Internet Cafe Essay

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The Taraba Digital Village Centre (TDVC) proposal articulates a compelling vision, that will enable Jalingo, the state capital to through the centre, play a pivotal role in assisting the government to define, develop and  deliver its programmes and facilitate development based on the new Information Communication Technology (ICT’s) strategy(ies) and so facilitate business opportunities that is unrivalled in the 21st century. The center’s immediate benefit shall focus on the creation of a better business competitiveness, jobs creation, investment opportunities, infrastructural improvements, global inclusion and participation within the information society process. The essential component of the centre would be a place where ICT knowledge is disseminated through the cutting-edge of information knowledge economy and transfer initiative, the use of communication technologies and sophisticated knowledge sharing process and education. The centre will be a place where the ne xt generation is educated, trained and skilled to take positions at all levels of development required by the 21st century businesses and entrepreneurship. The centre will be socially inclusive and accessible to the citizens of the state to participate in building the cultural diversity of our society. Taraba Digital Village Centre project is a bold vision for broad -partnership and catalyst for global businesses and competitiveness. The driving vision behind Taraba Digital Village Centre (TDVC) is shaped around the epicenter for a dynamic environmental and learning center that foster gender participation in today’s Information Community. INTRODUCTION: Jalingo, the capital city of Taraba State – Nigeria has emerged from the last fifteen (15) years of creation to be a city centered around fresh ideas, expertise, governance, economic opportunities and real investors confidence. This transformation brings with it an unprecedented opportunities to boost dynamic and sustainable power base that fully maximized the city’s unique assets that centers around the new emerging Information Communication Technology (ICTs) so as to properly position the State and its people within the Local, National, Regional and International Information Society processes thereby becoming a recognized New Millennium City, where great things are shaped with commitment. In today ’s Global economy, where knowledge and innovation are keys to competitive success, we are delighted to say that with a digital center in the city, Jalingo is uniquely placed to provide necessary services and impetus on ICT to a growing population  and to conform to international competitiveness and standards. If its capacity are integrated into the information and telecommunication Network of the world and its resources tapped and released through the Center much would have put in place to serve the underserved Youths, gender, and Stakeholders needs on ICTs DESCRIPTION OF JALINGO CITY: Taraba State was created in August, 27th 1991. The state covers a land area of 9,400 square km with sixteen local government Areas (LGAs). Jalingo Local government HQtrs is the capital city of Taraba State as well as the Traditional Seat of Muri Emirate ,the Emirate that was founded since 17th century. All Federal and State parastatals are located in Jalingo. Businesses, Socio-Economic and Political activities takes firm and flourishing growth in Jalingo. Tertiary institutions established by the state and other Modern urban development infrastructures that attract the Youth and other Nigerian citizens including Foreign Nationals into the capital city are located in Jalingo POPULATION: The 1991 Census figures, Taraba State has a population figure of (1,512,163 million). As at the 2003 projection of 31% the population of the state now stand at (2,074,615 million). Many ethic groups occupies the state notably , the Mumuye, Jukun, Wurkum, Mambilla, Fulani, Kuteb Hausa, Kunini, Jenjo, Yandang, Chamba, Ichen among others. WHY THERE IS A NEED FOR A DIGITAL VILLAGE PROJECT?: The Project is contained in the Taraba State Economic Empowerment Development Strategy (TSEEDS) document that articulated â€Å"Making available the benefits of the new Information and Communication Technology† (ICT). To bridge the Digital divide and open doors to many underserved youths of the state and beyond . Attaining height in the standard of education for Technology and the creation of new job opportunities and market oriented values using ICTs. Improving quality of life and creating new opportunities for others who otherwise may not have had the opportunity. Development of a virtual library that provides information and answers urgent questions that meets real economic benefits, impact and social and gender inclusion. TARGET POPULATION: The underserved youths and women across the state and beyond. To meet the needs of growing businesses in and around the state. Students and educational institutions, private and public sector of the state. FACILITIES NEEDED: The complex which will be referred to as â€Å"The Digital Village† shall have facilities such as: Computers and Printers for Training and Internet Access. Telephone and Fax Machines. Source of Power supply (Solar and Electrical). Equipped and Furnished conference Centre Air Conditioners. Laptops. Manpower Operators. Project Occupancy at a time @ 300 persons 24 Hours Access and opens at 8:00am. TIME-TABLE FOR RAISING FUND TO START PROJECT OPERATION: 2006 Project Team Exchange visit between the Project Prospective Development Technical Partner .This is to facilitate Formative stages and drawing –up of project details for actualization of plans. 2006- 2007 Funds made available and work begins at site and if the building is to be provided and not constructed, then renovation on the site to suit Project as designated. Last quarter 2007- Project commissioning. CORE PROGRAMME ACTIVITIES: The Taraba Digital Village Centre (TDVC) Project will provide: Training and equipping it’s our target groups /participant with necessary and basic skills in Information Communication Technology applications through aiding them to understand trends behind the information society today. Research and Education for Development Professional Service and Practical applications Skills development programmes and work force initiatives Better academic acceleration programmes through the engagement of our academic community in the state, National and International. The TDVC is intended to provide a dynamic environment for genius generation, global focus on knowledge economy driving competition and enhancement of partnership development. BUDGET COST: i. Equipment supplies and installation @ N4,000,000.00 $30,000.00 ii. Construction and furnishing of the centre @ N6,000,000.00 $60,000 iii. Staff recruitment and remuneration @ first two years i.e. management staff and domestic @ N1.428,250.20 =$9,850 iv. Technical service and maintenance @ N1.280,000.00 =@$8,820 v. Consultancy @ #2,005,123,00 =@ $ 13,794 vi. Contingency/Miscellaneous @ # 2,500,000,00=@ $172,414 vii. Total in Naira@ N18,493,624 viii. Total in US $ 127,543 ix. Exchange rate of N145 to $1 dollar x. Eighteen Million, four hundred and ninety three thousand, six hundred and twenty four naira. xi. One hundred and twenty seven thousand, five hundred and forty three dollars. CORE AREAS OF COLLABORATION IN THE PROJECT: The TDVC Initiating Team/ Organization(s) and the Government of Taraba State will to provide a designated Structure(s) that would accommodate PCs, for Internet facilities, training centre, business centre, library and conference Hall among others. Technical Development Partner(s) on the other hand, to Supply and Provide the technical know-how/expertise that will equip the centre in Jalingo, Taraba State with PCs. And such a Partners(s) to play consultancy role and management before eventual transfer of ownership of the centre to the Initiating Team and Taraba State Government after the latter must have set-up a management structure for the centre. Other Areas of collaboration which may not have been detailed here in the proposal including legal contract agreements etc, to be agreed upon in the final draft agreement for the project having the preliminary objectives/idea for the realization of the Center is accepted as the basis of project initiation. EXISTING CAFES: Taraba State cannot be said to have been fully connected to the internet Network or its Digital and Telecommunication Infrastructures are full developed. At Wukari LG, there is only Internet Cafà ©. At Zing LGA, the internet Cafà © located at Bizarre Hotels may not serving broad society needs. At the state capital Jalingo, there are only four functional internet Cafà ©s. With over 2million people population therefore, the state need more internet connectivity and access than it is currently obtainable. TRAINING PROGRAMMES: The training at the centre shall be designed to enhance accessibility to Information Technology with key aim of preparing and equipping applicants/trainees to automatically fit into competitive labor pool with best and optimum result that meets job creation in the private and Public Sectors. TDVC INTERNET CAFÉ: The primary responsibility of this sector at the Center is to continue to explore and provide access to Information Communication Technology and or to the society through the use of internet access. This section will be multi-stake-holder to provide the best and efficient service desired of a growing metropolitan community like Jalingo, the capital city of Taraba State- Nigeria. EXPLANATORY NOTES/CONCLUSION: The project was once commissioned shall be renamed after the Name of the first Executive Governor of Taraba State. It is thus proposed that the center be Named as â€Å"REV. JOLLY T. NYAME CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE†. This is the first Project in Taraba State to bear the inscription of His Excellency. It shall then be a Model for other New Millennium ICTs project. It shall enhance the way people and organizations communicate, exchange knowledge and access information. The centre shall facilitate the development of : – Entrepreneurship and youth leadership development. A unifying focus for all tribes, race without discrimination. A centre that provide a world class and unique socio-economic, political and Technological development. The project shall be a convergence of opportunity for moving people and ideas that maintains a high quality of life and sustainable development. PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS Mr. Gimba Joseph. (M.A.L.D) Lectures at College of Agriculture, Jalingo, Taraba State. A Youth NGO Leader and Ex-officio executive of the NYCN, North-East, Zone, Nigeria , Project Manager, NETWORK FORUM, WORLD BANK HIV/AIDS Assisted project, Taraba State Co-coordinator, TARABA STATE Chapter, National Youth Network on HIV/AIDS and Member ,Information Society Stakeholders Forum, in Nigeria and Pricipal facilitator of the project. Mr. Raymond N. Enoch (JP). Staff of Government College, Jalingo, Taraba State. Education and Training officer, WORLD BANK HIV/AIDS assisted project. Member, Nigeria Information Society Stakeholders Forum, Member African Youth ICT4D Network, and Secretary, Taraba State chapter, NYNETHA. Member, Youth@WorldBank Network in Nigeria, Co-Facilitator, TARABA DIGITAL VILLAGE RESOUCE CENTER (TDVRC) Comrade Simon D. Shinpu The Administrative Secretary of the Nigerian Union of Teachers, Taraba State Wing. A former Speaker of the Taraba State House of Assembly.Member, Facilitating Team of the Project. The Executive Chairman, Jalingo LGA Local Government Secretariat Jalingo, Taraba State – Nigeria. Mallama Hauwa Umar. NGO Youth Leader. Administrative Secretary Global HIV/AIDS Nigeria (Ghain). FHI/USAID Abuja, Nigeria, member, Nigeria Youth Network on MDGs, Member of the Facilitating Team of the Project. Mr ‘GBENGA SESAN, Project Manager, Lagos Digital Village ,Vice-Chair Technical African YouthICT4D Network(AYIN) Technical Adviser to the Project

