Medicalization Essay

Medicalization describes a process by which a non-medical problem becomes defined and treated as a medical problem, usually in terms of illness and disorders. Medicalization used to be focused on deviance, now it focuses on a range of human problems. Medicalization is increasing as technology advances. There are many things that have become medicalized such as Alcoholism, mental disorders, eating disorders, sexual dysfunction, etc. There are three degrees of medicalization. 1. Fully medicalized, example would be severe mental illness. 2.  Partly medicalized, example would be menopause. 3. Minimally medicalized, example would be sexual addiction. The factors that affect the degrees are the support of medical profession, available treatment, and medical insurance. In the end medicalization has increased the profitability and markets of pharmaceutical and biotechnological firms. Many factors have contributed to the rise of medicalization. For instance the loss in religious, the increase of faith in science, rationality, progress, increased prestige and the power of the medical profession. The medical profession and the expansion of medical jurisdiction were prime movers for medicalization. Medicalization has also occurred through social movements. Doctors are not the only ones involved in medicalization now, patients are active collaborators in the medicalization of their problem. The Vietnam veteran movement medicalized PTSD; AIDS treatment was done by the gay and lesbian movement, and PSM with the woman’s movement. There are both positive and negative consequences to medicalization. With everything being medicalized, some people have a better chance functioning well in society. If they are really shy, they will be diagnosed with Anxiety Disorder, and will be medicated to interact efficiently in society. People are no longer depressed, disoriented because of medical intervention, for example, menopause and anorexia. It can really improve the self-esteem of some individuals. Those were some of the positive consequences of medicalization. There are a few negative consequences as well. For instance, medicalization transforms human differences into pathologies. Example, a child with a different learning size will be accused of having a learning disability or having ADHD. By transforming all of these differences into pathologies, it will diminish our tolerance for and appreciation of the diversity of human life. Eventually every person will be labeled as sick. In the Dr. Jarvik article, the speaker demonstrates how old age is being medicalized. It isn’t acceptable to age, because one should stay young. Medicalization has brainwashed people into thinking that somethings aren’t normal when really they are. As people age they are pushed to take all of these medications to stay young and feel good, when it should be socially acceptable to age. A good example of a way medicalization has been resisted would be demedicalization. Gays have changed the definition of homosexuality from illness to lifestyle. Same thing with masturbation, it used to be considered an illness, now its something natural that most people do. These examples contradict medicalization since they have been demedicalized. Disabilities went from medical problem to societal problem. Childbirth used to have been done in a hospital under drugs. Now woman have many options on how they would like to give birth. Parents have refused to give children medication for their ADHD because they belive it wont benefit them. One example from the article would be the â€Å"ana is my friend† website that they mentioned. It is a website that helps anorexic people learn to live an anorexic lifestyle. They don’t promote it they just help anorexics adjust. In the end, Medicalization plays a huge role in todays society. It will keep on expanding from here, and along will come its consequences.

Cleopatra and Octavia Essay

Examine the contrast between Cleopatra and Octavia. How do they embody different aspects of womanhood and how is this opposition useful in developing the themes and actions of the play? How might the distinction be given different emphases in performance? Antony and Cleopatra is one of Shakespeare’s most dramatic plays; however it has not been staged nearly as many as plays such as Hamlet or Macbeth because it is such a hard play to produce due to its enormous variety of content. However the mere strength of the characters within the play creates intense tragic possibilities, despite the difficulties that may be faced in production. Cleopatra and Octavia are contrasting characters in the play Antony and Cleopatra. Each embodies different aspects of womanhood; each is a model of the qualities that should be seen from the country and culture they belong to. The play centres around the contrast between the lavishness of Egypt with the lineal qualities of the Roman Empire. Egypt is a country of luxurious feasts where eight wild boars are roasted for a breakfast for twelve people (2. 2. 189-90) and parties; it is a very sexualised place whereas Rome is a country characterised by politics, scenes of intellectuals and battles, thus the lives and loves of a Roman stand in opposition to the lives and loves of an Egyptian. Cleopatra is a symbol of Egyptian luxury, passion and lust she is a highly sexualised woman and is not afraid or embarrassed to show this; this is shown in her sexual innuendo in reference to Antony’s war horse: ‘Happy horse, to bear the weight of Antony! ‘ Her own language often betrays her own sexual nature this can be seen where Cleopatra speaks to the Messenger from Rome: Ram thou thy fruitful tidings in mine ears, that long time have been barren. (2. 5. 23-24) Egypt is a place dominated by strong-minded mature female sexuality thus making this play one of Shakespeare’s remarkable works due to its attitude to female sexuality as something natural, beautiful and open. Although Cleopatra is described by some in the play as nothing more than a gypsy slut: ‘to cool a gypsy’s lust’ (1. 1. 9) we understand from the differences between Egypt and Rome and their understandings of each other, that Cleopatra embodies Egypt and all it stands for and so can’t be controlled or categorised as a Roman can be. Cleopatra allows men who have grown up in a world where expressing sexual ideas and fantasies is frowned upon, such as that of the view of Puritans in the time in which Shakespeare would have been writing this play; to contact their emotional centres and celebrate erotic possibilities. Cleopatra is one of Shakespeare’s most complex and elaborate female characters; he derives his information about her directly from Plutarch’s portrait of her and the reputation she left behind. Cleopatra is a mixed character and has sudden switches of behaviour from one mood to another, for instances the arrival of a messenger from Rome telling Cleopatra of Octavia, Antony’s new bride. Cleopatra harasses the messenger for news, and is violent and abusive to him as she hasn’t heard what she wants to, once her servants have calmed her down she feels remorseful and sorry for her actions that were must unlike a royal action should be. Cleopatra is a irrational and irratic character who often reacts to menial things, however this can be seen as her way of reacting to the fear of losing what she knows: Egypt and Antony. Her fear for losing and her sense of insecurity is seen through her jealously, that Shakespeare presents clearly in her wish to know what Octavia looks like, she is driven by these uncontrollable passions she feels towards Antony. Her feelings of insecurity are not settled by Antony, and his treatment of both his wives Octavia and Fulvia doesn’t settle her fears but instead gives her little cause for complacency, ‘Now I see, I see, In Fulvia’s death how mine received shall be. ‘ (1. 3. 66) Cleopatra is both seductive and somewhat repellent and it is this mix that makes her such a mysterious and puzzling mixture. Even Antony on occasions doesn’t know how she will react and can’t predict her actions or behaviour either. Antony loves Cleopatra because he wants to, not for any political reasons; there is nothing or any reason why he should love Cleopatra, it is merely his choice. Our deep understanding of Cleopatra’s charm and enchantment comes from the descriptions we are given of her; many of which are taken directly from The Life of Marcus Antonius in Sir Thomas North’s translation of the Roman historian Plutarch’s Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans (1579). Here Cleopatra is compared to Venus, the goddess of Love. Shakespeare has taken North’s basic ideas and developed them to a point that the beauty of Cleopatra is seen almost as supernatural. It is these descriptive speeches of Cleopatra that help the audience to understand the infatuation that Antony and others before, have had with Cleopatra: For the person of herself: She was laid under a pavilion of cloth of gold of tissue, apparelled and attired like the goddess Venus (North) It is this beauty that Cleopatra relies on to win over men; she feels herself to be the human incarnation of Isis: ‘Now from head to foot I am marble constant. Now the fleeting moon no planet is of mine’ (5. 2. 237-240) and therefore men are captivated by her and become addicted by the strange power of Cleopatra’s attractiveness. It is said by some that Cleopatra used her beauty and her body to gain what she needed and what she felt was needed for Egypt, as Hughes-Hallet observed: She captivates Antony and then uses her power over him to demand the Kingdoms of Syria and Arabia. (Hughes-Hallet, 165) Cleopatra is portrayed as a strong leader of Egypt and in this respect has similarities with Elizabeth I who was on the throne of England through Shakespeare’s early life. She like Cleopatra was a dominant figure and felt she embodied Britain as Cleopatra embodied Egypt. How unlike Cleopatra, Elizabeth I was prepared to listen and take advice from others who were experts in the field in question; this resulted in her defeating the Spanish Armada. Unlike Cleopatra who although demanded to be treated as a general upon the war field refused to listen to advice which resulted in awful consequences and subsequently the lose of life for her and Antony. Rome is a place where the need for order and discipline is the norm; there isn’t room amongst the Politics and duties for sensuality and pleasure like in Egypt. It is this that causes Antony to be torn ‘between the military honour and familial duty of Rome and the sensuality and luxurious life-style of Egypt. ‘ Rome is a predominantly male society which women have no say; it is associated with action, mainly military and political action. Charney describes it as ‘ a place of conference tables, armour, political decisions and hard materials objects ‘ (102) Octavia is a model of Roman qualities, of obedience and duty. In Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra, her role is reduced greatly in comparison to that of the Octavia described in Plutarch’s version. In this version she is seen as more of an independent figure rather than one completely dominated by male relations as portrayed by Shakespeare. By moving Octavia into background Shakespeare allows a greater contrast between Octavia and Cleopatra, thus highlighting the great differences of lives in Egypt and lives in Rome. Plutrach wrote of Octavia’s domestic virtues, whereas in Shakespeare’s play Octavia is ridiculed especially by Cleopatra as seen in act 3 scene 3 Messenger: Madam, I heard her speak; she is low-voiced Cleopatra: That’s not so good. He cannot like her long.

A Pro Drop Parameter English Language Essay

A Pro Drop Parameter English Language Essay Pro-drop parameter is such a parameter for whether the declarative sentence in universal grammar can omit the subject. It is also known as null subject parameter, non-subject parameter. The so-called â€Å"pro-drop† phenomenon refers to the subject can be deleted in the declarative sentence (White, 1986). The pro-drop parameter (null subject parameter) proposed is based on the phenomenon of omitted subject pronouns in some language. The empty synonymous is commonly known as pro, the language of the subject can be omitted due to the pro appears only in subject position, or the language with no main statement can be called as pro-drop language. Whether the subject can be omitted constitutes a parameter in universal grammar, known as pro-drop parameter. Pro-drop parameter is a universal grammar parameter which is the most discussed (Chomsky and Lasnik, 1991). It is an important parameter to examine the second language acquisition effect in the study of the second language learni ng. Pro-drop parameter assumption studies the adult null subject phenomenon to show the object-drop in the children’s language, the basic premise of the theory is for the most grammar provides null subject parameter for language learners (White, 1986). This default parameter allows null subject, so only when the child’s language environment provides them with clear evidence to prove their language cannot be null subject, it will lead them to reset the parameters. Different languages à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹have different pro-drop parameter values, that is, to determine whether the declarative sentence can omit the subject. Chomsky (2000) argues that the sentence has two levels, one is the deep structure (d-structure) to express the sentence vocabulary meaning, it is the concept structure in the brain before the people to talk; the other is the shallow structure (s -structure) to express the moving relationship of sentence elements, it is the sound people sp eak. Principles and parameters theory claims that empty synonymous pro only appears in d-structure, and does not appear in s-structure (Ouhalla, 2000). In the d-structure of the implied subject sentence, the subject is existed, invisible pro is taken as the subject, the main word syntactic component does not disappear, and it is still present in the speech’s heart and brain syntax with â€Å"psychological reality.† In the s-structure of the implied subject, the subject is existed in the form of â€Å"null†, the subject form of this â€Å"null† is called pro. It knows that the pro is implied in s-structure. Although many studies have tried to explain second language learners like children acquisition native-like to set the open parameters, since the early 1980s, people found that the initial stage of the second language learners will transfer the parameters set in mother tongue (Gass and Schachter, 1989; Lydia, 1989, 1991). Here, taking the implied pro par ameters for illustration here carries out a brief description of the similarities and differences in setting of this parameter in the native language. In addition, it will also explain the potential advantages are of the assumption there is a pro drop parameter. In children’s brain, the setting of the language parameter can be considered a switch: children adjust each parameter value according to their heard language material. Chomsky (2000) suggests that the transition from the initial state to a stable state is actually the process of setting switch direction (Cook and Newson, 2000, pp.110). Acquisition of English syntax means setting the all parameters in universal grammar according to the English habit, and the parameter settings are activated relying on linguistic evidence. Usually there are three linguistic à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹instances: positive evidence, direct negative evidence and indirect negative evidence. Positive evidence refers to the language h eard by children. The linguistic instance heard by British children enables them to find English is a non-implicit pro parameter language. Spanish children will find that Spanish is the implicit pro parameter language. Direct negative evidence, also known as direct correction, is directly from the adult corrections. However, the direct correction is limited. Even if corrected directly, children also tend to ignore, thus the direct correction cannot be the main source for the children to obtain the language skills. Indirect negative evidence is such a language form for the children cannot hear. British children are impossible to hear such as â€Å"Sits.† statement, or reversed predicate word order, such as â€Å"Sits he.† So, some studies suggest that the indirect negative instance contributes to the setting of parameters. Hyams (1981) specifically studied the implicit pro parameter setting in the native language acquisition. She found that the British children could sp eak many sentences without subject like the Spanish, such as: â€Å"Play it.† Or â€Å"No go in†. At the same time, in their language they will leave the words such as ‘it’ and ‘there’. Gradually, they began to understand that the English needs the lexical subject and added the function words ‘it’ and ‘there’ in sentences. While the Spanish children in the beginning thought that Spanish is the language of the implicit parameter, and does not need to change. Hyams (1981) believes that in the acquisition of the mother tongue, the children regard the implied pro parameters as a default, it is, regardless of their language, always speak the sentences without subject, the children eventually found the parameter values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹from the positive evidence. Non-implied pro parameters language English uses impersonal Indefinite pronoun ‘it’ in the sentences expressing weather: â€Å"Ità ¢â‚¬â„¢s raining.† In the presence of the sentence, ‘there’ is used: â€Å"Once upon a time, there were three bears.† The emergence of expletive subject makes the British children were aware of the English is a non-implied subject language. Cook (2000: 90) argued that the basis for the universal grammar to explain language acquisition lies in the positive evidence plays a key role. Children are mainly from the positive evidence rather than negative evidence to acquisition of the mother tongue.

