Social Work Knowledge And Skills Analysis Social Work Essay Essay Example

Social Work Knowledge And Skills Analysis Social Work Essay Essay This essay provides a critical analysis of a 10-minute AV entering transcript ( appendix 1 ) of an interview with a service user in a fake function drama. This is non a existent interview, but portion of a pupil assignment. All names used in this recording transcript are fabricated and therefore there are no issues refering confidentiality. The essay comprises two parts. In Part 1, Kolb s Learning Cycle ( Kolb, 1984 ) will be utilised to reflect upon the interview. In Part 2, the ASPIRE Model ( Parker and Bradley, 2003 ) will be utilised to sketch how farther work with this service user would be approached. Kolb s Learning Cycle and the ASPIRE Model will both be briefly outlined within the appropriate subdivision. Part 1: Contemplation and Critical Analysis Kolb s Learning Cycle, which will be used to reflect upon and critically analyze the interview, comprises four phases of larning from experience: Concrete Experience ( i.e. active engagement in an experience ) ; Brooding Observation ( i.e. reviewing and reflecting on the experience ) ; Abstract Conceptualisation ( i.e. concluding and acquisition from the experience ) ; and, Active Experimentation ( i.e. planning and seeking what has been learned ) . Each of these phases will be used in this contemplation and review. Concrete Experience We will write a custom essay sample on Social Work Knowledge And Skills Analysis Social Work Essay specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Social Work Knowledge And Skills Analysis Social Work Essay specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Social Work Knowledge And Skills Analysis Social Work Essay specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer A fake function drama interview was conducted with Paul Jones, a 60-year old who contacted the grownup societal work squad to discourse the possibility of some aid. Paul is the exclusive carer of his 92-year old male parent, James. Paul has been happening it progressively hard to care for James, who spends all twenty-four hours on the couch and does non even travel upstairs to his bed at dark. James became this manner shortly after the decease of his girl 1-month antecedently. She died of malignant neoplastic disease non long after Paul and James lost Paul s female parent and James married woman to a bosom onslaught, 6-months antecedently. Their lone relation is Paul s boy, who lives up North and is unable to see on a regular basis. The full instance survey can be found in appendix 2. Brooding Observation The intent of the interview was to work collaboratively with Paul in set uping his current demands. With the exclusion of the beginning of the interview when I was nervous and happening background noise distracting, I communicated in a clear and gracious mode. These accomplishments are of import when set uping resonance with a service user, puting the foundations to develop common regard and trust ( Koprowska, 2005 ) . After some debuts and the scene of boundaries sing confidentiality, I placed the interview docket into Paul s control with the appropriate usage of the open-ended inquiry, What has bought you here today? By recognizing the power instability nowadays between societal workers and service users, I was aware to cut down the oppressive impact of hierarchy ( Dalrymple and Burke, 2000 ) . The inquiry did, nevertheless, seem to faze Paul and he passed the inquiry back by inquiring Well, I m non certain how much you know? I informed him that I do cognize a small spot. . . and so gently encouraged him to supply me with some more information. On contemplation, I should hold clarified with Paul why needed the information once more ( i.e. to corroborate truth of inside informations ) . He was clearly uncomfortable with reiterating the information, perchance due to a old opposition to seeking outside aid. I was focused on arousing information from Paul first-hand to forestall any premises being made, but should hold adapted my attack based on Paul s demands. A cardinal strength within the interview was the effectual usage of empathetic apprehension, which appeared to set Paul at easiness. Statements such as, This must hold been a really hard clip for you and appropriate usage of oculus contact and organic structure linguistic communication conveyed empathy, congruity ( genuineness ) , and unconditioned positive respect. These are three core conditions required in person-centred guidance ( Rogers, 1980 ) . I feel that by using these accomplishments within the interview, Paul was able to talk openly about his concerns. Indeed, grounds suggests that congruity supports anti-oppressive pattern by easing the development of a partnership ( Miller, 2006 ) . Paul sought aid under the premiss that it was for James, but with the appropriate usage of open-ended and closed inquiries it was established that he needed aid excessively. The demands of the carer are far excessively frequently overlooked within societal attention ( Herring, 2006 ) , but I ensured I gained a balanced accretion of information on both Paul and James in order to set up both of their demands. Systems Theory ( Bronfenbrenner, 1977 ) purports that in order to understand an person, they need to be assessed in footings of their interactions with their environment and within their relationships. By the terminal of the interview, a shared apprehension had been reached, every bit good as a program of action in footings of set uping a place visit and reaching Citizen s Advice to discourse fiscal concerns. Therefore, the initial purpose of the interview was met. Abstract Conceptualisation When discoursing his jobs, Paul was really unfastened and extroverted, as was facilitated by the usage of non-verbal encouragers such as nodding and tilting somewhat frontward to demo involvement ( Seden, 1999 ) . He was, nevertheless, resistant to foster outside aid such as from his GP or a counselor. I was careful non to judge Paul on this and to remind myself that there are a figure of grounds why he might be immune ( e.g. old negative experiences with wellness professionals ; household belief systems, etc. ) . Interestingly Paul did portion that James would besides be immune to outside aid, bespeaking the possibility that seeking aid is non portion of the household belief system. It was of import that I did non oppress Paul or James by sabotaging their duties for the picks they make ( Dominelli, 2002, p.47 ) . On contemplation, I should hold been more understanding of Paul s troubles accepting aid and adjusted my attack consequently. In peculiar, if I was to carry on this interview once more, I would alter the manner I responded to Paul s concerns that, I am merely worried that I am traveling to lose it with my pa and I frequently find things shuting in on me. . . I should hold probed these concerns farther, as has been highlighted in my feedback, in order to set up whether Paul was a danger to himself or James. One of the cardinal functions within the National Occupational Standards for Social Work is to Manage hazard to persons, households, carers, groups, communities, ego and co-workers ( GSCC, 2002, p.12 ) . Paul s feelings of desperation were mentioned on more than one juncture and, on contemplation, I should hold detected this as a possible hazard factor. I feel I was effectual in my usage of paraphrasing, as used to clear up issues and show active hearing. However, greater usage of summarizing might hold facilitated communicating and ensured that information provided by Paul was being interpreted harmonizing to his ain subjective experiences ( Seden, 1999 ) . I will endeavor to develop these accomplishments throughout my preparation. Mentions Bronfenbrenner, U. , 1977. Toward an experimental ecology of human development. American Psychologist, 32, pp.513-530. Dalrymple, J. and Burke, B. , 1995. Anti-oppressive Practice: Social Care and the Law. Buckingham: Open University Press. Dominelli, L. , 2002. Anti-Oppressive Social Work Theory and Practice. Palgrave Macmillan. General Social Care Council, 2002. The National Occupational Standards for Social Work. Topss England, April 2004. Herring, J. , 2006. Where are the carers in health care jurisprudence and moralss? Legal Studies, 27 ( 1 ) , pp. 51-73. Kolb, D.A. , 1984. Experiential Learning experience as a beginning of larning and development . New Jersey: Prentice Hall Koprowska, J. , 2005. Communication and interpersonal accomplishments in societal work. Exeter: Learning Matters Miller, L. , 2006. Reding Skills for Social Work. London: Sage Publications. Parker, J. and Bradley, G. , 2003. Social Work Practice: Appraisal, Planning, Intervention, and Review. Exeter: Learning Matters. Rogers, C.R. , 1980. A manner of being. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Seden, J. , 1999. Reding accomplishments in societal work pattern. Buckingham: Open University Press. Part 2 Further Work with the Jones Family The acronym ASPIRE represents the societal work procedure of Assess, Plan, Intervene, Review, and Evaluate, which enables the geographic expedition of successfully operationalising a program made with a service user ( Parker and Bradley, 2003 ) . Adopting this model besides encapsulates the 4th phase of Kolb s Learning Cycle: Active Experimentation. Importantly, supervising would be required in any interviews since I am a freshly qualified Social Worker. Furthermore, the part of regular and high quality supervising in the societal work profession has been emphasised ( Crippling, 2009 ) . If the instance of the Jones household was allocated to me after this initial appraisal, I would take an eclectic attack, utilizing the ASPIRE model to steer intercession bringing. An eclectic attack would be adopted in order to guarantee that Paul and James single demands were taken into consideration. I would be unable to place the most appropriate attack to utilize without first meeting with James, therefore an eclectic attack would ease flexibleness between service user demands. Assessment would take topographic point within the place, therefore following a person-in-environment position ( Kemp et al. , 1997 ) . Importantly, supervising would be required in any interviews since I am a freshly qualified Social Worker. Systems Theory posits that in order to understand a service user, their ecological system needs to be taken into consideration ( Bronfenbrenner, 1977 ) . This includes their microsystem ( i.e. immediate relationships ) , mesosystem ( i.e. different parts of the microsystem working together ) , exosystem ( i.e. systems that the person is non straight portion of but that affects them ) , macrosystem ( i.e. the larger societal universe, such as authorities and civilization ) , and their chronosystem ( i.e. a system of alteration ) . The principle for using this theory is that the current jobs experienced by Paul and James appear to be related to recent alterations within his microsystem. This includes the loss of two household members, altering wel lness position ( i.e. James has gained weight, has emphysema, and is going less nomadic ) , altering functions ( i.e. Paul is now exclusive carer to James ) , and a alteration in their relationship. Bell ( 2003 ) asserts that it is easier to understand an person s behavior in the scene in which it occurs, which is the attack I feel most appropriate within this scenario. Family relationships are complex and competently described by Dallos ( 1991 ) as, The kernel of household life is that it is complex and altering and that alone state of affairss and combinations of demands continually originate ( p.7 ) . Therefore, effectual support for single members requires the use of theory and cognition that assesses their demands within the household context. An apprehension of demands and resources is of import when working from the systems position, an apprehension which the theory itself lacks to underscore ( Coady and Lehman, 2008 ) . For the Jones household, demands within their life include mourning, deteriorating wellness, and fiscal concerns. In footings of resources, they are reasonably stray and, despite originating this interview, they are both immune to outside aid, which besides limits their resources. This provides the principle for using a Task-Centered, job work outing attack in the intervening phase of the ASPIRE model. The grounds suggests that such an attack is appropriate for covering with household jobs, new functions, and unwellness or mourning ( Reid, 1978 ) . Paul mentioned a figure of jobs, both personally and in relation to James, and therefore easing him to place the cause of these jobs would be a utile enterprise in assisting him undertake them. By utilizing a job work outing attack within a collaborative partn ership with the household, I would expect that it would heighten their capacity to cover with future jobs if they were to originate ( Germain and Gitterman, 1996, p.139 ) . In bend, educating Paul on the usage of job resolution schemes would move to forestall farther subjugation by supplying him with tools he can use in other countries of his life ( Coulshed and Orne, 1998 ) . A job I identified during the function drama, but which would necessitate to be confirmed via a shared reading with Paul and James, is that Paul could accidentally be conspiring with James detachment. For illustration, by go forthing his tiffin next to the couch so that he does non hold to travel, Paul is making dependence. Thompson ( 2001 ) suggests that when working with carers, it is of import non to promote them in a function that could ensue in dependence and therefore farther oppress the individual being cared for. This would necessitate to be attended to sensitively and without doing offense to Paul. One such manner of accomplishing this is via the job work outing attack to assist Paul recognize this for himself. Indeed, alteration is easier if the waies that professionals and users wish to follow coincide ( Dominelli, 2002, p.25 ) . In working with Paul and James, great consideration would be needed in footings of mourning. It sounds like James might be sing depression associated with one of the purported phases of mourning ( Kubler-Ross, 1989 ) . In add-on, Paul might be in the choler phase or perchance unable to treat his feelings due to the emphasis of taking attention of his male parent and worrying about fundss. Their current jobs are likely to impede them both making a period of restoration orientation, where they can concentrate on constructing their hereafter after their loss ( Worden, 2003 ) . In order to ease a move towards Restoration orientation, I would work with the strengths possessed by Paul and James to guarantee anti-oppressive focal point is maintained ( Parker and Bradley, 2003 ) . There has been some review to Systems Theory, including that it lacks theoretical and empirical support in pattern state of affairss ( Healy, 2005 ) . Overall, nevertheless, the intent of the theory is to work with service users in a manner that enhances and strengthens their abilities to accommodate and work out jobs, which finally provides long-run results instead than short-run solutions. The cardinal function of societal work, as agreed internationally, is the publicity of societal alteration, job resolution in human relationships and the authorization and release of people to heighten well-being ( GSCC, 2002, p.12 ) , and I anticipate that the theories and attacks outlined supra would ease the authorization and release of the Jones household. In order to efficaciously run into the demands of the Jones household, it will be indispensable to carry on the reappraisal and rating phase of the ASPIRE theoretical account in order to supply closing, implement any extra intercessions, and develop my ain accomplishments and abilities through contemplation and critical analysis.

