Cell Adhesion Molecules in Olfactory Connection Formation

Cell Adhesion Molecules in Olfactory Connection Formation This dissertation study investigated expression, function and the regulatory mechanism of cell adhesion molecules in the formation of olfactory connections. Identification and characterization of a novel protocadherin, Pcdh20, provided additional evidence that multiple cell adhesion molecules are involved in the development of the olfactory system. In combination with several established studies by Sakano and Yoshihara’s group, my study further supports the neural identity model and provides a regulatory mechanism involving MeCP2 in the establishment and maintenance of this combinatory cell adhesion molecule expression in the olfactory sensory neurons. OR identity in correlation with cell adhesion molecule expression Though many cell adhesion molecule expression patterns were described, few of them were correlated with specific ORs. On the other side of the coin, it is also unknown whether a specific OR is correlated with a specific set of cell adhesion molecules throughout development. In adult mice, Pcdh20 expression is in a subpopulation of OSNs and their axons terminate in a small number of discrete Pcdh20-positive glomeruli in the OB. Interestingly, the distribution and numbers of Pcdh20-positive glomeruli are markedly different across gender. More Pcdh20-positive glomeruli with a wider distribution pattern are observed in the male OB, whereas fewer glomeruli with more restricted clustering of Pcdh20-positive glomeruli are found in female OB. The sexually dimorphic expression of Pcdh20 suggests that there may be different ORs associated with Pcdh20 in different sexes. 103 If Pcdh20 expression is correlated with specific OR expression, identification of Pcdh20 associated ORs could reveal possible sex-specific OR expression and aid in further investigation of OR-specific ligand function. In previous studies, cDNA libraries from a single OSN were obtained. OR expression in a single OSN can be identified by PCR using degenerate primers (Dulac and Axel, 1995). In collaboration with Dr. T. Cutforth from Stanford University, I have initiated this study by isolating single OSNs by dissociation of OE and attempting to identify Pcdh20 expressing cells by PCR. Several attempts were made to confirm OR expression using degenerate primers designed by L. Buck (Buck and Axel, 1989). Though I will not be able to complete this study during my dissertation research, identification of Pcdh20 associated ORs will provide important insight into not only OR and CAM association but also understanding of differential OR gene expression in different sexes and whether or not the main OB is related to pheromone recognition. Neuronal activity and regulation of cell adhesion molecule expression Neuronal activity results in long term changes in neurons by regulating gene expression. OSNs constantly respond to external stimuli throughout the life of the animal. Using genetic models and surgical manipulations, it is shown that blocking odorant evoked activity alters the expression of selected cell adhesion molecules. Even though regulation of cell adhesion molecule expression is important for the formation of olfactory axonal converge into glomeruli, the regulatory mechanism of gene expression is undetermined. I reported here that olfactory axon convergence is disrupted in MeCP2 null mice. Furthermore, I also obtained evidence that MeCP2 directly regulated Kirrel 2/3 expression. In MeCP2 KO mice, significant increases in Kirrel2/3 gene transcripts were observed in OE, suggesting that MeCP2 is a transcription suppressor for Kirrel 2/3 gene expression. In addition, my data provide evidence that MeCP2 function is regulated by neuronal activity. With the presence of odorant evoked 104 activity, MeCP2 is phosphorylated at Serine80 and also possesses enhanced binding affinity to promoters of Kirrel2 and Kirrel3 genes. Though MeCP2 increased its binding to promoters of both Kirrel2 and Kirrel3, transcript level changes are markedly different between Kirrel2 and Kirrel3 under odorant stimulation. Other transcription factors were shown to be regulated by neuronal activity. It is likely that both Kirrel2 and Kirrel3 are regulated under multiple neural activity dependent transcription factors. We propose a model in which a balanced transcriptional regulation from both repressors (like MeCP2) and enhancers (like CREB, MEF) determines the expression levels of Kirrel2 and Kirrel3. When both repressor and enhancer are under neural activity regulation, how the balance tilts will determine whether Kirrel2/3 expression will be up- or down-regulated in OSNs. In this study, the olfactory system serves