Document Analysis of John Brown’s Address to the Virginia Court

John Brown’s address to the Virginia Court Origin: The address given by John Brown to the Virginia court was his final words before execution on charges of treason. The charges were given because of a raid that he directed with the intent to take federal weapons which is an act of treason. On October 16th-18th, 1859, the radical abolitionist John Brown led a group of white and black men, including two of his sons, on Harpers Ferry, Virginia. Brown’s goal was to seize the federal arsenal, arm the local slaves, and fight a way into the North as described in this primary source in court.This raid was not surprising because of his abolitionist background and insanity as described by the Robert E. Lee who led the Union Army that suppressed the revolt. The group held up in a fire department and was attacked by Lee’s soldiers. The failed attempt resulted in Brown’s capture, trial, and execution on December 2nd. This episode of slave resistance was the last major rebellion contributing to the secession of the South and, eventually, the Civil War. Purpose: John Brown had a a few purpose for delivering this address.Obviously, it was given in response to charges accumulated from the raid, and the address also makes several points explaining his defense. Brown stated that he did not intend to fire a single gun but wanted simply to take slaves from plantations and lead them to northern states or Canada. Brown also stated that he did not induce the others involved in the raid to join him which lessened his crime in his mind. To the charges he addressed, â€Å"I never did intend murder, or treason, or the destruction of property, or to excite or incite slaves to rebellion, or to make insurrection.Though he denied the charges, one can infer that Brown really did want a slave uprising to occur in the South due to his strong abolitionist morals and beliefs. If the raid were to be successful, Brown would not stop with those slaves, but rather continue his forced manumission of the South. Brown’s impression of the trial was one of satisfaction, but he argued that â€Å"it is unjust that I should suffer such a penalty [of death]. † He made this argument because his intent was not to start this uprising but, instead, to be an act of defiance that he knew would indirectly cause a mass insurrection in the South.Value: John Brown’s address is not a historical landmark and was a less significant historical document that had minimal aftermath; however, it provides a specific example of responses in court giving insight into how acts of slave resistance are dealt with legally. Brown gives this document a unique texture because of his eloquence in court compared with his savagery in the raid. Overall, he is given the status of a martyr with his words: â€Å"I submit [to death]: so let it be done! † Brown reveals a very different side of his personality in which he is a dignified martyr.He predicts that slavery will never end peacefully in the country whose â€Å"rights are disregarded by wicked, cruel, and unjust enactments†. Historians can use this document today to show people strong in their beliefs who act upon them, and although some failed in their efforts, their cause was strengthened. Limitations: The address made by John Brown contains several limitations that affect its credit as a historical source. A significant limiting factor is that there is only one opinion to explain the raid. Brown had a biased opinion mainly because of his childhood having been greatly influenced with abolitionist morals and beliefs.One would think that Brown’s address would be biased in spite of his numerous accusations, but he speaks as if he had nothing to lose. The aiding and abetting criminals in the raid would not have delivered a speech as dignified and passionate as Brown’s but would obviously be similar in their renditions of the event. To fully understand Brown’s ra id, historians would need to consult Robert E. Lee’s notes. After viewing both sides of the story, a historian can either choose a side or make an inference that incorporates both.

