Thursday, November 28, 2019

The Complex Relationship Between Faith free essay sample

The Complex Relation between Faith and Fate In the novel A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving, numerous themes present themselves to the reader. Irving uses the idea of the relationship of faith and fate to question whether or not faith directly shapes our fate, creating the idea that believing in God in a world with no faith completely absurd. As the novel unfolds, you begin to understand ‘special purpose’ each character serves can only be told in the way God decides. When Owen Meany is on stage portraying the ghost of Christmas yet to come he approaches the gravestone prop, stops, and suddenly faints. He later awakens, as the curtains fall only to realize that the name he read on the gravestone is his own. Scared, he knew he had been given a glimpse into his future. â€Å"It made (Owen) furious when I suggested that anything was an ‘accident’ – especially anything that happened to him; on the subject of predestination, Owen Meany would accuse Calvin of bad faith. We will write a custom essay sample on The Complex Relationship Between Faith or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page There were no accidents. (Irving 66) Owen has a very strong sense of faith and believed that this directly affected his fate and the fates of others and because Owen believes he is an ‘instrument of God’ and that there are no accidents. Everything dealing with Owen is fated to occur. As did others in the novel, Sagamore, John’s mother (Tabitha), John’s grandmother, and others all become symbols of things foreshadowed to die because they lost their faith at some point throughout the novel. Another example of faith shaping fate is when Mr. Fish taught Owen and John to play football because he had no children of his own. Irving uses this biblical allusion to show how faith is directly tied to fate. Mr. Fish had given up hope in Owen’s ability to kick a football and this led to the fate of Sagamore because, those who lost their faith became ill willed or suffered a fate only destiny could have imagined, much like Sagamore and the diaper truck. As Owen Meany became ‘God’s instrument’ in the death of Sagamore, he also served the same role in taking the life John’s mother, Tabitha, who suffered the fate of a baseball to the head. But was this an accident of fate or was it a lack there of? At the end of the novel Rev. Merrill revealed to John that he was his father, and it was John, who in the end restored his faith. It however, was the death of Tabitha that caused his lack of faith. The Rev. Merrill believes that he caused her death because, he had wished for it. Or maybe, it is his fate, that Tabitha was destined to die. Owen Meany believed that there were no such things as coincidences and that fate is the ultimate reason. Irving wrote it this way to show how faith and fate are interconnected. Most people have faith that God decides what happens to you; this is fate. There were many people in this novel that lost their faith. John’s grandmother had lost her faith after John’s mother had died which, foreshadowed her death. And maybe Owen himself, who had confidence in John to believe in faith, fated that Owen too would become another victim of fate. Which makes us think, what is it that actually contains a story of religion and fate, are they linked, or are they two things we can never know together? However, one thing is certain, the belief that if faith is lost; fate will not be so kind. Works Cited Irving, John. A Prayer for Owen Meany. New York: Ballantine Books, 1990. Print