as an excellent model system to study gene regulation of MeCP2 by neuronal activity at physiological levels. Previously, the mechanism of MeCP2 on gene expression regulation by neuronal activity was only studied in vitro. The brain is composed of heterogeneous cells and their neuronal circuits are extremely complex. In contrast, the OE is composed of a single type of neuron. This property provides an opportunity to study neuronal subtype specific MeCP2 function. In addition, the olfactory system provides an excellent system to study the effect of neuronal activity due to it accessibility. Odorant stimulation can be given to the OSNs in the nasal cavity to allow investigation of gene regulation under physiological level of stimulation. To further investigate the model we proposed, it is important to elucidate the full spectrum of MeCP2 target gene regulation. Future study should be done to screen MeCP2 target binding through ChIP-Chip analysi s. MeCP2 binding sequence will provide information in the target genes they regulate in the OSNs. To further provide or block odorant evoked activity, changes in MeCP2 binding will allow us to identify target genes that are activity dependent. Furthermore, identification of odorant evoked activity dependent transcription enhancers in OSNs will allow further  validation of the regulatory model we proposed here. Understanding neural activity dependent MeCP2 function is critical in elucidating the mechanisms of Rett Syndrome. Though rapid progress has been made in the identification of MeCP2 targeting genes, we still do not understand how changes in gene expression result in neuronal structural and functional changes. Rett Syndrome is exacerbated during the early postnatal period. Neural activity plays a critical role in this process. Understanding the relationship between physiological levels of neuronal activity and MeCP2 regulation is the obvious next challenge. The olfactory system provides an excellent model for the easy manipulation of activity stimulation and examination of subtle axonal targeting defects. This study established that cell adhesion molecules are regulated by MeCP2 in an activity dependent manner. Further genomic analysis will provide a comprehensive understanding of MeCP2 regulation of gene expression and could help in the development of treatment strategies for Rett Sy ndrome.

20,000 Leagues Under The Sea :: essays research papers

20000 Leagues Under The Sea The year 1866 is an important time in nautical history. It is the year that the world was first terrified by an amazing ocean going monster, the Nautilus. During that year several ships had met with this "thing," a long slender object much bigger in size than any creature known to man. After tons of sightings and the pass of many months the "monster" began attacking any vessel that drew near. This alarmed all the world's nations and the United States decided that they would send out the Abraham Lincoln to defeat the "monster," and once again bring peace to all the seas. For the expedition the best ocean educated men were invited to join the crew for the the journey. Included in this group was Monsieur Aronnax of the Paris museum and Ned Land, a world known harpooner. Monsieur Aronnax had written a two-volume work called Mysteries of the Ocean Depths. His work was especially well received by scientists, making him a specialist in that field. With him he brought his trusted servant of ten years, Conseil. Besides being Monsieurs loyal servant Conseil was an extremely bright classifier. He took great joy in this and was sometimes a big help to his master when identifying different creatures. Ned had an excellent shot with his harpoon, one so good that fisherman around the world knew his name. The rough travels from one ocean to the next for months without a sign of the wretched creature. Then on the night of November 5 the Ned spotted a bright glow approaching from just below the waters surface. Reports stated that at times the monster tended to glow, so they took pursuit. For a day and two nights the Abraham Lincoln chased the monster through the waters of the Northern Pacific. As the creature let them draw near, the Abraham Lincoln began firing its cannons at the monster but the cannon fire would just bounce off what seemed to be a thick layer of armor. At last the monster began circling the frigate and suddenly began a rush at the side of the boat. The crash tossed some men to the decks and threw overboard Monsieur Aronnax and Ned Land. At the sight of his master plunging into the dark sea Conseil dove into the water to save the professor. The three men tread water for many hours until at last Ned came upon a large, hard object floating in the water.

