Free sample note on social work benefits of the population

Question: Talk about theSocial Work for Benefit of the Population. Answer: Presentation: The expert use of the standards, qualities and methods of social work to help the populace is known as social work practice. The social work contains the psychotherapy with the people and causes the networks to improve their public activities. The issue of emotional wellness has worldwide effect and is considered as the most noteworthy benefactor in the weight of sickness around the world. The post present day viewpoints affected the social work in a sensational manner (Fook Pease, 2016). It added to the individual discernments about our social orders and the procedure of the formation of information. The act of improving psychological well-being in Australia thinks about the information on social, social, monetary measurements and the human advancement alongside the interconnecting factors (Fook Pease, 2016). The social constructivism points of view accentuates on the way that the human improvement is straightforwardly identified with the social circumstance and information can be a ssembled from the cooperations with others. The basic methodologies give an inside and out appraisal of the current circumstance and help to devise appropriate techniques in the psychological wellness practice. Conversations Psychological well-being, as characterized by World Health Organizations (W.H.O), is a condition of passionate just as social prosperity that causes the people to adapt up to the standard worries of life and thus understand its actual potential (World Health Organization, 2016). An unpredictable transaction of the social, ecological, monetary, mental and natural components influences the psychological capacities of the individuals (World Health Organization, 2016). The issues of the psychological well-being are described by impeded social, enthusiastic and intellectual working that influences the psychological prosperity of the populace (World Health Organization, 2016). The emotional wellness practice is a piece of the social work area which comprises of the social setting of the psychological sickness. The motivation behind the emotional wellness practice in Australia is the advancement, recuperation and reclamation of prosperity of the network with the goal that the people have im proved abilities to control their own lives (World Health Organization, 2016). The act of social work happens at the interface between nature and the person. The enrolled suppliers of Australia, Accredited Mental Health Social Workers, are particular emotional well-being specialists who are doled out duties by the Commonwealth Government by Australia to defend the psychological well-being of the populace (Aasw.asn.au, 2016). They are qualified to offer better types of assistance in emotional wellness care projects and better administration of the incessant sicknesses (Aasw.asn.au, 2016). They treat different mental issue, for example, mind-set issue, nervousness issues, sadness, character issue, self-destructive contemplations, psychosis, family clashes, relationship issues, life emergency and others (Aasw.asn.au, 2016). The emotional well-being social specialists ought to have great information on the psychological wellness just as dysfunctional behavior in Australia. It comprises of the mental characterizations, significant disorder and the social history of the psychological ailments (Dudgeon, Milroy Walker 2014). It likewise comprises of the recuperation standards, mental intercessions, emotional wellness disciplines and the buyer issues concerning psychological wellness (Aasw.asn.au, 2016). The emotional wellness social laborers ought to be proficient about the training guidelines in Australia, for example, Practice Standards for Mental Health Social Workers and the Code of Ethics (Aasw.asn.au, 2016). These measures give a thought of the social works on concerning emotional wellness in an Australian setting. The laborers ought to likewise recognize the worth places that put accentuation on this area. There are general rules that ought to be trailed by the social wellbeing laborers taking part in emotional wellness. They ought to have regard for people, commitment for social equity, keep up privacy and self-assurance while managing the patients. The social work hypotheses clarify the motivation behind the general public towards the survivors of dysfunctional behavior (Aasw.asn.au, 2016). They center around the social condition, human practices and the change forms that overwhelm the emotional wellness area. There is an effect of the financial, political and social variables on the psychological work practice in Australia. The political clash in a nation influences the everyday environments of the individuals and furthermore the infection weight of the network. The social specialists need to assess the political situation in Australia and survey the present enthusiastic condition of the network. The patients might be experiencing passionate pressure, nervousness, dread, conflicting of the national characters or societies, flexibility and others (DuBois Miley, 2013). There are a few good situations of the individuals which should be tended to by the emotional well-being social laborers. The political distress between the global limits requests the extraordinary consideration of the emotional well-being social laborers (DuBois Miley, 2013). The political belief system of the nation decides the game-plan taken by the psychological well-being social specialists. The political philosophy deci des the significant choices taken by the Government for the improvement of the individuals (DuBois Miley, 2013). The social work is influenced by the political system of the nation as it gives the conceivable strategy as indicated by the ecological weights (DuBois Miley, 2013). The transformation of the government assistance classes may influence the psychological status of the populace. The monetary factors likewise influence the populace to an enormous degree. The downturn influenced the emotional well-being of the populace. The social laborers need to comprehend that the individuals would get inclined to tension and frenzy on account of financial downturn (Blanchard, Jaumotte Loungani, 2014). The financial downturn additionally influences the joblessness, which thus adds to the pressure of the individuals (Blanchard, Jaumotte Loungani, 2014). The absence of work openings denies the individuals of lodging offices. The psychological wellness social laborers ought to comprehend these boundaries and ought to endeavor to give viable answers for them. They ought to become a close acquaintence with their customers and connection their conditions to the monetary situation of the nation. There would be expanded obligation, which would cause noteworthy dread in the brains of the individuals. There is a need of guiding and understanding the perspectives of the casualties of the psychological sickness (Sue et al., 2015). There is additionally a need to expand the help of the intellectually sick patients by making administrative systems. The social laborers ought to endeavor to ensure the business privileges of the intellectually debilitated patients (Sue et al., 2015). They ought not be qualified for decreased work openings (Sue et al., 2015). The psychological well-being social specialists ought to accentuate on the help of the activity habitats in giving redid work chances to the intellectually incapacitated patients. The social factors additionally sway the emotional wellness of the individuals of Australia. The impact of the dysfunctional behavior may have extraordinary effect on the general public. The social issues of the general public like destitution, decreased profitability because of injury, customs, incapable government strategies, work pressure, issues in the workplace and others sway the psychological well-being of the individuals. In Australia, the wonder of prejudice is normal, which is a significant reason for mental handicaps among the patients (de Lepervanche, 2013). This causes mental injury among the local individuals, which should be tended to by the psychological wellness social laborers (de Lepervanche, 2013). The social specialists should be cautious about the brutality in schools which influences the youthful populace. They are additionally powerless against the enthusiastic awkward nature at the hour of pubescence. The uncalled for work conditions in Australia additionally present genuine dangers to the emotional well-being of the populace (Milner et al., 2015). The representatives may not be happy with their employments which may additionally expand their feelings of anxiety (Milner et al., 2015). The social specialists should be cautious about the issues of the adolescent, who speak to a significant segment of the populace. There are expanded occurrences of medication maltreatment among the young people. The people group disorder and low neighborhood connection are a portion of the normal reasons of low confidence of the adolescents. The young people from the ethnic minority bunches present more noteworthy odds of low self-assurance just as low confidence. The social laborers ought to recognize issues, for example, sexual maltreatment, despondency, self-destructive propensities and ID of the high hazard adolescents (Geldard, Geldard Foo, 2015). They should make the medicinal services open to all, particularly the young people. There ought to be mor e social insurance suppliers for the youthful populace (Geldard, Geldard Foo, 2015). The psychological wellness social laborers must comprehend the way that emotional well-being is an essential for accomplishing an ideal personal satisfaction. End The emotional well-being social laborers are critical in improving the wellbeing status of the populace. The social laborers need to have broad information with respect to the wellbeing status of the network. They ought to evaluate the effects of the outside situations in the psychological prosperity of the general public. The outer elements incorporate the political, monetary and social boundaries that decide the level of mental handicap among the individuals. This paper talks about the psychological wellness circumstance in Australia and the job of emotional well-being social laborers in redesigning the state of the populace. This paper likewise strived to interface the basic social work viewpoints with the methodologies of the emotional wellness social laborer. It would widen the comprehension of the job of the psychological wellness social specialists on the planet, particularly in Australia. References Blanchard

Argumentative Essay on Gay Marriage Essay Example for Free

Pugnacious Essay on Gay Marriage Essay Marriage is the stately official of two individuals, male and female, into one couple. Generally, marriage has been the establishment when a man and a lady combine with the guarantee of affection, commitment, to consistently remain together, to be there for one another, to deal with each other and to begin a family together. Scripturally, marriage has been all the viewpoints above, yet including regarding, adoring and developing nearer to God and bringing their family up in manners that the Lord would have them, by standing to the Word of God. Presently days the conventional perspective on marriage is being changed by gay and lesbian couples requesting a similar option to love, respect and appreciate one another. This factious paper on gay marriage will investigate the two sides on the discussion of gay and lesbian relationships. Truly, marriage was viewed as a strict and common association that united a man and lady to join family and to live the remainder of their lives together. Scriptural marriage was seen with similar purposes yet remembering God for their marriage and to respect and comply with the laws of marriage in His Word. Love may have been a major piece of picking a mate, or requesting that the individual wed you, however by all account not the only factor. For Christians, we would not pick a mate; neither companions, nor family nor guardians, however the Lord would pick â€Å"the one† for us. In the event that you pick a mate, you would pick one that you could live with an incredible remainder, who could endure you and your trickeries and the other way around, who may share a ton practically speaking or may not, etc. After some time society has came to accept that adoration is the main motivation to wed. Never again is marriage an association that depends on the future together always and for beginning a family, yet only for pleasure and enthusiastic fulfillment. If it somehow happened to turn out badly, or you simply quit adoring that individual, you could generally pull out and discover someone else to cherish. With these movements in for what reason to wed, what we have generally expected from marriage has additionally changed. Current American culture has changed its perspective on marriage. Society considers union with be a n organization whose reason for existing is to give enthusiastic fulfillment to the individual concerned, and whose terms are debatable and revocable. Marriage, generally constrained to relationships among men and lady, in its advanced state is gradually starting to incorporate the possibility of same sexâ couples. At the point when love turns into the essential main thrust to wed not the need to set up your own family then marriage can be available to any types of associations. God foundations marriage in the Bible in Genesis section 2 refrain 18, â€Å"And the Lord God stated, It isn't acceptable that the man ought to be alone.† The Word of God expresses that a man and lady be hitched in stanza 24 of part 2, â€Å"Therefore will a man leave his dad and mom, and will separate unto his better half: and they will be one flesh.† Not a man and another man or a lady and another lady, yet one man and one lady would leave their families to begin another one together, by marriage. God didn’t make Adam and Steve, however Adam and Eve! The book of Leviticus gives God’s rules to us for everybody, wherever forever, here on earth. Leviticus 18:22 â€Å"Thou shalt not lie with humankind, similarly as with womankind: it is abomination.† Leviticus 20:13 â€Å"If a man additionally lie with humankind, as he lieth with a lady, them two have submitted a plague: â€Å" God told that homosexuality isn't right, gay and lesbian marriage the same. It is an evil entity is His sight. Romans 1:26b â€Å"for even their ladies changed the regular use into that which is against nature:† Romans 1:27 â€Å"And in like manner likewise the men, leaving the characteristic utilization of the lady, consumed in their desire one toward another; men with men†. It isn't normal for man to like another man and need to be with him. It is the equivalent with lady! As expressed in the above section, God made lady to be an assistance meet for men. Adam was desolate in the nursery, so God made a lady from him! He didn’t make another man to be with Adam, however a lady. On the off chance that homosexuality is a curs ed thing unto the Lord, at that point surely gay marriage isn't right in God’s eyes as well! Marriage, between a man and a lady, a couple, is to be charming, pleasurable, sentimental, enduring and sacred in God’s sight! God made people to live with, stroll with, talk with, affection, to be together and partake in coexistence, not the other way. I put stock in the manner I was raised and instructed, I have confidence in God’s heavenly, reliable, motivated and safeguarded Word, I trust in Biblical marriage †isn't that right?