Andok’s Lechon Manok Essay

Andok’s Lechon Manok is one of the longest and most popular roast chicken in our country. This company was started by the so called father of â€Å"Litson Manok,† Leonardo â€Å"Sandy† Javier Jr. twenty years ago. He said that he encountered numerous disappointments and struggles in sustaining their business especially when they have a lot of competitors like Baliwag but he did not give up. He made his business his passion and was very determined to be successful. When he was still starting, he did not have the capital to start a business. He was forced to borrow twelve chickens from his mother’s friend. Unfortunately, he only sold two chickens. His struggles in life inspired him to strive harder and to be a better entrepreneur. He experimented with the different ingredients to capture what we know today as the trademark Andok’s taste. Before, he started with twelve chickens until it boosted its daily inventory to eighty chickens. His business started evolving because he said that he loves what he is doing and he believes so much in his business. Up to date, Javier continues to grow Andok’s with its menu expanding to include liempo, pork chop, sinigang, etc. Andok’s also opened its doors to franchising. Because of their efficient and systematic franchise support, an â€Å"AA† standard for Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) has been obtained by their Metro Manila commissary and nominated â€Å"AAA† standard GMP for Iloilo commissary. For the consumer’s better access, Andok’s were strategically located in places where it is visible and accessible from major thoroughfares; passenger terminals of public utility vehicles; community centers or malls; near markets; commercial/ business district; and areas with high foot and vehicle traffic. To maintain the quality of the food being served, all stocks and ingredients will be supplied from the Andok’s production facility pre-portioned, marinated and ready-to-cook. Take-out franchise stores will be equipped with the standard rotisserie machine with hood and stainless steel chimney, stove, siopao steamer, cooking table, Dokito fryer, chiller boxes, freezers and other equipment. Here is the list of awards garnered by Andok’s through the years of service: 1999â€Å"GAWAD NEGOSYANTENG PINOY† Most Outstanding Food Retailer Operator given by NEGO-PILIPINO FOUNDATION, INC.and MORNINGS @ GMA 7 2002 DANGAL NG PILIPINAS BEST SELLING LITSON MANOK â€Å"CONSUMER’S CHOICE ANNUAL  AWARDS† Given by Organization For Peace and Progress Oriented Group, Inc. 2005PRODUCT & SERVICE EXCELLENCE AWARDEE â€Å"BEST FAMILY-ORIENTED LITSON MANOK BRAND† PARANGAL SA PAMILYANG PILIPINO In conclusion, Andok’s has been operating effectively for over 25 years. Although a roasted chicken business meets a number of rivals in the market, Andok’s has made its stand to be one of the most successful brand of litson manok in the country. Despite having a lot of competitors, they try to innovate their products, add different products, and at the same time expand their company. They were able to overcome the struggles that they faced and be successful in their business.

Supply Chain Management Issues in Boeing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Supply Chain Management Issues in Boeing - Essay Example This has also put all other stakeholders into serious problems. This paper presents an analysis of the supply chain of Boeing in the context of various facets of the management of the supply chain by the company. In response to A 380 airliner from its arch rival Boeing Corporation embarked on the manufacture of 'Boeing787 Dreamliner' a light weight model with seating capacity of 210 to 296 passengers. "The 787 Dreamliner is a family of new airplanes that promises to bring big-jet comfort and economics to the mid-size market. The Boeing 787 incorporates advanced materials, systems and engines to provide a 20% improvement in fuel performance on a per-passenger basis. The 787-8 Dreamliner will carry 210 to 250 passengers about 7,650 to 8,200 nautical miles and the 787-9 will carry 250 to 290 passengers about 8,000 to 8,500 nautical miles (Boeing Commercial Aerospace). The first delivery was scheduled for May 2008 which now has been pushed as far as the second quarter of 2009. With firm orders worth $ 144 billion the company has found serious issues with its global supply chain as a result of which the company has postponed the delivery of the airliner a number of times causing serious concerns to the major airlines that have placed orders with Boeing for this aircrafts. The production process of making the new aircraft with new light weight composite materials in itself is a challenge for the company. In addition the company has made drastic changes in its supply chain which eventually has hit the progress in the manufacture and delivery of Dreamliner. The way in which the company has organized its supply chain for 787 manufacturing has put a complicated way in which the supply chain partnering firms share risks and profits from the airliner. This implies that the financial burden will be put up and down on the firms in the chain as every company would like to protect their own financial interest. This would necessarily result in chaos in the short-term and considerable delays in the completion of the manufacture of the product which will make everyone in the line suffer. The real issue is Boeing attempted to use what appears to be an automotive product like production pr ocess in which all the parts and components in a pre-fabricated form are brought the assembly line. This has necessitated sections of the aircraft to be flown out of far off locations in Japan, Italy, South Carolina and Kansas to be assembled in Washington within a short time of as much as three days. Apart from this there are various other supply chain issues being faced by the company which are explored by this paper. Boeing and Supplier Quality Management Manufacture of Boeing 787 Dreamliner represents a complete shift in the manufacturing philosophy of Boeing Corporation as the company

Folding and Aggregation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Folding and Aggregation - Essay Example The three dimensional structures of proteins aid in delineating protein functions at a molecular level and the structure of proteins are determined usually with X ray crystallography, NMR spectroscopy etc. Some structural features of proteins would be necessary to perform certain biochemical functions although multifunctional and structural proteins may have higher number of residues than the average of 300 residues. Large aggregates are formed as a result of folding from protein subunits and actin molecules also assemble into actin filaments. The protein structure has four distinct features including amino acid sequence of peptide chains as seen in a primary structure, secondary structures which are regular sub structures, such as strands of beta sheet, tertiary structure as seen in the three dimensional structure of a single protein molecule and quaternary structure which represents a complex of polypeptide chains and protein molecules (Copley, 1997; Berg, 2002). Proteins tend to transition between structures to perform the biological functions and this would be known as conformational changes. The primary structure of proteins with amino acid sequences would be held together by covalent peptide bonds and the extremities of the amino acid chains are known as carboxy terminus (C - terminus) and amino terminus ( N -terminus). The secondary structures are defined by their patterns of hydrogen bonds between the peptide groups although these bonds are generally not too stable except in conditions when the water concentration is low as in molten globule or fully folded states (Urbanc et al, 2006). The non specific interactions and propensities of amino acids would lead to the formation of molten globules. The tertiary structure shows structurally specific interactions within the protein domain with side chains and hydrogen bonds. The disulfide bonds tend to stabilize the tertiary structures of extra cellular proteins and reduce entropy in an unfolded state. The 4 levels of protein structure are given diagrammatically as follows - Figure I - From Columbia.edu, biology courses, 2005 handouts The formation of proteins could be explained as the combination of two amino acids in a condensation reaction and long chains of residues such as amino acids in peptide bond. The sequence of amino acids forms the primary structure of the peptide or protein and is determined by a gene. Within the primary structure, a sequence of nucleotides in DNA is transcribed into mRNA and this is translated by a ribosome and the sequence tends to define the structure and functions of the protein and would be unique to any specific protein. Determining the sequence of nucleotides within the primary structure would actually help in defining the protein (Berg, 2002; Copley, 1997). In the secondary structure, alpha helix and beta sheet saturate the peptide and secondary structures tend to occur most frequently in most proteins. The secondary structure elements tend to have a regular geometry with specific values and are usually folded into a shape with loops and turns (Berg, 2002, Copley, 1997). Terti ary structures are formed with interactions such as hydrogen bonding and ionic interactions and

Causes and effect of stress Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Causes and effect of stress - Essay Example The feelings of loss can turn to stress if nothing is done to remedy the situation. Phobias also stress people because one has little control over what happens when they experience these stressors. Another cause of internal stress levels includes those issues related to health. If an individual has depression-related ailments or heart diseases, the stress levels increase (Renner 294-5). External issues also affect the way an individual reacts to stress. Pressure from work due to too much work with few or no vacations could have a negative toll on the body. Having to meet deadlines everyday also affects the daily reactions amongst employees. Finances also affect the way people react because they are unemployed, have low wages or have to plan for the future and are yet to get substantial amounts of money to accomplish their goals (Renner 296). People undergo different transitions in life, which define who they are. When they experience stressful situations, some may cave in to pressure. Others result to depression or solve their issues appropriately. Whichever way one looks at it, stress is part of life, but people need appropriate coping

Criminological theories with the context of social policy Essay

Criminological theories with the context of social policy - Essay Example 5). Looking at the lens of criminological theories, their essential applications could be primarily seen in the creation of various social policies which are mostly grounded on the bases of effective criminological theories. According to Dr. Paul Knepper (2007), various criminological theories—which basically resulted from the instituted questions regarding crimes—have led to the institution of a diversified array of policy implications—i.e., social policy, which concerns social welfare (p. 3). Most of the different criminological theories contributed significantly to the institution of social policy which grounded on the very core of such criminological theories. In fact, there were different social policies (and policy implications) which were formed and directed to addressing the problems of crimes stipulated and made essential by the different criminological theories. Education policy, for example, has been one of the major social policies, which has significant relationship to crime reduction (p. 83). Moreover, social policy creation through the basis of criminological theories is likely to proliferate in various strata with which various policy programs are implemented prior to the assertions embedded in each criminological theory. As being holistically stipulated in the account of Eric See (2004), the variously identified criminological theories significantly have their corresponding social policies presented and implemented. Cases in point are the programs which yielded solutions and alternatives in addressing crimes grounding essentially on Choice and Deterrence theory of criminology. Choice theory stipulates that it is the very choice of an individual to engage him/herself in and commit crime. This criminal act should therefore be responsibly blamed to the individual who performed the act and not to

