Intro to Philosophy Essay Example for Free

Intro to Philosophy Essay The word philosophy itself means â€Å"the love of wisdom. † Philosophy stands for doing the right thing or being a â€Å"just† person. Philosophy also means to see things for what they truly are and not what they may seem to be. A philosopher’s life is a lifelong quest to find the meaning of things beyond their physical appearance. The Ring of Gyges is a ring that a man puts on and becomes invisible. When he does wrong he is not blamed, he gets away with it. Once a man puts this ring on he can be unjust without punishment. In the second book of The Republic Adimantus argued that the unjust life is happier than the unjust. His argument was that a just man can go without now and enjoy heaven in the afterlife while an unjust man will go without nothing and still enjoy the benefits of the after life. Through the eyes of a philosopher there are two worlds, the visible world and the intelligible world. In the visible you can see things and judge them from what you actually see. If a person sees a flower one could judge that it is a beautiful flower. However, the person is judging this flowers beauty on its physical appearance and their claim is merely an opinion rather than true knowledge. In â€Å"The Allegory of the Cave† men are chained inside of a cave. All they can see is the shadows that are formed on the wall in front of them. The people inside of the cave believe that the shadows that are being cast on the wall is reality. When one of the men is unchained and brought to the outside world at first he is blinded by the sun and cannot see clearly. The man can only see the shadows of the objects in front of him, this can be perceived as the images of physical objects. When his eyes adjust he can see more than the shadows, he can see the physical objects themselves. When the man goes back inside of the cave to tell the others what he has seen he again cannot see clearly because his eyes have not adjusted. The others in the cave laugh claiming that the sun has ruined his eyes. For a period of time he cannot decipher what the shadows on the wall are imitating. They don’t believe what the man is telling them. In Plato’s Analogy of the Divided Line the four stages of cognition, which represent the levels of existence, are explained. The first two stages, the good and the sun, represent the visible world. The third and fourth stages, knowledge and opinion, represent the intelligible world. These stages are represented in â€Å"The Allegory of the Cave. † Without the sun’s light we would not be able to see anything at all. The sun allows us to see the flower that we perceived as beautiful. Without the suns light we would not be able to see or perceive any of the physical objects that exist. The sun is perceived as the things that we see. The sun also allows for all living life on earth. Without the sun all life on Earth would diminish. Without the sun we could not perceive anything at all. 1. A person can only understand something once they have reached the highest level of cognitive activity. One must acquire the Form of Good before they can truly understand something. Images and assumptions are not enough support to truly understand the meaning of something. The images the prisoners in the cave saw and the assumptions they made about what they thought they could be are only their opinions. Although they were able to identify the shadows on the wall as what they thought they were it is not enough to truly know what they are, the identities given to the shadows by the prisoners is merely their opinion. In â€Å"Phaedo† Socrates claims that our soul is attached to our body. Our body acts as a vessel only operating because of the soul inside. According to Socrates our body holds us back from perceiving things for what they truly are and therefore a philosopher should desire death because it enables them to continue their quest of reality. 2. Socrates viewed death as a purification of the body that allows us find pure wisdom. Socrates explained how our souls are glued to our bodies and only when they are unfastened by death is a person able to experience wisdom in its purest state. The body distracts us from finding the truth because it requires maintenance. The body allows us to feel pain and emotions like love, fear and hunger. Socrates admits that philosophers are more or less practicing for death and should embrace it when it comes for them. â€Å"And will he who is a true lover of wisdom, and is persuaded in like manner that only in the world below he can worthily enjoy her, still repine death? Will he not depart with joy? Surely, he will, my friend, if he be a true philosopher. For he will have a firm conviction that there only, and nowhere else, he can find wisdom in her purity. † (Phaedo pg. 65) Socrates believes that philosophy is good because it enlightens us to what things actually are rather than what they’re perceived to be. Philosophy is what brings the unchained man outside of the cave. It pushes us to go into the unknown, which we at one point we thought we knew. Once we realize what things actually are we also realize that we had no idea what they really were before. The man in the cave that once thought that the only reality was the shadows on the wall now realizes that the shadows weren’t reality at all. Socrates was formally charged because he didn’t worship the gods recognized by the states and for corrupting the youth of Athens. The informal charges against Socrates was asking questions that were unusual, or outside of the box. â€Å"Socrates is an evil-doer, and a curious person, who searches into things under the earth and in heaven, and he makes the worse appear the better cause; and he teaches the aforesaid doctrines to others† p. 21 Apology The oracle of Delphi told Socrates that he was the wisest man. Socrates refused to accept this statement and went searching for a wiser man than himself. In search of a wiser man than himself, Socrates talked with many people including politicians, poets and craftsmen who claimed to be wise. Socrates found them to not be wise because they thought they knew things that they did not. Socrates proclaimed himself as wise because he knew that he did not know. Socrates exposed the false wisdom of the men who were thought to be wise. Naturally these men held much resistance and hostility towards Socrates. These negative feelings contributed to Socrates’ trial. Socrates refutes Meletus’ statement that he doesn’t believe in any god, that he is an atheist. Socrates does this by confirming that he does in fact believe in supernatural activities, such as his inner voice that told him he was the wisest man, and therefore is not an atheist. Socrates states that wealthy young men, enjoy following him around and listening to him question people. It’s entertaining for them. These men, who think they are wise but aren’t, then go out and try to do this on their own. When the people they question get angry instead of being angry with themselves, become angry with Socrates. They accuse Socrates of filling the young men’s head with nonsense. When asked about what Socrates teaches they don’t know and then use claims already made against philosophers against Socrates. Socrates then asks Meletus who he thinks an improver of the youth is. Meletus claims that the law is an improver of the youth, such as judges and senators. Socrates then proclaims that everyone in the state is an improver of the youth except himself. Meletus agrees to this statement. Socrates states that he must either not corrupt the youth or unintentionally corrupt the youth because good do their neighbors good, and evil do them evil. If he had corrupted someone, in theory, they should have harmed him by now. In Socrates’ last defense he says, â€Å"For if you kill me you will not easily find another like me, who, if I may use such a ludicrous figure of speech, am a sort of gadfly, given to the state by God; and the state is like a great and noble steed who is tardy in his motions owing to his very size, and requires to be stirred into life. I am that gadfly which God has given the state, and all day long and in all places am always fastening upon you, arousing and persuading and reproaching you. † (31-32) Socrates is attempting to demonstrate to the people of the city that there is more to their life than what meets the eye. Without philosophers such as himself they will continue to live the life they’re living with no desire to search for more. They will continue to accept the shadows on the wall as their reality. There are three parts to the soul. These three parts consist of the rational, high spirit and the appetitive. The rational portion of the soul