Monday, November 25, 2019

How to Request a Bug Identification

How to Request a Bug Identification There are lots of insect enthusiasts, both professional and amateur, on social media today, and based on my own experience, most of them are probably getting inundated with bug identification requests. While I appreciate everyones interest in learning about the insects and spiders they encounter, and I really do wish I could answer every ID request, its simply impossible for me to do so. Lately, Ive been receiving dozens, sometimes even hundreds, of ID requests per week, by email, by Twitter, on Facebook, through instant messaging, and even by telephone. Because I can only answer very few ID requests myself, I thought it would be helpful to readers if I provided you with information on where you can get mystery bugs identified by reliable experts (who have more time to do so than I do). How to Submit a Bug Identification Request First things first. There are, by most expert accounts, several million kinds of bugs living on our planet. If you send me a photo of a bug you found in Thailand, theres a good chance I wont know what it is, beyond the basics (Looks like a sphinx moth caterpillar.). Find the expert in your own area, if possible. If you want a bug identified, you will need to provide either the bug itself, or several good photos of the bug you encountered. Its very difficult (and sometimes impossible) to identify insects or spiders from photographs, even good ones. Bug photos should be: Taken close-up (macro photos).Clear, not blurry.Well-lit.Taken from different angles: dorsal view, side view, ventral view if possible.Taken with something in the photo to provide scale and size of the insect. Accurate bug identification may require the expert to get a good look at the subjects feet and legs, antennae, eyes, wings, and mouthparts. Try to get as much detail as possible. If you can, place something in the frame of the photo to give some perspective regarding the size of the bug – a coin, a ruler, or grid paper (and please report the size of the grid) all work well. People often overestimate the size of bugs they see, especially if they are phobic, so having an objective measurement is helpful. Its also important to provide as much information as you can about where you found the mystery bug. Include specifics on the geographic location and habitat, as well as the time of year when you caught or photographed it. If you dont mention where and when you found the bug, you probably wont even get a reply. A good insect identification request: Can you identify this insect I photographed in Trenton, NJ, in June? It was on an oak tree in my backyard and appeared to be eating the leaves. It was about a half inch long. A poor insect identification request: Can you tell me what this is? Now that you have good photographs and a detailed description of where and when you found your mystery insect, heres where you can go to have it identified. 3 Places to Get Mystery Bugs Identified If you need an insect, spider, or other bug from North America identified, here are three excellent resources available to you. Whats That Bug? Daniel Marlos, known to his loyal fans as The Bugman, has been identifying mystery insects for people since the 1990s.  After responding to bug ID requests for an online magazine in the early years of the Internet, Daniel launched his own website called Whats That Bug? in 2002. Hes identified well over 15,000 mystery insects from all over the world for readers. And if Daniel doesnt know what your mystery insect is, he knows how to reach the right expert to get your answer. Daniel cant respond to every ID request, but when he does, he provides a short natural history of the bug in question. Ive often been able to identify insects just by using the search feature on the Whats That Bug? website, by entering a short description (large black and white beetle with long antennae, for example). His site also features a sidebar menu where hes grouped previous IDs by type, so if you know you have a bumblebee but arent sure which one, you can try looking at his past bumblebee identifications for a match. To submit a bug ID request to the Bugman, use the Ask Whats That Bug? form. Bugguide Anyone who has even a remote interest in insects knows about Bugguide, and most of those insect enthusiasts are registered members on this crowdsourced, online field guide to North American arthropods. The Bugguide website is hosted by Iowa State Universitys Department of Entomology. Bugguide posts a disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. These naturalists may be volunteers, but I can tell you from my experience using Bugguide for many years that they are some of the most knowledgeable arthropod enthusiasts on the planet. To submit a bug ID request to Bugguide, youll need to register (for free) and log into the site. Then add your photo to the ID Request area of the database. Bugguide volunteers also run a Facebook group where you can submit ID requests. Cooperative Extension Cooperative Extension was created in 1914 by the passage of the Smith-Lever Act, which provided government funding for a partnership between the US Department of Agriculture, state governments, and land-grand colleges and universities. Cooperative Extension exists to educate the public about agriculture and natural resources. Cooperative Extension provides research-based information about insects, spiders, and other arthropods to the public. Most counties in the U.S. have a Cooperative Extension office that you can call or visit if you have questions about bugs. If you have a bug-related concern or question, I highly recommend that you contact your local Extension office. Their staff know the insects and spiders specific to your area, as well as the right way to address pest problems in your region. To find your local Cooperative Extension office, use this interactive map from the USDA. Simply choose your state and Extension in the Type field, and it will take you to your states Cooperative Extension website.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Exam 3 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Exam 3 - Research Paper Example This order faced many challenges with the migration of the African American to from southern to demonstrate against the violation of the order (Richard 78). This order helped the country during the war that emerged later with the African Americans being referred as janitors in the military sector. Civil Rights Act of 1964- In July 2, 1964, this Act got its creation as a landmark piece of civil rights in the United States in order to outlaw the major forms of discrimination against race, color, religion, sex, and women. The act ended the Jim Crow rules upheld by the Supreme Court that held the racial segregation purported as separate but equal and was constitutional. A congress later saw the benefits of the Civil Rights Act and expanded it to strengthen enforcement of the fundamental rights. During the proposed hearings by the Judiciary committee on the proposed legislation led to the amendment of the bill to broaden the scope of protections. These changes strengthen President Kennedy ’s original proposal on the response to the turbulent summer that saw several incidents of racially aggravated hostility across the south. After a continued fight against its approval, the country saw the benefits of the bill that saw the president in that particular time signs it into law. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)- This federal law enforcement agency enacts laws against workplace discrimination. It encompasses some other laws like the title of the Civil Rights Act 1964, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, which protects men and women who perform equal work in the same founding from sex- based discrimination. It also covers Age Discrimination in Employment of 1967, which protects folks above 40 years of age, or older (Hay 100). The United States Employment Opportunity Commission enforces all the above laws and provides an oversight and harmonization of all equal employment opportunity regulations, practices, and policies. Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADE A) OF 1967- This protects folks of 40 years of age and above from employment discrimination. This applies both job applicant and employees. According to the law, it is illegal to discriminate any person because of age with respect to any term, condition, privilege of service. This includes hiring, sacking, endorsement, layoff, reimbursement, paybacks, training, and job assignments. It applies to those employers with 20 or more workers including state, local governments, employment agencies, labor organizations, and the federal government. This has helped the government from risks associated with equal considerations in the workplace. Americans with Disabilities Act of 1973- It is a federal law enacted on September 26, 1973 and is known as the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that replaces the Vocational rehabilitation Act. It covers those individuals with a special history of handicaps or any health complications. Special programs held to pay tribute to people with disabilities prohibits discrimination against any disability in the agencies, in programs receiving Federal Financial assistance, employment among others. This helps value the contribution from those with disabilities. Question 2 Some people remain more fortunate than others in which they remain promoted while others stay at the middle or at the bottom of the positional ladder. This rise in rank

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

OCBC Bank Case Study Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

OCBC Bank Case Study - Research Paper Example In this organization, employees are provided with the opportunities to enhance their skills through on job training, in house training programs and various management courses and development programs. The OCBC bank has a program ‘career best’ that helps employees to determine their career choices. It helps employees to recognize their strengths and weaknesses and match their talents to that of OCBC’s organizational requirements. Additionally, the company has internal job posting mechanism through which the company intimidate employees about job openings in local and overseas locations prior undertaking external hiring. Overall, the company focuses on employees’ talent and skills and allocates jobs accordingly (OCBC, 2014a). In HSBC, four areas in terms of talent management are focused upon, namely, reward and recognition, work life balance, career and development and work environment. The company has talent relationship management system where managers are responsible for employees are engaged through job rotation and various international assignments. Contrastingly in HSBC, job opportunities are allocated on the basis of seniority and experience. HSBC has different talent acquisition and training programs in different countries. Apart from short term training, the company also provides long term training similar to that of OCBC bank. Additionally, HSBC as well as OCBC sponsor various university programs related to finance and commercial banking, from where they recruit fresh bankers as well as provide internships to students from different educational programs. One contrasting as well as interesting factor that was noticed about OCBC in this study that the company continuously monitors health and security issues in different countries so that if and when employees travel in these countries, do not face any kind of problem therein (HSBC, 2014; OCBC, 2014b). It has already been highlighted that employees are asset for every organization and are

Monday, November 18, 2019

Marketing debate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing debate - Essay Example (Child, 1995) Product marketing is indeed of paramount importance when the comparison is drawn between the two but it is service marketing which takes the lead over its product counterpart due to a host of reasons, all of which are mentioned below. Marketing is selling a product before it has actually entered the market. By market we mean those sets of people or target audiences who will be catered this product so that they could satisfy one or more of their respective needs. With these we fathom that marketing aims not only to sell the product before it is even produced at the manufacturer’s end but also make sure that there are repeated purchases on the part of the customer who is a part of the target audience so to speak. Marketing in essence is a game plan for the strategic and tactical basis of the products that are sold through the help and facilitation of distribution channels, word of mouth approaches and formation of brand personalities and so on and so forth. People factor in the service encounter gains an even more significant position. Marketing a service is different from marketing a product because the role of employees has played an important role within an organization that is focused mainly on the delivery of state of the art service towards its customers on a day to day basis. Service marketing has remained the key for a long time, especially within the contexts where the same offers a creative edge over other service organizations – the competitors in essence. (Beckman, 1967) Service marketing is indeed different than product marketing as it pinpoints the absence of a tangible product in the first place and relies on providing the service in an impeccable way. What this does is to inculcate the same feelings of trust and belongingness with the customers which they receive when they purchase a product. However this sense of attachment with the

