Monday, September 30, 2019

Child Labor-Research Paper Essay

Children are the most important people in this world. Not only are they innocent and premature, but they also provide the future for this world. Every great leader or world changing man or women was once a bay. That baby grew up and became something great. Because that bay was raised the right way they were able to achieve men’s greatest achievements. If people like George Washington were raised differently then where would America be? We could still be under British Rule. We could be one of the governments that keep getting into civil wars because they have no strong leaders to lead them in the right direction. One child can rearrange how the world is today. Children are like a ball of clay. Children must be cared for in order to be shaped into a beautiful masterpiece. What masterpiece can you make with cracked clay? Ask any artist or sculptor you can’t work with cracked clay. It crumbles and falls apart in your hand. How can we make this world a masterpiece if the structure isn’t supportive? Child labor is the harsh dry climate that can dry and crack the future masterpiece that is our world. We need educated, healthy, and able children to run our future world and make it the utopia we wish it could be. Putting Child Labor on the front of Time Magazine can really help with this problem. Having this topic on the front of such a popular magazine can really help with the publicity this topic needs. There can be a lot more done to help this on going problem. We need to educate the world on what is happening to these poor children that this has to happen too. Child labor is a very important problem and needs to be stopped as soon as possible. Child Labor should be on the cover of Time Magazine because it is a growing problem, it can destroy countries, and children are the future for this world. Keeping in mind all this aspects I believe that child labor is completely cowardly act of the cruel people and should be banned. The history of child labor is very extensive. Not only has it been around since the beginning of time it’s also been a technique used in every single country in the world. As a matter of fact Child labor is still around today. It may not be as extensively used as it used to be but it is still around. During the 1700’s child labor was a big part of the industrial revolution. Kids were hired to do tasks that required their attributes. They were ordered to crawl under working machines and check things out. Surprisingly Children were given the most dangerous jobs. Many children died, lost limbs, or were seriously injured. As the problem grew it was introduced to more immature countries. These countries used children for many things including work. They would have them work on farms, factories, or other laboring jobs. Rebel armies in 3rd world countries are especially big fans of Child Labor. They use children for everything for the fact that they are easy to brainwash. They use children to distribute guns, as soldiers, or as servants. The main use of Child Labor now is mostly 3rd world countries. These countries have been depending on these children for many things. They need these children so much because they are very new countries. These countries might have become independent not very long ago and struggle very much to remain stable†(Galbi Douglas). Because these countries are so young thy are way to busy trying to figure out problems like who is in charge and dealing with rebel armies that this problem is almost nothing to them. Believe or not some governments use child labor. These 3rd world countries believe that putting a child to work is fine. As I said before the history of Child Labor is very extensive and there is probably some things that experts don’t even know about this topic. Child Labor has been a growing problem ever since the beginning of time. According to the history of Child Labor not very much has been done to prevent Child Labor. Certain countries have created laws preventing Child Labor but most of the world still has Children working. Most of these countries are 3rd world countries. There are many reasons why 3rd world countries have Child Labor. It provides family’s with one more paycheck to help with bills. You may notice the many 3rd world families have a lot of members. That is because if you have more children you have more paychecks coming in. Another reason is because people believe it might balance out there economy. Politics in these countries might believe that increasing the working class will increase the amount of products able to export therefore increasing trade and wealth. Also the main purpose that countries have Child Labor because it is the cheapest form of labor. Kids are able to work relatively cheap because there are easy to manipulate and convince that certain things are fair. This is an easy way to increase the work effort and increase profit too. These countries believe that Child Labor is a good way to increase their wealth and hopefully get them out of the economic slump they are in. Because these countries are very young they don’t see this as being wrong. Also they don’t see that Child Labor is actually destroying them also. Child Labor does the exact opposite of help. That’s why it is such an important growing problem. We have to figure out some how to convince countries that Child Labor isn’t good. Countries don’t believe anything is wrong because we keep on buying their products. There are several large companies that use Child Labor as a form of cheap labor so they are able to make much more profit. One of these big name product that use Child Labor in their factories is Nike. Nike is one of the biggest companies around in the U. S and they use Children in their factories. This shows how much it actually is around us. It is because of companies like this that are the reason the Child labor is still around. (Why children work) Child Labor is a main reason why 3rd world countries are the way they are today. Child labor devastates countries and families all around the world. Not only does Child Labor include the labor of several children but it also is a main topic in the tragedy of child trafficking. Children are sold as slaves to several people that are involved in Child trafficking. These Children are forced to work and do certain jobs fir no pay and little food. This also usually happens in 3rd world countries. These children are usually kidnapped of the streets then sold. Another reason why Child labor is destroying countries is because these 3rd world countries that need a strong leader now have no educated children that can soon be their leader. To have a good leader he must be well educated. All of the great leaders of the world were once young children. As children they were pushed to get the best education they possibly can get. Now they were able to change the world into a better place. Without educated children, who will be the future leaders of these 3rd world countries? It is because there are no children that are educated that these countries are in such a slump. (Child Labor) Children are the future larders of this world. Name any person that has accomplished so many great things for this world and no matter what that person would always have a child hood. Our President for example, he was once a child. He used to play with toys and play tag. What he had different then Children in labor are the opportunity. That is what we need to provide for these children. We have to give these children an opportunity to help their country, to help their families, to help the world. If we are able to give these children opportunity they can help these countries. They can bring these countries out of the slumps they are in. They can even fix many of our problems that we have today. We should fight to end this struggle. We should fight to win this war against Child Labor. Many people think that child labor only existed in the early twentieth century but that is wrong. Child labor still exists in our world today and even though we do not hear or read about it, it is still prominent in the world today. Many companies based in the United States are also involved in child labor. Many of the companies that are involved in child labor are not involved directly. Just because child labor has a negative connotation does not mean that all the results of child labor are negative. There are many negative outcomes of child labor and people should not encourage child labor but it is still very much alive in our world today. Many people wonder what child labor is, or how many children are actually affected by it, or even where it take place. To define child labor, someone could say it is any work that could harm, abuse, or misuse children. It is also important to know that child labor is a major problem throughout the world. Just about two hundred and fifty million children around the world are considered child laborers. Child laborers are found all over the world. Child labor is not just limited to one or two regions in the world, it is a global problem that must be controlled. Many studies have been conducted in recent times to further understand how prevalent child labor is in our world today. It is known around the world that child laborers are mainly recruited from poor or undeveloped countries. Many child laborers are promised money, a better life style, housing and all the amenities they would ever need, but it is a lie. Employers tell these lies to the parents of children. The parents are hoping that the employer would give a better type of life for their child than they would if they stayed with them. In addition to child labor not being limited to one region of the world not only one age group is limited to being taken as child laborers. Some kids are taken from their homes to become child laborers at the age of four. Many of the children that are taken to be child laborers are tricked and scammed into becoming child laborers. A recent study on child labor showed the Asian continent possessed the most child laborers. The study showed that of all the children laborers in the world Asia had just above sixty percent of all the children laborers. Following Asia with the second most child laborers was the continent of Africa with just above thirty percent of world’s children laborers. Latin America held just below ten percent of the world’s children laborers. The rest of the children laborers are found in the United States, Canada, or prospering nations on the European continent. About one fifth of all the workers in Asia are children. Also in Latin America just about one fifth of all the workers are children. A study conducted by the UNICEF organization concluded that about thirty-three percent of children in Africa were working. The same study showed that twenty percent of children in Latin America were at work. â€Å"Out of the two hundred and fifty million child laborers in the world about eight and a half million child laborers are forced to work in conditions that sexually exploit them or in conditions that force them to use weapons†(Yuban Hilda). Many people also wonder can child labor really exist in the United States of America today. It may be hard to believe but child labor does occur in the United States of America today. In the year 1996 a study showed that just fewer than two hundred thousand child laborers were in the United States of America. In the same study about sixty thousand of the two hundred thousand child laborers in America were under the age of fourteen. With all this knowledge many people wonder what is being done, and what can be done in the future. The government of the United States of America has passed many laws and restrictions to fight child labor but it has not been enforced to a great extent. It is evident that child labor is widely impacting our world; destroying our countries and preventing the children that are the future for this world to do great things. Looking at all of these aspects, it shows how big of a problem this issue is, and putting it on the cover of time magazine would help inform people on such large levels. The only way that people will know about how serious the conditions are for these children is if the word is spread, and Time Magazine will show everyone that they must help. Imagine if the United States provided these types of conditions to our children. Is that the type of society that you would want your children, your children’s children, and the future generations to live in? With that being said, how could the people in countries like America not do anything to help? We must help. We can no longer allow this issue to spread in third world countries. If we want these countries to strive and become stable countries, it must start with the children; they need help and they shouldn’t have to deal with these types of conditions any longer. Child labor should be on the cover of time magazine because it is a rapidly growing problem, is will leave countries in ruins, and children are the future of this planet.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Eating with Your Hands Essay

