overview of the revenue cycle: The organization gets a request from their clients for purchasing by utilizing email or phone. This is usually done through their website. These purchase requests are sent to the dock. The dock is mainly used for both the incoming and the outgoing deliveries. Nevertheless, the increase in the deals made were the reason for some blunders causing about wrong or delayed shipment to the clients alongside the nonappearance of records of returned items. Weaknesses: The organization has numerous weaknesses because of which the operations are facing delivery issues. The main weaknesses are the purchase made on credits, which can lead to less profit acquisitions. The weaknesses in the use of the dock for the incoming and the outgoing shipments lead to problems in operations. The utilization of one dock to convey or get the items can give issues in operation. Another weakness in control operations is the absence of databases for keeping up the records of the items (Zurich, 2017). This likewise makes issues prompting several operational issues. Lastly, the discounts of 2% can prompt fewer profits for the company as half of the customers are deciding to use this method of returning. Impacts of weaknesses: The weaknesses in credit purchase imply that a company is giving the item as a 30-day free trial. This leads to prevention of business operations for the first month for every item conveyed. As the profit originates from these methods, credit usages can cause less profit time. For an organization to give their items in credit can be an issue if the customers do not have a decent credit report. The utilization of the dock for deliveries is another weakness. The operations of the dock incorporate setting items in a sequential order. Nevertheless, the vast number of offers has the possibility to make counting of an extensive number of items which leads to errors even by the experts. The database absence is a major requirement as every one of the organizations needs to keep records of the approaching shipments (Zurich, 2017). The manual recordings of items may cause problems if the quantity of returned items passes the normal state. Lastly, the discount can prompt less profit acquisitions. The revenue cycle is affected due to such offers because people are opting for this mode in cases of returns. Controls: This section of the report is used to reference the mitigation controls that can be applied for the business to address such risks. The organization needs to reduce credit purchases as this lessens the rate of profit. In addition, the clients with great financial assessment scores are only to be offered credit for keeping the rank in the market (Chen and Tsou, 2012). This should be considered by the company to apply for credit assessments from financial companies to break down the evaluations of clients included. The company needs to needs to record shipments. This can be fused into the framework by embracing software which is available commercially. The software will be in charge of recording the shipments all through the dock. One such commercial software solutions is the On Time 360 ("Courier Software and Delivery Dispatch - OnTime 360", 2017). The company needs to keep a database for the products in the warehouse. This incorporates the account of all the obtained items, sent items and returned items. This will expel the problems that happen because of manual labor. The recruitment of database maintenance staffs are also to be considered. The 2% discount plan is to be disposed as the clients are opting for this arrangement if there should be an occurrence of return. The organization needs to pick alternative options like offering other offers (Teixeira et al., 2012). Internal control weaknesses Impact Mitigation Purchase on credits Hindrance in sales operation for the first month Review of credit scores Shipment using the same dock Losing count during high sales activity Tracking of delivery services by using software solution Absence of a database Discrepancies in manual recordings Application of a database solution High discount in return Customers always opting for this method leading to less profit Needs to apply alternative solutions Overview of the ransomware attack: Ransomware assault was viewed as the greatest assault which impacted the entire world. The procedure of this assault generally consists of encryption of vital records in the framework to avoid access to them. The infected devices showed messages of assault alongside a payment of 300$ to the assailant. The sum must be stored in Bitcoin. The bitcoin wallet address was incorporated into the show message ("'Biggest ransomware flare-up ever' hits about 100 nations", 2017). In addition, the sum increased after regular intervals. The message additionally demonstrated another message of multiplying the sum following three days if there should be an occurrence of not paying the sum. The most affected services were the medicinal services. They were compelled to disregard diagnosis to even the critical patients because of absence of their records. Mitigation of the ransomware attacks: Ransomware was the greatest cyber assault influencing 99 nations. This gives a prerequisite for the Motherboards and More Pty Ltd to reference their needs of security and guarantee the absence of problems (Sittig and Singh, 2016). The organization needs to guarantee improvements in security by the application of antivirus programs in their frameworks. These are extremely viable in recognizing the presence of security issues or malwares in the framework. Kaspersky and Quick Heal are generally used to address the issues. The company needs to make their employees aware about the presence security awareness. This includes making the workers aware of the malware or phishing endeavors (Sittig Singh, 2016). They are additionally to be taught with respect to the clicking of links from sources that may prompt breaches to the system. Lastly, the applications of patches to the framework are another practice that removes such ransomware dangers. The main reason for the occurrence of the ransomware attack was the absence of patches in the Operating Systems (OS) that reduced the defense against these assaults. These ransomware assaults exploit the vulnerabilities in the framework. Conclusion: Thus, it is concluded from the report that the company needs to analyze the recommendations discussed in the report. This will enable the company to apply them in their operations to ensure the effective business continuity. The ransomware attacks are also another threat discussed in the report and the company needs to address the solutions provided in the report to maintain their security levels. References: 'Biggest ransomware outbreak in history' hits nearly 100 countries. (2017).ABC News. Retrieved 14 September 2017, from https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-13/biggest-ransomware-outbreak-in-history-hits-nearly-100-nations/8523102 Brewer, R. (2016). Ransomware attacks: detection, prevention and cure.Network Security,2016(9), 5-9. Chen, J. S., Tsou, H. T. (2012). Performance effects of IT capability, service process innovation, and the mediating role of customer service.Journal of Engineering and Technology Management,29(1), 71-94. Courier Software Delivery Dispatch - OnTime 360. (2017).Ontime360.com. Retrieved 14 September 2017, from https://www.ontime360.com/ Pathak, D. P., Nanded, Y. M. (2016). A dangerous trend of cybercrime: ransomware growing challenge.International Journal of Advanced Research in Computer Engineering Technology (IJARCET) Volume,5. Sittig, D. F., Singh, H. (2016). A socio-technical approach to preventing, mitigating, and recovering from ransomware attacks.Applied clinical informatics,7(2), 624. Teixeira, J., Patrcio, L., Nunes, N. J., Nbrega, L., Fisk, R. P., Constantine, L. (2012). Customer experience modeling: from customer experience to service design.Journal of Service Management,23(3), 362-376. Zurich, L. B. (2017). Service Operations and Management.

Essay on Life Without Colours Essay Example

Essay on Life Without Colours Paper Imagine the World without Colours Once upon a time in the kingdom of Jubilee, King Davis was one of the kindest rulers in a thousand years. One day, his family received a letter from their uncle John inviting them to a fun day. With much joy, the family packed their personal belongings and headed for Baskalin, the border between Kingdom Jubilee and Kingdom Wisdom. On the way to Baskalin, the family saw some of the most amazing scenery in all the land. The beautiful turquoise Lake Prince was sparkling in the warm, golden sunlight of the April morning. The sweet smell of the freshly cut yellow grass mixed with dirt met their noses as the carriage moved down the muddy road. Above Lake Prince the sky was crisp and clear with cotton ball clouds painted with sky blue edgings. The fields were a patchwork of colors. Lavender, strawberries and sunflowers beamed at the sun and danced with the lazy breeze. Juicy apples mixed with orange citrus, curly bananas mixed with green papaya. Plump blueberries were ripe for the picking. From miles away, the smell of the rich fruits reached the Kings carriage and stimulated the appetite of the royal family. What a beautiful world! We will write a custom essay sample on Essay on Life Without Colours specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Essay on Life Without Colours specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Essay on Life Without Colours specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Jubilee Kingdom got its name because the people were always happy and enjoyed their gorgeous environment. The colorful surroundings and the pleasant smell of nature with sweet fruits bought joy to everybody. It was at the very moment that King Davis closed his eyes to enjoy the rhythm of the carriage, that something strange suddenly happened. The melody of birds stopped, the sky turned black and the wind became wild.  What, what is going on! cried the King as he opened his eyes to check on his family.  A thunderstorm is coming Your Highness, please do not worry reassured the carriage driver. It was then that the rain poured down from the sky and everything became covered by fog. The King and his family waited, and waited, and waited until the rain stopped. Finally the sun was back, but everything was changed. The colors were washed away with the rain leaving the world black, white and dull shades of grey. The light of the sun became brighter but the king could not feel the heat. No longer did the sun have a warm yellow glow, instead it turned to blinding white. The King was frightened by the change. He couldnt understand what was happening. All of Kings expectations of the surroundings had altered. He couldnt believe the images that he was seeing. He thought he was seeing an optical illusion created by a change in the light waves, but his family reminded him that this is the reality of Jubilee Kingdom. It is the realm of being that happens in Jubilee Kingdom once every hundred years. The colors were stolen by the evil witch living in Misery Cave. For the next twelve months, citizens of Jubilee Kingdom have to live without color until the evil curse was broken. Everyone including the King found it difficult to adjust. They were no longer able to see after sunset. Everything turned black. During the daytime, people become more dependent on communication and their sense of hearing. Their knowledge source was changed due to the loss of colors. Since people lost their visual perception, they had to double check everything through sound and touch. Never did it occur to the King that Jubilee Kingdom would suffer so much, even the melody of birds turned disturbing, and the sweet smell of juicy fruits turned sour. People no long enjoy living in Jubilee Kingdom. The change in blindness caused a rapid increase in depression and affected peoples emotions. People were used to a beautiful Jubilee Kingdom instead of being locked up in a world without colors. Losing the visual sense and reality made it difficult for people to stay rational thus the organic (human nature) changed from blind trust. As days went by, people had to learn to adapt the environment without colors. Although it was difficult and depressing, they had no other choice. Tourists stopped coming to visit Jubilee Kingdom and farmers could not work properly as all they could see was black and white. Life continued without happiness. Every day people were expecting change and experimented with new methods to make their new life better. Under the new environment, fashion designers redesigned the patterns of clothing with black and white to create new fashions. The lifestyle of people changed little by little, making progress to adapt to the environment without colors. It is true that the quality of living went down but at some point, people had to accept it and ignore the inconvenience. The King and his family were left in the middle of the land with nowhere to go because without colors, the carriage driver couldnt be sure which way to go. They were lost in the middle of their journey. Like everyone else, the King and his family eventually learned a new way of living. Twelve months sounded a long time but when people began to get used to their new routine, the time flew by. On the dawn of the 366th day after the thunderstorm, the evil curse was broken by magical fairy. After a few simple flicks of her wand, the colors were returned to Jubilee Kingdom. Men on the street were busy celebrating the return of color, while woman were busy cleaning up the huge mess that was left over. At first, people were slow to adapt back to a world with colors. They were now used to seeing the days filled with only black and white colors. Things began to return to normal, people with depression were cured without medical treatment. The visual perception became the most dependent and reliable perception that people were using, and auditory perception became less important. Most of all, peoples lives returned to normal. The King realized that it was possible for one to adjust to another environment, the secret is that time is of the essence. After twelve months of delay, the King and his family decided to move on with their journey. Within a few days, they reached Uncle John and had the biggest fun day in the history of Jubilee Kingdom. From that day forward, the King and the people of Jubilee Kingdom enjoyed their colorful surroundings every day and lived happily ever after.  The End.  Knowledge issues:  When the king and everyone lost their sense to colors, they have to adjust to their new life through experience and time. They found it difficult to change the way they lived because it turned out that the people were heavily depended on their sense to colors. There are other factors needed to be taken into account, such as the way the humans brain is not designed to see without colors so this might have mixed up the way our brain functions. I think that youll be able to train you brain to only see black and white, because thats how the ancient people lived inside caves, but it would take time for the transition. That is why when the colors returned, people had to spend some time adjusting from black and white back to colors. The color transition also varies between people because just like the optical illusions, some people were able to see it straight away and some people just could not get it. However, in this case, just because those people could not see the optical illusion, they could still train their brain to become sensitive in seeing black and white. I wonder if this happened to me, what are the ways that I would conquer this disability because loosing the sense to colors isnt the same as loosing the eyesight, and although youre able to see, you cant really see. It would be difficult to distinguish shapes, distance and finding the subjects that youre looking for. I think that it will be a wonderful experience if I could experience it myself for a short period of time.

