Group Influence Essay

A group is a combination of more than one individual sharing some values, beliefs, or a set of behaviors. Many individuals together sharing a common goal or need is a group of people. People in a group sharing these common things tend to have interdependent behaviors. Each of the members of a group influences the behavior of another. Individuals will tend to react to situations or have specific behaviors in specific situations guided by a reference group view to those situations. Groups of people that influence their selves are members of the same religion, roommates, school friends, workmates, etc. Groups influence their selves in two ways. A group may influence the identity through conformity or obedience. Group influence has many effects on their selves. Some of them are positive while others are negative and damaging to the personality. The aim of this paper is to evaluate group influence and its effects on the individual. The observation was done at Inland Behavior Health Center , which is an outpatient rehabilitation center in San Bernardino. The physical arrangement or layout of the room and setting was as follows: chairs were arranged in a circle setting and the instructor was in the center of the group. The instructor used brochures and a standing trifold poster. The composition of the group on terms of ages, sex, and ethnicity, this particular class was is given to pregnant women only, ages varying from 19 through 35, ethnicity groups being: 40% Caucasian, 40% Hispanic, and 20 % African American. The purpose, mission, and goal of this class is to learn about the tobacco health effects on the pregnant women and unborn baby, the mission is to be self-reliant and not to depend on tobacco during when stress is experienced. The goals are to teach them to about all the health effects that can happen due to smoking, to prevent premature birth and low birth weight. The duration of the class duration is ninety minutes. Each participant needs to attend eight con secutive weeks and be smoking free for eight consecutive weeks; otherwise, the class has no end date. If any participant relapses during program, they are sent back to week one starting with no incentives. The discussion structure of this class is that the instructor follows a curriculum based on a weekly topic that includes, videos, provides handouts, and group discussion. A quiz was given at the end of session to test comprehension. The class structure and organization is difference, since the class is given at an outpatient rehabilitation center, the participants were in a class when the instructor arrived at 10:45 am. The instructor pulled all the pregnant women from the classroom. Some of the pregnant women were already in the Comprehensive Tobacco Treatment program (CTT), which the instructor was aware of it. The other pregnant women, who were not part of the CTT program, were substance abused screened and those who screened positive for tobacco were enrolled in program. At the beginning of the class, a signing sheet was passed to all attended participants. The instructor has a folder that included a â€Å"communication form† in where she keeps track of each participant’s cessation status. In a group discussion, she begins by asking if anyone would like to share an anecdote to tell about her past week smoking cessation experience. At this time, two participants mentioned how difficult they found that week to stay without smoking and one stated that knowing that if they smoke one cigarette it would equal thirteen packs to the baby. The second participant mentioned that knowing that she had to provide a urine test kept her away from smoking. After the discussion was done, the instructor transitioned by introducing the topic of the week. The topic of this particular week was on â€Å"Secondhand Smoke.† During session, a handout was passed out to all attendees including myself and a video was shown titled â€Å"The Perils of Secondhand Smoke.† A quiz was given at the end. All attendees were tested through a urine test to make sure they were nicotine free and those who achieved session, were rewarded with infant diapers and xylitol gum as an incentive. After nicotine test was done, the session concluded. The primary facilitator of this class was only one female instructor, who was the program coordinator. She has her bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies and currently enrolled in a Human Resource Management program. The program has two instructors who travel to various sites through San Bernardino County. The subject or issues did the group members examine during the meeting was primarily smoking during pregnancy. Other topics may include parenting and baby bonding education. The different information that the members exchanged in this class was the difficulties facing through the cessation process that evolves through stress, financial issues, emotional experiences, and lack of support. The group’s norms, roles, status hierarchy, or communication patterns were that the participants are low income, low level of education (less than high school diploma), and normally come from a substance abuse setting. The communication patterns illustrated if this class was that participants were involved as a group and they were very open for discussion and sharing their experiences. The participants’ members share a sense of identity with one another and the participants shared the same interest of trying to stay tobacco free, provide a health living environment for their unborn baby and other children living with them. In this class or group there was not any indication that members might be vulnerable to groupthink, because at the beginning of the session, the instructor ask for each individual struggles through the cessation process and they all had their unique storytelling. Although some responses were similar, they did not seem influenced by their partner’s response. In my opinion, the group has a positive influence in each other’s behaviors because the participants share the same background and they all seemed to understand each other by giving praises for their successes and advices on how to deal with the cravings and withdrawals of tobacco. Unfortunately, due to the background of the participants, they were influenced by their living surroundings and the only thing they knew is to reach for drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. In this class, the participants learn the tools necessary to cope with stress factors rather than reaching out for a cigarette as a coping tool. A group influences their selves in many ways. While communicating and sharing some defi nite norms, people from the same group tend to behave in the same way. The group influences their selves through either obedience or conformity. This influence has many effects that are both positive and negative but mostly negative. References Myers, D. G. (2010). Social Psychology (10th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

Statistic Case Study for Bottle Company

The case study that is being investigated is for a bottling company producing less soda than what is advertised. Customers have complained that the sodas in the bottles contain less than the advertised sixteen ounces. The employees at the company have measured the amount of soda contained in each bottle. There are thirty bottles that have been pulled from the shelves. The manager of the company would like to have a detailed report on the possible causes, if any, for the shortage in the amount of soda or if the claim is not supported explain how to mitigate the issue in the future.In order to statistically find a cause in the shortage a hypothesis testing is conducted by finding the mean, median, and standard deviation for ounces in the bottles. Constructing a 95 percent interval will establish the mean of the population since the mean of the population is not known. There are thirty soda bottles being pulled for investigation. The mean will be calculated by averaging the amount of ou nces in each bottle and dividing the total by the number of bottles.The data below shows the ounces in each of the thirty bottles that were pulled. The mean among the sample bottles is 14. 87. The calculation to find the mean is to add all the ounces per bottle. The total is 446. 1 divided by the random sample of 30. The average ounces in the bottles are less than 16 ounces. The median for the soda bottles is 14. 8. The median is imputed by dividing the random number of 30 by 2 which equals 15. Arrange the ounces from smallest to largest, and select the number that falls on 15.This will provide the median for the thirty bottles. The standard deviation for the ounces in the bottles is 0. 55. The standard deviation must be known in order to compute the confidence interval. To find the standard deviation, calculate the individual ounces minus the mean of the ounces and square the total (X-M)2. After the total is calculated, divide by the random count 30 minus 1 (n-1). In order to compu te the confidence interval of 95 percent; the mean, standard deviation, and identifying the value must calculated.A confidence interval gives an estimated range of values which is likely to include an unknown population parameter, the estimated range being calculated from a given set of sample data (Easton & McColl, n. d. ). The confidence interval of 95 percent can be found using a normal distribution calculator. The Z distribution is used in this case study because there are thirty bottles. The Z value is greater than or equal to thirty within the sample size. The Z value of 95 percent is 1. 96. This represents the area on the normal distribution chart between the cutoff points.The cutoff points on the chart are between -1. 96 and 1. 96. The lower and upper limit will be given to locate the interval using the standard normal confidence interval. Calculate to find the interval by imputing Z. 025 equals 1. 96 stores the answer, in this case, using the Aleks calculator. Enter the mea n 14. 87 +/- 1. 96 times 0. 55 divided by square root of 30. The lower limit is 14. 67 and the upper limit is 15. 07. This interval proves the soda in the bottles did not contain sixteen ounces.In Easton and McColl (n.  d) article summarized setting up and testing hypothesis is an essential part of statistical inference. In order to formulate such a test, usually some theory has been put forward, either because it is believed to be true or because it is to be used as a basis for argument, but has not been proved. To verify the claim that the bottles contain less than sixteen ounces of soda a hypothesis test will be performed. To find the null hypothesis that represents the claim to be true or to be used as a basis of argument until it is proven. The null hypothesis is H0 greater than or equal to sixteen ounces.The alternative hypothesis is H1 less than sixteen ounces. The type of test used is one tailed testing. If using a significance level of . 05, a one-tailed test allots the e ntire alpha to testing the statistical significance in the one direction of interest. This means that . 05 is in one tail of the distribution test statistic. When using a one-tailed test, it is testing for the possibility of the relationship in one direction and completely disregarding the possibility of a relationship in the other direction (â€Å"UCLA: Statistical Consulting Group,† 2007).The value of the test is calculated by the mean 1 minus mean 2. Therefore, 14. 87 – 16 equals -1. 13 divided by standard deviation 0. 55 divided by square root of random sample 30 equals . 375. The P value is calculated by using the formula P (Z < equal to . 375). The P value is 0. 646. The P value is greater than the significance level of test which is . 05. The answer is the mean of 0. 5 < 0. 646. The conclusion of the test for the null hypothesis is not rejected. This suggests the alternative hypothesis must be true that the soda in the bottles is less than sixteen ounces.The typ e of error used in the hypothesis is type I error. There are several causes determining the reason for fewer ounces in the bottles. The air in the lines could prevent the soda from filling bottles, machine may need to be reset to fill 16 ounces to the exact measure, or machine may not be calibrated properly. Issuing a daily calibration of the machinery is a way to avoid the deficit in the future. Statistically the issue could stem from the unknown population of how many customers complained. There could possibly be a million sodas produced with only ten customer complaints.Therefore, pulling more bottles from the shelves and testing the ounces could show a different alternative hypothesis and may prevent a deficit in the future. Other speculations that determine sodas from not being filled to the top are to keep the soda from overfilling so it is not filled to the top line. It has to have a bit of air in the bottle so there can be room for the liquid. Less soda is in the bottles to expand if it gets heated otherwise the bottle could break. In conclusion, the customers are correct there is less than 16 ounces of soda in the bottle.

