Thursday, October 31, 2019

Corporate social responsibility in the global business community Assignment

Corporate social responsibility in the global business community - Assignment Example Also, it changes the business entrepreneurs perception towards business and society. Today, business is not just about profits, but it is more about profit sharing with society and employees (Kiran & Sharma, 2011). The majority of the world-renowned firms and organizations, for instance, the world bank, as well as European Commissions are mostly actively promoting and supporting the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility. However, Modern corporations attempt to put significant focus on the politics, economy, and the society of a country (Baxi, 2006). Perhaps, the developing nations are supposed to focus more on the Corporate Social Responsibility implementation and from the planning process. In addition, they can form alternatives to lifting the development of the social sector, and a suggested way is to develop viably and strategized public-private partnerships. Currently, the greatest challenge for most governments is on how to create Corporate Social Responsibility practices policies aa well as nurture a framework that is durable and would assist society and companies to translate the public policies to deliverables (Kiran & Sharma, 2011). Therefore, the paper focuses on defining CSR, identifying a global business that implements a CSR strategy, explain why, how, and where the global market they implement their strategy. The overall objective of the paper is to get a better understanding of how and why global companies are becoming more responsible. The paper also include the interpretation and conclusion. Nestle is one of the global renowned and largest, beverage and food companies. Nestle is a very old organization that started its activities almost 130 years ago. Its key success is innovations of its product. Alongside with its innovative capabilities, its brand business acquisitions that have made it be the large food firm all over the world. However, with time the passing, the Nestle company has swiftly grown and penetrated into the production of

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Training and development for manager in multinational company how that Essay

Training and development for manager in multinational company how that will effact on financial dicion - Essay Example In this context, corporation invests on the training and development of workers and managers. However, when organizations undertake investments, it is with the idea that there will be a positive return of investments (Kahnemann & Riepe, 1998). As such, training is tied up with the financial and profit making-goals of the organization, thus, requiring a strong foundation for the decision to invest in the training and development programs of workers and managers. In this regard, training and development are evaluated in terms of costs and benefits that will accrue to the organization because of the investment. However, as training and development are investments of the organization necessary for its survival, the need to understand the relationship and interaction of the training programs vis-a-vis its financial repercussions for the company become essential not only for the development of training programs, but also on the financial decision-making necessary for the implementation of the training. 2. Literature Review As the need for more experienced managers in all the departments of the firm increases, significant monetary investments are incurred by the organization in terms of recruitment, selection and training (Mosier, 1986). This fact highlights two critical elements required in understanding the contemporary condition of workers and managers. First, in the real world, the truism that all systems are improvable (Drury, 2005). Second, it is the reality that things changes overtime. As such, there is a need to respond to the demands made by changes (Drury, 2005). In this view, training and development programs for managers become not only as a tool for the economic survival of the company but also a necessity in itself in order to handle the demands of the global market (Ramirez et al., 2007). 2.1 The Current Context Training and development of workers and managers contribute to the productivity and profitability of the organization (Mosier, 1986; Swanson & Sleezer, 1998). However, training programs entail costs. In this regard, there is a need to come up with a positive framework that will enable decision-makers in coming up with valid reasons for the implementation of the training programs (Heckmann, 2000). This scenario presents the fact that training programs are not arbitrarily taken by the organization, but are pursued due to the following reasons. First, managers that are more skilled are more economically efficient (Heckmann, 2000). Second, experienced managers are more motivated and engaged in creating a workplace environment that will promote learning and development for the employees (Nahrgang, Morgeson & Hofmann, 2011). This is important since through the leadership of the skilled managers; the workers align their goals and objectives with the goals and objectives of the company, thus, enabling growth for both the employees and the company (Wolfgang & Brewster, 2005). Third, training and development of managers are key fac ets of contemporary organizations (Swanson & Sleezer, 1998). Fourth, managers that are more skilled are more focused in performing their tasks and are not affected by irrelevant factors such as gender, physical appearance and age in the accomplishment of the function (Weiss & Shanteau, 2003). Finally, fifth, the productivity of more skilled workers and

