Liberal States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Liberal States - Essay Example Liberalism is a political doctrine that believes protection of freedom of citizens of any country is the main problem of a government and generally advocates for equality among all citizens. In liberal states, the support of ideas such as freedom of religion, freedom of press, fair and transparent elections and other civil rights is usually very common since the people are normally aware of their rights. Liberal states though they exhibit some variations in some political ideologies they usually exhibit a common belief on the fight for freedom and rights of their citizens. Liberalism carries a sense of international sense of prudence, which enables them to restrain from fighting with one another since they have the same system of international relations and ideologies. This kind of self-restriction among the liberal states has enabled many such states not to engage in wars since it does not seem logical for them to engage in any form of fighting and if agitated to do so they have the ability to restrain from the urge (Sandel 175). However, this sense of prudence only seems to be practical among liberal states only since when non-liberal states attack the liberal ones it has usually resulted in war. The reason advocated by the liberal states for their act of intolerance to their non-liberal counterparts is that it is prudent to attack since they are defending themselves.

Existentialism in Mersault Essay Example for Free

Existentialism in Mersault Essay Albert Camus was a French writer who is also a existentialism philosopher. He contributes to the development of the philosophy of existentialism, although he refused to be associated with any ideology. His philosophical thoughts contained in his writings. Camus delivers it by creating fictional characters and dramatic events, not only in the form of thought and analysis. The idea of absurdity, or things contrary to the common view, and his paradoxically thoughts contained in his works which one them is seen in his work this novel entitle The Outsider. Meursault as the main character in the novel is described as a man who make the sense of his life in his own view. He felt that the life he lived is normal although people around him think that he is different. This is seen when she was confronted by the news of his mothers death. He was just responding to it as a natural that every human being in the world must be both experiencing life and death later on, today, tomorrow, or whenever it was. In the funeral, he shows the attitude indifferent as not wanting to see his mothers corpse, cry to her, or shows a deep grief to the attendants. Because he said, he had no reason to be sad or mourn his mother, because once again he considers this is a natural. This is seen in the quote below. Mother died today. Or maybe yesterday, I don’t know. I had a telegram from the home: ‘Mother passed away. Funeral tomorrow. Yours sincerely. ’ That doesn’t mean anything. It may have been yesterday. Camus (1982: 3) Not only on her mothers funeral, he is indifferent, but also to live a life he is very flat and unemotional. However, behind it there is the nature of honesty in him. This is evident because in every action and word he just saying what is on his mind without exaggerating or saying unnecessary. As well as Marie, her girlfriend asks him to marry her, she just say yes, but when he asked again he replied that it was not important, and if Marie wants him to marry her he would marry her. She then wanted to know if I loved her. I replied as I had done once already, that it didn’t mean anything but that I probably didn’t. ‘ Why marry me then? ’ she said. I explained to her that it really didn’t matter and that if she wanted to, we could get married. Anyway, she was the one who was asking me and I was simply saying yes. Camus (1982: 39) For Meursault he lives in this world with his own will without having to think or follow the rules set in the environment. He lived his life like what he wants without having to regret. As he revealed about a his crime that killing an Arab. While in prison he refused to hire a lawyer to help him resolve the case, but he finally agreed to use a lawyer who has been appointed by the prison authorities. He does this because he thinks he does not need defense from other people on what he has done. The lawyer had been made upset by Mersault because Meursault does not want to assert a defense or try to provide evidence to alleviate his crime. As an explanation of the existentialism humanism earlier, that no regulator or legislator but himself. Accordingly himself that he must decide for himself anyway by looking outside itself a goal of self-liberation to this man can Realize himself as truly human. In the novel Meursault refuses anyone governing what he should do and assumptions that he are wrong. He said no one or anything else that can be a regulator or legislator could influence it. He just lived his life according to his own views in giving meaning in his life and he never regretted anything he has done even though he himself did not think that what he did was the right thing. This can be seen in the following quotation. Of course, I couldn’t help admitting that he was right. I didn’t much regret what I’d done. Bus I was surprised that he was so furious about it. I’d have like to have explained to him in a friendly way, almost affectionately, that I’d never really been able to regret anything. Camus (1982: 93) He determined by the death sentence by a judge because of his indifferent of her mother’s death. The judge explain that a few days later he instead has a date with Marie and watch a funny movie with her, befriends and involves in his neighbor named Raymond revenge to Raymonds mistress, and goes on a beach vacation with both, Meursault passes tragic life as if nothing has happened. While his waiting to the day of his death sentence we can see what the true essence of life in Meursault’s view, in the rage of his thought in prison. It does not mean that he is not afraid of death, but he deals it with his own. Several times he refused to meet with the chaplain, because he thought it just wastes his time that just few remains to talk about things that are not meant for him. Meursault is told in this novel as one who does not believe in God or atheism. According to him, how he lived or what the purpose of life is determined by himself without the involvement from other people. It seen in quote below. From the depths of my future, throughout the whole of this absurd life I’d been leading, I’d felt a vague breath drifting towards me across all years that were still to come, and on its way this breath had evened out everything that was then being proposed to me in the equally unreal years I was living through. Camus (1982: 111) As if this great outburst of anger had purged all my ills, killed all my hopes, I looked up the mass of signs and stars in the sky and laid myself open for the first time to benign indifference of the world. And finding it so much like myself, in fact so fraternal, I realized that I’d been happy, and that I was still happy. For the final consummation and for me to feel less alone, my last wish was that there should be a crowd of spectators at my execution and that they should greet me with cries of hatred. Camus (1982: 113) The second quote is the last paragraph in this novel that tells the last time before his execution. In those sentences, that Meursault reveals is evident that he feels happy when he faces death. He thinks that the world is not concerned with human problems and it has similarly with him who was indifferent to the human problems that are not related to him. Thus, he thought that after his death, he will unite with the world and he will not feel lonely. Meursault also said that his life would be more meaningful if his death was witnessed by people who raining him with cried of hatred than if he dies in solitude. He thinks this will be memorized by the people who have witnessed the death. CONCLUSION From the explanation of analysis above it can be conclude that Mersault as the main character of the novel The Outsider is existentialist. It depicted by the author, Albert Camus through Mersault’s says, acts, and thoughts, which describe that Mersault lives his live with his own way and his own view. He argues that in the world there is no one or single thing that can be regulator or legislator, which can influence his life. It is only himself who knows what he should do an how he lives his life in this world. Lives the life in the world is the basic of basic structure of human existence. The conjunction in the words shows that existence of human cannot escape from his world. Impossible that man released from his world and, otherwise, the world may not be released from human who constructed it. There is also no two experiences are identical. Therefore, existence is a privately owned, that existence is not replaceable by anyone. It clearly described in Mersault’s character who is indifferent to the other things that in his opinion those things are does not mean anything to him.

The Role of HBCUs in American Society Essay -- essays research papers

For almost two hundred years, Historically Black Colleges and Universities or HBCUs have played a pivotal role in the education of African-American people, and negro people internationally. These schools have provided the majority of black college graduates at the Graduate and Post-Graduate level; schools such as Hampton University, Morehouse University, Spellman University and Howard University are four universities at the forefront of the advanced education of blacks. For sometime there has been a discussion on whether or not these institutes should remain in existence or if they are just another form of racism. There were also concerning the quality of education provided at these institutions. In my opinion, from the evidence provided in our own world today, HBCUs are very important and significant in the education of black people throughout the nation, and are essential to our society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With regards to the opinion that the existence of HBCUs is in fact, a mellowed form of racism, one must first remember the history behind the origins of HBCUs Many people believe that these institutions have outlived their purpose because we live in a fully integrated society and these institutions stand as hallmarks of segregation. However, by thinking this way is not an analyzing the complete picture because one must bear in mind that HBCUs are old and hallowed institutions of higher learning established in a time when talented, desiring and tenacious Afric...

Describe a Personal Experience Where Your Race or Ethnicity Made a Difference Essay

Race and ethnicity has influenced my life in many ways and up until now I am living with the discriminations that comes with not belonging to a certain group of people. Worldwide racial discrimination race is common and even more common here in the United States. People make choices subconsciously based on the racial group they belong to. Individuals have preference of people of their own ethnicity over people of a different ethnic group. I personally have experienced some sort of racial discrimination and am sure every one else is a victim of racial discrimination just as much as I am. I believe if every student, staff or faculty that will be asked their opinions about racial inequality, they will gladly oppose racism. But some of us consciously and hypocritically practice racial discrimination, which I find really inappropriate. My recent experience was in regards to a scholarship opening recently in the school. This scholarship I believe was sponsored by the staff and faculties of the school to support students who do not get any help from the government and have a good academic standing. I was just done with my classes for the day one evening and was about to leave campus when I received a phone call from a friend who told me about the scholarship. At the time I was with another friend and I told her about it and we both went to the office of the scholarship coordinator for the application. Unfortunately the office was closed. We then decided to come back the next day as early as we could. My friend couldn’t make it the morning and she asked me to get her the application if am able to come in in the morning. I went through the trouble of leaving home real early the next day just so I can go get the application and when I got there around 8:30am, the coordinator was still not there. I decided to wait anticipating she will be coming in by 9:00am, but I waited up until 9:30 and she still didn’t show up. so I decided to leave since I had an exam that day at 10am. I returned again after my exam at 12pm, now she had a note on her door saying she will be in her office at 1pm. I went back to the library to study for my next exam and I made sure I was back at exactly 1pm. She still wasn’t back; I decided to wait a little while at the door. While waiting, she came and I requested for the application and she told me she didn’t have the application and she gave me her card to make an appointment with her to come in for the application and that she cannot meet up until after the 29th which is suppose to be the dead line of the application. Believe it or not, I stupidly left the office thinking that is the same procedure everyone is going to have to go through. An hour later, my friend who is not the same race as the coordinator but looks like she is of her race, went in and was given the application. Some times it is just too heart breaking to know after meeting all the requirements of something, you still do not really meet the requirement just because of your skin color. We talk about how racial discrimination is inappropriate, but we still practice racial favoritism anyways. Like in the case of this scholarship, they could have just written on the requirements, you have to belong to a certain race to qualify, but it is not right to do that. I felt so depressed realizing in the very end that I wasted all my time and energy for nothing because I do not actually meet the real requirements. I do not belong to the ideal racial group. I believe day in and day out; other students just like me have to deal with situations like this. Base on this experience and some other experiences from my pass, my race and ethnicity had influence the kind of choices I make. If we continue making choices to satisfy our selves by making preference of people of our type rather than the qualified people, it will be hard to make progresses. I believe every one deserve equal opportunities regardless of their race and that is the only way we as individuals and the community on a whole can be well developed and successful.

