Friday, January 24, 2020

Comparing Prejudice in Native Son, Black Boy and American Hunger Essay

Exposing Prejudice in Native Son, Black Boy and American Hunger  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There have been many writings based on the mutual prejudice that exists between blacks and whites, especially in the era of slavery and during the Civil Rights movement.   Wright was the first black American author to address such an issue, relating it to ideas of alienation, the separation of blacks and whites in social ideas, communism, and separation from religious ideas.   Wright’s works (his novel Native Son, along with his autobiographies Black Boy and American Hunger) deal with many themes common in American literature, all the while maintaining sight of his intent to expose the unjust prejudice between blacks and whites.      Although Wright's characters often appear to be young blacks who have issues with white America, Wright is striking out against America in general.   Society’s treatment of blacks is a reflection of society itself, thus ensuring the black man’s hatred for the white man and everything he stands for.   The blacks feel totally justified by this.   They have had their identities taken from them, been forced to be second-class citizens if citizens at all, and they are not going to take this abuse sitting down.   In Black Boy, merely the title begins by showing the reader of the abuse of the African-American.   By referring to the young man, and even the old man, as "boys", Wright shows that these men have no identities and are lower class citizens not worth referring to by name.   These "boys" are human beings, yet they are seen as animals trapped forever in isolation an... ...gan, Rayford W. and Michael R. Winston.   Dictionary of American Negro Biography.   New York: W. W. Norton and Company, 1982.   671-673. Marcus, Steven.   Appiah 35-45. McCall, Dan.   "Wright's American Hunger."   Appiah 259-268. Stepto, Robert.   "Literacy and Ascent: Black Boy."   Appiah, 226-254. Tanner, Laura E.   "Uncovering the Magical Disguise of Language: The Narrative Presence in Richard Wright's Native Son."   Appiah 132-146. Thaddeus, Janice.   "The Metamorphosis of Black Boy."   Appiah 272-284. Wright, Richard.   American Hunger.   New York: Harper & Row Publishers, Inc., 1977. ---.   Black Boy.   Ed. Ellen Wright.   New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., 1993. ---.   Native Son.   Ed. Ellen Wright.   New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.   1993.   

