Business ethic analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business ethic analysis - Essay Example Without ethical measures and programs the company is set to loss the benefit it has enjoyed financially by doing business ethically. We should always put in mind the principles of professional ethic which if our company would take into account we are going to avoid potential or apparent conflict of interest which in this case I see us breaching.   Ethical dilemma My point of concern is payment of bonuses to shareholders in these times of economic crisis when we have not even completed repaying of the loan granted to us by the government and further organizing retreats for the employees. I have realized that if we pay bonuses and continue organizing retreats, this will be more costly to the company. it is evident from the bonuses paid in 2008 and the retreat organized when the company was experiencing financial difficulties has impacted negatively on the public image of the company and its performance (French,1995). It is highly expected that we are going to pay bonuses to our share holders and the employees are expectant of the retreat. If we grant bonuses, it is going to be highly costly financially since the company has not been able to fully from the economic crisis that we have just been through. Because of the position of our company, anything we do would be highly publicized in the media thus creating unwanted attention from the public whose money has been used to bail us. On the other hand, failure to pay bonuses would raise eyebrows to our trusted shareholders and employees. Employees further expect to be motivated and over the year’s retreats for them has been the mean of motivating them. This company has to strive to maintain its reputation which it has built over the years. Ethical practices have been key to the success and performance of this company. Although the company is set to benefit by rewarding best performance of its employees, it has to consider the implications to the public which is a critical part of this company. Furthermore, o ur shareholders are critical to the continuous success of this company but payment of bonuses at such a time might have negative implications on the integrity of the company since it has not even cleared repayment of loans resulting from the bail out by the government and also considering that the company has been selling off some of its holdings and subsidiaries to clear the loan. The management of this company thus needs to offer continued support to enable the ethical values of this company to work.    Furthermore the company needs to communicate this effectively to employees and shareholders. It is in my view that we should include in our code of conduct  when the company can organize retreats for its employees and when the bonuses can be paid without having any negative impact on the company’s reputation. The issue of giving bonuses and organizing retreats is unethical especially at such a time when the company is just recovering from financial difficulties (French, 1995). It is obvious that incentives and rewards play an important role in motivating employees to accomplish corporate goals and a company committed to doing business ethically would want to reward its employees for that. But the matter of rewarding employees by organizing retrea

Giving economic circumstances over the last five years of how Tesco, Essay - 1

Giving economic circumstances over the last five years of how Tesco, Sainsbury and Morrisons have coped - Essay Example Falling house prices which were caused by shortage of mortgages made the economy to worsen and investor fell short of repaying their loans. This act made lending institutions to halt their loaning as they feared that their customers were unable to repay. Another cause for recession in United Kingdom was cost push inflation which made civil servants to squeeze their incomes and lower their disposal earnings. Citizen more so civil servants were very careful on every penny they spent for the cost of living had skyrocketed making them to evade any impulse buying. Lack of confidence with financial sector reduced confidence in real economy thus perpetuating low trading and therefore less revenue. Consequently, the retail sector which hugely depends on the buying behaviour of the customers was financially affected. The economic turmoil affected the overall retail sector worldwide to a large extent, top retail giants including Tesco, and Sainsbury also faced decline in their share prices due to a major brunt of the financial crisis (Hotten, 2008). Many retail sectors like the financial and other retail sectors did job cutting in order to combat the financial turmoil. Though the groceries giants like Tesco, Sainsbury and Morrison aimed at in creasing the jobs but due to the closure of some of the grocery depots like Tesco who closed its Daventry’s depot of Fast way distribution has resulted some job loss (The Telegraph, 2008). However, in the last five years except 2008 and 2009 UK witnessed a positive GDP growth rate (BBC News, 2011). At the end of 2009 UK recovered from the global recession which was caused due to the ripple effects of the failure of subprime loans and bankruptcy of the big financial institutions but can be hugely affected due to the predicted recession of 2012 which may happen mainly due to the debt crisis of the European countries (The Economic Times, 2011). The graph below shows how recession took place and the way

