A Woman in Berlin Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A Woman in Berlin - Essay Example This indicates the urge for self-preservation in a human being to the extent of availing such grim unworthy options. But the Russians had no educated Officer class to take appropriate decisions and exercise proper control over their men. Most of the officers were peasants as also the troops he commanded, but under the protection of the higher-ups in the army, she got better facilities, and then secured a typewriter through a friend to produce a fair copy of her jottings. Ultimately, she settled in America. (B.)The living conditions of the German people were absolutely horrid. They mostly occupied the basements of the bombed buildings and had no proper ration and clothing. Living in a war situation presents innumerable difficulties for the party that has lost in the war. Firstly, it is most humiliating to live as a loser. Secondly, what would be the next step of the army personnel, under whose mercy they have to spend time, is another serious problem. Many of the survivors shifted fro m one basement to another. In normal circumstances such pathetic living conditions are unthinkable. (C)In the present case, the residents have mostly supported each other, and for rejecting such advances there should be very strong reasons, such as conflict amongst different nationalities. (D)Human memory is very short, and one cannot say that the sufferings undergone by a particular generation of any country will be remembered by them for all time to come. But what happened is part of the history that cannot be obliterated by anyone. The coming generations, as students of history or the citizens of the country will continue to evaluate the facts. The politicians and the administrators of the country are not likely to commit the same mistakes that caused immense harm to the economy and damage to the psyche of the people. 2. (A) The men of the German force, were suddenly thrown into humiliating circumstances. They had lost everything, their prestige, rank, property and in many cases their family members were dead or missing. The end of war was a great relief, and they were confronted with a new set of economic problems. Many of them had lost their thinking power and were in a state bordering insanity. (B). The perspectives in which stories relating to their experiences were told differed in details but not in substance much. German soldiers talked about their bravery at the fronts. The author elucidates the issue thus: â€Å"And they loved to tell their stories which always involved exploits that showed them in a good light.†(149) I think that the German soldiers were not responsible for the plight in which they were put into. When they were asked to surrender by the higher authorities, they had no option but to surrender. They had no role in directing the politics of the state. Only the grave issue before them was to take care of their family and household. In that grim situation anyone would turn cynical. Many had to confront the situation of loss of l ife of their family members, rape of their wife and children by the Russian soldiers, total destruction of the property etc. In no way such soldiers were liable for condemnation for their so-called impotence. (C) After the ravaging World War II at the fronts where guns and

Foodmaster company Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Foodmaster company - Case Study Example At present, the company has 4Â  factories, 16Â  retail branches and two dairy farms across the country. Moreover, the FoodMaster factories have the capacity to process more than 100 tons of dairy products daily at present. Initially, the company was interested in the manufacturing of yoghurt alone; however the company is currently manufacturing many other dairy products such as Kefir (a healthy dairy drink), Lapped Milk BIO-C Immun+ (a sweet vanilla flavored or fruit jam lapped milk), Dolce Yoghurt Drink (a gentle creamy drinking yoghurt made from milk of the highest quality, with large cantles of natural juicy fruit), Lactel Milk with Vitamin D (a milk RANGE with vitamin D) and Nenny Yogurt Drink (a drink made from the milk of the highest quality with a wide range of fruit supplements). Arethe yogurt, the sour cream, the home curd, Dolce yogurts and Bio-C Immune+ curdled milk are extremely popular among the people of Kazakhstan (FoodMaster, N.d.). The company has the habit of updating and diversifying its product ranges every year, based on the changing trends among the consumers. It should be noted that consumers are always look out for new tastes and flavors. FoodMaster Company knows this fact very well and has developed more than 100 popular dairy products as of now. Some of the major landmarks of FoodMaster Company’s history are given below. One of the major success factors of FoodMaster Company is its commitments to the corporate social responsibility, environmental protection and sustainable development. The company’s vision is to provide dairy products with natural ingredients to the people of Kazakhstan. It should be noted that many other prominent dairy companies in other parts of the world are using artificial ingredients to stretch the life of dairy products as much as possible. The company is giving more importance to the health and safety of the people rather than the profitability

Steps in the Process of Fertilization

Steps in the Process of Fertilization Fertilization is an essential process in sexual reproduction which involves the union of two specialized cells called the gametes to form a zygote. This then develops to form the new organism. During the process of fertilization innumerable number of sperms hit the surface of the eggs. But only one sperm succeeds in fertilizing it and the rest are repelled from the surface of the egg. This is done by the modification of cell envelope extracellular matrix besides altering the metabolic activity of the zygote or embryo. Various metabolic changes occur after the zygote is formed. This includes the respiratory burst hydrogen peroxide production activation of oxidases peroxidase alterations in the redox status changes in the activity of redox-sensitive transcription factors etc. Besides these an embryo-derived paf (1-o-alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-gylcero-3-phosphocholine) is synthesized and its release involves the binding to extracellular albumin which protects its enzymatic degradation (ONeill C , 1985). The change in the redox state affects the activity of redox-sensitive transcription factors that may alter gene expression patterns. Besides, this change