The Rise of Fascism

Steve Earle isn’t precisely a Spanishname, so don’t begin believing that you will require an interpreter forthis CD. Brought up in Texas, he shakes. Obviously, it’s not exactlytoday’s standard sort of rock, which is generally emotional or punk. Hiswork may appear nation, yet it is to a greater degree a blend of the two, countryrock. Steve Earle frequently inclines more toward the stone side of things, buthe is never completely on one side. Discharged in 1997, â€Å"ElCorazon† denoted the arrival of Steve Earle with solid sales.Following the equation of his past â€Å"I Feel Alright,†Ã¢â‚¬Å"El Corazon† mixes people, nation and rock. Earle likewise playsa number of tunes with different craftsmen including Emmylou Harris onâ€Å"Taneytown† and The Fairfield Four on â€Å"TelephoneRoad.† The CD utilizes guitar, harmonica, fiddle, tambourine,organ and saxophone in blends that make a fantastic soundenjoyable for both nation and rock fans. â€Å"I Still CarryYou Around† and â€Å"Other Side of Town† are two of themost down home tunes on the CD. We will compose a custom exposition test on El Corazn or then again any comparable subject explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page Indeed, I accept that, from a rockfan’s viewpoint, Steve Earle plays out the most pleasant countrymusic around. I additionally accept he plays probably the best stone out there.It is deplorable that his music isn't played on mainstreamradio. I prescribe â€Å"El Corazon† to any nation orroot rock fan out there. I likewise energize diehard standard stone fansto give this CD a turn. I have a CD case brimming with Metallica, Pearl Jam,Smashing Pumpkins and Green Day, so I am in that spot with you, yet SteveEarle is an extraordinary craftsman, and â€Å"El Corazon† is an incredible CD.You’ll see.

The 25 Songs that Tells Us Where the Music is Going - 550 Words

The 25 Songs that Tells Us Where the Music is Going (Essay Sample) Content: Students NameProfessors NameCourseDateThe 25 Songs that Tells Us Where the Music is GoingThe Chosen Songs are: Im better by Missy Eliot, Jolene by Pentatonix and We the people by A Tribe Called Guest.The reason for the writers choice the songsThe music industry has had tremendous transformations over time. The music that existed in the past and the type of music in the contemporary society defer in many dimensions. In the ancient time, there was no music genres and music was ethnic based. Today, more futuristic and educative songs have been recorded. The 25 songs by the New York Times magazine must have been chosen by the writer because they wanted to highlight the changes that have been happening in the music industry. The writers also use the songs to call for a change in the dimension of songwriting and production and used the songs since they possess the futuristic and distinctive features they would like to be incorporated in the contemporary music.The Uniqueness of the three SongsThe songs speak to the basic emotions of human beings and more importantly, they shout important things about the peoples culture and provides a futuristic view of the society. The song Im better by Missy Eliot, for instance, is described to bend the present into a future that is hopeful to the people. It is a unique song as it uses science fiction videos to envision the future. It calls for the need to save humanity from the uncertain future in an optimistic way. Jolene by Pentatonix is a unique song as it is a re-invention of the 1973 Jolene. It is recorded in such a great iconic anthem that has no sexual content, no bad behaviors, politics, and curses, unlike other contemporary music. It is s representation of the marginalized groups in the society due to the diversity singers backgrounds that create a symbolic way of informing people of the importance of unity in diversity. We the people on the other hand is a unique song that addresses the immigrant plight an d issues affecting them in the society. It addresses current political issues with a futuristic bearing in the society. Other songs that can fit into this list include Ubuntu by Colby and Awu, Different colors, one people by Lucky Dube, and Listen by Red Grammer. They al...

The African American Struggle for Civil Rights in the 1960s

In what ways, and for what reasons, did the African American struggle for civil rights in the United States change between the early and late 1960s? The civil rights movement was an influential movement that has been taking place in America for many years. Victories during this time helped to raise hope for African Americans during this influential movement. In the beginning of the movement there was a focus on nonviolence, and the non-violent techniques began to pay off in the early 1960s. As the time progressed the struggle for African Americans during the civil rights in the United States. Towards the ending of the period hope was lost when major civil rights activists were assassinated. In the early 1960s non-violent techniques began to pay off with sit-ins, marches and other forms of protest. For example, on May 4th, 1961, 13 young activists traveled through the south known as the freedom rides. This was nonviolent, and this was effective. Also, four African American students in North Carolina started a Sit-In in a segregated Woolworths lunch counter. The students were not served and workers refused to serves them. The stud ents stayed at the counter because they were allowed to stay there, but were refused service. Many others in the south protested in similar ways, and 6 months later they were finally served in the diner. These non-violent sit-in were effective during this period. Nonviolence became less effective and groups like the Black Panther Party cameShow MoreRelatedThe Civil Rights Movement During The 1960 S1224 Words   |  5 Pageseffects on the people of the US.   During the 1960’s there were a lot of changes and one of these major changes was know as The Civil Rights Movement.   The civil rights movement was a movement created by African Americans to achieve rights equal to white people and have equal opportunity in housing, employment, education, the right to vote, and to not be segregated.   This movement had many important leaders that helped get rights for African Americans.   The book â€Å"Tambourines To Glory† is based onRead MoreEssay about Frq Analysis1138 Words   |  5 PagesRuhani Malik Period 4 1960’s HW FRQ Questions Due by April 26-27, 2012 Be sure to provide a strong and specific thesis statement with a nice introduction to your essay. 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I am a self-professed scholar of African American history and I found anRead MoreImpact Of The Civil Rights Movement1624 Words   |  7 PagesIn the 1960s, the United States was on the verge of a major social change. Racism was at the core of the civil rights movement, and its effects that led to systematic discrimination experienced by blacks in work, housing and the education system. Black Americans are Americans, but they had subsisted as second class citizens in the only land they knew. The civil rights movement was a political, legal, and social struggle so that African Americans in the United States could become full citizens. ThisRead MoreThe Civil Rights Movement And The Movement Of The 1960s1310 Words   |  6 PagesThe  civil  rights  movement  was a well known  movement in which  the blacks are entitled to reach Civil Rights and are treated the same in all primary rights for U.S citizenship like possibility of employment, housing, education and right to vote. However, the beginnings of the  movement  go back to the 19th century, but it raised in the 1950s and 1960s. African American people, with accompany of particular numbers of whites, planned and led the  movement at national and local levels. They followed theirRead MoreThe Civil Rights Movement Of The United States1668 Words   |  7 PagesThe civil rights movement in the USA in the 1950’s and 1960’s.can be termed as a democratic movement. The basic reason behind this was the discrimination of the African-Americans that were enslaved and did not have citizen rights. The African-Americans protested greatly against their injustice. The birth of the civil rights movement was before the 1954 Supreme Cou rt’s decision on Brown versus Board of Education (Topeka) which stated that separate but equal schools was against the Constitution. FromRead MoreAfrican Americans And The Civil Rights Movement1623 Words   |  7 Pages African Americans were brought to America during the colonial days by Britain, before the civil war, as slaves. They were the foundation of slave economy, being auctioned off and sold, with no thought given to their opinions, families, or lives. Throughout American history, African Americans have slowly fought their way towards where they are today. Their fight has developed into the Civil Rights Movement in the 1900s. Many historians would agree that the start of the Civil Rights Movement happenedRead MoreSocial Injustice During The Film Selma, Directed By Ava Duvernay1642 Words   |  7 Pagesdirected by Ava DuVernay showcases a lot of social injustice during the 1960 s. The portion of the film that I focused on in Selma was the migration scene, which is about seventy minutes into the movie. Within the migration scene from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, several cinematic devices play a pivotal role in understanding why white supremacist attacked black people during the 1960 s. The scene showcases a group of African Americans that band together from the city of Selma and wants to march in aRead MoreThe Song Glory, By Music Artists Common And John Legend1653 Words   |  7 PagesOscar nominated movie Selma. The movie Selma was an incredible experience that showcased the African American history and in particular the turbulent 1960s era in which Dr. Martin Luther King Jr(MLK) was leading the civil rights movement. The song Glory itself won the oscar for the best song in a motion picture and truly was an important part of the movie because not only did it chronicle the civil rights marches of 1965 led by MLK but it also incorporated events that occurred in the 21st centuryRead MoreReasons For The Civil Rights Movement1436 Words   |  6 PagesWhen did the Civil Rights Movement begin in earnest in Buffalo? The Civil Rights Movement In Buffalo was weak and many people were quiet and conservative. It was less a Movement than a group of scattered individuals, primarily black and Jewish. This Civil Rights Movement happened in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. Some people believed that this movement began in Western New York. African Americans faced many social problems during this time period, which demonstrated the significance of organizing

The Benefits And Challenges Of Diversity - 869 Words

Writing Literature Reviews Research Plan Marcus Radford Brandman University OLCU 501: Organizational Research May 21, 2017 Research Plan This research plan includes (a) a statement of the research purpose for the literature review, (b) three specific research questions, (c) an outline that includes a statement of the need for the research and how the research questions will be answered, and (d) a preliminary list of references that will be used to write the literature review. Research Purpose The purpose of this research is to examine current research on the benefits and challenges of diversity in the workplace. Research Questions The literature review will answer four research questions: 1. What is diversity and†¦show more content†¦102). B. â€Å"The workplace encourages workers to respect diversity through codes of conduct and diversity related policies (e.g. equal employment opportunity), providing learning opportunities relate to culture† (Harris, R., 2016, p.30). C. â€Å"Although various advantages may accrue through, diversity, a large body of research investigated the associated performance benefits in groups and teams, and concluded that such gains happen through enhanced information exchange and decision-making† (Roberson, Q., Ryan, A.M., Ragins, B.R., 2017, p. 483). III. Research Question Two: Leaders Managing Diversity in the Work Place A. Treating all employees fair is a great for leaders to manage diversity. â€Å"Most people believe in the golden rule: treat others as you want to be treated† ( Preeti, et al., 2014, p. 103). B. â€Å"Managing a diversified workforce has become an increasingly salient issue in organization (Pitts Wise, 2010)† (Choi, S., 2017, p. 84). IV. Research Question Three: Challenges for Leaders Managing the Work Place A. â€Å"Having a shared set of values, beliefs and norms in the workplace that results in a shared vision all are working towards the same outcome† (Harris, R., 2016, p.32). B. Leaders should make sure that everyone is comfortable in the workplace â€Å"Building an inclusive work environment that is culturally safe† (Harris, R., 2016, p.32). C. â€Å"Showing an open mind/ flexibility towards difference† (Harris, R., 2016, p.32). D. â€Å"Holding aShow MoreRelatedChallenge And Benefit Of Diversity For Leaders And Organizations1840 Words   |  8 PagesChallenge and Benefit of Diversity for Leaders and Organizations In America, many immigrants do not lose their culture identify like language, religions, and foods. People can identify other people who is Korean-American, Mexican-American, and Italian-American. It shows that many different cultures of people who live in United States, combine like a salad bowl. â€Å"Diversity describes race, gender, age, and other individual differences.† (Schermerhorn, 2013) Diversity is not only involves how peopleRead MoreInformative Speech Topages And Disadvantages Of Cultural Diversity In The Workplace925 Words   |  4 PagesComs 1030 Title of speech: Cultural Diversity in the Workplace Specific Purpose: My audience will be able to understand the advantages and disadvantages of cultural diversity in the workplace. Thesis: Introduction: I. Attention Getter At some point in time we have all been in a position where we were uncomfortable in a new setting, cultural diversity is presented in everyday life; whether you’re at a new university or starting a new job. Cultural diversity is becoming more common in the workRead MoreCulture And Diversity : An Instrumental Aspect Of The Business Environment Essay1182 Words   |  5 PagesExecutive summary Culture and diversity has been an instrumental aspect of the business environment for a few decades now. While globalization is singled out as its enhancer, it is far from its inceptor. Managers have had to deal with diversity for years, through the contemporary environment has realized an influx in this particular phenomenon (Mor-Barak, 2011). In the contemporary business, environment has become more complex with the degree of diversity that is being witnessed. Managers have toRead MoreDiversity And Public Administration By Harvey L. White And Rice1254 Words   |  6 Pages In the book entitled, Diversity and Public Administration by Harvey L. White and Mitchell F. Rice , White and Rice (2010) stated challenges will form from changes in demographics which are affecting the demands of delivery and visions of products and services. Since 2000, minority population has increased dramatically. In result of minority population increasing, public organizations have a more diverse work environment. In the workplace, diversity can be a benefit. According to the article entitledRead MoreWhy A Diverse Workplace Matters?1093 Words   |  5 Pagessuccess of an organization. Diversity means differences due to race, gender, ethnic groups, age, personality, tenure, organizational function, educational background, etc. Diversity involves how people perceive themselves and how they perceive others. These perceptions affect their interactions. Why a diverse workplace matters? / Benefits of workplace diversity An organization’s success and competitiveness depends upon it’s ability to embrace diversity and realize it’s benefits. Due to divers workplaceRead Moreworkplace diversity paper1115 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿ Benefits of Workplace Diversity In the 21st century, workplace diversity has enhanced organization performances and communication skills which benefited the organizations to become successful businesses. Increasing adaptability in the workplace, having to value diversity, and executing more effectively are three benefits of workplace diversity. Organizations most definitely have the ability to embrace their workplace diversity by helping their employees realize the benefits that enhances the businessRead MoreEmbracing Diversity Eth/1251596 Words   |  7 PagesEmbracing Diversity Final Research Essay Kevin S. McGhee ETH/125 Week Nine Embracing Diversity It is said that by 2050, the population of the United States will increase by 82 % if current trends continue as they are. It is also states that of that increase in the population that 50 million will be immigrants and another 67 million will be of natural immigrants that are now citizens. Jeffrey Passel and D Vera Cohn (2008). With the current bias, and prejudice attitude toward ethnic groupsRead MoreCompensation And Benefits Of Employees1446 Words   |  6 PagesCompensation and Benefits When most people thing of compensation and diversity in the same category, they assume the discussion will be under the umbrella of discriminatory practices against women and minorities. However, compensation and benefits are tools at the disposal of human resources professionals for recruiting and retaining a diverse employee pool even in the absence of a formal diversity management programs. Like a properly executed training and development program, benefits packages can alsoRead MoreDiversity Is The Equal Coexistence Of Diverse Cultures, Institutions, And / Or Individuals1557 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction In America, past and present, we are faced with many challenges pertaining to diversity. Diversity is defined as the presence of human beings with perceived or actual differences based on a variety of human characteristics (Koppelman 2014). A challenge of diversity faced is on American Education. Education is most important because our future society depends on it and if we did not have it our future would most certainly fail. Learning and schooling is critical for everyone to gainRead MoreEssay on Managing Diversity in the Workplace1207 Words   |  5 PagesJohn F. Kennedy once said If we cannot end now our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity. Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges, and the Required Managerial Tools1 Kelli A. Green, Mayra Là ³pez, Allen Wysocki, and Karl Kepner2 Introduction The worlds increasing globalization requires more interaction among people from diverse cultures, beliefs, and backgrounds than ever before. People no longer live and work in an insular marketplace; they are now

