Is it Time to Put Geothermal Energy Development on the Fast Track

Meeting energy demands is one of the most important factors to achieve sustainability. A reliable and affordable alternative source of energy can enhance broad economic gains. Geothermal energy is an important alternative source of energy that can increase energy production and enhance environmental safety. It is an important source of renewable energy that generates electricity (DiPippo, 2011).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Is it Time to Put Geothermal Energy Development on the Fast Track? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Geothermal energy is obtained when heat from the Earth’s crust is released close to earth’s surface. When the underlying rocks have cracks, the heated ground water erupts through the cracks as geysers that are transformed in to geothermal power (Karsner and Petty, 2007).Geothermal power is a reliable, flexible, and green energy resource which can supply significant amounts of po wer for domestic and industrial use. Turpin (2003) posits that geothermal heat pumps have been used in homes and for commercial heating purposes. However, to produce energy from the geothermal sources require engineering techniques, funds, and political commitment. In order to meet the national goal of achieving 20% of the total electrical energy production in the U.S. by not later than 2030, geothermal power provides a better option because it is a major renewable energy source that contributes to the security of the nation, hence limiting the dependence on fossil fuels. Moreover, it minimizes the risks associated with the fluctuations in oil prices, and enhances the growth and development of new infrastructures. Therefore, geothermal energy is an economical source of energy because its production depends on a constant supply of free energy (Karsner and Petty, 2007). Due to an increase in energy demand, geothermal energy provides a better alternative for energy to sustain the world ’s growing population (Karsner and Petty (2007). The feasibility of geothermal energy depends on its supply and competitiveness in terms of its availability, cost of extraction, and reliability. Furthermore, the supply of geothermal energy is practicable in only certain locations. Thus, it can be made more available with improvements on engineering technologies that are used to produce energy from the geothermal sources (Karsner and Petty, 2007).Advertising Looking for essay on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Geothermal energy is divided into hydrothermal, enhanced geothermal systems, geopressured, and a fluid co-produced with oil and gas. These geothermal technologies have been developed commercially worldwide. Enhanced Geothermal System is an important technology that enables the geothermal sources that lack sufficient water or permeability to be developed. The main purpose is to tap energy from hot permeable rocks. Geothermal energy extracted from Enhanced Geothermal System can provide electricity at a range that can greatly improve the U.S. energy supply to meet the increasing demands. EGS can produce up to an approximately 100,000 MW of electricity by the year 2050 depending on the availability of geothermal sources (Karsner and Petty, 2007). According to DiPippo (2011) it is projected that energy generated by geothermal power plants will double in the year 2030 up from 18 billion kWh achieved in the year 2010. In conclusion, the implementation of geothermal energy, as an alternative renewable energy, should be done with proper evaluation of its merits and demerits. The development of Enhanced Geothermal System can provide a secure alternative source of geothermal power that would help minimize economic instabilities that result from fossil fuel market fluctuations and supply uncertainties (Karsner and Petty, 2007). It is necessary to put more efforts towards developing geothermal power because it is cleaner and environmentally sustainable. Bibliography DiPippo, Ronald. 2011. â€Å"Geothermal energy: Electricity generation and environmental impact.† Energy Policy, Vol. 19 (8) 798-807.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Is it Time to Put Geothermal Energy Development on the Fast Track? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Petty, Susan, and Karsner Alexander. 2007. Is it time to put geothermal energy development on the fast track? From testimony on the national geothermal initiative Act of 2007 before the senate committee on energy and natural resources, No. 9. 170-185. Turpin, Joanna R. 2003. â€Å"Commercial geothermal: Bright spot in a gloomy economy.† Air conditioning heating refrigeration news, Vol. 1:1-3. This essay on Is it Time to Put Geothermal Energy Development on the Fast Track? was written and submitted by user Danny Best to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Classic Slave Narratives

In The Classic Slave Narratives, Harriet Jacobs contribution â€Å"Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl†, add a spin to the slavery story that is oftentimes not thought of as much in the antebellum period. While it is true that slave men received harsh treatments and punishments, slave women were not immune to this maltreatment. In fact, through her autobiography, Jacobs lays out a story of the hardships and conditions that she had to face from the start of her birth. Jacobs begins her story from the beginning, describing her family and how they became enslaved and sent to America. Life started out good for Jacobs. In fact, it was not until the death of her families’ mistress that her life would become more troublesome. Jacobs also lost her father and mother within the same time frame. Worse yet, Dr. Flint took over caring for the estate, and his wife and himself made life much more horrible for Jacobs than she ever realized that it could. It was during this time that Jacobs says that she first realized that she was a slave. The Flints treated Jacobs and her fellow slaves as mere property, which was not uncommon at the time, which was a stark contrast to the easier going life that they had lived just months ago. One of the few people left for Jacobs to confide in was her grandmother, and even she was not immune to Flint’s carelessness. Flint ordered that she was to be sold, however, fortunately for Jacobs’s grandmother, the small town all knew what a kind and generous slave she was, and would not stand to see her sold away. An elderly woman bought her, and set her free. Slave life for Jacobs continued to become more difficult as time progressed. One of her brothers, Benjamin, often rebelled against the wishes of his master, and would often face punishment for it. After one fight where Ben shoved his master to the ground, Ben resolved to flee to the North. However, he was captured, and jailed for a substantial period ... Free Essays on Classic Slave Narratives Free Essays on Classic Slave Narratives In The Classic Slave Narratives, Harriet Jacobs contribution â€Å"Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl†, add a spin to the slavery story that is oftentimes not thought of as much in the antebellum period. While it is true that slave men received harsh treatments and punishments, slave women were not immune to this maltreatment. In fact, through her autobiography, Jacobs lays out a story of the hardships and conditions that she had to face from the start of her birth. Jacobs begins her story from the beginning, describing her family and how they became enslaved and sent to America. Life started out good for Jacobs. In fact, it was not until the death of her families’ mistress that her life would become more troublesome. Jacobs also lost her father and mother within the same time frame. Worse yet, Dr. Flint took over caring for the estate, and his wife and himself made life much more horrible for Jacobs than she ever realized that it could. It was during this time that Jacobs says that she first realized that she was a slave. The Flints treated Jacobs and her fellow slaves as mere property, which was not uncommon at the time, which was a stark contrast to the easier going life that they had lived just months ago. One of the few people left for Jacobs to confide in was her grandmother, and even she was not immune to Flint’s carelessness. Flint ordered that she was to be sold, however, fortunately for Jacobs’s grandmother, the small town all knew what a kind and generous slave she was, and would not stand to see her sold away. An elderly woman bought her, and set her free. Slave life for Jacobs continued to become more difficult as time progressed. One of her brothers, Benjamin, often rebelled against the wishes of his master, and would often face punishment for it. After one fight where Ben shoved his master to the ground, Ben resolved to flee to the North. However, he was captured, and jailed for a substantial period ...

