Senior Seminar Research Proposal

Introduction Forensic entomology is used to determine such crimes as murder, suicide, and other criminal acts by examining various insects instead of using human tissues. This forensic tool is used to determine the postmortem interval of a corpse and the cause of death of a corpse when all other forms of human evidence (human blood, tissues, hair, etc. ) are not present at the scene. Forensic entomologists prefer using insects to determine these factors of death because the insects produce similar results as human test materials such as human blood or tissues which yield the best analytical results for the forensic entomologist.The use of forensic entomological evidence has been accepted and used in many courts around the world (Anderson, 1999). The use of this tool in court can support or refute a suspect’s alibi and improves the criminal investigation against the suspect (Anderson, 1999). Even though forensic entomology is an efficient tool to use in criminal investigations there are some drawbacks to this analytical tool. Such disadvantages include improper collection of entomological evidence and improper analysis of insects after collection, resulting in incorrect entomological results and a possible false conviction of a suspect.The proposed research of this paper focused on insects being affected by different concentrations of ethanol during natural insect development and also focused on the detection of ethanol in insects using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS) to determine if insects were significantly affected by ethanol exposure. The research also focused on the exposure of ethanol to the insects and how this exposure affected PMI (postmortem interval) determination. Forensic entomology is a commonly used tool to determine cause and time of death by examining various characteristics of insects that are collected at the crime scene.Such characteristics include size of the insect(s) and the life cycle stage of the insect collected. For ensic entomology becomes the most accurate and sometimes the only tool available for determining time of death, especially after 72 hours (Anderson and VanLaerhoven, 1996). Forensic entomology can also determine if a body has been moved from place to place, determine where the death occurred, determine the presence of various types of drugs and toxins present (if any), wound location, and determine who the suspect and victim are due to the presence of certain insects on the body (Grisales, et al. 2010). Background/Literature Review There are five levels of decomposition identified by a forensic entomologist when conducting an entomological investigation which include fresh, bloated, active, advanced, and remains (Grisales, et al. , 2010). These stages of decomposition are important to a forensic entomologist because insects appear on a corpse periodically throughout the decomposition cycle which therefore determines the time of death of a corpse. During these levels of decomposition insects begin to reach the corpse either by flying (adult flies) or by burrowing through the ground (pupae).Some insects can also reach the corpse by hatching from eggs (larvae) that were laid on the corpse after death. The fresh stage of decomposition involves a drop in body temperature and the appearance of very few flies on the corpse. The insects that are collected are typically larvae and are collected from the mouth of the corpse. The bloated stage of decomposition involves a significant increase in the body weight of a corpse due to rainfall exposure. The insects that are collected at this stage of decomposition are larvae found on the back, head, ears, and anus of the corpse (Grisales, et al. 2010). The active decay stage of decomposition involves fly larvae feeding on a corpse which significantly lowers the body weight of the corpse and an increased amount of fly larvae found in the intestines/ organs of the corpse (Grisales, et al. , 2010). The advanced stage of decomposi tion involves the fluctuation of body temperature depending on the location of the corpse and an even bigger decrease in body weight due to increased consumption of body tissues by fly larvae (Grisales, et al. , 2010).There is an increase in adult flies that are collected at this stage of decomposition. In the last stage of decomposition, remains, there is no continued change of the corpse and the presence of insects found decreases (Grisales, et al. , 2010). The stages of decomposition and the insects present at these stages are also used to determine the postmortem interval (PMI) of a corpse. PMI, or postmortem interval, provides important detail of situations that occurred before time of death in cases of homicide and untimely death (Byrd and Castner, 2001).Arthropods that are found on the corpse can determine the length of egg to fly transformation then to the recovered developmental stage (Gennard, 2007). The best arthropods to use are the oldest ones that were yielded from egg s when the larvae were first deposited on the corpse because they have the longest feeding time on the corpse which allows them to fully develop and retain any evidence from the corpse much longer; this will produce a more accurate PMI. Such information can help to identify both the criminal and the victim by eliminating the suspects and connecting the deceased with other individuals.The predictable physical and chemical consequences of death are usually the most reliable PMI indicators, which means knowing what an insect should look like at which developmental level to determine when a dead body became a corpse (Henssge et al. 1995). PMI is also associated with the succession rate of various insects which is another tool that is used to determine the time of death of a corpse. The succession rate includes information about the time elapsed between death and the presence of a particular arthropod or insect species and stage (Byrd and Castner, 2010).A dead body will go through very r ecognizable decomposition stages (physical, biological, and chemical changes) that attract various types of arthropods in each decomposition stage that are needed to determine the succession rate (Monthei, 2009). The most common succession rate estimated by an investigator is the age of larvae and the time interval between death and the arrival of larvae on the corpse (Byrd and Castner, 2010). The knowledge of what insects are supposed to be present and absent based on the season also helps to determine PMI.Calculation of PMI involves five different arthropod life stages (eggs, larvae, pupae, adult, and carcass) for flies when collecting insects from corpses. The egg stage of the fly is characterized by the laying of between 150-200 eggs, with the exception of some flies lying between 2000-3000 eggs, found on the body in cluster form within areas that provide protection, moisture, and food (Gennard, 2007). Fly eggs are typically shiny and white; the eggs have a similar appearance to that of a grain of rice.The reason for specific placement of eggs on a decomposing body is the fact that the body contains a high quality of nutrients which are used as a feeding source for the fly eggs to grow, as well as the influence of growth on other species of insects that feed on the decomposing body. The larval stage of the fly species is characterized into three stages (L1, L2, and L3) which correspond to the number of slits present on the backs of the larvae (Gennard, 2007). These slits are used by entomologists to determine what stage of life the larvae are in when collected.In the third larval stage, where larvae are the largest, the larvae stop feeding on the corpse and begin looking for a place to begin pupariation. Pupariation is the final stage of development in metamorphosis into the adult stage and is generally called the larval post-feeding stage (Gennard, 2007). Pupariation typically doesn’t take place on the corpse because insects in this stage prefer to be in a cool, dark place or underground, if possible. In some instances of fly larvae in pupariation, the insects were shown to pupate on the corpse.The adult stage, or the end of the life cycle, is initiated by the arthropod pushing itself out of the puparium case and once the adult fly is free from the puparium case, the insects make their journey upward through the soil. Once the adult fly has reached the top of the soil the insects release their waste and expand their wings to make their way to other corpses or decomposing material. The adult stage may be the final stage of the life cycle but the carcass of these adult flies can also be collected as evidence along will the carcasses of arthropods in each life stage.Entomotoxicology Entomotoxicology is the analysis of insects and insect remains for the presence of toxins that may have been present in the corpse before death (Goff and Lord, 1994). Detection of various toxins and controlled substances in insects found on decomposi ng human remains has contributed to the determination of both cause and manner of death by determining what times of toxins were present in the corpse before death (Lord 1990, Goff and Lord 1994, Nolte et al. , 1992).Entomotoxicology also serves as an alternative analysis tool to determine the presence of toxins or cause of death when certain specimens aren’t available for collection, such as human blood or tissues. The toxicological analysis of insect biological materials is conducted in the same manner as the toxicological analysis of human biological materials, making cause of death determination more accurate (Definis- Gojanovic, 2007). Many different species of arthropods, such as flesh flies and blowflies, are used when conducting an entomotoxicological analysis and these arthropods are used to determine the PMI or time before death.The use of entomotoxicology has many advantages, which includes determination of time before death (PMI) and identification of suspect, but this analytical tool also has several disadvantages. One disadvantage includes the issue of recording the exact temperature of the insects because if the information is incorrect then the outcome of the PMI will also be incorrect. Another disadvantage of this analytical tool is the fact that it is fairly new in the forensic science field so if an individual isn’t educated on how to use the technique then valuable entomological evidence related to the case may be lost.Lastly, if proper collection of entomological evidence isn’t conducted properly, the loss of highly important evidence relating to time of death and cause of death could be lost. Cause of death is usually determined by various types of toxins that are detected in the insect after an entomotoxicological analysis was conducted. Issues with Determination of PMI The determination of PMI can be affected by multiple factors but only two will be discussed in this research proposal which include: temperature and ethanol. Temperature involves the rise or fall of temperature to such a high or low that affects the growth or succession rate of insects.Air temperature and exposure to sunlight will raise the corpse temperature which will also increase the insect succession rate. Temperature can also be influenced by such weather conditions as rain, sun, snow, and wind which can greatly affect the amount of entomological evidence collected (insects) and the outcome of a legal investigation (Sharanowski et al. , 2008). Alcohol, or ethanol, is one of the oldest abused drugs in the world that is readily available and the most commonly abused drug in Western societies (Stripp, 2007).Ethanol is a product of fermentation due to yeast cells acting on sugars from fruits and grains that produces a clear, volatile liquid that is soluble in water (Stripp, 2007). Once ethanol enters the blood stream orally it travels in the blood into other tissues. The ethanol travels to tissues with greater water content be cause these tissues will receive greater ethanol distribution. The ethanol concentration will be different in both the corpse and the insects due to the different water amounts found in each species (insects and corpse).The rate at which ethanol is eliminated from the body is another important factor to a forensic entomologist because this can determine the time at which the individual started drinking. The focus of this experiment will involve different concentration levels of ethanol and the effects on the growth rate of the fly species Sarophagidae (flesh flies). Proposed Research The broad, long-term objectives that this research paper is focused on determining whether ethanol can affect the growth rate of entomological evidence and how much ethanol can be detected in the insects.This research is also being conducted in an attempt to make a comparison to the other research experiments to see if the results concerning growth rate of insects exposed to such drugs as morphine or he roin are similar or different to the growth rate results of insects exposed to ethanol. This research paper includes four specific aims that was accomplished as a way to make the broad objective a more manageable piece that could was easier to manipulate. Specific aim one included determining whether ethanol could be found in both test fly species after feeding on the ethanol infused beef liver.Specific aim two involved determining which concentrations of ethanol produced the most significant changes in the flies. Specific aim three involved tracking the growth rate of the fly species that were exposed to the ethanol infused beef livers (test subjects) and those who were not (control). Specific aim four involved observing any change in the growth rate data from the fly species test subjects that were exposed to three specific concentrations of ethanol. These specific aims will be used in sequential order as a way of getting closer to solving the broad objective. Experimental Methods OverviewThe research experiment hypothesized there would be significant changes in the growth rate of the fly species when exposed to the three specific concentrations of ethanol. The research experiment also predicted that there would be obvious physical changes in the flies when exposed to beef livers infused with specific concentrations of ethanol at different stages of life. The experimental design constructed for this experiment involves the fly species Sarophagidae (flesh flies) feeding on beef livers infused with ethanol over a period of eight to twenty-one days which is the general life cycle for flesh flies.The three beef livers had varying concentrations of ethanol (25 ug, 50 ug, and 100 ug) injected into them that the flesh flies were exposed to. The control group for the experiment was hand massaged with deionized water as a way to keep liquid consistency amongst the groups. At the end of the experiment, the insects were collected into a test tube and then exposed to GC MS or gas chromatography mass spectrometry in an attempt to determine the presence of ethanol in the test subject (insects). The insects were also analyzed for any type of stunted or heightened growth in regards to a normal fly life cycle.This analytical test was able to show that there was ethanol present in the fly species. Experimental Variables The independent variable in this experiment is the specific concentration of ethanol that is distributed amongst the three beef livers. The dependent variable in this experiment is the growth rate of both species after exposure to ethanol as well as the specific ethanol concentrations. The controlled group was the fly larvae that were not exposed to ethanol. The other controlled variables of this experiment were the 45 degrees Farenheit (temperature) the beef livers were maintained at and the amount of beef used (8 oz. as the feeding substrate for the fly species. The experimental groups in this experiment were three larvae groups exposed to ethanol and the control group was a larvae group not exposed to ethanol. Procedures/ Measurements The following experimental design was adapted from a previous research study conducted by George et al. , 2009. Three beef livers weighing 8 oz. each were prepared using the corresponding ethanol concentrations for the three experimental groups of the fly species tested (Experimental Group Two- 25 ug, Experimental Group Three- 50 ug, and Experimental Group Four- 100 ug). 0 mL of deionized water was distributed evenly into the control group (EG 1) to maintain liquid consistency amongst all groups. A cluster of fly larvae for the three experimental groups was collected and distributed evenly amongst the three experimental groups (2-4) as well as the control group. The beef livers were contained in a small plastic tub and refrigerated at a temperature of 45 degrees Farenheit when the beef livers were not being used to discourage spoiling of beef liver as well as to avoid evaporation of ethanol.The growth rate of the test subjects from both fly species exposed to ethanol is measured (any alteration in growth rate is the factor that is being measured) over a period of three weeks. At the end of three weeks, or longer if necessary, all of the perished insects from the experiment were collected for analysis using GCMS (gas chromatography mass spectrometry) to determine the presence or absence of ethanol in the insects. Material List Deionized water Ethanol solution Fly larvae of Sarophagidae (flesh flies)Four beef livers (8 oz. each) Graduated cylinder GCMS machine Microscope Pipette Plastic tubs Refrigerator References Anderson, G. S. (1999). Wildlife Forensic Entomology: Determining Time of Death in Two Illegally Killed Black Bear Cubs. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 44(4): 856-859 Anderson, G. S. and Van Laerhoven, S. L. (1996). Initial Studies on Insects Succession on Carrion in Southwestern British Columbia. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 41: 617-625 Brown, G. , F uke, C. , Pounder, D. J. , Robertson, L. and Sadler, D. W. (1997). Barbiturates and Analgesics in Calliphora vicina Larvae. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 42(3): 481-485 Byrd, J. H. and Castner, J. L. (2001). Forensic Entomology: The Utility of Arthropods in Legal Investigations. CRC Press: Boca Raton, FL Definis- Gojanovic, M. , Britvic, D. , Kokan, B. , and Sutlovic, D. (2007). Drug Analysis in Necrophagous Flies and Human Tissues. Arh Hig Rada Toksikol, 58: 313-316 George. K. A. , Archer, M. S. , Green, L. M. , Conlan, X. A. , and Toop, T. (2009).Effect of morphine on the growth rate of Calliphora stygia (Fabricus) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) and possible implications for forensic entomology. Forensic Science International (Online), 193(1): 21-25 Gennard, D. E. (2007). Forensic Entomology: An Introduction. Wiley: England Goff, M. L. and Lord, W. D. (1994). Entomotoxicology : A new area for forensic investigation. American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, 15:51-57 Grisales, D. , Ruiz, M. , and Villegas, S. (2010). Insects associated with exposed decomposing bodies in the Colombian Andean Coffee Region.Revista Brasileira de Entomologia, 54(4): 637-644 Henssge, C. B. , Knight, B. , Krompecher, T. , Madea, B. , and Nokes, L. (1995). The estimation of the time since death in the early postmortem period. Arnold: London Lord, W. D. (1990). Case histories of the use of insects in investigations. In Entomology and death: A procedural guide, ed. E. P. , Catts and N. H, Haskell. Clemson, SC: Joyce’s Print Shop, 9-37 Monthei, D. R. (2009). Entomotoxicological and Thermal Factors Affecting the Development of Forensically Important Flies.Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia Nolte, K. B. , Lord, W. D. , and Pinder, R. D. (1992). Insect Larvae Used to Detect Cocaine Poisoning in a Decomposed Body. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 37(4): 1179-1185 Sharanowski, B. J. , Walker, E. G. , and Anderson, G. S. (2008). Insect succession and decom position patterns on shaded and sunlit carrion in Saskatchewan in three different seasons. Forensic Science International, 179: 219-240 Stripp, R. A. (2007). Drugs of Abuse. The Forensic Aspects of Poisons. Chelsea House: New York