Benefits of Single Gender Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Benefits of Single Gender Education - Essay Example Girls perform better in single sex schools than boys. Therefore, people choose single gender school for bright future of females. Female students also avoid sexual harassment in single gender schools. Research shows that boys and girls have different ways of learning because of difference of mind. Single gender schools are the solution to this problem. Few researchers provided conflicting evidence on importance of single gender schools. Financial aspects, race and moral values like issues are easy to handle in single gender schools and to overcome class difference. Therefore the research of decades has proved that single gender schools are beneficial than co-education institutes. Research proved definite decline in distraction in single gender schools. According to Hubbard & Datnow (2005), in teenage students, lose focus on their work due to attraction in opposite sex (pp. 121). This declines their progress in educational activities. Boys and girls spend more time in attracting each other and give more importance to their getup and outlook. Mostly girls are found lost in the classrooms as they reach their puberty. Boys are more distracted in the presence of girls as it is part of their nature and personality. Therefore, single gender schools are vital for good educational output from the boys. ... Girls and boys can come with normal dressing and makeup in single gender schools due to non-availability of opposite sex (Hubbard & Datnow 122). This saves time and keeps the mind committed in their work. Research has proved better performance of girls in single sex schools. Parents are now attracted towards single gender schools for females for making them better educated for future challenges. Girls with mathematical and scientific expertise can produce even better results in schools (Datnow, Hubbard & Conchas 186) Girls are highly affected by the sexual harassment from the opposite gender (Hubbard & Datnow 122). Their mind always works to take safety measures to avoid sexual harassment. Boys show more confidence towards this activity and tend to attract girls and tend to sexually harass them in coeducation schools. Single gender schools have the advantage of protecting girls from sexual assaults and harassment. Girls and boys have different mind structure and hobbies that become p ermanent part of the personalities. Gender difference has connection with the initial lifestyle and habits and priorities. This creates a lot of difference in approach of both sexes towards education. Hence, it is always difficult to observe same understanding of a subject in both genders. One will understand the subject matter easily and the other gender may feel it difficult. Uniformity of understanding of scientific and mathematical subjects be best achieved in single sax schools and colleges. According to Datnow, Hubbard & Conchas (2001), â€Å"some argued that the single gender educational settings promote stereotypical attitude towards the opposite sex†. (pp. 186). The conflicting evidence of single gender

Heritage of music. Bla Bartk Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Heritage of music. Bla Bartk - Essay Example Bela Bartok’s amazing accomplishments are in part due to the biographical elements of his life, as well as to his own creative energy. The biographical elements include the times and places of his growth and development, as well as the people who influenced him. His individual creativity can only be attributed to that unexplainable factor that accounts for artistic genius. Together these elements combined to make one of the most influential composers of the twentieth century. Bela Bartok was born in the town of Nagyszentimiklos in Hungary in 1881 (Sadie and Tyrrell 132). Being a product of Eastern Europe at this time in history meant that he would experience a lot of political and economic instability during his life. Adding to this social and political insecurity, the death of his father in 1881 caused his mother to move to what became the Ukraine and then Slovakia (Raeburn and Kendall 248). The changing borders of these Eastern European countries together with the physical a nd economic unsteadiness of his family kept Bartok’s world in flux as he was growing up. It must have seemed as though the ground continued to move beneath him. It is possible that this lack of stability could have contributed to his development as an artist, that the music inside of him was a constant that was not present in his outside world. Although the unpredictable circumstances of his childhood may have been a factor in Bartok’s artistic development, his early musical accomplishments indicate that he must have had innate talent as well. Also, his mother gave piano lessons, so he grew up listening to her teach and play. At the age of eleven he gave his first public performance, which included some original compositions. During his teen years, Bartok continued to advance in his performance level and began composing chamber music, a skill he learned by reading musical scores. At the age of eighteen, he entered the Budapest Academy of Music, where he became influenc ed by other composers and their musical styles. He studied piano with teacher who was a student of Franz Liszt, from whom he drew what Taruskin called a â€Å"self-conscious image† (373). Perhaps this meant that he was developing a style which was his and his alone. Richard Strauss’s â€Å"Also Sprach Zarathustra† inspired him to think outside the borders of conventional music, and pieces by Debussy introduced him to the tone poem (Taruskin 349). This combination led to his first major work, Kossuth, which was composed in 1903 and performed in 1904. The central figure of this symphonic poem is Lajos Kossuth, who was a hero in the Hungarian revolution. Embodying Bartok’s youthful patriotism, Kossuth gained even more popularity because of the political tension between Hungary and Austria at that time. Hungarians in the German army were demanding the same representation among the commanding ranks and wanted the Hungarian language to be spoken and recognized as equal to German (Taruskin 373). Kossuth was â€Å"a kind of narrative of the 1848-1849 revolution, in which the Austrians are represented by a grotesque distortion of Haydn’s famous imperial anthem (‘Gott, erhalte Franz den Kaiser’), and Kossuth (by extension, the Hungarians) by a melody in the noblest magyar nota style† (Taruski 374), magyar nota meaning Old Hungarian song. Also while at the Academy, at about the same time that he discovered Strauss’s and Debussy’s music and adapted the genre and style of the tone poem to his own innovative compositions, Bartok met the composer Zoltan Kodaly, with whom he became a lifelong friend. Kodaly’s influence on Bartok was to introduce him to the music of the common people. Together they travelled the countryside collecting Slovak songs from the local peasants. These activities along with the popularity of Kossuth led him to become somewhat of a national hero, and his music came to represent what was Hungarian. According to Taruskin, â€Å"‘haughty accompanying rhythms,† â€Å"dotted pairs on every downbeat,†

Being Black in the 1950's Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Being Black in the 1950's - Essay Example Being black in the 1950s meant that one had to cope with a discriminative education sector. Blacks had to travel long distances to school, which were scarce and were often poorly constructed, lacked books and other equipments, and had small classes that were crowded and that were taught by few unqualified teachers who had to be black. The whites however had many well-built and well-equipped schools taught by qualified white teachers. A Black man graduating from the aforementioned schools would therefore be unable to compete for opportunities with the White man and therefore the systems was partly designed to ensure that the White man remained superior to the Black man. A Black man would not get a good job and whenever he got one, he was given lower salaries than the Whites were. A survey done in 1950 showed that a Black man would get almost half of the Whites’ salary for the same work and position. This discrimination was extended the public sector and political offices â€⠀œ the white had put laws and practices to deter a black man from ascending to power or being elected. Such measures would include paying of taxes before being registered to vote and since Blacks were poor, they could not afford this and many were therefore locked out. There was also an illiteracy test for people who wished to be registered as voters. This locked out many black men who could not afford education due to poverty and this minimized the chances of black men voting their fellow blacks in. This meant that the blacks had no representation and therefore, they were not involved in making laws. The white man therefore made laws that did not favor the black man. A Black man also endured racism even in public places. For instance, he could not use the same public utilities as the White – there were public toilets for the Whites and others for the blacks. A black man could not enter the same joints and restaurants with the whites. He had to endure poor and low cost facili ties and utilities wherever he went. The transport industry is another place where the black man was discriminated. The black man, as if to affirm his position in the society, had to sit at the back rows of buses with their seats marked â€Å"colored people.† In some states like Alabama, there was a law that whenever a white man lacked a seat, a seated black man was supposed to give his seat to the white. Any black who dared oppose these rules was taken to court and subsequently jailed, as it was the case with Rosa Parks, who refused to give up her seat to a white person. She was jailed, sparkling the blacks’ bus boycott of 1955. A black man was subject to torture, intimidation and oppression whenever he tried to resist any discriminative law or tried to liberate himself. The whites had formed fear-inflicting groups like Ku Klux KIA, which attacked the opposing blacks, tortured them and scared them while concealing their identity. They would burn a black man’s h ouse, destroy their properties or even kill them. In 1955, the whites burned and destroyed the house and property of Martin Luther while he led the bus boycott. He himself was incarcerated. Earlier in the year 1954 when the blacks’ Supreme Court declared that segregation in schools illegal, the group and some youths organized attacks and demonstration to scare off any black man who dared set foot in a whites’ school. Many were scared away and only the brave remained.

Health Administarion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 20

Health Administarion - Essay Example As nurses require good knowledge regarding human body and medications, it is essential that they must get trained by instructors having great expertise in the field. For a nurse, a patient should be someone very important to him/her. Obviously, it is from their preceptors that the novice nurses must learn such values. In other words, nurses can acquire the required level of knowledge to work well in the healthcare sector only if they are trained by proficient academicians. Visual media and powerpoint have greatly enhanced the ease of teaching. Using video clips, animations and presentations are handy in conveying certain topics to the students. When it comes to learning topics like internal organs, visual media can provide an aid in imparting the concept to students rather than explaining it verbally. It also saves a lot of time by relieving instructors from preparing bulky lecture notes. Powerpoint makes it possible for them to add photos, videos and audio clips to their notes. Therefore, instructors get a single platform through which they can supply study materials in different forms. Internet helps them clarify doubts by interacting with experts from various parts of the world. However, putting multimedia in the first priority in teaching is not a laudable practice; it should act only as a reference aid and teaching should definitely be done by the

