Applications of fluorescent protein-based biosensors for the elucidation of protein function within cells Essays

Applications of fluorescent protein-based biosensors for the elucidation of protein function within cells Essays Applications of fluorescent protein-based biosensors for the elucidation of protein function within cells Essay Applications of fluorescent protein-based biosensors for the elucidation of protein function within cells Essay Biosensors are used for sensing of an analyte ( e.g. a little molecule, a protein, or an enzymatic activity ) and its interaction with a molecular acknowledgment component, MRE ( e.g. a protein sphere ) . It consists of 3 parts ; the sensitive biological component, the transducer or sensor component ( which transforms the signal resulting from the interaction into another signal that can be more easy measured and quantified ) , and signal processors ( show consequences ) . Biorecognition processes require biosensors to hold the ability to transduce an event into an discernible alteration e.g. coloring material or fluorescence hue i.e. an effectual transducer component. A alteration frequently attach toing an event is an change of the geometry of the MRE ( distance alteration between the MRE and its analyte protein-protein interaction, or a conformational alteration of the MRE allosteric proteins ) . In recent old ages, biochemists adapted the term biosensor to mention to genetically encoded designed proteins that are self-sufficing sensing systems for a figure of marks. The chief difference between conventional biosensors and genetically encoded biosensors is the nature of the transducer. Conventionally, a transducer is a man-made and modified surface that is electrochemically or optically sensitive to the action of the biomolecule. In contrast, the pick of transducer for a genetically encoded biosensor is constrained to being genetically encoded ( 1 ) . Aequorea green fluorescent protein ( FP ) and its discrepancies are a critical constituent of genetically encoded biosensors. The scope of FP-based biosensors which include different designs can be used by research workers to supervise alterations in the geometry of an MRE through the assorted features of the FPs e.g. transition of the fluorescence chromaticity or strength of an intrinsically fluorescent protein. The usage of genetically encoded FP-based biosensors offers several advantages compared to other techniques ( such as dye-based investigations ) . They are comparatively easy to build utilizing standard molecular biological science techniques and can be used to analyze protein localization of function and kineticss within life cells. The latter occurs through the non-invasive debut of these biosensors into cells ( they are produced utilizing cellular machinery ) where they can obtain information of specific biochemical and biorecognition procedures from any one of a broad scope of cellular compartments without interfering with the interaction ( 2 ) . All genetically encoded FP-based biosensors can be assembled into the undermentioned 5 groups depending on their construction: * Group 1 intramolecular FRET-based biosensors * Group 2 intermolecular FRET-based biosensors * Group 3 BiFC-based biosensors * Group 4 individual FP-based biosensors with an exogenic MRE * Group 5 individual FP-based biosensors with an endogenous MRE Group 1 biosensors are based on intramolecular Forster Resonance Energy Transfer ( FRET ) . FRET is the distance- and orientation-dependent nonradiative transportation of internal energy from a higher-energy giver fluorophore to a lower-energy acceptor fluorophore through dipole-dipole yoke. FRET-based biosensors have all of their constituents on a individual polypeptide concatenation ( two FPs flanking an MRE ) and the analyte brings about a alteration in the construction or conformation of the MRE unit ( see Fig 1 ) . Modulating the distance or comparative orientations between the fluorophores affects the FRET efficiency, which is revealed by the acceptor ( IA ) /donor ( ID ) emanation ratio i.e. an addition in IA at the disbursal of ID. FRET occurs about outright and is reversible, therefore supplying better declaration than the BiFC method ( discussed subsequently ) ( 3 ) . Application of this biosensor design includes sensing of proteolytic activities. An MRE consisting of a polypeptide that is a substrate for the peptidase under probe is used to observe proteolytic activity. Tsai MT et Al ( 4 ) late carried out a survey to supervise intracellular human enterovirus ( HEV ) peptidase activity by utilizing a HEV 3C peptidase FRET-based biosensor. They found that this system was a agency for rapid sensing, quantification and drug susceptibleness proving for HEVs. FRET-based biosensors can besides be used to observe post-translational alteration ( PTM ) enzymes activities. An MRE with the ability to observe PTM enzyme activity ( catalyses the covalent alteration of a substrate ) is composed of a specific substrate and a binding sphere. The MRE so undergoes geometry alterations in response to PTM activity. This attack was late used to observe ERK ( kinase enzyme ) activity. EKAR, a genetically encoded FRET-based detector of ERK activity was designed and te sted. EKAR selectively and reversibly reported ERK activity after EGF stimulation in HEK293 cells, leting for the analysis of ERK signalling in life cells ( 5 ) . A 3rd application of this design is to observe MRE conformational alterations triggered by the presence of its analyte. Some proteins e.g. bacterial periplasmic binding proteins ( 6 ) undergo such a alteration. Consequently, they have been used to do FRET based biosensors for analytes such as glucose, Ca2+ and Zn2+ . Group 2 includes biosensors based on intermolecular FRET. The two FPs are in two different polypeptide ironss ( the MRE is fused to one FP and the analyte protein is fused to another ) and are brought closer together by a protein-protein interaction ( see Fig 2 ) . This design has been used to analyze the oligomerisation province of different members of the G-protein-coupled-receptor ( GPCR ) superfamily. It has besides been used to analyze mGluR1 activation. Marcaggi P et Al ( 7 ) employed the FRET phenomenon to analyze the activation dynamicss of mGluR1. The writers show that the alterations in FRET correlative with activation of the receptor. Care must be taken when construing intermolecular FRET consequences, since FRET may perchance happen between two proteins that show no interactions straight. There may besides be fluctuation in the look degree of the two halves of the biosensor. This is of peculiar concern when ratiometric measurings are taken. Group 3 biosensors, bimolecular fluorescence complementation ( BiFC ) , enable direct visual image of protein interactions in life cells. The BiFC attack is based on the reconstitution of a fluorescent composite when two proteins ( MRE and analyte ) , fused to non-fluorescent fragments of a fluorescent protein, interact with each other. The interaction between the merger proteins facilitates the association between the fragments of the fluorescent protein ( see Fig 3 ) . This attack enables visual image of a assortment of protein-protein interactions in the normal cellular environment. BiFC composites have been visualized in all major subcellular compartments of mammalian cells, including lysosomes, the plasma membrane, lamellipodia, Golgi, the endoplasmic Reticulum, chondriosome, viral atoms, and lipid droplets. It has