Character, Morals, Integrity Essay Example For Students

Character, Morals, Integrity Essay Morals, character, integrity, what do these words mean.actually, the question is, do you have them. A man named Dwight Moody once said, Character is what you are in the dark. You cannot see your morals, character, or integrity, these are only shown as your values. Someone could only show their own values, which are very important to themselves and everyone else. Integrity is the firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values. The way you show your integrity, character, and morals or how they are effect you in either a negative or positive way. There are many causes to how your values are. So as you know, integrity is very important and it is important to have it. First of all, people may ask, What are morals, character, and integrity, but they should know that they are mainly the same thing. Character means moral or ethical strength, or as H. Jackson Browne once said, Our character is what we do when we think no one is looking. John Wooden said that everyone should, Be more concerned with your character than your reputation because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are. Morals are rules or habits of conduct with reference of standards of right and wrong. Socrates once said, Moral philosophy is hard thought about right action. Paul Tillich stated that, Morality is not a subject, it is a life put to the test in dozens of moments. Integrity is the rigid adherence to a code or standard of values. Denis Waitly said, integrity is what we do, what we say, and what we say we do. A doctor named Dr. Laura stated, integrity effects you by either being honest or not. If you are honest, then you have integrity. People who say that they are going to do something do it. You can now see that character, morals, and integrity are very important. Secondly, people may think that their values may not effect them, but theyre wrong, they effect them a lot. Since character describes how you are and what your moral strengths are, having bad character could make people dislike you because of how you are. On the other hand, if you have good character, then more people would see how good of a person you are and even more people would like you. Morals sort of describe the way you make decisions, so having bad morals could guide your life down the drain, while having good morals could guide your life minute by minute toward noble goals. Integrity is also very important. Having bad integrity could make you very non-trustworthy to others. Having good integrity would make you very trustworthy to others. Knowing how important they are, you should always have good or even better character, morals, and integrity. Also, there are many causes for how your character, morals, and integrity are. One cause could of course be yourself. By hanging out with the right people and making good decisions, you could have good values. Yet hanging out with the wrong people and making bad decisions would be having bad values. Another cause may be parents/guardians. Since you learn from them, if they have good values, you could pick up from them and have good values too. If they have bad values, such as they smoke, lie, steal, or any other bad choices, then you could learn from them and have bad values. Friends are also a main factor of causes. Friends who have good values could show you to have good values also. If friends have bad values, then the could use peer pressure against you and pressure you into making wrong decisions along with them, then youll have bad morals, character, and integrity. .u1cb4c88576e1b646edaaf63c49057346 , .u1cb4c88576e1b646edaaf63c49057346 .postImageUrl , .u1cb4c88576e1b646edaaf63c49057346 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u1cb4c88576e1b646edaaf63c49057346 , .u1cb4c88576e1b646edaaf63c49057346:hover , .u1cb4c88576e1b646edaaf63c49057346:visited , .u1cb4c88576e1b646edaaf63c49057346:active { border:0!important; } .u1cb4c88576e1b646edaaf63c49057346 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u1cb4c88576e1b646edaaf63c49057346 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u1cb4c88576e1b646edaaf63c49057346:active , .u1cb4c88576e1b646edaaf63c49057346:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u1cb4c88576e1b646edaaf63c49057346 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u1cb4c88576e1b646edaaf63c49057346 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u1cb4c88576e1b646edaaf63c49057346 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u1cb4c88576e1b646edaaf63c49057346 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u1cb4c88576e1b646edaaf63c49057346:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u1cb4c88576e1b646edaaf63c49057346 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u1cb4c88576e1b646edaaf63c49057346 .u1cb4c88576e1b646edaaf63c49057346-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u1cb4c88576e1b646edaaf63c49057346:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Tired Angels Essay For people to have good morals, character, and integrity, they muse hang out with the right people and make right decisions. In conclusion, nobody else could show anyone elses values, besides that person. You could show how your morals, character, and integrity are, how they effect you, and who can cause how they are to you. On page 4, Huit said, violent crime rates have increased 470%. All in all, integrity, character, and .

Veterans Health Administration System Development Lifecycle

Problem Statement It has been noted that shortcomings in the Veteran Health Administration (VHA) system that systematic issues affecting the Return on Investment (ROI) may be due to improper adherence to the steps in the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). This document presents key areas of the SDLC that may be behind the shortcomings and recommends a root cause analysis study.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Veterans Health Administration System Development Lifecycle specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Context The Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is series of steps that play an integral role in the production of software. The cycle includes system engineering, software requirements analysis, systems analysis and design, generation of code, testing and maintenance (Lewis 26). Based on reports from the PE Lessons Learned team, it has been reported that during development of the VHA system systematic i ssues suggest poor adherence to the SDLC. In turn this may be responsible for poor Return on Investment (ROI) for the project. Because of this several areas have been identified that could be the reason behind the poor performance of the project. Concept Initiation Issues attributed to poor adherence to the SDLC of the VHA system can be traced to concept initiation. Evidence in support of this is identified in the GAO report which highlights the fact that despite spending large sums on money and time on the VA project implementation is yet to be done on many of the projects. It has been observed that an estimated $127 million has been spent on this project over a period of nine years. It should be noted that of this amount $62 million of the amount was to be spent on planning, management support development equipment and environment. It has also been noted that the department also paid a further $65 million to the contractor to develop the replacement scheduling system. It should be noted that prior to initiation of the project the VA system relied on an outpatient scheduling system that was over 25 years old. Given that in 2009, VA terminated the contract supporting the development of a suitable scheduling project one can understand why so many defects still exist in the system. His is because if the scheduling system is so significant, the VA should have first developed this system before undertaking other systems. As a result of this poor planning it was noted that the project was still plagued by a number of defects that VA and the contractor were unable to resolve.Advertising Looking for assessment on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It has therefore been concluded that it is likely that VA did not adequately plan its acquisition of the scheduling application. This can be traced to the fact that one of the best practices in development of software is to closely align software projec ts with business or organizational goals (ISACA 116). Concept Definition Another shortcoming that is attributable to lack of adherence to the SDLC is observed when considering concept definition. This is because an SDLC can be broken into three main stages namely, definition, construction and the implementation phases (Tan and Sheps 296). In the definition phase, the project team attempts to provide a detailed explanation of what the system is expected to accomplish. It is based on these requirements that the software engineering specialists develop the proposed solution (Tan and Sheps 296). It is therefore clear that an incomplete or unsuitable concept definition will most likely result in a system with degraded performance. At this point it is also important to mention that definition also involves feasibility study which is essential to the proposed system. The objective of the feasibility study is to point out if the project is absolutely necessary and if the organization is abl e to complete the software project envisioned (Tan and Sheps 296). Based on the VHA case it appears evident that a complete feasibility study was not undertaken and as a result a poor system was developed. In addition to that another important question that can be traced to the feasibility study is related to the Enterprise Architecture (EA). Based on the feasibility study it should have been noted that the Enterprise Architecture to support such a system was absent. This in turn would have suggested the need to develop suitable architecture. The feasibility study should have identified the lack of the required architecture to manage the project. In this case the development of the suitable architecture should have arisen and been addressed accordingly. Concept Planning It has already been established that during the development of a software project the project team goes through a series of steps to ensure success of the product.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sa mple on Veterans Health Administration System Development Lifecycle specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In a good software project the development team will allow the organization to review progress periodically. It is believed that these reviews play a crucial role in the development process. This is because reviews present opportunities to identify errors and inconsistency (Tan 201). Such reviews provide developers with an opportunity to plan, correct and re-plan the project as it progresses. In the development of the VHA System it is possible for one to assume that such planning in relation to the concept was not done. For this reason it is evident that due to poor acquisition strategies led to solutions that do not satisfy the stakeholder needs. In addition to that it is noted that due to poor planning there were numerous delays in the project schedule. Also evident in the project is the lack of communication and absence of meetings between the participants. This appears to be a reason behind the delays in completion. It has been suggested that in similar projects the participation by both the users and the project team helps to keep the project on track (Tan 201). Based on this reason, the numerous delays suggest that there was poor execution of the planning stage. Development In the production of software solutions the development stage normally involves the translation of user requirements to code (Langer 221). The code produced during this stage relies heavily on the amount of time dedicated to the definition and planning stages of the SDLC. Therefore, if there were major flaws in definition and planning phases the product produced will certainly contain these flaws. In this stage of the SDLC, the software is also tested to provide data on its performance vis-Ã  -vis the requirements (Langer 221). It has been reported that due to the fact that VA did not ensure requirements were complete and sufficiently d etailed, it was thus unable to guide the development of the scheduling system. It is reported based on guidance that the use of disciplined processes for definition and management can help reduce risks associated with developing a system that does not meet user needs. Based on the failures associated with the system it is possible to infer that VA did not adhere to this practice. It is also essential that requirements should be well defined and documented by the team to make development an easier task. The move to abandon the scheduling system and begin afresh suggests that not only was the contractor in appropriate, the requirements were not properly defined and documented. Implementation During this stage in the development of software a number of tasks are undertaken. These tasks are important because they vet and review the requirements (Kostojohn, Paulen and Johnson 96). There are a number of approaches that can be utilized during development. In this stage the program will als o be tested for integration.Advertising Looking for assessment on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It has been observed that the VA approach to the performance of testing increased the risk that the system would not perform as expected. This is because best practices suggest testing activities should be incremental in nature. This is because incremental testing will uncover minor issue which in turn may affect the overall performance of the system. This allows for early detection and correction of software errors. This leads to use of less time and resources in correcting errors. It has been noted that instead of using the best practice approach to testing, the VA chose a high risk approach of undertaking all testing activity concurrently instead of incrementally. This is based n information provided by project officials that indicated stage to testing on all 12 versions of the scheduling application began before stage one testing was completed. It has been mentioned that stage two testing began 78 days before stage one testing of the same version was completed. It is even mentio ned in a further two cases that stage two testing began even before stage one testing. It has been further pointed out that the first alpha version had 370 defects that were of critical, major or average severity. However, the department proceeded with these tests even when the departmental criteria for commencing stage two testing indicated that all such defects were to be resolved before stage two testing began. To deal with this issue caused by the defects the VA hired a second contactor to deal with the defects. However, almost two years after commencing stage two testing 87 defects still remained unresolved. Scheduling project officials reported that they ignored the departmental testing guidance and approved stage two testing. Based on this it has been suggested that if the VA is to succeed in its new initiative it is critical that the project adhere to testing guidelines to ensure prompt problem resolution. Operations and Maintenance It has been reported that a significant am ount of money spent system development goes into maintenance. For this reason there are a wide number of maintenance activities that can be undertaken on an information system. Corrective maintenance involves the repair of design and programming errors (Dixit 412). Adaptive maintenance involves the modification of the system to changes in the operating environment. Perfective maintenance is meant to evolve a system and take advantage of existing opportunities (Dixit 412). There is also preventive maintenance, which is performed with a view to providing safety from future problems. Upon analysis of the VHA system the changes made to the RTLS implementations suggests that the system was poorly maintained. Evidence of this is in the observation that non conformities led to difficulty in data retrieval, viewing and analysis. Based on this information it is possible to suggest that other than poor requirements definition there was poor maintenance. This is because such inconsistencies sh ould have been identified upon implementation and rectified using corrective maintenance measures. Close out The final step in a software project is the closeout phase. This stage entails performing actions that effectively conclude a software project (Rittinghouse 157). In this stage the project team holds a post mortem meeting with the stakeholders. After this meeting, a report of the meeting is produced. It is expected that the report will act as a road map for future activity involving the project (Rittinghouse 157). In the case of the VHA system due to inconsistencies and performance issues it is still not possible to complete this stage. This position suggests a need to take remedial action and conclude the project. Recommendations Based on the position revealed by the findings of this report the PE team will undertake investigations to identify shortfalls in the VA project. This position is due to the various high-level issues identified in this report. It has already been no ted that poor requirements definition led the project to failure due to the fact that the project did not fully capture the organizations goals. It has been suggested that this may have arisen because the users and the team did not collaborate adequately in the requirements analysis. Another issue with the project can be attributed to poor financial planning which saw the project utilize a large amount of financial resources and produce a faulty product. It would appear that there was an inadequate definition of requirements and milestones that may have guided the project to success. In addition to that it has also been identified that there is a need for improvement in project management within the organization. This comes to light due to the fact that approval for step two testing came from within the organization. As such it is hoped that the information contained in this report can be used as a basis for further investigation in budgeting, planning, requirements analysis, testin g and change management within the organization. Works Cited Dixit, J. B. Structured Systems Analysis and Design. New Delhi: Laxmi Publications (P) Ltd., 2007. Print. ISACA. CGEIT Review Manual 2011. Printed in the USA: ISACA, 2011. Print. Kostojohn, S., Brian Paulen, and Mathew Johnson. CRM Fundamentals. New York: Springer, 2011. Print. Langer, Arthur M. Guide to Software Development: Designing and Managing the Lifecycle. London: Springer, 2012. Print. Lewis, Jeremy. Sdlc 100 success secrets: Software Development Lifecycle (sdlc) 100 most asked questions. Brisbane: Lulu.com, 2008. Print. Rittinghouse, John W. Managing Software Deliverables: a software development management methodology. Burlington: Digital Press, 2004. Print. Tan, Joseph K. H., and Samuel Barry Sheps. Health Decision Support Systems. Maryland: Aspen Publishers Inc., 1998. Print. Tan, Joseph K. H. Adaptive Health Management Information Systems: Concepts, Cases and Practical Applications. Sudbury, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2010. Print. This assessment on Veterans Health Administration System Development Lifecycle was written and submitted by user Isiah D. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Desert Precipitation, Plant, and Animal Life