Athenian audience Essay

Examine and compare the motives and actions of Orestes and Electra. To what extent will an Athenian audience admire and approve of them?  Electra is the central character in the play. Her main purpose in this play is to achieve the motive of a typical Greek person, which is to be noble to the gods, family and cherish their homeland. This is why tries as much as possible to kill the murderers of her father and why she thinks by doing this, she is obeying the gods. These murderers happen to be her mother and her lover; Aegisthus.This makes her hate her mother without considering the circumstances to which she was subjected to before killing Agamemnon. Electra describes her as ‘the queen of falsehood†. Pg 77. And a â€Å"worthless slot†. She expresses the hatred for her mother freely. She also hates Aegisthus as he has taken the place of her father. â€Å"Aegisthus sitting in my father’s chair, wearing the clothes he wore, pouring the same libations at the altar where he killed him’. Pg 76. This shows Aegisthus’ lack of respect for Agamemnon, the tradition of the Greeks and the Gods. As a result of the situation she denies herself of the privileges and luxuries of being a princess because she doesn’t want to live of f the means of her worst enemies. She describes herself as ‘an alien slave, a menial†¦dressed like a slattern in coarse and ugly garments’. The death of her Father and the exile of her brother, Orestes makes her mourn helplessly and continuously, as she cannot do anything. â€Å"So I can do nothing but wait in misery†. Pg 77. Mourning in the ancient Greek sense here meant tearing off your hair, crying and all sorts of self-harm. ‘I bring my sad s ongs here and tear my breast till it bleeds†. Pg 71. In addition, Electra also loves her father very much. Her love for him is more of an obsession, which has been seriously affected, as he is now dead. She is subjective to him and is ready to do anything for his sake though he is dead. † I will fall, if need be, for my father’s sake†. Pg 80.She also loves her brother, Orestes who has been exiled. She refers to him as â€Å"her darling† and her â€Å"darling’s own son†. Pg 92 &107.Her feelings towards her sister Chrysothemis is ambiguous as it changes according her actions. At a particular time she can adopt a harsh tone when addressing Chrysothemis â€Å"You ought to be ashamed, if you’re our father’s daughter†. Pg 78. Later on, she refers to her with a much more caring approach. † Listen to me my dear†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Pg 81. Furthermore, Electra has an aggressive approach towards issues. She lacks patience and is unable to consider the consequences of her actions before s he does them â€Å"Prepare fit punishments and turn their pomp to ashes!† This portrays her aggressiveness’ Pg 75. On the other hand we have Orestes who is one of the main male characters. He is the son of Agamemnon and his main aim is also to revenge the death of his father who has been killed by his mother and her lover, Aegithus as explained earlier, as he feels it his responsibility to the gods, which he is trying by all means not to disobey. â€Å"I would not have come back but in the gods’ good time; they brought me back to you†. Pg 108.It is important I note that Orestes expresses a bit of doubt after killing Clytaemnestra. â€Å"All right†¦if Apollo was right†. Pg 114. Also, unlike Electra, Orestes is a more calm and reserved. He does not pour out all his emotions and is more cautious in his actions. He is coordinated and plans his actions before carrying them out. For example, he tells the tutor to deceive his mother, Clytaemnestra and sister, Electra that he is dead in order to set a calm mood in the palace for his mother and also to make his sister lose all hopes that he’ll be coming back to revenge the death of their father. The result of this will be that Electra will calm down. Even when she eventually finds out he is her brother he cautions her. † I would not curb you; but there is danger in too much happiness†. Pg 108. He then comes disguised to kill the murderers of his father. In addition, Orestes contributes to the use of irony. For example â€Å"Which of you, I wonder, would be so good as to tell them within that a long expected visitor is here?† Pg 102. This is an irony as it is true that he has been long expected. Electra also makes use of ironies in the play. â€Å"Yes I see†¦you have it there in your hands†¦there is no doubt, then†¦O my brother†. Pg 103.This is an irony as she is actually talking to her brother. Lastly, Orestes main objective is more of justice and duty than personal hatred for the murderers of his father, Clytaemnestra and Aegisthus or his great love for his father unlike Electra .He believes that killing his father’s murderers is a responsibility given to him by the gods. â€Å"I could not have come but in the gods’ good time; they brought me back†. Pg 108. One can still say that Electra believes it is her duty but her motives still have an implement of her personal love and affection for her father. â€Å"You admit you killed my father; and that is the most monstrous admission you could make, whether you had justice on your side or not†. In conclusion, I personally think that the Greek audience would have sympathised with both Electra and her brother, Orestes as they both present the actions of a Greek person if he or she was in a similar situation, though it might be in different styles. In Electra, I think the audience would have loved the way she cherished the main priorities of a typical Greek person which, is to be loyal to your family and homeland. They would also have admired this in Orestes as he also does the same. The Greek audience would have also loved how she portrayed the regular tradition and culture through her mourning. In Orestes, I think the Greeks would have admired his ability to think of good ideas and his ability to make good use of his sense, as it was regarded as a very important characteristic in the society. They would also have loved the use of irony used by the two characters. The main shortcoming of this play is that the intrigue and suspense is limited, as it would have been more if the audience did not know the story..