Individual Freedom Overcomes Social Responsibility essays

Individual Freedom Overcomes Social Responsibility essays In the never-ending battle between the ideas of individual freedom and social responsibility, individual freedom is the victor. This clash can be seen in Antigones trials in Sophocles Antigone, Emersons Self Reliance, and Thoreaus Civil Disobedience. Though these writers convey the same idea, they are expresses in many different ways. Emerson wishes all to care about themselves to show their individualism. Thoreau and Sophocles both articulate that one should make their own decisions not let the state ruin their lives. In Antigone, Sophocles shows his wanting of disagreement with the monarch. Polyneices, Antigones brother, revolts against Thebes and wishes to overthrow Creon. Polyneices is killed in the battle and left to rot on the battlefield. Antigone is outraged at the decision by the over-bearing monarch to disgrace her family. She plans a disregarding of the edict and a proper burial for her brother. Ismene does not believe in the unlawful action and warns her sister. You ought to realize we are only women. (Line 70) Antigone thinks of her sister as a disrespectful sibling. Antigone does not want to scar her familys legacy any more but Ismene just does not see that. Ismene does not show her individualism but Antigone earns for everyone to see her civil disobedience. I will bury him myself. It will be good to die, so doing. (Lines 82-83) Antigone has no fear for death because she feels that what she is doing is right and she will not be punished in the heavens for it. The monarch in Antigone is Creon. He believes in himself more than anything else. He believes that no one should be treated different especially women when it comes to punishment. Creon is set on the idea of social responsibility. He believes that a citizen should do all that is in his grasp for his country. He sends men to watch Polyneicess body and to keep his law fro...

Composition of acid rain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Composition of acid rain - Essay Example Acid rain is the "atmospheric deposition of acidified rain, snow, sleet, hail, acidifying gases and particles, as well as acidified fog and cloud water".It also refers to precipitation that is much more acidic than natural, unpolluted rain."The pH scale is used to measure the acidity or alkalinity of an aqueous solution and is determined by the hydrogen ion (H+) content" ("Measuring Acid Rain"). This scale ranges from 0 to 14, moving from strongly acid to strongly alkaline, respectively, with the point 7 representing neutral."The pH scale is logarithmic rather than linear". Hence, there is a tenfold increase in acidity with each pH point. Natural rain is mildly acidic because of the presence of carbon dioxide present in atmospheric moisture, which react together to form weak carbonic acid (H2CO3):H2CO3 is a weak acid and so it partially dissociates to release H+ (aq), resulting in the reduction of pH of the system. This partial ionization occurs in equilibrium, since carbonic acid on ly ionizes 1.7% ("Sources of Acid Rain"):The two dominant acids found in acid rain are sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and nitric acid (HNO3). These acids are created from the primary pollutants sulfur dioxide SO2 and nitrogen oxides such as NO2. These pollutants are usually carried over long distances from their primary source, where they finally result in acid rain. The chemistry of both these pollutants from this source to the creation of acid rain is shown below:Sulfur dioxide is mainly released into the atmosphere through combustion of fossil fuels. The world over, sulfur dioxide is also released by volcanoes and also by the oxidation of sulfur gases released by the decomposition of plants. This natural sulfur dioxide is released very high into the atmosphere, and hence the concentration of the gas is very minimal in unpolluted air. But the sulfur dioxide produced from the combustion of fossil fuels, for example in electric power plants and mined coal containing 1 to 5% sulfur, is releas ed into the ground level air. The concentration of sulfur dioxide in the ground level air is, thus, quite high in certain areas, particularly in the northern hemisphere. This contributes to acid rain over large areas. 2. Nitrogen monoxide is produced as a byproduct of the burning of gasoline in car engines using air as the source of oxygen. The nitrogen present in air, when exposed to high temperatures inside car engines, is converted into the pollutant nitrogen monoxide (NO). A series of secondary reactions in the presence of sunlight produces nitrogen dioxide oxide and ground level ozone, which further precipitate acid rain reactions. NO2 (g) + O3 (g) NO3 (g) + O2 (g) The gaseous NO3 then combines with any reactive hydrogen donor (X) in the atmosphere, producing aqueous nitric acid (HNO3):

