Effect of Temperature on Activity of Alcalase and Savinase Essay Example

Effect of Temperature on Activity of Alcalase and Savinase Paper Hypothesis The optimum temperatures of Alcalase and Savinase will be different. Above and below their optimum temperatures activity will decrease. Biological explanation This investigation is designed to look at the effect of temperature on the activity of the proteases Alcalase and Savinase. By the end of it I hope to know the optimum temperature of both proteases. The substrate I am going to use during the experiments is the protein gelatin, which is a translucent, colourless, brittle solid substance found in the collagen inside an animals’ connective tissues. In my experiments it is going to be in the form of a single, thin layer, used on the surface of photographic film. It is useful in photography because it acts as protein glue, sticking the silver halide crystals to the surface of the plastic film. I am using it in this form, as it is easy to see when the enzyme has digested the gelatin. This is because normally the surface of the gelatine-silver halide layer turns black when exposed to light. However, when the enzyme has removed the gelatin the black colouring will disappear and only the clear plastic will be visible. We will write a custom essay sample on Effect of Temperature on Activity of Alcalase and Savinase specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Effect of Temperature on Activity of Alcalase and Savinase specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Effect of Temperature on Activity of Alcalase and Savinase specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Therefore, it can be easily identified when the reaction between the enzyme and the gelatin is complete, so this form of gelatin is very appropriate. Alcalase is a high temperature protease, meaning it works best at high temperatures, so its optimum temperature must be fairly high in relative terms, taking into account that most biological enzymes have an optimum temperature of 37. 5Â °C. It is commonly found in soil. Due to it being a high temperature protease I would expect its activity to increase with the temperature up to its optimum temperature, which I think may be about 50Â °C. I predict its optimum temperature to be around this figure because the enzyme is used in washing powders and this is a reasonable temperature to washing clothes at. Savinase is a low temperature protease, meaning it works best at low temperatures, so its optimum temperature must be fairly low in relative terms, taking into account that most biological enzymes have an optimum temperature of 37. 5Â °C. It also is found in soil. Due to it being a low temperature protease I would expect its activity to decrease as the temperature increases once the temperature is above its optimum temperature. I think the optimum temperature will be about 30Â °C because this enzyme is also used in washing powder, but in special energy saving washing powder, which operates at 30Â °C. The proteases are able to break down the protein gelatin because they are specific to the reaction needing to take place. They are specific in that their active sites on the surface of the enzyme fit the gelatin substrate, fulfilling the lock and key hypothesis and forming an enzyme-substrate complex. The optimum temperature is the temperature at which these formations occur most efficiently, due to the enzymes active site being the most accurate shape to fit the substrate. Therefore, temperature affects the activity of enzymes by changing the shape of the active site, which means it is changing the tertiary structure of the enzyme. The tertiary structure is changed because the weak hydrogen bonds that hold the protein in its 3D helical shape are broken due to the heat. As well as the enzymes active site being the correct shape at the optimum temperature there is a better balance of kinetic energy, causing more collisions between enzyme and substrate and therefore more enzyme-substrate complexes are formed, increasing activity. At high temperatures in comparison with the optimum temperature the enzymes tertiary structure may change completely, disabling all activity, as the substrate won’t fit the active site. This is known as denaturation. However, at temperatures below the optimum, the tertiary structure of the enzyme isn’t altered and denaturation does not occur, it is simply a slower rate of reaction due to less kinetic energy and therefore reduced collisions between the enzymes and substrates. Apparatus *2 200cm3 Volumetric Flask – to hold the enzyme solutions *2 Stirring rods – to assist in covering film strips in solution *3 Boiling tubes – to hold strips of photographic film in water bath *Scissors – to cut photographic film *Ruler – to measure a length of photographic film *Stop clock – to time incubation period Balance accurate to 2d. p. – to weigh out mass of enzyme needed *Exposed, developed photographic film – as substrate *4g Encapsulated Alcalase – as high temperature protease enzyme *4g Encapsulated Savinase – as low temperature protease enzyme *Water bath – to incubate boiling tubes holding photographic film at temperatu res 30Â °C -100Â °C at 10Â °C intervals *400cm3 pH8. 0 buffer – to maintain a constant pH *2 200 cm3 Volumetric Flask – to measure the volume of buffer needed *Thermometer – to check temperature of solution when in water bath *Volumetric Pipette – to measure out the volume of enzyme needed Variables *Temperature – This is the only variable I will purposely change. I will do this by using a water bath at several different temperatures. These temperatures are 30Â °C, 40Â °C, 50Â °C, 60Â °C, 70Â °C, 80Â °C, 90Â °C and 100Â °C. Temperature must be controlled because to find the optimum temperature I need to try the above exact temperatures and if it wasn’t controlled to the exact temperature I couldn’t specify the exact optimum temperature. *pH – Must be kept constant. I will keep the pH optimised throughout using 200cm3 of pH8. 0 buffer. It must be kept constant to ensure fair results. *Enzyme concentration – Must be kept constant. I will use 4g of the encapsulated enzyme, made up to 200 cm3 of solution, where there will be a 2% concentration of the enzyme in all my experiments using a balance, accurate to 2d. p. Enzyme concentration needs to be kept constant because if there was a higher concentration in one experiment than in the other the rate of reaction may be increased or decreased in comparison to what it should have been, therefore the results will be affected and it will be an unfair test. Substrate concentration – Must be kept constant. I will use the same length and width of photographic film, measured using a ruler, in all my experiments. Substrate Concentration needs to be kept constant because if there was a higher concentration in one experiment than in the other the rate of reaction may be increased or decreased in comparison to what it should have been, therefore the results will be aff ected and it will be an unfair test. *Incubation period – This will change depending on how fast the rate of reaction is. The period will end as soon as the photographic film turns clear. The times are recorded and will form the basis of my results. *Reaction temperature – Will not be a constant time that it takes to heat the solution to the correct temperature before the film is added, but check must be made to see that it is at the correct temperature before the film is added. If it isn’t thoroughly heated through before the film is added then the results will be inaccurate, in that they will be lower than would be expected. I will check the temperature of the solution using a thermometer. *Volume of enzyme used – This will remain the same at 2cm3 throughout the whole investigation. I will keep it exactly the same using a 1cm3 volumetric pipette. It needs to be kept constant because if there is more enzyme solution in some experiments and less in others the rate of reaction and therefore the results will be affected, in that they may turn out to be lower than expected and become inaccurate. Exposure of film – All the photographic film used will be exposed in full sunlight prior to the investigation. The amount of light received needs to be the same for all the film used because if some is exposed to brighter light than others it will be more black in colour and therefore will need a longer or more vigorous reaction to make it totally clear, which could make results unreliable and inaccurate. Procedures 1. Set the water bath at 30Â °C. . Weigh out 4g of each enzyme and place in two 200cm3 v olumetric flasks. 3. Make up to the 200cm3 line on the flask with pH8. 0 buffer. 4. Add a lid to each flask and invert in turn to mix the substances thoroughly until enzymes are completely dissolved. 5. Cut off 3 strips of photographic film at 1cm in length and width. 6. Add 2cm3 of Alcalase and buffer solution to one boiling tube and 2cm3 of Savinase and buffer solution to the other. 7. Place the 2 boiling tubes in the water bath, along with an empty one for the control. 8. Leave them for 5 minutes and check the temperature with a thermometer to make sure the solutions are at the right temperature before adding the photographic film. 9. When the solutions are at the right temperature add a strip of photographic film to each boiling tube, making sure the strips have solution on the whole of them by using different stirring rods for the separate boiling tubes, to prod the strips down. 0. Start the stop clock and time how long it takes before the strip of photographic film has turned clear. 11. Record the time it took on the stop clock for the gelatin to be completely digested and the film to become clear. 12. Repeat steps 5 to 9 twice for the same temperature and decide on an average colour change for each enzyme and the control. 13. Set the water bath at 40Â °C, 50Â °C, 60Â °C, 70Â °C, 80Â °C, 90Â °C and 100Â °C repeating steps 5 to 10 for each temperature.