Agribusiness Policy and the Business Environment

Dairy farming is one of the key areas of Agribusiness sector. One subgroup of this dairy farming is the raw milk business, which is the focus area of business in this report. The raw milk business is a very unique business area because of its frequent clashes with the government, and the very strict regulation under which it operates.The business is analyzed by using a fictitious company names Organo-Milk. The company can be thought of as a typical medium scale business enterprise, which is one of the common scenarios in this business are. The problems outlined for this company are typical of other similar sized companies in the raw mil business, and have led to many of the companies being closed down.The surviving companies are either very large cooperatives like Horizon Organic, or innovative companies like Organic Pastures, the latter being the chief focus of this study. Through the fictitious company, the raw milk business will be analyzed and some strategic options would be outl ined, which can be utilized for other similar companies in the business.The report first gives the introduction of Organo-Milk, then gives a detailed explanation of the US government policy regarding raw milk, then explores the business environment of the company, and finally takes all these inputs to give strategic solution for the company under focus.Introduction  The company under analysis here is a fictitious company with the name Organo-Milk. The company is modeled after the company Organic Pastures, and makes raw dairy milk and related products.The raw dairy products are the dairy foods that are unprocessed artificially for instance by using processes such as pasteurizing, heating, or chemically treating etc.Even the cows used in the farms are nor given antibiotics, hormones or GMOs i.e., Genetically Modified Organisms for producing more or better grade of milk. Instead they are given naturopathic treatments and are fed using organic green pastures only (Organic Pastures: Pr oducts, n.d., para 1).Like Organic pastures. Organo-Milk is also considered as a family owned company with the main organizational positions shared between different family members. Organo-Milk is based in the California state in the United States.This makes the company along with Organic Pastures, â€Å"one of the few remaining family-owned and operated dairies in California† (Organic Pastures: Organic pastures dairy Company, n.d., para 1).The company is assumed to have been set up formally in the early 1990s, and the founding members still hold crucial positions in the company, and are responsible for most of the day to day decisions and company operations.The staff working with the company has also been with them from the very start, with few instances of permanent employees leaving the farm. Most of the people employed on the farm live in the neighboring areas with very few instances of immigrant labor, though there are a fair number of labors who are drifters, ready to w ork as temporary employees for a couple of months.The company follows a very personal approach in its dairy farming operations.The products of Organo-Milk are kept similar to Organic Pastures, and are as below: ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Milk – As is mentioned above the company produces raw milk which contains natural occurring bacteria, beneficial to health, other necessary organic compounds like amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants etc. ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Butter – The butter made by the company is also raw butter, which is merely the fat part of the raw milk, and is made from churned cream without any additional ingredients like salt or colorings. ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cream – Cream produced by the company s just the raw cream skimmed from the raw milk, and there is not chemical process involved during the sequence. ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Cheese – The raw cheese p roduced by the company is probably the most treated of all the products. The cheese is heated to a temperature around 100 degrees Fahrenheit to make the process optimized and faster. ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Colostrum – This is the food which a mother cow produces to strengthen their new born calves and is an attraction to people who like dairy products.(Organic Pastures: Organic pastures dairy Company, n.d., para 1)The products produced are generally known as organic in the market mainly because of their non-use of any hormones and chemicals during and after the milking process.The milk and milk products which follow this process come at a premium price, and are popular among people as ‘real’ dairy farm products. The companies however, are almost always under controversies regarding safe practices, the treatment of animals on farms and what constitutes the exact definition of organic foods. Even larger corporations like Horizon Organic and Aurora Organic Dairy face these issues.