Sunday, October 27, 2019

High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) 214

High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) 214 Introduction High performance liquid chromatography 214 is the most widely used of all of the analytical separation techniques. The reasons for the popularity of the method is its sensitivity, ready adaptability to accurate quantitative determinations, suitability for separating non-volatile species or thermally fragile ones, wide spread applicability to substance that are of prime interest to industry, many fields of science and the public. The applications of chromatography have grown explosively in the last fifty years owing not only to the development of several new types of chromatographic techniques but also to the growing need by scientist for better methods for characterizing complex mixtures. General methodology for the development of new HPLC methods 215-228 HPLC method development follows the series of steps summarized below. Information on sample, objective of separation. Need for special HPLC procedure, sample pretreatment etc. Choice of detector and detector settings. Choosing LC method, preliminary run, estimation of best separation conditions. Optimization of separation conditions. Check for problems or requirement for special procedure. a) Recovery of purified material   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   b) Quantitative calibration  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   c) Qualitative method Validate method for routine laboratory use. A good method development strategy should require only as many experimental runs as are necessary to achieve the desired final result. Finally, method development should be simple as possible, yet it should allow the use of sophisticated tools such as computer modeling if these are available. Before the beginning of method development, it is necessary to review what is known about the sample in order to define the goals of separation. The kinds of sample related information that can be important are summarized in Table-7.1. Table-8.1 Important information concerning sample composition and properties Number   of compounds present in the sample Chemical structures of components Molecular weights of compounds PKa values of compounds UV spectra of compounds Concentration range of various compounds in samples of interest Sample solubility   Ã‚   The chemical composition of the sample can provide valuable clues for the best choice of initial conditions for an HPLC separation. Objectives of separation The objectives of HPLC separation need to be specified clearly include. The use of HPLC to isolate purified sample components for spectral identification or quantitative analysis. It may be necessary to separate all degradants or impurities from a product for reliable content assay. In quantitative analysis, the required levels of accuracy and precision should be known (a precision of  ± 1 to 2% is usually achievable). Whether a single HPLC procedure is sufficient for raw material or one or more formulations and / or different procedures are desired for the analysis of formulations? When the number of samples for analysis at one time is greater than 10, a run time of less than 20 min. will be oftenly important. Knowledge on the desired HPLC equipment, experience and academic training the operators have. Sample pretreatment and detection Samples for analysis come in various forms such as: Solutions ready for injections. Solutions that require dilution, buffering, addition of an internal standard or other volumetric manipulation. Solids that must first be dissolved or extracted. Samples that require pretreatment to remove interference and/or protect the column or equipment from damage. Most samples for HPLC analysis require weighing and / or volumetric dilution before injection. Best results are often obtained when the composition of the sample solvent is close to that of the mobile phase since this minimizes baseline upset and other problems. Some samples require a partial separation ( pretreatment) prior to HPLC, because of need to remove interference, concentrate sample analytes or eliminate â€Å"column killer†. In many cases the development of an adequate sample pretreatment can be challenging than achieving a good HPLC separation. The detector selected should sense all sample components of interest. Variable-wavelength ultraviolet (UV) detectors normally are the first choice, because of their convenience and applicability for most samples. For this reason information on the UV spectra can be an important aid for method development. When the UV response of the sample is inadequate, other detectors are available (flourescence, electrochemical, PDA etc.) or the sample can be derivatized for enhanced detection. Developing the method for the separation Selecting an HPLC method and initial conditions If HPLC is chosen for the separation, the next step is to classify the sample as regular or special. Regular samples means typical mixtures of small molecules (    Table-8.2 Handling of special sample Sample Requirements Inorganic ions Detection is primary problems; use ion chromatography Isomers Some isomers can be separated by reversed-phase HPLC and are then classified as regular samples; better separations of isomers are obtainable using either (1) normal-phase HPLC or (2) reversed-phase separations with cyclodextrin-silica columns. Enantiomers These compounds require â€Å"chiral† conditions for their separations. Biological Several factors make samples or this kind â€Å"special†; molecular conformation, polar functionality and a wide range of hydrophobicity. Macromolecules â€Å"Big† molecules require column packing with large pores  Ã‚  (>> 10-nm diameters); in addition, biological molecules require special conditions as noted above. Table-8.3 Preferred experimental conditions for the initial HPLC separation Separation variable Preferred initial choice Column Dimensions (length, ID) 15 x 0.46 cm Particle size 5 mma Stationary phase C8 or C18 Mobile phase Solvent A and B Buffer-acetonitrile % B 80-100%b Buffer (compound, pH, concentration) 25mM potassium phosphate 2.0 Additives (e.g., amine modifiers, ion pair reagents) Do not use initially Flow rate 1.5–2.0 ml/min Temperature 35-45 ºC Sample Size Volumed >25 mL Weightd B : Polar solvent  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   a 3.5 mm particles are an alternative using a 7.5 cm column b For an initial isocratic run; an initial gradient run is preferred. c No buffer required for neutral samples; for pH d Smaller values required for smaller-volume columns (e.g., 7.50.46-cm, 3.5-mm column). Table-8.4 Physical properties of silica supports for some C 18 columns Column (mL/mL) Pore diameter (nm) Surface area (m2/g) Percent Porosity Hypersil ODS 12 170 57 LiChrosorb C18 10 355 71 Novapak C18 6 N/Aa N/Aa Nucleosil C18 10 350 69` Symmetry C18 10 335 66 Zorbax ODS 6 300 55 Zorbax Rx, SB, XDB 8 180 50 a N/A : Not available On the basis of the initial exploratory run isocratic or gradient elution can be selected as most suitable. If typical reversed-phase conditions provide insufficient sample retention, suggesting the use of either ion pair on normal phase HPLC. Alternatively, the sample may be strongly retained with 100% acetonitrile as mobile phase, suggesting the use of non-aqueous reversed-phase (NARP) chromatography or normal phase HPLC. Some characteristics of reversed-phase and other HPLC methods are summarized below. Table-8.5 Characteristics of primary HPLC methods Method / description/ columns Preferred method Reversed-phase HPLC Uses water – organic mobile phase Columns: C18 (ODS), C8, phenyl, trimethylsilyl (TMS), Cyano First choice for most samples, especially neutral or non-ionisable compounds that dissolve in water-organic mixtures Ion-pair HPLC Uses water-organic mobile phase a buffer to control pH and an ion pair reagent. Column : C18, C8, cyano. Acceptable choice for ionic or ionizable compounds, especially bases or cations. Normal phase HPLC Uses mixtures of organic solvents as mobile phase Columns: Cyano, diol, amino and silica. Good second choice when reversed-phase or ion-pair HPLC is ineffective, first choice for lipophilic samples that do not dissolve well in water-organic mixtures, first choice for mixtures of isomers and for preparative-scale HPLC (silica best) Getting started on method development One approach is to use an isocratic mobile phase of some average solvent strength (e.g., 50%) organic solvent. A better alternative is to use a very strong mobile phase with (80-100% B), then reduce %B as necessary. The initial separation with 100%B results in rapid elution of the entire sample, but few groups will separate. Decreasing solvent strength shows the rapid separation of all components with a much longer run time, with a broadening of later bands and reduced detection sensitivity. Improving the separation and repeatable separation Generally the chromatographers will consider several aspects of the separation, as summarized in Table-8.6. Table-8.6 Objectives of separation in HPLC method development Objectivesa Comment Resolution Precise and rugged quantitative analysis requires that Rs be greater than 1.5. Separation time Quantitation   Ã‚ £ 2% (1 SD) for assays;  £ 5% for less-demanding analysis;  £15% for trace analysis. Pressure Peak height Narrow peaks are desirable for large signal / noise ratios Solvent consumption   Minimum mobile-phase use per run is desirable. a Roughly in order of decreasing importance but may vary with analysis requirements. Separation or resolution is a primary requirement in quantitative HPLC. The resolution (Rs) value should be maximum (Rs>1.5) favours maximum precision. Resolution usually degrades during the life of the column and can vary from day to day with minor fluctuations in separation conditions. Therefore, values of Rs = 2 or greater should be the goal during method development for simple mixtures. Such resolution will favour both improved assay precision and greater method ruggedness. Some HPLC assays do not require base line separation of the compounds of interest (qualitative analysis). In such cases only enough separation of individual components is required to provide characteristic retention times for peak identification. The time required for a separation (run time = retention time for base band) should be as short as possible and the total time spent on method development is reasonable (runtimes 5 to 10 minutes are desirable). Conditions for the final HPLC method should be selected so that the operating pressure with a new column does not exceed 170 bar (2500 psi) and upper pressure limit below 2000 psi is desirable. There are two reasons for that pressure limit, despite the fact that most HPLC equipment can be operated at much higher pressures. First, during the life of a column, the back pressure may rise by a factor of as much as 2 due to the gradual plugging of the column by particular matter. Second, at lower pressures When dealing with more challenging samples or if the goals of separation are particularly stringent, a large number of method development runs may be required to achieve acceptable separation. Repeatable separation As the experimental runs described above are being carried out, it is important to confirm that each chromatogram can be repeated. When changing conditions (mobile phase, column, and temperature) between method development experiments, enough time must elapse for the column to come into equilibrium with a new mobile phase and temperature. Usually column equilibration is achieved after passage of 10 to 20 column volumes of the new mobile phase through the column. However, this should be confirmed by carrying out a repeat experiment under the same conditions. When constant retention times are observed in two such back-to-back repeat experiments ( ± 0.5% or better), it can be assumed that the column is equilibrated and the experiments are repeatable. Completing the HPLC method development The final procedure should meet all the objectives that were defined at the beginning of method development. The method should also be robust in routine operation and usable by all laboratories and personnel for which it is intended. Quantitation and method validation One of the strengths of HPLC is that is an excellent quantitative analytical technique. HPLC can be used for the quantitation of the primary or major component of a sample (including pure samples) for mixture of many compounds at intermediate concentrations and for the assessment of trace impurity concentrations in matrix. Method validation, according to the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP), is performed to ensure that an analytical methodology is accurate, specific, reproducible and rugged over the specified range that an analyte will be analysed. Method validation provides an assurance of reliability during normal use and is sometimes described as the process of providing documented evidence that the method does what it is intended to do. According to USP, the method validation involves eight steps as given below. Precision Accuracy Limit of detection Limit of quantitation Specificity Linearity and range Ruggedness Robustness Precision and accuracy: Already discussed in chapter-1. Linearity The linearity of the method is a measure of how well a calibration plot of response v/s concentration approximates a straight line, or how well the data fit to the linear equation. Y = aX + b Where ‘Y’ is the response, ‘X’ is the concentration, ‘a’ is the slope and ‘b’ is the intercept of a line fit to the data. Ideally, a linear relationship is preferred (b = 0) because it is more precise, easier for calculations and can be defined with fewer standards. Also, UV detector response for a dilute sample is expected to follow Beer’s law and be linear. Therefore, a linear calibration gives evidence that the system is performing properly throughout the concentration range of interest. Generally in HPLC, if we are using internal standard, then the linearity plot is to be drawn by taking concentration of the analyte on x-axis and the ratio of area under the curve (AUC) of analyte to AUC of internal standard (IS) on y-axis. The resulting plot slope, intercept and correlation coefficient provide the desired information on linearity. A linearity correlation coefficient above 0.999 is acceptable for most methods. Limit of detection (LOD) The limit of detection (LOD) is the smallest concentration that can be detected reliably. The LOD represents the concentration of analyte that would yield a signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of 3. Limit of quantitation (LOQ) The LOQ is the concentration that can be quantitated reliably with a specified level of accuracy and precision. The LOQ represents the concentration of analyte that would yield a signal-to-noise ratio of 10. LOD and LOQ can be determined by using the following expressions. LOD  Ã‚  Ã‚   =  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   3 X N / B LOQ  Ã‚  Ã‚   =  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   10 X N / B Where N is the noise estimate, is the standard deviation of the peak area ratio of analyte to IS (5 injections) of the drugs. B is the slope of the corresponding calibration curve. The LOD and LOQ values determined during method validation are affected by the separation conditions, columns, reagents and especially instrumentation and data systems. Ruggedness Method ruggedness is defined as the reproducibility of results when the method is performed under actual use conditions. This includes different analysts, laboratories, columns, instruments, sources, chemicals, solvents etc. method ruggedness may not be known when a method is first developed, but insight is obtained during subsequent use of that method. Robustness The concept of robustness of an analytical procedure has been defined by the ICH as â€Å" a measure of its capacity to remain unaffected by small, but deliberate variations in method parameters†. The robustness of a method is the ability to remain unaffected by small changes in parameters such as pH of the mobile phase, temperature, percentage of organic solvent and buffer concentration etc. to determine robustness of the method experimental conditions were purposely altered and chromatographic characteristics were evaluated. To study the pH effect on the retention (K1) of the drug, buffer pH is to be changed by 0.2 units. At certain point, retention will increase at any pH above and below of the pH unit. The effect of temperature on the retention characteristics (K1) of the drug is to be studied by changing the temperature in steps 2 ºC from room temperature to 80 ºC and see the effect of temperature on the resolution and peak shape. Effect of percentage organic strength on retention is to be studied by varying the percentage of organic solvents like acetonitrile, methanol etc. from 0 to 2% while the other mobile phase contents are held constant and observe the K1. At certain point decreases in K1 observed with increase in the level of organic solvent. Effect of buffer concentration should be checked at three concentration levels i.e. 0.025 M, 0.05 M and 0.1 M and observe retention time and resolution. Stability To generate reproducible and reliable results, the samples, standards and reagents used for the HPLC method must be stable for a reasonable time (e.g., One day, one week, one month, depending on the need). For example, the analysis of even a single sample may require 10 or more chromatographic runs to determine system suitability, including standard concentrations to create a working analytical curve and duplicate or triplicate injections of the sample to be assayed. Therefore, a few hours of standard and sample solution stability can be required even for a short (10 min.) separation. When more than one sample is analyzed, automated, over night runs often are performed for better laboratory efficiency. Typically, 24 hours stability is desired for all solutions and reagents that need to be prepared for each analysis. Mobile phases should be chosen to avoid stability problems, especially the use of amine additives or specific solvents. For example, mobile phase containing THF (tetra hydrofuran) are known to be susceptible to oxidation, therefore, the mobile phase should be prepared daily with fresh THF. Some buffered mobile phases cause problems for example, phosphate and acetate provide good media for microbial growth. Sodium oxide (0.1%) is often added to the mobile phase buffer to inhibit such growth, adding more than 5% of organic solvent is also effective. Long term column stability is critical for method ruggedness. Even the best HPLC column will eventually degrade and lose its initial performance, often as a function of the number of samples injected. System suitability System suitability experiments can be defined as tests to ensure that the method can generate results of acceptable accuracy and precision. The requirements for system suitability are usually developed after method development and validation have been completed. The criteria selected will be based on the actual performance of the method as determined during its validation. For example, if sample retention times forms part of the system suitability criteria, their variation (SD) during validation can be determined, system suitability might then require that retention times fall within a  ±3 SD range during routine performance of the method. The USP (2000) defines parameters that can be used to determine system suitability prior to analysis. These parameters include plate number (N), tailing factor, k and / or a, resolution (Rs) and relative standard deviation (RSD) of peak height or peak area for respective injections. The RSD of peak height or area of five injections of standard solution is normally accepted as one of the standard criteria. For an assay method of a major component, the RSD should typically be less than 1% for these five respective injections. The plate number and / or tailing factor are used if the run contains only one peak. For chromatographic separations with more than one peak, such as an internal standard assay or an impurity method, expected to contain many peaks, some measure of separations such as Rs is recommended. Reproducibility of tR or k value for a specific compound also defines system performance. The column performance can be defined in terms of column plate number ‘N’ is defined by N = 5.54 (tR / W ½)2 Where ‘tR’ is the retention time of the peak and ‘W ½Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ is the width of the peak at half peak height. The resolution of two adjacent peaks can be calculated by using the formula Rs = 1.18 (t2-t1) / W0.5.1 +W0.5.2 Where ‘t1’ and ‘t2’ are retention times of the adjacent peaks and W0.5.1 and W0.5.2 are the width of the peaks at half height. Rs = 2.0 or greater is a desirable target for method development. The retention factor k is given by the equation. k = (tR – t0) / t0 where ‘tR’ is the band retention time and t0 is the column dead time. The peak symmetry can be represented in terms of peak asymmetry factor and peak tailing factor, which can be calculated by using the following formula. Peak asymmetry factor = B /A Where ‘B’ is the distance at 50% peak height between leading edge to the perpendicular drawn from the peak maxima and ‘A’ is the width of the peak at half height. According to USP (2000) peak tailing factor can be calculated by using the formula T = W0.05 / 2f Where â€Å"W0.05† is the width of the peak at 5% height and â€Å"f† is the distance from the peak maximum to the leading edge of the peak, the distance being measured at a point 50% of the peak height from