Personal Statement Of The Department Of Children And Families

CLIENT: Alex is a seven year old Caucasian female. She is struggling emotionally and socially. She was held back in the first grade. Alex has been involved with The Department of Children and Families (DCF) since she was born. The mission statement of The Department of Children and Families is to, â€Å"Strive to protect children from abuse and neglect and, in partnership with families and communities, ensure children are able to grow and thrive in a safe and nurturing environment.† (Commonwealth of Massachusetts, About the Department of Children Families, 2015) SOCIAL HISTORY: Since birth to age 4 there had been multiple 51A’s that were filed against Alex’s biological parents: Tiffani Plausse, age 24 and Dakota Rotunno, age 27. The†¦show more content†¦Alex said she was pushed off the counter in which she was climbing onto. When the teacher asked who had pushed Alex she hesitantly said, â€Å"Daddy.† When Alex was asked why she was climbing onto the counter she responded with â€Å"I looking for food.† Alex later disclosed that she had not eaten breakfast or dinner at home in two days. After investigation of the 51A, it was later found supported. The third 51A was filed by a Brockton police officer who responded to a domestic dispute call from a neighboring apartment. When the police officer had arrived to the apartment there were drugs, needles, and alcohol all in reach of Alex. Tiffani and Dakota had also appeared to be under the influence of alcohol and methamphetamine’s. An emergency removal from deemed appro priate. After Alex’s removal both her biological mother and father wished to terminate their parental rights (Alex, age 4). Thus making the goal of reunification to adoption. Alex’s foster parents Savhanna and Matt would like to adopt Alex into their family. â€Å" The Federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) †¦ defines child abuse and neglect as, at minimum: Any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation; or†¨ An act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm.† (U.S. Department of Health Human Services and Administration for Children Families, Definitions of Child Abuse

Jealousy and Isolation in Beowulf Free Essays

Jealousy and Isolation in Beowulf When one has been excluded from a group for a long time, it can often lead to feelings of contempt, and a need for revenge. This is the case with the monster, Grendel, in Beowulf, by John Gardner. Grendel feels excluded from humans in general, because he cannot understand them. We will write a custom essay sample on Jealousy and Isolation in Beowulf or any similar topic only for you Order Now He feels as though he does not belong to a community, because he has been living alone with his mother for such a long time. Overall, it is the combination of many different types of exclusions that pushes Grendel to become such a cruel, hideous beast with a hardened heart and a thirst to kill. Grendel is where most of the description of this monster is located. It is said that Grendel swam across a lake of fire snakes to reach human civilization. Here, he observes human civilization from up close, and he does not understand what he sees. He feels very different from those living in that society. In addition, Hrothgar becomes king and is given power and riches. He even builds a giant meadhall called Hart. Grendel is drawn in, discovers the Shaper, and becomes more curious. However, after a visit to the dragon, also an outsider, Grendel’s mind is changed because the dragon makes all these things sound so undesirable. Talking to the dragon was the turning point for Grendel, and soon after, he becomes filled with rage and starts raiding Hart and harming the people inside. â€Å"His misery leaped / The seas, was told and sung in all / Men’s ears: how Grendel’s hatred began, / How the monster relished his savage war / On the Danes†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (lines 64-68). This proves that it was Grendel’s original longing to belong that made him this way. It is very likely that Grendel would not have become such a horrible monster if it had not been for his feelings of jealousy. It is always hard to feel different and not accepted, and that is exactly how Grendel feels. Throughout the rest of the story, Grendel takes out his anger and wrath on seemingly innocent people, but there may be more to the story than what appears on the surface. These peope could have helped and included him, instead of letting him watch from the outside looking in. Jealousy drives people to do crazy things, and in Grendel’s case, jealousy of power, money, and acceptance are what make him change into a terrifying, cold-blooded killer that needs to be stopped, eventually, by Beowulf. How to cite Jealousy and Isolation in Beowulf, Essay examples

Business Excellence Yokogawa Electric Asia Pre LTD

Question: Discuss about the Business Excellence for Yokogawa Electric Asia Pre LTD. Answer: The Business of YAS Yokogawa Electric Asia Pre LTD was incorporated in Singapore in the year 1974. Over the past 38 years, the organization has grown to the extent of becoming a global engineering based productivity center (Yokogawa Electric Corporation, 2016). Currently, the business accounts for approximately 75% of the enterprises supply of distributed control system all over the world (OKI to Take over Yokogawa Electric Site in Ome, 2015). The company is engaged in activities including industry and engineering support. Through its operations, Yokogawa has a vision of becoming the worlds best manufacturer and suppliers of control systems in 2015. Hence, the companys mission is to provide outstanding services, contribute significantly to advancing the society, and innovate the spirits of its people. The Business Environment Yokogawa works in an active environment. As stated in the report summary, the managing director is proud of employees, meaning that the latter is working tirelessly to ensure that the company excels. The commitment of employees can only be achieved in a positive working environment. To affirm this, the manager went further to state that the business has a culture and core values that responds amicably to the requirements of stakeholders such as shareholders, employees, the supply chain partners, customers and the community. This work culture is a sign of value and respect to stakeholders hence, ethically sensitive. Notably, the economy uncertainty is ongoing, a situation that has