US Imperialism in the Post-9/11 International Order

The history of the world is hitherto marked by the antagonisms in the economic aspects of the society. Since the existence of hierarchical orders in societal relations in political and economic relations were conceptualized, the contradictions between and among the decisive forces in the production process have long been made brutal and more explosive than any other points in human history. Hence, the development of the capitalist mode of production and its dominance as the world's economic system gave way for the advancement of nation-states into imperialist powers of the modern world.Contradictions among the classes in the society, between the industrialized countries and industrialized versus the colonies and semi-colonies, only intensified the differences and irreconcilable economic interests of the nations. These contradictions gave way for most of the world's major catastrophic events like the First World War and the Second World War, being, in reality, war between imperialist and industrialized powers secure their insatiable interests for the control of the market.Such nature of class antagonisms reflected the exploitation and oppression that the motive forces experienced in the light of these economic restrictions in the present economic condition (Lenin 1916: IX). This essay would settle on the issues raised by the presence of the United States' vast economic, political, and social sphere of influence on most regions of the world. As the world's only remaining superpower, the United States of America, maintains its structure in presenting and directing the course of global diplomatic, military and economic affairs.US imperialist expansion would be studied in order to come up with the particular nature of the hegemony and provide necessary clarifications on the nature of imperialism, super-imperialism and inter-imperialism and if ever these terms are applicable and politically relevant in today's discussion of global relations. After the terror attacks become the focus of regional diplomatic and military roadmaps, United States role in overseas affairs became even more directed towards armed resolution of conflict as essential appendage of its imperialist hegemony (Stivachtis, 2007).Marxist analysis of the society in general and political economy in particular could mainly present the foundations of this discourse by which we would draw the explanation for such concepts of imperialism and monopoly capitalist hegemony in the economic, political, cultural and other societal structures that are essentially intertwined with this. To Marxists, â€Å"imperialism† is not simply the â€Å"trend towards expansion† or the â€Å"conquest of foreign lands,† as it is defined by most political scientists and sociologists.The word is used in a much more precise sense to describe the general changes which occurred in the political, economic and social activity of the big bourgeoisie of the advanced capitalist countries, begin ning in the last quarter of the 19th century. These changes were closely related to alterations in the basic structure of this bourgeoisie (Germain 1955). With this definition, there are still varied interpretations of imperialism even among Marxists.Vladimir Lenin's theoretical exposition on this subject has long been accepted widely after the Soviet Union molded a formidable economic and military superpower and directly/indirectly influenced the outcomes of revolutions in third world countries. The first and second world wars were the major eruption of these antagonisms and the world experienced an imperialist war over territories for the acquisition of raw materials for the industries and market for the surplus products of the capitalist western powers. A polarized global atmosphere boiled into wars that in reality, wars of expansion.The United States benefitted greatly from the war. It made the nation accumulate more neo-colonies after the defeat of the Axis powers in Europe and Asia. Hence, a conclusion can be derived from these events: the United States, after its economy faced a major crisis in the 1930's, needed war in order to boost its military industrial complex, obtain new territories as sources of industrial needs and market for overproduced goods, propel its strategic military positions overseas and contain the Soviet union's growing power and influence.Kautsky and Luxemburg, famous Marxists in Europe, clarified imperialism and presented yet another perspective on imperialist stage of the bourgeois capitalist system. Kautsky stated that imperialism is an absolute terminology to be applied to the interests of an industrial nation to expand its commercial realm by arguing that precisely an industrialized nation cannot sell all its products within industrialized nations so it has to look for nations with backward economies that do not have the technology and capacity to produce similar goods or products (Germain 1955).Cox stipulated the mechanics of how the United States was able to control foreign markets and flooded with surplus goods. He argued that the ‘Empire' dominated these backward or lagging economies through intimidation by use of the military, alliance with the local elite thus assuring an elite's government friendly, if not servile, to United States' imperialist interests (Cox 2004: 309). The reality of the economic basis of imperialist hegemony has not really subsided at the turn of the 21st century and even after the Socialist block has collapsed in the 1990's.In fact, the same contradictions n the political economy of the world, however, significant alterations have pervaded since and the resulting events are what the current United States' ruling class faces. Robert Cox noted the events which shaped the present international order as end products of centuries of societal evolutionary and revolutionary processes. First, he refreshed what French diplomacy baptized as ‘hyper-power' of the United States of America due to the collapse of the Soviet Union and the disintegration of a bipolar world.Second, environmental concerns have taken the center stage of international affairs because of unstable conditions in the biosphere, biotechnology and genetically modified organisms. Along with these, there is the economic dilemma which suggests that capitalism continues to contain a tendency of widening the gap between the rich and the poor; ethnic, national, religious and other reason for polarization have been reaffirmed and; the emergence of ‘irregular' activities pertained to as terrorism and other organized crime.Hence, in the light of the authority's inaction regarding these concerns, the public developed skepticism towards established institutions (Cox 2004: 318). Further delving on this particular reasons for the establishment of a new international order, Cox asserted that with all these, there must be a ‘power' holding all these things completely so that this ‘p ower' could set forth the destruction or the genesis of an established reason.This ‘power' poses a dilemma as to what nature does this power hold that even Cox tried to provide an acceptable definition. Power†¦ [Is] in a very general sense to mean whatever force can intentionally bring about change in the behavior of any of the diversity of agents in world political economy. States are obviously to be included among the agents. Military strength and the capacity for economic coercion are obviously to be included among the relevant forces.The problem is to infer from observation of what has happened what the key forces are and what agents are capable of wielding those forces (Cox 2004: 308). Current international scene is dominated by the United States but the economic and diplomatic influences are fast rescinding because of US hegemony in many aspects of world affairs. The US led war on terror and its coalition of the willing is a manifestation of an inherent crisis in a monopoly capitalist system.Military power now assumes the greatest role in preserving the existing order while its continued intervention in domestic and regional conflicts only isolates US hegemony from the collective of nations. This fragile condition of artificial harmony in a US controlled international scene radiated greater conflicts and majority of the nations initiated their independence from the economic influence of the US through the formation of a regional economic and political cooperation.The euro for example, attempted to present an alternative to the US dollar. Even if this attempt did not gain head on with the US dollar, its presence already showed that economic regionalism was developing into more stable formations and poses formidable challenge to US unilateralism (Cox 2004:314). The war on terror has unveiled the nature of US imperialism that it is an ‘Empire' that sought to expand its influence and domination wherever necessary and possible.Conflicts in th e Middle East and the terror attacks in the US re-opened the debating floors to the concerns of terrorism and the ‘dialectic' relation of ‘terrorism' and ‘war on terror'. As Robert Cox puts it: †¦terrorism is a violent reaction to ‘Empire'; and for dominant power the response to ‘terrorism' is an expansion of ‘Empire'. The two are joined in dialectic without end since the two contestants are not of the same order†¦ The physical elimination of ‘terrorists' by police and military action does not eliminate ‘terrorism'.It encourages more people to take up the role of terrorist. The only way this quagmire dialectic could end would be by transcending the conflict in a reestablished legitimacy (Cox 2004: 318). Accumulating the economic, political, cultural and ideological crisis of the United States' monopoly capitalist empire, various thinkers attempted to explain the nature of this ‘Empire'. The most common of these terminol ogies used to refer to US imperial structure are ‘super-imperialism', ‘ultra-imperialism' and ‘inter-imperialism'.Super-imperialism is more concerned with the mechanics of the economy and that evolution from classical imperialism to super-imperialism was caused by a reverse in the international scene where US surpassed its preeminent creditor status to a debtor status, hence, the worsening crisis of finance capital under the capitalist system. Ultra Imperialism is a term coined by Karl Kautsky as a theoretical conception of imperialism in the September 1914 issue of Die Neue Zeit. Kautsky articulated that capitalist could exist without wars and these industrialized nations need not to divide territories and markets rather form a cartel.Lenin quickly repudiated this assertion and stressed that ultra-imperialism understates the class antagonisms in an imperialist system and the contradictions were disregarded. Inter-imperialism on the other hand does not really offer a new conception of imperialism but only an earlier term used by Hobson to what Kautsky referred to as ultra-imperialism. In broadest sense, US imperialism maintains the exploitative conditions at present, the contradiction between and among industrial nations and between industrial nations and third world.

Synopsis of “The Corporation”

Sypnosis Sypnosis of â€Å"The Corporation† The documentary, â€Å"The Corporation† was written by Joel Bakan, Mark Achbar, and Jennifer Abbott. It starts off by describing corporations as jig saw puzzles, saying that if one piece of it is removed or lost, it will not function properly. The documentary describes that everything in a corporation has a place and a common purpose. It states that everything and everyone works together for a common end. Corporations are then compared to â€Å"monsters† trying to obtain as much profit as possible.In the film, corporations are defined as â€Å"one form of business ownership† and as â€Å"a group of individuals working together to serve a variety of objectives. † A corporation’s most important objective is profit and it will not let anything stand in its way of getting it. The documentary explains how the Civil War and the Industrial Revolution created enormous growth in corporations. Corporate lawye rs started to realize they wanted more power. The 14th amendment was passed to give every â€Å"person† equal rights.This amendment was meant to free slaves, but corporations manipulated it in a way to apply to capital and property. Corporations were given rights as â€Å"special persons’ that were designed to be concerned only for their stockholders. All they want is to make as much money as possible at any given time. To corporations, there is no such thing as enough profit. All of them are designed to complete certain characteristic to deliver results as soon as possible.The characteristics of corporations are callous concern for the feelings of others, incapacity to maintain enduring relationships, reckless disregard for the safety of others, deceitfulness: repeated lying and conning others for profit, incapacity to experience guilt, and failure to conform to social norms with respect to lawful behaviors. These faults of corporations have put life of all species i n a constant decline. Most CEO’s of corporations do not realize the bad that their companies are doing to the world. Many have not even been to the sites of their main actories to have the opportunity to see the horrible conditions of workers. Corporations manipulate our minds through media to buy their products starting at a young age. It is a terrible thing for them to do, but unfortunately it works. Most children start begging their parents for toys they see on television at a very young age. Parents seem to give in as their children explain that they just â€Å"have got to have† the new toy. Towards the end of the documentary, it starts to reveal some real life situations where corporations have tried to break the law.It shows when the RGBH hormone was being put into milk without consumers knowing the true health issues it could cause. Another corporation was trying to charge citizens in Bolivia a fourth of their income for water, even though they only made two dol lars a day. In order for Coca-Cola to continue making money during Hitler’s dictation, they came out with a new drink called Fanta Orange. They continued to make millions of dollars even while millions of people were being killed. During the same time, IBM, along with other United States corporations were trading with Germany to make profits during the Holocaust.Many corporations have grown global and the government has lost total control over them. Capitalism has become the new â€Å"high-priest† of all systems. In order to have more power, industries and the government work together. As everyday people we do not realize how the things we do can harm our environment. Even just doing our jobs can be hurting the people around us, depending on the companies we work for. The best thing to do is if you do not agree with the actions of a corporation, then stand up to them or do not buy or use their products.