Causes of the French Revolution Essay -- History France French Revolut

Causes of the French Revolution The French Revolution was essentially a class war between the emerging Bourgeoisie against the Privileged class, this meant they saw the Privileged class as the only hurdle between themselves and equality within French society. Many of the ideas they pursued stemmed from the enlightenment and they believed that in order to gain their full economic, social and political potential and gain equality, the Bourgeoisie had to eradicate the privileges that were halting their rise in society. To do this they had to seize power for themselves and gaining power within the government and making badly needed changes, such as, improving the tax system, creating a fair system of production where profits went to the producer, improving the whole fiscal system of the government, improving the geographical divisions of France and the problems they caused, plus many more. The revolution was a fight for equality and recognition by the Bourgeoisie, it was not a revolt against poverty, for many of the French people had been living in poverty for centuries and had learnt to live with it . France had prospered in the Eighteenth century. France had had no major famines or plagues, its population had increased, there had been no wars on its soil, industry such as textiles was doing well and offshore trading had increased enormously. It was the Bourgeoisie that had enabled this abundance of wealth and they were emerging as the economic power inside France. But their new found power was being smothered by the privileged class. The privileged class of nobility and clergy, who owned the bulk of the land, were using their ancient rights to plunder most of the profits that were made by the lower classes. This meant that the; Ã ¬Prosperity came only to those who held fairly large estates, who exercised feudal rights, or who could manipulate farm rents.Ã ®1 The only people who fell under these categories were the Nobles of the robe and the clergy. So in order to get the prosperity equally divided in society and thus profit themselves, the bourgeoisie had to get rid of the privileged classes ancient rights. To do this they had to revolt against the government, that supported the privileged classes and which was reluctant to make the necessary reforms. It is seen here that it was the Bourgeoisie were struggling against the Privileged class ... ...hed to them, because their privileges were taking large percentages of profits, adding on-costs to goods, causing massive inflation and reducing the wages of the middle class. In order to do this though they had get the reforms they wanted by having a role in government and take some of the power from the king, because he supported the Aristocracy. At no point in the build up to the revolution did poverty become an issue, the Bourgeoisie were looking after their own interests and trying to create a equal society in which they would become the most powerful and richest. Word Count:- 2,148 words Citation 1. Johnson, D. (1970) The French Revolution, Wayland, London. 2. Townson, D. (1990) France in Revolution, Hodder and Stoughton, London. 3. Townson, D. (1990) France in Revolution, Hodder and Stoughton, London. Bibliography 1. Microsoft Encarta, USA, Funk and Wagnall's, 1994 2. Ergang, R. Europe From the Renaissance to Waterloo Third Edition, USA, Heath and Company, 1967 3. Townson, D. France in Revolution, London, Hodder and Stoghton, 1990 4. Fisher, H. A History of Europe Volume 2, G Modern European History - French Revolution Essay - Jonah Haines - 1293

Expository texts Real Gorgeous by Kaz Cook :: essays research papers

Features and rhetorical devices of non fiction text encourage responses from the reader, how do they do this ? We are often bullied into doing things against our will, this could also be said of expository texts which aim to inform, instruct and explain but importantly to persuade. They use shock value to force us to look at our values, attitudes and ideologies. When devices such as statistics, personal touch, persona, language and case studies are used the responses from the reader will have been deliberated by the author, Who uses these features to illicit the desired response. Looking at articles such as Real Gorgeous, The other country crisis and Columbine it is obvious to see the many features and devices that have been carefully positioned to encourage responses in the reader.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Almost all statistics do not consider the varying factors contributing to the study. When reading a text containing statistics the reader feels they are attaining the hard facts, this however could not be further from the truth as Rod Quin points out with the example of the text Manhood written by Steve Biddulph. Biddulp states â€Å"One in seven boys will experience sexual assault by an adult or older child before the age of eighteen.† Reading this the audience will feel outraged or sympathetic towards men, Quin however asks us to consider the â€Å"rest of the â€Å"facts† that â€Å"one in a hundred girls will experience sexual assault by an adult or older child before they reach eighteen† that’s five times the rate of men. While the statistics are convincing it is also the source they come from that can encourage a response from reader. They will feel the â€Å"fact† is more credible if it comes from a well known source. The Other Country Crisi s by Stephen Scourfeild states that â€Å"According to the Bureau of statistics, Australia has once of the highest rates of youth suicide† Once again the reader is not seeing all of the facts, yet the source from which the statistic come from is credible and well known. With this in mind the readers response will still be swayed because we are taught to trust authority. The author has triumphed in encouraging the desired response. It is always more pleasant and enjoyable to read something that appears to be personal or sympathetic. Real Gorgeous by Kaz Cooke is a perfect example of manipulative language. The text encourages the reader to feel comfortable with themselves that they are fine â€Å"the way they are† .