Society today is one big melting pot. People bring their customs and cultural traditions and it conglomerates with others creating these norms we follow. We live by, what time has created over time, a status quo, or social rights and wrongs. In the passage, Eating with Your Hands, the author opens the topic about etiquette, one of the major social controversies. She talks about why some foods are only acceptable to be eaten with proper utensils while others can be â€Å"finger food†. It’s true—but why is that a known rule? And why is it frowned upon? The passage has some background history of people groups within certain countries eating food with their hands, and how it almost gives an individual a better sense of what he or she is eating. The author brings up how it’s the meeting of the soul and the skin; whereas silverware places a distance between you and your food. She compares it to that of two people making love—giving food and yourself an intimate relationship. I got the sense that society has changed the soul and feeling behind food and meals due to the kosher norms of modern day etiquette. Personally I have never given thought to how I eat my food in comparison with other cultures. Growing up in twenty-first century America I have always eaten the way I’m â€Å"supposed† to; I never gave it a second thought. My culture has almost given me tunnel vision, letting me focus only on what I know as acceptable or natural. This topic opens my mind to what else I might be blinded to. I have never explored what other cultures grow accustomed to like religion, style, relationships, family dynamics or even school. I have always considered myself incredibly fortunate for the life I live, and therefore I never examined the varying cultural aspects of differing nations or people groups. As far as the message of society erasing the intimacy of our meals to ourselves, I can absolutely sympathize with the author’s thoughts. In retrospect, the singular thing that could most certainly bring my family together was the warm meal that awaited us. The physicality of sharing a meal together provided each of us the opportunities to engage, with every member of my family, our singular experiences. Food is a social activity! Assuredly, eating is an activity. When an individual goes out with his or her friends, more often than not they all get dinner together. When one throws a birthday party, a favorite restaurant or catering or favorite home-cooked meal is involved. Social interactions like dating usually incorporate food of some sort. In the generation of everything digital, it is common to take a picture of a meal and post it to a social media. Food has always been a part of social interaction. I do think that society has put a strain on the comfort of eating how we desire, without our conscious recognition. Perhaps because we grew up learning that we couldn’t eat spaghetti with both hands.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

If you had a second chance- The opportunity to do something over and Essay

If you had a second chance- The opportunity to do something over and do it differently- what would you choose to do over and wha - Essay Example If I would be granted an opportunity, I would wish to opt for the profession of medicine and to enter this field not for my own good but for the greater good. The professional career of a doctor revolves around the serving of the health of individuals and therefore to work towards the betterment of other people. It is a profession of dignity where an individual sacrifices his own personal luxuries for the sake of ensuring the quality of life of other individuals. A doctor works full time in the health care settings and his duty is the top most priority for him. Doctors are important parts of the medical teams that are required for emergency setups for disaster management. My inspiration for the profession increased following the work of the doctors for humanitarian relief in the disasters particularly the earthquake that hit Haiti. The way the doctors left the comforts of their home to move to an area where they might not even have access to clean water was really an impressive act. I would have opted for this profession for the greater good and for the purpose of serving humanity. It would have provided me with inner satisfaction.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Preparation for Work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Preparation for Work - Essay Example We came out with flying colors at the end since each one of us knew beforehand what we needed to do. Teamwork pays and this is absolutely true in the time and age of today. I learned this from experience with the help of my remaining team members that unity and discipline within a team are important aspects which need to be understood right from the onset of instituting a team. Since I understood the complexities involved with the moods and personalities of different team members, we decided right from the start that any grievances with one another could be settled once we are through with out assigned presentation. As a team, we made sure that there would not be any rifts amongst us but we compromised on having minor arguments which would lead us towards creative solutions as per the successful completion of our group presentation. We learned this with the passage of time that working as a team could mean so much more than just working for one another. It could mean that the collective results are more significant than an individual's achievement and that a team knows how to celebrate in a proper and befitting manner - a fact that is not so common when an individual attains success. As for the interpersonal skills, we guaranteed to one another that each of the team member's strengths as well as weaknesses would be analyzed in the light of the successful completion of the task at hand, which indeed was the completion of the group presentation. We appreciated the fact that judgments would not make the rounds of our team and thus we centered our attention on the premise of hard work, commitment, dedication and complete adherence to the rules laid down when the team was formed in the beginning. I am pretty contented to speak for my own self that I have felt a difference in my personality basis after the successful completion of the group presentation. I now feel that my personal development has been helped immensely by being a part of this team. Interacting with the team members and getting to know about each other's interpersonal skills is a definitive plus for me. 2- Verbal Communication I have understood during my graduate study regimes that intercultural communication is essential to understand since it is the form of communication that happens across cultural boundaries and transmits meaningful and unambiguous information. This process of exchanging the same preserves mutual trust and minimizes the element of aggression amongst my fellow colleagues. I have comprehended long and hard that a culture is indeed a shared system comprising of different beliefs, values, expectations, attitudes, norms, symbols, etc and thus it becomes all the more necessary in the present times to get the hang of such elements within the cultural contexts of a particular area, region or territory. I have tried my best to respect the intercultural faith whereby this has meant that this form of communication would indeed be successful with the people who matter within its cultural tenets. Similarly verbal communication is dependent a great deal on the intricacies entailed with the phenomen on of globalization and thus cultural diversity has reduced as a result of the very same. In order to understand oral, verbal and

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Ethics and Social Responsibility Relevant to Facebook Essay

Ethics and Social Responsibility Relevant to Facebook - Essay Example The social networking sites operate at interpersonal levels. The communication involves the ethical and social considerations between friend to friend, parents to their children, employer to the employee, employee to the employee, doctor to patient, teacher to student, and buyer to sellers; in fact, it encompasses every human relationship which exists in the world. The ethics and the social responsibility related to the Facebook and how they are dealing with it shall be discussed in this paper. To take a deeper insight into the ethics and social responsibility of social networking sites, a brief history related to the social networking will be highlighted, regarding the information on how they have expanded. Definitions and history of social networking sites Social networking seems to be an ambiguous term used for such sites. Human beings are inherently social creatures. From the very start, they have developed different ways and modes to communicate with each other. They cannot live in complete isolation from each other. For this purpose, human beings have always facilitated and built structured social networks. These institutions and facilities included community clubs, public places, churches and communication technologies such as postal and courier system, telephone and telegraph system. However, with the passage of time and tremendous increase in technological advancement, they have started resorting to faster and quicker ways of communications in the form of information technology. Most of these are based on the software standards of Web 2.0 (Vallor 2012). Before the emergence of Web 2.0 standards, various forms of networking such as chat rooms, Bulletin Board System (BBS) and MUD’s (multi user’s dungeons) were being used for social interactions (Barnes 2001; Turkle 1995). These early social networking places worked typically as places of commercial, personal or academic exploitation. These were rather used for broad social purposes. The pur pose behind the emergence of Web 2.0 was to produce user-friendly, collaborative and communicative internet content. Though the initial aims of the developers were same as that of the previous social networking and internet but it evolved with the rapid changes in the technology. Social topography of the internet has been redefined by Web 2.0 social interfaces which built increased social networks between their users online as well as offline. This trend shifted the original function of internet from pseudonymous identities to formation of Sui Generis social networking (Ess 2011). Sites which adopted new trends The very first websites which adopted the explicit standards for social networking were Orkut, FaceBook, LinkedIn, MySpace, Friendster, Beboand Habbo. The recent change in these trends is the rise in the media sharing sites such as You Tube, icro-blogging sites such as Twitter, Location based networking sites such as Google Latitude and interest sharing sites such as Pinteres t (Vallor 2012). Rise of ethical concerns related to social networking sites One of the sub parts of the computer and information ethics is the ethical implications of Social Networking Sites (Bynum 2011). With an increase in the social networking phenomenon and owing much to the effects and usage of the computer as a medium of social communication, the

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Shareholding versus Stakeholding Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Shareholding versus Stakeholding - Assignment Example After suitable measures to overcome the conflict have been taken, the business climate of the enterprise will be readily acceptable by the public investing in the shares of the company. This may indirectly raise the prices of the shares, leading to the generating of profit of the shareholders. Another reason for the rise of the difference between the stakeholders and the shareholders is the lack of protection rendered to the third party. Thus it is very important for the managers to pay heed to the rising differences between the stakeholders and shareholders of the company. But the main issue that the company faces is whether to use single value objective function or balanced scorecard (Siems, 2007, p.180). The challenges faced by managers to be ‘socially responsible’ In the process of being socially responsible, managers face a few challenges, for example the process of value seeking rather than value maximizing. Therefore, through the achievement of the value seeking f unction, the confusion that leads to maximizing the value is difficult to overcome, as the way the world is structured is quite complicated. Under no situation can the maximization of the value of the managers be guaranteed, but the assurance can be given that the movement of the managers is in the right direction. The absence of the negative externalities in the input factor market does not lead to the rise in the opportunity cost of the firm. If the firm is still earning the social cost of the company, this may result in the dilemma caused to the managers during the performance of the social responsibilities. Self-serving manager exploiting social responsibility for his/her personal gain Sometimes the managers of the companies with a purpose of performing the social responsibilities tend to serve their personal gains. The reason behind this is the use of the stakeholder’s theory, through which the personal short run-interests of the shareholders are accomplished. Since a be tter criterion cannot be provided, the proper evaluation of the managers is not possible. Thus, by the application of the shareholders theory, the managers pursue their own interest at the expense of the firm’s financial claimants and the society at large. The directors and the managers use the resources of the firm for their own needs, such as art, medical research, etc. without being held liable for the expenditures caused to the company. As with the practice of the stakeholder theory the internal control system of the company is being hampered, hence arguments are being placed for the government intervention – anti-takeover provisions, for example – in these areas (Letza S., et al., 2004, p.247). Budgeting and strategic management accounting tools as an encouragement for shareholder or stakeholder centric focus Such accounting tools as budgeting and the strategic management, Balanced Scorecard, and the others had been a helpful encouragement in the focusing o n the shareholders and the stakeholders of the concerned country. These tools help decide to what standard the company should stick to avoid neglecting the interests of both the shareholders and the stakeholders of the company. With tools like budgeting and strat

