Thursday, October 31, 2019

Asset Management Discussion Post 8 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Asset Management Discussion Post 8 - Coursework Example home insurance and auto insurance liability coverage, for example, against additional liability coverage of auto, homeowners as well as boat insurance policies (Fox Business, 2013). It is also crucial as it provides coverage for claims that exclude other liability policies such as false arrest, rental unit’s liability, slander and libel liabilities. The insurance protection has been designed to kick on in cases where the liability of the other policies is exhausted (Mathias, Shugrue, Marrinson & Struck 2006). Individuals should not consider their net worth or other auto and homeowners insurances that they may have to cover some of the situations. Rather, Umbrella insurance is crucial as it insurer’s them beyond and above the other policies limits and will cover against situations that are never covered in other types of policies (Daily Finance, 2013). According to Breuer (2005), most of the umbrella insurances are associated with car accidents but also offer protection against home accidents. An example is when an individual falls down the stairs and sues you for poor construction or when the balcony collapses during a house party causing injury. Individuals will opt for umbrella insurances as a result of such instances or because they have a pool or property that may cause harm to someone and fear the consequences that will result from the harm or

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

The Tempest Essay Example for Free

The Tempest Essay Write about what Shakespeares theatre was like and how this links to The Tempest. Next talk about the characters Ariel and Caliban and say how Prospero treats them. Which character do you prefer and why? William Shakespeare wrote The Tempest at the earlier stage of his career. The Shakespeares theatre was for all classes of people, from the poorest to the richest. There were three different places for people to either sit or stand and watch the play. The Groundlings had to stand in the yard, because they only had to pay one penny. The place of Gentlefolks was in galleries for the price of two pennies and the lords would get to sit next to the stage and watch the play, because they paid twelve pennies. The theatre had no scenery. It only had a few props in the upper room where the machinery was located. Bu the language that the players used was very detailed and strong, which would have created a picture of the scene in audiences mind. As when Ariel describes that how the created storm was, she describes the scene of the play as well by the language that she talks. To every article. I boarded the kings ship. Now on the bear, Now in the waist, the deck, in every cabin, I flamed amazement. Something Id divide, And burn in many places; on the topmast, The yards and bowsprit would I flame distinctly, Then meet and join, Joves lightnings, the precursors O the dreadful thunder-claps, more momentary And sight-outrunning were not. The fire and cracks Of sulphurous roaring the most mighty Neptune seemed to besiege, and make his hold waves tremble, Yea his dread trident shake. There were many poor people stood around the stage. Usually there were rowdy crowds. The play had to have dramatic opening in order to attract the audiences attention. The Shakespeares theatre was a open air theatre which would have helped to add on to the drama of the play by the atmosphere that it creates. For example The Tempest begins with a storm to grab attention of an audience and if there was a storm at the time, the play would be more realistic. In Elizabethans time women were not allowed to play on stage, because of this young boys whose voices were similar to women were used in theatre. Shakespeare has always used magical plays to interest his readers. He has always used fairy tale characters like prince, princess, witch and strange creatures to make his plays more interesting and more attractive. As in The Tempest which is a magical play he used two creatures, Ariel and Caliban and a witch Prospero.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Antiglycation Studies of Pd(II)-Hydrazide Complexes