Thursday, January 16, 2020

Constructivism

Introduction Russian architecture since the eleventh century up to the early 20th century was predominantly religious. For many centuries, churches were the only buildings that were constructed out of stone. However, the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the influence of the Suprematism movement of 1915 brought about the birth of Constructivism, the modernistic architectural style of Russia from 1924-1932. The brief period that followed the 1917 Revolution marked the beginning of the influence of the avant-garde Constructivist movement in the structure and design of major buildings.It enjoyed a short popularity until the late 1920s when it was repudiated by the more conservative Stalinist-era architecture. The principles of Constructivism theory come from three main art movements that evolved in Europe during the early part of the 20th century: Russian Suprematism, Dutch Des Stijl, or Neo Plasticism, and the Bauhaus in Germany . Historical Backdrop The Russian Revolution of 1917 In earl y 20th century Russia, particularly in 1917, there was a series of revolutions that eventually destroyed the autocracy of the Tsar.This series of revolutions led by the workers of Russia under their leader Vladimir Lenin was known as the Russian Revolution. The February Revolution in March of 1917 focused on St. Petersburg. During this time, the Soviets, or workers' councils, delegated to the members of the Imperial Parliament the task of governing Russia and overthrowing Nicholas II, the Tsar during that time and the last of the Tsars. Meanwhile, the Soviets, led by the socialists or Bolsheviks, had the full allegiance of the lower-class citizens and workers as well as the political left. The Bolsheviks then formed workers militias.In the October Revolution that followed, the Bolshevik party under the command of their leader Vladimir Lenin, as well as the workers' councils, overthrew the Provisional Government in St. Petersburg. Eventually, the success of the revolution paved the w ay for the birth of the USSR. After this series of events, peasants took over the lands previously owned by the vassals and redistributed land. This also marked the beginning of communal existence especially among the working classes, which led to the building of several constructivist buildings to house the first ommunities and to promote the ideology of communism. The Suprematism Movement of 1915 Suprematism is the main ideology in art that inspired Constructivism, which is the predominant architectural style of Russia during the period from 1924 to 1932. Suprematism lasted from 1915 to 1935 and is regarded as the first systematic school of modernism based on purely abstract pictorial compositions and geometric figures. It is a Russian art movement which was originally founded in Moscow in 1913 by the Russian painter Kazimir Malevich.Malevich advocated Suprematism as he believed that this is the perfect way â€Å"to liberate art from the ballast of the representational world. â⠂¬  He himself did this by producing art consisting of geometrical shapes flatly painted on the surface of the canvass. The goal of Suprematism is pure sensation and the pictorial space should be emptied of all symbolic content as in Surrealism. Malevich believed that art has to be â€Å"decongested and cleared† in order to show a new reality where the most important thing is thought as well as sensation.Malevich's Suprematism was also heavily influenced by the then avant-garde movements in art such as Cubism and Futurism. Suprematism, considering that it was based on Malevich's spiritual beliefs, was regarded as non-objective and apolitical. Aside from its use of only geometric shapes as the ones demonstrated by constructivist forms of architecture, Suprematism also emphasized the use of a limited colour range, which explains the overall appearance of constructivist buildings.The Beginnings and Golden Age of Constructivism The development of Suprematism led to the movement toward a non-objective art, or art without a subject, in architecture. During the early years of Constructivism, the Russian modernists or avant-garde started embracing Cubism and Futurism, which were two of the major sources of influence of Constructivism. Cubism was a 20th century modern movement popularized by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque in France and other parts of Europe from 1907-1921.Futurism, on the other hand, started in Italy in 1910 and from 1920-1940 was used in the construction of buildings despite the opposition of the fascist state which favoured classical Roman imperial patterns. In 1913-1914, the Russian and Soviet architect and painter Vladimir Tatlin used industrial materials to make and exhibit a number of relief constructions. He was inspired by Italian futurist Umberto Boccioni's dream of â€Å"plastic configurations in space† and Pablo Picasso's 3D collages, both of which he described by using the term Constructivism.Vladimir Tatlin was indeed the progenitor of this post-Revolutionary movement in architecture. The year 1921 marked the appearance of the first Constructivist manifesto after the formation of the First Working Group of Constructivists in Moscow. The key artists were Vladimir Tatlin, Kasmir Malevich, Liubov Popova, Aleksandr Rodchenko, Vavara Stepanova, Vasily Kandinsky, Naum Gabo, Antoine Pevsner, El Lissitzky. Actual constructivist theory and design practice began in 1922 in conjunction with the formulation of Vesnin brothers of the plan for the Palace of Labor, which was presented during a competition in 1922.However, actual building on a significant scale did not start until 1925 after the founding of the Union of Modern Architects, the official organization of the Russian Constructivist architects. By 1925, the first experimental office and residential buildings began their first appearance. Towards the end of 1925, the Constructivists of Russia formed their own organization as a response to the decision of t he Rationalists to establish the Association of New Architects, or ASNOVA, two years earlier in 1923.While the Rationalists and ASNOVA focused on their search for purely aesthetic abstract forms, the Constructivists and OSA (union of modern architecture) brought to life a novel, more practical architectural form, with reference to the purpose of the of the specific building, the materials used to construct it, its design and other conditions for