Global Food Prices

Why Did Global Food Prices Rise? 1. Farmers in the United States and in Europe benefit from government policies to promote the production of ethanol because they receive government subsidies to produce crops that can be turned into biofuels and it gives the farmers an incentive to plant crops such as corn and soybeans. However, this policy harms foreign producers of these foreign crops. Since U. S. nd European farmers have subsidies, they have lower costs than the foreign farmers and the foreign farmers may struggle to compete. The high tariffs on imported sugar cane in the United States and Europe benefit the American and European farmers of corn and soybeans because since the price of sugar cane is higher, sugar cane farmers cannot compete with the other farmers. These farmers who produce crops such as soybeans and corn used to create biofuel benefit because the cost of producing these crops is lower than sugar.Thus, the American and European farmers of corn and soybeans benefit, w hile farmers of sugar cane, such as Brazilian farmers, are harmed because they cannot compete in the American and European market for biofuel because their prices are higher due to the tariffs. The environment is also harmed because the biofuel made out of sugar cane burns cleaner than ethanol made of corn or soybeans. 2. With the risk of the food supply in poorer nations being dramatically reduced, leading to malnourishment and starvation, rich countries should assist in preventing this phenomenon from happening.Rich countries could help lower the food prices by not giving subsidies to farmers who produce crops that are used to produce biofuels. Since the subsidy gives farmers incentives to farm crops such as corn and soybeans, it takes away resources and land to produce other crops used primarily for consumption. If countries stop giving subsidies for crops used to produce ethanol, more energy and resources can therefore be used to farm crops used primarily for food, such as wheat .If more food crops are produced, the price will go down for these crops due to the theory of supply and demand, since there will be more food for consumption. By eliminating subsidies on crops such as soybeans and corn, wealthier nations can help increase the food supply, which will benefit poorer nations. 3. In terms of creating a healthier environment, the governments should continue to distribute subsidies to farmers of crops used to create ethanol because it will expedite the transition from gasoline to ethanol, thus creating cleaner energy sources faster.However, from a free trade standpoint, the subsidies give foreign producers of similar or substitute crops to be at a disadvantage because the subsidies favor domestic farmers through decreasing costs. I think the best policy to implement to lower CO2 emissions without further inhibiting trade would be to keep the subsidies at the level they currently are at because cleaning up the environment is a serious and important concer n, but it should not be done if it causes significant harm to free trade and market systems.

Hnc Poverty Essay

|In this report you will read about poverty and what is meant by poverty. Included will be an exploration of the differences between | |absolute and relative poverty. You will also read about the relationship between poverty and inequality, covering the types of | |inequality between gender and class and also, the extent of poverty in the current British context. I will also cover causes of | |poverty and inequality using sociological theories. Ending this report you will read into the effects of poverty and inequality in | |relation to behaviour, experiences and life chances on young people. | | |Poverty can be defined as â€Å"The state or condition of having little or no money or material possessions†, (Oxford English | |Dictionary). There has been two approaches brought forward by sociologists and these are absolute and relative poverty. Absolute | |poverty refers to basic conditions being met for an individual or group to live in a physically healthy state.These conditio ns | |include sufficient food, shelter and clothing; if these are not met, it is seen as absolute poverty. (Townsend 1979). The second | |approach is relative poverty and is based upon the standard of the overall living in society. It is when individuals or groups are | |living to a lesser standard to others within the society. | | | |Another factor that can cause inequality within society is class. This relates to a division of groups within society.Class has | |been seen as a major factor determining â€Å"the production, distribution and redistribution of resources†. (Townsend 1979). | |Depending on your class group, it will dictate where you are placed in the hierarchy of the society, which will affect your access | |to the gains and resources in society. There are four classes in society; these are the underclass, the working class, the middle | |class and the upper class. The inequality of class causes poverty as individuals are limited to wealth, resources and opportun ities | |within society.A case of inequality that relates to poverty is gender. This is when men and women are treated differently from each| |other regarding their roles and position within society. It is fair to say that women have been treated as less than equals and have| |had lesser opportunities within employment and chances | | | |Within Scotland, there were 980,000 people living in relative poverty and 620,000 across Britain working but living in relative | |poverty in 2007. (www. bbc. com).There were also 250,000 children living in relative poverty, and 150,000 children living in absolute| |poverty within Scotland in the same year. (Save the Children in Scotland). | | | |A feminist perspective is the sociology theory you could use to show the causes of poverty and inequality. The feminist perspective | |believes there is a general thought in society, that there is a gender division in the employment market, and males are | |breadwinners, whereas women are housewives †Å".Many women throughout the world encounter discrimination just because of their gender | |even though the government created the ‘sex discrimination act 1975’, which is now ‘The Equality Act 2010’, to prevent sexual | |discrimination, as it still continues today. Throughout the years it has been well known that women have faced discrimination in | |areas such as employment, education, and the use of facilities such as golf clubs etc. Due to the gender inequality within Britain’s| |society the man is the bread winner, and that the woman stays at home, cooks cleans and looks after the children.Over the years it | |has created a culture that is engrained within our society. This leads to a woman often working part time or in low paid jobs, if | |working at all. Also, if they are working, they are less likely to be selected for promotion or managerial posts, because it is not | |seen as a woman’s position or because of childcare responsibilities , such as maternity leave for 9 months or longer if they have | |more than one child.This can then lead onto that if you have a poor income, or reliant on benefits, then you are not able to afford| |the basics such as gas, electricity, appropriate living conditions and healthy nutritious food. This then creates health problems | |and inequalities because of poor diet and living conditions, from which they are unable to escape from. All of this can lead to | |addiction because of the situation they find themselves in. They can turn to smoking, drinking and drugs as a way to relieve | |anxiety, stress, boredom and depression. | | |Poverty can severely affect the young people I work with and have a negative impact on their behaviour, experiences and life | |chances. Many of the young people come from deprived areas, where their homes are inadequate or their parents are on a low income or| |are unemployed. This has an effect on the young people’s health, and they often have poor diets and lack healthy nutrition.Due to | |the lack of finances, the parents are not able to provide their children with a variety of social activities. This does not help | |develop the child’s socialisation skills and can often leave them feeling angry and left out from their friends. This anger can | |often show itself within education and lead to being excluded from school, which in turn can have a negative effect on their job | |opportunities. This lack of finance and social interaction for the young person can lead them to commit crimes.The individual can | |often suffer low self-esteem which may lead to regular drug abuse, which again can have a knock-on effect towards crime. Within the | |residential setting, I work with a young person who often gets jealous and angry when he hears of outings his peers have been on | |while he is on home contact. This is because when he goes home, his parents have little or no money to take him out so he often | |spends his time on t he street being bored, rather than going to places like the cinema or to a leisure centre .This young person has| |committed crimes of vandalism through boredom and theft from shops because he cannot buy the goods he wishes. | | | |To conclude, it can be shown that there is a link between poverty and inequality, this has been demonstrated through various | |theories and supporting statistics. | | | | | REFERENCES | |What causes poverty by John H Mckendrick | |Miller, Janet (Care in Practice for Higher Still) 1996 | |Oxford English Dictionary | |Townsend, P(Poverty in the United Kingdom) 1979 | |www. bc. com/news | |www. savethechildren. com | |Word Count |1053 |

Food for Thought Essay

The well known expression, you are what you eat, is even more true as we get on in years. If we had eaten the food that was good for us in our younger years, the chances of staying healthy longer will improve as we get older. Also, the likelihood of maintaining a high quality of life throughout our senior years increases. Reading nutrition columns in newspapers and magazines or from other media sources is a good way to keep updated of current food and health related discoveries. How can we be able to estimate and gauge the truthfulness of scientific studies about food? Linda Kulman gives us good advice about how to do just that in her article, Food News Can Get You Dizzy, So Know What to Swallow. I believe that for a person to be able to make healthy dietary choices a person needs to be educated as to the credibility of healthy dietary options. Primarily, to achieve and maintain good health, food from all the major food groups should be eaten in proper proportion and regularly. Therefore, no one food is able to maintain good health when eaten alone. For instance, â€Å"No foods are so good that if you ate them to the exclusion of all else, you would be healthy,† says M. R. C. Greenwood, a biologist and chancellor of the University of California-Santa Cruz (Kulman, 2012, p. 141). Making the correct dietary choices was, and continues to be a difficult one. Confusion can turn to frustration when many reports and studies contradict each others findings. Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating will give us the basics on what constitutes a healthy diet. The food guide basically recommends to eat in moderation and to eat a large variety of foods. The flip-flops of nutritional recommendations by the scientific community are causing bewilderment with many people who are trying to achieve and maintain a good healthy diet. Furthermore, the tale of fiber and its claimed shielding effect against colon cancer show how uncertain science can lead to confusion. Fiber helps food go through the digestive track faster, reducing the time carcinogens make contact with your intestinal walls. Studies of high fiber eating population and experiments with mice and rats resulted in giving the fiber hypothesis some credibility. Even though the evidence for higher fiber consumption reducing cancer risk remained uncertain, in 1984 the American Cancer Society made its first specific recommendation to eat fiber to help prevent colon cancer. Researchers with the Nurses Health Study in Boston tracked the diets and health of more than 88,000 American female nurses since 1980 and found that nurses who ate about 30 grams of fiber a day got colorectal cancer just as often as the average American, who consumes just 13 grams (Kulman, 2012, p. 143). Two additional study results showed that eating more fiber does not reduce the risk of getting colon cancer. These studies show that there was no significant difference of colon cancer risk between man and women. Researchers continue to suspect that whole fruits and vegetables as well as whole grains are protective against colon cancer. In conclusion, the fiber story is an example of how reporting results of scientific food studies while the studies are incomplete, can lead to many people becoming discouraged from believing future reported food study findings. Usually the cause of such distortions is the incompatibility between the needs of science and those of the News Media. â€Å"The way a lab finding makes its way to the headlines is like a conveyor belt,† explains the Statistical Assessment Service’s Murray. â€Å"At each step there is a potential distortion. Where science is contingent and unfinished, journalists want something definitive (Kulman, 2012, p. 143). The most frequent complaints about news reports is that they tend to leave out information that would help readers decide how seriously to take a new finding. The News Media should not be the only one to take the blame for the reporting of incorrect information about study findings. Scientist can get very enthusiastic when reporting their findings to the News Media and can easily be misinterpreted as to the significance of their findings. Scientists are often motivated to embellish their claims to get greater attention and more research funding. This is an unfortunately situation for those of us attempting to make an informed choice for a healthy diet.