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations Essay

â€Å"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.† Matthew 28.14. What does this command of Jesus mean? Thomas Kee 9/10 In today’s society people can make others into disciples without realising it. The world relies on a few people to act as examples and model Christians to set an example for others. These are people like Mother Teresa who stepped aside from the normal routine of life to give up theirs to help others. In 1948 Mother Teresa was granted permission to leave her post at the convent and begin a ministry among the sick. In 1952 Mother Teresa opened the Nirmal Hriday (Pure Heart) Home for Dying Destitutes in Calcutta. Subsequently she extended her work to five continents. â€Å"The rich young man† ( Matthew 19:16-30), A wealthy Jew asked Jesus what he needs to do to receive eternal life. Jesus answers him that he needs to obey the commandments. The man then asks him what he needs to do to be perfect. Jesus answered him that he needs to give up everything he owns and to follow Jesus. However, the man refused and walked away sadly. This story is an example of someone who cannot give up all his money to be a true disciple, but people like mother Teresa who give up everything they have to help the sick, poor and those in need. By doing this they help people on the road to discipleship by acting as examples. â€Å"Happy are those who are humble,† You can lead people on the road to discipleship by being a good Christian. You don’t have to preach to them and show off how holy you are, but be kind, generous and helpful and they will learn from you. People can recognize you and learn how to be a good disciple from you, if you do missionary work in another country. If you have the money and time you could go to a poor country and set up a school or a hospital. For some this can be too much, so even small sponsorships or helping the local parish can set an example to others and make them think how they can help. By helping your local church you can set an example, you could help the priest in preparing the sermons or you could read at masses, â€Å"Happy are those who are spiritually poor.† Matthew 5v3 You don’t have to make a great scene, but try to be discreet and people will recognize you. † Those who are ashamed of me I will be ashamed of them on the last day.† By standing up and defending the church against those who oppose it, others will notice you and follow you as an example. Thomas Kee 10/10 There are many people who have taken up the challenge of doing great good; each and every one of them is a great example to the world. â€Å"Happy are those who are prosecuted for doing what God requires.† Terry Waite was a special envoy to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He was a negotiator who was trying to free hostages in Lebanon but was taken hostage himself. For five years he was chained to a tiny cell 23 hours of the day. Throughout this time he didn’t lose his faith † I am not a man who wears his faith on his sleeves, I’ve never believed it is an insurance policy: we don’t live in a just or fair world. If you have faith you can say suffering needn’t destroy, that something good can emerge from it. But faith is there to shape your life, not to give you special protection.† Terry Waite † Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,† This commandment can present a problem in modern day context. Although it is the word of God, people may not be interested in the teachings of Christianity. For It is Gods wish and command that people should preach the word of God. By preaching you are giving others the chance to receive eternal life. There is nothing bad about Christianity, its morals are all good. People are not forced to become Christian, they have the choice. Against You may want to discover Christianity for yourself, you may not want it told to you. Preaching may put people off. It is wrong to force it onto people. In some countries it is illegal to be a practicing Christian. By preaching Christianity in these countries you are encouraging them to break the law. I believe it is a Christian’s duty to go out into the world spreading the teachings of Jesus Christ. However I understand that people will not always welcome Christianity into their lives. It is probably true that actions speak louder than words and by setting an example by being a good Christian is more effective then preaching in spreading the word of God. Bibliography Encarta 99 Class notes The Bible

