Bright Star essay - 1043 Words

In Bright Star, Keats utilises a mixture of the Shakespearean and Petrarchan sonnet forms to vividly portray his thoughts on the conflict between his longing to be immortal like the steadfast star, and his longing to be together with his love. The contrast between the loneliness of forever and the intenseness of the temporary are presented in the rich natural imagery and sensuous descriptions of his true wishes with Fanny Brawne. The structure of Bright Star is unique in that it breaks free of the limitations of the sonnet form, a form that is notorious for its strict and constrained nature. The rhyme scheme falls very close to the Shakespearean rhyme scheme of ABABCDCDEFEFGG, in which the last two lines represent the final heroic†¦show more content†¦This shows how the speaker realises the importance of companionship, but also how the star in reality is actually a lone and solitary figure in space, surrounded by nothing for miles around. Keats wishes he were like the star, as he admires the personified star’s immortal quality, but notices its shortcomings, he will be alone forever in cold space. Keats uses the volta and the sestet to portray how he ultimately rejects the loneliness of forever in favour of the temporary life of reality in which there is companionship and love. The strong synaesthesia of ‘pillow’d upon my fair love’s ripening breast’, appeals to our sense of touch as we can feel the warmth and the ‘pillow’, our sense of taste due to the associations with fruit that ‘ripening’ has, and our sense of sight as we can vividly imagine the scene. This conveys to us how sensuous and preferable it to be on Earth with love from others, than to be alone in the skies, even if human life is temporary. It is likely that ‘fair love’ was addressed to Fanny Brawne, Keats’ lover, showing how Keats feels love strongly and passionately. The repetition of ‘for ever’ in ‘feel for ever its soft fall and swell / Awake for ever in a sweet unrest’ is ironic, because it shows Keats wishin g to live in this moment ofShow MoreRelatedStar Light, Star Bright Essay998 Words   |  4 Pagesthe stars and planets on a given day. The growth of astrology, and the resulting knowledge, is closely tied to the study of constellations. Astrology has grown from the past and by researching the history of astrology and constellations one can infer that they have a similar history and future to the world. Understanding constellations provides a basis for understanding what astrology is, and how the constellations fit into that particular form of science. Constellations are groups of stars thatRead MoreStar Light, Star Bright...What Are Stars? Essay636 Words   |  3 Pagesself destructive explosions. Stars, through their violent birth to their even more violent death, manufacture the elements necessary for life. 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The young man isRead MoreWilliam Wordsworth and John Keats Essay1170 Words   |  5 PagesNature, for hundreds of years man has been influenced, inspired, and charmed by the majesty of nature. In this essay I will be discussing two romantic writers, William Wordsworth and John Keats along with their views of nature that are embedded within their works. Since both writers are no longer living, I’ve decided to select two pieces by each writer and interpret how each writer feels about nature, and from my conclusions I will be comparing and contrasting their individualRead MoreThe Lifecycle of a Star Essay1338 Words   |  6 Pages‘There are more stars than all of the grains of sand on earth.’(Star Facts, 2005:1) Looking up at the sky on a vibrant night, the vision is naturally lit one with millions of vivacious, glistening stars. The tenacity of this essay is to explore the lifecycle of a star, thence, signify its manifestation in the universe. A fundamental part of our universe is stars. Hence, these miniature luminous forms are essentially very immense in magnitude and it is merely due to their substantial distance fromRead MoreCritical Analysis of William Blakes Poem The Tiger1393 Words   |  6 Pagesviews on the tiger has resulted in various suggestions for the poem’s ideological setting- religious, political, existential. All that partly justifies the assertion that the receptor of a poem is a kind of co-creator of the literary work. In this essay, I will try to make a critical analysis of the poem, paying special attention to the stance of the poetic speaker. Firstly, few words need to be said about the tiger’s reputation as an animal, in the author’s time. Thomas Bewick’s â€Å"A GeneralRead MoreCritical Analysis of William Blakes Poem The Tiger1378 Words   |  6 Pagesviews on the tiger has resulted in various suggestions for the poem’s ideological setting- religious, political, existential. 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Other reasons could be what goes on in their home environmentRead MoreBright and Morning Star’ Richard Wright1421 Words   |  6 PagesMaternal Love Versus Moral Options in Richard Wright’s ‘Bright and Morning star’ A Black Woman’s Choices in a Racist Society The aim of this essay is to discuss the decision that the protagonist from Richard Wright’s ‘Bright and Morning star’, Aunt Sue, a black mother of two sons, has to make in order to chose between her sons’ life and the safety of the Communist members from her community. This story is, among others written by Richard Wright, a ‘dark portrayal of black Communist life’ and it

How Changes Throughout History Have Influenced The...

Introduction This paper endeavors to evaluate how a person within late adulthood has been impacted by larger systems within their environment. Furthermore, this paper will examine how changes throughout history have influenced the person’s life course trajectory. In an effort to evaluate these factors, an interview of a person in late adulthood was conducted. To gain a clearer understanding of how these factors influence a person within late adulthood, feminist theory and the empowerment prospective were applied to evaluate how these aspects have impacted the interviewee’s life experiences. Thus, gleaning from the interviewee’s own experiences, the interviewee’s developmental strengths and weaknesses were compared and contrasted to†¦show more content†¦She graduated from high school, and went on to college and attained her teaching degree. After teaching for several years, she married a pilot in the United States Marines. During the war in Vietnam, her husba nd was killed and she was windowed for the first time. At the time of her husband’s death, she was pregnant with her third child. Shortly after she delivered her third child, she met and married my grandfather, who had five children of his own. She lived with him until his recent death last year. Prior to my grandfather’s death, she and my grandfather had amassed a significant amount of wealth. She is currently financially, and physically independent and lives at home alone. Daily Life During the interview, my grandmother commented on not feeling as old as she is. While some of her friends have passed away or gone on to nursing homes, she continues to maintain an independent, high functioning lifestyle. However, she knows a time will come when she is not going to be able to continue to live the way she has been living. She described those in her age cohort as varying tremendously in function as they all proceeded into late adulthood. As the research attests, for those in late adulthood, age is not a true indicator of functioning. Research has confirmed that, the better that older people function, the younger older people they feel. Function and development are directly