made the operating environment more complicated. The competitiveness of the industry has resulted into the incorporation of quality and safety of products, reliability in delivery and innovation into the workplace. Deming Chain Reaction Deming chain reaction model was developed in the year 1986 by Deming, who proposed the chain model to explain the relationship that exists between quality, cost, productivity and sustainability (Wayhan, Khumawala, and Balderson, 2010). In his tool, Dewing stated that improvement in production activities reduces costs because the mistake is minimized hence, no rework. Furthermore, a general improvement in productivity and cost results to a significant enhancement in market share. The increase in market share improves a companys position in the market. This model is summarized in figure 1 bellow. Fig 1. From the interpretation, if the above is the mode, it is evident that it was important for YAS to obtain the Singapore Quality Award (SQA) because YAS is focusing majorly on sustainability. Towards this focus, the company improves Deming chain reaction models key pillars such as quality, cost innovation, job creation and being competitive. Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) is a four method management technique applied in business to control and improve product and operation processes. While designing this tool, Deming believed that a primary production quality source is an established defined process. Such procedures must be transparent and repetitive (Roesser, 2007). This model comprises of four phases; plan, do, check and finally act. The tool is used to encourage business operators to be more methodical in their approaches to challenges through the implementation of solutions. To get the highest possible settlement, steps bellow are followed; Plan As the name suggests, this move entails planning, which begins with the identification of exact issue affecting an organization. Identification of the problem requires the use of other strategic tools such as for cause and effect diagram and drill down. These tools help in getting to the root of the cause of the problem. After identifying the issue, the poses is mapped at the origin of the challenge. To wind up, helpful information is drawn to assist in sketching the generation of the solution. Step 2: DO This action begins with the generation of alternatives, followed by a selection of the best. This activity may be facilitated by appropriate techniques such as impact analysis. After the most suitable solution is obtained, the driving solution is implemented on a tiny scale basis. Similarly, other suitable trial designs can be used. Step 3: Check In this stage, the effectiveness of the pilot solution is measured, while areas and ways of adjusting the design are collected. Depending on the efficiency of the best option, the number of improvements identified, and the length of the entire initiative, this step can be repeated for two or more times. Once the design is satisfactory, the process is carried to the next phase. Step 4: Implementation This stage entails acting by putting the most amicable solution into full practice. However, the use of the tool does not stop at this juncture. Plan-do-check-act is suitability for use by any company seeking to improve quality because; the device compels the management, making it accountable for any outcome of the program. Besides, it offers a recommendable method for external validation. Also, choosing the most appropriate solution out of the entire solution list, and checking its affectivity before acting ensures that all mistakes are corrected. Deming Prize Deming prize has imposed a substantial effect directly and indirectly on quality development and management in Japan. Applicant companies and division of businesses sought beneath new methods to quality control according to the requirements of their businesses environments. About Deming prize, the organizations developed effective methods of managing quality, established the design for implementation and applied the techniques. According to Breja et al. (2016), Deming prize does not need companies to conform to the model. Rather, the company should possess the following qualities before applying for the Deming Prize; valuing partners, managing with Agility, understanding the business situation, establish own themes, transform and the ability to improve all over the organization (SQA) (Garza-Reyes et al., 2016). Use of PDCA by YAS As noted earlier, PDCA is a four method management technique, used to control and manage the improvement of product and operation processes. Yas uses the PDCA in the performance improvement system. In such occasions, the company gathers brainstorm to formulate development strategies. To this effect, the business set up roadmaps in various enterprises within the group, representing the first and second step of the PDCA respectively. After that, the organization set new targets for global revenue generation. Alongside, innovations and the capital needed for the expansion are set then translated into the business QDCF, and results reported back to the manager on a monthly basis. Finally, improvement initiatives and performance gaps are monitored before the final implementation, just the same way dictated by the PDCA tool. SPRING Singapore Business Excellence Framework The Business Excellence Framework offers a set of management standards for company excellence. The framework illustrates the cause and impact relationships between the performance drivers and the outcome obtained. Characteristics of Excellence shows primary attributes of high performing enterprises; are enclosed throughout the critical framework drivers. The Organizational sets the context for the way the company operates. It also serves as a guide for how the structure is put into practice. In the framework, there are seven criteria applied to assess a company. The first criterion is leadership, which sets the direction for the enterprise and controls the mindset of excellence. Customers are the second approach, positioned after administration to show the focus on consumer centricity. As the third criterion, the strategy is developed depending on the understanding of the requirements of the internal and external stakeholder. This knowledge guides the development of the ability of People and Process to obtain desired Results; representing the fourth, fifth and sixth criterions in that order. The seventh rule is knowledge. Knowledge is part of