Critical care nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Critical care nursing - Essay Example The drugs prescribed demonstrate that the endeavor was to keep her blood pressure within normal limits, to keep her cholesterol levels in check and prevent any further cardiovascular complications, primarily as a measure to reduce the risk of a heart attack (NIH). The prescribed drugs are standard regimen to keep the blood thin, control blood pressure and reduce hyperlipidemia. However, 5 days post-discharge, the woman was presented again at the emergency department with the primary complaint being that of sudden onset of breathing difficulty. According to her husband’s statement, the woman had probably forgotten to take some of the prescribed medication, had undergone stress due to current heat wave, and had exerted herself while making preparations for the ensuing Christmas celebrations. Vital signs as registered on arrival at the emergency facility included a respiratory rate of 28, heart rate of 130 suggestive of rhythm sinus tachycardia, a B.P. of 140/100, oxygen saturati on of 94% on 6 litre oxygen via facemask and a capillary refill value greater than 3 seconds. On palpation her skin felt cold as well as clammy. Upon lung auscultation, bilateral fine crackles were discernible. Immediate treatment recommended and provided at this stage was in the form of GTN (Nitroglycerine) infusion and an IV diuretic, frusemide at a dose of 40 mg after which she was shifted to the ICU. In the ICU, sinus tachycardia was observed along with a HR (Heart Rate) of 133. ECG (electrocardiograph) revealed resolving acute anterior septal myocardial infarction with present Q wave. She had marked hypotension with a value of 85/70 and JVP was estimated at 6 cms above the sternal angle. Echocardiography revealed an ejection fraction of 50% with poor diastolic filling. Respiration was shallow and tachypnoeic with a RR of 35. Despite a supplement of 10L/Nonbreathing mask oxygen therapy, she continued to maintain poor oxygen saturation at 80-90%. Her pain score was determined as 5/10 and the urine output was 200mls. GTN infusion was discontinued and she was put on dobutamine at a dose rate of 500 mg/100 mls in 5% dextrose titrated to a MAP of 70 mm Hg. Mask CPAP was initiated. The woman’s age, BMI and the clinical symptoms presented clearly show that she is at a clear risk of a sudden onset heart attack which has occurred according to her presented symptoms on admission at the emergency facility. Such acute heart failure syndromes (AHFS) are a recognized reason for the high rise of cases needing hospitalization over the last few decades due to rising incidence of lifestyle diseases (Coons et al, 2009). The risk of mortality is high in such cases and therapy has to be instituted immediately. The above patient’s history, signs and investigative laboratory scores clearly show that she is suffering from acute onset heart failure. Her low BP (85/70), evidence of sinus tachycardia (HR 133), poor diastolic filling suggestive of reduced left ventricul ar ejection fraction (LVEF), low RR (35) and poor oxygen saturation despite artificial support are clear markers for her diagnosis (Coons et al, 2009). Although the above signs are sufficient for establishing diagnosis of AHFS, it has been suggested that newer diagnostic markers such as cardiac troponin and B-type natriuretic peptide levels can assist in establishing a positive diagnosis and should be employed (Pulkki et al,

Moving Charge Creates a Magnetic Field Lab Report

Moving Charge Creates a Magnetic Field - Lab Report Example A wire carrying current experiences a force in a magnetic field. The force experienced increases if the magnitude of the current and the strength of the magnet are increased. The direction of the force or thrust can be predicted using the motor rule (Fleming’s left-hand rule). The rate of change of magnetic flux is zero at the midpoint 1 and 3 because the magnetic flux at those points is at a minimum and maximum respectively. The magnetic flux in the regions 2 and 4 is zero at the points and the physical difference between the two values is that one represent a decreasing magnetic flux while the other represents an increasing field. For the test coil at the center of symmetry of the coil the angular frequency of the signal was determined to be 377 rad/s, the area A of the coil was evaluated to be the peak to peak voltage was determined to be equal to 400mV from which the Maximum EMF was 200mV. Using relevant equations provided in the manual, the magnetic field was established to be 0.992 Tesla. The maximum magnetic intensity for a TEST COIL is not the same for a large coil because the magnetic field from both coils interact with each other making their actual valued slightly different. The results for electromagnetic induction test on different coils is represented in the table

Managing with Web 2.0 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Managing with Web 2.0 - Research Paper Example (Girrell, 2010) The application of Web 2.0 tools and applications can help companies and organizations in knowledge management, work coordination & decision making. Web 2.0 tools help companies manage knowledge, coordinate work and enhance decision making in a number of ways. Blogs, wikis and social networking help companies and their employees communicate and boost productivity. After all, blogs can provide information to users in a less formal way yet attainable form and grant readers the opportunities to respond to the writer, ask, questions, comment, etc. This interaction bridges the corporate users and the readers/customers or potential customers and builds relationships. (Johnston, 2010) Since Web 2.0 tools are user friendly, communication and knowledge creation are easy. For instance, for the workforce, wikis serve as a â€Å"blackboard† a space in which corporate workers and an increasingly mobile workforce can communicate with each other, formalize projects and the components thereof, document progress and do so in a less costly manner. After all, wikis, like most Web 2.0 tools contain costs. This is especially true since Web 2.0 tools do not require IT department implementation. (Johnston, 2010) Blogs, wikis and social networking tools solve the problem of individual emails, IMs and the creation of numerous emails conveying information, raising questions or documenting progress. Web 2.0 solves the problems of connection across a large company or department and provides the users with flexibility. It offers the manager or creator the opportunity to post the information and the other workers or users with 24 hour viewing from anywhere they can log into such platforms. For this reason, all parties have a sense of autonomy and connectedness despite virtual connectivity. Therefore companies could benefit from using Web 2.0 tools

Online Marketing Essay Example for Free

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

Media Violence Essay Example for Free

Media Violence Essay Television has been considered as part of entertainment of the society. Mass media has been recognized as the giver and provider of the information needed by the public. These two terms have too many influences and greatly affects the lives of the people in the society which make them important elements in this post modern world. From gaining knowledge to entertainment, media has been having the reputation of providing all the information needed by the public. However, the society also points out the mass media as the greatest influence of aggressive behavior of the viewers. Through the movies and television shows that are being released by the media, people learn to conform and adopt the attitudes that are portrayed by the characters. The constant changing society has challenge the culture and values of the people around the world. The popular culture has been very influential making the society conform to the new trends. However, there are some factors in the society that are not changing regardless of the transparency of its effects. In other words, these are the aspects that affect the lives of the people negatively but still considered as adequate because of the acceptance of the mainstream. Media violence is one of the negative elements of the society but still existing despite the evident effects to the people. The Viewers and the Media Violence The behavior of the person shows the kind of television program he or she watches (Science Daily). Apparently, media violence does not affect only those who already understand the language and actions of a certain movie or television show. In fact, even the toddlers are being affected by these aggressive behaviors on screen. The people learn based on what they could see in their environment. Undeniably, mass media is one of the most influential factors that is present in this post modern world. The values that people adapt from their surroundings help in developing their personalities as they grow older. Since media has been the easiest tool in gaining information, it has also become an instrument to learn and adapt the culture of the society. The children that are just starting to learn in the society is being trained and influenced by the behaviors that are being portrayed in movies and television programs. Everyday, a home is being penetrated not only by thousands of advertisers that persuade every member of the family to buy a certain product. In fact, the television serves as the bridge of the people to the fictional world that are perfectly created by the mass media. Thousands of scenes from television shows and advertisements are being portrayed and most of them are adopted influencing the mind and personality of an individual. Countless murders and other acts of violence are shown making the audience feel the danger present outside their homes. The martial arts battle, shootings, knifings, fistfights, and exploding cars are just few of the scenes that can be watched on movies or television shows. These acts of violence are usually done by the heroes and villains who often serve as the role models for the young adults in the society (Freedman 4). The aggressive behaviors that the children often see on screen are committed by the live actors or even animated figures that appear in the best movies as well as the worst. On the other hand, the existence of violence in the society has not created by the media themselves. In fact violence has been in the society even before television was invented, movie houses were constructed, and video games were released. Aggression is a nature of man and it has been present even before the technology enter the scene. The public has been blaming the media for the aggression that their shows cause to the people especially to children; however, the media has been firm on telling that their aggressive shows represent the violence of the society. This issue has been at the heart of debate in the society. The presence of media relies on the elements of the society while the society relies on the information that are being offered by the mass media. Effects of Media Violence As the child becomes older, he or she is being accustomed with the information available in his or her surroundings. The internet, television shows, video games, and advertising are the sources of information of children nowadays (Wintour). The presence of media has undeniably influenced the young adults as they grow up to be mature individuals. The aggressive behaviors that they can see on television, movies, or even video games are being adapted and accepted to their own construction of reality. The child learns to hit his playmate when he gets mad, throw things when he is irritated, and shout when somebody did not pay attention to him. These are all examples of aggressive behaviors which may appear to be simple and normal attitude of a child. Oftentimes, the society fails to notice these simple behaviors as a problem that needs to be solved before it gets worse. The video games that are sold in the market with a goal to teach children to stand diversity has undeniably created an impression that it would enhance the knowledge of the young adults in technology and eliminated the idea that this would trigger the aggressive behavior of the player. The children will play as the main character that is given a task to protect a territory and kill the animated figures that would hinder him to win the game. The concept of this game sets the mind of the young players to fight with the use of guns and knives (O’Hehir) Frequently, learning to behave aggressively is the tested effect of media violence. This effect is also referred to as instigation of aggressive impulses, disinhibition of socialization against aggressive behavior and imitation of violence (Potter, 25). The child may not show an aggressive behavior after watching series of violent shows but the child would definitely think that aggression is acceptable in the society. Moreover, the child may not imitate the actions that were portrayed by the media, but the scenes may create fear to the young minds of the viewers. Since the information on media sources are the most accessible source of knowledge, the viewers may accustomed them and accept them as part of reality. Media violence produces short-term increases by priming existing aggressive scripts and cognitions, increasing physiological arousal, and triggering an automatic tendency to imitate observed behaviors. Media violence produces long-term effects via several types of learning processes leading to the acquisition of lasting (and automatically accessible) aggressive scripts, interpretational schemas, and aggression-supporting beliefs about social behavior, and by reducing individuals normal negative emotional responses to violence (Anderson et al. 81). Apparently, mass media gives all the necessary information that the people need in order to function well in the society. The media may represent the events that often occur in the society but those should not also be the basis of the messages that are being conveyed to the audience. The real events are filmed and added with more spices to make the viewers buy what the media has prepared for them. Although aggression is long associated to human, there are still factors in the society that provoke people to behave aggressively. Mass media sells products to the public. These products do not consist only of the consumer goods that the society needs in order to survive. The television programs that are being shown to the public are products of mass media that the society willingly buys. Unquestionably, the media is an influential and powerful tool to make the society a better place; however, mass media sources have been very consistent in telling only the truth to their customers. The element of the society that should help the people to lessen the societal problems become an instrument to pass the negative aspects of the society from generation to generation. However, the people can still select the products carefully. Buying violent products is telling the media to produce more (Edgar 59). The society needs to be wiser in selecting the program that would portray less aggression and help the people to participate more on salient topic in the society rather than the fiction stories that affect negatively to the lives of the viewers. Works Cited Craig A. Anderson, Leonard Berkowitz, Edward Donnerstein, L. Rowell Huesmann, James D. Johnson, Daniel Linz, Neil M. Malamuth, Ellen Wartella. The influence of media violence on youth. Psychological Science in the Public Interest. USA: Association for Psychological Science. 2004. Volume 4 Issue 3 pp. 81-110 Edgar, Kathleen. Everything you need to know about media violence. New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, 2000 Freedman, Jonathan L. Media Violence and Its Effect on Aggression: Assessing the Scientific Evidence. Canada: University of Toronto Press, 2002 O’Hehir, Andrew. The Myth of Media Violence. March 17, 2005. Daily Newsletter. 11 March 2009. http://dir. salon. com/story/books/feature/2005/03/17/media/index. html Potter, James W. On Media Violence. USA: SAGE, 1999 Rutgers University. Media Violence Cited As Critical Risk Factor For Aggression. ScienceDaily 20 November 2008. 11 March 2009 http://www. sciencedaily. com ¬ /releases/2008/11/081119122632. htm. Wintour, Patrick. 5 September 2007. The Guardian. 11 March 2009 http://www. guardian. co. uk/politics/2007/sep/05/uk. media

