Nothing Good Ever Comes from Violence

The twentieth century was the century of discovery for life . Dreadful diseases like diphtheria and leprosy were halted; sterile women have been given children; handicapped people were made a part of society. Numerous vaccines have been found to stop the most dangerous diseases. New technologies have enabled the creation of better conditions for life. International humanitarian organizations were felt all over the world where living conditions were not acceptable. Humanitarian aid have been sent many times where they were needed: Africa, Haiti, Pakistan, etc..Under these conditions, feeding his superego with illusions, man has become complacent. He is gracious and fair. He is, finally, human. However, what ultimately is not understood is that violence, which has its roots deep infiltrated in human consciousness , cancels all these developments. For each cured disease , hundreds of ways to return it are invented. For every child saved in high-tech hospitals there are another hundred k illed innocent children. Not a virus manages to disappear as we rush to replace it with another. Violence is everywhere.In this situation , the following idea needs to be understood : violence , in the common perception of this word, destroys everything we dream for. In this essay I will try to argue my thesis, demonstrating why each type of violence in part must be avoided. In the beginning, I’m obliged to clarify the essence of the term violence. Violence is the expression of physical and / or verbal force of one person against himself or another person / group of persons ,that brings the pain to whom it is addressed. There are several forms of violence : Physical, Sexual, Emotional, Psychological, Spiritual, Cultural, Verbal, Financial.Each one is a tragedy for one against whom it is directed. Violence is a primal part of human nature. Since ancient times, it has governed human acts. His destructive tendencies and self-defense were the ones that have characterized all his actions. However, for some time, the state claims, for better or worse, a monopoly on violence practiced within the confines of a specific territory ( Max Weber) ,realised by law and education, to impose the man to conform himself to cooperation and group working, whitch is much more effective and productive than the free violence.Violence is everywere. In families were husbands abuse their wives and children we speak about domestic violence. Domestic violence' is a specific form of violence in which physical, psychological, or sexual abuse is perpetuated by one spouse upon another, or by both partners upon each other. It is caused by many factors , including : the pure impuls control , lack of education,social stress, need of power and control, mental illnesses , etc. Domestic violence has a lot of negative results. Broken bones, head injuries ,internal bleeding are some of the acute effects .Hundreds of thousands of dead women and children annually: it is the result of domestic vi olence. And those who survive have a nightmare during all their life. A life marked by depresion, stress, fear, and anxiety. These symptoms are generally experienced for a long span of time after the victim has left the dangerous situation. But problems do not stop there. If victims can escape the abusers, they are tortured by the society. They don’t have money , they don’t have the ability to get money, they don’t have friends that can help them†¦ This leads many times to the suicide.For children, domestic violence can become an enormous psychological trauma that will change the perception of the world. For example, Hitler was physically abused by his father in childhood. Because of this, he became a sociopath and did what he did. Franz Kafka was educated under the moral domination of his father, which made him one of the biggest pessimists in the history of mankind. So, the domestic violence pursues its victims till the grave. War is another manifestation of violence on a very large scale. It is thought to be the key of solving of the territorial, ideological and resources problems.During the war, violence is encouraged in the highest level. After the Industrial Revolution, that is percepted as a very good event, the number of war victims has grown. For example, World War I has caused 40 mln victims and World War II – 70 mln. New technologies are constantly developed to ensure the governments of all countries with weapons to bring as many victims as possible. From the machinegun to the atomic bomb, every discovery is greeted with applause. Death smiles at us and we applaud. Then we go home, satisfied of ourselves, and criticize the politicians.We applaud, but then we close our eyes in front of terror victims. Do you think that after Hitler has caused 50 million victims in his war people haven’t made new weapons? Do you think that after Hiroshima and Nagasaki haven’t appeared new types of atomic bombs? We applaud them all. Every year on May 9, Russia shows its military force one the Red Square. And we applaud, proud of what we’ve created. While we’re applauding, millions of Africans die in civil wars, progress in the black continent can not be put on wheels, people dying of hunger because of civil wars.And we applaud. Much more horrible are the conflicts caused by religious, racial and national hate. During the middle age, near 300  000 people ( especially women ) were killed because of their religion. The Jews were killed and chased all other the Europe. The Crusades against Muslim have caused a lot of human and material prejudice. Interracial hatred, maintained by Ku Klux Klan in America, which has started since the late 19th century and continue fruitful so far, does not allow free evolution of American democracy, as well as the evolution of democracy all other the world.Thousands of people are killed in Russia, according to race. The new national-socialist organization a re growing rapidly . In a world where the Hungarian National Socialist Party gain 9% in the elections, progress is a castle on sand. Well†¦ This is our world – a world of violence. It surrounds us , wispers sweet words to our ears , decieve our eyes, feed our egos by illusions, and continues its very productive work. Millions of people die from violence.Is not it enough that we die because of pollution and unhealthy way of life? Should we help nature in the murder? Is it not time that the understanding between people to become the engine of a better life? We arrived at times when the slightest mistake could cost us a lot. We are on an unstable platform and only on us depens our future. A future soaked in the blood of violence or dried by the Sun of welfare. It’s our turn to choose now. Listen Read phonetically Listen Read phonetically

Salvador Dali Giorgio de Chirico

How could two pieces created in different art movements share similar traits? Salvador Dali’s Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bee Around a Pomegranate a Second Before Awakening and Georgio De Chirico’s The Disquieting Muses are surprisingly similar. Both paintings take the viewer into the dream world by using different elements, principles, and subject matter. Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bee Around a Pomegranate a Second Before Awakening was an oil on canvas painting (20 in x 15. 9 in) created in 1944. Dali was a leader in the Surrealist movement, and this painting reflects Surrealism well.The subject matter was inspired by a dream that Dali’s wife, Gala, had. The nude and idealized Gala floats above a rocky platform that is also floating above the ocean. The heart shaped pomegranate (the Christian symbol of fertility and resurrection) is cut open and has a scorpion fish bursting out of the fruit. Coming out of the mouth of the fish, is a tiger, and jumping o ut of that tiger’s mouth, is another tiger. In front of the tiger, a baoyonet is falling just inches away from Gala’s face. The bee is located beside a pomegrante directly below Gala’s ribcage. There is also another bee created out of four subjects.The bayonet symbolizes the bee’s stinger, the two tigers are the body (black and yellow) and the fish is the eyes of the bee. In the foreground is an elephant with elongated legs found in other Dali pieces. Giorgo de Chirico’s The Disquieting Muses was also an oil on canvas painting (38. 25 in x 26 in) but was created sometime between 1916-1918. The two muses are in the front of the painting. One is standing, and another is sitting. A red mask, a staff, and several other items are placed beside them. There is also a manequin in the foreground. The painting’s setting is among a couple of factories.It is a very industrialized scene that shows no signs of nature. The painting altogether shows little relation to the real world. Giorgio de Chirico was an Italian painter who believed that, â€Å" art must escape all human limits: logic and common sense will only interfere†. Chirico was a part of the Metaphysical art movement which strongly inspired the Surrealist movement. The greatest similaritiy between the two paintings is their ability to take the viewer out of this world by using unrealistic figures. Dali’s painting is based on a dream, and Chirico’s painting reminds the viewer of a dream.Both paintings use form and perspective to create a 3D world. Surrealists believed in blurring the boundary between art and reality. Similarly, Chirico’s paintings from 1909-1919 escaped reality. The two artists also shared times of chaos. Although Chirico came before Dali, Giorgio painted during World War I and Salvador painted through World War II. Despite being different wars, they were wars nonetheless, and each artist experienced the hardships that world wars can bring. Because of World War II, Salvador Dali fled to the United States to escape Europe, where as Giorgio de Chirico remained in the East during WWI.The two artists went through different time periods, and thus, experienced different cultures. In the latter time of his career, de Chirico switched his style to closer match classisicm, and even critisized the surrealists, while Dali was a proud leader of the Surrealist movement. The colors in The Disquieting Muses are warm colors along with dark values and create an feeling of uncertanity. In Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bee Around a Pomegranate a Second Before Awakening most of the colors are cool colors, and despite the presence of two jumping tigers, the viewer still feels calm.Dali’s work captures motion in every part of the painting, from the floating Gala, to the walking elephant, to the pomegranate seeds falling. In contrast, Chirico’s subjects are perfectly still with the exception of two small flags bei ng blown by the wind. Although Salvador Dali creates a painting that is unrealistic, the subject matter is made up of objects that a human can recognize, for example, a viewer knows what a tiger, an elephant, a nude woman, and what the ocean looks like.On the other hand, Girogrio de Chirico creates muses, a mask, and other objects that most people have never seen before. In conclusion Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bee Around a Pomegranate a Second Before Awakening and The Disquieting Muses are both examples of â€Å"the dream world†. One is actually based on a dream, while the other simply gives a dream-like feeling. Each one takes the viewer out of reality and into an unknown environment which is exactly what the artists intended to do.

