Characterization of Grandma Essay

In the story â€Å"A Visit to Grandmother† by William Melvin Kelley, the grandma was given many characterizations based on her appearance, words, actions, and by what people say about her. All the characterization of Grandma told the readers a lot about her and made it easy for the reader to understand the story from grandma’s perspective. First off, in the story the author describes Grandma as a lucky and unique person by providing the reader with some text evidence. The author states saying that grandma has all her teeth which is unbelievable. This makes grandma unique because most people around her age have lost many of their teeth. This is one of grandma’s characterizations based on her appearance. Also, in the story Grandma told her daughter Mai, not to make the food because she does not like relying on other people, in other words she is self reliant. She does not like other people to do jobs for her just because she’s old. She might be old but she still believes that she is capable of doing things she used to do when she was younger. This is characterization of grandma based on her own words. Lastly, the reader could refer to Grandma as an unjust person based on what other people say about her. An evidence for this characterization is when one of her son said that she never treated him the same way she treated her younger son because the younger son was lighter skinned and good looking then the older son. Charles, grandma’s oldest son refers to her as an unfair person, but this was something she was never aware of because he never told her how he felt, at the end she learned something. In conclusion, grandma had many different characters some bad and some good but, after all no one is perfect. Throughout the story not only did the reader get to know Grandma, but Grandma herself got to know what kind of person she is based on her many different characters.

“Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley Essay

No matter how much two individuals are alike, there are always traits that separate one from the other. In Mary Shelley’s novel â€Å"Frankenstein†, Victor Frankenstein and Robert Walton are both seekers of knowledge who are determined to succeed. However, while Walton is able to risk everything, Frankenstein soon realizes his errors in his frenzied obsession with discovery. The novel begins with Robert Walton’s caring letters to his sister Margaret. Walton bids farewell to his â€Å"dear, excellent Margaret(9)†, and thanks her for her â€Å"love and kindness(9)†. His words display his love and affection for Margaret. Robert Walton, while seemingly unfeeling on his search for discovery, is tender to his beloved sister. In the same manner, Victor Frankenstein harbors love for Elizabeth Lavenza. Frankenstein creates a horrific killing creature, yet still has the heart to be affectionate to cousin. Even before Frankenstein looks at Elizabeth as his spouse, she was a sister to him, the same way Margaret is a sisterly character to Walton. Loneliness is another aspect that Frankenstein and Walton have in common. Although loved ones first surround Frankenstein, the Creature soon takes out his anger of life and of Victor by killing all those close to him. After those unfortunate occurrences, Frankenstein is left lonely, with only one goal, to seek revenge on the Creature. Walton’s loneliness is clearly described in his first letters to Margaret. Perhaps the most obvious similarity connecting Robert Walton and Victor Frankenstein is their quest for knowledge, or â€Å"the country of eternal life† as Walton described in a letter to his sister. Robert Walton’s perilous journey to the Arctic is very much like Frankenstein’s search for the secret of life. Walton explores unknown territory in the north. Likewise, Frankenstein delves into undiscovered territory on a theoretical basis. In the field of science, Frankenstein is very determined to achieve his goal. He describes his summer, as a time when he was â€Å"engaged, heart and soul, in one pursuit(34)†. However, as soon as his creation, the Creature, opens his eyes, Victor Frankenstein realizes his mistakes in going against nature,  thus terminating his quest to revive life. Robert Walton, on the other hand, is still persistent on his expedition. He faces many obstacles like the numbing cold and abundance of ice, but Walton has not yet faced anything like the shocking creation of the Creature, that would stop him from his task. He continues Another characteristic that separates Frankenstein and Walton is their ability to attain friends. Frankenstein is constantly surrounded by his loved ones, if not his father or Elizabeth, then it is his best friend Henry Clerval. Unlike Frankenstein, Robert Walton seems unable to make friends. In his second letter to his sister, he writes that he desperately â€Å"feels† the want of a friend(10)†. Victor Frankenstein, on the other hand, even finds a friend in M. Waldman, his professor. He is blessed with companions, though he soon loses them by the hand of the Creature. Meanwhile, Walton, having no friends finds one in Frankenstein. Victor Frankenstein and Robert Walton, both looking to achieve one goal, have many traits in common. Yet, no two people can be exactly alike, thus they also have areas in which the other lacks in. They both have love, and seek the truth. At the same time, Walton and Frankenstein have very different personalities, shown in their ability to make friends, and both go through different lengths to gain knowledge. In the end, they both learn that knowledge is not everything, and sometimes turning back is not so horrible.

Assagnment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Assagnment - Essay Example We will focus on the biggest area of its business, television. Its television division is a global company that broadcasts all over the world. Its main competitor, Company XYZ, is also a global company that broadcasts internationally. The company’s working principle is to provide the audience with what they want to see on television to obtain more viewers without sacrificing the quality of its television programs. For a television station, it is sometimes hard to weigh which is a more important aspect of television programs: quantity of viewers or quality of shows. Though many people may think that quality shows amounts to many viewers, it is often not the case. Many times, viewers switch on their television sets just to view on a program (or channel) they have patronized for a long time. It does not necessarily mean that what the station offers are what the viewers want to see. The reason for this is mainly because big television stations would rather invest on formulaic, tested programs than on risky, novel concepts that may cause the station millions. On a business financial side, this is an understandable fact. However, one can also see that if this principle continues to pre-empt the conceptualization and realization of fresh and excellent ideas, it may spell disaster in the long run. There is the risk of having the main competitor station come up with a good idea that may be a hit to the viewers. It will be a tough truth to accept if this particular â€Å"hit† idea was initially thought of by the station but was not realized due to fear of â€Å"too much risk†. This is the main reason why ABC Company thought of splitting up the Research and Concept Development Group. It is to have a section that would focus also on the qualitative side of things. This is the department that will be discussed in this paper. This department is divided into quantitative and qualitative

Why Were Gangster Films So Popular in the 1930s Essay

Why Were Gangster Films So Popular in the 1930s - Essay Example In this regard, people look for ways to spend their time productively and at times, spend time in a leisurely fashion. This latter proclivity is to have some form of entertainment to while away the hours and pass the time so as not to get bored. There are a myriad ways to get entertained such as the travelling shows, circuses and clowns of olden times to the modern video films. A good part of modern entertainment was the rise of Hollywood which cranked out a fair good number of films each year and distributed worldwide for a global audience. There are quite a number of regional film centres as well, such as the copycats of Bollywood, Arabic films of the Middle East, Asian films (Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Thai, etc.) and European films too. These films tackle a wide variety of subjects and topics, almost anything under the sun, only subject to some restraints concerning what is decent and of good morals. Pornography was in the early years of the film industry not that prevalent yet, due to the social mores back then. It is quite different today, where various media are freely accessible, such as Internet and DVD. What is decent and acceptable in films can vary within societies over time as values changed. This is why the popularity of certain film genres wax and wane over time, too. Some of the more popular film genres are action, drama, comedy, horror, adventure, epic and others like musicals, science fiction, war, Westerns, and crime and gangster. This last genre is sometimes of particular interest to movie goers and censors alike because they can portray the real-life stories of criminals and gangsters. This particular genre can be realistic enough when trying to show how criminals lived, do their trade and what they do with their loot. Portrayals can be too realistic for comfort when violence is shown on screen. Gangster films enjoyed its own period of popularity like other film trends in which audiences express their preferences. This paper examines why ga ngster films became so popular and the backlash that resulted in which the film industry adopted guidelines for film makers to abide by, its own code. Discussion The film industry was born when photography was invented and the film makers were able to project their pictures on the wide screen. The earlier films were silent films as it did not have any sound in them. The sound came later on when the phonograph was invented; prior to that, the dialogue was shown on the bottom portion of the film clips as text in which the film goers read what was written in order to make sense of the film's story. The film industry provided a welcome respite from the drabness of ordinary lives of ordinary people. It provided a cheap form of entertainment by which the audience can re-live their fantasies. The early films that were made were not overly realistic in their portrayals of life. Rather, the new film industry enticed audiences by glorying certain aspects and magnifying their expectations. Fil ms were the new forms of escapism and quite cheap to view them, often with proven story lines that were hackneyed and repeated several times over but people welcomed this new medium. But later on, major studios had to contend with the rise of independents (Nowell, 2011:30). Film genres can evolve into several sub-genres as the film industry developed in response to audience preferences. Horror films, for example, have the sub-genres of serial killers, slasher films, teen terror, satanic, science-related like Frankenstein or Dracula, torture and sadism. Its main appeal was to frighten an audience by preying on a person's worst hidden fears. It is the same with crime and gangster films in which the storyline revolves

Human variation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Human variation - Assignment Example e same note, natural selection entails the survival of the best species in terms of survival techniques since nature poses a wide range of challenges in a bid to survive. In addition to that, genetic shift entails the acquiring of survival traits and consequently the passing on the traits to the generations to come. Evidently, this is aimed at enabling the organisms, in other words, humans to survive and reproduce effectively in nature. Finally, there is the issue of chance inheritance which entails the selection of the most suitable survival trait in a bid to pass it on to the next generation. With the shifting and movement of people over the world, it has promoted the spread of traits. Evidently, for instance traits like the ABO are perceived to have originated from one region. However, with the movement of people with the aim of seeking the most appropriate place to settle the trait has been passed all over the world. It is worth noting that approximately everywhere in the world there exist the ABO trait in individuals. Notably, the passing on of this traits from generation to generation is aimed at enabling the future generation to adapt more to the environment they are exposed to. Adaptive traits are developed in a bid to adapt to the environment. Consequently, different environment suggest different traits thus can’t be used for classification purposes. On the same note, it is argued that this traits are liable to extinction once the particular adaptive environment is changed or does not exist anymore. Moreover, since the environmental factors change with time, new traits are likely to emerge in a bid to fit in to the changing environment. Consequently, since the emergence of traits is dependent on the specific condition that exists for instance environmental condition, numerous adaptive traits are expected thus the concept of adaptive traits cannot be used to classify humans since you may require an infinitely large number of subgroups. It is evident