the base line. High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) 214 High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) 214 Introduction High performance liquid chromatography 214 is the most widely used of all of the analytical separation techniques. The reasons for the popularity of the method is its sensitivity, ready adaptability to accurate quantitative determinations, suitability for separating non-volatile species or thermally fragile ones, wide spread applicability to substance that are of prime interest to industry, many fields of science and the public. The applications of chromatography have grown explosively in the last fifty years owing not only to the development of several new types of chromatographic techniques but also to the growing need by scientist for better methods for characterizing complex mixtures. General methodology for the development of new HPLC methods 215-228 HPLC method development follows the series of steps summarized below. Information on sample, objective of separation. Need for special HPLC procedure, sample pretreatment etc. Choice of detector and detector settings. Choosing LC method, preliminary run, estimation of best separation conditions. Optimization of separation conditions. Check for problems or requirement for special procedure. a) Recovery of purified material   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   b) Quantitative calibration  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   c) Qualitative method Validate method for routine laboratory use. A good method development strategy should require only as many experimental runs as are necessary to achieve the desired final result. Finally, method development should be simple as possible, yet it should allow the use of sophisticated tools such as computer modeling if these are available. Before the beginning of method development, it is necessary to review what is known about the sample in order to define the goals of separation. The kinds of sample related information that can be important are summarized in Table-7.1. Table-8.1 Important information concerning sample composition and properties Number   of compounds present in the sample Chemical structures of components Molecular weights of compounds PKa values of compounds UV spectra of compounds Concentration range of various compounds in samples of interest Sample solubility   Ã‚   The chemical composition of the sample can provide valuable clues for the best choice of initial conditions for an HPLC separation. Objectives of separation The objectives of HPLC separation need to be specified clearly include. The use of HPLC to isolate purified sample components for spectral identification or quantitative analysis. It may be necessary to separate all degradants or impurities from a product for reliable content assay. In quantitative analysis, the required levels of accuracy and precision should be known (a precision of  ± 1 to 2% is usually achievable). Whether a single HPLC procedure is sufficient for raw material or one or more formulations and / or different procedures are desired for the analysis of formulations? When the number of samples for analysis at one time is greater than 10, a run time of less than 20 min. will be oftenly important. Knowledge on the desired HPLC equipment, experience and academic training the operators have. Sample pretreatment and detection Samples for analysis come in various forms such as: Solutions ready for injections. Solutions that require dilution, buffering, addition of an internal standard or other volumetric manipulation. Solids that must first be dissolved or extracted. Samples that require pretreatment to remove interference and/or protect the column or equipment from damage. Most samples for HPLC analysis require weighing and / or volumetric dilution before injection. Best results are often obtained when the composition of the sample solvent is close to that of the mobile phase since this minimizes baseline upset and other problems. Some samples require a partial separation ( pretreatment) prior to HPLC, because of need to remove interference, concentrate sample analytes or eliminate â€Å"column killer†. In many cases the development of an adequate sample pretreatment can be challenging than achieving a good HPLC separation. The detector selected should sense all sample components of interest. Variable-wavelength ultraviolet (UV) detectors normally are the first choice, because of their convenience and applicability for most samples. For this reason information on the UV spectra can be an important aid for method development. When the UV response of the sample is inadequate, other detectors are available (flourescence, electrochemical, PDA etc.) or the sample can be derivatized for enhanced detection. Developing the method for the separation Selecting an HPLC method and initial conditions If HPLC is chosen for the separation, the next step is to classify the sample as regular or special. Regular samples means typical mixtures of small molecules (    Table-8.2 Handling of special sample Sample Requirements Inorganic ions Detection is primary problems; use ion chromatography Isomers Some isomers can be separated by reversed-phase HPLC and are then classified as regular samples; better separations of isomers are obtainable using either (1) normal-phase HPLC or (2) reversed-phase separations with cyclodextrin-silica columns. Enantiomers These compounds require â€Å"chiral† conditions for their separations. Biological Several factors make samples or this kind â€Å"special†; molecular conformation, polar functionality and a wide range of hydrophobicity. Macromolecules â€Å"Big† molecules require column packing with large pores  Ã‚  (>> 10-nm diameters); in addition, biological molecules require special conditions as noted above. Table-8.3 Preferred experimental conditions for the initial HPLC separation Separation variable Preferred initial choice Column Dimensions (length, ID) 15 x 0.46 cm Particle size 5 mma Stationary phase C8 or C18 Mobile phase Solvent A and B Buffer-acetonitrile % B 80-100%b Buffer (compound, pH, concentration) 25mM potassium phosphate 2.0 Additives (e.g., amine modifiers, ion pair reagents) Do not use initially Flow rate 1.5–2.0 ml/min Temperature 35-45 ºC Sample Size Volumed >25 mL Weightd B : Polar solvent  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   a 3.5 mm particles are an alternative using a 7.5 cm column b For an initial isocratic run; an initial gradient run is preferred. c No buffer required for neutral samples; for pH d Smaller values required for smaller-volume columns (e.g., 7.50.46-cm, 3.5-mm column). Table-8.4 Physical properties of silica supports for some C 18 columns Column (mL/mL) Pore diameter (nm) Surface area (m2/g) Percent Porosity Hypersil ODS 12 170 57 LiChrosorb C18 10 355 71 Novapak C18 6 N/Aa N/Aa Nucleosil C18 10 350 69` Symmetry C18 10 335 66 Zorbax ODS 6 300 55 Zorbax Rx, SB, XDB 8 180 50 a N/A : Not available On the basis of the initial exploratory run isocratic or gradient elution can be selected as most suitable. If typical reversed-phase conditions provide insufficient sample retention, suggesting the use of either ion pair on normal phase HPLC. Alternatively, the sample may be strongly retained with 100% acetonitrile as mobile phase, suggesting the use of non-aqueous reversed-phase (NARP) chromatography or normal phase HPLC. Some characteristics of reversed-phase and other HPLC methods are summarized below. Table-8.5 Characteristics of primary HPLC methods Method / description/ columns Preferred method Reversed-phase HPLC Uses water – organic mobile phase Columns: C18 (ODS), C8, phenyl, trimethylsilyl (TMS), Cyano First choice for most samples, especially neutral or non-ionisable compounds that dissolve in water-organic mixtures Ion-pair HPLC Uses water-organic mobile phase a buffer to control pH and an ion pair reagent. Column : C18, C8, cyano. Acceptable choice for ionic or ionizable compounds, especially bases or cations. Normal phase HPLC Uses mixtures of organic solvents as mobile phase Columns: Cyano, diol, amino and silica. Good second choice when reversed-phase or ion-pair HPLC is ineffective, first choice for lipophilic samples that do not dissolve well in water-organic mixtures, first choice for mixtures of isomers and for preparative-scale HPLC (silica best) Getting started on method development One approach is to use an isocratic mobile phase of some average solvent strength (e.g., 50%) organic solvent. A better alternative is to use a very strong mobile phase with (80-100% B), then reduce %B as necessary. The initial separation with 100%B results in rapid elution of the entire sample, but few groups will separate. Decreasing solvent strength shows the rapid separation of all components with a much longer run time, with a broadening of later bands and reduced detection sensitivity. Improving the separation and repeatable separation Generally the chromatographers will consider several aspects of the separation, as summarized in Table-8.6. Table-8.6 Objectives of separation in HPLC method development Objectivesa Comment Resolution Precise and rugged quantitative analysis requires that Rs be greater than 1.5. Separation time Quantitation   Ã‚ £ 2% (1 SD) for assays;  £ 5% for less-demanding analysis;  £15% for trace analysis. Pressure Peak height Narrow peaks are desirable for large signal / noise ratios Solvent consumption   Minimum mobile-phase use per run is desirable. a Roughly in order of decreasing importance but may vary with analysis requirements. Separation or resolution is a primary requirement in quantitative HPLC. The resolution (Rs) value should be maximum (Rs>1.5) favours maximum precision. Resolution usually degrades during the life of the column and can vary from day to day with minor fluctuations in separation conditions. Therefore, values of Rs = 2 or greater should be the goal during method development for simple mixtures. Such resolution will favour both improved assay precision and greater method ruggedness. Some HPLC assays do not require base line separation of the compounds of interest (qualitative analysis). In such cases only enough separation of individual components is required to provide characteristic retention times for peak identification. The time required for a separation (run time = retention time for base band) should be as short as possible and the total time spent on method development is reasonable (runtimes 5 to 10 minutes are desirable). Conditions for the final HPLC method should be selected so that the operating pressure with a new column does not exceed 170 bar (2500 psi) and upper pressure limit below 2000 psi is desirable. There are two reasons for that pressure limit, despite the fact that most HPLC equipment can be operated at much higher pressures. First, during the life of a column, the back pressure may rise by a factor of as much as 2 due to the gradual plugging of the column by particular matter. Second, at lower pressures When dealing with more challenging samples or if the goals of separation are particularly stringent, a large number of method development runs may be required to achieve acceptable separation. Repeatable separation As the experimental runs described above are being carried out, it is important to confirm that each chromatogram can be repeated. When changing conditions (mobile phase, column, and temperature) between method development experiments, enough time must elapse for the column to come into equilibrium with a new mobile phase and temperature. Usually column equilibration is achieved after passage of 10 to 20 column volumes of the new mobile phase through the column. However, this should be confirmed by carrying out a repeat experiment under the same conditions. When constant retention times are observed in two such back-to-back repeat experiments ( ± 0.5% or better), it can be assumed that the column is equilibrated and the experiments are repeatable. Completing the HPLC method development The final procedure should meet all the objectives that were defined at the beginning of method development. The method should also be robust in routine operation and usable by all laboratories and personnel for which it is intended. Quantitation and method validation One of the strengths of HPLC is that is an excellent quantitative analytical technique. HPLC can be used for the quantitation of the primary or major component of a sample (including pure samples) for mixture of many compounds at intermediate concentrations and for the assessment of trace impurity concentrations in matrix. Method validation, according to the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP), is performed to ensure that an analytical methodology is accurate, specific, reproducible and rugged over the specified range that an analyte will be analysed. Method validation provides an assurance of reliability during normal use and is sometimes described as the process of providing documented evidence that the method does what it is intended to do. According to USP, the method validation involves eight steps as given below. Precision Accuracy Limit of detection Limit of quantitation Specificity Linearity and range Ruggedness Robustness Precision and accuracy: Already discussed in chapter-1. Linearity The linearity of the method is a measure of how well a calibration plot of response v/s concentration approximates a straight line, or how well the data fit to the linear equation. Y = aX + b Where ‘Y’ is the response, ‘X’ is the concentration, ‘a’ is the slope and ‘b’ is the intercept of a line fit to the data. Ideally, a linear relationship is preferred (b = 0) because it is more precise, easier for calculations and can be defined with fewer standards. Also, UV detector response for a dilute sample is expected to follow Beer’s law and be linear. Therefore, a linear calibration gives evidence that the system is performing properly throughout the concentration range of interest. Generally in HPLC, if we are using internal standard, then the linearity plot is to be drawn by taking concentration of the analyte on x-axis and the ratio of area under the curve (AUC) of analyte to AUC of internal standard (IS) on y-axis. The resulting plot slope, intercept and correlation coefficient provide the desired information on linearity. A linearity correlation coefficient above 0.999 is acceptable for most methods. Limit of detection (LOD) The limit of detection (LOD) is the smallest concentration that can be detected reliably. The LOD represents the concentration of analyte that would yield a signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of 3. Limit of quantitation (LOQ) The LOQ is the concentration that can be quantitated reliably with a specified level of accuracy and precision. The LOQ represents the concentration of analyte that would yield a signal-to-noise ratio of 10. LOD and LOQ can be determined by using the following expressions. LOD  Ã‚  Ã‚   =  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   3 X N / B LOQ  Ã‚  Ã‚   =  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   10 X N / B Where N is the noise estimate, is the standard deviation of the peak area ratio of analyte to IS (5 injections) of the drugs. B is the slope of the corresponding calibration curve. The LOD and LOQ values determined during method validation are affected by the separation conditions, columns, reagents and especially instrumentation and data systems. Ruggedness Method ruggedness is defined as the reproducibility of results when the method is performed under actual use conditions. This includes different analysts, laboratories, columns, instruments, sources, chemicals, solvents etc. method ruggedness may not be known when a method is first developed, but insight is obtained during subsequent use of that method. Robustness The concept of robustness of an analytical procedure has been defined by the ICH as â€Å" a measure of its capacity to remain unaffected by small, but deliberate variations in method parameters†. The robustness of a method is the ability to remain unaffected by small changes in parameters such as pH of the mobile phase, temperature, percentage of organic solvent and buffer concentration etc. to determine robustness of the method experimental conditions were purposely altered and chromatographic characteristics were evaluated. To study the pH effect on the retention (K1) of the drug, buffer pH is to be changed by 0.2 units. At certain point, retention will increase at any pH above and below of the pH unit. The effect of temperature on the retention characteristics (K1) of the drug is to be studied by changing the temperature in steps 2 ºC from room temperature to 80 ºC and see the effect of temperature on the resolution and peak shape. Effect of percentage organic strength on retention is to be studied by varying the percentage of organic solvents like acetonitrile, methanol etc. from 0 to 2% while the other mobile phase contents are held constant and observe the K1. At certain point decreases in K1 observed with increase in the level of organic solvent. Effect of buffer concentration should be checked at three concentration levels i.e. 0.025 M, 0.05 M and 0.1 M and observe retention time and resolution. Stability To generate reproducible and reliable results, the samples, standards and reagents used for the HPLC method must be stable for a reasonable time (e.g., One day, one week, one month, depending on the need). For example, the analysis of even a single sample may require 10 or more chromatographic runs to determine system suitability, including standard concentrations to create a working analytical curve and duplicate or triplicate injections of the sample to be assayed. Therefore, a few hours of standard and sample solution stability can be required even for a short (10 min.) separation. When more than one sample is analyzed, automated, over night runs often are performed for better laboratory efficiency. Typically, 24 hours stability is desired for all solutions and reagents that need to be prepared for each analysis. Mobile phases should be chosen to avoid stability problems, especially the use of amine additives or specific solvents. For example, mobile phase containing THF (tetra hydrofuran) are known to be susceptible to oxidation, therefore, the mobile phase should be prepared daily with fresh THF. Some buffered mobile phases cause problems for example, phosphate and acetate provide good media for microbial growth. Sodium oxide (0.1%) is often added to the mobile phase buffer to inhibit such growth, adding more than 5% of organic solvent is also effective. Long term column stability is critical for method ruggedness. Even the best HPLC column will eventually degrade and lose its initial performance, often as a function of the number of samples injected. System suitability System suitability experiments can be defined as tests to ensure that the method can generate results of acceptable accuracy and precision. The requirements for system suitability are usually developed after method development and validation have been completed. The criteria selected will be based on the actual performance of the method as determined during its validation. For example, if sample retention times forms part of the system suitability criteria, their variation (SD) during validation can be determined, system suitability might then require that retention times fall within a  ±3 SD range during routine performance of the method. The USP (2000) defines parameters that can be used to determine system suitability prior to analysis. These parameters include plate number (N), tailing factor, k and / or a, resolution (Rs) and relative standard deviation (RSD) of peak height or peak area for respective injections. The RSD of peak height or area of five injections of standard solution is normally accepted as one of the standard criteria. For an assay method of a major component, the RSD should typically be less than 1% for these five respective injections. The plate number and / or tailing factor are used if the run contains only one peak. For chromatographic separations with more than one peak, such as an internal standard assay or an impurity method, expected to contain many peaks, some measure of separations such as Rs is recommended. Reproducibility of tR or k value for a specific compound also defines system performance. The column performance can be defined in terms of column plate number ‘N’ is defined by N = 5.54 (tR / W ½)2 Where ‘tR’ is the retention time of the peak and ‘W ½Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ is the width of the peak at half peak height. The resolution of two adjacent peaks can be calculated by using the formula Rs = 1.18 (t2-t1) / W0.5.1 +W0.5.2 Where ‘t1’ and ‘t2’ are retention times of the adjacent peaks and W0.5.1 and W0.5.2 are the width of the peaks at half height. Rs = 2.0 or greater is a desirable target for method development. The retention factor k is given by the equation. k = (tR – t0) / t0 where ‘tR’ is the band retention time and t0 is the column dead time. The peak symmetry can be represented in terms of peak asymmetry factor and peak tailing factor, which can be calculated by using the following formula. Peak asymmetry factor = B /A Where ‘B’ is the distance at 50% peak height between leading edge to the perpendicular drawn from the peak maxima and ‘A’ is the width of the peak at half height. According to USP (2000) peak tailing factor can be calculated by using the formula T = W0.05 / 2f Where â€Å"W0.05† is the width of the peak at 5% height and â€Å"f† is the distance from the peak maximum to the leading edge of the peak, the distance being measured at a point 50% of the peak height from the base line.

