What was the Monroe Doctrine and what impact has it had on American Essay

What was the Monroe Doctrine and what impact has it had on American history - Essay Example 87). The restrictions ushered to curb the remaining Latin American colonies under Spain and Portugal from gaining the looming independence from Portuguese, as well as Spanish Empires. Together with Britain, United purposed to ascertain total refrain by European Powers into the barred states. The immediate success is that continental powers did not revive the Spanish empire as a result of the British strong Navy following the weakness in U.S military. It never spread like a national doctrine to curb the threat to interest Americans and got hidden from American history for a decade. It culminate to France relinquishing the Maximilian. Besides, Spain stopped interfering with Dominican Republic in 1965. It allowed Unites States forcefully to regulate Dominican Republic’s customs with an objective to revive its economy. It also led to a military confrontation in Haiti and Nicaragua. Monroe doctrine led to harmonious linkages between US and UK (Sexton, 2011, p.

Abnormal Psychology and Therapy Essay Example for Free

Abnormal Psychology and Therapy Essay Psychology can be described as examination of ideas, intuitive feeling, and the way someone thinks and uses his or her wits be it physical, mental, or cognitive. Abnormal psychology is ideas or conduct causing the individual troubles. The deficiency may be sadness, potential fight, or simply uncomfortableness in the individuals daily life. Mental disorders or mental disease are practices not in general associated with a person. A number of these disorders can harm others or the one who is battling with the disorder. There are a number of therapies for these disorders and are different in each case. A closer look and contrast of normal and abnormal psychology is need along with mental disturbance and mental disease from a psychology position polishing off by way of a look at different therapies useful for normal and abnormal psychology. Abnormal and Normal Psychology are likewise, also the two look into behaviors, and because of individuals different cultures and beliefs some behaviors are normal. Then again oftentimes they could be different for the behavior is not really typical or something out the ordinary. To know the difference between normal and abnormal psychology helps with acknowledging mental disturbance from a psychological perspective. To help illustrate our research on abnormal psychology, this section will compare and contrast normal and abnormal psychology. Normal psychology focuses on the different ways different people see life and want to live life, rather than relying on generalizations made about whole populations of people. See more:  Mark Twains Humorous Satire in Running for Governor Essay These generalizations can often do harm because without proper consideration they can often imply norm of behavior inimical to a person’s existence. A normal psychology in this way doesn’t imply a perfect individual existence, nor that there aren’t any pathologies. Abnormal-is the branch of psychology that studies unusual patterns of behavior, emotion and thought, which may or may not be understood as precipitating a mental disorder. The field of abnormal psychology identifies multiple causes for different conditions, employing diverse theories from the general field of psychology and elsewhere, and much still hinges on what exactly is meant by abnormal. Mental disorders and mental illnesses This next section will examine mental disorders and mental illnesses from the perspective of psychology. Adjustment disorders of mental disorders is related to an identifiable source of stress that causes significant emotional and behavioral symptoms. Anxiety disorders are those that are characterized by excessive and abnormal fear, worry and anxiety. In one recent survey published in the Archives of General Psychology 1, it was estimated that as many as 18% of American adults suffer from at least one anxiety disorder. Cognitive disorders are psychological disorders that involve cognitive abilities such as memory, problem solving and perception. Some anxiety disorders, mood disorders and psychotic disorders are classified as cognitive disorders. Alzheimers disease †¢Delirium †¢Dementia †¢Amnesia Therapies Psychotherapy is a general term that is used to describe the process of treating psychological disorders and mental distress. During this process, a trained psychotherapist helps the client tackle a specific or general problem such as a particular mental illness or a source of life stress. Depending on the approach used by the therapist, a wide range of techniques and strategies can be used. However, almost all types of psychotherapy involve developing a therapeutic relationship, communicating and creating a dialogue and working to overcome problematic thoughts or behaviors. †¢Psychoanalytic: An approach to therapy that involved delving into a patient thoughts and past experiences to seek out unconscious desires or fantasies. Cognitive-behavioral: A type of psychotherapy that involves cognitive and behavioral techniques to change negative thoughts and maladaptive behaviors. Humanistic: A form of therapy that focuses on helping people maximize their potential. Medical