Sexual Attraction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Sexual Attraction - Essay Example Therefore on our biological level sexual attraction is a display of reproductive abilities; on psychological level we want to support that spiritual bond among individuals and reveal our emotions; in sociological frames sexual attraction is caused by cultural, legal and other aspects of our lives; from the point of view of philosophy, sexual attraction has prints of all the aspects of inner and outer worlds. Different societies have different mechanisms and criteria of sexual attraction. Historical and cultural backgrounds of our lives create stereotypes of what good and bad is, what sexual and what is not †¦ A complex bundle of personal preferences, experiences, genetic information, moral values of the society determine what is sexually attractive for any individual. First and most common idea is that sexual attraction should be considered in terms of physical appearance of a person. Whether this statement right or not, we’ll consider in this section. Furthermore it is relevant to give a brief overview of historical roots of sexual attraction if any. Thus in prehistoric age a woman with broad shoulders, big belly and flabby breasts considered to be sexually attractive (Buss, 1994). The epoch of Renaissance renovated this tendency and this image followed its existence. Nevertheless it’s hard to imagine that modern society could accept this image as an attractive one. Nowadays in order to be sexually attractive, a modern woman should be tall, slim, have good-looking face, proportional breasts and full lips. Following this criterion, we can conclude that sexual attraction is differentiated on a visual level. But female sexual image discussed above can be transformed in accordance with subjective attitude and imagination of an individual. Another question appears at this point: who is the individual deciding what is sexually attractive and what is

Amylase Activity In Germinating Barley

Amylase Activity In Germinating Barley Amylase is a calcium dependent enzyme which hydrolyzes complex carbohydrates at alpha 1,4-linkages to form maltose and glucose. Amylase is an enzyme found in the germinating seeds. Imbibition process causes the release of growth plant hormone gibberelin which stimulates the synthesis of amylase. The activity of the amylase enzyme is affected by many factors such as temperature, pH, enzyme concentration, substrate concentration, and the presence of any inhibitors or activators. In germinating barley, the food reserves are stored in the endosperm. The cotyledons store food for the use of embryo in the form of starch. Amylase enzyme breaks down starch into maltose, a chain of two glucose molecules Maltose then breaks down into glucose by the enzyme glucosidase. Glucose then enters the glycolytic pathway where it is used for the production of ATP and carbon molecules for biosynthesis. Glucose is used for the growth of plumule and radicle. This process is also known as the germination pro cess. The emergence of plumule and radicle indicate that the seeds have germinated. In germinated seeds, the blue colour of the Benedicts solution change to brick-red precipitate indicating the presence of glucose while maintaining the yellowish-brown colour of the iodine solution indicating the absence of starch. However, in non-germinated seeds, the yellowish-brown colour of the iodine solution change to blue black indicating the presence of starch while maintaining the blue colour of the Benedicts solution indicating the absence of glucose. Most of the time, when all the starch have been used up, the seedling capable of undergoing photosynthesis to produce energy and carbon. Hypothesis The higher the amylase activity, the higher the rate of seed germination. This is observed by a higher change in length of plumule and radicle. Hence, when performing the Benedicts test, the concentration of brick-red precipitate is higher seedlings and the solution remains blue for the dormant seed. Aim The aim of the experiment was to extract amylase from barley and to use it for the catalysis of a biochemical reaction hence investigating the amylase activity during seed germination. Materials and methods Ten germinating seeds were taken and using a paper towel, the germinants were patted dry and the weight of the germinating seeds were recorded. Next, using a mortar and pestle, the 10 germinating seeds were crushed into a puree. Slowly adding 10 ml of buffer, the germinating seeds were further crushed for two minutes. This will allow the amylase to go into the solution. The crushed seeds was filtered into a 100 ml beaker and the amylase extract was poured into a measuring cylinder. The volume of amylase extract was recorded. A five-fold dilution of the latter was done by pipetting 5 ml of the amylase extract and adding 20 ml of buffer to make up a total volume of 25 ml. This mixture is called the diluted amylase extract. A control was then done by adding 5 ml of the diluted amylase extract in a test tube and placing it in a water bath at 80o C for 10 minutes. When the 10 minutes have elapsed the control was removed and allow to cool to room temperature. Next the activity of amylase per mass of germinating barley tissue is to be determined. For this, onto ceramic plates, one drop of iodine was placed into 21 wells. A reaction mixture was then prepared by adding 5 ml buffer and 1 ml of 0.5% starch solution in a test tube. Then using a pasteur pipette, one drop of the reaction mixture was removed and added to one drop of the iodine. The iodine turned blue black. This was done to ensure the presence of starch in the reaction mixture. The previously made diluted amylase extract is thoroughly remix and 1 ml of the latter was added to the reaction mixture. The mixture is called amylase reaction mixture. (As soon as the amylase reaction mixture was prepared, reaction started. Amylase started to break down starch into simple sugars). Immediately, starting with well 0 on the ceramic plate, one drop of amylase reaction mixture was added to the iodine using a pasteur pipette. At one minute interval, another drop of the amylase reaction mixture was added to another well. This was repeated until the achromic point was reached. When the achromic point had been reached, the time elapsed was recorded. Once the achromic point was reached, the amylase reaction mixture was kept for the determination of maltose. (Note: Benedicts reagent gives a red-yellow precipitate of cuprous oxide when boiled with maltose. This reaction does not occur with starch.) In a test tube, 2 ml of the amylase reaction mixture and 2 ml of Benedicts reagent was added. A control reaction mixture was also prepared by adding 5 ml buffer and 1 ml of 0.5% starch solution but without the amylase extract. 2 ml of the control reaction mixture was then added in a test tube along with 2 ml of Benedicts reagent. Both the Benedicts reagent tubes were placed in a water bath at 80oC for 10 minutes and then examined for presence of cuprous oxide precipitate. All of the above steps were then repeated but with dormant seeds and seedlings. All data were then recorded for further investigation.

