Gel electrophoresis Essay Example for Free

Gel electrophoresis Essay The explosion of molecular biology techniques that began in the mid-1970s (and continues today) has provided tools to examine the physical structure of DNA, its nucleotide sequence and how genes are read and regulated. One key tool is the ability to visualize DNA molecules and determine their length by using a technique called gel electrophoresis. Introduction to gel electrophoresis In gel electrophoresis, DNA fragments move through a porous matrix made of agarose, a gelatin-like substance purified from seaweed. The agarose is melted like Jell-O and then poured into a plastic tray to harden into a slab called a gel. A plastic comb inserted at one end while the gel is hardening forms wells where DNA samples can be placed. The DNA is mixed with a loading buffer that contains glycerol—this makes it heavier than water, so it will sink to the bottom of the well. The gel is then covered with a buffer solution that can carry electric current, and electrodes are placed at each end of the gel and connected to a power supply. Because DNA is negatively charged (each nucleotide has a negatively charged phosphate attached to it), it will move toward the positive electrode. Larger molecules move through the agarose more slowly, while smaller ones  can slip through the pores faster. So, the fragments wind up arranged in order according to size, with the smaller ones having moved farther toward the positive pole. Figure 47 shows an example. Because the DNA is invisible, the loading buf fer also contains two dy e s : bromophenol blue (a small dye molecule that behaves like a DNA fragment about 600 bases long) and xylene cyanol (a larger dye that acts like a DNA fragment of about 4000 bases). These dyes form lines that give you an idea of how far your DNA has moved. Some loading buffers also have a third dye, behaving like a very small DNA molecule (50 bases or so). As the DNA migrates, the different fragments will form bands; each band is composed of many identical copies of a particular-size piece of DNA (you can’t do gel electrophoresis with one DNA molecule: you need millions or billions of identical molecules). The last step is to make the DNA bands visible, using a fluorescent molecule that inserts between the bases in the DNA helix. We use a commercial loading buffer called EZ-Vision which includes the fluorescent molecule, so the gel is already stained when it’s done running. Another method is to soak the gel in ethidium bromide after running it. Either way, the bands can be seen using ultraviolet light and photographed to make a permanent record. Sample preparation Of course, gel electrophoresis requires some kind of DNA sample—a plasmid, a PCR product, a segment of a chromosome, etc. If the molecule is circular, enzymes are used to cut the DNA (see the section on restriction digestion, page 87), because circular molecules can be either tightly or loosely coiled and don’t wind up at the same place on a gel as a linear molecule of the same size. Whatever your sample is, it must be mixed with loading buffer (containing glycerol and dyes, as described above) before electrophoresis. Add a volume of loading buffer equal to 1/5 the volume of your sample and mix it well before loa

English As An Additional Language

English As An Additional Language Over the past decade, there has been much discussion and research into factors affecting the performance of pupils with English as an Additional Language (EAL) in mainstream secondary schools in the United Kingdom. Recent studies in the UK have focused on the relationship between factors such as gender, ethnicity, pupil mobility, parental occupation, entitlement to free school meals and educational achievement. Nevertheless socio-economic status (SES) continues to be the most important single determinant of educational and social outcomes. The nature of the relationship between socioeconomic status and student achievement has been the point of argument for years, with the most influential arguments appearing in Equality of Educational Opportunity (Coleman, et al., 1968) and Inequality (Jencks, et al., 1973) in the United States of America, and a number of commissioned inquiries in Australia (Commission of Inquiry into Poverty, 1976; Karmel, 1973). How SES influences student achievement is not clear, and there have been many theories to explain the relationship. In one scenario, school students from low-SES homes are at a disadvantage in schools because they lack an academic home environment, which influences their academic success at school. Another scenario argues that school and neighbourhood environments influence academic success, so that low-SES schools are generally lower-performing, and that only extremely resilient young people can escape the fate of low academic achievement. How governments interpret the SES-achievement debate influences education policies designed to ameliorate educational disadvantage, so it is important to point out the contribution SES makes to achievement at both student and school level. This study seeks to find out what level of performances EAL pupils have achieved in recent years and what are the overriding factors that determine their achievement in Modern Foreign Languages (MFL). A central characteristic of provision for EAL students in mainstream classrooms in the English context is that it can best be described as patchy and varied (Bourne, 2007; Leung, 2002; Leung Franson, 2001: 155; McEachron Bhatti, 2005). Given the ever-increasing number of EAL pupils in schools, the outcomes of the study will permit me to evaluate their progress in MFL and will also aid my own professional development. The research will also aim to arm me with a wide variety of experiences outside my specialist subject area. As part of this element of the study I am required to carry out some research into any aspect of general school life, with the objective of learning through reflective practice. This study has two elements. The first aspect includes studies of how EAL pupils perform in foreign languages. This section will seek to provide