Essays Essay Example

Essays Essay Example Essays Essay Essays Essay GROOSHAM GRANGEEXPELLEDIt was dinner time at wiernotta mews. Mr. and Mrs. Eliot were sitting at the dinner table with their only son, David. The meal that night had begun with a large plate of raw cabbage with cheese sauce because Mr. and Mrs. Eliot never ate meat. The atmosphere was distinctly chilly. That afternoon, the last day of the Christmas term, David had bought home his school report. It had not made pleasant reading.â€Å"ELIOT HAS NOT MADE PROGRESS†, the maths teacher had written. â€Å"HE CAN’T DIVIDE OR MULTIPLY AND WILL, I FEAR ADD UP TO EVERY LITTLE.†Ã¢â‚¬Å"WOODWORK?† the carpentry teacher had written. â€Å"I WISH HE WOULD WORK†Ã¢â‚¬Å"IF HE STAYED AWAKE IN CLASS IT WOULD BE A MIRACLE,† THE RELIGION TEACHER HAD COMPLAINED.â€Å"VERY POOR FORM, ‘the form master had concluded.â€Å"HE WILL NEVER GET AHEAD,† the headmaster had agreed.MR Eliot had read all these comments with growing anger. First his face had gone red. Then his fingers had gone white. The veins in his neck had gone blue and his tongue had gone black. Mrs. Eliot had been unsure whether to call a doctor or take a colour photograph, but in the end, and after taking several glasses of whisky, he had calmed downâ€Å"When I was a boy,† he moaned, â€Å"If my reports were not first class, my father would lock me in a cupboard for a week without food. â€Å" â€Å"Where did we go wrong Mrs Eliot sobbed, pulling at her mauve-tinted hair. â€Å"What will the neighbours say if they find? They will laugh at me! I am ruined!†Ã¢â‚¬Å"My father would have killed me if would have a report like this†Ã¢â‚¬ He would have tied me down to the railway crossing and waited for the charring cross..†Ã¢â‚¬Å"We could always pretend we haven’t got a son,† Mrs Eliot wailed â€Å"We could say he’s got a rare disease. We could say he fell off a cliff†As you will have gathered from all this, Mr and Mrs Elio t was not the best parents you could think or hope to have. Edward Eliot was a small fat bald man with a bristling moustache and a wart on his neck. He

Faculty of Business Environment and Society Essay - 5

Faculty of Business Environment and Society - Essay Example Understanding different cultures play a role in ensuring that the managers understand the dynamics of managing a business in a different environment with different organisational culture (Adamou, 2014). On the other hand, language barrier is another factor that international managers need to consider when operating beyond international borders. Developing an extensive knowledge of different foreign languages is important for international managers in terms of improving communications when working with different teams in different regions globally. Understanding foreign languages is necessary for international managers in terms of ensuring projects are completed on time. Communication between managers and project teams is critical in ensuring that work is done in an efficient and proper manner. In addition, acquisition other languages help international managers to accommodate the needs of workers and that of the locals. In a globalised business environment, multinational companies are found in different regions across the globe. Consequently, establishing a multinational company in a foreign land requires international managers to establish a cordial relationship with the locals an d including their governments. In essence, understanding the needs of the locals and how their governments operates assist international managers to come up with strategies suitable for operating in different business environments across the world (Adamou, 2014). The demanding role of international managers requires adaptability, flexibility, open-mindedness, making friends and acquisition of foreign languages to operate efficiently in a globalised business arena. International managers need to be more adaptable in terms of ensuring that they move the international organisations they manage in the right direction. The global business environment today is competitive with many international organisations competing for

Defining Terrorism is Difficult Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Defining Terrorism is Difficult - Research Paper Example Hence, defining and addressing the phenomenon of terrorism is in the preliminary stages (Ronczkowski 17). Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the difficulty in defining terrorism because of the different types of terrorist missions confronting governments. The Difficulty in Defining Terrorism There are numerous working definitions of terrorism. According to Jonathan R. White (7-11), terrorism is an abstract concept with no tangible presence; hence a true definition that accounts for all the potential uses of the term is not possible. At the same time however, two common characteristics are that terrorization is done, and terrorists have targets and victims. The definition changes according to the context of the violent activity. This weakness is taken into consideration when examining some popular defitions of terrorism (White 7). Of five official definitions from various United States government agencies, â€Å"three of the more commonly cited definitions come from the FBI, the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Department of Defense† (Ronczkowski 18). ... Further, it purposefully intimidates or compels a civilian population to influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or terrorist acts affect the performance of a government by assassination or kidnapping. Similarly, the Department of Defense defines terrorism as the predetermined use of violence or threat of violence to create fear, â€Å"intended to coerce or intimidate governments or societies in the pursuit of goals that are generally political, religious, or ideological† states Philip B. Heyman (3). The common elements among the above definitions are clear, but it is essential to find out whether only one definition is correct, to determine which is correct, and the reasons for one government having only one definition. The solution to these queries is simple; it is that the missions of the different types of terrorism vary. Hence, instead of an all-inclusive definition of terrorism it would be better to focus on an understanding of the elements that constitute terrrorism (Ronczkowski 18). Heyman (3) adds that numerous attempts to define terrorism as distinctly as murder, robbery, or rape have been unsuccessful. Analytical practitioners as well as law enforcement personnel should receive a foundation for performing their daily duties related to terrorism and terrorist activity, along with an understanding of its history. Donald M. Snow states that the root of the word terrorism is derived from the Latin word terrere which means ‘to frighten’. However, this meaning can also be applied to modern criminal statutes related to robbery and other crimes, consequently causing confusion and debate (Snow 1). Therefore, law enforcement agencies and analysts use a standardized, open definition. The U.S. Code of 22

Qualitative Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Qualitative Analysis - Essay Example Compared to other developed countries Singapore has low tax rates with a very high per capita GDP globally. Singapore has a very innovative and stable economy which is merged with efficient economic planning under the Economic Development Board that helped to establish a free market. Singapore’s main exports include; chemicals, services and electronics which provide the main sources of revenue for the country. Most firms are registered as private Limited companies. The country experiences a very low supply of water with a limited arable land for agriculture. Moreover, Singapore has a port that is strategic enough to give it an edge over the neighboring countries that carries Entrepot trade. Most of its labor comes within the population which is owed to the efficient education policy in the country that produces skilled labor for the industries in the country. The Argentinean economy is dominated by agriculture, which contributes the largest percentage of the GDP. The country h as fair economic policies that aim at increasing the exports from the main productive sectors. The main natural resources that contribute immensely to the country’s economy are minerals such as zinc, lead, copper, tin, oil and natural gas, uranium, iron, manganese and lithium. The main agricultural products produced in the country include; grains and livestock products. The country does not have a free economy like that of Singapore hence its economy is not that well established. The industries operating in Argentina include: oil refinery, food processing, machinery and equipment, petrochemicals and textile industry. Most of the country’s exports are taken to Europe and Brazil which are the country’s main trading partners. The main sector which is Agriculture has recently shown a rapid recovery with an increasing industrial production which replicates that of its immediate neighbor Brazil. The tax revenues are slowly growing with the debt services reducing. Ther e is a probability of volatility in the financial markets due to the conflict that exist between the central bank and the federal government. Comparison of the Political Environment between Singapore and Argentina Singapore has one of the most efficient political and regulatory policies globally. According to the surveys conducted the country ranks 122 out of the 138 countries in terms of creating a conducive political environment for business. This is in connection with press freedom in regard to the World information technology report of 2011 (Huff 745). The uniqueness of Singapore’s political environment comes in the fact that the immigration rules and laws are not that strict compared to Argentina or any other country. There are very strong law enforcement agencies which make cases of political unrests rare and efficient for business operation. The country is controlled by very few political parties with the main political party being People’s Action Party. This st ability in terms of political party policies ensures effective business environment for the development of country. The government of Singapore also ensures free trade agreements and employment laws in industries where a majority of the foreigners are in the job market. The main countries that have set up businesses in the country include China, Europe and the United States. As such, most foreigners use this country as an avenue to establish and expand their businesses through a

