Male Role Models in Childcare Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 8000 words

Male Role Models in Childcare - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that it is expected by the modern society that men will start having a larger role to play in the upbringing of child care and child care.   It is very common nowadays to see the father playing an active role in the upbringing of the child, and in some cases, the father names the major role in child care and upbringing.   Thus it is evident that the reversal of roles is now a reality in a number of households. However, in the scenario of child care centers and professional childcare management, it has been seen that the role of female professionals is much more dominant than their male counterparts. The United Kingdom’s green paper named ‘Meeting the Childcare Challenge’ was published in 1998 and it emphasized the need for more and more major workers in child care management and the prevailing status of child care workers in the child care industry of the UK.   It is often assumed that child care management is a fe male profession predominantly, and there is a strong mindset among a number of people in the UK as well as Europe which prefers a female childcare workforce rather than a male child care workforce.   One of the primary reasons why male child care professionals should be encouraged to work and contribute to this industry is that the male professionals can automatically serve as role models for young boys, especially the boys belonging to those families where the father is not present.

The key steps of the implantation

The key steps of the implantation IMPLANTATION The life journey of a conceptus consists of many stages right from the point of conception to the point of birth which is one of natures wonders. However, an essential stage in this journey is the process of implantation. Implantation is generally defined as an event in which an embryo becomes progressively attached to the wall of the uterus during early pregnancy. This process is pivotal to the events that occur later in pregnancy. According to Makrigiannakis (2005), implantation is an active process in which a blastocyst apposes, attaches and progressively invades into the endometrium to establish the placenta (Figure 5). From this definition, we can deduce that the embryo undergoes the process of implantation at the blastocyst stage (Figure 1). Implantation is a process that occurs in mammals and it takes places in the endometrial lining of the uterus. IMPORTANCE OF IMPLANTATION Implantation is a key event in the reproductive physiology of mammals as it is a pre-requisite for further embryonic development. It is the first stage in the process of placental formation which is in turn is a crucial component of fetal development as it serves as a medium for nutrient absorption, gaseous exchange and waste disposal. Physiological defects in humans and other mammals have gone further to emphasize the importance of the implantation process. Implantation defects have been associated with non-chromosomal early pregnancy loss and infertility (Makrigiannakis, 2005). Many complications that show up late in pregnancy such as pre-eclampsia and preterm labour appear to have originated early in pregnancy with abnormalities in the process of implantation and placental development (Norwitz, 2006). Another implantation defect is a phenomenon known as ectopic pregnancy. In this case, the blastocyst implants outside the uterine cavity usually in the fallopian tubes although ectop ic implantation could also occur in the cervix, abdomen and ovaries. A good understanding of the steps involved in the process of implantation and the factors controlling these steps are necessary in order to be able to influence clinical outcomes in humans such as reduction of recurrent miscarriages and improvement of implantation rates in both natural and assisted reproduction. This will also be beneficial to the use of animals in the area of research and agriculture. A greater detail of the events that take place before and during the process implantation shall be discussed herein. PRE-IMPLANTATION DEVELOPMENT The developmental events that take place between the fertilization of the ovum and the implantation of the blastocyst are important in order to understand the process of implantation. Following fertilization, a process known as cleavage occurs (Figure 1). Cleavage is the mitotic division of the cells of the resulting embryo without any growth. This starts from the time the embryo is at the 2-cell stage and each cell continues to divide up to the morula stage. At this point the embryo is a solid ball of 16 or more cells. In humans, this stage is normally observed at about 4 days after fertilization. In continuation of development, the morula undergoes a process known as compaction. Here, the embryonic cells begin to change shape and gap junctions start to form between adjacent cells. The inner cells of the embryo then start to differentiate from the outer cells as different genes are being expressed in the inner and the outer cells. Blastocyst formation follows shortly after and the i nner cells give rise to the inner cell mass whilst the outer cells give rise to the trophoblast cells (Figure 1). A vast knowledge of the structure of the blastocyst is important as each of its structural components play an important role in the process of implantation. The inner cell mass of a blastocyst gives rise to the embryo proper while the trophoblast gives rise to the fetal component of the placenta (Schoenwolf et al., 2009). The process of implantation is generally known to take place a few days after fertilization and the uterine wall is ready to accept the implanting blastocyst during a limited period of time outside of which it may not optimally support the implantation of the embryo. This period of time is known as the ‘window of implantation (Psychoyos et al., 1995; Klentzeris, 1997). THE BLASTOCYST AND THE UTERUS BEFORE IMPLANTATION In the build up to the implantation process following pre-implantation development, there are a number of necessary events that take place. First of all, there has to be a receptive and hormonally primed uterus present. The uterus is composed of 3 layers namely the endometrium, perimetrium and myometrium (Figure 2). The endometrium which is the most important uterine tissue involved in implantation consists of the luminal epithelium, the stroma and the germinal basalis (Yoon et al., 2004). The hormone progesterone, which is secreted by the corpus luteum, is actively involved here as it makes the already thickened endometrial lining of the uterus more favourable for the implantation of the blastocyst. The thickening of the endometrium is due to the effect of estrogens (Norwitz, 2006). The blastocyst is then transported to the uterus via signalling mechanisms and arrives there at about 5 to 7 days after fertilization (Bischof and Campana, 1996). After the blastocyst arrives in the uter us, it begins to move towards the endometrium with the inner cell mass positioned towards the endometrial lining (Bischof and Campana, 1996). Before any further interaction with the endometrium, the blastocyst must undergo a process known as hatching. This simply involves the blastocyst boring a hole through the zona pellucida with the aid of enzymes and squeezing out. It is a general school of thought that serine proteases are responsible for this process although the mechanisms behind its action are not clearly understood (OSullivan et al., 2002). After hatching, the blastocyst is naked of all its original investments and can interact directly with the endometrium (Schoenwolf et al., 2009). At this time, blastocystis also known to secrete moleculesthat affect the activity of the ovary, fallopian tube and the endometrium (Norwitz, 2006). Shortly before the blastocyst comes in contact with the endometrium, thetrophoblastdifferentiates intotwo different cell masses, which are the inn er cytotrophoblast and the outer syncytiotrophoblast which is formed as a result of the fusion of cytotrophoblast cells. PATTERNS OF IMPLANTATION There are three known patterns of implantation which are centric, eccentric and interstitial (Wimsatt, 1975). Centric implantation occurs when the embryo expands and increases in size before implantation, then stays in the centre of the uterus (Lee and DeMayo, 2004). Examples of animals that undergo this pattern of implantation include rabbits, dogs, cows, pigs, sheep, horses and a number of marsupials. Eccentric implantation occurs when the embryo is small in size and implants inside the endometrium usually taking place on the side of the uterus, opposite to the mesometrium (Lee and DeMayo, 2004). Examples of animals that show this pattern of implantation include rats, mice and hamsters. In Interstitial implantation, the embryo is also small and it invades through the endometrial epithelium into the subepithelial connective tissue (Lee and DeMayo, 2004). Examples of animals under this category include guinea pigs and humans (Wimsatt, 1975). KEY STEPS OF THE IMPLANTATION PROCESS There are three key steps in the process implantation namely apposition, attachment and invasion. Apposition This is the first major step of the implantation process following the hatching of the blastocyst. During apposition, the blastocyst comes in slight contact forming a weak bond with the uterine luminal epithelium. Microvilli on the apical surface of the cytotrophoblasts interlock with microprotrusions called pinopodes (Figure 3) which are present on the apical surface of the endometrial epithelium (Norwitz et al., 2001). This interaction involves changes in the expression of cell adhesion molecules and extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins (Nagaoka et al., 2003). Pinopodes are progesterone-dependent organelles, and they have been suggested to be indicators of endometrial receptivity (Nikas, 1999). In humans, they are usually visible on days 20-21 of the menstrual cycle prior to the time of implantation (Nikas, 1999). They could facilitate implantation by preventing the blastocyst from being swept away by uterine cilia (Stavreus-Evers, 2005). It has been identified that high molecular w eight mucin glycoproteins particularly MUC1, are dominant inhibitors of embryo apposition and attachment (Thathiah and Carson, 2002). However, a decrease in the expression of MUC1 at the time of implantation could facilitate blastocyst apposition (Thathiah and Carson, 2002). During apposition, soluble mediators such as chemokines e.g. CX3CL1, CCL7, CCL14 and CCL4 have been found to establish a dialogue between the maternal cells and those of the blastocyst (Hannan and Salamonsen, 2007). Chemokines are a large family of chemotactic cytokines, well known for their functions in leucocyte recruitment and activation (Dominguez et al., 2003). They have a wide range of functions and have been implicated to play a role in implantation (Dominguez et al., 2003). Chemokines have been localized in areas of inflammation and they are suggested to be potential mediators of inflammation (Feng, 2000). This could be the reason why blastocysts tend to implant on scar tissue from caesarean sections which is an area of inflammation (Dominguez et al., 2005). The dialogue between the maternal and blastocyst cells has important influences on the development of the implanting blastocyst and maintenance of endometrial receptivity (Hannan and Salamonsen, 2007). It also results in the expression of a unique array of adhesion molecules on the surface of both fetal and maternal cells, promoting the attachment of the trophoblast cells to the endometrial epithelium (Hannan and Salamonsen, 2007). Attachment Following apposition, the next step in the process of implantation is known as attachment or adhesion. This is characterized by increased physical contact between the blastocyst and the uterine epithelium (Norwitz et al., 2001). At this point the blastocyst can no longer be dislodged. A ligand carbohydrate known as trophinin has been identified as an adhesion molecule that mediates the initial step of attachment of the blastocyst to the endometrial epithelium (Fukuda and Sugihara, 2008). Trophinin mediates cell adhesion by homophilic Trophinin-Trophinin binding (Fukuda and Sugihara, 2008). A carbohydrate-binding protein known as L-selectin which is expressed in the blastocyst, has also been discovered to play a role in human embryo attachment (Genbacev et al., 2003). Interaction between L-selectin on the blastocyst and L-selectin ligands on the endometrial surface allows for loose attachment and rolling of blastocyst to its implantation site ((Fukuda and Sugihara, 2008). The human Ch orionic Gonadotrophin (HCG) produced by the blastocyst up regulates trophinin expression on pinopodes and down regulates MUC1 expression (Fukuda and Sugihara, 2008). The blastocyst then adheres to the pinopodes by trophinin-trophinin interaction (Figure 4). A substance known as Heparin Binding Epidermal Growth Factor (HB EGF) has also been implicated in blastocyst attachment (Lim and Dey, 2008). This growth factor is expressed by the endometrium whilst its receptors are present on the blastocyst. This interaction also helps in facilitating the attachment of the blastocyst. Figure 4: Proposed role of L-selectin and trophinin in human embryo implantation. Source: Fukuda and Sugihara, 2008. (a) A human blastocyst entering the uterine cavity is prevented from attaching to the endometrial epithelia by MUC1, except for epithelia that express the L-selectin ligand (T). The human blastocyst expresses L-selectin (L), and ‘rolls on the surface of the endometrium covered by glycocalyx. (b) The blastocyst feebly interacts with the glycocalyx. Here, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) which is secreted from the blastocyst, acts locally on endometrial epithelia to induce trophinin expression. (c) Trophinin expressed by endometrial epithelia is enriched in the pinopodes, the structure extended above the glycocalyx. MUC1, which carries the L-selectin ligand, is down-regulated from the endometrial epithelia underneath the blastocyst, allowing direct contact and attachment of blastocyst trophectoderm cells and pinopodes via trophinin-trophinin binding. Invasion The next step which is critical to the implantation of the blastocyst is known as invasion. As the term implies, this involves the infiltration of the endometrium by the cytotrophoblast cells of the blastocyst. This starts with the progression of the trophoblast cells between the adjacent endometrial epithelial cells to reach the underlying basement membrane. This membrane is destroyed, allowing the trophoblast cells to reach the stromal compartment (Bischof and Campana, 1996). The syncytiotrophoblast undergoes proliferation and invades the endometrial stroma. The progressive invasion of the blastocyst into the endometrium continues until the blastocyst is completely embedded in subepithelial stromal tissue and the uterine epithelium grows to cover the implantation site (Norwitz, 2006). The syncytiotrophoblast cells continue to develop quickly and surround the blastocyst until it has completely embedded itself in the endometrial stroma. In the syncytiotrophoblast, fluid-filled spaces known as lacunae are formed as a result of the fusion of syncytiotrophoblast cells. The lacunae are separated by trabeculae and they transform the syncytiotrophoblast into a sponge-like material (Bischof and Campana, 1996). The trabeculae are arranged radially, and cytotrophoblastic cells divide within the trabeculae, leading to the formation of primary chorionic villi (Bischof and Campana, 1996). Following this event, the primary villi grow and branch into secondary and tertiary villi (Bischof and Campana, 1996). This process is known as placentation. A wide range of factors e.g. cytokines, integrins, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), Leukaemia Inhibiting Factor (LIF) e.t.c have been found to play a role in the invasion process (Makrigiannakis, 2005; Norwitz, 2006). The role of these c omponents in the process of implantation shall be discussed shortly under the factors that regulate implantation. Figure 5: Implantation of the human blastocyst step by step. Source: Bischof and Campana, 1996. (1): Transport. The blastocyst arrives in the uterus after fertilization. (2) Orientation: The inner cell mass is positioned towards the endometrial lining. (3) Hatching: The zona pellucida is perforated making way for the release of the blastocyst. (4) Apposition: The blastocyst is now in close contact with the endometrial lining but no connections have been established. (5) Adhesion: Connections are established between the embryo and the endometrial epithelium. (6) Invasion: Thin