My Childhood Memories Essay

Oh no! I shouted at the top of my voice, please don’t break down my grandparents’ house I had just returned from New York to Trinidad with my parents. I left Trinidad when I was six years old. I grew up in couva with my grandparents, where I had many friends living in there in the same villag.e I walked through the street where my friends and I once played jump rope. The sight of the many old-fashioned houses caught my attention. I stop as I started at one house with boarded up windows. It looked weather beaten, but the sight of that house painted a mischievous smile on my face because it was the house where I once stole mangoes from my neighour, Uncle Bob. As I approached the yard a sea of colours rushed past my eyes and painted the house and the garden became alive with fresh flowers and swaying coconut trees. I saw myself swinging under the Poui tree and grandma bringing freshly extracted sugar cane juice for me. Even though this was just a memory I could hear the melodious singing of the birds all day. Once again, I could smell the frangranced sent of the large roses that bloomed near to the garden. Before I got off the swing I looked up to the tree and saw the soft, yellow poui petals greeting my face. Some of the tiny blossoms gracefully fell at my feet. I grabbed a handful and through it up in the air. I saw the vision of myself greeting the gardener, who gave me roses to put in the vase. He was always very kind and didn’t mind me playing in the garden.

Intel’s Site Selection Decision in Latin America Essay

In a growing technological society, the demand for Intel Corporation’s products is rising at a rapid pace. Intel must open a new plant at a rate of one every nine months to supply this demand. In order to diversify assets and decrease risk, Intel must invest in a new area. This area must consist of a stable and transparent government, an export-based economy, a well-educated population, a non-union mentality and lower operating costs than the United States. Intel aims to invest in Latin America because the area currently does not have any plants and accommodates all of the necessary criteria. After selecting a continent, Intel was more concerned about availability of technical personnel and engineers to staff the plant; labor unions and labor relations; transportation infrastructure and costs; the availability and reliability of the electrical power supply; and the government’s corporate taxation rates and incentives. Therefore, the four countries in Latin America that were most appropriate are Costa Rica, Brazil, Chile and Mexico. Costa Rica seemed like a valid alternative. The advantages to invest in Costa Rica include a reputation for stability and democratic government, a collaborative government willing to adapt and change laws in a transparent manner, relatively lower wages, rare and non-combative unions, strict strike laws, excellent transportation methods, and tax exemptions. Disadvantages are that the investment could overwhelm the small economy (pop. 3.5 million); finding enough people with the right training would be difficult; there are not enough daily flights from San Jose’s airport; and relatively high electricity costs. Brazil seemed even more valid than Costa Rica. The benefits of investing in Brazil include a huge local market (not important due to 100% exports from plant); large populations to hire staff from; collaborative state governments; reliability (numerous high technology firms already located in Brazil); capable airports; adequate infrastructure; and available and reasonably priced electrical power. Drawbacks include security; higher overall labor costs; government indifferent about concerns; non-favorable government policies; and a high rate of taxation. Chile really impressed the Intel team upon initial inspection. Investing in Chile is beneficial due to the modern infrastructure and technical training programs. However, shortcomings include travel distance for expatriate executives; salaries for technically trained personnel are relatively high; engineer salaries were similar to those in the United States; absurd capital controls; site proposal far away from airport (Santiago); and no significant government incentives. Mexico has been a great area of foreign direct investment by many high technology firms. Intel hoped it could join the Mexican Silicon Valley. The advantages to investing in Mexico are reliability (prominent Guadalajara area); sufficient travel flights and capacity; low labor costs; large supply of skilled engineers and technicians; lowest electrical power costs; and free land for plant’s site and subsidized training for an extended period. Weaknesses of this site include lack of governmental incentives at the federal level; a high rate of unionization; and exceptions would be made creating an unpredictable environment. Given the advantages and disadvantages of each country, Intel should invest in Costa Rica. Costa Rica should be selected due to its export-oriented infrastructure, reliable power and advanced telecommunications, as well as its talented and educated workforce, highly educated population and supportive business environment. If a president of a country is willing to personally take a group of Intel managers on a helicopter tour of Costa Rica, then this demonstrates the government’s willingness to collaborate with further details and issues that may arise. Intel was not too big an investor for Costa Rica. The country desired a new competitive market to cater to and Intel provided a solid stepping stone in to a newly developed Costa Rican high technology industry. The vital factor was that for every disadvantage listed by the Intel team, the Costa Rican government had a non-preferential and transparent alternative to each one. The deciding factors for the other countries were: Brazil had insecure and unreliable taxation laws that had actually driven some states to the point of bankruptcy; Although Intel was a direct foreign investor, Chile’s capital control methods would prove unstable and questionable if they forced hidden costs on to similar portfolio capital investors; Mexico’s made a crucial mistake of granting exceptions for Intel – entailing an uncertain future if there was a change in government.

