Harnessing Solar Energy

Harnessing of Solar Energy: Photosynthesis versus Semiconductor Based Solar Cell Photosynthesis and semiconductor-based solar cells are both used to harness solar energy from the sun – photosynthesis for plants and semiconductor based solar cells for human beings. Photosynthesis consists of light reactions and dark reactions. It is a process in which carbon dioxide (CO2), water (H2O) and light energy are utilized to synthesize an energy-rich carbohydrate like glucose (C6H12O6) and to produce oxygen (O2) as a by-product.Simply put, photosynthesis is a process that transfers energy from the sun (solar energy) into chemical energy for plants and animals. Photosynthesis is a vital process among plants, algae and some bacteria that are able to create their own food directly from inorganic compounds using light energy so that they do not have to eat or rely on nutrients derived from other living organisms. A semiconductor-based solar cell is devised to convert light to electric curr ent.The solar cell directly converts the energy in light into electrical energy through the process of photovoltaics (a field of semiconductor technology involving the direct conversion of electromagnetic radiation as sunlight, into electricity). Solar cells do not use chemical reactions to produce electric power, and they have no moving parts. Most solar cells are designed for converting sunlight into electricity. In large arrays, which may contain many thousands of individual cells, they can function as central electric power stations analogous to nuclear, coal-, or oil-fired power plants.The conversion of sunlight into electrical energy in a solar cell involves three major processes: absorption of the sunlight in the semiconductor material; generation and separation of free positive and negative charges to different regions of the solar cell, creating a voltage in the solar cell; and transfer of these separated charges through electrical terminals to the outside application in th e form of electric current. Comparisons Photosynthesis and semiconductor-based solar cells both get their energy from the sun and convert it into a form that is needed either by plants or humans (Vieru, 2007). The first two steps of photosynthesis involve capturing photons released from the sun and using that energy to create a flow of electrons. From there, photosynthesis involves using that electrical energy to create chemical energy† (Stier, 2009). The products of photosynthesis are sugars to feed plants. Semiconductor-based solar cells also capture photons that use energy to create a flow of electrons which create electrical energy. A final similarity between photosynthesis and solar cell technology is that â€Å"a semi conductor has solar cells that trap energy from the sun and convert it into electricity.Plants have cells that trap energy from the sun and convert it into useful products† (Haile & O’Connell, 2005). Contrasts The first contrast is in the conv ersion of energy trapped by the sun – photosynthesis converts solar energy to chemical energy used by plants and semiconductor-based cells convert solar energy into electricity used by humans. The solar panels for semiconductors are manmade and photosynthesis comes from a natural process. Finally, photosynthesis has been around for billions of years making it the oldest technology on earth (Stier, 2009).Charles Fritts created the first solar panel in 1883 which means the semiconductor has been around for about 229 years – a mere zygote to photosynthesis. Thermodynamics Semiconductor-based solar cells and photosynthesis both use the laws of thermodynamics. Thermodynamics is the study of the conversion of energy between heat and other forms, mechanical in particular and it has three laws. The first law of thermodynamics says that energy is conserved, it is neither created nor destroyed but can change form. This is called energy conservation.The second law of thermodynami cs says that systems always tend to be in states of greater disorder. As disorder in the universe increases, the energy is transformed into less usable forms. The third law of thermodynamics is usually stated as a definition: the entropy of a perfect crystal of an element at the absolute zero of temperature is zero. Thermodynamics apply to photosynthesis by plants transforming sunlight energy into food – this is an example of the first law. During the process of photosynthesis plants also lose energy because they to not convert all of he energy trapped from the sun into food. Some of the energy is lost in the process – this demonstrates the second law of thermodynamics. Plants needing to trap energy from the sun constantly demonstrates the final law of thermodynamics because the cycle is repeated. In semiconductor-based solar cells energy from the sun is converted to electricity – this is the first law. Because energy is lost in the conversion, the second law of thermodynamics is applied here. Finally, the cells have to continually obtain energy from the sun which obeys the third law of thermodynamics (Heckert, 2007).Solar energy has been around for billions of years whereas semiconductor-based solar cells have only been around a little over 200 years. In writing this, I have discovered that solar energy is harnessed by both photosynthesis and semiconductor-based solar cells to convert energy into food and electricity to be used by plants and human beings. Both photosynthesis and semiconductor-based solar cells utilize all three laws of thermodynamics by converting energy, losing energy, and trapping energy constantly. This shows the many similarities and differences between photosynthesis and semiconductor-based solar cells.

Airport Incident Management System Essay

1. Introduction Airport operations are growing in complexity day by day, and extend across multiple service providers at the airport – namely ground handlers, customs, immigration, retail tenants, air traffic control, security, baggage handlers, airlines consortiums and airlines. These agencies use the airport infrastructure in such a way that they meet their commitment to their customers in due time. These commitments put a lot of pressure on the airport infrastructure support staff to keep the systems up and running efficiently. Currently these services are handled manually at most of the Indian airports, so there are umpteen chances of these services to breakdown at most appropriate time when airport are supposed to meet their stated commitments with agencies. These incidents are very frequently occurring, particularly at the busy airports like Delhi and Hyderabad where pressure to meet timelines are heavy on airport infrastructure. Therefore there is a need for a technology solution to provide the flexible and proactive service delivery which guarantees the availability and usability of the infrastructure available at the airport to meet the commitments. This case study discusses a solution that raises the service level of the airport to its agencies and eventually creates a positive image in the minds of its users. This case study is based on this technical solution provided at one of the busy airport where the technical solution created, provides the right answer to different stakeholders at the airport. The context diagram [pic] Source – Internet 2. Case Study – Purpose The purpose of this case study is to highlight the technical solution provided to solve the problems arising due to the multiple agencies of the airport using the same airport infrastructure. 3. Case Study Methodology The methodology to arrive at the solution to the use of airport infrastructure problem was the extensive survey method and later on the software implementation methodology for implementing AR Systems (Incident Management Components). The Survey Method – A questionnaire about the status of services provided by the current staff to the concerned agency department was circulated and feedback collected. The response feedback was consolidated and improvements discussed and applied. A need to streamlining the procedure or writing the standard procedure was felt and implemented in the short run. Visits by senior management staff to similar airport and studying the response to the tender floated by the airport led to the long term planning of implementing the software solution. 4. The technology strategy After the gruesome struggle to provide the required service 24Ãâ€"7 at the airport terminal building, a search for better technical solution that can cater to the current requirement and as well as give scope for future growth is always on. A team of experts were constituted to suggest the course of action which can address the airports infrastructure problem in the short run and simultaneously can find appropriate technology solutions to mitigate the problem as well as expand the extent of service at the airport for future projections. Short Term Planning – It was felt that in short run the airport operation must have the standard procedure which can be followed and improved with the experience of supporting the agencies of the airport. The performance of the support staff can also be measured and their skill enhanced to meet requirements of different support levels. Long term Planning – An appropriate IT solution must be developed or procured to record incidents / solutions and can use the learning/Knowledge for handling future incidents.

Cooking Failure

There is always that one person we know that can cook just about anything, my mother is that one person. Sadly that gene must have skipped a generation, I am the worst cook imaginable. I have so many failing attempts in the kitchen that I lost count. The one I recall the most the first time I attempted to make dinner for my family. I was roughly twelve years old, and in my family, most girls my age were able to cook extravagant meals. At the time I could barely make an egg with our burning it, so it was a stressful first experience. In my dreams I am Martha Stewart but in reality I am a kitchen failure.The first thing I do is I get all the ingredients and utensils I will need. A medium sized pan and pot, a strainer, noodles, a pound of ground beef and spaghetti sauce store bought of course- I don't even attempt to make my own, due to the fact that I might burn it which I've done in the past. When I start making the spaghetti I put the noodles in water and let them boil for a couple o f minutes. As the noodles are cooking, I heat the sauce in the medium sized pan. I check in on the noodles and they seem a little under cooked so I leave them there for a couple more minutes.When I assume the noodles are just right I check on them and find that all the water has evaporated and the noodles are burned at the bottom and suck together. I scrape off the bottom layer and leave it in the pot to cool down. For some reason it occurred to me to run a fork through the strand to see if I were able to separate them. At first it started to resemble the noodles, but I got a little carried away and ran the fork through to many times and the pieces were starting to come looking more like a pile of mushy-strand squash than noodles. You could notice the burnt taste to it but it was still edible .I was so grateful that there’s no one else here tonight other than my family that I had to feed. The next thing I do is check on the sauce, but what my mother didn’t tell me was that I had to keep the burner on a low temperature to prevent the sauce from burning. I ended up ruining the pot in the end but my mom ended up saving the sauce by add extra spices to the sauce a crushed clove of garlic. Then she mixed a 1 teaspoon of peanut butter into the sauce. As much as I consider my mom to be the next â€Å"Martha Stewart† none of her tricks were able to save that pot.The next thing that I did after the sauce was fixed I started on the ground beef, it didn’t know that as it heat up some of the oils off of it would jump up and might burn you, and as I was trying to stir the bread I was to scared of getting burned that I didn’t move it was much as I should have. And that caused some parts to be to be over cooked and others to be under cooked. There was no saving the meat from that, but my mother assumed this would happen- the lack in faith in her was a little insulting but I have to say it was good that she that she thought ahead and bought an extra pound of ground beef.My second attempt turned out better, not just because I made an excuse to leave the room almost every time I had to stir the meat. Then the spaghetti is done, I moved on to making in garlic bread. I assumed that the bread would be easier to make than the spaghetti, I was wrong. The way my mother does it is she makes homemade paste that does on the bread. For the paste I was suppose to use only one clove of garlic but I used two. Then to make it worse when I put it in the oven to get warm and golden I was supposed to keep it in the oven for at least five minutes and when I took them out the ends were burnt so badly they turned black.After scrapping off the burnt off I have to say they weren't that bad. The only thing that I can think of is that I could have done better was keeping an eye on the food. Also not asking for help when needed and in result burning most of the meal. But to be honest, I’m not sure whether something went wrong or whether i t was my high expectations that I set for myself that were off of how the meal would turn out, but considering that it was my first time cooking I think I did a decent job.Now at the age of seventeen, I've prepared all the foods I learned from watching my mom over the past years. Chicken and various pastas are also easy to prepare as someone still learning. I know my limits as a cook and don't take on foods I'm not ready to prepare. Whether I'm making my own dishes or following a family recipe, I find experimentation a fun alternative when I have time to play around the kitchen- with the help of my mother of course. These aren't the most difficult foods to make, but its unique practice for a first-time cook.You don't have to enjoy cooking, but if you make it fun, then the process may not seem so difficult. I learned that It's also important to not feel overwhelmed when booking and to have fun, and it also could be a good stress reliever. Otherwise, you may be tempted to just order o ut every night, which will become a costly expense over time. I've only been cooking for a short period of time, but I already feel at home in the kitchen. The oven is no longer a dark, scary dungeon to me, and the microwave is for cooking as a last resort. It's necessary to keep an open-mind in the kitchen.

