Biography of Andres Bonifacio

Andres Bonifacio (1863-1897), a Philippine revolutionary hero, founded the Katipunan, a secret society which spearheaded the uprising against the Spanish and laid the groundwork for the first Philippine Republic. Andres Bonifacio was born in Tondo, Manila, on Nov. 30, 1863. He grew up in the slums and knew from practical experience the actual conditions of the class struggle in his society. Orphaned early, he interrupted his primary schooling in order to earn a living as a craftsman and then as clerk-messenger and agent of foreign commercial firms in Manila.Absorbing the teachings of classic rationalism from the works of Jose Rizal, Victor Hugo's Les Miserables, Eugene Sue's The Wandering Jew, books on the French Revolution, and the lives of the presidents of the United States, Bonifacio acquired an understanding of the dynamics of the socio-historical process. This led him to join the Liga Filipina, which Rizal organized in 1892 for the purpose of uniting and intensifying the nation alist movement for reforms.When the Liga was dissolved upon the arrest and banishment of Rizal, Bonifacio formed the Katipunan in 1892 and thus provided the rallying point for the people's agitation for freedom, independence, and equality. The Katipunan patterned its initiation rites after the Masonry, but its ideological principles derived from the French Revolution and can be judged radical in its materialistic-historical orientation. The Katipunan exalted work as the source of all value.It directed attention to the unjust class structure of the colonial system, the increased exploitation of the indigenous population, and consequently the need to affirm the collective strength of the working masses in order to destroy the iniquitous system. When the society was discovered on Aug. 19, 1896, it had about 10,000 members. On August 23 Bonifacio and his followers assembled at Balintawak and agreed to begin the armed struggle.Two days later the first skirmish took place and a reign of t error by the Spaniards soon followed. Conflict split the rebels into the two groups of Magdiwang and Magdalo in Cavite, on Luzon. Bonifacio was invited to mediate, only to be rebuffed by the clannish middle class of Cavite. Judging Bonifacio's plans as divisive and harmful to unity, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, the elected president of the provisional revolutionary government, ordered the arrest, trial, and execution for â€Å"treason and sedition† of Bonifacio and his brothers.On May 10, 1897, Bonifacio was executed. Contrary to the popular view, the cause of Bonifacio's tragic death at the hands of other Filipino rebels cannot be solely attributed to his own personal pride. Rather, the correlation of class forces and the adventurist tendency of Bonifacio's group led to his isolation and subsequently to Aguinaldo's compromises with the American military invaders.

Childhood Obesity: Causes, Effects and Current Solutions

Over the past 30 years childhood obesity has been increasing at an alarming rate. With working parents, technology, and processed foods; children are eating more and are less active then ever seen in the past. Obesity is hitting youth so hard that health experts warn that this generation of children will be the first to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents (Afterschool Alliance, 2006). This paper is intended to explain current issues surrounding childhood obesity, and touch on some of the causes and effects of this epidemic. Also, touch on what some states and school districts are doing to tackle obesity at its source. These programs and other ideas that are being implemented will be touched on with the intention to bring forth the importance of this issue that has been overlooked. There are many factors that could contribute to childhood obesity, some of the most common ones are; television and technology, convenience foods, education, and habits taught at home. Alone, each one of these factors may not be something that would be the cause to obesity, but together they form a dangerous cocktail. Today's generation of children statistically do less activity then generations before; 95% of students are required to take physical education during school hours but 65% of these students do not meet recommended levels of physical activity (â€Å"The Obesity Epidemic and United States Students,† n. d. ). A contributing factor to this less physical generation could very well be television and technology. Younger generations are ever more dependent on technology; they are watching television and using computers more frequently. On average children are spending more than three hours a day watching television, playing videogames, or using a computer (â€Å"The Obesity Epidemic and United States Students,† n. d. ). Due to this dependency, children and teens are moving less, and sitting in the same position for long stretches of time. Another contributing factor to obesity is convenience foods. The culture in which we live in today seems to have an obsession with how fast things are, from cars to information, and now food. The current problem with many fast foods and ready-to-eat meals is the amount of preservatives and empty calories that they contain. Ate in moderation these foods are fine, and can satisfy the hunger of an individual, but some families consume convenience foods almost on a daily basis. More households in America have dual incomes, and after a long day of work parents tend to just â€Å"pick up† dinner rather than cooking meals. As Michelle Obamba stated, â€Å"there were plenty of times when after a long day at work, when the fridge was empty and the kids were hungry, that I just ordered a pizza because it was easier† (Nanci, n. d. ). In combination with inactivity, frequent consumption of convenience foods can result in weight gain. Other factors that have been associated with weight gain in children are their parents, and schools. We as humans tend to learn habits and mannerisms from our parents, and when parents exhibit unhealthy eating and exercise habits; their children are likely to follow in their footsteps. Genetics and behavior have been shown to contribute to weight gain; parents and children gain weight in households shown to contain more energy-dense foods, and in household where parents are not physically active (Anderson, 2006). But parents aren't the only individuals who have the finger pointed at them; schools are also under the microscope for potential catalysts in the child obesity epidemic. Some people believe that health education in our school systems is not a priority for some districts. Currently only 69% of students are required to take health education (â€Å"The Obesity Epidemic and United States Students,† n. d. ). Researchers believe that if health education is required of all students, then obesity rates may decrease. Schools are also said to offer too many alternatives to healthy lunches through vending machines. Individuals believe that by having these machines available, students are purchasing sugary drinks and unhealthy snacks, and then consuming them during class hours. As a result of increased childhood obesity rates, healthcare rates have also increased. When children are obese they have a higher risk of becoming obese adults, and higher risks of developing diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. As a result to these complications, in a 30 year time span hospital costs resulting from obesity related complications have more than tripled (Afterschool Alliance, 2006). Other studies have shown that there is a relationship between students with poor academic performance and obesity. These studies have shown that male obese adolescents think they are bad students and are likely to consider dropping out (Hunt, 2008). It is believed there is a direct connection between low self esteem and academic performance, and student who are obese tend to have low self esteem. Some school districts, states, and even the federal government are beginning to recognize how out-of-control child obesity is. They have begun to offer solutions such as afterschool programs, physical education classes, healthier lunches, and even suggested as to where schools should be located. Afterschool programs have become extremely innovative in order to get children up and moving. Some of them integrate tutoring with physical education, and health education, with the intent to teach children healthy habits for life; others have local college and professional sports teams connect with schools to promote healthy living (Afterschool Alliance, 2006). Another way that schools have been taking the initiative to reduce obesity rates is by redesigning the school lunch program. The National School Lunch program offers more nutritious alternatives for lunch, although there is no guarantee that children will eat more fruits and vegetables, but they are available (Ralston, 2008). Some schools unplug the vending machines during class hours to prevent children from unhealthy snacking during classes. Even the government is beginning to step in and offer suggestions as to how to solve childhood obesity, some of their suggestions are; have schools within walking distance of residential neighborhoods, require schools to teach physical education, and discourage consumption of sugary beverages (Nanci, n. d. ). Although the childhood obesity epidemic is at its highest percentages in years, organizations are beginning to offer programs and suggestions as to how to control and reduce the issue. Although there are many causes to obesity; they are mostly excuses. It is imperative that parents take control of their children's diet and activity level, and promote healthy living. Schools also need to take responsibility in the issue and require that children take physical education at every level, and also, schools need to instate heath education classes. Solutions need to be set in place not only for health reason, but also for the academic and profession futures for today's youth. It is said that 46% of children will be overweight this year (Afterschool Alliance, 2006). This is the year to prove that statistic wrong and make an improvement in the culture of America. References Afterschool Alliance, W. (2006). Active Hours Afterschool: Childhood Obesity Prevention & Afterschool Programs. Issue Brief No. 24. Afterschool Alliance, Retrieved from ERIC database. Anderson, P. & Butcher, K. (2006). Childhood Obesity: Trends and Potential Causes. Future of Children, 16 (1), 19-45. Retrieved from ERIC database. Hunt, J. (2008). Childhood Obesity and Academic Outcomes. James B. Hunt Jr. Institute for Educational Leadership and Policy. Retrieved from ERIC database. Nanci, H. (n. d). Michelle Obama to Fight Child Obesity at Grass Roots. USA Today, Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database. Ralston, K. , Newman, C. , Clauson, A. , Guthrie, J. , Buzby, J. , & Economic Research Service. (2008). The National School Lunch Program: Background, Trends, and Issues. ERS Report Summary. US Department of Agriculture, Retrieved from ERIC database. The Obesity Epidemic and United States Students. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. cdc. gov/HealthyYouth/yrbs/pdf/yrbs07_us_obesity. pdf

Why Fairy Tail Is a Bad Manga

Why Fairy Tail is a Bad Manga One of the most popular manga in circulation today is Fairy Tail. It is about a wizard guild named Fairy Tail, and the adventures of two of its members, a boy named Natsu and a girl named Lucy. In all, it seems like it could be a good story, but the writer could just not pull it off. Fairy Tail has one of the worst plots and character backgrounds of all the mangas still going today. To start off, we can review the problems with the main characters. Natsu, a boy who uses â€Å"Dragon-slayer† magic was found in the woods and brought up by a dragon.The dragon taught him too read, speak, and learn a secret technique that could be used too kill dragons! Not only does the author, Mashima Hiro, ruins the character background with an almost alternate version of â€Å"Tarzan† he also screws up the girl, Lucy, role in the story. She can’t really do anything. She just has a set of keys that summon magical spirits that she sends to fight for her . But, usually they are useless since she can only use each key on certain days. Her spirits also hardly ever follow her directions, so her whole character I completely useless.Her only real contribution too the story, is the comical situations that she is put in, and her figure, which consists of blond hair, brown eyes, and large breasts, which add sex appeal. Natsu on the other hand gains the ability to â€Å"eat† and control fire, from his â€Å"dragon-slayer† magic. The next problem in the story is the character development. In most well written mangas, the main characters either, mature or get considerably stronger while the story goes on. Yet, in for Fairy Tail, this is not the case. Instead, the main character remains the exact same way throughout, most of the story.For instance, Natsu, only gets stronger for brief periods of time every now and then, before going back too his normal level. Lucy acquires more keys, yet is still at the same level she started off a s, because her spirits hardly ever do anything right so she still ends up becoming useless. In other famous manga, the main sometimes, goes off for a couple years in the story, too do some kind of intense training, then comes back, extremely strong, like One Piece or Naruto. However in Fairy Tail the main characters disappear for seven whole years, and still don’t get stronger, as they were supposedly frozen in time!Finally, we have to look at the emotional aspect. Mashima Hiro, fails too bring out emotion in the reader. Whenever a bad something bad happens, it is almost immediately resolved. For instance, in volume 25 chapter 257, Lucy finds out her father has died, after the time skip. She starts crying, but not three pages later, gets over it, and goes on another adventure. Fairy Tails only good point in the whole manga, is its entertainment factor. If anything, it is funny and again, has a certain sex appeal, since most of the women in the manga have large breasts and wea r revealing clothing.It has a more upbeat kind of theme, were the villains practically say, â€Å"O well. You beat me too a pulp. I have now found the error in my ways and am going too join you/be good. † Besides its entertainment factor, there is no way; Fairy Tail would be as popular as it is now. The character development majorly lacks, the backgrounds of different characters are unsophisticated, and the author fails at creating emotion. So if you enjoy a manga, with a good plot and story line, please do not choose to read Fairy Tail, as you will be extremely disappointed.