New Orleans After the Storm Free Essays

On the 29th of August, 2005, a Category 3 Hurricane swept across the state of Louisiana and dealt major damages to the City of New Orleans, a tragedy never to be forgotten by the American Nation. Though the hurricane never hit the city itself, through its huge rainfall content, it has caused levee breaches which had dealt the most damage as flood devastated the city, and was thus dubbed as the worst engineering disaster in the history of the United States (Kilpatrick Dermisi, 2007). Lost of lives and property were dealt during the incident, as the crime rates hiked up due to the disorder caused by the hurricane, and images of criminals engaging grand theft auto were seen live on television, as buildings were burning or being wrecked by the flood. We will write a custom essay sample on New Orleans: After the Storm or any similar topic only for you Order Now Critics continue to blame various groups, individuals and factors for the terrible incident which has scarred the people’s hearts and minds, and has terrorized and affected both individuals and their pets who were residents of the city, still learning who to blame, and being tight in releasing funds for insurance claims, and learning whether the state should pay for the damages or not. Yet, whether damages were paid or remain unpaid, and whether individuals who should be blamed were blamed or left unquestioned, it must be realized that beyond restoring the finances of the people and giving due justice, healing the wounds of each and every resident of New Orleans who currently suffer from the emotional, and psychological baggage which burden each and every one of them must be realized and given due priority. Faulty Urban Planning. The development of cities and industries has caused the increase of population in areas near industrial zones in consideration to the convenience brought about by being near to the jobs present in the area. The continuing increase in the population and demand for cheap homes have been the critical factors in pursuing the building of homes in marshlands, swamps, reclamation areas, and other low ground areas by the Government led United States Army Corps of Engineers, in the City of New Orleans. After the construction of the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal in 1940, the state closed the commercial waterways which were used before for waterborne commerce, leading to the drastic lowering of the city’s water table. The US Army Corps of Volunteers then built a levee system around the area covering much of the city’s marshlands and swamps, without consideration to the possible subsidence brought about by the compression of underlying soils. These brought about land subsidence of up to 8 feet or 2 meters in some areas which were reclaimed by the US government. A recent study of the Tulane University notes that 49% of New Orleans is below sea level, with the majority of the population on the higher ground. However, the mean elevation of the city has become between 1 and 2 feet below the sea level, with some parts as high as 16 feet and some parts as deep as 10 feet. The city is also bordered by the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain, and is marbled with canals and bayous (Galle, 2007) which maybe considered geologically hazardous. Moving on. Two years after the incident, the residents of New Orleans are still trying to cope up with the emotions, and the losses which they have incurred during Hurricane Katrina. For some individuals, moving on might be a very easy thing to do, especially if they have some other place to move on to. Yet for some, the typhoon was just the beginning, especially if they’re homes have been washed out or burned by some thug or all their assets and even their pets are gone. A year after the typhoon businesses in the high ground started to bloom again, as most of the restaurants are open, the Convention Center began to have bookings, and almost all of the premium office space in the business district is occupied, and the Port of New Orleans is nearly back to normal. Tourists have also started to come back, and almost half of New Orleans’ pre-Katrina population is back mostly crowded into the high ground along the river (Ydstie, 2006). For some individuals, the damage dealt by Hurricane Katrina was something that has made them further down, as insurance companies refused to pay some victims due to some loopholes within the insurance policies such as the wind vis-à  -vis flood, and the flood vis-à  -vis hurricane policies. Some insurance companies claim that individuals could not be compensated for their wrecked homes if their insurance policy says that their houses are insured for hurricane since it was the flooding that has caused the house to be destroyed, a heartless argument that gives no consideration to the logic that there would be no flood if there was no hurricane at all. Worse are the insurance companies who argue that wind was the cause for the houses’ roofs to come off and the flooding did not cause it, thus they would only pay partially for the damages. These defenses and loopholes of insurance companies made things worst for Katrina Victims, and should be condemned. While most of the individuals suffer from more stressful damages brought about by such insurance companies, what should be stressed for them is the fact that, the first rule of insurance policy construction is that ambiguous policy language is interpreted against the drafter (â€Å"contra proferentem†) which in most cases are the insurance companies, and also that, insurance agents, must also then be sued for their negligence towards their jobs of making such loophole-full policies (Abraham, 2007). Also individuals who lost their houses are troubled by some policies such as the high ground policy which forces them to make their houses higher, individuals who have problems with stairs such as those suffering from arthritis are troubled by this. Pets after Katrina. During the Hurricane, the residents of New Orleans initially saving their lives left their pets behind. Cats and dogs of different breeds and species were lost, and were forced to roam a world which was unknown to them, while being thirsty and unfed, and while some residents were trying to find back their pets some individuals were arrogant about them such as the cop who threw out a dog named snowball out of a bus (â€Å"Snowball! Snowball!†, 2005). A year after the incident, organizations such as the North Shore Animal League of America, helped retrieved pets of New Orleans’ residents. Initiatives to house some of the pets which no one claimed, however there has been a lack of credible population to adopt such pets. Lessons learned. Some individuals say that the impact Hurricane Katrina has dealt is comparable to the impact of the Oakland Firestorm which hit Oakland California in 1991, which then, was a large urban fire which occurred in the northern Oakland, California, and which has killed 25 people and injured 150 others. While some issues of Hurricane Katrina are comparable, such as the amount of damage dealt, and the fact that most of the victims of the Oakland Firestorm were somewhat unaware of their insurance policies just like the victims of Katrina, the issues of complacency and uncompetitive planning are the factors which make the circumstances of the two incidents different. While the damages dealt by Hurricane Katrina were due to the lack of mitigation, and the lack of competitive advantage in terms of planning, the damages brought about by the fire in Oakland California were mainly due to the complacency of the residents and the local municipality in terms of controlling the fire. Reflections. While it holds true that acts of God could never be controlled by man, it must always be taken into consideration, that God has given us our brains for us to analyze and think about what we can do just in case. In the case of Hurricane Katrina, the damage could have been avoided if there were only enough mitigation done, such as holding studies about the geography and the soil composition of the area, and taking a close monitor over the movements of the soil and the water levels, and making detailed and well thought off engineering measures to prevent such incident from happening again. It must also be taken into account that there have been not enough measures to provide emotional support for the victims of the typhoon, and such emotional stress and tension must be given consideration and priority by the government and other support groups. References Abraham, K.S. 2007. In Brief : The Hurricane Katrina Insurance Claims. Virginia Law Review, 93, 157-164. Bach, A., Miller, C., 2003. Lessons Shared from Oakland-Berkely Hills. Retrieved September 14, 2007, from http://www.hillsemergencyforum.org/docs/Media-LessonShared.pdf Galle, J. 2007. Special Reports : Vulnerable Cities. Retrieved September 15, 2007 from http://www.weather.com/newscenter/specialreports/hurricanes/vulnerablecities/neworlea ns.html Kilpatrick, J.A., Dermisi, S. 2007. The Aftermath of Katrina: Recommendations for Real Estate Research. Journal of Real Estate Literature. Snowball! Snowball! The Little Dog Who Broke A Nation’s Heart! Hurricane Katrina’s Littlest Victim. 2005. Muttshack Animal Rescue Foundation, posted Sept. 6 2005. Retrieved, September 14, 2007 from, http://www.muttshack.org/2005/09/snowball-snowball-little-dog-who-broke.html Ydstie, J. 2006. Katrina Victims Still Struggle to Find Way Home. Retrieved September 14, 2007 from http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5720114 How to cite New Orleans: After the Storm, Essay examples

