Song for Last years wife- essay

Explore how the writer of one of your choice from the relationship collections presents different ideas about relationships from those given in ‘song for last year's wife' The poem by Brian Pattern presents thoughts of a man who misses his wife. The man In the poem Is directly talking to his wife which plays a role in the structure of the poem. On the contrary, ‘One Flesh' by Elizabeth Jennings explores the effect of long term relationships as the poem Is written about her parents, therefore It Is quite personal.Both poems have two very different themes within the main theme of legislations, for instance, ‘One Flesh' looks at the process of long term relationships and ‘Song for last year's wife' stud's the theme of pain when relationships breakdown. Both titles of the poem have some sort of connotation behind it. One flesh is mentioned in the Bible as it refers to two people becoming one after marriage and meant to be in unity, however, the poem contradicts th e title as it depicts how they are separated from each other even though they are still married.On the other hand, ‘song for last year's wife' alludes to the fact he has another wife but makes the read want to read on to find out what has happened to her. Subsequently, presenting different Ideas about relationship, their structures both vary to fit the Idea and perspective. The rhyme scheme of One Flesh Is A, B, A, B, A, A In the first two stanzas but the last stanza does not have a rhyming couplet as these two who are my has now grown cold' shows that there was a strong relationship at the start but broke down and has shattered.Perhaps, the effect of having a rhyming couplet at the end of the first two stanzas and not the last one is that the relationship has reached a level where there isn't any hope for their love for each other but Just they have to be together for their daughter's sake. On the other hand, Pattern does not use a rhyme scheme as the man is talking to his wi fe and you wouldn't necessary talk in rhyme therefore it is more natural. Both poems use the poetic device of metaphor but in different ways to fit the theme of the poem.The metaphor in song for last year's wife ‘perhaps It Is the winter, its Isolations ghost to witness' conveys a absence of his wife with the reference to a ‘ghost' which suggests that something still haunts him and memories of her still come to him. Whereas, Jennings uses a metaphor to show how the couple's relationship was strong and stable at the start room whose fire from I came from, has now grown cold'. This shows that their relationship was full of passion and fun but slowly drowned out to nothing but separation.Here, images of heat and cold are used to reinforce how their passion is dying. Moreover, when Patter uses a alliteration at the start of the poem ‘of waking without you' the emphasis of without increases due to the consonant being sharp so we know how hurt he is feeling without his w ife which leads on the tension of what has happened to her. Similarly, the use of alliteration when saying ‘light on late' tresses how the light Is kept on and makes us as the reader wonder why it I left on late that also add a level of apprehension towards the poem.To conclude, ‘One Flesh' and ‘Song for Last Year's Wife' both present their Ideas In different ways to emphasis the certain aspect of relationships they are trying to portray. Jennings uses the structure mostly to support how the couple's relationship is unstable whereas absence of his wife. Both poets use connotations to expand on their ideas which draw the reader in therefore, becoming a more precise poem in terms of being articulate towards the theme that is being represented.

Beam Deflection Essay

Summary The primary goal of the experiment was to determine the structural stiffness of two cantilevered beams composed of steel and aluminum while maintaining both beams at a constant thickness and cross sectional area. The experiment also investigated material properties and dimensions and their relationship to structural stiffness. The experiment was divided into two separate parts. The results for the first part of the experiment were obtained by clamping the beam at one end while applying different masses at a specified length across the beam and then measuring deflection. The measuring device was set a specified distance from the clamped end. The following procedure was employed for both the steel and aluminum beam. The second part of the experiment required placing a single known mass at various lengths across the supported beam and then measuring the resulting deflection. This method was only completed for the steel beam. The deflections from both parts of the experiment were then averaged independently to ascertain final conclusions. The first part of the experiment resulted in a much greater deflection for the aluminum beam, with its greatest deflection spanning to an average of 2.8 mm. Moreover, the deflection for the steel beam was much less, concluding that steel has a larger structural stiffness. In fact, the structural stiffness that was found for steel was 3992 N/m, compared to aluminum, which was 1645 N/m. In addition, the theoretical values of structural stiffness for steel and aluminum were calculated to be 1767.9 N/m and 5160.7 N/m, respectively. There was a large error between the theoretical and experimental values for steel, close to 29%. This could have been due to human error, or a defective beam. The second part of the experiment resulted in validating the fact that the values of deflection are proportional to length cubed. It was also determined that deflection is inversely proporti onal to the elastic modulus and that structural stiffness is proportional to the elastic modulus. Despite the fact that there was considerable error between some of the theoretical and experimental values, the experiment still proved to be effective in determining a reasonably accurate value for structural stiffness as well as verifying its relationship between material properties and beam dimensions. Introduction The beam deflection experiment was designed to investigate the structural stiffness of cantilever beams made of steel and aluminum. Cantilever beams are fixed at one end and support applied loads throughout their length. There are many applications for cantilever beams such as bridges, balconies, storage racks, airplane wings, skywalks, diving boards, and even bicycles. Figure 1 shows an example of a cantilevered beam in bridge design. The primary objective of the experiment was to find the structural stiffness for the two cantilevered beams made of aluminum and steel. For the first part of the experiment, various known loads were applied at the same distance from the fixed end of each beam. The second part of the experiment had one point load applied at different lengths. Due to the fact structural stiffness is heavily dependent on dimensions, the two beams were required to have almost identical thicknesses and cross-sectional areas. In addition, structural stiffness was assumed to be proportional to the elastic modulus of the material. It was expected that the steel beam would have a higher structural stiffness than the aluminum beam due to its higher modulus of elasticity. It was also expected that for aluminum to have the same  structural stiffness while being the same length, the dimensions of the aluminum beam would have to be larger to increase the cross sectional area. Figure 1 The Fourth Bridge in Scotland, United Kingdom, an Example of a Cantilever Beam Copyright   George Gastin, at http://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/File:Forthbridge_feb_2013.jpg. Theory Deflection is the displacement of a beam due to an applied force or load, F. The figure below represents this deflection for a cantilevered beam, labeled as ÃŽ ´. The figure below represents a cantilever beam that is fixed at point A and has a length, l. Figure 2 Cantilever Beam of Length l, Clamped at One End and Loaded at the Other End The deflection of a beam is given by the equation  ÃŽ ´ = Fl3/3EI in m. (1) E is the elastic modulus of the material, and I is the area moment of inertia. The elastic modulus describes a material’s ability to elastically deform when a force is applied. Elastic modulus is given as stress, ÏÆ', over strain, ÃŽ µ. The equation below represents this relationship. E = ÏÆ'/ÃŽ µ in N/m (2) The area moment of inertia of a rectangle (the cross-sectional shape of the beam) is dependent upon the base, b, and height, h, of the beam and is given by the expression I = bh3/12 in m4 .(3) The deflection of the beam can be rewritten as ÃŽ ´ = 4Fl3/Ebh3 in m.(4) From the following equation, it can be seen that deflection is dependent on force, the elastic modulus, and the dimensions of the beam. Therefore, a larger load that is applied to the beam will result in a larger deflection. A greater deflection will also occur if the length of the beam is increased. Alternatively, a larger width and height (a larger cross-sectional area) as well as a higher material stiffness will minimize the deflection. From equation 4, the force applied, F, can be written as F = (Ebh3/4l3)ÃŽ ´ in N,(5) or, F = kÃŽ ´ in N.(6) Where k is the structural stiffness of the beam, given as, k = Ebh3/4l3 in N/m.(7) From this equation, it can be seen that k increases as material stiffness increases. Dimensionally, the structural stiffness of the beam will also increase with a larger width and larger height and decrease with a longer length. Therefore, a smaller length will result in a larger structural stiffness. The following equation also shows that the larger the structural stiffness is, the less deflection a beam will have. The statistical analysis for the multitude of measurements taken throughout the experiment required two equations. The first equation was the statistical average given by Xave = ∑ xi /n,(8) where, Xave represents the statistical average of the measurements, xi represents the individual measurements, and n represents the total number of measurements. The second relationship was the standard deviation, given by S = (∑i=1→n[(xi – Xave) 2 / (n-1)]) 1/2. (9) The percentage error between the experimental and theoretical values for structural stiffness was calculated using the following expression, % Difference = |xth – xexp|/((1/2)*(xth+xexp)), (10) where xth and xexp represents the theoretical and experimental values, respectively. Test Setup & Procedures The experiment was conducted in a campus laboratory. The experimentation was setup to where two cantilever beams were tested for deflection using TecQuipment’s Deflection of Beams and Cantilever apparatus. The beams were  identical in geometry, but made out of two different metals, one of which is steel and the other aluminum. The beam would be inserted into the apparatus’s clamp and held in place by tightening the screw on the clamp using a hex wrench. After the beam was secured on the apparatus, the Mitutoyo Absolute displacement meter was calibrated by clicking the origin button. Next, the two experiments were conducted. The first experiment tested deflection on each metal by varying the mass while keeping the load placed at a constant length. The second experiment tested deflection using a constant mass while varying the distance of load placement from the fixed end of the beam. Table 1 Equipment List Equipment List Apparatus TecQuipment’s Deflection of Beams and Cantilever CalipersMoore & Wright Range: 0-150 mm Precision 0.1 mm Displacement meterMitutoyo Absolute Mitutoyo Corp Model ID- S1012M Serial No. 33631 .5-.0005 (12.7-0.01 mm) Masses (100, 200, 300, 400, 500) g Aluminum Beam Width: 19.9 mm Height: 4.45 mm Steel BeamWidth: 19.89 mm Height: 4.45 mm Procedures Experiment 1: Experiment 1 began with measuring and recording the width and height of each of the beams using a caliper. A beam was then inserted into the clamp fitting of the apparatus and tightened using the hex wrench. The displacement meter was calibrated to zero by pressing the origin button. A length was selected for the mass to be hung from the beam. Starting from the lowest mass (100 g, 200 g, 300 g, 400 g, and 500 g), each mass was hung using the hanger from the selected length. When the hanger and mass  stabilized, the deflection measurement displayed on the meter was recorded. Three trials were conducted for each mass. After the data was recorded, the mass was removed and the meter was recalibrated to zero before hanging the new mass. The experiment was repeated using the second beam. Experiment 2: Experiment 1 setup procedures were repeated for experiment 2. A steel beam was used for this test. For each length (100 mm, 200 mm, 300 mm, 400 mm, and 450 mm), a 200 gram mass was placed on the hanger. Three trials were conducted for each length. When the system was stabilized, the deflection length was recorded. After each trial and test, the deflection meter was recalibrated for accuracy. Results Experiment 1: The following results were acquired and calculated from the data obtained directly from the experiment. Refer to Appendix (figures 11, 12, 13, and MATLAB Full Calculation Script). Below are the properties of the two specimens, aluminum and steel. Table 2 Test Specimen Properties Note: The length for the two beams was held constant for Experiment One. The first experiment required five different masses to be placed at a constant length on the two beams. The deflections were measured for each mass three times. The average and standard deviation were calculated for each mass’s data set using equation 8 and equation 9, respectively. The theoretical deflection was also calculated using equation 1. The tables below describe these relationships. Table 3 Force and Experimental and Theoretical Deflections for the Aluminum Beam Table 4 Force and Experimental and Theoretical Deflections for the Steel Beam In order to determine the experimental structural stiffness, the average experimental deflections for both beams were plotted. The plots also contain the standard deviation of the experimental results and the theoretical values for comparison. Refer to figures 7 and 8. Figure 7 Load vs. Experimental & Theoretical Deflections | Aluminum Figure 8 Load vs. Experimental & Theoretical Deflections | Steel The data was fitted using a linear best-fit line to gather further information about the experimental deflections. Using the inverse of the slope from the linear trend lines of aluminum and steel, experimental stiffness was calculated. The theoretical value of stiffness was also calculated using equation 7. Table 5 represents this data. Table 5 Theoretical and Experimental Structural Difference and Percentage of Error for Both Beams The figure below shows a quick representation of the theoretical and experimental structural stiffness’s for the two specimens. Figure 9 Experimental & Theoretical Structural Stiffness for the Steel and Aluminum Beam Experiment 2: Experiment 2 was conducted using various experimental beam lengths and a constant force. Steel was the only material used. The deflections were measured three times for each length and averaged. The theoretical deflection, theoretical stiffness, average, and standard deviation were calculated for each mass using equations 1, 7, 8, and, 9, respectively. Table 6 represents this data. Table 6 Length3, Experimental and Theoretical Deflections, and Structural Stiffness for the Steel Beam The figure below shows the relationship between length3 and displacement. Figure 10 Length3 vs. Experimental & Theoretical Deflections | Steel Discussion The final results obtained represent the attempt in experimentally determining the hardness value for as received and annealed AISI 1018 steel. The results revealed that the average experimental hardness for the as received steel, 96.6, is much greater than the annealed steel, 64.76, as seen in figure ##. To further strengthen these results, the measurements for both of the specimens maintained a fairly low standard deviation, showing great consistency and accuracy throughout the individual measurements. In addition, since no biased error was continuously repeated, there were no trends associated with the standard deviation, it was simply scattered. The considerable error, 28.9%, between the theoretical and experimental values of stiffness for steel could have been due to bad measurements or due to the fact that the theoretical calculation is highly idealized (see table 5). The error associated with the aluminum beam, however, was much lower, 7.9%, even with larger standard deviations. The following conundrum begs the question that if the theoretical determination for aluminum was accurate, what caused the large amount of error inherent with the steel beam? For any further non-subjective conclusions to be made the experiment for the steel beam would have to be repeated. Nonetheless, Experiment 1 proved effective in determining fairly accurate values for structural stiffness. In addition, it was also concluded that force was linearly proportional to displacement, as shown in figures 7, and 8. Furthermore, for beams with the same dimensions, the ratio of deflections was equivalent to the inverse ratio of the two material’s modulus of elasticity. In other words, deflection is simply proportional to the inverse of the modulus of elasticity. Alternatively, it can be said that the ratio of structural stiffness between the two materials and the ratio of modulus of elasticity’s are directly proportional. The results of Experiment 1 validated these statements by showing that steel deflected much less than aluminum due to it larger value of E and higher value of structural stiffness (see tables 3 & 4). The derived theoretical  equations agree with both of these statements. Experiment 2: Experiment 2 resulted in data being obtained by continuously changing the length, but keeping the mass and therefore the force constant. The results show that if the length of the beam was increased the deflection increased (see table 6). Furthermore, it is easily seen that the quantity length cubed is directly proportional to deflection, as shown in figure 10. Therefore the final conclusion can be made that structural stiffness is directly proportional to the inverse of length cubed (see table 6). Besides these trends, there was one other trend that was noticed. The standard deviation seemed to increase as the length was increased. This must be due to the fact that there is considerable more error associated in measuring deflection with a longer beam, as seen in table 6. Conclusion Overall, both experiments were effective in validating the primary trends within the derived theoretical equations. The experiment also accomplished the goal of experimentally determining the structural stiffness of aluminum and steel beams given a specific geometry. Though the lab was rather repetitive, it proved to be a simple and great way of supporting some of the theories and techniques acquired from the course of solid mechanics. One recommendation for the lab would be to use multiple samples of steel and aluminum in order to ensure that at least one sample is consistent and that you’re not using a sample that has extensively been tested by prior labs. This may ultimately reduce the error associated with the steel beam and the overall accuracy of the experiment.