production, and most of all the promotion of social development of Russia at that time. While the Rationalist emphasized the artistic or aesthetic side of architecture, the Constructivists favoured its functional aspect.The period from1927 to 1929 was considered the golden age of Russian avant-garde architecture. In these three years, a small group of Russian constructivist architects was able to build or plan the best-known buildings in the country. Among the structures built during this time were the Zuyev Club by Ilya Golosov, all the clu bs by Konstantin Melnikov and his house, Lenin's Mausoleum and the Narkomzem building by Aleksey Shchusev, Narkomfin by Ginzburg and Milinis, the Barshch's and Sinyavsky's Planetarium, and Nikolaev's communal house for students. The Concept of ConstructivismConstructivism, or Constructivist Art, is a term used to describe a type of non-representational, or totally abstract, relief construction, sculpture, painting, and kinetics. Constructivist buildings are usually ordered and often minimal, spatial, geometric, architectonic and experimental with how industrial material is used. Furthermore, constructivism combined engineering and advanced technology with a dominant Communist social purpose. The movement produced several pioneering projects as well as prominent buildings and structures before falling out of favour during the early 1930s.Early constructivist art and architecture, just like Communism, was idealistic and seeking a new order that dealt with various social and economic p roblems. The appearance of several constructivist buildings and monuments is characterized by an emphasis on geometrical shapes like rectangular solids and cylinders, often intersecting each other or demonstrating asymmetry. Limited colour range is another quality of constructivist buildings, with the choice of colour as flesh or white signifying simplicity in the communal society.Red was also a very popular choice of colour for the buildings and monuments like Lenin's Mausoleum as this colour was known to symbolize Communism. Both the geometrical emphasis and the limits in colour are characteristics of Constructivist Architecture brought about by the influence of Suprematism, which was the most dominant art movement in Russia at that time. German â€Å"Constructivism† or the Bauhaus Architecture, the German word â€Å"Bauhaus† literally means â€Å"House of Building† or â€Å"Building School. † It refers to a school in Germany famous for the style and de sign that it taught.It is a form of modernist architecture that was founded by Walter Gropius and existed in Germany, some parts of Europe, the United States, and Israel from 1919 to 1933. The Bauhaus was an architectural ideology similar to Russian Constructivism and existed at the same time that it did. As Constructivism lost its favour because of Stalinist Neoclassicism, the Bauhaus gradually became inactive as the Nazi rose to power. Just like Constructivist structures, Bauhaus buildings usually possess a cubic design and favour right angles owing to its geometrical figure.Nevertheless it may occasionally feature rounded corners as well as balconies. These buildings usually have an open floor plan and smooth facades. The Most Notable Constructivist Buildings The Rusakov Workers' Club. One of the most notable examples of constructivist architecture in Moscow is the Rusakov Workers' Club. It was designed by Konstantin Melnikov and was constructed from 1927 to 1928. On the outside, the club resembles a fan and in elevation, it is made up of a base and three cantilevered concrete areas for the seats.If the seating areas are combined, the building can seat over 1,000 people while each of these three cantilevered seating areas can be used as a separate auditorium. More conventional offices are found at the rear of the building. Moreover, the materials used in its construction are glass, concrete and brick. The constructivist identity of the building is expressed in its exterior, which the architect Melnikov himself described as a â€Å"tensed muscle. † On the outside, the three seating areas are seen as three large rectangular solids protruding from the walls of the building on the upper part.Melnikov naturally applied his own values to its construction by setting the Rusakov Workers' Club, as well as other clubs he had designed, against the hostile city rather than belonging to it by employing sharply distinctive forms to make the structure appear indivi dualist and unique against the general backdrop of urban buildings. Svoboda Factory Club, another constructivist building worth mentioning is the Svoboda Factory Club, or Maxim Gorky Palace of Culture. It was also Konstantin Melnikov who designed the building in 1927. It was completed two years later.For the general design of the Svoboda Factory Club, a conventional rectangular masonry block was used as a replacement for the original plan of using a flat elliptical tube, thus giving its design a constructivist spirit. The staircase was not curved but built straight, leaving the central rostrum column as the only curvilinear element in the structure. However, although the central rostrum column balances the left and right halves of the building, these halves are not identical with the north side end block significantly higher than the opposite one.This unique feature is a quality of the individualism of the constructivist movement. Nonetheless, the central rostrum hides such a discre pancy . Zuev Workers' Club, another prominent example of constructivist architecture is the Zuev Workers' Club in Moscow. The architect Ilya Golosov designed the structure in 1926 and it was finished after two years. The original function of the building was to house various facilities for the workers of Moscow.The innovative and unique glazing treatment at its corner and the facade formed from the dramatic â€Å"intersection of a cylindrical glazed staircase and a stack of rectangular floor planes† prove to be very photogenic and make the Zuev Workers' Club a symbol of Russian avant-garde architecture. These two unique qualities reflect a strong unique identity which is characteristic of Soviet Constructivism. The stack of rectangular floor planes has behind them a sequence of club rooms and open foyers that lead to a rectangular auditorium made up of 850 seats.Golosov, like Melnikov, was an enthusiast not for the logics but for the dynamic forms Constructivist design method s. In the Zuev Workers' Club, this