Understanding HR concepts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Understanding HR concepts - Essay Example Evidently, human resource managers use training as a performance appraisal tool, which they conduct either after selection of the employees or during a specific time of the year. Organizations such as Ubisoft initiate a yearly program of performance appraisal as part of their talent development strategy. The value of employee training is an issue that has drawn a lot of controversy within the field of research. Research shows that employee training is a complex and expensive process that demands both time and resources from the organization. Therefore, training increases an organization’s expenses within a year, a feature that has become undesirable for many organizations. During a century of intensive business competition, organizations are experiencing financial constraints and their priority is to minimise any expenses. Some organizations have eliminated their training programs as one way of cutting the costs of production. However, there is evidence that employee training may have a wide range of benefits for an organization. First, training keeps the employees motivated and gives them the zeal to work confidently within their department. Secondly, there is evidence that trained employees have a higher work output and this contributes to an increase in the profit generate d within a year. In addition, employee training helps to develop employee’s talents to help them grow as the organization grows (Bratton & Gold, 2001). This explains why large companies have elaborate training programs that seek to improve the employee performance. However, there are obstacles to employee training programs that the human resource managers must anticipate while implementing performance appraisal. Training may become ineffective when employee have acquired optimal performance and feel that they cannot learn more. In this case, investing in employee training does not improve worker performance. In other cases, the employees may feel

Interview Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 5

Interview - Assignment Example There are two types of breast cancer. One is ductal carcinoma and the other is lobular carcinoma. Ductal carcinoma is a cancer that occurs in the lining of the milk duct and is the most common type of breast cancer (National Cancer Institute, nd). This is the type of cancer that afflicted the respondent patient. Lobular carcinoma on the other hand is a breast cancer that begins in the milk glands or lobules of the breast. Breast cancer can be invasive and can spread to other areas surrounding the tissue from where it began. Breast cancer also afflict both men and women albeit it is more prevalent among women. The symptoms of breast cancer includes presence of a lump or thickening in the breast, swelling, dimpling, redness, soreness of skin, change in shape or appearance of the nipple and nipple discharge (American Cancer Society, 2010). In our respondent, the initial symptoms were a small lump in the left breast. A small discharge of blood from her nipples which could be observed from the marks in her bra. According to related literatures, genetics is a very small factor in the occurrence of breast cancer. It only composed of around 5 to 10% of all recorded cases (Wattendorf, 2012). What is more prevalent cause of breast cancer is risky lifestyle, lack of children to breastfeed, high levels of hormones and unhealthy eating habits including obesity. Of these causes, smoking tobacco has the highest risk. Long term tobacco smoking increases the risk of contracting breast cancer by as much as 35 to 50% (Miller et al., 2011). Lifestyle, could be the risk factor in the case of the respondent since she is a long-term smoker where tobacco smoking is part of her cultural background. Respondent: At first I just ignored the lumps in my breast because I did not feel any pain. Then one day, I felt pain in my left breast. It was not very painful it is tolerable. So I waited for the pain to just go away and hoped everything will be