Sales Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 9

Sales Management - Essay Example The identification of the needs of the customers helps sales persons in approaching them. Well-built business relationships between the sales person and the customer, provides the customer with an ease to communicate their expectations from the product or services and aid the salesperson in easily capturing the customers’ knowing their requirements (Lamb, Hair, & McDaniel, 2008). Customers enter into a process of purchasing a product on the basis of the purchase situation. A purchase situation refers to the relationship or interaction of the buyer with the business, for instance, it may be a new business and the first time the customer shows his willingness to purchase from a particular business, or it may be a longstanding relationship with the business running for several years. The multi-attribute matrix of buyers is an important tool for the salesperson to understand the requirements of the customer, satisfy their needs and build their relationship stronger in terms of pri oritizing the products with attributes which are appreciated or important to the customers like price, quality, quantity and so on (Tanner, Honeycutt, & Erffmeyer, 2009). Customers need a salesperson who has the understanding of their choice and requirements. It helps the customers in getting the right product, at the right price, on the right time with less effort. Such a system of relationships between buyers and sellers help in customer satisfaction and reliance on the seller’s advice. This trust and reliance is basically on the convincing power of the salesperson along with their presentation style for a particular product (Kurtz et. al., 2009 p. 310). Organizations and salesperson can work hand in hand to build stronger customer-seller relationship. The relationship between customers and the company lies in the goodwill of the brand. The brand name is the recognition factor for the customers for a business. Building a strong brand name, however, is not an easy task. It requires

Globalisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

Globalisation - Essay Example 04th%20International%20Survey%20of%20Corporate%20Sustainability%20Reporting&r_issn=&r_year=2002&r_volume=&r_issue=&r_startpage=&r_endpage=&r_publisher=KPMG/WIMM&r_authors=KPMG] TWN 2006: 14 is the publication you have already located, namely Third World Network (TWN) 2006, Globalization, Liberalization and Protectionism: Impacts on poor rural producers in developing countries, International Fund for Agricultural Development. Globalisation is often addressed as the distinct feature of modernity, but this phenomenon is not new though the speed, reflexivity, complexity and consequences of modern global processes are genuinely outstanding. Modern globalisation processes can be traced back to the period after World War II while the earlier versions remain subject to intensive scholarly debate. Thus some authors study events since 1492 in considering the history of globalisation, and some focus on the more remote past (Frank and Gills 1994). However, these views are not commonly accepted with the majority of scholars concentrating on the recent past in their studies of modern globalisation processes. One popular perspective on globalisation (particularly economic globalisation) seeks for its origins in the period between approximately 1850 and 1914. These earlier forms of globalisation manifested in British imperialism and increased trade and capital flows between politically independent European states, their colonial territories, and the United States (Raskin et al. 2002). The first era of globalization was characterized by growth of export and profits, capital flow, massive migration of workforce from Europe to Northern America and other states (almost 60 million people). At the same time, the world saw increasing disparity between the countries actively involved in globalization processes and the rest of the world with industrialization being the key reason for this tendency (Crafts 2000). Evidently, this perspective also implies that World War I was the outcome

The causes of the current aberrant weather patterns Essay

The causes of the current aberrant weather patterns - Essay Example Hence, a change in the weather pattern occurs. 2. Changes to Earth’s Orbit – For thousands of years, the earth got considered as a natural cycle that results to aberrant weather patterns. Its effect is extremely low. The tilting of the axis, the orbit’s shape and the rotation of the earth, affected the quantity of solar energy entering the earth causing atmosphere imbalances (Spencer, page 57). 3. Greenhouse Gas Emissions – Human industrialization has caused more to the environment. Industries produce some of the most toxic gas effluents to the atmosphere. These gases include carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and many other gases. Carbon dioxide gets produced in surplus to the atmosphere leading to capturing of heat (Spencer, page 50). This causes imbalance to average temperature of the atmosphere. Hence, it leads to the aberrant weather pattern. 4. Pollution - Some of gases, such as sulfur dioxide results to depletion of the ozone layer. This results to entry of more harmful and powerful to the atmosphere causing global warming, which in turn leads to aberrant weather patterns (Spencer, page