Understand Sequence & Rate of Each Aspect of Development from 0-19 Years

1. 1 Explain the sequence & rate of each aspect of development that would normally be expected in children & young people from birth -19 years Development is what happens to every individual at every stage of his or her lives. Developing something means to learn different skills, physical aspects and involves gaining control of the body. For example, a baby will develop physically because it is still going to grow, which means the body will still be changing. Another example is if an older person is learning a new skill, like how to use a computer. That person’s computer skills are developing as he/she is learning a new skill and is gaining control over it physically and mentally. When you are developing, you are learning and growing into a better person than what you are now. You begin to understand more than what you already know. This means your body is changing and has to retain a lot more information every time you develop. Therefore, a developmental milestone is what the average child does at each stage of their development. It is a basic functional skill or age specific task that most children develop at a certain age range. When the baby is new born, for the first few years of the baby’s life, he or she visits a paediatrician for regular check-ups. The paediatrician checks how the baby is developing using milestones. Although there is a specific age for when the child is expected to meet each milestone, this is not always the case. Every child is unique and therefore each child develops and reaches its milestones at different ages. The level of age that a child should reach each milestone is just an average estimate. There could be a number of different reasons as to why a child is not reaching the milestones are the expected ages, some of these reasons could include: * Genetic factors – a child inheriting the parents genes, * Parent involvement – the amount of time the parents have for their children, to encourage their children’s development, * Health implications, * Environmental factors – the quality of the child’s home and area. Growth is different to development. Growth is being able to grow into a bigger person. The growth process not only involves a child’s height and weight, it also involves the growth of their teeth, when a child gains teeth, they then fall out and gain new teeth. For a teenager it involves starting puberty and for any person it involves the growth of hair and nails. All these different growth processes occur as the body matures. Although growth and development have different meanings, they are closely linked. They usually follow the same pattern, although sometimes this is not the case. For example, if there is something wrong with the child or they have a disability, this could be because they are still growing but not developing. There are different factors that could influence a child’s growth and some of these include: * Genetic factors – inheriting the parents genes * Environmental factors – e. g. living in cramped spaces could lead to poor growth. * Financial factors – e. g. the child’s parents may not be able to afford new shoes for their child, therefore if the child continues to wear the same small shoes, their feet will not grow properly. * Emotional factors – e. . if the child is emotionally stressed and upset, they may not eat very well or lack sleep, preventing them to grow. * Intellectual factors – e. g. the child not having the knowledge to know what is a healthy diet. Therefore, if the child eats a lot of junk food instead of fresh foods it could prevent a healthy growth. * Physical factors – e. g. having a problem or condition, which affects a child’s growth. Growth and development is very important, especially throughout a child’s childhood. This is because at these early stages of their lives, they develop and learn the most. It is important for a child to have the right foundation of growth and development in the early stages of their lives for them to increase their growth and development throughout the rest of their lives. Good development enables a child to increase their skills and knowledge, which will help them throughout their lives. For example, when they are looking for a job they will be equipped with a good development of knowledge and intellectual skills, which will result to a better job. Another example is if when a child attends school, they will be able to learn and develop quickly which will result to better grades. Good growth on the other hand, enables a child to have a healthy weight, height and an overall healthy body. Good growth also helps a child’s development. Physical growth and size Physical growth occurs from 0 to 18 years. This is from the time the baby is born to the time the baby matures. The child will grow according to the individual child and the different parts of its body; this also depends on the rate that the child will grow at throughout the years. The child may experience a ‘growth spurt’, which is when the body tends to grow at a much faster pace than the child’s usual growth rate. Parts of the body also grow quicker than other parts at different times. For example, usually a baby’s head is larger than the rest of the body when born. As the baby grows, the head becomes smaller in proportion to the rest of the body parts. Health professionals monitor babies’ growth using a chart called the ‘Centile Chart’. Midwives and health visitors usually measure and weigh babies and children and then plot the measurements on the centile chart. A centile chart is used to measure babies and children’s’ height and weight and compare it to the average height and weight. This is to check if they are growing at a normal rate. If they are not, then it could be because of health implications, which is then assessed by the GP. A centile chart is quite similar to the developmental milestones, as they both measure babies and children according to the average measurements. The height and weight of a child is usually recorded on two separate centile charts. There is also a separate centile chart for both boys and girls. This is because boys are usually taller and weigh more than girls, so the average height and weight will be different for both genders. The chart has three lines marked on it and they are known as the 98th centile, the 50th centile and the 2nd centile. For the 98th centile it would be labelled as ‘98’ and this will show the children who are taller or heavier than the average child. The 50th centile would be labelled as ‘50’ and this shows the average height and weight of the child. Therefore, the 2nd centile would