is the part of us that seeks knowledge of wisdom. According to Plato the rational should rule the soul. The high spirit consists of the angry and prideful part of the soul that defends and aids the rational. The high spirit avoids shame. The final part of the soul, the appetitive, is the part of the soul that desires. While some desires are necessary, others are not. If not restrained by the rational, the appetitive portion of the soul can over rule all other parts. In addition to the three parts of the soul there are also three parts of the city. These three parts are the gold, silver and the bronze. The golds are the guardians, the silvers are the enforcers of the laws (helpers), and the bronzes are the merchants and tradesmen. The city virtue of wisdom resides within the gold’s, the guardians. In order to posses civic wisdom one must know how the city operates and how all parts of the city are connected. The knowledge of how the city runs and operates allows the city to operate at the highest level. The city virtue of bravery and justice resides with the silvers, the enforcers of laws. Civic bravery is the defined as the Silvers upholding their education about what things are and are not to be feared and in what order as ordered to them by the Golds. Civic justice refers to sticking to your own work whether you are a moneymaker, helper, or guardian. It’s considered unjust to work outside of your boundaries. The city virtue of temperance exists within the bronze citizens, the merchants and tradesmen, of the city. The civic temperance is the agreement (harmony) between the three sections (gold, silver and bronze) as to who should rule and who should obey. The personal virtue of wisdom is housed by ones rational portion of the soul. Personal wisdom consists of knowing all parts of the soul and how they are connected to one another. The ultimate goal of personal wisdom is keeping the soul as healthy and as balanced as possible. Personal bravery and justice is contained within the high-spirit part of the soul. The High-Spirit of the soul is to preserve the education of what is and is not to be feared. The Rational tells the High-Spirit in which order things are to be feared or not feared. The personal virtue of justice minds it’s own within each part of the soul. The appetitive portion of the soul houses the personal temperance virtue. The personal temperance works in agreement between the three portions of the soul as to who should rule and who should obey. The advantage of philosophy with respect to the state is the efficiency. Everyone has jobs that relate well to their attributes. You cannot be a gold (guardian) without first experiencing being a bronze and then a silver. In order to be a gold one must possess knowledge of all three parts of the city. This ultimately leaves the best most knowledgeable citizens in charge of the city. The advantage of philosophy in regards to the individual is the balance between all parts of the soul. All parts of the soul are important to understand and the rational helps us inherit the wisdom needed to understand these aspects of the soul. One who constantly indulges in the appetitive portion of the soul will be overcome by it. When a person posses wisdom they know when a desire is necessary rather than unnecessary. Students and states that pursue philosophy are better off than the ones who don’t because of the level of intelligence they hold. When a student or state has the knowledge of all the levels of either the civic or individual level they’re more likely to excel in their job. Without philosophy there would be no need to extend one’s boundaries and explore the unkown. Socrates was the man in the cave who managed to break free from his chains and see the world beyond the cave. His accusers, the men still chained inside of the cave, refused to accept what Socrates was trying to show them. If they accepted what Socrates was trying to prove it would be a harsh reality for all they ever knew would diminish. Life outside of the cave is unknown. It’s far less scary to continue their life believing that the shadows on the wall are all that there is. Works Cited Plato, and Benjamin Jowett. The Trial and Death of Socrates: Four Dialogues. New York: Dover Publications, 1992. Print. Plato, H. D. P. Lee, and M. S. Lane. The Republic. London: Penguin, 2007. Print.

Effect Of Moisture Contents And Storage Temperature Citrus Seeds Biology Essay

Effect Of Moisture Contents And Storage Temperature Citrus Seeds Biology Essay King et al. (1981) determined that the longevity of various citrus seeds improved as the storage temperature and moisture contents of seeds were decreased. The lemon, lime and sour orange dried up to 5 % moisture contents and stored at -20 Â °C suffered no significant decline in viability within the storage period of seven months for lime, lemon and sour orange respectively. Nayer (1981) examined that seeds were extracted from Duncan grapefruit, pineapple, sweet orange, Troyer citrange and rough lemon fruits and these seeds were treated with different fungicides. These seeds were then stored moist, surface dried after 1-16 days of drying at room temperature. All four citrus cultivars showed delayed germination due to drying at different regimes for different durations. With Duncan grapefruit, seed stored moist was 80 % germination twenty days before surface dry seed and some were killed by two days drying. At the other extreme, rough lemon seed survived 16 days drying with out loss of viability and germination delay was not grater after 16 days than after 1-2 days drying. Saraswathy et al. (1997) studied three tropical fruit species believed to recalcitrant seed storage behavior, Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.), rambai (Baccaurea motleyana Muell.- Arg.) and jelentik (Baccaurea polyneura Hook. f.). Their seeds showed no dormancy and they germinated more easily and more quickly. At the time of harvest, the moisture contents (fresh weight basis) were 53.54, 51.20 and 44.90 % for G. mangostana, B. motleyana and B. polyneura respectively. G. mangostana seeds lost their viability when their moisture contents fell to about 24 % while B. motleyana seeds lost their viability below 35.5 % moisture contents. However, for B. polyneura the seeds could be dried to low moisture content with high survival percentage. The viability was still high when the rates of moisture contents were reduced to 13.46 %. At this moisture content, the germination percentage was 91.76 % and it was found that the seeds survived cryopreservation with 8.3 % viability. They also vary greatly in their size. Seeds of G. mangostana are larger than Baccaurea seeds and thus, more sensitive to the desiccation tolerance. Seeds and embryonic axis structure may play a very important role in desiccation sensitivity. Fu et al. (1994) reported that the desiccation tolerance in two species with recalcitrant seeds: Clausena lansium (Lour) and Litchi chinensis (Sonn.) was studied. They resulted that the mature seeds were less sensitive to desiccation than the fully mature ones while the embryonic axis of the same stage were more tolerant of desiccation than whole seeds. Aslantus and Pirlak, (2002) reported that the germination capacity of strawberry pollen increased in low temperature. However, germination percentage of 4Â °C and fresh pollen was almost in first week. Pollens that were stored at 4 Â °C showed low 53.40 % germination percentage in early weeks but the rate of germination was further decreased quickly and up to 48 weeks the rate of germination percentage was 20.10 %. Conclusively the range of temperature and humidity are the major influencing factors in pollen behavior of different conditions. Pollens that were stored at -60Â °C showed better results and these pollens showed 60 % viability after storing for 48 weeks. The most successful factor for pollen conservation is the storage temperatures and moisture contents of material, lowering of both temperature and humidity tends to increase the period of viability. Ganeshan (1986) studied the cryopreservation of papaya pollens in liquid nitrogen (-196 Â °C) and found that the pollen cryopreserved for 485 days retained their viability and germination percentage as high as fresh pollens were germinated in vitro. Pollens stored for 300 days could effect normal fertilization, producing fruit and seed set on a par with controls, indicating no major loss of fertility. Pollen samples exhibited high tolerance to direct freezing at ultra low temperatures un-controlled thawing to ambient temperature and re-freezing back to cryogenic temperatures, when viability was determined after storage. This method of preservation would be more profitable