The use of emotions during communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The use of emotions during communication - Essay Example Moving on, it is important to comprehend here that emotion-usage is increasing with the interaction amongst people who hail from different cultural backgrounds and settings. This adds to the value of communication methodologies that are adopted amongst the individuals. Hence the need to have a proper mechanism of communication in place is apparent with the changing times because people feel the need to converse with each other and therefore make their point clear in a very lucid way. People use emotions in order to get their point across to a larger set of audience. This is because they feel that by using emotions, they would be able to make their voice apparent and hence their message would be taken more seriously. The element of genuineness and authenticity seems to be the main premise behind displaying emotions in any communication medium. What is even more important is the fact that communication becomes very complete and comprehensive when emotions are embedded in them. Furthermore, there is a need to decipher the exact role of emotions being at the helm of understanding the communication mechanisms within any interactive exercise. This suggests that those people who lack the proper usage of emotions within their peculiar styles of communicating with a large crowd are usually the ones who are taken in a non-serious way. Their genuineness seems to take a big blow just because they are unable to make use of their body language, their nonverbal cues, their usage of hands, body parts and so on (Lapin 2004). When people use emotions to make their point clear, the audience that is listening to them understands the need for the emotional usage which is indeed further boosting the spoken word within a speech. This speech is indeed important for communicating the message from the sender down to the receiver’s end. The use of emotions within any communication mechanism would indeed bring in the much needed sanity that one is looking for. If the speakers

The Synergy of Form and Theme in Millays Sonnet Love is Not All Essay

The Synergy of Form and Theme in Millays Sonnet Love is Not All - Essay Example Vincent Millay (1931). This short essay will discuss the synergy that exists between the particular form of sonnet and in theme, in presenting the poet's ideas on love, briefly analyzing the rhyme-scheme, alliterations and other techniques that enhance the lyrical quality of the sonnet. The analyses, it is hoped, will pave the way for a better understanding of the potentiality of the simple Shakespearean sonnet form. Francis Petrarch (1304-74) popularized the sonnet form in Italian, comprising of ten or eleven syllables to a line, with a total of 14 lines divided into two parts, the octet and a the sestet. The first contains one particular idea and the second presents the 'Volta' or the 'turnaround,' and follow the pattern - a b b a a b b a c d c d c d (or c d e c d e) (Spiller 1). Shakespeare modified the structure of his sonnets slightly, into three quatrains of four lines each, and a couplet of two lines in the end, which may contain the Volta. The form is simple and has more scope for exploring various ideas, and this bas bee utilized to the maximum by Millay, in her sonnet. The poem follows the typical rhyme-scheme is a b a b c d c d e f e f g g; for example, the first quatrain, (1-4) drink, of the first line rhymes with sink of the third line, just as rain of the second line rhymes with again of the fourth line. Each quatrain is used to present a

Diabetes and the african-american population Essay

Diabetes and the african-american population - Essay Example Moreover, diabetes is also associated with the development of nephropathy with potential renal failure, autonomic dysfunction, and foot ulcers. Thirst, polyuria, blurring of vision, and weight loss are the characteristic clinical presentation of diabetes. Diabetes can lead to ketoacidosis and hyperosmolar non-ketotic coma. Individuals with diabetes are often asymptomatic and some patients experience mild symptoms. For many centuries, there has been an awareness of different types of diabetes with varying severity. At the beginning of the 20th century, the possibility that there are two distinct types of diabetes emerged. The two types of diabetes are Type 1 diabetes (beta-cell destruction), which is an idiopathic and autoimmune disease, and Type 2 diabetes, which is characterized by insulin resistance and insulin hyposecretion (Holt, 2010). Type 1 diabetes occurs as a result of beta-cell destruction and mild insulin resistance. Insulin is required for survival after the patient survives the initial stages of the disease. Type 2 diabetes is characterized by insulin resistance with relative insulin deficiency. Type 2 diabetes is the dominant form of the disease around the world (T. Metcalf & G. Metcalf, 2008). Diabetes is particularly quite prevalent in the United States of America. According to the 2000 US Census, there are 37.4 million African American individuals in America which constitute approximately 12.3% of the total population. In African American children, the rates of Type 1 diabetes are lower compared to American children. The African American population has an incidence rate of 5 to 8 per 100,000 per annum. On the other hand, the incidence rate of diabetes in white population is 14 to 17 per 100,000 per year. (Joslin & Kahn, 2006).The different proportions of racial admixture, particularly with the white populations, might be the reason for the distinct incidence rates among the black population. A significant role is played by genetic

PANC-1 cell line Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

PANC-1 cell line - Essay Example nts who go through the resection and have the free margins of tumor, the reported 5-year rate of survival can only be between ten to twenty five percent (Ke, Wang, Xu, and Abassi, 2011). Whenever the pancreatic cancer turns to be metastatic, it becomes uniformly fatal having an overall survival of approximately six months from the time of diagnosis (Blackburn, Vay Liang, and Milner, 2011). For the past thirty years a combined method of radiotherapy, surgery, and chemotherapy have been applied in treating pancreatic cancer (Mani, Guo, & Liao, 2008). However, there has been no huge improvement in the rate of survival. This means that a powerful therapeutic method is required. In attempts of obtaining an appropriate therapeutic strategy for pancreatic cancer, this paper investigates the effect of caffeine on the PANC-1 cells. Pancreatic Cancer is one of the leading causes of deaths in world. Even with recent efforts to come up with modalities, the rate of mortality remains being high. Caffeine can be used in treating this illness, even though the molecular mechanisms of the agents are not understood fully. This is, to some extent, responsible for the failing of these agents in treating pancreatic cancer. In a study conducted in this field, PANC –1 mutant p53 was used in investigating the influence of caffeine on the growth of cells and the effect on cell modulation cycle and the gene apoptosis relation (RÃ ¼ckert, Werner, & Aust, 2012). The extraction of proteins from these cells was treated 4 mM of Caffeine was put to a western blot analysis. The cells of drug treating were analyzed for the calculation of the number of those cells that experience apoptosis. In the observation, the study found out the time and dose dependent inhibition of growth was seen in the PANC cells after the treatment with caffeine (Mani, Guo, & Liao, 2008). The analysis by the western blot displayed an up regulation of the p21WAF1 in the cell lines that were treated with caffeine. In

Human Capital - Benchmarking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human Capital - Benchmarking - Essay Example However, many of these benefits are dwindling within the United Airlines Company along with the number of satisfied employees. Talks of terminating the existing pension plans began in 2004. While the plan was highly supported by United Airlines administrators and investors, others were not quite as happy with the possibility. William Swelbar, president of Eclat Consulting in Arlington, VA, believes the investors would like to have seen the pension plans cut before they had to, as though they were letting someone else do their dirty work: â€Å"The question is, will employees be smart enough not to burn the furniture?† (Allison, 2004a). These types of worries imply that the company understands and acknowledges the sinking morale that can come with such a decision, and is considering making that decision despite this knowledge. Causing further distress among the employees is the ongoing arguments surrounding these terminations of the pension plans. Since announcing the possibility that cutting these plans would be the only way out of bankruptcy for United Airlines, several other companies and financial groups have fought with United Airlines regarding the legality of such a decision. The Labor Department, along with the union representing the airlines flight attendants, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, has filed objections to many of the events taking place among the administrators of United Airlines: some of these objections came about after United Airlines quietly removed three executives who were vocally against cutting the pension plans and named the airlines as the fiduciary. (Allison, 2004b). Although the airline has since named an independent fiduciary and made some payments into the pension plans, the amount of insecurity fol lowing such allegations is a cause of major unrest among the employees of United Airlines.

Compare and contrast both caracter sarzan the mad man and sarzan the Essay

Compare and contrast both caracter sarzan the mad man and sarzan the prisoner - Essay Example So, a stranger to the land of Africa should not question or comment unfavorably on the age-old traditions. Keita returns to his village after completing his duty with the army, and stays to build a road. He strongly criticizes the superstitious practices of the people like sacrificing animals, and is not tired of repeatedly telling them that it is the practice of the savages. He is disgusted with such cruel practices. Overwhelmed by his re-exposure to traditions, he goes crazy and looks like the possessed individual. The local people call him â€Å"Sarzan†. For his act of disrespect to traditions he must get punishment. Kieth’s outlook had broadened, as he was the part of the French Army and seen action in many places of the world. When he returns to his native village, he is quite unhappy to accept the ways of the people sticking to traditions and follow them unquestioningly. No one is willing to accept his reformation processes and unable to bear their stout resistanc e Keita loses his mental balance. In that tradition-bound world it was no ordinary sin to take a stand against the old tribal gods and customs. The spirits of the ancestors will not condone the serious lapse on his part. The local people are not willing to accept him as the normal human being. He is an individual who has lost senses—a mad man according to them.