What is communication How do you think that the meaning of Essay

What is communication How do you think that the meaning of communication has evolved in recent years Where is communication going - Essay Example Despite the fact that people speak numerous languages they still try to find a common meaning in everything that happens around. So it is communication that allows us solving problems effectively between people, building relationships, and arranging effective work. It is communication that leads to interaction and makes the world go round. Communication basically is the act of information (which can vary from facts and statistics to the most subtle emotions) transmission from one person to another with the purpose of connections establishment and its further development between people. Communication usually means information transmission with the help of verbal and non-verbal (with the help of gestures and facial expressions) means. Communication is inevitable because any human activity is impossible without it and it is the only method of effective interaction. There are several conditions for real communication. There need to be at least two participants for performing communication. And of course there have to be the information to be transmitted. They have to pass the information, feelings, ideas in order to create some shared common meaning and understand each other. Communication is meant to connect people or groups of people and make them understand something is more or less similar way. However, it is strange to realize that most of what people are trying to transmit in the course of verbal communication gets distorted. It happens because there is no possibility that the information that was encoded will be absolutely equal to the information that was decoded. It reminds interpretation from English to Chinese, no matter how accurate it will be the meaning still be slightly different because people of different cultures do not perceive different concepts in the same way. So there are numerous reasons why message is often perceived wrong: cultural and traditional differences, focusing on personal

Drug Information Resources in Pharmacy Practice Essay

Drug Information Resources in Pharmacy Practice - Essay Example The prescription is then scanned and entered into the computer system followed by entering the prescription and the date. Through this can be achieved as it provides the capacity for the auditor to trace back for references on when the prescriptions was entered, and picked up. Such procedure is then followed by encoding the medication and the milligram determined by the doctor along with the details of the patient's weight. Then you enter the quantity and ask the patient for their preference on whether they prefer proof caps on there medication or a standard cap. Determine if the patient wants to wait or come back by asking, in some conditions the patient wants to wait because of the urgency and the nature of their situation. Finally, and the most important thing to verify is to see if the insurance which the patient presented covers said provision and if it is refilled to soon. The pharmacist then prints the prescription and labels them with information such as location of the pharm acy, name of the patient and corresponding dosage.

Tuition assistance in the work place and its effects on retention Coursework

Tuition assistance in the work place and its effects on retention - Coursework Example The employers’ acts intends at enhancing employees’ loyalty and retention or longevity given that the employee continually expands their knowledge and skills while working. In my proposal of Tuition assistance in the work place and its effects on retention, I identified numerous factors that make tuition assistance programs by employers extremely effective. As an employer, ensure that there exists an educational assistance program in one organization, align the company goals and employees’ goals, define a strategic plan around the program, utilize online colleges and universities, and regularly keep track of success measurements for the tuition assistance program. Extremely effective tuition assistance could save a firm much money especially by regulating tuition to low cost college course providers and ensuring that all employees’ educational needs align with the company interests (Flaherty, 2007). Besides saving money, the firm could also reduce employees’ turnover rates given that educated employees better understand their responsibilities, have greater job satisfaction, and opt to remain with the company

International Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

International Business - Essay Example Due to the widespread interconnectivity provided to the masses by the high speed internet services, the various geographical boundaries and barriers are becoming increasingly less important. As such, the world is turning into what can only be described as a type of global village where nations highly interconnected with one another and their strategies and plans have the power to impact millions of lives on the face of the earth (Desai 2012, p.115). Likewise, the economic, political, social and technological factors of a particular nation can prove to be beneficial as well as competitive to many other nations, who are developing and emerging at varying paces or have established themselves in a more secured manner over the time as compared to others. As such, this brief will consider the emergent case of the economy of India. India is comprised of one of the most attractive markets that fall in the category of the fastest emerging markets around the world. With a GDP of over $1.8 tril lion, the Indian market looks extremely attractive for investments by foreign institutional investors (Mukherjee 2009, p. 59). Apart from that, because of the highly diversified population mix and increasing per capita income, India has emerged as a unique market for consumables for multinationals around the globe. This provides corporations with opportunities to acquire growth and generate revenue from such a high opportunity market. However, for a better understanding of the â€Å"India advantage†, as some commentators have called it, in terms of emerging market, a PEST analysis is required. Political The political parties of India have to help and to shape the development of the various factors that contributed to the process of economic development within India as an important emerging market in the global forum. The most important contribution that has been made by the political parties in the development of the Indian nation is the process of opening up of the Indian ec onomy in the early 1990’s. The opening up of the Indian economies contributed to the a greatly in flow of foreign funds. These foreign funds and investment naturally contributed to the overall growth and development of the nation over the past two decades. Likewise, the various political powers played a large role within the process of formation of various favorable trade policies and agreements that

Business and Society Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Business and Society - Case Study Example Clean water supply is however a significant problem, in India and globally, and has been the center of focus for such organizations as the United Nations with such goals as reducing the percentage of people who cannot access sustainable clean water supply to 50 percent by the year 2015. Threat to this sustainability is significant as initiated water projects stall amid locals’ inability to assume responsibility over the projects but clean water supply remains a health and economic necessity. Commercial players have moved in to supply clean water in India while other socially responsible companies seek non-commercial solutions. Social responsibility that incorporate profit oriented and non-profit oriented objective promises a solution and tops Byrraju’s current considerations. The foundation’s SWEET water project begun in 2004 and charges consumers little fee that is used for operations and maintenance. Many of the target customers are however not willing to pay t he price despite affordability and their concerns include taste of the project water and preference for other needs. Establishing the water project requires collaboration between the community, contributing 75 percent of construction cost after application, and Byrraju foundation contributing through loaning. The community then runs the project put pays a percentage of revenues to the foundation for the advanced loan and maintenance. The current situation however challenges feasibility of the project prompting alternative measures that Hari is considering such as raising prices, selling the project, market expansion, grant application, and

Comparative politics research project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Comparative politics research project - Essay Example In the last twenty seven years Brazil has made itself well known for its participatory institutions. The Brazilian economy has been going through a phase of boom and a big section of the population has moved above the poverty level and entered the middle class. Towards the beginning of this paper I shall discuss the economic situation in Brazil in the early years of the twentieth century when there was military regime. The process of urbanization had started to take place in the final years of the military authoritarian rule. The condition of the poorest section of the population was grave since they were suppressed and neglected. In the later part of the paper I shall elaborate on the living conditions of the poor, which has improved gradually since the democratization. But before moving into the discussion of the main issues presented in this paper, I shall briefly discuss a few terms, the understanding of which is important for the reading of this paper. This paper deals with the process of democratic transition in Brazil and addresses the question whether the incidence of reduction of poverty in Brazil is directly correlated with democratization in the country. Literature review Numerous researches have been conducted about the economic situation of Brazil and its democracy and it is evident that there is an economic link but none has specifically given conclusive evidence of the democracy link to poverty and its correlation. According to a report by the Network of Democracy Research Institutes (NDRI, 2006), Brazil is one of the Latin American countries that has fought poverty after its democratization and hence indicating a link between poverty and democratization. The same link is supported by Fukuyama, Diamond and Plattner (2012) who discuss the relationship in detail and sheds more light into there being a relationship between the two in Brazil. According to a paper by Avritzer, with the onset of democracy the poor could take part in the decision making mechanism of the country which improved the representation of their interests in the policies set. It helped them to have greater access of the public goods leading to better living conditions of the poor. Research Question The Democratization of Brazil took place between the years of 1985 and 1988. In 1988, the transition was finalized by enacting â€Å"a new democratic constitution.†2 The Constitution framed in 1988 paved the way for certain important changes in regard to civilians’ access to social services as well as creating participatory institutions. In 2012, approximately twenty eight million people could be lifted out of severe poverty and the middle class has expanded with some thirty six million people joining the middle class3. The research question is â€Å"Is the democracy in Brazil the cause of poverty reduction?† . This paper would also deal with the other question that re-states the research question, i.e, â€Å"Is there a correlation between democracy and poverty in Brazil?† Terms involved in this paper This paper talks about the democratization of Brazil and the consequent reduction of poverty in the country. By democracy we imply â€Å"a political regime with free competitive elections , without major prescriptions and with universal adult suffrage†4. In a democratic country the citizens enjoy â€Å"freedom of speech and the press, freedom of political association, and individual civil rights†

Rabelais and Montaigne Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Rabelais and Montaigne - Essay Example This is especially so as they give credence to art in its natural state where a lot of description and opinion, but which seek to indulge into inquiry. Even so, to argue that renaissance writers were only interested in theory may be a misconception. This paper shall assess the above claims under the thesis statement: early renaissance writers and characters appreciated theoretical generalizations and pragmatic action in equal measure. To do so, this paper shall focus on selected readings of the above scholars in an attempt to prove this position. The paper will also offer a counter argument through the lens of an alternative interpretation especially where ambiguity leaves room for multiple understandings of the texts. An Analysis of Depictions of Pragmatic Action versus Theoretical Generalizations To begin with, Book 1, the introduction offers a bit of the author’s background. One may notice that the fact that he threw himself at the movement of the Renaissance (Rabelais and Raffel 5). He is depicted as having acquired both the Latin antiquity knowledge as well as the Greek forms of knowledge. Raffel writes, â€Å"Almost all the elements which are united in Rabelais’ style are known from the later Middle Ages (Preface page X). It is observable that since the author lived at the intersection of two historical periods, it was inevitable that he was affected by the mannerisms and beliefs of those times. It is also observable that Rabelais did not always write in the same fashion (Rabelais and Raffel 12). Analyses of chapters 52-58 reveal some perceptions of the renaissance writers and characters about religion and logic. There was a lot of attention given to theory. For example, Rabelais says, â€Å"If one of the gallants of ladies should say, let us drink, they would all drink.† This depicts a situation in which the society did not assess keenly how practically their actions could affect other things around them. For instance, Rabelais†™s work reveals in this chapter that the society perceived women as incapable of religious service. When the monk asks Gargantua what a good â€Å"a woman that is neither fair not good† serves, Gargantua replies that she should make a nun (Rabelais and Raffel 127). The monk agrees to this. One may observe that these renaissance characters depict religious principles were still important to the society. These show to theoretical approach to life. Besides, there is a lot of description of the abbey of the Thelemites, particularly in regard to how it was built. The author takes his time to describe the abbey, as was the common practice in romanticism. Rabelais’s says this of the abbey in chapter 52, â€Å"In the midst there was a wonderful scalier or winding stair, the entry whereof was without a house, in a vault or arch six fathom abroad.† He also engages in detailed description, a characteristic of theoretical life. he says in chapter 54, â€Å"Stay here, you lively, jovial, handsome, brisk, gay, witty, frolic, cheerful, merry, frisk, spruce, jocund, courteous, furtherer of trades, and in a word, all worthy gentle blades. This approach to life combines what one would call emerging pragmatism against a fading romanticism. Rabelais observes in what he termed a prophetical riddle, that â€Å"they will say that everyman should have his turn† (Rabelais and Raffel 137) to imply the births of human rights in the post renaissance period. He also continues with theoretical appro