Friday, October 25, 2019

One Flew Over the Cukoos Nest: Every Person is Different :: One Flew Over Cuckoos Nest

One Flew Over the Cukoo's Nest: Every Person is Different In this world there are millions upon millions of people that roam around the earth in there own special, little life. Every person is different than the next one and he or she has their own personality. Each person also deals with life differently than the next. If everyone was the same, then we would be like one giant colony of ants. Just following the ant in front of us, and everyone looking the same as the next. Not having any of there own ideas or thoughts of what to do and how to do it. Some people are what you may call "normal", some are depressed, some are mentally ill, and some are just plain old crazy. In the book One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, written by Ken Kesey, the author shows how people can act so differently and have different ways of dealing with their problems. The story is narrated by Chief Bromden who is thought to be deaf and dumb. He tells of a man by the name of R. P. McMurphy, who was a con man, and was convicted of statutory rape. He told the officials that, "she was 18 and very willing if you know what I mean."( ) He was sent to a work farm, where he would spend some time, working off his crime. Since he was so lazy, he faked being insane and was transferred to a mental ward, somewhere near Portland, Oregon. On his arrival he finds some of the other members of the asylum to be almost "normal" and so he tries to make changes to the ward; even though the changes he is trying to make are all at his own expense. As time goes on he gets some of th e other inmates to realize that they aren't so crazy and this gets under the skin of the head nurse. Nurse Ratched (the head nurse) and McMurphy have battle upon battle against each other to show who is the stronger of the two. He does many things to get the other guys to leave the ward. First he sets up a fishing trip for some of them, then sets up a basketball team, along with many smaller problems and distractions. Finally Nurse Ratched gives him all he can handle and he attacks her.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

