Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) in Prion Protein Alleles renders Essay

Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) in Prion Protein Alleles renders susceptibility or resistance to Natural Scrapie in sheep - Essay Example Among these 3 codons there are 5 alleles generated that causes resistance and 3 alleles generated that causes susceptibility to the disease. Therefore, genotype of the breeds may dictate susceptibility or resistance to scrapie. Scrapie can be highly infectious and transmissible among similar species. But being a genetic disease, only individuals that are susceptible in the prion protein (PrP) gene could be infected, regardless of any environmental factors. The objective of this research is to analyze each species genotype as to their genetic make up for alleles. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the genotype of the three codons mentioned earlier, renders sheep susceptible or resistant to the disease. The research will involve the genotypic comparison of two breeds of sheep: The Awassi flock and The North Country Cheviot flock, to see which genotype of the two breeds resembles the disease allele the most. DNA extraction and amplification will be done through PCR amplification. F urthermore, identification of the nucleotide sequences that closely resemble those of the disease allele will be determined using methods of restriction enzymes and specific primer binding sites. PROJECT SUMMARY The purpose of this study is to identify sheep susceptibility and resistance for scrapie from two different breeds based strictly on genotypic variations due to single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at codons 136, 154 and 171. The primary reason for carrying out this research is to increase awareness about the fatal neurological disease in order to encourage farmers and breeders to take proper measurements in identifying the correct symptoms and to use proper sterile techniques to minimize transmission of the disease from environmental factors. More drastically, with no treatment or cure for scrapie, breeders can anticipate selective breeding to eradicate scrapie by mating a resistant ram (ARR) with any ewe. Thus, it will assure a resistant genotype for scrapie in the offspri ngs. Although selective breeding showed to have a few successes in the past, the method is not guaranteed to work every time, since factors such as mutation and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) render the animal susceptible to acquiring the disease upon interaction. INTRODUCTION Scrapie is a dangerous, degenerative disease affecting the central nervous system (CNS) of sheep and goats. The disease is also referred to as la tremblante (French: trembling), Traberkrankheit (German: trotting disease), or rida (Icelandic: ataxia or tremor) (Detwiler 1992). The disease was first recognized as affecting sheep in Great Britain and other countries of Western Europe over 250 years ago. The earliest definite record of the incidence of scrapie was in Britain in 1732. Following this event, there were accounts of a scrapie-like disease occurring in the Dorset Horn, Wiltshire Horn and Norfolk Horn breeds in England between 1750 and the early 1800s. Scrapie progressed in becoming a major problem in the English Suffolk breed around 1950, leading to successive financial loss in flocks. In 1938, first report of the disease was identified in Canada and since then there have been over 167 flocks in 6 Canadian provinces with confirmed cases of classical scrapie (Plummer 1946). In general, there is a gradual development of clinical cases of scrapie that have been recorded in many regions around the world; notable exceptions are Australia and New Zealand. This is due

English Discussion Question Essay Example for Free

English Discussion Question Essay Irony plays a major part in Raymond Carver’s Popular Mechanics. As the man tries to seize the infant from her, the woman accuses him of hurting the baby. The irony is that she, too, hurts the baby. In fact, both of them are hurting the baby. Both of them want the best for their child, but they are unconscious that the effect of their separation will greatly affect the kid. Like in many broken families, the child suffers the most. Another irony in the story is that the couple wants to part ways. However, as they fight over the baby, nobody wants to give in. It is as if they are using the baby as an excuse to keep the separation at bay and waiting for anything that may change the break up to happen. Deep in their hearts, they don’t really want to separate after all. Compared to other stories with conventional style, the Popular Mechanics is different as the author uses unorthodox approach. What is unusual is the absence of the quotation marks for the direct speech in the conversation between the two main characters. This makes the story confusing because there is the tendency for the readers to mix up the narration with the dialog. The story also is direct and unadorned with rhetorical devices, which are common to many stories and novels. Aside from that, the author stays neutral and does not express his own opinion to either of the characters. He acts like a camera that transmits what is happening as he sees it. He leaves the story open for the readers to come out with their own speculations and conclusion. The story gives a vivid picture of what is going on to many families nowadays. The plot is very common: separation of married couple leads to the demise of their child/children. Due to its plainness, the story becomes insensitive. It is difficult to imagine a husband and a wife each pulling a hand of their infant. Although it is not indicated what happened to the infant, it is easy to assume that his tender limbs are impaired or, worse, detached. It is unfortunate that the settlement of the couple’s conflict is the demise of their child. Work Cited: Carver, Raymond. Popular Mechanics. Online July 17, 2009 http://www. uni-koeln. de/ew-fak/institut/engl/coit/essay/essayws5-6/carver. htm