Financial Aid Essay Example for Free

Financial Aid Essay The role of financial aid in college access and success is immense. Lack of adequate financing of education make many students from low income backgrounds fail to realize their educational aspirations (Reindl, 2007). It is from this premise that obstacles which accompany financial aid to low income students come to fore. The influence of aid on the enrollment persistence of students consists of interrelated factors which include timing, amount and type of aid and how they correlate with persistence among other attributes that relate to students (Pascarella Terenzini 2005) Although it is prudent to consider the positive implications of financial aid to needy students, especially those of the minority groups that have felt sidelined for long, the question of how best to carry out the financing should be looked into. Many a student in higher education fails to achieve high academic performance due to their inability to focus on academics prompted by frustrated efforts to get financing. Financiers of the education of such student need to look into their procedures to be followed by students seeking financing of their education. This is in terms of the conditions to be satisfied by the needy students as well as the length of time the financial assistance will take before the recipient gets his / her college account credited. The reason for this is that not all institutions have provision for late arrival of the aid. The implication therefore if the aid delays is that the student will be forced to be out of the institution for some time, a matter which may make them fail to do their exams, tutorials, researches and vital lessons. In the long run such students will have low aggregate points and consequently failing to achieve their r personal educational and life goals. When the aid delays, or when the procedures to be followed in securing one prove to be too taxing, students get undue stress. This has far reaching implications both in terms of their health and general academic performance. In the long run, assistance will be a problem added to their financial incapacitation (Immerwahr 2003). Literature review Several researches have been undertaken on the problems that students under finance aid scheme face. Most of them point to the fact that financial aid can be an impediment and not a solution to students’ academic issues related to finance especially if the student fraternity is not informed of the availability and procedures In his journal â€Å"With diploma in Hand: Hispanic High School Seniors Talk about Their Future†, Immerwahr, J. (2003) uses interviews to highlight the challenges that these students faced in college as far as financial aid among other things are concerned. He interviewed 50 Hispanic High School seniors in San Antonio, Santa Clara Tucson, Chicago and New York. His findings were that many students on financial aid had difficulties at the end of it all because the aid was unpredictable making the students to be stressed. This is echoed by Stampen and Cabrera, (2007) who used questionnaires and interviews in their quest to know the effects of financial aid packaging on attrition and Pascarella and Terenzini (2005) in their journal How College Affects Students: A Third Decade of Research who use the same methods to expound on what affects students in college. A variety of issues are raised including the moral and social growth for some and despair for those dependent on finance aid which in most cases is unpredictable. Students may also fail to estimate how much in terms of amount of aid they require. The amount they get can be less than what is sufficient for them to complete their education. The aid that they get can be in the form of loans, work study opportunities or grants and scholarships. In the case of work study opportunities, the students may not get sufficient time for their studies as they are required to work also. This creates a lot of stress on the aid beneficiaries according to Voorhees (2005). Voorhees used on campus surveys in drafting his Student finances and campus? based financial aid: a structural model analysis of the persistence of high? need freshmen. Bias in aid allocation translates into variables exhibited by students in terms of their academic performance (Titus, 2006; Rubin, 2004). Using propensity score matching, it was established that there is a significant difference between financially aided and unaided students. Results based on five thousand freshmen at a public university in the US and retention in second year before and after noting their GPA and math experience showed that there is a relationship between aid influence and enrollment persistence (Adelman, 2004; Pascarella Terenzini, 2005) When looking at the issue of aid extension to low-income students, it is imperative that women be also assisted. This is because they are more likely to be affected more than their male counterparts, in most cases being affected by stress when they fail to secure aid in time to enhance their studies. Financial aid influences the retention of students based on their estimated family contribution. The challenge here is that those students whose families’ contribution is less than $4000 have higher chances of getting lower GPA’s (Adelman, 2004; Pascarella Terenzini, 2005) Methodology and Findings Since there are individual disparities that may affect the performance of the students who may be getting the same financial aid, this study used propensity score matching model which cater for the variables that may be of demography nature, or pre-college experiences. The new freshmen were categorized into those that get aid in form of loans or grants and those that do not get any aid at all. The two groups were then subjected to a comparison, that is, those that get aid package vis-a-vis those without any aid in their first year. The group that did not get any aid was called untreated. The methodology used (estimated propensity score) helps in ridding the bias based on self-selection. The effects of aid bias may not be fully accounted for using this method of study (Titus, 2006; Lunceford Davidian, 2004) as other unaccounted for reasons may come into interplay. The amount that the students are able to get from their families affect the outcome of the study. It categorized the students in terms of those who could pay for their education and those who could not. In the findings that have been tabulated, the columns that are unmatched show the effect of aid without making a match of students on propensity for aid assistance. The matched average effect column is used as a control for the bias in aid selection. The matched average untreated and matched average treated give the probable retention results if the aided student(s) had not been aided or if the unaided one had received some financial assistance. Matched students with an average possibility of receiving aid are more likely to persist into their second year of studies compared to those with low aid chance. This study furnishes separate estimates by EFC in gauging the influence that financial aid has on student retention. An EFC of 4000 dollars and less encompasses students from low- income background eligible for grants. These students got an aid of between $2000 and $ 3000 in their first year while middle income students with $ 4000-10000 receive between $ 800- 900 aids. Those with Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of more than $ 10000 receive less to no aid at all, only relying on merit-based aid. They however show a greater possibility of remaining in college in their next academic year as compared to their aided counterparts who have higher remaining need after using their aids to pay for schooling. There is no correlation between the net persistence of students with $ 4000-$10000 EFC in their GPA or math experience and the aid they receive. Gift aid for those with high EFC increases their persistence by 18% meaning that the more EFC these students have, the better they work towards their academic endeavors (Dowd, 2004). The following are the tabular summaries of the information obtained from the study. Not all parts of the study have been tabulated but only the seminal ones. From the literature analysis and the results of this study, some issues are apparent: Financial aid to low- income students may greatly hamper their studies if we look at the securing of the finances. If the aid delays, the students get stressed up and may therefore not concentrate in class. Those who do not know the whole procedure get more problems because their studies are hampered. The effect of the Expected Family Contribution on the capability of the learner to proceed to the next year has been shown. The less the EFC a student is capable of raising, the lower their performance and possibility of proceeding to the next year. Those with EFC of more than 10000 dollars show no effect if not given an aid but show considerable possibility of proceeding to the next year and also of passing well. References Adelman, C. (2007). Do we really have a college access problem? Change (July? August): 48? 51. Bodvarsson, O. B. Walker, R. L. (2004): Do parental cash transfers weaken performance in college? Economics of Education Review 23: 483? 495. Caison, A. L. (2006): Analysis of institutionally specific retention research: A comparison between survey and institutional database methods. Research in Higher Education 48(4): 435? 451. Dowd, A. (2004): Income and financial aid effects on persistence and degree attainment in public colleges; Education Policy Analysis and Archives, 12(21). Herzog, S. (2005): Measuring determinants of student return vs. dropout vs. transfer: a First-to-second year analysis of new freshmen; Research in Higher Education 46 Immerwahr, J (2003): With Diploma in Hand: High School Senior Talk about Their Future. NCPPHE (8): 883? 928. Lunceford, J. K. , and Davidian, M. (2004): Stratification and weighting via the propensity score