Union Carbide behind Gauley Bridge

Union Carbide behind Gauley Bridge The Gauley Bridge, West Virginia, was Americas greatest industrial catastrophe and has been hidden from most of the American public today.[1] In retrospect, it is incredible that the story of the digging of the tunnel near Gauley Bridge did not break until 1935. [2]Although much controversy was to surround the calculation of the projects human cost, a U.S. Public Health Service official testifying before a Congressional committee in 1961 put it at 476 dead and 1,500 disabled. Yet it took five years from the time construction began for nationwide attention to focus on the tragedy, and the full facts did not emerge until a year later in the course of a Congressional hearing. The deadly lung disease silicosis is caused when miners, sandblasters, and foundry and tunnel workers inhale fine particles of silica dust-a mineral found in sand, quartz, and granite. In 1935, approximately 1,500 workers-largely African Americans who had come north to find work-were killed by exposure to silica dust while building a tunnel in Gauley Bridge, West Virginia. Ordinarily, silicosis takes a several years to develop, but these West Virginia tunnel workers were falling ill in a matter of months because of exposure to unusually high concentrations of silica dust. The crisis over silicosis suddenly became a national issue, as seen in this article in the radical newspaper Peoples Press. [a]In 1936 congressional hearings on the Gauley Bridge disaster, it was revealed that company officials and engineers wore masks to protect themselves when they visited the tunnel, but they failed to provide masks for the tunnels themselves, even when the workers requested them. I can see that all of this was because a rich and powerful corporation valued dollars above lives. When the Rinehart Dennis, Co., contractors for the New-Kanawha Power Co., started tunneling through two mountains a mile east of Gauley Bridge, on a power project to cost millions, they had know the tunnel would go through silicate rock. They knew that men working in the tunnel would breathe in the dust. They knew that without protection they would get silicosis, deadly lung disease. Behind Rinehart Dennis was the New-Kanawha Power Co., set to build the tunnel, dissolved as soon as the tunnel was completed late in 1934.[3] Union Carbide Behind the New-Kanawha Power Co. is the Electro Metallurgical Co. This is the big company that will use and sell the New Kanawha power. Behind the Electro Metallurgical Co. is the Union Carbide Chemical Co., gigantic company spreading into many fields. Power to be won from the mountains and the rivers of West Virginia was behind the building of the tunnel at Hawks Nest, near Gauley Bridge. Dams, powerhouses, and a tunnel through the mountains to increase the drop in the New River and the force of the waterpower-a huge project, with huge profits to be made, from the power and the enormous silicate deposits. A huge project was started in 1926, not yet completed, though the death tunnel is done. Millions have been spent-$20,000,000 already. Engineers of the company had made tests. The mountains were full of silicate rock. Silicate-valuable, deadly if breathed into the lungs in large amounts. No complete protection against silicate was known, when very fine, as in this case, but there were masks that helped. Ventilation shafts would carry some of the dust away. Also, on the night of December 2, 1984, an accident at the Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal, India, released at least 30 tons of a highly toxic gas called methyl isocyanate, as well as a number of other poisonous gases. Temporary huts or shantytowns that surrounded the pesticide plant lead to more than 600,000 people being exposed to the deadly gas cloud that night. The gases stayed low to the ground, causing victims throats and eyes to burn, inducing nausea, and many deaths. Estimates of the death toll vary from as few as 3,800 to as many as 16,000, but government figures now refer to an estimate of 15,000 killed over the years. Toxic material remains, and 30 years later, many of those who were exposed to the gas have given birth to physically and mentally disabled children. For decades, survivors have been fighting to have the site cleaned up, but they say the efforts were slowed when Michigan-based Dow Chemical took over Union Carbide in 2001. Human rights groups say that t housands of tons of hazardous waste remain buried underground, and the government has conceded the area is contaminated. There has, however, been no long-term epidemiological research, which conclusively proves that birth defects are directly related to the drinking of the contaminated water.[4] Similar (The Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster) Main Cause The environmental and human decision making factors that were associated with the launching of the Space Shuttle Challenger on Jan. 28,1986, the Challenge exploded shortly after liftoff, destroying the vehicle and all of its seven crew members, thus the cause of the problem as noted by Roger Boisjoly, chief engineer at Morton Thiokol was that due to the much cooler temperatures he found that both the primary and secondary-ring seals on the field joint had been blackened due to severe hot gas blowby. As he had recorded earlier in his studies that provided a direct correlation between low temperatures, and the concern that the O-rings on the shuttles solid rocket boosters would stiffen in the cold losing their ability to preform well as a suitably seal. The shuttle solid rocket boosters (or SRBs), are key elements in the operation of the shuttle. Without the boosters, the shuttle cannot produce enough thrust to overcome the earths gravitational pull and achieve orbit. There is an SRB attached to each side of the external fuel tank. Each booster is 149 feet long and 12 feet in diameter. Before ignition, each booster weighs 2 million pounds. Solid rockets in general produce much more thrust per pound than their liquid fuel counterparts. The drawback is that once the solid rocket fuel has been ignited, it cannot be turned off or even controlled. So it was extremely important that the shuttle SRBs were properly designed. Morton Thiokol was awarded the contract to design and build the SRBs in 1974. Thiokols design is a scaled-up version of a Titan missile, which had been used successfully for years. NASA accepted the design in 1976. The booster is comprised of seven hollow metal cylinders. The solid rocket fuel is cast into the cylinders at the Thiokol plant in Utah, and the cylinders are assembled into pairs for transport to Kennedy Space Center in Florida. At KSC, the four booster segments are assembled into a completed booster rocket. The joints where the segments are joined together at KSC are known as field joints (See Figure 1). These field joints consist of a tang and clevis joint., which 177 clevis pins hold the tang and clevis together. Each joint is sealed by two O-rings, the bottom ring known as the primary O-ring, and the top known as the secondary O-ring. (The Titan booster had only one O-ring. The second ring was added as a measure of redundancy since the boosters would be lifting humans into orbit. Except for the increased scale of the rockets diameter, this was the only major difference between the shuttle booster and the Titan booster.) The purpose of the O-rings is to prevent hot combustion gasses from escaping from the inside of the motor. To provide a barrier between the rubber O-rings and the c ombustion gasses, a heat resistant putty is applied to the inner section of the joint prior to assembly. The gap between the tang and the clevis determines the amount of compression on the O-ring. To minimize the gap and increase the squeeze on the O-ring, shims are inserted between the tang and the outside leg of the clevis. [b] In my opinion NASA should have delayed the launch, simply to explore the research that maybe Roger Boisjoly of Morton Thiokol s theory held merit and was based of a scientific observation form such an expert in the field of Rocket Science. Placing myself in that position, protocol would warrant a whistle-blower status as lives and multi-million dollars was a stake, not withholding the reputation of NASA and the Space Program overall. Without knowing the contractual obligation he had as an employee of a company that done work for NASA and the political hoops and legal ramifications that would follow, so out of the choices provided Resigning the position in protest is the only clear option, expect the end result would probably not change. Yet in my opinion Roger Boisjoly of Morton Thiokol did exactly what practically could have been done within reason considering the circumstances. Similar (Water Disaster in Elk River, West Virginia) Main Cause In Elk River, West Virginia on January 9, 2014 a chemical spill various parties initiated numerous legal actions at both the state and federal levels. Community advocates have been at the forefront of state legislation to register never before documented chemical storage tanks. Approximately 50,000 tanks were identified for regulation, many of which were located along West Virginias water supply. The spills fallout and West Virginias lead to create a chemical storage tank regulatory program set a precedent for several other states to enact their own chemical tank legislation and bills were proposed in halls of Congress and the U.S. Senate. [c]Despite immense public support, these West Virginia regulatory bills were already being dismantled by the next legislative session. In addition to legislation intended to prevent similar crises, numerous criminal charges were filed against parties responsible for the spill. The U.S. Attorney for southern West Virginia obtained 15 indictments for up to 93 years in prison against Freedom Industries former president Gary Southern for charges including wire fraud. Although in an FBI-conducted investigation Gary Southern claimed no association with Freedom Industries, he ultimately pled guilty for violating the federal Clean Water Act, the Refuse Act, and negligent for failing to have a pollution prevention plan, and faces up to three years in prison and $300,000 in fines. Among five other Freedom Industries executives who pleaded guilty on charges related to the spill, Dennis Farrell, pleaded guilty to violating the Refuse Act and failing to have a pollution prevention plan, for which he faces sentencing of 30 days to two years in prison and up to $200,000 in fines. Numerous civil suits have been filed in the aftermath of the crisis, including over 50 against West Virginia American Water in just the first nine months following the spill. Several personal injury suits as well as a class action lawsuit against Freedom Industries, its top executives, Eastman Chemical Company, West Virginia American Water, American Water, its parent company. In December 2015, Freedom Industries Farrell and Southern settled one such class action for $50,000 and $350,000 respectively [1] http://cstl-hcb.semo.edu/pgershuny/Gauley%20Bridge.htm [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUL6nnJO-6Q [3] http://cstl-hcb.semo.edu/pgershuny/Gauley%20Bridge.htm [4] https://www.britannica.com/event/Bhopal-disaster [a] http://depts.washington.edu/labhist/laborpress/ [b] http://ethics.tamu.edu/Portals/3/Case%20Studies/Shuttle.pdf [c] https://wvwatercrisis.com/

Personal Narrative- Happy to be Away from Home Essay -- Personal Narra

"For years I never spoke to anyone about it. Never mentioned a thing to my parents or teachers or my classmates"(Rodriguez 623). 1 shiver as I read it-the most powerful sentence I have ever come across. Scared, confused and resentful, I slam the book shut. Silence confronts me. Not a whisper, not a murmur-I hear nothing. I am alone. The donn room is too dark, the single lamp too dim. Anxious and frightened I flop onto the bed and look out at the night sky. Not a star is to be seen-Just infinite dark space. My pulse quickens. Suddenly the room is too hot-too small. I feel claustrophobic. I squeeze my eyes shut, willing it to go away. It won't. My palms become sweaty and I feel nauseous. I kick my legs in the air, angrily lashing out at the haunting memories. With every kick the anger builds up, until tears of hopelessness and frustration roll down my cheeks onto the pillow. I can't take it anymore, and I scream, "Aaaaahhhh!" It's only an essay I remind myself. But that is exactly the problem-it has made me confront feelings that I have tried to ignore and had kept hidden for a very long time. I close my eyes and the memories flood my head, threatening to haunt me. I am the "scholarship boy" to a certain limit (Rodriguez 622). 1 am an excellent student. Always successful, always confident. Needing to be the best. I study and read to succeed-to get a report card with nothing but A's. I don't study to learn. I am a good student and yet at the same time, a bad one. I read, ace an exam, and then forget about it, for my sole purpose is to succeed and get ahead. But this does not make me bookish- merely ambitious and overzealous for success. "Education is the only way for you to succeed. Take advantage of every opportunity you get," my... .... It makes me feel ungrateful that my parents love me and miss me so much, yet I cannot fully return that. It took Rodriguez a lifetime to come to terms with that. I wonder if I'll ever have the courage he had to took back. At this point I do feel like I have lost quite a bit of the cultural part of my childhood, but as yet I do not view it as a great loss. One thing is for sure; the essay forced me to confront my true feelings and has given me a way to express myself and a way to deal with issues I would have never otherwise faced. At this point I cannot say whether I will try and recover my lost culture. I just hope that university does not create an even greater barrier and distance between my family and me. Works Cited Rodriguez, Richard. "Achievement of Desire." Ways of Reading. Ed. Tony Perrietto and Joan E. Feinberg. Boston: Bantam Books, 1999. 620-639.

Jacksonian Era Essay examples -- papers President Andrew Jackson Age o

The Jacksonian Era (1824-1848) Although the â€Å"Age of Jackson† wasn’t a time era, which brought forth a great political, social, or economic freedom and equality to the U.S., it did in fact put our country through a metamorphosis in our political lives of the nation. The start of a new presidency (Jackson’s presidency) was accompanied by huge numbers of Hickoryites (Jacksonian supporters) and official hopefuls. Many of these hopefuls were granted their desire of holding office, which is one of the changes brought into Washington by Andrew Jackson. The major accomplishments of Jackson during his presidency pertain to his rural upbringing and democratic beliefs. To name a couple of Jackson’s memorable accomplishments and decisions not only politically, but economically were his nationalization of the spoils system, the Tariff of Abominations, his presidency in general, the Indian Policy, and his democratic views and ways of governing the nation. Prior to the presidency of Andrew Jackson, the system of appointing officials was under the â€Å"ideal of holding office during good behavior†, which led to the holding of positions by aged and incapable politicians who were not properly qualified for the tasks and jobs needed to be carried out. On the other hand, Jackson had appointed officials from all walks of life to promote the equality principles of democracy. Jackson also advocated â€Å"rotation in office†, which meant allow as many people serve in office for the shortest possible t...