The Idea of Existentialism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Idea of Existentialism - Essay Example The meaning of certain terms in life such as wrong, right, true or false is determined by the individual. They believe that indeed â€Å"beauty depends on the beholder† (Rene 78). The existentialist's concerns about philosophy ponder that it is neither an effort to investigate and get to the knowledge of the world nor an exceptional occupation that deals with only a few. Philosophy is seen as being fully incorporated into life. Sartre, one of the earliest existentialists often points out that, to be sure, professional philosophers are essential to building up an intricate set of techniques and ideas. Nevertheless, life can be philosophically lived with the absence of nominal knowledge that philosophy entails. There are two historical forerunners for this belief has been brought on board by the think tanks of the existentialism. The first one is about the traditional Greeks and in particular the image of Socrates including the Stoics as well as Epicureans (Spiegelberg 44). They argue that the Socrates was not only an armature but in his search of the better living, he proposed not to have anything that deals with the formation of a system and his teachings took place often in open places. This implies that the existentialists were only just extraordinary. In the previous centuries, speedy development of industrialization and progression in technology was evident, which were often seen as a separation of the human from a properly natural way of living. The second thought of philosophy as a way of life was the German Idealism. The philosophy here is thought as an action that is the fundamental part of the history element of the human beings, and not the outer surface of life as well as of the world that acts as a spectator.  

Explore Hardy's use of Nature in Tess of the D'Urbervilles Coursework

Explore Hardy's use of Nature in Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Coursework Example Tess of the D’Urbervilles (1891) portrays the life of an innocent girl, Tess and details the path of her life to the tragedy and destruction. The writer justifies his presentation of the protagonist by giving the subtitle, ‘A pure woman faithfully presented.’ The life of the pure woman is symbolized with the purity of nature. The nature, as in other novels, remains to be a strong force and motif in this novel. The suffering of Tess is pictured as corresponding to the changes in nature and vice versa. So the affirmative relationship with the protagonist and nature makes the readers to call Hardy as the nature lover just like William Wordsworth, the renowned nature poet. The present paper tries to analyze how Thomas Hardy explored the change of nature in his novel Tess of the D’Urbervilles. Hardy could make use of the involvement of nature with the ups and downs in the life of the protagonist. Tess represents the purity of nature. In the May Day dance Tess is presented as the most beautiful and pure in the ceremony. She became the major attraction of the program. This ceremony is linked with the peasantries’ pagan rituals and culture which is highly associated with the nature. The innocence of peasantry is again associated with the accident when the horse was killed. She feels the responsibility on herself. The death of the animal has become a stink into the conscience of the lady. This marks for the beginning of her tragedy. The innocent girl, Tess Durbeyfield makes her way of tragedy to Trantridge where she was seduced by Alec d’Urbervilles and hence follows the problems in her life finally making her a murderer. In all the flux of her life nature responds with her as a close associative. So nature acts as an integral part in the novel, Tess of the D’Urbervilles. The life of Tess is reflected in the nature surrounded her. She feels carefree and happy at Durbeyfield. Chapter two of the novel describes the village o f Marlott as in the lap of nature. The novelist says that the village of Marlott lay in the Vale of Blackmore and it is â€Å"an engirdled and secluded region, for the most part untrodden as yet by tourist or landscape- painter, through within a four hours’ journey from London.1† This depicts the psychological nature of the protagonist symbolizing purity and beauty. She enjoyed being in the lap of nature at this time. The Club walking or May Day dance that they had conducted at this villages also is the epitome of the enjoyment in the mind of the protagonist. The nature depicted in the Chase where she was seduced by Alec shows the pitfalls in the nature. The agony and sorrow of the protagonist is compared with the sorrow of the animals and birds at the place. Hardy describes the situation as, â€Å"She could hear the rustling of the branches as he ascended the adjoining slope, till his movements were no louder than the hopping of a bird, and finally died away2.† The writer here asks about her guardian angel that why it has deserted the innocent woman to be seduced by a vagabond. The novel states that the nature too is over darkened at this night by the seduction of this innocent girl. But the writer in no way establishes that her purity is lost. She still represents the nature with its purity and beauty. The death her newborn baby seems to be affected in the nature by projecting the sorrow it carries through the birds and trees. The life of Te

Violence and Aggression in Sports is Because of the Media Research Paper

Violence and Aggression in Sports is Because of the Media - Research Paper Example A conclusion will hence be drawn as to the validity and weight of the thesis of the essay and a possible means of reducing violence and aggression in sports suggested. Introduction Violence in the field of sports is the physical and verbal actions executed during, around or directly linked to a sports event that are over and beyond the stipulated guidelines of fair play (Atyeo, 2000). This may be a boxing match, football, martial arts or even wrestling. These acts can and to include intentional assault of opposing players, abusive language and gestures towards referees. Threats also constitute violence. The violent and aggressive behavior witnessed in sports is as a result of the content of media coverage. Media (print, televised, audio and networked) has in the past swayed opinions, created and advanced perceptions and supported/ instigated different actions from the public they reach. However, it is worth noting that the media sometimes promote violence in sports unintentionally th rough live coverage. For example, the National Hockey League (NHL) of Northern America is characterized as lenient and supportive of gross misconduct, such as fighting between players. Hockey fans are entitled to watch the matches and the media is there to facilitate and satisfy this desire but its failure to censor occurrences of physical fights has in the past resulted in instances of violence perpetrated by the fans. ... the role media has played in fostering and fuelling acts of violence and aggression by sports enthusiasts and fans before, during and after sports events proving that the media coverage actively leads to and causes violence and aggression in sports. Discussion Giulianotti and Armstrong (2003) state that, â€Å"Modern day sports violence has its roots in western countries and was widely linked to the broadcasting of games on television sets† (p. 6). Popular belief suggests that initial cases of violence were directed and conducted by the working class individuals in an attempt to reclaim the various sports events which were primarily reserved for the rich and affluent members of the society. A decade later, similar incidences of hooliganism sprung up in more countries in Europe. The main reason the media creates and showcases sports violence and aggression is for the purposes of profit maximization through increased viewership and purchase of magazines and newspapers. The socie ty we live in is such that negative reports such as violence, deaths and accidents, during events attracts a considerable amount of public attention as opposed to more informative topics such as economics, healthy living, reforms among others, and the media utilizes this to its advantage. It is for this reason that the media will capitalize on every single opportunity that presents itself to report of violent incidents in sports events, with some glamorizing them and the perpetrators either with or without the knowledge that by doing so, they are just helping to polarize fans depending on their club loyalties. Children watching and reading the reports grow up knowing or thinking that violence in sports is something, which is normal and with such a trend, hooliganism in sports will never be

Do you believe tht the incresing power of dvertising tht these uthors Essay

Do you believe tht the incresing power of dvertising tht these uthors points to is hrmful to mericn culture - Essay Example widely red nd generlly pprecited nlysis of mening in dvertisements is discussed by Glori Steinem where she wlks the reder through gllery of dvertisements nd discusses their ideologicl content. Her own criticl perspective is informed by vriety of theorists, including Ferdinnd de Sussure, Krl Mrx, Louis lthusser, Rymond Willims, Sigmund Freud, nd Jcques Lcn. Steinem's pedgogic objective is to tech the nive reder how to interpret dvertisements long the lines of these theorists, nd mny reders do find tht their criticl bilities re gretly developed by pplying Steinem's theories: dvertisements lose whtever simple qulities they my hve hd nd become insted texts bout production nd consumption in the consumer society, bout the plce of commodities in socil life, nd bout the cretion of needs to service n economic system tht must sell wht hs been produced. In ddition to teching the interprettion of dvertisements, Steinem explins how dvertising constructs the ideologicl principles tht re embedded in it. For exmple, mny dvertisements borrow ides from externl sources ("referent systems") such s culturl history or concepts of nture. In the process of ppropriting, reworking, nd using them, dvertising trnsforms the borrowed ides. The dvertisements for Virgini Slims cigrettes, which frequently refer to the history of women's, struggle for socil nd economic equlity in meric, illustrte this process. Selected events from this struggle re retold nd edited in selected wys, nd progress is depicted s contemporry women's hving gined the right to smoke. Similrly, hundreds of products tht proclim their "nturl" qulities re in relity highly ltered through complex mnufcturing processes. Instnces like these, Steinem clims, illustrte the construction of ideology through dvertisements. The resulting distortions over the long run lter our understndings of th e originl ides tht were borrowed nd (mis)used within dvertising. Steinem's pproch to the interprettion of dvertisements is founded on her gol of trnsforming the reder's skills. She does not tret s problemtic tht uninstructed reders mke whtever sense they do of the thousnds of dvertisements populting their dily lives. Neither does she tke ny gret interest in how the copywriters who produced the dvertisements thought bout their work. Insted, she ssumes tht nive reder's filure to see the issues she uncovers is flse consciousness of their mening, flseness on which dvertising depends to do its work. The pproch hinges fundmentlly on Steinem's own skill in pplying the vrious theoreticl perspectives to the dvertisements. From the outset she bedzzles the reder by observing detils nd ptterns in dvertisements tht ordinrily slip by n udience. She repetedly points out the contrdictions between wht dvertisements seem to sy nd wht they relly men ccording to the vrious perspectives. lthough Steinem considers dvertising's udience nive, she does not ssume tht its members re merely receivers of pckged messges tht emnte from dvertisers. Rther, she rgues, the udience is implicted in the production of mening, collbortion tht dvertising continully invites: [] crucil feture of these odds nd ends of thought used by ds is tht they do not exist "independently" but in our thought: it is we, s subjects, who re ppeled to s providers of these