for breeders and gene banks involved in conserving genetic recourses. Normah and Serimala (1995) reported that citrus aurantifolia seeds can be successfully cryopreserved at -196 Â °C after desiccating them to a moisture content of 12.93 % (50% viability) while seeds of C. halimii presented only 25 % viability after cryopreservation at moisture contents of 9.5 %. The Seeds of C. hystrix are highly sensitive to desiccation as they failed to germinate when the moisture contents were reduced to 27 % and thus did not survive cryopreservation. The embryonic axes of the three Citrus species gave higher percentage of survival after cryopreservation. Survival rate was 100 % in C. aurantifolia and C. halimii embryonic axes with moisture contents of 9-11 % and 16.6 % respectively. With C. hystrix axes, the highest survival rate obtained that was 60 % at a moisture content of 11.04 %. The cryopreservation methods were further employed for the embryonic axis of C. hystrix. There was no improvement in the survival percentage obtained. Khalil (1999) observed that unstratified seeds of Troyer citrange, (C. volkameriana) lime cultivars Balady and Rashidi and sour orange were extracted during January. (1) Seed fresh weight (2) Seedling emergence and vigor as affected by seed weight, seed density and soaking in IBA. The comprehensible differences were observed in seed weight and uniformity and the range of its distribution. They also determined that the large and high density seeds were associated with high rates of emergence of seedling. Radhamani et al. (1991) stated that the seed coats usually acted as a mechanical barrier for the germination of the seeds which was improved by removing it in all the seven citrus species tested namely limes, lemons, mandarins, sweet orange, sour orange and pummelos. The surface characteristics of the seed coat were examined using SEM and surface structure differed in the various species under study. A correlation between the thickness of seed coat and their rate of germination was found in these species. Chilembwe et al. (1992) reported that commercially processed seed of different citrus cultivars. The seeds were used as the effect of hydration and priming on the rate of germination. Seeds which were soaked in aerated water showed increased germination rates and emergence rates compared with that of un- soaked seeds. The soaking of seeds at 35 Â °C temperature enhanced these differences rather than at 25 Â °C. Priming seeds in solution of PEG 6,000 was not successful as germination and emergence percentage were lower than soaking in distilled water. Polat and Kaska (1992) studied the impacts of stratification at 4 Â °C for 30 days on germinations for the seeds of Loquat cultivars Gold Nugget and Tanaka. Stratification markedly increased the rate of germination percentage of seeds, resulting in 98.75 % germination. Un-stratified but chilled seeds demonstrated 68.75 % germination, while untreated and controlled seeds show 63.75 % germination. Stratified seeds germinated more rapidly than the seeds which were untreated. Kadam et al. (1994) reported that viability and rate of germination percentage of ciotrus limonia seeds were examined during the storage period for up to six weeks in the open air or in polythene bags at room temperature (90 % RH) and storage temperature 10 Â °C (45 % RH). Both were declined during the storage periods but this decrease was least for seeds stored at 10 Â °C +45 % RH. Dument and Berjak (1995) described that the recalcitrant seeds were generally larger and show much curtailed longevity even if stored hydrated. They also determined minimum water content tolerated by embryos of five recalcitrant species and their subsequent survival after cryopreservation. Roberts et al. (1999) reported that the citrus seeds have practically recalcitrant seed storage behavior, because they are highly sensitive to desiccation (cryogenic) temperature condition. Usually it was desirable for long term storage conservation of seeds. More recently, it has proved that citrus seeds have not been considered to be truly recalcitrant, as they can tolerate desiccation to some extent. However, their tolerance is limited and varies from species to species and variety to variety. Citrus seeds are some what intermediate between orthodox and recalcitrant seeds and can be named as non orthodox. Hong and Ellis (1995) stated that there are differences in seed storage behavior among species particularly within the genus. Seeds of C. Robusta and C. libercia were tested for germination following desiccation and storage for up to one year at -20Â °C with 5-13 % (robusta) or 5-14 % (liberica) moisture content. Viability was lost more quickly during storage conditions the lowest the temperature below 15 Â °C and the lowest moisture content 11.3 %. Seeds of C. liberica were more sensitive to desiccation. Only the 6 % surviving rate was obtained to desiccation with 13.5 % moisture content. It is concluded that C. libercia showed recalcitrant seed storage behavior but that C. robusta shows an intermediate seed storage behavior. Evidence is variation in seed storage behavior with in the genus Citrus and the intermediate category is discrete rather than a continuum between orthodox and recalcitrant. Effect of Plant Growth Regulators on Citrus Seed Germination Burger and Hackett (1982) observed that Valencia orange seeds did not germinate when the fruits were harvested during the early November, while seed from November harvested fruit stored at 3-4 Â °C for 21 days germination was 100 %. An equivalent germination response was obtained when seeds from fruits were extracted in April. They were also examined when treatment of IBA reduced about 50% germination in seeds from non cold treated fruits. Burger (1983) reported that germination of sour orange seeds air dried for more than 1 day was delayed and the rates of germination were decreased. A naphthalene-acetic acid soaked seeds reversed the effect of drying and resulted in taller seedling with stem dry weight. But stratification and a water soak did not reverse the undesirable effect of air drying. Edwards and Mumford (1983) informed that the seeds of citrus aurantium were stored in a range of different substances including fruit juices, phenols, growth regulators, and a kind of fungicides and solutions of high osmotic potential. The effects of these substances on germination at 200 Â °C and on viability of seeds stored at 40 Â °C over long periods were examined. Low temperature 4 Â °C alone was more effective and more valuable than any of the substances in preventing germination or growth in storage and had no adverse effect on germination percentage. The survival rate of imbibed seeds at 4Â °C was best in 10-2 M NAA. The germination imbibitions at 25 Â °C were incomplete with all the substances, and there was significant loss of viability. Ramos et al. (1997) reported that the immature fruits contain larger number of seeds than mature fruits. The seeds were removed from immature fruits, 10 to 12 weeks after anthesis of Citrus sunki and disinfected with 1 % NaOCl for 20 minutes before placing on Murashige and skoog medium. After 40 days at 25 Â °C with a 16-h photoperiod at 3,000 lux, showed that the highest germination percentage rates (8 %) corresponded to an NAA concentration of 0.68 mg/L. The concentration of benzyladenine in this trial was inadequate to stimulate satisfactory development of the immature seeds of cv. Sunki. Kalita et al. (2002) determined the effect of plant growth regulators (PGRs) gibberellic acid, IBA, IAA and NAA at different concentrations (200, 400, 600 and 800 ppm) on citrus reticulate seed germination. Plant growth regulators (PGR) treated seeds required only fewer days for germination than distilled water treated seeds (control). Treatment with 600ppm IBA recorded the shortest time (19 days) required for germination. This was statically at par with 800ppm IAA, 600 and 800ppm GA3 (21, 20 and 21 days respectively). Treatment with 800ppm NAA recorded the highest germination percentage (86.6 %) which was statistically at par with 600ppm IBA (80 %). The control treatment recorded the lowest germination percentage (33.33 %). The highest leaf number (7) was recorded upon treatment with 800ppm IBA. The control treatment recorded the lowest leaf number as compared to the PGR treated seeds. Parsad and Rekha (1991) observed that the seeds of three strains of Rangpur lime and acid lime were irradiated at the amount of 6-2KR and germination rates were compared with that of the control one. A significant decreased in germination rates were occurred with increasing the exposure of 50-60 % at the semi lethal dose level. The radiation