A White Heron essays

A White Heron essays After the Civil War, Americans no longer depended solely on agriculture as a way of life. Because of the technological and economic advances in America, the picturesque and peaceful New England countryside was slowly being transformed into a modern, industrialist society. As a witness to these economic developments, Sarah Jewett writes A White Heron, a fictional, coming of age story that tells the story of a young girl living with her grandmother in the wilderness as technology slowly tries to transform the area around her. A White Heron demonstrates the importance of being loyal in preserving ones region over the desire for personal and materialistic gain. As the story opens, the author uses imagery to give the reader a sense that the area is very simple, safe, and secure. She establishes that Sylvia feels comfortable and enjoys living on the farm with her grandmother. Even though she grew up in the city, she finds her home in the country with her grandmother. She befriends and develops close bonds with the animals. The tone of the story changes after the antagonist, an ornithologist from the city, confronts Sylvia. He picks up on Sylvias bond with the animals and begins to inquire about a white heron that he has been following. He intends to kill the bird, stuff it, and add it to his collection. The hunter represents the advancement of science and technology and the destruction of nature. He is trying to take a part of nature with him to the city for observation and study. After Sylvia realizes that she has seen the white heron before, she embarks on a journey to find the birds nest by climbing a tree in the woods. This adventure is discussed in great detail because it shows the main characters struggle and the obstacles that she went through to find the birds nest. Climbing the large pine tree gives Sylvia peace, understanding, and perspective of the natural world around her. She begins to better ...

Benjamin Banneker

Period Benjamin Banker was born In 1731 near Baltimore. HIS Grandmother, an Englishman, taught him to read and write. For several winters he attended a small school open to blacks and whites. There he developed a keen interest in mathematics and science. Later, while farming, Banker pursued his mathematical studies and taught himself astronomy. In 1753, he completed a remarkable clock. He built it entirely of wood, carving each gear by hand. His only models were a pocket watch and an old picture of a clock. The clock kept almost perfect time for more than fifty years.In 1791, Banker served as assistant to Major Andrew , the surveyor appointed by President George Washington to lie out the boundaries of District of Colombia. Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson had recommended Banker to help In this work. From 1791 to 1796, Banker made all the astronomical and tide calculations and weather predictions for a yearly almanac. Banker sent Jefferson a copy of his first almanac. With it he sent a letter in which he called for the abolition of slavery and a liberal attitude toward blacks. Bankers skills impressed Jefferson greatly.Jefferson sent a copy of the almanac to the Royal Academy of Sciences in Paris an evidence of the talent of Negroes. Opponents of slavery in the United States and England also used the almanacs as evidence of blacks abilities. The Publishers of Bankers almanacs printed contributions by prominent Americans in addition to his material. In the 1793 almanac, for example, the famous surgeon and statesman Benjamin Rush proposed the appointment of a U. S. Secretary of peace. Banker himself probably contributed a few proverbs, essays, and poems. I think Benjamin Banker changed the world with his almanac.If It was not for this almanac people would not be able to keep records of certain things that go on astronomically. Such as the weather and the temperature. We would not know what weather to expect at what time of the year. We would not know what kind of moon to look for at night. Banker really showed people that blacks had more abilities than everyone thought. Benjamin Banker By Jay Benjamin Banker was born in 1731 near Baltimore. His Grandmother, an in this work. I think Benjamin Banker changed the world with his almanac.

Role of Parole Officers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Role of Parole Officers - Essay Example (Michigan Civil Services Commission, n.d.). The positive aspect of being a parole officer is the sense of achievement of having made a positive contribution towards the rehabilitation of an offender and towards the protection of society. The salary is attractive and increases commensurate with experience and educational qualifications. Free training is gained and a pension after 20 years. The disadvantages of the job are the risk of career burn-out and developing a distorted view of society. It must also be acknowledged that home visits to offenders do involve a degree of risk. The irregular work hours are another con of this position. The required qualifications are a working knowledge of psychology, sociology and criminology, department laws and parole rules and regulations, interviewing techniques, effective communication and public relations skills, high stress tolerance, and the ability to conduct investigations, evaluate findings, and prepare reports. (Michigan Civil Services Commission, n.d.). I am not interested in this career as I am not confident that I have the ability to tolerate continuous exposure to offenders. This requires a level-headedness and a certain toughness which I do not possess. My ability to empathize with people is one of my strengths. I am not certain that this empathy will serve me in good stead as a parole office. This role requires the ability to provide practical guidance and not

Dominos Pizza Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Dominos Pizza - Essay Example Moreover, the company performance is seen in the light of industry comparison as well. Trend analysis and vertical analysis are done to compare company’s performance with its base year 2008 and calculating indexes based on it. Various trends are observed and interpreted in light of market’s performance. Moreover, vertical analysis sheds light on company’s key title accounts in relation to the base title. Positive and negative trends are identified and analyzed to provide critical insight. Ratio analysis is done in detail to provide insight about company’s profitability, liquidity, capital structure, market performance and asset efficiency to help investors, creditors and management make decisions about the company’s future. Background: Domino’s Pizza, Inc. (Domino’s) was founded by two siblings from Michigan in 1960, where they acquired a store name DomiNick’s. It started as a product and after five years transmitted into a brand named ‘Dominos’. . It operates as a pizza delivery company in the United States and internationally as well. Domino’s has always seen itself as a growing organization which was evident by the urge to become international. In 1983, it went global and took a ride to become the leading pizza maker in the world. Domino’s employs around 10,900 people in their 9,351 stores worldwide. Domino’s is recognized internationally and in order to provide a common man to be a shareholder in the value Domino’s provide, it got listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) as DPZ in 2004. Domino’s operate in a highly competitive market and to maintain its brand equity, continuous innovation and promotional activities assist heavily in reachi ng its objectives in adequate time. Domino’

Psychological disorders and physical illness Essay Example for Free

Psychological disorders and physical illness Essay Irrational fear of common things leads to their inability to cope with life because the things that they fear have to be faced everyday. The most common disorders include phobias, In the medical field, many factors are attributed to the various conditions that people experience. Although genetic and biological factors which constitute of the natural causes and the life experiences which are the nurture factors contribute to ones physical wellbeing, it is also possible that a majority of illnesses that people suffer from are brought about by psychological factors. Heart diseases, chronic headaches, insomnia, hypertension, ulcers, eating disorders among others are some of the diseases that can be caused by psychological factors (Stoudemire A. 1995). It has been established that when one’s stress levels are very high, it reduces the activity of the lymphocytes leading to an increased likelihood of illness (Sadock B J. , Kaplan H. I. Sadock V. A. ). A person suffering from a psychological disorder will most likely have feelings of helplessness in any given situation causing them to suffer even from common illnesses more than others will. To aid the patients suffering from these disorders, one can only recommend relaxation techniques while providing anti-depressants to control their response to life’s normal occurrences. A person with a disorder tends to react in a more intense manner than other would in similar situations. This causes an imbalance in their bodily functions leading to their contracting illnesses that would have otherwise been avoided. It also affects their chances of getting better from any other illness that they may be suffering from. The disorders include anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorders and panic (Ketterer M. W. , Mahr G`. Goldberg A. D. ). These render a person powerless against their fears and in the process affect their wellbeing.

