Fractional Distillation of Crude Oil Essay

Aim: To investigate the substances given off at different temperatures from crude oil (petroleum) mixture. Apparatus: * Fractional Distillation glassware and thermometer * Clamp stand x 2 * Conical flask * Supply of cold water * Rubber tubes x 2 * Test tube rack * Small glass test tubes x 5 * Rubber stopper x 5 * Evaporating basin * Micro Bunsen Burner and bench mat * Wooden Splint * Stopwatch * Boiling stones * Crude Oil supply Method: 1. Set up the clamps stands and the fractionating glassware as shown in the diagram. 2. Connect the rubber tubes to the two open tubes of the condenser. 3. Connect the other end of the rubber tubing to a water tap and let the other one flow into a basin. Turn on the tap. 4. Place two boiling stones into the conical flask and then pour in the crude oil into the flask. Place the flask right above the micro-burner as shown in the diagram. 5. Heat the crude oil mixture slowly. Record at which temperature one of the compounds in the mixture evaporate, and then collect it in the small test tube after it passes through the condenser. 6. Repeat step 5 until maximum temperature has been reached and/or no more compounds evaporate. 7. Test the compounds which were collected. Light them in an evaporating basin and record the time it takes to run out. Results: Data Table of Results of Hydrocarbons tested Hydrocarbon Compound Boiling Point Range (à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½C) Colour Viscosity Pentane 36 – 40 Colourless Very Low Viscosity Hexane 66 – 69 Colourless Low Viscosity Heptane 90 – 94 Very slightly cloudy Viscous liquid Kerosene (Paraffin) ~ 250 Brownish – black High Viscosity Conclusion: These results prove to us that firstly, crude oil being a mixture of several hydrocarbons, that the mixture provided was a simulation. Secondly, there are noticeable trends in the hydrocarbons. As the molecules gets heavier and heavier, by which I mean that we go from pentane to Hexane and so on, the viscosity of the compound increases, as well as the time taken for it to burn up completely. The boiling point also increases. These hydrocarbons belong to the first organic homologous series: Alkanes. Alkane molecules are completely saturated and each carbon atom has at least 2 hydrogen atoms attached to it. Apart from the two end carbon atoms, the other ones are attached to two other carbon atoms each. A covalent bond between a carbon atom and a hydrogen atom is strong, and a bond between two carbon atoms is also strong. It therefore takes a lot of energy to overcome this bond, and hence a higher temperature and more time is needed to break these compounds apart. The more carbon atoms an alkane possesses, the more energy is needed to break it apart. This explains the increasing boiling points, and is also one of the main reasons why hydrocarbons are used as fuels. Kerosene was the only one of the four hydrocarbons which could not be heated to its boiling point and hence the temperature recorded is the one that was given to us. It did, however, last the longest when it was burned. Therefore that result coincides with the one that was given to us. Its other properties which could be verified have given us further proof of the fact that its temperature is higher than the other hydrocarbons’. Also related to the viscosity, the weight of each hydrocarbon also increased as the viscosity increased. By the time kerosene was being handled, a really wide margin of difference could be felt from pentane. Evaluation: Weakness Improvement 1 The equipment available was not enough to determine the boiling point of Kerosene Get a macro burner and heat the kerosene to its boiling point 2 The difference in viscosity between the first two hydrocarbons was hard to tell Measure the poise of the two compounds and record the difference 3 The evaporating basin in which the hydrocarbons were heated was the same all throughout Use a different evaporating basin for each compounds so that the heat from the previous test does not affect the next test 4 The main mixture provided to us was not actual crude oil, simply a simulated substitute To gather all of the compounds found in crude oil use a mixture which contains all of them kind of obvious

Differences Between the Wartime, Presidential, and Congressional Reconstruction Essay

There are similarities and differences between the Wartime, Presidential, and Congressional Reconstruction. Each had a purpose and plan. There was a major difference between the Republican President and Republican Congress that caused many conflicts. The Wartime Reconstruction actually started during the war. Lincoln in the beginning wanted settlement of blacks in countries or something known as repatriation. A major part of this Wartime Reconstruction was the Proclamation of Amnesty. What this did was offer a Presidential pardon to all Southern whites who took an oath of allegiance to the Union and accepted abolition of slavery. The only people that were excluded from this were Confederate official and high-ranking military officers. In states where ten percent of male population took the oath they would be able to reestablish a state government. This policy was carried out in Louisiana, Arkansas, and Tennessee. This Wartime Reconstruction also included Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. This freed slaves in the states that were at war with the Union. Both President Lincoln and President Johnson wished to give back land to pardoned ex-Confederates. President Lincoln and Congress were similar in wanting to refute pardons to those who ill-treated or murdered captured black and white Union soldiers. They did agree on this matter. While President Lincoln only required ten percent of allegiance from past Confederates, Congress wanted the majority of white men in Confederate states to take the oath of allegiance. Lincoln was assassinated and Andrew Johnson took presidency. He favored harsh punishment for traitors. He issued two proclamations without help of Republicans. This was the Presidential Reconstruction. When he issued the two proclamations it caused a division. It covered official pardon for whites except Confederate officials and military officers worth more than twenty thousand dollars, and he names a provisional government for North Carolina. Only whites with amnesty could vote there. The South was disobedient and none of the state conventions enfranchised a single black. Johnson issued thirteen though sand five hundred Presidential pardons to those he earlier hoped to keep out. There were many ex-Confederates who were elected to Congress. Also the state legislatures in the south demoted blacks to a second class status, and this was known as the Black Codes. These codes states blacks were not allowed to vote, be on juries, testify against whites, could not interracially marry, and it was most unfair in Mississippi and South Carolina. Johnson like Lincoln wanted to restore the Union in as little time as possible. Congress comes in to play in December 1865. The Congress was made up mostly of Republicans and they refused to let past Confederates to take their seats in Congress at this time. This marked the beginning of Radical Reconstruction or sometimes known as Congressional Reconstruction. The president and the congress did not agree on many issues. Congress overrode President Johnson on the Civil Rights Act of 1866, The Fourteenth Amendment, and the Freedmen’s Bureau Bill. The Fourteenth Amendment spelled out rights of both black and white citizens as equal. It prolonged Federal powers for the enforcement of civil rights. States that approved the Fourteenth Amendment were considered reconstructed, and Tennessee did so. President Johnson advised other southern states to oppose doing this. Congress passed many laws to limit President Johnson’s powers. They passed the Reconstruction Acts of 1867 which set new procedures for readmission to the Union. Johnson did not agree with this act and resisted it. When President Johnson removed Edwin M. Stanton from the head of the War Departments Republicans were very upset. They charged Johnson with the Tenure of Office Act and Johnson was impeached. After President Johnson’s impeachment, the Fifteenth Amendmen t, which prohibited states from denying vote based on color, was ratified. This Radical Reconstruction was successful in passing the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteen Amendments. Congress also wanted married law affirmed in the South for the period of Reconstruction and they wanted to discipline ex-Confederates. President Lincoln and Congress did not agree with how many pardons President Johnson gave out. The Wartime Reconstruction, Radical or Congressional Reconstruction, and the Presidential Reconstruction all had their similarities and differences. Each was designed by someone different and had a specific plan and goal in mind. The differences between the president and congress caused many splits and problems. The Radical Reconstruction was most successful in my opinion.