Trends in Hiv Prevalence Essay Example for Free

Trends in Hiv Prevalence Essay ABSTRACT HIV prevalence in the world is becoming increasingly high. As of mid-1998, the HIV/AIDS pandemic continues to spread unequally around the world. In many cities in sub-Saharan African countries more than a quarter of young and middle-aged adults are infected with HIV, whereas in most developed countries, the number of annual AIDS cases continues to decrease. The status and of HIV epidemics in most other areas of the world remains uncertain because of inadequate data on the prevalence of HIV-risk behaviours. Hence, this paper presentation seeks to examine the trends of HIV prevalence across the world taking all the continents into consideration. INTRODUCTION HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus is a lentivirus, and like all viruses of this type, it attacks the immune system. Lentiviruses are in turn part of a larger group of viruses known as retroviruses. The name lentivirus literally means slow virus because they take such a long time to produce any adverse effects in the body. They have been found in a number of different animals, including cats, sheep, horses and cattle. However, the most interesting lentivirus in terms of the investigation into the origins of HIV is the Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV) that affects monkeys, which is believed to be at least 32,000 years old. It is now generally accepted that HIV is a descendant of a Simian Immunodeficiency Virus because certain strains of SIVs bear a very close resemblance to HIV-1 and HIV-2, the two types of HIV. HIV-2 for example corresponds to SIVsm, a strain of the Simian Immunodeficiency Virus found in the sooty mangabey (also known as the White-collared monkey), which is indigenous to western Africa. The more virulent, pandemic strain of HIV, namely HIV-1, was until recently more difficult to place. Until 1999, the closest counterpart that had been identified was SIVcpz, the SIV found in chimpanzees. However, this virus still had certain significant differences from HIV There are a number of factors that may have contributed to the sudden spread of HIV, most of which occurred in the latter half of the twentieth century and these includes: * Blood Transfusion * Drug Use * Mother-to-Child Transfusion ORIGIN OF HIV The origin of AIDS and HIV has puzzled scientists ever since the illness first came to light in the early 1980s. For over twenty years it has been the subject of fierce debate and the cause of countless arguments, with everything from a promiscuous flight attendant to a suspect vaccine programme being blamed. The first recognized case of AIDS occurred in the USA in the early 1980s. A number of gay men in New York and California suddenly began to develop rare opportunistic infections and cancers that seemed stubbornly resistant to any treatment. At this time, AIDS did not yet have a name, but it quickly became obvious that all the men were suffering from a common syndrome. The discovery of HIV, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, was made soon after. While some were initially resistant to acknowledge the connection (and indeed some remain so today), there is now clear evidence to prove that HIV causes AIDS. So, in order to find the source of AIDS, it is necessary to look for the origin of HIV, and find out how, when and where HIV first began to cause disease in humans. In February 1999 a group of researchers from the University of Alabama announced that they had found a type of SIVcpz that was almost identical to HIV-1. This particular strain was identified in a frozen sample taken from a captive member of the sub-group of chimpanzees known as Pan Troglodytes (P. t. troglodytes), which were once common in west-central Africa. The researchers (led by Paul Sharp of Nottingham University and Beatrice Hahn of the University of Alabama) made the discovery during the course of a 10-year long study into the origins of the virus. They claimed that this sample proved that chimpanzees were the source of HIV-1, and that the virus had at some point crossed species from chimps to humans. Their final findings were published two years later in Nature magazine. In this article, they concluded that wild chimps had been infected simultaneously with two different simian immunodeficiency viruses which had viral sex to form a third virus that could be passed on to other chimps and, more significantly, was capable of infecting humans and causing AIDS. These two different viruses were traced back to a SIV that infected red-capped mangabeys and one found in greater spot-nosed monkeys. They believe that the hybridisation took place inside chimps that had become infected with both strains of SIV after they hunted and killed the two smaller species of monkey. They also concluded that all three groups of HIV-1 namely Group M, N and O (see our strains and subtypes page for more information on these) came from the SIV found in P. t. troglodytes, and that each group represented a separate crossover event from chimps to humans. It has been known for a long time that certain viruses can pass between species. Indeed, the very fact that chimpanzees obtained SIV from two other species of primate shows just how easily this crossover can occur. As animals ourselves, we are just as susceptible. When a viral transfer between animals and humans takes place, it is known as zoonosis. The most commonly accepted theory on how zoonosis took place, and how SIV became HIV in humans is that of the hunter. In this scenario, SIVcpz was transferred to humans as a result of chimps being killed and eaten or their blood getting into cuts or wounds on the hunter. Normally the hunters body would have fought off SIV, but on a few occasions it adapted itself within its new human host and became HIV-1. The fact that there were several different early strains of HIV, each with a slightly different genetic make-up (the most common of which was HIV-1 group M), would support this theory: every time it passed from a chimpanzee to a man, it would have developed in a slightly different way within his body, and thus produced a slightly different strain. An article published in The Lancet in 20044 , also shows how retroviral transfer from primates to hunters is still occurring even today. In a sample of 1099 individuals in Cameroon, they discovered ten (1%) were infected with SFV (Simian Foamy Virus), an illness which, like SIV, was previously thought only to infect primates. All these infections were believed to have been acquired through the butchering and consumption of monkey and ape meat. Discoveries such as this have led to calls for an outright ban on bush meat hunting to prevent simian viruses being passed to humans. Others theories include: * The oral polio vaccine (OPV) theory * The contaminated needle theory * The colonialism theory * The conspiracy theory Four of the earliest known instances of HIV infection are as follows: * A plasma sample taken in 1959 from an adult male living in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo. * A lymph node sample taken in 1960 from an adult female, also from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. * HIV found in tissue samples from an American teenager who died in St. Louis in 1969. A 1998 analysis of the plasma sample from 1959 suggested that HIV-1 was introduced into humans around the 1940s or the early 1950s.   In January 2000, the results of a new study16 suggested that the first case of HIV-1 infection occurred around 1931 in West Africa. This estimate (which had a 15 year margin of error) was based on a complex computer model of HIVs evolution. However, a study in 200817 dated the origin of HIV to between 1884 and 1924, much earlier than previous estimates. The researchers compared the viral sequence from 1959 (the oldest known HIV-1 specimen) to the newly discovered sequence from 1960. They found a significant genetic difference between them, demonstrating diversification of HIV-1 occurred long before the AIDS pandemic was recognised. The authors suggest a long history of the virus in Africa and call Kinshasa the â€Å"epicentre of the HIV/AIDS pandemic† in Central Africa. They propose the early spread of HIV was concurrent with the development of colonial cities, in which crowding of people increased opportunities for HIV transmission. If accurate, these findings imply that HIV existed before many scenarios (such as the OPV and conspiracy theories) suggest. Until recently, the origins of the HIV-2 virus had remained relatively unexplored. HIV-2 is thought to come from the SIV in Sooty Mangabeys rather than chimpanzees, but the crossover to humans is believed to have happened in a similar way (i.e. through the butchering and consumption of monkey meat). It is far rarer, significantly less infectious and progresses more slowly to AIDS than HIV-1. As a result, it infects far fewer people, and is mainly confined to a few countries in West Africa. In May 2003, a group of Belgian researchers published a report18 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. By analysing samples of the two different subtypes of HIV-2 (A and B) taken from infected individuals and SIV samples taken from sooty mangabeys, Dr Vandamme concluded that subtype A had passed into humans around 1940 and subtype B in 1945 (plus or minus 16 years or so). Her team of researchers also discovered that the virus had originated in Guinea-Bissau and that its spread was most likely precipitated by the independence war that took place in the country between 1963 and 1974 (Guinea-Bissau is a former Portuguese colony). Her theory was backed up by the fact that the first European cases of HIV-2 were discovered among Portuguese veterans of the war, many of whom had received blood transfusions or unsterile injections following injury, or had possibly had relationships with local women. TRENDS IN HIV PREVALENCE Since 2001, MEASURE Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) have included HIV testing in 31 countries. In 13 of these countries testing has been included in two surveys, which provides an opportunity to examine trends. However, trend data must be viewed with caution, as only some changes are statistically significant. Trends in HIV Prevalence In the charts below, changes in HIV prevalence that are statistically significant are marked with an asterisk and a star.   While it may appear that HIV prevalence has decreased in most countries, these decreases are only statistically significant in the Dominican Republic, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Tanzania, Malawi, and Zimbabwe. This means that in these countries, the change is large enough that it is unlikely that the decrease is due to chance alone; it probably represents true change in the HIV prevalence in the population. In some countries, such as Tanzania, the decrease is statistically significant for the population as a whole, and for men, but not for women. In Cameroon, Burkina Faso, and Zimbabwe, HIV prevalence has decreased among both women and men. DHS surveys have not detected any change in HIV prevalence in Mali, Senegal, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Lesotho, or Zambia. What does this mean? Because HIV prevalence is a measure of all HIV infections in a population, a decrease in HIV prevalence could indicate that fewer people are becoming infected, and/or that more people with HIV have died in a population. Similarly, an increase in HIV prevalence could point to more new infections, and/or could indicate an increase in HIV-positive individuals living longer on anti-retroviral therapy. TRENDS IN HIV PREVALENCE IN ASIA PACIFIC REGION With over 60 percent if the worlds population, the Asia-Pacific Region presents a wide diversity of HIV-related risk environments, in terms of behavioural, political and cultural factors. Within the framework of this diversity, there has also been a wide range of HIV epidemics and responses, both across and within countries. It is not therefore possible to present a simple analysis of the actual and potential occurrence of HIV infection in this vast region. Our understanding of the HIV epidemic and its determinants in the Asia-Pacific Region has improved substantially over the past 3-5 years, as a number of countries have implemented comprehensive surveillance systems for HIV prevalence, and sexual and injecting risk behaviours. Despite these advances, a number of countries still have a limited capacity to assess the occurrence of HIV infection and related behaviours, and to monitor the impact of interventions. A recent factor of importance in the Asia-Pacific environment has been the economic tumult of the past year. While various predictions have been made of the potential impact on the HIV epidemic, it is not possible to state with any certainty whether their net effect will be to increase or decrease the incidence of risk behaviour or HIV transmission. Since extensive HIV transmission has been a very recent phenomenon in a number of Asia-Pacific countries, there has so far been little experience with the care and support of people with HIV-related illness. Apart from Australia, Thailand and Japan, few countries have a healthcare workforce, which is adequately prepared to care for substantial numbers of people developing HIV-related illness. Without simplifying too much, it is possible to classify the differing patterns of HIV transmission into broad categories, based on available surveillance data. In Australia and New Zealand, the virtually all HIV transmission has been through sex between men, and the incidence of transmission via this route has long been recognized as having declined substantially in the 1980s. In a few countries, such as Thailand, Cambodia and parts of Myanmar and India, heterosexual transmission has been extensive, mediated through large-scale sex industries but extending now to the regular partners of sex workers male clients. Some countries have HIV epidemics among injecting drug users (IDU) with limited associated heterosexual transmission. These include countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and some areas of India and China. Other countries have limited, but well documented spread of HIV infections, such as the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, and South Korea. Several countries have not reported substantial numbers of HIV infection, but do not appear to have comprehensive, ongoing surveillance systems. Papua New Guinea, Pakistan and Bangladesh are countries which may have a substantial risk environment, and need to strengthen their surveillance activities. The analysis of HIV epidemic trends in the region becomes more meaningful when a focus is placed on populations whose cultural and social affinity and networks transcend geopolitical borders. A new geography of HIV/AIDS in the region then emerges that helps recognize the foci of intense HIV spread. These include large metropolitan areas in western and southern India (Mumbai, Chinnai); the India/Nepal border area; the larger Golden Triangle, which reaches out to northern Thailand, eastern Myanmar, but also encompasses the areas of Manipur in India and Yunnan in China; and the Mekong delta area, which includes Cambodia and southern Vietnam. To gain better understanding of the dynamics of HIV epidemics, factors of affinity between populations as well as mobility patterns must be explored and mapped out.

