United Nations Essays (933 words) - Environmentalism,

United Nations The UN attempts to follow universal ideals, but at this point it is not fully universal and still reflects some great power interests because of economic situations. This can be clearly seen in the environmental issues. The problem is that the UN does not have enough power internationally to fully contain the issue. The trouble is that the developing countries and the developed countries do not agree on main points, and this leads to a division. When the UN was first established, ?the UN Charter makes no mention of environmental protection (Roberts and Kingsbury, 327).? One of the shortcomings of the League, which the UN was founded on, was the lack of environmental interest. The turning point was in the 1972 Conference of Human Environment. This conference stated that all human beings had the right to live in a clean world. This was the beginning of environmental awareness in the UN. After this the UN attempted to integrate environmental concern into the system. The UN was equipped with five economic commissions for different regional areas; Africa, Latin America, Western Asia, Asia and the Pacific, and Europe. Along with promoting economic development they also dealt with environmental issues. The European branch has been the most active. This shows the beginning of great power interests. By 1972 many countries had begun to establish their own environmental organizations. The separate states decided that at this time they should try to unite under the UN to make policies international. One of the main problems was that the governments had different thoughts on environmental concerns verses developmental concerns. The developing countries were concerned that the economic costs would slow their developments, along with the restrictions placed on them that developed countries did not have to deal with when they were developing. In the past, the greater powers were able to develop more freely as there were no restrictions placed on them. They had the freedom to pollute the world, as they did not know the harm they were causing the environment. Now, because of greater knowledge and damage around the world, restrictions need to be placed on all the countries in the world. The problem with environmental issues is that one country can damage something like the ozone layer, which ends up affecting the whole world and not just that one country. The 1992 conference, UNCED, on environment was a landmark. It recognized dangers of deforestation and global warming. Both of these are global problems that need to be solved, making environmental issues international concerns. One of the main problems with the UNCED was that its sponsorship was by donor governments along with major companies and foundations. This gave greater powers more say as they donated more money, while the lesser powers disagreed with many of the issues. The UNCED was not as successful as it had hoped to be. The main problem was that the greater powers saw environmental issues as not that big of problems, easily solved by restricting certain tests, chemical usage, and the destruction of nature. The countries had developed enough that they did not need to do extensive research in potentially dangerous areas. The developing countries saw these movements as a great threat on their advancements. Without being able to learn for themselves they felt that they were being treated unfairly. Along with that, they wanted to spend their money on furthering their country instead of helping solve environmental issues that did not need to be solved immediately. These problems created a divide between northern and southern countries. The South felt that their sovereignty was being threatened by the North, as the North had more technology, more knowledge, more access to natural resources, and most importantly, more economic power. The lesser-developed countries did not see it as fair that they had to help and spend money on issues such as global climate control as it was the more industrial countries that created the damage. Also the developing countries have not had the chance to acquire the experience that the other countries have. The latest attempt at universal environmental reform was at Kyoto. The countries gathered together and formed the Kyoto treaty. The treaty did not address issues such as when or where the clean

The Confessions of St. Augustine Essays

The Confessions of St. Augustine Essays The Confessions of St. Augustine Essay The Confessions of St. Augustine Essay Essay Topic: Confessions Name: Course: Instructor: Date: The Confessions of St. Augustine Outline: Assignment The main ideas in the Confessions Books 2 and 3, which characterize the moral philosophies upheld by St Augustine are his rebuke and refute of the Manichean religion, which he had been a follower for some years. This is because of the contrary belief to Christianity held by the Manichean religion that God is not omnipotent. He also engages in discourses on issues of sexual morality such as fornication during his day. This is an indication that he adequately values his sexual morals and seeks to uphold them in relation to the will of God and the church. In confessions Book Two, he gives a confession of the pleasure derived from the acts of stealing. Additionally he also engages in a discussion about his quest for higher knowledge in the course of his work, and he seems to make an inference that knowledge even at the highest or noblest level is empty without the presence of humility granted by God through his grace. Thesis: St Augustine has a specific prayer that he longs for the grace of God to provide him with the grace to live up against his unclean soul, because God is essentially the true support against all the evils of the world. He provides that the laws of God are sufficient to provide man with the needed soul nourishment and ensure his ability to overcome the societal evils and temptations. Supporting argument one St. Augustine in his discourses manages to make a deep self-evaluation in terms of his adherence to the laws of God and his level of innocence and righteousness. Evidence one It is evident that he desire to love and be loved which is a gift of God. In Book Two, he provides â€Å"who can unravel such a twisted and tangled knottiness? It is unclean†. This statement is clear in providing that man is inherently unclean and seeks constant redemption from God, which he grants through his enduring love and grace. Supporting argument two St. Augustine provides that he longed fro the righteousness and innocence bestowed by God given that he was unclean and was characterized by a great level of wretchedness. His belief fro forgiveness and cleansing is based on the foundation of the love of God and man. Evidence He is of the opinion that love is divine and mirrors the grace and mercies given to man in terms of existence. He points out that such privileges should be exercised within the context of divine relationships between man and woman. This is essential, as it would prevent the numerous incidences of fornication, which are essentially exercised outside the marital settings or context. Supporting argument three He had strong relationships with friends, which served as principal motivation towards committing acts of sins such as theft. Evidence His acts of theft were driven by the joy he derived from the presence of his friends as well s the acts of stealing and not in the good, which they stole. He provides such an example to give an illustration of the ability of friendships to corrupt the morals and ethics of others. Explanation St Augustine provides thorough his discourses that man is, evidently, inherently unclean. This is because of the belief in Christ that man is sinful and thus is in need of constant redemption from God to rid himself of his great share of sin. The order of the arguments is provided from the initial relationships of man and god to the relationships of man with friends, partners and peers. The logical order is expressly provided from the beginning of an inward evaluation of self by St Augustine to determine the cause of deviation from the natural laws of God. He makes an inference that man is unable to attain purity and righteousness independently as if against God. Education is an essential factor in determining the ability of an individual to relate with God. This is because education with the inclusion of god in such plans is paramount in setting a good foundation for success. However, the exclusion of such plans has the potency to lead to mockery of God as an individual seeks to stand p against God resulting in God acting in a manner aimed at humbling man and illustrating who is the authority. He essentially seeks to indicate to the human race that he is the beginning and the end of all things in the earth. He defined that his departure from the presence and grace of God resulted in a feeling of wasted opportunity given that he was unclean, and his life was in shambles. This is an indication of a revelation for man of the incompleteness of a man in need of God’s grace for completion and purpose of life. Conversely, he points out that men in the world seeking to progress towards the path of goodness and righteousness are also susceptible to temptation and failure on their journey towards goodness. He points out that there exists a difference between the right in the sight of God and the sight of man. What might seemingly be right in sight of man might be inappropriate and a sin in the sight of God. Conversely, what might be wrong or inappropriate in the sight of man might be appropriate in the sight of God. Such is provided through an example of a correction act against an individual or a child. This might be viewed from the human eye as driven by the need to inflict paint, whereas it is driven by the need to correct and provide direction terms of repetition of a similar act, which attracted the punishment. The predominant point derived from the two books is the inherent nature of man to incline towards sin. This necessitates him to engage constantly in a fight for redemption from his sinful nature given that he stumbles and falls due to the temptations. In addition, he also provides that God is omnipotent and understands that man is inherently sinful and is in need of his constant grace and everlasting love. Love is a strong factor in that through love God provides his grace and mercies to man leading to an eventual forgiveness and a renewed relationship. Furthermore, another aspect also provide din the writings is the presence of friendships and relations, which are based on love. Love is a God given privilege, which he also exercises in his illustration of grace and mercies towards the human race and all his creations on earth. Friendships, as St. Augustine provides in his discussions, have the ability to bring forth great fruits if such friendships are based on truth and other natural factors granted by God to society in order to ensure that society abides according to the will of God. Conclusively, love is strong and should be used to enhance emotional bonds in marital settings. This is because true love is provided by God and is enduring. It has the ability to reduce or eliminate altogether the possible incidences of fornication and other sexually immoral activities, which are associable with relations outside of marriage. St. Augustine stated that God has mercy on all irrespective of their transgressions, and he thus sought mercies from god because of his enduring love and grace for man irrespective of their sins and transgressions against his will.