Acquisition Reform Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Acquisition Reform - Research Paper Example The military’s economic dependency is depicted in the budget allocation and on other aspects like military logistical acquisition. Based on these facts, the US government has seen the need to blend these two sectors together to harmonize their dependency on each other. This led to the formulation of the acquisition reform program (Hanks, 2005, p.234). Acquisition reform is an exercise meant to integrate the United States military with the civil business practices. The US department of defense acknowledged the need to integrate the civil industrial sector with the military. The economical production of the US had direct relations with the military in terms of logistics production and supply. From the late 1980’s through 1990’s to the present times, the US department of defense has undertaken numerous exercises meant to develop an optimal program to integrate these two sectors. The goals of the reform exercise are aimed at streamlining the performance of the US military by initiating close relationship between the civil logistics producers and the defense department. This exercise has presented numerous challenges to the main corridors of US power, especially the Pentagon, on how to carry out the optimal reform actions effectively. This led to the enactment of the Acquisition reform Act in 2009 by the US congress. The need to integrate the Defense department with the business sector arose after a consideration of how to respond effectively to the US military requirements. This underlying principle led to the initiation of objective research meant to formulate the projects deliverables. These deliverables were to provide an insight into the objective purpose of the acquisition reform process. The main objective of the reform exercise is for the civil economic sector to respond efficiently to the military needs. Based on this goal, the project designers saw the need of

Issues in a Globalizing world (International Relations) Essay

Issues in a Globalizing world (International Relations) - Essay Example Globalization, for that matter, is also remarked as Internationalization since the nature of the two terms is on a worldwide scale more than anything else. However, on the part of the two terms, the one thing common however is the fact that these have identified themselves well with the changing (and growing) trends, where most of these are credited on the shoulders of the World War II, after which there has been a resurgent rat race nonetheless. The movement of commodities, people, information, money, technological developments, organizational infrastructures, legal frameworks and so on and so forth have only proved to all and sundry that globalization is a phenomenon and it is one that is here to stay for long. The world has become a global village due to globalization and it is a good omen if seen in the proper perspectives. (STOHL, 1988) Globalization helps improve cultural exchange across a wide cross section of regions scattered all over the world. It helps in playing its due p art in the multiculturalism concept where the individuals within it have easy access to the cultural diversities of one another. There is a lot to learn and adapt in the wake of the same. At times, the imported culture literally takes over the reigns and the basis of the local culture of the time within a place or region for that matter and this is a testament big enough to prove of the origins of globalization and the same playing its full effect in the related scheme of things. Then there is the travel and tourism concept which comes under the globalization regime and not to forget the immigration subjects which are discussed every now and then. By having a global system in place which looks after the different countries sitting at a single location, the issue of illegal immigration within countries has also decreased as a result which is surely a positive sign. The local consumer products are introduced in far flung areas and this accounts to the progress thus made

Analyze the scholarly literature for ways in which a leader Research Paper

Analyze the scholarly literature for ways in which a leader facilitates the creation of a shared vision - Research Paper Example When the Romans came to speak with the slaves, they asked who was Spartacus, and Spartacus immediately stood up and stated that he was Spartacus. After he did this, every man stood up as well as said that he was Spartacus, and every man was crucified for this. The point that Senge was trying to make was that Spartacus, as a leader, was able to transmit a shared vision to which every slave was committed, and this vision was that they all should be free. Because he was able to do this for his men, they literally would die for him (Senge, 1990, pp. 205-206). So, how does a leader inspire this same sort of loyalty? By creating a shared vision. A shared vision is one that the leader envisions, and every follower envisions the same thing. Each person in the organization has a picture in their heads about this vision, and this vision is in their hearts, a part of each and every person. Each person cares about this vision, and desire to be connected to everybody else in carrying out this vision. In other words, it is not just the leader conjuring up a vision for the organization, and transmitting the vision, essentially imposing his vision on others. It is the leader transmitting this vision in such a way that every member of the organization has the same vision, therefore will be truly committed to make the vision happen (Senge, 1990, p. 206). How this shared vision comes into being, along with ideas on making this happen that are the ideas of other researchers and writers, is the topic of this paper. The first factor in creating a shared vision is by acknowledging the strengths of individual members, and by acknowledging each individual members personal vision of the organization at its best (Senge, 1990, p. 212). Essential to this is composing a team, as opposed to a group. Plenart (1995) tells the story of team building in Malaysia. His team was composed of a mix of Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus who, initially, did not understand one

Conflicts in the Workplace Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words - 1

Conflicts in the Workplace - Research Paper Example Managing a conflict is an important task that occurs at three levels, according to Masters and Albright According to them, first of all, an individual must know how to deal with the conflict at a personal level like when he enters a conflict with a senior, a junior, a colleague, or a client. Second, he must be able to enable others in the organization to manage their personal conflicts. This is important because those conflicts will eventually come to you taking your extra time if they are not resolved in time by the people involved. Third, he must be able to work out an effective plan or strategy that should make sure that workplace conflicts are avoided and if occur then resolved in time. Conflicts at work â€Å"reflect systemic processes and patterns in how work gets done† thus it is important to determine those patterns so that better conflict management is made possible. It is also important to discuss here why at all managing a conflict at a workplace is important and wh y medication becomes necessary. Moore defines the mediation as the involvement of a third party, the mediator, in the resolution of the conflict, where the mediator has no personal relations with any of the conflicting parties involved. The mediator does not make decisions but assists the parties to reach such a solution that is acceptable for all those involved. Doherty and Guyler suggest that â€Å"there is a direct ratio between the quality of relationships across the workplace and long-term business effectiveness and success.†

Strategic management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Strategic management - Case Study Example The creation of high quality products requires a substantial investment. First, the organization needs to hire talented designers and other employees. Second, it needs to source for high quality raw materials. Third, it needs to create a process that ensures that the products that are produced are of the highest quality standard possible. IKEA has managed to adopt management practices that reduce its overhead costs. In addition, it has developed sustainable operations. As a result, it is able to create high quality furniture at competitive prices while also remaining profitable. In addition, it is costly for other furniture retailers to create high quality products with excellent design while keeping the price low. Furthermore, building the brand awareness that IKEA has built requires a consistent and expensive marketing effort. As a result, the organization has a competitive advantage over its competitors. The organization has developed an organizational culture that focuses on customer satisfaction. In addition, it has a long record of accomplishment in the furniture business. Consequently, it has developed the supply chain and distribution channel that is essential for a retailer. Furthermore, it has developed substantial industry

Grammatical prescriptivism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Grammatical prescriptivism - Essay Example The article began with the statement that â€Å"The New York Times can be quite accessible for English language learners.† The article then illustrated that there are ten tips that can be followed to help utilize the publication as a learning tool. The main argument to the paper is the fact that the New York Times is an excellent source for English as second language students. The first major tip in the article was that the New York Times (NYT) has a â€Å"Look Up† function on the website for the reader to access the definition of any word. The second tip illustrates that articles and prepositions are easily put into context, insofar as one can ‘scratch out’ the articles and prepositions from NYT Articles as a test to determine understanding. At this point it is important to highlight that the article also recommends several related articles that further reinforce the arguments made by Ojalvo. The third strategy highlights that a learner can start from a ve ry small article and work up towards more difficult pieces. The fourth tip stresses the point that the NYT has an extensive photo database with captions that describe the action taking place in the picture. This can be a useful tool in relating vocabulary to actions/images.

Bronislaw Malinowski's Importance to Cultural Anthropology Essay

Bronislaw Malinowski's Importance to Cultural Anthropology - Essay Example In the documentary videos related to Malinowski perused for this essay, one could see his powers of observation and synthesis. The rest of this essay will summarize the importance of the man and his works to the field of cultural anthropology. Malinowski’s ethnography of the Trobriand Islands made an immediate impact on anthropological circles. His description of the officialdom and hierarchy under Kula ring went on to become a cornerstone work in the realm of cultural anthropology. He paid particular attention to the operation of reciprocity and exchange in social groups. A key to his success is his sense of adventure, which is a pre-requisite to anyone involved in fieldwork. Along with Margaret Mead, Malinowski can be said to have pioneered and mastered fieldwork for anthropological projects. The methods employed by him for fieldwork, including ‘participatory observation’, are now established as fundamental to anthropological research. (Cravens, 2010, p.301) It is a symbol of Bronislaw Malinowski’s scholarly fame that many eminent anthropologists from his next generation took his tutelage and guidance. These included Hortense Powdermaker, Meyer Fortes, Raymond Firth, etc. Firth, in particular, had gone on to write detailed treatises on Malinowski’s works. Malinowski’s legend continues to hold firm even today, though later evolution in anthropological thought has affected it a little. â€Å"He has continued to be a great name in anthropology. But while his reputation as a superb field-worker has been maintained, his fame as a really great teacher in the Socratic tradition has been allowed to fade, and his achievement in creating a new and enduring approach to  anthropology has not been properly understood. Without him, the aridities of the  Kulturkreislehre  and the fantasies of pan-Egyptianism would doubtless have in due course been corrected and overcome. But for the younger generation of anthropologists in Eur ope, at least, he fought that battle and won it by the end of the 'twenties'.† (Troy, 1998, p.129) Of all the contributions made by Malinowski, his ideas related to ethnographic research is the most well-known. He approached the study of social systems through solid methodology and theory. It is not surprise then that one of the documentary films about his life and work is titled ‘Off the Verandah’, for he brought anthropology off the veranda and got knee-deep in fieldwork. In other words, the hands-on approach to studying cultural anthropology is one of his most valued contributions. He emphasized the importance of such ‘detailed participant observation’ for understanding distant cultures and social systems. He inspired a whole generation of anthropologists through these insightful and inspiring lectures. After his appointment as a lecturer in Social Anthropology in 1922, he gave a series of short courses on such topics as ‘Early Beliefs and So cial Differentiation’, ‘Social Organization of Australian Aborigines’, and ‘Economics of Primitive Peoples’. His seminar on Primitive Mentality ranks as equally important. His importance as a cultural anthropologist is further affirmed by the fact that he travelled far and wide in the European Continent giving lectures in Geneva, Vienna, Rome, Oslo, etc. His legacy and pre-eminence is registered by his appointment to

Shaping the Character and Effect of Financial Services Regulation Essay

Shaping the Character and Effect of Financial Services Regulation - Essay Example For instance, it provides credit to support growth, provides the liquidity needed for the economy to function, and offers the important risk management services2. In its role of credit provision, financial institutions have fueled economic activity by allowing businesses to invest beyond their cash at hand, household to purchase homes without necessarily saving the entire cost in advance, and also allow the government to smoothen out their spending by mitigating the cyclical pattern of tax revenues and to invest in infrastructure development3. In its role of liquidity provision, financial institutions usually offer protection against the unexpected need for cash. They are usually the direct providers of liquidity both through offering demand deposits that can be withdrawn any time and by offering lines of credit4. They are also at the core of the financial markets, offering to buy and sell securities and related products at need, in large volumes, and with relatively modest transaction costs5. In its role of providing risk assessment services, financial institutions allow businesses and household to pool their risks from exposure to financial market and commodity price risks, which are usually provided through derivative transactions6. Even though they have often gotten a bad name due to excesses in the run-up to the financial crisis, they still offer valuable risk management services through their core derivative activities. Some activities and roles of financial institutions if remain unchecked can lead to excess funds that are created by these institutions. This necessitated the need for financial regulation.  