therapy for mental disturbance and sicknesses change between each philosophical system. The earlier style of psychotherapy were the psychodynamic therapies. Psychodynamic therapy tries to change personality practices through perceptiveness and the therapist-patient relationship (Kowalski Westen, 2009). Inside this subdivision of therapy dwell the proficiencies of psychoanalysis and psychodynamic psychotherapy. These particular therapies ask the patient to lie on a sofa or sit opposite with a therapist and talk about what one thinks of, a technique known as free association. The two most adept humanistic therapies are Gestalt therapy and the client centered therapy. Gestalt therapy is somewhat like psychodynamic psychotherapy. The most commonly known technique of the therapy is the empty chair technique. Through this method the patient exercises emotional expression by visualizing that the individual him or her wants to converse with is in the chair. The second humanistic therapy is the client centered therapy. Through this technique the therapist exhibits an position of full credence for the patient by listening emphatically. Therapeutic change occurs as the patient hears his or her own thoughts or feelings reflected by the nonjudgmental listener. Conclusion There are a number of therapies for these disorders and are different in each case. Abnormal and Normal Psychology are likewise, also the two look into behaviors, and because of individuals different cultures and beliefs, some behaviors are normal. Lastly, normal and abnormal look into behavior, this behavior may be causing the individual troubles, confrontation, or simply uncomfortableness in daily life. Mental disorders including schizophrenia and Obsessive compulsive disorder can harm others or the individual battling with them. Mental illnesses comprise of perturbations of mentation, experience, and emotion cause operative disability making it very hard to nurture relationships, keep a job, and can lead to suicide. Treatment will change with regards to the form of disorder a individual has and the individuals commitment to look for assistance with a therapist. References Kowalski, R., Westen, D. (2009). Psychology (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Nami ( National Alliance on Mental Illnesses, http://www.nami.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Mental_Illnesses/Depression/Mental_Illnesses_What_is_Depression.htm retrieved December 01, 2012. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/mental-illness/ retrieved December 01, 2012. www.uidaho.edu/psych101/abnormal6.pdf. Retrieved December 02, 2012 Wood, S. E., Wood, E. R. The World of Psychology. Boston, MA: A Pearson Education Company. Page 538

A Media Specialist’s Role in the Research Process :: Librarians Library Media Specialist Role Essays

A Media Specialist’s Role in the Research Process When settlers from the East planned to â€Å"go West,† they faced many challenges. Becoming hopelessly lost was likely. Starvation was a possibility. Floods threatened total destruction. Settlers needed an experienced guide to lead them to their destination. When students begin research projects, they face similar challenges—although the challenges are intellectual rather than physical. They can become hopelessly lost as they try to follow Internet links from one site to another. They can be starved for good information. They can be flooded with note cards that contain bland and useless facts. Students need a guide. They need a school librarian who can lead them along the trail of solid, meaningful research. The librarian must understand the student’s assignment, assist with locating helpful resources, and know the basic processes for writing a research paper. Understanding the student’s research project assignment requires conducting a reference interview. In the Online Dictionary of Library and Information Science by Joan M. Reitz, a reference interview is defined as â€Å"the interpersonal communication that occurs between a reference librarian and a library user to determine the person’s specific information need(s), which may turn out to be different than the reference question as initially posed.† The key to this interview is good communication initiated by the librarian. Before any exchange of information takes place, an â€Å"attitude† exists. â€Å"How the student perceives his or her question will be received† (Riedling) contributes to the overall tone of the interview. The librarian must provide an atmosphere that is comfortable for the student to seek information. In addition to the physical surroundings, the librarian must use both verbal and nonverbal skills to encourage the student. According to Riedling, nonverbal strategies include â€Å"physical gestures, posture, facial expressions, tone of voice, and eye contact.† The media specialist must ask open questions and practice active listening, while utilizing other verbal skills including â€Å"remembering, restating, paraphrasing, closure, and inclusion.†(Underdown) The librarian must determine just what sort of information is needed and the depth that is required. The process is accurately summed up by Riedling’s statement â€Å"that a successful reference interview is one in which the student feels satisfied that you have given personal attention and accurate information.