English Literature: The Novel Essay

The depiction of a woman as an emancipated slave has been traditional to Victorian literary period. Numerous novels and literary works were written in the form of a female gender scream, which did not change a woman’s position in the then society, but on the contrary, confirmed the unchanging social prejudices towards women. Gender identities and the related social issues have become the central elements of the two novels: Eliza Haywood’s â€Å"Fantomina† and Wilkie Collins’s â€Å"The Woman in White†. The two novels have shown that the social structure of the Victorian society did not give any space for free expression of the female gender identity. Moreover, by crossing the boundaries of the appropriate behaviour, women did not revive their female gender identity, but doomed themselves to social and spiritual failure. The two novels discuss the female prominence in the face of social threats, which usually appeared in the form of gender prejudices, norms, and gender threats. No matter, what a woman could be, â€Å"The Woman in White† and â€Å"Fantomina† prove the irresistible female striving towards self-identification. It seems that both Collins and Haywood show, how women of the Victorian society were trying to preserve their inner world, the female identity, and their female â€Å"face†, even when that face had to be hidden under masquerade masks. â€Å"Through the use of masquerade and deception, many of Haywood’s characters freely give up their virtue, while others hold strong to it, making them vulnerable and subject to greater consequences. † Self-identification and masquerade initially seem the two incompatible elements. However, such combination makes the female struggle for their self-identification even more arduous and painful. The Victorian society puts a woman in a position, in which masquerade serves the best saviour from the pressured reality: the reality pressured by norms, prejudices, and increasing male domination. Among the middle classes, patterns of employment, with the increasing separation of home and working environment, and the rise of commuting, together with the consolidation of the assumption that a male head of a household should be able to provide for the female members of his family, without them having to take paid work, contributed to the establishment of clearly demarcated leisure time and space for both women and men† (Flint 2001, 19) However, while male dominance and male financial superiority gave men excessive freedom and sufficient space for exercising their leisure desires, women were totally deprived of such freedom rights. â€Å"The Woman in White† and â€Å"Fantomina† are the two stories â€Å"of what a Woman’s patience can endure, and what a Man’s resolution can achieve. † The unbearable strength of the female character, imagination, and inventiveness strike the reader. The masquerade and the male desire to deprive a woman of the already lost identity becomes a revelation for the contemporary reader. The use of masquerade, deception, pain, and suffering leads a woman to the situation, when she is no longer able to distinguish the truth from lies, but where she continues challenging gender and social hierarchies. â€Å"The narrative space presents a struggle for authority that ultimately reaffirms the social and institutional status quo. Those individuals who threaten and transgress conventional boundaries of law, narrative, and gender are punished. † On the one hand, such striving to re-affirm social female authority does not lead to any positive consequences. On the other hand, women in Victorian novels exhibit their preoccupation with their real social position and the opportunities they possess to change this position. â€Å"She no sooner heard he left the Town, than making Pretence to her Aunt, that she was going to visit a relation in the Country, went towards Bath, attended by two Servants, who she found Reasons to quarrel with on the Road and discharg’d: Clothing herself in a Habit she had brought with her, she forsook the Coach, and went into a Waggon, in which Equipage she arriv’d at Bath† (Haywood 2004, 65) The two novels re-affirm the discussed struggle for authority in the two different forms: while Fantomina uses masquerade as the means to confirm her superiority over Beauplaisir, Collins’s woman herself becomes the victim of such masquerading male ambitions: â€Å"What had I done? Assisted the victim of the most horrible of all false imprisonments to escape; or case loose on the wide world of London an unfortunate creature, whose actions it was my duty, and every man’s duty, mercifully to control? † This scream of conscience has actually become the expression of the unfortunate and unbearable social position of a woman. To mercifully control – that was the task of the Victorian society in terms of every woman. Patriarchal traditions have led the women of the Victorian age to the most false and horrible imprisonments which a society could create: that imprisonment appeared in the form of societal dominance over female identity in general, and over the behaviour of separate married and unmarried women, in particular. Although Eliza Haywood implies that unmarried women are especially vulnerable to societal attitudes towards them, Wilkie Collins refutes this idea and shows that a married woman is very likely to lose her spiritual authenticity under the pressure of male dominant influence. Even despite the never-ending way to gender freedom, women in these two novels face the wall of misunderstanding and never changing social attitudes. It seems that by reading both novels, we create an objective picture of what a woman could be in Victorian society. A woman could either choose the pathway of social struggle, or to become a victim of this struggle between men. It seems that both authors were trying to reassure their readers in that the described events and the described gender struggles had nothing to do with their Victorian reality. By punishing their women for what they wanted to achieve, Haywood and Collins tried to decrease the significance of their writing, and to show the prevalence of social identity over personal feelings and thoughts of women. Masquerade and madness – these are the two identical lines, which Haywood and Collins exercise to prove their righteousness, and not to be blamed for being too open with their readers. Madness and masquerade – these identical lines lead women to their ultimate moral and spiritual failure, which re-defines their social position and shows that any â€Å"mad† desire to break social norms cannot lead to anything good. â€Å"The rifled charms of Fantomina soon lost their Poignancy, and grew tasteless and insipid; and when the Season of the Year inviting the Company to the Bath, she offer’d to accompany him, he made an Excuse to go without her. † Fantomina’s masquerading attempts and plans ultimately lead her to losing her virtue, but she acquires a new feeling of something inevitable in her life. Masquerade for Fantomina becomes a double failure, expressed in continued disguise which gradually becomes insipid, and in awarding Fantomina â€Å"with Child. † The masquerade has not certainly been the best solution to protect Fantomina from losing her identity, although in many instances, such masquerade has been the only means to be herself. Byrd writes that â€Å"The game could not go on forever, because it began with deceit. Perhaps if the heroine had seduced Beauplaisir under different circumstances with her honour and virtue still in tact, they would have been able to live happily under the confines of marriage. † (738) However, in this passage Byrd either lies to herself, or appears extremely subjective in her judgments. First of all, Fantomina had no other way but to initiate her love affair with Beauplaisir through deceit. Victorian society did not forgive freedom of behaviour and gender expression by unmarried women. Second, although Haywood implies that true love cannot be founded on disguise and lies, the society did not give Fantomina any other chance to conquer Beauplaisir. Third, by suggesting that a marriage could become a glorious opportunity for Fantomina, Byrd initially denies the irreversible consequences a marriage could bring to a woman, as in case with Collin’s â€Å"The Woman in White. † Marriage, about which Byrd writes, in Collin’s plot serves the role of â€Å"managing women’s minds who in different ways stand as figures of deviance and transgression; and in doing so, it offers to Collins’s more conventional readers a reassuring reestablishment of the social order and woman’s place within it. † What has Marian achieved by writing to Laura’s lawyer to inform about Persival’s and Fosco’s plot? What has Marian achieved by taking over the partially masculine features of being less passive, more mobile, and significantly more decisive in her actions? The reader may approve her for holding sufficient courage to fight against the societal circumstances, but the reality proves the opposite. Although Marian is confident that â€Å"Laura’s life itself might depend† on her â€Å"quick ears and faithful memory† , the Victorian society does not give Marian a reliable chance to prove her abilities and the right to exercise her gender identity to the fullest. Her diary (a textual expression) and her body and soul (spiritual expression) are severely punished as soon as she leaves her home and transgresses â€Å"the boundaries of the appropriate behaviour. † Marian’s behaviour and empty strivings again and again re-affirm the position which Haywood took in her Fantomina, and which Collins was initially trying to take in his â€Å"The Woman in White. † Victorian society does not forgive such trespassing. The punishment for breaking the boundaries of the socially appropriate behaviour may take various forms, from false asylum imprisonment, to pregnancy or illness. Marian’s eyes become â€Å"large and wild, and looking at me with a strange terror in them [†¦] pain and fear and grief written on her as with a brand. † In the light of Victorian orthodox traditions of gender identity, Marian may appear an unwomanly woman. Even when the sound of pen’s scraping is replaced by the sound of dress’ rustling, the society does not grant Marian with feminine identity anymore. It becomes evident that as soon as a woman dares to pass the limits of the usual female behaviour she is forever tied to new stereotypes, and has no chance to return to her previous realities. Simultaneously, none of the women described by Haywood and Collins displays any slight desire to again become â€Å"nothing but a woman, condemned to patience, propriety, and petticoats for life. † Conclusion Collins ends his novel with the spirit of â€Å"a good woman† which Marion represents. Her painful transformation asserts the status quo of Victorian gender traditions, and the social weakness of a woman who decides to break them. It is very probable, that both Collins and Haywood display a growing concern of what a woman could be if a man left her â€Å"to act as the pleased. † Collins and Haywood evidently fail to lead their women to the victory of their gender identities, and seem to choose another way as soon as each of the female characters reaches â€Å"the middle of the bridge†. Both novels start with the encouraging desire to prove that society is tragically and disastrously wrong in depriving women of their social and spiritual identity. Both show female strength and endurance in the face of the threats, which the Victorian society could pose on them. The novels reflect a similar â€Å"kind of tension between an identification with transgressive figures who challenge social conventions and a distinct uneasiness about the full economic and legal empowerment of those resolute women who so attracted men. † (Byrd 1997, 737) With the development of each novel’s plot, both authors become explicitly troubled with what consequences the freedom of female identity can cause. Certainly, Collins and Haywood have succeeded in depicting their women as pressured by the irrelevant and unnecessary societal norms. Simultaneously, they have created an impression of the inevitability of social punishment for breaking the boundaries of the appropriate social norms. By reading both novels, the reader acquires full understanding of what a woman had to experience and to endure under the pressure of Victorian male dominance. Despite the fact, that Haywood initially judges and sympathises with the social position of an unmarried woman, the life of a married woman in Collin’s view appears no better than that of Fantomina, who has lost her virtue before being bound by any socially meaningful marriage ties. Both authors have successfully shown the inevitable inequality of social position between men and women in Victorian era: Laura, Marian, and Fantomina are the three victims of excessive societal control over their true female identities. BIBLIOGRAPHY Byrd, A. â€Å"Eliza Haywood: The Rise of the Woman Novelist and Her Response to Feminine Desire Through the Form of the Masquerade. † The Modern Language Review 92, no. 3 (1997): 734-39. Collins, W. The Woman in White. Oxford World’s Classics. Oxford Paperbacks, 1998. Craft, Catherine A.â€Å"Reworking Male Models: Aphra Behn’s â€Å"fair Vow-Breaker†, Eliza Haywood’s â€Å"Fantomina†, and Charlotte Lennox’s â€Å"Female Quixote†. The Modern Language Review 86, no. 4 (1991): 821-38. Flint, K. â€Å"The Victorian Novel and Its Readers. † In D. Deirdre ed. , 17-36. The Cambridge Companion to the Victorian Novel, Cambridge: CUP, 2001. Gaylin, A. â€Å"The Madwoman Outside the Attic: Eavesdropping and Narrative Agency in ‘The Woman in White’ (Critical essay)†. Texas Studies in Literature and Language 43, no. 2 (2001): 304-33. Haywood, E. Fantomina and other works. Broadview Press Ltd, Canada, 2004.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Frankenstein or the Monster? (Frankenstein by Mary Shelley) Essay

In Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein, the main character Victor Frankenstein, becomes obsessed with the notion of bringing a human being to life. The result is the creation of a monster only known to us as ‘the monster’. The monster is hideous, and is therefore rejected by Victor and by society to fend for himself. He soon commits many murders, as a result of his dejection, including Frankenstein’s younger brother, best friend and newly wed wife. He also set up the killing of Justine. Frankenstein created the monster and then rejected him, but it was the monster who actually did the killings, who was to blame. To start off with there are obvious similarities between Frankenstein and his creation, both have been isolated, and both start out with good intentions. However, Frankenstein’s ego conquers his humanity in his search for god-like powers. The monster is nothing but gentle until society rejects him and makes him an outcast on account of his deformities. The monster is more humane than his own creator because his immoral deeds are committed in response to society’s corruption, while Frankenstein’s evil work begins from his own selfishness. Frankenstein and the monster are abandoned by their creators at a young age, Frankenstein is left without his mother after her death, and the monster is rejected by Frankenstein. Frankenstein and the monster are also similar in that they are isolated and outcasts of society. Frankenstein is most likely an outcast when he consumes himself in work and is isolated when the monster kills those he loves, and the monster is obviously isolated as an ugly, deformed outcast of society. Therefore Frankenstein seems less human than the monster, he displays this by deserting the monster, declining to visit his family for two years and by declining to save Justine. Frankenstein starts out with good intentions, he is merely seeking to gain knowledge of natural beliefs. Soon, his greed for god-like power overcomes him and he becomes consumed with the idea of creating life, â€Å"Summer months passed while I was thus engaged, heart and soul, in one pursuit† (32). The monster also starts out with kindness, he tells his creator, â€Å"Believe me, Frankenstein: I was benevolent, my soul glowed with love and humanity: but am I not alone, miserably alone?† (66). However, after society refuses to accept him based on personal appearance, the monster becomes angry. The monster has an overwhelming capacity to love as can be seen in his admiration for the peasants, â€Å"The monster’s thoughts now became more active, and he longed to discover the motives and feelings of these lovely monsters†¦ he thought, that it might be in his power to restore happiness to these deserving people† (77). The monster’s display of care and compassion for the cottagers is more humane than most humans are. He retains the innocence and naive characteristics of a child. The monster’s grasp of human-like qualities allows the reader to possess sympathy for his situation, he is a victim and Frankenstein is to blame. A true monster would, by definition, have no emotions or remorse, while Frankenstein’s creation has a very natural, human desire to be loved and accepted, â€Å"Once the monster falsely hoped to meet with beings, who, pardoning his outward form, would love him for the excellent qualities which he was capable of bringing forth†(154). Another human characteristic that the monster holds is his conscience, as can be seen at the end of the book after Frankenstein dies. The monster tells Walton, â€Å"It is true that I am a wretch. I have murdered the lovely and the helpless, I have strangled the innocent as they slept†¦You hate me, but your abhorrence cannot equal that with which I regard myself† (155). Compassion, fear, desire to be accepted, and guilt are all very human emotions and characteristics that the monster displays. While Frankenstein is consumed in his work, he feels none of the emotions that the monster feels in his first years of life, Victor says of himself, â€Å"Winter, spring, and summer, passed away during my labours, but I did not watch the blossom or the expanding leaves- sights which before always yielded me supreme delight, so deeply was I engrossed in my occupation† (33). Frankenstein is obsessed with holding god-like powers, â€Å"I ceased to fear or to bend before any being less almighty than that which had created and ruled the elements† (78). At several points in the book Victor has the chance to prevent harm being done to others, but each time he is only  concerned with himself. It is ambiguous, but Victor could have warned the family, or gone to protect innocent little William. More obviously, he could have spoken up about the monster and saved the life of Justine. Instead, Frankenstein chooses to let Justine die and wallow in his own guilt, â€Å"Anguish and despair had penetrated into the core of his heart† (57). After the monster’s threat, Victor is concerned only about his own life and fails to see the threat to his bride Elizabeth. Victor is weak in love, he has difficulty expressing his feelings and controlling his impulses, and he is self-cantered. Many contrasts can be made between Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Milton’s Paradise Lost. Victor’s character is paralleled directly with Satan’s, both succumb to selfishness when they fall. Much like Satan, Victor is forced to carry his anguish with him constantly, â€Å"Frankenstein bore a hell within himself which nothing could extinguish† (57). The monster is a portrayal of Eve’s role in Paradise Lost. The monster is persuaded by the behaviour of others to take his fall into wickedness, much like Eve was pushed by the serpent to eat the forbidden fruit. Shelley blatantly makes this comparison when Frankenstein gets a first glance of himself in a scene that mirrors Eve’s first look at herself. The monster tells Victor, â€Å"I was terrified when I viewed myself in a transparent pool! At first I stared back, unable to believe that it was indeed I who was reflected in the mirror, and when I became fully convinced that I was in reality the monster that I am, I was filled with the bitterest sensations of despondence and mortification† (108). Despite their similarities, Victor and his creation differ greatly. Only after rejection does the monster turn to evil, while Victor acts out of greed. Victor’s self-centred behaviour affects everyone in the novel, he hurts his family’s feelings, he lets th ose that he loves die, and abandons his own creation. Even the monster couldn’t have committed such horrible acts before the effects of society’s rejection. Frankenstein is mainly to blame for what happened in the novel because he created the monster and then rejected it. If he had shown the monster more fatherly care, the monster would have been more kindly disposed towards the human race. We see the monster’s admiration of the human race at first, with  the De Lacey family, but you can imagine how he must have felt, being excluded from any activity in the world involving humans. The fact that it is Frankenstein’s fault is portrayed in the monster’s innocence and naivety early on. The monster however, did refuse to show human qualities in his mass murdering, he showed no guilt until the end of the book, when he realised what he had done. Frankenstein himself had many opportunities to stop what happened in the book, for instance by finishing off the monster’s female companion. He had a chance to stop Justine’s death, but instead wallowed in his own misery. It is clear that although the monster showed huge brutality with little guilt and did actually commit the crimes, Frankenstein is to blame for what happened in the book because he created the monster, rejected him, and failed to stop the events which resulted, although he had a chance.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Isaac Adomako Essay

Isaac Adomako Essay Isaac Adomako Essay Isaac Adomako English 101 Dr. Schweitzer March 25, 2015 Word counts 300 w p.p. Michael Moore's Idiot Nation is an article that criticizes the American education system and the general intelligence of an average American. He engages us by presenting a sarcastic type of humor, followed by rather random facts about the educational system in America. He first criticizes us Americans by stating that we intake such useless information such as sports facts. Moore then aims his cross hairs towards the political leaders of the United States. His primary target is our previous president; George W. Bush who he claims was a mediocre college student even though he was admitted into such a respected Ivy League school. He then gathers up a recollection of memories from his experiences in the school system and his struggles to break through the hegemonic teaching that was force fed into his mind. His tone then changes to more supportive as he gives more random, rather sad facts about education in America. Then, Moore concludes his writing as he gives us tips on how to criticiz e and challenge your school administrators. Moore really has a powerful message to pass on to us readers and fuses humor, facts, and personal stories to keep us interested in his text. Moore does a great job connecting to his readers by using irony and humor to make his point, but does not impact from the seriousness of the subject by surrounding facts about education. He does however, have an angry tone throughout his article, but he seems to use that in a way to give the reader a sense of anger towards the subject also, thus making the reader feel more connected with his text. As he talks about his personal encounters with school, he changes his tone once more as he makes us feel more sympathetic towards his subject. In Idiot Nation, Michael Moore really sparks the thinking skills of the reader by using humor and facts to argue his opinion about the educational system, but at the same time he knows how to change his tone and change the readers emotion. What do you know about the narrator, and how do you know? The narrator is from the Mexican descent through numerous examples such as the food he is eating â€Å"we sat to eat our beans and tortillas† (1) and later his mother even tells him that he must be a â€Å"crazy Mexican† (2) when he tries to persuade his mother into acting more like the white families portrayed on television. Soto’s explanation of the climate reveals where he might be living which can be on the west coast because he says the sun makes them darker than the floor as his mother asks his little sister and him. Soto’s writing style in this specific story is light-hearted and informal while the message is very serious as children from different backgrounds living in the states do think their family is not as good as the â€Å"white† families. This is revealed when he tries to ask his mom if his whole family can dress up formal at the dinner table as well as changing his sibling’s looks in order to see if white people will not hate them as much as his sister says, â€Å"They’ll never like us† (3.) Soto’s writes in an informal tone because he is at a young age and is writing it in first-person point of view. A few practices that he uses is he reveals parts of the characters throughout the story, which allow it to be more of a story than a biography. By writing it as a story, a reader can be longer engaged with the narrator because not all the descriptions of a character are said all at once. Another technique is using informal language such as his sister saying â€Å"craphead† (3.) Using a young kid words allows for the reading to be less dense causing an informal style. The title did not relate to the story the first time as I thought it would but eventually it did because I understood the message of the story a lot more clearly the second time. Looking for Work is what every family is