A Look at James Joyce’s Display of the Challenges of Stephen as Described in His Book, A Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man

A Look at James Joyce’s Display of the Challenges of Stephen as Described in His Book, A Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man Children are constantly asked about their dreams and aspirations. This never-ending stream of directed questions can only lead to the disillusionment that everyone has some great destiny awaiting them. In James Joyce’s A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, the protagonist Stephen is struggling through inner turmoil between the man Irish society and institutions want him to be, and the man that he thinks he wants to be. This definite piece of Irish literature is so dependent upon both the politically historical and religiously centered social background that every reference is crucial to the overall feeling of the novel. However, astonishingly the overlying message surpasses the barriers of time and place to give meaning to a reader from any culture or era. Because people think there is a great destiny awaiting them, they are in constant search of a secure home to nourish their dreams and give comfort to the individual soul. The political debacle over Irish independence shined through Stephen, who although ironically was dissatisfied with his country, embodied its basic elements of individualism. Consider the Christmas dinner where Dante defended herself by stating â€Å"a priest would not be a priest if he did not tell his flock what is right and what is wrong†(31). The underlying sense of anger in this scene originates from how Mr. Casey and Mr. Dedalus are contempt with the lack of Irish independence from England. This political background is key to Stephen’s approach in his journey of becoming an artist. A parallel can be drawn to the theme of independence, and following one’s own journey rather than the road others lay out. Furthermore, as a young adult Stephen finds himself rather discontent with Ireland as his ancestors â€Å"allowed a handful of foreigners to subject them†(203). This again references Ireland’s lack of independence. Stephen eventually opts to dep art his home because Ireland’s lack of freedom was not propelling him towards his singular destiny of becoming an artist. Here Stephen was so dissatisfied with his home that out of frustration for an individually compelling environment, he leaves. These political references to emphasize independence and freedom in both the country and individual soul render late 19th century Ireland as essential to generating Joyce’s arguments. Joyce’s mockery of hypocritical religious institutions that ruled Irish society at the time emphasizes Stephen’s struggle over whether or not society was to feed his destiny or not. To begin with, society stressed upon him the indisputable influence of religion. Therefore Stephen became contrite over his sins with women. After â€Å"he had confessed and God had pardoned him, his soul was made fair and holy once more, holy and happy†(145). Stephen felt a false sense of security by the institution of religion as well as society that he was now going to be all right. Even with going though the motions of a pious Catholic, Stephen could not feel completely at home. This sheds light on how many â€Å"devout† religious beings may actually feel on the inside. Their actions are rather mechanical Not all religiously active people feel holy on the inside. Ultimately, Stephen faced the unavoidable decision to either join the priesthood or follow his â€Å"destinyâ⠂¬  to become an artist. This further ridicules the process of selecting higher religious figures. It is based on sheer outward appearance, quantity, and frequency of religious endeavors rather than the quality of religious work. Stephen realizes that Irish society is not contributing to his destiny when he comes to the consensus that â€Å"he was destined to learn his own wisdom apart from others or to learn the wisdom of others himself wandering among the snares of the world†(175). Consequently Stephen again departs his past â€Å"home† for the university that becomes his new â€Å"home† for the time being. Joyce clearly wanted to depict the oppressing and shallow nature of Irish society that revolved around religion. The Irish background adds on to the void feeling Stephen has even upon technically doing all that he was told by the institutions. Although the setting served to build the background to concepts Joyce wanted to portray, the actual ideas manifested throughout the novel are relevant to human nature regardless of generation and location. To begin with, Stephen never truly grasps the concept of â€Å"home.† As a young child he was sent to boarding school, and after returning he was constantly moving from house to house. Gradually â€Å"a vague dissatisfaction grew up within him as he looked on the quays and on the river and on the lowering skies†(66-67). From a young age Stephen grows up in a home that lacked stability. He was never able to find comfort in his own home. This dissatisfaction is universal to humans, for people find discomfort in trying to not only find their identities, but also find their destiny to where they fit in to the universe. This abstract concept is applied to Stephen as his search for identity is paralleled to truly finding his â€Å"home,† a place of security and feeli ng of belonging. It is only human nature to want to have a rightful place. Throughout the novel, Joyce masterfully takes advantage of incorporating Ireland into all aspects of the novel from its setting to character names to society. These compel the novel to be exactly that – an Irish novel. However when taking a step back, one can see that as a Bildungsroman, the theme of ones journey in search of ones destiny or place in the universe is applicable to all. Humans have an innate desire to feel at â€Å"home.† Joyce urges the reader to notice the ups and downs to hunting down what one believes is his or her destiny regardless of the rest of one’s community rather than rationally thinking through what is best for the situation.

College mathmatices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

College mathmatices - Essay Example The value of 10 is used as a base because mathematicians have found that logarithms having a base of 10 were more useful for computations and they possessed many advantages that were not obtained in other bases. Common logarithms are denoted as log10(x) and even if there is no base written it should be assumed that the base is 10. If the base is other than 10 then it must be specified by the use of a subscript. On the other hand Natural logarithms use e as a base, where e is an irrational number whose decimal value is approximately 2.71828182845904. Natural logarithms are also important like common logarithms because of their relationship to e which is used in solving many differential equations in calculus. Natural logarithms are denoted by loge(x) or ln(x). Logarithms have eased up the way of calculation in mathematics. Recall that multiplication is a shortcut for addition and exponents are shortcut for multiplication, similarly logarithms are shortcut for exponents. John Napier a great mathematician will never be forgotten for his great discoveries, formulas, and theories. He once said that I hope my logarithms will save calculators much time and free them from slippery errors of calculations. Laplace said 200 years later said, "By shortening the labors, Napier doubled the life of astronomers" (as cited in Petersen, n.d.). Logarithms play a crucial role in the field of sciences and engineering. They can help you out whenever there is an exponential component missing in the problem. We can find several applications of logarithms in astronomy, geology, computer science, chemistry, physics, and several other disciplines. In chemistry we have a concept of pH which determines whether the whether a substance is alkaline, neutral, or acidic in nature depending if pH is greater than, equal to, or less than 7 respectively. A substance with a pH of 5 is ten times as acidic as one with a pH of 6 that’s why pH scale is expressed by a common logarithm. If H+ is the

