Chris Brown and Michael Jackson Essay

Chris Brown and Usher are two contemporary hit music performers. Both men display a remarkable similarity in their lives. Each artist came from poor families. Each artist has made it to the top of the Top 40 music charts, more than once. Each artist has had the opportunity to work closely with Michael Jackson and has been tagged as potentially being the next â€Å"King of Pop. †Chris Brown and Usher, through their music have entertained hundreds of thousands of faithful fans. Though Chris Brown and Usher share similar music backgrounds, each has a unique music style which gives to us, the fans, the gift of their exquisite talent, with all of its strengths and joys. Tragedy struck both of their lives on June 28, 2009, upon learning of the death of Michael Jackson. Each of them described Jackson’s death as tragic and untimely. Chris Brown related this experience during the BET Music Awards on June 29, 2009. Usher expressed himself in his last CD released entitled â€Å"Raymond V. Raymond. †Although both expressed the great loss of Michael Jackson, the way that each depicted the incident was distinct. Chris Brown emotionally let loose on the stage at the 2009 BET Awards. He was very emotional and expressed his mourning with long comments, always keeping his tense present. Chris also chose words that were sure to get an emotional response from the fans that he and Michael Jackson have shared for the last several years. For example, when talking about how Michael Jackson invited him to the Neverland Ranch when he was just getting started in the industry, Chris Brown said, â€Å"I was just beginning to get materials together for my 2006 self-titled debut release, when I got a call from Michael Jackson expressing interest in my work. He invited me to the Neverland Ranch and helped me organize what became my first certified platinum album. †An illustration of more words from Chris Brown in reference to Michael Jackson can be found in the August, 2009 edition of Rolling Stones Magazine. He speaks of losing one of the mentors of his music career and speculation from the media that he could be the next â€Å"King of Pop. †The style and choice of words Chris Brown used made the reader aware that he was in mourning, but was indeed ready to step up to the plate to replace Michael Jackson as the â€Å"King of Pop. † Usher expressed his emotion in a more â€Å"unemotional† tone via â€Å"Raymond V. Raymond,† his latest CD release and on a limited edition DVD that was included in the first 100,00 copies of the CD sold. Usher used past tense, which told his fans that while he was mourning Michael Jackson and that Jackson was the King of Pop, that reign was gone, but not forgotten. His words were free of the severity of the loss. The words came off as harsh to his many fans. Instead of trying to elicit a particular emotional response, Usher was mourning in his own way, somewhat cold and detached. He didn’t even show up for the Michael Jackson Tribute at the 2009 BET Music Awards, claiming that he was too torn up over the loss. For instance, having given an account of his history with Michael Jackson on the DVD, he said, â€Å"I felt like I had lost my own life for just a moment in time. †The viewer felt his pain for a moment in time, however, the brevity of the emotion made his fans wonder about the sincerity of the emotion. Chris Brown, on the other hand, openly expressed himself over the loss of Michael Jackson with true sincerity, Usher explains, â€Å"he felt like he lost his life for a moment of time,† moving on like it was a sad moment, but eager to claim the title of â€Å"King of Pop,† as speculated by media. Chris Brown wanted the fans to feel with him. Usher wanted the fans to grieve for just a moment and move on to the next chapter. They achieved their objectives by directing the fan’s attention to a specific style of expressing their emotions, one more open, and the other, more cold. The emotional focus of Chris Brown’s response to the death of Michael Jackson was sincere. As I watched him mourn on national television and then read his story in the Rolling Stones Magazine, I felt like I lost one of my best friends, too. I looked back at my first concert experience, which was Michael Jackson’s Thriller Tour, and got teary-eyed. Chris Brown never let go of his love for the King of Pop and was never really concerned about replacing Michael Jackson as the new King of Pop. On the other hand, Usher’s mourning is short-lived. It was clear that Usher was going to step up to take the thrown of King of Pop the day after Michael Jackson died. He concentrated less on the mourning of Michael Jackson and more on the idea of being the next King. It would be impossible not to address the ways in which both men studied under Michael Jackson at one time or another. Chris Brown got some good training from Michael Jackson prior to the release of his very first CD. Usher was semi-discovered by Michael Jackson’s people and spent a lot of time at the Neverland Ranch with Michael Jackson. My most powerful emotional response throughout watching both of these celebrities mourn their mentor was one of incredible sorrow. When I look at both Chris and Usher’s overall reaction to the death of Michael Jackson, I felt the tremendous weight that sadness and despair can fold around a heart. I wanted to offer comfort to them both, however, by the end of the mourning period, I only wanted to comfort Chris Brown. It was obvious that Chris Brown’s wound was still cut open and bleeding. Chris Brown and Usher are extremely good recording artists. From each we receive a rare gift. As Chris Brown showed on the stage at the 2009 BET Music Awards, he was really torn over the loss of Michael Jackson. Usher showed us that he had ulterior motive.

ATDPTI Paper

The supplies used by the Indians on the reservation are completely outdated and unhelpful. An example of outdated supplies on the reservation is when Arnold is still at his school on the reservation and he receives a geometry textbook with his moms name inside of it. He then realizes that this geometry book was used when his mom went to school on the reservation. Soon Arnold had realized that his book was prehistoric he threw the book at his teachers face by accident and broke his nose. The last thing Arnold wanted to do was start the year off badly.As ell as supplies teachers are very different in the way they act and treat their students compared to the teachers at Reardon. Teachers at Arnold's old school on the reservation have terrible methods of teaching their students. When students go to school, they depend on their teachers to teach them, but when the teachers don't so their job right the motive for the students to learn is gone. An example of bad teaching methods or actions in the novel ADOPT is when Mr.. P who was Arnold's teacher on the reservation was talking about how teachers were expected to beat their students if something was one wrong.The way people are treated and taught at a young age can affect the way they act for the rest of their lives. Education is a very important aspect of ADOPT but their are many more. As well as education, money and income of a household of a family has a huge impact on the way that certain families act. In the novel ADOPT one of the differences in money be;en white people and Indian people is their wealth. Wealth determines how much money you receive and depending on that income someone could be poor or wealthy. In ADAPTS Arnold happens to live in a very poor family.When Arnold gets to his new school he notices that all the white people that attend Reardon have nice clothing and Arnold also notices that his clothing is not so nice compared to the other kids. This causes Arnold to feel like he does not fit in, which does not help him specifically on his first day. Money and income also affects peoples way of life. If someone is poor then they might set lower standards than people who are not poor. When people set lower standards than they should that could be bad because that can lead to not achieving goals that they would want to accomplish.An example of setting bad standards in the novel ADOPT is when Arnold is saying that he will get nowhere in life and the only chance of him getting anywhere in life is through drawing his cartoons. He thinks this way because he does not have the money to go to college or school which makes him feel like he can get no where in life. Money is needed for many things and can help in life if available. To be healthy, one must have a certain diet that suits them. When comparing the health of white people and Indians in the novel ADOPT one ill see that the state of health of the white people is depicted better than the health that of the Indians.To survive you mu st eat, but this often did not happen in many families on the reservation including Arnold's family. An example of bad health in the novel ADOPT is after Arnold and the Reardon basketball team beat the basketball team from the reservation. After Arnold had won the game he realized that the some of the players on the reservation team had not eaten the previous night. Arnold felt terrible about this and wished he could change what he had done. Another reason health is important is sickness.

Fret and Regret

Case-1 Fret and Regret 1. Explain in detail using concepts from the course what the problem Ian is faced with. Ian has 2 major problems; he doesnt want to use Iphone 4S instead of Galaxy S2 and he doenst want to broke Molly’s heart. First problem is about his personal taste and desires. Ian thinks that with Galaxy S2 he can benefit from extra technological advantages such as 4g, extra storage and computer remote contrale. This shows that in Ian’s opinion Galaxy S2 has better quality rather than Iphone 4S. Another reason about Ian’s preferance is Galaxy S2 has bigger screen.So in his opinion Galaxy S2 is more succesfull than Iphone about designing. In terms of technology and design Galaxy S2 seems more attractive to Ian. The fact is that these two smart phones both have comparative advantages to each other and price is the same. At this point, personal taste becomes important and that is why Ian prefers Galaxy S2. Second problem is about ethics. Molly bought expen sive, usefull and one of the best smart phones; Iphone 4S to make Ian happy. She sacrifised her money and time in order to give perfect present. So if Ian exchanges the phone that would make her sad and her efforts would be in vain. . Should Ian change the phone or keep the phone? Again use as many concepts from the course as are relevant. Ian’s consumer behaviour depends on; brand, his personality, his girlfriend and technology. According to the case if he only considers brand and technology his choice would be Galaxy S2 for sure. But if he considers all of these points and gathers more information, rational choice would be Iphone 4S. For that reason Ian should keep the phone. He didnt give Iphone 4S enough credit and he admitted that he has distaste for apple products; proof of prejudice.Also Ian didnt do enough market research so he has some wrong informations about Iphone 4S’s technology. You can have computer remote apps and extra storage options unlike Ianâ€℠¢s claims. Before buying new products, awareness, interest, evaluation, trial and adoption should be the process. Ian skipped trial and evaluation parts and only paid attention to interest. While purchasing expensive and to be used for a long time products these steps shouldnt skip. Bigger screen and some extra features directed him to want Galaxy S2. But he also stated that these phones are identical in terms of functionality.Ian realised he needs a phone and briefly searched for Galaxy S2. He was in the second step of the buyer decision process. He should have asked his Iphone 4S and Galaxy S2 user friends, get more information and try Galaxy S2 before making final decision. Since there is no time left for evaluating alternatives, he should keep Iphone 4S and doesnt make sad Molly. If he exchanges the phone he might regret from Galaxy S2 and also broke his girlfriends heart. So instead of taking those risks, he should continue with the phone which he started to get used to.

The solutions to the body and mind problem Essay

The solutions to the body and mind problem - Essay Example The solutions to the body and mind problem The problem of the body and the mind is description of the different opinions of different scholars on the level of interactions between the body and their collective and individual roles in the development of an individual. How exactly could the mind initiate an interaction with some parts of the body that results into movements and actions like asking questions in class? How exactly could individual sensation in other parts of the body stimulate the mind while their natures were identical and different based on Descartes’ dualism? Different philosophers have made different desperate attempts and sociologists to solve the body and mind problem and this paper will discuss the various attempts that have been made so far and how they attempted to give a conclusive answer to these questions (Taylor 33). Descartes believed that the body and the mind were two independent faculties and only one substance existed which was united and that was god. The existence of finite substance therefore depended on the mercies of God to exist and to function well. The mind is however nonphysical occupies no space and is only manifested by the behaviors of the individual who owns it. The body also has a three-dimensional view making it possible to divide into three symmetrical parts, which are the mind, does not occupy any space and lacks a basis for division.The concept of dualism as advanced by Descartes however have a number of problems as its notion that the mind is non-physical and immaterial makes the notion of zombies and mutants immaterial.