Role of Dietary Intervention in Ameliorating Disability

Role of Dietary Intervention in Ameliorating Disability The Role of Dietary Intervention in Ameliorating Disability Experienced by Multiple Sclerosis Patients Mark M. Makar Hypothesis: Diet modification can significantly improve disability and quality of life in multiple sclerosis patients. Abstract (word count: 213) Hypothesis: Diet modification can significantly improve disability and quality of life in multiple sclerosis patients. Methods: The PubMed database was searched on January 18, 2017 to identify studies relevant to this review. The database search combined terms from three themes: 1) multiple sclerosis patients 2) diet and 3) diet modification. This search yielded 118 articles for screening, with no duplicates. With abstract screening and inclusion criteria, 10 articles were included in this final review. Results: Modifying the diet of multiple sclerosis patients can greatly reduce fatigue and moderately help decrease symptoms experienced during this disease. Replacing animal based protein and saturated fatty acids from the diet, with plant-based alternatives that are high in starch showed noticeable improvement in symptoms experienced by multiple sclerosis patients. The plant based diet showed a decrease in inflammatory cells, damage of the blood brain barrier, demyelination, as well as axonal and oligodendrocyte injury. Conclusions: A variety of dietary modifications have been demonstrated to effectively improve quality of life and reduce disability in patients suffering from multiple sclerosis. More studies are needed to assess the efficacy of dietary intervention with respect to reducing episodes of disability experienced by multiple sclerosis patients and including diet modification into the current disease modifying therapies available. Key Words: multiple sclerosis, diet modification, review Ultramini Abstract: A search of the PubMed database yielded 10 articles for review. A variety of randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, case studies, cross sectional studies, and surveys regarding multiple sclerosis patients and diet modification to exclude animal protein from the diet and include only a plant based diet, can help to ameliorate disability. Introduction Multiple Sclerosis has an ongoing prevalence of 33% globally, with its incidence growing in North America and Europe (Evans C et al., 2013). Multiple sclerosis is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. It is the number one cause of non-traumatic neurodegenerative disability in the young adult population, and is twice as common in women as men (Browne, P et al., 2014). The etiology of multiple sclerosis is still unknown; however, it is believed to have autoimmune origins. Patients tend to experience multiple sclerosis differently; the most common presenting symptoms include sensory (40%), motor (39%), fatigue (30%), and visual (30%), and urinary incontinence (17%) along with less common symptoms presenting as pain and cognitive decline (Evans C et al., 2013). The wide array of symptoms experienced in multiple sclerosis has sprung forth an influx of scholarly research on beneficial disease- modifying therapies (DMTs) and alternative non-traditional methods for treating multiple sclerosis. Many governments across the world subsidize the current platform therapies for multiple sclerosis across the world including interferon-beta and/ or glatiramer acetate (Browne, P et al., 2014). There is a considerable degree of variance between different levels of income groups in society with regards to accessibility of government-funded therapies for multiple sclerosis (Browne, P et al., 2014). Availability of government funded DMTs were accessible to 96% of high-income countries, 45% of lower to middle income countries, and none in the low-income countries (Browne, P et al., 2014). These surprising statistics have led to new research development, which focus on new treatment methods for multiple sclerosis that cannot only be efficacious, but also be economically accessible for all levels of socioeconomic statuses across the world. There is much speculation regarding cost effectiveness of current treatment regiments for multiple sclerosis with interferon-beta and/ or glatiramer ace tate. There is a common consensus that the current platform therapies are not cost effective for the long-term therapy of multiple sclerosis (Bogglid, M et al., 2009). Given the pathology of multiple sclerosis, it is believed that dietary factors play a key role in autoimmune degradation and can induce myelin breakdown in the central nervous system by molecular mimicry (Ashtari, F et al., 2015). Multiple sclerosis prevalence is believed to be high in regions furthest away from the equator, however recent research has found that these regions of the world also consume a greater amount of saturated fat and animal protein such as dairy (Swank, R et al., 1990). Diets high in animal protein saturated fatty acids tend to worsen progression of multiple sclerosis and increase relapse of symptoms (Hadgkiss, E et al., 2015).It has been proposed that dietary interventions such as low fat, plant-based diet may decrease autoimmune inflammation in the central nervous system and help maintain the protective integrity of the blood brain barrier (Riccio, P et al., 2016). Dietary modifications are thought to be both a cost effective and efficacious treatment option for mitigating symptoms experienced by multiple sclerosis patients such as loss of motor and or sensory function, as well as fatigue (Yadav, V et al., 2016). This paper aims to provide a practical overview of recent scholarly literature in order to answer the research question: Does diet modification significantly decrease the level of disability and improve the quality of life in patients suffering from multiple sclerosis? The review will be guided under the hypothesis: diet modification can significantly improve disability and quality of life in patients suffering with multiple sclerosis. Methods Articles about multiple sclerosis and diet modification were searched on January 19, 2017 using the databases Pub Med and Google Scholar. The database search combined terms from three themes: 1) multiple sclerosis patients (relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis OR primary progressive multiple sclerosis OR multiple sclerosis OR central nervous system demyelination OR autoimmune encephalomyopathy OR demyelinating disease 2) diet (food OR animal protein OR vegan diet OR plant based diet) and 3) diet modification (meal plan OR starch based diet). When searching for articles, screening settings were set to be within 10 years, English language, full text articles, review, meta-analysis, randomized control trials, and clinical trials. Boolean operators used were OR and AND; OR was used to extract specific terms from the three main themes. AND was used to connect the three themes used in this review. This search yielded 118 articles for screening, with no duplicates. With abstract screening and inclusion criteria, 10 articles were included in this final review. Inclusion Criteria All the articles used in this systemic review had to meet the following criteria: 1) English 2) patients with multiple sclerosis for at least 6 months 3) diet modification/ assesment or pharmacological treatment as intervention. The term multiple sclerosis was defined as patients showing symptoms for at least 6 months and diet modification was defined as any change in daily food intake. Exclusion Criteria Articles were excluded from the review if they were published prior to 2007 and/or were not written in the English language and/or if patients had any type of prior chronic disease other than multiple sclerosis. Results Randomized Controlled Studies In a randomized controlled study by Vijayshree Yadav et al, 61 patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis were monitored for a one-year period. The participants were randomly allocated into two groups: Diet group and control group. The diet group was placed on a strict starch plant based diet (potatoes, corn, beans, bread, sweet potato and rice), while the control group was allowed to continue with their usual diet (meat, eggs, dairy products, fish) throughout the study. Each participant was surveyed once every three months or the duration of the study during which disability, and fatigue levels were recorded (by the expanded disability status scale, EDSS and fatigue severity scale, FSS/ modified fatigue impact scale, MFIS respectively). Serum lipid levels and brain MRI were also recorded at the end of the twelve months. The results observed demonstrated a significant reduction (pFigure 1 shows a summary of fatigue improvement throughout the duration of the study. These fin dings suggest that intervention with a plant-based diet does indeed help reduce fatigue in multiple sclerosis patients. Figure 1: Graph of Fatigue Scores as Measured by FSS score (A) and MFIS score (B) over a 12 Month Time Span In a similar randomized control trial by Anja Mahler et al, 18 patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis were randomly divided into two groups. The intervention group was started on 600 mg green tea catechin capsule per day and the control group received a placebo capsule for 12 weeks. A 4-week period was allotted during crossover to assure a sufficient wash out period. The results observed determined there was a significant increase in efficiency of muscle work from 20 (SD= 3) in the placebo group to 25 (SD= 6) in the intervention group (p>0.004). This finding suggests that intervention with plant based green tea extract helps to decrease muscle fatigue in multiple sclerosis patients. Cohort and Cross Sectional Studies: Emily Hadgkiss et al surveyed 2087 patients with multiple sclerosis globally. The comprehensive online survey inquired about dietary habits, quality of life, disability, and relapse rate. Dietary habits were assessed using the Diet Habits Questionnaire (DHQ), baseline quality of life was calculated using the Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life scale (MSQOL-54), and disability was calculated by using the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). Results of this study demonstrated that patients who reported higher intake of fruits and vegetables and low intake of fats had significantly higher physical health scores (PHC) ranging from 54 to 68 (pFigure 2 and Figure 3 shows a brief summary of these results. Figure 2: Mean Physical Health Composite by Dietary Factors   Ã‚   Figure 3: Mean Mental Health Composite by Dietary Factors Another significant finding in this study showed that patients who consumed meat and dairy had much poorer disability scores 624 (pTable 1. The frequency ofmultiple sclerosis disease activity was also significantly increased in meat and dairy consumers, 309% and 271% respectively (p Table 1: Level of disability and disease activity by dietary subgroups Soodeh Jahromi et al surveyed the diets of 75 women with multiple sclerosis from Iran. Dietary patterns were assessed using a 168-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). This study found patients whos diet consisted mainly of animal fat (high in animal fats, potato, other meat products, sugars, hydrogenated fats and low in whole grains, spices, and poultry without skin) had higher incidence of multiple sclerosis (OR = 1.99; CI: 1.63-2.94; P = 0.04), and patients who had a vegetable based diet (high in green leafy vegetables, hydrogenated fats, tomato, yellow vegetables, fruit juices, onion, and other vegetables) had lower incidence of multiple sclerosis. (OR = 0.42; 95% CI = 0.19-0.90; P = 0.026). These findings suggest an inverse relationship between high amount of hydrogenated fats, green leafy vegetables, fruit juices, and other vegetables and risk of multiple sclerosis. A longitudinal retrospective analysis was conducted by Weinstock-Guttman et al, where lipid levels of 492 multiple sclerosis patients were assessed for one a year time period. The study deduced that increasing LDL (p Geeta Ramsaransing et al investigated the levels of 23 dietary nutrients in 80 patients with multiple sclerosis: 27 with benign course multiple sclerosis, 32 with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, and 21 with primary progressive multiple sclerosis. The secondary progressive group demonstrated significant decreases in magnesium intake (p In a cohort study by Mike Bogglid et al, 5583 multiple sclerosis patients in the UK were monitored from May 2002 to April 2005 in an effort to establish the long term cost effectiveness of current platform therapy (interferon-beta and/ or glatiramer acetate) for multiple sclerosis. Following the duration of the study, 49% of patients that were on platform therapy were found to have experienced progressive deterioration in EDSS 2.68 at baseline, 2.90 after one year, and 3.24 after two years (p Case Control Studies In a comparable study to Soodeh Jahromi et als work, a cross sectional analysis by Tatjana Pekmezomiv et al was conducted to investigate possible dietary trends in patients living with multiple sclerosis. The dietary habits of 110 multiple sclerosis patients were compared to 110 healthy controls. Results showed that meat intake such as chicken (OR=2.0, p=0.045), lamb (OR=2.1, p=0.013), and beef (OR=1.7, p=0.043) was significantly higher in multiple sclerosis patients as compared to healthy controls. Furthermore, the study found that multiple sclerosis patients consumed significantly higher levels of ice cream (OR=0.18, p=0.031) and butter (OR=1.7, p=0.056) in