C-myc Monocular Antibody (McAb) on Gastric Cancer Cells

C-myc Monocular Antibody (McAb) on Gastric Cancer Cells Introduction Gastric cancer (GC) is estimated to be one of the most common and frequent malignant tumor of the digestive system. The incidence and mortality of GC have ranked the second among all tumor diseases worldwide [1-5]. However, it ranks in first place in China[6]. Complete surgical resection is still the standard for all patients with resectable GC. It remains highly problematic for the regional and less common systemic recurrences[7]. Recent improvement in surgical technique, adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy has increased the survival rate of patients with early-stage, but the patients who have advanced GC are difficult to cure. With more and more research of molecular biological mechanisms known by us, molecular targeted therapies including cell growth, cell cycle, apoptosis and invasion have become a popular tumor comprehensive therapy[8]. Some of single-targeted spots are mainly Human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER-1, HER-2), Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), Human epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI), Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (CDKI), Human proto-oncogene (c-MET)[9, 10]. However, it needs a huge space to develop the targeted anticancer drugs. An elegant way to accumulate therapeutic agents at the tumor site is their specific antibodies[11]. Oncogenes are well documented to be involved in mediating apoptosis and cell cycle resulting in cancers[12, 13], its activation can play an important role in the progress of cancer. C-myc is an important member of the c-myc family and a master regulator of genes involved in diverse cellular processes in GC[14]. The c-myc is a nuclear transcription factor which centrally regulates cell proliferation, differentiation, cell cycle and apoptosis, once c-myc is activated in vivo or in vitro, it is easy to make the cells far from the normal growth and promote cell malignant transformation to cancer finally[15-17]. It was reported that the expression of c-myc is an important consideration in the biological characteristic of GC [18-20]. The previous studies also have proved that c-myc has tight relation with Brest cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, hematopoietic cancer [21-24]. Currently few da ta exist on the occurrence of the c-myc McAb targeting against GC. In this study, we assessed the effects of c-mycMcAb on the Balb/e2nu/2nunude mice model of GC and the human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells, and tried to investigate the function of c-myc McAbfor targeting against GC. Materials and Methods Preparation of c-myc monocular antibody (McAb) All experiments involving animals were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University of Medicine. Mice were used in this study from Animal Science Laboratory of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and all effects were made to minimize distress.Thec-myc proteins prepared in E.coliBL21 were used as immunogens.[U1] Before McAb preparation, the c-myc proteins were mixed withequal volume of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). Female Balb/c mice aging from 6-8 weeks [U2]were immunized intraperitoneally with 50 ÃŽ ¼g c-myc proteins (1v:1v) in CFA. The immunization was repeated with the same amount of immunogens[U3] in incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA) at 14d. A final immunization was performed with 100ÃŽ ¼g mixture of c-myc proteinsand IFA at 28 d. Then, the blood was drawn from the caudal vein and serum titers were measured by ELISA at 35 d. A booster injection was given intraperitoneally at the antibody titers of 640,000[U4] tested by ELISA at 35 d. Five days after boost, spleen cells were isolated and mixed[U5] with SP2/0 myeloma cells. When the Hybrid cells grew to 50%, the positive clones were collected by ELISA. The hybridomas processed by Silica gel H was inoculated intraperitoneally into unsexed Balb/c mice. Then, the mice were scarified and the ascetic fluid was collected. The McAb was purified and the concentration was determined by bicinchoninic acid assay (BCA) Protein Assay Reagent Kit. Characteristic Identification of c-myc McAb The subtype of purified McAb was determined by antibody chips according to the manufacturer's instructions (Raybitech Company, USA) and antibody titers were measured by ELISA kit (Cistron Biotechnology, Pine Brook, NJ)[25]. The assay was carried out in 96-well polystyrene plates according to the standard procedures [26]. Briefly, c-myc protein (10ÃŽ ¼g) were loaded onto plate in 0.1 M carbonate buffer (PH 9.6) and reacted with McAb at 37oC for 2 h. After washed, the mixture was monitored with horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-conjugated rabbit-anti-mouse IgG (diluted 1:100; Sigma) at 37oC for 1 h. Nonspecific antibody binding sites wereblocked with 2% FCS in blocking reagent for 15min.The OD450vaule was read with a 96-well plate reader. The antigenic specificity of McAb was determined by Western blot. Purified c-myc protein was transferred into E.coil DH5ÃŽ ± and Cells were lysed inice-cold radioimmunoprecipitation buffer (RIPA) for 30 min and centrifuged to collect the supermanant[27]. Cell lysates were blent with 3Ãâ€" loading buffer (6 % SDS, 15 % 2-mercaptoethanol, 30 % glycerol, and 0.3 mg/mL bromphenol blue in 188 Tris-HCl, pH 6.8), heated at 90oC for 10 min, and then separated by 16 % SDS-PAGE. Separated proteins in the gels were electrophoreticaly transferred onto nitrocellulose membrane, boiled in phosphate buffered saline for 4 min, and blocked with 5 % nonfat dry milk for 20 min[28]. After several rinses, the membranes were incubated with c-myc McAb overnight at 4 oC. McAb were detected by HRP-conjugated goat-anti-mouse IgG (50 ÃŽ ¼g/mL) at 22 oC for 1 h. The establishment and treatment of nude mice model of GC Four-to-five-weeks old Balb/c nu/nu mice (body weight was 18 ±1.5g) were purchased for the establishment of nude mice model of GC . The human gastric cancer cell line (SGC-7901) was grown in 10% DMEM (Gibco) supplemented with FCS (100 mL/L), penicillin sodium (100 U/mL) and streptomycin sulfate (100 ÃŽ ¼g/mL), and cultured at a 5% CO2 incubator at 37 oC. Exponentially growing SGC-7901 cells were trypsinized resuspended to make a cell suspension of 2Ãâ€"107 cellls/mL. The nude mouse was injected subcutaneously with the suspension (0.2 mL) into the right and left root. Tumor masses were obvious at 10 d. Mice were randomized into 4 groups including low-dose group, middle-dose group, high-dose group and saline group (10 mice/group). Mice of each treatment group were inoculated intraperitoneally with c-myc McAb weekly (10 mg/kg, 20 mg/kg, 30 mg/kg, respectively), and mice of saline groups were injected with normal saline (0.2 mL) instead. Four weeks after injection, the mice were sacrificed and tumors were examined to calculate the tumor inhibition rates (). Immunohistochemistry (IHC) The procedures of SP immunohistochemical kit (SP kit, Maxim Biotech) were as follows: The tissue of tumors was fixed in 10 % phosphate-buffered Formalin, embedded in paraffin, and sectioned at a thickness of 4ÃŽ ¼m. Tissue sections were deparaffnized, hydrated and washed in PBS. Antigen retrieval was performed by combining the tissue with 10mM citrate buffer (pH 6.0) in a microwave for 10 min. Nonspecific protein bindings of tissues was blocked with 5 % normal sheep serum (NSS) for 10 min. after rinsing in PBS, sections were incubated with c-myc McAb at 4 oC overnight at a dilution of 1:100. Secondary antibody (Carpinteria, goat anti-mouse biotenylated, 1:50 in PBS) was applied at room temperature for 30min after washed, and then HRP-conjugated streptavidin were added. The slides were visualized by diaminobenzidine (DAB) (Dako, Carpinteria, CA, USA) for 5 min and counterstained with hematoxylin for 2 min, terminated, dehydrated, transparentized, sealed and photographed step by step. Negative controls were prepared by replacing primary antibody with PBS. Western blot analysis C-myc McAb (1 ÃŽ ¼g/mL, 2 ÃŽ ¼g/mL, 4 ÃŽ ¼g/mL, respectively) were added into SGC-7901cells andcultured for 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, for blank controls, the SGC-7901cells were omitted and HFE-145 cells were used instead. Cells were collected and lysed in ice-cold RIPA,and then following sections were mainlysimilar with the procedures of the Characteristic Identification of c-myc McAb. MTT (3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay Cells were seeded into 96-well plates (10, 000 cells/well) and cultured at 37 oC in a 5% CO2 incubator after HGC-7901cells and normal gastric cell line HFE-145 were trypsinized. The culture medium was washed with PBS 3 times, and thenc-myc McAb (1 ÃŽ ¼g/mL, 2 ÃŽ ¼g/mL, 4 ÃŽ ¼g/mL,) were added respectively, 20 mL (5 mg/mL) At the indicated time points (1 d, 2 d, 3 d, 4 d, 5 d), each well were added with 20 mL MTT cultured at 37 oC for 4 h. Then 150 ÃŽ ¼L DMSO was added again to stop the reaction after the supernate were dropped, The plate was read on multiwall plate reader (Thermo Fisher, Basingstoke, United Kingdom) at 570nm. . A dose-response curve was plotted for the HGC-7901cells and HFE-145 cells. Cell adhesion assay Before cell adhesion and migration assays, SGC-7901 cells and HFE-145 cells were serum starved in bascal culture medium overnight. In brief,6-well tissue culture plates were coated with 10ÃŽ ¼g/mL fibronectin and 10 ÃŽ ¼g/mL poly-L-lysine overnight, the wells were washed with PBS-T and blocked with 5 % BSA in PBS-T[29]. SGC-7901cells and HFE-145 cells were released with trypsin to prepare of single cell suspensions. The cells were applied to 6-well tissue culture plates (50 ÃŽ ¼L/well) and incubated at 37oC for 12 h. When cells were grown to approximately 90 % confluence, the c-myc McAb(1 ÃŽ ¼g/mL, 2 ÃŽ ¼g/mL, 4 ÃŽ ¼g/mL,) were added respectively. Cells were allowed to attach for 2 h, and the culture medium were discarded. Before released with trypsin, cells were washed twice with PBS and 1mM Ethylene Diamine Tetraacetic Acid (EDTA). The formula of was used to calculate the adhesion rates. Cell migration assay Cell migration assays were performed in transwell bicameral chambers as described[30]. Matrigel (Becton Dickinson Company, Bedford) at a dilution of 1:100 were coated with culture medium without serum at 37oC for 30 min in the apical chamber. Cells were released with trypsin, washed ,and resuspended at a final concentration of 5Ãâ€"105 cell/mL in serum-free bascal culture medium (EBM) containing 0.1 % BSA. The suspension (100 ÃŽ ¼L), which were seeded on the upper chamber, were mixed with c-myc McAb (1 ÃŽ ¼g/mL, 2 ÃŽ ¼g/mL, 4 ÃŽ ¼g/mL, respectively). The lower chamber was filled with 500ÃŽ ¼L mouse embryonic fibroblasts (NIH3T3) which were cultured with RPMI (10mM Hepes, 0.5% BSA, pH 7.4). Migration chambers were incubated at 37oC in 5% CO2 incubator for 72h. After removing stationary cells from the upper side of the membrane with a cotton-tipped swab, migrated cells were fixed and stained with 1% crystal violet. Cells were counted in three fields at a magnification of Ãâ€" 400. Cell apoptosis and cell cycle assays HGC-7901cells and HFE-145 cells were seeded into 6-well plates containing Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium (DMEM) with 10% FCS and cultured at 37 oC in a 5% CO2 incubator overnight. Supernatants were discarded, before c-myc McAb (1 ÃŽ ¼g/mL, 2 ÃŽ ¼g/mL, 4 ÃŽ ¼g/mL,) were added respectively and attached for 72 h. cells were fixed with pre-cooled ethanol (75%) and stained with Propidium Iodide (PI, Sigma) in the dark at room temperature for 15 min , after centrifuged at 1,000 rpm and rinses in PBS several times. The cell cycle and apoptosis rates were analyzed by FACS (Elite ESP, Beckman Coulter, Brea, CA). Statistical analyses Statistical analysis was performed using Software version SPSS11.0. All data was expressed as mean  ± SD (standard deviation). Comparisons were made by Student's t-test and comparisons of parameters were made using one-way analysis of variance among 4 groups. A value of P