in the metabolic status also, is responsible for the spatial differences in cell activity especially after compaction and major embryonic events such as fertilization genome activation and cellular differentiation (AJ Harvey et al, 2002). Multiple variations that occurs during this stage are found throughout phylogeny (Wessel G.M.et al., 2001; Shapiro B.M. et al, 1989). Three discrete steps are involved with the formation of extracellular barrier during the post-fertilisation stage (i.e. after zygote formation): Following cortical granule exocytosis an autoactivating serine protease separates plasma membrane attachments to the eggs vitelline layer facilitating the separation of this matrix from the egg surface (Haley S.A. and Wessel G.M., 1999). The structural components of the fertilization envelope (FE) primarily derived from the cortical granules (Wessel G.M. et al, 2001) self assemble into the vitelline layer network and form a distinct pattern of cytoskeleton like structures. (Chandler D.E. Heuser J. 1980). The cortical granule-derived enzyme ovoperoxidase is targeted to the FE by the tethering protein proteoliaisin (Somers C.E. et al, 1989). The structural proteins self-polymerise into fibers. This is followed by an increase in the ovoperoxidase activity in response to alkalization (Deits T.L. and Shapiro B.M., 1986) and an increase in the synthesis of hydrogen peroxide (Foerder C.A. et al 1978; Heinecke J.W. Shapiro B.M., 1989). Studies on nutrient uptake during fertilization have been done in various species(Leese Barton, 1984, Leese, 1991, Rieger, 1992, Rieger et al., 1992, Rieger Loskutoff, 1994, Gardner, 1999, Gopichandran Leese, 2003). However uptake of O2 is the major parameter that provides the required indication of overall metabolic status of a single zygote (Leese, 2003) as the production of ATP by oxidative phosphorylation a reaction in which O2 plays a major role (Thompson et al., 1996 Thompson, 2000 Leese, 2003). Furthermore the respiratory rates of single embryos is directly in correlation with quality (Abe Hoshi, 2003) and with survival following its transfer (Overstrà ¶m, 1992). When the production of the harmful reacting species eg., destructive oxygen species supersedes the bodys handling capacity through antioxidants, cellular damage occurs. This type of damage is the usual reason for most of the pathological states in animals, especially in nearly half of the infertile men. ROS bring their damage through various routes; the membrane of the sperm is damaged, which causes the motility rate of sperm to reduce and subsequently its inability to fuse with the egg during the fertilization process. ROS also alter the DNA of the sperm, leading to the improper genetic material getting transferred to the next generation. In spite of this, there is an inverse correlelation between the spermsa ability to produce ROS and their maturation. In the middle of the process of spermatogenesis, the cytoplasm of the sperm is lost due to its compaction (condensation) which is required for the elongation of sperm. This is witness from the study that immature teratozoospermic spe rms are featured by the presence of increased residues in cytoplasm in the mid-piece. Besides the cytotoxic damage caused by the levels of ROS in spermatozoa, hazardous oxygen metabolites produced by the leucocytes present in the ejaculate also damages it. This damage is more significant in the assisted conception therapy, where the contamination of the sperms washed, is presumed to the predominant factor determining the success rate of the fertilization, invitro. The so called reactive oxygen species ROS viz. H2O2 O2- · OH · etc affect the gametes and early reproductive events. ROS, produced by the peroxidation of the lipids, affects and changes the mitochondrial metabolism, besides producing more ROS. ROS are mainly known for their deleterious effects on spermatozoa and hence on male infertility (de Lamirande E et al, 1997, Sharma, RK Agarwal A, 1996, Shen, H Ong, C, 2000). Increased production of ROS has been associated with defects in the morphology of sperm (Aziz N et al 2004) inhibition of sperm motility (Armstrong JS et al, 1999, Parinaud J et al, 1997) fragmentation of sperm DNA (Donnelly ET et al, 1999) and premature capacitation (Villegas J et al, 2003). Further ROS also decreases the capacity for sperm-oocyte fusion efficiency and greatly inhibit the in vitro development of the embryo (Johnson MH et al, 1994, Guerin P et al, 2001, Mammoto A et al, 1996). More than six decades ago, it was discovered that the oxygen radicals (ROS) may have involved in the reproduction of human, especially men. (MacLeod, 1943). But the same was not studied to that extent in the case of female reproductive function, with only little works on pathological and physiological processes. Paszkowski observed that the selenium dependent glutathione peroxidase (SeGPx) was decreased in follicular fluids of women with no record of infertility (Paszkowski et al., 1995; Paszowski and Clarke, 1996). He also demonstrated that the levels of SeGPx were higher in those follicles which yielded oocytes that were successfully fertilized, compared to those follicles which yielded oocytes that failed to fertilize. Increased levels of hydrogen peroxide was found in the unfertilized oocytes also in fragmented embryos ( Yang et al., 1998). Whereas an increase in the antioxidant consumption was reported by Paszkowski and Clarke (1996) revealing an increase in the ROS activity, w hen poor quality embryos were incubated. Attaran et al (2000) observed a beneficial role of ROS, with its levels were high in the follicular fluid in IVF conception cycles compared to that of non-conception. Besides acting on sperm or oocytes separately, ROS were also reported to have its deleterious effect on sperm-oocyte fusion also. Studies reporting the fact the decrease in the levels of enzymes like catalase resulting in the loss of sperm motility. Many other studies produced a conclusive evidence for the production of ROS by human spermatozoa and showed that there was indeed an increase in the activity of ROS, in infertile men. If conventional method of invitro fertilization procedures were employed, even the spermatozoa whose DNA is damaged due to ROS, was able to fertilize the oocytes. Velocity measurements in the sperm motility studied under the impact of the ROS (generated by incubation with hydrogen peroxide) showed that the quality of sperm movement was significantly aff ected, but were motile, extremely; only the percentage motility was affected. Increased reactive oxygen species production was observed at 7 h and then at 24 h