Maricalum Mining Corporation (MMC)

Maricalum Mining Corporation (MMC) in south Negros. Having 2,673 claims on mining in Barangays Cansauro, Hinablan, Tao-angan and Hinablan, of the towns of Cauayan and Sipalay, Negros Occidental. Actually I had gone into the place and had seen the impact of the mining in the people and to its natural habitat. Especially on Sipalay, I saw dead mountains, white ones. Waters sources and the rivers covered with the area are not portable therefore the people would go to the lowlands to buy fresh water to drink. Crops productions are cut into halves and the villagers experience skin diseases. Poisoning and many fish kills are reported before. People would always complain about the air pollution brought by it causing suspended sandstorms and dust particles. 2. One of the government policies was REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7942 or also known as â€Å"PHILIPPINE MINING ACT OF 1995†. This policy states that the all the private and public mining land are owned by the state. Therefore the government and other private sectors are responsible to the development, utilization and conservation of the place. Protecting the rights of affected communities and limits the land that are available for mining. Section 7, Article X of the constitution provides that LGU or Local Government Units are responsible to protect and co-manage the environment and to enhance the right of the people. Both RA belongs in the EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 79 created by state.

Censorship in High School, From Mark Twain Essay

â€Å"It is my will which chooses, and the choice of my will is the only edict I must respect. â€Å"-â€Å"Anthem† by Ayn Rand. As Americans, we are granted many rights and freedoms which are not given to all nations and countries. These â€Å"certain inalienable† rights have been an issue of debate for hundreds of years. High school students are taught the basics of our laws and constitution in government. However, their basic rights afforded to them by the United States are always in question. While they can work in our society and get tried as adults in court, their first amendment right is taken away daily. Over the years, our greatest novels have been burned or banned, and put in the same category as pornography and smut. Journalism classes have been given only certain topics, upon the discretion of the school board, to publish in newspapers. Even sex education has been stifled in some states because people think it gives permission for teens to be promiscuous, and they need to be sheltered from this. Instead, we need to prepare them for life in the real world, let them form their own opinions on a variety of topics, and not take away their right to read and learn any subject matter in spite that it might be an uncomfortable issue in society. First, repressing information or misinforming teenagers in schools is immoral and unethical. The topic that is on teenagers minds the most, and is probably explained the least, is sex. By their 18th birthday, 6 in 10 teenage women and nearly 7 in 10 teenage men have had sexual intercourse. That said, 35% of national public schools necessitate abstinence only in sexual education. The only discussion of birth control and contraception is its ineffectiveness (1). The Alan Guttenmacher institute, which is the National Center for Education Statistics, shows from 1995-2002 teen pregnancy has dramatically declined. The cause of this is due to educated birth control methods, not abstinence. The institute also proved that only 14% of the decline was as a result of prolonging the sexual experience. That leaves 86% of teenagers becoming more aware of safe sex methods and using them. Since then, the rate has had a plateau and is likely to increase because of these programs. The government spends one hundred and seventy six million dollars annually on abstinence curriculum, and yet â€Å"more than 9 out of ten Americans have sex before marriage and have done so for generations. † I agree that teaching a child sex is foremost the parent’s right and privilege. But why would parents want to mislead their children? also I agree that sexual education should teach abstinence first and primarily. That is why comprehensive sexual education guides teenagers in the right informative direction. Teachers and parents can inform and educate, sending that teenager out into the world with realistic expectations. With the glorification of sex in the media, the question is can that teenager discern fact from fiction in a moral and knowledgeable fashion? The late 1960s were controversial for the U. S due to its role in Vietnam. In 1967, three students that attended public school in Des Moines, Iowa, were suspended from school. The students decided to wear black armbands to reflect their mourning of soldiers and to signify their opposition of the war. This monumental case went to the supreme court, where ultimately it was decided: â€Å"Prohibition against the expression of opinion, without any evidence that the rule is necessary to avoid substantial interference with school discipline or the rights of others is not permissible under the first and fourteenth amendments†(Tinker vs. Des Moines school district 393 us 503). In 1988 high school journalists tried to publish articles about teen pregnancy and the effects of divorce on students. However, the last two pages of the paper were cut because they were deemed inappropriate. The school board claimed the right of privacy had been an issue. Also, The principle felt that the topic of sexual activity and birth control were inappropriate and uncomfortable. So do we uphold one right of press above others for privacy? This case went to the United States District Court that claimed â€Å"the first amendment rights of students in the public schools are not automatically coextensive with the rights of adults in other settings. † Judges ruled that a â€Å"school need not tolerate student speech that is inconsistent with its basic educational mission, even though the government could not censor similar speech outside the school. †(2). The Court of Appeals found that the newspaper was â€Å"intended to be and operated as a conduit for student viewpoint† and â€Å"precluded school officials from censoring its contents except when â€Å"‘necessary to avoid material and substantial interference with school work or discipline . . . or the rights of others†(3). Well, what if the school got hit with a law suit due to infringement of privacy? The courts found no lawsuits could have been maintained against the school with the written material. Judge Brennan concluded that no explanation could be given to cut the pages. They were made â€Å"simply because he considered two of the six â€Å"inappropriate, personal, sensitive, and unsuitable† for student consumption. He violated the first amendments prohibitions against censorship of any student expression that neither disrupts class work nor invades the rights of others† (3) With court rulings such as this, its hard to believe that schools today are still fighting with students against their right to publish articles that give some sort of meaning to their high school experience. One of the biggest concerns understandably, is a disrupted school environment. we are there to learn, and it is hard to facilitate that when controversy is on the lips of all. It is hard to make that distinction. But the distinction is there, and if there is an article that talks about viewpoints, concerns, and is informative to current issues, it should not be censored due to the fact that it is uncomfortable for officials. In an era that consists of Paris Hilton, impersonal computers, and video games, maybe schools should give teenagers something that isn’t superficial to be passionate about. Imagine walking in an English classroom, sitting at a desk and opening the text for the day, which is Shakespeare’s â€Å"Hamlet†. Scanning the pages, and then realizing something is not right. There are whole pages missing, and a lot of the writing is blackened out. Someone has vandalized the book! The teacher sorrowfully explains that the school will not let students read certain novels because of vulgarity, sex, violence and â€Å"radical ideology†. He also says that â€Å"Tom Sawyer†, â€Å"A Wrinkle in Time†, and â€Å"To Kill A Mockingbird† have been deleted from the curriculum until further notice. Furthermore, the PTA will be burning all the copies of Aldous Huxley’s â€Å"Brave New World† after football practice if anyone wants to participate. The same happens in art class, where in the textbook all the nude statues and paintings have clothing drawn on them. In biology, any mention of Darwin has been ripped out of the pages of the text book. As extreme as this may sound, these are all incidents that have happened in the present years. As someone who grew up with all these classics in the classroom, I am devastated at the thought of not being able to develop with these characters. My love of books developed in the second grade, and I never viewed any of the opposing material as controversial. In fact, none of the students in the classrooms broke into riots at the mention of the dreaded â€Å"N† word in â€Å"Huckleberry Finn†. Actually the teacher used it to explain the word, the history, and how hurtful it was. The book coincided with the lessons we were learning in history on the anti-slavery movement. Trying to protect a young adult from sex and violence is reasonable and should be done on an educated basis. Parents need to be involved in their teenager’s life. If a book makes them uncomfortable, read the whole book and not just the uncomfortable portions. Discuss the material openly, and help the child form morals and ethics. For the teacher, if a parent has a problem with the material, give the teenager an alternate assignment. Why should every person in that classroom be denied their right to learn? Studies have shown that reading books like these help with the critical thinking process and aides in further education. Schools are forums where students learn to provide objectivity and make their own educated opinions. Besides, with today’s flow of mass media and internet, teenagers and children are exposed to more questionable resources. They are over exposed to an amount of sex, violence, and vulgarity that no classic literature can compare to. In conclusion, schools should be enlightening teenagers and giving them the tools they need for their future, letting teens shape and articulate their opinions and options realistically, and letting them learn any subject that is pertinent to their life even if it is â€Å"taboo† in society. Legally, schools have to validate banning an opinion, expression, or curriculum by showing that it was for more than a need to stay away from the discomfort that goes with an unpopular viewpoint. I think Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart said it best with, â€Å"Censorship reflects a society’s lack of confidence in itself. It is a hallmark of an authoritarian regime†

The use of progress monitoring can help provide educators with a Essay

The use of progress monitoring can help provide educators with a valuable tool to improve their own teaching - Essay Example According to Thomas (2010), the several types of assessments used in progress monitoring can provide a substantial amount of information regarding the status of the students’ knowledge, skills and abilities. In the TRI model, progress monitoring serves different functions at each tier as described in the following section. Tier 1 of progress Monitoring: In this tier, progress monitoring procedures serve critical functions. According to Thompson and Morse (2004), proactive assessment is, usually, done at least three times annually and is used as a general screening procedure for all students. In this tier, screening helps to identify vulnerable students by making a comparison of their performance relative to a measure criterion. According to Shane and Mathew (2007), progress monitoring helps to show a student’s performance trend over time and to determine whether the student’s performance is appropriate in the effective curriculum. Tier 2 of Progress Monitoring: Thompson and Morse (2004) posited that the objective of progress monitoring is to gauge the extent to which intervention is effective in assisting learners at an optimum rate. In this tier, timely decisions about student progress are essential for long-term achievement (BEESS, 2008). Progress Monitoring in Special Education: According to Fuchs and Hintze (2006), progress monitoring is also crucial in special education. In the first place, it provides systematic and reliable information which can be used to meet the student’s individual needs (Fuchs and Hintze, 2006). In addition, progress monitoring is a requirement of the individualized education program and provides information about student progress toward short-term objectives and annual goals. There are diverse procedures to progress monitoring employed by teachers for student evaluation. According to BEESS (2008), the two main methods of progress monitoring used are mastery monitoring and general outcome

Peer review 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Peer review 2 - Essay Example Besides being an important ethical move, it makes the research paper more credible. In addition, the paper emphasizes the importance of having a purpose when conducting research. A purpose determines the approach that will be followed during the research process (Creswell, 2005). In addition, the article highlights the most important elements of a good research paper. For instance, it has demonstrated the importance of providing the steps that were followed during the research process. The practice enables other researchers to replicate the research process in order to establish if it is correct. Furthermore, the researcher should rely on credible sources of information (Cooper& Schindler, 2014). The importance of using reliable sources involves the need to maintain the integrity of the research and to produce information that can be used by policy makers. However, the paper has other significant weaknesses. For instance, the post has failed to indicate that researchers should urge their peers to undertake further research in order to provide more information about the topic. Financial and time constraints limit the scope of the research. Besides indicating the limitations involved in the research process, a good research paper should highlight an area that needs further research. Furthermore, the post has failed to acknowledge the ethical challenges that researchers face. Researchers encounter many moral and ethical dilemmas in the course of their work (Bhatta, 2013). The post should have appreciated the difficulties involved in applying ethical principles in a research setting. The move would encourage students to overcome the challenges. In order to produce honest work, the researcher may have to overcome stakeholders with stakes. The post has failed to indicate the importance of demonstrating the research methodologies. The researcher should indicate the methods used to analyze the data. Different data analysis methods

Emerging Market-The Challenges And Opportunities Investing In China Essay

Emerging Market-The Challenges And Opportunities Investing In China - Essay Example It is evident that the emerging markets have flexed their muscles in the global arena, and their effect is expected to increase the more. Companies that have invested in these markets have enjoyed and are continuing to enjoy revenues that emanate from these transactions. China is among the emerging markets that has contributed a great mile to the spending of a huge clientele-base, and that has also attracted numerous multi-national companies (MNCs). With the country expected to dominate the global market by the year 2030, challenges are also not devoid from these transactions. This essay shall attempt to discuss the concept of ‘emerging markets’ using the case study of China. Additionally the essay shall keenly analyze the opportunities and threats facing the investors that are likely to invest in this emerging market. 2.0. Body 2.1. Definition of ‘emerging market’ In the thought of Beridze (2008), emerging markets refer to the nations that have actively bee n involved in business activities that have seen their fast growth as well as a huge development in the industrialization process. Among these countries that are termed to be emerging range from Brazil to China. As seen in the research conducted by Palepu & Khanna (2010), China has retained her position as the third in the list of the emerging markets. ... A good example is China that is export-driven with strong capital inflows and investments from well-capitalized banking institutions. Jain (2006) indicates that the markets are expected to stabilize by the day. Additionally, the growth of the world’s economy is expected to emanate from the emerging markets, and 70% of the growth is anticipated according to the economists (Kvint, 2009). Despite the varying interpretations of the term, the fact about the entire aspect is that emerging markets have been instrumental in recording an increase in the capital share in the world economy, and that their GDP is on the increase. As seen in figure 1, China may be defined as an emerging market as emerging markets are ones that are undergoing transformations from third world countries to developed countries, whilst their markets are now reduced to free markets from the state dominated ones (Enderwick, 2012). On another viewpoint, Mody (2004) says that emerging markets are slowly freeing up both internally and externally, due to the processes of economic reforms, that need to incorporate the rapid economic growth. It is evident that the country has opted to increase their role in the market, and minimize the chances that the government will have avenues to control the planning of the market. Pragmatic ideologies have in this case taken the day in the case of China’s economy. Its emergence cannot be alienated from the fact that the country has shed more energy in perfecting its contribution in the manufacturing industry as opposed to other countries that have opted to focus on the service industry whilst others in the agricultural sector. Figure 1: Real GDP growth (%) in the BRIC and US economies Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook (International Monetary