Peking Opera

Modern observers in the West may not understand why, but they can certainly recognize when males are used to portray female roles in the Chinese theater. A quote from Act 2 Scene 7 of David Henry Hwang's opera, â€Å"Madam Butterfly,† provides a useful example of how and why males are used to play female roles. There, a male singer who plays female roles in Beijing Opera deceives a French diplomat into thinking he actually is a woman. He explains that males take the female roles â€Å"because only a man knows how a woman is supposed to act† This explanation resonates on multiple levels with varying degrees of irony, suggesting that gender is as performative in life as it is in theater. To this end, this paper examines how men playing the tan role in the Beijing Opera define and enforce the idea of femininity by performing the female role to determine how men perform femininity on stage in the Beijing Opera. A summary of the research is provided in the conclusion. Review and Discussion Background and Overview. The importance of actors and acting has long been celebrated in China; in fact, the first document concerning â€Å"actors† can be found in the Records of the Great Historian, written by Sima Qian (145-90 BCE), who was appointed to the court of Emperor Wu (reigned 141-87 BCE) of the Western Han dynasty (cited in Thorpe 269). Likewise, the use of male actors to portray female characters also has a long history in China, although many contemporary researchers consider its origins to be primarily in the last century and a half. According to Tian (2000), â€Å"The art of male dan –specialists in female roles — is one of the most important issues in traditional Chinese theatre, especially in jingju (Beijing or Peking opera)† (78). Beijing opera, or literally â€Å"opera of the capital,† emerged in the mid-19th century in China by incorporating components of huidiao from Anhui, dandiao from Hubei, and kunqu, the traditional opera that had predominated the country since the 14th century; performed in Mandarin, the dialect of Beijing and of the traditional elite, the jingxi musical verse plays came to be performed throughout China, although most provinces and many major cities developed their own operatic variants using local dialects (Brandon 2). As Beijing opera spread out from its original roots in Beijing to become an actual national theatre in China, there were some issues that arose concerning tradition and innovation. For instance, in his book, Diasporas and Interculturalism in Asian Performing Arts: Translating Traditions, Um (2004) reports that, â€Å"The art as performed in Beijing was considered the ‘pure' form, referred to as ‘jingpai' ([Bei]jing style). But somewhat paradoxically, innovation was only regarded as truly successful if it was recognized in Beijing. For instance, liupai, the schools or styles of acting representative of the creative work of individual actors, could only be established through the validation of Beijing audiences and critics† (161). Before the mid-20th century, Beijing opera was considered to be actor-centered, both in terms of performance as well as the creative process; this mindset meant that all major creative work was either accomplished by or supervised by the actors but even this creative work had be approved by Beijing (Um 161). In fact, â€Å"An actor's original composition, scripting, staging and performance achieved the power of long-term influence and continuity only when Beijing conferred liupai status† (Um 161). According to Brandon (2006), Beijing operas are highly conventionalized in terms of movements, costumes and makeup; the respective attitudes of the individual characters in Beijing opera products are communicated through traditional postures, steps, and arm movements. In addition, both actors and actresses wear carefully applied face paint to indicate which characters they portray and various acrobatic movements are often employed to suggest violence (Brandon 2-3). Other devices are also used in Beijing opera to communicate what may not be readily discernible to uninitiated Western observers, but which are immediately recognized by Chinese audiences. For example, musical accompaniment for Beijing opera is provided by a small orchestra of stringed and wind instruments, wooden clappers, and a small drum; brief interludes of spoken narration allow singers to rest periodically during the characteristically lengthy performances; these devices also carry with them understood conventions that convey important points to be made (Brandon 3). As noted above, the Beijing opera has traditionally employed an all-male cast, including males portraying the female parts; however, during the late 20th century, Beijing opera expanded its scope to admit female actors as well (Brandon, 2006). The most popular male performer in the Beijing Opera was Mei Lanfang, who played mostly female roles; he introduced the art form to an international audience by touring in Japan, the United States, and the Soviet Union (Brandon 3). In her chapter, â€Å"Traditional theater in contemporary China,† Elizabeth Wichmann (1988) reports that, â€Å"Beijing opera has been the nationally dominant form of theater in China for at least one hundred years. However, it is only one among more than 360 indigenous, or traditional, forms of Chinese theater currently being staged† (184). The salient features of Beijing opera today can be traced to the Yuan dynasty, when the particular styles of costume and makeup were indicative of the nature of the character wearing them (Wichmann 184). According to this author, â€Å"At least in terms of refinement and elaboration, the Beijing opera (jingju) and other allied styles of Qing dynasty regional theater probably represent the high point of Chinese stage costume, and their styles of ‘painted face’ makeup are more numerous and complex than the stage makeups of any other culture or period† (Wichmann 2). Likewise, the distinctive Beijing opera walking styles of the dan (female roles) and sheng are clearly recognizable in other traditional forms, just as are the stylized hand and eye movements of the huadan (Wichmann 2). Although some localized forms of theater have not include certain role types (the jing being the role type most frequently excluded), the walk, posture, and gestures techniques used for every other role type traditionally included in each form and can be recognized by modern Chinese audiences without fail as belonging to that role type throughout the various forms of traditional Chinese theater (Brandon 3). Vocal stylizations, though, in many cases are significantly different from one theater form to the next, being reflective of a specific role type and of the specific form of theater (Brandon 3). In Beijing opera, actors portraying female roles typically use distinctly different vocal ranges and tonal qualities, including extremely high natural register production, midrange chest-supported nasal production, and a type of vocal production that is similar to the yodel, in which the performer must have a very wide vocal range (Wichmann 187). According to Wichmann (1988), â€Å"Through their combined imagery, the vocal and physical stylizations of each role type convey the primarily Confucian values and resulting behavior patterns traditionally deemed appropriate by society for each type of role thus portrayed† (187). Historic Influences on the Use of Male Actors for Female Roles in Beijing Opera. Fortunately for contemporary historians, there is a good account of how male actors came to portray female roles in the Beijing opera in the historical records. According to Guy (2001), Beijing opera is just one of more than 360 different regional forms of Chinese opera that differ primarily according to the regional dialect used in song and speech as well as in their musical materials. â€Å"In comparison with many of the world's other great musical theater traditions such as Japanese Noh, Italian opera, or Javanese wayang, Peking opera is a relatively new form. Its birth is popularly traced to 1790† (Guy 377). In reality, though, the origins of the male dan role can be traced back much further in Chinese history. For example, in her essay, â€Å"Male Dan: The Paradox of Sex, Acting, and Perception of Female Impersonation in Traditional Chinese Theatre,† Tian (2000) reports that, â€Å"The tradition of the male dan can be traced back to ancient music and dance. It probably dates back as early as the Han dynasty (206 B. C. -A. D. 219)† (78). A highly regarded scholar of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911), Jiao Xun (1763-1820), cites a source suggesting that in the Han dynasty, there were also male actors that impersonated jinu (female singers and dancers), a tradition that served as the basis for the convention of female impersonation later called zhuang dan (Tian 78). By the end of the Wei dynasty (220-264), Emperor Cao Fang, who reigned from 240-254 CE, was reported to have enjoyed watching his young male jesters portray nubile young women whose excessive wantonness was an embarrassment to onlookers (Tian 78). Likewise, Emperor Xuan Di, who ruled from 578-579 CE of the North Zhou dynasty (557-581), issued a decree that required handsome young men of the city to dress as women and to sing and dance inside the imperial court for the emperor and his entourage (Historical records of the Beijing theatre cited in Tian at 78). During the reign of Emperor Yang Dig (605-616) of the Sui dynasty (589-617), from January 1 to January 15, a period in Chinese history when foreign princes and visitors were taxed by the Emperor in the form of tribute, thousands of singers and dancers gathered and performed in the country’s capital; the majority of these performers were dressed as females, and wore flowers and jewelry (Wang 190 cited in Tian at 78). By the mid-7th century, during the Tang dynasty (618-906), the Chinese empress requested that women be prohibited from taking part in any theatrical performance, a proclamation that resulted in the conventional segregation of male players and female singers and dancers employed at the court (Tian 78). Emperor Xuan Zong, who ruled from 712-756, was responsible for the development of the Liyuan (â€Å"Pear Garden†) and Yichunyuan (â€Å"Pleasure House†); the Liyuan used male performers exclusively while the Yichunyan used female singers and dancers (Tian 78). According to Tian (2000), â€Å"It is highly possible that the performances by the Liyuan actors might have involved female impersonation. It is clear that outside the court, jiafu xi (a performance featuring female impersonation) was part of various performances and entertainments in the Tang dynasty† (78). Historical accounts confirm that many male actors were proficient at playing female roles; furthermore, there is also historical evidence that confirms boys dressed as women performed for aristocratic families (Tian 78). During the Tang dynasty, a highly popular performance that involved female impersonation was the folk singing and dance performance known as â€Å"tayaoniang† (stamping and swaying wife). These performances were characterized by the wife being impersonated by a man, who complains about being beaten by her inebriated husband and sings to the rhythm of â€Å"her† dance while the audience responds in chorus (Cui 1959:18 cited in Tian at 78). Peking Opera Peking Opera Peking Opera is China’s national opera. Opera is so popular in China that they declared a â€Å"Peking Opera Month†. Peking Opera has been around for 200 years. â€Å"Its main melodies originated from Xipi and Erhuang in Anhui and Hubei respectively and, overtime, techniques from many other local operas were incorporated†. Peking Opera is said to have come to the front after 1790 when the famous four Anhui opera troupes came to Beijing. Peking Opera was developed quickly over the reign of Emperor Qianlong and the Empress Dowager Cixi under the imperial patron and became accessible to the common people.Peking Opera was originally performed on outside stages such as a teahouse or temple courtyards. The singers developed a piercing style of singing that could be heard over the loud orchestra. â€Å"The costumes were a garish collection of sharply contrasting colors to stand out on the dim stage illuminated by oil lamps†. Peking Opera incorporates parts from â€Å"The Grand Opera, ballet and acrobatics, consisting of dance, dialogue, monologues, martial arts and mime†. The â€Å"Nueva Cancion† Song Tradition Nueva Cancion† is Spanish for new song. Nueva Cancion â€Å"is a movement and genre within Latin American and Iberian music of folk music, folk-inspired music and socially committed music†. Nueva Cancion is seen as playing a powerful role in the social upheavals in Portugal, Spain, and Latin America during the 1970s and 1980s. Nueva Cancion started in Chile in the 1960s and was known as â€Å"The Chilean New Song†. Soon Nueva Cancion started to emerge in Spain and other areas of Latin America. Nueva Cancion renewed tradtitional Latin American folk music, and was soon associated with revolutionary movements, the Latin American New Left, Liberation Theology, hippie and human rights movements due to political lyrics†. Many Neuva Cancion musicians were often censored, exiled, forced to disappear and even tortured by â€Å"right-winged military dictatorships, as in Francoist Spain, Pinochet’s Chile and in Videla and Galtireri’s Argentina†. Neuva Cancion songs were so politically strong and because of this have been used in more recent â€Å"political campaigns, the Orange Revolution, which used Violeta Parra’s Gracias a la vida†.