Christmas Carol Essay

A Christmas Carol’ focuses on a very mean character called Ebenezer Scrooge, who unnaturally receives a chance to make amends for his actions towards his clients. Life in Britain in the 1800’s was very dark and gloomy, also its population was increasing rapidly. At this time and age, Britain’s industrial revolution was in full flow, thus making Britain’s population explode. Charles dickens had uncountable financial problems and was in in huge dept. In addition to this, in the fall of 1843 dickens and his wife were expecting their fifth child. Supporting his large family was difficult for Dickens. Requests for money from his family and a large mortgage had left Dickens seriously short of cash. In a way Dickens most cherished and most read books was created as a result of his own desperate need of money. Charles Dickens routinely walked the city streets, 10 or 20 miles at a time, observing the life. The descriptions in his writing seem like an exact replica of what he observed and experienced during these times. Evidence of this shown in the text. Descriptions such as ‘a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching,’ may show how Charles Dickens might have behaved when he had his desperate money problems. In this essay, I will be discussing the development of Ebenezer Scrooge’s character in Christmas Carol whilst going through each stave. Stave 1 clearly introduces Scrooge’s character to the reader. At the beginning of the stave, the first description we see is where it says: ‘The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker and the mourner. Scrooge signed it. ‘ From this text the reader can already comprehend that scrooge is a man who only takes credit for himself and that he despises spending money on other people. Another description presented by the text tells the reader that there is something about Scrooge’s life style that makes him very unpopular with the locals. ‘Nobody ever stopped him in the street to say, with gladsome looks’ ‘My dear Scrooge how are you’ This makes it crystal clear that scrooge is obviously not a nice person, thus making the locals shun his presence. Scrooge’s cold and cruel actions to people result in Marley’s Ghost appearing in Scrooges home. The ghost warns Scrooge that if he does not change his way of life, he will end up loosing everything and becoming just like Marley, who is dead and bound up in chains. In the second section or stave 2 of the novel, even though Marley’s ghost had gone, its presence was having an effect on Scrooge. ‘Marley’s ghost bothered him extremely’ Since no one has ever been close to changing Scrooge’s personality, this text shows a slight alteration in Scrooge’s character. In this stave, Scrooge is visited by another ghost who says to represent Christmas past. This ghost shows Scrooge his early life and how much he has changed. After Scrooge has witnessed his passed life and actions, Scrooge is moved with regret. ‘I wish’ Just these two words are very significant as they show a huge positive development in Scrooge’s character, which suggests that Scrooge is willing and hoping to change his cruel ways, and diminish descriptions of himself such as: ‘To see a heightened and excited face would have been a surprise’ Scrooge’s life is full of negative descriptions like this and he wished to make amends for his past actions. Scrooge then says something to the ghost that is very, very unusual: ‘There was a boy singing a Christmas Carol at my door last night, I would like to give him something. ‘ This is probably the first time that Scrooge has ever shown any affection for anyone, which shows that the presence of the ghosts are developing Scrooge’s character in a divine way. In stave 3 of the novel Scrooge is visited by yet another ghost who says to represent Christmas present. This ghost shows Scrooge how other families, such as the clerk’s and the Cratchits. Scrooge sees that even though the Cratchits are very poor, they can have a high quality of life and be happy at Christmas. Earlier on in the novel Scrooge says a cold blooded thing concerning one of the Cratchits son called Tiny Tim who looks very frail and scrawny and much too vulnerable to the hands of death: ‘If he be like to die he had better do it and decrease the surplus population. ‘ Scrooge’s cold heart was so uncaring, that he thought that the death of a person was a benefit or an advantage to people. However, when the ghost showed Scrooge this family, his reminiscence of his past sayings had a different effect on him: ‘Scrooge hung his head to hear his own words quoted by the spirit and was overcome with penitence and grief. ‘ Now that Scrooge has viewed that people can be happy without a lot of money, his former way of thinking has now disgusted him. Scrooge has now probably for the first time accepted that his way of life is detestable and needs to be changed: ‘All the things that ghost has shown him came upon his mind. He softened†¦ ‘ ‘If he would have listened he might have cultivated the kindness of life. ‘ This shows a further development of Scrooge’s character as his hard headedness had been softened and also, he now desires to have a personal quality of kindness. In stave 4 of the novel Scrooge is visited by the last of the three ghosts who represents Christmas future. In this stave scrooge is shown a group of people who are discussing a very unpopular mans death. Scrooge is puzzled by the conversation of the group until the ghost silently exposes the secret when he shows Scrooge a gravestone with his own name on it. The description of the ghost in the beginning of the stave definitely offers a hint that Scrooge’s future will be cold and dark just as his past life: ‘Shrouded in a deep black garment’ ‘It seemed to scatter gloom and mystery’ These phrases are fitting descriptions of a ghost that will bring news that is associated with death. The tone of this stave is also set with words such as; ‘Shadow’ and ‘dark room. ‘ These words give further evidence that a death orientated future awaits Scrooge. Scrooge is horrified when he sees his own gravestone, but to further upset him, he sees that his death is ‘un-watched, un-wept and un-cared for. ‘ the phrase ‘neglected grave’ shows that no one cared if Scrooge died because of the extent of the his cold-hearted actions towards people. This event made Scrooge release all of his emotions. ‘I hope to live to be another man’ His future death makes Scrooge resolve to change his way of cold way of life into a much more kind, new man. Stave 5 shows the finale of Ebenezer Scrooge’s development of character. In this stave Scrooge is shown to be a completely different man. For example, instead of sacking one of his employees for being late, he raises his salary another example is that the story says that Scrooge became like a second father to Tiny Tim. In this stave there is also evidence that points to the outcome of the story as the mood of the novel suddenly changes from a dark and gloomy mood to a more happy mood. Words such as ‘Bright’ and ‘Golden sunlight’ show that something marvellous and positive is going to happen to Scrooge and his character. These hints are fulfilled when the text says: ‘Glowing with good intentions’ Obviously from this, the reader can see that Scrooge is a changed man, and is exploding with good deeds and emotions, and instead of planning to do evil he is planning to do something obliging. Language devises such as similes are also used to show Scrooge’s development in character: ‘As happy as an angel’ This simile is used to further emphasize the alteration in Scrooge’s personality. Since Angels are portrayed to be perfect heavenly creatures it is obvious to the reader that Scrooge has made some miraculous changes from being a cold hearted, uncaring and evil man into a loving, kind and angelic new man. In my personal opinion, I believe that the presence of the ghosts were like stepping stones to the development of Scrooges character. It seemed to me that the lessons taught by the ghosts became more and more severe as Scrooge’s mind gradually softens.

The strategic marketing approaches that could be adopted by the hotel Essay

The strategic marketing approaches that could be adopted by the hotel industry in Songdo in South Korea - Essay Example According to the 2005 reports, there was influx of tourists from abroad at an increase of around 3.5% at 6.02 million than that of previous year 2004.3 The present chapter assumes to identify key literatures, articles and journals to study the economic situation in South Korean and the market for the hotel industry. An attempt is also made to evaluate strategic marketing theory for hotel industries. The literature about Korea's economy is broadly in agreement, it discusses the recent rapid growth promoted by foreign investment. The academic marketing literature covered for this review all emphasized the importance of targeting a specific market and proper consideration of the marketing mix, although each book presented different tactics. Korea is enriched with important and interesting two thousands year of history and culture. The Korean history is also been victimized due to division and turmoil as many other nations have been divided making it vulnerable to its neighbours from West, East and North. (Hoare and Rutt, 1999)4 The Korean journey to industrialization commenced in the 1960s with the inception of First Five Year Plan wherein the government made a deliberate shift of policy from inward looking growth strategy of import substitution to the outward looking growth strategy of export promotion. Later in 70s Korea promoted heavy and chemical industry, in 80s rationalization and liberalization of industries and labours took place, globalization in the 90s, and then the dreadful economic crisis of 1997 that ruined the economy temporarily.5 Despite the ups and downs throughout the history, South Korea has emerged has winner and one of the Asian superpower in the region. Due to its rich heritage and cultural backg round, it is not surprising that Korea is a much sought after tourist destination which provides ample employment opportunities to the Korean in field of hospitality sector. Kim, Shin and Chon (1998) state that the South Korean hotel industry has finally reached its peak after more than two decades of rapid growth in tourism following the Summer Olympic Games, and had begun to taper off at the time of writing. (http://www.allbusiness.com) Min, Min and Emam, (2002) contradicts with Kim, Shin and Chon (1998), in 1998 there was not a tapering off instead tourism grew up to 2002. As the South Korea's tourism revenue increased, the hotel industry also expanded its capacity very much by increasing the number of guest rooms and building new hotels. It has led to over building of hotels subsequently competition among hotels has increased. Thus, Hotels continue to seek new way to increase their market share in changing markets. The hotel sector has been chosen for this study because the hotel industry comprises one of the largest sectors of the tourism and hospitality industry in terms of capital investment and tourist expenditure, and hotels are major foreign cu rrency earners (Kim and Uysal 1998). Min, Min and Joo (2008) argue that South Korea's hotel industry in greater danger from competitive threats and