Ethical Conduct in Scientific Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ethical Conduct in Scientific - Research Paper Example Suffering from latent syphilis meant that they had the infection but they showed no sign of the disease until late stages. For about 40 years, the poor men were never told that they were suffering from the disease and were never treated. Instead, they were only told that they had â€Å"bad blood† and were not given penicillin even though it was the standard cure for the disease that was available in 1947. The aim of the study was to find out whether syphilis affected the black men in a different way from the way it affected the white men (Katz & Warren, 2011). For participating in the study, men were given free ride to and from the Tuskegee clinic in Alabama. In addition, they were given hot meals and free treatment for minor ailments. For instance, they were given only aspirin and mineral supplements to cure minor ailments so that the treatment procedure could not interfere with their study. Much worse, even the 250 men from the Second World War drafted from the war to volunteer in the study, arrangements were made to make sure they remained part of the study. When the study ended in 1972, there was a public outcry and only 74 men of the original participants stayed alive. Other negative outcomes involved 28 men who died from syphilis and related complications, while 40 wives were infected with the disease and 19 children suffered from congenital syphilis. Survivors of the study received financial compensation from the United States and President Bill Clinton was forced to declare on behalf of the state that US had done a shameful thing (Katz & Warren, 2011). United States demonstrated heinous acts in the study that were considered to be morally wrong. It was unethical for the Tuskegee clinicians to conduct the study without the consent of the patients, according to the World Health Organizations Declaration of Helsinki of 1964. Clinical centers must conform to the ethical conducts stipulated by the legal structures. However, in Tuskegee case, they

A critique of published research By Anthony Feiler Essay

A critique of published research By Anthony Feiler - Essay Example The result of the analysis is decisive in a complete comprehension of the article as well as its strengths and weaknesses. The research paper has been identified as crucial in arriving at a conclusion regarding the effectiveness of strategies in support of the children who have difficulty in learning, and those struggle with literacy. The primary strategy proposed in the study is the provision of weekly home visits during the first year of the students in school. Anthony Feiler comes up, through the research investigation undertaken, with evidences for the effectiveness of additional support for the children with difficulties in literacy. The test scores and the views of the participants which have been collected through a series of interviews are used to arrive at such a conclusion. The literacy difficulty in children during the primary years of education poses serious challenges in the learning process as they continue the learning activity and this has been a major issue raised in the research paper by Feiler. The research undertaken in the paper concentrates on the evidences for strong and specific family variables which influence the literacy outcome of children at the early years of their education. The quality of the learning environment as well as the role played by the parents in the learning activity of students has great significance in the learning skills of children and the research investigation by Feiler focuses on the family literacy schemes, especially the strategy occupying the parents as well as children. Ultimately, the research study â€Å"explores the impact of providing additional literacy support at home (with some additional support at school), using a Reception teacher’s and head teacher’s predictions to target children c onsidered to be in need of extra help during their first year at school. There is a particular focus on strategies for working with parents whose engagement with

Essay2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Essay2 - Essay Example It is saddening for me to watch an additional species disappear completely from the face of the earth because of factors that can be controlled (Bocedi et al 84). However, many of the suggestions that have been placed forth require human beings to be more cautious in the way they interact with the environment. This may mean that human beings need to maintain the natural state of the environment that can support the lives of other species. The greatest challenge of doing this is that human beings need to survive as well. Over the years, the human population has increased at alarming rates. This has served to confirm that human beings are reproductive. In order to sustain reproduction, human beings have to manipulate the environment so that it can favor them in different ways. The rapid climate changes occurring recently are attributable to such manipulations of the environment by human beings (Bocedi et al 85). This situation explains why it has proved difficult for me to define a specific solution that will ensure that different species survive and that human beings have the right amount of resources. After interacting with several sources that discuss the potential solutions to the ongoing climate changes that have threatened the survival of different species, I am compelled by the conviction that human beings can initiate a change. This is possible if they can limit the level of resource, they use on a daily basis. Innovation can serve to save some of the natural resources, preventing them from depletion. Human beings are well aware that natural resources are subject to depletion if not used in a sustainable manner. If only human beings were committed to saving natural resources, and maintaining balance in the natural cycle that ensures regular climatic patterns, then the ensuing problem would be solved effectively. There are potential benefits of this potential solution

Of mice and men Comparison Essay Example for Free

Of mice and men Comparison Essay Of mice and men by John Steinbeck- Consider the character of crooks. How does he contribute to our understanding of the society in which he lives? This essay will answer the question above. I will be looking at the character Crooks and the society and the racial issues at that time. I will also look into the American dream of the majority. John Steinbeck was born in 1902 in Salinas, California, and many of his novels are set in this part of America. Before his career as a writer began, Steinbeck worked as a construction labourer and a caretaker. His first novel Cup of Gold was published in 1929. Of Mice and Men was published in 1939. He died at the age of 66 in 1968. In this paragraph, I will describe the character of Crooks and some of the difficulties faced by the racial minority. Crooks is a Black-American who stands out to the other ranch-men. He has a crooked back, where he has been kicked by a horse. He is known by many names, like the stable-buck negro or nigger. In the time where Crooks was living, Americans treated the Black-Americans very differently because they were niggers. The black people where not allowed in white areas, even though it wasnt a law, it was made this way, but there where laws of the segregation of the black and white people. In the ranch, it was exactly the same, Crooks wasnt allowed in the other ranch peoples bunk house to play blackjack or rummy I aint wanted in the bunk-house and you aint wanted in my room (page 72). He just had to sleep in the barn by himself; he had no rights, except the choice of invitation of his room. He is only allowed to play horse shoes with the other ranch workers because he is so good at it. Although C1rooks is part of the lowest chain of respect, he knows himself as a proud aloof man; he doesnt care what the others say about him. As Crooks is the only black man in the ranch, he has no rights at all, he didnt even have an identity, he was known as Crooks because his real name was not important to the ranch workers. Ku Klux Klan is the name of a number of past and present organisations in America that believed in white supremacy, anti-Semitism, racism and anti-Catholicism. These organisations promoted violence and terrorism, sometimes intimidation like burning a cross. The Klan was founded 1866, it mainly focused on intimidating people, but rapidly adapted to violent methods. This is what happens to crooks as he becomes intimidated and abused by other ranch workers. . A quick reaction set in as the Klans leader left, by the early 1870s. Crooks had a book in his room called the California Civil Code, this tells him what rights he has and what rights he doesnt have, he does this so he can avoid being lynched. Every American worker has an American dream, the base of this is respect the people working in the ranch want to have their own ranch, people working for them and some nice crops. Crooks dream is to be treated equally, and to be respected. Candy wants to relax for his last few years and seeks the opportunity in George and Lennies dream which is to have a big vegetable patch and a rabbit-hutch and some chickens (page 15), Curleys wife wants to star in the movies, wear nice clothes and be rich. All their dreams are quite similar as they all want something for their own and also respect. What Crooks really wants is equality; he wants to be treated as another human being and not differently and to have friends. I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an he gets sick. (Page 77) There are many characters that have disabilities in the story, these people are: Crooks, Candy, Lennie and Curleys wife, these people are affected in their own way. Crooks disability is none other than being black and his crooked back, he has to have his own room in the smelly, cramped barn, and he cannot go to the bunk house and play rummy with the white characters. Lennie has a mental disability which makes him different from the other characters because he still has a mind of a child; this affects him as the others underestimate him. Curleys wife is the only female at the barn, she cannot do the things the boys can do, she is also controlled by Curley as she is a woman because men had more power than women in the past, this mean that she couldnt do what she wanted to do. Candy has the disadvantage of being old, the other guys think that he is useless, he stays behind and cleans up the bunk house, he has also lost a hand which makes that others think of him more useless. This shows us that he is not the only one which is different to the ranch workers. Crooks contributes to our understanding of the society of which he lives by showing us how he lives in separation and inequality, he cannot do any of the things that the white people do, he doesnt even sleep in the same place as them as they think he stinks. The also refer to him as the nigger because he is not respected enough to be called by he real name.