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Racial Disparity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Racial Disparity - Research Paper Example If it could be considered as one of the social problems of modern societies, racial disparity has caused severe concerns to governments worldwide mostly because of the following facts: the problem seems to be continuously expanded, i.e. there is no sign of limitation or even standardization; also, the phenomenon has been already developed at such level that threatens the stability of the society. Racial disparity is a critical social problem in countries worldwide. The problem is mostly reflected in the barriers faced by black people or people belonging in minorities when trying to enter the job market (The Independent 2008, NBC Washington 2011); the healthcare treatment provided to black people and people in minorities also reveals the existence of racial disparity (McNeil 2011). In criminal justice also, cases of racial disparity can be identified. Indeed, black people and people in minorities are most likely to be arrested for crimes of various types; moreover, people in this category are more likely to be convicted – compared the white people who have committed the same offences. In Illinois ‘19 per cent of black defendants charged in 2005 were sentenced to prison after being charged with a low-level drug possession felony’ (Di Benedetto 2011); the percentage of white people charged for the same crime was just 4% (Di Benedetto 2011). It should be noted though that the failure in managing racial disparity is not reflected just in the punishment imposed on offenders; it seems that criminal behavior is increased in black people and people belonging in minorities, a fact which shows the lack of measures for equally controlling crime across society. In a research developed in 2008 â€Å"10.1 per cent of all blacks reported using illegal drugs compared to 8.2 per cent of all whites† (Di Benedetto 2011). Racial disparity is an important social problem;  however, its limitation would require an integrated plan of action; the introduction of changes in the criteria of sentencing would not be adequate for reducing the number of minorities in courts and prisons.  

Monday, September 23, 2019

Answer questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Answer questions - Assignment Example The general solutions that Swift recommends include; giving out ten repine, which is the charge of nursing a beggar’s child. The individuals he names as the donors of money are the cottagers, laborers, and four-fifths of the farmers. He also recommends that the underprivileged should be dressed skin that is artificial and the suitable person responsible for this plan is Dublin (Swift). The advantages Swift observes in his plan is that, it will reduce the number of papists, poor tenants will have something valuable of their own, country’s stock will be increased by fifty thousand per year, the food would likewise bring great custom to taverns, and lastly, it will be a great inducement to marriage (Swift). Others include the addition of thousand carcasses in the exportation of barreled beef and the enhancement of the art of making good bacon. The clues showing that Swift is not serious about his proposal is when he confesses that he is not ready in endeavoring to promote his plans and recommendations of assisting the underprivileged. He also claims that he has no children; hence, has no need to propose and request for a single penny, and his wife cannot bear children any longer

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Employee Relations in Contemporary Organisations Essay

Employee Relations in Contemporary Organisations - Essay Example The main impetus for employee relations is the need for participation in management and the encouragement of participation as a result of democracy (Blyton and Turnbull, 2004 p276). They state that â€Å"participation is by definition a higher-trust and positive-sum activity where the emphasis is placed on the shared resolution of issues to the mutual benefit and gain of those involved† (Blyton and Turnbull, 2004 p276). This implies that participation is an appropriate means through which both employers and employees can resolve their differences. However, the idea of participation led to the creation of trade unions and the incorporation of trade unionist policies in workplaces (Blyton and Turnbull, 2004). Also, the inclusion of European social policies encouraged bargaining and collective participation. Evolution from the Old Unionism Boxall and Purcell (2003) identify that the old industrial relations of the early 20th century was about control and stability and gaining agr eements to keep the production system going and avoiding disruptive conflicts. These arrangements were not legally enforceable. However, the post-war era ushered in a new period where participation of employees in organizations was done through unions. These unions were representatives of employees through collective bargaining arrangements. Collective bargaining is defined as â€Å"a process through which representation of employers and employee organizations act as joint creators of substantive and procedural rules regulating employment† (Blyton and Turnbull, 2004 p226). In other words, these were situations where important and relevant issues between employers and employees were discussed. The most common 'substantive' issue is the demand for fairer wages. Also, it involved the utilization of a clearly laid down procedure or system whereby employees could assert their demands based on the market value of their collective supply of labor. Most businesses after 1950 had unio ns. The only exceptions were traditionalist organizations that hated unionism and sophisticated paternalists who had management policies which substituted for the unions' presence (Blyton and Turnbull, 2004 p303). However, towards the 21st century, employee relations evolved after the old system of tripartite negotiations collapsed. In the 1980s, trade unionism and collective bargaining fell because of three main things: 1. There was a reduction the proportion of employees covered by collective bargaining arrangements. 2. There was a growing tendency for those arrangements to be local rather than national and 3. The narrowing of the scope of collective bargaining. In 1984, 70% of employees were members of collective bargaining groups. However, in the 1980s, the structures of the trade unions were exposed because they were not capable of dealing with the economic restructuring (Blyton and Turnbull, 2004). In 1990, only 52% of workers were members of collective bargaining groups. By 1 998, this figure had fallen to 40%. Today, the main framework of employee relations include three main elements; science building, problem-solving, ethical systems(Kaufman, 2004 p42).

Saturday, September 21, 2019

The making and breaking of port kembla Essay Example for Free

The making and breaking of port kembla Essay Locality and society are interlinked with worker communities as new labor is inducted in areas which are industrializing. The interaction between workers and communities is thus not constant and remains dynamic. As industrialization took place in the early 20th Century in Australia, workers communities grew around a predominantly agricultural hinterland. These got bigger each day and in turn threatened to displace local communities particularly the indigenous people who were unable to adapt to the changing environment. The emerging conflict led to creation of social institutions by workers in the form of unions to collectively bargain from a position of strength with the community. While this empowered worker communities as a whole, it had varying influences on the lives of workers within the community as well as at the work place. The post industrialization phase where production has been automated and has become far less labor intensive has added a new dimension to this relationship. By drawing upon the example of Port Kembla, the Australian steel township, Erik Eklund has successfully weaved together the historical narrative of interaction of the diverse forces which create a modern industrial society and how social forces enable some organizations to survive while others perish for lack of adaptability. Eklund’s social history of workers in Port Kembla very aptly describes the manner in which the working class fits into the community, the social institutions that the workers create to survive and flourish and the control that the workers gain over their own lives at work and in the community in the process. Port Kembla – The Social Environment Port Kembla is a classic case of emergence of an industrial society amidst the tectonic shifts that take place due to influence of many factors, global, local, war, peace and a depressed economy. Steel represents the primary agent of change in the industrial World. Port Kembla was the principal steel making area in Australia, where prominent steel makers had established their factories which had grown into large behemoths. But steel making is much more than just technology or organization of labor. It has many other facets such as creation of social classes, assimilation of outside forces, suppression of indigenous forces and resistance between these. The steel industry in Port Kembla underwent a number of changes over the years which in turn impacted the development of the community. Till the 1930’s the worker community relationship was mixed with a balanced influence of the informal non market economy and workers communities. However thereafter with the emergence of an industrial society the influence of class politics defined by the powerful role played by the unions which attempted to gain control of both the communities and the workers dominated the socio political panorama of Port Kembla. Global events such as the Depression, the World Wars, the global Depression and post War industrialization also had a powerful influence on community politics in Port Kembla. The creation of localities and their structures set the stage for discussion of class, locality and politics. The struggle waged by the indigenous people, the Kooris to survive the onslaught of industrialization in their native land is illustrative of the large scale social changes in Port Kembla which led to emergence of the supremacy of the Industrial Society in the post Second World War milieu. The final stage is the post industrial society; a process could lead to emergence of new social structures. The model of the workers in Port Kembla provides a successful portray of the social history of industrial society in Australia emerged over the years. Working Class and Overall Community Life The working class has emerged as a result of industrialization which has led to a large congregation of people working together in factories. There has been no other human activity which has brought together so many people in one location as production of goods through a machine economy. A study of the bureaucratic structure, the technology and external factors which influences work in factories and the interaction of the new work society which is formed due to redesigned occupational activity with the community provide an innate social perspective of this phenomenon in the industrial age. The working class emerges as a separate locality within the larger community; it gives them a sense of distinct identity. The co relationship between the working class and the community denoted is thus that of interdependency. However this relationship takes a long time to develop and cannot emerge merely by the artificial process of creating jobs. Jobs are just one part of the exercise of industrialization; it is the manner in which the working class and the community homogenize with each other that marks the holistic growth of an industry. This lesson stands out quite clearly through lucid portrayals of worker communities in Port Kembla. From the dirty, sooty, black image of steel furnaces which marked the early stages of industrialization in Port Kembla, it is seen that as the community grew so did the industry as well as the commercial establishments in the city. The social changes which brought about these linkages enabled a whole, â€Å"locality† of workers to emerge within the community. In turn the impact of local life and tenor on the emergence of the industrial society provides a fascinating perspective. The various waves that brought about change in the industry and concomitantly with the society also need to be well understood. Whether it is migration, gender awareness, a class struggle or redefining the identities of the locals, the working class fits into a local community’s life by creation of institutions for their own well being in the form of unions. Workers Social Institutions The workers needed to create support establishments to survive varied types of pressures, from capitalists, the depression in the economy and loss of jobs. They succeeded in creating adequate safety mechanisms to support themselves as a community. Port Kembla did not have many social institutions in the initial stages when industry was set up in the township. Thus there was a mixed culture with the establishment of Electrolytic Refining and Smelting (ERS) and Metal Manufacturers which carried on with the pre industrial age non formal institutions based on agriculture, fishery and hunting. But the growth of the steel industry under the leadership of BHP which established the Australian Iron and Steel led to creation of an industrial society. The congregation of labor in large numbers was implicit in creation of institutions by them for sustaining their rights and obtaining fair treatment. Unions were a natural corollary to industrialization in Port Kembla. The creation of unions was a safety mechanism that provided the labor working in the large steel factories a sense of security. This was the initial period of localism which soon came under threat from regionalism with the expansion of the steel industry linking Kembla with Wollongong. These forces attempted to displace gradually the locals who had focused on their own borough in the city and tried to create all encompassing institutions. On the social side, workers safety systems were also seen to be based on their kinship affiliation. This was more than evident in the early stages of migration of communities post Second World War as a large number of people from Eastern Europe, Greece and Italy as well as Vietnam and the Middle East came in to feed the expanded need of labor. These however remained a sub text within the larger text provided by the industrial associations of labor unions, which were the primary institutions for support created by workers in Kembla. Control of Workers Within and in the Community While the workers seem to have developed reasonable order in their working lives due to creation of unions, their influence within the community was relatively weaker. Thus while there was unity amongst the workers themselves due to unionized structure of their organization which was to provide a safety network, within the society there were many pressures. Firstly the worker community itself was divided into a large number of unions such as the AWU, the Federated Ironworkers, the South Coast Labor Council and also political parties as the Communist party which had a strong presence in Port Kembla. This division perhaps led to weakening the position of the unions as a whole in the community.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Regulation of Human Skin Pigmentation