The Question Of Whether Or Not Marketing Is Comple Essay Example For Students

The Question Of Whether Or Not Marketing Is Comple Essay tely UnethicalThe Question Of Whether Or Not Marketing Is Completely UnethicalThe question of whether or not marketing is completely unethical is thequestion most critics of marketing seem to be focusing their attention on. Ethics provide the basis for deciding whether a particular action is morallygood or morally bad (Britt 553). But, each individual develops differentopinions, moral standards, and values. So, marketers will deal with similarissues differently because there is no correct way to handle any given issue. Marketers face various types of ethical issues in their everyday marketingactivities. Such marketing activities that require marketing managers toutilize their moral values ethically are advertising, packaging and labeling,and global marketing. Advertising is the most criticized of all micro-marketing activities(McCarthy 643). What is considered as unfair or deceptive advertising is verydifficult to pinpoint, because times have changed and continue to change on aday to day basis. What one person may consider unfair or deceptive may not beunfair or deceptive to another person. There are no clear cut guidelines formarketing managers to go by, so they must utilize their own judgement based ontheir own moral standards. But, in the United States their is an administrativeagency that has the power to control unfair or deceptive business practices. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) was created in 1914 to prevent unfairmethods of competition in commerce (commercial trade) and unfair or deceptiveacts or practices in commerce (Miller 590). The FTC issues guidelines thatdefine unfair practices and in some instances the FTC will investigatewidespread complaints to seek settlement of the complaint. The FTC has also setforth specific rules to govern certain advertising practices such as bait-and-switch advertising. Bait-and-switch advertising occurs when a selleradvertises a product at a very low price to lure in consumers, but whencustomers come in to purchase the product; the seller either doesnt have theproduct available or the product is of very low quality and the seller thenencourages the customer to purchase a more expensive substitute. The FederalTrade Commission also enforces laws that govern packaging and labeling. In the past, there had been much criticism concerning packaging andlabeling, so much that in 1966 the Federal Fair Packaging and Labeling Act waspassed. The Act requires that labels must be accurate and easily understood byconsumers. The Act also governs packaging descriptions and savings informationthat is disclosed on labels (Miller 529). Marketers face some morally difficultsituation in which they must make ethical decisions. Such a situation could be:The marketers Research and Development department hasmodernized one of the companies products. The product isnt really new andimproved, but the marketer knows that putting that slogan on thepackage and advertising it would increase sale. What should the marketerdo? This is one type of situation that many marketers may face in their careers. If the marketer should decide in favor of such a decision his or her behaviorwould be considered immoral. But, if he or she doesnt decide in favor of theact then he she may be considered an inefficient manager. Marketing managers also face ethical dilemmas about whether theirproducts help or hurt consumers in less developed nations. The marketer mustevaluate the benefit and the risks of serving such nations, then he or she mustweigh those benefits against the risks by using his or her on judgement based onwhat they feel is morally right or wrong. The marketer must also take inconsideration the literacy level in such less-developed nations. .u5d9bc8aed628a0a051b984ecb5151cd6 , .u5d9bc8aed628a0a051b984ecb5151cd6 .postImageUrl , .u5d9bc8aed628a0a051b984ecb5151cd6 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u5d9bc8aed628a0a051b984ecb5151cd6 , .u5d9bc8aed628a0a051b984ecb5151cd6:hover , .u5d9bc8aed628a0a051b984ecb5151cd6:visited , .u5d9bc8aed628a0a051b984ecb5151cd6:active { border:0!important; } .u5d9bc8aed628a0a051b984ecb5151cd6 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u5d9bc8aed628a0a051b984ecb5151cd6 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u5d9bc8aed628a0a051b984ecb5151cd6:active , .u5d9bc8aed628a0a051b984ecb5151cd6:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u5d9bc8aed628a0a051b984ecb5151cd6 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u5d9bc8aed628a0a051b984ecb5151cd6 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u5d9bc8aed628a0a051b984ecb5151cd6 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u5d9bc8aed628a0a051b984ecb5151cd6 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u5d9bc8aed628a0a051b984ecb5151cd6:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u5d9bc8aed628a0a051b984ecb5151cd6 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u5d9bc8aed628a0a051b984ecb5151cd6 .u5d9bc8aed628a0a051b984ecb5151cd6-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u5d9bc8aed628a0a051b984ecb5151cd6:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: DIFFUSION OF BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS EssayMarketing ethics are moral standards that guide marketing decisions and actions(McCarthy, 26). Todays companies must form clear policies to guide marketersin their marketing decisions so they can be socially responsible individuals. The decisions that the marketer makes has a big influence on how others see thecompany. The employees must choose between what is in the best interest ofthemselves, the company, or that of society as a whole.

Franklin D. Roosevelt Essays (525 words) - Delano Family

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt was born in 1882 on a Hudson River estate at Hyde Park New York, which was to be his lifelong permanent home. The second son of James Roosevelt, a lawyer, financier, and railroad executive, Franklin was the only child from his father's second marriage to Sara Delano. The parents and private tutors provided the youth with almost all his formative education, which was heightened by his frequent travel and some study in Europe. He was an excellent student and enjoyed many sports. In 1921, while at the family's vacation home off the Maine, Roosevelt was stricken with infantile paralysis. In 1924, he resumed his legal career, and at the Democratic national convention made a dramatic appearance on crutches and nominated Alfred Smith in for the Presidency - although John W. Davis became the candidate. After Republican Herbert Hoover's campaign in 1928 and serving in New York, Roosevelt won the Democratic Presidential nomination in 1932. Although easily defeating Hoover, during the 4-month period preceding Roosevelt's inauguration, the depression worsened. Industrial production plummeted, thousands upon thousands of factories closed, unemployment soured, breadlines lengthened, and bank failures became common. Roosevelt made huge strides as soon as he assumed office. He at once ordered a 4-day closing of banks to cut down on depositor panic. To calm and encourage the public, he began a series of radio broadcastings that he was to continue as a means of explaining his programs and gaining public support. Roosevelt also created many new agencies with the hope of raising crop prices and increasing wages. These agencies, including the Agricultural Adjustment Act, the National Industrial Recovery Act, and Public Works Administration, created voluntary business and industrial codes geared toward increasing wages, maintaining prices, and reducing unemployment. Thankfully, legislation finally slowed during the rest of 1933 and in 1934. However, soon after, Roosevelt introduced his most recognizable piece of legislature, The New Deal. Mostly due in part to this, Roosevelt won reelection in 1936, easily defeating Republican Alfred M. Landon, and, by lesser margins, would beat Republican candidate Wendel L. Wilkie in 1940 and Thomas E. Dewey in 1944. Roosevelt shattered the 2-term tradition, being elected to 4 terms and serving more than 12 years. Elsewhere on the globe, threatening forces were on the rise. During the late 1930's, European affairs grew ugly and the thought of World War II became a reality. The war itself began in 1939, but Roosevelt hesitated to enter the U.S. until the December 7, 1941 bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. Roosevelt mobilized the nation, declared war on the Axis Powers and created a hopes for lasting peace through the creation of the United Nations organization. Roosevelt was cheered as the tide of war shifted decisively in favor of the Allies. He conferred with other Allied heads of state and stressed the need for unconditional surrender. Sadly, he did not witness the final victory. Only weeks before the war ended in Europe, Franklin Delano Roosevelt died on April 12, 1945 in Warm Springs, Georgia, later to be buried in his original neighborhood in Hyde Park, New York. Biographies