President Bill Clinton Essay Example for Free

President Bill Clinton Essay The Map Room Speech delivered by President Bill Clinton by way of apology and explanation regarding his conduct with Monica Lewinsky appeals to the listener as an American and as an individual, that is, makes its appeal to personal and presumably universal feelings and emotions regarding the state and the family. This speech must be reviewed with the idea in mind that this is not the first time that Clinton is speaking on the subject. His initial statement regarding Lewinsky involved the memorable line â€Å"I did not have sexual relations with that woman. † In the early stages of a scandal, it is possible to strategize along the lines of the Chinese saying that â€Å"less talk, less mistake. † That is, by delivering a direct and unequivocal statement, it is possible to brazen everything out and avoid further discussion regarding degrees of involvement or moral culpability. However, in view of later developments, it became necessary to take a different tack. The strategy employed by this speech involves admitting a mistake – admitting a â€Å"wrong† relationship with Ms Lewinsky and deceiving his wife in the process – but it is a mistake that had to be framed as a mistake that any other man would have made. But at the same time that it presents the President as having a lot in common with the man on the street, it also intends to reinforce the image of great-heartedness expected in a gentleman, where he says â€Å"I must take complete responsibility for all my actions, public and private. † Here we are presented with a fusion of Everyman and Hero. The first paragraph of this speech makes the point that he has, in the course of the investigation, answered questions that â€Å"no American citizen would ever want to answer. † The juxtaposition of â€Å"American citizen† with the concept of doing something unwillingly while at the mercy of a probing authorities is meant to create tension between the idea of the American as the â€Å"freest citizen on Earth† and a version of reality where he actually is not quite â€Å"free†. On some level it would evoke the historical â€Å"white man’s burden† that the US was supposed to have taken up when it acquired colonies in Asia – that the American has a great responsibility to truth because to those whom much is given, much is expected. The ordinary man on the street might feel this, that he submits to Big Brother on occasion, because he must keep his country great and intact. In the next paragraphs he owns up to his mistakes while emphasizing the mitigating factors. He has been truthful and never lied, since all his answers were â€Å"legally accurate. † This would dispose of the famous episode where â€Å"oral sex† as â€Å"real sex† was called into question during the investigation. He also stresses that he never asked anyone to practice deception for his sake, which statement seems to be intended to call attention to the fact that he is not a heartless cheating bastard or a predatory boss. He did not ask the women in his life – his wife and his mistress – to cover up for him, or to risk their integrity for him as he could have done so easily, as some unscrupulous men would have done quite easily, were they situated in a position as powerful as his. Clinton then proceeds to attribute his silence to a lapse in judgment. The earlier tactic of brazening out a tricky situation seems to have backfired, and thus must be transformed into, or presented as, keeping quiet out of the desire to protect the innocent – those who cannot protect themselves. Of course, one keeps silent or withholds information from the media, and this portion contrasts the family man’s desire to protect honor or the finer sensibilities of his wife and daughter with that of the media as a relentless institution that will say all, that must have its ratings and viewers, at the expense of reputations or feelings or whatever it is that is insulted in the course of getting the story. He also reminds the public that there was a politically motivated lawsuit – one which was subsequently dismissed – that was ongoing at the time the scandal erupted. Now the image includes political enemies, whose popular image would be, like the media, that of predators: Power-hungry individuals out to destroy a man who is only trying to do his best. In touching on this investigation he says: â€Å"The independent counsel investigation moved on to my staff and friends, then into my private life, and now the investigation itself is under investigation. This has gone on too long, cost too much, and hurt too many innocent people. † Here it is worthwhile to note the emphasis on cost, the toll which the investigation, where he and his wife have been cleared anyway, has taken not just in terms of time or money, but again in terms of the mental or moral anguish that it has caused â€Å"innocent people. † He then brings the situation home; the public issue is also a private one, and indeed, now that the public aspect of it has been disposed of, the process of dealing with it as a personal, a family issue, commences. The unspoken truth here is that this process will be more difficult than the public one. He says that the people he loves most are his wife and