Desert Precipitation, Plant, and Animal Life Deserts, also known as arid lands, are regions that receive less than 10 inches of precipitation a year and have little vegetation. Deserts occupy about one-fifth of the land on Earth and appear on every continent. Little Precipitation The little precipitation and rain that falls in deserts is usually erratic and varies from year to year. While a desert might have an annual average of five inches of precipitation, that precipitation may come in the form of three inches one year, none the next, 15 inches the third, and two inches the fourth. Thus, in arid environments, the annual average tells little about actual rainfall. What does matter is that deserts receive less precipitation than their potential evapotranspiration (evaporation from the soil and plants plus transpiration from plants equals evapotranspiration, abbreviated as ET). This means that deserts do not receive enough precipitation to overcome the amount evaporated, so no pools of water can form. benedek / Getty Images Plant and Animal Life With little rainfall, few plants grow in desert locations. When plants do grow, they are usually spaced far apart and are quite sparse. Without vegetation, deserts are highly prone to erosion since there are no plants to hold down the soil. Despite the lack of water, a number of animals call deserts home. These animals have adapted to not only survive, but to flourish, in harsh desert environments. Lizards, tortoises, rattlesnakes, roadrunners, vultures, and, of course, camels all live in deserts. Flooding in a Desert It doesnt rain often in a desert, but when it does, the rain is often intense. Since the ground is often impermeable (meaning that water isnt absorbed into the ground easily), the water runs quickly right into streams that only exist during rainfalls. The swift water of these ephemeral streams are responsible for most of the erosion that takes place in the desert. Desert rain often never makes it to the ocean, the streams usually end in lakes that dry up or the streams themselves just dry up. For instance, almost all of the rain that falls in Nevada never makes it to a perennial river or to the ocean. Permanent streams in the desert are usually the result of exotic water, meaning that the water in the streams comes from outside of the desert. For example, the Nile River flows through a desert but the rivers source in high in the mountains of Central Africa. Where Is the Worlds Largest Desert? The worlds largest desert is actually the very cold continent of Antarctica. It is the worlds driest place, receiving less than two inches of precipitation annually. Antarctica is 5.5 million square miles (14,245,000 square kilometers) in area. Outside of polar regions, Northern Africas Sahara Desert is the worlds largest desert at more than 3.5 million square miles (nine million square kilometers), which is slightly smaller than the size of the United States, the worlds fourth largest country. The Sahara stretches from Mauritania to Egypt and Sudan. What Is the Worlds Hottest Temperature? The worlds highest temperature was recorded in the Sahara Desert (136 degrees F or 58 degrees C at Azizia, Libya on September 13, 1922). Why Is a Desert so Cold at Night? The very dry air of the desert holds little moisture and thus holds little heat; thus, as soon as the sun sets, the desert cools considerably. Clear, cloudless skies also help to quickly release heat at night. Most deserts have very low temperatures at night. Desertification In the 1970s, the Sahel strip that stretches along the southern fringe of the Sahara Desert in Africa experienced a devastating drought, causing land that was formerly used for grazing to turn to desert in a process known as desertification. Approximately one-quarter of the land on Earth is threatened by desertification. The United Nations held a conference to begin discussing desertification in 1977. These discussions eventually resulted in the establishment of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, an international treaty established in 1996 to combat desertification.

Analysis of Chief Elements of Eat2Eat's Strategy Case Study

Analysis of Chief Elements of Eat2Eat's Strategy - Case Study Example The five tasks of strategic management include 1. Developing the mission and vision, 2. Developing objectives, 3. Developing Strategy, 4. Implementing Strategy and 5. Evaluating Performance and improving Strategy (Chenata, 18). Aggarwal rates low because Aggarwal has not been able to develop a feasible mission and vision statement for the company. Right now, he has no objectives for the firm which would have been developed keeping in mind the vision and mission of the company. Since there are no objectives in Agarwal’s mind, the company lacks a strategic vision. When a company does not have a proper mission and vision, it risks its chances of going off-track. 2. Is Aggarwal’s present strategic vision for Eat2Eat different from the one he had when he originally founded it?   When Aggarwal first founded the company, he wanted to open up an internet chain that would work on the same track as that of online hotel and airline Ticket Company, just that the company would foc us on restaurant bookings. Even though Aggarwal has not developed a mission and vision statement, the strategic vision has remained the same. While Aggarwal has expanded his reach to new countries and taken on promoting restaurants through website advertising, the company still earns a majority of its revenues through restaurant booking. 3. What are the chief elements of Eat2Eat’s business model? How does the company generate revenues? What are the primary cost drivers? How does it deliver value to customers?   The chief elements of Eat2Eat’s business model include an online service that is yet to have direct competition. The organization is able to generate revenues through three channels. These include its main revenue-generating area which is online booking of restaurants; advertising for restaurants on the website; and credit card companies that build an alliance with the company. The company has also been able to cover a wide geographical area in a relatively sh ort time span. The primary cost drivers for the company include travelling expenses that the CEO incurs while contacting new partners. It also includes salaries paid to employees and maintaining the website. It delivers value to its customers by providing a myriad of restaurant choices to book form and also by giving reviews about these restaurants that are written by the CEO himself and are objective in nature. 4. What are the chief elements of Eat2Eat s strategy? Which of the five generic strategies discussed in Chapter 5 is Eat2Eat pursuing? Has Eat2Eat s strategy evolved since it was originally conceived?   Strategies adopted by organizations all over the world have been generally categorized into five generic strategies. These include best cost provider strategy, focused low-cost strategy, focused differentiation strategy, broad differentiation strategy and low-cost provider strategy (Thompson, Strickland, Gamble and Jain, 138).  

Philosophy- The Problem of Evil Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Philosophy- The Problem of Evil - Essay Example Evil can be defined as anything which is morally wrong, inhuman, or brings destruction to life and liberty. The idea of evil can be applied to thoughts, actions, persons or even objects. There is an accepted relationship between good and evil that one can not exist without the other and often both are objective viewpoints and faces of the same coin. At the surface, it is a simple concept which even children will understand that evil is representative of actions and deeds which hurt other people but in theological terms it is often seen a problem that requires explanations (Surin, 2004). I believe in the position forwarded by Nash (1994), who suggests that being certain of God’s existence is not central to the understanding of why evil exists or prevails. In the fourth chapter of his book, he outlines the idea of freewill and how the existence of human beings gives them the power to perform their actions as they choose. While God allows evil to occur, God does not condone it and the concept of justice is as attached to the idea of evil as the theme of reward is connected with the idea of moral behavior. Rene Descartes was a famous French philosopher who took a different approach to define the problem of evil. He has been called the father of modern philosophy because of his thoughts on reason and the existence of the self. His primal work on the concept of evil is considered to be Meditations on First Philosophy which is fundamentally a search for the truth. In Meditations, Descartes seeks out facts which a person can arrive at without any doubt. Like a skeptic, he considers everything and doubts everything which can be doubted even his own senses as if he is being fooled by a dream created by a supremely powerful evil entity. While dreaming is not explored in his works, the concept of an evil entity is examined in some detail. He considers deception to be the embodiment of evil because evil functioning as

Science and Technology Essay Example for Free

Science and Technology Essay Although Kerala had been existing from pre-historic times under various other names like Malabar, Malankara, Malayalam, Chera-nad, Cheralam, etc. it had not been a single political unit ever. The narrow strip of land, forming Kerala was divided into a number of small princely states till 1956, when various regions inhabited by Malayalam-speaking people, were unified. Even though, people in this territory dreamed of a single, united political unit for a long time, realization of that dream was impossible in earlier centuries, as different dynasties and local war-lords and European empire-builders, kept the land divided. Boundaries of the princely states changed, as wars between them were frequent. Thus, Kerala, throughout its history had been a divided land till half-a-century ago. Kerala being geographically isolated from the rest of India due to the long mountain range along its eastern border (The Western Ghats), had never become an integral part of any of the numerous empires and kingdoms which ruled the rest of India. Invaders like Hyder and Tipu Sulthan could not succeed in conquering the entire stretch of land and make it part of their empire. Cholas and Pandyas also could not keep Kerala under their power for long. Europeans also could possess only portions of Kerala, under them for limited periods. Thus, there never was a unified Kerala, as a political entity, in the long history of India, till unification in modern times. When finally it happened, unification of Kerala was enforced. Travancore wanted to become an independent nation with sovereignty – a sovereign state, fully self – governing and independent in foreign affairs. Advocating an American model government, Travancore had declared independence unilaterally just before the British granted freedom to India. But, that dream of a separate country in the Indian sub – continent, did not become a reality. Other princely states in India also had to abandon their dreams similarly. Under the new set-up that was emerging in India, all princely states had to give up their claims to sovereignty and merge with the Indian Union. So, under pressure, Travancore and Cochin princely states were unified in 1949. And it was made a state in the Republic of India on 26 January 1950. Still, only about half of Kerala was unified. The other half, called Malabar Revenue Division, continued to be part of Madras state, till re-organization of states on the basis of language, was carried out on 1 November 1956. Formation of modern Kerala, on the basis of the language (Malayalam) spoken in the territory,  was thus an enforced affair. Even though the privileged people in the old regimes tried to resist the unification and formation of Kerala, the majority of the people welcomed it.