The Impact of Globalization in Business

The Impact of Globalization in Business Both the globalization/localization issue, and the question of the nature of the interactions between firms can be considered in light of a distinction between the production of the good and the market in which it is sold. Kay (1990,p. 7), writing on the strategic market, states that "confusion of the dimensions of the industry with the dimensions of the market is potentially a serious strategic error". Jacobs and de Jong (1991) similarly distinguish between the geographical scope of markets and production networks and using 11 Dutch industries show that `geographical scope differs between industries'. The cocoa and cut flower industries, for example, have regional production but supply a global market, and machinery for the dairy industry is produced in the Netherlands and sold on the domestic market. In contrast, in the recorded discs industry both production and the market are global. To their examples we would add that many economic activities are both produced and marketed local ly, though mostly not in the transportable goods industries.[Royal Avenue, Belfast. County Antrim, Ireland] (...House building and such consumer services as hairdressing are often local in both senses. Thus it is possible for an industry to have both global and local aspects. The distinctions between industry and market and local and global has important implications in terms of strategic development, marketing and the way the firm functions.An example of success in such re-invention in the context of the evolving network of firms around the software MNE subsidiaries in Ireland is Mount Salus. With Microsoft's decline in demand for printed manuals came a reduction in the number of preferred suppliers. In mid-1996 Mount Salus lost the Microsoft account. It was almost forced to close down, and layed off more than 50% of its workers. However, Mount Salus had been taken over by a larger printing company, Adare, and had...

Investment Apprisl Techniques Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Investment Apprisl Techniques - Essay Example I will prticulrly provide literture review of few contemporry theoreticl pproches to the issue. Recent reserch (Steier & Greenwood, 2005) hs shown tht the due diligence process is n itertive one, where the first step is to ssess whether proposl meets the investment criteri of the venture fund (e.g., with respect to the investment stge, sector, or mgnitude of the investment proposl) nd whether the proposl is vible t first sight. forml vlution of compny will only be performed when the proposl psses this initil test. Other economic gents hve to vlue compnies in other settings; e.g., investment bnkers hve to determine the introduction price of new compny on stock mrket or they hve to pprise tke-over cndidte. Finncil nlysts hve to ssess whether the stock mrket vlue of compny is significntly higher or lower thn its 'true' economic vlue, in order to decide when to sell or buy stocks. The venture cpitlist's vlution process, however, is likely to differ from the ones used for these purposes, becuse of the very different nture of the compnies they hve to vlue. Investment proposls, recei ved by venture cpitl funds, re often very risky, due to the erly stge of development of the compny, the lck of trck record of the compny, or the degree of innovtion of products or mrkets. Moreover, the compnies re not quoted on stock mrket, so publicly vilble informtion is limited. The present study sheds light on this neglected re through n exmintion of how Europen venture cpitlists proceed in this difficult tsk. The vlution of investment proposls is importnt for venture cpitlists becuse the vlue of the compny determines the proportion of shres they receive in return for their investment nd thus their ultimte return. It is importnt for entrepreneurs, too, becuse vlution tht is too low will led to n excessive dilution of their shre in the compny. Moreover, when entrepreneurs know how venture cpitlists vlue investment proposls, they re better prepred to dpt their business pln to the needs of investors. They will be ble to produce the required informtion nd to understnd the wy venture cpitlists use the informtion. The vlution process consists of three sequentil steps. First, informtion is gthered on the venture, its mngement tem, nd its future prospects. Second, this informtion is used to pprise the risk of the venture nd hence the required return on the investment, nd to estimte the (future) csh flows nd profit potentil. Finlly, one or more vlution method is used, which combines the elements of risk, return, nd profits or csh flows in order to compute the vlue of the compny. Becuse non-public compnies hve few legl informtion requirements, the gthering of informtion is more difficult thn with public compnies. Due to dverse selection nd informtion symmetry problems, this is nonetheless one of the most crucil phses in coming to decision. One of the most importnt sources of informtion is the business pln, which projects the future of the compny, together with historic ccounting dt (especilly the blnce sheet nd profit nd loss sttement), nd future ccounting dt (especilly csh flow forecsts). mit et l. (2003) point to the fct tht the mngeril trck record of the entrepreneur nd his or her fmilirity with the product nd the sector my provide some hints s to the future success of the venture. However, venture cpitlists fce importnt informtion symmetries with respect to compny-specific dt, since the entrepreneurs my disclose only wht they deem necessry in