be labelled as ‘2’ and this shows the children who are shorter or lighter than the average child. Only 3% of children are expected to be above or below the 98th or 2nd centile. Physical Development Physical development is when the child starts gaining control of their movements and learning skills, these are developed with age. Physical development is when the muscle strength increases in a child. They learn to sit up by themselves, and then they learn how to crawl and eventually how to walk. This is all to do with the physical development of a child’s muscles. However, physical development also includes the maturity of the central nervous system. This means that children are more tolerant to pain as they grow older, due to the toleration levels of their central nervous system. For example, if a child is dropped at 3 months old, the amount of pain inflicted on the child would be substantially high, where as if a child at 3 years was dropped the amount of pain inflicted would be noticeably lower due to the developmental progression of the nervous system. Physical development can be divided into three main categories, these are: * Fine motor skills * Gross motor skills * Sensory skills Gross Motor Skills Gross motor skills are the reflexes in a child’s body. This consists of using the larger muscles in the legs, arms, torso and feet to control their body and larger movements. When a baby is born their physical movements consist of unintentional movements known as reflexes. These reflexes help babies to survive, as they have no control over their bodies or their movements at first. Once the baby gains control over it’s body and movements, these reflexes go. This type of reflex is known as ‘primitive reflexes’. For example, anything placed in a baby’s mouth will automatically be assumed as a breast or teat. Therefore, the baby will automatically start sucking as they think they are getting fed. This is a primitive reflex, which disappears once the baby is 6 months old. Fine Motor Skills Fine motor skills is another reflex movement but involves grasping. To enable smaller movements and manipulation, this reflex involves using smaller muscles of the fingers, thumbs, toes, wrists, lips and tongue. For example, a baby will first start to curl their hands when born, therefore, if an object was placed in their hands, they would try to hold onto the object by curling their hands. This reflex disappears after 3 months. A ‘pincer’ grip is when a baby can hold an object between their thumb and index finger. Pincer grasp is usually developed at the age of 1. A child usually performs gross motors skills before they perform fine motor skills. This is because a baby finds it easier to develop their larger muscles before they develop their smaller muscles and movements. For example, a baby will learn to wave their legs and arms around first, before wiggling their fingers and toes. This is because gross motor skills involve controlling the body; the baby needs to know how to control the body before it can perform smaller movements and manipulations. Gross and fine motor skills are very similar however, as many activities depend on the co-ordination of both motor skills. For example, being able to pick up a ball that is placed on the floor – the child needs to be able to pick up the ball with its fingers (pincer gripping – fine motor skills) and move the ball off the floor with its arms (gross motor skills). Although they work together most of the time, there is a difference to what each skill performs. Gross motor skills are the larger muscle movements and fine motor skills are the smaller muscle movements. They are both reflexes but involve different parts of the body. For a baby to develop properly, he r she needs to develop both skills well, as one skill performed without the other would make it extremely hard for the baby to physically develop to its full potential. Sensory Development Sensory development consists of using our senses, which are sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell. Senses are the physical processes of our nervous system. For example, breastfed babies can sense the smell of their mothers’ breast compared to other women’s breast. This shows that the baby can use its smell sense to distinguish different smells. Therefore, the baby is developing its sense of smell. This will develop as they grow older, for example, when the baby is 5 years old, their sense of smell would have fully developed to an adults level. Intellectual Development Intellectual development is the development of the mind. A child’s mind is very active from birth. As children develop their mind to think, learn reason and explain, their intellectual development progresses. For example, at 3 months old a baby likes to explore different textures, like on a play gym or an activity mat. By the time the child is 2 years old, they have developed different textures in their mind and are now able to match different textures. Children learn intellectually through different ways, some of them being: * Using their senses * Exploring * Imitating/role play * Curiosity * Experiments * Observing * Making mistakes * Playing There are some factors such as family history that can affect intellectual development. This is because a baby’s development can be affected by inheriting genes from its parents. The inheritance could be from a family’s history of late developers. Another factor that can affect a child’s intellectual development could be encouragement from the parents to help learn and develop their child’s mind. It could also be the environment that the child lives in; if the child’s environment is cramped, this could mean that there is not a lot of space for the child to play and do certain activities that would develop his or hers skills. This could also lead to financial factors, the parents of the child not having enough money to facilitate learning aids to help their child’s development. Cognitive development Cognitive simply means thinking. Cognitive development is similar to intellectual development as it is the development of the mind, however it is the development of the mind through thinking and learning skills. This enables a child to understand the environment around them. The keys to successful cognitive development are: * Concepts – Children need to learn different concepts. The child has to see and experience things to develop a range of concepts. An adult providing activities, equipment and support can also develop these concepts. Problem solving skills – A child learns how to solve problems through trial and error, identifying there is a problem that needs solving, working out a