interesting points of comparison between their Home Language, their English Language Acquisition and the Target Language studied. In this context, the research should also shine some insight as to whether there are other external factors such as demographics, economical or social influences that can impact on the learning of EAL learners. The second will examine the various ways in which EAL learners perform generally in English and what trends can be drawn from research over recent years. I will be looking at current concerns such as the barriers of language, the effects of schooling on children from poor families, and the kind of interventions that would make a difference adapting to a different social and school environment. The investigation will focus on the performance of pupils with EAL and I will situate this analysis within the context of a mainstream secondary school situated in London. The school in question which holds a Language College Status will be referred as School E for anonymous purposes. It is a mixed establishment which counts approximately 650 pupils between the ages of 11 -16, and where 15 % of pupils have English as an Additional Language. Ten students aged eleven to fifteen years, who are currently learning French or Spanish, agreed to take part in the study: three monolingual English speakers and seven pupils with EAL. From this sample there was one girl who was originating from Ivory Coast, one boy from Cameroon, two girls from China, two boys from Portugal, and one girl from Spain. For the most part they can be described as being relatively recent arrivals to the UK as they have arrived within the previous six months to two years with a moderate level of English, little English or no English at all. Students such as ours often have different language and social experiences than so-called mainstream or home students, but as recently settled residents they do not fit the model of foreigners learning English. In UK cities there is a good deal of movement and settlement of people from diverse backgrounds. In London schools it is not unusual to find 40% (or more) of the students from ethno linguistic minority homes (Baker Eversley, 2000). At this time there is no nationally recognised policy or strategy for EAL learners although there are individual schools and local education authorities that offer strategies, policies and expertise for these pupils. Hence the outcome of this research will decipher whether school E is adept, skilful and well resourced in EAL provision. On the first week of conducting the study, my aim was mainly to build up a good professional relationship with the pupils who took take part of the study. I also ensured finding out the correct pronunciation of each childs name and made them aware of mine. In addition, I collected their background information and use EAL levels as well as English stages to contextualise their achievement data. There is evidence to suggest that background information will ensure clarity in determining how cultural factors and linguistic experience influence progress and will also inform teachers planning. Government publications have strongly recommended the use of achievement data to target EAL learners in schools and classrooms. For example, the Assessment of pupils learning English as an additional language recommends teachers gather and use data such as gender, age, ethnicity, prior education, years of UK education, first language details including literacy, key stage test results and cognitive ab ility test scores to decide on appropriate action for individual bilingual pupils. (DfES, 2003). The research that was carried out with the EAL learners involved several weeks of informal induction that included a peer buddying arrangement to help them adjust to school routines. The emphasis for these new arrivals was on supporting English language development and promoting awareness amongst their peers and understanding of their new environment. Circle Time sessions were put in place after school to consult and involve pupils and for further developing peer support skills. As a result, students developed fantastic resources to promote a welcoming ethos around the school and classroom, by making presentations, displaying their multi-lingual posters, artwork, and booklets outlining the role of buddies. They have also consulted pupils, through written questionnaires and conducted a school assembly. I investigated MFL learning techniques using active approaches such as role play, repetition and other strategies. Simple signs with language captions were displayed around my classroom and I found that EAL students made significantly more contributions to my lessons since I was breaking instructions down and providing important teaching resources such as visual stimuli. I have used some visual support and where possible used real objects such as examples, photographs and good illustrations to facilitate learning. The majority received language support with specialist teachers and classroom assistants that took place during normal class times within the framework of the National Curriculum. Ive also implemented a club for extra languages support which was given on a one-to-one basis or in small groups during lunchtimes where conversation was taught explicitly in relevant contexts, as was vocabulary. Outside the classroom, I have used very practical methods: taking children out to local shops, walking around school and taking photographs which became meaningful to them. Hence, I intended to broaden our monolingual pupils knowledge and understanding of the wider world as I was looking for new challenges; I wanted the international dimension to become part of the school ethos, to be integral to childrens daily learning and not to be just a meaningless add-on, or a tick in the box. I strongly believe EAL pupils should be actively encouraged to value their native language. The greater the skill they possess in this, the greater the progress in the acquisition of the second. As I observed my EAL pupils partaking in English lessons I noticed that some of them were often shying away from