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Christianity - Essay Example 2. Why were the Romans initially threatened by Christianity? The Romans were initially threatened by Christianity because leaders who stood and believed in the status quo did not encourage any shift of power from one social group to another. In fact, a shift in power would amount to quite big problems; it all boiled down to money. Without enough people to make sacrifices at the temple, people who worked in temples and made money as money changers in the temples did not make money off to Christians, who refused to participate due to the new wave of thinking brought in by Christianity. Christians were viewed as overly exclusive and hence, dangerous to the society in general and public order. Christians had no respect for other gods and they therefore refrained from public festivals that were meant to honor public deities. In fact, they never worshiped state gods and the imperial cult. They neither worshipped nor recognized the emperor as the leader of religion. This turned out to be un fortunate for the Romans, who wanted to stay powerful. Therefore, they were treated with suspicion and regarded as stubborn and somewhat subversive to the State solidarity. 3. What do the world-views of Christianity and Greco-Roman humanism have in common? How are they different? Christianity and Greco-Roman humanism share many common elements. ... This means that both Christianity and Greco-Roman humanism had several things in common and maintained differences at the same too. 4. Explain the importance of these individuals: 1- Saint Paul: Saint Paul was important because he was one of the Apostles of Christ. Initially, Paul was a persecutor of Christians who got converted while on his way to Damascus (the Lord converted him from Saul to a Roman name Paul) thus becoming one of the greatest Christian missionaries. He traveled far and wide within Greece and other places in order to spread the Gospel, ultimately shaping the way we understand the Bible today. 2- The Bishop of Rome: The Bishop of Rome was very important because he made important decisions regarding Christianity-before Christianity in Europe was split into the warring factions of Protestantism with Martin Luther and Rome’s Catholicism. The Bishop of Rome rose to a position of preeminence in the hierarchical structure of the church to be identified as the leade r of the church. 3- Saint Augustine: Saint Augustine was the first archbishop of the church of Canterbury. He was also a writer, rhetorician, and devout Christian whose writings upon several topics regarding faith were highly-regarded in the Christian faith. St. Augustine’s works are respected by both Protestants and Catholics alike. 5. What was monasticism and why was it important to the people of this period and to Western Civilization in general? Do monastic communities still exist? Explain. Monasticism was a form of asceticism practiced by Protestant, Christian, and Orthodox monks (men) and nuns (women). In a gender-neutral term they are known as â€Å"monastics†. The Monastics lived alone in the

Home Building Industry in the United States Essay

Home Building Industry in the United States - Essay Example Housing is globally recognized as productive sector of the economy rather than a form of welfare, because "housing and economic development are closely linked" and it acts as an instrument to improve the GDP. (Housing for Economic Development, 2005). Because a healthy housing stock provides safety for employees, taxes for state and local governments, and more customers for retail and service business, house building industry helps state and regional economy to flourish. Every individual aspire to own individual dwelling unit and buying a home is a major life event. Major life events such as marriage, birth of a child, changes in employment, or retirement particularly influence the decision to purchase a house though mortgage rates, income and expected returns on investment also motivate their decision to invest in residential property. Young adults in the population constitute primary source for home buying and when there is upward trend to housing prices these first-time buyers will be more attracted to enter into homeownership under the notion that rising prices will make future purchases unaffordable. Housing is an important basic need and focus of social concern and should be viewed as one of the key elements of social policy. Some of the U.S markets may not have sufficient housing supply to accommodate the influx of new residents, while the state and local governments may lack the resources to provide supportive services. The ability of Americ a's working immigrant families to obtain decent and affordable housing has implications for the social and economic well-being of the United States. Studies found that there is a direct proportionality between housing price and homeownership, establishing that "housing market's volatility is amplified by buyers' responses to the trends in market fundamentals." (Myers & Ryu, 2008, P.17-33). Housing market provides "mechanism for equity growth, liquidity and financial flexibility for individual households, while also providing relatively safe, productive investments for institutions through secondary mortgage markets." (Housing for Economic Development, 2005). "Housing shortages have historically gone hand-in-hand with rising housing prices and rents, higher housing cost burden, lower homeownership rates, increased crowding, and longer commutes." (Landis, 2000). It is admitted that State's economy is one of the chief determinants of producing more housing units, because when the economy goes into recession housing demand falls quickly and deeply. "Economic recovery revitalizes the housing market, though expansionary peaks rarely even out the recessionary troughs." (Landis, 2000) According to Professor Michael E. Porter of Harvard Business School, "the only reliable test of economic value is sustained profitability, measured by superiority in long-term return on investment" and "industry structure is a key driver of homebuilder profitability". However, he asserts that "market assessments of homebuilding stocks appear to be out of line with other industries that have similar structural characteristics." (Porter, 2003). "The conduct of monetary policy by the Federal Reserve has profound impacts on the housing sector and its contribution to the overall economy" as reducing inflationary

Corporate Reporting and Balance Sheet Financing Essay

Corporate Reporting and Balance Sheet Financing - Essay Example However there is truth in saying that no one has all relevant information and facts about Enron's failure and hence it cannot be said the OBSF is the lone factor responsible for the Enron debacle. Financial analysts are of the opinion that OBSF may be viewed as a scalpel in a surgeon's hands, which can be put to an effective use if handled properly. This paper presents a discussion on the ways of achieving OBSF. While the paper analyses the effect of the international standards for leasing and financial instruments as avenues of OBSF, it also reflects some views on the regulatory provisions on impairment of the non-current assets of listed companies and the inadequacies of the financial ratios in bringing out the correct financial strength of the companies adopting techniques of OBSF.According to Shiva and Lynda (2003) Off-balance sheet financing (OBSF) is a mode of organizing a financing transaction in such a way that it is not recognized easily as the entity's own liability. There are many distinct advantages of using OBSF under different circumstances. They are: Arranging for cheaper outside borrowings which are secured by debt contracts that are not backed by collateral securities The debt-to capitalization ratio can be maintained at such level as may be desired by the firm Helps in maintaining the credit ratings in the market and thereby enhance the future borrowing capacity and Providing finance for those projects which could not be approved due to non-availability of own funds. Although it can be argued that allowing the companies use OBSF method will materially alter the true and fair view of the financial status of the firm as represented by its balance sheet, still the companies may take a chance to use OBSF to look for raising additional funds for rather a risky capital project which is not otherwise available as its own funds. The individual company may attempt a safe play between BSF and OBSF in such a way that it presents useful information for valuing the firm's stock prices and derive the advantage. 2.1 Effective Ways of Using Off Balance Sheet Financing: While the items like loan, debt and equity appear in the financial statements of a company, the off balance sheet items do not find a place in the balance sheet. Creation of off balance sheet entities, joint ventures, research and development partnerships and operating leases are some of the ways in which the off balance sheet financing method can be employed by a firm. Creation of off balance sheet entities is one of the usual ways of using the OBSF for the advantage of the firm. These separate legal entities were permissible under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and tax laws. According to Rick Wayman 2002 'off-balance-sheet' refers to separate legal entities comprising of separate or subsidiary companies where the parent company holds the majority of the shares. It also covers the contingent liabilities of the firm represented by the letters of credit or loans to separate legal entities which are guaranteed by the parent company. While these items are allowed to be excluded from the financial statements of the parent company, GAAP requires them to be shown by way of foot notes attached to the balance sheet and other financial statements. This way the parent company could fianc the new venture without diluting the existing shareholders equity or adding to the external borrowings