Analysis of Solubility and Forming Microemulsions

Analysis of Solubility and Forming Microemulsions Chapter 5 Materials and methods to study  formulation models 5.1. Materials Oils and Surfactants: Ethyl Oleate obtained from Sigma-Aldrich; FK-Sunflower Oil obtained from Fresenius Kabi; FK-MCT Oil obtained from Fresenius Kabi; Miglyol 840 obtained from Sasol; Tween 80 viscous liquid obtained from Sigma-Aldrich; Labrasol obtained from Gattefossà ©; Model API. Devices: Sartorius, Scale Extend, Model ED2245; IKA RET basic, magnetic stirrer; Thermo Electron Corporation, HERAEUS Pico17 centrifuge; UV-spectrophotometer, Eppendorf BioSpectrometer, Kinetic. Other Equipment: Magnetic stir bars; Disposable plastic eppis, Eppendorf, with volume 1.5ml; Disposable plastic cuvettes, Plastibrand, 1.5ml semimicro (12.5 x 12.5 x 45mm); Disposable plastic pipettes, Eppendorf 3ml; Metal spatulas; Glass beakers; Glass bottles with lids; Disposable latex gloves; Protective glasses, shoes and lab coat. Specialized software: Origin Pro 8, by OriginLab Corporation. 5.2. Solubility tests To evaluate which oils and surfactants present better results at forming microemulsions, we pre-selected four different oils and two different surfactants to perform solubility tests with our model API. The oils tested were Ethyl Oleate, FK-Sunflower Oil, FK-MCT Oil, and Miglyol 840. Moreover, the surfactants used were Tween 80 viscous liquid and Labrasol. As shown in Fig. 1 solubility tests were performed using the following method: Firstly, an excessive amount of our API was added with a metal spatula to a concentrate (oil, surfactant or mixture). The chemicals were precisely weighed, and the resulting suspension was mixed, at room temperature, for 16h at 480rpm, at 21 ºC, on the magnetic stirrer. Secondly, the resulting mixed suspension was transferred to disposable plastic eppis and centrifuged at 10000 g for 10min. Thirdly, a new dilution was prepared using the supernatant that resulted from centrifugation. This new dilution must be much less concentrated in order to be measured by UV-Spectrometry. Lastly, the dilution was taken for analytics in a UV-spectrophotometer, where the absorbance values were measured at 425nm, using disposable plastic cuvettes. Other materials used during the procedure were disposable plastic pipettes, small glass beakers and small glass bottles with lids. The method was repeated three times for each oil, surfactant and mixture stock solution. The dilutions were also repeated three times for higher accuracy in the results. Fig. 1. Scheme showing the solubility test procedure. In order to analyze the data, the maximum values of diluted API in the concentrate were calculated from a calibration line for each of the mixtures (API + concentrate) being tested. The UV-spectrometry measurements were repeated three times for more accurate results. 4.3. Emulsifying capacity evaluation by PDMPD method In the second phase of our formulations study, we wanted to evaluate emulsifying capacity. We used the Phase Diagram by Micro Plate Dilution (PDMPD) method that consists in gradually diluting the oil phase with the water phase in a microtitre plate. The PDMPD method is an efficient and innovative approach that allows time and material savings while creating pseudo ternary phase diagrams for microemulsions and nanoemulsions. Compared with the traditional titration method (drop method), the PDMPD method enables a more exact status description of mixtures in pseudo ternary diagrams. It offers as well the possibility of examining the dilution stages simultaneously on just one microplate (Schmidts et al., 2009). Microemulsion assays consisting of a water phase, an oil phase, and a surfactant phase were prepared on microtiter plates (96 wells) as shown in Fig. 1 and described by Maeder, U., et. al in â€Å"Hardware and software system for automatic microemulsion assay evaluation by analysis of optical properties† (2010) with slight modifications. Fig.1. Filling scheme for the microtiter plates. Inside each well, the upper value corresponds to the water phase and the bottom value to the oil plus surfactant phase. The preparation is described bellow: Firstly, the mixtures of oil and surfactants were prepared by weighing (Sartorius, Scale Extend, model ED2245), adding, and magnetically stirring the chosen oil and surfactant. The magnetic stirring process is done using the IKA RET basic, magnetic stirrer, at speed 480rpm, for one hour, at 21 ºC. To evaluate the five different ratios between one oil and one surfactant five different mixtures were prepared, as shown in Table 1. In total 20 mixtures were tested to assess the following mixtures: Tween80+EO; Tween80+MCT; Tween80+Mig840 and Tween80+(MCT,EO). For more accurate results, each was prepared and tested three times making a total of sixty mixtures made. Oil 1 Phase % Surfactant 1 Phase % Mixture 1 50 50 Mixture 2 40 60 Mixture 3 30 70 Mixture 4 20 80 Mixture 5 10 90 Table 1. Oil1/Surfactant1 mixing ratios Secondly, the wells were filled in two steps: In the first phase, starting in A1 and finishing in D4 the mixture is gradually loaded in the wells using a Pipette Research Plus, 200 µl, and disposable plastic pipette tips, Eppendorf, 200 µl. The filling process must be done with care to avoid air bubbles, which is especially hard with the more viscous oils. If air bubbles are present, the plate is not valid for the study and must be thrown away. In the second step, the aqueous phase is added, starting at D5 with 200ÃŽ ¼l up to A2 with 5ÃŽ ¼l. The microtitre plates used were Thermo Scientific* Nunc Flat Bottom 96-well polystyrene transparent plates with lids, 350 µl/well. The wells E1 to H5 of the same plate were loaded following the same procedure, but with a different mixture (different ratio of the surfactant and oil phase). Following this scheme, two fixed surfactant/oil-ratios can be placed on every plate. Table 2, below, illustrates the distribution. Plates Wells Content 1 A1-D5 Mixture 1 + Water 1 E1-H5 Mixture 2 + Water 2 A1-D5 Mixture 3 + Water 2 E1-H5 Mixture 4 + Water 3 A1-D5 Mixture 5 + Water Table 2. Mixtures distribution by plates Finally, the plates were sealed with their respective lids and were set in a Biometra, Rocking Platform, model WT15, for 16h, at maximum speed, with controlled temperature of 21 ºC. At the end of the 16h, the plates were scanned using a RICOH Aficio, scanner, model MP-C2551 with a pre-prepared marked lid. Each plate was repeated a minimum of three times and in different days. From the analysis of the several repetitions, it was determined which combinations resulted in the formation of microemulsion. This study consisted of observing the scans and attributing a 0 when a well showed turbidity and a 1 when was transparent, and it was possible to see clearly the marked dot on the bottom of the well. Two observers did this analysis and the results were crossed checked. When the sum of the three test was 2 or 3, the preparation was considered an emulsion. When the sum was 0 or 1, it was not considered an emulsion as depicted in Table 3. Table 3. Determination of emulsifying capacity of wells A1-A7 of plates 16, 21 and 25 containing a mixture of Tween80% and Mig840 (1:1). After the determination of emulsifying capacity phase diagrams were built. The software used was Origin Pro 8, by OriginLab Corporation. Fig. 2 shows one of the phase diagrams built. Each red point represents an emulsion formulation identified and each white point a non-emulsion. For each line in the diagram 3 plates were prepared and analyzed. Fig. 2 Phase diagram To develop this method, several pre-tests were made in different conditions. In the first experimental setup the vortex was used to shake 2 overlying plates, as shown on Fig.3, at speeds 3, 2 and 1 and then one single plate at speeds 3, 2 and 1, for 16h. These pre-tests showed unrepeatable results and spilling. Therefore, the method was changed: the vortex was substituted by the rocking platform. Different time periods were also pre-tested. Testing plates were set on the rocking platform for 8h, 9h, 16h, 18h, 20h and 22h. The chosen mixing time was 16h as it was the minimum length time tested for which reproducible results were observed, i.e., 18h, 20h and 22h showed the same results as 16h mixing on the Rocket Platform. Fig. 3 – abandoned experimental setup using vortex and two overlying plates