Protestant Reformation Essays -- essays research papers

PROTESTANT REFORMATION: A MENTOR TO CHRISTIAN CIVILIZATION When we talk about Protestant Reformation, what usually comes to our mind is a movement that brought about negative effects not just in Europe but also in the whole Catholic Church, which are still being felt and experienced even today. Although it may be true that the Protestant Reformation had been one of the causes of the gradual decline of the Catholic Church during the 16th century, it also brought about numerous contributions in the development not just of the Catholic Church but the whole Christian Civilization as well. It was through the establishment of these Protestant Churches that the Catholic Church started taking a second look and examining well what was happening to the Catholic faith. It began to see the flaws and shortcomings of its Church and started to fix and find solutions to the growing conflicts and problems within and outside the Catholic Church and its people. One very important lesson that Christian Civilization could learn from the events of the Protes tant Reformation is that to never resolve to violence in trying to settle disputes and differences among people and to never allow ourselves to be influenced by wrong motives (more for our own selfish interests) in our pursuit for the "greater good". Even up to the present times, we can consider the Protestant Reformation a great contribution and influence in the formation of what we know now as Christi...

Martin Luther King Speech

Martin Luther King Speech 1. Type of Document: Speech 2. 8/28/1963 3. Martin L. King 4. Black People 5. Document Information A. List three things the author said that you think are important: 1. Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. 2.Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, which has come back marked â€Å"insufficient funds. † But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. 3. So we have come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. B. I think the document was written to specifically address not just black Americans but to p eople of all faiths, colors and persuasions.Martin Luther King Jr. knew that they were all in need of liberation from the cruel customs and habits of the nation’s past, which held back every one of another, no matter what the circumstances were or us in one way. C. â€Å" The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny and their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom†D. 1. The document states that when The Emancipation Proclamation was signed, it was the opening of new hope to millions of Negro slaves and was to put an end to all slavery. 2. About a hundred years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, the Negro was still not free. The life of the Negro was sadly crippled by segregation and discrimination. Whites cheated the Negros like absolute g arbage and it lead to them living in poverty and in exile in his own land.E. Where there any Negros backs in the time when segregation was a major conflict that had some advantages over other Negros? F. Martin Luther King’s most famous speech draws heavily on his theological education and his superior command of the art of rhetoric. King basically starts out by pointing out that the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, which ended slavery in all the southern states and then from there he moves on to discuss the â€Å"check† of freedom.He then states that the check has been returned due to insufficient funds which basically means that, â€Å"We the people refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. † King final lines of his speech comes back to his introductory idea, that even though black people were freed of slavery in 1865 when the Emancipatio n Proclamation was signed, they never actually have been free people.

Health information exchange Essay

The Health information exchange or also known as HIE is the sending of healthcare-related data electronically to facilities, health information organizations and government agencies according to national standards. The goal is to be able to access and retrieve data more efficient, safer, and to improve the quality of care and patient safety and reduce healthcare costs. The Health Information Exchange has existed for over two decades. In the 1990s there were attempts to organize networks. It began in 2006 by Governor Sonny Perdue. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services is responsible for setting the standards for national health information exchange. The Health information exchange was created so that health care providers could use it to improve health care. Health care professionals are able to access your information, such as in an emergency situation, this way they can make informed decisions about your emergency faster. Also, your files are stored safely just in case your area is hit by national disaster. There are several benefits of the system. It helps to assist patients from receiving prescription medications to which they may be allergic. The HIE helps reduce medical errors. Health care providers are able to give you the care you need and it won’t interact with your other treatments. Because health care providers can see what tests you have had and the results, they don’t always have to repeat them. When your health information is shared electronically, information about access to your record is stored electronically. This helps to know who accesses your information, when, what and why. This helps the medical staff to check your records faster. Having faster access to your records helps healthcare providers find the information needed to diagnose health problems earlier, which gives them a more complete picture of your overall health. This leaves less room for error, more time with the patient. Not only are there the good benefits of the HIE, but there are the risks that come with it. Let’s start one a well-known problem, Identity theft. More people are also able to break into records and steal information, for example hackers. There are more known errors to occur. If your health care  provider does not enter the correct information, the information remains in the health record until it is corrected. Then there are also the concerns of privacy issues. This is when HIPPA comes into effect. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) regulates the privacy of health information exchange. The HIPPA reduces health care fraud and abuse. It protects the privacy of all individual’s health information. The HIE has privacy and security concerns. There is a privacy rule that all employees and health care providers should abide by. If you see a medical record in view where patients or others can see it, cover the file, or turn it over. When speaking about patients, try to prevent others from overhearing the conversation. Conversations about patients should be held in a private area. Do not discuss patients while you are in public areas. When medical records are not in use, they should be put away. Never remove the patient’s official medical record from your office. You should not leave records out where your family members or others may see it. If an y copies are made and not used they should be shredded. Privacy policies can be particularly hard for an HIE to deal with .There are efforts such as the government’s Connect project that provide guidelines for securing HIEs. Privacy laws vary from state to state giving complications for cross-state HIEs. The HITECH Act, part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, has increased the penalties healthcare providers face if their systems are breached. There is a HIPAA privacy rule that provides federal floor of protection. One of the main challenges that HIE face is getting data to doctors and other clinicians. It is normally delivered directly to a providers’ EMR system, however with limited EMR use across the country, HIEs have had to provide alternative delivery methods. If an EMR isn’t compatible or if doctors don’t have systems, they can use a Web portal to see data. The problem with portals is that they force doctors to take an extra step to view data. Due to this doctors often end up using the HIE less as a result, and some provider groups decide the exchange isn’t worth the investment if their clinicians aren’t using it. With all the concerns about HIE, there are still more pros then cons. It benefits healthcare providers by reducing their operational costs. The system supports the retrieval of and access to clinical data. HIEs can improve payers’ ability to manage outcomes and reduce medical costs and increases accuracy of the information. www.himss.org/hieforums/ www.health.ny.gov/†¦health_information†¦/health_information_exch www.informationweek.com/healthcare/†¦/health-information-exchan www.myphr.com/healthliteracy/health_information_exchange.aspx www.himss.org/Asp/topics_News_item.asp?cid=67543&tid=33

Quasi, the Queer Qualifier

Quasi, the Queer Qualifier Quasi, the Queer Qualifier Quasi, the Queer Qualifier By Mark Nichol What, exactly, does the prefix quasi mean, and can it stand on its own? The term, from Latin, is used as a qualifier to denote that something resembles or is like something but is not exactly equivalent, and, yes, quasi is an adverb. Quasi often appears in phrasal adjectives as a more formal alternative to â€Å"kind of† or â€Å"sort of†: A quasinomadic culture, for example, is one that has some but not all characteristics of a purely nomadic society. Something quasihistorical is based on fact but partly or mostly fictitious, such as the tales associated with King Arthur. A quasimilitary organization is one that resembles a military organization but does not function under the authority of a formal government, such as a rebel militia, or does not have a military function, such as the Salvation Army. (Words beginning with quasi are often seen hyphenated, but the hyphen is unnecessary.) Quasi may also, on its own, modify a noun, as in â€Å"quasi leader† (such constructions are often unnecessarily hyphenated), or even, rarely, a verb. The name of Quasimodo, the titular protagonist of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, is related. Because, as an infant, the character was abandoned at Notre Dame on Low Sunday, the first Sunday after Easter, he was named after the first words uttered during the Catholic Mass held on that day: â€Å"Quasi modo geniti infants† (â€Å"as newborn babes†). (I had always assumed the name means â€Å"half formed.†) Two words, one common and the other obscure, are based on quasi: Quasar is a contraction of â€Å"quasistellar radio source† (Merriam-Webster hyphenates quasistellar, but for consistency, I’m closing it), and quango is an acronym for â€Å"quasi-non-governmental organization†; it’s also employed as a prefix in quangocracy and quangocrat. Quasi is also seen as the first element in the odd British English term quasihemidemisemiquaver (styled semihemidemisemiquaver in American English), which refers to the extremely short 128th note in music. The shortest named note is the demisemihemidemisemiquaver, or 256th note; hemidemisemiquaver is the name of a 64th note, and demisemiquaver and semiquaver, respectively, denote the two next-shortest notes in British English. (In American English, they are referred to simply as 32nd and 16th notes.) The prefixes semi-, demi-, and hemi- (the first two from Latin, and the last from Greek), meanwhile, all mean â€Å"half† (the first two can also mean â€Å"partly†). Semi is perhaps best known to readers of American English as the abbreviated term for a large tractor truck that hauls freight; the full term is semitrailer, which refers to the trailer with no forward wheels that is attached to such a truck. Demi appears in words such as demigod, the label for a lesser god, and demimonde (French, literally â€Å"half-world†), which denotes the culture outside of polite society. Hemi, among other usages, precedes sphere to refer to one-half of a planet or other globe-shaped object. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Comma After i.e. and e.g.Work of Art Titles10 Terms for the Common People