American economy today Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

American economy today - Essay Example r of the unemployed people in the US, which initially stood at 12.1 million, was decreased by around 0.5 million in September, leaving the unemployed people totaling to 11.6 million (Rugaber, 2012). Additionally, there was an overall economic growth of 0.7%, raising the annual economic growth rate to 2% from an initial 1.3%, during the quarter of April-June 2012 (Rugaber, 2012). The state of deficit and debt is not promising, since the US deficits and debt is growing at a higher rate than the GDP. This has the impact of requiring a substantial amount of revenue to be used in covering the interests payable to these debts (Rugaber, 2012). The inflation rate has been on the decline, standing at 2% from the historical average of 3.3% by September 2012 (Rugaber, 2012). The prices of commodities have been increasing constantly but at a lower margin of 0.6 by September of this year. Foreign trade has constantly decreased, marked by a reduction in US exports, while competition for foreign tr ade has significantly grown, notably from the Asian giants (Rugaber, 2012). The wages and income distribution has continuously recorded a great deal of inequality, with the gap between the highest and the lowest earners significantly increasing (Rugaber,

INTERMED MACROECON Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

INTERMED MACROECON - Essay Example The members in each group are not always ensconced in their respective groups permanently. They can be shifted in other groups. There are three scenarios of funding adjustments. Funding Adjustment if ADF = ASF In this case, the members of each group are not aware of the equality of ADF and ASF. They are aware of their own financial positions and act according to them. The members of Group 2 need to borrow funds to finance their demand. The members of Group 3 look to lend their excess funds. The lender’s and borrower’s needs are met by financial intermediaries1. As ADF = ASF, the excess funds are just enough to fulfill the borrowing needs of members of Group 2. The financial intermediaries do not need to alter the rates of interest as there is no need to encourage or discourage the lending or borrowing. Funding Adjustment if ADF > ASF In this case, the members of Group 2 and 3 are unaware of this inequality but are fully aware of their own needs. The members of Group 2 b orrow funds from financial intermediaries but the funds available are inadequate to satisfy their demand completely. Financial intermediaries raise the interest rates. ... The financial intermediaries lower the interest rates. This raises the ADF and lowers the ASF and the process continues until both become equal. The completion of funding adjustment makes the economy ready to step in output-price adjustment phase after giving any one of the three following scenarios: GDP = APE = ASF; GDP < APE = ASF; or APE < GDP =ASF. Output-Price Adjustments The producers of each domestic output lie in one of the following groups: Group A – firms facing demand at average annual rates that just equal their current average annual production rates; Group B – firms with excess demand; and Group C – firms facing insufficient demand. Output-Price Adjustments if GDP = APE = ASF The members of Group B and C are unaware on this equality and make decisions according to their own circumstances. The producers of Group B raise their prices and increase their output level. The producers of Group C lower their prices and output. As APE = GDP, the excess deman d for the producers of Group B almost off-sets the demand deficit for the output of producers of Group C. Therefore, this equality has no significant impact on levels of employment, output, interest rates, and prices. Output-Price Adjustments if GDP < APE = ASF The producers of domestic output are unaware of this inequality and act according to their own requirements. The excess demand faced by the producers of Group B is higher than the shortage of demand by the producers of Group C by exact amount that APE exceeds GDP. The price rise from Group B is higher than the price cut by Group C. The overall price and GDP rise. This raises the income level resulting in increased demand and interest rates. The economic profits earned by Group B encourage entry in their

Buddhism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Buddhism - Essay Example Thus, Buddhism is a philosophy that can also be a religion. One of the passages that relates to personal ethics is this: â€Å"Wakefulness is the way of life†¦How happy he is! For he sees that wakefulness is life!...† (from the Dhammapada translated by Byrom as qtd. in Kornfield 1). When I am wakeful, I am aware of who I am and what I am doing in relation to the effects of my actions to others and my environment. Wakefulness is important to being mindful of my impacts on others. In addition, this passage is related to professional and public ethics: â€Å"A person of wisdom should be truthful, without arrogance, without deceit, not slanderous and not hateful† (adapted from the Sutta-nipata translated by Saddhatissa as qtd. in Kornfield 3). This is related to professional ethics because it emphasizes the importance of truthfulness in doing our jobs. It reminds people of the wisdom in being honest in all our roles and responsibilities as professionals. It is also related to public ethics because public employees should serve without malice and deceit. They should do their jobs with honesty and integrity. The moral framework of Buddhism works within some of our public topics because it highlights moral responsibilities for truthfulness and mindfulness that are important, such as when voting and public policy. For example, we have to be mindful when voting and be critical of whom we are selecting as our public officials because they are going to make important decisions with our taxpayers’ money and the power we give to them. Public policy also needs truthfulness in being sincere in serving people’s real needs and mindfulness in being aware of how every decision impacts different stakeholders. The moral framework of Buddhism can help citizens and politicians become more aware of their roles and responsibilities and how they can work together in solving social Buddhism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4 Buddhism - Essay Example Buddhism, as a few people know, is not as much a religion as it is a meditative inner power of sorts. Contrary to other religions, Buddhism does not bestow upon its followers a doctrine or set of instructions that one must follow if they do not want to be banished to eternal hellfire. In fact, Buddhism’s primary principles are based on the human psychology, something many people can and do relate to. Unlike a god that cannot be seen and that must be envisioned as being eternally powerful, Buddhism’s mantra revolves around inner finding, and inner peace with oneself (Hanh, pp.4 – 11). This lack of external factors incites people to come towards it and share in this belief. As it is human nature to be alpha dogs of society, this is ultimately the perfect combination of belief and human psychology since now man is satisfied that there is no factor outside his influence as far as life is concerned, and that, crude as it may sound, is a proposition that brings about s atisfaction to man today. The secret to Buddhism’s success lies within its principles; most ideas that conflict with man’s autonomous nature have been discarded by Buddhism. For example, Buddhism by and large rejects the tedious existence of God, angels, heaven and hell. So now, instead of feeling confined, forced and, in a way, threatened to believe in a religion, people are told that if they follow, they will be doing so only for their inner peace, and that equation settles well with most cynics and rebels of society. This lack of ultimatums makes man feel less violated and less forced; in short, it is a religion that actively allows man to practice according to his free will. In addition, thus, as a progressive religion that adapts to man’s nature, it has done pretty well in terms of acceptance on a global level, as can be seen from its increasing numbers. Transformation of consciousness is one of the primary aims of a Buddhist. In America, freedoms of

How to Mend a Broken Heart Essay Example for Free

How to Mend a Broken Heart Essay When you get a broken heart, you have to mend your heart. Although you feel sad and don’t like to do anything, you are always cry, always thinking about someone as you love to and almost the time, you would like to be alone. But it’s not really good because something, that make you get better is going outside to open your mind, For example. First, you should go outside to see your friends because the friend will always be helpful to you, for example. They will be consultant to get you feel better and they will invite you to the party, it can help you to forget the sadness. So when you feel sad, one of all to get you better is your friends. Second, you should go outside to play the activities. Such as, exercise and play sports. These can make your body to be strong and your heart too because when you do this, you feel tried and then you don’t think much anymore. Finally, you should go to travel. Traveling can help you much because you will see something that never see and you will see or talk with someone who never know. Maybe it can make you open your mind because traveling makes you to meet new things and then you will forget the sadness. The opening your mind is the best way to help you from sadness. It’s one way to mend you a broken heart. But moreover this is you have to make your heart to be strong by yourself.

Ulysses meaning Odysseus Essay Example for Free

Ulysses meaning Odysseus Essay â€Å"Ulysses† is a dramatic monologue written by one of the most famous poet Alfred Lord Tennyson in 1883. â€Å"Ulysses† meaning Odysseus in Greek mythology was the king of Ithaca. Odysseus was the leader of the Greek army. His wife was Penelope and his son was Telemechus. Ulysses is characterized as not only very intelligent, heroic and eloquent but also very arrogant. Odysseus and his men sailed into Troy to fight what turned out to be a lengthy battle. Later, Odysseus and the Greek army conquered Troy and set out on their voyage home. On their journey they encountered a series of adventures. Odysseus shares some grievances including dissatisfaction, desire for change, nostalgia and age concern. Tennyson’s characterization of Ulysses with grief, feelings, expressions and misfortunes are reflected in the poem. Odysseus shared beauty and success during his youth. He had an extremely successful past life. He was a handsome man in his prime and endured many exciting adventures. Ulysses describes how he â€Å"drunk delight of battle† (Tennyson 16) with his peers. He talks of â€Å"souls that have toil’d, and wrought, and thought with me† (Tennyson line 46) and the use of rhyme suggests the harmony of his relationship with his peers. This explains that he had endured much suffering and the use of the word ‘thought’ introduces the point that he was a great thinker; he was not only practical with his hands, but also good on his mind. His nostalgia and desire to return to his active past is expressed when he parallels himself to a sword and says, â€Å"how dull it is to pause, to make an end, to rust unburnished, not to shine in use! † (Tennyson lines 22 23) Ulysses is able to dream of one last, glorious adventure within the potential to go out and recapture former self. Ulysses is a poem which explores multiple interactions in which the themes vary on mortality. Motivation and age concern are the part of the poem’s themes as Tennyson explain in the lines â€Å"but every hour is saved from eternal silence† (Tennyson lines 26 27) which portrays the death in eternal silence and he is almost preventing it by making the most of his time. â€Å"For always roaming with a hungry heart† (Tennyson line 12) shows his motivation and also indicates his loss of love as he describes â€Å"match’d with an aged wife† (Kincaid) an ironic image of describing his wife who had been loyal to him during the vast amount of time while he was away on adventure. He also states that the people of his island are a â€Å"savage race† (Kincaid) and says that they â€Å"hoard, and sleep, and feed† (Kincaid). He goes on to say that they â€Å"know not me† (Kincaid) drawing barriers between him and them, as though he is superior. When he says â€Å"I am become a name† (Tennyson 11) shows clear pity as well. The poem is also like a speech given by Odysseus to his sailors, rebelling against his life and conformity, after he reclaimed the throne in Ithaca and explains why he wants to leave Ithaca forever. Ulysses believes that his son ‘Telemechus’ is better for Ithaca than he would be and placed him in charge as the King of Ithaca. Ulysses says â€Å"There lies the port; the vessel puffs her sail† (Tennyson line 44) which means he also feels the ocean his boat calling him for one more adventure. He tries to inspire his men by saying â€Å"Come, my friends, T is not too late to seek a newer world† (Tennyson lines 56 57). The poem is ended by Ulysses telling his men â€Å"not to yield† (Tennyson 70) but to rebel and never conform to society. Tennyson is very successful in creating a very powerful image of Ulysses. The poem celebrates the indomitable spirit of a man. Ulysses loves travelling by sea and he is used to a life of adventure and change. The life of a family man with his responsibilities of a king is dull for him. He yearns to recover the glory of the past by returning to Ithaca. He tries to persuade his earlier fellow men to join him in his new adventure. He wants to break free of his monotonous life and return to a life of excitement. At the end Ulysses placed his son in charge as the King of Ithaca and set his sails west to an untold adventure. Works Cited James R, Kincaid. â€Å"Ulysses† Victotianweb. org 28 March 2001. 29 March 2009 http://www. victorianweb. org/authors/tennyson/kincaid/ch3d. html Tennyson, Alfred. â€Å"Ulysses† Readprint. com 29 March 2009 http://www. readprint. com/work-1426/Lord-Alfred-Tennyson

