Kingdoms of Life Essay Example for Free

Kingdoms of Life Essay On our planet earth we have what are called kingdoms, 5 to be exact, consisting of a very diverse group of living things. Using these five kingdoms we classify our species and organize information on what we are and what resides with us. When we place every living creature into one of the five kingdoms it better helps us understand the world around us and its habitants. The five kingdoms include: Moneran, Protist, Fungi, Plantae, and the one we call home, Animalia. 1. Monera The simplest of all organisms is the bacteria of the Moneran kingdom. They are broken down into two types: Eubacteria and Archaebacteria. Eubacteria is known as the â€Å"true bacteria† which makes up the roughly 10,000 species in the Moneran group. Archaebacteria or ancient bacteria if you will, is the minority of the group and are only found in extreme environments including but not limiting; swamps, salt lakes, deep-ocean hydrothermal vent, etc. There are many types of species belonging to the Moneran kingdom that have yet to be discovered. Monerans are also the only group within the five kingdoms that are all prokaryotes. Prokaryotes are one-celled or colony of cells. 2. Protista In this kingdom we have multi cellular organisms (Protista) which are not a part of nor do they fit, the Animal, Plant, or Fungus Kingdom. In the beginning, protozoa were placed in a sub-kingdom of Animalia but because of the problems this classification had, it later became its own kingdom. All members of this phylum have what are known as nucleated cells and live in aquatic habitats (both freshwater and marine). According to Lynn Margulis, K.V. Schwartz and M. Dolan (1994), the cells of all Protoctista originally formed by bacterial symbioses or symbiogenesis. Members of this kingdom are not considered animals because they do not come from an embryo, they are not plants nor are they considered fungi because they do not develop from spores. 3. Fungi There are some members of the Kingdom Fungi that are associated with algal cells of the Kingdom Protista and/or prokaryotic cyanobacteria of the Kingdom Monera. Fungi plays a very critical role in natures continuous rebirth: Fungi actually recycle all dead organic matter turning it into useful nutrients. Fungi consits of species like: mushrooms, molds, mildews, stinkhorns, rusts, puffballs and many others. There are on estimate 100,000 known species today with hundreds of new species being discovered each year. 4. Plantae  With over 1.6 million species of living organisms on earth and new species discovered every single day, in particular; insects and nematodes residing in rsecluded tropical regions. However, with the present rate of destruction, a majority of the virgin tropical rain forest are headed straight for extinction, leaving millions of species undiscovered by the human race. It is the theory that approximately 99 percent of species that ever resided on earth were extinct long before the human ever set foot on this planet. Even with humans having such an incredible significance to the development of earth, technically they are considered to be newcomers on this marvelous planet. If all theories are correct, earth is aged at about 4.5 billion years old, meaning the ancient life forms (such as the cyanobacteria) appeared roughly 2-3 billion years ago. 5. Animalia There are nine phyla of this kingdom including the following: Porifera (poriferans), Cnidaria (cnidarians), Platyhelminthes (flatworms), Nematoda (roundworms), Annelida (annelids), Mollusca (molluscs), Arthropoda (arthropods), Echinodermata (echinoderms) and Chordata (chordates). Animals are considered to be part of this group because they are all multi-cellular organisms whose cells are connected by a plasma membrane and not by a cell wall of cellulose like the others. The differences between plants and animals led to the division of all life into what is known as (referenced above) Plantae and Animalia. In animals, the cells are organized into tissues and specialized tissue systems that permit them to move freely in search of food. They build energy by acquiring and ingesting their food, unlike plants, which use the system photosynthesis to benefit from the nutrients they need to survive. A well developed nervous system with sensory and motor nerves is what enables animals to receive environmental stimuli as well as a response to the environment around them. It was found that some were plant like while others (protozoa) resembled animals in that they obtain locomotion by means of flagella and that they actually digest food. The Animal Kingdom holds the most species of all of the kingdoms, ringing in a little over one million. Interesting fact, is that more than half of the animal species are insects. The result of 300,000 beetles plus the 800,000 different insect species a make up the largest order of insects (one fifth of all speciesusing a total of 1.5 million). It has been said that if the species between plants and animals on earth were lined up at random, every 5th species would be a beetle. Viruses Viruses are out of the Kingdom assortment completely and sometimes they are said even to belong to their own kingdom, the kingdom Virus. The small and less complex infectious agent is made of tiny macromolecular units composed of DNA or RNA covered by an outer protein coat. Virus do not contain membrane-bound organelles, ribosomes, a cytoplasm, or any other source of energy formation of their own. They do not have the self-maintenance metabolic reactions of living systems, they lack cellular respiration and gash exchanges. They are completely capable of reproducing but only at the expense of a host cell. They can and will only survive as minute macromolecular particles outside of their body. Plant viruses are transferred between each other by insects that feed on sap, such as aphids, while animal viruses can be carried by blood-sucking insects (mosquitos for instance). http://www.biology-questions-and-answers.com/life-kingdoms.html