Pathogenesis of measles virus infection The WritePass Journal

Pathogenesis of measles virus infection Introduction Pathogenesis of measles virus infection IntroductionSymptomsVaccinationSubacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis  ConclusionRelated Introduction Often dismissed in the developed world as a common childhood infection, measles are in fact a worrying contributor to childhood morbidity and mortality worldwide. In the UK alone, approximately 10% of cases result in complications requiring hospitalisation, 1 in 5,000 could be fatal [1]. This is much higher for the developing world where infection spreads rapidly in children that are living in close quarters, are malnourished and unable to avail of the vaccine. In 1994, under the national schools vaccination campaign all school children aged 5-16 were offered the mumps-measles-rubella (MMR) vaccine. An uptake of 92% under this campaign resulted in measles being all but eradicated from England and Wales [2]. Unfortunately a fall in immunisation uptake over the last decade, amid fears of a link between MMR vaccine and autism, now means that the number of susceptible children is such that measles are once again endemic in the UK [3]. Epidemics are prevalent throughout European countries including Italy, Austria Switzerland. Controlling a measles epidemic can be difficult, despite the availability of a safe and effective vaccine, as it is a highly infectious disease that spreads rapidly between susceptible individuals. Infection Spread The measles virus (MV) is single stranded RNA Morbillivirus from the paramyxovirus family that results in an acute infection of respiratory and lymphoid tissues. It is a highly contagious disease transmissible via respiratory droplets that can remain viral on surfaces for up to two hours [1]. Although it’s spread via the respiratory route and symptoms are well established little is actually known of the cellular events underlying the disease. Figure 1: Schematic diagram of measles structure [4] To better understand the process of infection and spread we must take a closer look at the measles virus (MV). MV is single negative-strand enveloped RNA Morbillivirus that contains 15,894 base pairs encoding 8 proteins. As shown in figure 1 hemagglutinin (H) and fusion (F) proteins are transmembrane envelope proteins and as such their primary role is to initiate infection. Antibodies to these proteins may render the virus inactive [4].   The RNA genome is encapsidated by the nucleotide (N) protein forming a ribonucleocapsid complex which acts as the substrate for transcription and regulation [5]. The large protein (L) and phosphoprotein (P) are also associated with the ribonucleocapsid complex and hence replication and transcription.   The matrix protein (M) links the ribonucleocapsid complex to the envelope proteins during virus assembly [6]. There are also two non-structural proteins, C V encoded within the P gene that act as regulators of infection by interacting with cellul ar proteins. As previously mentioned binding of H to susceptible cells is an important instigating step in measles pathogenesis. Three viral receptors for H are identifiable, CD46 a low affinity protein present on all nucleated cells, an undetermined receptor on epithelial cells and SLAM / CD150, a high affinity receptor present on subsets of lymphocytes, thymocytes, macrophages and mature dendritic cells (DCs). SLAM/CD150 is the preferential receptor for wild type strains of MV. Initially it was thought that MV infected respiratory epithelial cells which would in turn infect monocytes resulting in spread of infection to lymphoid tissues. However, this has been found not to be the case as monocytes only express CD46 low affinity receptors. Since then it has been demonstrated in vivo that lymphocytes expressing CD150 recpetors are the primary infected cells during measles in macaques [7]. However lymphocytes are not commonly found at respiratory epithelial cell surfaces hence MV target cells at transmission and throughout pathogenesis of MV are unclear. It is thought that professional antigen presenting cells (APCs) known as dendritic cells may have a dual role in mediating transmission of the measles virus [8]. Although the expected role of DCs is to capture and present MV antigens for degradation, some escape degradation and are actually protected by DCs for transportation to lymphoid tissues. Here they encounter and infect CD150+ lymphocytes allowing replication of the virus. From the primary lymphoid tissue, infected cells enter circulation. Infected peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are evident in the blood 7-9 days after infection [9].   From here the infection spreads to distal lymphoid tissues and to the epithelial and endothelial cells of multiple organs. Less is known about receptors used to infect these cells. There is however a number of cell surface molecules that interact with MV and as such may play an important role in MV pathogenesis, including receptor clustering, fusion, entry, cell-to-cell spread or cytokine production.   These include DC-SIGN, Toll like receptor 2 (TRL2), neurokinin-1 and Fc-ÃŽ ³ receptor II. DC-SIGN (C-type lectin dendritic cell-specific ICAM-3 grabbing non-integrin) for example is credited with binding of MV to DCs. The role of which has been previously described for HIV1 [10] and has been demonstrated in MV infected macaques [7].   TRL2 interacts with H envelope protein to induce interleukin-6 (IL-6) wh ich in turn stimulates the expression of CD150. TLR2 interaction with CD46 also inhibits IL-12 production. Symptoms Measles typically have an incubation period of 7-14 days. During the prodrome period of day 4-7 characteristic clinical symptoms of measles appear which include fever (often 104 °F), cough, conjunctivitis and photophobia. Koplik spots, which are white buccal opposite the first and second upper molars, appear 2-3 days later followed by the maculopapular rash that lasts on average of 3-5 days [11] The rash is a manifestation of the adaptive immune response, and marks the start of viral clearance. Activated T cells and MV specific antibodies are present in circulation at this time and CD4+ and CD8+ cells have infiltrated sites of virus replication. Immunocompetent individuals will be successful in clearing the virus from these sites of replication and confer life long immunity to re-infection. Interestingly, MV appears to have a contradictory effect on the immune system with acute infections predominantly linked to periods of transient immunosuppression, often lasting weeks after the disappearance of characteristic symptoms [8]. It is these periods of immunosuppression that leaves an individual susceptible to many associated secondary complications and ultimately MV related deaths. The risk of complications may increase in densely populated areas, in children infected under the age of two, pregnant women, malnourished individuals particularly those lacking in vitamin A and in individuals who have existing immunodeficiency. Complications include respiratory complications such as bronchopneumonia and giant cell pneumonitis, neurological complications such as acute demyelinating encephalitis, subacute sclerosing panencephalitis and measles inclusion body encephalitis, gastrointestinal complications like diarrhoea or clinical hepatitis and vitamin A deficiency which may manife st as xerophthalmia a leading cause of blindness worldwide [1]. The mechanisms that result in immunosuppression are not clearly understood but a number of methods are hypothesised. For example, there is noted decrease in the numbers of T cells and B cells during the rash which for the most part is attributed to an increase in CD95 mediated and lymphocyte apoptosis [9]. This may contribute to lymphopenia, however lymphocyte numbers generally return to normal as the rash clears. It is also thought that suppression of lymphocyte proliferation may be associated with G1 arrest of the cell cycle after infection with MV [12].   Similarly T-cell proliferation may be suppressed as a result of direct inhibitory signalling by the H and F1-F2 membrane viral complex which when in contact with a cell will delay S phase entry of T cells by several days leading to accumulation of cells in the G0-G1 cell cycle phase [9]. Yet another mechanism of immune suppression is type 2 skewing of CD4+ T-cells. During infection of APCs with MV there is marked decrease in production of IL-12, which plays an important role in T-cell production of type 1 cytokines [12]. Altered CD4+T production leads T cells that fail to proliferate. Immunosuppression is characterised by lymphopenia, defective response to new antigens and a loss in the delayed type hypersensitivity responses to recall antigens. Vaccination A combined live attenuated mumps, measles and rubella (MMR) vaccine is the vaccine of choice against measles in more the 90 different countries worldwide. [13] Since its introduction in the 1970s the MMR vaccine has proven its capability to eliminate its target diseases from a number of countries. Following a national vaccination programme it was reported in 1996 that measles had all but been eradicated from the UK [2]. The US had similar success prior to this in 1993 [13] as did many other countries. Numerous strains of the MMR vaccine are produced worldwide, many of which are derived from the Edmonston strain [14]. Four non Edmonston strains including Leningrad 16, Shanghai-191, CAM-70 and TD-97 are also in use [13]. The virus is generally cultured in chick embryo cells. Most vaccines also include a small dose of antibiotic. A number of combinations of these virus, mumps virus and rubella virus are used to produce a commercial MMR vaccine. There are five commonly used MMR vaccines on the market today including M-M-R by Merck, Morupar by Chiran, Priorix by Glaxo-Smith Klein, Trimovax by Pasteur Merieux Serums and Triviraten Berna. Current US guidelines regarding vaccination with MMR recommend first dose at 12 months and a second dose to be administered before the age of 4, leaving at least 28 days between doses [15]. One dose and two dose vaccination strategies have been tried and tested in many countries [16, 17]. Although one dose strategies may achieve as much as 85% efficacy a second dose is essential to achieve eradication. Unfortunately erroneous claims linking the MMR vaccine to autism and Crohn’s disease have led to a decline in uptake of MMR vaccine and as a result countries like the US, Germany, Austria and Italy are once again facing a measles epidemic [18]. Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is an incurable complication of measles virus that presents itself 1-15years following acute MV infection [1]. It is most common in boys who under the age of two become infected with MV and is a far less common when MV infection occurs in adulthood [12]. SSPE occurs at the rate of 10,000-300,000 in acute MV infections. A disease affecting the central nervous system (CNS), SSPE initially presents as subtle cognitive changes, progressing to overt cognitive dysfunction, motor dysfunction, seizures, organ failure and eventual death. Neurons are initially targeted but as the disease progresses infected oligodendrocytes, astrocytes and endothelial cells have also been noted. Histologically it is characterised by cellular inclusion bodies, loss of neurons, inflammation, glial activation and deterioration of the blood brain barrier [12]. High numbers of MV specific antibodies are found in both blood and cerebrospinal fluid of SSPE patients.   Conclusion Little is actually known of how MV may cause SSPE and other associated MV complications. Early studies using brain biopsies of SSPE patients did however show that infected neurons were unable to release budding virus. Since then extensive sequencing of such cells have lead to the conclusion that point mutations of envelope associated genes, namely as H, M, and F, could result in defective protein expression and therefore do not allow infected neurons to complete the viral process [19]. How this impacts on the development of SSPE is unclear. Pathogenesis of measles virus infection Introduction Pathogenesis of measles virus infection IntroductionInfection1. Attachment2. Fusion3. RNA replication and Assembly of viral particles4. Release of virusSpread1. Changes in lymphocyte number and function2. Shift in cytokine profile3. Impaired antigen presentationSymptomsImmunosuppressionVaccinationSubacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE)BibliographyRelated Introduction Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by an enveloped RNA virus of the genus Morbillivirus in the family of Paramyxoviridae (Griffin et al, 1994). It is a major cause of child morbidity and mortality, particularly in developing countries, despite the introduction of attenuated measles virus vaccines which have greatly reduced the incidences since the 1960s (WHO, 2009). The window period of infection for infants lies between the disappearing maternal antibody protection and vaccine administration (Manchester and Rall, 2001). In 2008, 164,000 measles deaths were reported and majority was children under five years old (WHO, 2009). Affected individuals combat measles by generating cell mediated immunity to clear the virus and humoral immunity to provide long-term protection (Manchester and Rall, 2001). However, measles virus (MV) induces immunosuppression during infection and for weeks after recovery, rendering infected individuals susceptible to secondary infections (Griffin et al, 1994). The evidence of immunosuppression caused was first recognized in 1908 when von Pirquet reported that children lost positive skin test for tuberculin antigen during MV infection (von Pirquet, 1908). Research has been carried in vitro and in vivo in order to define the pathogenesis pathways of MV. Immune responses to MV have been described on transgenic mice and cynomolgus monkeys models (Sato et al, 2007) suggesting that multiple potential mechanisms are linked to the virus-induced immunosuppression (Schneider-Schaulies et al, 2002). Infection Measles is transmitted via airborne exposure from coughing and sneezing or close contact with nasal and throat secretions. MV remains active in the air for up to two hours. It enters the body through the respiratory system and spread systemically by infecting lymphoid cells. Infection and spread is a complex process. The structure and proteins of MV are important determinants of virus tropism and pathogenesis (Yanagi et al, 2006). Measles virus consists of a non-segmented single negative-strand RNA genome (16,000 ribonucleotides) with a diameter of 150 to 300 nm. The outer envelope comprises with the inner matrix protein to form a lipid bilayer surrounding the viral genome. It encodes six structural proteins and two nonstructural proteins which are important for attachment of the virus to the host, replication and spreading of the virus in the body (Horikami et al, 1995). Table 1 briefly describes the functions and locations of structural components and Figure 1 illustrates the structure of a measles virus. Table 1: Locations and functions of Measles virus structural proteins Structural proteins    Locations Functions 1. Haemagglutinin(H) Both H and F proteins are surface transmembrane glycoproteins. They project from the lipid bilayer and traverse the internal matrix. Responsible for the initiation of infection. H protein: receptor binding and cell fusion F protein: cell fusion and viral entry. 2. Fusion proteins (F) 3. Nucleoprotein (N) Surround the RNA strand Form a ribonucleocapsid. 4. Phosphoprotein (P) Both P and L proteins are associated with the ribonucleocapsid The ribonucleoprotein complex acts as RNA polymerase and is responsible for RNA replication and transcription. 5. Large polymerase protein (L) 6. Matrix protein (M) Attaches to the inner surface of the envelope Assembly of the viral particles. Virus budding. Adapted from (Yanagi et al, 2006) The nonstructural protein C and V are encoded on the P gene by RNA editing and alternative translation. Patterson et al (2000) showed that C and V proteins functioned as virulence factors in CNS measles infection using YAC-CD46 transgenic mice. In addition, C protein is capable to inhibit viral transcription and enhancing MV particles assembly. These proteins have shown to be involved in inhibition of interferon production (Naniche et al, 2000). The infection process involves four steps: 1. Attachment When measles virus enters the respiratory tract, the initial infection begins with viral attachment to host cellular receptors by the haemagglutinin (H) protein. The most studied receptors are CD46 and signaling lymphocytic activation molecule (SLAM/ CD150) (Ferreira et al, 2010). CD46 is a complement regulatory molecule and is present on all nucleated human cells whereas SLAM is only expressed on thymocytes, mature dendritic cells and T and B lymphocytes (Hsu et al, 2001). Other cell surface proteins such as moesin and substance P receptor were also proposed in MV binding (Kehren et al, 2001). The primary target for early stage infection has not been clearly defined. It was originally thought that respiratory epithelial cells were firstly infected (Griffin, 2001) but following the discovery of SLAM, some studies suggested that SLAM-positive immune cells should be the initial targets (Yanagi et al, 2002). Leonard et al. (2008) suggested the presence of a basolateral epithelial recept or (EpR) is necessary for entry of MV into respiratory epithelium and infection of the epithelial cells is required for shedding and transmission. Figure 1: a) Structure of a measles virus   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   b) Measles virus genome   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   c) Membrane fusion and replication of measles virus in a cell   Take from the wed-site nature.com/nrmicro/journal/v4/n12/box/nrmicro1550_BX1.html (Moss Griffin, 2006) 2. Fusion The interaction of both H and F proteins with human receptors is important for the virus to gain access into the host cell. Fusion (F) protein mediates the fusion of viral envelop with cell membrane. Figure 1 (c) demonstrated the fusion process. When the tetramer H protein binds to its receptor, it generates a conformational change within the F protein which is composed of two subunits F1 and F2 linked by a disulphide bond. The activated F protein inserts the hydrophobic fusion peptide into the target cell membrane and provides entry of the viral genome into the host cell interior (Weidmann et al, 1999). 3. RNA replication and Assembly of viral particles The polymerase allows replication and transcription of the genome within the cell. The negative sense RNA is copied into a complementary positive strand which, in turn, acts as a template for the negative strand. Viral components are translated in the cell and are assembled at the cell surface (Yanagi et al, 2006). 4. Release of virus MV leaves the host cell in a budding form (Yanagi et al, 2006). Spread The viremic spread from the respiratory tract is carried out by infected immune cells including monocytes, dendritic cells, B and T cells which travel through the local lymphatics and are transported to the secondary lymphoid tissue where further viral replication occurs. A secondary viremia occurs when infected cells enter the circulation and viral replication continues in the endothelia and epithelia of other organs including skin, gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidney and central nervous system (Ferreira et al, 2010). A systemic spread is favored by the immunosuppression following infection. Multiple mechanisms are involved in the development of immunosuppression and a brief description below focuses on some of the important pathways. 1. Changes in lymphocyte number and function Lymphopenia of B and T cells during viremic and post-clinical recovery stages is demonstrated by many studies. Bieback et al. (2002) showed that MV can bind to Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 on monocytes, inducing SLAM expression and interleukin-6 (IL-6) production. In addition, binding of SLAM can induce Fas (CD95)-mediated apoptosis of uninfected CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes. The extracellular composition of CD46 is characterized by four short consensus repeat (SCR) and a STP domain. SCRs 2, 3 and 4 are binding regions for C3b and C4b, thereby preventing them from causing autologous complement lysis. The attachment of MV to SCRs 1 and 2 alters the normal signaling pathway resulting in down-regulation of CD46, eventually leading to increased C3b-mediated complement lysis (Manchester and Rall, 2001). MV also inhibits lymphoproliferation by causing cell cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase in dividing lymphocytes (Niewiesk et al, 1999) and interferes with NF-kB signaling pathways and anti-apoptotic B cell lymphoma 3 (Bcl-3) proteins (Bolt Berg, 2002). Furthermore, Nucleoprotein of MV binds to the Fc-gamma receptor on antigen presenting cells and impairs their ability to stimulate T cell proliferation (Hehren et al, 2001). Figure 2 summarized the main pathways leading to immunosuppression. Figure 2: Mechanisms of immunosuppression following measles virus infection Adapted from (Moss et al, 2004) 2. Shift in cytokine profile Early evasion of the innate immune responses is the interference of interferon-alpha/beta signaling pathways (Naniche et al, 2000) due to inhibition of STAT1 and STAT2 phosphorylation by proteins V and C. However, IFN-gamma production is not affected in the acute phase of measles (Takeuchi et al, 2003). Cross-linking of CD46 by MV and direct binding of MV to CD46 on monocytes and dendritic cells inhibit the production of IL-12 (Karp et al, 1996) and hence suppress macrophage activation, T cell proliferation and delayed-type hypersensitivity (Atabani et al, 2001). The loss of IL-12 also decreases type 1 cytokines TNF-alpha and IL-2, leading to transition to type 2 cytokines IL-4, IL-5 and IL-10 by CD4+ T cells (Moss et al, 2002). Th1 to Th2 shift leads to a change of cell-mediated immunity to a dominant humoral immunity which is not sufficient to combat new infections (Kemper et al, 2003). 3. Impaired antigen presentation Dendritic cells are critical for the antigen presentation to naà ¯ve T lymphocyte. MV infected dendritic cells fail to undergo differentiation to become mature effector cells and some of them are susceptible to Fas-mediated apoptosis (Servet-Delprat et al, 2000). Marttila et al (2001) reported that antigen processing of other viruses such as rubella virus and coxsackie B4 virus is compromised in MV-infected human mononuclear cells, suggesting impaired antigen presentation to T cells. Symptoms The clinical presentation is induced by the immune responses. The initial encounter of the virus activates the innate immunity with high levels of IFN-ÃŽ ³ and IL-8 but it is not efficient to clear the virus, leading to rapid multiplication of virus (Sato et al, 2008). Figure 3 illustrates the timeline of viremia and appearance of symptoms. Figure 3: Pathogenesis of measles virus and immune responses of host. Obtained from http://pathmicro.med.sc.edu/mhunt/mump-meas.htm (Hunt, 2008) The early symptoms of measles, listed below, usually appear after an incubation period of 10 to 12 days and last for 2 to 4 days due to inflammatory reactions affecting the respiratory tract and conjunctiva (Griffin, 1995). Fever Malaise Coryza Cough Small white spots in the oral cavity (Koplik’s spots) Conjunctivitis Rash The appearance of maculopapular rash reflects the immune complex formation in the skin. It correlates with viremia and onset of adaptive immune responses. The rash starts on the face and upper back after 14 days of exposure and spreads to the entire body over the next 3 days and finally fades after 5 to 6 days indicating that Cytotoxic T lymphocytes destroy infected host cells and clear the virus. Measles antibodies also appear in the circulation around this time with IgM at day 10 and IgG at day 14. They reduce measles viral load through serum neutralization. IFN-ÃŽ ³ and IL-8 levels decrease at convalescent as cytotoxic T cells decline (Heffernan and Keeling, 2008). Immunosuppression The most important pathologic feature of measles virus is immunosuppression. Most measles-related deaths are caused by secondary bacterial and viral infections. Malnourished children with weakened immune system and vitamin A deficiency are at high risk of developing complications which include blindness, diarrhoea, bronchitis, encephalitis, ear infection and pneumonia. Patients with impaired cell-mediated immunity may not develop the rash and they are susceptible to giant cell pneumonia (Manchester and Rall, 2001) Vaccination There is no antiviral therapy for measles although medications can reduce complications. Vaccination is currently the best method to prevent the disease. The first MV called Edmonston strain was isolated in 1954 on primary human kidney cells and it was subsequently adapted to chicken embryo fibroblasts and become the progenitor for currently used attenuated live vaccines. Composition of vaccines is important to elicit long-term protective immunity but not immunologic reactions and clinically significant immunosuppression. Measles vaccine is now usually given as part of a trivalent combined vaccine, MMR which is also against mumps and rubella (Hilleman, 1999). The World Health Organization has recommended infants should have the first administration of measles vaccine at 9 to 12 months because immunity requires Th1-type response. For countries with high measles transmission, a second dose should be given at age 15 to 18 months (WHO, 2009). Vaccination campaigns are effective in promoting the use of vaccination and reducing measles deaths. Between 2002 and 2008, measles vaccination has significantly reduced 78% of measles deaths from an estimated 733 000 in 2000 to 164 000 in 2008. However, many developing countries, particularly parts of Africa and Asia, still suffer from this preventable infection due to the poor access to vaccinations and lack of facilities to properly store vaccines (Manchester and Rall, 2001). Ohtake et al (2010) has reported a spray drying method was successful to produce heat-stable measles vaccine powders. However, further tests are required to demonstrate the feasibility of these dry vaccines. Molecular epidemiology is a useful tool to monitor measles and genomic study of measles virus can provide insight in the development of new and safe vaccines (Ohtake et al, 2010). The World Health Organization is making an effort to monitor outbreaks and increase immunization coverage and hopefully can ev entually eradicate the virus in the future. Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) SSPE is a fatal disease caused by a persistent infection with a defected form of measles virus in the brain. The common mutated components are the matrix (M), the fusion (F) and the haemagglutinin (H) proteins. Mutations can be point mutations, deletions and biased hypermutations and are mostly found in the M gene (Gutierrez et al, 2010). SSPE has a slow progression and usually develops in an interval of 5 to 10 years after the initial infection. It is very rare. Incidence rate varies between countries but the average is about one per million. Age and sex of infected individuals can affect the frequency of SSPE. Infection before the age of 2 years is associated with higher occurrences and boys are 2 times more likely to acquire SSPE (Gutierrez et al, 2010). The development of SSPE is caused by an imcompleted eradication of MV due to inadequate cell-mediated responses caused by genetic polymorphisms (Yentur et al, 2005) and high level of IL-4 but low levels of IL-12. These cytokines favour humoral response and predispose to viral replication (Hara et al, 2006). MV enters neurons by binding to host receptors CD46 and CD9 using the F protein. It replicates inside the cells and spreads to neighbouring neurons by neurokinins synaptic receptors (Makhortova et al, 2007). In addition, sequence analysis of viral RNA showed that the virus was entered from one point and disseminate throughout the brain. The defective structural envelope proteins assist them to escape from the immune system as the mutated M, F and H proteins failed to assemble and bud out the cells. Thus, the viral particles are not recognized for many years. However, inflammatory responses are finally triggered when the virus damages the host DNA and induces apoptosis (Oldstone et al, 2004). Histological examination of the brain tissue shows evidence of widespread demyelination, infiltration of immune cells and blood brain barrier damage. Glia cells and astrocytes may be activated with increased expression of MHC class II molecules and tumor necrosis factor-ÃŽ ±. Appearance of inclusion bodies in brain tissue is also common (Akram et al, 2008). Patients are often diagnosed based on presentation and clinical findings of electroencephalography, magnetic resonance imaging and CSF serology (Koppel et al, 1996). SSPE has four clinical stages (Table 2) and most patients died within 3 years of diagnosis (Gutierrez et al, 2010). Table 2: Clinical stages of SSPE Stage Clinical manifestations I Personality changes Behaviour abnormalities II Seizures Motor decline III Rigidity Progressive unresponsiveness IV Coma Akinetic mutism (Loss of ability to speak and move) Adpated from Gutierrez et al, 2010 Word count: 2421 excluding references and plagiarism statement. Bibliography Akram M, Naz F, Malik A et al. (2008) Clinical profile of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. J Coll Physicians Surg Pak. 18, 485-488. Atabani SF, Byrnes AA, Jaye A et al. (2001) Natural measles causes prolonged suppression of interleukin-12 production. Journal of Infectious Diseases,184, 1-9. Bolt G Berg KB (2002) Measles virus-induced modulation of host-cell gene expression. Journal of General Virology,83, 1157-1165. Ferreira CSA, Frenzke M, Leonard VHJ et al. (2010) Measles virus infection of alveolar marcrophages and dendritic cells precedes spread to lymphatic organs in transgenic mice expression human signaling lymphocytic activation molecules (SLAM, CD150). Journal of Virology, 84(6), 3033-3042. Griffin DE (1995) Immune responses during measles infection. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol, 191,117-34. Griffin DE, Ward BJ, Esolen LM (1994) Pathogenesis of measles virus infection: an hypothesis for altered immune responses. J infect Dis, 170(Suppl 1), S24-31 Gutierrez J, Issacson RS and Koppel BS (2010) Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis: an update. Developmental Medicine Child Neurology, 52, 901-907. Hara T, Yamashita S, Aiba H et al. (2000) Measles virus-specific T helper 1/T helper 2-cytokine production in subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. J Neuroviral. 6, 121-126. Hau EC, Jorio C, Sarangi F, et al. (2001) CDw 150(SLAM) is a receptor for a lymphotropic strain of measles virus and may account for the immunosuppressive properties of this virus. Virology,279, 9-21. Heffernan JM Keeling MJ. (2008) An in-host model of acute infection: Measles as a case study. Theoretical Population Biology, 73, 134-147. Hilleman MR. (1999) Combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccines. In: Ellis RW, editor. Vacinnes, development, clinical research and approval. Human Press.197-211. Horikami SM, Moyer SA. (1995) Structure, transcription and replication of measles virus. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol, 191, 35-50. Hunt (2008) Microbiology and immunology on-line: Measles (Rubeola) and mumps virus. University of South Carolina. Available at http://pathmicro.med.sc.edu/mhunt/mump-meas.htm (Access 28 February 2011) Karp CL, Wysocka M, Wahl LM et al. (1996) Mechanism of suppression of cell-mediated immunity by measles virus. Science,273, 228-231. Kehren JCMJ, Trescol-Biemont MC, Valentin AEH, et al. (2001) Mechanism of measles virus-induced suppression of inflammatory immune responses. Immunity, 14, 69-79. Kemper C, Chan AC, Green JM et al. (2003) Activation of human CD4+ cells with CD3 and CD46 induces a T-regulatory cell 1 phenotype. Nature,421, 388-392. Koppel BS, Poon TP, Khandji A et al. (1996) Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis and acquire immunodeficiency syndrome: role of electroencephalography and magnetic resonance imaging. J Neuroimaging. 6,122-125. Lenoard VHJ et al. (2008) Measles virus blind to its epithelial cell receptor remains virulent in rhesus monkeys but cannot across the airway epithelium and is not shed. J Clin Invest, 118(7), 2386-2389. Makhortova NR, Askovich P, Patterson CE et al. (2007) Neurokinin-1 enables measles vorus trans-synaptic spread in neurons. Virology. 362, 235-244. Manchester M Rall GF. (2001) Model systems: Transgenic mouse models for measles pathogenesis. Trends in Microbiology, 9(1), 19-23. Marittila J, Hinkkanen A, Ziegler T, et al. (2001) Cell membrane-associated measles virus compoents inhibit antigen processing. Virology, 279, 422-428. Moss WJ Griffin DE (2006) Global measles elimination, Nature Reviews Microbiology, 2(12), 900-908. Available at nature.com/nrmicro/journal/v4/n12/box/nrmicro1550_BX1.html (Accessed 28 February 2011) Moss WJ, Ota MO, Griffin DE. (2004) Measles: immune suppression and immune responses. The international Journal of Biochemistry Cell biology, 36, 1380-1385. Moss WJ, Ryon JJ, Monze M et al. (2002) Differential regulation of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, and IL-10 during measles in Zambian children. Journal of Infectious Diseases, 186, 879-887. Naniche D, Yeh A, Eto D, et al (2000) Evasion of host defenses by measles virus: wild-type measles virus infection interferes with induction of Alpha/Beta interferon production. Journal of Virology, 74(16), 7478-7484. Niewiesk S, Ohnimus H, Schnorr JJ et al. (1999) Measels virus-induced immunosuppression in cotton rats is associated with cell cycle retardation in uninfected lymphocytes. Journal of General Virology, 80, 2023-2029. Ohtake S, Martin RA, Yee L et al. (2009) Heat-stable measles vaccine produced by spray drying. Vaccine, 28, 1275-1284. Oldstone MB, Lewicki H, Thomas D et al. (2004) Measles virus infection in a transgenic model: virus-induced immunosuppression and central nervous system disease. Cell, 98, 629-640. Patterson JB, Thomas D, Lewicki H et al. (2000) V and C proteins of measles virus function as virulence factors in vivo. Virology,287, 80-89. Sato H, Kobune F, Ami Y et al. (2008) Immune responses against measles virus in cynomolgus monkeys. Comparative Immunology, Microbiology Infection Diseases, 31, 25-35. Schneider-Schaulies S, Bieback K, Avota E et al. (2002) Regulation of gene expression in lymphocytes and antigen-presenting cells by measles virus: consequence for immunomodulation. Journal of Molecular Medicine, 80, 73-85. Servet-Delprat C, Vidalain PO, Azocar O et al. (2000) Consequences of Fas-mediated human dendritic cell apoptosis induced by measles virus. Journal of Virology, 74, 4387-4393. Takeuchi K, Kadota S, Takeda M et al (2003) Measle virus V protein blocks interferon (IFN)-alpha/beta but not IFN-gamma signaling by inhibiting STAT1 and STAT2 phosphorylation. Federation of European Biochemical Societies, 545 (2-3), 177-82. Von Pirquet C. (1908) Dasverhalten der kutanen tuberculinreaktion wahrend der masern. Dtsch Med Wochenschr, 30, 1297-1300. Weidmann A, Maisner A, Garten W et al. (1999) Proteolytic cleavage of the fusion protein but not membrane fusion is required for measles virus-induced immunosuppression in vitro. Journal of Virology, 74(4), 1985-1993. World Health Organization (2009) Measles: fact sheet, WHO media center. 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How to Get a Recommendation Letter for Graduate School