Horror Stories by Stevenson and Greene Essay -- Horror Stories Stevens

Horror Stories by Stevenson and Greene Horror stories are an excellent traditional genre. This genre has been around for almost as long as stories have been told. In this generation there is not much that can really scare us, but what does actually make a good horror story? Horror stories need to have a good and intimidating storyline, it needs to play on people's fears, it also needs to give its audience a real thrill and send chills down their spines. The horror story may be based on phobias, superstitions, murder or science fiction. Horror stories that involve science can be really scary sometimes, as this modern world is vastly developing, and we sometimes wonder what science can do. If a relatively small atom bomb can wipe out a large city than science can basically do anything, and this is what scares us. What also really scares us, is when a horror story is based on something we know little about, "the unknown," this includes aliens, monsters etc. Horror stories contain lots of tension and suspense; it has got to keep its readers on the edge of their seat, making them think what's going to happen next? A good horror story usually involves some kind of history, something that has happened in the past, this creates tension, suspense and creates and element of mystery for the reader. When humans don't know something, their hormones naturally make them want to know the thing even more; this is why the element of mystery and the suspense works really well in horror stories, luring the reader onto reading the rest of the story. In a horror story, lots of imagery is used, to create an atmosphere, this includes darkness bad weather, blood, death, also symbols of horror such as crows and the devi... ... think someone died because he was frightened of the dark, but when you think about it is kind of believable how he may have been so scared, that it just caused his body to stop working. I think horror stories have remained so popular because as humans we like getting a thrill. Horror stories are traditional and even in the times of the cavemen horror stories were told, and now these stories have advanced and can be very interesting. Although we don't like to be frightened, have nightmares and have our heart pounding really fast, the comfort comes when we realise that the horror isn't real (unless it is), and we can have a sigh of relief, and the feeling is good when we look at the horror and reflect it to our own lives, which makes us feel safe. This is the same for nightmares, the feeling comes when we wake up and realise the nightmare wasn't reality.

Joe Gargery’s Character Analysis Essay

‘†¦all(Dicken’s characters), no matter how briefly sketched are real.(CLIFFS NOTES P.54).Charles Dickens has the ability to make his characters very close to human, if not human. Charles Dickens’ novel, Great Expectations, is mainly based on a character named Pip who goes from ‘rags’ to ‘riches’. Joe Gargery, Pip’s brother-in-law, lives with Pip and Mrs. Joe in the marsh country. He is a blacksmith who doesn’t make a lot of money but manages to stay a mild and good-natured man. But what causes Joe to stay so mild and good-natured throughout Pip’s transformation? The truth can only be revealed through studying his relationship to Pip, his importance to the plot, and the theme he best represents. When Pip’s parents die, his sister decides to bring him up ‘by the hand'(p.559). She has a very hard time with Pip, and in the future says, ‘I’d never do it[bring Pip up] again!'(p.560). Then she marries Joe Gargery. Joe and Pip form this ‘everlasting’ relationship, mainly because they were both ‘brought up by the hand'(p.559). Joe always looks out for Pip and helps Pip out. Mrs. Joe would never do this. For example, when Pip was coming back from the graveyard after his first encounter with the convict, he find out that Mrs. Joe had gone on a rampage with the tickler only by Joe telling him. When Mrs. Joe returns, she throws Pip at Joe and Joe guards Pip from any harm Mrs. Joe can do. Though these incidents, Joe develops a steady, everlasting relationship with Pip. When Pip receives word of his expectation, he also found out that in order to get his expectation and become a gentleman, he must go to London. Pip’s reason for wanting to become a gentleman is mainly for Estella. He will do anything to impress Estella and win her heart. Pip knew he had to go if he were ever going to win Estella’s heart. Joe had built up such a strong relationship with Pip that he didn’t want anything to do with the obstruction of Pip’s future. Another reason for Joe loving Pip is when Pip was sick and in debt, Joe went to London and helped Pip. Joe paid his debts(even though he himself had money problems) and stayed at Pip’s bedside every second he was sick. According to Joe, †Ã¢â‚¬ ¦you and me was ever friends.† (p.706) Joe must love Pip more than anything in the world if he flew to London just to help an ‘old friend’. Pip’s relationship to Joe wasn’t quite  as ‘smooth’ as Joe’s relationship to Pip. At the beginning of the novel, Pip and Joe had an equal relationship, the both cared and helped each other. Joe, for example, let Pip know of Mrs. Joe’s rampage and Pip taught Joe to read. So they both had an equal relationship at the beginning. But when Pip received word of his expectation, things changed. Pip only concentrates on being a gentleman and winning over Estella. Pip doesn’t think about Joe much anymore. When Joe went to visit Pip, and Joe kept trying to put his hat on the corner of the chimney piece without realizing it is too big, Pip becomes very annoyed with him. ‘I felt impatient of him and out of temper with him.'(p.631) If things were like home, Pip would teach Joe, not be annoyed at him. But Joe, being this mild and good-natured man, blames the whole incident on himself. The relationships between Pip and Joe are very different throughout the novel. Without Joe in the novel, Pip wouldn’t have ever received his great expectation. Joe is the ‘man of the house’. Joe provides the family with money. This money gives them a place to stay, food, and clothing. When Pip met the first convict, he demanded a file and wittles. Where would Pip get these items if Joe were not there to provide the money, which provided the food, shelter, and clothing? Pip would not be able to provide his convict with the file and wittles and the other convict would take Pip’s heart and lungs out. Then, there would be nobody to give the expectation to and there would also be no reason to give the expectation. The main reason for the convict giving the expectation was the last person who did something good for him. But Pip never gives the wittles and file to the convict so there was no last good thing done. So, without Joe, there would be no expectation. The theme Joe best represents is ‘Sophisticated manners are not nearly as important as genuine kindness and affection.’ At the beginning of the novel, Joe and Pip’s did not show sophisticated manners but stayed friends because they had kindness and affection for each other. But as Pip received his expectation, became a gentleman, and went to London, he lived in an environment of sophisticated manners. Manners in which Joe were not familiar with. But Joe did not care about how sophisticated Pip became. All he cared about was the kindness and affection they had together. That was all that  mattered in their friendship to Joe. Overall, Joe’s relationship to Pip gets an A+ because his thoughts of Pip stayed steady throughout the novel no matter what Pip did to Joe. Pip’s relationship to Joe gets a C because at the beginning he felt the same way about Joe but his expectation changed his feelings about Joe. Nothing should be able to break up a strong relationship. Joe’s importance to the plot received an A because the plot would not be able to continue without Joe. Joe’s representation to the theme received an A because Joe was the one who didn’t care about sophisticated manners, but only genuine kindness and affection. ‘†¦There has been no writer of fiction in the western world who had Dicken’s genius for creating such an infinite variety of characters.'(CLIFFS NOTES p.54) Charles Dickens has created Joe as an amazing character in the novel, Great Expectations.