Vedic Religion, Mythology, and Society.

Paige Hammerl Vedic Religion, Mythology and Society The early civilizations of India have proven to be a highly intellectual, god fearing, and advanced collaboration of people. From approximately 2700 B. C. E to around 500 B. C. E two societies flourished in the northern region of India known as the Indus Valley. The Indus Valley Civilization and later, the Aryans – believed by some to have migrated to India from Europe and the middle East – paved the foundation of Hinduism through the influences of their cultures, early religions and social structures.Unfortunately, there is little to be said of the earliest inhabitants, the people of the Indus Valley Civilization because there still does not exist a decipherment of the Indus Valley Script. Based on loose interpretations of artifacts found in ancient Indus Valley cities, we have been able to depict that the people of the Indus Valley were originally a nomadic tribe, but later had a high degree of uniformity amongst cit y development, a language written on a variety of small 1 inch seals, and may have worshiped Goddesses or a pre-Siva God, often seen on these seals with three faces, bullhead, sitting in a yogic position.According to A. L Bashman’s book The Origins and Development of Classical Hinduism, over time the Indus Valley Civilazation began to dwindle because they were driven from their lands by natural disasters, such as the sudden rise in the level of the sea bed south of the delta of the Indus River (Bashman, 1989, pg. 2). Although we have been able to extract minuscule clues from the Indus Valley Civilization, most of Hinduism's pre-history stems from an religious Aryan ancient text called The Veda, consisting of four traditions, the Rg-, Yajur-, Sama-, and Atharva-.It is important to mention that the Veda’s are thought of as eternal, or not written by human beings, and the Aryan people passed down knowledge of the Veda’s from generation to generation through word of mouth. People saw the Veda’s as extremely sacred texts or scriptures and they were verbally relayed for nearly 3000 years with little to almost no change to them. By some the translation of the Veda’s into written word was viewed as against the religion because traditionally not everyone was actually allowed or able to learn the Veda’s in early times, and also it was as if physical written words tainted the sacredness of the scripture.The priestly class of the Vedic Aryans, known as the Brahmans, were viewed as the preservers of vedic tradition. They were allowed to attend the various theological schools which would specialize in the memorization of specific texts within the Veda’s. The Veda’s were composed chronologically with the Rg-Veda as the first text â€Å"written†. The Rg-Veda consists of 10 books of 1028 hymns praising various deities, guessed to be composed in early Sanskrit as early as 1200 BCE over a period of a few hundred year s. The Sama-Veda is a book of songs, all based on the hymns of the Rg-Veda.The Yajur-Veda consists of 4 books: one book is the white Yajur-Veda, and the other three are the black Yajur Veda. Within these books lies vital information regarding procedures for rituals and sacrifices. Lastly, the Atharva-Veda is a collection of hymns and â€Å"magical† material (spells, charms, imprecations, and incantations), and this Veda is essentially overlapping magic and religion. Each of the four Veda’s have a vast number of gods, or devas, being acknowledged and praised. However, within the Veda’s, stories or myths of the gods are scarcely present; that information was assumed to be common knowledge.All the pantheon of Vedic religion are divided into two classes: the gods (devas) which follow rta, the cosmic order, the set course of nature, and the demons (asura), follow anrta, or anti-rta, in an attempt to overturn the natural course of things. The gods uphold rta, which is essentially moral and physical universal law. Many other gods or devas are deities associated with nature, the heavens and space. The main Devas include Indra, Varuna, Mitra, Nastya, and the minor devas include Yama, Vishnu, and Rudra. The nature divinities include Surya (sun), Agni (fire), Soma (ritual plant), Pajanya (rain), Ushas (dawn), Earth, Moon and Night.The gods are viewed as powerful and willing beings whose pleasure or dissatisfaction determines the course of events in humans day to day lives. If they are pleased they can bless the people with rain for their crops, fertility in woman, good health, etc. and if they are displeased they first punish wrong-doers with disease, and after they are banished to â€Å"The House of Clay† a gloomy hell-like place, similar to where Hades of the Greeks resides. Of all the gods mentioned in the vedas, most notably in the Rg-Veda, the god Indra, god of war and weather, has a staggering 250 hymns in his honor.Indra is believed to be the creator of the cosmos, for when the demons, led by the serpent Vrtra, came to attack the gods, Indra, strengthed by Soma drink, faced them alone and came out victorious and from Vrtra’s dead body he created our world. Because of this, Indra is mainly viewed as a war leader (Bashman, 1989, pg. 12). The Veda’s main function were its involvement in public worship, and it were an essential part in rituals. The vedic Aryans main religious practice was promised religious sacrifice on a cyclical basis with the purpose of pleasing the gods and their ancestors.Both demanded praise and acknowledgement so anything from milk, clarified butter or ghee, curds, grain (rice/barely), soma plant, and even domestic animals were all used as offerings to the gods during sacrificial ceremonies (Bashman, 1989, ). There were two types of sacrificial ceremonies: domestic (life-cycle rites, requiring one fire) and solemn (public rites, requiring three fires). The vedic Aryan people used regular sacrificial ritual to maintain functionality of their tribe or cities. The gods were believed to have control over things such as rain, disease, sun, fertility, etc. o the people would sacrifice various goods/animals in their name in order to please them or strengthen them to help them. in order to maintain the functionality of the tribe. Each ritual was an extremely delicate experience. If one word, or one procedure was out of place the ritual was deemed void, and could even sometimes cause harm to the tribe for displeasing the gods. This is where the use of Brahman’s were vital, the rituals did not require massive buildings or elaborate icons, but only a qualified Brahman who knew all the required procedures learned from the Yajur-Veda.Often they had several Brahman’s present in order to ensure the correct sequence of events occurred. Rituals were centered around the idea of fire. In rituals the fire god Agni would, via a specific number of domestic fires, re ceive sacrifices/praises from the people and pass them onto the other gods. This gives Agni the reputation of a rather important god, with 200 hymns dedicated to him in the Rg-Veda. Fire was viewed as a link between the worldly and divine realms (Flood, 2004, 41). Also, rituals consisted one other important act preformed by the Brahmans – the eating of the Soma plant.According to Gavin Flood in An Introduction to Hinduism, Soma is believed to be some variation of a hallucinogenic mushroom, and was used to bring the priests to a mystical state where they could see the gods and recite veda hymns to them. Soma was not only a plant used in rituals, but was also a deity (god) and was praised for creating the link between gods and humans. To the drinker, Soma brought superhuman strength, a sense of growing to a gigantic size, and gave visions of the gods coming down to join the worshipers (Bashman, 1989, 14).Soma was also given to the gods during rituals as a strength inducer so th ey would be able to fight off the demons causing a tribe grief. As stated in An Introduction to Hinduism, rituals were preformed on a daily basis by every Aryan at around dusk or dawn, and also more complicated rituals were preformed at the beginning of the two lunar fortnights of the months (the days of full and new moons). One expensive and important ritual preformed during this period was the rajasuya sacrifice. It was a royal sacrifice used by kings to ensure them a place in heaven during afterlife and also to prove their worth as a king.This complicated sacrifice was put on by the king and was centered around a great stallion (or horse) that would be followed by groups of men for about a year as it roamed the plains going city to city demanding praise before coming back to the main city to be sacrificed to the gods. The significance of the rajasuya sacrificial ceremony was its link to political power (Bashman, 1989, 33). These sacrifices were used to maintain the functionality of a tribe/city and give kings the opportunity to prove their worth to the people, so kings would pay all the extensive expenses in order to put forth these ceremonies.However, the only people that were able to preform these specific ceremonies with perfect precision was the priest class (Brahmans). This gave them a considerable amount of power, and one could argue that it created a power struggle between the ruling class and the priestly class. Nevertheless, all the sacrificial offering ceremonies were a time for rejoicing, not only for the kings who put them on, but also for the entire population because everyone was benefiting. Later in vedic history, after all the Veda’s had been written, people began to grow antsy with their religion.They started to seek more answers and try to create connections between the meaning of life, birth/rebirth, karma, the gods, and the purpose of ritual (Reat, 1977, 1). This is the period when the Upanishads were written. The Upanishads were a â€Å"secret conversation† that was only meant to be heard by a select few people, and was the beginning of the emergence of Enlightenment and created the basis of classical Hinduism. Vedic religion is not the same as the Hinduism religion, it is however a precursor to it.From the vedic religion we can see the pre-stages of important Hinduism concepts, such as the connection between religious sacrifice and karma. To this day some people in traditional Hindu and Nepal societies practice early vedic traditions. The vedic religion is overall a polytheistic religion, however it seen being practiced as monotheistic and henotheistic, and in my opinion this excerpt coming from the Yajur-Veda sums up the Vedic Religion: â€Å"O Supreme Force governing the world! You function as per unchangeable laws which remain the same throughout without slightest of deviations.May I also seek inspiration from. You to be unflinchingly principled in my life. Thus I resolve to seek truth constantl y by eliminating the false from my life every moment to the best of my abilities, intentions and efforts. May I be successful in this noble decision of mine. † Yajurveda 1. 5 Bibliography Bashman, A. L. The Origins & Development of Classical Hinduism. Oxford/New York: Oxford University Press, 1989. Print. Flood, Gavin. An Introduction to Hinduism. New Delhi: Cambridge University Press, 2004. Print. Hammerl, Paige and Deshpande, Madhov. Vedic Religion/Lifestyle Notes.Jamison, S. J. and Witzel, M. â€Å"Vedic Hinduism. † FAS at Harvard University. Harvard University. 2002. Web. Accessed February 4th, 2013. Lorenzen, David N. â€Å"Who Invented Hinduism? † Comprehensive Studies in Society and History. Cambridge University Press. October 1999. Web. 4 February 2013. Ross Reat, Noble. â€Å"Karma and Rebirth in the Upanishads and Buddhism. † Lancaster, England: ProQuest and Information and Learning Company. December 1977. Print (on the web). â€Å"Srauta. † Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 4 December 2012. Web. Access February 4th, 2013.