Point of Dispensing During Disasters Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Point of Dispensing During Disasters - Assignment Example The smooth running of the POD requires planning and coordination with all the various people involved. This response is carried out in collaboration as well as in accordance to the emergency and disaster management plan set up by the state and local administration in case there is one. POD is important as it prevents any infectious diseases that may occur during the disaster from spreading to other people. It also assists in continuing the medication and treatment of the prior medical conditions of victims of the disaster such as asthma and even mental health problems. It also prevents medical stocks in the local public health department and hospitals from running out during the entire duration of the disaster. The PODs also make referrals to other hospitals outside the area or within the area for the more severe medical conditions that cannot be handled on the ground. With the chaos that follows the occurrence of a disaster, it is important to have medical assistance which is free and will cater for the temporary health care needs of the people which are what POD does. The operation of POD is not an easy task as it involves the coordination of many people and organizations. After the disaster is reported, the ICS takes control of the situation. It starts with the planning of the Incidence Control Center where the POD will be set up. This is followed by getting in touch with the local and state public health department to provide the medical staff and first responders. The community is called upon by their leaders to provide volunteers who will be needed for the various activities taking place in the POD. Depending on the magnitude of the disaster, multiple POD centers are set up which offer similar activities (Public Health, 2009). These locations are determined by their accessibility, security and appropriate layout. Drive through POD is also possible to ease congestion in the POD locations. This happens in high-class neighbourhoods and where suitable locations are difficult to manage and operate in.

Control in Global Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Control in Global Economy - Essay Example This study therefore chose to evaluate on this catchy trend in management control systems. Management control systems in the world differ. These differences make management practices in various parts and organizations different. One country’s proven management systems may not work appropriately in a foreign country. Lere and Portz (2005), in the CPA Journal, undertook a research to establish possible reasons that may inhabit the working of a management control system in the United States with a multinational corporation firm in a foreign country. Taking a case study of a U.S based Multinational Corporation; the effectiveness of her management control system would evidently differ from one country to another or even from one branch with diverse cultural inclination to another in the same country. Therefore, the following is a report from the investigation carried out. The report from an earlier research conducted by Hofstede was that culture differs in the following aspects; power distance, gender, individual versus collectivism and uncertainty avoidance. Three regions and fifty countries were used in the analysis. However, his taxonomy added another aspect that was used to analyze twenty three nations and this is Confucian dynamism. Hofstede found out that those cultural differences has numerous implications to the effectiveness of a management system. Countries with cultures regularly referred to as the small power distance countries are associated with participative decision making and decentralization whereas large power countries are normally associated with less participative decision making and centralization. This implies that different control management systems will suit a country on the basis of their mode of decision making. For instance, in a decentralized organization, management remains at low organizational levels while in a centralized system, management control system is at high organizational

System Evaluation Paper Essay Example for Free

System Evaluation Paper Essay No doubt, EDI or electronic data interchange process has increased efficiency in exchanging business documents between companies. This process replaces faxing and mailing of documents. The process utilizing specific record formats that are based on widely accepted standards (CovalentWorks, 2014). EDI is used in a variety of industries; over 160,000 companies have switched to EDI to increase their efficiencies. In addition, a vast majority of the companies require their partners to use EDI as well. Assuredly, there are many benefits and some drawbacks for companies that use EDI. One major benefit of EDI is the computer-to-computer exchange of information is much less expensive than handling paper documents. Moreover, studies have concluded that the processing of a paper-based order can cost of up $70 or more. On the other hand, the processing of an EDI order will cost less than a dollar. Other benefits of EDI are much less labor time required fewer errors because the documents are processed by computers, and a faster flow of business transactions (CovalentWorks, 2014). In addition, fast transactions assist in reducing inventory levels, increase warehouse space, decrease out-of-stock levels, as well as lower freight costs. However, one drawback is companies must ensure they have the resources in order to make EDI successful. The resources are attained by purchasing, hiring, and outsourcing. Nevertheless, some of the costs may be offset by the increased efficiency of EDI. EDI works when a buyer prepares an order in the purchasing system and has is approved. Next, the EDI order is translated into an EDI document format called an 850 purchase order (CovalentWorks, 2014). The purchase order is then transmitted to the supplier either by the internet or through a VAN (Value added network). If the VAN is the chosen delivery route between the buyer and supplier, it is always sent on a secure and reliable network. In addition the supplier’s  VAN ensures the supplier receives the order. The supplier’s computer system processes the order. Hardw are, software, internet access, and e-mail are required for the processing to take place. Passwords, user identification, and encryption are used to maintain data security and control throughout the transmission. Lastly, the buyer’s and suppliers edit and check the EDI documents for accuracy (CovalentWorks, 2014). EDI (electronic data interchange) is utilized at my current employer which is a large retail drug store chain. Our chain uses EDI for supplier’s orders, as well as processing invoices and credit memos. For example, a soda vendor will visit our store, merchandise the shelves, and then write an order. The order connects through EDI into our system. Additionally, the order can be viewed as a pending order on the AS400 computer. On arrival, one barcode (per pallet) is scanned in with a Telxon unit. The invoice number and quantities of the order automatically populate and the on-hand quantities are adjusted once the invoice is posted. However, not all vendors are set up through EDI. Through EDI, once the invoice has been posted, it is just filed in the office because the supplier will be automatically paid. If the supplier is not set up through EDI, then the invoice must be stamped with a receiving number and mailed to the corporate office for payment which is a much longer process. Non-EDI invoices risk the chance of getting lost and require a lot more postage and labor revenue to process. However, more and more of our vendors are transitioning to EDI, especially the ones that supply us with product consistently every week. The business requirement that drove the system’s initial development is the labor intensive high cost supply chain. Moreover, there was a need for improved efficiency with ordering, updating on-hand quantities, and payment of invoices and the receipt of credit memos. The company has over 8,000 stores. Therefore, if each store averages 5 invoices per day, that is 40,000 invoices per day that need to be processed. EDI potentially can save thousands of dollars daily in the reduction of labor hours. Furthermore, it reduces the chance of errors and non-payment of received merchandise. In conclusion, EDI has many more benefits than drawbacks. EDI transmits and processes documents very cost effectively, efficiently, and accurately. I believe the company I work for will continue to make EDI arrangements with non-EDI vendors. I also think larger companies and corporations will follow suit and transition to EDI if  they have not done so already. References Covalentworks (2014). Electronic Data Interchange. Retrieved from: http://www.covalentworks.com/what-is-edi.asp

Crime and Punishment in Various Countries Essay Example for Free

Crime and Punishment in Various Countries Essay Five Works Cited The effectiveness of the United States criminal legal system has been questioned and scrutinized by the media and legal analysts for decades. Even with laws to lengthen sentences and to try younger offenders as adults, the overall crime rate in the nation is still on the rise. But why is it that in places like Iceland and Singapore crime rates are so low yet both countries have very contrasting criminal laws? It has been brought to my attention that Congress will attempt to create an entire new criminal legal system for the states to adopt in an effort to finally make the streets of America safer for its citizens. Assuming that all states will forfeit their own policies to take up the system Congress builds, it is my duty to shed light on the criminal legal system and differing views of the United States and other countries legal systems and differing views of the United States and other countries of different governments, geographies, and legal systems. I will also explore the common ground they share when prosecuting criminal offenders. The information I will discover will be taken into consideration by legislators when designing a new and improved criminal justice system. It is first important to take a close look at the crime rate occurring in America. The United States has more citizens in prison than any other country. The incarceration rate of the U.S. is second only to Russia with 666 incarcerated per 100,000. The U.S. constitutes one third of the worlds population that is imprisoned while it only makes up five percent population. (Fathers Manifesto) The criminal legal system is slightly different in every state. For example, only thirty eight states practice capital punishment while the other twelve employ life imprisonment with no parole as an alternative to putting serious offenders to death. The death penalty in the United states is one of the most criticized policies in American society. Under the Constitutions eighth amendment, Americas are protected against cruel and unusual punishment. While it does not clearly define what punishment is deemed cruel and unusual, several campaigns argue that capital punishment is cruel and unusual and is a direct violation of human rights. Organizations like Amnesty International, a worldwide human rights group, claims that capital punishment is not only inhumane, but it does not deter crime more effectively in comparison to other punishments notinvolving death. (Amnesty International) Other studies have proven that it in fact costs up to three times more to put a person to death that it does to sentence life in prison with no parole. A Texas death penalty case costs an average of $2.3 million, about three times the cost of imprisoning someone in a single cell at the highest security level for forty years.(Hoppe 1A) Yet, with all the polls, statistics, and studies conducted to discourage the practice of the death penalty in the United States, other nations have found the death penalty, as well as other harsh punishments, is not a violation to human and civil rights, but an effective tool in keeping public safety. Singapores criminal laws are some of the most extreme and consistent laws found in all of the world. Its government still employs the use of corporal punishment for some offenses that would receive a mere parole sentence in the U.S. Singapores citizens have stated that even though its punishments are severe and outrageous to some, their streets are safer, cleaner, and the quality of life in Singapore is valued more because of these punishments. In this country the punishments that undergo heavy crossfire in the U.S. are swiftly carried out and as a result, crime in Singapore is significantly lower in comparison to the U.S. crime rates. (Fathers Manifesto) There is a consistent mandatory death sentence for narcotic offenders. A death sentence is also immediately carried out for anyone who opens fire while committing an unlawful act whether or not you shoot anyone or anything is not taken into consideration. (Singapore Law FAQ) Caning is another form of punishment carried out for crimes such as vandalism and sex offenses. Convicts are strapped to a trestle and the exposed buttocks of the offender are flogged by a martial arts expert. The caning is usually coupled with a prison sentence. Singapores officials argue that its strict laws and swift, severe punishment are what sets it aside from a crime-ridden place like New York City. (Fathers Manifesto)Of course, opponents to CP (corporal punishment) argue that this is also a cruel and unusual way to deter crime. However, those that argue this only need to compare the crime rates of Singapore to those of the United States. Whipping or caning is indeed stressful and painful but it is Singapores alternative to costly long-term confinement. This way criminals are quickly reformed and released back into society as  law abiding citizen. Another factor to be considered in Singapores low crime rate is its geography and its size. The country is located northeast of Indonesia just south of Malaysia. It is roughly 3.5 times the size of Washington D.C. It is arguable to say that the reason Singapores crime rates are low compared to the U.S. is because of its small, controllable area. But is the size of a nation or governed land a factor in determining its crime rate? Take into consideration the territory of Puerto Rico. It is a small island in the Atlantic Ocean; considerably smaller than Singapore. However, Puerto Ricos murder rate is more than three times higher than that of the U.S. (National Center) The sharp contrast between a place like Puerto Rico and Singapore and the U.S. is that while citizens of the U.S. and Singapore enjoy a high standard of living, over half of Puerto Ricos population earns less than US$ 11,000 a year. This brings us to another question in this research. Does a socioeconomic factor playa role in a countrys crime rate? Another interesting tidbit is that capital punishment does not exist in Puerto Rico. Their courts are set up similar to those of Singapore. A magistrate judge is the one who hears the case, decides the verdict and delivers the sentence. The prisons in Puerto Ricoare, for the most part, run by gangs, dilapidated, infested with insects and pose a serious health threat to inmates. (Penal Lexicon) The prison system has been under the watchful eye for the drastic and costly changes not only for the prisons, but for juvenile treatment centers, discipline measures and improvements in mental health care. The brutality of violence and disease in prisons seem like enough to prevent anyone from committing a crime that would result in jail time. Unfortunately, even with the abolishment of capital punishment and the anarchy in prisons, Puerto Rico is notorious for holding one of the worlds highest murder rate. (Penal Lexicon) After completing the criminal legal system of three random governments, it is interesting to see how each handles the ever- present demon called crime. When will there be a system that can effectively prevent crime and correct offenders without severe, barbaric tactics and without corruption and anarchy? When researching the topic on criminal legal systems, Ive found  that different countries have very different beliefs in which they value the life of a human. One country, the United States, will go the extra mile to find the best possible defense for its accused. Another, Singapore, will torture and beat confessions from its suspects while the other, Puerto Rico, casts its criminals into a hell practically operated by those society has thrown away. The common ground all three nations share is their never-ending struggle to provide its citizens with the means to live a life that is safe, meaningful and without fear of danger. Back in America, our government will continue to brainstorm ideas to eliminate crime in our streets and neighborhoods.