folds of trophectodermal cells intrude between the endometrial epithelial cells. (7) Syncytialization: Some trophectodermal cells fuse to form syncytia which proliferate and invade the endometrial stroma. (8) Villous formation: The cytotrophoblastic cells migrate between the syncytia followed by the fetal stroma. This will lead to the formation of the placental villi. The cells of the endometrial stroma react to the presence of the blastocyst and the secretion of progesterone by differentiating into metabolically active, secretory cells called decidual cells (Schoenwolf et al., 2009). This response is known as the decidual reaction or decidualization. In humans, this begins in the secretory phase of the menstrual cycle. The decidua is also known as the maternal portion of the placenta (Gilbert, 2006) and it is believed to provide an element of control of trophoblast invasion during implantation (Loke and King, 1995). The decidualized stroma cells have been found to secrete prolactin and Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Protein-1(IGFBPI) which are held to function in complex gene networks that function in the regulation of trophoblast invasion as well as many other endocrine and paracrine factors (Bazer et al., 2010). This regulatory function is required for the optimal implantation of the blastocyst as the invasion of the cytotrophoblast to the proper depth is a major factor in determining pregnancy outcome (Norwitz, 2006). Excessive invasion resulting from the inability of the decidua to control the invading cytotrophoblast cells could lead to an unusually strong attachment of the placenta to the myometrium (placenta accreta), extension into the myometrium (placenta increta), or invasion through the myometrium into adjacent organs also known as placenta percreta (Norwitz, 2006). Insufficient cytotrophoblast invasion has also been associated with pre-eclampsia (Lyall, 2006; Lee et al., 2010) which is a medical complication that presents itself late in pregnancy. During implantation, a process known as angiogenesis has been identified to be important (Sherer and Abulafia, 2001). Angiogenesis is the growth of new capillaries from pre-existing blood vessels. In this case, it occurs in the endometrium and takes place throughout the implantation period. Endometrial angiogenesis starts with the degradation of the capillary vessel membrane, creating a means through which migrating endothelial cells proliferate to create a new lumen and further vessel maturation (Sherer and Abulafia, 2001). This vascularization functions to maintain endometrial structure and receptivity. Angiogenesis is known to be mediated by some factors present in the endometrium such as fibroblast growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor and platelet activating factors (Norwitz 2006; Sherer and Abulafia, 2001). FACTORS THAT REGULATE IMPLANTATION The regulation of implantation and early development is dependent on a wide range of factors. Although the molecular and cellular mechanisms behind implantation are not well understood, it is apparent that multiple factors (including maternal and fetal) are needed to synchronize blastocyst maturation and uterine receptivity up to the point of initiation of implantation and through the process of implantation (Norwitz, 2006). A closer look will now be taken at some of the important factors associated with implantation and early pregnancy maintenance. Maternal factors Starting with the uterine (maternal) side, there are a lot of components to consider. Cytokines and growth factors have been shown by different studies to be important to the maternal role in implantation. These include interleukin-1 (Sheth et al., 1991; Simon et al., 1996; Stewart and Cullinan, 1997; Huang et al., 1998), Interleukin-2 (Stewart and Cullinan, 1997), Insulin-like growth factor I and II (Stewart and Cullinan, 1997; Giudice and Irwin, 1999), transforming growth factor a and (Slowey et al., 1994; Stewart and Cullinan, 1997; Godkin and Dore, 1998), vascular endothelial growth factor (Athanassiades et al., 1998) and leukemia inhibitory factor (Cullinan et al., 1996; Stewart and Cullinan, 1997). The mode of function of the leukemia inhibitory factor is not well understood but has been established as a critical factor in the process of implantation (Stewart et al., 1992; Cheng et al. 2002). These cytokines and growth factors all work towards facilitating the communication bet ween the blastocyst and the uterus whilst promoting endometrial proliferation and differentiation (Norwitz, 2006). They have also been found to regulate endometrial angiogenesis and vascular permeability (Norwitz, 2006). As mentioned earlier, some steroid hormones such as Progesterone (Peyron et al., 1993) and Oestradiol-17 (Miller, 1988) have also been found to be important. They function in the proliferation of uterine epithelial cells and endometrial stromal cells (Norwitz, 2006). Some changes in the uterine luminal epithelium such as the expression of pinopodes (Nikas, 1999) and MUC 1 (Thathiah and Carson, 2002) have been suggested to be important for blastocyst recognition and attachment. Transcription factors such as the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-s (Lim et al., 1999; Barak et al., 1999) have been identified to function in defining the molecular mechanisms by which the regulatory factors exert their effects at a cellular level (Norwitz, 2006). Studies have shown the relevance of some other components such as homeobox genes Hoxa-10 and 11 which have been found to regulate the responsiveness of stromal cells to progesterone (Benson et al., 1996; Taylor et al., 1997; Lim et al., 19 99), Cyclooxy-genase-2 which regulates prostaglandin production (Norwitz and Wilson 2000) and oxygen tension (Genbacev et al., 1997) which has been found to promote trophoblast vascular mimicry by initiating integrin expression. Also, proteins such as Rac1 and RhoA which are found in stromal cells have been implicated in trophoblast invasion (Grewal et al., 2008). Fetal factors Evaluations of the blastocyst (fetal) factors also reveal that present here, are some of the groups of factors present on the maternal side of implantation as they possess some overlapping functions. Cytokines and growth factors, in addition to facilitating communication between the blastocyst and uterus, could also enhance trophoblast differentiation and invasion. These include Interleukin-1, Interleukin-6 (Stewart and Cullinan, 1997), leukemia inhibiting factor, transforming growth factor a and , insulin-like growth factor II and colony stimulating factor-1 (Stewart and Cullinan, 1997, Cohen et al., 1997). Some trophoblast proteinases and inhibitors such as the matrix metalloproteinases (Makrigiannakis, 2005) and cathepsin B and L (Afonso et al., 1997) have also been found to regulate trophoblast invasion. The expression of some adhesion molecules e.g. integrins have been identified in the enhancement of trophoblast invasion. Some of them include integrin a64, integrin a11 and E-ca dherin (Lessey, 1998; Lessey and Arnold, 1998; Damsky and Fisher, 1998). Some other important factors include prostaglandin E2 which aids the process of endometrial apoptosis and platelet-activating factor which stimulates uterine prostaglandin production (Norwitz, 2006). Immunological factors The immunological interactions between the blastocyst and the uterine decidua are essential in the regulation of the implantation process. Implantation is of immunological significance because the blastocyst contains half of its paternal genes hence it is immunologically foreign to its mother. Despite this fact, blastocyst implantation still turns out to be a successful process and the blastocyst is not rejected by the maternal immune system during normal implantation. This is down to the action of immunological factors. These factors are a combination of elements expressed by both the blastocyst and the uterus and they act together to ensure fetal survival. On the maternal side such factors include Interleukin-10 (Roth et al., 1996; Roth and fisher, 1999) which plays an important role in immunosuppression thus reducing the activity of the maternal immune system against the foetus (Norwitz, 2006). Another factor is 2, 3-dioxygenase (Kamimura et al., 1991; Munn et al., 1998) which has been found to be responsible for macrophage action during implantation (Norwitz, 2006). Uterine natural killer cells found in the stroma also play a role here as they produce cytokine, chemokines and angiogenic factors which all promote and regulate trophoblast invasion (King and Loke, 1997). On the fetal side, factors such as histocompatibility antigen, class I, G (HLA-G) have been found to be involved in preventing the maternal immune rejection of the semi-allogenic foetus (Lanier, 1999; Norwitz, 2006). Coordination of the regulatory factors within the window of implantation The window of implantation as defined earlier is characterized by the perfect synchrony of all the components that play a role in the implantation process. These include the endometrium, the blastocyst and the factors regulating the process of implantation. Figure 6 below illustrates how all these factors are coordinated during the implantation window. This shows that within the window of implantation, the endometrium is highly influenced by steroid hormones (oestrogen and progesterone) and the interaction between the blastocyst and the endometrium is as a result of stage-specific actions of different implantation factors. Figure 6: Events that take place within the implantation window. Source: Achache and Revel, 2006 (A) Endometrium proliferates under the enhancement of estrogen. (B) Progesterone from follicles that have been luteinized leads to endometrial differentiation. (C) The blastocyst makes its way to the uterus via the ostia and rolls freely over the endometrium with the aid of L-selectin signals. (D) MUC-1 repels the blastocyst and prevents it from adhering to areas on the endometrium with poor chances of implantation. (E) Cytokines and chemokines attract the blastocyst to the optimal implantation spot. (F) Adhesion molecules (e.g. integrins and cadherins) attach the blastocyst firmly to the endometrial pinopodes to ensure successful implantation. The functions of all the factors mentioned earlier further emphasize the importance of these components to the process of implantation. A lot of studies have also been carried out on some of these molecules to further establish their importance. A notable one amongst these molecules is the leukemia inhibitory factor. As mentioned earlier, this molecule has been identified to be critical to the process of implantation. Studies revealed that implantation did not occur in female transgenic mice that were homozygous for the deficiency of the gene responsible for the leukemia inhibitory factor (Aghajanova, 2004). It was further proven that the lack of implantation was not caused by faults in the embryo because the implantation of the same embryos occurred when they were transferred to pseudopregnant recipients. The addition of exogenous LIF to the females with this defective gene throughout the period of normal implantation restored implantation sites and allowed proper attachments of the blastocysts (Aghajanova, 2004). LIF and LIF mRNA has also been shown to be expressed throughout the menstrual cycle of women with proven fertility (Arici et al., 1995; Charnock-Jones et al., 1994). This was associated with peaks in the mid and late secretory phase, and in early pregnancy (Aghajanova, 2004). Leukemia inhibitory factor has also been found to be present in uterine flushings within the implantation window in fertile women. This characterized by gradually increasing concentrations from 7 days to 12 days after the LH surge (Laird et al., 1997). In future, the evidence and information obtained from similar studies may be applied clinically through a well regimented administration of LIF in a pharmaceutical form to improve implantation rates in both natural and assisted reproduction. IMPLANTATION AND ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGY (ART) Successful pregnancy outcomes from assisted reproductive techniques such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) have largely depended on the process of implantation. The advances in ART techniques have not had a significant effect on implantation rates (Donaghay and Lessey, 2007) hence a lot of measures have been taken by ART units over the years in an attempt to optimize implantation rates. Assisted hatching (Cohen, 1991) is a well known procedure carried out in this regard. This involves the manual perforation of a blastocysts zona pellucida in order to separate the blastocyst from the zona pellucida just as it would have occurred during natural hatching. This may increase implantation and pregnancy rates in IVF cycles (Chao et al., 1997). The function of regulatory factors in the process of implantation indicates that a number of biomarkers can be adapted from these to determine the ideal period of endometrial receptivity which can be traced and monitored during IVF cycles (Haouzi et al. , 2009). These may include the detection and monitoring of some of the molecules and steroid hormones involved in implantation by making use of samples obtained from IVF treatment cycles such as follicular fluids and embryo culture supernatants. Fluorescent markers can also be used to highlight proteins and any other key component in the blastocyst involved in implantation. Continuous studies are being performed with the aim of discovering techniques that would improve implantation rates during ART treatments. CONCLUSION Over the years, the research carried out on implantation and the factors that control implantation has been done making use of mostly animal models with the exception of some that have employed the use of in vitro human systems. The use of animals in the study of implantation has many benefits as many factors and regulatory mechanisms are being discovered. However, it is difficult to precisely extrapolate results obtained from animal data into human cases. This is one of the problems being encountered by implantation studies as the difficulty and ethical significance associated with research using humans make scientists resort to the use of animal models. The process of implantation occurs with the uterus and the blastocyst in synchrony. It has been clearly shown that a lot of factors are responsible but the complete framework of the regulation of implantation has not yet been understood. With continuous research and more human-based studies, a better understanding of the process and regulation of implantation may be achieved in the future. REFERENCES Achache, H. and Revel, A., 2006. Endometrial receptivity markers, the journey to successful embryo implantation. Hum. Reprod. Update. 12(6), 731-746. Afonso, S., Romagnano, L. and Babiarz, B., 1997. The expression and function of cystatin C and cathepsin B and cathepsin L during mouse embryo implantation and placentation. Development. 124, 3415-3425. Aghajanova, L., 2004. Leukemia inhibitory factor and human embryo implantation. Ann. NY. Acad. Sci.1034, 176-183. Arici, A., Engin, O., Attar, E. And Olive, D.L., 1995. Modulation of leukaemia inhibitory factor gene expression and protein biosynthesis in human endometrium. J. Clin. Endocr. Metab. 80, 1908-1915 Athanassiades, A., Hamilton, G.S., Lala, P.K., 1998. Vascular endothelial growth factor stimulates proliferation but not migration or invasiveness in human extravillous trophoblast. Biol. Reprod. 59, 643-654. Barak, Y., Nelson, M.C., Ong, E.S. et al., 1999. PPAR gamma is required for placental, cardiac, and adipose tissue development. Molecular Cell 4, 585-595. Bazer, F.W., Wu, G., Spencer, T.E., Johnson, G.A., Burghardt, R.C. and Bayless, K., 2010. Novel pathways for implantation and establishment and maintenance of pregnancy in mammals. Mol. Hum. Reprod 16(3), 135-152. Benson, G.V., Lim, H., Paria, B.C. et al., 1996. Mechanisms of reduced fertility in Hoxa-10 mutant mice: uterine homeostasis and loss of maternal Hoxa-10 expression. Development. 122, 2687-2696. Bischof, P. and Campana, A., 1996. A model for implantation of the human blastocyst and early placentation. Hum. Reprod. Update. 2(3), 262-270. Chao, K., Wu, M., Chen, S., Yang, Y., Chen, H. and Ho, H., 1997. Assisted hatching increases the implantation and pregnancy rate of in vitro fertilization (IVF)-embryo transfer (ET), but not that of IVF-tubal ET in patients with repeated IVF failures. Fertil. Steril. 67(5), 904-908 Charnock-Jones, D.S., Sharkey, A.M., Fenwick, P. and Smith, S.K., 1994. Leukemia inhibitory factor mRNA concentration peaks in human endometrium at the time of implantation and the blastocyst contains mRNA for the rec