Personality Psychology and Introverts Essay Example for Free

Personality Psychology and Introverts Essay Our lives are shaped as profoundly by personality as by gender or race. And the single most important aspect of personality – the north and south of temperament, as the scientist JD Higley puts it – is where we fall on the introvert-extrovert spectrum. Our place on this continuum influences our choice of friends and mates, and how we make conversation, resolve differences, and show love. It affects the careers we choose and whether or not we succeed at them. It governs how likely we are to exercise (a habit found in extroverts), commit adultery (extroverts), function well without sleep (introverts), learn from our mistakes (introverts), place big bets in the stock market (extroverts), delay gratification (introverts), be a good leader (depends on the type of leadership called for), and ask what if (introverts). Its reflected in our brain pathways, neurotransmitters, and remote corners of our nervous systems. Today introversion and extroversion are two of the most exhaustively researched subjects in personality psychology, arousing the curiosity of hundreds of scientists. These researchers have made exciting discoveries aided by the latest technology, but theyre part of a long and storied tradition. Poets and philosophers have been thinking about introverts and extroverts since the dawn of recorded time. Both personality types appear in the Bible and in the writings of Greek and Roman physicians, and some evolutionary psychologists say that the history of these types reaches back even farther than that: the animal kingdom also boasts introverts and extroverts, from fruit flies to pumpkinseed fish to rhesus monkeys. As with other complementary pairings – masculinity and femininity, East and West, liberal and conservative – humanity would be unrecognizable, and vastly diminished, without both personality styles. Take the partnership of Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr: a formidable orator refusing to give up his seat on a segregated bus wouldnt have had the same effect as a modest woman who would clearly prefer to keep silent but for the exigencies of the situation. And Parks didnt have the stuff to thrill a crowd if she had tried to stand up and announce that she had a dream. But with Kings help, she didnt have to. Yet today we make room for a remarkably narrow range of personality styles. Were told that to be great is to be bold, to be happy is to be sociable. Closet introverts pass undetected on playgrounds and in corporate corridors. Some fool even themselves, until some life event – redundancy, an empty nest, an inheritance that frees them to spend time as they like – jolts them into taking stock of their true natures. We live with a value system that I call the Extrovert Ideal – the omnipresent belief that the ideal self is gregarious, alpha and comfortable in the spotlight. The archetypal extrovert prefers action to contemplation, risk-taking to heed-taking, certainty to doubt. He or she favours quick decisions, even at the risk of being wrong; works well in teams and socialises in groups. We like to think that we value individuality, but all too often we admire one type of individual – the kind who is comfortable putting himself out there. Sure, we allow technologically gifted loners who launch companies in garages to have any personality they please, but they are the exceptions, not the rule, and our tolerance extends mainly to those who get fabulously wealthy or hold the promise of doing so. Introversion – along with its cousins sensitivity, seriousness, and shyness – is now a second-class personality trait, somewhere between a disappointment and a pathology. Introverts living under the Extrovert Ideal are like women in a mans world, discounted because of a trait that goes to the core of who they are. Extroversion is an enormously appealing personality style, but weve turned it into an oppressive standard to which most of us feel we must conform. The Extrovert Ideal has been documented in many studies. Talkative people, for example, are rated as smarter, better-looking, more interesting and more desirable as friends. Velocity of speech counts as well as volume: we rank fast talkers as more competent and likable than slow ones. The same dynamics apply in groups, where research shows that the voluble are considered smarter than the reticent – even though theres zero correlation between the gift of the gab and good ideas. Even the word introvert is stigmatised – one informal study, by psychologist Laurie Helgoe, found that introverts described their own physical appearance in vivid language (green-blue eyes, exotic, high cheekbones), but when asked to describe generic introverts they drew a bland and distasteful picture (ungainly, neutral colours, skin problems). But we make a grave mistake to embrace the Extrovert Ideal so unthinkingly. Some of our greatest ideas, art, and inventions – from the theory of evolution to Van Goghs sunflowers to the personal computer – came from quiet and cerebral people who knew how to tune in to their inner worlds and the treasures to be found there. Without introverts, the world would be devoid of Newtons theory of gravity, Einsteins theory of relativity, WB Yeatss The Second Coming, Chopins nocturnes, Prousts In Search of Lost Time, Peter Pan, Orwells Nineteen Eighty-Four, The Cat in the Hat, Charlie Brown, the films of Steven Spielberg, Google (co-founded by introvert Larry Page) and Harry Potter. As the science journalist Winifred Gallagher writes: The glory of the disposition that stops to consider stimuli rather than rushing to engage with them is its long association with intellectual and artistic achievement. Neither E=mc2 nor Paradise Lost was dashed off by a party animal. Even in less obviously introverted occupations, like finance, politics and activism, some of the greatest leaps forward were made by introverts. Al Gore, Warren Buffett, Eleanor Roosevelt and Gandhi achieved what they did not in spite of but because of their introversion. Yet many of the most important institutions of contemporary life are designed for those who enjoy group projects and high levels of stimulation. As children, our classroom desks are increasingly arranged in pods, the better to foster group learning, and research suggests that the vast majority of teachers believe that the ideal student is an extrovert. As adults, many of us work for organisations that insist we work in teams, in offices without walls, for supervisors who value people skills above all. To advance our careers, were expected to promote ourselves unabashedly. The scientists whose research gets funded often have confident, perhaps overconfident, personalities. The artists whose work adorns the walls of contemporary museums strike impressive poses at gallery openings. The authors whose books get published – once a reclusive breed – are now vetted by publicists to make sure theyre talk-show ready. If youre an introvert, you also know that the bias against quiet can cause deep psychic pain. As a child you might have overheard your parents apologise for your shyness. Or at school you might have been prodded to come out of your shell – that noxious expression that fails to appreciate that some animals naturally carry shelter everywhere they go, and that some humans are just the same. All the comments from childhood still ring in my ears, that I was lazy, stupid, slow, boring, writes a member of an email list called Introvert Retreat. By the time I was old enough to figure out that I was simply introverted, it was a part of my being, the assumption that there is something inherently wrong with me. I wish I could find that little vestige of doubt and remove it. Now that youre an adult, you might still feel a pang of guilt when you decline a dinner invitation in favour of a good book. Or maybe you like to eat alone in restaurants and could do without the pitying looks from fellow diners. Or youre told that youre in your head too much, a phrase thats often deployed against the quiet and cerebral. Of course, theres another word for such people: thinkers. You can be a shy extrovert too There are now almost as many definitions of introvert and extrovert as there are personality psychologists. Still, they tend to agree on several important points: for example, that introverts and extroverts differ in the level of outside stimulation that they need to function well. Introverts feel just right with less stimulation, as when they sip wine with a close friend, solve a crossword puzzle, or read a book. Extroverts enjoy the extra bang that comes from activities like meeting new people, skiing slippery slopes, and cranking up the stereo. Many psychologists would also agree that introverts and extroverts work differently. Extroverts tend to tackle assignments quickly. They make fast (sometimes rash) decisions, and are comfortable multitasking and risk- taking. They enjoy the thrill of the chase for rewards like money and status. Introverts often work more slowly and deliberately. They like to focus on one task at a time and can have mighty powers of concentration. Theyre relatively immune to the lures of wealth and fame. A few things introverts are not: the word introvert is not a synonym for hermit or misanthrope. Introverts can be these things, but most are perfectly friendly. One of the most humane phrases in the English language – Only connect! – was written by the distinctly introverted EM Forster in Howards End, a novel exploring the question of how to achieve human love at its height. Nor are introverts necessarily shy. Shyness is the fear of social disapproval or humiliation, while introversion is a preference for environments that are not overstimulating. Shyness is inherently painful; introversion is not. One reason that people confuse the two concepts is that they sometimes overlap (though psychologists debate to what degree). You can be a shy extrovert, like Barbra Streisand, who has a larger-than-life personality and paralysing stage fright; or a non-shy introvert, like Bill Gates, who by all accounts keeps to himself but is unfazed by the opinions of others. You can also, of course, be both shy and an introvert: TS Eliot was a famously private soul who wrote in The Waste Land that he could show you fear in a handful of dust. Many shy people turn inward, partly as a refuge from the socialising that causes them such anxiety. And many introverts are shy, partly as a result of receiving the message that theres something wrong with their preference for reflection, and partly because their physiologies compel them to withdraw from high-stimulation environments. But for all their differences, shyness and introversion have in common something profound. The mental state of a shy extrovert sitting quietly in a business meeting may be very different from that of a calm introvert – the shy person is afraid to speak up, while the introvert is simply overstimulated – but to the outside world, the two appear to be the same. This can give both types insight into how our reverence for alpha status blinds us to things that are good and smart and wise. For very different reasons, shy and introverted people might choose to spend their days in behind-the-scenes pursuits like inventing, or researching, or holding the hands of the gravely ill – or in leadership positions they execute with quiet competence. These are not alpha roles, but the people who play them are role models all the same.

