Forces of Gravity Essay Example for Free

Forces of Gravity Essay Throughout the course of the following investigation, I will be exploring a variety of methods to discover how a changed variable affects the speed in which a controlled type of paper (printer paper), formed into a model helicopter will descend from a specified height. Variables There is an abundance of variables in which I can change throughout the duration of this analysis that ultimately may have an affect on the speed that my helicopter falls. The first variable possible is the wingspan; my reason for choosing this variable in my investigation is that, as the surface area of the wing decreases, this leads to speed of the helicopter increases proportionally to the size of the wings. Evidence to support this is that the air resistance will have a smaller surface area and as the helicopter drops friction between the helicopter and the air molecules will convert kinetic energy into heat energy, if less wingspan is available their will be less friction, therefore the helicopter will fall faster. In order to ensure a fair investigation, I must consider the thickness of the paper I use to make my helicopter, as this too may affect the rate in which the helicopter falls therefore I will not be able to judge whether the wing length was the deciding factor or whether the type of paper had a decisive role. This leads me to my next variable I could choose to explore, which is the mass of the paper helicopter. In order to implement and successfully accomplish the effects on mass of the helicopter, I would add paper clips to the bottom, which on average have a total mass of 0. 25g to the helicopter. This supplementary weight would cause a greater resultant force in the favour of gravity, which would cause a greater acceleration. This is because the weight is great than the drag force, causing there to be an unbalanced force. The force necessary to accelerate an object by a given amount depends on the objects mass, therefore the greater the mass, the greater the force must be. Chosen Variable I have decided choosing the total surface area of the wingspan in my investigation and the reasoning behind this decision is that I believe this variable from my preliminary work would be much better to collect results from for my analysis. When executing my preliminary tests prior to this investigation, I noticed that when dropping my helicopter with an altered mass, the vertical acceleration time did not seem to have considerable differences between the starting and finishing points as it did for the wingspan. Therefore, this would make the investigation very difficult to accomplish since there is not much evidence to examine. So I have come to the decision of changing the wingspan, as I think it will provide a more reliable set of results, and will be able to explain more clearly in scientific reasoning for the increase in speed. Prediction. I believe that as I slowly decrease the helicopters wingspan by gradually measuring and cutting 1 cm off my wing length each time repeatedly should lead to an overall increase of the helicopters vertical acceleration. My plan is to be able to show that my hypothesis is correct but in order to ensure this I must be able to relate the information to the Speed formula to calculate the speed at which the helicopter gradually falls from the certain height. Overall, I believe the graph will show a negative correlation for both wingspan to time taken to fall and the Speed in relation to surface are of the wings.i ormula: Speed = Distance Time My prediction for the speed of the helicopter is that as the wingspan decreases the vertical speed of the paper helicopter increases, which I believe is as a result of the rotation of the wings going through a different cylinder of air each occasion, which suggests the fact that a wing span of 8cm would have a cylinder volume of air of ? r2. Therefore, as the wingspan decreases, the amount of air molecules contained inside the cylinder of air would be decreased proportionally to the wingspan. Furthermore, this would conclude in less air resistance against the force of gravity that forces the paper helicopter to fall because of the reduction of the wingspan, less air resistance would be needed to restrain the overall vertical acceleration. Although, as the helicopter gradually gains speed, the air resistances would increase likewise, until it becomes so great that it pushes against forces of Gravity, which ultimately forces the helicopter to vertically accelerate downwards. Nevertheless, eventually the resistance force will become equal to the opposing force, which in this case is Gravity, thus resulting the helicopter in not accelerating anymore since the forces are balanced. Therefore, it has met its Terminal Velocity (maximum speed). In relation to other theories, the three laws of Motion by Sir Isaac Newton begin to investigate Gravitational attraction and discovered that theres a gravitational attraction between all masses, giving everything a weight. This suggests that everything without air must have the same acceleration, which is ten m/s. This would mean that without gravity applying forces to push the helicopter downwards, it would still eventually land, because of its mass and because of this I would be made to believe that this may another reason for the acceleration of my helicopter. He also discovered that in most changes of Velocity, more than one force is acting on the accelerated object, such concurrent forces produce a signal net force. If the force pushing down on the helicopter is greater than the upwards draft, there will be a net force in the downward direction, therefore the helicopter will accelerate in that direction.