Antiglycation Studies of Pd(II)-Hydrazide Complexes Introduction Glycation is a non-enzymatic spontaneous reaction between sugars and coexisting protein followed by a complex cascade of reactions including dehydration, redox reaction and other rearrangements [1, 2] forming advanced glycation end products (AGEs) [3]. Glycation reactions depend on the generation of reactive oxygen species by trace amounts of redox active metal ions [4] and on the degree and duration of hyperglycemia in vivo [5]. Glycation damages the collagen and elastin throughout the body. It is generally accepted that accumulation of tissue AGEs together with enhanced oxidative stress has an important role in the progression of aging and diabetic complications including retinopathy, neuropathy, embryopathy, delayed healing of wounds and others [6-10]. The increase in diabetic complications is the major cause of increased morbidity and mortality rate that has enhanced considerably in the two decades [11]. It has been estimated that the number of cases of DM will reach to 366 milli on by 2030 [12, 13] showing in fact a great challenge to healthcare systems [14]. The failure of existing antidiabetic drugs are forcing researchers to find out new inhibitors of proteins responsible for glycation in order to have a long term and sustainable solution for management of diabetes and age-related diseases. Protein Glycation The protein glycation, also called Millard reaction, involves non-enzymatic coupling of proteins with reducing sugars eventually producing advanced end products. The glycation is a spontaneous reaction, which stimulates the degradation of proteins with modification of their structures and biological activity [1-3]. Various reducing sugars including glucose, lactose, fructose, xylose, deoxyribose and galactose may take part in protein glycation [15]. Chemistry and Mechanism of Protein Glycation The protein glycation process initiates with the reaction of carbonyl (keto or aldehydic) group of reducing sugar with free amino group of protein forming a labile Schiff base 16. This is called early stage of glycation. The Schiff bases are then transformed through Amadori rearrangement into comparatively stable compounds known as Amadori products. At acidic pH or under oxidative conditions, the Amadori products or Schiff bases undergo degradation generating extremely reactive 1, 2-dicarbonyl compounds, such as methylglyoxal (Figure 94) 17-21. The formation of protein dicarbonyls through a protein enediol may generate superoxide radicals in the presence of transition metal ions and molecular oxygen 22. The superoxide radicals can be converted into most reactive hydroxyl radical via Fenton reaction 7. The reactive carbonyl compounds subsequently react with amino groups of neighboring proteins producing protein dicarbonyl compounds, which further contribute in the formation of various types of protein crosslinks and adducts called ‘Advanced Glycation End Products’ (AGEs). The autoxidation of Amadori products to AGEs is described as glycoxidation process. Figure 94. Structures of some reactive dicarbonyl glycation intermediates Advanced Glycation End Products The advanced glycation end products (AGEs) comprise a complex heterogeneous group of compounds produced primarily through the reaction of reactive carbonyls and proteins. AGEs demonstrate to have diverse molecular biological functions and structures 18, 23]. The amino, sulphydryl and guanidinum functional groups occurring in the intracellular and extracellular proteins are the main targets of reactive carbonyl compounds. Various AGEs have been recognized in different tissues that can be categorized into three major groups: fluorescent cross-linked AGEs (e.g. pentosidine and crossline), non-fluorescent cross-linked AGEs (e.g. alkyl formyl glycosyl pyrrole and arginine-lysine imidazole cross-links) and non-cross linked AGEs (e.g. pyrraline and N-(carboxylmethyl) lysine) 18. The structures of some AGEs are presented in Figure 95. Figure 95. Structures of selected advanced glycation end products Factors Affecting the Formation of AGEs In physiological environment, the generation of AGEs is a relatively slow process. Accordingly, the AGEs accumulation is dominant in long-lived structural proteins, for instance, tissue collagens and lens crystallins. The oxidative conditions are known to accelerate the formation of AGEs, which slows down under anaerobic environment [24]. The transition metal ions may induce the auto-oxidation of sugars to produce keto aldehydes and hydrogen peroxide that speed up the formation of AGEs [25]. The amount of AGEs formed is increased as a function of time and concentration of glucose and hence the AGEs formation is enhanced with aging and under diabetic conditions [26]. Site Specificity of Glycation of Proteins Glycation of protein is considered as a specific reaction; however, it is less specific compared to enzymatic glycosylation. Glycation often takes place at specialized site in the protein, such as the substrate binding site (e.g. Arg-39) of RNase, the allosteric site (e.g. ÃŽ ²V1) of hemoglobin, and the drug binding sites (e.g. Arg-410) on albumin [27]. The specificity of glycation may be determined by endogenous ligands and the structure of protein especially an amino acid sequence within the protein. The specificity of protein glycation is usually affected by both basic and acidic neighboring groups [28], either via catalysis of Amadori rearrangement (the rate-limiting step of protein glycation), or via effecting pKa of amino group that contributes in enhancing its nucleophilicity and formation kinetics of Schiff bases. This shows that there is a variation in the respective rate and extent of glycation shown by amino