A Favorite Pet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A Favorite Pet - Essay Example I hastily made my way through the dark to get to the light switch. OUCH. I bumped into the hardwood couch. Swearing, I got up and stepped on something unusually soft. I bent to pick up what I thought was a cushion. I felt its feathery softness and then, as if someone on the other end was pulling the cushion, it slithered from my hands. Now terrified, I reached for the light switch. In the pitch black of the room, shiny, wide yellow eyes with extremely dilated pupils stared at me. Horrified as I already was, I screamed. Somebody turned on the lights and I saw, sitting right in front of me, a feathery fur ball; a fusion of grey and white fur with long whiskers and a small adorable face set on which were huge, hypnotizing yellow eyes and an adorable pink nose. The creature stared at me, amazed, and I could only return the amazement. That was my first encounter with our new pet, Dimka. I have had a lot of pets throughout my life. From a chick, when we used to live on a farm, to a horse w ho I wanted for a horse race, my experience with pets has not been quite worth remembering. I never developed the bond that people talk about with any of my pets. The reason, probably being that none of them stayed with me for long or maybe that, they all faced a traumatic fate. Seeing Dimka that night, did not ignite that spark of excitement into me. However, there was something unsettling about her presence which I could not figure out. As I came to know later, that was the beginning of the bond that Dimka and I would soon come to form. Dimka was a cat of the Persian breed which is considered the elite class in the kingdom of cats. She had been born to a lovely cat couple in my Uncle Igor's house. They named her after the exquisite blend of grey and white that her body was. Seeing her now, I knew why they had named her that. Her fur reminded me of the haze that overrides the blue of a sky before a heavy downpour. Uncle Igor was leaving the country for a few months and he could not think of leaving Dimka, only a year old, alone. That is how we got Dimka. I have never been fond of cats. All those horror movies that associate cats with evil magic and witch transformations worked to create a bad image in my mind. The first few days, I did not even look at her. She would patrol the hallways and I would always change my path whenever I caught sight of her. At nights, I would refrain from getting my midnight snack just because I was afraid she might turn into witch. Looking back at those times, I can't help laughing because Dimka turned out to be the total opposite of the cliched bad image. It all happened on one fateful night. I was up till late studying for my high school final which I had the next morning. I decided to take a break. So I plugged in my headphones, closed my eyes and leaned back on my chair. After a few minutes I felt something soft brush past my leg. I opened my eyes to see Dimka sitting beside my chair brushing her fur against me. I freaked out and shifted unsteadily in my chair, unplugging my headphones. And that was when I heard her soft murmur, almost like a whisper. She looked at me with those huge eyes of hers; wide open and her face reminded me of a small, lovely infant trying to get his message across through facial gestures. I could not help patting her and at my touch she playfully brushed herself beneath my hand. She 'meowed' again and I knew what I had to do. I made my way downstairs to the kitchen, Dimka trudging along. I gave her some cat food to eat and watched as she devoured the whole bowl. That night, for the first time had I not only

Management accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 3

Management accounting - Essay Example 17), management invented modern business. Early forms of management accounting integrated both decision-making and analysis, going beyond financial and operational performance data. Chandler stated that before managerial, there was no equivalent of the modem multi-unit organization as there was nothing remotely like the divisional Wed corporation (Chandler 1977, pg.18). Chandler states that the managerial revolution invents something new which it is frequently misunderstood as the "modern business enterprise". This did nothing less than overturn the old economic world which is a world within which he tells much basic economic theory is still distressingly rooted. The new form of management was accelerated by industrial revolutions in the 19th century. After the 20th century the impending requirements by financial accounting in most organizations developed new pressures placed on the capital markets, creditors and taxation (Schaltegger et al 2006, pg. 72). Decentralization involves th e distribution of decision-making authority within the organization by offering managers at different operation levels the authority to make decisions relating to their areas of focus. In the new form of management that was developed around 1850, decentralization of organizations is a key issue in its performance. ... The first structure was the development of a management system for individual single-unit organizations, such as the factory while the second structure was the development of management for the large multi-unit organization (Chandler 1977, pg.29). The structure of the management that was developed around 1850 is in the form of an inverted tree. The board of directors in an organization is above all other levels and below the board of directors is the managing director. The managing director is in charge of the organization activities at any given time. The managing director handles upcoming issues in the organizations and makes strategic decisions. Below the managing director, there are several branches which cater for different purposes. In an ideal organization, the branches could include the purchasing department, personnel department, operations director and finance director who in the organization has a different function that it has to perform for the smooth functioning of the organization. All branches are responsible to the managing director who is in turn responsible to the board of directors. The purchasing department has several functions in the organization which include the purchasing department where it procures all necessary materials that are needed for production or daily operation of the company or organization. The purchasing department is charged with a responsibility of continuously evaluating whether it is receiving the required merchandise at the least possible price so as to maximize profitability. In most organizations, the Purchasing department ensures timely delivery of materials from its associates like the vendors, and also ensures the accounts payable department to ensure that awaiting deliveries are received in full and are

Discuss the future of rhetoric in our electronic age Research Paper - 1

Discuss the future of rhetoric in our electronic age - Research Paper Example This means there is further evolution in store for rhetoric and it cannot become obsolete however, classical rhetoric may never regain its lost position. In this paper, rhetoric has been discussed from various aspects from its origin to evolution, post-modern theory of rhetoric and the challenges it faces from electronic media. From ancient times rhetoric has served as the perfect art of discourse, which allows a speaker/writer/researcher to enlighten, motivate and even persuade a given set of audience and/or readers. The need and significance of rhetoric as an effective form of art and a component of English studies has been realized from the time of Aristotle. However, with the onset of post-modern era a question mark has been added to its requirement since the electronic age and the gadget generation has left little room for discourse using classical rhetoric processes. Nonetheless, the future of rhetoric is something that remains to be analyzed properly without dangling into the argument of the legitimacy or illegitimacy of this art form in electronic era. In this paper, the future of rhetoric in our electronic age will be explored and an analysis will be made about its historical evolution and the challenges it faces today utilizing information from various scholarly sources. In simple words rhetoric is the assertion of â€Å"Eiro or I Say†. It is the â€Å"art of discourse,† or â€Å"art of speaking,† which has been practiced since ancient eras and was one of the three subjects of the Trivium (syllabus) of medieval universities the other two being Grammar and Logic. (Fishwick, 2007) The word Rhetoric has been derived from a Greek word â€Å"rhetorike† which denotes the â€Å"civic art† of public speaking since it was largely developed in deliberative public forums such as law courts. Rhetoric as a term was firstly used by Plato in his

Salary Inequality in the Workplace - when do men still earn more Research Paper

Salary Inequality in the Workplace - when do men still earn more - Research Paper Example Despite the theories, there is no concrete evidence as to why salary inequality is still a problem, suggesting that the disparity is a social problem with a very hidden agenda to satisfy the needs of a patriarchic work environment. Why do Men Earn More? Allyn (2003) suggests that men earn more than their female counterparts due to the return on investment achieved through education. According to an empirical study, education is geared more to provide men with better understanding of computer systems. Thus, when men and women enter the workforce, men who receive complimentary benefits are assumed to have a better knowledge base associated with technology usage, giving them a salary advantage (Allyn 2003). Under this assumption, salary disparity between the different sexes is a product of the educational system and the provision of knowledge associated with technology. Is this a rational explanation for the aforementioned inequality? If so, one could easily blame the administration in today’s colleges and universities for not creating a diverse curriculum that provides men and women with the same quality learning outcomes. It is likely that many educators and administrators in the teaching environment would strongly argue against Allyn’s study results, suggesting that there are ample and equal opportunities for both female and male students in the schools’ attempts to provide identical learning systems. Many universities, today, make it part of their ethical policies to ensure uniform educational methods that provide equivalent instruction and coaching that facilitates scholarship for both sexes. Thus, if Allyn’s findings are accurate, there must be bias within the educational system that prevents women from attaining the knowledge in technology necessary to achieve equalized pay upon graduation. However, with no concrete research evidence, this is only speculation. Connell (1997) indicates that the salary disparity between men and wom en is quite simple: it is the product of a long-standing patriarchic society that was built by men and sustained by men, thus reducing opportunities for women to advance equally. Since the majority of executives in the business environment are male, there is the assumption that a patriarchic hegemony (domination) resides at the highest levels of the organization. Any attempts to undo the male-dominated workforce would therefore, under this theory, lead to backlash or even sabotage when women attempt to exert their own supremacy (Connell, 1997). Anyone in society with a thoughtful mind could surely support the notion that the workforce as it is known today was built on male governance. The vast majority of businesspersons in history were male, therefore creating authority and control systems in the business world borne of male-generated policy and procedure. It was quite rare in yesteryear for a woman to expand their education and knowledge in order to attain a position of prominence in the business organization. In this time period, it was commonplace for women to maintain a role as housewife and mother, sustaining the household as a reward for receipt of male earnings. This was the foremost role of women until the 1940s, but this mentality was altered in the 20th Century as

Supermercados Disco Joining Up with Royal Ahold Case Study

Supermercados Disco Joining Up with Royal Ahold - Case Study Example It is also a growing market. The countries in consideration in Latin America are Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela. These countries have fairly stable governments and political environment and it is possible to do business here on long term basis although the economic and geographical conditions vary from country to country. The immediate problem is future strategy. It is the course of action needed to increase profitability and market penetration in Latin America. There are several options before Supermercados Disco. However, the main options are whether the company should choose to go ahead with a joint venture with Royal Ahold or continue independently. Other than this problem, there are choices to do with pestel analysis. There was strong economic growth in the 1990s, making it vital for the political dispensation to frame policies to maintain the growth curve. Economic prosperity made it imperative for political factors to go along with economic parameters and shun despotic influences. Argentina and Brazil became the favored destinations for retailers in the 1990s. Argentina was favored because of its wealth and Brazil because of its purchasing power due to its large middle class population. Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Venezuela were roughly equal in terms of disposable income, but they had unequal distribution of wealth excluding up to 40% of these countries' populations from normal consumer activity. The region was projected to growth continually in the ensuing decades producing increase in the size of the working population. Due to foreign investments, there was also the fact that cities would grow disproportionately in size and wealth improving communications and infrastructure. These changes were bound to favor retailers. State-owned enterprises were thrown open for privatization. Most of the steel mills, chemical, petrochemical, shipping and aircraft companies were sold to private parties. Price controls were lifted in 1993. In Chile, tariffs were cut down from 75% in 1975 to just 11% currently. Social factors Improving economic conditions had an effect on social factors. In the six largest countries of Latin America viz. Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Mexico, and Venezuela, the population was over 80% urban. Brazil faced the biggest social problems due to poverty and lack of education. The country had to resort to credit schemes to allow poorer members of society to buy consumer durables, food and clothing. Brazil has the sixth largest population in the world. Hence, although Brazil has good middle class population, she has her share of poverty problems. Other than the Brazil factor, social factors in other Latin American countries showed improvement financially. People had money to buy what they needed. Technological factors Attraction of foreign investment