provided particular penetration into the ordinance of complex localization of function including atomic translocation ( 8 ) . It has besides been used in a survey of the grippe A polymerase composite to find the interaction between its 3 fractional monetary units ( PA, PB1 and PB2 ) required for the written text and reproduction of the viral genome. It revealed a antecedently unknown PA-PB2 interaction and provided a model for farther probe of the biological relevancy of the PA-PB2 interaction in the polymerase activity and viral reproduction of grippe A virus ( 9 ) . A motley BiFC check may besides be used for coincident imagination of more than one event in unrecorded cells. This check is based on the formation of fluorescent composites with diffe rent spectra through the association of fragments belonging to different FPs, making Chimeras with a assortment of fluorescent chromaticities ( see Fig 4 ) . This technique was used in a survey to look into the oligomerization province of adenosine A ( 2A ) and dopamine D2 GPCRs found to be ligand-dependent, and besides how they were affected by the presence of certain drugs ( 10 ) . A restriction of the BiFC attack is that there is a hold ( dependent on the sensitiveness of the sensing method ) between the clip when the merger proteins interact with each other and the clip when the complex becomes fluorescent. This is due to the slow rate of the chemical reactions required to bring forth the fluorophore. Therefore, an advantage of FRET over BiFC analysis is that real-time sensing of complex formation and dissociation is possible. Group 4 biosensors use an exogenic MRE inserted into a individual FP at certain locations. Information about the birecognition event from the MRE is carried to the chromophore altering its spectral belongingss ( see Fig 5 ) . A biosensor with this design was used in a recent survey by Berg J et Al ( 11 ) . The detector was constructed by uniting cmpVenus ( a circularly permuted discrepancy of green fluorescent protein ) with a bacterial regulative protein ; GlnK1 ( used an ATP specific MRE ) . Binding of ATP caused conformational alterations in GlnK1 protein which ratiometrically changed the excitement profile of cmpVenus. Initially, the purpose was to find the ATP concentration. However, as ADP binds to the same site ( bring forthing a smaller alteration in fluorescence than ATP ) , competition between the two substrates made the detector more suited for ratiometric measuring of ATP: ADP concentration ratio by excitation. , in unrecorded cells. This is a all right illustration of tuning and optimizing biosensors. The same design has been used for Ca2+ , Zn2+ and cGMP sensing in other surveies. Group 5 biosensors besides use a individual FP but with an endogenous MRE. An illustration of this design is a redox-sensitive GFP ( roGFP ) . By permutation of two surface-exposed residues on the Aequorea Victoria green fluorescent protein with cysteines in appropriate places to organize disulfide bonds, redox-sensitive GFPs ( roGFPs ) were created, which allowed for ratiometric measuring of the cell oxidation-reduction position ( 12 ) . This theoretical account has late been improved through merger of roGFP to human glutaredoxin-1 ( Glx1 ) , which catalyses rapid equilibration between roGFP and glutathione, bettering the response rate of roGFP ( 13 ) . Most FP discrepancies show pH-dependent alteration in their spectral belongingss, which consequences in a alteration in their fluorescence strength. This makes measurings hard to graduate. To get the better of this restriction, the pH-dependent alterations in EGFP ( an engineered avGFP discrepancy ) fluorescence life-time have late been imaged, instead than strength, as the former does non depend on fluorophore concentration ( 14 ) . It must be noted that some designs do non suit the 5 chief classs. Esposito et Al ( 15 ) displayed an interesting illustration of FRET-based pH biosensor that is composed of a pH-insensitive giver fluorophore and a pH-sensitive acceptor fluorophore. Unlike the conventional FRET-based biosensors that depend on the alterations in comparative distance and/or orientation of the fluorophores, this biosensor depends on the spectral alterations of the acceptor fluorophore that accompany pH alterations which in bend change the overlap built-in impacting FRET. Decision As research continues, life scientists will look to engineer a complete set of biosensors that are specifically tuned to the conditions of the event under probe. In add-on to building new biosensors, it is of import to go on bettering the specificity of the current theoretical accounts. This may even happen through incidental findings such as that found in the survey by Berg J et Al, which looked ab initio at ATP concentration but subsequently found that the biosensor was a better index of the ATP: ADP concentration ratio ( see above ) . Another avenue which can be explored is the monitoring of more than one cellular event through a combination of different types of biosensors. An interesting illustration of this is a survey by Ai H W et Al ( 16 ) which looks at observing caspase-3 activity in the cytol and nucleus utilizing two FRET braces at the same time. This survey shows how the usage of this brace preserved the temporal declaration of the caspase-3 activity in the cytol and in the karyon. Despite the unknown and yet to be explored, there has been immense advancement in the development of genetically encoded biosensors. Through such devices, researches now have an increased ability to image specific biochemical and biorecognition procedures with the saving of subcellular information. Mentions 1. Campbell, R. E. Fluorescent-Protein-Based Biosensors: Transition of Energy Transfer as a Design Principle. Anal. Chem. 2009 ; 81:5972-5979 2. Ibraheem, A. and Campbell, R. E. Designs and application of fluorescent protein-based biosensors. Curr Opin Chem Biol. 2010 ; 14:30-36 3. Wang, Y. X. et Al. Fluorescence proteins, live-cell imagination, and mechanobiology: visual perception is believing. Annu Rev Biomed Eng. 2008 ; 10:1-38 4. Tsai, M. T. et Al. Real-time monitoring of human enterovirus ( HEV ) -infected cells and anti-HEV 3C peptidase authority by fluorescence resonance energy transportation. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2009 ; 53:748-755 5. Harvey, C. D. et Al. A genetically encoded fluorescent detector of ERK activity. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2008 ; 105:19264-19269 6. Dwyer, M. A. and Hellinga, H. W. Periplasmic binding proteins: a various superfamily for protein technology. Curr Opin Struct Biol. 2004 ; 14:495-504 7. Marcaggi, P. et Al. Optical measuring of mGluR1 conformational alterations reveals fast activation, slow inactivation, and sensitisation. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2009 ; 106:11388-11393 8. Kerppola, T. K. Biomolecular fluorescence complementation ( BiFC ) analysis as a investigation of protein interactions in life cells. Annu Rev Biophys. 2008 ; 37:465-487 9. Hemerka, J. N. et Al. Detection and word picture of grippe A virus PA-PB2 interaction through a bimolecular fluorescence complementation check. J Virol. 2009 ; 83:3944-3955 10. Vidi, P. A. et Al. Ligand-dependent oligomerization of Dopastat D2 and adenosine A ( 2A ) receptors in populating neural cells. Mol Pharmacol. 2008 ; 74:544-551 11. Berg, J. et Al. A genetically encoded fluorescent newsman of ATP: ADP ratio. Nat Methods. 2009 ; 6:161-166 12. Hanson, G. T. et Al. Investigating mitochondrial redox potency with redox-sensitive green fluorescent protein indexs. J Biol Chem. 2004 ; 279:13044-13053 13. Gutscher, M. et Al. Real-time imagination of the intracellular glutathione oxidation-reduction potency. Nat Methods. 2008 ; 5:553-559 14. Nakabayashi, T. et Al. Application of fluorescence life-time imagination of enhanced green fluorescent protein to intracellular pH measurings. Photochem Photobiol Sci. 2008 ; 7:668-670 15. Esposito, A. et Al. pHlameleons: a household of FRET-based protein detectors for quantitative pH imagination. Biochemistry. 2008 ; 47:13115-13126 16. Ai, H.W. et Al. Fluorescent protein FRET brace for ratiometric imagination of double biosensors. Nat Methods. 2008 ; 5:401-403 6