Identity Crisis in Desirable Daughters by Bharati Mukherjee

Identity Crisis in Desirable Daughters by Bharati Mukherjee ABSTRACT: Immigrants have envisioned tales that exhibit experiences of independent and emerging countries. Cultures have taken up new form in the contemporary times, where the issues of Diaspora, globalization, consumerism, transnationalism cultural hyberidity and identity crisis have become new motif in the postcolonial literatures. The new issues give rise to identity crisis that evokes feelings of an individual that portrays socio-cultural setup that shows the blend of tradition and modernity. The new identity creates problems for Tara in Desirable Daughters by Bharati Mukherjee, where she is alienated, languishing in the angst and ennui of the diasporic experience, yet to carve out a niche for herself. In the novel, Bharati Mukherjee has struck a balance between tradition and modernity by representing past and present which is achieved through the female protagonist -Tara, who severed her links with tradition but remains tied to her native country. Tara is influenced by ancient customs and traditions, but is rooted to modern customs. She is conscious of her existential predicament which is mirrored in the epigraph: No one behind, no one ahead the path the ancients cleared has closed. And the other path everyones pathà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ goes nowhere, I am alone and find my way. Tara is alienated from the society as she oscillated between the nostalgic fascinations of a traditional past and the romantic and adventurous allurements of the present. The diasporic qualities exhibited by Tara establish the merging of the East and West which shows the clash. The Identity of the protagonist is highly assimilative, can adopt and accommodate herself both to her traditional Indian way of life and to her newly adopted American ethos. She tries to move away from the constrained identity and vacillates between two lives: maybe I really was between two lives.(251) Taras reconstruction of identity is rooted in her nostalgic and romantic recollection of her past. It is based on the flux of her thoughts about the past coming to her mind in the present but in fragments, and not whole. She tried to reconstruct her identity through her diasporic experience. She was attempting to redefine the importance of her cultures through space and time. Loneliness had made Tara a little wanton and wantonness had made her very lonely. In these five years she had changed beyond recognition, but other character Bish had not changed at all.Bish is also an upholder of tradition. He prefers the values of an imagined past than those of contemporaneity. The concept of home and migration is very much embedded in the narratology that Bharati Mukherjee presents in Desirable Daughters. It is the sense of migration which brings about a change to the identity of Padma, who has finally made New York her home, her land of choice. But her inalienable attachment to her home makes her the sustainer and preserver of Bengali tradition in America. The alien culture thus fails to subvert her traditional identity. On the other hand it only remaps nad reconstructs her cultural identity. Hence migration plays a crucial role in restricting individual identifies and cultural attitudes and perceptions. The novel is woven brilliantly which depicts the thoughts and feelings of three Calcutta, India-born Brahmin upper-class sisters, renowned for their beauty, brains, wealth, and privileged position in society. Mukherjee narrates their lives as they leave their conservative, sheltered childhood home, where they are inundated with culture, tradition, and values and inculcated with education by the Catholic nuns in their convent structured school and college. Two of them emigrate to America and the other relocates to Bombay, India. The three sisters, Padma, Parvati, and Tara, are born exactly three years apart from each other and share the same birthday.They are named after the goddessess name,hoping that they will survive and prosper in whatever they do. We are sisters three/as alike as three blossoms on one flowering tree. (But we are not), says Tara, the protagonist, quoting a poem. Desirable Daughters is the novel that takes a long time to lift itself from the surface and once it releases its themes and characters, it seems to get liberated from the trapped situation. Engrossed in Indian culture old and new, it keeps strucking down in tight little circles of detail that create an atmosphere of cramped inwardness, even suffocation. Bharati Mukherjee, like in her previous four novels and short stories, tries to portray the repression that enables the women of her culture nailed down in subservience to male desires. The feelings and emotions are discovered after exploring traditional Indian society. The novel is based on three strikingly-beautiful sisters from a privileged Bengali Brahmin family in Calcutta feel the tug between tradition and freedom as they try to meet expectations that are often wildly contradictory. The youngest, Tara Chatterjee, seems to have flown farthest from the nest. Tara is divorced from Bishwapriya (a Silicon Valley multimillionaire hand-picked for her by her father), shes raising a sensitive teenaged son on her own. The depressing part is that, she works as a lowly teacher, a choice which would be unthinkable in the culture of her birth. The story is narrated by Tara from her adopted San Francisco home, where she lives with Andy Karolyi, a strange sort of Hungarian Zen carpenter who earthquake-proofs houses. The lifestyle of the protagonist implies, a sort of free and easy hippie lifestyle, but nothing could be farther from the truth. In the novel the rebellion-gestures are merely trappings, or reactions against the gagging restrictions of Taras girlhood. Tara initiates her tale of repression in a curious way, with a legend about her namesake Tara Lata, also known as the Tree Bride a remarkable figure who became prominent in the fight for Indian freedom. After going in for more than twenty pages, Tara then delves into telling story of her own, which seems to be dislocating in nature. She recalls the utter lack of romanticism in her marriage, in which her father told her, There is a boy and we have found him suitable. Here is his picture. The marriage will be in three weeks. Tara, not knowing any other way, submitted: I married a man I had never met, whose picture and biography and bloodlines I approved of, because my father told me it was time to get married and this was the best husband on the market. Mukherjee dwells on every detail of this highly traditional occurrence. The father of the child bride is a traditionalist even though he is a lawyer educated in English and English law. The groom dies of snakebite and his family blames the bride as unlucky. Greedily the father of the groom demands the dowry. But the brides father takes his daughter into the forest where he marries her to a tree. She becomes a woman noted for her courage and generosity. Her American granddaughter visits her home. She has the same name, Tara Lata, as the old woman and like her she has two sisters. The contemporary woman is a divorced woman. Her ex-husband was the traditionally pre-selected bridegroom like his former wife a resident in America and now she lives with her lover, an American, in San Francisco. Her son introduces a young man who claims kinship as the son of her oldest sister, Padma. This is a kind of impossibility. An impossibility since her sister never had a child and a possibility since the familial relationships are so convolutedly secretive as to make the existence of the young man as her nephew plausible. It seems likely that the young mans claim is true and that Padma, Taras sister, did bear an illegitimate child. This is a momentous event for Tara. As the pampered child of wealthy Calcutta parents, she was sheltered from the poverty of the city and from all but the most severe political crises. She suffers the stress now of an immigrant with a child that belongs wholly to her new country. The discovery of Padmas child brings into focus all her inner disqu iet and the need to find valid connections. In the novel, Taras relationship with her two elder sisters is complicated, the flow of affection blocked by a certain formality and adherence to preset roles. Middle sister Parvati married a rich man and stayed in India, but by some miracle was able to select the suitable match for her. Parvati in her own way had established her identity, because of which it was said:Parvati, the pliable middle daughter had done the unthinkable: shed made a love match. He was certainly not what brains-and-beauty Parvati Bhattacharjee could have commanded on the Calcutta marriage market. Even though Paravati was given right to select her right match but after that she is depicted as one who is a meek follower and gets diminished by losing her real.She writes to Tara: I hope you arent doing bad things to yourself like taking Prozac and having cosmetic surgery. Please, please dont become that Americanized. The third, and the eldest sister of Tara, Didi, is married to a Mehta (an illustrious family which includes the conductor Zubin) and moved to New Jersey to pursue a career in television. But again, all is not as it seems. Her lifestyle is a thin veneer laid over the dense, pressed-down bedrock of tradition. She is considered to be most glamorous of all the three sisters. The other character Chris Dey, is represented as crisis in the novel. He is a young man who represents himself to Tara as Didis illegitimate son, conceived through an affair with a prominent businessman named Ronald Dey. This exposes an ugly under layer of culture to Tara, not the India of doting grandparents, not the India of comfort and privilege, but the backyard of family, the compost heap. The characters in the novel are not portrayed in the liberated form, they are trapped into different set of emotions trying to carve out a new identity for themselves. Tara is projected as a character who more of a status conscious tries to uphold the values of traditional society despite falling for different allurements in the present. Her elder sister, Didi pretends hard to be a pure character but falters when gives birth to her son, which represents misalliance.Chris Dey isnt really who he says he is, and in fact he feels like a device, something dropped into the story to keep things moving forward. In the end, the novel, tries to come back from where it started, where and the legend of Tara Lata the Tree Bride, but this device doesnt quite work either. The denouement somehow goes slack and does not yield a satisfying end to the story. The novel seems to be a family saga which could not bring out the desirable characteristics in the characters of the novel, that portrays them as a dominant in any sphere. The end is quite suspenseful and complex where the description of homeland may be magical but symbolic intention was lost. Bharati Mukherjee depicts a liquid society in her novels, ie a society in flux. It is a society of constant flow, the flow of migrants, the flow of machines, flow of criminals, flow of power structures, flow of people and commodities.  Amidst all the confusions the message was brought out clearly and it is represented as a fascinating beautifully written work of art that exhibits vulnerability that cannot be missed out.