Discuss the challenges facing forensic scientists

Discuss the challenges facing forensic scientists GENETICS FOR IDENTIFICATION ESSAY Discuss the challenges facing forensic scientists for DNA-based identification of the remains of the victims of war or other conflicts (both civilian and military personnel). Illustrate with a range of examples. Discuss the challenges facing forensic scientists for DNA-based identification of the remains of the victims of war or other conflicts (both civilian and military personnel). Illustrate with a range of examples. Introduction The remains of victims of war often pose numerous challenges to forensic scientists enlisted to aid in the identification process using DNA analysis. Foremost, the remains of victims of war have frequently been buried for long periods of time, often over 50 years, and this can cause degradation and contamination of DNA. This affects the quality and quantity of extracted DNA, making it difficult to amplify and generate a genetic profile. This concise report highlights the problems facing forensic scientists during the analysis of war remains and the methods used to overcome some of these issues. DNA techniques The DNA techniques which can be used in DNA identification of skeletal bones include: mitochondrial DNA analysis (mtDNA); autosomal Short Tandem Repeat (STR) and Y-STR analysis; and mini-STR profiling. STRs, also known as microsatellites, are DNA repeat units between two and seven base pairs long that can easily be amplified by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The number of repeat units varies considerably amongst individuals, hence why sensitive STR analysis is highly discriminative for identification, even in degraded DNA samples (Butler et al., 2012). Fifteen years ago, results of a study where teeth were buried in soil for up to eighteen weeks revealed that mtDNA analysis using primers for the HV1 and HV2 regions generated the best results in comparison to other DNA techniques; thus mtDNA was a reliable method for the identification of skeletal remains (Pfeiffer et al., 1999). Developments in technology mean that analysis of mtDNA alone is now insufficient information for positive identification, and more specific methods are employed, such as STR analysis. Nevertheless, when nuclear DNA (nDNA) samples are too degraded to be processed using STR analysis, identification using mtDNA and hypervariable regions is used. This is because mtDNA is present in high copy numbers and the circular structure of mtDNA makes it more resistant to degradation, but again there are limitations (Higgins et al., 2013; Coble et al., 2005). Mitochondrial DNA is passed on maternally; therefore it will be the same throughout generations of females of the same maternal lineage and could identify a familial match to a sister or aunt, for example. However reference samples are solely restricted to maternal relatives, thus its discriminatory power is far less than an STR match (Lee et al., 2010). Finally, where female relatives are absent, Y-STR analysis can be carried out to identify paternal lineage of the Y-chromosome. Mutations within the Y-chromosome are possible, and they may occur between generations as well as within the same bone samples, particularly if they are old skeletal bones. This must be considered when making conclusions from Y-STR analysis as it may cause problems for the forensic scientist during the identification process (BoriĆ¡ et al., 2011). DNA samples from skeletal remains With war victim skeletal remains DNA sample options are minimal, but the preferential samples to obtain for DNA analysis are teeth and bones, which contain both nDNA and mtDNA. DNA in teeth is generally considered more protected against degradation and destruction than bones due their unique composition and their location in the jawbone protecting them against degrading exogenous organisms, making them useful for analysis decades after death. Additionally, they normally yield a higher quality of DNA than bones, and the results of a study by Pilli and colleagues looking into the effect of contamination on samples revealed that teeth have a greater refractory to contamination by exogenous DNA than bones (Higgins et al., 2013; Pilli et al., 2013 respectively). Another reason for utilising teeth is because there are a number of sources of DNA within the tooth, including dentine, and this dentine powder is rich in mtDNA (Muruganandhan et al., 2011). Nevertheless, both of these samples are used because the internal content is unlikely to be contaminated with contemporary DNA compared to other samples, and the recovery of one or both of these is observed in a number of case studies identifying war victims (Lee et al., 2010; MarjanoviĆ¡ et al., 2007; AndelinoviĆ¡ et al., 2005; Ivanov et al., 1999). However, although these sources of DNA are the most likely to be preserved over time, DNA analysis can still be affected by the presence of PCR inhibitors (for example environmental and biological chemicals), insufficient quantity of DNA material, and high levels of DNA degradation (MarjanoviĆ¡ et al., 2007). DNA degradation DNA degradation and PCR inhibitors occasionally cause allele and/or locus dropout, thus not reflecting the true profile of the individual and can cause problems for forensic scientists during the analysis of genotypic DNA profiles, especially if heterozygotes are interpreted as homozygotes (Coble et al., 2005). Exposure to environmental conditions affects DNA, and factors such as heat and humidity affect the rate of DNA degradation and the resulting quantity of DNA, with cooler temperatures delaying the degradation process. This DNA degradation