daughter. Such statements are rather like a Hallmark greeting card – bland enough to slide off without anyone taking umbrage or questioning the validity of the statement. At the same time, the cliche carries with it great power. While love is a complex thing that is constantly in flux, with family relations being a barometer of the same, the ordinary individual does not question its nature but only sticks to his guns and says â€Å"I love my family. † To say, â€Å"Now this matter is between me, the two people I love most: my wife and our daughter, and our God. I must put it right, and I am prepared to do whatever it takes to do so. Nothing is more important to me personally,† is to say exactly what the ordinary American thinks he would feel in such a situation, and moreover, it uses much the same language that he would. The father of the family also puts his foot down when he says, â€Å"†¦I intend to reclaim my family life for my family. It’s nobody’s business but ours. † Of course, one of the more striking lines in this speech is â€Å"Even Presidents have private lives. † The audience here is asked to have mercy, or perhaps, more accurately, to step up and do their part as members of a community. If America is a great democracy, then the rules that apply to you and your neighbors down the hall or across the street apply to the president too – and not just rules, but privileges. The turn of phrase is made even more pleasing by the suggestion that this time, it is the nation – the man with his beer on the couch, watching tv, the mother preparing dinner, that has the power. Spare the President, because he’s only human. And this way, the passive viewer gets to feel that he or she actually gets to do something that matters. Then Clinton, in the last three paragraphs, draws matters to a close. He says that â€Å"It is time to stop the pursuit of personal destruction and the prying into private lives, and get on with our national life. † This is calculated to appeal to loftier feelings. It says â€Å"You’re better than that. † Or better yet â€Å"We’re better than that. † With these words, he aligns himself with the people. It is at this point that he ceases to be – at least within the framework of this speech – the beleaguered and erring politician, or the earnest, hardworking father and husband who has made the mistake of an office dalliance. At this point, he is gathering up the reins and resuming the role of President, Leader of the Nation. In its sweep, it even disposes of the notion that the presidency he holds is actually at the mercy of the people’s preference. But there is nothing wrong with this, not really. After all, anyone who has been a leader, whether coach of a basketball team, head of a clique or a mother of small children, knows that there is a time when one has to act decisively, to think for the followers and act rather than to pay obsessive attention to their every squeak and whimper. He refers to the country as having been â€Å"distracted for too long. † Indeed, the business of nation-building, or at least the one of getting along from one day to another as a nation, would appear to benefit from being presented once more as something lofty. For once everything is in place – when the people have enough to eat, for instance, and homes and televisions and cable tv – it is easy to become lost in inane distractions like a media circus. Or at least, that it is a media circus and detrimental to the work begun by the Founding Fathers and continued by the Pioneers, is the desired effect. He calls then for people to the â€Å"important work to do real opportunities to seize, real problems to solve, real security matters to face. † This effectively writes off the scandal in which he has been recently embroiled as â€Å"not real. † Security issues are real, the opportunity for economic growth is real, but the doings of a man and his intern are less â€Å"real. † And this makes sense in a practical way – set against the greater scale of things, it seems to say, does it really matter that Bill Clinton had sex with Monica Lewinsky? This speech acknowledges its importance to the nation in a â€Å"if it’s important to you, then it’s important to me† kind of way; â€Å"I care about how you feel,† he says to America. But as it ends, he presents the events of the preceding months as a small matter, after all, set against the backdrop of the greatness that is America in the century that (at that time) was just about to begin. In conclusion, in the alliances and associations created by this speech is a powerful message to the listeners that they mustn’t care too much about one man’s mistake – what they (and that erring man) have at hand is a much greater task: upholding the great American nation.

Firefighter Paper Essay Example for Free