Early Cross-Culture Settlement on the Northern Black Sea Coast :: essays papers

Early Cross-Culture Settlement on the Northern Black Sea Coast Scyles was a Scythian prince who led a double life. He was a prince of the Scythian nomads who controlled a large area surrounding the Greek colonies on the northern Black Sea coast. But like all great Greek plays, his story is a tragedy. Scyles was fascinated by the city of Olbia and the high culture of the Greeks. So he created a second life for himself within the walls of Olbia; he kept a Geek wife and built a palace to live in.. He dressed in Greek robes and participated in the Greek religious festivals. However this was his secret for he never told nor shared this part of himself with his nomad tribesmen. His was a world of duality. One day during the celebrations of Dionysus, some of Scyles’ tribesmen came to peer over the city walls and saw their prince parading down the avenue leading the Greek procession in their festivities. It is easy to estimate what happened. Scyles was found out and forced to flee, he sought asylum in Thrace but was handed back for exec ution to his usurping brother. Treason of nation has always been a capital crime. The story of Scyles is an important because it gives us a glimpse into the world of the Greek colonies on the Black Sea coast. Although they were founded and cultivated by the Greeks, it was ultimately the peoples of the region, mainly the Scyths whose future the cities hands lay in. Archaeologically we can see a unique blend of the two civilizations working together and in opposition to control the power and economy of this region The city of Olbia was one of the most influential of the Black Sea colonies, and although not the largest it was one of the oldest and had a critical geographical position that gave it its prestige. Archaeologically, Olbia provides an opportunity to examine a classic Greek colony as well as a glimpse at the interaction of two cultures developing alongside each other. Olbia The existing site of Olbia can be seen clearly from the water. It is about three miles in length and lies on the Bug River estuary near the Dnepr River. It’s location is central because of the adjoining agricultural communities of the Scyths.

Timothy Leary as a Hero Essay -- essays research papers fc

The term â€Å"hero† brings to mind many ideas, many events, and many people. However, one face it generally fails to conjure is that of Timothy Leary. Dr. Leary managed to create a level of infamy few Americans have achieved since this country’s inception; he is the poster-child of the mind-altering hallucinogen LSD and has been labeled by many as the subversive leader of the counter-culture movement of the sixties. Not many people appreciate this great man’s long string of accomplishments, his devotion to scientific progress, or his cheery, irrepressible personality. It is a small circle of people indeed who would label this man a hero, but the truth is that Dr. Leary embodied the principles of courage, discovery, and benevolence, which none can deny are heroic trademarks. No man has shown more courage in the face of adversity than Timothy Leary. One great example of his valor comes from his early years as a cadet at West Point during the 1940’s. After indulging in a quantity of alcohol with some upperclassmen after a football game one evening, Leary found himself before the Cadet Honor Committee of West Point awaiting punishment. The committee decreed that he must avoid social contact of any kind, despite the fact that during his court-martial the charges brought upon him were hastily dropped. For nine months he survived this involuntary solitude, until finally the school asked him to resign because of â€Å"moral problems† that his punishment was causing. Leary agreed on the condition that his innocence would be announced in the mess hall. Two days later, he left West Point. Long afterward, after earning a doctorate in psychology and serving several professorships at prestigious institutions as Berkley and Harvard, Dr. Timothy Leary dev eloped an interest in what he would later become famous for: psychedelics. Originally his studies were sponsored by Harvard, but after drug abuse became a major target of the mass media and politicians, a national frenzy took place and LSD became a Schedule One controlled substance. Leary, intrigued by the success of previous experimentation with the chemical and undeterred by lack of mainstream support, continued his studies privately. This eventually led to conflict between him and the DEA, the Narcotics Bureau, and the CIA. As Nixon fueled propaganda against â€Å"acid† and the counter-culture movement, Timothy Leary championed LSD ... ...n to certain concepts has never wavered. I have relentlessly and faithfully pursued self-exploration, evolution, and innovation as the antidotes to terminal adulthood." No document has recorded an instance of Timothy Leary running into a burning building to save a baby. He never fought a war for his country, discovered a cure for cancer, or negotiated a treaty between two countries. But he was a hero his own right. Dr. Leary led a resistance to the tyrrany of Richard Nixon, Spiro Agnew, G. Gordon Liddy, and J. Edgar Hoover during a time when America was torn with inner conflict. His career was devoted to helping people mentally, whether they were psychiatrically ill or just in need of psychedelic inspiration. And he stood as a beacon representative of hope, freedom, and peace. Timothy Leary may not fit the conventional definition of â€Å"hero† as found in Webster’s, but to many of his and future eras, he was everything for which that four-letter word stands. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Jones, Bonsey. The Biography Project: Timothy Leary. The Biography Project. 8 Sept. 04 . Leary, Timothy; Quick Biography. Leary.com. 8 Sept. 04 . Timothy Leary Biography. American Buddha.com. 8 Sept. 04 .