A List of Radioactive Elements

A List of Radioactive Elements This is a list or table of elements that are radioactive. Keep in mind, all elements can have radioactive isotopes. If enough neutrons are added to an atom, it becomes unstable and decays. A good example of this is tritium, a radioactive isotope of hydrogen naturally present at extremely low levels. This table contains the elements that have no stable isotopes. Each element is followed by the most stable known isotope and its half-life. Note increasing atomic number doesnt necessarily make an atom more unstable. Scientists predict there may be islands of stability in the periodic table, where superheavy transuranium elements may be more stable (although still radioactive) than some lighter elements.This list is sorted by increasing atomic number. Radioactive Elements Element Most Stable Isotope Half-lifeof Most Stable Istope Technetium Tc-91 4.21 x 106 years Promethium Pm-145 17.4 years Polonium Po-209 102 years Astatine At-210 8.1 hours Radon Rn-222 3.82 days Francium Fr-223 22 minutes Radium Ra-226 1600 years Actinium Ac-227 21.77 years Thorium Th-229 7.54 x 104 years Protactinium Pa-231 3.28 x 104 years Uranium U-236 2.34 x 107 years Neptunium Np-237 2.14 x 106 years Plutonium Pu-244 8.00 x 107 years Americium Am-243 7370 years Curium Cm-247 1.56 x 107 years Berkelium Bk-247 1380 years Californium Cf-251 898 years Einsteinium Es-252 471.7 days Fermium Fm-257 100.5 days Mendelevium Md-258 51.5 days Nobelium No-259 58 minutes Lawrencium Lr-262 4 hours Rutherfordium Rf-265 13 hours Dubnium Db-268 32 hours Seaborgium Sg-271 2.4 minutes Bohrium Bh-267 17 seconds Hassium Hs-269 9.7 seconds Meitnerium Mt-276 0.72 seconds Darmstadtium Ds-281 11.1 seconds Roentgenium Rg-281 26 seconds Copernicium Cn-285 29 seconds Nihonium Nh-284 0.48 seconds Flerovium Fl-289 2.65 seconds Moscovium Mc-289 87 milliseconds Livermorium Lv-293 61 milliseconds Tennessine Unknown Oganesson Og-294 1.8 milliseconds Where Do Radionuclides Come From? Radioactive elements form naturally, as a result of nuclear fission, and via intentional synthesis in nuclear reactors or particle accelerators. Natural Natural radioisotopes may remain from nucleosynthesis in stars and supernova explosions. Typically these primordial radioisotopes have half-lives so long they are stable for all practical purposes, but when they decay they form what are called secondary radionuclides. For example, primordial isotopes thorium-232, uranium-238, and uranium-235 can decay to form secondary radionuclides of radium and polonium. Carbon-14 is an example of a cosmogenic isotope. This radioactive element is continually formed in the atmosphere due to cosmic radiation. Nuclear Fission Nuclear fission from nuclear power plants and thermonuclear weapons produces radioactive isotopes called fission products. In addition, irradiation of surrounding structures and the nuclear fuel produces isotopes called activation products. A wide range of radioactive elements may result, which is part of why nuclear fallout and nuclear waste are so difficult to deal with. Synthetic The latest element on the periodic table have not been found in nature. These radioactive elements are produced in nuclear reactors and accelerators. There are different strategies used to form new elements. Sometimes elements are placed within a nuclear reactor, where the neutrons from the reaction react with the specimen to form desired products. Iridium-192 is an example of a radioisotope prepared in this manner. In other cases, particle accelerators bombard a target with energetic particles. An example of a radionuclide produced in an accelerator is fluorine-18. Sometimes a specific isotope is prepared in order to gather its decay product. For example, molybdenum-99 is used to produce technetium-99m. Commercially Available Radionuclides Sometimes the longest-lived half-life of a radionuclide is not the most useful or affordable. Certain common isotopes are available even to the general public in small quantities in most countries. Others on this list are available by regulation to professionals in industry, medicine, and science: Gamma Emitters Barium-133Cadmium-109Cobalt-57Cobalt-60Europium-152Manganese-54Sodium-22Zinc-65Technetium-99m Beta Emitters Strontium-90Thallium-204Carbon-14Tritium Alpha Emitters Polonium-210Uranium-238 Multiple Radiation Emitters Cesium-137Americium-241 Effects of Radionuclides on Organisms Radioactivity exists in nature, but radionuclides can cause radioactive contamination and radiation poisonin if find their way into the environment or an organism is over-exposed. The type of potential damage depends on the type and energy of the emitted radiation. Typically, radiation exposure causes burns and cell damage. Radiation can cause cancer, but it might not appear for many years following exposure. Sources International Atomic Energy Agency ENSDF database (2010).Loveland, W.; Morrissey, D.; Seaborg, G.T. (2006). Modern Nuclear Chemistry. Wiley-Interscience. p. 57. ISBN 978-0-471-11532-8.Luig, H.; Kellerer, A. M.; Griebel, J. R. (2011). Radionuclides, 1. Introduction. Ullmanns Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. doi:10.1002/14356007.a22_499.pub2 ISBN 978-3527306732.Martin, James (2006). Physics for Radiation Protection: A Handbook. ISBN 978-3527406111.Petrucci, R.H.; Harwood, W.S.; Herring, F.G. (2002). General Chemistry (8th ed.). Prentice-Hall. p.1025–26.

Unit 6 PP mini Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Unit 6 PP mini - Coursework Example Diversity is very critical when it comes to the aspect of a high-performance team. An effective team has to have members who have a widespread range of experiences and skills from which to draw for guidance, motivation and support (Melton, 2008). In reference to the birthday planning project, diversity is necessary since the party involves many activities such as decoration, cleaning of the environment, invitation, and purchase of requirements. The team members have to have particular weaknesses and strengths that complement each other. Another example, where diversity is necessary, is during the actual party where each team member is expected to play his/her role for the team to run smoothly. A high-performance team rely on effective communication so as to pool their work efforts (Rad & Levin, 2003). Additionally, there should be effective written and oral communication that is concise and clear. It is also important for each team member to feel contented and able to speak out about his/her given responsibilities making effective communication is vital to the birthday party project. Effective communication allows the team member to provide their creative ideas on the topic, and this is very important for the birthday party. A team member may add an idea, for instance, towards the decoration of the party. Clear goals and expectations drive a high-performance team. Having a team working toward the same objective and should be undoubtedly understood by all the team members (Melton, 2008). Additionally, each team members has to know their responsibilities clearly in the project. In reference to the birthday party project, all the team members should be mindful that the end goal is to create the best birthday party without any setbacks. The team members also have to know their responsibilities properly and take them seriously so as to achieve the end goal. Lastly, members of a high-performance team have to trust each other in