comparison to controls. Table 2 shows a brief summary of these results. These findings suggest that there is a significant association between dietary intake of meat products such as chicken, lamb, and beef, as well as ice cream and butter to the disease in question. This may suggest that removal or reduction of said food items may be beneficial in decreasing the incidence of multiple sclerosis. Table 2: Consumption frequency of different food groups and food items in MS patients and controls Fereshteh asharti et al conducted a case control study in order to evaluate cows milk allergy (CMA) in multiple sclerosis patients versus healthy individuals. The authors compared 48 multiple sclerosis patients with 48 healthy controls. After 16 weeks there were no differences in the frequency of CMA between the two groups. Contrary from the results of Emily Hadgkiss et als study, the study done by Vahid Shaygannejad et al, found that there was a higher frequency of dairy products consumed by healthy control individuals (67%, p=0.01) compared to multiple sclerosis patients. These findings suggest that there is no reliable association between milk consumption and risk of multiple sclerosis development. Discussion This review attempted to answer the question: Does diet modification significantly decrease the level of disability and improve the quality of life in patients suffering from multiple sclerosis? The general shared consensus of articles included in this review support the proposed hypothesis of diet modification can, indeed, significantly improve disability and quality of life in multiple sclerosis patients (Hadgkiss E et al., 2015; Jahromi S et al., 2012; Shaygannejad V et al., 2016; Yadav V et al., 2016; Ramsaransing G et al., 2009; Jahroomi S., 2012; Pekmezovic T et al., 2012). However, one article concluded that consumption of animal protein in the form of milk did not increase the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (Shaygannejad V et al., 2016). However, these findings should not be generalized to the general population as the sample size used was too small and did not represent a true spectrum of multiple sclerosis prevalence across the world. The remaining articles reviewed corroborated that removal of both animal based protein and saturated fatty acids from the diet, and their replacement, high starch, plant-based alternatives, provided improved disability and fatigue in patients suffering from this disease (Pekmezovic T et al., 2012; Yadav V et al., 2016). The plant based, high starch diet (potato and rice) was found not only be an efficacious treatment option for mitigating symptoms experienced by multiple sclerosis patients but is also economically accessible for all levels of society across the world. It is also evident that most clinicians involved in the articles reviewed, found enough evidence in their research to warrant providing advice to patients with multiple sclerosis about the importance of healthy diet modification in regards to their condition (Hadgkiss E et al., 2015; Jahromi S et al., 2012; Yadav V et al., 2016; Ramsaransing G et al., 2009;). Many of the articles reviewed used a survey platform to assess the diets of multiple sclerosis patients; this may have had some effect on the results due to the nature of the retrospective study design used, making way for possible recall bias, hence potential misreporting of dietary intake (Pekmezovic T et al., 2012; Hadgkiss, E et al., 2015;). As well, since many of the articles used a food frequency survey approach, it may have limited the interventions possible with regards to experimenting with different types of foods that may have improved or worsened multiple sclerosis outcomes. A common limitation in this review is that none of the articles inquired about portion sizes of their meals, just food items (Hadgkiss E et al., 2015; Jahromi S et al., 2012; Yadav V et al., 2016; Ramsaransing G et al., 2009; Jahroomi S., 2012;). Across all articles reviewed, mean age of the study population was between 30- 47 years; therefore the results of this review may not be true for younger or more elderly patients. Many of the researchers in this review found it difficult to recruit many subjects due to health concerns regarding a low protein diet (Hadgkiss E et al., 2015; Jahromi S et al., 2012; Yadav V et al., 2016; Ramsaransing G et al., 2009; Jahroomi S., 2012). It is possible that the results observed with regards to studying the diets of multiple sclerosis patients may have been due to associations with other confounding variables. It is also important to note that given the disabling nature of multiple sclerosis as a disease state, many of the patients may be relying on a caregiver or family member for their meals, which may influence their dietary intake. Limitations encountered in this review include only utilizing articles written within the past 10 years, articles collected from only two databases (PubMed and Google Scholar), and articles were only included only if they were published in the English language. Future research may consider standardizing meal portion sizes during experimentation as various parts of the world have varying standard portion sizes. Future studies should also consider accounting for possible supplementation use in the participants such as vitamin and mineral intake. This would help diminish possible confounding variable. Future research may also utilizing experimental analysis encompassing a larger age range. All together, these factors would help encompass a much broader spectrum of patients living with multiple sclerosis. Conclusion In conclusion, diet modification has been shown to be a viable option not only for effectively improving quality of life, and reducing disability in patients suffering from multiple sclerosis, but also in lowering the risk of developing the disease. Evidence showed that removal of both animal based protein and saturated fatty acids from the diet, and replacing them with plant-based alternatives which are high in starch showed noticeable improvement in muscle weakens and fatigue levels. Unfortunately we do not have sufficient research that definitively demonstrates that diet modification can be used alone without traditional medication to prevent and/ or treat multiple sclerosis. Additional studies are needed to assess the efficacy of dietary intervention with respect to reducing episodes of disability experienced by multiple sclerosis patients and including diet modification into the current disease modifying therapies available. References Ashtari, Fereshteh, Fatemeh Jamshidi, Raheleh Shokouhi Shoormasti, Zahra Pourpak, and Mojtaba Akbari. Cows milk allergy in multiple sclerosis patients. Journal of research in medical sciences: the official journal of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences 18, no. Suppl 1 (2013): S62. PMCID: PMC3743324 Boggild, Mike., Palace, Jackie., Barton, Pelham., Ben-Shlomo, Y., Bregenzer, Thomas., Dobson, Charles., Gray, R. (2009). Multiple sclerosis risk sharing scheme: two year results of clinical cohort study with historical comparator. BMJ, 339, b4677. http://www.bmj.com/content/bmj/339/bmj.b4677.full.pdf. Browne, P., Chandraratna, D., Angood, C., Tremlett, H., Baker, C., Taylor, B. V., Thompson, A. J. (2014). Atlas of Multiple Sclerosis 2013: A growing global problem with widespread inequity. Neurology, 83(11), 1022-1024. http://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000000768 Guggenmos, Johannes, Anna S. Schubart, Sherry Ogg, Magnus Andersson, Tomas Olsson, Ian H. Mather, and Christopher Linington. Antibody cross-reactivity between myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein and the milk protein butyrophilin in multiple sclerosis. The Journal of Immunology 172, no. 1 (2004): 661-668. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.172.1.661 Emily J Hadgkiss, George A Jelinek, Tracey J Weiland, Naresh G Pereira, Claudia H Marck Dania M van der Meer (2015) The association of diet with quality of life, disability, and relapse rate in an international sample of people with multiple sclerosis, Nutritional Neuroscience, 18:3, 125-136, DOI: 10.1179/1476830514Y.0000000117 Evans, Charity, S-G. Beland, Sophie Kulaga, Christina Wolfson, Elaine Kingwell, James Marriott, Marcus Koch et al. Incidence and prevalence of multiple sclerosis in the Americas: a systematic review. Neuroepidemiology 40, no. 3 (2013): 195-210. doi: 10.1159/000342779. Jahroomi, Soode., Toghae, Mansoureh., Razeghu Jahromi, M., Aloosh, Mahdi. (2012). Dietary pattern and risk of multiple sclerosis. Iranian Journal of Neurology. 11(2), 47-53. PMCID: PMC3829243 Joscelyn, Jennifer., Kasper, Lloyde. H. (2014). Digesting the emerging role for the gut microbiome in central nervous system demyelination. Multiple Sclerosis Journal, 20 (12), 1553-1559. DOI: 10.1177/1352458514541579 Mà ¤hler, Anja, Jochen Steiniger, Markus Bock, Lars Klug, Nadine Parreidt, Mario Lorenz, Benno F. Zimmermann, Alexander Krannich, Friedemann Paul, and Michael Boschmann. Metabolic response to epigallocatechin-3-gallate in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a randomized clinical trial. The American journal of clinical nutrition 101, no. 3 (2015): 487-495. DOI: 10.3945/ajcn.113.075309 Otaegui, David, Sara Mostafavi, Claude CA Bernard, Adolfo Lopez de Munain, Parvin Mousavi, Jorge R. Oksenberg, and Sergio E. Baranzini. Increased transcriptional activity of milk-related genes following the active phase of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and multiple sclerosis. The Journal of Immunology 179, no. 6 (2007): 4074-4082. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.179.6.4074 Pekmezovic, Tatjana D., Darija B. Kisic Tepavcevic, Sarlota T. Mesaros, Irena B. Dujmovic Basuroski, Nebojsa S. Stojsavljevic, and Jelena S. Drulovic. Food and dietary patterns and multiple sclerosis: a case-control study in Belgrade (Serbia). Italian Journal of Public Health 6, no. 1 (2012). http://ijphjournal.it/article/view/5808 Ramsaransing, Geeta, Mellema, Sanne. A., De Keyser, J. (2009). Dietary patterns in clinical subtypes of multiple sclerosis: an exploratory study. Nutrition journal, 8(1), 36. DOI: 10.1186/1475-2891-8-36 Riccio, Paolo, and Rocco Rossano. Nutrition facts in multiple sclerosis. ASN neuro 7, no. 1 (2015): doi: 10.1177/1759091414568185 Riccio, Paolo., Rossano, Rocco., Liuzzi, G. Maria. (2011). May diet and dietary supplements improve the wellness of multiple sclerosis patients? A molecular approach. Autoimmune diseases, 2010. http://dx.doi.org/10.4061/2010/249842 Riccio, Paolo, Rocco Rossano, Marilena Larocca, Vincenzo Trotta, Ilario Mennella, Paola Vitaglione, Michele Ettorre et al. Anti-inflammatory nutritional intervention in patients with relapsing-remitting and primary-progressive multiple sclerosis: A pilot study. Experimental Biology and Medicine 241, no. 6 (2016): 620-635. DOI: 10.1177/1535370215618462 Shaygannejad, Vahid, Nooshin Rezaie, Zamzam Paknahad, Freshteh Ashtari, and Helia Maghzi. The environmental risk factors in multiple sclerosis susceptibility: A case-control study. Advanced Biomedical Research 5 (2016). doi: 10.4103/2277-9175.183665 Swank, R. L., and B. Brewer Dugan Effect of low saturated fat diet in early and late cases of multiple sclerosis. The Lanet 336, no. 8706(1990): 37-39. DOI:10.1016/0140-6736(90)91533 Tlaskalovà ¡-Hogenovà ¡, Helena, Renata Ã…Â  tĆºpà ¡nkovà ¡, Hana Kozà ¡kovà ¡, Tomà ¡Ãƒâ€¦Ã‚ ¡ Hudcovic, Luca Vannucci, Ludmila TuÄ kovà ¡, Pavel Rossmann et al. The role of gut microbiota (commensal bacteria) and the mucosal barrier in the pathogenesis of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases and cancer: contribution of germ-free and gnotobiotic animal models of human diseases. Cellular molecular immunology 8, no. 2 (2011): 110-120. http://www.nature.com/cmi/journal/v8/n2/abs/cmi201067a.html Vieira, Silvio. M., Pagovich, Odelya. E., Kriegel, Martin. A. (2014). Diet, microbiota and autoimmune diseases. Lupus, 23(6), 518-526. doi: 10.1177/0961203313501401 Weinstock-Guttman, Bianca, Robert Zivadinov, Naeem Mahfooz, Ellen Carl, Allison Drake, Jaclyn Schneider, Barbara Teter et al. Serum lipid profiles are associated with disability and MRI outcomes in multiple sclerosis. Journal of neuroinflammation 8, no. 1 (2011): 127.DOI: 10.1186/1742-2094-8-127 Yadav, Vijayshree., Marracci, Gaild., Kim, Edward., Spain, Rebecca., Cameron, Michelle., Overs, Shanon., Murchison, C. (2016). Low-fat, plant-based diet in multiple sclerosis: A randomized controlled trial. Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders, 9, 80-90. DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2016.07.001. Appendix First Author Population Year of Publication Study Design Outcome Ashtari, F. 48 patients with Multiple Sclerosis and 48 healthy patients as control group, mean age 30.7 March 18, 2013 Case control Study Serum IgE levels against cows milk antigen was taken from both groups. Results were very similar between both groups and showed no statistical significance (30.7  ± 6.9 vs. 30.9  ± 6.3 respectively, P value = 0.83) Boggild, M. 5583 patients with multiple sclerosis monitored from May 2002 to April 2005 from neurology clinics across the UK August 5, 2009 Prospective Cohort Study Patients received Interferon Beta treatment to determine long term cost effectiveness. Results showed worse disability progression than in the untreated group (deviation score of 113%; increase in mean disability status scale 0.28) Hadgkiss, E. 2087 patients with multiple sclerosis, mean age 45.5 participated in a comprehensive online survey March 17, 2014 Cross Sectional Study