feedback of innovation and learning. All these supports the decision-making process hence, driving improvements. Innovation Capabilities and Process Management The key to excelling in SPRING Singapore Business Excellence journey lies in the learning and innovation of the organization. Every firm has to possess unique qualities to exist and thrive in the market. These unique traits regarding skills are summarized under innovation capabilities. Innovative capabilities represent ways in which a company harnesses innovation to design new goods and services, and how production activities relate to delivery system. Change is implemented by primary stakeholders such as shareholders and employees. Regarding design, employees at the manufacturer use packaging techniques that appeal most to the consumer. The design is effected regarding the shape and packaging materials. On the other hand, process management entails means in which products are manufactured and delivered to various consumers. Process management is the process of encamping activities of monitoring and planning the business performance. It is the use of skills, tools, methods, and knowledge to define, measure, visualize, report, control and enhance processes while aiming at meeting the needs of customers. Therefore, process management initiates the adoption of approaches used to develop, improve and implement the effectiveness of the directorate system. Requirements As stated earlier, innovation capabilities entail acquisition of useful traits. Organizations must use technology alongside highly skilled employees to come up with the most appealing designs. Apparently, a company may have qualified workers, but their products may still fail to appeal to the market. This scenario can be evident due to lack of commitment by employees. Therefore, the second requirement is commitment. The engagement of employees is boosted by a conducive working environment, possessing healthy relationship between various stakeholders, initiated by a good communication plan meaning that information is also a vital requirement. Just like innovation capability, process management is a direct way of engaging employees. Therefore, their commitment is required for efficient process control. At the same time, employees involved in product management should be skilled enough being that this process is more professional. There should also have been a good communication between them to enhance working relationship between them. To sum up, requirements of innovation capabilities and process management are technology, information, a good communication plan and commitment of employees. Operations Criteria According to items discussed in 5.1 and 5.2, and in response to operations rules, organizations equips innovation in many ways. Some of these ways are e designing products and services in line with technology. This harness is also applied in the production and delivery system. It may also require information gathering from relevant stakeholders such as employees. In conjunction with process management, there are need mitigating emergencies; technology can be applied to enhance innovation, and modification of existing products, therefore relating directly to the system used by YAS. As evident in the regular items, incorporated innovation, and technology as it majors on sustainability by ensuring product quality. Reference Breja, S. K., Banwet, D. K., Iyer, K. C. (2016). Towards sustainable excellence: strategic analysis of Deming Prize winning companies. TQM Journal, 28(3), 390-410. doi:10.1108/TQM-09-2012-0070 Garza-Reyes, J. A., Visnevskis, F., Kumar, V., Antony, J. (2015). A review and comparative analysis of the Russian Federation Government Quality Award. Measuring Business Excellence, 19(4), 1-16. Doi: 10.1108/MBE-08-2014-0028 OKI to Take over Yokogawa Electric Site in Ome. (2015). Printed Circuit Design Fab: Circuits Assembly, 32(5), 8. Roesser, K. (2007). Decreasing the risk of chemotherapy errors through a failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) and a focus PDCA (plan, do, check, and act) quality improvement model. Oncology Nursing Forum, 34(2), 510. Wayhan, V. B., Khumawala, B. M., Balderson, E. L. (2010). Empirical enhancements to Deming's chain reaction model. Total Quality Management Business Excellence, 21(7), 779-789. doi:10.1080/14783363.2010.483105 Yokogawa Electric Corporation. (2016). Yokogawa Electric Corporation MarketLine Company Profile, 1-26

Lake Description free essay sample

Descriptive Essay Lake Panonica On a hot summer day, the only good place to go is to the lake. You would go out to the lake to enjoy the water, the sun, the activities that are happening, or just to be with family and friends. We’re lucky enough to have such a lake right in the centre of our town. When youre at the lake, there are some very distinct smells. The salty smell of water blended in with the nature and the trees surrounding you which makes you feel as if you were miles away from the city, somewhere on the coast. You can also enjoy the sweet coconut smell of sun tanning lotion that people put on themselves while they lay into the sun to basically cook. But if youre looking for a quiet relaxation at the lake, I dont think that will work out too well. We will write a custom essay sample on Lake Description or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The lake is always really loud throughout the day. Youll definitely be able to hear the laughter and the excitement of children as they splash around in the lake, as well as the large amount of people talking and just basically having fun.Also the music from the nearby cafe is quite deafening, you can even hear it outside the margins of the lake. While youre at the lake you can always get involved in some fun activities, if you arent able to relax. You can go exercise on various machines, play volleyball in the sand, unless you don’t want get a bit dirty and sweaty, you can go to the waterfall and just enjoy the massaging effect of the water. In case you get hungry, there are always little stands with ice cream and soda to freshen you up even more. Overall the lake is a lot of fun to go to if you just want to get away from the busy, smelly city that you live in. If you are there early enough, for instance if you want to avoid the big crowd that comes in around noon, you will be able to see a beautiful, bright sunrise and if you enjoy staying out on the beach until the evening, Im sure you can catch a calming and loving sunset.