Maybe Later Essay -- Personal Narrative Creative Writing Essays

Maybe Later She’s sitting there, a blown-out shell as hulking and vacant and lifeless as the enchanted castles of my beloved fairy-tale stories. The television cries for attention, but her eyes refuse to acknowledge even its blatant wail. Behind tinted glass—is that smudged dirt or a protective coating?—eyes finally flutter open, the first sign of life. Are they blank? Do they beg for help or scream of past and present pain? I can’t say—I haven’t the courage to look. The world rotates around its axis three times an hour and I run with it. â€Å"Soccer cleats, water bottle, there you go.† â€Å"Fine—I’ll be there in an hour.† â€Å"Okay, groceries, post office, soccer practice . . . hmm . . . what do you want for dinner?† Family members dance around the kitchen in the ultimate test of agility to avoid tromping on another’s toes. â€Å"There’s nothing to eat!† â€Å"Love you—bye!† â€Å"Come back here! Pick that up right now!† A slap of the cupboard door, dashed kisses, and a sprint for keys—trip! crash! yell! A mad cacophony—entirely normal, unsettling, and dear. Grandma sits there. She has not moved. The eye of the storm? Or merely forgotten by time? Dad and I walk away from it all sometimes, releasing frustration in fruitless lament. Sometimes we laugh bitterly. Sometimes his words are a painful reminder of a happier and more carefree time. â€Å"I just had to get out of the house. Usually I can take it—but tonight!† His stride slows in failure. â€Å"I never wanted you to realize how different she is. I tried—I hoped you’d never recognize her illness. And pretending used to work. I’m—I’m sorry you have to see it now. She used to love to visit, you know, and you loved her back.† I strain to remember lost time and attitude... ...te and poofy dress waving a crystalline magic wand and saying the magic words as I am instantaneously granted love and patience and relief from guilt and dread. But there is no magic wand or sudden connection of love and understanding. There is no resolution of perfect peace. I stare at these words and am instead startled, not by supreme happiness or tranquility, but by a resilient hope. The world does not end with this page. I will push print and the world will go on, and I will continue to create my world. â€Å"Happily ever after† is unnecessary. Instead, maybe I will sit down next to her and simply speak. Tonight maybe I will kiss her cheek as she goes up to bed. Maybe I will hold her hand as she struggles up the stairs or joke with her, whether she understands or not. This is no end, and there doesn’t yet need to be—I’m still trying. to Current Contest Winners

The Financial Detective

PAPER: We believe that Company I represents the Smaller Producer of printing papers and Company J represents the World’s Largest Market of Paper. Being the world’s largest paper maker indicates having a larger inventory, more current assets (esp. since it owns timberland and several facilities), and higher cost of goods sold than other paper makers. The inventory for Company J (10. 9) is larger than the inventory for Company I (8. 8); the current assets for Company J (32. 6) are higher than that for Company I (27. 2); and the cost of goods sold for Company J (82. 9) is higher than that for Company I (75. ). We also expect that, as the world’s largest paper maker, their products will move on the marketplace better than a smaller producer of paper. Thus, Inventory Turnover should also be higher. Here, Company J (7. 11) has a larger inventory turnover than Company I (6. 75). Receivables turnover, which tells how many times accounts receivables have been collected in a given period, should be higher for the world’s largest paper company than it would be for a small producer of specialty paper. Company J’s (11. 64) receivables turnover is higher than that for Company I (8. 68). The facts also state that the world’s largest maker of paper has been rationalizing capacity by closing inefficient mills, implementing cost-containment initiatives, and selling nonessential assets. This implies that the company would have a larger asset turnover ratio than other paper companies. Company J (1. 20) has a larger asset turnover ratio than Company I (. 73). It is probable that since the small producer of paper has most of its product marketed under branded labels, that it would have a higher value of Intangibles, such as trademarks, than the larger company. Here, Company I (14. 6) has an intangibles value that is significantly higher than Company J’s (1. 9) intangible value. Based on the above analysis, we believe that Company I is the small producer of printing, writing and technical specialty papers, and that Company J is the world’s largest maker of paper, paperboard, and packaging. RETAIL: From the financial ratios and the notes attached, it is apparent that Company N is the rapidly growing chain of upscale discount stores while Company M is the firm known for its low prices, breadth of merchandise and volume riented strategy. ASSETS Receivables: Company M has lower receivables of 1. 4 compared to company N with 17. 0 and this reason is to the fact that company N offers credit to qualified customer as a means of marketing strategy. Inventories: Company M has higher inventories of 24. 5 compared to company N with 16. 7 and this reason it attributed to the strategy company M adopts. Company M has a wide breadth of mercha ndise and volume oriented strategy amount to this high inventories on the balance sheet. Intangibles: There is a 93. 3% difference compared to company N with low intangibles. This reason is due to the operational strategy company M adopts. Company M possesses either or all of these following; Goodwill, Partnership rights or Patent rights. Analyzing the information provided accurately, one or more of the of the aforementioned rights exit because for company M to sell some products at very low prices, there must be an existing kind of memorandum of understanding between the producers and company M. LIABILITIES & EQUITY Deferred Taxes: Company M has deferred Taxes of 3. with company N having O. From the information of company M provided, it is possible that the deferred tax is an evidence of capital gains that might have risen from the proceeds of divestments of several non-discount department-store businesses. Debt in Current Liabilities: Company M is 75. 4% high than company Nâ€℠¢s Debt Current Liabilities. This can be as a result of the lease contract entered by company M. Depending on the lease agreement; Company M might have an overdue payment for the lease for a period within a year. INCOME STATEMENT Depreciation: It is understandable why company N has a high depreciation than company M and this is due to the reason that M is a lease copy therefore no depreciation is paid for leasing except a rental payment. There is an exception when the lease is a finance lease. Net Income: Company N strategies pay off because shareholders of any company want to maximize their investment or returns. Company N is making almost double of company M’s net profit, and also considering the fact that company N is making 85% of company M sales. MARKET DATA Beta: Companies in the same industries usually have different betas, one of the reasons this can happen is the kind of financing or debt equity ratio. The higher the debt equity ratio the higher the beta: this shows why company N has a higher beta compared to company M that has a lower debt equity ratio. Dividend Payout: Company M has a higher payout ratio of 31. 12%. Reason why company N might have a low payout ratio can be attributed to investment in future projects with positive NPV due to the rapidly growing chain of upscale discount stores. ASSET MANAGEMENT Receivables Turnover: This shows the degree of realization in accounts receivables. Company N has a lower turnover rate, a lower rate implies that receivables are being held longer and the less likely they are to be collected. Also there is an opportunity cost of tying up funds in receivables for a long period of time. Company M is 29 times higher than company N. From the above analysis, it is obvious that financial ratios of companies in same industries can never be the same but can only be similar. The kind of strategy and technology a company adopts tells a lot about differences in financial ratios. COMPUTERS: We believe that Company E is the company focused exclusively on mail-order sales and Company F is the company that sells a highly differentiable line of products. In this industry one company focuses exclusively on mail-order sales of built-to-order PCs, including desktops, laptops, and notebooks. Besides the company allows its customers to design, price and purchase through its web site. In contrast the other company has a retail strategy intended to drive traffic through its stores. With regards to the SGA expense, as well as depreciation, we can assume that the company resulting with the highest values is of course the one having more stores compared to the one conducting most of its transactions on an online basis. In this case the high value of 23. 1 in selling, general and administrative expense and the high value of 1. 8 in depreciation belonging to company F fit the description of the company with more retail stores. Another important financial data confirming this finding is the intangible data. From the Exhibit 1, the company E has a value of 0 in intangibles which is not surprising due to its business orientation. Company E is an assembler of PC components manufactured by its suppliers, therefore not having any claim of ownership of intangibles. On the other hand, the intangible value of 1. 2 of company F is due to the fact that company F has a variety of proprietary software products. In addition, the price to book ratio is lower for Company F (5. 3) than for Company E (17. 46). This is in line with our analysis because the facts state that the retail store has a declining market share, so the lower price to book ration would match the description for a company with a lower market share. Based on our analysis above, we believe that company E is the company focusing exclusively on mail-order sales of built-to-order PCs, and company F is the company having an aggressive retail strategy intended to drive traffic through its stores. NEWSPAPERS: We believe that company P is the diversified media company that generates most of its revenues through newspapers sold around the country and around the world and that Company O is the firm that owns a number of newspapers in relatively small communities throughout the Midwest and southwest. We believe this because Company P has a larger amount of current assets (other and total) and net fixed assets than CompanyO. Company P operates in not just the United States but it also operates in countries all around the world, which it means it will have a lot of assets than Company O. FINANCIAL STATEMENT ANALYSIS ASSETS RECEIVABLES:Company P is higher than Company O and this can be attributed to the fact that company P has an international presence. This will result to a huge customer base compared to Company O. higher customer base would yield more credit sales. result to its revenues all over the world in the sense that it will have a lot of customers and there can be delays in monetary transactions. Since its business has international presence it can adopt a business strategy of offering a high volume of credit sales to customers. INVENTORIES: The two companies are at par have the same ratios. This means that there is an equal amount of goods and services available in the stock of both companies. INTANGIBLES: Company O has a higher intangibles value than company P because although company O is a smaller company it has acquired a Customer good will, employee morale, increased bureaucracy, and aesthetic appeal than company P which is a more diversified media company. DEBT MANAGEMENT TOTAL DEBT/TOTAL ASSET:Company P has a higher ratio compared to O. Most of company’s total debt are short term financed and this is to say that in the next period, the company can have a lower total debt to total asset ratio compared to company O. Based on this current standing it shows that 26. 81% of company’s P asset is financed by debt. INCOME/EXPENSES NETINCOME: Company O is almost likely to succeed more than company P in its operations because of its decentralized decision making and administration. Looking closely at the net income figure of both companies, company O net income is higher than company P net income. EBIT AND NET PROFIT MARGIN: Company O has a higher EBIT because the company is more profitable than company P. Company P has a lower net profit margin value than company O which indicates a low margin of safety, higher risk, and that a decline in sales will erase profits and result in a net loss. Company O is better in this aspect because of the adopted business of decentralized decision making and administration, which led to better success in its operations. MARKET DATA DIVIDEND PAYOUT: Company O has a higher ratio than company P which means it has a higher percentage of earnings paid to its shareholders in dividends. The shareholders of company O are benefiting better from the company than the shareholders of company P are. The reason for this could be that company P may be trying to invest in a project that is preventing it from paying shareholders adequate dividends BETA: Company P has a higher value which means a higher expected return of a stock or portfolio which is correlated to the return of the financial market as a whole than company O. PRICE/EARNING RATIO: Company O has a higher ratio than P. Over the years smaller firms have performed better in terms of returns. Shareholders of company O are willing to pay more for the shares today in anticipation of great prospects of returns in the future. ASSET MANAGEMENT RECEIVABLES TURNOVER: Company O has a higher turnover value because it has a higher number of number of times that account receivables are collected during in a period than company P. LIQUIDITY CURRENT RATIO AND QUICK RATIO: Company O has a better and higher value of the two ratios than company P so it means that company O has more current assets and cash equivalents to cover its liabilitie when due than company P. Based on our analysis above, we believe that company P is the diversified media company that generates most of its revenues through newspapers sold around the country and around the world and that Company O is the firm that owns a number of newspapers in relatively small communities throughout the Midwest and Southwest