body image project :: essays research papers

I visited the art gallery this month they are featuring Larry Kirkwood's Body Image Project. The purpose of this exhibit to to help people understand that it's who we are on the inside that makes us beautiful. The first thing I saw when I walked into the gallery was a big piece of cardboard with pictures from magazines and people who visited made comments about them. Overall, everyone who commented stated that beauty that we see in magazines is not real. The people in the magazines send the message that you aren't beautiful if you don't look like them. But in reality beauty is whatever you see it as, not how you look. This exihibit shows that beauty is found in all shapes and sizes, not just one shape and size. As I continued to walk around I saw all different body shapes. Each of them were beautiful in their own way. There was one body of a woman who was 56 years old. Her chest was not that of a 'normal' woman because her breast implants leaked, and left indentations in her chest. There was another woman who had one breast removed and wanted to be a part of this art because she wanted to offer hope to those who are going through breast cancer. After I left the exhibit I went to the artists website, he has pictures of some of the bodies he's casted and why each of them is beautiful. Also on the website he has his mission of this project. He says his mission is to " give you a more honest and healthy view of who we really are physically." As an example of that there is a model who, in the past was bulemic. She still thinks shes fat, but now she has a more realistic view of what she looks like. One man stated that the media is trying to make people feel ugly and disgusting. One of his examples was a few years ago he saw a shampoo commercial on tv. A man was in an elevator and noticed he had a few dandruff flakes on his shoulder.