M 25 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

M 25 - Assignment Example These have practical purposes throughout the course (Data Collection, n.d., pp. 113-115). II. Why I Chose M25 As I have learned from my experience teaching language and Arabic especially as a second language to my students, immediate feedback is necessary, because the topics build on each other, and because I believe that language teaching ought to be dynamic and relevant at every turn and moment of the teaching sessions. Because the teaching classes and topics build on one another, where a student or a group of students fail to grasp the essence of particular lessons, then they are unable to follow through to the rest of the sessions. This is problematic for those who are left behind. The only way to prevent this is to make sure that students are able to grasp the main lessons for the day. This is very hard to determine if evaluations and feedback occur infrequently. If the teacher only gives out periodic but infrequent assessments of student learning, then for many it might be too late, and interventions to correct the deficiencies in learning may be worthless as well. Mistakes and deficiencies in learning the nuances of a particular lesson must be corrected as they occur, in other words. Mistakes can pile up and the student can be left with less than optimal learning of the language as a result. It is therefore very important that the teacher has within his power the ability to gauge understanding and learning as the sessions unfold. The quick way to do this is via collection methods for data that are as prescribed in M25. The power of the M25 data collection modes is in the ability to be able to rapidly gather feedback and to gauge progress in learning. This has very pragmatic applications in tuning the course work and the content and manner of the teaching of the language so that those are in line with the pace of learning of the students, and with the deficiencies that the students have as far as learning the new language is concerned (Data Collection, n. d., pp. 113-115). As discussed above, also, I chose M25 because of the way the class sessions are structured, and also because from time to time I want to be able to revisit the learnings from previous sessions in order to reinforce them, and to correct the deficiencies in the learning of my students. The M25 methods allow me to be able to find out just what the deficient areas are, and then tailor the review parts of the sessions to be able to tackle those areas that are deficient. Student inputs and feedback are very essential in this case (Data Collection, n.d., pp. 113-115). III. How I Used M25 To gauge the effectiveness of the different methods, this researcher made use of all of the prescribed methods in M25 in different sessions. This is to gauge not only the effectiveness of the teaching methods and the level of progress of the students, but also to get a feel of what methods work best in settings where students learn a second language in classroom settings. This is a two-ed ged purpose in other words. For different sessions I made use of 2 plus 2, the â€Å"Muddiest Point†, the â€Å"Minute Paper†, the â€Å"Plus-Minus-Question Mark†, and the RSQC2 (Data Collection, n.d., pp. 113-115). IV. Sample Data It is important to note that as far as getting feedback is concerned, the general

Declaration of Independence Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Declaration of Independence Evaluation - Essay Example Declaration of independence was not entirely congress original work in terms of convictions and ideas. It has several similarities with the work of John Locke work about the American treatise. The beginning clauses of the document that states that human kind was created alike with inalienable rights of liberty, life and freedom is in conjunction with the Locke philosophy. Locke point of view was that all the jurisdiction and power is equal with no citizen having more than the other does. The document further proceeds to emphasize that government is established through the decision of the citizens to protect their rights. Furthermore, it claims that in case the state does not address and protect the rights of the people then it will be the democracy of the citizens to abolish or alter the government. The Locke’s philosophy is well enshrined in the document. Hobbes counter declaration mimics the ideologies of declaration of independence and the Hobbes ideas was to justify the ki ng's action in England as perfectly legitimate. Hobbes perception and beliefs allowed the people to elect sovereign once and after that, the people should be obedient to the government without questioning. The sovereign as called by Hobbes decides the successor and the rules. The perspective was seen the United States founding fathers that this method will leave the government vulnerable to corruption. With the idea they opted to apply Locke’s’ philosophy. Hobbes document saw the need for the people to abolish any political bond that is connecting them and take the power sovereign land. He further expounded that opinion of the humankind necessity declaring the cause that forces the people to dissolve. His ideologies were evident that humanity are created alike and endowed with life by the creator and securing the rights the governments were to be formed among the few. Hobessian perspective on the declaration of independence could have stated that if any type of leaders hip cannot protect the people then the rights of the citizens to dissolve it could have been necessary. As the government could protect the citizens then the people must respect and obey the said government. His perspective also was of the view that the said government had the obligation of assenting to bills even if it was not the opinion of the people. The government is endowed with rights that are suitable as far as it will not disable its ability to protect the people. Hobbes argued that equality and freedom in respect to individual rights meant that individuals could pursue their interest and survival without limitation in the state of nature. The government is without duty to respect the rights of the individuals. The state of nature herein is the state of war hence Locke has claimed the people have the duty to respect the individual’s rights even in the state of nature source of the duty being the natural law. There is also a difference to the Hobbes perception in that Locke argued differently about the property. They both agree that individuals have rights to any property in the state of nature. They also differed in that Hobbes denies the individual duty of the citizen to respect the property of others. In this perspective, the property is made less or useless in a state of nature according to Hobbes. On the other side, Locke is of the opinion that individuals

How Should Organizational Information Systems Be Audited for Security Essay

How Should Organizational Information Systems Be Audited for Security - Essay Example S. General Accounting Office; Mandol and Verma; Cert-In; Stanford University; Davis). At the present, businesses should take a number of steps in an attempt to formulate or improve an IS security audit facility. For instance, organizations must clearly outline their business goals and aims. After that, the business should evaluate its own information security audit readiness. However, this kind of evaluation requires from organizations to recognize a variety of matter such as reporting limitations, legal problems, the audit situation, security and safety vulnerabilities, abilities automated tools and associated costs. Additionally, it is essential for the organizations to plan how to decide what information systems security audit projects should be performed for instance both stand-alone information system security audit projects and those projects which require support from the information systems security audit potential. Thus, when the planning stage is successfully completed, bus inesses should be able to connect the aims and objectives selected in the initial phase to the tasks required for their completion. On the other hand, all through the process, businesses should not ignore the resources exist on the Web intended for research and training (U. S. General Accounting Office; Mandol and Verma; Cert-In; Stanford University; Davis). Moreover, making a decision regarding organization’s aims and objectives for developing or improving an information system’s security audit capability will support them in determining and understanding the varieties of skills, tools and training required to carry out this process. In this scenario, it is essential for the organizations to define objectives and aims earlier without initial recognition like that how and by whom the business aims and objectives would be convened (for instance, whether organization resources would be contractor, in-house, shared staff or a number of combinations). In addition, establis hment of temporary milestones will facilitate in attaining a staged accomplishment of organization’s desired policy. Additionally, while constructing an information system security audit potential, administration should review the organization’s information systems security audit willingness by keeping in mind the applicable issues. In this scenario, the implementation of a baseline by recognizing powers and faults will facilitate an organization to choose a most excellent system to proceed (U. S. General Accounting Office; Mandol and Verma; Cert-In; Stanford University; Davis). Moreover, the process of tackling information security risks varies and depends on the nature of the processing carried out by the business and sensitivity of the data and information which is being processed. However, to completely judge these issues and risks, the auditor should completely understand information about the business’s computer operations and major applications. In this s cenario, a most important part of planning to produce or improve a successful information systems security audit potential can encompass activities such as assessing the present staff’s skills, knowledge and capabilities to decide what the audit capability is at the present and what knowledge

Gear Ratios Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Gear Ratios - Essay Example Gears are used to provide gear reduction in motorized machine parts and also make work easier. The principle of gear reduction is applied whereby a small pinion, the driving gear, spins very fast to provide enough power to spin the wheel, the driven gear. The small pinion rotating fast will not provide enough torque. Torque is the force that tends to create motion. Torque is the product of force and distance covered. Motors designed produce large torques are meant to operate at low speeds so as to increase their lifespan while producing the same amount of power as a motor operating at higher speeds and producing smaller torque. Power refers to the rate of doing work and its SI unit is the horsepower. This experiment studies how gear ratios can be used to determine torque. The apparatus used were RE 140 motor, six gears, small sprocket, big sprocket, weights, battery and the 917D kit for the gear reduction. The battery provided power to the RE 140 motor at the range of 1.5V and 3V. The experiment was conducted using a RE 140 motor and kit which included several combinations of gear reductions and masses of different weights. The gear reduction combinations included small sprocket and big sprocket which were combined as shown in the figure below. The circuit diagram featured a simple control circuit with the 3-volt motor connected to the power source and a toggle control switch for determining the direction of current. Current flow was to the left, right and no current flow. The connections to the right and left set of terminals were insulated to ensure that the wires do not short circuit. The voltage was supplied from a 3volt battery to the RE 140 motor which powered the 917 D gearbox. The gearbox provided six different gear ratios with the corresponding speed, revolutions per minute. The gears were tested with

Accountant Essay Example for Free

Accountant Essay How comfortable are you working long hours to achieve success? Working overtime or extra hours will not be a problem for me, because I used to work 10 hours per day and to work overtime to finish some special tasks in my previous Job. Sometimes, I spent my personal time on resolving some potential risks and problems that I found. 2. How eager are you to keep on learning to stay ahead of the curve? I am more than happy to learn in the work place because I value the process of continuous improvement. As long as I was instructed to handle something new in my previous ob, I felt excited and satisfied. The double-loop learning process benefits me from applying new knowledge and techniques to work-related areas and self-reflecting the aspects that I can improve. In addition, I am actively pursuing academic success outside work place. For example, I am the youngest CMA candidate in my CMA session. 3. Can you deal with the income volatility that you will be facing during the first few months? I have no financial problem preventing me from accepting a Job if the income is low at the beginning. I worked as a no pay intern during the first two months in my previous Job. Since I am still young, I never put salary as the top priority in searching for a Job. The thing I concern more is whether this Job can help me to develop my competitive edge or not. 4. How comfortable are you working long hours to achieve success? Working overtime or extra hours will not be a problem for me, because I used to work 10 hours per day and to work overtime to finish some special tasks in my previous Job. Sometimes, I spent my personal time on resolving some potential risks and problems that I found. . How eager are you to keep on learning to stay ahead of the curve? I am more than happy to learn in the work place because I value the process of continuous improvement. As long as I was instructed to handle something new in my previous Job, I felt excited and satisfied. The double- loop learning process benefits me from applying new knowledge and techniques to work-related areas and self-reflecting the aspects that I can improve. In addition, I am actively pursuing academic success outside work place. For example, I am the youngest CMA candidate in my CMA session. 6. Can you deal with the income volatility that you will be facing during the first few months? I have no financial roblem preventing me from accepting a Job if the income is low at the beginning. I worked as a no pay intern during the first two months in my previous Job. Since I am still young, I never put salary as the top priority in searching for a Job. The thing I concern more is whether this Job can help me to develop my competitive edge or not. 7. How comfortable are you working long hours to achieve success? Working overtime 8. How eager are you to keep on learning to stay ahead of the curve? I am more than session. 9. Can you deal with the income volatility that you will be facing during the me to develop my competitive edge or not. 0. How comfortable are you working long some potential risks and problems that I found. 11. How eager are you to keep on youngest CMA candidate in my CMA session. 12. Can you deal with the income 13. How comfortable are you working long hours to achieve success? Working overtime or extra hours will not be a problem for me, because I used to work 10 hours per day and to work overtime to finish some special tasks in my previous Job. Sometimes, I spent my personal time on resolving some potential risks and problems that I found. 14. How eager are you to keep on learning to stay ahead of the curve? I am more than happy to learn in the work place because I value the process of continuous improvement. As long as I was instructed to handle something new in my previous Job, I felt excited and satisfied. The double-loop learning process benefits me from applying new knowledge and techniques to work-related areas and self- reflecting the aspects that I can improve. In addition, I am actively pursuing academic success outside work place. For example, I am the youngest CMA candidate in my CMA session. 15. Can you deal with the income volatility that you will be facing during the first few months? I have no financial problem preventing me from accepting a Job if the income is low at the beginning. I worked as a no pay intern during the first two months in my previous Job. Since I am still young, I never put salary as the top priority in searching for a Job. The thing I concern more is whether this Job can help me to develop my competitive edge or not. 16. How comfortable are you working long hours to achieve success? Working overtime or extra hours will not be a problem for me, because I used to work 10 hours per day and to work overtime on resolving some potential risks and problems that I found. 7. How eager are you to keep on learning to stay ahead of the curve? I am more than happy to learn in the work place because I value the process of continuous improvement. As long as I was instructed to handle something new in my previous Job, I felt excited and satisfied. The double-loop learning process benefits me from applying new knowledge and techniques to work-related areas and self-reflecting the aspects that I can improve. In addition, I am actively pursuing academic success outside work place. For example, I am the youngest CMA candidate in my CMA session. 18. Can you deal with the ncome volatility that you will be facing during the first few months? I have no financial problem preventing me from accepting a Job if the income is low at the beginning. I worked as a no pay intern during the first two months in my previous job. Since I am still young, I never put salary as the top priority in searching for a Job. The thing I concern more is whether this Job can help me to develop my competitive edge or not. 19. How comfortable are you working long hours to achieve success? Working overtime or extra hours will not be a problem for me, because I used to work 0 hours per day and to work overtime to finish some special tasks in my previous job. Sometimes, I spent my personal time on resolving some potential risks and problems that I found. 20. How eager are you to keep on learning to stay ahead of the curve? I am more than happy to learn in the work place because I value the process of continuous improvement. As long as I was instructed to handle something new in my previous Job, I felt excited and satisfied. The double-loop learning process benefits me from applying new knowledge and techniques to work-related areas and elf-reflecting the aspects that I can improve. In addition, I am actively pursuing academic success outside work place. For example, I am the youngest CMA candidate in my CMA session. 21 . Can you deal with the income volatility that you will be facing this Job can help me to develop my competitive edge or not. 22. How comfortable are to finish some special tasks in my previous Job. Sometimes, I spent my personal time on resolving some potential risks and problems that I found. 23. How eager are you am the youngest CMA candidate in my CMA session. 24. Can you deal with the edge or not.