Effect of Alcohol on Human Sperm In Vitro

Effect of Alcohol on Human Sperm In Vitro EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON HUMAN SPERMATOZOA IN VITRO: SPERM CHROMATIN DISPERSSION TEST AND ROS. Omkar Pokharkar, Dr. Himanshu Patel, Madhuri Patel, Vidisha Bhatt. Abstract: This study was carried out to find the detrimental effect on human spermatozoa when exposed to alcohol/ethanol in vitro. For this study semen samples obtained from 12 healthy individuals were washed using the sperm preparation technique and each washed samples were divided into equal aliquots. Then ethanol at various concentrations of 60 mm and 120 mm were added to the aliquots labeled as test samples and samples without ethanol were considered as control samples. All samples with or without ethanol were incubated for 1 hour (60 minutes) at 370C. These samples when subjected to semen analysis after exposure to ethanol, it was found that samples added with 60 mm ethanol showed a decrease in motility and vitality, sperms in samples with 120 mm ethanol were almost static with minimum motility. Sperms in both test samples revealed degraded vitality. DNA fragmentation test or SCD when carried out it was revealed that ethanol caused DNA fragmentation in sperms and as the concentr ation of ethanol increased, DNA fragmentation also increased, motility of sperms decreased and morphology was affected to some extent such as the head and tail defects which was less in the control samples. The sample aliquots with 120 mm ethanol showed morphological abnormalities. The ROS test performed using Agarose-N-gel tubes on the unwashed/raw samples exposed to ethanol in different concentrations revealed the highest oxidative stress displaying dark purple color and unexposed samples showed light pink color indicating low oxidative stress. Reactive oxygenspeciescan damage DNA bases and can cause lesions that block the progression ofreplication. This study proved that, alcohol when consumed can destroy sperm mobility, vitality and causes high fragmentation levels. Keywords: Ethanol, sperms, DNA fragmentation, motility, vitality, ROS. INTRODUCTION: Alcohol is a drug which is classified as depressant, when consumed in low/controlled volume it can induce the stimulant effect, but if an individual consumes excess alcohol then he experiences the depressant effect. Alcohol is produced by fermentation of yeast, sugars, and starches. Alcohol gets absorbed rapidly from the stomach and small intestine into the bloodstream. Once alcohol enters the stomach, up to 20% of it gets absorbed and directly enters the bloodstream. Within minutes, alcohol reaches to the brain. Even various nutrients are not capable to pull this off. The remaining alcohol enters into the intestines and is absorbed along with the nutrients. Only a small amount of alcohol is excreted from the body through urine, sweat etc which is not enough to get rid of alcohol in the blood stream.When the alcohol is consumed, the human body is hardwired to metabolize alcohol immediately that means the body stops metabolizing all other things just to metabolize alcohol first becaus e protein, carbohydrates, and fat, can be stored whereas alcohol cannot be stored in the body so it has to be metabolized first and excreted as soon as possible. Alcohol can affect every organ in the consumer’s body and can damage the developing fetus in woman who is pregnant. Also alcohol has the potential to severely damage sperms. If alcohol consumption is fairly regular then it will affect sperm motility and vitality in men. Heavy alcohol consumption lowers the sperm count leaving the person infertile and the levels of free radicals generated due to alcohol can break DNA strands in the sperm cells. The aim of this study was focused on the effects of alcohol on sperms and mainly on the level of DNA fragmentation and oxidative stress caused in sperm samples due to alcohol in vitro. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For the study of alcohol effects on sperms in vitro, Semen samples from 12 healthy men (non-alcoholic) aged 21 – 27 were collected in wide mouthed sterile collection containers and Sperm samples were obtained during 3-4 days of sexual abstinence and liquefied for 20-30 minutes at room temperature. The quality of the sperm is judged on the basis of its morphology and movement patterns or motility and vitality. For in vitro study, sperm samples from healthy individuals were washed by swim up from pellet method, which is a very common method for retrieval of viable sperms and has a high success rate. All the washed samples were divided in 3 equal aliquots of 0.5ml. Ethanol in different concentrations of 60mm and 120 mm respectively were added to 2 sample aliquots labeled as test samples and 1 aliquot was un-exposed to alcohol labeled as control sample. These samples were incubated for 60 minutes at 370C and subjected to semen analysis according to the guidelines set by world heal th organization. Sperm count and motility evaluation was done under bright field microscope, morphology was studied by making smears of sperms on the slides and was stained using Giemsa stain. pH was observed by using a pH strip and vitality of the sperms were noted by staining sperms with eosin and nigrosin stain. Morphology was judged by referring the types of sperm deformities proposed by WHO (World Health Organization., 2010). Motility was calculated by using a formula: 100 X (number of motile spermatozoa)/ (total number of spermatozoa counted). Also for calculating vitality percentage: 100 X (number of viable spermatozoa)/ (total number of spermatozoa counted). More than 500 spermatozoa per ejaculate were evaluated for estimation of sperm motility and vitality. The outcome of this analysis was noted. The rest of the control and test samples were used for DNA fragmentation test. SPERM CHROMATIN DISPERSION TEST: The test aliquots were added with various concentrations of alcohol (60mm and 120mm respectively) to see what concentration of alcohol will affect the DNA of the sperms. The control sample (0.5 ml) with no ethanol and 2 test samples (0.5 ml each) mixed with ethanol incubated at 370 C for 60 minutes were subjected to DNA fragmentation test. Requirements per sample were 3 coated slides, 1 for control and other 2 for test. The procedure involved addition