Review of DNA and Protein Microarray for BioMEMS Technology

Review of DNA and Protein Microarray for BioMEMS Technology In recent years increase in genetically caused diseases is one of the major threat to mankind. Some of the genetically caused diseases are down syndrome, diabetes, obesity, sickle cell anemia, cystic fibrosis. This review paper explains how BioMEMS (Biological MicroElectroMechanicalSystem) technology used in microarrays and finding of gene expression which leads to medicine for particular diseases. BioMEMS research has been acquiring importance, due to the possibility of exploiting miniaturization to create new opportunities in medicine. BioMEMS systems in general have more diversity of materials and function than conventional MEMS devices. In BioMEMS ink-jet printing, photolithography techniques were introduced to deposit protein and DNA in array. DNA and protein micro-arrays based BioMEMS could be very extensively for rapid detection, drug discovery, and screening, especially when combined with integrated micro-fluidics and sensitive detection technologies. The techniques used to d efine patterns on semiconductor surfaces were utilized to construct arrays of single-stranded DNA. Once single strands of known sequences (capture probes) are placed at specific known sites on a chip surface, hybridization with molecules of unknown sequence (target probes) can reveal the sequence. Microarray-based gene expression profiling can be used to identify genes whose expression is changed in response to  disease caused genetically by comparing gene expression in infected to that in uninfected cells or tissues. Protein and antibody arrays can play a key role in search for disease-specific proteins that have medical, diagnostic, prognostic, and commercial potential as disease markers or as drug targets and for determination of predisposition to specific disease via genotypic screening. Array-based integrated chips and micro-fluidics hold a great potential for the development of high-throughput approaches to systematically analyze these proteins and to assign a biological fun ction, determine protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions. This paper tells about varies applications of BioMEMS to detect the defective gene the causes diseases and the fabrication methods used in microarrays chip production. Keywords: LOC Lab-on-a-chip, BioMEMS (Biological MicroElectroMechanicalSystem), ÃŽÂ ¼TAS (Micro Total Analysis System), Oligonucleotide, Microdroplets , Electrospray. 1. Introduction Microarray technology has been applied to study of gene expression to study mechanisms of diseases and to accelerate the drug discovery process. There is a definite trend towards increasing the use of molecular diagnostic methods, and biochip technologies, along with bioinformatics techniques. Classification of human disease using microarrays is considered to be important. The emphasis is not only on diagnosis but also on disease management, including monitoring the effect of treatment and determining prognosis [1]. Microarray and lab-on-a-chip systems are going to fulfill these new requirements, including the miniaturization of biological assays as well as the parallelization of analysis. Although the concept has been performed by miniaturizing the analytical equipments, the technology comes from the microeletromechanical and microelectronics industries [2]. Lab-on-a-chip technology is the method of choice to integrate processes and reaction and scale them down from conventional gla ssware to microfluidics, involving micro-sized channels in glass or polymer chips [3]. DNA microarray also knows as DNA chips, comprise a new technology emerging at a tremendous pace because of its power, flexibility, sensitivity and relative simplicity [4]. BioMEMS for proteomics can be divided into LOC device for specific tasks such as protein isolation, purification, digestion, and separation; and microarray device for high throughput study of protein abundance and function. An emergence of DNA, protein microarray has emerged over the last few years with commercial potential beyond the confines of the research laboratory [5]. In this paper we start our discussion with the history of microarray; subsequently we go into the details of general techniques used in DNA and protein microarray followed by fabrication and the application and future of microarray. 2. History of Microarray Microarray technology evolved from Southern blotting, where fragmented DNA is attached to a substrate and then probed with a known gene or fragment [6]. The first reported use of this approach was the analysis of 378 arrayed lysed bacterial colonies each harboring a different sequence which were assayed in multiple replicas for expression of the genes in multiple normal and tumor tissue [7]. These early gene arrays were made by spotting cDNA onto filter paper with a pin-spotting device. The use of miniaturized microarray for gene expression profiling was first reported in 1995 [8]. This technology allowed scientists to analyze thousands of mRNAs in a single experiment to determine whether expression is different in disease state. Unfortunately, mRNA levels within a cell are often poorly correlated with actual protein abundance [9]. A complete eukaryotic genome on a microarray was published in 1997[10]. The development of biochip has a long history, starting with early work on the und erlying sensor technology. In 1953, Watson and Crick announced their discovery of now familiar double helix structure and sequencing techniques by Gilbert and Sanger in 1977 [11, 12]. Two additional developments enable the technology used in modern DNA-based biosensors. First, in 1983 Kary Mullis invented the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique, a method for amplifying DNA concentration. This discovery made possible the detection of extremely small quantities of DNA in samples. Second, in 1986 Hood and co-workers devised a method to label DNA molecules with fluorescent tags instead of radiolables, thus enabling hybridization experiments to be observed optically [13]. A big boost in research and commercial interest came in the mid 1990s, when ÃŽÂ ¼TAS (Micro Total Analysis System) technology turned out to provide interesting tooling for genomics application, like capillary electrophoresis and DNA microarray [14]. Immunoassays, the precursor to protein chips available since t he 1980s, exploit the interactions between antibodies and antigens in order to detect their concentrations in biology sample. Their creation, however, is tedious and expensive. As to this, research at Harvard University combined the technology of immunoassays and DNA microarray to develop the protein chip [15]. 3. DNA Microarrays and Fabrication 3.1 Introduction Microarray analysis allows simultaneous of gene and gene products, including DNA, mRNA and proteins. There are basically two formats: cDNA microarrays and oligonucleotide microarrays. A cDNA microarray is an orderly arrangement of DNA probe spot printed onto a solid matrix such as glass, nylon, or silicon. The substrate is usually less than 4ÃÆ'-4 cm, while the spot size is less than 250ÃŽÂ ¼m. A DNA molecular probe is tethered (embedded and immobilized) to each spot on microarray. surface modification of the substrate, such as wit poly-L-lysin or silane, facilitates adhesion of the DNA probes. Hybridization is the base pairing between target and the probe, and is limited by the sensitivity and specificity of the microarray. There are three basic types of oligonucleotide microarrays: gene expression, genotyping (SNPs), and resquencing. Genomic DNA may be used for the study of SNPs, while expressed DNA sequence (cDNA clones, expressed sequence tags or ESTs) are used for gene expre ssion [17]. 3.2 Microarrays for Gene Expression Gene expression microarrays are tools that tell how much RNA (if any) a gene is making. Since 1977, and prior to microarray, only a few genes could be studied at a time using the northern blot analysis. GeneChip (Fig. 1.1) microarrays use the natural chemical attraction, or hybridization, between DNA on the array and RNA target molecule from the sample based on complementary base pairs. Only RNA target molecule that have exact complementary base pair bind to the prob. Gene expression detection microarray is that they are able to measure tens of thousands of genes at a time, and it is this quantitative change in the scale of gene measurement that has led to a qualitative change in our ability to understand regulatory processes that occur at the cellular level. It is possible to obtain near comprehensive expression data for individual tissues or organs in various states. Compressions are possible for transcriptional activity across different tissue, and group of patients with and witho ut a particular disease or with two different diseases. Microarray studies are designed in principle to directly measure the activity of the genes involved in particular mechanism or system rather than their association with a particular biological or clinical feature [18]. Although genes may be thousand of base pairs long, it is only necessary to construct a probe of 25 bases that represent a unique complementary portion of the target gene. In other words, the short probe on the microarray measures the expression of the complete gene by sampling only a small section of the gene. In some instances, as little as one RNA molecule out of 100,000 different RNAs in an original sample may be detected [19]. Sensitivity is the ability to identify the rarely expressed transcripts in a complex background. Specification is the ability to discern between different family members. The hybridization efficiency of two nucleic acid strand depends on 1) Sequence-dependent factors for length, extent of complementarity, and overall base composition; 2) Sequence independent factors such as the concentration of the probe and target, time, temperature, cation concentration, valency character, pH, dielectric and chaotropic medica, surface characteristics of the solid, and density spacing of the probe molecules; and 3) Sample-dependent complex background signal, which are probes interacting with the wrong complementary sequence [20]. Fig 1.1 GeneChip probe microarray cartridge (Image courtesy of Affmetrix) 3.3 Microarray for SNPs Small difference in a DNA sequence can have major impact on health. Deletions, insertions, and other mutations of as little as a single base pair may result in signification disease. Identification these mutations require determining the exact sequence for thousand of SNPs distributed throughout the genome. Using microarray, it is possible to scan the whole genome and look for genetic similarities among a group of people who share the same disease. Using microarray to genotype 10,000 to 100,000 SNPs, it is possible to identify the gene or group of genes that contribute to disease. For example, if a large group of people with a given diagnosis have several SNPs in common, but not healthy people, then mutations may be looked for within those SNPs. A genotyping microarray may look for up to 100,000 SNPs or more [21]. 3.4 Fabrication DNA spotting may be accomplished by depositing PCR amplified ESTs (500-5000 base pairs), or by in suit synthesis of oligodeoxynucleotide sequences (20-50 base pairs) on the substrate. There are variety of spotting techniques that include mechanical and ink-jet style application. The GeneChip brand arrays provide high levels of reproducibility, sensitivity, and specification. The following process steps are used for fabrication of the GeneChip: 1) GeneChip probe array are manufactured through a combination of photolithography (Fig 1.2) and combinatorial chemistry. With a calculated minimum number of synthesis steps, GeneChip technology produce array with hundreds of thousands of different probes packed at an extremely high density. Small sample volumes are required for study. Manufacture is scalable because the length of the probe, not their number, determines the number of synthesis steps required. 2) Manufacturing begins with a 5-in square quartz wafer. Initially the quartz is washed to ensure uniform hydroxylation across its surface. Because quarts is naturally hydroxylated, it provides an excellent substrate for the attachment of chemical, such as linker molecules, that are later used to position the probes on the arrays. Fig 1.2 Photolithographic technique are used to locate and add nucleotides for fabrication of array of probe (Image courtesy of Affymetrix) 3) The wafer is placed in a bath of silane, which reacts with hydroxyl groups of quartz, and forms a matrix of covalently linked molecules. This distance between these silane determines the probes packing density, allowing array to hold over 500,000 probe location, or features, within a mere 1.28cm2. Each of these features harbors millions of identical DNA molecules. The silane film provides a uniform hydroxyl density to initiate probe assembly. Linker molecules, attached to the silane matrix, provide a surface that may be spatially activated by light (Fig 1.3). 4) Probe synthesis occurs in parallel, resulting in the addition of an A, C, T or G nucleotide to multiple growing chains simulataneously. To define which oligonucleotide chains will receive a nucleotide in each step, photolithographic masks, carrying 18 to 20 ÃŽÂ ¼m2 windows that corresponds to the dimensions of individual features, are placed over the coated wafer. The windows are distributed over the mask based on the desired sequence each. When the UV light is shone over the mask in the first step of synthesis, the exposed linkers become deprotected and are available for nucleotide coupling. critical to this step is the precise alignment of the mask with the wafer before each synthesis step. To ensure that this critical step is accurately completed, chrome marks on the wafer and on the mask are perfectly aligned. 5) Once the desired features have been activated, a solution containing a single type of deoxynucleotide with a removable protection group is flushed over the wafers surface. The nucleotide attaches to the activated linkers, initiating the synthesis process. 6) Although the process is highly efficient, some activated molecules fail to attach the new nucleotide. To prevent these outliers from becoming probes with missing nucleotides, a capping step is used to truncate them. In additional, the side chains of the nucleotides are protected to prevent the formation of branched oligonucleotides. Fig 1.3 GeneChip fabrication steps (Image courtesy Affmetrix). 7) In the next synthesis step, another mask is placed over the wafer to allow the next round of deprotection and coupling. The process is repeated until the probes reach their full length, usually 25 nucleotides. 8) Although each position in the sequence of an oligonucleotide can be occupied by one of four nucleotides, resulting in an apparent need for 24ÃÆ'-4, or 100, different masks per wafer, the synthesis process can be designed to significantly reduce this requirement. Algorithms that help minimize mask usage calculate how to best coordinate probe growth by adjusting synthesis rates of individual probes and identifying situations when the same mask can be multiple times. 9) Once the synthesis is completed, the wafer are deprotected and diced, and the resulting individual arrays are picked and packed in flowcell cartridges. Depending on the number of probe features per array, a single wafer can yield between 49 and 400 arrays. 10) The manufacturing process ends with a comprehensive series of quality control tests. Additional, a sampling of array from every wafer is used to test the batch by running control hybridizations. A quantitative test of hybridization is also performed using standardized control probes [22]. 