after IVF just before the first cleavage of the embryo. Increased oxidative activity and redox changes at the time of fertilization have been suggested to signal Ca2+ flux after the penetration of sperm. H2O2 besides being the substrate for ovoperoxidase is produced by a calcium-depending mechanism involving the reduction of one molecule of oxygen and the oxidation of two proton donors. Contrarily low levels of ROS has a positive effect on sperm functions (Bilodeau JF et al, 2000, de Lamirande E et al, 2003) binding of sperm to zona pellucida (Aitken RJ et al, 1989) and the development of embryo in bovine and other mammals (Harvey AJ et al, 2002 Guo Y et al, 2004, Harvey AJ et al, 2004). The concentration of ROS in both intracellular and extracellular are carefully regulated by enzymatic and nonenzymatic mechanisms and also by the presence of a detailed antioxidant defense mechanism in bovine oviductal tissues and fluids (Lapointe J et al 2003). Antioxidant genes especially a few glutathione peroxidases like GPx-1 Gpx-2 and Gpx-3 were differentially expressed along the oviduct. The major enzymes that are capable of metabolizing hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) belong to the family of GPx as well as the oviductal-catalase (Lapointe S et al, 1998, Brigelius-Flohe R, 1999). The concentration of oxygen that has to be utilized during the culture of embryos, influences the development and quality of the embryos. When the concentration of oxygen was reduced in the culture of mouse embryos, it altered the embryonic gene expression during the post-compaction stage. This has severe consequences on the fetal development of the mouse. (Deanne Feil, 2006). Furthermore blastocysts cultured under decreased O2 tension correlate more closely with in-vivo-recovered blastocysts than in vitro blastocysts cultured under normal O2 tension (Dumoulin JCet al, 1999; Yuan YQ et al, 2003; Johnson MH et al, 1994; Guerin P et al, 2001). The driving force for changes in the metabolic status of the zygote is the secretion of the cortical granules at least in sea urchins. The sea urchin embryo generates large amounts of H2O2 at the beginning of development of zygote and its levels are meticulously regulated to prevent any possible toxic effect. Because of this the sea urchin system provides greater insights into the control of reactive oxidants in biological systems. ROS can either positively or negatively affect the reproductive events in vitro. In the fertilization process the oviducts are the site of important processes that occur prior to implantation such as the maturation of oocyte in the initial stages of embryonic development (Harvey AJ et al 2002). They regulate the ROS levels to provide a proper environment for the gametes followed by their fertilization and the subsequent stages in the development of embryo. Vitamin E protects against the loss of the motility of the sperm through the peroxidation of lipids. Hence, supplementation of the same improved the motility of the sperm and enhanced the possibility of fertilization in asthenospermic invidicuals, even when the original sperm motility measured was only 20%. Spermatozoa exposed to PUFA showed an increase in its oxidative stress (Aitken, RJ, 2006). In particular, the oxidation of DHA- docosahexaenoic acid bound to phospholipid was shown to be one of the predominant factors that controls the mobility of the sperm in vitro. There is a marked cell to cell differences in the life span of sperm samples, which reflects in their susceptibility to lipid peroxidation. It is a well established fact that when a spermatozoa is subjected to oxidative stress, its membrane and the DNA is damaged through the membrane lipid peroxidation. The probability of this type of damaged spermatozoa will be able to fertilise the egg depends on the rate at which the functions of the sperm is lost. Till date, the research evidence shows that the motility of the sperm, its capacity to enter into acrosome reaction, its ability to integrate with vitelline membrane of the oocytes are all is prone to get affected by the oxidative stress. Of all the ROS, it is the superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide that causes the deleterious damage to sperm capacitation and hence are the key mediators. The former contributes to the hyperactivated motility of the sperm, while the later is found to be associated with the tyrosine phosphorylation events in sperm capacitation. Current research have shown that the spermatozoa that are subjected to extreme oxidative stress using the method d escribed by Aitken RJ etal (1998) i.e, exposure to hydrogen peroxide and NADPH, have the capacity to reach the normal rate of fertilization with ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection). The original postulate of the free radical hypothesis was that the ROS led to non specific modification of various biomolecules, such as proteins, lipids and nucleic acids. This is responsible for the etiology of the pathological condition that arises after that. The existence of oxidase activity was first documented while measuring oxygen consumption following fertilization (Warburg O., 1908). The increase in the oxygen consumption upon fertilization of sea urchin eggs is cyanide insensitive and produces H2O2 as the substrate for ovoperoxidase which crosslink the protective FE (Foerder C.A. et al, 1978). The assembly of ovoperoxidase into the fertilization envelope and the cross linking reaction are carefully regulated events that take place in ten minutes following gamete fusion (Weidman P.J. et al 1985). High oxygen concentrations are deleterious to early mammalian embryonic development (Thompson JG et al., 1990). Heinecke Shapiro have characterized an oxidase from unfertilized Stronglylocentrolus purpuratus eggs and had demonstrated its role as respiratory burst oxidase of fertilization. Their oxidase appears to be regulated by a protein kinase. It produces H2O2 when stimulated with Ca2+ and ATP and utilizes NADPH but not NADH as a source of reducing equivalents (Jay.W.Heinecke Bennett M. Shapiro, 1989; Li J Foote RH., 1993; Dumoulin JC et al., 1999). Some of the transcription factors including PEBP2 AP-1 p53 and NF-ÃŽÂ ºB are known to be regulated by the changes in the redox status and this regulation has been shown to occur through conserved cysteine residues in the DNA-binding regions of these proteins (Hirota K et al, 1997; Hirota K et al, 1999; Ueno M et al., 1999; Akamatsu Y et al., 1997). Role of à Ã¢â‚¬ °-3 fatty acids in fertilization Fatty acids are classified as: saturated monounsaturated and polyunsaturated (PUFA). There are