Angels Demons Chapter 82-85

82 At CERN, secretary Sylvie Baudeloque was hungry, wishing she could go home. To her dismay, Kohler had apparently survived his trip to the infirmary; he had phoned and demanded – not asked, demanded – that Sylvie stay late this evening. No explanation. Over the years, Sylvie had programmed herself to ignore Kohler's bizarre mood swings and eccentricities – his silent treatments, his unnerving propensity to secretly film meetings with his wheelchair's porta-video. She secretly hoped one day he would shoot himself during his weekly visit to CERN's recreational pistol range, but apparently he was a pretty good shot. Now, sitting alone at her desk, Sylvie heard her stomach growling. Kohler had not yet returned, nor had he given her any additional work for the evening. To hell with sitting here bored and starving, she decided. She left Kohler a note and headed for the staff dining commons to grab a quick bite. She never made it. As she passed CERN's recreational â€Å"suites de loisir† – a long hallway of lounges with televisions – she noticed the rooms were overflowing with employees who had apparently abandoned dinner to watch the news. Something big was going on. Sylvie entered the first suite. It was packed with byte-heads – wild young computer programmers. When she saw the headlines on the TV, she gasped. Terror at the Vatican Sylvie listened to the report, unable to believe her ears. Some ancient brotherhood killing cardinals? What did that prove? Their hatred? Their dominance? Their ignorance? And yet, incredibly, the mood in this suite seemed anything but somber. Two young techies ran by waving T-shirts that bore a picture of Bill Gates and the message: And the Geek shall inherit the Earth! â€Å"Illuminati!† one shouted. â€Å"I told you these guys were real!† â€Å"Incredible! I thought it was just a game!† â€Å"They killed the Pope, man! The Pope!† â€Å"Jeez! I wonder how many points you get for that?† They ran off laughing. Sylvie stood in stunned amazement. As a Catholic working among scientists, she occasionally endured the antireligious whisperings, but the party these kids seemed to be having was all-out euphoria over the church's loss. How could they be so callous? Why the hatred? For Sylvie, the church had always been an innocuous entity†¦ a place of fellowship and introspection†¦ sometimes just a place to sing out loud without people staring at her. The church recorded the benchmarks of her life – funerals, weddings, baptisms, holidays – and it asked for nothing in return. Even the monetary dues were voluntary. Her children emerged from Sunday School every week uplifted, filled with ideas about helping others and being kinder. What could possibly be wrong with that? It never ceased to amaze her that so many of CERN's so-called â€Å"brilliant minds† failed to comprehend the importance of the church. Did they really believe quarks and mesons inspired the average human being? Or that equations could replace someone's need for faith in the divine? Dazed, Sylvie moved down the hallway past the other lounges. All the TV rooms were packed. She began wondering now about the call Kohler had gotten from the Vatican earlier. Coincidence? Perhaps. The Vatican called CERN from time to time as a â€Å"courtesy† before issuing scathing statements condemning CERN's research – most recently for CERN's breakthroughs in nanotechnology, a field the church denounced because of its implications for genetic engineering. CERN never cared. Invariably, within minutes after a Vatican salvo, Kohler's phone would ring off the hook with tech-investment companies wanting to license the new discovery. â€Å"No such thing as bad press,† Kohler would always say. Sylvie wondered if she should page Kohler, wherever the hell he was, and tell him to turn on the news. Did he care? Had he heard? Of course, he'd heard. He was probably videotaping the entire report with his freaky little camcorder, smiling for the first time in a year. As Sylvie continued down the hall, she finally found a lounge where the mood was subdued†¦ almost melancholy. Here the scientists watching the report were some of CERN's oldest and most respected. They did not even look up as Sylvie slipped in and took a seat. On the other side of CERN, in Leonardo Vetra's frigid apartment, Maximilian Kohler had finished reading the leather-bound journal he'd taken from Vetra's bedside table. Now he was watching the television reports. After a few minutes, he replaced Vetra's journal, turned off the television, and left the apartment. Far away, in Vatican City, Cardinal Mortati carried another tray of ballots to the Sistine Chapel chimney. He burned them, and the smoke was black. Two ballotings. No Pope. 83 Flashlights were no match for the voluminous blackness of St. Peter's Basilica. The void overhead pressed down like a starless night, and Vittoria felt the emptiness spread out around her like a desolate ocean. She stayed close as the Swiss Guards and the camerlegno pushed on. High above, a dove cooed and fluttered away. As if sensing her discomfort, the camerlegno dropped back and lay a hand on her shoulder. A tangible strength transferred in the touch, as if the man were magically infusing her with the calm she needed to do what they were about to do. What are we about to do? she thought. This is madness! And yet, Vittoria knew, for all its impiety and inevitable horror, the task at hand was inescapable. The grave decisions facing the camerlegno required information†¦ information entombed in a sarcophagus in the Vatican Grottoes. She wondered what they would find. Did the Illuminati murder the Pope? Did their power really reach so far? Am I really about to perform the first papal autopsy? Vittoria found it ironic that she felt more apprehensive in this unlit church than she would swimming at night with barracuda. Nature was her refuge. She understood nature. But it was matters of man and spirit that left her mystified. Killer fish gathering in the dark conjured images of the press gathering outside. TV footage of branded bodies reminded her of her father's corpse†¦ and the killer's harsh laugh. The killer was out there somewhere. Vittoria felt the anger drowning her fear. As they circled past a pillar – thicker in girth than any redwood she could imagine – Vittoria saw an orange glow up ahead. The light seemed to emanate from beneath the floor in the center of the basilica. As they came closer, she realized what she was seeing. It was the famous sunken sanctuary beneath the main altar – the sumptuous underground chamber that held the Vatican's most sacred relics. As they drew even with the gate surrounding the hollow, Vittoria gazed down at the golden coffer surrounded by scores of glowing oil lamps. â€Å"St. Peter's bones?† she asked, knowing full well that they were. Everyone who came to St. Peter's knew what was in the golden casket. â€Å"Actually, no,† the camerlegno said. â€Å"A common misconception. That's not a reliquary. The box holds palliums – woven sashes that the Pope gives to newly elected cardinals.† â€Å"But I thought – â€Å" â€Å"As does everyone. The guidebooks label this as St. Peter's tomb, but his true grave is two stories beneath us, buried in the earth. The Vatican excavated it in the forties. Nobody is allowed down there.† Vittoria was shocked. As they moved away from the glowing recession into the darkness again, she thought of the stories she'd heard of pilgrims traveling thousands of miles to look at that golden box, thinking they were in the presence of St. Peter. â€Å"Shouldn't the Vatican tell people?† â€Å"We all benefit from a sense of contact with divinity†¦ even if it is only imagined.† Vittoria, as a scientist, could not argue the logic. She had read countless studies of the placebo effect – aspirins curing cancer in people who believed they were using a miracle drug. What was faith, after all? â€Å"Change,† the camerlegno said, â€Å"is not something we do well within Vatican City. Admitting our past faults, modernization, are things we historically eschew. His Holiness was trying to change that.† He paused. â€Å"Reaching to the modern world. Searching for new paths to God.† Vittoria nodded in the dark. â€Å"Like science?† â€Å"To be honest, science seems irrelevant.† â€Å"Irrelevant?† Vittoria could think of a lot of words to describe science, but in the modern world â€Å"irrelevant† did not seem like one of them. â€Å"Science can heal, or science can kill. It depends on the soul of the man using the science. It is the soul that interests me.† â€Å"When did you hear your call?† â€Å"Before I was born.† Vittoria looked at him. â€Å"I'm sorry, that always seems like a strange question. What I mean is that I've always known I would serve God. From the moment I could first think. It wasn't until I was a young man, though, in the military, that I truly understood my purpose.† Vittoria was surprised. â€Å"You were in the military?† â€Å"Two years. I refused to fire a weapon, so they made me fly instead. Medevac helicopters. In fact, I still fly from time to time.† Vittoria tried to picture the young priest flying a helicopter. Oddly, she could see him perfectly behind the controls. Camerlegno Ventresca possessed a grit that seemed to accentuate his conviction rather than cloud it. â€Å"Did you ever fly the Pope?† â€Å"Heavens no. We left that precious cargo to the professionals. His Holiness let me take the helicopter to our retreat in Gandolfo sometimes.† He paused, looking at her. â€Å"Ms. Vetra, thank you for your help here today. I am very sorry about your father. Truly.† â€Å"Thank you.† â€Å"I never knew my father. He died before I was born. I lost my mother when I was ten.† Vittoria looked up. â€Å"You were orphaned?† She felt a sudden kinship. â€Å"I survived an accident. An accident that took my mother.† â€Å"Who took care of you?† â€Å"God,† the camerlegno said. â€Å"He quite literally sent me another father. A bishop from Palermo appeared at my hospital bed and took me in. At the time I was not surprised. I had sensed God's watchful hand over me even as a boy. The bishop's appearance simply confirmed what I had already suspected, that God had somehow chosen me to serve him.† â€Å"You believed God chose you?† â€Å"I did. And I do.† There was no trace of conceit in the camerlegno's voice, only gratitude. â€Å"I worked under the bishop's tutelage for many years. He eventually became a cardinal. Still, he never forgot me. He is the father I remember.† A beam of a flashlight caught the camerlegno's face, and Vittoria sensed a loneliness in his eyes. The group arrived beneath a towering pillar, and their lights converged on an opening in the floor. Vittoria looked down at the staircase descending into the void and suddenly wanted to turn back. The guards were already helping the camerlegno onto the stairs. They helped her next. â€Å"What became of him?† she asked, descending, trying to keep her voice steady. â€Å"The cardinal who took you in?† â€Å"He left the College of Cardinals for another position.† Vittoria was surprised. â€Å"And then, I'm sorry to say, he passed on.† â€Å"Le mie condoglianze,† Vittoria said. â€Å"Recently?† The camerlegno turned, shadows accentuating the pain on his face. â€Å"Exactly fifteen days ago. We are going to see him right now.