Despite Criticisms Essay Example for Free

Despite Criticisms Essay 1. Despite criticisms, the classical approach to business management is still relevant today. Discuss one example to support this statement. (25%) Classical approach on management can be in terms of three major perspective: scientific management, Bureaucracy and administrative principles, which are emphasis on purpose and formal structure, for instance, planing of work, technical requirements of organisation, principles of management, etc. Although this idea was emerged at 19th century, it does influence the management style today and some of its ideas are still relevant. UPS, a well-known shipping, freight and logistics company globally, which is a very good example of using classical approach to their management in nowadays business, especially in the bureaucracy aspect. UPS is not only follow the idea of Max Weber (1864 1920), the advocate of the idea of bureaucracy and also a sociologist, that the separation of management and ownership like many companies today, but also focus on the impersonal and rational management. UPS set out a huge amount of rules, procedures and regulations on every departments, for example, They teach their drivers 340 steps for how to deliver a package correctly, such as how to load the truck, fasten their seat belt, walk, carry their keys, etc. Strict dress code is a must: clean uniform, black or brown polished shoes with nonslip soles, no beard, no hair below the collar, no tattoo visible during deliveries, and so on. They also has well division of labour: specialized drivers, loaders, clerks, washers, sorters and main tenance personnel. All of them have to do formal record keeping, like, drivers have daily worksheets that specify performance goals and work output. When UPS want to hiring or promote employees, technical qualification is the main criterion. UPS use those impersonal management style to avoid irrationality in order to be more efficient and adaptable to change, because continuity is related to formal structure and positions rather then particular person who may leave or even die. Also, those rules and procedures provide a standard way of dealing with employees. Hence, everyone gets equal treatment, and everyone knows what the rules are, this has enabled them to become efficient as well. Although, classical approach contribute a lot in todays management, it ignore the humanistic factory and psychological need. It may cause other problems, for instance, over relying on technical qualification ignore the human aspect, since working ability cannot only be measured by technical qualification. Moreover, If organisations lose the balance, employees may be frustrated by endless rules and red tape which may eventually lower the effectiveness. And it makes work become boring and repetitive, employees become a cog of a big machines, that would lead to high levels of absenteeism and labour turnover. That the reason why classical approach is not the mainstream of todays management, although its still relevant.

Social Work In Livelihoods And Social Entrepreneurship Sociology Essay

Social Work In Livelihoods And Social Entrepreneurship Sociology Essay Livelihood in every day discourse refers to the means by which people make a living; it is the means to secure the basic necessities of life. A livelihood comprises the capabilities, assets and activities required for a means of living (DFID, 1999). The UK Department of international Development (1999) United Nations Development Programme (2010) adopts the definition given by Chambers Conroy (1991): A Livelihood comprises the capabilities, assets (including both material and social resources) and activities required for a means of living. A livelihood is sustainable when it can cope with and recover from stress and shocks and maintain or enhance its capabilities and assets both now and in the future, while not undermining the natural resource base. People require a range of livelihood assets to achieve positive livelihood outcomes and no single category of assets on its own is sufficient to yield all the many and varied outcomes that people seek. (The Sustainable Livelihood Framework, DFID). This framework identifies five main capitals or asset categories upon which livelihoods are built (Human capital, Social capital, Natural capital, Physical capital and financial capital), possession or right to use and manage these assets is necessary for a positive livelihood outcome of an individual or household. The ability to access, control, and own productive livelihood assets such as land, labour, finance, and social capital facilitate people in creating firm and productive livelihood outcomes (Meinzen-Dick et al. 2011). Assets have a constructive impact on livelihood security, it affects livelihood through different channels. Assets may: directly impact well-being through the increased status and empowerment that asset ownership con veys; facilitate different members of the household to opt different livelihood strategies; provides a safety net against shocks; and reinforces household members positions in the broader community and inside the household in terms of decisions over how income is used up or invested (Meinzen-Dick et al. 2011). The patterns of asset ownership are integral to livelihood choices that decide how commodities are marketed or consumed within a household. Assets can be used in varying ways to generate income through rents, interest on savings, and profits in business activities, assets also make possible participation of the individual or household in financial markets, like banking facilities which can be used as collateral for credit. (Swaminathan et al. 2012). The function of assets is significant since it can be sold or used as a security for credit to survive with the undesired or unwanted effects of economic shocks. By providing aid to income diversification of a household, assets als o reinforce households capacity to deal with, and counter negative shocks (Quisumbing, 2008, Cited in Swaminathan et al. 2012). When it comes to women, As culturally based expectations of the roles, responsibilities and behaviours of women and men are assigned to men and women in the society, and as society sees women primarily in gender stereotyped roles, it is important to analyse livelihoods from a gender perspective and to see how far women are able to access these resources to sustain their livelihood. In general, men and women have different levels of control and assess to the resources required for livelihood. Womens work choices are to a great extent limited by a multiple factors such as access to education, family expectations, gendered roles and responsibilities and the overall livelihood approach of the household (Basu and Thomas 2009). Gender inequality is present and apparent throughout developed and developing societies in varying forms and degrees. Women in general and poor women in particular, are underprivileged of basic economic opportunities and rights which are commonly available to men. There exist a large inequalities and disparities between men and women in terms of access to basic facilities, such as nutrition, health and education, as well as access to employment and possession of various income generating resources (Chavan 2008). Not only unequally distribution of assets between rich and poor exist, there exist an unequal distribution of assets between men and women, at the national level as well as within communities and households (Deere and Doss, 2006, cited in Meinzen-Dick. et al, 2011). Research shows that within households, assets are not always pooled, but rather can be held individually by men, women, and children (Haddad et al. 1997, Cited in Meinzen-Dick et al. 2011, p 3). Who within a household has the access to which resources and for what purposes is determined both by the larger socio cultural context and by intra household distribution regulations (Meinzen-Dick et al. 2011). Different allocation of the resources among man and women is determined by the larger socio cultural context, and women in general are deprived of economically productive resources. Asset ownership by women can have a positive impact on their status and bargaining power, and thereby enhance individual and household well-being (Swaminathan et al. 2012, p 60). While women may have greater ownership of certain types of assets as compared to men, a growing body of empirical evidence shows that women typically have fewer overall assets than men (Meinzen-Dick et al. 2011, p 4). Agriculture is one of the major sources of livelihood for many man and women in many developing countries. It is a critical productive asset in agrarian country, on the other hand, women are deprived of ownership rights and control land and lesser number of women has direct access to land in their own right (Velayudhan 2009). In India, landownership by women is not more than 2% (Agarwal, 1994, Cited in Velayudhan 2009, p 74). An Inter-national Centre for Research on Women (ICRW, 2006) study found that of 402 surveyed women in Kerala, 36% owned property (land or house) while in West Bengal, this figure was 35% in a sample of 450 women(Swaminathan et al. 2012, p 60). A survey of 400 households conducted in four districts in Karnataka in 2001 found that women in households that owned land had access to land, but rarely had ownership rights to it (Brown et al 2002, Cited in Swaminathan et al. 2012, p 60). The research conducted by in Karnataka, India Hema, Suchitra, and Lahoti (2011) shows gendered ownership of assets among man and women, where jewellery was the common and only asset directly owned by women. In Karnataka Women do not own assets by themselves; they co-own assets with some or all household members. Jewellery is the only asset that they own individually and which shows a reverse gender gap. Since jewellery is often pawned or sold during economic crises, it leaves women asset less and more vulnerable even as it provides a coping strategy for households (Swaminathan et al. 2012, p 65). Seeing at the limitations in access, ownership and control of assets by women there is less probability for women to convert these assets into livelihood opportunities, especially when women do not own and manage them. When livelihood is concerned, access to banking services is one important area. There exist gender disparities between man and women when it comes to banking services. While basic banking services are spreading in India, women are largely deprived of the basic banking service. In India, the available data till 2006 show that women at large remain considerably deprived of basic banking services as compared to men (Chavan 2008, p 18). If we consider credit supplied, only about 12 per cent of the individual bank loan accounts belonged to women in 2006; in the same year, women constituted about half of Indias population (48.4 per cent).The remaining 88 per cent of the individual bank loan accounts were held by men (Chavan 2008, p 18). Also The substantial growth in women-members of self-help groups has not meant any major change in the access of women to banking (Chavan 2008, p 18). Another research done by Meenakshi, Vani, Manojit (2011) by examining the National Sample Survey Organisa tion unit record data pertaining to debt and investment (59th round) shows that the relatively weaker sections such as self employed female headed households have much less access to credit both from formal and informal sources. Gender is found to play a very significant role for both amount of income earned as well as the likelihood of an individual being employed. Women in India are found to have a 12 per cent lower likelihood of being employed than men. But even among the employed, female annual incomes are likely to be lower by 36 per cent than otherwise similar males (Bhandari and Bordoloi 2006, p 3895). Which shows the very fact that there exist gendered discrimination in labor market. Gender also plays a crucial role in distribution and division of labor, in the research conducted by Neetu C, Parthasarathy D (2007) in two villages in Nanded, Maharastra, India, reveals the clear cut division of labor between men and women. Women were found generally to execute tasks which require so-called feminine endurance and patience. Almost households works were performed by women irrespective of whether they work and earn outside or not which shows the roles and responsibilities assigned to women defined by the l arger socio cultural context and by the household. And even among wage workers, they were paid less as compared to male counterparts for similar work. From various angles women are subjugated limiting their opportunities for livelihood, and the general scenario of women is grim as far as their livelihoods are concerned, starting from assets ownership, opportunities to work, gendered assigned role and responsibilities limiting them to house hold works, access to credits from banking institutions etc and one important aspect is that shocks like Divorce or death of a husband can lead to women losing their assets especially in cases where marriage is governed under customary laws that do not protect womens right to property (Peterman 2010, cited in Meinzen-Dick et al. 2011, p 11). So there is high chance of women being vulnerable with limited resources when they are single and heading a house alone. It is in this context that the study of the widows affected by armed conflict is being proposed; they are very vulnerable group, their husband or spouses had died in encounters by the state police or Army or killed by non state actors. These widows are those struggling to survive without their husband. After the sock of their husbands death these widows in Manipur are struggling hard for their childrens future, fighting against the stigma and isolation of a young widow of a suspected man (Lierde 2011). Meanwhile, the state, which has abdicated its responsibilities on all fronts, treats them as garbage, as trouble makers, as bad elements who must watch their step and, above all, need not to bother to turn to the state for a widows pension or for support for their fatherless children (Lierde 2011, p 14). Seeing the vulnerability women face in general and this section of women in particular the research proposes to study livelihoods, their vulnerabilities and the gender constrains. A brief review of literature Manipur in general the most important employment generating institution is the government institutions, due to lesser number of formal private sectors in the market, mostly people opt for informal sector for their livelihood, and farm based activities, so the literature review section will be mainly on informal sector and womens livelihood. There is little information in the literature about the day-to-day activities of women in the informal labor market (Basu and Thomas 2009, p 234). Dramatic reductions in trade barriers during the past 10 years have caused unprecedented economic growth in India. Little is known about the impact of globalization on the informal labor market, especially the impact on women (Basu and Thomas 2009, p 231). The National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganized Sector (NCEUS) (2007) reports that roughly 79 per cent of informal sector workers earn less than Rs.20 (less than $0.5) per day, making them the most vulnerable group in the economy (Basu and Thomas 2009, p 231). There is a high chance for Women to work in informal sector, like in Manipur majority of the street vendors are women, and there is an specific market for women vendors called Ima keithel (Ima is a vernacular word which means mother, and keithel means market) and women are also be likely to be segregated into the lower segments of the informal labor market, which are characterized by lower earnings and a high risk of poverty (Basu and Thomas 2009). The informal sec tor offers employment to a large proportion of the populations of developing countries, including India. This is particularly true for women since the informal sector, and home-based work specifically, offer poor women their best opportunity for work. This is because it provides the flexibility in work hours and location that they require to incorporate market work into their actual family work burdens as well as into the social norms regulating womens economic participation (Kantor 2002, p 285). A key constrain to women, in particular, for employability in the formal sector is lack of education, and also womens conventional function within the household limits the opportunity and keeps them in the informal sector (Basu and Thomas 2009). (Kantor 2002) pointed there major women exclusive constrains in their economic opportunities, first is the limited mobility, which comes from the border socio cultural and traditional context and reinforced by gendered roles assigned to women within the household. This has serious implication limiting womens economic potential; second is the womens more demanding role in the family as compared to man. Limited mobility effects women directly and indirectly in their economic progress, directly they are more likely to work in the home or near the vicinity of her home because of their assigned house hold works, and indirectly limiting economic success because of the work burden on the time, energy, and concentration levels they can apply to the market; third is the gendered division of labor in productive work which limits the number of opportunities to work available to women. Issue of female headed households (BuviniĆ¡ and Gupta 1997) pointed out the problems with defining and measuring female headed households, first is the use of different definitions