Feudalism

Feudalism Introduction The history of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance continues to attract the attention of many contemporary historians. Much attention is paid to such a concept as feudalism and its major peculiarities. Researchers focus on such questions as the evolution of this socio-political system, conflicts between various interest groups as well as the reasons why it eventually fell into oblivion.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Feudalism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This paper is aimed at discussing the major historiographic views on this system. In particular, one should mention that feudalism can be interpreted from a political and legal perspective. This research paradigm is supposed to examine the relations between the main stakeholders such as lords and vassals. From this viewpoint, the main characteristic of feudalism is the decentralization of authority. In turn, some scholars prefer socio-econ omic analysis of this phenomenon. In particular, they regard feudalism as a system that legitimized the exploitations of peasants by the aristocracy. One should keep in mind that contemporary researchers such as Marc Bloch tend to combine these historiographic views. These two interpretations form the basis of their discussions. This is why it is necessary to analyze these approaches in great detail. Furthermore, one should mention that some historians such as Susan Reynolds believe that the concept of feudalism is rather contradictory and it may not fit various societies which existed at that time. Overall, it is possible to argue that current historiographic views on this period can supplement each other. Yet, none of them can fully explain the complexities of this political, economic, and legal system which could vary across regions and evolve with time passing. This is one of the main arguments that should be examined more closely. Critique of the major historiographic views Pol itical and legal interpretation One should mention that some historians such as Franà §ois-Louis Ganshof concentrate primarily on the legal and political foundations of feudalism. Researchers, who accept this approach, regard feudalism as a body of institutions that regulated the relationship between the landowners who provided tenure and knights offering military service1. Therefore, one can say that feudalism is primarily aimed at facilitating the exchange between stakeholders. This historiographic view can be important for understanding the work of institutions which were supposed to re-enforce the rights of these stakeholders; for instance, Franà §ois-Louis Ganshof examines the institution of vassalage which was supposed to reconcile the interests of landlords and knights2.Advertising Looking for research paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Moreover, according to political and legal interpretation s, feudalism has several important characteristics. In particular, one should speak about the decentralization of authority which means that kings could not impose their will on landowners. Additionally, much attention should be paid to land as the main source of authority. This approach implies that during the period, states in the modern sense of that word were only at the stage of formation. Furthermore, according to this approach, feudalism can be viewed as a system for recruiting military professionals who were critical for the sustainability of the communities which existed at that time. This view of feudalism is one of the major research paradigms that can used for examining medieval societies. Overall, this approach is helpful for analyzing the main political and legal norms of the society. Moreover, this framework can be useful for analyzing the way in which the empowered interest groups regulated their relations. Nevertheless, there are several important limitations of thi s approach. In particular, this historiographic view completely excludes peasants who had no political or legal representation. It should be noted that these stakeholders also played a critical role for the sustainability of feudal societies. Furthermore, this historiagraphic approach does not show how these people could oppose to the existing hierarchy. For instance, one can speak about anti-feudal rebellions that took place in England and France3 in the twelfth century. Therefore, this particular approach can lead to the exclusion of many narratives that are important for understanding the peculiarities of this historical period. This framework can certainly explain the behavior of people who set the legal and political norms of feudal societies. However, one should pay more attention to people who were underrepresented due to existing social, political, and legal norms. The voices of these people could be almost completely silenced. This is one of the limitations that should be c onsidered by people who study the development of feudal societies. Socio-economic interpretation Additionally, it is possible to focus on the economic interpretation of feudalism. This approach is aimed at discussing the experiences of various social groups. Therefore, feudalism can be defined as the political and legal system which was supposed to subordinate peasantry to the interests of the landowning aristocracy4.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Feudalism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Therefore, this approach implies that this socio-political system can be regarded primarily as the system of exploitation. Thus, this view of feudalism was often adopted by Marxist historians who attached much importance to the concept of class struggle. Although, this particular concept may not be applicable to feudal societies, social and economic interpretations are not fully rejected by the modern scholars. Historia ns who adopt this approach pay attention to the experiences of the most underprivileged classes. One can distinguish the following characteristics of the feudal system: the use of coercion to subdue underrepresented groups; social stratification; unequal bargaining power of different stakeholders5. Admittedly, this approach should not be disregarded because it is important for understanding the experiences of different social groups. Nevertheless, this interpretation does not fully explain the conflicts between the most powerful stakeholders in the feudal society. In particular, one should speak about monarchs and landlords. It should be mentioned that sometimes, vassals could have conflicting obligations to monarchs and land owners6. In other words, one cannot examine this period only from an economic viewpoint because this approach cannot fully the power struggles which existed at that period. This is one of the drawbacks that should not be disregarded. This historiographic cont inued to be used by historians because it is more inclusive, especially in comparison with the paradigm developed by Franà §ois-Louis Ganshof who examines primarily the interactions between stakeholders who could better protect their interests. Marc Bloch’s views on feudalism It should be mentioned that some historians attempt to combine legal and socio-economic views on fuedalism. For instance, one can speak about the works of Marc Bloch. He focuses on the following characteristics of feudalism:Advertising Looking for research paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More the subordinate position of peasantry the decentralization of authority; the use of service tenement instead salary; regular conflicts between kings and landlords7. To some degree, this method lays stress on the legal and political structures of feudalism, but at the same time, it can throw light on the experiences of different social groups. It is important to remember that Mark Bloch distinguishes two stages of feudalism. In particular, this historian believes that economic transformation of feudal societies led to the eventual centralization of power