Coccydenia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Coccydenia - Essay Example By adopting these AT devices, day-to-day activities, both professional and personal are not hampered. The article presents an insight about the AT devices for coccydenia patient to make them self reliant and confident to execute their routine tasks in a normal way. Coccydenia or coccygodynia is pain in the area of the coccyx (tailbone). It is also known as "tailbone pain", coccygeal pain, coccyx pain, coccaglia. Medically it is recognized as an inflammation of the tailbone or coccyx, a hollow region present between the buttocks. It is a discomfort or acute pain in the coccyx, this pain varies from mild to extreme. There are various factors that trigger the onset of Coccydenia, an injury or trauma to the coccyx; injury may extend to severe bruising, dislocation, fracture of the coccyx, or other factors like constant sitting posture, fall, childbirth, repetitive strain, surgery or due to journey discomfort. The reason could be any one of these but the condition is extremely painful. The pain can disappear on its own, lasting only for a short span or may require treatment if it persist for year(s) (What is Coccydenia). It is unfortunate that inspite of the fact that it is painful inflammation, common coccygodynia or Coccydenia is poorly understood. In order o understand the origin of the syndrome, along with pain in pericoccygeal soft tissue, spasm of the muscles of the pelvic floor, referred pain from the lumbar pathology, arachnoiditis of the lower sacral nerve roots, local posttraumatic lesions, somtization etc (Howorth 1959, Nelson 1991, Postacchini & Massobrio 1983, Stern 1967). It is therefore no specific reason of coccydenia has come up. In most of the reported cases it is often associated with the fall on buttocks or a delivery as precipitating event or is associated with the constant sitting position. The victims may feel pain due to movement from constant sitting to standing position. It is also reported that sufferers feel pain when sitting on a hard, unyielding surface for too long. Other aspects encompassing coccydenia are deep pain in the tailbone region, pain during bowel movements or sex and development of sensitivity to pressure on the back especially buttocks along with shooting pain moving down the leg similar to sciatica (What is coccydynia, its symptoms and cure). These aspects have enabled Maigne et al, (1992, 1994) to develop a protocol to document the painful coccyx with dynamic films and coccygeal discography. Dynamic films are characterized as X-ray films in the lateral sitting position (the painful position) and they are compared with the standard lateral roentgenograms. The percentage is more in females as compared to males due to anatomical reasons. In females the pelvis leaves the coccyx more exposed causing chronic inflammation. Gray (1973) has defined sacrococcygeal joints as thin intervertebral discs of fibrocartilage. The intercoccygeal joints are synovial infrequently. There are various speculations reported about the sacrococcygeal joint, it is disc, a synovial joint, an extensive cleft, with a frame of annual fibers or synovial cells (Maigne et al, 1992). In some patients ossification of coccyx was reported (Saluja, 1988). Coccyx depicts the flexion and extension physiological movements. Active flexion is the movement in the forward

Reflections on the similar principles underlying T. Chamber's Essay

Reflections on the similar principles underlying T. Chamber's masterpiece 'Hudson Highlands' circa 1840 and Samuel Barber's composition 'The Violin Concerto' with Piano Accompaniment - Essay Example Both works are masterpieces in their own right with similarities that are obvious even to a layman like me. Both are soft and mellow in their respective styles with slight variations in tempo and timbre. Both compositions are balanced in a delicate manner with no sudden changes of form or loudness to jolt the eye and ear. In the painting the emphasis is on the play of shadows like that of a Rembrant work while in the musical composition it is the accompanying piano that lays the emphasis against the soft foreground sounds of the violin. The painting is well proportioned, the different constituents of the landscape blending harmoniously in the composition, without one overcrowding the other. In the music also the play between the violin and piano and the variations of pitch and timbre are in proportion without downplaying the importance of either. Â  The movement in the picture is depicted by the brush strokes of the road with softly curving stripes while the piano takes upon itself the task of movement, alternating between slow and fast movements. Both the painting and the musical piece have slow and sedate rhythms with slight variations to relieve the monotony. No work of art is without repetition. While Chambers does it with the drawing of trees and sails, Barber does it with the same movements alternated with different tunes in between.