The Character of Meursault in The Stranger (The Outsider) :: Camus Stranger Essays

The Character of Meursault in The Stranger Albert Camus wrote The Stranger during the Existentialist movement, which explains why the main character in the novel, Meursault, is characterized as detached and emotionless, two of the aspects of existentialism. In Meursault, Camus creates a character he intends his readers to relate to, because he creates characters placed in realistic situations. He wants the reader to form a changing, ambiguous opinion of Meursault. From what Meursault narrates to the reader in the novel, the reader can understand why he attempts to find order and understanding in a confused and mystifying world. Camus writes in a simple, direct, and uncomplicated style. The choice of language serves well to convey the thoughts of Meursault. The story is told in the first person and traces the development of the narrator's attitude toward himself and the rest of the world. Through this sort of simple grammatical structure, Camus gives the reader the opportunity to become part of the awareness of Meursault. In Part I, what Meursault decides to mention are just concrete facts. He describes objects and people, but makes no attempt to analyze them. Since he makes no effort to analyze things around him, that job is given to the reader. The reader therefore creates his own meaning for Meursault's actions. When he is forced to confront his past and reflect on his experiences, he attempts to understand the reasons for existence. At first, Meursault makes references to his inability to understand what's happening around him, but often what he tells us seems the result of his own indifferen ce or detachment. He is frequently inattentive to his surroundings. His mind wanders in the middle of conversations. Rarely does he make judgments or express opinions about what he or other characters are doing. Meursault walks through life largely unaware of the effect of his actions on others. Meursault is distant from set plans, ambitions, desires, love, and emotions in general. He has a difficult time with emotions such as regret and compassion. The reader sees the nature of his personality in the first few lines of the novel: "Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I don't know." When he hears of the death of his mother through a telegram, he is unattached, and can be considered uncaring.

African Wild Dogs

Lycaon pictus, the scientific name for the African Wild Dog, literally translates into â€Å"painted or ornate wolf† (â€Å"Lycaon pictus — Details African Wild Dog†). African Wild Dogs are some of the most beautiful and social canines in the world, but, sadly, this species is endangered. This essay will focus on a basic description of the African Wild Dog, along with the threats it faces and the projected outlook for this species. (â€Å"Lycaon pictus — Details African Wild Dog†). The African Wild Dog has a slender body with long, muscular legs (â€Å"Lycaon pictus — Details African Wild Dog†).Typically, they will weigh between forty and eighty lbs. and can be anywhere from three and a half to five ft. long (including the length of the tail). African Wild Dogs are usually between two and two and a half ft. tall at the shoulder. The males also tend to be slightly larger than the females. Compared to wolves or coyotes, they are very lea n and tall. Unlike other canines, the African Wild Dog has only four toes on its front feet, as opposed to the typical five. This is because their dew-claw is missing.Other distinctive qualities are their large, round ears. (â€Å"Lycaon pictus — Details African Wild Dog†). It is said that these ears are essential for hunting, during which a pack may use long distance vocal calls (G. Rhodes, and R. Rhodes). These ears also help with heat loss and regulation (â€Å"Lycaon pictus — Details African Wild Dog†). However, an African Wild Dogs most distinctive quality is its coat; this species has a coat blotched in yellow, gray, black, white, and brown (â€Å"Lycaon pictus — Details African Wild Dog†).Most of the variation in color is on the body and legs (Creel, and Creel). The coloration on the dogs faces are all very similar, with a black muzzle shading to brown on the cheeks and forehead, a black line extending up the forehead, and blackish-br own on the backs of the ears. There is never white on the head. The back part of the head and the top of the neck are consistently brown or yellow. However, colors on the body and legs are unpredictable. (Creel, and Creel). The fur on its bushy tail is almost always white (â€Å"Lycaon pictus — Details African Wild Dog†).An African Wild Dog’s fur is slightly longer around the head and body, and shorter on the legs (â€Å"African wild dog (Lycaon pictus)†). However, wild dogs tend to have sparse hair, though there is variation among individuals (Creel, and Creel). This variation is related to age—young pups and dogs have more hair than adult dogs, and old dogs can become almost hairless. Hair is particularly lost on the head, which begins to look grey as the skin shows through. (Creel, and Creel). Underneath its fur, African Wild Dogs have blackish/grey skin (â€Å"Lycaon pictus — Details African Wild Dog†).Every wild dog has a differe nt patterned coat with all the individuality of a snowflake or a fingerprint. It is the coat that can allow scientists to tell each animal apart. There has also been evidence to suggest that the dogs are able to use their distinctive coats to tell each other apart; this is why dogs can easily identify other wild dogs that are not in their pack, or spate packs that might pose a threat. (â€Å"Lycaon pictus — Details African Wild Dog†). African Wild Dogs live in packs, and have a very unusual social system (â€Å"Lycaon pictus — Details African Wild Dog†).In their packs, only the dominant male and female are allowed to reproduce, which leads to alliances among dogs of the same sex. Packs can range anywhere from two to twenty seven individuals, and new packs form when a subgroup (usually females, and