Hamlet- His Procrastination and Its Causes Essay

Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, is one of the most celebrated plays in the English language. Throughout the play, Hamlet struggles with the death of his father and the swift remarriage of his mother to his father†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s brother. In Act I, scene iv, his father†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s ghost appears, urging Hamlet for revenge over his untimely murder (committed by his own brother). Taken aback by shock, Hamlet agrees with to revenge, ‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ ¦with wings as swift / as meditation or the thoughts of love'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ (I.iv.29-30). After this visitation however, many critics proclaim Hamlet procrastinates action for various reasons. Some relate his delay to his high intellect and over analysis of the situation; others declare his lack of courage caused his inaction. Two of the strangest interpretations include the following: that Shakespeare penned the delayed simply for the purpose of having a five-act play, and that Hamlet was truly ‘†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœa woman is disguise!'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ (‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœHamlet: His Own Falstaff'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ 12). Regardless of the various reasons attributed to the hesitation, his delay is especially noticeable because it lies in stark contrast to Fortinbras†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬  and Laertes†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬  passionate desire for their respective fathers†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬  revenge. As Curtis Perry articulates, ‘†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ[Hamlet†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s] hesitation stands out as all the more unusual'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ due to the others unmatched need for vengeance (‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœThematic and Structural Analysis'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ 22). Many take a very literal interpretation of the play and maintain that many of that situations in which Hamlet delays were a necessary and essential step in the process of revenge. An example lies in Hamlet†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s first confrontation with the Ghost. Upon seeing the Ghost†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s image, Hamlet remarks, ‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœBe thou a spirit of health or goblin damned, / Bring with thee airs from heaven or blasts from hell, / Be thy intents wicked or charitable, / Thou com†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ st in such a questionable shape / That I will speak to thee'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ (I.iv.40-44). This quote demonstrates Hamlet†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s fear that his father†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s ghost could be a devil from hell sent to pressure him to sin. He brooded over this fear until the traveling players (actors) enter the story. The performance of the play, ‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœThe Murder of Gonzago'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ presented Hamlet the opportunity to see if the ghost was lyin g about his murder. He altered a speech in the play to read exactly as the ghost said he was murdered. He planned to watch his uncle†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s reactions and he believed, ‘†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœif his occulted guilt / Do no itself unkennel in one speech, / it is a damned ghost that we have seen'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ (III.ii.85-87).  Many critics use this for evidence that Hamlet delays in the murder of his uncle until he has verification that the ghost is not a demon. However, after his uncle, King Claudius, flees from the room before the plays completion it is obvious that Claudius is the murderer. Hamlet, intent on murdering him, follows him to where he is praying. He once again refrains from the murder because it was a religious belief at the time if a man is killed while praying, his soul is saved and sent to heaven. Hamlet wishes to kill both Claudius†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬  body and soul. William Hazlitt is one of the critics who take an opposing point of view to Hamlet†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s inaction. Hazlitt views Hamlet as follows: ‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœHe seems incapable of deliberate action†¦ when he is most bound to act, he remains puzzled, undecided, and skeptical, dallies with his purposes, till the occasion is lost†¦ for this reason he refuses to kill the King when he is at prayers, and by a refinement in malice, which is in truth only an excuse for his own want of resolution, defers his revenge to a more fatal opportunity'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ (‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœOn Hamlet†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Power of Action'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ 26). Hazlitt believes that Hamlet†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s inaction is partly due to his cowardice. Hamlet himself indicates this in his soliloquy in act IV, scene iv, lines 41-46 that although he has all the reasons in the world to murder, he cannot seem to commit himself to the action. As T. McAlindon phrases it, ‘†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœthe great hole in the middle of the play is the unwritten soliloquy in which Hamlet weighs the rights and wrongs of private revenge and identifies the cause of his delay. Hamlet†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s failure to do this testifies to the depth of his confusion'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ (‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœOn Love in Hamlet'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ 65). McAlindon reasons that his inability to act is a combination of his cowardice and his hesitation of what to do in the situation. Goethe says, quite harshly, that Hamlet lacks, ‘†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœthe strength of nerve which forms a hero'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ (‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœOn William Meister and Hamlet'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ 24). Critic August Wilhelm von Schlegel goes as far as to say that of the few times that Hamlet did act out, it wasn†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ t because he was brave. When he, ‘†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœsucceeded in getting rid of his enemies, [it was] more through necessity and accident†¦ than by the merit of his own courage, as he himself confesses after the murder of Polonius, and with respect to  Rosencrantz and Guildenstern'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ (‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœOn Hamlet†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Flaws'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ 36). Harold Goddard takes a different viewpoint concerning the spur-of-the moment killings of Polonius, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern. Goddard likens Hamlet†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s choices to a tug of war: ‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœIf two forces pulling a body in opposite directions are unequal, the body will move in response to the preponderant force. If the two are nearly equal, but alternately gain slight ascendancy, it will remain unmoved except for corresponding vibrations'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ (‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœHamlet: His Own Falstaff'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ 20). Those â€Å"‘†corresponding vibrations†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬  he speaks of are the instances in which Hamlet finally takes action. Harry Levin carries a similar opinion, arguing that Hamlet, ‘†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœdeliberates between rival options: either to revenge or not to revenge, whether a visitant comes from heaven or hell'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ (‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœInterrogation, Doubt, Irony'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ 51). Levin implies that H amlet†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s delay is due more to his mental deliberation and doubt than to cowardice. The mental deliberation, which Levin and Goddard speak of, is due to the high intellect that Hamlet possesses. Goddard, believing that Hamlet is a born intellect, considers in this extreme example that having him play the role of avenger, ‘†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœis almost as if Jesus had been asked to play the role of Napoleon†¦'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ (‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœHamlet: His Own Falstaff'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ 12). In one of the most famous analyzations of Hamlet, Friedrich Nietzsche compares Hamlet to a Dionysian man: ‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœKnowledge kills action; actions requires the veils of illusion: that is the doctrine of Hamlet, not that cheap wisdom of Jack the Dreamer who reflects too much and, as it were, from an excess of possibilities does not get around to action. Not reflection, no-true knowledge, an insight into the horrible truth, outweighs any motive of action, both in Hamlet and in the Dionysian man'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ (‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœOn Hamlet as the Dionysian Man'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ 40). Hamlet†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s intellect has also been used negatively as a reason for his deterrence in action. Lawrence Danson believes that Hamlet does not feel satisfied to kill Claudius at any time; Hamlet must kill in a moment with poetic justice and beauty. Hamlet wishes to commit the murder in all  perfection, ‘†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœand because he cannot have his revenge perfect, according to the most refined idea his wish can form, he declines it altogether'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ (‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœOn Hamlet†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Power of Action'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ 26). In the final murder, ‘†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœas the overdetermined image of Pyrrhus in the Player†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s speech suggests, avenger and victim must finally become one. Hamlet dies, and his death, the necessary end of this tragedy, enables his expressive gesture'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ (‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœTragic Alphabet'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ 85). Another negative view on Hamlet†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s intellect and delay is that he is a dreamer who cannot relate to the real world. C.S. Lewis borrows from one of Hamlet†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s soliloquies as he describes the picture the reader perceives of Hamlet as, ‘†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœa dull and muddy-mettled rascal, a John-a-dreams, somehow unable to move while ultimate dishonor is done him'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ (‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœOn Hamlet†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Soliloquies'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ 50). Samuel Taylor Coleridge reasons that the cause for Hamlet†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s inability to move is that his balance between the world of the mind and the real world are disturbed. As a cause, ‘†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ[he] delays actions till action is of no use, and dies the victim of mere circumstance and accident'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ (‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœOn Hamlet†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Intellectualism'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ 38-39). His inability to deal with the real world make the situation presented to him (revenge of his father†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s murder) almost too great for his mind. Oscar Wilde describes the situation as follows: ‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœHe is a dreamer, and he is called upon to act. He has the nature of the poet and he is asked to grapple with the common complexities of cause and effect, with life in its practical realization, of which he knows nothing, not with life in its ideal essence, of which he knows much'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ (‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœOn Rosencrantz and Guildenstern'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ 41). Many critics follow Wilde†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s belief that Hamlet was unfit for the task of revenge. However, other experts attribute his inadequacy in the part of avenger not to a habit of dreaming but rather to his lack of a violent nature. To Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Hamlet, with a ‘†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœsoul unfit'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ for the deed, is like, ‘†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœan oak-tree planted in a costly jar, which should have borne only pleasant flowers in its bosom; [but regrettably] the roots expand, [and] the jar is shivered'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ (‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœOn William Meister and Hamlet'†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ‚  24). Northrop Frye expresses that Hamlet must clear his mind over everything he is accustomed to – ‘†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœthought and feeling and observation and awareness'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ – and focus, ‘†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœsolely on hatred and revenge, a violent alteration of his natural mental habits'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ in order to commit the act of revenge (‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœThe Tragedy of Order'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ 131). Best said according to this school of criticism, Hamlet is in itself the story of an ‘†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœintelligent man and the uncongenial role- that of avenger- that fate calls upon him to play'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ (Rosenblum 117). An important consideration in the examination of Hamlet†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s procrastination is his own recognition of it. In act II, scene ii, lines 599-602, Hamlet proclaims: ‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœWhy, what an ass am I! This is most brave, / That I, the son of a dear father murdered, / Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell, / Must (like a whore) unpack my heart with words†¦'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ Earlier in this same soliloquy, Hamlet asks, ‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœWhat would [Hecuba] do, / Had he the motive and the cue for passion / That I have?'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ (II.ii.574-576). Curtis Perry, of Harvard University, stresses that the use of the words ‘†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœprompted'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ and ‘†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœcue'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ in the same speech imply that Hamlet feels as though he is only an actor preparing for a role; he feels he ‘†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœlacks the passion to commit a rash murder'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ (‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœThematic and Structural Analysis'†Ã¢â‚¬Ë œ 18). He is disgusted that the players (actors) could create more passion ‘†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœall for nothing'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ (II.ii.571) than he can for the revenge of his father. Hamlet has a similar self-confrontation in his fourth soliloquy in act IV, scene iv: in these scene, he encounters the captain of Fortinbras†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬  army marching to battle over a, ‘†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœlittle patch of ground / That hath in it no profit but the name'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ (IV.iv.18-19). He is amazed over the willingness of these soldiers to die in the pursuit of honor in contrast to his own ‘†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœdull revenge'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ (IV.iv.33). He commits himself to pursue only bloody thoughts and to no longer delay in his father†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s revenge. Perhaps one of the most widely debated reasons that critics have attributed to Hamlet†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s delay is Sigmund Freud†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s controversial Oedipus Complex. In this school of criticism and psychology, ever son has strong repressed sexual feelings towards his own mother. According to Freud: ‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœHamlet is able to do anything- except take vengeance on the man who did away with his father and took that father†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s place with his mother, the man who shows him the repressed wishes of his own childhood realized. Thus the loathing which should drive him on to revenge is replaced in him by self-reproaches, by scruples of conscience, which remind him that he himself is literally no better than the sinner whom he is to punish'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ (‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœOn Hamlet and His Father'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ 44). Harold Bloom, stands in stark disagreement to Freud†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s beliefs. Bloom believes that, ‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœThe Hamlet Complex is not incestuous but†¦[instead] theatrical'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ (54). A school of thought not often considered is why the reader feels he must obey his father. Harold Goddard believes that in all of us there is, ‘†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœstored up within ourselves so many unrequited wrongs and injuries, forgotten and unforgotten†¦ that we like nothing better than to rid ourselves of a little of the accumulation by projecting it†¦ on the defenseless puppets of the dramatic imagination'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ (‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœHamlet: His Own Falstaff'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ 13). Cedric Watts stresses perhaps the most important belief in the analysis of Hamlet: ‘†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœthere is no master-Hamlet to be discovered by poring over the text, and we don†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ t need such a discovery'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ (‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœOn the Many Interpretations of Hamlet'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ 63). Watts stresses that Hamlet was written not to be interpreted in one sole fashion, but to be interpreted in a multitude of different ways. The joy in trying to read Hamlet and analyze the reasons for his procrastination lay in the fact that, ‘†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœif we fail to seek what it never surrenders, we fail to enjoy what it renders'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ (‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœOn the Many Interpretations of Hamlet'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ 63). —- BIBLIOGRAPHY (format is weird b/c I didn’t know how to cite a certain book that contained a collection of seperate essays) BIBLIOGRAPHY Bloom, Harold. Hamlet: Poem Unlimited. New York: Riverhead Books, 2003. Bloom, Harold. Modern Critical Views: William Shakespeare- The Tragedies. Philadelphia, PA: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. Coleridge, Samuel Taylor. ‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœOn Hamlet†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Intellectualism.'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ William Shakespeare†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Hamlet: Bloom†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Notes, 1996 ed. Danson, Lawrence. ‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœTragic Alphabet.'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ Modern Critical Interpretations: William Shakespeare†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Hamlet. 1986 ed. Freud, Sigmund. ‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœOn Hamlet and His Father.'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ William Shakespeare†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Hamlet: Bloom†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Notes, 1996 ed. Frye, Northrop. ‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœThe Tragedy of Order.'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ Modern Critical Views: William Shakespeare- The Tragedies. 1986 ed. Goddard, Harold. ‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœHamlet: His Own Falstaff.'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ Modern Critical Interpretations: William Shakespeare†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Hamlet. 1986 ed. Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von. ‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœOn William Meister and Hamlet.'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ Bloom†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Major Dramatists: Shakespeare†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Tragedies. 2000 ed. Hazlitt, William. ‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœOn Hamlet†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Power of Action.'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ Bloom†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Major Dramatists: Shakespeare†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Tragedies. 2000 ed. Levin, Harry. ‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœInterrogation, Doubt, Irony.'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ Modern Critical Views: William Shakespeare- The Tragedies. 1986 ed. Lewis, C.S. ‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœOn Hamlet†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Soliloquies.'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ William Shakespeare†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Hamlet: Bloom†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Notes, 1996 ed. McAlindon, T. ‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœOn Love in Hamlet.'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ William Shakespeare†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Hamlet: Bloom†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Notes, 1996 ed. Nietzsche, Friedrich. ‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœOn Hamlet as the Dionysian Man.'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ William Shakespeare†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Hamlet: Bloom†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Notes, 1996 ed. Perry, Curtis. ‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœThematic and Structural Analysis.'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ William Shakespeare†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Hamlet: Bloom†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Notes, 1996 ed. Rosenblum, Joseph. A Reader†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Guide to Shakespeare. New York: Barnes and Noble Books, 1999. Schlegel, August Wilhelm von. ‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœOn Hamlet†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Flaws.'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ William Shakespeare†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Hamlet: Bloom†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Notes, 1996 ed. Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet: Price of Denmark. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1603. Watts, Cedric. ‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœOn the Many Interpretations of Hamlet.'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ William Shakespeare†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Hamlet: Bloom†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Notes, 1996 ed. Wilde, Oscar. ‘†Ã¢â‚¬ËœOn Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.'†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ William Shakespeare†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Hamlet: Bloom†Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬ s Notes, 1996 ed.