Fibroblast growth factors (fgfs) in neural induction - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 29 Words: 8749 Downloads: 8 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Biology Essay Type Descriptive essay Did you like this example? Fibroblast Growth Factors (FGFs) in neural induction Abstract Neural induction represents the first stage in the formation of the vertebrate nervous system from embryonic ectoderm. Fibroblast Growth Factors (FGFs), initially identified for their mitogenic and angiogenic roles in bovine brain extracts, are now known to have many developmental roles in particular that of neural induction, comprising of a family of 22 FGFs. Spemann and Mangold (1924) pioneered the study of neural induction through the identification of the organizer. Early work in amphibians suggested that neural fate was instructed by signals from Spemanns organiser or dorsal mesoderm. Over a decade ago, the default model proposed that neural induction was the direct consequence from inhibition of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) found in Xenopus laevis, not taking into consideration neural induction in avian embryos. Consequently many experimental studies, in the chick, subsequent to this finding conflicted the idea that BMP inhibition was the only necessary step required suggesting that FGFs were required at an earlier stage prior to BMP inhibition. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Fibroblast growth factors (fgfs) in neural induction" essay for you Create order Much controversy has surrounded the role of FGFs in neural induction but now it is widely accepted to have a role in both amphibians and amniotes. Fibroblast Growth Factors in neural induction Structure and Function: FGFs broken down Fibroblast Growth Factors (FGFs) regulate a vast array of developmental processes, including, limb development, neural induction and neural development (BÃÆ'Â ¶ttcher and Niehrs, 2005). FGFs play an important role in development of an organism by regulating cellular differentiation, proliferation and migration and are involved in tissue-injury repair (Itoh and Ornitz, 2004). The early FGFs, FGF1 and FGF2 (also known as acidic and basic FGF, respectively) were first discovered from bovine brain and pituitary extracts and identified for their mitogenic and angiogenic activities (Gospodarowicz et al., 1974). Additionally, a number of family members were found revealing a total of 22 FGFs in humans ranging from 17 to 34 kDa in molecular mass in vertebrates. The nomenclature extends to FGF23 but in humans FGF19 is the equivalent to mouse Fgf15 (Ornitz and Itoh, 2001). Also the FGFs have been organised into seven subfamilies based on sequence comparisons. FGFs show conservation through species, especially across the vertebrate species in gene structure and amino-acid sequence. FGF sequences are yet to be found in unicellular organisms such as yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and bacteria (Escherichia Coli) (Itoh and Ornitz, 2004). Interestingly, an Fgf-like gene has been encoded in the nuclear polyhedrosis virus genome (Ayres et al., 1994). In protostomes, there are far fewer FGFs in contrast to vertebrates, as two (let-756 and egl-17) have been found in Caenorhabditis elegans and three (branchless, pyramus and thisbe) in Drosophila (Mason, 2007). Most FGFs have amino-terminal signal peptides (Fig. 1 (a)) and are secreted from cells. FGFs 9, 16 and 20 lack this signal peptide but nevertheless are still secreted (Ornitz and Itoh, 2001). FGF1 and FGF2 lack these signal sequences and are secreted by non-canonical pathways, however they can be found on the cell surface and within the extracellular matrix. Golfarb (2005) suggests that FGFs 11-14 do not interact with FGF receptors (FGFRs) and are not secreted but instead localise to the cell nucleus. Fig. 1 (above) illustrates the structural features of the FGF polypeptide (a). A signal sequence (shaded grey) can be seen here within the amino terminus and is present in most FGFs. All FGFs contain a core region (Fig. 1 (a)) containing around 120 amino acids of which 6 are identical amino acids residues and 28 are highly conserved (Goldfarb, 1996). The black boxes (numbered 1 to 12) represent the location of ÃŽÂ ² strands within the core. The three dimensional structure of FGF2 (b) can also be seen where the heparin binding region (yellow) includes residues between ÃŽÂ ²1 and ÃŽÂ ²2 strands and in ÃŽÂ ²10 and ÃŽÂ ²11 strands. FGFs have a high affinity for heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG) and require heparan sulphate to activate one of four transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinases (FGFR1-4) in all vertebrates. FGFR5 has been identified recently, however most action is mediated via FGFR1-4 (Powers et al., 2000). FGFRs are membrane associated class IV receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). The FGFR tyrosine kinase receptors (Fig. 2 B) include 3 immunoglobulin (Ig) domains and a heparin binding sequence which requires heparan sulphate to be activated (McKeehan et al., 1998). HSPG are low affinity receptors that are unable to transmit a biological signal but act as co-factors for activation and regulation of an interaction between FGFs and FGFRs. Fig. 2 Illustrates the structure of a FGF molecule (A) indicating that the core region is where FGFR and HSPG binding occurs. The FGFR (B) has three Ig-domains which lie extracellularly. Ig-domain I affects binding affinity whereas Ig-domain II is where FGF binding occurs and Ig-domain III is involved in ligand selectivity. An acidic box (AB) lies between Ig-domain I and Ig-domain II which optimises interaction between HSPG and FGFR. Adjacent to the AB is the heparin-binding domain and CHD. The tyrosine kinase domain is split for catalytic activity and binding of adaptor proteins. Ig, Immunoglobulin; ECM, Extracellular matrix; CAM, Cell adhesion molecules; CHD, CAM homology domain; PKC, Protein kinase C; FRS-2, FGF receptor substrate-2. Image taken from: BÃÆ'Â ¶ttcher and Niehrs, (2005) Fig. 2 (above) illustrates a two dimensional generic FGF (A) and a FGFR (B) protein. The structure of a FGF (A) coincides with that of Fig. 1, containing a signal sequence in the amino-terminus and the conserved core region containing HSPG and receptor-binding sites. The main features of FGFRs (B) include 3-Immunoglobulin domains, an acidic box (AB) which lies between IgI and IgII, heparin-binding domain, Cell Adhesion Molecule (CAM)-homology domain, transmembrane domain and a split tyrosine kinase enzyme domain for catalytic activity and binding of adaptor proteins. The Ig domains in the extracellular region of a FGFR are required for FGF binding and regulate binding affinity and ligand specificity. Multiple alternative splicing that generates a range of FGFR1-4 receptor isoforms with transformed ligand binding properties provides diversity (Olsen et al., 2006). For example, FGF2 interacts with all four receptors FGFR1-4 whereas FGF7 only interacts with the FGFR2 IIIb isoform (a splice variant of FGF2; expressed in epithelial cells). Ligand-receptor binding specificity is affected by alternative splicing particularly in the C-terminal region of the third immunoglobulin loop in FGFR1-3 which produces IIIb or IIIc isoforms (Mason, 2007). Table 1 (below) illustrates the specificity of the FGF ligands for particular FGFR isoforms. This table is useful yet evidence from in vitro may appear misleading as in vivo involves influence from co-factors such as HSPG (Mohammadi et al., 2005). FGF subfamily FGFR1b FGFR1c FGFR2b FGFR2c FGFR3b FGFR3c FGFR4 FGF1 FGF1 +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ +++ FGF2 FGF1 ++ +++ ++ +++ +++ FGF3 FGF7 ++ ++ FGF4 FGF4 +++ +++ ++ +++ FGF5 FGF4 ++ + FGF6 FGF4 ++ ++ +++ FGF7 FGF7 +++++ + FGF8 FGF8 ++ +++ + ++++++ ++++ FGF9 FGF9 ++ ++ +++ FGF10 FGF7 ++ ++++++ FGF11 FGF11 FGF12 FGF11 FGF13 FGF11 FGF14 FGF11 FGF15/19 FGF19 +++ ++ ++++++ + ++++ ++++++++ FGF16 FGF9 + + FGF17 FGF8 + + +++ +++ FGF18 FGF8 + ++ ++ FGF20 FGF9 + ++ ++ +++ + FGF21 FGF19 + + +++ +++ + + ++++ FGF22 FGF7 ++ ++++++ FGF23 FGF19 + ++ +++ + ++ ++++++ Table 1 shows the FGF/FGFR (ligand/receptor) interactions as determined by the Baf3 cell mitogenicity assay (which express FGFRs at higher levels than in most cell types in vivo). FGF1 is used as a reference as it activates all seven FGFR isoforms efficiently. FGFS 11-14 are nuclear and therefore have no reported activity on FGFRs. The level of activity relative to FGF1 (100%) is displayed by the number of + signs. The - illustrates a 10% less mitogenic activity approximately when compared to FGF1. This table provides useful information of FGF-FGFR associations even though in vivo heparan sulphate proteoglycans (HSPGs) can alter receptor specificity and that recombinant ligands may differ from post-translationally modified forms (occur in vivo). Taken from: Mason (2007) Table 1 (above) shows there are seven FGFR isoforms (FGFR1b; FGFR1c; FGFR2b; FGFR2c; FGFR3b; FGFR3c and FGFR4) that FGF1 through to FGF23 variously bind. Alternative mRNA splicing of FGFR1-3, particularly in the carboxy-terminal half of the third extracellular immunoglobulin loop (Ig-domain III), derives the b and c isoforms. HSPGs are necessary co-factors in activation of FGFRs by FGFs and evidence has found the ternary complex to comprise of FGF-FGFR-HSPG in a 2:2:1 ratio (Mohammadi et al., 2005). The co-binding of HSPG prevents proteolysis and thermal denaturation (Itoh and Ornitz, 2004). HSPG binding of FGF induces dimerization of FGFR, followed by transphosphorylation of receptor subunits, initiating an intracellular signalling cascade. FGF signalling: Its a cellular game Following formation of the FGF-HSPG-FGFR complex several downstream signalling pathways are activated (Fig. 3 below). This includes three pathways, the Ras/Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/ Akt pathway and phospholipase C- (PLC )/ Ca2+/ protein kinase C (PKC) pathway. These pathways are mediated via docking proteins (such as FGF receptor substrate (FRS) and Grb2 in the Ras/MAPK pathway) that recruit downstream enzymes. The Ras/MAPK pathway (Fig. 3) is initiated via Grb2 (a docking protein) where its SH2 domain binds to the tyrosine phosphorylated FRS2 in response to activation of the FGFR receptor (Kouhara et al., 1997). Grb2 binds to SOS (son of sevenless; a guanine nucleotide exchange factor) via a SH3 domain on the Grb2 molecule. This Grb2-SOS complex activates SOS which promotes the dissociation of GDP from Ras so it is able to bind GTP for its activation. Activated Ras activates RAF (MAPKKK) which is normally held in a closed conf ormation by the 14-3-3 protein. Once activated, RAF phosphorylates and activates mitogen-activated and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MEK (MAPKK)) which in turn phosphorylates ERK1/2 (MAPK). MAPK then translocates into the nucleus to phosphorylate specific transcription factors of the Ets family which in turn activate expression of FGF target genes. In addition, it is also evident from Fig. 3 that active ERK itself can antagonise FRS activity. Activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway (Fig. 3) is by binding of Gab1 (Grb2-associated-binding protein 1) to FRS2 indirectly via Grb2. In the presence of Gab1, activation of PI3K stimulates the Akt pathway which suggests FGFs have anti-apoptotic effects in the developing nervous system (Mason, 2007). In addition, PI3K can bind to a phosphorylated tyrosine residue of FGFR directly. The third way in which the PI3K/Akt pathway is activated is by activated Ras inducing membrane localisation of the PI3K catalytic subunit. Fig. 3 The three main signalling pathways activated by FGFs are illustrated above. The negative feedback signals imposed on or mediated by FRS2 are shown by the dotted lines. Image taken from: Cotton et al. (2008) PLC- /Ca2+/PKC pathway is also activated when a tyrosine residue is autophosphorylated in the carboxy terminal of the FGFR. PLC- hydrolyses phosphatidylinositol to produce inositol trisphosphate (IP3) and diacylglycerol (DAG) which stimulates calcium release and activates PKC, respectively. PKC has also been found to activate the Ras/MAPK pathway independent of Ras but dependent on c-Raf (Ueda et al., 1996). Fig. 3 also indicated that the final activated components, of the three signalling pathways mentioned, translocate into the nucleus to activate specific transcription factors of the Ets family (particularly Ets1, Pea3, and Erm) which activate expression of FGF target genes and in turn these feedback (Fig, 4) to regulate intracellular signalling (Dailey et al., 2005). Most of the proteins produced function as feedback inhibitors (as seen in Fig. 4), including Sprouty (Spry), Sef and MAP Kinase phosphatase 3 (MKP3) which modulate particularly the Ras/Erk pathway at different levels (Mason, 2007). In contrast, stimulation of the fibronectin leucine-rich transmembrane type III (XFLRT3) protein causes FGF signalling to be positively regulated (BÃÆ'Â ¶ttcher et al., 2003). Fig. 4 Shows the feedback regulators of the Ras/MAPK pathway. The red arrows illustrate feedback loops which regulate the FGF signalling pathway. The black arrows indicate the direction of the Ras/MAPK signalling pathway. Three of the four target genes shown here (Spry, SEF and MKP3) function as feedback inhibitors which regulate the Ras/MAPK pathway at different levels. The red blind-ended arrows illustrate this. Spry antagonises FGF signalling at the Grb2-SOS-Ras and Raf levels. MKP3 blocks at level of MAPK. SEF blocks both phosphorylation of MAPK and its translocation to the nucleus aswell as at the membrane. XFLRT3 positively regulates FGF signalling at the level of the membrane. Spry, Sprouty; MKP3, MAP kinase phosphatase 3; XFLRT3, fibronectin leucine-rich transmembrane type III; SOS, son of sevenless. Image taken from: Cotton et al. (2008) Sprouty (Spry) was one of the first identified feedback regulators of the FGF pathway. Thisse and Thisse (2005) found Spry to antagonise FGF Signalling by gain and/or loss of function experiments in mouse. Spry acts at the level of Raf and/or Grb2 (Fig. 4). Gain and/or loss of function experiments in zebrafish demonstrated that Sef antagonises FGF signalling (Fig. 4) acting at level of MEK and ERK (Tsang et al., 2002). Mouse studies have suggested that FGFR signalling is required for Dusp6 transcription which codes for MKP3 (Ekerot et al., 2008). From this study it was also found that MKP3 acts as a negative regulator of ERK activity (as seen in Fig. 4). Sef and XFLRT3 are located at the membrane (Fig. 4) and carry out antagonising actions with FGFR directly. FGF signalling can be regulated at different levels, from the membrane all the way down to the level of phosphorylation of MAPK and it is important also to know that FGFs have been detected in the nucleus (Mason, 2007). Most of the