caused by endogenous intracellular enzymes results in smaller DNA fragments sizes and may also cause base mutations (Higgins et al., 2013). Despite the development of sensitive DNA typing identification methods, in some cases excessive DNA degradation can still pose an issue, as seen in Lee et al., 2010. One sample (SR0014) had an exceptionally low DNA yield for both extractions, 28.7 ±20.69 pg/ µL and 27.2 ±16.81 pg/ µL, in comparison to the average yield of 217.5 pg/ µL and 199.1 pg/ µL, respectively (table 1). This DNA yield produced genotypic results at eleven autosomal STR loci; however nine of these were homozygotic and this was interpreted as allelic dropout, which in turn causes problems for profile determination and does not allow for identity inclusion or exclusion. Another example of degraded DNA amplification being below 100% was seen using AmpFISTR Yfiler amplification, which revealed only 34 out of 49 profiles, and MiniFiler which produced 40 out of 49 genetic profiles, with the other profiles being incomplete, likely due to only small amounts of degraded DNA being amplified (BoriĆ¡ et al., 2011). Table 1 – DNA concentrations (pg/ µL) extracted from twenty-one skeletal samples belonging to Korean War victims. Two DNA samples were extracted from each bone sample and quantified to try and replicate the profile for consistency and to highlight any contamination issues. (See Lee et al., 2010. Available at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1556-4029.2010.01411.x/pdf. Last accessed on: 24th February 2014) DNA extraction Another issue facing forensic scientists is the quantity of DNA extracted from bones or teeth. Degraded samples offer a paucity of template DNA concentration, hence the smaller PCR products (Ivanov et al., 1999). If precise procedures are not employed then DNA essential for producing a genotypic profile may be lost, and methods are required to maximise the potential from the extraction process. Recently, developments in such methods have massively impacted on the success of obtaining profiles from skeletal remains which are highly degraded. Extraction techniques employed by forensic scientists to overcome this challenge include the standard organic (phenol/chloroform) method, the PrepFiler Forensic DNA Extraction kit, the Qiagen DNA extraction procedure, and a large-scale silica based extraction method, with a minimum of two independent extractions for each sample usually taken. Lee and colleagues used the latter in 2010 alongside demineralisation to maximise the DNA yield, and the p ositive effect of this method was reflected in the high DNA yields observed following quantification, with all samples, except two, being greater than 50pg/ Ã‚ ­L (Lee et al., 2010). Additionally, during the extraction of DNA from 109 bone samples from victims of war in mass graves in Croatia, an advanced extraction method, alongside the phenol/chloroform method, was used. The standard method yielded 20-100ng of extracted DNA across samples, whilst the advanced Promega DNA IQ system produced 20-200ng of DNA (AndelinoviĆ¡ et al., 2005). Contamination The sensitivity of new DNA typing methodologies to minute amounts of DNA brings with it the challenge of contamination. Remains buried for a long period of time and then excavated for analysis are subject to natural cross contamination from foreign material from the surrounding environment as well as from human handling, and this can affect the validity of the findings and interfere with DNA profiles. Thus, procedures are implemented to remove any foreign matter from the outer surface which may contaminate the probe extracting the DNA from the core of the bone or tooth. Common protocols forensic scientists use to overcome the issue of contamination on bones include sanding down the outside of the bone, washing it in mild detergent, irradiating it with UV light and storing it at -20oC until it is required for DNA extraction (Ossowski et al., 2013; BoriĆ¡ et al., 2011; Lee et al., 2010; MarjanoviĆ¡ et al., 2007; Imaizumi et al., 2002). However, in cases where excess contamination has occurred from archaeological handling and repeated excavation and reburial, it is impractical for forensic scientists to remove this extent of contamination, further limiting the samples which can be used for DNA. It is of paramount importance that sterile environments are used for sample analysis and that gloves are worn when handling bones to avoid contamination from humans, and gloves should be changed between the handling of bones belonging to different individuals to avoid DNA transfer. Another issue regarding contamination is the processing of ancient skeletal samples in proximity to contemporary relative reference samples, therefore, DNA from these two sample types should be extracted and amplified in separate laboratories. The majority of studies referenced in this report have not stated whether they adhered to this, with the exception being Ossowski et al., 2013 who reported that all laboratory staff wore masks, lab overalls and sterile gloves and everyone who handled the samples had previously had their DNA sample taken for reference purposes. As a result of the strict procedures implemented, no contamination was seen throughout the examination process, and they successfully identifi ed two individuals through DNA analysis when it was determined that they could not be identified through anthropological methods (Ossowski et al., 2013). Finally, a complete record of everyone that has handled the samples pre- and post-excavation should be kept (Pilli et al., 2013). Issues with mass grave DNA samples A further problem forensic scientists are confronted with