Chapter Review The Epic First Voyage

Chapter Review The Epic First Voyage The chapter under analysis introduces the details of the formation of Vasco da Gama’s first trip to India. It traces the progress of expedition from the African coast to the Cape of Good Hope in late 1497. The focus of the chapter is made on Da Gama’s relations with the indigenous population of South Africa, as well as the difficulties the explorer faced while invading Swahili coast in 1948, particularly the prevalence of the Muslim world.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Chapter Review: The Epic First Voyage specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In particular, Da Gama had to resist the attack of the local sultan on the Portuguese fleet. The final destination of the traveler was Malindi, the place where Da Gama had to gain experience in navigating the fleet to India across the Arabian Sea. While describing the details of the journey, the chapter points out the way the Portuguese fleet under the auspices of Va sco da Gama confronted different cultures, religions, and societies in the pursuit of new scientific and technological discoveries. From the very beginning, the author introduces the detailed description of ships that were chosen for the trip. Specific attention was given to the preparations made by the Bartolommeo Dias who ensured the comfort, seaworthiness, and space for Vasca Da Gama and his crew. The choice of the emblem and flagship was also an important issue for the trip and the chapters provides a detailed account of this process. There are many other preliminary processes and preparations that are described in the chapter to emphasize the essence of da Gama’s readiness to discover new lands and possibility for economic and commercial development in his country. Further deliberations in the chapter are dedicated to the challenges that the Portuguese crew faced while dealing with the Arabian and Indian indigenous population. Within this context, the author describes th e first encounters of da Gama’s crew with African tribes: â€Å"The Khoikhoi had also learned to forge metals, and, beginning about 1300m they had then spread south to the Cape region usually in individual clan organizations numbering in the hundreds that may been part of largely loosely structure political groups† ( Ames 28-29). Although the voyagers were not concerned much with customs and traditions of the indigenous population, they were still involved in cultural interaction through commercial activities. The main objects of trade were honey, spices, copper, and gold. Apart from Khoikhoi, da Gama and his crew also had an interesting experience in establishing relations with Nguni tribes.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Detailed overview of the Da Gama voyages, as well as their encounters with the African tribes, reflects the author’s main themes and t opics examined in the book. In particular, the author attains much importance to the analysis of cultural interaction between the European and the African people. More importantly, the detailed description of their experiences also reveals the reactions and perceptions of the Portuguese people toward alien cultures. A thorough examination of customs and traditions, as well as religious issues, also provides a better picture of how social and economic life developed in Portugal and other countries in fifteenth and sixteenth century. Further details exposed in the chapter are dedicated to the analysis of Muslim world and its religious influence on commercial relations. Trade activities on the Swahili Coast provided the Portuguese travelers with the valuable experience, as well as expanded their knowledge about cultural and religious peculiarities of communication. While establishing favorable relationships with the Arab world, da Gama’s crew was not recognized as supporters of Christianity. On the contrary, most of the Muslims could even believe that the foreigners can have deep knowledge of their religion. In the course of explorations, Vasco da Gama did not only master the art of commerce, but also gained greater awareness of the influence and importance of culture in fostering trade relations. Once again, the author emphasizes these cross-cultural relations standing at the core of the global economic and social development. More importantly, the chapter highlights the impact of Christianity on the development of economic and commercial roots between the Western and Eastern world, as well as da Gama’s contributions to these developments. Further in the chapter, the author attains much importance to the aspects of cordiality and hospitality as the underpinnings for establishing fruitful relations between the two economies. Da Gama, therefore, was a pioneer applying cultural knowledge to enriching practical skills of cultural interaction. To explai n the process of cultural integration, the author refers to the depiction of da Gama’s initiatives in arranging the dinner Arab negotiators. Hence, creating a hospital and friendly atmosphere was the first step in forwarding successful exchange of products. Demonstrating respect for the Muslim religion was another efficient approach that da Gama applied to gain confidence in foreign traders. In particular, the explorer kept the Koran so as to demonstrate respect for religion and culture.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Chapter Review: The Epic First Voyage specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More While managing conflicts, da Gama’s expedition crew proved that trade relations could be based on the principle of expressing both cordiality and power. In fact, the explorers demonstrated that they were able to protect themselves and attack the foreigners. In this respect, the chapter provides an example of da Gamaâ €™s capture of several African Muslims during negotiations to demonstrate their ability to protect and defeat. Thus, although peaceful intentions on the part of da Gama’s crew were obvious, the two sides of commercial debates were on the guard of expressing hostilities. Despite these challenges, the Portuguese merchants ready to avoid critical situations and reach the consensus over the terms of the commodity exchange. Despite the success in managing foreign negotiation, da Gama and his crew faces serious challenges and conflict with the indigenous population in Africa. The experience described in the chapter can also serve as a valuable guide in the modern world of trade and commerce to avoid conflict situations. More importantly, the emerged contradictions also show the situations under which the negotiations were conducted. Understanding the details presented in the chronological order, one can trace valuable patterns of arranging trade and shaping a favorable climate for promoting commercial activities. Highlights from da Gama’s dramatic life provide an extensive overview of trade issues in a broader context. As the explorer conquered new cultural and territorial boundaries, he made more valuable contributions to the evaluation and development of new markets that are still considered in the modern world. Although the chapter exposes a chronological, detailed account of Vasco da Gama’s life, accurate and day-by-day description often prevents the reader from deducing important information about the role of the Portuguese explorations in shaping economic and commercial relations at the international market. Nevertheless, heavy reliance on details allows the readers to understand the evidence-based approach used by the author to render the importance of historic events. While exploring the African territories and India, Vasco da Gama and his people revealed themselves as exceptional seamen, skillful military leaders, and peaceful negot iators. By trials and errors, the Portuguese fleet gained much experience in negotiating with African and Indian indigenous population. Using hospitality and cordiality as the basis for establishing commercial relations, the crew discovered efficient marketing strategies that fostered trade activities and widened the European influence on the Muslim world.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More While confronting the religious issues in the Indian world, da Gama faced less friction with the indigenous population. In particular, the chapter provides an overview of the crew’s experience in communicating with the Indian Christian and analyzing the differences in their perception of religion. In addition, the explorers paid close attention to the role of language in successful interaction and negotiation with both Africans and Indian peoples. In conclusion, it should be stated that the chapter provides a detailed account of the journey of the Portuguese fleet, particularly their experience in facing different cultures, societies and religions. The chapter also focuses on aspects that have a potent impact on the development of fruitful commercial relations in the Muslim world and India. By evaluating the commercial techniques, the author points out the contributions of Vasco da Gama and his crew to the development of international relations, as well as to trade activities between the Western and Easten world. More importantly, the biographical account also fosters readers’ understanding of how commerce has been developing in the course of time. Finally, the overview of the historic journey provides a wider picture of confrontations and conflicts between cultures, as well as how those confrontations were managed by the parties. Ames, Glen. The First Epic Voyage: Preparations and the Coasts of Africa. Vasco da Gama: Renaissance Crusader. Ed. Glen Ames. New York: Pearson, 2004. Print. 17-43