Role of the United States Contitution Paper Essay

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Family-run Business Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Family-run Business - Case Study Example The management primary involves family members though there may be hiring of external labor on special cases or when the business has expended and the family members cannot meet the labor demand of the business. Therefore in this case the business may hire the work of other experts to assist in running the business more so in areas where it feels that it cannot raise enough labor to meet the demands of the business. For example the business may hire experts on the areas like accounting where it cannot have the expertise in the family. But generally a small family business will use the labor force from the family. (Bork 2003, p. 76) Many of the family business that had started off as small business usually grow over the years and acquire an international standard. Most of them however are usually acquired by other people or they enter into partnership with other multinational companies in order to enhance their management. Therefore at some time, in their lifeline a family business may enter into partnership or get acquired by another businesses altogether in order to enhance their growth. Family businesses do not only reflect the source of income for the family but they also represent important values for the family as well. They communicate an important message about the values and believe of the family and they also show the aspirations of the family. Therefore the way in which these businesses are managed is very important as it determines the way in which they are going to serve and continues. Therefore the management of family business is one of the most important factors in running the business. However management of family business is more complex compared to management of other business due to the fact that there are some emotional bonds that area attached to the running of the business. Therefore one of the challenge that family business faces is the way in which decisions are made as far as the involvement of all the family members is concerned. The management becomes more complicated easily when it comes to the issue of making succession in the business from one generation to the other and the way in which these successions are to be hanged and management. Shirley Plantation Shirley Plantation is one of the oldest family run businesses in the USA. Shirly Plantation first plantation was in 1613 and was recorded as one of the economic engine of the new world. This was after 6 years when the founder John Smith had settled in the town of Jamestown. After that the crown granted carving of Shirley Plantation out of virginer farmers. The business was well established between the period where the settlement in Jamestown was happening and the period between the American independences from Britain in 1776. For all that time it was under the leadership of one family and has been able to survive the Indian uprising, Bacons rebellion, the revolutionary war, The Civil Wars and the Great depression all which has been enabled by efficient management of the company and its resources and the way in which it has been adopting to the changing technology in the world. (Shirley Plantation, 2008a) The company is recorded as the oldest family owned business in North America which dates back to 1638. The construction of its present mansions began in 1724 when Elizabeth Hill who as the great grandfathers of the first

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Movie Reflection - Essay Example For instance, the conspiracy that Gittes unravels does not fit a real noir crime film because there is the absence of high-speed loot, no gems, and jewels. Instead, Huston, and other people are planning to dry up the San Fernando Valley by moving water to another direction in order to purchase the land cheaply, and then re-divert water back into the land so that the land becomes fertile, and sell it at a higher price. The central question is how Evelyn Mulwray fits in all this activities and who is this mysterious woman associated with Mulwray. Skyfall is a film produced by Eon productions and directed by Mendes Sam. This film is the twenty -third James Bond movie. The movie focuses on James Bond inquiring an attack or assault on MI6. The assault is part of the ploy by former MI6 employee Raoul Silva to embarrass, kill, and discredit M as a vengeful mission against her for deceiving him. The movie made its debut in 2012 when it premiered at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The storyline of the movie begins when Eve and James Bond chase Patrice, a mercenary who has stolen a computer with crucial information of undercover officers placed in terrorist or extremist group by NATO Countries. As the movie progresses, Patrice shoots James Bond, and the fight escalates, Eve unintentionally wounds Bond which gives Patrice a chance to escape. James Bond plunges into a river, assumed dead. After the botched mission, M, the leader of MI6 group faces political pressure to step down for failing to handle extremist activities. Mi6 computers are broken and M gets teasing information before MI6 offices explodes killing MI6 workers. This turn of events forces MI6 to move its offices underground. James utilizes his assumed death to retire, learns of the explosion, and goes back to London. Despite failing to pass several psychological and physical tests, M accepts the return of Bond to work. This movie discusses the

Public Policy Issue Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Public Policy Issue - Research Paper Example It is essential for organization to embrace the virtue of â€Å"Corporate Social Responsibility† and this will enable them to comprehend the incentives that are crucial to the employees and locals. Part A: Issue Description Coca cola is a multinational that is aggressive in its objective of dominating the beverage production and dissemination market. Coca Cola is proceeding with its take over of competitive brands that are threatening its successful domination of the market. Evidently, the Coca Cola products are predominant in the beverage market in numerous countries including the US. The Coca Cola Corporation (US) is insistent on improving the healthcare arrangement to become inexpensive to employees (Geisel 1). Numerous organizations are dependent on the contribution of their employees in enhancing the productivity of their companies. The US authorities are pressurizing corporations to enhance the medical standards that govern the health procedures of individuals (O’ Connell 1). Some institutions are reluctant to integrate these policies in their programs citing it will increase their expenses and this will eat into their earnings. In addition, several institutions are instigating plans to structure health plans that will subsidize the medical expense of their employees. It is probable that this law can injure the profit margins of the institutions and this debate has been soaring with several institutions advocating for its revocation. However, it is vital to consider the tribulations that employees undergo in carrying on their duties and initiate policies that can mitigate the health hazards that will occur (O’Connell 1). Part B: Business Political Strategies Stakeholders Primary Coca cola Management Coca Cola Employees (US Branch) Secondary US Government US Citizens And Workforce I. Financial Strategy a. Political Consulting Our organization, the Coca Cola Corporation (US), will commence initiatives that will encompass the governments request for corporations to create affordable health packages for their employees. It is imperative for our organization to facilitate the formulation of tactics that will assist in the enhancement of healthcare (Geisel 1). This program will entail the intervention of the Governmental authorities to explain the financial structure of this health reform. Our responsibility is to impact positive elements in the dissemination of inexpensive health to individuals. This paper is discussing the influence of public guidelines and strategies that Coca Cola can adopt to ensure its organization is in cohesion with the requirement of the Public Policy Authorities. Our company acknowledges there has to be initiatives that will assist incorporation of the healthcare improvements. It is debated that reforming the employees health insurance is coherent and is representative of the privileges of staff (O’Connell 1). We will present our analysis of reforms that will be beneficial to the organ ization employees and illustrate the welfare prospects of our corporation. b. Economic Leverage The Coca Cola Corporation will liaise with a particular health provider that can offer favorable rates for the corporation’s employees (Geisel 1). This will diminish the expense of the cooperation in medical affairs since the hospitals will consider the special

Problem Solving-Answer the questions related to The Theory of Essay

Problem Solving-Answer the questions related to The Theory of entrepreneurship - Essay Example Curran stated the term entrepreneur should be kept for those small business owners who are innovative and opportunistic in organizing resources or offering new products and services in chase of profit, and others that are not innovative and merely offer recognized and services to existing markets are merely small business owners. Schumpeters interactions with the thoughts of other economists were relatively complex in his most essential contributions to economic analysis were the theory of business cycles and development. Following neither Walras nor Keynes, Schumpeter start in The Theory of Economic Development with a paper of circular flow which, not including any innovations and innovative actions, leads to a inactive state. The inactive state is, according to Schumpeter, explained by Walrasian equilibrium. The superman of his story, though, is, in fine Austrian fashion, the entrepreneur. The entrepreneur upsets this equilibrium and is the reason of economic development, which proceeds in cyclic fashion along several time scales. In fashioning this theory linking innovations, cycles, and development, Schumpeter kept alive the Russian Nikolai Kondratievs thoughts on 50-year cycles, Kondratiev waves. Schumpeter offered a framework in which the four main cycles, Kondratiev, Kuznets, Juglar and Kitchin can be combined collectively to form a merged waveform. In fact there was significant professional competition between Schumpeter and Kuznets. The wave form offered here did not contain the Kuznets Cycle basically because Schumpeter did not identify it as a suitable cycle (you can see "Business Cycles" for verification. A Kondratiev wave could comprise of three lower degrees Kuznets waves. Each Kuznets wave could, itself, be faked of two Juglar waves. In the same way two or three Kitchin waves could outline a higher degree Juglar wave. If each of these were in stage, more

Israel and Palestine Issues Essay Example for Free

Israel and Palestine Issues Essay The issues between Palestine and Israel originate in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The list could drag on and on about what exactly they are fighting about but most of their issues are somehow related to land and property. To this day they can’t come to an agreement on who owns Jerusalem. That has been a touchy subject for ages. Israel is also worried about their settlements they have created since the Six Day War and what will happen to them if and when a peace treaty is defined. One cause of Palestine’s’ fury has to do with the refugees which occurred from the Israeli War of Independence in 1948. In brief, these two countries’ conflict is long ago rooted and still there hasn’t been a resolution for the troubles they are having. First off Israel and Palestine have been unable to decide who gets to claim Jerusalem as their own. Both countries title Jerusalem as their Holy place of worship. Israeli’s are for the most part Jewish and Palestinian’s are Muslim; Jewish book of holies is the Tenach and Muslim book of holies is the Koran. In the Tenach Jerusalem is mentioned over 700 times whereas in the Koran it wasn’t mentioned once. We can trace back Jerusalem as being the capital of Israel 2,000 years before Islam/Palestine was created. There is no record of Palestine ever having control or right, if you will, over Jerusalem. Israeli’s and Palestinians are concerned about their religious holy places under the governing of the other country. On occasion, Palestine has not allowed Jews to visit the Western Wall, and Jewish cemeteries have been abused or violated. Israel on the other hand, has seldom blocked sacred sights of another religion. Jerusalem has been a long disputed piece of land between these two groups of people and it probably won’t get any better. Next in order, during the Six Day War Jewish communities were captured by Israel from Jordan. Since then Israel has set up more than 130 settlements. The majority of Jews live in 8 of the largest settlements, which Israel would like to free and make theirs in a peace treaty agreement with the Palestinians. Most of the large ones border Israel and the West Bank, excluding a few which dwell deep inside Palestinian territory. Building and remodeling of the settlements has been an ongoing project since 1967. In 1997 they had formed 31 settlements with 4,400 people; in 1992 they had a total of 120 settlements with a total of 100,000 people; and in 2009 the opulation had grown to more than 306,000 people. This arguing about the settlements is one cause to the stalling of the peace process between these two countries. The Palestinians are being inconvenienced because the settlements redirect the resources needed by their towns. They also stunt the traveling of Palestinians because the security challenges them if they pass through the local roadways. Third of all, Palestinian Refugees haven’t been allowed to return to their families and homeland after the 1948 Israeli War of Independence. The estimated number of Israeli’s who either fled or were thrown out of their country tolled about 711,000 in 1949. In 2010 a survey was taken and they found out that there were more than 4. 7 million descendants of the original refugees. One third of them live in camps in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip, the rest live in towns and cities near the refugee camps. Palestine is urging the right of the refugees to return to the places they lived before the war but new Israeli law only allows Jews to gain citizenship. Therefore Palestinians cannot apply because obviously they are Muslim. Israeli’s ponder the possibility of letting the refugees return in the form of a family reunion and allowing a vague number of further refugees to settle as well. This resolution involves the U. S. to help aid the refugees with money and services until they are able to provide for themselves and get back on their feet in the new setting. Israel and Palestine still haven’t resolved this issue because they are more concerned with bigger issues. In summary, Palestine and Israel have many unresolved issues that may or may not ever be dealt with. Both countries have their own beliefs and practices which more than likely won’t be able to coincide and cooperate long enough to make agreements and choices that benefit both sides and make everyone happy. Clearly if they don’t start making compromises and giving up a little to get what they want no one that lives there will ever be happy because the problems will just be sitting there getting bigger and bigger, eventually turning into another war.