Exosome as Nanoscale Vesicles | Pancreatic Cancer Research

Exosome as Nanoscale Vesicles | Pancreatic Cancer Research Abstract Exosome are nanoscale vesicles that are released from cancer cells, playing an important role in the microenvironment of cancerous tumour cells.6,8 The exosomal vesicles (EV) contribute to the progression and growth of the tumour, and can be targeted using gold nanoparticles (GNP).1,6,7 The exosomes are isolated from the blood plasma, and with their stability in bodily fluids, they can be targeted and inhibited using GNP.   The GNP will inhibit the cancer cell, and will stop tumour growth and production.   Using proteomic and quantitative methods, the exosome EphA2, showed the highest detection of specificity and sensitivity in pancreatic cancer patients.1,2,4,8 Further tests confirmed that EphA2-EV has potential in early detection for pancreatic cancer, due to the levels specificity and sensitivity being higher in comparison to pancreatitis patients and the control patients.1 Keywords: Biomarkers, Exosome, Pancreatic cancer, Nanoparticle, Proteomics, Vesicles, Plasma, Antibody Introduction Pancreatic cancer, is vastly terminal, with a survival rate of less than 5%.   Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), is the most common form of exocrine pancreatic cancer, accounting for around 95% of pancreatic cancer cases.10 PDAC is a silent cancer, and with the lack of testing, the need for novel biomarkers to aid in early detection is imperative.   With no valid early detection methods, and no symptoms of early stage PDAC, the cancer will progress rapidly throughout the body before it is detected.   There is need to find a biomarker, aiding in the early detection PDAC, so that a treatment can be provided to stop the cancer from progressing.   The current tumour biomarker, CA19-9, is not reliable in early detection due to falsely elevated results of diseases other than PDAC.10 Recent studies suggest that exosomes, a nanovesicle, has a high potential as the future biomarker of PDAC, due to the stability and detection sensitivity in human blood plasma.1,2,4,8 Malicious exosomes, are veiled by cancer cells, screening the importance in tumour maturation and progression.7 Studies show how to optimize a method, to isolate exosomes from the blood plasma, to further assist in biomarker discovery.   In regards to analysing exosomes as a potential biomarker, exosomes need to purified and isolated with differential centrifugation paired with ultracentrifugation (UC).   Another technique used, is affinity purification of the exosomal membrane antigens using density gradient (DG) centrifugation, separating the vesicles based on their density.8 A practise needs to be conducted, to purify exosomes, from only a small volume of blood plasma. With studies being conducted on the stability in fluids of circulating exosomes, it can be confirmed that these nanovesicles have the ability of targeting to uptake to hinder or delay tumour development.   With the size of the exosomes ranging from 40 100 nm, they are distinguished for tumour microenvironment.   Exosomes, a potential biomarker, for the early detection of PDAC, are also being studied as potential nanocarriers to target cancer cells and delaying tumour growth.1,7,8 The most common nanocarrier being studied is the gold nanoparticle (GNP), due to its imaging, diagnostics, and therapy abilities.   The GNP can be easily synthesized via the citrate reduction, which is why is has potential in medical theranostics.7 Extracellular vesicles (EV), are secreted into extracellular space, they are involved in tumour initiation, progression as well as metastasis.   EVs can be used as non-invasive biomarkers, but the current studied methods are time consuming in regards to EV isolation.1,7,8 The EV membrane markers which are part of the tetraspanin family, are CD9, CD63, and CD81, respectively, and an assay demonstrates similar features.6 A nanoparticle EV assay, will be captured by an EV-specific antibody with the dual binding of EV, using 2 nanoparticle probes.   The 2 nanoparticle probes, will produce a plasmon, promoting an increase in sensitivity and specificity for the discovery of an exosomal biomarker.   Ephrin type A receptor 2 (EphA2), has recently been identified as a biomarker, of the tumour derived pancreatic cell line, and enriched on EV.1   EphA2, shows overexpression, increases in vitro invasiveness and anoikis resistance in pancreatic cancer cell lines.1 A recent study has been conducted with healthy control patients, pancreatitis patients as well as pancreatic cancer patients, with the use of nanoplasmon-enhanced scattering (nPES) assay a fast, sensitive, and specific method in biomarker detection. Convention Tumour Markers in Pancreatic Cancer Carcinoembryonic Antigen CEA CEA, is a glycoprotein, that is measured in a common blood test used for testing patients with cancer, including pancreatic cancer.   This will measure the amount of the CEA protein that is in the blood of a patient who may have cancer, and the CEA levels can be used to determine whether treatment is working or if the cancer is spreading.   A CEA level of 5 ng/mL, is considered a normal level of this protein, but there are several conditions that can alter the levels of the CEA in your blood, which is why this is not a valid biomarker in the detection of pancreatic cancer.5 CEA testing can be useful in regards to recurrent colon cancer as well seeing if treatment is successful.   Levels of CEA can be elevated due to smoking, as well as in other diseases such as Crohns disease.   Due to the unreliability of CEA levels in cancer, this blood test confirms that CEA is not a consistent biomarker for the early detection of pancreatic cancer. CEA is expected to be paired with other biomarkers, for early detection reasons.   When paired with CA19-9, there is an increase in detection for sensitivity and specificity, showing an improvement in diseases including pancreatitis as well as pancreatic pseudocyst.   Despite the improved results for pancreatic diseases, CEA is still not valid for the detection of pancreatic cancer, even when it is paired with another marker such as CA19-9.5 Carbohydrate Antigen CA19-9 Carbohydrate antigen (CA19-9) was discovered in 1981, and is considered a sialyl lewis a (sLea).9 CA19-9 is found on the surface cancer cell, expressed as a glycolipid and an O linked glycoprotein, and is related to the Lewis blood group antigens.3   Patients with Le (alpha beta +) or Le (alpha + beta -) blood group, express levels of CA19-9 in their blood, whereas approximately 5 10% of patients with Le (alpha beta -) blood group do not express CA19-9, limiting the use as a valid biomarker.9 Due to the low, and uncertain sensitivity of CA19-9, it is a poor interpreter of PDAC, therefore it is not a valued biomarker. CA19-9 is unable to differentiate between benign, precursor lesions and malignant conditions in PDAC patients, and it gives elevated results in many other gastrointestinal cancers.3   This blood test can show elevated CA19-9 levels in patients with other non-cancer diseases including pancreatitis and cirrhosis.3,9 The CA19-9 blood test can be beneficial in regards to knowing if a pancreatic tumour is secreting it, and to judge the efficiency of treatment, and look for pancreatic cancer recurrence.   A healthy patient will have a CA19-9 level of 0 37 U/mL, therefore with increasing levels of CA19-9, this could indicate tumour growth.3 For more accurate results, a PDAC marker needs to be discovered and paired with CA19-9, to increase the sensitivity and specificity in early detection.   With CA19-9 as the only marker, studies show it was only elevated in 50 75% of patients having PDAC, confirming that is not consistent as a biomarker and should not be used in diagnostic testing.3,9 Expressing elevated levels in other diseases such as benign jaundice, pancreatitis, and ovarian cancer, confirms the lack of consistency using the CA19-9 marker and that it cannot be used as an accurate indication of early pancreatic cancer detection.3 Emerging Biomarkers With the absence of reliability using the current PDAC biomarker, C19-9, it is a necessity to discover a biomarker with improved sensitivity as well specificity for the early detection of PDAC.   Recent studies suggest, that exosomes can be detected in body fluid such as blood, and they have potential as disease biomarkers.   Exosomes, found in blood plasma, need to be collected from healthy patients to obtain individual and pooled samples.   The collected blood plasma, will need to be separated, by centrifugation, to isolate the exosomes for further proteomic and quantitative studies.8 Isolation Methods Isolation of exosomes using the UC method, involves normal human plasma, and diluting it with PBS.   The sample will be differentially centrifuged, to eradicate cell debris, which is followed by UC.   The subsequent pellet, is washed in PBS, and filtered, and the filtrate was ultracentrifuged.   The resulting exosomal pellet, used for the study, will be resuspended in PBS.8 Using the EI isolation method, the plasma, is diluted in PBS and centrifuged.   The supernant is filtered, and the filtrate will be incubated using a blocking agent.   A microcolumn was placed in magnetic separators, where the column was rinsed with rinsing solution.   Beads were bound to the exosome, and were applied to the magnetic column.   The column will be washed with rinsing solution, and the immune captured exosomes were recovered by removing them from the column and placing them in a collection tube.   The exosome bound microbeads are washed to elute the exosomes, and centrifuged to obtain the exosomal pellet.   The exosomal pellet will be resuspended in PBS.8 Lastly, isolation using DG method, involved the exosomal pellet that was obtained from UC as well as normal blood plasma that was layered on iodixanol solution and centrifuged.   To the top of the tube, there were 12 fractions, with increasing densities.   