Overview of the Consequences of Cognitive Neuropsychology

Overview of the Consequences of Cognitive Neuropsychology The ability to study and understand the brain has evolved dramatically since people were first interested in the brains seemingly miraculous capacities. However, comprehending the input/output nature of the brain (and everything in between) has always been limited to behavioral tasks of healthy individuals. Unfortunately for science, a machine that cant be reverse engineered cannot be fully understood. To truly make sense of the diverse functions of each part of the brain, it is necessary to see the importance of studying individuals with brain damage. The field of cognitive neuropsychology occupies itself precisely with this concept. More or less, it offers the analogy of the brain as a sort of appliance, perhaps a television with lots of wires plugged into it. Assuming that none of the cables functions are labeled (as is obviously the case with the brain), the best way to discover which cable controls each part of the television is to unplug each cable one at a time and observe which parts of the television stop functioning. This analogy works well, given that a lesion in the brain is small enough to only effect a certain function. More diffuse brain damage is like more cables being removed at once; it becomes more difficult to declare, with precision, which cable controls which function. As non-invasive methods of imaging the brain have improved over the decades, it is no longer necessary to limit studies to healthy individuals, non-human animals, and less precise guessing as to the localization and diffusion of brain damage in patients. Techniques like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allow researchers to pinpoint where brain damage exists in patients, and, from further behavioral experiments, determine how the damage has affected the brain and, moreover, for which behavioral aspects the damaged part of the brain used to be responsible. Additionally, another technique, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), allows researchers to simulate a momentary lesion on superficial portions of the cortex. Clearly finding a patient with brain damage for every part single part of the brain is a scientific pipedream. Thus, by following the previous analogy, TMS offers the possibility to remove a cable and witness the effects without causing any permanent damage to the brain. This paper will show three cases of brain damage studies from the past, before such technology was available, and three from the present to contrast the difference in techniques and what the studies contributed to the field of neuroscience and demonstrated about brain function. No discussion of brain damage studies is complete without mentioning the case of Phineas Gage. Occurring in the 1840s, and arguably one of the most famous cases of all time, Gages face, skull, and brain were penetrated, through-and-through by a 3cm thick, 109cm long tamping iron. He was momentarily stunned but regained full consciousness immediately thereafter. He was able to talk and even walk with the help of his men (Harlow, 327). John M. Harlow, the doctor who looked after Gage after his accident, made observations about Gages behavior, such as [Gage has] succeeded in raising himself up, and took one step to his chair, and sat about five minutes. , and Intellectual faculties brightening. When I asked him how long since he was injured, he replied, four weeks this afternoon, at 4Â ½ oclock. Relates the manner in which it occurred, and how he came to the house. He keeps the day of the week and time of day, in his mind. Says he knows more than half of those who inquire after him. Do es not estimate size or money accurately, though he has memory as perfect as ever. (Passage of, 282) Assuming Gage had a normally developed brain, such observations essentially prove the concept of functional localization within the brain. Although it is easy to see this retrospectively because of what modern science has shown, Harlow didnt have the luxury of MRI or other techniques, apart from simple observation. By recognizing that Gages memory, speech, movement, and ability to learn were spared, but [h]is respect for the social conventions by which he once abided had vanished [(His abundant profanity offended those around him)] (Harlow, 327), Harlow was later able to connect Gages changed behavior to the frontal regions of the brain, which paved the way for further studies in seeking out the neural basis of various human capacities (ibid.). Understanding that each part of the brain does, in fact, have its own specific function was a crucial discovery in neuroscience and would have likely been impossible without patients such as Phineas Gage. Another patient similar to that of Gage, in terms of fame and selective damage, is Tan (named for the monosyllabic sound the he produced when trying to speak), the aphasic patient of the French surgeon Paul Broca. In 1861, Broca observed that Tan differed from a sane man only in the loss of articulated speech (Broca, 343). Given Tans symptoms, (for later in life he also presented with insensitivity on the right side, paralysis of both right limbs, weakened vision in his left eye ,and incomplete paralysis of the left cheek, in addition to the lack of speech) (347), Broca claimed that the principle cerebral lesion had to occupy the left hemisphere (ibid.). Only years later during the autopsy could Broca precisely observe the extent of the brain damage. In terms of Tans general behavior, however, Broca noted that [it was] certain that Tan understood almost everything that was said to him (345), that [n]umerical responses were those that he could make the best, by opening or closing his fingers (346), and that [t]he tongue was perfectly freethe patient could move it in all directionsThe muscles of the larynx seemed in no way altered, the quality of the voice was natural, and the sounds that the patient made in pronouncing his monosyllable were perfectly clear (345). These observations clearly indicate that Tan was still capable of expressing concepts, even if he was unable to express them strictly verbally, and that there existed a distinction between general vocal tract usage and speech production. These observations coupled with the results of the autopsy led Broca to realize that there existed of faculty of articulated language (as translated from French), lateralized to the left-hemisphere, distinct from comprehended language (35 6). However, the drawback to Tans case is that given the extent of his brain damage, Broca was still left pondering whether the faculty of articulated language depends on the anterior lobe considered as a whole, or especially on one of the convolutions of this lobe (357). Advances in technology in the next century would greatly strengthen his findings. Though in any case, Tans deficits led to the discovery of language in the left hemisphere and the notion that speaking meaningful words is distinct from general expression of concepts or of comprehending concepts as a whole. The case studied by Carl Wernicke greatly added to Brocas findings and strengthened the model of how language was processed in the brain by presenting a double dissociation between speech production and speech comprehension. Basically, Wernicke found a stroke patient in 1873 whose speech and hearing were unimpaired, but he couldnt make sense of what he read or what was said to him (Alic, 666). As it turned out, this condition, which essentially contrasted that of Brocas patient, Tan, was indeed localized to a different part of the brain. Upon autopsy, Wernicke found a lesion in the rear parietal/temporal region of the patients left brain hemisphere (ibid.). However, Wernicke regarded this facet of speech production and posited a connectionist-style theory of language production, thus he postulated that Brocas area and [his] area were connected, anddamage to this connection would cause conduction aphasia, a syndrome wherein a patient could both speak and understand language, but would misuse words (ibid.). From this connectionist notion, Wernicke theorized more deeply about general associations of a concept with language. In 1886, he made the claim that, in order to understand the word bell, the telegram arriving in [the speech comprehension center] must arouse in us the concept of the bell, i.e. the different memory images of the bell deposited in the cortex and localized in accordance with the sensory organs involved in their development. These areacousticoptictactileand finallymotor imagesthe arousal of each one separately is communicated to the others and they constitute a functional unit (Code, 15-16). Unaided by modern neuroimaging technology, Wernicke made a big step forward in connectionist-model theories on semantic associations and language production/comprehension. Together, Broca and Wernicke set the stage for studying language in the brain by having observed patients with specific brain damages and consequently conjecturing about the nature of the healthy human brain. Modern cognitive neuropsychology certainly follows the same principles in terms of assessing brain damage and theorizing about models of information streams. However, contemporary neuropsychologists have the benefit of computers, brain scanners, TMS, and, as seen in the next case, also infrared emitting diodes (IREDs). This next case is another classic, albeit much more recent: the study of patient DF by Goodale and Milner. DF was a middle-aged woman who was plagued by brain damage after carbon monoxide poisoning (Goodale, 154). The researchers could localize the damage without needing an autopsy thanks to MRI, which allowed further testing and studying to occur with knowledge of which structures were afflicted: the ventral and lateral occipital region, and in the parasagittal occipitoparietal region. After beginning neuropsychological testing, the researchers discovered that DF had a visual form agnosia (ibid.). Overall she showed poor perception of shapeorientationcolourintensitystereopsismotionproximitycontinuity, or similarity (Goodale, 154-155). Goodale and Milner ran several tests to discern how profoundly the visual form agnosia affected DF, and they came to realize a striking dissociation between [her] ability to perceive object orientation and her ability to direct accurate reaching movements toward objects (155). In one experiment DF had to indicate the orientation of a slot using a card by orienting the card similarly to the slot. Goodale notes that results here were grossly impaired (ibid), but when [she] was asked to reach out and post thecard through the slother performance was excellent (ibid.). The researchers ran a similar test to measure grip aperture between her index finger and thumb when she would pick up a small plaque. Here they employed the IREDs to measure the distance between the fingers and have numerical data to work with. Such a simple task is rendered quantitative (and thus scientifically measurable) merely by the technology available at the time. This second experiment had results similar to those of the first. Goodale notes that DFs estimates [of her grip aperture] did not change as a function of the width of the plaques (ibid.). However, when DF had to reach for the plaques and grab them, the aperturewas systematically related to the width of the object (ibid.). This profound dissociation arising from DFs brain damage led Goodale and Milner to suggest that at some level in the normal brains the visual processing underlying conscious perceptual judgments must operate separately from that underlying the automatic visuomotor guidance of skilled actions. (ibid). Such a claim of the brain having information that lies at a subconscious level could not have been postulated at the time without the (un)fortunate brain damage that afflicted DF. Building off of this notion of subconscious visual processing, the development of TMS has allowed researchers to test visual awareness (among other things) by momentarily disrupting parts of the brain via a magnetic pulse, effectively creating fake brain damage that is reversible: the immediate benefit being a neuropsychological approach to a question without needing to wait for a patient with precisely the right brain damage to appear. Ro discusses TMS experiments whose behavioral results are similar to those found by Goodale and Milner when testing DF. In the experiments, TMS suppressed primary visual cortex and despite unawareness of the orientation of a line in one experiment and unawareness of the colour of a dot in another experiment, subjects were nonetheless able to guess the orientation and colour of these stimuli presented within their TMS-induced scotomas at well-above chance levels (111). From this, he concludes that the results suggest a geniculoextrastriate pathway that bypasses V1 and projects directly from the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) into extrastriate cortex, likely area V4. [Such] a direct anatomical pathway from LGN to V4 has been demonstrated in lower primates (112). However, Ro further postulates that information relayed through [the aforementioned] pathway is unconscious, at least without a functioning V1 (ibid.), a profound step toward the comprehension of human consciousness and what actually gives rise to the experience of awareness. The final case discussed in this paper is that of Etcoffs 1991 study of LH, a minister who suffered a severe closed head injury in an automobile accident at the age of 18. The accident and the surgical procedures it necessitated[resulted in] bilateral lesions affecting visual association corticesthe right temporal lobe, the left subcortical occipitotemporal white matter, and bilateral perietooccipital regions (Etcoff, 27). Etcoff remarked that predominant resulting behavior change was that LH can recognize most pictures of objects and most objects encountered in daily life, [but] he is unable to recognize the faces of his wife, children, friends, or members of his family of origin (28). Etcoff noted that in various tasks, LH found other strategies to guess the identity of the person. During a famous faces task, he recognize hairstyles, insignias, and uniforms to correctly guess whose face was presented to him, even though he couldnt recognize the face itself (28-29). This indicates that LH still has a semantic connection between, for example Einsteins hair and his identity, but the facial recognition portion of this association network was knocked out. More interestingly, LH was given the task of recognizing impossible faces from normal ones, i.e. duplicate facial features, strangely oriented features, etc., and consequently Etcoff commented that LH was able to distinguish a true from an impossible face with 97% accuracy[he] can truly recognize faces as faces, and is sensitive not just to gross information such as number of features and relative placement, but to subtler relational information about feature orientation (29). This shows a clear distinction between recognizing a face as an object and recognizing the semantic information that each individual face carries with it, thus the human brain must process faces specially, a process that is still studied extensively today. Etcoff even shared that LH likens the experience of looking at a face to attempting to read illegible handwriting: you know that it is handwriting, you know where the words and letters stop and start, but you have no clue as to what they signify (29). These six cases have demonstrated important discoveries about how the brain works through the lens of neuropsychology. From functional specialization and a man surviving a tamping iron blasting through his prefrontal cortex disrupting his personality, to distinct linguistic systems for producing and comprehending speech, to visual information existing in the brain without conscious knowledge of it, to the idea of primary visual cortex leading an essential role in consciousness, to faces being specially processed entities in the human brain, studying damaged brains has arguably led to understanding certain facets of the brain that otherwise might have been unimaginable. Furthermore, these six cases were only a handful of discoveries that have arisen from observing the behavioral results of brain damaged patients, used to illustrate the benefits of taking a neuropsychological approach to unraveling the mysteries of brain. However, every methodology has some amount of drawbacks, and neuropsychology is not excluded. For example, given a lesion in some area of the brain, the resulting change in behavior must be a function of how the damaged area was affected. But what is this function exactly? Why should brain damage cause the output that it does instead of some very similar but sightly different behavioral change? If it is a question of reductionism, then its only a matter of time before the gap between behavior and structure is solved, but at present, neuropsychology doesnt answer this. Secondly, brain damage tends to be accidental, and accidents can be messy (e.g. car crash). Lesions dont tend to be as simple as unplugging a single cable from the television, where only one aspect of the TV is clearly affected. Thus, finding clean, precise lesions that alter only one part of the brain is far less likely then finding diffuse brain damage. Even if a patient tends to have only one predominant behavioral change, it cannot be said with full certainty that other parts of his brain werent affected or arent contributing, to some degree, to the new behavioral output, thus possibly confounding data despite very careful experimental designs. Additionally, there is the question of neural plasticity, which Ro brings to attention in his study by mentioning that reorganisation of brain functionalso complicate[s] examinations of sensory processing and visual awareness (110), which is where the advent of TMS has been very helpful in that, apart from its aforementioned advantages, it drastically reduces or eliminates any opportunities for neural plasticity (ibid.). The issue here is that plasticity in brain damaged patients might result in a level of rewiring that is abnormal or unexpected, thus rendering the way in which parts of their brain function unique only to them. All in all, however, every methodology has its pros and cons, and neuropsychology has provided science with a myriad of profound insights into the brain and its functions. The disadvantages it carries with it serve as a reminder as to how careful one must be when interpreting data about an entity as enigmatic and elusive as the brain.