Physician one day Essay Example for Free

Physician one day Essay Hope began playing a major role in my life when my father was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer. I remember the exact day my family and I found out, the terrible feeling in my stomach and my utter disbelief. From that day on it had only grown worse. The doctor bluntly told us that my father had only about three to six months to live. The only thing I had left was hope. It was the hope that he would miraculously get better, but as his illness progressed, I simply hoped to have him with me just a little longer. Nine months later my father died. To this day I still cannot fully fathom the fact that he has passed away. However, the painful journey that led to his demise is the motivational experience that empowers me to strive for excellence. Having to see the person I love endure painful chemotherapy sessions and watching him slowly deteriorate was the hardest experience I have had to bear thus far. In a way, I was able to benefit from it. When he was diagnosed, I spent all the time I could with my father, trying to ameliorate his pain and mine. I would give him his medications, cater to his every need, and even accompany him to his chemotherapy appointments. Ultimately, I became his personal nurse. On several occasions, my father could not withstand the pain caused not only by the cancer, but also by the chemotherapy. In these moments, I was distraught because I felt incompetent; I could not help him in any way. With desperation in his voice, he would tell me, â€Å"Be a doctor one day, so you can cure people like me. † His words determined the career path I would take. The few times I could ameliorate my father’s pain were the times when I felt a satisfaction like no other. Helping others in any way became my passion because it reminds me of the instances I helped my father. My father’s words inspired me to help others who suffer due to illness. His death gave me hope and the drive to become a physician. My father’s battle with cancer was a life changing experience. I am now able to say that it has made me the strong individual I consider myself to be. Hope led me to survive the loss of my father and it is hope that guides me every day. Hope allows me to continue in times of despair, as well as to strive for the best in school. Whenever I am in any predicament, I remember my father and everything we went through together; I immediately gain the courage to overcome the issue.