is the high number and poor quality of the remains discovered, particularly in mass graves, due to wars being open events with large numbers of unknown individuals involved. The violent nature of wars and conflicts and circumstances of death often renders a number of remains fragmented, meaning that prior to DNA analysis, an anthropologist must examine and match bones suspected to belong to the same individual. This should be considered during DNA analysis in case different profiles arise from bones supposedly belonging to the same individual. Furthermore, explosives can cause bones to become incinerated, damaged and carbonised which will affect DNA extraction and amplification (Ivanov et al., 1999). This issue was presented during the recovery of approximately 10,000 skeletal remains, belonging to approximately 53 war victims in 2009, more than sixty years after World War II. In the majority of cases, it was impossible to conclude which bones belonged to one individual due to the vast number of separated, damaged and intermingled bones and the small grave area to which they were confined. Additionally, a number of victims showed obvious gunshot wounds, which further shattered the skull bones into multiple fragments (BoriĆ¡ et al., 2011). DNA reference samples Prior to DNA analysis, it is paramount that circumstantial investigative research is carried out to narrow down and establish possible victims in the grave to allow for identification of their surviving relatives. This is problematic in the first instance if ante-mortem records of soldiers have not been kept. It is reasonable to assume that relatives of military personnel would be easier to identify, compared to civilians, because records are often kept of the soldiers that fought in a war, as well as when they were reported missing or pronounced dead. Reference swabs are required from these presumptive relatives to compare their DNA profiles with the profiles obtained from the unknown remains to determine if a familial match is seen. Ivanov et al., 1999 reported absent DNA samples on record during their involvement in the identification of the remains recovered following the Chechen War (1994-1996). Few remains were available due to the lethal force of missiles, and this was an additional problem to the lack of DNA samples on record, which meant the absence of comparative reference samples. Accordingly, the timely process of locating potential relatives and collecting their DNA samples began. In comparison to some cases where excavated war remains are over 60 years old (MarjanoviĆ¡ et al., 2007), these remains were excavated three years after the end of the war, however skeletonisation and advanced decomposition, with mummification, was still observed. Bones had been scavenged by animals, further exposing them to contamination alongside the reported careless excavation of the bodies (Ivanov et al., 1999). Mini-STRs Applying mini-STR loci to severely degraded DNA samples is effective in genotyping nDNA profiles that would otherwise yield a negative result with standard STR kits, which use STR loci of up to 250 base pairs and are likely to cause loss of signal (AndelinoviĆ¡ et al., 2005). In comparison, mini-STR technology can amplify loci with alleles that have fewer than 150 base pairs and works by annealing primers as close as possible to the STR repeat region, creating the smallest possible amplicon (Figure 1) (Martin et al 2006; Pizzamiglio et al., 2006). When there is not enough intact DNA to produce full profiles using the larger CODIS loci, mini-STR loci markers are small enough to amplify alleles less than 150 bp in length (Hill et al., 2008). It is important to remember that mini-STRs are designed to profile high quantity, low quality, degraded DNA and should not be used for small amounts of DNA. Fig. 1 – Mini-STR analysis uses primers which anneal as close as possible to the STR repeat region along the genome, creating a small amplicon to be amplified. Successful application of mini-STRs was seen in 2010 when skeletal remains from the Korean War were subject to DNA analysis in the hope to identify the 55 year old remains of the missing casualties (Lee et al., 2010). Twenty-one skeletal samples were extracted from the remains of the victims of the Korean War and, following decontamination, were subjected to PCR amplification and sequencing of the mtDNA HV region, and PCR amplification of autosomal STRs and Y-STRs using common STR kits and in-house miniplex plus systems that use smaller amplicons to optimise the genetic material from degraded samples. Results revealed that mtDNA hypervariable regions were efficiently amplified and determined in all 21 samples. A combination of AmpFISTR Identifiler alongside size-reduced amplicons in AmpFISTR MiniFiler and the in-house miniplex NC01 plus system for autosomal STR, successfully genotyped 17.2 loci out of 18, and the miniplex NC01 system showed 100% success in genotyping the four loci du e to the reduced amplicon size. Additionally, twenty samples were successfully genotyped at 11 or more loci using standard STR kits, but with the in-house system, they were genotyped at 15 or more loci. The results of amplifying autosomal STRs showed the importance of mini-STRs when working with highly degraded DNA, as reduced-sized amplicons genotyped samples with a low quality of DNA in comparison to the standard kits. The same success of genotyping samples of poor quality DNA was seen using the Y-miniplex plus system in conjunction with AmpFISTR Yfiler during Y-STR genotyping (Lee et al., 2010). Profiles were also generated using mtDNA PCR amplification and miniplex NC01 analysis using the buccal samples provided