Skin to skin contact and breastfeeding rate

Skin to skin contact and breastfeeding rate Formulation and theoretical perspectives. Effect of the first two hours after birth skin-to-skin contact for full term infants on first breastfeeding experience and breastfeeding duration: A randomised controlled trial Background It is unquestioned that breastfeeding is the most significant form of providing nutrition for infants. Exclusive breastfeeding for at least the first six month of life, with continued breastfeeding for up to two years or longer is highly recommended by World Health Organization (World Health Organization, 2000). In addition, The American Academy of Paediatrics (1997) stats Exclusive breastfeeding is ideal nutrition and sufficient to support optimal growth and development for the first six months after birthà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦It is recommended that breastfeeding continue for at least twelve months, and thereafter for as long as mutually desired. According to The American Academy of Paediatrics (1997) described the benefits of breastfeeding including improved general health, growth, and development of the breastfed infant; decreased incidence and severity of diarrhoea, lower respiratory infections, ear infections, bacterial meningitis, botulism, and urinary tract infections; protection fro m sudden infant death syndrome, childhood cancer, insulin dependent diabetes mellitus, Crohns disease, ulcerative colitis, allergies, and other chronic digestive diseases; and enhanced cognitive development. To compare with other Europe countries, breastfeeding rates in the UK are low (UNICEF, 1999). In 2005, 45% of all mothers in the United Kingdom were breastfeeding exclusively at one week, while 21% were feeding exclusively at six weeks. At six months the proportion of mothers who were breastfeeding exclusively was negligible ( The Baby Friendly Initiative was introduced in the UK in 1992 by the WHO and UNICEF. The purpose of the programme is to encourage hospitals to increase protection, promotion and support breastfeeding and implement the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding (UNICEF 1998). Step four recommends skin-to-skin contact (SSC) in the early postnatal period, which should last until the first feed or for as long as the mother wishes (UNICEF, 1998). The process of skin-to-skin contact was defined as the infant is naked in a prone position and skin-to-skin on the mothers bare abdomen or chest during the first minute postbirth. Apgar scores are assigned and suctioning is done if medically indicated. The infant must be gently dried and covered across the back with a prewarmed blanket. The initial physical assessment is performed while the infant is with the mother skin-to-skin. To prevent heat loss, the infants head must be covered with a dry cap, which is replaced when it becomes damp. Ideally, all other interventions are delayed until at least after the end of the first breastfeeding (Moore Anderson, 2007). The optimal time for newborn babies to develop pre-breastfeeding behaviour, such as rooting and sucking (Gomez, et al., 1998), skin-to-skin contact and provide first breastfeeding is the first two hours postbirth when they are more alert to the environment. In this stage, it may indicate a sensitive period for establish effective breastfeeding. Bornstein (1989) defines sensitive period as a developmental phase of built-in competence for the development of specific behaviour exchanges between the organism and the environment whose consequences presumably endure for the organism. After this sensitive period, the two hours postbirth, many newborn babies go into a drowsy stage which maybe difficult to arouse for up to several hours (Britton, 1998). Purpose of the research Previous studies found that infants were eight times more likely to breastfeed spontaneously if they spent more than 50 minutes in skin-to-skin contact with their mothers immediately after birth, and concluded that the dose of skin-to-skin contact might be a critical component regarding breastfeeding success (Gomez. et al., 1998). Despite numerous documents and randomized control trials have showed the positive impact of skin-to-skin contact on breastfeeding, mother-infant separation by physical assessment and routine care during the first hours postbirth before having the opportunity to start skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding is still common practice in many healthcare settings. In light of the above, the aim of the study is to examine the effects of skin-to-skin contact for full-term newborn babies during the first two hours postbirth on first breastfeeding experience and exclusive breastfeeding rate in six months postbirth. Two hypotheses will be tested: (1) skin-to-skin contact during the first two hours postbirth has positive impact on first breastfeeding experience; (2) skin-to-skin contact during the first two hours postbirth increases the likelihood of breastfeeding establishment; (3) skin-to-skin contact during the first two hours postbirth increases both breastfeeding establishment and duration. 2. Methods to be used The topic was skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding rate and the methodology selected was quantitative. This is because breastfeeding rate is to be measured precisely so as to allow comparisons between the various groups. And for relative representativeness and for generalisations made quantitative research a better choice. The study will be conducted by randomised controlled trial comparing the effects of SSC with routine care on first breastfeeding experience and breastfeeding duration. In the control group which receiving routine care, babies will quickly dried and wrapped in a towel before being handed to their mother or father. Mother-baby contact will be interrupted for physical assessment, given a vitamin K injection, weighing, dressing and measuring the baby, or for repairing the mothers perineum wound. After the routine care finish, the baby will be swaddled in prewarmed blankets and return to the mother. And the staff nurse will assist with breast feeding when both mother and baby are ready. In the skin-to-skin care group, the infants will be given to their mothers immediately after birth and will be placed nakedly in a prone position against the mothers skin between the breasts with a large pre-warmed blanket. After the cord cut, the infant will be moved to radiant warmer for the same routine care as the control group then back to their mother again for about 2 hours. And when both mother and baby in skin-to-skin group are ready, the staff nurse also will a ssist with breast feeding. 2.1 Sampling principles and procedures Criteria for including/excluding study participants Eligible participants included pregnant woman who are primiparas mothers, had no pre-existing medical complications and no history of mental illness or illicit drug use, 18 years or older, expecting a vaginal delivery, intended to breast feed, her healthy fetus need to greater than 37 weeks gestation. A woman will be ineligible if their babies weighted less than 2200gm, Sample size In Shiaus study (1997), skin-to-skin contact dyads had better breastfeeding status than control dyads on day 28 (6.16  ± 2.06 vs. 4.0  ± 1.60, P= .004). This computes to an effect size of 1.17. And in Moores study (2007), the author used the data to compute power in her study for the samples were similar in their research. Moore(2007) indicated if the true effect size is 1.17, the probability of detecting significant differences between the two groups is 81% (i.e., 19% of the time significant differences would not be detected). Therefore, 10 participants per group may be adequate to detect statistically significant between-group differences in breastfeeding status and Moore also used minimization to control the influence of the variables, she explained that in small studies, simple randomization procedures are likely to result in groups that are unbalanced with respect to potentially confounding variables. For the above reason, in this research, a sample of 10 participants per group will be appropriate but to avoid possible attrition during the time, 15 participants will be recruited. Recruitment The participants will be recruited through a hospital in Manchester with the help of clinical nurse and maternity consultants. Women who fulfill the inclusion criteria will be contacted by the clinical coordinator at 36-37 weeks gestation. The women will provided with oral explanation about the trial, eligible participants will be recruited and informed consent will be obtained. After birth, mothers and their newborn babies who still remained eligible will be randomized using minimization to either skin-to-skin group or control group. 2.2 Data collection methods Minimization is an assignment strategy, similar in intention to stratification that ensures excellent balance between intervention groups for specified prognostic factors. The next participant is assigned to whichever group would minimize the imbalance between groups on specified prognostic factors. Minimization is an acceptable alternative to random assignment (CONSORT, 2007). The minimization program will be applied to control the following variables: baby gender, birth weight, and gestational age, maternal age, education, marital status, race, smoking history, breastfeeding intention and maternal employment (no, part-time, or full-time employment). When participants admit to the hospital in active labour, the clinical co-ordinator will be contacted for information gathering. And when all the information obtained, the computerized minimization programme will assign randomly either to skin-to-skin group or control group. Demographic, labour and delivery history data (past and current pregnancies) from the records will be collected by the clinical co-ordinator. Post-delivery data collection will be carried out through contact with the mothers before they left hospital. Post-delivery care will be observed by the research assistant as well as assessment of first breastfeeding in the delivery room. The infants first breastfeeding will be score by the research assistant by using the IBFAT. The IBFAT measures 4 aspect of suckling competence: (1) infant state of arousal or readiness to feed; (2) rooting reflex; (3) latch-on; and (4) suckling pattern. Each item has a score of 0 to 3 for a maximum score of 12, indicating competent breastfeeding. Success of the first breastfeeding (score of 10 to 12) will be measured by this tool. The IBS, which assesses the degree of breastfeeding exclusivity; The IBS is a single-item indicator consisting of three major levels of breastfeeding: full, partial, and token. Eight levels are ranked from 1 for exclusive to 8 for weaned. Full is divided into two subcategories: exclusive (the infant consumes only breast milk and no other liquid or solid food [score=1]), and almost exclusive (the infant is given water, juice, vitam ins, and minerals infrequently in addition to breast milk [score= 2]). The partial category, which originally had two subcategories, was subdivided into four subcategories for greater accuracy: high-partial (> 80% of the infants diet is breast milk [score= 3]); medium-high (50% 80% breast milk[score = 4]); medium-low (20% Follow-up assessment will be take place when infants reached 1, 3, and 6 months corrected age. The research assistant will contact to the mother in advance then arrange the visit. 3. Data analysis There will be six stages in data analysis. Stage 1: data preparation. Checking, editing and coding. Stage 2: data entry. Entering the data in the computer. Stage 3: Graphic presentation. Presenting the findings in the form of graphs or tables. Stage 4: data processing and analysis. Conducting statistical analysis. Stage 5: interpretation of the findings. Explaining the meaning of data individually. Stage 6: six- Conclusion. Proposing direct answers to the research question (Saratakos, 2005, p.364). A t-test is an interval/ration test of significance which has the purpose of ascertaining whether or not the findings of a sample-based study are significant, that is also valid for the target population. It checks the degree if generalisability of the findings of the study. the t-test serves the same purpose as chi-square tests, except that it is suitable for interval/ration variables (Saratakos, 2005, p.388) Analysis in this research will follow the intent to treat principle. SPSS computer software (version 15) will be used for data analysis. Differences between groups in demographic and other variables will be determined by using descriptive statistics, t-tests for interval level data, and à Ã¢â‚¬ ¡2 analysis (Fishers exact test) for nominal data e.g. 1.baby gender, 2.birth weight, 3.gestational age, 4.maternal age, 5.education, 6.marital status, 7.race, 8.smoking history, 9.breastfeeding intention and 10.maternal employment (no, part-time, or full-time employment). 4. Probable outputs If the result shows that skin-to-skin contact for full-term newborn babies during the first two hours postbirth has significant effect on first breastfeeding experience and also enhance the exclusive breastfeeding rate in six months postbirth. The result will not only provide support in the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding principle , especially in Step four recommends skin-to-skin contact in the early postnatal period, which should last until the first feed or for as long as the mother wishes but also increase its credibility in enhance breastfeeding establishment. Early skin-to-skin contact can have a positive impact on newborn infants health by establish first breastfeeding well but also increase the mothers satisfaction as well as the bonding and interaction between mothers and newborn babies. The skin-to-skin used to exercise as an intervention for premature babies, with the result, we can apply to generalisation. The intervention can not only use for premature babies but also works in healthy, full term babies. When apply the result into clinical practice, the newborn infant routine care in delivery will changed significantly. Firstly, in many healthcare setting, when delivery comes, the first priority is to dry the baby and keep the airway open and do a range of physical assessment and newborn routine care. Due the complicated tasks, mothers and newborn infants usually have to separate more than one hour which miss the most precious time for bonding between mothers and newborn infants. To implement the intervention, the old practice has to be changed. For clinical practitioners might need some time cope due to the various tasks and duties. If the skin-to-skin contact intervention performs well in clinical practice, maybe researchers can put more effort in this area. For example, let the father or significant other practice the skin-to-skin contact with newborn infants and examine the effect might be operate as good as mothers. 5. Scheduling of the study Month Task Jan Feb Ma r Ap r May Jun Ju l Aug Sep Oc t Nov Dec LITERATURE REVIEW: Identify data sources, archives and specialist library collections.Identify potential case studies.Review theory and methodology, policy and clinical practice. Develop research question Complete research proposal Develop research methodology Sampling and recruitment Data Collection Results, Data analysis and evaluation Research project completed 6. Detailed justification of costs Description Item  ¿Ã‚ ¡/ per year comment Personnel 1. research assistant 2. clinical coordinator  ¿Ã‚ ¡9/ per hour 9*2*20*20  ¿Ã‚ ¡7200~8000 20hours/per person/week About 20 weeks Hard/software computer*1, laptop*1 camera*1, MP3 recorder  ¿Ã‚ ¡890~990 Ccomputer- ¿Ã‚ ¡400 Laptop- ¿Ã‚ ¡350 -camera- ¿Ã‚ ¡100 -MP3 recorder- ¿Ã‚ ¡40 Administrative Expenses  ¿Ã‚ ¡200~ ¿Ã‚ ¡250 Travel, communication, Attend conference, seminar, meeting  ¿Ã‚ ¡500~1000 Accommodation Consumables Stationery  ¿Ã‚ ¡100~ ¿Ã‚ ¡150 Fees and Service Charges  ¿Ã‚ ¡100~ ¿Ã‚ ¡150 Budget  ¿Ã‚ ¡11000  ¿Ã‚ ¡8990~ ¿Ã‚ ¡10540 7. Ethical issues There are some ethical issues we may meet when we do the research. Firstly, start with informed consent, in a research, participants should be fully informed as much information as possible that the participants can decide whether they want to join or not. Therefore , before we establish the research, all the participants will received oral and written information about the nature and purpose of the research study and its potential implications for them. After participants fully understood, inform consent will be obtained before we start the research. And participants also accept that they can stop or withdraw the research at any time they want. Secondly, the issue of the invasion of privacy, in the research project, Confidentiality and anonymous will be guaranteed. Any identification, documents will be separate from the tape recording and transcription. Data also will be stored in a locked and secure container, only the researcher can assess the key. Last but not least, before any act, we have to obtain the approval from Research Ethics Committee. By doing so, everyones right is protected. 8. Reflection on your study Early skin-to-skin contact may not effect on first breastfeeding experience and breastfeeding duration, the reasons are vary. There are many factors influence breastfeeding negatively. For example, for working mother, maybe they experienced a very wonder first breastfeeding while having skin-to-skin contact with her baby when they in the hospital with healthcare providers support and breastfeeding education. However, when the mother and her newborn infant go home, a range of unexpected things happened to them, without healthcare providers help, short maternity leave and stressful work, all these reasons are affecting the decision of breastfeeding establishment and duration. Furthermore, if the intervention of skin-to-skin contact will implement in clinical practice, it will change the long established routine and roles which is difficult when face experience clinical practitioner whom dont like to change. The following questions are from the Critical Appraisal Skill Programme (CASP, 2003). These 10 questions can help us think about these issues systematically. 1. Did the study ask a clearly-focused question? In this research, the population, intervention and outcome are clearly stated. 2 .Was this a randomised controlled trial (RCT) and was it appropriately so? In this research, I want to examine the effect of skin-to-skin contact for full-term newborn babies during the first two hours postbirth on first breastfeeding. To evaluate the effectiveness of skin-to-skin contact, I have to chose randomised controlled trial to test. In Glaszious paper (2001), he stated that to study the effects of interventions, it is necessary to compare a group of patients who have received the intervention (study group) with a comparable group who have not received the intervention (control group). A randomized controlled trial, which is a trial in which subjects are randomly allocated to the study or control groups, is usually the ideal design. 3. Were participants appropriately allocated to intervention and control groups? In the study, I will use computerized minimization to allocate participants, so I assume the participants will be allocated appropriately. 4. Were participants, staff and study personnel blind to participants study group? In this study, participants, staff and study personnel, they wont blind to participants study group, which could make observer bias and possibly a weakness in this study. 5. Were all of the participants who entered the trial accounted for at its conclusion? In the study, I assume all the participants who entered the trial accounted for at its conclusion for avoiding attrition bias. 6. Were the participants in all groups followed up and data collected in the same way? In the study, we have one research assistant dose the post-delivery care observation and assessment of first breastfeeding in the delivery room. And the other clinical co-ordinator responsible for documentation, so I presume the data will collected in the same way. 7. Did the study have enough participants to minimize the play of chance? According to previous studies effect size, in this study, we only recruit 15 participants 8. How are the results presented and what is the main result? 9 .How precise are these results? 10. Were all important outcomes considered so the results can be applied? for question 8-10, it can not answered for the study is not carry out yet.