is evident in the immensely powerful drama of the cylinder intersecting the flat planes . Narkomzem, also known as People's Commissariat of Agriculture, Narkomzem was another noteworthy example of avant-garde architecture in early 20th century Russia. The building, which is now used today as a working ministry, was designed by Aleksey Shchusev and was finished in 1933.The most striking constructivist feature of the building is its corner details where a rectangular plane intersects with the cylindrical edge. Aside from the corner details, the overall asymmetry and the ribbon window located on the top floor remain to be the most striking features of Narkomzem . Melnikov's House. The house of the architect Konstantin Melnikov, or simply known as Melnikov House, is one of the most notable examples of 20th century avant-garde architecture. It is located in Moscow and is located well away from the street.Melnikov House is a building made up of a combina tion of both Futuristic and Classical designs consisting of two interlocking cylinders with the rear one noticeably taller than the front. The structure is also perforated with some sixty identical elongated hexagonal windows provided with Constructivist glazing bars. The asymmetry in the cylinders and the uniquely designed hexagons are testaments to Melnikov's commitment to Constructivism. The cylinders are made from stucco-covered bricks similar to those used in Russian churches and on the facade are written the words KONSTANTIN MELNIKOV ARKHITECTOR .Narkomfin, another Russian building with constructivist design is the Narkomfin building. It was designed by the architects Ignaty Milinis and Moisei Ginzburg along with engineer Sergei Prokhorov. It was constructed from 1928 to 1930 for the purpose of providing apartments for the employees of the People's Commissariat of Finance, of the Narkomfin. The transitional, semi-communal apartment was supposed to introduce to the Soviet citiz en the communal way of life and to introduce communism into the heart of domestic life and prepare the citizens to fully live a communal existence .Narkomfin, for its constructivist elements, had a long elegant facade with several rows of horizontal windows. It was topped with the Commissar's penthouse making it look like and be called â€Å"the ship. † Upon its completion it turned out to be an ensemble composed of three buildings: the housing block, the communal block and a small laundry building. The Narkomfin has remained an icon of modernism in avant-garde architecture of Soviet Russia primarily because of these constructivist elements that make it stand out among the rest.The Narkomfin building was also known as the most perfectly realized building out of all the communal buildings constructed during the Constructivist Era or in the utopian years of the early Soviet Union. It was also considered the prototype for the modern European apartment blocks and housing estates. Now, the Narkomfin remains as a pilgrimage sites for historians and architects from all over the world. The Communal House (1920-1930) of the Textile Institute, or the Communal House for Textile Institute Students, in Moscow is considered Ivan Nikolaev's masterpiece and is another noteworthy architectural work of the Soviet constructivist era.Popularly called Nikolaev's House or The Hostel, the Communal House demonstrates the â€Å"dom kommuna,† or the 2000 adult apprentices shared cabins along an eight-storey block extending for a length of 200 meters. There was a creative mix of dining rooms and recreational spaces in the low block. The Communal House was actually built for textile students to live and study in while adopting a strict military communal fashion that starts with a wake-up call, and proceeds with exercise, shower, and study.The constructivist elements of the Communal House include half-round stair towers, the triangular staircase, and the vast rectangular vol umes as well as the asymmetry demonstrated by the uneven intersections of the various planes in the facade of the building. The Barshch's and Sinyavsky's Planetarium, or the Moscow Planetarium, was established on November 5, 1929 and is considered at present a centre of natural sciences. The planetarium is principally involved in reading public lectures and implementing scientific and artistic programs in cosmonautics and astronomy. In the observatory of he planetarium, one can watch the sunspots, the Moon, the planets and many other heavenly bodies with the use of a telescope. The Modern State of the Planetarium M. O. Barshch and M. I. Sinyavsky were responsible for the design of the planetarium and commenced the construction on September 23, 1928, the day of the autumnal equinox. The planetarium was actually one of the largest projection domes for any planetarium in the world, which makes this unique feature one of its most prominent characteristics as a symbol of avant-garde Sovi et architecture. However, its apex was only 4cm thick. Located in the former city of Leningrad, now St.Petersburg, the Red Banner Textile Factory was partially designed by the first foreign architect asked to design in the USSR, Erich Mendelsohn, in 1925 to 1926, and later designed by E. A. Tretyakov, S. O. Ovsyannikov, and Hyppolit Pretraeus until its completion in 1937. The Red Banner Textile Factory was a dynamic, futuristic large factory and was a most notable example of Soviet Constructivist architecture. The Red Banner Factory resembled a ship with the top part of it jutting out of the planes. There is also an asymmetry with the intersection of the cylindrical and rectangular sections of the building on the outside.These two constructivist features of the factory give it its unique identity and make it stand out. Notable Architects of Russia from 1924-1932 The Russian constructivist designer Vladimir Tatlin was considered the progenitor of Soviet Constructivism because of his revolutionary exhibits of relief constructions from 1913 to 1914. He was also responsible for the appearance of the Constructivist Manifesto in 1921 which paved the way for the first construction of a plan for a constructivist building in 1922 and the actual establishment of constructivist office and residence buildings in 1925.Tatlin trained at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture as well as in the Penza Art School. It was after completing his formal studies that he joined a group of avant-garde painters and writers all over Russia. It was