Single Chain Antibody Production

Single Chain Antibody Production ABSTRACT The study aimed to characterise His- and Myc- tagged scFv MFE-23 antibodies produced from transformed E.coli cultures using ELISA and immunohistochemistry assays. Anti-His, anti-myc and anti-MFE secondary antibodies were used in the CEA/PBS coated ELISA plate with horseradish peroxidase-OPD chromatic reaction for detection. Culture 1 was identified to produce MFE-His and culture 2 giving MFE-Myc antibodies. The immunohistochemistry assay confirmed the CEA binding profile of scFv MFE-Myc by the comparison between negative controls, positive anti-CEA binding reactions and 4-stage anti-Myc binding of the scFv MFE-Myc examined. The CEA specificity displayed by tagged scFv MFE-Myc can be utilised in antibody-based cancer therapy by targeting tumour antigens specifically. INTRODUCTION Cancer arises due to the defective regulation of normal cell proliferation and homeostasis. This allows tumours to possess the capabilities including self-sufficiency in growth signal, insensitivity to antigrowth signals, avoidance of apoptosis, unlimited replicative potential, sustained angiogenesis and metastasis.1 In additional to the surgical removal of tumours, conventional cancer therapies such as radiation, chemotherapy and immunotherapy have a focus in inducing cytotoxicity against malignant cells. With better understanding of the molecular biology of carcinogenesis, targeted therapies are being developed to achieve lower toxicity to normal tissues and higher clinical efficacy through disrupting pathways that contribute to the tumours proliferative advantage. Attempts are also being made in developing cancer gene therapies to compensate or repair the mutated genes. All tumours express their unique set of antigens on cell surface which can be a result of genetic alterations, upregulated self-antigens or tissue-specific antigens that can be utilized to distinguish cancer cells from normal cells. Antibodies, one of the effectors in immune response, are Y-shaped proteins that each recognizes and binds to specific antigen (Figure 1). The protein consists of two light chains and two heavy chains, with variable (Fab) and constant (Fc) domains on each of the chain. The region of the antibody at which antigen binds is referred as the Complementary Determining Regions (CDR) present at the variable Fab region. The Fc region is responsible in modulating immune response through activation of the complement cascade and Fc receptor mediated activation of effectors such as phagocytes, mast cells, neutrophils and Natural Killer (NK) cells.3 The initial approach of antibody-based cancer therapy is to tag cancerous cells as foreign and eliminate such targets thro ugh cytotoxic effectors of the human immune system. Antibodies against essential growth factors can be synthesized to sequester such molecules from further promoting tumour growth. The high specificity of antibodies to particular antigens also serves as a vehicle in delivering killing machineries to tumour cells. For example, antibodies can be directly conjugated to radionuclides, toxins or cytokines, or indirectly to the surface of liposomes carrying drugs or toxins.4 Antibody-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (ADEPT) is also available in which the antibody targets an enzyme selectively to the tumor where it converts a relatively non-toxic prodrug to a potent cytotoxic drug.4 These various strategies aim to minimize the systemic toxicity afflicted by the cytotoxic agents administered. Monoclonal antibodies are usually preferred compared to polyclonal ones, as they recognize specific epitope of an antigen and hence have greater specificity. Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is first identified as a glycoprotein in the human colon cancer tissue extract and fetal gut, and plays a role in cell adhesion.5 Although CEA can also be detected in normal gastrointestinal tissue, the glycoprotein is overexpressed on the plasma membrane of colon cancer tissues.5 CEA level has also been found to be highly elevated in various cancers of an epithelial origin such as breast, lungs and pancreas.5,6 Moreover, normal CEA is localised on the luminal surface of columnar epithelial cells lining the crypts of the intestine so the glycoproteins are not directly accessible to the blood flow.6 However CEA is usually found on all sides of the cell membranes in tumours. Thus, CEA can be a useful target on cancer cells in immunotherapy using anti-CEA antibodies. The objectives of this lab practical are to introduce the applications of antibodies in cancer therapy and diagnosis through immunohistochemical staining of tissues. It also serves to familiarise students with the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). This is achieved by the production of MFE-23 single chain Fc antibody fragment (scFv) against CEA from transformed E.coli cultures. The scFv MFE-23 can be linked to either a His- or a Myc- tag. The unknown antibodies are characterised in the ELISA assay using appropriate detection antibodies, and the chromatic reaction between horseradish peroxidise (HRP) and OPD substrate. The scFv MFE-23 obtained by students is also used in the immunohistochemical characterisation in cryostat sections of normal and cancerous human tissues. MATERIALS METHODS E. Coli growth curves E.coli cultures were transformed with pUC119 containing either His- or Myc- tagged scFv MFE-23 (Culture 1 2) and were incubated overnight. The expression of pUC119 was controlled by the lac operon, which could be induced by either lactose or lactose analogue isopropyl-1-szlig;-D-thiogalactoside (IPTG). The vector also encoded for ampicillin resistance. The E.coli cultures were grown with ampicillin selection and 0.05% glucose. Optical density (OD) readings at 600nm were taken at 30min interval until OD=0.9 when IPTG was added to both cultures to induce pUC119 expression and hence scFv MFE-23 production. A negative control of 2xYT was set up, and all three cultures were incubated at 30? overnight. Full experimental procedures are described in Appendix 1. ELISA assay The ELISA assay aims to characterize the identities of the tags conjugated to scFv MFE-23 obtained in the supernatant of the overnight E.coli cultures. Detailed protocols of the assay can be found in Appendix 1. 36 wells of the 96-well ELISA plate were coated with the CEA antigen or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) as its negative control. Supernatant of the overnight E.coli cultures 12 from the bacterial growth curve assay was obtained which contain either His- or Myc- tagged scFv MFE-23. The supernatant samples 12, the positive control MFE-his-myc antibodies and the negative control 2xYT growth medium were added to the corresponding wells as indicated in the format diagram in Appendix 2. Secondary antibodies rabbit anti-MFE23 polysera, mouse monoclonal anti-HIS tag (TetraHis, Qiagen) and mouse monoclonal anti-MYC (Sigma) were added to the corresponding wells (Appendix 2) to bind the primary antibodies present. Tertiary horseradish peroxidase (HRP) conjugated antibodies against the secondary antibodies goat anti-rabbit HRP (sigma) and sheep anti-mouse HRP (Sigma) in blocking solution were added to the wells (Appendix 2). OPD substrate buffer was applied to each well to detect the presence of HRP, which should give a yellow-orange product in case of positive result. HCl was added to stop the reaction when colour has developed, and the OD at 490nm for each well was measured. Immunohistochemistry assay Five glass slides, each containing 2 colonic adenocarcinoma, 1 normal colon and 1 normal liver tissue sections were fixed and processed for immunohistochemical staining. Avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex (ABC complex) was added following the application of biotin-labelled antibodies. The localisation of antigens was visualised by the formation of brown pigments, as peroxidise reacts with the diaminobenzidene (DAB) substrate. Lattices of several peroxidase molecules were formed to amplify the binding signal from the biotinylated antibody.7 A summary of the treatment given to each slide was illustrated in Table 1, and the complete protocol can be found in Appendix 1. RESULTS E. Coli growth curves Both E.coli cultures transformed with either His-tagged scFv MFE-23 or the Myc-tagged version in a pUC119 vector follow a similar exponential growth curve, as shown by the plot of OD600 against time (Figure 2). The bacterial cultures were in lag phase at t=0-90, and the log phase from t=90. It took approximately 175minutes for the cultures to reach OD600=0.9. The PBS negative controls in wells A-F/7-12 worked relatively accurately with low OD490 readings. Most readings also corresponded to the negative controls in the CEA coated wells (B4-6, D4-6, F4-6) but with 2xYT added instead of primary antibodies. However, the OD490 readings for wells C10-12 and E10-12 were higher than most readings from the negative controls. The higher OD490 readings obtained in certain wells in comparison of their corresponding negative controls indicated the presence of yellow-orange product formation from reaction between HRP and OPD substrate. These positive outcomes found in certain wells are highlighted in the shaded cells of Table Immunohistochemistry Assay Figure 4 shows the immunohistochemical binding reactions for the negative controls (slides 3-5). Slide 3 acts as a negative control for slide 1, treated with the 4-stage anti-Myc technique but omitting the primary Myc-tagged scFv MFE-23 antibody. Thus we should not be able to visualize the localization of CEA antigens due to the absence of MFE-23 binding on slide 3. Slide 4 is a negative control for slide 2, omitting the mouse monoclonal anti-CEA A5B7 antibody treatment in the 3-stage mouse monoclonal technique. No binding reaction is expected on slide 4 as well. Slide 5 was treated like slide 4 but without initial biotin/avidin blocking. As expected, the colonic adenocarcinoma tissue section of slide 3 does not display brown colouration and hence there is no binding reaction to the cytoplasm of tumour cells and connective tissues. Binding reaction to the cytoplasm of cryptal epithelium is not seen for the normal colonic mucosa, although there are strong brown colourations for a few cells in the lamina propria. The normal liver tissue on slide 3 shows some weak reaction with the parenchymal cells. Similarly, the parenchymal cells of the normal liver tissue on slide 4 do not display brown colouration and hence indicates the absence of binding reaction. On slide 5, the normal parenchymal cells are positive for binding reaction, demonstrating the presence of biotin in normal liver. Figure 5 shows the immunohistochemical binding results of slides 1 and 2. Slide 1 was treated with the 4-stage anti-Myc technique and slide 2 is the positive control treated with the 3-stage mouse monoclonal technique (See Table 1). For the colonic adenocarcinoma tissue on slide 1, strong brown colouration is present in the cytoplasm of tumour cells and the basement membrane of malignant acinar structures. Weak positive binding reactions can also be observed in fibrovascular stroma. The normal colonic mucosa of slide 1 shows strong reactions to the cytoplasm of goblet cells in the cryptal epithelium as well as a few cells in the lamina propria. The normal liver tissue shows only weak positive reactions with the parenchymal cells. Thus the scFv MFE-myc antibody was reactive with both normal colonic epithelium and adenocarcinoma, but not the biotin/avidin blocked liver tissue. The colonic adenocarcinoma tissue on slide 2 shows strong reactions with the tumour cell cytoplasm and the basement membrane of malignant acinar structures similar to the reactions seen in slide 1. Weak positive results are obtained in fibrovascular stroma of the positive control slide. As the binding reaction of slide 1 was similar to that of the positive control, this confirms the CEA reactive profile of the scFv MFE-myc antibody from the E.coli supernatant sample 2. DISCUSSION E.coli Growth Curve Both E.coli cultures followed the exponential growth curve as expected. However, the growth curve was obtained in the absence of a negative control i.e. same volume of 2xYT to be treated in the same way as the two cultures. The lack of a proper negative control means that the possibility of contamination cannot be eliminated. Thus it is unknown whether the increase in OD600 readings was partially attributed to culture contamination. ELISA Assay As mentioned in the results, the OD490 readings for wells C10-12 and E10-12 were higher than most readings from the negative controls. This might indicate contamination of these wells with CEA antigens, or insufficient PBS washing following the application of HRP-conjugated antibodies. Wells A-B/1-6 were applied with anti-His secondary antibodies and so would indicate the presence of His-tag by the production of yellow-orange product. Wells A1-3 were treated with supernatant from bacterial culture 1 and wells A4-6 with that of culture 2. As higher readings of OD490 in the positive control B1-3 and wells A1-3 were obtained compared to the negative control B4-6, the culture 1 supernatant contained the His-tagged scFv MFE-23. Wells C-D/1-6 were applied with anti-Myc secondary antibodies and so would indicate the presence of Myc-tag by the production of yellow-orange product. Wells C1-3 were treated with supernatant from bacterial culture 1 and wells C4-6 with that of culture 2. As higher readings of OD490 in the positive control D1-3 and wells C4-6 were obtained compared to the negative