Monday, October 21, 2019

Jurassic Park #2 Essays - Films Using Computer-generated Imagery

Jurassic Park #2 Essays - Films Using Computer-generated Imagery Jurassic Park #2 Jurrasic Park Richard Graczyk JURASSIC PARK Crichton, Michael Publisher: Ballantine Books City Where Published: New York Date of latest copy: 1990 Edition: First Ballantine Books Edition: December 1991. 399 Pages, Hardcover I. A Brief Summary of the Plot. A billionaire has created a technique to clone dinosaurs. From the left behind DNA that his crack team of scientists and experts extract he is able to grow the dinosaurs in labs and lock them up on an island behind electrified fences. He has created a sort of theme park on the island which is located off the west coast of Costa Rica. The island is called Isla Nublar. He plans to have the entire planet come and visit his wondrous marvels. He asks a group of scientists from several different fields to come and view the park, but something terribly goes wrong when a worker on the island turns traitor and shuts down the power. II. A Description of the Most Important Aspects of the Contents. The main characters in the book are: John Hammond who is a billionaire developer who has used his

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Why Are We Afraid of Plagiarism 

Why Are We Afraid of Plagiarism   Your academic years are some of the most important and influential in your life. What you learn and how well you can portray your knowledge acquisition will dictate your future success. Therefore, it is understandable that many students are afraid of plagiarism. Whether you are wrongly accused or intentionally commit plagiarism, the practice has long-term, negative ramifications. However, we all know the rule Forewarned is Forearmed. Get a closer look on what is plagiarism and you will combat the fear of it for the whole college life. What Is Plagiarism? Plagiarism is the act of using someone else’s words or ideas and claiming they are your own. This is usually done by an act of omission failing to acknowledge the original source of the information. Things that are most commonly plagiarized include: Ideas Theories Facts Statistics Graphs, drawings or other visuals Spoken or written words How to Avoid Plagiarism? There are several steps you can take to avoid plagiarism. First, rephrase the information you plan to use. This means putting it in your own words. Simply playing with the sentence structure or changing the word or two won’t suffice. However, a paraphrase of the information should still maintain an accurate portrayal of the original purpose or claim. If you are unable to paraphrase the information, include a short quote of the material. This should be a direct quote- capturing exactly what the original author said. It should be noted that most colleges and universities are leery of large, block quotes. Generally, a quote should be less than 40 words. Anything more than that can easily be paraphrased. Second, be sure to add a proper citation. The way you format the citation will depend on the style guide you are using (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.). Usually, this means adding a notation of the author and date of publication (or other reference information). Note: Citations should be added for both quotes and paraphrases. Finally, include a reference page or works cited page. This will expound on the in-context citations you added, providing all the necessary information regarding the sources you used. Again, the formatting of this page will depend on the style guide you are using. It is important to note that your own works need to be properly paraphrased and cited too. If you’ve written something for this or another class, you must cite yourself. Treat the information the same as you would any other source. Otherwise, you risk to be punished for self-plagiarism. There is one exception to proper citation. If the claim is public knowledge- meaning the data can be found in various sources and is commonly known by the general population- you don’t need to cite it. For example, Barak Obama was inaugurated as president of the United States of America in January 2009. Consequences of Plagiarism The students who most commonly worry about the consequences of plagiarism are those who are intentionally embarking on the journey. However, it should be noted that these same punishments are also applied to those who unknowingly commit plagiarism. Each university has its own policy regarding plagiarism and will handle cases based on those predetermined rules. Usually, the severity and frequency of the act will determine the extent of the punishment. Many professors will award zero points for a project that is found to have plagiarized work. Alternately, the student may fail the class. Sometimes, the professor will use the formal disciplinary reporting process to notify university officials. Based on the officials’ findings, the student may be subjected to suspension or expulsion. Some schools make a note of the offense on a student’s transcript. This will severely limit the student’s potential for future success. Many graduate schools and prospective employers reference a student’s transcript; a notation of plagiarism could disqualify the individual for important opportunities. Perhaps more noteworthy is the negative ramifications the student inflicts upon himself. You are depriving yourself of a valuable opportunity to learn and grow each time you commit plagiarism. You aren’t creating your own work or even original thought. Additionally, you run the risk of being ostracised from your friends\ and fellow students. Anyone who has put in the effort will resent your attempt at an easy-out. Lastly, you will ruin the relationship with your professor. That professor could have been a valuable reference down the road and plagiarism will burn any bridges you have already created. Plagiarism is a dangerous act. However, honorable students don’t need to live in fear of accidentally committing a writing crime. Simply take the necessary steps to combat plagiarism; this includes thinking long and hard about intentionally embarking on any path that could jeopardize your future success. Have you ever plagiarised? Do you think plagiarism in college should be allowed? We are waiting for you feedback and your comment!

Saturday, October 19, 2019

International Consumer Behaviour Analysis Assignment

International Consumer Behaviour Analysis - Assignment Example This is because; people have different preferences and tastes that change from one place to another and across generations. Mobile technology has been experiencing various changes in terms of development; technology has been the cornerstone for the changes that continue to characterize the industry. The smartphone, which is the current technology in use in the manufacture of mobile phones in several companies, describes a phone that has advanced features to enhance its computing ability. In general, smartphones have features that have many similarities with computers and those of other consumer devices that are common in the business and social world, for instance PDA (personal digital assistants), digital cameras as well as navigation units with the GPS technology. The smartphone industry in the United States has been fast growing, with many companies fighting to have and increase their market share. In this regard, many companies have been developing and launching various smartphones and related technologies that meet the various needs of people in their corporate, individual and social needs. Statistics that have been collected about the use of smartphones and their respective brand preference by consumers in the United States has shown different results. Currently, android tops the list on the smartphone platform, commanding a 52.1 percent of the market share, while Apple comes second with 41.9 percent. Other companies in that order include, Microsoft at 3.4 percent, blackberry and Symbian at 2.3 and 0.1 percent respectively as shown. The smartphone industry has been enjoying an increasing demand from its consumers worldwide; these have been attributed to various factors that are characteristic of consumers in the market. One of the factors that has played a huge role towards this development is the ever-increasing advancements in information and

Friday, October 18, 2019

Behavirol and Socail Sciences on Sex Offenders Essay

Behavirol and Socail Sciences on Sex Offenders - Essay Example It is difficult to predict the occurrence of sex offenders in our localities. However, some precautions are to be taken for minimizing their negative effect. In USA, the sex offenders who are convicted for their crime record are restricted to some places after their release from Jail. They are generally kept away from the school premises and day care centers for ensuring the safety of children and patients. Unfortunately, the number and frequency of sex offenders has been on rising trend in the recent years. This is not a healthy trend. There are several reasons or factors that contribute to the development of behavioral changes in sex offenders (Carla Van Dam, 2001). For successful management of these sex offenders one has to thoroughly understand the types of sex offenders and their behavioral trends in society in general and USA in particular. Keeping this in mind, the present study is being undertaken to assess the present scenario of sex offenders in USA, main causes of nature o f sex offenders and their management techniques. The present study has reviewed some studies undertaken on sex offenders in USA and other parts of the world. In this process, different research studies on factors affecting the sex offenders were analysed. The behavioral changes among sex offenders were identified and prioritized based on the extent. At last the management techniques for reducing the problem of sex offenders were chalked out leading to a meaningful conclusion. It was reported by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that approximately 100,000 sex offenders in USA are not living in the places of their registration, which is not an encouraging trend (Abby Goodnough and Monica Davey, 2009). Hence, efforts must be made to identify the floating population of sex offenders so that the negative effects caused by them can be minimized. This also throws a light

Hiring issue in Law firm Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Hiring issue in Law firm - Essay Example nterviewee, Blumentrath described the importance of maintaining a well-groomed appearance and carrying an outstanding, up-to-date resume in order to gain positive attention from the organizational recruiter. One key aspect that the presenter believed was important was for the interviewee to proactively identify potential questions that might be presented during the interview. This is to ensure that there are quality communications between the recruiter and the candidate so that the interviewee is able to show interest and dedication toward understanding the principles of the law firm. From the interviewer’s perspective, these elements help set the candidate apart from the rest by showing their enthusiasm and loyalty toward the business where they wish to be employed. Critically speaking, these are many commonly-understood principles associated with recruitment and the interview process that only served as an elementary reiteration of important concepts to gain competitive edge against other candidates. Blumentrath was much more candid when it came to presenting the importance of appearance and dress in this industry. For example, women were informed to ensure that they did not have too much of their cleavage showing from a choice of low-cut dress. What she referred to as the dip test consisted of a self-test involving the ability to touch the collarbone with the tip of the thumb while laying the hand on the chest to make a certain shape. If the test passes, then the dress is considered appropriate for this environment. She also used humorous statements about keeping an extra pair of pantyhose at the desk and a less revealing cardigan in the drawer when dealing with more conservative clients. This dress discussion reinforced the importance of image in this industry and how to take action to ensure that there is always a strategy for working with diverse clients. This was an excellent eye-opener regarding how appearance will be considered by others, such as