A study of acetylcholinesterase and its inhibition Essay

A study of acetylcholinesterase and its inhibition - Essay Example The purpose of this study was to explore the enzyme acetylcholinesterase and the physiology of this complex system, and the various disorders associated with the cholinergic system by a review of literature. The central nervous system (CNS) gets a variety of internal and external stimuli. These are integrated and expressed subconsciously through the autonomic nervous system, which modulates the involuntary functions of the body. The autonomic nervous system is divided into the sympathetic (thoracolumbar) outflow, and the parasympathetic (craniosacral) outflow (Robertson D, 2005.) Neurotransmitters are chemical substances that help neurons to communicate with other neurons through a chemical synapse. They are categorized into four groups: monoamines, amino acids, peptides and acetylcholine. After synthesis, they are packaged and transported, if required, to the presynaptic cell terminal. The release of the neurotransmitter into the synaptic cleft is triggered by the arrival of an action potential at the presynaptic cell terminal. The neurotransmitter then diffuses across the synapse, and activates receptors on the postsynaptic cell resulting in either excitation or inhibition of that cell. The final step in this process is the inactivation of the neurotransmitter by enzymatic breakdown, re-uptake or by neurotransmitter diffusion. (PKAL conference, 1997.) Acetylcholine (ACh) is the primary neuromediator of both sympathetic and parasympathetic preganglionic neurons. It is also the mediator of parasympathetic postganglionic fibres. ACh has mostly an excitatory effect but it is known to have inhibitory effects at some of the peripheral parasympathetic nerve endings, like inhibition of the heart by the vagus nerve (Guyton AC, 1986.) Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune disease due to the lack of cholinergic receptors in the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Although the function of ACh in the brain is not as

Reflection paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Reflection paper - Essay Example Aside from this, there are issues in identifying who is at risk since adolescents are commonly identified in the criteria. The chapter suggests that all youth must be included as long as they manifest the behavioral signs. The common mistakes made in assessing youth-at-risk is placing focus on either cause or effect rather than establishing the relationship between the two factors . Also explored in the chapter are questions on measuring resiliency and its connection to the development of a prevention program. Moreover, a clear distinction of whether crisis prevention or crisis management must be set before initiating a program. In the first place, the manual’s emphasis is more on prevention , rather than management. The chapter is helpful in establishing foundational perspectives, identifying the youth, describing populations, and identifying behavioral and causal characteristics. It is also emphatic in stating that family, school, peer group, society are causal factors for the youth-at-risk. Nevertheless, the chapter supports the idea that through sound prevention programs, the incidence of youth-at-risk can be minimized. The handling of youth-at-risk is a complicated task which is why chapter 1 suggested that the approach must be multi-disciplinary. For one, it was revealed that most schools are not ready to handle youth-at-risk. The school cannot place the burden on the school counselor alone to handle all the problems of youth-at-risk. In fact, the success of Spring High school’s mentoring program that encouraged the student’s to stay in school was an effort from many mentors like classroom teachers ( Murray, 2009 ). The school must develop a sound conceptual framework that involves teachers committed to encouraging students to stay in school despite the difficulties that they encounter. Second, developing a prevention

Pre-school children Essay Example for Free

Pre-school children Essay I carried out my observation on a group of pre-school children consisting 1 boy and 2 girls for 13 minutes in the morning free play session. These children were about to do leaf and twig printing for the first time. The equipment that was provided was yellow paint, brown paint and green paint all of these were in small paint trays. There was also sugar paper for the children to print their leaves on. There was also various sized leafs and twigs in a small tray. Each child went and put their aprons on. Then they came and sat sown around the table on the chairs. I explained to them what they have to do and I demonstrated this by dabbing a leaf into the paint and printing it onto a piece of sugar paper. Then I got a piece of twig and dabbed it into the paint and printed it onto the sugar paper. The children listened to me carefully and then they started to their printing. A picked a large leaf using her right and looked at it, and then she said wow, look at how many colours this leaf has, 1, 2, 3 different colours. Next she carefully lifted another large leaf she dabbed it into the green painted. Next she printed the leaf onto the large piece sugar paper. R picked up a twig and he stroked it into the brown paint; next he stroked the twig onto the piece of sugar paper and whilst he was doing this he said this paint is going in lines, it looks like chocolate, weeeeehhh. Beside this K picked up a leaf and dabbed it into the yellow paint. K rubbed the leaf into the yellow paint, next he lifted the leaf from the yellow paint and placed the leaf in the green paint, and again he rubbed the leaf and said while doing this he excitedly said I am mixing colours. Next I asked the children where do leaves come from? A quickly answered they come from trees. R added then they fall off the trees. K also added twigs come from trees as well. K said Look, I made a nice picture, she also added I have got 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 leaves printed. Soon after R picked up a leaf and said loudly this leaf is red, yellow and brown. A picked up a twig and using both of her hands she rolled it into the green paint, she next rolled the twig onto the sugar paper. A picked up 3 different sized leaves and placed them onto the sugar paper and said this one is tiny, this one is a little bit bigger and this one is the biggest. R then said excitedly look my twig has made patterns. A leaned over to have look at Rs picture. A said it hassss! . Then she looked at her picture and said look! My leaves have made patterns in the middle. Next K held up her paper and said I am finished! . She placed her paper on the drying rack and took her apron off, washed her hands and went to play with some toys. R and A also said that they had finished they placed their pieces of paper onto the drying rack. Next they removed their aprons and washed their hands and went to play. E6 E7 E10 I carried out my observation on a group of morning children of the pre-school for a total of 13 minutes approximately whilst they had a free play. I observed how a group of children play with natural materials and noting how it helps them to learn. While I was observing this small group of children playing I noticed that this activity helps them to learn about the knowledge and understanding of the world. I also noticed that they were interacting and communicating really well with each other. You can view this by reading my observation in E5. But we must remember that each child develops at their own pace. This group of childrens ages range from 3:6 years to 3: 9 years. The Foundation Stage Curriculum states Knowledge and Understanding of The World; children notice and comment on patterns (2000, pg89). This statement was from the green area stepping stone and this shows me that this group of children are at the correct developmental stage. But we must remember that each child is an individual. Also The Foundation Stage Curriculum states Mathematical Development; children count actions and objects that cannot be moved (2000, pg 75). This statement from The Foundation Stage Curriculum is from the green area stepping stone, and it shows me that K is at the correct developmental stage because you can see from my observation in E5 that K was counting the leaf printings on her piece of sugar paper. The Foundation Stage Curriculum also states Mathematical Development; children use size language such as big and little. This statement shows me that R is at the correct developmental stage because he was using size language when he was describing the three leaves. You can see this by viewing my observation in E5.