and formation of more powerful monarchies. Overall, Marc Bloc believes that the economic perspective should not be excluded because the intensification of trade and commerce strengthened the bargaining power of monarchs8. Overall, Marc Bloch’s approach is more beneficial because it enables the author to examine the experiences of different stakeholders who represented the medieval society. Additionally, this historiographic view is advantageous because it shows how feudal system evolved and why it eventually disappeared. In this case, one should mention that technological and economical development diminished the role of agriculture and land ownership9. In turn, growing trade could lead in the strengthening of the centralized power. In particular, this paradigm demonstrates the connections between economy, law, and politics. These are the main strengths of this framework. Nevertheless, this approach may not show how feudalism evolved in various in various cultural environments that could profoundly influence the interactions between different groups. Additionally, this approach does not show how individual decisions of monarchs or landlords could have shaped the development of feudalism. This is one of the limitations that should be considered because researchers should not assume that the development of this socio-political system could be predetermined. To a great extent, this perception reduces the role of a separate individual who could also shape the way in which a certain community could evolve. Re-evaluation of feudalism as a concept These approaches that have been described are based on the premise that feudalism as a system existed in various regions or countries. Furthermore, they imply that there are certain common principles which are inherent to the nature of this political and legal system. Therefore, the experiences of people could be similar in such countries as England, France, Germany, and so forth. Nevertheless, one should also keep in mind that some researchers do not believe that feudalism was a universal and consistent phenomenon. This opinion is expressed by different historians such as Susan Reynolds10. This approach implies that it is not permissible to generalize the experiences of different countries. For instance, the institution of vassalage was not the same in different medieval societies. The customs adopted in different countries could differ drama tically. This is one of the points that should be considered. This is why even researchers such as Marc Bloch focus on different lands and regions while discussing feudalism. Apart from that, researchers may examine the distinctions between feudalism in England and Scotland11. Overall, it is important to examine local customs that were not similar to one another. Furthermore, these customs could evolve significantly with time passing. This is one of the reasons why researchers speak about the existence of pre-feudal and post-feudal societies12. In many cases, these societies had the main characteristics identified by Ganshof and Bloc. Moreover, researchers argue that the relations between various groups were not always the same because they could be influenced by the cultural norms established in various feudal societies. This approach implies that historians should not try to twist historical evidence so that it could match historical constructs or concepts such as feudalism. Inste ad, they need to concentrate on primary evidence which can throw light on the diversity of feudal societies. Thus, one can say that feudalism can be depicted as a changing and diverse phenomenon that cannot be described with the help of a single model. These are the main peculiarities of this historiographic view. The main advantage of this approach is that it urges researchers to focuses on the particularities of the feudal system in different countries. In this way, historians can gain better insights into various aspects of feudalism. This historiographic view is also popular since modern researchers examine the cultural peculiarities of feudalism. Conclusion These examples demonstrate historians do not have the same perception of feudalism. The differences can be explained by the fact that researchers focus on different aspects of this historical period. In particular, it is possible to speak about the distribution of power in the society and the norms regulating the relations b etween the main stakeholders. In turn, scholars can focus on the study of economic development and the way in which some social groups could be marginalized. Apart from that, many researchers such as Marc Bloch tend use each of these paradigms. Apart from that historians may discard the ideas that feudalism was a universal construct that existed in different countries. In particular, it is important to mention that feudalism could take different paths, and one cannot say that it could always fit the models constructed by historians. Overall, none of the historiographic views discussed in this paper can be dismissed because each of them can throw light on the experience of different social groups. Furthermore, the use of these paradigms is important for understanding the evolution of this socio-political system. These are the main aspects that can be distinguished because they can be helpful for understanding the main peculiarities of feudalism. Bibliography Bloch, Marc. Feudal Socie ty. Translated by Leonard Manyon. London: Routledge. 1962. Braun, Jerome. Democratic Culture and Moral Character: A Study in Culture and  Ã‚  Personality. New York: Springer Science Business Media, 2013. Ganshof, Franà §ois-Louis. â€Å"Benefice and Vassalage in the Age of Charlemagne.†Ã‚  Cambridge Historical Journal 6, no. 2 (1939): 147-175. Hammond, Matthew, New Perspectives on Medieval Scotland, 1093-1286. New York, Boydell Brewer Ltd, 2013. McKitterick, Rosamond, and Michael Jones. The New Cambridge Medieval History:  Volume 6, C.1300-c.1415. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000. Murray, Mary. The Law of the Father?: Patriarchy in the transition from feudalism to  capitalism. New York: Routledge, 2005. Reynolds, Susan. Fiefs and Vassals: The Medieval Evidence Reinterpreted. New York, Clarendon Press. 1994. Sanderson, Stephen. Social Transformations: A General Theory of Historical  Development. New York: Rowman Littlefield, 1999. Tendler, Joseph. Oppone nts of the Annales School. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013. White, Lynn. Medieval technology and social change. Oxford University Press. 1962. Footnotes 1 Joseph Tendler, Opponents of the Annales School (London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013), 158. 2 Franà §ois-Louis Ganshof, â€Å"Benefice and Vassalage in the Age of Charlemagne,†Ã‚  Cambridge Historical Journal 6, no. 2 (1939): 147. 3 Rosamond McKitterick and Michael Jones, The New Cambridge Medieval History:  Volume 6, C.1300-c.1415 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000), 457. 4 Stephen Sanderson, Social Transformations: A General Theory of Historical  Development (New York: Rowman Littlefield, 1999), 157. 5 Mary Murray, The Law of the Father?: Patriarchy in the transition from feudalism to  Capitalism (New York: Routledge, 2005), p. 10. 6 Franà §ois-Louis Ganshof, â€Å"Benefice and Vassalage in the Age of Charlemagne,†Ã‚  Cambridge Historical Journal 6, no. 2 (1939): 175 7 Marc Bloch, Feudal Society, t rans. Leonard Manyon (London: Routledge. 1962), 13 8 Marc Bloch, Feudal Society, trans. Leonard Manyon (London: Routledge. 1962), 69. 9 Lynn White, Medieval technology and social change (Oxford University Press. 1962), 63. 10 Susan Reynolds, Fiefs and Vassals : The Medieval Evidence Reinterpreted (New York: Clarendon Press, 1994), 32. 11 Matthew Hammond, New Perspectives on Medieval Scotland, 1093-1286 (New York, Boydell Brewer Ltd, 2013), 10. 12 Jerome Braun, Democratic Culture and Moral Character: A Study in Culture and  Personality (New York: Springer Science Business Media, 2013), 119.