writing, while they may have been fluent in their spoken English; their formal written assessment was much more of a challenging obstacle to overcome. I became aware that pupils ability to learn a completely new language is beneficial because it puts each student in the same boat. It also came to my attention that through learning a new language, monolingual English speakers had more empathy for those who have come into the class not speaking English. In one interview, one of my monolingual pupils was quoted as saying Its nice to have something that we can all learn together Nicola Davies, chair of the National Association for Language Development in the Curriculum, said: Language learning can be helpful as English speaking pupils encounter the kinds of problems that new arrivals face as well as promoting intercultural understanding. In addition to supporting pupils learning English as an Additional Language, School E also endeavoured to support parents. For the purpose of the study, families have been encouraged to attend normal school days with their offspring and this provided an opportunity to see parents and children engaged with others. These sessions allowed Parents who had little or no understanding of English an ideal platform to understand how schooling in the UK works. Few parents were involved in translating signs for the school and were invited into school to work alongside children and other parent helpers in the classrooms. My students and their parents were very receptive to language learning, and their experiences included several languages. For the purpose of this research I exchanged information on traditional food with a school in France and managed a live videoconference. Enthusiasm soon spread since the children were excited about learning a new language and the teaching staff motivated and inspired. This was extraordinarily motivating for our pupils and they voluntarily wrote thank you letters to the French teacher in the Target Language. Then we celebrated international events, and enriched the whole curriculum. We had themed weeks focusing on particular countries, inviting parents to lunches where pupils prepared typical dishes. One of our pupils even had a Chinese cake for his birthday! This study affirms that supporting and valuing EAL pupils previous learning is important for their development. It was also useful for the study to discover their heritage country and languages spoken in their home in order to celebrate their faith and customs. Rather than separating it into home languages, Modern Foreign Languag es and English, it was all under the umbrella of languages. Recent research has shown that there is a strong link between proficiency in the first language and the development of a second, or third. This is because the more competent EAL learners become in their home language the more competent they will become in MFL. The skills from the first language transfer across and allow the childs proficiency to grow. In accordance with all these suggestions and following on from my observations and personal experiences, I would affirm that pupils who learn a foreign language will not be detracted from learning English, rather it will support it. From my view point it is also important to allow children to use the home language in the setting if he or she wants to because if they remark that their language is recognised and valued their self esteem and identity could further develop. Language and culture are inextricably entwined and an awareness of this could assist EAL children in developing a healthy self-perception. During the study, I decided to focus on the progress of the seven EAL pupils from my sample, specifically investigating their ability in my own subject area. I had noticed that these pupils appeared to have an aptitude for learning languages, yet they were often placed in low-ability groups, so I set about gathering evidence to substantiate my theory. Furthermore, I became aware that 5 of my EAL pupils were at risk of underachieving, as they were placed in sets corresponding to their level of English rather than to their cognitive ability in MFL. I also detected that some of them were implementing knowledge of their mother tongue to facilitate the target language learning, so they could potentially obtain higher grades than native English speakers and should be given every opportunity to demonstrate these abilities. EAL is an under-researched area in the UK context, but much of the available research, including the EAL policies of School E presents similar findings. The research indicates that for EAL pupils to succeed, communication between EAL specialists and other school subject departments is vital. Researchers are unanimous in their conclusions that EAL learners should be in a set corresponding to their intellectual capabilities, regardless of their level of English, as EAL pupils make more progress and learn more quickly working alongside fluent users of English who are good language and learning role models (DfES, 2005). My two year 9 students, both from French-speaking Africa, came to the UK when they were 12 years of age and were taught French because of their background. It later transpired that French lessons were too easy for them and a decision was made to teach them Spanish instead. They were eager to learn and made incredibly good progress in Spanish, whilst also mastering English which equated to a good level of their home language. On the other hand the two girls who were from China found learning Spanish harder to grasp, this was not helped as they formed their own inner circle speaking only in their home language. The fact they arrived at School E at the same time may have played an influence to them not interacting with other students and during MFL lessons it became apparent that they were becoming withdrawn. Although multilingual family and friendship networks played key roles in supporting their day-to-day school work and future ambitions, I remarked that silence and self-study emerge as key survival strategies for these EAL students. The pupils who came from Spain and Portugal adjusted