Factor Affecting Job Satisfaction in Banks

A Banker on whom a cheque is drawn should pay the cheque when it is presented for payment. * This cheque paying function is a distinguished one of a banker. * This obligation has been imposed on him by sec. 31 of the N. I Act, 1881. * A banker is bound to honour his customer’s cheque, to the extent of the funds available and the existence of no legal bar to payment. Again, for making payment the cheque must be in order and it must be duly presented for payment at the branch where the account is kept. * The paying banker should use reasonable care and diligence in paying a cheque, so as to abstain from any action likely to damage his customer’s credit. * If the paying banker wrongfully dishonours a cheque, he will be asked to pay heavy damages. * At the same time, if he makes payment in a hurry, even when there is sufficient balance, the banker will not be allowed to debit the customer’s account.If he does so, it will amount to sanctioning of overdraft without pri or arrangement, and later on, the customer can claim it as precedent and compel the banker to pay cheque in the absence of sufficient balance. His position is very precarious and is in between the devil and the deep sea. PRECAUTIONS BEFORE HONORING A CHEQUE In order to safeguard his position, the paying banker has to observe the following precautions before honouring a cheque. Presentation of The Cheque (a) Type of the cheque: Before honouring a cheque, he must find out the type to which it belongs.Cheques may generally be of two types- open or crossed. If it is an open one, the payment may be made at the counter. If it is crossed, the payment must be made only to fellow banker. If it is specially crossed, the payment must be specifically made to that banker in whose favour it has been crossed. If there are ‘A/C Payee’ and ‘Not Negotiable’ crossings the paying banker need not worry, as they are the directions only to the collecting banker. If the paying ban ker pays a cheque contrary to the crossing, he is liable to the drawer. Therefore, he must pay special attention to the type of a cheque. b) Branch: The Paying banker should see whether the cheque is drawn on the branch where the account is kept. If it is drawn on another branch, without any prior arrangement, the banker can safely return the cheque. (c) Account: Even in the same branch, a customer might have opened two or more accounts. Hence, the paying banker should see that the cheque of one account is not used for withdrawing money from another account. (d) Banking hours: The paying banker should also note whether the cheque is presented during the banking hours on a business day. Payment outside the banking hours does not amount to payment in due course. e) Mutilation: If a cheque is torn into pieces or cancelled or mutilated, then, the paying banker should not honour it. He should return the cheque for the drawer’s confirmation. In a case cheque is torn accidentally, t he drawer must confirm it by writing such words as ‘Accidentally torn by me’ and affixing his full signature. A cheque torn into two or more pieces is generally returned with a remark ‘Mutilated’. Form of cheque: Printed form: The cheque must be in proper form. It must satisfy all the requirements of law. The customers should draw cheques only on the printed leaves supplied by the bankers.Unconditional order: The cheque should not contain any condition. If it is a conditional one, the paying banker’s position will become critical and he may not honour it. Date: Before honouring a cheque, the bank must see whether there is a date on the instrument. If it is undated, it cannot be regarded as a valid instrument. If a cheque is ante- dated, it may be paid if it has not become stale by that time. A cheque, which is presented after six months, from the date of its issue, is a stale one. If a cheque is post- dated, he should honour it only on its due date.A mount: The next important precaution is that the banker should see whether the amount stated in the cheque, both in words and figures, agree with each other. If the amount is stated only in figures, the banker should return it with a remark ’Amount required to be stated in words’. However if the amount stated only in words, the banker may honour it. Supposing , there is a difference in the amount stated in words and figures, then the banker can take any one of the following courses available to him: i) He can dishonour the cheque with a memorandum ‘words and figures differ’ or i)He can honour the amount stated in words According to Sec. 18 of the N. I. Act, if the amount undertaken or ordered to be paid is stated differently in figures and words, the amount stated in words shall be the amount undertaken or ordered to be paid. ’ However in practice, if the difference is insignificant, payment is sometimes made. But usually the paying banker returns t he cheque under such circumstances, since there is an audit objection to the practice of honouring such cheques. III. Sufficient balance: There must be sufficient balance to meet the cheque.If the funds available are not sufficient to honour a cheque, the paying banker is justified in returning it. So, before honouring a cheque, he must check up the present state of his customers account. IV. Signature of the drawer: The next important duty of a paying banker is to compare the signature of his customer found on the cheque with that of his specimen signature. If he fails to do so and if he pays a cheque , which contains a forged signature of the drawer, then, the payment will not amount to payment in due course. Hence, he can not claim protection under Sec. 85 of the N. I. Act.If the signature has been too skillfully forged for the banker to find it out, even then the banker is liable. However, if the customer facilitates the forgery of his signature by his conduct, then, the banker will be relieved from his liability. Legal bar: The existence of legal bar like Garnishee Order limits the duty of the banker to pay a cheque. Garnishee order refers to the order issued by a court attaching the funds of the judgment debtor (i. e. , the customer) in the hands of a third party (i. e. , the banker). The term ‘Garnishee’ refers to the person who has been served with the order.This Garnishee proceedings comprise of two steps. As a first step ‘Garnishee Order Nisi’ will be issued. ‘Nisi’ means ‘unless’. In other words, this order gives an opportunity to the banker to prove that this order could not be enforced. If the banker does not make any counterclaim, this order becomes absolute one. This ‘garnishee Order absolute’ actually attaches the account of the customer. If it attaches the whole amount of a customer’s account, then, the banker must dishonour the cheque drawn by that customer. He can honour his cheques to the extent of the amount that is not garnished. Endorsement:Before honouring a cheque, the banker must verify the regularity of endorsement, if any, that appears on the instrument. It is more so in the case of an order cheque, which requires an endorsement before its delivery. For instance, if there is per pro endorsement, the banker must find out the existence of authority. Failure to do so constitutes negligence on the part of the paying banker. Per pro endorsement is an endorsement made by an authorized agent. Prior information about the delegation of authority to the agent must have been given to the banker. Otherwise, a banker is not legally bound to accept this type of endorsement.CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH A CHEQUE CAN BE DISHONORED Countermanding: Countermanding is the instruction given by the customer of a bank requesting the bank not to honour a particular cheque issued by him. When such an order is received, the banker must refuse to pay the cheque. If a cu stomer informs by telephone or telegram regarding the stopping payment of a cheque, the banker should diplomatically delay the payment, till written instructions are received. If the situation is very critical, he can return the cheque by giving a suitable answer like ’payment countermanded by telephone and postponed pending confirmation. Therefore, countermanding instructions, once received, must be kept as a constant record. A ‘stopped payment’ register may be maintained for ready reference. Upon the receipt of notice of death of a customer: When a banker receives written information from an authoritative source, (preferably from the nearest relatives) regarding the death of a particular customer, he should not honour any cheque drawn by that deceased customer. If the banker is unaware of the death of a customer, he may honour the cheque drawn by him.Death puts an automatic end to the contractual relationship between a banker and his customer. Upon the receipt of notice of insolvency: Once a banker has knowledge of the insolvency of a customer, he must refuse to pay cheques drawn by him. Upon the receipt of notice of insanity: Where a banker receives notice of a customer’s insanity, he is justified in refusing payment of the cheque drawn by him. The banker should make a careful note, when the lunacy order is received. It is advisable that the banker should act upon a definite proof of the customer’s insanity like a doctor’s certificate, a court order etc.Upon the receipt of notice of assignment: The bank balance of a customer constitutes an asset and it can be assigned to any person by giving a letter of assignment to the banker. Once an assignment has been made, the assignor has no legal rights over the bank balance and therefore, if any cheque is drawn by him, the banker should refuse to honour it. When a breach of trust is intended: In the case of a trust account, mere knowledge of the customer’s intention t o use the trust funds for his personal use, is a sufficient reason to dishonour his cheque.Defective title: If a person who brings a cheque for payment has no title or his title is defective, the banker should refuse to honour the cheque presented by him. For instance, a person who brings a cheque, which has been countermanded or which has been forged, has no title to it. Statutory Protection to a Paying Banker: Supposing, a paying banker pays a cheque, which bears a forged signature of the payee or endorsee, he is liable to the true owner of the cheque. But, it is quite unjustifiable to make the banker responsible for such errors.It is so because; he is not expected to know the signature of the payee or the endorsee. Therefore, law relieves the paying banker from his liability to the true owner in such cases. This relief is known as ‘statutory protection. ’ To claim protection under Sec. 85 of the N. I. Act, 1881, the banker should have fulfilled the following conditio ns: * He should have paid an order cheque. * Such a cheque should have been endorsed by the payee or his order. * It should have been paid in due course. PAYMENT IN DUE COURSE The cheque should have been paid in due course as per Sec. 0 of the N. I. Act. This concept of payment in due course has three essential features: (I) Apparent tenor of the instrument: To avail of the statutory protection, the payment should have been made according to the apparent tenor of the instrument. The apparent tenor refers to the intention of the parties, as it is evident from the face of the instrument. Example: If a drawer draws a cheque with a post –date, his intention is to make payment only after a certain date. If it is paid before the due date, this payment does not amount to payment in due course.So also, the payment of a countermanded cheque does not amount to payment in due course. (ii) Payment in good faith and without negligence: Good faith forms the basis of all banking transaction s. As regards negligence, the banker may sometimes be careless in his duties, which constitutes an act of negligence. If negligence is proved, the banker will loss the statutory protection given under Sec. 85. Example: * Payment of a crossed cheque over the counter. * Payment of a post-dated cheque before maturity. * Failure to verify the regularity of an endorsement. iii)Payment to a person who is entitled to receive payment: The banker must see that the person, who presents the cheque, is in possession of the instrument and he is entitled to receive the amount of the cheque. Protection to a bearer cheque: Now this protection has been extended to bearer cheques also under sec. 85(2). If a bearer cheque is paid in due course, the banker is entitled to get protection. Statutory Protection in the case of a Materially Altered Cheque: A paying banker cannot normally claim any statutory protection for a materially altered cheque. However; Sec. 89of the Negotiable instrument Act.Gives pro tection in the case of a materially altered cheque provided, (1) He is liable to pay, (2)Such an alteration is not apparent and, (3) The banker has made the payment in due course. Recovery of Money Paid by Mistake: Under the following circumstances, money wrongly paid can be recovered:- (i)Money received mala fide is recoverable: When a person receives money by mistake in bad faith, knowing that he is not entitled to receive that money, then, the banker is entitled to recover the same. (ii) Money paid under a mistake of fact is recoverable: For instance, a banker pays money to X, thinking that he is Y.This is a mistake of fact regarding the identity of the parties. Y is under a legal duty to pay the money back to the banker. COLLECTING BANKER A collecting banker is one who undertakes to collect the amount of a cheque for his customer from the paying banker. In collecting a cheque, the banker can act in two capacities namely (1) as a holder for value, and (2) as an agent for collecti on. The banker would be as a holder for value: (a) If he allows his customers to withdraw money before cheques paid in for collection are actually collected and credited. b) If any open cheque is accepted and the value is paid before collection, and (c) If there is a reduction in the overdraft account of the customer before the cheque is collected and credited in the respective account. In all these cases, the banker acquires a personal interest. A Banker as an agent: In practice, no banker credits a customer account even before a cheque is collected. He collects a cheque on behalf of a customer. So, he cannot acquire any of the rights of a holder for value. He has to act only as an agent of the customer. Duties of A Collecting Banker: i) Exercise reasonable care and diligence in his collection work: When a banker collects a cheque for his customer, he acts only as an agent of the customer. He should exercise reasonable care, diligence and skill in collection work. (ii) Present the cheque for collection without any delay: The banker must present the cheque for payment without any delay. If there is delay in presentment, the customer may suffer losses due to the insolvency of the drawer or insufficiency of funds in the account of the drawer or insolvency of the banker himself. In all such cases, the banker should bear the loss. iii) Notice to customer in the case of dishonour of a cheque: The N. I. Act has prescribed a reasonable time for giving the notice of dishonour. If he fails to do so, and consequently, any loss arises to the customer, the banker has to bear the loss. (iv) Present the bill for acceptance at an early date: As per sec. 61 of the N. I. Act, a bill of exchange must be accepted. If a banker undertakes to collect bills, it is his duty to present them for acceptance at an early date. (v) Present the bill for payment: The banker should present the bills for payment in proper time and at proper place.If he fails to do so and if any loss occurs to the customer, then, the banker will be liable. According to Sec. 66 of N. I. Act a bill must be presented for payment on maturity. (vi) Protest and note a foreign bill for non-acceptance: In case of dishonour of a bill by non-acceptance or non-payment, it is the duty of the collecting banker to inform the customer immediately. Generally he returns the bill to the customer. In the absence of specific instructions, collecting bankers do not get the inland bills noted and protested for dishonour.If the bill in question happens to be a foreign bill, the banker should have it protested and noted by a notary public and then forwarded it to the customer. Statutory Protection to the collecting Banker: According to sec. 131 of the N. I. Act, statutory protection is available to the collecting Banker in the following cases: (i)Crossed cheques only: a collecting banker only for crossed cheques can claim statutory protection. It is so because, in the case of an open cheque, it is not absolutely necessary for a person to seek the service of a bank. ii) Collections on behalf of customers as an agent: a banker only can claim the above protection for those cheques collected by him as agent of his customers. iii) In good faith and without negligence: In order to get the protection under this section, a collecting banker must act in good faith and without negligence. Matter of negligence is of great importance. Basis of negligence: When a collecting banker wants to claim protection under Sec. 131, he has the burden of proving that he has acted without negligence.Gross negligence: If a banker is completely careless in collecting a cheque, then, he will be held liable under the ground of ‘gross negligence. ’ Examples: Collecting a cheque crossed ‘A/C payee’ for other than the payee’s account: Account payee crossing is a direction to the collecting banker. If he collects a cheque crossed ’A/C payee’ for any person other than the payee , then, this fact will be proved as an evidence of gross negligence. FAILURE TO VERIFY THE CORRECTNESS OF ENDORSEMENT If a banker omits to verify the correctness of endorsements on cheques payable to order, he will be deprived of the statutory protection. i)Failure to verify the existence of authority in the case of per pro signatures: If a collecting banker fails to verify the existence of authority in the case of per pro signatures, if any, will be proved as an evidence of gross negligence. (ii) Negligence connected with the immediate collection: If, on the face of a cheque, there is a warning that there is misappropriation of money, the collecting banker should make some reasonable enquiry and only after getting some satisfactory explanations, he can proceed to collect cheques.Examples: * Collecting a cheque drawn against the principal’s A/c, to the private A/c of the agent without enquiry. * Collecting a cheque payable to the firm to the private A/c of a partner without e nquiry. * Collecting a cheque payable to the company to the private account of a director or any other officer without enquiry. * Collecting a cheque payable to the employer to the private account of the employee would constitute negligence under sec. 131 of the N. I. Act. * Collecting a cheque payable to the trustee, to the private account of the person operating the trust account is another instance of negligence of a banker. iii) Negligence under Remote Grounds: Normally, we cannot expect a banker to be liable under certain circumstances. But, the bankers have been held negligent under those situations, which are branded as ‘remote grounds. ’ Examples: * Omission to obtain a letter of introduction from a new customer causes negligence. * Failure to enquire into the source of supply of large funds into an account, which has been kept in a poor condition for a long time, constitutes negligence.