3.5 Microarray Data Analysis Data filtration is performed by selecting threshold pixel intensity; and 2-, 5-, or 10- fold difference between the samples. Different genes with an identical profile may represent a coordinate response to a stimulus. Genes with opposite profiles may represent repression. To compare expression profiles it is necessary to define a set of metrics, or operations that return a value that is proportional in some way to the similarities or difference between two expression profiles. The most commonly used metrics are Euclidean distance and Pearson coefficient of correlation [23]. 3.5.1 Euclidean Distance Two or more profile of each of two genes are compared as a mathematical matrix operation of n-dimensional space, where n is the number of expression patterns available. The Euclidean distance is the square root of the summation of the difference between all pairs of corresponding values. For two genes the distance is as follows: Where d is the distance, e1 is the expression pattern of gene1, e2 is the expression pattern of gene 2, and i is the element of the expression profile: Gene1 (e11, e12, ., e1n) and gene1 (e21, e22, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.,e2n). 3.5.2 Pearson Correlation Coefficient The Pearson correlation coefficient (r) gives a value of from -1 to 1, and closer to 1 (negative and positive correlation, respectively). The closer two profiles have the same expression, the closer the value will be to 1: Where and Sen are the mean and typical deviation of all of the point of the nth profile, respectively. 4. Protein Microarray and Fabrication 4.1 Introduction Protein microarrays are becoming an important tool in proteomics, drug discovery programs, and diagnostics [24]. The amount of information obtained from small quantities of biological samples is significantly increased in the microarray format. This feature is extremely valuable in protein profiling, where samples are often limited in supply and unlike DNA, cannot be amplified [25]. Protein microarrays are more challenging to prepare than are DNA chips [26] because several technical hurdles hamper their application. The surfaces typically used with DNA are not easily adaptable to proteins, owing to the biophysical differences between the two classes of bioanalytes [27]. Arrayed protein must be immobilized in a native conformation to maintain their biological function. Unfortunately, proteins tend to unfold when immobilized onto a support so as to allow internal hydrophobic side chains to from hydrophobic bonds with the solid surface [28]. Surface chemistry, capture agents, and detect ion methods take on special significance in developing microarrays. Microarrays consist of microscopic target spots, planer substrates, rows and columns of elements, and probe molecules in solution. Each protein assessed by a microarray should be the same as the partial concentration of each protein in the biological extract [29]. The past ten years have witnessed a fascinating growth in the field of large-scale and high-throughput biology, resulting in a new era of technology development and the collection and analysis of information. The challenges ahead are to elucidate the function of every encoded gene and protein in an organism and to understand the basic cellular events mediating complex processes and those causing diseases [30-33]. Protein are more challenging to prepare for the microarray format than DNA, and protein functionality is often dependent on the state of proteins, such as post-translational modification, partnership with other proteins, protein subcellular locali zation, and reversible covalent modification (e.g. phosphorylation). Nonetheless, in recent years there have been considerable achievements in preparing microarray containing over 100 proteins and even an entire proteome [34-36]. Randox Laboratories Ltd. Launched Evidence, the first protein Biochip Array Technology analyzer in 2003. In protein Biochip Array Technology, the biochip replaces the ELISA (Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) plate or cuvette as the reaction platform. The biochip is used to simultaneously analyze a panel of related tests in a single sample, producing a patient profile. The patient profile can be used in disease screening, diagnosis, monitoring disease progression or monitoring treatment (wiki Biochip). Protein expression profiling, protein-protein binding, drug interaction, protein folding, substrate specificity, enzymatic activity, and the interaction between protein and nucleic acids are among the application of protein microarrays. Abundance-based microarray, including capture microarray and reverse-phase protein blots, measure the abundance of specific biomolecules using well defined and high specific analyte-specific reagents (ASRs). Different classes of molecules can act as capture molecules in microarray assays, including antigen-antibody, protein -protein, aptamer-ligand, enzyme-substrate, and receptor-ligand [37]. 4.2 Spotting In situ synthesis of protein microarrays as done for DNA microarrays is impractical. Other forms of delivery-based technology must be incorporated. One-drop-at-a-time (microspotting) techniques including use of pins, quills or hollow needles that repeatedly touch the substrate surface depositing one spot after the next in an array format; shooting microdroplets from a ejector similar to ink-jet printing; and depositing charged submicron-sized droplets by electrospray deposition (ESD). Alternatively, parallel techniques such as microcontact printing (ÃŽÂ ¼CP), digital ESD, and photolithographic controlled protein adsorption can be used. Currently, micospotting by robotic techniques has greater use in the research setting, whereas parallel techniques offer cost saving for mass production for commercial use [38]. 4.3 Microcontact printing (ÃŽÂ ¼CP) In microcontact printing stamps are typically made from a silicon elastomer and used to make a microarray of spots with feature size from 0.01 to 0.1ÃŽÂ ¼m. Steps for stamping include the following [38]: 1) Activation of the stamp surface to increase hydrophilicity or to introduce grups for inking to target molecules such as antibodies, protein A, or streptavidin. 2) Direct adsorption of protein molecules or their binding to capture molecules over a period of 0.5-1 hours. 3) Rinsing. 4) Drying in a nitrogen stream for about a minute. 5) Pressing the stamp against a suitable substrate for about a minute to allow transfer of the semidry materials. Disadvantages include poor control of the amount of materials transferred, small amount of deposited materials, and possible changes in protein function. Microarrays containing up three different proteins were fabricated by ÃŽÂ ¼CP technique and tested as a detection system for specific antibodies [39]. Immunoassay were successfully performed using the patterned protein microarrays, and were characterized by fluorescence microscopy and scanning- probe microscopy. The characterization revealed the quality of the protein deposition and indicated a high degree of selectivity for the targeted antigen-antibody interaction. 4.3 Electrospray Deposition (ESD) The basic physics underlying the newly emerging technique of electrospray deposition (ESD) as applied to biological macromolecules. Fabrication of protein films and microarrays are considered as the most important applications of this technology. All the major stages in the ESD process (solution electrification, formation of a cloud of charged microdroplets, transformation of microdroplets into ions and charged clusters, deposition, and neutralization) are discussed to reveal the physical processes involved, such as space charge effects, dissipation of energy upon landing and neutralization mechanisms [40]. In electrospray deposition, protein is transferred from the glass capillary positioned 130-350 ÃŽÂ ¼m above a conducting surface. Micro-sized charged droplets move in an electric field created by the difference in electric field potential between the tip and the substrate surface and by the spatial charge of the droplet cloud. The electrostatic repulsion expands the cloud, and microdroplets are deposited as a round spot. The spot density is greater at the center [38]. Two new techniques were recently developed in these laboratories for fabrication of protein microarrays: electrospray deposition of dry proteins and covalent linking of proteins from dry deposits to a dextran-grafted surface. Here we apply these techniques to simultaneously fabricate 1200 identical microarrays. Each microarray, 0.6 ÃÆ'- 0.6 mm2 in size, consists of 28 different protein antigens and allergens deposited as spots, 30à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢40 ÃŽÂ ¼m in diameter. Electrospray deposition (ESD) of dry protein and covalent linking of proteins from dry deposits to a dextran-grafted surface has been studied from fabrication of microarrays. Electrospray (ES) deposition has been applied to fabricate protein microarrays for immunochemical assay. Protein antigens were deposited as arrays of dry spots on a surface of aluminized plastic. Deposition was performed from water solutions containing a 10-fold (w/w of dry protein) excess of sucrose. Upon contact with humid air, the spots tur n into microdroplets of sucrose/protein solution from which proteins were either adsorbed or covalently linked to clean or modified aluminum surfaces. It was found that covalent binding of antigens via aldehyde groups of oxidized branched dextran followed by reduction of the Schiff bonds gives the highest sensitivity and the lowest background in microarray-based ELISA, as compared to other tested methods of antigen immobilization [41]. Protein microarray with an antibody-based protein array for high-throughput immunoassay, with an ESD method using a quartz mask with holes made by an abrasive jet technique, has been performed. An antibody solution was electrosprayed onto an ITO glass, and then antibodies were deposited and cross-linked with a vapor of glutaraldehyde. The dimeters of the spots were approximately 150 ÃŽÂ ¼m. The arrays were then incubated with corresponding target antigenic molecules and washed. The captured antigens were collectively detected by fluorescence and chemiluminescence. The signals were quantitatively visualized with a high-resolution CCD [42]. 4.4 Surface immobilization In many proteomics applications, one is interested in the facile and covalent immobilization of protein molecules without the use of any special tag or chemical modification. This is most conveniently achieved via chemical reactivity towards the commonly available -NH2 groups on the surface of protein molecules. One of the most efficient leaving groups towards -NH2 is N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) attached via an ester bond. We have developed an NHS surface based on the zero background PEG coating. It allows for fast immobilization reactions with the remaining NHS groups easily washed off to expose the zero background PEG coating (Fig 1.4). In subsequent assays, the PEG functionality ensures that binding of particular molecules to the surface is only through the specific interaction with the immobilized protein molecule and the commonly seen background problem is solved without the need of a blocking step. Fig 1.4 NHS activated surfaces for the immobilization of proteins, peptides, antibodies (Image courtesy: ZeroBkg ® ) Peptide and protein microarrays fabricated on NHS/PEG/glass slides (Fig 1.5) Nanoliter droplets of peptide (21 amino-acids) or protein (fibrinogen) solution containing 10% glycerol are deposited on the glass slide with a robotic arrayer and incubated for 10 minutes. NHS-groups in remaining area are removed by a deactivating buffer for 30 minutes at room temperature. The immobilized peptide or protein on the surface is detected by incubation with the primary antibody specifically against the peptide or fibrinogen, followed by wash and incubation with cy3-conjugated secondary antibody. The glass slides are imaged on a laser scanner. The most important result is the exceptionally low background due to the PEG coating. While the NHS/PEG coated glass slides are ideal for protein, peptide, and antibody arrays, they are also useful as low background surfaces for other microarrays, such as oligonucleotides, carbohydrates, and other small molecules. The non-fouling property of the high densit y PEG coating becomes critically important when one uses such an array for the study of complex biological samples, such as plasma or serum. In order to detect molecules of low abundance, such as cancer biomarkers, one needs to minimize non-specific adsorption of other abundant biomolecules [43]. Fig 1.5 Fluorescence images of peptide (left) and protein (Fibrinogen, right) microarrays fabricated on NHS/PEG/glass slides and detected by immunostaining. The diameter of each spot is ~100 ÃŽÂ ¼m (Image courtesy: ZeroBkg ® ).   4.5 Self-assembling Protein Microarrays Molecular fabrication of SAMS depends on chemical complementarily and structural compatibility, both of which confer the weak and noncovalent interaction that bind building blocks together during self-assembly. Water-mediated hydrogen bonds are important for living system. In nature the assembly of peptide and proteins has yielded collagen, keratin, pearl, shell, coral and calcite microlenses, and optical waveguides [44]. The application of self-assembly techniques in the design of biocompatible protein microarray surfaces, immobilizing cells, and lipid layers, and spotting techniques has been reviewed by others [45-46]. 4.6 Detection Strategies Detection and readout of complex formation in each spot is performed with fluorescence, chemiluminescence, mass spectrometry, radioactivity, or electrochemistry. Label-free methods include mass spectrometry and SPR. Labeled probe methods include use of a chromogen, fluorophor, or a radioactive isotope. Direct strategies use a labeled antibody to directly bind to the target molecule immobilized on the substrate. Amplification strategies based on avidin-biotin binding enhance sensitivity. Indirect strategies use an immobilized antibody for capturing labeled, specific molecules from the sample. Sandwich assay as noted earlier require two distinct antibodies foe detection of a capture molecule. The first antibody is immobilized on the substratum, and serves to capture the molecule of interest. A second labeled antibody then binds to the first complex allowing detection [47]. 5. Application of Microarray Ever since the first 1000 probe DNA microarray was reported over a decade ago [48], great strides have been made in both quantitative and qualitative applications. Today, a standard DNA chip contains up to 6.5 million spots and can encompass entire eukaryotic genomes. A plethora of alternative applications are continually reported, albeit at various stages of maturity. What was once seen solely as a transcript profiling technology has now emerged as a reliable format for genotyping, splice variant analysis, exon identification, ChIP-on-chip, comparative genomic hybridization (CGH), resequencing, gene synthesis, RNA/RNAi synthesis and onchip translation [49]. Perhaps the most exciting recent developments from a drug discovery perspective come from the integration of diverse technological innovations into microarray-based solutions, especially for other classes of molecular entity. From small molecules (e.g. metabolites, nucleotides, amino acids, sugars) to oligomeric and polymeric der ivatives thereof, microarrays are now allowing us to examine the intra-class (e.g. protein-protein) and inter-class (e.g. protein: small molecule) interactions of these bio-system components on a systems-wide level. Yet, despite the appearance of a diversity of microarray types (e.g. Small Molecule Microarrays (SMMs) [51], Protein-Nucleic acid (PNA) microarrays [52], Glyco-chips [53], peptide chips [54], antibody chips [55], cell and tissue microarrays [56]), each differs in their relative contribution to the Voltaire challenge. Certainly the foremost of such opportunities are thos