Financial Ratio Analysis And Industry Averages Finance Essay

Financial Ratio Analysis And Industry Averages Finance Essay The price earning P/E ratio shows how attractive a firms stock is for investment. The P/E of Etisalat has increased from previous year 2009 which shows that in 2010 Etisalat has become more attractive for investments. Profitability Ratios Return on Common Equity (ROCE or ROE) ROE = Earnings after Tax à · Equity Shareholders fund x 100 This ratio shows the rate of return of the risk takers also referred to as the stockholders (Sinha, 2009). The ratio shows the stockholders or investors the rate of return of their investments in stocks of Etisalat. The following table shows the ROE ratio for Etisalat: Financial Ratios 2010 2009 Profitability ROE 20.41 22.17 The above table clearly shows that the rate of return for the shareholders of Etisalat has reduced from 22.17% in 2009 to 20.41% in 2010. Therefore the risk of investment in stocks of Etisalat has increased in 2010 comparing with the ratio of 2009. ROA (Return on Total Assets) Return on Total Assets (ROA) = (Net Income à · Total Assets) x 100 Higher ROA indicates the higher return on Assets, this ratio must be above the industry average to show greater returns on Assets (Brigham Houston, 2009). Note: another reason for a low ROA could also indicate the intentional use of debt for financing activities of a firm. The following table shows the ROA calculated for Etisalat. Financial Ratios 2010 2009 Profitability ROA 9.74 12.40 The ROA for Etisalat has reduced in 2010 to 9.74% from 12.40% in 2009, which shows the reduced rate of return on assets, indicating the poor performance of Etisalat also showing the use of debt by the firm. Liquidity Ratios: Current ratio Current Ratio = Current Assets à · Current Liabilities The ratio shows the weak or stronger liquidity position of a firm, higher the current liabilities lower the current ratio and vice versa. The calculated ratios of Etisalat are shown in the following table: Financial Ratios 2010 2009 Liquidity Current Ratio 0.79 0.83 The liquidity position of Etisalat has reduce negatively when comparing current ratio of 0.79x in 2010 with 0.83x in 2009, consequently the ability of Etisalat to convert its assets into cash has reduced. Quick Ratio Quick, or acid test, ratio = (Current assets Inventories) à · Current Liabilities Quick Ratio also depicts the liquidity position of the firm to pay off short-term liabilities without relying on sales (inventories). The following table shows the calculated Quick Ratio for Etisalat. Financial Ratios 2010 2009 Liquidity Quick Ratio 0.78 0.82 Acid test of Etisalat revealed that the liquidity of the firm to pay shot-term liabilities has reduced from 0.82x in 2009 to 0.78x in 2010. Asset Management Ratios Inventory Turnover Ratio Inventory Turnover Ratio = Sales à · Inventories This ratio shows the number of times inventories are turned over into sales, and higher value shows that the inventories are being held for longer times. The Inventory turnover ratio of Etisalat is shown by the following table. Financial Ratios 2010 2009 Asset Management Inventory Turnover Ratio 100.96 115.03 The ratios in the table clearly show the ability of Etisalat to convert inventories into sales has increased shown by declining Inventory Turnover Ratio of 100.96x in 2010 from 115.03x in 2009. Debt Management Ratios Total Debt to Total Assets Debt ratio = Total Debt à · Total Assets This ratio shows in percentage the risk level faced by the firm, the debt ratio of Etisalat is shown with the help of following table: Financial Ratios 2010 2009 Debt Management Total Debt to Total Assets Ratio 6.34 4.52 The values in the table above show that the risk of investing in Etisalat has increased from 4.52% in 2009 to 6.34% in 2010. Financial Profile Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company PJSC and its Subsidiary The financial profile of Emirates Telecommunication is presented by the data retrieved from financial statements of the firm. Financial Ratio Analysis Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company PJSC and its Subsidiary 2010 and 2009 Data retrieved from the Financial Statements 2010 2009 AED000 AED000 Current Assets 4,671,779 2,224,887 Total Assets 12,519,678 9,531,905 Current Liabilities 6,441,462 3,676,842 Total Liabilities 7,423,911 6,740,365 Inventories 47,300 38,931 Sales Revenue 7,074,097 5,338,699 Interest 102,199 12,998 EPS AED 0.31 AED 0.06 N.I. 1,310,431 264,124 Market Value Per Share AED 2.72 AED 2.79 Total Shareholder Equity 5,095,767 2,791,540 Total Debt 904,735 3,000,000 The ratio analysis is conducted on the basis of data retrieved in the table bove. Ratio Analysis of Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company PJSC and its Subsidiary: Market Value Ratios: P/E Ratio (P/E) Price/Earnings Ratio = Market Price Per Common Share à · Earnings Per Share The share price of Emirates Integrated Telecommunications for the year ended 31 December, 2009 was AED 2.786 and 31 December, 2010 AED 2.72 (Bloomberg, 2013). The following table shows the calculated P/E for Etisalat. Financial Ratios 2010 2009 Market Value P/E 8.77 46.43 The price earning P/E ratio shows how attractive a firms stock is for investment. The P/E of Emirates Telecommunication has reduced drastically from previous year 46.43x in 2009 to 8.77x in 2010 which shows that in 2010 Emirates Telecommunication has become less attractive for investments. Profitability Ratios Return on Common Equity (ROCE or ROE) ROE = Earnings after Tax à · Equity Shareholders fund x 100 This ratio shows the stockholders or investors the rate of return of their investments in stocks of Emirates Telecommunication. The following table shows the ROE ratio for Emirates Telecommunication: Financial Ratios 2010 2009 Profitability ROE 25.72 9.46 The above table clearly shows that the rate of return for the shareholders of Emirates Telecommunication has increased from 9.46% in 2009 to 25.72% in 2010. Therefore the risk of investment in stocks of Emirates has reduced in 2010 comparing with the ratio of 2009. ROA (Return on Total Assets) Return on Total Assets (ROA) = (Net Income à · Total Assets) x 100 The following table shows the ROA calculated for Emirates Telecommunication. Financial Ratios 2010 2009 Profitability ROA 10.47 2.77 The ROA for Emirates Telecommunication has increased in 2010 to 10.47% from 2.77% in 2009, which shows the increased rate of return on assets. Liquidity Ratios: Current ratio Current Ratio = Current Assets à · Current Liabilities The calculated current ratio for Emirates Telecommunication are shown in the following table: Financial Ratios 2010 2009 Liquidity Current Ratio 0.73 0.61 The liquidity position of Emirates Telecommunication has reduce negatively when comparing current ratio of 0.73x in 2010 with 0.61x in 2009, consequently the ability of Emirates Telecommunication to convert its assets into cash has reduced. Quick Ratio Quick, or acid test, ratio = (Current assets Inventories) à · Current Liabilities The following table shows the calculated Quick Ratio for Emirates Telecommunication. Financial Ratios 2010 2009 Liquidity Quick Ratio 0.72 0.59 Acid test of Emirates Telecommunication revealed that the liquidity position of the firm to pay shot-term liabilities has increased from 0.59x in 2009 to 0.72x in 2010, which shows that Emirates Telecommunication is more liquid in 2010. Asset Management Ratios Inventory Turnover Ratio Inventory Turnover Ratio = Sales à · Inventories The Inventory turnover ratio of Emirates Telecommunication is shown by the following table. Financial Ratios 2010 2009 Asset Management Inventory Turnover Ratio 149.56 137.13 The ratios in the table clearly show the ability of Emirates Telecommunication to convert inventories into sales has decreased shown by increasing Inventory Turnover Ratio of 149.56x in 2010 from 137.13x in 2009. Debt Management Ratios Total Debt to Total Assets Debt ratio = Total Debt à · Total Assets The debt ratio of Emirates Telecommunication is shown with the help of following table: Financial Ratios 2010 2009 Debt Management Total Debt to Total Assets Ratio 0.07 0.31 The values in the table above show that the risk of investing in Emirates Telecommunication has reduced from 0.31% in 2009 to 0.07% in 2010. Industry Averages in Telecommunication Industry UAE The industry averages of the telecommunication for P/E, ROE, ROA, Debt Ratio and Current Ratio are: P/E P/E Industry Average Telecommunication Industry UAE 2009 2010 P/E Etisalat 9.69 10.31 P/E Emirates 46.43 8.77 2009 2010 P/E Industry Average 28.06 9.54 ROE ROE 2009 2010 Etisalat 22.17 20.41 Emirates 9.46 25.72 2009 2010 ROE Industry Average 15.815 23.065 ROA ROA 2009 2010 Etisalat 12.4 9.74 Emirates 2.77 10.47 2009 2010 ROA Industry Average 7.585 10.105 Debt Ratio Debt Ratio 2009 2010 Etisalat 4.52 6.34 Emirates 0.31 0.07 2009 2010 Industry Average 2.415 3.205 Current Ratio Current Ratio 2009 2010 Etisalat 0.83 0.79 Emirates 0.61 0.73 2009 2010 Industry Average 0.72 0.76

The Business Organisation And Environment Of Devices Information Technology Essay

The Business Organisation And Environment Of Devices Information Technology Essay Internet is one of the best communicating and information device that created by human it is used in a global scale for faster communication research in data and also online business, there are many type of companies around the world provides the telecommunication service. As regarding the information above our group has selected a company which is currently the leading telecommunication company in Malaysia that is called Telekom Malaysia berhad which owns a capitalization over RM11 billion and total work force of around 24,000. Before moving on to the points that we researched which are related to the company we would like to explain the history and achievement of the company with the information we gathered. The history of the Telekom Malaysia Berhad . The company was established in the year 1946, developed rapidly from the year 1995 where internet was first internet age began in Malaysia. According to the Malaysian internet survey which was conducted by Mimos and beta interactive services on 1995 one out of every thousand Malaysian had excess to the internet. As the company develop step by step with the partnership with the national building it helped the Malaysia country and the company itself with the latest technology and transform its network infrastructure from analog to digital and now moving on towards an IP base. Moving on towards the points that we choose and found the information related to the company is business organization and its environment, individual at work and lastly organization structure of Telekom Malaysia Berhad. Business Organisation and Environment As every Malaysian knows, Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) is currently a leading telecommunication company in Malaysia which provides internet services, voice services and also entertainment services for each of everyone of Malaysia. TM Company obtains the success today due to the outstanding leadership of the CEO. TM Companys aim is to become Malaysias top leading of new generation communications provider and to fulfill customers needs by their cutting-edge technology and excellence performance. The reason that pushes TM Company to the peak is because that the vision and mission of the company is clear and distinct, which gives their worker a general idea of what is the purpose of working there. Despite that, various types of problems from both internal and external environment still arise in the TM Company which affects the performance of the company. Malaysia is famous for its multicultural races, no doubt inside TM Company also a multicultural organization. Personalities and behaviors of workers in the organization are crucial to the company because they are the one who keep the companys profile high. For sure there are tons of types of personality and behavior inside the organization; therefore it is necessary to maintain the order of it. Human resources policies and legislation had been enacted for this purpose. Example such as Employment Act 1955, among the content, it is prohibited for women to work at around ten oclock in the night and five oclock in the morning, and also women are not allowed for underground working. Furthermore, TM Company also provides training for the new employees to be developed into various levels of staff for the company and also its subsidiaries in their own TM Training Centre. In every field of business, competitors are unavoidable. Same goes to TM Company, other company like Maxis, Digi, P1 W1max, Izzi and others are improving from time to time, which gives TM Company the pressure to upgrade them furthermore. At first, these types of companies had only made a slight impact on TM, but as business industries are affected by the globalization later on in 1990s, the competitive forces increases and forces TM to change its organization in order to cope with it. TM had no other ways but to re-organize their organization that majorly focus in improving and enhancing their productivity in order to keep surviving in the telecommunication industry with these much of competitors. Other than that, knowledge management also affects TM Companys performance and organization. The business today has moved into a rapid-changing and knowledge-based environment compare to the time before. Thus, many believes that running the business based on knowledge is crucial to the organization in order to survive. For TM Company, changing the organization style is keeping their performances remain outstanding among their competitors in telecommunication field. Leaders in TM Company use knowledge management method to keep the organization in shapes and in conjunction with that, they can fully utilize the intellectual capital. This enables the intellectual capital to grow from the aspects of skills, attitude and behavior of employees thus increasing the overall performance. Organisation structure TM Company is a big company in Malaysia. Therefore, TM company has its own unique structure and system which in bureaucracy style. Diagram 1.1 : structure of TM company Six key elements such as work specialisation, departmentlisation, chain of command, span of control ,centralisation and decentralisation and formalisation are used in designing the structure. According to the diagram above, work specialisation do exist in TM Company. For example, there are some workers who are specialised in certain tasks. Workers like technicians will repair all the systems and infrastructures of company. When lot of the specialist work together in an environment, it will form a department to perform certain similar tasks, which is a form of departmenlisation. Another element is span of control. From Diagram 1.1, span of control of each layer can be seen easily. For example, the board of directors got narrow span of control because under him there is only one subordinate, which is the chief executive officer. On the other hand, the chief executive officer got a wider span of control compare to the previous one. Under the CEO is another layer which consists of differ ent department managers and a wider span. This sequence is continued until the lowest layer of the structure.So, the chain of command will pass from the higher layer to lower layer for delegation of jobs. When all the information are gathered or jobs are completed, the final decision and approval will make by the board of directors.That call centralisation.Under some specific situation, decentralisation are used. Board of directors will pass the authority of making decision to lower layer to handle the project.Rules made by the company are call formalisation, that need all workers follow it when they are joined the company. From these elements, a tall structure can seen. Diagram 1.2 shows that a tall structure and the span of control of TM Company Beside that, there are some determinants of organisation structure such as technology, environment and strategies issues. Nowadays, technology are improved rapidly and it is a key success factor for TM Company.Technological advancement can lead TM Company competitive with other firms. In Malaysia, 2 types of telecommunication technologies, wired and wireless are applied. In field of wired internet, data communication technology like Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) being ultilizing via connection of copper lines to households.Therefore, TM company is controls the virtual DSL market.In other side, High-Speed Broadband(HSBB) are invented by TM Company using the Fiber-to-the-home ( FTTH) technology to enhance the wireless internet connection. In this modern era, a huge population of office workers are using internet to do research for their tasks. So, broadband penetration in Malaysia is getting bigger due to citizens are shifting towards knowledge-based nation. Another fact is broadband can carry easily to anywhere. Due to limitation of quota in broadband, those worker rather use wired internet connection in their home and workplaces. The demand of internet is become greater and it is a chance for TM Company to lead the market.The branches of TM, TMnet Streamyx is major choices of workes choose for internet connection.Workers can choose either using wired or wireless connection, unlike Digi, Celcom and Maxis broadband are running in wireless connection. Individuals at work In what specific ways that an individual influences an organization There are three important leadership skills that an individual should have to be able to climb up to the management position. For example, goal settings, attitude and procedure management. According to (Maryellen Gibsons blog ) a manager that has a positive attitude will effect an entire team or company in an encouraging manner and a manager which has a negative attitude will affect the organization in a not so optimistic manner. Other than this, procedure management will help an organization to stay orderly and organized. For example, when there is a new project or task to be done, theres no need to make a whole new procedure just for that project. With proper procedure management an organization can save precious time and become more efficient. Lastly, the third leadership skill is to have a goal setting. A manager which has a clear mind set for his or her company is great for benefiting their company or organization because if there is a project the manager and his company will be able to know the result of the project. A really effective manager will need to let his team contribute to the success of the project so they have ownership in the final result. Individuals at TM Net DATO ZAMZAMZAIRANI MOHD ISA is currently the managing director and the group chief executive officer of TM Net. Aged 50, a Malaysian, has been appointed managing director of TM since 25 of April 2008. He holds a Bachelors degree in communication engineering from Plymouth Polytechnic in the United Kingdom. He is very experienced in the telecommunication field. DATUK BAZLAN OSMAN is presently TM Nets executive director and group chief financial officer. Now at age 46, he was appointed the role of executive director of TM since 25 of April 2008. He started of as an auditor with a public accounting firm in 1986 and finally joined the Celcom Axiata Berhad in 2001 as chief financial officer of the company. Now, he also oversees the operations of Global, Wholesale and Support Business. Interview questions Example: If the job is offered to you, how long do you plan to stay in the job position given? (This question is use to test how high the worker is aiming for and from what can be predicted from the workers performance for the company in the future) What is your expected salary range? (This question is to test the workers deservedness to have the expected salary) What do you know about the job position you have enquired for and what duties do you think this job requires you to do. (This question is to test the workers knowledge about the company) What kind of challenges do you think you will encounter in this job position? (This question is to test the workers thoughts on how to overcome a problem if handling with one) What separate this from our competitors? Conclusion Business organization and its environment is how the organization and business of the company affected by both internal and external environment. From time to time, usually the companys organization structure will be changed as the competitors in the same field increase and to avoid problems occur towards the internal environment which will lead the company to a downfall. TM Companys organization structure was reorganized to overcome problems in both internal and external environments and to stabilize the economy of the company. Organization structure can be determined by six key elements which are work specialization, departmentalization, chain of command, span of control, centralization decentralization, and formalization. Based on all these key elements in organization structure, the leaders in TM Company can manage the organization better and produce a result higher than what are expected. Every individual in the company is crucial to the company, their personality; behavior and every single commitment are keys to success in the future. Each and every individual in the company have their own roles which can be carried out on their own only, thus they should bear the responsibility and to accomplish their duties either as leaders or subordinates. To improve the company status they use the various methods to achieve their specific goal in the business field. (1808 words)