Analyse how contrast between characters helped the author communicate an important message or idea

Mister Pip written by Lloyd Jones is a novel recounted by the protagonist Matilda. Set in 1990’s Bougainville, we see Matilda begin to question her Mother’s traditional idea’s about life as a civil war rages between the rebels and the Redskins in her homeland. Mr. Watts or â€Å"Pop eye† is given the role teaching the village children, being the only educated, and consequentially, white man left on the island. He begins reading Great Expectations to the children and Matilda finds herself becoming entranced in white civilisation. She gets immersed in the story of the white boy â€Å"Pip† living in London in the 1800’s, very much aware his story is in great contrast to her own. Matilda’s Mother has never been out of Bougainville, she knows little to nothing about the outside world and believes in traditional ideas, holding her ancestry and God dear to her. Through the course of the story we see contrast grow between Matilda and her Mother as their values and interests begin to change and set them apart from each other. We see these differences overcome however when the time comes to stand up for the other, the bond of unconditional love conquering all, the author communicating to us how powerful it can be. In the beginning of the novel we get the impression Matilda has never challenged her Mother’s values – her roots, her culture and the Bible. Matilda knows no other world apart from her own, never having been fully exposed to other cultures and ideas – â€Å"What I am about to tell results, I think, from our ignorance of the outside world†. Matilda becomes familiar with white civilisation when Mr. Watts begins reading the children Great Expectations, learning about the way of life in a culture that greatly differs from her own – â€Å"Mr. Watts had given us kids another piece of the world†. She becomes intrigued by Mr. Watts and immersed in the book, entranced by a white boy in the setting of 1840’s London â€Å"By the time Mr. Watts reached the end of chapter one, I felt like I had spoken to this boy Pip. This boy I couldn’t see to touch but knew by ear. I had found a new friend. † In contrast, Matilda’s Mother Dolores had never had such a positive introduction to white civilisation. The white world took her husband away from her – â€Å"The white men took my Father and her husband away† the white world brought war to her homeland by bringing in the Redskins â€Å"The white men were to blame for the blockade †, the white world took Mr. Watt’s wife, Grace away and gave her back in a state of madness. Dolores cannot see past the bad experiences she had with the white world to see that it could provide Matilda with a better future. The white world to Dolores is a damaging place she doesn’t want her beloved daughter to be part of. She doesn’t let Matilda’s obvious interest in it, as Dolores in contrast never had, stop her from protecting Matilda against it with all she has. She wants Matilda to be safe in the world she knows rather than lose her to a world she is ignorant of – â€Å"She didn’t want me to go deeper into that other world. She didn’t want to lose her Matilda to Victorian England†. Firstly Dolores tries to distract Matilda from the story of Great Expectations and Mr. Watts by trying to get her to learn the names of her ancestors by making Matilda write them out in the sand – â€Å"my mum’s response was to reach for our family history and pass on to me all that she knew. † Her ancestors are a very important part of Dolores’s life. It soon becomes clear they are not important to Matilda whereas Pip, an imaginary, yet very real boy in Matilda’s mind is – â€Å"I felt closer to him [Pip] than the names of those strangers she made me write in the sand† When Matilda writes Pip’s name alongside her ancestors Dolores becomes angry at what Matilda values – â€Å"She gave me a look of pure hate†, the plan to pull Matilda back actually pushes her further away, deepening the contrast between them. Dolores does not give up in a quest to do what is for Matilda’s own good. She continues to try and â€Å"save† her daughter, the power of unconditional love overcoming their even more obviously marked differences. Dolores then tries to impose her faith on Matilda in hope she will begin to value God over Great Expectations to lead her away from the white world. Dolores comes unannounced to Matilda’s class and tries to educate the children on the only thing she knows well: the importance of faith â€Å"she didn’t know anything outside what she knew from the bible† but as Mr. Watts ets further through the novel Pip becomes yet even more important to Matilda. Dolores never stops in trying to steer Matilda away from the white world. The world she knows barely anything about, the world she thinks is evil. Despite their ever-increasing differences Dolores will always continue to protect Matilda from what she believes is bad. We see the power of unconditional love shown again through Matilda and Dolores’s contrast when Matilda di scovers Great Expectations to have been stolen by her Mother. When Dolores hides Great Expectations much strife is caused. The Red Skins visit Matilda’s island, threatening to burn all of their possessions unless they give up â€Å"Pip† who is only a character from a book and cannot be given up. Because the book is not where it is supposed to be â€Å"Pip† cannot be explained. The redskins burn the whole villages’ possessions because Dolores fails to come forward and admit to what she had done in order to retrieve the book. Although Matilda’s Mother could not have expected such consequences to have arisen from what she had done, her aims in the first place were not respectable. Dolores goes too far in trying to lead Matilda away from the white world and hides the book more out of her resentment for Mr. Watts and her hatred of Matilda being interested in things she isn’t herself. After Matilda finds out what her Mother does she feels extremely betrayed considering the act petty and selfish – â€Å"There are no words for the feelings of betrayal I had at that time† but chooses not to give her Mother up. Her unconditional love for her Mother wins out over all other emotions, no matter how strong they are. The contrast between Matilda and Dolores ultimately results in a test of the unconditional love felt between them and the author uses Matilda’s decision to show us how very powerful it can be. As the book goes on and the war between the rebels and the Redskins continues to rage, Mr. Watts comes up with a plan for himself, Matilda and supposedly her Mother to leave the island and escape to the white world – â€Å"There is a boat coming on the night after the full moon†. He tells Matilda he will tell her Mum just before they leave- â€Å"Make no mistake, I intend to speak to Dolores. For now though it is just our secret†. Matilda doesn’t doubt Mr. Watts’s word and she presumes her late notification about the trip is because her Mother might give something away with her insolence towards the white way of life, stopping them from going at all – â€Å"I understood- without any need for Mr Watts to spell it out for me – my mum was a risk with that information†. Matilda begins to get excited and impatient to leave, but angry with Mr. Watt’s for leaving it so late to tell her Mum. She brings it up with him –â€Å"â€Å"have you spoken to my Mum Mr Watts? †Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ thats when I understood, or at least, I thought I did† when it is implied that Mr. Watts may have never been planning on telling Dolores Matilda immediately disregards her longing to go to the outside world, putting the love she has for her Mother first– â€Å"I will not go without my Mum†. She makes it clear that if her Mother wants to stay on the island or if she is not included in the plan, she will not go with Mr. Watts. Despite the fact Matilda wants very different things from her Mother at this point in the novel Matilda expresses automatic unconditional love for her, knowing straight away that the love she has for her is greater than her desire to live in the white world and be different. Matilda again puts the contrast between them aside, and if she can’t be with her Mother while experiencing the white world, she won’t go at all. At the end of the book when the redskins come to their island again Matilda’s Mother pays the ultimate price when she stands up for the memory of Mr. Watts after the redskins kill him. They ask if anyone witnessed his murder, as though daring anyone to say that it had happened. When Matilda’s Mother pays tribute to Mr. Watts and says â€Å"Sir, I saw your men chop up the white man. He is a good man. I am here as God’s witness†. It is a brave, selfless act that she knows will result in dire consequences. She is taken away, Matilda being made to follow soon after. She comes to find her Mother just having been raped – â€Å"When I came around the huts, my Mum was on the ground. A Redskin was on top of her†. The soldiers threaten to do the same to Matilda and Dolores immediately protects her daughter from them pleading â€Å"Please. Have Mercy. See. She is just a girl. She is my only girl. Please. I beg you. Not my darling Matilda†. Regardless of the growing contrast and tension between them Dolores displays the ultimate act of unconditional love, sacrificing herself to stop Matilda getting raped – â€Å"My life. I will give you my life [In return for Matilda not to get raped]†. Dolores puts Matilda’s innocence above her own life, showing she loves her on top of all things no matter how different or interested in the white world she has become. In conclusion we see many situations where the author has used contrast between Matilda and her Mother to communicate the idea of how powerful unconditional love can be. We see both characters put aside their differences to display unquestionable acts of love for the other. The fact that both are able to move on from the other’s contrast to themselves to put their wellbeing first shows that unconditional love between mother and daughter, when it calls for it, is no match for other emotions humans can get caught up with in life.