Standardized tests in Illinois Essay example -- Standardized Testing Es

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Standardized tests are administered to allow reliable and valid comparisons to be made among students taking the test. Two major types of standardized tests are currently in use; norm-referenced and criterion-referenced. A norm-referenced test is a test that has been given to representative samples of students such that norms of performance are established. Each student taking the test receives a score that can be compared to the norm or normal or sample of students. The scores are then reported in percentiles. The main purpose of these tests is to rank students along a distribution of performance. Because of this tests are likely to have items that are very difficult for the grade level so students can be ranked. A criterion-referenced test looks like a norm-referenced test but multiple choice items are used and directions are standardized. The reason these tests are administered is based upon the content that all students are expected to learn. Scores are based on the amount learned by the student and a passing score is then given. These scores are not compared to other students. Standardized tests are used to show how a student is doing. They can show if a program is working well and can show if the educators are using effective teaching methods. Schools are graded to see if there overall program is helping the student to achieve their goals. In the next paragraphs I am going to explain to you about the purpose of the American College Testing Program (ACT) and the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Learned helplessness is a phenomenon containing three components: contingency, cognition, and behavior. Contingency addresses the uncontrollability of the situation. Cognition refers to the attributions that people make regarding their situation or surroundings of which they are a part. Behavior allows individuals to decide whether they will give up or proceed with the obstacle set before them† (Peterson, Maier, & Seligman, 1993; Firmin, Hwang, Copella, & Clark, 2004). When a student thinks about college he must take either the ACT or the SAT test to be admitted into the college. Students have a lot of decisions to make that can be stressful. Failure is an aspect that students fear and can determine whether they will succeed in life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The ACT was founded in 1959. A l... ...t you are allowed to guess on the ACT and on the SAT if you are unsure you want to leave it blank because getting it wrong will give you a lower score.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If you are graduating high school in 2006 and beyond there will be a new SAT test. The test will contain three sections: Math, Critical Reading, and Writing. The math section will have 44 multiple-choice questions and 10 in-grid questions. You will be allowed 70 minutes to complete this section. The critical reading section will have 67 multiple-choice questions and you will be given 70 minutes to complete. The writing section has 49 multiple-choice questions and you are given 60 minutes. You are graded on Grammar, usage, and word choice.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The need, as we view it, is to develop a number of different alternative evaluation instruments and strategies that provide hard data but are not in the form of the standard paper-and pencil multiple-choice tests now being used in most testing programs. What we advocate are assessment instruments that support proven methods in the visual arts and also take advantage of all the newer imaging technology† (Medeja, Dom, & Sabol, 2004).