How to Get a Recommendation Letter for Graduate School The letter of recommendation is the part of the graduate school application that students stress most over. As with all elements of the application process, your first step is to be sure that you understand what you’re asking for. Learn about letters of recommendation early, well before it is time to apply to graduate school. What Is a Recommendation Letter? A letter of recommendation is a letter written on your behalf, typically from an undergrad faculty member, that recommends you as a good candidate for graduate study. All graduate admissions committees require that letters of recommendation accompany students’ applications. Most require three. How do you do about getting a letter of recommendation, specifically a good letter of recommendation? Prep Work: Develop Relationships with Faculty Begin thinking about letters of recommendation as soon as you think youd like to apply to graduate school because developing the relationships that are the foundation of good letters takes time. In all honesty, the best students seek to get to know professors and get involved regardless of whether they are interested in graduate study simply because its a good learning experience. Also, graduates will always need recommendations for jobs, even if they dont go to graduate school. Seek experiences that will help you develop relationships with faculty that will get you excellent letters and help you learn about your field. Choose Faculty to Write on Your Behalf Carefully choose your letter writers, keeping in mind that admissions committees seek letters from specific types of professionals.  Learn about what qualities to look for in referees and dont fret if youre a nontraditional student or one who seeks entry to graduate school several years after graduating from college. How to Ask Ask for letters appropriately. Be respectful and remember what not to do. Your professor does not have to write you a letter, so do not demand one. Demonstrate respect for your letter writers time by providing him or her with plenty of advance notice. At least a month is preferable (more is better). Less than two weeks is unacceptable (and may be met with a No). Provide referees with the info they need to write a stellar letter, including info about the programs, your interests, and goals. Waive Your Rights to See the Letter Most recommendation forms include a box to check and sign to indicate whether you waive or retain your rights to see the letter. Always waive your rights. Many referees will not write a non-confidential letter. Also, admissions committees will give letters more weight when they are confidential under the assumption that faculty will be more candid when the student cannot read the letter. Its OK to Follow-Up Professors are busy. There are many classes, many students, many meetings, and many letters. Check in a week or two before its due to see if the recommendation has been sent or if they need anything else from you. Follow-up but don’t make a pest out of yourself. Check with the grad program and contact the prof again if it hasnt been received. Give referees lots of time but also check in. Be friendly and dont nag. Afterwards Thank your referees. Writing a letter of recommendation takes careful thought and hard work. Show that you appreciate it with a thank you note. Also, report back to your referees. Tell them about the status of your application and definitely tell them when you are accepted to graduate school. Theyll want to know, trust me!