Personalized Medicine And Its Using For Predicting Disease Essay - 1

Personalized Medicine And Its Using For Predicting Disease - Essay Example With the rapid advancements in biotechnology and other disciplines of biology, I believe that within the next twenty-five years, personalized medicine would become an integral part of our world, making an enormous impact on the healthcare and medicine. In the model of personalized medicine, each individual is different and medication needs to be tailored according to his bodily requirements rather than using the same medicine for every individual for a particular disease (National Institute of Health). However, in order to make the personalized medicine a reality, the ‘doctor’ should have sufficient information about the patient, generally in the form of his genome. In 2001, when the Human Genome Project was completed, the cost of sequencing the entire genome exceeded 100 million dollars. However, with the advancements in biotechnology, the cost has drastically fallen to just ten thousand dollars (National Human Genome Research Institute). Even though this amount is still out of reach of a common man, the decrease in cost is quite dramatic. With the increased funding in the field of biology, it is expected that the cost would further reduce and eventually it would be within the reach of every person to have his genome sequenced. This would have far-reaching consequences and usher the humans into the new realm of personalized medicine. Hundreds of diseases could be prevented through earlier diagnosis as the data from the genome could indicate potential tendencies in an individual to develop a certain disease (Starr). The development described above would have a radical impact not only on the general well-being of the humans but it would also have far-reaching consequences on the lifestyle as well as the economy.

Cybersecuirty Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Cybersecuirty - Coursework Example ese poor countries engage in any business to ensure their survival and that of their families, for example, the traffic or sell fake or pirated materials to get money. Also, there are little or no laws opposing piracy of materials or their laws are weak. Moreover, American laws cannot be enforced outside America. All these factors make software piracy levels elevated outside America. In my view, the first part of the response is biased. In disputing the SIMTRAY’s justification of hacking on the basis of intent, it shows you do not consider both sides of the hacking issue. The hacker may be engaging in hacking as a means of meeting his daily needs. This shows, even if, the action is wrong on one part, on the other; it is a way of survival. The responses also show you have a hard time understanding how hacking relates to GDP, income ratio and collectivist nature. In addition, the reactions indicate despite going through the simulation twice, you still do not understand the remailer

Who is driving force in the play, Macbeth, lady Macbeth or both Essay

Who is driving force in the play, Macbeth, lady Macbeth or both - Essay Example During the first parts of the play, Lady Macbeth appears to be the driving force as she influences Macbeth through manipulation and challenging into engaging in wrong activities. She encourages Macbeth to kill the king, Duncan, mainly because she knows she has a chance of becoming queen if her husband becomes king after the king’s death. Both characters are driven by their own ambitions, Macbeth into becoming king and Lady Macbeth into becoming queen. However, Macbeth seems weaker compared to his wife who wants to pull through with the murder even when he hesitates. Due to Lady Macbeth’s manipulative character, she is able to drive her husband into killing the king by challenging his manhood. In addition, she uses guilt to manipulate her husband when she says that she is going to weigh the love he has for her through his willingness to become king. Therefore, it is evident that the wife drives the play during its initial stages. Nonetheless, from the middle of the play towards its end, Macbeth is portrayed as being the driving force. His ambitious character initially was worthwhile as it brought victory to Scotland. However, as the play proceeds, it gets out of hand such that instead of being satisfied with the title he receives for Scotland’s victory, he aims for being its leader. He now wanted more power, became violent and greedy and would do anything to gain more power, including killing his own king, Banquo and later on, Macduffà ¯Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s family. His evil ambitions first come into manifestation when he starts entertaining the thought of killing the king and even shares it with his wife. Also, he accommodates his wife’s berating, does nothing when Donalbain and Malcolm are blamed for murder, which provides his with a free access t the thrown. In addition, he orders the death of Lady Macduff and children, leads the country to war despite the suicidal mental

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Virtual team - Research Paper Example Trust is a very crucial thing in a virtual team, which can reduce uncertainty to the global and technologically based environment. The theory of media richness and social presence questions the possibility of development of relationships and trust among members in a group (Duarte and Synder 30). The same theory asserts that use of computers to communicate may eliminate important types of communication people could use to convey trust, warmth, attentiveness, and other interpersonal affections. However, other studies have shown that communication is not a function of the characteristics of the media, but a function of context, setting, and timing. Therefore, we can view the aspects of context, setting, and timing in any theory that is attempting to argue that virtual teams cannot work in the present global society. A better way of looking at the problem of trust and relationships in virtual teams is considering communication behaviors. Communication among the members should be timed and be within the subject of concern. Also of paramount importance is commitment to communication, as regular communication produces socialization, courtship and social identification (Lipnack and Stamps 35). In conclusion, for virtual teams to succeed there are important steps to follow. These include holding a face-to-face meeting in the beginning, establishing clear codes of conduct for behavior, recognizing and rewarding for performers and every member realizing that most communications may be non-verbal so that they can be careful how they communicate (Duarte and Synder 20). A virtual team refers to a group of people who though separated by distance and/or space still work together towards a common goal by communicating using electronic means or by holding face-to-face meetings occasionally (Lipnack and Stamps Jeffrey 83). Virtual teams come because of reasons such as members not being

IBM casestudy Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

IBM casestudy - Case Study Example The success of Dell over IBM can easily be attributed to the fact that Dell attempted to exploit a market niche which was hardly considered as future market prospect by the IBM. As mentioned in the case study that the mangers at IBM often considered new opportunities for innovation as a distraction from their core business activities thus limiting themselves to only those opportunities which corroborated their existing strengths. Inability of the senior management to reward and look for new and strategic opportunities and rather reward short term results. Though, short term results play a critical role in keeping the organization is momentum however, it is really critical that the organization and its management must develop the skills and aptitude to reward the long term strategic building of the business. Large organizations such as IBM therefore lack the ability to focus on thinking beyond what they are good at and focus more on achieving the near term results. Large organizations are also often pre-occupied with their existing markets and demand patterns observed in existing markets may serve as a satisfying factor for them. A higher and consistent demand from existing markets therefore is one of the reasons why large organizations fail to create new businesses because short terms strategic business targets are often achieved from existing markets rather. This however, also indicates that the large organizations often become complacent and stop looking for new opportunities. It is also important to note that the strategic financial objectives of the firm may be different as compared to growing organizations. Since large organizations often pass through their maturity stage therefore they focus on achieving sustainable profit targets rather than taking actions to drive higher P/E values. Since cash flow patterns are more predictable for mature organizations therefore the need to drive higher value by creating new opportunities. Ability

Look at the Picture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Look at the Picture - Essay Example Possibly he and his partner, camera person, have taken a trip into the wild and have finally come to a point where they feel they need to capture the moment of their achievement. Again this does not fully explains why the boy holds a stack of stones in the picture. Why is the boy holding a bunch of stones with such pride as if he is holding a trophy? It could be that he has reached a place of significance, and the stones are from its rubbles. It could be a historical building which they have discovered. But if that were the case why have the boy and his partner taken a photograph of the stones and not of the building itself? This possibility could not be so. Perhaps it is not an old building but rather an old tree against which the boy is standing. The multiple layers of roots in the picture indicate that the place where the boy is standing is under a tree root or a trough of dirt. Maybe the boy is proud to have discovered an ancient tree which is about to collapse, and he wants to c apture the moment of discovery. The stones are merely mementos of the place, and he is proud of having discovered this minor but significant

A Leader Essay Example for Free

A Leader Essay Leaders can be seen in a variety of ways such as a president, a soldier, an athlete. But does a lieutenant only lead his men into combat? Or does a president just send the military off to war in one command? Leadership has a far different meaning than one man giving orders. Being a leader, one must understand that you cannot carry every single thing upon your hands. Sometimes, even a leader can find themselves tied up in a knot and not realizing what they’ve done or are doing. Therefore, in a leadership position there must always contain a group so that way the leader will not rule over everything and actually be seen as an inspiring person; one who sacrifices themselves for others, and one who searches for the best outcome. Throughout my life of experience, I have come across â€Å"leaders and leadership†. There also have been many leaders way before my time came about. For example, somebody like John. F. Kennedy. This man was seen as very inspiring to the American people at the time. His speeches and commitment drove not only the people in the right path but the country as well. Currently, our country is being run by Barak Obama which is actually really good. He is a great example of a leader. He has helped our country in the past few years get a lot out of this huge dept we have and are actually still having. He’s also has helped us with this welfare and also is giving a bit more benefits for illegal immigrants. In addition, the outcome o f his work shall inspire the people of America. Currently my most favorable experience of leadership is actually taking place as we speak. I came across a book by the one and only great baseball player Josh Hamilton. It is called â€Å"Beyond Belief†. Josh Hamilton is a great example as a leader and is a man who inspires many ball players. Although he was drug tested and came out positive for cocaine and also suspended from the major leagues, he fought his way back to where he belonged in the majors. From a very young age he we always seen upon as the leader of the team. At the age of only six years old he obtained the skills to play with the older kids. Even then he was better than the older kids. He was always leading his teams in hits, average, and home runs. He carried this through high school. Although he was doing all these great things at once, being that type of leader is far different from being a leader for the team. He  would always care for his teammates as if they were brothers and always lightened up situati ons when they would be down a couple of runs or lost a game. He would sacrifice himself when needed and was always one for helping out his team before powering his skills onto the field. He was not a selfish person at all and never bragged about anything he did. He did it for the love of the game that he cherished so much. That’s what really defines a true leader. When one does not become selfish and truly believes in the good of things whether it is an athlete or a president. Therefore, the outcome will not only inspire teammates or the people of America, but maybe even inspire them self to do more and be greater. A leader always does what is best for the outcome. Overall for the country, or for their teammate. Within a leader, there is always something unique about them. There are reasons, facts, and details on why they seem so inspiring to many people and that is why they are chosen to be the leader or even simply be seen as a leader. Although a leader may have the drive to do something right it is not always the right or best thing. Groups will play an important role for the leader and back them up with opinions of their own. Furthermore, a leader must play along or they will not be seen as a one who sacrifices or inspires anything. Overall, the true greatness of a leader will only show when one is tested. It really can be at any moment. Josh Hamilton was tested for drugs and came out positive unfortunately. But the real test was whether he would be able to get back on his feet from this. Which in the end he did and fought his way all the way back to the top. Leaders do not vary simply off of how many people know them, how many votes, or how many home runs are hit. They’re leadership shows when they are in the toughest moments that seem they cannot get across but actually can. As long as there is a contained group within leadership, more often than not everything will be fine. Things will not turn into a dictatorship and one man will not lead his team to the world series. Therefore, the group within will help their leader realize what they are doing and they will in fact sacrifice, inspire, and search for the best outcome.