Unreachable Dreams in The Catcher in The Rye :: Catcher Rye Essays

Unreachable Dreams in The Catcher in The Rye      Ã‚   Many people find that their dreams are unreachable.   Holden Caulfield realizes this in J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye.   As Holden tells his story, he recounts the events since leaving the Pencey School to his psychiatrist.   At first, Holden sounds like a typical, misguided teenager, rebellious towards his parents, angry with his teachers, and flunking out of school.   However, as his story progresses, it becomes clear that Holden is indeed motivated, just not academically.   He has a purpose: to protect the young and innocent minds of young children from the "horrors" of adult society.   He hopes to freeze the children in time, as wax figures are frozen in a museum.   After interacting with Phoebe, his younger sister, Holden realizes that this goal is quite unachievable. Holden wants to be the Catcher in the Rye, then realizes it is an unreachable ideal.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Holden begins his story misguided and without direction.   After flunking out of the Pencey School, Holden decides to leave early.   Before he leaves, though, he visits his teacher, Mr. Spencer.   Mr. Spencer and Holden talk about his direction in life: "'Do you feel absolutely no concern for your future, boy?' 'Oh, I feel some concern for my future, all right. Sure. Sure, I do.' I thought about it for a minute. 'But not too much, I guess,'" (14).   After leaving Pencey, he checks into a hotel where he invites a prostitute up to his room.   He gets cold feet and decides not to have intercourse with her, though.   Later, Holden decides to take his old girlfriend, Sally Hayes, to the theater.   After taking her to the theater, Holden formulates a crazy plan which entails running away with Sally, getting married, and growing old together.   Sally thinks that he is crazy, and she decides to go home.   During his stay away from home, Holden drinks and smokes, showing even more misdirection.   However, when Holden returns home and talks to his sister, Phoebe, his direction becomes clear.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Holden wants to be the Catcher in the Rye to protect children from the world in which he is forced to live.   While talking with Phoebe, she asks Holden what he would like to be.   He responds saying:

Discuss the similarities and differences between ?new terrorism? and th

Pantha rei – as it was stated by the Greek philosopher, Heraclites of Ephesus (sixth and fifth centuries B.C.) – everything flows, everything changes. Change in the contemporary world is an extremely fast process. Nothing remains the same as it was in the past. In political science especially, some notions (e.g. sovereignty) demand redefinition. The changing nature of all things also includes the political concept of terrorism. The official approach to this changing terrorism is rather complicated. The terrorist of yesterday is the hero of today, and the hero of yesterday becomes the terrorist of today . There is then a great need to know what contemporary terrorism is and what it is not. Terrorism is a calculated use of power to achieve a political change, thus violence – or equally important, the threat of violence – is used and directed in pursuit of, or in service of a political aim . Terrorism is an expression of political strategy, a willful choice made by an organization for political and strategic reasons (efficacy) rather than as the unintended outcome of psychological or social factors . However, terrorism is difficult to define because the meaning of the term has changed so frequently over the past 200 years. It has morphed from positive connotation during the French Revolution (closely associated with the ideals of virtue and democracy ), through the revolutionary movement and finally to a religiously motivated act as it is mainly perceived today. Nevertheless, we have to ask ourselves whether â€Å"old† and â€Å"new† terrorism really exists, or maybe the phenomenon we are facing today reminds us an old wine in a new bottle. Two questions frame the discussed issue: 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What is the nature of â€Å"new† terrorism? 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What is the magnitude of threat of â€Å"new† terrorism? â€Å"Old† and â€Å"new† terrorism are distinguishable in five points, as the table below shows . Old Terrorism  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  New Terrorism Ideological  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Vague or religious motivations Hierarchical  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Unorganized (lone wolf, ad hoc) therefore more difficult to penetrate Propaganda by deed (bringing issue to the table)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  More violent (killing for the sake of killing) Sub-national  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Transnational and International (global... ...uld be considered more dangerous. The new rules of an old game make it more lethal and unpredictable. Let us examine only one example: Nearly every terrorist group in Iraq has recently captured a foreigner but additionally, they have produced an accompanying video, where a list of demands is outlined, a deadline is set, hostages plea for their lives, and in several instances, they are killed by beheading. Then these kidnappings merge a technique of â€Å"old† terrorism in service of â€Å"new† style terrorism. Furthermore, now more than ever, the media are a tool of war. These dramas were broadcasted by the media all over the world. This is how the media helps to evolve terrorism – they send the terrorist a clear although unspoken message: to maintain access to the airwaves, you need to devise even more outrageous tactics. Thus, the new â€Å"global† terrorist, caught into the trap of globalization, will have to break more rules, cross more psychological borders, and crack more taboos in order to exist. This can be considered the most dangerous feature of the â€Å"new† terrorism – not only do we not know when the next attack will strike, we either have no idea what actually is going to happen .

Gender Issues in Special Education Essay

While it is obvious to researchers that males and females are disproportionately served by special education programs, the reasons for the gender bias are not clear. Boys and girls are known to â€Å"comprise equal proportions of the school-aged population;† nevertheless, boys are known to â€Å"account for approximately two-thirds of all students served in special education (Gender as a Factor in Special Education Eligibility, Services, and Results). † Is it because the educational policies of most states of America prefer to send off more boys than girls for special education programs? Or, are there essential differences between boys and girls to account for the gender gap in special education? The present research evaluates the answers to these questions for education professionals to attempt to bridge the gender gap in special education. Are there gender differences to account for the gender gap in special education? Studies on disability have by and large emphasized on commonalities among persons with disabilities instead of addressing gender based differences. This is the reason why there is little known about the different experiences and characteristics of boys and girls with disabilities (Gender as a Factor). It is interesting to note that the problem of the gender gap in special education does not exist in the United States alone. Studies have addressed this topic in relation to the disabled populations in the United Kingdom, Norway, and Canada as well. As a matter of fact, researchers have also noted the differences between the learning needs and academic achievements of boys and girls in the regular classroom. The differences among boys and girls in the regular classroom allow us to infer that boys and girls are, indeed, different in terms of their educational needs and achievements. Hence, the gender gap in special education may exist for a genuine reason. Chapman (2006) writes: Sitting in the same classroom, reading the same textbook, listening to the same teacher, boys and girls receive very different educations. In fact, upon entering school, girls perform equal to or better than boys on nearly every measure of achievement, but by the time they graduate high school or college, they have fallen behind. However, discrepancies between the performance of girls and the performance of boys in elementary education leads some critics to argue that boys are being neglected within the education system. Across the country, boys have never been in more trouble: They earn 70 percent of the D’s and F’s that teachers dole out. They make up two thirds of students labeled â€Å"learning disabled. † They are the culprits in a whopping 9 of 10 alcohol and drug violations and the suspected perpetrators in 4 out of 5 crimes that end up in juvenile court. They account for 80 percent of high school dropouts and attention deficit disorder diagnoses. This performance discrepancy is notable throughout Canada. In Ontario, Education Minister Janet Ecker said that the results of the standardized grade 3 and grade 6 testing in math and reading showed, â€Å"†¦ persistent and glaring discrepancies in achievements and attitudes between boys and girls. † In British Columbia, standardized testing indicates that girls outperform boys at all levels of reading and writing and in Alberta testing shows that girls, â€Å"†¦ significantly outperform boys on reading and writing tests, while almost matching them in math and science. † However, the American Association of University Women published a report in 1992 indicating that females receive less attention from teachers and the attention that female students do receive is often more negative than attention received by boys. In fact, examination of the socialization of gender within schools and evidence of a gender biased hidden curriculum demonstrates that girls are shortchanged in the classroom. Furthermore, there is significant research indicating steps that can be taken to minimize or eliminate the gender bias currently present in our education system. If teachers are, indeed, responsible for giving more attention to boys than the girls, this may very well be a reason why boys are more often referred to special education programs than the girls. Even so, the academic achievement of girls tends to be higher than that of the boys in most regular classrooms. Therefore, there may be no reason to blame the teachers for referring more boys than the girls to special education programs. Vaishnav (2002) writes that boys are more likely to act out in class than the girls simply because boys tend to be more active while girls tend to be more passive. Furthermore, girls are more likely to be compliant, and this attitude on their part can be misleading because girls may be hiding their disabilities behind their compliance. Even so, it is noteworthy that the gender gap in special education varies from school district to school district in the United States. Among the emotionally disturbed children in Milwaukee, for example, only fifty five percent are boys. In Kansas City, on the other hand, almost ninety percent of the students diagnosed as emotionally disturbed are males. In the schools of Massachusetts, males are â€Å"slightly more likely than girls to be identified with hearing or vision problems,† and one and a half times more likely to be identified as mentally retarded (Vaishnav). What is more, males are twice more likely than girls to be labeled with learning disabilities, and â€Å"more than three times as likely to be called emotionally disturbed (Vaishnav). † Are state policies responsible for the gender gap in special education? Data on the gender gap in special education reveals that boys are overrepresented in special education regardless of school district and state. Nonetheless, it is noteworthy that the school districts in Massachusetts, on average, refer students for special education programs according to the following ratio for male to female students: 7:3 (â€Å"District Rates: Students with Disabilities by Race and Gender,† 2004). Perhaps this ratio is based on a state policy that requires more males to be referred for special education programs. Indeed, there are three typical reasons cited for the gender gap in special education, one of which is the â€Å"bias in special education referral and assessment procedures (Tschantz & Markowitz, 2003). † The other reasons include the biological and behavioral differences between male and female students. Even so, the reason that points to blatant discrimination in special education requires the collection of data from states to reveal the actual gender gap in special education in different states and school districts. By knowing that the gender gap in a certain state is wider than the gap in another state, for example, we may very well be able to identify the state policies that may be responsible for the difference (Tschantz & Markowitz). Coutinho & Oswald (2005) have conducted a study on state policies with regards to special education. According to the researchers, states that either have a high or low proportion of students assigned to special education programs are more likely to identify more males than females for these programs. Seeing that the law of the United States does not demand school authorities to refer more males than females for special education programs, the authors recommend that all states must collect data to analyze the gender gap in special education. The data that is collected thus would allow researchers to examine where the problem truly lies. Is it because the teachers are referring more males than females because they observe the differences in the classroom? Or, is it because certain school districts prefer to send off more males than females to the special education classroom? The authors further note that the educators may very well be biased in their implementation of identification and referral policies. Hence, a â€Å"vigorous, systematic evaluation† is a necessity in the identification of the real reasons for the gender gap in special education (Coutinho & Oswald). Analysis of the Findings and Conclusion Sanders (2002) confirms the conclusion of Chapman that there is a difference between the levels of attention received by boys and girls in schools. Some of the reasons for the differences are pointed out by the author as the following: (1) The ratio of boys to girls taking the highest level Advanced Placement Test in Computer Science is 9:1; (2) Eighty five percent of girls from eighth to the eleventh grade report that they have been sexually harassed in school, while the percentage is lower for males; (3) All except one of the school shootings in recent years had been committed by white male students; and (4) The average boy in eleventh grade writes at the level of the average girl in eighth grade. Perhaps, therefore, we must agree with the fact that there is a difference in the learning needs and academic achievements of boys and girls also in the regular classroom. The difference between boys and girls in the regular classroom helps us to understand that the gender gap in the special education programs is perhaps a genuine one. However, there is very little research on the differences between males and females with regard to disabilities. This is the reason why researchers are as yet unclear about the real meaning of the gender gap in special education. Research in future must focus on the differences between males and females with regard to disabilities. Only then shall we conclude with certainty that there is a genuine gender gap in special education, perhaps because there are more disabled boys than disabled girls. Vaishnav’s analysis of the reason for the gender gap in special education is very important, seeing that girls are definitely more passive while boys are certainly more active in the classroom. This is the reason why educators find it easier to identify emotionally disturbed boys. Males are also more likely to show their learning disabilities more easily than the females, for the simple reason that boys act out in class more often than the girls. Females may hide their disabilities from their teachers through their passivity and compliance. This analysis carries an important lesson for teachers: perhaps teachers should learn to identify learning disabilities and emotional disturbance in girls by a different method altogether. Psychological, including IQ testing, should definitely help. Research has also suggested that boys are twice more likely than girls to be identified as gifted students (Chapman). If psychological, including IQ testing, is made mandatory for all students, however, the gender gap may very well be bridged. Lastly, it is important to note that researchers have not yet found differences in state policies with regards to the gender gap in special education. There is no state policy that clearly asks for boys to be referred in greater numbers to special education programs. Nevertheless, there are differences among states with respect to the gender gap. Besides, our research on Massachusetts shows that most school districts maintain an average ratio of boys to girls that are referred to special education programs. Even though research would not identify the reason for this average ratio, Countinho & Oswald are correct to conclude that thorough data collection would allow us to analyze the gender gap more easily. By knowing exactly where the gender gap widens or contracts, educational researchers would be able to study the specific school district policies that relate to the same. This would allow them to identify the real reasons for the gender gap in school education, and why it widens or contracts in certain states or school districts as compared to the others. Regardless of limited research on the real reasons of the gender gap in special education, educators are required to pay equal attention to girls and boys in their classrooms. This is, perhaps, the most important lesson to be learned from the present research. After all, by paying more attention to boys, teachers may be negatively impacting the lives of countless gifted girls. Similarly, there may be countless learning disabled girls who may benefit from special education programs even though their teachers have not identified them as learned disabled. Equal opportunity in education is of the essence. Psychological testing, including IQ testing, is certainly expected to help educators along the way. References Chapman, A. (2006). Gender Bias in Education. Research Room. Retrieved Nov 25, 2007, from http://www. edchange. org/multicultural/papers/genderbias. html. Coutinho, M. J. , & Oswald, D. (2005, Jan 1). State variation in gender disproportionality in special education: findings and recommendations. Remedial and Special Education. District Rates: Students with Disabilities by Race and Gender. (2004, Oct 1). Massachusetts Department of Education. Retrieved Nov 25, 2007, from http://www. doe. mass. edu/InfoServices/reports/enroll/sped05/rg. pdf. Gender as a Factor in Special Education Eligibility, Services, and Results. Retrieved Nov 25, 2007, from http://www. iteachilearn. com/uh/meisgeier/statsgov20gender. htm. Sanders, J. (2002, Nov 1). Something Is Missing from Teacher Education: Attention to Two Genders. Phi Delta Kappan. Tschantz, J. , & Markowitz, J. (2003, Jan). Gender and Special Education: Current State Data Collection. Quick Turn Around. Retrieved Nov 25, 2007, from http://www. nasdse. org/publications/gender. pdf. Vaishnav, A. (2002, Jul 8). Some Say Boys Singled Out for Wrong Reasons. The Boston Globe.