Project Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Project Management - Essay Example 10 References 12 1. Introduction The success of projects is depended on a series of criteria, all of which need to be met so that a project is completed on time and according to the standards set. In practice, the achievement of the above target is very difficult. Failures in projects are common phenomenon. Despite the efforts made by managers for the limitation of project failures, the problem is still extensive in regard to projects in all sectors. The causes of project failure are reviewed in this paper. Reference is made to two, major, IT projects: the NHS Computer System and the Ford Online Procurement System. Both these projects were well structured, so that risks are minimized. However, they were finally led to a failure, resulting to severe losses for the parties involved. Appropriate literature is also reviewed for identifying the causes of project failure. It seems that project failure is unavoidable when a project is not closely monitored and adequately supported. Also, un der certain terms, project managers hold the responsibility for the failure of the project assigned to them. Under these terms, it can be noted that project failure is related to many, different, factors all of which need to be addressed in order for the success of a project to be secured. 2. Project failure – characteristics and reasons Different approaches have been used in the literature for explaining the project failure, as a daily problem in all scientific and industrial sectors. O’Carroll (2003) notes that many project managers tend to focus on planning for eliminating the case of a failure. The above strategy has been proved ineffective. It is explained that ‘two much planning can be a reason for project failure’ (O’Carroll 2003, p.175). Even the requirement for following strictly the deadlines of a project can be a reason for project failure (O’Carroll 2003, p.175). O’Carroll claims that when focusing heavily on the planning p hase of the project, project managers do not deal with the failure of the project; instead, a plan should be developed in advance for setting the terms on which the management of the project’s failure will be based. From a different point of view, Wysocki (2011) states that the project failure can result because of unexpected changes on a project. The characteristics of these changes are not clearly presented. It is assumed that any alteration of the project’s initial terms, as included in its plan, is considered as a change of a project. The level at which change can threaten a project is difficult to be estimated in advance. It is assumed that the threat can be higher as the alteration from the project’s initial terms is increased. Holmes (2001) claimed that the causes of project failure can be many. For example, a project is expected to fail for one of the above reasons: when it is not adequately supported by the firm’s top management team, when its pl an is not detailed, when the targets set are not feasible, when no provision exists for managing the risks involved and so on (Holmes 2001, p.16). In this way, preventing project failure can be challenging task, especially if the resources required are not available or if the time limits for the completion of the project are too tight, not allowing the identification of alternative practices for facing problems appearing during the development of the project. The ‘Japan Users’ Association of Information Systems (JUAS)’

Drosophila Parkinson's disease model for Investigating Sleep Disorder Thesis

Drosophila Parkinson's disease model for Investigating Sleep Disorder of PD - Thesis Example Introduction Parkinson’s disease (PD) is an advancing and persisting neurodegenerative disorder that influences the control of the central nervous system (CNS) on the voluntary movement. It was first reported by James Parkinson in 1817, as â€Å"An Essay on the Shaking Palsy† (Parkinson, 2002). Much research has been carried out in two centuries towards understanding Parkinson’s disease but no definite cure could be attained so far. PD has emerged as the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease is difficult in early stages of the disease. Estimates reveal that only 75% of the clinically diagnosed cases are confirmed at autopsy (Gelb, 1999). Although the disease is non fatal but the linked complications culminate into life threatening consequences especially in the later stages of the disease (Morgante, 2000). The neuropathological studies disclose characteristics of PD and its c onnection with neuronal degeneration in substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc), loss of dopaminergic neuron results in imbalance between dopamine and acetylcholine. As less amount of dopamine is secreted, there is overtone of cholinergic activity in basal ganglia, responsible for various clinical features of Parkinson’s disease. ... Lewy bodies are associated with neurological conditions, they enclose protein components of the ubiquitin proteosome system (UPS), hsp, neurofilaments, ?-synuclein and synphilin-1 (Olanow, 2004). Cardinal features of Parkinson’s disease is associated with motor symptoms encompassing resting tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia/ akinesia, shakiness in posture, gait and posture disturbances may be common including shuffling of the feet, decreased arm swing and stooped forward- flexed posture, pin rolling movements of thumb, drooling of saliva from mouth, expression less face or masked face, micrographia, impaired agility (Nussbaum, 1997). The non motor symptoms occur due to loss of non-dopaminergic pathway resulting in the distress in the patient and hence impairing life (Hely, 2005). Mood alteration is common in PDs, including depression (Lieberman, 2006), anxiety, cognitive disturbance, impaired attention, prioritizing, interpreting social cues, and subjective awareness, dementia, h allucination, delusion, short term memory loss, enhanced sexual activity and psychosis (Frank, 2005; Levin, 2005). Sleep disturbances, disproportionate daytime sleepiness with nighttime sleeplessness, distressed REM sleep (Freedom, 2007). Disturbed visual sensations, spatial analysis and color differentiation, PD cases are unaware of their body position (Adler, 2005). Nocturia, orthostatic hypotension, distorted weight (Martignoni, 1995). Risk Factors for Parkinson’s disease encompass advancing age, environmental predisposition, and genetic factors in the select genes. The onset of Parkinson occurs in the individual above 50 years. The cause of PD is idiopathic and genetic

The death of the sun and the philosophical implications for humanity Research Paper