downstream target genes as described earlier are feedback inhibitors (Spry, Sef and MKP3) but FGF signals are also known to interact with many other important pathways such as transforming growth factor-ÃŽÂ ² (TGF-ÃŽÂ ²), Hedgehog (HH), Notch and Wnt (Gerhart, 1999). Therefore, in conjunction with these, FGFs are responsible for development of most organs of the vertebrate body. In the nervous system, FGFs have been implicated to play a role in early developmental processes, such as neural induction, patterning and proliferation (Umemori, 2009). Neural induction: The Default Model Fig. 5 Illustrates the famous two-headed tadpole identified by Spemann and Mangold (1924) showing a developed second nervous system by implantation of organizer tissue onto a host embryo. Image taken from: De Robertis (2006). Spemann and Mangold (1924) pioneered the study of neural induction, which is defined as the process by which naive ectodermal cells aquire a neural fate. Their work involved demonstrating that tissue from the dorsal lip of the frog Xenopus laevis blastopore could induce a second ectopic nervous system (Fig. 5 above left) when implanted onto the ventral side of a host gastrula embryo. The second ectopic nervous system was host derived indicating that the graft was important in determining cell fate. This region, located on the dorsal side of an amphibian embryo, was named the Spemann organizer as it could direct the neighbouring ectodermal cells to form nervous system instead of epidermis. Although the organizer (group of dorsal mesodermal cells) was found to be present in many species (Hamburger, 1988) it was the Xenopus laevis which gave an insight into the molecular events involved in neural induction in vertebrates (Hemmati-Brivanlou et al., 1994). This was particularly because amphibians were found to be ideal experimental models for the study of neural induction as neurulation initiated within twelve hours after fertilisation (Weinstein and Hemmati-Brivanlou, 1997). It was implied that signals from the organizer provide instructions to the ectoderm to form neural tissue therefore for many decades the view was that the default state of the ectoderm was to produce epidermis. The first challenges to this model came from studies making use of dissociated cell cultures (Sato and Sargent, 1989). It was found that when animal caps were cultured intact that epidermis formed but neural tissue arose from animal caps that had been dissociated for prolonged periods (as seen in Fig. 6 below). This led to the idea that intact tissue may block the formation of neural tissue by presence of neural inhibitors which are diluted out when the tissue is dissociated. Recent research has found that the default nature of the ectoderm is to produce neural tissue that requires inhibition of a neural inhibitor from the ectoderm. Before considering the process of neural induction I would like to take a step back and describe the three germ layers of the embryo. Following fertilisation, the zygote undergoes stages of cleavage to eventually form a gastrula with three germ layers (in triploblastic animals) usually only visible in vertebrate animals. The Germ layers will eventually give rise to all of the animals organs through a process known as organogenesis. The three layers include, the ectoderm (outermost), endoderm (innermost) and mesoderm (which is between the ectoderm and endoderm) layers. The Endoderm gives rise to the lung, thyroid and pancreas. The mesoderm forms the skeleton, skeletal muscle, the urogenital system, heart and blood. The outermost layer, the ectoderm which is of concern here, gives rise to the epidermis and nervous system. It is at gastrulation that the vertebrate ectoderm is competent to differentiate into neural tissue or epidermis. Unless told otherwise, the default nature of the ect oderm is to produce neural tissue and this was outlined as the default model. The Default model of vertebrate neural induction, discovered over a decade ago in Xenopus, proposed that in the presence of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), a signalling molecule of the TGF-ÃŽÂ ² superfamily, causes the ectoderm to give rise to an epidermal cell fate (Stern, 2006; MuÃÆ'Â ±oz-Sanjuan and Brivanlou, 2002). In support of this model, consistent with the idea that BMP activity inhibits neural fates, animal caps which had been injected with RNA encoding effectors of BMP4 (Smad 1/5 or Msx1) neuralization did not occur. Conversely, it was found that inhibition of BMP activity in the ectoderm is essential for a neural fate which forms the basis of the default model of neural induction. Inhibition of BMP is achieved through direct binding of BMP antagonists emitted from the organizer (Wilson and Hemmati-Brivanlou, 1997). These BMP antagonists include chordin (Sasai et al., 1995), noggin (Lamb et al., 1993) and follistatin (Hemmati-Brivanlou et al., 1994) which bind to BM Ps extracellularly to prevent its interaction with its own receptor (Hemmati-Brivanlou and Melton, 1997). These molecules have direct neural activity which means they induce formation of neural tissue in the ectoderm without forming mesoderm. It was initially believed that these molecules acted as ligands to bring about neural tissue formation. Experiments found that there was conservation through species, identifying that chordin was homologous to the short gastrulation (sog) gene found in Drosophila which has been shown to antagonize the BMP homologue decapentaplegic (dpp) (Wharton et al., 1993), suggesting that these molecules might act as inhibitors rather than inducers and that these inhibitory mechanisms have been conserved from arthropods through to vertebrates. It was experiments (Fig. 6) showing that dissociated ectodermal explants would become neural tissue in absence of inducing signals from the organizer (Sato and Sargent, 1989). Evidence found that neural induction resulted from inhibition of the TGF-ÃŽÂ ² pathway as expression of dominant-negative activin receptor gave rise to neural fates in amphibian ectoderms (Hemmati-Brivanlou and Melton, 1994). It was found that chordin, noggin, follistatin and molec ules such as Cerberus and Xnr3 (Xenopus nodal related 3) bound to BMP in the extracellular space inhibiting its action (Hemmati-Brivanlou and Melton, 1997) leading to the much debated default model of neural induction. Fig. 6 The Default Model. Ectodermal cells acquiring a neural identity in absence of signals forms the basis of the neural default model. It is the inhibition of an inhibitor (BMP) which leads to neural tissue from the ectoderm. The experiment above shows that culture of an intact animal cap of a blastula-stage (stage 9) Xenopus ectoderm gives rise to epidermal tissue. In contrast, it can be seen in a dissociated ectodermal animal cap cultured for 5 hours with no other factors or serum, absent in cell-cell signalling, becomes neuralised. Addition of BMPs to dissociated ectoderm can restore epidermal fate (Wilson PA Hemmati-Brivanlou A, 1995). Addition of a dominant negative activin receptor (BMP signalling inhibitor) to an intact explant results in neural fate. A cement gland fate is adopted by explants that have been briefly dissociated and can be transformed by exposure to FGFs to a neural fate. Image taken from: MuÃÆ'Â ±oz-Sanjuan and Brivanlou, (2002) Neural Induction: FGFs get it started Support for the default model still remains, mainly in Xenopus, but other work (especially in chick and mouse) suggests a more complex mechanism (Streit et al., 1998). It has been established that the BMP pathway is involved in determining ectodermal cell fate (Wilson and Hemmati-Brivanlou, 1997) but it still remains to be proved conclusive if BMP inhibition is required for neural induction alone or if other pathways act separately or with BMP inhibition. In the chick embryo it has been found that naive epiblast cells do not respond to BMP antagonists until previous exposure to organizer signals for five hours (Streit et al., 1998). Striet et al. (2000) grafted an organizer to observe the genes induced in the epiblast within this time period. A gene ERNI (early response to neural induction) was identified as a coiled coil domain with a tyrosine phosphorylation site and found to be expressed throughout the region that later contributes to the nervous system at pre-primitive streak stages (Hatada and Stern, 1994). Striet et al. (2000) findings made ERNI the earliest known marker after a response to organizer signals, prior to even Sox3 (induced by the node in 3 hours (Streit and Stern, 1999)). FGFs are becoming more evident that they have a major role in neural induction as it has been shown to begin before gastrulation, before BMP antagonists even appear (Wilson et al., 2000). In the chick, it has been found that FGFs have the role of blocking BMP signalling and promoting neural differentiation (Wilson et al., 2000). In ascidians, FGF signalling is the main mechanism of neural induction with BMP antagonism playing a role in later development (Lemaire et al., 2002). In frogs and fish, in contrast, FGFs do not have a certain role in neural induction and is believed their primary role is BMP inhibition (Pera et al., 2003). Fig. 7 (redooo) FGF Signalling a part of neural induction. Hensens node (brown) induces cERNI (a, arrow), Sox3 (d, arrow) and Sox2 (left in g, i). The FGF receptor inhibitor SU5402 (arrowheads in b, e) inhibits induction of all three genes (b, e; right in g, h) by the node, which still elongates and expresses the organizer marker chordin (g-i; Sox2 in purple, chordin in red). Cells secreting a soluble form of the FGFreceptor (outlined) also greatly reduce induction of cERNI (c) and Sox3 (f) by the node. The endogenous expression of Sox3 is reduced in embryos treated with SU5402 (k) as compared with untreated embryos (j) (embryos processed simultaneously in the same vial). Image taken from: Streit et al. (2000) Exposure of the chick epiblast to an implanted organiser for around 5 hours induces Sox3 (an early neural plate marker) (Stern, 2005). After removal of the implanted organiser, chordin can be used to stabilise it (Striet et al., 1998) which implies that before the ectoderm can respond to BMP antagonists it must be exposed to 5 hours of signals from the organizer. During these 5 hours, several genes become activated such as, ERNI (early response to neural induction) which becomes active after 1 hour (Streit et al., 2000) and Churchill (Chch) after about 4 hours (Sheng et al., 2003). These are both induced by FGF and not BMP inhibition, indicating the importance of FGFs in early neural induction. Churchill which is expressed in the neural plate inhibits brachyury, a transcription factor, which as a result suppresses mesoderm formation by preventing cell ingression. In the chick, FGF8 is expressed in the hypoblast, prior to gastrulation before Hensens node appears (the chick equivalent to the organizer) indicating that neural induction is in fact able to begin before gastrulation. This is important because ERNI and Sox3 mark neural induction and require FGF signalling (Stern, 2005). Streit et al. (2000) found that FGF8 coated beads induce ERNI as efficiently as the node within 1-2 h without inducing brachury and also the expression of Sox3. These results indicate FGFs to be possible early signals in neural induction. It is FGF8 which has been identified as the best candidate because it is expressed in the anterior part of the streak as well as the node in primitive streak stages and as the node loses neural inducting ability it is also downregulated (Streit and Stern, 1999). In xenopus, more recently similar conclusions have been reached (Delaune et al., 2005). To find if FGF expression in Hensens node is actually required to induce ERNI and Sox3 experiments involving loss of function were undertaken. By using a FGF receptor inhibitor in the chick, such as SU5402, FGF signalling can be blocked preventing the early phase of neural induction (Delaune et al., 2005; Mohammadi et al., 1997). SU5402 is able to greatly reduce induction by a grafted node of Sox3 (Fig. 7e) and of ERNI (Fig. 7b). Streit et al. (2000) also found a large reduction in expression of Sox3 and ERNI particularly in the normal neural field of host embryo in the existence of FGF inhibitors (seen in Fig. 7k and j when compared). Pera et al. (2003) has shown that FGF signalling has a role in neural induction as it activates the MAPK cascade which phosphorylates the linker region of Smad1 (a BMP effector), inhibiting Smad1 and hence the BMP pathway. This is compared to phosphorylation of the C-terminus of Smad1 by BMP normally, which activates it. Also Kuroda et al. (2005) also suggested that FGF induces neural induction through inhibiting BMP signalling by phosphorylation of Smad1. A recent study by Linker and Stern (2004) indicated that, independent of downregulating BMP targets, FGF is required for neural induction. Therefore, though MAPK signalling is able to downregulate BMP signalling this is not able to explain fully why FGF is required for inducing neural fate. Further experiments in the chick were carried out to strongly suggest the role of FGF signalling in the neural induction pathway initiated by the organizer. These included investigation of whether FGFs had a role in later stages of neural induction. The FGF inhibitor SU5402 was grafted with quail nodes into the area opaca (which part of the blastoderm that surrounds the area pellucida) of chick hosts and left overnight to give results where Sox2 induction was reduced to 20% (Fig. 7g, h) by the node (Streit et al., 2000). However, the node elongated as normal and chordin (organizer marker) was continued to be expressed eliciting that the graft remains unaffected by the FGF inhibitor. FGF8 was found to induce msx1 expression as well as repress expression of GATA2/3 which are both targets of the BMP pathway (Fig. 8 below) (Streit et al., 2000). This shows that FGF and BMP pathways relate and antagonise each other. The finding that FGF8 upregulates msx1 leads to idea that BMP signalling is maintained which is required if BMP is to be inhibited later. It was also found that the activity of FGF8 can not be explained by simply antagonism with the BMP pathway as FGF8 beads were used in host embryos with BMP4 and it was found that FGF8 continued to induce expression of Sox3 and ERNI (Streit et al., 2000). Delaune et al. (2005) demonstrated that FGF signalling is required prior to gastrulation within the ectoderm and that the FGF pathway contributes to BMP inhibition, which is not enough to cause neural induction alone in vivo. It is established that FGFs are required as an early step for neural induction in amniotes, therefore it is interesting to consider the roles of FGF and BMP pathways during neural induction in Xenopus. Work by Delaune et al. (2005) found FGF to function as a conserved initiator of neural specification