control D4-6, the culture 2 supernatant contained the Myc-tagged scFv MFE-23. The anti-MFE antibodies added to wells E-F/1-12 can bind to both His- or Myc-tagged scFv MFE-23. Thus binding should occur against primary antibodies from both cultures 12 and also the positive MFE-myc-his control, as demonstrated by the higher OD490 readings in wells E1-6 and F1-3 compared to the negative controls F4-6. It can be observed that the anti-His antibody gave a stronger signal than anti-Myc and was due to anti-His binding more strongly to its target than anti-Myc (Unpublished results, Kogelberg, H.). Comparing the OD490 of wells E1-3 and E4-6, absorbance of anti-Myc was slightly higher than anti-His despite the lower binding affinity of anti-Myc. Thus there might be a higher concentration of MFE-Myc in the culture 2 supernatant than MFE-His in culture 1, although technical issues like washing times, salt concentration and pH, or structural characteristics affecting the accessibility of antibody can affect the amount of binding. Immunohistochemistry Assay The results obtained from slides 1 and 2 confirm the CEA reactive profile of scFv MFE-myc antibody, as both slides displayed similar binding reaction patterns in colonic adenocarcinoma. The weak positive signal in normal liver tissue in slide 1 is likely to be caused by cross-reaction of secondary mouse anti-Myc antibodies, as similar result can be observed in the negative control (slide 3). Primary antibodies may also cross react and bind to non-target tissues. This demonstrates the possible cross-reactions with antibodies and hence the importance of negative controls to eliminate such artifactual reactivity. The strong binding to goblet cells cytoplasm in cryptal epithelium of normal colonic mucosa in slide 1 is consistent with the findings of CEA present in normal colonic mucosa.5 Although CEA level is lower on normal colonic mucosa, their presence implies that antibodies against CEA in cancer therapy may target normal cells other than malignant cells. Thus it is important to control anti-CEA antibody concentration used to avoid imposing toxicity to normal tissues yet is effective in producing a clinical response on cancer. The negative controls (slides 3-5) allowed the assessment of the level of binding for secondary, tertiary and quaternary antibodies/reagents. The slides also revealed any endogenous background material that might be confused with specific binding of primary antibodies, as well as information about the basic pathology of tissues. The inclusion of normal liver sections helped illustrate the importance in carefully controlling the specific reactions of test antibodies with potential targeting specificity for other cellular proteins. The ABC complex for detecting biotinylated horse anti-mouse antibodies can also react with biotin present in liver and give a positive non-specific result. This unwanted reaction as seen in slide 5 can be prevented by biotin blocking treatment of tissue samples. Moreover, myeloperoxidase white cells containing endogenous peroxidase can react with the DAB substrate and produce brown colouration even in the absence of ABC complexes. The normal colonic mucosa in slide 3 provided examples of such artifact. The naturally occurring bile pigments in liver seen as green/brown granules under high-power bright field microscopy can also be found occasionally. Careful interpretation of slides is required to avoid false judgments as there can be false positive reactions. In addition, it should be noted that adequate fixation of the sample is important in successful localisation of antigens present and hence an accurate representation of antigen distribution profile. The procedure helps to ensure the preservation of tissue morphology, the immobilisation of antigen and the preservation of antigen immunoreactivity. It is also important to ensure optimal fixation for an adequate permeability of the tissue to the immunochemical reagents. Other than mmunohistochemistry, western blotting and immunoprecipitation (IP) can be carried out to confirm scFv specificity. Antigens transferred to nitrocellulose membrane can be probed by specific antibodies in western blot, or precipitated out of lysate using antibodies in IP. Affinity chromatography can also be used which is a method of separating biochemical mixtures based on highly specific biological interaction. Specific antigen can be covalently coupled to a solid support and allow supernatant with the testing antibody to flow through so that only specific antibodies will be bound to the antigens. The assay used in this study can only detect antigens in a non-quantitative way with chromatic display of antigen localisation. Instead radioimmunoluminography (RILG) can be used for quantitative measurements of antigen concentration along with its distribution in histological sections.8 Radiolabelled antibodies against specific antigen can be applied to tissue sections and bound antibodies are mapped by phosphor imaging. Radioactivity detected in each pixel of the digital image will be proportional to antigen concentration if saturating antibody concentration is used. Future Perspective of Antibody Targeted Cancer Therapy The successful application of scFv MFE-23 with a Myc-tag at its C-terminus for detection in immunohistochemistry proves that the attachment of small molecules to the antibody will not affect its specificity for CEA. Thus the scFv chain can be conjugated to cytotoxic reagents or to be used for ADEPT as mentioned previously. The potential clinical efficacy of scFv MFE-23:enzyme fusion protein has been shown in nude mice with human colon adenocarcinoma xenografts by the Bhatia group.9 Moreover, scFv MFE-23 can be used in radioimmunoguided surgery (RIGS) based on the pre-operative injection of a radiolabelled anti-tumor antibody to detect tumour deposits during surgery. A Phase I clinical trial of RIGS using 125iodine-labelled MFE- 23-his scFv has reported good selective localisation at sites of primary colorectal cancer and metastases.10 As illustrated by MFE-23 scFv fragment, antibody targeting has the potential for selective imaging or delivery of anti-cancer molecules. Antibodies can be engineered to modify their biological properties with increased specificity and functionality. This is achieved by reducing antibody size, altering valency, and fusing to different molecules to improve therapeutic efficiency. Scientists have been trying to produce smaller antibody fragments but retaining specific binding to antigens, in order to minimize immunogenicity and achieve better tumour penetration. Continuous research on the specificity and stability of these fragments, and hunting for more tumour-specific antigens are required to further expand the field of antibody-targeted cancer therapies. Slide 3 is a negative control for slide 1 which was treated with the 4 stage anti-Myc technique. Slide 4 is a negative control for slide 2 which was treated with the 3 stage mouse monoclonal technique. Slide 5 is a negative control for slide 2 as well but without biotin/avidin blocking. Slide 1 was treated with the 4 stage anti-Myc technique, and slide 2 was treated with the 3 stage mouse monoclonal technique. REFERENCES Hanahan D, Weinberg RA. The hallmarks of cancer. Cell. 2000 Jan 7;100(1):57-70. Baron, E. J. 1996. Classification. In S. Baron et al., eds. Barons Medical Microbiology, 4th edition. University of Texas Medical Branch. Gura, T. Therapeutic antibodies:Magic bullets hit the target. Nature 417, 584-586 (6 June 2002) Carter, P. Improving the efficacy of antibody-based cancer therapies Nature Reviews Cancer 1, 118-129 (November 2001) Sten Hammarstrà ¶m. The carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) family: structures, suggested functions and expression in normal and malignant tissues. Seminars in Cancer Biology. Volume 9, Issue 2, April 1999, Pages 67-81 A. Mayer, K. A. Chester, et al. Taking engineered anti-CEA antibodies to the clinic. Journal of Immunological Methods. Volume 231, Issues 1-2, 10 December 1999, Pages 261-273 Hsu SM, Raine L, Fanger H. Use of avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex (ABC) in immunoperoxidase techniques: a comparison between ABC and unlabeled antibody (PAP) procedures. J Histochem Cytochem. 1981 Apr;29(4):577-80. GBoxer, SStuart-Smith, et al. Radioimmunoluminography: a tool for relating tissue antigen concentration to clinical outcome. British Journal of Cancer (1999) 80, 922-926. Bhatia J, Sharma SK, et al. Catalytic activity of an in vivo tumor targeted anti-CEA scFv:carboxypeptidase G2 fusion protein. Int J Cancer. 2000 Feb 15;85(4):571-7. Mayer, A., et al. Radioimmunoguided Surgery in Colorectal Cancer Using a Genetically Engineered Anti-CEA Single-Chain Fv Antibody. Clinical Cancer Research May 2000 6; 1711. APPENDIX Appendix 1 Experimental Procedures (UCL Cancer MSc Lab Practical 2 Handout, 12-13Nov09) E. Coli growth curves E.coli culture transformed with pUC119 containing either His- or Myc- tagged scFv MFE-23 (Culture 1 2) were incubated overnight. The expression of pUC119 was controlled by the lac operon, which could be induced by either lactose or lactose analogue isopropyl-1-ß-D-thiogalactoside (IPTG). The vector also encoded for ampicillin resistance. 30 µl of the media was added to 15ml growth media with ampicillin selection and 0.05% glucose. Both tubes on loose caps were placed into a 37? shaker at 225rpm and time was taken as t=0. Optical density (OD) of the culture was measured with a spectrophotometer at 600nm from t=0 at a 30min interval until reading reached OD=0.9. 1mM IPTG was added to each culture and the tubes were incubated at 30? overnight with shaking. A negative control was set up using the same volume of growth media 2xYT with 1mM IPTG for overnight incubation. ELISA assay 100 µl of 10 µg/ml CEA antigen was applied to strips 1-6, A-H of the 96-well ELISA plate. 100 µl of PBS was applied to strips 7-12, A-H as negative controls. The plate was covered with plastic film and incubated for 1 hour at room temperature. Each well was rinsed 4 times with PBS and blocked with 200 µl 5% Marvel milk/PBS. The plate was covered and incubated overnight at 4?. The plate was washed with PBS 4 times after the overnight incubation. Overnight bacterial cultures and the negative control were centrifuged at 4000rpm for 20minutes to obtain the supernatant. 100 µl of each supernatant sample and negative control was added to the ELISA plate according to the format diagram as seen in Appendix 2. The covered plate was left at room temperature for an hour. The plate was then rinsed twice with 0.1% Tween-20/PBS and 4 times with PBS. 100 µl of secondary antibodies rabbit anti-MFE23 polysera, mouse monoclonal anti-HIS tag (TetraHis, Qiagen) and mouse monoclonal anti-MYC (Sigma) with a concentration of 1:1000 in 1% blocking solution was added to the wells according to the format diagram: anti-His A1-12 and B1-12; anti-Myc C1-12 and D1-12; anti-MFE E1-12 and F1-12. The covered plate was left at room temperature for an hour. The plate was washed again twice with 0.1% Tween-20/PBS and 4 times with PBS. 100 µl horseradish peroxidase (HRP) conjugated antibodies against the secondary antibodies 1:1000 goat anti-rabbit HRP (sigma) and 1:500 sheep anti-mouse HRP (Sigma) in 1% blocking solution was added to the corresponding wells. The covered plate was left at room temperature for an hour, and then rinsed twice with 0.1% Tween-20/PBS and 4 times with PBS. 100 µl of OPD substrate buffer was added to each well to detect the presence of HRP, giving a yellow-orange product in the case of positive outcome. 100 µl of 4M HCl was added when the colour has developed, and OD was measured at 490nm with an automated plate reader. Immunohistochemistry assay Five glass slides, each containing 2 colonic adenocarcinoma, 1 normal colon and 1 normal liver tissue sections were removed from the freezer and air dried for 5minutes. Slides were fixed in acetone in 10minutes and rinsed in tap water for 2minutes. Slides were flooded with PBS and Avidin blocking solution was applied to slides 1-4 for 10 minutes. Slides 1-4 were rinsed in PBS and applied with Biotin blocking solution for 10minutes followed by PBS wash. PBS was removed from slide 1 and flooded with 1:20 normal horse serum in PBS for 15minutes. Slide 1 was drained and applied with bacterial supernatant containing Myc-tagged scFv MFE-23 antibodies for 45minutes. Slide 1 was then rinsed with PBS thrice over 10minutes, and 1:20 normal horse serum in PBS was added to slides 2-5 for 15minutes. 20 µg/ml of mouse monoclonal anti-Myc antibody (Qiagen) in PBS was added to slides 13 and left for 35minutes. 20 µg/ml of A5B7 anti-CEA antibody was added to slide 2 for 35minutes. Slides 4-5 were washed in PBS. Slides 1-3 were rinsed with PBS thrice over 10minutes. 1:200 biotinylated horse anti-mouse immunoglobulins in PBS with 5% normal human serum was added to all slides and incubated for 35minutes. All slides were rinsed with PBS thrice over 10minutes. The avidin biotin-peroxidase complexes reagent (ABC reagent) was added to all slides, followed by PBS wash 3 times over 10minutes. 0.03% of hydrogen peroxide in 1mg/ml 3,3,diaminobenzidene tetrahydrochloride solution was applied to all slides immediately and left for 5minutes. Slides were washed with tap water. All slides were stained in Harris haematoxylin for 40seconds, rinsed in tap water and left for 5minutes for colour to develop. Slides were then dehydrated through graded alcohols (70/95/100%), cleared in inhibisol and coverslip using DPX mountant. The slides were then ready for observations under the light microscope.