groups in the protein. The anionic ligands also catalyze the pote ntial glycation of proteins at specific sites [27]. Exogenous Sources of AGEs The formation of AGEs via Maillard reaction was originally described for physical and chemical changes occurring during heating of food [29]. Beside the natural formation of AGEs inside the body, there are some exogenous sources of increased AGEs including diet enriched with AGEs and smoking. The extent of absorption of AGEs ingested with food is very small [30]. However, there is a strong relationship of AGEs circulating in the human body with the AGEs ingested [31]. It has been investigated that tobacco smoke increases the formation of AGEs on plasma proteins due to containing some products, which produce protein crosslinks and AGE-like fluorescence and mutagenicity [32]. For example, the diarbonyl compounds, glyoxal and metbylglyoxal, are most likely to be present in cigarette smoke that act as mediators of AGE formation and formed by thermal decomposition of existing saccharides. Accordingly, the serum of diabetic smokers reveals enhanced levels of AGEs relative to diabetic non-smokers [33]. Similarly, the smokers are more susceptible to incidence of cataract, cardiovascular and lungs diseases as compared to non-smokers due to smoke-mediated AGEs formation [34]. Toxicity or Pathological Conditions Associated to Glycation and AGEs Formation The AGEs are more prone to proteolysis and degradation as compared to the original proteins. The accumulation of AGEs has toxic biological effects, causing disruption of many cellular processes leading to various pathologies. The AGEs as well as intermediate glycation products such as reactive carbonyls induce the production of free radicals in vitro and in vivo [35, 36] and hence increased oxidative stress [37]. The glycation-mediated free radicals are the major cause of protein fragmentation as well as oxidation of lipids (lipid peroxidation) and nucleic acids [7]. The reactive dicarbonyls have ability to bind with naturally active proteins of diverse physiology via intra- and inter-molecular cross linking resulting in deactivation of enzymes, transcription factors, membrane transporters and signaling components with eventual protein degradation and cytotoxicity [38-40]. The AGEs also bind to cell membrane receptors inducing signal cascades leading to inappropriate gene expressions and cellular activities [18]. The elevated level of AGEs in tissues has a strong correlation with severity of diabetic complications [41, 42]. This is because of modification of enzymatic activity in multiple ways including binding of ligand, change in protein half life, increased membrane permeability, decreased binding ability of insulin to its receptors, increased atherogenicity of LPL and variation in the immunogenicity [43-45]. The main diabetic complications include impaired wound healing and the serious damage and failure of various vital organs such as kidneys (nephropathy), nerves (neuropathy), eyes (cataract, retinopathy), blood vessels (atherosclerosis) and heart (cardiomyopathy) [11, 34, 46, 47]. The AGEs formation is also associated to aging, Alzheimer’s disease and other chronic disorders [17, 10, 48-50]. Natural Biological Defense Mechanism against Glycation and AGEs The human body presents a certain mechanism to inhibit the glycation of protein and resulting AGEs formation. For example, ÃŽ ±-keto-glutaraldehyde dehydrogenase, a liver enzyme, has a capability to inactive 3-deoxyglucosone (3-DG), Arnadori-derived reactive intermediate and hence prevents the generation of AGEs [41]. The other enzymes such as aldose reductase and glyoxylase system (I and II) can catalyze the deglycation of reactive intermediate methylglyoxal into D-lactase [51]. Amadoriases are the group of enzymes found in Aspergillus, which catalyze the deglycation of Amadori products [52]. Some NADPH-dependant exogenous enzymes such as aldose reductase and oxoaldehyde reductase that metabolize ÃŽ ±-dicarbonyls, have the ability to reduce 3-DG and thus regulate the formation of AGEs [53]. Similarly, different plasma amines may reduce AGEs formation through reaction with carbonyl groups of sugar and Amadori compounds [54]. Antioxidants such as vitamin E and vitamin C, provide prote ction against glycation-mediated free radicals, whereas, ceruloplasmin and other transport proteins bind with transition metal ions such as Cu2+, preventing them to take part in glycoxidation reactions or autoxidative glycation [55]. Inhibition of Protein Glycation and AGEs Several attempts have been made earlier to explore pharmacologically active antiglycating agents to prevent or slow down the production of AGEs [56]. The major side effects associated with antiglycation therapy limit the use and necessitate the discovery of new inhibitors of glycation with reduced toxicity and long half life to be implicated for large time span. Currently, two therapeutic strategies are highly successful having great effectiveness