English words spelled

English Words Spelled with 3-letter /Ä «/ English Words Spelled with 3-letter /Ä «/ English Words Spelled with 3-letter /Ä «/ By Maeve Maddox Among several ways to spell the long i sound in English is the 3-letter combination -igh- as in sight [sÄ «t]. The spelling reflects an earlier pronunciation in which the gh represented a sound made with the soft palate, rather like the ch heard in German ich. The -igh- spelling has persisted in English because it occurs in a small group of high frequency one-syllable words. Its easy to tolerate an apparently difficult spelling when one sees it frequently. Most of the -igh- words end with the /t/ sound and spelling. Exceptions are high, nigh, and sigh, in which igh represents the final sound. The other most common -igh- words are: bright from O.E. beorht, byrht fight from O.E. feohtan flight from O.E. flyht knight from OE cniht, cneoht light from O.E. leï ¿ ¼oht might from O.E. meahte, mihte night from O.E. niht right from O.E. riht sight from O.E. sihth The word delight has come to be grouped with the -igh- words because of association with the word light. Etymologically speaking, delight belongs with sprite and spite. All three words come from the French. delight from Old French delit, deleit, from delitier, deleitier sprite from Old French esprit spite shortened from despite which comes from Old French despit In the 16th century, sprite was often spelled spright and spite was spelled spight. Since then, theyve reverted to spellngs closer to their origins, probably because they are not in such frequent use as delight. In case you havent come across the word sprite as anything but a brand name, Ill define it: A sprite is an other-worldly creature, like an elf or a fairy. The word derives from the same source as spirit, but spirit has a more serious connotation than sprite. A sprite plays tricks. 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 Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:When to use "on" and when to use "in"The Possessive ApostropheEspecially vs. Specially

Catalan Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Catalan Literature - Essay Example Roig’s identification of the female as both carrier and purveyor of Catalonian language, traditions, myths, history and nationalism was circumstantially predetermined by the experiences of this quasi-national community during the Franco years. To understand Roig’s works as something other than a feminist treatise and to fully appreciate their complexity, an understanding of the politically history which informed and incited them, is necessary. In brief, throughout the four decades of General Franco’s dictatorship, the Catalan community, as were the Andalusia, Basque and Castilian, was oppressed through the government’s determined efforts to forcibly impose the Spanish culture and language upon all. The Catalan language and culture were outlawed, with the hope being that their de-legitimisation would, over the generations and years, lead to their obliteration. Both, however, were kept alive within the private and feminine space of the home and, both were ke pt alive through the efforts of Catalan’s women. It was, thus, that Catalonian women played a fundamental role, not only in the rescuing of the national culture and historical memory but, in the survival of Catalonia herself. Within the socio-political history which informs Montserrat Roig’s works lays the key to the understanding of her literary productions. Binary oppositions assume political significance, with the private representing the national space and the public symbolising the oppressive dominance of Franco’s Spain; with the private and the feminine representing oppressed and the public and the male symbolising the oppressor. Indeed, as one who lived during Catalonia’s traumatic linguistic and cultural experiences under Franco, Roig’s works can only be fully understood from this perspective and can only be fully appreciated as a product of a literary mind which, itself, had

AGM -an ineffective forum for shareholder democracy Essay

AGM -an ineffective forum for shareholder democracy - Essay Example Corporate governance - an awkward phrase with several definitions among which the simplest and effective is the one that describes corporate governance as a system by which companies are directed and controlled (Committee on the Financial Aspects of Corporate Governance, 1992)1. Corporate Governance supports businesses that are well managed, well directed, and well controlled. Indeed one of the functions of good corporate governance is to help ensure that good management is in place. Nevertheless, some of the most conspicuous failures in recent years have stemmed from a failure of the control function or from poor direction.All systems of corporate governance have to be considered against the social, economic, legal, and political background of the country in which they developed. A study of the relevant laws governing corporations does not reveal enough in any country unless they are understood on the basis of attitudes and patterns of behaviour to make sense of them. Examples are t hat of the company laws of Japan and the UK that are not too dissimilar in structure, but the results are poles apart. When we examine remuneration we find a marked difference in approach between the USA and Germany, where exorbitant share schemes have in the one become common and barely exist in the other. According to Charkham & Simpson (1999) "The impact upon competitiveness appears irrelevant, however other differences tell us that banks play a much larger part in Germany and Japan, not because of any deliberate policy, but because their economies happened to develop in ways in which this occurred and by the same token the stock market has a bigger role in the UK and USA"2 (Charkham & Simpson, 1999, p. 28). Reforms on both sides show that no system is immune to pressure for change, be it domestic or international. One purpose of good corporate governance is to reduce this accident rate, because unnecessary collapse is so damaging to all concerned; and where it occurs in a major company may be catastrophic. Another purpose is to encourage management to seize opportunities, and we can only speculate on how many have not been taken in the UK over the years. Corporate governance as a subject therefore is as broad as life itself, because it touches upon fundamental elements in the economy and society at large. The Role of AGM The reason for considering AGM ineffective might be the choice of a year as the period between company meetings appear a reflection of the world of nature and the tyranny of the seasons, rather than any particular logic dictated by the needs of any organisation that is not subject to them. Shareholders recognised this in the political world by having elections at various intervals and, even the UK has itself varied and to this day does not have a uniform period between elections for all levels of government. This means AGM does not support shareholders in terms of democratic elections and as far as companies are concerned, there is no particular reason, especially in these days of overflowing information, why the annual AGM cycle should be a year long. Sometimes it might be a half-year, or a quarter, for that matter eighteen months or two years, there is no particular timings for conducting regular elections. On the other hand taxation has a bearing on the choice of period and most governments raise taxes on an annual cycle but even this is not necessarily immutable and the accounting period does not have to be twelve months either; indeed

Television Commercials Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Television Commercials - Essay Example It is hard to argue with the belief that television commercials have a compelling effect on us. To best check this assumption, the cultivation theory is applied to discover the effects of television commercials on the attitudes and behaviors of the general public. According to Das, â€Å"Cultivation theory suggests that consumers’ perceptions of social reality are heavily influenced by how they see themselves and others portrayed in the media. Many researchers are of the opinion that television ads present idealized images of appropriate behaviors and roles for men and women, making television advertising an important factor in developing notions of what appropriate behaviors and roles are for each sex† (2011:208). Among mass media, television is the most widely used form of advertising, and the influence of television on the average American’s behavior and role are immense. We are repeatedly exposed to this influence, and we absorb it subconsciously and become naturalized with it. In many commercials, there is a large and consistent difference in the way men and women are portrayed. As observed by Water, â€Å"Women in commercials were typically portrayed as deficient in credibility, product users but not product authorities, most often situated in domestic locations, having no occupation except homemaker, and demonstrating a dependent role. This is in contrast with men, who were typically portrayed as credible, product authorities, and situated outdoors. Also, men were perceived to be powerful and thrived in independent roles† (2006:17). The role of gender application is imbalanced, with the female gender being represented in an inferior manner compared to their male counterparts; one is being served and is strong and independent, while the other is serving, and is weak and dependent.

Applied Business Research and Statistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Applied Business Research and Statistics - Essay Example But he realized that managers can select their favorite subordinates which can make the sample biased. So he put the id and name of each employee in excel sheet and created one extra corresponding column for each employee id which is filled by executing the function of random number. Then, selecting the top ten results after sorting the random numbers gives him unbiased sample. In above example, population could have been taken participation from each employee i.e. data is collected from each member of population. But the sample has been chosen as representative of population to draw the conclusion. Hence, the difference between results of two scenarios is evaluated by sampling error. Sampling error can be zero in some of the cases. If we have to take the opinions of all the engineers in above case, and sample takes the true proportion of 100% engineer. It can be stated in other way as if the sampling error is zero then the population is uniform or perfect representative sample of population is taken for research purpose. Let us take an example of nation which is combined unit of states. We can choose the random samples of states which can be further divided into smaller units like city from selected states. These cities can be clustered into smaller areas for observation. Researchers can define his pattern of selecting the sample data until data condition of observation is fully satisfied. 3) It is not possible to study the entire population and accessibility of them is time consuming and difficult For Example, Let us consider the case of preparing a list of all the customers from a chain of hardware stores. It is tedious task. But it is convenient to choose a subset of stores in stage one of cluster sampling which can be used for interviewing the customers from those stores in the second stage of cluster sampling. 34. Information from the American Institute of Insurance indicates the mean amount of life insurance per household in the United States is $110,000. This distribution follows the normal distribution with a standard deviation of $40,000. a. If we select a random sample of 50 households, what is the standard error of the mean b. What is the expected shape of the distribution of the sample mean c. What is the likelihood of selecting a sample with a mean of at least $112,000 d. What is the like

English 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

English 2 - Essay Example If indeed it is found that soccer is a good way to help troubled youths, that fact will provide a major incentive for governments to invest more money in these kinds of recreational activities. This autobiography shows the affect soccer has had on one of the all-time great players. Beckham indicates that soccer kept him on a straight and narrow path. This book is good for background information. This book provides a great deal of information on the professional aspect of soccer. Interviews in it with players indicate that the sport shaped their lives in a positive manner. This is good for background. Another useful biographical book that shows the impact of the game on the life of Pele. This provides insight into how soccer influences young people growing up in the Third World. Examples in this book are useful. Another invaluable look at problems suffered by adolescents. This book discusses disciplined activities such as sports which can help troubled young people. A great deal of insight is provided by the author. Another survey of how troubled youth can be brought into athletic activities at schools. This book provides advice to practitioners and suggest strategies to integrate disaffected teenagers. Sports can be a big part of