of both the term household and head of household by different countries in their census instruments. Second is the ambiguity inherent in the term head of household when the headship is assigned by the judgement of the household members which may differ across culture and geography, The third and perhaps most serious limitation is that the term head of household is not neutral. It is loaded with additional meanings that reflect a traditional emphasis on households as undifferentiated units with a patriarchal system of governance and no internal conflicts in the allocation of resources (Nancy F 1990, Cited in BuviniĆ¡ and Gupta 1997). Three situations in which results in emergence of female-heads: (a) The broad range of domestic situations generally characterised by the absence of a resident male head, viz, widowhood, divorce, separation and desertion. (b) Male migration for long periods generally for economic activities living behind wives, and (c) resident male losing economic function due to severe unemployment, disability, illness etc (Buvinic Youssef 1978, Cited in Lingam 1994, p 699). Women who head households are triply disadvantaged as they experience the burdens of poverty, gender discrimination, and nonexistence of support as heads of household (BuviniĆ¡ and Gupta 1997). Female headed household and poverty (BuviniĆ¡ and Gupta 1997) pointed out the relation of female headed household and poverty: Here the main earners of female-headed families are by default women, who have lower average earnings as compared to men, they possess fewer or no assets at all which is economically productive, and limited access to remunerative jobs and employment. This gendered economic gap adds to the economic vulnerability of female-headed families. Combined with household structure and gendered differences in economic opportunity, make the female headed household leading to poverty. Rationale of the study Women being one of the vulnerable group in the society, and the group that the researcher is studying have lost their daily bread earner which makes them more vulnerable. Most literature has spoken about violence inflicted towards women in Manipur and less about their vulnerability and livelihoods insecurity. The research could be a useful insight on livelihood intervention programs by various agencies giving and insight about the realities faced by the widows affected by armed conflict in sustaining their livelihoods. Objectives of the study To study the livelihood pattern of widows affected by armed conflict To study the livelihoods vulnerability experienced the widows affected by armed conflict. To ascertain how gender constrains limits the opportunity of their livelihood. The response of state and non state agencies towards them concerning to their livelihood. Conceptual frame work Many approach or theoretical framework to analyze and to understand vulnerability and livelihoods has been developed and most of them attempt to understand peoples vulnerability to disaster specifically. The approaches take disaster/hazard vulnerabilities as the starting point and seeing livelihoods as an aspect of the problem (Twigg 2001) During late 1980s and early 1990s two important conceptual models to analyze vulnerability were developed to understand vulnerability to disaster and from reducing it. One is the capacities and vulnerability framework analysis which basically is a simple matrix for viewing peoples vulnerabilities and capacities in three broad interrelated areas. i.e. physical/material, social/organizational and motivational/attitudinal. In this model livelihoods is covered into physical/motivational category, which shows livelihood not in the center of discussion, if livelihoods has to be analyzed the model needs to develop specific indicator. Second is the pressure and release model of two opposing forces, on one side the progression of vulnerability i.e. root causes, dynamic pressure and unsafe condition, and on one side hazard which leads to vulnerability. Both of these attempts to address vulnerability towards disaster, and livelihood is not the prime focus (Twigg 2001). So for this particular study, the student/researcher will use the Sustainable Livelihood Framework to analyze the vulnerability and livelihood. The sustainable livelihood framework or SL framework begins with a development standpoint and puts livelihoods at the centre of the analysis, which is fitting with the proposed study. This framework takes into account all kinds of vulnerability as part of the context in which livelihoods are shaped or influenced. C:UsersKulajitDesktopsf.gif Sources: http://www.fao.org/docrep/007/y5808e/y5808e07.gif The SL framework begins with the vulnerability context in which people live and the five livelihood assets that people posses, then it takes into account how changing structures and processes which in turn generates livelihood strategies. Livelihood strategies is the basic coping skill or strategy people adopt within this three context, i.e. vulnerability, assets people own and the transforming structures and processes and finally the livelihood outcome which in turn affects the livelihood assets. The proposed study is located within the Sustainable Livelihood Framework, it seeks to examine the relationship between the widow, their livelihoods, and how this this is conditioned by the various livelihood assets or capital which is also determined by the broder socio cultural and political structures, as well as the study will also look into the institutional mechanism (both state and NGOs) impacting them in their livelihoods. The conceptual frame work of the study is outlined as follows: Through this framework it will take into account the vulnerability context within which these widows live, like shocks after the death of their husband, trends like the ongoing armed conflict and the trends in the governance and politics of Manipur, which in turns have impact on the strengths and capacities in the form of livelihood assets, like in a highly patriarchal society where land rights are denied to the women, death of the husband can lead women asset less which in turn may limit their livelihood opportunities. The transforming structures and process which include laws and policies and NGOs support which also affects their assets base. Within these three contexts which affects their livelihood base this frame work will look into the livelihood strategies they adopt and finally the livelihood outcome Methodology of the research The area of study will be in Imphal which is the capital of Manipur, the student is selecting this particular area because Manipur has been witnessing armed conflict for decades with the emergence of armed self determination movement during late 40s and the approach of Indian State by imposing laws like AFSPA 1958 has only worsen the situation. The situation has turned into an ugly face with many ethnic based armed groups emerging with their own agendas. This has disrupted many in all aspects of their lives, and it is because of this ongoing armed conflict these widows have been generated and within this context the research will study the livelihood of widows affected by armed conflict. By widows of the gun, It refers to those widows whose husband or spouses have died in encounter killings by state forces/army or by the armed non state actors. The universe of the research will be the widows affected by armed conflict registered in an Imphal based NGO named Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network which is working for the widows affected by armed conflict, As the researcher has time constrain with regard to data collection the area of research is limited to Imphal and the sample size will be 10 to 15 widows. Sampling will be done using simple random sampling so that individuals have the same probability of being chosen at any stage during the sampling process. The proposed research will be a qualitative one. This is because the study of the livelihood vulnerability, these particular group faces will require a lot of observations on the part of the researcher and the data will have to be gathered through observing the norms and the life activities of the respondents. Unstructured in-depth interviewing technique will be used to interview the respondents about their perceptions and views regarding their day-to-day livelihood activities. Through this interview, the overall nature of the vulnerabilities and the risks that the widows of the gun face will be ascertained. Though the in-depth interviews will be individual interviews, it will take into context the broader socio cultural and the household context of the individuals. Limitations of the research As the research is a MA Research Dissertation which is a part of the course curriculum, the outcomes of the study will be indicative and cannot be generalised.