Geat Vs. Greek :: essays research papers

Geat vs. Greek: Paternal Injunction in Beowulf and The Iliad Picture this. Inside the hall, mighty shields and glistening swords await the visitors’ arrival. Skillfully crafted armor decorations proclaim great battles and fierce hunts. The prevailing warrior ethos and his manly power are evident throughout. It is these strong patriarchal images which gave birth to two epics from two totally different cultures: The tale of Beowulf from Scandinavia and The Iliad from Greece. To better understand the works themselves and their parallels, it is best to first define an epic. In order to be considered an epic, there are certain qualifications and standards that a piece of literature must meet. These epics are long poems that were originally expressed orally and later were put into writing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Both stories tell the tale of brave young heroes, always believing that their fight, their cause, is the true cause. In both stories, the heroes understand the role of fate. In Beowulf, the hero of that name understands that the monster Grendel may end his life, but is not deterred. He is not aware of his destiny, but realizes without qualms that if Grendel does kill him, then that was his time to die. In Iliad, both Hector and Achilles are keenly aware that their lives will end in battle. Although there is an emotional struggle in these characters not seen in Beowulf, their knowledge of their own fates does not stop them from fighting. This is what we might call bravery today, but in the past it was better thought of as a â€Å"warrior code†. And in both stories, it is not fate that matters in the end, but glory. The attitude is that if death shall come, so be it. But better to die fighting, immortalized in glory.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The hero code itself is based on patriarchal injunction. In Beowulf, the first character introduced in the prologue is the king Shield Sheafson, who bears the name of the founder of the Danish nation, making him a sort of father to his kingdom. The prologue of Beowulf takes on an Old-Testament form of sorts, introducing the characters by their lineage. Shield is father to Halfdane, who is father to Hrothgar, one of the main characters in Beowulf. The hero himself makes his introduction on the Danish shore by saying, â€Å"We belong by birth to the Geat people and owe allegiance to Lord Hygelac. In his day, my father was a famous man, a noble warrior-lord named Ecgtheow† (260-263).