Change Management :: essays research papers

Change Management Abstract How do people survive in the changing business world today? Some people even excel with the dynamics of change. In today’s business would one must change or be left behind hold the proverbial empty bag. Wonderful leaders create there own opportunities and fight for what they believe in. During a transition teambuilding within a company is one of the most important things that will lead a team to success. A successful leader is one that strives to motivate and empower their team to get through the change. A company with leader that can lead their team through change will survive. There are five basic prerequisites for leading a team through transition. The first is knowledge. Knowledge worker are the cornerstone of successful business today. Knowledge workers are creative and treat there co-workers as there customers. The second is Vision. A successful team must have a mission developed and agreed upon by the entire team. They must believe in the mission. The third is Faith. The team must believe in what they stand for. Before a team can build faith they must first have a strong mission and be knowledge workers. Vision is only an illusion without knowledge and a clear vision. The fourth is Initiative. Peter Druker says that â€Å"sooner or later all plans degenerate into work.† In order for a team to be successful they must have initiative. One must make sure that the team fells like they are part of the mission. Thomas W. McKee states that â€Å"initiative without knowledge, vision and faith is misguided energy. Without initiative, knowledge, vision and faith are just a dream.† The final prerequisite is training and development. A company must continually train and develop their employees in order to survive today’s changes. Closing I thought that this was a very well written article and the author makes some very good points. Business today is ever changing and a company must always be ready to change.

Wksht Chapter 3 Developing Service Concepts – Core and Supplementary Element

Developing Service Concepts: Core and Supplementary Element | Overview of Chapter 3 * Planning and Creating Services * The Flower of Service * Planning and Branding Service Products * Development of New Services| I.Planning and Creating Services * A service product comprises all elements of service performance, both tangible and intangible, that create value for customers * The service concept is represented by: * A ________________ * Accompanied by ________________ ________________| Core Products and Supplementary Services * In mature industries, core products often become commodities * Supplementary services help to differentiate core products and create competitive advantage by: * Facilitating use of core product (a service or a good) * Enhancing the value and appeal of the core product| Augmenting the Core Product (Fig 3. 1) * Are supplementary services needed to facilitate use of core product or simply to add extra appeal? * Should customers be charged separately for each servic e element? * Or should all elements be bundled at a single price? | | Designing a Service Concept * ________________ * Central component that supplies the principal, problem-solving benefits customers seek * ________________ * Augment the core product, facilitating its use and enhancing its value and appeal * ________________ * Used to deliver both the core product and each of the supplementary services| |Documenting Delivery Sequence Over Time * Must address sequence in which customers will use each core and supplementary service * Determine approximate length of time required for each step * Customers may budget a specific amount of time for an activity * Information should reflect good understanding of customers, especially their: * ________________ * ________________ * ________________ * Question: Do customers’ expectations change during service delivery in light of perceived quality of each sequential encounter? | What Happens, When, in What Sequence? Time Dimension in A ugmented Product (Fig 3. 3)| Core and Supplementary Services at Luxury Hotel (Offering Much More than Cheap Motel! )| |Flowcharting Service Delivery Helps to Clarify Product Elements * Offers way to understand totality of customer’s service experience * Useful for distinguishing between core product itself and service elements that supplement core * Restaurants: Food and beverage (core) * Reservations (supplementary services) * Shows how nature of customer involvement with service organizations varies by type of service: * People processing * Possession processing * Mental Stimulus processing * Information processing| Defining Core and Supplementary Elements of Our Service Product * How is our core product defined and what supplementary elements augment it? * What product benefits create most value for customers? * Is our service package differentiated from competition in meaningful ways for target customers? * What are current levels of service on core product and each suppl ementary element? * Can we charge more for higher service levels?For example: * Faster response and execution * Better physical amenities * Easier access * Higher staffing levels * Superior caliber personnel * Alternatively, should we cut service levels and charge less? | Simple Flowchart for Delivery of a ________________-Processing Service (Fig 3. 