Polyhydroxybutyrate Essays -- Chemistry

Plastic industry has become of vital importance for the comfort and quality of our lives, due to numerous qualities as strength, lightness, low cost and durability. Their downside is the negative impact over the environment, due to the accumulating of millions of tons per year. Therefore, the development of biodegradable plastics seems a key issue for further development. PHAs are hydroxyalkanoate polyesters that are used as energy storage for bacteria. Polyhydroxybutyrate(PHB) is a biodegradable polymer, with similar properties to polypropylene, which gives it great potential as alternative source of plastics. PHB is linear polyester of D-3-hydroxybutyric acid, with high molecular weight, accumulated as a storage carbon in different microorganisms. The PHB-producing bacteria require an environment rich in sucrose, glucose or ethanol, all expensive raw materials. Efforts have been made in the past years to overcome those disadvantages, by producing PHB from plants. (Gehrke, 2009) The first attempts to establish fermentative production of PHA happened 40 years ago, using stains of Ralstonia eutropha and Alcaligenes latus. Biopol ®, a polymer developed by ICI (Imperial Chemical Industries) was produced using a mutant stain Ralstonia eutropha using glucose as a carbon source. That was the start of the commercially available PHVBs, in the 1980s. After the change of proprietorship to Monsanto, the bioplastic’s division was sold and the patent was bought by a Cambridge, (MA, U.S.A.) company called Metabolix (source: press release 16 May 2001, Metabolix.com). The research continued, adding new naturally PHA- producing bacteria to the list, whilst other microorganisms were modified to do so. The carbon source usually used was gluc... ...ndia : University of Pune. 9. Mousavioun, P. (2011). Properties of Ligning and Polyhydroxybutyrate Blends. Queensland, Australia: Queensland University of Technology. 10. Nisha V. Ramadas, S. K. (2009). Polyhydroxybutyrate Production using Agro-industrial Residue as Substrate by Bacillus sphaericus NCIM 5149. Kerala: National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology. 11. Peter H. Yu, H. C.-L.-H.-P. (1999). Conversion of industrial wastes by Alcaligenes Latus into Polyhydroxyalkanoates,. 12. Product information . (fÄÆ'rÄÆ' an). Preluat de pe mirel plastics: http://www.mirelplastics.com/discover/default.aspx?ID=1783 13. Udpuay, S. C. (2008). Production and Characterization of Polyhydroxybutyrate from Molasses and Corn Steep Liquor produced by Bacillus megaterium ATCC 6748 . Phitsanulok ,Thailand: Dept. of Biology, Fac. of Science, Naresuan University, .

Commentary – Staring At The Sun by The Offspring

Maybe life is like a ride on a freeway Dodging bullets while you're trying to find your way Everyone's around, but no one does a damn thing It brings me down, but I won't let them If I seem bleak Well you'd be correct And if I don't speak It's cause I can't disconnect But I won't be burned by the reflection Of the fire in your eyes As you're staring at the sun When I ran I didn't feel like I ran away When I escaped I didn't feel like I got away There's more to living than only surviving Maybe I'm not there, but I'm still trying Though you hear me I don't think that you relate. My will is something That you can't confiscate So forgive me, but I won't be frustrated By destruction in your eyes As you're staring at the sun Commentary (Staring At The Sun) The Offspring are commonly known to be a punk-rock band but they have taken up so many different styles in their albums that many would agree that they sing something unique which cannot be fitted fully in a specific genre of music. But the core of almost every album has been fast songs with really meaningful lyrics (and not just something that rhymes which can be often heard in punk-rock). Their album, Americana not only sold over 10,000,000 copies worldwide but also presented the band in a new light and served as a development of Californian punk-rock. In Americana, the band sings about different events that happen in the life of ordinary American families and teenagers. Staring At The Sun is one of my favorite songs not only because of the music but also because of powerful lyrics which combines well with the rhythm. Generally, the song is about trying to figure out your identity and how you fit in the world. It is especially evident for teenagers that are growing up and trying to fit in everything they do. The song also tells us of people who want to fit in so desperately that they compromise their interests and transform their character in order to fit in. The lyrics remind me of a narrative poem. The first line sets the mood of the song and suggests that the persona is in deep thoughts about life. Simile â€Å"life is like a ride on a freeway† reflects the subject of persona's thoughts. Freeway† suggests freedom in choosing your way of living or your place in the society. â€Å"Ride† links to the idea of searching for something in this society. The second line completes the idea raised in the first line that life is searching for your place, trying to fit in the world. â€Å"Dodging bullets† suggests rage which could mean difficulties that can be encountered when trying to â€Å"find yourself† and that irrespective of anger or grudge that you may have you should continue to seek for your place in society. The next two lines link to the idea that it is important for anybody to be who he/she is and do not care what anyone else thinks. This is suggested by the third line that although â€Å"everyone's around†, there is really no help from them in selecting the path of your life (â€Å"no one does a damn thing†). The next line extends the idea slightly suggesting that being yourself while all the rest turn against you is very hard but you should not quit the path you have selected. The end of the third line and the beginning of the fourth are loaded with â€Å"heavy† words. This becomes even more evident as the singer stresses these words when singing the song. Repetition of â€Å"d† and â€Å"g† in the words â€Å"damn†, â€Å"thing†, â€Å"brings†, â€Å"down† emphasizes the fact that there is no help from the people surrounding you and that they essentially try to stop you from selecting your path (â€Å"bring†, â€Å"down†). But this is then contradicted by â€Å"I won't let them†. The second stanza emphasizes persona's unwillingness to conform to everyone else. This is suggested by the first four lines. The last three lines of the stanza are very significant. In these lines persona is trying to say that if someone is going to destroy himself, he is not going to drag the persona down with him. This is suggested by â€Å"I won't be burned by the reflection of the fire in your eyes†. The words â€Å"burned† and â€Å"fire† are significant here as they emphasize burning, dying out, destruction of character and identity of somebody who is trying to fit in something unnatural for himself. â€Å"Staring at the sun† is a metaphor or analogy for people that are being self-destructive or compromising themselves. The persona says that he is not a part of this and appeals to people to stick to their own paths that they have selected and not compromise themselves. The â€Å"burning† of these lines suggests persona's fury about this situation. The third stanza is about persona in the actual search for his path of life. The first two lines of the stanza suggest that you may be uncertain or doubt the path you have selected when all the people around you are trying to stop you. Echoing of running away (â€Å"ran† and â€Å"ran away†) and escaping (â€Å"escaped† and â€Å"got away†) in the same lines emphasizes your tireless search for the true path, that you may not know what to do or where to go but you should keep seeking for it. This idea is also confirmed by the last two lines of the stanza that you should live in the way you want and not to conform to somebody else's style of living (â€Å"there's more to living than only surviving†) just because you have to, if it is unnatural for you. The last line of the stanza confirms the idea that although you realize you have not found your path yet you should continue seeking for it. It is also significant that the idea of searching, emphasized by the first two lines (â€Å"ran†, â€Å"ran away†, â€Å"escaped† and â€Å"got away†) also links it to the idea that your mind could be confused by other people's opinions. The last stanza again emphasizes the fact that the persona is not going to be dragged down by self-destructive people who compromise themselves. In the first two lines persona is suggesting that although these self-destructive people may understand him they cannot take any action towards changing it as their identity and character are already tied in with the thought that they have to compromise themselves. The third and fourth lines of the stanza signify the fact that persona will not be a part of that by admitting that â€Å"my will† will be guiding him in search for his path and that it cannot be manipulated or â€Å"confiscated† unlike the minds of people who compromise themselves. This is also confirmed by stressing â€Å"my will† which emphasizes strength and endurance. The last three lines of the stanza repeat the end of the second one and thus emphasize the persona's thoughts that it is important for anybody to be who they really want to and not to try conforming to or to fitting in somebody else's style.