Imagery in Prose Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Imagery in Prose - Essay Example He wasn’t a rock star in a traditional meaning either (well, everybody knows those adored handsome guys following the sex, drugs and rock-n-roll motto); he didn’t earn a fortune of money and never grew vain. His fans found something disarming about his kind and easy-going manners, and everyone would sense something so familiar in his songs. He didn’t want to be famous worldwide and wasn’t obsessed with fame, he knew that it was a delusive thing. Now, hurrying to meet his fans (who were certainly the best fans in the world, he thought) at a charity concert, he thought about the legacy he wanted to leave: not because he was going to die, not at all. It was in his nature, this desire to be useful to the society, and he had so many plans and so many purposes. Miles wanted to communicate his message to people. â€Å"The legacy and the message,† he thought. â€Å"That’s what makes artists live forever in the minds of people. But is it enough? Is it enough to write a couple of mediocre songs? Guys like me are not starry enough to get themselves listened to.† If he shared these thoughts with his wife, she would surely say that he was too modest and underestimated his significance. Well, he did. The cellphone rang – it was Steve, the concert manager (he always communicated with all the staff himself). Miles picked up the call with his right hand, holding the driving wheel with the left one. The car lost traction on the icy turn and ran against the truck. The collision set the Range Rover afire. Everything was blurred in his eyes, and the last thing he saw before he fell into darkness was the strange fiery bird of red and gold hovering above him. Miles found himself standing near the cathedral of his hometown amidst the overwhelming crowd of grieving people dressed in black. The weather was lousy, cold rain falling from the leaden clouds; however,

Managing Human Capital Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Managing Human Capital - Essay Example Recently, there has been surging demand of designing, developing and implementing a total Performance Management system which will assist the organisation in conducing the strategic human resource planning process. Traditionally, the appraisal was done at year-end by the manager or supervisor of an employee in an informal way. The appraiser had to rate the performance of the employees on predetermined standards. This technique was ineffective as it reviewed the past performance of the employees and there was lack of feedback mechanism and suggestions for future developmental opportunities for the employees. In order to address the discrepancies in the outdated appraisal processes, it was recommended that a Performance Management system is developed. This concept allows the organisations to not only evaluate an employee’s performance but the individual is made part of the process. Also, the employees have clarity about their roles, accountabilities, responsibilities, expected outcomes and behaviours. As a result, the employees are able to designate their best efforts and make sure that they make valuable contribution in organisation’s long-term objectives. Hence, the performance appraisal process has to be developed in alignment with the organisational strategy and the corporate objectives so that the individual’s goals are effectively and strategically determined. Every organisation is run and managed by people who assist them in attaining the desired goals and objectives. A company’s performance is dependent on the total sum of the members’/workforce’s performance (Biron, Farndale & Pauuwe, 2011; Hutchinson, 2013). As a result, the success of a firm relies on its ability of measuring the performance of employees accurately and objectively so that individuals can be utilised at optimum level as a valuable resource (Aguinis, 2013; Sharma et al., 2011). On the basic level, an individual’s performance is the record of the results or outcomes