two main classes of PUFA: n-3 (omega-3) and n-6 (omega-6); distinguished by the location of the first double bond i,e.,from the three or six carbon from the CH3 (methyl) end of the fatty acid. à Ã¢â‚¬ °-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids. Examples include ÃŽÂ ±-linolenic acid (ALA) eicosapentaenoic acid(EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The n-3 PUFAs are generated from ALA, found mostly in the chloroplasts of green plants and grass. These essential fatty acids can be converted to longer chain PUFAs, in liver, by desaturation and elongation enzymes, that is common to both. Fatty acid desaturase 2 (FADS2) is rate limiting (Gurr MI et al, 2002). The human cannot synthesize this, because they do not possess the required fatty acid desaturase enzymes and therefore have to be supplemented through diet. When the gene expression of this FADS2 enzyme is deleted the first step in the PUFA biosynthesis is stopped. This lack of PUFAs and eicosanoids did not interefere with viability or lifespan of female and male fads2-l mice, but resulted in sterility. Wilhelm S. etal (2008) demonstrated that phospholipids substituted with PUFA have a significant role in Sertolic cell polarity and blood-testis barrier, besides the gap junction network between the ovarian follicles granulose cells. They are implicated in various process in human, including reproduction, vision, neural development and growth (Gurr MI et al, 2002). For over a long period, these FAs have been implicated in the different stages of vertebrate fertilization. Either of n-6 or n-3 or both influence the reproductive processes through a heterogenous mechanisms, ranging from the providing the precursors for prostaglandin synthesis, steroid hormone biosynthesis, regulating the transcription factors involved. In ruminants, the pregnancy is established through the ovulation of the eligible oocytes, insemination at the right time and an adequate dosage of estradion and progesterone, during the luteal and follicular stages of the estrous cycle. Oocytes of cattle, when exposed to methyl palmoxirate to prevent the FA oxidation displayed low level of capcity to form blastocysts after fertilization. Moreover, the embryo have to develop completely to prevent luteolysis, which may occur by the interfereons production to inhibit up-regulation of the endometrial oxytocin receptors. Polyunsaturated fatty acids are also reported to modulate the function of the certain transcription factors that controls the gene expression and thus have a effect on the IC concentrations of the enzymes involved in the regulation of PG and steroid hormones synthesis. In bovine endometrial stromal cells and in lutenised granulose cells, both the omega-3 and 6 PUFAs are found to activate the protein kinase C, which activa tes the phosphodiesterase by phosphorylation. All these processes are affected by the dietary supplementationof PUFAs. Therefore changes in the PUFA sources subsequently reflects in the omega-3 and omega-6 content of the sperm. And these PUFAs are more susceptible to attack by the ROS as reported by various researchers. A schematic diagram showing a proposed mechanism in which the PUFAs generating the oxidative stress in human spermatozoa. High levels of poly unsaturated fatty acids in the spermatozoa of infertile human triggers the production of the ROS from a non mitochondrial source, (may be throughthe NADPH oxidase, NOX 5, influenzed by the calcium). Increased reactive oxygen species, ROS, then induces the peroxidation of lipids, which in turn shoots out the phospholipase A2, culminating in the release of more polysaturated fatty acids with subsequent generation of more ROS to perpetuate the oxidative stress. Dietary supplementation of n-3 PUFAs influence various aspects of fertility starting from conception and throughout the duration of pregnancy. (ESHRE Capri Workshop Group, 2006, Kind KL, et al, 2006). These n-3 PUFAs are incorporated in the phospholipids of the cell membrane and have their effects on membrane composition function, (Hong MY, 2002), ROS production (Hong MY, 2002 ,Watkins SM, 1998), membrane lipid peroxidation (Hawkins RA etal, 1998), regulators of transcription translation (Narayana BA et al 2001, Davidson LA2004), production of eicosanoids (Chapkins RS, 1991) and IC signal transduction (Ma D, 2004). Lupton JR (2004) had observed that these mentioned actions facilitate the n-3 PUFA-induced suppression of colon cancer. Similarly, alterations in the PG synthesis (mediated through the manipulation of the n-3 PUFAs) has profound effect on fertility, since PGs affect many aspects of fertilization, e.g., ovulation). Dietary supplementation of varying PUFA content to female cattle and to other mammals have found to alter the size and the number of ovarian follicles, the ovulation rate, the production of progesterone hormone by corpus luteum, the length of gestation and luteolysis timings. In male mammals, dietary PUFAs has demonstrated effect on sperm membrane PL composition and on the ability to fertilize (Abayasekara Wathes, 1999). For instance, sheep fed with diets containing high PUFAs delayed parturition (Baguma-Nibasheka et al. 1999). They also increased the incidence of placenta getting retained in cattle (Barnouin Chassagne 1991). High supplementation of ALA in diet, during the post partum period improved pregnancy rate in cattle (Kassa et al. 2002). Embryonic mortality was reduced through the suppression of uterine synthesis of prostaglandin F2alpha in cattle was brought about by altering the FA profile in their diets. This strategy of altering the FA profile in the diets, may be used to improve animal productivity by integrating the nutrit ion and reproductive management (Mattos R etal 2000). The fatty acid composition of both oocytes and sperm are responsible for the various observations in the study of the fertilization process in animals. The FA composition of the oocytes is specific for a given species both in terms of their abundance and their utilization. Among them, EPA, DHA and ARA have been associated in several stages of reproduction (Wathes DC etal 2007). Mature zebrafish oocytes fortify with ARA, indicating their capacity to synthesize eicosanoids for ovulation and follicular maturation. ARA along with LA was the most predominant PUFAs in oocytes of pig, sheep and cattle. (McEvoy etal 2000). Decreased ARA:EPA ratio in eggs and ovaries of fish have been reported as the reason for poor productivity in the captive broodstock (Pickova J, 2007, Cejas JR et al 2003). DHA along with EPA inhibited the gonadotrophin-mediated steroid hormone synthesis in cold