Declining Fish Stock Essay Example for Free

Declining Fish Stock Essay The Problem: Seeing the video on Declining Fish Stock VLR, expose the challenges between fishermen and environmental concerns. This video shows how fishing fleets have depleted the oceans of almost 90% of its big fish; therefore, claiming the ocean is not as resilient as it once was. The majority of the largest fish have already been pulled from the oceans, leaving only 10% of its remaining fish for Commercial fishermen to make a living. Most fishing fleets today are two to three times larger than they need to be to catch large fish and other seafood. Because of commercial fishing many fish are not able to reproduce fast enough to maintain their species. A manageable and sustainable plan will need to be implemented to avert these fish from completely disappearing from the oceans. The plan will need to be a partnership between fishermen, communities, governments, and environmentalists. Overfishing has considerably exhausted certain species in the ocean and they are now extinct. To think we can continue to hunt fish, with no major regulations or limits to feed billions of people is extreme. Since biodiversity do continue to decline, the aquatic surroundings will not be able to maintain our human consumption for seafood. This situation can still be reversible by working together with some basic ground rules. Because of the current conditions and the magnitude of the problem, replenishing the ocean may take a decade or perhaps even centuries to restore. In spite of everything there is a way we can have a healthy and productive oceans again. However, we do need to act now before the big fish are too far depleted to make a comeback. Action Plan: for environmentalists Forristall (2008) a study authored by scientists from the University of California at Santa Barbara and the University of Hawaii and published in the journal Science last month shows â€Å"catch share management systems† can reverse declining fish stocks. Catch share management systems allow fishermen to own quotas of the total allowable catch so they have a direct financial stake in the fishery. The shares can be sold and bought between fishermen, and as the fishery recovers, shares grow in value. Order of Action As a community it is imperative to stay informed. Knowledge is powerful and through education we learn that overfishing cannot continue. â€Å" Fish account for approximately one fifth of all animal protein in the human diet, and around one billion people rely on fish as their primary protein source†(2005). A global problem is a community problem, and it is important for people to realize as they consume these species and they are being depleted. There are several things that can be done to alert the public: Study journals, such as the Good Fish guides for more information; spread the word by speaking to friends and explain why eating certain fish is not a good idea; discuss the overfishing problem and suggest a quota for fishermen; do not hesitate to let elected officials know that there is a concern; and be motivated enough to write a letter to the editor of local newspapers in order to get a wide audience of concerned people. An illustration of another way to carry on the supply of fish for human enjoyment is Aquaculture or fish farms. These farms help in producing offspring’s for the depleted fish before they become extinct. Since the farming of ocean, freshwater plants, and animals for human consumption produces wastes that pollutes marine life and harm the ocean water the farms would to best away from the coastline. Aquaculture or fish farms permit the request for certain fish to be available while allowing the identical fish to replenish in the ocean. It would be good if we could change our thought pattern on fishing and compare fish farming with reduced sea fishing quotas and secluded aquatic life areas because most of our oceans are not protected. The reality is, through aquaculture we could replenish the oceans. Action Steps: Identify and research the results of overfishing. Check journals and different Web sites. Document all information on Aquaculture. In the next 1-3 months develop a presentation of why overfishing is so important and the program that will be needed to be in place. Within four months there will be a schedule for an appearance with one of the leaders in the community. Community awareness is essential to convince government why a program would be needed to replenish the fish. Overfishing is a subject that is documented by commercial fisherman, scientists, environmentalists, and governments. Worldwide we all want to sustain fish species at maintainable levels. Being able to come to an agreement with a manageable and sustainable plan is imperative to avoid further destruction to the ocean or its living creatures. This plan presents solutions that benefit the declining fish stock, commercial fisherman, the community, and environmentalist, and will not be a significant blow to the fishermen’s income, or government resource.