The Significance of Sarah Essay Example for Free

The Significance of Sarah Essay The Significance of Sarah, Jimmy and Doalty Doalty, Sarah and Jimmy Jack Cassie have three main roles in Translations. Firstly, they represent those Irish people who will be left behind during the development of the country by the English. Secondly, they all contribute to the concluding scene and its outcome. And thirdly, they all in some way represent Ireland as a whole. Unlike Maire and Owen, none of these three characters has any desire to leave Baile Beag. When Jimmy Jack sets out on a spring morning in 1798 with Hugh to join the rebellion he, like Hugh, soon feels homesick and returns eagerly to where he feels he belongs And it was there in Phelans pub reminisces Hugh that we got homesick for Athens, just like Ulysses. The desiderium nostrorum the need for our own. Jimmy Jack, the peasant scholar, is a personification of a past, idealised Ireland when Ireland kept alive the light of learning during Europes Dark Ages. His filthy clothes, and shabby exterior are compensated for by the inner richness of his cultivated mind. Again he is like Ireland, materially poor but possessed of cultural wealth. Yolland appreciates both Jimmy Jacks knowledge and the different order of experience presented by Irish culture. For Jimmy Jack, the classics and everyday life are interwoven. For the lonely, ageing man, the gods of Greece and Rome move as easily around Baile Beag as they do around Ancient Rome and Athens. He even turns to the classics for practical tips on farming, telling Doalty that he should follow the advice given in Book Two of Virgils Georgics and give his upper field over to corn rather than potatoes. Although Jimmy Jack is obviously quite capable of learning English, as he has managed to learn the more complicated languages of Latin and Greek, he does not seem to want to learn English. His knowledge of English and England itself is minimal to him they are unimportant and lack poetry. It is possible that when speaking English became essential, he would not be ble to conform. As Hugh observes, Jimmy Jack sees himself as shaped by a mythological history, based in the classics, rather than real history that is affected by the here and now. The idea of fluency in English being necessary to progress, either as an individual or a country, is totally lost on him. In the final act of the play he seems to lose touch with reality informing Hugh of his engagement to the Gre ek goddess, the flashing-eyed Athene. His confusion of reality with mythology has become complete. And yet in his conversation with Maire in the same scene, he provides an insightful commentary on the plays action on marrying inside and outside the tribe. Although he is in fact talking about his supposed engagement to Pallas Athene, it seems to Maire and the audience as if he is warning Maire about her relationship with Yolland. Either marry outside the tribe and cause possible conflict, or be safe and marry inside the tribe i. e. Manus. And the word exogamein means to marry outside the tribe. And you dont cross those borders casually both sides get very angry. These sentiments would have been recognised by the modern Irish 1980 audience, as mixed marriages between Catholics and Protestants in Ireland can be problematic even today. The idea of not marrying outside the tribe can apply to childhood friendships and schools also you stick to your own kind. By contrast with Jimmy Jack, the Infant Prodigy, Doalty is quite a slow learner he struggles with the Latin and Greek that Hugh throws at him and his arithmetic is similarly painful. More than any of the other characters, he speaks in Irish slang and with a more common type of vocabulary and phrasing. Aul fella, the wee get aul eejit too lazy be Jases. Again, unlike Jimmy Jack, he is a man of action whose knowledge is limited to farming. He alone seems to worry about the cows going mad in the heat. In a way he almost a stereotype of the slow, thick Irish peasant. His name is pronounced Dolt-y, as Maire points out. He is also a mischief maker (taking the Sappers poles) and pote ntially confrontational (in the face of Lanceys threats of eviction, he declares he would put up a fight for his property, for what little he has). Although Doalty is shown as basically good-natured throughout the play, despite his boisterous behaviour, he has links with the Donnelly twins who may be associated with more serious acts against the English soldiers (the horses found at the bottom of the cliff, the disappearance of Yolland and the fire at the camp). Under certain circumstances we could imagine Doalty becoming less pleasant. In Act 3, Doalty clearly has knowledge of Yollands disappearance. He confesses to Owen that the Donnelly twins are most likely responsible, but he still acts suspiciously himself, whistling through his teeth and ignoring further questions. He tells Owen that Manus should never have left, implying that Manus has implicated himself in the crime by doing so, but plainly Doalty knows the truth. By his persistent concealment of what he knows about Yollands disappearance, Doalty is siding with the possibly murderous Donnelly twins and exposing Baile Beag to the soldiers retaliation. All that follows beyond the span of the play in terms of the destruction of the animals and the village is a consequence in part of Doaltys silence. Sarah is the least able to learn English and by implication therefore the least capable of moving on and embracing new ways as she has an obvious speech defect that is so bad that all her life she has been considered dumb. Her communication has been confined to grunts and nasal sounds, according to Friels opening description of her. At the beginning of the play she is learning to speak with Manuss assistance and can say her own name, opening up a whole new world of possibilities: Now were really started! Manus says to her. Nothingll stop us now! Nothing in the wide world! . But by the end, under Lanceys intimidation, she loses her newfound ability and the wider horizons and again becomes mute, despite Owens encouragement to speak, and is forced once again to communicate in a sign language that is not always understood. Even though Owen tries to kindly reassure her He frightened you. Thats alls wrong. Sarah herself knows to the contrary. Without Manus to support and guide her, she cannot hold on to her new ability to communicate. However, while she could speak we must assume that she gave vital information to Manus: the embrace she witnessed between Yolland and Maire. This leads to the implication of Manus in Yollands disappearance I had a stone in my hand when I went out looking for him I was going to fell him. The lame scholar turned violent. Her presumed part in the plot is pivotal: if she had not told Manus of the kiss, Yolland might never have disappeared, Manus would not have had to leave Baile Beag, the village would not have been threatened with destruction and Sarah herself would not have been abandoned by her mentor. It has been suggested that in the scene with Lancey in which she loses her power of speech, Sarah represents Ireland. As she closes her mouth and lowers her head, according to the stage directions, the parallel is drawn with Ireland losing both her language and her power. Although Sarah, Jimmy and Doalty are all minor characters in terms of lines spoken and appearances in the play, they all make an essential contribution to the play, either in contributing to or commenting on the plot. By Act Three in contrast to the cheerful optimism of Act One, they and the play have become much darker. Sarah has lost the power of speech as well as the man who helped her discover it; Jimmy Jack has crossed the boundary between reality and fantasy, and Doalty through his concealment of the truth, has put the village and its people in danger.