and warm water fishes. These two highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA) act as regulator molecules in the maturat ion of those fish ovary (Mercure F et al 1995). Kim et al (2001) had observed that the quality of oocytes was influenced by the dietary FAs which changes the composition of granulose cells and oocytes. Based on those quality, the oocytes were divided in to grade1, 2, 3 etc. Kim also observed that there were differences in the FA composition between those grades of sheeps oocytes, which affected the oocytes competence, resulting in alterations in fertilization rate and developmental potential. Sheep fed with PUFAs had altered FA composition in their membrane PLs of cumulus cells, resulting in the alteration of the oocytes membrane properties (Zeron et al., 2002). Supplementation of n-6 and n-3 showed different reponses in reproduction (Wonnacot KE et al, 2010). Ewes fed with n-3 PUFAs prior to ovarian stimulation and follicular aspiration showed no changes in the follicle number and size. But follicular-fluid levels of progesterone were found to be greater and all the blastocycts (both treated and untreated with the stipulated diet ) contained increased levels of PUFAs, mostly ALA. Moreover, dietary supplementation of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) to early-lactation dairy cows showed an improvement in their reproductive performance (MJ de Veth 2009). Cows fed with 18:3 FAs rich diets had a prolonged preovulatory follicle at insemination and larger volume of corpus luteum compared to those fed with MUFAs (Bilby TR, 2006). The deficiency of essential fatty acids affects the energy and fat metabolism, biosynthesis of PUFA, structure of cell membrane and signaling pathways in lipid resulting in incompatible life (Cunnane, 2003). Studies on fads2-/- mouse model had thrown light on the various effects of the deficiency of PUFAs, invididually,( ie, omega-3, omega-6 etc) and combined. In that study, FADS2 deficiency caused hypogonadism and sterility of male (azoospermia) female mice. Spermatogenesis is stopped in male fads2-/- mice occurred at the stage of round spermatids, leading to azoospermia. This is often caused by a damaged blood testis barrier BTB. BTB is formed by TJ and AJ protein complexes that are restricted to basolateral compartment of the more polarized sertoli cells (Fanning et al, 1998; Chapin et al, 2001; Ebnet et al, 2003). Similarly Thangavelu G etal (2007) have shown that the development of embryo was increased in Holstein cows that are fed with unsaturated fatty acids compared to those with saturated fatty acids. This shows that a diet rich in ÃŽÂ ±-linoleic acid facilitates the development of embryo when compared to that of linoleic or saturated fatty acids. Another observation which showed that, enriching the semen diluents with DHAs containing egg yolk prior to freezing did not enhance the sperm quality following thawing. In both human and in domestic animals, levels of the breakdown products of lipid peroxidation, such as malondialdehyde and 4-OHalkenal, had no correlation with the semen quality. But, studies on chickens showed that dietary supplementation with more PUFAs, decreased the antioxidant status and semen quality (i.e, sperm concentration and volume). In this context, the significance of the role of the non-enzymic antioxidant, vitamin-E (a chain breaking antioxidant), which reverses the negative effects caused by the PUFA supplementation is to be noted. Besides all the sources that had been mentioned in this introduction, the final source of oxidative stress is the sperm itself. Defective human sperms produce ROS, which is directly proportional to the extent of the impairment of the sperm function (Deluliis 2006). Another reason for sperm being a source for ROS is that some authors believe that they contain more amounts of unsaturated fatty acids, mainly DHA and AA (Ollero M, 2000). Their study demonstrated that exposing the human spermatozoa to various PUFAs resulted in the accelerated production of free radicals, subsequent to peroxidation of lipids and DNA damage. There is an abnormal retention of remnants of cytoplasm and a presence of increased levels of unsaturated fatty acids in the immature or defective human spermatozoa, which generated high levels of reactive oxygen species. PLA2 gets activated due to this peroxidation of lipid, which enhances the production of more free poly unsaturated fatty acid from the phospholipid fu rther increasing the production of ROS. In this situation, the fertilizing potential of spermatozoa under increased oxidative stress with concomitant low antioxidant status and more ROs production, will decrease dramatically as observed various researchers and in various species. Dietary n-3 PUFA affects reproductive processes including ovulation oocyte development and sperm levels motility. The in vivo morphology of oocytes is improved through a high supplementation of n-3 PUFA (zeron Y, 2002). PUFAs stimulate the generation of in vitro ROS (Aitken RJ et al 2006). In males the fatty acid composition of the sperm membrane influences their fertility and fertile men have much higher sperm levels of omega-3 FAs as compared to infertile men. Infertility and premature birth are two womens health issues where omega-3 levels are implicated. omega-3 supplementation decreased the clotting in the endometrial cells of the uterus and improved the implantation rates of fertilized eggs. Lower concentrations of spermatozoon DHA in asthenozoospermic men are not due to diet but to some type of metabolic difference (Conquer JA). Fouladi et al (2010) have shown that the ovary regulates the effects of alterations in plasma n-3 and n-6 FAs, resulting in only small effects on th eir developmental potential. The cessation of growth and some health problems in growing rats fed with low PUFAs were reversed after feeding the same with high PUFA sources rich in 18:3 ALA (Burr and Burr 1930). Reproduction in cattle is influenced more by the type of fats (ie. PUFA or MUFA) than with just fats as it is, reveals the importance of PUFAs in reproductive processes. This is more highlighted because ruminants extensively hydrogenate PUFAs, thereby limiting their supply for absorption in small intestine. Eicosanoids-independent mechanisms such as modulation of intracellular signaling pathways transcription factor activity and altered gene expression (Das UN., 2000; Dentin R et al, 2005; Simopoulos AP. et al, 2002). Fatty acids in the oocytes are utilized during its maturation and are incorporated into its cytoplasm (Ferguson EM et al, 2006; Kim JY et al, 2001). Changes in the n-3 