Pursuit of Happiness by women in modern day America

Pursuit of Happiness by women in modern day America Civil Rights in the United States Civil rights are what citizens in a democratic country are entitled to and they include rights such as the right to vote, right to equal treatment and opportunities, the right to life and the right to protection from any harm or violence. Civil rights are designed to guarantee the freedom of a country’s citizens, allowing them to speak, think and act without any fear of reprisals. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Pursuit of Happiness by women in modern day America specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is the government’s duty and responsibility to create an effective legal framework that will see these rights being enjoyed by every citizen (Paterson et al. 5). Women’s Role in the Civil Rights Movement The movement of civil rights in the United States was founded with the main aim of ensuring that the necessary legislation was formulated that would enable American c itizens enjoy the civil rights. Past literature that focused on the civil rights movement has shown that women had multiple roles in the movement, the same as their male counterparts. Majority of the women involved in this movement were of black origin while the rest formed part of the minority groups in America (Crawford et al. xviii). These women were fighting for their freedom from slavery and also from being colonized by the whites in a country that was believed to have exercised freedom during a period of instability around the world .A conference for women involved in the civil rights movement were convened in Atlanta, Georgia in the year 1945 to 1965. The conference brought together women activists and scholars who were fighting for the equal rights of women in America. The main objective of the conference was to acknowledge individuals and groups of women who had actively protested and campaigned for reforms in the civil rights. These women were united with the main purpose of gaining the pursuit of happiness that was included in the Declaration of Independence (Crawford et al. xvii). The Pursuit of Happiness The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was seen to be a first step towards creating a more liberal and democratic America. The pursuit of happiness is an important part of the Civil Rights Act that stipulates American citizens have the right to pursue lawful business in a manner that is not inconsistent and disruptive to the equality rights of other American citizens. The pursuit of happiness is meant to increase a citizen’s prosperity and enjoyment in their life or business endeavors (Licht 98). The practice of pursuit of happiness is basically the pursuit of property even though property is deemed to be less valuable than the freedom or life of an individual citizen. Individuals view having property as having security which allows them to be free from any interference by the government or other people. The pursuit of happiness stipulates that havin g secure property is having secure liberty which is viewed to be a sign of security (Licht 98).Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The pursuit of happiness for women today is viewed as an important right in America as more women today are fighting to be empowered and gain equality in all aspects of their lives. Women everywhere in America be they in a minority group are seeking the right to feel secure and go about their daily lives without the fear of being attacked or having their right to liberty and freedom being infringed upon. Crawford, Vicki. Jacqueline, Rouse and Barbara Woods (Eds). Women in civil rights movement: trailblazers and torchbearers, 1941-1965, Bloomington, USA: Indiana University Press, P.xviii, 1990, Licht, Robert. Old rights and new. Washington, D.C.: American Enterprise Institute. P.98. 1993 Paterson, D., Richard Griffiths and Susan Willoughby. Civil righ ts in the USA, 1863-1980. Oxford, London: Heinemann Educational Publishers. P. 5, 2001