Investigating Interference in Response Time

Investigating Interference in Response Time Saran Singh Sound An experiment to investigate Interference in response time Abstract In my investigation I have replicated the Stroop Effect, which is a test for checking interference in response time and processing. This effect has been useful as it helps us understand that brain’s reaction time slows down when there is conflicting stimuli. In my investigation i wanted to check for the difference in the response time participants take when a colored block stimulus is compared to a conflicting stimulus. For the collection of data for this experiment participants were conveniently chosen i.e. the students were sent into the classroom as an when they were free. In the experiment I recorded the response time of each participant until they finished the whole task. For the purpose of this investigation, standard deviation was used as a statistic measure. It was hypothesized that participants would have increased response time in the conflicting stimuli as it had interference. Our replicated study seems to match the same. Word Count: 152 Introduction Automatic processing can be defined as processes that do not require attention; they can often be performed along with other tasks without interference.[1] The Stroop Effect tested how automatic processing works. J. Ridley Stroop (1935) aimed to demonstrate the effect of interference in the reaction time. Stroop used only five colors (red, blue, green, brown, and purple) for his stimuli and conducted three separate experiments. He tested different number of participants for each of his experiments. In his first experiment he made his seventy undergraduate college participants (14 male and 56 female) read two stimuli and call out the color name in both cases. Stimulus-one was a list of color names printed in black ink and stimulus-two was a list of colors written in conflicting/contradictory ink, i.e., blue written in red ink. For the second experiment, Stroop used 100 participants (88 college undergraduates, 29 males and 59 females, and 12 graduate students, all females) who were als o made to read two stimuli. Stimulus-one was a list of colored square boxes and stimulus-two was a list of color names printed in conflicting/contradictory ink. The participants were made to call out the color the words and blocks are printed in. In his last experiment, Stroop replicated experiment two in the same manner except for two things. One he used thirty two undergraduates’ participants from the University of Arizona and second he replaced the colored blocks with colored swastikas. The results of Stroops’ experiment were: Naming of the ink color in the neutral stimuli was faster than in the conflicting stimulus which is semantic interference. When participants were asked to name the word instead of the ink color semantic interference disappeared. In this study we have replicated the Stroop Effect and our aim and hypothesis is that there would be an increase in the response time for the conflicting stimuli Method Design Repeated measures were used for this experiment. Using repeated measures helped us control any effects that might be attributed to personal characteristics of the participants, such as age and gender and if random measures were used we wouldn’t have truly known the effect of interference on response time. The independent variable for my experiment was the two-stimulus and the dependent variable was the response time taken in seconds to identify the color of the ink in both the stimuli; colored block stimuli and contradictory ink stimuli. The instructions and procedure was kept constant for each participant. During the experiment, ethical considerations were made. Participants data was kept anonymous, were given right to withdraw and were debriefed[2] after the experiment. They were also made to sign an informed consent form[3] at their own wish and will before the experiment was conducted. Participants The participants in this experiment were conveniently chosen Jamnabai Narsee School IB Seniors population non psychology students. Convenience sampling was used because at the time of conducting this experiment regular classes were functioning in the School and only the students who were free at that time were chosen to participate. A total of ten participants out of 98 students in the seniors’ population were used for this experiment; 7 male and 3 female. The participants’ age ranged from sixteen to seventeen. All of the participants were fluent with English and were from the same educational and cultural background. Materials Standardized Instructions[4] Informed Consent[5] Matrix of colored blocks printed on blank sheet of paper- Colored block stimulus[6] Matrix of color names printed in contradictory ink on blank sheet of paper-Conflicting stimulus[7] Post task questions[8] Debriefing[9] Digital stopwatch  ±0.01s Pens Procedure The materials for this experiment were prepared using word processing and photo editing software. The steps for carrying out the experiment were as follows: Participants were tested individually in a classroom in Jamnabai Narsee School. The researcher read out the standardized instructions[10] out loud. Then the informed consent[11] was handed out to be signed. Instructions on performing the task first condition (Colored block stimulus)[12]-were read aloud to the participants The participants were then informed to begin the task on the count of 3. After the participant finished speaking out all the color names the stopwatch was stopped and the time was noted. The participants were then instructed on the second condition (Word stimulus)[13]. They were told to begin the new task at the count of 3. The stopwatch was stopped immediately after they finished the task and the time was noted. The post task questions[14] were handed over to the participants after they had finished their tasks. Lastly, the researcher debriefed[15] the participants on the nature of the experiment. Before the participants left they were thanked and instructed not to reveal their participation in this experiment in order to avoid revealing of the aim of this experiment. Results From the mean measure on Table 1, it can be deduced that the conflicting word stimulus had higher response times than the colored block stimulus. The colored block stimulus had response times close to the mean because it has a low standard deviation. The mean was calculated for this experiment as it measures the central tendency for the response time and furthermore, mean encompasses all the data. The standard deviation shows us how far the values tend to be from the mean. Calculations[16] Table 1: Mean response time and standard deviation of Colored Block Stimulus and Conflicting Word Stimulus Figure 1: Comparison of the mean response time for Colored Block Stimulus and Conflicting Word Stimulus. Discussion Colored Block Stimulus and Conflicting Word Stimulus have a mean of 17.0 and 24.8 seconds respectively. The difference in the time for both the stimulus suggests that response time was indeed greater for the conflicting word stimulus than that of the colored block stimulus which supports my hypothesis. This was because of the conflicting factors that caused interference and slowed processing speeds. This study matches the results found from the original Stroop Effect experiment[17]. The standard deviation value indicates that at some point of time there were errors in the experiment. While the execution of the experiment was simple, there were a few improvements which could have been made to ensure better results. The font size of the text was really small which increased the difficulty in reading it. The use of a slightly bigger font size would be beneficial. There were a few noises in the classroom which may have affected the participant’s concentration. Reassuring that there are no disturbances in the classroom during the experiment would be advantageous. There could also be an error in time from the researcher as there is a delay in the time at which the participant finishes the task and the time at which the researcher stops the stopwatch. The gender distribution for the experiment weren’t equal i.e. 7 male and 3 female participants. Some of the factors mentioned above could be the reason for the high standard deviation value. Therefore, after analyzing the data we can conclude that the hypothesis of my experiment was met even though there were some flaws in the experiment. References Stroop R, J. (n.d.), Stroop Effect, STUDIES OF INTERFERENCE IN SERIAL VERBAL REACTIONS. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 18, 643-662. Retrieved August 16, 2014 from http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Stroop/ Gerrig, R., Zimbardo, P. (2002, January 1). Glossary of Psychological Terms. Retrieved October 30, 2014, from http://www.apa.org/research/action/glossary.aspx Resnik, D. (2011, May 1). National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Retrieved October 30, 2014, from http://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/resources/bioethics/whatis Appendices Appendix 1 Standardized Instructions: Appendix 2 Informed Consent: Appendix 3 Stimulus 1: Appendix 4 Stimulus 2 Appendix 5 Post Task Questions: Appendix 6 Debriefing: Appendix 7 Raw Data: Sample Standard Deviation calculation = = 1.7s [1] Gerrig, R., Zimbardo, P. (2002, January 1). Glossary of Psychological Terms. Retrieved October 30, 2014, from http://www.apa.org/research/action/glossary.aspx [2] Appendix 6 [3] Appendix 2 [4] Appendix 1 [5] Appendix 2 [6] Appendix 3 [7] Appendix 4 [8] Appendix 5 [9] Appendix 6 [10] Appendix 1 [11] Appendix 2 [12] Appendix 3 [13] Appendix 4 [14] Appendix 5 [15] Appendix 6 [16] Appendix 7 [17] Stroop R, J. (n.d.), Stroop Effect, STUDIES OF INTERFERENCE IN SERIAL VERBAL REACTIONS. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 18, 643-662. Retrieved August 16, 2014 from http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Stroop/