PUFA levels in the diet alter the fatty acid composition of the oocytes and its surrounding environment affecting the oocytes maturation; modulate the development of follicles, ovulation, embryo development and developmental competence such as its ability to involve in fertilization. The changes in the diet profile for the n-3 PUFAs also had altered mitochondrial properties and increased the ROS levels in oocytes, suggesting a role for mitochondria in the impaired embryo development. Sarah et al (2008) studied the effect of diet supplementation of n-3 PUFA on the zygotes. Exposing the reproductive tract for a period of 22h (post hCG) found to increase the number of zygotes which are morphologically poor, especially when females were given a diet rich in n-3 PUFA. The in vivo-derived zygotes (which were morphologically normal) which were subjected to n-3 PUFA treatment failed to cleave and their development was delayed (Sarah et al, 2008). This was due to the impaired mitochondrial metabolism. Low and high levels of omega-3 concentrations in the blood have been implicated in various conditions. Hong et al. (2002) have observed n-3 FAs increase apoptosis in colonocytes when coincubated with butyrate. Eicosopentanoicacid increases oxidative stress leading to lipid peroxidation in Walker 256 rat tumor cells besides decreasing the mitochondrial membrane potential (Colquhoun A et al 2001.). in oocytes this change in mitochondrial membrane potential is observed to be a consequence of metabolic inhibitors (Van Blerkom J et al 2003) and have been correlated with developmental arrest in mouse two-cell embryo increased fragmentation (Acton BM et al 2004) and the rate of embryo development in the human (Wilding M et al 2001). Low omega-3 FA in blood leads to increase in menstrual pain. Lipids of the Oocyte are crucial for the energy requirement of the preimplantation zygote. They also participate in fertilization and in the subsequent cell differentiation (Amri et al., 1994). Oocytes that are oxidatively damaged have a low levels of PUFA and are unable to undergo fertilization (TarÄ ±Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ´n et al., 1996). The levels of arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid as well as lipid peroxidation in blood and seminal plasma of normozoospermic males from infertile couples compared with that of fertile volunteers indicate that systemic oxidative stress resulting in increased lipid peroxidation and an alteration in the fatty acid profile which may be responsible for infertility in men (Oborna I et al, 2009). The omega-6 or -3 fatty acids are the precursors for various metabolites produced in sperm and ovum which are necessary for fertilization. The precursors from omega-3 are less potent in generating ROS than omega-6. Therefore the gametes will be less affected by the effects of ROS under this condition. An imbalance in the omega-6-to-omega-3 ratio has been linked to various complications; like polycystic ovarian syndrome PCOS low sperm count etc. Treatment of cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) with ALA significantly increased the percentage of oocytes at the metaphase II an increase in the percentage of cleaved embryos the blastocyst rate and better -quality embryo compared with untreated controls while higher doses of it were detrimental (Waleed F et al, 2009). Thus the omega-3 FAs and the Redox regulators have multifarious roles before during and after the fertilization process. The role of the polyunsaturated fatty acids is important in both the physiology of sperm and ovum. This is highlighted by their key role in the maintaining the fluidity of the membrane of the sperm, which is needed for fertilization. Further, they are also a important part of the specific class of fucosylated slycosphigolipids, which are important for the male fertility. Besides these, they are also sources of alkoxyl and peroxyl radicals, to help these cells in the event of damages arising due to oxidative stress.

I Am Forty-seven and I Wish to Study Law Essay -- Law College Admissio

I Am Forty-seven and I Wish to Study Law "If I had it to do over again, I would go to law school." That has been my response for the last fifteen years whenever I was asked if I felt fulfillment in my chosen profession. The truth is, I never felt fulfilled because I never really chose a profession. As did many working-class people with no advanced education, my parents believed that the road to success was through education. Hence I was encouraged to pursue an academic education in high school and to attend college. Beyond that point, there was no plan. My career planning process resembled the path that a pin-ball experiences during its descent through a maze of bumpers, obstacles and flippers. Considering my financial status (I had no money for college) and my vocational preference or suitability (I had no idea what I wanted to do, but I was mechanically-oriented and "good with my hands") my guidance counselor, using all the diagnostic skills and insights he could muster, advised that I consider either engineering or dentistry. His list of candidate institutions included Drexel Institute of Technology and Temple University, each of which was local and had arranged a program so that a student could work full-time to earn tuition while attending college. Upon receiving letters of acceptance from both schools, a flip of a coin at the counselor's desk cemented the lifetime decision: engineering it was! Almost immediately after starting Drexel, I was certain that I had chosen incorrectly. My father was of the strong opinion that one completed what one had started, however, and being a reasonably obedient son, I completed five years of arduous undergraduate engineering school. ... ...ssful real estate development and management firm. I never had a business or project repossessed by lenders or creditors, and I never experienced any bankruptcy or debtor's action against me. Along the way, I found time to fit in twenty five years of active Barbershop Quartet and Chorus singing which allowed me to serve in every major chapter officer's position, make enough significant administrative contributions to be elected to the honorary fraternity within our singing society (100 out of 6000 men), earn medals in several international competitions and appear on the stage at Carnegie Hall. So I guess in today's world I would be considered successful; however, something has been missing. If I had it to do over again, I would go to law school. Now that my children are grown and my family's finances are secure, I have the opportunity to do it over again.