well to school life after just one year and this was reflected in their knowledge and comprehension of French. They actively participated in oral activities and became fully engaged during lessons. However they underachieved when it came down to English. A recent study at Goldsmiths College found that Portuguese students who attended mother tongue classes were five times more likely to achieve five or more A* to C grades at GCSE than those who did not attend (NALDIC, 2005), which supports the pro home culture argument. The contentious role of the mother tongue makes assessment of EAL pupils another highly complex area, for example, there has been discussion of whether all pupils should be assessed in English to preclude prejudice (Mills, 2002). Many EAL studies focus on specific ethnic groups rather than on all learners, but all investigations that I have examined emphasize the importance of valuing the mother tongue and culture of the EAL learner (Scarcella, 1990:54). Although conflicting opinions regarding treatment of EAL learners are not apparent, problems arise from attempting to put theory into practice. In 2008, OFSTED declared provision and support for EAL pupils outstanding in School E, yet I observed inconsistent adherence to the EAL policy, which appeared to place EAL learners at a disadvantage. In order to analyse the current situation, I will use my personal experience in the MFL department within the context of School E to synthesis this research. To aid research preparations, Fischer (2001) solicits, As you think about your teaching, how do you know when something really went well? What do you feel you are good at? How did you get good at it? I believe that all of these questions can be answered through teacher-pupil interaction, consideration of examination results and observance of best practice, along with learning from mistakes. For this reason, I have focused a large bulk of my research on one-to-one sessions with my EAL pupils. I carried out my research on their learning outcomes by discussing the MFL situation informally with pupils and teachers, but as this evidence will be subjective, it is not a reliable enough foundation on which to base my conclusions. My main source of evidence will be to set lists and examination results because these are totally unbiased a nd factual. The negative side of this sort of information is that it does not provide details on pupils levels of ability nor on the motivation in the subject. I will analyse the number of EAL pupils in different sets, and I predict that there will be a higher proportion of EAL pupils in low-ability sets. I will use original set lists from the beginning of the school year, before any set changes, to ensure there is no duplication of data. As this evidence is statistical, there is no potential for biased data manipulation, so I am certain that all information collected will be true and accurate. Although previous research concluded that EAL pupils should be placed in sets corresponding to their cognitive ability rather than to their level of English, prior to this I had not found any evidence that this was not happening in school E. It was perhaps presumed that schools would follow advice from professionals and heed research into the field, but this investigation has proven that in School E this is certainly not the case. Although EAL pupils in School E appear to be achieving higher MFL GCSE grades than non-EAL pupils, they are consistently placed in low-ability sets in Key Stage 3, which could have negative consequences on them gaining better MFL results. In addition to set lists, I will examine 2007 MFL GCSE results to evaluate the performance of EAL pupils. The downside is that as MFL is no longer compulsory at Key Stage 4, the GCSE group at School E was small, so I will also use 2008 mock GCSE examination results for this school. Again, this information is based on figures so there is no possibility for prejudiced conclusions. From an ethical viewpoint, it is imperative to remain objective throughout and guard the anonymity of any participants in the research. In School E, more EAL pupils were present in low-ability than high-ability sets, but the difference between top and bottom sets is significantly reduced during Key Stage 3. In Year 7, 7.4% of top set and 32.4% of bottom set are speakers of EAL a difference of 25%; in Year 8 the difference is reduced to 16.2%; and in Year 9 to just 10%. This implies that School E places EAL pupils in the bottom set until they have proven that they are capable of more, rather than giving them the opportunity to demonstrate their ability from the outset. As confirmed by the decrease in range of EAL pupils between top and bottom sets from Years 7 to 9, some EAL pupils must be proving themselves and being moved into higher-ability sets. However, previous findings that EAL pupils learn more quickly working with fluent native English speakers (DfES, 2005) are being disregarded, as in low-ability sets this is not always possible, due to the fact that non-EAL pupils are often stretching themselves to understand the work so do not have the time or ability to help EAL learners. Foreign languages are new subjects which give pupils with learning difficulties the chance to make a fresh start. However, behavioural difficulties, which are more common in lower-ability groups, also affect progress. In brief, the outcomes of previous research seem to be being overlooked, and EAL pupils are put in sets with no consideration of linguistic skills already acquired through learning English. Some manage to demonstrate a higher level of ability and move sets, but others never gain this opportunity. This further supports one of the issues highlighted by Mills (2002), that assessment of EAL pupils is extremely difficult. This study has in fact uncovered more questions than answers. At School E, although an EAL policy exists and specialist advice is available, these are often overlooked, so further research into the practicalities of the philosophy may be beneficial here. Vis-Ã  -vis GCSE results, having predicted that EAL pupils would outperform