Business Law I Chapter 9 Answers Essay

1. Consideration consists of mutual exchange of gains and losses between contracting parties. In the exchange, a gain by the offer is at the same time a loss to the offeror. The legal term used to designate the gain that each party experiences is that party’s legal benefit. Consideration has three characteristics 1) The agreement must involve a bargained-for exchange; 2)the contract must involve adequate consideration; and 3) the benefits and detriments promised must themselves be legal. 2. A legal detriment can be any of the following: 1) doing something that one has a legal right not to do; 2) giving up something that one has a legal right to keep; and 3) regaining from doing something that one has a legal right to do. 3. The law will not enforce an agreement that has not been bargained for. An agreement involves a bargained-for exchange when 1) a promise is made in exchange for another promise, 2) a promise is made in exchange for an act, or 3) a promise is made for forbear ance of an act. 4. A court may refuse to enforce a contract or any clause of a contract if is considers the contract or clause unconscionable, that is, the consideration is so ridiculously inadequate that it shocks the court’s conscience. This designation usually happens when there is a great inequality in bargaining power between the two parties. 5. Consideration can be a promise not to sue. A promise not to sue, when there is right, or at least the apparent right, to sue, is enforceable when it is supported by consideration. Promising not to sue is forbearance. Acceptance of an agreement not to sue, supported by consideration, terminates one’s right to continue any lawsuit, presently or on the future, on grounds described in the agreement. 6. There are three ways that the courts can seek to uphold charitable pledges. The first way involves actual consideration, which occurs when charitable contributions are made on the condition that the promisor be remembered for the gift by having his or her name inscribed in some way on a memorial associated with the project. Another approach is to use either promissory estoppel or public policy to support the claim. Also, when there is no promise to carry out a specific project, the courts have held each pledge made is supported by the pledges of all others who have made similar pledges. This concept of consideration is used in support of all promises of money for undefined causes. 7. If a creditor accepts as full payment an  amount that is less than the amount due, the dispute has been settled by an accord and satisfaction. Accord is the implied or expressed acceptance of less than what has been billed the debtor. Satisfaction is the agreed-to settlement contained in the accord. Only if the dispute is honest, and the offer to settle made in good faith, and not superficial or trivial will the courts entertain arguments based on accord and satisfaction. 8. The agreements that be enforceable by a court of law even though they lack consideration are: a) Promises under seal – enforceable in some states for contracts not involving goods Unenforceable under UCC for contracts involving goods. b) Promises after discharge in bankruptcy – enforceable in most states. c) Promise to pay debts barred by statute of limitation – enforceable. d) Promises enforced by promissory estoppel – enforceable only if offeror knew that offeree would rely on the promise and offeree places himself in a different and difficult position as a result of that promise. e) Option – enforceable under UCC if made by a merchant, in writing, stating the time period over which the offer will remain. 9. Promissory estoppel is a legal doctrine that restricts a party from denying that a promise was made under certain conditions, even though consideration has not been exchanged to bind an agreement. To be effective, promissory estoppel requires that the party making the promise know, or be presumed to know, that the other party might otherwise make a definite and decided change of position in contemplation of those promises. In reaching this doctrine, courts have accepted the principles of justice and fairness in protecting the party receiving the promise from otherwise unrecoverable loses. 10. Shopping online is one of the fastest growing market places on record. Despite its many advantages (quick & efficient, comparison shopping, availability of hard-to-get products) , there are many difficulties: – Cyber-payment option: Wide variety of methods. One of the most popular methods is by credit/debit card. Most online sellers will accept the major credit cards such as Visa, Master Card. This type of system protects both the buyer and the seller. This process may become the most acceptable process because most of the times when people buy and sell in  cyberspace they are dealing with strangers. The online payment process eliminates the identity verification problem. This is important because one of the biggest concerns about online shopping is security. – Cyber-Payment Security Issues: the ease and efficiency of using credit/debit cards is frequently offset by the security concerns associated with their use. The US is not up-to-date as the EU in providing data and privacy protection to its consumers. The EU Data Protection Directive along with EU E-Privacy Directive guarantee the rights of European citizens while at the same time ensuring the smooth exchange of data among those nation-states that honor the privacy and data protection standards themselves. US corporations that are involved with EU corporations must demonstrate that, despite the lack of legislation in the US, the companies themselves will promise to honor the same degree of protection to data and to privacy as guaranteed by the EU. These guarantees have been labeled the Safe Harbor Principles. They are enforced by the US Department of Commerce. It is best for a consumer to check directly with the US Department of Commerce to determine the true status of a company rather than just relying on the company’s blanket assertion that they follow the safe harbor standards.