Sexual Harassment Case Study

Individual Case Study #1 1. Is there a case of sexual harassment in this situation or is it only fun? This is a case of sexual harassment because; the words and actions of fellow employees ultimately made Rosetta quit her job. The technical definition of harassment is when members of an organization treat an employee in a different manner due to that person’s sex, race, religion, age, and etc. Harassment also includes unwelcomed remarks or jokes which make the employee feel uncomfortable.These guys that Rosetta had been working with, as she mentioned were making remarks and asking uncomfortable questions regarding her personal relationships (asking about her boyfriend, asking intimate details and asking if she prefers Canadian men over Italian men), the guys made dirty jokes and purposely made sure that Rosetta heard them, which is another sign of harassment – its causes Rosetta to feel awkward and embarrassed at her workplace (somewhere where she should feel comfortabl e and safe).Not only, do these guys make dirty jokes, but the manager, Al also contributes and encourages these guys regardless if it’s making another employee uncomfortable. These guys make fun of Rosetta when she comes into work, with remarks like calling her â€Å"Risotto† which in Italian means rice with gravy, not only is this an unwelcomed remark, its taunting her and insulting towards her Italian culture. Another form is harassment is displaying is offensive or pornographic items in a workplace environment.According to Rosetta, these guys post centrefolds pinned on their machines, which are pictures of nude or almost nude women. This is highly inappropriate for the work environment and makes Rosetta uncomfortable. When Rosetta asked these men from refraining to asking awkward and inappropriate questions and to leave her alone, they said that â€Å"Italians are just braggarts† which is derogatory and condescending term against her race. Sexual harassment; a form of harassment, was also present in this situation.Sexual harassment has three different characteristics; the first one being that the encounters must be unwelcomed to the complainant, expressly or implicitly known by the responder to be unwelcomed. This applies to this situation because Rosetta let the guys knows that she did not like the remarks by sayings â€Å"leave me alone† and â€Å"mind your own business† and they still continue to make remarks which leads to the second characteristic; conduct must continue despite the complainant protests, finally the third characteristic is complainants cooperation must be due to employment related threats.Rosetta suffered and took the harassment for so long from the fear of the manager, and being fired from her job. 2. If you were Eva, what would-and could-you do? What are the options? What is the probability of success of each option? Rosetta faced indirect systematic discrimination, which indicates that there is no i ntention to discriminate, but the system, arrangements, or policies allow it to happen. To begin with, Eva could have talked to the Manager, which she had and it didn’t lead her to positive results.So, she could either go above the manager or go directly to the Human Resource department of that company. This is a long process, which has many steps so Eva could choose to go to the Canadian Human Rights Commission. The Canadian Human Rights Act is a federal law that permits discrimination anything under federal jurisdiction, for example banks, airlines, government agencies, radio and TV companies. Areas that are not covered but the federal jurisdiction are covered by the provincial human rights act.The Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) is there to supervise and implement any action under the Canadian Human Rights Act. Any person/group that has reasonable ground to believe that they have been discriminated against has the right to file with CHRC. For Eva to report harassme nt has taken place against Rosetta, she must first take permission from Rosetta, otherwise there is a chance that her complaint could be rejected. However, there are many things that Rosetta has to be careful with, the CHRC does not accept complaints that are over a year old, if the complaint seems trivial or made in bad faith.Eva must report this problem immediately with the correct proof so her complaint wouldn’t be dismissed. After Eva has filed the complaint, it will be further investigated. It will either be ruled as substantiated or non-substantiation, if ruled substantiated, (in support of complainant) then an attempt to make a settlement will be made. If no settlement is made, then the Human Rights Tribunal Panel can be appointed to further investigate the complaint. If they find that there was discrimination against Rosetta, then she will be compensated as seen appropriate.Eva can also file a complaint with the Ontario Human Rights laws and commission, which will inv estigate the complaint (also with the consent of Rosetta) and a settlement will be offered to satisfy both parties if no settlement is reached, then complaint will be further investigated. Both these processes are very long, but proven in favour of the complaint many times. However, there are times where there is no discrimination/harassment found in the case.Another thing Eva could do is try to implement the employment equity program within the organization. This program (usually run by employers) is used to undo past employment discrimination and prevent future discrimination and create equal employment opportunity within the company. Eva, with the help of the HR department could use this program and the example of Rosetta to prevent future situations like this by educating the employees about the laws, and diversity. It can also help undo the harassment that Rosetta faced. . What are Al’s responsibilities in this instance? Did he carry them out well? Why or why not? Employ ers, or managers have one basic responsibility towards their employees, which is to provide a safe environment for their employees and Al, as the manager failed to do so. The job of managers/supervisors is to know the law and to implement it within their organization/team. His responsibility is to be aware of what harassment is, different types of harassments and the signs of harassed workers.His responsibility as a manager was to put a stop to the harassment and discrimination Rosetta was facing, and report those employees to the Human Resources Department or to the CHRC. Not only did he fail to put a stop to the harassment, he failed to report it and was also part taking in the harassment by encouraging the jokes those guys were making that made Rosetta feel uncomfortable. Another responsibility of a manager is to have good communication not only within the team members but good employee-to-manager communication which is failed to establish with Rosetta.She did not feel comfortabl e talking to her manager about the harassment, which ultimately made her quit her job because she felt she had no one to talk to and ask for help. Al, also fails to recognize the harassment happening and blames it on Rosetta not being able to take the jokes lightly and took the accusation of Rosetta being harassed very lightly. He did not carry his responsibilities out well for the reasons stated above, he created an unsafe, uncomfortable environment for one of his employees. Sexual Harassment Case Study Individual Case Study #1 1. Is there a case of sexual harassment in this situation or is it only fun? This is a case of sexual harassment because; the words and actions of fellow employees ultimately made Rosetta quit her job. The technical definition of harassment is when members of an organization treat an employee in a different manner due to that person’s sex, race, religion, age, and etc. Harassment also includes unwelcomed remarks or jokes which make the employee feel uncomfortable.These guys that Rosetta had been working with, as she mentioned were making remarks and asking uncomfortable questions regarding her personal relationships (asking about her boyfriend, asking intimate details and asking if she prefers Canadian men over Italian men), the guys made dirty jokes and purposely made sure that Rosetta