Calcium In Contraction Of The Heart

Calcium In Contraction Of The Heart In cardiac muscle, excitation-contraction coupling is mediated by calcium-induced calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum through ryanodine receptors that are activated by calcium entry through L-type calcium channels on the sarcolemmal membrane. Although Ca2+ induced Ca2+ release triggered by the L-typed calcium current is the primary pathway for triggering Ca2+ from the sarcoplasmic reticulum, there are many other mechanisms that can also activate Ca2 + release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum such as Calcium induced calcium release (CICR) induced by T-typed calcium current, CICR triggered by calcium influx through Na+/Ca2+ exchange, and CICR mediated by calcium through tetrodotoxin (TTX)-sensitive Ca2+ current (ICa,TTX). As calcium is an important second messenger which is essential in regulating cardiac electrical activity as well as being the main activator of the myofilaments to which cause cardiac contraction. Mishandling of calcium is thought to lead many pathophysiological conditions. Knowledge of the mechanisms involved in regulating intracellular calcium and therefore contraction of the heart, may help to prevent and/or treat pathological conditions such as cardiac hypertrophy, arrhythmias or heart failure by using therapeutic agents targeted at modulating intracellular calcium. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Firstly, I would like to show my deepest gratitude to my supervisor, Dr. Munir Hussain, who is a Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences in University of Bradford for his innovative, supportive, expert, professional, kind and careful supervision, constant guidance and, academic support. Without his advice and guidance, my dissertation will not be finished with great success. I would also like to show my sincere thank to all the lecturers from Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS) and teachers in my student life for letting me gain strong knowledge in biomedical science field and essential knowledge to be in this stage and my student coordinator and stuffs from Student Service Unit (SSU) for their kind arrangement, support, encouragement and care. I would like to thank to all my friends who supported me both physically and mentally during my preparation for the dissertation. Last but not least, I would like to convey my special deep thank to my parents who always give me tender love, care and all supports all the time. Without their guidance, support and love, nothing can be achieved by me. LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Calcium transport in ventricular myocytes 3 Figure 2: Six possible mechanism of cardiac excitation-contraction coupling 9 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS LTCC = L-type calcium channels CICR = Calcium induced calcium release ECC = Excitation-contraction coupling NCX = Sodium-Calcium Exchange SR = Sarcoplasmic Recticulum ICa = Calcium current ICa,T = T-type calcium current ICa,L = L-type calcium current ICa,TTX = Tetrodotoxin-sensitive calcium current RyRs = Ryanodine Receptor [Ca2+]i = Intracellular calcium concentration [Ca2+]Tot = Total concentration of Calcium PKA = Protein Kinase A LVH = Left Ventricular Hypertrophy HOCM = Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy Introduction In heart muscle cell, the depolarization of action potential is due to the entering of Na+ ions via voltage gated Na+ channels and it is called fast inward current. The immediate repolarization is not possible due to rapidly inactivation of Na+ channel and initial depolarization allow the entering of calcium through voltage-grated Ca2+ channels and it is called second or the slow inward current. The rate of sodium channels inactivation is more rapid than that of calcium channels so that Ca2+ enters into the cell providing the membrane potential to close to 0mV for some part of action potential of heart muscle (Reuter, 1984). Excitation-contraction coupling (ECC) is the process in which an action potential triggers a myocyte to contract. In excitable muscle cells, the excitation signal causes rapid depolarization that produces the physiological response of contraction. Calcium is a ubiquitous second messenger, important in both, regulating the electrical activity of the heart as well as stimulating the myofilaments directly to cause contraction (Bers, 2001). In mammalian cardiac myocytes, the process of ECC is mediated by Ca2+ influx from the extracellular space that triggers Ca2+ Calcium induced Calcium release (CICR) from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) (Bers, 1991; Stern Lakatta, 1992). When action potential reaches the myocyte, causing it to undergo depolarization, which causes calcium ions to enter the cell through L type calcium channel located on the sarcolemma and thereby trigger calcium release from the SR. Calcium influx and the intracellular calcium concentration trigger the contraction of heart due to binding of Ca2+ to cardiac muscle fiber protein, troponin C. For activation of SR calcium release, the L-type calcium current is the most widely accepted mechanism thought to be responsible for CICR. However, SR calcium release can also be triggered by calcium influx through sodium-calcium exchange, calcium influx via T-type Ca2+ current or through tetrodotoxin-sensitive Ca2+ current, or Inositol (1,4,5)-triphosphate (but not so much in cardiac muscle). Declining of calcium level in the cells cause the detachment of calcium from myofilament and resulting in relaxation of the heart. There are four main pathways for Ca2+ transport out of the cytosol including SR Ca2+ ATPase, sarcolemmal Ca2+-ATPase or mitochondrial Ca2+ uniport and sarcolemmal Na+/Ca2+ exchange. (Bers, 2002). Since CICR is a positive-feedback mechanism, it has to be terminated which is essential for diastolic refilling of the heart. There are three main pathways for termination of calcium release such as local depletion of SR Ca2+, Ryanodine ( RyR) inactivation (or adaptation), and stochastic attrition. (Lukyanenko et al., 1998). Mutation in calcium channels can lead to life-threatening arrhythmias. The improper contractile function and abnormal heart rate associated with cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure is due to the mishandling of calcium in heart muscle cell (Pogwizd et al., 2001). In this dissertation, here I discuss about the key mechanism of how Ca2+ transport in cardiac ventricular myocytes. Moreover, I also discuss about how they are modulated and regulated as well as how they interact specifically. In addition, by knowing the subcellular mechanism of E-C coupling, here I discuss about how calcium is altering and getting mutated so as to cause cardiovascular diseases. The imp ortant molecular signaling pathways in contraction of heart will also be addressed. Figure 1. Calcium transport in ventricular myocytes. (Adapted from Bers, 2002) The figure shows the time course of an action potential, Ca2+ transient and contraction in rat ventricular myocytes, NCX, and other protein involved in contraction. Calcium channels in contraction of the heart In cardiac muscle, calcium has a role for the ability to make the cardiac cell to contract. There are five types of calcium channels; L, T, N, P/Q and R types. Among them, L-type and T-type calcium channels are two major types of calcium channels in the cells of cardiac tissues (Bean, 1989). L-type Ca2+ channels have many subunits in the heart such as ÃŽÂ ±1, ÃŽÂ ±2, ÃŽÂ ´ and ÃŽÂ ² subunits. The ÃŽÂ ±1 subunit is the dihydropyridine (DHP) receptors which are important for calcium entry into the cells (Liu et al., 2000). L-type calcium channels (long-lasting) can activates at more positive membrane potential (Em), at greater than -40mV and generate peak inward current at 0mV and slowly inactivated, and is sensitive to dihydropyridines (Tsien et al., 1987). Thus, the L-type Ca2+ channels are the majority of calcium channels responsible for entering of Ca2+ into the cardiac cell during phase 2 (plateau phase) of the action potential. On the other hand, T-type (tiny or tr ansient) Ca2+ channels cause the activation and inactivation at more negative membrane potential (Em) and dihydropyridines cannot block effectively (Nowycky et al., 1985). However T-type Ca2+ channels have faster kinetics than compared to L-type Ca2+ channels. During development and hypertrophy, T type calcium current is more prominent and the T-type current is typically small or absent in ventricular myocytes. The entering of Ca2+ into the cell by passing through I Ca,T is only responsible for smaller amount of Ca2+ than that passing through ICa,L. In most ventricular myocytes, T-type calcium current is almost negligible. It shows that the releasing and refilling is mainly provided by Ica,L. The amount of L-type calcium current and T-type calcium current is variable among cardiac myocytes. L-types calcium current is present in all cardiac myocytes whereas T-type calcium current have larger component in the canine Purkinje fiber (Zhou, 1998). Depolarization during the action potent ial causes activation of calcium current. During an action potential, the amount of calcium entry is limited by calcium dependent inactivation at the cytosolic side. L-type calcium channel is located at the sarcolemmal-SR junction where ryanodine receptors exist (Scriven et al., 2000). There is a negative feedback effect on Ca2+ influx and SR Ca2+ release during excitation-contraction mechanism. When there is increased Ca2+ influx or release, further release of Ca2+ is turned off. There are many isoforms of ryanodine receptors, (RyR1, RyR2, RyR3), among them, RYR2 is the cardiac isoform. RyR2 mediated release of Ca2+ from sarcoplasmic recticulum is an important step in cardiac E-C coupling in the heart. RyR2 is a Ca2+-gated channel (Nabauer et al, 1989). RyR2 is activated by Ca2+ influx through L-type Ca2+ channel or dihydropyridine receptor (Adachi-Akahane, 1996). Cytosolic Ca2+ is increased by the RyR2 opening and bind with contractile protein (troponin C) that trigger the contraction of heart. In ventricular myocytes, there are much more ryanodine receptors than dihydropyridine receptors. Therefore, four or ten RyRs can be associated with a single L-type Ca2+ channel (Bers et al., 1991). Defection in excitation- contraction coupling can occur due to either if RyRs channels sensitivity is altered for activation/inactivation or if the SR Ca2+ is depleted. There has been demonstrated in animal model of cardiomyopathy (Gomez et al, 1997). [Ca2+]i and Ca2+sparks [Ca2+]i and total [Ca2+] determine the development of contraction which produces both isometric force and rapid shortening (Moss, 2001). The strength of cardiac contraction can be changed by two ways: (1) by changing the extent and amplitude of the Ca2+ transient, (2) by altering the myofilament sensitivity to Ca2+. The sensitivity of myofilament calcium is increased by contracting the myofilament when the heart fills with blood resulting the contraction to be stronger. Caffeine and certain inotropic agents can enhance the myofilament sensitivity whereas the increased concentrations of phosphate and Mg2+ and acidosis reduce myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity. Ca2+ sparks is the process of spontaneous release of SR Ca2+ and it was described by using confocal fluorescence microscopy (Cheng et al., 1993). The release of SR Ca2+ via single L-type Ca2+ channel or RyRs openings generates Ca2+ sparks (Song et al., 1997). Ca2+ spark is activated by the Ca2+ entery through ICa (Cannell et al, 1995) . Ca2+ spark is triggered by the opening of single channel opening. There have been reported that spark probability can be depend on binding of two Ca2+ ions to the RyR (Santana et al., 1996). Thus, local cytosolic [Ca2+]i is important in the frequency of Ca2+ sparks and SR Ca2+ release. Moreover, the frequency of Ca2+ spark depends on the SR Ca2+ load (Cheng et al, 1993). When there is increased SR Ca2+ load, this may lead to increase the amplitude of Ca2+ spark. Therefore SR Ca2+ load is an important factor for Ca2+ release from SR. Role of Sarcoplamic Recticulum ECC and intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis are primarily regulated by sarcoplasmic recticulum (Bers, 1991). Once stimulation, calcium enters the cell, thereby stimulating the release of larger amount of calcium from SR resulting in activation of contractile protein and contraction of the heart. During cardiac relaxation, Ca2+ is taken up by SR by SR Ca2+ ATPase pump and Na+/Ca2+ exchange pump. The key SR Ca2+ release channel involved in cardiac contraction is RyRs and RyR2 is the cardiac isoform. The amount and fraction of Ca2+ release that depends on the level of SR Ca2+ load can release for a given ICa trigger (Shannon et al., 2000). Sensitivity of RyRs receptor to [Ca2+]i at high load of SR Ca2+ leads to increase spontaneous SR Ca2+ release. On the other hand, decrease in SR Ca2+ release (which is induced by ICa ) can be due to low SR[Ca2+] content. The lower the amount of the SR Ca2+ release, the more amount of Ca2+ enter the cells through Na+/Ca2+ exchange. When there is low concent ration in SR Ca2+, Ca2+ release from SR is turned off during E-C coupling. Furthermore, SR Ca2+ content depends on the heart rate and duration of action potential. Ca2+ concentration release from SR can be increased by more mount of Ca2+ enter into the cell, by decreasing Ca2+ efflux or increasing SR Ca2+ uptake. Phospholamben, an endogenous inhibitor of SR Ca2+ ATPase, is triggered by activation of cAMP-dependent or calmodulin-dependent protein kinase. When this phospholamben becomes phosphorylated, Ca2+ uptake by SR is increased and allows faster cardiac relaxation and declining of [Ca2+]i. Targeted knockout of phospholamben leads to hyperdynamic hearts with negative effects (Brittsan Kranias, 2000). Interestingly, lower SR Ca2+ uptake, reduced SR Ca2+ATPase gene and protein expression were seen in failing human heart (Pieske et al., 1995). On the other hand, there has been demonstrated that increased gene expression of sarcolemmal Na+/Ca2+ exchanger was seen in human failing hea rt (Reinecke et al., 1996). Regulation of Calcium current Ica can be variable physiologically and pharmacologically. During physiological sympathetic stimulation of heart, catecholamine stimulate beta-adrenegic receptors, which improve the force of contraction (inotropic effects) and relaxation (lusitorpic effects) and declining of [Ca2+]i. In addition, stimulation of ÃŽÂ ²-adrenergic receptor stimulates a GTP-binding protein that accelerates adenylyl cyclase for the cAMP production. cAMP activates PKA, which phospharylates severe protein such as phospholamban, RyR, L-types Ca2+ channels, myocin binding protein C and troponin I ( which are related to ECC). Activation and phosphorylation of L-type Ca2+ channels will cause Ca2+ release from SR causing contraction of the heart. Phosphorylation of troponin I and phospholamban stimulate the reuptake of Ca2+ release from SR and Ca2+ is dissociated from the myofilament and develops to cardiac relaxation (Lusitropic effect). The inotrophic effect of PKA (protein kinase A) activation is triggered by the combination greater availability of SR Ca2+ and increased calcium current. Open probability of RyR channels can also be modulated by protein kinase A. RyRs receptors are hyperphosphorylated in heart failure causing a diastolic leak of SR Ca2+. However, whether PKA-dependent phosphorylation will alter during excitation-contraction or not still remain controversial. Moreover, phosphorylation of L-type Ca2+ channels, phospholamban and troponin I are paralleled with activation of ß1-adrenergic receptors in ventricular myocytes that produce inotrophic and lusitropic effects. On the other hand, ß2-adrenergic receptors activation can give more restricted to the enhancement of ICa (Kushel et al., 1999). cAMP production can also be stimulated by the G-protein-coupled receptors such as prostaglandin E and histamine that will lead to little or no effect of inotropic effects (Vila Petroff et al, 2001). Other receptors will also regulate the signaling pathway. For instance, M2-musc arinic receptors activation can decrease cAMP and activation of PKA thereby decreasing Ca2+ entry and release. In addition, this pathway also enhances repolarization. The pharmacological effects of L-type Ca2+ channels are in which calcium sensitivity to dihydropyridines (nephedipine, amlodipine, nitrendine, nimodipine, nisoldipine). Ica is inhibited by most of DHPs and they are called Ca2+-channel blockers. In DHPs, there are two other types of specific L-type Ca2+ channel blockers (1) phenyalkylamines (eg. verapamil, D600) and (2) benzothiazepines (eg, diltiazem), and those agents can act together directly with the Ca2+ channel (Glossmann et al., 1985). Verapamil can inhibit the calcium channel in the open state but it require depolarization pulse) and this is called use dependent. The neutral ligands such as nitrendipine and nisoldipine inhibit ICa depend on the calcium channel whether they are in the opening state or inactivated state , and does not require depolarization pulse as they are voltage dependent than use dependent. Figure 2. Six possible mechanism of cardiac excitation-contraction coupling. (Adapted from Bers, 1999) The figure shows Ca2+ influx via ICa,L, Ca2+ influx via ICa,T,Ca2+influx through NCX, Ca2+ influx via IP3 ,Ca2+ influx via ICa,TTX and depolarization dependent Ca2+ influx. Calcium induced calcium release during E-C coupling There have been demonstrated that CICR in skinned ventricular myocytes (Fabiato and Fabiato, 1975). There was been proved that main pathway of E-C coupling in cardiac myocytes is by Ca entry through L-type Ca2+ channels and triggers SR Ca2+ release (Bers, 1991). When calcium channel becomes deactivates, before calcium channels close, calcium transient is induced by a large and short-lived ICa causing contraction. Moreover, Ca2+ channel activation in the absence of Ca2+ influx also cannot induce calcium release from the SR (Nabauer et al., 1989). There is supported that ICa activate SR Ca2+ release channel when there is a high concentration of Ca2+ buffer in the cell (Adachi-Akahane et al., 1996). Ca2+ release from SR is most commonly activated by L-type Ca2+ channels and this pathway is called Ca2+ induced Ca2+ release (CICR). There has been little doubt that E-C coupling occurs physiologically but there are other mechanisms which can exit in parallel and give rise to the functional effects. Ca influx via ICa,T In ventricular myocytes, T-type calcium channels is relatively small or absent but it is more prominent in the development and hypertrophy of the heart. Because of T-type calcium current is relatively small and rapidly inactivated, the total amount of calcium influx through T-type calcium current is absolutely small compared to calcium influx via ICa,L (Zhou, 1998). Moreover, T-type calcium current is negligible in most of ventricular myocytes. T-type Ca2+channels are not located at the SR junction, therefore the effectiveness of ICa,T as a trigger for Ca2+ release from SR is not effective as ICa,L. Furthermore, SR Ca2+ release by ICa,T is delayed on onset and slower than ICa,L. However, it can be significant in other cardiac cells such as some atrial cells and Purkinje fibers (Zhou and January, 1998). Since T-type calcium channel is non-functional in most of the myocytes of ventricle, it does not play a major role for ECC although it may function like ICa,L. So, ICa,T only plays a m inor role in triggering Ca2+ release from SR during action potential. Ca influx via Na+/Ca2+ exchange Although L-type Ca2+ current is a major role of CICR in contraction of the heart, some argued that the L-type Ca2+ channels could not be the only way to trigger the calcium release from SR. There is an alternative trigger of calcium release in mammalian cardiac myocytes (Chunlei Han et al., 2002). The result of Ca2+ release by Na+/Ca2+ exchanger has been proved by examination on rats (Wasserstorm and Vites, 1996), rabbit (Litwin et al., 1998) and guinea pig (Sipida et al., 1997). Immunofluorescence labeling shows that the exchanger current is present in the cardiac T-tubules system (Scriven et al, 2000). There are two ways of triggering Ca2+ release from SR by Na+/ Ca2+ exchanger. The first mechanism is Na+ current by increasing local [Na+]sm, increasing Ca2+ entry through Na+/Ca2+ exchanger and causing SR Ca2+ release (Levesque et al.,1994 ). The second one is that depolarization directly stimulates outward INa/Ca and Ca2+ release and contraction when L-type Ca2+ channel become bloc ked or at high positive Em (Levi et al.,1994 and Litwin et al.,1998 ). Increased intracellular sodium stimulate the Na+/Ca+ exchanger (Evans and Cannell, 1997 ) and, if INa is low ([Na+]i=10nM) or lower, the reverse current of the Na+/Ca2+ exchange could trigger Ca2+ release account for 25%. When [Na+]i=30nM, the contribution of Na+/Ca2+ exchanger increase up to 100%. Additionally, the exchanger current is more dependent on the temperature and changes in the intracellular sodium and calcium concentrations than compared to L-type calcium current. Furthermore, these