The fractions are diluted with PBS and centrifuged, the resulting pellet was washed with PBS, centrifuged and resuspended in PBS.8 Western Blot and Microscopic Analyses The western blot method, shows the enrichment of the exosomal marker proteins.   Gel electrophoresis is used to separate and identify the different proteins.   The thickness of the band, indicates the amount of the protein that is present.   There is a labelled antibody, that is bound to the protein of interest.   AFM is used, to get a 3D image of the exosomal vesicle. Recent studies confirma that the exosomal markers CD9 and CD63 are enriched in exosomes purified using UC and EI methods.8 The study indicates that the UC method, had four exosomal markers whereas the EI method had only two exosomal markers, CD9 and CD63.   Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), were used on the isolated exomes, from the three exosomal isolation techniques.   In the DG sample, the TEM reported homogeneous vesicle, with diameter ranging from 40 100 nm, confirming the characteristics of exosomes.   The AFM produced a 3D image of the exosome, and after further analysis it was revealed that the exosomes had round membranous vesicle characteristics. LC-MS/MS Liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), is a quantitative method used for the identification of proteins at the peptide level.   The first quadrupole is for the selection of the precursor and the second quadrupole is highly specific for detection.   In comparison to gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS), LC-MS/MS is not limited to volatile substances, it is better for the detection of molecules.   LC-MS/MS can produce many quantitative results, and has a high specificity and sensitivity. The study was carried out, using an LTQ Orbitrap Velos with a nanoelectrospray interface coupled to an Ultimate 3000 RSLC nanosystem and the LTQ Orbitrap Velos mass spectrometer operates using a nano -ESI spray.   The LC-MS/MS spectra are searched against the human protein database using MASCOT.   Equal amounts of protein from the three exosomal samples were separated, reduced, alkylated and digested with trypsin.   The DG sample had the highest number of protein identifications, followed by the UC isolation method.   Therefore, the western blotting, microscopy and MS results confirm that the DG isolation method is the most effective, in regards to isolating exosomes from blood plasma.8 Targeting with Gold Nanoparticles Malicious Exosomes The exosomes are formed from endosomal pathways, after they are fused from multivesicular bodies (MVBs) with plasma membrane.   The formation of malicious exosomes, also starts in the endosomal pathway.   The early exosome is formed from the migration from the cell periphery to the nucleus, by the formation of intraluminal vesicles (ILV).   The process interceded by exosomal complexes required for transport (ESCRT) and other proteins.   Late exosomes/ MVB, migrate to the periphery and fuse with the membrane, releasing the ILV, which are called exosomes.   The proteins, Rab GTPases, mediate the endosome migration.7 The malicious exosomes, are released from cancer cells found in the tumour microenvironment.   Exosomes play a role in variation and shaping of that tumour microenvironment.1,2,4,6,8 Malicious exosomes have potential as biomarkers, due to their stability in biological fluids including blood plasma.   There have been increased levels of circulating exosomes seen in several cancers including pancreatic cancer.1,6,7,8 Nanovesicles can be used to carry therapeutics, and have potential to limit cancer progression.1,7 The method consists of inhibiting the malicious exosomes biogenesis. Gold Nanoparticles The GNPs can be easily synthesised, as well they consist of a variety of shapes and sizes.   These nanoparticles exhibit intense light absorption and scattering, and they are deemed to be highly stable.1,7   They have potential in targeting, therapeutics as well as diagnostic capabilities. Regarding rapid tumour growth, a compressed lymphatic vessel will collapse causing lymph drainage, which will then allow for the nanosized molecule to be taken at the tumour site.7 This process will allow for passive targeting with nanosized molecules.   The cellular interest will be dependent upon the size and shape of the GNP.1,7 The tumour cells will overexpress their cell number receptors, which can be used for potential biomarkers.1,2,4,6,7,8 These cell surface receptors, will aid in the direction of the GNP to the tumour cells. Gold Nanoparticle Targeting The GNP will target malicious exosomes, by undertaking the malicious exosomes biogenesis with GNP specific targeting moieties as well as silencing moieties.7   Using antibodies to aim at the exosome for capture and selective retention.   Lateral flow immunoassay, will aid in exosome detection with CD9 and CD81 as antibodies, and CD63 with GNP.1,7 Therefore, GNP are being studied as a potential candidate for cancer therapy as well as for malicious exosome targeting.   The use of nanotheranostics to help quantify and inhibit the malicious exosomes. Sample Collection and Processing This recent study, developed a method for the purification of exosomes in blood plasma, as well as finding the EV concentrations in the plasma samples.   A three-probe EV capture was used, with a capture antibody that recognizes an EV membrane protein (anti-CD81), with antibody conjugated AuS and AuR to serve as two EV probes.   This EV capture was designed to form a plasmon, with the different GNP binding on an EV to improve sensitivity and specificity of EV detection.1   The study examined 59 pancreatic cancer patients, 48 pancreatitis patients, and 48 control patients, to see if early pancreatic cancer stage could be distinguished from pancreatitis patients and the control patients.1 Method The EV isolation consisted of cells grown in culture media, and washed with PBS.   The culture supernatants were collected and centrifuged to pellet cells, and centrifuged again to remove cell debris.   Concentrated with centrifugal filtering units, and centrifuged, the precipitates were collected and resuspended in PBS and centrifuged.   The resulting precipitates were collected and dissolved in PBS.   The ELISA assay, consisted of ninety-six well plates, which were incubated with antibody CD81.   The ELISA assay was analysed for absorbance, and the standard curve plotted the light absorbance versus the log10 EV standard concentration in pg/uL.1 The peptides were separated using Ultimate 3000 nano-LC, with an enrichment column as well as an analytical column.   The peptide fractions were analysed with Velos Dual-Pressure Linear Ion Trap mass spectrometer, and one MS scan, was followed by eight MS/MS scans. The nPES platform was constructed by filling sample wells with plasma sample or cell culture EV samples, followed by incubation and being washed three times with PBST and three times with PBS.   The sample wells were then filled with AuS and AuR PBST solution, and were incubated and washed three times each with PBST and PBS, respectively.   The sample wells were fitted with a cover slip and dark-field microscopy (DFM) was used for imaging.   The DFM images, that had image areas with brightness equal to 225 were selected, and the ratio of the image area to the whole image gave area ratios that were indicative to the nPES EV signal.1 A standard concentration curve was generated with a linear regression of nPES area ratio with log10 concentrations.1 SEM images analysed the images of GNP binding to EV, from EVs that were purified from human plasma.   The purified EVs were hybridized with anti-CD63-AuS and anti-CD9-AuR.   The SEM fields were analysed to calculate the total EVs, as well as the number of GNP-bound EVs per um2 of each assay. Proteomics and the Early Detection of PC An nPES was previously designed, for EV detection using GNP, that can scatter light at different wavelengths indicative to their shape and size.   Using both gold nanospheres (AuS) as well as gold nanorods (AuR), a plasmon is formed, increasing the scattering intensity.   With the plasmon, antibodies against CD9, CD81, and CD63 can capture and detect EV in a sample.1,7   AuS and AuR are detectable using dark field microscopy (DFM), and will form the complexes AuS-EV-AuR, AuS-EV and AuR-EV.   These complexes can be analysed using scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), examining the binding and distribution.   Following the pure preparation of EV samples, EV plasma was added to give the EV plasma standard.   The anti CD81 was incubated with the standard and two antibodies conjugated GNPs, AuS-Anti-CD63 and AuR-Anti-CD9, which exhibited ratios >0.35%.   A comparison was done with nPES and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), of the sensitivity and linearity of thei r EV values.   The nPES assays showed to be highly sensitive, requiring less plasma as well has exhibiting more advantages over ELISA in regards to measuring EV concentrations.1 Since CA19-9 is the only accepted pancreatic cancer marker that is not valid, pancreatic cancer derived EV marker is a more feasible biomarker due to the multiple factors that the pancreatic cancer cells express.   The nPES assay will quantitate tumour derived EV from blood samples, and one of the two EV specific GNP were replaced with one specific for the membrane protein.   LC-MS/MS proteomics, bioinformatics is used to identify trans-membrane proteins on EV PC (PANC-1 and MIAPaCa-2) and PDAC (BxPC-3).1 There were 128 membrane proteins identified, and 26 were expressed on EV.   The EphA2 showed the highest expression and is associated with cancer progression, metastasis, and prognosis.   The EphA2, was also not expressed by EV in HPNE. EphA2 was chosen as the potential marker, and CD81 and CD9 were chosen for EV capture.   The nPES was modified, using one capture antibody (anti-CD81) and two antibody-conjugated GNP probes (anti-EphA2-AuS and anti-CD9-AuR).1 The plasma EphA2-EV levels were higher in pancreatic cancer patients, in comparison to pancreatitis patients and the normal control (NC).   