sensitivity was of chief importance in the mutations program. Rao and Singh (1992) reported that hydration-dehydration treatments with tanic acid and benzoic acid increased the percentage of the germination in black gram and green gram, while compared with water soaked and dry seeds. Dhillion et al. (1993) examined that hybrid seeds from 6 citrus cultivars crosses, dried and sown in polythene bags filled with a mixture of farm yard manures (FYM) and sand during the month of August. Seeds of seven combinations failed to germination. The highest seed germination percentage (74.4 %) was gained with the Ludhiana selection + Lime Attari cross. Leonel et al. (1994) accounted that seeds extracted from mature and ripe fruits on 5th May, washed in running tap water and then dried under shade for a week, stored at 4-5 Â °C until 16 September. Then these seeds were soaked in water in various solutions of growth regulators for 24 hrs. The seeds were germinated at 25 Â °C under white light on filter paper moistened with distilled water. The germination was evaluated after every two days. Data was calculated and tabulated on the number of germinated seeds, germination percentage, average germination time and average rate. The differences were observed between different treatments but germination was highest (97 %) following treatments with phenylmethylaminopurine at 20mg/L. Raju and Sivaprakasam (1994) deliberated that the effects of the treatments with fungicides, bactericides, hot water on the viability of cabbage cultivars. September seeds were judged promptly after treatment and after storage under ambient condition for 3 or 6 months. Seeds treated with carbendazim at the rate of 2g/Kg, hot water at 50Â °C for 30 min or thiram at the rate of 2g/Kg had higher germination percentage (mean values for the 3 assessments of >80 %) than the control (71 %). Normah et al. (1997) observed that desiccation sensitivity of seeds of mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana), rambai (Baccaurea motleyana) and jelentik (Garcinia polyneura). These were known as tropical fruits species believed to have recalcitrant seed storage behavior. The seeds showed no dormancy, they germinated easily. At the time of harvesting, the moisture contents were 53.54, 51.20 and 44.90 %. The seeds of Mangosteen (G. mangostana) lost their viability when their moisture contents fell to about 24 % while B. motleyana seeds lost viability below 35.5 % moisture contents. However, for B. polyneura seeds could be dried to low moisture contents with highest survival rate. The viability was still high when the moisture contents were reduced to 13.46 %. At this moisture content, the germination percentage was 91.76 % and it was found that the seeds survived cryopreservation with 8.3 % viability. For B. polyneura axes, the los of viability when their moisture contents fell to about 36 % , while for B. polyneura axes viability was reduced to 33.67 % when the moisture is 27.30 %. So it was concluded that the seeds vary in degree of desiccation sensitivity. Dussert (1999) determined the seed desiccation sensitivity in nine species of the genus Coffea by measuring seed viability after equilibration and various saturated salt solutions. The results showed that Coffea is a suitable material for studying desiccation sensitivity. Leonel and Rodrigues (1999) reported that the citrus limonia seeds were extracted from ripe fruits, washed with tap water, air dried and then these seeds were stored at 4 Â °C for 12 days. After storage these seeds were then treated for 24 hrs with KNO3 0.1 % at the rate of different concentrations. The evaluations were observed and conducted at 5 days interval, starting 15 days after sowing. The statistical analysis showed that the growth regulator treatment did not enhance seed germination and those treatments with KNO3 at 0.1 % and 0.2 % inhibited the germination of seeds Tokeshi et al. (1999) reported that the supply of energy of seeds decreases during the germination periods. The survival percentage of the seedlings probability increases if the germination period of seeds is reduced. The potential of seedling survival is called vigor which can be determined from the speed of emergence. The effective micro organisms (EM) have plant growth regulator action like Naphthalene acetic acid. The speed of emergence was evaluated in tangerine cv. Coleoptra seeds treated with metalaxyl for 30 minute before sowing. The speed of emergence of the EM treatment was superior to the control one. The growth promoter effect of EM was best during the initial four days of emergence of the seedlings. In comparison of 40 days old seedlings, the EM treated seeds produced larger plants than that of the control treatment. Hong et al. (2000) stated that the viability of Norway maple seeds collected 21 days before mass maturity (68 % moisture content) and at mass maturity (65 % moisture contents). Their viability was reduced from 52-85 % to 7 % if dried rapidly to 4-5 % moisture contents. Effect of storage on seed moisture contents King and Roberts, (1979) stated that viability of citrus seeds is greatly affected by drying for different time periods, viability being decreased when the moisture contents were reduced to some extent. Citrus seeds have been usually classified as recalcitrant seeds as some species loss their viability when the moisture contents are reduced below 10 %. Recalcitrant seeds normally originated from certain moist areas where the seeds are not exposed to drying before germination. In their natural habitat, conditions are often favorable for instantaneous germination and the seeds do not require long term storage conservation. Richards, (1952) reported that the seeds of musk lime (C. macrocarpa) lost their viability at different storage regimes, at high temperature and at the low moisture contents in a few days. Teng and Hor, (1976) reported that the seeds of country lime (C. aurantifolia) lost their viability and moisture contents after 7 days when they were stored at 20-25Â °C. Mungomery et al. (1966) determined that the viability of citrus seeds can be maintained in storage regimes when the moisture content is high and the range of temperature is 5-10 Â °C. Barton, (1943) reported that sour orange (C. aurantium) seeds deteriorated in a short time at the moisture contents of 80 % and a temperature of 5 Â °C, but rough lemon (C. limonia) seeds were still viable at the moisture contents of 56 % and at a temperature of 5 Â °C after 500 days. The seeds of C. grandis were viable at the moisture contents below 10 % (Hanjo and Nakagawa, 1978) and the seeds of grapefruit (C. paradise) and mandarin (C. reticulate) were viable after 80 days stored at 14.1 % and 10 % moisture contents respectively at a temperature of 4.5 Â °C (Mallareddy, et al., 1977). Mumford and Grout, (1979) indicated that citrus seeds can be stored in dry condition for different time periods. Recently experiments have shown that C. limon seeds remained viable for 20 days stored at a moisture content of 1.2 % at room temperature, provided that the testas were removed from the seeds before drying. The advantages of storing dry seeds are significant in practical terms since a very little space is occupied by the dry seeds and they are easier to handle and maintain free from micro- organisms, but there is insufficient evidence to data to suggest that all citrus species can be stored in this way. Cameron and Soost, (1969) reported the fact that the seeds responded differently to dry storage when their seed coats were removed. The seed coat may be an important factor in seed preservation. It is known that the seed coat generally is one of the major and important factors that generally influenced seed germination. Citrus seed coats can be easily distinguished into three layers, the mucilage, the testa and the tegmen. The outer seed coat or testa is tough and is covered by mucilage. The tegmen is a thin and papery layer of seed. Their roles are not still well understood. Removing the testa usually accelerate the germination of the seeds. In their natural habitat, these layers are likely to protect from the dehydration until environmental conditions are favorable for better germination of citrus seeds (King and Roberts., 1979). Hortmann et al. (2001) reported that the rate of germination of the Seed is greatly influenced by many factors, which include type of substrate, environmental factors such as oxygen, water and temperature and for some plant species, light. Effect of Desiccation on Citrus Seeds Wood et al. (2000) concluded that desiccation results in the induction of dormancy rather than reducing the seed viability and showed that heat shock (4 hours at 36Â °C) followed by low