non-EAL pupils, the outcomes of this investigation show that EAL pupils may achieve higher grades in Spanish, but that French may not be affected. Further research, using a larger sample of pupils studying a variety of Modern Foreign Languages, perhaps at a language college, where all pupils must study a language to GCSE level, would be necessary to obtain a definitive conclusion. Since EAL pupils appear to perform better than non-EAL pupils at GCSE level, at least in Spanish, it would be advantageous for them to be in a high-ability set from the beginning of Year 7. From this study, it is clear that current assessment criteria for setting pupils should be modified in some way for EAL pupils, and in case of doubt, they should be placed in a higher-ability set until a more accurate recommendation can be made. What does this suggest about the experiences/expectations of EAL pupils studying MFL? This, alongside school catchment area, parental backing and degree of specialist support available in the area, is a major influencing factor that could be considered in future investigations. To discover the true national picture, research would have to be completed in a wide variety of schools across the country, as this investigation has already shown two vastly different operational approaches. The completion of this research greatly enhanced my understanding of the way in which pupils with EAL learn foreign languages, which has assisted me with developing new teaching strategies to accommodate these pupils and integrate them into lessons where they may at times be in the minority. It has also increased my awareness of the difficulties schools come up against when faced with placing EAL pupils into sets for modern languages, particularly if they arrive into the UK education system midway through their schooling, sometimes with little or no previous education in their country of origin. I am aware of the situation, in future I will always keep careful track of the progress made by EAL pupils in my classes, and at the slightest sign of underachievement, I will do my best to move them into a different set, using this research to support the case. Hopefully, however, a suitable means of assessment will be devised in the near future to test the true capabilities of EAL pupils, thus eliminating the need for such action. By making this research available to others, I hope to increase the awareness of other teachers and professionals of the actual situation of EAL pupils learning modern languages in schools today, and in doing so enable them to enhance provision for the specific needs of EAL pupils learning in our education system. In conclusion, the support setup in operation for EAL pupils at School E has been successful at identifying areas to meet the needs of EAL pupils, and it has also paved the way for further research into the domain. It has enhanced my professional development and influenced my future in teaching by making me aware of the situation and assisting me in providing evidence to substantiate what I suspected through observation of the system that EAL pupils often have an aptitude for learning other foreign languages and that their needs are different to those of non-EAL pupils, so must be met by different means. One possible way to begin meeting the needs of EAL pupils more successfully is to ensure that research findings are more extensively published, and therefore reach a wider audience.

The Patriot Act Infringes on American Freedom Essay -- Argumentative P

The Patriot Act Infringes on American Freedom September 11, 2001 started off as a beautiful, sunny day, like many other countless days in America; however, it will now be a day that will live on in infamy. As the news played the shot of the planes driving into the sides of the twin towers, fear was driven into the hearts of all Americans.   People became panicked and demanded that there be a better way for the United States government to protect its people from any future attacks the terrorist might have planned.   This fear was the main contributing factor to the birth of all kinds of new legislation, giving the government new rights to â€Å"fight the terrorist.† The most powerful, and therefore the most controversial, legislation passed by Congress was the U.S. Patriot Act.   It was passed on October 26, 2001, and it is an acronym for Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act (Fahrenheit 9/11).   It is composed of over 1,000 sections giving the government many new powers that they’ve utilized before in other wartime situations (Lithwick).   However, with the war on terrorism Americans are not fighting a clear cut â€Å"enemy† and there is no foreseeable end for this war in the near future.   Once the immediate fear of another attack calmed down around the nation, people began to realize the rights they were losing to the government that were once granted to them by our founding fathers in the Constitution (Townshend).   There are many sections of the Patriot Act that infringe on the rights of the American people and there is no way for the public to know how the government is using these new found powers; because the Freedom of Information Act requests have been... ...ive up other people’s records (Lithwick). Whether someone is for the Patriot Act or against it, it is clear that the Patriot Act dips into the freedoms once allowed in our nation.   Are these lost freedoms really going to protect America from another terrorist attack or is it finely the great excuse the government has been waiting for to have public support for spying on its citizens?      Works Cited * Egan, Timothy. "State Of The Union: Opposing the Patriot Act." BBC NEWS 3 June 2003. 8 November 2004 <http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/mpapps/pagetools/print/new.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/36515.html> * Fahrenheit 9/11. Dir. Michael Moore. Videocassette. Dog Eat Dog, 2004 * Lithwick, Dahlia, and Julia Turner.   "From a Guide to the Patriot Act."   Slate.   1994.  Ã‚   * Townshend, Mike, and Maddie Trier. "Patriot Debate." State News 10 Nov. 2004, sec. A: 2+8.