Newspapers Yesterday's Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Newspapers Yesterday's - Essay Example It has been well documented that in 1901, there were more than 20 capital city newspapers in Australia, with almost as many individual owners. Today there are no more than a dozen metro dailies, and just four major proprietors. The last two decade has seen a drastic decline in the average daily circulation of newspapers which has dropped by almost a quarter. Average daily newspaper circulation has fallen by almost a quarter in the last 20 years. Nevertheless, the decline of head to head daily newspaper competition does not mask intense competition for the time, money and attention of readers and potential readers and newspapers thus still remain an important source of news. The newspaper business's long-term, seemingly inexorable decline is an old story that is hardly fodder for stop-the-presses, page-one play anymore. The industry has faced declining circulation, job losses and falling stock prices which markedly underscores the transformation sweeping the industry. Newspapers have two big strikes against them: They are in a mature industry (the first regularly published newspaper came out some 400 years ago in Europe) and they are a textbook example (stockbrokers are another) of an intermediary between sources of information and customers - a role that is being increasingly challenged by the Internet. Scholars predict that in the coming years, daily newspapers will have to strengthen their efforts to attract younger readers, make more imaginative use of the Internet, and develop stories, mostly local in nature, that better meet the needs of readers who have thousands of news and information sources at their fingertips. Professor Peter S. Fader hopes that people will continue to buy physical newspapers in large numbers in years to come. He compares the Internet's assault on newspapers to the impact that digital downloading of music has had on compact discs: CD's still have appeal but they are no longer the sole, dominant medium they once were. "I still believe that there's a vital role for non-digital content in music," Fader suggests. "There's a lot to be said for owning a CD and putting it on the shelf and holding it in your hand. Some people say that same thing about newspapers. It may be true, but newspapers are transient and have no archive value. They are not a collector's item rather; they are a nuisance to deal with. Newspapers have adapted and thrived during decades of competition from emerging media but are now faced with a more intense level of competition from the Internet and cable television news. To say the newspaper industry is heading towards a decline is correct because circulation has indeed dropped in the aggregate, but most dailies still remain quite profitable. Newspapers are not headed for extinction by the end of the decade as some commentary has implied. Classified advertising has been the largest revenue stream for newspapers and this can be delivered much more cost effectively. By the time readers get their papers, they pretty much know the news, and newspapers have already been beaten by TV, radio and bloggers. As a

The Effects of Nature or Nurture on Early Human Development Essay Example for Free

The Effects of Nature or Nurture on Early Human Development Essay Human development is a very complex process – from conception to death. There has been a long debate on whether human development is determined by nature or nurture. If their growths were all guided by nature only, they would all be born with a mind of â€Å"blank slate†. This means that they do not have any inborn ability to do anything when they are born. On the other hand, if their growth was determined by nurture only, it would mean that they were fully equipped with all the skills they need in their lives when we are born. In other words, all the physical and mental skills they have right now would have been inherited from their parents and the environment they grow up in has no effect. This essay will focus on the effects of both nature and nurture on three major stages of early human development: fetal, early childhood motor development and learning how to talk. All of these stages are guided by both nature and nurture, and not just one. First of all, fetal development in a mother’s stomach is first guided by nature and continues with nurture. The hereditary information from both parents in the fetus is not affected by nurture. For example, the gender, skin, hair, eye colour and general body size are genetically determined and have nothing to do with the environment that the fetus is in. Also, the parents’ pre-existing genetic health conditions might also affect the health of the fetus as well, such as diabetes. Once these information are set, the fetus continues to grow and many environmental factors affect its development. For instance, the health of the mother and her life style have a profound effect on her baby. For instance, a baby that began its life healthy at first might develop some birth defect due to the mother’s alcohol abuse. On the other hand, a mother can reduce her chances of getting a fetus with birth defects by taking certain vitamin supplements. Once the baby is born, it starts to learn how to move its body parts. Most infants in the same given environment develop their motor skills at more or less the same order, such as rolling over, sitting without support, standing while holding on furniture, crawling, and then finally walking. This is because they are born with the same set of muscles and bones that they learn how to use – the â€Å"nature† part of motor development. However, it is important to notice that the rate of learning these motor skills differ due to the â€Å"nurture† side of development. For example, an infant that practices walking with its parent may start walking on its own earlier than another infant that received no help. Also, an infant that receives much visual and auditory stimulation, such as playing with toys, develops its motor skills faster than an infant that received none. While the baby continues to learn how to move around on its own, it also learns how to talk – an extremely important skill. Speech development is also determined by both nature and nurture. All babies that are born with no birth defects are equipped with physiological requirements for speech: lungs, voice box, and mouth. They also need a properly working brain and nerves to control these body parts and to mentally form sentences. These form the nature part of the speech development because they are the things that the babies are born with. However, they could be useless if the baby does not learn how to use them properly, and this is where the nurture part of the speech development comes in. A baby that is constantly spoken to by others learns how to talk faster. In an opposite case, a baby that receives very little to no interaction with others may not acquire language at all. Speech not only involves talking, but it also involves very important social skills and body language, and a baby can learn these skills faster if it constantly receives proper stimulation from its caregivers. In conclusion, early human development is controlled by both nature and nurture – in fetal development, motor development, and language acquisition. The nature part of development includes the things that the infants are born with, and the nurture part of development includes the environmental factors that the infants receive. Most babies are born with more or less the same basic requirements for life, but the rate at which they develop their skills differ due to the nurture part of development. Overall, nature and nurture cannot be separated because they depend on each other. WORKS CITED 1. Atkinson. R. L. â€Å"Interaction between nature and nurture† in J. Slaght. Reading and writing Coursebook. 2. ABOUT. COM http://pregnancy. about. com/cs/fetaldevelopment/l/blfolatefacts. htm 3. Kidshealth from Nemours. http://kidshealth. org/parent/system/ill/birth_defects. html 4. Ludington-Hue, Susan. How to have a Smarter Baby United States and Canada: Rawson edition, 1985. 5. The Origin of Languageand Communication. http://www. trueorigin. org/language01. asp 6. Wikipedia. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Genie_(feral_child) [ 1 ]. R. L. Atkinson â€Å"Interaction between nature and nurture† in J. Slaght. Reading and writing Coursebook. P162 [ 2 ]. Ibid. P162 [ 3 ]. Ibid. P163 [ 4 ]. Kidshealth from Nemours. http://kidshealth. org/parent/system/ill/birth_defects. html [ 5 ]. ABOUT. COM http://pregnancy. about. com/cs/fetaldevelopment/l/blfolatefacts. htm [ 6 ]. R. L. Atkinson â€Å"Interaction between nature and nurture† in J. Slaght. Reading and writing Coursebook. P163 [ 7 ]. Ibid. P163 [ 8 ]. Ludington-Hue, Susan. How to have a Smarter Baby United States and Canada: Rawson edition, 1985. [ 9 ]. The Origin of Languageand Communication. http://www. trueorigin. org/language01. asp [ 10 ]. R. L. Atkinson â€Å"Interaction between nature and nurture† in J. Slaght. Reading and writing Coursebook. P163 [ 11 ]. Ibid. P163 [ 12 ]. Wikipedia. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Genie_(feral_child).