The events industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

The events industry - Essay Example Events are similar to theater demonstrates in the way that there is one and only opportunity to make everything right and afterward the experience is over and it wont be reproduced in the same way until kingdom come. These passing yet compelling encounters are what event organizers offer. Arranging an event, for example, a wedding, absolution, memorial service or a corporate Christmas gathering includes a mix of customs and development that need to consummately fit the necessities of the customers. Recognized a standard of inventiveness in light of the fact that what she makes is the appearance of a thought or a dream, the planner is attempting to make excellent and valuable articles, transmitting stylish feelings. There are four noticeable subjects that are offered in the writing with respect to development in innovative commercial ventures: individuals, spots, items and approaches, and we will quickly exhibit the primary discoveries of past exploration throughout this area to pick the classes then as examination zones. The locus of development in inventive commercial enterprises is both near the business sector and circulated inside a system of elements that help the last item or administration. Organizations in innovative businesses have available to them various parkways for permitting customers to partake in the development transform: (an) opening up the organizations limits, (b) opening the item/benefit for co-creation, and (c) arranging character merging around items or administrations (Parmentier and Mangematin, 2012). In addition customers, organizations in innovative businesses additionally work with undertaking built systems implicit light of casual examples of association which have a tendency to rehash themselves in an arrangement of ventures and make semi-perpetual ties (Daskalaki, 2010). These systems of teammates are

Organizational Planning Verizon Wireless Essay Example for Free

Organizational Planning Verizon Wireless Essay Organizational Planning: SWOT Analysis for Verizon Wireless Before planning can begin, a framework should be built to guide the decision making process by identifying what the overall goal is to be. At Verizon Wireless, the mission statement, or credo, is broken into 5 sections that are the pathway for leadership within the company, as well as for internal stakeholders, to ensure the success of the company. Verizon Wireless identifies strengths as being a high quality provider of communications services, being committed to customers through teamwork, and acknowledging that just being the biggest is not the same as being the best. By identifying weaknesses such as being reactive to competitor offerings, pricing structure of plans, and the perceived lack of a global presence, reviewing the credo can initiate change to address these weaknesses and create opportunities from them. Identifying the opportunities of network infrastructure growth, simplification of pricing plans for both businesses and consumers, and providing varied equipment pricing options allow the company to address some of the weaknesses. Threats are identified as competition from other providers, market penetration for services, and proposed regulations from the F.C.C. with regard to net neutrality. As a whole, these identified areas provide the roadmap to achieve success for both the internal and external stakeholders. When setting a long term goal, or strategic plan, the credo is consulted to ensure that the areas identified in the SWOT are being addressed. With a strategic plan in place, Verizon Wireless can set long term goals on how they plan to broaden their strengths, lessen their weaknesses, capitalize on their opportunities and minimize the threats. One of these strategic plans in place is to grow market share by gaining additional customers. Long term growth of customers is fundamental to the longevity of the company. Without new customers the company becomes stale and profits may fall. Both the internal and external stakeholders would be unhappy if Verizon Wireless did not provide a value to them either  monetarily or through the service itself. Review and confirmation of programs being offered to customers is constantly being revised as changes within the marketplace dictate. This long term strategic planning will be fluid as the needs of the customer change. An operational plan has a shorter time line to achieve the goal. The target of initiating new growth through new products and service can be accomplished through the Verizon Wireless Partner Program. The adoption of new technology and integration of devices ensure Verizon Wireless to achieves this goal going forward by partnering with companies to provide equipment and services. According to Partnerships Verizon (n.d.), Verizon’s award-winning Partner Program focuses on better serving the needs of customers by enabling them to simplify how they consume communications and IT services in a way that best meets their needs, while giving them access to the full Verizon portfolio. Whether teaming with Verizon directly, indirectly through program members, or as a hybrid, customers can take advantage of Verizon’s next-generation services portfolio.† (2). These types of partnerships build from the commitment that Verizon Wireless has stated, â€Å"We hold ourselves to a very high standard of performance. We prize innovative ideas and the teamwork it takes to make them happen. We never stop asking ourselves how we can make the customer experience better, and every day we find new answers.† (Commitment Values, n.d.) In this operational plan, the internal stakeholder is satisfied because the company is initiating new growth, and the external stakeholder is satisfied because the new products and services are providing additional revenue. With both strategic and operational plans in place, Verizon Wireless is poised to achieve success in both the near term as well as far into the future. Reference Verizon Wireless. (n.d.). Commitment Values. Retrieved 2/28/15 from http://verizonwireless.com/about/commitment-values Verizon Wireless. (n.d.). Partnerships Verizon. Retrieved 2/28/15, from http://www.verizon.com/about/our-company/partnerships/ (2)