Given the existence of corporate governance codes, based presumably on Essay

Given the existence of corporate governance codes, based presumably on some ethical considerations, among British PLCs why do we still observe crises and failures of, for example, the Northern Rock type - Essay Example In like manner, Bear Stearns an upper tier US investment bank was only rescued from the crises by the Federal Reserve Bank. (Avgouleas, 2008). In addition other major investment banks such as Merrill Lynch, Citigroup, UBS, and JPMorgan have all announced negative earnings in their last financial reports as well as plans to lay off a significant number of workers. The paper first of all looks at the regulatory environment of Northern Rock; Corporate social responsibility (CSR) refers to the awareness, acceptance, and management of the implications and effects of all corporate decision†making, taking particular account of community investment, human rights, and employee relations, environmental practices, and ethical conduct. (Park, 2007). According to Hsueh (2008) CSR has received much attention in recent years and more and more businesses are taking CSR to improve their corporate image. CSR activities show consideration for the environment, consumers, charity, minority groups, employee welfare, community development, women empowerment, etc. (Hsueh, 2008) For example car manufacturers across the globe are responding to the major global concern of Carbon dioxide (CO2) emission which is tremendously depleting the ozone layer and increasing the risk of cancer and other diseases that come as a result of ultraviolet light. The next section looks at the banking code in relation to corporate social responsibility. â€Å"The practice of CSR is subject to much debate and criticism. Proponents argue that there is a strong business case for CSR, in that corporations benefit in multiple ways by operating with a perspective broader and longer than their own immediate, short-term profits†. (Sacconi, 2004) â€Å"Critics argue that CSR distracts from the fundamental economic role of businesses; others argue that it is nothing more than superficial window-dressing; still others argue that it is an attempt to pre-empt the role of governments as a watchdog over

Globalization and the British East India Company Essay

Globalization and the British East India Company - Essay Example However, the historical origin of globalization has ever remained a subject of debate among the historians. In most cases or usage, globalization is the period that began in the 1970s, where some scholars consider that this period began longer than historians exactly locate, and it encompassed all the extra-nation activities. The history of globalization has little to do with the British East India Company. It is regarded that the most proponent of the historical origin of globalization lies with Andre Gunder Frank. He was an economist and was as well associated with the independent theory (Malik 22). According to Frank, globalization began with the rise of global trading links between the Indus valley Civilization and the Sumer back in the third millennium B.C. What was considered archaic globalization had its existence in the Hellenistic Age, the period that was marked with commercialized development of urban centers, which marked the axial of Greek culture whose influences reached Spain from India. Other cities that felt the impacts of the early globalization include Roman Empire, Han Dynasty, and Parthian empire. The increasing commercial trade links between these powers were experienced in the Silk Road. This road started in China then stretched out to the boundaries of Parthian Empire and later moved to Rome (Malik 49). From the archaic period, globalization move to another phase that was described by Islamic and Mongol eras. During this period, the Muslim and Jewish traders and explorers founded trade routes that led to agricultural globalization, trade, knowledge, and technology globalization. This period was marked with the introduction and wide spread of crops including cotton and sugar that were cultivated almost all over the Muslim world, while knowledge spread widely to the Hajj and Arabic world that led to the cosmopolitan culture (Malik 27). The Mongol empire though had a destabilizing effect to the commercial centers with the Middle East and chi na; it significantly influenced or facilitated movement along Silk Road (Malik 153). Pax Mongolica of the 13th century was marked with the introduction of the first international postal service, and the rapid transition and spread of epidemic diseases including bubonic plague that substantially affected Central Asia. The Mongol era played a vital part in the globalization up to the sixteenth century; however, the largest trade systems were limited to the Eurasia (Malik 56). The Maritime Europe later replaced the Mongol period. The Maritime Europe phase, which was also known as proto-globalization was defined by the rise in the Empire of the European Maritime that took place in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The era saw the rise in the first Spanish and Portuguese Empires and later the rising of the British and Dutch Empires (Malik 77). In the seventeenth century, globalization was highly developed, and greater globalization organization became chartered companies. For inst ance, in the year 1600, the British East India Company was founded as the first multinational corporation. Later in 1602, the Dutch India Company was established. The British India Company was founded after the treaty of union as an early English joint- stock company. This organization was primarily formed to pursue trade with the East Indies; however, it ended up trading within the Indian Subcontinent and sometimes stretched its trades to China. Therefore, it is

Planning Function of Management Essay Example for Free