changes are larger in the microdomain or subspace (interaction between RyR receptors and L-type Ca2+ channels occurs) than compared to the rest of the cytoplasm (Vornanen et al., 1994). Although LTCC are faster than the exchanger current in triggering of Ca2+ release from SR, Ca2+ entry through the exchanger into the subspace is faster in beginning than L-type Ca2+ current when there is action potential stimulations becaus e the action potentials upstroke and sodium (inward) current is associated with rapid increase in [Na+]i. Therefore, any physiological stimulation or medication that alters the intracellular sodium becomes the regulator of calcium release from sarcoplasmic reticulum. Stimulation via hormone, such as activation of endothelin-1 (ET-1) receptor (Alvarez et al., 1999), and increasing frequency of action potential (Simor et al., 1997) will increase the intracellular sodium concentration, causing calcium release triggering via the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger by opposing to via the L-type calcium current. Ca2+ release from SR is slower via Ca2+ influx through Na+/Ca2+ exchanger than through L-type calcium channel (Spido et al., 1997) . Ca influx via TTX sensitive-Na channels Aggarwal and co-worker reported voltage-gated, calcium conducting sodium channel, (ICa,TTX), calcium entry via tetrodotoxin-sentive Na+ channels can also mediates CICR. This channel activates at membrane potential of -60mV and has faster kinetics than L-type Ca2+ channels. It can alter selectivity of cardiac Na+ channels triggers by either activation of agonist effects ÃŽÂ ²-adrenergic receptor or cardioactive steroids or cardiac glycosides, resulting Na+ channel prefer Ca2+ than Na channels and it is called slip mode or altered selectivity mode. The tetrodotoxin-sensitive Ca2+ influx can also trigger the SR Ca2+ release. The inotrophic effects of cardiac glycosides and ÃŽÂ ²-adrenergic agonists could be a novel mechanism. These effects could be triggered by SR Ca2+-pump activity and increased ICa or by Na+/K+ ATPase inhibition and also decreased Ca2+ efflux through Na+/Ca2+ exchange for cardiotonic glycosides (Borgatta et al., 1991). Moreover, one study in rat ventricular myoc ytes reported that Na+ current is activated by the phyosphoryation by protein kinase A or by the cardiotonic steroids. (slip mode conductance) (Santana, 1998). In addition, modified Na+currents conduct ICa,TTX which in turn triggers CICR. The relation between slip mode conductance and ICa,TTX is still controversial (Nuss, 1999). On the other hand, another study demonstrarted that Ca2+ current due to ICa,TTX or slip mode conductance is not related and identical. The reason is that the presence of cardiac steroids or activation of PKA is not a requirement for the detection of ICa(TTX). A small fraction of Na + currents can conduct ICa(TTX) even without phosphorylation of PKA (Nuss, 1999). Furthermore, TTX sensitive-Na+ channels cannot be inhibited by the blockers of T-type or L-type Ca2+ channels. Recently, one of studies showed that ICa(TTX) and T-type Ca2+channel coexit in guinea pig venricular myocytes because 10 mM mibefradil could block both ICa(TTX) and T-type Ca2+current (Heuba ch, 2000). Although this current is not the major current for triggering the CICR, its possible functional roles are important in normal heart cells such as promoting the sodium current activation and modulating rhythmicity of the heart. Ca influx via IP3 pathway Inositol (1, 4, 5) triphosphate could trigger Ca2+ release from SR and endoplamic reticulum in different cell types, they are called IP3 receptors. In ventricular myocytes, the major form of InsP3 is isoform 2 (Lipp et al., 2000). There are more InP3 receptors in atrial cells in ventricular myoctyes. Stimulation of IP3 signal transduction pathway can trigger the release of Ca2+ from SR via IP3 receptors which is located on SR. Even high concentration of InP3 in cardiac myocytes could trigger Ca2+ release from the SR, the extent of Ca2+ release from the SR are so much lower than CICR triggered by LTCC. Moreover, action potential cannot stimulate the InP3 production (Kentish et al., 1990). The production of InP3 contractile force is increased by cardiac alpha-adrenergic and muscarinic agonists (Poggioli et al., 1986). In addition, InP3 pathway only plays a very little minor role in cardiac EC coupling. To conclude for triggering Ca2+ release from SR, CICR in cardiac contraction is mai nly through L-type Ca2+channel.Other mechanisms that mentioned above show minor role in SR calcium release. Cardiac relaxation During an action potential, calcium entry into the cell is slow at the end of phase 2 and there is lowering of the cytosolic calcium concentration because calcium is taken back by the SR and removing of calcium from the troponin C and finally initial sarcomere length is restored. For relaxation and cardiac ventricular filling, Ca2+ have be removed from the cytosol to lower [Ca2+]i , causing relaxation. Cardiac relaxation to occur, Ca2+ must be dissociate from troponin C and it requires Ca2+ transport out of the cytosol primarily by four main pathways involving, sarcolemmal Na+/Ca2+ exchange, SR Ca2+-ATPase, sarcolemmal Ca2+-ATPase or mitochondrial Ca2+ uniport. There are selective inhibition for each transporter during cardiac myocyte relaxation and [Ca2+]i decline (Puglisi et al., 1996). SR Ca2+ uptake can be prevented by either thapsigargin or caffeine, complete removal of extracellular Na+ and Ca2+ can prevent sodium calcium exchange. Either carboxyeosin or elevated [Ca2+]i inhibi t sarcolemmel Ca2+-ATPase, and mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake can be inhibited by rapid dissipation of the electrochemical driving force for SR Ca2+ uptake by using protonophore FCCP. In rabbit ventricular myocytes, 70% of the activated Ca2+ removed by the SR Ca2+-ATPase from the cytosol, whereas 28% was removed by NCX, only 1% for sarcolemmal Ca2+-ATPase as well as mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter remove 1% of calcium from SR ( the last two pathways are called slow systems). In rat ventricular myocytes, SR Ca2+-ATPase activity is higher due to more pump molecules in unit cell volume (Hove-Madsen Bers, 1993). On the other hand, Ca2+ removal via Na+/Ca2+ exchange is lower, 92% with SR Ca2+-ATPase, 7% with NCX, the slow systems with 1 % respectively. In mouse ventricular myocytes, the uptake mechanism is quite similar to rat, (Li et al., 1998) while the mechanisms of Ca2+ fluxes in human ventricular myocytes, guinea pig and ferret are more similar to rabbit myocytes (Pieske et al., 1999). In contraction and relaxation of myocytes, the amount of calcium removed from the cell during relaxation must be the same as the amount of calcium entry during contraction in each heart beat, if not, the cell may gain or lose the calcium. Defects in Ca2+ removal also can cause impair relaxation Termination of calcium release Although CICR is a positive-feedback mechanism, termination or turning off of the Ca2+is important for diastolic refilling of the heart. There are three major ways for terminations of Ca2+release include local SR depletion, RyR inactivation or adaptation and stochastic attriction (Sham et al.,1998; Lukyanenko Gyorke,1998). Stochastic attriction means L-type Ca2+ channels and all RyRs are closed simultaneously, then local [Ca2+]i will drop quickly to the sub-threshold level and disturbing the release from SR . However, this is only used for 1DHPR and 1-2 RyRs whereas they all will not close at once for other types of channels. In addition, local depletion of SR Ca2+ also may terminate SR Ca2+ but it cannot completely turn-off of release, because very long lasting Ca2+ sparks are found that will not decline with time (Satoh Bers, 1997). However other regions of SR can also limit local SR Ca2+ depletion. During a global Ca2+ transient, the whole SR Ca2+ declines. During a relaxation, SR Ca2+ depletion could lead to the turning -off global SR Ca2+ release. There are two types of RyR inactivation both of which depend on [ Ca2+ ]i .One of them is absorbing inactivation ( for example like Na+ channels), in which the ryanodine receptor cannot reopen until it recovers (Sham et al., 1998; Lukyanenko Gyorke, 1998). The another one is called RyR adaptation in which ryanodine after activation leads to a reduced open probability, but it can be reactivated by higher [Ca2+]i (Valdivia et al.,1995). RyRs inactivation could be important in reducing SR Ca2+ release events between each heart beats. To summarize, Ca2+ release during ECC is terminated mainly by a local RyRs inactivation and partial SR luminal Ca2+ depletion which leads to reduce RyR openings and variant of stochastic attrition also contributes. Role of calcium channels in cardiac hypertrophy, heart failure and arrhythmia Intracellular calcium is the major regulator of cardiac contraction. Therefore, altered cardiomyocyte regulation is important in arrhythmogenesis, cardiac mechanical dysfunction and cardiac hypertrophy associated with heart failure. Alteration in signal transduction pathways can also lead to loss of inotropic effects in heart failure. Defects in ECC have been reported in animal models of cardiomyopathy (Gomez et al., 1997). There is no E-C coupling depression was seen in pressure overload of cardiac hypertrophy with less sign of heart failure. (Rios et al., 1992). Cardiac hypertrophy is the enlargement and thickening of the heart muscle resulting in decreasing size of the chamber of the heart. Cardiac hypertrophy is the main cause of cardiac morbidity and mortality in cardiovascular system. It is associated with heart failure without myocardial infarction. Cardiac hypertrophy is associated with significant changes in myocardial contraction. These contractile dysfunctions are followed by changing in the whole-cell intracellular calcium transient. The pathogenesis and etiology of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure related with the role of Ca2+ channels still remains controversial. of ÃŽÂ ² subunits of L-type Ca2+ channels (LTCCÃŽÂ ²) enhances the probability of channels opening as well as also favours the trafficking of the Ca2+ channels to the surface membrane leading to increase calcium current (Chen Y.H, 2004). Interestingly, there has been reported upregulation of LTCCÃŽÂ ² in failing human cardiomyocytes (Hullin et al, 2003). In aortic banding, L-type Ca2+ channels concentration is remain unchange in rats myocytes with hypertrophy ( Scamps et al.,1990), cats with pulmonary artery banding (Kleinman, 1988) cardiomyopathy in Syrian hamsters (Sen, 1994) ,and ventricular