The death of the sun and the philosophical implications for humanity - Research Paper Example But just like any other forms of life or entities that exist in the universe, the Sun will eventually die. Scientists have pointed out that in a billion years, our Sun will run out of energy and die. That one important detail draws questions, let alone fear, about what could be the implications after the death of our sun. Every life form on our planet, as we know it, depends on our Sun. Humans, plants, animals, and even non-living objects need the Sun. For us, humans, almost all of our daily activities are associated with the energy that we get from the Sun. It enables us to function properly. Every morning when we wake up, the rising of the sun signals to start our day. It sheds light for us to see our surroundings. It emits heat to keep ourselves warm. It can help produce electricity especially in areas that cannot be reached by power lines. It can make our physical bodies healthy. It can be used to cook food for us to eat. These are just some of the many examples on how our Sun af fects and helps our daily lives. Though you can enumerate a lot of things how the Sun is beneficial to mankind, there are also hazards that come with it. Though the Sun can beneficial with regards to our health, it can also do harm to our bodies. Worse, it can also take away lives of people and other forms of life. The Sun also has the capacity to destroy buildings, houses, even forests and habitats of animals. Not only was the Sun valuable to mankind as a source of energy, it also played a part on affecting people’s way of thinking and belief. The light that the Sun emits symbolizes hope, truth, or renewal to some people (Stanford.edu). Anything that has a beginning also has an end. And so it goes with the Sun. Eventually, it will use up all its energy and die. There had been a lot of speculations regarding what will happen to mankind when the sun dies and science tells us that our species nor any life on earth will not be able to witness this astronomical even because all l ife on earth will have already died a hundred thousand years before the sun stops shining. But it is not possible to imagine life without light from the sun and the circumstances that mankind may face after the sun stops shining. Almost all of us are accustomed to see everything around us thanks to the light that our Sun provides. But what if there’s no Sun? It’s as almost as we’re putting ourselves in the shoes of a totally blind person. Imagine a world engulfed with darkness because of the absence of our Sun. When you go home at night, the first thing that you do is to instinctively look for the switch to turn on the lights. Now imagine a world where there’s no switch to turn on the lights at your home. Even when you go outside, there’s nothing to see but the little bright dots at the sky that we call â€Å"stars†. Our moon would not even be there because no other light source would make it shine. Without the Sun, the plants in our planet would cease to exist. The light that the Sun emits is essential for the plants to create food to be able to survive. Let’s not forget the important fact that the plants are responsible for producing oxygen in our environment. So, without the sun, there would be no plants to generate oxygen and that means humans, and animals would not be able to survive (Gamow 2). Not having a Sun also means our planet would travel across the universe aimlessly because of the gravitational pull of the sun that keeps the Earth on its orbit (Appell). These

ECONOMICS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

ECONOMICS - Essay Example The price of coffee in Cote d’Ivoire will tend to be high locally while in Vietnam, the prices will be low as much will be imported. 2. (a) The law of one price will hold in the case of rice traded freely in U.S and Canada. For the law of one price to hold, the market should be free from any trade barrier. The relative price is less than one. (1/1.04=0.9615) (b) The law of one price will not hold in the case of sugar traded in Mexico and the U.S. This is due to the imposition of quota by the U.S government o imports. The relative price is less than one. (1/93.05=0.0107) (c) The law of one price will hold in the case of Big Mac sold in the U.S and Japan. This is due to the fact that the good is identical. The relative price is less than one. (1/12.93=0.0773) (d) The law of one price will not hold in the case of haircuts in U.S and the U.K due to the fact that there is no good being traded internationally. The relative price is greater than one. ... .12 Canada(C$) 1.04 1.09 -0.05 1.16 -0.02 Denmark(Krone) 5.17 8.26 -3.09 5.34 -0.17 Eurozone(euro) 0.69 0.93 -0.24 0.72 -0.03 Japan(Yen) 93.05 89.6 3.45 92.6 0.45 Mexico(peso) 12.92 9.24 3.68 13.8 -0.88 Sweden(Krone) 7.14 10.9 -3.76 7.90 -0.76 The change in exchange rates is not consisted with the PPP implied exchange rates. The failure of the Big Mac Index to correctly predict changes in the nominal exchange rate between July 2009 and Jan 2010 can be attributed to the fact that, the demand for the big Macs products is not uniform in all the countries. The price of the big Mac varies significantly from country to country due to the difference in commercial costs such as advertising and transportation costs. 7. (a) Korea Japan Rate of Inflation Rate of Inflation 12/6=2% 2/1=2% (b) The expected rate of depreciation will be, (2.5-2.0)/2.0=0.25% (c) New inflation rate in Korea 15/6=2.5% (d) The increase in money supply will lead to a decrease in the price level and an increase in the exc hange rate. (e) Suppose the bank of Korea want to maintain an exchange rate peg with the Japanese Yen, they will have to choose a money growth rate of 14% to keep the value of the won fixed relative to the Yen (f) In order for Korea to implement a policy that will ensure appreciation of the won against Japanese Yen, they need to set a growth rate between 12% and 16%. This is because the range will allow for a steady growth with low rate of inflation. 11. (a) Importance of having a nominal anchor. Nominal anchor such as exchange rate is that it provides a simple approach that can easily be understood by all members of the public. It also provides a quick means of curbing high inflation rate. A major drawback according to Obstfeld and Rogoff, (1996) is that it leads to loss in the independent