The Portable Machiavelli ( Edited and Translated by Peter Bondanella Essay

The Portable Machiavelli ( Edited and Translated by Peter Bondanella and Mark Musa) - Essay Example This paper will analyze the qualities of successful leaders in maintaining a healthy state as argued by Machiavelli. To found and to maintain a healthy republic, according to Machiavelli, the founder utilizes the virtu-fortuna dynamic, and the people engage in healthy conflict and renewal processes. The word virtu means acceptable morals in the society. However, Machiavelli uses the word to refer to the personal characteristics that a ruler must have in order to lead a state successfully. Machiavelli argues that princes’ need to possess certain virtues in order for them to remain in power and make great achievements. The virtues include the ability to vary change from a democrat to a dictator according to the circumstances that they face generosity, courage, and faithfulness (Machiavelli, Bondanella and Musa 1979, 38). Efficient leaders should be generous to the public so that they can be loved and accepted. The generosity should be in the form of offering public goods for low prices and redistributing wealth. The redistribution of wealth ensures that the income gap between the rich and the poor is minimal meaning that at least everyone in the society is satisfied. The satisfaction that people derive from the income and wealth equality enables them to love the leader who makes this possible (Machiavelli, Bondanella and Musa 1979, 41). Machiavelli argues that generosity will guarantee love and support from the public, and this will help leaders to issue authority and remain in power. Since the main objective of a prince is to remain in power according to Machiavelli, he argues that those in power should have the courage to face every situation that comes their way. Courageous leaders are able to defend themselves and their states from the war with other states. Therefore, Machiavelli argues that an efficient leader should have mastered the art of war and always be ready for it because it takes place without plans (Machiavelli, Bondanella and Musa 1979, 40 ). The preparation that the author describes is in the form of possessing the essential fighting tools and training the military. The author argues that a leader can employ war in situations that call for it as long as it helps them to maintain their power. Since war is unacceptable in most societies, it means that Machiavelli advocates for leaders who have the ability to outdo the societal expectations. An example of a leader who possesses this characteristic is Obama; he demonstrated this quality when he ordered his military to find and kill Osama Bin Laden, who was the most wanted criminal. Thus, it means that this quality is applicable in the real world despite the fact that it is offensive. The ability of a leader to take part in war and be generous at the same time demonstrates that leaders should be capable of changing from good to bad people depending on the circumstances at hand. Machiavelli recommends this character because according to him, a leader should be lovable and fearful at the same time (Machiavelli, Bondanella and Musa 1979, 42). The lovable character helps leaders to gain support from the public because it is the citizens who bring them into power. The fearfulness quality, on the other hand, helps a leader to be different from the common citizens. This difference enables citizens to respect and regard

Fundamental Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Fundamental Rights - Essay Example The flow of information is realized through communication by means of speech between individuals, and various modes of expression. Communication in any given system is vital because it facilitates the conveyance of information that enables people carry out their daily activities efficiently and effectively. Freedoms of speech and expression are crucial elements that guarantee that a society flourishes in spheres of life existence for a nation’s population. The right to freedom of belief or religion is a fundamental principle, which allows people to hold beliefs, and carry out religious practices and rites that accompany their beliefs. It also allows individuals to choose what to believe in and determine their religious orientation. This is a vital component of individual liberties, which that function to auger people into strong religious backgrounds. Strong religious backgrounds facilitate the creation of sound morals that enable members of a society to live harmoniously and uphold other people’s rights and freedoms (Raskin & Spero 190). Religion fosters morals that are attributed to the recognition of individual rights and freedoms, and the creation of laws to protect them. Restriction of the right to freedom of religion and worship, for example, countries that have state religions; people of other religious orientations have their freedoms limited or restricted. This contributes to fostering of animosity between different religious groups because some feel that their religion is more deserving than the other groups. Freedom of religion and worship promotes development of good morals, which act as guiding principles in people’s lives. Good morals can... Communication in any given system is vital because it facilitates the conveyance of information that enables people carry out their daily activities efficiently and effectively. Freedoms of speech and expression are crucial elements that guarantee that a society flourishes in spheres of life existence for a nation’s population. The right to freedom of belief or religion is a fundamental principle, which allows people to hold beliefs, and carry out religious practices and rites that accompany their beliefs. It also allows individuals to choose what to believe in and determine their religious orientation. This is a vital component of individual liberties, which that function to auger people into strong religious backgrounds. Strong religious backgrounds facilitate the creation of sound morals that enable members of a society to live harmoniously and uphold other people’s rights and freedoms (Raskin & Spero 190). Religion fosters morals that are attributed to the recognition of individual rights and freedoms, and the creation of laws to protect them. Restriction of the right to freedom of religion and worship, for example, countries that have state religions; people of other religious orientations have their freedoms limited or restricted. This contributes to fostering of animosity between different rel igious groups because some feel that their religion is more deserving than the other groups. Freedom of religion and worship promotes development of good morals, which act as guiding principles in people’s lives. Good morals can replace laws in society because they foster harmony and respect for individual rights and freedoms. All religions of the world serve along similar dictates of preaching harmony among people and peace for all individuals.