Education Through The Television :: Technology, TV, Informative

Education Through The Television "TV is justly called `the boob tube'." I disagree, in my opinion, television has many positive and informational uses. Television is now being used more in school because it is proven that students remember and comprehend better than from a regular class lecture. Television has always been good for spreading the news of current world events but it is now being used for more educational and informational documentaries. Television is becoming more and more an educational essential for children. Before they start school, children learn many basic and fundamental tools from television. Most kids learn the alphabet and how to count from shows like Sesame Street and Barney. As children get older there are many story-telling shows that either feature stories with good morals or they tell masterpiece stories like Hercules, Hunchback of Notre Dame, etc.. Some of these stories are now a part of our culture and children know and understand them because of television. As people grow older, television, at least for recent generations, plays a large role in socialization. On many sitcoms and talk shows one can learn of problems of today like teenage pregnancy, poverty, drugs, etc.. Television also seems to support somewhat decent morals, a very religious person may not think so but television still follows the good guy-hero, bad guy-loser theme. From certain shows on TV one can learn what sort of things are socially acceptable for instance fashion, behavior and hobbies. Television features many "how-to" shows like gardening, painting, cooking, etc.. It also has many documentaries on foreign lands and

Conflict is a Major Issue in Othello Essays -- shakespeare, Literary An

Conflict is a major issue in Othello, the source for all the problems in the story all lead back to love and jealousy. Love can be an extremely powerful thing in life. It can easily draw two people closer together or simply destroy something that could have been great. Ironically similar, jealousy can tear something apart just as fast as love can. This timeless tragedy starts out in Venice, with a plot to attain revenge on Othello. Iago and Roderigo are simply jealous with the fact that Othello has promoted Cassio to his lieutenant instead of Iago, along with the bitterness they both shared towards Othello to begin with (Shakespeare for Students, Othello). Together, Iago and Roderigo have come up with a plan to ultimately push Othello over the edge. For starters, Cassio unwillingly has told Iago that he is capable to be easily intoxicated and well obviously Iago uses this information against Cassio. Long story short, Cassio has stirred up a brawl to which in the long run costs him his new status as lieutenant. After all of this goes down Iago, trying to seem like the concerning friend, convinces Cassio to speak with Desdemona, Othello’s new bride, about the situation. Luckily, so Cassio thinks, Desdemona does such and tries to talk with Othello to have his dear friend reinstated. It is possible for people to make mistake. Once again Iago uses Cassio’s ignorance against him. All through the story almost every little detail and event all leads back to the scheme of Iago. Iago is thinking this could not work out better for me, so his next thought of process is that this conversation between Othello and his dear wife Desdemona will make Othello’s mind play tricks on him. Soon there after Othello is advised to keep closer watch of hi... ...or example when she asked him to tell her how much he loved her, â€Å"If it be love indeed, tell me how much†. Her maids add a little to Cleopatra’s characteristics. Also she had a messenger go to Antony saying she was dead, which she was not.Cleopatra’s character is so exotic and proud to be able to manipulate men but Desdemona is a complete opposite. Betrayal is the other ultimate theme of both of these tragedies. In Othello, he betrays Desdemona by believing the evil Iago and not communicating with his wife. He instead assumes Iago’s statements are of truth. We see Iago’s slyness and cleverness grow and a vapid rate, Desdemona’s innoncence becomes more apparent and Othello’s character galls from a noble warrior into a jealous fool. Iago is the source of the problems in Othello. He has motivation to ruin dear Othello because of the promotion Cassio gets instead of Iago.

Characters’ Transformation Essay

Pride and Prejudice is one of the most popular novels written by Jane Austen which was first published in 1813. It is more than a story of love which revolves around the lives of the Bennett family and the wealthy male visitors of Hertfordshire. The wide variety of personalities in the story contributed to the novel’s attractive and compelling features to date. However, the novel apparently portrayed several transformations in relation to the main characters. Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy were clearly different kinds of people who later proved themselves to be the ideal match for each other. Clearly, the transformation of Elizabeth and Darcy’s characters were made possible by their own pride and prejudices against each other. This fact, therefore, illustrates the idea that the character transformation would most likely not occur without the shortcomings and hasty judgments of the two main characters of the Jane Austen’s famous novel. Character Transformation Thoroughly reviewing the whole context of the story, the diverse personalities of the characters are what made it possible to arrive in a certain character transformation. Each character is provided a characteristic that is distinct to other characters. Elizabeth Bennett, an interesting character indeed, possesses traits which are very much different from her sisters. Here is one of her statements to Darcy included in Chapter 19 where she rejects him the first time he proposed to marry her and considered to be one of the pivotal turns in the story which caused the change in both Elizabeth and Darcy’s character: I do assure you, Sir, that I have no pretension whatever to that kind of elegance which consists in tormenting a respectable man. I would rather be paid the compliment of being believed sincere. I thank you again and again for the honor you have done me in your proposals, but to accept them is absolutely impossible. My feelings in every respect forbid it. Can I speak plainer? Do not consider me now as an elegant female, intending to plague you, but as a rational creature, speaking the truth from her heart (Austen 97). Elizabeth Bennett’s character speaks much of a strong personality which is extremely opinionated and bold. Unlike her younger sisters, she does not allow social status and wealth to interfere with her standards for love. However, in her statement, prejudices toward Darcy are evident for she has already judged him without knowing him well first. However, at the end of the story, she regrets having misjudged the man upon knowing the real Fitzwilliam Darcy. On the other hand, Darcy’s character also reveals pride and prejudice on his first impression towards Elizabeth. His statement where she declared Elizabeth as tolerable but not beautiful enough to interest him because of her poor social status discloses how proud he was to avoid being acquainted with such a woman (Austen 9). Similarly, he took back his word when he found out how interesting and intelligent Elizabeth was which led him to confess his feelings and offer a marriage proposal. Unfortunately, his first proposal was rejected. Upon the end of the novel, it is reasonable to conclude that Elizabeth Bennett and Fitzwilliam Darcy actually have similar characteristics which can be considered ironic. Both are intelligent, witty, opinionated, and proud. There are also instances when they have exposed acts of prejudices towards some characters in the story, primarily themselves. Elizabeth deemed Darcy to be an extremely arrogant and proud man when she accidentally heard him say that he was not interested in her due to her poor status in the society. She thought him to be a spoiled wealthy man who is unsociable and selfish. In return, Darcy also showed his prejudices towards her by thinking that she was not right for him because she belonged to the lower class part of the society. Hence, the situation indicates how their impulsive and superficial judgments of each other led them to take back their words and eradicate their pride and prejudices towards each other. They gradually transformed into humble beings who were capable of admitting and accepting their shortcomings. According to Christopher Booker, author of The Seven Basic Plots: What we see here is a story completely shaped by the underlying form of Comedy, but in a new kind of treatment where the conventions about misunderstandings, disguises, failure to recognize identity and ‘dark’ figures getting caught out are no longer presented in the terms of the old stage devices, but rather more subtly, in terms of the gradual revelation of people’s true character from behind first mistaken impressions, and the discovery of true feelings, in a way which corresponds more to our experience of life (Booker 134). Thus, two people, even with similar characteristics may not have similar outputs and can still be regarded contradictory in terms of beliefs. Like the characters in the story, all have distinct personalities which enabled them to decide the way they did. If Elizabeth did not hastily judged Darcy in the first place which led her into rejecting his first marriage proposal, Darcy would not have humbled himself into further pursuing Elizabeth despite her initial rejection. He would not have rescued her family from social disgrace and reveal his true nature. Simply put, Elizabeth would not have change her opinion about Darcy and most probably reject him still. She would not have fallen in love with him and change her ways of being filled with prejudices. The following scenarios created a huge impact in the maturity and development of the characters in the story which proves that the transformation is indeed dependent on the characters’ actions and decisions. According to Nhu Le’s online article entitled, The Individualization of Elizabeth Bennet, she points out that: Although Elizabeth comes to agree that Darcy’s previous actions were indeed justified . . . this transformation â€Å"disables† Elizabeth’s capacity to arrive at, and act upon, her own judgments. On the contrary, Darcy’s letter strengthens Elizabeth’s independence of mind. By accepting the fact that she has misjudged Darcy, Wickham, Jane, and Bingley, Elizabeth sharpens her ability to discern character. In turn, she develops a solidly based self-confidence (Le). As one critic puts it, â€Å"Both Elizabeth Bennet and Darcy develop an awareness of their place in the community and a recognition of the effects of their own speech† (Colebrook 158). Conclusion Clearly, the arguments stated above identify the concept that Elizabeth and Darcy’s character transformation would not have been possible without their mistakes and initial false impressions of each other. This validates the fact that their development as individuals is highly rooted from their decisions and hasty judgments—or rather their own pride and prejudices. Works Cited Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice: A Novel. London: R. Bentley. 1853. Booker, Christopher. The Seven Basic Plots: Why We Tell Stories. New York: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2005. Colebrook, Claire. Irony. London: Routledge, 2004. Le, Nhu. The Individualization of Elizabeth Bennet. 16 December 2008.