Anatomy And Physiology Of Blood And Heart

Anatomy And Physiology Of Blood And Heart The mechanism of the pumping action of the heart can be categorized in three phases- the generation of an action potential, conduction of the action potential and cardiac muscle contraction (action potential-contraction coupling). The action potential is generated the specialized autorythmic myocardial cells located at the Sino atria (SA) node. The potential spreads to the atria and enters the ventricles through the atria ventricular (AV) node from where it is conducted throughout the ventricles by the bundle of His and the purkinje fiber. The action potential triggers muscle contraction as it sweeps around the heart1. As the cardiac muscles contract and relax the heart beats repeatedly, in the process receiving and pumping blood, first to the lungs then to the rest of the body. As it leaves the heart, the blood carries with it oxygen and nutrients to the body and brings back metabolic wastes from the body cells1,2. However, much as it supplies blood to the rest of the body, the heart itself needs blood to support its metabolic activity. The heart is thus supplied by the coronary arteries which branch off from the aorta. Reduction in the volume of this coronary flow can greatly impair the pumping action of the heart and if not treated, can cause heart failure. A number of treatment options ranging from surgical to drugs are available2b. THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM The cardiovascular system is an organ system responsible for distribution of nutrients and oxygen to the bodys cells and removal of metabolic byproducts from the cells. It consists of the following: Blood which carries nutrients and oxygen to the cells and metabolic byproducts away from the cells The blood vessels which are the pathways through which blood flows The heart which receives and pumps blood. Embedded in the heart are valves that control blood flow and ensure that blood flows in a specified direction3,8. THE HEART In brief, the heart is a muscular organ enclosed in a double walled sack called the pericardium. It is about the size of a fist and weighs between 250 grams and 350 grams. It is located within the medial cavity of the thorax between the second and fifth intercostal space, just on the superior surface of the diaphragm, anterior to the vertebral column and posterior to the sternum7. The heart is divided in four chambers, the right and left atria, the right and left ventricle. The circulation process is such that the right atrium receives blood from the rest of the body through the venacavea and feeds it to the right ventricle which pumps it to the lungs through the pulmonary artery to be oxygenated. Blood from the lungs comes back to the left atrium through the pulmonary vein and finally to the left ventricle. The left ventricle pumps blood to the rest of the body though the aorta and arteries7,1. The Mechanism of Heart function The most important function of the heart is to pump blood. The mechanism by which the heart pumps blood can be understood by examining the events that lead to cardiac muscle contraction. The contraction process starts with the generation of an action potential from the sinoatrial (SA) node giving rise to a depolarization wave. The wave spreads through the atria, entering the ventricles through the atrioventricular (AV) node and is conducted throughout the ventricles by the bundle of His and the purkinje fibers1. Generation of action potential. The heart is composed of two kinds of cardiac muscle cells- the contractile and autorythmic cells. The contractile cells are responsible for the mechanical work of pumping and therefore form the bulk of the cardiac muscles. However, these cells need to be excited before they can contract. Highly specialized autorythmic cells are responsible for generation and conduction of the excitation signal-the action potential1,3. These autorythmic cells are found in specific regions of the heart that include: The SA node. This is a small region located at the upper wall of the right atrium. The AV node. This is a bundle of the autorythmic cells found at the lower wall of the right atrium, near the septum that separates the atria from the ventricles. The bundle of His. This is a bundle of specialized conductive cells that originate from the AV node and runs down the septum between the ventricles. It separates into the right and left bundles serving the respective ventricles. The purkinje fiber. These can be regarded as terminations of the bundle of His. They spread over the base of the ventricles.The locations of the autorythmic cells are the origin and pathways of the action potential3. The cardiac action potential The SA node is the pace maker of the heart. It sets the frequency at which the heart beats. Looking at the cardiac cell, the action potential starts by the reorganization of the intracellular and extracellular concentration of potassium, sodium, chloride and calcium ions due to changes in the cell membrane permeability. A graph showing a typical myocardial cell action potential is shown in figure 1 below. Figure 1: Cardiac cell action potential. Source4: As in the graph, the different phases represent different stages of depolarization of the cardiac cell. Phase 4: In this phase, the cell is at rest. In the resting state, the cell membrane is more permeable to potassium and therefore the resting potential is more or less equal to the potassium equilibrium potential (-90mV). Phase 0: As the potential slowly rises, the voltage-gated sodium channels open leading to a rapid influx of potassium into the cell causing rapid depolarization. At the same time, the membrane permeability to potassium slowly reduces as the potassium channels close. This process takes the membrane potential to around +20Mv before the sodium channels suddenly close. Phase 1: On inactivation of the sodium channels, potassium continues to leak out of the cell and chloride ions go into the cell causing a small downward deflection of the action potential. Phase 2: At this stage, there is increased permeability of the membrane to calcium ions. The inward calcium movement is balanced by an outward movement of potassium ions accounting for the relatively flat phase 2. Phase 3: An increase in the permeability of potassium outweighs the inward calcium current and eventually tips the potential of the cell. This is the repolarization phase and the cell goes back to its resting potential, phase 43,4. Excitation-contraction coupling As described in muscle contraction, the action potential-contraction coupling is due to the release of calcium from the cells sarcoplasmic reticulum. The calcium combines with troponin which regulates the tropomyosin, removing it from the binding site. This allows myosin to bind to actin thus making the muscle to contract3. The cardiac cycle The depolarization and repolarization of the cardiac cell described above triggers the contraction and relaxation to the atria and ventricles of the cell. The cardiac cycle is divided in two main phases, diastole which is the period of relaxation and systole which is the period of contraction. Systole. During this phase, the depolarization wave starts from the SA node, spreading first through the atria and causing the atria to contact first. This forces blood from the atria to the ventricles. At this time, the atrioventricular valves are open while the pulmonary and aortic valves are closed. The depolarization wave then enters the ventricles through the AV node, spreading over all the ventricles via the specialized conductive bundle of His and the purkinje network. This causes the ventricles to contract forcing the blood to the lungs through the pulmonary vein and the rest of the body through the aorta. Here the atrioventricular valves close while the pulmonary and aortic valves open5,3. Diastole. After contraction of the atria, the cells are repolarized. This allows the atria to relax thus allowing blood to flow into them through the vena cavea. After the ventricular contraction, the ventricles also relax awaiting to be filled with blood from the atria5. THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM The circulatory system is part of the cardiovascular system and is divided into the pulmonary circulation and systemic circulation. The pulmonary circulation transports deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs and returns oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart9. The systemic circulation transports oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of the body and brings back deoxygenated blood from the body back to the heart9. Deoxygenated blood enters the right atrium from the vena cava and flows through the tricuspid valve into the right ventricle. It is pumped from the right ventricle through the pulmonary semilunar valve into the pulmonary arteries which go to the lungs. Oxygenated blood returns via the pulmonary veins and enters the left ventricle through the mitral valve. It is the pumped through the aortic valve, to the aorta then through the arteries to the rest of the body. It is evident that oxygen is very important in metabolic activity of the body cells3,9. Transport of oxygen by the cardiovascular system The red blood cells. One of the functions of the cardiovascular system is to distribute oxygen around the body. Oxygen is carried in blood by the red blood cells. Understanding the structure of the red blood cells will help us to understand how it is able to carry oxygen. The molecule of a red blood cell is composed of four polypeptide chains with each polypeptide chain having an iron-containing heme group. Each of the four iron atoms can combine reversibly with oxygen according to the equation: O2+Hbà ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬ HbO2. It is therefore possible that each molecule of hemoglobin can carry up to four molecules of oxygen1b,2b. Oxygen uptake Blood is pumped from the right ventricle to the lungs to be oxygenated. In the alveoli, the partial pressure of oxygen is higher than that in the blood and the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the alveoli is lower than that in the blood. The pressure differences make it possible for oxygen to diffuse from the alveoli to the blood, thus binding to the iron in the hemoglobin. Carbon dioxide on the other hand diffuses from the blood to the lungs. Carrying oxygen, blood is returned to the left atria then to the left ventricle which pumps it to the rest of the body2c. Oxygen release: In the tissues and organs, the cells are undergoing metabolism, continually consuming oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide. This means that the intracellular partial pressure of oxygen is lower than that in the blood and the intracellular partial pressure of carbon dioxide is higher than that in the blood. Again the pressure differences make it possible for oxygen to diffuse from the blood to the cells and carbon dioxide from the cells to the blood, binding again with the iron in the hemoglobin. Therefore, as blood flows around the body, it continually distributes oxygen2c,6. BLOOD SUPPLY TO THE HEART Coronary flow In order to perform its functions, the heart an abundant supply of oxygen and nutrients and therefore needs a dedicated supply of blood. Coronary circulation is that part of the systemic circulation that provides blood supply to the heart. Just as the aorta leaves the left ventricle, it gives of the right and left coronary arteries9. The left coronary artery divides into smaller braches supplying blood to the apex and the posterior side of the heart, the ventricles and part of the anterior interventricular septum, the left atrium and posterior wall of the left ventricle. The right coronary artery supplies the lateral aspect of the right atrium and ventricle, the posterior wall of both ventricles and the SA node9,10. Effect of reduced coronary flow on cardiac function The energy demand of the cardiac muscle is so crucial that an interruption of blood supply to any part of the myocardium can cause necrosis within minutes9. A decrease in coronary flow to levels below normal is called myocardial ischemia. The ischemia can be caused by vascular spasms of the coronary arteries, atherosclerosis or increased activity of the heart beyond levels that the coronary arteries can supply10. Temporary or reversible obstruction of coronary blood flow can cause chest pain known as angina pectoris9. Chronic myocardial ischemia can lead to myocardial infarction where myocardial cells die and are replaced by scar tissue. Reduced coronary flow therefore can affect cardiac function in several ways. If the heart is not able to meet its metabolic demand, it can be understood that it will not be able to pump enough blood to the body. Reduced blood flow to the rest of the body can result in serious physiological and pathological conditions which are beyond the scope of this essay. With the death of some cardiac cells as in the case of chronic ischemia, several other life threatening conditions can arise which affect cardiac function. One of such dangerous conditions is ventricular fibrillation which is an abnormal pulse generation triggered by the damaged myocardial cells. The heart will not be able to pump blood but will just quiver around without any net output. Death can occur within minutes2b,6. Treatment of reduced coronary flow Other immediate effects like ventricular fibrillation caused by reduced coronary flow can be treated by defibrillation. However, the main cause of reduced coronary flow is coronary artery occlusion or restriction and the following treatment options are available: Coronary bypass: This is a surgical technique where the occluded coronary artery is cut and replaced by a new blood vessel, usually a vein taken from somewhere in the patients body2b. Coronary balloon angiography (cardiac catheterization): This is another surgical procedure where a catheter containing a balloon at its tip is passed into the occluded artery. The balloon is enlarged thus stretching the artery and opening it in the process2b. The use vasodilator drugs such as nitroglycerine: These drugs dilate the coronary artery thereby lowering the total peripheral resistance. This reduces the work the heart must do in ejecting blood. This is usually given to people who have already suffered myocardial infarction to reduce the risk of another occurance2b,10. A person at risk of myocardial infarction can be put a low cholesterol, low fat diet to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and takes aspirin to reduce the risk of blood clot formation. Conclusion The cardiovascular system is one of the most important systems of the body. All the other systems and organs of the body depend on it for supply of oxygen and nutrients and removal of metabolic wastes. The heart acts as a pump to make sure blood is circulated to all parts of the body through pulmonary and systemic circulations9. However, the heart itself needs supply of blood in order to perform its main function of pumping blood and the heart is supplied by the coronary circulation. Reduction in coronary flow means the heart will not be able to meet it metabolic needs and therefore cannot pump enough blood. This can adversely affect normal activity of the body and cause death10. References Sherwood L. Fundamentals of physiology a human perspective. St. Paul Minn: West publishing company; 1991.190-199 1b. Sherwood L. Fundamentals of physiology a human perspective. St. Paul Minn: West publishing company; 1991.263-266 Vander A, Sherman J, Luciano D. Human physiology, the mechanisms of body function, seventh edition. Boston: McGrow-Hill; 1998. 387-389. 2b. Vander A, Sherman J, Luciano D. Human physiology, the mechanisms of body function, seventh edition. Boston: McGrow-Hill; 1998. 374-377. 2c. Vander A, Sherman J, Luciano D. Human physiology, the mechanisms of body function, seventh edition. Boston: McGrow-Hill; 1998. 479-483. Koeppen M B, Stanton A B. Berne and Levy physiology, sixth edition. Philadelphia, PA: Mosby/Elsevier; 2008. 289-303 Serguei Semenov (2009): Lecture notes. Physiological measurements, ecg/pacemakers/defibrillators. Cohen J B, Wood L D. Structure and function of the human body, seventh edition. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 2000. 195-204. Vandegriff K.D, Benazzi L, Ripamonti M, Perrella M, Tellier Le Y.C, Zegna A, Winslow R M. Determination of the rate and equilibrium constants for oxygen and carbon monoxide binding to R-state human Hemoglobin,199: The journal of Biological Chemistry ; 266 (26): 17049-17059 Elaine N M, Katja H. Human anatomy and physiology, seventh edition. Menlo Park: Benjamin Cummings; 2007.674-681 Sherwood L. Human physiology: from cells to systems, sixth edition. Belmont, CA: homson/Brooks/Cole; 2007.300-304 Saladin K S. Anatomy and physiology: The unity of form and function, fifth edition. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill Higher Education; 2009.683-755 Stanfield C L, Germann W J, Niles J N, Cannon J G. Principles of human physiology, third edition. San Francisco: Pearson/Benjamin Cummings; 2009. 361-366 Skeletal Muscle Question: Describe the structure of skeletal muscle and how it contracts (90) and discuss a disease that may arise from this system (10) The structure of skeletal muscle and the mechanism of muscle contraction including muscle disease (1553 Words) 1.0 ABSTRACT Skeletal Muscle is a form of fibrous tissue with the fibers arranged parallel to each other. A muscle fiber (cell) is surrounded by the endomysium. A group of these cells is wrapped by fascicles. Bundles of fascicles are covered by the perimysium and bundles of the perimysium are wrapped by the epimysium to form a muscle. The muscle fibers have contractile properties which enable them to move bony levers in order to produce skeletal movement1. The functional unit of the muscle fiber is the sacomere which consists of most importantly, actin and myosin. The actin and myosin are arranged such that during contraction, they can slide over each other thus shortening the muscle2. Muscles suffer from many diseases, one of which is polymyositis. This is an inflammatory myopathy that affects mainly the muscles of the thorax and those around the torso. It affects all age groups but has been noticed mainly in late childhood and early adulthood. The sypmtomps are nonspecific but results in general muscle weakness and the cause, though believed to be an invasion by the white blood cells, is not very clear10. 2.0 The Structure of Skeletal Muscle. In daily life, structures and arrangements of designs are dictated, to a large extent by the purpose and function for which the design is meant for. Knowing that skeletal muscle is made up mainly of fibrous tissues, the arrangement of these tissues and how they are bound together to maintain a particular shape in order to accomplish different purposes (mainly to generate force and produce movement) may to a large extent, define the structure of the muscle4. At a macro level, the skeletal muscle is composed of bundles of individual muscle fibers, the supporting structure called the basal lamina, and the connective tissue sheaths as shown in figure 1. These connective tissues bind the cells together giving them strength and partly providing mechanical protection2. We can examine these connective tissues and their functions as follows: 2.1 The basal lamina. This is an extracellular matrix that acts as a scaffold on which a cell sits. It has been realized that apart from providing structural support, the basal lamina can orient and constrain cell during the process of regeneartion3. 