Cationic Antimicrobial Peptides in Humans

Cationic Antimicrobial Peptides in Humans Antimicrobial peptides Introduction Cationic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are gene-encoded peptides of the host defence system made up of 12-50 amino acids, with at least 2 positive charges conferred by lysine and arginine residues and about 50% hydrophobic amino acids (Hancock and Scott 2000). They are produced from gene transcription and ribosomal translation and often, further proteolytically processed (Zhoa 2003). The peptides are folded so that non-polar amino acid side-chains form a hydrophobic face and polar, positively charged residues form a hydrophilic face (Robert and Hancock 1997). Expression of antimicrobial peptides can be constitutive or inducible by infectious or inflammatory stimuli like cytokines, bacteria and lipopolysaccharides (LPS) (Cunliffe and Mahida 2004). They have diverse structures to effectively kill a wide range of microbes at prone sites e. g the skin and lungs, and in secretions such as sweat and saliva (Yeaman and Yount 2004; Santamaria 2005). Many mammalian antimicrobial peptides rous e the hosts innate immune system (Jenssen et al 2006) instead of directly killing the host. Peptides which are found in living organisms from bacteria to plants, insects, fish, amphibians to mammals including humans (Kamysz 2005) are recorded in numerous existing databases e. g. AMSDb (Eukaryotic peptides) (Tossi and Sandri 2002), BAPDb (bacterial peptides), ANTIMIC (natural antimicrobial peptides) (Brahmachary et al 2004) and APPDb. Currently, 1831 peptides are hosted by the Antimicrobial peptide database with 99 antiviral, 453 antifungal, 100 anticancer and 1179 antibacterial peptides (The Antimicrobial Peptide database 2010). In humans, antimicrobial peptides are produced by granulocytes, macrophages and most epithelial and endothelial cells. They boost the immune system, have anti-neoplastic properties and help in regulating cell signalling and multiplication. Amphibian AMPs have been discovered from the skin of frogs from families ranging from Iomedusa, Pipidae, Hyperoliidae, Ranidae, Hylidae, Discoglossidae, Agalychnis and Litoria. The structure of these peptides as unravelled by CD spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy and molecular modeling (Suh et al 1996) have been found to be generally 10-46 amino acid residues long (Rollins-Smith et al 2005), mostly linear and simple-structured, (Conlon et al 2004) the majority being hydrophobic, cationic and possessing an amphipathic a-helix in nature. Following production, they are stored in the granular glands (poison glands) of skin dermal layer to be secreted in response to injury (Bovbjerg 1963), or as defence against pathogenic bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites. Biologically active molecules including antimicrobial peptides are produced as large proteins harbouring a signal and an acidic propiece which get cut off to give an active peptide prior to or at secretion from the poison glands (Amich e et al 1999). Cationic peptides are also expressed in the gastric mucosa cells and in the intestinal tract (Kamysz 2005). The best-known peptides isolated from frogs are caeruleins, tachykinins, bradykinins, thyrotropin- releasing hormone (Barra and Simmaco 1995), brevinins, esculentins, magainins, ranatuerins and temporins (Conlon et al 2004). In the past, peptides were extracted using solvents like methanol or acid from the skins of amphibians after sun-drying but with concomitant dwindling of many frog species, other alternative techniques have emerged, one of which comprises stimulating the frog using mild electricity and collecting the skin secretion; 2-4 weeks after, the secretion can be re-collected after replenishment of the glands (Barra and Simmaco 1995). Large amounts of small peptides and their analogues which are resistant to protease cleavage and contain D-amino acids can be chemically synthesised while larger peptides can be expressed in a prokaryotic host from cloned cDNAs coding for a fusion protein (Piers et al 1993). An efficient means of producing therapeutic peptides in transgenic mice red blood cells has been explained by Sharma et al (1994) whereby the required peptide is collected from proteolytic cleavage from the fusion protein where the peptide is at the C-terminal end of human a-globin. Structure of antimicrobials In spite of sharing similar features, sequence homology between antimicrobial peptides is low and secondary structure diversity is wide (Jenssen 2006). Secondary structures based on sequence homologies, 3-dimensional structures and functions can be grouped into 5 classes: Linear, mostly a-helical peptides lacking cysteine, with or without a hinge region (cecropins, magainins). Antimicrobial peptides with one disulphide bond that form a loop structure with a tail (bactenecins, esculentins). Antimicrobial peptides with at least two disulfide bonds yielding primarily or solely a Î’-sheet structure (defensins, protegrins). Linear peptides comprising an unusual composition of regular amino acids with the absence of cysteine (histatins, indolicidin, temporins). Antimicrobial peptides derived from larger peptides or proteins with other known functions (lactoferricins, MUC7, Casocidin1). Mode of action of peptides Unlike numerous antibiotics or secondary metabolites that halt microorganisms over a number of days by hindering the action of key enzymes, most of the vertebrate antimicrobial peptides neutralise microbes quickly by disrupting the membrane or permeating it and targeting anabolic reactions (Barra and Simmaco 1995). The antimicrobial properties of most peptides rely on the formation of a-helical (Oren et al 2002) or Î’-sheet-like tubular (Fernandez-Lopez 2001) structures when interacting with negative charges on cell surfaces or when forming a-helical bundles following self-association in solution (Avrahami and Shai 2002). The mechanism of action of antibacterial peptides is thus twofold: membrane acting (membrane permeabilisation) or non-membrane acting (affect vital intracellular processes) as depicted in Figure 3. Different models of membrane permeabilisation exist; in one model, peptides reorient to cross the phospholipid bilayer of the membrane as a cluster without assuming any particular direction, resulting in a micelle-like complex of peptides and lipids. The toroidal pore model suggests that peptides enter the bilayer at 90 degrees to it, the hydrophilic regions interacting with phospholipid head groups and the hydrophobic regions interacting with the lipid core. Additionally, the membrane curves inward so that the bilayer lines the pore too. The barrel-stave model involves insertion of peptides perpendicularly to the bilayer, forming the staves in a barrel-shaped cluster, such that hydrophilic regions of the peptides project into the pore lumen and the hydrophobic regions contact the lipid po rtion of the bilayer membrane. According to the carpet model, peptides group together parallel to the lipid bilayer and local areas are coated like a carpet (Lai and Gallo 2003). Buforin II in frogs crosses the bacterial membrane without causing permeabilisation and binds DNA and RNA in the cytoplasm of E. coli (Park et al 1998). Antifungal peptides have been found to function in different ways one of which is fungal cell lysis e. g. frog Magainin targeting C. albicans (Tytler et al 1995; Zasloff et al 1987) and frog Brevinin-1 acting on Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis as described by Rollins-Smith et al (2002). Defensin from mammals permeabilises the membrane of C. albicans (Lehrer et al 1985; Patterson-Delafield 1980); bovine Indolicidin has been found to act similarly on T. beigelii (Lee et al 2003). Another strategy of antifungal peptides is the disruption of synthesis of fungal cell wall (De Lucca and Walsh 1999). Cecropin from insects as studied by De Lucca et al (1998) binds to membrane cholesterol or ergosterol and affects the fungus Aspergillus fumigates. Bovine lactoferricin and the hybrid peptide of Helicobacter pylori ribosomal protein L1 and magainin-2, HP(2-9)-MA(1-12), have been shown by Bellamy et al (1993) to cause extensive damage to the ultra structure of the cell wall of C. albicans . Yet a nother mode of action has been documented which involves depolymerisation of the actin cytoskeleton illustrated by Pn-AMP 1 from plants which attacks S. Cerevisiae and C. albicans actin. In contrast, as reported by Helmerhorst et al (1999) and Kavanagh and Dowd (2004), Histatin from human primates acts on mitochondria in C. albicans. Rollins-Smith et al (2002b) found that the peptides magainin I and II, PGLa, and X. Laevis CPF, Phyllomedusa sauvagii dermaseptin and R. catesbeiana ranalexin were more potent at the zoospore transmission period of the chytrid fungus life cycle than against mature stages. It has been found that peptides with primarily antifungal activity particularly abound in polar and neutral amino acids, pointing to a structure-activity link (Lustig et al 1996). Numerous studies point to different modes of action of antiviral peptides which interfere with adsorption, entry of the virus into the cell (Belaid et al 2002) or act on the viral envelope (Robinson et al 1998). Targeted viruses are notably enveloped RNA and DNA viruses except non-enveloped adenoviruses (Bastian and Schafer 2001), echovirus 6 (Pietrantoni et al 2006) and feline. Sinha et al (2003) found that rabbit a-defensin NP-1 acts by inhibiting HSV movement from cell to cell. By interacting with the CXCR4 chemokine receptor functional as a coreceptor for HIV-1 entry into T cells (Murakami et al 1991), a polyphemusin analogue, T22 reportedly inhibits the HIV strains using that chemokine receptor (Tamamura et al 1999). Antivirals can also hamper viral entry through interaction with viral glycoproteins as in the case of ?-Defensin (retrocyclin 2) claimed by Yasin et al (2004) to protect cells from HSV-2 infection by acting on HSV-2 glycoprotein B. Viral antimicrobial peptides can a ct in the cell as well, stimulating genes or proteins, thereby affecting host cell antiviral mechanisms (Bowdish et al 2004);viral gene and protein expression (Wachinger et al 1998) can be hampered too. Antimicrobial activity of peptides Features of antimicrobial peptides The emergence of resistant bacterial strains worldwide necessitates (Bonomo 2000) development of new families of antibiotics. Antimicrobial peptides have properties which render them attractive for development of new antimicrobial therapies. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are often vulnerable to antimicrobial peptides (Jacob and Zasloff 1994; Tencza et al 1997); minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 1-8 Â µg/mL competitive with the most powerful antibiotics against resistant organisms have been recorded with peptides (Isogai et al 2009). Lui et al (2009) observed strong effectiveness of peptide nanoparticles against bacteria, Streptococcus haemolyticus (gram-positive bacteria), Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecalis and also against drug-resistant bacteria methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, yeast tropicalis and fungi, Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans and Stachybotrys chartarum. Antimicrobial pe ptides not only eradicate bacteria rapidly and neutralize endotoxins but are synergistic with antibiotics and active in animal models (Hancock and Scott 2000). Furthermore, they exhibit a broad spectrum of activity by virtue of their relatively non-specific mode of action. In addition, mutations leading to classical antibiotic resistance do not affect them and they do not easily select antibiotic resistant variants (Shai 2002; Huang 2000). However, peptides have drawbacks limiting their use e. g. they are cleaved by proteases notably trypsin-like proteases and researchers still need to probe further into uptake mechanisms into different tissues (Boman 1995). Activity of Frog peptides Numerous studies aimed at understanding further antimicrobial expression of antimicrobial peptides have been conducted. In line with a first line of defence to the frog, release of antimicrobial peptides are stimulated in response to an environment conducive to microbial proliferation; it has been observed that while the freeze-tolerant wood frog, Rana sylvatica, shows no signs of any antimicrobial peptide activity in winter, it produces and secretes an active peptide upon exposure to warmer conditions (Matutte et al 2000). Rollins-Smith et al (2002a) found that effectiveness is enhanced when mixtures of peptides rather than single ones are released; magainin II and PGLa, synergistically hamper growth of B. dendrobatidis and B. ranarum on the skin of X. Laevis. Frog peptides are seen as interesting and potentially useful molecules that could be effective against a range of human pathogens (VanCompernolle et al 2005), viral, bacterial or fungal. In the 1960s, a 24 amino acids long antibiotic peptide bombinin secreted from the skin of the frog Bombina variegata was isolated but discouraging high haemolytic activity restricted applicability (Csordas and Michl 1970). Since then, large numbers of various peptides have been discovered with antimicrobial potential; Gaegurin, for instance, from a Korean frog is described as having a considerable spectrum of activity with mild haemolytic activity, rendering it a potential antibiotic (Suh et al 1996). Recently, high amounts of peptides were discovered in Litoria chloris, the Australian red-eyed tree frog which blocked HIV without harming T cells; the peptides appeared to target the HIV virus probably by insertion into its outer membrane envelope and punching holes in it (VanCompernolle et al 2005). S ome frog peptides have aroused interest as potential agents for treatment of Type 2 diabetes as exemplified by a peptide isolated from the skin secretions from the leaf frog, Hylomantis lemur with the ability to release insulin from the rat BRIN-BD11 clonal B cell line; A synthetic version of the peptide, phylloseptin-L2 was remarkably good at that. Other peptides from phyllomedusid frogs are a 13 amino-acid-residue peptide from Agalychnis calcarifer (Abdel-Wahab et al 2005) and peptides from Agalychnis litodryas (Marenah et al 2004a) and Phyllomedusa trinatis (Marenah et al 2004b) with a structure similar to dermaseptins. Therapeutic applications Antimicrobial peptides are appealing for therapeutics since they are rapidly produced at low metabolic expenses, stored easily in abundance and readily available shortly following an infection, to rapidly counteract a wide range of microbes (Zhoa 2003). The 20 existing amino acids confer tremendous diversity in sequence and structure of peptides, presenting opportunities in creating a whole range of novel drugs (Hancock and Scott 2000) Peptides can be used for battling antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections or septic shock (Finlay and Hancock 2004). Other potential applications include topical applications for preventing sexually transmitted diseases (Rana et al 2006) including HIV/HSV (Reddy et al 2004), Meningococcal meningitis, diabetic wounds e. g. foot ulcers, gastric helicobacter infections, impetigo (Gunaratna et al 2002; Reddy et al 2004), treating eye infections (Migenix 1998). Creams with snails mucin containing antimicrobial peptides are currently marketed for topical applications treating skin infections and acne inflammation (Cottage 2007). Efforts have also been directed at developing magainin analogs into anticancer drugs (Boman 1995). Furthermore, as attempts persevere to alter the immune system of the vectors or their symbionts to confer to the vectors the ability to eradicate the parasites (Ham et al 1994; Gwadz et al 1989), peptide antibiotics are seen as a potential weapon in fighting insect- borne diseases like malaria, trypanosomiasis, and filariasis. Besides using AMP as proteins, genes encoding