Optimization and Production of Siderophore

Optimization and Production of Siderophore Production and optimization of siderophore from plant growth promoting rhizobacteria Abstract The aim of this study was to optimize the production of siderophores by bacterial strains isolated from rhizosphere soil. Chrome azurol sulphonate assay confirms siderophore production by all 30 bacterial isolates. Maximum siderophore production was observed with strains S-6 and S-26 on standard succinic acid medium. Siderophore production was found to be influenced by different carbon, nitrogen and amino acid sources. Optimization of SM medium nutrient composition enhances siderophore production. The pot culture experiment clearly demonstrate the beneficial effect of strain S-6 and S-26 with significance increase in biometric parameters of soybean. Effect of rhizospheric bacterial isolates (S-6, S-26) on siderophore production was estimated by detecting the iron in soil as well as plant by using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The iron concentration of soil was decreased after treatment from 38.32 ppm to 26.66 ppm and the iron concentration of plant was increased from 10.18 ppm to 36.05 ppm after treatment with S-6. Key words: Siderophore, Optimization, PGPR Introduction Iron plays a key role in electron transport, oxidation–reduction reactions, detoxification of oxygen radicals, synthesis of DNA precursors and in many other biochemical processes [1]. Being a transition element, iron gets rapidly oxidized from soluble ferrous (Fe2+) to insoluble ferric (Fe3+) state. In order to facilitate iron(III) acquisition, plants and microorganisms, such as fungi and bacteria, produce and excrete strong iron(III) chelators, i.e., siderophores [2]. Siderophores (Greek: iron carrier) are small, high-affinity iron chelating compounds secreted by microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and grasses [3]. Microbes release siderophores to scavenge iron from these mineral phases by formation of soluble Fe3+ complexes that can be taken up by active transport mechanisms. Many siderophores are non-ribosomal peptides [3], although several are biosynthesised independently heterologous siderophores or its producer organism may bring about various responses in other targe t bacterial species that are present within the same niche. Growth of some species may be inhibited and this has been attributed to be one of the mechanisms by which biocontrol agents’ act in inhibiting the growth of pathogens in the rhizosphere [4]. PGPR produces extracellular siderophores (microbial iron transport agents) which efficiently complex environmental iron, making it less available to certain native microflora. Siderophore production by PGPR is influenced by source of C, N and minerals found. Plant growth benefits resulting from PGPR application include increases in germination rate, root and shoot weight, lateral root growth, leaf surface area, chlorophyll content, nitrogen content, and yield. In general, yield can be enhanced up to 10% for cereal crops and 15 to 50% for different vegetable crops with PGPR applications [5]. Ability to produce siderophores by an organism under iron limiting conditions can promote plant growth by directly supplying iron for plant u tilization and by removing iron from the environment for the growth of phytopathogens thereby reducing their competitiveness [6]. Materials and Methods Thirty isolates were isolated from rhizosphere soil of agricultural fields located in semi arid regions of India. Selected isolates were identified based on the biochemical analyses. Further 16S rRNA gene sequencing was carried out for identification of bacterial isolates. Amplification of the 16S rRNA gene was attempted by PCR using 16S rRNA gene sequence of the isolate was submitted to NCBI and compared with related gene sequences. Selected sequences were aligned in Bio-Edit. Phylogeny was examined by neighbour-joining dendrogram using MEGA software. Screening for siderophore production For siderophore production, isolates were screened on iron depleted succinic acid medium. After incubation, the cell free supernatant (10,000 rpm for 15 min) was examined for siderophore production by FeCl3 test and CAS agar plate method. Nature of siderophore produced by the isolates was ascertained by Arnow’s [7], Csaky’s [8] and Shenker’s [9] assay. The amount of siderophore in the culture supernatant was quantified by Chrome azurol sulphonate (CAS) shuttle assay. Various physico-chemicals parameters were optimized for siderophore production [10]. Effect of Incubation time on siderophore production The selected isolates showing high siderophore production were inoculated in this SM broth and the flask was then incubated on shaker at 150 rpm Production of siderophore was estimated at regular time interval [11]. Effect of pH on siderophore production The effect of pH 4.0 to 10.0 on siderophore productions was studied in succinic acid medium by adjusting the pH before inoculating the strain with 1N HCl and 1N NaOH and keeping all other condition constant. Sample were harvested at 24 h, each set was subjected to siderophore quantification [12]. Effect of inoculum size on siderophore production To study the effect of inoculum size on siderophore production was studied in succinic acid medium by inoculating the strain S-6, S-26 with 0.5 %, 1.0 %, 1.5 %, 2 %. The production flasks were then incubated on shaker at 150 rpm, and maximum siderophore production was checked by harvesting the sample at 24 h [13]. Effect of different sugars on siderophore production To study the effect of different sugar on siderophore production was studied in succinic acid medium which was individually supplement with different sugar such as glucose (1gm/l), glycerol (1gm/l), sucrose (1gm/l), dextrose (1gm/l), mannitol (1gm/l), and keeping all other condition constant. Sample were harvested at 24 h, each set was subjected to siderophore quantification [14]. Effect of different organic acids on siderophore production To study the effect of different organic acids on siderophore production was studied in succinic acid medium which was individually supplement with different organic acid such as succinic acid (4 gm/l), oxalic acid (4 gm/l), malic