Firefighter Paper Essay In this cynical age, firefighting remains a heroic and noble profession. The images of fire professionals we see on television and in film are often romanticized versions of day-to-day life on the job. What is the life of a firefighter really like? The Job According to a 1993 survey, annual starting salaries for firefighters in major cities fall in the range of $28,000 to $46,000 with overtime pay. Firefighters receive health, disability and retirement benefits, and many consider the work schedule beneficial as well (rotating 24-hour shifts). No two days are alike, and the work is as varied as it is unpredictable. Responding to Calls Gender and Race in the Urban Fire Service reveals what its like to enter a burning building. those entering a building are often confronted with such intense heat and heavy smoke that it is impossible for them to walk upright or to make out their surroundings. They wear face masks and air tanks to allow them to breathe, but the tanks are heavy, the time limited and the breathing process awkward. The location is almost always completely unfamiliar, filled with obstacles and unknown hazards. While the engine crew works on the ground with water to put the fire out, a truck crew ventilates the building, opening a sufficiently large hole in the roof to allow heat, smoke and gasses to escape so that the ground crew can do its work. Roof work is not only dangerous, but generally requires a high level of strength, skill and coordination. If there are possible victims, either crew may become involved in search and rescue (or body recovery), which means working ones way through this foreign environment in darkness and heat, unsure what you may find, taking care not to become trapped or disoriented. In many municipal fire departments, an increasing emphasis is placed on emergency medical services (EMS). Currently at the Oakland Fire Department, 80 percent of calls are EMS calls. In many cases a fire crew is nearer to an emergency than an ambulance or paramedic unit. Most new firefighters are also trained as emergency medical technicians, and candidates with previous paramedic experience are desirable. Not all of a firefighters workday is spent responding to calls, however, and not all calls require significant activity. Many times calls involve false alarms or situations where no emergency exists. Firefighters spend a high proportion of their time taking care of nonemergency calls, including activities such as fire inspections, practice drills, physical training, housekeeping and maintenance chores station maintenance as well as shopping and cooking. Unless youre a firefighter, no one can really understand what we do. We have a special relationship. We have to live for 24 hours together. Its not like an eight-hour day where you can put on a fake thing for eight hours and then you go home. Here, this is our home. Firehouse as Home In most urban departments, firefighters work 24-hour shifts. The schedule involves a rotation of three shifts, so that two of every three days are free. Since firefighters literally live together for 24 hours, the firehouse becomes a combination of work and home, and coworkers constitute a sort of second family. Firefighters often spend more time with crew members than with their own families. The station is fashioned like home, placed in a work setting. There are officers quarters, a dormitory-type sleeping area, a communal bathroom with showers and toilets, a big kitchen and a lounge or TV room. In most stations, meals are eaten at a large table in the kitchen. Outdoor areas may also include a barbecue, a patio or a deck. Firefighters share personal living space and eat meals together while on duty. To make things work, crewmembers must be trustworthy and participate in household chores. a good firefighter is someone who can perform not only on the fireground or at a medical emergency, but also as a good roommate or family member. Challenges Although the life of a firefighter may seem exciting and glamorous, it has many challenges. Camaraderie and strong bonds between coworkers, along with respect from grateful members of the community is extremely rewarding. However, firefighting is a physically demanding and dangerous occupation. Meeting such hazards requires certain kinds of personal and social qualities, the physical capacity to do the work, the stamina to continue strenuous activity for hours with little rest. But the work requires firefighters to think on their feet, rapidly assess the problem at hand, plan a course of action and then quickly react when conditions change. Throughout an emergency, a firefighter must maintain a constant and heightened awareness, never losing sight of the broader picture while attending to a specific task. Other challenges include a work schedule that requires nights and weekends away from home, sleep deprivation due to work schedule and anxiety and a high level of stress due to exposure to trauma and tragedy. Adventure, challenge, variety, teamwork, service, skill and satisfaction are all aspects of a firefighters life. Most firefighters claim that its the best job in the world. YOU CAN DO ANYTHING IN LIFE YOU WANT TO DO YOU JUST NEED TO HAVE THE DETERMINATION AND DRIVE TO WANT TO DO IT!!! P.S. It is the best and most rewarding job I think anyone could have. All you need is a little heart and drive to be in shape and willingness to learn the ropes of fire fighting and you would do fine. Start applying at different locations and stay out of trouble with drugs and alcohol and you won’t have a problem. Good luck with your future!

Nanoparticles Obtained by Using Different Gelation Solution