† 84 The dark lights glowed hot inside the archival vault. This vault was much smaller than the previous one Langdon had been in. Less air. Less time. He wished he'd asked Olivetti to turn on the recirculating fans. Langdon quickly located the section of assets containing the ledgers cataloging Belle Arti. The section was impossible to miss. It occupied almost eight full stacks. The Catholic church owned millions of individual pieces worldwide. Langdon scanned the shelves searching for Gianlorenzo Bernini. He began his search about midway down the first stack, at about the spot he thought the B's would begin. After a moment of panic fearing the ledger was missing, he realized, to his greater dismay, that the ledgers were not arranged alphabetically. Why am I not surprised? It was not until Langdon circled back to the beginning of the collection and climbed a rolling ladder to the top shelf that he understood the vault's organization. Perched precariously on the upper stacks he found the fattest ledgers of all – those belonging to the masters of the Renaissance – Michelangelo, Raphael, da Vinci, Botticelli. Langdon now realized, appropriate to a vault called â€Å"Vatican Assets,† the ledgers were arranged by the overall monetary value of each artist's collection. Sandwiched between Raphael and Michelangelo, Langdon found the ledger marked Bernini. It was over five inches thick. Already short of breath and struggling with the cumbersome volume, Langdon descended the ladder. Then, like a kid with a comic book, he spread himself out on the floor and opened the cover. The book was cloth-bound and very solid. The ledger was handwritten in Italian. Each page cataloged a single work, including a short description, date, location, cost of materials, and sometimes a rough sketch of the piece. Langdon fanned through the pages†¦ over eight hundred in all. Bernini had been a busy man. As a young student of art, Langdon had wondered how single artists could create so much work in their lifetimes. Later he learned, much to his disappointment, that famous artists actually created very little of their own work. They ran studios where they trained young artists to carry out their designs. Sculptors like Bernini created miniatures in clay and hired others to enlarge them into marble. Langdon knew that if Bernini had been required to personally complete all of his commissions, he would still be working today. â€Å"Index,† he said aloud, trying to ward off the mental cobwebs. He flipped to the back of the book, intending to look under the letter F for titles containing the word fuco – fire – but the F's were not together. Langdon swore under his breath. What the hell do these people have against alphabetizing? The entries had apparently been logged chronologically, one by one, as Bernini created each new work. Everything was listed by date. No help at all. As Langdon stared at the list, another disheartening thought occurred to him. The title of the sculpture he was looking for might not even contain the word Fire. The previous two works – Habakkuk and the Angel and West Ponente – had not contained specific references to Earth or Air. He spent a minute or two flipping randomly through the ledger in hopes that an illustration might jump out at him. Nothing did. He saw dozens of obscure works he had never heard of, but he also saw plenty he recognized†¦ Daniel and the Lion, Apollo and Daphne, as well as a half dozen fountains. When he saw the fountains, his thoughts skipped momentarily ahead. Water. He wondered if the fourth altar of science was a fountain. A fountain seemed a perfect tribute to water. Langdon hoped they could catch the killer before he had to consider Water – Bernini had carved dozens of fountains in Rome, most of them in front of churches. Langdon turned back to the matter at hand. Fire. As he looked through the book, Vittoria's words encouraged him. You were familiar with the first two sculptures†¦ you probably know this one too. As he turned to the index again, he scanned for titles he knew. Some were familiar, but none jumped out. Langdon now realized he would never complete his search before passing out, so he decided, against his better judgment, that he would have to take the book outside the vault. It's only a ledger, he told himself. It's not like I'm removing an original Galilean folio. Langdon recalled the folio in his breast pocket and reminded himself to return it before leaving. Hurrying now, he reached down to lift the volume, but as he did, he saw something that gave him pause. Although there were numerous notations throughout the index, the one that had just caught his eye seemed odd. The note indicated that the famous Bernini sculpture, The Ecstasy of St. Teresa, shortly after its unveiling, had been moved from its original location inside the Vatican. This in itself was not what had caught Langdon's eye. He was already familiar with the sculpture's checkered past. Though some thought it a masterpiece, Pope Urban VIII had rejected The Ecstasy of St. Teresa as too sexually explicit for the Vatican. He had banished it to some obscure chapel across town. What had caught Langdon's eye was that the work had apparently been placed in one of the five churches on his list. What was more, the note indicated it had been moved there per suggerimento del artista. By suggestion of the artist? Langdon was confused. It made no sense that Bernini had suggested his masterpiece be hidden in some obscure location. All artists wanted their work displayed prominently, not in some remote – Langdon hesitated. Unless†¦ He was fearful even to entertain the notion. Was it possible? Had Bernini intentionally created a work so explicit that it forced the Vatican to hide it in some out-of-the-way spot? A location perhaps that Bernini himself could suggest? Maybe a remote church on a direct line with West Ponente's breath? As Langdon's excitement mounted, his vague familiarity with the statue intervened, insisting the work had nothing to do with fire. The sculpture, as anyone who had seen it could attest, was anything but scientific – pornographic maybe, but certainly not scientific. An English critic had once condemned The Ecstasy of St. Teresa as â€Å"the most unfit ornament ever to be placed in a Christian Church.† Langdon certainly understood the controversy. Though brilliantly rendered, the statue depicted St. Teresa on her back in the throes of a toe-curling orgasm. Hardly Vatican fare. Langdon hurriedly flipped to the ledger's description of the work. When he saw the sketch, he felt an instantaneous and unexpected tingle of hope. In the sketch, St. Teresa did indeed appear to be enjoying herself, but there was another figure in the statue who Langdon had forgotten was there. An angel. The sordid legend suddenly came back†¦ St. Teresa was a nun sainted after she claimed an angel had paid her a blissful visit in her sleep. Critics later decided her encounter had probably been more sexual than spiritual. Scrawled at the bottom of the ledger, Langdon saw a familiar excerpt. St. Teresa's own words left little to the imagination: †¦ his great golden spear†¦ filled with fire†¦ plunged into me several times†¦ penetrated to my entrails†¦ a sweetness so extreme that one could not possibly wish it to stop. Langdon smiled. If that's not a metaphor for some serious sex, I don't know what is. He was smiling also because of the ledger's description of the work. Although the paragraph was in Italian, the word fuco appeared a half dozen times: †¦ angel's spear tipped with point of fire†¦ †¦ angel's head emanating rays of fire†¦ †¦ woman inflamed by passion's fire†¦ Langdon was not entirely convinced until he glanced up at the sketch again. The angel's fiery spear was raised like a beacon, pointing the way. Let angels guide you on your lofty quest. Even the type of angel Bernini had selected seemed significant. It's a seraphim, Langdon realized. Seraphim literally means â€Å"the fiery one.† Robert Langdon was not a man who had ever looked for confirmation from above, but when he read the name of the church where the sculpture now resided, he decided he might become a believer after all. Santa Maria della Vittoria. Vittoria, he thought, grinning. Perfect. Staggering to his feet, Langdon felt a rush of dizziness. He glanced up the ladder, wondering if he should replace the book. The hell with it, he thought. Father Jaqui can do it. He closed the book and left it neatly at the bottom of the shelf. As he made his way toward the glowing button on the vault's electronic exit, he was breathing in shallow gasps. Nonetheless, he felt rejuvenated by his good fortune. His good fortune, however, ran out before he reached the exit. Without warning, the vault let out a pained sigh. The lights dimmed, and the exit button went dead. Then, like an enormous expiring beast, the archival complex went totally black. Someone had just killed power. 85 The Holy Vatican Grottoes are located beneath the main floor of St. Peter's Basilica. They are the burial place of deceased Popes. Vittoria reached the bottom of the spiral staircase and entered the grotto. The darkened tunnel reminded her of CERN's Large Hadron Collider – black and cold. Lit now only by the flashlights of the Swiss Guards, the tunnel carried a distinctly incorporeal feel. On both sides, hollow niches lined the walls. Recessed in the alcoves, as far as the lights let them see, the hulking shadows of sarcophagi loomed. An iciness raked her flesh. It's the cold, she told herself, knowing that was only partially true. She had the sense they were being watched, not by anyone in the flesh, but by specters in the dark. On top of each tomb, in full papal vestments, lay life-sized semblances of each Pope, shown in death, arms folded across their chests. The prostrate bodies seemed to emerge from within the tombs, pressing upward against the marble lids as if trying to escape their mortal restraints. The flashlight procession moved on, and the papal silhouettes rose and fell against the walls, stretching and vanishing in a macabre shadowbox dance. A silence had fallen across the group, and Vittoria couldn't tell whether it was one of respect or apprehension. She sensed both. The camerlegno moved with his eyes closed, as if he knew every step by heart. Vittoria suspected he had made this eerie promenade many times since the Pope's death†¦ perhaps to pray at his tomb for guidance. I worked under the cardinal's tutelage for many years, the camerlegno had said. He was like a father to me. Vittoria recalled the camerlegno speaking those words in reference to the cardinal who had â€Å"saved† him from the army. Now, however, Vittoria understood the rest of the story. That very cardinal who had taken the camerlegno under his wing had apparently later risen to the papacy and brought with him his young protege to serve as chamberlain. That explains a lot, Vittoria thought. She had always possessed a well-tuned perception for others' inner emotions, and something about the camerlegno had been nagging her all day. Since meeting him, she had sensed an anguish more soulful and private than the overwhelming crisis he now faced. Behind his pious calm, she saw a man tormented by personal demons. Now she knew her instincts had been correct. Not only was he facing the most devastating threat in Vatican history, but he was doing it without his mentor and friend†¦ flying solo. The guards slowed now, as if unsure where exactly in the darkness the most recent Pope was buried. The camerlegno continued assuredly and stopped before a marble tomb that seemed to glisten brighter than the others. Lying atop was a carved figure of the late Pope. When Vittoria recognized his face from television, a shot of fear gripped her. What are we doing? â€Å"I realize we do not have much time,† the camerlegno said. â€Å"I still ask we take a moment of prayer.† The Swiss Guard all bowed their heads where they were standing. Vittoria followed suit, her heart pounding in the silence. The camerlegno knelt before the tomb and prayed in Italian. As Vittoria listened to his words, an unexpected grief surfaced as tears†¦ tears for her own mentor†¦ her own holy father. The camerlegno's words seemed as appropriate for her father as they did for the Pope. â€Å"Supreme father, counselor, friend.† The camerlegno's voice echoed dully around the ring. â€Å"You told me when I was young that the voice in my heart was that of God. You told me I must follow it no matter what painful places it leads. I hear that voice now, asking of me impossible tasks. Give me strength. Bestow on me forgiveness. What I do†¦ I do in the name of everything you believe. Amen.† â€Å"Amen,† the guards whispered. Amen, Father. Vittoria wiped her eyes. The camerlegno stood slowly and stepped away from the tomb. â€Å"Push the covering aside.† The Swiss Guards hesitated. â€Å"Signore,† one said, â€Å"by law we are at your command.† He paused. â€Å"We will do as you say†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The camerlegno seemed to read the young man's mind. â€Å"Someday I will ask your forgiveness for placing you in this position. Today I ask for your obedience. Vatican laws are established to protect this church. It is in that very spirit that I command you to break them now.† There was a moment of silence and then the lead guard gave the order. The three men set down their flashlights on the floor, and their shadows leapt overhead. Lit now from beneath, the men advanced toward the tomb. Bracing their hands against the marble covering near the head of the tomb, they planted their feet and prepared to push. On signal, they all thrust, straining against the enormous slab. When the lid did not move at all, Vittoria found herself almost hoping it was too heavy. She was suddenly fearful of what they would find inside. The men pushed harder, and still the stone did not move. â€Å"Ancora,† the camerlegno said, rolling up the sleeves of his cassock and preparing to push along with them. â€Å"Ora!† Everyone heaved. Vittoria was about to offer her own help, but just then, the lid began to slide. The men dug in again, and with an almost primal growl of stone on stone, the lid rotated off the top of the tomb and came to rest at an angle – the Pope's carved head now pushed back into the niche and his feet extended out into the hallway. Everyone stepped back. Tentatively, a guard bent and retrieved his flashlight. Then he aimed it into the tomb. The beam seemed to tremble a moment, and then the guard held it steady. The other guards gathered one by one. Even in the darkness Vittoria sensed them recoil. In succession, they crossed themselves. The camerlegno shuddered when he looked into the tomb, his shoulders dropping like weights. He stood a long moment before turning away. Vittoria had feared the corpse's mouth might be clenched tight with rigor mortis and that she would have to suggest breaking the jaw to see the tongue. She now saw it would be unnecessary. The cheeks had collapsed, and the Pope's mouth gaped wide. His tongue was black as death.