of sperm samples of both test and control to agarose tubes which were previously boiled for 2 minutes. After adding and mixing the 40 Â µl droplets of sperms from both control and test samples in the agarose tubes, a total of 150 Â µl droplets of sperm samples from each tube was extracted using micropipette and was laid on pre-coated slides. Cover slips were placed on the droplets for even distribution of sperm sample immersed in agarose matix on the slide. The 3 slides of 1 control and 2 test samples were kept inside a fridge for 6 m inutes to solidify the agarose gel in which sperms were added. After this step, cover slips were removed in such a way that the gel integrity was not disturbed. Acid denaturant (1 ml) was laid on the slide for 7 minutes and was drained. Then 1ml of lysis solution was overlaid on the slide for 20 minutes and was drained. Then both test and control slides were washed with 20 ml of distilled water and were overlaid with 1 ml each of dehydrating solutions 1, 2, 3 for 2 minutes each. After disposing or draining the dehydrating solutions, the slides were air dried for few minutes. Stain was prepared by mixing stain solution and stain diluting solution. The slides prepared for each of the 12 samples were stained for 3 minutes and were washed in a beaker filled with tap water to remove excess stain. Slides were again air dried for few minutes before observing under bright field microscope for halos. For calculating percentage of DNA fragmentation: 100 X (Number of spermatozoa with fragmente d DNA)/ (Total number of spermatozoa counted). More than 450 spermatozoa per ejaculate were evaluated for estimation of sperm DNA fragmentation (Omkar pokharkar et al., 2015). For this study, A Sperm DNA Fragmentation Detection Kit called ‘CANfrag’ [REF No.CA-001], provided by ‘CANdORE Bioscience’, Ahmedabad, Gujarat was used to assess the levels of sperm DNA fragmentation in the samples. This entire procedure was followed for all 12 samples and it took around 18 days (10th February –27th February, 2015) for completion of the study and to arrive at results. ROS (reactive oxygen species) test: A Reactive Oxygen Species detection kit called ‘CANros’ [REF NO.CA-002] also provided by ‘CANdORE Bioscience’ was employed for mapping oxidative stress in exposed and un-exposed samples. Along with washed samples of test and control, 2 aliquot (test) of raw samples of 0.5 ml each was also added with ethanol in various concentration of 60mm and 120 mm respectively and control raw sample of 0.5ml was un-exposed to alcohol. After incubation of both control and test samples for 60 minutes in an incubator at 370C, ROS test was conducted by heating the Agarose N-Gel tubes in boiling water at 90-100Â ºC for 2 minutes to melt the gel. The tubes were cooled down for 2 minutes at room temperature before addition of the sample. 0.2 ml of semen sample was added and mixed thoroughly with the melted agarose gel and air bubbles were avoided. The Agarose-N-gel tubes were then placed in an incubator at 37Â ºC for 60 minutes. After incubation the color changes were observed immediately and were compared with the color code mentioned in the ROS kit to determine the level of oxidative stress present in the sample (Omkar pokharkar et al., 2015). The results of this test were noted. RESULTS: The pH of both exposed samples (60mm and 120 mm) was in the abnormal range. Alcohol affected the pH of the samples in which it was added and increased with the increase in the concentration of alcohol. Morphology of sperms was affected by alcohol to some extent only in samples with 120 mm ethanol/ 0.5 ml of sperm sample. The sperm count in all the samples remained in normal range at these concentrations. The average sperm count for all samples throughout the study was in the range of 60 to 70 million sperms/per ml. The average percentages of motility and vitality obtained for all 12 samples were calculated and framed in the table below. Results are mentioned in the chart and table form below: Table I. Semen parameters for both alcohol exposed and un-exposed samples Chart I. Effect of alcohol on sperm motility The motility in sperm samples was decreased due to alcohol exposure. Motility in samples un-exposed to alcohol showed excellent motility and samples exposed to the alcohol showed a decrease in the motility as the concentration of alcohol increased. Chart II. Effect of alcohol on sperm vitality The chart mentioned above indicates that, the sperm un-exposed to the alcohol showed an excellent range of vitality percentage while the exposed samples at various concentration of alcohol showed a constant drop in the vitality percentage. The table mentioned below represents the average DNA fragmentation percentages obtained for all 12 samples. Table II. DNA fragmentation in exposed and un-exposed samples Chart III. Sperm DNA fragmentation due to alcohol Figure I. Original picture of DNA fragmentation slide un-exposed to alcohol (control slide) It is evident from the picture above that, the samples un-exposed to ethanol showed maximum sperms with intact DNA displaying large halos. On the other hand, the samples exposed to ethanol in concentrations of 60mm and 120mm showed maximum sperms with fragmented and degraded DNA and revealed minimum sperms with intact DNA displaying small and no halos. Below is the picture showing fragmented and degraded sperms. Figure II. Original picture of DNA fragmentation slide exposed to alcohol [60mm and 120mm (test slide)] ROS (reactive oxygen species) TEST. ROS test were performed using freshly collected semen samples. Test aliquot of core samples exposed to alcohol at concentration of 60mm/0.5 ml and the 2nd test aliquot exposed to alcohol at concentration of 120mm/0.5 ml of semen sample produced dark purple colour. On the other hand control aliquot un-exposed to alcohol showed light pink colour. Low levels of ROS (un-exposed samples). light pink Table III. Reactive oxygen species result for alcohol Dark purple color was obtained for both test samples which indicated that highest level of oxidative stress was induced in the sample due to alcohol. Whereas samples un-exposed (control) to alcohol showed light pink color. Alcohol, at even low concentrations can achieve highest levels of ROS. CONCLUSION: The study revealed that alcohol in high concentrations