Imagination in the Rime of the Ancient Mariner versus Kubla Khan Essay

To the Romantics, the imagination was important. It was the core and foundation of everything they thought about, believed in, and even they way they perceived God itself. The leaders of the Romantic Movement were undoubtedly Samuel Taylor Coleridge and his close friend, William Wordsworth. Both were poets, and both wrote about the imagination. Wordsworth usually wrote about those close to nature, and therefore, in the minds of the Romantics, deeper into the imagination than the ordinary man. Coleridge, however, was to write about the supernatural, how nature extended past the depth of the rational mind. In two works by Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Kubla Khan, both works regard the imagination as vitally important. In the Ancient Mariner, the imagination (or rather, the lack of it) condemns the Mariner to a kind of hell, with the fiends of sterility, solitude, and loneliness: â€Å"’God save thee, Ancient Mariner, from the fiends that plague thee thus! Why look’st thou so?’ ‘With my crossbow I shot the Albatross’†. In Kubla Khan, the imagination of an external being, the narrator that Coleridge created, the ideal critic, can create a masterpiece that far outstrips the meager piece of work that even the emperor of a huge, rich civilization can produce: â€Å"I would build that dome in air, a sunny dome! Those caves of ice! And all who heard should see them there, and all should cry, Beware! Beware!† In Kubla Khan, the imagination can even make people fear an otherwise inconsequential event, sequence, or organism. However, in the two works by Coleridge, the imagination takes on different roles in each world. In the Ancient Mariner, the imagination is the substance that holds all life together, much like how the millio... ...ubla Khan, the imagination is more of a physical, creative force, with more raw power than finesse. With it, works such as a pleasure-dome full of physical paradoxes can be inspired, created, and described, far better than with the words of a critic alone â€Å"A sunny pleasure-dome with caves of ice!†. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner has it that the imagination is more of an intangible force, subtle yet with as much power as the imagination in Kubla Khan. It connects the huge array of creatures on the Earth together, and without the imagination, they would, die in the end, one by one. However, in both works, there is a mutual consent that the imagination allows the imaginer to gain insight into many wondrous, spectacular, and otherwise incomprehensible feats and workings of nature, things that cannot be explained by the mere application of reason and mathematics alone. Imagination in the Rime of the Ancient Mariner versus Kubla Khan Essay To the Romantics, the imagination was important. It was the core and foundation of everything they thought about, believed in, and even they way they perceived God itself. The leaders of the Romantic Movement were undoubtedly Samuel Taylor Coleridge and his close friend, William Wordsworth. Both were poets, and both wrote about the imagination. Wordsworth usually wrote about those close to nature, and therefore, in the minds of the Romantics, deeper into the imagination than the ordinary man. Coleridge, however, was to write about the supernatural, how nature extended past the depth of the rational mind. In two works by Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Kubla Khan, both works regard the imagination as vitally important. In the Ancient Mariner, the imagination (or rather, the lack of it) condemns the Mariner to a kind of hell, with the fiends of sterility, solitude, and loneliness: â€Å"’God save thee, Ancient Mariner, from the fiends that plague thee thus! Why look’st thou so?’ ‘With my crossbow I shot the Albatross’†. In Kubla Khan, the imagination of an external being, the narrator that Coleridge created, the ideal critic, can create a masterpiece that far outstrips the meager piece of work that even the emperor of a huge, rich civilization can produce: â€Å"I would build that dome in air, a sunny dome! Those caves of ice! And all who heard should see them there, and all should cry, Beware! Beware!† In Kubla Khan, the imagination can even make people fear an otherwise inconsequential event, sequence, or organism. However, in the two works by Coleridge, the imagination takes on different roles in each world. In the Ancient Mariner, the imagination is the substance that holds all life together, much like how the millio... ...ubla Khan, the imagination is more of a physical, creative force, with more raw power than finesse. With it, works such as a pleasure-dome full of physical paradoxes can be inspired, created, and described, far better than with the words of a critic alone â€Å"A sunny pleasure-dome with caves of ice!†. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner has it that the imagination is more of an intangible force, subtle yet with as much power as the imagination in Kubla Khan. It connects the huge array of creatures on the Earth together, and without the imagination, they would, die in the end, one by one. However, in both works, there is a mutual consent that the imagination allows the imaginer to gain insight into many wondrous, spectacular, and otherwise incomprehensible feats and workings of nature, things that cannot be explained by the mere application of reason and mathematics alone.

Islamic Arabia Essay

Signs of Islam using the Koran as the foundations of its life and values being more accepting of women whether they are married or single are easier to see than in Christianity that made use of the Bible as the basis of its spiritual teachings. Accommodations in Islam which means accepting women as people of sacred, substantial, cultural, social and moral worth began its call even before pre-Islamic Arabia (Smith 52). Increasingly, however, Christians are turning women into little more than just sex objects. Many other societies have actually demoted women with two pieces of skimpy cloth walking down the ramp, viewed on tubes for global audience use, drowning the usual human values, robbed of natural human distinction. The core of a woman is being destroyed by the image of being just sex objects. Mankind should remember that the origin of all is just one pair. Eve’s progeny reminds mankind to be grateful for her willingness to be the mother of the first children earth ever had and the generations later should be proud of the founding of humankind. Femininity is a tribute to society. Childbearing honors women who bear a child in her womb for nine long months, who goes through the pains of giving birth, and the burden of breastfeeding. Being a woman and a capable mother have great societal significance to Muslims, recognizing and accepting women’s role. There are two top religions in the world today that is reaping much awareness and credit. The 1st is Islam, which is the cult of those who believe in Muhammad as a messenger of God, differing according to culture, and Christian religion, the cult of those who believe in Jesus Christ the son of Mary, modified according to culture,. Though Muhammad and Jesus Christ have both been influenced by some patriarchal views (Fiorenza 316), they have also in many ways differing concepts about women in their respective time and society. Like, in one occasion when it came to the knowledge of Muhammad that a couple committed adultery, he ordered them to be stoned to death right in front of his mosque (Mishkat 267), on the other hand when Jesus received the report from a witnessed a woman committing adultery, and so she must be penalized according to Jewish law, Jesus said sternly, â€Å"Let him who is without sin among you throw the first stone at her†, discarding double standard of morality (John 122). However, in his personal affairs Muhammad advised his men to treat their women with kindness (Al-Bukhari   80). Today, long time after Jesus and Muhammad, these values have so much evolved as intellectual education intensifies bringing about much understanding of human nature and modifications to a changing ecosystem. It can not be denied however that there still exist varying scales as to acceptability of women in Islam or in Christianity. Accepting of women in society is relative when looked upon the perspective of Islam after the time of Muhammad as against those of the Christians after the time of Jesus without neglecting cultural values. In Islam women were raised on a pedestal over 1, 400 years ago (Jumuah 62), when Muhammad directed his followers to regard women with compassion (Al-Bukhari 1, 55, 62, 80). They were acknowledge   to be the sisters of men, bestowing rights: to education up to the highest intensity, the right to decide on their marriage partner, the right to end an unhappy marriage, the right to inheritance, and the rights of a full citizen of a state (Jumuah 62), though, cultural differences still exist. While Christianity is more liberal, it leaves women to find its own level in the strata of society (Luke 81). Christian codes do not specify and provide rights for women. Christians adopts rights for women founded by men as cultural dictates (Fiorenza 1083) incorporated in individual state and governmental laws, which changes from time to time as revised to suit a presumed social need (Luke 89). Islam considers that men and women are at par when it comes to value as pieces and parts of humanity (Jumuah 63), but, these changes from customs to ethnicity. A man can not be victorious in his life without a woman. Their rights and tasks crossover and balance their totality because their roles are harmonizing and shared, although their duties might clash in certain areas of life in accordance with their basic physical and psychological disparity, where each is equally liable for their actual tasks (Jumuah 63), according to culture. Not one sex is either better or lesser than the other in any way, depending upon the Muslim culture where one belongs. There are however those who practice primarily according to their culture, which is not definitely a teaching of Islam according to its advocates, because culture does not crossover nor influence the Islamic code which is likewise the Qur’an, since the Qur’an is all embracing and above anyone’s culture. They oppress women which is simply a reflection of local customs that are definitely inconsistent and contrary to the teachings of Islam (Jumuah 62). Not only material and physical rights are given to women. They have also the right to be treated with kindness and consideration because it is provided for in the Qur’an. Under Islamic law the following provisions are given to women: when a Muslim woman marries she does not lose her maiden name in place of her husband (Jumuah 63). She has the right to keep her identity. She is given a gift by her husband to be, prior to their marriage which is also called a dowry (Ali 759). It is a personal gift that is at her disposal or which she can spend to buy properties, invest on whatever she feels she must without the influence of anyone from her family (Ali 759). The man must provide for the needs of his wife and the family even if she has the money of her own (Ali 759). She is not in any way obligated to spend anything for the family, which relieves the woman from the burden of earning a living. She however has the option to work if she finds it necessary. As the family is similar to any systematic organization, leadership is bestowed upon men. The Qur’an Clearly states that the husband is to some degree higher than the wife being the leader and guardian of the family. This does not in any way presume a right nor a license to be the tyrant of the household. It is rather the complete responsibility of the husband to care for the family (Jumuah 63). Karen Armstrong in a biography said, the emancipation of women was dear to the Prophets heart, describing: women were treated inferiorly with no rights like slaves in pre-Islamic time, but Muhammad allowed them to stand as witnesses and gave them the right to inheritance (Armstrong 191). The concept of women’s dress is of Islamic moral, social and legal values. By their observance of proper dress code, men and women alike protect their honor and reputation in a society contributing to it largely along peace and order. It is also A Qur’anic revelation While Jesus did not marry, Muhammad had several wives after Khadija his first wife, for different reasons such as: widows who needs provisions (Ali 53), widows with orphans who needs a fatherly attention (Ali 129), literacy of a woman, wealth of a woman, the widow being the wife of the enemy (Ali 129), political alliances and as a virgin wife like Aisha (Mishkat 3:13). A woman has four reasons to marry: wealth, family status, beauty and religion (Al-Bukhari 16, 32). Divorces were allowed even before pre-Isalmic times (Smith 52), while it was only a male prerogative in the Jewish law (Deuteronomy 176). But, Jesus made it irrevocable (Mark 56). Jesus helped women, honored them like the hunchback, one he called daughter of Abraham after she was healed from illness (Luke 93), and praised another for anointing him with oil (Mark 62). Jesus parables showed his compassion for women (Matthew 34).