AMP can be delivered as gene therapy. Genetically altered bacteria making the antimicrobial in situ can be used for targeting pathogens, which is particularly relevant to the treatment of dental caries, Crohn disease, and other disorders in which disturbances in natural microflora play a role and host-microbe balance must be preserved (Palffy 2009). Peptides are also used for food preservation as exemplified by Nisin, produced by certain strains of Lactococcus lactis subsp. Lactis (Joerger 2003). Engineering peptides for enhanced activity Natural peptides do not always possess all the features required to make them suitable therapeutics, validating the need to engineer their primary structure to confer those properties to them (Sarah et al 1999) e. g. stability, reduced toxicity (Won and Ianoul 2009); existing desirable properties e. g. potency, selectivity or specificity of antimicrobial activity can also be strengthened. In cationic AMPs, antimicrobial activity has been ascribed to the net positive charge since the outermost portion of bacterial membranes is negatively charged by virtue of the negatively charged phospholipids (Brogden 2005). Substitution of acidic residues with basic ones, reportedly boosted the potency of LLP1 against S. aureus from the increase in net charge of the peptide (Robert and Hancock 1997). Hydrophobicity (aiding in membrane insertion) and flexibility, driving the peptides change in conformation to allow interaction with the membrane, have also been identified as important (Jenssen 2006). Antibacterial activity of peptides can be enhanced by altering their flexible secondary structures; altering the membrane-associated conformation of indolicidin to bring the N and C termini closer together increased activity against gram-negative bacteria (Ianoul 2010). Oren and Shai (2000) claim that a successful designing strategy in the synthesis of antimicrobial peptides is the incorp oration of non-natural amino acids (such as Ornithine) and the utilization of D-Amino acids with the aim to sustain natural activity and confer resistance against proteases. It has been found that, often, modest alterations to ineffective antimicrobial peptides successfully confer antifungal properties as evidenced by the resulting potent action of magainin analogues coupled with undecanoic acid or palmitic acid in contrast to the native peptide, against yeast and opportunistic fungal infections (Avrahami and Shai 2003) However, often, one roadblock in peptide production is that expression of antibacterial proteins in bacteria may be suicidal to the cells; this could be circumvented by making a fusion protein which is made to accumulate in inclusion bodies at a later stage in growth (Boman 1995). A report of this technique applied on four fusion proteins was recently published (Piers et al 1993). Use of expression vectors in hosts that are insensitive to the peptide antibiotic is also proposed as a solution that has met with success in producing an insect defensin in yeast (Reichchart et al 1992). There are reports of the baculovirus system being used to express a fusion protein cecropin A although with rather low yields, in an insect cell line (Andersons et al 1991). Using the same virus vector in live insects, expression of cecropin about 60 times higher was recorded in the hemolymph. Pseudin antimicrobial peptides Introduction Pseudin-1, Pseudin-2, Pseudin-3 and Pseudin-4 are antimicrobial peptides with structural similarity, which are secreted from the skin of the bright green and pink paradoxical frog from the Pseudidae family, Pseudis paradoxa, inhabiting Trinidad and the Amazon basin (Olson et al 2001). Pseudins, a subfamily of the Frog Secreted Active Peptides (FSAP) are cationic, amphipathic and helical (Olson et al 2001). Pseudin-2, the most abundant and powerful 2685. 4 Da peptide comprises 24 residues (GLNALKKVFQGIHEAIKLINNHVQ). In aqueous solutions pseudin-2 coils randomly while in those emulating the hydrophobicity of the cell membrane e. g. 50% trifluoroethanol/water, it assumes an a-helical conformation (Yasser et al 2008). Antimicrobial activity of Pseudin-2 As testified by Olson et al (2001), Pseudin-2 effective against Escherichia coli (MIC=2. 5 Â µM), Staphylococcus aureus (80 Â µM) and Candida albicans (130 Â µM) and has very weak haemolytic activity against human erythrocytes in contrast to other frog antimicrobial peptides (Colon 2004). Another study by Pal et al (2005) showed that strains of several pathogenic bacteria Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Streptococcus were also effectively acted upon by multi-l-lysine-substituted analogues. They also demonstrated that gradually raising the cationicity of pseudin-2 by replacement of several residues with l-lysine in the hydrophilic part of the peptide enhanced the antimicrobial property. An analogue [D-Lys3, D-Lys10, D-Lys14]pseudin-2 in particular, in contrast to others had a significantly increased antimicrobial effect against E. coli and S. aureus and, low haemolytic and cytolytic activity against human erythrocy tes. Replacing Asn with Lys at codon 3 was found to double the antimicrobial activity against E. coli and S. aureus from a reduction in destabilisation of the a-helix besides greater positive charge (Pal et al 2005). Kim et al (2007), in a study attempting to link structure to mechanical action of pseudin-2 in microorganisms and liposomes, suggested that the antimicrobial activity of Pseudin-2 is ascribed to the punching of holes in the target cell membrane through its oligomerisation according to the toroidal pore model in zwitterionic liposomes and the barrel-stave model in anionic liposomes. Pseudin-2 as an anti-diabetic peptide Besides antimicrobial features, Pseudin is seen as promising, prospective insulinotropic agent for treating type 2 diabetes as an incretin mimetic (Abdel-Wahab et al 2008). Yasser et al (2008) demonstrated that Pseudin-2 and derivatives, particularly a [Lys18]-pseudin-2 derivative, enhanced release of insulin from a clonal B-cell line, BRIN-BD11 via Ca2+ independent pathways. The insulin- releasing features of [Lys18]-pseudin-2 are very similar to the gut hormones GLP-1(7-36) amide and GIP (McClenaghan and Flatt 1999) Mutagenesis Site-directed mutagenesis Initially, DNA mutation was based on generation of random mutations in chromosomal DNA using X-rays and chemicals or error-prone PCR which suffered from the major drawback of not targeting the mutation to a specific gene, leading to the emergence of site-directed mutagenesis. This technique has become instrumental for altering DNA sequences in molecular biology and genetic engineering, and for investigating how protein structure relates to function (Zheng et al 2004). In vitro approaches to site-directed mutagenesis can be generally grouped into three categories (Botstein and Shortle 1985):(i) localized random mutagenesis (ii) oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis (Cosby and Lesley 1997) and (ii) techniques restructuring DNA fragments e. g cassette mutagenesis (Lo et al 1984). Single amino acid substitutions in proteins can be produced by oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis. One or more amino acids at specific desired locations in the polypeptide chain can be substituted with no length change. Any residue, chemically reactive or inert, buried or exposed can be targeted, and size can be replaced without altering polarity, or polarity without altering size (e. g. aspartate to asparagine). Often, different multiple substitutions are introduced at one specific position or at several locations to study their effect on protein function (Kegler et al 1994). Saturation mutagenesis Using saturation mutagenesis, which often involves oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis (Zoller and Smith 1982), a library of mutants with all possible mutations at one or more pre-determined key positions in a gene can be created. In conjunction with high-throughput screening, saturation mutagenesis has numerous applications. For example, it has been used in enhancing the stability of the Rhizopus oryzae prolipase enzyme towards lipid oxidation products such as aldehydes (Lorenzo et al 2007) and to increase enantioselectivity of Pseudomonas fluorescens esterase (Park et al 2005). The ligand-binding specificity of the human oestrogen receptor for a resveratrol-like synthetic compound has also been successfully enhanced by saturation mutagenesis (Islam et al 2009). Randomised gene libraries are usually created by replacing part of the parental gene with a synthetic DNA cassette with specific randomised codons (Hine et al 2003). Cassette Mutagenesis is a means of creating a library by targeting a specific site or sites of any length or sequence and replacing them with new sequences; degenerate oligonucleotides are used for inserting the predetermined degeneracy into the peptide. Cassette Mutagenesis involves cutting the original gene contained in a plasmid with two endonucleases at identified, appropriate restriction sites to remove a small section from the plasmid. To make the sequence more amenable to mutations at any region along it, unique restriction sites around 40 nucleotides apart can be inserted into the plasmid (Stryer 2002). The gap is subsequently replaced with a synthetic double-stranded oligonucleotide (the cassette) with sticky ends which is then ligated to the plasmid which now has the required mutation. The new mutated insert allows protein structures or nucleic acid sequences to be studied. Bakir et al (1993) found cassette mutagenesis to be useful for mutating nine single amino acids in the active site of Aspergillus awamori glucoamylase to modify pH dependence of the enzyme and investigate the functions of the mutated residues. Xiang and Sampson (2004) used cassette mutagenesis to screen libraries for establishing specificity of the substrate in a cholesterol oxidase-catalyzed reaction. Oligonucleotide synthesis or screening can be costly for cassette mutagenesis, especially if several parts of a gene are targeted for saturation mutagenesis, since for each region to be mutated, a different batch of oligonucleotide cassettes containing the mutated codon must be produced (Kegler-Ebo et al 1994). Codon randomisation High throughput substitution can be accomplished through randomisation of codons, resulting in a randomised gene library including all possible amino acid substitutions for the target amino acid residue. Conventional codon randomization uses oligonucleotides containing NNN-, NNB-, NNK- or NNS (N: A/C/G/T; B: C/G/T; K: G/T; S: G/C) since each of these combinations code for all 20 amino acids (Patrick and Firth 2003). Creating NNN libraries from oligonucleotides by employing an equimolar mixture of the four nucleotides at each position represents the easiest approach to codon randomisation (Bosley et al 2005) but a sizeable portion of the library contains premature stop codons especially in the event of multiple codon-randomisations. Additionally, the most common protein mutants with Arg, Leu and Ser (with six degenerate codons) are immensely over-represented in contrast to the rarest mutant with Met or Trp at each randomized position (Patrick and Firth 2003). By employing reduced codon sets, the quality and diversity of the protein library can be enhanced. NNB codons have the lowest likelihood of 1 in 48 of coding for stop codon. NNK and NNS codons reduce the over-representation of the commonly-occurring variants (Patrick and Firth 2003). Although NNK and NNS give rise to a similar distribution of amino acids, NNK is preferred for libraries hosted by E. coli and S. cerevisiae by virtue of their favourite codon use but the NNK codon distributes the 20 amino acids unequally and generates 3% termination codons. Neuner et al (1998) mutated codons with dinucleotide phosphoramidite which has the advantage of requiring only seven dinucleotide building blocks to code for all 20 amino acids. Besides being flexible, the technique can be used applied to various hosts with different codon usage patterns. Virnekas et al (1994) have reported use of trinucleotide phosphoramidites as well in random mutagenesis involving chemical DNA synthesis with a yield above 98%. MAX randomisation The MAX codon randomisation method designed and tested on three residues on a synthetic zing finger protein recently by Hine et al (2005) is a superior technique using simple primers efficiently to curtail library size. Using this technique specific synthetic oligonucleotides anneal to a template containing the codons targeted for mutagenesis which are each fully randomised conventionally (NNN)-to select the particular set of desired codons for E. coli. 20 oligonucleotides, each made up of a complementary region and a MAX codon encoding an amino acid, base-pair at each randomised codon. Specific selection primers are designed to cover the 5 region of each target codon and terminate with each specific codon whose presence in the library is necessary; a set of primers is synthesised for each targeted codon. These are hybridised to the template and ligated to give a single strand. 2 extra unique oligonucleotides are needed for serving as primer-binding and restriction sites at the cassette extremities, also ensuring that PCR amplification of only the selection strand occurs. The resulting double-stranded DNA can be subjected to restriction digestion, dephosphorylation followed by ligation into an expression construct or extended to regenerate the complete gene. One advantage of the MAX technique is that, despite the requirement for a large number of primers, their maximum number does not exceed 20 times the randomized codon-number, resulting in a library comprising 8000 mutants with the absence of codon bias and premature termination codons. While randomising NNN and NNG/T codons generates exponentially-rising redundant gene libraries with increasing randomised codons, MAX randomisation generates non-redundant libraries in essence. Amplification bias likely to arise from using PCR to generate the complementary strand can be minimised by synthesising a second strand instead of using PCR. MAX also allows circumvention of the use of a DNA synthesizer and is helpful when medium to large (103-106 variants) libraries have to be screened efficiently (Neylon 2004). Drawbacks MAX is not practical if only one codon needs to be randomized and cannot be used if the number of adjacent codons to be randomized exceeds two. Furthermore, it is a complicated technique (Hine et al 2003). References Abdel-Wahab, L. M. , et al. (2005) Isolation and structural characterisation of a novel 13-amino acid insulin-releasing peptide from the skin secretion of Agalychnis calcarifer. Biol Che. 386: 581-587. Amann and Brosius. (1985) ATG vectors for regulated high-level expression of cloned genes in Escherichia coli. Gene [Online]. 40: 83-190. Available from: http://www. sciencedirect. com/science?_ob=ArticleURL_udi=B6T39-47PH4H8-BJ_user=153063_coverDate=12%2F31%2F1985_rdoc=1_fmt=high_orig=search_sort=d_docanchor=view=c_searchStrId=1259545403_rerunOrigin=google_acct=C000012698_version=1_urlVersion=0_userid=153063md5=af56ff2270eff863a3062bdd46bc9a70 Amiche, M. , et al. (1999) The dermaseptin precursors: A protein family with a common preproregion and a variable C-terminal antimicrobial domain. FEBS Lett [Online]. 456: 352-356. Available from: http://apps. isiknowledge. com/InboundService. do?Func=Frameproduct=WOSaction=retrieveSrcApp=HighwireUT=000082079500002SID=Q2coKoP%40dF7jNOjpLkgInit=YesSrcAuth=Highwiremode=FullRecordcustomersID=HighwireDestFail=http%3A%2F%2Fwww. isiknowledge. com%3FDestApp%3DCEL%26DestParams%3D%253Faction%253Dretrieve%2526mode%253DFullRecord%2526product%253DCEL%2526UT%253D000082079500002%2526customersID%253DHighwire%26e%3DCkCYpwhLs4N6PGgAE_lYJ503Re6_mdcbI8LWGd6UH07UznpX03dChP3eV4e0frXM%26SrcApp%3DHighwire%26SrcAuth%3DHighwiresmartRedirect=yes[Accessed 25th Feb 2010] Andersons et al. (1991) Biologically a