Question Answer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Question Answer - Essay Example Department of State, Office of the Historian, 1997; NSC Home). As diplomacy seemed to be failing, there was an increased need to coordinate the US defense bodies which include the Marine Corps, Air force, CIA, Navy, and the United States Army. The National Security Council was created with the President being the chairperson. Members included secretaries of state of state and defense. This council was established to coordinate foreign policy and defense policy and get ready in case of eruption of a war after its inception. As outlined in the 1947 Act, the role of the NSC was to advise the president on the integration of policies that had a direct or indirect relation to national security. This council was also mandated with the function of facilitating interagency cohesion and cooperation. Policies that were proposed in relation to national security had to pass through the council for consideration. The functioning of the council was altered by various occurrences such as the Korean War. The years that followed, though under different presidents did not see much change to the functioning of the National Security Council. The turning point came after the 9/11 attack. The attacks on 9/11 came as a shock to the security docket. They realized they have been missing a lot in terms of infrastructure. Communication was paralyzed and the rescue mission almost failed. However, the US security ought to have been ready after the 1998 attacks on its embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. This led to the reconstruction of the NSC and later in 2009, President Barack Obama merged the White House Staff supporting the HSC and the NSC into the National Security Staff (NSS) though each continued to exist with their previous statutes. The reconstruction of the NSC after the 9/11 attack focused on the war against terrorism which was the new threat to national security. This was intensified with the war in Afghanistan and the control of the terrorists’

Sudden infant Death Syndrome Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sudden infant Death Syndrome - Research Paper Example Usually, a parent finds his/her infant dead after putting him/her to bed. Typically, there are no signs of distress or a struggle of any kind and even after a complete autopsy, review of the infant’s clinical history and examination of the death scene, reasons for the sudden and unexpected death remain mysterious (Slonim & Marcucci, 2008). Reports by Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER) indicate that most deaths resulting from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome take place in infants in the age bracket of 2-4 months and that it hardly ever happens before the age of one month or after six months. The etiology of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is not known. According to Springhouse, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is the third leading cause of infants’ death between the age of one month and one year. This incidence is most common during winter and it is higher in infants who sleep on their stomachs or in cribs with soft bedding, infants born in poverty, premature neonates, male infants and those infants whose mothers failed to seek prenatal care until late in the pregnancy. It is also common in one of a single multiple  birth infants for instance, twins and triplets and those infants whose mothers take drugs or smoke. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is also considered to be linked with problems in sleep arousal and may result from a defect in the control of ventilation that permits carbon dioxide to upsurge in the blood, thus leading to extended periods of apnea with deep hypoxemia as well as acute cardiac  arrhythmias (Kaneshiro, 2010). Risk factors for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome include poverty, little or no/poor prenatal care, higher parity, single parenthood, maternal smoking and drug abuse during and after pregnancy as well as exposing the baby to second hand smoke. Others include young maternal age, infants who sleep on their stomachs, lower level of maternal education, seasonal distribution with a peak in winter

Human Resource Management in a Business Context Essay

Human Resource Management in a Business Context - Essay Example HR management can play a role in environmental scanning i.e. identifying and analysing external opportunities and threats that may be crucial to the company's success. Similarly HR management is in a unique position to supply competitive intelligence that may be useful in the strategic planning process. HR also participates in the strategy formulation process by supplying information regarding the company's internal strengths and weaknesses. The strengths and weaknesses of a company's human resources can have a determining effect on the viability of the firm's strategic options. So, Human Resources of such companies as Solaris Hotel and Libra Holidays Group Public Limited take up a role of Business Strategic Partner. Translating business strategies into HR practices helps a business in three ways. First, the business can adapt to change because the time from the conception to the execution of a strategy is shortened. Second, the business can better meet customer demands because its customer service strategies have been translated into specific policies and practices. Third, the business can achieve financial performance through its more effective execution of strategy. "We are the people who take pride in high professional standards. We are client focused. We stand behind our promise to deliver value for money and efficient client service. We already rank amongst the ten biggest tour operators in the UK. Our vision is to become one of the top 20 European tour operators. And we will achieve it." (11) So, Libra Holidays Group is the number one travel Group in tourism world. The Group is structured to include such fields of imposing operations as Tour Operations, Air Transport, Customer Service and Hotels. Investing on the capabilities of its people and strengthening its existing potentials in all fields of activity it anticipates its inclusion among the 20 leading tour operators in Europe. And the Libra Group has a global HR department. There are established procedures for recruitment and selection, training and development, and performance appraisal. The Solaris Hotel is a small Family Hotel with a high proportion of the staff which has worked there for many years. Recruitment of the new staff is usually on the recommendation of existing staff. Training tends to be mainly on-the-job by watching and working with more experienced member of employees. The staff is very flexible. And these two companies has decided to merge, Solaris Hotel is going to be a part of Libra Holidays Group. But there is a question: what are the changes required to enable the Solaris to become a successful member of the Libra Group That's why the aims of the topic are: 1) to suggest a series of proposals regarding the management style and performance management; 2) to define the main principles of the recruitment strategy; 3) to provide training and development processes for the staff. Main body What should be done to combine Human Resources functions when a merger happens The answer to this question depends upon a number of factors: the level of sophistication found in the Human Resources functions that exists; the charter of HR in the pre-merger organisations; and the capacity of those HR functions to meet the new demands. Well, to begin successful integration into the Libra Group Solaris company needs to provide the guidance and the process

Criminal Law Will Never Be an Adequate Response for Dealing with Essay

Criminal Law Will Never Be an Adequate Response for Dealing with Complexities of Gendered, Sexualised and Racialised Violence - Essay Example The other objective of criminal law is to make it possible for individuals to coexist in the society1. Other objectives include to define the procedures of recognizing innocence or guilt and to choose the form of treatment or punishment after the individual is convicted for violating society’s laws2. The main aim of the criminal law is to protect the society so that its members can be reasonably secure as they carry out their constructive activities. Behaviours that are considered to be detrimental to the society’s welfare are made criminal. At all times, a balanced has to be attained between protecting the society and the individual rights. There are three types of harm or dangers that the criminal protects the individual against, and they include protection of the societal morals, protection from harm caused by others, and protection from harm emanating from ourselves. The most common protection that criminal law offers include protection from harm caused by others. T he obvious protection offered is found in laws against arson, rape, theft, and homicide. Individuals feel reasonably secure when majority of the people, â€Å"most of the time, will not harm us in these or other ways, and that if we are harmed, the offender will be caught and punished.†3 Criminal Law Will Never Be an Adequate Response for Dealing with the Complexities of Gendered, Sexualized and Racialised Violence Criminal Law Will Never Be an Adequate Response for Dealing with the Complexities of Gendered Violence In the majority of the countries in the world, criminal law is the conventional legal strategy utilized in addressing issues of violence against women. The laws are usually contained in general statutes like the penal codes that create the national criminal justice system. The penal codes apply to all individuals and in all areas within the nation. At times, the special statutes tackle certain types of violence such as torture and dowry violence. This form of legi slation supplements penal codes, basic law, thus offering for a more focussed regulatory control. However, in most cases, there gaps in special laws and penal codes, and this results in the inadequacies, and inefficiencies in the criminal justice system. It is important to note that the laws are not in place and thus, they are supposed to be reformed, expanded, and revised4. Due to ineffective enforcement, inefficiency in investigation, undue influence, and corruption, the criminal justice systems are said to be against women who are victims of violence. Thus, the procedural and substantive criminal laws and the law enforcement culture, lack gender sensitivity and they reflect an entrenched prejudice against women5. The criminal law alone cannot effectively deal with the problem of domestic violence. Majority of the aspects in domestic violence cannot be described as crime\, and they do not into any classes of assault under the criminal law. For instance, a woman who is under infreq uent sexual or physical assaults from her partner or husband may find that her day-to-day life is controlled by measures such as seeking permission on a daily basis to see her friends or family, take up education or employment, or even to go out. These women may generally feel incapable of doing so for fear of reaction. Thus, most of the women will not have the option of using criminal law. It is worth noting that criminal law will not effectively recognize the possible danger or escalation of the abuse when it attempts to challenge