Organic Foods Pdf Essay

Abstract: During the last decade, consumers’ trust in food quality has decreased drastically, mainly because of growing ecological awareness and several food scandals (e. g. BSE, dioxins, bacterial contamination). It has been found that intensive conventional agriculture can introduce contaminants into the food chain. Consumers have started to look for safer and better controlled foods produced in more environmentally friendly, authentic and local systems. Organically produced foods are widely believed to satisfy the above demands, leading to lower environmental impacts and higher nutritive values. So far, studies have partly con? rmed this opinion. Organic crops contain fewer nitrates, nitrites and pesticide residues but, as a rule, more dry matter, vitamin C, phenolic compounds, essential amino acids and total sugars than conventional crops. Organic crops also contain statistically more mineral compounds and usually have better sensory and long-term storage qualities. However, there are also some negatives: plants cultivated in organic systems generally have 20% lower yields than conventionally produced crops. Several important problems need to be addressed in the coming years: environmental, bacterial and fungal contamination of organic crops and, the most essential issue, the impact of organic food consumption on animal and human health.  © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry Keywords: organic plant crops; quality; yield; composition; nutrition; vitamins; phenolics; sugars; nitrates; nitrites; pesticides; dry matter; health; sensory qualities. FACTORS INFLUENCING THE QUALITY OF ORGANIC PLANT FOOD PRODUCTS There are several important factors in?uencing the quality of food products that also are relevant to organically produced plant products. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the basic factors are the quality of the environment (abiotic factors) and the levels of pest and pathogen damage (biotic factors) to which plants are subjected. The main components of the environment (air, water, soil) have to be unpolluted if the crops obtained are expected to be of high nutritive quality. Many environmental contaminants enter the food production chain (soil–plant–animal–human organism), causing signi? cant problems in human health. 1 These contaminants include heavy metals, pesticide residues, nitrogen compounds, mycotoxins, chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), aromatic hydrocarbons (e. g. benzo[a]pyrene), plant growth stimulators (e. g. choline chloride), antibiotics, hormones, radioactive isotopes and plastic substances (monomers). Climate and weather are also important factors, as well as soil type and pH, soil cultivation, fertilisation and conditions of crop storage after harvest. ? Biotic factors can have also a signi? cant impact on crop quality. The main biotic factors are cultivar choice, bacterial and fungal contamination (disease) and pest damage. Cultivars of the same crop species can differ signi? cantly in nutritive quality. For example, the content of ? carotene in carrots (Daucus carota L. ) can vary between 7. 19 and 13. 84 mg g? 1 depending on the cultivar. 2 The main potential source of bacterial contamination in plant crops is animal manure used in organic farming. Contamination can take place via the roots or by water splashing onto the leaf surfaces. The most important organisms are several species of facultative anaerobic bacteria (Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Campylobacter spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Clostridium botulinum, Mycobacterium paratuberculosis), protozoa (Toxoplasma gondii), tapeworms, viruses and prions. The results obtained so far are contradictory. Some studies indicate higher bacterial contamination in organic crops, while others show the opposite. 3 Mycotoxins (produced by fungi) originate mostly in the ? eld but can also develop during storage. Owing to the fact that fungicides are not used Correspondence to: Ewa Rembialkowska, Organic Foodstuffs Division, Faculty of Human Nutrition and Consumer Sciences, Warsaw Agricultural University, Nowoursynowska 159 C, PL-02-776 Warszawa, Poland E-mail: ewa rembialkowska@sggw. pl (Received 24 October 2006; revised version received 29 January 2007; accepted 8 February 2007). Figure 1. Factors in? uencing the quality of organic food products. in organic agriculture, some authors believe that organically produced foods will contain higher concentrations of mycotoxins. However, literature reviews show that mycotoxin concentrations are usually similar or reduced in organic compared with conventional products. 4 The most notorious mycotoxins are those produced by Fusarium species on cereal crops and maize. One of the reasons for lower Fusarium infections in organic grains could be the lower nitrogen concentrations in the tissues. 5 Insect pests also exert an in? uence on crop quality. Because of the ban on synthetic pesticides in organic agriculture, insects often damage fruits and vegetables, thereby diminishing their yield and harming their appearance. However, it is not clear whether they also reduce their nutritive quality. In contrast, there is evidence that organically grown plants contain more phytochemicals (which are natural insecticides) and are therefore more resistant to insect damage. 6 They can also play a positive role in human health, because several phytochemicals, being plant defence compounds, are connected with possible health bene? ts (Brandt K, oral presentation at QLIF Congress, Newcastle, 2005). Regulations on organic plant production allow actions that avoid many negative features of crop quality if they are consistently performed by producers. In order to ful? l these demands and to offer highquality products to consumers, an ef? cient and airtight certi? cation and control system must be implemented. In most countries such systems are quite ef?cient, though a rapid increase in the number of organic farms could lead to problems with a subsequent loosening of regulatory control. Therefore the main rule should be ‘trust is good, but control is better’. Moreover, the ? nal quality of organic food products is in? uenced by the effective implementation of 2758 the regulations on animal production and organic food processing. Only precise ful? lment of all these regulations can guarantee the best organic food quality (Fig. 1). IMPACT OF REGULATION ON ORGANIC PLANT PRODUCTION The regulations for organic plant production are clear and detailed. 7 The European Union (EU) regulation published in 19918 contains parts that relate directly to the composition of organic plant products. The most important aspects of this regulation include:7 †¢ a ban on genetic engineering and genetically modi? ed organisms (GMOs); †¢ lower nitrogen levels – a maximum limit for manure application of 170 kg N ha? 1 year? 1 ; †¢ a ban on synthetic pesticides; †¢ a ban on synthetic mineral fertilisers; †¢ a ban on growth promoters. Organic farmers must follow the above regulations if they want to pass the inspection procedure every year and receive a certi? cation document. If all requirements are complied with, several qualitative results can be expected. The most important conclusions from scienti? c comparisons are given below. CONTAMINANTS Nitrates and nitrites A large amount of data shows that the content of nitrates and nitrites is distinctly higher in conventionally cultivated than in organic crops. This is important, because nitrates can easily be converted into nitrites, which can cause a dangerous illness called methaemoglobinaemia in babies, infants and elderly people. 9 J Sci Food Agric 87:2757–2762 (2007) DOI: 10. 1002/jsfa Quality of organic plant products. Moreover, nitrites can react with amines to create nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic and mutagenic substances causing cancer of the digestive tract and leukaemia. 10 This process is dangerous not only for young children but also for adults of any age. Based on a large amount of data, the nitrate content of organic and conventional crops has been compared. On average, the nitrate content of organic crops was 49% that of conventional crops. 11 These and other data provide a basis for stating that organic methods lead to an approximately 50% reduction in the intake of nitrates and nitrites by humans. Pesticides Governments place legal limits, known as the Maximum Residue Level (MRL), on the level of pesticides that can be present in food. The MRL is usually estimated by testing individual pesticides on rats. Governments maintain that consumption of pesticides below the MRL is not a health risk. However, at lower levels, pesticides are known or suspected to cause many diseases and health problems, including cancer. 