Identification of Epitope in EAV N Protein

Identification of Epitope in EAV N Protein Identification of a novel conserved B cell epitope in the N protein of EAV (Bucyrus strain) Running title: Identification of epitope in EAV N protein. Highlights: One EAV N-specific mAb 1C11 was developed. A minimal linear peptide epitope within the N protein was identified. The identified epitope was conserved among different regional EAV strains. The mAb and identified epitope may be useful diagnostic tools for EAV infection. Abstract Objective: To identify the minimal epitope of N protein of the equine arteritis virus (EAV). Methods: The full-length sequence of EAV N gene was cloned by RT-PCR and ligated into pET32a vector for expression. The recombinant pET-N protein was expressed in E. coli and purified by Ni affinity chromatography. The purified N protein was used to immunize mice for preparing monoclonal antibody (mAb). The reactivity of mAb was evaluated by Western blot and immunofluorescence assay (IFA). The peptides were identified using the prepared mAb by indirect ELISA and Western blot. The homology analysis was performed using DNAMAN software. Results: Recombinant EAV N protein was successfully expressed in the procaryon expression system. An EAV N-reactive mAb was selected and designated as 1C11. Indirect ELISA results showed that overlapping domain of MBP-N10 and MBP-N11 was recognized by the mAb 1C11. Further, the indirect ELISA and Western blot showed that 101QRKVAP106 was the minimal linear epitope of the EAV N protein. The homology analysis showed that the identified epitope is conserved among all EAV isolated strains, with the exception of the ARVAC which is a modified live virus vaccine strain. Conclusion: One EAV N-specific mAb was developed and a minimal linear peptide epitope within the N protein was identified. The EAV N-specific mAb and the defined linear peptide epitope of EAV N protein may be useful for the development of specific diagnostic tools and design of vaccine. Keywords: Epitope; N protein; Equine arteritis virus; Monoclonal antibody Introduction Equine arteritis virus (EAV) is the etiologic agent of equine viral arteritis (EVA) which is a respiratory and reproductive disease of horses [1-3]. EAV was à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ rst isolated from horses in Ohio in 1953. It is the prototype virus of the family Arteriviridae (genus Arterivirus, order Nidovirales) [4, 5]. EAV infection of horses has been reported in many countries including New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa [6-10]. EAV is a positive-sense, enveloped and single-stranded RNA molecule with a length of 12.7kb [11]. It contains two large open reading frames (ORFs, 1a and 1b) and seven smaller ORFs (2a, 2b, and 3 to 7). ORFs 1a and 1b encode two replicase polyproteins (pp1a and pp1ab), whereas the ORFs 2a, 2b, 5, 6, and 7 encode the known EAV structural proteins E, GS, GL, M, and N, respectively [12]. Moreover, ORFs 3 and 4 encode glycosylated membrane-associated proteins whose functional role is still under debate [13, 14]. EAV N can be used as an alternative protein candidate of diagnostic antigens and accounts for 35-40% of the total virion protein [15]. B cell epitopes involved in the immune response against EAV [16]. In the present study, we aimed to identify the precise B cell epitope using a monoclonal antibody (mAb) against EAV N protein. Our result will provide important information for developing serological diagnosis of EAV infection and understanding the antigenic structure of EAV N protein and vaccine design. Materials and methods Ethics statement Care and use of laboratory animals and all animal experiments were in accordance with animal ethics guidelines established by the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee in China. All animal studies were approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Harbin Veterinary Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (SYXK (H) 2006-032). Cell lines and virus SP2/0 myeloma and Rabbit kidney 13 (RK-13) cells were cultured and maintained in Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium (DMEM; Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA, USA) in a humidified 5% CO2 atmosphere at 37 °C. All culture media were supplemented with 10% heat-inactivated fetal bovine serum (GIBCO, Invitrogen) and antibiotics (0.1mg/ml streptomycin and 100 IU/ml penicillin).The Bucyrus strain of EAV (GenBank accession No. NC-002532.2, a highly cell culture-adapted strain provided by the key laboratory of Tropical and Subtropical Animal Viral Diseases in Yunnan province, China) was propagated in RK-13 cells and stored at -80à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™. Expression and characterization of recombinant EAV N protein The full-length sequence of EAV N gene was cloned by RT-PCR using the following primers: 5†²-CCCGGATCCATGGCGTCAAGACGATC-3†² (upstream) and 5†²-TTTGTCGACTTACGGCCCTGCTGGAGGCGCAAC-3†² (downstream). The primers contained BamH I and Sal I restriction sites (italicized). The purified and digested PCR product was ligated into an expression vector pET32a (Novagen, Germany). The pET-N recombinant plasmid was transformed into E. coli BL21 (DE3) and 1mM isopropyl-ÃŽ ²-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG, Invitrogen, USA) was used for inducing expression of N protein. The recombinant proteins were obtained from the bacterial lysates. The insoluble inclusion bodies were washed and solubilized with phosphate buffered saline (PBS, pH 7.4). Then, the recombinant N protein fused with 6 His-tags was evaluated by SDS-PAGE and purified by Ni affinity chromatography according to manufacturer’s instruction (Invitrogen). Preparation and characterization of mAbs against N protein EAV N-reactive mAb was generated as previously described [17]. Briefly, 6-week-old female BALB/c mice were immunized with the purified recombinant N protein (100ÃŽ ¼g per mouse) mixed with an equal volume of Freund’s complete adjuvant (FCA, Sigma, USA). Two booster injections containing the same amount of purified N protein in an equal volume of Freund’s incomplete adjuvant (FICA) were given at 2-week intervals. The purified N protein without adjuvant was injected intraperitoneally as the final immunization. After three days of the final injection, the mice were euthanized and their splenocytes were fused with SP2/0 myeloma cells using polyethylene glycol (PEG4000, Sigma). The hybridoma cells were seeded into 96-well plates and selected in hypoxanthine-aminopterin-thymidine (HAT) selection medium (DMEM containing 20% fetal bovine serum, 100g/ml streptomycin, 100IU/ml penicillin, 100mM hypoxanthine, 16mM thymidine, and 400 mM aminopterin). After 5 days, the medium was re moved and replaced with hypoxanthine-thymidine (HT)-DMEM medium (DMEM containing 20% fetal bovine serum, 100g/ml streptomycin, 100IU/ml penicillin, 100mM hypoxanthine, and 16mM thymidine). After selection in HAT and HT medium, hybridoma supernatants were screened for evaluating reactivity and specificity of mAb by Western blot and immunofluorescence assay (IFA). The class and subclass of the mAb was determined using a SBA ClonotypingTM System/HRP (Southern Biotechnology Associates, Inc., Birmingham, AL35260, USA). Polypeptide design and expression Eleven overlapping peptides spanning the N protein were designed (Table 1,). For each peptide, a pair of oligonucleotide strands was synthesized. Each pair of oligonucleotide strands was annealed and cloned into the BamHà ¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚   and Sal I sites of pMALâ„ ¢-C4x vector and expressed as MBP-N fusion proteins. These MBP-fused proteins were named consecutively MBP-N1 to MBP-N11. The recombinant plasmids were transformed into E.coli Rosetta (DE3) (Novagen). Each MBP-fused polypeptide was induced by IPTG and screened by indirect ELISA. Briefly, MBP tags and purified N protein were used as negative and positive controls, respectively. Ninety-six-well microtiter plates were coated with expressed MBP-N fusion proteins at 4à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™ overnight and blocked with 5% skim milk for 1 h at 37à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™. After washing three times by PBST (PBS plus 0.5% Tween-20), 100 ÃŽ ¼l of mAb was added to wells and incubated at 37à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™ for 1 h. Then, the plates were washed three ti mes by PBST and incubated with diluted horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-conjugated goat anti-mouse IgG (Abcam, UK) at 37à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™ for 1 h. The color was developed and the reaction was stopped with 2M H2SO4. The absorbance at 450 nm was measured. All assays repeated three times and the average of the three values was calculated. Identification of the epitopes The MBP-N-fusion proteins were identified by indirect ELISA and Western blot using the mAb. Indirect ELISA was performed as mentioned above. For Western blot, the purified MBP-N recombinant proteins were electrophoresed on SDS-PAGE, and then transferred to a nitrocellulose membrane. Nonspecific antibody binding sites on the membrane were blocked with 5% skim milk in PBS overnight at 4à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™. The membrane was washed and incubated with mAbs for 1h at 37à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™. The membrane was incubated with HRP-conjugated goat anti-mouse IgG secondary antibody after five times washing with PBST. Following another five times washing, the color was developed using 3,3-diaminobenzidine (DAB) and terminated by rinsing the membrane with deionized water. Homology analysis To evaluate the conservation of the identified linear epitope among EAV from different geographic areas, the identified epitope and the corresponding regions of other regional EAV virus strains were aligned using DNAMAN software (Lynnon BioSoft Inc., USA). Results Production of recombinant EAV N protein and mAb As shown in Fig.1a, Recombinant EAV N protein was successfully expressed in the procaryon expression system. A clear single target band with expected molecular weight was displayed. Accordingly, the recombinant EAV N protein was suitable as an antigen for immunization and hybridoma screening. Purified proteins were utilized to immunize BALB/c mice. After cell fusion and selection, an EAV N-reactive mAb generated from one hybridoma cell line was selected for its strong reactivity against N protein. This mAb was designated as 1C11. As shown in Fig.1b, c, mAb 1C11 reacted with recombinant N protein and total protein of EAV (Fig.1b, c). The reactivity of mAb was also assessed using RK-13 cells by IFA (Fig.1d). The mAb only reacted with EAV infected cells and not reacted with uninfected control RK-13 cells. Identification of EAV N epitope To localize linear antigenic epitopes within the N protein, 11 16-amino acid long MBP fused peptides (MBP-N1 MBP-N11) were expressed and probed by mAb 1C11 by indirect ELISA. The results showed that MBP-N10 (91TVSWVPTKQIQRKVAP106) and MBP-N11 (95VPTKQIQRKVAPPAGP110) epitopes were recognized by the mAb 1C11 (OD450 > 1) (Fig. 2a). All the left fragments (MBP-N1-9) failed to react with the mAb. Because adjacent epitopes have 12 overlaps, we deduced that the linear epitope located in the overlapping domain of MBP-N10 and MBP-N11 (95VPTKQIQRKVAP106). To identify the minimal linear peptide epitope within this overlapping domain, a series of truncated polypeptides were expressed as MBP-fusion proteins. Ultimately, the indirect ELISA and Western blot showed that 101QRKVAP106 was the minimal linear epitope for the reactivity of the EAV N protein recognized by mAb 1C11 (Fig. 2c, d). Homology analysis Sequence alignment was performed to evaluate the conservation of the identified epitope among different regional EAV viruses (Fig. 3). The identified epitope is conserved among all EAV isolated strains, with the exception of the ARVAC which is a modified live virus vaccine strain. Discussion Mapping location of viral protein epitopes and defining the degree of their conservation may play an important role for understanding of the antigenic structure, virus-antibody interactions. It may be very useful for vaccine design and clinical applications. In this study, the B cell epitopes of EAV N protein were identified using a mAb. Epitope mapping using mAbs has become a powerful tool to study protein structure and provides new tools to diagnose diseases and design vaccines [18]. Here, we defined one peptide epitope of EAV N protein in by using an EAV N-specific mAb. To our knowledge, epitope on the N protein of EAV has been published, but no previous studies about 101QRKVAP106 have been reported. Starick et al. [19] produced a mAb against the N protein to detect EAV. Weiland et al. [20] used the same method to produce a mAb against the N protein of EAV and to distinguish different virus isolates from semen and tissue samples after passaging through RK-13, Vero and fetal equine kidney cells. However, the minimal epitope of these mAb was not defined precisely. Similar to the work of Starick et al. and Weiland et al. [19, 20], a mAb named 1C11 against EAV N protein was prepared by using recombinant N protein expressed in E. coli and used for identifying B-cell epitopes on EAV N protein. mAb 1C11 reacted well with EAV by WB and IFA, thus this antibody may be a useful detection tool in EAV diagnosis. mAbs are useful and effective for mapping antigenic epitopes of viral proteins. In this study, for epitope mapping, 11 overlapping peptides from EAV N protein were expressed with MBP tags and identified by ELISA to screen linear epitopes. The ELISA results showed that the epitope located in the sharing region of MBP-N10 (91TVSWVPTKQIQRKVAP106) and MBP-N11 (95VPTKQIQRKVAPPAGP110). Then this region (95VPTKQIQRKVAP106) was expressed, and 7 peptides with deletions were obtained to identify the precise epitope. According to the results of ELISA and Western blot, 101QRKVAP106 was considered as the minimal linear epitope of EAV protein. This result is different from the previous studies [15, 21] which stated that the precise epitope of N protein located in amino acids 1-69. This may be due to the difference of the specificity and reactivity of the mAbs. Sometimes, a mAb can react with different locations of a viral protein. Sequence alignment showed that the identified epitope is very conservative among distinct regional EAV strains, but with a mutation of one amino acids on the ARVAC N protein epitope. This result suggests a slight regional difference emerged in this epitope. Therefore, it is possible to distinguish anti-Bucyrus EAV antibody from anti- ARVAC EAV antibody by using the epitope as antigen. This will be helpful in distinguishing the distinct regional EAV infection. This finding indicates that the N epitope of EAV identified in our study have a potential use in serological monitoring and differential diagnosis. In conclusion, one EAV N-specific mAb was developed and a minimal linear peptide epitope within the N protein was defined. The EAV N-specific mAb and the defined linear peptide epitope of EAV N protein may be useful for the development of specific diagnostic tools and design of vaccine.