Self reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Self reflection - Essay Example I observed that choosing the appropriate equipment for would care and explaining the necessity of such a task to the patients took a long time but interesting. It is quite helpful to be aware of the determinants of health as far as the 3EB patients are concerned: I spend some time identifying the socio-economic factors that may affect the quality of nursing treatment they received. I also looked at their physical environments and their personality/characteristics in order to determine the appropriate nursing attention that would be of utmost usefulness to them. I worked hard on my communication skill as I gently prodded the patients to voice out their concerns. I was able to achieve some success in this regard because I showed absolute interest in the patients and expressed my willingness to help them by actively listening to their health-related complaints (Thomas & Pollio, 2002). I adjusted my tone to the patients’ so as to win their hearts and trust. In the course of this process, I was able to quickly pass their requirements to other health officials that were directly connected to their treatment. I realized that the individual factors could either hinder or assist the smooth application of clinical treatment on the patients (Thomas & Pollio, 2002). If I have decided to be selfish and uncaring, the patient would be reluctant to communicate with me. But since both the patient and I felt the individual responsibility to communicate meaningfully, it was possible to elicit vital information that would help the patient to recover. I reckoned that the bulk of nursing activities I carried out at 3 EB required that I first of all paid serious attention to the patients’ needs, and then mapped out my solutions to whatever health problems using my mini care plan. This involved collective action from both the patient and I: I was ready to help, and the patient was ready to be submissive to my care. I also learned about the importance of time management and