Management Accounting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Management Accounting - Assignment Example hen undertaking a two stage assignment plan for overheads since cost allocation to intermediate pools is carried out at the initial stage while the second stage involves cost allocation to the products from the intermediate pools (Barnett & Dawkins, 2006). A number of scholars hold the opinion that ABC method of costing is undertaken by firms because it is considered fashionable, and not that it gives more detailed information for use by the management. It is a fact that this costing method does not give extra information to management since it determines the costs of the firm in a way that is different from the traditional or conventional method of costing (Rosati et al., 2008). The traditional costing method brings together all the costs of the organization then allocates them to the products that have been manufactured depending on the hours of labor spent directly per product. On the other hand, ABC concentrates majorly on the activities carried out prior to the completion of the products’ production. Here, the costing process is intermediate and is carried out by a firm to assign overhead costs to the products so as to see to it that there is accuracy on the information on the costs of the good. In other instances, the cost activity becomes the activity. Here, ABC provides no additional information and instead divides the costing process to see to the correctness of the cost information that is given for every unit or each product that is produced. Accounting heavily relies on the accuracy and transparency of information. The conventional cost techniques assign all kinds of overheads, which include product level, batch level, and facility depending on the allocation or assignment that suits the unit level best. On the other hand, ABC taps the structure of costs to illustrate the correctness in the information, presenting a particular reason for its preference by a number of firms. ABC primarily concentrates on activities that relate to the production

Milk Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Milk - Essay Example There are various types of microorganisms that can be found in milk and related products depending on the hygiene standards followed. The microorganisms found in milk and milk related products are classified as unfavorable- ones that are responsible for causing spoilage, and favorable- ones that responsible for bringing about desired changes in the products. There are various established methods available to enumerate the type of the microorganisms present along with their quantification. To ensure that the consumer gets a safe product for consumption various bodies like the FDA and Codex have established the product regulatory standards that all the milk producers and processors are supposed to meet across the product marketing chain. 1. Bacteria - These are single celled microorganisms, normally measured in microns and one of the methods of their classification is based on the fundamental shapes that they exhibit: a. Spherical, b. rod and c. spiral. They reproduce asexually by fission and their growth phase is characterized by distinct phases: 2. Yeasts - These belong to the group of microorganisms called fungi. These are classified on the basis of morphology, cultural, sexual and physiological characters. Based on their method of reproduction, there are two forms that are of importance in the food industry. a. Budding and spore forming yeasts: These are also called as true yeasts and reproduce by producing sexual ascospores. b. Budding or Asexual yeasts: These are also called false yeasts. 3. Molds - These also belong to the class of fungi and are multi-celled and filamentous, the filaments being referred to as hypha. These too can reproduce either sexually or asexually. The sexual reproduction normally happens in the unfavorable conditions by forming spores through the process of nuclear fission, whereas the asexual reproduction happens through either fragmentation or spore production in conidia. 4. Viruses - These are intracellular parasites. They need to contact and invade an acceptable host cell to survive and replicate. Factors affecting growth As enumerated by Banwart (102-144), in any food environment, some microbial species will survive and become dominant. Organisms that lack the ability to withstand stresses induced by unfavorable environment will succumb. The conditions that affect the metabolism and multiplication of microorganisms include the following: 1. Nutrients - These are required as source of energy and for synthesis of cellular