Metastatic Cancer: Types and Causes

Metastatic Cancer: Types and Causes Introduction Cancer is something that many people face or is affected by in some way. Cancer is a problem that is global and always growing affecting more people as the world’s population increases. The 2012 statistics show that were about 3.45 million new cases of cancer and 1.75 million deaths as a result of cancer worldwide in the year 2012. The main cancer site being breast contributing 464,000 cases [Ferlay, Foucher, Tieulent, Et.al, 2013]. Thanks to a better understanding and better treatment of cancer like chemotherapy and cancer based drugs, there has been a decrease in death from cancer and so better survival rates for both males and females affect by cancer [Jemal, Simard, Dorell, Et.al, 2012]. The fact cancer is so prevalent worldwide is due to the many features and ways that cancer affects people. One of these features is that some cancer cells are not static. The cancer cells are able to alter and change in order to form into another cancer that is in another part of the body therefore affecting a different organ site. This ability for cancer cells to move or migrate to different parts of the body is known as Metastasis [Yachida, Jones, Bozic, Et.al, 2010] [Fokas, Cabillic, Et.al, 2007]. The fact that cancer cells are able to migrate to other sites of the body is not just random. Where the cells migrate to, is dependent on where the cancer cells was originally was before the migration. What dictates where the cancer cells go, are specific stimuli or environment within the body so that the cells are able to grow into tumours. The stimuli or environment may consist of specific receptors or chemokines that are shared or common between the two sites [Baruch, 2009]. When cancer has metastasised to a different area the site that the cancer had originated in is known as the primary cancer and the site at which the cancer cells moved to is known as metastatic cancer. A common type of metastasis is from breast to brain, with breast being the primary cancer and br ain being the metastatic cancer. Breast cancer is often found to metastase to the brain, the chances of this occurring are increased when patients have HER2 over expression [Gupta, Adkins, Et.al, 2013]. HER2 comes from the human epidermal growth factor receptor family that controls response such as cell growth and cell differentiation, therefore it can be easily predicted that over expression of HER2 leads to uncontrollable cell growth a feature that is in all cancers [Rubin Yarden, 2001]. The metastasises of cancer within patients does not affect them straight away, as it often takes years for the metastatic cancer to be detected and to affect the person. When the primary tumour has grown, only then will the tumour cells migrate and invade to another part of the body and grow at the site. When the tumour cells are at the new site then they the process of cell growth occurs at the site. But it has been shown that the tumour cells at the new site have been dormant which accounts for the time between the detection of the primary cancer and the metastatic cancer [Rà ¶cken, 2010]. The way the metastatic cancer cells move from their primary site to their metastatic site can be many ways depending on ultimately were the tumour formation will be formed in. Examples of the movement or migration are 1) local tissue invasion which is movement of the tumour cells through the tissue, 2) hematogenous spread which is the movement through the blood; 3) lymphatic spread which similar to the blood by uses the lymph nodes and finally 4) spreading through surfaces and cavities [Pepper, 2001]. There are many sites of metastatasis, below is a summary table of the sites and where they originated from [Nguyen, Bos, Massaguà ©, 2009]. Table 1: A brief summary list that shows the sites of metastasis from primary tumours [Nguyen, Bos, Massaguà ©, 2009]. A metastatic cancer that is particularly important and of interest is metastatic cancer that is able to migrate to the brain. From the table above it can be seen that sites of metastasis for the brain is only in 3 types of tumours, these being breast, lung adenocarcinoma and skin melanoma. Out of these three types’ lung and breast tumours usually metastases to the brain making up 60% of brain metastasises [Nguyen, DeAngelis, 2004]. The reason why brain metastasis is of particular interest is because of how the metastatic cancer is able to pass through the blood brain barrier (BBB). In order to understand the movement of the blood brain barrier it structure must first be looked at. The blood brain barrier is made up of 4 main sections or parts that are of important to it function. These 4 parts are 1) tight junctions, 2) adherens junctions, 3) astrocytes, and 4) pericytes, each section has its own function as well. The tight junctions are made up of claudin, occludin, and junct ion adhesion molecules these are transmembrane proteins which are involved in cell-to-cell adhesion. Adheren junctions are responsible for paracellular permeability. Astrocytes are for structural supports and also for guiding of neurons and finally the pericytes are for mechanical support for cell attachment. [Lawther, Kumar, Krovvidi, 2011] [Hawkins, OKane, Simpson, Et.al 2006]. Figure 1: Image showing the main parts of the BBB and the overall structure of the BBB. Image was extracted from [Lawther, Kumar, Krovvidi, 2011]. Now that the structure of the blood brain barrier can be seen more clearly, a better understanding of how metastatic brain tumours form and how the cells pass through the blood brain barrier. More specifically primary breast cancer that produces metastatic brain tumour can be looked at. The tumour cells that are being metastasised are able to express vascular endothelial growth factor (VGEF). The expression of the vascular endothelial growth factor by the tumour cells is able to disrupt the blood brain barriers permeability which allows the cells to pass through and into the brain [Gerstner, Fine, 2007]. Another way to metastasise to the brain is by the tumour breast cells attaching or invading the brain microvascular endothelial cells and then passes through the blood brain barrier [Arshad, Wang, Sy. Et.al, 2011]. The survival rates of patients that have a metastatic brain tumour in unfortunately not very high. Those patients that have had primary breast cancer and then later gaine d a metastatic brain tumour have between 30-40% chance of death due to the metastatic brain tumour [Wadasadawala, Gupta, Bagul, 2007] [Jaboin, Ferraro, DeWees, Et.al, 2013]. There are treatments available that help fight against metastatic brain tumours the main one and most effective being radiotherapy. However the effectiveness of radiotherapy is dependent of where the tumour cells had originated from i.e. which primary cancer the patient had first. Those that had primary lung or breast cancer are more sensitive to the radiotherapy treatment. Other types of treatments include Craniotomy, Postoperative radiotherapy, and Stereotactic radiosurgery. The treatment that is craniotomy is not used often as it is stressful for the patients. Postoperative radiotherapy is also an effective treatment that improves the life of the person, however there are side effects or conditions that can occur as well like disorder of the nervous system or dementia. The final treatment stated is Stereotact ic radiosurgery which involves using gamma radiation on the site of the tumour [Shibui, 1999]. With the use of radiation is the fear of persevering the nearby cells and tissues. With the advancement of science and technology the treatment of using radiotherapy has become better. The use of radiotherapy is still the main treatment but with better radiotherapy processes and technique the preservation of the cells and tissue from radiation has greatly improved [Owonikoko, Arbiser, Zelnak, Et.al, 2014]. Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is defined as a biological process that occurs within polarised epithelial cells which interact with the basement membrane. The polarised epithelial cells undergo many biological changes that brings about a mesenchymal cell phenotype, these changes include an increased ability of migration, invasion and develop a resistance to the process of apoptosis [Kalluri Weinberg, 2009]. There are keys differences between the epithelial cells and the mesenchymal cells. Epithelial cells are cells that form layers, which are tightly packed by membrane structure such as tight junctions, gap junctions’ adherens junctions and desosomes. These cells do possess an ability of motility, however under normal condition they remain they do not move. In comparison the mesenchymal cells are not organised into layers like epithelial cells. The main difference between the two is that mesenchymal cells are very motile whereas epithelial are not normally [Th iery Sleeman, 2006].The whole process of epithelial–mesenchymal transition plays a role in normal development. These normal developments include gastrulation which is an early phase in embryonic development and heart morphogenesis which need and take advantage of the transition between the epithelial cells into mesenchymal cells. Another key role of the EMT is that it is for the down regulation of E-cadherin [Larue Bellacosa, 2005]. E-cadherin is a tumour suppressor that is encoded by the Cadherin-1 (CDH1) gene that is key for the suppression of carcinoma progression. It has been found and seen that the loss of the Cadherin-1 at EMT sites are linked to the formation, development of cancer. The reason for this is due to the fact that the loss of the E-cadherin increases the ability of invasion in cells [Wang Shang, 2013]. As with any biological process there are transcription factors that cause and regulate the transition. The transcription factors that mediate the processes are SNAI1 which down regulates E-cadherin, Zinc finger E-box (ZEB) and also basic helix–loop–helix transcription factors [Lamouille, Xu, Derynck, 2014]. There are features and properties of the mesenchymal cells that can be linked to cancer if not regulated properly. The mesenchymal cells are able to produce and secrete chemokines and growth factors that stimulate cell growth and angiogenesis. Another key feature of the mesenchymal cells is that they have anti apoptotic properties that can stop or save cells from undergoing apoptosis [Murphy, Moncivais, Caplan, 2013]. Just from seeing the features of the mesenchymal cells it can easily be seen that if the regulation of the process, mutation or changes in expression occur the consequences can be predicted and linked to the formation of cancer. The final aspect of epit helial–mesenchymal transition is how it is linked to the formation of cancer and more specifically metastatic cancers. As stated epithelial–mesenchymal transition is regulated by many growth factors and proteins such as Epidermal growth factor, Hepatocyte growth factor and Transforming growth factor beta, all of which if changed by mutation or expression can ultimately contribute to the hallmarks of metastatic cancer like uncontrollable cell growth and invasion into other tissues and organs in the body which is the main feature of metastatic cancer [Gos, MiÅ‚oszewska, Przybyszewska, 2009]. Below is a diagram that summarises and shows the process of how epithelial–mesenchymal transition can promote the formation of metastatic cancer [Kongemail, Liemail, Wangemail, Et.al, 2011]. Figure 2: A summary of how epithelial–mesenchymal transition can be linked to metastatic cancer. EMT is the process of epithelial–mesenchymal transition and MET is the process of Mesenchymal–Epithelial Transition. Image taken from [Kongemail, Liemail, Wangemail, Et.al, 2011]. The image above shows the transition of a primary tumour into a metastatic tumour and reason for this to happen. Red arrows show aspects that may be gone wrong due mutation or change in expression through methylation. Epigenetics Epigenetics is the genetic control by using factors that does not include a person’s DNA sequence [Simmons, 2008]. Epigenetic control or regulation is the process whereby genes are activated or deactivated within a cell [Mitsuyoshi Nakao, 2001]. Essentially the concept of epigenetics is the change in gene expression that can be caused by certain mechanisms such as DNA Methylation or Histone modification. These changes in gene expression whereby expression of a gene is switched on or off can be inherited and passed on. The idea of epigenetics and its mechanism is needed for maintenance of genes that are specific to tissues. Changes in the process of epigenetics, like DNA Methylation or Histone modification causes disruptions in a genes function, which alters its expression and is one of the hallmarks of how cancer begins [Sharma, Kelly, Jones, 2010]. As stated there two ways that can causes changes, histone modification and DNA methylation which will be the main focus of this p aper. The process of histone modification to a certan extent is reversible depending on the type of modification. The process of DNA methylation is more long term creating long-term repression [Cedar Bergman, 2009]. DNA methylation is the common mechanism in which genes are activated or deactivated by the addition of a methyl group to cytosine or adenine bases, making it an epigenetic signal tool. Changes in the process of DNA methylation can result in a gene being constantly activated or deactivated which can lead to brain tumours or other tumours in the body [Phillips, 2008]. The process of DNA methylation is catalysed by the family of enzymes known as DNA methyltransferases. DNA methyltransferases is an important enzyme in epigenetic silencing of transcription. As this is a family of enzyme there are many types of DNA methyltransferases which are DNMT 1, DNMT 2, and DNMT 3 each one having their own function [Simmons, 2008] [Fakhr, Hagh, 2013]. There are two types of DNA methylat ion these are 1) Hypermethylation and 2) Hypomethylation. Hypermethylation stops transcription in the promoter region of suppressor genes which ultimately lead to gene silencing [Das Singal, 2004]. The location at which hypermethylation occurs at are known as CpG sites, these are sites were cytosine is next to guanine. It is the cytosine in these CpG sites that are usually methylated and therefore switched off [Esteller, 2002]. Hypomethylation is the loss of methylation at regions or sites that are normally heavily methylated, for example satellites like SAT 2. The loss of the methylation at SAT 2 can lead to instability and oncogene activation (Jin, Li Robertson, 2011). Oncogenes when activated increases protein expression which in turn leads to increase in cell division, decreases in cell differentiation and the inhibition of cell death [Chial, 2008]. It is the mutation of a proto-oncogene by hypomethylation that makes an oncogene which is the cause of increase in cell division and therefore the cause of an abnormal growth of cells that leads to tumours and cancer. A proto-oncogene is the normal, non-mutated gene that regulates cell division making it controllable by balancing cell growth and death. There many types of proto-oncogenes these include WNT, RAS and ERK [Chial, 2008] [Torry, Cooper, 1991]. To summarise the idea of Epigenetics is the control of gene expression using DNA methylation or Histone modification. If any of these two processes are damaged or mutated this then means the control of gene expression can no long be controlled and so this leads to increase in cell growth and therefore tumours and cancer. Methylation of Promoter Region The DNA methylation of the promoter region within genes is as stated an epigenetic event that is linked to transcriptional silencing in cancer. This means that DNA methylation in this region is for the control of gene expression [Yang Park, 2012]. The promoter region of gene is a region that starts or causes the initiation of transcription [Gordon, Chervonenkis, Gammerman, 2003]. The process of methylation in the promoter region causes the expression of genes to reduce or in the in case of cancers cause the silencing of the gene altogether. There are two ways that this happens in the promoter region. One of the ways it can occur is the inhibition of sequence-specific transcription factors which contain CpG sites. The second way is by the use of methyl-CpG binding proteins which can compete for binding sites of methylated DNA [Robertson Jones, 2000]. E-cadherin was introduced to have a key role in epithelial–mesenchymal transition. If there is methylation more specifically hy permethylation in the promoter region of the E-cadherin then this can cause the silencing of the gene which has been linked to many types of gastric cancer also known as stomach cancer [Tamura, Yin, Wang, 2000]. Another gene that is important and methylation of it has been shown and linked to astrocytic brain tumour is the Methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT). Methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase’s function is as a repair protein that can remove promutagenic alkyl groups’ guanine in DNA. DNA methylation in the CpG Island of the Methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase means that its function in order to remove promutagenic alkyl groups is decreased [Nakamura, Watanabe, Yonekawa, Et.al, 2001].