Regulation of Human Skin Pigmentation Introduction In the human body, the skin is the largest organ, with it being a complicated epithelial and mesenchymal tissue. It consists of an epidermis which is multilayered as well as structures such as sebaceous and sweat glands, hair follicles, a dermis consisting of elastic and collagen fibres. There is also a layer of subcutaneous fat. There has been a discovery of over 1000 disease entities involved with the skin such as eczema, psoriasis, melanoma and urticaria. Around 15% of a human adults total body weight is accounted for by the skin with a surface area of approximately 2m2. The skin consists of three layers; the epidermis, the dermis and the hypodermis. The outer layer of the skin is known as the epidermis, which is a stratified squamous epithelium , where 95% of its cells are keratinocytes. The remaining cells in the epidermis are the melanocytes, merkel and langerhans cells. The role of the epidermis is to provide a defence barrier against environments of an inhospitable nature. The epidermis can be divided into four layers, in order from outer layer to deepest layer; stratum corneum (the cornified layer), stratum lucidum (the clear/translucent layer), stratum granulosum (the granular layer), stratum spinosum (the spinous layer) and the stratum basale (the basal layer) . There is a single layer of keratinocytes in the basal layer, where daughter cells can be produced by them to terminal differentiation via proliferation, resulting in the forming of the cornified layer , which can take around 40 days, however this can be shorter in various diseases, such psoriasis. About ten layers of corneocytes that are flattened make up the cornified layer . From the neural crest, dendritic cells can be derived which are known as melanocytes, which are also found in the basal layer. Melanosomes, which are subcellular organelles, transport melanin, which are synthesised by melanocytes, to the neighbouring basal keratinocytes. In order to prevent harm to the nuclei of the basal keratinocytes from ultraviolet radiation, a melanin cap is formed by the melanosomes. Melanosome size and number, as well as melanins nature determine skin colour or pigmentation. Langerhans cells are derived from the bone marrow and are antigen presenting dendritic cells founds in the epidermis. Sensory information is transmitted from the skin to the sensory nerves by merkel cells found in the epidermis . The dermis is the layer beneath the epidermis, and its thickness depends on the area of the body. For example, on the eyelid, the dermis is thin, whilst the dermis is thick on a persons back. The dermis consists of two layers; the papillary dermis and the reticular dermis. The papillary dermis is in contact with the basement membrane zone, which provides adhesion between the epidermis and dermis, where skin blistering can occur due to defects. Blood vessels as well as sensory nerve endings are richly supplied to the papillary dermis. The reticular dermis is in contact with the hypodermis and is the main component of the dermis. Interstitial components, such as elastic and collagen fibres, and cellular components, such as fibroblasts and plasma and mast cells, are what make up the composition of the dermis. Collagen accounts for around 70% of the dermis dry weight , where types I and III are predominant. The predominant cell type, however, is fibroblasts in the dermis, which are derived from the mesenchyme. The hypodermis is the deepest layer of the skin consisting of lipocytes. The function of the hypodermis is to connect the skin to the bone and muscle, thus supplying the bone with nerves and blood vessels. The arrangement of these is in fat lobules, where the fibrous septae separates one from another. The connection between the dermis and the hypodermis is strengthened by fibre bundles originally from the dermis. Around 80% of the entire body fat is found within the hypodermis in those individuals who are not obese . As very briefly mentioned previously, melanocytes function is dependent upon for pigmentation. These cells from melanoblasts during embryological development. Each basal melanocyte is connected functionally to the dermal fibroblasts as well as to the basal keratinocytes. These three cell types interact and communicate with each other in order to regulate the skins phenotype and function through the secreted factors and receptors in addition to cell to cell contact . Stem cell keratinocytes and basal melanocytes has a slow proliferation rate in normal circumstances, however the upper basal keratinocytes have a much rapid proliferation rate, which carries them towards the skins surface alongside the ingested melanin thus forming a barrier. Therefore the skins colour is not personified by only the melanin found in melanocytes, but also in a conjunction with pigment found in the superficial layers of the skin . Currently, pigmentation is known to be regulated in a direct or indirect fashion by over 125 different genes, with this number potentially rising 150-200 in less than another 100 years. Out of them genes, the ones whose function is understood, a lot of them affect processes that are involved in development which are critical for melanoblasts. Some genes regulate melanocytes differentiation and survival whilst others control processes affecting pigmentation. Melanosomes functions or biogenesis is affected by more than 25 of the genes. Some critical enzymes involved in the control of pigmentation include tyrosinase, tyrosinase related protein 1 (TRP-1) and DCT (DOPAchrometautomerase). If these enzymes are mutated, melanins which are synthesis could be affected in terms of their quantity and quality. Some critical structural proteins required for the melanosomes to mature structurally include Pmel17 and MART1. Mutations in proteins that are involved in the sorting of melanosome proteins can result inherited disorders of hypopigmentary nature . This critical appraisal will look at in further detail the different types of pigmentation, constitutive and facultative, and how they are regulated, including the roles of MC-1R, cyclic AMP (cAMP) pathway Agouti Signalling Protein, MITF and ultraviolet radiation. Also covered in this piece of work is CRHs and ÃŽÂ ²-endorphins roles in regulation of human skin pigmentation. Melanin Within the melanosomes, melanins are synthesises via the previously mentioned enzymes. The reaction which limits the melanogenesis rate becomes catalysed by tyrosinase, as is tyrosinases hydroxylation resulting in 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA), along with DOPA oxidising into DOPAquinone. The oxidation of 5,6-dihydroxyindole-2-carboxylic acid (DHICA) take place in mice due to TRP-1, however this same activity doesnt take place in humans. DOPAchrome is isomerised into DHICA by DCT. In human, there is productions of two types of melanin, eumelanin which is black or brown and pheomelanin which is yellow or red. Tyrosinase is essential for the synthesis of both types of melanin, whilst TRP1 and DCT more for the synthesis of eumelanin . With regards to skin pigmentation, there are two types; Constitutive pigmentation and Facultative pigmentation. Regulation of Constitutive Pigmentation Depending upon the racial and ethnic background of the person, the colour of human skin varies from extremely light to extremely dark. Several major chaperones, melanin, oxyhaemoglobin and deoxyhaemoglobin and carotenoids determine the colour of human skin. In 1954, the first observation was made with regards to the pigmentary system of the skin by Szabo when an immunohistochemical technique was used to test tyrosinases enzymatic activity via staining of tissues , where Caucasian skin was examined at first followed by other colours of skin. Along with various other studies as well as Szabos it was shown that in different human skin types had similar melanocytes densities as well as distribution in similar body areas. They also found that there is less melanin content in lighter skin, with melanosomes which are pigmented poorly being clustered above the nuclei within keratinocytes. There is more melanin present in darker skin, with the distribution of melanosomes that are pigmented heavily being individual in keratinocytes rather than clustered, which increases light absorption. The density of melanocytes is different in distinct parts of the body. For example, the skin on an individuals palms or soles is lighter in comparison to others parts of the body. Environmental factors can affect the density of constitutive melanocytes in the skin, including ultraviolet radiation (UVR), where the density can be increase by 3 or 4 times of the norm. Another environmental factor that can increase the density are toxic compounds, for example hydroquinone, resulting in the destruction of melanocytes. In increase of decreased melanocyte densities, pigmentary disorders which are inherited can result, for example freckles or vitiligo respectively . Due to Bcl2s high expression, epidermal keratinocytes are resistant to apoptosis as they have a slow proliferation rate in normal circumstances. It has been shown that the palms and soles dermis have a high level of Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) secretion which causes the Wnt/ÃŽÂ ²-catenin signalling pathway to become inhibited via the suppression of the growth function of melanocytes, thus inhibiting the melanogenic pathway. This can have effects on some transcriptional regulators, for example microphthalmia transcription factor (MITF), to some downstream melanogenic proteins. Epidermal Keratinocytes also become affected by DKK1 as melanin uptake is diminished, resulting in a skin phenotype which is a lot thicker with less pigmentation . Melanocortin 1 Receptor (MC-1R), which is domain receptor of seven transmembranes which binds to pro-opiomelanocortin peptides due to it being coupled with ÃŽÂ ±s G-protein , is a major skin pigment phenotype determinant. It regulated the quality and quantity of melanin production. Two agonists regulate MC-1R function, which are ÃŽÂ ± melanocyte stimulating hormone (ÃŽÂ ±-MSH) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). An antagonist called Agouti signalling protein (ASP) also regulates MC-1R function. When ÃŽÂ ±-MSH or ACTH activate MC-1R, melanogenic cascade expression is stimulated, resulting in stimulation of eumelanin synthesis. This can be reversed by ASP, resulting in stimulation of pheomelanin production. MC-1R gene expression can be upregulated by ÃŽÂ ±-MSH and ACTH, which act in a positive feedback loop . Melanogenesis Melanogenesis can be defined as the biosynthetic pathway of melanin in living cells, which is a complex process with multiple steps which involves substrates, specific enzymes already mentioned and various cofactors commencing with phenylalanine and/or tyrosinase resulting in melanin deposition on the melanosomes protein matrix. The understanding of melanogenesis was greatly increased in the 1950s onwards by Fitzpatrick et al . During the cycle of hair growth in Agouti mice, melanogensis regulation occurs quantitatively as well as qualitatively. Pheomelanins are produced instead of eumelanins in the anagen phase, a switch incurred by the melanocytes in the hair follicles, causing a yellow band on top of a brown background. The regulation of this switch involves extension and agouti loci products that encode MC-1R and ASP respectively. When a ligand binds to MC-1R it activates, resulting in activation of adenylyl cyclase by the ÃŽÂ ±s G-protein, causing an increase in the intracellular cAMP significantly. If the extension locus incurs any mutations, the MC-1R reception will become non functional, therefore adenylate cyclase will remain inactive in ÃŽÂ ±-MSH presence, meaning mice will have a yellow coat colour. The MC-1R receptor is bound by ASP, which results in the ÃŽÂ ±-MSH effects being antagonised, which includes the adenylate cyclase activation caused by the ÃŽÂ ±-MSH . There is lots of evidence which shows that ÃŽÂ ±-MSH, ACTH and cAMP have key roles in skin pigmentation regulation in humans. For example, ÃŽÂ ±-MSH hypersecretrion has been reported to cause skin hyperpigmentation. Patients with severe obesity and hair pigmentation which is red have been shown to have pro opiomelanocortin gene mutations . In human melanocytes that have been cultured, dendricity and melanogenesis are upregulated by the pro opiomelanocortin peptides. Pharmalogical cAMP can also mimic these effects. All of this clearly suggests that ÃŽÂ ±-MSH, ACTH and cAMP have a vital role in melanogenesis regulation. Role of cAMP It is suggested that cAMP has a pivotal role in melanogenic enzymes activity / expression regulation. This is because the enzyme activity of melanogenesis is diminished much more than TRP-1 and DCT. The melanogenic effects of the pro opiomelanocortin peptides seem to be mediated via the cAMP pathway upregulation through the activation of MC-1R as well as adenylate cyclase. Within the cell, cAMP binds to protein kinase A (PKA), enabling activation of the catalytic subunit. PKA phosphorylates its substrates, then translocating to the nucleus, phosphorylating cAMP responsive element binding protein (CREB) transcription factors family. Specific genes have their expression activated by this family of proteins, which contains consensus cAMP responsive element (CRE) sequences within their promoters. CREB-binding protein is also phosphorylated by PKA, where PKA dependent gene expression is required in order for the interaction with the family of CREB proteins . MITF, which is a helix loop helix transcription factor has been shown to be encoded by the mi locus. This is due to mice which have the mi mutation have a coat colour which is diluted, have white spots, or entire pigmentation loss. They can also have a microphthalmic phenotype caused by ocular development defects. Within melanocytes, mast cells, pigment cells in the retina and osteoclasts, MITF has been found to be expressed. Also, the lack of melanocytes seems to be the cause of the defective pigmentation in mi mice. It has been established that in the development and survival of melanocytes, MITF plays a key role, which is confirmed by the cloning of the MITF homologue within humans. Patients who have type II Waardenburg syndrome have been known to have mutations in MITF present, where there is defective pigmentation in the skin, hair and eyes, as well as hearing alterations . It was shown by Bertolotto et al that there is some sort of connection between the cAMP pathway with MITF. In normal melanocytes and B16 melanoma cells, MITF expression was shown to be increased by cAMP. Tyrosinase expression stimulation that is induced by cAMP requires MITF as shown by a MITF missing the transactivation domain by a dominant negative mutation . PKA becomes activated by cAMP. PKA then goes on to phosphorylate and activate CREB. CREB binds to CRE after it is activated. The CRE is in the microphthalmia