heard them, which is another sign of harassment – its causes Rosetta to feel awkward and embarrassed at her workplace (somewhere where she should feel comfortabl e and safe).Not only, do these guys make dirty jokes, but the manager, Al also contributes and encourages these guys regardless if it’s making another employee uncomfortable. These guys make fun of Rosetta when she comes into work, with remarks like calling her â€Å"Risotto† which in Italian means rice with gravy, not only is this an unwelcomed remark, its taunting her and insulting towards her Italian culture. Another form is harassment is displaying is offensive or pornographic items in a workplace environment.According to Rosetta, these guys post centrefolds pinned on their machines, which are pictures of nude or almost nude women. This is highly inappropriate for the work environment and makes Rosetta uncomfortable. When Rosetta asked these men from refraining to asking awkward and inappropriate questions and to leave her alone, they said that â€Å"Italians are just braggarts† which is derogatory and condescending term against her race. Sexual harassment; a form of harassment, was also present in this situation.Sexual harassment has three different characteristics; the first one being that the encounters must be unwelcomed to the complainant, expressly or implicitly known by the responder to be unwelcomed. This applies to this situation because Rosetta let the guys knows that she did not like the remarks by sayings â€Å"leave me alone† and â€Å"mind your own business† and they still continue to make remarks which leads to the second characteristic; conduct must continue despite the complainant protests, finally the third characteristic is complainants cooperation must be due to employment related threats.Rosetta suffered and took the harassment for so long from the fear of the manager, and being fired from her job. 2. If you were Eva, what would-and could-you do? What are the options? What is the probability of success of each option? Rosetta faced indirect systematic discrimination, which indicates that there is no i ntention to discriminate, but the system, arrangements, or policies allow it to happen. To begin with, Eva could have talked to the Manager, which she had and it didn’t lead her to positive results.So, she could either go above the manager or go directly to the Human Resource department of that company. This is a long process, which has many steps so Eva could choose to go to the Canadian Human Rights Commission. The Canadian Human Rights Act is a federal law that permits discrimination anything under federal jurisdiction, for example banks, airlines, government agencies, radio and TV companies. Areas that are not covered but the federal jurisdiction are covered by the provincial human rights act.The Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) is there to supervise and implement any action under the Canadian Human Rights Act. Any person/group that has reasonable ground to believe that they have been discriminated against has the right to file with CHRC. For Eva to report harassme nt has taken place against Rosetta, she must first take permission from Rosetta, otherwise there is a chance that her complaint could be rejected. However, there are many things that Rosetta has to be careful with, the CHRC does not accept complaints that are over a year old, if the complaint seems trivial or made in bad faith.Eva must report this problem immediately with the correct proof so her complaint wouldn’t be dismissed. After Eva has filed the complaint, it will be further investigated. It will either be ruled as substantiated or non-substantiation, if ruled substantiated, (in support of complainant) then an attempt to make a settlement will be made. If no settlement is made, then the Human Rights Tribunal Panel can be appointed to further investigate the complaint. If they find that there was discrimination against Rosetta, then she will be compensated as seen appropriate.Eva can also file a complaint with the Ontario Human Rights laws and commission, which will inv estigate the complaint (also with the consent of Rosetta) and a settlement will be offered to satisfy both parties if no settlement is reached, then complaint will be further investigated. Both these processes are very long, but proven in favour of the complaint many times. However, there are times where there is no discrimination/harassment found in the case.Another thing Eva could do is try to implement the employment equity program within the organization. This program (usually run by employers) is used to undo past employment discrimination and prevent future discrimination and create equal employment opportunity within the company. Eva, with the help of the HR department could use this program and the example of Rosetta to prevent future situations like this by educating the employees about the laws, and diversity. It can also help undo the harassment that Rosetta faced. . What are Al’s responsibilities in this instance? Did he carry them out well? Why or why not? Employ ers, or managers have one basic responsibility towards their employees, which is to provide a safe environment for their employees and Al, as the manager failed to do so. The job of managers/supervisors is to know the law and to implement it within their organization/team. His responsibility is to be aware of what harassment is, different types of harassments and the signs of harassed workers.His responsibility as a manager was to put a stop to the harassment and discrimination Rosetta was facing, and report those employees to the Human Resources Department or to the CHRC. Not only did he fail to put a stop to the harassment, he failed to report it and was also part taking in the harassment by encouraging the jokes those guys were making that made Rosetta feel uncomfortable. Another responsibility of a manager is to have good communication not only within the team members but good employee-to-manager communication which is failed to establish with Rosetta.She did not feel comfortabl e talking to her manager about the harassment, which ultimately made her quit her job because she felt she had no one to talk to and ask for help. Al, also fails to recognize the harassment happening and blames it on Rosetta not being able to take the jokes lightly and took the accusation of Rosetta being harassed very lightly. He did not carry his responsibilities out well for the reasons stated above, he created an unsafe, uncomfortable environment for one of his employees.

Manager †managerial decision making Essay

1. What assumptions can you make about managerial decision making, as it relates to the millennial generation, from the case? My assumptions, enroll students are rating professors from good to bad making it easier for future student to get always with easier classes. 2. Did Tom and Alex follow a logical and rational managerial decision-making process in determining their class schedules? Why or why not? Yes, Tom and Alex are paying for school, therefor they want the best class and great teacher. Tom and Alex note the numerical values representing overall quality and easiness of each professor they are researching, and make their decision based on these numbers alone. 3. Identify the group influence that the information provided on RateMyProfessors.com places on Tom and Alex. The students were rating the professors from overall rating, total rating, easiness, and hot? Overall quality and easiness have numerical values from 0 to 5.5 being the highest. This information help Tom and Alex to choose professor and make their schedules. 4. Describe the types of interpersonal influence that the information provided on RateMyProfessors.com places on Tom and Alex. By visiting the web site they can click on the name of any professors and see their rating in more detail. Rating from overall quality, helpfulness, clarity, easiness, and hotness. 5. What influence do consumer ratings that fall either above or below the norm have on your managerial decision-making process? For example, when a professor (or an Amazon.com product) is rated with 3 stars, what strength do you place on the few individual reviews that rate them with 1 star or 5 stars?