North Sea Oil and Gas

Every business or industry is prone to various risks which include floods, earthquake, terrorists which the industry should put mechanisms in place to avoid such. Effective contingency planning has been of importance to most industries that embrace the idea. North Sea oil and Gas has for a long time been prone to the problem of changing weather conditions which is especially experienced in the sea. The companies that exploit the North Sea oil and gas have put a lot of emphasis on risk management and most of the companies have set up risk management departments (Leslie and Michaels, 1997).Numerous deaths had occurred during the exploitation of North Sea oil and gas in the 1970s and 1980s and this called for effective contingency planning to reduce the losses incurred by loosing workforce and by spillage of oil and gas due to buckles. The companies that exploit the gas and oil have invested in the contingency planning as a way of way of managing the risks (Leslie and Michaels, 1997).No rth Sea oil and gas has been a source of wealth to the countries that exploit the resource. North Sea oil has been used to refer to the oil and natural gas exists beneath the North Sea. The countries that exploit the North Sea oil and gas include Netherlands, Norway, Germany, United Kingdom and Denmark. Most countries and especially companies that have been given license to exploit the resource have taken proactive measures of risk. Mining beneath the sea has led to many deaths of the people involved and this has called for heavy investment in risk management projects undertaken by the companies. The pipes that transfer the oil and natural gas from underground reservoirs to processing plants which are mainly located some distance from the sea must be strong to withstand the waves in the sea. Depending on weather changes, waves differ in their height and this call for contingency planning otherwise heavy losses are incurred by the particular company (Leslie and Michaels, 1997).In the 1970s, the North Sea oil a gas companies took proactive measures to avoid heavy losses that resulted when waves exceeded the height of 3 meters. The operators laid many pipes which assumed the shape of S to maintain smoothness between the large barge and the ocean floor. The operators used bow anchors to further buckles by raising and resetting the pipes at the barges. The operators had to be keen because improper lowering of pipes would result into a pipe buckle which presented a serious threat in laying the pipes. The excessive height of waves which exceeded the anticipated height resulted in further risk of pipe buckles due to uncontrolled lowering of pipes.The companies therefore had to purchase a large number of steel pipes to avoid delays incase of any pipe buckle and this methods was not cost effective as the company would have desired. Any proactive measure that is taken to manage risk should be cost effective, utility effective and must therefore be maximizing benefits for the company while minimizing cost (Leslie and Michaels, 1997).An effective contingency planning in managing risks in project requires good planning and coordination of all the stakeholders in the project to ensure maximum desirable result. Risk management involves taking measures in dealing with uncertainty. The North Sea and oil contingency planning that was adopted in 19790s involves dealing with uncertainty because in favorable weather conditions, there is less cost involved in dealing with risks since pipe buckles will be few and hence very few new pipes will be required to be laid. However, since it’s hard to predict the height of the waves in the sea which can cause heavy losses if unchecked, the companies that explore the oil and gas in the areas must take precautionary measures (Leslie and Michaels, 1997).Exploration of North Sea oil any natural gas involves making wealth for the companies that are undertaking the projects. The importance of contingency planning in t he exploration project is very essential in risk management because it’s used to assess the possibility of bad weather condition which is a threat to the project. The assessment is consequently used to reduce the possibility of underperformance that may be realized when no measures are undertaken to reduce or avoid the pipe buckles. The cost of replacing buckled pipes reduces the profit margin that is realized in the project and therefore effective contingency planning help to manage the risk.Effective contingency planning helps to capture the benefits of fair weather. Uncertainty about weather conditions is a threat that faces the North Sea offshore pipe laying. If effective contingency planning is observed, long periods of bad weather can be sustained because the project major should be able to recognize and deal with the bad condition threat which is inevitable. The project managers should ensure there is plenty supply of pipes during bad weather condition to avoid delays in replacing the buckle pipes. The project managers should observe good contingency planning by ensuring that the oil and gas pipeline are complete before the bad weather sets in and this will assist in reducing the costs associated with contingency planning. Laying pipelines in time helps in avoiding major delays in the project which may result in heavy monetary losses.Contingency planning for reducing possible threats that are associated with North Sea and oil exploration could be a possible way of increasing income to the companies that are undertaking the project. American project management institute (PMI) argue that there is a possible opportunity associated with the risks that threaten the project in winter, bad weather conditions has been known to lead to gas shortage in most cities which due to law of demand, the prices increase. This could be an opportunity for those companies that are concerned with the project.Effective contingency planning in managing risk North Sea oil and gas has created an opportunity to the companies undertaking the project. This is attributed to the precautions taken by the companies in anticipation of bad weather threat. The project involves paying for delivery before the contract begins. Most companies that want to protect themselves from the deficient supply of the resources therefore buy the resources before the contract begins. The high demand has contributed to higher revenue derived from the project and this consequently results to higher profitability (Leslie and Michaels, 1997).Contingency planning which is mainly associated with managing risks should not only focus on the threats that hamper the success of the project but should also view threats as an opportunity to achieve the objectives of the project. Achievement of objectives means the project has succeeded. Therefore effective contingency planning in addressing risks should recognize the close relationship of threats and opportunities. The actions taken by the project manager in reducing the risks should seek to create an opportunity for excellence (Leslie and Michaels, 1997).Effective contingency planning should not focus on managing threats. Instead the project should seek to identify the different sources of risks and consequently how to manage the risks. Focus on risks draw emphasis on the anticipated failure. Therefore, assessing the various sources of uncertainty and how those uncertainties can be a threat to the project and consequently how to manage the uncertainties involves application of effective contingency planning.North Sea oil and gas exploration is associated with many uncertainties which present various threats to the project. Focus on the opportunities created by the uncertainties management can lead to profitability and success of the project. The project manager should identify the origins of uncertainties instead of managing risk first and this will assist in addressing the root of the problem. Most projects have fa iled to meet the set objectives due to their failure to address the root of the problems. Superficial problem solving has led undesirable results. Therefore identification of the source of uncertainties should be considered as the beginning of the risk management process in effective contingency planning (Leslie and Michaels, 1997).Uncertainty is present in every project and in all stages of the project life cycle (PLC). The uncertainty is contributed by various reasons which are inevitable. All projects success is based on various assumptions which are the main sources of uncertainties. Differences in the performance of project concerning cost, quality and duration that is required to complete the project bring a lot of uncertainties. In laying pipes in the ocean in a way that will avoid pipe buckles involved a lot of uncertainties. This is attributed to the changing weather conditions.Its hard to forecast the height of the waves in the ocean in a particular season and this present source of uncertainties since its hard to know with certainty the cost of dealing with the threat since its hard to tell the amount of pipes to be knocked down and therefore requiring replacement (Leslie and Michaels, 1997).Proactive risk management in the North Sea oil and gas project should be entrenched in both base plans and contingency plans. It’s argued that if a project focuses very much on being cost effective it’s bound to fail on risk management in some occasions. However, crisis management should only be used as principal management in some occasions. However, crisis management should only be used as principal management mode if the risk management fails completely (Leslie and Michaels, 1997).ReferencesLeslie, Keith, J. and Michaels, Max, P. â€Å"The Real Power of Real Options†. The McKinsey Quarterly 3 (1997):134-225.

Training and Development of KFC

  Kentucky Fried Chicken has extensive program prepared for the services crews or food service workers in customer service, health and safety, cleaning procedures, and food preparation.   Started with using special combinations of eleven herbs and spices as seasonings, Colonel Sanders (the founder) started the business in Kentucky in the mid 1939 but started its way to franchising business in 1955. After many years of existence, KFC still holds the philosophies and values of hard work and excellent customer service that Colonel instilled in all its stores around the world.   Ã‚  KFC now is one of the brands owned by Yum! Brands, Inc.How their training program connected with the philosophy and mission of the organization (Nationally and internationally)KFC has bolstered its â€Å"Colonel’s Tradition† way of recruiting and training workers.   Albrecht mentioned about some strategies KFC has formulated in order to observe operating efficiencies.   One of those st rategies was the revision of KFC’s crew training programs and operating standards, which is centered on customer service and continued high quality products across the franchises (p. 318).In 1997, with the 5,117 outlets mostly franchised nationally and internationally, KFC knows the importance of controlling the operation especially the service quality and products despite the differences in culture, language, local law, financial markets, and marketing strategies, through the Tricon International division, which is a marketing arm of the company. By means of the consultation process with the Yum! Chief People Officer Strategy, the head office receives feedback from franchise owners about their human resources and training performance.   This gives employees assurance that they receive same training practices and experiences regardless of restaurant ownership.Consistent with the company’s mission and values, it also trains with a status as â€Å"Registered Training Organization† that provides their trainees with nationally accredited qualification once completed the programs. The following are the certificates that could be accumulated: certificate in retail operations, retail supervision, and retail management (â€Å"Training and Retaining†).Steps involved in training their employees (managers and working staff).KFC has a structured orientation and training program for newly hired personnel assigned in Customer Service and Food Service that could give them Nationally Recognized qualification (kfcjob.com).   The traineeship that usually lasts from one to three years will give the employees good credential and good experience, which could give them opportunity for promotion in the future.   Along with their value â€Å"How we work together principle,† KFC has developed a management team that will supervise the career development needs of the employees.   Aside from that, if an employee wants to become a Restaurant Gene ral Management level, he has to attend the ‘Developing Champions’ program.The training programs include manuals, skill checklists, and tracking charts to ensure that trainees learn effectively in enable them to acquire promotion internally.KFC provides different training programs to help increase the skills and performance of the employees. They have STAR2000, helps increase skills and performance; In the Lead program, this prepares employee to become shift supervisor; this training gives the trainee the chance to become Assistant Unit Manager; the Vision I, and Be the Leader program, this helps make one become General Manager at KFC restaurant.   These programs prepare everyone for professional growth in the company.The training is given upon the advice of the Human Resource Department of the company so long as the employee accomplishes a degree of satisfaction upon evaluation of his or her performance.Conceptual model of procedures and steps involved in trainingThe training program has two phases, one is for employees, and the other one is given for franchise employees.   However the program is applied to both to ensure quality service among the KFC personnel. The model schema of KFC training program according to level is shown below:What training program KFC use to train their franchisee employees in host country as well as in oversees?KFC supplies its franchise employee with lots of benefits and support to help it grow in the business such as advertising, coaching, training and sourcing.   As a neophyte, KFC offers trainings called Franchise Management and Leadership courses prior to the operation that usually last to eight weeks for key restaurant personnel through the Yum! University (â€Å"Franchise†).   The program consists of basic product training, leading a shift, leading a restaurant, and leading multiple restaurants.Another training programs are given that can take up to six months during the operation called â€Å"Dev eloping Champions, Area Coach Orientation, and restaurant support centre induction† (Franchise).  KFC provides worldwide support for the learning and institutionalization of key leadership and management program for both company leaders and franchises.While training their employees in overseas, is the KFC organization socially responsible organization if yes why?KFC organization is a socially responsible because it is not only committed in providing career development to its employees, it also responsible in helping maintain healthy diets to its customers.Employees are assured of good career path with KFC around the world because of incentives, benefits, and promotions it offers.   The trainings are not only intended to ensure quality service of the employees but the also serve to give them promotion opportunities.KFC also joined the world’s campaign against poverty.   In a report, KFC and Pizza Huts all over the globe launched the first World Hunger Relief Week o n October 14, 2007 (â€Å"Buy a Meal†).Aside from that, KFC has other means to help the community.   It provides scholars to high school seniors planning to enroll in state-owned colleges or universities, it conducts its business in ethical manner and principles (the ‘How We Work Together’ principle), and their animal welfare program.ConclusionKentucky Fried Chicken Corporation is an example of an entrepreneurial business that started small and grew remarkably.   Its commitment towards efficiency in their service has motivated its founder Colonel to create a unique approach in maintaining quality service and products by means of providing training to the employees for greater efficiency in line with work.   These trainings bring out benefits not only for the company but also for also professional advancement of the employees.Using diverse training programs, the company is assured that they possess quality personnel and crew with one hundred percent retentio n.ReferenceAlbrecht, Maryann H. (2001). International HRM: Managing Diversity in the Workplace. UK: Blackwell Publishers Ltd.Buy a meal give a meal World Hunger Relief Week. October 14-20, 2007. http://www.kfc.co.uk/charity/charity.aspxFranchise and Business Opportunities for Entrepreneurs. http://www.franchisegator.com/KFC-Kentucky-Fried-Chicken-franchise/Franchise. http://www.kfc.co.uk/about/franchise.aspxKFC (2008). http://www.kfc.com/about/careers.aspTraining and Retaining Great Employees. Financial Review Case Studies. http://www.afrbiz.com.au/page.asp?3652=430506&E_Page=416317&3648=430499&case=430501U+KFC. http://www.kfcjobs.com.au/team/vision-and-values.aspx