The Darkness of Edwin A. Abbotts Flatland Essay -- Abbott Flatland E

The Darkness of Flatland            Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The golden sand sparkles in the brilliant sunlight. The   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   radiant beams hit the calm waves which magnify the fervent light.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Content and overjoyed, many birds fly high overhead. On the      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  beach, an annoying crab approaches an ostrich, coercing the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   grounded bird to hide its head in a hole in the sand.   Paralyzed   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   with fear, the mammoth bird, although huge in comparison to the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   attacking crab, buries its head in the cold, wet sand, hoping   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   that the feeble but ominous assailant will leave.   Comfortable   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   with its dreary hiding place, the large, awkward bird remains   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   buried its entire life, never experiencing the comforting life   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   which the light produces. Because the bird is intimidated by this   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   minuscule but threatening crab, the never-ending cycle of fear   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   continues.   Much like this frightened bird and the citizens of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Flatland, humans prefe... ...nbsp;   ideas. Often, leaders fear irregulars because they speak the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   truth. Arthur, a   born-again irregular through his experiences,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   tells of a new way of living and striving to live   right and not   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   to fear the unknown, but to bring it into the open, explore it,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   and to learn from it.   They will always rely on logic and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   tradition, ignoring faith and ideas based not on fact. Flatland   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   will remain without light forever.            Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     

Networking :: essays research papers

The main purpose of this project was to change the network architecture in such a way as to allow lab computers easier network access without being bound by lengthy network wiring. The lab computers are often moved around from project to project and easy network access was becoming a problem. After a detailed analysis of the current setup, it was determined that installing a wireless network in addition to the existing landline network would provide the best solution. The following describes the final configuration (see diagram on page 4). Internet access is provided by a DSL modem connected to a router. The router in turn has two connections into it. One is a wireless Ethernet access point, which provides access to the network for all wireless computers, mainly from the lab. Two is an Ethernet switch which interfaces the remaining landline Ethernet computers. A print server is connected to the switch to allow network printing access. Configuration of the router is accomplished via a web browser and logging into a specific local I.P. address on the router. The built in EPROM has software running on it which allows easy configuration of the functions. These functions include configuring the DHCP server, security settings, firewalls, access restrictions, etc. Configuration the wireless access point is also done via a similar interface; a USB cable us used to connect to the access point firmware and configure the SSID on the network as well as the WEP key for secure wireless communications. The operating systems present on the various computers include Microsoft Windows 98, NT, 2000 and XP Professional. These provide a friendly user interface to the operators and, because they are from the same vendor, they interoperate efficiently. Because of their age, Windows 98 and NT are in the process of being phased out in favor of Windows XP Professional. Typical data flow when transferring a file from the lab to a desktop computer for analysis would involve the data from the lab being sent wirelessly to the access point. From the access point, the data is transferred to the router, which in turn forwards the file to the appropriate computer on the network. If the destination computer is physically wired to the network, the data must pass through a multi-port switch before it reaches the destination computer. Each computer on the network has a unique I.P. address assigned to it by the router and this is how it is identified.

Care Plan- Dehydration- Nursing

A 5 year old girl Jenny has presented to the Emergency Department with her mother, she is suffering from a variety of symptoms including wheezing and vomiting, a dry mouth, and a temperature of 39. 7 degrees Celsius. Vomiting is when the person is excreting all food from there stomach via the mouth using forces from the oesophagus and stomach (Hockenberry & Wilson, 2007). The rationale for choosing this symptom is that vomiting is a clear sign that the body is trying to get rid of a pathogen, with a large amount of vomiting the body is losing valuable nutrition and electrolytes, and will fail to function properly (Britt, 2007). If left untreated vomiting can cause children to lose a lot of fluids and become dehydrated (Van Rensburg, 2009). Dry mouth is known as Xerostomia it is a common problem, and is usually caused by systematic disease and decreased salivary flow, Dry mouth can be a sign of Dehydration (Turner & Ship, 2007). The rational for choosing dry mouth is important as it represents fluid depletion in the body, without this fluid the cells cannot function properly; it needs to be treated, to ensure fluid levels are raised. A temperature of 39. 7 is the body’s internal area rising, due to the body trying to fight of an infection. The rational for choosing this symptom is that the temperature needs to be back in normal ranges for the body to carry out normal functions, a temperature of 39. 