Historical Foundations in the Field of Psychology Essay

Abstract This final assignment is a reflective paper in which the historical, philosophical, and empirical foundations of the field of learning in psychology and its applications will be discussed. Additionally, there will be a discussion of the ways that history has helped to shape important contemporary learning theories and issues. Lastly, the paper will provide an explanation of how specific topics and information such as instrumental conditioning techniques and the usefulness of different learning styles may impact my personal and professional life and how the different aspects of the ield of learning have added value to my body of knowledge as a student and future professional in the field of psychology. Historical Foundations Of the Field of Learning & Shaping Important Contemporary Issues It is a natural course of action for the field of learning to fall under the umbrella of the field of psychology. A branch of philosophy and science, the field of learning, Just as the field of psychology, was created through the movements of empiricism and rationalism, along with the development of evolution theory (Terry, 2009). These movements fostered interest in scientific investigation thus giving way to pistemology, which means, theory of knowledge. Questions concerning nature and nurture sparked interest in how we came to have knowledge, which is the main tenet of the field of learning (Terry, 2009). In the field of psychology, the learning theories provide a way to explain how we learn and attain knowledge; how we think. While philosophers agreed with the basic definition of knowledge and learning, which is defined as the acquisition of knowledge, their opinions varied in how acquisition occurs (Terry, 2009). Descartes suggested that although we learn, other sources of knowledge exist. He introduced the ideas of nativism and rationalism. He proposed that we have innate knowledge of our ideas of God, infinity, and perfecton (Terry, 2009). Also, that other knowledge is derived by a reasoning, logical, and intuiting mind (Terry, 2009). Additioally, this knowledge is present and independent of particular experiences with the world (Terry, 2009). Therefore, he believed in the process of learning, but he didn’t believe that all knowledge had to be learned. However, John Locke introduced the idea that knowledge is actually learned through our experiences, and through use of our senses, which is the idea of empiricism (Terry, 2009). This phenomenon is later known as cause and effect. The ideas of Descartes and Locke influenced researchers toward an empirical view of learning through seeking out how knowledge is acquired through what is experienced in the environment. This gave way to the scientific methods of association learning, conditioning, and verbal learning (Terry, 2009). Each of the historical thoughts on learning is continuous and useful in some way today. There are modern theories that have built upon the ideas of conditioning and behavior modifications, etc. One (2006), provide a modern approach to treating phobias, as well as other anxiety isorders. Their research starts with the traditional premise that what can be learned can be unlearned, and possibly prevented (Mineka ; Zinbarg, 2006). However, they support modern criticism that traditional learning approaches do not adequately account for the diverse factors involved in the origins of people’s anxieties. To support this claim they provide an example of two clients with phobias of dogs. The phobias were developed due to experiencing attacks by dogs. The first client actually was out walking her pet dog when she was attacked and later developed an infection due to the bite. However, the second client only experienced her clothes being torn before the owner was able to grab the dog before any serious injury occurred, although both clients developed phobias (Mineka & Zinbarg). They argue that traditional learning approaches do not adeqatly explain why the client that was not bitten developed the phobia as well. Additionally, they provide another concern that traditional views do not explain why many individuals that have had traumatic experiences do not develop phobias. Furthermore, they go on to say that contemporary learning approaches are better grounded in the theories and ethods of experimental psychology, and they provide more comprehensive formulations of the etiology of anxiety disorders. Also, that they provide a more explicit analysis of factors promoting or inhibiting the deeopment of different anziety disorders (Mineka & Zinbarg). With that being said, there have indeed been great advancements in the field of learning and psychology, along with growing technological advances. Learning involves observable changes in behavior; objective evidence, and traditional researchers such as Pavlov, Watson and Skinner have paved the way for providing a scientific foundation for psychology and learning. Psychology is a science because it is objective and quantifiable. Learning and memory themselves are not observed directly; they are processes that occur in the nervous system (Terry, pg. 5, 2009). Therefore, contemporary research has taken advantage of the use of PET scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to look at brain functions to explain behaviors ( Raichle, 1994). These modern avenues of research have allowed researchers to become a step closer to relating psychological theory to brain functions and research. For example, todays research may include brain scans and case studies of brain damaged soldiers. Even mor e so, recent research on post traumatic stress disorder examines the use of exposure therapy on preventing the reoccurenc of PTSD (Massad et. l, 2006). This research is most interesting because the researchers examine the understanding of reducing fear responses because associations with the stimuli are not unlearned. Their research concludes that unless exposure treatment regimens are maximized the risk of renewal of PTSD is high (Massad et. al, 2006). Such advances are very important to the quality of life that our existence depends upon. Knowledge is necessary for our daily lives even more so now than ever. This very research can be instrumental in a military soldiers life as we are currently in war time. The topics in the field of learning that have had the most impact on me personally include learned taste aversions and the development of specific phobias For probably will not cause the child to cry. However, through the pairing of the needle with the unpleasant sensation of having a vaccination the sight of the nurser may come to elicit symptoms of fear and anxiety, even if the child is not receiving a vaccination. I personally found this interesting Just because I am a mom and it is interesting to use such information while rearing children. The second type of learning that I found interesting in the behaviorist tradition is instrumental or operant, conditioning. This type of learning requires that an organism operate on the environment to achieve a goal (Terry, 2009). So then, behaviors are learned as a function of the consequences of those behaviors. Of course, this type of reinforcement is useful in the classroom as well as rearing children. Additionally, social learning theory focuses on observational learning, and modeling. Social learning researchers are concerned with how expectations, memory, and awareness influence the learning process (Berk, 2008).

Call of the Wild Theme Project

October 1st Period E1 Call of the Wild Theme Project â€Å"†¦he may be seen running at the head of the pack through the pale moonlight or glimmering borealis, leaping gigantic above his fellows, his great throat a-bellow as he sings a song of the younger world, which is the song of the pack. † How did Buck, an ordinary domestic dog living in the sun-kissed Santa Clara valley in California, go from being the favored of a wealthy judge, to the head of the wolf pack in eastern Alaska? Buck makes many enemies along the way, but he also makes friend that will always have an impact on him.Learns lessons he would need to know to survive this treacherous land. Even finds out what it’s like to live in the foot-steps of his ancestors, and Buck loves every minute of it. He loves the feel of being an un-domestic wolf in the wild. All he has to do; is heed the Call of the Wild. Buck matures greatly in chapter one. He learned that humans were to be trusted, but also respected. T hat is the law of club that the man in the red sweater taught Buck before selling him to Perrault and Francois. It’s a very important lesson in this chapter.Buck’s life changes gradually here; Manuel, the gambling grounds keeper, sells Buck to men who are traveling up North for the Arctic gold rush, Buck is starved for days before meeting the man in the red sweater, who beats Buck with a club to show that man must be obeyed and respected, then gives Buck food and water to show him that man can also be trusted. This is the law of club that Buck will live by during his life in Alaska. Chapter two, The Law of Club and Fang, is precisely what the name states.Buck learns about the law of club and fang. But he also learns of his bitter hatred towards fellow sled dog, Spitz, when he laughs at the death of another dog, Curly, who was maimed by other huskies. Life is fairly tough in the Northland for Buck. He is expected to learn the rules of sledding fast, and he takes up to t hat is record time. Once a mistake is made, he knows how to keep it from happening again. All the laws of the North are hurling themselves at Buck, expecting nothing less than excellence. The law of club nd fang has deeply embedded itself into Bucks brain, taunting him with nightmares of experience; â€Å"If you fall, you die. † It has taken these words and paired them with Curly’s death as a reminder to Buck of what must be done. What must be done to survive. In this chapter it becomes apparent that Spitz shares in his hatred towards Buck, so, after a good while of trying to avoid it, Buck gives Spitz just what he wants; a fight. Bucks personality is gradually changing, also. He is growing out of the domestic dog that he once was and has become more like the wolf.During this chapter, Buck’s character change is apparent when he starts challenging Spitz’s authority, and gets the other sled dogs to do so as well. Soon, a ruckus arises over the camp when Buc k and Spitz have at each other. Just when Buck looks to be defeated, he cunningly tricks Spitz and takes his position as dominant primordial beast. Here, is where a lot of the lessons pile on Buck. While being lead dog, Buck learns how to gain everyone’s respect as the head dog. Then, when he is again sold to another owner, he gains the exact same respect from the fifty other dogs there.He matures greatly as leader and enjoys what he does, but he can’t help but want something more. Something else. While working as a mail dog, Dave, one of the dogs from Bucks previous job whom is very proud of his work, gets internal injuries and can no longer pull a sled. He is devastated when they try to cut him out of the traces so they let him work for as long as he can bear it. Then they let him go, putting an end to his misery. From Dave, Buck learns that everything, everyone, has a limit, that nothing can ever really last forever.In this chapter, Buck is introduced to yet another set of owners. Charles, Hal, and Mercedes aren’t what would cut for working people. Actually, they would be the complete opposite. They are foolish, daft, lazy, and a very important part of Bucks growth in this book. From them Buck learns that discipline was never given upon him in the past because of cruelty, it was because past owners never would have tolerated such disorder as these three. They were cruel to the dogs to allow little rest and hoarding their food.The group comes up to the camp of John Thornton soon and they are but a memory to Buck; after the abuse that Hal commits to Buck when he refuses to move from his resting place. Thornton steps in and saves Buck from Hal’s cruel whip and club. Hal stubbornly pulls his sister and brother-in-law along the path, against Thornton’s advice. They disappear under the ice as soon as they set foot on the frozen river, leaving Buck in the care of John Thornton. This chapter is incredibly important to Bucks maturi ty. This chapter is where Buck expresses his love for John is many ways.Buck realizes, what with all the different owners he has had, he has never felt love to anyone. None until John Thornton. When Buck loves John, he means to even jump off a cliff for him, his love is so strong. His trust in the man so sure. In fact, Buck saved John from a raging river at the risk of his own life. His love for John goes completely the length of his heart, is the only way to describe it. In this chapter, Buck is compelled more than ever to answer to the call of the wild, but does not want to break ties to the owner whom he loves so dearly.He cannot leave John, even if he wanted to. His love is to deeply embedded into the both of them. That is until, while Buck is stalking a moose, John and his team of few dogs and comrades are killed by the Yee-hats, a native to Alaska. Buck continues to hunt, unknowing of what awaits him at camp. When he does make it back to camp, he finds the remains of the Yee-h ats good work done. He also finds lingering members of the tribes and manages to kill score of them. After that, Buck can’t help to feel pride in the mixture of devastation over loosing John.He had killed man! The top hunter, the ultimate prey! This brings Buck to stand where he belongs; at the top of the pack. The lead in the group of wolves. The legend carried from generation to generation. The wolf that never forgot where it belongs, or who got him there. The story of Buck never fails to warm the heart and entice you with life lessons told in a way you’d never forget. Buck learns that you need to do what you really want to do in life, to follow your instincts, and to be the best you can be.He knows how to life his life; the way he wants to live it. He learned that if you fall, you can just pick yourself right back up again. He learned that love is both valuable and dangerous. That is must not be misused because of consequences. But most of all; he learned to never g ive up. That if there is something out there that you want to do, don’t let anything get in the way of it. He followed his dream of being a wolf as soon as John died because there was nothing holding him back anymore. He knew that it was time for him to become what he was meant to be.