Statement of Needs for a Grant Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Statement of Needs for a Grant - Essay Example Majority of the new cases of breast cancer are associated with lack of awareness and inability to obtain proper medical attention. Researchers have proposed that the only way to prevent breast cancer is to launch a prevention plan that would facilitate public education. In this light, this statement of need for a breast cancer prevention project is a relevant idea. The economic impact of breast cancer has far reaching effects. When women suffer from breast cancer, they are scheduled for a treatment program in which they visit the relevant hospitals. With the current population of working women, this will mean the absence in their respective workplaces and wastage of working days. In a year, a woman may lose over a week out of work to attend the demands of her treatment plans. In financial terms, treatment of breast cancer is expensive and has a wide range of financial implications. First, women with breast cancers have to pay for their treatment and this will reduce their incentive to invest. As such, their productivity becomes limited and their families may suffer financial loss. Those with insurance plans will have to pay for the extra expenses and this has equal consequences on the financial aspect of the family. Women covered under family insurance plans are compelled to remain within unpleasant marriages to secure their treatment. From th is point of view, starting a breast cancer prevention plan will have a lot of financial benefits of the society. The World Health Organization (2013) has asserted that it is possible for the save the lives of many people in the society if a prevention plan is launched. Over 89% of the people who have been diagnosed with cancer in the last 5 years are still alive due to effective cancer management plans. This group also estimates that over 50% of the cases of cancer can be avoided if proper awareness in created and

Global Media Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Global Media Research - Essay Example There are not absolute answers since these issues are complex and multi-dimensional. The present analysis is centered on empirical views. Miraglia, Law, and Collins (1999) assert that the essential feature of culture is the fact that people learn culture, that 'many qualities of human life are transmitted genetically', but 'culture resides in all learned behavior and in some shaping template or consciousness prior to behavior as well'. These authors state that there are some important elements in any cultural system, which are categorized as follows: This learning-teaching process for acquiring and transmitting culture is in a 'constant state of change', and since culture is a system of meaning it 'consists of negotiated agreements and processes of negotiation' (Miraglia, Law, & Collins, 1999). In the Dictionary of the History of Ideas it is stated in relation to the views of Herder that progress or change 'becomes a built-in characteristic of tradition' as part of 'a given culture continuum and the instrument for its transformation' that requires 'emerging goals pointing to the future' (2003). Regarding the issue of media piracy and file sharing there has been a high degree of controversy and many lawsuits that seek to reverse this pervasive trend, which is possible as a consequence of the technological advances in the digital age. Koman (2001) points out that the record companies should 'be willing to treat online music as radio, as night club, as party tape, as all the ways that copyright-protected music has been used for decades'. But media companies keep fighting piracy from different angles like in France where they are exerting pressure on the Internet Service Providers (Pfanner, 2007). There has been several proposals to help stop media piracy like establishing a 'global license' (Pfanner, 2007) or 'an Internet-wide compulsory licensing scheme' (Lessig quoted by Post, 2004) or 'proposals to shorten the term of copyright, to broaden the scope of permissible "fair use," to reduce the copyright holder's ability to control the production of "derivative works," and to r eintroduce copyright formalities' (Lessig quoted by Post, 2004). Indeed the media companies are facing a big challenge, and many authors consider that media piracy and illegal file sharing won't be possible to stop (The McGill Daily, 2008; Close, 2004; Brown, 2005; Biglione, 2006). So far media companies are using encryption for protecting their works and have partnered with online business to sell their products (Brown, 2005). Nevertheless, it is clear that media companies will have to adapt to the new Technologies and find a way to have their intellectual property rights respected (Post, 2004). 2.- What does Manuel Castells' concept of the 'network society' suggest about the cultural consequences of media piracy and file sharing The concept of 'network society' as explained by Castells has many relevant implications in the way that culture is processed, transmitted, and reconfigured through the tension between the flows of power and the

The US Involvement In The Iraq War Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The US Involvement In The Iraq War - Case Study Example The basic point underscored in most analyses is the fact that the US intervention in Iraq was not based on justifiable grounds and, therefore, constitutes an act of aggression and interference. The US employed numerous tactics to justify the invasion through the assertion that Iraq was a threat to its security and that of the entire world. The assertion that Hussein’s regime possessed actual nuclear weapons was, perhaps, the best approach used by the United States in justifying the attack on the Gulf country. Therefore, the perceived threat of Saddam’s regime on global peace and security was at the heart of the justification of the US intervention in the Gulf conflict that resulted into the ousting of Saddam Hussein and his regime (Murphy 45). However, the unwarranted US involvement became a reality soon after the conclusion of the war; when it became apparent that Saddam’s threat to global society and safety was exaggerated to achieve a secret plan to overthrow his regime. There were no actual nuclear weapons found within the nation after the war. Therefore, to great extent, the US intervention was not justified as Iraq was not a threat to harmony, safety, and strength of America and the rest of the world. Background During the time when the intervention in Iraq was being prepared, the US government administrators and establishment pundits became self-proclaimed Middle East historians vigorously exposing the facts of Saddam Hussein's crimes – many were real, though some were simply imagined (Cimbala and Foster 33). Nevertheless, these same experts studiously shunned examining the well-detailed history of American and British actions – and crimes – concerning Iraq and its citizens.