UNIT 6 ASSIGNMENT FAMILY AND CHILD WELFARE Research Paper

UNIT 6 ASSIGNMENT FAMILY AND CHILD WELFARE - Research Paper Example Obstacles faced by clients in their bid to access services include poor transport network which hinders movement, lack of necessary facilities such as hospitals, schools and recreational services. Information barrier may hinder the clients from obtaining relevant information from the agencies. Some agencies do not conduct adequate follow-up with the clients thus hindering the effectiveness of the services being offered. There are a number of ways through which client care between different types of agencies can be improved so as to ensure proper delivery of services. One of the ways of improving service delivery is through case coordination which is composed of sharing of information, collaboration as well as communication among the management team, staffs and the clients between agencies involved in service delivery. The approach is composed of initiatives that are geared towards reduction of barriers towards service delivery, direct accessibility and increased linkages between agencies and the clients. Case coordination is makes service delivery to the clients more centered on them as it increases their ability to access service owing to the fact that their points of contact have been greatly improves. The process ensures increased accessibility of the case workers to their clients so that they can quickly deliver their services as well as issuing concrete report on areas that require quick inter vention. Case coordination enables the directors to obtain timely financial reports so that they can guarantee the agencies of continuous funding. The case managers who are charged with the responsibility of managing the agencies will be able to greatly increase their productivity since they will not a lot of administrative roles to play. The stakeholders in the agencies such as the policy-makers, service providers and case managers are charged with the responsibility of developing as well as designing od programs that are aimed

English 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

English 2 - Essay Example If indeed it is found that soccer is a good way to help troubled youths, that fact will provide a major incentive for governments to invest more money in these kinds of recreational activities. This autobiography shows the affect soccer has had on one of the all-time great players. Beckham indicates that soccer kept him on a straight and narrow path. This book is good for background information. This book provides a great deal of information on the professional aspect of soccer. Interviews in it with players indicate that the sport shaped their lives in a positive manner. This is good for background. Another useful biographical book that shows the impact of the game on the life of Pele. This provides insight into how soccer influences young people growing up in the Third World. Examples in this book are useful. Another invaluable look at problems suffered by adolescents. This book discusses disciplined activities such as sports which can help troubled young people. A great deal of insight is provided by the author. Another survey of how troubled youth can be brought into athletic activities at schools. This book provides advice to practitioners and suggest strategies to integrate disaffected teenagers. Sports can be a big part of

Khmer Rouge Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Khmer Rouge - Essay Example   Ã‚  Ã‚   The Khmer Rouge or Red Khmer - a communist party - governed in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979. However, they remained active even after the fall of their regime by engaging in guerrilla fighting against the new government. In other words, they turned into a terrorist group. Although they do not seem to be active right now - they were dropped from the list of foreign terrorist organizations of the Department of State because they "ceased to exist as a viable terrorist organization" (Cronin, 2003) - the time when they were active is too close and, therefore, they cannot be ignored.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Moreover, bearing in mind the genocide that the Khmer Rouge under the leadership of Pol Pot carried out in Cambodia, we should assume that the potential threat from this group implies threat for the lives of many people.   Ã‚     The Khmer Rouge are the perpetrators of the frightful genocide in Cambodia from 1970s. Although the Pol Pot regime (1975-1979) with the killing fields and the horrors of mass destruction is now a thing of the past, the Khmer Rouge seem to never have changed: "There is little sign that the ideology, leadership or social regulations of the Khmer Rouge have change significantly since their bloody reign from 1975 to 1979." (PoKempner, 1995) This conclusion is based on a report by Human Rights Watch, based itself on observations from 1994 to 1995, almost 20 years after the end of the Pol Pot regime.   Ã‚     Such evidence shows that a group with a history like that of the Khmer Rouges has little potential for change. Therefore, we should expect that their disregard for human life has remained the same over the years and any anti terrorist strategy should be developed with regard to that fact.   Ã‚  Ã‚   It is important to identify the specific military tactics of the Khmer Rouge so that we can be prepared for specific responses. Here are a few of the distinguishing characteristics of Khmer Rouge

The Roles of a Citizen in a Democracy Essay Example for Free

The Roles of a Citizen in a Democracy Essay A Democracy is a type of government that is for the people to choose their leaders and to hold their leaders accountable for their policies and their conduct in office. The people are the ones who decide what they want and who they want to represent them, usually by a majority vote. But who exactly are these people? We refer to them as citizens of where ever they are from. We are citizens of the United States of America and we also live in a democracy. As citizens in a democracy we have many rights but also many duties that we have to fulfill such as to actively participate, to use nonviolent pressure to speak our opinions to the government and to follow laws but, to not follow unjust laws. One of the only ways a democracy can work is to have active participation from all the citizens. A reason this is especially important is when we are voting for a governor or president or even just a city mayor. If some people decide that they dont want to vote, then maybe next time some more people will decide not to vote and then next time even more people are not voting, soon enough there are only a few people holding all the votes. This is not what democracy is about. In a democracy, all the citizens are supposed to have a say in everything. When only a few people are voting and only a few people are getting there opinions across then its only a matter of time before they are the ones holding all the power and the citizens who did not say anything before will have no choice. This is why there needs to be active participation from all the citizens in a democracy. If a democracies officials are beginning to stray then it time for the citizens to use their nonviolent protests and actions. Nonviolent actions are simply ways to get your point across with out causing any harm. The Government is much bigger and more powerful than the citizens and if we tried to fight using gun power and other physical means then we would eventually get crushed by the overwhelming forces of the government. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said I must say to you that we have not made a single gain in civil rights without determined legal an d nonviolent pressure(letter from a Birmingham Jail, 1963). He was very true in a sense that nonviolent actions are what has peacefully brought us how far we are today. The government can sometimes become corrupt and it is our duty as a citizen to counter whatever the government is doing with our power of legal and nonviolent pressure. A citizen in a democracy must also follow the laws provided by their government but also they have to not follow the unjust laws. The government officials give laws in order to protect us from other people or even from ourselves. There may come a time however, that we will be handed a law that is very much unjust. How can we tell if a law is just or unjust? Martin Luther King, Jr., said Any law that uplifts human personality is just. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust.(letter from a Birmingham Jail, 1963). When the government put out the segregation statutes, people were saying it was a unjust way to treat other humans. It makes the segregator feel superior and the segregated feel inferior. The citizens decided not to stand this treatment so they began using nonviolent protests and petitions and eventually won out. This example shows that in a democracy it is the citizens voice that must come out and they are really the ones that will make it work. In a democracy a citizen must use nonviolent actions to show their opinions, follow just laws, and actively participate in the government. A democracy is a great way to run a group of people but it will really only work. Although some people say that a democracy is not the way to go, I would have to disagree and say that a democracy can and will work. The citizens in a democracy are really the ones that make it work. Without the citizens doing their responsibilities and using there rights then it will quickly turn into a place where the government controls everything and then they ways of a democracy are lost.