promoter, which upregulates its transcription. Microphthalmia expression is therefore increased, which leads to amplified binding of microphthalmia to the M box motif found in the tyrosinase promoter. Tyrosinase expression is increased, as is the upregulation of the synthesis of melanin. Agouti Signalling Protein In cultured human melanocytes, eumelanin synthesis and the activity of tyrosinase is inhibited by ASP. TRP-1 and the expression of tyrosinase is also reduced by ASP. Because of tyrosinases slightest inhibition of activity as well as to the near loss of the expression of TRP-1 and DCT, ASP decreases eumelanin synthesis. It has been found that genes were downregulated by ASP founds in tyrosinase and DCT, as well as upregulated genes which have some association with a basic helix loop helix transcription factor (ITF2). This shows that ITF2 may have a role in melanogenesis regulation, particularly in the previously mentioned switch of eumelanin to pheomelanin. Regulation of Facultative Pigmentation Physiological regulation that causes an increase in skin colour can be defined as facultative skin pigmentation. There are lots of factors that regulated facultative skin colour, including ultraviolet (UV) which is also known as the tanning reaction which occurs in fish as well as humans. The skins response to UV radiation is kinetically complex causing tanning of the skin over a period of several weeks . The effects of UVR can be divided into acute and chronic effects. The acute effects include erythema (sunburn), tanning and immunosuppression. The skins visible pigmentation is added to by UV causing erythema of the skin itself. There are three different stages of tanning, two of which occur rapidly, immediate and persistent tanning, and one that takes time in order for it to develop, delayed tanning. Immunosuppression can result in a decreased number and function of antigen presenting langerhans cells, as well morphological changes. The chronic effects of UVR include photoaging and photocarcinogenesis. In photoaging, wrinkles and freckles start to appear on the skin, where there is a leather type appearance. Photocarcinogenesis can be caused due to the indirect damage of DNA by reactive oxygen species generation. There are three types of UVR: UVA which is 320 400nm long. Its the longest wave from all the types of UVR and can penetrate deeply into the dermis. UBV is 280 320nm long. It can penetrate the epidermis and is 100 fold more energetic and mutagenic. UVC is 200 280nm long but does not reach the surface of Earth. Immediate Persistent Tanning The reaction of immediate tanning can occur almost instantaneously, within a few minutes after being exposed to UV, where it still persists several hours later. Persistent tanning is a separate second stage of the tanning reaction whereupon it occurs within a few hours after being exposed to UV, with it still being persistent several days later. Melanin and/or melanogenic precursors oxidation and polymerisation is thought to be behind both immediate and persistent tanning. The responses of both these types of tanning are greater to UVA than to UVB. Immediate tanning has a colour of gray to black whilst persistent tanning appears brown.It has been shown that one week after being exposed to UV, there is very little production of more melanin . Reported in 1986 was that immediate tanning can be educed by UVA in epidermal sheets. Honigsmanns results suggested that existing melanin or melanin precursors chemical oxidation is reflected upon by immediate tanning rather than pigment granules physiological movement. Reactive oxygen species are able to cause the oxidation of tyrosine as well as DOPA to melanin which occurs in immediate tanning. Also, pigmentations UVA induction is dependent upon melanin which is soluble and there are two different types of melanin absorption which are involved in UVA photoxidation. Delayed Tanning The reaction of delayed tanning has a developmental time of more than several days. Skin tanning appears to peak one week after being exposed to UV, after which tanning appears to diminish for the next ten weeks, but doesnt return to the constitutive level after that time. Within the same time frame, Asian skin pigmentation increase is relatively small. Therefore there is a higher level of hyperplasia in skin that contains smaller levels of constitutive pigment, playing somewhat of a protective role in the response to UV than did the increased pigmentation the skin types that are lighter. Skin pigmentation increase over a long term caused by UV are due to lots of physiological facts being regulated by UV, affecting the growth and / or differentiation of melanocytes. Pigmentation is also stimulated by DNA damage caused by UV exposure . The levels of eumelanin and pheomelanin slowly increase together after being exposed to UV on human skin. This shows that by UV, they are not regulated separately. In various ethnic origins skin pigmentation, there are around two fold differences in melanins chemical content and the melanosomes distribution and size of the particle are important to the visible colour of skin. In comparison with skin which is protected to skin which is constantly radiated with UV, there is only less than a two-fold increase again. All of this shows that aside from the quantity of melanin, other factors are necessary for skin pigmentation. An increase in their expression of ÃŽÂ ±-MSH and ACTH is a response by epidermal keratinocytes and melanocytes to UV exposure. This MC-1Rs function and expression to become upregulated, increasing the response of melanocytes to melanocortins. The weakly functioning MC-1R variants can be located in people with fair skin with red hair who have more pheomelanin with an inability to get a tan. The expression of Endothelin-1 by keratinocytes is enhanced by UV, thus enhancing MC-1Rs expression also, but endothelin-1 works via its own receptor on the melanocytes. The secretion of interleukin-1 by keratinocytes is also caused by UV, stimulating endothelin-1, ÃŽÂ ±-MSH and ACTH secretion by keratinocytes. In keratinocytes, p53s stimulation by the exposure to UV causes increased POMC gene expression resulting in an increase in ÃŽÂ ±-MSH secretion as well as MC-1R function stimulation in the neighbouring melanocytes . ÃŽÂ ²-endorphin/ÂÂ µ-opiate receptor It was reported for the first time by Kauser et al that ÃŽÂ ²-endorphin and the ÂÂ µ-opiate receptor system is expressed in epidermal melanocytes, theyre associated closely with melanosomes, and that in melanocyte biology regulation, this system is active due to its pigmentation, dendricity and proliferation upregulating ability. In the epidermal melanocytes and keratinocytes, the presence of both aforementioned ligand and receptor gives a platform for both autocrine and paracrine mechanisms for the regulation of melanocyte behaviour. ÃŽÂ ²-endorphin and ÃŽÂ ²-lipotropic levels are raised being exposed to UVR , further suggesting that ÃŽÂ ²-endorphin has a role in epidermal melanocytes. Kauser et al also showed that ÃŽÂ ²-endorphin that has been supplied exogenously can cause an increase in melanogenesis and proliferation in epidermal melanocyte cultures. ÃŽÂ ²-endorphin also has an association with melanosomes suggesting that melanogenesis might be regulated l ocally in the secretory granule. Corticotropin Releasing Hormone It has been established that Corticotropin Releasing Hormone (CRH) does have some sort of role in pigmentation. MC-1R action as well as the ÂÂ µ-opiate receptor moderates melanocytes behaviour in hair follicles where there is complete expression of the pro opiomelanocortin system within the pigmentary unit. The expression of CRH is low is different melanogenic zones, whilst there is differentiated distribution of melanocytes in the same area. CRH Receptor 1 seems to be more important in follicular melanocytes for the stimulation of melanogenesis, proliferation and dendricity. However, the role of CRH is in skin pigmentation is not 100% full established, and is an area that definitely required further research in order to gain some clarification. Aging As people get older, pigmentation continues to increase until adolescence or adulthood. Once theyve reached this point, pigmented lesions often begin to appear, and the hair starts to turn gray. It was found in 1979 that the quantity of melanocytes was decreased by about 10% with each decade the age went up by. This was confirmed by two other researches , where one was carried out on darker skin also. Another study compared very fair skin with Caucasian skin, finding that melanocyte density was greatly enhanced following continuous exposure to sunlight in the darker skin, however langerhans cell densities were decreased in the same time frame in both skin types after being exposed to UV.. It was proposed by Stierner et al that being exposed to UV might have some role in the development of melanoma in both exposed and protected skin, as well as being exposed to aberrant UV profoundly can be a lot more harmful than normal exposure , which has since been confirmed by various other studi es . Disruption of Regulation From time to time, different types of pigmentary disorders can occur due to disturbance of the normal regulation of skin pigmentation. Tyrosine function regulation lays importance on intracellular pH as catalytic functions are affected by the intramelanosomal pH as well as melanosomal protein delivery requiring the sorting pathway to have the right pH gradient. It is also considered that pigment production is regulating in some part by intracellular pH in different types of skin depending upon the racial or ethnic origin . Every single form of albinism is caused by tyrosine dysfunction or other types of melanogenic proteins, which can cause skin pigmentation to be blemished. Another pigmentary disorder is Hermansky Pudlak syndrome. This disorder have pleiotropic clinical effects . Pigmentary disorders which are caused by the acquiring of melanin involve the skin becoming lighter or darker. Skin colour which reduced is normally caused from epidermal melanin content declining. The skin may become darker due to an extremely large number of melanin being produced due to there being a an enhanced quantity of melanocytes, however it can also be due to melanin distribution becoming abnormal. Conclusion To summarise, in different skin colours and racial backgrounds, the density of melanocytes is near identical. The quantity and distribution of melanin is largely dependent upon for constitutive skin pigmentation. Less DNA damage occurs to melanocytes present in darker skin than those present in lighter skin. The activity of melanogenesis increases in darker skin in a more efficient manner than in lighter skin. The determination of constitutive skin pigmentation is achieved by: Melanoblasts migration during development Melanoblasts differentiation and survival to melanocytes Melanocyte density Melanosomal enzymes and their structural components expression and function Eumelanin and pheomelanin synthesis Melanosome transport to the dendrites Melanosomes being transferred into keratinocytes Melanin distribution in the skins suprabasal layers. MITF seems to respond to UV pretty quickly, with a response after 1 to 2 days. Some melanosomal proteins respond slower, such as tyrosinase, TRP-1 and DCT, with a response being elicited after about 1 week, where 3 weeks later an increase in the synthesis in melanin can be observed, whereas melanocyte density is increased around 4 to 5 weeks. Cyclic AMP causes the complex induction of intracellular processes which seem to be interconnected. The sub-pathway where PKA is activated, MITF is upregulated as is some of the enzymes involved in melanogenesis, causes melanogenesis stimulation. A cAMP activated pathway, through ERK activation inducing the degradation and phosphorylation of MITF, regulated melanogenesis negatively, where PKA is independent upon. The skins melanin distribution plays a key role in pigmentation that is visible. After around 1 week, the existing pigments migration towards the epidermal surface is increased, after which newly synthesis melanin restores the balance in the distribution of pigment around 4 to 5 weeks later. It is also apparent that when the distribution in the content of melanin undergoes minor changes, it can result in major changes in visible pigmentation, affecting constitutive pigmentation as well as facultative pigmentation or the responses to being exposed to UV. After reading through the literature to carry out this critical appraisal, it is evident that lots of studies have opposing and conflicting results as well as conclusions which may be incoherent, where the same group of authors may diverge from something which they have previously stated. This is most probably due to lots of variants when conducting these types of in vivo and in situ physiological studies. These variants most definitely include: UV source types How much dose amount and frequency that has been applied The sites which have been exposed and their locations The point in time which is assessed after being exposed to UV The history of the subjects, and whether they have been exposed to the same / higher levels of UV conducted in the experiments previously The capacity of an individual DNA repairing Very importantly, the racial and / or ethnic origin of the subjects. There are many areas which require clarification in field, which are definite area of potential future research. For example; Is melanocyte function affected eumelanin against pheomelanin production? As facultative pigmentation is increased, is there further protection against damage caused by UV? Does DNA repair have a role in reducing the skins long term damage? Also, photocarcinogenesis understanding needs to be enhanced, some of the parameters that are critical to it, and some strategies on how to reduce its risks. Research into which pathways participate in melanogenesis induced by UV and MSH still seems to be under way. Any advances could help in discovery of new potential ways of treating certain pigmentary disorders. The regulating mechanisms in the synthesis on melanin arent understood as clearly as required, where its been speculate that research into this may lead to topical melanogens discovery that can cause the production of melanin when UV irradiation is absent, which causes photo aging as well as some skin cancers. Further studies are necessary regarding the pigmentary role of ÃŽÂ ²-endorphin, which seems to be the forgotten melanocortin with regards to pigmentation. Similarly, the role of CRH in pigmentation also needs to be enhanced further. It is also shown that some hormones play a role in regulation of pigmentation including some oestrogens and androgens, which are areas that could used for further research to increase our understanding.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Has The Information Revolution Benifited Society Essay -- essays resea