can damage the sperms in every possible way and make it non-viable. The results mentioned above point out to the fact that as the alcohol/ethanol concentration increases, the sperm quality decreases. Motility in control samples was greater as compared to both the test samples (see Chart I). Vitality in sperm samples went on degrading as the ethanol concentration increased (see Chart II). Morphological abnormalities were mostly scored on the test slides with 120 mm ethanol and samples with 60 mm ethanol and control samples with no ethanol showed a normal range of morphological defects and pH of samples also increased with the increase in concentration of alcohol (see Table I). This indicated that the alcohol in high concentrations can damage the physical appearance of sperms. The number of sperms with fragmented DNA was most prominent in the test samples with 120 mm ethanol and 60 mm ethanol. On the other hand, control samples sho wed fewer fragmentations (see Table II and Chart III). The sperms with fragmented DNA disperse small halos and most of the time no halos were observed (see Figure II) and sperms with intact DNA disperse big halos (see Figure I). By this method, it becomes easy to map the fragmented and non-fragmented DNA of the sperms. ROS test was conducted to evaluate the findings and it gave the further evidence of fragmentation caused due to alcohol in vitro by achieving dark purple color in the Agarose-N-gel tubes by reduction of nitro blue tetrazolium and un-exposed samples managed to display light pink color indicating low levels of free radicals (see Table III). Reactive oxygenspecieshas the potential to damage DNA bases and can cause lesions that blocks progression ofreplication. Damaged sperm chromatin contains base adducts and the prominent adducts found in human sperm DNA are 8OHdG (8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine or 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2–deoxyguanosine) present in nuclear and mitochondr ial DNA is one of the predominant forms of free radical-induced oxidative lesions, and is widely used as a biomarker for oxidative stress and carcinogenesis also two ethenonucleosides such as 1,N6-ethenoadenosine and 1,N6-ethanoguanosine are found in sperm DNA. Single strand breaks are the direct consequences of oxidative attacks on sperm DNA. DISCUSSION: As the coin has 2 sides, alcohol too have a good and a bad side. It depends how the individual use the alcohol and for what purpose. Alcohol is in use for scientific purposes as well as for production of beverages such as beer and wine for centuries. Applications of Alcohol in the field of science date back to 18th century when it was used for dressing up the wounds and to sterilize the equipment for surgery (civil war in U.S. 1850’s). Today along with these applications, alcohol is also used as antifreeze, preservatives, fuels, and also as solvents. But high consumption of alcohol is not beneficial in any way; Addiction to alcohol could severely damage the reproductive system of that individual making him infertile. A few studies around the world indicated that consumption of alcohol every day can effectively reduce the sperm count and quality of the sperm degrades as the consumption of alcohol increases. The people with disorders such as ‘auto brewery syndrome’ (gut fermentation syndrome) have very less reproductive capabilities. In this type of syndrome body produces alcohol through endogenous fermentations within the digestive system. A fungal infection of ‘Saccharomyces cerevisiae’ in gastrointestinal tract is responsible for this condition. This constant production of alcohol leads to several other body problems such as kidney failure, liver dysfunction and leydig cells in the testes are damaged which are responsible for production of testosterone and the levels of testosterone in blood drops and also Sertoli cells present in the testes are affected which interferes with sperm maturation. Immature sperms present in the ejaculateare not capable to move and fertilize the egg. The aim of this study was focused on in vitro effects of ethanol which involved direct exposure of ethanol to sperms which caused more damaging effect. However, in vivo study of effects of alcohol on sperms would produce more promising and accurate resu lts as compared to in vitro study because alcohol undergoes elimination by various metabolic mechanisms that occur in the body. The enzymes involved are aldehyde dehydrogenase, alcohol dehydrogenase, cytochrome P450 and catalase. The interaction occurring between alcohol byproducts obtained after metabolism and other cell components, leads to the formation of dangerous compounds such as reactive oxygen species (ROS). Alcohol metabolism occurs primarily in the liver. Alcohol undergoes detoxification procedure and gets eliminated from the blood by the process termed as oxidation. Oxidation inhibits accumulation of alcohol and prevents destruction of cells and other organs in the body to some extent. So the in vivo results would be much different than in vitro study as the alcohol undergoes metabolic paths. In in vitro study direct exposure of ethanol caused high fragmentations and more damage was inflicted to the sperm parameters (motility, vitality, morphology, and pH). It can be con cluded that, consumption of alcohol is associated with degradation of sperm quality which can be reversed to some extent upon alcohol consumption discontinuation which would reduce the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and intake of antioxidants on a regular basis would maintain low concentration of free radicals and will protect the DNA of sperms from damage. AKNOWLEDGEMENT: Authors would like to thank the entire team of stem cure pvt ltd, center for reproductive medicine and stem cell development – Ahmedabad, India, for their contribution whenever needed. Authors would also like to thank Komal Patel for providing laboratory equipments to carry out this study. REFERENCES: [1] World Health Organization. (2010). WHO laboratory manual for the Examination and processing of human semen (5 ed.). (D. T. Cooper, Ed.) geneva, Switzerland. [2] Omkar pokharkar et al. (2015). Effect of Wi-Fi radiations on sperms in vitro:Sperm DNA fragmentation test and ROS. International journal of healthcare sciences, III(1), 26-30.