With the strong association between the circulating EphA2-EV and early stage pancreatic cancer, there is potential for EphA2-EV to be used as an early detection marker.1   The CA19-9 levels were increased in the pancreatic cancer patients in comparison to the pancreatitis patients and the NC, but the levels were not increased in the early stages of PC.   The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, showed that the plasma EphA2-EV levels are promising in the classification of pancreatic cancer stages. The current EV analysis methods are tedious and lengthy for the isolation procedures, as will having volume requirements.   The nPES platform that has been studied, assimilates EV capture and detection with the use of the plasmon coupling effect, to have an increase in both detection sensitivity and specificity in small volume samples and fast sensitive biomarker quantification.   This EV nPES platform, can be generalizable for any disease state that has a specific EV marker.1  Ã‚   The nPES EphA2-EV blood assay shows substantial value regarding pancreatic cancer screening tests, due to being a rapid, accurate and non-invasive blood test for the early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Conclusions This review article explains the need to find a valid biomarker in the early detection of pancreatic cancer, as well as discussing how exosomes have potential to be that marker in the early detection process.1,2,4,6,7,8   The existing biomarkers for pancreatic cancer, are not valid markers in the early detection due to the lack of sensitivity and specificity that they exhibit when differentiating between benign and malignant stages.   The use of exosomes for the early detection of pancreatic cancer, shows potential as a biomarker, with the use of nPES platform.1 The platform allows for EV capture using plasmon coupling, which increases in detection sensitivity and specificity, which allows for the discovery of an ultrasensitive biomarker.   The nPES EphA2-EV assay could differentiate between pancreatic cancer patients (stage I and II) and pancreatitis and NC patients.1 The role of EphA2-EV, could help to improve early detection rates as well as improving patient outcome, and th is blood test is inexpensive, accurate and non-invasive.   This review involved proteomic and quantitative methods, to find a novel biomarker for the early detection of pancreatic cancer, and non-invasive nPES EphA2-EV analysis can aid in improving early pancreatic cancer detection and treatment. References Liang, K.; Liu, F.; Fan, J.; Sun, D.; Liu, C.; Lyon, C. J.; Bernard, D. W.; Li, Y.; Yokoi, K.; Katz, M. H.; Koay, E. J.; Zhao, Z.; Hu, Y. Nature Biomedical Engineering 2017, 1 (0021). Duxbury, M. S.; Ito, H.; Zinner, M. J.; Ashley, S. W.; Whang, E. E. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 2004, 320 (4), 1096-1102. Jazieh, K. A.; Foote, M. B.; Diaz, L. A. Seminars in Radiation Oncology 2014, 24 (2), 67-76. Ansuini, H.; Meola, A.; Gunes, Z.; Paradisi, V.; Pezzanera, M.; Acali, S.; Santini, C.; Luzzago, A.; Mori, F.; Lazzaro, D.; Ciliberto, G.; Nicosia, A.; Monica, N. L.; Vitelli, A. Journal of Oncology 2009, 2009, 1-10. Ballehaninna, U. K.; Chamberlain, R. S. Tumor Biology 2013, 34 (6), 3279-3292. Melo, S. A.; Luecke, L. B.; Kahlert, C.; Fernandez, A. F.; Gammon, S. T.; Kaye, J.; Lebleu, V. S.; Mittendorf, E. A.; Weitz, J.; Rahbari, N.; Reissfelder, C.; Pilarsky, C.; Fraga, M. F.; Piwnica-Worms, D.; Kalluri, R. Nature 2015, 523 (7559), 177-182. Roma-Rodrigues, C.; Raposo, L.; Cabral, R.; Paradinha, F.; Baptista, P.; Fernandes, A. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2017, 18 (1), 162. Kalra, H.; Adda, C. G.; Liem, M.; Ang, C.-S.; Mechler, A.; Simpson, R. J.; Hulett, M. D.; Mathivanan, S. Proteomics 2013, 13 (22), 3354-3364. Ballehaninna, U. K.; Chamberlain, R. S. Indian Journal of Surgical Oncology 2011, 2 (2), 88-100. Pancreatic Cancer https://www.cancer.org/cancer/pancreatic-cancer.html (accessed Mar 20, 2017). Eldorado by Edgar Allan Poe | Analysis Eldorado by Edgar Allan Poe | Analysis In the poem Eldorado, poet Edgar Allan Poe delivers a fundamental message that can be understood if carefully evaluated. Poe gives the account of a knight in search of a land called Eldorado, which holds riches and fortune. After much futile searching, the knights enthusiastic quest for treasure ends in death. The foremost theme of this poem is the desire for wealth and treasure. This theme is an influence from Poes life and the relevant Gold Rush of 1849 (Coad 60). The literary devices, symbols, relevancy, and personal experiences offer a deeper meaning to the poem than what lies on the surface. Poes skillful use of these elements helps to stress the ignorant desire humans have for wealth and fortune. The poem delivers a reflective moral issue many readers can, in some way or another, relate to. Poe uses the word shadow in each of the four stanzas of the poem, each stanza consisting of six lines. The third line in each stanza is where the use of the word shadow is introduced. Though the word occurs multiple times, it has a different meaning each time. The first shadow represents a literal shadow, a casting shadow of the sun. It could also be interpreted as happiness and sadness. The second shadow represents the shadow that has overcome the knights heart after much unsuccessful searching. The third shadow represents a live figure, possibly his or maybe an angel. And the fourth shadow figuratively refers to Valley of the Shadow (21). The fact the knight has grown old and weak, and must cross Over the Mountains Of the Moon, Down the Valley of the Shadow is seen as a symbol of the knights death, relating to the Biblical valley of death (19-21). Through Poes use of the word shadow and the period in which the poem was written, readers can understand Poes message. Poe uses the shadow in each stanza to convey his message. As the meaning of the shadow changes, so do readers emotional state. As he begins the first stanza, readers see a happy, gaily, bedighted knight who is enthusiastic about going on his search for gold. This start gives readers a sense of happiness and jolt of energy. His shadow could also be a foreshadowing of future events. However, Poe begins the second stanza with the word But. This contradictory word signals a shift between the first and second stanza and also a shift in emotion. The knight has become old, disheartened, and dismayed as the shadow is used in context to signal the emotional state of the knight. This signal causes readers to suddenly have a change in emotion; readers become sympathetic towards the knight. Poe continues to elaborate on the disappointment of the knight in stanza three. The knight encounters a live or possibly imaginative figure and asks the shadow where is Eldorado, reflecting on his hopeless jo urney in which he wasted his life. This figure could possibly be an angel providing guidance, an angel of death, or even himself. As the shadow replies to the question in stanza 4, readers are left with the idea that he has come to the end of his life and has died. With the closing of the poem, the audience can relate to the pain the knight feels. In all, the repetitive shadow becomes engraved in the readers mind, helping to sway the emotions. The life of the knight also provides a moral for people to learn. Poes moral in Eldorado is not to seek for riches on earth. The only true riches are the riches one receives after death. The knight in the poem seeks for physical riches for many years without any hope, leaving him disheartened and at the end of his life. When asked where Eldorado could be, the knight was told Down the Valley of the Shadow (21). This insinuation emphasizes the main point that true riches are found in Heaven, not earth, and any riches sought on earth leads to despair and death. As suggested by The Meaning of Poes Eldorado by the John Hopkins University Press, it can be argued Poe portrayed himself as the knight (Coad 60). Poe published his poem in 1849, the same year as his death. Like the knight, Poe had sought after an accomplished life, which he failed to do during his life. He was also unstable in the last years of his life. However, the knight most probably was a reference to the many prospectors of the California Gold Rush, which took place during the time the poem was written. The poem may have been Poes warning to the many prospectors that would experience the same hardships of the knight. Poes repetition of shadow and Eldorado and use of other symbols play an important part in his poem. It helps to further stress his main point. Other such devices Poe uses to communicate to his audience is through auditory and imagery senses. Poe uses aabccb rhyme scheme in the first three stanzas and xxabba rhyme scheme in the fourth stanza of his poem . Poes creatively written stressed and unstressed poem is one way Poe remarkably appeals to the readers auditory and imagery senses. The use of this rhyme scheme creates a thumpity, thump sound when read aloud, bringing the clattering of the horses trot to life. The symbols and rhyme scheme helps to immerse the reader into the scene of the poem and drives them to continue reading until the end. Eldorado is a poem by Edgar Allan Poe that has a stressed message to readers. It tells the story of a knight who traveled for a period of his life searching for a city of gold, Eldorado. It provides a message to all readers that true riches and happiness are only acquired through Heaven after death. If one attempts to search for wealth, in hopes happiness will follow, that person will come to the end of their life saddened and in despair. Poes use of symbols, rhyme scheme, and repetition brings life to his poem, which keeps the readers entertained and helps to convey his message. The poem brings light to the life of everyone and anyone searching for happiness and wealth on earth. Thus, Eldorado is Over the Mountains Of the Moon, Down the Valley of the Shadow, Ride, boldly ride . . . If you seek for Eldorado! (19-24).