The Revolution There is a revolution taking place all over the world. There is no blood shed in this revolution. It is the revolution of information. The information revolution has been taking place for decades, but only know do we fully realize the impact it has had and will have. The benefits of this revolution have changed how are society works, plays, and lives. These changes have brought many benefits to society and are still bringing benefits. James Snider’s argument that the information revolution will be the down fall of the environment is fundamentally flawed. All of his justifications are could happens that are not supported. He even states that all of the major environmentally clubs don’t consider the information revolution as a threat. If the "tree hugger’s" don’t consider the information revolution a menace, why should we. On the other hand, John Mayo offers a very realistic and viable argument for the information revolution. Mayo offers many good examples of how the information revolution has benefited society. He also offers many predictions for the future. Both Snider and Mayo have many good arguments, some better then others, that I will discuss and analyze. I will show how the information revolution as benefited society and will continue to benefit society. I will also describe the arguments against the information revolution, and state how the argument is flawed. The greatest benefit of the information revolution is that know for the first time in history every person has the ability to obtain the latest information instantly. When people are informed, they have power, because knowledge is power. With knowledge, people can make much more informed decisions. They know and understand what’s happening in the world around them. Back in the eight-teen hundreds, many people did not know for months who was elected President of the United States. Now a days everyone knows who is running and who wins thanks to the information revolution. The information revolution has also brought about the formation of the information superhighway. The information superhighway is a seamless network of computers and databases were anyone, anytime, and anywhere can access limitless information. The inform... ... like the University of Maryland has such a rule in place. The University of Michigan and Michigan State University are two colleges considering implementing such rules. What kind of message are these colleges sending to there students. They are saying you can’t control yourself and you are an addict. We are going to save you from yourself because we know what is best for you. Last I checked, most every one who attends college is an adult, and in America adults have the right to make their own choices. If a person wants to spend 12 hours a day on the Internet, so be it. As long as their grades are not suffering because of it, what business is it of the schools. They are all adults. Let them make their own decisions. Information, what a powerful tool. It can cause plants to shift or an atom to split. The information revolution has created so many benefits for society that far out weigh the problems it creates. The information revolution is going to occur no matter what anyone says. You can either embrace the revolution or be run over by it. I prefer to embrace it, because it has giving me so much and will continue to influence my life for the better.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