7 puts the body in shock and can cause things such as fainting, low blood pressure and even seizures (Hockenberry & Wilson, 2008). The Pathophysiology of Vomiting is induced by the stomach muscles pushing bolos of food from the stomach to the oesophagus. When the stomach becomes full with gastric material, the muscles of the abdomen and the diaphragm contract (Hockenberry & Wilson, 2008). The oesophageal sphincter then opens and all the contents are removed from the mouth. An area in the brain called the postrema which is found in the fourth ventricle is thought to stimulate chemoreceptors which induce vomiting (Van Rensburg, 2009). The Vagus cranial nerve becomes active when the pharynx is disturbed, this causes a gag reflex; this can then lead to the stomach wanting to remove all of its contents, or can occur after a vomiting episode. The Sympathetic nervous system is also used when vomiting occurs as the body naturally begins to sweat and heart rate will rise (McCance, Huether, Brashers, & Rote, 2010). Salivary glands will work overtime to produce more saliva to help protect the enamel on teeth. Retching can occur when a person is vomiting. When the intrathoracic muscles contract rapidly without notice, the food is trying to escape is pushed up, if the glottis is not completely closed this will push the air through and cause a disturbing sound which is known as retching(McCance, Huether, Brashers, & Rote, 2010). This sound alone can trigger vomiting as it helps the body to build up enough pressure to be able to remove all the contents of the stomach in one go. The pathophysiolgy of Dry mouth occurs when the submandibular and sublingual salivary glands stop producing enough salvia within the mouth, a variety of medications can cause this too occur, along with Sjoren's Syndrome and old age (Turner & Ship, 2007). When a dry mouth occurs the mucosa is stimulated and this signals the salivary responses in the medulla. The efferent nerve releases acetylcholine in the salivary gland terminals which trigger the release and flow of saliva (Turner & Ship, 2007). If left untreated dry mouth can cause a lot of problems with tooth decay as the teeth have no protection from food and debris (Strube, 1994). The pathophisolgy of a high temperature or fever in a child is a problem in itself, it shows that the body is under a lot of pressure to fight of a pathogen (Cohee, Crocetti, Serwin, Sabath & Kapoor, 2010), the body can have various amounts of temperatures changes throughout a day, this is controlled by the thermoregulatory centre which is located in the anterior hypothalamus within the body. The thermostat is set at a normal temperature usually of 37. (Crisp and Taylor, 2007), when this is risen the body will naturally try and get it back down to the normal temperature, usually by sweating or shivering (Crisp & Taylor, 2009). The brain stem and thermoregulatory mechanisms adjust to the change in heat production, this can occur during a fever. A Fever begins when a pyrogen, which is a substance that causes a fever, when the hypothalamus notices a change in the core body temperature vasoconstriction will occur which reduces heat loss throughout the skin and will cause the person to feel cold (McCance, Huether, Brashers, & Rote, 2010). Shivering will then occurs and the movement produces energy, this is why when a child has a fever they often feel hot and cold flushes (Crisp & Taylor, 2009). Vomiting will have a major psychological effect on the client because they cannot socialise with friends or leave the house for long periods of time. They tend not to eat or drink as they think they will be sick, this can lead to malnutrition and anorexia (Davis, Lake-Bakaar, & Grahame-Smith, 2003). Vomiting can cause tooth decay in the client, due to the production of stomach acid in the mouth. This can cause people to lose self confidence in their appearance (McCance, Huether, Brashers, & Rote, 2010). When you vomit the sympathetic nervous system is activated and you begin to sweat, this can also be embarrassing side effect. Dry Mouth causes many psychological effects for an individual because with a dry mouth you find it hard to talk as the tongue does not move easily (Turner & Ship, 2007). The individual would not eat out very often as they find it hard to chew and swallow food; this causes them to take longer when eating. Dry mouth is usually associated with cracked and dry lips this can cause the client to become embarrassed about their looks (Turner & Ship, 2007). Dry mouth can cause bad breath as there isn’t any saliva to remove food and debris from the teeth and tongue (Turner & Ship, 2007); this prevents the individual from socialising which can cause a loss in social skills. Bad breathe can also make the person feel embarrassed and lose intimacy with their partner; this can then cause relationship problems and breakdown. Having a fever can cause many physiological problems for a person; they do not have any energy to do normal everyday activities, such as socialising, sport, even to get out of bed (Hockenberry & Wilson, 2007). The individual often will have hot and cold flushes this causes then to become uncomfortable when being out in public (Hockenberry & Wilson, 2008). When you have a fever the individual is often sweating, and becomes very pale, this can also lead to embarrassment when in public (Strube, 1994). Vomiting can also have environment effects on the individual, as they cannot attend work due to being ill, this causes the individual to lose money, if the individual has children they need to be cared for, and there can then be extra costs that occur from extra babysitting or day-care duties. Vomiting can cause a person to become distressed as they can’t leave the house or look after their children (Davis, Lake-Bakaar, & Grahame-Smith, 2003). Dry mouth can have environmental effects on an individual as they become embarrassed about the smell of their breath, this can prevent the person from working, which will cause lose of income. Bad breathe can cause relationship problems as the partner is embarrassed to be intimate towards there partner. Fever can have environmental effects on an individual as they needs regular care to check temperature and record change, this care may need to be provided by a family member or friend, this can then lead to loss of income for that person. If the person is needed to be taken to the doctor, then that is also an extra expense. The house needs to be kept_ cool with fans or air conditioning; this can cause other family members to become cold.