Caring Moments Essay -- essays research papers

CARING MOMENTS The caring project our group chose involved taking a test. We felt test day was an unusually stressful event for everyone. We wanted to come up with a caring way that would help to alleviate some stress on our fellow students, the faculty, and ourselves. We decided to hand out peppermint candy on test day to help stimulate brain function. we felt this might help us all do well. We also talked to everyone and wished them well on the test which was a good way to help relieve stress. It also gave us an opportunity to meet some of our fellow students that we had never met before and it helped to ease the stress we all were under. We also passed out the peppermints to the faculty as they needed a stress reliever on test day too. They have to keep everybody under control and start the test at the appropriate time. We all felt like we were helping our fellow students through a stressful time. Shannon felt good inside knowing that the peppermint might help someone do better on the test than they might normally do. It made her feel wonderful inside seeing everyone talking to one another and enjoying the moment. Kristi felt we were giving out a caring part of ourselves every time someone took a piece a candy. Barbara felt pride in knowing she got a smile out of the students. She felt good knowing the words of encouragement, to each individual student, took a stressful moment and eased the tension. Kristi had a caring moment when a fellow student gave her a small gift. Kristi would carry a pink, â€Å"hello kitty† coffee cup with her to lecture every day. A classmate always complimented her on her cup each time she brought it. One day before a test her classmate handed her a pink, â€Å"hello kitty† pencil. The classmate said she was out and saw the pencil and it reminded her of Kristi. She bought it and gave it to Kristi.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This made Kristi feel very special and important. Kristi and the classmate never have a chance to talk outside of class. However, Kristi will always remember her classmate and have a special place in her heart for her, because of this gesture. Every time Kristi sees this classmate it brings a smile to her face. She feels warm inside knowing that someone thought enough of her to perform such a kind act.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Our group has decided to implement several caring ges... ...ow the health care team is interested in them as individuals and they are not just a body being patched up to be sent home. They need to know that their concerns and what they are going through matters to the health care team. Showing compassion and caring to the patient will build a positive, trusting relationship that will ultimately benefit both the patient and the team. The nurse needs to know that she has support form her colleagues as well, and that she is not alone. If she feels burnout with no moral support, it will begin to affect her job. This attitude will have a negative impact on her client as well as the other staff members. Just one negative non-caring act will affect everyone around her. However, if just one nurse shows a caring moment, big or small, to a colleague, it can change the atmosphere into a caring one which will radiate all the way to the patient. Caring is the gel that keeps the health care team working together. Everyone from the doctor to housekeepin g needs each other. Without the caring element they would all be doing their own thing and the team would fall apart. Therefore caring for each other is an essential step towards a positive nursing career.