The performance of Engro Corporation Limited

The performance of Engro Corporation Limited Engro Corporation limited is mainly known as a fertilizer producer and supplier in the Pakistan but currently operating in many other areas as well. In fertilizers, as a core product, the company offers nitrogenous, phosphate, blended fertilizers, and micro nutrients, such as zinc sulphate. Through its subsidiaries, company also operates in chemical terminal and storage, PVC resin manufacturing and marketing, industrial control and automation businesses, dairy food and power generation businesses. The company was previously known as Engro Chemical Pakistan Limited but in result of being converted into a holding company structure company has changed its name to Engro Corporation Limited in January 2010 and now the company has become Pakistans largest conglomerate being involved in the businesses from fertilizer manufacturing to food production and power generation. The volum of sales in 2009 was almost Rs32000 million (USD 450m) and total fixed assets are about Rs94000 million (USD 13 00m). Engro Corporation Limited was established in Pakistan in 1965 as a subsidiary of Exxon ltd (USA). BUSINESSES OF THE COMPANY Company engages in different products within different subsidiaries called, Engro Fertilizers Limited Engro Foods Limited Engro Polymer HYPERLINK http://engro.com/our-businesses/engro-polymer-chemicals-limited/HYPERLINK http://engro.com/our-businesses/engro-polymer-chemicals-limited/ Chemicals Limited Engro Powergen Limited Engro EXIMP Private Limited Engro Vopak Terminal Limited Avanceon Limited HISTORY In 1957, the search for oil by Pak Stanvac, an Esso/Mobil joint venture led to the discovery of the Mari Gas field near Daharki a small, remote area in Upper Sindh province at the time. Esso proposed the establishment of a urea plant in that area which led to a fertilizer plant agreement signed in 1964. In the subsequent year, Esso Pakistan Fertilizer Company Limited was incorporated, with 75% of the shares owned by Esso and 25% by the general public. The construction of a urea plant commenced at Daharki in 1966 and production began in 1968. At US $43 million with an annual production capacity of 173,000 tons, it was the single largest foreign investment by a multinational corporation in Pakistan at the time. A full-fledged marketing organization was established which undertook agronomic programs to educate the farmers of Pakistan. As the nations first fertilizer brand, Engro (then Esso) helped modernize traditional farming practices to boost farm yields, directly impacting the quality of life not only for farmers and their families, but for the nation at large. As a result of these efforts, consumption of fertilizers increased in Pakistan, paving the way for the Companys branded urea called Engro, an acronym for Energy for Growth. As part of an international name change program, Esso became Exxon in 1978 and the Company was renamed Exxon Chemical Pakistan Limited. The Company continued to prosper as it relentlessly pursued productivity gains and strived to attain professional excellence. In 1991, Exxon decided to divest its fertilizer business on a global basis. The employees of Exxon Chemical Pakistan Limited, in partnership with leading international and local financial institutions, bought out Exxons 75% equity. This was at the time and perhaps still is the most successful employee buy-out in the corporate history of Pakistan. Renamed as Engro Chemical Pakistan Limited, the Company has gone from strength to strength, reflected in its consistent financial performance, growth of the core fertilizer business, and diversification into other businesses. Along the way, a major milestone in plant capacity upgrade coincided with the employee led buy-out; innovatively optimizing our resources, Engro relocated fertilizer manufacturing plants from the UK and US to its Daharki plant site an international first. Engro Chemical Pakistan Limited then started a journey of venturing into other sectors including foods, energy, industrial control and automation, PVC resin manufacturing and marketing, and chemical terminal and storage. In 2009 plans were announced of demerging the fertilizer business into an independent operating company. The expansion and growth in the company necessitated a change in the way the company operated and conducted business. Keeping in view the operations of multi category businesses, expansion strategy and growth vision, the management decided that the various businesses would be better served if the Company was converted to a holding company. As a result it was decided to demerge the fertilizer business and establish a holding company structure to manage the affairs of various businesses. Engro Fertilizers Limited was incorporated in June 2009 to manage the fertilizer business post demerger. The demerger required the approval of the High Court of Sindh, which was granted on December 9, 2009 after obtaining the requisite approvals from the creditors and shareholders of the Company. The demerger became effective from January 1, 2010. Consequently, all fertilizer business assets and liabilities have been transferred to Engro Fertilizers Limited against the issue of shares to the Company. To reflect the change in the scope of mandate and scale of operations, Engro Chemical Pakistan Limited has been renamed as Engro Corporation Limited with effect from January 1, 2010. Engro Corp, as the holding company is responsible for the long term vision of the company, overseeing the performance of the subsidiaries and affiliates. OVERVIEW OF THE PAST LEADERSHIP Mr. Zaffar A. Khan President Chief Executive Officer, 1997-2004 Mr. S. R. Mirza PresidentCEO 1988 1997 Mr. H. I. Kazmi President, 1981-1988 Mr. J. E. Brewer President, 1977-1981 Mr. A. H. Connellee President, 1974-1977 Mr. George B. Sweeney President, 1972-1974 Mr. Selby Harney President, 1969-1972 Mr. M. C. Fuqua President 1965-1969 (Above leadership structure does not include the present leadership and the purpose to picturise these leaders is only to describe the international involvement in the history of the organization) VISION To become the premier Pakistani enterprise with a global reach. MISSION In order to create values for its Stakeholders Companys mission is to grow `its business in profitable, ethical and sustainable way .Growth and sustainability are basic targets of the mission. Well conducting in the areas of allocating capital for different projects, managing talent, developing leadership, guiding the HR policies, public relationing, marketing its products and services and taking the corporative social responsibility etc are the key factors to be involved with. These areas of responsibility, in fact, provide the base to set a mission. And achieving the mission is then, providing a track to reach the organizations vision. THE ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN Asteriois G Kefalas in his book, Global business strategy: A system approach, explains that how and why an environment is concerned to a nature of business and business organization. THE MACROENVIRONMENT Macro environment is actually a big picture of the surrounding environment in which a business and organization operates. Understanding the macro environment of a country or the world requires understanding the relationship between humans and their natural habitat. The resources and the carrying capacities of the natural habitat affect both the quantitative aspects (such as population volume and growth rates) and the cultural aspects (such as social, political, and economic behaviours) of human life. MICROENVIRONMENT The microenvironment has been defined as a particular organizations external business environment. Studying the micro business environment helps manager to set the organizations objectives by matching the organizations internal strengths and weaknesses with the uncontrollable probabilities within that specific business environment. Engro Corporation limited operates in that part of the world where dramatic and unexpected changes are always expected that requires the organizations analysts and mangers to keep an extreme eye on whats going on. Here i am going to present different analysis to help understand the environment in which Engro corporation exist. PESTLE Pestle analysis categorically involves the factors which are directly concerned to the macro environment and they are Political, economical, social, technological, legal and ecological. POLITICAL Pakistan is currently suffering from political turmoil. On one hand where it is struggling against the issue of terrorism which involves the international community and international politics on the other hand its facing internal political instability. Because of the continuous military interference into government and politics the Political forces, in the past, have not had enough chance to practice fundamental democratic values. In result both political forces and the people of Pakistan have not yet been able to achieve the political maturity which can be seen in the western, American and other democracy dominant societies. The overall situation is further resulting into the empowerment of unreliable and corrupt executives who are usually responsible of making economic and social policies. That is why Pakistan is not achieving required economic and social goals yet. The policy makers usually involve in taking kick backs and turning policies into their personal interest, after 9/11 the war against terror has put a great impact on Pakistan and is actually resulting into the destruction of peace of the country. International communities and investors are hesitating to invest in Pakistan. Even though the tax policy, employment laws, environmental regulations, trade restrictions and tariff regulations have been formulated but implementation on these policies is not being conducted in mannered way. Also there is a need of brining new economic and agriculture reforms.Especialy the agriculture tax reforms where the per unit land tax price has been a big issue over the times. Employment laws have been formulated according to the international standards but child labour issue needs to be addressed on war grounds. Being a member of WTO Pakistan supports the free market and free trade ideology but in fact no such free market is in practice in the modern world. Every country has some trade barriers to protect local industry, so does Pakistan. An anti dumping duty ordinanc e is in place to protect local industry that also encourages local industrialists to invest further. The tariff rates and policies are being reviewed over the time. Having all these positive indications Pakistan still needs to modernize the trade and industrial sectors by developing transparent policies. In the current time the civil society of Pakistan seems to be awakening to break the political and feudal status quo that will help Pakistan, in future, to develop a civilized political culture. When we analyze the Engro Corporation having the above environment in backgrounds and beyond we need to give considerable attention to the Engros internal strengths and weaknesses. Here i would talk about Engross internal strengths in comparison of that particular environment. On one hand Engro has tried to keep away from being politically attached to that atmosphere and has concentrated properly on its business which has helped it to become not polluted professional organization. On the other hand Engro has been complying with the countrys law and cultural values. Because of the strong internal culture and commercialism company has strengthen itself to compete with various kinds of political circumstances. ECONOMICAL Pakistans economic growth rate is currently 5.5% which was 8% once in 2005 but huge shortage of electricity and political instability has affected the growth rate. Economic growth of Pakistan can be seen through gross domestic purchasing power parity, which was estimated to be $454.2 billion in 2008. Official exchange rate was approximately $160.9 billion, while real growth rate in 2008 GDP of Pakistan, as per statistical data was found to be 4.7 percent. GDP per capita income was $2,600 in 2008. Interest rates are slightly high in Pakistan because of IMF conditional bailout programme and were rose by 15% in 2009.purcasing power of Pakistanis has been shaken up by 13% of inflation rate. Wage rates, minimum wages and 60 hours per week working time in manufacturing sector and 48 hours in service sectors are very suitable for large and international businesses. High percentage of unemployment is resulting to be suitable for cheap labour provision but it increases the inflation rate that affects business directly on the other hand. Countrys cost of living is lower comparing to developed countries. Engro Corporation is directly affected by these factors. Engro has tried to take benefit from availability of cheap labour but interest rates are putting a negative effect on engros internal economy because it has financing relations with most banks in Pakistan also with some international banks like HSBC,Barclays etc . Inflation rate is also affecting engro especially engro foods which involves direct relation with public purchasing power on broad levels. On the other side the global economy is facing a downturn in recent times. The economic recession has rolled largest economies in the world. Engro needs to have a deep look on this factor in order to develop strategies for international perspective. SOCIAL Pakistan is an agricultural country, 70% population living in rural areas, 98% population is Muslim. 42% population under 15 years of age only 4% over 64 years of age .2% per year population growth rate, 65% literacy rate. The geographic area of country is known to be one of oldest civilizations in the world. But because of poor economic condition the awareness about health consciousness, safety and global warming has not been very significant but now the awareness ratio on these issues is rising rapidly in the society. Increasing literacy rate especially in IT and engineering sectors have changed the career attitudes in the country. A strong business and industry culture is developing itself influencing by different factors. Engro Corporation is directly serving to 96%of the countrys population. A large portion is covered by engro fertilizer. Engro foods is taking health consciousness into the consideration for its product development. Engro is building Pakistans first green power h ouse to tackle the global warming issue. International health and safety standards have been achieved by Engro within all its industries especially in chemical industry. Providing employment on large scale Engro has shared the change in career attitudes. TECHNOLOGICAL In the modern age technology is advancing and improving every day. These advances are not only influencing corporate businesses but equally influencing the societies as a whole by bringing the change into social behaviours. On the corporate level as the organizations adopting the horizontal and vertical integrating method, Getting as more as possible technological strength is a powerful weapon to achieve the corporative integrity. Pakistan as a developing country needs technological advancement in every sector of economy ranging from electricity generation, road construction, port and airport developments, data base structuring, information technology railway, food industry, oil and gas sector, logistics and many more. Government is privatizing and out sourcing mega projects and multi industry sectors to save costs and to gain financial balance. Especially in oil and energy sectors Pakistan needs huge investments. These requirements and circumstances are actually a massive potential market for the organizations which have well-built technological resources. Engro takes advantage from this availability and has offered in sourcing to the government in multi sectors like currently working on a power house project with the collaboration of government. The project is called Thar coal power project which is spouse to produce 1200MW electricity for the country using coal reserves. ENVIRONMENTAL Being a developing country Pakistan is considered to be one of those countries where the ecological and environmental aspect needs special concentration. Pakistan has six metropolitan cities which have heavy industry manufacturing textile, leather products, fertilizers, steel goods etc. Most of the countrys vehicles run on diesel and petrol. Small level industry like brick making and small steel melting units leave a big amount of carbondyoxide in the air. Clean drinking water is also a big issue in the country. Handling and recycling wastage from manufacturing sector is most critical aspect of the ecological concerns in Pakistan. On the other hand diseases due to dirty water and improper food are also a challenge for the country. All above issues are influencing Pakistan both economically and socially. But on the same time there is a huge potential for investments from eco friendly organizations to compete against these challenges. Implementation on environmental regulations is on h igh demand from the global society as well. Engro being part in this environment is playing its role by internally implementing the related laws and standards like , process safety, workforce safety, workplace health, food safety, risk assessment, and environmental performance. In the field engro is building Pakistans first green power house in Sindh province and looks ahead for many other projects. LEGAL Having been developed with in business laws and taxation laws according to the international standard legal situatations in Pakistan are at satisfactory level. Recent business legislations have helped the country to be suitable for international investments. No restrictions on joint ventures and revision of tax ordinance 2001-2002 are the latest achievements towards investment friendly society. But overall small tax base and unsatisfactory tax collection system along with economic and political situations present a negative impact on countrys economy. Also implementation on import/export laws concerning duty and custom tax is significantly lacking. But now as the modern educated youth is entering into the countrys judicial and legislative institutions the overall circumstances are getting better and better. Also the awareness about economic globalization in the general population is increasing day by day that will soon reflect into the more betterment of legislation and legalization circumstances. To protect the local fertilizer industry government has passed a law of imposing anti-dumping duty on fertilizers import and has allowed the industry to import fertilizer plant equipments without paying any tax . Beyond the facility of taxation policy and joint venture legalization in Pakistan Engro has taken a step of being part of an international business joint venture that is called Avanceon Advanced Automation LP, a leading provider of technology solutions to manufacturers In north US, Innovative Automation Engineering, FZ, a leading Dubai based engineering system integration company serving Middle East and African Oil Gas, Water, Waste Water, Infrastructure, and Manufacturing industries; and Engro Innovative Automation Pvt. Ltd., a global provider of industrial automation and engineering support products and services announced a joint venture under the name of AVANCEON. PORTE FIVE ANALYSIS