Planning Function of Management Essay Planning is a crucial function of management that enables an organization to achieve its maximum potential. Halliburton is one of the largest corporations in the United States, with a workforce of over 100,000 people in over 120 countries. Their home office is located in Houston, Texas and they are one of the worlds largest providers of products and services to the oil and gas industry. This paper will discuss the issues impacting and influencing management planning within Halliburton. Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things. Peter DruckerIt takes successful management at all levels and quality leadership to lead a business down the proverbial golden path. Planning is the primary management function, which formalizes an organizations goals and objectives and establishes a base for the other functions of management. Halliburton Company is an oilfield services company and a provider of engineering and construction services that was founded in 1919. The company has expanded through tremendous internal growth and several acquisitions and in March, 2002, Halliburton split into two main divisions: the Energy Services Group (ESG) and Kellog Brown and Root (KBR). ESG offers a wide range of products and services to upstream oil and gas customers worldwide, ranging from the manufacturing of drill bits and other downhole and completion tools and pressure pumping services (www.halliburton.com) [APA citation error (incorrect-do not use Web addresses or URLs in citations). If the author is cited in text = Authors name (year) direct quote (p. #). If the author is not cited in text = direct quote (author, year, p. #).] . KBR is the engineering subsidiary for Halliburton and is a global leader in construction and project management. Additionally, KBR is a leading government services contractor, which has been t he focal point of many legal and ethical issues. Halliburton has received a great deal of negative publicity over the past year or so regarding it Iraq and Kuwait operations. The Pentagon and Justice Department have both launched criminal investigations due to erroneous contract cost estimates totaling $2.7 billion to serve American troops in  the middle east. Accusations have been made of overcharging for meals supplied to troops in Iraq, as well as employees accepting kickbacks from a Kuwaiti subcontractor. Pentagon auditors found that KBR overcharged the U.S. government by $27.4 million during a period of nine months in 2003. Additionally, Halliburtons internal audit revealed employees accepted these kickbacks in exchange for providing Army supply contracts to the subcontractor (Associated Press). Limited military spending has created lucrative opportunities for privately held companies such as Halliburton to win these contracts and will continue to be at the forefront of media campaigns as long as the United States remains in Iraq, especially when it comes to Dick Cheney. [You have addressed the issue thoroughly and supported your assertions.] Much speculation has been generated in regard to current Vice President of the United States and former Halliburton CEO Dick Cheneys financial ties to his former company. On the September 14, 2003 edition of NBCs Meet the Press, Vice President Cheney said, And since I left Halliburton to become George Bushs vice president, Ive several all my ties with the company, gotten rid of all my financial interest. I have no financial interest in Halliburton of any kind and havent had, now, for over three years (St. Louis Journalism Review). However, it came to light that Cheney received a salary of over $150,000 and maintained over 400,000 shares of unexercised stock options at the time. Cheney stated that he deferred his salary and stock options; therefore it did not constitute a violation of ethics. The Congressional Research Service found that these financial interests in Halliburton demonstrated a financial interest with his former employer creating a conflict of interest. Despite the fact that Cheney broke the law of ethics, he is exempt from the enforcement of such laws and cannot be prosecuted for it (Halliburton Watch). KBR is the largest military contractor in Iraq, with more than 50,000 employees and subcontractor working there and in Kuwait and Afghanistan. These employees drive trucks, wash clothes, deliver mail, and provide additional support services for the U.S. troops. These workers are part of the Pentagons privatization strategy that enables the military to reduce the number of troops needed in a given location by assigning noncombat functions to civilians. Halliburtons social responsibility is to keep these  workers safe and away from fighting, but it has proved a difficult task. Numerous complaint and lawsuits have surfaced because of Halliburtons failure to provide safe working conditions and in the case of one man who was killed, the suit states he was intentionally sent the convoy as an enemy decoy in the U.S. military camouflage vehicles, to ensure the safe arrival and delivery of a second H-KBR fuel convoy (CNNMoney.com). Halliburtons social responsibility remains in question with workers being placed in harms way on a regular basis. Factors influencing Halliburtons strategic, tactical, operational, and contingency planning include political instability, rising steel prices, and environmental regulations. Halliburton operated in countries such as Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Indonesia, and Russia, which are currently experiencing unstable political and social climates. Continued conflict in these areas could have an impact on the companys bottom line and their ability to generate substantial revenue. Steel is a major commodity that is used in the setting up of plant and processing facilities for natural gas and petroleum refining. Record breaking high prices were reached in early 2005, but have since stabilized. However, the ongoing consolidation in the steel industry could lead to higher prices causing the profit margins to suffer. Lastly, Halliburton is subject to environment and legal requirement in its worldwide operations, such as the Clean Air Act and Clean Air Interstate Rule, causing the states to re duce the allowable sulfur dioxide SO2 emissions by 70% and nitrogen oxides emissions by 60%. Environmental issues such as these could place a burden on is cash flow. [Insightful analysis]Halliburton has an exceptional global presence and they are currently playing a prominent role in rebuilding Iraq and by providing our troops with shelter, meals, and delivery of materials. Although Halliburton has come under intense scrutiny over the past several years due to its involvement with Vice-President Chaney and its legal and ethical issues, it has still managed to win military contracts due to its expertise in the oil service industry. This shows tremendous resiliency and reassures its customers and stockholders that it will continue to be a strong force in the oilfield services industry. [Your paper is well written. It is clear and concise.]References-references must match citations by author/owner. References begin with author/owner name e.g. CNN.money and Halburton are the owners of the websites. See examples in APA manual. MarketLine Business Information Center. Retrieved January 27, 2007 fromhttp://dbic.datamonitor.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/companies/company/?pid=B07921BD-F512-44F2-AE84-4DA7D8630C9D#CompanyOverviewTop 25 Censored Stories. St. Louis Journalism Review; Dec 2006/Jan 2007, Vol. 36Issue 292, P23-27, 5p. Retrieved January 26, 2007 fromhttp://web.ebscohost.com. Decision Management System. Retrieved January 28, 2007 from www.halliburton.comHalliburton Announces Full Year and Fourth Quarter Results. Retrieved January 28,2007 from http://CNNMoney.comKelly, Matt. (2003, March). Halliburton Fires Workers for Allegedly Taking Kickbacksfor Iraq Contract. Retrieved Janury 27, 2007 from www.commondreams.orgTotal points available=14Your score=13.75Areas for improvement=teal belowContent and Development = 40%_____ Key elements covered, content comprehensive/accurate, clear points supported with detail, appropriate use of vocabulary, integration of theory and practice, research adequate/timely, content and purpose clear. Very good work on this section. Organization = 30%_____ Lead is interesting and relevant, thesis is well-developed, directional statement previews major points, paragraph transitions maintain flow, body paragraphs support a specific major point, conclusion is logical/flows evenly, conclusion reviews major points. Good work-very well organized. Easy to read. Format = 10%_____ APA format, reader friendly, utilizes references appropriately, headings aid adaptability/not overdone, neatly presented, format requirements followed. Some small errors in APA formatting of reference page and citations. (-.25)Mechanics = 10%_____ Punctuation rules followed, contractions avoided, spelling correct, vernacular is avoided, written in same person throughout, tense remains consistent. Readability and Style-10%_____ Complete, clear, concise statements, well constructed sentences, sentence transitions present, words/concepts precise,