The History of Roller Coasters Essay -- Roller Coasters Amusement Park

The History of Roller Coasters Everyone remembers their first ride on a roller coaster, an experience of terror, joy and excitement, as you tower over amusement parks going through curves and loops. From wooden wonders and steel coasters to twisters and corkscrews, the great rides began with the Russian ice slides in the 17th century and have developed into the ultimate thrill machines of today. The origins of the roller coaster will probably never be a settled issue, historians and coaster enthusiasts could argue where it all began (Harris). The success and evolution of the roller coaster and white-knuckle ride has inextricably mirrored the growth and changing perception of the amusement park industry over the years. A period of intense innovation and development in roller coaster science have been interrupted by long periods of decline and neglect, but with each era comes a new success for coasters. Many inventors have aided to the progression of roller coasters and what they are today and it is important t o understand what they have done. There are many inventors who have contributed to the advancements of roller coasters and each of them have had a huge impact on what roller coasters are today. The earliest inventor would be August John Mueller, known as John Miller professionally, who was born in Homewood, Illinois in 1874. At the age of 19 Miller started working with a man named LaMarcus Thompson and became his chief engineer. By 1911, Miller was a consultant to the Philadelphia Toboggan Company (PTC), where he designed more than a dozen coasters for PTC, including the mammoth Giant Coaster at Paragon Park in Nantasket Beach, Massachusetts. During the late twenties and the Depression years Miller was associate... ...r Coaster Thrills in 3-D. Distributed by Goldhil Video, Thousand Oaks, CA 1994. (ES) Bennett, David (1998). Roller Coaster: Wooden and Steel Coasters, Twisters, and Corkscrews. New Jersey: Cartwell Books, Inc. (SS) Harris, Tom (1998). How Roller Coasters Work. http://howstuffworks.com/roller-coaster.htm [Accessed 9 April 2002]. (PS) Rathe, Andrew. Coaster – World.com. 2001. http://www.coaster-world.com/index.php. [Accessed 15 April 2002]. (ES) Sandy, Adam (1996). Roller Coasters. http://ultimaterollercoaster.com/coasters/ [Accessed 9 April 2002]. (PS) Silverstein, Herma. Scream Machines: Roller Coasters Past, Present and Future. New York: Walker, 1986. (PS) Throgmorton, Todd H. Roller Coasters of America. Osceola, Wis.: Motorbooks International, 1994. (PS) Wiese, Jim. Roller Coaster Science. New York: John Wiley, 1994. (PS)

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Public Education in the Philippines Essay

Literacy rate in the Philippines has improved a lot over the last few years- from 72 percent in 1960 to 94 percent in 1990. This is attributed to the increase in both the number of schools built and the level of enrollment in these schools. The number of schools grew rapidly in all three levels – elementary, secondary, and tertiary. From the mid-1960s up to the early 1990, there was an increase of 58 percent in the elementary schools and 362 percent in the tertiary schools. For the same period, enrollment in all three levels also rose by 120 percent. More than 90 percent of the elementary schools and 60 percent of the secondary schools are publicly owned. However, only 28 percent of the tertiary schools are publicly owned. A big percentage of tertiary-level students enroll in and finish commerce and business management courses. Table 1 shows the distribution of courses taken, based on School Year 1990-1991. Note that the difference between the number of enrollees in the commerce and business courses and in the engineering and technology courses may be small – 29. 2 percent for commerce and business and 20. 3 percent for engineering and technology. However, the gap widens in terms of the number of graduates for the said courses. TABLE 1: TERTIARY ENROLLMENT AND GRADUATION BY FIELD OF STUDY. SY 1990-1991 FIELD OF STUDY ENROLLMENT GRADUATION No. % No. % Arts and Sciences 196,711 14. 6 29,961 13. 6 Teacher Training & Education 242,828 18. 0 34,279 15. 5 Engineering & Technology 273,408 20. 3 32,402 14. 7 Medical and Health – related Programs 176,252 13. 1 34,868 15. 8 Commerce/Business Management 392,958 29. 2 79,827 36. 1 Agriculture, Forestry, Fishery, and Veterinary Medicine 43,458 3. 2 7,390 3. 3 Law 20,405 1. 5 2,111 1. 0 Religion / Theology 1,695 0. 1 209 0. 1 TOTAL 1,347,715 100. 0 221,047 100. 0 On gender distribution, female students have very high representation in all three levels. At the elementary level, male and female students are almost equally represented. But female enrollment exceeds that of the male at the secondary and tertiary levels . Also, boys have higher rates of failures, dropouts, and repetition in both elementary and secondary levels. Aside from the numbers presented above, which are impressive, there is also a need to look closely and resolve the following important issues: 1) quality of education 2) affordability of education 3) goverment budget for education; and 4) education mismatch. Quality – There was a decline in the quality of the Philippine education, especially at the elementary and secondary levels. For example, the results of standard tests conducted among elementary and high school students, as well as in the National College of Entrance Examination for college students, were way below the target mean score. Affordability – There is also a big disparity in educational achievements across social groups. For example, the socioeconomically disadvantaged students have higher dropout rates, especially in the elementary level. And most of the freshmen students at the tertiary level come from relatively well-off families. Budget – The Philippine Constitution has mandated the goverment to allocate the highest proportion of its budget to education. However, the Philippines still has one of the lowest budget allocations to education among the ASEAN countries. Mismatch – There is a large proportion of â€Å"mismatch† between training and actual jobs. This is the major problem at the tertiary level and it is also the cause of the existence of a large group of educated unemployed or underemployed. The following are some of the reforms proposed: Upgrade the teachers’ salary scale. Teachers have been underpaid; thus there is very little incentive for most of them to take up advanced trainings. Amend the current system of budgeting for education across regions, which is based on participation rates and units costs. This clearly favors the more developed regions. There is a need to provide more allocation to lagging regions to narrow the disparity across regions. Stop the current practice of subsidizing state universities and colleges to enhance access. This may not be the best way to promote equity. An expanded scholarship program, giving more focus and priority to the poor, maybe more equitable. Get all the leaders in business and industry to become actively involved in higher education; this is aimed at addressing the mismatch problem. In addition, carry out a selective admission policy, i. e. , installing mechanisms to reduce enrollment in oversubscribed courses and promoting enrollment in undersubscribed ones. Develop a rationalized apprenticeship program with heavy inputs from the private sector. Furthermore, transfer the control of technical training to industry groups which are more attuned to the needs of business and industry.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Cell Organelles and the Production of a Protein

Using a human cell of your choice, describe how organelles work together to make and secrete a protein (LO1. AC 1. 1) An epithelial cell in the thyroid gland, called a thyrocyte forms spherical follicles that produce a protein called thyroglobulin. This is a globular protein that has a functional role in metabolism. The protein is used by the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones; thyroxine (T4) is an example of one of the hormones created. Thyroxine is formed by iodine binding to tyrosine residues in thyroglobulin molecules, inside the follicle cell. www. vivo. colostate. edu/hbooks/pathphys/endocrine/thyroid/chem. html) This hormone regulates growth and controls the rate of chemical reactions in the body. This image is from: http://classes. midlandstech. com/carterp/Courses/bio211/chap16/chap16. htm Before the thyroid hormone can be secreted from the thyroid follicle cell, the thyrocyte needs to make the protein thyroglobluin, by different organelles in the cell. There are many organelles inside the cell, however only specific organelles make and secrete thyroglobulin.The Nucleus (the largest organelle inside the cell) controls all the different organelles within the follicle cell, and instructs each organelle on how to synthesis the protein (thyroglobulin). It also holds the DNA which codes for thyroglobulin, so it knows what protein the cell is producing and how much is needed. The Nucleolus, which is inside the Nucleus, contains the ribosomal RNA that is involved in building proteins and also this organelle is the site where ribosomes are assembled. The ribosome is where Thyroglobulin is made.This organelle is either found floating free throughout the cell in the cytoplasm or embedded on the rough endoplasmic reticulum. The protein can be formed at both locations. Thyroglobulin uses the rough endoplasmic reticulum as a transport system through the thyrocyte; also this organelle can be a temporary storage for thyroglobulin until it is needed. The protei n is then moved to the Golgi complex, this organelle is known to be most commonly found in glandular cells. The Golgi body is where thyroglobulin is modified into a glycoprotein; this is when a carbohydrate is added into the structure of the protein.This modified thyroglobulin is processed, sorted and packaged into secretory vesicles. These secretory vesicles are then discharged in to the follicle lumen. The thyroid follicle cell traps iodide (active uptake) and it then travels through the cell, on the way through the cell the iodide is oxidized into active iodine by hydrogen peroxide. This reaction is catalyzed by the enzyme thyroid peroxidase (TPO). The iodine is then passed into the colloid lumen. In the colloid the iodine is attached to tyrosine, this is the amino acid that joins together to make up the protein thyroglobulin, forming DIT (T2).DIT is known as a colloid thyroglobulin. Iodinated tyrosines are joined together to form thyroxine (T4). The thyroglobulin colloid is endo cytosed (entering) back into the thyroid follicle cell forming an inward folding. This is then combined with a lysosome, so that the lysosomal enzymes can split thyroxine from the thyroglobulin colloid. Finally the hormone is diffused out of the thyrocyte, through the cell membrane into the bloodstream on its way to the peripheral tissues via the capillary.Image from: http://wps. aw. com/bc_marieb_happlace_7_oa/42/10969/2808223. cw/index. html