4)| People Processing – Stay at Motel Park Car Check In Spend Night in Room Breakfast Check Out Breakfast Prepared Maid Makes up Room | Simple Flowchart for Delivery of a ________________-Processing Service (Fig 3. 4)| | Simple Flowchart for Delivery of ________________-Processing Service (Fig 3. 4)| | Simple Flowchart for Delivery of ________________-Processing Service (Fig 3. 4)| | II. The Flower of Service (Fig 3. )| How to Determine What Supplementary Services Should Be Offered * Not every core product is surrounded by supplementary elements from all eight clusters * Nature of product helps to determine: * Which supplementary services must be offered * Which might usefully be added to enhance value and ease of doing business with the organization* People-processing and high-contact services tend to have more supplementary services * Market positioning strategy helps to determine which supplementary services should be included * Firms that offer different levels of service often add extra supplementary services for each upgrade in service level | Facilitating Services—_______________| Customers often require information about how to obtain and use a product or service. Examples of elements: * Directions to service site * Schedule/service hours * Prices * Conditions of sale * Usage instructions| Facilitating Services—_______________| Customers need to know what is available and may want to secure commitment to delivery. The process should be fast and smooth. Examples of elements: * Applications * Order entry * Reservations and check-in| Facilitating Services—_______________| â€Å"How much do I owe you? † Bills should be clear, Accurate, and intelligible.Examples of elements: * Periodic statements of account activity * Machine display of amount due| Facilitating Services—_______________| Customers may pay faster and more cheerfully if youmake transactions simple and convenient for them. Examples of elements: * Self service payment * Direct to payee or intermediary Automatic deduction| Enhancing Services—_______________| Value can be added to goods and services by offering advice and consultation tailored to each customer’s needs and situation. Examples of elements: * Customized advice * Personal counseling * Management consulting| Enhancing Services—_______________| Customers who invest time and effort in visiting business and using its services deserve to be treated as welcome guests— after all, marketing invited them! Examples of elements: * Greeting * Waiting facilities and amenities * Food and beverages * Toilets and washrooms * Security| Enhancing Services—_______________| Customers prefer not to worry about looking after the personal possessions that they bring with them to a service site. Examples of elements: * Looking after possessions customers bring with them * Caring for goods purchased (or rented) by customers| Enhancing Services—EXCEPTIONS| Customers appreciate some flexibility when they make special requests and expect responsiveness when things don’t go according to plan.Examples of elements: * Special requests in advance * Complaints or compliments * Problem solving * Restitution| Managerial Implications (To develop product policy and pricing strategy) * Managers need to determine: * Which supplementary services should be offered as a standard package accompanying the core * Which supplementary elements could be offered as options for an extra charge * In general, firms that compete on a low-cost, no-frills basis needs fewer supplementary elements than those mar keting expensive, high-value-added services * Each flower petal must receive consistent care and concern to remain fresh and appealing| III. Planning and Branding Service Products|Service Products| * A product implies a defined and consistent â€Å"_____________________† and also ability of firm to differentiate its bundle of output from competitors’ * Service firms can differentiate their products in similar fashion to various â€Å"models† offered by manufacturers * Providers of more intangible services also offer a â€Å"_______________† of products * Represent an assembly of elements that are built around the core product * May include certain value-added supplementary services | Product Lines and Brands| * Most service organizations offer a line of products rather than just a single product * They may choose among three broad alternatives: * Single brand to cover all products and services * A separate, stand-alone brand for each offering * Some combi nation of these two extremes| Spectrum of Branding Alternatives (Fig 3. 