So long a letter :: essays research papers

Daniel Overmyer’s, Religions of China, discusses the historical developments of the different religions of China. It also addresses the impact religion has on the daily life of the Chinese in the past and present. Overmyer introduces the Chinese living system with his knowledge of Feng-shui, and how everything is connected by shared rhythms. â€Å"These rhythms are discussed as the cold, dark forces of yin and the hot, bright forces of yang; together with the five powers of metal, plant, life, water, fire and earth; these forces are modes of qi, â€Å"vital substance†. Their interaction produces all things† (12). The author does an excellent job in his approach to teaching Chinese religions and culture. He explains its concept and upbringings then tries to relate them to the reader’s daily life. This book serves as an introduction to Chinese History, in terms of religions and practices, which paved the way for China today. In order to help introduce the major cultural and religious features of the book, the author places a chronological list of events in the beginning of the text; from the Prehistoric time (6000 B.C.) to the Peoples Republic of China (1949-present). Its geographical limits are all of China, which extends from the Pacific Ocean to India to Afghanistan, and from Burma in the south to Siberia in the north. Overmyer gives a brief historical view of the country’s’ political and social climb, one example was with the decline of the Hans dynasty to the uprising of the Yellow Turbans then to Way of the Celestial Masters. â€Å"These two popular movements were also forerunners of Daoism, which became the most important religious tradition founded in China† (37). The presentation of the text is thematic and it provides the reader with a step by step analysis to religions and practices. The author presents the concept in a very organized fashion. The first chapter introduces the beliefs and values of China’s living system, with the concept of Feng-shui and qi. The next chapter gives a brief overview of the historical developments of the different religions; Daoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Popular Religion, and Foreign Religion. The proceeding chapters include the traditions and practices in their religious life and also the community’s intervention with the spiritual life; i.e. The Spring Festival, Exorcism and the Buddhist Enlightenment. The last chapter, Chinese Religions Today, emphasizes on present day religion in Taiwan and China mainland. Overmyer is very knowledgeable in the subject matter, he was taught by his mother during his first 5 years living in China.

Online Marketing Essay

In today’s world, marketing research has begun to use the Internet and popular social networking sites such as, Facebook and Twitter, to gather personal information of all users. It’s becoming a lot easier for companies to connect directly with customers and collect individual information that goes into a computer database. This information can also be matched to other websites and share data collected during unrelated transactions. There are ethical and technical considerations that need to be addressed on how companies conduct its market research. Two major examples of ethical considerations of online marketing are privacy and confidentiality. Many online consumers try to avoid anything that will result in invading their privacy, but many companies tend to do that without the consumer’s knowledge. A company can easily have the ability to collect and store information relating to a consumer that can violate their right to privacy. The companies use this information to target certain advertising to that consumer, but the constant targeting can put a strain on the privacy of the consumer and start to result in a breach of confidentiality. Businesses are constantly sharing consumer’s information with partners or other affiliates to precisely target them with certain services or products they offer. Some companies sell the information to outside companies to make extra money that will lead to more strain on your privacy or even worse, identity theft. The most important example of technical consideration of online marketing is security. Security is the number one issue in a consumer’s mind when they need to use personal information to purchase or do anything online that requires that information. Hackers and viruses can lead to personal information on any database to be sold and used to wreak havoc on innocent consumers. Viruses can be used through E-mail or websites to hack into the businesses or consumer’s computer and track or steal sensitive information that can be given to a hacker at any time. Hackers can then sell that information to anyone or use it for their own benefit to ruin the reputation of that consumer. For example, hackers can use the personal information of the consumer to steal their identity and purchase things without the knowledge of the consumer and the consumer will be at fault for anything the hacker does. This continues to be an ongoing problem in the online world and something that businesses need to be very cautious about when dealing with personal information that was given from a consumer through trust in the company’s integrity online. As online marketing is becoming more popular daily around the world, companies need to realize the ethical and technical considerations that play a role on the abundance of consumer’s personal information they have. Businesses rely on precise online marketing to make the most profit with as little effort as possible, but they also need to focus on the consumer’s personal needs. Privacy, confidentiality, and security are the most important topics when it comes to personal information being stored and shared online. Without taking the time to address and resolve these issues, companies can scare away consumers from revealing certain information that helps their business grow and become successful. References Masters, T. (n.d.). Ethical Considerations of Marketing Research. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/ethical-considerations-marketing-research-43621.html. Sullivan, B. (Dec 6). Online privacy fears are real. Retrieved from http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3078835/t/online-privacy-fears-are-real/#.UZl358qE72o

Classic Quotes From Comedian Mitch Hedberg

Classic Quotes From Comedian Mitch Hedberg American stand-up comedian Mitch Hedberg was known for his quirky observations and dry delivery of fast one-liners that kept his audiences hustling to keep up with him. His friends claim he was the funniest person in the world. Whether or not you agree, youre bound to enjoy reading some of his classic remarks.   Mitch Hedbergs Thoughts on a Mechanized World I know a lot about cars. I can look at a cars headlights and tell you exactly which way its coming. I like an escalator, man, cause an escalator can never break. It can only become stairs. There would never be an Escalator temporarily out of order sign, only Escalator temporarily stairs. Sorry for the convenience. Funny Things About Food I bought a donut, and they gave me a receipt. When will I ever need to prove I bought a donut? Some skeptical friend: Hey man! Dont you even act like I didnt buy this donut! I have the receipt ... damn ... I forgot it at home ...in the filing cabinet under D...for donut. That would be cool if you could eat a good food with a bad food and the good food would cover for the bad food when it got to your stomach. Like you could eat a carrot with an onion ring and they would travel down to your stomach, then they would get there, and the carrot would say, Its cool, hes with me. My friend said to me, You know what I like? Mashed potatoes. I was like, Dude, you have to give me time to guess. If youre going to quiz me you have to insert a pause. On Relationships I dont have a girlfriend. But I do know a woman whod be mad at me for saying that. I dont have any children, but if I had a baby, I would have to name it, so I would get a baby-naming book. Or I would invite somebody over who had a cast on. To Sleep Perchance to Dream You know, Im sick of following my dreams, man. Im just going to ask where theyre going and hook up with em later. I hate dreaming because when you want to sleep, you want to sleep. Dreaming is work. Next thing you know, I have to build a go-cart with my ex-landlord. Department of Health People who smoke cigarettes, they say You dont know how hard it is to quit smoking.  Yes,  I do. Its as hard as it is to start flossing. Someone handed me a picture and said, This is a picture of me when I was younger. Every picture of you is when you were younger. Heres a picture of me when Im older. Whered you get that camera man? I used to do drugs. I still do, but I used to, too. My fake plants  died  because I did not pretend to water them. Mitch Hedbergs Random Musings on Golf and Other Subjects Im not good at golf, I never got good. I never got a hole in one, but I did hit a guy. And thats way more satisfying. Youre supposed to yell Fore, but I was too busy mumbling There aint no way thats gonna hit him. I went to the park and saw this kid flying a kite. The kid was really excited. I dont know why. Thats what theyre supposed to do. Now if he had had a chair on the other end of that string, I would have been impressed. You know, theres a fishing show on TV. They catch the fish, but they let it go. They dont want to eat the fish, but they do want to make it late for something. I use the word totally too much. I need to change it up and use a word that is different but has the same meaning. Mitch, do you like submarine  sandwiches? All-encompassingly.