Politics Essay -- essays research papers

Politics: the inescapable stalker of our society Politics is a process by which a group of people, whose opinions or interests might be divergent, reach collective decisions that are generally regarded as binding on the group and enforced as common policy. Political theory or political philosophy is as old as the oldest civilisations. The Greek philosophers, such as Aristotle and Plato, developed important political theories and methods of government alongside their more abstract philosophies. One may contest that every society and every belief we hold is a reflection of the political system we live under. Politics, in it absolute form, is a concept of society that definitely intrudes into every aspect of human life. No one can escape it. The word politics comes from the Greek word â€Å"polis†, meaning the state or community as a whole. The concept of the â€Å"polis† was an ideal state and came from the writings of great political thinkers such as Plato and Aristotle. In his novel "The Republic", Plato describes the ideal state and the means to achieve it. Hence, the word politics originally has connotations in the ways in which to create the ideal society. An ideal society is in practice a rather difficult aim and even an impossible aim to achieve. Imperfections in society inspired Aristotle and Plato to compose the first written political philosophies. In Aristotle's â€Å"The Politics†, he states that, â€Å"Man is by nature a political animal†, in another words, it is a primal instinct of man. Therefore, in his statement, Aristotle concludes politics is not a dreamt up concept, but rather an inherent feature of mankind. Argument, in our lives and about the way that we live t hem is a fundamental part of our sociological make-up. A main factor in modern government is what is dubbed â€Å"Party Politics†. Each party with its manifesto attempts to gain parliamentary superiority over others in each general election. People vote for the party that broadly represents the individual's values. Although, the average turnout for elections The most common method of categorising political theories is by use of a horizontal line from right to left (the far and moderate right, the right of centre, the centre and the left of centre, the moderate left, and the far left) gradually. What follows is an attempt to clarify this contentious issue of categorisation. It is not a defin... ...onflict and change. Politics is the means to creating a more organised and peaceful society, by providing methods to resolve conflict that naturally occurs in society. From this, politics also endeavours to further society to perfection and to create an absolute harmony between the ruling body and the populace. It thus aims to replace violence and prevent us from returning to chaos. Authority and order are the underlying features of politics and ensures its enforceability. Power underscores its very existence; it is necessary for politics exist. Without authority, politics simply is not feasible. The most visible and widely accepted example of politics is the workings of the governmental institutions. However, although at first glance one may not be aware of it, politics in its various forms is present wherever and whenever humans form a community. Returning to the writings and beliefs of Aristotle, politics is an intrinsic feature of mankind. References â€Å"Politics†, Heywood, Palgrave. 1997 â€Å"The Republic†, Plato (Tr Des. Lee), Penguin, 1987 â€Å"On Liberty†, J.S.Mills, Penguin, 1985 BBC Politics page: <http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk_politics/talking_politics/default.stm>

Market structure

Four basic types of market structures are: 1- Perfect competition 2- Monopolistic competition 3- Oligopoly 4- Monopoly There is also another market structure called Monopoly. 1- Perfect competition It is considered more theoretical than practical, because it is very rare. In perfect intention a large number of firms sell identical products, where none of them has pricing power. There no berries or very easy to enter to the market by any new farm. Prices. For example if we go to normal retail shops to buy vegetables, we will get at same prices from each and every shop.Fish market at Male' is a very good and a simple example, where inside the market lot of sellers will be selling same fishes. Prices will be set by the demand and supply. Neither buyer nor seller sets the price. It is more like automates pricing. Characteristics of perfect competition include large umber of small firms, identical products, perfect resource mobility and perfect knowledge. 2- Monopolistic competition It is almost like perfect competition where large number of small firms sells similar but not identical products. Relative freedom of entry, to and exit from the industry.It means buyers will have substitutes to choose from. Alternatives to buy for fulfill their needs and wants. Examples of industries structures as monopolistic competition includes, clothing industry, restaurants, and shoes and so on. 3- Oligopoly It is a market situation where products are supplied by small number of firms where ACH of them has influence over pricing and supplies which directly effects the position of the competitors. I oligopoly there is a special case where there is only two producers are called Duopoly. 4- Monopoly This is a market structure where only one producer in a market who has to the total control.Buyers do not have substitutes and have no choice. They have total control over supply and prices. In this market structure, seller is always happy and consumers suffer. They take more profit with a huge marginal value from the products. Characteristics of monopoly includes single seller, unique product, berries o entry and specialized information. The fifth type of market structure which is not included in basic structures is Monopoly. It is upside down of a monopoly where there is only one buyer. If we relate to a Mammalian context, government is the only buyer for the explosives and guns. Where there may be many sellers.Exhibit 1 Perfect Competition Monopolistic Competition Oligopoly Monopoly Number of Sellers Many Few One Barriers to Entry Very Low Low Very High Type of Substitute Products Very good Good substitutes but differentiated Very good differentiated substitutes No good substitutes Nature of competition Price only Marketing, features and price Advertising Pricing Power None Little Little to significant Significant As mentioned above, from 1988 to 2005 telecommunication industry of Maldives was a monopoly market. The following will elaborate how it was a monopoly a nd what was the situation during the monopoly. 