8)| * Branded House – Sub brands – Endorsed Brands – House ofBrands| Offering a Branded Experience (1)| * Branding can be employed at both _______________ and _______________ levels * _______________ brand: * Easily recognized * Holds meaning to customers * Stands for a particular way of doing business * _______________ brand: * Helps firm communicate distinctive experiences and benefits associated with a specific service concept * Moving toward branded customer experience includes: * Create brand promise * Shape truly differentiated customer experience * Give employees skills, tools, and supporting processes to deliver promise * Measure and monitor| Offering a Branded Experience (2)| â€Å"The brand promise or value proposition is not a tag line, an icon, or a color or a graphic element, although all of these may contribute.It is, instead, the heart and soul of the brand†¦. † Do n Schultz | IV. Developing New Services| A Hierarchy of New Service Categories (1)| 1. Major service innovations * New core products for previously undefined markets 2. Major process innovations * Using new processes to deliver existing products with added benefits 3. Product-line extensions * Additions to current product lines 4. Process-line extensions * Alternative delivery procedures 5. Supplementary service innovations * Addition of new or improved facilitating or enhancing elements 6. Service improvements * Modest changes in the performance of current products 7.Style changes * Visible changes in service design or scripts| Reengineering Service Processes| * Service processes affect not only customers, but also cost, speed, and productivity with which desired outcome is achieved * _______________ involves analyzing and redesigning processes to achieve faster and better performance * Running tasks in parallel instead of sequence can reduce/eliminate dead time * Examination of pr ocesses can lead to creation of alternative delivery methods that constitute new service concepts * Add/eliminate supplementary services * Resequence delivery of service elements * Offer self-service ptions| Physical Goods as a Source Of New Service Ideas| * Services can be built around rentals: Alternatives to owning a physical good and/or doing work oneself * Customers can rent goods—use and return for a fee—instead of purchasing them * Customers can hire personnel to operate own or rented equipment* Any new durable good may create need for after-sales services now and in future—possession processing * Shipping * Installation * Problem-solving and consulting advice * Cleaning and maintenance * Upgrades * Removal and disposal| Creating Services as Substitutes for Owning and/or Using Goods (Fig 3. 10)| | Achieving Success in Developing New Services| * Services are not immune to high failure rates that plague new manufactured products * â€Å"dot. com† com panies * In developing new services * Core product is of secondary importance * Ability to maintain quality of the total service offering is key * Accompanying marketing support activities are vital * Market knowledge is of utmost importance| Success Factors inNew Service Development| * _______________ * Good fit between new product and firm’s image/resources * Advantage versus competition in meeting customers’ needs * Strong support from firm during/after launch * Firm understands customer purchase decision behavior * _______________ factors * Strong interfunctional cooperation and coordination * Internal marketing to educate staff on new product and its competition * Employees understand importance of new services to firm * _______________ factors * Scientific studies conducted early in development process * Product concept well defined before undertaking field studies| Summary of Chapter 3: Developing Service Concepts (1)| * Planning and creating services involve: * Augmenting core product * Designing core product, supplementary services, and delivery process * Documenting delivery sequence over time with flowcharts * Gaining insights from flowcharting* Flower of service includes core product and two types of supplementary ervices: facilitating and enhancing * Facilitating services include information, order taking, billing, and payment * Enhancing services include consultation, hospitality, safekeeping, and exceptions * Spectrum of branding alternatives exists for services * Branded house * Sub-brands * Endorsed brands * House of brands * Seven categories of new services: * Major service innovations * Major process innovations * Product-line extensions * Process-line extensions * Supplementary service innovations * Service improvements * Style changes * To develop new services, we can * Reengineer service processes * Use physical goods as a source of new service ideas * Use research to design new services * Achieve success in developing new s ervices|Summary of Chapter 3: Developing Service Concepts * Planning and creating services involve: * Augmenting core product * Designing core