Rev. Richard Johnson :: essays research papers

Reverend Richard Johnson In a land intended to be dumping grounds for Britain’s moral filth, Reverend Richard Johnson worked hard at laying the foundations of Christianity in Australia. Born in 1757 at Welton, England, he was educated at Magdalen College, Cambridge. He graduated with a BA in 1783, and was appointed a deacon and priest by the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1786. Only five months before the First Fleet set sail, Richard Johnson was recommended and approved for the position of Chaplin, to establish the Church of England in Australia. Governor Phillip saw Johnson’s job as a "moral policeman" to the convicts, but the chaplain viewed his position as a door of opportunity to preach the Gospel to the "dregs of humanity." His work began even before the ship landed, and his moral nature displayed. Johnson found the ship's company very disrespectful and profane and targeted this in his teaching. On the following Sunday it was noted that for days afterwards their behaviour had improved. On Sunday the 3rd of February 1788, Johnson preached his first sermon to a crowd of both soldiers and convicts. Being a result of the Evangelical revival in England, Johnson laboured for their salvation and tried to encourage goodness in them. He requested the help of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, who provided him with 4200 books in total for the new colony, including Bibles, Testaments, Prayer Books, Catechisms, Psalters, and religious booklets against common sins. His job was not an easy one as he was meant to carry out many duties placed upon him by the Governor as well as the mission of his own. Johnson’s duties included officiating at hangings and acting as magistrate when needed. In the first five years, he conducted 226 baptisms, 220 marriages and 851 funerals. One of Johnson’s obstacles was the lack of support he received. He and his wife, Mary, lived in a cabbage palm hut for the first three years while the Governor had two mansions. Many times his family was short of food and in addition to his regular duties; he worked on his farm to provide for his family. Richard Johnson was a compassionate man who even took an Aboriginal girl, who had contracted smallpox, into his home for several months. This trait made Australia appear as a destination unsuitable for him, but at the same time, he was the best man for the job.

Compare the way the poets write about love Essay

A sonnet is traditionally a love poem, with 14 lines and generally ending with a couplet. The two sonnets I am comparing discuss the nature of love, but portray two completely different relationships between lovers. While Browning’s poem is an ode to a pure, simple and almost childlike love, Shakespeare’s is a critique of his relationship, in which both sides play a game of double-bluff. This poem mocks the idea of true love. We sense simply from the titles that, while Browning’s â€Å"Sonnet† is an expression of heartfelt emotions, Shakespeare’s â€Å"Sonnet 138† is just another meaningless work out of many, perhaps like his mistresses. Browning’s work is extremely feminine and is almost certainly about her husband, as she was married, as opposed to the masculine view of women in Shakespeare’s era that mistresses were disposable. I believe that Shakespeare has written this sonnet about a mistress rather than his wife, Anne Hathaway, because the untruthfulness in the relationship shows a lack of commitment between the two lovers. In these poems, the attitudes of the poets to their relationships and partners are extremely different. When Browning says, â€Å"I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach†, she implies that she cannot live without her lover, so of course this is why she stays with him. However, in Shakespeare’s case, he stays with his mistress because he knows he is past his prime and no longer a handsome, young virile man. Her lies of being faithful and her reassuring him that he is young in her mind flatter his ego, despite his knowledge of her untruthfulness. Perhaps by saying â€Å"thus vainly thinking that she thinks me young†, he is trying to make himself believe this, because he says, â€Å"Simply I credit her false-speaking tongue†, so he actually respects her for considering his feelings. He cannot be angry with her for lying to him because he reciprocates in the matter. He is happy in the situation, and believes that his lover thinks he is nai ve and â€Å"unlearned in the world’s false subtleties†. He seems to fear being alone and not being able to obtain another mistress. This is in sharp contrast to Browning’s sense of security with her lover, and feeling of openness and honesty. There is a quality of immortality to her love that is suggested in the phrase, â€Å"I shall but love thee better after death†. The nature of the two relationships differ a great deal ; we sense that , while Browning conveys a love that is very spiritual and uncomplicated, Shakespeare’s relationship is more sexual without much actual love. Religious words and imagery, such as â€Å"Grace†, â€Å"Praise†, â€Å"Faith†, â€Å"Candlelight† and â€Å"God† are used to reinforce the feeling of purity in â€Å"Sonnet†. Meanwhile, in â€Å"Sonnet 138†, Shakespeare says, â€Å"Therefore I lie with her, and her with me†, using the double entendre of sex as well as untruthfulness and suggests that he has purely sexual motives for being in the relationship. He poses the idea that they are kept together by the fact that they lie to each other, because he creates the situation of them in bed together as they have not broken up as a result of being truthful. The language used in both poems gives more reinforcement the conflict between the two sonnets. In â€Å"Sonnet†, many of the lines begin simply with the words, â€Å"I love thee†. This simplistic, repetitive style gives Browning’s piece a childlike quality and supports the message of innocence that is interweaved into the poem. She says she loves him with her â€Å"childhood’s Faith†, showing that she loves him wholeheartedly and has no doubts, like a child loves it’s parent because they know no better. She could therefore see her husband as a father figure as he protects her and gives her stability. On the other hand, language is used to the opposite effect in Shakespeare’s â€Å"Sonnet 138†. The childhood aspect of this poem is related to gullibility. He makes use of negative words such as â€Å"lies†, â€Å"unjust†, â€Å"untutor’d† and â€Å"false† to show that he does not believe in love. Using these words in rhyming couplets – â€Å"lies† and â€Å"subtleties† – even more pronounces the negative imagery. The sonnet out of the two that I prefer is â€Å"Sonnet 138† by Shakespeare. This is because he has made a break from the traditional style of sonnets, which usually exhault the ideal of love and describe it in all it’s beauty. He takes the idea of love and almost mocks it, satirising the orthodox style of other sonnets. More complex language is used within the sonnet, unlike Browning’s simple prose. The impact of both of the poems is that they make us think about love in very different ways.