988-2005 Draught monopoly in Maldives It was history that people used to call Draught as â€Å"Blood Suckers†. When the company started in the Maldives in Maldives there was a telecommunication service by cable and wireless which uses USB set to communicate between the islands. After their establishment as one and only telecoms service provider in 1988 they brought a major upgrade to their network in 1989 in Male and introduced paging service in the Maldives. They also introduced internet service for the very first time in Maldives in 1996 followed by mobile phone service in 1997 which was upgraded to GSM in 1999.Being the only company to provide the service and major share controlled by the government of the Maldives, they introduced services at a huge marginal value. Consumers have no substitution in the market, which lead Draught to grow up and cake huge profit and extended its service to nationwide, while charging extraordina ry high charges to cover its expansion costs and making more profit. It is usual to charge more from the consumers in monopoly market structure. In monopoly, always seller is always happy and consumers are unhappy.Some pros and cons of monopoly are: Advantages Disadvantages Large capital scale benefit to the company More money to invest on development Earning national export revenues Price discrimination between consumers Very high market share Restricts production potential Do not actively pursue new clients Poor product quality Unfair wealth distribution Entry barrier for new comers When Waiting telecoms Maldives (presently called Ordered) started their service officially in Maldives on 1st August 2005 shortly after they were licensed on 1st of February 2005, the market structure changed to an oligopoly.Oligopoly In economics oligopoly means that there are few sellers of a certain product in a market. Usually these sellers are always in a high competition with each other. In this type of markets sellers knows very well about their competitors. They have a high power to in pushing their products to the consumers. When on seller makes a change, it will directly affect other sellers. There is a special case in oligopoly which is called duopoly. Which is when the there is only two sellers in the market. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of oligopoly.Advantages Lot of control Ability to fix prices Competitive pricing More profit making Perfect knowledge of the market Price controlling will be a disadvantage for consumers Creative ideas may fail to realist Difficult for small firms to establish in the market Not much of competition No fair wealth distribution Oligopoly in Maldives telecoms industry From 2005 Ordered became the major and the only competitor to Draught. As usual they have initiated their business with a huge investment to make existence of their network across the Maldives.It was a huge challenge for them to establish when there was a well- established and government controlled seller in the marker for almost a decade, market share was 100% controlled by monopolized Draught. Immediately after starting the service in the market by the new comer, the unhappy customers of the monopolized industry started to change their service provider. They started with introductory promotional prices which was far much better than the ajar market controller, which directly affected the business of Draught. Competition, strengths and weaknesses.When there are two or more sellers are there in a market, it is obvious that the competition will be born in the market. It is very interesting to study about the competition between Ordered and Draught. Luckily I have got very good connections at the top levels of both the companies, which made me to sit and talk about their respective companies. I found that they are tightly in competition with each other. Pricing: When Draught was alone in the industry, consumers pay around USED $100 average u ser used to pay around MOVE 2000 per month for the usage. Call rates are sky high.Rates differ from calls from mobile to mobile and mobile to landlines. When the competition started and if we see current situation, we have choices for individuals and businesses depends on what consumer needs. There are some consumers who want more talk time than data while others doesn't care about the talk time but data allowance the service provider offers. Those used to spend around 2000 per month now are spending less than 500 per month because of competitive pricing by the competitors. Advertising: Earlier days Draught keeps and average advertising.Unlike that now each and every TV channel is occupied by both Draught and Ordered advertisements. All the islands with more population see those companies' bill boards near harbors and schools. It is very clear that Ordered is doing more aggressive advertising while Draught use more informative advertising. Corporate Social responsibility: We used to say that both the companies do corporate social responsibility to a certain extent. But in real, in my study I found that rather than corporate social responsibility they both do corporate philanthropy. They do not actively participate in social activities.But they do help by donation some money to do the social activities by others. That is a form of advertisement they both do. They are present in the activities as bill boards. Just to advertise the company name. For example: Thieved league football tournament is always sponsored by one of these two companies. Competitive advantages: Draught uses â€Å"first in Maldives† â€Å"Largest network† and so on while Ordered uses â€Å"best network for smart phones†. Draught is first to come and still holds 65% market share while Ordered is gaining market share at a rapid speed.Bad the backbone of the company is much better with latest technologies while Draught is upgrading its backbone. Subsidized handsets to consum ers: Ordered started offering Samsung handset to its consumers with contract for the very first time in Maldives. And soon they will be starting offer apple handsets on contract, while Draught is working with apple to introduce subsidized apple handsets with contract. Apple currently certified Ordered network for their products while Draught is doing upgrades to obtain certification of using Apple products on contract. Is this industry good for the society?Unlike the history of the monopoly in the telecommunication industry in the Maldives, with existing oligopoly (duopoly) consumers are happy now. As is economic theory, human wants are unlimited with the scares resources available, people are still aiming for mush cheaper services with better quality. As mentioned earlier in this report, consumers' expenses, for the use of telecommunication are decreased by 60 percentages. We never heard of handset for installments by service providers before. But it is started now. We have heard a bout subsidized handset with contract with carrier locked, from other parts of the world.We never imagined that a small country with a small population like us will get phones on contract with subsidized prices. But it is soon to happen. Unlike perfect competition and monopolistic competition there are no much of sellers. So competition and pricing of the products will not be according to the demand and supply. Sellers will have the power to set the prices. Consumers are very happy when there is a perfect competition and monopolistic competition. Consumers are sad at most when there is a monopoly. But than they used to have, the monopoly. It is an average good for the society. Market structure Four basic types of market structures are: 1- Perfect competition 2- Monopolistic competition 3- Oligopoly 4- Monopoly There is also another market structure called Monopoly. 