Biodegradation of Hydrocarbons from Crude Oil by Pseudomonas Putida

Biodegradation of Hydrocarbons from Crude Oil by Pseudomonas putida A Project done under the guidance of Dr. K. Bharathi Department of Biotechnology. Submitted to the faculty Of Department of Biotechnology National Institute Of Technology, Warangal (A. P) Submitted By Febin P. Nalpady, Anzal Rahman, Shruti Sharma, Sindhuja Nandiraju, Giraboina Kranthi Kumar NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY WARANGAL (A. P) (DEEMED UNIVERSITY) 2010-2011 DEPARTMENT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, WARANGAL (A. P) CERTIFICATE This is to certify that the project entitled â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. † carried out by †¦.. , bearing roll no. †¦. ,, final year B. Tech, Biotechnology, during academic year 2010-2011, is a bonafide work submitted to the National Institute of Technology, Warangal in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the requirements for the award of the Degree of Bachelor of Technology. Guide : Dr. K Bharathi Dept. of Biotechnology NIT Warangal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT With great pleasure and deep sense of gratitude, we take this opportunity to express our sense of indebtedness to Dr. K Bharathi, our project guide for accepting us under her good self to carry out this project work, and providing us his invaluable guidance and constant encouragement at each and every step throughout the progress of this project. To be sincere it was an inextinguishable treasure of pleasure for us to work under her excellent guidance. I would also like to thank the faculty of our department,Dr. P Sreenivasa Rao, Mr. Onkara Perumal and Mr. K. Narasimhulu. They were a pillar of strength for us and encouraged us to do our best. Name Roll no Table of Contents 1. Abstract 2. Introduction 2. 1 Bioremediation 2. 2 The conventional techniques of remediation 2. 3 Advantages of Bioremediation 2. 4 Microbes that are useful for bioremediation 3. Review of literature 3. 1 Microbial degradation 3. 2 Biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons 3. 3 Factors affecting Degradation 3. 4 Mechanism of Petroleum Hydrocarbon Degradation 4. Brief outline of the project work 5. Materials and Methods 5. 1 Preparation Of Nutrient Broth 5. 2 Preparation of Nutrient Agar Slants from the Bacterial Strain 5. Preparation of SubCultures of Bacterial Strain 5. 4 Centrifugation of Crude Oil 5. 5 Subculturing Of Petri Plates with oil 5. 6 Biodegradation Studies 5. 7 Gravimetric Analysis 6. Results 6. 1 Growth Analysis of Pseudomonas Putida 6. 2 Gravimetric Analysis 7. Discussion 8. References 1. ABSTRACT Oil spills have become a serious problem with the ever-increasing re source exploitation, transportation, storage, and accidental leakage of oil. Several techniques, including physical, chemical, and biological methods, are used to recover spilled oil from the environment. Bioremediation is a promising option for remediation since it is effective and economic in removing oil with less undue environmental damages. However, it is a relatively slow process and the degree of success depends on a number of factors. These factors include the existence of a microbial population capable of degrading the pollutants, the availability of contaminants to the microbial population and the environment factors are type of soil, temperature, pH, the presence of oxygen and nutrients. This project aims to study the degradation extent of the pseudomonas putida on oil. The microbial strain used is procured from NCL pune. 2. Introduction In quantitative terms, crude oil is one of the most important organic pollutants in marine environment and it has been estimated that worldwide somewhere between 1. 7- 8. 8? 106 tons of petroleum hydrocarbons impact marine waters and estuaries annually. Reports have been appearing since last three decades on the biodegradability of crude oil by bacteria which can use hydrocarbons as source of carbon and energy. A way to mitigate the effects of oil spills is bioremediation. 2. 1 Bioremediation It is a process by which chemical substances are degraded by bacteria and other microorganisms. The use of these microorganisms has been successfully applied for the treatment of waste and wastewater in controlled systems. Several research studies have recently been performed to investigate the use of bioremediation for oil-spill cleanup in seawater, freshwater and terrestrial areas. The technique has been found to have a potential for broad applications in terrestrial and freshwater environments for treating soils and sediments contaminated with oil and other substances, as well as for coastal environments impacted by oil spills. Water is a more sensitive medium than soil and requires different remediation techniques. Spills to surface water are easier to clean up than spills to groundwater, for obvious reasons. It is not only much harder to see the extent of the contamination, but also to remove the source of the contamination as, for example, a leaking underground storage tank. 2. 2. The conventional techniques of remediation . The conventional techniques used for remediation have been to dig up contaminated soil and remove it to a landfill, or to cap and contain the contaminated areas of a site. The methods have some drawbacks. The first method simply moves the contamination elsewhere and may create significant risks in the excavation, handling, and transport of hazardous material. Additionally, it is very difficult and increasingly expensive to find new landfill sites for the final disposal of the material. A better approach than these traditional methods is to completely destroy the pollutants if possible, or at least to transform them to innocuous substances. Some technologies that have been used are high-temperature incineration and various types of chemical decomposition (e. g. , base-catalyzed dechlorination, UV oxidation). They can be very effective at reducing levels of a range of contaminants, but have several drawbacks, principally their technological complexity, the cost for small-scale application, and the lack of public acceptance, especially for incineration that may increase the exposure to contaminants for both the workers at the site and nearby residents. . 3 Advantages of Bioremediation Bioremediation is an option that offers the possibility to destroy or render harmless various contaminants using natural biological activity. As such, it uses relatively low-cost, low-technology techniques and can often be carried out on site. It will not always be suitable, however, as the range of contaminants on which it is effective is limited, the timescales involved are relatively long, and the residual contaminant levels achievable ma y not always be appropriate. Although the methodologies employed are not technically complex, considerable experience and expertise may be required to design and implement a successful bioremediation program, due to the need to thoroughly assess a site for suitability and to optimize conditions to achieve a satisfactory result. Because bioremediation seems to be a good alternative to conventional clean-up technologies research in this field, especially in the United States, rapidly increasing. Bioremediation has been used at a number of sites worldwide, including Europe, with varying degrees of success. Techniques are improving as greater knowledge and experience are gained, and there is no doubt that bioremediation has great potential for dealing with certain types of site contamination. Unfortunately, the principles, techniques, advantages, and disadvantages of bioremediation are not widely known or understood, especially among those who will have to deal directly with bioremediation proposals, such as site owners and regulators. 2. 4 Microbes that are useful for bioremediation The biodegradation of petroleum in the marine environment is carried out largely by diverse bacterial populations, including various Pseudomonas species. The hydrocarbon-biodegrading populations are widely distributed in the world’s oceans; surveys of marine bacteria indicate that hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms are ubiquitously distributed in the marine environment. Generally, in pristine environments, the hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria comprise < 1% of the total bacterial population. These bacteria presumably utilize hydrocarbons that are naturally produced by plants, algae, and other living organisms. They also utilize other substrates, such as carbohydrates and proteins. When an nvironment is contaminated with petroleum, the proportion of hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms increases rapidly. In particular, in marine environments contaminated with hydrocarbons, there is an increase in the proportion of bacterial populations with plasmids containing genes for hydrocarbon utilization. The proportion of hydrocarbon-degrading bacterial populations in hydrocarbon-contaminated marine environments often exceed 10% of the tot al bacterial population 3. Review of Literature 3. 1 Biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons Biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons is a complex process that depends on the nature and on the amount of the hydrocarbons present. Petroleum hydrocarbons can be divided into four classes: the saturates, the aromatics, the asphaltenes (phenols, fatty acids, ketones, esters, and porphyrins), and the resins (pyridines, quinolines, carbazoles, sulfoxides, and amides) [R. R. Colwell, J. D. Walker, and J. J. Cooney, â€Å"Ecological aspects of microbial degradation of petroleum in the marine environment,]. Di? erent factors in? uencing hydrocarbon degradation have been reported by Cooney et al. One of the important factors that limit biodegradation of oil pollutants in the environment is their limited availability to microorganisms. Petroleum hydrocarbon compounds bind to soil components, and they are difficult to be removed or degraded [S. Barathi and N. Vasudevan], â€Å"Utilization of petroleum hydrocarbons by Pseudomonas ? uorescens isolated from a petroleum-contaminated soil]. Hydrocarbons di? er in their susceptibility to microbial attack. The susceptibility of hydrocarbons to microbial degradation can be generally ranked as follows: linear alkanes > branched alkanes > small aromatics > cyclic alkanes [J. J. Perry, â€Å"Microbial metabolism of cyclic alkanes,† in Petroleum Microbiology]. Some compounds, such as the high molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), may not be degraded at all. 3. 2 Microbial degradation Microbial degradation is the major and ultimate natural mechanism by which one can cleanup the petroleum hydrocarbon pollutants from the environment [1-3] The recognition of biodegraded petroleum-derived aromatic hydrocarbons in marine sediments was reported by[ Jones et al]. They studied the extensive biodegradation o alkyl aromatics in marine sediments which occurred prior to detectable biodegradation of n-alkane pro? e of the crude oil and the microorganisms, namely, Arthrobacter, Burkholderia, Mycobacterium, Pseudomonas, Sphingomonas, and Rhodococcus were found to be involved for alkylaromatic degradation. Microbial degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in a polluted tropical stream in Lagos, Nigeria was reported by Adebusoye et al. Nine bacterial s trains, namely, Pseudomonas ? uorescens, P. aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus sp. , Alcaligenes sp. , Acinetobacter lwo? ,Flavobacteriumsp. , Micrococcus roseus, and Corynebacterium sp. were isolated from the polluted stream which could degrade crude oil. Hydrocarbons in the environment are biodegraded primarily by bacteria, yeast, and fungi. The reported e? ciency of biodegradation ranged from 6% to 82% for soil fungi, 0. 13% to 50% for soil bacteria, and 0. 003% to 100% [6] for marine bacteria. Many scientists reported that mixed populations with overall broad enzymatic capacities are required to degrade complex mixtures of hydrocarbons such as crude oil in soil, fresh water, and marine environments [8]. Bacteria are the most active agents in petroleum degradation, and they work as primary degraders of spilled oil in environment [7]. Several bacteria are even known to feed exclusively on hydrocarbons [9]. Floodgate [36] listed 25 genera of hydrocarbon degrading bacteria and 25 genera of hydrocarbon degrading fungi which were isolated from marine environment. A similar compilation by Bartha and Bossert [6] included 22 genera of bacteria and 31 genera of fungi. In earlier days, the extent to which bacteria, yeast, and ? lamentous fungi participate in the biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons was the subject of limited study, but appeared to be a function of the ecosystem and local environmental conditions [7]. Crude petroleum oil from petroleum contaminated soil from North East India was reported by Das and Mukherjee . Acinetobacter sp. Was found to be capable of utilizing n-alkanes of chain length C10–C40 as a sole source of carbon [6]. Bacterial genera, namely, Gordonia, Brevibacterium, Aeromicrobium, Dietzia, Burkholderia, and Mycobacterium isolated from petroleum contaminated soil proved to be the potential organisms for hydrocarbon degradation [9]. The degradation of poly- aromatic hydrocarbons by Sphingomonas was reported by Daugulis and McCracken . Fungal genera, namely, Amorphoteca, Neosartorya, Talaromyces, and Graphium and yeast genera, namely, Candida, Yarrowia, and Pichia were isolated from petroleum contaminated soil and proved to be the potential organisms for hydrocarbon degradation [ Singh et al. ] also reported a group of terrestrial fungi, namely, Aspergillus, Cephalosporium, and Pencillium which were also found to be the potential degrader of crude oil hydrocarbons. The yeast species, namely, Candida lipolytica, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, Geotrichum sp, and Trichosporon mucoides isolated from contaminated water were noted to degrade petroleum compounds [5]. Though algae and protozoa are the important members of the microbial community in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, reports are scanty regarding their involvement in hydrocarbon biodegradation. [Walker et al. ] isolated an alga, Prototheca zop? which was capable of utilizing crudeoil and a mixed hydrocarbon substrate and exhibited extensive degradation of n-alkanes and isoalkanes as well a aromatic hydrocarbons. Cerniglia et al. observed tha nine cyanobacteria, ? ve green algae, one red alga, one brown alga, and two diatoms could oxidize naphthalene. Protozoa by contrast, had not been shown to utilize hydrocarbons. 3. 