Hughes Promotes the African Civilization Essay

Still recognized as one of the literary giants of America, Langston Hughes played an important role as a writer and thinker of the Harlem Renaissance. This was an artistic movement of African Americans that arose during the 1920s to celebrate the lives and culture of Africans in the United States (â€Å"Langston Hughes†). Because most of the African Americans had been brought to the New World as slaves of white masters, it was poets and writers like Hughes, an African American man, that helped to change the perception of African Americans in the minds of the whites once slavery had been abolished. Hughes’ poems, â€Å"The Negro Speaks of Rivers† published in 1926, and â€Å"Negro† published in 1958, therefore depict African Americans as ordinary human beings like everybody else, and yet richer in culture and civilization than many others, seeing that they have participated in the construction of the great â€Å"pyramids,† mentioned in both poems (Hughes, 2007; Hughes). Hughes was direct and open about the fact that his writings were meant to uplift the conditions confronting Africans in the United States (Hughes, 1923). They had been slaves, so therefore the whites did not respect them enough even after the abolishment of slavery. â€Å"The Negro Speaks of Rivers† was published five years after the Tulsa Riot and during the Harlem Renaissance (â€Å"Race Riot, Lynchings, and other Forms of Racism in the 1920s†). â€Å"Negro,† on the other hand, was published at a time when racism was considered a bigger problem than before. In fact, during the 1950s racism was at the forefront of American thought (Lewis, 2002). Many battles were fought to set blacks equal to whites in the minds of all Americans. Hughes’ contribution of the 1950s, his poem â€Å"Negro,† was only different to the extent that it was an artist’s contribution. Countless other Africans were fighting on the streets of America to set things right once and for all. Both poems, â€Å"The Negro Speaks of Rivers† and â€Å"Negro,† are expressions of African American identity. The first poem begins thus: â€Å"I’ve known rivers†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Hughes). In the second as in the first, although the poet has made clear that the narrator is a negro – the poem, â€Å"Negro† begins with the words, â€Å"I am a Negro† (Hughes, 2007). Because the whites had been masters over African slaves, they were inclined to look down upon Africans. Since the whites were owners of property in America and certainly richer, the blacks longed to be like the whites. But, Hughes would like the Africans to feel at home in their own skins. With images of rivers as grand as of the Euphrates, the Nile and the Mississippi – the poem, â€Å"The Negro Speaks of Rivers,† reminds the African of his or her historical roots or the history of the great African peoples who have traveled across all of these rivers adding value to the historical streams of cultures. The poem has irregular, long lines without rhythm because it is making a basic point: the African soul is as deep as any human soul could be. The African individual indulges in deep thinking as he travels across ancient rivers. What he must dwell on is his own identity on foreign soil. Remembering the history of his civilization, he must keep in mind that life carries on. What’s more, the poet reminds his fellow African that the black race has survived despite all odds (Hughes). Because â€Å"The Negro Speaks of Rivers† was published during the peak of Harlem Renaissance, it refers to depth of the African soul, given that art is often understood as the voice of the soul and the Harlem Renaissance was all about promoting African art and culture in the United States. Using gentle images such as the Mississippi’s bosom â€Å"turning golden in the sunset,† the poet uses his emphasis on rivers to stand as a symbol for the depth of the African soul (Hughes). â€Å"Negro,† published during the 1950’s also mentions â€Å"depths† (Hughes, 2007). As in â€Å"The Negro Speaks of Rivers,† the depths mentioned by Hughes in both poems most likely refer to the depth of African knowledge too. After all, both poems refer to the history of Africans. â€Å"Negro,† with its sentence arrangements describing either what had happened to Africans or what they have done in the history of the African civilization – also makes mention of the experiences and/or skills that set Africans apart, for example, slavery and singing (Hughes, 2007). The poet represents all Africans in both his poems, â€Å"The Negro Speaks of Rivers† and â€Å"Negro. † What is more, both poems mention the fact that the Africans were part of the labor force that built the ancient pyramids. In â€Å"The Negro Speaks of Rivers,† it was the African who â€Å"looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it† (Hughes). In â€Å"Negro,† the pyramid is said to have arisen under the African hand, implying that the African was greatly skilled even at the time of ancient pyramid construction (Hughes, 2007). The main difference between the two poems, â€Å"The Negro Speaks of Rivers† and â€Å"Negro† is, undoubtedly, the spirit of hope felt through the first poem versus the sense of despair mixed with hope in the second poem. Hughes must have composed â€Å"The Negro Speaks of Rivers† in a different frame of mind altogether. The poem clearly promotes the African American culture and art as originating in the deep history of humanity (Hughes). Although â€Å"Negro† makes mention of world history too, it does not necessarily promote African American art, apart from its reference to singing. The African American may be considered as more of a laborer or low paid worker than an artist in â€Å"Negro† (Hughes, 2007). Perhaps the poem was not written to promote African American art at all. As mentioned previously, the 1950s saw the whites and blacks of America fighting over the question of equal rights of Africans in almost all major areas of state functioning, including education. There were severe problems related to racism during this period of American history. Clearly, blacks were being looked down upon. It was in the mood of that hour that Hughes composed â€Å"Negro. † The poem speaks of the ordinariness of the African individual while describing the good uses that Africans have been made of, for example, in the construction of the â€Å"Woolworth Building† (Hughes, 2007). â€Å"The Negro Speaks of Rivers† is certainly not dismal or depressing like â€Å"Negro,† mainly because it does not make mention of slavery and victimization as the second. After all, Hughes is fighting against injustice toward African Americans in the 1950s. In the 1920s, his cause was entirely different. If â€Å"The Negro Speaks of Rivers† had made frequent mention of darkness as does â€Å"Negro,† the Harlem Renaissance could not have been considered a harbinger of hope (Hughes, 2007). References Hughes, L. (2007, Dec 2). Negro. Retrieved Mar 15, 2009, from http://amandafa. blogspot. com/2007/12/negro-by-langston-hughes. html. ————–. (1926, Jun 23). The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain. The Nation. Retrieved Mar 15, 2009, from http://www. hartford-hwp. com/archives/45a/360. html. ————–. The Negro Speaks of Rivers. Retrieved Mar 15, 2009, from http://www. wmrfh. org/dcrews/index_files/Hughes_The%20Negro%20Speaks%20of%20Rivers. doc. Langston Hughes. America’s Story from America’s Library. Retrieved Mar 15, 2009, from http://www. americaslibrary. gov/cgi-bin/page. cgi/aa/hughes. Lewis, C. H. (2002). The Rise of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s. Retrieved Mar 15, 2009, from http://www. colorado. edu/AmStudies/lewis/2010/civil. htm. Race Riot, Lynchings, and other Forms of Racism in the 1920s. Retrieved Mar 15, 2009, from http://www. assumption. edu/ahc/raceriots/default. html.