solution and predicting what might happen. This is also linked to the child’s ability to reason. They begin to understand that their actions will produce results such as; pushing a button on a toy will produce a result by making a noise. * Creativity – this gives a child the ability to use their imagination to express their ideas. This can be done through painting pictures, making collages, dancing and making music, etc. Imagination – this is when a child sees things that do not exist or are not in front of them. Children imagine images in their head to play pretend games, make up stories or talk to an imaginary friend. This gives them comfort in knowing there is someone there with them. * Memory – a child storing and retrieving information, ideas and things that have happened to them, learn this mentally. They remember things that have happened to them in their brain for a short time or depending on the situation, this could be a long-term memory. Sometimes a little release of information can trigger off what they stored as memory in their head. * Object permanence – this describes the awareness of an object to a child. For example, if an object were no longer visible to a baby, they would think that the object no longer exists. Object permanence tries to develop the child’s mind to think that the object still exists although it is not visible to the eye. * Concentration – this is the ability of a child to spend time and pay attention to a task. The child develops the ability to stay focused on a task for longer as they develop, whereas at first, they would get distracted and lose concentration a lot quicker. A theorist called Piaget believes that the stages of cognitive development have an effect on how a child’s thinking is developed throughout their childhood. However, this theory was understood in the late 1980s and since then, children’s stages of cognitive development have increasingly changed due to the child’s age. Language development Language is how a person speaks and communicates with others, also known as verbal communication. Language development is how children express their needs and share information with others using language. A child’s language is developed depending on how much the child practices speaking. From birth a baby cannot speak, however they use other forms of language to share information. For example, they learn how to cry when they are hungry, this is using language and the baby has developed this skill by knowing that when he or she cries, they will be fed. Speaking through the mouth does not only develop language, it also involves other physical movements. E. g. face expressions, sign language, writing, etc. It can also involve non-verbal communication such as listening to voices, practising sounds and learning what different sounds mean. Language development can be divided into two stages: * Pre-linguistic * Linguistic The pre-linguistic stage occurs between birth and 12 months. At this stage, babies learn to understand what is being said to them and learn the rules of how to communicate. Although they cannot talk at this stage, they learn to communicate to gain attention by crying, smiling and using facial expressions; they may also point to what they want or nod their heads. The linguistic stage is when babies’ speech starts to develop. Now words can be used to label objects or to share information. The child first starts off with one-word speeches and then later on their language develops into complex sentences. Emotional Development Emotional development is how children understand what people are feeling and what they are feeling about themselves through the things they do. Children feel a lot of emotions including fear, excitement, affection, pride, jealousy, sadness and contentment. A child develops emotionally starting from birth. For example, when a baby is feeling lonely they will cry for attention and love. This is how babies express their emotions, through crying, laughing and facial expressions. When children grow older, they learn to control their emotions. This is another emotional development as they have learnt how to control their feelings, and their brain functions. This is learnt through the later stages of childhood. An example of this would be a child falling over and not wanting to concern others of his or her accident, therefore controlling his or her emotions. This in affect will not only control the child’s emotions, but the child has also developed that it will affect other people’s emotions and is trying to control that too. Emotional development can affect intellectual and social development. They learn how different emotions can affect others around them. The children learn to understand that being happy is healthier than being sad, as there is a less risk of the child becoming stressed or depressed. Emotional development can also affect social development by the child understanding that their emotions affect the relationship they have with others. For example, if they love their parents, the parents will care and love the child back. On the other hand, if a child was being rude and arrogant, other children would not want to socialize with him or her, leaving the child feeling emotionally lonely and upset. Children also learn different emotions through social experience. Social Development Socialising is the process of interacting with others. They begin to socialise at first with their primary carer, e. g. parents, carers, etc. The social skills developed from a child are through the child socialising with its primary carers. A baby’s social development follows a pattern, which is: * Interaction with their main carer – this include making eye contact, smiling, showing facial expressions and babbling. * Knowing that they are part of a family – they recognise who their family are through familiar faces that they see all the time. They understand who strangers are by not recognising the faces. * Mixing with other people in a group and co-operating – they start to follow instructions, copying and imitating actions, playing with other children and sharing toys or objects with others. Children are not born with social skills; they have to learn how to develop this through life experiences. Usually it is the primary carers that encourage socialisation between their child and others. They help them develop the skills of interacting with others. This is also helped by the physical, social, language and intellectual development, as they all play a big part on how children should socialise with others. These social skills are developed through time; depending on the age of the child, their actions will be different.