Dominant Groups Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Dominant Groups - Essay Example Therefore, an individual that has a dominant attribute of any of these aspects becomes part of the dominant group. Dominant groups play a vital role in the establishment of identities among member of the society (Pearson highered). It is critical to understand dominance in the society since it is a vital aspect of community. Dominance has various repercussions in fields such as fashion, politics and other aspects of the society. Thus, understanding this concept will be vital in this discipline. Additionally, dominance influences human aspects such as sexuality significantly. Consequently, understanding this concept will provide us with vital insight into various issues pertaining to this society. Therefore, this concept is vital in understanding issue such as social classes and their influence on trends. Classism is a key component of sociology hence, studying dominance would enable an individual understand this component appropriately (Brantley et.al). Understanding dominance would enable us understand the problems which contribute lead to dominance. These factors include wealth, race, education and culture. Therefore, understanding how these factors contribute to dominance will enable us have a comprehensive view of this topic. Additionally, it will enable a student understand other social which surround dominance. Factor such as wealth, power, race, education and culture influence dominance subsequently relevant studies will reveal what the minority parties are doing to achieve the dominant status. Additionally, studying dominance would provide insight on how various social classes perceive each other. Understanding dominance would also expand our knowledge on the existing groups and their interaction. Combination of power and wealth will result in super dominant group. Therefore, studying how factors that determine dominance interact would be essential. In the American society, dominance has been maintained in various

An information booklet providing guidance and explanation on research Coursework

An information booklet providing guidance and explanation on research techniques and methodologiesdesign suitable for an area of professional practice - Coursework Example Risk analysis and risk assessment are concepts that are interchangeable and they form the basis of risk management. It's an ongoing process where: Assets are identified and valued. Vulnerabilities associated with an asset are identifiedand their severity is assessed. Threats are identified and chances of their occurrenceare assessed. The threat and vulnerability relation isexamined which might result in the manifestation ofany risk. Policies are used in accordance with the impact of thisrisk manifestation. Existing controls are defined and corrective actions areproposed so that the impact of any risk is reduced to thelevel that can be accepted for a particular environment. So Risk Management can be defined as a continuous process of planning, implementation of those plans , promoting awareness and monitoring of security measures to mitigate, transfer, eliminate or control to an acceptable level. Various objectives of the risk management process include: The aim of risk management is "reduce business exposure by balancing counter measures investment against risk"(Birch&McEVOY,1992;45) The purpose of risk management is "to minimise the expected loss"(Suh &Hun,2003:150). The goal of risk management is "select risk mitigation, risk transfer and risk recovery measures so as to optimise the performance of an organization"(Jacobson,2002;1) IMPORTANCE OF RISK MANAGEMENT It is easy to manage an organisation when all things are at its place, but during crucial times of risk management, the job becomes tough. Then comes the tough managerial Decision Making. Cooperation is required in such times from all the sectors of the company. Treating risks after...Both the words sound daunting, but they have simple meanings in the field of research. Epistemology can be defined as the "study of knowledge and justified belief" .When epistemology is considered as" the study of knowledge", it is concerned with questions like: what are the sources of knowledge what are the conditions of knowledge What are the structure and limits of knowledge. When it epistemology deals with ' justified belief", it asks questions like what makes beliefs justified Whether justification is external or internal to one's mind to sum it up, Epistemology deals with the creation ok knowledge and dissemination of knowledge. "Any research can be affected by different kinds of factors which, while extraneous to the concerns of the research, can invalidate the findings" (Seliger & Shohamy 1989, 95).The primary responsibility of any good researcher should be controlling the factors that might hamper the validity of a research. This map draws the metaphor of a journey through the road which shows how research is similar to a journey that begins from conceptualisation and the aim and ultimately the journey ends at the conclusion. To achieve expertise in Risk management for..,the research approach, application and the appropriate research questions are vital.

Meeting Organisational Development Needs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Meeting Organisational Development Needs - Essay Example Furthermore, T&D when imparted consistently provides many other advantages to the organisation such as boosting the morale of employees, increase their level of productivity, guarantee satisfaction of work, maintaining quality and consistency in work along with reduced expenses (Olaniyan & Ojo, 2008). The report will give a brief overview on the requirements in designing an effective Learning and Development (L&D) as a part of the T&D program of the organisation and will try to devise a few methods to conduct L&D in organisation in a successful manner. In order to promote quality L&D within organisational framework, organizations employ a range of techniques for identification of the L&D needs of its middle level managers. The tools provides sufficient information on how organisations can find out the L&D needs of employees and consequently, provide successful L&D, as per their identified and specific needs. The needs identified by organizations among its middle level managers indicated their search for recognition and need for becoming a future potential manager. Hence, to carve out their future leadership potential, organizations tend to employ such tools that can assist middle level managers to meet their required objectives. Although there are many tools that can be used to assess the L&D needs, still organizations that want to focus upon HR development needs can consider not adopting certain methods. These can be use of ‘Consensus techniques’ and ‘Learner centred analysis’, which are less challenging methods to develop the L&D needs. These techniques can be prohibited by organizations as they focus more upon the analysis of their self-learning requirements and synthesize information with the assistance of experts. Organizations can further deduct these techniques One of the tools organizations can use to

Structure of Eukaryotic Cells Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Structure of Eukaryotic Cells - Essay Example The eukaryotic cells are made up of numerous rod-shaped chromosomes. They are structured to compose of several membrane-bound organelles such as the mitochondria, Golgi apparatus, chloroplasts and endoplasmic reticulum. These organelles found in the eukaryotic cells have remarkable cellular functions. The eukaryotic cells are well structured and protected by a membrane-bound nucleus. This nucleus that surrounds the membrane is considered as a true nucleus (Lanza, 2009). Additionally, almost all eukaryotic organelles are divided with the rest of the cellular space by a membrane. The eukaryotic organelles are surrounded by a membrane that is based on lipid bilayers which are relatively comparable to the cell's outer membrane, but it is not similar. In summary, the aggregate area of a cell's internal membranes by far-off surpasses that of its plasma membrane. Similarly, organelle membranes just like the plasma membrane role are to retain the interior fluids in and the exterior fluids ou t. This separation allows several types of biochemical reactions to take place in diverse organelles (Lanza, 2009). Each of the organelles has a particular role in the cell and all of the cell's organelles work collectively in a unified manner to achieve the inclusive essentials of the cell. For instance, in a mitochondria cell's, the biochemical reactions send energy from pyruvate molecules and fatty acids into a molecule rich in energy called adenosine triphosphate (ATP).  

Impact Evaluation and Accountability Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Impact Evaluation and Accountability - Essay Example Can a government arbitrarily treat social concerns as its private reserve Better still, will the prime minister, president or monarch willingly abdicate his or her duties to look after the vulnerable section of society Social issues and problems are too deep, intricate and vexatious for even the government to handle single handedly. Traditionally, the social issues of poverty and unemployment were invariably touched upon by religious and/or civic conscious citizens under the patronage of the government and the wealthy. The system did not need regular improvising until the need became known and the means were available. Today, social work is a specialized domain. The issues are more complex and it is not only poverty and unemployment, but also a host of other disturbances like child labor and stress management seeking attention. It has become necessary for social factors to be studied, statistically and scientifically observed, understood and concluded upon by qualified and experienced experts. (Performance Measurement and Evaluation) Accountability is a combination of procedure and responsibility. There are eon procedures and methods, but it is left to the wisdom and discretion of the accountant to evolve a system best suited for the purpose of the organization. The accountant uses not only his academic skills and experience, but also his creative faculties to carry out the daily activities and evolve new methods when and where necessary with the resources available to him. The accountant is also responsible to the management and the statutory authorities like the chartered accountants. He is under the supervisory gaze of these authorities and his actions and decisions are subject to their approvals, corrective suggestions and instructions, and sometimes even censure in fraudulent cases. Other than the accountant, the social organization must be allocated the necessary funds and allowed to operate on its own to fulfill its goals and obligations. Social organizations have the necessary personnel and wherewithal to define social problems and the means to find solutions. (Healthcare & Social Services) Government and Accountability The traditional way of working has given way to the current trends of working. In the current scenario, the system is simple although hi-tech. It is highly adept to policy, procedure and systems loyalties. But it needs the tender and efficacious touch of an expert operator. As the highest authority of the land, the government has enough powers and means to oversee, control and legislate not only the social sector but the entire gamut of departmental ministries. The government itself has to operate within its budgetary and functional constraints. Its ministers and staff have their duties to perform and they cannot overstretch their limits. There are thousands of social trusts, social organizations, social volunteers and social problems. It is practically impossible for the government to keep tabs on all of them. They