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Calveta’s Dining Services, Inc: A Recipe for Growth? Essay

Higher chances of attaining goals and will obtain desired market penetration Increases Calveta’s geographic coverage and market share GSD is presently in a good position, when the revenue generation is taken into consideration. Calveta would attain a great deal of customer potential as it was maintained by GSD. The organization hierarchy could be restructured so that it could accommodate significant growth while preserving the company’s core values. The disadvantages of choosing this option are: Very risky Plagued with labor issues and management turnover Quality of service may suffer. Higher debt load Does not have a strong balance sheet but has great income potential. Jennifer Calveta COO of firm: Could have been CEO instead of her brother Very detail oriented and concerned about preserving the company’s culture Is concerned about the acquisition of business for growth expansion Is concerned with the organizations structural modification 1. What role (if any) have Calveta’s values played in the organization’s success? Calveta has clearly defined values to guide the staff’s behavior. The immense growth of the organization confirms that Calveta’s is doing an excellent in embedding their values in their employees’ actions and management decisions. The values necessitate the inclusion of everyone and the exclusion of none. The organization’s values enabled all levels of management to usher the employees toward a continuous growth. 2. Does Calveta’s operating approach offer a sustainable competitive advantage? Calveta’s operating approach offered a unique competitive edge over many of its competitors. While their competitors focused on highly regularized systems and standards, Calveta chose to build local food service teams and menu offers to serve each facility distinctively. Additionally, Calveta’s wait staff treated the residents like family following their behavioral standards. This type of customer service garnered rave written reviews from the facility’s residents. Finally, implementing programs that increase efficiency while satisfying the needs of bed ridden or immobile residents confirm a very innovative operating approach that resulted in a sustainable competitive advantage. 3. Why haven’t other food service providers copied Calveta’s approach? Calveta’s competitors were not focused on conducting a profitable business without straying away from its core values. Passion, customer service and efficiency remained at the forefront of every decision. On the other hand, their competitors were focused on growth, meeting financial goals and increasing market share. Rarely do we find companies who keep both service and profit as a priority. 4. Given Calveta’s communication and internal organizational challenges, how important will training and development be to maintaining growth and culture? The internal challenges within Calveta confirm that the organization must continue to rely on training and development to ensure success. However, training and development should not be done in a manner that reduces quality or at the expense of the residents’ positive experiences. Upper management must create systems that focuses on the development of new managers and establishes a solid means of communication between staff and management. Growing pains is inevitable but it cannot become a deterrent to taking the company to the next level. 5. Calveta’s fifth goal is profitable growth. Goals one through four is more ethical in nature. Is goal five inconsistent with the first four? Establishing growth as a goal is consistent with Calevta’s other goals. However growth, whether by acquisition or market penetration, should not mean that â€Å"Antonio’s Way† is watered down in any way or removed from the way Calveta conducts business. Calveta’s unique approach to business cannot be lost while increasing revenues and market share. As long as Calveta’s values remain the guiding force to management decisions and employees’ actions, having growth as a priority should be expected. 6. How, if at all, should Calveta’s organizational structure be changed to resolve communication issues, preserve the company’s culture, and support future growth? Calveta’s uses the top-down management structure. This structure contains layers of managers (rank structure) which all communications must pass through. With each layer there is a risk of distorted information being sent to the next level. Each level adds to the communication becoming more confused and out of context. Therefore more layers mean a greater risk of distortion and confusion among the staff. Such distortions cause a lack of productivity, frustration, confusion, and inept management. Conversely, management is receiving feedback from the field that is invalid since the original plans, orders, and ideas were not acted on; the same risk of distortion exists with the return flow. The end result of this is that customer service suffers. The image and prestige of Calveta is damaged. Calveta should simplify its management structure, implement an information network, combine some positions and eliminate others. The implementation of a more flat management structure will reduce the chances of distorting communication. 7. Should Frank Calveta move forward with an expansion into the hospital sector? With the proposed acquisition? Calveta should focus on making serious internal improvements before piling on debt, increasing the chances of management turnovers, and getting into business with an organization known to not have the best reputation. Calveta has a great reputation and its ability to function and grow with little debt confirms that their balance sheet is in excellent condition as well. An internal restructure and a recommitment to its values and goals should be the number one priority. Calveta should not move forward with the expansion into the hospital sector at this time. On the other hand the acquisition of GSD may be an excellent move for Celveta. This acquisition will increase Celveta’s geographical presence and increase its assets without increasing its debt load. With some management restructuring done within GSD, Frank should be able to meet his father’s financial goal to double profit in 5 years.

Importance of computer in education system Essay

The computer and its related technologies are now such an integral part of every day life that it must be an ingredient in educating for participation in present and future society. For educators it is a tool for lesson preparation: – research information on any topic – find activities to print and use – gather ideas used by other teachers for presenting lessons – using word processing, page layout and presentation software to produce activity pages and audio/video lesson presentations The internet in particular keeps teachers up to date when they join in on forums and blogs about teaching practices etc. Online courses are also available for adding to teaching credentials. (This is a boon for those who are not living close enough to a large city centre where classes, conferences and meetings can easily be attended. ) For students, access to computer (and in particular internet technology) at school can be a great leveler. While most students are comfortable using the computer, those who do not have one at home are at a disadvantage for completing assignments that require research and producing a printed document. The computer can be a tool for learning in many areas of the curriculum: – math teachers should take advantage of the opportunity to allow students to create spreadsheets to manipulate data – formal teaching in the finer points of using word processing and presentation software to produce polished presentations of creative writing or research reports would prepare students to meet the expectations of the business world – music classes can be dynamic when students are given the opportunity to explore composition using computer software. Learn about varieties of music by listening to files available on the internet – set up pen pals in another city or country for their students to learn communication skills (also a great way for students who are learning another language to practise by â€Å"chatting’ with another student Teachers are constantly discovering new ways to integrate computers into their programs. In today’s education the computer has become the new pencil and paper, text book, library and in many cases   teacher.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

American Revolution Essay

? The Northern Native Americans were known as â€Å"savages† by the European settlers, but actually they created some of the greatest civilizations in history. The lands and social cultures that European explored thought they â€Å"discovered† had in fact been developed way before they had arrived. When the European settlers arrived in North America they found an unknown continent largely populated by around 350 Native American civilizations. The Northern Native Americans ways of life may have differed but they were all able maintain and create advanced civilizations with an effective use of land and agriculture, a well-organized social structure and adequate living arrangements . One of the main reasons why Northern Native Americans were able to create such strong civilizations was due to their effective use of land and agriculture. With different native societies being located in the Southwest, South and Northeast of America, they all had to overcome different climatic and geographical hardships to survive. The Pimas and Papagos had to deal with the overwhelming fact of Southwest dryness and find a way to create an effective civilization that would thrive. The Pimas and the Papagos were able to make irrigation farming possible with narrow bands of vegetation in wet sands found along rivers to the Gulf of Meixco and Californina for nearly 3,000 years before European colonization. The Natchez and the Indians of Florida in the South lived in a climate that was perfect for farming with wide-ranging fertile plains and rich bottom land which made farming even more possible. Since agriculture is such a large part in all Native American civilizations, with the perfect climate and geography for farming enough food and plants were grown to support thousands of people. The Native Americans of the Northeast were blessed with varied geographical features but not as blessed with having to deal with growing seasons since it got very cold in the winter. In the Northeast cultivation became strongest support of the Native American economy. The Iroquois women were able to grow and harvest food to support 50 longhouses. Due to the way the Native Americans were able to adjust to their geographic and climatic hardships farming became prosperous. Along with agriculture, social structure is also a key factor in a successful civilization. The Pimas settlements were located a large distance apart and were governed by assemblies of men with one headman to manage the irrigation works. The Pueblo people had a strict code of behavior to abide by along with a government system and ceremonies of rituals. The Natchez had their own leader they called the Great Sun and they lived in a class based society where public torture and human sacrifice was common. The Indians of Florida had a similar social structure living in chiefdoms that were characterized by a class system. The Iroquois nation founded a confederacy that was able to control the period of persistent violence. This confederacy became one very powerful as it suppressed violence and outlawed warfare among member nations. By forming some sort of government, each Native American civilization were able to control their people and reach stability. The advanced civilizations would not have been stable if ample living arrangements for the large population of Native Americans did not exist. In the Southwest, the Pimas and Papagos lived in detached settlements that were separated up to a mile apart which allowed limited interaction with other people. The Pueblos lived a communal village life, living in dwellings of interconnected apartments. Due to the commitment of communal village life, the Pueblos populated the oldest continuously occupied towns in the United States. In the South, the Indians lived in villages of twenty to large towns of thousands; depending on their ways of life. The Iroquois of the Northeast lived in 400ft long homes called longhouses that housed dozens of families. Their villages were surrounded by wood walls which was evidence of conflict between groups. Algonquian communities consisted of smaller independent villages than those of the Iroquois people. The statement â€Å"By the eve of European Conquest, North Native Americans had constructed good civilizations† is true because way before the European settlers believed they found a â€Å"new world† the Native Americans were advancing and establishing strong civilizations on their own. When the Europeans came to settle, they encountered hundreds of Native American communities that were highly advanced for the time period. Even with limitations of their homeland due to geographic and climatic hardships, the North Native Americans were able to create livable and advanced civilizations. These civilizations thrived due to the Native Americans being able to adjust to their surrounding allowing great use of land for agriculture, strong social structures and organized living. .