acid (4 gm/l), citric acid (4 gm/l). Each set was separately inoculated with strain S-6 and S-26, incubated on shaker at 150 rpm for 24 h at room temperature. After incubation each set was subjected to siderophore production [15]. Effect of different amino acids on siderophore production To study the effect of different amino acid on siderophore production the succinic acid medium was individually supplemented with 0.05 gm per 50 ml of cystein, lysine, threonine, tyrosine, and serine. Each set was separately inoculated with strain S-6 and S-26 and incubated. After incubation of 24 h each set was subjected to siderophore quantification [12]. Effect of nitrogen source on siderophore production To study the effect of different nitrogen source on siderophore production the succinic acid medium was individually supplemented with 1 gm/l of ammonium sulphate, urea. Each set was separately inoculated with strain S-6 and S-26 and incubated. After incubation of 24 h each set was subjected to siderophore quantification [13]. Influence of iron on siderophore production In order to determined threshold level of iron at which siderophore biosynthesis repressed in organisms under study. Both the cultures were grown in the medium supplemented with 0-100 uM of iron. Reports showed increase in growth of Pseudomonas with increase in FeCl3 concentration revealing that presence of FeCl3 is vital for its growth [6]. Pot trials and measurement of biometric parameters of Glycine max L Two isolates were selected on basis of their high siderophore producing activity for pot study. The plant chosen was Glycine max L and cultures designated as S-6 and S-26 were used. Soybean seeds were soaked in 0.02% sodium hypochlorite for 2 min and washed five times with sterilized distilled water. Seeds were coated with 1% CMC as adhesive. Then seeds were treated with bacterial strain for 30 min. seeds were sown in each earthen pot filled with sterile sandy loam soil and watered regularly. For each treatment, three such pots were maintained. Uninoculated seeds were sown in pot served as control. After 30 days of plant growth, plant were carefully uprooted from sand. Intact root system was carefully uprooted to prevent breakage. The plant growth promoting parameters such as root length, shoot length, fresh weight, , dry weight, number of leaves, number of lateral root and chlorophyll content were recorded [10]. Detection of iron in soil as well as in plant by using AAS (Atomic absorption spectroscopy) Atomic absorption spectrophotometer with following accessories; HVG (Hydride vapor generator) GFA (Graphic furnace Atomizer) was used to determine the concentration of iron in soil and plants [16]. Results and Discussion Isolation and Screening Thirty isolates were isolated from rhizosphere soil of agricultural fields located in semi arid regions of India from Rajasthan and Gujarat and screened on iron depleted succinic acid medium. CAS assay based on the color change (colored halo) around the microbial colonies from blue to orange after chelation of the bound iron by siderophores produced by isolates [17]. 16 out of 30 isolates were positive for the siderophore production. The positive isolates were S-1, S-2, S-3, S-4, S-5, S-6, S-7, S-17, S-21, S-23, S-24, S-25, S-26, S-28, S-29, and S-30. The zone diameter was measure around positive isolates on CAS agar plates (Table 1). Quantitative determination of bacterial siderophore All Positive rhizospheric bacterial isolates produced moderate reaction with the hydroxamate assay [7] while S-6 and S-26 which showed higher siderophore production (36.5 ug/ml. 33 ug/ml respectively) as compare with other bacterial strain (Figure 1). However, any isolate did not show catecholate [8] and carboxylate [9] type of siderophore. Identification The two isolates showing maximum siderophore production- S-6 and S-26 were identified based on 16S rRNA assay.They were Rhizobium and Enterobacter respectively. The sequence was submitted to NCBI and compared with related gene sequences under the accession number KF984469 and KF984470 respectively. Selected sequences were aligned in Bio-Edit. Phylogeny was examined by neighbour-joining dendrogram using MEGA softwar. Optimization of the conditions for maximum siderophore production Optimization of various parameters and development of media are the most important criteria for the overproduction of siderophore. Various physical and chemical factors have been known to affect the production of siderophore such as incubation time, pH, inoculum size, different sugars, different organic acids, different amino acid, different nitrogen sources, different concentration of iron. Interactions of this parameter were reported to have a significant influence on the production of the siderophore. Hence several cultural parameters were studied to optimize the siderophore production from S-6 and S-26. Effect of different incubation time on siderophore production For the optimization of incubation time for maximum siderophore production sample was harvested at interval of every 24 h, 28 h, 48 h, and 52 h and centrifuged at 10,000 rpm for 10 mins. Supernatant used for the siderophore production. The results obtained were shown in the graph for S-6, S-26 isolate (Figure 2). From the graph it was concluded that maximum siderophore production was observed at the end of 24 h and declined thereafter. However, overall trend of siderophore production level during time course study are similar in both the isolates. On the other hand in pseudomonas fluorescens the siderophore synthesis started after 12 h of incubation, which increased up to 28 h and declined thereafter [15]. Moreover, in case of strain MR-AI and WR-W2 highest accumulation of siderophore level was observed after 94 h of growth but both the strain demonstrate a significant decline in siderophore production level after 120 h of growth [18]. Effect of different pH on siderophore production pH plays an important role in  the solubility of iron  and thereby  availability  to the growing  organism in the medium. For that production media was set at different initial pH 4 to10 pH in  order to check the effect of pH on siderophore production by culture S-6 and S-26. The result  was shown in graph (Figure 3).