Gene Therapy Methods and Delivery Systems

Gene Therapy Methods and Delivery Systems Genes the units of heredity â€Å"There can be little doubt that the idea of ‘the gene’ has been the central organizing theme of twentieth century biology† philosopher and biochemist Lenny Moss claimed in 2003. A gene is the basic unit of heredity in a living organism. Genes hold the information to build and maintain their cells and pass genetic traits to offspring. In general terms, a gene is a segment of nucleic acid that, taken as a whole, specifies a trait. The biological entity responsible for defining traits was termed a gene, but the biological basis for inheritance remained unknown until DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) was identified as the genetic material in the 1940s. In cells, a gene is a portion of DNA that contains both coding sequences that determine what the gene does, and non-coding sequences that determine when the gene is active (expressed). When a gene is active, the coding and non-coding sequences are copied in a process called transcription, producing an RNA (Ribonucleic ac id) copy of the genes information. RNA can then direct synthesis of proteins via the genetic code. In other cases, the RNA is used directly, for example, as part of the ribosome. The molecules resulting from gene expression, whether RNA or protein, are known as gene products, and are responsible for the development and functioning of all living things. Every cell requires a host of genes that act as blueprints of all the proteins essential for its proper functioning. DNA is a linear polymer of deoxynucleotide monomers. Chemically speaking, it has a double helical structure of two polynucleotide chains held together by hydrogen bonds between the complementary base pairs of the nucleotide strands. Each nucleotide in DNA is comprised of three components, a heterocyclic base, a sugar (2-deoxyribose) and a phosphate group. The nucleotides in a polynucleotide chain are connected through phosphodiester bonds. The nitrogenous bases are of two types, namely, purine based adenine (A) guanine (G), and pyrimidine based cytosine (C) thymine (T). In DNA, base pairs form only between A T and G C and thus the base sequence of each single strand can be deduced from that of its complementary strand. Gene Therapy: Molecular Bandage? Gene therapy is believed by many to be the therapy of the twenty first century because it aims to eradicate cause rather than symptoms of diseases by delivering a normal functioning copy of the mutated gene and its associated regulatory elements into the cell nucleus (1-3). It is a technique whereby an absent or a faulty gene is replaced by a working gene, so that the body can make the correct enzyme or protein and consequently eliminate the root cause of the disease. A potential approach for treating genetic disorders is gene therapy. The most likely candidates for future gene therapy trials will be single gene disorders like, cystic fibrosis, hemophilia, familial hypercholesterolemia, ADA deficiency, Gaucher disease, alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency etc. Apart from these monogenic disorders, gene therapy also holds the potential of treating acquired diseases such as cancer, by inhibiting oncogene expression or by restoring tumor suppressor genes or through immunomodulation (i.e. by i ncreasing immune response to tumor antigens). Cardiovascular diseases too remain as one of the most â€Å"promising† targets for gene therapy because of the ready accessibility of the vascular system for gene transfer (4). Types of Gene Therapy: Depending on the type of cells into which genes are transferred a process popularly known as â€Å"transfection†. Gene therapy can be broadly classified into two types: Somatic cell Germline gene therapy. Somatic Cell gene therapy: This type of therapy involves the transfection of somatic (non-reproductive) cells especially of those tissues in which expression of the concerned gene is critical for health. Expression of the introduced gene relieves/eliminates symptoms of the disorder, but this effect is not heritable. Germline gene therapy: This type of therapy involves gene transfer into reproductive cells (egg or sperm cells). Here germ cells are modified by the introduction of functional genes, which are ordinarily integrated into their genomes. It would change the genetic pool of the entire human species, and future generations would have to live with that  change. Depending upon the method of correcting the faulty gene, gene therapy can be classified into the following categories: Gene augmentation therapy: This type of therapy is the most appropriate one for the treatment of inherited diseases caused by the loss of a functional gene. It involves supplementing the body cells with a functional copy of the lost gene so that the missing protein is expressed at sufficient levels in the body. It is only suitable if the pathogenic effects of the disease are reversible. Gene inhibition therapy: Its aim is to introduce a gene whose product inhibits the expression of the pathogenic gene or interferes with the activity of its product (5). Suicide gene therapy: This method is best suited for a disease like cancer where the aim is to eliminate a certain population of cells. It involves the transfection of such cells with a suicide gene, whose product is toxic. The suicide genes should be appropriately targeted to avoid widespread cell death (6). Depending upon the mode of delivering genes into a patient’s body, gene therapy can be classified into the following two types: Ex vivo gene therapy: In ex vivo gene therapy, gene transfer occurs outside the patient’s body. This is again sub-divided into two types viz, Autologous Non-autologous. Autologous gene therapy involves the transfection of cells derived from the patient followed by the re-introduction of these cells into the patient’s body. Non-autologous gene therapy involves the transfection of cells not derived from the patient’s body. In vivo gene therapy: In this method the therapeutic gene is directly introduced into the body by injection or by inhalation with the help of a suitably designed vector. Gene Delivery Vectors: Key to Success in Gene therapy Gene therapy, as a novel therapeutic modality, holds enormous promise for the treatment of a multitude of human diseases. However, till date it has failed regrettably in spite of more than 1500 clinical trials completed or currently underway around the world. The primary reason for the failure of the clinical success of gene therapy is the lack of efficient gene delivery agents, commonly referred to as transfection vectors. However, since the biological cell surfaces are negatively charged (due to the presence of glycoproteins and glycolipids containing negatively charged sialic acid residues on cell surface), spontaneous entry of polyanionic naked genes (DNA) into body cells is an inefficient process. Hence â€Å"transfer vehicle† or a â€Å"vector† in needed to condense the macromolecular DNA and to help it in crossing the plasma membrane barrier. Again delivery of therapeutic DNA to the desired body tissue is important to overcome adverse affects. In other words, the problems of developing clinically viable gene therapy methods and designing safe efficient gene delivery reagents are inseparable: shortcomings in one is going to adversely affe ct the success of the other. Hence, realization of the full potential of gene therapy will depend, in a major way, on the future development of safe and efficient gene delivery vectors. The Ideal Vector!!! A â€Å"perfect† or an â€Å"ideal† vector would resemble a traditional pharmaceutical and should have the following characteristics: (a) should be capable of efficiently delivering to its target an expression cassette carrying one or more genes of the size suitable for clinical application, (b) must not elicit an immune response, (c) should not induce inflammation and thus be safe for the recipient, (d) can be produced in bulk at an acceptable cost with reproducibility, (e) should be stable on storage, and finally, it should express the gene (or genes) it carries for as long as required in a strictly regulated manner. No single vector currently available has all these desired properties and each vector presently in use has its own pros and cons. However, it is important to realize that there cannot be a â€Å"universal† vector, optimally useful for all gene therapy applications. This is due to the fact that each disease will have a unique set of technical requirements, and the â€Å"perfect† vector for a specific disease should be optimized in accordance with these requirements. For example, some diseases will require local delivery of the transgene (e.g., ischemia, retinitis pigmentosa, parkinson’s disease, etc.) while others likecancer and atherosclerosis necessitate systemic delivery. In some cases, only a transient, short-lived gene expression will be needed (e.g., therapeutic angiogenesis, cancer) while in monogenic disorders, such as familial hypercholesterolemia, hemophilia and SCID a long term (sometimes life long) gene expression is mandatory (1). The future clinical success of gene therapy will certainly depend on the uphill task of designing â€Å"tailor-made† vector systems for the treatment of specific diseases. The efforts to design a â€Å"perfect vehicle† for the membrane-impermeable DNA have so far led to the development of many methods based on the principles of biology (viral vectors), physics (microinjection, electroporation, particle bombardment, hydrostatic pressure, and ultrasound) and chemistry (synthetic vectors like cationic lipids polymers). Each of these methods has its intrinsic advantages and disadvantages. Viral Vectors: Nature’s Own Infecting Vehicles Viruses have evolved specific mechanisms through the course of evolution to deliver their genetic material into host cells and then hijack the