Nanoparticles Obtained by Using Different Gelation Solution 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 3.1 Size of nanoparticles obtained by using different gelation solution 3.1.1 Size of different alginate-based nanoparticles at fixed enzyme and Polyoxyethylene sorbitan mono-oleate (surfactant) concentration Various alginate based nanoparticles were prepared by using different gelling solutions as given in method . The size of nanoparticles determined by DLS is given in table-1. Table-1: Showing size and intensity of nanoparticles at single concentration of surfactant used and enzyme immobilized S. No. Surfactant Conc. (mM) Enzyme Conc. (mg/mL) Cross-linking agent Peak size, diameter (nm) [Day 0] Intensity (%) Peak size, diameter (nm) [Day 3] Intensity (%) 1. 8.203 2.5 BaCl2 89.437 90.6 97.83 74.4 2. CaCl2 87.883 94.3 161.6 54 3. SrCl2 69.193 75.2 91.38 62 4. NiCl2 421.833 100 537.6 75.5 Size was measured on the same day as the preparation of alginate based nanoparticles and there was uniformity in size distribution of the peak diameter which is shown in figures-1, 2, 3 and 4. Figure 1: Size distribution of Ba-alginate nanoparticles: A) on same day and B) after three days. Figure 2: Size distribution of Ca-alginate nanoparticles: A) on same day and B) after three days. Figure 3: Size distribution of Sr-alginate nanoparticles: A) on same day and B) after three days. Figure 4: Size distribution of Ni-alginate nanoparticles: A) on same day and B) after three days. It could be seen that when size was determined on the same day (Day 0), uniformity was observed in the peak diameter. However, when size was determined after 3 days from the development of nanoparticles, the size was found to increase and the distribution was random. This happens due to Oswald ripening. 3.1.2 Size of different alginate based nanoparticles at varying surfactant concentration Different alginate based nanoparticles were developed without enzyme immobilization at different concentrations of surfactant ranging from below critical micelle concentration value to its double as given in Method . The size of nanoparticles is depicted in table-2. Table-2: Showing size and intensity of nanoparticles at different concentrations of surfactant used (no enzyme immobilized) S. No. Surfactant Concentration (mM) Cross-linking agent Peak size, diameter (nm) [Day 0] Intensity (%) 1. 0.006 BaCl2 CaCl2 SrCl2 NiCl2 104.5 70.01 165.9 135 53.7 57.9 61 79.5 2. 0.012 BaCl2 CaCl2 SrCl2 NiCl2 384.5 150 463.7 193.5 94.3 100 100 100 3. 0.024 BaCl2 CaCl2 SrCl2 NiCl2 339.2 71.03 49.65 127.5 52.8 50.9 69.3 62.8 It has been observed from the table that as the concentration of surfactant increases, the size and shape become more regular. Below the critical micelle concentration of the surfactant, uneven and irregular shaped particles were formed. This observation is validated by the size determination of the nanoparticles using dynamic light scattering at different concentrations of the surfactant as shown in figures 5, 6, 7 and 8. Figure 5: Size distribution of Ba-alginate nanoparticles: A) at below CMC (0.006mM) B) at CMC (0.012mM) and C) above CMC (0.024mM) of the surfactant. D) Plot of the peaks of alginate nanoparticles obtained against three different concentrations of surfactant used. Figure 6: Size distribution of Ca-alginate nanoparticles: A) at below CMC (0.006mM) B) at CMC (0.012mM) and C) above CMC (0.024mM) of the surfactant. D) Plot of the peaks of alginate nanoparticles obtained against three different concentrations of surfactant used. Figure 7: Size distribution of Sr-alginate nanoparticles: A) at below CMC (0.006mM) B) at CMC (0.012mM) and C) above CMC (0.024mM) of the surfactant. D) Plot of the peaks of alginate nanoparticles obtained against three different concentrations of surfactant used. Figure 8: Size distribution of Ni-alginate nanoparticles: A) at below CMC (0.006mM) B) at CMC (0.012mM) and C) above CMC (0.024mM) of the surfactant. D) Plot of the peaks of alginate nanoparticles obtained against three different concentrations of surfactant used. 3.1.3 Size of different alginate-based nanoparticles at varying enzyme concentrations but fixed surfactant concentration Nanoparticles of various sizes and shapes were made by varying the concentrations of enzyme which was immobilized in the alginate matrix as described in Method. The different sizes obtained against differently immobilized enzyme concentrations are shown in table-3. Table-3: Showing size and intensity of nanoparticles at different concentrations of enzyme immobilized against a constant surfactant concentration S. No. Surfactant Conc. (mM) Enzyme Conc. (mg/mL) Cross-linking agent Peak size, diameter (nm) [Day 0] Intensity (%) 1. 8.203 1 BaCl2 CaCl2 SrCl2 NiCl2 79.11 110.7 66.48 61.79 53.3 77.2 51 58.4 2. 2.5 BaCl2 CaCl2 SrCl2 NiCl2 89.437 87.883 69.193 421.833 90.6 94.3 75.2 100 3. 5 BaCl2 CaCl2 SrCl2 NiCl2 65.78 146.5 70.09 138.2 51.1 83.3 43.5 58.2 4. 