The Killer Angels :: History, Battle of Gettysburg

THIS IS AN INTRODUCTION!!!!! The commanders that served under Lee were blinded by this admiration. â€Å"His presence is everywhere. They hush when he passes, like an Angel of the Lord.† (pg. 63) Even as he walks down the street people salute him, bow to him, praise him. â€Å"A Pennsylvania woman flirted, asked for is autograph.† (pg. 78) Within the army Lee is worshipped by all members, low and high. When something goes wrong they will find someway to avert the blame from Lee, even though it may have been his fault, to someone else. â€Å"They love him. They do not blame him. They do impossible things for him.† (pg. 250) On the second day of the battle, when everything goes horribly wrong for the Confederate Army, no one blames Lee for the loss. It was his idea to (what was his plan again..) and yet after it failed everyone took it out on Longstreet. As Goree says on page 240 â€Å"They can’t blame General Lee. Not no more. So they take it out on [Longstreet].† Although Lee is one of the most loved Generals of all time, I don’t think he enjoyed it all that much. On page 79 he says that â€Å"Fame came too late. I would have enjoyed it, if I were younger man.† The Confederate Army could, and probably should, have won the Battle of Gettysburg. They started off the battle by overpowering the Union Army on the first day. Everyone is in good spirits and feeling that â€Å"with every step of a soldier, with every tick of the clock, the army was gaining safety, closer to victory, closer to the dream of independence.† (pg. 110) With this in mind they charged into the second day. This is when everything went wrong. Lee’s plan was to â€Å"attack en echelon, to take Cemetery Hill in reverse.† (pg. 184) Although most of the Confederate Army was against the procedure and thought it wouldn’t work, no one could persuade Lee to change his mind. And so the army went ahead and attacked the Union Army following Lee’s plan. The battle raged on for hours and by the end the Confederate Army had suffered an unpleasant loss. If they had used a different strategy I think they could have won on the second day. By the third day, however, things are looking grim. Even Longstreet admits it when he is talking to Lee; â€Å"I have to tell you now, sir, that I believe this attack will fail.

Degeneration of Kurtz, Colonialism, and Imperialism in Heart of Darknes

Degeneration of Kurtz and Colonialism in Heart of Darkness       Kurtz was a personal embodiment, a dramatization, of all that Conrad felt of futility, degradation, and horror in what the Europeans in the Congo called 'progress,' which meant the exploitation of the natives by every variety of cruelty and treachery known to greedy man. Kurtz was to Marlow, penetrating this country, a name, constantly recurring in people's talk, for cleverness and enterprise. Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness is a portrait of the degeneration of the ideal of Kurtz symbolizing the degeneration of the ideal of colonialism as 'civilizing work'.    The fading of the idealist mirage of 'civilizing work' in Africa has to be one of the central themes of Heart of Darkness. This theme forms the background of the whole story, from beginning to end, before the character of Kurtz is even introduced.    The focus of Heart of Darkness is not on the direct effect of the colonial presence on the native population, but on the reflected effect on the colonial occupiers. Centrally, the whole story being told directly is the effect on Marlow of his colonial adventure. Marlow here reflects or represents his Western ideological origins coming to terms with the reality of the Congo. It was not merely the economic relations of commodity exchange which so often in the colonies, it was the respectability of society; it was the very identity of the occupying force and it was the emptiness of the western colonial myth of individualism. The degeneration of Kurtz is thus inseparable from the 'other' degeneration.    Marlow, on his return to civilization, learns from Kurtz's cousin that he was a "universal genius" (Conrad 71). What ... ...ause the heart of humanity does not lie in the individual, it lies outside, in society, in language, in active engagement with a human world. Kurtz was more capable than anyone else of conquering the world, but the world, and the savagery, conquered him.    Works Cited Adelman, Gary. Heart of Darkness: Search for the Unconscious. Boston: Little & Brown, 1987. Bradley, Candice. "Africa and Africans in Conrad's Heart of Darkness." (24 Jan. 1996). Online Internet. 3 October 1998. Available: http://www.lawrence.edu/~johnson/heart. Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. Ed. Robert Kimbrough. 17th ed. New York: Norton, 1988. Rosmarin, Adena. "Darkening the Reader: Reader Response Criticism and Heart of Darkness." Joseph Conrad Heart of Darkness: A Case Study in Contemporary Criticism. Ed. Ross C. Murfin. New York: St. Martin's, 1989.       Degeneration of Kurtz, Colonialism, and Imperialism in Heart of Darknes Degeneration of Kurtz and Colonialism in Heart of Darkness       Kurtz was a personal embodiment, a dramatization, of all that Conrad felt of futility, degradation, and horror in what the Europeans in the Congo called 'progress,' which meant the exploitation of the natives by every variety of cruelty and treachery known to greedy man. Kurtz was to Marlow, penetrating this country, a name, constantly recurring in people's talk, for cleverness and enterprise. Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness is a portrait of the degeneration of the ideal of Kurtz symbolizing the degeneration of the ideal of colonialism as 'civilizing work'.    The fading of the idealist mirage of 'civilizing work' in Africa has to be one of the central themes of Heart of Darkness. This theme forms the background of the whole story, from beginning to end, before the character of Kurtz is even introduced.    The focus of Heart of Darkness is not on the direct effect of the colonial presence on the native population, but on the reflected effect on the colonial occupiers. Centrally, the whole story being told directly is the effect on Marlow of his colonial adventure. Marlow here reflects or represents his Western ideological origins coming to terms with the reality of the Congo. It was not merely the economic relations of commodity exchange which so often in the colonies, it was the respectability of society; it was the very identity of the occupying force and it was the emptiness of the western colonial myth of individualism. The degeneration of Kurtz is thus inseparable from the 'other' degeneration.    Marlow, on his return to civilization, learns from Kurtz's cousin that he was a "universal genius" (Conrad 71). What ... ...ause the heart of humanity does not lie in the individual, it lies outside, in society, in language, in active engagement with a human world. Kurtz was more capable than anyone else of conquering the world, but the world, and the savagery, conquered him.    Works Cited Adelman, Gary. Heart of Darkness: Search for the Unconscious. Boston: Little & Brown, 1987. Bradley, Candice. "Africa and Africans in Conrad's Heart of Darkness." (24 Jan. 1996). Online Internet. 3 October 1998. Available: http://www.lawrence.edu/~johnson/heart. Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness. Ed. Robert Kimbrough. 17th ed. New York: Norton, 1988. Rosmarin, Adena. "Darkening the Reader: Reader Response Criticism and Heart of Darkness." Joseph Conrad Heart of Darkness: A Case Study in Contemporary Criticism. Ed. Ross C. Murfin. New York: St. Martin's, 1989.      