3 Factors affecting Degradation A number of limiting factors have been recognized to a? ect the biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons, many of which have been discussed by Brusseau. The composition and inherent biodegradability of the petroleum hydrocarbon pollutant is the ? rst and foremost important consideration when the suitability of a remediation approach is to be assessed. Among physical factors, temperature plays an important role in biodegradation of hydrocarbons by directly a? ecting the chemistry of the pollutants as well as a? cting the physiology and diversity of the microbial ? ora. Atlas [4] found that at low temperatures, the viscosity of the oil increased, while the volatility of the toxic low molecular weight hydrocarbons were reduced, delaying the onset of biodegradation. Temperature also a? ects the solubility of hydrocarbons [8]. Although hydrocarbon biodegradation can occur over a wide range of temperatures, the rate of biodegradation generally decreases with the decreasing temperature. shows that highest degradation rates that generally occur in the range 30–40? C in soil environments, 20–30? Cin some freshwater environments and 15–20? C in marine environments . Venosa and Zhu [11] reported thatambient temperature of the environment a? ected both the properties of spilled oil and the activity of the microorganisms. Signi? cant biodegradation of hydrocarbons have been reported in psychrophilic environments in temperate regions. Nutrients are very important ingredients for successful biodegradation of hydrocarbon pollutants especially nitrogen, phosphorus, and in some cases iron [8]. Some of these nutrients could become limiting factor thus a? ecting the biodegradation processes. Atlas [11] reported that when a major oil spill occurred in marine and freshwater environments, the supply of carbon was signi? cantly increased and the availability of nitrogen and phosphorus generally became the limiting factor for oil degradation. In marine environments, it was found to be more pronounced due to low levels of nitrogen and phosphorous in seawater [10]. Freshwater wetlands are typically considered to be nutrient de? cient due to heavy demands of nutrients by the plants. Therefore, additions of nutrients were necessary to enhance the biodegradation of oil pollutant. On the other hand, excessive nutrient concentrations can also inhibit the biodegradation activity [11]. Several authors have reported the negative e? ects of high NPK levels on the biodegradation of hydrocarbons especially on aromatics [10]. The e? ectiveness of fertilizers for the crude oil bioremediation in subarctic intertidal sediments was studied by Pelletier et al. . Use of poultry manure as organic fertilizer in contaminated soil was also reported , and biodegradation was found to be enhanced in the presence of poultry manure alone. Maki et al. eported that photo-oxidation increased the biodegradability of petroleum hydrocarbon by increasing its bioavailability and thus enhancing microbial activities. 3. 4 Mechanism of Petroleum Hydrocarbon Degradation The most rapid and complete degradation of the majority of organic pollutants is brought about under aerobic conditions. Figure 2 shows the main principle of aerobic degradation of hydrocarbons [11]. The initial intracellular at tack of organic pollutants is an oxidative process and the activation as well as incorporation of oxygen is the enzymatic key reaction catalyzed by oxygenases and peroxidases. Peripheral degradation pathways convert organic pollutants step by step into intermediates of the central intermediary metabolism, for example, the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Biosynthesis of cell biomass occurs from the central precursor metabolites, for example, acetyl-CoA, succinate, pyruvate. Sugars required for various biosyntheses and growth are synthesized by gluconeogenesis. The degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons can be mediated by speci? c enzyme system. Figure 3 shows the initial attack on xenobiotics by oxygenases. Other mechanisms involved are (1) attachment of microbial cells to the substrates and (2) production of biosurfactants [12]. The uptake mechanism linked to the attachment of cell to oil droplet is still unknown but production of biosurfactants has been well studied. 4. Brief outline of the project work: 1. Procurement of oil Samples. 2. Procurement of Pseudomonas putida strain. 3. Sub-culturing the microbe in nutrient rich media for checking viability.. 4. Culturing microbes on a mineral salt media containing only crude oil as a carbon source. 5. Biodegradation studies. 6. Gravimetric analysis 5. Materials and Methods Soil Samples – Samples(500g) contaminated with oil used for hydrocarbons utilizing microorganisms, were collected from Nhava Sheva port in Mumbai(where a recent oil spill has took place). Crude Oil – Crude Oil is procured from an Oil production site of ONGC. Bacterial Strain – Pseudomonas Putida PS-I strain procured from NCL Pune. 5. 1 Preparation Of Nutrient Broth For preparation of nutrient agar, malt extract, yeast extract, Potassium dihydrogen phosphate and dextrose is required. Malt extract and yeast extract is generally used as a nutritious agent. Potassium dihydrogen phosphate i. . KH2PO4 is used as a buffering agent to maintain the pH. Dextrose is generally used as a carbon source because dextrose inhibits the growth of other micro-organisms. AUTOCLAVE is a device to sterilize equipment and supplies by subjecting them to high pressure steam at 121 ° C or more. Machines in this category largely operate by utilizing pressurized steam and superheated water. To sterilize culture media, rubber material, gowns, dressing, gloves etc. are used. It is particularly useful for materials which cannot withstand the higher temperature of hot air oven. CHEMICALS REQUIRED:- For 1000ml, Malt extract — 10 gm Beef Extract — 4 gm K2HPO4 — 1 gm Magnesium sulphate — 1 gm Sodium Chloride — 0. 5 gm pH — 7. 0 Agar — 15% PROCEDURE:- For preparation of 100ml of nutrient broth, around 100ml of double distilled water was taken in a conical flask. Malt extract, yeast extract, KH2PO4 and dextrose was weighed as per the composition mentioned above and added to the conical flask. The conical flasks are to be shaken so well so that all the chemicals should dissolve. pH was checked using pH meter and adjusted to 7. 0 using NaOH and HCl. The volume was made to 100ml by adding double distilled water. The above solution i. e. nutrient agar along with the Petri-plates was autoclaved at 15 psi and 15 minutes. Now the solution was allowed to cool down to ready to pour condition. PRECAUTIONS:- The autoclave should be done at 15 psi and 15 min. The pH should be maintained at 7. 0. 5. 2 Preparation of Nutrient Agar Slants from the Bacterial Strain For the preparation of Slants, Flame the inoculating loop to redness by holding it pointed down into the flame, starting near the handle and then moving the loop into the flame. This technique sterilizes the loop and, if wet with a culture, heats up the loop without spattering bacteria into the air and onto the surrounding area. Let the loop cool a minute. A hot loop will damage the bacteria cells. Using the fingers of the â€Å"loop hand† remove the cap from the stock culture tube and flame the tube mouth. Do not set the tube top down on the table. Insert the cooled sterilized loop into the culture tube being careful to not touch the sides of the tube. Touch the loop to the culture. You need not scrape a visible amount from the culture. Hold the tube as horizontal as possible to preclude particles from the air settling into the tube But do watch out for any condensate in the bottom of slant cultures. Don't let this fluid wash across the face of the culture. Remove the loop being careful again to not touch the tube sides. Flame the tube mouth and replace the cap. Remove the cap of the broth tube. Flame the top. Remember to hold the top in your fingers. Insert the loop into the Slant tube filled with agar and shake to remove the bacteria. Withdraw the loop, flame the tube mouth and replace the cap. Resterilize the inoculating loop and place it on the table. Never place a contaminated loop on the table. If there is any liquid in the bottom of the slant tube avoid sticking the loop into this condensate. 5. 3 Preparation of SubCultures of Bacterial Strain The Nutrient Broth Cultures are inoculated with the bacterial strain from the nutrient agar slant as detailed below. PROCEDURE Light your Bunsen burner. In one hand hold both the Nutrient Broth culture to be inoculated and the nutrient slant agar. Loosen the tube caps. In your other hand hold the inoculating loop. Flame the inoculating loop to redness by holding it pointed down into the flame, starting near the handle and then moving the loop into the flame. This technique sterilizes the loop and, if wet with a culture, heats up the loop without spattering bacteria into the air and onto the surrounding area. Let the loop cool a minute. A hot loop will damage the bacteria cells. Using the fingers of the â€Å"loop hand† remove the cap from the stock culture tube and flame the tube mouth. Do not set the tube top down on the table. Insert the cooled sterilized loop into the slant tube being careful to not touch the sides of the tube. Touch the loop to the culture. You need not scrape a visible amount from the culture. Hold the tube as horizontal as possible to preclude particles from the air settling into the tube But do watch out for any condensate in the bottom of slant cultures. Don't let this fluid wash across the face of the culture. Remove the loop being careful again to not touch the tube sides. Flame the tube mouth and replace the cap. Remove the cap of the broth tube. Flame the top. Remember to hold the top in your fingers. Insert the loop into the broth and shake to remove the bacteria. Gently shake the broth culture. This inoculated broth culture is incubated at room temperature for 72 hours and the bacteria is allowed to grow in the broth medium. 5. 4 Centrifugation of Crude Oil Centrifugation is a process that involves the use of the centrifugal force for the separation of mixtures with a centrifuge, used in industry and in laboratory settings. More-dense components of the mixture migrate away from the axis of the centrifuge, while less-dense components of the mixture migrate towards the axis. The precipitate (pellet) gathers on the bottom of the tube. The remaining solution is properly called the â€Å"supernate† or â€Å"supernatant liquid† The Crude Oil is Centrufuged at a speed of 5000 rpm for a period of ten minutes. The Contaminants in the oil are collected at the bottom of the tube in the form of pellets. These pellets can be removed by filtration using a filter paper. Now the concentrates oil which is free from impurities is collected in a flask and gently shaken. Spectophotometric Analysis Optical density, measured in a spectrophotometer, can be used as a measure of the concentration of bacteria in a suspension. As visible light passes through a cell suspension the light is scattered. Greater scatter indicates that more bacteria or other material is present. The amount of light scatter can be measured in a spectrophotometer. Typically, when working with a particular type of cell, you would determine the optical density at a particular wavelength that correlates with the different phases of bacterial growth. Generally we will want to use cells that are in their mid-log phase of growth. Typically the OD600 is measured. 5. 5 Subculturing Of Petri Plates with oil % of crude oil is mixed with 100 ml of Nutrient broth medium. The 1. 5g of agar is added to the medium and Nutrient Agar(with 1% crude oil) is prepared. Now take 6 Petri dishes. Open one of the dishes. Take the nutrient agar to be added and Swab the agar, barely pressing, side to side on the entire surface. The dish is closed immediately after swabbing to prevent contamination. The dish is sealed with tape around the edges to prevent co ntamination. Repeat the same procedure for the other dishes. Put the dishes in an incubator for 4 days to allow some growth. 5. 6 Biodegradation Studies Laboratory Biodegradation studies were carried out under optimized conditions for assessing the biodegradation potential of the pseudomonas putida PS-I Strain. After the desired interval of time, the petriplates were taken out and the bacterial activities were stopped by adding 1% N HCl. For the extraction of crude oil from these plates, 50ml of culture broth was mixed with 50 ml of acetone : petroleum ether (1:1) in a single separating funnel and shaken vigorously to get a single emulsified layer and acetone was added then to it and shaken gently to break the emulsification which resulted in three layers. Top layer was a mixture of Petroleum ether crude oil and acetone. Clumping cells aere formed in the middle layer and the bottom layer contains acetone, water and biosurfactant in soluble form. The lower two layers were separated out while the top layer containing petroleum ether mixed with crude oil and acetone is taken out in a fresh beaker. The extracted oil is passed through anhydrous sodium sulphate in order to remove the moisture. The petroleum ether and acetone were evaporated on a water bath leaving us with the dry oil clump. 5. 7 Gravimetric Analysis Gravimetric analysis describes a set of methods in analytical chemistry for the quantitative determination of an analyte based on the mass of a solid. the analyte must first be converted to a solid by precipitation with an appropriate reagent. The precipitate can then be collected by filtration, washed, dried to remove traces of moisture from the solution, and weighed. The amount of analyte in the original sample can then be calculated from the mass of the precipitate and its chemical composition. Gravimetric analysis is performed on the dry oil clump collected after the water bath. It is done by weighing the quantity of residual oil left after biodegradation in a tared vial. The mass of this crucible is subtracted from the initial mass of the 1% of oil that is added in the petridishes giving the amount of oil that is degraded due to the biological avtivity of the pseudomonas putida strain. 6. Results 6. 1 Growth Analysis of Pseudomonas Putida: The culture which was obtained in test tube slants was further sub cultured in conical flasks in a LB medium and the growth analysis was done to check the viability of the culture obtained. The growth kinetics plot was obtained by measuring the O. D. y using a visible spectrophotometer and recording the reading at regular intervals. The Graph was then plotted. 6. 2 Gravimetric Analysis: Biodegradation studies were conducted for 15 days and gravimetric analysis was done after every five days. The biodegradation effect was seen from the 5th day onwards. Laboratory biodegradation studies on crude oil by Pseudomonas putida No . Of Days| Initial Concn| Final Concn| Difference| Degradation (%)| 5 days| 1. 431  ± . 57| 1. 325  ± . 46| 0. 106  ± . 11| 7. 4| 10 days| 1. 453  ± . 71| 1. 198  ± . 38| 0. 255  ± . 34| 17. 54| 15 days| 1. 398  ± . 68| 0. 936  ± . 31| 0. 62  ± . 28| 33. 04 | 7. Discussion It can be seen that the degradation percentage of oil has increased from mere 7. 41 in the first 5 days to a good 33. 04 percentage towards the 15th day, from this it is clearly understood that pseudomonas putida is an ideal organism for bioremediation programmes. Moreover this rate of degradation has been obtained under normal conditions without any aid from surfactants or fertilizers. Hence there is scope for achieving much greater rates by using the above mentioned methods of fertilizing or adding surfactants. 8. BIBLIOGRAPHY (1). U. S. Enviromental Protection Agency (1990). Interim Report, Oil Spill Bioremediation Project. U. S. 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