Selena Quintanilla a Gifted Icon

When I was a little girl, I was a big fan of Selena Quintanilla. I had all her music, disks and posters all over my room. My dream was to meet her in person and it came true when I assisted one of her concerts. I knew everything about her even though I was 4 years old. She was a role model for me, she was family oriented and she is still today living in my memory. I memorized every song of hers word by word, and I would imitate her dancing all day long. As a little girl I could not understand why someone would have wanted to take her life away when she was a good person. Selena Quintanilla is considered to be one of the most popular and influential Hispanic music icons of all times because of her history, culture, and all the people she influenced with her charisma. Selena Quintanilla in her early years was a girl who had the spirit to believe in a dream, blessed by being born in a musical family. Quintanilla was a Mexican-American singer born in Lake Jackson, Texas, where her musical career began. Her father Abraham Quintanilla was the greatest influence and inspiration in her music career (). Mr. Quintanilla stimulated the musical talents in all his children, teaching them to play instruments and sing in Spanish. Selena Quintanilla made her first performance at the age of 8 in the year of 1980 at her father’s Mexican restaurant (PapaGayo), and recorded her first record at 9(). Through her adolescence years she was mostly on the tour bus â€Å"Big Bertha†. Everything was not a bed of roses, her education was probably the hardest she ha d to accomplished. Her father made her dropped from regular school education permanently when she was in 8th grade. His major concern was to give her the opportunity to concentrate and devote more time to music. Selena Quintanilla in order to perform the music with her family on long trips crossing the states was forced by the nature of the music venture to complete her high school diploma through the American School in Chicago, Illinois by mail(encyclopedia supplement/library vcc)and this was the way she earned her general education diploma(GED) in 1989. She enrolled at Pacific Western University as a correspondence student taking business classes(contemporary/vcc library). Quintanilla had a love life like any other girl. The singer fell deeply in love with guitarist Chris Perez. This relationship led the singer to a very troubled life and finally her family accepted him because they realized he made her happy. The Queen of Tejano music, Selena Quintanilla had multiple talents. Since the age of 8 she was a vivacious entertainer. Her passion for music took her to the stage of being one of the most recognized Latino singers in the United States. Her ability to sing in a sexy and charismatic way made her an idol of the American and Latin markets. Throughout her short life filled with success Quintanilla was a singer, song writer, record producer, and to add to those multiple talents she also dabbled in acting, making a cameo in a romantic comedy in the Johnny Deep Film ‘Don Juan de Marco’. She also danced at the stage making her performance more appealing to the audience. Included among other qualities she enjoyed to design her own clothes. Her unique way of designing her own bustier earned her the nickname of â€Å"The Mexican Madonna†(BD). Among her career successes as a singer vocalist it is obvious why she got so famous, she was hooked on music and her passion for it brought her success, music was in her heart. In 1982 the family band moves to Corpus Christi, Texas and the Tejano music flourishes making Quintanilla a Tejano music star. Her first album was â€Å"Ya Se Va†; the second album was â€Å"The New Girl in Town† in 1985; â€Å"Alpha† and â€Å"Munequito Ea Trapo† in 1986. Also in 1986 Quintanilla was discovered by two huge names in the tejano music industry, Rick Trevi, founder of The Tejano Music Award, and Johnny Canales, the host of one of the top Spanish television shows. She won the tejano music award for â€Å"female entertainer of the year† in year of 1987, and in the same year the â€Å"female vocalist of the year† and â€Å"performer of the year† honors at the annual Tejano music awards. Other awards follow, in the late 1980’s Quintanilla’s was known as â€Å"La Reina de la Honda Tejana† (â€Å"The Queen of Tejano Music†). Her popularity attracted her with annual awards and a contract EME Latin Records in 1989. The band attracted 11,041 people, more than Clint Black, George Straight, Vince Gil and Reba McIntyre. All of Quintanilla’s efforts pay of quickly. Her band reaches their popularity to the highest peak in 1993 with â€Å"Entre a mi Mundo† making Quintanilla the first tejana to sell more than 300,000 albums. In 1993 she signed with SBK Records to produce an all-English album, and eventually replaced with the bilingual â€Å"Dreaming of You†. The record â€Å"Dreaming of You† sold 175,000 copies on its first day of release, making its debut number one on billboard magazine pop chart. Also in 1993 Selena Live received a Grammy Award for best Mexican album (notable Hispanic American women). The song â€Å"Fotos y Recuerdos† reached the top ten on Billboard magazine’s Latino charts. By 1995, â€Å"Bidi Bidi Bon Bon† won the singer a song of the year award at The Tejano Music Award, making her the winner of an additional 5 more awards, including â€Å"Female Entertainer†, â€Å"best female vocalist†, album of the year, record of the year, and tejano crossover song. Quintanilla quoted, â€Å"Never in my dreams would I have thought I would become this big. I am still freaking out. †(notable Hispanic, 5) She was recipient for ten consecutive years of the â€Å"Best Vocalist† award. Quintanilla becomes a millionaire By the year of 1995 Selena Quintanilla had become an icon in the Hispanic community, a beloved figure to whom Mexican-Americans attached their aspirations and their feelings about their cultural identities. Her music crossed cultural boundaries touching the lives of young and old. She will be remembered in the years to come by her fans for her kindness, her positive attitude and the wonderful music she made. The American and Spanish speaking Western Hemisphere markets had been influenced by Quintanilla’s music were she took the Tejano music into new stylistic realms. Her death has perpetuated and immortalized her image for future generations. The queen of tejano will live forever in the people’s heart(SME). Quintanilla’s death shocked Latinos and non-Latin across the United States. She was cried by thousands of fans who rendered the ‘Queen of Tejano music’ the last goodbye in the Friday she died; this day will always be known as black Friday, March 31, 1995 (IP). Her body was displayed at the Bayfront Plaza in Corpus Christi. Two weeks after her death Governor George W. Bush declared Selena’s Day in Texas(biography based ). The violent death of Selena by Yolanda Saldivar, her fan club president, compares to the grief to the one experience by American people after the death of such major cultural figure as President John F. Kennedy. Quintanilla became immortalized after her death. In conclusion, Quintanilla influenced millions of people around her from young to old, including g me. Everyone has been able to know Quintanilla’s history and appreciate what she was as a person to her people. I understand what her family went through at the time of losing their Selena. I also recognize that as a human being she was like any other person with troubles and economic problems. I can related to her as a person now that I have learned as about her as a cultural icon. Sometimes we just have to go with the short but successful happy life.