Friday, November 15, 2019

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccine Formulation

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccine Formulation Abstract Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of upper and lower respiratory tract infections in both children and elderly people. In this study we evaluated the short- and long-term protective efficacy of the single intranasal immunization of RSV vaccine formulation consisting of the fusion (F) protein formulated with a polyIC, an innate defense regulator peptide and a polyphosphazene (ΆF/TriAdj). This vaccine induced significant systemic and local immunity, including RSV F-specific IgG1 and IgG2a, IgA and virus neutralizing antibodies, and IFN-ÃŽÂ ³-secreting T cells in mice. Furthermore, this vaccination promoted the induction of RSV F85-93-specific CD8+ effector T cells with no virus replication in the lungs. To evaluate the duration of immunity induced by single intranasal vaccination, mice were challenged with RSV after five months of immunization. Significantly higher levels of IgG1, IgG2a and virus neutralizing antibodies were detected in ΆF/Tr iAdj vaccinated animals. Moreover, this vaccine formulation induced high local IgA secreting memory B cell development and B cell IgA production and conferred complete protection against subsequent RSV challenge without priming for enhanced disease. In conclusion, a single nasal vaccination of RSV ΆF protein formulated with TriAdj enhanced robust, long- term protective immune responses against RSV infection. Introduction Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of severe lower respiratory tract disease in infants, older and immunocompromised individuals worldwide {Falsey, 2005 #586}. Many RSV vaccine candidates, including live attenuated strains, vectored and viral protein subunit vaccines are underway. Currently, there is no licensed RSV vaccine or specific treatments other than prophylaxis with passive antibody therapy (Palivizumab) {Group, 1998 #599}. The first RSV vaccine clinical trial with formalin-inactivated RSV (FI-RSV) failed to induce neutralizing antibodies and caused enhanced respiratory disease after natural RSV infection {Kim, 1969 #589}. RSV is an enveloped virus, containing three transmembrane surface glycoproteins: the major attachment protein G, fusion protein F and small hydrophobic SH protein. The F protein is highly conserved and mediates fusion of the virus into host cells and subsequent formation of syncytia, making it a major target for subunit vaccine and antiviral drug development {Collins, 2008 #597}. However, mucosal vaccination with RSV F protein alone does not induce protective immunity {Vaux-Peretz, 1992 #648;Garlapati, 2012 #650} therefore, this protein needs to be combined with an adjuvant to induce strong, long-lasting protective immune responses. Previously, we developed a novel combination adjuvant platform (TriAdj) comprising of three components, namely a polyI:C, innate defense regulator peptide (IDRs) and polyphosphazene (PCEP). Synthetic double-stranded RNA, polyIC, known to recognize TLR3 and retinoic acid-inducible gene 1(RIG-I) leading to induction of proinflammatory cytokines, which in turn activates various immune cells {Sivori, 2004 #581`, Longhi`, 2009 `#573;Longhi, 2009 #573}. To stabilize and protect the polyIC from degradation, two other immunmodulators an innate defense regulator (IDR) peptide and a polyphosphazene were added. Innate defense regulator (IDR) peptides are derivatives of natural host defense peptides with microbicidal, chemotactic properties {Yeung, 2011 #608}. Poly[di(sodium carboxylatoethylphenoxy)]-phosphazene (PCEP) is a synthetic biodegradable water-soluble polymer with immunostimulatory properties. It forms non-covalent complexes with antigens and/or other adjuvants to increase their stabil ity and allow multimeric presentation {Andrianov, 2009 #618;Kovacs-Nolan, 2009 #621}. Previously, we developed a novel vaccine candidate against RSV (ΆF/TriAdj) consisting of a truncated version of the RSV fusion protein (ΆF) formulated with TriAdj. We have shown that double vaccination regime such as prime and boost intranasal immunization with this vaccine candidate establishes long-lasting humoral and cell-mediated protective immune responses without any evidence of immunopathology {Garg, 2014 #60;Garg, 2015 #63}{Garg, 2014 #60}{Garg, 2014 #60}{Garg, 2014 #60}{Garg, 2014 #60}{Garg, 2014 #60}. In the present study we demonstrated that after single IN delivery with ΆF/TriAdj, vaccine elicits mucosal and systemic immune responses and offers complete protection from RSV challenge in mice. Furthermore, ΆF/TriAdj induced effective local CD8+ T cells, which is one of the hallmarks for successful vaccination against many viral infections. To evaluate the duration of immunity induced by this vaccine candidate after single intranasal vaccination, we carried out long-term trials. Five month after the vaccination, RSV ΆF formulated with TriAdj induced robust mucosal and systemic immune responses and complete protection from RSV challenge in mice. Furthermore, ΆF/TriAdj elicited long-lived local IgA secreting memory B cell development and B cell IgA production, as well as memory T cells. It is well known that an RSV vaccine needs to induce a balanced Th1/Th2 adaptive immune response, which stimulates the generation of high-affinity neutralizing antibodies with effector cytotoxic CD8+ T cells {Graham, 2011 #642}. Results Single mucosal vaccination with ΆF/TriAdj induces strong systemic immune responses: Antibodies play a major role in protection against many viruses. To characterize the quality of the humoral immune responses induced by single vaccination of ΆF/TriAdj, IgG1 and IgG2a titers were measured in the serum. As shown in Fig. 1A B, the mice immunized with ΆF/TriAdj developed significantly higher IgG1 and IgG2a levels, than placebo groups both before and after challenge with RSV. These results indicate that formulation of ΆF protein with TriAdj promotes a balanced humoral immune response. Neutralizing antibody plays a protective role against viral infections. In order to evaluate the biological function of the ΆF-specific serum antibodies, Virus neutralization (VN) titers were determined. Mice immunized with ΆF/TriAdj developed significantly higher neutralizing antibody titers than the ones immunized with PBS both before and after challenge with RSV (Fig 1C). To investigate the phenotype of the cellular immune response, the ΆF-induced secretion of IFN-ÃŽÂ ³ and IL-5 by splenocytes was measured four days after challenge. Significantly higher numbers of IFN-ÃŽÂ ³ secreting cells were generated from mice vaccinated with ΆF/TriAdj formulation, while the number of IL-5 secreting cells was low in vaccinated mice (Fig 1D). This suggests the addition of RSVΆF protein to the TriAdj resulted in a stronger, Th1-biased immune response, which is in also agreement with the enhanced IgG2a production. Intranasal vaccination with single dose of ΆF protein formulated with TriAdj induces robust protective mucosal immune: Mucosal immune response play a crucial role in first line defense of host by blocking the spreading of RSV infection in the lungs. Thus, an effective RSV vaccine should induce local IgA antibodies in the respiratory tract. To evaluate the mucosal immune responses induced by ΆF/TriAdj, we measured ΆF-specific IgA antibody levels in the lungs. Significantly higher IgA production was observed in mice immunized with ΆF/TriAdj in comparison with mice immunized with PBS (Fig 2A). To determine whether single IN vaccination with the ΆF/Triadj formulations would affect viral clearance, all mice except those in one of the two Placebo groups were challenged IN with RSV. No infectious virus was recovered in lungs of mice immunized with ΆF/TriAdj, showing full protection from infection (Fig 2B). In order to investigate whether protection is correlated with higher cross-presentation and cell-mediated immune responses, we evaluated RSV F-specific CD8+ T cells infiltration with RSV F85-93 pentamers in the lungs after RSV challenge. The ΆF/TriAdj induced a significantly higher number of F85-93 specific CD8+ T cells influx in the lungs (Fig 6A), which suggests that vaccination with ΆF/TriAdj promotes a cytolytic CD8+ T cell response to RSV infection. Virus-specific effector CD8+ T-cell response has been shown to play a critical role in RSV clearance {Graham, 2011 #642}. Therefore, we analyzed the effecter function of the CD8+ T cells according to their expression of the IFN-ÃŽÂ ³ by à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ow cytometry. After RSV challenge, the ΆF/TriAdj-immunized group showed higher frequencies of IFN-ÃŽÂ ³-expressing CD8+ T cells than PBS-immunized, RSV-challenged mice in the lungs (Fig 6). This suggests that ΆF/TriAdj promotes a stronger ef fector CD8+ T cell response to RSV. Single nasal vaccination with ΆF/TriAdj induces Long-term systemic immune responses: To assess the long term memory effect induced by single intranasal vaccination with ΆF/TriAdj, serum IgG and VN antibody levels were measured periodically over five months. The mice immunized with ΆF/TriAdj developed strong IgG and VN titers compare to placebo control group for approximately 25 weeks (Fig 3A B). We next examined whether IN vaccination promoted the induction of long term ΆF-specific serum IgG1 and IgG2a. The ΆF/TriAdj- vaccinated mice developed significantly higher ΆF-specific serum IgG1 and IgG2a titers than placebo groups both before and after challenge with RSV (Fig 4A B). VN titers were also determined to evaluate the functional quality of the ΆF-specific serum antibodies after RSV challenge. Mice immunized with ΆF/TriAdj developed significantly higher neutralizing antibody titers compared to PBS gro up (Fig 4C). To further define the phonotype of the immune response, the ΆF-induced secretion of IFN-ÃŽÂ ³ and IL-5 by splenocytes was measured four days after challenge with RSV. The ΆF/TriAdj formulation generated a significantly higher frequency of IFN-ÃŽÂ ³ secreting cells compared to the placebo. The numbers of IL-5 secreting cells were low in all vaccinated mice (Fig 4D), which suggests Th1 bias immune responses. Mucosal vaccination with Single dose of ΆF/TriAdj induces Long-term protective mucosal immune response: Local antibody play a major role in protection from respiratory viruses such as RSV in the lung. To access the long term local immune responses with ΆF/TriAdj vaccination, induction of ΆF-specific IgA in the lungs was examined by ELISA. Mice immunized with ΆF/TriAdj developed significantly higher IgA levels when compared to placebo and placebo virus challenged groups (Fig 5A). Furthermore, we checked the development of IgA-secreting memory B cells in lungs after RSV challenge. ΆF/TriAdj formulations generated a significantly higher frequency of RSV ΆF-specific IgA-secreting memory B cells in lungs in comparison to PBS (Fig 5B). In summary, single dose of ΆF/TriAdj via IN vaccination stimulated strong IgA-secreting memory B cell development and B cell IgA production. To determine viral clearance after single vaccination with ΆF/TriAdj, all mice except those in one of the two placebo groups were challenged IN with RSV on day 150. The mice were sacrificed after four days, and virus titers in the lungs were determined. No infectious virus particle was recovered from mice vaccinated with ΆF/TriAdj, showing that these mice still had sufficient immunity to be completely protected from challenge virus replication in the lungs (Fig 5C). Discussion RSV is one of the major global burdens of causing a broad spectrum of respiratory illnesses in children and older population worldwide. There is still no licensed RSV vaccine, in part due to the disastrous outcomes observed following vaccination of naÃÆ' ¯ve children with FI-RSV {Kim, 1969 #589}. Natural infection with RSV fails to protect against subsequent infection because it stimulate modest immunogenicity and short-lived immunological memory against virus. Similar to natural RSV infection, many promising RSV vaccine have failed to generate long-lasting, protective immune responses {Power, 2008 #769;Hall, 2001 #789}. For wide clinical application, RSV vaccine will need to be safe, easy to administer and must stimulate strong long-term protective immunity than natural RSV infection {Pulendran, 2011 #796}. Protein subunit vaccines have a high safety profile, but are generally poorly immunogenic and induce short-lived humoral and cellular immunity {Graham, 2011 #642}. So adjuvant s are added to subunit vaccines to stimulate faster, stronger, and long-lasting immune responses to vaccines. At the clinical level, multi dose vaccination is expensive and has potential safety problems. Whereas, single vaccination formats are cost effective, safe (no risk for vaccine contamination) and more convenient to health worker. In the present study, we demonstrated the short as well as long term protective efficacy including stable systemic IgG, local IgA production and neutralizing antibody titers of a RSV ΆF protein formulated with TriAdj in mice after single IN immunization. Furthermore, ΆF/TriAdj promoted an effector CD8+ T cells with compete protection against RSV infection without inducing vaccine-enhanced pathology in the lungs. A vaccine requiring only a single administration to be effective would be highly practical, as it would improve patient compliance Therefore, single intranasal immunization with RSV ΆF protein formulated with Tri Adj is a promising approach to induce a long-lasting protective RSV-specific immune response. Mucosal immunization via IN route is invasive and suitable for generation of both local and systemic immunity. RSV infect through respiratory tract, therefore mucosal antibodies specifically IgA play an important role in prevention and clearance of virus. Previously it has been shown that protection against RSV infection is more correlated to the levels of mucosal IgA rather than to systemic antibody in human {Watt, 1990 #687}. In mice, single RSV infection induces short-lived neutralizing antibodies with absence of antibody-secreting memory B cells {Schmidt, 2012 #869}. Interestingly, we have recently demonstrated that the RSV infected mice were showed significantly lower level of local B cell IgA production and IgA secreting memory B cell development that indicates an impaired local antibody response that allows RSV re-infection and explain the short-term protective immunity with natural infection with RSV{Garg, 2016 #1340}. In contrast, intranasal vaccination with single dose of R SV ΆF protein formulated with TriAdj promotes the induction of long-lasting local IgA secreting memory B cell development and B cell IgA production which is a major criterion for an effective RSV vaccine. Previously, we and others have reported that strong, effective and protective immune responses were induced only after a booster immunization with RSV F protein with adjuvant {Garg, 2014 #891}{Blanco, 2014 #1423}{Lambert, 2015 #1442}. A single mucosal vaccination of adenovirus-based RSV vaccine had also been proved effective in short term {Kim, 2010 #1443}. But this is the first report showing the long term protective efficacy of single mucosal vaccination of an adjuvanted RSV F protein subunit vaccine in mice. Clinical trial with FI-RSV failed to induce protection against RSV due to generation of poor neutralizing antibodies and TLR activation that led to vaccine-associated enhanced disease {Delgado, 2009 #513}. The inclusion of polyI:C as TLR ligand in vaccine formulation, is expected to overcome the limitations of inactivated RSV vaccines. The adjuvant effect such as long-lasting T cell immunity of polyI:C is likely caused by the direct interaction with PRRs such as TLR3, MDA5 and RIG-I, leading to production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and chemokines. Interestingly, it has been shown that alveolar macrophages and lung DCs induced strong IgA and IgG antibodies by addition of TLR3 ligands, which were probably linked to secretion of BAFF/APRIL cytokines and activated B cells {Xu, 2008 #686}. However, we and others have been shown that IN administration of higher doses of polyIC caused marked production of inflammatory cytokines/chemokines accompanied by impaired lung function {Stowell, 2009 #682;Boukhvalova, 2010 #685;Aeffner, 2011 #750} suggesting excessive stimulation of local immune responses can result in detrimental effects. In contrast, ΆF/TriAdj has an advantage over polyIC alone as it has shown full protection form RSV infection without any exacerbation of chronic pulmonary disease. This demonstrates that a combination of polyIC, IDR and PCEP mediates optimal enhancement of the RSV-specific immune response without vaccine enhanced disease. We believe that IDRs is one of the major anti-inflammatory components in our vaccine formulation as it has been previously shown to enhance cell-mediated immune responses and to modulate excessive consequences of TLR signaling {Bowdish, 2005 #766;Hancock, 2006 #767}, whereas polyphosphazenes enhance antigen-specific humoral immunity through the formation of non-covalent complexes with protein {Andrianov, 2005 #667}, suggesting major roles from both of these compounds in this vaccine formulation. An important factor for successful vaccine against RSV requires the generation of effective CD8+ T cell in the lungs. Previously, it has been shown that mild to severe infection with RSV failed to induce virus-specific IFN-ÃŽÂ ³ recall responses in the infants {Lee, 2007 #806}. To define the stimulation of local effective CD8+ T cell responses induced by ΆF/TriAdj, RSV F specific pentamer staining demonstrated marked induction of