by the 24 suspected relatives (Lee et al., 2010). Smaller quantities of template DNA were extracted from the relatives, as although more DNA was available, it was of a higher quality compared to the degraded unknown samples, so a smaller amount was required. If too much high quality template DNA is used, excess peaks and spurious bands would be observed, making the results unclear (Ivanov et al., 1999), and alternatively too little, or degraded DNA, may reduce the height of some alleles so the peak heights may be too low to distinguish from background noise (NFSTC Science Serving Justice, 2007). Conclusion In conclusion, it is evident that DNA degradation affecting the quality and quantity of DNA, fragmentation of bones, numbers of bones in mass graves, contamination and poor extraction procedures are all challenges that forensic scientists face during DNA based identification of skeletal war victim remains. However, as efficient DNA extraction methods to optimise the template DNA concentration are advancing, and technology is consistently being refined to develop methods such as the mini-STR system, identification of war victims using DNA analysis, alongside anthropological measures, is becoming more successful. Word count: 2668 Page | 1

Essay --

â€Å"There is a way to be good again† (2). This thought repeats through Amir's mind over and over throughout Khaled Hosseini's novel, The Kite Runner. This is the story of a boy who struggles to find redemption. The author illustrates the story of Amir and how it is not possible to make wrongs completely right again because it is too late to change the past. In this novel, Hosseini shows that redemption is obtainable. Hosseini shows that guilt is the primary motivation for someone who seeks redemption. In this novel, redemption is not when things are justified, but when the wrong has been done and cannot change to be right. As defined in a letter to Amir by an old family friend, Rahim Khan, redemption is when the guilt from something wrong leads to something good (302). Because of events that Amir is faced with, Hosseini illustrates a story where a big part of guilt plays in the desire for redemption. Guilt is a strong incentive in a quest for redemption. Rahim Khan says to Amir â€Å"there is a way to be good again† in the beginning of the novel, insinuating that there was hope and that there was a way for Amir to have peace with himself. This phrase was something that continuously repeated in Amir’s mind throughout the novel which was a reminder that there was a way to be rid of the guilt; a way to be good again. Amir begins his story by saying â€Å"I became what I am today at the age of 12† (1). It is noticed that he says â€Å"what I am today† rather than â€Å"who† and finishes the chapter leaving the reader with a slightly bitter feeling that the narrator has a dark past that he can not forget. He gives the idea that he is not happy with who he has become, and it was his wrongdoing that made it that way it was. Amir basis his guilt through his mem... ...his needs and his lack of standing up for himself. Another character who was searching for redemption in this novel was Amir's wife Soraya. Before they got married, she confesses to him about the time she ran away with someone as a teenager and clears up her past which had also haunted her (164). Even after she confessed to Amir, people still talked down about her because of her past (178). Amir, like Baba, Rahim Khan and Soraya, sinned by what he had done wrong, or rather what he didn’t do right. This caused guilt that he attempted to hide, but the memories and the past continued to haunt him, nag at him, and remind him of the person who had loved him so much. This guilt of betrayal weighs on Amir throughout the story, and pushes him to seek out redemption. He longs to â€Å"be good again† and get rid of the guilt that he has carried since he was just twelve years old.

Creation :: essays papers

Creation Isaac Newton, Johann Kepler, Blasie Pascal, Galileo, Michael Faraday, Samuel Morse, George Washington Carver, Gregor Mendel and Louis Pasteur were all scientists who believed in the Biblical Theory of Evolution. I am writing about the Biblical Theory of Evolution because I grew up hearing this theory and I have always wondered exactly what it was and what it all meant. This paper is meant to explain the Biblical Theory of Evolution. The Biblical Theory of Evolution begins with the first book of the bible. The following is what the bible says about creation according to Genesis 1. â€Å"(1) In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (2) And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (3) And God said, let there be light: and there was light. (4) And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. (5) And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. (6) And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. (7) And God made the firmament, and divided the waters, which were under the firmament from the waters, which were above the firmament: and it was so. (8) And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. (9) And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it Was so. (10) And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. (11) And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. (12) And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in Itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. (13) And the evening and the morning were the third day. (14) And God said, let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for Signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:(15) And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.