Star Death Leads to Cosmic Enrichment

Star Death Leads to Cosmic Enrichment Star Death in the Southern Hemisphere Sky Stars, like every other object we can see in the universe. have a definite life cycle. Theyre born in clouds of gas and dust, they live their lives, and eventually, they come to an end. This is true for every star we know about, no matter its size or mass. Some very massive stars die in cataclysmic explosions called supernovae. Thats not the fate of our star, which will have a more gentle ending. Sun-like stars (those that are around the same mass or age as our  Sun) come to the ends of their lives and become  planetary nebulae. These are objects in the sky that once appeared almost planetary looking to astronomers of a century or more ago who had low-power telescopes compared to todays observatories. They have nothing to do with planets and everything to do with the evolution of certain kinds of stars. Astronomers suspect that our own Sun may end its days as a planetary nebula, if conditions permit. If it does, it will lose much of its mass to space and what remains of the Sun will heat the surrounding cloud of gas and dust and make it glow. To anyone looking at it through a telescope from another planet, the dying Sun will resemble a cosmic ghost.   Observing the Owl Nebula The European Southern Observatory caught a view of one such ghostly remnant, nicknamed the Southern Owl Nebula.  The expanding cloud of gas and dust measures about four light-years across and contains materials that once were created  inside the star and its atmosphere. Now, those elements (such as hydrogen, helium, carbon, oxygen, nitrogen and  others) are being spread to interstellar space, possibly to enrich a new generation of stars. The Southern Owl (which has the official name of ESO 378-1) is a relatively short-lived phenomenon. It will probably  last only a few tens of thousands of years before the cloud dissipates completely. All that will be left is a fading white dwarf star.   What Makes a Planetary Nebula? For a planetary nebula to form, an aging star must be the right stellar type: it should have a mass less than about eight times that of the Sun. Stars  that are more massive will end their lives in dramatic fashion as supernova explosions. They, too, spread their material out, enriching the space between stars (also known as the interstellar medium).   As the less-massive stars age, they begin to lose their outer layers of gas through the action of stellar winds. The Sun has a stellar wind that we call the solar wind, which is a gentler version of the tempests emitted by old, dying stars. After the outer layers of the dying star have dissipated, the remaining hot stellar core heats up, and begins to radiate ultraviolet light. That UV radiation energizes (ionizes) the surrounding gas and causes it to glow.   The Long, Last Breath of the Sun Once the planetary nebula has faded away, the leftover stellar remnant will burn for another billion years,  consuming all its remaining fuel. It will then become a tiny - but hot and very dense - white dwarf that will slowly  cool over billions of years. The Sun could produce a planetary nebula several billion years in the future and then  spend its twilight years as a white dwarf emitting visible and ulltraviolet light, and even x-ray radiation.   Planetary nebulae play a crucial role in the chemical enrichment and evolution of the universe. Elements  are created inside these stars and returned to enrich the  interstellar medium. They combine to form new stars, build planets, and - if conditions are right - play a role in the formation and evolution of life. We (and the rest of Earths life) all owe our existence to the ancient stars that lived and then transformed to become white dwarfs, or blew up as supernovae that scattered their elements to space. This is why we can think of ourselves as star stuff, or even more poetically- as star dust memories of the ghostly death of a star.

Major General James H. Wilson in the Civil War

Major General James H. Wilson in the Civil War James H. Wilson - Early Life: Born September 2, 1837 in Shawneetown, IL, James H. Wilson received his education locally before attending McKendree College.   Remaining there for a year, he then applied for an appointment to West Point.   Granted, Wilson arrived at the academy in 1856 where his classmates included Wesley Merritt and Stephen D. Ramseur.   A gifted student, he graduated four years later ranked sixth in a class of forty-one. This performance earned him a posting to the Corps of Engineers.   Commissioned as a second lieutenant, Wilsons initial assignment saw him serve at Fort Vancouver in the Department of Oregon as a topographical engineer.   With the beginning of the Civil War the following year, Wilson returned east for service in the Union Army. James H. Wilson - A Gifted Engineer Staff Officer: Assigned to Flag Officer Samuel F. Du Pont and Brigadier General Thomas Shermans expedition against Port Royal, SC, Wilson continued to serve as a topographical engineer.   Taking part in this effort in late 1861, he remained in the region in the spring of 1862 and aided Union forces during the successful siege of Fort Pulaski.   Ordered north, Wilson joined the staff of Major General George B. McClellan, commander of the Army of the Potomac.   Serving as an aide-de-camp, he saw action during the Union victories at South Mountain and Antietam that September.   The following month, Wilson received orders to serve as the chief topographical engineer in Major General Ulysses S. Grants Army of the Tennessee. Arriving in Mississippi, Wilson aided Grants efforts to capture the Confederate stronghold of Vicksburg.   Made inspector general of the army, he was in this post during the campaign that led to the siege of the city including the fighting at Champion Hill and Big Black River Bridge.   Earning Grants trust, he remained with him in the fall of 1863 for the campaign to relieve Major General William S. Rosecrans Army of the Cumberland at Chattanooga.   Following the victory at the Battle of Chattanooga, Wilson received a promotion to brigadier general and moved north as chief engineer of Major General William T. Shermans force which was tasked with aiding Major General Ambrose Burnside at Knoxville.   Ordered to Washington, DC in February 1864, he assumed command of the Cavalry Bureau.   In this position he worked tirelessly to supply the Union Armys cavalry and lobbied to equip it with fast-loading Spencer repeating carbines. James H. Wilson - Cavalry Commander: Though an able administrator, Wilson received a brevet promotion to major general on May 6 and command of a division in Major General Philip H. Sheridans Cavalry Corps.   Taking part in Grants Overland Campaign, he saw action at the Wilderness and played a role in Sheridans victory at Yellow Tavern.   Remaining with the Army of the Potomac for much of the campaign, Wilsons men screened its movements and provided reconnaissance.    With the beginning of the siege of Petersburg in June, Wilson and Brigadier General August Kautz were tasked with conducting a raid into General Robert E. Lees rear to destroy key railroads that supplied the city.   Riding out on June 22, the effort initially proved successful as over sixty miles of track were destroyed.   Despite this, the raid quickly turned against Wilson and Kautz as attempts to destroy the Staunton River Bridge failed.   Harried east by Confederate cavalry, the two commanders were blocked by enemy forces at Reams Station on June 29 and were forced to destroy much of their equipment and split up.   Wilsons men finally reached safety on July 2.   A month later, Wilson and his men traveled north as part of the forces assigned to Sheridans Army of the Shenandoah.   Tasked with clearing Lieutenant General Jubal A. Early from the Shenandoah Valley, Sheridan attacked the enemy at the Third Battle of Winchester in late September and won a clear victory. James H. Wilson - Back to the West: In October 1864, Wilson was promoted to major general of volunteers and ordered to oversee the cavalry in Shermans  Military Division of the Mississippi.   Arriving in the west, he trained the cavalry that would serve under Brigadier General Judson Kilpatrick during Shermans March to the Sea.   Rather than accompany this force, Wilson remained with Major General George H. Thomas Army of the Cumberland for service in Tennessee. Leading a cavalry corps at the Battle of Franklin on November 30, he played a key role when his men repulsed an attempt to turn the Union left by noted Confederate cavalryman Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest.   Reaching Nashville, Wilson worked to refit his cavalry before the Battle of Nashville on December 15-16.   On the second day of the fighting, his men delivered a blow against Lieutenant General John B. Hoods left flank and then pursued the enemy after they retreated from the field. In March 1865, with little organized opposition remaining, Thomas directed Wilson to lead 13,500 men on a raid deep into Alabama with the goal of destroying the Confederate arsenal at Selma.   In addition to further disrupting the enemys supply situation, the effort would support Major General Edward Canbys operations around Mobile.   Departing on March 22, Wilsons command moved in three columns and met light resistance from troops under Forrest.   Arriving at Selma after several skirmishes with the enemy, he formed to assault the city.   Attacking, Wilson shattered the Confederate lines and routed Forrests men from the town. After burning the arsenal and other military targets, Wilson marched on Montgomery.   Arriving on April 12, he learned of Lees surrender at Appomattox three days earlier.   Pressing on with the raid, Wilson crossed into Georgia and defeated a Confederate force at Columbus on April 16.   After destroying the towns navy yard, he continued on to Macon where the raid ended on April 20.   With the end of hostilities, Wilsons men fanned out as Union troops made an effort to capture fleeing Confederate officials.   As part of this operation, his men succeeded in capturing Confederate President Jefferson Davis on May 10.   Also that month, Wilsons cavalry arrested Major Henry Wirz, commandant of the of the notorious Andersonville prisoner of war camp. James H. Wilson - Later Career Life: With the end of the war, Wilson soon reverted to his regular army rank of lieutenant colonel.   Though officially assigned to the 35th US Infantry, he spent the majority of the final five years of his career engaged in various engineering projects.    Leaving the US Army on December 31, 1870, Wilson worked for several railroads as well as took part in engineering projects on the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers.   With the beginning of the Spanish-American War in 1898, Wilson sought a return to military service.   Appointed a major general of volunteers on May 4, he led troops during the conquest of Puerto Rico and later served in Cuba.    Commanding the Department of Matanzas and Santa Clara in Cuba, Wilson accepted an adjustment in rank to brigadier general in April 1899.   The following year, he volunteered for the China Relief Expedition and crossed the Pacific to combat the Boxer Rebellion.   In China from September to December 1900, Wilson aided in the capture of the Eight Temples and Boxer headquarters.   Returning to the United States, he retired in 1901 and represented President Theodore Roosevelt at the coronation of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom the following year.   Active in business, Wilson died at Wilmington, DE on February 23, 1925.   One of the last living Union generals, he was buried in the citys Old Swedes Churchyard. Selected Sources National Park Service: Major General James H. WilsonMr. Lincoln Friends: Major General James H. WilsonEncyclopedia of Alabama: Major General James H. Wilsonskidfadhe or