against diabetic complications and normal aging; one is the inhibition of formation of AGEs and other is the breaking of already established AGEs cross-linkages [57]. Promising Inhibitors of Glycation with Their Mechanism of Inhibition The antiglycating agents such as aminoguanidine, rutin, antioxidants, aspirin and other AGEs breakers have been examined extensively and received great interest. The structures of some potential antiglycating agents are depicted in Figure 96. Aminoguanidine Aminoguanidine is a derivative of hydrazine that inhibits the generation of AGEs and glucose-derived collagen cross-links during in vitro studies [58]. Aminoguanidine does not act on already formed AGEs but it reacts with reactive Amadori products such as 3-deoxyglucosone preventing additional rearrangements and intermediates crosslinking [59]. In addition, aminoguanidine is a free radical scavenger that contributes in reducing oxidative stress [60]. The treatment of diabetic animal models with aminoguanidine reduces AGEs accumulation, kidney lesions, albuminuria and long-term diabetic complications including retinopathy, nephropathy and neuropathy [61]. Aminoguanidine also exerts positive effect on the speed of nerve conduction [22]. Aminoguanidine therapy is limited by serious toxic effects attributable to high reactivity, subliminal concentrations and rapid renal clearance. The human trials with aminoguanidine experience vasculitis (inflammation of lymph or blood vessel), liver fu nction abnormalities [62] and less frequent flu-like symptoms, nausea and headache [63]. Figure 96. Structures of some potential antiglycating agents Aspirin Acetylsalicylic acid commonly known as aspirin is an analgesic has well known analgesic drug that also shows the preventive action against formation of cataract under diabetic conditions. Aspirin may limit the sugar-mediated formation of Amadori products by acetylation of free amino residues of proteins. Aspirin also stops the crosslinking of tendon in rat tail in vitro through inhibition of glycoxidation. Furthermore, aspirin is a free radical scavenger [64]. However, the use of aspirin is unlikely in controlling late diabetic complications because of some serious gastrointestinal side effects [41]. Rutin Rutin is a common flavonoid of vegetables and fruits that modulates the AGEs generation in vitro. The flavonoids including rutin that contain vicinal dihydroxyl groups have established their significant role as antiglycating agents. The mechanism of inhibition by rutin is suggested to involve the trapping of amino groups in proteins at early stage of glycation, especially in ketoamine formation, by rutin metabolites like keto-quinone intermediates. Rutin has shown significant inhibitory effect against hemoglobin glycation and it is more efficient compared to aminoguanidine [65]. Antioxidnats Since non-enzymatic glycation of protein is significantly accelerated by excessive generation of free radicals, the antioxidants and other free radical scavengers are expected to inhibit the process of glycation [24]. For example, vitamin E has been reported to appreciably reduce the glycation of hemoglobin [66]. The compounds that exhibit both antioxidant and antiglycation properties e.g. aminosalicylic acid, can protect endothelial cells with better efficacy than aminoguanidine against adverse effects of glycation and high glucose levels in vitro [46]. Similarly, carnosine that is a naural antioxidant and antiglycating agent, inhibits sugar-induced cross-linking of proteins by reaction with methylglyoxal and also sequesters metal ions (e.g. copper and zinc). Carnosine has shown its role in the treatment of cataracts and other diseases [67]. The glycation-derived free radicals generation may be reduced by chelation of transition metal ions, which are responsible for monosaccharide a utoxidation. For instance, the metal chelator, diethylenetriamine penta acetic acid has shown the inhibition of glucose autoxidation [68, 69]. AGE-Breakers AGE-breakers are the compounds, which remove AGEs cross-links through breakdown of ÃŽ ±-dicarbonyl bonds in glucose-derived cross-links of proteins [70]. However, the exact mechanism of inhibition for cross-link breaking is unclear so far. N-phenacylthiazolium bromide (PTB) and its chloride form, alagebrium chloride (ALT-711) are the examples of AGE-breakers. It has been demonstrated that the increased arterial stiffness related to diabetes is successfully reversed through a short treatment with AGE-breaker, ALT-711. The cardiovascular stiffness related to normal aging process can also be reduced by ALT-711. For example, the treatment of normal aged dogs with AGE cross-link breaker has shown noticeable decrease in stiffness of left ventricle chamber [71]. The clinical trial studies on diabetic humans, dogs and other animals indicate the potentially promising use of antiglycation therapy in near future to prevent diabetic complications and other diseases related to protein glycation [56].