The Opposing Goals of Comfort and Power in Shakespeares Macbeth :: GCSE English Literature Coursework

The Opposing Goals of Comfort and Power in Macbeth  Ã‚  Ã‚   People have a hard time getting what they want; in fact, the things they want can be incompatible with each other and any attempt to reach one of these goals hurt the other.   In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth (1606), the protagonist is lured to murder the king, Duncan, by the desire for power, an appetite whetted by witch’s prophecies and his wife’s encouragement. But when he reaches the kingship, he finds himself insecure. He attempts to remove threats that decrease his security, including his companion Banquo and his son Fleance, prophesied to be king. His lords grow angry and revolt successfully, after witches lure Macbeth into a false sense of security by further foretelling. In Macbeth, we see that, despite appearances of paradox, man’s goals of comfort and power are forever opposed in increment, though the two may decline together. The power from knowledge causes discomfort. As often has been said, ignorance is bliss. After Macbeth is promised the throne, Banquo asks why Macbeth is less than ecstatic. "Good sir, why do you start, and seem to fear / Things that do sound so fair?" (Act I, Scene 3, p. 332) Macbeth’s new knowledge makes him uncomfortable, as he realizes the implications. His first thoughts considering murdering Duncan appear, and he is scared. After he commits the murder, Macbeth says, "To know my deed, 'twere best not know myself." (Act II, Scene 2, p. 347) Knowing that has committed such a vile act makes him uncomfortable. It will be difficult to act innocent and to deal with his guilt. When he later decides to murder Banquo and Fleance, he tells his wife, "Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, / Till thou applaud the deed." (Act III, Scene 2, p. 359) Hecate sets Macbeth up for his final fall, explaining her strategy, "As by the strength of their illusion Shall draw him on to his confusion. He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear His hopes 'bove wisdom, grace, and fear. And you all know security Is mortals' chiefest enemy." (Act III, Scene 5, p. 365) The security provided by the second set of predictions is only fleeting. Feeling there is no threat to his power, Macbeth acts wildly, bringing his downfall and loss of both comfort and security. The problem with knowledge was that it was power resulting in a decline in comfort. The Opposing Goals of Comfort and Power in Shakespeare's Macbeth :: GCSE English Literature Coursework The Opposing Goals of Comfort and Power in Macbeth  Ã‚  Ã‚   People have a hard time getting what they want; in fact, the things they want can be incompatible with each other and any attempt to reach one of these goals hurt the other.   In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth (1606), the protagonist is lured to murder the king, Duncan, by the desire for power, an appetite whetted by witch’s prophecies and his wife’s encouragement. But when he reaches the kingship, he finds himself insecure. He attempts to remove threats that decrease his security, including his companion Banquo and his son Fleance, prophesied to be king. His lords grow angry and revolt successfully, after witches lure Macbeth into a false sense of security by further foretelling. In Macbeth, we see that, despite appearances of paradox, man’s goals of comfort and power are forever opposed in increment, though the two may decline together. The power from knowledge causes discomfort. As often has been said, ignorance is bliss. After Macbeth is promised the throne, Banquo asks why Macbeth is less than ecstatic. "Good sir, why do you start, and seem to fear / Things that do sound so fair?" (Act I, Scene 3, p. 332) Macbeth’s new knowledge makes him uncomfortable, as he realizes the implications. His first thoughts considering murdering Duncan appear, and he is scared. After he commits the murder, Macbeth says, "To know my deed, 'twere best not know myself." (Act II, Scene 2, p. 347) Knowing that has committed such a vile act makes him uncomfortable. It will be difficult to act innocent and to deal with his guilt. When he later decides to murder Banquo and Fleance, he tells his wife, "Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck, / Till thou applaud the deed." (Act III, Scene 2, p. 359) Hecate sets Macbeth up for his final fall, explaining her strategy, "As by the strength of their illusion Shall draw him on to his confusion. He shall spurn fate, scorn death, and bear His hopes 'bove wisdom, grace, and fear. And you all know security Is mortals' chiefest enemy." (Act III, Scene 5, p. 365) The security provided by the second set of predictions is only fleeting. Feeling there is no threat to his power, Macbeth acts wildly, bringing his downfall and loss of both comfort and security. The problem with knowledge was that it was power resulting in a decline in comfort.

Thomas v. Indiana Employment Security

Whether the State's denial of unemployment compensation benefits to the petitioner, who terminated his job because his religious beliefs prohibited him from participating in the production of armaments, constituted a violation of his First Amendment right to free exercise of religion Facts: Petition Thomas was a Jehovah’s witness who worked at the Blaw-Knox Foundry & Machinery Co. He was initially hired to work in the roll foundry until he was transferred to another department that fabricated turrets for military tanks.Since his main function was related to the production of weapons he asked that he be transferred to another department. Having found out that all of the remaining departments at Blaw-Knox were weapons related he asked for a lay-off from his company. When this was denied, he quit from his job arguing that he could not work on weapons without violating the principles of his religion. After leaving his employment he asked for unemployment compensation from the Indi ana Employment Security.During his hearing, he declared that he thought that contributing to the production of arms violated his religion. The hearing referee concluded that Thomas’ religious belief precluded him from producing or aiding directly in the manufacture of items