cell’s biosynthetic machinery to produce new viral particles (7). Thus, owing to their natural ability to infect cells, they can be used as vectors in gene therapy by replacing the genes that are essential for replication phase of their life cycle with the therapeutic genes of interest. Majority of the clinical trials currently underway around the world are based on the use of mainly five categories of viruses, namely, retrovirus, adenovirus, adeno-associated virus, lentivirus and herpes simplex virus. Retroviruses: These are a class of enveloped viruses containing a single stranded RNA molecule (approximately 10 kb). Inside the host cell, the RNA is reverse transcribed into double stranded DNA, which in turn integrates into the host genome and is expressed as viral proteins (8). These are the most promising and widely used viral vectors used for gene therapy applications to date. Advantages: Rapidly dividing cancer cells can be targeted by using these viruses. Enters into cells efficiently and gives long lasting gene expression due to stable integration. Disadvantages: Only infects dividing cells, capable of producing tumorigenic mutagenesis due to random integration, unable to deliver larger genomic sequences. Again, it can insert the genetic material of the virus in any arbitrary position in the genome of the host- it randomly shoves the genetic material into a chromosome. Adenoviruses: These are the second most commonly used viruses for gene delivery. They carry a double stranded linear DNA chromosome of approximately 36 kb. Unlike retroviruses, adenoviruses deliver their genetic payload outside the chromosome and are thus less likely to disrupt the cell’s genome (9). But it is immunogenic and may cause inflammation and tissue damage. Adeno-associated viruses (AAV): They contain a single stranded DNA of approximately 4.7 kb surrounded by a protein coat (10) and can integrate at a specific site in human chromosome 19. AAV does not contain any viral genes and contains only the therapeutic gene and it does not integrate into the genome. It requires co-infection with a â€Å"helper† adenovirus for propagation. The advantage of AAV is that it is a non-pathogenic virus but the size for the exogenous DNA it can deliver is limited due to its smaller genome. The difficulty in large scale production is an additional disadvantage. Envelope protein pseudo typing of viral vectors: The envelope proteins on each of these viruses bind to cell-surface molecules make facile attachment to and entry into a susceptible cell. The potential for off-target cell modification would be limited, and many concerns from the medical community would be alleviated. Although viruses are the most efficient gene transfer vehicles available to date, their widespread clinical success has been impeded by the following major drawbacks: (a) Viruses are notorious for eliciting an immune response which, apart from posing a serious threat to the host, also makes a second dose of the same viral vector ineffective due to the production of high level of antibodies against the viral structural components following its initial administration. In 1999, the death of 18-year old Jesse Gelsinger, undergoing gene therapy for ornithine transcarboxylase deficiency, was believed to be triggered by a severe immune response to the adenoviral vector used. (b) Size restriction on the genetic material that can be encapsulated within the viral particles. (c) Possibility of random integration into host genome leading to the risk of inducing tumorigenic mutations (d) Purification of recombinant vector, verifying the sequence, transfecting the packaging cells, isolating and titering the transgenic virus and finally transducing the target cells are time consuming and labor intensive steps. Collectively, all of these complications associated with the use of viral vectors have prompted researchers around the world to develop artificial non-viral transfection vectors. Non-Viral Methods: Although the gene transfer efficacies of the viral vectors are unmatched till date, the above mentioned serious immunogenic concerns associated with their use have led to the development of non-viral methods for gene therapy. The non-viral vectors offer many advantages over their viral counterparts including significantly lower toxicity and immunogenicity, size independent transfer of nucleic acids, very low frequency of integration, relative ease of large-scale production, simpler quality control and substantially easier pharmaceutical and regulatory requirements. The non-viral transfection methods could be broadly classified into two types: Physical methods and Chemical methods. Physical Methods for Gene Delivery: Physical methods involve the direct introduction of genes into the target cells or tissues thereby avoiding the introduction of any foreign substance like a virus or a synthetic vector. Hence, no serious immunogenic concerns are associated with their application. The required genes are inserted via microinjection, electroporation or particle bombardment (gene gun). Microinjection: In this method, the DNA is directly injected into the nuclei of target cells using a fine glass needle under microscope. Although this method is seductively simple, it is difficult to apply clinically. While this method of gene transfer is nearly 100% efficient, it is laborious and time-consuming, typically allowing only a few hundred cells ( Electroporation: This technique involves the perturbation of the cell membrane by an electric pulse for a few microseconds resulting in the formation of transient pores thereby allowing the exogenous DNA to enter the cell cytoplasm. Although there is no limit on the size of DNA that could be delivered via electroporation, the gene transfer efficiency is low and there is high incidence of cell death (12). Gene Gun: In this method, plasmid DNA is coated onto micron size tungsten or gold micro particles and then propelled into cells using either electrostatic force or gas (Helium) pressure. The high velocity results in some DNA being trapped by a few cells and then it may be expressed at sufficient levels. This technique is fast, simple and safe and has been successfully employed to deliver nucleic acids to cultured cells as well as to cells in vivo especially gene transfer to skin (13) and superficial wounds. Chemical Methods of Gene Delivery: DEAE-Dextran: Diethylaminoethyl-dextran (DEAE-dextran) is a polycationic derivative of the carbohydrate polymer, dextran and was one of the first chemical reagents used for transfer of nucleic acids into mammalian cells (14). Owing to its positive charge, DEAE-dextran forms an electrostatic complex with the polyanionic DNA. This technique of delivering genes into cells is simple, reproducible and cost effective. However, it could prove toxic to the target cells especially when DMSO or glycerol is used as a supplementary chemical shock to increase gene transfer efficiency. Secondly, this method is not generally useful for stable transfection studies that require integration of the transferred DNA into the chromosome. A major disadvantage of this method is its ability to transfect a limited variety of cells, e.g. phagocytic cells. Calcium Phosphate: Calcium phosphate co-precipitation method for DNA delivery was first introduced by Graham and Van Der Eb in 1972 (15). This technique involves mixing of DNA with calcium chloride and then carefully adding this mixture to a phosphate buffered saline solution followed by incubation at room temperature. The finely divided DNA containing precipitate thus formed is taken up by the cells via endocytosis or phagocytosis. The main advantages of the calcium phosphate method are its simplicity, low cost, and its applicability to a wide variety of cell types. Moreover, it could be used for transient as well as stable transfection studies. The main drawbacks of the technique involve its sensitivity to slight changes in buffer salt concentrations, temperature, and pH, as well as its relatively poor transfection efficiency compared to newer transfection methods. Cationic Polymers: A wide range of organic polymers has been used for gene transfection, the most popular being polylysine polyethylenimine (PEI) (16). These have a high cationic charge density that condenses DNA into positively charged particles capable of interacting with anionic cell surfaces and entering cells via endocytosis. PEI also exhibits extensive buffering capacity across a wide range of pH which protects DNA inside the endosome from degradation via endosomal swelling and rupture. Dendrimers represent another class of polymers used for gene delivery. They consist of three-dimensional, bifurcated, branched structures called dendrons. The polyamidoamine (PAMAM) family of dendrimers has been shown to be very useful for transfection (17). Cationic Liposomes: â€Å"The Artificial Fat Bubbles† Liposomes, in general, have long been viewed as bio-compatible drug/gene delivery reagents owing to their structural similarity to cell membranes. They are spherical bilayers composed of individual lipids enclosing a watery interior. Each lipid possesses a hydrophilic head group attached via a linker to a large hydrophobic domain. When exposed to an aqueous environment, these amphiphiles spontaneously form large spherical structures known as liposomes above a certain critical vesicular concentration (CVC). Within the sphere, lipids are arranged back-to-back in bilayers with the polar hydrophilic group facing outwards shielding the hydrophobic domain from the aqueous solution. Liposomes may be unilamellar (composed of a single bilayer) or multilamellar (composed of many concentric bilayers). The multilamellar liposome (MLV) upon sonication followed by repeated extrusion through polycarbonate membranes of defined pore size assume the size of small unilamellar vesicle (SUV, 30-100 nm) o r large unilamellar vesicle (LUV, 150-250 nm) (Figure 1).