Benefits of Leading a Healthy Lifestyle for Children

Benefits of Leading a Healthy Lifestyle for Children Unit one – Healthy living Healthy Lifestyle Leading a healthy lifestyle has numerous benefits, a few being: disease and chronic illness prevention, injury prevention, increased energy, healthy weight, good mental health and a prolonged life. There are many chronic illnesses and diseases, but below are six of the most common associated with an unhealthy lifestyle and ways in which they can be prevented: Coronary heart disease (CHD): In order to avoid CHD a low-fat, high-fibre diet is recommended, to prevent high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels, two main factors which could cause CHD. Cancer: ‘Through scientific research, we know that our risk actually depends on a combination of our genes, our environment and aspects of our lives, many of which we can control.’ Reference taken from: Cancer research UK website, ‘Can cancer be prevented’ page, updated April 2014. So although genetically we cannot guarantee whether we suffer from cancer or not, this reference suggests there are things we can do to minimise our chances. Not smoking, limited alcohol consumption, staying safe in the sun and leading a healthy lifestyle are just a few. Stroke: In order to reduce the risk of a stroke we should: avoid smoking and second-hand smoke, eat foods low in fat, cholesterol, sodium and added sugars, check blood pressure often and decrease stress levels, where possible. Diabetes: Eating healthily, exercising and maintaining a healthy weight, in both type one and type two diabetes is crucial to ensure the condition is well controlled or for type two diabetes, prevented. High levels of glucose in the blood is the main cause, therefore a healthy lifestyle which is low in sugar, is strongly advised to minimise the condition. Should it not be controlled adequately then many further complications could be experienced. High blood pressure (HBP): There isn’t always an explanation for HBP, however not exercising regularly, being overweight, consuming too much salt in your diet, drinking too much alcohol and having family history of BPHBP are all factors. Suffering from HBP can lead to the risk of suffering from coronary heart disease and a stroke. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): The main cause of this progressive disease is smoking, and usually affects people over 35years of age, who are or have been heavy smokers. So leading a healthy lifestyle and refraining from smoking will significantly reduce the risk. Overall eating healthily, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight and BMI, limiting alcohol consumption and not smoking will ensure the risks of chronic illnesses and diseases is minimised. Family history can sometimes be a major factor when suffering from any chronic illness or disease, it is believed that the above measures can be taken to minimise the symptoms. Eating Healthily Eating healthily is one of the main ways to lead a healthy lifestyle, along with exercise and good wellbeing. Eating healthily is very important, especially for children to ensure they are consuming essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients, in order for their bodies to function and grow well. To make up a nutritionally balanced plate it is important to choose a varied amount of foods from the five food groups listed below: Carbohydrates Protein Fat Fruit and vegetables Sugars A nutritionally balanced plate should be proportioned as the pie chart shows. I have created this pie chart based on information I have read in my study guide and from http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/eatwell-plate.aspx. Information obtained from NHS choices ‘The eatwell plate’ as of June 2014. Carbohydrates make up quite a large section on diagram above, this is because they contain essential nutrients, and in wholegrain varieties, are a good source of fibre, which in turn is essential for effective bowel function. Carbohydrates are foods such as potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and other starchy foods. Meat, fish, beans, eggs, milk, and other dairy products are protein rich foods. Alike carbohydrates, these foods are a great source of essential minerals and vitamins which are necessary for good growth of body cells. Dairy products are a great source of calcium, which helps keep bones and teeth strong, which is essential especially for children whilst they are still growing. Some fat is necessary in our diet, particularly unsaturated fat, as this is a ‘good’ source of fat, because it helps to lower cholesterol levels in our bodies. Unsaturated fat, such as omega 3 is found in: oily fish, nuts and seeds, sunflower and olive oil and avocados. Saturated fats are ‘bad’ as they can cause high cholesterol levels, which built up over time can cause heart disease. However these can still be enjoyed in moderation. Foods high in saturated fat include: fatty cuts of meat, butter, lard, cheese, cream, chocolate, biscuits and cakes. At least five portions of fruit and vegetables should be consumed per person daily, by doing so the risk of suffering from a stroke, heart disease and some types of cancer may be reduced. Also fruit and vegetables are a great source of vitamins, minerals and fibre, therefore helps the digestive tract to work efficiently. Sugar naturally occurs in foods such as fruit and milk, but it’s not these sugars that we need to cut down on – it’s food with added sugar that we need to consume less frequently. Such as sweets, fizzy drinks, cakes, chocolate and biscuits. These foods alike unsaturated fat should be consumed in moderation. Eating too many foods high in sugar can cause weight gain, which in turn can lead to conditions such as heart disease and type-2 diabetes. Activities for young children. There are many activities that can be carried out with young children, which contribute towards a healthy lifestyle. Below I have chosen three that I believe are particularly important and fun! They are favourite activities of the children whom I nanny for. Firstly cooking: the kitchen is the main ‘hub’ of the house, the children’s favourite place to be. Whether the children are old enough to be helping or sat in their highchair watching, I believe children are never too young to be in the kitchen and learning. Every day at least twice a day they will be there offering their help. They enjoy chopping vegetables (with child friendly knives of course), weighing and measuring ingredients, stirring and mixing and even washing up! All of which I believe are some great life skills, that will endeavour that they grow up independent and knowledgeable. Cooking obviously contributes towards a healthy lifestyle when cooking healthy meals and generally the children will eat more when they know what the ingredients are and have helped to prepare it. Secondly Role play: A very enjoyable time for all ages of young children, a chance for a child’s mind to run wild! Imaginative play is a favourite with my nanny family, we could be dressing up and acting out a scene from our favourite book or acting out a real life situation like ‘shops’. The definition of play: ‘When children follow their own ideas and interests, in their own way for their own reasons.’ Reference taken from: http://www.playengland.org.uk/about-us/why-is-play-important.aspx. All types of play have numerous benefits for children, which contribute towards their health and wellbeing. Some of these being: To play better with others and learn to share Enjoyment of childhood and To enhance social, emotional, intellectual and physical development. And thirdly: Physical activities. A trip to our local park is both beneficial for the children and myself. From leaving the house to walk to the park, the children are constantly learning and evaluating situations and there consequences. Firstly by being aware of the space around them (generally the children are on bikes/scooters), and the roads, of which we have to evaluate and discuss a safe crossing time/space. The children benefit from this enormously by learning about spatial awareness, riding/scooting independently on paths and the ‘stop, look and listen’ method when crossing the roads. Then physically they’re benefitting from the exercise to and from the park and the time spent at the park. Most days I aim to get the children to be as active as possible, by encouraging outdoor play, as well as partaking in extracurricular sports/activities that they already attend. I believe these three activities provide children with enough creative, imaginative and physical benefits to contribute towards a healthy lifestyle. Wellbeing for children and their families I believe wellbeing means different things to different people. For me the definition of wellbeing is split into three parts: social and emotional, mental and physical. A child’s wellbeing starts at home, from the very first day they’re born. Maintaining wellbeing in families is imperative for both children and adults. Socially and emotionally I believe it means to be content, happy and loved, not only by yourself but by the people around you. Meaning it is important for a child to feel safe and secure with their family and friends, providing a loving environment, ensuring consistency and keeping to a routine can provide this safety and security. It is important that a child should feel able to express their emotions and concerns with a family member, so I believe it is important to spend quality time with each child individually, to make them feel they have their own opportunity to discuss and show their emotions. Equally it is then important to build a special bond with your child so they feel like they have someone they trust to do this with, being supportive of each other along the way and developing their self-esteem and self-worth. And mental wellbeing, alike social and emotional, means to be happy and living in a way that is good for you and good for others around you. To have good relationships that bring joy, with the people around you. And to feel contentment, enjoyment, confidence and engagement with the world are all aspects of mental wellbeing. To achieve good metal wellbeing you need to connect with the people around you, e.g. your children. Spend time developing and working on these relationships. Teaching your child a new skill such as riding a bike, continue to let them learn and praise and encourage where necessary. Also taking notice and being aware of the present moment can help, taking time to think about the world around you and your feelings and thoughts. Encourage your child to do the same. And finally I believe being active has a huge impact on our metal health. For me personally it’s running, taking 30minutes out of a day to think of nothing but running, helps to clear my head and foc us on what’s important in life. I believe it’s also very beneficial to children as it is adults. And finally physical wellbeing: I believe it means to be healthy, safe, and physically fit. To maintain good physical wellbeing a parent’s role is imperative as a child can’t necessarily ensure they are leading a healthy lifestyle alone. To achieve good physical wellbeing parents should make sure healthy meals are made and that they are encouraging their child to take part in regular physical activity. To maintain a child’s health and safety they should be free from illness, injury and pain. To achieve this regular health checks should be made with the doctor, as well as when an illness/injury may occur. Also keeping a watchful eye to minimise injury is also very important. A child who is in a child care setting, will be evaluated regularly to identify any signs of emotional or social difficulties affecting their wellbeing. If any signs are noticed at home or parents want to be aware of addressing health and wellbeing issues or to discuss any current issues, they can request to attend a workshop which is available to parents, where possible.

Social and Spiritual Energy in Middlemarch :: Eliot Middlemarch Essays

Social and Spiritual Energy in Middlemarch  Ã‚   I do not believe that it is sufficient to say that Middlemarch explores the ways in which social and spiritual energy can be frustrated; it would be more appropriate to say that Middlemarch explores the ways in which social and spiritual energies (ideals if you will) are completely destroyed and perverted. One need only look to Lydgate to see an example of idealism being destroyed by the environment in which it is found. At the start of the novel, we are introduced to the "young, poor and ambitious" and most of all idealistic Doctor Lydgate, who has great plans for the fever hospital in Middlemarch. Throughout the novel, however, we see his plans frustrated by the designs of others, though primarily the hypocritical desires of Nicholas Bulstrode. The second example of the idealism of the young being destroyed by the old is that of Dorothea. This can be seen by her continuing desire to "bear a larger part of the world's misery" or to learn Latin and Greek, both of which are continuall y thwarted by Casaubon, though this ends after his death, with her discovery of his selfish and suspicious nature, by way of the codicil. The character who has their ambitions and ideals brought most obviously low is Lydgate. The earliest example is when he has to make the choice between Fairbrother and Tyke. Both of these characters are rather poor examples of the clergy (Fairbrother because of his gambling, and Tyke because of his rather lazy attitude). Our sympathies are clearly with Fairbrother for a number of reasons; he doesn't gamble because he wants to, but because the wage he receives from running his parish alone is too small to support him and the various members of his family that rely on him. Lydgate has to make the choice between some one he likes as a person (Fairbrother) and someone who he needs help from (Bulstrode). It is clear that Lydgate is very similar to Fairbrother in a number of ways; both are scientists, and both have great hopes for the future. It would therefore seem to be the case that Lydgate would automatically support Fairbrother. However, Bulstrode uses his money and his influence to en sure Tyke's success. Bulstrode is another example of a character that has had his idealism and destroyed, though not by Middlemarch.