1- Perfect competition It is considered more theoretical than practical, because it is very rare. In perfect intention a large number of firms sell identical products, where none of them has pricing power. There no berries or very easy to enter to the market by any new farm. Prices. For example if we go to normal retail shops to buy vegetables, we will get at same prices from each and every shop.Fish market at Male' is a very good and a simple example, where inside the market lot of sellers will be selling same fishes. Prices will be set by the demand and supply. Neither buyer nor seller sets the price. It is more like automates pricing. Characteristics of perfect competition include large umber of small firms, identical products, perfect resource mobility and perfect knowledge. 2- Monopolistic competition It is almost like perfect competition where large number of small firms sells similar but not identical products. Relative freedom of entry, to and exit from the industry.It means buyers will have substitutes to choose from. Alternatives to buy for fulfill their needs and wants. Examples of industries structures as monopolistic competition includes, clothing industry, restaurants, and shoes and so on. 3- Oligopoly It is a market situation where products are supplied by small number of firms where ACH of them has influence over pricing and supplies which directly effects the position of the competitors. I oligopoly there is a special case where there is only two producers are called Duopoly. 4- Monopoly This is a market structure where only one producer in a market who has to the total control.Buyers do not have substitutes and have no choice. They have total control over supply and prices. In this market structure, seller is always happy and consumers suffer. They take more profit with a huge marginal value from the products. Characteristics of monopoly includes single seller, unique product, berries o entry and specialized information. The fifth type of market structure which is not included in basic structures is Monopoly. It is upside down of a monopoly where there is only one buyer. If we relate to a Mammalian context, government is the only buyer for the explosives and guns. Where there may be many sellers.Exhibit 1 Perfect Competition Monopolistic Competition Oligopoly Monopoly Number of Sellers Many Few One Barriers to Entry Very Low Low Very High Type of Substitute Products Very good Good substitutes but differentiated Very good differentiated substitutes No good substitutes Nature of competition Price only Marketing, features and price Advertising Pricing Power None Little Little to significant Significant As mentioned above, from 1988 to 2005 telecommunication industry of Maldives was a monopoly market. The following will elaborate how it was a monopoly a nd what was the situation during the monopoly. 988-2005 Draught monopoly in Maldives It was history that people used to call Draught as â€Å"Blood Suckers†. When the company started in the Maldives in Maldives there was a telecommunication service by cable and wireless which uses USB set to communicate between the islands. After their establishment as one and only telecoms service provider in 1988 they brought a major upgrade to their network in 1989 in Male and introduced paging service in the Maldives. They also introduced internet service for the very first time in Maldives in 1996 followed by mobile phone service in 1997 which was upgraded to GSM in 1999.Being the only company to provide the service and major share controlled by the government of the Maldives, they introduced services at a huge marginal value. Consumers have no substitution in the market, which lead Draught to grow up and cake huge profit and extended its service to nationwide, while charging extraordina ry high charges to cover its expansion costs and making more profit. It is usual to charge more from the consumers in monopoly market structure. In monopoly, always seller is always happy and consumers are unhappy.Some pros and cons of monopoly are: Advantages Disadvantages Large capital scale benefit to the company More money to invest on development Earning national export revenues Price discrimination between consumers Very high market share Restricts production potential Do not actively pursue new clients Poor product quality Unfair wealth distribution Entry barrier for new comers When Waiting telecoms Maldives (presently called Ordered) started their service officially in Maldives on 1st August 2005 shortly after they were licensed on 1st of February 2005, the market structure changed to an oligopoly.Oligopoly In economics oligopoly means that there are few sellers of a certain product in a market. Usually these sellers are always in a high competition with each other. In this type of markets sellers knows very well about their competitors. They have a high power to in pushing their products to the consumers. When on seller makes a change, it will directly affect other sellers. There is a special case in oligopoly which is called duopoly. Which is when the there is only two sellers in the market. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of oligopoly.Advantages Lot of control Ability to fix prices Competitive pricing More profit making Perfect knowledge of the market Price controlling will be a disadvantage for consumers Creative ideas may fail to realist Difficult for small firms to establish in the market Not much of competition No fair wealth distribution Oligopoly in Maldives telecoms industry From 2005 Ordered became the major and the only competitor to Draught. As usual they have initiated their business with a huge investment to make existence of their network across the Maldives.It was a huge challenge for them to establish when there was a well- established and government controlled seller in the marker for almost a decade, market share was 100% controlled by monopolized Draught. Immediately after starting the service in the market by the new comer, the unhappy customers of the monopolized industry started to change their service provider. They started with introductory promotional prices which was far much better than the ajar market controller, which directly affected the business of Draught. Competition, strengths and weaknesses.When there are two or more sellers are there in a market, it is obvious that the competition will be born in the market. It is very interesting to study about the competition between Ordered and Draught. Luckily I have got very good connections at the top levels of both the companies, which made me to sit and talk about their respective companies. I found that they are tightly in competition with each other. Pricing: When Draught was alone in the industry, consumers pay around USED $100 average u ser used to pay around MOVE 2000 per month for the usage. Call rates are sky high.Rates differ from calls from mobile to mobile and mobile to landlines. When the competition started and if we see current situation, we have choices for individuals and businesses depends on what consumer needs. There are some consumers who want more talk time than data while others doesn't care about the talk time but data allowance the service provider offers. Those used to spend around 2000 per month now are spending less than 500 per