used in warfare. The referee however denied him his benefits on the ground that his termination from employment was not based on good cause in connection with his work as required by the Indiana statute. The Board adopted the referee’s ruling and denied the benefits.On appeal, the Indiana Court of Appeals reversed the decision of the board and ruled that the subject Indiana statute improperly burdened Thomas’ right to free exercise his religion. The Supreme Court of Indiana vacated the decision of the Court of Appeals and denied Thomas his benefits Decision: The State's denial of unemployment compensation benefits to petitioner violated his First Amendment right to free exercise of religion R easons/Rationale In arriving at this conclusion, the Supreme Court first had to answer the question whether Thomas indeed quit his employment due to religion.It is well-settled that only beliefs rooted in religion are protected by the Free Exercise Clause. According to the Supreme Court, the determination however of what is a religious belief or practice is more often than not a difficult and delicate task. The Supreme Court found that Thomas resigned from employment because he thought that production of arms violated his religion. In this case, the referee had found that Thomas quit his employment due to his religious convictions. This was affirmed by the Review Board.The Indiana Supreme Court however concluded that Thomas had merely made a personal philosophical choice rather than a religious choice. It must be stressed that religious belief is not reduced to a philosophical choice merely because there are differences among the faithful in their interpretation of their scripture. The fact therefore that a colleague did not consider production of weapons as a serious violation of their religions should not affect Thomas’ reason for quitting his employment. It is also immaterial and insignificant if the faithful is having difficulty articulating his views.The free exercise of religion protected by the First Amendment is not limited to beliefs which are shared by all of the members. Having disposed of the first question, the second question is whether the statute violated the free exercise of religion by Thomas. According to the Supreme Court, it is well-settled that when the state requires that certain conduct is mandated by a religious faith be first complied with before a benefit is received or when it denies such a benefit because of failure to comply with such conduct, the state is in effect placing a burden upon religion.In this case, if we are to uphold the interpretation given on the Indiana statute then we are in effect stating that the employee should not resign for religious grounds otherwise he will not be entitled to benefits. Although the compulsion exercised by the state in this case is indirect, the infringement upon free exercise is nonetheless substantial. This however does not mean that the state cannot restrict the free exercise of religion. If there are more compelling interest which could justify the state from restricting the free exercise of religion then the burden may be allowed.The ends, however, do not justify the means. In this case, the reasons behind the enactment of the statute do not justify violation of the free exercise of religion. There is no evidence that will prove that the number of people who find themselves in the predicament of choosing between benefits and religious beliefs is large enough to create widespread unemployment or even to seriously affect unemployment which is feared by the lower courts. There is therefore no interest more important than the free exercise of religion.Neither i s there any merit on the argument that to compel the payment of benefits to Thomas will amount to fostering a religious faith. The grant of benefits given to Thomas is a mere affirmation of the obligation of the state to become neutral in matters of the religious faith of the people. Dissenting Opinion of Justice Rehnquist Justice Rehnquist declared that the conclusion of the majority that the State of Indiana is constitutionally required to provide direct financial assistance to a person solely because of his religious beliefs actually adds mud to the already muddied waters of the First Amendment.According to him this declaration of the majority is clearly erroneous as it does not resolve the tension between the Free Exercise Clause and the Establishment Clause of the constitution. It is the contention of Justice Rehnquist that the majority read the Free Exercise Clause too broadly. Although it upheld the free exercise of religion by Thomas, it however in effect violated the requir ements of the Establishment Clause by preferring religion over another.

Bahlawane discussion Essay

Conclusion Taking in account the scheme of galactoglucan synthesis regulation (Fig. 4. 1) and the scheme of motility regulation (Fig. 4. 2) proposed in this study, we may try to follow the effect of such regulation paths in the life – styles of the bacteria. The last one is named as free – living microorganism or as symbiont in the plant root. In the first case, the bacteria are exposed to dryness and nutrients starvation. At this stage, the biofilm production is a pre-requisite for survival. Therefore, the EPS’s biosynthesis has to be switched ON. As it is quite improbable that the cell density is high enough to activate the quorum sensing system, we can speculate that MucR plays a key role in activating the succinoglycan biosynthesis. Since the soil exhibits very low level of Pi, galactoglucan is, at this point produced through the activation via phoB and WggR. Upon biofilm formation, the cell density probably increases and could activate the quorum sensing system, allowing the bacteria to produce more galactoglucan and swarm towards better conditions. In such conformation, the cells present within the centre of the swarming population are non motile and synthesized EPS; thus the cells present at the migration front are highly motile but do not synthesized EPS. It would be interesting to clarify whether a cell differentiation, as proposed by Soto (Soto et al. , 2002), takes place at this stage. Finally, if the host is present in the next neighbourhood the chemotactic compounds, as well as the nutrients