Jim Abbott :: essays research papers

Jim Abbott It is a clear summer night at Fenway Park in Boston. The Boston Red Sox and the California Angels are in a hot pennant race. The Boston Red Sox are the best hitting team in the American League. The Angels need a win and are counting on their rookie pitcher. The old green stadium is overflowing with die-hard Red Sox fans as the rookie takes the mound. He has to concentrate on tonight's game and ignore the crowd. The game advanced with no trouble for the rookie. In the end, he gave up four harmless hits and, most importantly, no runs. When he got the final man out, giving his team a 4-0 victory, he starts to walk off the mound. All over Fenway Park, not only Angel fans, but Red Sox fans stood and applauded, cheering the rookie off the field. Everyone knew that they had seen someone very special. This person was Jim Abbott. Jim Abbott has led an eventfully life. He brought his college team to the championship in 1985, brought Team USA to gold in 1988, and threw a no hitter against the Cleveland Indians in 1993. These achievements are not what make him so special; what makes Jim Abbott even more remarkable is that he only has one hand. As a child Jim's parents always told him that he could do anything he wanted to do. They knew that their son loved sports. They hoped that Jim would play soccer, which didn't require the use of hands, but right from the very beginning, Jim loved baseball. So, Jim's parents bought him a baseball glove. However, Jim was not just involved in baseball. He was the top scorer in his school's intramural basketball league, and played two years of varsity football. Jim's various athletic exploits resulted in press attention. When Jim got to college, he picked up right where he had left off in high school. His two main goals were to get an education and to become the best possible pitcher he could be. At this point, his fastball was close to ninety miles per hour. Jim to worked hard on a straight change-up and a better curveball. In the fall of 1987, Jim Abbott was given the United States Baseball Federation's coveted Golden Spikes Award. This award is given yearly to the best amateur baseball player in the country. That wasn't his only award. He also received the Academy Award for Sports Award for Courage in 1987 and was chosen as the March of Dimes Amateur Athlete of the

computers :: essays research papers

SECURITY OF WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS Introduction Wireless devices, like all technologies that provide external access to corporate networks, present security challenges. With wireless standards and practices still rapidly evolving, it is important to understand the strengths and limitations of available technologies in order to implement a secure solution. Extending current security policies to encompass wireless devices requires an understanding of the security features of both wireless devices and wireless networks. Purpose of the Study The purpose of the study was to assist in the decision whether Lotus Development should extend current security policies to encompass wireless devices. The following are critical security questions: †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What challenges are faced with wireless security? †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How can you verify that the device being used is actually in the hands of an authorized user? How can you enhance the security of the device? †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How secure is the over-the-air network between the organization and the wireless device? †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How can you secure the wireless session? †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Should Lotus development include wireless devices in their security policies? Research Methods and Procedures Through traditional and electronic research of books, periodicals, and business journals, secondary research was conducted. Figures were constructed through extensive research and study of interactions of networks. Wireless Security Challenges   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Mobile devices and wireless networks rely on a broad spectrum of technology, much of it cutting-edge. In comparison to PCs, each class of mobile device currently represents a unique hardware and software platform. Mobile phones, for example, have varying capabilities and limitations both as computing devices and as client devices accessing corporate networks. The wireless networks that support mobile devices are similarly diverse. By relying on industry standard protocols like TCP/IP, HTTP, SMTP and TAP, Mobile Services supports many of the major wireless networks currently in operation. This standards-based approach also provides MSD with a common security model that can operate across wireless networks, while at the same time taking some of the complexity out of doing business with different wireless network providers (Braden 1997). However, it is important to understand that there is currently no industry-wide security standard that will work on every mobile device and on every wireless network, in the way that X.509 and SSL span the PC universe. MSD bridges this gap wherever possible by adding its own security features (Freeburg 1991). Mobile Device Security Most mobile devices currently provide only a simple username/password combination to block use of the device (a few also offer local data encryption). And since most users do not employ even this rudimentary level of security, mobile devices like pagers, mobile phones and PDAs are essentially unsecured (Aziz 1993).

Islands As A Narration Of A Yo :: essays research papers

A. Hemon’s Islands is the narrative of a young boys initiation into the adult world. The boy travels to a place he has never been before, far away from all the comforts of his childhood home. The island is full of secrets about the ‘adult world’ and the terrible things that can happen within it. While away, he learns shocking lessons about the world in which he lives, mainly from his Uncle Julius, who tells scary stories that he thinks the boy should know about. The boy is unprotected from everything on the island and everything it contains. Through this unprotected environment, he learns things about the adult world that are not learned anywhere else.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the car on the way to the coast, the boy almost loses his voice by singing â€Å"communist songs the entire journey.† (129) By his singing songs about â€Å"mournful mothers looking through graves for their dead sons† and â€Å"the revolution† the boy demonstrates his naivity. He is, after all, just a young boy. His limited life experience is shown in his singing such songs, without understanding the full meanings and connotations that those songs carry. The boys’ innocence is emphasized here, as these are ‘adult’ songs and it is only, generally, children who sing on car journeys until their voices are gone.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Even before boarding the boat, the boy begins to notice how ugly age and adulthood can be. He notices the â€Å"gnarled knees , the spreading sweat stains on their shirts and sagging wrinkles of fat on their thighs.† (129) At one point, he sees â€Å"one of the Germans, an old, bony man† get down on his knees and then vomit over the pier edge. The boy sees this, but still relates it back to something he understands. â€Å"The vomit Catherine Henderson hit the surface and then dispersed in different directions, like children running away to hide from the seeker.† (130) Again, by relating something so grotesque to something so childlike and innocent, the boy reminds the reader that he is still just a young child, not yet ready to deal with this kind of adult vision.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Once boarded on the boat and sailing to Mljet, the boy loses his hat. It is not just a hat though, it is his hat that shielded him from the grown-ups and the adult way of life. If he wanted to look at them properly, he had to raise his head. The hat was a â€Å"round straw hat with all the seven dwarfs painted on it.† (129) When the gust of