IFN-ÃŽÂ ³ secreting RSV-specific CD8+ T cells in lungs. Similarly, exogenous IFN-ÃŽÂ ³ expression protects against RSV infection in the lungs of BALB/c mice {Kumar, 1999 #805}. This evidence suggests that complete protection against RSV was associated with the presence of IFN-ÃŽÂ ³+ RSV-specific CD8+ T cells. In summary, our data show that RSV ΆF protein formulated with TriAdj vaccine represents a safe, effective and promising RSV vaccine candidate. The major advantages associated with this mucosal RSV vaccine is to induction of long-term protective immunity with a single mucosal vaccination by stimulating long-lived RSV-specific neutralizing antibodies, memory B and CD8+ T cells, therefore warranting additional evaluation as a vaccine against RSV in clinical trials. MATERIALS AND METHODS Virus and vaccine formulation: The RSV (A2 strain) was propagated in Hep-2 cells (American Type Culture Collection, VR-1540). The RSV ΆF protein with his-tag was produced and purified as described previously {Garlapati, 2012 #650}. Briefly, HEK-293T cells were transfected with an episomal vector expressing the ΆF protein using Turbofect (Fermentas, R0534). The ΆF protein with his-tag was purified using TALON Superflow resin (Clontech,) according to the manufacturers instructions. The ΆF protein was formulated with 10  µg poly (I:C) (Invivogen, tlrl-picw), 20  µg IDR1002 (Genscript, 818360) and 10  µg PCEP (Idaho National Laboratory) in PBS (ΆF/TriAdj) as described previously. Animals, immunizations and challenge: Six to eight week old female BALB/c mice (Charles River Laboratories, Wilmington, MA, USA) were immunized once IN with ΆF/TriAdj. Two additional groups of mice received PBS IN (Placebo control). Three week (short-term trial) and twenty weeks (long term trial) post-vaccination, all except one of the Placebo groups were challenged IN with RSV strain A2 (5 x 105 PFU/50 µl). Mice were euthanized four days after RSV challenge for detection of immune response and virus in the lungs. Blood samples were drawn by cardiac puncture under anesthesia prior to challenge and at regular intervals afterwards. All procedures were approved by the University Animal Ethics Committee in accordance with the standards stipulated by the Canadian Council on Animal Care. Lung fragment cultures and ELISA: Lavaged lungs of euthanized mice were cut into small pieces and lung fragment cultures were prepared as described previously {Mapletoft, 2008 #591}. ELISA was performed as described previously {Garg, 2014 #942}. RSV ΆF-specific IgG1, IgG2a and IgA were detected using biotin-labeled goat anti-mouse IgG1, IgG2a (Southern Biotech, 1070-08, 1080-08) or IgA (Gibco, M3115) followed by streptavidin-alkaline phosphatase (AP) (Jackson ImmunoResearch Laboratories Inc.,016-050-084), and developed with p-nitrophenyl phosphate (Sigma-Aldrich, N3254) substrate. Enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assays: ELISPOT assays were performed on splenocytes and LNs cells as previously described {Garlapati, 2012 #650}. Briefly, cells were stimulated with ΆF protein (2  µg/ml) and spots were developed using biotinylated IFN-ÃŽÂ ³- or IL-5- (BD Biosciences, 554410, 554397) or goat anti-mouse IgA specific antibody, AP-conjugated streptavidin and BCIP/NBT (Sigma-Aldrich, B5655) as the substrate. Analysis of CD8+ T cells from lungs by flow cytometry: Lung single-cell suspensions were generated as previously described {Garg, 2014 #942}. To analysis of RSV F85-93-specific CD8+ T cells, lung mononuclear cells were surface stained with H-2Kd-F85-93 MHC Class I pentamer (ProImmune, F149) together with labeled antibodies specific for CD8+ T cells (BD Pharmingen, 553031). For intracellular detection of IFN-ÃŽÂ ³ in CD8+ T cells, lung mononuclear cells were stimulated with 1 ÃŽÂ ¼M of F85-93 peptide (KYKNAVTEL) and cell surface staining was performed, followed by intracellular cytokine staining using Cytofix/Cytoperm (BD Pharmingen, 554715) and APC- conjugated anti-IFN-ÃŽÂ ³ antibody (BD Biosciences, 554413). After staining, cells were acquired by flow cytometry (BD Biosciences), and data were analyzed using Kaluza Software (Version 1.2). Cells were gated for live cells, singlets and lymphocytes and then analyzed for indicated markers. Virus titration and virus neutralization assay: Virus titrations were performed with individual lungs at day 4 post- challenge as described previously {Garg, 2014 #942}. Results are expressed as PFU/g of lung tissue. RSV-specific neutralization titers were determined by plaque reduction assays. Serum samples were mixed with 500 PFU/well of RSV strain A2 for 1 h at 37 °C. The sample-virus mixtures were transferred to HEp-2 cell monolayers and incubated for 4 days at 37  °C, and the cells were fixed and stained with 0.5% crystal violet. Statistical analysis: All data were analyzed using GraphPad PRISM version 6 for Windows (GraphPad Software, Inc., La Jolla, CA, USA). Differences among all groups were examined using Student t-tests, one-way ANOVA, followed by a Newman-Keuls post test. Differences were considered significant if P Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank Elisa C. Martinez, Wayne Connor, and Michael Theaker for technical assistance, as well as Sherry Tetland and Jan Erickson for the handling and care of the animals. This work was supported by the Krembil Foundation, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Published as VIDO manuscript number . Figure legends Fig. 1. RSV ΆF-specific systemic humoral immune responses in mice. (A) Serum IgG1 and IgG2a titers before challenge (B/C), (B) Serum IgG1 and IgG2a titers after challenge (A/C) with RSV, (C) Serum VN antibody titers determined before (B/C) and after (A/C) RSV challenge, and (D) Numbers of IFN-ÃŽÂ ³ and IL-5 secreting splenocytes determined in response to in vitro restimulation with ΆF protein. BALB/c mice were immunized once IN with ΆF formulated with TriAdj and challenged three weeks later with RSV. Control groups were immunized with PBS and challenged with RSV (Placebo) or mock-challenged (Placebo/mock). ELISA titers are expressed as the reciprocal of the highest dilution resulting in a value of two standard deviations above the negative control serum. Virus neutralization titers are expressed as the highest dilution of serum that resulted in Fig. 2. Mucosal immune responses to RSV ΆF protein in mice after challenge with RSV. The IgA titer (A), Virus titer (B), Percentages of ΆF-specific CD8+ T cells (C), and ΆF-specific IFN-ÃŽÂ ³ secreting CD8+ T cells (D) were measured in the lung after RSV challenge. Mice were immunized and challenged as described in the legend for Fig. 1. ELISA titers are expressed as the reciprocal of the highest dilution resulting in a value of two standard deviations above the negative control serum. Virus replication in the lungs is expressed as pfu per gram of lung tissue. Bars represent median values with interquartile ranges. *P Fig 3. Long-term systemic immune responses to RSV ΆF protein. IgG (A) and VN (B) titers were measured at different times after vaccination. BALB/c mice were immunized once IN with ΆF formulated with TriAdj and challenged with RSV on day 150. Control groups were immunized with PBS and challenged with RSV (Placebo) or mock-challenged (Placebo/mock). ELISA titers are expressed as the reciprocal of the highest dilution resulting in a value of two standard deviations above the negative control serum. Virus neutralization titers are expressed as the highest dilution of serum that resulted in Fig 4. Systemic immune responses to RSV ΆF protein. (A) Serum IgG1 and IgG2a titers before challenge (B/C), (B) Serum IgG1 and IgG2a titers after challenge (A/C) with RSV, (C) Serum VN antibody titers determined after (A/C) RSV challenge, and (D) Numbers of IFN-ÃŽÂ ³ and IL-5 secreting splenocytes determined in response to in vitro restimulation with ΆF protein. Mice were immunized and challenged with RSV as described in the legend for Fig. 3. ELISA titers are expressed as the reciprocal of the highest dilution resulting in a value of two standard deviations above the negative control serum. Virus neutralization titers are expressed as the highest dilution of serum that resulted in Fig 5. Long term mucosal immune responses to RSV ΆF protein. IgA titers (A), numbers of IgA secreting LNs cells (B), Virus titers (C) were determined after (A/C) RSV challenge. Mice were immunized and challenged with RSV as described in the legend for Fig. 3. ELISA titers are expressed as the reciprocal of the highest dilution resulting in a value of two standard deviations above the negative control serum. IgA secreting cell numbers are expressed as the difference in the number of spots between ΆF-stimulated wells and medium-control wells. Virus replication in the lungs is expressed as pfu per gram of lung tissue. Bars represent median values with interquartile ranges. **P