Natural Resources Essay Example for Free

Natural Resources Essay Renewable energy is energy that is derived from natural resources which can be replenished naturally such as tides, sunlight, geothermal heat, rain and wind. Renewable energy accounts for about 10. 1 of the locally produced electricity in the United States. According to Nebel and Wright, hydro power which is generated using water is the prime source of renewable energy apart from solar energy, wind power, geothermal power and biomass and bio-fuel energies (214). The Tazimina project in Alaska is an example of hydropower plant that does not require a dam. Other hydroelectricity dams are found in Tennessee valley and on the Colorado River. Wind power which uses wind to generate electricity is becoming more and more popular and is mostly used in some regions such as in Appalachians, Western United States and Alaska. Though this source of energy does not pollute the environment it poses negative environmental impacts to wildlife. Although solar technologies and geothermal power have minimal destructive environmental impacts biomass power has the prospective of becoming the leading energy source not only in the U. S but the entire world. Biomass can be produced almost everywhere and is derived from wastes and alcohol fuels and can be converted into liquefied fuel to meet transportation energy requirements. It can also be used to produce electricity and as a source of heat. Ethanol and biodiesel are common forms of bio-fuels used in the U. S and are produced from plants. The U. S department should focus on reconnoitring ways of converting cellulose from forest residue, agricultural wastes and other materials to ethanol which is the most environmental friendly source of fuel. Since the U. S government released $30 million shillings towards the funding of Clean Energies Technologies to enhance the transition to a viable energy future, this can greatly assist in building an inclusive state renewable energy scheme that addresses the full range of market issues and technologies. As it is observed by the World Watch Institute (2006), we all need energy that is secure, improves public health, protects the environment, is reliable, offers technological leadership and addresses climate change. Works Cited Nebel, Bernard J. , and Wright, Richard T. Environmental Science: The Way the World Works. Ed. Upper Saddle, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1987. World Watch Institute, â€Å"American Energy: The Renewable Path to Energy Security†. September 2006. Retrieved on 20th July, 2010 from: http://www. worldwatch. org/files/pdf/AmericanEnergy. pdf