The Technique of Role Playing :: essays research papers

The Technique of Role Playing   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the techniques used most often by theatre high school teachers is role-playing. The reasons that this technique is often used are numerous. When students read a text silently some of the nuance contained in the meaning can be lost. This is particularly true when dealing with a play, or anything containing multiple characters. Reading the piece aloud can help them to understand the connotation as well as the denotation. In the theatre, how a passage is spoken will determine the feeling that it carries with it. Lines of dialogue can suddenly become funny or sad once given inflection. This is the prime reason role-playing is used. The prime time that this technique is employed is when teaching the works of Shakespeare.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The usual set up for a role-playing exercise is as follows: first the teacher will have the students read the text by themselves, then he/she will define any strange or outdated language used in the text. Often with Shakespeare students find the use of the King’s English confusing and therefore do not understand the piece. Once the terms used are understood, the teacher can ask students to read sections aloud that they may hear how the words flow together. Then two or more students are chosen to act out the section with some minimal movement. This added blocking creates the idea that the dialogue motivates the actions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When doing this type of activity it is best to employ a combination of two different teaching philosophies. One of them is Pragmatism and the other is Idealism. Idealists value the mind and concepts over all things. In this exercise, it is important to keep this sort of attitude. Students may not always understand the full meaning of the text. Often their young lives do not contain enough experience to comprehend the decisions, or actions that characters make. That is why it is more important that the class grasp the idea of motivated action. The intended meaning of a line will determine how the other characters perceive and react to it. This also lends itself to the idealist precept that life should be guided by thought.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Pragmatism inherent in the exercise comes in to play when dealing with the conclusions reached in class. All of the conclusions reached are subject to change with the individual reciting the piece. That is why theatre teachers often show more than one performance to the class.

Free Essay: Deception of Satan in John Milton’s Paradise Lost :: Milton Paradise Lost Essays

Deception of Satan in Paradise Lost  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The speeches of Moloch, Belial, Mammon, and Beelzebub represent particular ways of looking at life. Milton derived these views from I John 2:15 and 16 which says, "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world." Coming into the world, these demons transferred their philosophies to the human race. That is why these views are still common in today's world, even though the battle of the supernatural is often overlooked. Even at Christian schools, the effect of these philosophies can be seen. However, in hell and in the world they have proved a failure - the high ideas of the plans will not work with the separate realities that both hell and the earth represent. Only Beelzebub's idea seems to work, but that to will be proven false with time. In the Bible, Moloch was the god of the Ammonites who sacrificed their children to him, believing that then he would bring them power. They lusted after power and went to extreme, perverted measures to attain it. In Paradise Lost, Moloch also lusts after power. After being cast down to hell, he calls for the demons to wage war again on heaven. He believes (probably he has deceived himself) that they can defeat God now because they are strong with fury - the fury that comes from being cast out of glory. They have acquired the new, torturous weapons of hell that would that coupled with their wrath would prove victorious over God. "I just don't think I'll do well ... I don't understand the... As he strutted into the classroom, the two kids in conversation groaned. "So... " he intoned to one annoyed guy, "Have you studied for the test?" "Last night, yeah." More hesitantly, "How 'bout you?" "Oh yeah, piece of cake." A smile stretches across his face. "I heard you saying you don't understand, " he put his hand on her shoulder in a sort-of motion of comfort, "You'll do fine. " Again the smile, and he walked size off to another group of kids. The two kids rolled their eyes.

The Character of Odysseus in Homers Odyssey Essay -- Odyssey essays

The Character of Odysseus in The Odyssey Homer's epic tale The Odyssey is a story of the triumphs and downfalls that are in store for one warrior's long pillage home.   Odysseus, the hero from the Trojan wars, has led his people of Ithaca and other Achaean soldiers to victory and now wishes to return home to his wife and family of Ithaca.   Through his twenty year journey Odysseus is often tested not only of his physical strength, but his wits as well.   The many accomplishments he achieved earned him great status and recognition throughout ancient Greece.   The mistakes he made caused the deaths of many men.   Consequently, we as readers are able to see the many personas that Odysseus carries with him.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Odysseus possesses every attribute that Homeric Greeks admire.   He displays loyalty, piety, manly valor and intelligence.   We see Odysseus's loyalty in book one.   Odysseus has won the Trojan War, and has been trapped on the island of Ogygia with the beautiful nymph Calypso.   For ten years, Odysseus longed to return home to his wife Penelope, despite the attractions set up by Calypso.   Never once did he accept his fate on the enchanting island.   Odysseus' loyalty to Penelope is also at hand in the following: So then, Royal son of Laertes, Odysseus, man of exploits, still eager to leave at once and hurry back to your own home, your beloved native land? Good luck to you, even so. Farewell! But if you only knew, down deep, what pains are fated to fill your cup before you reach that shore, you'd stay right here, preside in our house with me and be immortal. Much as you long to see your wife, the one you pine for all your days ... POETRY VERSION (BOOK 4) This quote states the... ...estraint is also evident in the brutal attacks of Melanthius and Antinous.   Melanthius kicking the lowly disguised Odysseus, and Antinous' blow to Odysseus with a stool.   At first instinct one would fight back, especially with the strength and agility of Odysseus.   Nevertheless Odysseus restrains and knows that a premature revealimg of his true identity would ruin the future plans in store for the total take over of his palace.   So, just as any other beggar would react, the mighty Odysseus bows his head and walks back to the hut, with visions of the soon to be victory in his head.   Looking at Odysseus in whole, the strength intelligence, arrogance, and cunning restraint stand out above all creating a truly powerful and courageous leader.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      Works Cited: Homer. The Odyssey. Trans. Robert Fitzgerald. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 1998.