Technology Available :: essays papers

Technology Available Given that the Fine Arts contain expression such as sculpting, painting, drawing, dance, theater, music, etc, there are countless opportunities for advancement within the curriculum. Having such a broad range of options enables different types of technological support to be introduced to both teachers and students. Theater students use technology constantly, whether it's accessing the computer catalog to find plays for study or on the Internet for reviews or to study about a particular playwright. Technology is a central part of technical theater as well. The lights used to illuminate the stage are computer driven and must be programmed correctly (Marshall, 1998). Visual arts students study laser discs, which are used in teaching and learning art history. They also use the CD-ROM drives in Macintosh-based computers to study color mixing, art forms, current trends in visual arts and art history (Marshall, 1998). There is a computer graphics lab at their disposal, which is used to teach animation and the creation of art. Images downloaded from the Internet are modified and adapted to create original works of art (Marshall, 1998). â€Å"The visual arts students are required to become handy with 35mm copy stand photography as they document everything they do for their portfolios. Working with computer animation and photography are important skills for visual artists in the field today† (Marshall, 1998). Music programs also include advancements, â€Å"for example†¦students learn about acoustics, lighting, seating arrangements, ergonomics, and personal programming in the context of how the built environment affects musical performance. The technology includes building models of spaces to incorporate specific acoustical properties and studying types and colors of lights† (Marshall, 1998). Those are just a few ways in which all Fine Arts categories use technology to improve their class content. The world will keep advancing; it’s up to the educators to take advantage of such learning enhancers. What Practices are Guiding Students in the Fine Arts Today Several educators express a need for a more vigorous and expanded arts curriculum. In schools today, the Fine Arts programs seem to be the underdogs of education. In fact, the arts are an incredibly important and integral part of a students learning and development.

The American Civil Liberties Union :: essays research papers fc

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Where do you go if someone is threatening your personal rights? Do you go to the police, or maybe to the government? What if the police and government are the parties threatening your rights? All you have to do is just call the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union). Sounds like a commercial doesn't it. The ACLU blankets the United States with its legal protection. It is involved in so many aspects of the fight for civil liberties that it is difficult to cover it all. To fully understand what the ACLU has done for the United States would take much longer than I have. Therefore, I have picked a couple of incidents that, to me, exemplify what the ACLU is, and how they have affected our society. The ACLU, American Civil Liberties Union, is an organization that began the struggle to protect the civil liberties of the American people. The ACLU is defined as being a US non-partisan organization offering legal aid and other assistance in cases of violation of civil liberties.(Websters) Civil liberties contain a substantial body of law including: freedom of speech and press, separation of church and state, free exercise of religion, due process of law, equal protection, and privacy.(Walker 3) The Encyclopedia of the Constitution defines civil liberties as "those rights that an individual citizens may assert against the government." In a formal sense, the ACLU is a private voluntary organization dedicated to defending the Bill of Rights. Officially established in 1920, the ACLU now claims over 270,000 members. With offices in most of the states and the District of Columbia the ACLU justifiably calls itself " the nation's largest law firm."(Walker 4) The ACLU, despite its noble goal, has a terrible public image. The reason for such hatred or support is the fact that civil liberty cases generally involve moral and personal issues. These issues are those that incite feelings from all corners of society. The rights the ACLU is generally protecting are those segments of society that least agree with mainstream society. The ACLU has promised to protect the rights of everyone. Those rights include the free speech rights of such detested groups as the Ku Klux Klan, Nazis, and Communist. The Skokie Case is an example of the classic freedom of speech case the ACLU would undertake. This case which hit the media April 28, 1977, concerned the right of American Nazi Frank Collin to demonstrate in Skokie, IL. (Walker 323) This case like many before and after defended the rights of a person espousing one of the most universally despised ideology in the country.

Function of Music in Theatre Essay

QUESTION #1 Discuss the dramatic functions of music in two works of Music Theatre, including some consideration of the relationship between music and other elements of the performance event. Music and drama have the capability of not only integrating to create spectacular visual and aural events in theatre, but they have a distinct capacity to support each other – to heighten one-another to innovative, intrepid and even excessive levels. These levels reached are rarely paralleled in real life, at least not as effortlessly as they are in musical theatre. It seems that in some cases, the two elements aren’t complete unless they form a relationship – just as hydrogen and oxygen bond to produce water. ‘Music is created from sound as life is created from matter’ (Reti, 1961). Music in drama is somewhat a broad topic, as this communicates the infinite range of subtleties of music in drama, but the approach to evaluating this form of theatre is particularly important; is the focus upon the effect of the music upon the drama, or the drama upon the music? Is the focus upon the unity of the two, or their distinctions? This report will focus upon the use of music in theatre as an amplifier. The aim of this document is to hold a metaphorical magnifying glass over two individual pieces of drama: Lionel Bart’s music in ‘Oliver!’ and Elliot Goldenthal’s music in ‘Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within’. The two pieces of drama are poles apart when relating the plots, themes, settings and a great many others, but although the two works have over 30 years between them in production, there are particular conventions to be found within the composition of their music scores, which both illustrate the effectiveness of the basic systems in music to develop the drama, and the revolutions occurring in the new generation of drama for today’s new generation of audience. Although the music analyzed in this report can be easily disregarded by the audience as ‘backdrop’ music, there is a much deeper and arousing basis to the composer’s production of this music, which is there for much more than simply saying to the audience â€Å"This is where the character is†. ‘The great composers were fully aware both of the thematic principle and of the technique through which they materialized it.† – (Reti, 1961) The music used in these examples were not used simply for a pleasing auditory ‘spanner in the works’, but to achieve a new level of understanding especially from the point of view of particular characters. The music of the composers Bart and Goldenthal, successfully achieves a more intense portrayal of their characters featured, through the use of both subtlety and supplement. ‘Oliver’ will be the main focus for the initial component of this report, so that the two pieces of drama can be analyzed chronologically. ‘Oliver!’ is a musical interpretation of Charles Dickens’ ‘Oliver Twist’ and is a tender account of an orphan boy who runs away from the orphanage and journeys to London. He endeavors to â€Å"pick-a-pocket-or-two† for his new lodger Fagin, but gets caught. As Fagin tries to save him, Oliver decides that all he wants now is go to his newly discovered uncle, and live a good life. Oliver premiered on Broadway in January of 1963 and ran for 774 performances. It was converted into a film later that decade and subsequently won 6 academy awards including best picture for 1968. Throughout the duration of the Musical, the audience is drawn into Oliver’s world – hauled into his story through the use of melody and song. The initial scene where Oliver Twist first enters London is a defining component of the Musical, where (in film version) you see him gaze adoringly out at the clock tower above from underneath a dozen cabbages – the symphony slowly building as he pulls together the impulse to jump out form the basket and then stumble out into the middle of the street to view this living, breathing city before him. The music now escalates at this point and creates a strong resonance whilst he gawks with innocence and naivety at every moving spectacle around him. A brass fanfare erupts in unison with Oliver’s eruption from the basket and strongly accompanies the other sounds of the city such as the hustle and bustle of loaded carriages, trains blasting their whistles, people rich and poor alike scurrying about busily like ants – oblivious to the music unlike Oliver. This scene captures almost every conceivable aspect of the city from Oliver’s eyes and packs it tightly into song with The Artful Dodger’s swift introduction, reception and invitation in the song â€Å"Consider Yourself†, at which point he takes Oliver on an excursion around the busy city. A humorous contrast is provided here in this scene – where Dodger sings the lines â€Å"Consider yourself at home, consider yourself one of the family† whilst at the same time, both he and Oliver are being scrutinized by policemen and chased by merchants as they weave and bob their way through the immeasurable stream of dancing butchers, grocers, paperboys, fishmongers, etc. Soon after this scene, Fagin gives Oliver a lesson on how to â€Å"Pick a Pocket or Two†. The music in this scene is lighthearted and comedic but offers many subtleties to be investigated, such as the deep brass used to convey the sense of danger, the sense of capture or discovery, but the underscore of flutes happily tooting away at Oliver’s new found conception that the art of thievery is all just a game – not something evil or punishable at least. Interestingly, when you meet up with the character Bill Sikes (a fiendish henchman with a violent and deadly temper) there is an immediate shift in music, just as if his entrance creates a wind that pushes the high-spirited music out of the room to make space for his deep, rich and threatening score. Although Oliver is a high-spirited production, there are strong hints of the dilemmas of poverty and violence brought into three dimensions with song, but more contemporary dramatic works have required more than these fundamental methods to bring the characters and scenes to life – literally. ‘Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within’ was released as a full-length feature film in 2001. This feature however was different to any other as the entire film was animated. The story of ‘Final Fantasy’ is set in the year 2065 where the remaining inhabitants of earth are locked in a battle to take back the Earth from marauding alien invaders. Led by a strange repeating dream, Dr. Aki Ross may be the only one who can save the human race from extinction. Elliot Goldenthal was provided the challenge of bringing the synthetic characters to life through his musical composition. ‘There seemed to be only one logical answer for me, which was to amplify the humanness in any place that was dramatically possible. I wanted to treat the character’s emotional interactions, for example, as one would treat them in normal drama, with a lyrical sweeping melody.’ (Goldenthal, 2001). Performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, Goldenthal’s music for ‘Final Fantasy’ attempted at every point to bring life to the characters in the story both emotionally and physically. This is evident in the very first scene of the film where the audience is introduced to Aki, when she is having her repeated dream. The introduction of the accompanying piece is led by the sound of a glass harmonica to convey the potential sensitivity and fragility of Aki’s character. She wakes from the dream and finds herself on her spacecraft, revolving across the surface of the earth. In the next scene, she descends to earth accompanied by an almost military fanfare of brass and strings coming together on a strong Eb chord, giving a feeling of purpose and decision to this descent. Her ship touches down on the desolate, empty streets of New York, and the music instantly stops in a parallel with the apocalyptic emptiness of the long-dead city. Further on in the movie, Aki’s love interest Gray Edwards becomes critically infected by one of the aliens and is given only a matter of minutes to live unless treated immediately. Aki is forced to work against time in an attempt to save Gray, The dramatic tension in this scene is heightened by Goldenthal’s Score â€Å"Code Red†, composed basically of intense strings and strong percussion symbolizing a clock, and also signifying the value and importance of time. The music steadily builds in pitch, volume and intensity as the timer next to the operating table nears 0:00, but the tempo remains the same due to the fact that the time on the clock cannot speed up or slow down. At the climax of the scene, Aki saves Gray with only seconds to spare and as soon as the operation finishes the music abruptly ends, leaving the audience somewhat temporarily suspended in a moment of heightened tension. In a later scene, Gray and Aki are engaged in a private conversation where Aki speaks of a terminally ill eight-year-old girl she once spent time with before her death. In this scene where Aki reveals her emotional vulnerability for the first time, Goldenthal chose for this to be the first moment in the film where a piano is used. He decided on this due to the fact that the characters are so far away from any type of home in a desolate land, instead of going high-tech, a more earthy instrument is needed, something not basic, but elementary in musical design. The piano in this scene reminds the audience of home and connects the animated characters with images of a soft and sympathetic reality. A scene later in the film shows General Hein, (the villain of the film) in his office speaking of how his wife and child were killed by the aliens. Throughout the earlier scenes of the movie, the General is composed in a gloomy light, but in this particular scene, he is viewed musically in a sympathetic light. The music is tender and wistful as he unconsciously shows why his contempt for the aliens proves to cloud his judgment. There is a reference in the music that although there is compassion within this character, it is somewhat suppressed to an almost dormant state, overshadowed by hate and resentment. ‘We must always rely on the music as our guide toward our understanding of the composer’s conception of the text. It is this conception, not the bare text itself that is authoritative in defining the ultimate meaning of the work.’ (Kerman, 1989). The function of this music being strategically used in drama is for the benefit of the audience not only because it has the ability to paint a scene, but it also opens up the dialogue and opens up the characters and lets the audience see what is going on inside of them. The function is ‘to supply certain kinds of meaning to the drama, meanings that enrich immeasurably, and enrich dramatically, and that cannot be presented in any other way’ (Kerman, 1989). Drama alone can hopelessly attempt to convey some of the aspects of life that music can convey in just a few notes, and music can ridiculously hope to fulfill all the needs of a script without any real actions or dialogue, but in the end, the two combined provide an infinite array of possibilities and interpretations to be searched. In conclusion, if the composer is faced with the challenge of creating music to accompany drama, there is no unambiguous method of composition that one has to follow, but the impartiality between the two elements requires a strong correspondence at every point where they meet, or else the implication, sensation or meaning you are trying to convey will become caught in some redundant crossfire and the audience will lose the chance of gaining something extra from a piece of theatre capable of reaching outside of it’s three dimensions. – B. Daly Clark REFERENCES Goldenthal, E. (2001) The Composer’s Challenge. Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, New York: Marca Registrada Kerman, J. (1989) Opera as Drama, London: Richard Clay Limited. Lippman, E. A., Hatch, C. (1999) The philosophy & Aesthetics of Music, Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press Reti, R. (1961) The Thematic Process in Music, London: Faber and Faber Limited.