How does Austen convince the reader that Lizzy is right to reject Mr.Collins’ proposal?

From the first sentence of the passage, Austen demonstrates that Mr Collins is not a suitable husband for Lizzy when she says â€Å"Mr Collins was not a sensible man. † In Chapter 15, Austen describes the character of Mr Collins in more detail reinforcing the statement made in the opening sentence. Mr Collins is then described as being stupid and his natural stupidity has not been helped by ‘education or society. ‘ Although Mr Collins had been to university, he had ‘only kept the necessary terms. ‘ so he had not improved himself as a result of attending. Mr Collins was brought up as by a stingy father who gave him no guidance and gave Mr Collins a ‘great humility of manner' meaning he was reluctant to involve himself in society. When Mr Collins is recommended to the living of Hunsford by ‘fortunate chance' he is forced into society and his ‘early and unexpected prosperity' has gone to his head. He venerates his patron Lady Catherine de Bough, and Austen's use of the word ‘veneration' suggests the religious awe with which Mr Collins regards Lady Catherine. It is ironical that a clergyman who prides himself on setting an example to his parish practically worships his patroness. Austen describes him as ‘a mixture of pride and obsequiousness, self-importance, and humility. ‘ Mr Collins intends to marry one of the Bennet daughters, but Austen's description of Mr Collins convinces the reader that his behaviour makes him unsuitable for anyone. Before arriving at Longbourn, Mr Collins had decided he would marry the eldest of the five daughters, Jane. However, Mrs. Bennet tells him that Jane is likely to be engaged so Mr Collins decides to marry Elizabeth instead. This decision to change his affections was made ‘while Mrs. Bennet was stirring the fire,' which highlights the absurdity in the switch in his affections. Chapter 19 shows Mr Collins at his most well intentioned, but also at his most stupid. Lizzy feels awkward when Mr Collins asks to speak with her, and she is ‘torn between distress and diversion,' meaning that she didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Mr Collins however, sees this awkwardness as a mark of a good upbringing and shows his insensitivity by failing to see Lizzy's unhappiness at the interview. Mr Collins then claims he will be ‘run away with by (his) feelings' which brings Lizzy to the verge of laughter at the very notion. Mr Collins' â€Å"solemn composure† would ever lead him to be romantic. Mr Collins gives three reasons for marrying, but none of them consider Lizzy's feelings, they only satisfy him. The first reason is to set an example to his parish; the second is to ensure his happiness, without considering Lizzy's, and the final reason is his patron, Lady Catherine de Bough told him to marry. Mr Collins shows his absurd veneration of Lady Catherine by recalling the whole conversation when she told him to choose a suitable wife. So part of the reason Mr Collins is marrying is to satisfy his patron, who, according to Mr Collins, will think Lizzy a suitable wife. Mr Collins assures Lizzy that were she to marry him, she would be able to meet Lady Catherine, something he sees as a real privilege. Mr Collins explains to Lizzy how Lady Catherine will enjoy her ‘wit and vivacity,' yet also says how Lady Catherine's high social rank demands silence, so it is a mystery how Elizabeth will be able to demonstrate ‘wit and vivacity' when she is required to remain silent! It is evident from Mr Collins's attitude that he views Lady Catherine as being more important than his intended wife, but he further compounds his errors by telling Lizzy there are many ‘amiable young women' in his neighbourhood. He also believes the marriage is right as a reconciliation because Mr Bennet's estate is entailed away form the family line to Mr Collins. So far, the reader has not seen a motive of love at any point in this proposal, Mr Collins has talked of pleasing himself and his patron. However, from chapter 15, the reader can see that there is no depth to Mr Collins's affections; he had simply resolved to choose a wife, almost for the sake of having one. Mr Collins, however, assures Lizzy of the ‘violence' of his affection. He also claims that at as soon as he entered the Longbourn house he had ‘singled out' Lizzy as the companion of his future life. The reader knows this to be untrue as Mr Collins only chose Lizzy when he was told Jane was likely to be engaged. Austen convinces the reader here that Lizzy should reject Mr Collins because it is evident that there would be no element of love in the marriage, and Mr Collins is portrayed as being selfish and dishonest during this conversation. Austen shows the reader that Mr Collins has a complete lack of self-knowledge. Mr Collins claims to be ‘perfectly indifferent' to Lizzy's fortune as she is not entitled to a large inheritance, yet he knows the precise details of her inheritance and speaks at length on the subject. It is evident although Mr Collins professes to have no interest in her fortune, that he is interested enough to research the exact nature of Lizzy's inheritance. Mr Collins's blundering would make Lizzy even less likely to marry him than she was before the start of the proposal. He tells Lizzy there are plenty of pretty girls in his Parish, and speaks at length about the death of Lizzy's parents, further demonstrating the fact that he had no idea about the correct way to behave in society. Whilst making his long speech, outlining the benefits of the marriage for himself and venerating Lady Catherine, Mr Collins had not considered that Lizzy might refuse him which shows great arrogance and complete lack of thought. When Lizzy is finally able to reply, she replies politely, thanking Mr Collins for his compliments, and unsurprisingly, refuses Mr Collins's proposal. Yet, Mr Collins further shows his complete ignorance of society by refusing to accept Lizzy's refusal! Mr Collins, claiming to have great knowledge of society, believes that ‘it is usual for young ladies to reject the man they secretly mean to accept. He does not understand society and the idea that young ladies would refuse to marry a man they loved is ludicrous. Lizzy tries to convince Mr