12 The main problem is that the MRL for pesticides is usually estimated by testing individual pesticides on rats for a relatively short period. Virtually nothing is known about the effects of consuming combinations of potentially hundreds of different pesticides over the course of a lifetime. We do not and cannot know explicitly what is causing what, so precaution is the main tool available to us (Howard V, oral presentation at QLIF Congress, Newcastle, 2005). The levels of pesticide residues found in organic crops are de? nitely lower than those present in conventional crops (Howard V, oral presentation at QLIF Congress, Newcastle, 2005). It can be expected that eating organic foods will result in lower pesticide levels in human milk and body tissues. There is some evidence con? rming this hypothesis. Researchers in France found that the level of pesticide residues in the milk of breast-feeding women decreased signi? cantly with an increase in the proportion of organic food in the daily diet (from 25 to 80%). 13 All available results show that the content of pesticide residues is signi? cantly lower in organic crops, which creates safer health conditions for consumers eating organically. Heavy metals Heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, arsenic, mercury and zinc are introduced into the food chain from various sources, including industry, transportation, communal wastes and agriculture. For example, mineral phosphoric fertilisers used in conventional agriculture can introduce cadmium into crops, but the metal industry and transportation also cause cadmium contamination of soils and crops. Therefore there are no clear results in studies comparing the levels of J Sci Food Agric 87:2757–2762 (2007) DOI: 10. 1002/jsfa heavy metals in organic and conventional crops. Some data point to higher levels in conventional crops, while others show the opposite. 11 A problem to be solved is whether organic farming (composting, increasing the organic matter in soil, pH, etc. ) can diminish the intake of heavy metals by cultivated plants. DESIRABLE COMPOUNDS IN PLANTS Vitamins, phenolic compounds and mineral compounds The nutritive value of foods depends mainly on them having the appropriate content of compounds indispensable for proper functioning of the human organism. The content of phyto-compounds in plant foods is a topic of great interest in food science nowadays. A growing body of evidence indicates that secondary plant metabolites (phytochemicals) play a critical role in human health and may be nutritionally important. 14 There are two main theories explaining the factors in? uencing the levels of compounds in plants. 15 The carbon/nitrogen (C/N) balance theory states that, when nitrogen is easily available, the plant will ? rst make compounds with high nitrogen content, e. g. proteins for growth and nitrogen-containing secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, glucosinolates and non-protein amino acids such as the Allium ? avour precursors. When nitrogen availability is limiting for growth, the metabolism changes more towards carboncontaining compounds, e. g. starch, cellulose and non-nitrogen-containing secondary metabolites such as phenolics and terpenoids. The second, newer theory is the growth/ differentiation balance hypothesis (GDBH). 15 It states that the plant will always assess the resources available to it and optimise its investment in processes directed towards growth or differentiation. The term ‘differentiation’ encompasseses increased formation of defence compounds as well as accelerated maturation and seed development. The C/N balance theory is a special and typical case of the GBDH theory, since low nitrogen availability is the most common growth-limiting condition in natural ecosystems. 15 To verify the above theories, several authors investigated the content of some vitamins and phyto-compounds in organically and conventionally produced crops. In order to summarise different data, for each organic–conventional comparison a % difference was calculated: [(organic ? conventional)/conventional] ? 100 The collected data for several desirable components are presented in Table 1. The role of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in the human organism is basic for several metabolic functions, mainly because it is one of the major cellular direct antioxidants (along with glutathione) and is a 2759 E Rembialkowska Table 1. Contents of desirable components in organic crops relative to those in conventional crops Component Vitamin C Phenolic compounds Iron Magnesium Phosphorus Mean % difference +28. 7 +119. 3 +21. 1 +29. 3 +13. 6 Range (%) ? 38 to +135. 5 ? 56. 6 to +734. 2 ? 73 to +240 ? 35 to +1206 ? 44 to +240 Number of studies 21 15 16 17 18 production and reduces carbohydrate production. Moreover, the increased protein produced in response to high nitrogen levels contains lower amounts of certain essential amino acids such as lysine and therefore has a lower quality with respect to human nutrition. Source: Ref. 17 and author’s own calculations. cofactor for certain enzymes. Vitamin C also supports detoxication and resistance of the human organism. The higher content of vitamin C in organic crops is bene? cial to health, because vitamin C inhibits the in situ formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines, thus diminishing the negative impact of nitrates on the human organism. 10 Therefore organic vegetables can play an important anticarcinogenic role. Plant-based phenolic metabolites are particularly interesting because of their potential antioxidant activity and medical properties, including anticarcinogenic activity. 15 According to Benbrook,16 organic farming has elevated antioxidant levels in about 85% of the cases studied to date and, on average, levels are about 30% higher compared with foods grown conventionally. Mineral compounds containing iron, magnesium and phosphorus are fundamental for human health. According to Worthington,17 the higher mineral content in organic crops may be connected with the higher abundance of micro-organisms in organically managed soil. These micro-organisms produce many compounds that help plants to combine with soil minerals and make them more available to plant roots. Unfortunately, there have been only a few studies on other vitamins such as ? -carotene, B1 and B2 and the results are contradictory. Therefore no general conclusions can be drawn about these compounds. Total sugars A higher total sugar content in plant crops not only improves their taste but is also an important component of their technological quality, e. g. in the case of sugar beet. Studies clearly indicate a higher content of total sugars, mainly sucrose, in organically produced vegetables and fruits such as carrots, sugar beet, red beetroot, potatoes, spinach, Savoy cabbage, cherries, redcurrants and apples. 11,18 Proteins Several studies analysed in review papers11 show that the quantity of crude protein is lower in organic than in conventional crops but that the quality is better as measured by essential amino acid content. According to Worthington,17 nitrogen from any kind of fertiliser affects the quantity and quality of protein produced by plants. Provision of a large amount of nitrogen to a plant increases protein 2760 SENSORY QUALITY OF ORGANIC FOODS Many studies have proved quite unequivocally that vegetables and fruits from organic farms have a better taste and smell. This was found for carrots and potatoes, celery and red beetroot, head cabbage and tomatoes as well as for apples, cherries and redcurrants. 11 Organic fruits contained more total sugars, which probably in?uenced the better taste perception by consumers. Better taste and smell have also been found for bread made from organic grain, which also had better crumb elasticity. 6 Interesting studies have been conducted on animal food preference in which animals were given organic or conventional fodder. Most studies have proved a clear animal preference for foods produced organically; such studies have been conducted on rats, mice, hens and rabbits. 19 Preference for organic fodder was also observed in cases where, according to chemical analyses, both organic and conventional fodder ful? lled all physiological needs of the animals tested. 