7.5 BaCl2 CaCl2 SrCl2 NiCl2 81.18 218.8 83.91 65.84 54.6 91.4 63.2 80.6 Figures 9, 10, 11 and 12 show the changing size of the nanoparticles with change in the concentration of enzyme immobilized in alginate matrix. A comparative graphical plot has also been incorporated to display the change in size against varying enzyme concentration for each of the cross-linking agents. Figure 9: Size distribution of Ba-alginate nanoparticles: A) at 1mg/mL B) at 2.5mg/mL C) at 5mg/mL and D) at 7.5mg/mL of enzyme concentration encapsulated in alginate nano-beads. E) Plot for the variation of peak size against changing enzyme concentration. Figure 10: Size distribution of Ca-alginate nanoparticles: A) at 1mg/mL B) at 2.5mg/mL C) at 5mg/mL and D) at 7.5mg/mL of enzyme concentration encapsulated in alginate nano-beads. E) Plot for the variation of peak size against changing enzyme concentration. Figure 11: Size distribution of Sr-alginate nanoparticles: A) at 1mg/mL B) at 2.5mg/mL C) at 5mg/mL and D) at 7.5mg/mL of enzyme concentration encapsulated in alginate nano-beads. E) Plot for the variation of peak size against changing enzyme concentration. Figure 12: Size distribution of Ni-alginate nanoparticles: A) at 1mg/mL B) at 2.5mg/mL C) at 5mg/mL and D) at 7.5mg/mL of enzyme concentration encapsulated in alginate nano-beads. E) Plot for the variation of peak size against changing enzyme concentration. From the various figures of nanoparticles, it could be seen that the average peak size of nanoparticles increase with increasing concentration of enzyme for Barium, Calcium and Strontium. However, in case of Nickel, the size is maximum at 2.5mg/mL concentration of enzyme and it decreases for higher concentrations of enzyme. 3.1.4 Size of different alginate-based nanoparticles at different pH for fixed enzyme and surfactant concentrations Nanoparticles of different sizes and forms were prepared by varying the pH of the buffer solution as described in Method. The peak size diameter of the nanoparticles synthesized is given in table-4. Table-4: Showing size and intensity of nanoparticles at different pH of buffer for enzyme immobilized in alginate matrix against a constant surfactant concentration S. No. Surfactant Conc. (mM) Enzyme Conc. (mg/mL) pH of Buffer Cross-linking agent Peak size, diameter (nm) [Day 0] Intensity (%) 1. 8.203 2.5 5.36 BaCl2 CaCl2 SrCl2 NiCl2 178.9 256.1 292 349.1 84.6 88.9 71.9 100 2. 7.04 BaCl2 CaCl2 SrCl2 NiCl2 89.437 87.883 69.193 421.833 90.6 94.3 75.2 100 3. 10 BaCl2 CaCl2 SrCl2 NiCl2 254.9 608.2 205.1 496 84.8 57.6 78.7 100 Figure 13: Size distribution of Ba-alginate nanoparticles: A) at pH 5.36 B) at pH 7.04 and C) at pH 10 of the buffer of alginate matrix. D) Plot shows the variation of peak size against changing pH. Figure 14: Size distribution of Ca-alginate nanoparticles: A) at pH 5.36 B) at pH 7.04 and C) at pH 10 of the buffer of alginate matrix. D) Plot shows the variation of peak size against changing pH. Figure 15: Size distribution of Sr-alginate nanoparticles: A) at pH 5.36 B) at pH 7.04 and C) at pH 10 of the buffer of alginate matrix. D) Plot shows the variation of peak size against changing pH. Figure 16: Size distribution of Ni-alginate nanoparticles: A) at pH 5.36 B) at pH 7.04 and C) at pH 10 of the buffer of alginate matrix. D) Plot shows the variation of peak size against changing pH. From figures 13 and 14, it can be clearly seen that size of the nanoparticles is the smallest at pH 7 and largest at pH 10 for BaCl2 and CaCl2. In case of figure 15, size is smallest at pH 7 but largest at pH 5.36 for SrCl2. However, in case of figure 16, size increases in ascending order from pH 5.36 to pH 10 for NiCl2. 3.2 Determination of membrane structure of the nanoparticles using infrared spectroscopy The characteristic bands for different regions of sodium alginate and its overlay with the nanoparticles developed through Method using BaCl2, CaCl2, NiCl2 and SrCl2 solutions as cross-linking agents are shown in figure 17. Figure 17: FT-IR results of alginate nanoparticles showing intensity bands From figure 17, it is clear that all peaks have shifted downfield. This results in stretching of the bonds between various functional groups and so bond length of increases. Spectroscopic analyses of the alginate-based nanoparticles were based on three distinctive regions of intensity and frequency. The spectroscopic peaks obtained from the graph and their relative assignment to various regions or vibrations or stretching are given in table-5. Table-5: FT-IR Transmittance bands (cm-1) of alginate-based nanoparticles Barium Nanoparticle Calcium Nanoparticle Strontium Nanoparticle Nickel Nanoparticle Assignment 720 886 908 1024 1038 1072 1118 1154 1286 1378 1464 1610 1626 1734 2346 2852 2922 2956 3436 3448 720 886 908 964 994 1024 1072 1118 1152 1284 1378 1408 1452 1464 1600 1608 1690 1728 2346 2852 2922 2956 3434 3450 670 718 832 886 892 906 952 1094 1250 1294 1350 1378 1450 1460 1638 1724 2344 2362 2852 2922 2954 3442 3676 3690 3770 3806 3822 3906 676 710 902 952 1018 1154 1298 1318 1350 1406 1438 1460 1482 1548 1642 1962 2346 2852 2920 2960 3010 3430 3806 3904 ÃŽ ½ (CO), ÃŽ ½ (CC), ÃŽ ´(COH) ÃŽ ½ (CO), ÃŽ ´ (CCO), ÃŽ ´ (CC) ÃŽ ½ (CO), ÃŽ ½s (CC) ÃŽ ½ (COC), ÃŽ ½ (OH) ÃŽ ´ (OH), ÃŽ ´ (CH), Ï„ (CH), ω (CH). ÃŽ ½s (COO) Amide II Amide I ÃŽ ½s (CH2) ÃŽ ½a (CH2) ÃŽ ½: stretching; ÃŽ ´: bending; Ï„: twisting; ω: wagging; s: symmetric; a: asymmetric The carbohydrate region is present between frequencies 1200-800 cm-1 as is shown in figure 19. Coupling of ÃŽ ½ (C – O) + ÃŽ ½ (C – C) + ÃŽ ´ (C – O – H) vibrations give the carbohydrate region. The mean peak for Barium and Calcium was observed at 1072 cm-1 while for strontium it was observed at 1094cm-1. The overall FT-IR spectra of the different alginate-based nanoparticles are shown in figure 18.The protein region is present between 1700-1480 with bands centered near 1640 cm-1. Asymmetric stretching bands of carboxylate group (ÃŽ ½a COO) were observed near 1600 cm-1 for the various nanoparticles and symmetric stretching band of carboxylate group were centered near 1462 cm-1. In infrared spectra