Religious beliefs Essay

Humans have been, for ages, found themselves being challenged to do what is just and right. However, this idealism is often created out of confirming with one’s society. Each society has its own culture, principles, traditions, politics and religious beliefs. One’s act of good deed may be considered the opposite in the eyes of a person foreign to his culture. Confirming with the society’s norm had been considered a conflict to a person’s decision-making. One person may want to speak out his mind on such controversial issue but kept mum to avoid being antagonized by his peers. The public media and press became the gladiator’s arena between freedom of expression versus tact according to society. Raising one’s voice that opposed the society’s mentality is often discouraged due to gaining nothing but people’s ire. But not saying anything at all is also considered as moral cowardice- it produced same negative results as those of irresponsible communication. This essay would like to persuade its readers or listeners that voicing unpopular ideas can make a difference in the world. To quote as famous statement from the past, ‘The right way is not always the popular and easy way. Standing for right when is unpopular is a true test of moral character’’( One historical example of positive results from expressing one’s voice is found in Japan. Japanese politics had been exclusive only to men for centuries until around 1920’s. The 1920’s had been the era of revolutionary reforms that greatly overshadowed the older conservative laws under the Japanese government. With reforms being entertained to be made on the Japanese constitution, two of the most highlighted changes are the women’s suffrage and political inclusion. One notable woman who campaigned for the women’s rights is Kato Shidzue. She is the first woman to be elected in the Diet and famously assisted Margaret Sanger, a fellow feminist, in promoting birth control to Japan. It was a period where in a transition is still undergoing, from conservative upbringing to a much more liberal lifestyle. Being a feminist brought Shidzue anger from most men specifically the Japanese military. This resulted of her being arrested on 1937 for opposing to the ruling of producing as many children as possible. Yet, her perseverance of expressing her principles and fighting for equality served as one of the founding blocks of just treatment of both genders (Hopper, 2004). Another example would be Martin Luther King Jr. , the famous civil rights activist who campaign to end the racial segregation and discrimination. Despite the strong dominance of the white supremacists around that time, King took action through organized and peaceful means. He was a firm believer that violence was not the answer to the problem and knew that with this tactic it would garner the public’s attention more compared to the former. On that fateful day on the year 1963, his speech entitled I Have a Dream was the most pivotal moment during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. With genius use of rhetoric along with fiery passion, King called for his country to acknowledge racial equality and to end discrimination of color. His life was threatened several times due to his message of bringing equality for the ‘black people’. To this day, no single American had forgotten the I Have A Dream speech of this brave believer of what is right and just for all people (Kirk et al, 2007). History repeats itself as someone quoted from the past. To this day, this saying still rings true. Moral cowardice does have repercussions if people remain passive in a long period of time. It takes a lot of courage to stand up for one’s belief so it is reasonable if not all would be eager to clash with society’s norms. The consequences of this inaction would usually end up regrettable and horrifying. The Holocaust is one fine example. At first, the Jews were ridiculed and discriminated in Germany. No one tried to question this action for fear of receiving the Germans’ wrath. The Aryan race factor also fueled the fire which led to antagonism to both races. It was already too late as the war finally occurred; Nazis ordered a systematic genocide of all European Jews that now famously called the Holocaust. Over 17 million casualties resulted from the state-ordered annihilation (Niewyk; Nicosia, 2000). Another example would be the Martial Law in the Philippines during the 1970’s. President Ferdinand Marcos held the presidential seat for almost twenty years, ruling the country with an iron fist. For several years, only few dared to stand up against the Marcos’ regime and question their intentions on proclaiming Martial Law. The Filipinos suffered the continuous wreckage of its economy and the severe corruption of the said government. If it wasn’t for Benigno Aquino Sr. ’s assassination, the people would never be motivated to fight for their rights and wish for a democratic government (Ackerman; Duvall, 2001). A pen is mightier than a sword is not message to be taken lightly. Speaking out one’s mind has the power to motivate people to either take action or change their opinions. No matter how unpopular an idea is to the society, what mattered is the courage to stand up for one’s principles. Martin Luther King Jr. and Kato Shidzue proved that even with several obstacles barricaded in front of anyone, one should always defend what is just. As long as someone listened, there will always be people who will be supporting the idea. Moral cowardice maybe a norm for the most people around, but historical events such as the Holocaust and the Philippines’ Martial Law proved that staying tight-lipped would not guarantee’s a person’s safety. References: Helen M. Hopper, Kato Shidzue : a Japanese feminist (New York: Pearson Longman, 2004). Kirk, John A. , ed. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement: Controversies and Debates (2007). 224 pp. Niewyk, Donald L. and Nicosia, Francis R. The Columbia Guide to the Holocaust, Columbia University Press, 2000, pp. 45-52. Peter Ackerman; Jack DuVall (2001), A force more powerful: a century of nonviolent conflict, Macmillan, p. 384

Too Much Pressure

Colleen Went states that cheating has been on the rise due to the fact that many teachers accept it. The teachers knew that these things went on, yet nobody seems to do anything about them. With so many people cheating, teachers have a hard time tracking down who cheated and who didn't. Teachers assign homework every day, and they have over a hundred students. With so much assignments pouring in to be graded, teachers usually have students peer edit the assignment or they Just glance at it.The student could have Just written down something foolish and the teacher wouldn't notice. On account of this, many teachers think cheating is fine. Because many teachers ignore cheating that is occurring right under their noses, so many students get away with It. The lenient consequences that are given to students for cheating, is another factor that is causing an increase in cheating. Penalties for getting caught cheating are mild. If someone was caught cheating, that assignment or test is usual ly confiscated, and you ere given a zero for that assignment.However, your parents were not called, and you were not suspended. Getting a zero on one assignment doesn't hurt that much and the cheater doesn't even learn a lesson. Due to the light consequences, students cheat even more in school. Colleen Went used exposition style of writing. Through exposition, she informs, explains, and clarifies her ideas and thoughts. Exposition goes beyond description to help the reader understand with greater clarity and depth the Ideas and thoughts.

Financing Climate Change for Economic Development (a Case Study of Nigeria)