Etiology of Parkinsons Disease

Etiology of Parkinsons Disease Parkinson’s Disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, after Alzheimer’s. Onset typically occurs late in life, affecting approximately 1% of 65 year olds, with the prevalence increasing to 4-5% by age 85 (Dawson Dawson 2003). There are also rare cases of early-onset Parkinson’s, which are usually familial. Research into the gene mutations discovered in such hereditary cases has also contributed to the understanding of the aetiology of the spontaneous, late onset form of the disease. Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is characterized clinically by tremors at rest, bradykinesia (slowness of voluntary movement), muscle rigidity, decrease in postural reflex and facial expression and an altered gait (Kumar et al. 2005). A subset of patients (10-15%) also develop dementia. Symptoms are progressive and result in decreased mobility and eventually severe disability. The symptomatic motor disturbances arise from the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra of the brain. This results in a decrease in the dopaminergic content of the striatum. These areas play an important role in modulating feedback from the thalamus to the motor cortex. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES This report aims to investigate the current knowledge of the aetiology of PD, by examining evidence in the literature. It is crucial to understand the pathological mechanisms underlying the selective destruction of dopaminergic neurons in PD so that effective treatments and prophylaxis can be developed. PROPOSED STRATEGY Researchers have studied the molecular mechanisms of PD pathogenesis using a number of techniques: in vitro tissue cultures of human and animal neurons, post-mortem human brain tissue, mouse models of the disease, genetic studies and more novel techniques such as the use of ‘cybrids’. Evidence from all of these will be amalgamated and conclusions drawn. MOLECULAR PATHOGENESIS OF PD That PD is generally associated with old age must be considered an important clue when trying to elucidate the causal mechanism of PD. The same is also true of the most common neurodegenerative disease, Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Both are also characterised by an accumulation of protein aggregates resulting in progressive neuronal loss, suggesting a common underlying pathology. Histological brain sections of PD patients shows characteristic, large inclusion bodies in the cytosol of surviving neurons of the substantia nigra, as well as locus ceruleus and surrounding brainstem nuclei, called Lewy bodies (Kumar et al. 2005). These are aggregates of à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¡-synuclein (Spillantini et al. 1997), a protein whose gene (SYN, aka PARK 1) has been linked to familial PD (Athanassiadou et al. 1999), as well as other proteins such as ubiquitin and synphilin-1. It is unclear whether these aggregates contribute to the pathogenesis, are a simple by-product or even part of an attempted protective mechanism, described as the aggresome theory (McNaught et al. 2002). Some evidence has recently been produced by Setsuie and colleagues (2005), using a PD rat model in which proteasome inhibitors caused inclusion formation, which resulted in decreased dopaminergic neuronal death that normally follows 6-hydroxyl dopamine (6-OHDA) administration. Lewy bodies are also found in low numbers in normal aging and AD (Jellinger 2001). However, Lewy bodies are not found in some cases of juvenile onset PD, which suggests that the inclusions are not crucial for neuronal death in the substantia nigra (Fahn Salzer 2004). Animal models of the disease, created using neurotoxins such as rotenone or 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), or transgenic mice that overexpress human SYN gene (for à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¡-synuclein) mutations, do not faithfully replicate the structure and antigenicity of the Lewy bodies found in PD (Dickson 2001). This highlights the problems associated with designing and producing an accurate animal model of human disease, which can be valuable tools, despite some limitations. Role of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) Although the precise role of Lewy bodies in the pathogenesis of PD is still unclear, the accumulation and aggregation of proteins suggests that there is a deficit in the cellular systems that normally remove and degrade abnormal proteins. The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is one such pathway, and there is growing evidence that implicates this system in PD. In conjunction with the enzymes E1, E2 and E3, ubiquitin is activated and attaches to abnormal proteins to form a polyubiquitin chain. The proteasome recognises this complex and degrades the unwanted protein. The ubiquitin polymer is released from the targeted protein and digested by ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydroxylases (UCHs), to release ubiquitin monomers back into the system (Alberts et al. 2002). Ubiquitination and recognition of proteins to be degraded are ATP-dependent processes. If the activity of this clearance pathway decreases, misfolded or oxidatively damaged proteins will accumulate rather than being recycled (Sherman Goldberg 2001). Studies of the rarer, familial cases of PD have revealed evidence that this system is involved in PD aetiology, which has aided the understanding of the pathogenesis of sporadic PD. Gene mutations for two proteins that are involved in the UPS are of particular significance. Kitada and colleagues (1998) demonstrated a link between mutations in the parkin gene (aka PARK 2) and familial incidence of autosomal recessive juvenile parkinsonism (AR-JP) in Japanese families. Parkin is an E3 ligase within the UPS, and has been shown to have a neuroprotective role (Petrucelli et al. 2002). Despite this, parkin null-mutant mice exhibited normal behaviour and brain morphology, with no loss of dopaminergic neurons. Dopamine levels were altered, suggesting a possible role in dopamine regulation (Goldberg et al. 2003). Drosophila parkin null-mutants showed a consistent pattern of pathology, with locomotor deficits, sterility and decreased lifespan (Greene et al. 2003). These were attributed to mito chondrial dysfunction, which is also a feature of PD (see below). Research into the potential toxic effects of accumulation of parkin substrates has been inconclusive (Betarbet et al. 2005). Evidence points to parkin involvement in the pathogenesis of PD, but mutations of this protein are not sufficient alone to cause the disease. A missense mutation for the gene encoding the protein UCH-L1 has been detected in autosomal dominant familial cases of PD in Germany (Leroy et al. 1998). In sporadic cases of PD, UCH-L1 is downregulated and oxidized in the cerebral cortex (Choi et al. 2004), the significance of this is unknown. UCH-L1 mutations in mice produce neuromotor signs that are not typical of PD, and are characterised as Gracile Axonal Dystrophy mice (GAD). As for parkin, the evidence confirms some involvement in PD pathogenesis of these elements of the UPS, but points to the need for further research to fully deduce their role. Other genetic mutations have been identified, such as LRRK2 (a kinase;Zimprich et al. 2004) and DJ-1 (aka PARK 7), which is involved in a similar protein degradation pathway (SUMO; Bonifati et al. 2003). It is tempting to attribute the accumulation of à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¡-synuclein to a decrease in activity of the UPS, but evidence that à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¡-synuclein is a substrate of this system is contradictory (Paxinou et al. 2001), with results differing between in vitro cell lines and conditions. Some studies suggest that à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¡-synuclein accumulation may inhibit the UPS, resulting in further protein accumulation (Liu et al. 2005). Role of mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress A significant amount of evidence supports the hypothesis of involvement of the UPS in PD aetiology. In familial cases genetic mutations have been discovered that account for a portion of the susceptibility to, and pathogenesis of PD; but other factors are obviously required for both early onset and sporadic cases to develop. UPS activity has been found to be lowered in sporadic PD patients, with impaired proteasomal activity and reduced expression of subunits in the substantia nigra (McNaught et al. 2003). Whether UPS impairment is a primary cause or secondary to another event is not yet clear. Some researchers believe that the mechanism underlying the dysfunctional UPS may involve mitochondrial dysfunction, which has also been implicated in other neurodegenerative diseases (Hashimoto et al. 2003). During energy production by respiration in the mitochondria, there is a continuous leakage of free radicals, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are also released by inflammatory cells. Antioxidant mechanisms exist to mop these up before they can cause oxidative damage to surrounding molecules, such as proteins, lipids and DNA, but these are not 100% efficient. This results in a gradual increase in damaged cellular components with aging (Vigoroux et al. 2004). Higher levels of oxidization products have been found in brain tissue of patients with neurodegenerative diseases such as PD (Dexter et al. 1994) and suggest an important role for free radicals in its aetiology. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage has been hypothesised to accumulate, leading eventually to mitochondrial dysfunction, which further increases free radical leakage. Mitochondrial complex I, in particular, has been implicated. Induced parkinsonism in animal models using the pesticide rotenone has been shown to inhibit mitochondrial complex I (Sherer et al. 2002). Administration of MPTP also induces PD symptoms and inclusion body formation, via the complex I inhibition of its metabolite MPP+ (Ram say et al. 1986). This has been recorded in human subjects following the use of illicitly manufactured narcotics, in which MPTP is produced as a contaminant, but has now been used to reliably induce disease in rodents to further knowledge of the pathogenesis of this disease. As well as providing valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying PD, the ability of chemicals to produce the symptoms and pathology of PD has also raised concerns about the role of environmental factors in the aetiology of the sporadic disease. Some epidemiological studies have linked pesticide exposure to an increased risk of developing PD (Park et al. 2005), as well as suggestions that increased coffee/caffeine consumption and smoking (Wirdefeldt et al. 2005) may have some protective benefits. Exposure to heavy metals, such as manganese has also shown a correlation with PD in some studies, but not all. Heavy metals are known to accelerate free radical formation and hence increase oxidative stress, so it w ould not be unexpected if higher levels were involved in PD aetiology. Results of epidemiological studies that claim to prove these positive and negative correlations with PD are contradictory, and further research is required, which could also take diet into account (particularly ingested antioxidant levels and lifestyle). Mitochondrial dysfunction may cause a decrease in UPS activity, either by reduced ATP production, which is essential for many processes of the pathway, and/or by increasing oxidative stress and damaging vital components of the system (Fahn Salzer 2004). The pivotal role of mitochondria has been elegantly demonstrated by the use of cytoplasmic hybrids. These ‘cybrids’ are formed by taking mtDNA from platelets of patients with PD and inserting it into cultured human neuroblastoma cells that have been depleted of their endogenous mtDNA. These neuronal cells faithfully recapitulate the structure and antigenicity of Lewy bodies (Trimmer et al. 2004), and similar studies have reported other pathogenic features consistent with a role for mitochondria and oxidative stress in PD. It is now widely accepted that oxidative stress is a contributory factor to PD aetiology, with markers of oxidative damage found to be higher than in non-PD controls. Antioxidants have been administered in a number of studies to further explore the impact of free radicals and therapeutic/prophylactic options. Transgenic mice that overexpress the endogenous antioxidant Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase did not show any symptoms or DA neuron loss following exposure to paraquat (herbicide)-maneb (fungicide), compared to non-transgenic controls (Thiruchelvam et al. 2005). Studies involving exogenous antioxidants have produced inconclusive results, and more research is required in this area. The specificity of dopaminergic neuronal loss, mainly in the substantia nigra pars compacta, in PD is replicated in chemically induced animal models of disease. The reason for this consistent and specific pattern of neuropathology may be due to the oxidation properties of DA, with highly reactive DA-quinones being generated. These are able to form complexes with à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¡-synuclein and may inhibit mitochondrial complex I (Asanuma et al. 2003). This has important implications for the commonly used L-DOPA therapy, which may also contribute to neurodegeneration. Some researchers also believe that inflammation may play a role in PD, as microglial cells proliferate in affected brain regions (McGeer McGeer 2004). CONCLUSION The aetiology of Parkinson’s Disease is multifactorial, with a combination of genetic, environmental and possibly immunological factors, many of which are still unknown or poorly understood. There is growing evidence from a variety of research techniques that oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and deficits in protein degradation pathways, such as the UPS are interlinked. The aetiological factors initiate a process that culminates in the accumulation and aggregation of proteins, mainly à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¡-synuclein, in dopaminergic neurons of the nigrostriatal system, which leads to cell-death. Further research is required to fully elucidate the precise molecular mechanisms that underlie the neuropathology of PD, so that effective treatments or prophylactic advice can be established. REFERENCES Alberts, B., Johnson, A., Lewis, J., Raff, M., Roberts, K., Walter, Molecular Biology of the Cell. 4th Ed. New York: Garland Publishing. pp.359-363. Asanuma, M., Miyazaki, I. Ogawa, N. 2003 Dopamine- or L-DOPA-induced neurotoxicity: the role of dopamine quinone formation and tyrosinase in a model of Parkinsons disease. Neurotox Res 5, 165-76. Athanassiadou, A., Voutsinas, G., Psiouri, L., Leroy, E., Polymeropoulos, M. H., Ilias, A., Maniatis, G. M. Papapetropoulos, T. 1999 Genetic analysis of families with Parkinson disease that carry the Ala53Thr mutation in the gene encoding alpha-synuclein. Am J Hum Genet 65, 555-8. Betarbet, R., Sherer, T. B. Greenamyre, J. T. 2005 Ubiquitin-proteasome system and Parkinsons diseases. Exp Neurol 191 Suppl 1, S17-27. Choi, J., Levey, A. I., Weintraub, S. T., Rees, H. D., Gearing, M., Chin, L. S. Li, L. 2004 Oxidative modifications and down-regulation of ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase L1 associated with idiopathic Parkinsons and Alzheimers diseases. J Biol Chem 279, 13256-64. Dawson, T. M. Dawson, V. L. 2003 Rare genetic mutations shed light on the pathogenesis of Parkinson disease. J Clin Invest 111, 145-51. Dexter, D. T., Holley, A. E., Flitter, W. D., Slater, T. F., Wells, F. R., Daniel, S. E., Lees, A. J., Jenner, P. Marsden, C. D. 1994 Increased levels of lipid hydroperoxides in the parkinsonian substantia nigra: an HPLC and ESR study. Mov Disord 9, 92-7. Dickson, D. W. 2001 Alpha-synuclein and the Lewy body disorders. Curr Opin Neurol 14, 423-32. Fahn, S. Sulzer, D. 2004 Neurodegeneration and Neuroprotection in Parkinson Disease. Neurorx 1, 139-154. Goldberg, M. S., Fleming, S. M., Palacino, J. J., Cepeda, C., Lam, H. A., Bhatnagar, A., Meloni, E. G., Wu, N., Ackerson, L. C., Klapstein, G. J., Gajendiran, M., Roth, B. L., Chesselet, M. F., Maidment, N. T., Levine, M. S. Shen, J. 2003 Parkin-deficient mice exhibit nigrostriatal deficits but not loss of dopaminergic neurons. J Biol Chem 278, 43628-35. Hashimoto, M., Rockenstein, E., Crews, L. Masliah, E. 2003 Role of protein aggregation in mitochondrial dysfunction and neurodegeneration in Alzheimers and Parkinsons diseases. Neuromolecular Med 4, 21-36. Jellinger, K. A. 2001 The pathology of Parkinsons disease. Adv Neurol 86, 55-72. Kitada, T., Asakawa, S., Hattori, N., Matsumine, H., Yamamura, Y., Minoshima, S., Yokochi, M., Mizuno, Y. Shimizu, N. 1998 Mutations in the parkin gene cause autosomal recessive juvenile parkinsonism. Nature 392, 605-8. Kumar, V., Abbas, A.K., Fausto, N. 2005 Chapter 13. In Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease. Pennsylvania, USA: Elsevier Saunders. Leroy, E., Boyer, R. Polymeropoulos, M. H. 1998 Intron-exon structure of ubiquitin c-terminal hydrolase-L1. DNA Res 5, 397-400. Liu, C. W., Giasson, B. I., Lewis, K. A., Lee, V. M., Demartino, G. N. Thomas, P. J. 2005 A precipitating role for truncated alpha-synuclein and the proteasome in alpha-synuclein aggregation: implications for pathogenesis of Parkinsons disease. J Biol Chem. McGeer, P. L. McGeer, E. G. 2004 Inflammation and neurodegeneration in Parkinsons disease. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 10 Suppl 1, S3-7. McNaught, K. S., Belizaire, R., Isacson, O., Jenner, P. Olanow, C. W. 2003 Altered proteasomal function in sporadic Parkinsons disease. Exp Neurol 179, 38-46. McNaught, K. S., Shashidharan, P., Perl, D. P., Jenner, P. Olanow, C. W. 2002 Aggresome-related biogenesis of Lewy bodies. Eur J Neurosci 16, 2136-48. Park, J., Yoo, C. I., Sim, C. S., Kim, H. K., Kim, J. W., Jeon, B. S., Kim, K. R., Bang, O. Y., Lee, W. Y., Yi, Y., Jung, K. Y., Chung, S. E. Kim, Y. 2005 Occupations and Parkinsons disease: a multi-center case-control study in South Korea. Neurotoxicology 26, 99-105. Paxinou, E., Chen, Q., Weisse, M., Giasson, B. I., Norris, E. H., Rueter, S. M., Trojanowski, J. Q., Lee, V. M. Ischiropoulos, H. 2001 Induction of alpha-synuclein aggregation by intracellular nitrative insult. J Neurosci 21, 8053-61. Petrucelli, L., OFarrell, C., Lockhart, P. J., Baptista, M., Kehoe, K., Vink, L., Choi, P., Wolozin, B., Farrer, M., Hardy, J. Cookson, M. R. 2002 Parkin protects against the toxicity associated with mutant alpha-synuclein: proteasome dysfunction selectively affects catecholaminergic neurons. Neuron 36, 1007-19. Ramsay, R. R., Dadgar, J., Trevor, A. Singer, T. P. 1986 Energy-driven uptake of N-methyl-4-phenylpyridine by brain mitochondria mediates the neurotoxicity of MPTP. Life Sci 39, 581-8. Setsuie, R., Kabuta, T. Wada, K. 2005 Does proteosome inhibition decrease or accelerate toxin-induced dopaminergic neurodegeneration? J Pharmacol Sci 97, 457-60. Sherer, T. B., Betarbet, R., Stout, A. K., Lund, S., Baptista, M., Panov, A. V., Cookson, M. R. Greenamyre, J. T. 2002 An in vitro model of Parkinsons disease: linking mitochondrial impairment to altered alpha-synuclein metabolism and oxidative damage. J Neurosci 22, 7006-15. Sherman, M. Y. Goldberg, A. L. 2001 Cellular defenses against unfolded proteins: a cell biologist thinks about neurodegenerative diseases. Neuron 29, 15-32. Spillantini, M. G., Schmidt, M. L., Lee, V. M., Trojanowski, J. Q., Jakes, R. Goedert, M. 1997 Alpha-synuclein in Lewy bodies. Nature 388, 839-40. Thiruchelvam, M., Prokopenko, O., Cory-Slechta, D. A., Richfield, E. K., Buckley, B. Mirochnitchenko, O. 2005 Overexpression of superoxide dismutase or glutathione peroxidase protects against the paraquat+maneb-induced Parkinsons disease phenotype. J Biol Chem. Trimmer, P. A., Keeney, P. M., Borland, M. K., Simon, F. A., Almeida, J., Swerdlow, R. H., Parks, J. P., Parker, W. D., Jr. Bennett, J. P., Jr. 2004 Mitochondrial abnormalities in cybrid cell models of sporadic Alzheimers disease worsen with passage in culture. Neurobiol Dis 15, 29-39. Vigouroux, S., Briand, M. Briand, Y. 2004 Linkage between the proteasome pathway and neurodegenerative diseases and aging. Mol Neurobiol 30, 201-21. Wirdefeldt, K., Gatz, M., Pawitan, Y. Pedersen, N. L. 2005 Risk and protective factors for Parkinsons disease: a study in Swedish twins. Ann Neurol 57, 27-33. Zimprich, A., Biskup, S., Leitner, P., Lichtner, P., Farrer, M., Lincoln, S., Kachergus, J., Hulihan, M., Uitti, R. J., Calne, D. B., Stoessl, A. J., Pfeiffer, R. F., Patenge, N., Carbajal, I. C., Vieregge, P., Asmus, F., Muller-Myhsok, B., Dickson, D. W., Meitinger, T., Strom, T. M., Wszolek, Z. K. Gasser, T. 2004 Mutations in LRRK2 cause autosomal-dominant parkinsonism with pleomorphic pathology. Neuron 44, 601-7.