Family First Alert

Family First Alert llc†, which is a company that supplies alert buttons and the service of monitoring those buttons for the elderly. At the time of this printing â€Å"Family First Alert llc† has been in business for eight years servicing and taking care of literally hundreds of elderly people. Dan has always cared deeply for older people and wanted to do something that would help them and make a difference in their lives. Many of the people that have and are currently clients of his company have written many letters thanking Dan for the service and the quality that they receive each month.When Dan started the company he did so because his own mother was in need of that type of service and the family had checked into different companies that offered the service, but were just not completely satisfied with everything they had found. This is when Dan decided to research the industry and learn all that he could about how it worked and how it could be improved on. This was t he birth of â€Å"Family First Alert llc†. Dan not only wanted to make a quality service, but he wanted to make it affordable as well to those that needed it. This is why â€Å"Family First Alert llc† has never raised their prices from the time they started to present day.Dan boast’s the lowest price in the industry today for the same service as the many other companies and is very proud of that claim. You can follow â€Å"Family First Alert llc† on the net at www. familyfirstalert. com or on Face book as well. Introduction: When I was born, my mother and father were forty and forty one years old. They were wonderful parent's and they raised my brother and sister and I with much love and care. They were there for us whenever we needed them and for whatever reason. Whether it was financial support or moral support they never failed to be there for any of us. We weren’t by any mearns financially well off, my father owned a hardware store and my mothe r was a secretary for the board of education.It didn’t matter to them though, because their kids always came first and if we needed something, they would find a way to get it. I remember one time my father coming home with a flu gal horn in his hand for me. I asked him where he got it and he told me that he had traded it for an antique ax and $50. 00. He didn’t have the money to go buy a new one, but he was willing to sacrifice something that he cared about for something he cared more about, Me. He loved collecting antiques and the ax was one of his collectables. This was a common thing in our household. I remember growing up having older parent's than most all of my friends. This was a real worry for me as a kid and when they started to get older and have some health problems my fears became a reality.I always told my mother who lived to be 86 that she would never have to worry about going into a rest home, that I would take care of her and she could always come live with me and my family. My father died at the age of 63 after having heart problems from what I feel was a result of a life of smoking two packs of cigarettes per day. As I said before, my parent's were wonderful parent's and took care of us as best as any parent's ever could. It’s funny how things go full circle in life. Your parent's take care of you and worry about you when your young and then it’s your turn to return the favor in their later years. Because of their love for me and the love and respect that I had for them, I had always felt a responsibility for them and would do whatever I could in their later years.This article is an attempt to try to help others that are going through what my family and I did while taking care of our elderly parent's. I will attempt to go through some different stages that will hopefully help ease some of the burdens that you may face. I hope you will find the following information in someway helpful. As Time Begins to Pass, Drivin g Can Be A Challenge: When our parent's begin to hit those later years it can be somewhat like walking on eggshells. You might start seeing some small things that concern you, but try not to blow them out of proportion. They might be still driving their car and the thought might come to you to ask them to stop driving or you might even be so bold as to take their keys from them. This is where many children make a big mistake.Remember, it is very important for the elderly to be able to maintain self worth and dignity in their later years. Having a son or daughter tell them what to do or what not to do can really hurt their feelings and cause a lot of problems. It’s easy to understand this concern if the paren't has had some accidents or is not able to drive safely where they might be a risk to themselves or others on the road, but if this is not the case, respect them enough to allow them to have input into what they are wanting to do. The Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel published a very good article online on December 26, 2012 where they outlined many good and useful tips for older drivers and their families.They stated that it’s important to help older drivers stay safe behind the wheel for as long as possible. Adult children can help aging parent's regularly maintain their vehicles. And if it's time for a new car, adult children can help identify choices with new technologies that can enhance safe driving, like reverse monitoring systems. Older drivers can brush up on their driving skills with AARP Driver Safety's course, which is specifically designed to help people 50 and older refresh their driving skills. Family members should observe an older loved one's driving by taking a ride as passenger and keeping an eye out for warning signs. It's important to look for changes in driving abilities. These signs include: – Frequent â€Å"close calls† or near-crashes. ?- Unexplained dents or scrapes on vehicles, fences, mailboxes, ga rage doors, etc. ?- Getting lost, even in familiar locations. ?- Difficulty seeing or following traffic signals, road signs and pavement markings. ?- Slower responses to unexpected situations, trouble moving the driving foot from the gas to the brake, and confusing the two pedals. ?- Misjudging gaps in traffic at intersections or on highway entrance and exit ramps. ?- Experiencing road rage or inspiring it in other drivers. ?- Easily becoming distracted while driving. ?- Difficulty turning around to check the rear view while backing up or changing lanes. – Receiving multiple tickets or warnings from law enforcement officers. ?Third, if you notice a pattern of warning signs and an increase in frequency, then it's time to initiate a conversation. â€Å"It's important that the right person initiate the conversation,† says Jodi Olshevski, a gerontologist and assistant vice president at The Hartford. â€Å"Research indicates that 50 ppercent of married drivers prefer to he ar about driving concerns from their spouses first, then doctors and finally adult children. Whowever initiates the conversation should have a sthrong rapport with the older driver. † ?Avoid bringing up the topic of driving during family gatherings.Instead, look for a quiet, private time when all parties involved will have privacy and minimal distractions. If the case is serious and they should not be behind the wheel then sit down with them and discuss it in a very loving way and try hard not to talk to them in a demeaning way. Remember, they have lived along time making their own decisions and have done pretty well on their own. They deserve to have your respect as they always have. Many times just sitting down with the elderly paren't and discussing your concerns and worries and why you feel the way you do, will allow them to look at things in a different way. Remember, they loved and took care of you for a long time and they cared about how you felt and I’m sure the y still do.If you truly show your love and concern for them as you speak to them, showing them respect and dignity, they might surprise you and see things more your way. Young or old nobody likes to be told what they are going to do. Often, if your concerns are put to them as â€Å"What do you think about this mom†, or â€Å"Dad, don’t you think it would be better if we did this†, they would be more excepting of the suggestion and not be as defensive. If the situation is serious and they will not listen after all you have done, it might require a more drastic approach. I feel that it is very important to hold the relationship between our parent's as most important.Having said that, you may not agree with the following tactic, but it may very well solve the problem. If I knew that my mother was dangerous on the road and that her well being and the well being of many other innocent people were at risk, I might be so inclined to contact a police officer friend or j ust talk to one about your concerns. I might explain to the officer that I feel that my mother could be a danger on the road and would he be willing to keep an eye out for her and see what he thinks. This is more easily done in smaller towns and communities but if you have that luxury, it might be worth your wild. I’m not an advocate for telling you to be dishonest to your paren't or sneaky, but we are talking about their well being here.Sometimes the less you say can be the best, if you know what I mean. If the officer feels that she is unsafe in her ability to continue to drive then he can take the needed steps on his end. This will accomplish the goal of her safety and also help you save face in her eyes as well. I do feel that you must be prepared to take up the slack in the event they voluntarily retire the keys or if they are taken by other mearns. If they lose their ability to move around that they have enjoyed for many years, this is going to be a life-changing event. As their offspring, we’ll need to be sensitive to this and be willing to make arrangements for them or be willing to transport them ourselves.Depending on the number of siblings we have and the availability of each, we can have a family meeting and work out who could be responsible for what week or what day or what church meeting or what ladies or men’s organization we would be able to drive them to. I would suggest that the paren't not be in attendance at this meeting. I remember times when my own family meetings were taking place and my mother was sitting there. Every once in a while there would be a conflict amongst us siblings with who could or couldn’t do what and my mother would just get frustrated and speak up and say, â€Å"Just forget it, I don’t need it†, or something like that. These types of situations can really hurt the paren't in so many ways. Most of all it makes them feel as though they are burdensome and can start them on a path of depression.Depression is a whole other issue that we will deal with later, but it is very serious. We never want our loved ones feeling in anyway that they are a burden. I always tried my best to let my mother and father know how much I enjoyed being there for them. I’m not saying that every moment was a vacation, but for the most part, I did enjoy being there for them and seeing the gratitude in their eyes. The paren't doesn’t need to be in the meeting anyway to solve logistical issues of who is going to transport and when or who is going to stay and what night. The paren't doesn’t need to be in on who will be taking care of getting the medicines ready each week.They just need to know that they don’t have to worry about it. The less they worry the better off they are. Bottom line is, work around them and make their lives easier. Business Affairs And The Elderly: There are many things to think about when it comes to taking care of business concerns. Ta king charge of making sure the paren't’s bills are taken care of is a huge worry off their minds. It’s important to know where all the legal documents are and just what there is to take care of. Make a list of all bills that need to be taken care of and the addresses to where the payments need to be sent. Check to see if there’s any balance on any of the accounts.Find out if there is any extra bills that are not utility type bills such as, monthly donations or Christmas club dues, or maybe they are sponsoring an over seas child each month. Evaluate at this time, (with the paren't) if the budget can continue to fund these things. In today’s world the task of taking care of the monthly bills is getting easier everyday, with the use of the internet. By going online, most bills can be paid on a monthly basis now with very little effort. This will most likely have to be set up for them being as though most elderly people are not internet savvy. I would also re commend if possible in your area, to have your paren't’s utilities put on a budget with utility companies. This will allow them to make easier payments and free up some of their capitol for other uses.Bills that are not reoccurring, like groceries, getting their hair cut or that weekly massage, will have to be taken care of the old fashion way, just do it for them. When it’s time to get groceries, go for them or have someone go, or if they feel they want to go, go with them. This is another example of allowing them to hold onto their dignity longer. Tell them, you love going to the store with them and ask them not to take that pleasure away from you. This gives them another example of your love for them and also allows them to get the help they need with getting the groceries. It may be a smart business move to put any large assets such as vehicles or the family home place and property into the names of all the children. It could probably be a smart move to talk to a l awyer that deals with estate planning who also offers Medicaid planning services in case you paren't might need government assistance with in the next three years. Often, if a paren't has to go to a rest home facility and they have much in the way of assets, they might find themselves in a bad financial spot, which could effect their forfeiting their property. Transferring assets may also put those that are receiving such property, eligible for being taxed on it. These are important things to think about and should be discussed with a qualified lawyer. Someone will have to agree to take on the position of power of attorney.If there’s only one child involved the decision is easy, but if there are more it can become a little bit troublesome. If your paren't has already decided which child this duty will fall to, do them a favor and respect those wishes. This is something that is probably going to be worrisome to them anyway. They will most likely worry that they may be hurting some ones feelings. Do all that you can do to let them know that you support what they have decided. It can be a lot of work being the person with power of attorney or the executor of the will. This person has to be willing to do the paper work and the research of assets if it is unknown. This person also bears the burden of making the final decision on most all the legal decisions to be made.If you’re not the one chosen in the family to do this job, please be patient with the one that is and show them your support. Usually, it is customary that the person doing this job is compensated by at least $5000. 00 for taking it on. This should not be a source of contention between siblings because the job will require much work to do it right. My sister did it for our family and did it very well. She is the one that found the extra money that we (and our mother) didn’t know she had. She spent many hours on the job and did it graciously. She didn’t take a penny extra fo r it and that was an honorable thing to do if you’re so inclined to do so.It is also recommended that once the power of attorney has been decided on, to also have detailed in a document that names a second person who will take a look at all the bank statements on a monthly basis and do an analysis of all the financial records yearly. This person can be another family member or a professional accountant. It’s also important to try to find extra money for a later time. Using financial tools such as reverse mortgage can improve the cash flow of the elderly. Checking for benefits that your parent's might be eligible for such as a reduction in their heating bills or help with their prescription drugs can really make a difference. There are many avenues to get help out there but actually only about half the people who qualify for such help actually use it.When making purchasing or financial decisions on behave of your paren't, it is also wise to consult with other siblings i f there are any. Don’t make the mistake of making an important, or even a not so important decision without consulting the family involved. This will only open your self up to problems down the road. Someone will always have a different way to have handled it and will tell you about it. When you are in charge of the bills and the worries that come with it, the last thing you want to hear from a sibling is that you didn’t do it the right way or that your decision wasn’t done fairly. Look ahead and prepare in advance. Even the closes families have issues over money. Don’t be so naive as to think that yours will not.When you have done all that you can do to make the decision and the family can’t seem to come to an agreement on something, then it is your job as the executor or power of attorney to make that decision and everyone should support that decision, even if they don’t agree to it. The only other thing that you can do it to agree on (wit h the paren't) another non bias person, sort of a mediator to make any decisions that are in dead lock. This way no family member can be upset with any other family member. All these issues need to be understood and worked out well in advance so that there is no questions or misgivings later. It wouldn’t even be a bad idea for all family members to sign an agreement stating that they understand the way that procedures will go forth and they will abide by them.Of course, if the paren't is still healthy and able to make clear decisions, they are the ones that should set for the procedures and how things will be handled and they will be the ones having everyone else do the signing of understanding. Assets: It’s important to make sure the family knows just what the assets are. I know before my mother passed away, she was very worried that there wouldn’t be enough money to take care of everything. We were concerned that we wouldn’t have enough money to pay off her bills and pay for her arrangements. This was something my mother should never have spent anytime worrying over, but she did. After her death, my sister was going through some of her documents and found that she actually had much more money than she herself was even aware of.My father had investments in stocks and bonds that she didn’t even know about. My brother and sister and I ended up with much more inheritance than she ever knew. It saddened us all to think our mother worried so over this and didn’t have the peace of mind of knowing everything was going to be ok. If there had been some way that she could have known this before, if we would have just taken the time to find out before hand. Worry is hard on the elderly and knowing that she did so was upsetting. Find out what there is and what will be needed. Plan ahead for that time when you will need to know. Financial Help: Many Elderly are living on a very fixed income and can’t afford much in the way of extras.They must budget their income very carefully and some struggle to the point that they give up many things they really need. If your paren't is in a ssimilar situation and you or another family member aren’t in a position to help much, all is not lost. There are many programs available that could be of some help. Arrangements should be made early on for those times down the road where you paren't will most likely need some sort of services to help them get by. These types of services will most likely be that of some type of in home care such as health care, or some other type of service. These types of services usually can run upwards of 19 dollars an hour. For many elderly, this can add up to draining their nest egg pretty quickly.Plan far enough ahead that this situation will not come as a major shock to both their finances and there emotional well being. The local Social Services organization is a wonderful resource that should be tapped into. This organization ha s government funded grants and monies to help. If you contact them and explain your situation with them, very often they will be able to help in some way. Another fine organization is the Area on Aging services and the Community Action group that also can be of great help. They to have monies allocated from the government for helping the elderly. Local branches of the American Red Cross provide Americans with help paying electric and heating bills.Often these particular organizations are given a certain budget that they have to last for a certain quarter or even on a yearly basis, therefore, it is important to contact them as soon as possible to be able to receive such funds. These two organizations would definitely be a good place to start when looking for some assistance. Many utility companies across the country offer support and assistance to Americans to help them pay their electric bills. Sometimes the utility companies will out source the administration of the program to the United Way. By contacting the local United Way office, you can see if they are aware of any assistance or support provided by any of the utility providers.The Cancer Care Co-Payment Assistance Foundation is a non-profit organization that provides financial assistance and cash grants to people who need assistance with paying hospital and medical bills that result from a cancer diagnosis. There are several programs that offer discounted and free prescription meducations. They include Dispensary of Hope, Together RX Access, NeedyMeds, and the Patient Advocate Foundation. The Meducations: I would first recommend that whowever is in charge of getting the meducations ready, get a weekly pill container to put them in. They even have these for the whole month if you want to do it that far in advance. This helps you organize the pills and keep track of them more efficiently.If the paren't is still seeing that they take the pills each day, these little containers also help them not to take th eir meds twice, thinking that they might not have. If the pills are gone, they know they have and if the pills are still in the container by evening, they know they forgot to take their meducations and can still do so. The responsibility of taking care of the paren't’s meducations can be very nerve racking, at least for me it was. Even when using the pill containers it can still be a difficult task. I think there was only a few times that I didn’t make a mistake while getting them ready for the week. I recommend after all the pills are in the container, that you to take the extra time and go back and check each container for the correct dosage. It’s better to be safe than sorry as they say.I remember when I was doing this job for my mother, it proved to be a very nerve racking job each week. It’s also very important that you stay up on refills so that you don’t get caught without a meducation during a weekend or a holiday when it might be difficult to get one. The pill containers seem to help with this as well, because you can see just when you’re getting low and when you need a refill. Do yourself and your paren't a very valuable favor by doing some of your own research on the meducations that they are on. Don’t always trust the doctors, they see thousands of patients during the week and may not be taking the time to always look and see if something they are prescribing is going to conflict with something else that they are on.This has happened more times than any doctor would like to admit. My own mother was on sixteen pills a day towards the end of her life and at one time wasn’t making a lot of sense with her words. At first, we thought she was just going down hill health wise and that maybe she was getting Alzheimer’s or something worse. She got to the point that she had to be put on Hospice care and was taken off most of the meducations and miraculously regained her clear thinking within just a few short days. This led to her being taken off Hospice care altogether. This was an eye opener to my family that many of the elderly are over medicated in today’s society. â€Å"Sometimes, less is more†, is really true.Any quick search on the internet these days can tell you what any drug’s side effects are and in many cases you might even be able to find out what drugs shouldn’t be taken with certain other drugs. It’s just good to be educated on what is going on because no one is going to care as much for your loved one as you are. If you haven’t already done so, I recommend you make a very clear typed page that shows all the meducations that your paren't is on and how often they take each one. I would make several copies of this document for family members to have. It’s a great idea to place one of them on the refrigerator, so that if an ambulance is ever dispatched to the home, it is in plain site for them to take it with them when transporting.This will alleviate much confusion on the way to the hospital and even after they arrive. Listed on this paper along with the meducations that they are taking, it is important to list any allergies or specific problems that you would want the ambulance crew to know about. The hospital will thank you as well, because they to will have to know this information once your paren't arrives and is diagnosed. Many meducations can cause the patient to be less alert and therefore more prone to falls. Some of these meducations can be sedatives, anti-depressants, and anti-psychotic drugs. People that are taking multiple meducations are at greater risk of falling. Know the side effects of all the meducations that you are taking.Most pharmacists these days include a brochure with the side effects for you to read when dispersing the meducations. Fall Prevention And The Home: The most common reason for injuries to the elderly are due to falls. Falls account for 70% of the cause of accidental deaths in America for elderly persons seventy-five years and older. More than 90% of hip fractures occur because of falls. One third of community-dwelling elderly and 60% of nursing home residents will fall each year. There are many reasons that an elderly person will take a fall and because of their age it can be a devastating experience and in some cases even result in death. I remember once staying ith my mother for the evening and she got up to go to the kitchen and the next thing I heard was a terrifying crashing sound. I jumped up and ran to the kitchen with fear in my heart and found my mother on the floor. It really scared me, but luckily she was not hurt to badly, except for a few scrapes here and there. As I helped her up I felt guilty for not jumping up as soon as I saw her going to the kitchen. The thought that I could have moved faster and gotten whatever it was that she was wanting and prevented her fall was all I could think of. Then I realized if I had no t been there at all, she might have been confined to the floor for several hours.Not that this eased my mind that much, but it did open my awareness to how quickly something like that can happen. I felt blessed that she had not gotten hurt any worse. There are many things to consider when making a home Elderly proof. Just like making a home child proof, there are things that need to be done for the elderly. One of the biggest issues that the elderly have is that they have a high risk of falling. You can alleviate some of this worry by making sure the following is taken care of. Is the home setup in a safe way for the family member? Are there things that can be done to the home to ensure that it’s a safe environment? It’s a good idea to include anti scald devices for showers and faucets that protect older skin.The skin of an elderly person can sustain serious burns much easier than a youthful person. Take the time to set the water heater to the â€Å"low† setting or at 120 degrees. My mother was having trouble getting in and out of her bathtub and we were afraid that she might take a bad fall in doing so. We decided to tear out the old tub and install a walk in shower unit. This way she could just step into it and sit on her shower seat. We found out later that this was a very smart move because of the fact that several weeks later her sugar level dropped and she passed out and laid in the shower for over three and a half hours with the water still running on her.If she would have still had her tub, she might have drowned. Many elderly over the age of 65 have a fall each year. Most of the time these falls occur right in their own home while doing the things they have done for years. Here are some quick things to think about that I have come across in trying to help prevent a loved one from a serious fall. * Make sure all rugs are secure. * Get rid of any throw rugs that are present. * Do away with any slippery surfaces that might be a hazar d to walk on. * If the loved one is bound to a wheel chair or uses a walker, or any other walking aid, make sure the pathway is clear enough for them to pass through without being a fall hazard. It’s sometimes a good idea to install handrails on both sides of the steps for better support. Many have even installed handrails in hallways to help prevent falls. * Make sure appliance cords are out of the way. Especially telephone cords and electrical cords. * Arrange furniture so that you can easily move around it. * Make sure furniture is easy to get in and out of. In some cases, purchasing a lift chair might be required. I would recommend shopping around when looking for these because there can be pretty big differences in price and quality. * Remove caster wheels from furniture. * Use a television remote control and a cordless phone. Avoid using floor polish or wax in order to reduce slick surfaces. * Keep commonly used items within easy reach. * A higher toilet seat can be ver y helpful to the paren't as well. These help by allowing the paren't to sit up higher and makes it much easier to get up from. * Put in a bedside light with a switch that is easy to turn on and off or a by a touch lamp. * Locate a telephone within the reach of the bed. * Adjust the height of the bed to make it easy to get in and out of. * Have a firm chair, with arms, to sit and dress in. * Install night lights where walking will be required. * Keep things off the floor that would create a hazard for walking at night to the bathroom. As mentioned before, a tub seat is a very safe way for the paren't to take a shower. These can be picked up in pharmacies or medical supply stores. * Add a nonskid mat to the bathtub. * Mounting a liquid soap dispenser on the bathtub wall will help prevent falls from trying to pick up fallen bars of soap. * Install a portable, hand-held showerhead. Physical Aactivity is very important: Up to 75% of elderly folks are not getting enough exercise in their lives. Regular exercise has so many health benefits in older adults when it comes to blood pressure, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, lipid profile, and neurocognitive function. Improvements in cardiovascular, metabolic, endocrine, and psychologic health are well documented.Regular exercise has proven to help improve the quality of sleep, cognitive function and even helps with depression and short term memory. Probably the biggest effect that exercise has on the elderly is they gain much in the way of m