product, supplementary services, and delivery process * Documenting delivery sequence over time with flowcharts * Gaining insights from flowcharting * Flower of service includes core product and two types of supplementary services: facilitating and enhancing * Facilitating services include information, order taking, billing, and payment * Enhancing services include consultation, hospitality, safekeeping, and exceptions * Spectrum of branding alternatives exists for services * Branded house * Sub-brands * Endorsed brands * House of brands * Seven categories of new services: * Major service innovations * Major process innovations * Product-line extensions * Process-line extensions * Supplementary service innovations * Service improvements * Style changes * To develop new services, we can * Reengineer service processes * Use physical goods as a source of new service ideas * Use research to design new services * Achieve success in developing new services| Summary of Chapter3: Developing Service Concepts * Planning and creating services involve: * Augmenting core product * Designing core product, supplementary services, and delivery process * Documenting delivery sequence over time with flowcharts * Gaining insights from flowcharting * Flower of service includes core product and two types of supplementary services: acilitating and enhancing * Facilitating services include information, order taking, billing, and payment * Enhancing services include consultation, hospitality, safekeeping, and exceptions * Spectrum of branding alternatives exists for services * Branded house * Sub-brands * Endorsed brands * House of brands * Seven categories of new services: * Major service innovations * Major process innovations * Product-line extensions * Process-line extensions * Supplementary service innovations * Service improvements * Sty le changes * To develop new services, we can * Reengineer service processes * Use physical goods as a source of new service ideas* Use research to design new services * Achieve success in developing new services| Summary of Chapter 3: Developing Service Concepts * Planning and creating services involve: * Augmenting core product * Designing core product, supplementary services, and delivery process * Documenting delivery sequence over time with flowcharts * Gaining insights from flowcharting * Flower of service includes core product and two types of supplementary services: facilitating and enhancing * Facilitating services include information, order taking, billing, and payment * Enhancing services include consultation, hospitality, safekeeping, and exceptions * Spectrum of branding alternatives exists for services * Branded house * Sub-brands * Endorsed brands * House of brands * Seven categories of new services: * Major service innovations * Major process innovations * Product-lin e extensions * Process-line extensions * Supplementary service innovations * Service improvements * Style changes * To develop new services, we can * Reengineer service processes * Use physical goods as a source of new service ideas * Use research to design new services* Achieve success in developing new services| Summary of Chapter 3: Developing Service Concepts * Planning and creating services involve: * Augmenting core product * Designing core product, supplementary services, and delivery process * Documenting delivery sequence over time with flowcharts * Gaining insights from flowcharting * Flower of service includes core product and two types of supplementary services: facilitating and enhancing * Facilitating services include information, rder taking, billing, and payment * Enhancing services include consultation, hospitality, safekeeping, and exceptions * Spectrum of branding alternatives exists for services * Branded house * Sub-brands * Endorsed brands * House of brands * S even categories of new services: * Major service innovations * Major process innovations * Product-line extensions * Process-line extensions * Supplementary service innovations * Service improvements * Style changes * To develop new services, we can * Reengineer service processes * Use physical goods as a source of new service ideas * Use research to design new services * Achieve success in developing new services|

Venus Flytrap Facts (Dionaea muscipula)