International Governance of Environmental resources

People need many natural resources to live. Other natural resources are used to make life easier. Defining Global Governance Governance is the framework of social and economic systems and legal and political structures through which humanity manages itself. † World Humanity Action Trust, 2000. Environmental governance â€Å"is the term we use to describe how we as humans exercise our authority over natural resources and natural systems. † It is about questions concerning â€Å"how we make environmental decisions and who makes them†¦. Using this broad conceptualization, environmental governance involves much more than the work of governments. It â€Å"relates to decision-makers at all levels-?government managers and ministers, business people, property wieners, farmers, and consumers. In short, it deals with who is responsible, how they wield their power, and how they are held accountable. † In discussions of governance, three terms come up often: Institution s. In the context of governance, â€Å"institutions† can be thought of as the formal and informal rules that govern social interactions.Formal rules are illustrated by laws and regulations, and informal rules are illustrated by social norms. Good governance. This term is used to describe governance characterized by high levels of transparency, accountability, and fair treatment. Civil society. This term â€Å"refers to the arena of uncovered collective action around shared interests, purposes and values. In theory, its institutional forms are distinct from those of the state, family and market, though in practice, the boundaries between state, civil society, family and market are often complex, blurred and negotiated.Civil society commonly embraces a diversity of spaces, actors and institutional forms, varying in their degree of formality, autonomy and power. Civil societies are often populated by organizations such as registered charities, development non-governmental organ izations, community groups, women's organizations, faith-based organizations, professional associations, trades unions, self-help groups, social movements, business associations, coalitions and advocacy group. † Why Reform?Nature of problems Scale, scope and complexity Failed collective action Lack of incentives for collaboration Fragmentation Institutional proliferation Deficient authority Inadequate mandate, funding, political support Insufficient legitimacy Lack of process and outcome fairness What to Reform? Institutional structure re's Institutional methods of governing What to Achieved? Improved problem solving Improved collective action Enhanced legitimacy Strengthened policy space Improved fairness New global ethic How to Reform?

Goblin Shark

Maggie Payne Per. 3 10/16/12 Final Draft Most people probably think that sharks appeared around the same time as dinosaurs. But in fact they were alive about 132 million years before the dinosaurs. Even though sharks are older than humans, we still know very little about them. The things we do know are their structure, most species’ habitats, and what sharks are used for by humans. The Goblin shark is slightly different from other species such as the Great White shark or the Hammerhead shark. But all sharks have an odd skeleton, it’s odd because it’s made up of cartilage and it’s very flexible.Sharks also have slightly different organs from that of a human. For example, their stomach is very long, it stretches from the middle of their pectoral fin to the bottom of their belly. They also have spiral shaped intestines, a large liver, and a small heart located between the front of their pectoral fin and mouth, bellow the gills. They also have small spikes coa ting their skin called denticles. Sharks have the same five senses as humans do plus one extra sense. Shark’s have very small holes around their head called â€Å"ampullae of Lorenzini†.These give sharks the ability to sense small electrical currents given off by other animals within one meter. Most sharks use this as an advantage while hunting while others don’t need to. For example, they will use it while hunting for fish hidden in the sand on the sea floor. Sharks are used for many things, which is causing them to become endangered. Their flesh is used for all sorts of food including, shark fin soup, fish and chips, smoked shark, canned shark and shark fish cakes, dog food, and sashimi.Most of them are caught off of Honshu, a main island of Japan, causing the various Japanese dishes. Sharks are also used for various medical reasons like cornea transplants. Heart disease medicine is made with chemicals extracted from shark blood, there are even shark oil table ts. Burnt angel shark skin was once used to treat skin disease, and cartilage is used to treat burns. Sharks are often still hunted for their skin which is used for many things. For example, polished shark skin is used for purses, shoes, and to cover books and science tools.Shark skin was also used unpolished and with the denticles still on them, this is called Shagreen, which was used for non-stick grips and sword hilts. Also, shark teeth are often found and used to make jewelry such as necklaces. Although these things are good for humans, they are very bad for sharks because, they are becoming endangered. It’s bad because, if sharks went extinct, we would have a lot of big fish and seals to worry about because, they would be eating penguins and other birds that dwell near water and they might even eventually become a danger for humans.Sadly, the goblin shark is probably one of the sharks that gets caught and eaten. This would be an odd sight too. Why? Well, the goblin shark has very flabby skin that is bubble gum pink with a blue tint on their fins. When they die, they turn from that pink color to brown. They are generally about three to ten feet long but can grow up to thirteen feet long. They have an elongated snout which protrudes out of its forehead. It also has a long tail which looks similar to a frilled shark’s tail.The goblin sharks jaw can extend out of their skull to the full length of their snout. Because of this, the prey rarely gets away, another advantage that the goblin shark has on its prey is how its teeth are shaped. The teeth are long, dagger like, and smooth edged like, those of a Sandtiger shark. But the goblin sharks back teeth are flattened for crushing things like shells. The teeth are probably like this because they feed on fish, cephalopods, and crustaceans such as crabs. They most likely feed on all these different things because of their habitat.They are scattered around the world and are found in the eastern and wes tern Atlantic, specifically near French Guiana, the Bay of Biscay, Madeira, Portugal, and South Africa. In the western Indian ocean near South Africa, and in the western Pacific, near Japan and Australia. They live about 40-280 meters below sea level which is near the bottom of the mesopelagic region of the ocean. They are at this depth because; they like to be near the outer shelf and upper slope area of the ocean. Most species of sharks like to be near, if not in, coral reefs like the Sandtiger shark.While others like to be in really deep water, like the Goblin shark. Even though they like different depths of the ocean the Goblin and Sandtiger shark are very similar and from the same family, but the Goblin shark evolved before the Sandtiger shark. Despite how much we know about sharks, and how many species we have found, we actually know very little. We have actually only discovered about 400 species, most of which we know very little about. For example, we are still trying to und erstand and learn more about the great white sharks and they are one of the most well known species.We are still trying to learn more about them because; there is a time in the year when they disappear for a short while. Scientists have guessed that it’s when they retreat to their breeding grounds. Humans even know a lot less about the goblin shark than the great white shark which means we have a lot to learn. Especially since there are also a lot of different species of other sea life we haven’t discovered and we might not for a long while because we are unable to get to the bottom of the deepest trenches and have enough time to thoroughly search them.

Industrialization Essay essays

Industrialization Essay essays Industrialization began its mighty impact in the later part of the 18th century when Europes economy was introduced to the concept of industrialization. This concept impacted not only Europe but the world as a whole. Many new ideas and opportunities quickly followed. Industrialization brought not only its advantages but its disadvantages with it, helping to shape the world that we now live in. Europes industrialization brought many advantages and new opportunities to Europeans. With the introduction of a new sort of work force, many jobs became available to those who were willing to work. Factories and machinery were introduced which employed thousands. With the introduction of these facilities, many new products and services became available to the public. With the introduction of these so called goods to the people, society was able to raise its standard of living. Products were made in mass quantities, meaning that their prices were relatively low. Due to this, the majority of Europe was able to benefit from them. Technology vastly improved during this time period. The health of Europe became more stable as doctors became more technologically advanced. New medicines and medical procedures were discovered helping to ensure a healthier lifestyle for the public. Industrialization helped to reduce poverty within Europe which eased the stress on governments. Th e poor were able to enter the workforce and receive wages. With those wages they could provide for themselves enough to adequately meet their needs for survival. People became more aware of the quality of life and constantly strived to accelerate themselves to a more advanced level. Industrialization helped to make society independent, stabilizing Europe as a whole. Its effects are evident into todays society. With every good intention, though, there comes a bad. Industrialization also carried negative impacts int...

Beyond Petroleum Company Analysis

Beyond Petroleum Company Analysis BP, with a tagline â€Å"Beyond Petroleum†, is a company that centers its primary goals in terms of meeting the incessantly heightening demand for fossil fuels, product advancement and transitioning to a lower carbon future. BP learnt some indispensable lessons from the Gulf War when its expansive strategies were undermined.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Beyond Petroleum Company Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The lessons have since resulted into spectacular success through efficient investments, which have proved worthy, both in short and long term while also ensuring that the company has access to growth markets while being able to maximize value chains and reduce costs. In reference to cost cutting and efficient investment, BP in order to reduce costs which was greatly being incurred in wood burning and the use of electricity, BP has resorted to using solar power. Notably, it is always encourage d that financial leadership goals must be in line with company values which in this case are mutual advantage, environmental care and constructive engagement when a company wants to cut costs. In order to achieve these, long and short term goals such as maximization of value chains flexibility and judgments are essential as a result of imposed external events. BP is also in the process of developing a technology to capture and store carbon dioxide. The company officials believe that carbon capture and storage is an overly pertinent contribution in light of the growing need to tackle carbon emission.  Also notable is the BP’s 10 point plan which can be viewed as a unique aspect of the financial strategies used by BP. BP’s 10 point plan to increase value in transparency for its shareholders is in measure to its strengths which include gas value chains, technology, relationships, giant fields and deep water. The 10-point plan also strives to build a stronger and safer c ompany which will in turn guarantee a sustainable value for the company. These strategies measure active portfolio management of investors, they also give insight to whether there is strong balance sheet with gearing which refers to the groups net debt plus equity in the lower half of the 10-20% range, for re-investment purposes half of incremental operating cash to be used while the other half for other purposes, new upstream projects on-stream with unit operating cash margins double the 2011 average (constant oil price $100 per barrel) and lastly generate around 50% more annually in operating cash (Dudley 1).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Statements of directors responsibilities, consolidated financial statements and notes on the same, unaudited supplementary information on oil and natural gas, board performance reports whose primary focus is to provide guidanc e, resources and support required by the organization are all clear proofs that the company has been able to manage its finances effectively. Nonetheless, the annual reports on management, shareholders, directors and senior management as well as competent and skilled employees and management also prove this (BP 1). The proof can be further extracted from emphasis on creating value in a harsh environment which underlines all of BPs activities. However, there is a need for the company to make some adjustment to the statement of the directors’ responsibilities. It can be noted that the statements of the accounts which give an impartial view to state of affairs. In the same light, the relevant notes on accounts, independent auditors report which provides evidence against inadequate representation of fact through fraud or any other errors, adherence to accounting policies and standards and procedures (BP 1). References BP. Performance For All Our Futures. BP. n.d. Web. BP. BPs Bus iness Strategy. BP. n.d. Web. Dudley, B. â€Å"Refining Marketing: Delivering a world class downstream business†. Web.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Beyond Petroleum Company Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