Bordetella pertussis (bacterium)

Bordetella pertussis (bacterium) Bordetella pertussis is the bacterium that causes pertussis, otherwise known asor whooping cough . Despite vaccination, incidence of pertussis cases have been growing over the last two decades. Current vaccines lack the ability to give long-lasting immunity and must be improved. Complement evasion molecules would make good candidates for vaccine components, because the complement system is essential in the killing of B. pertussis. The complement system is a first line of defense against colonization of bacteria in host tissue. Many bacteria employ complement inhibitors or attract human complement inhibitors to their surface. B. pertussis is no exception on this, however not much is known about the way B. pertussis evades the complement system . Prior to this study a few potential complement inhibitors of B. pertussis were identified. In this study we seek to characterize these proteins in a series of functional immune assays. Under these experimental conditions, we were not able to determine the function of the potential complement evasion molecules. BACKGROUND Bordetella pertussis is a Gram-negative bacterium and the causative agent of pertussis, also called whooping cough. Pertussis is a human-restricted disease of the respiratory tract and highly contagious ( en is dit zo? REF). Regular bouts of coughing produce airborne droplets through which B. pertussis can be transmitted (Jongerius et al. 2014). The disease was on the verge of eradication due to worldwide vaccination, but has been re-emerging in the last two decades. In 2008 there were 16 million cases of pertussis globally as estimated by the World Health Organisation. Possible explanations for the re-emergence are waning of immunity – since in the 1990s a different vaccine was introduced giving less enduring protection – or bacterial strain adaption (Mooi et al. 2014). Like many pathogens B. pertussis developed strategies to evade or repress the host response for successful colonization (REF). Little is known about the mechanisms by which B. pertussis escapes clearanc e by the complement system, a first line of defense in the immune response. Identification and characterization of these immune evasion molecules may lead to the discovery of new targets for anti-inflammatory drugs or new components for vaccines. Here, we try to characterize several potential complement inhibitors of B. pertussis, identified by phage display and genome analysis. Bordetella pertussis virulence factors B. pertussis expresses a variety of virulence factors that enable the bacteria to colonize the upper respiratory tract. The transcription of the majority of these virulence factors are regulated by the activity of the proteins BvgA and BvgS. BvgAS is a two-component system that controls gene expression in response to changing environmental conditions, such as temperature (Fedele et al. 2014). After inhalation the bacteria adhere to the ciliated epithelial cells of the larynx, trachea and bronchi, where they produce secreted toxins and membrane-bound molecules that contribute to the adherence (REF). The toxins damage the mucous layer of the respiratory tract, contributing to the pathogenesis of pertussis. For example tracheal cytotoxin (TCT) is proposed to cause ciliostasis, impairment of ciliary movement, which may explain the intense coughing that characterizes pertussis, as a way to clear excessive mucus (Jongerius et al. 2014). Other secreted toxins include pertussis toxin (PT) an d adenylate cyclase toxin (ACT), which are toxic to host cells including neutrophils, monocytes and lymphocytes (Jongerius et al. 2014 ). Successful colonization is both dependent on the capacity to adhere to cells in the respiratory tract and the ability to ward off the immune response. PT and ACT both repress the immune response by targeting airway resident macrophages and neutrophil recruitment to the airways (Carbonetti et al. 2010). The membrane-bound adhesins include fimbriae (Fim), filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA) and pertactin (PRN), which in addition to facilitating the first step of infection are also suggested to suppress the initial inflammatory response to the infection (Melvin et al. 2014). For example, FHA-deficient Bordetella strains were shown to induce an increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-17, and increased recruitment of neutrophils to the site of infection when compared to wild-type bacteria (Henderson et al. 2012). In addition to the i mmunomodulating properties of B. pertussis virulence factors, direct binding to components of the immune system, such as the complement system, is accomplished in order to reduce or inhibit the host immune response. This essential step in bacterial pathogenesis is called immune evasion (Rooijakkers et al. 2005). B. pertussis is known to express a small variety of proteins that affect complement-mediated killing: tracheal colonization factor (Tcf), Bordetella resistance to killing A (BrkA) and the autotransporter Vag8 (Jongerius et al. 2014). The complement system The complement system is part of innate immunity and an important host defense mechanism against invading pathogens. The complement system consists of approximately 40 proteins and is present in blood and mucosal tissue, such as the lining of the lungs where they interfere with colonization of bacteria. The system can be initiated through three different pathways: the classical (CP), the lectin (LP) and the alternative pathway (AP). All pathways lead to a cascade of several protein-protein interactions and proteolytic steps leading to cleavage of C3 and C5 in biologically active