THE EFFECTS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BALANCED SCORECARD (BSC) ON Dissertation

THE EFFECTS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BALANCED SCORECARD (BSC) ON FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE IN A SAUDI COMPANY - Dissertation Example 3. Analysis of the industry Saudi Arabia is one of the most powerful economies worldwide – even if it is not yet fully developed; the country has been a member of the WTO since 2005 (Abdallah, 2007), a fact that has been proved quite important for its economy. In accordance with a recent report of KPMG, Saudi Arabia is considered as ‘the 13th best place to do business’ (Fozan 2009). One of the key characteristics of the country’s banking sector is its dependency on the principles of Islamic finance (Mena FN 2011), a fact that should be taken into consideration when evaluating the potential effects of the Balanced Scorecard Model on the financial performance of banks in the particular country. The performance of the country in regard to each particular industrial sector is presented below in Graph 1. It is clear that the financial services sector of the specific country is of key importance for the national economy; the identification of methods that could e nhance the performance of firms operating in this industry would be of significant value – in terms of the expected benefits for the country’s economy. ... 4. Research problem The use of Balanced Scorecard as a strategic tool for supporting the performance of firms in the banking sector has been often characterized by failures; for firms in the banking sector of Saudi Arabia could a different result be expected? 4.1 Issues addressed in the research The research developed for this study focuses on the examination of the following issues: a) the theoretical framework of the Balanced Scorecard, b) the practical aspects/ requirements of the Balanced Scorecard when is used as a strategic tool for supporting the financial performance of modern firms, c) the expected benefits and the potential drawbacks of the Balanced Scorecard both in the short and the long term; reference will be made particularly to the effects of the Balanced Scorecard on the financial performance of firms in the banking sector, d) the use of Balanced Scorecard as a strategic tool in the banking sector of Saudi Arabia – referring to the presentation of the level at which the Balanced Scorecard is used by firms in the banking industry of the particular country, e) the expected requirements of the Balanced Scorecard if its implementation is attempted in firms operating in the banking industry of Saudi Arabia, f) the effects that the implementation of the Balanced Scorecard would be expected to have on the financial performance of banks in Saudi Arabia. 4.2 Issues excluded from the research The following issues will not be included in the research: a) the potential use of other similar models for the support of the financial performance of banks in Saudi Arabia, b) the potential combination of Balanced Scorecard with other

Politics in Texas Essay Example for Free

Politics in Texas Essay The Texan republicans stand for the ideas of individualism. That entrepreneurship is the key to unlocking the powers of the economy, according to the Republican Party. The Democratic Party respects the notion of small business and entrepreneurship as it also strives to encourage jobs for hard-working laborers. In conjunction with this, the Democrats want businesses to be more flexible and technologically friendly, along with finding creative, environmentally-sound ways of promoting business. The Green Party also claims to support the power of the small business, but they have a more environmental approach that specifies several details in which companies should abide. In accordance with this, the Green Party wishes to limit free-trade in exchange with environmentally and labor friendly trade. They also specify a set wage that would allow an individual to afford a one-bedroom apartment on thirty-percent of their income. In opposition to a heavily regulated economy, the libertarians seem like the Republican Party, but to a more extreme. They are against most taxation, including income taxes since they define a wage or salary as a trade of money and service, not an equity. I believe this to be a proper point. How can people promote the economy when a chunk of their wages is taken by the government? The Libertarians are also opposed to the use of eminent domain which I agree with. It should not be up to the government to choose how someone’s property may or may not be used.