Outsider Essay

The Stranger by Albert Camus is one of his best works. This novel tells the story of a man, Meursault, who is a moralist. Nothing seems to matter to him and his or anybody else’s actions makes no difference. Camus’s use of language allows readers to discover the mood and meaning being conveyed through diction and word choice. His use of fgurative language can be seen throughout. Such an example of figurative language is imagery. From reading The Stranger, one can clearly picture whats happening as Camus beautifully describes every action f Meursault. In the first chapter, Meursault hears that his mother has died and says â€Å"Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I don’t know. â€Å". Him saying this shows his emotional indifference and establishes his character traits. It doesn’t show that he didn’t really care about his mother, but that he really doesn’t give great thought to much of anything. The death of his mother shows Just how emotionless Meursault is for the fact of not grieving over his mothers death. But while at the funeral, Camus oes in great depth to explain the heat of the day and all of Meursault’s surroundings. Continuing with Camus’s use of imagery, at Maman’s funeral Meursault states â€Å"She was right. There was no way out. † as he talks to the nurse who had said â€Å"If you go slowly, you risk getting sunstroke. But if you go too fast, you work up a sweat and then catch a chill inside the church. â€Å". Meursault says this only to his understanding that a person is born into a life that will only result in the death of that person. Death, like the harsh effects of the sun, is unavoidable. This idea is central to Camus’s philosophy in The Stranger, which posits death as the one central, inescapable fact of life. In prison, where Meursault has much time to reflect on his past, does he discover all the over-looked, finer aspects of his former free life. The author conveys this sense of discovery through the detailed flashbacks in the second part of the novel during his arrest. For example, Just moments before Meursault’s execution, he vividly recalls is mother’s funeral. Whereas he was empty of feeling at the funeral, now he too faces eminent death and thus savors the moments as to when he was the mourner. Through Camus’s use of diction and language, he has expressed the mood and meaning to this story of a man who has been wrongly accused. And by doing so the author has grasped his readers and has given them a different perspective on life and how things are fine one moment and can go terribly wrong the next moment. Outsider By lalalalalalal

Parents, Make the Most Out of College Tours With Your Teen

The college admissions process isn’t just difficult for the teens who endure it themselves. It’s difficult for their parents, too, and some of us might even argue that we’re up at night just as often as they are, silently stressing about the process. If you’re like many parents going through the college admissions process, you might struggle to find the balance between supportive cheerleader and overbearing taskmaster. This can be particularly true during parts of the process that you undertake together, such as college visits. You may feel that you have a financial and personal interest in your child’s college search and as such, it can be difficult to take a backseat. Rest assured, though, that you can still support and encourage your child before, during, and after college visits without making the visit more about your interests than your child’s. In this post, we’ll discuss how you can help your teen to prepare for a college visit, how you can support your teen during a college tour, and how you can help your teen to process his or her impressions afterwards. To learn more about how to make the most of college tours with your teen, keep reading. Before the tour itself, make sure that your teen understands that college tours aren’t a passive process. He or she should be prepared to ask valuable, insightful questions to help guide his or her experience. Encourage your child to research the school in advance, learning about departments or programs that might be of interest and compiling a list of genuine questions, the answers to which might be valuable when it comes time to apply to colleges. Also help your teen to make a list of â€Å"not-to-be-missed† sites, both on and off campus. It’s impossible for a college tour to include every little place on campus, and most include very little or even nothing of the surrounding area. Your student might be interested in seeing all of the freshman housing options, the athletic fields, or the chemistry lab, but these may or may not be featured during the formal tour. Don’t be afraid to seek them out together after the tour finishes up. Similarly, there might be some off-campus spots of interest, too. Maybe there is a coffee shop around the corner, renowned for being a popular study spot, or a walking trail popular among locals. Maybe your teen is interested in pursuing a job off campus or finding volunteer opportunities. Check these places out now together so that your teen knows what to expect later. Doing some homework ahead of time can mean that college visits are more efficient and effective, leaving fewer questions open when the time comes to send commitment letters. Your teen is probably blushing in advance at the prospect of your overbearing excitement and excessive enthusiasm during a college tour. While it’s natural to be excited and to try to get your child excited too, the tour is the time to dial back your own reactions in order to allow your teen to take the lead and shine. One way to ensure that your student really takes ownership of the experience is by delegating yourself to the spectator role. Allow your teen the opportunity to be the one asking questions and guiding his or her own experience. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you need a gag and blindfold, though. You can take some casual notes and pictures without attracting too much attention. Try to record details that you think your student might find valuable later on. For example, if your child is into acting, taking a brief video of the tour as it passes by the theater might be of interest for your child to review later. This is a simple and unobtrusive way to lend a hand, while your student is busy watching and listening. Our Early Advising Program helps students in 9th and 10th grade discover their passions and build strong academic and extracurricular profiles to succeed in high school. Afterwards, while the college tour is still fresh in your minds, have a thoughtful conversation with your teen about it. Sit down over a cup of coffee or a snack and encourage your student to reflect on the pros and cons that he or she perceived. Be careful not to offer too much of your own perspective at first. It’s important to hear your teen’s unfiltered perspective first. If you feel there are important things that he or she is forgetting, casually mentioning them is one way to steer the conversation without providing too much of your own opinion. Remember, your teen needs to be at the helm for this experience. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you can’t lend your insights. Once your teen has given some feedback, feel free to give yours, too. Try to frame things in a way that is productive for your student. For example, instead of telling your teen that you’re worried he or she won’t be able to get around without a car and limited public transportation options, ask your teen if he or she noticed any bus stations nearby. If your student doesn’t remember, you may suggest that he or she investigates transportation options more in the future. It can also be helpful to remind your student to write down his or her initial impressions along with a pro/con list as soon as possible after the tour. This will serve as a valuable record later in the college decision process. File it someplace accessible, preferably in the college files that your student has already started. Visiting colleges can sometimes be a stressful experience for parents and teens alike. Approach the visit as a team, allowing your child to guide the experience, and think of yourself as a sounding board. Lend your insights once you’ve heard your child’s, and remember that this visit can be a time to bond together for a successful and productive college tour. If you feel your teen could use some more insight from an outside source, consider the benefits of the Near Peer Mentorship Program , which provides access to practical advice on topics from college admissions to career aspirations, all from successful college students. To learn more about the parent’s role in the college admissions process, check out these posts:

Battle of kings mountain narrative Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Battle of kings mountain narrative - Essay Example After overpowering the revolutionary army and Major General Gates on September 1780 at Camden, Major General Lord Cornwallis proceeded towards north to invade Virginia and North Carolina. An outpost towards the British army’s West was occupied by Major Ferguson. The Tories succeeded in plundering the Whigs. Ferguson was known for his ferocity against the mutineers. The Whigs gathered in the West of Virginia and Carolina. For support, Ferguson sent on to Cornwallis. The Whigs attacked Ferguson and his army on 7 October 1780 on the King’s Mountain and won the Battle within an hour (Hammett). In the Battle of King’s Mountain, 300 Tories were killed and wounded and another 700 were imprisoned by the Whigs. 90 Whigs were killed in the Battle. The success of the Whigs caused Cornwallis to abandon the intention of invading North Carolina. The Battle of King’s Mountain was fought between Americans except for only one British man that was Major

My nursing ethics as a nurse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

My nursing ethics as a nurse - Essay Example Man in his supreme mental capacity has made life in a more survival state but the question of ethical and moral acceptability has been raised since man intervened with life’s natural process. Nurses and other health care professionals are the ones in the frontline of bridging man’s full health potential thus making life even longer. On a personal point of view, the degree of respect to life as a health care professional is at its utmost. The scope of nursing as well as medical practice has opened ideal views of life in its respect to health that is catered to all individuals regardless of gender, color and race, thus no life is to be spared (The President’s Council on Bioethics, 2003; US National Library of Medicine, 2012 ). Ethically and morally, the figure of a nurse upholds life’s dignity but differences in beliefs, morals and character brings out different stories. Practice in the scope of nursing is complex but the complexities did not stop nurses fro m being true advocates of health. Instead the healthcare world developed codes to clearly define the scope of acceptable practice, thus no one will be placed neither above nor below it. As a nurse, The Code of Ethics for Nurses, have personally shaped me into becoming the ideal nurse as an advocate of life and health. It provides nurses with a framework to use in ethical analysis and decision making. Hence it establishes the ethical standard for the practice of nursing defining what is acceptable in the ethical views that does not favor any group, religion or status but only favors the value of life and service (American Nurses Association, 2010). Personally the values that have greatly influenced my view and philosophy of nursing are respect for human life, compassion, professionalism, social responsibility and dedication. All these values were not inherent but were rather acquired during the nursing degree. Respect for human life has always been there and the joy it brings when sa ving someone’s life out of danger and potential harm by means of service and compassion is priceless. Social responsibility is a very important value to be an effective nurse. It is being an advocate of one another stating that responsibility does not end with one person alone but extends to the whole society and one must act accordingly to contribute for the greater good. This distinguishes a nurse who does work over time because service is needed from the nurse who does over time work because monetary value is considered. Nursing is a vocation rather than a profession, to be an effective nurse is to understand that your service is no longer yours nor to the workplace you work for but is to the people in need. How many have you been called in the neighborhood for an emergency? Yes, the bother can be something but the feeling of saving someone’s life is more than anything. Ethics and values are significant words in the world of nursing for it greatly affect how nursing services are delivered by a nurse. Ethics defines actions acceptable if it is done in ways which are consistent with one’s beliefs (Navran, 2010). Nursing practice is composed of many concepts that sometimes promote, adhere or contrasts with another. That is why nurses are sometimes caught in the dilemma brought about by clash of ideas. Ethical dilemmas such as DNR consent or advance directives can greatly affect the way nurses give care to patients. DNR for example can come in