Venus Flytrap Facts (Dionaea muscipula) The Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) is a rare carnivorous plant that captures and digests its prey with fleshy, hinged jaws. These jaws are actually modified portions of the plants leaves. The plant gets its common name for Venus, the Roman goddess of love. This refers either to the plant traps supposed resemblance to female genitalia or to the sweet nectar it uses to lure its victims. The scientific name comes from Dionaea (daughter of Dione or Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love) and muscipula (Latin for mousetrap). Fast Facts: Venus Flytrap Scientific Name: Dionaea muscipulaCommon Names: Venus flytrap, tippity twitchetBasic Plant Group: Flowering plant (angiosperm)Size: 5 inchesLifespan: 20-30 yearsDiet: Crawling insectsHabitat: North and South Carolina coastal wetlandsPopulation: 33,000 (2014)Conservation Status: Vulnerable Description The Venus flytrap is a small, compact flowering plant. A mature rosette has between 4 and seven leaves and reaches a size up to 5 inches. Each leaf blade has a petiole capable of photosynthesis and a hinged trap. The trap contains cells that produce the red pigment anthocyanin. Within each trap are trigger hairs that sense touch. The edges of the trap lobes are lined with stiff protrusions which lock together when the trap closes to prevent prey from escaping. Habitat The Venus flytrap lives in damp sandy and peaty soil. It is native only to the coastal bogs of North and South Carolina. The soil is poor in nitrogen and phosphorus, so the plant needs to supplement photosynthesis with nutrients from insects. North and South Carolina get mild winters, so the plant is adapted to cold. Plants that do not undergo winter dormancy eventually weaken and die. Northern Florida and western Washington host successful naturalized populations. Diet and Behavior While the Venus flytrap relies on photosynthesis for most of its food production, it requires supplementation from proteins in prey to meet its nitrogen requirements. Despite its name, the plant primarily catches crawling insects (ants, beetles, spiders) rather than flies. In order for prey to be captured, it must touch the trigger hairs inside the trap more than once. Once triggered, it only takes about a tenth of a second for the trap lobes to snap shut. Initially the fringes of the trap loosely hold the prey. This allows very small prey to escape, as they arent worth the energy expenditure of digestion. If the prey is large enough, the trap fully closes to become a stomach. Digestive hydrolase enzymes are released into the trap, nutrients are absorbed through the leafs interior surface, and 5 to 12 days later the trap opens to release the remaining chitin shell of the insect. Large insects can damage the traps. Otherwise, each trap can only function a few times before the leaf dies and must be replaced. Suitable prey must be small enough to fit within the trap but large enough to supply enough nutrients. de-kay / Getty Images Reproduction Venus flytraps are capable of self-pollination, which occurs when pollen from the plants anthers fertilize a flowers pistil. However, cross-pollination is common. The Venus flytrap does not capture and eat insects that pollinate its flowers, such as sweat bees, checkered beetles, and long-horned beetles. Scientists arent entirely certain how the pollinators avoid being trapped. It could be that the color of the flowers (white) attracts pollinators, while the color of the traps (red and green) attracts prey. Other possibilities include scent differences between the flower and trap, and flower placement above the traps. After pollination, the Venus flytrap produces black seeds. The plant also reproduces by dividing into colonies from rosettes that form beneath mature plants. Conservation Status The IUCN lists the Venus flytraps conservation status as vulnerable. The population of plants in the species natural habitat is decreasing. As of 2014, an estimated 33,000 plants remained, all within a 75 mile radius of Wilmington, NC. Threats include poaching, fire prevention (the plant is fire resistant and relies on periodic burning to control competition), and habitat loss. In 2014, North Carolina Senate Bill 734 made collecting wild Venus flytrap plants a felony. Care and Cultivation The Venus flytrap is a popular houseplant. While its an easy plant to keep, it has certain requirements. It must be planted in acidic soil with good drainage. Usually, it is potted in a mixture of sphagnum peat moss and sand. Its important to water the plant with rainwater or distilled water to provide the proper pH. The plant needs 12 hours of direct sunlight per day. It should not be fertilized and should only be offered an insect if it appears unhealthy. In order to survive, a Venus flytrap requires exposure to a period of cooler temperatures to simulate winter. While the Venus flytrap will grow from seed, it is usually cultivated by dividing the rosettes in the spring or summer. Commercial propagation for nurseries occurs in vitro from plant tissue culture. Many interesting mutations for size and color are available from nurseries. Uses In addition to cultivation as a houseplant, Venus flytrap extract is sold as a patent medicine named Carnivora. The American Cancer Society states that Carnivora is sold as an alternative treatment for skin cancer, HIV, rheumatoid arthritis, herpes, and Crohns disease. However, the health claims have not been supported by scientific evidence. The purified active ingredient in the plant extract, plumbagin, does show antitumor activity. Sources DAmato, Peter (1998). The Savage Garden: Cultivating Carnivorous Plants. Berkeley, California: Ten Speed Press. ISBN 978-0-89815-915-8.Hsu YL, Cho CY, Kuo PL, Huang YT, Lin CC (Aug 2006). Plumbagin (5-Hydroxy-2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone) Induces Apoptosis and Cell Cycle Arrest in A549 Cells through p53 Accumulation via c-Jun NH2-Terminal Kinase-Mediated Phosphorylation at Serine 15 in Vitro and in Vivo. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 318 (2): 484–94. doi:10.1124/jpet.105.098863Jang, Gi-Won; Kim, Kwang-Soo; Park, Ro-Dong (2003). Micropropagation of Venus fly trap by shoot culture. Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture. 72 (1): 95–98. doi:10.1023/A:1021203811457Leege, Lissa (2002) How Does the Venus Flytrap Digest Flies? Scientific American.Schnell, D.; Catling, P.; Folkerts, G.; Frost, C.; Gardner, R.; et al. (2000). Dionaea muscipula. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2000: e.T39636A10253384. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2000.RLTS.T39636A10253384.en

Free Essays on Fgm

Screams Heard Around the World â€Å"The little girl, entirely nude, is immobilized in the sitting position on a low stool by at least three women. One of them with her arms tightly around the little girl’s chest; two others hold the child’s thighs apart by force, in order to open wide the vulva. The child’s arms are tied behind her back, or immobilized by two other women guests†¦ Then the old woman takes her razor and excises the clitoris. The infibulation follows: the operator cuts with her razor from top to bottom of the small lip and then scrapes the flesh from the inside of the large lip. This nymphectomy and scraping are repeated on the other side of the vulva†¦ The little girl howls and writhes in pain, although strongly held down. The operator wipes the blood from the wound and the mother, as well as the guests, verify her work, sometimes putting their fingers in. The opening left for urine and menstrual blood is minuscule†¦ Then the operator applies a paste and ensures the adhesion of the large lips by means of an acacia thorn, which pierces one lip and passes through into the other. She sticks in three or four in this manner down the vulva. These thorns are then held in place either by means of sewing thread, or with horsehair. Paste is again put on the wound†¦ But all this is not sufficient to ensure the coalescence of the large lips; so the little girl is then tied up from her pelvis to her feet: strips of material rolled up into a rope immobilizes her legs entirely†¦Ã¢â‚¬  - M.A.S. Mustafa, Muslim resident of Djibouti The passage above describes a typical procedure known as female genital mutilation (FGM) or female circumcision (FC). For many generations, this practice has been a normal and accepted scenario for women around the world, but has now become an issue for international controversy. It is estimated that 137 million females around the world have undergone FGM/FC, and at least another 2 m... Free Essays on Fgm Free Essays on Fgm Screams Heard Around the World â€Å"The little girl, entirely nude, is immobilized in the sitting position on a low stool by at least three women. One of them with her arms tightly around the little girl’s chest; two others hold the child’s thighs apart by force, in order to open wide the vulva. The child’s arms are tied behind her back, or immobilized by two other women guests†¦ Then the old woman takes her razor and excises the clitoris. The infibulation follows: the operator cuts with her razor from top to bottom of the small lip and then scrapes the flesh from the inside of the large lip. This nymphectomy and scraping are repeated on the other side of the vulva†¦ The little girl howls and writhes in pain, although strongly held down. The operator wipes the blood from the wound and the mother, as well as the guests, verify her work, sometimes putting their fingers in. The opening left for urine and menstrual blood is minuscule†¦ Then the operator applies a paste and ensures the adhesion of the large lips by means of an acacia thorn, which pierces one lip and passes through into the other. She sticks in three or four in this manner down the vulva. These thorns are then held in place either by means of sewing thread, or with horsehair. Paste is again put on the wound†¦ But all this is not sufficient to ensure the coalescence of the large lips; so the little girl is then tied up from her pelvis to her feet: strips of material rolled up into a rope immobilizes her legs entirely†¦Ã¢â‚¬  - M.A.S. Mustafa, Muslim resident of Djibouti The passage above describes a typical procedure known as female genital mutilation (FGM) or female circumcision (FC). For many generations, this practice has been a normal and accepted scenario for women around the world, but has now become an issue for international controversy. It is estimated that 137 million females around the world have undergone FGM/FC, and at least another 2 m...