Plz choose a good topic for me Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Plz choose a good topic for me - Essay Example This is achieved through development of a global safety awareness program that aims to educate employers and employees on the importance of having a safety and healthy environment (Price and Hammer 24). Accidents or Injuries and Illness Prevention Programs are identified by a diversity of teams in the organization, which are tasked to ensure that they lessen the amount and severity of workplace injuries and illnesses. Some states demands voluntary guidelines for work injury and illness deterrence programs in order to curb the increasing injuries and illnesses at workplace. Several employers in the United States have learned how to manage their safety using Injury and Illness Prevention Programs. Hazard identification and prevention, management leadership, worker participation and control, education and training, and program evaluation and improvement are key elements in managing workplace safety and health. These elements are significant in that they offer relevant information concer ning injury and illness in the workplace. Other States have adopted OSHA policies that guide them in managing the issue of workplace safety and health. It is significant to note that in some cases, they have adopted their own standards and enforcement policies in order to ensure workplace safety (Reese 32). Companies such as those in construction industry must meet some highlighted standards, which take into account the general safety, and health provisions of its employees. In addition, the Federal Registers has directions and guidelines that include health and safety management practices and process employed by the employers to ensure that their employees are healthy and safe. There are certain Federal directives, which identify those policies that are unique to the Federal Agency Safety and Health Programs. Therefore, workers are required to register for a voluntary safety program that requires union support. In order to ensure safety and health management at workplace, workers n eed to make a commitment. In this case, the employer should employ as much put as much vigor into their obligation to the health and safety of their employees as much as they place on any other vital part of their business. Employers should include workplace health and safety in the business plan and assimilate it into all faces of the business. The policy written should give emphasis to the vitality of the safety and health at the work place. Resources should be committed to ensure the protection of the workers. It is the duty of the employer to inspire workers’ involvement in safe and healthy environment (Price and Hammer 40-2). The employer should make it known to the employees that they are expected to do secure work if they are still working for that particular firm. It is important that the employer act promptly to all reports of unhealthy and unsafe conditions. This is because such practices in the workplace can lead to injury or even cause illness to employees or work ers on duty. In order to manage the health and safety of their workers, the employer is expected to go beyond the regulations in addressing the hazards whether or not the law addresses them (Reese 38). In a secure and healthy workplace, workers must play a role in the achievement of the program this implies that safety and health is the duty of everyone. Employees should be actively encouraged to get involved if the program is to succeed. They should be held accountable to how they respond and handle

International Business Communications Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

International Business Communications - Essay Example Food chain outlets such as Mc Donald and KFC have successfully made their impression on every sphere of the globe and are still going strong with the expansion spree. But there are organizations which even being popular within a country have not really moved out of their closet to explore the new horizons. One such organization is White Castle Hamburger restaurant which is very popular in US and the company over past 90 years has grown tremendously, but, still the company has not tried to expand its business be it even in US market as the company is said to be family run and the all the outlets are supposed to family owned with no franchisee outlet (White Castle, 2012). But, if it has to expand globally to increase its market share and explore other areas where it can compete with other competitors like MC Donald it has strategize a new plan for the expansion and to expand beyond territories the most preferable option is the franchisee way. Through the franchisee way the company can spread its legacy of nine decades to other parts of the world and emerge a global leader in the hamburger chain outlets. Say, White Castle decides to expand its outlets to London, Mexico & China it has to manage certain communication barriers because of different cultural background in these 3 countries. Part I: White Castle’s quest to expand in the 3 countries i.e. ... White Castle has to pick these three aspects and work accordingly in context to China, Mexico & London. To be a part of these countries White Castle must work on its service to customers as well as curb the cultural difference within the organization between different cultural employees. A good social behavior is can create wonders for the company. China is a place with different cultural background and so is Mexico and it is very important to respect the culture of these countries and train the employees in accordance keeping their cultural values intact. Also the employees should be trained ethically to follow the values intact with the organization over the years. Company ethics like its core values, its approach towards the service imparted to customers should be of prime focus despite changing cultures and also White Castle can take part in various CSR activities to further emerge as a global player. The attitudes of people should be considered as for London the attitude can be individualistic but in case of China & Mexico the attitude can be collective with more people coming together in deciding over a particular issue. Thus, this also has to deal with in a planned & structured manner (Chaney, 2008, p. 215-220). Part II: White Castle’s expansion of its hamburger outlet cannot be a successful venture unless some of its top managers take the responsibility to lead from the front and take charge of the business in the countries where White Castle has decided to expand its outlets. Managers surely will make things easier for the company but in return they are bound to face some difficulties in diversified culture of different countries. The biggest cultural shock for these managers can be the way people

The Palestinian & Israeli conflict Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Palestinian & Israeli conflict - Essay Example This paper delineates the root causes of Israel Palestine conflict, which includes the historical, political and socio-economic aspects of the dispute. It also delivers the reasons as to why this issue has not yet been resolved. Since 1948 this dispute between the Jews and the Arabs over Palestine has largely been transformed into a fight between the states. Palestine vanished from the map after Israel occupation and as a result the Arab nationalists begun to stress on reoccupation of the land of Palestine, making it the topmost priority of every Arab nation. The Palestinian refugees which were the last living remnants of Palestine had also become permanent citizens of their respective states and many of them also became the Jordanian citizens in 1967. This conflict has become more intense over the time with the emergence of new world order and reticulation of relationships among the regions as well as great powers. Soon after the Britain's withdrawal from the Middle East, especially from Palestine after the end of the Second World War, the United States, the Soviet Union and the neighboring Arab countries entered into this conflict. This dispute between Israel and Palestine, apparently of political nature, has now turned out to be religious and ideological. It has not just remained a bone of contention between Israel and Palestine, but also between the Jews and the Arabs. ... Jews and Arabs both have their historical, social and moral claims over the land of Palestine. Even today, they have their religious and holy places in this land therefore none is willing to withdraw its claim over Palestine. They both need to work for the improvement of land in terms of peace, security and socio-economic growth. No one can deprive the right of others to live. There is only one way out, which is to live and let the other do the same. Neumann says that " it really does not matter who inhabited Palestine in the distant past; it would never give as a basis for deciding who should live there in the present" (2005, p69). It is because Israelis and Palestinians are not in the position to prove as to whom this land belongs to. The historical background of Israeli and Palestinians has badly affected both sides and now they aggressively tend to blame each other for what happened in the past as well as what is going on in the present. The history shows that they have reasonabl e claims over each other. Most important thing that needs to be known to both sides is that they both have a right to live. Palestinians must accept the existence of Israel and the Israelis must give the right of self-determination to the Palestinians in order to move forward in the peace negotiation process (Artz, 1997). Political Conflict Political aspect of the Israel-Palestine conflict is rather evident to the whole world. Politics seems to be something that has been encompassing this conflict for the last several decades. Israel wants its supremacy in the region and does not want its neighboring countries to become powerful. Its policy is to keep others

A description of the UK economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

A description of the UK economy - Essay Example The UK economy is currently doing well and might be begrudged by many emerging economies. It has high employment levels, minimal inflation rates and a good annual growth of 0.2%. however, if the government continues increasing its expenditure, the UK might soon find itself in another self-imposed crisis. The UK government should realize that the real risk from increased government expenditure is the burden of interest that has to be paid on the money borrowed to finance government activities. Though the government has the role of stimulating economic growth, it must use methods and/or policies that will not conflict with some of its goals and/or objectives. Apparently, tax reduction might work in further improving the performance of the UK economy but such reductions must not be at the expense of government revenues. Vast as it is, the UK government requires lumpsome amounts of money to provide for its population and finance its numerous activities hence taxes must still be considere d as an important source of the government’s existence.

English Final Exam Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

English Final Exam Questions - Essay Example The loathing he has for the common people is evident when his English teacher comes to see the show at Carnegie Hall, where he is the usher, and he wonders, offended, what business she had there â€Å"among all these fine people and gay colors.† Somehow, for Paul, there is no redemption for common people. He is so self absorbed that he thinks that only people he idealizes are actually good people. He does not care whether his family loves him or are concerned about him, because to him they are not worthy of his attention as they do not come up to his standards of worthy people, so to speak. A classic narcissist, he does not care about anyone other than himself. When he is stealing money, he does not concern himself with who would have to pay it back, or whether anyone would come after his father – the thought does not even cross his mind. Similarly, when he discovers that his father ended up paying the money Paul had stolen and had now started to search for his son, he was concerned about himself: he did not want to go back as he still wanted to enjoy the pseudo life he was living. It seems as if he is always trying to impress those around him, trying to set himself apart from them. Whether it is by his insolence towards his teacher, or his flat out lying amongst his peers, it is clear that he does not want them to see him as one of their own. He does not want to belong to them – he looks down on them. Yet, this same feeling causes him to get depressed because he feels like a stranger in his own milieu. His suppressed sexuality has added to his depression and disenchantment with his real life and those around him. Although there is nothing overt, however, Paul does seem to have certain homosexual tendencies. Whether it is how he hangs around Charley Edwards of the stock company, or a hint about how badly his night out with a rich boy from Yale ends, or his repulsion at getting married, it seems as if Paul is secretly a homosexual, which cau ses him to further disenfranchise himself from the social scene he belongs to. It is precisely because he does not relate to those around him and cannot be part of those he wants that, rather than go back to lead a â€Å"normal† life, that he kills himself. Sonny Blues Sonny and his brother were born about seven years apart, which seem like a chasm to the latter. What is more, both brothers are quite different temperamentally as well. The elder brother seems to be more accepting of his circumstances, and does not try to escape them, but rather try to make his life within them. He left Harlem, and yet has taken residence in a project, with his wife and children. Moreover, after retiring from the army he has taken up a job as an algebra teacher – a solid, respectable sort of job by society’s standards. Sonny, on the other hands, seems to be rebelling against his circumstances. Whether it is drugs or his music, he seems to want to break free from Harlem both in bod y and in spirit. In music, he seems to have found his escape, and ironically, drugs play a part in that too, despite him wanting to leave Harlem to avoid becoming an addict. Musicians are never considered to be the â€Å"solid respectable type† in society, and what is more, Baldwin depicts how Sonny actually did not even have much idea about how to make a living by music. The young African-American men are up against the two â€Å"darknesses† according to Baldwin. The first being the reality of