Marketing Principles :: GCSE Business Marketing BTEC Coursework

Marketing Principles A. Definitions 1. ABC ABC stands for activity based costing. This is defined as a method which identifies various activities needed to provide a product and determines the cost of these activities. I would say it is a method of breaking down the process of the business’ activity down to its root components. Then the causes of profit losses can be weeded out. For example, in a warehouse setting in which I worked, there were a few major departments which included receiving, stock dept., pick/pack, and shipping department. Merchandise traveled through the warehouse along this pathway. If say, production (boxes shipped) is down, we can specify the cause using this technique. Instead of just knowing that production is down, we may learn that the receiving dock is backed up , which leads to no merchandise for the stock dept., which results in orders being held up on the flows. Management can then find the cause of the backup in receiving and go from there. 2. ADEA Stands for the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, which, according to text, prohibits age discrimination and mandatory retirement. It was established in 1967. It pretty much explains itself. Basically, there cannot be a maximum age for employees, and termination can not be based solely on age. A good example of this would be a mother returning to the work force. They may be frowned upon due to their age. I have read somewhere that people over the age of forty are in a protected class, and cannot be discriminated against by virtue of the law. 3. BARS This stands for Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scale. It is defined as a rating technique that relates an employees performance to a specific job related incident. This definition doesn’t really help me. It seems that the procedure is to define certain personality traits that are essential for a certain function, then to rate the prospective employee based on a scale of these trait. For example, someone applying to be a chef would be hired on base on a number of traits, one being prior experience. A ten on the scale would be something like, â€Å"10+ years of experience in a 4 star restaurant†, while a zero would be â€Å"no experience†. The employees â€Å"worth† could be determined by a composite of all these scales.

Cyber Studies Essay -- Technology Media Technological Papers

Cyber Studies This essay will argue that the influence of new technologies are changing the relationship between the media and their audiences. This concept will be explored by examining the current media communication model and how new technologies influence it’s future. Future media possibilities are raised and the implications of them for the relative industries are discussed. This essay is molded around the idea that these new technologies are giving audiences the power to shape the future of media and it’s capabilities. The premise being discussed involves many participants and factors as it is becoming increasingly difficult to separate them due to technological and communication convergence. Basically this essay will demonstrate how new technologies are allowing consumers to have more control over where, when and how they receive information. Communication and media are one and the same. As media is defined as ‘means of communication to the public; newspapers, TV and radio collectively, (Penguin, 1979). Media refers to the medium by which communication to a particular audience takes place. Traditionally information was communicated through these mediums via a system of centralized dissemination meaning from one source (or relatively few) to many receivers. This was the First (electronic) Media Age and it was due to technological advancements of the time that formed this communication model and introduced the concept of mass media. This remains the model dominating our societies communication today. However technological developments such as the internet and mobile phones are challenging this centralized communication system heralding in a Second Media Age characterized by distributed systems of... ...iously influenced by the advancements and integration of new technologies. Works Cited: American Press Institute. (2004). Retrieved September 13, 2004, from http://www.american pressinstitute.org/content/4646.cfm Corporate Influence in the Media, media and advertising. (2004). Retrieved September 13, 2004, from http://www.globalissues.org/HumanRights/Media/Corporations/Ads.asp Garmonsway, G.N. (1979). The Penguin Modern English Dictionary. England: Penguin Books. Media Futures Archive. (2004). Retrieved September 13, 2004, from http://www.hfac.uh.edu/MediaFutures/home.html Media Magazines Forecast 2005. (2004). Retrieved September 13, 2004, from http:www.mediapost.com/forecast2005/forecast2004temp.cfm?c=overview The Media Centre at the American Press Institute. (2004). Retrieved September 13, 2004, from http://www.mediacentre.org/

Scarlet Letter Essay -- Literary Analysis, Hawthorne

Weak and powerless are so me of the words that describe women’s role in Puritan society. Men were the breadwinners and women were confined to the household. Most women lived their lives under the authority of men, but because of her unusual place in society Hester was able to overcome this. In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne switches the typical male and female roles to prove that when given the opportunity, women can be strong and independent members of society. Hawthorne uses Hester’s reaction to her punishment of wearing the letter A, to show women can survive in society without being dependent on men. Additionally, Hawthorne uses Hester’s relationship with Chillingworth and Puritan authorities to represent how women can be dominant. Furthermore, Hawthorne breaks down normal gender characteristics by switching the typical male and female traits of the characters in the novel. Because Hester was able to take care of herself and Pearl socially and economically as a single mother, Hawthorne proves that women can survive in society without being dependent on men. Hawthorne states â€Å"The tendency of her fate and fortunes had been to set her free. The scarlet letter was her passport into regions where other women dared not tread† (137). Hester was an outsider in her community and was able to look at society and the world with a unique point of view. Unlike most women during the seventeenth century, Hester was not confined to the household and was not under the authority of a husband. Hester defies the stereotype that women are weak and frail and cannot survive on their own. Because Hester does not have a husband to provide for her and Pearl, she is forced to provide for her family economically. â€Å"She possessed an art that suf... ...y become active members of society, just like men, if they are allowed to be gender neutral. Hawthorne breaks down normal gender characteristics by switching the typical male and female traits of the characters in the novel to prove that when society allows women to be gender neutral they can be just as important and able members of society as men. In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne uses Hester as a symbol of women’s liberation from male authority. Hawthorne believed women could be strong, independent and able members of society if only they were given the opportunity to prove themselves. Hester was a single mother that successfully provided for herself and her daughter and additionally stood up for herself when threatened by male authority. Hester is proof that when women are not under the restrictions of society they can be just as independent as men.

Case Study Goodyear

[pic] Group 2 Nikhil JainPGP/12/184 Midhun SPGP/12/222 Shamin SPGP/12/232 Sherief RasheedPGP/12/234 Zubin Kabeer T. PGP/12/246 Neerja ChowdaryPGP/12/259 Key Issues: How can Goodyear be more competitive and maintain its leader position? How to launch Aquatred effectively? Factors to be taken into consideration: Intense competition †¢ many players in the industry, both branded and private label †¢ Michelin, was growing very fast in both replacement and OEM market †¢ private label had become the biggest threat for all branded tires since many branded tire owners intended to replace their tires with private label. Changes in consumer preferences †¢ 45% of tire buyers thought that price was the most important factor †¢ 33% for the outlets and 22% for the brand Segmentation of consumers: ? price-constrained buyers (22%), ? commodity buyers (37%), ? value-oriented buyers (18%), ? quality buyers (23%). †¢ Buyers turning into commodity buyers †¢ Goodyear had the highest percentage among price-constrained buyers (16%) and commodity buyers (10%), †¢ 24% of value-oriented buyers and 22% of quality buyers intended to buy Michelin tires. Michelin’s consumers had high loyalty to the brand more than Goodyear’s. Goodyear distribution channels †¢ Three main distribution channels of Goodyear: ? 4,400 independent dealers accounting for 50% of sales revenues ? 1,047 manufacturer-owned outlets generating 27% of sales ? 600 franchised dealers accounting for another 8% of sales †¢ Industry Statistics (retail channels) ? garages/service stations (6%) ? warehouse clubs (6%) ? mass merchandisers (12%) ? manufacturer-owned outlets (9%) ? small independent tire dealers (40%) ? large independent tire chains (23%) Inferences ? Goodyear might have too few channels of distribution ? company could lose tire customers whose preferred outlets had no Goodyear tires ? Goodyear claimed not to want its tires sold in low-priced outlets, they sporadically obtained Goodyear tires New product launched: Aquatred Issues †¢ Aquatred was a new tire providing improved driving traction under wet conditions. †¢ ‘was it the right product for the dealers and for the consumer, as the industry seemed to be turning toward long-life warranties and low-cost private label? †¢ planned to launch during the Winter Olympics in January of 1992. †¢ the initial inventory of Aquatreds had been made to fit only domestic cars and molds to produce other sizes would not be available until several months after the Olympics. †¢ Goodyear hoped to price the Aquatred at a 10% premium over the existing most-expensive tire. †¢ company research stated that more customers were price-sensitive, the company doubted whether the customers would be interested in Aquatred. Possible Solutions: †¢ figure out the core competencies and differentiate from the competitors. Tire being a commodity product, is difficult to differentiate. Therefore, the company should emphasize on other aspects, for example, strong brand image, and outstanding customer services. †¢ To make customers loyal to the brand implement customer relationship management or CRM. It is the system to establish and retain long-term relationship with the customers. The Advantages of CRM †¢ Standardize – All departments that had to deal with customers would have real-time and same format of database to serve all customers. Quicker – As the information was real-time, the company could provide faster cross-function services to the customers. †¢ Know what they want – The customers’ database shows previous purchasing data and the preferences of all customers, which the company could use to forecast the trends and serve what customers really want. The Disadvantages of CRM ? Costly – CRM software is highly priced, and hidden costs involved, for example, training session. ? Resistance – people don’t like change, some people might even resist. The company had to give time for employees to adapt themselves with new things. †¢ Goodyear has few channels of distribution, hence find more and new ones. From the fact that Michelin sold its tires in low-priced outlets and wasn’t perceived as low-price tires, Goodyear might also be able to do it if the company had right pricing strategy. Firstly, Goodyear should evaluate which channel would be suitable for the company, and then test with one outlet from each channel that the company selected for three months. Make the final decision about which channel should Goodyear expand into. Aquatred is the right product for Goodyear. Most people perceive tire as commodity product for long because no player came out with very innovative product. Aquatred could gain first mover advantage as it was very innovative one. Also, from Goodyear’s survey, the second most important tire attributes was wet traction. Therefore, Aquatred would get attention from many customers who conce rn about tire’s quality. †¢ Aquatred should be launched as soon as possible. It’s innovative product, which could gain highest profitability only when being the first mover. Although price was an important factor to be considered when customers wanted to purchase tire, there were still customers who concerned about quality more than price. Aquatred should focus more on quality buyers and value-oriented buyers. In addition, Goodyear could acknowledge the customers that Aquatred was only $8. 2 – 8. 5 more expensive than the existing most-expensive tire. Recommendations: †¢ As Goodyear is the market leader, being innovative and doing lots of researches to observe the trends and changing in consumer preferences are the right things. As it was estimated that 75% of all Goodyear tires sold in independent or company-owned outlets were sold on an average discount of 25%, it implies that the company might have too many promotions. Finally, the consumers wouldnà ¢â‚¬â„¢t come to buy Goodyear tires at full price and it could affect company’s image, too. †¢ Goodyear needs a loyalty program to establish and retain relationship with consumers as soon as possible before they switch to other branded tires, like Michelin, or private label tires that had lower price than Goodyear. The company should find a way to compromise with independent dealers about competition in the areas, while expand more distribution channels and find more new retail formats, like Just Tires. †¢ In order to launch Aquatred effectively, Goodyear needs cooperation from every department, especially marketing department. Integrated marketing communication is very important to create awareness of the customers. Focusing on the word â€Å"innovation† and â€Å"safety under wet conditions†.