sisters) separate from their pack and join with another subgroup that is composed of males. The sisters typically separate once they reach sexual maturity. Afri can Wild Dogs usually hunt in the cool of dusk and dawn in order to avoid other predators like lions, and the pups are usually allowed to eat first after prey has been killed. (â€Å"Lycaon pictus — Details African Wild Dog†).As stated previously, only the dominant male and female are allowed to reproduce (â€Å"Lycaon pictus — Details African Wild Dog†). However, all African Wild Dogs will reach sexual maturity in about two years, though mating does not usually occur until much later. The dominant female can give birth during any time of the year, though birthing tends to be more common between March and June. Gestation averages around ten weeks, and the litter averages around ten pups, though twenty pups have been recorded in one litter. The African Wild Dog has one of the largest litters in the canine world.Pups are born in a den (usually an abandoned aardvark hole) and will stay there with their mother for three-four weeks. While the mother and pups a re refined to the den, other pack members will regurgitate food for them. Once the pups mature enough to leave the den, they become the responsibility of the whole pack, often nursing off of females that are not their mother. However, pups are weaned anywhere from one-three months after birth. It generally takes twelve-fourteen months before another litter is born. (â€Å"Lycaon pictus — Details African Wild Dog†).The African Wild Dog (which has a life expectancy of about ten years in the wild) typically lives in savannas (â€Å"Lycaon pictus — Details African Wild Dog†). Savannas are found on either side of the equator on the edges of tropical rainforests most typically in Africa, though also occurring in select parts of South America and Australia (â€Å"Savanna†). In savannas, it is warm all year round, and there is not enough rainfall to support a forest. During its dry season, a savanna will only receive an average of four inches of rain fall. However, during the wet season, a savanna might get up to twenty five inches.In savannas, there is a lot of grassland, with scattered shrubs and isolated trees. Animal life includes many herbivores that consume grass, and also predators that control the herbivore populations. (â€Å"Savanna†). When African Wild Dogs are not breeding, they become nomadic and wander over large distances in search of prey; home ranges can be as large as 5,000 square kilometers, but are often much smaller (â€Å"Lycaon pictus — Details African Wild Dog†). These dogs are on the third trophic level because they eat herbivores, usually impala, antelope, and sometimes prey as large as wildebeests.There have been cases where a hungry wild dog will consume seventeen to nineteen lbs. of meat, or about 1/3 of its own weight. However, African Wild Dogs will never scavenge. Therefore, the African Wild Dogs fill a carnivorous predator niche, helping to regulate and control ungulate (animals w ith hooves) populations. (â€Å"Lycaon pictus — Details African Wild Dog†). African Wild Dogs are considered endangered because they have disappeared from much of their range (McNutt et al. ). These dogs are virtually nonexistent in West Africa, and greatly reduced in central and north-east Africa.The largest populations remain in southern Africa, and studies suggest that between 3,000–5,500 wild African Wild Dogs remain in Africa today. These dogs are in danger for several reasons, one of which being habitat loss and fragmentation. When their habitat is broken up, it increases contact with humans which can lead to issues such as poaching (when wild dogs prey on livestock) and road kill. These dogs need a lot of space to roam in search of prey (because of other predators that fill the same niche), so even reserves aren’t always effective because humans live right on the border.While smaller fenced reserves have been able to effectively contain these anima ls, fencing can be expensive and allow an outbreak of disease to wipe out the entire population. This is because wild dogs live at low population densities due to predation by lions and competition with hyenas. Such low population density makes the dogs susceptible to disease, and makes the epidemic that much more deadly. (McNutt et al. ). African Wild Dogs were declared vulnerable in 1986, and became endangered in 1990 and their population is decreasing (McNutt et al. . Wild dogs are legally protected across much of their range. However, this protection is rarely enforced and wild dogs are extinct in several countries despite severe legal protection. Conservation priorities include maintenance and expansion of habitat available to wild dogs, working with local people to reduce deliberate killing of wild dogs, establishing effective techniques for protecting small wild dog populations from infections, and continuation of long-term monitoring of populations in order to identify emerg ing threats.Re-establishment of extinct populations through reintroduction currently has a low priority in most areas, although natural recolonizations should be encouraged. (McNutt et al. ). Due to their decreasing populations, need for expansive space, and susceptibility to disease, it appears as if the future for this amazing species is grim. Not enough is being done to preserve this animal because laws are not being enforced, and humans are crowding and destroying their habitat.If African Wild Dogs are to survive, humans need to be extremely proactive in their protection of this species. African Wild Dogs should be reintroduced into habitat where they used to survive, and laws for the protection of these dogs need to be more regulated and enforced. These animals will also need a lot more habitat than they have now, and it will probably be very difficult to find the space for reserves necessary for the survival of this species. If humans truly decide to save the African Wild Dog from extinction, it can certainly be done, but it won’t be easy.