components. C3a and C5a are able to attract inflammatory cells to the site of infection and activate them. C3b is another cleavage product of C3 and when deposited on the microbial surface stimulates bacterial uptake by phagocytes in a mechanism called opsonization. Besides opsonization and recruitment of phagocytes the complement system can also directly kill bacteria by forming pores into the microbial memb rane and inducing lysis. The pore-forming heteromer is called the membrane attack complex (MAC) and is composed of C5b, C6, C7, C8 and C9. The classical pathway gets activated with binding of antibodies to the microbial surface. IgM or IgG bind to the first complement component C1q, which results in activation of serine proteases that cleave C2 and C4 which in turn form C4b2a, a C3 convertase. The same C3 convertase is formed upon activation through the lectin pathway, in which mannose-binding lectin-associated serine proteases cleave C4 and C2 upon binding of lectin to mannose on the bacterial surface. No specific signal is needed for the alternative pathway to form another C3 convertase: C3bBb, comprising of spontaneously hydrolyzed C3, or C3b generated by the CP/LP, and factor B that is activated by factor D. The C3 convertases (C4b2a and C3bBb) switch to C5 convertases in response to high levels of C3b deposition on the bacterial surface (Jongerius et al. 2007). The complement s ystem does not only directly or indirectly kill bacteria but also has a role in regulating adaptive immunity. Besides regulating B-cell immunity, complement-mediated signaling directly stimulates and modulates T-cell responses (Jongerius et al. 2014) and promotes antigen processing by antigen-presenting cells (Serruto et al. 2010), indirectly influences T-cell activation. On the downside, over-activation or lack of down-regulation of the complement system can result in systemic inflammation during sepsis (Jongerius et al. 2007) and autoimmune diseases when host cells are recognized as non-self and damaged by complement activation (Meri et al. 2013). Complement evasion by Bordetella pertussis In order to survive and successfully colonize the host the bacteria must have strategies to evade the early immune response. It seems especially necessary for B. pertussis to prevent complement activation because it does not express antigen O (Marr et al. 2011). Antigen O is the chain of repetitive oligosaccharides of the lipopolysaccharides in the membrane of most Gram-negative bacteria and works as a protective shield. The Bordetella strains B. parapertussis and B. bronchoseptica express liposaccharide containing this O-antigen, but despite being more virulent B. pertussis lacks O-antigen in its cell wall. B. pertussis expresses a different kind of surface polysaccharide called Bps (Bordetella pertussis polysaccharide) which seems to provide serum resistance, since Bps mutant strains were more sensitive to complement-mediated killing then wild type bacteria (Ganguly et al. 2014). In addition to polysaccharides B. pertussis is known to express several other complement evasion molecu les. Mutants lacking Bordetella autotransporter protein-C (BapC) were less resistant to serum killing, although the mechanism of resistance is yet to be identified (Noofeli et al. 2011). Another autotransporter of B. pertussis, Bordetella resistance to killing A (BrkA) that promotes attachment of the bacteria to human cells, is involved in complement evasion as well (Jongerius et al. 2014). Studies have shown that BrkA reduces C3 and C4 deposition and inhibits formation of MAC (Barnes et al. 2001). BrkA did not affect C1 deposition levels, suggesting BrkA only inhibits the classical pathway however the precise mechanism remains unknown (Barnes et al. 2001). Besides binding to complement components and thereby inhibiting their action by proteolysis or inducing conformational changes, bacteria can also employ a different strategy: to recruit and activate human complement inhibitors. The main regulators of the classical pathway are C4b-binding protein (C4BP) that B. pertussis binds to its surface with filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA) (Berggard et al. 2001), and C1 esterase inhibitor (C1-inh) recruited by B. pertussis autotransporter Vag8 (Marr et al. 2011). Factor H (fH) regulates the activity of the alternative pathway. The AP does not need a specific signal, making every unprotected surface vulnerable; therefore bacteria need to evade this pathway. Many bacteria do so by binding fH via a common binding site, forming a tripartite complex consisting of the microbial receptor, C3b and fH (Meri et al. 2013). This complex inhibits the opsonizing actions of C3b (Meri et al. 2013) and thereby protects the bacteria against phagocytosis. Recent studies show that B. pertussis binds fH at domain 20 (the common binding site) while fH remains its inhibiting properties (Amdahl et al. 2010), but a particular B. pertussis protein that binds fH has not been identified yet. Pertussis vaccines The whole cell pertussis (wP) vaccine was introduced in the 1950, efficiently lowering the cases of pertussis, which was the leading cause of child death before introduction of the vaccine. Unfortunately the vaccine was causing a lot of unwanted side effects in children. This had lead to introduction of an acellular pertussis (aP) vaccine, comprising of just several antigens. Although this vaccine provides a sufficient level of protection for infants to severe pertussis, the incidence of pertussis in adults has been increasing since the introduction of the aP vaccine in the 1990s (Mooi et al. 2013). More awareness and better diagnostics contribute to this increase in pertussis cases, but