Delamere Vineyard

Delamere vineyard struggles to generate a uniform scratch income during the companys quest for quality drink. Richard Richardson, owner, manager, and vinomaker is pertain about the long term coming(prenominal) of Delamere Vineyard. GOALS/OBJECTIVES Develop the highest quality of Wine Richardson has been cognise for developing great wine and is unceasingly face for ways to improve the boilers suit quality. In 1994, nodes even verbalize that his arriere pensee Pinot Noir was amazing and far superior to their competition.Richardson presently believes in three electromotive force improvements embody and I contribute outlined his potential projects (highlight below). Option 1 hold open unreason adapted Oxidation (Determine optimal SO2, level) a. )Potential Benefit Prevent oxidation improve the consistency and fruitiness b. )Risk fall complexness c. ) with child(p) Expenditure zero dollars d. )Production 10%-30% chalk This option would kick Richardson to produce a consistent wine on a family to twelvemonth basis. Wine that uses SO2 leave behind still educational activity a high greet and flip real well on the market. little pretend can be associated with this system as well.On the downside, by producing wine development SO2 you tend to reduce the individual example of the wine. Initially Richardson bequeath risk the prob aptitude of losing some of his harvests developn Richardson previous alchemy back ground, he should be able to develop a formula blistering than differents. Option 2 Deepen dismissal Wine Color (Implement Rotofermenter) a. )Potential Benefit remedy guest reception 10% price development b. )Risk Altered appreciation c. ) Capital Expenditure Rotofermenter $30,000 d. )Production 10% Richardson has tell that customers traveling to his region and border markets like wine with darker color. By use the rotofermenter,Richardson forget be able to nominate a darker wine, which he believes volition su m up his retail by up to 10%. Based on Richardsons rude from 1997 this mode would generate an supererogatory $24,391. 80 in sales. This option does raise the risk of potential oxidation, which in the past has plagued Richardson. The rotofermenter as well has a chance of altering the taste the wine. The cost for introducing the rotofermenter is $30,000. Option 3 optimal Fermentation Mix (Whole bunch Destem h iodinst Crush) a. )Potential Benefit Greater complexity, character b. )Risk Customers whitethorn reject c. ) Capital Expenditure in the buff agitation tank . )Production 20%-40% This method has the potential to produce amazing wine that could sell at a much higher retail. The final product will not be similar to Richardsons competition base and could potentially give him the edge in pinot noir sales adding complexity to ever bottle. However, the taste and quality will vary from barrel to barrel. Lots of risks argon associated with this process. This method would require that the grapevines argon handpicked and in any case smashed by feet which would maturation savvy costs. Consistency would be the largest problem and could potentially lead to decreased customer satis detailion.Close to 88% of Delameres customer base tends to procures wine based on consistency and price, rather than the complexity and character. Delameres legitimate customer base is comprised of 58% basement door purchases, 37% wholesale purchases and 4% to Mail order purchases. The chart below outlines the percentages of telephone line for Delamere Vineyard. Delamere Vineyard % of sales 1997 Delamere Pinot NoirReserve Pinot NoirDry RedChardonnay Dollars$179,424. 00$32,671. 00$31,823. 00$36,118. 00$280,036. 00 Avg. $ per bottle12. 7516. 85810. 2 Bottles Sold 1407219393978354123530 % of Business64. 7%11. 67%11. 36%12. 90% Delamere Vineyard does have scurvy percentage of his customers that prefer the complexity and unusual character of Richardsons Reserve label. However, this particular customer accounts for notwithstanding 12% of their total wine barter. During Richardsons 12 old age of winemaking the weirdy of oxidation has reared its ugly head some(prenominal) times. In 1993, Richardson lost his entire time of origin stock of chardonnay and in 1994 his pinot noir which was visualiseed by many as his best however was criticized by Judge James Halliday as prematurely aged, indicative of oxidation.Some of Delameres customers have recently commented about a lack of consistency with Richardsons wine. down the stairs is a comment from one of Delameres wholesalers. Richard, Im demented about this social classs pinot. Its actually different to persist years. What are you doing different? Im worried that if I sell this to restaurants that took last years theyre going to be surprised, and perhaps disappointed Wholesaler, commenting on the 1994 whole-bunch reserve Pinot Noir. Generate a consistent Income Over the course of 8 years, Delamere Vineyar d has struggled to produce a consistent net income.As seen in the graph below, Delamere Vineyards net income was as low as -$41,124 in 1993, and as high as $70,218 in 1997. The lack of consistency makes it very hard for any business owner or manager to manage their business. Richardson has stated that wine making has its peaks and valleys and that your goal as a wine maker is to understate the valleys and capitalize on the peaks. As you scram a closer look at the graph, you will notice that that Delameres income neer really spikes during its so called peaks and plummets during its so called valleys.What is most concerning is Richardsons inability to capitalize on what many have stated as being his best Pinot Noir wine in 1994. Following this harvest Richardson produced good profits, provided not records numbers. Profitability has not been a focal point of Richardson business in previous years. However, it should be something Richardson looks to improve presumptuousness the stat istics above. Relaying on the peaks of Delamere is like hoping one gets lucky. splay current operations Option 1 Plant more grapes Richardson is currently besides using up 8. 1 domain of the available 21. 3 acres, which accounts for save 38% of his land suitable for vineyards.Below is an example of how some(prenominal) Richardson could increase product by precisely doubling his operations. 1997 Delamere Vineyard Production pinot noir chardonnaytotal Estimated production Acres of vines currently planted6. 91. 28. 116. 2 retort per acre (Tonnes)3. 363. 366. 7213. 44 Liters of wine produced16. 2682,9052921. 2685842. 536 Casks (barrels)721385170 Evaporation and scrap (liters)97617411502300 % of scrap0 Total Liters wine (net)15,29227311802336046 Cases169930320024004 Bottles 20,38936412403048060 Library and Owners Use4001005001000 % of grape type0 Total Bottles (net)19,98935412353047060Option 2 Expand the cellar Door Sales As stated above, Richardson is currently using 38% of his 21. 3 acres. The Cellar Door has become a unique experience for many of Richardsons customers and too been a great writer of revenueroughly 58 % of Richardson business. The bulky majority of the Cellar Door customers our tourist to the Tasmania region and Richardson should consider adding lodging accommodations for these guests. Richardson could possible encompass one nights lodging, wine seminar, and a case of wine. The limpid downsides would be the building cost and also additional employee help.Hire hyperkinetic syndromeitional Help Add an additional employee that oversees the cursory operations of the vineyard. This would be an added expense, but it will give Richardson the ability to focus on perfecting the wine making process. This will also help caution in succeeding(a) growth of the vineyard. passport Given the fact that it will wage time for planted grapes to harvests, Ive stony-broke down my recommendations based on years of operation. Year 1 In year one Im recom mending that Richardson egress adding SO2 to his wine. Given Richardsons chemistry accent this should be relatively easy to implement.This change can be completed with very little start up cost and will help produce a consistent wine on a yearly basis improving the boilers suit quality of Richardsons wine. The new wine consistency will pay dividends with Delameres wholesale customerswhich accounts for 38% of his yearly businesswhere consistency has been critical. The addition of S02 has been instituted by other vineyards al sic and has been received well passim the market place. Over/under oxidation will also not be as prevalent as in the previous years and should allow Richardson to increase the retail on his wine, increasing his gross margin.Richardson will need to research his competitors set to see how big of an increase is justified. Im also recommending that you plant an additional 8. 1 acres of grapes. Given the fact that nearly 62% of your vineyard lays vacant, you will more than double your GMROI in future years to come. Year 3 at a time the newly planted crop is ready for harvest Im suggesting that Richardson submit an additional employee that can manage your daily operations of the vineyard. It is during this time that Im suggesting that Richardson also consider pursuing optimum agitation.This would require the purchase of a fermentation tank but would allow Richardson to demo his creativeness and focus on the overall quality/complexity of your pinot noir. I recommended that Richardson only devote 4 acres of his vineyard to this method given the risk associated with this devote which I have highlighted above. Year 8 The last improvement is one that will have to be based on the over success of the other improvements mentioned above. By this time Richardson should have a cut into on whole bunch fermentation and mastered the art of adding SO2 to his wine.Richardson will have created a successful vineyard and more likely will be looking for other ways to improve creativity of his vineyard. It is at this time I that I suggest Richardson look into developing the remain 5. 1 acres into a can and breakfast lodge. More than 50% of his business already comes from cellar door customers that are visiting the Tasmania region. This could become a popular venue for tourists interested in wine making, wine tasting events, weddings, and other excess events. The initial cost of this recommendation would be extremely high however, it has the potential to increase sales dramatically.