FINANCING CLIMATE CHANGE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (A CASE STUDY OF NIGERIA) Written By: ABORISADE OLUWASOGO OLANREWAJU SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTING BANKING AND FINANCE OSUN STATE UNIVERSITY OSOGBO, OKUKU SUPERVISED BY: MR OLANREWAJU FATOKI ABSTRACT Climate change adaptation is increasingly becoming an area of growing interest and involvement for many developing countries that unfortunately bear the brunt of an overheating planet caused by developed or so called advanced countries.The uncertain effects of a changing climate on Nigeria’s economy pose significant setbacks for meeting development targets like Nigeria’s aspiration to be among the twenty best performing economies of the world by the year 2020 [Vision 20:20:20] and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. The fact that Africa’s most populous country runs dangerously on a mono-product economy oiled by cheap hydrocarbon deposits, underscores this heavy dependence on natural resources. Climate change-induced losses and the unsustainable use of these invaluable resources appear to be a harmful problem that has elevated itself to a real development challenge in Nigeria. It is not difficult to see that Nigeria’s climate security vulnerability lies predominantly along the coastal, littoral states of the south and the northern frontline states as a result of a combination of high physical exposure as well as low household and community resilience.Poor adaptive responses to growing shifts in temperature, rainfall, storms, and sea levels could help fuel violent conflict in some areas of the country due to shortages of resources such as land and water which breeds negative secondary impacts such as more sickness, hunger, and joblessness, which in turn flings the doors to conflict and social chaos wide open. These problems are further compounded by a lack of institutional, legislative and fiscal capacity for effective management of natural resources and stability of the ecosystem; leading to educed farm productivity, increased work load particularly on women, and a dislocated rural economy. Mitigation and adaptation are both necessary to alleviate the impacts of a changing global climate on our local communities and national economy. This research work therefore discuses climate change in Nigeria and ways it could be finance to increase economic development in Nigeria. INTRODUCTION Climate Change is a term used for changes in weather condition in the past few years said to be caused by Global Warming.Global Warming is increase in the average temperature of planet earth which is said to be caused by continuous emission of gases that trap heat to the earth's atmosphere. Climate Change and Global warming are often used interchangeably. In an upper part of the atmosphere called the troposphere 10-19km above sea level, certain gases trap heat to the earth to make it warm. Without these gases, the average temperature of the earth will be 33OC colder not able to support life for humans and several living things.These heat trapping gases for their action that resembles heat trapping effect to a glass house in Physics are called Green House Gases (GHG). There are a number of GHG known with some more potent and available than others, these GHG have a natural cycle that keep them balanced and available at certain range in the earth’s atmosphere for their function to keep the earth warm. Certain anthropogenic activities like burning of fossil fuels release gaseous products made up of one or more GH gas. Nigeria’s economy though heavily dependent on oil is sustained by agriculture and has thus become increasingly constrained.Both source of revenue for the economy is vulnerable to climate change crisis. Sustainable development of these sectors of the economy can only be achieved if processes in use are in favour and harmony with the environment. Although, Nigeria is not a major player in the green house gas emission comp ared to the western countries, the country has contributed to the depletion of the ozone layer through continuous gas flaring emission by multinational oil corporation in Niger Delta region. Climate change has become a global concern with harmful effects as seasonal cycles are hindered.For example, food production and water supply are adversely affected by the effects of climate change and if care is not taken, it will affect the economy in a drastic way. Nigeria and Climate Change Nigeria is exposed to the dangers of climate change, which is now a global issue. The dangers pose serious threats to existing environmental problems like desertification, erosion, flooding, and ecological devastation. Considering the strong connection between climate change and development, Nigeria is highly at risk in the area of food security, poverty reduction, energy and most importantly, infrastructure and general economic development.In view of this anyway, Nigeria’s efforts and actions must be informed by these realities. For example, it is estimated that in the Sudan-Sahel area of Nigeria, between 89,297 and 133,944 square kilometers of arable land would be at risk. It is estimated that the capital value at risk stands at about US$6. 4 billion for the current level of development, (NCCC, 2003). In December 2009, Nigeria like many other countries had the opportunity to tackle its climate change issues at Copenhagen, the capital and largest city in Denmark.However, climate change cannot be successfully addressed by any individual country it requires therefore substantial action and continuous efforts. These actions include nations’ investing in programmes and projects aimed at reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG’s), and contribute to adapting to climatic changes. Nigeria is committing itself to facing the challenges that climate change presents within its borders and is acting rapidly to ensure that the Copenhagen deal is the best for Nigeria and Africa.This is being achieved by continuing to form partnerships globally and regionally, and by promoting the development of alternative energy sources internally. Nigeria believes that climate change poses important threats to Africa, while equally offering some unique opportunities to generate new revenues and build more diverse and resilient economies. For example, a policy like the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) if designed to have an African focus could generate investments worth billions of US dollars every year. Causes of climate changeThe climatologists have found evidence to suggest that some factors are primarily responsible for most of the past episode of climate change on the earth and which needs to be addressed urgently. These factors include: (a. ) Radioactive forcing A process which alters the energy balances of the earth-atmosphere system is known as radioactive forcing mechanism (Shine et al, 2010). These may include degree of difference in the earthâ€℠¢s orbit around the sun, solar radiation, volcanic activity and atmospheric composition. (b. ) Non- radioactive forcingAny change in the climate must involve some form of energy redistribution within the global climate system. Yet there are forcing agents who do not affect directly the energy budget of the atmosphere (the balance between incoming solar radiation and outgoing terrestrial radiation). These are considered to be non- radioactive mechanism of global climate change. Such agents usually operate over vast time scales [107 to 109] and mainly include those which affect the climate through their influence over the geometry of the earth’s surface, such as location and size of mountain ranges and position of the ocean basins. (c. ) External forcingThis section discusses some of the various external forcing mechanisms operating over time a scale of 10 years to 109 years. (i. ) Galactic variations The orbit of the solar system about the centre of the galaxy has been conside red as a possible external climate forcing mechanism (Hugget, 1991). During the course of a galactic years [now estimates at 303million years] variation in the inter stellar medium (William, Isaac and Shoo, 1975) may also suggest that variation in gravitation torque induced by galaxy’s near neighbors, the small and large megellanic clouds, could have far reaching consequences for the earth’s climate. ii. ) Orogeny It is the name given to a tectonic process of mountain building and continental uplift. Such mechanisms operate over tens or even hundreds of millions of years. The earth’s outer surface, a layer known as the lithosphere {made up of the crust and the upper section of the mantle}, is broken up into 12 different plates which are constantly adjusting their positions relatively to each other and such movements are driven by the internal convective dynamics within the earth mantle.When plates collide, one may either be subdued beneath another or both are pu shed continually together, forcing upwards any continental land masses, to form long mountain range. (iii. ) Epeirogeny It is a term that describes changes in the global disposition of land masses and like organic process, this changes are driven by internal plate tectonic movements. Continents move around the globe at a rate of several centimeters per year owning to the slowness of the internal dynamics of the earth. However, over tens or hundreds of millions of years, both the size and position of land area can change appreciably. iv. ) Volcanic activity Explosive eruption can inject large quantities of dust and gaseous materials [such as sulphur dioxide] into the upper atmosphere [the stratosphere], where sulphur is rapidly converted into sulphuric acid aerosols. Whereas volcanic pollution of the lower atmosphere is removed within days by the effects of rainfall and gravity, stratospheric pollution may remain there for several years, gradually spreading to cover much of the globe . A volcanic activity has the ability to affect global climate on a longer time scale.Over periods of millions or even tens of millions of years, increased volcanic activity can emit enormous volumes of green house gases, with the potential of substantial global warming (Pickering ; Owen, 2004; Rampino ; Volk, 2006]. However, the global cooling effect of sulphur dioxide emissions will act to counter the green house warming and the resultant climate change remains uncertain. (v. ) Ocean circulation It was identified that the oceans store an immense amount of heat energy, and consequently play a crucial role in the regulation of the global climatic system.In order to explain the observed hemispheric syncronity of glaciations, despite periods of directly opposed orbital forcing in the two hemispheres, many researchers have looked to the oceans. Although, in this sense, changes in oceans circulation has traditionally been viewed as internal forcing mechanisms in its own right. Economic implications of Climate change The estimates of economic impact on climate change are typically based on ‘damage function’. The estimates cover a variety of climate impacts that are usually grouped as ‘market impact’ and ‘non-market impact’.Market impacts include effects on climate sensitive sectors such as agriculture, forestry, fisheries and tourism; damage to coastal areas from sea level rises; changes in energy expenditure (for heating and cooling) and changes in water resources. The non-market impacts cover the effects of climate change on health; leisure activities, ecosystem and human settlements. The economic implications of climate change in Nigeria are discussed below: (a. ) Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries McCarl (2007) reported that 70% of the workforce in Nigeria relies on rain-fed agriculture for their livelihood.He noted that agriculture is affected by climate change as a result of reduction in quantity and quality of yields; changes in crop practices through changes in water use (irrigation) and cost of agricultural inputs such as herbicides, insecticides and fertilizers; Environmental effects particularly due to frequency and intensity of soil damage leading to nitrogen leaching, soil erosion and reduction of crop diversity. Other effects are adaptation of organisms and plants to flood, salinity and temperature, collapse of flourishing profitable investment and a sharp downturn of national economy.According to Okali (2004), droughts usually increase in occurrence, having a huge impact, especially in the dry North as a result of desertification. (b. ) Tourism and Leisure activities The forest is the abode for wildlife. If the forests disappear, the wildlife goes with it. Sites of tourist attractions in Nigeria are vulnerable to climate change. The waterfalls, the lakes, the river basins, the ocean views, the beaches, the ranches etc. may be nowhere to be found. Due to this, the huge investment of both t he government and the private sector in tourism and leisure activities may be eroded.Loss of revenue and the lay-off of those employed in this sector of the economy will impose financial strain on the economy. (c. ) Coastal areas and Sea level rises Not less than seven out of the thirty-six states in Nigeria is in the coastal area. Nigeria’s coastal zone is richly blessed with various natural resources such as crude oil and fish, which are presently being exploited for economic gains. The global climate change and the concomitant sea level rises will have adverse effects on the coastal zone.Nigeria could lose over 18,000 square kilometers of the coastal land and the natural resources contained therein as well as experience disruption in socio-economic activities. This will also increase the salinity of the fresh water, thereby affecting aquatic life. Loss of revenue and GDP and the attendant impact of rendering the inhabitants of the coastal areas, who are pre-dominantly fish ermen, unemployed. (d. ) Human settlement Desert encroachment is becoming a threat from the northern part of Nigeria due to desertification.The inadequate trees in some parts of the North have resulted in unfavourable living condition and displacement of many human settlements. The rising sea level and gully erosion are equally claiming several kilometers in the coastal areas especially the southern part of the country. Valuable resources and infrastructures of the country are found in this area and if the sea claims these places, the economy of the nation will be affected. The Tsunami incidence in Japan on 12th March 2011, which claimed thousands of lives and properties worth billions of dollars, is a warning signal.It is also very important that Nigeria lend a clue from the bitter experience of Japan. (e. ) Health Increased temperature in the various regions could result in high incidence of malaria and other diseases that affect humans due to high temperature. The possibility of water-borne diseases as a result of the sea level rises cannot be ruled out. The implication of this is that there would be an increase in the cost of maintaining a healthy nation. It is note-worthy that this might frustrate the recent effort by government and relevant international health agencies to halt the scourge of malaria and other diseases. f) Industry and manufacturing The effect of global warming on the climate-vulnerable sectors of the economy (agriculture and the coastal resources) that provide input for the industry and manufacturing is another area of concern. The infant industries and the small and medium scale enterprises could be threatened. This is because only the big ones will be able to pay the high prices of manufacturing inputs. The GDP will be adversely affected by the inability of the small businesses to operate since they act as catalysts for economic growth and development. g) Financial services sector This sector serves as the intermediary between the def icit sector and the surplus sector of the economy. Owing to the ability of the big companies who are mostly quoted on the stock exchange to weather the storm of the likely downturn, they will force the market into an initial boom, which may not last, only to be followed, subsequent to its effect on the climate sensitive sectors, by a devastating and catastrophic burst because no entity or segment of the economy would be left out.Hence, there is the tendency of experiencing what could be best described as ‘climate induced inflation’. Odjugbo (2010) noted that climate has a significant effect on the country’s economy. Climate Change Financing Providing financial support to developing countries like Nigeria to help mitigate the effects of climate change and adapt to its impacts will be crucial to achieving agreement at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Copenhagen in December 2009. This makes financing one of the most critical issu es in international climate change negotiations.The major issues that need funding in order to address climate change properly are observed to include mitigation, adaptation, technology transfer and capacity building of institutions and personnel. Funding must benefit from domestic and international sources. The major sources of domestic resources to finance development in Nigeria have been domestic savings which are channeled into development through various formal and informal avenues, taxation, domestic borrowing (including borrowing from the banking system and private sector), bond financing, external reserves, surpluses of public enterprises, and very importantly, the oil sector.Domestic resources should ideally constitute the major source of financing development and should be the first port of call. It is a better long term option in the achievement of any longer term development goals. On the other hand, external resources should be seen as providing supplementary finance to domestic resources. External finance has proved difficult to predict and sustain. Indeed, some forms of external finance, for example, ODA, portfolio investment and bank lending that may appear to be important have tended to be highly volatile and hence potentially risky and problematic for development.Also, there has been skepticism about aid effectiveness such that ‘despite the declared huge disbursement by donors, there is not much on the ground to show for it’ (NPC, 2008). If domestic resources must provide a robust basis for sustainable progress in meeting the climate change challenges, then policies need to be implemented which would increase domestic saving and raise the revenue (tax and nontax) GDP ratio significantly beyond current levels. As at June 30 2009 there remain few well known sources of domestic financing for climate change adaptation/mitigation, renewable/green energy projects in Nigeria.Whilst we suspect that there are some in-house sources of fina nce being discussed within various institutions, these are not yet publicly known and are at their primary stage of development where they do exist. With respect to mitigation, a lot of resources are needed particularly in acquiring technology. Nigeria supports the initiative for the establishment of a Multilateral Technology Acquisition Fund to buy Intellectual property Rights (IPR) which is a major constraint to technology transfer.Most of the resources for mitigation have moved to the developed countries over the years. Nigeria supports therefore the review of this anomaly for equitable distribution. Mitigation resources should also come to developing countries so that their developmental efforts do not finally result in injecting more GHG into the atmosphere. Nigeria should team up with other African countries and the G77 to seek for greater access to Adaptation Funds. Many of the potential adaptation projects which are urgent require considerable capital investment that the Fun d can best provide.The significance of this is that this source of funding is reliable and predictable. Demand notices requiring for settling of counterpart Funds should be sent early enough to facilitate the processing of payment. Nigeria should team up with other countries to ask for the change in the present arrangement in which developed countries alone produce the CEOs of the GEF. In the future, the position should be alternately occupied by candidates from the developed and developing countries to reflect the global character of this institution.Constraints to financing climate change in Nigeria Some of the expected major sources of financing climate change in Nigeria encounter a lot of challenges/constraints. Some of these are as follows: – * The precarious dependence of government revenue on the oil sector. Thus, any shortfalls in oil revenue will adversely affect climate change mitigation/adaptation. Projected government financing of climate change may partly depend on economic growth performance and may not be realized if the growth performance is weak. The need to lay a solid foundation for sustainable growth, rely more on domestic sources of financing especially noninflationary sources, and diversify the revenue base away from oil to non oil tax sources. In addition to the above, the following issues have been identified as current constraints that are hampering progress in efforts to tackle climate change activities in the country: * Lack of a regulatory framework that should guide any institutional governance and the activities of climate change have discouraged local lending to renewable energy projects, foreign direct investment (FDI), and significant take-off of the CDM market. The lack of an established and working climate change institution has encumbered the drawing up of a broad-based and robust regulatory framework that can, with the assistance of consultants and advisers in this area, ensure world-class practices being put in plac e in Nigeria as part of the structure. * Absence of definite budgets within the various government ministries, departments, and agencies to incorporate climate change activities in national development within the broader Nigerian society. Lack of moral persuasion by the federal government on private enterprise to focus on driving climate change mitigation strategies and business development. * Lack of general educational campaign to advise financial institutions, corporate bodies and civil society on the merits of investing in Green Energy and the CDM market has greatly hampered the take off of all related projects. Lack of knowledge by financial institutions on investment within the new ‘green’ economy in all its ramifications due to lack of capacity build-up in this area. * Lack of knowledge among most local financial institutions on how to advise clients to access CDM funds for their projects which leads to less revenue being generated from carbon sequestration proje cts. CONCLUSIONNigeria cannot afford to be left outing the fringes of achieving environmental sustainability, alleviating poverty and reducing extreme hunger in line with the millennium development goals. The Government of Nigeria must as a matter of expediency treat the problems associated with climate change on the economy with urgency by adhering to international environmental treaties and embarking on massive and aggressive sensitization of the citizens on the problems associated with global warming and the steps that can be taken to address the concern.The government needs to sensitize Nigerians on the need to be more environmental friendly, evolve a change in consumer behaviour and ensure effective utilization of financial resources to mitigate the effects of climate change. REFERENCE Odjugo, P. A. O. (2010). Regional evidence of climate change in Nigeria. Journal of Geography and Regional Planning, 3(6), pp. 142-150 United Nations Organization. (2010). Climate Change Conferen ce in Cancun leads to agreements Sass.R. L. , (2009), Frequently Asked Questions: Climate Change, James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, Rice University United States Central Intelligence Agency World Fact Book (2011), https://www. cia. gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ni. html United States Climate Science Program (2008), Trends in Emissions of Ozone Depleting Substances, Ozone Layer Recovery and Implications for Ultra Violet Radiation Exposure Synthesis and Assessment Product 2. 4