The Fresh Prince of Valley Professor Ramos Blog

The Fresh Prince of Valley It was a cold fall night on November 12 of 2014, a special day unlike any other. It was my 16th birthday, and I just came home from football practice. I was ready to go inside to my lovely warm apartment and relax, but it turns out there was a lock on the door. My mom was telling me that we had just been evicted. At that moment my heart plummeted as I realized the situation we were in. My mother is a single parent who had been already struggling to find a reliable source of income and make ends meet .   For the next couple of days after the eviction, we stayed at a woman shelter,   I would go to school, football practice then head down there afterward. After a couple of days our stay at the shelter was cut short due to the fact that the shelter was to be a safe haven for only domestic abused spouses. At that moment things were at an all-time low, however by the luck of God my tragic fate was about to change. I received a call from one my friend’s father, and that call was a blessing in its entirety. Kyle’s parents had always been a big part of my life, as they had helped multiple times in the past. However this time was different, it was on another level. Kyle’s parents picked me up from the shelter and in agreement with my mother due to the circumstances, I had to part ways from my mother for the time being and live with Kyle’s family. Kyle’s family As his father would describe it are well off. In my eyes there were rich, they had two Range Rovers a Mercedes, and a two story house with a three car garage. Coming from the neighborhood I grew up in, it was rare for a family to have an exotic car in their driveway, let alone have three. I could tell they lived a more flamboyant lifestyle, as Mrs. Evens would go groceries shopping in a mink coat. Mink coats are one of the most expensive clothing brands, mostly seen in rap videos. The first difference I saw was their costumes for dinner time were different from what I was used to. Dinner time usually with my mother we would eat at the sofa and watch television, with the Greens they would eat at the table telling stories about their day without any distraction from cellphones or television. Mrs. Green would cook healthy meals every night on weekdays, and then on the weekends we would usually have dinner at restaurants. In comparison to living with my single parent mother, where I would have gas station snacks or fast food for dinner, since my mother worked continuously. After dinner, it was time to work on homework Mr. and Mrs. Greens would help us if we needed it. The Greens were very big on grades and would either Reward or punish their kids for it. That being said Kyle and his sibling would have a stellar GPA . As for me in high school, I was not the best of students and without having someone around to hold me responsible, I didnt pursue my studies the way I was supposed to. As I   said before school was the utmost importance to the greens, so missing school was not an option. The only reason to miss was because of sickness not because one did not feel like it or overslept. Under the mentoring of the greens I had perfect attendance that year. I remember Mrs. Green paying for Kyle to take SAT prep class this in turn payed off because he received high scores and is now attending the University Of Pittsburgh on a partial academic scholarship. As for me during that time I was focused on passing high school, But because of Greens I started to take my education more seriously, and was more motivated to succeed.   I saw that there is an opportunity through education to make it out the slums.. The holidays were a good time to be in the Greens house as they would go and buy an actual Christmas tree. The tree would   range from 10-20 feet tall depending on the year. This was only possible because of their big living room. Standard living rooms are not fitting 20-foot tall trees. On Christmas day the trees would be decorated, and the presents would be under the tree. Mrs. Green would cook breakfast made for kings, Lunch, and a feast for dinner. They would unwrap presents, and the gifts would be something of a dream to some people. The presents would be expensive gifts such as new game systems, iPhones, tablets, designer clothes, and laptops. The Family was so used to these types of gifts that they would have a fit if they got anything less. I explained to Kyles brother that there would be time   I would not get anything I wanted but was happy for just a gift. He took those words and realized he needed to be more grateful. Throughout the rest of that School year, I learned the quality of life and what it takes in this world to succeed. I would never of gotten the chance had it not been   for living with the Greens. They pushed me to higher my standards and taught me the real American dream, not just the desire to survive. I remember one day they asked me what is my goal in life I said I wanted to become successful. However My version of success was to own a two bedroom apartment because at the time I never had my room. Then Mr. Green Said â€Å"that Nice but the average American middle-class version of success is a four-bedroom house with a two-door garage.† This opened my eyes to what true success was. He told me that I should not settle for just getting by but always striving for a higher quantity of life. I still keep that mindset close to me today. There is no discredit to my mother who raised me into a well-rounded respectful person. After staying with the Greens, I believe that there is such a thing as being a produce of your environment. If all a person sees is one setting that’s what that person   is going to believe in since it is what they are used to. Living with the Greens showed me a different perspective of life and how life is not set in stone; it can be changed. The end of the school year was time for me to leave the greens house whole and move back with my mother who had become financially stable. Still to this day the Greens and I are still the greens are a big part of my life, due to the major impact they had on me, and the lessons they instilled that will be with me forever. In Closing the Greens are like family to me, and if it werent for them I would never get to experience what a two parent household was or what success truly was. Whenever I decide to start a family, I plan to model some of my parenting strategies after the Greens.

Web accessibility and the Internet - Cultural Issues Essay - 1

Web accessibility and the Internet - Cultural Issues - Essay Example The general perception of the internet based information dissemination is often mixed. Some of them are of the view that these initiatives could bring significant benefits to the viewers while the other group are of the opinion that the internet medium could be very "annoying or intrusive" (Pacheco, 2008). Most of the commercial operators opinion that t he internet based operations would be the future gold mine. Also, the viewers feel that the medium of the internet gives them an unique opportunity to get any information in the most quicker and cost effective manner. The studies that explores the importance of views and reactions on the acceptability of internet and web content would certainly help to initiate steps to enhance the teachability of wen content. This exercise is inevitable considering the potential applications the internet have in all the vital domains of human interaction. The studies have been undertaken extensively to assess the qualitative features of the web content that primarily results in their acceptability. On the research undertaken to analyze the aforementioned factors considering the web advertisement as the core aspect have given significant information. The factors like the volume of the content, the type of graphical illustration, the gender and age of viewers, colour and type of fond and artwork are considered in the investigation. The opinion from one such researcher was on the impact that the animation pictures have on the viewers (Zhang, 2006). The researcher was of the opinion that the animation always created displeasure among the viewers as even if the viewer is not inclined to see them they were forced to observe the content. But on the aminated banners positioned on the internet sites it was observed that these had resulted in the quicker reaction times and faster recall than the

Klu Klux Klan Organization Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Klu Klux Klan Organization - Research Paper Example Although the Klan’s numbers have dwindled, the terrorist outfit remains a threat and voice in the United States. The present research provides a background summary of the Ku Klux Klan, considers the organization’s methodology, its tactics and method of operation, and the potential threat it poses to the United States. The Ku Klux Klan was founded in 1866. Of course, one recognizes that at this time slavery had recently been outlawed and the United States was entering into a major transition stage regarding the rights of African Americans. After its 1866 founding, the Klan quickly spread throughout the United States and by 1870 – only four years – the organization had a substantial presence in every state in the union. While the Klan experienced a slight period of decline in the late 19th century, in the early 20th century concerted efforts occurred that contributed to its revival during this period. Particularly, D.W. Griffith’s film the â€Å"Birth of a Nation† motivated much new Klan membership. While Klan membership would gradually decline throughout the 20th century, it experienced a period of revival during the Civil Rights Movement, as Klan organizations mobilized in protest efforts. Since this period the Klan’s numbers have gradually declined (Bullard, 20 05). As the organization began in the wake of the Civil War and the emancipation of the slaves, one recognizes that white supremacy constitutes perhaps its primary epistemological assumption. Of course, one recognizes that the Klan’s most thematic message is its support of racism and white supremacy throughout the United States. While the Klan’s outward expression of racism is a major factor in its overarching methodology, the organization also is recognized as adopting Christian ideals and has historically been linked to Protestanism as a major religious element. In terms of structure, the Klan has evolved a significant amount throughout its extended