Operations inventory management: Defining replenishment from requirements philosophy Essay

The requirements philosophy of inventory management and control aims to balance short term lower inventory and higher customer service. The materials requirements planner first determines the total amount of parts needed to produce a particular item on the production schedule. That is taking the output of a certain production schedule to be able to determine the needed items and raw materials, input, required to complete it. Current stock of parts are then located at the inventory database. The on-hand inventory is then subtracted from required quantity. The task is to break down the production schedule into all required parts which shall be used to schedule purchasing and manufacturing. (Burton & Bragg 2000). Requirements philosophy also recognizes the existence of subassemblies which is usually produced in advance or in parallel run prior to the manufacture of the final product or assembly. A schedule of the quantity and completion of the assemblies must be prepared to determine the exact date on which any part shall be purchased. Requirements planning involved timing. It extracts from the item master file the number of days or lead time required for a supplier to deliver a certain item from date of purchased. The cycle time or production time of each assembly must be determined to be able to achieved accuracy in production scheduling and purchase. Requirement philosophy is closely tied to the timing of transactions. Any change in the production schedule has a definite impact to major transaction changes that will call for urgent messages for urgent orders. (p. 150). Inventory replenishment refers to the need to calculate cost structures by using information about demand for better understanding of network topologies. It aims to understand service level requirements and its direct impact on inventory investment and allocation based on their relative supply chain. The inventory planner needs the information from the materials requirements planner to be able to manage direction and control of the flow of operations for the purpose of getting the perfect inventory level for a specific item for a specific period. Allowances on replenishment quantities at reorder point were then made for replenishment lead time and calculated safety stock to accommodate possible market demand fluctuations. This serves to be critical for incorrect information could mean probable stock out. Reorder actions served to preserve the integrity of the management inventory serviceability. Aspects of item cost, item physical and chemical characteristics, continuity of demand, shipping characteristics, and storage and handling requirements of the items were all taken into considerations. The determination of the reorder level then is guided by accurate computation of production cycle or working stock cycle which will temporarily respond to the average level of customer demand occurring during the period. Furthermore, a safety or buffer stock are then set on top of the level of requirements acting as allowances or additional inventory added to cycle stock in the event of variance in the normal distribution of demand. (Ross 1996). To differentiate, requirements philosophy supplies the specific requirements needed to support and complete a production schedule while replenishment philosophy is being computed on top of the required level of inventory taking into consideration the external factors of cost, lead time, shipping and storage requirements of the item in particular marked by determining a reorder level specification for each item or raw materials on record with high consideration on the factors of demand and supply availability.