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Diabetes :: essays research papers

Hyperglycemia, which means high blood sugar level. This is usually over 250. The normal range is 80-120 for a person without diabetes. High Blood sugar is when a diabetic eats too many sugars, with out covering it with insulin. High Blood sugar causes a diabetic to become very tired, they get dry mouth and get very thirsty. This causes frequent urination. This is usually how a person is diagnosed with Diagnosed with diabetes. If you have constant high blood sugar, you will start to lose weight. The body will not be able to convert the sugar to energy, which makes the person very tired. If you treat Hyperglycemia early enough you will not get these symptoms, that is why it is a good idea for diabetics to frequently check their blood sugar levels. Ways to treat Hyperglycemia is to exercise or take some insulin depending on high your blood sugar level is. It requires a different amount for every diabetic. Or just take some extra insulin if you plan on eating more than usual. Hypoglycemia is when your blood sugar level is to low, this usualls occurs when you don’t eat enough or exercise more than you have planned. Hypoglycemia or low blood sugar cause: Shakiness, Dizziness, Sweating, Hunger, Headache, Pale skin color, Sudden moodiness or behavior changes, Clumsy or jerky movements, Difficulty paying attention, or confusion. The Best way to treat low blood sugar is to keep good control over your blood sugar levels by testing the blood sugar level often. If you plan to exercise a lot eat a little extra. If you test your blood sugar level, and you feel that your sugar levels are going down eat some time of sugared food. A good thing for diabetics to carry around with them are glucose tabs, which are just sugared type pill that is very fast acting and will bring the sugar to its normal level.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Participatory Action Research Essay