Anatomy and Physiology Essay

Define/Describe the following terms as completely and detailed as you can: 1. Inflammation- Inflammation is the bulging of skin, organs, or other body parts due to fluid buildup caused an injury. The fluid rushes to the injured area and that is what makes the puffiness. 2. High Fructose Corn Syrup- (HFCS) Composed of corn and lab chemicals. HFCS is found in processed foods such as salad dressing and soda. Your body does not recognize it as food so it shunts the HFCS to a fat cell and that is what causes weight gain. 3. The 4 parts of the vertebral column plus 1 â€Å"special† part- The four parts of the vertebral column are made up of twenty nine vertebrae each separated by an intravertebral disc which absorbs shock to the vertebrae. The first part is called cervical vertebrae, there are seven of them, they are the smallest vertebrae and they are at the top of your neck. The first of the cervical vertebrae is called the atlas and the second is called axis and it allows your head to turn side to side. Next are the thoracic vertebrae. The thoracic vertebrae are the next twelve under your cervical vertebrae. These vertebrae are larger and thicker than the cervical vertebrae. The next sets of vertebrae are your lumbar vertebrae which are the last five vertebrae in your lower back. Lumbar vertebrae are your biggest, strongest and thickest vertebrae. They need to be big and strong because they support the weight of your body. The sacrum is at the very end of your vertebral column. The sacrum is composed of five fused vertebrae. *Fun Fact: giraffes and humans have the same number of vertebrae.* The â€Å"special† part of your vertebral column is called the coccyx. The coccyx is located at the very end of your vertebral column. The coccyx has no real function. 4. Bone marrow and hemoglobin- Hemoglobin plays a big role in cellular respiration and oxygen supply. Hemoglobin carries oxygen. Bone marrow is a soft, netlike mass of connective tissue that is in the medullary cavities of bones classified as long bones. The marrow is housed in the spaces of the spongy bones. Spongy bone is most abundant in the proximal and distal epiphysis’s of a long bone.  There are two types of bone marrow, red and yellow. Yellow bone marrow stores fat and red marrow functions in the formation of red and white blood cells. Red bone marrow receives its color from hemoglobin because it stores oxygen which turns blood red. 5. The 3 layers of the skin- The integumentary has three parts; the epidermis is the outer layer and it lack blood, the second layer of skin is the dermis and it carries nutrients, the third and final layer of skin is called the subcutaneous layer and it is located under the dermis. The subcutaneous layer sits right Next to fat and it the most inside layer. 6. The 3 types of muscle tissue- Muscle tissue is broken down into three layers and a covering called fascia that covers everything. The first and most outside layer it called epimysium and it surrounds the muscle as a whole. The second layer of muscle tissue is known as the perimysium and it surrounds the bundles of muscle fibers. The final and most inner layer of muscle tissue is the endomysium and it surrounds each individual muscle fiber. 7. Type I and II muscle fibers- Smooth muscle in particular has two types of muscle fiber, multiunit and visceral. Multiunit muscle fibers are separated unlike visceral tissue that is made up of sheets and spindle shaped cells. Multiunit muscle fibers can be found in the irises of your eyeball and visceral tissue is common in hollow organ like the stomach. Cellular Metabolism 1. Explain the function of metabolism- Metabolism builds and breaks down particles. The main function of the metabolism is to synthesize, use and store energy. 2. Compare and contrast anabolism and catabolism- anabolism is the buildup of larger molecules from smaller ones which requires energy and catabolism is the opposite it breaks down large particles to produce energy. 3. Describe how energy in the form of ATP becomes available for cellular activities- Energy in the form of ATP is used for many cellular activities. To produce ATP, ADP has to combine with a third phosphate and that creates ATP for cellular activities such as glycolysis which is the first step in cellular respiration. 4. Describe the steps of protein synthesis- Information from DNA is transcribed into mRNA, which is messenger RNA, and then the mRNA is translated into a series of amino acids. The two steps are transcription and then translation. Integumentary System 1. Describe the structure of the layers of the skin- The epidermis is the top layer that you can touch and it lacks blood. Next is the dermis, the dermis carries nutrients and contains the hair follicles, it also contain your sweat gland ducts. The most inner layer of the skin is called the subcutaneous layer, it is not a true layer of skin but it helps to conserve body heat and it helps keep out unwanted heat from the outside. 2. Summarize the factors that determine skin color- Skin color is determined largely by melanin. Everyone has approximately the same number of melanocytes but genetics determine how fast and how much melanin the melanocytes produce. The more melanin you have the darker your skin is. 3. Describe wound healing- The wound and the area around it become swollen or inflamed due to fluid that leaked into the injured area. This is not a bad thing because it provides the area with more nutrients and oxygen which aids healing. If a break on the skin is shallow then the epithelial cells divide faster and the new cells fill the broken area. If the cut is deep into the dermis or subcutaneous layer to blood vessels form a blood clot and the dried tissue fluids help to form a scab. Cells work continuously to clear away dead cells and other remains and eventually it is all replaced with new cells under the scab and they scab will in time come off. If the wound is deep then extensive construction of collagenous fibers may create a raised portion of skin called a scar. 4. How can a person avoid developing skin cancer during their lifetime?- In order to avoid developing skin cancer a person should avoid exposing their skin to high-intensity sunlight, use sunscreens, examine skin regularly. 