Managing in the Global Environment

Globalization is a complex concept that has elicited much controversy. The available literatures on the globalization have little harmony in regard to what it is and whether it is a new or an old idea. Narrowly, globalization implies a process of aggravation of political, economic, and cultural interdependence amid the different actors within the global system. Globalization is more systematic in the economic field where it signifies a process of intensification of national economies with the purpose of developing the capacity of the global economy to work as a unit. This integration comes with certain socioeconomic conditions as well as policy mechanisms. Therefore, understanding globalization necessitates the description of the underlying context that makes it viable, as well as the institutional set up and policy frameworks that promote it. Globalization and its changes Over the last two decades, some significant changes in the global system have precipitated globalization. One is the changes in power distribution on a global level where the United States emerged as the sole superpower. This development has per se eliminated the competition among nations for global leadership and dominance; it would be difficult to have a common economic space while there are competing superpowers. However, in this regard, globalization is perceived as a United States dominated set up. In addition, it implies that if another superpower emerged, then the process would be reversed. (Scholte, 2003) Another factor which precipitated globalization is the bouncing back of the global predomination of capitalism as well as the free market economic system. Conflicting economic frameworks and visions would not be compatible with the processes of making a common economic space. Thus the lack of competition between various economic visions has created a favorable environment for globalization. Globalization and policies Several policy instruments have been created to act as mechanisms of globalization; this is after the establishment of the acknowledged underlying conditions. There has also been creation of fresh multilateral institutions with the restructuring of the older ones so as to manage and promote the mechanisms of globalization; a few key examples include the International Monetary Fund (IMF), The World Trade Organization (WTO), and the World Bank. The policy mechanisms developed in harmony with neoliberal ideology also aim to foster globalization; disengagement of state in economic activity especially in regard to regulation and institutional changes like trade barriers restriction, privatization, and capital mobility liberalization are some examples of these mechanisms. In developing world, the World Bank and IMF through their sponsored programs has been the vehicle behind the adoption of these mechanisms. There are two major reasons, in regard to globalization, that explain the harmonization of economic policy with neoliberal ideologies. First is that it would be close to impossible to think of convergence of national economies into a common space controlled by hegemonic power where countries are not prevented from exercising their powers such that they single handily design economic policies in line with their specific circumstances. (Gill, 2002) Second, the identified underlying shift stands for a change in power balance amid the social classes in support of capital at the world level. This change coupled with the United States hegemony has resulted into a condition suitable for the integration of capital's goal of the world economic system. The goal involve trade and capital flow liberalization as well as labor markets deregulation keeping in harmony with the interest of capital. Consequently, capital flow liberalization across borders coupled with technological development has reinforced the increased capital’s power by allowing it the power of mobility. In contrast, the capacity to organize and maintain pooled bargaining by labor has been shaken by deregulation of the capital mobility, labor market, and technological changes. In consideration of the acknowledged underlying shift and globalizing mechanism, a more comprehensive definition of globalization could be; a process of aggravation of interconnectedness amid national economies where it aims to create a single economic space and largely aligning with the capital’s interest, led by a hegemonic power and supported by different policy instruments and institutional frameworks. Globalization; New or Old Phenomenon There is widespread discussion as to whether globalization is a new or old phenomenon. Some analysts consider the concept to be new as well as revolutionary. Others including Kenneth Waltz argue that, in comparison to the era prior to the first world war, the current global set up has underachieved in terms of the level of intensification. Furthermore, the earlier governments especially before the First World War had less intervention than the government of toady. The aforementioned points are valid but they also do not denounce that capitalism brought a vigorous stride in global integration that was affected by the interwar of between 1918 and 1939 and the Cold War. The degree of consolidation of the worldwide production systems and disengagement of nations from economic activity may still be below the levels achieved in 1910. However the present rate globalization is high and the level of intensification may soon exceed the prior set records. (O'Rourke and Williamson, 2000) Notably, the welfare state set up that had been predominant since years of the interwar in the 21st century has declined. As a result, a new direction in global order that is designed in line with the reasoning tradition of Milton Friedman and Friedrich Hayek has arisen. According to Hayek, for example, the concerns of social imbalance are just indication of the outdated communalistic idea which should be scraped out and replaced by individual responsibility and freedom the issues of poverty and inequality not withstanding. Again, there is an increase in the outlook that national economies have integrated into a common space of worldwide economy; furthermore, only one form of organization is appropriate. The realization of a single global economy has still a long way to go. However, there is a powerful force propelling the world to that direction. Controversy also mars the factors that promote globalization. Obliviously, technological development has contributed to the intensification of interdependence. However, it is not substantial to claim that technology, by itself, would precipitate globalization. For instance, it is unclear whether capital mobility would be achieved due to technological advances alone; development in communication coupled with capital flows deregulation have improved capital mobility. (Bello, 2002) Conclusion Some sectors agree that globalization is modeled by the forces of the market system. In argument, to realize an economic system a political system must come in handy. Therefore, globalization is dictated by the assent of governments and in this regard, the United States predominant power as well as other developed nations. The strict followers of the market system argue that the reception of globalization by governments is inevitable such that they cannot prevent globalization in which case they would incur immense costs. Interest of powerful capital can punish national governments which implement monetary and fiscal policies that impact greatly on their visions. In these circumstances, developing countries have sided with capital due to amounting pressure from the advanced nations and the multilateral globalization agents. (Stiglitz, 2002) Reference Bello, W. (2002): Deglobalization: Ideas for a New World Economy, Zed Books, Gill, S. (2002): The Political Economy of Globalization: the Old and New, in E. Aksu and J. A. Held, D. and McGrew, A. (2002): Globalization/Anti-Globalization, Cambridge, Polity, 2002 O'Rourke, K. and Williamson, J. G. (2000): Globalization and History: The Evolution of the Nineteenth Century Atlantic Economy. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press. Scholte, J.A. (2003): Democratizing the Global Economy: The Role of Civil Society, Stiglitz, J. E. (2002