also during this period that he formulated several designs for a theater and participated in exhibitions. Konstain Melnikov was one of the big names in Soviet constructivist architecture, being the architect behind the Rusakov Workers' Club, the Svoboda Factory Club and his own Melnikov House.Melnikov apprenticed as an engineer after attending the Moscow School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture. He studied architecture from 1912 to 1917 and it became his passion although he initially studied painting in 1905. As a romanticist and a supporter of Communism, Melnikov was an architect who had independence of mind and rejected the principle of â€Å"method† in design and instead focused on â€Å"intuition† as the most essential factor in expressing the social and symbolic meaning of an architectural form such as a building.In his works, Melnikov struggled to combine Classicism and Leftist Modernism and often designed his architectural masterpieces with explicit and symbolic historicism. A leader of Constructivism from 1925 to 1931, Ilya Golosov was the Russian architect responsible for the design of the Zuyev Workers' Club in Moscow and communal housing in Ivanovo. Just like Tatlin and Melnikov, Golosov studied at the Moscow School of Painting, Sculture and Architecture. However, he also studied in the Stroganov School of Arts.His main impression with the works of the Vesnin brothers made him join the constructivist organization, or the OSA Group in 1925, and from then on he started designing his masterpieces. However, although Golosov was a champion of Constructivist architecture, he regarded the architectural philosophy of Constructivism only as ideal for exterior decoration but not for wholesomeness in terms of functional style. These contrasting views of his regarding Constructivism eventually made him abandon the avant-garde form of architecture in 1932 and settled for neoclassical architecture in his works, hence from Soviet Constructivism to Soviet Realism.Another name in the Soviet Constructivist architects hall of fame is Ivan Nikolaev. He was famous for the constructivist design and even the formulation of the rules and regulations of the Communal House of the Textile Institute built from 1929 to 1931. He devised a rather rigid and Communist procedure for the members of the training institute which was supposed to be followed through every single day: a wa ke-up call, exercise, shower and study. In addition Nikolaev was also famous for his modernist campus of the Moscow Power Engineering Institute.He, however, abandoned his constructivist beliefs in order to adopt Stalinist architecture. Another prominent name in avant-garde Soviet architecture of early 20th century Russia was Aleksey Shchusev. Shchusev was responsible for the constructivist designs of the Kazan Railway Station, the Narkomzem, or Agriculture Ministry, building in Moscow, and most important of all, Lenin's Mausoleum on Red Square, which he designed only in a stunning period of three days. Another one of his constructivist designs was the Institute of Resorts in Sochi, which he designed from 1927 to 1931.Shchusev was tasked to design many more buildings after 1932 and some say that he was even the originator of Gothic skyscrapers in Moscow. Shchusev studied at the Imperial Academy of Arts from 1891 to 1897 and his travels to North Africa and Central Asia from 1894 to 18 99 may have somehow influenced his partial non-adherence to pure Constructivism. It is also worth mentioning that even before Shchusev designed buildings, he was already tasked to restore church and to design a cathedral during the first ten years of the 20th century.His restoration of the St. Basil Church in Ukraine, his designs for the Trinity Cathedral in Pochayiv Lavra, and the Marfo-Mariinsky Convent in Moscow made him one of the best and most versatile architects of his time. The expressionist architect Erich Mendelsohn was a German Jewish architect and the first foreign architect who was allowed by the USSR to work for them. In 1926, he partially designed the Red Flag Textile Factory in St. Petersburg. The constructivist design of the exterior of the factory made it resemble a ship.This particular masterpiece of Mendelsohn is similar to the Mossehaus, which he himself designed in Berlin. He also designed the rear view of the Einstein Tower in Potsdam and the Cohen House in Lo ndon, all of which had designs similar to that of Soviet Constructivism. Mendelsohn studied architecture at the Technical University of Berlin and the Technical University of Munich, where he graduated cum laude in 1812. His initial work before he became an international architectural designer was as an independent architect in Munich.One of the champions of Russian Constructivism, not necessarily for his actual works but for his theories, was the name Yakov Chernikhov. Perhaps Chernikhov's only actual architectural achievement was the Red Nail Maker's Factory, or Red Carnation Factory, built in St. Petersburg from 1930 to 1931. The rest of Chernikhov's fame is attributed to his written works. Chernikhov studied at the Odessa Art School where he taught drawing and sketching years later, and at the Academy of Arts at St. Petersburg where he graduated in 1925. He then joined the Constructivist movement and instead of concentrating on the actual ractice of his profession, he wrote and published a series of books which showcased his constructivist architectural fantasies: Fundamentals of Modern Architecture, written from 1929 to 1930; Construction of Architectural and Machine Forms, written in 1931; and Architectural Fantasies: 101 Compositions, written in 1933. These three books did not only make him famous all over the world but also became a source of inspiration to many generations of architects. He had five more books published from 1934 to 1948. Decline of ConstructivismA competition for a grandiose project for the Palace of the Soviets was held in 1932. The constructivists joined the competition with their best entries. However, there was an ever-growing criticism of Modernism as that time, and this affected as well all the Soviet Constructivism. The winning entry was therefore not constructivist but an eclectic Stalinist architecture project by Boris Iofan. By the end of the 1920s, Constructivism was eventually replaced by Post constructivism, which featur ed buildings designed in a composite style and bore close resemblance to Neoclassicism.

Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Kristine Le. Diabetes Mellitus Type 1 . The Diabetes Quebec

Kristine Le Diabetes Mellitus Type 1 The Diabetes Quebec Association states that in the past, a diagnosis of diabetes meant certain death. This was held true until a Canadian physician, Frederick Banting, discovered the hormone insulin in 1921. He was able to isolate a unknown matter from the pancreas of a dog and inject it into another dogs pancreas s. This discovery enabled them to save the lives of these diabetic dogs. Through trial and error Banting was able to perfect the purification of insulin in order for it to be injected on a daily basis to compensate for the insulin not being produced by the pancreas to control the blood sugar in hyperglycemic patients. Diabetes mellitus is an inability of the body to catabolize glucose†¦show more content†¦This disease does not favor one gender over the other, it effects males and females equally. Currently, the origin of diabetes is a conundrum. Although, it is understood that the immune system attacks the beta cells but it is not clear how or why it occurs. It is hypothesized that T1D maybe hereditary and environmental factors contribute to the onset (5). Symptoms prevail in individuals whom have the majority of their beta cells destroyed via a cellular mediated autoimmune response (1). The insulin signaling cascade is initiated when insulin binds to insulin receptors located on the cell s surface. The insulin receptor has four subunits: two alpha subunits located on the outside of the cell and two transmembrane beta subunits (3 4). When insulin binds to the alpha subunit receptors, it transmits a signal across the plasma membrane and activates tyrosine residues that are attached to the beta subunits. The activation of the tyrosine residues causes it to autophosphorolate and then phosphorolate other proteins that also have tyrosine residues attached to them. These phosphorylated proteins then move on to trigger cellular responses such as translocation of GLUT4 vesicule to the cell membrane. The vesicule becomes a tr ansporter to allow glucose to come into the cell so that it can continue on and be stored as glycogen (3). A beta cell-specific autoimmune process is the beginning of the destruction of the beta cells that produce insulin.

Tuesday, December 31, 2019

How Many Atoms There Are in the Human Body

Have you ever wondered how many atoms are in the human body? Heres the calculation and answer to the question. Short Answer There are approximately 7 x 1027 atoms in the average human body. This is the estimate for a 70 kg adult human male. Generally, a smaller person would contain fewer atoms; a larger person would contain more atoms. Atoms in the Body On average, 87 percent of the atoms in the body are hydrogen or oxygen. Carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen together account for 99 percent of the atoms in a person. There are 41 chemical elements found in most people. The exact number of atoms of the trace elements varies widely according to age, diet, and environmental factors. Some of these elements are needed for chemical processes in the body, but others (e.g., lead, uranium, radium) have no known function or are toxic contaminants. Low levels of these elements are a natural part of the environment and typically do not cause health problems. In addition to the elements listed in the table, additional trace elements may be found in some individuals. Reference: Freitas, Robert A., Jr., Nanomedicine, http://www.foresight.org/Nanomedicine/index.html, 2006. Atomic Composition of a Lean 70-kg Man Element # of Atoms hydrogen 4.22 x 1027 oxygen 1.61 x 1027 carbon 8.03 x 1026 nitrogen 3.9 x 1025 calcium 1.6 x 1025 phosphorus 9.6 x 1024 sulfur 2.6 x 1024 sodium 2.5 x 1024 potassium 2.2 x 1024 chlorine 1.6 x 1024 magnesium 4.7 x 1023 silicon 3.9 x 1023 fluorine 8.3 x 1022 iron 4.5 x 1022 zinc 2.1 x 1022 rubidium 2.2 x 1021 strontium 2.2 x 1021 bromine 2 x 1021 aluminum 1 x 1021 copper 7 x 1020 lead 3 x 1020 cadmium 3 x 1020 boron 2 x 1020 manganese 1 x 1020 nickel 1 x 1020 lithium 1 x 1020 barium 8 x 1019 iodine 5 x 1019 tin 4 x 1019 gold 2 x 1019 zirconium 2 x 1019 cobalt 2 x 1019 cesium 7 x 1018 mercury 6 x 1018 arsenic 6 x 1018 chromium 6 x 1018 molybdenum 3 x 1018 selenium 3 x 1018 beryllium 3 x 1018 vanadium 8 x 1017 uranium 2 x 1017 radium 8 x 1010

Monday, December 23, 2019

The Monk Vs. Frankenstein - 955 Words

The Monk vs. Frankenstein Whenever Gothic literature is mentioned, most people would consider the novel Frankenstein to fall under this genre. It is viewed as one of most popular and defining novels of Gothic fiction, remaining an icon throughout society until the present day. However, a lesser-known, but equally brilliant novel, also deserves to be regarded as a quintessential Gothic work. The Monk and Frankenstein bear several similarities to each other, which makes them stand out in their Gothic fiction. Despite this, there are enough major differences between the two books that further prove how important they are to the genre. It would be reasonable to begin this essay by comparing the protagonists of both novels, and drawing†¦show more content†¦Earlier in the novel, he tears the incomplete female to pieces right in front of the original monster’s eyes. Likewise, Ambrosio suffocates Elvira and â€Å"[plunges the dagger] twice in the bosom of Antonia twice† out of desperation (Lewis 335). These characters are indeed the protagonists of their novels, challenging the idea that good guys equal protagonists through their motivations, characteristics, and actions. One of the main characteristics that link Victor and Ambrosio are their egos. They want to be worshipped and be revered as idols. Victor’s whole purpose of creating his monster is so â€Å"[a] new species would bless [him] as its creator and source; many happy and excellent natures would owe their being to [him]† (Shelley 43). Victor essentially wants to play God, eventually doing so when he brings his creation to life. Victor wants to be make a breakthrough in science and be the lone discoverer â€Å"so astonishing a secret† (Shelley 41). Ambrosio prides himself with being Madrid’s idol, asserting that â€Å"[religion] cannot boast Ambrosio’s equal† (Lewis 39). He is so full of vanity that he refers to himself in third person. After he has finished his sermon, he gloats privately and indulges his vanity. His pride tells him â€Å"that he [is] superior to the rest of his fellow-creatures† (Lewis 38). The crowd’s reaction to him only boosts his ego as they â€Å"[pronounceShow MoreRelatedHomosexuality in Victorian and Elizabethan Literature.6608 Words   |  27 Pagesand managed to reverse them, making men faint like women, and making women powerful like men, and called it Dracula. Mary Shelley created a a physical being out of a mans suppressed homosexuality due to his Victorian male upbringing; a man named Frankenstein. Robert Stevenson described what happens when a homosexual male attempts to live double lives to cover up his true feelings, and entitled it The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The Elizabethan era, like the Victorian era, had its own viewRead MoreLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |  760 Pages.............................................................................. 299 CHAPTER 10 Deductive Reasoning .......................................................................................... 312 x Implying with Certainty vs. with Probability ................................................................................ 312 Distinguishing Deduction from Induction ..................................................................................... 319 Review of Major