Friday, October 25, 2019

A Comparison of Butlers Life and Kindred Essay -- comparison compare

A Comparison of Butler's Life and Kindred    What lies in the mind of an author as he or she begins the long task of writing a fiction novel? This question can be answered if the author's life is studied and then compared to the work itself. Octavia E. Butler's life and her novel Kindred have remarkable comparisons. This essay will point out important events of Butler's life and how they link to the mentioned novel. Octavia Estelle Butler was born on June 22, 1947 in Pasadena, California (Voices From 1). She began her life with many hardships as an only child and having her father die when she was very young (Voices From 1). She grew up in a location that had a wide variety of racial backgrounds, however Butler never felt like she lived in a world of segregation (Notable Black 144). She describes the situation best when she states, "I never...lived in a segregated neighborhood nor went to segregated school; the whole community was an economic ghetto" (Notable Black 144). The lack of money sometimes creates a humble atmosphere and that must have been the case with Pasadena throughout her childhood. Until this point it seems as if Butler had a very unhappy childhood, but the life that she was living was shaping her to become the great author that she is today. Trials can become positive experiences for one to grow and mature and this was definitely her case. Having been an only child, Butler spent most of her time surrounded by an adult crowd, presumably the acquaintances of her mother (Notable Black 144). Thus, she grew up as a "very solitary individual" (Notable Black 144). She was also inflicted with dyslexia, which made it very difficult for her to keep up with the rest of the children her age (Notable Black 144).... ...utler, Octavia E. Kindred. Boston: Beacon Press, 1979. Doerksen, Teri Ann. Into Darkness Peering : Race and Color in the Fantastic. Ed. Elisabeth Anne Leonard. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press, 1997. Gates, Jr., Henry Louis, and Dorothy Allison. Reading Black, Reading Feminist: A Critical Anthology. Ed. Henry Louis Gates. New York: Meridian Book, 1990. Jackson, Jerome H. "Sci-fi Tales from Octavia E. Butler." The Crisis 101.3(1994): 4-5,10. Smith, Jessie Carney, Ed. Notable Black American Women. Detroit: Gale Research, 1992. Stevenson, Rosemary. Black Women in America: an Historical Encyclopedia. Ed. Darlene Clark Hine, Elsa Barkley Brown, Rosalyn Terborg-Penn. Brooklyn, N.Y.: Carlson Pub., 1993. "Voices From the Gaps -- Women Writers of Color." July 31, 1998. October 14, 1998. http://english.cla.umn.edu/Ilkd/vfg/Authors/OctaviaButler.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Journey: Finding Nemo

â€Å"Finding Nemo† highlights the adventures of a clownfish named Nemo, as he unexpectedly gets captured at the Drop Off and sent to Sydney. His dad, Marlin, and his friend, Dory, go in search of Nemo encountering many dangers of the ocean. While they continue finding him, Nemo meets new friends at a fish tank of a dentist clinic in which help him escape. Towards the end, Marlin finds Nemo and together they go back to their home at the anemone.The film, â€Å"Finding Nemo†, is about the journey as Nemo travel from the familiar to the unfamiliar and the adventures that are encountered as Marlin searches for Nemo. For instance, Nemo arrives at his first day of school where he travels away from the anemone in which he lives to a new place. It is a thrilling experience which is suggested through the playful background music. Nemo’s facial expression also shows his admiration and amazement to the many colourful creatures of the sea which he has not seen before.He unp redictably gets caught in the hands of a diver due to his disobedience acts against his dad. He is taken to a fish tank where weeds and stones are artificial, space is greatly confined compared to that of the ocean and those that live in the tank including Gill, Peach, Bubbles, Jacques, Deb, Bloat and Gurgle, are the strangers in which become Nemo’s friends. The audience knows that the unfamiliar can be frightening as Nemo repeatedly says â€Å"Where’s my daddy? after his capture from the diver. Marlin on the other hand experiences the great dangers of the ocean which he has never thought of encountering as he warns Nemo that â€Å"the ocean is not safe. † His traumatic past through his loss of his wife and many clownfish babies makes him afraid of stepping out of his anemone; however, Nemo becomes the motivation for him to explore further abroad the sea.He swims to an isolated part of the sea where he meets the three sharks, Bruce, Anchor and Chum, and then fo r the first time travels across a large group of jelly fish and meets sea turtles of Sydney. Nemo’s and Marlin’s journey to the unfamiliar has led them to step out of their comfort zone and further explore the world that exists away from their home. It is very different to what they are used to, therefore leading them to adapt and become a well-informed individual they evolved into by the end of the film.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Living Conditions in cambodia Essays - Southeast Asia, Free Essays