In the arms of the angel

Many debilitate feelings come from irrational thoughts, called â€Å"fallacies† here. Often times we are not aware of these thoughts, which makes them particularly powerful. 1. The Fallacy of Perfection: the belief that you should be able to handle every situation with confidence and skill. Once you believe that It Is possible to be a perfect communicator, the next step is to believe that others wont Like you If you're not perfect. If you feel this way, sharing feelings of uncertainty or admitting your mistakes seem like social defects.Trying to appear perfect uses up energy and risks friendships. Your self-esteem suffers as well when you don't measure up to your own expectations. It is a relief when you accept the idea that you're not perfect, and that: Like everyone else, you sometimes have a hard time expressing yourself. Like everyone else, you make mistakes and there Is no reason to hide this. You are honestly doing the best you can to reach your potential and to become t he best person you can be. 2. The Fallacy of Approval: is based on the belief that you must have the approval of almost everyone.You may sacrifice your own principles and happiness to seek the acceptance of others. Accepting this leads to some ridiculous situations; Feeling nervous because people you really don't Like seem to disapprove of you. Feeling apologetic when others are at fault. Feeling embarrassed after behaving unnaturally to gain approval. The fallacy of approval is irrational because it implies that people will like you more f you go out of your way to please them. Ultimately people won't respect you if you compromise your own values.Striving for universal acceptance Is not a realistic or desirable goal. This does not mean you should be selfish, and not try to please others. But, If you must abandon your own needs and principles to seek approval, the price Is too high. 3. The Fallacy of Should: is the inability to distinguish between what is and what should be. Some pe ople constantly make complaints about the world: â€Å"There ought to be no rain on weekends. † â€Å"There shouldn't have been school today. † â€Å"Money should grow on trees. † These may be foolish, but wishing that the unchangeable should be changed won't affect reality.Many of us torture ourselves by engaging in this irrational thought, infusing is and ought: â€Å"My friend should be more understanding. † â€Å"She shouldn't be so inconsiderate. † â€Å"They ought to be more friendly. † â€Å"He should work harder. † change things is O. K. , it's unreasonable to insist the world operate the way you want it. Becoming obsessed with â€Å"should† can have troublesome consequences: First, it leads to unhappiness for people who are constantly dreaming about the ideal, and are, therefore, unsatisfied with what they have. Merely complaining without acting can keep you from changing less than satisfying conditions. Should can bui ld assistance in others who resent being nagged. It's more effective to tell people what you want them to do: â€Å"l wish you'd be on time,† is better than muff should be on time. † 4. The Fallacy of Personalization: includes two types: The first is when we base a belief on a limited amount of evidence: â€Å"I'm so stupid! I can't even figure out my income tax. † â€Å"Some friend I am! I forgot my best friend's birthday. † When we do this we focus on one shortcoming as if it represented everything about us.We must remember times that we have solved tough problems or times we have been caring and Houghton. The second occurs when we exaggerate short comings: Mimi never listen to me. † mire's always late. † â€Å"l can't think of anything. † These statements are almost always false and lead to disappointment or anger. Replace these with more accurate messages: muff often don't listen to me. † movie been late three times this week. † â€Å"l haven't had any ideas I like today. † 5. The Fallacy of Causation: is based on the irrational belief that emotions are caused by others rather than by one's own self-talk.You are not the one who causes others' feelings. It is more accurate to say that they respond to your behavior with feelings of their own. It's incorrect to say that you make others angry, upset, or happy. Others create their own responses to your behavior. This is also true when we believe that others cause our emotions. It may seem like they do, by lowering or lifting our spirits. The same actions that will cause you happiness or pain one day may have little effect at others. The insult that affected you strongly one day may not phase you the next. Why?Because you attached less significance to it the latter time. You certainly wouldn't feel some emotions without others' behavior, but it's your thinking, not their actions that determine how you feel. 6. The Fallacy of Helplessness: suggests that forces beyond your control determine satisfaction in life. People who see themselves as victims, make such statements as: â€Å"There's no way a woman can get ahead in this society. It's a man's world, and the best thing I can do is to accept it. † â€Å"l was born with a shy personality. I'd like to be more outgoing, but there's nothing I can do about that. â€Å"l can't tell my boss that she s putting too many demands on me. If I did, I might lose my Job. † Most â€Å"can't† statements are more correctly phrased as â€Å"won't† (â€Å"l can't tell him what I think† interesting conversation† becomes â€Å"l don't know what to say'). When viewed this way, it's obvious that many â€Å"cants† are really rationalizations for not wanting to change. Lonely people, for example, tend to attribute their poor interpersonal relationships to uncontrollable causes. â€Å"It's beyond my control,† they think. Also, they expect their re lational partners to reject them.This is a self-fulfilling prophecy: Believing that our relational prospects are dim can lead you to act in ways that are unattractive. You must assume responsibility for change. It can be done. 7. The Fallacy of Catastrophic Expectations: operates on the premise that if something bad can happen, it will: â€Å"If I invite them to the party, they probably won't want to come. † â€Å"If I apply for the Job I want, I probably won't be hired. † â€Å"If I tell them how I really feel, they'll probably laugh at me. † Once you start to expect terrible consequences, a self-fulfilling prophecy starts to build.One study valued that people who believed their romantic partners would not change for the better were likely to behave in ways that contributed to the breakup of the relationship. Minimizing Debilitate Emotions 1. Monitor your emotional reactions. Be aware of when you're having debilitate emotions. 2. Note the activating event. Some times it is obvious. For example, a common form of anger is being accused unfairly (or fairly) of foolish behavior; being rejected is a source of hurt, too. Sometimes it may not be a single incident, but a series of small incidents that build up and trigger a debilitate feeling.The best way o track down activating events is to notice the circumstances in which you have debilitate feelings. They may occur around certain people, types of individuals, settings, or during certain topics of conversation. 3. Record (or be aware of) your self-talk. Recognize what you are saying to yourself, your â€Å"internal monologue. † 4. Dispute your irrational beliefs. Use the list of irrational fallacies to discover which of your internal statements are based on mistaken thinking. Follow 3 steps: Decide whether each belief you've recorded is rational or irrational. Explain why the belief does or doesn't make sense. If the belief is irrational, you should write down an alternative way of think ing that is more sensible and that can leave you feeling better when faced with the same activating event in the future. These classmates quote or paraphrase information found in: Adler, Ronald and Neil Town. Looking Out Looking In. NY: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1996. Assignment: Listen carefully to family, classmates, and others. Describe, in detail, one incident where you or others engaged in fallacious, emotional reasoning. This assignment must be typed and at least one page in length (Times New Roman, 12 font).

Organization Impact Essay

In this paper I will discuss my results of the Myers Briggs test and the CREAX creativity self assessment exercise, both were taken online and both were about 50 questions long. They pertained to subjects such as extravert, intuitive, feeling, judging, persistence, abstraction, connection, complexity, paradox, boldness, curiosity and perspective. On the Myers Brigg test my extravert was 11%, my intuitive was 12%, my feeling was 50% and my judging was 11%. I have slight preference of extraversion over introversion, which does not surprise me at all as I have always been outgoing in most situations, the only time I seem to be a little more introvert is when I am around a new crowd and chose to sit back and watch how people behave before I come out of my shell. My intuition is also slightly preferred over my sensing, which also does not surprise me as in life my gut instincts have rarely guided me in the wrong direction, I also prefer feeling over thinking which at times has not been th e best thing for me in the past when it comes to making an important decision. Last but not least is the slight preference I have of judging over perceiving, I think in everyone this can be human nature however for the most part I do my best to have all the facts before coming to a conclusion about a person, thing or an idea. With the creativity test it looks at though I am at 54.94 and the typical is 63.6, I did not really have a clear understanding on where I ranked with the abstraction, persistence, connection, complexity, paradox, boldness, curiosity and perspective. The test did give the definition of what I was being graded on, for example for the abstraction this is in regards to the ability to abstract concepts from ideas, the connection is the ability to make connections between things that don’t initially have a connection. The perspective is the ability to shift ones perspective on a situation, the curiosity is the desire to change or improve things that everyone else sees as normal, the boldness area is the confidence to push the boundaries b eyond accepted conventions and the paradox section is the ability to work simultaneously on different projects. Last but not least were the complexity which is the ability to take in large amounts of information and be able to manage it and change it up and then there was persistence which was the ability to force oneself to keep trying to derive more and better solutions. Typically on test like these there are few  things that can happen with my outcome, if it is boring and the questions seem to be repeated but in a different manner then I become bored and I want to hurry up and answer the questions and be done with it, because I am not really sure how to read the outcome of my score I can’t give an accurate answer based on this test. What I can tell you is yes am a very persistent person when it comes to certain situations, especially if I am intrigued with an idea or it is a job that must be completed, my curiosity is also a positive when it comes to trying to find ways to improve things or make them better. I do have boldness however I also need to come out of my comfort zone with things that I know nothing about when it comes to innovation, especially when it really does not peak my interest, paradox is also a plus for me as I am very good at doing thing simultaneously and I do work well under pressure. I am not sure how using this test will help me but as long as I feel like I can go to someone above me and will not feel dumb for asking a question that may come easy to them, then I can grow as a person. We don’t all process information the same, I try to learn from my mistakes and grow from there in doing so I can take what I have learned onto another project.