The characters Essay Example for Free

The characters Essay Harry Burns: A complete slob and a brooding pessimist with a grim sense of humor. Sally Albright: Shes cheerful, organized, and optimistic. The set-up The two main characters, Harry Burns and Sally Albright, dislike each other immediately. Shes cheerful, organized, and optimistic. He is a complete slob and a brooding pessimist with a grim sense of humor. Not long after meeting, they are stuck with each other on a long car trip from Chicago to New York City. To pass the time, Harry asks Sally to tell him the story of her life. The scene: Harry: So†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. since we have a long journey and I have all the time in the world. Tell me about your life. Your entire life story. Sally: My life story? Why would someone like you be interested in knowing my story? Harry: I am not interested. I just want to bite away some time. Sally: emm†¦ well, my life has nothing that interesting to talk about. Harry: I thought so†¦ u’r like one of those â€Å"high maintenance snooty new york execs† Sally: No, I’m not snooty! I am organized, I love my friends and care for my family. I don’t need to be judged by a slob like you. Harry: ohhhhhhh! Somebody’s offended. Sally: Ass holes like you think just because you can throw down a few drinks, and nail some slut at a swanky bar, your life must be wild! I despise people like you, mister! Harry: You despise us because you can never have what we have. Sally: We can have everything you have and much more. We just choose not to! Sally: I’m going to sleep now†¦ I can’t take any more of your noise! End of scene What does this exercise tell you about film dialogue and what makes it work most effectively? This exercise tells us that film dialogue needs to short. Not too long. It can be unexpected and doesn’t necessarily need to have logic. Does it suggest that dialogue in films is different from dialogue in literature and drama? Yes, I do believe dialogue in films is different from dialogue in literature and drama because in literature and drama the dialogues can be a little longer. But in films where each scene is about 2 minutes or less. It’s important to keep it short and sweet. In what ways is film dialogue close to or different from real-life conversation? Film dialogue is quite similar to real life conversation but unnecessary text may need to be cut out and all the lines would need to make an impact quickly to keep the audience interested. Since it needs to look real like the actors are actually having a conversation. It does have similar features of a real life conversation.