Project Outline Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Project Outline - Assignment Example rorists and other extremists groups can take advantage of this huge traffic at the ports to smuggle devices and other weapons that they can use to disrupt the peace and economic development of the country. The abstract also explains the need for security in the U.S. Seaports. Introduces the major concept and points in the paper, and states the thesis. Shows how the United States is one of the countries with the largest coastlines across the entire globe and provides a number or sea ports and sea shores to use in both transport activities, especially the exports and imports trade, whereby the country brings in new products from other countries while exporting its own products to different other countries. The introduction also illustrates how avenue of transport creates congestion at the seaports, offering possibility of security lapses for terrorist. It describes the Seaport industry in the United States. It illustrates how seaports act as entry and exit points for goods from the U.S, as well as into the U.S. The section also shows how these seaports are America’s gateways to the global trade because they facilitate both domestic and international trade, thereby connecting the United States to the rest of the world. It also describes seaports in the U.S. and the locations. It examines seaports as possible insecurity gateways leading to terror attacks. It demonstrates the mechanisms of enhancing security at the ports. These include security checks and frisks to ensure that only the allowed goods and services pass through the ports, and keep out illegal or banned products from entering or leaving the country. Measures also include checking for radioactive emissions or charges found in containers or luggage carried by passengers who use these ports. This is done to limit terrorist attempts and suicide bombers. The government set rules and regulations to govern the maritime operations are also discussed including programs such as CSI and CBP. This part

3.Meads Coming of Age in Samoa is often read as an attempt to Essay

3.Meads Coming of Age in Samoa is often read as an attempt to popularize anthropology, but to what extent did it also extend and develop it - Essay Example It is evident that Mead’s success in anthropology research depended on a firm foundation laid by Boaz on the discipline. She managed to extend Boaz’s ambition of making anthropology universal by sharing information she gained through books and doing extensive research on Boas pioneered disciplines such as cultural anthropology, nature versus nurture issues, emotional turbulence and biological development and adolescent issues. Boas maintained a viewpoint that human nature and the actions people portray emanate from civilization constraints. To ascertain his theory, Boas instructed Mead to establish if the poignant stress and turmoil that American adolescents in Samoa undergo had cultural or biological influence. Mead researched on Boas hypothesis by working as an ethnographer in American Samoa (Margaret, n.d., p. 54). In response, Mead launched an investigation in the Island of Samoa living among the society members and fulfilling all their cultural requirements as she compiled results on adolescents’ girls’ behaviors within Samoa. Mead recorded an analysis of her results in book â€Å"Coming of Age in Samoa†, published in 1928. In her study results, Mead established that youth concerns were neither constraining nor stressful among Samoan teenagers and adults. She carried out the research to from twenty-five teenage women in three villages of Samoa. Her comments indicated that the perceived time and stress, which adolescents’ experience, are because of cultural restraints. Mead’s comments supported the view that young people from different social and cultural arrangements within Samoa were free from caused stress characters that are characteristic of adolescence stage of development. Stress-free adolescence was because of total casualness or lack of concern towards youth issues. Adolescence stress was limited to and experienced by royal families such as chief’s wives and daughters. On the contrary, ordinary girls from

Lord Capulet Essay Example for Free

Lord Capulet Essay Within the scene where Capulet is crossed by Tybalt at his masked ball, Capulet differs again. His mood suddenly changes from being humorous and charming to being hot headed and flying of the handle. I believe he is short tempered and is unable to control it; he becomes very angry towards Tybalt. Why, how now, kinsman! Wherefore storm you so? This demonstrates to the audience how infuriating he can be. I speculate the audiences learn that Capulet is a changeable character, as he is logical and caring but he becomes deadly serious when someone tries to challenge him. He assumes people should respect his authority. In act three, Lord Capulet informs his wife about the proposal. Lady Capulet deems Juliet will be overjoyed with the news hath sorted out a sudden day of joy that thou expectst not nor I lookd not for she has a positive view to marriage and feels all she needs is a man. She reveals the news to Juliet. At first Juliet considers the proposal as good news. But she then says she would rather marry her enemy than marry Paris. This is amusing because she has previously married her enemy, Romeo, in secret. I will not marry yet; and, when I do, I swear, I shall be Romeo, whom you know I hate, rather than Paris This shows Juliet is intensely in love with Romeo. Lady Capulet says here comes your father; tell him yourself. I imagine she wouldnt tell him, Presuming Capulet will go insane. As he evidently did so, I will drag thee on a hurdle thither, out, you green- sickness carrion! Out, you baggage! You tallow -face! This demonstrates how contrasting his thoughts really are, he can not believe she is being so ungrateful. Previously He was praising her up, saying how dearly he loves her and how divine she is. But now he states she is worthless that Juliet is like a curse and wishes she was no longer here. In addition he told Paris that it was Juliets decision if shed like to marry him. He went back on his word and gave Juliet no choice of the matter, using his authority to over rule her, this is proof he was contradicting himself. In this time women were owned by their fathers until their time of marriage when they became property of their husbands. Capulets goal was to find a suitable match for his darling daughter, having so Juliet refused and Capulet became immoral, he bellowed wicked things to Juliet, which today no father would dare say. I presuppose Capulet thinks he has the right to speak to his daughter in such a way because she is his property I dont think this is right, nobody should be spoken to in that manner. I sense Juliet was distressed because of this. Ill to the friar, to know his remedy if all else fail, myself have power to die Lord Capulet is an over powering man, he demands and receives what he wishes, no matter if he hurts someones feelings, especially his own fl esh and bloods. Overall I have discussed that Lord Capulet has two completely opposite sides to him. He can be kind, loving, and charming, e.g. scene one, but he can soon flip to becoming unmistakably hot- headed, controlling and malicious preparing us for his actions in scene five.