5. List two examples of modified sweat glands in the body and what they secrete- The two types of sweat glands are eccrine glands and apocrine glands. Eccrine glands secrete sweat that is carries through a tube called a duct and released at the surface of a pore. (Ex: Eccrine glands release the sweat that you feel on your palms when you get nervous.) The apocrine glands, become active when you hit puberty, secrete sweat as well but they release it when a person is emotionally upset, sexually aroused, scared or in pain. Sweat develops a scent when it interacts with bacteria. 6. What two specific properties of skin allow it to regulate body temperature?- In order to regulate body temperature the  skin needs to release heat as needed or conserve heat as needed. When the body becomes too hot it sends a message to your blood vessels to dilate and that allows blood to come in and heat to escape. When your body becomes too cold it sends a message to your blood vessels to constrict which does not allow heat to escape your body. Skeletal System 1. Explain how calcium levels are maintained in the blood and bone- Homeostasis of the calcium levels in bone is controlled by resorption and deposition of calcium into the bones. Also 3-5% of calcium in bones is exchanged each year. If you have less than 3-5% you would be a midget but if you have more than 3-5% then you would be a giant. Osteoclasts break down bone and osteoblasts build bone. 2. Explain why the shoulder joint and hip joints are more mobile than the finger joints- The shoulder and hips joints are ball-and-socket joints and are more mobile than your finger joints, which are condylar joints, because ball-and-socket joints are literally a ball like shaped bone that sits in a cup shaped cavity in anther bone. The placement and shape of these bones allows for rotation and movement on all planes. Condylar joints like the fingers are like puzzles everything fits together. But just like a puzzle you can bend them it but they don’t rotate. 3. List the active tissues in a bone- Bone tissue Cartilage Dense connective tissue Blood Nervous tissue 4. Distinguish between the axial and appendicular skeletons, and name the major parts of each- The axial skeleton consists of your thoracic cage which is your ribs, vertebral column, and sternum, and xiphoid process. The axial skeleton consist of your limbs(arms and legs), pectoral girdle(scapula and clavicles), and your pelvic girdle(coccyx, sacrum, ilium, ischium, pubis anterior and medial) 5. List six types of synovial joints, and describe the actions of each- Ball-and-socket- Movement in all planes and enables rotation. Condylar- Variety of movement in different planes but no rotation. Plane- Sliding or twisting. Hinge- Flexion or extension. Pivot- Rotation around a central axis. Saddle- Variety of movements, mainly in two planes. 6. List all 6 types of synovial joints and describe/explain each one. List one example for each- Ball-and-socket-Ball shaped head of a bone articulates with the cavity of another bone. (Ex: hip) Condylar-oval-shaped condyle f one bone articulates with egg-shaped cavity of another bone. (Ex: Phalanges. Excluding the thumb) Plane-articulating surfaces are almost flat or slightly curved. (Ex: carpals) Hinge-Convex surface of one bone articulates with a concave surface of another. (Ex: elbow) Pivot-Cylindrical surface of one bone articulates with the ring of bone and ligament. (Ex: vertebrae) Saddle-the surface of one bone fits the surfaces of another. (Ex: thumb) Muscular System 1. What happens to muscles when a weight lifter becomes sedentary? – when a weight lifter becomes sedentary his muscle mass is going to begin to decrease because he isn’t using them. His muscles are just going to keep shrinking and shrinking. This happens as quickly as two weeks. 2. Describe the sliding filament theory and steps of muscular contraction- Muscle fiber releases ACh. Protein receptors sense Ach being released. Green light (stimulus) is received by the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Signal to release Ca+. Ca+ is given to sarcoplasm. Ca+ interacts with your tropomyosin and triponin. Actin will â€Å"cross-bridge† (contraction) Ca+ returns to the sarcoplasmic reticulum so link is broken and muscle relaxes. 3. Describe the differences between slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscle fibers- slow twitch muscle give you the ability to do exercise for a  longer period of time because they fatigue slower and are efficient in the use of oxygen to produce more fuel or ATP. Fast twitch muscle fibers are good for fast bursts of exercise because they fatigue quickly and they can fire more rapidly than slow twitch fibers. 4. Identify the major parts of a skeletal muscle fiber, and the function of each- Myofibrils- they consist of actin and myosin and aid in the act of contraction. Myosin- Thick protein Actin- thin protein Sarcomere- units for muscle contraction -I bands- composed of actin -Z lines- 5. Explain how muscular contractions move body parts and help maintain posture-Muscle tone is a form of sustained contractions, which are contractions that occur even when we appear to be standing still. They keep our body upright a.k.a. posture. These contractions are responses to nerve impulses that come from the spinal cord and stimulate the muscle fibers to move. If our body loses muscle tone then we would collapse. Which is what happens when a person is unconscious. Nervous System 1. Describe the general functions of the brain stem- the brainstem is nervous tissue that connects the cerebrum to the spinal cord. The brainstem has three separate parts. Midbrain- reflex centers associated with the eyes and head movement. Pons- transmits impulses between the cerebrum and other parts of the nervous system. Also helps regulate breathing Medulla Oblongata- transmits all ascending (to the brain) and descending (away from the brain) impulses and contains several vital and non-vital reflex centers. 2. Why can a person still be alive even though they are â€Å"brain dead?†- You can still be alive and be brain dead it just means that your brain stem doesn’t work. When you are brain dead its like being in a coma. You can’t move anything or understand anything but you are still there. You would live in a hospital or have 24/7 monitoring and you would be living off tubes and wires. 