Opening scene of Hamlet Essay Example

Opening scene of Hamlet Essay Example Opening scene of Hamlet Paper Opening scene of Hamlet Paper The audience observes the opening scene of Hamlet, where they see a man standing guard (Francisco) on the platform of the castle known as Elsinorea, at the dead of night. In films, this place is often depicted, as very high up on the walls of the castle, over looking the dark sea. This would portray quite a somber and haunting theme. Throughout the opening scene, Shakespeare is constantly addressing his audience, in the form of questioning, through his characters. Even, the very first words, uttered in this scene is presented to the audience as a question whos there? This portrays the character (in this case Barnardo) as fearful, since he is in the presence of something unknown. This is Shakespeares attempt, to capture his audiences interest. He does this, by trying to get his audience to show empathy toward Barnardo, making them also worried and fearful of the unknown, which makes the audience want to find out the answer to this rhetorical question, that they have been presented with by Barnardo. Then the audience is allowed to find relief which they would have much thanks for (since they are now able to name this unknown presence as Francisco.) The audience is then easily silenced, when they are presented with another question Have you had quiet guard? making them worry yet again, if there could be another cause for concern. And also creating an atmosphere of tension and mystery, while at the same time leaving the audience in suspense. On the battlements of Elsinore. Tis now twelve and Barnardo has suggested to Francisco that he should Get himself to bed, since Tis bitter cold, and Francisco is sick at heart. Obviously the audience is given the impression, that this scene is set late a night. Also at that point in time, the battlements of Elsinore wasnt exactly the nicest place to be. There are two significant periods within this scene, which have a common factor the ghost (i. e. the theme of the super natural). Within the first period, Francisco speaking for the first time Nay, answer me. Stand and unfold yourself. The idea that it might be the ghost terrifies him, so in demanding to know who he is in the presence of allows him to put his worries at ease, once he as been answered. Followed by the second period, where Horatio sees the ghost for the first time Horatio. He is full of fear but at the same time wonder; at this point the audience would be sharing Horatios inquisitive, yet scared mannerism. The reader must remember that the Elizabethans were very superstitious and took matters of the super natural very seriously. Ghost were normal seen as representatives for good (as opposed to witches who were believed to be sent by the devil). Which is rather ironic, since Shakespeare does not establish whether or not the ghost is good or evil until later on in the play. This may have been done to get the audiences attention, making them want to know the purpose of this apparition (more that they would have if the answer had just been simple given to them). The dialogue in this scene is rather shot, suggesting tension. The two significant events contain the main sources of tension. The fact that there are long pauses and the language is not very descriptive also shows tension. Marcellus speaks of peace, break thee off, which suggests a rather rhythmic repetition of a beating drum (acting as an indication to war). When Horatio is first introduced to the audience only a piece of him is there. Physically he is there but mentally is somewhere else (i. e. half-asleep). Horatio is simply enduing Marcellus and Barnardo. He is quite the skeptic and believes tis only but our fantasy. So Horatio is rather a doubting Tom. The audience would be amused by the fact that his attitude is the complete opposite of the others. Also this is an interval between the two events, which just the presence of the super natural since texts becomes more descriptive and there are longer sentences. This would also imply that the was less tension thanks to Horatios disbelief and the greeting of friends. The ironically Horatios attitude drastically changes confronted the ghost, he can not believe that he had see it of mine own eyes. He also refers to the ghost as a thing simply because it is not quite explainable what this thing really is. The apparition has two nights been seen. By this point the audience would be very curious and would be very interested to see the out some of this scene. Before seeing the ghost Horatio believed that twill not appear, the audience wouldnt be able to comprehend whether the ghost was truth or illusion, heightening the suspense and making the audience eager to find out. Bernado sits down to explain what they had seen. The atmosphere would be calmer and the audience curious. When the ghost appeared, the audience would have been anxious and nervous. It is made clear to the audience that the apparition has taken on a figure like the king thats dead, giving the impression that the deceased king had unfinished business (i.e. the matter of revenge to deal with). After seeing the ghost, the audience would now believe what the soldiers had told Horatio. Horatios reaction proves that the ghost is not fantasy. The soldiers continue to talk about how the ghost looked like the king and how it was even dressed in his armor. This whole idea tis strange. This begins an air of mystery and worry to the scene. The fact that the ghost is wearing armor may be some sort of indication that it has come to wage war against Denmark. This bodes a strange eruption to our state. This introduces the time theme of corruption (i. e. think of evil erupting like a volcano. ) The audience at this time believed in the divine right of kings, seeing the Sovereign as central to the affairs of the nation. They would be wondering what had gone morally wrong for the king to return. The second part of the scene appeals more to the intellect that to the emotions. The audience would be keen and interested to be told why the soldiers were on duty constantly. They are told why Fortinbras is meaning to attack and filled in on historical facts, which will be important to their understanding of the play later. When Horatio begins to talk about what happened before Julius Caesar was killed. The audience would start to wonder whether the ghosts appearance in Denmark would have the same effect. * He states that all of these things were a bad omen suggesting that the ghosts appearance is a bad omen. The audience would therefore be interested to know if something like this happened in Denmark. At this point the tension increases and the audience would be on the edge of their seats watching the guards cross themselves for protection. As the ghost spreads its arms they would be straining to listen and hear what it had to say. Each time Horatio Asked it to speck what art thou, they would be willing it to reveal why it was there. As the cock crows action occurs as the soldiers try to strike the ghost, The audience would be full of astonishment by the fact that the ghost is really. Horatio then tries to restrain the ghost from leaving by striking it, still, it vanishes. Marcellus thinks that they have committed a grievous error in striking the ghost of the late king. The ghost had started like a guilty thing/Upon a fearful summons. Horatio recalls that traditionally the crowing of the cock was believed to awake the good of day and serve as a warning to all preternatural and erring spirits that the time has come to return to their confines. As dawn breaks, Horatio and the two officers decide to share the events of the night with prince hamlet, the late kings son. Now the audience would be thinking that the apparition was definitely evil. This scene ends on a hopeful note with the coming of the light the audience would have new hope that the ghost will speck to hamlet. They would be eager to find out his reactions. This scene ends on a note of suspense and mystery. This scene is full of devices to arouse the interest and silence a noisy audience. Tension, suspense and mystery are created through language and actions of the soldiers as they wait and confront the king s ghost on the castle battlements at Elsinore.