Multiple Personality Disorders Essay -- essays research papers

â€Å"Multiple Personality Disorders†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sometimes people undergo traumatic experiences in their lives that are either physical or mental and maybe even a combination of both. If the experience was so intense, and so horrible, that the mind didn’t want to remember it, or possibly didn’t know how to deal or cope with it, then that one experience has the power to split a person’s mind into â€Å"another personality†. If this happens, the other personality or personalities come out when a person who has MPD (Multiple Personality Disorder) is put in a situation that he/she doesn’t know how to handle or feels that the other personality can handle it better. People suffering from MPD also have the risk of developing some symptoms of MPD that include fugue and amnesia. Fugue is the loss of identity in which the person suffering from fugue would not know who they are, who their family and friends are, where they worked, etc. Amnesia is a temporary loss of memory. If a person ex periences amnesia they are not going to remember a specific event or experience in their life. People with amnesia know who they are but do not know of a traumatic event that happened in their life. If someone has MPD then fugue and/or amnesia are most likely present as well. I will be writing brief descriptions of a few people who suffer from multiple personality disorder. Gretchen, John, Barb, and Beth plus are all people diagnosed with MPD.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gretchen is a thirty-four year old woman and has been diagnosed with multiple personality disorder. Gretchen has three personalities, one is her, another is called â€Å"Myself†, and the third personality is â€Å"Enigma†. â€Å"Myself† concentrates better, and she comes out when Gretchen is having a bad day. She deals with Gretchens problems better then Gretchen can. â€Å"Myself† makes attempts to kill Gretchen. She cuts herself repeatedly and doesn’t know why. â€Å"Myself† also relives the abuse that was done to Gretchen as a child. â€Å"Enigma† is the evil personality. She doesn’t come out very much but when she does, she physically abuses herself, and tries to commit suicide to kill all the personalities. â€Å"Enigma† reminds me of the Exorcist because her voice is different, and the things she talks about is sadistic and evil. Gretchen has no conscious awareness of what is going on when the ot her personalities are out. She k... ...ear old girl and was the first multiple to appear to the therapist. â€Å"Janet† comes out to drive. â€Å"Carol† comes out to grocery shop. â€Å"Mary† is the financial keeper. â€Å"Skeptic† claims that Beth is a liar and is acting everything. â€Å"Yardwoman† takes care of the yard. Beth once caused her family to be $6,000 in debt because all her personalities had a combined seventeen credit cards and ran them up. Beth was abused and raped from age ten until the age fourteen.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Multiple Personality Disorder is a serious and real condition that is basically present in people who have gone through some kind of abuse or traumatic experience. So far MPD is not known as hereditary. There is no true explanation for multiple personality disorder but its accepted as a condition. Multiple personalities have not only been proved as dangerous and hazardous to surroundings, but its also the mystery of every psychologist and therapist. Many people devote their lives to unlock the secret of MPD and they try and unlock the â€Å"locked† memories in MPD patients minds. Multiple personality disorder has and continues to boggle the minds of psychologist everywhere and is still unexplainable.

In the New Century, the Unfinished Business of the Old World :: essays research papers

In the New Century, the Unfinished Business of the Old   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First of all I would like to restate that what keeps this world going is the infinite evolutionary progress, which evolves every human as well as the actions that each of us take throughout every second of our lives. Whenever, and wherever there is an action, there is a consequence that always follows closely. Sometimes it’s good but sometimes it can be bad, as well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   What professor Galbraith says is that although we are so different in every aspect, we are also the same. Although we all want peace, not all of us act towards it. Money has always moved the world of egos, but nowadays it has reached a platform where much of the spiritual part of our lives has been overtaken by the material addiction of the human compulsion. The U.S is a living proof of it. Here, we live in extremes, you are either in, or you’re a totally out of the American societal acceptance. Either ways will make you a true American. But one thing bonds it together: the honesty and the quality of an organized personnel that runs this so loved and hated country. Although here Americans have all the facilities and support for sports and education, it always seems that there is something lacking. Other countries that unfortunately do not have the same blessings as Americans do eventually learn from their difficulties, creating something that in Portuguese, my native language, we call â€Å"Malicia†. This is a word deeply shows that humans are not robots and that we can adapt to everything in our own little ways. Malicia is something impossible to be taught. It is hidden inside each and everyone of us. What this article brings, in my understanding, is that it has come the time for the world to unite as one, and for everyone to start caring.

Pharmacy Marketing Plan Essay

The Discount Pharmacy is a brick and mortar and mail order pharmacy that sells prescription medication at lower prices than other pharmacies. The Discount Pharmacy is able to sell at reduced prices through the use of operating efficiencies and the elimination of unnecessary services for customers that self pay their drugs. The Discount Pharmacy does not accept insurance payments which disrupt the cash flow. By having a larger percentage of their business serviced by their mail order arm, The Discount Pharmacy is able to gain economies of scale by selling larger quantities of drugs with less labor required per order. As more and more Americans are on a continuous prescription to medicine, this trend will lend itself to rapid growth as customers can mail order larger quantities of drugs that they will need over time. Additionally, many insurance companies offer an economic incentive for medicine to be purchased mail order in quantity, saving the insurance company money. This factor will also help boost The Discount Pharmacy to profitability. The Pharmacy will increase its market share through targeted advertising to increase the number customers who are looking to save money on a pricey, necessary expense. Pharmacy Marketing Plan The Discount Pharmacy Situation Analysis The Discount Pharmacy is in the first year of business as a start-up operation. The Pharmacy believes that the market demand for their services will be great and are convinced that a cohesive marketing strategy is required for The Pharmacy. The Pharmacy offers a wide range of prescription medicine for pick up at their store front or it can be distributed by mail order. The Pharmacy’s prices are far better than most pharmacies so their services will be attractive for people that just need to buy their medicine at good prices and do not need their hands held during the process. Market Summary The Discount Pharmacy posesses good information regarding their market and the target segments that they wish to serve. The Pharmacy will leverage this information to better understand who is served, their specific needs, and how The Pharmacy can better serve them. Market Needs The Discount Pharmacy is providing the market with a source of discounted drugs. This market need is important as many Americans are faced with the dilemma of using their limited income on food or meds. The Discount Pharmacy seeks to fulfill the following benefits that are important to their customers. * Selection: The Pharmacy offers a wide range of medication, both originals as well as generic alternatives. * Accessibility: Products are distributed through their conveniently-located store front, or can be shipped within the U.S. * Customer service: The Pharmacy recognizes the value of having outstanding customer service. By exceeding all of the customer’s expectations, they are ensuring repeat customers and many referrals. * Pricing: The Discount Pharmacy’s prices will be noticeably better than local pharmacies. Market Trends The market trend for pharmacies reinforces consolidation. The whole medical industry (including doctors, pharmaceutical companies) has pressure being applied to them from different sides to achieve cost efficiencies and to decrease the cost of the various products/services. Looking specifically at pharmacies, over the last eight years, there has been widespread consolidation, done to a large degree to achieve costs efficiencies. Now insurance companies are adding pressure to decrease costs since they are a main party in the payment for meds. The Discount Pharmacy is able to coexist in this consolidation environment by achieving cost efficiencies through their unique business model of mail order service and a decrease in the normal pharmacist offered services. Market Growth In 2000, the global pharmaceutical industry as a whole was a $897 billion dollar industry. The industry is forecasted to continue its record growth. This growth can be attributed to several factors, the underling driver is scientific progress. As our scientific community continues to make breakthroughs in medical applications, people become more and more reliant on medication to lengthen and improve their quality of life. American society in particular has become increasingly reliant on medication. This conclusion seems to be fairly intuitive as many individuals have a vested interest in living longer and more comfortably. This demand applies pressure to the scientists and pharmaceutical companies who are always on the lookout for the next big blockbuster drug which will ensure profitable returns. While America remains as the largest consumer of medication in the world, to a large degree based on the simple quantitative measurement of GNP, it is reasonable to expect that the retail distribution of these drugs will achieve extraordinary growth rates if they are employing creative business models or if they are one of the â€Å"giants.† SWOT Analysis The following SWOT analysis captures the key strength and weaknesses within the company, and describes the opportunities and threats facing The Discount Pharmacy. Strengths * A unique, current business-environment-appropriate business model. * Excellent staff who are highly trained and very customer attentive. * Great prices. * The ability to scale rapidly for the mail order side of the business. Weaknesses * The lack of visibility and brand equity of a start-up business. * Lack of true experience running a mail order outfit. * Government intervention/regulation into medicine is possible. Opportunities * Outside pressure on consumers to purchase meds mail order. * The constant growth of the number of people taking medication. * Newly formed alliances of insurance companies and mail order pharmacies. Threats * The entry into the mail order market by an established company. * Regulatory legislation that curtails the mail order medicine industry. * Some event that cripples interstate commerce in regards to shipping. Competition Competition takes many different forms in the pharmacy industry. * Chain pharmacies: These are state or national chains such as Rite-Aid. The advantage to these chains are better prices through economies of scale as well as personalized service. The personalized service takes the form of the chain having a record of your medication purchases as well as any allergies that you have disclosed to them. * Local pharmacies: These are the pharmacies where you typically know the pharmacists and they know your medical history. This option is high in personalized service and convenience, and high in price. * Mail order and Internet pharmacies: These are similar to The Discount Pharmacy. * Canadian pharmacies: These pharmacies are located in Canada where the cost of drugs is lower than in the U.S. These pharmacies can be accessed through mail order, the Internet, or via travel. Recently there has been the trend for trips arranged for senior citizens in northern states to travel up to Canada for the day to pick up their meds. Product Offering The Discount Pharmacy offers a wide range of prescription drugs to patients based in Oregon and nationally. Both generics and name brands are offered. The customer needs to either mail in the prescription, fax it, or email it. Once it is received and payment arrangements are complete, the meds will be sent out to the customer via U.S.P.S. or U.P.S. Local customers may stop by the store front to pick up the medications contemporaneously. The Discount Pharmacy will only service customers who self pay. The self pay customers will be attracted to The Discount Pharmacy because of their superior prices. For many Americans that do not have drug plans, including the vast majority of Americans over 65, a discount on drugs is very welcome on today’s increasingly tight monthly budgets. The Discount Pharmacy will be able to survive on lower margins due to operating efficiencies gained through mail order and not accepting insurance policy drug plans. With each order a printout will accompany the medications that will provide directions on how to take the medications, other drug that should be avoided concurrently, and other useful information. Often times this information is communicated personally by the pharmaceutical technician. The Discount Pharmacy will be using computer printouts from industry software to reduce the cost of providing this information. Note: While the term â€Å"self pay† is typically associated with the notion that the customer is paying for the medication out of pocket without insurance, it is used in this context as the customer paying for the medications upfront by themselves regardless if they have insurance. They may be paying for the drugs out of pocket, or they may be paying for the medications upfront and then requesting their insurance companies drug plan to reimburse them later. Keys to Success The keys to success are: * Repeat customers. * Low overhead and operating costs. * Superior prices and service. Critical Issues The Discount Pharmacy is still in the speculative stages as a start-up business. Its critical issues are to continue to take a modest fiscal approach, expanding at a reasonable rate, not for the sake of expansion in itself, but because prudent economic analysis dictates to  Pharmacy Marketing Plan The Discount Pharmacy Marketing Strategy The Discount Pharmacy will have different marketing strategies for the two different segmented groups that they wish to reach. The walk-in customers will be targeted through advertisements in the local paper, â€Å"The Oregonian.† The advertisements will raise visibility for The Discount Pharmacy and their discounted prices. As the price of medication continues to skyrocket, The Discount Pharmacy will appeal to local people as a way to try to contain these rising costs. The mail order customers will be targeted through an advertising campaign in magazines and newsletters that have an older (over 55) crowd that regularly needs medication and knows in advance what their needs are. One of the main newsletters that The Discount Pharmacy will be visible in is the American Association of Retired Persons (A.A.R.P) monthly newsletter.