Structure of the Male Reproductive System

Structure of the Male Reproductive System New chapter 35 The Male Reproductive System INTRODUCTION The male reproductive system has three principal functions: The differentiation and maintenance of the primary and secondary sex characteristics under the influence of the hormone testos ­terone, made in the testes. Spermatogenesis—the creation of the male gametes inside the testes. The penile delivery of sperm from the testes into the female’s vagina in the act of procre ­ation. This includes penile erection and ejaculation. SYSTEM STRUCTURE The male reproductive system comprises not only the male genitals, but also the cranial structures that help regulate the performance of the male re ­productive system—namely, the hypothalamus and pituitary. At the hypothalamic and pituitary level, however, male and female anatomy and histology are more or less the same. For more details on the hy ­pothalamic and pituitary structures involved in hu ­man reproduction, see Chapter 36. In the section that follows, we will focus on the anatomy and histology of the testes, the penis, and the ductal connections between the testes and penis. The Testes The male gonads, or testes, are suspended from the perineum in an external contractile sac called the scrotum (Figure 37.1A). Each testis is about 4 cm long, and the testes are perfused by the spermatic arteries. The spermatic arteries are closely apposed with the spermatic venous plexus, and this close contact al ­lows countercurrent heat exchange between artery and vein, cooling the blood that flows to the testes. Countercurrent heat exchange helps keep the testic ­ular temperature cool enough for optimal spermato ­genesis (1 °C to 2 °C cooler than body temperature). The external location of the testes in the scrotum serves as a second important cooling mechanism. Because the testes develop within the abdomen, they descend into the scrotum during fetal life, reaching the deep inguinal rings around week 28 of gestation and inhab ­iting the scrotum by birth. In some instances (3% of the time in full-term male infants), the testes do not descend—a condition called c ryptorchidism. Cryp ­torchidism must be corrected if the male is to have properly functioning, fertile gonads. The testes are composed of coiled seminiferous tubules embedded in connective tissue (see Figure 37.1B). The connective tissue, which makes up about 20% of the testicular mass, contains Leydig cells, which make testosterone. The seminiferous tubules, constituting 80% of the testicular mass, generate the sperm. The tubules contain two main cell types: spermatogonia and Sertoli cells. Sper ­matogonia are the germ cells that undergo meiosis to give rise to spermatids, the immediate precursors to spermatozoa. The copious cytoplasm of the Sertoli cells completely envelops and protects the spermatids, sealing them off from any contact with the tubules’ outer basement membrane or blood supply. This Sertoli sheath hence forms a blood-testis barrier to protect the male gametes from any harmful bloodborne agents, and to prevent the immune system from attacking the unique sperm-specific proteins as though they were foreign anti ­gens. By virtue of their position between the blood and the spermatids, the Sertoli cells also transport nutrients, oxygen, and hormones, such as testos ­terone, to the spermatids. Figure 37.1 Anatomy of the male reproductive system. A. Overview. B. A closer look at the testis. C. The ducts of the reproductive system shown in isolation. The ducts arising from both testes are depicted, converging on the posterior urethra inside the prostate gland. The spermatogonia sit outside the blood-testis barrier near the basement membrane. Here, they continuously conduct mitosis. The products of mitosis are pushed toward the tubule lumen and undergo meiosis and differentiation into sperm cells. The Sertoli barrier is fluid and accommodates the passage of cells developing into spermatids. The testes make around 120 million sperm a day. As they differentiate, the sperm migrate into the tubule lu ­men for transport distally to the rete testis, a plexus of ducts that collects sperm from each of roughly 900 seminiferous tubules. The rete testis empties into the epididymis, a single coiled tubule running from the top of the testis down its posterior aspect. In the epididymis, sperm are stored and undergo maturation before continuing their voyage outside the testis. The Ducts and Penis Each epididymis leads to a long, straight tube called the vas deferens (see Figure 37.1C). The vas deferens from the epididymis of each testis rises in the scrotum, ranges laterally through the inguinal canals, runs along the pelvic wall toward the poste ­rior, and descends along the posterior aspect of the bladder. Here the two vas deferens tubes widen into ampullae, which are attached to glands called the seminal vesicles. (There are two seminal vesicles, one for each vas deferens.) The seminal vesicles se ­crete more than half the volume of the semen. The two ampullae each send an ejaculatory duct through the prostate gland, and the ejaculatory ducts join the urethra inside the tissue of the prostate gland. From this point onward, the male urethra serves as part of both the reproductive and urinary tracts, unlike female anatomy, in which the reproductive and urinary tracts are completely separate. Male physiol ­ogy ensures that micturition and ejaculation do not occur simult aneously. The urethra next passes through the muscle tissue of the urogenital diaphragm, a consciously controllable sphincter. Sitting just under the urogen ­ital diaphragm are the bulbourethral glands (also called Cowper’s glands), which lubricate the urethra with mucus. Finally, the urethra enters the penis. The cylindrical penis houses the urethra in erectile tissue, which helps effect the transition between the excretory and reproductive functions of the urethra (Figure 37.2). This erectile tissue contains cavernous sinuses that fill with blood under circumstances of increased penile blood flow, leading to erection of the penis. When erect, the penis may be inserted into the vagina so that sperm may be delivered to the fallop ­ian tubes. Figure 37.2 Cross-section of the penis. The erectile tissue is present in three cylinders inside the penis, each called a corpus cavernosum and together called the corpora cavernosa. Two of the corpora lie dorsally and are sheathed by the ischio ­cavernosus muscles. One lies ventrally and is sheathed by the bulbospongiosus muscle. The ventral corpus cavernosum is also called the corpus spongiosum, and it is special in that it contains the urethra and forms the glans penis, the spongy head of the penis. The corpora are each supplied by a cavernous artery that gives out helicine arteries. The penis averages 8.8 cm (3.5 in) in length when flaccid and 12.9 cm (5.1 in) when erect, indicating no correlation between flaccid and erect size. SYSTEM FUNCTION Just as the female reproductive system is coor ­dinated by the hypothalamus and pituitary, the activities of the male reproductive system are coor ­dinated by the HPG axis, in this case the hypothala ­mic-pituitary-testicular (HPT) axis (Figure 37.3). (The gonadal HPT axis is not to be confused with the hy ­pothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis, also labeled HPT.) The male axis shares with the female the exact same hypothalamic hormone, gonadotropin- releasing hormone (GnRH), and the same pituitary go ­nadotropins, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). (The gonadotropins are named for their female reproductive functions, but they act in the male nonetheless.) The same array of gonadal steroid hormones that is produced by the ovary is also synthesized by the male reproductive system, but in different proportions. Because of differential expression of enzymes in the steroid synthesis pathway, the female gonad makes predom ­inantly progesterone and est rogen, while the male gonad predominantly makes the androgen steroid hormone testosterone. Testosterone inhibits the secretion of GnRH, LH, and FSH in a classic negative-feedback loop. Figure 37.3 Hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis. Plus signs represent stimulation; minus signs represent inhibition. The HPT Axis GnRH is the initial driver of testicular function. It is secreted in a pulsatile fashion (one pulse every 1 to 3 hours) and distributes to the pituitary gonadotrophs through the hypothalamic-pituitary portal circula- tion. There, the releasing hormone stimulates the LH- and FSH-secreting cells. Each GnRH pulse directly prompts an LH pulse from the gonadotrophs. More frequent or larger-amplitude GnRH pulses result in more frequent or larger-amplitude LH pulses. GnRH also increases FSH release, but the correlation between GnRH and FSH release is not as exact. LH acts on the Leydig cells. The LH signal is transduced by a seven- transmembrane receptor linked through a G protein to adenylyl cyclase, which produces cAMP. LH-dependent elevations in cAMP promote testosterone synthesis from cholesterol and promote the growth of Leydig cells. Testosterone synthesis is increased by the activation and increased expression of key proteins involved in steroidogenesis, such as the steroidogenic acute regu ­latory protein (StAR). StAR shuttles cholesterol into steroid-manufacturing cells. The Leydig cells of the testis are unique in their ability to make testosterone in large amounts (Figure 37.4). While the zona reticulata cells of the adrenal gland also make androgens, the adrenal pathway stops at androstenedione, the im ­mediate precursor to testosterone. (Some peripheral tissues can make testosterone from androstenedione in small amounts.) FSH, meanwhile, binds to receptors on the Sertoli cells, activating the production of proteins involved in spermatogenesis. FSH also stimulates glucose metabolism, thereby providing energy to the sperm precursors. (Spermatogenesis will be discussed in more detail below.) Finally, FSH upregu ­lates the expression of the androgen receptor in Sertoli cells, thereby potentiating the influence of testosterone upon spermatogenesis. Like all steroids, testosterone binds an intracel ­lular receptor, which binds DNA transcription factors and influences gene expression. The distribution of testosterone receptors in the body tissues deter ­mines the targets of testosterone action. In addition, target tissues express an enzyme that converts testos ­terone to its more active form, dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This enzyme is 5à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¡-reductase. DHT binds more avidly to the androgen receptor than does testos ­terone itself. Testosterone from the Leydig cells passes through the Sertoli cells and into the seminif ­erous tubules, where, alongside FSH, it promotes spermatogenesis. The Sertoli cells make androgen-binding protein (ABP), which helps them to retain testosterone. Testosterone also acts systemically, promoting growth and sustaining gene expression in many peripheral tissues. Testosterone is transported in the blood by sex hormone-binding protein (SHBP), also called sex hormone-binding globulin, a liv er-produced carrier protein that is structurally similar to ABP. It is thought that testosterone and SHBP itself may act at cell membrane receptors, in addition to testosterone’s genomic effects. This is parallel to the genomic and nongenomic modes of signal transduc ­tion employed by thyroid hormone. Finally, testosterone inhibits GnRH and go ­nadotropin secretion. Thus, testosterone limits its own production and action. Inhibin from the Sertoli cells also inhibits the pituitary and hypothalamus. Inhibin is a TGF-à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¢ glycoprotein hormone. Investiga ­tions suggest that additional feedback mechanisms link Sertoli cell behavior with Leydig cell behavior. Table 37.1 summarizes the actions of testosterone. Table 37.1 Testosterone Actions The Expression of Male Sex Characteristics The male reproductive system begins to function during embryonic life. As soon as the testes form and are capable of secreting testosterone, the androgen begins to act on the body tissues. At this stage, the hormone differentiates the fetus into a male with the appropriate primary sex characteristics—the male genitals. At puberty, testosterone causes sustained expression of the secondary sex characteristics, which are gender-based phenotypes other than the genitals, such as hair growth, muscle development, and a low voice. Fetal Life and Infancy (Primary Sex Characteristics) While the testes do act in utero, they cannot act before they have formed, and they do not form right away. In fact, before 6 weeks of gestation, the gonads of geno ­typically male or female embryos have not begun to differentiate into either ovaries or testes. The so-called â€Å"indifferent gonad† has an inner medullary (male) and an outer cortical (female) layer. In addition, the anatomic precursors of both males (the Wolffian ducts) and females (the Mà ¼llerian ducts) are present. Only at 6 to 8 weeks of gestation is male sexual devel ­opment initiated by the SRY gene, a gene on the short arm of the Y chromosome. SRY encodes a zinc finger DNA-binding protein called testis determining factor (TDF). Under the influence of TDF, the medullae of the indifferent gonads develop while the cortices regress. The previously indifferent gonads differentiate into testes: embryonic germ cells form spermatogonia, coelomic epitheli al cells form Sertoli cells (6 to 7 weeks of gestation), and mesenchymal stromal cells form Leydig cells (8 to 9 weeks of gestation). Now the testes can begin to act. The Sertoli cells secrete a Mà ¼llerian-inhibiting factor (MIF), which causes regression of the Mà ¼llerian ducts. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)—which is structurally related to LH—stimulates the Leydig cells to prolifer ­ate and secrete testosterone. The testosterone is reduced to DHT in target tissues by 5à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¡-reductase. As long as target tissues contain the androgen receptor and 5à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¡-reductase, DHT induces those tissues to form the primary male sex characteristics, the male repro ­ductive organs. Under the influence of DHT, the Wolffian ducts differentiate into the epididymis, vas deferens, and seminal vesicles. The genital tubercle transforms into the glans penis, the urethral folds grow into the penile shaft, and the urogenital sinus becomes the prostate gland. Finally, DHT causes the genital swellings to fuse, forming the scrotum. At its peak, the fetal testosterone level reaches 400 ng/dL, but by birth it falls below 50 ng/dL. There is a brief spike in the male infant’s testosterone level between 4 and 8 weeks after birth, but its function is not well understood. Otherwise, the testosterone level remains low throughout childhood, until puberty. Puberty and Beyond (Secondary Sex Characteristics) Puberty is the process by which males and females achieve reproductive capacity, and it begins in both sexes with an increase in hypothalamic GnRH secre ­tion. It is possible that this increase is in response to decreasing hypothalamic sensitivity to testos ­terone’s negative-feedback effects. As the child ap ­proaches adolescence, the hypothalamus gradually escapes inhibition and GnRH secretion rises. LH and FSH secretion in turn rise, and testosterone secretion from the testes increases. Gradual maturation of hypothalamic neurons probably plays a role in this pubertal change in GnRH secretion. Increased testicular production of testosterone and other androgens at puberty has a host of effects. The earliest one is enlargement of the penis and testes. From the beginning to the end of puberty, the testicular volume more than quadruples. Spermato ­genesis commences (with testosterone effects per ­haps being most important on the spermatids), and the prostate gland is stimulated to grow. Growth oc ­curs in many tissues outside the reproductive system as well. Androgens are anabolic steroids; they promote the storage of energy in complex molecules. While an ­drogens promote protein synthesis, an anabolic hor ­mone like insulin has a greater effect on the formation of complex carbohydrates and fats. Increased protein synthesis is associated with the growth of skeletal muscle, bones, skin, and hair (pubic, axillary, facial, chest, arms, and legs) and the growth of the larynx (which deepens the voice and causes the thyroid car ­tilage, or Adam’s apple, to protrude). Men on average have around 50% more muscle mass than women; they have stronger, denser bone matrices and thicker skin. Muscle does not contain 5à ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ ¡-reductase, so it ap ­pears that testosterone, not DHT, promotes muscular protein anabolism. However, testosterone or DHT may promote muscular anabolism via extramuscular effects, such as the stimulation of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) production. Collectively, the development of the secondary sex characteristics is called virilization (after the Latin vir for man). It appears that while testosterone promotes all of these effects—genital growth and spermatogenesis, hair growth, behavioral changes, and anabolism in peripheral tissues—certain andro ­gen precursors, metabolic byproducts, and pharma ­ceutical androgen analogs preferentially serve peripheral anabolism. Many of these metabolites and drugs are abused by bodybuilders and athletes. (See Clinical Application Box The Use and Abuse of An ­abolic Steroids.) Testosterone, combined with a genetic predis ­position, also influences hair growth on the head. Male-pattern baldness typically begins with a de ­crease in hair growth on the top of the head and progresses to a complete lack of hair growth extend ­ing from the top of the head down. Both factors, the androgens and the genes, are necessary for baldness to occur; a man without the genetic predisposition will not become bald regardless of his testosterone level. A woman with the genetic predisposition will usually not become bald unless she suffers from excess androgen production. Similarly, a castrated male with low testosterone levels will not become bald even if he has a genetic predisposition. Once testosterone levels rise during puberty, they reach a plateau and remain elevated until a man reaches his seventies, when they begin to decline. This event, called the male climacteric, may create some symptoms resembling those of female menopause. However, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is not commonly used to treat these symp ­toms. One reason is that men in this age group are at increased risk for prostate cancer. Because testos ­terone has proliferative effects on the prostate, HRT might further increase the risk of prostate cancer. While testosterone does promote spermatogenesis, this testicular function is remarkably well preserved in men even after the climacteric. The Haploid Life Cycle in the Male As mentioned above, spermatogenesis begins with puberty and continues into the eighth decade of life. Spermatogenesis has three phases: sperma ­tocytogenesis, during which the primordial sper ­matogonia divide by mitosis and differentiate into spermatocytes; meiosis, resulting in four haploid gametes called spermatids, each with a quarter of the cytoplasm of the original spermatogonium (see Chapter 36); and spermiogenesis, during which the spermatids are nourished and physically reshaped by the surrounding Sertoli cells. The product of spermiogenesis is spermatozoa, or sperm (Figure 37.5). After spermiogenesis, the epididymis and repro ­ductive tract glands help prepare the sperm for fertilization. Spermatocytogenesis and Meiosis The evolving group of cells spanning from spermatogonia to sper ­matozoa is sometimes called the spermatogenic series. Not all spermatogonia enter into the sper ­matogenic series. If they did, they would be con ­sumed—as happens to the oogonia in the ovary, eventually leading to menopause. Instead, the testis csontinually replenishes its own supply of spermato ­gonia. As they undergo mitosis, some of the new ones are committed to the spermatogenic series, while some remain undifferentiated. The undifferen- tiated stem cells are called type A spermatogonia, and the differentiated spermatogonia committed to becom ­ing spermatocytes are called type B spermatogonia. Once this allocation of mitotic products into one group or another occurs, spermatocytogenesis con ­tinues as follows. Type A spermatogonia remain on the outside of the blood-testis barrier, while type B spermatogonia cross it, becoming enveloped by the cytoplasmic processes of the Sertoli cells. These type B spermatogonia differentiate further and enlarge to become primary spermatocytes. The primary sperma ­tocytes then enter meiosis, a process that takes around 3.5 weeks to complete, almost all of which is spent in prophase (when the newly replicated chro ­mosomes condense). Each primary spermatocyte di ­vides into two secondary spermatocytes, which in turn divide again into a total of four haploid spermatids. Each spermatid contains either an X chromosome or a Y chromosome. The male’s gamete thus decides the sex of his offspring. Spermiogenesis Spermiogenesis begins once the spermatids are created and delivered into the em ­brace of the amoeboid Sertoli cells (Figure 37.6). The spermatid elongates and reorganizes its nuclear and cytoplasmic contents into a spermatozoon with a dis ­tinct head and tail. The head consists of a condensed nucleus surrounded by a thin layer of cytoplasm. The rest of the retained cytoplasm and cell membrane is shifted toward the opposite end of the sperm, the tail. A large amount of the spermatid’s cytoplasm is shed into the surrounding Sertoli cell during spermiogene ­sis. As the transformed sperm is extruded into the seminiferous tubule lumen, the discarded cytoplasm remains embedded in the cytoplasm of the Sertoli cell, where it is ultimately phagocytized. Figure 37.6 Spermiogenesis The structure of sperm cells enables them to swim up the female reproductive tract and fertilize oocytes. The tail of a sperm contains a flagellum for motility. Originating from one of the centrioles of the sperm cells, the flagellum consists of a central skele ­ton of microtubules called the axoneme. The axoneme is arranged in the ancient 9 + 2 pattern characteristic of eukaryotic cilia and flagella across all kingdoms and phyla of life: 9 pairs of microtubules surrounding 2 central tubules, linked via a complex array of protein bridges. The sperm cell’s mitochondria aggregate along the proximal end of the flagellum and supply energy for movement to the flagellum. The flagellum enables the sperm to swim. The anterior two thirds of the head of the sperm cell is surrounded by a thick capsule known as the acrosome, formed from the Golgi apparatus. The Golgi apparatus contains numerous hydrolytic and proteolytic enzymes, similar to those found in lysosomes, and ultimately facilitates the sperm’s penetration of the egg for fertilization. There is also evidence to suggest a role for the acrosomal enzymes in penetrating the mucus of the female cervix. Epididymal Sperm Maturation and Storage After spermiogenesis is complete, the sperm pass out of the testis (through the rete testis) and into the epi ­didymis, where growth and differentiation continue. After the first 24 hours in the epididymis, the sperm acquire the potential for motility. However, the epithelial cells of the epididymis secrete inhibitory proteins that suppress this potential. Thus, the 120 million sperm produced each day in the seminiferous tubules are stored in the epididymis, as well as in the vas deferens and ampulla. The sperm can remain in these excretory genital ducts in a deeply suppressed and inactive state for over a month without losing their potential fertility. The epididymis also secretes a special nutrient fluid that is ultimately ejaculated with the sperm and is thought to mature the sperm. This fluid contains hormones, enzymes (such as glycosyltransferases and glycosidases), and nutrients that are essential to achieving fertilization. The precise function of many of these factors is not known, but enzymes like gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase are thought to serve as antioxidants defending against mutations in the sperm. Potentiation in the Ejaculate The accessory genital glands—the seminal vesicles, prostate gland, and bulbourethral glands—also contribute to potentia ­tion. During ejaculation, their secretions dilute the epididymal inhibitory proteins, allowing the sperm’s motile potential to be realized. In addition, the glands make individual contributions to sperm preparation and support. The seminal vesicles secrete semen, a mucoid yellowish material containing nutrients and sperm-activating substances such as fructose, cit ­rate, inositol, prostaglandins, and fibrinogen. Carbo ­hydrates such as fructose provide a source of energy for the sperm mitochondria as they power the sperm’s flagellar movements. The prostaglandins are believed to aid the sperm by affecting the female gen ­ital tract—making the cervical mucus more receptive to the sperm, and dampening the peristaltic contrac ­tions of the uterus and fallopian tubes to prevent them from expellin g the sperm. The prostate gland secretes a thin, milky, and al ­kaline fluid during ejaculation that mixes with the contents of the vas deferens. The prostatic secretion contains calcium, zinc, and phosphate ions, citrate, acid phosphatase, and various clotting enzymes. The clotting enzymes react with the fibrinogen of the seminal fluid, forming a weak coagulum that glues the semen inside the vagina and facilitates the passage of sperm through the cervix in larger numbers. The al ­kalinity imparted to semen by the prostate counter ­acts vaginal acidity, which is a natural defense against microbial pathogens and which can kill sperm or impair sperm motility. By titrating the acid ­ity, the prostate ensures that the sperm can elude this antimicrobial defense. Capacitation in the Female Reproductive Tract Ejaculated sperm is not immediately capable of fertilizing the female oocyte. In the first few hours after ejaculation, the spermatozoa must undergo capacitation inside the female reproductive tract. This is the final step in preparation for fertilization. First, the fluids of the female reproductive tract wash away more of the inhibitory factors of the male geni ­tal fluid. The flagella of the sperm hence act more readily, producing the whiplash motion that is needed for the sperm to swim to the oocyte in the fallopian tube. Second, the cell membrane of the head of the sperm is modified in preparation for the ultimate acrosomal reaction and penetration of the oocyte. Capacitation is an incompletely understood phenomenon. Fertilization Once capacitated, the spermatozoa travel to the oocyte. There is an enormous rate of at ­trition among the hundreds of millions of ejaculated sperm, and at most a few hundred reach the oocyte. However, the female reproductive tract is simultane ­ously increasing receptivity to the male gametes (see Chapter 36). When the few hundred sperm reach the egg, they begin to try to penetrate the granulosa cells surrounding the secondary oocyte. The sperm’s acrosome contains hyaluronidase and proteolytic enzymes, which open this path. As the anterior mem ­brane of the acrosome reaches the zona pellucida (the glycoprotein coat surrounding the oocyte), it rapidly dissolves and releases the acrosomal enzymes. Within minutes, these enzymes open a pathway through the zona pellucida for the sperm cytoplasm to merge with the oocyte cytoplasm. From beginning to end, the process of fertilization takes about half an hour. Figure 37.7 Sexual response and changes in the penis. Penile Erection and Ejaculation The practice of internal fertilization, in which the male deposits gametes directly into the reproductive tract of the female, is at least 300 million years old. Early cartilaginous fishes probably were its innova ­tors. These elasmobranchs retained their concepti internally until the eggs could be waterproofed and thus protected from the osmotic stress of seawater. Eventually, almost all the higher vertebrates would practice internal fertilization for the sake of defending the next generation. For this reason, the male vertebrate possesses a special apparatus for penetrating the body of the female and delivering semen to an internal location. There are two physiologic events crucial to this in ­ternal delivery of semen: penile erection, which makes it possible for the penis to penetrate the vagina, bringing the urethral opening, or meatus, into close contact with the female cervix; and ejaculation, in which the semen is secreted into the male repro ­ductive ductal system, mixed with sperm, and then mechanically squirted out of the penis. Both of these events are initiated and controlled by the nervous system in connection with the subjective state of sexual arousal. Sexual Response in the Male William H. Masters and Virginia E. Johnson in 1966 described four phases of sexual response