PSYCHOLOGY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

PSYCHOLOGY - Essay Example It is a perfect example of what life is all about, and how to lead a righteous life. The tests reveal a hidden bias just like it is meant to disclose. I completed two demonstration implicit preferences tests: one for skin tone and the other for age. Skin tone IAT reveals automatic preference for light skin compared to dark skin. I believed that my preference for light skin to dark skin was neutral. This means that I do not have any automatic preference for any skin tone. The results from the demonstration tests show that I have â€Å"little to no automatic preference between Light Skinned People and Dark Skinned People†. Age IAT is a test that often shows the level of automatic preference for the young over old people. In this test, I gave my answer as preferring old over the young. The results, however, indicate that I have a high level of preference for the young over the old. Strong automatic preference for the young over old is 35%, moderate automatic preference is 29%, while slight automatic preference is 16%. Overall results show that I have â€Å"a mo derate automatic preference for Young compared to Old†. From these results I have learnt that I have some hidden bias. This could affect intercultural communication because of the unknown bias towards certain communities or cultures. Ethnocentrism is the consideration of one’s culture as superior to others, so that, the culture and its practices are used as a standard for interpreting norms, communication, values and beliefs of other cultures (Wood, 2011). This means that any culture could be superior or inferior depending on the person interpreting the values. With this knowledge, however, it is important to recognize that every culture should be appreciated. A stereotype is a kind of belief about an individual or a group of people. It is a generalization of a group of people or individual that does not allow social variation or individual differences. Stereotypes arise from images found in mass

Event Study - Using Econometrics Research Paper

Event Study - Using Econometrics - Research Paper Example (1996), who studied the relationship between dividend announcements and earnings, both of which appear simultaneously. As such, in practice, investment analysts who analyze long-term economic prospects are to be expected to inquire about information related to top management as well as changes in corporate strategy among other issues that are believed to have an impact on the company’s earnings (Denis, 1990; Marsh, 1993). These considerations are also very important in share trading decisions. One of the most anticipated types of regular returns on stocks are dividends. These are payments made by firms to their shareholders as a compensation for their capital. If dividend policy is frequently adjusted, then the variation in the stock prices would be expected to remain high. Variation in share prices occurs due to recurrent investors’ reactions ahead of important announcement by the companies, dividends announcement being among them. Such announcements are floated throug h the stock exchanges as well as made through annual reports for the purpose of reaching the investors. Nevertheless, some companies release crucial information through the press release even before they publish them in the annual reports, if the need arises. Furthermore, there are other mediums that transmit information to the investors in effect changing the prices of the stocks. Some of the announcement that may influence prices of shares include new product launch, management changeover, changes of government policies, starting and shutting down of projects, mergers and acquisitions, political changes, downsizing of firms, as well as the announcement of dividend, which is the focus of this study. The prices of stocks tend to change immediately the news hinting about these changes is received by the investors. The relevance of dividend announcements is a subject of considerable interest for many researchers in the field of finance. This subject has ignited considerable controvers y, considering the impact dividends announcement have before and after their announcement. This study builds upon different dividend literature by looking at the impact of dividend announcements for a multiple of firms that are listed in UK stock markets. The study will use an event study approach to examine abnormal returns for a total of 50 firms, which is potentially caused by the announcement of dividends for 21 days spreading between July 2012 and August 2012. The results indicate that the announcement of dividends that is accompanied with good news is received positively by investors; hence, more rate of increase of abnormal returns are experienced after the announcement. The results of this study also indicate that firms should be more prudent when making dividend policies as they have significant economic implications. This paper looks at the reactions of markets following a blend of dividend announcement by companies from the UK. These announcements are pointers that are or iginated by the managers of different companies in conditions of economic uncertainty, a scenario that is accompanied by varied investors interpretations and informational asymmetry. This study will be in accordance with the principles adopted in any empirical studies that investigate the impacts of share prices in relation to changes in dividends (for example, Charest 1978; Eades et al., 1985). Literature Review From the study of Ghosh and Woolridge (1988), it has been established that markets can

Violence Against Women in Muslim Families Essay Example for Free

Violence Against Women in Muslim Families Essay Nasim Basiri Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations, declared in a 2006 report posted on the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) website that: Violence against women and girls is a problem of pandemic proportions. At least one out of every three women around the world has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime with the abuser usually someone known to her, (Kofi Annan 2006) One of the key issues addressed at the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing was the elimination of violence against women. Violence affects the lives of millions of women worldwide, irrespective of their socio-economic status. It cuts across ethnic, cultural and religious barriers, impeding the rights of women to participate fully in the society. The urgency of addressing this global problem is tragically illustrated by the treatment of women in conflict or crisis situations, where various forms of harassment, intimidation, rape and forced pregnancies are being used as instruments of war, especially by the opposing forces or the supposed peacekeepers. The recent incident in the Darfur region of Sudan, where women were violently abused both physically and sexually and some killed, is typical. However, it is not only in times of war that women are vulnerable to abuse. Throughout the world, women suffer untold violence in the family, at work and in the wider community, while the perpetrators include individuals and the state apparatus. Women worldwide remain vulnerable to life-threatening conditions and abuse of physical and psychological integrity. Although violence against women is highly under-reported, its prevalence is high in many cultural settings both in the developed and developing countries. For instance, studies indicate that 10-58% of women have experienced physical abuse by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Furthermore, cross- sectional studies show that 40% of women inSouth Africa, 28% in Tanzania and 7% in New Zealand reported their first sexual intercourse was forced. More than half a billion of the women in the world are Muslim. They are concentrated in approximately 45 Muslim-majority countries in a broad belt from Senegal to the Philippines, with the largest number on the South Asian subcontinent. The most populous single Muslim-majority nation is Indonesia.The policing of Muslim communities in the name of gender equality is now a globally organized phenomenon and one that has become even more pronounced after the events of September 11, 2001 when the United States began its ‘War on Terror’ in response to the terrorist bombings of the World Trade Centre and Pentagon. The policing is organized under the logic that there is an irreconcilable culture clash between the West and Islam with the latter bent on the West’s destruction. (Huntington 1997) They are tribal and stuck in pre-modernity, the argument goes, possessing neither a commitment to human rights, women’s rights nor to democracy. It is the West’s obligation to defend itself from these values and to assist Muslims into modernity, by force if necessary, as the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq both underline. The body of the Muslim woman, a body ï ¬ xed in the Western imaginary as conï ¬ ned, mutilated, and sometimes murdered in the name of culture, serves to reinforce the threat that the Muslim man is said to pose to the West and is used to justify the extraordinary measures of violence and surveillance required to discipline him and Muslim communities.( Jiwani) THE STATUS OF WOMEN IN ISLAM Some scholars have argued that MPL cannot be effectively recognised and implemented by the South African government because Islamic law conflicts with gender equality. Since the height of the feminist movement in the late 70s, a magnifying glass has been placed over the status of Muslim women. Unfortunately, the magnifying glass used is an unusual one. Unusual in the sense that it is highly selective about which items to magnify; other items it distorts to such a degree that they no longer look familiar (Ellison, 2004). The image of Islam is portrayed (Khalid and Tucker, 1996:9) as the: fount of unmitigated oppression of women, as the foundation of a gender system that categorically denies women equal rights and subjugates them to men, this recurs in the movies, magazines, and books of our popular culture as well as in much academic discourse. I concede that many rules, as they exist within the Muslim community, have been interpreted by males and, therefore, are patriarchal. However , it is hard to conclude that Islam itself is antipathetical to equality of the sexes. I will briefly discuss the elevated position of women in Islam. In post-apartheid South Africa, women are only now really able to have their voices heard. The issue of gender equality has become central to the development of constitutional democracy in South Africa. But what is gender? It is usually described as the way society understands the differences between men and women. This can be extended to what can be identified or recognized as masculine or feminine in a socio-cultural sense. Gender is indeed socially constructed and determined by things such as culture and religion. It is also not fixed in time and place, and is, therefore, subject to change. In Islam it is important to note that the word gender has no corresponding current term in the Arabic language, the language of the Quran. The word gender is general, and reference to men and women is made by the reference to the word sex, which is believed to be value free. The Quran bears evidence to the forgoing in its reference to the story of creation where it purposely employs gender neutral terms (Hassan, 1998). According to Seedat (2000), some of the concerns and experiences emerging from Muslim women are as follows: * Women are often merely verbally informed by their husbands of their being divorced, without any sort of written legal documents; * Imams often grant talaqs without any consultation with the wives; * Women who spend their lives cooking, cleaning and looking after the children, are often left destitute at the end of the marriage. Those who find themselves financially dependent on their husbands, are unable to secure their own economic development, and are less likely to leave an unhappy or abusive marital relationship. * Many women also find it difficult to negotiate contracts due to the stigma attached, ie that she will be branded a modern Islamic feminist filled with western ideas. CONCLUSION Domestic violence is deep-rooted in many African societies Arab societies and etc, where wife beating is considered a prerogative of menand a purely domestic matter by the society. Domestic violence is one of the greatest barriers to ending the subordination of women. Women, for fear of violence, are unable to refuse sex or negotiate safer sexual practices, thus increasing their vulnerability to HIV if their husbands are unfaithful. A more productive approach, it seems to me, is to ask how we might contribute to making the world a more just place. A world not organized around strategic military and economic demands; a place where certain kinds of forces and values that we may still consider important could have an appeal and where there is the peace necessary for discussions, debates, and transformations to occur within communities. We need to ask ourselves what kinds of world conditions we could contribute to making such that popular desires will not be overdetermined by an over whelming sense of helplessness in the face of forms of global injustice. Where we seek to be active in the affairs of distant places, can we do so in the spirit of support for those within those communities whose goals are to make womens lives better . REFERENCES ^ a b c d e Moradian, Azad. Domestic Violence against Single and Married Women in Iranian Society. Tolerancy International. September 2009. Retrieved 16 Nov. 2011. Popularly referred to as the ‘‘clash of civilizations’’, the phrase and the argument can be found in Huntington (1997) For critique and examination of its widespread inï ¬â€šuence and appeal, see Said (2001). For a discussion of how the culture clash thesis inï ¬â€šuences feminists see Razack (unpublished). For a discussion of how the Muslim woman’s body has been represented in the press post 911 see Jiwani (forthcoming). Abdo, Nahla, and Ronit Lentin, eds. Women and the Politics of Military Confrontation:Palestinian and Israeli Gendered Narratives of Dislocation. New York: Berghahn Books, 2002. Abdullah, Ustaz Yoonus. Sharia in Africa. Ijebu-Ode, Nigeria: Shebiotimo Publications, 1998. Abou El Fadl, Khaled. Speaking in God’s Name: Islamic Law, Authority and Women. Oxford: Oneworld Press 2001. Abu Lughod, Lila. â€Å"Introduction: Feminist Longing and Postcolonial Conditions.† In Lila Abu Lughod, ed., Remaking Women: Feminism and Modernity in the Middle East. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1998. Abu Lughod, Lila, ed. Remaking Women: Feminism and Modernity in the Middle East. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1998. Abusharaf, Rogaia Mustafa. â€Å"Revisiting Feminist Discourses on Infibulation: Responses from Sudanese Feminists.† In Bettina Shell-Duncan and Yvla Hernlund, eds., Female â€Å"Circumcision† in Africa: Culture, Controversy and Change. Boulder: Lynne Reiner, 2000. Fadel M (1999) Two Women, One Man: Knowledge, Power and Gender in Medieval Sunni Legal Thought, in International journal of Middle East Studies. Hassan SO (1998) Gender and Islamic Law, Some general observations on the Status of Women under Islamic law, paper delivered at Gender and Law workshop, World Bank. Hughes TP (1886) Marriage in Dictionary of Islam (1886), see also http:// muslim- canada. org/marriaged iction . United Nations. The Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action, Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing, China. UNDoc.DPI/1766/ Wom.1 12-113. New York: United Nations, 1996. De Bruyn M. Violence related to pregnancy and abortion: a violation of human rights. Sex Health Exch 2002; 3:14-15. Heise LL, Raikes A, Watts CH and Zwi AB. Violence against women: a neglected public health issue in less developed countries. Soc SciMed 1994; 39(9): 1165-79. Molloy J. Ending war against women. CRLP sponsors workshop on violence against wom en in situations of armed conflict duringBeijing + 5 Regional Conference. ReprodFreedom News 2000; 9(3): 2. Schreck Laurel. Turning point: a special report on the refugee reproductive health field. InterFam Plann Persp 2000; 26(4): 162-166. Girard F and Waldman W. Ensuring the reproductive rights of refugees and internally displaced persons: legal and policy issues. Inter Fam Plann Persp 2000; 26(4): 167-173. Nordstrom C. Catitas war. Development 2001; 44(3): 30-5. Refugees International. Visual mission: violence against women in Darfur, October 2004. http:// www.urefugeesinternational.org/content/report/ detail/4329/ . Rath DG,Jarratt LG and Leonardson G. Rates of domestic violence against adult women by men partners. JAm BdFam Prac 1989; 2:227-233. Odimegwu Clifford O. Couple formation and domestic violence among the Tiv of Benue State,Nigeria. Paper presented at the International Colloquium Gender, Population and Develop- ment in Africa organised by UAPS, INED, ENSEA, IFORD, Abid jan 16-21 July 2001. Foster LA. South African experiences in fighting domestic violence. Sex Health Exch 2002; 3: 3-4. Brinkerhoff MB, Grandin E and Lupri E. Religious involvement and spousal violence: the Canadian case. JSci StudyRel 1992; 31(1): 15-31. Heise L, et al. Ending violence against women. Pop Reports Series L, No. 11. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, Population Information Program, December 1999.