Enzyme Immunoassay Principle

Enzyme Immunoassay Principle ENZYME IMMUNOASSAYS (EIA) Enzyme immunoassay (EIA) INTRODUCTION Enzyme immunoassay (EIA) or enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) is a powerful technique used for detecting and quantifying antigens and antibodies in clinical samples. It is widely used in clinical laboratories for diagnoses, prognoses and for monitoring immune responses. The aim of this essay is to summarise the principle of this technique and to outline the main types of enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) and its application in clinical laboratories. Subsequently, it will discuss the application of this system in the haematology field. PRINCIPLES The general principle of this technique is based on the binding of conjugated enzyme molecule with specific antibodies to detect and quantify the presence of either antigens or antibodies in the test sample. This is followed by adding appropriate colourless substrate which catalyses the interaction complex to produce a visible coloured product. There are many chromogenic substrates used in ELISA technique but the most common are alkaline phosphatase (AP) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP). The end product can be determined by using spectrophotometer and the intensity of colour is directly proportional to the presence of either antigens or antibodies in the test samples. TYPES There are several types of ELISA which include: indirect, sandwich, competitive, chemiluminescence and elispot assay. Indirect ELISA can be used to detect the antibodies that are present in patients serum. With this method, patients serum containing antibodies is added to the microtitre wells which are coated with the antigen and the intensity of the end colour product is directly proportional to the amount of antibodies that are present in the patients sample. (KUBY) Figure1. Illustrate the different types of ELISA to detect either antigen or antibody. The second type of enzyme linked immunosorbant assay is called sandwich ELISA, in which the target antigen that is to be detected must be located between two antibodies. The antigen of interest that is present in the clinical sample is added to a microtitre wells which is coated with the antibody and the end product is determined by spectrophotometer to measure the amount of antigen in the clinical sample.(DIAGNOSTIC MICRO. BOOK) Figure1. The development of biotechnology has become widespread and one example of its progress is the modification of ELISA by using chemiluminescence substrate rather than chromogenic substrate to increase the sensitivity of the reaction. With this method, chemilumescence (CL) substrate and some enhancing agents, which have the ability to bind an antibody or antigen in the reaction, are used to create light emissions which can be measured by specific spectrometry. This approach has been used to diagnose several types of tumour disease, and quantify numerous compounds at low concentration (Baeyens et al. 1998). Another example of ELISA modification is enzyme linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay. It is a quantitative technique often used to detect cytokines that are secreted from single cell in response to the antigen. During the incubation period, the cytokines of interest is released and captured by immobilised anti-cytokines on the microtitre plate. After washing them and adding labelled anti-cytokines antibody and substrate, the end colour product displays as a footprint around each of the secreting cells, which can be estimated. This technique has great potential for monitoring immune responses (Cox, Ferrari and Janetzki 2006). In addition, sensitive ELISPOT assay has the ability to detect low level of secreted IFN-? compared with other IFN-? assays (Lion et al. 2009). APPLICATION There are many applications of enzyme immunoassays in clinical laboratories and the largest application is related to the detections of viruses. For example, the screening and diagnosis of hepatitis virus is routinely used in the lab. These include the detection of HBsAg and HBeAg by direct ELISA, anti-HBc antibody and anti-HBe antibody by competitive ELISA and anti-HBs antibody by indirect ELISA (Tsitsilonis et al. 2004).What is more, ELISA can detect HCV antibodies in serum samples as screening tests and the positive samples are conformed by molecular HCV RNA (Erensoy 2001). The beneficial effect of using an enzyme immunoassay in clinical hematology is that it has the ability to identify alloantibodies in patients who frequently receive platelet transfusions for therapeutic purposes. It has been demonstrated that ELISA is more sensitive to the detection of alloantibodies than other immunoassays, such as lymphocytotoxic test (LCT) and the platelet immunofluorescence test (PIFT), and it is performed in a short period of time (Levin et al. 2003). Furthermore, enzyme immunoassays are able to detect anti-platelet antibodies, platelet associated IgG (PAIgG) , HLA and circulating antibodies in patients with Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) (Schiffer and Young 1983). There are several pieces of evidence which suggest that a ubiquitous herpes virus, in particular Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), is implicated in many types of lymphoma such as Hodgkins disease and Burkitts lymphoma, so the early detection of EBV antigen specific T cells is essential and therefore ELISPOT assay can be used to analyse T cell responses (Yang et al. 2000). Another of its feature is related to acquired von Willebrand syndrome, which is caused by autoantibodies against von Willebrand factor (vWF). This plays an essential role in hemostasis and is characterised by prolonged bleeding due to the defect in vWF activity. Detection of anti-vWF antibody can be performed by ELISA (Mohri 2003), and (Stewart et al. 1997) mention that competitive ELISA is a useful technique in the detection of anti-vWFA antibodies in a clinical samples. Despite the benefits of ELISA in the detection of HLA class I specific antibodies, it is less sensitive than flow cytometry, so before platelet transplantation, flow cytometry must be used (Worthington et al. 2001). Although chemiluminescence immunoassay has great sensitivity in detecting HBsAg in blood donor samples, it has less sensitivity than the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)(Sato et al. 2001), so to increase the safety of blood from HIV-1 , HCV, and HBV, the nucleic acid amplification technique (NAT) has been applied for the screening of blood donor samples (Weber, MÃ ¼hlbacher and Melchior 2005). CONCLUSION Enzyme Immunoassay is one of the most significant techniques to have been used in clinical laboratories to analyse the antigen-antibody reaction in a short period of time. It is sensitive to screening a large number of clinical samples and therefore has been applied in many clinical laboratories for diagnoses, prognoses and for monitoring immune responses. REFRENCES BAEYENS, W. R. G., et al. (1998). Chemiluminescence-based detection: Principles and analytical applications in flowing streams and in immunoassays. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis, 17 (6-7), 941-953. COX, Josephine H., FERRARI, Guido and JANETZKI, Sylvia (2006). Measurement of cytokine release at the single cell level using the ELISPOT assay. Methods, 38 (4), 274-282. ERENSOY, Selda (2001). Diagnosis of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and laboratory monitoring of its therapy. Journal of clinical virology, 21 (3), 271-281. LEVIN, M. D., et al. (2003). Screening for alloantibodies in the serum of patients receiving platelet transfusions: A comparison of the ELISA, lymphocytotoxicity, and the indirect immunofluorescence method. Transfusion, 43 (1), 72-77. LION, E., et al. (2009). Quantification of IFN-? produced by human purified NK cells following tumor cell stimulation: Comparison of three IFN-? assays. Journal of immunological methods, 350 (1-2), 89-96. MOHRI, H. (2003). Acquired von willebrand syndrome: Its pathophysiology, laboratory features and management. [online]. Journal of thrombosis and thrombolysis, 15 (3), 141-149. SATO, S., et al. (2001). Comparison of the sensitivity of NAT using pooled donor samples for HBV and that of a serologic HBsAg assay. Transfusion, 41 (9), 1107-1113. SCHIFFER, CA and YOUNG, V. (1983). Detection of platelet antibodies using a micro-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). [online]. Blood, 61 (2), 311. STEWART, M. W., et al. (1997). vWf inhibitor detection by competitive ELISA. Journal of immunological methods, 200 (1-2), 113-119. TSITSILONIS, Ourania E., et al. (2004). Serological detection of hepatitis B viral infection by a panel of solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis, 34 (4), 811-822. WEBER, Bernard, MÃÅ"HLBACHER, Annelies and MELCHIOR, Walter (2005). Detection of an acute asymptomatic HBsAg negative hepatitis B virus infection in a blood donor by HBV DNA testing. Journal of clinical virology, 32 (1), 67-70. WORTHINGTON, J. E., et al. (2001). A comparison of enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assays and flow cytometry techniques for the detection of HLA specific antibodies. Human immunology, 62 (10), 1178-1184. YANG, J., et al. (2000). Application of the ELISPOT assay to the characterization of CD8(+) responses to epstein-barr virus antigens. Blood, 95 (1), 241-248.