amongst chordates. The in vivo results were consistent with FGF signalling prior to gastrulation with BMP inhibition to give rise to the nervous system. Also observations in amphibian embryos found that in the presence of a dominant-negative FGFR1 construct neither Noggin (Launay et al., 1996) nor Chordin (Sasai et al., 1996) could induce neural tissue. This suggests that FGF signalling is required for BMP inhibitors to induce neural markers. Further studies showed that injecting Smad6, an intracellular BMP antagonist, into the A4 blastomere (which does to contribute to neural plate or its border) of Xenopus embryos was inadequate to neuralise unless FGF4 was co-injected. There has been much prior controversy regarding whether FGFs were required in amphibians for neural induction as injection of dominant-negative FGFR1 inhibits mesoderm formation but not formation of anterior neural features (Ribisi et al., 2000). Reports have also shown that use of antimorphic FGFR1 or FGFR4 have suggested that FGF plays a role during neural development (Launay et al., 1996). It has also been proposed that FGFR4 rather than FGFR1 is involved in neural induction and as previously stated that an inhibitor of FGFRs has led to the clear need for FGF signalling in neural induction in Xenopus (Delaune et al., 2005). Recent findings by Wilson et al. (2001) in chick epiblasts have indicated, that during neural induction, FGF signalling functions in a BMP-independent way. Experiments by Bertrand et al. (2003) in the ascidian Ciona intestinalis further supports the role of FGFs, particularly FGF9/16/20 in this case, as neural inducers. Ascidians are not vertebrates, but prior to development into an adult there is an intermediate tadpole phase which resembles a simple vertebrate-like larva with a dorsal neural tube and notochord. It does not appear that BMP inhibitors such as noggin and chordin are involved in induction of neural tissue (Darras and Nishida, 2001) and instead in the embryo, it is FGF that instructs the animal cells to become neural tissue and the vegetal cells to form mesoderm. The earliest known marker of ascidian neural tissue was identified to be the Otx gene. Bertrand et al. (2003) found that Fgf9/16/20 all activate an enhancer of Otx expression through action of Ets1/2 and GATAa transcription factors. Work by Kudoh et al. (2004) in zebrafish shows that rather than Bmp antagonism, Fgf activity initiates development of potential vegetal neural tissue that aids in trunk and tail CNS and has brought about the debate about a possibility of more than one organizer. It has been proposed that both FGF signalling and BMP inhibition act as direct neural inducers in Zebrafish (Kudoh et al., 2004) BMP inhibition has been found to induce anterior neural CNS by the shield (the zebrafish equivalent of the Spemann organizer) where FGFs induce posterior neural plate (Mason, 2007). The marginal zone, which is a second more ventral organizer, induces posterior neural tissue via FGF signalling without influence of BMP. In vertebrates, the role of FGFs in neural induction has been controversial. It has been suggested that FGFs direct ectodermal cells to a neural fate in chick (Streit et al., 2000), amphibians (Delaune et al., 2005) and zebrafish (Kudoh et al., 2004). An ancient role for FGF signalling in neural induction has also been identified in the starlet sea anemone (Matus et al., 2007). Add Fig. 8 here from Dev. Neuro book of BMP and FGF summarising the cascade.page 28 In mammals it was suggested that in mouse ESCs (mESCs) neuralization was independent of FGF signalling (Smukler et al., 2006). However, more recently Pollard et al. (2008) identified autocrine FGF signalling to be involved in neural induction of mESCs. Cohen et al. (2010) came to the conclusion that FGF signalling has an instructive role in human neural specification (Fig. 9). In this study when MEK1/2 were inhibited, FGF induced neuralization was blocked suggesting that active Erk1/2 is required for FGF to maintain its neuralization effect. This coincides with results obtained from mESCs (Stavridis et al., 2007). Fig. 9 The role of FGF in early neural differentiation events in human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). Floating hESC clusters differentiate towards the primitive ectoderm lineage independent of FGF-signaling. Further neuralization is instructed by FGF-signaling. FGF-signaling induces neuralization, at least in part, through a mechanism which is independent of inhibition of BMP-signaling. In line with the default model, inhibition of BMP-signaling promotes neuralization of hESCs. FGF-signaling encourages the neuralization tendency in the presence of noggin, though it is not essential, since neuralization still occurs when both BMP and FGF-signaling are blocked. Image taken from Cohen et al. (2010) FGFs are clearly not enough to induce a complete nervous system but are able to sensitize the epiblast for BMP antagonists and allow expression of later neural markers. It was concluded that FGF or 5 hours of signals from the node were not sufficient even with BMP inhibition to induce Sox2 (Streit and Stern, 1999). Downstream of FGFs in neural induction Sox2, a definitive neural plate marker, is one of the earliest markers for the neural plate (Kishi et al., 2000) which will give rise to the complete central nervous system (CNS). It was found that the chick epiblast requires exposure for 5 hours from a grafted organizer (requiring 11-13 hours for neural induction) which induces SOX3 expression. The events that take place during these first 5 hours include induction of ERNI after 1 hour and churchill (ChCh; a zinc finger gene) after about 4-5hours (Sheng et al., 2003). These two genes are induced by FGF and not BMP inhibitors. FGF signalling is required when the neural plate is established from within the chick epiblast and when gastrulation causes mesoderm and endoderm to develop from epiblast. Churchill, induced by FGF, activates Smad-interacting-protein-1 (Sip1) which blocks brachury (a mesoderm marker) and acts to switch FGF between different roles (Sheng et al., 2003). The main role of Churchill is to repress mesoderm markers such as brachury and Tbx6 or upregulate genes that will do, such as Sip1. Competitive interactions between ERNI, BERT and Geminin control the repressors and control Sox2 expression. Brahma (Brm; a chromatin remodelling enzyme) is able to activate Sox2 through direct binding with the N2 enhancer and is normally expressed ubiquitously in the embryo. Premature Sox2 expression is normally inhibited by a transcriptional repressor HP1ÃŽÂ ± (heterochromatin protein; also expressed ubiquitously in embryo) which binds to Brm in the basal state (Fig. 10A below). FGF8 which is known to induce ERNI (Streit et al., 2000), also induces Geminin.which competes to displace HP1ÃŽÂ ± bound to Brm at the N2 enhancer (Fig. 10B). Geminin is known to be expressed at the start of gastrulation before Sox2 appears therefore it is ERNI which prevents premature Sox2 expression by binding through its coiled coil domain with Geminin (Fig. 10C). During gastrulation ERNI recruits the repressor HP1ÃŽÂ ³ (which interacts with the C-terminus of ERNI) to prevent premature activation of Sox2 by Geminin which is bound to Brm at the time (Fig. 10D). At the end of gastrulation, another protein, BERT (a coiled coil domain which an endogenous ERNI antagonist) competitively binds to both ERNI and Geminin, displacing the repression by HP1ÃŽÂ ³ and activating Sox2 (illustrated in Fig. 10E). The induction of BERT is not via FGF or BMP inhibition and currently research remains in this field to determine the factor(s) that regulate its expression. Overall, the mechanism described above regulates the timing of Sox2 preventing its early release, defining the domain that will become the nervous system. In xenopus, it has been proposed that neural induction requires early FGF signalling in addition to BMP inhibition (Delaune, 2005). Overall, it is now accepted that both amphibians and the chick require FGF signalling for neural induction. Fig. 10 HP1ÃŽÂ ± is bound to Brm (A) in a basal state and acts as a transcriptional repressor of Sox2 (a definitive neural plate marker). (B) Geminin is able to displace HP1ÃŽÂ ± from Brm releasing its inhibition on Sox2. (C) It is proposed that ERNI via Geminin blocks induction of Sox2. (D) HP1ÃŽÂ ³ is recruited by ERNI to the N2 enhancer (earliest enhancer of Sox2) to inhibit Sox2 expression. (E) Proposed that BERT, a coiled coil domain, interrupts interaction between Geminin and ERNI to free the HP1ÃŽÂ ³ repressor from the N2 enhancer allowing Sox2 induction via Geminin/Brm. Image taken from: Papanayotou et al. (2008) In the chick it has been proposed that FGF initiates two separate pathways including one that involves FGF inducing neural tissue independent of BMP inhibition and another where FGF represses BMP transcription requiring inhibition of the Wnt pathway additionally (Wilson et al., 2001). It has been found that Wnt signalling plays a role in the vertebrate embryo. Wnt functions by binding to its receptor frizzled, an integral membrane protein, which in turn activates the cytoplasmic protein Dishevelled. ÃŽÂ ²-catenin, an intracellular protein, is bound to several proteins such as Axin, GSK3 and APC (canonical pathway). Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) phosphorylates ÃŽÂ ²-catenin, targeting it for proteolysis so this complex only exists momentarily. When Wnt binds and Dishevelled is activated it functions by blocking GSK3 which in turn increases the ÃŽÂ ²-catenin within the cell forming a complex with the protein TCF. The ÃŽÂ ²-catenin /TCF complex binds to DNA at specific points to activate target genes. The canonical (ÃŽÂ ²-catenin dependent) Wnt signalling is required early on to specify the dorsal side of the embryo where the organiser will form. The Wnt targets Xnr3 and siamois have been shown previously to have neuralizing activity when overexpressed. It has been reported by Baker et al. (1999) that the canonical Wnt pathway requires activation for neural induction in Xenopus as it was shown that Wnt8 can inhibit BMP4 expression at early gastrula stages. This study also showed that inhibition of ÃŽÂ ²-catenin activity in the neural ectoderm results in a decrease in neural development proposing that Wnt activation is required for neural induction in xenopus. The work done on Wnts has been very controversial as in the chick epiblast, it was suggested by Wilson et al. (2001) that Wnt inhibition collaborates with FGF for neural fate acquisition. A more recent study by Heeg-Truesdell and Labonne, (2006) constructed in xenopus which is consistent with that of the chick shows that blocking canonical Wnt signalling results in a larger neural plate. Also Aubert et al. (2002) concluded that Wnt antagonism, in stem cells, can stimulate neural differentiation. The inconsistency with the findings previously can be corrected if taking into account differences in timing. As stated above at early stages of development Wnt signalling is required to specify the dorsal side of the embryo. It may be necessary by the blastula stage to inhibit Wnt signalling for FGF to downregulate BMP expression (Wilson et al., 2001). The signals involved in inhibition of Wnts at this late stage are still not completely understood. Experiments in other vertebrates such as the mouse have shown that mouse Wnt3 (mWnt3) and mouse Wnt8 (mWnt8) are neuralising molecules (Baker et al., 1999). Experiments by Linker and Stern (2004) have found that a combination of FGFs, BMP antagonists (Smad6, Chordin and Noggin) and Wnt antagonists were still unable to induce the neural marker Sox2 in chick epiblast (Fig. 11 below). They found that FGF8 is unable to induce Sox2, the definitive neural plate marker, when combined with Smad6 (a BMP inhibitor; Fig. 11F, H, I). This is consistent with the finding by Streit et al. (2000) that FGF8 and Chordin fail to induce Sox2. When FGF8 in combination with three Wnt antagonists (Dkk1, Crescent and NFz8; Fig. 11C-E) is misexpressed, similar results are seen. These experiments suggest that, in vivo, at least in the chick, signals other than FGFs, BMP antagonists and Wnt antagonists are required. Fig. 11 Use of FGF8, BMP antagonist (Smad6) and Wnt antagonists have appeared unsuccessful to induce neural fate. (D-G) Shows histological sections that the different factors, in the epiblast, are unable to express Sox2. (A) FGF8 as well as (B, D) Wnt signalling by Dkk, Crescent and NFz8 (ÃŽÂ ±Wnt) are unable to induce Sox2 expression in the area opaca epiblast. Even in a combination of FGF8+NFz8+Dkk+Crescent the same conclusions are seen (C, E). In (F, H, I) FGF8+Smad6 (BMP inhibitor) is unable to induce Sox2 also. Finally combinations of all these factors (FGF8+NFz8+Dkk+Crescent+Cerberus+Smad6) are also unable to induce the definitive neural plate marker, Sox2, suggesting the role of other factors (G, J, K). Image taken from: Linker and Stern (2004). In a very recent study by Cohen et al. (2010) with use of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) it was found that FGF signalling is able to induce neuralization via a mechanism independent of BMP signalling. The data suggests that human neural induction involves FGF signalling and is instructed via this pathway but in hESCs, neuralization can occur in its absence. Conclusion Since isolation of FGFs in pituitary extracts for their mitogenic and angiogenic activites, our understanding of their involvement in neural development has come a long way over the last 35 years. FGFs have an important role in many developmental processes in particular limb development, neural induction and development. Recently it has become more evident that FGFs are involved in axon growth and guidance. Neural induction is a very complex multi-step process, though well understood, still remains to be fully uncovered. Work in Xenopus ectodermal explants have suggested that BMP inhibition gives rise to a neural fate, whereas epidermis is induced by BMP signalling. For many years this was considered to be the case, however, in amniotes and ascidians, BMP inhibition did not prove to be sufficient for acquisition of neural fate and FGF signalling was found to initiate it. Loss of function experiments with use of a pharmacological FGF inhibitor, SU5402, made it possible to identify that FGFs are required prior to gastrulation in the ectoderm to induce a neural fate. In the chick it was found that a grafted organizer would need to be exposed to the chick epiblast for atleast 5 hours to induce the early neural plater marker SOX3 and ERNI which can be stabilised by Chordin after the grafted organizer has been removed. These findings imply that before the ectoderm can respond to BMP inhibitors it must be exposed to 5 hours of signals from the organizer. 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