Living Conditions in cambodia Essays - Southeast Asia, Free Essays Living Conditions in cambodia By: Emily Crume center850008549640 professor G. Ramano ENGLISH 111-61B-B31000000 professor G. Ramano ENGLISH 111-61B-B3 Emily Crume Professor G . Romano English 111-61B-B3 1 December 2016 Annotated Bibliography: Living Conditions in Cambodia An article , written by Anne- Meike Fechter and her contributors, solely focuses on aid work and professionalism . Some criticism and unease is primarily set on how aid workers are benefitting from a system that does not deliver from the poor . The aid industry is described as "careless and greedy . " Fechter states that, "aid workers were straddling contrasting worlds," meaning that aid workers would do what they pleased while the rest of the population was fighting a battle with being poor . Almost everyone "boycotted" aid workers because they did not agree with how they lived . The people living in Cambodia truly believed that aid workers were only in their profession because they had selfish motives . Due to this, all aid workers had become very close among themselves . They had all shaped public and even private understandings of one another . Aid workers being close with others in their own profession ga ve them a sense of comfort . One thing that aid workers all agreed on and thought was interesting was that poverty professionals were living good . For example, even though those living in poverty had little money for their necessities, they still made the best of everything and loved the life that they were living, whereas the aids were maki ng enough money that they did not necessarily understand how someone could live that happily . In Anne's conclusion, she states, "This is borne out by their everyday practices, as far as they are engaged in crafting lifestyles which combine their professional interests with personal, social, and emotional ones . " Professional motives are not only crucial in what it tells us about aid workers, but also reveals some ethics as well . The debate about professional aid workers is even more interesting than a debate on social workers or nurses in the sense that there is substantial data and trials on those issues . Placing professional aids in different categories with a different emphasis rather than their morals blocks necessary debates on this issue/topic of how aid workers are treated and are living in Cambodia . Another article , written by Stephanie Nann , Jean- Phlippe Dousset , Chanthy Sok , Pisey Khim , Sopheap Y, Paul Sorum , and Mullet Etienne, focuses on the allocation of antiretroviral drugs . In 1999 , about 100,000 people were living with HIV and about 6,000 with AIDS . Antiretroviral drugs have always been a very limited supply in Cambodia and less than 20% of people living with HIV benefitted from antiretroviral drugs . In Cambodia, there was a study where four criteria 's were considered . To get the antiretroviral drugs, you would have had to have been in one of these four criteria . The first criterion considered was on a first come first served basis . However, with this, the longer a patient has been waiting would mean that their priority for the drug would eventually become extremely high . The second criterion considered was based on how severe the infection was . However, with this, the lower CD4 count, the higher the patient's priority . The third criterion considered was based on the patient's level of responsibly of their own family . However, if this criterion was applied, the more patients with bigger families, the higher priority that patient had to get the drugs . The fourth criterion was based on the financial situation of the patient's family . However, studies showed that if the family's income was sufficient, then the drugs would most likely be taken and used correctly . If the family's income was not sufficient, then the drugs would most likely not be taken and used correctly, which is a huge issue . One huge concern about antiretroviral drugs is the misuse and abuse . It had become such a huge concern that in the month of June pharmacies and private clinics started banning the selling and buying of medications . The Ministry of