Litreature Review on Banking Essay

It was emphasized that the use of computers changes the processing, storage, retrieval and communication of financial information and may affect the accounting and internal control systems employed by a bank. The potential for human errors in the development, maintenance and execution of computer Information Systems may be greater than in manual systems, due to level of details inherent in these activities. Through audit reviews, a thorough look and understanding of IS in bank can be seen. The audit of IS would provide us general understanding of IS in bank, managing authentication of users, access control, data security, data integrity, audit 14 2. Literature Study and Analysis logs, testing, accounting entries, data migration, network and RDBMS security, business continuity and disaster recovery plans, hacking, identification of transaction for substantative checking, use of reports generated by system and documentation. The paper titled â€Å"Application of IT in Banking† by K. S. Rajashekara (2004), talked about impact analysis of IT on banking. The problem of doing proper impact analysis is due to difficulty of measuring output accurately when the quality of service is changing as a result of such factors as convenience, speed, and lower risk. Through IT, banks anticipate reduction in operating costs through such efficiencies as the streamlining back office processing and elimination of error-prone manual input of data. Owing to IT, bank can offer new products and services. Banks are able to develop and implement sophisticated risk, information management system and techniques with more powerful data storage and analysis technologies. IT has positively affected the stakeholders of bank like management, employees, and customers. Vasant Godse (2005) in paper titled â€Å"Technology: An Impact Analysis† talked about role of Information Technology in banking. Banks faced the enormous task of re-orienting their technology infrastructure towards such interactive decision support and information gathering tools, much different from transaction processing and final accounting. The impact of technology could be on relationship with information technology providers, organizational aspects, banker-customer relationship, control and supervisory aspects, new concepts and processes, which help in further gaining competitive advantage. 15 2. Literature Study and Analysis A paper titled â€Å"Information Orientation: People, Technology and the bottom line† by Donald A. Marchand, William J. Kettinger, John D. Rollins (2000), stressed upon the effective usage of information for business performance. It was stressed that IT improved business performance only if combined with competent information management and the right behaviors and values. The research was applied on banks. Banks were evaluated on three broad scales i. e. IT Practices (including IT practices for Operational support, IT for Business-process support, IT for Innovation support, IT for Managerial support); Information Management Practices (Sensing information, Collecting information, Organizing information, Processing information, Maintaining information); Information behaviours and values (Information Integrity, formality, control, sharing, transparency, proactiveness). Companies that incorporated a people-centric, rather than merely techno-centric, view of information use and that are good at all three information capabilities would improve their business performance. A paper titled â€Å"Understanding the impact of IT-based coordination on the performance of Information-intensive firms: A Gestalt approach in Banking Industry† by Yannis A. Pollalis (2003), moved towards the development of such an explanatory and predictive model of IT-based performance by distinguishing coordination) three that types impact of the organizational performance systems of integration (or nformation-intensive organizations: Technological Integration (i. e. the integration of various IT components such as data, applications telecommunications, and systems); Functional integration ( i. e. , the coordination of responsibilities and roles 16 2. Literature Study and Analysis across a firm’s value-chain activities between corporate and IT planning activities); a nd Strategic integration (i. e. effective decision-making at all levels, increased productivity and better return on investment). The organizations with coordinated elements (i. e. strategy, structure, and technology) will be more successful than uncoordinated ones. Banks were chosen as the context for the empirical phase of the study because of their high information intensity and their focus on customer service and cost management. The research indicated the existence of successful and unsuccessful patterns of integration, that is, certain combinations of technological, functional, and strategic integration might lead to better or worse performance. Strategic and Technological integration were found to be most important elements of success, which indicated the importance of consistency between echnological and strategic infrastructure. The paper titled â€Å"Learnings from Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Implementation in a Bank† by M. P. Gupta and Sonal Shukla (2004) attempted to highlight the learnings from CRM implementation in the banking sector. CRM systems were particularly relevant to ret ail financial services companies, allowing much of the management of the customer relationship to be automated with the objective of maximizing the profitability of individual customer relationships while minimizing the cost of managing those relationships. The study was supported by a case study of CRM systems in a major Japanese Bank—Bank of Mitsubishi and also a field survey of scenario in Indian banking sector. The various issues examined included organizational information, the CRM strategy, strategic changes resulting from CRM 17 2. Literature Study and Analysis implementation, implementation priorities for the banks and the factors indicating the performance after CRM implementation. The study revealed that CRM was gradually picking up and was definitely considered as a viable proposition by banks in improving services to their customers. One of the major challenges experienced during implementing CRM was resistance to change. To get CRM to work, high commitment was required in those who were implementing it. The paper titled â€Å"Impact of Information Technology on the Indian Banking Sector† by Harmeen K. Soch and H. S. Sandhu (2003) emphasized that impact of IT on banking was so radical that it would be a key determinant of success or failure in the industry, a key determinant of whether banks as a recognizable grouping continue to exist, and a key determinant of the differentiation between competitors in financial services.