the methylene groups show asymmetric stretching (ÃŽ ½a CH2) near 2922 cm-1 and symmetric stretching (ÃŽ ½sCH2) near 2852 cm-1. OH and NH stretching (3000-3600 cm-1) with peaks at 3436 cm-1 (for Ba), 3434 cm-1 (for Ca), 3442 cm-1 (for Sr) and 3430 cm-1 (for Ni). N.B. Results of FT-IR spectra of D-series nanoparticles are awaited. Figure 18: FT-IR spectra of A) Ca-alginate nanoparticles B) Ba-alginate nanoparticles C) Sr-alginate nanoparticles and D) Ni-alginate nanoparticles Figure 19: FT-IR spectra for carbohydrate region (1200-800cm-1) of A) Ca-alginate nanoparticles B) Ba-alginate nanoparticles C) Sr-alginate nanoparticles and D) Ni-alginate nanoparticles Figure 20: FT-IR spectra for protein region (1700-1480cm-1); asymmetric and symmetric COO stretching of A) Ca-alginate nanoparticles B) Ba-alginate nanoparticles C) Sr-alginate nanoparticles and D) Ni-alginate nanoparticles 3.3 Determination of shape and size of alginate-nanoparticles using SEM DLS method is not a perfect technique for the determination of size of nanoparticles. So SEM studies are undertaken to have accuracy in size measurement. Figure 21: SEM picture of A) Ba-alginate nanoparticles B) Ca-alginate nanoparticles C) Sr-alginate nanoparticles and D) Ni-alginate nanoparticles (same scale for all images). For SEM-imaging of alginate based nanoparticles prepared using various geling conditions, the samples were gold coated as described in Method. Average size of barium-alginate nanoparticles was 86.8 nm (diameter) and the shape of the beads formed after enzyme encapsulation were spherical. Spherical shaped beads were also formed in case of calcium-alginate nanoparticles with average size of 51.4 nm (diameter). Strontium-alginate nanoparticles also had spherical shaped bead formation with average diameter of 45.3 nm. In case of nickel-alginate nanoparticles, the majority of the particles were rod-shaped with average height of the rods being 310.8 nm. Also, some minor beads were formed having spherical shape and average diameter of 102.3 nm. 3.4 Measurement of UV-visible spectra The UV-visible spectral determination of absorbance of the alginate based nanoparticles was determined within 200-400nm baseline range. Figure 22: UV-visible spectra of Ba-alginate nanoparticles A) At CMC (w/o enzyme) B) At double CMC (w/o enzyme) C) At 1mg/mL enzyme concentration D) At 2.5mg/mL enzyme concentration E) At 5mg/mL enzyme concentration and F) At 7.5mg/mL enzyme concentration. Figure 22: UV-visible spectra of Ca-alginate nanoparticles A) At CMC (w/o enzyme) B) At double CMC (w/o enzyme) C) At 1mg/mL enzyme concentration D) At 2.5mg/mL enzyme concentration E) At 5mg/mL enzyme concentration and F) At 7.5mg/mL enzyme concentration. Figure 23: UV-visible spectra of Sr-alginate nanoparticles A) At CMC (w/o enzyme) B) At double CMC (w/o enzyme) C) At 1mg/mL enzyme concentration D) At 2.5mg/mL enzyme concentration E) At 5mg/mL enzyme concentration and F) At 7.5mg/mL enzyme concentration. Figure 24: UV-visible spectra of Ni-alginate nanoparticles A) At CMC (w/o enzyme) B) At double CMC (w/o enzyme) C) At 1mg/mL enzyme concentration D) At 2.5mg/mL enzyme concentration E) At 5mg/mL enzyme concentration and F) At 7.5mg/mL enzyme concentration. From the spectral figures 21, 22, 23 and 24 it can be clearly seen that the ÃŽ »MAX for the different alginate-nanoparticles is around 235nm. It can also be clearly seen that the protein content at 280nm increases with increase in the concentration of enzyme immobilized in the alginate matrix. The spectra of the alginate nanoparticles show peaks and stretching only within the UV range of 200-330 nm of the spectra and then the absorbance becomes constant. The nanoparticles which were made without the immobilization of enzyme at CMC and double CMC of Polyoxyethylene sorbitan mono-oleate had the least absorbance at 280 nm in all the different types of nanoparticles depicting the fact that no enzyme was encapsulated within them. 3.4.1 Variation of O.D. with protein content Figure 25: O.D. variation plot against varying protein content at 280nm for A) Ba-alginate nanoparticles B) Ca-alginate nanoparticles C) Sr-alginate nanoparticles and D) Ni-alginate nanoparticles. From figure 24, it can be seen that Nickel-alginate nanoparticles have the highest amount of protein immobilized within the matrix. While, the protein immobilized in Barium, Calcium and Strontium alginate nanoparticles are observed to have the similar amounts of protein immobilized in them. 3.4.2 UV-visible spectra for d-block element-based alginate nanoparticles The overlay of alginate nanoparticles developed from d-block elements is shown in figure 26. Figure 26: UV-visible spectra overlay for A) Na-alginate B) Co-based alginate nanoparticles C) Cu-based alginate nanoparticles D) Fe (II)-based alginate nanoparticles E) Fe (III)-based alginate nanoparticles F) Mn-based alginate nanoparticles G) Ni-based alginate nanoparticles and H) Zn-based alginate nanoparticles with no enzyme encapsulation. Figure 27 (a): UV-visible spectra for A) Na-alginate B) Co-based alginate nanoparticles C) Cu-based alginate nanoparticles D) Fe (II)-based alginate nanoparticles Figure 27 (b): UV-visible spectra for E) Fe (III)-based alginate nanoparticles F) Mn-based alginate nanoparticles G) Ni-based alginate nanoparticles and H) Zn-based alginate nanoparticles with no enzyme encapsulation.