The youth group was started in 2004 after the youths realized something was going wrong in the community and they were the right people to rectify the situation. They then came together and registered with the Ministry of Culture and Social Services Youth Affairs. It’s a non-profit making organization whose purpose is to address the needs of the youths and to improve the living standards of the community. The group brings together youths of both genders and has no ethnic or racial barriers as it believes youths from whatever background experience the same problems and must come together in order to solve them. Majority of the youths are trained in various fields of education and so it’s a pool of educated young men and women committed to be difference makers in other people’s lives. Currently the group has thirty five fully registered and active members but there is room for more members to join them. Since its formation, the group has provided their voluntary services beyond area of operation to improve the well being of the community. Their areas of activities include youths and community mobilization and awareness on HIV/AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), guidance and counseling services, education on income generating activities, youth and community education on alcohol and drug abuse, education on leadership and administration, planning and accountability, tree planting exercise and offering voluntary services for the well being of the community. The group is seeking to address the most pressing needs that are affecting them and the community where they are living. These pressing need collaborative efforts as they cannot be solved by the community alone as they need technical expertise and some substantial funding. These needs were prioritized according to their impact in the community and they include; the high unemployment rate among the youth, gender disparity due to the culture, and idleness among the youths leading to irresponsible youth behavior, high infection rate of AIDS and other venereal diseases, drug abuse, poor farming methods leading to food insecurity and afforestation problem.. The members agreed that they had the brains, knowledge and skills and if put together and shared will bring a big change among the group members, other youths and the community at large. Though they have had challenges especially from the elderly community members when discussing on sexual issues, the group is committed to continue working until they have attained their set objectives. Their services to the community have effected some positive changes, which have commended by the community members. The group also works with other major stakeholders who have been helpful to the group in terms of training and financial support. These include the Community Based Organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations, Religious Organizations, Society and the Government to improve the living standards of the community. These stakeholders have been very helpful to the youth group because they have been offering training without charging them any fee, giving the youths some incentives as well as the community and funding their projects at some level. They have been able to work with the group since it was started and have promised they will continue working with them as long as keep the agreement with them. The possible research question that could be answered if the researcher collaboratively worked the major stakeholders is to find out whether their input into the group has had and positive impact to the youth group and to the community. This research question will be a guide to getting some critical information which will be used by the group to improve on the areas that they are not performing well (The research question could be as follows; What has been your input to the group and has it had any impact to the group and to the society? ) The benefits of doing the work the researcher is proposing is that it could again help the group to be able to identify their weakness and then find out solutions for them. It will also open another door for them to meet other partners through the researcher who will pump in some more useful input to the group. Through their interaction with them some critical issues may rise which could not have been solved, but it will be an opportunity to solve them. In one way the group could be advertising or selling itself and what they are undertaking through these formal discussions as the contents of the discussions will be published somewhere, which will get some support for the group. This could be beneficial to the group and to the researcher as he/she will be able to learn more about how groups work. As concerns to the ethical issues, the protocol has to be followed and the group has to be consulted first before anything happens. There should be respect for the group and any information about the group should be kept secret as it is. The researcher should make sure that he/she work within the guidelines of the group and should she/he need any information should follow the right channels but not go to public and tell the public about the group against their wishes References Luft, J (1984). An Introduction to Group Dynamics (3rd Edition). Mountain View, CA: Mayfield Toseland, R& Rivas, R. (2005) Introduction to Group Practice, Allyn & Bacon. New York.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Free Essays on Career & Management Development

Introduction The following essay is divided in two parts. In the first part we are going to examine the changing context of careers in today’s ongoing transforming world of employment and the impact that this change has on the career and management development of organisations. In the second part a more personal current situation of my state of career is going to be described. Part a) Some definitions of a career†¦ Everyone has their own perception about what the term â€Å"career† connotes. Most of us have in mind a â€Å"ladder† that leads to occupational success. A literature review will be helpful to be aware of some important definitions. According to Hall (1976) a career is the individually perceived chain of attitudes and behaviours associated with work-related experiences and actions over the span of the individual’s life. A very similar definition is that â€Å"a career is the evolving sequence of a person’s work experience over time.† (Arthur et al, 1989) A definition that is not solely work focused is the following: â€Å"career is viewed broadly to stress life roles and life styles, occupation being considered only one part of career.† (Hansen and Gysbers, 1975) Career theory involves concentration on two aspects. The first is the individually focused or subjective career which is based on an individual’s perception of working life and the second is the organizationally focused or objective career, which is based on the career ladder. (Wees and Jansen, 1994) Career and management development: its meaning We can easily understand that career development is referred to the way that careers are managed in organisations. According to the CIPD (2004), career development is â€Å"the design and implementation of organisational processes that enable the careers of individual employees to be managed in a way that encompasses organisational and individual career perspectives†. (www.cipd.co.uk) ï ¿ ½... Free Essays on Career & Management Development Free Essays on Career & Management Development Introduction The following essay is divided in two parts. In the first part we are going to examine the changing context of careers in today’s ongoing transforming world of employment and the impact that this change has on the career and management development of organisations. In the second part a more personal current situation of my state of career is going to be described. Part a) Some definitions of a career†¦ Everyone has their own perception about what the term â€Å"career† connotes. Most of us have in mind a â€Å"ladder† that leads to occupational success. A literature review will be helpful to be aware of some important definitions. According to Hall (1976) a career is the individually perceived chain of attitudes and behaviours associated with work-related experiences and actions over the span of the individual’s life. A very similar definition is that â€Å"a career is the evolving sequence of a person’s work experience over time.† (Arthur et al, 1989) A definition that is not solely work focused is the following: â€Å"career is viewed broadly to stress life roles and life styles, occupation being considered only one part of career.† (Hansen and Gysbers, 1975) Career theory involves concentration on two aspects. The first is the individually focused or subjective career which is based on an individual’s perception of working life and the second is the organizationally focused or objective career, which is based on the career ladder. (Wees and Jansen, 1994) Career and management development: its meaning We can easily understand that career development is referred to the way that careers are managed in organisations. According to the CIPD (2004), career development is â€Å"the design and implementation of organisational processes that enable the careers of individual employees to be managed in a way that encompasses organisational and individual career perspectives†. (www.cipd.co.uk) ï ¿ ½...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