found in the rood exudates, will attract the bacteria. When approaching the root, the moisture increases, along with the nutrients availability; so that swarming motility will be replaced by swimming motility that decline progressively. Indeed, the bacteria attached to the root, increasing the cell density that may lead to the inhibition of flagella production via ExpR / QS. Instead, EPS are produced, allowing recognition between the plant and the microbe as well as the invasion of the new synthesized infection thread. Once within the root, the bacteria will differentiate to bacteroid and start fixing nitrogen. We tried to highlight in this thesis the relevance of exopolysaccharides and motility for an efficient symbiosis. Great advances have been made the last years, leading to the identification of the quorum sensing interaction with motility. We participate in inclusion of MucR, as new regulator of motility and ExpR as requisite for swarming. However, the full understanding of the influence of motility in symbiosis establishment will require finding out which signals are inducing mucR and exoR/ exoS. Moreover, some tests have to be implemented to investigate the symbiosis establishment in more realistic conditions. Indeed, the bacteria are usually directly inoculated to the root, so that motility, via swarming or swimming is not required. Acknowledgments First and foremost, I would like to thank Prof. Dr. Alfred Puhler, Chair of the Genetics department, for allowing me use the very good infrastructure that promotes a very pleasant and conducive atmosphere during my research using performant techniques. I am especially grateful to Prof. Dr. Anke Becker, my supervisor, for giving me the chance to come back to research. Without her advices, ideas and resources, this work would not be possible and achieved. Thus, I thank her too for the freedom she gave me, as well as her support to test new ideas and her great help by conceiving and writing the manuscripts that become the pillars of this manuscript. Within the laboratory members, I would like to thank first Dr. Birgit Baumgarth who introduced me to the lab and to the investigated organism. Then, special thanks to Dr.Matthew McIntosh for the quorum sensing – related work and his help for preparing the derived publication. Furthermore, I would like to deeply thank Dr. Natasha Pobigaylo for her friendship, her helpful discussions and for giving me courage when I am about to lose it. I thank Manuela Mayer, too, for the assistance in microarray hybridizations as well as Dr. Lisa Krol, Javier Serrania and Thomas Montfort for the everyday help in the lab. Finally, I would like to thank all Exopol group members for the support and advices. Least, I would like to thank my family for their unending and heartwarming support in many ways. Special thanks to Rachida Bendaou, my mother-in-law, for her support in caring my children during my research. I would like to thank my children, Ines, Soraya and Jasmine, for filling up my life with love and happiness. I would like to apologize for the bad mood and stress situations that are unfortunately connected with such a thesis. My heartfelt gratitude to my understanding and loving husband, Naoufal, for his moral and financial support, for believing in me and for sharing the passion for science with me. Resume In order to enter symbiosis with its legume partner, Sinorhizobium meliloti has to face continual changing conditions. It has more ability to adapt quickly to the situation than the ability to face it efficiently that makes the difference in term of symbiosis efficiency. For the first interactions with its host, motility is required by S. meliloti to move towards the chemotactic compounds released by its host when exopolysaccharides (EPSs) are required later on, for the attachment to the root as well as for the invasion of the infection thread, leading to the formation of the root nodule. We focused in this study the regulatory networks leading to the coordination of motility and EPS’s production in the strain Rm2011. Depending on the phosphate concentration encountered in the environment Rm2011 synthesizes two different exopolysaccharides (EPS). Galactoglucan (EPS II) is produced under phosphate starvation but also in the presence of extra copies of the transcriptional regulator WggR (ExpG) or as a consequence of a mutation in mucR. The galactoglucan biosynthesis gene cluster contains the operons wga (expA), wge (expE), wgd (expD), and wggR (expG). Two promoters, differentially controlled by WggR, PhoB, and MucR, were identified upstream of each of these operons. The proximal promoters of the wga, wge, and wgd transcription units were constitutively active when separated from the upstream regulatory sequences. Promoter activity studies and the positions of predicted PhoB and WggR binding sites suggested that the proximal promoters are cooperatively induced by PhoB and WggR. MucR was shown to strongly inhibit the distal promoters and bound to the DNA in the vicinity of the distal transcription start sites. An additional inhibitory effect on the distal promoter of the structural galactoglucan biosynthesis genes was identified as a new feature of WggR in a mucR mutant. Motility is organized in S. meliloti in a hierarchical cascade, with Class Ia genes, encoding the major regulator of motility VisNR; controlling the expression of the class Ib gene, rem, which encodes a central regulator, activating the expression of the downstream Class II and class III genes. We could demonstrate that MucR binds a DNA sequence upstream of rem, following a different mechanism as previously observed upon binding upstream of the wg genes. By this way, MucR inhibits rem expression as well as the expression of the Rem-regulated genes such as flaF and flgG. Furthermore, we addressed a balance of the swimming and swarming abilities of several S. meliloti strains derivatives of Rm2011. We could show that all strains, able to build flagella, were swimming on low viscosity agar plates. However, swarming over high viscosity agar plates required all a functional expR / sin locus, the ability to build flagellum and the production of exopolysaccharides. Finally, we propose a model for the coordination of motility and EPSs synthesis in S. meliloti.