3. Describe the coverings of the brain and spinal cord- the first layer of covering over the brain and spinal cord is dura matter. Dura matter is the outermost layer. It made up of tough, white, fibrous connective  tissue and contains many blood vessels and also nerves. The second layer is arachnoid matter. This matter is thin and does not contain many blood vessels and it lies right below the dura matter. The innermost layer and final layer is the pia matter. This matter is very thin and does contain many blood vessels and nerves to nourish underlying cells in the brain and spinal cord. 4. Name the cranial nerves and list their major functions- Olfactory- sense of smell Optic- vision Oculomotor- eye movement Trigeminal- controls facial expressions Vestibular- controls hearing and vestibular Glassopharengeal- controls tongue Vagus- longest nerve in the body Accessory- shoulders and neck movement Hypoglossal- tongue in speaking movement, swallowing, and chewing. Trochlear- eye movement Abducens- eye movement Facial- facial expressions Vestibulochlear- house hearing receptors 5. Distinguish between the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous system- The sympathetic division are your fight or flight responses. If you are getting cornered in an ally you a have a set of responses that you may put forward. This division acts under stressful situations. The parasympathetic division is your responses for normal situations. This division activates under normal situations. The Senses 1. Describe how the sense of pain is produced- free nerve endings on your skin pick up stimulating from sensations of pain and send them to the brain. There are two different types, touch and pressure is contact to the surface of the body and deep pressure senses are impulses from pain in the internal tissues. 2. Explain the mechanism for smell- the olfactory nerve is the nerve in your body that controls the sense of smell. Your sense of smell is a chemoreceptor so it picks up and reacts with the chemicals that you smell. 3. Explain the mechanism for taste- Taste is also a chemoreceptor. The organs of taste are located in the papillae, which are otherwise known as your taste buds. You have 5 different taste cells, sweet, umami, bitter, sour, and salty. In order to taste the chemicals in food your saliva has to break down the chemicals and release them before your papillae picks up on the taste. 4. Name the parts and explain the functions of the outer, middle, and inner part of the ear-The outer ear is made up of our auricle and the external acoustic meatus. It simply picks up sound and funnels sound into the next part of the ear, which is the middle ear. The middle ear is made up of the tympanic cavity otherwise known as the eardrum. The ear drum is made up of three auditory bones in which the vibration pass through and create the sound that is sent to the inner ear where the auditory cortex interprets the sensory impulses. 5. Distinguish between static and dynamic equilibrium- static equilibrium senses when the head is still and maintains balance throughout and dynamic equilibrium senses when the body and head are moving and tries to maintain balance. Endocrine System 1. Explain how insulin and glucagon work together to regulate blood levels of glucose- Glucagon and insulin work against each other in the regulating of blood sugar. Glucagon stimulates the liver to break down glycogen and convert some noncarbohydrates, for example amino acids, into glucose to raise the blood sugar. Insulin on the other hand does the exact opposite. Insulin stimulates the liver to form glycogen from glucose. Also, the secretion of insulin encourages transport of amino acids into cells, increases the rate and time of protein synthesis, and stimulates adipose cells to synthesize and store fat. 2. Distinguish between endocrine and exocrine glands- the exocrine glands secret hormones into ducts and the endocrine system secretes hormones into body fluids. The Endocrine system has 5 parts, the pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, and pancreas. 3. Name and describe the major endocrine glands and list the hormones they secrete- Pituitary- hormones: pituitary gland which is at the base of the brain and it controls all hormones, the growth hormone uses carbohydrates at a faster rate in order to make your body grow, next is the thyroid-stimulating hormone which controls the secretion of hormones from  the thyroid but the hypothalamus controls the release of TSH, last is the anti diaretic hormone which forces the kidneys to conserve water. Thyroid- the thyroid gland is made up of follicles that store hormones and it is located in the neck. The thyroid gland releases Thyroxine and triiodothyronine, which increase the metabolic rate of cells, enhance protein synthesis and stimulate lipid operation. Parathyroid- secretory cells that contain capillaries. The parathyroid gland secretes the parathyroid hormone, which increases blood calcium and decreases blood phosphate ion levels. Adrenal- made up of the adrenal medulla, which secretes epinephrine and nonrepinephrine. The sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system controls the secretion of these hormones. The adrenal cortex also makes up the adrenal gland and it produces a number of steroid hormones such as aldosterone, and cortisol, and adrenal sex hormones. Pancreas- the pancreas secretes digestive juices and hormones. The pancreas is attached to the small intestine and it secretes glucagon and insulin. (See number 1) 4. Describe how the body responds to stress- Stress is caused by a threat to the maintenance of homeostasis. The hypothalamus controls the stress responses. These responses include your fight or flight responses such as raise in blood sugar, glycerol and fatty acids. Increased heart rate, blood pressure and an increase in the breathing rate, increase in epinephrine from the adrenal medulla (See answer 3). Digestive System and Nutrition 1. Identify each of the organs/structures of the digestive system and discuss how the function of each one contributes to the digestive process- Mouth- aids in the mechanical break down of food. This process begins digestion. Salivary glands- release an enzyme called saliva which begins the chemical digestion of food and produces the taste also. Pharynx- pushes food to the esophagus. Esophagus- pushes food the stomach Stomach- when the stomach receives the food from the esophagus it mixes it with juices and begins the protein digestion then to is sent to the small intestine. Small intestine- takes out the nutrients from the food and moves the waste to the large intestine. Large intestine- reabsorbs water to form feces. 2. Name and describe the many negative health effects and diseases associated with corn syrup/high fructose corn syrup consumption- Obesity- excessive weight gain is a result of the increase in consumption of HFCS. Your body cannot recognize HFCS as a food so it shunts it to a fat cell and you eat more because you don’t know your full. Liver- fructose can only break down in liver so it makes your liver fatty which can lead to diabetes Diabetes- high or low blood sugar in this case high because you consume so much FAKE sugar that your body secretes it into your blood because it doesn’t know what else to do with it. 3. In class, I used ketchup and processed-peanut butters as an example that not many people know contain corn syrup and high fructose corn sugar (among other sugars). List 4 products that contain corn syrup/high fructose corn syrup that would ‘trick’ a consumer- Bread Barbecue sauce Good (supposedly) cereals even ‘Special K’ Crackers Hamburgers