Death :: essays research papers

Death   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Death is the thing most people fear the most. I myself however do not, death can mean a lot of things. To me death is a restraint on life, a barrier which holds people from living life to its fullest. I hate being restrained, being set boundaries. However death also deserves respect, because if you do not respect death, you die, literally!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What causes death? Well, there are a lot of things that cause death. Disease, old age, Natural and un-natural occurrences, and suicide. The focus of this essay is to tell my views on the leading cause of death. What is the leading cause of death? I believe it is AIDS.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  AIDS, Acquired Immune Deficiency, is the disease that renders the body's immune system unable to resist invasion by several microorganisms that cause serious infections. AIDS is transmitted by blood, through intimate sexual contact, from infected mothers to their babies in the uterus, and perhaps through infected mother's milk. Currently there is no cure for AIDS, however research is showing hopeful signs. Research has made breakthroughs the past years and have come up with ways to slow things down, but not cure AIDS.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many ways to prevent AIDS. I believe the leading way is abstinence. No sex until your sure of your sexual partners past sexual history should you consider sex. If you must have sex then have safe sex. Safe sex includes using any instrument or object which does not allow bodily fluids to be exchanged. Preventing AIDS is something we all can do. No one is forced to have sex (unless raped), no one is forced to do drugs with infected needles and no

Hemmingway-hills Like White El Essay -- essays research papers

Writing styles changed drastically from the nineteenth to twentieth centuries. The nineteenth century had authorial intervention and authors wrote about things they had never experienced, where as the twentieth century had a lot of hidden symbols and images and writings were more generally based on events in which the authors had been a part of. Many people thought these “hard to understand writings would be a temporary phase of literature, but authors such as Ernest Hemingway wrote in such a branding way that this writing style has been a constant example of a powerful literary expression.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hemingway was one of the best users of symbols and images. In the story Hills Like White Elephants, he has hidden symbols behind almost everything in the story. The main symbol in this story is the abortion. This is known in the story as the “simple operation.'; The whole story is about this couple that is considering an abortion. Each little part of the abortion is another symbol. The “white elephants'; showed something they didn’t want, in this case the baby. Even the smallest things, like the alcohol, symbolized old ways (beer) and something new (Anes del Toro) in the two peoples relationship.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This story also gives you images of the happenings going on in the story. “The station between two lines of rails'; gave you ...

what high school is now :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  High school is an ever-changing process. As I think back to my last three years of High School things like clothes, language, and even hairstyles have transformed. If in three years so much can change imagine, how much things have changed since our parents were in school. From â€Å"bell-bottoms† to â€Å"baggy jeansâ€Å", from â€Å"groovy† to â€Å"slamminâ€Å", and from the infamous â€Å"pompadour† to the now popular â€Å"buzz cutâ€Å". If these things are so different, I wonder how much other things have changed?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the biggest changes, since my parents were in high school, is the way birth control, sex educations, and sexual activity are looked at. When my mom was in high school a girl could not just go to a doctor and ask for the pill, she had to have parental consent. Nowadays anyone at any time can get some form of birth control whether it be condoms, birth control pills, etc. Sex education in my moms’ day was mainly used to tell kids about the fundamentals of sex. They did not expect the kids they were teaching it to were going to go out and have sex. Today it is taught to educate teens of the risks and repercussions of sex. Then there’s sex itself, in my moms day sex was not accepted like it is today. If you were a sexually active person you didn't tell anyone, especially if you were a girl. Because of television today and other forms of media sex is all over the place, therefore being pumped in to kids heads as acceptable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Marijuana is another big topic when it comes to the changes over the last 35 years. When my mother was in high school people that smoked marijuana were not considered â€Å"cool† by the non-smokers. They were considered the outcasts and didn't associate much with the people who didn't use it. Presently, in high school, marijuana is more socially accepted and someone would not be cast out by his or her peers. I think it has a lot to do with the glamorization of it in the media today. Actors, musicians, and even comedians all talk about it like it’s fun and exciting to do. With this constant glorifying of marijuana in all these aspects it just becomes part of a teenagers everyday life. From Rock & Roll to Hip-Hop, Music has and will continue to be the biggest influence in teenage life.