Septic Shock: Acute Generalised Exanthematous Pustulosis

Septic Shock: Acute Generalised Exanthematous Pustulosis An illusion of Septic Shock: Acute Generalised Exanthematous Pustulosis with Multi organ Dysfunction Acute Generalised Exanthematous Pustulosis (AGEP) is a rare cutaneous eruption, most often caused by commonly used antibiotics. It is characterized by an acute onset of non-follicular sterile pustular rash and erythema within hours or days of drug exposure and usually resolves spontaneously within 1-2 weeks once the drug is discontinued. Hemodynamic involvement in the form of shock is rare. Here, we present a severe case of AGEP, manifesting with systemic involvement and hemodynamic instability resulting into shock with multi-organ dysfunction. The associated drugs were Erythromycin and Fluconazole with a possible combined effect of these two drugs that resulted in systemic involvement. Our patient improved markedly, both his hemodynamically and dermatologically, after discontinuation of the drugs and with systemic steroid therapy. BACKGROUND Why you think this case is important why did you write it up? Acute Generalised Exanthematous Pustulosis (AGEP) is a rare condition which presents with rapid onset of several non-follicular sterile pustules occurring diffusely on an edematous and erythematous background (1) (2). Systemic manifestations are typically restricted to fever and leukocytosis. Reversible mild hepatic and kidney injury have been reported in some cases (1) (3). AGEP is caused by drugs in 90% of the cases (3) and spontaneously resolves rapidly after the offending agent has been discontinued. Topical steroids are used for symptom relief and systemic steroids have been used in atypical severe presentations with systemic involvement (4) (5). Here we describe a unique case of Erythromycin and Fluconazole induced severe form of AGEP presenting with shock requiring vasopressors and multi-organ dysfunction requiring CVVHD. Despite prompt discontinuation of the offending agent, patients condition continued to deteriorate until systemic steroids were initiated. CASE PRESENTATION Presenting features, medical/social/family history A 61-year-old man with morbid obesity, COPD, hypertension, and Type 2 diabetes mellitus was admitted to the hospital for acute onset rapidly progressive diffusely erythematous rash within the deep folds of his pannus and scrotum, which was refractory to over-the-counter topical therapy. There was concern for erythrasma so he was started on erythromycin and fluconazole. Within three days, the patients rash spread diffusely across his trunk and extremities to form erythematous morbilliform papules which coalesced to form plaques. Within 12 hours of noticeably worsening rash, the patient acutely decompensated, became short of breath and developed metabolic and respiratory acidosis, requiring transfer to the Intensive Care Unit. He was initially started on BiPAP, however due to increasing somnolence he was intubated. He was noted to be hypotensive with blood pressure of 66/42 mmHg, not responsive to intravenous fluid resuscitation. Patient was started on vasopressor support with norepine phrine. On laboratory analysis, he was found to have leukocytosis (WBC 31.10 10^3/uL), a mixed metabolic and respiratory acidosis, lactic acidosis, as well as hepatic injury with AST of 4902 units/ml and an ALT of 3073 units/ml. He subsequently developed acute renal failure with a creatinine of 3.06 mg/dL, hyperkalemia of 6.3 mmol/L and phosphorus of 7.0 mg/dL and was started on CVVHD. INVESTIGATIONS If relevant More detailed The patient was thoroughly evaluated for an infectious source with radiographic studies and blood and urine cultures, however all work up was negative. Skin biopsy was performed which showed diffuse spongiosis, as well as numerous subcorneal pustules filled with a mixed inflammatory infiltrate, predominately consisting of neutrophils, with some associated lymphocytes consistent with AGEP. DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS If relevant Other differentials included septic shock, pustular psoriasis, Toxic epidermal necrolysis, Stevens- Johnson syndrome TREATMENT If relevant Erythromycin and Fluconazole were immediately discontinued upon acute decompensation. Due to concern for septic shock initially, he was started on broad spectrum antibiotics, with Vancomycin, Meropenem and Micafungin. However, when the infectious work up was negative, antibiotics were discontinued. With suspicion of AGEP, he was treated with methylprednisolone 80 mg every 8 hours for three days and eventual slow taper on oral steroids. OUTCOME AND FOLLOW-UP The patient had marked improvement in both hemodynamics and rash once started on steroids. He no longer required vasopressor agents and was extubated on Day 3 of methylprednisolone. He required four days of CVVHD and had complete recovery of both kidney and liver function. He was maintained on oral prednisone with slow taper for 2 weeks. DISCUSSION Include a very brief review of similar published cases Acute Generalised Exanthematous Pustulosis (AGEP) is a relatively rare cutaneous condition provoked by drugs- mainly by anti-infective agents, less commonly by infections (3)(4) and sometimes the cause remains unclear. It is believed to be a T-cell mediated neutrophilic inflammation and the histological hallmark is a spongiform subcorneal/intraepidermal pustule. The rash typically starts in the intertriginous area, as seen in our patient, or the face and rapidly spreads to involve the rest of the body. Systemic manifestations are typically just limited to include fever and neutrophilic leucocytosis and organ involvement is rare. In a few patients, mild hepatic and kidney dysfunction has been reported (1)(6)(3). Our case of AGEP was an atypical presentation with severe systemic involvement leading to hemodynamic instability and multi-organ dysfunction, thereby giving an illusion of septic shock. To the best of our knowledge,ÂÂ   there have been only a few reported cases of AGEP w ith such severe presentation and none of these cases were associated with the use of Erythromycin and Fluconazole (7)(8)(9).ÂÂ   In most of the severe presentations, Vancomycin was the culprit medication (7)(8)(9). It is possible that the combined effect of Erythromycin and Fluconazole which are both hepatically metabolized and alter each others metabolism leading to increased drug levels resulted in the drug reaction being severe with systemic involvement as an affect. Other differentials to consider would be pustular psoriasis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome and Toxic epidermal necrolysis. The patient had no history of psoriasis and the concern for SJS and TEN was low based on the history, lack of mucosal involvement and the timing of the drug eruption within a few days of the antibiotics was more in favour of AGEP which was later confirmed by the biopsy results. Treatment of AGEP involves prompt removal of the offending agent which typically leads to improvement in symptoms within a few days. Topical steroids can be used for symptom relief. Systemic steroids are not indicated , but have been used in rare cases with severe presentations such as in our case, but currently there is not enough data to support the use of systemic steroids to reduce the duration of the symptoms and early recovery (11)(5)(4)(10). LEARNING POINTS/TAKE HOME MESSAGES 3 to 5 bullet points this is a required field AGEP is a rare cutaneous drug eruption which can be severe and mimic septic shock. It should be suspected in patients being managed as septic shock with negative infectious work up and the patients condition continues to deteriorate while on anti-infective agents. Several medications have been known to cause AGEP, but it is unclear as to which factors contribute to its severity. Discontinuation of the culprit agent might not always result in clinical improvement , especially in severe cases and there might be a role for systemic steroids to promote early clinical recovery.