Gone with the Wind Essay

Gone with the Wind is a film based on Margaret Mitchell’s book with the same title. Tagged as one of the most memorable love stories in American history, Gone with the Wind is not only a story of love between Scarlett O’ Hara and Rhett Butler but is also a story of a woman’s struggle to keep her family alive through years of war. Set against the American Civil War, the film is mainly influenced by the events of that time. We get a glimpse of the social structures of the 1800’s and of the roles expected of women at that time. B. MEDIA The film, despite its historical background, is more of a dramatic manifestation rather than a documentary of the events during the American Civil War. Done in Technicolor, the film features theatrical music with a touch of country to go well with the Atlanta and Jonesboro settings. The music was mostly passively used in the background, segued to indicate change of scenes. However, there were some scenes when music was an integral part, enhancing the emotions and actions depicted in the film. Being a really old film, Gone with the Wind does not have the special effects that movies nowadays have. It is, however, effective in recreating the Civil War and making the viewers feel what it would have been like to be in that situation. Explosions and gunfire were used to reestablish the film’s setting. Shots were very conventional, using wide shots to establish a scene and close-ups to enhance emotional integrity. Gone with the Wind, featuring mostly Southern characters, includes a plethora of characters speaking with a Southern drawl. The language was mostly contemporary, with a few slang usages here and there. Hats off to the well-known actors such as Clark Gable (Rhett Butler), Vivien Leigh (Scarlett O’Hara), Leslie Howard (Ashley Wilkes), and Olivia de Havilland (Melanie Hamilton) for pulling off the characters originally designed by Margaret Mitchell. They were excellent actors and they gave life to characters recreated in this screenplay by Sidney Howard, though the story was flavorful enough that it can be portrayed by anyone with good acting skills. Featuring well-known actors, though, helped promote the film and possibly helped in raking in big money for the producer David O. Selznick. C. CONTENT The film offered abundant source of memorable scenes. In one of the earlier scenes, we see Mammy helping Scarlett get ready for the Wilkes’s barbeque party. Instead of a grumpy, complaining slave, Mammy seem to be in high spirits and just happy helping out the O’ Hara sisters. Though this highlights the sad social structure existent at the time of the movie, Mammy’s strong hold on Scarlett and her â€Å"don’t give me nonsense† approach to Scarlett’s usually hard-to-resist charms show how – despite the racial structure of the times – African-Americans play an integral role in the American household. However, in another scene, African-Americans were depicted in a negative way. When Melanie Hamilton was about to give birth, Prissy lets it slip that she is knowledgeable in midwifery. At a crucial point of the childbirth though, Prissy panics and admits, â€Å"Lawzy, we got to have a doctor. I don’t know nothin’ ‘bout birthin’ babies. † This is eye-catching in the sense that is ‘glorifies’ one of the stereotypes associated to African-Americans. The way Scarlett O’ Hara acts is also often a point of contention in the movie. Though shown as a strong woman who was able to carry her family through bad times, Scarlett was also shown to be clingy and desperate in most scenes. This was most apparent during the Wilkes’s party, when she choreographed the whole afternoon to catch Ashley’s attention. In all the scenes mentioned, the main issue revolved around racial, social, and cultural boundaries. The scenes depicted how far along societal rules were during the setting of the movie. Though often criticized for being too leaning on stereotypical portrayals, Gone with the Wind still is very much a picture of the truth of that existed back then. D. BIAS Victor Fleming, the credited director of Gone with the Wind, was mostly an action film director and had his first hand at romantic drama with the film in discussion. One cannot say, though, that whatever biases the film had been his â€Å"fault†. Gone with the Wind is mostly producer-driven and Fleming may only have marginal influence on the film’s outcome. And since the film was highly-based on the novel, the â€Å"biases† can be attributed to what Margaret Mitchell wrote. (Myrick 126) E. EFFECTIVENESS / HISTORICAL CONTEXT Though very different from films that most of us are used to nowadays, Gone with the Wind was very effective in evoking the emotions it aimed for. The combination of the restructuring of the Civil War and the powerful acting accounts for the film’s effectiveness. The combination of both – plus its basis on a historical fact – also points to why the film was very profitable. Every American knows of the horrors that the Civil War brought us and the film’s effective depiction of this point in history made everyone love the film more. All in all, the film – with its combination of a moving plot, powerful cast, and good filming – was worth a watch. Though mostly dramatic than historical, anyone who wants to relive the Civil War can give this movie a shot. WORKS CITED Myrick, Susan. White Columns in Hollywood: Reports from the GWTW Sets. Macon, Georgia: Mercer University Press, 1982.