The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening Chapter Fifteen

As soon as he left Elena at her house, Stefan went to the woods. He took Old Creek Road, driving under the sullen clouds-through which no patch of sky could be seen, to the place where he had parked on the first day of school. Leaving the car, he tried to retrace his steps exactly to the clearing where he had seen the crow. His hunter's instincts helped him, recalling the shape of this bush and that knotted root, until he stood in the open place ringed with ancient oak trees. Here. Under this blanket of dingy-brown leaves, some of the rabbit's bones might even remain. Taking a long breath to still himself, to gather his Powers, he cast out a probing, demanding thought. And for the first time since he'd come to Fell's Church, he felt the flicker of a reply. But it seemed faint and wavering, and he could not locate it in space. He sighed and turned around-and stopped dead. Damon stood before him, arms crossed over his chest, lounging against the largest oak tree. He looked as if he might have been there for hours. â€Å"So,† said Stefan heavily, â€Å"it is true. It's been a long time, brother.† â€Å"Not as long as you think, brother .† Stefan remembered that voice, that velvety, ironical voice. â€Å"I've kept track of you over the years,† Damon said calmly. He flicked a bit of bark from the sleeve of his leather jacket as casually as he had once arranged his brocade cuffs. â€Å"But then, you wouldn't know that, would you? Ah, no, your Powers are as weak as ever.† â€Å"Be careful, Damon,† Stefan said softly, dangerously. â€Å"Be very careful tonight. I'm not in a tolerant mood.† â€Å"St. Stefan in a pique? Imagine. You're distressed, I suppose, because of my little excursions into your territory. I only did it because I wanted to be close to you. Brothers should be close.† â€Å"Youkilled tonight. And you tried to make me think I'd done it.† â€Å"Are you quite sure you didn't? Perhaps we did it together. Careful!† he said as Stefan stepped toward him. â€Å"My mood is not the most tolerant tonight, either. I only had a wizened little history teacher; you had a pretty girl.† The fury inside Stefan coalesced, seeming to focus in one bright burning spot, like a sun inside him. â€Å"Keep away from Elena,† he whispered with such menace that Damon actually tilted his head back slightly. â€Å"Keep away from her, Damon. I know you've been spying on her, watching her. But no more. Go near her again and you'll regret it.† â€Å"You always were selfish. Your one fault. Not willing to share anything, are you?† Suddenly, Damon's lips curved in a singularly beautiful smile. â€Å"But fortunately the lovely Elena is more generous. Didn't she tell you about our little liaisons? Why, the first time we met she almost gave herself to me on the spot.† â€Å"That's a lie!† â€Å"Oh, no, dear brother. I never lie about anything important. Or do I mean unimportant? Anyway, your beauteous damsel nearly swooned into my arms. I think she likes men in black.† As Stefan stared at him, trying to control his breathing, Damon added, almost gently, â€Å"You're wrong about her, you know. You think she's sweet and docile, like Katherine. She isn't. She's not your type at all, my saintly brother. She has a spirit and a fire in her that you wouldn't know what to do with.† â€Å"And you would, I suppose.† Damon uncrossed his arms and slowly smiled again. â€Å"Oh, yes.† Stefan wanted to leap for him, to smash that beautiful, arrogant smile, to tear Damon's throat out. He said, in a barely controlled voice, â€Å"You're right about one thing. She's strong. Strong enough to fight you off. And now that she knows what you really are, she will. All she feels for you now is disgust.† Damon's eyebrows lifted. â€Å"Does she, now? We'll see about that. Perhaps she'll find that real darkness is more to her taste than feeble twilight. I, at least, can admit the truth about my nature. But I worry about you, little brother. You're looking weak and ill-fed. She's a tease, is she?† Kill him, something in Stefan's mind demanded. Kill him, snap his neck, rip his throat to bloody shreds. But he knew Damon had fed very well tonight. His brother's dark aura was swollen, pulsing, almost shining with the life essence he had taken. â€Å"Yes, I drank deeply,† Damon said pleasantly, as if he knew what was in Stefan's mind. He sighed and ran his tongue over his lips in satisfied remembrance. â€Å"He was small, but there was a surprising amount of juice in him. Not pretty like Elena, and he certainly didn't smell as good. But it's always exhilarating to feel the new blood singing inside you.† Damon breathed expansively, stepping away from the tree and looking around. Stefan remembered those graceful movements, too, each gesture controlled and precise. The centuries had only refined Damon's natural poise. â€Å"It makes me feel like doing this,† said Damon, moving to a sapling a few yards away. It was half again as tall as he was, and when he grasped it his fingers did not meet around the trunk. But Stefan saw the quick breath and the ripple of muscles under Damon's thin black shirt, and then the tree tore loose from the ground, its roots dangling. Stefan could smell the pungent dampness of disturbed earth. â€Å"I didn't like it there anyway,† said Damon, and heaved it as far away as the still-entangled roots would allow. Then he smiled engagingly. â€Å"It also makes me feel like doingthis .† There was a shimmer of motion, and then Damon was gone. Stefan looked around but could see no sign of him. â€Å"Up here, brother.† The voice came from overhead, and when Stefan looked up he saw Damon perching among the spreading branches of the oak tree. There was a rustle of tawny brown leaves, and he disappeared again. â€Å"Back here, brother.† Stefan spun at the tap on his shoulder, only to see nothing behind him. â€Å"Right here, brother.† He spun again. â€Å"No, try here.† Furious, Stefan whipped the other way, trying to catch hold of Damon. But his fingers grasped only air. Here, Stefan . This time the voice was in his mind, and the Power of it shook him to the core. It took enormous strength to project thoughts that clearly. Slowly, he turned around once more, to see Damon back in his original position, leaning against the big oak tree. But this time the humor in those dark eyes had faded. They were black and fathomless, and Damon's lips were set in a straight line. What more proof do you need, Stefan? I'm as much stronger than you as you are stronger than these pitiful humans. I'm faster than you, too, and I have other Powers you've scarcely heard of. The Old Powers, Stefan. And I'm not afraid to use them. If you fight me, I'll use them against you. â€Å"Is that what you came here for? To torture me?† I've been merciful with you, brother. Many times you've been mine for the killing, but I've always spared your life. But this time is different. Damon stepped away from the tree again and spoke aloud. â€Å"I am warning you, Stefan, don't oppose me. It doesn't matter what I came here for. What I want now is Elena. And if you try to stop me from taking her, I will kill you.† â€Å"You can try,† said Stefan. The hot pinpoint of fury inside him burned brighter than ever, pouring forth its brilliance like a whole galaxy of stars. He knew, somehow, that it threatened Damon's darkness. â€Å"You think I can't do it? You never learn, do you, little brother?† Stefan had just enough time to note Damon's weary shake of the head when there was another blur of motion and he felt strong hands seize him. He was fighting instantly, violently, trying with all his strength to throw them off. But they were like hands of steel. He lashed out savagely, trying to strike at the vulnerable area under Damon's jaw. It did no good; his arms were pinioned behind him, his body immobilized. He was as helpless as a bird under the claws of a lean and expert cat. He went limp for an instant, making himself a deadweight, and then he suddenly surged with all his muscles, trying to break free, trying to get a blow in. The cruel hands only tightened on him, making his struggles useless. Pathetic. You always were stubborn. Perhaps this will convince you . Stefan looked into his brother's face, pale as the frosted-glass windows at the boarding house, and at those black bottomless eyes. Then he felt fingers grasp his hair, jerk his head back, exposing his throat. His struggles redoubled, became frantic. Don't bother , came the voice in his head, and then he felt the sharp rending pain of teeth. He felt the humiliation and helplessness of the hunter's victim, of the hunted, of the prey. And then the pain of blood being drawn out against his will. He refused to give in to it, and the pain grew worse, a feeling as if his soul was tearing loose like the sapling. It stabbed through him like spears of fire, concentrating on the punctures in his flesh where Damon's teeth had sunk in. Agony flamed up his jaw and cheek and down his chest and shoulder. He felt a wave of vertigo and realized he was losing consciousness. Then, abruptly, the hands released him and he fell to the ground, onto a bed of damp and moldering oak leaves. Gasping for breath, he painfully got to his hands and knees. â€Å"You see, little brother, I'm stronger than you. Strong enough to take you, take your blood and your life if I wish it. Leave Elena to me, or I will.† Stefan looked up. Damon was standing with head thrown back, legs slightly apart, like a conqueror putting his foot on the neck of the conquered. Those night-black eyes were hot with triumph, and Stefan's blood was on his lips. Hatred filled Stefan, such hatred as he had never known before. It was as if all his earlier hatred of Damon had been a drop of water to this crashing, foaming ocean. Many times in the last long centuries he had regretted what he had done to his brother, when he'd wished with all his soul to change it. Now he only wanted to do it again. â€Å"Elena is not yours,† he ground out, getting to his feet, trying not to show what an effort it cost him. â€Å"And she never will be.† Concentrating on each step, putting one foot in front of the other, he began walking away. His entire body hurt, and the shame he felt was even greater than the physical ache. There were bits of wet leaves and crumbs of earth adhering to his clothes, but he did not brush them off. He fought to keep moving, to hold out against the weakness that lapped at his limbs. You never learn, brother. Stefan did not look back or try to reply. He gritted his teeth and kept his legs moving. Another step. And another step. And another step. If he could just sit down for a moment, rest†¦ Another step, and another step. The car couldn't be far now. Leaves crackled under his feet, and then he heard leaves crackle behind him. He tried to turn quickly, but his reflexes were almost gone. And the sharp motion was too much for him. Darkness filled him, filled his body and his mind, and he was falling. He fell forever into the black of absolute night. And then, mercifully, he knew no more.