The Treaty of Versailles Questions and Answers

The Treaty of Versailles Questions and Answers Core Assessment 2 1. What did Wilson hope to achieve from the Peace Settlement of 1919-1920? (4) Woodrow Wilson was an idealist and hoped to achieve the 14 points at the peace settlement of 1919-1920. One point that he wanted to achieve was self-determination for all nations but specifically for smaller Eastern states. Another thing in which he wanted was to set up the league of nations and, among other things wanted Alsace-Lorraine returned to France and freedom of the seas. He also wanted to stop any more secret treaties from being made, and disarmament across all countries.   A big thing that Wilson wanted was not to treat Germany too harshly as he did not want any future wars. 2. Why did Clemenceau and Lloyd George disagree over how to treat Germany? (6) One reason why Lloyd George and Clemenceau disagreed over how to treat Germany was because of how their countries had been affected economically. Lloyd George did not want to treat Germany too harshly as he wanted to resume trade with Germany as soon as possible mainly because Germany had been its 2nd largest trading partner. Lloyd George wanted to use the money that Britain made from trading with Germany to fund the growth of the British Empire.   He also wanted to keep Germany politically stable so that extremist groups would not form in Germany, take control and start another war. No one wanted any further conflict as the war was so devastating. However, Clemenceau wanted to punish Germany very harshly through forcing them to pay reparations to France in money and if they dont have that then they would take land from Germany. The reason for Clemenceau wanting such a strong punishment was because France had suffered very high civilian casualties which were far higher than what th e UK had suffered. This was because most of the war had been fought on Frances land and this had made France loathe Germany and want revenge on it, this had also greatly lowered the morale of the French people. Also, France had suffered particularly large economic and industrial problems and so it wanted to use the reparations provided by Germany to resolve these problems and improve the morale of the French people. Another reason why Lloyd George and Clemenceau disagreed over how to treat Germany was because France saw Germany as a hostile and powerful threat to their country. This was because most of World War 1 had been fought on French soil and in 1871 in the Franco-Prussian war Germany took Alsace-Lorraine away from France. France had 1.7 million casualties by the end of World War 1 which was 2/3 of all the men that had fought for it in the war, this meant that the public of France wanted Germany to pay as they had all lost someone special and they held Germany responsible for this. Clemenceau wanted to cripple Germany so that it no longer posed a threat to France. On the other hand, Britain had sustained far less physical damage and so it was not seeking to cripple Germany for revenge. Lloyd George still wanted to make Germany pay but he did not want to be too harsh on it.   This may have been because France shared a border with Germany whereas Britain was only connected to Germany via t he sea and so the threat was much greater and nearer to home for France than it was in Britain. Therefore, this was why Clemenceau and Lloyd George disagreed over how to treat Germany. 3. The Treaty of Versailles was a fair settlement. How far do you agree? (10) Some people think that the Treaty of Versailles was a fair settlement and there is evidence to support both sides. Many of these people think that the Treaty of Versailles was a fair settlement because Germany was blamed for starting the war. This meant that as they were responsible for causing the destruction of land, buildings, economies and peoples lives, they should have to be the ones who paid compensation to the allied countries in the form of reparations. The Treaty of Versailles also formed a demilitarised zone in the Rhineland and Alsace Loraine was given to France. To many people, this was seen to be fair as it prevented Germany from being aggressive towards France again like it had been in the past such as in 1871 in the Franco-Prussian war when Germany took Alsace-Lorraine away from France. The Rhineland is the German part of land between itself and France and so by not being allowed to have any military in this area it provided France with some reassurance that Germany would no longer pose a threat. The restrictions in Germanys army, navy and air force was also seen by many to be fai r as it reduced the threat of war and made other countries such as Britain feel slightly safer as Germany was limited to only 6 battleships which would mean that Germany would not have the strength to attack Britain through the seas. Finally, lots of people believe that the Treaty of Versailles was a fair settlement as when Russia decided to pull out of the war, Germany punished it very harshly through the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk and so it was only fair that Germany have the same level of punishment. All of these reasons make many people believe that the Treaty of Versailles was a fair settlement. However, other people may not think that the Treaty of Versailles was a fair settlement because of Article 231, which placed all of the blame for starting the war onto Germany. They argue that the war had actually started because of the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand leading to Austria-Hungary going to war with Russia and that Germany was only defending her ally Austria-Hungary. These people also think that the reparations in which Germany was made to pay were very unfair. This is because if it were not for the young plan of 1929, Germany would not have finished paying off its reparations until 1984. This was 66 years after World War 1 had ended! Other people also feel that the limitations on Germanys army, navy and air force were very unfair as they had been Germanys pride and joy and by losing this she felt weak, humiliated and vulnerable to other countries surrounding her which had not been forced to limit its army. By having its navy limited to only 6 battleships, Germany fe lt that this left its waters un-defendable especially to Britain which had the largest navy in the world which was mainly due to the fact that it is an island. Furthermore, some people feel that stripping Germany of its raw materials and industry was very unfair because of the long term effects in which it would have on its economy. The Treaty of Versailles made Germany lose 12.5% of its population which meant that it lost a lot of its workers and it lost the Saar coalfields to France. This had provided Germany with 16% of its coal and so it was no wonder that some people, particularly Germany, felt that the Treaty of Versailles was a very unfair settlement. In conclusion, it could be argued that the Treaty of Versailles was a fair or unfair settlement, however, the above arguments suggest that the Treaty of Versailles was overall unfair towards Germany. This is proven by history as the young plan had to be formed in 1929 due to Germany not being able to otherwise pay off the reparations demanded by the allies until 1984 and the fact that in 1945 there was a second world war and so it is hardly surprising that many people believe that the Treaty of Versailles was an unfair settlement.

Americans Will Never Accept a License to Drink Law :: Argumentative Persuasive Argument Essays

Americans Will Never Accept a License to Drink Law Mike Brake’s â€Å"Needed: A License to Drink† has many claims, but the thesis is anything but qualified. In my opinion, this is a story that explains the desperation of a man who had family members close to him pass away due to alcoholism. The author believes everyone must take a course and a final test to see whether they should be allowed to purchase alcoholic beverages or not, with a certain alcohol license issued when they pass the course. Even if this so-called drinking license were to become a law, the truth still remains that people will always find ways to get alcohol. Do you honestly believe such a ludicrous idea would work in today’s society? When I read this article, I was astonished to find out somebody would even think of such an outrageous idea like making people take tests to get an alcohol license. â€Å"Addiction to alcohol is one of the primary public-health problems in the United States. It causes more than 19,000 auto fatalities each year and it is responsible for more than a third of deaths from drowning and fire† (135). Any one of those people could have simply been at a wedding or casual get together in which they had alcohol. I know that does not mean they have an alcohol addiction problem and should be required to have a drinking license. Even though nobody close to me has ever died due to alcoholism, like the author’s past experiences, I simply cannot see anything this strict going into effect, especially here in America. This is still America where people come to live for our freedom. This plan would definitely fail due to people’s constitutional rights. This country’s backbone was built on people’s freedoms, and this idea of having a license to drink would definitely try to restrict far too many people that should not be restricted. What says every single person of the 19,000 had an alcohol addiction problem? In addition, even back when prohibition was taking place, people got around that obstacle by making their own alcohol behind the walls of their houses. If people were to do that today, it could become very dangerous. People could mix the wrong amount of ingredients together and come up with a deadly concoction, or neighbors could fight for their alcohol when people become desperate and try to steal each other’s alcohol.

A Defense Of Individualism Based On Foydor Dostoevskys Novel:notes F E

Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel, NOTES FROM THE UNDERGROUND, has held many labels, such as being a case history of nuerosis or a specimen of modern tragedy. The most popular label it has obtained however, is being the author's defense of individualism. The novel is writen as a performance, part triad, part memoir, by a nameless personage who claims to be writing for hiomself but consistently maipulates the reader--of whom he is morbidly aware-- to the point where there seems to be no judgement the reader can make which has not already been made by the writer himself. The underground man is represenative as a product of individaul pathology or a biographical accident. He is "one of the characters of our recent past," part of a generation that is living out its days among us. Internal eveidence makes it clear that his generation is of the 1840s. He shows the fate of the isolated petty clerk and Dostoevkian dreamer twenty years after, surveying his wasted life in the new spiritual climate of the 1860s and at the same time finding justification for his own grotesque being in the simplistic views of the human nature now current. IN the first part of the novel, the underground man describes himself and his views, and attempts, as it were, to clarify the reasons why he appeared and is bound in our midst. The mention of his self and his views raise thequestion of how the two are related. Are we to understand his views as the product of his wasted life or independently? There...