Italian Present Perfect Tense - Il Passato Prossimo

Italian Present Perfect Tense - Il Passato Prossimo The passato prossimo- grammatically referred to as the present perfect- expresses a fact or action that happened in the recent past or that occurred long ago but still has ties to the present. It’s a compound tense (tempo composto), which means that you need to use an auxiliary verb  - either â€Å"essere† or â€Å"avere† -   plus a past participle. An example of a past participle would be â€Å"mangiato† for the verb â€Å"mangiare†. If you want to talk about events that happened repeatedly in the past, like going to your Italian lesson every Sunday, or telling a story, you’ll need to use the imperfect tense. Here Are a Few Examples of How the Passato Prossimo  Appears in Italian: Ti ho appena chiamato. - I just called you.Mi sono iscritto/a alluniversit quattro anni fa. - I entered university four years ago.Questa mattina sono uscito/a presto. - This morning I left early.Il Petrarca ha scritto sonetti immortali. - Petrarca wrote enduring sonnets. How to Form the Past Tense In order to form the past tense, there are two main things you need to know. Does the verb you want to use need the auxiliary verb â€Å"essere† or â€Å"avere†?What is the past participle of the verb you want to use? For example, if you wanted to say, â€Å"I went to Rome last summer†, you would need to use the verb â€Å"andare†. The verb â€Å"andare† takes the verb â€Å"essere† as a helper, or auxiliary, verb because it’s a verb that has to do with motion. Then, the past participle of the verb â€Å"andare† is â€Å"andato†. However, when you use the verb â€Å"essere† as an auxiliary verb, the past participle MUST agree in number and gender. Ad esempio: L’estate scorsa sono andato a Roma. - I went to Rome last summer. (masculine, singular)L’estate scorsa sono andata a Roma. - I went to Rome last summer. (feminine, singular)L’estate scorsa mia sorella e mia madre sono andate a Roma. - My sister and mother went to Rome last summer. (feminine, plural)L’estate scorsa siamo andati a Roma. - We went to Rome last summer. (masculine, plural) If you’re using â€Å"avere† as an auxiliary verb, it’s much simpler as the past participle does not have to agree in number and gender (that is, unless you’re using direct object pronouns.) For example, let’s use the sentence, â€Å"I watched that movie†. First, you need to use the verb â€Å"guardare - to watch†. The past participle of â€Å"guardare† is â€Å"guardato†. Then you conjugate your auxiliary verb â€Å"avere† into the first person singular, which is â€Å"ho†. The sentence then becomes, â€Å"Ho guardato quel film†. TIP: If the verb you’re using is reflexive, like â€Å"innamorarsi - to fall in love†, you need to use â€Å"essere† as your auxiliary verb. For example, â€Å"Ci siamo innamorati due anni fa. - We fell in love two years ago.† When to Use Il Passato Prossimo (Present Perfect) Instead of L’Imperfetto (Imperfect) It is notoriously difficult to correctly decide between il passato prossimo and l’imperfetto when you try talking about the past in Italian. While there are some rules for when to choose one or the other, it’s also helpful to know which phrases are typically used with il passato prossimo. The following table lists some adverbial expressions that are often used with the passato prossimo: Common Expressions Used With Il Passato Prossimo ieri yesterday ieri pomeriggio yesterday afternoon ieri sera last night il mese scorso last month laltro giorno the other day stamattina this morning tre giorni fa three days ago

Managing diversity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Managing diversity - Essay Example For instance there are entrepreneurial, bureaucratic and autocratic organizations or/and leadership styles. They need equally diverse and effective theoretical approaches for diversity management. Multicultural organizations such as in those of European countries have been the results of an evolutionary process of managing diversity of the workforce. The different types of individual diversity such as age, gender and ethnic origin will lead to such job performance, satisfaction and vertical mobility of employees within the organization (Jayne, & Dipboye, 2004). However the diversity management has affected the organizational and individual levels of performance depending on the part-time employees’ contribution versus the full time employees’ efficiency to the overall growth of the organization. Organizational diversity management has become a very important aspect in the modern day management practice. Diversity is desirable when everything else has failed to ensure the continuous survival of the business. However diversity in itself might not be desirable when the degree of resistance to differ become stronger because when resistance gathers momentum that in itself is an indicator of the existence of other solutions. If organizational change were focused on improving critical success factors related to financial management, Human Resource Management (HRM), employee relations, supply chain management, quality management, marketing and corporate social responsibility (CSR), then the organization would have to face considerable resistance. In the first instance managing workforce diversity is a significant important element in organizations while flexibility and creativity are considered as keys to compete successfully in the business environment. It is all the more difficult to manage the process of diversity smoothly because employees depending on their attitude to change would not remain silent. Thus as much as

How Is Indigenous History and the Current Situation of Indidenous Essay

How Is Indigenous History and the Current Situation of Indidenous Peoples in Victoria Presented at the Melbourne Museum's Bunjil - Essay Example At present, there are six such exhibitions, of which four permanent and two temporary. If you ckeck them out you will find that they deal with a great variety of subjects: history, legislation, rituals and ceremonies, art. The Aborigines have a very troubled history behind them and they still have unsolved issues that do not allow them to fully move forward and face the new times. Throughout time they passed on their artistry, they taught their children their stormy history, they fought for the recognition of their wrights and, generally, they remembered everything that was ever theirs, including the lands they "lost" to the sea, during the Holocene (15,000 to 10,000 years ago). (Singh et al., 2001, p.22) That may be so because for the Aborigines land also provided spiritual strength. (Singh et al., 2001, p.32) Indeed, a people which remembers and preserves its past so vividly deserves to be presented to the large public, because it is the recognition of this public that will help it move on into the future, while at the same time trying to hold on to the past, as well. The Aborigines and their early history Although none of the six exhibitions focuses on the early history of the Aborigines, a minimal knowledge of it could benefit anyone willing to visit the Indigenous exhibitions. ... With only a few carnivorous predators present, the settlers flourished. Some of them lived in a nomadic style, moving for access to water, food and resources. Where they could, the Aborigines made semipermanent dwellings, moving out only during the annual wet season. Very few of them lived by the sea and struggled to make out a living in permanent villages. We know that they used to burn the land in order to renew it, thus being also safe from major fires that appeared naturally in the dry season. It can be said that the Aborigines did not have the conditions to settle down properly and build cities, like other ancients peoples. Generally speaking, for a city to exist you must have a specific social class system, a geographical division into sections with administrative/ military functions, a religious space of some sort. (Levy, 2008, p.8) The Stolen Generations Between 1910-1970 around 100,000 Indigenous children were forcibly removed from their families. (Singh et al., 2001, p.26) According to the laws of the time, Indigenous children could be removed from anywhere and at any time, without a court order, as the parents had no legal rights to the children. The purpose appears to have been to take the children, teach them to live like the whites and then turn them into domestics or labourers for the whites. In 1995 there began an inquiry into these matters, which was finalised in May 1997 with schocking results. (Singh et al., 2001, p.26) The report published stories of sexual abuses and excessive physical punishment. Sources say about the stolen children that "Despite claims that it was for their own good, they were not better educated, nor more likely to be employed and not receiving significantly higher incomes than people who were raised in their

Criminal Justice System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Criminal Justice System - Essay Example I can describe criminal justice, generally as a collapse and disappointment from what we expect of it. In areas of a majority of white ethnic groups, their black ethnic counterparts are faced with high levels of discrimination as far as criminal justice is concerned; which leaves them helpless and fearful. Individuals from black ethnic groups are often regarded suspects in crimes they haven’t committed. With the increase in civil rights protection, there has been hardly any feel of it among the black ethnic group. For instance, an individual from the black ethnic group is most likely to face a prison sentence as compared to one from the white ethnic group; when both are found guilty of using illegal drugs. There also are cases of lower police protection in black ethnic group neighborhoods as compared to their counterparts; which, therefore, is a clear indication of how much the criminal justice has failed. Despite the mentioned mistreatment of the black ethnic groups by some p olice, there are a number of policemen who make this career feel satisfying and worth pursuing. Being put in charge of people’s lives to offer protection and serve the nation is something to take pride in. Some special agents and others in the field of criminal justice are also responsible for the rehabilitation, protection of wildlife, the environment; which is a good feeling as they know that they are helping others.

African American Family & Resistance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

African American Family & Resistance - Essay Example In the late eighteenth century, Methodists formulated strong rules against slavery, claiming it to be contrary to the laws of God, and also threatening to excommunicate all slaveholders who did not free their slaves. However, it was not until the rebellion of Nat Turner in 1831 that the white slave owners truly became afraid for their lives. With the view of preserving their lives and their way of life, the southern slave owners got laws passed restricting the rights of the slaves to hold meetings, whether religious or otherwise, and even to read or write. They feared that once the slaves were allowed to do all this on their own, they would no longer be able to be controlled by the slave owners. The reasons behind the slave owners wish for control over the religious schooling of their slaves was not only that by this method they could ensure that the slaves learned to turn the proverbial other cheek, as Christianity preached, but also that this was the only way to ensure that the slaves did not read the bible on their own and got their own message from it, like that of the Exodus. By ensuring that the religious teaching remained in the hands of the whites, the slave owners ensured that only the message they wanted to send across would reach the slaves. One can say that it was their way of portraying Christianity in a light they wished to make the slaves docile and subservient. A lot of this teaching was designed to prevent the slaves from mounting any insurrection and to ensure there were no rebellious thoughts fostering in the minds of the slaves due to a free reading of the Bible by the slaves themselves. In a way Christianity does not deal directly with the prohibition of slavery, there is no verse that specifically denounces it, however, there are chapters in the Bible, especially the Old Testament, that lay bare the fact that whenever there is oppression, God leads the oppressed to safety and