Fashion industry

Fashion industry INTRODUCTION The fashion industry today is a very complex network. We have the marketing research people, who research the needs of the consumers, then we have the designers who design the garments, we also have the manufacturers who produce the garments and we have the distributors and retailers who sell the products to the consumers. The end consumer behavior is always changing and it getting very hard to determine what the consumer wants. To be able to deliver the right product, at right place, right quantity, and right quality to the right customers is becoming more and more challenging. Eventually all the finished products have to reach the ultimate consumers and here the role and responsibility of the retailers has become more vital [1]. Retailing is the process of buying and selling goods to the ultimate consumers. Over the last couple of decades the retailing has undergone drastic changes. Especially in the 1980s the departmental stores faced difficulties with the merger mania. During thi s period we have seen the emergence of different kinds of retailers such as discounters, chain organizations and hypermarkets. With the changes of trends and the shopping experience of the consumers, the trends in retailing have been changes after all the retail business is itself built on change [2]. Today the retailing process has moved from the traditional ways to more and more modern ways. The present retailers can be classified into the following ways: Retail branch companies Voluntary multiple chains Integrated wholesalers Franchise Department stores Mail orders/Internet Outlets Independent shops Boutiques / Concept stores. Each of the above listed retailers has their own uniqueness. In particular the boutique concept has got a very long history. Boutique is a term originated from French which means little shop[1]. It all started with the Paris couture houses which allowed the customers to buy perfumes and accessories. The Boutique has emerged on the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Germany etc. with different themes. Over the time the boutique concept has moved to a highly individualized and specialized merchandise intended to a well defined and a narrow range of customers. In the late 1990s some of the European retailers expanded the boutique concept to a life style theme. These boutiques were termed as ‘concept stores and were specialized in cross-selling of different products under one roof without the use of separate departments [3]. These concept stores featured products ranging from very high prices to moderate prices dealing in only designer clothes and/or hand crafted fashions and/or trendy accessories and/or antique clothing [1]. The concept stores mostly carry products of different mix of brands and products [4]. These stores are facilitating partnerships to enable the concept, thereby securing in terms of total buying. Intention is to approach edges with the aim of creating â€Å"concept stores†. Concept stores idea would rather be the operation related to elite and highly specialized class. Below is the image of the Kisan concept store in the New York City [5]. But now a day this concept has been applied to the normally mass market highly expensive items which are intentionally made at small number to keep the uniqueness of the product. Today the concept stores run with a specific consumer in mind and having the different brands product in it which could be apparel ranges, books collections, jewelry, fragrances, furniture etc. The concept is exclusively (but not primarily) while it urges to the relationship between the customers and products quality. One of the first concept stores to open was ‘10 Corso Como in Milan, Italy. This was followed by ‘Colette in Paris, ‘Quartier 206 in Berlin. The concept of ‘concept store has not only confined to the fashion industry but has also moved to electronics with brands such as Apple, Dell, Microsoft etc. opening their concept store to showcase their latest innovative products. The concept of a concept store is very complicated and as mentioned above has been changing over time. The concept of these stores is also quite different in different locations. Hence there is always a discussion about the future trends of the concept stores. This paper is an attempt to discuss the solutions to such questions which are listed below: What is the concept of a concept store? What are the products and services offered in a concept store? How will be the customer experience in such concept stores? 1. METHODOLOGY The purpose of this report is to study the concept of a concept store. This can be possible only when a practical case has been studied. The aim here is present a practical case which can be well supported with theoretical studies from various literatures and sources. Hence Storm Fashion, a concept store in Copenhagen, Denmark was selected and a thorough study was carried out. The information about Storm Fashion was collected from various electronic sources. In addition to this the Storm store was visited and the owner Mr. Rasmus Storm was interviewed. Further, the customers of Storm Fashion were asked for their opinion and share their experiences. 2. STORM FASHION: Copenhagen city has lot to offer for fashion industry, though it is not considered to be among biggies such as Paris, Milan, London or New York. Copenhagen has got a lot of potential and this has been proved by the fact that several Danish designers have been employed permanently by international fashion houses [6]. Seeing the potential for the luxurious market several brands such as Prada, Max Mara, Chanel, Hermà ©s and Louis Vuitton, Gucci etc have opened their stores in the posh localities of Copenhagen. Today Copenhagen has established itself as a fashion metropolis of the northern Europe with several internal brands and concept store. This potential for luxurious and unique products was discovered by Mr. Rasmus Storm and with this boost he opened the Storm concept store in the year 1994 at Elmegade, the North Bridge, Copenhagen. In the year 2001 the store was shifted to St. Regnegade in the central of the Copenhagen city. The aim of Mr. Rasmus Storm was to provide world class unique products to his customers. Soon the Storm store was one of the most recognized and trend setting concept stores. It was one of the first stores to accommodate world class brands such as Thom Browne, Dries van Noten, Ralph Lauren, Comme des Garcons, Raf Simons, Chloà ©, Ann Demeulemeester og Haider Ackermann. He not only confined his store for only fashion products but also extended it wide selection of products such as beauty products, photography, DVD movies, music and books on art and fashion [7]. The storm store hold the products ranging from leading Danish and international designer brands, like several of them on often found in Copenhagen. Due to its uniqueness and its popularity Storm store has received the Danish Fashion Award for best retail space was given to Storm in spring 2008. Most of the products displayed in the Storm store are handpicked by Mr. Rasmus Storm who travels all over the world for the best and unique products [8]. The most important thing for the selection of products is networking where different designers and artists are met for inspiration. Below the products offered in the Storm store have be briefly described. 3.1 Mens clothes The clothing line has the designer touch of a classic, archetypal school quality in a simple and marked by seriousness, gravity, solemnity. The Store has leading brands such as Dior Homme, Burberry Prorsum, Dries van Noten, Gitman vintage, Junya Watanabes, Visvim etc. The collection is seasonal and also contains selected shoes and boots of brands such as Ring Wing, The original boat boots etc. Some of the products are show below 3.2 Womens clothes We can see the delicious classic touch like French Chloà © in the Womens clothing. The collection includes the delicate and special things belong to the exciting Belgian designer Haider Ackermann Colombian, Ann Demeulemeester Parisian misc/fashion duo Kitsunà ©, Swedish Burglar etc. Some of the products are shown below [7]: 3.4 Skincare and Magazines: Storm has and is always in touch with the latest updates from fashion and design world. Storm has books and magazines of Fantastic Man, Knick Knight, Nils Stà ¦rk, Stephen Sprouse, Albert Watson, Camouflage etc. Storm also offers pure skincare, hair care products from Bumble Bumble, Dover Street market, Mayday Mayday etc [7]. 3.5 Accessories: Storm also offers wide range of product for both men and women in the form of fragrances, eye wear, bags, lighters, sneakers, candles, watches etc. Storm offers very unique products such as Zippo X Ambush lighter (available in only 2 retailers in Europe), Mismo X Storm, Fat Cat Stuff X Storm etc [7]. 3.6 Store Appearance: The Storm store was designed by Leif Jà ¸rgensen from LLLP and he tried to combine the feminine and the masculine themes combined with the use of materials like glass and wood prominence. The central focus was to keep the store very clean with simple colors such as white, wood and black so the focus is on the clothing, other products and not the store itself. The interiors of the storm store can be seen below 3. ANALYSIS A SWOT analysis was done to analyze different factors that influence the performance of the Storm concept store. 4.1 Strengths One of the main strengths of Storm stores is its ability to showcase products which are unique and very diverse. With this uniqueness and diversity, the Storm store has earned an image which has earned its own individuality. Storm store does not seem to be like any other store but has its own unique identity and reputation. Another important strength of the Storm store is its leadership in the form of Mr. Rasmus Storm who has a great passion and vision. Mr. Storm is always travelling all over the world in search of new designers, artists and products [8]. The best example is the Zippo X Ambush lighter which Mr. Storm brought from Japan. Another strength of Storm store is products that are amalgam of soft and elegance touch. The store presence is also one of the driving forces for the customers to come in. Especially the interiors which are very clean and do not steal the focus from the products displayed. Another strength of the Storm store is the customer experience with a good rece ption. The stores personal is very warm and are always helpful in finding the right products for the customers [10]. 4.2 Weakness One of the main weaknesses of the Storm store is its webpage which is very limited with the information, products classification etc unlike the French concept store Colette which has got a very good webpage. A lot more can be done with the webpage as most of the customers today are tending towards the web experience of anything. The webpage also does not have the web shopping which is very unusual for a store like Storm. The webpage does not even keep the database of the customers and the customer choices which need to be addressed. Another weakness which was inferred from the customers is that the products sold are way too expensive [10]. Although Storm was established in the year 1994, it still has only one store. Keeping in mind its popularity and uniqueness, the Store can be expanded to other locations. The Storm store does not carry products from leading brands like Chanel, Prada, Gucci etc which it used carry a few years ago. 4.3 Opportunities Storm fashion has got a very good reputation not only in Denmark but also in Sweden, Norway, Germany etc. Even though it was established 15 years ago it has its presence in Copenhagen city only and has got a great potential to expand into other cities. Hence the store may be expanded into other locations such as Stockholm, Paris, Berlin etc. The webpage can be modified to accommodate feature such a product classification, virtual wardrobe, web shopping etc. Although the products offered at the Storm store are much diversified but there is still room for more diversification. This can be further explored. Storm Fashion is very high-end targeteting people with quite a lot of money, it would be nice if they had some less expensive stuff but still kept their profile as being exclusive and nice [10]. The Storm store can also focus on a few customers catering their choices and tastes and offer some very exclusive products accordingly. 4.4 Threats One of the main threats for the Storm store is the emergence of new concept stores in the Copenhagen city which tend to maintain the same exclusivity. A best example is Wood Wood store which is in the near proximity of the Storm store. Another common weakness is the counterfeit products. Although Storm offers very exclusive products, getting a counterfeit product is becoming very easy these days. The Economic crisis has also played its part in the Storms growth rate. Especially the fluctuating currency exchange rate of the Danish-Swedish kronor has decrease the customer buying from Sweden. Due to this Storm has been lost almost 15% of its revenues for the past couple of years [8]. 4.5 Key Success Factors Some of the key success factors of Storm have been listed in the table below: Key Success Factors LOW HIGH 1 2 3 4 5 Brand Value Product Range Advertisement Consumer Experience Web experience Leadership Price Range Growth rate In most of the cases the well designed strategic plan has the potential to integrate the performance of company. But low thoughts are given to implementing, accountability and executing for the success of business, while there are many factors which can be present as the key success factors for any business or for products. Based on the above discussion we can simply sum up the idea that the Storm store has a very good brand identity as compare to the other concept stores in Denmark. This is due to the product range they offer to their valuable customers, they have very reliable products which are decorated according to the consumers taste. Also Mr. Rasmus Storm kept this in such a great leadership that his store is now one of the famous concept store in Scandinavia and it has also won the best concept stores award in Denmark in the year 2008.The factor behind this victory is the uniqueness and product range but although they have unique stuff but with very high price that could be t he one the point which could go in the opposite way. Another portal where they are lacking is their web experience for their customers and same shadow covers the advertisement media. They must go for the new web features and easy customers interface portals to remain on the hype in this recession time. 4. CONCLUSIONS RECOMMENDATIONS: The Storm store has been very successful and there is still a lot more room for growth both in terms of sales and presence. To do so, there are some issues that have to be dealt with. 5.1 Web Experience: The webpage of Storm store is not very exciting when compared to its counterparts. Hence a lot more can be done to improve it. The first and the foremost things that should be done is the inclusion of the product catalogue which could classify the products into different categories. This will make the customer to search for the product he is looking directly without wasting lot of time. The other thing that can be done is the introduction of web shopping. Web Shopping is a process where the customer can log on to the web page and select his products and do the payment online, and then the products will be delivery to the location mentioned by the customer [11]. The web shopping business is growing very rapidly, a very good example for this the www.youheshe.com which is doing very good business. The web shopping can not only make people buy the products from their homes but also will allow the sale of products to the customers who cannot access the Storm store (Demographic advantage). The web shopping will also allow the customers to buy the products at whatever time they like irrespective of the store opening or closing times. Another significant thing that can be done is maintain the customer database. The success of business can be measured by the relationship with the customers, therefore the information technology systems have designed the online plate through with customers feedback and demands can be observed by day to day basis on growing in popularity. (CRM) Customer relationship management is not just a web application developed, but its an approach to know about the customers behaviors and their needs in term of creating the stronger relationships with them [12]. In other means we can use this CRM to interact with customers in effectively and efficiently manner. Nevertheless, successful CRM relies on the use of adequate technology. If this is considered for the Storm store, it can be implemented in the webpage which will allow tracking the customers choices and feedback. We will get the details regarding the customers choices, taste, mood and their buying capability so we can merge the collected data and get the better results. Once the customer login to the website and search for their products, it will enable the store to offer the customers with their preferred choices based upon their previous online behavior. This will obviously save the customers precious time and they dont have to search for whole products ranges while on the other hand customer will not get irritate by not struggling for the products they need. Using the internet and the CRM application we can also introduce a concept that has the potential of being the next big thing. Its called the ‘virtual wardrobe and if this works out it can very well be the competitive advantage over the internet for fashion brands seeking to increase their market base while at the same time keeping the exclusivity factor real [13]. This virtual wardrobe perfectly fits into the concept of the Storm store. The virtual wardrobe shall include the concept of keeping an online wardrobe of all the items that a customer has bought over the internet so that when a customer goes to buy a new product he/she goes into their online wardrobe and sorts through the items there to see which ones they have already bought so that they can choose another product that is according to their choice after seeing their wardrobe [14]. This way a customer online profile is made based on the choices that they have made of their clothes which can then be interpreted by pro filers of the brand to assess the characteristic of their client. This concept has a lot of potential in that it can seek to identify the personality of the customer based on their choices and from there the brands. This can also be used as a tool for gauging the loyalty of a customer according to the number of items that are present in the wardrobe. Customer satisfaction surveys can relate to the experience that the customer had when using this web application. The possibilities are endless. Its just a matter of using ones imagination. 5.2 Expansion Diversification: The Storm store has a great potential for expansion geographically. Given the required financial assistance, the Storm store can be expanded to other markets such as Stockholm, Paris, Berlin, and New York etc. The product line can also be diversified by collaborations with different artists and designers. It can collaborate with designers and artists from countries like India which is home for various culture, world class craftsmanship, music, literature etc. 5.3 Marketing: Marketing as a science requires a number of qualities that are an essential and integral to the success of the organization. Although marketing nowadays is a very broad term yet there are some aspects of marketing that are not taking a more interactive role with the consumer. Marketing does not mean spending a huge amount of money on advertising. There are many cost efficient ways of marketing. One of such way of marketing is the viral marketing. Viral marketing, as the name implies is word of mouth marketing where a group of people are told about a certain product, service, store etc and those people spread those words to different people there by creating a chain reaction. This will allow that product, services, store to become more popular. Viral marketing can be done in many ways and is influenced by many factors. The best way of spreading the good will is by shear customer experience. Once the customers come to a store and finds what they is looking for, then obviously they woul d recommend the store to their friends. This would make others interested in the store there by increasing the customer flow and sales. Other easy way of marketing the Storm store is with the help of Social Networking Sites such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Orkut etc. A profile of the Storm store can be created in these sites and information regarding the new arrivals, discounts etc can be updated regularly. This will also allow the customers to write about their experiences, suggestions, feedbacks etc. This medium can also be used to meet the customers and know about their opinions. The Storm can even create a customer club where it can arrange different activities such as exhibitions, parties etc. This will keep the customers more loyal builds up a good trust towards the store. The Storm store which started off as a small store is now very popular among its customers because of its unique identity. This identity has helped it to become one of the well noted stores in the northern Europe. The leadership of Mr. Rasmus Storm has played a major role in the transformation of the store into a world class one. By implementing the above suggestion, the store and its identity can reach a larger customers and locations there by increasing the revenue and the brand identity.