month because of competitive pricing by the competitors. Advertising: Earlier days Draught keeps and average advertising.Unlike that now each and every TV channel is occupied by both Draught and Ordered advertisements. All the islands with more population see those companies' bill boards near harbors and schools. It is very clear that Ordered is doing more aggressive advertising while Draught use more informative advertising. Corporate Social responsibility: We used to say that both the companies do corporate social responsibility to a certain extent. But in real, in my study I found that rather than corporate social responsibility they both do corporate philanthropy. They do not actively participate in social activities.But they do help by donation some money to do the social activities by others. That is a form of advertisement they both do. They are present in the activities as bill boards. Just to advertise the company name. For example: Thieved league football tournament is always sponsored by one of these two companies. Competitive advantages: Draught uses â€Å"first in Maldives† â€Å"Largest network† and so on while Ordered uses â€Å"best network for smart phones†. Draught is first to come and still holds 65% market share while Ordered is gaining market share at a rapid speed.Bad the backbone of the company is much better with latest technologies while Draught is upgrading its backbone. Subsidized handsets to consum ers: Ordered started offering Samsung handset to its consumers with contract for the very first time in Maldives. And soon they will be starting offer apple handsets on contract, while Draught is working with apple to introduce subsidized apple handsets with contract. Apple currently certified Ordered network for their products while Draught is doing upgrades to obtain certification of using Apple products on contract. Is this industry good for the society?Unlike the history of the monopoly in the telecommunication industry in the Maldives, with existing oligopoly (duopoly) consumers are happy now. As is economic theory, human wants are unlimited with the scares resources available, people are still aiming for mush cheaper services with better quality. As mentioned earlier in this report, consumers' expenses, for the use of telecommunication are decreased by 60 percentages. We never heard of handset for installments by service providers before. But it is started now. We have heard a bout subsidized handset with contract with carrier locked, from other parts of the world.We never imagined that a small country with a small population like us will get phones on contract with subsidized prices. But it is soon to happen. Unlike perfect competition and monopolistic competition there are no much of sellers. So competition and pricing of the products will not be according to the demand and supply. Sellers will have the power to set the prices. Consumers are very happy when there is a perfect competition and monopolistic competition. Consumers are sad at most when there is a monopoly. But than they used to have, the monopoly. It is an average good for the society.

Glucose Molecular Formula and Facts

The molecular formula for glucose is C6H12O6 or H-(CO)-(CHOH)5-H. Its empirical or simplest formula is CH2O, which indicates there are two hydrogen atoms for each carbon and oxygen atom in the molecule. Glucose is the sugar that is produced by plants during photosynthesis and that circulates in the blood of people and other animals as an energy source. Glucose is also known as dextrose, blood sugar, corn sugar, grape sugar,  or by its IUPAC systematic name  (2R,3S,4R,5R)-2,3,4,5,6-Pentahydroxyhexanal. Key Takeaways: Glucose Formula and Facts Glucose is the most abundant monosaccharide in the world and the key energy molecule for Earths organisms. It is the sugar produced by plants during photosynthesis.Like other sugars, glucose forms ismomers, which are chemically identical, but have different conformations. Only D-glucose occurs naturally. L-glucose may be produced synthetically.The molecular formula of glucose is C6H12O6. Its simplest or empirical formula is CH2O. Key Glucose Facts The name glucose comes from the French and Greek words for sweet, in reference to must, which is the sweet first press of grapes when they are used to make wine. The -ose ending in glucose indicates the molecule is a carbohydrate.Because glucose has 6 carbon atoms, it is classified as a hexose. Specifically, it is an example of an aldohexose. It is a type of monosaccharide or simple sugar. It may be found in either linear form or cyclic form (most common). In linear form, it has a 6-carbon backbone, with no branches. The C-1 carbon is the one bearing the aldehyde group, while the other five carbon each bear a hydroxyl group.The hydrogen and -OH groups are able to rotate around the carbon atoms in glucose, leading to isomerization. The D-isomer, D-glucose, is found in nature and is used for cellular respiration in plants and animals. The L-isomer, L-glucose, is not common in nature, although it may be prepared in a lab.Pure glucose is a white or crystalline powder with a molar mass of 180.16 grams per mole and density of 1.54 grams per cubic centimeter. The melting point of the solid depends on whether it is in the alpha or beta conformation.  The melting point of  ÃŽ ±-D-glucose is  146  Ã‚ °C (295  Ã‚ °F; 419  K). The melting point of  ÃŽ ²-D-glucose is  150  Ã‚ °C (302  °F; 423 K).Why do organisms use glucose for respiration and fermentation rather than another carbohydrate? The reason is probably that glucose is less likely to react with the amine groups of proteins. The reaction between carbohydrates and proteins, called glycation, is a natural part of aging and consequence of some diseases (e.g., diabetes) that impairs the functioning of proteins. In contrast, glucose may be enzymatically added to proteins and lipids via the process of glycosylation, which forms active glycolipids and glycoproteins.In the human body, glucose supplies about 3.75 kilocalories of energy per gram. It is metabolized into carbon dioxide and water, producing e nergy in chemical form as ATP. While its needed for many functions, glucose is particularly important because it supplies nearly all the energy for the human brain.Glucose has the most stable cyclic form of all the aldohexoses because nearly all of its hydroxy group (-OH) are in the equatorial position. The exception is the hydroxy group on the anomeric carbon.Glucose is soluble in water, where it forms a colorless solution. It also dissolves in acetic acid, but only slightly in alcohol.The glucose molecule was first isolated in 1747 by the German chemist Andreas Marggraf, who obtained it from raisins. Emil Fischer investigated the structure and properties of the molecule, earning the 1902 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work. In the Fischer projection, glucose is drawn in a specific configuration. The hydroxyls on C-2, C-4, and C-5 is on the right side of the backbone, while the C-3 hydroxyl is on the left side of the carbon backbone. Sources Robyt, John F. (2012). Essentials of Carbohydrate Chemistry. Springer Science Business Media. ISBN:978-1-461-21622-3.Rosanoff, M. A. (1906). On Fischers Classification of Stereo-Isomers. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 28: 114–121. doi:10.1021/ja01967a014Schenck, Fred W. (2006). Glucose and Glucose-Containing Syrups. Ullmanns Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. doi:10.1002/14356007.a12_457.pub2