Digital Fortress Chapter 19

â€Å"What if someone else is looking for the ring?† Susan asked, suddenly nervous. â€Å"Could David be in danger?† Strathmore shook his head. â€Å"Nobody else knows the ring exists. That's why I sent David. I wanted to keep it that way. Curious spooks don't usually tail Spanish teachers.† â€Å"He's a professor,† Susan corrected, immediately regretting the clarification. Every now and again Susan got the feeling David wasn't good enough for the commander, that he thought somehow she could do better than a schoolteacher. â€Å"Commander,† she said, moving on, â€Å"if you briefed David by car phone this morning, someone could have intercepted the-â€Å" â€Å"One-in-a-million shot,† Strathmore interrupted, his tone reassuring. â€Å"Any eavesdropper had to be in the immediate vicinity and know exactly what to listen for.† He put his hand on her shoulder. â€Å"I would never have sent David if I thought it was dangerous.† He smiled. â€Å"Trust me. Any sign of trouble, and I'll send in the pros.† Strathmore's words were punctuated by the sudden sound of someone pounding on the Node 3 glass. Susan and Strathmore turned. Sys-Sec Phil Chartrukian had his face pressed against the pane and was pounding fiercely, straining to see through. Whatever he was excitedly mouthing was not audible through the soundproofed glass. He looked like he'd seen a ghost. â€Å"What the hell is Chartrukian doing here?† Strathmore growled. â€Å"He's not on duty today.† â€Å"Looks like trouble,† Susan said. â€Å"He probably saw the Run-Monitor.† â€Å"Goddamn it!† the commander hissed. â€Å"I specifically called the scheduled Sys-Sec last night and told him not to come in!† Susan was not surprised. Canceling a Sys-Sec duty was irregular, but Strathmore undoubtedly had wanted privacy in the dome. The last thing he needed was some paranoid Sys-Sec blowing the lid off Digital Fortress. â€Å"We better abort TRANSLTR,† Susan said. â€Å"We can reset the Run-Monitor and tell Phil he was seeing things.† Strathmore appeared to consider it, then shook his head. â€Å"Not yet. TRANSLTR is fifteen hours into this attack. I want to run it a full twenty-four-just to be sure.† This made sense to Susan. Digital Fortress was the first ever use of a rotating cleartext function. Maybe Tankado had overlooked something; maybe TRANSLTR would break it after twenty-four hours. Somehow Susan doubted it. â€Å"TRANSLTR keeps running,† Strathmore resolved. â€Å"I need to know for sure this algorithm is untouchable.† Chartrukian continued pounding on the pane. â€Å"Here goes nothing.† Strathmore groaned. â€Å"Back me up.† The commander took a deep breath and then strode to the sliding glass doors. The pressure plate on the floor activated, and the doors hissed open. Chartrukian practically fell into the room. â€Å"Commander, sir. I†¦ I'm sorry to bother you, but the Run-Monitor†¦ I ran a virus probe and-â€Å" â€Å"Phil, Phil, Phil,† the commander gushed pleasantly as he put a reassuring hand on Chartrukian's shoulder. â€Å"Slow down. What seems to be the problem?† From the easygoing tone in Strathmore's voice, nobody would ever have guessed his world was falling in around him. He stepped aside and ushered Chartrukian into the sacred walls of Node 3. The Sys-Sec stepped over the threshold hesitantly, like a well-trained dog that knew better. From the puzzled look on Chartrukian's face, it was obvious he'd never seen the inside of this place. Whatever had been the source of his panic was momentarily forgotten. He surveyed the plush interior, the line of private terminals, the couches, the bookshelves, the soft lighting. When his gaze fell on the reigning queen of Crypto, Susan Fletcher, he quickly looked away. Susan intimidated the hell out of him. Her mind worked on a different plane. She was unsettlingly beautiful, and his words always seemed to get jumbled around her. Susan's unassuming air made it even worse. â€Å"What seems to be the problem, Phil?† Strathmore said, opening the refrigerator. â€Å"Drink?† â€Å"No, ah-no, thank you, sir.† He seemed tongue-tied, not sure he was truly welcome. â€Å"Sir†¦ I think there's a problem with TRANSLTR.† Strathmore closed the refrigerator and looked at Chartrukian casually. â€Å"You mean the Run-Monitor?† Chartrukian looked shocked. â€Å"You mean you've seen it?† â€Å"Sure. It's running at about sixteen hours, if I'm not mistaken.† Chartrukian seemed puzzled. â€Å"Yes, sir, sixteen hours. But that's not all, sir. I ran a virus probe, and it's turning up some pretty strange stuff.† â€Å"Really?† Strathmore seemed unconcerned. â€Å"What kind of stuff?† Susan watched, impressed with the commander's performance. Chartrukian stumbled on. â€Å"TRANSLTR's processing something very advanced. The filters have never seen anything like it. I'm afraid TRANSLTR may have some sort of virus.† â€Å"A virus?† Strathmore chuckled with just a hint of condescension. â€Å"Phil, I appreciate your concern, I really do. But Ms. Fletcher and I are running a new diagnostic, some very advanced stuff. I would have alerted you to it, but I wasn't aware you were on duty today.† The Sys-Sec did his best to cover gracefully. â€Å"I switched with the new guy. I took his weekend shift.† Strathmore's eyes narrowed. â€Å"That's odd. I spoke to him last night. I told him not to come in. He said nothing about switching shifts.† Chartrukian felt a knot rise in his throat. There was a tense silence. â€Å"Well.† Strathmore finally sighed. â€Å"Sounds like an unfortunate mix-up.† He put a hand on the Sys-Sec's shoulder and led him toward the door. â€Å"The good news is you don't have to stay. Ms. Fletcher and I will be here all day. We'll hold the fort. You just enjoy your weekend.† Chartrukian was hesitant. â€Å"Commander, I really think we should check the-â€Å" â€Å"Phil,† Strathmore repeated a little more sternly, â€Å"TRANSLTR is fine. If your probe saw something strange, it's because we put it there. Now if you don't mind†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Strathmore trailed off, and the Sys-Sec understood. His time was up. â€Å"A diagnostic, my ass!† Chartrukian muttered as he fumed back into the Sys-Sec lab. â€Å"What kind of looping function keeps three million processors busy for sixteen hours?† Chartrukian wondered if he should call the Sys-Sec supervisor. Goddamn cryptographers, he thought. They just don't understand security! The oath Chartrukian had taken when he joined Sys-Sec began running through his head. He had sworn to use his expertise, training, and instinct to protect the NSA's multibillion-dollar investment. â€Å"Instinct,† he said defiantly. It doesn't take a psychic to know this isn't any goddamn diagnostic! Defiantly, Chartrukian strode over to the terminal and fired up TRANSLTR's complete array of system assessment software. â€Å"Your baby's in trouble, Commander,† he grumbled. â€Å"You don't trust instinct? I'll get you proof!†

Reaction Paper on African Short Stories

Reaction makeup 3 second Africa is angiotensin-converting enzyme on the most contr everywhithersial countries in the globe. It is placed in the southern part, at the fanny of the continent of Africa as its name indicates. The estate is known to shelter a form of languages and cultures. The country went through many boisterous events opposing the lily- albumen nonage rule over exclusively other races. Fortunately, a man named Nelson Mandela impart change the cross of history and impact Africa and the world in a great stylus.The role of this make-up will be to reflect on the socio cultural and economic conditions of folks in South Africa by establishing the thread they all told seem to have in habitual, to set forth on the context that makes these conditions possible and in the end, we will try to suggest somewhat solutions to these problems. In our study of the South Afri drops folks, we will practice three alpha stories cerebrate to South Africa. These stories c an be prep ar in the book African fiddling Stories, edited by Chinua Achebe. Chinua Achebe is regarded as one of the most influential writers in African literature and all over the world.His trilogy of books somewhat Nigeria and Africa are read all over the world and translated in many languages. He put together a quash of stories related to Africa in a small- caputed book. These stories for the most part are talking about issues in life and in particular in Africa. The stories that we will use here are therefore related to South Africa. Theses stories are the bridegroom scripted by Nadine Gordimer, the coffee cart girl written by Ezekiel Mphalele and reflections in a jail cell put together by Mafika Gwala. each these stories are all reflecting one common thing, the conditions of life of cutting race in South Africa.The stories generally reflect the cause that apartheid had on the existence of South Africa. It is authoritative to clarify what the word apartheid refers to . Apartheid was a constitution in which racial segregation was the base and was encouraged and established by the bailiwick establishment. It is important to note that a minority of white pot organise the government and that the people that were racially segregated were people of other color, especially the Africans. In the stories presented in the book and on which we are reflecting, you can clearly see that minacious men and women are struggling.The neighborhood in which they live are extremely poor, the way they speak English is alarming, and the most important part is that the authors always do current to display the apparent domination of the white people over the black people. Apartheid was the gist of colonization. The minority constituted by white people had control over everything and was abusing that king to serve and maintain its selfish interest. As a result, all other racial congregations were forced to live to serve the master, pass through unimaginable s uffering and pain.Apartheid was establish on four main ideas firstly, the population was structured in different groups tally to their color. Secondly, only the white race was regarded as the civilized race. Thirdly, white interests should prevent to begin with anybodys interest. Finally, the white people formed a single nation along with the Afrikaans, formula that made them the largest racial group in the country. Apartheid was maintained by a series of repressive laws that were only made possible by the population registration Act of 1950. That Registration was considered as the sacred scripture of apartheid.IT contained a classification of every soulfulness and based on that classification, the best interests of the dominating minority could be best served. community from African decent had their citizenship removed and all kinds of atrocities were committed. The white minority made genuine that black people stayed non-educated because they knew that education was the pa ssageway to emancipation. Luckily, one of the most popular worlds leaders, Nelson Mandela, succeeded in restoring black people rights just like Martin Luther king did with the black population here in the unify States.Nelson Mandela, just like Martin Luther King apply a policy of non-violence to bring the apartheid system down. Some possible solutions to racial problems could be the adoption of non-violence doctrine like Gandhi and withal education. Education can even be considered as the most important performer because leaders need to have an outdoors spirit to be able to precede the masses. Another solution could be the use of religion to strengthen the mind. Religion can be substantial and has always been essential in the black community. It brings peace of mind and strength in the war for nicety and equality.