Junk Food Industry and Obesity

â€Å"In the U. S. obesity rates have risen from 14% in 1978 to 31% in 2000†¦according to WHO/FAO in 2001, chronic diseases resulting largely from poor diet contributed to 60% of the 56 million reported deaths worldwide† (Lang & Heasman 2004:53). Both Canadian and American citizens alike spend vast amounts of their money on food and a significant percentage of that money is spent on low-nutrition foods such as fast foods and processed foods. Being the cash cow that it is, the capitalist food system has provided the opportunity for corporations to profit numerous types of junk foods (fast & processed foods containing high sugar, salt, fat). According to Robert Albritton’s (2009:90) â€Å"Let Them Eat Junk,† he argues that â€Å"the consumption of junk foods is not the only cause of obesity, but it is doubtless a major cause†¦[and] obesity is something that we allow to happen, and while there may be many causes, [he] would argue that the primary cause is a capitalist food system that we have allowed to subject us. † This essay will further extend on that argument and examine that the growing trend of obesity is caused by the fundamental principle of the capitalist food system, which is to profit from selling junk foods without considering the health consequences associated with it. Examining why consumers eat junk food in a sociological perspective, the financial incentives associated with selling junk foods in a capitalist perspective, and the health problems/consequences from the consumption of junk foods will be explored. A solution will be provided in attempts to rectify the growing trend of obesity due to junk foods. It is vital that we also look into the health implications as a result of the consumption of junk foods. Most notably, the greatest risk being obesity. Public health is an important factor in today’s society. Billions of dollars are spent on health care all over the world. At the same time, about the same amount of money is being put into a system that deters the health of millions of citizens every year (Adams 2005). In the present, the junk food industry is becoming a focal point in controversy surrounding its impact on public health. For example, â€Å"many blame fast food businesses for public health concerns, arguing that fast-food choices and large portion sizes contribute to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and a variety of other diet-related problems† (Adams 2005). In 2002, director Morgan Spurlock subjected himself to a diet based only in McDonald's fast food three times a day for thirty days and without working out. His objective was to prove why most of the Americans are so fat, with many cases of obesity (IMDB). He gained about 18 pounds over the course of the experiment, experienced mood swings, loss of sex drive, and nearly catastrophic liver damage. Spurlock’s body fat composition increased by 7 percent, his cholesterol went up 60 points, and his blood pressure rose from 120/80 to 150/100. Shortly after Mr. Spurlock’s revelations about his fast-food experiment, the Associated Press reported that McDonald’s was phasing out its super size menu options (Hagloch 2005). â€Å"Super Size Me† (name of the documentary) was a great example of how junk food affects the general public and is also an indication that the junk food industry, motivated by profits and shareholder interests, has ignored its responsibilities to the consuming public. It is clear that there is a huge demand for junk foods and that corporations thrive on this demand by creating more and more junk foods. As a result, there are health consequences such as obesity. Solutions to reduce obesity should be one of the main concerns in today’s society, however, to completely rid junk foods entirely need not be one of the solutions. The junk food industry plays a significant role in stimulating the North American economies. â€Å"Three-quarters of all Americans live within three miles of a McDonald’s, and two-thirds live within three miles of a KFC, Pizza Hut or Taco Bell fast food restaurant. † (Albritton 2009:98). In addition, supermarkets in North America are one of the most popular destinations for consumers to do most of their shopping. Supermarkets play a major role in the American food regime since that is where 40% of all food is purchased. Supermarkets typically sell a high proportion of highly processed, highly packaged and highly transported foods. In other words, supermarkets are largely purveyors of unsustainable petrofoods and unhealthy processed foods† (Albritton 2009:120). Given that junk foods are a signific ant contributor to the North American economies, it would be unwise to completely abolish the production and sales of junk food in order to solve the obesity epidemic. Rather, there should be more of an educational solution to fight against obesity. With the high demand for junk foods due to the fast-paced lifestyle in North America and for the availability of these foods provided by corporations that strive to gain profits, it is no surprise that junk food is one of the leading causes of obesity in North America today. As Robert Albritton (2009:90) pointed out, â€Å"†¦the primary cause is a capitalist food system that we have allowed to subject us. Although the junk food industry is significantly vital towards the stability of the North American economies, it would be unwise to rid the production and sales of junk foods entirely. Instead, the use of subsidy dollars to invest into nutritional awareness programs and the reduction in portion sizes for fast and processed foods are recommended options to prevent obesity. These steps may not on its own prevent obesity, however, these are one of many important steps in fighting against the obesity epidemic today and for future generations.