temperature (26CÂ °C) could be used to break the dormancy. Wood et al. (2000) determined the effect of desiccation and temperature on germination capability of Papaya seeds. More than 50 % of freshly isolated cleaned but un-dried seeds germinated at 26 Â °C. However, desiccation to approximately 20 % relative humidity reduced the rate of germination percentage at this temperature to less than 10 %. A substantial increase in the rate of germination at alternating temperature (33/19Â °C) indicated that desiccation induces seed dormancy rather than viability loss. Doijode (1998) reported that the seeds of Kaghzi lime with 6.6 % moisture contents were packed in aluminoum foil laminated pouches under partial vacuum and then these packets were filled with nitrogen and carbon dioxide. These packet were stored at -20, 5, 15 Â °C and ambient (16-35 Â °C) temperature. There was no germination of seeds which were stored under ambient temperature after 6 months of storage while their viability was retained for 24 months in low temperature. Seed viability was initially affected due to desiccation injury. Pritchard et al. (2004) reported that the first challenge for the long term conservation of seeds of desiccation sensitive species is to determine their response to desiccation tolerance. This can be achieved either by the routine processing of seeds for long term conservation and identifying species more actively by specific, targeted screening that fail to survive or by fully characterizing the response to dehydration of individual species ( Hong and Ellis, 1996). Using these approaches, approximately 540 species with desiccation sensitive seeds have been identified (Flynn et al, 2004), although it has been estimated that this trait could be present in an approximately 8 % (20000 species) of the world flowering plants (Dickie and Pritchard, 2002). As it is unlikely that all of these species will ever be identified through experimental determination, a second approach to desiccation tolerance investigation is needed that identifies reliable and robust correlate of seed desiccation, leading to the development of a predictive frame work for seed storage responses. A number of studies have determined potential correlation of seed desiccation sensitivity, including seed mass (Hong and Ellis, 1998; Dickie and Pritchard, 2002; Pritchard et al., 2004), seed shape(Tompsett, 1984,1987; Hong and Ellis, 1997, seed moisture content at shedding (Hong and Ellis, 1998), seed germination rates, seed allocation to physical defence (Pritchard et al., 2004; Daws et al., 2005) and both gross and local scale habitate variables (Hong and Ellis, 1998; Dussert et al., 2000; Tweddle et al., 2003; Pritchard et al., 2004; Daws et al., 2005). Rate of dehydration greatly effects desiccation tolerance of recalcitrant seeds. This effect is presumably related to two different stress factors: direct mechanical or physical stress factor because of the loss of the water physiochemical damage of tissues as a result of metabolic alterations during drying. Liang and Sung (2002) determined a new theoretic approach to represent these two types of stresses and investigated how seed tissues responded differently to two stress vector, using the model of cocoa (Theobroma cacao) and ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) embryonic tissues dehydrated under various drying conditions. Cumulative desiccation stress increased sharply under slow drying conditions, which was also detrimental to embryonic tissues. This quantitative analysis of the stress time response relationship helps to understand the physiological basis for the existence of an optimal dehydration rate, with which maximum desiccation could be achieved. Hong et al. (2001) determined that storage behavior and longevity of seeds of lemon (C. limon) and sweet orange (C. sinensis) following desiccation between 14 and 4 % moisture contents. They also observed the hermetic air dry storage for up to 914 days at temperature between 15 and -20 Â °C up to 6 days in liquid nitrogen (-196 Â °C). The results conformed that both the species showed intermediate storage behavior that is between Orthodox and recalcitrant. Air dry storage environment require care to obtain maximum longevity of seeds. The seeds of sweet orange were highly sensitive to desiccation tolerance and less than 25 % of seeds were survived more than 210 days at 5 Â °C and 8.7 % moisture contents. The most advantageous air drying environment for the medium storage of the longer lived lemon seeds was 5Â °C and 7.5 % moisture contents. Fu et al. (1994) reported that desiccation tolerance of Clausena lansium (Lour.) seeds was highest at 67 days after anthesis (DAA). When they tolerated air- drying for 9 days: 74 DAA was measured as physiological maturity and their full viability was only maintained for up to 3 days of drying. Over ripened seeds (88 DAA) had the lowest desiccation tolerance. In Litchi chinesis (Sonn.) the desiccation sensitivity of seeds at 98 DAA (fully mature) was higher than that at 84 and 91 DAA (less mature). Role of Seed Drying Methods on Citrus Seed Behavior: Saipari et al. (1998) determined the effect of air and silica drying on seed germination percentage and viability, field emergence, seedling growth and water absorption patterns in citrus species. P. trifoliate was the most sensitive to seed drying while C. grandis and C. karna were fairly tolerant to seed drying. Seed viability scored on the basis of tetrazolium staining was slightly higher but paralleled the germination percentage in laboratory and seedling emergence. There have not been appropriate methods for drying of seeds. The drying of seeds has major effect on the quality of the seed. Pachy et al. (2003) designed an experiment to determine proper drying techniques in order to improve the seed quality of citrus seeds. There were three drying methods namely sun drying, 40Â °C hot air oven and using silica gel as the moisture absorbent. Initial seed moisture content were determined and recorded. Seed samples were quickly dried until it reached to the moisture contents of 20, 15, 10, and 5 % respectively. Standard germination tests, vigor tests by accelerated aging technique, viability tests by tetrazolium chloride test were used. It was observed that drying with silica gel result 57 % germination rate, 92 % in viability test and 38 % in vigor test. Hot air oven drying method provided 47 % in germination, 90 % in viability test and 29 % in vigor test. The result of two previous methods can maintain the viability of citrus seeds but can not spr out may be due to chemical inhabitant of seeds. While the sun drying method result poorest quality of the seeds which were 30 % in germination rate, 85 % in viability and 19 % in seed vigor. The use of sun drying system has provided highest temperature which generally makes them unsuitable for small scale drying harvested seed crops. Silica gel can reduce the relative humidity below 40 % and then removed the seed moisture contents. Therefore, drying with seed moisture absorbent was the best result and sun drying was the poorest method of drying seeds. Sangakara, (1995) reported that the drying citrus seeds under shade and ambient temperatures maintained germ- inability to greater extent than when the seeds are desiccated in ovens. Silica gel drying method was first used by the Pritchard et al. (2004) for safe and effective dehydration of seeds. Six or seven aliquots of seeds were placed in polythene bags with an equal mass of freshly regenerated silica gel desiccants. The bags were then placed in an incubator at 26 Â °C and periodic reweighing of the seeds, separated from the silica gel, allowed target masses and hence the moisture contents to be obtained. Maximum drying times varied from 6 d, for Sclerocarya birrea, to 35 d for Syzygium cumini depended on the time required for the seeds to reach3-7 % moisture contents. Edwards and Mumford (1985) dried up the seeds of sour orange in streams of air and some of its constituents gasses which were O2, N2 and CO2 at 25-40 Â °C. The seeds lost their moisture contents at different rates in the different gasses at the same temperature and showed marked variation in the rates of germination. The intact seeds dried at a rate of 30 % moisture loss per 100 hrs in a rapid air current showed the best viability. Chemical composition of Citrus seed Prill et al. (1949) determined the effect of chemical compounds and organic acids on the germination of the seeds and growth of seedlings. Evenari, (1949) mentioned that fruit juice of C. aurantium, C. limon, C. maxima and C. nobilis contain a substance that inhibit the germination of the seed of citrus. The effect of these acids and