Comprehensive Examination Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Comprehensive Examination Questions - Essay Example These are the consecutive model and the concurrent model. In the case of consecutive model, a teacher would first obtain a certain qualification in one or more than one subjects (which can be a first university degree) and then she/he would study for an extended period of time to obtain an extra qualification in teaching. In certain systems, it is a postgraduate degree. In the case of concurrent model, the student would concurrently study one or more than one academic subject together with the techniques of teaching that subject, which would eventually lead to the eligibility to be a teacher in that subject. Through the above discussion, we understand the beginning of the process of teacher development. Stage theories develop from this very process of ‘making’ a teacher. In this process of teacher development, illustrations, examples, explanations, and demonstrations are crucial. In a word, the ways of representing and formulating the subject that makes it comprehensible to others †¦ (it) also includes an understanding of what makes the learning of specific topics easy or difficult: the conceptions and preconceptions that students of different ages and backgrounds bring them to the learning (Craft et al, 2001). Hence, teacher development would be a stage-wise process that would enable the teacher to handle the various needs of this demanding profession in today’s complex environment. In this context, one of the two current stage theories that would be discussed here is given by R. Fessler and J. Christiansen. According to them, an individual teacher would go across eight life-long stages of career. More or less time would be spent in a given stage according as the organizational and personal environment influencers. These eight stages in the Fessler and Christiansen Teacher Career Cycle can be defined as Preservice, Induction, Competency Building, Enthusiastic and Growing, Career Frustration, Stability, Career Wind-Down, and

Management Health Care Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Management Health Care - Term Paper Example Introduction United States healthcare system is currently undergoing a transformation. The changes that are occurring in this industry are totally unprecedented and are responsible for the changed outlook of this industry. In the United States, healthcare services are fundamentally provided by separate legal entities belong to the private sector of the country. Government also lends it support to healthcare seekers in the form of government funded programs like Medicare, Medicaid, Tri-care, Child Health Insurance Program and Veteran Health Administration. In this industry, employers and health insurance agencies also play a vital role (Odier, 2010). Currently, in the United States a heated debate is going on over the issue of healthcare cost to the general public and its widespread availability at the time of need. These healthcare reforms seeks to address issues such as right to healthcare; access to health care for everyone; fairness of the healthcare service provider; and efficien cy with which health care services are administered to patients. ... Despite of huge investments in healthcare, it has been found that its infant mortality rate in USA is higher and life expectancy rate is less than any other industrialized nation. Recent industry data indicates that the country has gained little in returns against huge expenditures. Obesity, heart diseases and cancer has surged amongst American population. This signifies crisis in the healthcare industry (Dougherty and Conway, 2008). These above mentioned situations in the industry are heavily influencing the way the industry is shaping itself. Consequently, a heated debate is underway regarding the role of healthcare service providers and other stakeholders of this industry. Discussion The debate is over the current situation of health care industry in United States, these are administered from four separate perspectives which are elaborated below. Scenario 1: Business as Usual This scenario for health care management and development in United States stems from a business perspectiv e. Accordingly, this side of picture advocates that the health care strategy and its corresponding procedure is a product of health care market demand and supply drift and government intercession. A trend of aging has been witnessed in America with time in the American population progression; it has been found that the life expectancy of Americans has been increased by 20 years over the last 5 decades. The percentage of the total American population heading towards aging has also been increased with baby boomers generations’ senescence. This wide fraction of Americans has identified the growing segment of market which demands integrated health care systems and institutions (Shortell and Kaluzny, 2005). The cost of establishing a

Comprehensive Examination Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Comprehensive Examination Questions - Essay Example These are the consecutive model and the concurrent model. In the case of consecutive model, a teacher would first obtain a certain qualification in one or more than one subjects (which can be a first university degree) and then she/he would study for an extended period of time to obtain an extra qualification in teaching. In certain systems, it is a postgraduate degree. In the case of concurrent model, the student would concurrently study one or more than one academic subject together with the techniques of teaching that subject, which would eventually lead to the eligibility to be a teacher in that subject. Through the above discussion, we understand the beginning of the process of teacher development. Stage theories develop from this very process of ‘making’ a teacher. In this process of teacher development, illustrations, examples, explanations, and demonstrations are crucial. In a word, the ways of representing and formulating the subject that makes it comprehensible to others †¦ (it) also includes an understanding of what makes the learning of specific topics easy or difficult: the conceptions and preconceptions that students of different ages and backgrounds bring them to the learning (Craft et al, 2001). Hence, teacher development would be a stage-wise process that would enable the teacher to handle the various needs of this demanding profession in today’s complex environment. In this context, one of the two current stage theories that would be discussed here is given by R. Fessler and J. Christiansen. According to them, an individual teacher would go across eight life-long stages of career. More or less time would be spent in a given stage according as the organizational and personal environment influencers. These eight stages in the Fessler and Christiansen Teacher Career Cycle can be defined as Preservice, Induction, Competency Building, Enthusiastic and Growing, Career Frustration, Stability, Career Wind-Down, and

Menopause Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Menopause - Essay Example M.T reports having experienced her last menstrual period 10.5 years ago with the periods having been irregular before they stopped. Social and family history: M.T works as a part-time bank teller. She is married with three children who are all adults and in good health condition. She equally has grandchildren whom she watches during the weekdays after school. M.T denies the use of illicit medications, but she reports a history of cigarette smoking of two and a half packets of cigarette every day from when she was fifteen until she was forty-five years. The patient reports occasional alcohol consumption coupled with ten to twelve diets of cock per day. The patient has attempted to follow a low salt and low cholesterol diet, but she admits this has been a challenge. The patient has increased her calcium-containing foods to three to four servings per day. The patient reported that the father died from presumed heart disease in his fifties while the mother died from complications related to motor vehicle accident at the age of seventy-five. The patient is the eldest of four sisters with the other sisters alive and well. The patient reports no family history of breast cancer. Genitourinary/rectal: presents with a case of dryness, itching, urinary frequency, and dribbing after voiding. The patient is gravida three para three, menarche at the age of 14. The patient is sexually active but experiences dyspareunia. According to the medical definition, menopause is a stage in life that occurs after 12 months after a woman’s last menstrual period. Menopause can happen in a woman’s 40’s or 50’s. Menopause is a natural biological process; nevertheless, it presents with physical symptoms as the patient, in this case, (M.T) experiences. The experiences of menopause are equally execrated by lifestyle condition, which may fasten or worsen the symptoms. Management of menopausal symptoms thus in cooperate lifestyle