Play It Again Sam Analysis Essay

Sam is an excellent production, by far one of Woody Allen’s best movies. It tells the story of Allan Felix, a neurotic New York film critic who is left by his wife, since according to her he is an ‘observer, not a doer’. This devastating event makes him fall into a deep depression; consequentially, he gets corporal aid from his married friends, Linda and Dick. However, this help appears not to be enough, Allan’s love life seems going nowhere until he creates a special connection with Linda, which leads him into her arms. My opinion about this movie being excellent is based on several facts, which can be easily appreciated when watching this extremely controversial film. The word ‘controversial’ should be emphasized when analyzing this movie, considering that the topics discussed in it were not commonly discussed or confronted in the mid nineties, time in which this film was released. This movie is considered polemic due to the obvious critiques towards the American’s daily life, which is achieved by mentioning different subjects such as, dependence. This theme is represented in a different way depending on the character we focus; with Allan, this topic is represented by the deep depression he falls into, which follows him though all the film. When focusing in another character, Linda in this case, her dependence is shown by her pill addiction. Finally Dick, he is a workaholic, his dependence takes him to the point when he starts comparing his love to his wife with an ‘economical investment’. These characters decide to depend on something so it is easier for them to be secure and comfortable, ignoring the problems surrounding them and escaping from reality. Stereotyping is another main theme in this movie. When Dick asks Allan how he liked women, he describes a model type ‘Skinny, blond, good breasts’. This stereotype of perfect women is a consequence of the idol worshiping so characteristic of us, human beings. We all have someone we follow. An actress, singer, model, etc. someone we relate ourselves with or because we want to overcome something we don’t like about ourselves, we always use someone as a reference and Allan is not the exception. Allan’s character is a Humphrey Bogart-obsessed film writer that has abundant imagination. Bogart himself appears as an apparition to give Allen advices. Allan: I can’t do it. How does it look? I invite her over and then come on like a sex degenerate. What am I, a rapist? Bogart: You’re getting carried away. You think too much. Just do it. Allan: We’re platonic friends. I can’t spoil that by coming on. She’ll slap my face. Bogart: Oh, I’ve had my face slapped plenty of times. Allan: Yeah, but your glasses don’t go flying across the room. The reason why Woody Allen sets the title ‘Play it again, Sam’ is because it is originally a quote from the film Casablanca, and as I already said before the main character is obsessed over this movie (Casablanca) and the main character of it. Not only the apparitions of imaginary characters and dependence on drugs and self unconformity but how music is applied to the film shows how Allan is trying to escape from reality and place himself in a romantic Bogart movie. Every time he has a date, he turns on the music volume really loud so that the atmosphere is more movies like or factionary. We can appreciate this all over the movie and mostly at the end when he quotes the ending of Casablanca. Finally, trying too hard is the last main topic. Allan is always trying too hard for everything, making things tougher for himself and being clumsy. This is a quote from the movie demonstrating what I just stated, Allan: What are you doing Saturday night? Woman: Committing Suicide. Allan: What about Friday night? This character is always trying to fit in, we can appreciate in a scene on the movie the night after his wife leaves him that he goes to a pub and takes a drink but he doesn’t really likes it, he is juts doing what most of the men do trying to be normal. In conclusion, I believe this is a great movie, considering that it is not only hilarious; but it is fascinating how the different elements used by the film director Herbert Ross such as, music, effects, lights and place set; creates a perfect atmosphere for each of the scenes. Also, the actors chosen were all brilliant choices and how every character has its own meaning, contributing a special and unique theme to this classical film. This movie is one of my favorite oldies.