Sunday, December 15, 2019

The Concept Development Corporation Case Study Free Essays

Introduction This essay is centred upon the Concept Development Corporation case study in Crawford Di Benedetto, which contains important aspects about launching tangible products and intangible services. The case study would be linked to the product evaluation task in Figure 8.1 in order to ascertain the major differences between the evaluations of tangible goods and services, reasons why these differences existed, and the consequences in relation to the evaluation techniques and methods. We will write a custom essay sample on The Concept Development Corporation Case Study or any similar topic only for you Order Now The major differences that exist between the evaluation of tangible goods (like toys) and services are discussed henceforth. Firstly, the opportunities to deliver tangible products, and their market requirements are easily identifiable and discussed. For instance, in the case study, it was easy to identify that they wanted Toys with minimum expenditure, that would contain an element of education, paper, competition, numbers and the like, and be targeted at children under 12. However, in the writing services, their main aim was to be reactive to whatever clients require and design innovative services that meet industry and business needs. Evaluation of services, identification of its opportunities and its market descriptions are not as precise and clear as they are in product lines. These differences occur as a result of the nature of products and services. Products are physical items and their sales and elements are easily identifiable. For instance, it is easy to know what a toy is and represents, whilst difficult to understand the sort of benefit a writing service would constitute. Secondly, in product evaluations, it is easy to obtain samples of similar competitive products and compare them against the product line being launched. However, in service evaluations, its intangibility makes it difficult to evaluate competing services. Unlike product evaluations that entail looking at sales figures or launching the product in test environments in order to get judgemental responses, service deliveries in contrast usually get immediate responses from customers thus making it easier to evaluate. Preliminary market analyses could be easily conducted on product segments in that sales figures and product sales of own company and that of competitors could be easily obtained, whilst analyses of service elements cannot be obtained except they have a product element in them, feedbacks are obtained, or service prices are analysed. The reasons behind the difference in giving an initial review of product and service lines is because of the level of customer interaction present in service delivery. For instance, when delivering a writing service, the company would need to study clients and understand their requirements and expectations, and based on these expectations, a service delivery opportunity could be established. The interactions with customers make it possible to understand their requirements firsthand and tailor service deliveries specifically to their requirements. However, in product launches, the level of customer interaction is greatly reduced and in some cases inexistent, which makes it difficult to understand what their requirements are until the products have been designed, tested and launched. Thirdly, decisions on whether or not to develop a product could be based on specific and easily identifiable checklists and profile sheets, which could be easily answered. For instance, Concept Development Corporation could easily patent its Toy products, modify its design and score the product idea based on feedback and sales figure obtained. However, services cannot be easily stored, patented, readily communicated or easily reproduced, which make it difficult to decide on whether or not to provide it. But due to the fact that feedback is easily obtainable for services, then it could act as a necessary checklist for the product launch, in that customers could be asked for feedback and further ideas on the service lines, which could then be used in deciding whether or not to provide it. These differences exist typically because of risks inherent in launching services. Several service developments just like product developments require initial investments such as hiring and training s taff, and marketing the products to potential customers. However, in Toy products where there is a tried and tested market for Toys, and key success factors could be easily obtainable through research, the same cannot be said for service development. In developing services, the company needs to identify and understand the customer requirements, and even with that it is not yet certain whether or not the service delivery would be a success. This uncertainty is centred on the fact that the quality of service delivery, and the success of its development, is based on its ability to anticipate customer needs, its interaction with customers, how customers respond to this interaction, and how customers perceive the quality of this interaction. Fourthly, in the Development Phase, which is basically centred on progress reports and decisions on whether or not to develop, product launches entail the development of a tangible product so progress reports, protocol checks, prototype tests, concept tests and product use tests could be very easily ascertained. However, in service launches, there is little or no development, just the development and test of the concept, which is to be the service. For instance in the case study, the corporation intends to establish a writing service, but there is no development process essential, except for the procurement of products required to render this service and ensure it meets customer requirements. These differences exist because it is easier to develop a product prototype and test it, rather than it is to develop a service prototype. There is nothing called a service prototype because a draft or test service cannot be easily developed and tested. This is because for a service to be produc ed and tested, it needs the customer. Therefore if a prototype service were to be designed, it still needs customers for it to be produced and delivered. Therefore, Concept Development Corporation would need to design the writing service and how they intend to deliver it, then deliver a test product to a client, in the hope that the client would provide adequate feedback on the work for the company to know how the service would actually fare. However, in product prototype testing, everything could be done in house. The toys could be developed based on design specifications, and once the prototype is development, it could be tested against specified requirements, checklists and scored appropriately. Making it easier for the company to develop a high quality product. Lastly, the launch phase, which basically entails the testing of the product, is different for products and services. Decisions on whether or not to launch and market a product is centred on speculative sales, testing markets that have been simulated, controlled sales and test marketing, right before a general rollout is implemented. The initial stages before the rollout are utilised in ensuring that the rollout is successful and all necessary information regarding the products are understood and provided for. In service launches decisions on whether to launch a service, and relevant information surrounding that decision, are based mostly on the identification of an opportunity to provide this service, and customer participation in the test service process. The service quality perception is based to a large extent on the expectations of customers, and the manner in which employees affect the service delivery process. Mass production or launches in service lines are difficult. These d ifferences exist because customers are co-producers of the service delivery process, are often co-consumers with other consumers. Both products and services could be tested and simulated in particular markets, while controlled sales are implemented. However, those for products are more precise, objective and easily identifiable compared to services. Concept Development Corp could try delivering writing services to just a few companies initially, just like they could only sell toys in a few markets initially; whilst the feedback obtained from both, in different forms would guide eventually decisions on whether and how to rollout the service. Based on the differences identified and explained in the body of this essay, the likely consequences of these differences on evaluation techniques and methods have been identified. Firstly, the identification of business opportunities and decisions on where to focus efforts are easier for products than for services. The specifications and market descriptions for products are more precise, objective and straightforward, whereas for services, they are usually based on an idea and tailored specifically to the target’s requirements, which is usually not uniform. Secondly, immediate responses are more easily obtainable for service segments due to the level of customer interaction, while relevant market information and preliminary market analyses are easily obtainable for product segments. Thirdly, decisions on whether or not to develop, which are usually based on checklists and scoring models are best for product segments, while for services, it is better to observe and understand customer requirements. Fourthly, protocol checks and prototype testing are more easily done for product launches than for services as they are tangible, easily designed measured and tested, unlike services that are intangible and require an element of customer interaction. Lastly, market testing is different in product and service evaluations, but could be easily done in both. Therefore in conclusion, product and service evaluations differ to a considerable extent due to the intangibility of services and the level of customer interaction required, however, that does not render service evaluations irrelevant in any way. BIBLIOGRAPHY Crawford, C. M., and Di Benedetto, C. A. (2008) New Products Management, McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 558pp Hartman, D. E., and Lindgren, J. H. (1993) Customer evaluations of goods and services: implications for services marketing, Journal of Services Marketing, Vol. 7 (2), pp4 – 15 Zeithaml, V. A., and Bitner, M. J. (2006) Services marketing: integrating customer focus across the firm, McGraw-Hill, 708pp How to cite The Concept Development Corporation Case Study, Free Case study samples