Stability Testing of Nifedeipine

Stability Testing of Nifedeipine Syed Masood Hassan Akbari Practical 2 Stability study of Nifedipine INTRODUCTION Nifedipine is considered as a prototype compound of the dihydropyridine class of calcium channel antagonists. Nifedipine is a selective arterial dilator, and also is used in the treatment of hypertension, angina and cardiovascular disorders. The drawback associated with nifedipine is that it can undergo photo degradation thus escalating in loss of pharmacological activity. This process involves the reduction of the aromatic nitro group to nitroso group or the oxidation of the dihydropyridine ring to a pyridine ring. Nifedipine synthesizers make use of light resistant coating to reduce their photo degradation. It has been found out that due to poor storage conditions the clinical efficacy of nifedipine can drop drastically. In order to fix this a selection of ingredients within the dosage form can be altered or enhanced in order to minimise photosensitivity. Ion-exchange beads are solid and suitably are high molecular weight polyelectrolytes that can easily exchange their mobile ions of equal charge with neighbouring medium reversibly. The ion-exchange bead can form a complex with nifedipine and its utility used to embrace drug in light natures. Instability of the drug product may lead to a reduction in the bioavailability of the drug. It is also highly important that the patients do receive their uniform does of the drug throughout the whole of the shelf life of the product. This experiment goes through the photodecomposition kinetics of nifedipine at zero-order when the reaction commences. As the reaction proceeds further to 50% the kinetics of the reaction changes to first-order. Figure 1: Represents nifedipine degradation at the two different wavelengths shown above. This experiment consisted of 3 main components: Determining the stability of nifedipine using HPLC at various time intervals. Estimating the half-life for the disappearing drug. Examining the relative stability of the drug as powder and in solution. EXPERIMENTAL For HPLC 20mg of nifedipine was weighed out and placed in a 100ml volumetric flask using the mobile phase to top up the flask. The resulting solutions colouration was noted and transferred to a beaker and covered with paraffin. A small insertion was made to take up 2ml of the solution into an injection using a 0.2 µm filter. The time was noted and the sample was loaded and run immediately and the beaker was covered with paraffin and placed on a ledge where sunlight was present and after every 15 min intervals the sample was injected into the apparatus and it was run. After each run was carried out the peak area for each of the runs were recorded. For stability in solid form 100mg of the solid sample of nifedipine was weighed out in a weighing boat and spread out evenly and placed on a window ledge with proper Irish sunlight for a duration of 2 hours. The appearance was noted before and after the time lapsed. The solid sample was then homogenised and 20mg was taken and placed in a 100ml volumetric flask and made up to the mark with the mobile phase. Straight away 2ml solution was taken and placed on a 0.2 µm filter and was ready for injection. The peak area of the solid sample was recorded in the report. RESULTS CONCLUSIONS Determination of the stability of nifedipine solid and liquid samples with sunlight. Table 1: Shows the nifedipine run time with 15 minute intervals, the solid form and a UV sample. The illustrations below show the HPLC peaks at various time intervals with their retention times, peak area and heights. Figure 2: Depicts nifedipine at T0. Figure 3: Depicts nifedipine at T20. Figure 4: Depicts nifedipine at T35. Figure 5: Depicts nifedipine at T50. Figure 6: Depicts nifedipine at T65. Figure 7: Depicts nifedipine at T80. Figure 8: Depicts nifedipine at T95. Figure 9: Represents the peak area plotted against time of nifedipine degradation taken at 15 minute intervals. After carrying out the experiment it can be said looking at the data that the reaction kinetics are of zero order at least from T0-T80. At T95 it is seen that the peak gets a bit broad it can show that a new peak is starting to form, it the experiment had continued for at least 45 minutes more then it could have been the start of the first order reaction kinetics. Therefore it can be deduced that according to the data attained the reaction kinetics are still at zero order during data acquisition. From the graph using the equation: y = a + bx b = slope = -12046.1 +/- 841.833 The half-life of nifedipine was found using the equation: As we were dealing with zero order kinetics so, r = k Using, t1/2 = In(2)/k t1/2 = 0.693/0.988 t1/2 = 0.701 According to the data gathered it is seen that the solid sample of nifedipine resembles to the first T0 liquid sample. By this observation a person can say that the solid state sample did not show any signs of degradation after the 2 hour window. The colour of the liquid samples were changing from yellow at T0 to faint yellow at T80. On the other hand for the solid sample from the light yellow powder after the 2 hour window a layer of dark yellow powder was seen and the powder was mixed around and it was seen the underlying solid particles still retained the same colour of light yellow. According to the UV data at T0 and Ɔºmax of 334 it generated an absorbance of 0.604. Whereas for the T100 with a Ɔºmax of 279 generated an absorbance of 1.064. QUESTIONS Comment on the relative photostability of solid and solution nifedipine in daylight. The solid sample of nifedipine after being expose to 2 hours of Irish sunlight visual observation showed a darker colour change from light yellow to a darker but when the powder was mixed the underlying layer was of the same light colouration as it started with. And after the 2 hours window the HPLC result showed no degradation at all. This could be due to the practical being carried out in doors and the lack of the photons getting to the solid sample. On the other hand in the liquid sample things were not much better from a yellow solution starting at T0 – T80 there was no colour change but after performing the next HPLC the colour had gone faint yellow. If the apparatus would have been given 45 minute more the results attained would be of first order kinetics. As it stands it is zero order kinetics. What type of reaction is the nifedipine decomposition? Reduction What other decomposition reactions do you think nifedipine might undergo? Oxidation What are the implications of your observations for the proper handling and storage of nifedipine? Manufacturers of nifedipine products use light resistant coating or packing to minimize their photodegradation. Long term exposure to sunlight or artificial light may also occur if nifedipine formulations are inappropriately stored by patients. Poor storage conditions may potentially decrease clinical efficacy of nifedipine. What validation do you think might be important in the type of analysis you performed today? â€Å"Validation of an analytical method is the process that establishes by laboratory studies, that the performance characteristics of the method meet the requirements for the intended analytical applications.† The typical analytical characteristics used in method validation vary but the relevant one for this experiment is stability, system suitability and system sensitivity. â€Å"Prepared sample/ standard stability is defined as the ability of the analyte to remain stable in the diluent at the test concentration specified in the analytical method.† System suitability testing is an integral part of many analytical procedures. The tests are based on the concept that the samples to be analysed constitute an integral system that can be evaluated as such. System suitability is determined by various methods. Any one or a combination of the following may be written into the method as necessary for using the method for routine post validation: Resolution ensures that closely eluting compounds are resolved from each other and establishes the resolving power of the system. It contains as close as is possible to a complete sample matrix. Finally capacity factor is a measure of the time the solute spends in the stationary phase relative to the time it spends in the mobile phase.

A Reader Response to The Lie Essays -- Lie Essays

A Reader Response to The Lie Pleasing people and the pressure that comes with it. This is a major factor in one's everyday life. Eli Remenzel, however, has been caught in the middle of just one of the many lies he will ever tell. It just happens to be that this lie was one that would make a lot of people disappointed. In the short story "The Lie", the parents, and Eli's actions make me angry. However, I can definitely relate to what Eli is going through. To start with, I got extremely annoyed with the mother throughout the story. Actually, it wasn't just the mother, it was both of the parents in general. Sylvia is way to bubbly and fake. And Dr. Remenzel is extremely self-centered."Eli, sit up! What's the matter with you?". Dr. Remenzel is too obsessed with the family image to pay attention to the obvious hints his son is providing. The thought of Mrs. Remenzel considering to ask for special accomidations for Eli angers me. She acts like the typical rich family is percieved. "I thought maybe through some flu...

My Band :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I used to be in a band called Deft. There were five of us. Brandon, 19, was our singer, Rob,16, was lead guitarist, Kevin, 18, was the drummer, his little brother Jason, 16, was the bassist, and I played rhythm guitar. Kevin and I had been working together for four or five years, ever since he moved to Watertown. We had been in and out of several bands, but always stuck together. My dad came home one day and told us about a friend of his whose step-son played guitar. We called him up and had him come over to audition. He was amazing especially considering his age, 15, so there was no way we could pass him up. A week later, the three of us a played a county fair Battle of the Bands and lost. This was no big deal, since we had been together for exactly a week. Over the next couple months we searched high and low for a singer and a bassist, when we realized what we were looking for was right under our noses all along. Kevin’s younger brother Jason had played upright bass in middle school so we recruited him for the low end. A close friend of their family, Brandon, stayed with them every summer. We got to thinking and realized that he had a great â€Å"choir† voice, so we brought him to a practice and had him audition. He was the best vocalist we had ever played with, so there was no doubt in our mind he was the one.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After being together for well over a year and playing various gigs, we began to get on each others nerves. Jason was immature and always acted childish, Rob had an ego the size of Montana, and Brandon lived in Milwaukee depending on everyone else since he had no job and no ambition to get one. One night at practice, we were trying to learn a new song. I was playing around with some different effects to use on the song. Rob told me that he knew how to get the right sound. I calmly requested that he wait a minute because I wanted to try and get it myself. He insisted that he knew how to do it, so I asked him to show me and started handing him my guitar. Rob said â€Å"Well, I don’t know how to do it.