An Information Technology System For a School Essay

ANALYSIS: To aid in investigation of the problem, two interviews were carried out. One was with the school principal, and the other with the school administrator. In preparation of the interviews a list of topics for discussion was drawn up, and included these checkpoints: * What the new system hopes to achieve, exactly. * The problems in the current system. * The methods currently employed to input data into the system. * The information that is required per file, i.e., for each student what fields will have to be input. * The format of the required output. * The volume of data expected, e.g., how many students are expected to enroll, or how many new teachers will be required. * Any hardware or software constraints, such as the new system only being able to run with a particular operating system. Interview 1: This interview was with the school’s principal, Mrs. Monica Stakich. It took place in her office, on appointment, and was as follows: Q: Mrs. Stakich, your school has built up quite a reputation of excellence over the years as shown by its grades. How do you intend to maintain this? A: Well, the school has always prided itself on its academic achievements, and this is due to our students being dedicated in their studies, which shows itself in the superior grades. We will be fine if we can continue this trend. Q: You are shifting to new custom-built premises and are also expanding your range of activities offered. Why have you made this decision? A: We are changing our status to an authorized ‘A’ level Center. As such, we will need the appropriate facilities to meet the requirements for this standard. Also, the school expects a significant increase in enrolments at both ‘O’ and ‘A’ Levels, so the space is needed to provide for these new students. Q: How many students do you currently have in your institution? And how many do you expect to enroll in the future? A: The school currently caters to a population of around 2500 students, but we expect an influx of around 1000 students next year. Q: How do you access a file of a student or a teacher? Do you find it yourself on your computer or does the secretary do it for you? A: I can access files of both students and customers from my own PC, as well as any other file, such as stationery, electricity bills, etc. But I must also focus more on the task of running the school itself, so I usually let my secretary handle all the files. She herself gets these files from the school system administrator. I only check a file myself if we need to consider carefully the person, or file in question, for example a teacher for an important position. Q: Thank you very much for your time, Mrs. Stakich. A: You’re welcome. Analysis of the Interview: The interview, on analysis, showed the school to be result-driven, as indicated by the Headmistress’s comments. But more importantly, it also showed that she did not focus on the file input and retrieval system in particular herself, and on the school’s information system in general. The actual file control and handling was carried out by the system administrator, who could provide us with insight of the current system’s workings. Interview 2: An interview was arranged with Mr. Mark Glasse, the system administrator, in his office. It proceeded as follows: Q: How long have you been working here, Mr. Glasse? A: Its been around four years since I started wok for the school. Q: How many times has the system been updated since you started work? A: We’ve updated thrice so far. Q: What changes had been made during these updates? A: Well, once we had to increase our disk space to around 10 GB to cope with increased student information on Health Cards, as was required by a new Government law. Another time we had to modify our input procedure, it being too manual, with almost unnecessary paperwork involved, so we had to purchase new input devices. And there was also the time when we had to call in a professional security company to install anti-hacking programs when our database was actually hacked into. Q: What input devices do you work with? How is output shown? A: I use a keyboard, a mouse, a web-camera and a scanner as input devices. Output is displayed on a monitor, or on a plotter as is appropriate. And, of course, I often have to print out some files using a laser printer. Q: And your system configuration? A: I use a Pentium 2, 333 MHz Processor, with 32 MB RAM, 4 GB hard disk with Windows 98 as my operating system. I also have other software such as MS Visual Studio and MS Office 2000 installed on my computer. Q: Mr. Glasse, what is the general procedure that you follow if you were asked to, for example, update a file? A: First of all, I would have to get an approved notice from someone in an authoritative position, for example the Headmistress, or the Head Administrator. This note would be attached to a Modification Form showing details of the file that needs to be updated. The authorization slip has to be filed into a drawer in my desk, and I just have to access the file using the code given on the Form and change the required fields. I have the Menu on my Desktop, Mrs. Stakich and I are the only ones who know the Password so I’ve never thought about changing it, once in the records I go to the Search Command to call up the file in question, and make the changes required. On exiting the database, I go have to fill out another form, a Proof Form, as it is known as, to acknowledge my action. This form then returns to the top-level to the individual who initially authorized it. Q: How often do errors occur using this procedure? A: As you can see, the system is designed in such a way that carrying out the procedure makes it prone to errors. We’re still lucky to have a few students and teachers, basically small files is what I mean to say, which do not have to be updated too often, so they aren’t too many mistakes. Even if there are, they can easily be located and corrected due to the small size of our database. Q: OK, now what about the plus points of this system? For example, is it easy to use? Is it efficient? Do you feel that you yourself are performing at an optimum level with this system? A: Ill have to think this question over. Yes, for sure it is easy to use. I just have to type in an identifier code for each record, and the particular record is searched for and displayed. Its that simple. I don’t think its efficient though. As the number of files increases the system takes longer and longer to search the database to produce the results I was looking for. It only follows that I myself feel I am under-performing at my job, as some time will definitely be wasted in waiting for results. Q: Are you satisfied with the system performing only these functions? A: Yes, I am. I would like it to be faster though, and even up-to-date, technologically speaking. Q: Thank you, Mr. Glasse, for your cooperation. You’ve been a great help. A: The pleasure was all mine. Analysis of the Interview: This interview was more enlightening than the one with Mrs. Stakich, for we were able to focus on the technical side of the school’s database system. Certain glaring shortcomings of the current system came to light, such as a very limited database size, as indicated by the system being upgraded the first time. This further tells us that the system itself, with all its components, is out-of-date. In such a state, it may also be incompatible with other systems, should it be desired to connect to these for data exchange purposes. Another significant weakness is the fact that the third upgrade was for security reasons, which means that the Password Protection was initially low. Mr. Glasse also said that it takes longer to search for a required field if there are many records – this is only fair, but there aren’t too many records right now, so we can expect the system to have some sort of linear search function in operation, unsuitable for large databases. The program, although performing just a few main functions, is slow, again pointing to its near obsoleteness. Its low productivity has an effect on the human element involved, as Mr. Glasse himself feels as if he has not fully achieved his full potential. Lack of motivation could cause further falls in productivity. The system also has standard input devices (mouse and keyboard), as well as standard output devices (printer, scanner and plotter), needed to process data and produce the desired results. The system also runs on a fairly fast processor, as given by the computer’s configuration. However it is unlikely that the system uses any of the other software packages (apart from the Wi ndows 98 operating system) so these, as powerful as they are, aren’t being utilized. MAIN WEAKNESSES OF CURRENT SYSTEM: Based on the knowledge gained in these interviews, it is possible to finalize the main shortcomings of the system currently in use: * Small disk space. The disk space used for storage of data is relatively small as it needed to be upgraded beforehand. With all the new enrolments expected, as well as other related increases, such as electricity and water, teachers’ salaries, etc the available disk space will not be sufficient. * Poor security level. Security forms an important part of any system, and the fact that the database was hacked into shows just how weak security really is. The password used seems to be outdated and it is likely that people other than those authorized know it. Laxed security is especially important here as we are dealing with the personal records of students and teachers, not to mention important transactions such as total fees received, expenses, and so on. So security, despite being of paramount importance, isn’t given the priority it should be. * Inconvenience The normal procedure to accomplish a single task is lengthy and time-consuming. It also involves unnecessary paperwork. This would exhibit itself as delays in processing, as a single instruction would have to be passed through many stages before being received by the sender once again as feedback. * Basic obsoleteness. As seen from the interview, Mr. Glasse uses a relatively fast processor. Despite this speed, we still find that the speed of running the system is slow especially when new records are added. This means that the components of the system itself are slow and outdated. This weakness especially comes into focus when we consider the fact that nowadays systems are rarely independent. One system has to be connected to at least one more system, with data exchange taking place between these. However, if their speeds are not compatible they will not be able to function at their optimum level. If the system were to exchange information over the Internet then this incompatibility could become a problem. OBJECTIVES OF THE NEW SYSTEM: 1) To provide quick access to the files in the database. Many files will now be in the system and it is necessary that they be reached quickly. 2) To maintain a higher level of security. This ensures that the database is viewed and controlled only by those who have the proper authority to do so. 3) To minimize ‘red tape’ involved in making changes to the records. The previous system involved a lot of paperwork and proved to be costly in terms of time (therefore money), so this new system aims to reduce that by quickly and efficiently processing an instruction. 4) To be user-friendly. Step-by-step guidance ensures that the user can easily find his way around the database to perform the desired task. A Flowchart of how data would be passed along the new system is as follows: SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: Standard input devices, such as a mouse, a keyboard, a scanner and a web-camera will be needed for this system to operate (the mouse and keyboard are the main ones, the others for inputting photos and such graphics). Output devices will be plotters and printers. Hardware: The CPU requirement for this system include at least 100 MHz Pentium processor and 16 MB RAM. Software: It is necessary to have an operating system such as Windows 98 as well as MS Visual Basic program installed, as this is the front-end program to be used for this system, with Access 7.0 being the back-end program. The user will be Mr. Glasse, and his computer already exceeds the requirements for this system to function efficiently. His IT skills will also be relevant: since he already has MS Office 97 installed he will already know the basics behind Access 7.0 and should find no problem in entering the data. It must be remembered that the system to be developed is intended to replace the outdated system in current use. The current system is slow, inefficient and incompatible. Its replacement will be better than it in all these respects, and should bring the database up to the level of technology today.