moreover the protection given by the aP is short-lived. Immunity generated by the wP vaccine is mediated largely by T-helper 1 cells (Th1), whereas aP vaccination results in antibodies that induce Th2 and Th17 responses. Natural immunity is associated with Th1 cells, and hence IFN- production, as is seen in children recovering from whooping cough (Higgs et al. 2012). The adaptive immunity provided by aP vaccination is mainly humoral, promoted by Th2 cells that seem to be less efficient than Th1 cells in clearing B. pertussis infections (Higgs et al. 2012). In addition the provided immunity by aP vaccination is not lasting as long as the wP (Mooi et al. 2014). This occurrence of waning immunity is proposed to be the main cause of re-emergence of infections with B. pertussis. In addition, there is evidence the bacteria have been genetically adapting to the aP vaccines, caused by antigenic variation and selection pressure. In The Netherlands, France, Finland and Japan there are strains circulating that do not express FHA, PT and PRN, components of the aP vaccine used in these countries (Mooi et al. 2014). Future vaccines should be improved by, for example, adding other antigen preparations to provide long-lasting immunity, and additionally to strengthen the immune response. By st rengthening innate immunity, the immune system will be able to directly eliminate the bacteria, preventing transmission and therefore also strain adaptation. The use of complement evasion molecules as vaccine targets would allow faster complement activation upon infection with B. pertussis. In this study we look to identify and characterize such attractive vaccine component candidates. Prior studies Prior to this characterization study a secretome phage display was constructed (Fevre et al. 2014). This phage display was used to identify potential immune evasion molecules. Phage display is the technique of expressing proteins on the surface of a bacteriophage. A phage library comprises of several phage clones that express different proteins, which retain their original shape and behavior. This allows selection of the displayed proteins based on affinity, with successive rounds of selection to identify proteins with high affinity for the selected targets. Secretome phage display, based on whole-genome phage display, is tailored for identification of immune evasion molecules with only secretome proteins being displayed. The bacterial secretome is the collection of all secreted and surface-bound proteins (Fevre et al. 2014). Phage display was performed for the secretome of Bordetella pertussis, with 3 rounds of selection and 7Ãâ€"107 phage clones. The phages were targeted on six co mponents of the complement system: alternative pathway regulating factor H (fH), the opsonin C3b and C3 together with C5 (the two mixed) and C8 together with C9. After the third round there were five hits: BP0069, BP3355, BP0173, BP1251 and fhaC. Supposedly BP1251 and fhaC seem to bind C8 and/or C9, BP0069 binds factor H and BP0173 and BP3355 are suggested to bind a mix of complement components. Analyzing information on chemical parameters (see table 1), gene alignment and genomic context (provided by NCBI Gene, NCBI Protein, BLAST and ExPASy ProtParam) might provide some clues of the functional properties of the proteins, but their complete function is yet unknown. BP0069 is a 43 kD protein which is 97% identical to ABC transporters from B. bronchispetica and around 30% identical to TRAP transporters from several bacteria species, both are transmembrane transporters for nutrients intake. BP3355 is a 18 kDa hypothetical protein, that has no evident homologues. BP0173 is a 24 kD hypothetical protein and BP1251 is a 26 kD putative toxin.

Vocabulary Game for English Language Learners (ELL students) Essay

Vocabulary Game for English Language Learners (ELL students) - Essay Example The game in this presentation is one that focuses on the use of prepositions and adjectives. This experience can be related to what I have learned about ELL and how they interact with material as well as the benefits of face to face interaction. It also relates to things like the development of literacy. â€Å"There is a growing concern over the ability of the educational system to meet the needs of the increasingly diverse multiethnic, multilingual classroom. Prominent among these needs is the acquisition of literacy skills. In recent years, researchers have begun to challenge simplistic notions about the development of English as a Second Language (ESL)1 literacy skills† (Geva, 2000). The game is basically a variation of tic-tac-toe. Most students, even those from other countries, are familiar with tic-tac-toe, and if they are not, it does not take long for the teacher to explain it, and for them to catch on during play. The game begins with the teacher using a whiteboard and marker to draw the tic-tac-toe grid. In each square of the grid, a preposition and adjective are placed, with the â€Å"to be† verb added where necessary. For example, in the first round, the grid may be â€Å"be afraid of,† â€Å"vote for,† â€Å"be confident in,† â€Å"be married to,† â€Å"take from,† â€Å"fight for,† â€Å"dream about,† etc., with one phrase in each square. The students then pair into twos. One student is X; the other is O. The students take turns using the preposition and adjective in their own example, to get the square. When the game is over, the winning student can play the next student up, in a round robin, if necessary. If there is no winner in the tic-tac-toe game, the teacher should move on to another group of two students. Overall, this is a more effective game to play in classes of ten or fewer students, because this still