The Model Building Approach To Value At Risk Finance Essay

The Model Building Approach To Value At Risk Finance Essay The investment of any nature financial or physical assets comes with reward and risk. In order to prosper a company or an individual has to take risk. Generally, investors are risk averse. The risk can be estimated and managed in certain way such that the expected future earnings can be obtained while reducing potential future distress. The key to any investments is pursuing calculated risk path and achieving balance between risk and expected return. The question presented in this assignment also highlights one of the important tools in the risk assessment called Value at Risk. Value at Risk (VaR) is simple but more powerful tool to understand the impact of risk on the portfolio over the period of time. The second part of the assignment explains the stress and back testing covering up some of VaRs shortcomings. (1) Question: Explain and critically evaluate the model building approach to Value at Risk (VaR). To what extent may the weaknesses of this approach be addressed by stress testing and back testing? A variety of approaches to this essay may be adopted. For example, a case-study or quantitative based essay are equally appropriate. Answer: The investors are risk average. They want to minimise the risk and achieve expected profit out of their investment. The risk can be calculated and managed so that financial benefits can be maximised out of the investments. Value at Risk ( VaR) is one of simple and powerful tool to provide a single number summary of the total risk in a portfolios. The tools are being widely used by senior management corporate treasures and fund managers of a financial institution as well as monetary regulators. The VaR declaration is mandatory for the banks as per the Basel Accord ( Hull, 2011). VaR tells the investors, managers or regulators in a summary statement, how bad things might get. VaR enable companies or investors to consistently produce risk measures and risk management across all financial investments (Durham MBA). The VaR enable an analyst to make a statement that he/she is X percent certain that there will not be a loss of more than V dollars in the next N days (Hull, 2011). Here the V is the VaR of the portfolio and it is function of Time (N) and confidence level (X). The key advantage of the VaR statement is, it shows the aggregate risks faced by a financial institution or investor. This simple statement allows senior management to assess the situation and understand how bad things can get (Whitfield, n.d.). There are two approaches in computing VaR namely a) Historical Simulation approach 2) Model-Building approach (Durham MBA) Model-Building approach It is a main alternative approach to historical simulation approach. It is also known as variance-covariance approach (Hull, 2011). An important component in the calculation of VaR is the daily volatility of the asset. Usually the volatility of an asset is in volatility per year. While calculation of VaR using model-building approach, time is expressed in days and volatility of an asset is expressed in volatility per day (Hull, 2011). Therefore, volatility quoted annually can be converted in daily by à Ã†â€™day = à Ã†â€™year/ à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ 252. Where, à Ã†â€™day = Daily Volatility à Ã†â€™year = Annual Volatility 252 = Assumption about 252 trading day in year. ( Source Hull, 2011). Single Asset case The single asset case is the simple situation of calculating VaR using model-building approach, where the portfolio of asset contains a single stock. For example, we can consider portfolio of $10M in shares of ABC Inc. The other assumption are N =10 and X=99. We want to estimate loss level over 10 days with 99% confidence level. We can assume that the volatility of ABC Inc. is 2% per day with 32% per year (Hull, 2011). Standard deviation of daily changes = à Ã†â€™ = 2% of $10 million = $200,000 We say that value change in portfolio over a one-day period is $200,00 with mean Zero and we can assume that the change is normally distributed. Using cumulative normal distribution table, N(-2.33) = 0.01. We can say that there is 1% chances that a normally distributed variable will decrease in value by more than 2.33 standard deviation (Hull, 2011). It is safely assumed that the expected change in a market variable over the period can be considered to be zero for calculation VaR. Therefore the one-day VaR is = 2.33 x $200,000 = $466,000 We can calculated 10 day VaR at 99% confidence level as = $466,000 x à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ 10 = $1,473,621 Therefore, we can say that with 99% confidence, we will not lose more than $1,473,621 off the value of portfolio in next 10 days (Hull, 2011). Two Asset Case The risk reduction can be achieved through diversification of the portfolios. There are two types of risk associated with investment namely systematic and unsystematic. Unsystematic risk is company or industry specific risk. It can be reduced using appropriate diversification. For understanding two Asset case, we can consider price example with one more company. Lets consider we have $5million positions in XYX Inc and the daily volatility is 1%. (Hull, 2011). Change in value of portfolio in one day = 5,000,000 X 0.01 = $50,000 And 1-day 99% VaR is = $50,000 x 2.33 = $116,500 10-day 99 % VaR is = $116,500 x à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ 10 = $368,405. Now the combine portfolio with $10 Million Shares of ABC Inc and $5 Million positions in XYZ Inc. will have standard deviation of à Ã†â€™ X+y = à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ (sq(à Ã†â€™ X) + sq(à Ã†â€™ y) + 2 à Ã‚  à Ã†â€™ X X à Ã†â€™ y ) ( source. Hull, 2011). Where à Ã‚  correlation coefficient on return on two asset we assume it is 0.3. à Ã†â€™ X ( ABC Inc. ) = 200,000 and à Ã†â€™ X ( XYZ Inc. ) = 50,000 Therefore, the standard deviation of total portfolio over one-day period is à Ã†â€™ X+y = à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ (sq(200,000) + sq(50,000)+ 2X0.3X 200,000 X 50,000 à Ã†â€™ X+ y = 220,227 Hence, the 1-day VaR at 99% of total portfolio is = $ 220,227 X 2.33 = $ 513,129 Hence, the 10-days VaR at 99% of total portfolio is = $ 220,227 x à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã… ¡ 10 = $ 1,622,657. We can conclude as 10-days 99% VaR of ABC Inc. only is $1,473,621 10-days 99% VaR of XYZ Inc. only is $ 368,405 10-days 99% VaR of a portfolio combining ABC Inc. and XYZ Inc. is $ 1,622,657 The difference in addition of two individual versus combine value represents the benefit of Diversification. In this case, it is  £219,369 (Hull, 2011). Stress Testing There are several shortcomings in VaR calculation. The main critic is that the tool underestimates the potential losses and the actual loss could be much higher (Whitfield, n.d.). Therefore, financial institutions also carry out other techniques called stress testing along with VaR calculation. The stress testing involves study how a portfolio would have performed in case of extreme market conditions. The extreme condition can be a scenario provided by senior management or from historical situation (Whitfield, n.d.). For example, stress testing can be conducted by setting the percentage change in all market variables equal to those on 19th October, 1987, when SP 500 moved by 22.3 standard deviation. Similarly, many such historical events can be found out by analysing historical data and depending upon risk assessment levels, those scenarios can be applied to portfolio to estimate how it behaves under extreme conditions (Hull, 2011). Depending upon type of portfolio, suitable events from the historical data can be found out and better understanding of portfolio can be derived by applying stress test. For example Dot.com bubble busts scenario, Oil price extreme scenario, change in interest, higher commodity price scenarios and natural calamities. All these scenarios percentage changes in all market variable can be found by analysing historical events and then simulating scenario effect on portfolios (Hull, 2011). Stress testing enables the financial institutions to consider the extreme events that can occur from time to time but the chances of such events are very less. After credit-crisis of 2007, the regulators are insisting of stressed VaR test from all financial institutions considering all market variables present during one of the stress period like year 2008(Hull, 2011). Back testing Back testing is an important reality check on the portfolio. Whatever method used for calculating VaR but the back testing remains important. It analyze the past performance of the portfolio and its calculated VaR. It consists of testing how good the VaR estimates were correct in past. For example, if we calculated a one-day 99 % VaR, back testing would analyze how often the loss in a day exceeded the one-day 99% calculated VaR corresponding to that day. If the exceeded loss is in the range of 1% of that day, it can be reasonably considered that the methodology is working and correctly predicting the loss. However, the loss are above 7% of the day and for many days, there is doubt about methodology and someone has to analysis the methodology to fix it (Hull, 2011).

Lee, Robert E. (Edward) 1807 -- 1870 Essay -- Essays Papers

Lee, Robert E. (Edward) 1807 -- 1870 General in chief of the Confederate armies in the American Civil War. Born in Virginia's Westmoreland County on January 19, 1807, the third son of Henry ("Light Horse Harry") and Ann Hill Carter Lee. Declining fortunes forced the family's removal to Alexandria, where Robert distinguished himself in local schools. His father's death in 1811 increased responsibilities on all the sons; Robert, especially, cared for his invalid mother. Lee graduated number two in his class from the U.S. Military Academy in 1829. Commissioned a brevet lieutenant of engineers, he spent a few years at Fort Pulaski, Georgia, and Fort Monroe, Virginia. At Fort Monroe on June 30, 1831, he married Mary Ann Randolph Custis, with whom he had seven children. Lee worked in the chief engineer's office in Washington, D.C., from 1834 to 1837. He was transferred to Fort Hamilton, New York, where he remained until 1846. In August 1846 Lee joined General John E. Wool's army in Texas. In the battle of Buena Vista, Lee's boldness drew his superiors' attention. Transferred to General Winfield Scott's Veracruz expedition, in the battle at Veracruz and in the advance on Mexico he won additional acclaim. Following American occupation of the Mexican capital, he worked on maps for possible future campaigns. Already a captain in the regular service, he was made brevet colonel for his gallantry in the war. Lee returned to engineer duty at Baltimore's Fort Carroll until 1852, when he reluctantly became superintendent of the Military Academy at West Point. In 1855 he was made lieutenant colonel of the 2nd Cavalry, one of the Army's elite units. The years 1857-1859 were bleak. Lee had to take several furloughs to deal with family business and seriously thought of resigning his commission. However, in 1859 he and his men successfully put down John Brown's insurrection at Harpers Ferry, Virginia. In 1860 he became commander of the Department of Texas. Talk of secession in the South grew strident during Lee's Texas sojourn. No secessionist, he was loyal to the Union and the U.S. Army; yet he had no doubts about his loyalties if Virginia departed the Union. Ties of blood bound him to the South. Lee accepted a commission as colonel of the 1st U.S. Cavalry in March 1861. But offered command of the entire U.S. Army a month later, he hesitated. If he accepted... ...in chief of all Confederate armies in February 1865, could give only general direction to lingering disaster. Sherman marched upward through the Carolinas, threatening Petersburg. Lee failed to split Grant's front. On April 2, Grant's attack snapped Lee's lines; the Confederates began evacuating Petersburg and Richmond. Lee was compelled to surrender his shadow force of no more than 9,000 soldiers at Appomattox on April 9, 1865. Arlington, the Custis family seat, was gone now; the Lees had no real home. They remained in Richmond, well treated by the Federals. In September Lee accepted the presidency of Washington College, in Lexington, Virginia, where he remained until his death. Devoted to education and to resurrecting the South, Lee became a symbol of reunification. He refused to abandon his distressed country, hoped for Southern reassimilation, and set a lofty example. Without bitterness, he obeyed the law and counseled all Southerners to do the same. Indicted for treason, he never stood trial; and although never granted a pardon, he lived in comfort and in great honor. In September 1870 he was stricken, probably with an acute attack of angina, and died on October 12.

Essay --

Project management techniques and project planning tools play an important role in any tasks where different possible outcomes are possible; where risk of failure exists. To avoid this failure we need planning options, organizing resources and events to deliver a successful event. Tasks of a Project Manager: †¢ Feasibility Analysis (4 days): It provides the basis for developing a concept in to business plan and subsequent business start-up. It has three part †¢ Technical Feasibility (2 days): The purpose of the technical feasibility step is to verify that the product will achieve its end status and to confirm that there are no production obstructions. †¢ Financial Feasibility (1 days): It shows that proposed plan has a cash flow quantity and quality to allow the project sponsor recover the amount invested in the project. †¢ Organizational Feasibility (1 days): It checks how well the proposed plan supports the objective of an organization’s strategic plan for information systems. †¢ Project Modelling (1 week): This is the designing phase where the manager need to decide how the en...

B. Will the Economy Falter? Essay

The U. S. is now in its fifth straight year of economic growth. (There was a brief recession back in 2001. ) It has been observed over the last 60 years economic that recoveries on average last only five years. Once the five-year mark is reached, an economy typically runs into trouble. Cracks and strains start to appear. Inflation pressures build, interest rates move higher, housing weakens and business inventories begin to swell. On the media pundits utter the â€Å"R† word (recession) more frequently at this juncture. So the obvious question is: If the present recovery is five years old, is this economy now in jeopardy? The answer, fortunately, is no. Some sectors, like housing, are showing signs of tiring. Even the pace of job creation has been slowing the last four months. However, when diagnosing the health of an economy, it is vital to differentiate between an economy that is merely slowing to a more moderate and sustainable pace — from one where fundamentals have so deteriorated that a recession is all but inevitable. All evidence this time points to the former, namely that the economy remains in sound health with the business cycle far from over. The economy has indeed performed very well so far in 2006. Growth surged an estimated 4. 5% annual pace in the first half — despite high energy prices and rising interest rates. Inflation, though slightly higher than what the Federal Reserve prefers, is still quite benign. Companies continue to focus on operating more efficiently and raising productivity levels. Job creation, which has been disappointing recently, is still running at an average of nearly 150,000 a month, very near the level of 165,000 per month seen in 2005. S&P 500 earnings are expected to increase by 11% in the second quarter, after a 15% jump in the first three months (Baumohl).

Does She Encourage Thinness?