How Does Temperature Affect Lipase

How does temperature affect the rate of reaction for Lipase? As the temperature increases, so will the rate of enzyme reaction. However, as the temperature exceeds the optimum the rate of reaction will decrease. I predict that at temperatures above 70 °C the enzyme lipase will become denatured and at temperatures below 10 °C the enzyme will become inactive. Since lipase operates within the human body I’d also predict that its optimum temperature would be around human body temperature which is approximately 37 °C.I predict that before the optimum temperature the rates will gradually increase and preceding the optimum there will be a drastic decrease in rate until the enzyme is denatured. I predict that the rate of enzyme activity at 45 °C will be half that of 30 °C. I predict that the rate of enzyme activity at 45 °C will be half that of 30 °C. Diagram courtesy of: http://www. rsc. org/Education/Teachers/Resources/cfb/enzymes. htm Diagram courtesy of: http://www. rsc. org/Education/Teachers/Resources/cfb/enzymes. htmIn my controlled assessment I will be investigating the activity of lipase on milk fat at various temperatures so that I can then find an accurate temperature as to when the enzyme works at its optimum; when it becomes inactive and when it denatures. To find when the enzyme denatures is to find out when the bonds of this protein disintegrate and henceforth disable the enzyme from being of any further use. When these bonds break, the protein starts to unfold and loses some its properties. For example, a denatured protein usually becomes less soluble. As an enzyme, it will lose its ability to function as a catalyst.If the stress that is causing the denaturation continues, other changes may occur. Now that the normal structure of the protein is gone, new bonds may be formed, giving it a different shape. The bonds broken in a denatured enzyme is that of which links the polymers to form the amino acids. This means that if lipase were to denature at the higher temperatures it will then cause inactivity in breaking down the fat of the milk hence leaving the unchanged. In this investigation, however, there are numerous factors as to what can affect the investigations results.First of all, the temperature of the room can play a role in altering the results as it can change the temperature of both the solution and lipase. Moreover if one were to move the solution or lipase to another part of the room, or to carry out the investigation on a different day, the temperature surrounding the solution and lipase will change and henceforth change the temperature of the solution and lipase. Secondly, if the temperature of the water bath isn’t precisely the temperature it is supposed to be then, as expected, would change.Thirdly, the age of the contents can affect the concentration of the substrates which would then decrease the rate of reaction with lipase. Finally, there is the factor of human error, as we may not be capable of making perfect measurements consistently the amounts of each component will inevitably change, which would in effect change the results. Of this investigation our independent variable will be the rate of reaction, which we will measure by timing how long it would take for the solution to turn white after having the lipase poured in.Our dependent variable will be the time it takes for the solution to turn pink after having the lipase poured in. Our controlled variable is that of will be all other factors. Enzyme Diagram courtesy of http://students. cis. uab. edu/clight/finalprojectwhatisanenzyme. html Diagram courtesy of http://students. cis. uab. edu/clight/finalprojectwhatisanenzyme. html An enzyme is a molecule that changes the speed of reactions. Enzymes can build up or break down other molecules. The molecules they react with are called substrates; enzymes are catalysts.An enzyme works by allowing a substrate, or multiple substrates, to enter the active site, which is where the reaction takes place, and then to exit in either more or less pieces then it was when it first entered. The active site is unique to a specific substrate which means that other substrates cannot react with that enzyme unless the enzyme is modified. [An active site can be altered by a non-competitive enzyme which encircles the enzyme and alters the shape of the active site which could be very dangerous. ] Diagram courtesy of: http://www. wiley. com/college/boyer/0470003790/reviews/kinetics/kinetics_effec ors. htm Diagram courtesy of: http://www. wiley. com/college/boyer/0470003790/reviews/kinetics/kinetics_effectors. htm Note that the enzyme remains unchanged so that more of the some substrates can react. Note that the enzyme remains unchanged so that more of the some substrates can react. Structure Proteins are polymers made by joining up small molecules called amino acids. Amino acids and proteins are made mainly of the elements carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen. Pro tein Protein Amino Acid Amino Acid Each gene acts as a code, or set of instructions, for making a particular protein.They tell the cell what to do, give its characteristics, and determine the way its body works. Each protein has a unique sequence of amino acids. This means that the number and order of amino acids is different for each type of protein. The proteins fold into different shapes. The different shapes and sequences give the proteins different functions, e. g. keratin are a fibrous protein found in hair and nails. If the gene has even the slightest of disorder within its sequence it could lead to an inaccurate order of amino acids and so a faulty protein or in our case faulty enzymes.Substrate concentration An enzyme has an active site where it binds the molecule (or molecules) it acts upon; the enzyme then catalyses a chemical reaction involving that molecule (or those molecules). That molecule (or those molecules) is called the enzyme's substrate. So the substrate concen tration is the concentration of the molecules an enzyme works on. Diagram courtesy of http://biochemistryquestions. wordpress. co m/2008/07/15/induced-fit-model-of-enzyme-substrate-interaction/ Diagram courtesy of http://biochemistryquestions. wordpress. o m/2008/07/15/induced-fit-model-of-enzyme-substrate-interaction/ In general, if there is an increase in substrate concentration, then more enzymes will be catalysing the chemical reaction and the overall rate of reaction will increase. It will continue to increase until all enzymes are actively binding substrate (called saturation), at which point no further increase in rate can occur, no matter how high you raise the substrate concentration. In my investigation into enzyme response to temperature this graph will be of relevant. Diagram courtesy of: http://www. sc. org/Education/Teachers/Resources/cfb/enzymes. htm Diagram courtesy of: http://www. rsc. org/Education/Teachers/Resources/cfb/enzymes. htm Denatured Denatured Denaturing Denaturing Less kinetic energy so the reaction slows down. Less kinetic energy so the reaction slows down. This graph illustrates the response that rate of enzyme activity has at various temperatures. At lower temperatures the rate is very low as there isn’t enough kinetic energy for the enzyme to work at its optimum, then you of course have the enzymes temperature optimum where the enzyme works best at.Finally you have the denaturing of the enzyme which eventually halts with the enzyme being completely denatured where it then will never have any activity. Collision Theory For a chemical reaction to occur, the reactant particles must collide. But collisions that do not have enough energy do not produce a reaction. The particles must have enough energy for the collision to be successful in producing a reaction. The rate of reaction depends on the rate of successful collisions between reactant particles. So the less successful collisions that occurs the less products created. D iagram courtesy of: ttp://www. worthington-biochem. com/introbiochem/tempeffects. html Diagram courtesy of: http://www. worthington-biochem. com/introbiochem/tempeffects. html The reason as to why particles may have or may not have enough energy to create products depends on the amount of kinetic energy in the particles. Hence why at lower temperatures the enzyme becomes inactive as there isn’t a high enough temperature to create the necessary kinetic energy to create the products. As the temperature increases so does the rate which is due to more kinetic energy and hence more successful collisions. H An enzyme can also denature upon extreme pHs. with the extreme pH’s being 1 and 14, the enzyme would denature due to the hydrogen acids within the pH’s damaging the amino acid bonds within the enzyme. By damaging these bonds, the amino acids break apart, this in turn means that the enzyme’s active site will lose its shape, resulting in the denaturing of the enzyme. Henceforth, the optimum pH is in the middle of the pH spectrum as neutral pHs are unable to damage the bonds of the amino acids keeping the enzyme capable of reaction.Preliminary Method a. Get a test tube for each temperature being investigated. b. Add 5 drops, using a pipette, of phenolphthalein to the test tube. c. Measure out 5 cm3  of milk using a measuring cylinder and add this to the test tube. d. Measure out 7 cm3  of sodium carbonate solution using another measuring cylinder and add this to the test tube. The solution should be pink. e. Place a thermometer in the test tube. f. Place the test tube in a water bath and leave until the contents reach the same temperature as the water bath. g.Remove the thermometer from the test tube and replace it with a glass rod. h. Use the 2 cm3  pipette to measure out 1 cm3  of lipase from the beaker in the water bath for the temperature you are investigating. i. Add the lipase to the test tube and start the stopwatch. k. Sti r the contents of the test tube until the solution loses its pink colour. l. Stop the clock/ watch and note the time in a suitable table of results. *A control was also investigated by having a test tube with the sodium carbonate, phenolphthalein and milk but without the lipase.This is to test as to whether the solution would turn from pink to white regardless of whether the enzyme was present or not. This was the original method which was used to carry out the preliminary investigation, however upon consideration it was decided that for the real practical a slightly alternate method should be used. In our edited method we made the changes of firstly, on putting the lipase into the water bath, this was because heating up the solution instead is to investigate the effects of the temperature of the solution as oppose to how the temperature of the enzyme effects.Secondly it was decided upon that we would not stir the contents for two reasons: firstly because by stirring the solution it spread the lipase around more which in effect speed the reaction up so much that it was impossible to time; secondly, by stirring the contents it often made the solution over flow which both made a untidiness and caused the volume of the contents to decrease. Finally it was decided that we were to limit the amount of temperatures being investigated as temperatures below 22? the enzyme was inactive hence taking too long to record the time it took for the solution to turn white, at temperatures over 55? c the enzyme, the lipase enzyme would be denaturing hence taking too long to be able to record as well. Final Method a. Get a test tube for each temperature being investigated. b. Add 5 drops, using a pipette, of phenolphthalein to the test tube. c. Measure out 5 cm3  of milk using a measuring cylinder and add this to the test tube. d. Measure out 7 cm3  of sodium carbonate solution using another measuring cylinder and add this to the test tube.The solution should be pink. e. Plac e a thermometer in the test tube. f. Place the test tube, containing only the lipase enzyme, in a water bath and leave until the contents reach the same temperature as the water bath. g. Remove the thermometer from the test tube. h. Use the 2 cm3  pipette to measure out 1 cm3  of lipase from the beaker in the water bath for the temperature you are investigating. i. Add the lipase to the test tube and start the stopwatch. k. Stop the clock/ watch and note the time in a suitable table of results. A control was also investigated by having a test tube with the sodium carbonate, phenolphthalein and milk but without the lipase. This is to test as to whether the solution would turn from pink to white regardless of whether the enzyme was present or not. Such changes were made in an attempt to improve the validity of the investigation. As is in the nature of an investigation it is impossible to make the results completely accurate and precise. What we can do however is improve the reprod ucibility and reliability of our results by repeating the test multiple times.Risk Assessment Substance| Hazard| Risk| Risk rating*| Emergency action| Phenolphthalein | LOW HAZARD| Although it is not hazardous one should take precaution avoiding skin contamination. | 1| If in contact with eyes then flood eyes with water to wash it out. | Lipase| HAZARD| If in contact with skin it can cause an itch. If someone were to have an allergic reaction to lipase it could cause symptoms such as rashes. | 1| Seek emergency assistance if you believe you are having an allergic reaction to lipase. However wash it off as quickly as possible. Sodium Carbonate| IRRITANT| Sodium carbonate contributes to three major hazards: skin irritation, eye damage and internal effects. | 3| If swallowed, drink two or more glasses of water or milk. If in contact with skin use a cloth to wipe the sodium carbonate or rinse with water and if contact with eyes rinse thoroughly. | Milk| LOW HAZARD| If in contact with sk in it can cause an itch, however some people may have an allergic reaction to the substance. | 2| Acting in accordance to the severity of the reaction, one should wash it off as quickly as possible. Water| HAZARD| As the temperature of water we are to use will range between 10 °c-80 °c hot water may come in contact with us and burn ones skin. | 2| If hot water comes in contact with one’s skin one must rinse thoroughly with cold water to prevent further burning. | Test Tubes| HAZARD| If one were to drop a test tube, it would be very likely for it to smash, disintegrating over the floor which could then cut someone’s foot. | 2| If there is to be a broken test tube on the floor one must alert a member of staff and sweep the area whilst restricting anyone from crossing until one has finished clearing the area. Kettle| LOW HAZARD| If one were to knock a kettle over whilst boiling water the contents would spill and henceforth burn someone or something. | 1| Keep the kett le away from electrics and other peoples working areas. | *Risk rating out of /5 Generic precautions As in all practical’s one must always take precaution of what is at hand, moreover it is obligatory to wear goggles to protect the eyes and to reduce the risk of skin contact one can wear disposable gloves.Another precaution to take is to ensure that no obstacles obstruct your movement as one may then spill a substance or break a piece of apparatus, a basic step is to push in all stools and to stand up when you do a practical. In addition a class should always leave their bags at the back of the classroom and put aside planners and books making a clear workstation. Any spills, accidents or injuries should be dealt with immediately and inform a member of staff. Review of Evidence The shape of the graph resembles that of the rate of enzyme activity graph on page 3, an arc.With the shape of the graph being similar to an arc, it displays clearly that there is a definite optimum to the rate of lipase’s activity and the stages of inactivity and denaturing. The optimum temperature of lipase on this rate graph was the same in both my preliminary data and my real results data which was 30 °c and in both instances the shapes of the graphs do resemble that of an arc. In the preliminary graph, the range bars were rather extensive for example, at 35 °c the difference between the highest (non-anomaly) result and the lowest was 0. 13 in rate.These inaccurate results could have been due to multiple factors with the more obvious being either human error or faulty equipment. By having such a difference in results it only justified the changes which we had made for the real investigation. When looking back upon my original hypothesis, it stated that before the optimum temperature the rates would gradually increase due to the lack of kinetic energy provided from the heat. Upon reviewing the graph it is clearly illustrated that there is an increase in rate from te mperatures 22 °c-30 °c with an increase of 0. 26 in rate. I also predicted that the optimum temperature would be 37 °c, due to the fact that lipase operates in the human body and the human body’s temperature should be 37 °c. By analysing the evidence of which the graph presents it tells me that the highest rate of reaction was that of 30 °c, meaning this was the optimum temperature. Finally, I predicted that once the optimum was exceeded, the rates would begin to decrease as they cannot function at such temperatures due to the breaking in the peptide bonds that holds the amino acids together.Once this bond is broken, the enzyme is reduced to its primary structure which is just peptide bonds occurring – the functional structure of the enzyme is lost and it is no longer functional; denatured. After the optimum temperature, which was 30 °c, the rate of reaction began to decline as the temperatures increased. Henceforth, my prediction was right in saying that o nce the optimum temperature had been passed; the denaturing process would begin to take place, meaning the rates of reactions would become slower.Upon looking back at my quantitative prediction, which stated that â€Å"at 45 °c will be half that of 30 °c. † However, the decrease in rate was far more drastic then I had predicted. (Rate of 30 °c was 0. 032; rate of 45 °c was 0. 005. ) This means that the process of denaturing was far quicker than I had previously predicted which in turn means that my quantitative was incorrect. However, if I were to replace the 45 °c figure in my initial quantitative prediction with 35 °c it could then be plausible as the rate of 35 °c was 0. 