chemical compounds on the germination of citrus seeds and the effect of a sudden change in their concentrations on the physiology of seed has not been explored. Cohen, (1956) and Monselise (1959) provided the evidence for the existence of the inhibitors in the seed coat of citrus seeds. They showed that when the seeds of citrus were soaked in water, the resulting solutions inhibited the germination of weed seeds and suggested that this effect might be caused by the presence of inhibitor substances in the seed coat of citrus such as phenolic contents. Van buren, (1970) reported that the chemical compounds like protein, fats, sugars, phenolics, enzymes are widely distributed in plant, particularly in fruits. The amount of these compounds per fruit usually decreased as the size of the fruit increased. Among these compounds phenolics are the major inhibitors for the germination of seeds after ABA. Ulrich, (1970) reported that when citrus seeds are removed from the fruits there was a remarkable change in their environment because the pulp and juice of the fruit are very rich in organic acids and chemical compounds like protein, fats, sugar and lipids. These compounds are usually dissolved in the water either free or in combination with salts, esters or glycosides. In lemon juice the citric acid is 60-90 % of the total soluble sugars (Wolf, 1958). Devlin, (1975) determined the effect of dehydration on the seed coat that has not been still investigated, and it is possible that the viability of the seed is reduced during drying due to change in the nature of the seed coat which in turn effect the embry

Female Athlete Triad: Energy, Menstruation and Bone Density

Female Athlete Triad: Energy, Menstruation and Bone Density â€Å"Define the term the Female Athlete Triad. Explain the interaction between the various elements of the triad and their effects on health and human performance† Introduction The female athlete triad refers to the interrelationships among energy availability, menstrual function, and bone mineral density (BMD), which may have clinical manifestations including eating disorders, functional hypothalamic amenorrhea, and osteoporosis (Nattiv et al. 1994). It is unfortunately a disorder which often goes unrecognised in female athletes. The female athlete triad is caused by an energy drain where there is a caloric deficitdue to the athletes energy expenditure exceeding herdietary energy intake (Nattiv et al. 1994). Whether known to the athlete or not, thislow level of energy availability causes disruption of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis,which results in decreased gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)pulsatility and low luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels (Loucks 1990). This then leads to a decreased estrogen production which causes menstrual dysfunction. These decreased estrogen levels in turn affect calcium resorption and bone accretion, which cause decreased bone health (Gottschlich Young, 2006). The 3 components of the triad are all inter-related through physiological and psychological means as shown in Fig. 1. The common psychological pressures to repeatedly put in a performance of optimal standard and often the perceived requirement to maintain a low body mass for certain sports, result in a large amount of training. This large amount of training combined with a low energy intake, and also in addition to the stress hormones produced by psychological stress, may lead to a physiological alteration in the endocrinological control of the menstrual cycle, which may lead to the athlete becoming amenorrhoeic. The consequence of becoming amenorrhoeic through dysfunction of the hypothalamus and pituitary is that the production of oestrogen will decrease. This hormone has a major role in maintaining adequate BMD. Therefore, a hypo-oestrogenic state is associated with a low BMD and an increased risk of osteoporosis (Birch, 2005). Not all sufferers have all 3 components of the female athlete triad however. In recent years, new studies are continuing to emerge indicating that even having just1 or 2 elements of the triad significantly increases these womens long-term morbidity. In addition to this, a study by Burrows et al. (2007) has suggested that the current triad elements do not identify allwomen at risk from the syndrome,rather thatcriteria such as exercise-related menstrual alterations, disordered eating, and osteopenia may be more appropriate (Gottschlich Young, 2006). Eating disorders There is a reduced energy availability (the amount of dietary energy remaining for other body functions after exercise training such as cellular maintenance, thermogenesis, immunity, growth, reproduction, and locomotion) associated with disordered eating which is the result of an exercise energy expenditure greater than a dietary energy intake. This compensation by physiological mechanisms to reduce the amount of energy made available to these functions tends to restore energy balance in the body and promote survival, but consequently impairs health. Extreme cases of eating disorders could include anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Many athletes do not meet the strict criteria for anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa that are listed by the American Psychiatric Association (1994) in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fig. 2) but will however, manifest similar disordered eating behaviours as part of the triad syndrome (Hobart and Smucker, 2000). The term anorexia athletica or â€Å"disordered eating† has been used to distinguish between pathological anorexia and eating disorders associated with training and sports performance. The criteria for this include perfectionism, compulsiveness, competitiveness, high self motivation, menstrual disturbances, and at least one unhealthy method of weight control such as fasting, vomiting, and use of diet pills, laxatives, or diuretics (Birch 2005). The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as mentioned above was reviewed by the American Psychiatric Association (2000) to include a more comprehensive classification of eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS) for athletes who do not meet the criteria for anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa (Fig. 3). Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea Some clinical menstrual disorders are obvious to affected women such as oligomenorrhea (menstrual cycles ≠¥ 35 days) and amenorrhea (no cycles for > 90 days), but sub-clinical menstrual disorders are not, e.g. luteal deficiency and anovulation. Amenorrhea may be caused by a wide range of organic diseases, genetic abnormalities, energy deficiency, and stress. Medical tests are required to diagnose the etiology of amenorrhea so that appropriate care can be offered to sufferers of the syndrome (Manore et al. 2007). Amenorrhea that is related to athletic training and weight fluctuation is caused by changes in the hypothalamus which result in decreased levels of estrogen. Amenorrhea in the female athlete triad, according to (Hobart and Smucker, 2000), can be classified as primary or secondary: Primary amenorrhea: no spontaneous uterine bleeding in the following situations: (a) by the age of 14 years without the development of secondary sexual characteristics, or (b) by the age of 16 years with otherwise normal development. Secondary amenorrhea: the absence of menstrual bleeding in a female for (a) 6 months with primary regular menses, or (b) 12 months with previous oligomenorrhea. The type of amenorrhea caused by low energy availability associated with eating disorders is classified as functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (FHA). In FHA, ovarian function is suppressed by an abnormally slow frequency of luteinising hormone (LH) pulses in the blood. LH pulsatility is regulated in part by neurological pathways originating in specialised neurons which can sense the availability of oxidisable metabolic fuels (Wade Jones, 2004). There are many causes of menstrual disorders, many of which are not completely understood. Pulsatile release of luteinising hormone is decreased, which leads initially to luteal phase defects. In addition, women with luteal phase defects and amenorrhoea will have higher concentrations of growth hormone and cortisol and lower concentrations of leptin, insulin, and triodothyronine when compared with sedentary women. These hormones are related to metabolism, which means they are also related to nutritional and metabolic status. When these hormones indicate that energy availability is low over a period of time, the menstrual cycle will be temporarily suppressed in order to conserve energy (Birch 2005). Osteoporosis Osteoporosis, as defined by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), is a disease characterized by low bone mass and microarchitectural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to enhanced skeletal fragility and increased risk of fracture (Otis et al. 1997). This is the final component of thefemale athlete triadwhich exists on a continuum from optimal bone health to osteoporosis and focuses on bone strength, which consists of BMD and bone quality. Bone quality refers to bone turnover rates (resorption versus formation, time for maturation of the new bone matrix, microarchitecture or trabeculae, bone geometry and size, etc.).The inability to measure bone quality at this time leaves one half of the equation for bone health empty and offers an explanation for why some athletes may suffer more fractures even if they have the same poor bone density as their peers. Therefore, dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans are used as a quantitative measure of bone health. (Gottschlich Young, 2006). The World Health Organization (WHO) has established guidelines on how to classify BMD using dual energy radiographic absortiometry (DXA). Osteoporosis is defined as BMD greater than 2.5 standard deviations below the mean of young adults. Osteopenia is defined by a BMD 1 to 2.5 standard deviations below the mean of young adults (Kanis et al. 1994). Recently however, the International Society for Clinical Densitometry (ISCD) published a statement (Lewiecki et al. 2004) that the WHOs guidelines for osteoporosis should not actually be used on healthy premenopausal females. They suggest instead that Z-scores should be used rather than T-scores for the diagnosis of osteoporosis in this particular population. According to Brunet (2005), there is an increased risk for fracture in the elderly population as well as the young in conjunction with osteoporosis. Some of the associated risk factors include: thyroid or corticosteroid medications, smoking, a low calcium diet, amenorrhea, a family history of osteoporosis, a sedentary lifestyle, and a lack of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) post menopause (Bellantoni, 1996). According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (1991), gender can play a part with females being 8 times more likely to develop osteoporosis than males. The reason for this is a decreased baseline bone mass and also, an increased level of bone absorption associated with menopause. Treatment The clinical suspicion alone that someone is suffering from female athlete triad should be sufficient indication to start with therapeutic and preventive steps, such as a reduction in training loads, an increase in bodyweight, and improvements in diet. These clinical suspicions could be based on personal history such as previous stress fractures, or based on the presence of other factors such as amenorrhea. These steps aim at returning estrogen production to normal levels by normalizing the disturbed menstrual cycle. If this goal is not achieved, the lack of estrogens has to be treated with exogenous estrogens administration, particularly in the case of secondary amenorrhea, to ensure achievement of peak bone mass (PBM). If osteoporosis is documented, it is an additional indication for hormonal substitution. There are two ways to carry this out, and can be selected in relation to the age or to special wishes of the athletes like contraception and cycle control. Either estrogens as a part of a birth control pill or a HRT with natural estrogens and progestins. Both treatments need to consider the minimal dose of estrogens necessary for prevention of osteoporosis. In addition, sufficient intake of calcium and vitamin D may not be neglected. Regarding the long-term results of the proposed hormonal treatment, it has to be admitted that prospective results from longitudinal studies are completely lacking, and that more research is urgently needed (Roth et al. 2000). Conclusion Low energy availability with or without eating disorders, functional hypothalamic amenorrhea, and osteoporosis, alone or in combination, pose significant health risks to physically active girls and women. Prevention, recognition, and treatment of these clinical conditions should be a priority of those who work with female athletes to ensure that they maximize the benefits of regular exercise. (Nattiv et al. 1994). Prevention of the triad, or at least an early diagnosis of it, is certainly better than the cure. More efforts should be undertaken to appropriately inform physicians, athletes, coaches, officials and parents on all the different aspects of the triad. Dealing with this syndrome, according to Roth et al. (2000), may offer a chance to the female athlete the opportunity for a deeper reflection about her bodily function and the relative importance and perspective of performance and success in sports. References American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Athletic training and sports medicine (1991), 2nd ed., Park Ridge (IL): American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (1994), 4th ed., Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association, 539-50. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (2000), 4th ed., Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association. Bellantoni, M.F. (1996) ‘Osteoporosis prevention and treatment, Am Fam Physician, 54(3), 986-92. Birch, K. (2005) ‘Female athlete triad, British Medical Journal, 330(7485), 244-6. Brunet, M. (2005)‘Female athlete triadClin Sports Med,24(3), 623-36, ix. Burrows, M., Shepherd, H., Bird, S., MacLeod, K., Ward, B. (2007)‘The components of the female athlete triad do not identify all physically active females at risk,J Sports Sci, 25(12), 1289-97. Gottschlich, L. M. Young, C. C. (2006) ‘Female athlete triad, Medical College of Wisconsin [online], available: http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/89260-overview [accessed 13 Dec 2009]. Hobart, J.A., Smucker, D.R. (2000) ‘The female athlete triad, Am Fam Physician, 61(11), 3357-67. Kanis, J.A., Melton, L.J., Christiansen, C., et al. (1994) ‘The diagnosis of osteoporosis, J Bone Miner Res, 9, 1137-41. Lewiecki, E.M., Watts, N.B., McClung, M.R., et al. (2004) ‘Official positions of the International Society for Clinical Densitometry, J Clinical Densitom, 89(8), 3651-5. Loucks, A.B. (1990)‘Effects of exercise training on the menstrual cycle: existence and mechanisms,Med Sci Sports Exerc, 22(3), 275-80. Manore, M.M., Kam, L.C., Loucks, A.B. (2007) ‘The female athlete triad: components, nutrition issues, and health consequences, Journal of Sports Sciences Nattiv, A., Agostini, R., Drinkwater, B., Yeager, K.K. (1994) ‘The female athlete triad. The inter-relatedness of disordered eating, amenorrhea, and osteoporosis, Clin Sports Med, 13, 405-18. Otis, C,L,, Drinkwater, B., Johnson, M. (1997) ‘ACSM position stand: the female athlete triad, Med Sci Sports Exerc, 29(5), i-ix. Roth, D., Meyer, Egli Ch., Kriemler, S., Birkhà ¤user M., Jaeger, P., Imhof, U., Mannhart, C., Seiler, R., Marti, B. (2000) ‘Female athlete triad, Schweiz. Ztschr. Sportmed. Sporttraum, 48, 119-132.

Copernicus Essay -- essays research papers fc

Nicolas Copernicus Nicolas Copernicus 1473-1543 Physics February 8, 2000 Nicolas Copernicus Nicolas Copernicus 1473-1543 Copernicus was born in Poland in 1473, he started his education at Cracow University. There he studied mathematics and optics. From here he went to Italy, where he was appointed as a canon in the cathedral of Frauenburg, where he spent a comfortable academic life studding. Copernicus had some small hobbies while at the cathedral, he painted, and frequently translated Greek poetry into Latin. One other hobby that just wasn't small enough to be called a hobby to most of us was astronomy. He made investigations quietly and alone, without any help. He observed from a turret on a protective wall around a cathedral, he also looked with his naked eye rather than with a telescope. He was one of the founders of modern astronomy. Copernicus died in 1543 of a cerebral hemorrhage. In 1530 right before Copernicus died he managed to published his work, De Revolutionibus. Which said that the earth rotated on its axis once daily and traveled around the sun once yearly. This might no sound very controversial but at this time the church and its followers believed in the Ptolemiac theory, which stated that the universe was a closed space bounded by a spherical envelope beyond which there was nothing. (Landry 1999) Copernicus’s works went against the church, and most scientific beliefs. This may be one reason why Copernicus didn’t publish his work until his deathbed. Another ...