20 The reason for this was probably the difference in taste between organic and conventional fodder. STORAGE QUALITY OF ORGANIC PLANT CROPS Transpiration losses and decay processes, as well as changes in nutritive value, normally take place during the storage period of potatoes and other vegetables. However, these changes can proceed at different rates and to differing degrees. Most of the available data indicate that the decay process is slower in organic crops, which therefore show better storage quality after the winter period. A review study based on many sources21 concluded that the storage quality of vegetables and fruits was better in the case of plants grown on organic farms (Table 2). The better storage quality of organic crops Table 2. Storage losses of carrots, potatoes and various fruits and vegetables from organic (ORG) and conventional (CONV) farmsa Carrots Potatoes Fruits and vegetables ORG CONV ORG CONV ORG CONV Number of quoted studies Storage loss (% of initial mass) a 15 33 15 40 22 22 22 30 53 28 53 38 Average data based on literature review. 21 J Sci Food Agric 87:2757–2762 (2007) DOI: 10. 1002/jsfa Quality of organic plant products Table 3. Positive nutritive attributes of organic plant products No. 1 2 3 4 5 Attribute Organic crops contain fewer nitrates, nitrites and pesticide residues than conventional crops. There is no clear difference in the content of heavy metals between organic and conventional crops Organic plant products contain, as a rule, more dry matter, vitamin C, phenolic compounds, essential amino acids and total sugars. However, the level of ? -carotene is often higher in conventional plant products Organic plant products contain statistically more iron, magnesium and phosphorus. They also tend to contain more chromium, iodine, molybdenum, selenium, calcium, boron, manganese, copper, potassium, sodium, vanadium and zinc Organic plant products usually have better sensory quality. They have a clearer smell and taste and are sweeter and more compact because of their higher dry matter content Preference for organic products is typical not only for humans but also for animals such as rats, rabbits and hens. This preference was also observed in cases where, according to chemical analyses, both organic and conventional fodder ful? lled all physiological needs of the animals tested Vegetables and fruits from organic production maintain better quality during winter storage, showing lower mass losses due to transpiration, decay and decomposition processes. A possible reason for this is their higher content of dry matter, minerals, sugars and other bioactive compounds 6 Table 4. Negative and unclear aspects of organic plant products No. 1 Negative aspect Plants cultivated in organic systems have, as a rule, signi?cantly (on average 20%) lower yields than conventionally produced crops. This increases their price and creates for many consumers a barrier to buying organic foods Unclear aspect Environmental contamination (heavy metals, PCBs, dioxins, aromatic hydrocarbons) can be similar in organic and conventional crops, because the impact of industrial, transport and communal sources is similar on organic and conventional farms located in the same area Bacterial (mainly Salmonella and Campylobacter) Contamination can sometimes be higher in organic produce, but scienti?c evidence of this is still not clear Mycotoxins can contaminate both organic and conventional foods, but scienti? c data are contradictory The impact of organic food consumption on human health and wellbeing remains essentially unknown in spite of some positive indications, so the subject needs further study 2 3 4 was probably associated with a higher content of dry matter in their ? esh, resulting in less extensive decay and decomposition. Lower losses in organic production have not only nutritive but also economic bene? ts. In conventional systems, high yields are produced but signi?cant losses during storage reduce the economic bene? ts. CONCLUSIONS Recent food crises (BSE, foot and mouth disease, food contamination by dioxins, toxic fungi, Salmonella and Campylobacter bacteria) have caused consumers to look for more authentic and safer foods. Organic food production is widely recognised as being more friendly to the environment, more controlled and better for animal welfare. On the other hand, many data indicate that a lot of food contaminants have their source in conventional methods of agriculture, animal production and food processing. The negative effect of the continuing enthusiastic use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides in agriculture is potentially huge. Therefore safer methods of agricultural production, mostly organic methods, are very important. Studies conducted in various countries have indicated several positive attributes of organic plant J Sci Food Agric 87:2757–2762 (2007) DOI: 10. 1002/jsfa products (Table 3) but also a few negative and unclear aspects (Table 4). To summarise the positives, organic food should be recommended for all, but especially for young babies, pregnant and breast-feeding women, elderly and chronically ill people and vegetarians. The last group obviously consumes a lot of vegetables, which can contain too high levels of carcinogenic substances when produced conventionally. The lower content of nitrates and higher content of phenolic compounds and vitamin C in organic crops are especially important for health. Nitrates are easily converted in the digestive tract into poisonous nitrites, which are the precursors of carcinogenic nitrosamines. This process is hampered by vitamin C, and carcinogenesis is retarded by phenolic compounds and other dietary phytochemicals present at higher levels in organically produced crops. Therefore organic vegetables can play an important anticarcinogenic role. REFERENCES 1 Rembialkowska E, Organic agriculture and food quality, in Ecological Agriculture and Rural Development in Central and Eastern European Countries, Vol. 44 of NATO Science Series, ed. by Filho WL. IOS Press, Amsterdam, pp. 185–204 (2004). 2761 E Rembialkowska ? ? 2 Schuphan W, Biochemische Sortenprufung an Gartenmohren ? ? als neuzeitliche Grundlage fur planvolle Zuchtungsarbeit. Z? chter 2:25–43 (1942). U 3 Franz E, van Bruggen AHC and Semenov AM, Risk-analysis of human pathogen spread in the vegetable industry: a comparison between organic and conventional production chains, in Bayesian Statistics and Quality Modelling in the AgroFood Production Chain, ed. by van Boekel MAJS, Stein A and van Bruggen AHC. Kluwer Academic, Dordrecht, pp. 81–94 (2004). 4 FAO, Food Safety as Affected by Organic Farming (Twentysecond FAO Regional Conference for Europe). [Online]. (2000). Available: www. fao. org/docrep/meeting/x4983. htm. 5 Van Bruggen AHC and Termorshuizen AJ, Integrated approaches to root disease management in organic farming systems. Aust Plant Pathol 32:141–156 (2003). 6 Bjorn G and Fruekilde AM, Cepa onions (Allium cepa L) grown conventionally and organically – similarities and differences. Gron Viden 153:1–6 (2003). (in Danish). 7 Hansen B, Alroe HF, Kristensen ES and Wier M, Assessment of food safety in organic farming. DARCOF Working Paper 52 (2002). 8 EU, Council Regulation No. 2092/91 of 24 June 1991 on organic production of agricultural products and indications referring thereto on agricultural products and foodstuffs. OJL 198, 22. 7 P. 1 (1991). ? 9 Szponar L and Kierzkowska E, Azotany i azotyny w srodowisku oraz ich wplyw na zdrowie czlowieka. Post Hig Med Do? w s 44:327–350 (1990). 10 Mirvish SS, Vitamin C inhibition of N-nitroso compounds formation. Am J Clin Nutr 57:598–599 (1993). 11 Rembialkowska E, Wholesomeness and Sensory Quality of Potatoes and Selected Vegetables from the Organic Farms. Fundacja ? Rozwoj SGGW, Warszawa (2000). 12 BMA, The BMA Guide to Pesticides, Chemicals and Health. Report of Science and Education. British Medical Association, London (1992). 13 Aubert C, Pollution du lait maternel, une enquete de terre vivante. Quatre Saisons Jardinage 42:33–39 (1987). 14 Lundeg? rdh B and M?rtensson A, Organically produced plant a a foods – evidence of health bene? ts. Acta Agric Scand B 53:3–15 (2003). 15 Brandt K and Molgaard JP, Organic agriculture: does it enhance or reduce the nutritional value of plant foods? J Sci Food Agric 81:924–931 (2001). 16 Benbrook CM, Elevating Antioxidant Levels in Food through Organic Farming and Food Processing. An Organic Center of Science Review. Organic Center for Education and Promotion (2005). 17 Worthington V, Nutritional quality of organic versus conventional fruits, vegetables, and grains. J Alternative Compl Med 7:161–173 (2001). 18 Zadoks JC, Development of Farming Systems. Pudoc, Wageningen (1989). 19 Williams CM, Nutritional quality of organic food: shades of grey or shades of green? Proc Nutr Soc 61:19–24 (2002). ? 20 Woese K, Lange D, Boess Ch and Bogl KW, A comparison of organically and conventionally grown foods – results of a review of the relevant literature. J Sci Food Agric 74:281–293 (1997). 21 Bulling W, Qualit? tsvergleich von ‘biologisch’ und ‘konventionell’ a erzeugten Feldfruchten. Regierungsprasidium, Stuttgart (1987). 2762 J Sci Food Agric 87:2757–2762 (2007) DOI: 10. 1002/jsfa.