011 (30 °c-0. 032. )In addition, I would further modify my initial prediction bySecondary data By analysing the provided secondary data I shall be able to further prove or disprove the evidence that I had recorded. By being able to prove my data with secondary data which has the same outcom e and conclusion it proves that that the data is repeatable as there are externally recorded results that support the results that I had recorded. Figure 4 courtesy of: http://www. currentscience. info/upload/IssuesFile/29_issues_Article%2010. pdf Figure 4 courtesy of: http://www. currentscience. info/upload/IssuesFile/29_issues_Article%2010. pdfFigure 3 courtesy of: http://www. google. co. uk/url? sa=t;rct=j;q=;esrc=s;source=web;cd=7;ved=0CGIQFjAG;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww. diagnosisp. com%2Fdp%2Fjournals%2Fview_pdf. php%3Fjournal_id%3D1%26archive%3D0%26issue_id%3D31%26article_id%3D1135;ei=nrjEUJ2XC8HJ0AXPy4DACQ;usg=AFQjCNEb15WjPAyJMMgCDAjs3ZaorsN3qg;sig2=mf7h7XRNBjWBD3cdMS2v-w Figure 3 courtesy of: http://www. google. co. uk/url? sa=t;rct=j;q=;esrc=s;source=web;cd=7;ved=0CGIQFjAG;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww. diagnosisp. com%2Fdp%2Fjournals%2Fview_pdf. hp%3Fjournal_id%3D1%26archive%3D0%26issue_id%3D31%26article_id%3D1135;ei=nrjEUJ2XC8HJ0AXPy4DACQ;usg=AFQjCNEb15WjPAyJMMgCDAjs3ZaorsN3qg;sig2=mf7 h7XRNBjWBD3cdMS2v-w Figure 1 (left) ; 2 (above) courtesy of: http://www. slideshare. net/wkkok1957/effect-of-temperature-on-lipase-activity-using-ph-sensor Figure 1 (left) ; 2 (above) courtesy of: http://www. slideshare. net/wkkok1957/effect-of-temperature-on-lipase-activity-using-ph-sensor Comparing the data sets As is clearly shown in all of the above figures there is a clear optimum. In terms of the optimum temperature, it ranges from 35 °c (figure 2 ; 3) to 25 °c (figure 4. Whereas in the recorded data that I had collated, it was 30 °c with the rate for 35 °c being significantly less than half of the rate for 30 °c. When comparing the rates at 20-25 °c another difference in rate had occurred as you can see in figures 1, 2, 3 ; 4 there isn’t such a sharp increase in rates whereas in my own results there is a steep increase in rate between 22 °c and 30 °c, a difference of 0. 026. ) Moreover, in terms of the temperature at which the lipase denatures also vari ed as the denatured point in figure 3 is at 50 °c whereas the temperature at which the lipase denatured in my investigation was at 55 °c.Finally in terms of the shape of the graphs you can see that in figure 2 the shape of the graph is of a rather steady contour oppose to the sharp point that is of my graph shape. The foremost reason as to what caused such differences was the fact that the secondary investigations used an alternate for example in figures 1 ; 2 the method utilised was slightly different as they used more accurate pieces of apparatus for example they used a micropipette to measure the sodium carbonate into the test tube which would ensure for far more accurate measurements then I had made.Secondly they used a pH probe a Logger Pro to detect the change in the milk which would also prove for much more accurate readings in comparison to detecting the change with the eye as we cannot see the entire of the solution and we, henceforth, could record a shorter or longer t ime to the actual figure as we would essentially be guessing as oppose to knowing when the reaction was definitely complete. On the contrary however, they only repeated each temperature 3 times so as to collect triplicate data.In conclusion I would say that by analysing secondary data it does support my data in its general trend but in terms of individual figures, inactivity and denatured points I am unable to defend and justify that my investigation is completely reproducible. I must say that in all, I would say that the reason as to why there is a difference in the primary data and secondary data is due to multiple factors such as alternate methods, alternate apparatus and an alternate working environment.However, in total, I do feel confident in saying that my results are reproducible to such an extent that it can resemble that of the actual figures and graph shape. Evaluation of errors I believe that the changes made to the preliminary method for the real investigation did impro ve the overall accuracy of the data in the real results data. However, in the results there were many outliers that were recorded, six in total. These errors and possible inaccuracies were made possible by such factors as human error, equipment error and technique rror. In terms of human error we may have made the mistake of timing the reaction wrong because the people who are timing the investigation may time it wrong. Secondly, there may be a difference in opinion in when the reaction would have fully completed as one may say that the solution still contains traces of pink yet another may say that the solution has no traces left. Finally, there could have been the human error of inaccurately measuring the portions of the solution.In terms of equipment error, sometimes the water baths were unable to heat the solution to the specified temperature of which were trying to investigate which would then have the effect of us collating alternate data to what we should have got, this would then alter our rate bars as they be higher or lower. Furthermore, there may no longer have been a real difference in the data’s even if there was supposed to be. Secondly, our portions of the solution may have been measured inaccurately as the measuring cylinders used may have not been accurate enough for us to get precise measurements.On top of this, whilst using the pipette to measure the contents into the measuring cylinder, air bubbles were created which then alter our results as we would then be measuring a different quantity as opposed to the proposed temperature. Finally such technique errors occurred such as the lipase may have not spread equally amongst the solution which would have left a section of the solution untouched by the enzyme. Furthermore as we took the lipase out of the water bath the temperature of the lipase would either increase or decrease if above or below the room temperature.To improve the accuracies and reliabilities of the data collected and to reduce the errors as is mentioned above I would make such alterations to the existing method: -To ensure that the lipase truly got to the temperature that it was supposed to be at an improvement would be as to set the temperature of each water bath 3 °c higher than what was prepared for which would make it easier for the lipase to heat up to the specified temperature. To increase the accuracy and eliminate the of measuring incorrectly the solution ingredients an improvement could be to use a syringe as oppose to a pipette as the pipette can’t measure as accurately as a syringe because whilst using the pipette bubbles where constantly created which made it incredibly difficult to then accurately measure the contents that were to be measured in. -As is the nature of foods and drinks the milk would eventually surpass the date hat it was meant to be consumed by. However this means that the bacteria within the milk may function in a different manner because the bacteria uses the lactose sugars to reproduce, they change it from â€Å"lactose sugar† into â€Å"lactose acid,† which tastes sour and it becomes a huge food borne illness risk to consume it and it must be discarded. Instead then we can use such alternatives as UHT or powdered milk as they have longer life spans because more of the bacteria is removed. To remove the factor of misjudgement whilst trying to detect as to whether the solution has lost all traces of pink an improvement can be to use a pH probe next time as the pH probe could then accurately detect once the reaction has completely finished by seeing when the figures stop changing on the pH probe. Improved Method a. Get a test tube for each temperature being investigated. b. Add 5 drops, using a pipette, of phenolphthalein to the test tube. c. Measure out 5 cm3  of milk using a measuring cylinder and add this to the test tube. . Measure out 7 cm3  of sodium carbonate solution using another measuring cylinder and add this to the test tube. The solution should be pink. e. Place a thermometer in the test tube. f. Place the test tube in a water bath and leave until the contents reach the same temperature as the water bath. g. Remove the thermometer from the test tube and replace it with a glass rod. h. Use the 3 cm3  syringe to measure out 1 cm3  of lipase from the beaker in the water bath for the temperature you are investigating. . Add the lipase to the test tube and start the stopwatch. k. Using the pH metre wait until it displays that no pink resides in the solution. l. Stop the clock/ watch and note the time in a suitable table of results. *A control was also investigated by having a test tube with the sodium carbonate, phenolphthalein and milk but without the lipase. This is to test as to whether the solution would turn from pink to white regardless of whether the enzyme was present or not. Evaluation of proceduresWhen analysing and evaluating the procedures I shall divide the section into fo ur sectors: precision, accuracy, repeatability and reproducibility. Precision refers to how well experimental data and values agree with each other in multiple tests. [1] The only evidence to demonstrate the precision of the data is the range bars. All range bars excluding 30 °c ;0. 001, however for 30 °c the range is ;0. 001. This proves that the precision of the data was quite good with the exception of the data for 30 °c.By having a small range in data it exemplifies precision of the data as they are all within a similar region of figures. However with 30 °c the data was rather spread meaning that the results for 30 °c degrees were not precise due to the fact that my range bar is rather spread when compared to the likes of the data from 22 °c where the range bar is a quarter of the size of the range bar for 30 °c. This provides me with the necessary evidence to believe that the rest of my results were precise, with the results for 30 °c being the exception.The abi lity to obtain consistent results when measuring the same part with the same measuring instrument. [2] Upon considering the repeatability of this investigation one can say that the results are most certainly repeatable as the data resembles that of which others have collated and that of the preliminary data. If one were to repeat the investigation with the improved method then the investigation is, with no doubt, repeatable as the evidence lies within the secondary data that supports the data of which I have collated. Accuracy refers to the correctness of a single measurement.Accuracy is determined by comparing the measurement against the true or accepted value. [3] Although there is nothing we can do to improve the accuracy per say, we can, for example, remove outliers that do not share any resemblance to that of the true value, we are able to make more accurate calculations as to what the average is because we are taking out a value that does not mean anything to the true value. B y doing so in my calculations it not only improved the accuracy of the results but it also exemplified how some factors could change the results so drastically.This demonstrates that although we can control most factors that alters the results we can’t completely control them as there are endless factors as to what can affect the results recorded, for example the room temperature could affect the results is could have heated or cooled the solution. By controlling the variables of which were possible to control we did all that was possible for us to do in order of making the investigation valid. Furthermore, by repeating the outliers again to get a new set of results it would provide for a more accurate average.This is something that was not done due to the lack of time Reproducibility is one of the main principles of the scientific method, and refers to the ability of a test or experiment to be accurately reproduced, or replicated, by someone else working independently. [4] I f the results were to be reproducible then it would be possible to look at secondary data and see that it closely resembles that of the results I have provided. When comparing my results to that of peers of who are carrying at the same investigation there is most certainly a resemblance in the overall shape of the graph.Although the rates may differ the general trend of the graph does suggest the same conclusion that there is a definite optimum at around 30 °c-35 °c. http://www. slideshare. net/wkkok1957/effect-of-temperature-on-lipase-activity-using-ph-sensor -this is a link to someone else’s investigation and results (Tony Hong), from this link you are able to see Tony’s investigation and results that follow a similar method as to mine. With this it is possible to see the results and henceforth make a conclusion as to whether my results are reproducible.By looking at his data, it displays clearly that the optimum temperature that he got was 35 °c whereas in my investigation it was 30 °c. Furthermore it seems as if that his rates seem to be considerably higher than that of mine. For example, at 35 °c the rate was 0. 011 whereas Tony got 0. 00038 (s-1. ) In conclusion, it could be said that although my graph does follow the general trend of having a definite optimum and the stages of inactivity and denaturing. However, the actual figures did vary from what I had collated meaning that my investigation’s results are most probably not reproducible.Outliers As is seen in the result tables the outliers have been circled which were then excluded when calculating the averages for it could completely change the course of the results for if they were to be used as valid results whilst calculating the average it would transform what the real results were originally presenting. Such outliers occurred due to infinite factors, however there were factors of which were attempted at being controlled as is mentioned in Page 1. Overall there was a total of six recorded anomalies, this not only had the effect of creating inaccuracies but also difficulties n detecting which figure was of the figures and which were of the anomalies. Although there was the option of using a 10% lean way which would provide for a fixed bracket as to which the figures can fall into, to what would the 10% lean way be from if we didn’t know which figure was the anomaly. The only way to resolve this problem would be to repeat the anomalies in order to attain figures which support the other figures better. Conclusion In summary I believe that the investigation that I had carried out was rather successful in that it proved that there is a definite optimum temperature as to when lipase works at its best.It also illustrated the stages of inactivity and denaturing. However, the theoretical optimum should be approximately 37 °c; the optimum that was recorded was 30 °c which would suggests that there were systematic errors. If I were to repeat th e same investigation again I would most certainly make some alterations in the method so as to improve the overall validity of the investigation. Such alterations to the method would be to use more accurate apparatus such as a pH probe to detect the reaction and a micropipette so as to improve the accuracy of the measurements of the solution contents. Bibliography http://www. lideshare. net/wkkok1957/effect-of-temperature-on-lipase-activity-using-ph-sensor -How will changing the temperature affect the rate of lipase activity of digesting milk fat into fatty acid and glycerol measured using a pH probe? 03/12/2012 Rating: A university degree investigation that seems rather professional. The investigator is an IB student. 8/10 http://www. worthington-biochem. com/introbiochem/tempeffects. html-Introduction to Enzymes. /11/2012 Rating: Worthington Biochemical Corporation was founded in 1947 for the purpose of preparing enzymes for the growing biochemical research community.The article was excerpted from a very popular Worthington publication which was originally published in 1972 as the Manual of Clinical Enzyme Measurements. While some of the presentation may seem somewhat dated, the basic concepts are still helpful for researchers who must use enzymes but who have little background in enzymology. 9/10 http://www. rsc. org/Education/Teachers/Resources/cfb/enzymes. htm –Enzyme. /11/2012 Rating: The site is aimed at students above the age of 16 who are taking Biology for further studying. It is also of use to first year undergraduates studying biology.It assumes that you have studied some chemistry. The website is supported by the Royal Society of Chemistry. 10/10 http://biochemistryquestions. wordpress. co m/2008/07/15/induced-fit-model-of-enzyme-substrate-interaction/ -Induced fit model of Enzyme-Substrate interaction. /11/2012 Rating: The biochemistry questions site is a free Biochemistry Question Bank for medical students and FMG. It is a forum where one asks a question for someone else to answer your question. It is an open source meaning that answers can derive from anywhere. 6/10 http://www. iley. com/college/boyer/0470003790/reviews/kinetics/kinetics_effectors. htm -Elementary Kinetics. /11/2012 Rating: This site is intended to supplement and extend the critical concepts presented in the Boyer textbooks. Both students and instructors at the site are encouraged to explore the world of biochemistry through multi-media. http://students. cis. uab. edu/clight/finalprojectwhatisanenzyme. html -What are Enzymes? /11/2012 Rating: Virtual chembook Elmhurst College. The site is based upon Charles E. Ophardt, Elmhurst College, findings.There is very little background to the website besides the fact that it was founded in 2003 by Charles E. Ophardt himself. 7/10 http://www. rsc. org/Education/Teachers/Resources/cfb/enzymes. htm -Enzymes. /11/2012 Rating: To see the rating for this website please look back through the bibliography to find the rating for the same website. [1] http://chemistry. about. com/od/chemistryglossary/g/Precision-Definition. htm -Precision Definition. 03/12/2012 Rating: The definition was written by Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph. D. 10/10