Male Dominance in Charlotte Perkins Gilmans The Yellow Wallpaper

Male Dominance in Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper "I want to astonish him," (34) says the narrator, referring to her husband, in Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper, as she writhes behind the patterns of her yellow wallpaper, locked in her room of barred windows, sunken in the lunacy that she cannot evade. This short, ambitious phrase placed squarely on the page beneath stacks of similarly short-winded phrases that string together this diary-style narrative conveys most clearly the narrator's prime audience for her actions: John. He is her husband, her care-taker, the only man in her life, and in spite of the near-reverence that the narrator has for him, it is only in the final pages, when this stunning sentence is uttered, that John's wife endeavors to earn more than John's respect for her. She wants to provoke awe, the sort of "astonishment" that might make him feel as though he were mad, and would, thus, free his wife from beneath his condescending gaze. For the act, or the being-caught-in-the-act, of tearing off the wallpaper, and not the removal of the paper itself, will liberate the narrator most fully. What binds John's wife, what binds the woman reflected back at her behind the wallpaper's troubling patterns, is not so much the physical trappings of the home, but the less visible patriarchal society of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. In The Short Story: the Reality of Artifice, Charles May cites Bonaro Overstreet's description of twentieth century drama, calling it "the drama of what goes on in the mind" (17). Gilman's story inhabits the dynamic mind of a woman willing to disclose to her readers everything she sees and feels. This first-person confessional, littere... .... Gilman's startling ending comes after nearly six pages of intensification, and it is a most dramatic finale, perhaps the heartiest parody of that Gothic romance mentioned early on. When John faints, revealed to the reader by the narrator's question, for isn't that silly of him, the story to clatters to a most rousing close. She has astonished him, into unconsciousness, toppled him like a tower the way she peeled the paper from the wall. And there, upon the ground, John remains, Gilman's weighty, though squeamish, symbol of male dominance around which the narrator, the woman writer, may now creep, though ultimately, one hopes, stand before and walk with. Works Cited May, Charles. The Short Story: the Reality of Artifice. New York: Twayne Publishers, 2002 edition. Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. The Yellow Wallpaper. London: VIRAGO Press, 1988 edition.

Summary Of Kidnapped :: essays research papers

Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson has a genre that classifies as historical fiction. I selected this book because the setting takes place during the 1750's, which is a perfect time for history. At that year many historic events occurred that have been written down in books today. Such as, 'The French and Indian War.'; Since the setting is in Scotland, the way the writing in the book is is quite hard.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The setting not only takes place in Scotland, but also through a voyage in a boat, as well as on islands. The year is 1751, in those days many people traveled by sea. Which is a major transportation use within this book. The setting is important to the plot, because most of the actions that ensue are either not possible today, or are unlikely to happen. For example, when David and Alan are being attacked, they must go through a system of charging their gun. That takes a long time. Today the guns are automatic; which enhances the speed of reloading by far. Today it would be extremely unlikely to see a person using the same sort of gun as they used.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  David Balfour, a poor Scotsman who lived all his life in a place called Essendean. He has never been out of there. Having both his parents die was truly a tragedy. Only now has the minister of the town (Mr. Campbell, who was friends with David's father) told David that his father left him a will. The will stated, 'To the hands of Ebenezer Balfour, Esq., of Shaws, in his house of Shaws, these will e delivered by my son, David Balfour.'; David was to travel to another town, and seek a place called 'The House Of Shaws.'; David then finds out that the man living in the gruesome house (where he thought was a palace before he laid his eyes on it) was actually his uncle. His name was Ebenezer, and one of the odd things about him is that he didn't allow candles or lanterns in the house. Therefore it was hard to see at night. At first he didn't trust David at all, he would never leave him alone in the house for one second. David and Ebenezer both left to an inn near the do cks. There, David was to see a lawyer so he may get the inheritance. As for Ebenezer he had an appointment with a captain of a ship called Mr.

On Bending the Rules

Sir, you always remind us of the strict implementation of the rules and regulations, the young lady protested. â€Å"l didn't let them in because they didn't show me the document stipulated in the guidelines. † moves, but in every rule, there is always an exception,† my friend told his staff. â€Å"Just let them in. I know them, anyway. † When my friend left, the young lady gave us a long inquisitive look before she led us to the room. I explained to her that we ran out of time in furnishing the said document so we ended up asking help from her immediate head, who happened to e my friend.She told us about the institution's firm adherence to its policies. â€Å"You are very lucky you know our head,† she remarked. I looked at her and told her that this scenario could happen anytime anywhere. â€Å"This kind of situation is rather inevitable. No matter how ideal we think we are, sometimes, we end up bending the rules,† I said beaming. â€Å"I don't thi nk so. You know, if I were the head, I would be very stern in carrying out the policies,† she said in an undaunted tone. I smiled at her. I was Impressed with her boldness. Yes, she can be a quintessence of an effective leader.Or do I hope she'll live by her principle and gradually Inspire other people to follow In her footsteps. Indeed, idealism is usually resembled by the so-called fervent and vibrant young people. However, when they are exposed to the â€Å"real world† where rules and regulations are succinctly stated and believed to be sternly Implemented, but easily twisted in Just a snap, they end up disappointed, crooked, or challenged. If they were challenged, would they be firm enough to execute what are really stipulated In the guidelines?Wouldn't they really be Influenced by the professed â€Å"In authorities†? If they were disappointed, would they give up, learn the tactics of stooping the policies, and eventually enjoy the benefits of such abhorred a ct? Perhaps, so goes the line, â€Å"as pliant as the bamboo. † Bending the rules, no matter how simple or complicated they are, Is Just one of our collects tons of Ills that should be given drastic consideration. The subtle ways by which we bend simple rules Impede us from attaining progress, so to speak. Who does not crouch any of the rules, navy? We all do.So let us start straightening our stooped mentality and eventually making our society free from filthiness and pungency. More often than not, we say It's easier said than done. We can If we are willing to, nonetheless. By memo miss, but in every rule, there is always an exception,† my friend told his staff. â€Å"Just be my friend. She told us about the institution's firm adherence to its policies. Muff â€Å"l don't think so. You know, if I were the head, I would be very stern in carrying out I smiled at her. I was impressed with her boldness. Yes, she can be a quintessence of an effective leader.Or do I hope sh e'll live by her principle and gradually inspire there people to follow in her footsteps. Regulations are succinctly stated and believed to be sternly implemented, but easily stipulated in the guidelines? Wouldn't they really be influenced by the professed â€Å"in complicated they are, is Just one of our society tons of ills that should be given drastic consideration. The subtle ways by which we bend simple rules impede us from attaining progress, so to speak. Who does not crouch any of the rules, anyway;ay? More often than not, we say it's easier said than done. We can if we are willing to,