2.2 The endomysium. This is a fine sheath of connective tissue that surrounds each individual muscle cell. The endomysium consist of loosely interlacing fibers composed mainly of collagen4. 2.3 The perimysium and fascilces. The individual muscle fibers wrapped by the endomysium, are grouped together in what is called fascicles. A layer of fibrous tissue called the perimysium wraps each fascicle4. 2.4 The epimysium. This is the outside layer that finally wraps the whole muscle. It is composed of dense irregular connective tissue4. Figure 1 Source: http://www.web-books.com/eLibrary/Medicine/Physiology/Muscular/muscle_structure.jpg 3.0 The muscle cell Having described how individual muscle cells are organized into a muscle, it is imperative that we look at the structural composition of the cell itself. Just like many other cells in the body are specialized according to their functions, skeletal muscle cells are specialized to produce force and movement5. The skeletal muscle fiber is thus composed of mainly three structural elements:-the myofibrils, the sarcoplasmic reticulum and the mitochondria, each contributing a unique aspect of muscle function. The entire function of the muscle can be attributed to the shifts in proportions of these three structures6. 3.1 The Myofibrills. These are cylindrical specialized sub-units within the muscle fiber. They consist of two types of contractile protein filaments-the thin filaments referred to as actin and the thick filaments referred to as myosin. The two most important parameters of the myofibrils are their diameter which determines its strength and the fiber length which determines it contraction velocity and distance over which the fiber can contract. The myofibril consist of two filaments-actin and myosin6,2. 3.1.1 Actin (thin filament). Actin filaments are responsible for regulation of contraction. The actin filament is formed by a helical arranged of actin monomers which is an ambiguous protein2 (figure 2). Because of the helical nature, a long grove is formed along the filament and the protein troponin is located at intervals along the length of the actin filament. It is troponin which is responsible for turning on contraction2,7. Figure 2.The actin molecule. Source: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/~sjjgsca/Muscleslidingfilament1.gif 3.1.2 The Myosin (thick filament). Myosin filament is about 150nm long. It has a tail and two heads. The tail is formed by two helical shaped fibers that coil around each other. A collection of several of these helical tails together form a myosin filament (figure 3)4b. Figure 3. The myosin molecule. Source: http://webanatomy.net/anatomy/myosin.jpg. 3.2 The sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Groups of about 200 thick and thin filaments constitute a myofibril. Each myofibril is thus enclosed in a membrane called the sarcoplasmic reticulum8. The SR membrane stores and releases calcium during muscle contraction and relaxation. The SR can therefore be thought of as the functional unit of the myofibril9. 3.3 The mitochondria. Found within the cell cytoplasm, the mitochondria are responsible for generation of most of the cells energy by the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). There are several mitochondria distributed along the length of a myofibril4. 4.0 The mechanism of muscle contraction Muscle contraction can largely be attributed to the structure of actin and myosin, their arrangement within the SR and the interaction between them in order to produce force (Figure 4). This type of arrangement allows the thin actin filaments to slide in and out by the action pull of the myosin heads8b. Figure 4. Actin and myosin arrangement: Source: http://www.exrx.net/Images/ActinMyosin.gif Muscles are composed of a number of actin and myosin filaments arranged in series in a basic unit called the sacomere. The sacomere consists of a thick filament in the meddle and two thin filaments, one overlapping on each side. The heads of the thick filament attach to the thin filament at the overlap and these heads allow movement in only one direction. When activated, each thick filament head rachets repeatedly along the actin, pulling the two actins closer together. Since the actin are attached to the Z line (The distance between two Z lines form the sacomere), ends of the sacomere (Z lines) are pulled in and the sacomere shortens. The sacomeres are arranged in series so that when the muscle fiber contracts, all the sacomeres contract simultaneously transmitting the force to the end of the muscle. The whole process of contraction described above occurs when the muscle is electrically stimulated2b. 5.0 Muscle stimulation. Skeletal muscle cells are stimulated by the motor neurons of the somatic nervous system. The reception of the motor stimulus (action potential) opens the calcium channels allowing calcium which is stored in the SR to be released. The release of calcium causes the release of acetylcholine-Ach (neurotransmitter). The calcium binds to the troponin on the actin filament. Troponin then regulates the tropomyosin which obstructs binding sites for myosin. This allows the tropomyosin to move, unblocking the bonding site. Myosin then binds to the unblocked site on the actin and applies a pull. This will pull the Z bands towards each other thus shortening the sacomere, causing muscle contraction2b. However, as calcium is released, the ATP-dependent calcium pump is activated and it continuously pumps calcium back to the SR to be stored again. This leads to a drop in calcium level within the cytoplasm. When the calcium level is too low, the calcium binding action to troponin is terminated, releasing tropomyosin which again blocks the binding site. This stops the interaction between actin and myosin thus relaxing the muscle2b. 6.0 Muscle Diseases There are a number of muscular diseases and disorders ranging from acquired, familial to congenital. Limiting ourselves to one of the acquired disorders of the muscles, lets look at polymyositis. 6.1 Polymyositis (PM). PM is a type of muscle inflammatory myopathy. Just like the name suggests, this disease causes inflammation of the muscle fiber. Although the causes of the disease are not well understood, it is believed that PM begins when white blood cells, spontaneously invade muscles. This can result in severe muscle weakness. Polymyositis is a persistent disease characterized by periods of increased and reduced or no symptoms. PM affects mainly the muscles of the thorax and is more common in women than men. It is said to affect all age groups although is it commonly noted in early childhood or 20s10. Key pathologic and diagnostic features of the disease. Endomysial inflammation. This is the inflammation of the outer connective tissue that surrounds the muscle fiber. This is done by the white blood cells that leave the blood and enter the tissue, somehow confirming the earlier assertion that the PM begins when white blood cells invade muscles. Invasion of myofibers by autoaggressive lymphocytes. This is when the T lymphocytes begin to attack the intact myofibers. Unlike in muscle dystrophy where inflammation is associated with degenerating myofibers, the invasion of T lymphocytes causes inflammation of health myofibers in PM.This causes inflammation of healthy myofibers. Other diagnostic features that may not be exactly specific to PM include myofiber necrosis, myophagocytosis, myofiber atrophy and fibrosis, a feature of chronic PM10,11. 7.0 Conclusion Human movement is only possible because of the action of muscle contraction. Voluntary contraction of muscle is made possible by the somatic nervous system which sends out an action potential activating the contraction process. The process is accomplished by the sliding of myosin and actin over each other. Many diseases and disorders affect muscles, prominent among them is muscular polymyosis which causes inflammation of the muscles mainly around the torso. Its believed to be caused by the unwanted action of the white blood cells and the symptoms include muscle weakness.

Antigone Was Right Essay -- essays research papers

The story of Antigone deals with Antigone’s brother who’s body has been left unburied because of crimes against the state. The sight of her brother being unburied drives Antigone to take action against the state and bury her brother regardless of the consequences. The concept of the Greek afterlife was far more important and sacred than living life itself. Everything they did while they were alive was to please the many gods they worshipped. They built temples for their Gods, made statues to symbolize their Gods, and had a different God to explain things that we now say are an act of mother nature. Antigone percieved her actions to be courageous and valid, and Kreone, the King, percieved them as blasphemous. The entire story focuses on deciding who’s right. The question arises, "Did Antigone take proper action?" Was it right to go against her Uncle Kreon’s wishes and go ahead and bury her brother that was to be left out for the vultures? Would it have been better just to leave the situation how it was? The fact is, Antigone did the right thing. She was acting out of divine influence so to speak. Since divinity and humanity are shown to be colliding forces where divinity out weighs humanity in ancient Greece. Antigone was justified in her actions. Antigone was following divine laws, or walking with divine shoes, while Kreone followed the laws of the state. Her brother’s afterlife was so important to Antigone that she was willing to give up anything to ensure her b...