The Characters of Hamlet and Holden Essay -- compare, contrast, compari

To some, this argument may seem the most blatant form of mistruth, horrendous, even, in its lack of taste, a kind of literary sacrilege, in fact. Surely we have reached the end, one might say, when one can considerer comparing the immortal Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, with the adolescent protagonist of Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye. Salinger’s hero has been compared to many literary figures, from Huckleberry Finn to David Copperfield. So many different attitudes have been taken toward him. Let’s stop talking about him and write something else. Isn’t the subject getting boring? Perhaps so, but Holden will not go away. He continues to pester the mind, and while reading A.C. Bradley’s analysis of Hamlet’s character, it was hard to resist the idea that much of what Bradley was saying about Hamlet applied to Holden as well. Perhaps the comparison is not as absurd as it first appears. Of course, there is no similarity between the events of the play and those of the novel. The fascinating thing while reading Bradley was how perfectly his analysis of Hamlet’s character applied to Holden’s, how deeply, in fact, he was going into Holden’s character as well, revealing, among other things, its potentially tragic nature. After demolishing the theories of other critics, Bradley concluded that the essence of Hamlet’s character is contained in a three-fold analysis of it. First, that rather than being melancholy by temperament, in the usual sense of â€Å"profoundly sad,† he is a person of unusual nervous instability, one liable to extreme and profound alterations of mood, a potential manic-depressive type. Romantic, we might say. Second, this Hamlet is also a person of â€Å"exquisite moral sensibility, â€Å" hypersensitive to goodness, a m... ...dy view holden as symbolizing the plight of the idealist in the modern world. Most importantly, however, it suggests why Holden Caulfied will not go away, he continues to remain so potent an influence on the now aging younger generation that he first spoke to, and why he continues to brand himself anew on the young. In fact, in this age of atrophy, in this thought-tormented, thought-tormenting time in which we live, perhaps it is not going too far to say that, for many of us, at least, our Hamlet is Holden.  Works Cited Bradley, A.C. â€Å"Hamlet.† Shakespearean Tragedy. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1981. 89-174. Sanders, Wlibur, and Howard Jacobson. â€Å"Hamlet’s Sanity.† Shakespeare’s Magnanimity: Four Tragic Heroes, Their Friends and Families. New York: Oxford University Press, 1978. 22-56. Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. New York: Washington Square Press, 1992.

Outcry Against Conformity in Whos afraid of Virginia Woolf? Essay

Outcry Against Conformity in Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf?    Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf? may be viewed as a criticism of American society in the 1960s. Edward Albee saw 'the responsibility of the writer...to be a sort of demonic social critic': thus the play became a reaction against the illusionary plays of its time. Two lines from the play are directly lifted from the works which Albee is mocking: 'Flores para los muertos' is from A Streetcar named Desire and Martha's speech - 'Awww, tis the refuge we take...' - is from a play by Eugene O'Neill. Both of these playwrights sanction illusion in the face of reality; Virginia Woolf is said to be an elaborate metaphor for the 'willing substitution of fantasy for reality, the destructive and dangerous infantilising of the imagination and the moral being by fear.' Albee saw society as too willing to conform and adjust itself morally in order to benefit and succeed. George's attempts to escape from such a society result in his hiding in history and thus him and Nick are no better than each other. George has to resist the totalitarian - 'defend Berlin' - in Nick but his attempts to defend Western civilisation 'against its sex- and success-orientated assailants...are too closely centred on his scrotum.'   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The setting - New Carthage - of the alcohol-sodden gathering is significant in itself. The original Carthage was founded in the ninth century BC and it was razed to the ground in 146AD, when it collapsed under the weight of its own power. It is thus being likened to the America of the 1960s where, again, money and power provided the principal axels for behaviour and superseded the values of culture. As Ni... ...tack on society. By referring to well known contemporary texts, Albee mocks the attitudes that their works sanction. The characters are created as before and after pictures of the results of relationships based in delusion, with clear links to moments in history acting as sounding boards for each others thoughts. Their intoxicated states allow, for the first time in a long while, for their true feelings and motives to be revealed, and for all the secrets and lies that have formed the keystones to their marriages to be removed finally allowing a true test of their strength. Unsurprisingly, what is left very quickly collapses: a warning to others and a wake-up-call to society. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is an outcry against the thoughtlessness and conforming nature of Western culture and an attack on those who not only live, but sanction, such a lifestyle.