Presidents Elected Without Winning the Popular Vote

Presidents Elected Without Winning the Popular Vote Five U.S. presidents have taken office without winning the popular vote. In other words, they did not receive a plurality regarding the popular vote. They were elected, instead, by the Electoral College- or in the case of John Quincy Adams, by the House of Representatives after a tie in the electoral votes. They were: Donald J. Trump, who lost by 2.9 million votes to Hillary Clinton in the  2016 election.George W. Bush,  who lost by 543,816 votes to Al Gore in the  2000 election.Benjamin Harrison,  who lost by 95,713 votes to  Grover Cleveland  in 1888.Rutherford B. Hayes, who lost by 264,292 votes to Samuel J. Tilden in 1876.John Quincy Adams,  who lost by 44,804 votes to  Andrew Jackson  in 1824. Popular vs. Electoral Votes Presidential elections in the United States are not popular vote contests. The writers of the Constitution configured the process so that only the members of the House of Representatives would be elected by popular vote. The Senators were to be selected by state legislatures, and the president would be selected by the Electoral College. The Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution was ratified in 1913, making the election of senators to occur through popular vote. However, presidential elections still operate under the electoral system. The Electoral College is made up of representatives who are generally selected by the political parties at their state conventions. Most states except Nebraska and Maine follow a winner-take-all principle of electoral votes, meaning that whichever partys candidate wins a states popular vote for the presidency will win all of that states electoral votes. The minimum electoral votes a state can have is three, the sum of a states senators plus representatives: California has the most, with 55. The Twenty-Third Amendment gave the District of Columbia three electoral votes; it has neither senators nor representatives in Congress. Since states vary in population and many popular votes for different candidates can be quite close within an individual state, it makes sense that a candidate might win the popular vote across the entire United States but not win in the Electoral College. As a specific example, lets say the Electoral College is only made up of two states: Texas and Florida. Texas with its 38 votes goes entirely to a Republican candidate but the popular vote was very close, and the Democratic candidate was behind by a very small margin of only 10,000 votes. In the same year, Florida with its 29 votes goes entirely to the Democratic candidate, yet the margin for the Democratic win was much larger with the popular vote win by over 1 million votes This could result in a Republican win at the Electoral College even though when the votes between the two states are counted together, the Democrats won the popular vote. Calls for Reform In general, it is very rare for a president to win the popular vote yet lose the election. Although this has only happened five times in U.S. History, it has occurred twice in the current century. In 2016, Donald Trump lost the popular election by nearly 3 million votes, about 2% of the total votes cast. Discussion for reform of the Electoral College dates to the first years of the Constitution and has frequently been the topic of scholarly discussion. Defenders of the Electoral College argue that its violations of majority rule are an example of constitutional provisions that require super-majorities to take action. The Electoral College allows a minority to take an action- that is to select a president- and it is the only device of its kind in the Constitution. The primary way to change it is to amend the Constitution. Since the way states count votes can affect who wins and who loses, electoral reform is by its nature political: if a party is in power, the method used to get it there is not likely to be a target of change. Despite the current climate in that Democrats support change while Republicans do not, scholars believe that the situation is only temporarily one that swings towards one party or another: One proposal called the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC) is a sub-national reform to the Electoral College in which states agree to commit their electoral votes, as a unit, to the winner of the aggregate, national vote.  Sixteen states have signed on to date, some of which are Republican-controlled. One major purpose of the Electoral College was to balance the power of the electorate so that votes in states with small populations would not (always) be overpowered by larger-populated states. Bipartisan action is required to make its reformation possible. Sources and Further Reading Bugh, Gary, ed. Electoral College Reform: Challenges and Possibilities. London: Routledge, 2010.Burin, Eric, ed. Picking the President: Understanding the Electoral College. University of North Dakota Digital Press, 2018.Colomer, Josep M. The Strategy and History of Electoral System Choice. The Handbook of Electoral System Choice. Ed. Colomer, Josep M. London: Palgrave Macmillan UK, 2004. 3-78.Goldstein, Joshua H., and David A. Walker. The 2016 Presidential Election Popular-Electoral Vote Difference. Journal of Applied Business and Economics 19.9 (2017).Shaw, Daron R. The Methods Behind the Madness: Presidential Electoral College Strategies, 1988–1996. The Journal of Politics 61.4 (1999): 893-913.Virgin, Sheahan G. Competing Loyalties in Electoral Reform: An Analysis of the U.S. Electoral College. Electoral Studies 49 (2017): 38–48.

Strategic Management in Amazon Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Strategic Management in Amazon - Essay Example In 1995 a company was born called Amazon.com which started out as online bookstore. Amazon.com became very popular in its niche of online books sales due to its large inventory book selection and prices that were below market value. Towards the end of the decade the .com bubble occurred and many e-stores when out of business, only the strongest players survived. Amazon was one of the e-retailers that survived the bubble due to its customer centric approach, great levels of service, low prices and good variety of items. As the 21st came upon us Amazon.com changed its strategic focus and decided to diversify to expand its product selection to other areas outside the typical products at a book store. This report provides an internal and external analysis of Amazon.com during the middle par of the 21st century. It then provides a strategic outlook based on the reality of Amazon in 2008. A SWOT analysis is marketing strategic tools that analysis internal and external factors affecting the operation of a corporation. The strength and weakness variables are used to perform an internal analysis of the company, while the opportunities and threats variables involved and external analysis of the environment (Kotler). One of the biggest strengths Amazon.com has developed over the years is a strong brand identity among consumers worldwide. In its core business division its online bookstore Amazon has a strong reputation for providing value and excellent customer service. The company has able to develop its human capital and organizational knowledge of ecommerce since it entered the market 13 years ago. The company experience has been achieved through a learning curve in which they learned from their mistakes. The firm’s diversification strategy allowed Amazon.com to have the distinction of having the world largest collection of goods and services. Establishing such a wide range of product and service offering increases a company’s changes of

Social Exclusion and the Future of Cities Essay

Social Exclusion and the Future of Cities - Essay Example Dalton et al. (2007) argues that in a society that practices social inclusion, the members have a sense of value and self-worth. Their lives are full of dignity and satisfaction, and they are incorporated in the community systems that define its membership. For example, all people are involved in the community’s social and economic activities, they have an equal right of participating in community politics among other activities. Social inclusion is a significant factor in the mental health of a community. This paper examines the relevance of the concept of â€Å"social inclusion† for social work practice with adults experiencing mental health difficulties. It presents a narrative of the background and origin of social inclusion, the theories of social inclusion as well as policies that enhance the practice. Social inclusion emerged in the background of value based interventions towards maintaining clear goals regarding improvements of public welfare. Denissen et al. (2008) argues that it is a practical human development approach to facilitate social welfare that is focused on elimination of risks and barriers to social inclusion. The foundation of the strategies for social inclusion remain inclined towards recognizing and appreciating diversity as well as recognizing the shared experiences and ambitions for different people.