Eve and Adam, Remark of the savages Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Eve and Adam, Remark of the savages - Essay Example The author argues that even though it is generally accepted that Adam is the name of the first male to be created by God, the Hebrew terms Adham is in fact neutral and can be used for both sexes. The second main idea and important point the author presents in the article is that Eve, the first woman, was created through a divine act and not because Adam requested God to do so due to loneliness. The author, in trying to explain that the perceived male superiority is not fact, quotes Genesis 2:18 where God makes the decision to create a helper or â€Å"ezer† in Hebrew for Adam. She informs us that the word â€Å"ezer† is usually used to define a mutual and equal relationship between people and does not indicate inferiority as is always perceived. The thesis of this writing by Benjamin Franklin is the suggestion that Native Americans experienced hypocrisy from the White Europeans which the author points out by giving examples in the value of respect between the two nations of people. The first main idea and most interesting point the author puts forward is a depiction of the ways in which the Indians behaved and went about their daily lives although the White Europeans always thought of them as a backward people. Franklin gives examples such as the hospitable nature of the Indians whereby he says they were always more than ready to help out strangers whereas the English were more concerned about how much money one had before deciding to help them out. The author also shows how much respect and decorum the Indians had during debates and when talking. He gives the example of public debates where in the Indian culture, they would listen until one finished talking while in the European culture, they were accustomed to shouting an d yelling. Another main idea and important point in the writing is that of satire and hypocrisy, the author, in

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Summarize this article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Summarize this article - Essay Example Mirja Feldman is the prosecutor who tried the case. She believes the production of the fakes has not stopped. It is suspected that the sculptures are made in a foundry in Netherlands. The police have been able to close the foundry, but the owner cannot be prosecuted because he lives outside Bangkok, Thailand. Alberto Giacometti is concerned the fakes will go back to circulation. Therefore, the authorities intend to destroy the majority of the fakes. They hope to convince owners to have them destroyed, or the have the Alberto Giacometti sign removed. The mystery of the Giacometti fakes continues. The article is interesting because of the way the story has been presented. The writer endeavors to keep the reader interested in reaching the end of the paper. The case of the Giacometti fakes has been presented clearly without any ambiguity. The article is straight to the point, which makes it easy to

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

VIsiting Los Angeles County Museum of Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

VIsiting Los Angeles County Museum of Art - Essay Example There were lots of permanent art collections, art galleries and dress exhibitions which I got an opportunity to see Matisse in one. In one building, the Ahmanson, the modern art collections displayed works that went all the way from back in 1900. I loved most David Hackneys’ works which ranged from paintings which spoke a thousand words about people and all the more to nature. I also was intrigued by the truth in art being everywhere. I discovered this as I moved from one piece of art to another and nature, people, common objects, Paintings, music and films revealed art. This is something I had learnt in class though I had really doubted. This visit ascertained this without a doubt. I did not however enjoy this one aspect where every piece of art had a placard giving its name though it did not give sufficient information concerning the art and the artist behind it. And can you imagine I had to pay $11 for iced tea and a bun! This was not funny at all. A serious stereotype I had before I visited this place was that it is a cultural wasteland and it made me not even think about visiting it for such a very long time. Through this project, I discovered that this is just but a lie and that contrary to it; this place is so beautiful and is so rich in culture. Am actually planning to visit it again now that I can’t say I explored it to my

Summarize this article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Summarize this article - Essay Example Mirja Feldman is the prosecutor who tried the case. She believes the production of the fakes has not stopped. It is suspected that the sculptures are made in a foundry in Netherlands. The police have been able to close the foundry, but the owner cannot be prosecuted because he lives outside Bangkok, Thailand. Alberto Giacometti is concerned the fakes will go back to circulation. Therefore, the authorities intend to destroy the majority of the fakes. They hope to convince owners to have them destroyed, or the have the Alberto Giacometti sign removed. The mystery of the Giacometti fakes continues. The article is interesting because of the way the story has been presented. The writer endeavors to keep the reader interested in reaching the end of the paper. The case of the Giacometti fakes has been presented clearly without any ambiguity. The article is straight to the point, which makes it easy to

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Why did the First Crusade erupt Essay Example for Free

Why did the First Crusade erupt Essay The First Crusade was a monumental event of the 11th century, where thousands of ordinary people took up the cross to make the extremely long and perilous journey to Jerusalem to fight the ‘other’; the Muslim threat. Inspired by extreme devotion to God and His church, people made this decision based on a single speech. Jonathan Philips argues that Pope Urban II’s speech in 1095 had managed to draw together a number of key concerns and trends, synthesising them into a â€Å"single, highly popular idea†, which led to the First Crusade. Described often as an ambitious politician, it is certain that the Pope intended this to happen, for various motives, and his audience were ready consumers of the information he proclaimed to them. Pope Urban’s motives for his iconic speech in Clermont were largely restorative and ambitious. He wanted to restore Papal authority in the East, towards the Mediterranean, by recapturing the place known as the centre of the world, Jerusalem. The Holy Land had been taken from them 400 years earlier, so it would be fair to agree with Asbridge that the situation â€Å"hadn’t deteriorated significantly in the years before 1095†. It can be argued that the Pope was recycling old events, dressing them in inflammatory language to create the â€Å"explosive material† he needed. Following in the footsteps of his ambitious predecessor Pope Gregory VII, he wanted to establish himself as the greatest leader in Europe; emphasising his papal role as God’s representative on Earth; above mere kings or emperors. The act of commanding great forces of the people of Europe for a single cause would demonstrate this kind of power. It would also act as a kind of unifying force for Europe that was fractured since the Great Schism of 1054, an event which undermined the Pope’s authority. The schism created the rival body to the Pope; the Greek Orthodox church, seated in the great Byzantine Empire. Pope Urban’s source material for his speech which caused the eruption of the First Crusade came from a plea. Preceding the eruption of the First Crusade, its new young leader Alexios I was in trouble, and improving relations between the two old rival Churches made him able to request help from Urban II in 1095. Seemingly attacked from all sides, Alexios had sought the help from mercenaries to help with the first of his problems, the Pagans in the North. In 1082 the Pope helped him stall Norman insurgents, although typhoid was a better eradicator of the threat they posed to Alexios. However the greatest  of his problems lay in the militant Seljuk Turks, new Muslim converts who were swiftly taking East Byzantine and swiftly crushed the limited Byzantine forces at the Battle of Manzikert. For this threat Alexios needed a greater force than he could muster. In March 1095 he sent envoys to interrupt a papal council in Paicenza, asking for the Pope to send aid to help the Muslim threat in Asia Minor. He also exaggerated the threat facing him, as although it was â€Å"serious, it was not necessarily as catastrophic as Alexios depicted it at the Council†. Therefore when Urban gave is speech, it was under the premise of passing on Alexios’ message to the people of Western Europe, so it was twice exaggerated, making it more sensational and causing the eruption of the First Crusade. It can be argued that Alexios’ request was not the most important factor as it was merely a tool used by Urban to fit in with his own agenda. If it had not occurred Urban could still have relied on historical skirmishes with Islam over the Holy Land, inflaming them enough to seem an urgent responsibility. Whilst Urban may have had his own personal motives, and these may have conveniently coincided with the Byzantine crisis to create a compelling argument, this alone would never have caused the eruption of the First Crusade if it hadn’t been for the fanatical reaction garnered from the people. This was because of the extremely important religious factor, the centuries-old medieval phenomena which Urban was not totally responsible for. It may be difficult for contemporary audiences to fully understand that total, unconditional, and unquestioning faith in God and religion â€Å"knitted every human together in Western Europe†, as Asbridge put it. The rituals of the Church dictated the rhythm of everyone’s lives, and doctrine of the Church was of ultimate importance as it represented the key to heaven. Medieval introspective and sin-obsessed societies focused on this end goal. Sin was feared but still was a common occurence, particularly in a society where violence was normalised. Penance, or absolution of sin, was the answer, and whilst standard Confession with a priest was thought of as being sufficient for more minor (venial) sins, the ultimate act of penitence was undoubtedly the Pilgrimage. In a largely allegorical, illiterate culture, the pilgrimage was shown to have magical qualities. In a world where the lines between the figurative and literal blurred, for some there was little distinction between the Holy Land and heaven itself. Urban indicated eternal bliss as  near guarantee as a result of this crusade. The more dangerous, the more sacrificial it was, the more devotion was shown to God, worthy of reward. However this strong religious culture alone would not have caused the eruption of the First Crusade; without a world leader with his well-heard message of God’s calling the fractured peoples of Europe would not have been able to organise on that scale. In conclusion I would argue that Pope Urban was the primary cause of the eruption of the First Crusade. His â€Å"rousing sermon† was very cleverly calculated to manipulate the vulnerable masses to the greatest extent possible, demonstrating the power of emotive rhetoric. The religious culture was one that existed many centuries before the event, and conflicts like the one experienced by Alexios were not uncommon. Instead it was Pope Urban, the politician, who tied these two factors together, if not for the benefit for his Church, then for his career. Bibliography Phillips, J. (2002). The Crusades, 1095-1197. 1st ed. Pearson Education. Jones, T. Crusades. (1995). BBC. Riley-Smith, J. (2014). The Crusades: A History. 3rd ed. London: Bloomsbury Academic. Purser, T. (2009). The First Crusade and the Crusader States 1073-1192. 1st ed. Oxford: Heinemann Notes