Haemoglobinopathy

Review Article Indian J Med Res 134, October 2011, pp 552-560 Invasive & non-trespassing(a) approaches for antenatal diagnosing of haemoglobinopathies Experiences from India R. B. Colah, A. C. Gorakshakar & A. H. Nadkarni National set of Immunohaematology (ICMR), Mumbai, India Received October 29, 2010 The thalassemias and reaping hook kiosk malady are the comm integrityst monogenic perturbations in India. there are an estimated 7500 12,000 babies with ? -thalassaemia major(ip) born e genuinely course of study in the country. go the overall preponderance of carriers in diametrical States varies from 1. to 4 per cent, recent work has shown commodious variations in frequencies even within States. Thus, micromapping would help to retard the true burden of the disorder. Although test in antepartum clinics is being done at many centres, that 15-20 per cent of pregnant women register in antenatal clinics in public hospitals in the graduation exercise trimester of p regnancy. on that breaker point are only a handful of centres in major cities in this vast country where antepartum diagnosing is done. There is considerable molecular hetero constituentousness with 64 mutations identified, of which 6 to 7 greenness mutations handbill for 80-90 per cent of play alleles.First trimester foetal diagnosing is done by chorionic villus sample dissemination (CVS) and deoxyribonucleic acid compend utilise reverse dot post crossover, amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS) and desoxyribonucleic acid sequencing. Second trimester diagnosing is done by cordocentesis and foetal family analysis on HPLC at a few centres. Our experience on antenatal diagnosing of haemoglobinopathies in 2221 pregnancies has shown that 90 per cent of couples were referred for prenatal diagnosis of ? -thalassaemia afterward having one or much affected infantren tour about 35 per cent of couples were referred for prenatal diagnosis of sickle cellphon e disorders prospectively.There is a expel need for more data from India on non-invasive approaches for prenatal diagnosis. Key words Haemoglobinopathies India invasive and non-invasive approaches prenatal diagnosis Introduction The transmittable disorders of haemoglobin are the most(prenominal) joint monogenic disorders globally. Around 7 per cent of the population worldwide are carriers with more than 3,00,000 seriously affected babies born every year1. Prenatal diagnosis is an integral component of a community defy programme for haemoglobinopathies. Estimating the disease burden, generating awareness in the population, screening 552 o identify carriers and couples at risk of exposure and genic counselling are prerequi positions for a successful taproom programme. The remarkable success of such programmes in the seventies in Cyprus, Italy, Greece and the UK led to the development of control programmes in many other countries2-6. The extent of the problem in India ? -t halassaemia has been reported in most of the communities that need been screened so far in India. While the overall prevalence varies from 1. 5 to 4 per COLAH et al PRENATAL diagnosis OF HAEMOGLOBINOPATHIES IN INDIA 553 ent in distinguishable States, communities parcel out Sindhis, Punjabis, Lohanas, Kutchi Bhanushalis, Jains and Bohris experience a high prevalence (4-17%)7-12. Different reportshaveestimatedthat7500-12,000? -thalassaemia major babies would be born in India distributively year12 -14. It has similarly been shown recently by micromapping at the district train in 2 States, Maharashtra and Gujarat in westernIndiathattheprevalenceof? -thalassaemiatrait in contrary districts within these States is variable (0 9. 5%). Based on these estimates there would be around 1000birthsof? thalassaemiamajorbabieseachyear in these two States alone15. Thus, such data should be obtained from unlike States to last the true burden of the disease and for planning and execution of instrument control programmes. Haemoglobin S (Hb S) is prevalent in central India and among the tribal belts in western, eastern and southern India, the carrier rates varying from 1-40 per cent16-18. It has been estimated that over 5000 babies with sickle cell disease would be born each year19. Haemoglobin E is widespread in the due north eastern States in Assam, Mizoram, Manipur, ArunachalPradesh and Tripura, the prevalence of Hb E trait being highest (64%) among the Bodo-Kacharis in Assam and going up to 30-40 per cent in some other populations in this region20-22. In eastern India the prevalence of Hb E trait varies from 3-10 per cent in West Bengal8,23. both(prenominal) Hb E andHbSwhenco-inheritedwith? -thalassaemiaresult in a disorder of variable clinical severity24-26. These inherited haemoglobin disorders power considerable pain and suffering to the patients and their families and are a major drain on health resources in the country. The need for accurate identificatio n of carries and couples at risk Classical ? thalassaemia carriers have typically trim red cell indices mean corpuscular volume (MCV)T) ? + 3. -87 (CT) ? + 4. -80 (CT) ? + 5. -29 (AG) ? + 6. -28 (AG) ? + 7. -25 (AG) ? + B. crownwork site 1. +1 (AC) ? + C. Initiation codon 1. ATG ACG ? 0 D. ribonucleic acid processing mutations i) Splice junction site 1. Codon 30 (GC) ? 0 2. Codon 30 (GA) ? 0 3. IVS 1-1 (GT) ? 0 4. IVS 1-1 (GA) ? 0 5. IVS 1-129 (AC) ? 0 6. IVS 1-130 (GC) ? 0 7. IVS 1-130 (GA) ? 0 8. IVS II-1 (GA) ? 0 (ii) Consensus site 1. IVS 1-5 (GC) ? + 2. IVS 1-128 (TAG GAG) ? + 3. IVS II-837 (TG) ? (iii) IVS changes 1.IVS I-110 (GA) ? + 2. IVS II-591 (TC) ? + 3. IVS II-613 (CT) ? + 4. IVS II-654 (CT) ? + 5. IVS II-745 (CG) ? + iv) Coding region changes 1. Codon 26 (GA) Hb E ? + E. RNA translational mutations i) Nonsense 1. Codons 4,5,6 (ACT CCT GAG ACA TCT ? 0 TAG) 2. Codon 5 (-CT), Codon 13 (CT), Codon 26 ? (GC), Codons 27/28 (+C) in cis 3. Codon 6 (GAG TAG) and on the sam e ? 0 chromosome Codon 4 (ACT ACA) , Codon 5 (CCTTCT) 4. Codon 8 (AG) ? 5. Codon 13 (CT), Codon 26 (GA), Codons ? 27/28 (-C) in cis 6. Codon 15 (TGG TAG) ? 0 7. Codons 62-64 (7 bp del) ? 0 8. Codons 81-87 (22 bp del) ? 9. Codon 121 (GT) ? 0 Contd. themselves, today their relatives and extended families are advent forward to get screened38. There is only one centre in Lucknow in north India which offers a formal course for genetic counsellors and there is a need for more such courses throughout the country. Counsellors should be aware that couples at risk of havingachildwith? -thalassaemiamajor,sicklecell disease, Hb S ? -thalassaemia, Hb E ? -thalassaemia, ? -thalassaemia, Hb Lepore ? -thalassaemia and Hb SD disease should be given the option of prenatal diagnosis to avoid the birth of a child with a severe disorder.However, couples at risk of having a child with Hb D disease, Hb D ? -thalassaemia and Hb E disease do not need prenatal diagnosis as these disorders are mild. InSa rdinia,identificationofthemaximumnumber of carriers followed by effective genetic counselling helpedtoreducethebirthrateof? -thalassaemiamajor babies from 1250 to 1400039. Prenatal diagnosis The first initiatives in India Facilities for prenatal diagnosis became available in India in the mid(prenominal) 1980s40. Until accordingly, although prenatal diagnosis was offered by a few centres, foetal samples were sent to the UK and other countries for analysis.Foetal rip taste by foetoscopy done amongst 18 and 22 wk gestation and diagnosis by globin chain synthesis were done for the contiguous 4 to 5 years at 2 centres in Mumbai40,41. Chorionic villus sampling and DNA analysis in the first trimester In the 1990s first trimester foetal diagnosis by chorionic villus sampling (CVS) and DNA analysis was established at 4-5 centres in the north in Delhi42, in the west in Mumbai41,43,44 and in the south in Vellore45. These services then expanded to other cities like Lucknow and Chandigarh i n the north46,47, and Kolkata in the east48.However, these services are remedy limited to major cities where couples are referred to or CVS samples are sent from meet areas. Molecular analysis ? -thalassaemia is extremely heterogeneous with more than 200 mutations described worldwide49. In India, about 64 mutations have been characterized by studies done at different centres30,31,49-51 (Table I). Six to seven mutations IVS 1-5 (G? C), 619 bp deletion, IVS 1-1 (G? T), Codon 8/9 (+G), Codons 41/42 (-CTTT), COLAH et al PRENATAL DIAGNOSIS OF HAEMOGLOBINOPATHIES IN INDIA (ii) Frameshift 1. Codon 5 (-CT) 2. Codons 7/8 (+G) 3. Codon 8 (-AA) 4. Codons 8/9(+G) 5.Codon 13 (CT) 6. Codon 15 (-T) 7. Codon 16 (-C) 8. Codon 16 (CT) 9. Codon 17 (AT) 10. Codons 22-24 (7 bp del) 11. Codon 26 (GT) 12. Codon 35 (AG) 13. Codons 36/37 (-T) 14. Codons 36-39 (8 bp del) 15. Codon 39 (CT) 16. Codon 44 (-C) 17. Codons 47/48 (+ATCT) 18. Codon 55 (+A) 19. Codon 55 (-A) 20. Codons 57/58 (+A) 21. Codon 88 (+T) 22. Codons 106/107 (+G) 23. Codon 110 (TC) 24. Codon 111 (-G) 25. Codon cxxxv (CT) F. RNA cleavage and polyadenylation mutation 1. AATAAAAACAAA G. Deletional mutations 1. 619 bp deletion 3end 2. 10. 3 kb deletion 3. Codons 126-131 (17 bp deletion) offset Refs 30, 31, 49-51 55 ?0 ? 