Marlow and Kurtz in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness Essay -- Heart D

Marlow and Kurtz in Heart of Darkness The main character in Conrad's novel, Heart of Darkness, isKurtz. Kurtz no longer obeys the authority of his superiors who believe that he has become too extreme and has come to employ "unsound methods" (Coppola, 1979; Longman, 2000). Marlow is sent to retrieve Kurtz from the evil influences in the Congo, and a wild journey on a tainted river ensues.   Along the way, Marlow learns about the real Kurtz and finds himself identifying with and becoming dangerously fond of the man. By the time Marlow and Kurtz meet, Marlow is already well aware of the similarities they share. Both are imperialists, and while Marlow detests the treatment of the natives by his employers (Belgian colonists), he also makes apparent his abhorrence toward the Africans. On the other hand, Kurtz abandons the pretense of helping the natives achieve civilization, as displayed by the Europeans. Instead, he adopts their customs and becomes their leader in the never-ending quest for ivory. "He began with the argument that we whites, from the point of development we had arrived at, 'must necessarily appear to them [savages] in the nature of the supernatural beings- we approach them with the might as of a deity' (Longman, 2000, p. 2226). Marlow also admired Kurtz' resourcefulness and survival skills, especially his perseverence through jungle fever. "The wilderness had patted him on the head....it had taken him, loved him, embraced him, got into his veins, consumed his flesh, and sealed his s oul to its own by the inconceivable ceremonies of some devilish initiation. He was its spoiled and pampered favorite." (Longman, 2000, p. 2225). Before the boat can reach Kurtz's outpost, it is "attacked" by the local natives. M... ...il of desire, temptation, and surrender during that supreme moment of complete knowledge? He cried in a whisper at some image, at some vision,-he cried out twice, a cry that was no more that a breath- 'The horror! The horror!' "(Longman, 2000, p. 2240). This is what distinguishes the two men; Kurtz abandoned himself and went over the edge, but Marlow is aware of just how close he was to becoming what Kurtz was.    Works Cited and Consulted Coppola, Frances Ford. Apocalypse Now. Metro Goldwyn Mayer/ United Artists. Video: Prarmount Home Video. 1979. Conrad, Joseph.   Heart of Darkness 3rd ed.   Ed. Robert Kimbrough. New York:   Norton Critical, 1988. Longman. The Longman Anthology of British Literature, vol. B. Damrosch, D. (ed.). NY, LA: Addison Wesley Longman, Inc. 2000. Meyers, Jeffrey.   Joseph Conrad.   New York:   Charles Scribner's Sons, 1991. Marlow and Kurtz in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness Essay -- Heart D Marlow and Kurtz in Heart of Darkness The main character in Conrad's novel, Heart of Darkness, isKurtz. Kurtz no longer obeys the authority of his superiors who believe that he has become too extreme and has come to employ "unsound methods" (Coppola, 1979; Longman, 2000). Marlow is sent to retrieve Kurtz from the evil influences in the Congo, and a wild journey on a tainted river ensues.   Along the way, Marlow learns about the real Kurtz and finds himself identifying with and becoming dangerously fond of the man. By the time Marlow and Kurtz meet, Marlow is already well aware of the similarities they share. Both are imperialists, and while Marlow detests the treatment of the natives by his employers (Belgian colonists), he also makes apparent his abhorrence toward the Africans. On the other hand, Kurtz abandons the pretense of helping the natives achieve civilization, as displayed by the Europeans. Instead, he adopts their customs and becomes their leader in the never-ending quest for ivory. "He began with the argument that we whites, from the point of development we had arrived at, 'must necessarily appear to them [savages] in the nature of the supernatural beings- we approach them with the might as of a deity' (Longman, 2000, p. 2226). Marlow also admired Kurtz' resourcefulness and survival skills, especially his perseverence through jungle fever. "The wilderness had patted him on the head....it had taken him, loved him, embraced him, got into his veins, consumed his flesh, and sealed his s oul to its own by the inconceivable ceremonies of some devilish initiation. He was its spoiled and pampered favorite." (Longman, 2000, p. 2225). Before the boat can reach Kurtz's outpost, it is "attacked" by the local natives. M... ...il of desire, temptation, and surrender during that supreme moment of complete knowledge? He cried in a whisper at some image, at some vision,-he cried out twice, a cry that was no more that a breath- 'The horror! The horror!' "(Longman, 2000, p. 2240). This is what distinguishes the two men; Kurtz abandoned himself and went over the edge, but Marlow is aware of just how close he was to becoming what Kurtz was.    Works Cited and Consulted Coppola, Frances Ford. Apocalypse Now. Metro Goldwyn Mayer/ United Artists. Video: Prarmount Home Video. 1979. Conrad, Joseph.   Heart of Darkness 3rd ed.   Ed. Robert Kimbrough. New York:   Norton Critical, 1988. Longman. The Longman Anthology of British Literature, vol. B. Damrosch, D. (ed.). NY, LA: Addison Wesley Longman, Inc. 2000. Meyers, Jeffrey.   Joseph Conrad.   New York:   Charles Scribner's Sons, 1991.

The Postal Acceptance Rule Essay -- Business Law

Contractual agreement has always been viewed in terms of offer and acceptance. The universal principle to contract law has always been parties may get into an agreement in whichever way they deem fit and they are subject to certain terms as they choose. As far as legal requirements vital to their formation are binding contracts may be formed. Moreover a binding agreement may be manifested in terms of writing or in verbal form. One of the controversial issues in the law of contract formation has always been the issue of distance contracts. Matters regarding to the types of rules that should be used to govern this type of contracts have always been a topic of debate. One of these rules includes the age old Postal acceptance rule also known as the â€Å"postal rule† or the â€Å"Mailbox rule†. This paper seeks to examine the justification of the postal acceptance rule and its place in the modern world with the emergence of electronic means of communication Background Postal acceptance rule dates back in 1818 when it was established in a court case of (adam v lindsell) In this case the code had to reach a verdict on the moment of contract formation by post. Apparently the courts found out that the parties communicating acceptance through post office were never certain at the exact time the acceptance had been sent. Since postal communication is subject to delay, the involved parties could never be simultaneously aware of the acceptance of the communication, that is, the communication was non instantaneous. As a result this created a series of problems that in turn led to the formation of the postal acceptance rule that still is in so much use today The postal acceptance rule The postal acceptance rule as accepted in the law legal systems... ... Journal (1997): 13. poggi, chrisopher T. "Electronic commerce legislation :An analysis of European and American approaches to contract formation." Virginia journal of international (n.d.). rule", The electronic formation of contracts and the common law: "mailbox. baylor law review. 8 april 2004. scott, Dave. Should the postal acceptance rule be applied t email. 8 april 2012 . T, Poggi and Christopher. "Electronic Commerce Legislation: An analysis of European and American Approaches to Contract Formation." Virginia Journal OF International Law (2000): 224. watnick, valerie. THE ELECTRONIC FORMATION OF CONTRACTS AND THECOMMON LAW "mailbox rule". 6 november 2004. Yamaguchi, mikio. "The problem of delay in the Contract formation Process: A comparative study of contract law' ." cornell international law (2004): 357.

Integrated research Essay

Introduction A family comprises of mother, father, children, grandparents and others united together by blood or adoption. A family results from a marriage. Family structures are built through marriage and that is why it is said that proper marriages lead to proper families . The family functions that are outlined in marriage settings are almost similar and that the challenges that are experienced in the marriage are those challenges that will eventually impact negatively on the family. This research will outline various challenges that marriage as a practical identity possesses and their eventual implications in the family. Marriage Marriage can be defined as the interpersonal relationship between most commonly a man and woman who are united legally via social, religious are or governmental recognition. There are different types of marriages; †¢ Arranged marriages-this is where marriage partners are chosen by the society e. g. monarchies †¢ Boston marriage-marriage between two partners not necessarily for sex e. g. between two women. †¢ Common-law marriage- involves a class of interpersonal status where people united by a common believe on marriage law marry on that basis †¢ Digital marriage-a kind of marriage where two people with no connection in their ‘gaming’ lives come together within a virtual community and declare that they are married †¢ Covenant marriage- in this case two people come together as partners in union and make a long life commitment for the marriage. Divorce is made more difficult here. In some jurisdictions, the legal concept of marriage has been recently expanded to emerging social beliefs such as same sex marriages. Marriages are considered part and parcel human stage of life and most people believe that at one point in their lives they should get married. People marry for different reasons ranging from; to achieve social and economic stability, to have and nurture children, to form a family unit and finally to legitimize sexual relations. Marriage is considered the main factor and the pillar of a family. Better families result from better marriages as the people involved are given enough guidance to form the next generation of the family. The persons in the family learn good values and teachings from their parents hence this will ensure that any subsequent marriages are strong and stable. Contemporary critics also suggest that modern marriages have become extremely very disadvantageous for women. When it comes to economic or social considerations, women do not compare with women. Contrastingly, the continued bias towards women will mean that in the near future, mean will be on the other side of the fence-where women were in the last century. This is evident from the fact that modern policies and divorce laws have been specifically designed to protect women. However, with the emergence of same sex rights, the situation will be more complicated due to the legal prohibitions and social taboos that deny the practices full recognition. Loss Loss of one of the marriage partner leads to termination of the marriage . Loss may result form death, divorce or any other factor that will mean that one of them is left alone. This is usually disastrous for the family setting where one parent or spouse is left alone to meet all the family requirements, in a case where the children still young and need to be taken care in terms of education provision, health, love, shelter etc. Grief usually results from loss and it is very various legal systems and societal family arrangements offer different legal directions and guidance on handling properties (finances, assets etc. ) developed by the couple incase one dies or incase of a divorce. Some cultures believe that both the wife and the husband are entitled to equal property rights. Other societies also prohibit children especially the girls from inheriting the family’s assets including land. A widow may also lose family property if she decides to remarry. Partners in a marriage are jointly responsible and liable for the debts of the marriage practice and therefore if there is any misunderstanding on the responsibility of the same, then, it might be solved on an individual basis. The era of the myth ‘doctrine of necessities’ where the husband remains the sole provider for the family is gone. Today, all partners in the marriage share responsibilities equally depending on the income generation level of each.