This essay examines the question of whether the iconic â€Å"Barbie Doll† (â€Å"Barbie†) causes young (5-8 year old) girls to desire thinness, thereby detrimentally effecting their self-image. Barbie, introduced to the children’s market in the 1950s, is a 9-inch doll created with what are widely regarded as imaginary proportions. Concern over the adverse effects of Barbie on children growing, Barbie’s figure was recently changed to reflect, among other things, a smaller bust and wider hips. Nevertheless, the controversy still remains: Does Barbie contribute to or even create negative body images in young girls?II. The Concerns: Barbie as Destructive Force Concerned parents and adult women who themselves were affected by the body size and shape portrayed by America’s favorite doll have expressed fear or conviction that playing with Barbie dolls may or does lead to a panoply of image-related problems in the youth who play with them. Little best examp les the detrimental results of Barbie on children than the reputed decision of one adult woman to request that a plastic surgeon recreate her body and face to mirror Barbie’s.When examined closely, however, the woman – and, eventually, society – learned that Barbie, if created as a human being, would have feet too small to balance her body on, breasts too large to be supported by her tiny waist, and hips likely too narrow to bear children. Indeed, Barbie could literally never exist in reality. At core, those opposed to Barbie for image-related reasons posit that girls at particularly vulnerable ages are easily impressed upon by the doll they come to not only play with, but idealize. Those girls wish not only to do all the things Barbie does – become an astronaut or doctor – but look like her.While becoming an astronaut or doctor are attainable goals for most if not all young girls, achieving Barbie’s looks is not. Were Barbie not important, she would in fact have little if any effect over her fans. III. Why They Have Their Point Though Barbie may not be responsible for the destructive force many attribute to her, concerned parents and former Barbie fans do have their point: Women do not look like Barbie dolls. Though an ultimate compliment may be, â€Å"You’re so pretty – you look like a Barbie,† in reality Barbie paints a picture of women that does not accurately reflect nature.For children particularly, impressions are easily made at tender ages, when bodies have yet to develop and knowledge is limited. Therefore, the five- or six-year old child, who has little reason to know otherwise, will be prone to accepting Barbie’s figure and appearance as a true reflection of what she will one day become. The detrimental effects may be especially harsh on children without mothers or sisters in their lives, or children in families who perpetuate negative self-images via perpetual dieting or other be haviors.For those children – the ones who arguably need the most direction – they may â€Å"look to† Barbie for more and as a result shape their own self-images around her. IV. Anti-Barbie: A Correct Assumption Underlying the Barbie dissenter’s opinion is the assumption that Barbie’s fans are easily impressionable and that Barbie has enough power in their lives to effect self-perception. Little argument can be made as to the former assumption (few would dispute that 5-year-olds are easily manipulated); and, though there is room for doubt as to the latter proposition, popularity attests to Barbie’s frontrunner status in the children’s market.Year by year, Barbie is consistently a favorite among young girls, and over time has evolved from teen fashion model to wife to mother to career woman. Throughout all, her figure has remained unscathed, sending the perhaps subconscious message to the girls who idealize her that they, too, will look forever young and thin no matter how old they grow or how differently their bodies may be made. It is Barbie’s enduring popularity that makes her so central a figure in the lives of so many. V. Why Barbie Works Despite Her FlawsDespite criticism, Barbie may in fact little harm a young girl’s self-image. She is, after all, just a doll. Few girls are told, or even given the suggestion, that Barbie is a true reflection of women’s bodies or lives. Barbie no more accurately reflects women’s bodies than does Ken accurately reflect men’s, and she is not designed to. Barbie, rather, is a tool of escape. Children of ages five, six, and even eight and ten seldom if ever would be found focusing on Barbie’s proportions or dress size. They, rather, use her as a tool with which to engage in fantasy.Beyond this, while Barbie may be the most popular girls’ toy, she is far from the most determinative factor on a young woman’s self-image. Most girls discontinue Barbie play well before their adolescence, the time when most young women begin focusing on and comparing their bodies with others. The force of society on a girl’s self-image cannot be underplayed. To assign Barbie with greatly influencing a girl’s view of her body when she is bombarded with images of real girls in popular culture who are unnaturally thin (on television, in magazines, in film) is to assign to her more importance than she in fact has.While Barbie lives in the world of fantasy and toy, images of super-thin models and women abound in an adolescent’s very real world – in the magazines she reads and on the television programs she watches. In many instances, the superstars and celebrities she looks up to are unnaturally thin and encourage her to dislike her own body. Perhaps more importantly, a young girl’s friends and family likely have far more influence on a girl’s perception of herself than Barbie.If a girlà ¢â‚¬â„¢s mother is comfortable with her body, she will likely instill similar comfort in her daughter. If, in contrast, a girl grows up hearing her mother perpetually complain that she (the mother) is fat or otherwise inadequate, she may well internalize such thought process and apply it to herself. Peers, too, who complain that their bodies are inadequate in one form or another may cause self-doubt in a girl. VI. A Balance: Healthy Barbie Though Barbie may not have the effect on her fans that her critics assign to her, itis likely that she does have some influence over her audience. Barbie, a staple of the toy world, doubtless plays her part in society and in shaping the goals, values, and self-images of those who play with her. To some extent, Mattel, Barbie’s creator, has recognized and attempted to remedy some of the potential damage Barbie’s surreal figure may do on young girls by slightly changing her mold. Mattel, however, can do only so much, and even the doll sold today paints a false picture of what most girls will mature to look like.Short of Mattel creating a Barbie that comes in all different shapes and sizes, parents in particular can use their influence to minimize any ill-effects Barbie may potentially have. Children should be taught that bodies do not come in standard sizes, and that it is important to have a positive view of yourself no matter how you are built. For some households, this may entail limiting or completely erasing Barbie from the toy mixture. More ideal, however, would be to tell children that they are beautiful and fine, and that Barbie is what she is marketed as: Just a toy.

Social Influence and the Branch Davidians

Social Influence And The Branch Davidians Abstract I examined compliance gaining strategies used by David Koresh to influence his followers. His claim to be Jesus Christ himself, and his promise to grant his followers eternal life, was highly effective in obtaining his followers compliance. I examined the Branch Davidian’s response to David Koresh’s influence. I observed their willingness to surrender their basic human needs, personal safety, and that of their children. Compliance-gaining strategies used by the Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) agents during the 1993 siege at the Branch Davidian compound were also examined. Social Influence and The Branch Davidians David Koresh used various compliance gaining strategies to gain the allegiance of his followers who according to Time. com (1993) were also known as the Branch Davidians. His followers responded with compliance, ultimately arming themselves in a standoff at their compound in Waco Texas, against the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms. The ATF then used compliance gaining strategies in a failed attempt to end the standoff peacefully. David Koresh used methods such as moral appeal, promises, and threats as compliance gaining strategies. It could be considered immoral for a religious person to choose to oppose God, therefore a moral appeal was a highly effective compliance gaining strategy for Koresh to use. Time. com (1993) wrote that Koresh taught his followers saying, â€Å"if the Bible is true, then I’m Christ. † He was appealing to their desire to be moral people who obey the requests of their Lord and Savior. Relentlessly delivering scriptures to his followers was another form of moral appeal. Koresh implored their compliance by appealing to their moral commitment to obey the scriptures of the Bible. Koresh realized that his followers would accept the logic that moral people do not disobey the Bible. Time. com (1993) wrote that David Koresh quoted the Bible (Revelation 2, English Standard Version) saying â€Å"Do not fear what you are about to suffer†¦Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. † Koresh was using a strategy known as â€Å"promise† (Alberts, 2009, p. 11), to gain compliance. Koresh was promising his followers that, just as the Bible foretold, their actions would indeed be rewarded. Koresh used the threat of war as a compliance gaining strategy. He convinced his followers that they would eventually have to prove their allegiance to him by waging war against the enemy. If they were going to be prepared for the impending war, it would be necessary for them to watch movies that prepared them mentally for war. They would also have to participate in military style training, in order to ensure their victory over their enemies. Koresh convinced his followers that the presence of the ATF at their compound was indeed the sign that the war that they were expecting was upon them. David Koresh’s followers responded to compliance gaining strategies with compliance, obedience, and conformity. Females of the group showed compliance by marrying David Koresh and by allowing their daughters to marry him as well. Their tendency to comply may have been because they perceived Koresh as having the authority to demand these unions. Another possibility is that their commitment to the group necessitated consistency in their actions in support of the group. This would require that they comply with all demands made upon group members. Group members conformed to the explicit rules of the group. According to Time. com (1993), Koresh proclaimed, â€Å"all the women in the world belonged to him and only he had the right to procreate. † Therefore, the explicit rules of the group dictated that David Koresh had a right to sleep with any woman in the group. Group members conformed to implicit rules of the group as well. Its members did not question David Koresh’s authority. Koresh instructed his followers to ready themselves for war by training for it. So group members displayed obedience to his demands by participating in what Time. com (1993) reported as â€Å"military style drills† in preparation for war. David Koresh’s followers displayed obedience when they armed themselves against police at their compound in Waco, Texas. The bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms used â€Å"liking† (Alberts, 2009, p. 11) as a compliance gaining strategy during the standoff with David Koresh and his followers. This strategy proved to be effective at times and ineffective at other times. Time. com (1993) reported that ATF agents used a â€Å"respectful† approach. This approach to gain compliance was initially successful and it resulted in the release of twenty-one children and sixteen adults. However, because the ATF used this strategy excessively, it lost its effectiveness and ultimately it garnered a response in opposition to the previous response. According to Time. com (1993), Koresh ultimately responded with disdain and mockery to repeated attempts by the ATF to use respect as a strategy to gain his compliance. The ATF’s failure to achieve compliance with requests that the group members exit the compound resulted in the deaths of the very people that they were attempting to protect. The compound, set ablaze, claimed the lives of numerous Branch Davidians. Compliance gaining strategies can be highly effective. Unfortunately, in addition to positive results, these strategies can produce negative results as well. Compliance gaining strategies, when effective can lead to a person’s freedom from hostile captors. However, failed attempts at these strategies can also result in the death of many people. Compliance, obedience, and conformity can lead to a willingness to make choices that society at large would deem reprehensible. These types of social influence can cause a mother to neglect her maternal instincts and willingly put her children in dangerous life-threatening situations. Compliance can be a formidable weapon against a perceived threat. References Alberts, J. PhD, Ayers, J. PhD, Busha, R. PhD, & Holtz, M. M. A. (2009). Interpersonal Effectiveness. Rancho Cucamonga: Channel Custom Gibbs, N. (May, 1993) Oh My God, They’re Killing Themselves! Time. com, 2, 5. Retrieved from http://www. time. com/time/daily/newsfiles/waco/050393. html Lacayo, R. (March, 1993). Cult of Death: Holed up in a Texas fortress, David Koresh and his followers fervently believe he is Christ – till death do them part. Time. com, 1, 3, 4. Retrieved from http://www. time. com/time/daily/newsfiles/waco/031593. html