The Importance of Companys Management Assignment

The Importance of Companys Management - Assignment Example The company took a different direction after Zhang Ruimin took over as the CEO. The company is now regarded as one of the fast developing and aspiring Chinese brands in the International Market. Before Zhang came to the rescue of the company, the Haier Group had a group of undisciplined and low-skilled employees and suffered from low productivity and reduced product quality. Zhang faced difficult times while trying to rescue the company from management mayhem and financial turmoil (Lau & Han 1-2). In order to liberate the company, Zhang instituted an organizational philosophy and rules and overhauled the business strategy to establish an incentive-oriented management control system. As the company continued to grow, Zhang was proud of its growth. However, one of the hurdles facing the company was how to fine-tune its processes and structure to face transformations in the current competitive global market. In order for the company to sustain growth in the future, it needs to consider how it will motivate its workers in the future to attain high performance goals, and how it will revolutionize the management control system to adjust to the organization’s internationalization stratagems. ... However, as the organization’s operations grew, it shifted from a process to people oriented approach. This led to the implementation of OEC management system, which aroused the employee’s sense of responsibility (Lau & Han 4). This management system grouped people into small groups with different standards and targets. This required every group to ensure that it attained the targets. This made the groups repeat the processes in order to find means of improving their process the same day (Lau & Han 5). The fact that the employees were required to come up with ways on how to improve their process within the same day would have acted as a less motivating factor. Notably, most of the processes in an organization require a considerable number of hours if the process fails or does not meet the target result then the employees will have to redo the process and will spend more time and will have overworked within that day. It is imperative to note that overworking of employees is one of the factors that contribute to low levels of motivation among employees. This may make the workers feel overburdened with huge work that can make them stressed and less motivated. Therefore, it is significant to recommend an OEC management system with a longer timeline such as two days or a week, or a management system that gives few processes to be accomplished within a given time. For instance, an OEC management system that gives three tasks that can be accomplished within five days. The reward system adopted by Haier is based on the performance of each product division recorded by the product manager (Lau & Han 7). Though this seems to be an

The media and today Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The media and today - Essay Example Meeuwis in 1993 illustrated the effectiveness of media by highlighting the role of television and press in the creation of nationalism in Serbia.1 Stuart Ewen argues that advertising has a more significant power in human collective consciousness as compared to the credit, which is given to it. Moreover, the two theories Social Learning theory and Cultivation theory also describe the importance of modern media in shaping the perceptions of people.2 In 1990, Abernethy found 32 percent rate of television commercial avoidance and in 1994, King found 35 percent audience claiming to watch ads.3 â€Å"Advertising effectiveness does vary over time, and when the market is in an unfavourable or unsaturated condition, advertising generally becomes more important and effective (Chung and Kaiser 1998).†4 A research conducted by Campbell, Margaret C. and Kevin Lane Keller on Television ads and internet ads showed that on both media the â€Å"wear out point happens sooner when the ad being repeated is for an unfamiliar brand as opposed to a familiar brand.†5 Marketing Evaluation research show that nowadays, power of media mix or ‘Surround Sound Marketing’ is greater as compared to what one medium can produce, thereby, highlighting a reduced effectiveness of media.6 Moreover, the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) revealed that about 62 percent of marketers uphold that in the last two years, the television a dvertising has become less effective.7 In short, a radical changed has been seen in the advertising industry in the last few years. A logical perspective is that the consumers’ past responses to the media advertising is not the same because of the changing tastes, demographics, competition, economic and social factors, advertising theme etc. Furthermore, the marketing world has changed and even a target market consumer of a product/service is not considered to be ‘effectively exposed’, unless he watches the ad at least three to four times.