A Comprehensive Study of Jonas Salk Essay -- Biography

A remembrance in La Jolla, California, presents, â€Å"Hope lies in dreams, in imagination, and in the courage of those who dare to make dreams into reality.† The memorial commemorates the great virologist Jonas Salk (Salk.edu). Although many recognize Salk as the man who effectuated the eradication of polio, he also contributed to a vast amount of medical research. A comprehensive study of Jonas Salk includes his young life, early career, work with poliomyelitis, and later career and life. Daniel and Dora Press Salk became the parents of Jonas Salk on October 28, 1914. Daniel, a women’s garment designer, provided his new family with a small apartment in Manhattan (Bankston 11). As the eldest Salk received his mother’s imperishable attention. When Salk was two, the first great polio infection in the United States commenced; the concentration was most severe in New York City, home of the Salks (Hargrove 8-9). No mother was more cautious than Dora Salk. While both parents were relatively uneducated, they highly valued education. Mrs. Salk kept Jonas inside not only to protect him from feared diseases, but also to satisfy his curiosity and promote learning. She supplied Salk with literature and logical problems throughout his childhood (Barter 16-18). Salk entered free, yet prestigious Townsend Harris High School at the age of Farless 2 twelve and then graduated three years later (Bankston 13-14). He refused his mother’s preference of rabbinical school and decided to major in pre-law at the City College of New York to become a congressman (Kluger 27). After enjoying himself in science classes, he decided to switch to pre-med and become a researcher (Barter 20). He graduated in 1934 and entered the New York University School of Me... ...inoculated with Salk's vaccine. The rate of infection of poliomyelitis was eighty-six percent less than in 1954 (Carter 351). Salk began working on the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California. The institute would be a haven for scientists, philosophers, and artists. The work there focused on both cancer and AIDS research (Bankston 43). Salk spent most of his life in the laboratory rather than with his wife and three sons. Donna and Jonas Salk split in 1968. He later married Francoise Gilot in 1970. He also wrote four books during the 1970s (Barter 90-91). He continued working diligently until his death by congestive heart failure on June 23, 1995. Salk had the imagination, dreams, and courage to tackle several of the most prominent issues in the United States. His ambitions and successes will live on through the thousands of lives he saved.

Stereotypes Essay -- essays research papers

Gender Stereotypes   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In today’s society, people stereotype to generalize certain groups; such as religion, beliefs, or even discriminating groups of people because of there race, gender, or appearance. Stereotypes can be very harmful and unfair. Gender stereotypes have been around since the beginning of time, and are still very prominent today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As a child, I was brought up with the idea boys are strong, aggressive, and the leader; where as, girls are weak, passive, and the follower. My mother, made it clear to my sister and I, that playing sports was not acceptable for a young lady. Young ladies should be playing with dolls and playing house. Growing up, my friends and I would get together to play house, and every time we would play; Steve was the working father, Kelsey was the daughter and I was the housewife. Even at a young age, women are portrayed as the homemaker, cooking and cleaning, and the male going to work and bringing home the â€Å"bacon.† When children are playing house, adults should guide them in the right direction. Simply explaining to the child woman work also can do this. As a teacher’s aide, I have the opportunity to work with children, and seeing first hand how children have been influenced by stereotyping. While observing the students, I noticed a little girl, Emily, crying. When I approached Emily she was very upset. I asked Emily what was bothering her and she replied, â€Å"Nathan,† said â€Å"I can’t ...