Study and Discussion Questions for Lord of the Flies

Study and Discussion Questions for 'Lord of the Flies' Lord of the Flies is a famous and highly controversial novel by William Golding. An unusually violent version of a coming-of-age story, the novel is viewed as an allegory, exploring the aspects of human nature that lead us to turn on each other and resort to violence. Golding was a war veteran, and much of his literary career was spent exploring these themes central to an understanding of humanity. His other works include Free Fall, about a prisoner in a German camp during World War II; The Inheritors which depicts a race of gentle people being overrun by a more violent race and Pincher Martin, a story told from the point of view of a drowning soldier Here are a few questions about Lord of the Flies for study and discussion, to help improve your understanding of its themes and characters. Why Is the Novel Called Lord of the Flies? What is important about the title? Is there a reference in the novel that explains the title? Hint: Simon is the one who names the pigs staked head.  Central to the plot of Lord of the Flies is the idea of order and society being crucial to survival. Does Golding seem to be advocating for a structured society, or against it? Explain your answer using one of the characters as your evidence. Plot and Character in Lord of the Flies Which of the boys on the island is the most well-developed character? Which is the most poorly developed? Could Golding have done more to explore the boys backstories, or would that have slowed the plot?Could Lord of the Flies have taken place at another point in history? Explore this possibility by choosing a time period and determining how the plot would have played out there.  How important is the setting in Lord of the Flies? Would it have been as effective to the plot if Golding had stranded the boys on another planet, for instance? Explain your answer.The ending of Lord of the Flies is not unexpected; it seemed likely throughout the novel that the boys eventually would be rescued. But does the ending satisfy you? What do you think Golding was trying to say by letting us hear the Navy officers inner thoughts?   Putting Lord of the Flies in Larger Context If you were going to recommend Lord of the Flies to a friend, how would you describe it? Would you warn them of the novels violence?  Understanding that the central plot is highly controversial, do you think Lord of the Flies should be censored or banned? Does it make sense that it has been banned in the past?Do you agree that Lord of the Flies is a companion piece of sorts to J.D. Salingers The Catcher in the Rye? How do you think Holden Caulfield would have fared on Goldings island with the rest of the boys?

Chapter Study Questions 1 & 2 Essay Example for Free

Chapter Study Questions 1 & 2 Essay 1.What percentage of Texans live in urban areas (cities & suburbs)?   90% of the population now lives in crowed cities and suburbs. 2.Name the three cities in Texas that are three of the largest in US?   Houston, San Antonio and Dallas 3.What are the three diverse economic businesses in Texas? 4 Oil and gas producer now work alongside high-tech companies, telecommunications giants, and other important business sectors. 4.In what areas does Texas consistently rank at the bottom in state spending compared to other states? 4 Texas consistently ranks near the bottom of the states in spending on education, welfare, and healthcare for poor. 5.Is Texas a high-tax, high-business regulatory state or is it low-tax, low-regulatory?   Texas is low-tax and low-regulatory climate. 6.Are Texas well informed about government and elected officials? Do they trust government? 4 Texans are woefully ignorant of their state and local government and the public officials who make important decisions affecting their daily lives. 7.Does Texas have a regressive or progressive tax system and what do these mean?   Texas has a regressive tax system, which means a tax that imposes a disproportionately heavier burden on low-income people than on the more affluent. 8.What is meant by economic diversification and has Texas done this? 6 Economic diversification is the development of new and varied business activities. New business were encouraged to relocated to or expand in Texas after the oil and gas industry, which had been the base of the state’s economy, suffered a major recession in the 1980’s. 9.What is meant by ‘cowboy rugged individualism’ and how has this impacted Texans’ views of government as a solution to problems?   The cowboy rugged individualism, with strong connotations of self-help and independence, symbolizes a political culture in Texas that does not like to look to government as a solution to many of its problems. It is the kind of individualism that continues to be exploited by political candidates in campaign ads. 10. What impact did having a frontier have on Texans? On might argue that the â€Å"wide-open spaces† of the frontier shaped Texan’s  view of their autonomy, independence, and vulnerability. It has clearly shaped attitudes toward land and the legal right to use land as one sees fit. 11. What three combined groups now make up the majority of Texans and how does their historical experiences differ from that of Anglos? What celebration are part of their political culture?   African American, Hispanic, and Asian Americans. The white population have limited relevance to the relevance to the cultural and historical experiences of many African American and Hispanic Texans. For African American is Martin Luther King Jr’s birthday as state holiday in 1991. And for Hispanics is the Cinco de Mayo. 12.Just what does political culture mean and describe the individualistic subculture in terms of government size, assistance, politics, and primary goals? 