The Metamorphosis

The Metamorphosis is a fiction novel that attempts to explore idealism concealed in fantasy. The protagonist, Gregory is a sales man who is the bread winner of the family. He is a child of the family, but works hard to take care of his family, including his parents. He has a very busy and tiring life. He is ever out on business trips or at work. His hard work is not in vain, he is able to meet the needs of his family. He does not like the job however, he is only striving to clear his parents' debts, after which he intends to quit. It is at this point that the story gets dramatic suddenly, he metamorphoses into a vermin. The family is shocked at first, then when they realize he is no longer beneficial, they decide to get rid of him. The novel does not dwell on the event. The reader is faced with the aftermath. The whole happening, the how, is missing from the text. Perhaps the account of this is missing because Gregory must have been asleep, therefore could not decipher changes in his body. The main theme in the story is alienation. The story follows a simple straight forward plot which present the reader with a chance to easily comprehend. Gregory is alienated from the society, his family and himself. He opts for a permanent elimination after his metamorphosis. This is due to the fact that life becomes almost unbearable. He is an insect with a human identity. The alienation in the storyThe story appears simple and superfluous. From the onset, where Gregory turns into a vermin, the reader's spirit is invoked into deep thought. The whole ideas seems irrational if not illogical, at least by the laws of science. We get to interact with the life of a business man, who can no longer fend for the family due to his new state. The whole story appears metaphoric as it goes beyond natural instincts.The story is carefully designed to make the user come to terms with it citation. This is to illustrate the truth of metamorphosis. Scientifically, metamorphosis is a process of irreversible transfiguration from one less developed form to a more developed form. In a story that attempts to create a fantasy in a real world, the reader is thrown into an unreal world that is unrecognizable by the mind. How can a man change into a Vermin overnight?As the story progresses, it gets clearer when compared with the present day industrial revolution. The advancement in technology makes the metamorphosis ‘real'. The story is symbolic and it gives a forecast into the future. The present day levels of alienation will be surpassed. The more the social Medias grow the more individualism grows. This shoots alienation to a whole new level.Much of the story is based on the after metamorphosis has taken place.it is only after he has turned into a gigantic insect that he begins to analyze his life. He had never thought about his interests at deep length. His main goal had been to work as hard as possible for the family. His parents had a debt which he had purposed to clear. When he turns into a vermin, he does not even for a moment ponder over the possibility. He is only thinking about how he is going to get to his job. To be able to sustain the family. He relates the situation with his inability to work, and laments about that only. He does not worry about how it happened. He quickly adapts to being an insect and hides behind the couch. He takes the whole life of an insect and alienates himself further. At the realization that he is no longer human, his family develops hostility. He becomes an enemy. The father wants to kill him while the mother faints. He is further alienated when the family gets ashamed of being with him. The members of his family thinks he is very ugly, dirty and scary. He also gets to develop the same attitude towards himself.We are showed how much serious it gets after metamorphosis has had effect. He is denied his rights. He is not a family member anymore. He has to adjust to a new life. Eating like an insect, sleeping under the couch among other sad realities. He has never had a chance to be close to anybody, since he has always been busy working. He had no personal life, his had been just work. It is only with his sister, Grete, whom he is a bit close with.He has always wanted to advance her studies in violin. He loved the way she played it. But now he could not even get a chance to watch her play, he was considered a nuisance.He loses track of his old life. He instead finds himself as a human being trapped in an insect body. He still yearns for his human lifestyle and hopes to incorporate it in his insect life. For instance, he does not approve of the decision by his family to remove the furniture from his room. His family assumes that he does not need them anymore since he is not a human now. But he does not cherish the idea of running around in an empty room. He however, is unable to make his wish known to them. His is an insect, with an ugly appearance. If he shows up to try to prove a point, it would only scare them and perhaps attract more hostility. Therefore he decides to maintain a passive nature. He prefers his room as it was previously as it reminds him that he is human. He wants to feel that he is still human, with feelings. He is not yet ready to lose his human identity as of yet. Earlier, he had a job and he was human, however, he was still alienated. He had work to attend to since he was the breadwinner of the family. Gregory was naturally motivated by the suffering of others. He didn't want any other member of the family struggling. He worried about their wellbeing and for this cause, he was always alone working. He would either be in restaurant rooms on business trips or at work on his own. His urge to help his family is crystal clear, although this contributes actively to his alienation. The novel vividly describes Gregory's plight before he undergoes metamorphosis. He starts lowly, then with hard work and great effort, he is able finally, to feed the family comfortably. The family is happy at his efforts, but does not make any attempts to understand his personal life. The family gets used to the provisions he makes. The family alienates him and does not see beyond the money he makes.Gregory dislikes his job. The job prevents him from living a life true to his lifestyle. He is forced into the job by circumstances. He plans on walking out, but cannot do so presently because he has a debt to clear. A debt he is paying for his parents. His selfless nature adds more to his personal sufferings as man. This makes his life unbearable even before his metamorphosis. He sticks to job he hates not because he wants to, but because of a more honorable cause. This, as expected, alienates him further. The protagonist, Gregory agrees to die, when the sister, with whom he had ever managed an intimate relationship with, finally decides that they need to get rid of him. â€Å"The decision that he must disappear was one that he held to even more strongly than his sister if that were possible. In this state of vacant and peaceful meditation, he remained until the tower clock struck three in the morning. The first broadening of light in the world outside the window entered his consciousness once more. Then his head sank to the floor of its own accord and from his nostrils came the last flicker of his breath.† (135pg). He approves of the idea partly because he thinks that it would do the family good. He thought he was already becoming a burden, and one who is used to reaching out to people, promptly approves of his death. This is the final stage and the most fatal permanent alienation he subjects himself to. The novel brings Gregory's alienation to light before and after metamorphosis. He suffers both as a human and as an insect. He suffers more as a vermin as compared to when he was still human. He can no longer go to work, thus the guilt weighs more heavily on him. He is now an insect and feels that he needs to disappear from the lives of his family members, therefore he opts for a permanent method. He dies, thereby alienating himself permanently.

Comparison Shopping Project

I think the first and foremost purchase consideration is the price, next is the quality and then is the convenience. Every consumer desires the quality of the product is good and the price is lowest. If that desire meets, the consumers will choose the more convenient way to get the Item they would Like to buy. So now there are two ways for me to get the poll fleece Jacket. The market price of the poll fleece Jacket now Is 99 ARM. But In the UNIQUE online shop Is sold 106 ARM, more 7 ARM Is for the express fee. Shopping Comparison If I choose to buy in the UNCLE physical agent, I need select a day when I am free to go to the mall by bus.It takes me about 1 hour to arrive there. And I will use about 20 minutes to find the UNIQUE physical agent. Unfortunately, the shopping mall is open at 10:00 am. It may occupy all of my forenoon time. It is not a good thing for a student who is busy with her study. When I get the physical agent, there are many poll fleece jackets for me to select and fit. I can touch every of the poll fleece Jacket to decide which one should I purchase. Meanwhile I can select many colors of a same style poll fleece Jacket to fit and finally pick the right color and size to purchase.Once I change my mind, I can change anyone I want before I pay. And then I will go back by bus with my new poll fleece Jacket. The bus tickets cost me for 4 ARM, and when I get back is almost the time of the afternoon. If I choose another way that purchase poll fleece jacket online, I would pay more 7 ARM for the dispatch fee. I open my computer, and enter the UNIQUE online shop. Then I need to go through all of the electronic catalogs and try to find the poll fleece Jacket entry. And then click the poll fleece Jacket links to access to the interface.In the interface I can find many kinds of the poll fleece Jacket. Subsequently, I should scan of the information about the product. Firstly, I will select some attractive product such as better mode or color and put in my electronic shopping cart. Secondly, I will scan the information of these products and carefully analyze and compare with them. There is a zone that I can see the referral or recommendation from other consumers who has bought the product. Finally, after I Identify all these products, I will come to a best choice and purchase the desirable poll fleece jacket by online banking.To use the online banking, I must my bank card is security. The process totally wastes me for merely 2 hours. In the other side, I am watching the computer all the time in the duration of buying. My eyes may be tired at end. Unfortunately, my decision is should not be changed. Once the order of the product is submitted and come into force, I must accept the product. Although there are something I am not satisfied with, such as the color is dimmer Han I see online or the size is not my size etc, I cannot return it to the seller except pay the additional dispatch money.If I am not willing to pay the extra fee, the product is a waste thing. It will be a bad shopping experience. Recommendation All of above is about the two ways to purchase. As we can see, there are spaces for the two purchasing process to improve. Buying in physical agent is not convenient for the consumer, and it wastes time. The price in the shop is the market price and may be higher than online shop. But consumers can select among many kinds of the olla fleece Jacket and purchase one they most satisfied.Foremost the quality of the product is assured. To attract more consumers to buy in the physical agent rather than online, the shop should carry out some activities such as give some presents or trial packs of the shop. Buying online is convenient to the customers, but rate of online fraud is increasing. Consumers may not always get satisfied product, and the online bank payment is also has some risks and problems. The digital certificate is not protect well, the bank need to research a new technical invention to do that wel l.It is regrettable that not every product online is in good quality. So there need a third-party in the process of buying online, the third part should inspect every product selling online to assure the quality of them. It will make many consumers buying online instead of purchasing in the physical agent. With the development of technology, buying online may be completed the same as the physical agents in the future. The consumers can choose which purchasing process they like. And each process might not cause problems.