Writing: Dependent Clause and Topic Sentence

contents entries found. PART A: INTRODUCTION 1. Rationale for choosing the topic: The ongoing process of regional and global integration in Vietnam has resulted in an increasing demand for English language teaching across the country. Learning English is currently not only an interest but also a practical thing for many people. Learning English means learning four related skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. In teaching and learning English as a foreign language in Vietnam, writing has always received a great deal of attention.This is understandable, English is learnt and taught in non-English environment, therefore writing is not only one of the four language skills that students of English need to acquire but also a means of further study. Carrell (1981) stated that â€Å"For many students, writing is by far the most important of the four skills in a second language, particularly in English as a second or foreign language† (p. 1). Writing in general is one of th e most important skills for English learners, and academic writing in particular plays key role in helping learners to master the language.Learners of English language need to know how to write academically through the way they answer questions, discuss subjects or report research results. However, academic writing is never ever an easy task because it is the combinations of relation among audience, writer, organization and presentation (according to Swale, 1997). It can be understood that learners should keep in their mind to discover typical questions: â€Å"who are they going to write for? †, â€Å"what is the purpose of writing? † (What are the topic, position and argument? , how is the writing going to be organized and presented? It is also quite important to define â€Å"academic writing† to find which is necessary and sufficient. Academic writing normally starts from words, to phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph, and then essay. This assignment concentrat es on theory of academic paragraph writing including the definition and structure of a paragraph, parts of paragraph, mistakes ESL often make in writing paragraph academically. It is tried to find out and to compare typical non-academic and academic words and phrases using in paragraph writing.As teachers of English, we ourselves think that it is essential to do a research on the topic â€Å"Academic paragraph writing†. 2. Aims and objectives: 2. 1 Aims: This assignment concentrates on theory of academic paragraph writing. Findings will be studied to suggest appropriate instructional support to help learners improve their academic writing skill. 2. 2. Objectives: To be more specific, the objectives of this study are: – to investigate the theory towards academic paragraph writing. – to find out the common mistakes in academic writing to suggest ways to reduce the difficulties and help learners improve their writing skill by giving out example academic words and p hrases It is hoped that the findings from this study will be some benefits to teachers and students in universities. 3. Methodology In order to carry out the writing of this paper, we ourselves have based on the following methods. * The combination of diachronic and synchronic approaches * The teacher’s advice * The book reference In short, it is hoped that the paper will provide an introduction to the ways how to write academic paragraph writing.We are grateful to any comments on the paper. PART B: DEVELOPMENT I/ Theory of paragraph: 1. Definition of a paragraph: It is quite easy for learners to find out what is a paragraph. There are many ways to define this basing on different viewpoints. Followings are some of popular paragraph definitions. A paragraph is: – a distinct section of a piece of writing, usually dealing with a single theme and indicated by a new line, indentation, or numbering (Oxford Advanced learner Dictionary) – is a group of related sentences that discuss one main idea.A paragraph can be as short as one sentence or as long as ten sentences. The number of sentences is unimportant; however, the paragraph should be long enough to develop the main idea clearly. (Writing academic English – Alice Oshima and Alice Hogue – Longman, third edition) – a distinct portion of written or printed matter dealing with a particular idea, usually beginning with an indentation on a new line. It is one of a series of subsections each usually devoted to one idea and each usually marked by the beginning of a new line, indentation, and increases interlinear space. World English dictionary – Collins) It can be shortly understood that a paragraph is one part of a text which express one complete idea. 2. Structure of a paragraph: A paragraph normally includes a topic sentence, supporting sentences and a concluding sentence. The topic sentence states the main idea of the paragraph. It not only names the topic of the para graph, but it also limits the topic to one specific area that can be discussed completely in the space of a single paragraph. Supporting sentences develop the topic sentence.That is, they explain or prove the topic sentence by giving more information about it. The concluding sentence signals the end of the paragraph and leaves the reader with important points to remember. Concluding sentence is customary for stand-alone paragraph. However, paragraphs that are parts of a longer piece of writing usually do not concluding sentences. 2. 1. The topic sentence: 2. 1. 1. What is topic sentence? Topic sentence is the most important sentence in a paragraph which clearly states the topic and the controlling idea of a paragraph, and briefly indicates what the paragraph is going to discuss.For this reason, the topic sentence is a helpful guide to both the writer and the reader. The writer can see what information to include. The reader can see what the paragraph is going to be about and is ther efore better prepared to understand it. 2. 1. 2. Position of topic sentences: The topic sentence is usually the first sentence in a paragraph. It can be placed in other locations depending on writers; however, the beginning of the paragraph seems to be the best spot. One of possible location for the topic sentence is at the end. 2. 1. 3. The two parts of a topic sentenceAs mentioned above, topic sentence has two essential parts: the topic and the controlling idea in which the topic names the subject of the paragraph, the controlling idea limits or controls the topic to a specific area to be discuss in the space of a single paragraph. Here is an example: Delicious foods are easy to prepare. TOPICCONTROLLING IDEA Following notices are expected to somehow help learners write good topic sentence: Firstly, the topic sentence should control or guide the whole paragraph. Topic sentence is good if it meet the readers’ need about what they expect to read in the paragraph.Secondly, a g ood topic sentence is not a general fact that everyone accepts as a true thing. An example illustrating this point can be seen through a bad topic like: â€Å"Libraries have books. † The information in this sentence is true; however, it is a general fact and is not a good choice for a topic sentence. Thirdly, a good topic sentence should be specific. For example, â€Å"Coffee is delicious. † is not a good topic sentence because the information in the sentence is too general. The reader does not know what to expect in the paragraph.The sentence can become better when it is written in a specific way, such as: â€Å"Black coffee has many benefits for your mentality. † However, it is important to know that topic sentence should not be too specific. Finally, a good topic sentence has controlling ideas which guide all the supporting sentences and give readers general expectation about what they are going to read about throughout the paragraph. 2. 2. Supporting sentenc es: 2. 2. 1. What is a good supporting sentence? Supporting sentences explain or prove the topic sentence. Good supporting entences are related to the topic sentence and its controlling ideas. They give information that supports and explains the topic of the paragraph. They answer questions – who? what? when? why? and how? – and give details. 2. 2. 2. Kinds of supporting sentences: There are several different kinds of supporting sentences going as follows with suitable examples: – explain: People move from village to big cities for economic reasons. – describe: They live in a nice house surrounded by fields of flowers. – give reasons: Tom finally drops from school because of bad results. give facts: About five percent of the A town’s population is immigrant. – give examples: Sugar cane and banana grow in South Africa. – define: My mother has a samovar, which is a large cooper tea urn. 2. 3. The concluding sentence: 2. 3. 1. Wha t is concluding sentence? Concluding sentence serves two purposes: – It signals the end of the paragraph. – It leaves the reader with the most important ideas to remember. It can do this in two ways: by summarizing the main points of the paragraph, or by repeating the topic sentence in different words.A paragraph does not always need a concluding sentence. For single paragraphs, especially long ones, a concluding sentence is helpful to the reader because it is a reminder of the important points. However, a concluding sentence is not needed for every paragraph in a multi-paragraph essay. 2. 3. 2. What are good concluding sentences? To come up with the idea of a good concluding sentence, it is necessary for writer to think about some questions: – What is a good concluding sentence? – How do the concluding sentences relate to the topic sentence and to the supporting sentences?The concluding sentence’s job is to bring the paragraph to a logical conclus ion. The paragraph can be brought to an end with some formal signals: Finally, In brief, In conclusion, Indeed, In short, To sum up, All in all, Lastly†¦ It can end with some structures: The evidence suggests that†¦, There can be no doubt that†¦, These examples show that†¦, We can see that†¦ 2. 3. 3. Kinds of concluding sentences There are many different types of concluding sentences: restatement, suggestion, opinion, prediction. Restate the main idea is one of the easiest ways to write concluding sentence. Writers restate the main idea or summarize the main point of the paragraph. †¢ Offer a suggestion, give an opinion, or make a prediction are some of ways to write a concluding sentences, sometimes writers can do a combination of these options. 3. How to write a good paragraph academically? Academic paragraph writing needs good unity and coherence. †¢ Unity: â€Å"A paragraph is a group of sentences which relate to the topic and develop the cont rolling idea.If a sentence does not relate to or develop that idea, it is irrelevant of place and should be omitted. A good paragraph must be unified. †; â€Å"A paragraph has unity when all of its sentences, including the topic sentence support, and conclusion, relate to the same main idea. (Cited from â€Å"Let’s write 2† by Dang Ngoc Huong, 2007) It is clear to see that an important element of a good paragraph is unity. Unity means that a paragraph discusses one and only one main idea from beginning to end.The second part of unity is that every supporting sentence must directly explain or prove the main idea. †¢ Coherence: â€Å"A paragraph must have unity: all its ideas must refer to the topic (as above presented), moreover, another element of a good paragraph is coherence; coherence is an important quality of writing: all the ideas are presented logically and smoothly so that it is easy for the reader to follow the writer’s progression of ideas . In other words, a coherent paragraph contains sentences that are logically ordered and that flow smoothly.In order to achieve coherence of a paragraph, writers can use several ways in writing. † (According to Dang Ngoc Huong, Let’s write 2, 2007) For coherence in writing, the sentences must hold together; that is, the movement from one sentence to the next must be logical and smooth. There must be no sudden jumps. Each sentence should flow smoothly into the next one. There are four ways to achieve coherence: 1. Repeat key nouns. 2. Use consistent pronouns. 3. Use transition signals to link ideas. 4. Arrange ideas in logical order.II/ Findings on academic paragraph writing There are many necessary things to form a good academic writing. English learners sometimes find it difficult to write in English, especially in academic style. It is our try to find out the three common mistakes in paragraph writing: run-on sentence, fragment and parallel structure; and academic equ ivalents of words or phrases to be helpful for learners to write academically. 1. Learners’ common mistakes in paragraph writing: As mentioned in the introduction, writing is always a not-easy task with most of English learners.It is due to the need for combining various skills and background knowledge when they do writing. This part is going to show common mistakes that learners often have in academic writing in general, and in paragraph writing in particular. 1. 1. Run-on sentence: A run-on sentence is a sentence in which two or more independent clauses (i. e. , complete sentences) are joined without appropriate punctuation or conjunction. This is one of the most common mistakes appeared in academic writing. Following are suggested approaches to avoid the error: †¢ Use separate sentences.However, this may disconnect related independent clauses and cause some of the meaning to be lost: o It is nearly half past five. We cannot reach town before dark. †¢ Use a semico lon. This maintains the connection between the clauses while ensuring a pause between the two ideas: o It is nearly half past five; we cannot reach town before dark. †¢ Use a coordinating conjunction. o It is nearly half past five, so we cannot reach town before dark. 1. 2. Fragment: Fragment is a sentence which does not contain a subject or a predicate.A sentence fragment fails to be a sentence in the sense that it cannot stand by itself. It does not contain even one independent clause. There are several reasons why a group of words may seem to act like a sentence but not have the wherewithal to make it as a complete thought. †¢ It may locate something in time and place with a prepositional phrase or a series of such phrases, but it's still lacking a proper subject-verb relationship within an independent clause: †¢ It describes something, but there is no subject-verb relationship: Example: In Japan, during the last war and just before the armistice.This sentence acco mplishes a great deal in terms of placing the reader in time and place, but there is no subject, no verb. Example: Working far into the night in an effort to salvage her little boat. This is a verbal phrase that wants to modify something, the real subject of the sentence (about to come up), probably the she who was working so hard. †¢ It may have most of the makings of a sentence but still be missing an important part of a verb string: Example: Some of the students working in Professor Espinoza's laboratory last semester. It may even have a subject-verb relationship, but it has been subordinated to another idea by a dependent word and so cannot stand by itself: Example: Even though he had the better arguments and was by far the more powerful speaker. This sentence fragment has a subject, he, and two verbs, had and was, but it cannot stand by itself because of the dependent word (subordinating conjunction) even though. We need an independent clause to follow up this dependent cl ause: . . . the more powerful speaker, he lost the case because he didn't understand the jury. 1. 3.Parallel structure: This principle of parallel construction requires that expressions of similar content and function should be outwardly similar. The likeness of form enables the reader to recognize more readily the likeness of content and function. Unskillful writers often violate this principle, from a mistaken belief that they should constantly vary the form of their expressions. It is true that in repeating a statement in order to emphasize it writers may need to vary its form. But apart from this, writers should follow carefully the principle of parallel construction. Faulty Parallelism |Corrected Version | |Formerly, science was taught by the textbook method, while now the |Formerly, science was taught by the textbook method; now it is | |laboratory method is employed. |taught by the laboratory method. | The left-hand version gives the impression that the writer is undecided or timid; he seems unable or afraid to choose one form of expression and hold to it. The right-hand version shows that the writer has at least made his choice and abided by it.By this principle, an article or a preposition applying to all the members of a series must either be used only before the first term or else be repeated before each term. |Faulty Parallelism |Corrected Version | |The French, the Italians, Spanish, and Portuguese |The French, the Italians, the Spanish, and the Portuguese | |In spring, summer, or in winter |In spring, summer, or winter (In spring, in summer, or in winter) |Correlative expressions (both, and; not, but; not only, but also; either, or; first, second, third; and the like) should be followed by the same grammatical construction. Many violations of this rule can be corrected by rearranging the sentence. |Faulty Parallelism |Corrected Version | |It was both a long ceremony and very tedious. |The ceremony was both long and tedious. | |A time not for wo rds, but action |A ime not for words, but for action | |Either you must grant his request or incur his ill will. |You must either grant his request or incur his ill will. | |My objections are, first, the injustice of the measure; second, that |My objections are, first, that the measure is unjust; second, that | |it is unconstitutional. |it is unconstitutional. | When making comparisons, the things which are compared should be couched in parallel structures whenever that is possible and appropriate. Faulty Parallelism |Corrected Version | |My income is smaller than my wife. |My income is smaller than my wife's. | 2. Non-academic words and academic equivalents: It is necessary for learners to use academic words in academic paragraph writing. Because of limited space and time, our group just suggests example words and phrases in their simple form and academic equivalents as below. |Meaning |Simple word |Academic word | |Y tu? g / khai ni? m |idea |Concept / notion | |D? |enough |Suffic ient / adequate | |Phuong phap |way |Approach | |Thu du? c |get |obtain | |K? t qu? result |Consequence / outcomes | |Duy tri / gi? |keep |retain | |mua |buy |Purchase | |Duy nh? t |only |Unique / solely | |C? i thi? n |improve |enhance | |B? d? u |start |commence | |D? doan |predict |anticipate | |T? p trung |focus |concentrate | |Cu? i cung |final |Ultimately / eventually | |D? g |Stop / end / finish |Terminate / cease | |Tri hoan |Postpone / delay |Suspend | |R? i b? |Quit / give up |Abandon | |Ph? n |Part |Portion |PART C: CONCLUSION It is of the importance for English learners to discover definition of a paragraph, paragraph structure (topic sentence, supporting sentences, and concluding sentence) in academic style along with the way of writing paragraph academically. Due to limited space, time and the limitation of writers’ knowledge, this assignment concentrates on theory of paragraph and discovers popular mistakes (run-on sentence, fragment, and parallel structure ) which learners normally make in writing paragraph academically.In addition, it is our try to take example and compare words in both non-academic and academic style with the hope that learners have awareness of using correct writing style. REFERENCES 1. Arnaudet, M. L. & Barrett, M. E. (1984). Approaches to Academic Writing. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. 2. Brook, A. & Grunby, P. (1990). Writing for study purposes: a teacher’s guide to developing individual writing skills. CUP. 3. Campbell D. Better Sentence-Writing in 30 minutes a Day. Career Press 4. Doff, A. (1988). Teaching: a training course for teachers. Cambridge : CUP 5.Fries, C. (1945). Teaching and learning English as a Foreign Language. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. 6. Hennessy, B. (1994). How to write an essay. Plimbridge House. 7. Henry, J. & Pender, J. (1997). English for academic purposes: writing. Toowoomba, Qld: USQ Press for the Centre for Language Learning and Teaching 8. Huong, D. N (200 7). Let’s write: HOU 9. Murray, R. (2003). How to write a thesis. Maidenhead, Berkshire: Open University Press. 10. White, R. & McGovern, D. (1994). Writing. New York: Prentice Hall. 11. Grammar. ccc. commnet. edu/grammar/parallelism. htm