Poverty and Child Development Essay -- essays research papers fc

From the very second I was born, until this very day, I had understood life to be a certain way. Life had taken its course and my family, as well as myself, have suffered ups and downs. We’ve been through times which were good and which were the worst of the worst – all families do. What I didn’t know is that regardless of the good and the bad, that the life I lived was sheltered to the point where I couldn’t fathom the idea that all people had not lived a life similar to ours. Sure, I understand that some were more fortunate and some were less fortunate, but to which extent? Within my circle of influence, our friends and family, there was a certain level at which we enjoyed our lives in a comfortable sense. We’d occasionally see a homeless person on the subway or in the city, but I never knew that there was a whole class of people in between. I’ve always heard of poverty and didn’t know much more about it except for the fact that peo ple existed that were less fortunate, those who lived in this supposed poverty.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Jonathan Kozol’s book â€Å"Amazing Grace† depicts the issues that face families who are living in a world of poverty, homelessness and in a world where less fortunate is an understatement. Kozol writes about his experience in the South Bronx where he comes across some of the most disturbing facts about our fellow human beings. He speaks of families who live in an undernourished, impoverished society where a great majority of the inhabitants have been faced with disease. He visited a building in which one particular family has contracted the HIV virus. A woman contracted AIDS from her husband who she thought was faithful. Her daughter later contracted the deadly virus when she was raped by the father. In fact, in his conversation with a nurse who takes care of Alice Washington, a woman that Kozol interviews, in this building there are â€Å"Including the children, maybe 27 people† (Kozol p. 13, in Amazing Grace) She continues to say â€Å"The re’s lots of other people have it but don’t know.† People are so under-educated and under-privileged in the society where they live, that they are afraid to even find out if they have contracted the disease. This brings us to another problem that the families here are faced with, deprivation of help from the government.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although Jonathan Kozol implies that there may... ... problems with women who have children out-of-wedlock. Although she defends the fact that they shouldn’t be judged as a whole because of that fact, it seems to me that she feels strongly about traditional family settings including a two parent, heterosexual household. Sidel also comes across as someone who has a hint of religion in her values. Personally, I agree more with the liberal standpoint. I feel that all people should be equal, especially since we’re all citizens of the same city, nation, and world. I believe we should have the same opportunities, almost as much as I believe that those who want to achieve something in live – will take the initiative and shape their destiny to reach their goals. Bibliography Kozol, Jonathan. Amazing Grace. NewYork: Crown, 1995. 1-24. Kozol, Jonathan. Amazing Grace. NewYork: Crown, 1995. 27-54. Sidel, Ruth. â€Å"The Enemy Within† Keeping Women And Children Last. NewYork:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Penguin, 1998. 1-32. Surgrue, J. Thomas. â€Å"Poor Families in an Era of Urban Transformation.† American   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Families. Stephanie Coontz, Maya Parson, Gabrielle Railey, Routledge, 1999.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  243-257.

Letter to Shakespeare Essay

Having studied the play, â€Å"Macbeth†, imagine that letters can be sent to the past and that Shakespeare is living in retirement at Newplace, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. You decide to write him a letter telling him about the success of his play, â€Å"Macbeth†, in the 21st century and this play is still being read and performed and filmed. Dear William Shakespeare, I am writing to you from the 21st century as we have developed a new way which allows us to write letters to people in the past. I am very glad to tell you that your play, â€Å"Macbeth†, has become very successful. People admire what you have done in Macbeth. Macbeth is very relevant today for example we have women like Lady Macbeth, as well as men plotting evil crimes. Macbeth has something we call timeless themes, timeless themes are things that are written about in the past but still occur in every day life and are relevant to people now. The people of the 21st century are very fond of the characters you put into Macbeth. They like how Macbeth changed from a noble character to an evil villain. The thoughts that go through his mind interest them a lot. The way Macbeth’s conscience takes a hold of him and grows to be a hurdle as he progresses through the play. The social and cultural attitudes of people of my time have changed vastly. People in the Elizabethan time respected and feared the monarchy for example in act 5; scene 7, Macbeth’s soldiers were fighting not because they loved him but because they were afraid that he might kill them. The monarchy also had all the power. I am not saying that everyone does not respect the monarchy but the majority of people do not. The people of our time are not scared of the monarchy now either as the people have realised that the parliament have the most power now. The monarchy is more of an iconic figure that shows the heritage of Britain and has a less important role in the running of the country. Macbeth emphasised witchcraft in numerous ways but the thrill for witchcraft has died down in our time. Witchcraft was very popular in your time. Witches were seen as evil creatures e.g. Banquo says â€Å"The earth hath bubbles, as the water has, and these are of them†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This shows that Banquo does not trust the witches and as the general public would think in your time Banquo classes the witches as rare and evil. Most people now do not believe in witchcraft but are still intrested when they read about it in your play. I was intrigued by the witches in the first scene when they started chanting because it grabbed my attention and got the play to a great start. People are now going to the cinema more than they go to the theatre as the theatre is seen as old fashioned now. However you will be pleased to know that you movie is being broadcasted on TV and cinema too. As I said before, your play uses something we call timeless themes. People of our time still enjoy reading all your plays. They love the humour of Midsummer Night’s Dream and cannot get enough of the romance of Romeo and Juliet. They enjoy these plays as they have incidents which are still relevant to us know. Personally I think the reason Macbeth is so popular is because of its successful structure. The structure is simple but very effective. I have realised that you introduced the witches in the first scene to grab the readers’ attention and to keep them interested through the whole play. The witches at the end of the scene say, â€Å"Fare is foul and foul is fare, hover through the fog and the filthy air†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I think you put this bit in to confuse the people watching and make them think about what has been said and keeps the audience’s attention through the rest of the play. Act 3 Scene 5 is the next big scene where the witches get a lot to say. In that scene you have made the witches talk about Macbeth once more. This shows that the witches are intrigued by Macbeth, â€Å"†¦to trade and traffic with Macbeth†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The witches have mixed feelings about what they have done to Macbeth. The witches conversation about Macbeth makes the audience think about what the witches plan on doing next. I was interested and got into the play most when you created dramatic irony in the play for example when the audience knew Macbeth was plotting to kill Banquo. However he was being very nice to Banquo and Banquo had no idea he was walking into a trap. â€Å"Here’s our chief guest† Macbeth said as he talked to Banquo and Lady Macbeth, although he was actually plotting to kill him. You also added in soliloquies into the structure, mainly Macbeth’s. The soliloquies focused on a fight between Macbeth’s guilt and Macbeths ambition, â€Å"Our fears in Banquo stick deep, and in his royalty of nature reigns that which could be feared†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In almost all of the cases Macbeth’s ambition came ahead of the guilt he had. You had put in some very strange characters but managed to fit them in magnificently well. People in your time must have been amazed to see a woman (Lady Macbeth) committing a crime. However, in the 21st century we have women committing crimes almost as frequently as men. Lady Macbeth in your time was unique as she was a villain. It fascinated people then and even though women committing crimes is not rare it still fascinates us now. Witches were very popular in your culture, I understand that King James even wrote a book about them called Demonologie! The witches that intrigued people on your time still have an impact on us even thought it is not the main talking point in our culture. The character of Macbeth is really complicated. His character is what we call a tragic hero. Macbeth was introduced as a brave fighter which really caught the eye of the audience, â€Å"Hail, brave friend†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The evil of the witches changed him completely into a criminal. His ambition to be the king was his downfall and that really shocked the audience. Who would have thought that ambition was a bad thing? The ambition came from the witches’ prophecies which portray them as evil once more. The witches talk in rhyming couplets. The language you used was amazing. You had to describe the surroundings using only speech for example â€Å"How goes the night boy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It worked very well and it shows that you do not need props to describe the surroundings. I have realised that you have used a lot of imagery in your play as well in the form of similes and metaphors, â€Å"like a rat without a tail† It is very effective and adds something new to the plain language in a normal conversation. The Duncan murder scene which you left out was a good decision. I believe that you did not have props to show the murder and also that you thought it would have been disrespectful to the monarchy if you put the scene in. However, people have been making new versions of your play with Duncan’s murder added into it. A man called Roman Polanski made a version of Macbeth with scenes added into it. In Act 2 Scene 1 Polanki puts in different camera angles to portray what certain characters are doing at the time. The castle is full of stair cases and long corridors. When the dagger appears there is strange music going on in the background suggesting Macbeth is going to do the unnatural by killing Duncan. In the same act he also uses a lot of silence to create tension and suspense. He puts a close up on Lady Macbeth to show that she’s trying to keep out of sight from Banquo and Fleance. Polanski uses a great technique to show who is hiding or not. He puts the characters in dark light to show they are not prepared to show their face. Polanski adds extra bits in Scene 1 and Scene 2 of Act 2. He added these bits as it would be easier for the viewer to make sense of the whole play. When Macbeth approaches Duncan’s room, you notice white light coming from it which is to show that he is innocent. As Macbeth gets closer to the room the light begins to flicker showing that Duncan is in trouble. Polanski shows Duncan’s murder in a gruesome manner. Duncan’s death is emphasised by his crown falling to the ground, thus showing that the King is no more. In conclusion as I have mentioned before, your play is very successful. My favourite character is Banquo. I like him as you have portrayed him as an innocent and a noble man. I feel that he is one of the few innocent people all the way through the play because the other characters are changed by evil around them. I loved the moment when Banquo’s ghost came back to haunt Macbeth as it seemed very unnatural. In that moment people at the banquet, including his wife, see Macbeth as cowardly and insane. This was in contrast to the impression people had before when they thought of him as a brave, fearless and noble soldier. Overall the popularity of your play has not died down over the years and your play has been transformed into movies and TV programmes with great success.