Speech: Accepting and Dealing with Change :: essays research papers

Change can have many meanings. It is going from â€Å"same† to â€Å"different†. Change can be defined as an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another and as a process of transition. The forces of change affect attitudes, beliefs and behavior. Not a single moment goes by when everything in our lives will remain the same. When you become adjusted to your surroundings, something changes again. Changes can affect both individuals and groups. Throughout our lives we go through many changes, especially in adolescence. This is shown in the song Graduation by Vitamin C. Graduation is about the change of leaving high school and moving on to adulthood. It shows the many questions young people have about leaving school, and uncertainty of the future. At the same time, it shows the constant of friendship that people can rely on, when many other things in their life are changing. Some people who have dealt with changes in their lives have become inspirational to others because of their courage, determination and optimism. Examples of such people are the Biggest Loser contestants and also Bethany Hamilton. The television program the Biggest Loser shows people changing their lives physically and emotionally through diet and exercise. People watching the show could relate to these people, which could give them inspiration and motivation to make changes of their own. Bethany Hamilton is an example of dealing with change in an optimistic way. In October 2003, Bethany was attacked by a shark while out surfing in Tunnels beach, Hawaii. Without warning, a Tiger shark attacked her surfboard, dragging her back and forth and then disappearing into the ocean. Bethany was able to compose herself to use her right arm to swim back to the shore. She was later taken to hospital with severe injuries, where her left arm was amputated. She came through her recovery with things that were important to her, such as her family and her Christian faith. Despite the trauma of the incident, Hamilton was determined to return to surfing. Just 10 weeks after the accident, she returned to the ocean and went surfing again. She adjusted to the change by using a custom made surfboard and changing her surfing style. Bethany taught herself to surf with only one arm and she also began surfing competitively in competitions again. Hamilton claims that the loss of her arm was a bles sing in disguise.

The Strange Points of View of Dostoevskys The Brothers Karamazov :: Brothers Karamazov Essays

The Strange Points of View of Brothers Karamazov The novel, The Brothers Karamazov written by Fyodor Dostoevsky was first published in 1880. This book is unique because it is effectivly written in a combination of third person omniscient and first person point of view. The author seems to be a character in the book but also seems to know all. Parts of The Brothers Karamazov is in the third person omniscient point of view. Third person omniscient is when the author is all knowing. This is shown when the author is able to read the thoughts of all of the main characters. A good example of this is when Mitya, one of the main characters, is observing two Polish men that he just met. Mitya’s thoughts are displayed when he decides that "it was the little pipe-smoking Pole who was in charge" (pg. 507). This shows what is going through Mitya’s mind when he meets the Poles and is a good example of the third person omniscient point of view. The author also knows what is going on in other towns while he seems to always be at the monastery in the main town in the book. This is shown when Mitya goes to the village of Sukhoi in order to see a man about a business deal. Mitya gets a priest to go with him and the priest "suggested they go on foot, for, he assured Mitya, it was only a miles walk..." (pg. 452). This is information that could only be known to someone who was at Sukhoi at that time while the character of the author was still at the monastery that is in another town. This also shows third person point of view. The author seems to also know what is going on in the privacy of people’s homes. This is shown on page 483 when Mitya is at his friend Perkhotin’s house and they are the only two people there and yet the author is able to describe exactly what is going on. He explains how "the washing operations began" when he had no way of actually knowing. This adds to the third person point of view. The third person omniscient point of view aspect of the book makes it so that the story keeps going even though the author is not there. The thoughts and the actions of the characters are always known so that the story is more complete and therefore more effective.

Standardizing the Procurement Process

The ACME Development Corporation has charged me with the task of standardizing their procurement processes and practices. In order for me to accomplish this, it is imperative that all project managers understand why a standardize procurement process is an important part of the project management lifecycle and what negative impact would occur if we continue to do ‘business as usual’. Let’s start by taking a look at how procurement fits into the project management lifecycle. As one of many subsidiary plans of the Project Management Plan, the Procurement Management Plan is the organization of processes of all purchases and acquisitions of external resources (products and/or services) which are needed to perform work and complete the project. (PMI, 2004) These processes can be separated into six different process areas: 1. Plan Purchases and Acquisitions 2. Plan Contracting 3. Request Seller Responses 4. Select Sellers 5. Contract Administration 6. Contract Closure (PMI, 2004) Each of these processes interacts with the other Knowledge areas at various times during the lifecycle of the project. Contracts are typically drawn up to secure products and/or services that conform to and fulfill the project’s needs and are usually scrutinized by specialists in contracting, purchasing and the law. This is important as a contract is a legally binding document, so we want to be sure that the wording in that contract accurately defines how, when and what it is we are trying to acquire. If a contract does not accurately spell out the terms of an agreement, disagreements and frustration can lead to project delays and unsatisfactory outcomes, or worse yet, law suits can plague a project. We see this all the time in the news. For example: In the small town of Adelphia, Ohio, a dispute between a sewer contractor and the city erupted when the contractor developing a sewer system for the community wanted to back out of the 1994 contract (which was for 40 years) and the community was already paying fees for the sewer system. Long story short, the courts ended up settling the dispute and dissolved the contract due to improper legal wording in the contract, however a new agreement has since then been reached, but only at the expense of the local tax payers. (Genson, 2006) The down side to doing ‘business as usual’ can (and most likely will) lead ACME to face difficult project situations (at best), eventual project termination, or even business failure with potential jail time for mismanaged or improper business practices. With the passing of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, businesses across the United States (and those who do business with U.  S. companies) are being held accountable for their actions. (107th Congress, 2002) This is to primarily protect investors by the improvement and accuracy of corporate disclosures as well as to make sure good ethics are being practiced. By standardizing ACME’s procurement management processes, we should be able to effectively control our project spending, identify and hopefully neutralize potential project risks, control our projects’ schedules, and ultimately finish a project with at least an expected out come or better yet, a finished project with greater quality than anticipated and less capitol expenses.