AIDS

About HIV/AIDS "Fresh air can seriously damage your health". A most unlikely Government Health warning but, for the patient with Acquired Immunodeficiency Disease Syndrome, AIDS, air-borne infection presents a constant threat of pneumonia and death. Nearly all will die of diseases caused by microbes that are everywhere in the environment, and harmless to the normal, healthy individual. It could almost be said that air, water and food carry death to anyone infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, HIV - the causative agent of AIDS. The World Health Organisation estimates that, by the end of the decade, ten million people will have died from AIDS-related disease, and a further forty million will be infected by HIV. This is an epidemic of plague proportion, and the majority of its victims will be from the poorest countries of sub-Saharan Africa and South East Asia.In an individual with AIDS the protective immune system has collapsed.HIV Testing AD2As a result, the individual becomes susceptible to infection by a variety of environmental microbes. These microbes present no problem to the healthy individual, but can be fatal to the AIDS patient. For instance, Pneumocystis carinii - a fungal like organism, is a major cause of pneumonia-related death in AIDS patients in the developed world. Few doctors would have encountered this infection in their normal practice before the start of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s.Indoor swimming presents a hazard of infection from Mycobacterium avium - an organism that is found in soil, water and fresh vegetables, and is distantly related to the causative agent of Tuberculosis. Before the AIDS epidemic established itself, only twenty-four cases of Mycobacterium avium infection had ever been reported in the medical literature. In 1985 it was considered to present no health risk, even to AIDS patients. By 1990, over twelve thousand clinical...

Countable and Uncountable Nouns Explained for ESL

Countable and Uncountable Nouns Explained for ESL Nouns are words that represent things, places, ideas, or people. For example, computer, Tom, Seattle, history are all nouns. Nouns are parts of speech which  can be both countable and uncountable. Countable Nouns A countable noun is something you can count such as apples, books, cars, etc. Here are some sentences using countable nouns: How many apples are on the table?She has two cars and two bicycles.I dont have any books on this shelf. Uncountable Nouns An uncountable noun is something you cant count such as information, wine, or cheese. Here are some sentences using uncountable nouns: How much time does it take to go to the station?Sheila doesnt have a lot of money.The boys enjoy eating cake. Uncountable nouns are often liquids or items that are difficult to count such as rice and pasta. Uncountable nouns are also often concepts such as honesty, pride,  and  sadness.   How much rice do we have at home?She doesnt have much pride in her country.We bought some past for lunch. Nouns That Are Both Countable and Uncountable Some nouns can be both countable and uncountable such as fish because it can mean the meat of the fish or an individual fish. This is true with words like chicken and turkey as well. I bought some fish for dinner the other day. (meat of the fish, uncountable)My brother caught two fish last week at the lake. (individual fish, countable) Test Your Knowledge Check your understanding of common countable and uncountable nouns with this short quiz: Are the following words countable or uncountable? carwine  happiness  orange  sand  booksugar   Answers: countableuncountableuncountablecountableuncountablecountableuncountable When to Use A, An, or Some Use a with objects we can count that begin with a consonant like a book, a car, or a house.Use some with objects we cannot count like some milk, some time, or some pasta.Use an with objects we can count that begin with a vowel like an orange, an ocean, or an eternity. Test your knowledge with this exercise. Do we use a, an or some for these words? book  winerice  apple  music  tomato  rain  CDegg  food   Answers: asomesomeansomeasomeaansome When to Use Much and Many The use of much and many depends on whether a word is countable or uncountable. Much is used with a singular verb for uncountable objects. Use much in questions and negative sentences. Use some or a lot of in positive sentences. How much time do you have this afternoon?I dont have much fun at parties.  Jennifer has a lot of good sense. Many is used with countable objects with a plural verb conjugation. Man is used in questions and negative sentences. Many can be used in positive questions, but is more common to use some or a lot of. How many people are coming to the party?She doesnt have many answers.Jack has many friends in Chicago. Test your knowledge. Complete the questions and sentences some, a lot of, much, or many. How ____ money do you have?I dont have ____ friends in Los Angeles.How   ____ people live in your city?She wants _____ time off work this month.How____does that book cost?They dont have ______ time this afternoon.How ____ rice is there?I would like to have _____ wine, please.How ____ apples are there in the basket?Peter bought ______ glasses at the store.How ____ gas do we need?He doesnt have _____ rice on his plate.How ____ children are in the class?Jason has _____ friends in Miami.How ____ teachers do you have? Answers: muchmanymanysome  muchmuchsomemanysome, a lot ofmuchmuchmanymany, some, a lot ofmany Here are some final tips  to help you understand how to use how much and how many. Use how many for questions using countable or plural objects. How many books do you have? Use how much for questions using a non-countable or singular object. How much juice is left? Use how much for questions asking about one object. How much does the book cost? Test your knowledge of what you have learned on this page.  Take the Much or Many? quiz!

Youth Gang Members Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Youth Gang Members - Essay Example The question whether convicted youth gang members should be treated like other juvenile delinquents including status offenders is very crucial in very many states. This resource manual strives to address this question. As a starting point, this paper will look at the evolvement of gangs and the background of juvenile justice system. There is no one accepted or straightforward definition of a gang. The public and media use the term ‘gang’ more loosely than those in the criminal justice system. A youth gang is commonly thought of as a self-formed association of peers having a gang name and recognizable symbols, identifiable leadership, a geographic territory, a regular meeting pattern, and collective actions to carry out illegal activities. Most gang members define their gang along one or two basic definitional lines which are involvement in crime and the affiliation and cultural aspects of gang membership that make it like a family in the eyes of many members. The youth g ang problem in many states has become an important policy issue largely because of the increasing youth gang violence and the apparent proliferation of youth gangs throughout all sectors of the nations. Youth gangs pose a significant challenge in juvenile justice. There seems to be little evidence that the influence of these gangs is diminishing or that it will become less of a problem in the future. Therefore, it is important that practitioners in juvenile confinement facilities have good information about ways to address the nature and extent of youth gang problems. There are many reasons why youths join gangs and sometimes the adolescent doesn't exactly know why. However, some of the more common reasons include: To experience a sense of family, belonging or fellowship. To gain respect, a positive self-image, status. To experience power and control in their lives. To realize financial gain. For excitement and fun; and other social gains. For protection from neighborhood or rival gang violence. Because of recruitment intimidation. Because it is a family tradition. Due to peer pressure. Because the dangers of gang involvement are not understood. In the late 1800's, juvenile courts were established as an alternative to the adult criminal justice system. The juvenile justice system was designed specifically to meet the needs of non-violent, juvenile offenders and children at risk of becoming juvenile delinquents. Historically, juvenile crimes were considered "youthful indiscretions," warranting lenient treatment and rehabilitative responses. Unlike the offense-based adult system, the juvenile justice system is offender based, focusing on rehabilitation rather than punishment. Recently, many states have attempted to strike a balance among system and offender accountability, offender competency development and community protection. According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child ("U.N. Child Convention"), which the General Assembly adopted and formally ratified in 1998, Children and adults should not be treated equally under the international human rights regime. Before proceeding, it is necessary to examine the special rights of children enumerated in the same. Anti-gang legislation was a sudden shift in the legal trajectory that could be traced for the treatment of juvenile delinquents. Previously, implementation of significant reforms including specialized procedures and legal norms for the treatment of juveniles in conflict with the law was encouraged. This exceptional process, however, was revoked under anti-gang legislation resulting in recognition and treatment of juve