What went wrong in iraq essays

What went wrong in iraq essays There was no post war planning in Iraq and the little planning that took place was ignored by the Sate Department who didnt want to hear daunting words about liberating Iraq from Saddam Hussein. The Pentagon skimped on troops and ignored the advice from its generals and sent light forces to Iraq. The Pentagons plan was to create an Iraqi government and soon after train native Iraqi forces so they can carry on the fighting for their own country. However some mistakes were made in Iraq like miscommunications, unintended consequences, and intelligence failures. Comments: Bush should have made a better post war planning that would continue three to four years after the war. We should have had better intelligence which would lead to better results. The level of troops in Iraq left a point of criticism towards the Pentagon. Invading Iraq with merely 150,000 troops was not sufficient to do its job. The leaders made a decision that we should overrun the Iraqi regime quickly and violently as possible because overrunning the country quickly would result in lives saved. The Pentagon thought it was vital to avoid a lengthy war that would have a weakening effect on the country. In order for a quick win we had to enforce a surprise attack and catch Hussein off guard. We had wanted send our 4th Infantry Division through Turkey into Northern Iraq but Turkey refused. Incredibly, we managed to achieve a surprise attack because Hussein thought they we would never attack without the 4th Infantry Division. Comments: I think that leaving the 4th Infantry Division on the border goes both ways because if they did come down from Turkey into Northern Iraq then we wouldnt have that many problems pertaining to insurgency but he did surprise Saddam Hussein by initiating a surprise attack to quickly overthrowing his regime. Things went bad after the war and began in post-war. We had collapsed a regime to quick ...

Monday, November 4, 2019

Physiological and Social Needs Associated with the Aging Process Term Paper

Physiological and Social Needs Associated with the Aging Process - Term Paper Example This paper will focus on physiological and social needs associated with the aging process pertaining to people who are 65 years old and older. It will discuss areas such as selective optimization, cognition and aging, socio-emotional selectivity, as well as personality and aging, and recommend how these areas could be improved to make the life of the elderly person better. Physiological and Social Needs of the Aging Process Introduction The aging process is, in essence, transforming from middle age to old age. It is a time when humans shift away from their former periods of usefulness to dependability (Sharma & Rana, 2012). The aging process causes a broad variety of problems. When one is old, psychological and physical function declines (Nigam et al, 2012). It forces some decline in psychological and physical functions. The problems and needs of elderly people differ considerably in relation to their age, health, socioeconomic status and living status, as well as other such backgrou nd traits. As individuals move away for the early days of their lives, they normally reflect on them. A majority of them usually are regretful and seem to live in the present, choosing to ignore the future totally (Salthouse, 2009). From 60 to 65 years is when adults are normally regarded to be in the transition age from middle to old (Salthouse, 2009). ... As someone ages, they might become more discerning with the individuals they opt to spend their final years with (Spicker, 2013). Psychological closeness might become more significant with other individuals. The notion to which people can selectively pick whom they wish to dedicate their time for becomes more vital as one grows. The premise of cognition is the age-related drop in fluid cognitive performance (Salthouse, 2009). This is, in other words, the effectiveness or efficiency of carrying out tasks of thinking, learning, memory, as well as spatial skills. Nevertheless, crystallized skills are much more stable across the natural life and might even enhance with age, which signifies the cultural and social influences on the world knowledge. Cognitive transformations with the aging process for individuals of the age of 65 are well documented and influence a wide variety of tasks. There are, in realty, three vital cognitive procedures that are affected as one ages; the working memor y, perceptual and sensory abilities, and the rate in which information can be processed (Brossoie, 2012). As one ages, they face decrements in auditory and visual acuity. Some of the age-associated visual problems can be rectified by glasses, and, even though, hearing aids can assist in detecting low-frequency sounds, they normally amplify background noise (Nigam et al, 2012). Such changes raise the potential of processing overload in a situation, which might have once presented minute challenges. Even general activities such as walking become less habitual (Spicker, 2013). The aging process of individuals over the age of 65 brings with it less feelings of shyness, depression or

Friday, November 1, 2019

Mother-daughter relationships Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Mother-daughter relationships - Essay Example At the same time, it shows the necessity to desist from such terms. Further, contextualizing this novel, it tries to explore the various ways that people make meaning pursuant to their lives characterized by conflicts that originate from gender, race, and idiosyncratic viewpoints. However, Sula rejects the simple answers that demonstrate ambiguity, a terror of life, beauty, in both its horrors and triumphs. Nevertheless, Sula illustrates the varied relationships that exist between the family members showing their importance as a tool of the social construct (Pruitt 115). Therefore, the essay will examine, analyze, and elucidate the various relationships that take the center stage of this novel. Based on the novel, the black women do not have access to the male protection. Hence, the daughter and mother relationships are fundamental for them to receive the motherly skills meant for survival. In this case, the African American parents give protection to their daughters while teaching t hem to love themselves for whom they are in the patriarchal society. This depiction is eminent when the mothers strive to offer protection for the undetermined dangers through giving them a sense of their unique self-worth. Although, this feeling of security and self-worth often miss in the mother and daughter relationships in Sula. The situation indicates the historical experiences of the African American that impact differently on how men, women, and their children express affection, tenderness, support, and protection to one another.