Collins to accept her refusal by referring to Lady Catherine, claiming ‘she would find me in every respect ill-qualified for the situation. ‘ Mr Collins however, thinks exactly the opposite believing Lizzy' s ‘modesty and economy' make her a suitable wife. These were two of the qualities Lady Catherine instructed Mr Collins to look for in a wife. Mr Collins continues to persist and he outlines the reasons why he is convinced Lizzy secretly loves him. These include ‘my situation in life, my connections with the family of de Bough'. He further insults Lizzy saying she might not get another chance of marriage largely because her ‘portion is so small' meaning her lack of wealth will ruin her chance of marriage and he is probably the only man who will accept her. He still refuses to accept Lizzy's refusal, and Lizzy leaves the room to appeal to her father ‘whose negative might be uttered in such a manner as must be decisive. ‘ Austen does not make the reader feel sorry for Mr Collins, but portrays him as a totally unsuitable husband for Lizzy. The initial description of Mr Collins in chapter 15 tells the reader what Mr Collins is like, and Austen's view of him as ‘not a sensible man' is totally accurate. In chapter 19, we see Mr Collins's stupidity during his proposal to Lizzy, and it is obvious Mr Collins does not know how to behave, nether does he have any understanding of people's feelings. It is Austen's description and portrayal of Mr Collins that convinces the reader that Lizzy is right to reject Mr Collins and that she deserves a much better husband.

A Loaf of Breasd Essay

â€Å"A Loaf of Bread† by James Alan McPherson is a story about a man named Harold Green who is accused of cheating customers due to his overpriced products being sold at one of his supermarkets. Throughout the story, Green is faced with a plethora of different obstacles that he has to overcome in order to prove not only to his family, but to himself that he is a honest and caring man. There are many different lessons and themes you can pick out from this story, but one in particular that I feel is important is the relationship between Harold Green and Nelson Reed. Both men are introduced as complete opposites of each other, but as the story progresses they both discover that they are very much alike and the animosity they once shared was nothing more than a mere misunderstanding. By the end of the story, they both learn a lot from each other and that judging someone without knowing their position or seeing things from their perspective can often lead to false verdicts. â€Å"I did not make this world,† he repeated. â€Å"I only make my way in it† This quote perfectly describes Harold Green and his perspective on life. In the beginning of the story, Green is introduced as a selfish but honest man. He knew that he was overcharging customers in his store, but to him it was something he had to do in order to provide for his family even if it meant losing them. â€Å"What is the color of these people?† he asked. â€Å"Black,† his wife said. â€Å"And what is the name of my children?† â€Å"Green.† The grocer smiled. â€Å"There is your answer,† he told his wife. â€Å"Green is the only color I am interested in.† This furthermore shows that Green starts off as a selfish man. He chose to ignore the needs of his customers due to his lust for cash. Nelson Reed on the other hand, was introduced as a very proud and caring Christian man. He believed that what Green was doing was wrong, and felt the need to stand up for his people. Although both men seem to be complete opposites of each other, they still shared similar characteristics. They were both very stubborn and determined to stand up for what they believe in. Green at first, did not want to give in to his wife and give away his products for free. He refused to because he believed he was right, and that he needed to stand up for himself. Reed, although different from Green, shared a similar perspective about the whole situation. He felt the need to stand up for himself and his people. As the two characters progress, they both come to terms on one thing; money rules the world. â€Å"The only thing that matters in this world is money.† This quote by Reed depicts a better understanding between the two. Reed is finally starting to see things through Green’s eyes and realizes that he would’ve done the same thing as Green if he had owed the store. â€Å"Place yourself in my situation†¦ Say on a profit scale of fifteen to forty percent, at what point in between would you draw the line?† â€Å"Forty? Maybe even forty-five or fifty?† the grocer breathed in Reed’s ear. â€Å"In the supermarkets, you know, they have more subtle ways of accomplishing such feats.† Reed slapped his coffee cup with the back of his right hand. The brown liquid swirled across the counter top, wetting the books. â€Å"Damn this!† he shouted.† Although Reed is reluctant to believe he is like Green, he is now putting himself in Green’s shoes. In a way, it’s almost like Reed is giving in to himself. Green does the same thing. One morning Green decides to give in to himself and give out his products for free. In the end, as Green is in the middle of giving out items, Reed walks in and insists that he pay for the loaf of bread his wife had taken for free earlier. â€Å"I think it was brown bread. Don’t that cost more than white?† â€Å"In my store, yes,† Harold Green said. He rang the register with the most casual movement of his finger. The register read fifty-five cents. Nelson Reed held out a dollar. â€Å"And two cents tax,† the grocer said. The man held out the dollar. â€Å"After all,† Harold Green said. â€Å"We are all, after all, Mr. Reed, in debt to the government.† This last quote from the story sums up the change we see in both characters. Green has now learned that there is more to life than just money and himself, whereas Reed learns to respect Green’s profession. The fact that Reed paid full price for the bread shows that he understands Green’s position in contrast to the beginning where he saw it as a crime how Green had overpriced his items. In the end, both men had learned valuable lessons, and although at first were very different and opposing of each other, came to terms that they are no more than two similar people making money for the government.