Friday, December 6, 2019

International Students Face in Tertiary Studies-Free-Samples

Question: Discuss about the Challenges that International Students Face In Tertiary Studies. Answer: Introduction The number of international students in several foreign universities is rapidly increasing. This report will focus on the various challenges that the international students are facing during their study in the foreign universities. This resulted in increased number of students who are keen to study abroad. As the contemporary world has experienced digital revolution and globalization, the interaction among various nations and cultures has increased in a significant manner (Staeheli, 2016). However, the large numbers of students who are coming to a new country are struggling to adapt new unfamiliar culture and to become comfortable with the new environment. The cultural shock, the communication gap, distant relationship among students and teachers act as the key drivers in raising the questions (Trueba, Jacobs Kirton, 2014). The other challenges the international students mainly face are related to time management, assessment strategies and finance management. The challenges the international students face in studying abroad: Cultural shock Through their course of study the students are primarily facing the issue related their cultural shock. Culture is the students social behavior, customs or ideas of the community or society he or she belongs (Van Rij, 2017). Cultural shock can be defined as the disturbance or disorientation the students experience by sudden changes in their way of life mainly caused by unfamiliar culture (DSouza et al., 2016). The students come to new country; new culture and treatment they get there also cause them to feel the disturbance. This has been proved all the new members in a new culture experience the cultural shock one way or other. As mostly the international students come to the host countries for a temporary period they struggle more to adapt the new cultural practice. Most European and American countries act as an individualistic and masculine society. Maximum of the international students in the European or American universities come from Asia or Africa (Altbach, 2015). Their cultura l experience is significantly different from that of the culture of Europe or America. The sojourner faces the challenges in the academia when a task is assigned to him and he is instructed to do it in a certain way which he is not used to (Petersdotter, Niehoff Freund, 2017). The new language problem, the ignorance or indifferent reactions from other prevents them from socializing. The international student goes through several stages in his phase of cultural shock. In the denial stage he denies everything that the new culture has to offer as it is totally stranger to him, then he goes through the defense stage where he tries to defend himself from the consequences that caused by the unfamiliar culture. Next he identifies the differences which lead him to the next stage of acceptance, where he realizes that the new culture is not absolutely different rather is a different from of the culture of his own. Then he starts adapting and integrating with the new culture. Finance management The cost for staying and studying in any foreign university is high. The international students go for part time jobs in order to meet their financial needs; however the process of getting a local job often proves to be challenging for them (Lin, 2016). Also there are different rules in each country regarding offering jobs to foreign students. It is not just the financial need for the study their leisure expense, holiday expenses create financial needs which they struggle to meet. Time management As they often opt for part time jobs, they also face challenges managing their time. The international students often fail to balance between their academic life and life outside the campus. The academic curriculum itself is quite time consuming. They initially take more time than the local students in order to adapt the new syllabus. Assessment strategies The assessment or evaluation process in the foreign countries is very different from their own. Assessment strategies are related to the various types of evaluation methods the universities apply to judge the students academic performance. The universities apply diverse range of assessment methods from written exam to area studies, project, field researches, presentation, reports and many others (Brown, Bull Pendlebury, 2013). How the students are performing in groups is also often being measured as part of the assessment. The international students are not generally used to such various methods. The research papers the international students have to prepare are not familiar. They initially face challenges in understanding the structure of the research paper and collecting and applying proper resources and citations. Language barriers Though most of the international students know and speak English well but communicating with the native English speakers often proved to be challenging for them. The international students face difficulties understanding other languages, the dialects of the local students and the local students also feel difficulties understanding the international students (Wu, Garza Guzman, 2015). The local students generally speak fast and often there are some colloquial words which do not make any sense to most international students. Diet Challenges The new environment has great impact on the international students lives. As the new freedom in a foreign land, advanced life style and stress from transition have great impact on the food habit. The international students face challenges in a new country related to the diet change (Yue, Le Terry, 2014). The new food consumption habit leads to obesity and other problems. The international students struggle to adapt and control their food habit in the host countries. They tend to consume foods that are mostly focused in taste and less on the nutrition. Managing the role relationship The relationship between the teachers and the students is different in several countries. The international students coming from a different culture find difficulties in adjusting with the western practice. From countries like China or India usually come with high expectations from the teachers which they often feel are not being satisfied by the teachers. The European and American academic professionals mostly see themselves as student facilitators unlike the teachers in most countries who teach the students whatever they need to do (Lunenberg, Dengerink Korthagen, 2014). The teachers engage more if offering them freedom and creativity by not offering them any direct instructions. The teachers expect more involvement and initiatives from the students. The teachers act as if they are at the same level with the students, who the students can approach and freely talk to. The students are encouraged in open discussion (Burns, 2017). In an ideal classroom the teachers are not only the s ource of knowledge, the teachers expect every student to contribute knowledge significantly. In most other countries the teacher is the active source of knowledge and the students act passively inside the classroom. They do not talk directly to the teachers if they are not asked to. The act of talking or directly participating in the lecture is considered to be disrespectful. The teachers provide them with direct instruction as what exactly they should read and how to apply the learning. The collaborative nature of the teachers is unfamiliar to the international students. The international students get confused regarding what exactly the teachers are expecting from them. As the teachers do not give direct instructions they feel uncertain about how to proceed and continue. They feel the need of directions and that leads them to perform poorly. The international students feel uncomfortable to express their thoughts directly so they mostly feel uncomfortable and remain silent in class activities. Recommendation The universities should adapt better strategies and encourage the international students more. The students from outside must prepare themselves for the coming challenges in a new environment. They must study and analyze the existing problem through an effective communication with ex international students from the same university. The university and the aspiring students should be trained prior to the admission. This will eventually minimize the cultural shock among the new international students. The universities should invest more in the students wellness service. The students must take advice from the nutrition counselors or dietician of the campuses. If the international students having much difficulty with the new food habit or experiencing bad effects on health, they should consider going back to their old food habit and chose a healthy eating plan. The universities must develop communicative learning practices. The students should be engaged orally participating in the classroom and actively participate in direct communication. The international students should communicate more with the local students and academic staff as more conversation will help them to identify the problematic areas. Before the undergraduate or post graduate students join the courses the universities or training institutions organize bridging courses to the aspiring students. The IELTS preparation will help them not only dealing with the language problems but also provide them with necessary knowledge so that the cultural shock gets reduced. Conclusion The host nations also encouraging students from outside as the cross border education has significantly contributing in their economy. The universities are trying to implement effective strategies for the international students are struggling to adapt new unfamiliar culture in their campuses. The universities are getting more engaged in internationalization. The universities are offering the international students more solutions and suggestions on how they should deal with such problems. Adapting the discussed recommendations might improve the situation; however not every problem can be solved just by the universities; the international students should participate actively in the process as well. References Altbach, P. (2015). Foreign study: Patterns and challenges.International Higher Education, (30). Brown, G. A., Bull, J., Pendlebury, M. (2013).Assessing student learning in higher education. Routledge. Burns, A. (2017). Innovating teacher development: Transformative teacher education through classroom inquiry. InInnovative Practices in Language Teacher Education(pp. 187-203). Springer International Publishing. DSouza, C., Singaraju, S., Halimi, T., Sillivan Mort, G. (2016). Examination of cultural shock, inter-cultural sensitivity and willingness to adapt.Education+ Training,58(9), 906-925. Fujimori, D. L., Odo, B. M., Smith, L. E. (2015). Hit the Ground Running: Enhancing International Students Cross-Cultural Adjustment. InInternational Management and Intercultural Communication(pp. 62-74). Palgrave Macmillan UK. Lin, L. (2016).3 Real Reasons Why International Students Can't Find Jobs in the US.HuffPost. Retrieved 22 August 2017, from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/li-lin/3-real-reasons-why-international-students-cant-find-jobs-in-the-us_b_9379568.html Lunenberg, M., Dengerink, J., Korthagen, F. (2014).The professional teacher educator: Roles, behaviour, and professional development of teacher educators. Springer Science Business Media. Petersdotter, L., Niehoff, E., Freund, P. A. (2017). International experience makes a difference: Effects of studying abroad on students' self-efficacy.Personality and Individual Differences,107, 174-178. Staeheli, L. A. (2016, February). Globalization and the scales of citizenship. InGeography Research Forum(Vol. 19, pp. 60-77). Trueba, H. T., Jacobs, L., Kirton, E. (2014).Cultural Conflict Adaptation. Routledge. van Rij, G. (2017).What Is Culture and How Does It Affect Our Daily Lives?.HuffPost. Retrieved 22 August 2017, from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/gabriella-van-rij/part-1-what-is-culture-and-how-does-it-affect-our-daily-lives_b_9607312.html Wu, H. P., Garza, E., Guzman, N. (2015). International students challenge and adjustment to college.Education Research International,2015. Yue, Y., Le, Q., Terry, D. R. (2014). Transition to an unfamiliar environment: International students' living experiences in an Australian regional area.Journal of the Australian and New Zealand Student Services Association (JANZSSA), (23), 10-20.