9 Political culture a widely shared set of views, attitudes, beliefs and customs of a people as to how their government should be organized and run. Individualistic subculture holds that politics and government function as a marketplace. Government does not have to be concerned with creating a good or moral society but exists for strictly. Government should be limited, and its intervention in the private activities of its citizens should be kept to a minimum. The Government primary function is to ensure the stability of a society so that individuals can pursue their own interests. 13. Describe the moralistic subculture in terms of government size, assistance, politics, and primary goals? 9-10 Moralistic subculture is a view that government’s primary reasonability is to promote the public welfare and should actively use its authority and power to improve the social and economic well-being of its citizens. The Moralistic subculture regards politics as one of the great activities of a man in his search for the good society. 14.Describe the traditionalistic subculture in terms of government size, assistance, politics, and primary goals? 10 a view that political power should e concentrated in the hands of a few elite citizens who belong to established families or influential social groups. Public policy basically serves the interests of this small group. The traditionalistic subculture  holds the view that there is a hierarchical arrangement to the political order. This hierarchy serves to limit the power and influence of general public, while allocating authority to few individuals who comprise self-perpetuating elites. 15. In what states or colonies did you originally find these three subcultures and what two best describe Texas? 16. How big is the Native American population in Texas and of the three remaining groups, do they have the right to have casinos? 11 Alabama-Coushatta, Tigua and Kickappo are the three small Native American groups that live on reservations in Texas. And the Native American population is less than one-half of 1 percent of the States total population. They have been denied the right to run casinos on their reservation. Even thought, their leader consider casinos a major potential source of revenue, jobs and economic development for their people, but recent efforts to change state law have been unsuccessful. 17. Were there ever a great many Hispanics in Texas prior to 1830 and what was it down to by 1887? How much had this increased by 1930, 1990, and 2012? 12 Prior 1830 the Hispanic population were a small minority of the population. By 1887 the Hispanic population had declined to approximately 4 percent of state’s population. In 1930 it was 12 percent and was concentrated in the border counties from Brownsville to el Paso. By 1990s, it had reached 25 percent, spurred by immigration from Mexico and other Latin American countries. By 2012 the Hispanics comprised 37.6 percent of the state’s population. 18.What two ethnic or racial groups are growing the fastest in Texas and by 2030-what group will be the largest? How have Hispanics done in terms of elected officials compared to other states?12 The two ethnic will be Asian and Hispanics. However the Hispanics are likely to exceed 50 percent of the state’s total. 19. Compare the %s of Anglos, African Americans, Hispanics, and Asians found in Texas in 1860 and those found in 2010? Chart 13 In 1860 it was a percent of 63.2% of Anglo. The 30.3 % are African American and 6.5% were Hispanic. However in 2010, 45.3% were Anglo, 11.5% were African American, 37.6% were Hispanic and 5.6% were other. 20.Where do African Americans tend to live in Texas?   African American settled in large numbers in the urban areas of Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and Austin. 21. In 2010, how many Texans were there and what was the growth rate of the state compared to the national growth rate and where did people move from and to in the US? 16 According to the 2010 census, the state’s population was 25,145,561, an increase of approximately 4.3 million people in ten years. This growth rate of 20.6 percent was significantly higher than the national growth rate of growth rate of 9.7 percent. Chapter Study Questions 1 & 2. (2016, Mar 16).

Cultural aspects of multi chanel cutomer management Essay

Cultural aspects of multi chanel cutomer management - Essay Example Organizations should have a clear picture about the different customer behaviours in order to formulate different strategies to establish strong relationships with them. Some customers may like cheaper price whereas some others may give more importance to the quality of the product or after sales support. The awareness of customer behaviours will help the organizations to formulate different channels for the customer management. This paper is written based on the reflections of the article Cultural Aspects of Multi-Channel Customer Management: A UK Case Study. Channel management is influenced by customer behaviors, preferences, perceptions and expectations. Customers may contact with the different channels of the organization at different period of time throughout customer’s life cycle. Customer relationship management (CRM) depends of many factor like differences in business practices, competition, regulatory characteristics, country characteristics, and consumer characteristics. Organizations need to approach the CRM in two ways; macro – country level and micro- individual customer in order to cater the needs of the customers effectively. The macro factors involve differences that affect entire countries or regions whereas the micro factors involve individual consumers within those countries or regions. The success of CRM depends on three factors which arose from internal and external environments; differences in customer expectations, drivers of satisfaction, loyalty, profitability and customer value across countries or cultures; differences in the competitive environments, technological infrastructure, political systems, and regulatory variations between countries around the globe and the difference in the challenges faced by global firms in forming a cu stomer-oriented organization, which already encountered challenges in the form of culture and power issues. Multi-channel customer management will help us to analyze the influence of culture