Factors affecting the english proficiency of fourth year students Essay

The slope actors line, which is the closest function to a lingua franca around the terra firma, is some a nonher(prenominal) means for us to join the flowing of knowledge base culture. This is where side advancement deforms zippy in todays world and country. face progress is the ability to speak, check and/or write in side.In Philippine inculcateing system, high crop students with eons ranging from 12 to 17 be evaluate to absorb al contracty rudimentary familiarity of face and the quaternion communication achievements which forget enable them to function satisfactorily in certain slope communication situations. The basic stopping point of high naturalise incline is to raise the students sockledge and skills so that they shtup function in nucleus in twain situation which requires the use of incline peculiarly in a classroom shot that ch eachenges their schoolman procedure . They consider to be able to express their ideas and opinions in ro w and in writing. They need to think independently, critic all in ally, and creatively. Hence, they should be given opportunities to enhance higher rate thinking skills like analysis and military rank ( development in incline 1, 2010).In the subaltern position curriculum, it presences to address the communication unavoidably of Philippine students for side, which is emerging as the outside(a) lingua franca. These communication needs argon interpersonal, informative and aesthetics. In consonance with the semipolitical sympathiess thrusts and world-wideization, this position curriculum adopts a communicative-interactive-collaborative approach to scholarship as wholesome as reflection and introspection with the aim in view of developing main(a) wrangle dealers aw atomic number 18 of and able to screw with global trends.As guerrillaary incline instructors, we provide see how essential it is for the Filipino students to become deft in face words both in pen and oral. Aside from being the medium of breeding in the Philippines, learning the face vocabulary excessively provides the Filipino people with all the advantages that champions of English say it does access to the gigantic fund of culture expressed in it, mobility in various spheres of the international scene, peculiarly those dominated by the English utter people, participation in a quality of modern animateness of which some features whitethorn be assimilated by us with massive advantage.Knowledge in foreign nomenclature much(prenominal) as English allow foring allow us to participate in intellectual dis eats during engagement in friendly, political and scotch issues in a wider global and scientific community. As we communicate our thoughts and understand otherwise(a)s, we offer advertize develop our potentials and enhance our capacity in learning life skills, as headspring as cognitive and affective competencies required of us to impute to the world (Luistr o, 2011).To realize English increase among the students, they should take some advice under the four (4) learning skills which argon reading, listening, speech and writing. The most grand thing that they should bear in mind is that reading and listening ar inputs whereas speaking and writing argon outputs.Since English is one of the most widely verbalise talking tos in the world, gaining English progress stomach be an important aspect of development in some fields from serve to aviation to science. A nonher aspect of attaining the goal of English increase is speaking or victimization it regularly.Improving the amelioratement in English verbiage is something that somebody could fetch on the entirety of his/her life. The best sort to improve the persons progress is to stir sure the foundation and consciousness in all grammar concepts is to a greater extent or less secure and then to flow on using the vocabulary as much as workable. The to a greater extent than proficient someones English is the more doors that stinkerful open for his/her c argoner and life. period it is possible to increase advance in English through other means, pickings formal classes stop buoy accelerate learning. Classes can help increase motivation and harbour the student on a pattern schedule of study which is important for learning any language.These realities forget be set some by the students later on curiously later on their college graduation. in that locationfore we need to put up our students to become ready and independent in facing the world of competition. They should in fluent in their minds the value of English technique in particular when they immerse in the wider professional community.Unfortunately, by from the lack of job opportunities in the country, what is more disheartening is that most of our graduates do not qualify. Simply stated most of these graduates peculiarly the ones coming from the provinces and the ones coning fr om low-quality schools in the metropolis pay pole a weak command of the English language, poor analytical and thinking skills. Furthermore, they cannot effectively communicate their observations and reflections. In other words, they are not competent. They do not let the qualification and proficiency to meet the standards of conflict (www.philstar.com/article, 2009).What are companies looking for in an applier? Today where technology is as important as having excellent communication skill, companies are looking for people who are attuned to the times, can communicate soundly their ideas, can contend issues, p dresslems, and concerns in detail (Soliven-De Guzman, 2011).Once you catch graduated from college, you are expected to fuck off learned the basic skills. It is sad, but at once employers end up going back to learn the ABCs of communication. Shouldnt these have already ingrained in all our students first on? Where did we go wrong here?This fact causes a square decl ine in English proficiency in the Philippines particuarly in Magpet bailiwick spirited domesticate. For almost sixteen (16) old age of being an English teacher in the school, it was observed that the deteriorating English proficiency of the students withal those one-quarter course of centering students are still the predicament of the teachers. Hence, this study was conceived to look for the possible factors that affect the English proficiency in relation to the schoolman transaction of the one-quarter Year students in Magpet field of study spicy instill.Statement of the ProblemThis study aimed to break the factors change the English proficiency in relation to the academician military operation of ordinal grade students in Magpet issue in high spirits groom.Specifically, the study sought to answer the next questions 1. What is the socio-economic profile of the 4th form students in Magpet field of study postgraduate trail when learn by 1.1 Gender1.2 A ge1.3 devotion1.4 Parents educational Attainment1.5 Parents Occupation1.6 Sources of Family Income1.7 Annual Family Gross Income1.8 allowance Received Per Day1.9 Number of Members in the Family2. What are the factors change the English proficiency of twenty-five percent class students in Magpet issue heights School when analyze in wrong of 2.1 Personal cerebrate2.2 Family cerebrate2.3 School Related2.4 Community Related3. What are the directs of English proficiency of the poop category students in Magpet field of study lofty School?4. What are the directs of the disparate factors alter the English proficiency of tail year students in Magpet issue lofty School?5. Is there a significant kin between the different factors modify the English proficiency and the academic transactance of twenty-five percent year students in Magpet National gamy School?Objectives of the write upThis study aimed to attain the factors change the English proficiency in relati on to the academic performance of 4th part year students in Magpet National High School.Specifically, the objectives of the study are the following 1. To know the socio-economic profile of fourth year students in Magpet National High School. 2. To put the level of English proficiency of fourth year students in Magpet National High School. 3. To severalize the factors affecting the English proficiency of fourth year students in Magpet National High School when analyzed in terms of personal, family, school , and community. 4. To distinguish the levels of the different factors affecting the English proficiency of fourth year students in Magpet National High School. 5. To line the significant human relationship between the different factors affecting the English proficiency in relation to the academic performance of fourth year students in Magpet National High School.Basic AssumptionsThe following assumptions were the bases for the study1. There is a variation in the socio-economi c profile of fourth year students in Magpet National High School. 2. There are factors affecting the English proficiency of fourth year students in Magpet National High School when analyzed in terms of personal, family, school and community. 3. The level of English proficiency performance of fourth year students in Magpet National High School is declining. 4. The levels of different factors affecting the English proficiency of fourth year students in Magpet National High School are realistic . 5. There make its a relationship between the factors affecting the English proficiency and the academic performance of fourth year students in Magpet National High School.HypothesesThe following hypotheses were formulated1. There are significant factors affecting the English proficiency of the fourth year students in Magpet National High School. 2. There is a significant relationship between the different factors affecting the English proficiency and the academic performance of the fourth yea r students in Magpet National High School.Theoritical FrameworkAccording to professor J. Cummins, one of the worlds conduct authorities on bilingual education and second language acquisition, there are distinctions between the twain differing kinds of language proficiency. First, the BICS or Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills. These are the surface skills of listening and speaking which are typically acquired quickly by galore(postnominal) an(prenominal) students particularly by those from language backgrounds alike to English who spend a galvanic pile of their school time interacting with aboriginal speakers. moment is the CALP or Cognitive Academic phrase Proficiency which suggests for a electric shavers ability to cope with the academic demands located upon coming from various subjects. Cummins states that while more an(prenominal) children develop fluency within two years of immersion in the somatogenic object language, it takes 5-7 years for a child to be operative on a level with native speakers as outlying(prenominal) as academic language is concerned.Cummins believes that in the course of learning one language, a child acquires a set of skills and implicit metalinguistic noesis that can be drawn upon when working in another language. This common key proficiency (CUP) provides the base for the development of both the first language (L1) and the second language (L2). It follows that any expansion of CUP that takes send in one language will have a beneficial effect on the other language(s).This theory similarly serves to explain why it becomes easier and easier to learn special languages. As Cummins (2000) states Conceptual knowledge real in one language helps to seduce input in the other language comprehensible. If a child already understands the concepts of nicety or honesty in her stimulate language, all she has to do is acquire the dog for these terms in English.She has a far more difficult task, however, if she has to acquire both the label and the concept in her second language According to Jean Piaget, proficiency in certain skills, including language skills, depends on a combination of developmental readiness, social interaction and the students induce interpretations. His experiments have been implemented with adults as well as children, and educators have applied many of his theories in the realm of language learning. Hence, many ESL classrooms have discussion hosts, pair work interactions and class presentations. Many ESL instructors rely firmly on these peer-to-peer interactions because students are more potential to experiment with each other than they are with the instructor. Conceptual FrameworkHow imperative it is to make English part of peoples lives. The need to learn and master the English language is recognized by other countries as well. No one confides to be left behind simply for lack the English proficiency. Philippine education does not take this need for granted. This v iew is support by former President Arroyos promulgation on May 17, 2003 of executive Order No. 210 entitled Establishing the indemnity to Strengthen English as a Second lecture in the Educational System.Positive views towards mastery of the English language should lead to favorable self-identity changes. One of these shifts is the early encounter of the students on English proficiency. What ameliorate consequences can we expect to hear our students conclude, after being proficient in English, that they have become more sensitive to changes in the outside world and that they have more understanding now and can better communicate using the English language (Mojica, 2009).It is widely accepted by educationalists and linguists that many Filipino children begin formal training with zero English proficiency. Studies have shown that the exertion to English proficiency is primarily caused through the lack of supportive home, peer congregation and community environment as well as form ative language- found opportunities. These deficiencies impact not only on their ability to learn the English language but excessively deprive them of personal empowerment and a capacity to facilitate verbal and write communication hence affected their academic performance.Modern wisdom advocates that classrooms and school communities should become the disciples missing supportive environments and that teachers are best positioned to respond to English language deficiency. While it is accepted that prentices whitethorn come from unsupportive environments and be disadvantaged, teachers can make the difference and readily drive out the negative resulting from much(prenominal) environments ( topic and Teaching, 2009).Much depends on the awareness, discernment and response of teachers at the coalface in the classroom, from the environment, as well as of those in support-service enjoyments. Moreover, much depends on the ability of a school system to create an alternative, subst antiating supportive environment that addresses the deficiencies brought by the apprentice into the classroom. To extend to this environmental shift, teachers need to recognize the importance of English proficiency. The English language programs taught must take into cypher the difficulties inherent in a teachers language of instruction from the learners aspect be it verbalize or indite, appreciating the learners a great deal misunderstood that English language is bonnie a teacher language.To achieve these outcomes, learners need to be exposed to a range of English language skill varieties and encouraged to use them. They need opportunities to mystify with different English proficiency genres and registers in both oral and written codes. In implementing the above strategies, teachers should acknowledge the effect English language may have on their students especially those who come from different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds (Studyard Teaching, 2009)While there i s a superfluity of teaching methods and approaches from which teachers may choose, there are some considerations to be looked into and these are the factors which learn the students academic performance in their English proficiency. Gender can influence while teaching resources are applied in the learning unconscious process and can even affect the physical layout and seating arrangement of a teaching environment. A simple factor such as age can determine the sophistication of the teaching methodology pick out especially when members of a teaching group vary greatly in age and maturity. Learners of English who come from different cultures a lot have to contend with learner-related issues that primary English speakers never have to think about. opening with English sounds that do not exist in their native language and English words and concepts for which there is no native language equivalent, to particular religious inhibitions, teachers who take over the responsibility of tea ching English to speakers of other languages must be totally culturally conscious even to the point of researching heathen diversity and difference if they are to perform their task professionally and successfully. The specific language needs of each individual learner are of paramount importance in the planning of any English course, thus the selection of the teaching method to be used.The availability or lack of technology and tools will immediately decide whether many appropriate and proven e-learning programs can be used by both teachers and learners alike. The absence of computers, audio systems, CD players and more groundbreaking equipment such as LCD-power point projectors can lower the quality of teaching outcomes and can hinder accelerated learning. The social and economic status plays a great role also in providing the needs of the learners. approximately students are deprived with technological advances that will help them improve their English proficiency (Keith W. Wright, 2010).One of the most important aspects of gaining proficiency in any language is speaking it regularly. For students, the appropriate venue for them to use the language is inside the classroom where they feel the independence and need to say it. Self-study can improve reading and comprehension skills, but interacting with other English speakers is essential for boosting real world comprehension and practical use of the English language.The community where the students grow and feel the belongingness has a great factor in influence them as well. Their performance in the school can also be influenced by their peers and the kind of environment they are raised. The customary fad of computer games and internet could rob the child of the time to study his lessons /Sunstar, 2005/.As seen in Figure 1, there are factors affecting the English proficiency of fourth year students. The independent variables consist of the factors such as personal-related, family-related, school-relat ed, and community-related. The dependent variable is the academic performance of fourth year students based on their English proficiency.Figure 1 Schematic diagram showing the relationship of the variables under study.Scope and Limitation of the StudyThis study confined its research to the fourth year students of Magpet National High School enrolled in School Year 2013-2014. The tec chose them as the respondents in her study because of her desire to identify the factors that affect the English proficiency of the fourth year students and how these factors affect their academic performance.This study was limited to the factors affecting the English proficiency in relation to the academic performance of fourth year students in Magpet National High School. The respondents are to be evaluated through their socio-economic profile such as their gender, age, religion, parents educational attainment, parents occupation, family income, allowance per day, and number of members in the household . Other factors are to be considered also such as personal-related, family-related, school-related and community-related.Significance of the StudyThe study is significant to both teachers and students on the following reasons 1. It determines the students progress in all fields of learning which use English as medium of instruction. 2. It helps the students to gain proficiency in English particularly in their communicative competence. 3. It ascertains the factors to consider as contributory to students English proficiency. 4. It helps to assess the students academic performance as reflected in their achievement and participation. exposition of TermsThe following terms are being defined to give the readers further clarity and understanding on this study. 1. English It refers to the second language used in the Philippines and as a medium of instruction in Philippine education.2. English Proficiency It is the ability of the fourth year students in Magpet National High School to speak , read and/or write in English. To be considered truly proficient, one should have move on abilities in all skills of communication (http//wiki.answers.com., 2011). 3. Language It refers to the English words used by the respondents both in oral and written communication.4. Respondents It refers to the fourth year students in Magpet National High School who are officially enrolled in academic year 2013-2014. 5. Factors It is about the facts or circumstances which constitute a result or situation. It refers to something that contributes to the performance of the fourth year students in MNHS based on their English proficiency. 6. Teachers The academically qualified individuals depute to teach and handle the fourth year students of MNHS specifically those who are teaching subjects using English as the medium of instruction.