0 ? 0 ? 0 ? 0 ? 0 ? 0 ? 0 ? 0 ? 0 ? 0 ? 0 ? 0 ? 0 ? 0 ? 0 ? 0 ? 0 ? 0 ? 0 ? 0 ? 0 ? 0 ? + ? 0 ? + ? 0 ? 0 ? 0 Fig. 1. Regionaldistributionof? -thalassaemiamutationinIndia. molecular techniques like covalent reverse dot blot hybridization (CRDB), amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS), denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), and DNA sequencing43,44,52. Foetal blood analysis in the second trimester Most of the prenatal diagnosis programmes in the Mediterranean countries started with second trimester foetal blood analysis but they were able to castigate over tofirsttrimesterdiagnosisinashortspan5,39.In India, second trimester diagnosis is still done as manycouplesatriskareidentifiedlatedur ingpregnancy. Foetal blood sampling is done by cordocentesis at 18 to20wkgestationandafterconfirmingthatthereisno agnate contamination in the foetal sample by foetal cell staining victimisation the Kleihauer-Betke method, it is analysed by HPLC on the Variant Hemoglobin Testing organization (Bio Rad Laboratories, Hercules, USA). The HbA levels in foetuses affected with ? -thalassaemia major have ranged from 0 to 0. 5 per cent and these were distinguishable from heterozygous babies where the Hb A levels were 1. per cent in different studies. However, there was some overlap in Hb A levels between heterozygotes and normals53-55. Sickle cell disease and Hb E thalassaemia have excessively been diagnosed in this way. On the other hand, experience in Thailand showed that while ? 0 thalassaemia homozygotes and HbE-? 0 thalassaemia compound heterozygotes could be diagnosed by HPLC analysis of foetal blood, ? ++ thalassaemia homozygotes may be misdiagnosed as heterozygotes56. amnionic flui d cells have not been used extensively in India for prenatal diagnosis of haemoglobinopathies. Codon 15 (G? A), Codon 30 (G?C) are common accounting for 85-95 per cent of mutant alleles. However, regional differences in their frequencies have been noted30,31,50,51 (Fig. 1). The prevalence of IVS 1 -5 (G? C), the most common mutation in India varies from 15-88 per cent in different States. Codon 15 (G? A) is the second most frequent mutation in Maharashtra and Karnataka and Codon 5 (-CT) is the trio most common mutation in Gujarat. The -88 (C? T) and the thug site +1 (A? C) mutations are more common in the northern region30,31,50. The 619 bp deletion is the most common mutation among the immigrant population from Pakistan.This knowledge on the distribution of mutations in different regions and in people of different ethnic backgrounds has facilitated prenatal diagnosis utilise 556 Indian J MED RES, OCTOBER 2011 Experience at National Institute Immunohaematology (NIIH), Mumbai of B othfirstandsecondtrimesterprenataldiagnosis for the ? -thalassaemias and sickle cell disorders are done at National Institute of Immunohaematology, Mumbai, and over the last 25 years 2,221 pregnancies at risk have been investigated (Table II). While majority of the couples were at risk of having children with ? thalassaemia major, a significant number of couples at risk of having children with sickle cell disorders have been referred for prenatal diagnosis in the last 4 to 5 years. Our experience in western India has shown that there are still very few couples (G or codon 35 ? (A? G) at alpha - important chain interfaces. Ann Hematol 2009 88 1269-71. 52. Old JM, Varawalla NY, Weatherall DJ. The rapid sensing and prenatal diagnosis of ? -thalassemia in theAsian Indian and Cyproit populations in the UK. fizgig 1990 336 834-7. 53. Rao VB, Natrajan PG, Lulla CP, Bandodkar SB. Rapid midtrimester prenatal iagnosis of beta-thalassaemia and other haemoglobinopathies using a non- radioa ctive anion exchange HPLC technique an Indian experience. Prenat Diagn 1997 17 725-31. 54. Wadia MR, Phanasgaokar SP, Nadkarni AH, Surve RR, Gorakshakar AC, Colah RB, et al. Usefulness of automated chromatography for rapid foetal blood analysis for second trimester prenatal diagnosis of beta-thalassemia. Prenat Diagn 2002 22 153-7. 559 55. Rao S, Saxena R, Deka D, Kabra M. Use of HbA estimation by CE-HPLC for prenatal diagnosis of beta-thalassemia experience from a tertiary care centre in north India a instruct report.Hematology 2009 14 122-4. 56. Winichagoon P, Sriphanich R, Sae-Mgo WB, Chowthaworm J, Tantisirin P, Kanokpongsakdi S, et al. cover of automated HPLC in prenatal diagnosis of thalassemia. Lab Hematol 2002 8 29-35. 57. Holzgreve W. get out ultrasound screening and ultrasound guided procedures be replaced by non-invasive techniques for the diagnosis of fetal chromosome anomalies? Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 1997 9 217-9. 58. Steele CD, Wapner RJ, Smith JB, Haynes MK, Jackson LG. Prenatal diagnosis using fetal cells isolated from agnatic peripheral blood. Clin. Obstet Gynecol 1996 39 801-13. 59.Mesker WE, Ouwerkerk-vn Velzen MC, Oosterwijk JC, Bernini LF, Golbus MS, Kanhai HH, et al. Two colour immunocytochemical staining of gamma and epsilon type hemoglobin in fetal red cells. Prenat Diagn 1998 18 1131-7. 60. Takabayashi H, Kuwabara S, Ukita T, Ikawa K, Yamafuji K, Igarashi T. Development of non-invasive fetal DNA diagnosis from maternal blood. Prenat Diagn 1995 15 74-7. 61. Cheung MC, Goldberg JD, Kan YW. Prenatal diagnosis of sickle cell anemia and thalassemia by analysis of fetal cells in maternal blood. Nat Genet 1996 14 264-8. 62. Di Naro E, Ghezzi F, Vitucci A, Tannoia N, Campanale D, D Addario V, et al.Prenataldiagnosisof? -thalassemiausing fetal erythroblasts enriched from maternal blood by a novel gradient. Mol bombinate Reprod 2000 6 571-4. 63. Kolialexi A, Vrettou C, Traeger-Synodinos J, Burgemeister R, Papantoniou N, Kana vakis E, et al. Non invasive prenatal diagnosisof? -thalassemiausingindividualfetalerythroblasts isolated from maternal blood after enrichment. Prenat Diagn 2007 27 1228-32. 64. DSouza E, Sawant PM, Nadkarni AH, Gorakshakar A, Mohanty D, Ghosh K, et al. Evaluation of the use of monoclonal antibodies and nested PCR for non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of hemoglobinopathies in India.Am J Clin Pathol 2008 130 202-9. 65. Lo YM, Corbetta N, Chamberlain PF, Rai V, Sargent IL, Redman CW, et al. Presence of fetal DNA in maternal germ plasm and serum. Lancet 1997 350 485-7. 66. Lo YM, Tein MS, Lau TK, Haines CJ, Leung TN, Poon PM, et al. Quantitaive analysis of fetal DNA in maternal plasma and serum implications for non invasive prenatal diagnosis. Am J Hum Genet 1998 62 768-75. 67. Lun FMF, Chiu RWK, Allen Chan KC, Lau TK, Leung TY, Dennis Lo YM. Microfluidics digital PCR reveals a higher than expected fraction of fetal DNA in maternal plasma.Clin Chem 2008 54 1664-72. 68. Li Y, Zimme rmann B, Rusterholz C, Kang A, Holzgrave W, Hahn S. size time interval of circulating DNA in maternal plasma permits ready detection of fetal DNA polymorphisms. Clin Chem 2004 50 1002-11. 69. Chiu RW, Lau TK, Leung TK, Chow KC, Chui DH, Lo YM. Prenatal exclusion of beta thalassemia major by examination of maternal plasma. Lancet 2002 360 998-1000. 560 INDIAN J MED RES, OCTOBER 2011 beta thalassemia point mutation by MALDI TOF mass spectrometry. Fetal Diagn Ther 2009 25 246-9. Papasavva T, Kalikas I, Kyrri A, Kleanthous M.Arrayed primer extension for the noninvasive prenatal diagnosis of beta thalassemia based on detection of single nucleotide polymorphism. Ann N Y Acad Sci USA 2008 1137 302-8. Li Y, Di Naro E, Vitucci A, Zimmermann B, Holzgreve W, Hahn S. Detection of paternally inherited fetal point mutations for beta thalassemia using size fractionated cell free DNA in maternal plasma. J Am Med Assoc 2005 293 843-9. Chan K, Yam I, Leung KY, nose drops M, Chan TK, Chan V. Detection of paternal alleles in maternal plasma for noninvasive prenatal diagnosis in beta thalassemia a feasibility study in southern China.Eur J Obstet Gynecol Repord Biol 2010 150 28-33. Lo YMD. Non invasive prenatal diagnosis in 2020. Prenat Diagn 2010 30 702-3. 70. Papasavva T, Kalakoutis G, Kalikas I, Neokli E, Papacharalambous S, Kyrri A, et al. Non-invasive prenatal diagnostic assay for the detection of beta thalassemia. Ann NY Acad Sci USA 2006 1075 148-53. 71. Tungwiwat W, Fucharoen G, Fucharoen S, Ratanasiri T, Sanchaisuriya K, Sae- Ung N. Application of maternal plasma DNA analysis for noninvasive prenatal diagnosis of Hb E beta thalassemia. Transl Res 2007 150 319-25. 72. Lazaros L, Hatzi E, Bouba I, Makrydimas G, Dalkalitsis N, Stefos T, et al.Noninvasivefirsttrimesterdetectionofpaternal beta globin gene mutations and polymorphisms as predictors of thalassemia risk at chorionic villus sampling. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Repord Biol 2008 140 17-20. 73. Li Y, Di Naro E , Vitucci A, Grill S, Ahong XY, Holzgreve W, et al. Size fractionation of cell free DNA in maternal plasma improves the detection of a paternally inherited 74. 75. 76. 77. Reprint requests Dr Roshan Colah, Scientist F, National Institute of Immunohaematology (ICMR), thirteenth Floor, NMS Bldg, KEM Hospital Campus, Parel, Mumbai 400 012, India e-mail emailprotected com